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An ClochánChapter 77 free porn video
At 19:00 hours on the 31st Sarah, Siobhan, Maureen, Kathryn, Keriann, Molly, Jackie, and Amy walked on to the amphitheater’s stage. On seeing them the sounds of chatter among the new arrivals from Sol quickly diminished. Together they said, “As we said when you arrived here, ‘Welcome to Tara Ardchlár, Gaillimh Isle on the Planet Ananu in Celia System’. This is our first opportunity to use the amphitheater. Our reason for having this reception is so that we can introduce ourselves. It also gives us the opportunity to address any general questions or concerns you have for the benefit of everyone. However, remember that the more questions you ask the longer it is ‘till we can all partake of the refreshments.”
Their comment prompted many in the audience to laugh.
“My name is Sarah and beside me are Siobhan, Maureen, Keriann, Kathryn, Molly, Jackie, and Amy.” As she spoke their names each bowed then waved. “We are members of clans whose name is the same as our given name. In a few moments the rest of our spouses will join us.
“Seven of the clans represented here fill the role of Command Staff for our Dóchas class ships. We began this role as each ship became operational. Shortly after arriving here the eight clans we represent were elected to be the first Councilors for our Family on Ananu. The details of the governing structure, or constitution, chosen by our Family can be found on our network, which you have access too. Please review them which we believe many of you have. As for the Council of Ananu, it consists of 8 clans who are elected for a term of 8 years with a limit of 2 consecutive terms. The constitution includes a means of terminating a clan’s term. It also has provisions for a parliament and a judiciary. At this point neither have been formed and it will likely be several years before they are. As to when that will happen, that will be a Family decision. Currently the role of parliament is fulfilled through the use of the chat rooms on our network to which everyone has access or an assembly like this. The organizational structure for Tara Ardchlár is the same as our ships. There are many more details about us and our plans which are available to you on our network so we will skip going into them any further. Again, we encourage you to spend some time reviewing this information. Please ask questions if you don’t understand something, or make suggestions. We trust that you realize that when we use the term ‘Family’, it includes everyone residing on Ananu, our ships, and those representing us in other Worlds.
“Now I would like to introduce my spouses.” As Sarah said ‘Rusty’, he appeared standing next to her. His sudden appearance prompted several gasps in the audience. He waved then bowed before stepping slightly behind Sarah. This sequence was repeated for each of her spouses. After introducing Alena, she gestured toward Siobhan as she said, “Siobhan will now introduce her clan.”
As Amy finished introducing her clan she added, “These eight clans currently serve as Ananu Councilors. Sarah’s, Siobhan’s, Maureen’s, Keriann’s, Kathryn’s, Molly’s, and Jackie’s Clans also fill the role of Command Staff on our Dóchas Class spaceships. Amy’s Clan oversees the activities on Gaillimh Island, this island, which is a role similar to the Command Staff of a ship.
“We all hope that you are comfortable in your temporary accommodations. Since you arrived we’ve noticed that many of you are using the Learning Centers thus they are very busy. Please remember that we also have Learning Centers on our spaceships and that they are available to everyone, so please take advantage of them. You can make arrangements to use them by using the scheduling function on your tablet. When you schedule a time you will receive a message indicating transportation arrangements.”
Several Councilors said in unison, “Now we will give you a quick review of our current plans for Tara Ardchlár. Conceptually Tara Ardchlár currently consists of this plateau and the land down to the valley floor. Included in this is a small farming community south of the plateau. As our settlement grows there will likely be changes to our plans. We will use our network to determine what those changes will be and our Family meetings to finalize them. For us a Family meeting includes all who reside on Ananu and our spaceships. Obviously we can’t all be in one location so we use a series of large monitors at multiple locations. The monitors are like those you used for meetings on the ships coming here. Alternatively, you can participate using your tablet. Another way to participate is telepathically which we are doing at the moment. Our telepathic link with the other Councilors enables us to stay in sync when speaking in unison.”
The Councilors then took turns reviewing their immediate plans as well as some long term proposals. As they finished Sarah, Siobhan, Keriann, and Molly said in unison, “Now it is time for questions. When it is your turn we would like for you to state your name prior to your question. Please ask for clarification if you don’t understand our response. As to asking the same question again, we would really rather you didn’t. The answer won’t change and we will note that it is a duplicate and move to the next person. Your tablet has a “raised hand” function please use it as it helps the moderator determine who is next. The tablet will tell you when you are next and when it is your turn. So who has the first question?”
A woman stood and said, “My name is Alicia McMaster. Am I correct in thinking that everyone here is telepathic?”
