“Go easy on me, Freightmaster,” consented Shaa.
“Okay,” nodded Qithka. “It seems in this era that the Dzen Aeng Kho has discontinued the Equality Test. This is a good thing, a long-term goal met by Gevaudan Cannagrrh. The Society of Equals is no longer stratified by Equals, Inequals, and Unequals. Law and egalitarian opportunity for everyone.”
“And the bad news?” Shaa encouraged when Qithka paused.
“The bad news is that slavery is has intensified in response. The Dzen Aeng Kho is a fractured state, a ‘shotgun polity’ of member worlds where borders are drawn at the edge of each world-system. Populations are critically low it seems. This had spurred the need for cheap Labor. The Society of Equals still carries one black mark in the eyes of other empires like the Republic of Regina and the Regency before it. Slavery is still very much alive and imposed here.”
“They don’t look downtrodden or abused from what I saw,” contributed Shaa. “They seemed marked by their jewelry.”
“Yes,” agreed Qithka. “Those ear-hoops designate them as slaves though they can earn their freedom, be freed by their masters, or be emancipated by the courts should proof be provided in a case of abuse.”
“It’s de-sophont treatment, Qithka,” complained Shaa. Thank the Ancestors that such demeaning labor trapped in lower echelons of servitude had been outlawed by the Republic. There were still pockets of such treatment along the margins, slavery in many subtle and overt forms.
Qithka pointed her canine nose at Shaa and leveled her eyes to say, “The Dame could not control what polity she was born. Neither could her brother Gevaudan. You were told his story. I’d abolish slavery here and now if I could. I’m not condoning it. But as I am, in this third life I can’t do anything about it except protest and boycott the practice. Want me to take up activism and draw undue attention to this ship, Captain?”
“No,” answered Shaa. This was not her species, not her culture, and not her business as a Traveller.
“More good news though,” announced Qithka. “We bought a starchart from Information. It has the rest of Ruhk Odzuetarug Subsector. We now know more about our next stop at Kfolaell (Guvrrdon 1421*). If the Captain desires, we could advertise for Passages to Kfolaell.”
“I’ll sleep on it,” groused Shaa. If she did take on Passengers to the Panas Gankinra, there had better not be any slave owners. This was her ship.
“Can we get liberty?” Hew asked at last in Anglic. “Tech 11 world means I can possibly buy a Vaccsuit with the measurements from our Makershop.”
“Only if Qithka goes with you, Mr. Hollowton since you don’t speak Gvegh,” conditioned Shaa. “Take your weapon too. Low Law.”
“Hot damn!” exclaimed Hew with a celebratory tone.
“‘Tis a for’gon’ co’clusion, Hew tha’ Gvegh this dep in th’ Wilds ha’ ne’er seen or heart o’ th’ Ursa,” warned Qithka in her accented Anglic. “To ‘em you migh’ come off a huge Beast instead o’ a sofont, until a show ‘em o’erwise o’course.”
“Qithka, I need a drink, a new suit, and some room to stretch out,” declared Hew. “Please say you’ll be my escort.”
“BuddySystem were it then,” nodded the white pelt Relict Clone.
Returning to the Vargr girl’s native Gvegh, Shaa asked, “Since this is our first polity world, will we need transponders and registration? I don’t have their heraldry and don’t want to be boarded every breakout by whatever passes for System Defense Boats this deep in the Wilds.”
“Hew and I will look into it, Captain,” offered Qithka who then added, “If I may, can I pay the fees. It’s my home polity despite the centuries.”
“As you wish, but by the book, Freightmaster,” commanded Shaa.
Before the crew could adjourn the meeting, Shaa halted Hew in saying, “If you are going escorted by Qithka, that might make it a date. Do yourself and all of us a favor and bathe. It doesn’t take a Vargr nose to know you reek like a Bear, Mr. Hollowton.”
The Ursa smarted to the judgement but then looked at Qithka who nodded her canine muzzle in agreement with the Captain. “A date huh? Aye, Captain.” Then the lumbering Pilot-Security retreated to the Common Fresher. Shaa was glad she had chosen a Fresher that could handle ten crew despite only room for eight. An Ursa took up the needs of at least two Humans.
As the Vargr and the Ursa took turns in the Fresher, Shaa received a line item manifest of services from the hangar crew, a Gvegh foreman accompanied by a subordinate technician with a hoop in his ear. To the female foreman, Shaa said, “These will do, plus a transponder per my Freightmaster later.” Looking out the forward transpex of the Bridge, Shaa beheld a multi-color, striped Vargr Corsair touching down in a nearby hangar of the Downport dome. There was traffic out here in the deep Wilds still.
