Preacher Man by r. a. Ben Miller
A glum crowd met in the Circle Chamber. The Ssarrian table was empty, and only one Askirab was present. Zeer sat in the first chair he came to, "Let's just sit over here."
"Okay, Father..." No one sat in the right spots. They took chairs and met around the same table as Zeer.
Praseer came in last. He was followed by several old Par Cats, "What did I miss..?" He sat with them. The others took chairs off to the side.
Jim shrugged, "Nothin', we just got here." He looked around the table, "What about Talia's replacement?"
Zeer scratched his head and shrugged. "I think we let them pick whoever they want. He was their candidate. We owe them that." The others nodded silently.
Zeer looked around, "Okay... who's doing what?"
Praseer said, "I have some housing and water management ideas."
"Okay..."
Sheel spoke, "I'll do a security report. I say we don’t put the V word out on open channel."
"Good thinking! Thankee, Sheel."
The Magus looked around, "That all?" Everyone nodded.
Jim looked at some notes on his tablet, "Okay. The Viceroy will link in just before dark. Shall we reconvene then?"
Trevor and Janni were taping from the gallery, but, without the mikes on, they couldn't hear. Trevor threw off his headphones, "Man, this is just too dull to pass on."
Janni nodded, "Yeah. I guess we can stop taping, too. They're all leavin' anyways."
As Trevor was helping Janni to put away their camera, he got a call in the back of his head from his brother with orders to report. He turned to Janni, "I just remembered, I have to go see this guy I know. He's a friend of my mother. She told me to look him up when I got here."
She gave him quick kiss, "Okay, I'm supposed to go see Deena for some serious girl talk, anyway.”
He put their case into their grounder, "I'll drive you over and pick you up on my way home."
"Sounds like a plan.”
After dropping her off, Trevor hurried into the heart of the new city. At the super secret Paronese Council Headquarters, he let himself into the darkened building. Because he was a cat like humanoid, his night vision allowed him to make rapid turns in dark halls following the sounds in his head. He opened a door at the end of the hall, entered, and stopped.
A small group of males were pouring over some lexite sheets and maps. When Trevor entered, they turned toward him. He kneeled and kissed Praseer’s ring, "Dietwa...Karawa..."
"Come forward, Trevie.”
As he came forward, he stopped in a dead shock. Sitting in the middle, surrounded by the group of Paronese was the Preacherman.
He stopped short for a tick. As he did, he heard as clear as a bell in his head, "Trevor, ma friend, welcome."
Trevor stumbled forward and sat in a chair, "Diet Wa...what is happening? I have never spoken thus with an Earther?"
They ignored him, Praseer stood, looking over his shoulder, "Ahh, Mrs. MacTarn. Welcome Abbess to my head quarters."
Zeer was not as nice, "What are you doin' here, lass?”
"I was wonderin' where thee was sneakin' off to. If this is the only way I get to be with thee, then, I will be here."
His father joined the fray, "I've seen that look before, son. Dinna mess with a woman when she gits her chin up.”
"You tell him, Zac."
Zeer snorted and turned back to Praseer, "Citizen, do we need the press?" he mentally asked.
Armand smiled, walked over, and put his arm on the shoulder of the younger Paronese male, "This man is not here as a member of the Press, Preacherman. He is here on personal business."
"Personal business?"
"Yes! Every family has a black sheep. Well, this pretty boy here is our family’s shame, a journalist. Please allow me to introduce my brother, Trevor Praseer. And now, you can meet the rest of my little crew." He pointed to the rest of his committee one by one, "This is my Father, Jiron, my uncles, Jin.., Monta.., and Signa..."
"Ah... gentlemen... I see why thee are able to work so well together. Quite a crew, sir..."
"Well, not exactly a crew. With the destruction of the Ssarrian nest, we are the only ethnic council left. These men are my Royal council..."
"Your Royal council?!?”
Suddenly, Paris sucked in a sharp breath of understanding. She knelt quickly and bowed. Then she rose and turned her face toward Zeer, "Darlin’, he's not here as the Third Citizen...He is the Karowa...the Diet Wa...the secret, sacred Prince of all Paronese where ever they are."