“‘Nearly everyone’ is more correct,” replied Kathy of Kathryn’s Clan. “An individual’s skill in using telepathy varies significantly. At one end of the spectrum there are those who find it very easy to establish a link with others and then use it to converse with them. At the other end there are those who can only hear telepathic comments when specifically directed toward them. Fortunately there have been very few in the last category in our Family. Like learning a new language, we’ve found that using telepathy will improve your ability in using it. Once you are comfortable using it we think you will be very pleased with the ability. I know for a fact that we were. Our Medical Center can provide assistance.”
“Thank you,” replied Alicia.
“My name is Arthur Moore. Why are many of the clan names the given name of one member?”
Smiling, Aoife responded, “Generally, the clan name is chosen by the clan’s members when they formalize their relationship. For us, we sort of grew into it. We’ve seldom addressed each other by our original family name, even in the beginning. This morphed into us referring to a group by one member’s given name and as those groups became intimate, we drifted toward referring to the group by that name. This is true for most, if not all, the original clans but many of the newer clans have avoided doing that.”
“How do we formalize a clan’s name?”
“After a group formalizes their relationship with each other they should choose a name that identifies them as a family entity. The name needs to be submitted to Staffing or the AI for your area or ship.”
“How large can a clan be?”
“That is for those involved to decide. Typically between 5 and 12 members, with the norm being around 8. They can be as small as 2. The largest here is 16. This may be obvious, but all members must freely agree to being a member, and similarly when a clan considers adding a member then everyone must agree. This means that dialog must be open and forthright among everyone involved.”
“Thank you.”
The questions continued for more than an hour before there was a long pause. Sarah, Siobhan and several others sensed it was time and said, “By the lack of further questions we believe it is time to partake of the refreshments. Remember, any time you have concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to find an answer. Asking it on our network is a good place to begin. Alternatively you can ask us or the AIs. Thank you for your attention and we hope you thought this was worthwhile.”
The Councilors were surprised when everyone stood as they applauded. Not sure how to respond they elected to bow. They followed the audience out to the refreshment area in small groups. The next couple of hours were spent responding to more personal questions or questions about the people they had met from other Worlds. Others inquired about various aspects of their trip to Ananu. Another common question was ‘why they had chosen Celia system’. After answering each question the Councilors suggested looking up the answer in the library as they were all recorded.
Later, as they were finishing their dinner, Sarah’s Clan was approached by several people they had spoken with at the reception. Seeing their tentativeness Sarah’s Clan smiled and said, “Good evening.”
“Good evening,” responded the group.
Kim added, “Thank you for the presentation this afternoon. After reflecting on what we heard we aren’t sure we understand some of it. Would now be a good time to ask your assistance in sorting out our queries?”
“We can try,” replied Maeve. “We may need to pause as I believe we will have a short a meeting this evening.”
“My name is Matt. Your response reminds me of something we’ve wondered about. Why are meetings held so often? We’ve seen it at An Clochán, on our trip, and now here.”
“We do that primarily to keep everyone informed of issues and of any changes in activity. Sometimes a meeting is about a specific location, announcements, or a prelude to a family meeting.”
“But you have a bulletin board on the network and a news brief twice a day, so it seems rather redundant.”
“It can be, but you could have been so involved with an activity that you missed those announcements. Besides, there are benefits to directly interacting with others. We’ve had multiple instances where we were able to quickly solve an issue using this forum. There have been other times when a project was restructured as a result of the discussion in our group meetings. We believe this is due to some people being reluctant to place a comment on the bulletin board but they will make a comment in a meeting like we have here. Also, participation by everyone is an important part of our social structure and in managing our activities.”
Joyce added, “These meetings started when there was only one spaceship with barely enough people to operate it. At that time our meetings focused more on daily activities than they do now and occasionally lasted much longer. Now they are a part of our routine, a part that we think is valuable to the family. Most of the time the topics are typically known ahead of time, but not always.”
“Sorry, I neglected to introduce myself. I am Kim. Yesterday, we thought we would go exploring, but we were surprised to learn that we were required to check out.”
“Did they explain why?” inquired Jill.
“They didn’t have a chance as someone became irate,” responded another while rolling her eyes, and then added, “Oh, my name is Anita.”
“Well when we first arrived here, we didn’t do that,” responded Sally. “Since our surroundings look so welcoming and benign we didn’t fully appreciate that we are in a wilderness. After several people disappeared we decided as a Family that it was wise for everyone to advise our Security Office when they go exploring. However, it is not a requirement but failing to do so has consequences.
