[Lauchenoiria]

Eastern Rocks Hospital, Zongongia
PRESENT DAY

“I never had any intention of living in exile in a patriarchal country!” Carolyn Greenwood shouted at Councillor Rosemary Arnott. “I told you to go to the Hale Estate, not Goddessdamn Zongongia! If you’re going back, I am too!”

“Carolyn, it’s not safe,” Rosemary argued.

Her mother had managed to convince the Zongongians that Kerlile was still treating this as an internal matter; that nobody was going to attack them, and that the Daughters they had under guard in a hospital could safely go back to Kerlile. Evidently, though, Rosemary didn’t really believe it.

“I am a Councillor, there are certain protections…”

“Rosemary, I am not a fool. I understand the risks,” Carolyn interrupted. “But I acted out of personal loyalty, not out of support for your political ideals. I cannot live in a land where men are still allowed control over women – and do not give me that spiel about democracy and equality. I am returning to Kerlile with you, and that is final.”

Rosemary groaned, shaking her head. She didn’t understand Carolyn. The girl – woman now, actually, how time passes – seemed to change her factional loyalties every five minutes. One day she’s sneaking around behind her mother’s (and grandmother’s) back, and risking her life for reformists. And the next she’s talking of her disdain for democracy, and shrugging off the knowledge that she was likely responsible for the torture and death of several people as part of her plan.

“Fine!” Rosemary shouted, louder than she’d intended. A pair of Zongongians, still watching them if no longer restricting their movement, glanced towards her. “Then get in the car, we’re leaving now.”

Carolyn silently got into the waiting vehicle, leaving Rosemary to turn back to Xia Chiu who was waiting at the side. “I still don’t trust her,” Xia said, nodding towards Carolyn once she’d shut the car door.

“I don’t understand her,” Rosemary said in a low voice. “But why would she help us at great risk to herself if she’s…? Oh, I don’t think we’ll ever understand her. The Greenwoods have always been…”

“Insane,” Xia filled in, though Rosemary was aiming for something more diplomatic. “Look, I’ll stay here and look out for Olivia and Reena. Maybe visit Natasha, if they let me. You remember the code to let me know if it’s actually safe?”

Rosemary nodded.

“Then good luck,” Xia said, hugging the Councillor. Then Rosemary got into the car with Carolyn and they drove off in the direction of the Kerlian border. Xia exhaled as she watched after them, praying they would be safe.

*

Council Chambers, Grapevale

“Why are we meeting on a Sunday?” Jennifer Hale complained. “We already talked about this on Friday.”

“Because my daughter and Councillor Arnott have returned to Kerlile,” Councillor Letitia Greenwood replied. “And it is imperative that we ensure that there are no further acts that could be deemed indicative of a civil conflict.”

“This would not be happening if the rest of you had control over your daughters!” Councillor Nirmala Patel replied, a cold anger in her voice. “They attacked us.”

“Because you had Reena in a creepy torture dungeon!” Hale reminded her.

“I admit, my sister and I could have handled the situation with my niece better,” Nirmala conceded. “However, one of you in this room had my mother murdered. And you expect me to just sit here and do nothing?”

“You are not the first person who has had to sit here next to someone who had their mother murdered,” Pierre pointed out. “Sarah Robinson managed to sit next to my grandmother for years.”

“Have we maybe considered, I dunno, not trying to kill each other!?” Hale shouted, banging her hands on the table. “The rest of the world is right! The Council of Kerlile is completely insane!”

“All of you, be silent!” Councillor Lia Chiu commanded from her seat as Chair. The other Councillors fell silent as their Chair stood, glancing over at all of them, including the vacant Arnott seat and the gap where once upon a time a Robinson would have been. She allowed the silence to permeate for a few moments, until she was able to begin quietly.

“While I disagree with Councillor Hale’s phrasing, her sentiment is not entirely incorrect. We are the Council of Kerlile. We are not a children’s playground. So, we will each state our point – uninterrupted – and discuss this in a civilised manner. As Rosemary Arnott is absent, and I have little to say about this conflict, we will begin with Georgiou.”

“I also have little to say,” Georgiou replied. “Except that we must, Councillors, attempt to resolve this peacefully. We are still at threat from the patriarchal countries; if we are seen as unstable and volatile, they are likely to take advantage. I am sure nobody on any side of this conflict wishes an invasion.”

The other Councillors all looked away, ashamed. Chiu nodded to Greenwood.

“Councillors, I do not know why my firstborn daughter participated in what appears to have been an attack on the Patel Estate,” Letitia began. “She did not consult me before carrying out this act, and she most certainly would not have been granted permission had she. The Greenwood family unreservedly apologises to the Patel family for Carolyn’s actions; and the Patels can rest assured that she will be punished for it.”

“Councillor Hale?” Chiu prompted.

“Okay, I didn’t know anything about this. Xia just asked me to watch her kids. But, like, it’s 2023. Why are we playing at feudalism? Seriously! Torture dungeons? The whole Private Property law to begin with is insane. Maybe if we didn’t allow each other to, I dunno, torture our kids and send assassins after each other, we wouldn’t have to have boring meetings seven days a week that everyone brings at least three guns to.”

Chiu had to glare at several of the others for attempting to interrupt Hale. She then gestured for Hart to take the floor.

