“The ore is us," she said and her audience gasped in confusion. "The ore is in our very make up. When we are delivered back to the Paterian fire the ore accumulates. As our physical form sinks deep into the fire we become our integral parts and the planet has us back. The ore the women mine from the mountains is our physical presence on this planet. Without us, there is no ore."

The men and boys were still not understanding, but I did and found the revelation shocking.

"The ore is part of the matrix in our bones and muscles," Kana's Sister with one wing said.

“Each of us has a little ore stored within us. The ore is the power that shapes us and connects us to each other and our world."

Both women took very non threatening postures and it seemed to encourage the men to ask questions. It took time but I watched the men from the compound and mountains slowly start to comprehend. They'd never thought about what literally composed their physical selves.

As I sat and considered it seemed the ore was comparable to Earth's coal and oil. It wasn't the same, not by a long shot, but it was similar.

Women all around us were paying attention to the conversation. I heard the shift of a large body behind me and looked back to see Asper watching the interaction intently. She did not speak or interrupt the proceeding, but I noted how pensive she appeared. I wondered what was going through her mind and whose side she would take in this argument. For now, she seemed to be holding her counsel.

Jonathan and his Brothers slept, as they had been commanded to do. I stroked their foreheads and watched them breathe. They seemed well and unperturbed, so my attention shifted back to the conversation.

Kana was talking about how the men were kept divided because, while one family was no match for the women, many men under The Great Harmonious Spirit could challenge any number of women. In fact, even the power of the women's venom could be overcome by the sheer force of numbers. When the men joined they became strong in many, many ways. In order to sell the ore, the women tricked the men onto the compounds and then slowly eroded their communal bond.

“We had thought once we were a rich planet we would free the men, but it never happened," Kana said sadly.

“I don’t even know why we continue this way. It was soon evident there is nothing we needed from other planets. We hoard the riches, but they have no value to us...."

I shook my head and stroked Mycah's arm as he slept. He sighed and his fingers found my skirt. Little fingers gripped the fabric tightly, reinforcing his bond to his extended family.

“What good is wealth when you have to give up your children?" I asked sadly.

"That is the truth," the woman with one wing said watching me. I looked up at her and she smiled as she introduced herself to me.

“Rysell from the T'yonin Mountains, “Ciara, from Earth," I replied with a grin. I was very glad to see these women coming to our way of thinking.

“They need protection!" the woman with the neck wound spit out from her bound position.

“You should be protecting them now! They need you to go fight for them!"

"she said formally.

Kana and her Sister weren't perturbed.

“My Sister and I are good teachers," Rysell said calmly from her spot on the floor. "The Administrators from the camp asked us to provide what the men they left in this hall needed. We have cousins that are physically protecting this room from the outside. If things changed, our jobs would change.”

“Doubtful the camp would need us to protect them from the aliens,” Kana mused watching the door.

“The real danger here seems to be you, cousin. You cannot stay locked in the old ways.”