“Letting the Security Office know of any trips benefits you as it provides a time and place to begin looking for you if you are overdue. If there have been issues in the area where you are headed, the staff will tell you about them. They will also recommend a selection of equipment that you should take with you besides your communicator and a weapon. The communicator has a distress call feature. They usually recommend taking a backpack that contains at least water, snacks, a jacket, a blanket, and first aid stuff.”
Alison added, “On Earth, many animals tend to avoid contact with humans. Here the animals have no ingrained fear of us so predators can see us as an easy meal.”
One of the group paled as he listened to Alison’s explanation. He said, “It looks like I owe some people an apology. The issues you noted didn’t dawn on me and they should have as I often went hiking on Earth. I guess I’ve given the wrong impression to you all because I am glad my friends encouraged me to come with them to An Clochán.”
“We understand your difficulty,” answered Erin. “However, if you relaxed your attitude toward telepathy we think it would help in adjusting to your new environment.” Seeing his puzzled expression she added, “This will let you sense others intent. Try it first with your friends. Also, empathy is not mind reading.”
“How ... Never mind. Thanks.”
Keri said, “So are all of you glad you took the risk and came here?” She smiled as she watched their expressions.
Anita said, “Yes, but it would have been nice if the motivation for doing so had been more positive. If it wasn’t for my friends here I would probably still be trying to decide, in spite of the hostile environment I was in. Even though my life was difficult then I had a pretty good idea on how to deal with it. My other hang up was my pessimistic side, I had trouble believing everything I heard about you all and this place as it was so positive it seemed too good to be true. Thankfully my friends gently pushed me into coming with them on this adventure. Now, I find being here is even better than the stories indicated.”
“I don’t think my situation was as difficult as Anita’s,” added Kim. “I also wondered whether joining you all was going to be as positive an experience as I had heard. Our time at An Clochán was everything I expected it to be, and being here is even better.” As she spoke her friends were smiling as they nodded their agreement.
Aoife said, “Many of those who chose to come with us had doubts when their time came for making a decision. We believe all are happy with their choice.”
“We have a question about relationships within clans, but it looks like the meeting is starting,” said Anita.
“Tonight’s meeting probably won’t be very long, so if you want to hang around,” advised Erin.
“Well we still feel like we are intruding on your time with your family, well at least I do.”
Laughing Erin said, “Relax. Please be assured that you aren’t.”
After the meeting Erin said with a grin, “See it wasn’t very long at all. Now what mysteries of clan relationships do you want us to unveil?”
“What is the relationship like within a clan?” asked Kim.
“Well answering a question like that could take us several days, and even then our comments would likely only reflect our relationships. Although we think other clans interact in a manner very similar to ours, we only know that those we have a close relationship do. For us, we see each other as equals in our relationship. You’ve likely heard some express difficulty in believing that, but they are probably not part of a clan. We think that this is due to them seeing us taking Sarah’s given name as our clan name to be an indication that she is the dominant member. What actually happens is that we defer to the spouse who has the greatest knowledge of an issue. We are also extremely open with each other. As a part of forming our clan we chose to share our memories in all their gory detail. While some of those memories were a bit painful to recall, we felt much closer to each other after sharing them. Out of that sharing we’ve been able to assist each other in dealing with any lingering aspects of the nastier memories. Now we believe that our unfettered sharing has brought us together as a single entity with each of us providing one facet of that entity.”
“So you are saying that no one is dominant?”
“Yes,” responded Erin. “Remember that we are telepathic, which is key to being able to fully share the details of our memories, and in doing that we have a much better understanding of each other. Being able to open yourself completely to another requires a great deal of trust. It isn’t likely to be something you can do all at once, and it is probably better to do it a little at a time so you can take turns. There are likely some memories that will be difficult to share and they are likely the most important ones to share. While they may be shocking initially, your link provides you with a view of the events from the perspective of the person who experienced them. Thus, in a way, these become shared experiences and will draw you closer together. However, these shared memories are simply that. We understand that if for some reason the clan doesn’t form, the shared memories vanish so only the owner of a memory can still see it. As you’ve likely concluded, we’ve not experienced the last. We learnt that aspect of clan formation from our library, once we figured out where to look. However, memories shared as a clan reside with each member and are never lost to its members.
“Once you’ve shared your memories, there is a change in the telepathic link you have with your spouses. It becomes very open, but you still retain your individuality. We characterize it as being different facets of the whole. Your link with your spouses broadens your knowledge.”
“Okay. That needs some thought.”
“A lot of thought,” interrupted Anita.
Kim laughed then inquired, “Can a clan change in size?”
“Yes, they can,” replied Aoife and Maeve.
