THE TWELVE -- Chapter 19 - First Meeting

Kiacyl entered the eating room with a little trepidation.  He looked around and easily spotted the table that he wanted by the small crowd of Komislavian boys sitting around it.  Keeping a set face, he approached cautiously, unsure of what to expect.
 

There were several animated conversations going on around the table as he approached.  He saw there, in the few short moments that it took him to reach the table, a wider range of emotions displayed in the faces and tones of voice of the small group than he had ever seen before in any given month.  Vukasovians did not mind showing pride or contempt, but it was rare that they displayed any emotion other than these; even these, they rarely designated 'emotions.'  Here, in the faces, voices, and movements of the Komislavians, Kiacyl saw many emotions, some of which he didn't know how to identify.  This encouraged him somewhat, assuring him that other Komislavians were, in fact, very different from Djaisiuk, at least when in groups.  He wondered whether they were this open when they were with Vukasovians.
 

The conversations slowly diminished and ceased as Kiacyl approached, answering his unspoken question.  The boys all looked at him silently, waiting for him to state his purpose for being there.  He was a Vukasovian and must, therefore, have some particular purpose for approaching them, they seemed to assume, reasonably enough.
 

Kiacyl looked at them.  Their faces were very different from Djaisiuk; although similar in the prominent Komislavian physical features, they were completely different in expression.  They looked quite friendly, really.  They looked about what he would normally have expected for Komislavians.  Their faces were open and most looked kind, emotions showing clearly on all of their features as though they didn't care whether the whole world knew what they were thinking.  Kiacyl could read clearly, for example, that the tall, blond one was afraid of him, the small, brown-haired boy was curious about him, and the tanned-skinned one who was apparently the eldest was suspicious of him.  If they were this easy to read, Kiacyl thought to himself, then he would surely have no difficulty in learning enough about them to one day assume the position of intermediary between his own race and those members of theirs who worked here.
 

"I am Kiacyl," he said at last.  "Your friend Jysuke will not be coming tonight.  He gave me leave to bring the news to you."
 

The boys looked at one another.  Most looked disappointed, though they did not seem surprised.  Only the little blond-haired boy looked confused.
 

"Do you mean Djaisiuk?" he asked.
 

Immediately, Kiacyl felt uncomfortable, though he was careful not to show it.  He had assumed that the orderly had spoken the correct name, but now he realized that it might not have been so.  The name that the young boy had just said sounded similar, but it also sounded very difficult to pronounce.
 

"I mean the other Komislavian of your group," he said carefully.  "The one whose mental abilities are beyond those of any of you."
 

"Yes, that's Djaisiuk," nodded one with a smile.
 

"Did he say whether he might come another night?" asked the little brown-haired boy.
 

"I doubt that he will," replied Kiacyl.  "I work with him until his supper time.  He is served that meal about the fourth hour of the day and is then expected to continue working afterwards, I believe.  I would assume that he is generally asleep before the sixth hour.  I don't think that he has the time to come."
 

The one who was apparently the oldest frowned.  "Why do they work him so hard?" he said to the red-haired young man sitting next to him.  "Just because he acts like a machine doesn't make him one.  He is still human."
 

The red-haired boy cleared his throat and cast a glance towards Kiacyl as if to warn the older one to guard his words.
 

"I don't care who hears it!" continued the oldest unperturbed, apparently not in good humor tonight.  He then turned to look at Kiacyl as he spoke again.  "They've no right to treat him so!"
 

Kiacyl carefully hid a smile.  Yes, he thought, be open with your anger as well as your approval.  I will need all of the information that you would care to give me.
 

"You said that you work with Djaisiuk?" said one of the boys to Kiacyl.
 

Turning his head to look at the one who had spoken, Kiacyl could not fully hide his surprise at the boy's features.  This one was different from the others in that he had silver hair and eyes.  Kiacyl had never seen such a thing.  He was so fascinated that at first he forgot to answer.
 

"Oh, yes," he said quickly, remembering himself.  "I work with him daily."
 

