The Magister (Earthkeep) (38 page)

Authors: Sally Miller Gearhart

BOOK: The Magister (Earthkeep)

4.34Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

satrapy

(
say
-trap-ee)

Any one of nine geo-political territories, roughly the equivalents of the traditionally named "continents": Africa, Europe, the Mideast, Asia, China, the Pacific Islands, South America, Central America, North America. A "tri-satrapy" is made up of three satrapies.

Shrieve

Any Kanshou.

Sifter

One of the nine "justices" to sit at the Kitchen Table, global judicial body. Members of lower tables are also called "sifters."

sleepwork

The field of psychic training that enhances one's capacities in the state of sleep. On Little Blue, sleepwork is the particular passion of women who wish to acquire the language or dialect of another culture, and they pursue the most immediate, thorough, and enduring acquisition of such material by sleeping with a native speaker of that language or dialect. Where both sleepers are equally trained and skilled, the language or dialect transfer can take place in a single night.

softself

The spiritual echo of the physical body which may at the will of a trained practitioner of psychic skills leave the "hardself" and move independently in physical space. It may occupy the body of another (willing) person and thus experience what that body experiences. Not to be confused with a person's "soul."

spoon

To fly together. Or a pair of women capable of flying together because of their present or past relationship as lovers, so named for the position their two bodies often occupy in sleep. A spoon is capable of carrying in flight almost double its own weight.

subvention belt

A black belt of plastiped that is worn at the Kanshou's waist. It provides compartments or slings for weaponry, the folded tekla cape, magnopad, force-field nodes, stunner, and comunit.

tabard

A Kanshou's sleeveless shirt or tunic of heavy cotton that is lightly fitted to the torso. Its mandarin collar bears rank and/or division pips. Its color is that of the Amah (cardinal red), the Femmedarme (shamrock green), or the Vigilante (cobalt blue).

tanglestick

Restraint device used by kanshou that is made of netted strands of a loose nylon. The strands can be cast upon groups of violent offenders, temporarily immobilizing them by impairing muscle function.

tekla

A mysterious material that is light, flexible, and apparently indestructible, whose chemical composition has not yet been determined. It was discovered simultaneously in southwestern Nueva Tierra Norte (old United States), central Australia, and the southern edges of the Sahara Desert in the third decade of the 21
century by three unrelated women each on her personal Visionquest, and turned over to the newly developing Kanshoubu. The Kanshoubu has had exclusive ownership of all tekla resources on the planet ever since that time, constantly recycling it for use in Kanshou lariats, capes, cloaks, and cowls. Tekla "breaks" apart with ease and can be reconstituted as a seamless mass or sheet; it can be flattened into fabric or molded into a rope. Fire- and water-proof, it can nevertheless be dyed different colors. Also known as "zennatekla."

tote, mindtote

To carry or sustain an object in midair without physical support. Preliminary exercise for training in telekinesis or the mental initiation of an object's propulsion in space from one place to another (as if it were being thrown).

transmog

Referring to "transmogrifier", that replicative technology which allows the manufacture of any small artifact from natural products or from the material of other artifacts by reconfiguring existing elements into new molecular compounds. Transmogrifier technology thus makes possible the filling of basic physical needs (such as food, clothing, tools) and the ownership of small items of personal property that have historically been available only within a system of currency or barter or which have been acquired as the plunder of war or theft.

Over the past two decades, all nine satrapy governments have provided their citizens with the intaglios or templates necessary for any individual's manufacture of "a thing or a substance," and the transmogrifiers themselves are universally available except in techless enclaves that have themselves rejected the use of such technology. With the exception of controlled substances or weapons whose intaglios are proscribed, any person can "own" anything she wants, and "personal property" has thus acquired a new meaning. Anything beyond or different from the capacity of the transmog to produce must be paid for with the appropriate credits.

Transmogrifiers are the critical element in Little Blue's recycling program. Though sewage is treated by separate processes, over 90% of the world's remaining wastes are transmogrified. Transmogrifier technology has altered the entire planet's economy.

vaporose

A soporific mist developed for crowd control which when inhaled induces sleep or deep relaxation.

Webster

A member of the Central Web, the global legislative body. Members of lower webs are also called "websters."

work credits

Value vouchers earned by one's labor or skill and deposited by the employer to the account of the worker. Transmogrifiers guarantee the free distribution of any of life's basic needs to Little Blue's citizens, but if an individual wishes to own or use something beyond or different from the capacities of the transmog, then she must sell her labor or her skills in order to buy those materials or items.

ziprocket

A long distance air vehicle powered by fusion thrusters and typically used as public transportation between Little Blue's large cities. "Lowrockets," more lightly powered, can make shorter jumps between rocketports, but do not boast the ziprocket's speed.

EARTHKEEP
GOVERNANCE

GEO-POLITICAL TERRITORIES OF LITTLE BLUE

Little Blue is divided into three geo-political areas called tri-satrapies, and each of these is further composed of three satrapies (
say
-trap-eez). The civic affairs of each satrapy (
say
-trap-ee) are under the directorship of a Kanshou (
kahn
-show) Vice-Magister. The civic affairs of the tri-satrapy as a whole are under the directorship of the Kanshou Magister of the tri-satrapy.

