30

"It's an interesting approach," Ahote says before taking a moment to think. "We elders don't have enough power to fully stifle the Assembly, but we certainly have influence. Let's say that we elders buy you the power to exert your will for a limited time. What would you do with it to help solve the problems we currently face? The increasing demands of the humans, the discontent of the Builders, and the ineffectiveness of the HRC?"

Ahote's eyes light up with fire. "An excellent solution, Decaarr! That might actually be workable.

"Our current rule of law enforces the relationship between the Builders and the human military. The Builders meet the military's manufacturing demands, and the military in turn delivers us food and water. There is a subsection of the law as originally drafted that allows for non-Builders to be compelled into service in the event of a shortage of labor.

"The Assembly wouldn't be happy about it, but the weight would come down on the HRC for failing to negotiate a better deal. Once a better deal is struck, the Assembly will no longer be required to labor and the Builders won't be faced with impossible tasks.

"Of course, it's not always that simple. People are fickle beasts, as I'm sure you're aware of by now, but the logic is sound. I'm impressed."

Next

The old wolf—the sage, you remind yourself—walks over to a bookshelf packed with thin-spined booklets and plucks one out before returning and handing it to you. The cover reads The Inner Workings of the Haven Assembly by Sage Ahote. Thin threads of several colors bind the leaflets together into a proper book, inexpertly stitched, but functional.

"That shelf contains my own personal works," Ahote says. "I record the internal politics of our pack both for posterity and as a reference. Some would call it an eccentricity, but after seeing so many of our species snuffed out in my lifetime, I want to leave some record of our tribe, something of our history that might live on."

The sage sits down again behind his desk with a groan. "Read through the first chapter for now, and we'll call it an early day. I apologize, but something came up earlier with the Council of Elders that I cannot delay addressing."

The book is handwritten in a tight cursive script and delves into intricate detail regarding not only the methodology behind the Alpha Assembly and Council of Elders, but their histories as well. As a pup, you never realized how much work goes into keeping the Haven pack content and well fed.

While the subject matter is delivered in a dry, matter-of-fact fashion, it's nevertheless fascinating, and you devour the booklet's contents, memorizing as much as you can for future reference. You never know when this kind of information could be useful in a negotiation.

After nearly an hour, Ahote takes the booklet back and excuses himself, ushering you out of his office.

Next