Maat S'chn T'gai Vol 2

Chapter Twenty-eight - Building Season

New Vulcan

Aug 2272

Varun

Once again he had set aside a month to work for the clan. This year his crew would build the last of the six houses on the plots that the clan had claimed. Three of them would be empty, but the other three were already filled. The clan had grown much in just a few years. He stood on the empty lot, looking about the compound. The houses were well kept-up, with colorful plants against the foundations. The ground was covered with a fine low plant, keeping the blowing dust to a minimum. The children's playground was even now full of laughing, active children. He remembered his own childhood, with only a few, strictly ruled games allowed, and none after one had completed their kahs-wan. He could not say that what the clan allowed - no, encouraged - now was wrong. The children were healthy and happy, and still learned well and were well-behaved. He did not see that allowing them to run and play and laugh had caused them any harm whatsoever. He knew that his own sons were extremely inquisitive, asking him questions about anything and everything, and expecting good answers in return. Answers which he was sometimes hard pressed to provide. He did not understand where those questions came from, and T'Boh had no answer for him, only giving him her small smile, with her eyes dancing with laughter.

It was a good compound, well tended, full of people who cared about one another and shared their lives. He could find no fault in it at all. He was extremely satisfied to live his life here. He knew his sons were well cared for, and T'Boh was able to attend the classes that she craved. Soon she would graduate. He did not know whether she intended to seek a permanent job after that, for they had not discussed it. But her yearning for the education had been so strong that he had been completely unable to deny her. And she thrived on it, telling him each day what her classes had been, what she had learned. He felt pride in her accomplishment, even if that was not seemly. How could he not be proud of her.

He looked down the row of houses. Opposite the empty lot he stood in was the home of Selek and Durra, their children, and T'Olla. The next house held T'Dena and Motok, and their sons. After that was the home of Sarek and Elinor and their children. Then there were the two homes that were not part of the compound, and the stone wall curved around behind them, excluding those lots from the rest of the block. On the other side of that was the clan house, much enlarged from its original size. T'Pau and Parik and their daughters lived there, as well as T'Sura and Tarel and their children, and he and T'Boh and their children. Many people, but the way the wings were designed, each family had their privacy. Behind the clan house, facing the other street, was the home of Somok and his son Sytak. Next to that, behind one of the non-clan homes, was the home of T'Pena and Sesuk, so recently bonded, but acting just as they always had, except for the finger touches that they made no effort to hide. Even now they sat on the bench behind the clan house, monitoring the children at play. From here he could see that T'Pena hand lay over Sesuk's on his knee, while they sat and talked quietly. The sight was very pleasing. It was good to know that the elder had healed far beyond what was expected. The next house held T'Dela and Dantik and T'San. And the two remaining stood empty, but partially furnished, ready for use if more refugees appeared.

Early in the morning, his crew would begin the necessary work to level the area where the new house would sit, and by the end of the week the house would be framed. After that would come the work of stacking and spiking the rammed-earth blocks used for the walls, putting the windows and doors into place, and applying the stucco-like finish to the outside walls. The inside would be finished last, laying floors, sealing walls, plumping, electrical lines, lighting, kitchen and laundry appliances, painting and varnishing. By the end of the second week, the house would be almost finished. In the third and fourth weeks of the month, they would do minor repairs on several houses, and other work that had been requested. He must remember to have the crew save all the kumluy that must be uprooted, so that it could be transplanted to those few areas where it had not yet spread.

Satisfied with what he saw, and what was planned, he started off across the center of the compound, headed toward the clan house, where end-meal would soon be ready. He just had time to go and take a quick shower and put on fresh clothing before then. Perhaps it was not T'Boh's night to cook? That thought caused him to walk faster.