Sarah added, “It wasn’t until after we became Órarduine that we became a clan of eight, and at that time we didn’t call it a clan. Before that Sally, Rusty, and I had a relationship that is similar to what we have now. We think our group relationship as Órarduine formed as quickly as it did due to the close relationship we already had. From there it just sort of grew, with each new addition feeling right almost from the first time we met. The relationship we have now is so much more than any of us expected.
“Once clan members are bonded with each other it is very unusual for anyone to leave the clan, well except due to death. When it does occur the emotional issues are rather complex, and all those left often need professional assistance to resolve them.”
“Thank you.”
“There isn’t a magic combination for clan members. So the composition can include multiple genders and multiple species including logical bipeds.”
“Logical bipeds?” questioned Anita. “What are those?”
“When the Órarduine Family formed in Sol it consisted of three species. The biological bipeds were humans from Earth and the Connemara who arrived on Dóchas, and there were also the self-aware logical bipeds, who are often referred to as bots. The logical biped family members are very similar in appearance to us. The inclusion of logical bipeds as full members appears to be unique to our Family. Since we left Sol System other species have joined our Family, thus some clans have members from multiple species.”
“How do we know who these bots are?” inquired Matt.
“Why? Besides we have quite a variety of bots here.”
“Ah...”
“Remember, a self-aware logical biped fulfills the same function in our Family as the biological units do. They aren’t much different from the biological members and often provide a different perspective on issues. As a Family this has helped us solve issues, and many times it has yielded better solutions. There are small differences in characteristics that you may notice if you interact with them closely. As a part of forming a clan, you will know.”
“I never thought that what occurs in fiction stories could occur in real life.”
“Why not? Earth science fiction stories predicted a lot of technology. For what it is worth, a little less than half our Family are logical bipeds. Our Family sees the relationship between the two types of entities as being symbiotic, in that by supporting and working together we can achieve more. While it is not a secret, not much is said about this aspect as it is just who we are.”
“I assure you that it does not bother me. I think I was surprised as I never considered it as a possibility.”
“Any more questions?”
Anita looked at the others then said, “I don’t think so, but I am sure that by the time we get back to our accommodations some will likely come to mind.”
“We will be happy to try and answer them. Actually, many of those who have been with us for some time can assist you with finding the answers as well. Remember there is also the library, and the AI is amazing with her search results.”
Kim said, “Thank you again for your time. We have a lot to think about now as well as how we want to contribute.”
“Thank you,” said the others as they prepared to leave.
Sarah’s Clan said, “We are pleased that you took the chance and decided to join us.”
“We are glad we came!” they exclaimed.
After they had left Moya commented, “I don’t see all of them forming a clan, well ... maybe a few will.”
“Don’t be so hasty,” chided Judy. “Wait for a month or so before making that assessment. Moving here is a gigantic cultural change and theirs occurred in a very short time while ours was more gradual. It often takes people more than a year living in a new location before it feels like home, even without a cultural change. Seeing as they spent some time at An Clochán, it probably won’t take them that long. However, it really depends on them and how well they complement each other.”
“Really?”
“Even though the environment they left was very difficult to survive in, it was still home. It takes time for a change in environment to become comfortable.”
“Are we ready to return to Dóchas?” inquired Alena.
“Yes,” responded several.
Tara added, “It has been a long day. I think our meeting with the new arrivals from An Clochán went well.”
“I agree,” sighed Aoife. “I hope our meeting with the Coschenz goes as well.”
Several days later Wilma of Ann’s Clan said, “Councilors, I have been reviewing the notes from when the Iridien’s were here and I believe there is an error in them.”
“That is always a possibility,” replied Amy. “What is it?”
“The amount of cereal grain the Iridien’s are sending us. The notes indicate 60,000 MT. Typically an M in that position indicates a thousand, but it could also mean metric tonnes. Me thinks it is the later. Also Dizantos’s comments are a better fit for it being 6,000 metric tonnes, otherwise it is close to a 10 year supply for our current population.”
“Well, the storage we are building is consistent with 6,000 metric tonnes. We’ll have someone review the recordings.”
“Sarah, is there a way to contact Dizantos?” queried Amy.
“We have contact information for him. Why?”
“Remember the grain he said they would be sending us?” responded Amy.
“Yes.”
“Well Wilma has found what looks like an error in the quantity. Our notes indicate 60,000 MT. So is the ‘M’ an abbreviation for a thousand or metric.”
“Considering how it was stated I would say metric.”
“Good. She also thinks it should be 6,000 rather than 60,000 as by her calculations the latter is a ten year supply.”
“Well since this was supposed to be on the quiet, we should contact Orgaine and Egulle and indicate that we have a question for Dizantos. We should also indicate that it is likely a sensitive issue from their perspective.”
