Chapter 8 #2
On the large wall, someone had written: "The systematic degradation of human flourishing across geopolitical, economic, and psychological strata can be traced directly to the pervasive architecture of patriarchy, an intersectoral apparatus of dominance that commodifies intimacy, enforces rigid hierarchies, and fundamentally poisons the collective human experience. "
Under that was:
Matriarchal Rules
1. Radical Interdependence: You are expected to cultivate your personal skills and inner strength, not isolate yourself, but to build yourself up so you can intentionally pour energy and effort back into the community.
Autonomy is celebrated, but total independence is viewed as a myth; survival and thriving are cooperative endeavors.
2. Leave it Better: Leave every space in better condition. Long-term vitality and sustainability are mandatory.
3. Emotional Decommodification & Relational Giving: The care economy overrides the transactional economy.
Status is gained by how deeply you nurture others.
Acts of care, emotional support, and conflict resolution are vital contributions that cannot be bartered, transactionalized, or taken for granted.
Around each rule were a series of smaller written notes in various colors, as if a discussion were taking place on the wall itself.
"I have been unconscious for some time," I said.
"Long enough," Lyssa said. "We have a room set up for you."
"The ship is being accommodating," I said, using the word ship instead of Vaurelcar.
"This ship is amazing!" Lyssa agreed. "It has been responding to our every request, or at least Milly's requests.
It sometimes ignores the rest of us, but she can get it to do anything.
It can reshape itself in a bunch of different ways.
We even have a farm going, though we don't have much plant diversity yet.
We need more seeds, apparently. The main problem is we haven't figured out how to steer it yet.
We're going somewhere, we think, we just don't know where. "
I reached out to try to connect with the navigational information.
Access denied.
"I am denied access to-" I began.
"We know," Lyssa said. "None of you guys can access the sensors or any of the controls for the ship.
Don't try to do any manual overrides or anything like that either.
One of the guys said he was going to go take over the core of the ship, and one of those tentacles came out of the wall, and well...
don't say stuff like that either. I can say it, and nothing happens but you guys...
you can't go making threats of any type. "
"I will not make threats," I said, speaking louder to make sure the audio sensors in the walls picked up my words. "I respect the ship's autonomy and will take no action that harms it or risks its freedom."
the Vaurelcar sent directly to me.
A shiver of terror rushed through me at the confirmation of its directed attention.
It was aware of me, and it was watching.
It wasn't the same fear I had of being flagged for deviance by Plexus command. The risk of disassembly or a full reset was always a possibility, an inescapable fate that every unit had to face.
This was a fear of the unknown.
It had always been a given that if the ship got free, the first thing it would do would be to kill every last Calicium on board.
Yet here I was, alive.
"Let me show you to your room!" Lyssa said, leading her way out of the meeting chamber.
I wasn't going to take that life for granted.
"I look forward to seeing our room," I agreed.
Lyssa laughed. "Your room," she said. "I have my own room."
Even as she said that, she bit her lower lip and looked up at me through her eyelashes.
Green boxes flashed around the minute details of her facial and body expression, highlighting the way her tongue caressed her own lips as her weight shifted to lean towards me.
"We are mates, if you accept me," I said. "Does your species have separate dwellings from their mates?"
I barely knew what my own origin species did, so I would need to learn as much about her mating practices as possible to ensure that she was happy and content with our pairing.
"You're really serious about this mate thing," she said as she stopped in front of a door and turned to face me, her hands on her hips.
She glanced back at the door behind her, then back at me, like she was trying to make up her mind.
"You barely know me. From what I gather, you barely even know yourself.
Humans don't chemically pair bond or whatever, so if I mess around with you, I'm not risking anything.
Do you really want to start off your new life chemically tied to someone you don't know? "
"I do know you," I said. "I know that you thrash about when you sleep, that you will pretend not to like something you enjoy if that is what is required for others to ask for what they need.
I know that you stay calm in emergency situations, lead through both action and words, and are not afraid to follow others' leadership.
I know that you know yourself well enough not to try to comfort those who are struggling the worst if you think your attention will be detrimental.
I know you delight in your own body's capabilities, yet you don't look down on others for not sharing your interest. You take care of others by focusing on building your own strength, and then using that strength when the moment calls for it.
I know that you saved me. I know that I would not be alive and free if it weren't for you.
I know that no matter how many people I meet, there is no one who will ever be able to come close to the brilliant image that you have imprinted on my heart.
Whether it is today, or tomorrow, or decades from now, I will never choose another.
If you don't choose me as your mate, I will do whatever is necessary to prove myself to you. "
She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes glimmering as she stared up at me.
"This is my room," Lyssa said. "Want to come in?"