Free Crossing the Line by Karen Traviss Page B

of smell. “That was very foolish indeed, but maybe you are more ambitious than we thought.”
    â€œWhat, for Chrissakes?”
    â€œYou have deposed her. Chayyas has surrendered her authority.”

4
    Wess’har politics and governance would leave a human politician speechless. Political office isn’t sought. It’s imposed on the most dominant and able females—without votes, without campaigns, without structure, and without parties. The ruling group of matriarchs that appears to evolve in each city state has the task of ensuring that the day-to-day decisions made by households—all run by females, who are outnumbered five to one by males—are reflected in the wider domains of international relations and major infrastructure projects. There is no economy or constitution as we understand them. Consensus appears to take place by osmosis. And woe betide the leader who seriously fails in her duty: she’s likely to be killed.
    E DDIE M ICHALLAT , BBChan,
From Our Extrasolar Correspondent
    â€œLook, I didn’t know. I had no bloody idea. Will you listen to me, for Chrissakes?”
    Shan had a habit of pacing around that now annoyed Mestin very much. Her rooms were small and the woman took up a lot of ground: she would have to learn to be still. Shan paused in front of Nevyan, fists on hips, shaking her head occasionally, no doubt astonished at her own foolish actions. Mestin decided she would make it a priority to find alternative accommodation for her. A few months ago she might have cuffed her. But this was now neither subordinate female nor gethes . This was a dominant matriarch, whatever her external appearance.
    â€œHow many times do we have to tell you that what you intend is of no consequence?” said Mestin. “You’ve challenged Chayyas and she has ceded dominance. That’s all there is to know.”
    â€œJust because I faced her down over the grenade?”
    â€œIt’s pheromonal. She can’t help her reaction.” Mestin was aware of Nevyan beside her: she was staring at Shan, utterly mesmerized. “You said yourself that you noticed your own scent when it happened.”
    â€œJesus H. Christ,” said Shan. “Just because I got stroppy with her? So what are you going to do when a human army shows up and gives you a frosty look? Surrender?”
    â€œThey are wholly human and so we have no biochemistry in common. You, however, are not.”
    The reminder seemed to silence Shan. She dropped her arms to her sides and sat down on the bench that Nevyan had piled with dhren fabric to make it comfortable for her. “I take it an apology would be out of the question?”
    â€œThe reaction has taken place. Chayyas has lost her hormonal dominance. Intended or not, you’re now senior matriarch in F’nar.”
    Shan held up both hands, palms out. The claws were gone, Mestin noted. C’naatat was even more bizarre than she had realized. “No,” Shan said. “Abso-bloody-lutely not. I’ll have a crack at most things, but not politics. And I don’t have the right to do it, let alone the training.”
    â€œThen you leave us in temporary disarray, and you have no right to do that either.”
    â€œThen give me a solution.”
    â€œWhere’s your grenade?”
    â€œAras took it off me for safekeeping. What about you? Don’t you want the job?”
    Shan still knew far less about wess’har than Mestin had imagined. She was still ascribing human motivation to them. “Nobody seeks seniority. It is a duty, not a prize.”
    â€œOkay, will you do it?”
    â€œIf necessary.”
    â€œWhat do we do, then? Slug it out?”
    â€œYou can simply ask me.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me that earlier?”
    â€œYou misunderstand our ways. You would have thought I was seeking an advantage.”
    â€œVery well, Mestin—please will you take over in place of Chayyas?