***Tirnanog, Mount Aerie***

***Magnus***

“I find myself wondering...” I twiddled my thumbs nervously while facing a stern-looking Mary Frost. “Why am I here?”

Mary looked up briefly before she returned her attention to the documents on the desk.

It wouldn't have hurt if she had bothered to give me a quick explanation before continuing with whatever this was supposed to represent. But even if it irked me, I figured further complaints would only result in more time wasted.

We had met up in a small pavilion in the mansion's garden area. Presumably for tea – after Teresa informed me of the unannounced appointment.

If I hated one thing about social life, then it was having my schedule altered with nothing but a notice a few minutes in advance.

With nothing else to do than proving my patience, I turned my attention toward the greenery. Going by the 'garden's' size, it was more appropriate to call it a small park.

Yes, definitely a park.

I couldn't stop myself from throwing sneaky glances at the memorial path which testified to Mary's considerable age.

At least I tried my best not to make it too obvious.

Anyone would have gotten nervous upon meeting a person who had witnessed a considerable part of Tirnanog's colonization.

A little over a week had passed since Astra's and my responsibilities shifted away from the supercomputer. It was sad, but with most of the subsidiary structures gone, we could make almost no use of the extremely powerful device.

The elders had held another vote, resulting in the utter defeat of the anti-war faction – which wasn't a surprise at that point. It would have been shocking if the vote hadn't resulted in our win.

The fifth strata was the only one which sternly refused to vote in our favour, while the thirteenth and fifteenth had shifted away from their neutral positions and came over to our side.

This caused the third and eleventh to switch sides, while the others from the anti-war faction went to a neutral stance. Having two of the strongest stratas proclaim their willingness for war was a huge factor in our favour.

The vote ended with two votes against war from the two leading members of the fifth, twenty elders were in favour, and eight refused to take sides.

Once the result was confirmed it was like a big stone had fallen off my shoulders.

Not to misunderstand, total war wasn't on the table just yet, but the clans had practically agreed to aid me with my remaining sister. They would pressure and confront the Thich's leadership to force a political statement.

Which meant I had now to wait for the end of winter. It was a time of training and preparation until the snow would melt.

Etan and I still met up for regular training of the weave, but most of the day was occupied by Gilbert and his experiments with various cores. It involved us visiting the tenth strata which made a living by taming the wild creatures of this world.

Gilbert was fascinated with researching the cores.

The research required us to do... necessary stuff. There just wasn't a way to say this without injuring at least some sensibilities.

Back on Earth, our experiments on living animals would have been outlawed. Or conducted without informing the public. Why care for animals when they didn't treat humans any better?

But this was Tirnanog.

In our defence, the creatures we tortu... Ahem! Killed for the sake of knowledge were up for slaughter anyway. And to be honest, I couldn't care less about a beast which would eat my face given the opportunity.

And the results could be shown. We had identified three different cores which functioned as batteries or capacitors.

One provided a light source in the form of a focused light beam – I had no idea how nature or whoever came up with a monster that had oversized laser pointers for eyes to blind people.

Though, in most cases, the cores provided relatively boring bio-mechanical enhancements. Standard stuff which couldn’t hold up to most strength mutations.

The biggest prize was a core which could be described as a little chemical nanofactory. We had extracted it from the belly of a molerat. Given time and a feedstock of nutrients, the large, oval-shaped core began oozing out various chemicals which were identified by Thalia and her mother as basic drugs and antibiotics.

It was only to be found inside the older molerats which were harder to tame.

The core's inner workings utterly escaped my understanding, although Sienna thought to recognize various catalysts and ceramic filters necessary for chemical processes once we cracked one open.

Comprehending the core would require a dedicated research group, so I tabled the idea of understanding any of it and handed the matter off to the Tates. They had the necessary dedication and a much bigger chance at success now that they had seen the bio-mechanic device in action thanks to me.

Mary returned my drifting thoughts to the present when she put down her papers.