Praseer took up the story, "Yes, your Grace...I am he...in every generation, there is one Par Cat chosen to rule. I don't how they picked me, but it is not possible to refuse."
"I see..."
"Yes... I had heard the legend since I was a kit. My true identity has been kept secret to protect the office and the Treasure."
Paris began to talk, mumbling more to herself than to the others, "I had heard there was a new one...the last Di et Wa lived more than 112 cycles." Then she turned back to Praseer and smiled, "And to think, I was this close to Royalty all the time and didn't know it."
Madame, thee and thy family were also a treasure worthy of my guarding.” Praseer resumed the tale, "Plus, I could not let thee know. Four cycles ago, I was called to a shack out on the edge of the valley, near where the Ssarrian nest is now. At that time, it was just swamp land. When I got there, my father and uncles met me and took me into the bedroom. In there, was an incredibly old Paronese female. I had never seen her, but I instantly knew who she was. "
Paris said softly, "Aye...the Bringer..."
He took a drink, thought for a moment, then continued, "Yes! She had secretly travelled for seven moons to bring me the office and the treasures personally before she died. Like yourself, Preacherman, I was chosen. Now, we must serve."
A tingling, spreading warmness spread down Zeer's neck told him that Ta-Namu was now connected "Zeer-Namu?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"May we gather?"
"Aye, I can see no reason not.” He turned to Praseer, who nodded. Thanks to Zopha’s work, we can easily merge with the Askirabim. He answered her directly. "I await thee, Mother."
Praseer lead them over to the table, "Let's eat while we are waiting."
In a while, the Guardians ushered in the Ta-Namu and a few Askirabim. They all bowed greetings. In the last few moons, the Paronese and the Askirabim had become close due to their mental speech abilities. Their shared histories of colonial oppression gave them many things in common. Armand rose and bowed in greeting, "Good day, Mother..."
She started with Praseer, "Good day to you, your Majesty. Have you told him?"
"No, Mother, I was waiting for thee."
"I understand, my son," Zeer and the Par Cats turned in to the Ta-Namu, "You have a plan, Good Mother?"
"Yes, Zeer-Namu. We will scout for you. We have tested our range while linked to the Paronese. We can still merge at about 50 klicks even in the deepest canyons. We feel that will be enough for these tasks. We could set up communication chains. Using those, we will find the ones you seek. I have my people searching for the pirates now."
"Well, Prince?"
Praseer handed him a hand radio, "Trevor is not just another pretty face. He has quite a head for communication devices. He designed this one. We are manufacturing as many as we can. Knowing the Frog’s dislike for anything new, we will be ‘operating’ them for the recon patrols. As Ta-Namu says, the range is a bit less than fifty klicks."
"That's ten times normal range in those canyons."
"I'll assign you ta the old Major's patrol. He's so hot ta impress the Viceroy that he'll believe anything if'n it might get him his stars back."
Praseer looked pleased, "Yes, Father, that one was always easy ta fool."
Ta-Namu touched Zeer's hand, "Zeer-Namu... I wish to send the Father Spirit with my hunters."
"You want my Dad?"
"Aye, sonny, she's got a line on Shanny's old hidey hole.”
"So? What's that got
to do with you?"
"I just can’t give up the notion that if I could just talk to Shannon, maybe I could get him ta quit this mess."
“Dad, be serious! You know that he shut you out decades ago.”
“I want to try.”
“Well, good luck then.”
"Anyways, I need ta git away from them damned Frogs. The smell's enough ta make me puke."
They all laughed, "Dad, ya canna throw up, ya need a stomach fer that."
"Oh yeah...making light of me death agin." They all laughed some more.
Praseer stood. Zeer raised a mug, "I want ta thank y'all for comin'. The work yer doin' is fer a good cause. Let us pray for a successful hunt." Around the table they bowed together in silent prayer. Praseer stood and shook hands with each one. Ta-Namu's group headed out into the hot, afternoon sun.
As the Askirabim were getting into their grounder, she turned to the Preacherman, "Zeer-Namu, I want to thank you for the lovely nest that you built into your church. Will thee bless our nest this night?"
