himself a drink, but this would not be the time--and he begrudged offering her the courtesy.
"Yes," she said. "If you don't mind?"
"Why should I? I have nothing to hide." He leaned back against his desk, trying to appear casual.
"I see that in the last four years, you've funded over 26 schools--seven of which were built in the last three years alone."
This was her objection? "Yes?" he asked, waiting.
"There aren't even that many Chanden children here," she frowned.
"They aren't just for Chanden children," said Koethe.
"You put Chanden children in school alongside Garran children?" She looked taken aback.
"Why not? How better to merge our cultures?"
"I'm not sure that running schools is an approved budgetary expense," she said.
"I am trying to civilize a world," he said, standing up straight again. He couldn't keep the annoyance out of his voice.
"This is a military operation, yet these schools take 32% of your operating budget?" she continued, her disapproval clear.
"I can't expect to enforce the laws if the people don't understand them," he countered.
"Usually one hires more Enforcers when one wants to enforce the law," she said haughtily. "Not school teachers."
"I built schools to teach them our language. How can I deal with a people that can't understand us?" Koethe took a step towards her. Perhaps he wanted to intimidate her. "You may be a military commander, but obviously you know little about governing. When I took over 20 years ago, Garran was nothing more than a backwater planet. Now it is a full outpost."
"I see. And one day you hope to gain Province status?"
"Naturally," said Koethe.
"And you will be governor?" she asked with a sneer.
"All the progress we've made here, has been made by me ."
"And the High Realm should pay for this? You'd have them fund your ambitions to be governor?"
A flash of anger went through Koethe and he restrained from speaking for a moment. This woman was a fool. Or--she was goading him.
"Or, maybe you're hoping for a Kingdom someday," she said. "Is that it?"
He didn't know what she was getting after.
"I've stayed within my budget," he said at last. "My expenditures have been reasonable. I won't have my motives questioned by you," he said.
She stared at him. "The Budget Commission will decide what is reasonable, based on my report," said Montani. With that, she turned and sat down, an obvious dismissal.
Koethe stared at him, thinking of several responses, but making none of them. Meanwhile, she ignored him.
Silently, he sat down at his desk. It would be a long day.
CHAPTER TEN
A hint of dawn stole across the red desert sands, waking the Sand Plain Clan from slumber.
As soon as Moorhen awoke, he remembered with a pang of regret that his sister, Crysethe, had followed them without permission. Somehow he had been blamed. He groaned and got up.
They left the ravine and traveled across the Dry Sea. Sometimes in the spring, it filled with water. But now it was parched and dry--a source of salt for all the Garrans. But the place was a wasteland. No one could live there. The winds blew fiercely, discouraging plants and animals both from inhabiting the place.
To the east lay the White Sands of Vannith where mile of miles of sand dunes covered the land, choking out all other life. Water there was scarce.
Moorhen's thoughts were dark as they rode their yithhe through the desert sands. Crysethe rode up near Ashtan, favored by him despite her stupid stunt of following them. The others still avoided Moorhen, as though he were cursed. Speaking against Ashtan was not something members of the Sand Plain Clan usually dared. Dissension wasn't tolerated where leadership decisions were concerned. There could only be one leader. And no matter how crazy a plan Ashtan came up with, he was well-loved by all.
Whereas Moorhen was a puzzle to them. He was tolerated by the warriors, since many times his ideas turned out to be useful.
Moorhen knew he thought too much and he wondered
"Yes," she said. "If you don't mind?"
"Why should I? I have nothing to hide." He leaned back against his desk, trying to appear casual.
"I see that in the last four years, you've funded over 26 schools--seven of which were built in the last three years alone."
This was her objection? "Yes?" he asked, waiting.
"There aren't even that many Chanden children here," she frowned.
"They aren't just for Chanden children," said Koethe.
"You put Chanden children in school alongside Garran children?" She looked taken aback.
"Why not? How better to merge our cultures?"
"I'm not sure that running schools is an approved budgetary expense," she said.
"I am trying to civilize a world," he said, standing up straight again. He couldn't keep the annoyance out of his voice.
"This is a military operation, yet these schools take 32% of your operating budget?" she continued, her disapproval clear.
"I can't expect to enforce the laws if the people don't understand them," he countered.
"Usually one hires more Enforcers when one wants to enforce the law," she said haughtily. "Not school teachers."
"I built schools to teach them our language. How can I deal with a people that can't understand us?" Koethe took a step towards her. Perhaps he wanted to intimidate her. "You may be a military commander, but obviously you know little about governing. When I took over 20 years ago, Garran was nothing more than a backwater planet. Now it is a full outpost."
"I see. And one day you hope to gain Province status?"
"Naturally," said Koethe.
"And you will be governor?" she asked with a sneer.
"All the progress we've made here, has been made by me ."
"And the High Realm should pay for this? You'd have them fund your ambitions to be governor?"
A flash of anger went through Koethe and he restrained from speaking for a moment. This woman was a fool. Or--she was goading him.
"Or, maybe you're hoping for a Kingdom someday," she said. "Is that it?"
He didn't know what she was getting after.
"I've stayed within my budget," he said at last. "My expenditures have been reasonable. I won't have my motives questioned by you," he said.
She stared at him. "The Budget Commission will decide what is reasonable, based on my report," said Montani. With that, she turned and sat down, an obvious dismissal.
Koethe stared at him, thinking of several responses, but making none of them. Meanwhile, she ignored him.
Silently, he sat down at his desk. It would be a long day.
CHAPTER TEN
A hint of dawn stole across the red desert sands, waking the Sand Plain Clan from slumber.
As soon as Moorhen awoke, he remembered with a pang of regret that his sister, Crysethe, had followed them without permission. Somehow he had been blamed. He groaned and got up.
They left the ravine and traveled across the Dry Sea. Sometimes in the spring, it filled with water. But now it was parched and dry--a source of salt for all the Garrans. But the place was a wasteland. No one could live there. The winds blew fiercely, discouraging plants and animals both from inhabiting the place.
To the east lay the White Sands of Vannith where mile of miles of sand dunes covered the land, choking out all other life. Water there was scarce.
Moorhen's thoughts were dark as they rode their yithhe through the desert sands. Crysethe rode up near Ashtan, favored by him despite her stupid stunt of following them. The others still avoided Moorhen, as though he were cursed. Speaking against Ashtan was not something members of the Sand Plain Clan usually dared. Dissension wasn't tolerated where leadership decisions were concerned. There could only be one leader. And no matter how crazy a plan Ashtan came up with, he was well-loved by all.
Whereas Moorhen was a puzzle to them. He was tolerated by the warriors, since many times his ideas turned out to be useful.
Moorhen knew he thought too much and he wondered
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