10. Sheep
616 Words
Andrew exited his fliv and walked to the building the Maca and Guardian of Rurhran had designated as the one where they would negotiate. He had thought it strange when they chose one out by the cattle or kine fields. He could see his grandfather"s air combo (AC) parked in the closest field ready for more kine.
His grandfather was nowhere in sight. Andrew had alerted him yesterday as to what was planned. The moment Lorenz exploded when hearing the word sheep, Andrew had excused himself as he needed to meet with Linan. His Grandfather"s temper was a given in his Earth family.
Andrew entered the building and walked to the designated room. Rocella, Lass of Rurhran, rose and greeted him. Andrew responded out of necessity. To him, this was like the fake kiss on the cheek that people on his planet used.
Andrew took his chair, smiled at her, and asked, “Have you decided to let me see the accounts that relate to the making of cloth, other uses for wool, and how the lanolin is utilized?”
Rocella smiled at him. “My Maca would nay permit such a breach of our private records. We thought that ye would simply assign a realistic economic amount of credits for letting the sheep remain here.”
“I cannot do that without knowing the peripheral products. The meat credits have been fairly honest, but you use the wool for material, possibly the oil also. The oil could be used in medicinal salves and such oil would be sold to Medicine or one of the other planets. Without seeing the records, I have no way of balancing costs against profits.”
Rocella eyes were cold. “We have said nay. Assign the cost and we shall go from there.”
“Very well, Don will take sixty percent of what you put down as their value for the number of animals that you have. The number of animals would increase as Don"s economy recovers.”
Rocella"s brown eyes widened. “Ye are mad. We dinna agree.”
Andrew rose. “Very well, I shall inform my eldest fither, the Maca. He will be in touch with your Maca as to the time of delivery of the sheep to Don.”
“Ye have stripped us of our kine. Are ye now taking the sheep and destroying more of our families?”
“Madam, Rurhran has tried to destroy Don. My Maca will offer the shepherds and those connected with working with the sheep the same terms he offered the workers of the cattle, uh, kine.”
“Do ye ken how many refused? That leaves idle workers here. Why would this be any different?”
“That, Madam, is Rurhran"s problem.” He turned towards the door when she screamed at him.
“I will challenge ye in the Arena.”
“Madam, according to the rules of age for fighting in the arena, my grandfather, the Laird of Don, is your age.”
Outside he was almost shaking with rage. He decided to call Llewellyn from the fliv. Lorenz was still not in sight, but he could see a mass of kine headed towards the pens and the small lifts darting above. He did not want to hear what Lorenz thought of sheep again.
Inside the fliv, he pulled out the com and touch the circle for the Maca.
“Aye,” Llewellyn"s voiced rumbled into the enclosed space.
“They have refused. I assume it is you as Maca that will inform their Maca. I believe I"ll let you tell Pawpaw too.”
He could not see the smile that stretched across Llewellyn"s face.
- Writer
