Evaluations of the Tribe - Prossia Book 0 : A Coming of Age Space Opera

Evaluations of the Tribe

  by Raphyel M. Jordan

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  Copyright © 2013 by Raphyel M. Jordan

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This is a work of fiction. Names , characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book was created in the United States of America.

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  “The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.” Ralph W. Sockman

  Chapter 1

  “I would kill a thousand Cyogen, if they were still alive,” five-year-old Catty proclaimed, after leaving the storyteller’s campfire.

  “Truly, you must think you are invincible, now that you can control your being,” Aly said.

  Catty held out her green palms, examining her hands. She flexed her six fingers – three on each hand, along with a thumb – and stretched them out as far as she could. Atoms between her palms reacted to the energy the Goolian creature created. Protons and electrons spun faster until the simplest of elements, hydrogen, absorbed more fuel. When the reaction reached its peak, a tiny yellow ball of energy formed between Catty’s palms.

  The sphere’s glow reflected in Aly’s bright gray eyes; which were dangerously piercing ; the only things that could possibly outshine the yellow ball’s brilliance. Planet Gooliun’s moon couldn’t do any better, even when it was full, like it was that night around the campfire. Aly studied the ball of energy – what Goolians called “inner being” – with excitement and anticipation.

  “I cannot wait until I can do such things,” she confessed, shying away from the spectacle with a step back. “Truly, you make it seem so easy. How does it feel?”

  She put her hands out the way Catty did and pushed. Nothing happened, so she shrugged and put her arms back down.

  Catty examined her ball of energy. “It be a hard thing to explain. It is as if I could have done it forever, yet I am only now able to do so. I suppose it is like walking or talking, yes?”

  Aly shook her head. “Nay, I mean how does it feel? The feeling of channeling?”

  “Oh, that!” Catty lifted her hands and the being sphere ascended. “There be a tingle of sorts on the tips of your fingers. My entire arm goes numb, and then I feel as if every part of me is flowing toward my palms. And when I feel I have channeled enough, I simply push, like this.”

  “Uh oh.” Aly twirled a finger around one of the ten tentacles – what Goolians called “tents” for short – protruding from her head. She looked around. Everyone else outside the temple grounds was too occupied with dancing and laughing to notice what Catty was doing. “You shall get into trouble if you fire.”

  “I know, yet I feel as if I already put too much energy into the charge,” Catty said through her teeth as the ball got bigger. “Thus I do not know how to be rid of it. Fret not. I shall make it quick.”

  “Catty, I beg, do not––”

  The yellow ball crackled loudly as it flew away into the air. Since the beam was weak, it only flew a few meters before it disintegrated. Aly backed away from Catty, noting that everyone’s chatter had stopped. She didn’t even bother looking around to see if people were looking at the two of them. Why wouldn’t they be?

  “I told you,” she said.

  “Cattalice the Younger,” a voice called out.

  Even though that wasn’t her full name, Aly winced as much as Catty did. They both turned around and saw Catty’s father looking over people so he could glare at his Little One.

  “Apologies, Pappai,” Catty said as the chatter gradually went back to normal.

  “And how many times were your mammai and I to tell you this prior to our arrival at the festival?” Catty’s pappai asked as he approached her. “No shooting. The other Little Ones are out in the fields playing mahu. Perhaps you and Aly should do the same, yes? Aly, I beg, try and keep your friend out of trouble, very good?”

  Aly bowed her head. “Very good, Lord Quongun.”

  Catty slapped her on the arm and took off. Aly’s jaw dropped.

  “Mahu,” Catty said as she ran. “You be it!”

  “No fair!” Aly ran after her, switching to all fours so she could catch up.

  Quongun chuckled as he headed back to the other two Goolians he had been talking to.

  “Apologies. Little Ones still think inner being is a toy at that age, apparently.”