“You are here to learn and to be evaluated,” the old hag declared haughtily.

“Learn? Evaluated?” I asked with maybe a little too much sass in my voice. “What about?”

“Morals.”

“Morals!?”

Why morals of all things? Ethan was already pestering me with the clan’s inner politics and laws.

The former elder nodded. “Whether you want it or not, your partnership with Astra will get you a leadership position within the clan. Add your potential as a juggernaut and it is practically guaranteed for you to ascend to the position of an elder at some point. Though hopefully, not any time soon.”

This speech sounded very familiar. Had Etan prepared me for this meeting in a convoluted way?

My eyes flicked back to the memorial path. “I am not sure whether becoming an elder is desirable. It's certainly not a 'healthy' occupation.”

Mary followed my gaze and raised an eyebrow. “You have a point, but it's the lot you drew. Though, I have to point out you may have misunderstood the memorial path. Not all of the crossed-out names are dead. It simply means the person in question stepped down from a position of direct leadership. It's not too uncommon after losing your partner, or having done your duty and getting tired. Humans tend to get bored of doing the same thing for longer than a lifetime.”

I looked at her. “Does this mean we have a few dozen hidden powerhouses of elder-level twiddling their thumbs while the younger generations are fighting for survival?”

Mary looked peeved at the suggestion. “Now you are over-estimating the average life expectancy on Tirnanog. Suffice it to say, there are a few really old people who keep a watch on things while we allow the young ones to make their own mistakes. How would they learn otherwise? And never suggest again I haven't done my part. I've been fighting and risking my life for longer than you, your parents, and your grandparents added together.”

Arguing her fighting experience or dedication to the clan would probably land me in hot water, so I focused on another facet of this revelation.

“You old guys are watching over the elders? Like a shadow government?” I asked.

I assumed as much when I learned of Mary's actual power within the clan. Etan and Teresa were taking care of the outside stuff concerning other stratas and the clan as a whole, while Mary's position allowed her the most control over the strata itself.

Was every strata organized in this manner?

She rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her papers. “No government can exist for long without fail-check mechanisms. Of which we developed more than the eye can see. Back on Earth, one bad leader might sink a nation, but it is very unlikely for him to genocide his people. Here on Tirnanog, we don't have the same luxury. I can tell you several stories of smaller clans finding a very unpretty end because they allowed an idiot to decide their policies.”

Could she be any more cryptic?

Mary waved a hand dismissively. “We aren't here to talk about the mistakes of others. You are here to learn about Aerie. Another goal of this meeting is to judge your attitude and correct it through education if necessary.”

“Then I hope you have a few very good arguments should we disagree on something,” I countered, unwilling to be too subservient. “I’ve been told I can be stubborn.”

She thought for a moment before she continued, “It's certainly not wrong to say that clan Aerie suffers from a… hmm… historical trauma. Being abandoned by Earth, being exiled. Ever since the elder system was introduced, the people of Aerie were concerned about handing power to the wrong kind of leaders.”

Mary patted a test on basic physics and mathematics which I had solved with flying colours a few minutes earlier. “It resulted in things like these tests to ensure the mental fitness of a voter. Among other things, we are granting everyone the right to education no matter their age as people rise through the various stratas. Back on Earth, there is a saying. You never stop learning. This is doubly true in this world.”

“But there is no system which can't be corrupted,” I pointed out. “I think I know where this is going with the morals. Forgive me if this sounds offending, but the stratas' infighting seems... beneath such noble goals.”

She nodded. “You are right. No system, and certainly no person, is perfect. This is a harsh world with harsh people, so we have to do our best to weed out those who are unfit for the job. Having an educated voter voting on the right thing or person is a nice theory, but if practised without restraint it could lead to... other issues.”

“Humans aren't logical.” I played along. There was no point in alienating her.

“Exactly. Human emotions have to be taken into account. Hence, we have to make sure our leaders follow a certain code of conduct. A moral compass, so to speak. It is what saved you from the Patels’ wrath when you taunted them. And it is what I will teach you in the coming years.”