The
Asia-China-Insula Tri-Satrapy
, made up of the areas traditionally called Asia, China, and the Pacific Islands (including Australia) is currently administered by Kanshou
Magister Lin-ci Win
.

The
Africa-Europe-Mideast Tri-Satrapy
, made up of the areas traditionally called Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, is currently administered by Kanshou
Magister Flossie Yotoma Lutu.

The
Nueva Tierra Tri-Satrapy,
made up of the areas traditionally called South America (including Antarctica), Central America, and North America, and now called Nueva Tierra Sur, Nueva Tierra Central, and Nueva Tierra Norte, is currently administered by Kanshou
Magister Zella Terremoto Adverb
(called "Zude").

Each satrapy is further divided geographically and demographically into local areas usually called half-traps, quarter-traps, and demesnes (duh-
manes
). Except for the global laws articulated by the Plenary Constitution and the Central Web, a local area typically lives by its own laws, traditions, and values, though it has a financial obligation to the satrapy-as-a-whole and is responsible for providing candidates to the Central Web Pool Of Qualified Websters and Sifters (justices) to the Kitchen Table Pool of Qualified Sifters.

BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT

Legislative

The Central Web

Little Blue's global legislative body, composed of 15 Central Websters, five from each tri-satrapy, chosen by lot from the Pool Of Qualified Websters whose members have been elected by each satrapy. This body formulates global law in accordance with Little Blue's Plenary Constitution.

The Lower Webs

Legislative bodies in satrapies, half-traps, quarter-traps, and demesnes which support the structure, processes, and responsibilities of the Central Web.

The Boards Of Use

On the satrapy level and below, Boards Of Use are elected to govern the use of land, water, and airspace within their area of jurisdiction.

Judicial

The Kitchen Table

Little Blue's global judicial body, composed of nine Sifters (or justices), one from each satrapy, chosen by lot from the Pool Of Qualified Sifters. This pool is composed of citizens trained and/or experienced in arbitration, mediation, and in the study of constitutional law. Its duties are to interpret the meaning and the spirit of Little Blue's Plenary Constitution and to determine the justice of claims that come to its hearing on appeal from lower tables where interpretation of the Plenary Constitution is involved.

The Lower Tables

Judiciary bodies in satrapies, half-traps, quarter-traps, and demesnes which support the structure and processes of the Kitchen Table. Their responsibilities include the settlement of disputes that are appealed from Boards of Arbitration And Mediation, particularly those which may potentially be appealed to the Kitchen Table.

The Boards Of Arbitration And Mediation

Bodies on satrapy, half-trap, quarter-trap, and demesne levels composed of citizens trained and/or experienced in conflict resolution and mediation. The majority of disputes between or among citizens are settled by such boards.

Implemental

Civic Bureaus

Little Blue's global, tri-satrapy, satrapy, and lower level governmental organizations handle the needs of citizens in accordance with the priorities set forth in the Plenary Constitution. The planet's mixed economy requires cooperation between government agencies and the free enterprise system. The Civic Bureaus thus complement and support the free enterprise elements of the economy in their mutual effort to meet the needs and desires of individuals and groups of citizens. Their responsibilities are largely regulatory in nature and include Bureaus Of:

Size Control (of Population and Enterprise)

Air-Land-Water Use

Health/Sanitation

Recycling/Transmogrifying

Employment

Art-Culture-Language

Science-Technology

Industry

Transportation

Communication

Education

Citizen Opinion

Public Media

Value Exchange

Weather.

The Kanshoubu (kahn-show-
boo
)

The Kanshoubu implements the legal statutes and decisions made by the Legislative and Judicial branches of the government. In the absence of national military forces, peacekeeping and public safety services have developed into a quasi-military global responsibility that is the purview of the Kanshoubu.

EARTHKEEP PEACEKEEPING

ORGANIZATION OF THE KANSHOUBU

Geographical Orders
, each under a Magister chosen by her tri-satrapy's Kanshou (
kahn
-show) and ratified by The Heart Of All Kanshou.

The Amahrery, training Amahs and serving the Asia-China-Insula Tri-Satrapy, bearing the color of cardinal red.

The Femmedarmery, training Femmedarmes and serving the Africa-Europe-Mideast Tri-Satrapy, bearing the color of shamrock green.

The Vigilancia, training Vigilantes and serving Nueva

Tierra Sur-Central-Norte Tri-Satrapy, bearing the color of cobalt blue.K

Branches (within all orders)

The Ground Shrievalty, composed of Kanshou officers known as Foot-Shrieves or Flex-Car Shrieves and holding one of the following ranks:

Brigadier (A Femmedarme Hedwoman)

Marshal

Matrix Major

Adjutant Major

Captain (A Femmedarme Aga)

First Lieutenant (A Femmedarme Sub-Aga)

Second Lieutenant (An Amah Jing-Cha)

The Sea Shrievalty, composed of Kanshou officers known as Sea-Shrieves, sailing the high seas, coastal waters, large inland lakes or waterways and holding one of the following ranks:

Sea Admiral

Sea Captain

Sea Commander

Sea Lieutenant Commander

Mariner First Class

Mariner Second Class

Sea Ensign.

The Sky Shrievalty, composed of Kanshou officers known as Sky-Shrieves, piloting rockets or cushcars and holding one of the following ranks:

Sky Admiral

Sky Captain

Sky Commander

Sky Lieutenant Commander