WYTCHCROFT'S BLOG
The Wages of Sihnon
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 10:38 AM
rough cut - extract from unfinished fic…………………………………………..
The landscape - swirling as it was around them, and under the vibrant sunset in a sky filled with shining kites and gliders – was truly idyllic, distractingly so. The neat arbour of plants, the lawns and small trees, the old stone walls – many of them derelict – the pools and ponds dancing with refractive water and the colourful bodies of tropical fish. Yes, it was distracting – which was presumably why The Priestess had invited Inara to walk through the grounds with her.
She knew Inara well, knew that the heady delights of the manicured nature about her could not fail to impact, knock her off balance, and move her emotionally.
Inara knew it too – her head swimming and aflame with every sense engulfed – and her ears - hearing for a moment only the splash of the water, the insects in the grass and the bees among the flowers - were slow to listen to the words being spoken to them.
“This is a time of… choices”, the Priestess was saying as together they strolled the neat and meandering path. “Many decisions are being weighed – and, do you realise that every action of every member of our Guild can affect the whole?”
Inara steadied herself, “In what sense?”
“For example,” there was a pause for effect, the Priestess had deliberately adopted the crotchety tones of an old school ma’am, “your idea to create a Training House in the rim – House Serra… or whatever you were calling it. And now – with the Alliance pulling back from so much of the Rim… They are wondering – would it be possible… a licensed Guild – licensed by us… but no longer regulated by them.”
Inara was shocked. “The Alliance would never - De-regulate? You mean CRIMINALISE – the Guild?”
The Priestess nodded, even as she gazed down at the rhododendrons. “That’s exactly what I mean.”
Inara kept her eyes on the other woman now. “That would never happen. Not now – we’ve come too far – our culture is…”
“Enlightened? I wonder Inara if you really grasp the reality of the checks and balances and – well, just the basic bribery, necessary to maintain such ‘enlightenment.” She accented her words by brushing the green fly from off the petals before her.
“But surely the Alliance approves of - ”
This was met with a snort. “The Alliance approves of control. Surely you are not so naïve Inara?” Finally the Priestess turned and faced her – looking into her eyes, tapping the ground with her cane. “What are the two elements in humanity – the two needs that the Alliance cannot readily meet – and for the lack of which people will rebel, riot… force change and revolution?”
Inara could feel herself becoming the pupil she had once been. It was a role she did not want – but could not easily cast off it seemed. “The Sexual and the Spiritual.” She answered dutifully.
The Priestess nodded. “Exactly. Between us – The Guild and The Priory – we serve to fulfil those needs… we are therefore agents of control. It is THAT which allows the Alliance a choice – instead of de-regulation, they can choose to actively support the Guild, that is YOU – legally, financially. Even as they pull back their men, their machinery – it is YOU that can become their resource for stability. If they decide.”
The woman turned once more to the flowers, leaving Inara to speak to her back.
“But very few are eligible to retain a Companion – only the very privileged…”
“Yes – only the very Good. But as for the rest – the rest can aspire, neh? Men can aspire to walk with a Companion – and women to become one. Again – that is Control.” And so saying she moved away and resumed strolling.
Inara was forced to catch up. “But we…”
“Enjoy what – freedom? Ha!” The cane waved into the air. “Our lives are coded, ritualised - we are machinery. We enjoy… luxury – perhaps… but it is the velvet cushion that gives lustre to a diamond watch. And a diamond watch has no concept of freedom – it is of course – a control device like any other.” She stopped quite suddenly again and Inara nearly bumped into her. Nearly but not qui
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