SHEFFALI'S CARAVAN

Lorrenz

They had tough soled feet with two broad toes for excellent stability on many surfaces, and, like the Altarians, they had two-fingered hands with two opposing thumbs, but they were much larger.

Borrelian skin coloration varied from deepest black to light grey. No cultural or social significance was assigned to the tone.

However, their society was rigidly controlled by a strict caste system based on the uniformity of this coloration. The more singular the tone of their skin, the higher the individual ranked in the caste. There were three life stages when a Borrelian's skin tone could change: birth, puberty, and adulthood.

A Borrelian's place in society, the benefits they received, and the planets the final change adults were allowed to visit and live on, was determined by this seemingly arbitrary classification. The planetary restrictions were not applied to children, but the rules for wearing body and face-covering gowns for lower caste members were.

Generally speaking, the further out you went from their primary planets, the lower the caste you'd encounter and the lower the technology levels became. This tech disparity also increased depending on which planetary system you were in, from high in the Borrelian system to low in the Hessani system. The lower the tech levels on the planet, the harder the living conditions and the higher the mortality rates. This was by design, as the Rulers secretly used this for population control for the less desirable castes.

Assessments were made during the three life stages. Newborns had the most precarious stage. Low caste infants born to high caste parents often suffered sudden infant mortality. While a vile practice, secretly, it was considered favorable to acknowledging you'd failed to maintain your caste's minimums.

These assessments would categorize the subject into one of seven castes:

Pure: With their skin maintaining a single tone with minimal variation and no blemishes over their entire bodies, these first caste citizens were allowed to live on any of the primary planets of the three Borrelian planetary systems, though they were strongly encouraged to emigrate to Borrelia in the home system. While the other two primary worlds, Gibral in the second system and Hessani in the third, enjoyed the benefits of higher technology and cultural entitlements, Borrelia was the homeworld, so the best of the best was found there.

Accented: Borrelian's with uniform tone over most of their bodies but having a darker or lighter tone symmetrically highlighting distinct areas of their bodies, such as the eyes, hands, feet, were considered to be Accented, second caste. They could visit the primary worlds freely for periods of time but primarily lived on the second planets of the three systems unless married to a Pure. Many found Accented citizens more physically appealing than the Pure, but this remained an unspoken fetish.

Shaded: When their skin tone transitioned from one brightness to another in an even gradient on the body, such as light on their front to dark on their back, or light on the outer surfaces of arms and legs fading to darker tones on the inner surfaces, this was considered Shaded, third caste, as long as the change was a smooth transition and the shading was symmetrical. The Shaded were permitted to visit primary planets for brief intervals and live on the second and third planets of the three systems.

Mixed: Borrelians who had only two distinct tones on their bodies, such as a light or dark streak or swirl against another distinctive tone, were Mixed, caste four. These markings tended not to be symmetrical, so they were not considered attractive. This caste was not permitted to visit the primary planets (except for transfers between Gate and spaceport) but could visit the second planet if properly garbed in body and face-covering robes. They could live on the third planets, but only if they continued to wear the robes in public. This garb restriction was not required beyond the third planet.

Patched: When there were three or four distinct tones included in the stripes or swirls, the Borrelian was Patched, fifth caste, and the restrictions placed upon them increased. They were not permitted to visit any primary (except for transfers between Gate and spaceport) or second planets but could visit the third only if they wore fully concealing robes. They could live on the fourth planet in a system, but the garments were strongly recommended.

Spotted: In rare cases, the streaks or swirls found on fourth or fifth caste civilians were broken into or accompanied by spots or rosettes. This classified them as Spotted, sixth caste. They were restricted to the fourth planets in the planetary systems, which subsequently eliminated access to the Borrelian home system. Only Weena mandated full coverage robes at all times. Llevven was less militant about the requirement, but it was recommended.

Chaos: Rarer still were those afflicted with multiple tones in streaks, swirls, and spots. These were considered the damned of the race--Chaos, the seventh caste. They were prohibited from marriage or breeding and were typically sterilized when they reached adulthood, though this practice wasn't strictly followed in the third planetary system. They were also restricted to the fourth planet and mandated to wear the full coverage robes at all times.

While it was possible to rise to a higher caste as pigment stabilized, more often it destabilized, and variations increased. Thankfully, there'd never been a case of a shift of more than two levels per change interval, and a drop of four levels was rare.

The only place it proved impossible to maintain their caste system was within their military, which already had a functioning ranking process and was not willing to impose a second one. The decision was made to allow military rank to take precedence. Final decisions on promotions within the ranks were still determined by the Borrelian leadership, so higher caste soldiers found career advancement smoother than their lower caste comrades. A majority of senior officers were within the first three castes.

The Borrelian Rulers used the caste system to maintain control over their people, but they still needed additional space to expand. The planetary restrictions would change again once they could offload their less desirable members onto these new worlds.

The Borrelian People were generally gregarious and even-tempered, who preferred to follow the rules over living in anarchy. Even when those rules weren't in their personal best interests.

But everyone has their limit.

******

What makes a person rich?

Monstrous piles of money? Expansive palaces filled with fine art and furniture, surrounded with gardens and pools of crystal-clear waters? Perhaps it's fine dining while socializing with the movers and shakers of caste-appropriate society?

These were the trappings of financial wealth that Lorrenz Sheffali's colleagues in the Trader's Guild all craved. They had ambition and a cutthroat dedication to seeing their dreams come true.

But most would never acquire these things, and even the few who'd begun their acquisition weren't happy.

Lorrenz knew the secret to success.

Being content.

He worked hard because he enjoyed it. He accepted his day as it unfolded and accepted wrinkles in his plans, and his skin, as they arrived.

From working hard, he earned a good living. He and his wife, Lissan, were very careful with their business' income and put whatever they could back into the business. This ensured its growth.

They didn't spend their money on any of the things his colleagues desired. They had humble needs.

They owned a comfortable, unremarkable home on the city's outskirts, far from the flashy neighborhoods. It was built within a walled compound next to their warehouses, stables for the draft beasts, and their children's homes. They had options on several empty lots to their left and right, so they had room to grow.