"Then you must be pretty smart!" said the little blond-haired boy.
 

Kiacyl gave half a smile at this, trying to look modest but happy for the opportunity to ingratiate himself with them somewhat.  "Perhaps," he said, "but not compared to Djaisiuk.  He is a genius like no other, although I've been told that you are all considerable geniuses, coming, as I understand that you do, from your IC School."
 

Several of the boys looked somewhat uncomfortable or embarrassed at this, and none answered.  KiacylKiacyl's own age broke the silence.
 

"Was there anything more?" he asked.
 

"No," Kiacyl answered slowly.  "That is, there was nothing more from . . . Djaisiuk.  For myself, I'd welcome the opportunity to learn more about your race first-hand.  Your friend is the first Komislavian whom I've ever met, but he doesn't seem anything like what I'd been taught to expect from your race."
 

"No, Djaisiuk is nothing like us," murmured the tall blond boy quietly.
 

"What have you been taught to expect?" asked the oldest in an almost sarcastic tone of voice.
 

"You are welcome to join us, if that is what you want," said the silver-eyed boy, almost interrupting the oldest one.  "You may learn a lot through observation and interaction."
 

"Thank you," said Kiacyl, sitting down between the speaker and the small brown-haired boy.  "I would like that.  I had thought that if I could learn a bit more about Komislavians in general, I might be able to understand Djaisiuk a little better.  He seems a very strange person to me."
 

"He seems strange to most people," laughed the other, "and if you can learn to understand him, you'll have to instruct most of us as well.  Regardless, you're welcome to glean all that you can from us."
 

"You said that your name is Kiacyl?" asked the older red-haired one.
 

"Yes," answered Kiacyl.  "And what are all of your names?"
 

"Do you think that you could remember all of them?" the young man asked with a half-smile.  But, without waiting for an answer, he continued: "My name is Jade, and this is Jaeger.  Leil is there to Jaeger's right, and Eriane is next to him.  Wysire is there on your left, and to your right is Cycil.  Sandy is the bright-eyed little chap next to him, and this is Detrin."
 

Kiacyl looked at them all in turn, trying to establish the names with the faces in his own mind.  Wysire would be easy, he thought, because of his silver hair and eyes.  Jaeger was the one who seemed to be the oldest (and least friendly), and Jade looked to be next in age, though their names were so similar (in his own mind) that he was sure that he would mix them up.  The others might be difficult too, he thought.
 

"I'll try to remember them," said Kiacyl.  "I notice that most of your names are easy to pronounce.  Why is Djaisiuk's name so strange?"
 

"A strange name for a strange person," answered Detrin.  "Djaisiuk is unique indeed, as I'm sure that you've noticed by now if you work with him daily."
 

"I'd never met another Komislavian before him, so I didn't know whether he was really strange or not," answered Kiacyl.  "All I know is that his name is hard to pronounce.  Vukasovian names are so much easier."
 

"Of course they are," laughed Cycil, "to a Vukasovian.  But several of them are hard for me to pronounce.  Our supervisor -- Sandy's and mine -- is named Jiaril.  Try to tell me that that isn't hard to say!"
 

"That's a very common Vukasovian name," replied Kiacyl.  "And yes, I would say that it's easy to say."
 

"Even if they were always easier to pronounce," put in Jade, "I'd still prefer our names.  Vukasovian names are so much less expressive than Komislavian ones, if what I've been told is true."
 

"What do you mean?" asked Kiacyl.  "What have you been told?"
 

"I was given to understand that Vukasovian names have no meaning," replied Jade.  "Is that true?"
 

Kiacyl frowned in mild confusion.  "I don't understand the question," he said.
 

"Well, just as an example, can you tell me what the name 'Kiacyl' means?" asked Jade.
 

"It means me," said Kiacyl, still frowning.  "Kiacyl is my name.  Mine isn't a common name, so you won't find many times where it means anything other than me.  There certainly aren't any others in this facility, though there are a few different Jiarils."
 