“For once, Councillor Hale is correct. My own actions in the affair were merely to prevent a conflict. Should the Patel family have apprehended those involved in the assault upon public land, and taken them back to their estate, it would have been a breach of Kerlian law. I recognised that in such situations, emotions and tensions run high, and someone had to ensure that the law was upheld. Also, my positions on torture are well-known.”

“Patel?”

“It is clear that my family is under attack. My mother was murdered. Our home has been assaulted. I concede that Reena probably was not involved in the plot. We have also ascertained that it was not the Robinsons; they had no opportunity. No, it is someone else. We intend to find out. As for the assault: our family will refrain from acts of vengeance if – and only if – we have proof that those involved are punished. That means by the state, not by their own families.”

“That won’t be…” Chiu began. “Like hell you think…” Pierre said at the same time. “I find it unacceptable that…” Greenwood overlapped.

“Okay,” Chiu said, louder. “We can debate this at the end. Pierre?”

“The report I received from Zongongia is that a member of the Patel household shot my firstborn daughter, Olivia. Granted, she should not have been there. I still find that unacceptable. As for vengeance, you have already had some! Or have we not seen the pictures of Xia Chiu’s lover? Carolyn Greenwood’s flatmates? Rosemary Arnott’s political activists? And the attempt at kidnapping my youngest, Olivia! So how dare you, Nirmala, come in here acting all sanctimonious.”

“No, responses at the end,” Chiu said, preventing Patel from replying. “Viallamando?”

“I do not even understand what is happening,” Lucia Viallamando shrugged.

“Right. Very well,” Chiu began, looking down at the notes she had taken. “The main points for discussion appear to be as follows: the existence of the Council Family Private Property Act and consequences thereof; the assassination of Anita Patel; the punishment of offenders in the assault on the Patel estate; and the use of torture as punishment. Are there any other primary points we ought to discuss?”

“The threat of patriarchal invasion if this is not resolved peacefully,” Georgiou said.

“Added. Right, let us begin with Anita Patel. Would anyone like to confess?” Chiu asked.

There was, unsurprisingly, a silence.

“Then I see little else we can do here today on the matter,” Chiu said. “I understand the Patel family will continue their own investigation. Excepting any discussion of detention or interrogation methods – we will come to that – is this acceptable to everyone?”

The gathered Councillors all begrudgingly nodded.

“Onto the threat of invasion. Are we all agreed that we wish to avoid this situation, and therefore we will all – from this moment on – refrain from any acts against each other’s families and acquaintances that are not approved by this Council? Knowing the risks if we continue to appear unstable?”

“If they come to my family’s land and…” Patel began.

“Which brings us nicely onto the Private Property Act. Now, this matter can quite easily be resolved, given we are a legislative body. Councillor Hale, as the individual with the most objections to the law, would you like to submit a request to repeal?”

Jennifer Hale froze like a rabbit caught in headlights. In truth, as much as the Patel’s basement-dungeon horrified her, she needed the law herself for her own purposes. It was all that protected her when she did things to provoke the others. And, she suspected, Chiu understood that fine well. She had no choice but to shake her head.

“Anyone else? No? Then the Act is still in force, and what happens on the private property of a Council Family remains under that family’s jurisdiction. We will, however, agree not to carry out any acts against each other on public land?”

The compromise was one none of the Councillors liked; but that none could object to.

“I expect the matter of torture is too large to tackle in this session,” Chiu said. “So, let us table a discussion for next week and move on to punishment of those involved in Thursday evening’s affair. Patel, state your desire.”

“If this act had been carried out by those who are not associated with the Council, the perpetrators would have been sentenced to at least twenty-five years in prison. That is unrealistic to get you to accept, I acknowledge, given the temporal constraints. So, I suggest, as an equivalent, a single week each, but in the Restricted Region.”

“Are you insane?” “Over my dead body!” “You’re obsessed with torture!” “That place is sacrilegious!” “I will not accept that!”

Georgiou and Viallamando shared an expression that could only be described as wishing to be anywhere else but here. The pair listened to the other six of them yell at each other for a while until they got it out of their system. Chiu composed herself and began.

“Nirmala, we are simply not going to permit you to have our daughters tortured,” she said, taking deep breaths to retain her composure.

“My other option is that they are each sent to an Alternative Education Centre. They clearly do not accept or understand our laws or culture. I would argue that it is of the utmost importance that this is corrected.”

It was an unreasonable suggestion. Nobody in their right mind would send Daughters of the Council to Alt-Ed! Except, well. It was far less extreme than Nirmala’s other suggestions. And they had to keep the Patels from starting a civil war. So, nobody spoke. The silence stretched. Minutes passed. Nobody could work out an argument. And then enough time passed that Nirmala smirked.

“I do not hear any objections. So, I must assume you accept the compromise. Of course, Rosemary Arnott is exempted; I would not like to start that precedent. Xia Chiu, Carolyn Greenwood and Olivia Pierre, however. And my niece Reena if she is foolish enough to return to Kerlile.”

Councillors Chiu, Greenwood and Pierre each shared a desperate look with each other, seeking better options. They were not fast enough.

“Then that’s decided,” Nirmala Patel said, crossing her arms, sitting back, and looking around the room like the cat that got the cream.

*

Later, Unknown Location

A door opened, and a woman slipped inside. She looked around, her eyes locking onto a man smoking a cigarette.

“Ah, you have returned. Was the mission successful?” he asked.

“Very.”

“Good. And did they buy it?”

“Hook, line, and sinker.”

He chuckled, exhaling, blowing a ring of smoke into the air.