Locating Gin’va Adeni or any other Jaraidan that might be willing to co-operate with PASS in their investigations was definitely a priority. Dav and other agents who had any contact with local people were frequently reminded to ask questions about Jaraidans that had been off-world and their whereabouts.
Taasi’s claim that a large number of the Jaraidans who were known to have been off-world had died around the time that Thualat was destroyed, led to a focus on those for whom no official death had been registered. These were presumed to have returned to Jaraida, and—without further information—were presumed to be alive. Yet where were they?
Unlike Merleth, who had regular contact with Da’téa, Dav had not run into Taasi since the time she had agreed to ask her guardian for permission to intern at the PASS base. He had done what research he could, given the limited information the girl had given him, but it was not much, and he was regularly being asked for more. It was not enough that a few Jaraidans claimed that there was a government—where was it, if it existed?
Ever since Dav had reported Taasi’s claim that the Jaraidan government had issued a “no unnecessary contact” decree, the question had been how a government could attempt to govern while hiding. How could the people know what the government had ordered? The locnet was not functioning, and though Jaraidans relied on telepathy for a lot of communication, not all Jaraidans were telepaths.
There was a lot for PASS to investigate, even while they also tried to provide food, medical help and any other assistance that the people accepted. As Dav was the agent that spoke Arand most fluently in Kyeros and also a cultural specialist, it fell to him to gather as much information as he could for the Intelligence folks to put together into the puzzle that was Jaraida.
Except when he got lucky and found someone like Taasi or her mysterious guardian, Dav’s best bet for gathering information about Jaraidan matters was to visit the Omik stonework.
It was the only stonework in Kyeros that was not closed to off-worlders. Indeed, the Omik welcomed anyone who wanted to trade. It was the place where the most contact with local people was possible, even if you didn’t want to buy or sell because the Jaraidans who frequented the public areas of the stonework seemed to accept that off-worlders would be around and did not always object to talking to them. Many were willing to answer questions about Jaraidan customs and even about the changes they had experienced since the start of “The Troubles.”
Though conversations tended to be superficial, Dav got bits of interesting information that he incorporated in the database he was always updating about Jaraidan life. Other agents contributed what they learned, but as the Cultural Specialist in Kyeros, he was the one who curated and organized the database.
It was a part of his job that he enjoyed much more than having to keep asking questions about the government or individual Jaraidans. When he started asking questions about the government, the “unrest” in the city, or specific Jaraidans, the folks at the Omik stonework were generally no happier than the children he questioned outside the stoneworks—though unlike the children they excused themselves politely instead of just running away.
*****
The Omik stonework was owned or run (or both) by the Omik family, a clan that had been involved in off-world trade from the time Jaraida had joined the PanWorld Alliance, and despite the troubles in the past few years, they had maintained what they could of their old commercial ties. It was not clear to Dav how much off-world trade the Omik were still involved in, but the areas of the stonework devoted to commerce were always bustling with activity.
Two large indoor courtyards connected by a wide corridor were open to the public. Trade was mostly in PanWorld credits or cash, but the equivalent value in food was accepted also. Because of the severe shortages of food on Jaraida, the PASS policy was to pay with food whenever possible and never to buy local food for cash or credit. When PASS personnel visited a Jaraidan eatery, they brought food to trade.
It was about 1000 meters from the Kyeros base to the central gate to the Omik stonework. Dav suspected the PASS base had been set on the northwest side of Kyeros because that put them closest to the Omik stonework. The Service expected that, wherever they went in the known universe, PASS agents would want to check out local venues in their free time, even though the base had several eateries, a couple of bars and a couple of entertainment rooms.
The local places were enjoyed because they were different. You didn’t join the PASS Service if you didn’t like to travel to different worlds and experience what you could of different cultures.
*****
One of Dav’s favorite places in the Omik stonework was an eatery, a small venue, offering a variety of local teas, a local cider, and some imported drinks along with local snack food and usually a good vegetable stew of some sort. They also offered some off-world food, including the food cubes that Dav and other PASS folks brought in payment for their meals.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
It was a pleasant place with five low Jaraidan tables and comfortable cushions to sit on. There was also a single Civvie style table with chairs, but the only time Dav sat on it was when he wanted to make room for Jaraidans who preferred the low tables. Part of coming to a new place was to engage in and learn their ways.
Besides the excellent, subtly different food, what Dav appreciated most was that the owner and waitress were friendly and managed to make everyone feel welcome. Thanks to the pleasant atmosphere, Dav was able to meet and talk with Jaraidans who might not have talked to him elsewhere. Sometimes he would sit at a low table with a plateful of Jaraidan snacks and the local cider for a while, and when a Jaraidan who might be willing to trade conversation for food and drink came in, the waitress would bring him over, and Dav would get to practice Mehland and ask questions.
When there was no one else, and the eatery was not too busy, he would talk to the waitress and sometimes the owner—who was also the cook. Though fluent in Arand, they were supportive of his efforts to learn Mehland and willing to correct him when he made a mistake in the language. They would also answer questions.
Not long after Taasi had told him about the “no unnecessary contact” rule, he asked Binchi, the waitress, about it as she served him a bowl of the incredible soup that was often different but always delicious.
“I heard that there is some sort of rule that Jaraidans may not have unnecessary contact with off-worlders—including PASS,” he said speaking to Arand to avoid misunderstanding.
“That’s right,” she replied with her usual cheerfulness.
“Well, how does that affect you and the others here, who sell to us and serve us food?”