"Yes, but apart from being your name, apart from meaning you, does it mean anything else?"
 

"No," said Kiacyl slowly.  "It doesn't mean anything by itself any more than any other name.  Why should it?"
 

"Among the Komislavians, the names often tell something about the person," Jade replied.  "My name means 'green'.  I was named for my eyes.  Wysire's name means 'silver hair'.  (The origin there is obvious.)  Faquire, who isn't here, is named for his red hair.  Leil means . . . ."  Jade trailed off, looking at Leil and seeming unsure of whether to continue.
 

"'Thin and pale,'" said Leil quietly.
 

"I would have said 'delicate' or something like that," began Jade, but Leil shook his head.
 

"My name fits me," he said.  "I'm used to it."
 

"So your names all describe what you look like?" asked Kiacyl.
 

"No, not all of them," replied Jade, "though a lot of Komislavian names do.  But sometimes they tell something about the person other than their physical appearance.  Djaisiuk is a perfect example: his name means 'very great (or enormous) intelligence'."
 

"Then why do you say that his name is unusual among your people?  All of you are geniuses, aren't you?  Why wouldn't that name be more common?"
 

"No one can know whether someone is going to be a genius when they're first born," said Cycil.  "It isn't until they start to grow that you can tell."
 

"Vukasovians can tell," said Kiacyl.  "And surely with someone of such high intellect as Djaisiuk, even the Komislavians should be able to tell."
 

"Children on our planet aren't tested in that way, unless they're born in Scavia where the IC School is located," said Wysire.  "Even then it's up to the parents as to whether or not they're tested."
 

"Then how did the one who named Djaisiuk know that he would be so intelligent?  Was he born in your IC School?"
 

"No, he was born on a farm, I believe," replied Wysire.  "But now that you mention it, I don't know how his parents knew to name him that.  I never thought about it before now."
 

"Djaisiuk wasn't named that when was born," said Jade.  "Apparently his parents changed his name just before they brought him to the IC school.  By then, they had realized how smart he was, and I suppose that they thought that he ought to have an appropriate name."
 

"Do you know what his name was before that?" asked Sandy.
 

"Yes," answered Jade slowly.  "I understand that he was named Daeshu when he was born."
 

"Daeshu?" laughed Cycil.  "I can't imagine calling Djaisiuk 'Daeshu'!  I'd think that he'd be offended."
 

"Still, it does fit, you must admit," said Jade.

"Why?" asked Kiacyl, trying not to look confused (or too interested).  "What does it mean?"
 

"Daeshu means 'little one' or 'small person'," Jade explained.  "You may have noticed that Djaisiuk's a fair bit shorter than a normal person would be at his age.  Probably it fit very well when he was born, and really it still does.  His parents may have been concerned though that he would be teased about his size when he went to school, and having a name like Daeshu wouldn't help that."
 

"Then why would he have been named that in the first place, if that was a concern?" asked Kiacyl.
 

"They couldn't have known when he was born that he'd eventually go to the IC School," said Cycil.  "And on the farm, there would be little fear of anyone teasing him about his size in an unfriendly way.  They'd all be family."
 

"Then his family lives on a farm?" asked Kiacyl.  "Even with how valuable he is himself?"
 

"Yes, they do," nodded Jade.  "The overwhelming majority of Komislavians are farmers, and they enjoy it very much.  I think that nearly all of us came from farming families.  Jaeger would be the only exception."
 

"While we're on the subject, how were you so aptly named, Jaeger?" asked Wysire.
 

Jade laughed heartily at this, so Jaeger was required to wait a moment before answering.
 

"I think that my father always hoped that it would fit," he answered, smiling a little.  "He knew that if I took after him, it certainly would."
 

"At the risk of sounding redundant," said Kiacyl, "what does Jaeger mean?"
 

"Jaeger means 'wild' or 'wild-cat'," answered Jaeger, "whichever you prefer.  My father is not a farmer, as Jade mentioned; he's a hunter.  There aren't many of them on Komislava, and few of those that there are are any good.  My father is one of the best."
 