"Today? Yes, I can come tonight. I will come right after the Viceroy calls."
"Okay, Father..." No one sat in the right spots. They took chairs and met around the same table as Zeer.
Praseer came in last. He was followed by several old Par Cats, "What did I miss..?" He sat with them. The others took chairs off to the side.
Jim shrugged, "Nothin', we just got here." He looked around the table, "What about Talia's replacement?"
Zeer scratched his head and shrugged. "I think we let them pick whoever they want. He was their candidate. We owe them that." The others nodded silently.
Zeer looked around, "Okay... who's doing what?"
Praseer said, "I have some housing and water management ideas."
"Okay..."
Sheel spoke, "I'll do a security report. I say we don’t put the V word out on open channel."
"Good thinking! Thankee, Sheel."
The Magus looked around, "That all?" Everyone nodded.
Jim looked at some notes on his tablet, "Okay. The Viceroy will link in just before dark. Shall we reconvene then?"
Trevor and Janni were taping from the gallery, but, without the mikes on, they couldn't hear. Trevor threw off his headphones, "Man, this is just too dull to pass on."
Janni nodded, "Yeah. I guess we can stop taping, too. They're all leavin' anyways."
As Trevor was helping Janni to put away their camera, he got a call in the back of his head from his brother with orders to report. He turned to Janni, "I just remembered, I have to go see this guy I know. He's a friend of my mother. She told me to look him up when I got here."
She gave him quick kiss, "Okay, I'm supposed to go see Deena for some serious girl talk, anyway.”
He put their case into their grounder, "I'll drive you over and pick you up on my way home."
"Sounds like a plan.”
After dropping her off, Trevor hurried into the heart of the new city. At the super secret Paronese Council Headquarters, he let himself into the darkened building. Because he was a cat like humanoid, his night vision allowed him to make rapid turns in dark halls following the sounds in his head. He opened a door at the end of the hall, entered, and stopped.
A small group of males were pouring over some lexite sheets and maps. When Trevor entered, they turned toward him. He kneeled and kissed Praseer’s ring, "Dietwa...Karawa..."
"Come forward, Trevie.”
As he came forward, he stopped in a dead shock. Sitting in the middle, surrounded by the group of Paronese was the Preacherman.
He stopped short for a tick. As he did, he heard as clear as a bell in his head, "Trevor, ma friend, welcome."
Trevor stumbled forward and sat in a chair, "Diet Wa...what is happening? I have never spoken thus with an Earther?"
They ignored him, Praseer stood, looking over his shoulder, "Ahh, Mrs. MacTarn. Welcome Abbess to my head quarters."
Zeer was not as nice, "What are you doin' here, lass?”
"I was wonderin' where thee was sneakin' off to. If this is the only way I get to be with thee, then, I will be here."
His father joined the fray, "I've seen that look before, son. Dinna mess with a woman when she gits her chin up.”
"You tell him, Zac."
Zeer snorted and turned back to Praseer, "Citizen, do we need the press?" he mentally asked.
Armand smiled, walked over, and put his arm on the shoulder of the younger Paronese male, "This man is not here as a member of the Press, Preacherman. He is here on personal business."
"Personal business?"
"Yes! Every family has a black sheep. Well, this pretty boy here is our family’s shame, a journalist. Please allow me to introduce my brother, Trevor Praseer. And now, you can meet the rest of my little crew." He pointed to the rest of his committee one by one, "This is my Father, Jiron, my uncles, Jin.., Monta.., and Signa..."
"Ah... gentlemen... I see why thee are able to work so well together. Quite a crew, sir..."
"Well, not exactly a crew. With the destruction of the Ssarrian nest, we are the only ethnic council left. These men are my Royal council..."
"Your Royal council?!?”
Suddenly, Paris sucked in a sharp breath of understanding. She knelt quickly and bowed. Then she rose and turned her face toward Zeer, "Darlin’, he's not here as the Third Citizen...He is the Karowa...the Diet Wa...the secret, sacred Prince of all Paronese where ever they are."
