“But you’re saying all societies are coercive,” said Ellin in a troubled voice.
Questioner laughed. “But Honorable Ellin, of course they are. This is what makes reading history so amusing. Most cultures think of themselves as free while regarding others as coerced. They do so because they are following ‘traditional values,’ and the generations of coercion that resulted in those values is long forgotten. On Old Earth, in one society, women rejoiced that they were ‘free’ to have children, when in fact they had been coerced into excessive reproduction by a profit-driven culture that required a growing population. Men felt they were ‘free’ to ingest deadly substances or own deadly weapons, when in fact they were coerced into desiring them by industries that had to sell weapons and drugs to survive. Weapons, poisons, and large families were all parasites on the population. The people weren’t free, they had been molded into consumers, which is what the mercantile culture needed.
“Such things can be most amusing,” she said with a chuckle.
“I think the veils on the men is being coerced,” said Bao.
“Of course they are,” the Questioner agreed. “Usually it is women who are locked behind the veil, but veiling isn’t unusual. I have heard two phrases that are unusual, however: ‘mismothering’ and ‘blue-bodying.’ These words are indicative of intricacies being kept from us.”
“The gardener who isn’t a gardener referred to mismothering,” said Ellin. “It was in the context of men desiring their own posterity.”
“Yes.” The Questioner mused. “In which case, to have a child by other than one’s lawful mate would be mismothering. Depend upon it. When we find what the penalty is for that, it will be far worse than mere veiling.” She rose to stare out the window across the manicured lawns of Mantelby Mansion.
“It’s too early to say exactly what’s going on, for we’re still collecting data … “ Her voice trailed off as she switched thoughts. “Which reminds me: I’ve asked the technicians on the ship for a detailed report on the geological situation, and it will be finished by morning. First thing tomorrow, we’ll summon a conveyance. The report will make a good excuse for me to call upon the Temple of the Hagions.”
40—Questioner Visits the Panhagion
The following morning, the Questioner, dressed in the force-shield cloak she wore outside for protection against everything short of meteorites, was standing with Ellin and Bao on the gravel drive, awaiting their conveyance, when the ground began to shake, the initial tremor building into a bone-twisting shudder that lasted some minutes but seemed, in retrospect, to have gone on for hours. The gardens shimmied, blooms were whipped from their stems to fly like shrapnel in all directions. The terraces snapped like so much sugar candy, the rough edges of the shards grinding against one another in a rasping mutter that almost drowned out the sound of the roar, the exhalation, the whatever-it-was from wherever-it-came that subsumed all other sounds.
When the ground stilled at last, Questioner was still standing obdurately erect, stabilizers extended, with Ellin and Bao each clinging to an immovable arm. Waiting for the last of the noise to subside, the Questioner asked in a mildly interested tone: “Read for me what the report says, Bao. That one you are still holding. And may I remark how dutiful you are to have held on to it.”
Bao, between gritted teeth, hissed a commentary that fell far short of describing his feelings.
“Take a deep breath,” said Questioner. “Release. Now again, in, out, in, out. Are you recovered?”
Bao muttered again, as Ellin broke into a titter that threatened full-fledged hysteria.
Questioner turned her head from side to side, examining them both. They still clung, as though for dear life. “It’s over for the time being,” she told them. “Look, down the driveway, where the horses attached to our carriage are having seizures of anxiety. Observe the driver in the exercise of his phlegmatic habitude. Does he not inspire you? Are you not moved to emulate his imperturbability?”
Ellin stepped carefully away, feet spread well apart, braced for the resumption of the tremor. Bao followed her example, keying the file he held and peering at it blindly. “It says,” he gulped, “it says … “