"And you look like a wild-cat too, most of the time," laughed Jade.
 

At this, Jaeger assumed an air of mock indignance, and Jade responded with a look of mock repentance.
 

"So all of your names describe something about you?" asked Kiacyl.  "That's . . . interesting.  Rather strange, if I may say so."
 

"Well, not all of our names do," said Cycil.  "My name has no meaning, but I think that I'm the only one like that among us twelve.  The only one without any meaning, that is."
 

"Your name has a meaning," countered Jade.  "It means 'scepter.' "
 

"I never knew that," said Cycil.  "How did you know?"
 

"Jade knows the meaning of every Komislavian name in existence," said Jaeger.  "I knew that Cycil was a nearly ancient Komislavian name and isn't used often anymore, but I didn't know its meaning either until now."
 

"Very well then," said Cycil.  "I stand corrected: my name does have a meaning.  But if it does mean 'scepter,' then I still wouldn't say that it really 'fits' me."
 

"Creole's name doesn't really apply to him either, but I don't know how it would apply to anyone else," said Jade.  Seeing Kiacyl's look, he quickly explained.  "Creole mean 'free song' (like a bird's song, not a person's song) or 'song of freedom', depending on who translates it.  I suppose that it could fit him in that his spirit is very strong; he'll always be free in that respect.  But as far as the song part goes, I don't know."
 

"Creole?" asked Kiacyl.
 

"Another you haven't met," replied Jade.  "He's one of the three whom your people are holding prisoner."
 

"And they're not holding us prisoner?" muttered Jaeger.
 

A short uncomfortable silence fell, but it was soon broken by Sandy's young voice.
 

"Would you say that your name fits you, Detrin?" he asked.
 

"You mean would I consider myself 'subtle'?"  Detrin smiled.  "I honestly don't know why my parents named me that.  I suppose that they just liked the name."
 

"That's generally the way that Vukasovian children are named," said Kiacyl, "when the father chooses the name."
 

"What about when the mother chooses the name?" asked Jade with a smile.  "Do they have meaning then?"
 

Kiacyl stiffened.  He looked at Jade for a moment, then said simply, "They don't."
 

"They don't have meaning?  Or the mothers don't name the children?" asked Jade.
 

"The latter."
 

"Just out of curiosity then, do girls ever talk about what they'd like their children to be named?" continued Jade.
 

Kiacyl frowned at him, appearing grossly offended.  He then turned away without answering.  Jade blinked in surprise.
 

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Jade.  "I'm sorry if I offended you."
 

Kiacyl took a controlled breath, seeming to regain control of himself.
 

"I'm only thirteen," he said, looking at Jade again.  "I may look older, but I'm not."
 

Jade continued to look at Kiacyl in surprise, seeming at a loss.
 

"Oh," he said at last.  "I . . . um . . . alright."  He glanced at Jaeger, but the latter as well as all of the other boys looked just as confused.
 

"If the mother doesn't decide the name, then why do you say, 'when the father decides the name'?" asked Cycil.  "Wouldn't he always make that decision?"
 

"Yes, if the child has a father," nodded Kiacyl.  "But in the cases where there is no father, then the geneticists do."
 

The boys again looked at Kiacyl silently for a moment, none seeming to understand this last statement.  Sandy and Cycil looked very confused.
 

"How can someone not have a father?" asked Sandy slowly.
 

"Not everyone does," shrugged Kiacyl, looking as though it were obvious.  "In fact, I'd say that more don't than do.  Is it different on your planet?"
 

"On Komislava, everyone has a father," replied Wysire.  "Sometimes the father may die or be killed before the child is old enough to remember him, but that is very rare."
 

"Then you don't use geneticists?"
 

"Apparently that word means something different here," murmured Detrin.
 

"I know what he means," said Eriane, speaking for the first time.  "And no, we don't ever do things that way on Komislava.  But even with the methods you mean, there has to be a father somewhere."
 

