Chapter III. Turmoil in the Council House
As I approached my sister and Drusilla, they motioned for me to be quiet. So I slide beside Drusilla, lightly brushing against her lithe body and peered through the opening. Inside Mother and many of the other women of our village were listening to the Elder, Tarsus Artoris Max. He was nearly nine hundred years old and his spouse had died before I was born. Most of the others we considered Elders were women, since the bulk of the men were gone. Pater Faustus and Condonatus Franco from the church were also present.
"Yes we won a great naval battle. The Empress Alivia informed all the Elders last night via the video coms, but the war is not over. Our armada is to approach Qo'noS, the Klingon home world and we wish to negotiate a peace with them. Tribune Maximus is to seek out the Klingon High Command and parley."
"Does this mean that our people will be returning soon?" asked Arvi D'Nare.
"Doubtful, when I was young I fought the Klingons several times during their incursions into our space. I found them to noble, honorable warriors that did not like defeat."
Mother interrupted Tarsus. "Noble? It is illogical for you to state that Klingons have that trait Elder Tarsus. They attacked the colonies on the moons near Andoria and killed not just men, but women, children, livestock and they torched fields and homes! Are these the actions of a noble race? I believe not."
Mother's interruption of Tarsus caused an unearthly quiet in the council room. Lucia and Drusilla looked at me shocked. Respect for others, particularly Elders was tantamount on Hellenes and every planet or moon in the empire. Mother's interruption and outburst were an embarrassment for all and could be even considered a great insult. I looked for an opportunity to enter the council room and aid Mother. Since as the only male of the family present, even at eight, my job was to protect the women of the family. I remember wishing that Great-grandfather had come with us, but he wanted to stay and plant the kitchen garden. Great-grandmother Adela stood next to Mother and supported her even if most of the other adults thought Mother very rude and moved away.
"Mulierius T'Naa, we…" Tarsus tried to reply. But Mother was agitated, so rare to see emotion from her.
"Before I came here, when I was young on Vulcan, my parents told me of stories of how my people battled the Klingons. They found them to be very aggressive, unforgiving and ruthless. They are not noble, but savages! My father said they were much worse than the Etosha."
Aida Linux Cicero, our neighbor to the south of us, who had three sons and her spouse in the IX Legion, the Black Dragon, tried to calm Mother.
"Mistress T'Naa, we are all worried about our men and even daughters, since they pilot the naval ships. But we are the Latini, we are strong, we defeated them in a space battle and we will prevail in our quest for justice."
But Mother had allowed her emotions out, uncommon for her. In my short memory, I could only remember it happening once before, when I was just five and Father was off to the war. She had tried to contact her parents and amend their relationship with her but they had refused. She had broken down; Lucia and I were very frightened then.
"Mistress Aida you know that the IX Legion will lead the advance if it comes to close quarter combat. Many of us have our husbands and sons serving in this unit. Besides us at Kolir, there are men from Panar, Satur, and another dozen villages scattered along the banks of the river Eurotas. I know they are well trained, but men die in war," stated Mother.
I crept into the room and moved near Mother and grasped her hand. I hoped my presence would calm her and avoid further embarrassment for our family and House. She stopped speaking and looked down to see me near her. I saw sadness and despair in her brown eyes, more emotion than I had ever seen from her. She softly sighed and calmed as she clutched my hand tightly.
As I looked about the room at the faces of the many women present, the ones with husbands gone did not look angry or shocked. Rather they had a sullen mien about their faces and appeared to appreciate what Mother had done to confront the Elder, Tarsus. Yet Tarsus seemed unaware of the feelings that filled the council room.
Tarsus continued trying to extinguish Mother's concerns, "Lady T'Naa, Lady Aida, Lady Arvi, all you women, we need to remain calm and care for each other here and soon, I would expect, perhaps in less than a half year, they will be returning. I will inform all of you of any news that is sent from the capital or from The Empress. I suggest you all return to your homes and rest. We did receive good news, if their navy is crushed as The Empress said last night, then they are beaten. As long as Tribune Maximus does not try to invade Qo'noS and allows for the Klingons to save face to some degree, I would expect them to be willing to negotiate. That is all the news I have at the present. So the meeting is finished."
With that ending, Tarsus went to leave the council. Murmurs could be heard in the house and an uneasiness I could feel brewing amongst the many wives and mothers present. The oldest woman in the village, Adorabella Cicero Octavian, stood up realizing that Elder Tarsus had badly handled the concerned women and their fears. She was nearly one thousand years old it was said. Yet Adorabella looked no older than my mother T'Naa or Arvi or any of the women present. Adorabella was the most respected of the women Elders in Kolir and the surrounding regions. She seemed to know what to say to lessen the worries of all present. She had a way of drawing people together into a common union or experience.
