The Dome in the Forest by Paul O. Williams

Author:Paul O. Williams [Williams, Paul O.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Science Fiction / General
ISBN: 9780803298507
Publisher: UNP - Bison Books
Published: 2013-07-10T16:00:00+00:00

Deep in the north quadrant, a small meeting of women from several families heard the Dahmena say, “I have never been so humiliated. I seem to have lost control even of my own quadrant. Who authorized the attack on the girl? They all think I did.”

“But, Dahmena, if you didn’t, you surely indicated that you wished her out of the way.”

“This time we have been so undercut that we may never regain position. We must have some reserve. Increasingly we are in the minority. Some drastic change is coming. This old city has been our home for so many centuries. How can we give it up?”

“Give it up? You mean you want us to leave Pelbarigan?”

“How else can we live?”

“We can perhaps adjust, you know, Dahmena.”

“Adjust? Do what they say? They are destroying all that is precious. Never!” The Dahmena punctuated her statement by stabbing her palm with her forefinger. As she spoke, her voice rose, and for a moment she seemed to generate such an aura of anger that the whole room seemed to tremble with white light.

“Dahmena, you must realize that although we stand together as a quadrant when we can, I am not a Dahmen. I can’t follow you in all things. Cyklo’s action is hardly one of the whole quadrant.”

“Nor of the Dahmens. I never authorized anything like that.”

“But you made it clear that you wished it. I feel you have so weakened yourself that you must accede.”

“I must do nothing not in our interest.”

“Ah. You have already. Or it has been done. I know four families will not stand with you.”

“I will repudiate Cyklo. I mean it.”

“You have sharpened the knife and will not take it back now that it is bloody?”

“I will not accept that description.”

“Moder is right, Dahmena,” said the Judgema, head of the second largest of the north-quadrant families. “I’m afraid that you must listen. I have a proposal that has the backing of six families.”

“Six? What is it?”

“Send for Ahroe. Ask her to come here and talk frankly. We must draw together and heal the wounds.”

“Never.”

“Then we will meet with her without you. We will explain our feelings. We join with you in deploring the presence of the girl. We do not wish to pursue contact with the dome. But we see the necessity of being civilized. If we lose our case, then we have lost, but as Pelbar. If we are afraid of renewed savagery, then we must not illustrate it ourselves.”

“You would do that without me?” Again the Dahmena’s anger took her. “I am still Northcounsel.”

“At the moment.” The Judgema went to the Dahmena and put her arms around her. “Please? We beg it of you. I think we have lost, yes. But we must act decently. We must recover our honor.”

The Dahmena freed herself. “This shame is more than I can bear.” She turned and left the room.

Moder turned and asked, “Well, should we ask Ahroe to meet with us?”

“I don’t know. It is of little use now. Let us see what lead the Dahmena will take when she has thought further.

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