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"I thought Modernism was illegal," Hayl said. ;
"Why would it be illegal?" Jev asked. "Because," Hayl said. "It isn't I dont
know. It's immoral."
"Wha's immoral about parity?" Orttal demanded.
_ The Last Hawk 323
"Modernists tear down people's values," Hayl said. "Like trying to convince
kasi not to wear bands or Calani not to take Oaths. Modernists are frustrated
because they can't be Calani and no woman wants them as her kasi."
Orttal raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
Hay looked at the kasi inscriptions on Orttal's Calanya guards and reddened.
"Well, I guess not all of them. But it's still wrong. Women and men are
different. There's a natural way of things. You can't change it."
"Brainwashed," Orttal said.
"I am not," Hayl said.
Mox grinned at the boy. "How'd you like to have a Calanya? Ten female Akasi
all to yourself."
"You don't have to be rude," Hayl said.
Mox laughed. "Avtac must love him."
"What Avtac loves," Orttal said, "is controlling people."
Mox smiled. "You ought to hear what she says about Modernists."
Orttal scowled. "I have."
Jev spoke. "She can't be that hostile toward you, Orttal, considering how much
she paid for your contract."
The Third Level made a frustrated noise. "I'm a human being. Not a commodity."
"Youre just talking into the wind," Mox said. "You've been a Calani all your
life. How could you live on the Outside? It's easy to complain when you don't
have to give this up."
"You haven't a clue what I'm talking about," Orttal said. "Tell me, what would
you do if you were an Estate Manager?"
Mox grinned. "I'd get me a slew of gorgeous women Akasi and spend the rest of
my days juggling."
"Seriously, Mox."
"Why would I want to manage an Estate? It would give me a headache."
Orttal glanced at Jev. "What about you?"
"I don't know," Jev said. "A Calani is all I've ever wanted to be."
"I think I could do a good job," Orttal said. "But that doesn't matter, does
it? None of us will ever get the chance to manage anything."
324 Catherine Asam
"You wouldn't be happy if you did," Hayl said. "It's * woman's job. You can't
change biology."
Orttal threw up his hands. "You are impossible." H
Hayl turned red. "Why? Because I'm happy being what; _ am? I don't hate
women." |
"Neither do I," Orttal said. "What I hate is being told Vv inferior because
I'm a man."
"If men were like women," Hayl said, "there would be me Managers. But there
aren't Because of biology." r
Orttal scowled. "I'll tell you how biology comes into it. Pat|t terns of
reproductive dominance permeate our social struc ture." *
1
Hayl blinked. "What?" |
"He said women control sex," Mox said. |
Hayl reddened. "Is that all you think about?"
"Why shouldn't he?" Orttal demanded. "I'll tell you why Because we have
something women want, something they ca only get from us, and they don't like
that. The more control we have over our own sexuality the more it threatens
the Avtacs o Coba." |
"So what would you do?" Hayl said. "Run around fathering children everywhere?
And you claim Modernism isn't| immoral."
|
Orttal regarded him with exasperation. "I never said thatj How can you be so
gifted at Quis and so blind when it comes to patterns preset for you by
society?"
"They aren't preset," Hayl said. "It's the nature of wom-| ankind."
i
"Womankind?" Orttal snorted. "Is that supposed to include | me or what?"
"You know it does." Mox juggled his dice. "Orttal, if we put ] you" in charge
of Varz, the Estate would fall apart. We'd be at war with Kam in a year." He
waved his hand at Kelric without missing a single die. "Just ask him about the
Imperialate. Wars, wars, wars, and their Imperator is a man."
"Actually," Kelric said, "the first Imperator was a woman."
Mox blinked and dropped his dice. Every head in the room \ turned to Kelric.
5
The Last Hawk 325
Orttal leaned forward. "But a significant fraction of the Imperial leaders are
men, aren't they?"
"About half," Kelric said.
"Then what do you think?" Orttal said. Could a man manage an Estate?"
They were all watching him as if they expected him to say something profound.
Since Kelric had nothing profound to offer, he said, "Ideally, yes."
"Ideally?" Orttal looked ready for battle. "What does that mean?"
"As far as ability goes, yes, of course a man can manage an Estate," Kelric
said.
"But? Jev asked.
"A leader can only be effective if people are willing to follow him."
"And you don't think people in the Twelve Estates are," Orttal said.
Kelric considered the thought. "It depends where you are. In a place like Haka
or Varz, no. But somewhere like Dahl, yes, I think so. Someday maybe even
here, given enough time."
Hayl gaped at him. "You really think that?"
Orttal laughed. "Don't look so shocked."
A tap came at the screen. Orttal went over and pulled aside the reeds,
revealing a guard. "Manager Var is ready for the Quis session with you and
Sevtar," the guard said.
Their escort took them through the Estate to a high chamber with arched
windows that overlooked Varz. While the guards took up positions outside,
Kelric sat with Orttal at the Quis table. A moment later Avtac strode into the
room, flushed as if she had been outside in the wind. Kelric suspected she had
just arrived back from Kara. She nodded to him, treating him as she always did
in public, with an impersonal respect that acknowledged his Level.
As with every one of their sessions together, once they began he saw only her
glorious dice. They worked on strategies for issues that had come up during
Council, playing Quis at its highest level, a sophisticated weave of patterns
designed to shift public opinion to favor Varz over Kara. It required a
326 Catherine Asaro
delicate balance: too obvious, and the pattes could backfil on Avtac when she
introduced them into the public net; j modest and they would have little or no
effect. :
The longer the session progressed, the more Kelric detecte a subtle
perturbation the others seemed unaware of. He wasn! even sure how to define
it. That afternoon, after he returned the Calanya, he stayed in his suite
studying structures from th
to visit Orttal.
When he knocked, the Third Level called for him to ente He found Orttal in the
den of his suite, standing by an arm chair. A cabinet stood next to the chair,
its doors closed a ocked.
Orttal motioned to another armchair. Can I get you so Tanghi?"
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