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fandomhigh2006-11-16 03:51 pm
harringtongreen.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-11-16 03:51 pm
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War Theory, Thursday, 4th Period
Honor stood at the front of the classroom, dressed a little differently than per her normal. The Royal Manticoran Navy uniform or casual khakis had been exchanged for a long, flowing white dress, over which she wore a vest of teal green. It was the same green that her bodyguard, Andrew LaFollet wore with his uniform, recognized on her homeworlds as “Harrington green.” The vest, like her uniform, had been reinforced to protect her from Nimitz’s scimitar-shaped claws, and the treecat was perched on her shoulder in his usual position, watching the students as they filed in. Around her neck, she wore two medals – the Star of Grayson and her Steadholder’s Key. She folded her arms across her chest and waited for the students to settle in.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen,” she said, “let’s be about it. If you’ve looked at your syllabus, you realize that today, we should be traveling to Manticore for our one field trip of the term. Given the nature of this class, however, I thought about the trip and decided that my second home, Grayson, might prove a better example. Because of that change, our clearance paperwork is still in processing. Provided all the red tape is cleared away, it’s my hope that we’ll be taking the class period on 30 November and visiting Grayson.”
Reaching behind her, she gathered a stack of very old-fashioned papers. She continued talking as she walked the room and passed out the packets. “Inside these packets, you will find information on Grayson; its brother world, Masada; and the reigning protector, Benjamin Mayhew, otherwise known as Benjamin IX.
“If we do make Grayson, there are a few things that you should know. The information is in your packets, but let’s talk about them a bit. First, Grayson is a star-nation originally settled for reasons not unlike those of Plymouth Rock: they sought greater religious freedom. In their case, this freedom included leaving most modern technology behind. They formed the Church of Humanity Unchained, setting out to find a new world to settle.
“When they arrived on Grayson, they found a world that was very harsh. Even now, if you aren’t Grayson-born, long-term exposure to the planet’s atmosphere can prove fatal, due to the heavy metal content in the environment. But, like the early American settlers, they dug in and did what they could. They were hard-working, religious people who had a shared sense of purpose.” She paused. “Well, at least for a little while.”
Honor paused long enough to let Nimitz flow down her arms and land on the desk with a soft thump. “Over the generations, fewer and fewer men were born; women currently outnumber the men planet side, three to one. To solve this problem, and preserve the population, male members of the Church began to take more than one wife.
“Following the tenets of their religion, however, the women of Grayson were wives and mothers; administrators of the household. Few – if any – Grayson women ventured into the professional world.
“Also over time, a rift began to develop within the Church. One group, relying on the centuries-old teachings of their founder, Austin Grayson, sought to resist change. They wanted no technology, no societal advancement; they believed their wives were little more than objects, and deserved no rights. The other group – the more moderate group – realized that, in order to survive, technology and advancement were necessary; wives were treated with deference and respect, even if they weren’t equals in the public eye. And, as with many, many other societies, these differences eventually plunged Grayson into civil war.
“After a bloody war, the moderates emerged as the winner. The more extreme members of the Church were exiled to a neighboring planet. It became known as Masada.
“In the years since their separation, Grayson – I wouldn’t say blossomed, but they certainly advanced, especially given the generations of technology they pushed aside. Socially, they became more progressive, if still reserved. What you see me wearing now is the traditional dress of a Grayson female.” Honor gave a rueful smile. “Well, minus the medal and the key.”
She paused, rubbing the tip of her nose with her index finger before continuing. “After years in exile, the Masadans sought revenge on their brothers; in their eyes, Grayson had been inherited by heretics, and must be destroyed. The result? Another civil war, one that would not stop – at least for them – until every last Grayson was dead.
“The attempt began at an auspicious time for Grayson: Manticore, in seeking out alliances against the Republic of Haven, had sent a diplomatic mission to Grayson – a heavily armed diplomatic mission. To make a long story short – and to make sure I don’t bore you to death – we’ll just say that Manticore assisted Grayson in defeating the Masadans; in doing so, Manticore earned the alliance they wanted.”
Leaning back against the desk, Honor folded her arms across her chest once again. “That, of course, is the basic version. The full story would probably take a few class periods. It would also, I think, ruin the trip.
“If our paperwork doesn’t clear, then we’ll be discussing a few of these topics in greater detail the next time we meet.” Her eyes flitted to the clock.