“Years!?”

Mary snorted. “Or decades. Looking at you, it might take a century or two? You didn't think we would get this over with in one session and it is done? Most of our population is essentially immortal. We have to ensure no madman ascends to a position of power. Elders have to undergo regular psychological evaluations. By their strata and by the others. If they fail, they are no longer allowed to rule.”

I raised a doubtful eyebrow. The thought of an immortal dictator rising to power hadn't yet occurred to me. It made sense to have some safety checks in place. Although, how effective could such psych-evaluation be?

Very effective, if conducted by someone like Thalia.

Mary seemed to understand my doubt. “As we said in the beginning, no system is perfect, so we strive to improve. The clan's current structure may seem basic on the surface, but it has survived in its current form with only minor changes for over two hundred years. Instead of restricting ourselves and our people with a tight web of laws, we see to the qualification of those who hold power.”

Their mindset had elements of a technocracy.

I didn't agree fully, but my time in Mount Aerie hadn't revealed anything I completely disagreed with either. Within their limitations, the Aerie had crafted their society as fairly as they could. And I wasn't aware of humans ever trying to rule via a real technocracy either.

Maybe it was the path not taken that promised redemption?

“The same could be said about Earth's government,” I pointed out a flaw in her reasoning nonetheless. “The people change, but the system stays the same. Having a system last for a few decades or centuries doesn't confirm its righteousness.”

Mary gave me a rare smile and noted something on her papers. “Questioning the state of the system. Not simply accepting it. We have to stay vigilant. Only flaws which are found can be corrected.”

“So, you are saying if I found a major problem with your government the elders would support me in changing the clan's power structure?” I asked.

She tilted her head from side to side as she thought of an answer. “I wouldn't go that far. We are talking morals here. Ruling a society is never easy – as there are likely as many different opinions as humans to bring in line. Just because you think something is good or bad doesn't mean the majority of people would approve. But I dare say if you managed to win over a decisive part of the elders you would be in a good spot to make changes. Have you heard any of the elders complain once the political course towards a military confrontation was set?”

“None,” I admitted. It wasn't comparable to the United Earth Government. There was always opposition to be found there. Even if one policy was approved by the current election, it could be overturned by the next one. Earth’s political landscape was like a set of scales constantly teetering from one extreme to the other, giving the people the illusion of control.

“As it should be,” Mary asserted with a huff. “There can be discourse and infighting before a decision is made, but no longer after. There are ways to challenge a set decision, but it isn't done in public. The elders show a united front to the rest of the clan now that we are committed. What do you think of leaders fighting a war at the frontline?”

I blinked as I thought of what this had to do with morals. “Sorry? A leader risking his life on the frontline would be foolish. His death would destabilize the government or make him a martyr.”

“True, if you consider a normal government. The clan is structured in a way so that elders aren't necessary to keep the clan functioning. Their scribes and assistants should be perfectly capable of keeping things running until new elders are elected. The elders are the clan's representatives and its powerhouses. They only point the way while others care for the details.”

She gestured towards the memorial path.

“We believe firmly that someone who thinks armed conflict is necessary should stand for his convictions at the frontlines. Too many wars were fought to unfavourable outcomes because the instigators and leaders safely hid back at home while others fought and died for them. The elders who voted for the war will not hide inside this mountain when the time comes.”

“But what if an elder dies?” I asked.

“Etan told me about your rat-extermination trip,” Mary said. “Was it Etan who commanded the hunters, or someone else? Would the command structure have crumbled if Etan or you had fallen?”

“No.” Conla Leece had coordinated the battle while Etan and I simply followed her instructions. Though, I liked to believe our death would've been a blow to morale.

Mary continued to school me for the rest of the morning on how a proper elder should see things.

I agreed on some topics and disagreed on others.

