The Inclusion of Xenos III - Part 2 E-Book

Suzann Dodd

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

The ZerShaz have captured the Terran World of Xenos III and included it in the Empire.   The humans are trying to adapt to a different culture.  The ruler of Xenos is eDapktchoy, now eKhain, King of the planet.  But there is a backstory.

Leseprobe

Suzann Dodd

The Inclusion of Xenos III - Part 2

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Chapter One

eKHAIN

eDAPKTCHOY

This is an interval of fiction.

I impersonate eKhain, emulate ZeSha, portray husband, am not.

Afflicted, desolate; I would embrace glory as I embrace heTalya. Yet, I must restrain; her life was not assured. When her security absolute, her position unequivocal, I can withdraw.

A life, a ZeSha's life, is bound by duty. My duty; direct to The ZerShaz.

To grasp glory now would be cowardice, my name blotted out. My name and lineage; maybe heTalya, conceivably uReglimi who had gratuitously 'adopted' me, and his lineage.  I must delay, til I may forsake life with honour and the acquiescence of The ZerShaz. I do not doubt he is aware of my internal anguish and would release me at appropriate season.

For now, I am King; eKhain.

I, a ZeSha who apprehends nothing of Government, an iemn who embraces little of his culture.Explicitly instructed of the nature of ZerShaz authority; of the absolutes of ZerShaz command while aboard the uMerickya, I must form this world into a ZerShaz colony.

The contrast between the species conspicuous.

The ZerShaz is obeyed immediately and unconditionally. There is no debate, question, hesitation.I, as eKhain, speak as Ki-ZerShaz. Dare I issue order, even illogical one, it must be accomplished. It must be accomplished because it is held to emanate from Ki-ZerShaz.

Disobedience buys death.

Human history teems which such rebellion. Kings are killed. Leaders are resisted. Humans obey only when they can not disobey and disobey when they perceive the likelihood of apprehension statistically less than not.

Humans believe penalties can be bartered, and death need not be defined as such, but can be mitigated.

oGebrchoy, First Aide to Ki-ZerShaz, advised that I must not issue order save it be fulfilled. My Aides, those whose loyalty I owned, would insure it obeyed.  Authoring curfew and prohibiting gatherings, my minions undertook to enforce it. Unaware of human religion, perceiving groups gathered about shrines they had flown low enough to cause unsurvivable airpressure.

If the humans on Xenos III do not appreciate deviation from law is not tolerated they will die. Not the deviants. The population of the planet.

Assuredly they announce I am a monster, a murderer, and heap scorn. But those who survive discover under ZerShaz law, there is obedience or there is death.

Seated in the habitation of this Professor who is held to know my culture, better, doubtless, than I, she is not unfamiliar. She was upon Galteri, when first I was captured. She must ponder if I recall her and in what ambit.

She has attempted to abdicate, but must perceive such impossible. All power belongs to The ZerShaz; each individual is caretaker of that power. To hold power is not a gift, it is a burden.  

She can not resign.  Anymore than I.

I find her the least offensive of humans. I do not judge if Shar-Ron is disposed in her favour, though I assume. But then, Shar-Ron can deceive.

Shar-Ron has come here today, sans my awareness, without consideration of her own peril. But I can not celebrate this, my legs hurt greatly. I think the pain increases. I ignore the physical discomfort, focus on the discourse.

heTalya advocates, "Why don't we call elections, then?"

I have been lost in reverie. I am ignorant as what preceded this statement.

She continues, "After all, the ZCF controls, let the people decide which set of idiots they want to run this country. It don't matter."

"Ev Kra menda." ( I do not understand)

"Look, let them get it out of their system. Let them run up and down and argue among themselves and elect who they want. It really doesn't matter. You own the planet."

"I believe the omTal is right." The ex-Governor reasoned.

"Of course I'm right. Give every citizen two votes, one for Council member, and one for Governor. Let them vote for who they want."

"How does this eventuate?" I ask.

The ex-Governor replied, "On this planet we vote via the holo. Each person enters his code, votes, the votes are instantly recorded and tallied."

"Nahhh! That's too fast." heTalya advises. "It won't be cathartic if it's instant. Let them have three weeks of campaigning, then one whole day to line up and vote, another to count the votes, argue over it, then have the final tally."  Ridiculously, she asks, "You never voted, Daktoy?"

"No.""I used to vote--make a big thing over it too--anyway--"

Anyway.

She buries another piece of her life which mattered to her, another bit of her soul. How much did she lose for me? Each day, each hour, I behold another forfeiture I have caused.

I should have remained in 1989, died there. I forfeited nothing. My existence was a perpetual round of rituals. Each year facsimile, with minor alterations, passing from sleep to wakefulness, bound together by my duty, my loyalty to the Terran Space Fleet which I have so completely betrayed.

I should have seised glory ere I embraced this dishonour I have harvested.