“Good, ‘cause if the quantity is correct we are going to need to shift many of our resources to building a lot more storage.”
“That much.”
“Oh, yes. On top of that we aren’t sure if the last two-thirds would be edible.”
“Well we will all be together this afternoon, why don’t we reach out then as it is the quickest way to raise the question.”
“Fine.”
“Wilma, thanks for catching this.”
“I certainly hope it is a transcription error. I would hate to see that much go to waste.”
“You are not alone in feeling that way.”
Amy added, “Wilma, we will let you know what we find out.”
“Okay.”
Several days later as the Councilors were gathering at their office in preparation for meeting the Coschenz visitors Amy said, “Sarah, we received clarification on the grain.”
“Was it good news?”
“Yes, we think so. A ship is to arrive around the 14th of Secmonth with 3,000 metric tonnes. A second ship will arrive approximately four months later with another 3,000. There is a possibility of a third shipment but that has yet to be confirmed.”
“Have you shared that with Wilma?”
“Yes. I also thanked her again for raising the question.”
“Good.”
“How do you think our meeting with the Coschenz will go?”
“Well, better than the Elders think it will. We think their difficulty is that they’ve never experienced open discussions like ours. It will be interesting to see how everyone else responds.”
Chuckling Amy responded, “Is it my imagination or do they seem to be a little uncomfortable with their role?”
“Well even though they’ve had the title the other Elders never let them fully fill the role. Based on what we’ve heard, we think quite a few are surprised by how they are filling the role.”
“You mean because they are seeking input and suggestions,” chuckled Siobhan who had joined them.
“Yes. We’ve heard a few question whether they knew what they were doing.”
“What was the response?”
“Generally, the view-point wasn’t supported, along with a comment about now having their perspective appreciated.”
“We need to move over there.”
Sarah, Amy, Siobhan, Maureen, Keriann, Kathryn, Molly, and Jackie advised their spouses that they were leaving and then transferred near the amphitheater together. They then approached the stage to join the Coschenz Elders who were watching their people arrive.
It wasn’t long before Victurcz said, “It looks like nearly everyone has arrived.”
Utezc added, “And it will be that way until we start as there are a few who intend to arrive late, with the intent of causing a disturbance.”
With a smile Sally said, “Well if you want we can close the entrances.”
“So you want to poke the bears,” gasped Wurzick.
“Well only a little. You could note their tardiness.”
Kelly added, “I don’t think you should ignore it.”
“Good point,” responded Victurcz, turning to the other Elders she added, “Shall we?” She turned and walked out onto the stage without waiting for a reply.
The Elders stood together facing the audience and waited until they had their attention, they then said, “Good morning. In a few moments, you will be introduced to Ananu’s Councilors. Once that has been completed they will review what has been learnt with regard to how we came to be here. Following this there will be a question and answer session. So that everyone who has a question is recognized, please use your communicator to indicate that you have a question to ask. This is done by pressing the raised hand icon. When you are next it will vibrate and the screen will flash. Please wait until the person ahead of you has finished. Prior to asking your question please state your name.”
At that point several dozen Coschenz entered noisily then insisted on sitting in certain seats, forcing others to move. The Elders paused until the late arrivals were seated. “Well it appears that we must have started early, since the recent arrivals would never arrive late to a function that is as important as this one,” said Victurcz and Utezc in unison. “We shall begin again, so that everyone knows today’s agenda and procedures.”
After repeating their earlier comments the Elders introduced the Councilors standing near them. The Councilors then took turns introducing their spouses. Each time a name was spoken the person being introduced appeared on stage next to them. Initially their sudden appearance resulted in many gasps from the audience. By the time the introductions were complete the Councilors were certain that the showmanship was worth the effort, although they could sense the negative emotions from the late arrivals.
Once the introductions were complete the Councilors said in unison, “Welcome to Tara Ardchlár. It is located on Gaillimh Isle of Planet Ananu in Celia System. We know this wasn’t your intended destination; however, we hope you enjoy your stay here while you consider your future.”
Sarah, Siobhan, and Kelly continued with, “We asked your Elders to arrange this meeting so we could review how we found you and the subsequent events. Since your arrival we’ve made multiple inquiries regarding how you ended up where we found you, and why pirates were waiting for your arrival. We know that you’ve heard some of this, but we are not sure that all of you have heard all of it. Based on questions we’ve been asked we believe that at least some of what you heard was not factually correct. We think it is important for you to know all that we have learnt. Now before going further, let us be clear, it will be your decision as to where you go next and what your future is.
Cathalina
- 08.02.2023
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