Rose cried as I removed her ornamentation. She took the strips of translucent fabric from me and stuck it into a deep pocked in the skirt I handed her. That was a very good idea and I did the same thing with my blue ornamentation.


    “We’ll talk to Hannah,” I told her. “My daughters will fix this.”


    In my heart I doubted this could be fixed that simply. These free men despised men that kept ves. There was no Great Harmonious Spirit for men like Damien, Basin, and Stayne. They had made the wrong decision and were being punished for it.


    The heavy linen of the shirt was warm and the bra was supportive. The skirt was nice and well suited for the weather here. I kept on the boots Thom had given me and felt totally dressed.


    “Put the coats I gave you back on if you are cold,” Thom stated once he saw we were finished.


    Armant cleared his throat and stood looking pointedly at Thom. The other man just stood looking at him. Armant touched his throat and his wrist, but Thom still didn’t get it.


    “They aren’t ves, but they are still wearing the bands,” Armant finally said sounding exasperated. “I cannot believe that Gunth did not remove them himself. The old man is not as observant as he once was.”


    Thom looked at Rose and I and muttered a curse to himself. He appeared embarrassed to not have noticed. Thom came toward me and I backed up.


    “Rachel,” he scolded, “I will not hurt you, but you cannot walk around wearing marks of very.”


    The idea of losing my cor terrified me. I’d been badly hurt when it was removed. My instinct was to wear it, even if it was a ve’s mark. The thought of being surrounded by these men and no mark to prove to them I was cared for…


    “No,” I shook my head, “I like it. Let me keep it.”


    “You cannot wear a ve cor. This is a free society. You need to remove those signs of bondage,” he said taking a step closer.


    I cringed and Rose cringed with me. Fuji was behind Thom and made a strange sound low in her throat as a bit of hair fell off her head. Armant brought Fuji’s strange hair loss to Thom’s attention.


    “Perhaps,” Armant said slowly, “this should be left to the women.”N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    “Yes,” Thom said rxing, “part of their retraining perhaps.”


    All the men murmured that this was a task the women should help us with. I got the feeling it was just a task they didn’t want. My fingers involuntarily traced Damien’s mark and I felt instantly calmer.


    Rose, Fuji, and I were walked further down the wide interior walkway to a set of wide steps carved into the mountain. A literal stage was in front of therge opening to this cave. Thom stopped us and pointed into the well lighted area.


    “This,” Thom said, “is where the Administrators work. They can stand here and make announcements. There is a tool we have that can amplify and transmit sound. They use it when they are giving us directives or information.”


    Gunth’s voice interrupted us as he came from the open area behind the stage. He walked slowly down the steps and thanked Thom. Gunth told him to go to his Brothers. They were part of the transport group that was collecting food from the fields today.


    “Everyone has a job and contributes in this society,” Gunth said to us as Thom took his leave. “All members are productive. Some men, like Thom’s family, do multiple jobs depending on what is needed. They enjoy the diversity and wish to know how the entire camp runs. Should you decide to stay with us, we will expect you to tell us what you would like to do, also.”


    “Yes, Sir,” I said softly and he smiled.


    “My name is Gunth, Rachel, and I enjoy being called that,” he stated and led us up the steps.


    Behind therge stage was an open work space that was enormous. This seemed to be the nerve center for the camp. I saw several hallways branch off from this area and I wondered where they led. There were maps on the walls and many Paterians working over pads.


    Women covered in glittering beads were working at tables that were afortable height for them. Men stood on blocks that put them at a good height for working at the same tables. Five men and two women stood at the head of the room. There was a short line of mixed men and women in front of them. I could just make out what was being said as we approached.


    Two women were speaking to the Administrators as we approached. A family of men stood beside them.


    “My Sister and I wish permission to mate with Darfus and his Brothers,” the woman at the beginning of the line was saying to the individuals at the head of the room. “Neither my Sister or I have ever birthed a child. We are of age to mate and I believe we will seed with this family. We get along very well.”


    The men beside therge woman agreed with her. They enjoyed thepany of these women and thought things would work well between them. In the past they’d mated for fun, but they wished to create children, since the women wereing to that time in their cycle. The family of men stated they were ready for child rearing and felt they would be good at it.


    One of the five men at the head of the room spoke to them politely. He asked exactly what sort of jobs the females usually did. The Administrator also wanted a list of the men’s usual duties. He spoke with the group of female Administrators to insure all positions could be covered.


    “They control breeding?” I asked shocked.


    I had not meant to speak. Gunth didn’t seem annoyed at the question and answered affirmatively.


    “There are several families of Administrators, my Brothers and I are one. We ensure that those wishing to procreate do so in a way suitable for the whole of society. It would be unwise to have too many women carrying a child at one time or too many men relegated to child care afterward. Since our breeding numbers are so good, this is how we handle that.”


    I was confused and looked at Gunth with utter misunderstanding.


    “The men do the child care? How can that be?”


    Gunth smiled and continued to teach. Free men on Pateria were always the child care providers. Women knew when their young needed to feed, based on instinct. During the first year the women stayed close. As the children started to eat solid food, the maternal role became less and less.


    “Women have no patience for the young,” Gunth said quietly. “They are too independent. We men take care of the children as a group and arrange their care.”


    I was still shocked and turned to watch the Administrators at the head of the room.


    They had a tablet that they used to ess information.


    “It would not be an ideal time for us to lose both your talents, cousins,” one of the Administrators said, “but it is not the worst time.”


    The woman wasn’t offended by the statement and wanted to know what made it not an ideal time. They discussed back and forth for many long moments. Eventually it was decided that one woman of the family could breed, but not both of them.