“It is necessary contact,” she replied as though it were obvious. “We have to make a living.”
It sounded too simple. A lot of Jaraidans who had refused to work with PASS both in Kyeros and Trinar, had needed to make a living also. Was it just that the folks in the Omik stonework felt less bound by the rule, or was there another reason?
“Who made the rule?” he asked, wondering if, like Taasi, she would claim it came from the Council of Elders. He wanted to know if most Jaraidans believed that they were governed by the Council of Elders and a Ciardei, as the Code of Jaraida prescribed.
“It comes from the government,” Binchi said, making a motion to go, though usually she was happy to kneel besides his seat and talk.
“The Ciardei and the Council of Elders?” he insisted.
Binchi nodded.
Was it his imagination, or had she gone a little pale? It was hard to tell with Jaraidans who all had very light skin with blueish undertones
He could sense that she was very uncomfortable, but he wasn’t sure why. Jaraidans didn’t like to talk about the political situation, much less give the names or other details about their leadership, but Taasi had not been uncomfortable when she had told him that the government decree about no unnecessary contact had come from the Council of Elders and the Ciardei. Why was Binchi?
Binchi took a moment before she spoke again.
“It is necessary for me to serve you food,” she said. “And I don’t think it is wrong to help you with Mehland and things like that, but talking about our government is not necessary and therefore not allowed.”
It was all she would say, and to make her point clearer, she turned and went back to the kitchen.
Ista, the owner of the eatery came out a while later, to ask if he had everything he wanted and to clear the empty bowl.
“I’m fine,” he said drinking the rest of his cider so she could take the empty beaker also.
“I hope I didn’t offend Binchi,” he added.
“Binchi likes to talk,” said Ista, the owner. “But she knows when to be quiet also.”
“Why is it necessary to keep quiet about your government?” he asked.
Ista, an older woman whose greying braids were always wrapped on top of her head, sighed before she answered.
“There are always spies,” she explained. “We know you are not a spy, but it is better not to talk about the government, so that we may not reveal things that will hurt the Ciardei.”
“The Ciardei?”
Taasi had claimed that the Ciardei had Signed –that is, put the official seal that no one but him could use—on the “no unnecessary contact order,” but she had not had much more to say.
“Who is Ciardei now?” he asked, deliberately casual. “I heard that the Ciardei died in Thualat.”
“Eshongar-ne did,” she said. “But the next Ciardei, Esh’tiret-ne, died in Kib?. Since then, we do not talk about the Ciardei or where he might be found, so that the Kron will not be able to arrange for his death, as they did for Esh’tiret-ne.”
Dav listened eagerly. Was Eshotiret-ne indeed dead also? Was it true that the Kron had “arranged for his death”—or was it just what the Jaraidans believed?
The Alliance embassy staff who had been evacuated from Kib? when the Kron began their efforts to take over the city had not known that the Ciardei had been in Kib? at any point. Why had Eshotiret not contacted the embassy in person when the infi connection had collapsed and the transcomm became unavailable? A quick check of the records showed that there had been two hand-delivered communications to the embassy which had been Signed by Eshotiret. They were the last two documents with the Sign of Jaraida, and both had been complaints against the Kron “invasion” first of the planet and second of Kib?. Had he died in that "invasion"? Was Ista's information accurate?
The Alliance had not known the Ciardei was actually in Kib? when those communications had been delivered. What Ista was saying suggested that she believe the Kron had known the whereabouts of Eshotiret and were responsible for his death.
“Are you referring to Eshotiret Thusal?” he asked to make sure he was not misunderstanding. “You are saying he died in Kib?, and that your people blame the Kron?”
“Who else is there to blame?” Ista asked. It sounded rhetorical, as if there was no question in her mind that the Kron were responsible.
Dav did not want to get into an argument about the insurgents and rebels fighting in Kib? being provoked or supported by the Kron who had then used the unrest
He and other agents had heard it before, but there was no support, no documentation. Until there was, PASS could not do much to help.
Instead, he turned to the truly important question.
“Who is Ciardei now, if Eshotiret-ne has died? Who was his heir?"
“Some questions we may not answer,” Ista said firmly.
“But PASS wants to help,” Dav protested. He felt that he was always saying this, but it didn’t impress Ista any more than it had impressed Taasi’s guardian and others.
“I am sorry, Agent. I only want to explain why Binchi and I can give you more information about the government. Too many people have died. I can say no more.”
Taking up his empty beaker, she wished him a good day and went back to the kitchen.
After a moment, Dav stood up and left. He would get no more information from Binchi or Ista today, and he already had new information to consider. If Eshotiret had died in Kib?, who was Ciardei?
The Sign of Jaraida
religious one, which is used to bless things or give special permissions. the political one, which is used to support government decrees, and the sublime one which combines both the political and the religious functions and is a major display of power reserved for special occasions.
The gift is associated with the Thusal family, and those who have it are referred to as "valid" Thusals. If someone outside the Thusal family has the gift, he or she is generally adopted by the Thusals. Though there are usually at least 20 "valid" Thusals in each generation, not all have the strength or other talents necessary to be a good head of state. Once a Ciardei and his heir are selected, all others with the gift are inhibited telepathically from using the gift, so only the selected leader can give The Sign of Jaraida in its political and sublime forms. However, some valid Thusal may be called upon to be "Sign-givers" for the religious purpose of blessing births, marriages and funerals. (Most of this won't come up for a while and will be explained in the text when it does.)
