To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [40]
“That she did,” V’kal’s mother said stoutly. “When her man died, her madness was reborn. She raged at everyone who’d listen, saying how he hadn’t needed to die of his hurt, how where she came from they had the power to drive out the flesh-rot that took him. As if that were possible! All Iskir knows that every scrap of healing lore on this world is in the keeping of the Na’amOberyin. When N’mar had his accident, another man set out to finish his mercy errand and the Mothers blessed him with success. He brought back one of the Na’amOberyin who saw to the cure of our village sickness but who couldn’t do a thing for N’mar. Later on, when Stakis died, there were some who said that it was a judgment on her for blaspheming the Balance, all that talk of how N’mar didn’t need to die when the gods had decided he must.
Hmph! A bunch of laundry-day flapjaws, the lot of them. I’d like to be there when the Balance tilts their way, for speaking ill of the blessed Ma’adrys’s mother like that.” “Dad says you will be,” V’kal shouted from what sounded like a safe distance, “seeing as how you were the first to say it served Stakis right! And all because you thought he was casting eyes after her!” “Yaro take you, you nasty little—” There was a great gust of air that rushed back into the hut as V’kal’s mother took off after her unfilial child.
Commander Riker leaned against the doorjamb, watching them race away down the road. Misik, too, had fled, either for friendship’s sake or because he knew that V’kal’s mother wasn’t too picky about who paid the price for her embarrassment before the visitors. The offerings great and small on the threshold had been trampled. “There’s.one woman I’d hate to have mad at me,” he remarked. He turned to face the others in the hut. “There’s no room for doubt now. The Ne’elatians lied about this planet. The question is, why?” “The people of Ashkaar seem to have clung to the ideals of their ancestors,” Lelys said. “They lead a simple life, farming, herding, some basic crafts and industries. Could it be that their existence is a living reproach to the Ne’elatians for having fallen short of their ancestors’ dream? To speak of Ashkaar as it truly is would be to shame themselves.” “If that were true, then they would have concealed the existence of Bovridash as well,” Mr. Data said.
“According to Udar Kishrit, the members of that community also live in accordance with the ideals of the first Skerrian colonists and this did not seem to disturb him.” “Then what could the Ne’elatians possibly have to gain by concealing these people from us?” Troi asked.
“It is almost as if they were guarding a treasure.” “What treasure?” Lelys demanded, flinging her arms wide. “The Ne’elatians have better food, better clothing, better transportation, better medicine, everything better than the Ashkaarians! Why guard a secret treasurehouse when all the gold is already in your own pockets?” Commander Riker folded his arms. “That’s what we’re going to find out, and I can’t think of a better place to start looking for answers than back at the inn.” “Sir,” interjected Mr. Data. “I may have found an answer already,” Riker raised one eyebrow quizzically. “You can explain why the Ne’elatians lied to us?” “I did not say that I had the answer, sir. I merely said that I had an answer, although it is to a question that none of us has yet asked.” “And that question would be?” “Where Ma’adrys’s mother came from.” The android held up the little circular hand mirror and turned it so that it caught the light