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She walked into the kitchen the next morning to find Altair taking out something bloody from the refrigerator. Nova wasn’t usually squeamish about the sight of blood, but the thought of putting that in her mouth made her nauseous.
“Please tell me you didn’t kill an animal for that.”
Altair shook his head as he put his meat on a pan.
“Years ago Mudden did have some farming industries. When the colony ships first arrived in this system, my people were a small band of outcasts who’d left earth to get back to a simpler time. But the rest of the settlers were too reliant on technology. They didn’t approve of the Mudden way of life. So the Mudden people—there was only one clan at the time—picked a planet in the outer system and kept themselves away from the others. Which wasn’t difficult until the invention of flintoid engines made travel between the planets much faster. The so-called civilized planets were already talking about the creation of the IPAC trade agreements to allow free travel of people and goods between the planets, and bullying everyone to join. That’s when our people realized that they weren’t going to keep the others away without strong defenses. They needed to make money, and fast. For that reason, all the men were sent to work in the mines.
“With the export of Mudden Marble, we were able to purchase a warship that orbits the planet and keeps us safe from the others interfering in our affairs. But it meant that most farming had to be abandoned. Today our meat is purchased from the civilized planets and is 100% organ cloning. Our efforts couldn’t keep all forms of trading at bay, but at least we can trade on our own terms, and we’re free from IPAC’s restrictive rules.”
Huh. She’d heard most of the story before, but Elizabeth had told it differently. In her opinion, the Mudden clan had switched to mining to make money to abduct women. They’d needed money for ships, and the matching algorithm, and of course to become the most powerful clan on the planet.
When he offered her some of the cooked meat, she turned it down and grabbed a fruit instead. Even if it was the same stuff that her pre-packaged meals were made from, she’d seen it bleed and that was enough to make her lose her appetite.
“Today is your orientation,” Altair told her between bites. “You will meet with the new members of the Baedden clan and be assigned work.”
Nova nodded.
“Normally, the women in my family don’t work,” he said, sounding bitter. “But this will help you—us—to fit in better.”
“I’d rather work anyway,” she said. It would give her a valid excuse to leave the house every day. “I don’t want to sit here and stare at the walls all day.”
He looked around the semi-empty room like he hadn’t considered she might not want to be locked up in it.
“Right.”
After breakfast, he walked with her to the town square where a large group of women stood in the center where the market had been the day before.
“I guess this is where the party is,” she said.
He looked at her with a strange expression on his face. “Don’t forget that these people are not your clan.”
The women who’d been abducted with her? Did he seriously think she’d feel more loyalty towardhim?
She shook her head, tired of Altair, and joined the crowd. She smiled and greeted a few of the women. Some smiled back, others just looked away, their faces looking defeated. She didn’t want to think too hard about what the sad looks could mean. She was there to do a job, and she couldn’t help any of them anyway. No one seemed in the mood to talk.
She didn’t recognize the four older women standing away from the group. One of them looked their way and counted heads.
“Everyone is here,” she shouted to be heard, though almost no one was talking. “Let’s start the orientation.”
She moved to the front of the group, and Nova got a good look at a woman standing behind her.Elizabeth.
Finally. Was she going to let her know what she was supposed to be doing here?
The woman at the front welcomed them to the Baedden clan, though Nova knew she wasn’t included in that welcome. She then proceeded to take them on a tour of the city where she pointed out every important building they passed, which, Nova appreciated.
“Here is the Baedden clan council building.”
That was the building where the wedding ceremony had taken place. It was also the building where Altair worked.
“It is where our government meets. Once a month our council holds a public meeting here. Everyone is welcome to attend.”
They continued their walk until they ended up back at the town square.
“You will now be divided up into your respective jobs.”
The other three women with her, including Elizabeth, came to stand in front of the group. The first woman called out names until five women had joined her, and they walked off.
When it was Elizabeth’s turn, she only called three people, “Meghan” included. Nova went to stand next to her, trying not to look too eager to see her. She was the woman who’d supposedly kidnapped her after all.