  “Such an embarrassment,” a young and lovely female in her late sixties said as she rubbed her head. Like Quongun, her green skin was as fair as a Little One’s, whereas other Goolians were a darker green, thanks to the numerous days of toiling in the fields beneath the suns. “Why can that one not do as she be told?”

  “She only be five years old, Cattalice,” Quongun insisted.

  “And what of it?” Cattalice asked, brushing one of her orange tents off her shoulder. “Other Little Ones seem better behaved. Why can she not mirror Aly’s image? Surely, she does not cause you too much stress, Teacher.”

  The third Goolian tilted his head when Cattalice the Elder used that title. He looked slightly older than the other two. His tents were blue and he even had some on his chin; a prominent feature for males. Regardless, he was as well built as the other Goolians, due to their lifestyle. He cleared his throat and waited.

  “Oh, apologies.” Cattalice laughed. “I mean, Master Shanvi.”

  “No worries,” Shanvi said. “I only retired from being the sparring priest a mere week ago. Thus, I am sure you shall not be the last to call me by the title. Be that as it may, I am sure every child has a pro and con, just as any other living creature.”

  “True, yet I am already looking forward to the Evaluations,” Cattalice said. “Truly, I could use a break from that silly one.”

  Shanvi laughed. “I beg! Do not long for such times so quickly, Mastra. They be only five, yet you speak of events that are years from now. Are we not simply honoring this generation with a festival for the new school year? Truly, I am in no hurry to honor them with a festival for the Evaluations. Much more shall be at stake by then. One day at a time.”

  “You speak well, Master,” Quongun said. “And you still offer insight, even when you are not at the sparring grounds.”

  “Indeed,” Cattalice said. “Truly, I hope the new Teacher is just as cherished as you.”

  Shanvi rubbed the back of his head. “You speak too highly of me, dear Mistress.”

  “And speaking of cherished,” Quongun said. “I take it the building process of the bakery is comin
g along, yes?”

  “It is. The carpentry priests shall be presenting the layout at my hut in the morrow. These are exciting times, indeed. Truth’s Grace has favored the tribe greatly.”

  “Indeed, it has. Regardless, if there be any concerns on your end, do not hesitate to let one of us know, very good?”

  “Truly,” Cattalice said, agreeing. “We can extend some extra hands from the fields if need be.”

  Shanvi placed a hand on his chest. “And thus, Truth’s Grace has also favored the tribe with an honorable lord along with his mate. Be that as it may, I am sure such a request shall not be necessary. Yet, you have my thanks for the offer. And beyond this, my eyes are not keen in regards to architecture. Why, I still find it hard to believe that my tiny hut that houses Aly and I shall sit thirty or more people within several weeks.”

  Quongun paused and rubbed his tentacle-free chin, still being too young to have any facial ones. “Indeed. I shall love to see that phenomenon as well. Until then, let us speak with the rest of the community. And I think I saw the drummers setting up not long ago.”

  Aly, Catty, and many of the other Little Ones came back from the fields when they heard Goolian drums booming in the night breeze moments later. They both danced with their pappais, which mainly consisted of Quongun and Shanvi swinging the giggling mastras around until a dance line was formed.

  “Watch where you step, Aly,” an older child told the Little One when she tried to get into the line. “You be too tiny for this. Move along.”

  “Oh. Apologies.” Aly stepped back as the bigger Goolians enjoyed themselves. She looked around to see if any of the other Little Ones were nearby and felt out of place when she realized that even Catty had left to get her face wiped by her mother.

  The Little One went over to one of the vacant wooden benches nearby and sat. People passed her by without a second thought. Some of the other Little Ones dashed away, squealing and laughing while playing mahu. She hoped one of them would stop and ask if she wanted to join them, but the opportunity came and went too many times to her liking. And Aly couldn’t possibly ask them out of her own will. Sure, with her Kutenbriun Tribe only consisting of three thousand people, she knew everyone, but that still didn’t mean she couldn’t be shy.