"My friends," Adorabella said, "Pater Faustus and I have discussed what Empress told us earlier today. We feel what Tarsus said is news to offer relief. As I no longer have a spouse alive, much less in the legions, I do not have the same fears that you are all feeling. But I have children of children serving and fighting and I found out I lost one of my great-grandsons today. So I am a sister to your concern and sorrow. We all need to pray, band together and endure. In numbers we gather strength, love, and comfort. This fact should provide solace for us all. We know that The Empress keeps us all informed and is confident about the outcome of this war. So whether it is tomorrow, next month, or two years we will be victorious. And tonight at vespers, pray for me to ease my sadness as I will pray for all of you."
All were quiet after she spoke. Tarsus ended the meeting by stating, "As more information comes from the capital, we will meet again and keep all informed."
With that, everyone left the council still uneasy not due to Mother's outburst but rather to the uncertainty of the future. As we walked home with Arvi and Drusilla, I could sense Mother's sadness. She still clung to my hand.
"I suppose everyone is angry with me back at Kolir," said Mother.
Adela gave Mother a warm look. "Don't fret Mistress T'Naa," said Great-grandmother Adela. "It will soon be forgotten and forgiven. I do not feel that everyone is angry with you."
Great-grandmother was fair with blond hair and blue-green eyes like Father. She was slight in build, shorter than Mother, probably about one hundred and sixty centimeters tall and weighed approximately sixty-eight kilograms. Although she was seven hundred years old, she looked youthful and a non-Latin would have thought her to be the same age as Mother or Arvi. We Latins could tell generations by the eyes. Older family members had a wisdom that was manifested in their eyes. I loved her dearly.
"You were brave enough to say what the rest of us young wives were thinking," added Arvi. "I respect you for that. I would not have had enough courage to interrupt Elder Max. I think most of us will support you. Do not worry my friend. Adorabella's words calmed most."
Mother almost smiled from what Great-grandmother and Arvi said. We stopped at the estate entrance of Arvi's villa. Arvi placed both hands on Mother's shoulders then gave her a hug, kissing Mother on the cheek. True to her Vulcan nature, Mother cringed slightly at this overt violation of her space by Arvi. But I saw her relax and accept the comfort Arvi meant to provide in her actions.
"Rest well tonight, T'Naa and pray to the Lady," said Arvi. Then she placed her right hand on Adela's left shoulder and bid her good night also. With that show of farewell, she and Drusilla turned and walked the narrow path to the gate leading to their villa.
We continued down the path to our home. Mother took my hand again and never released it until we entered the courtyard of our villa. Sparta had set and Delos had not risen above the horizon, so the night was dark. It seemed to describe the mood we felt after the council meeting. Mother stood in the courtyard looking at the stars. She seemed to stare at the stars in the direction of Klingon space.
"Are you staying outside longer, Mistress T'Naa?" asked Great-grandmother.
"Ah," said Mother switching to Vulcan. Great-grandmother Adela nodded, kissed Lucia and I on our foreheads. Then she bade us good night and entered the urbana opening of our villa.
Lucia looked at Mother and asked, "Ko-mekh who or what are the Etosha?"
Mother looked at both of us. "My sa'mekh, Turek, your sa'mekh'al, told me when I was young that they were sa'su from the stars of the Orion System. They pretended to be peaceful but were enslavers. They were a people coloured like Arvi D'Nare. Our history says we fought a great war with them. Vulcans were very warlike until the Time of Awaking and Surak. But I have been teaching you both that history. It was said that the foul Ferengi conspired with evil Orion sa'su to enslave ko-su from Eto and Vulcan and sell them to the flesh bazaars in Cardassia, Ferenginar, and about Dominion space."
"What are flesh bazaars, Ko-mekh?" asked Lucia.
"Very evil places, I will explain more when you both are older and can better understand," answered Mother.
"Why had you never mentioned the Etosha before?" I asked.
"Because it was long ago, before my sa'mekh's time and I cherish Arvi's companionship. I did not want to cause offense or pain. Most Orions are not slavers. They, like the Rihannsu, are brethren to the Vulcans."
Mother paused before the villa urbana entrance.
"Let us go to the Grotto of Our Lady and invoke her prayers for a speedy end to the war, my kanlar."
So we did and morning found us all intertwined at the foot of the grotto. As I awoke with the early sun, I saw Mother gently stroking Lucia's hair as she slept. She had a sad wistful look in her eyes as she stared at the rising sun. I thought my mother never looked more beautiful, even in her sadness and longing for my father, then that spring morning.