"Of course, someone is the father, if you look at it that way," admitted Kiacyl, "but with those children, nobody really knows or cares who it is."
 

"But don't the children care?" asked Sandy, looking horrified at this thought.
 

"No," answered Kiacyl, shaking his head.  "What difference would it make anyway?  Either the father is below the son, in which case the son would rather not know who he is, or the father is above the son, and the father wouldn't want to admit to being the father.  With most of them, it's the latter case."
 

"That's horrible!" exclaimed Cycil.  "How could the father be so unfeeling?!"
 

Kiacyl looked at him, trying to hide his contempt at such a statement.  "Do you think that Vukasovians have no pride?"
 

"I think that they have far too much," muttered Jaeger.
 

"Kiacyl, do you have a father?" asked Eriane.
 

"Yes," replied Kiacyl without hesitation.
 

"Does he care about you?"
 

"Do you mean does he take care of me?" asked Kiacyl.  "Or are you asking whether he knows about me?"
 

Sandy gave a little gasp of shock at this question, but Eriane did not react.
 

"Well, neither, actually," replied Eriane.  "I mean does he love you?"
 

Again, Kiacyl frowned.  "Vukasovians are unsullied by such weakening emotions," he replied.
 

Eriane nodded, not looking convinced.  "Alright then," he said.  "But if something were to happen to you, how would he react?"
 

"Something such as?"
 

"If you were to, say, contract a disease," began Eriane, looking as though he were trying to choose his words well.  "If it were suddenly discovered that you were going to die, would he be upset?"
 

Kiacyl considered for a moment.  "Do you mean if there was nothing that he could do about it?" he asked.  "Or are you asking whether he would do something if he could?"
 

"If there was nothing that could be done," replied Eriane.
Kiacyl 

shook his head.  "Probably not," he said.  "There'd be no reason for him to be upset, if there was nothing that could be done, because that would simply interfere with his work.  Vukasovians never allow emotions to interfere with efficiency."
 

Eriane still didn't look convinced, but neither did he press the point.  "Have you ever known--" he began again, then paused.  "Have any of your friends or acquaintances -- the boys you knew when you were growing -- have any of them died from complications with genetic abnormalities?"
 

Kiacyl looked at him blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.  "You can't be serious!" he said.
Eriane looked at him confused.  "I am," he said.
 

"Do you think I was raised in a cell?" scoffed Kiacyl.  "Of course, they did.  Over a quarter of the boys in my first-year group died or were put away that year.  Not nearly so many were lost in the following years, but we'd always lose at least one, and usually more.  I'm in a smaller group now that I'm past twelve, so I expect that they'll all live at least a few years, but there's little way to be sure."  He again gave a short, scornful laugh.  "I can't believe that you'd even have to ask such a thing."
 

The other boys all looked at him in shock and horror.  Some looked at Eriane, wanting to question him, but Eriane looked only at Kiacyl.
 

"Do you feel nothing then?" asked Eriane with a frown.  "How can you laugh about so many dying?"
 

"I'm laughing at the fact that you would even ask," replied Kiacyl, growing serious and almost harsh.  "Of course I've had comrades and acquaintances die.  It's a way of life for us.  If I was as horrified as you seem to be with each death I'd ever experienced, then I'd be useless as a worker or anything else.  It doesn't affect me because it can't."
 

"You're still young, as you've said.  Do you know whether it affects the parents of those who die?"
 

Kiacyl assumed a contemptuous expression.  "If it does affect them, then they're generally wise enough not to let it show."
 

"May I suggest that we change the subject?" asked Jaeger, seeing the distraught expressions on the faces of the two youngest.  "I think that this one has been fairly exhausted, or at least enough so for the present.  Suppose we begin devotions now.  It's getting late enough."
 

Kiacyl was curious about this 'devotions,' and the boys explained very briefly what was meant by it.  Kiacyl then said nothing more on the subject, but he remained with them and observed their devotions silently.