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Council seemed in session when Annalise opened the door, but Julia waved her in. All feelings she had of relaxation vanished.
“Annalise,” Marta with screen uncrumpled said. “We have just been discussing eusocial insects. Are you familiar?”
She knew a bit, but shook her head respectfully.
“In an ants’ nest the queen is the centre of the community to be protected at any cost. Older females are designated to the most perilous jobs; they patrol the edges of the nest territory. As such, those closest to death carry out the most dangerous activity which makes sense from a rational viewpoint as a very efficient way to run a community.”
“Maximizes security,” Anthony stated. “Defence must remain top priority.”
“The self-sacrificing nature of older women—people not insects—can as effectively be used to teach their experiential wisdom to their grandchildren,” Julia said. “Maximizes knowledge.”
Annalise didn’t say a word.
“So Anthony wants to thin us out,” Julia scoffed. “He wants old women out on patrol dealing with invaders that our drones have wrap strapped.”
“I never said that.”
“Well, what of wrap straps?” Julia challenged. “Recall the Sanders family. Resourceful enough to make it into our valley on the old forestry service road. And what do we do? Our drone wrap straps them and by the time our ground squad gets there we’ve lost all that resourcefulness. Did they die of exposure or did the grizzlies get there first. What model do we want to create here?”
“To Annalise’s proposal then.” Marta said. “We did not get consensus so we voted.”
Annalise felt her insides quiver.
“We have decided to take on some but not all of your proposal risks.” Marta looked directly at her. “Under certain considerations.”
She listened.
“You will be reporting to committee, Julia, Anthony and myself.”
She nodded.
“And, after reviewing the details of your proposal, we hold this project to three specific restrictions.”
“First, a one year pilot. We discussed the old border crossing model. A guard well versed in cross questioning attests to trust or lack thereof. As your proposal suggests our guard will be the voice of your T5 Kiki Girl.”
“Second, if invitation is extended the client will agree to our community training program,” Marta said. “Julia will take care of that.”
The third condition was a three month probation period for each client admitted and agreement to the One Valley resettlement restriction. Depending on how they integrate they may be pioneering a perimeter valley. Remote hydroelectric installations Annalise thought, she’d have to tell her father.
“There’s gonna be infiltration. Swarm gangs will trick their way in.” Anthony shook his head. “We risk not only damage but a total invasion. We’re gonna be wiped out. Maybe completely.”
“Everything has risk,” Julia said. “And we will not maintain a guns blazing attitude where we live to survive and survive only to eat and reproduce. Our model of the future must look to the wellbeing of all.”
Anthony stared at the table.
“We have left the advisors up to each Councillor’s discretion,” Marta said. She sat back, looking at Annalise and then around at the rest. “After watching my two granddaughters last night, I for one want to take on a new advisor.”
Annalise saw the smile grow on Julia’s face and she felt her own forming. She knew there would be more than one Kiki advisor for her to prepare.
End
Discover other Writings by Les W Kuzyk
If you like Tribe 5 Girl, consider reading Green Sahara and my novel Pinatubo II following oil field engineer Vince when on project in Niger, Africa. There he designs geoengineering for the HICCC and seeks out a political climate change solution. Or Blown Bridge Valley sequentially between. Or have a look at Next Door Data for another climate change political story.
My soon to be published novel The Shela Directive follows youth in a speculative science fiction novel. The new adult characters in 2029 struggle with the social justice issue of the wealthy, of who owns the wealth and what wealth should really be used for. They had their needs met by the first woman president, but with her assassination each had their social world degraded in this near future urban setting.
My short fiction, A Future History of the Environment speaks to a global scenario of near future climate change as a new adult looks back on our next few decades and writes her university history exam in the year 2052.
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Les W Kuzyk
About Les W Kuzyk
Testing the waters of writing through a graduate university Anthropology and Religious Studies study, Les composed a thesis themed on a morals-based world order. Having thus learned of his passion for words and after publishing several non-fiction writings, he now focuses his writing voice on fiction. He has life experience with various cultures including the pura vida lifestyle of Costa Rica and the Polynesian culture of the South Pacific island nations. He lives with his Eastern European wife and daughter in Calgary.
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