Take Back the Night

Even a Girl Child Deserves a Gift, Yes?

The seed of revolution is repression – Woodrow Wilson

Hoshi and Travis kept watching the Daranaean broadcast.

"We have some still photographs from the home of Beta Councilor Elemus. Oh, this is exciting! These are the first ever pictures of barefaced humans!" gushed the news reader.

Pictures were then projected on the broadcast. There was Jonathan standing and smiling and shaking hands with Arnis, and another was of the two doctors standing together with Elemus. There was another one of Malcolm and Hamilton standing with Elemus and Arnis.

"I don't see any photographs of Captain Hernandez or Lucy," Travis pointed out.

"And there aren't any of the men's wives. Didn't the reports say that the wealthy ones all have three wives? There have gotta be women there, I figure," Hoshi said.

"Maybe they're camera shy. Or maybe those pictures just aren't up yet," Travis suggested.

=/\=

There were no pictures of the human women because they had been looking to escape the press's questions. Erika and Lucy walked toward the back of the house, exploring a little. They almost stumbled over Cama, who looked down. "It's all right," Erika said, "do you remember us? You met Doctor Nguyen a few years ago."

"Yes, I remember. He is kind," Cama said.

"I hope we're not intruding," Lucy said, "but those questions were getting to be a bit much. When they asked us to show off our pouches, well, we don't have pouches."

"And we're not exactly interested in baring our stomachs just for a press photograph," Erika said.

Cama shrugged. "I am not asked to because I am in the last caste."

An came over. "You had about enough, too?" Lucy asked.

"Yep, I was a little tired of the prying, asking why I wasn't married yet. Reminded me of my grandmothers! Cama, how are you feeling?" He couldn't help it, to be a doctor, and took out a scanner and checked her. She had lost some weight since he had last seen her. Her pouchling moved, its silhouette visible just under her skin.

"I am often tired, as is Libba. We are, as you can see. It gets harder every time. Doctor, can I, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he said.

"Do you use Krivian Weed?" Cama asked.

"I've never heard of it," he said.

"It is how we determine the gender of our young before they are born. Come outside, and I can show you, if you like."

With little else to do, the three of them went outside with her and over to what looked like a box hedge.

"See, all you do is you take off a little sprig. And you stick it in your mouth and get saliva on it." She demonstrated, and then pulled the leaf out. "It has turned grey, see? That means I am carrying another boy child, just like my pouchling."

"What color does it turn for a girl?" Erika asked.

"A dark purple-red," Cama replied.

"And what if you do this and you're not pregnant, or if a man does it?" An asked.

"Then the leaf stays green." Cama took a deep breath. "It has a good smell, kind of a mint, so many families grow it. I do not leave here often. I am not allowed to leave without a male escort, but the garden is pleasant, and today is a pretty day." She sniffed the air.