“I apologize for the length of the lecture, but it really is pertinent background for our trip. Please take the time to review your handouts. I’ll be available after class, if you have any questions, and please feel free to contact me to set up office hours if needed.” She smiled. “Until next meeting – dismissed.”
[OOC: Apologies for the long lecture. More info on the trip to come, if I can get it organized. If not, we'll be discussing the Grayson-Masada war next class. A couple of OCD threadscoming up. And the links should be working now. I hope. ::thwacks LJ::]
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen,” she said, “let’s be about it. If you’ve looked at your syllabus, you realize that today, we should be traveling to Manticore for our one field trip of the term. Given the nature of this class, however, I thought about the trip and decided that my second home, Grayson, might prove a better example. Because of that change, our clearance paperwork is still in processing. Provided all the red tape is cleared away, it’s my hope that we’ll be taking the class period on 30 November and visiting Grayson.”
Reaching behind her, she gathered a stack of very old-fashioned papers. She continued talking as she walked the room and passed out the packets. “Inside these packets, you will find information on Grayson; its brother world, Masada; and the reigning protector, Benjamin Mayhew, otherwise known as Benjamin IX.
“If we do make Grayson, there are a few things that you should know. The information is in your packets, but let’s talk about them a bit. First, Grayson is a star-nation originally settled for reasons not unlike those of Plymouth Rock: they sought greater religious freedom. In their case, this freedom included leaving most modern technology behind. They formed the Church of Humanity Unchained, setting out to find a new world to settle.
“When they arrived on Grayson, they found a world that was very harsh. Even now, if you aren’t Grayson-born, long-term exposure to the planet’s atmosphere can prove fatal, due to the heavy metal content in the environment. But, like the early American settlers, they dug in and did what they could. They were hard-working, religious people who had a shared sense of purpose.” She paused. “Well, at least for a little while.”
Honor paused long enough to let Nimitz flow down her arms and land on the desk with a soft thump. “Over the generations, fewer and fewer men were born; women currently outnumber the men planet side, three to one. To solve this problem, and preserve the population, male members of the Church began to take more than one wife.
“Following the tenets of their religion, however, the women of Grayson were wives and mothers; administrators of the household. Few – if any – Grayson women ventured into the professional world.
“Also over time, a rift began to develop within the Church. One group, relying on the centuries-old teachings of their founder, Austin Grayson, sought to resist change. They wanted no technology, no societal advancement; they believed their wives were little more than objects, and deserved no rights. The other group – the more moderate group – realized that, in order to survive, technology and advancement were necessary; wives were treated with deference and respect, even if they weren’t equals in the public eye. And, as with many, many other societies, these differences eventually plunged Grayson into civil war.
“After a bloody war, the moderates emerged as the winner. The more extreme members of the Church were exiled to a neighboring planet. It became known as Masada.
“In the years since their separation, Grayson – I wouldn’t say blossomed, but they certainly advanced, especially given the generations of technology they pushed aside. Socially, they became more progressive, if still reserved. What you see me wearing now is the traditional dress of a Grayson female.” Honor gave a rueful smile. “Well, minus the medal and the key.”
She paused, rubbing the tip of her nose with her index finger before continuing. “After years in exile, the Masadans sought revenge on their brothers; in their eyes, Grayson had been inherited by heretics, and must be destroyed. The result? Another civil war, one that would not stop – at least for them – until every last Grayson was dead.
“The attempt began at an auspicious time for Grayson: Manticore, in seeking out alliances against the Republic of Haven, had sent a diplomatic mission to Grayson – a heavily armed diplomatic mission. To make a long story short – and to make sure I don’t bore you to death – we’ll just say that Manticore assisted Grayson in defeating the Masadans; in doing so, Manticore earned the alliance they wanted.”
Leaning back against the desk, Honor folded her arms across her chest once again. “That, of course, is the basic version. The full story would probably take a few class periods. It would also, I think, ruin the trip.
“If our paperwork doesn’t clear, then we’ll be discussing a few of these topics in greater detail the next time we meet.” Her eyes flitted to the clock.
“I apologize for the length of the lecture, but it really is pertinent background for our trip. Please take the time to review your handouts. I’ll be available after class, if you have any questions, and please feel free to contact me to set up office hours if needed.” She smiled. “Until next meeting – dismissed.”
[OOC: Apologies for the long lecture. More info on the trip to come, if I can get it organized. If not, we'll be discussing the Grayson-Masada war next class. A couple of OCD threads
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