The Greath Khruath

The People Of The Wind, XI.

The Great Khruath meets electronically. Liaw presides from outside David Falkayn's house on First Island in the Hesperian Sea. Two million individuals are connected, including those elected at regional meetings and those who have expressed a wish to speak. Inside the house, staff filter questions and comments. Chosen speakers must wait.

Arinnian, chief of the West Coronan guard, reports that cooperation with the North Oronesians is being extended through the rest of the archipelago and that the next step will be to extend south and east until an integrated command for the Brendan's, Fiery and Shielding Islands protects the entire Coronan perimeter. Poul Anderson's texts might provide enough information for someone to draw a map. Speaking for his father, the First Marchwarden, Arinnian points out that the Equatorian continent is protected only by "'...some projector and missile launching sites.'" (p. 563) In fact, Ythri had insisted on isolating Eqatoria because its centaurs have started to use pieces of stone and bone as tools. Knowing that this continent is uninhabited by Avalonians, the Terrans might invade there. This is an important plot point.

After six hours, 83% vote to continue resistance. Arinnian had called for more part-time volunteers and Eyath offers to be his assistant. Knowledge and skills can be electro-crammed. We know, although she does not yet, that her fiancee, Vodan, was killed by friendly fire when the planet-based Avalonian defense network struck the Terran fleet.

Matthew Vickery, Preident of The Parliament of Man, predicts to Daniel Holm that the Parliament will vote for emergency powers and virtual suspension of civilian government. Holm quotes Ferune quoting Churchill. The Bible, the Rubaiyat and Churchill are the three Terran works quoted by Ferune. Arinnian, who has translated from Planha into Anglic, would be able to quote Ythrian works.