“Okay,” nodded Qithka. “It seems in this era that the Dzen Aeng Kho has discontinued the Equality Test. This is a good thing, a long-term goal met by Gevaudan Cannagrrh. The Society of Equals is no longer stratified by Equals, Inequals, and Unequals. Law and egalitarian opportunity for everyone.”
“And the bad news?” Shaa encouraged when Qithka paused.
“The bad news is that slavery is has intensified in response. The Dzen Aeng Kho is a fractured state, a ‘shotgun polity’ of member worlds where borders are drawn at the edge of each world-system. Populations are critically low it seems. This had spurred the need for cheap Labor. The Society of Equals still carries one black mark in the eyes of other empires like the Republic of Regina and the Regency before it. Slavery is still very much alive and imposed here.”
“They don’t look downtrodden or abused from what I saw,” contributed Shaa. “They seemed marked by their jewelry.”
“Yes,” agreed Qithka. “Those ear-hoops designate them as slaves though they can earn their freedom, be freed by their masters, or be emancipated by the courts should proof be provided in a case of abuse.”
“It’s de-sophont treatment, Qithka,” complained Shaa. Thank the Ancestors that such demeaning labor trapped in lower echelons of servitude had been outlawed by the Republic. There were still pockets of such treatment along the margins, slavery in many subtle and overt forms.
Qithka pointed her canine nose at Shaa and leveled her eyes to say, “The Dame could not control what polity she was born. Neither could her brother Gevaudan. You were told his story. I’d abolish slavery here and now if I could. I’m not condoning it. But as I am, in this third life I can’t do anything about it except protest and boycott the practice. Want me to take up activism and draw undue attention to this ship, Captain?”
“No,” answered Shaa. This was not her species, not her culture, and not her business as a Traveller.
“More good news though,” announced Qithka. “We bought a starchart from Information. It has the rest of Ruhk Odzuetarug Subsector. We now know more about our next stop at Kfolaell (Guvrrdon 1421*). If the Captain desires, we could advertise for Passages to Kfolaell.”
“I’ll sleep on it,” groused Shaa. If she did take on Passengers to the Panas Gankinra, there had better not be any slave owners. This was her ship.
“Can we get liberty?” Hew asked at last in Anglic. “Tech 11 world means I can possibly buy a Vaccsuit with the measurements from our Makershop.”
“Only if Qithka goes with you, Mr. Hollowton since you don’t speak Gvegh,” conditioned Shaa. “Take your weapon too. Low Law.”
“Hot damn!” exclaimed Hew with a celebratory tone.
“‘Tis a for’gon’ co’clusion, Hew tha’ Gvegh this dep in th’ Wilds ha’ ne’er seen or heart o’ th’ Ursa,” warned Qithka in her accented Anglic. “To ‘em you migh’ come off a huge Beast instead o’ a sofont, until a show ‘em o’erwise o’course.”
“Qithka, I need a drink, a new suit, and some room to stretch out,” declared Hew. “Please say you’ll be my escort.”
“BuddySystem were it then,” nodded the white pelt Relict Clone.
Returning to the Vargr girl’s native Gvegh, Shaa asked, “Since this is our first polity world, will we need transponders and registration? I don’t have their heraldry and don’t want to be boarded every breakout by whatever passes for System Defense Boats this deep in the Wilds.”
“Hew and I will look into it, Captain,” offered Qithka who then added, “If I may, can I pay the fees. It’s my home polity despite the centuries.”
“As you wish, but by the book, Freightmaster,” commanded Shaa.
Before the crew could adjourn the meeting, Shaa halted Hew in saying, “If you are going escorted by Qithka, that might make it a date. Do yourself and all of us a favor and bathe. It doesn’t take a Vargr nose to know you reek like a Bear, Mr. Hollowton.”
The Ursa smarted to the judgement but then looked at Qithka who nodded her canine muzzle in agreement with the Captain. “A date huh? Aye, Captain.” Then the lumbering Pilot-Security retreated to the Common Fresher. Shaa was glad she had chosen a Fresher that could handle ten crew despite only room for eight. An Ursa took up the needs of at least two Humans.
As the Vargr and the Ursa took turns in the Fresher, Shaa received a line item manifest of services from the hangar crew, a Gvegh foreman accompanied by a subordinate technician with a hoop in his ear. To the female foreman, Shaa said, “These will do, plus a transponder per my Freightmaster later.” Looking out the forward transpex of the Bridge, Shaa beheld a multi-color, striped Vargr Corsair touching down in a nearby hangar of the Downport dome. There was traffic out here in the deep Wilds still.