  Shanvi approached the Little One moments later. “Dearest, why the frowning grimace? Do you not want to play mahu with the others?”

  “Truly, yet I was not invited.”

  “Do not be silly, Alytchai.” Shanvi sat down beside her. “How are they to know that you want to play if this one does not say so?”

  Aly shrugged and sat quietly. She scooted over to Shanvi and yawned as she leaned on him.

  “Tired?” her pappai asked.

  She shook her head and wiped her eyes.

  “Perhaps we best set for home, yes?” Shanvi said. “The morrow shall be a grand day for you indeed, since it shall be your first day of schooling.”

  “If it be your wish, Pappai.” Aly got up and stretched.

  “Goodness. Truly, you best not grow up too quickly on me, very good? Now, off we go.”

  Aly was carried down the street by her pappai after he said his goodbyes on their behalf. She told him he didn’t need to carry her anymore since she was a “big mastra now” three blocks ago, but her body apparently thought otherwise.

  The Little One heard him laugh when she jerked away and looked around the neighborhood, baffled that she had the audacity to fall asleep.

  “Hello again,” Shanvi said, still walking. “And this one decides to grace us again. You be tired. You may go back to sleep if you like.”

  “Nay.” The Little One tried to cut off another yawn. “I am awake. If I may, could I look at the stars from the roof upon our arrival back home?”

  “You may not. You are to take your bath and head straight to bed. Fret not. The stars are not to go anywhere. At least, not in our lifetimes.”

  “What does this one mean by this?”

  “Stars can live for hundreds of millions of... Oh. On the second thought, perhaps it be best to keep such an explanation for a better time. Beyond this, you shall learn of such things in school soon enough. Speaking of which, you are excited for the morrow, yes?”

  “Indeed, I am. I shall learn how to use my being.”

  “Nay, silly,” Shanvi said, chuckling. “Such a thing shall come naturally soon enough. What of learning how to farm? Or perhaps becoming a merchant? Or maybe this one shall serve as a holy priestess at Truth’s Grace temple?”

  Aly thought her options over and giggled at her own genius. “I shall learn to be the tribe’s field lord, like Lord Quongun, and be rich enough to buy whatever I wish.”

  Shanvi laughed as he set Aly down. He walked her down the street, hand in hand, shaking his head.

  “I fear that occupation is not for you. Such a calling is reserved to that family’s lineage. Thus Catty shall be field lord when she is old enough.”

  “Yet what if I can do a better job?”

  “Aly, what did we say in regards to selfishness?”

  The Little One covered her mouth, embarrassed. “The good of the tribe comes prior to one’s self. There be nothing beyond the tribe.”

  “Exactly. Truth’s Grace has a place for us all, and while some may know their places sooner than others, it is our responsibility to find our own worth for the sake of contributing to the greater good.”

  Aly didn’t really understand the logic, but she nodded all the same. She gasped when she got another idea, and squeezed Shanvi’s hand to get his attention.

  “I shall become a priest of bakery, like you, Pappai.”

  “Very well,” Shanvi said, blinking his eyes as they watered up. “Then again, perhaps you may be the tribe’s next sparring priest as I was prior, yes? I suppose we can make any occupation our own lineage, if we like.”

  Aly frowned and kicked a rock that was in the way.

  “If I may, I do not have much interest in being a sparring priestess, Pappai. I know the martial arts are of importance, yet I do not have a great deal of passion for them.”

  “Oh, all right.” Shanvi rubbed the mastra’s head. “This one can be whatever she wishes... Well, beyond being the overseer or lord, of course. You shall be a baker, then. Truly, that be a noble lifestyle, as well. To feed the tribe with desserts and other goods is honorable, indeed.”

  “What? Nay. I merely want to be a bakery priestess so I can eat all the sweets I desire.”

  Shanvi rubbed his face with a hand, reminding himself that he was talking to a five-year-old. So much for “the greater good.” She’d have to learn that in her own time, and that learning started tomorrow.