If Mary was to be believed then perfect agreement with the clans’ moral code wasn't expected, but strived for. And as I was right now I was far from being qualified as an elder. But this was what these sessions were supposed to prepare me for.

We made our way back to my quarters once Mary declared the lessons as finished for the day. I had invited Mary to join me and Astra for dinner because I had unexpectedly built a connection with Mary. Despite my initial misgivings, I found our conversation about morals to be engaging.

Now that the food restrictions were mostly lifted on our nanotech, Aerie's cooking culture had already experienced a second renaissance.

The mutation system via food wasn’t gone completely, but people could now specify in their UI settings whether they wanted to gain a new mutation or bond with a partner. It hadn’t taken long until a brave soul was found to test out the UI’s function – meaning some poor fool who had committed a crime was used as a volunteer.

“I am back!” I called out once I arrived, figuring Astra should’ve already returned from her job as her mother’s assistant.

What I found upon entering the living room gave me a small shock!

“Astra!”

I ran up to my wife and fell to my knees where she was lying on the carpet in a fetal position with her filaments writhing protectively around her.

“What’s wrong!?”

“It’s so horrible, Magnus!” Astra choked. Her eyes were watery and red and she had snot running down her nose. It was an emotional breakdown if I had ever seen one and contradictory to everything I knew of my brave Astra.

Had she been crying? I checked for blood and injuries but found nothing.

When I pulled her into an upright position, I finally realized what the ado was about. Astra’s belly was gone! Well, not gone, gone, but she was back to her non-pregnant self.

My heart stopped for a moment at the sight, but getting emotional too wouldn’t help her. I had to provide a solid shoulder for her. If something bad had happened, I could kill things later!

“Astra, what happened?” I hugged her while Mary entered the room. “You are making me worry!”

“I stayed at home today because I felt a little bit ill,” Astra dissolved in my arms. “And then it happened! I was suddenly all wet down there and when I knelt in the shower to check what was wrong it went slip! Slip! SLIP!”

“Shush, it’s okay!” I rocked her back and forth, not knowing what else to do. “You are fine! We can deal with anything as long as you are fine!”

“Oh, dear! Where are they?” Mary took an actual combat stance. “Do we have to call a hunter team?”

Astra suddenly stopped crying and looked up at Mary in horror. “What!? No!”

“Then get to your feet and explain yourself, girl!” Mary ordered Astra with a commanding voice which I hadn’t heard from her before. It was the voice of a combat instructor and military leader.

I gave her the stink-eye, but Mary’s demeanour managed to rip Astra out of her funk.

“It’s best if I show you,” my partner sniffled while she straightened and got to her feet with my help.

She led us into the bedroom where she had made a sort of nest for three cylindrical-shaped… eggs. They were about forty centimetres in length and a little more than twenty in diameter. One was sprinkled with red flecks, another dotted blue, and the third green-themed with a mix of sprinkles and dots.

The three of us stared at the new addition to the family.

“Ahem…” I wasn’t sure what to say. I had warned Astra of hitting Gaia with a chair. But no, she had to keep disrespecting the avatar of all human life and use her as a cook!

“See!” Astra beseeched us. “I- I- I was looking forward to holding the babies and now this! What’s this supposed to be? Do I have to sit on them or what!?”

“Oh, dear…” Mary covered her mouth. For once, it seemed like she had no answers.

I held up a hand. “Okay, first of all, you have to think of the upsides. You had what? A month of pregnancy? That’s wonderful compared to the nine months of torture that baseline humans have to go through. Also, slip, slip, slip? Seriously! I wouldn’t complain about giving birth in this manner! And I am a guy! Next, these egg-thingies aren’t the crying maggots I expected once I learned I knocked you up. If they just lie around until they hatch in a state in which they can take care of themselves, that’s a blessing! I have dark memories of my younger sisters being born, and babying them wasn’t pretty. I take this over the baseline human process.”

The two women glared at me with venom in their eyes.

“What?”

It seemed like babying babies was supposed to be one of the joys of parenthood and I got an earful about it.