Praseer took up the story, "Yes, your Grace...I am he...in every generation, there is one Par Cat chosen to rule. I don't how they picked me, but it is not possible to refuse."
"I see..."
"Yes... I had heard the legend since I was a kit. My true identity has been kept secret to protect the office and the Treasure."
Paris began to talk, mumbling more to herself than to the others, "I had heard there was a new one...the last Di et Wa lived more than 112 cycles." Then she turned back to Praseer and smiled, "And to think, I was this close to Royalty all the time and didn't know it."
Madame, thee and thy family were also a treasure worthy of my guarding.” Praseer resumed the tale, "Plus, I could not let thee know. Four cycles ago, I was called to a shack out on the edge of the valley, near where the Ssarrian nest is now. At that time, it was just swamp land. When I got there, my father and uncles met me and took me into the bedroom. In there, was an incredibly old Paronese female. I had never seen her, but I instantly knew who she was. "
Paris said softly, "Aye...the Bringer..."
He took a drink, thought for a moment, then continued, "Yes! She had secretly travelled for seven moons to bring me the office and the treasures personally before she died. Like yourself, Preacherman, I was chosen. Now, we must serve."
A tingling, spreading warmness spread down Zeer's neck told him that Ta-Namu was now connected "Zeer-Namu?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"May we gather?"
"Aye, I can see no reason not.” He turned to Praseer, who nodded. Thanks to Zopha’s work, we can easily merge with the Askirabim. He answered her directly. "I await thee, Mother."
Praseer lead them over to the table, "Let's eat while we are waiting."
In a while, the Guardians ushered in the Ta-Namu and a few Askirabim. They all bowed greetings. In the last few moons, the Paronese and the Askirabim had become close due to their mental speech abilities. Their shared histories of colonial oppression gave them many things in common. Armand rose and bowed in greeting, "Good day, Mother..."
She started with Praseer, "Good day to you, your Majesty. Have you told him?"
"No, Mother, I was waiting for thee."
"I understand, my son," Zeer and the Par Cats turned in to the Ta-Namu, "You have a plan, Good Mother?"
"Yes, Zeer-Namu. We will scout for you. We have tested our range while linked to the Paronese. We can still merge at about 50 klicks even in the deepest canyons. We feel that will be enough for these tasks. We could set up communication chains. Using those, we will find the ones you seek. I have my people searching for the pirates now."
"Well, Prince?"
Praseer handed him a hand radio, "Trevor is not just another pretty face. He has quite a head for communication devices. He designed this one. We are manufacturing as many as we can. Knowing the Frog’s dislike for anything new, we will be ‘operating’ them for the recon patrols. As Ta-Namu says, the range is a bit less than fifty klicks."
"That's ten times normal range in those canyons."
"I'll assign you ta the old Major's patrol. He's so hot ta impress the Viceroy that he'll believe anything if'n it might get him his stars back."
Praseer looked pleased, "Yes, Father, that one was always easy ta fool."
Ta-Namu touched Zeer's hand, "Zeer-Namu... I wish to send the Father Spirit with my hunters."
"You want my Dad?"
"Aye, sonny, she's got a line on Shanny's old hidey hole.”
"So? What's that got
"I just can’t give up the notion that if I could just talk to Shannon, maybe I could get him ta quit this mess."
“Dad, be serious! You know that he shut you out decades ago.”
“I want to try.”
“Well, good luck then.”
"Anyways, I need ta git away from them damned Frogs. The smell's enough ta make me puke."
They all laughed, "Dad, ya canna throw up, ya need a stomach fer that."
"Oh yeah...making light of me death agin." They all laughed some more.
Praseer stood. Zeer raised a mug, "I want ta thank y'all for comin'. The work yer doin' is fer a good cause. Let us pray for a successful hunt." Around the table they bowed together in silent prayer. Praseer stood and shook hands with each one. Ta-Namu's group headed out into the hot, afternoon sun.
As the Askirabim were getting into their grounder, she turned to the Preacherman, "Zeer-Namu, I want to thank you for the lovely nest that you built into your church. Will thee bless our nest this night?"
"Today? Yes, I can come tonight. I will come right after the Viceroy calls."