"So, do I get this straight?" Senator Umbajali asked. "Your oxygen metabolism doesn't just work more efficient than ours, your lung capacity to store oxygen is four times as much as human ones?"
Shalamorn nodded. "So it seems, according to scientists of both our species. But we have been taken interest in humans for many years now, and we came to the conclusion, you could extend your abilities on that domain over time."
"Staying underwater for hours?" Senator Ferrière shook his head. "That seems unlikely."
Shalamorn smiled patiently. "For now, yes," she responded.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning," Shalamorn said slowly, "generations of constant progressing could improve your lung capacity at least up to another 75% of the current one."
"Wow, if I could double the time to hold my breath," Senator Bricks thought out loud, "it would be at least three minutes! Impressive." He raised some chuckling and more grins.
"Well," Jason tossed in. "I guess, it's all about practice." He shot a short glance at Neri, who sat next to him at the oval table. "And motivation."
"Holding up with mermaids would sure keep me motivated," Senator Xiung smirked and winked at Neri. Li Xiung, 34 years old, was the youngest politician ever entering the senate and Jason could see why. She was charming but fierce and ambitious. At the age of 24, she had already taken control over the three biggest technology companies in East Asia.
There were eight senators now, Madame President, who was the senator of Canada, included. The other four would arrive the next day. The conversations at the main course had been mostly stuck to food and related topics, like holidays and traditions. But the senators from India and Europe were both scientists in Biology. So, at dessert, the domain had come up, mostly leading to questions about their swimming and diving abilities.
"So, how long can you hold your breath, Jason?" the senator wanted to know.
Jason shrugged. "I don't keep record, but I guess, usually I can dive about twelve minutes, fifteen at the longest, before going up to the surface again."
Xiung whistled impressed. "I loved surfing when I still went to school. But I never got beyond seven or eight minutes."
"At ORCA," Diane explained, "the kids at a certain stage have to absolve a programme which includes the basic features of the facility. They also undergo, among others, diving lessons, so they are able to deal with situations of emergency."
"And also," Jason added. "Seven years of swimming alongside mermaids surely does contribute."
He raised some more smiles before Madame President took the floor again.
"Biology is, without a doubt, a fascinating domain," she said, "but for my part, I am more interested in social topics." She turned to Shalamorn. "I hear, your society is matriarchal. But what does that exactly mean for the roles of a specific gender?"
"Well," Shalamorn took a sip of her red, "as you already know, the women of our folk enjoy a higher rank than men." She put the wine glass back on the table. "Females are seen as keepers of life and knowledge. Their capability for telepathy and empathy is of higher skill than those of males, which is an important part of their claim for domination. Especially in royal families, those abilities have therefore been refined over centuries by breeding."
"Breeding?" Umbajali almost choked on her champagne. Bricks patted her friendly on the back.
"Ah, I guess that word is a little too clinical in your language," Shalamorn realised. "Maybe, you are more comfortable with the term arranged marriage."
"Speaking of breeding and arranged marriages, referring to the same outcome," Madame President said carefully, "still sounds a bit odd, no matter what term you use. Although I have to admit, in some parts of this planet, a similar practice has been applied long enough."
Shalamorn nodded and smiled. "Yes, we have another view on this these days, as well."
"So, no arranged marriages anymore?" Ferrière wanted to know.
"Oh yes, of course," Shalamorn responded. "There are, how you call it, love marriages, but arranged life partnerships are still a lot more common. But we don't choose spouses by biology anymore, but by social qualities. Madame President, – " she turned directly to Rugeaux, "your first question was about the specific gender roles. One important task, men fulfil in our society, is the upbringing of the children. They are responsible for teaching and education. So, the qualities already spoken of, are about their abilities in leadership, imparting, and conciliation. They are the link between different classes of society, and bring balance to the household, as well."
"Well, Jason, did you hear that?" Xiung winked at him teasingly. "If you'll marry into this family, you're gonna be a better nanny!"
That comment raised general smirking, but Jason could tell, Shalamorn's smile was just a polite mask. He shook his head.
"No," he objected, "you get it all wrong." He felt the two pair of alien eyes on him and hesitated to deliberately choose his words. "When I first heard of this, I felt offended," he confessed. "The idea of a natural hierarchy, where the women make all the decisions, while men are left to support and protect, made me feel depreciated, and disparaged at first as a man."
Agreeing nods were shown all around the table by the men. Xiung cupped her chin in her hand, while De Souza leant forward, waiting. Rugeaux watched him with a thoughtful, patient expression. Diane had frowned as if she wasn't sure to better meddle in, in case he screwed up.
"But then I realised," Jason continued, "that I had been doing that all along. Since we discovered the heritage six years ago in the crashed craft, and the tasks coming along with this heritage, it felt like the most natural thing for me, to provide Neri – " he shot a glance at her, then addressing the senators again, "with everything she needed to fulfil them. I guess, I always knew that this was all about a higher purpose. Something bigger than me, bigger than Neri, and bigger than the two of us together."
A soft hand slid into his on the table. Their fingers entangled openly for everyone to see. Proud and encouraged of the simple, but an unambiguous gesture of trust and affection, he straightened up in his seat, before speaking on.
"What I saw on other occasions, and witnessed now here again in this discussion, is the lack of an appropriate translation."
"What do you mean by that, Jason?" Madame President asked, and Jason swallowed, for he suddenly realised the importance of what he got to say.
"The understanding, – the definition, – of hierarchy, rank, domination, ... are opposing to their meaning on both our planets," he explained, and gave Shalamorn a look. "Please, correct me, if I am wrong," he addressed her, and she nodded shortly. "But, the entitlement of women to leadership positions on the Ocean Planet does not come just by gender", he ran on. "Men are not objectified or suppressed. Their supporting role is far from being held in low esteem, and they certainly do not maintain it because they are being reduced to their sex. To me, the uplifting of women seems actually originate from appreciation, and admiration of men. Women are more sensitive to their people's needs because of their higher developed capabilities in telepathy and empathy, which we discussed earlier. For the people of the Ocean Planet, ruling and leading have nothing to do with ambition or personal gain. In fact, the concept of striving for power for the power itself, was unknown to them, until they met us."
At this point, Jason sensed some unease among his listeners. Maybe, he had gone too far, but it was the truth after all.
"Women of the Ocean Planet are in charge because they feel obligated to take care of their people," he summarised. "For them, providing for their folk is a matter of personal responsibility."
Every pair of eyes was on him when he had finished. The silence was a thoughtful one, and he might even think an impressed one.
His mother radiated with pride, and he felt himself slightly blushing. When he turned to his right, he found himself looked at with astonishment by two alien women. Shalamorn nodded and smiled at him affectionately. Neri's face had the same expression, she had had on the plane after his confession of love.