James's Descent Ch. 08

James would limp for another week, but every day he was a bit sturdier. By the third day, he could walk without assistance, the fifth saw him only unable to run... and he was certain it was done when he woke up with no impediment but the usual laziness. He stood, naked as can be, strutting over to that hot plate to brew the only thing it was used for... coffee. If there was anything he could prepare right, it was that brew, and even the local cooks had to agree there was something he did that made it GOOD. Where did they get coffee? He made it. Just summoned it out of thin air. While he was not doing that for everything, small things here and there were no problems as requests. As long as someone did not ask for something daily or get too conceited. Yes, he can understand wanting some better food to brighten the mood, but not discarding their usual production.

First, he'd make his mug, then he'd make Pam's... the girl was much more tired than him so he did not mind doing this service. Relationships were all about support. Carefully measure out the water from the jug, and measure out the coffee and sugar... which he also made himself. They could see the first harvest in a couple of months... until then, he had more and more requests. The man tried to not get them too used to it.

He watched the kettle boil, then as it started bubbling he'd get to filtering the contents, into the mug that he already poured milk in... that was not his make, nor was it human milk. A few wild cows were wrangled... something about those genetic changes made before had turned these animals incapable of changing. A stray thought went about maybe seeing what Phoebe was up to... by the man's reckoning, she had one of the farms at the edge of town, with a couple of animals around as well. Yeah, maybe he should visit.

His mug was done, Pam's mug was done... he'd leave that one on the table to tempt her awake with its smell. With his mug in hand, he went out the door to have the sun blast his eyes with its unyielding shine. The Outsider felt like an old man, slipping out to sit on the bench on his porch, the mug placed on that small table right beside the ashtray and smokes, looking upon the world as he engaged in this daily routine. No more worries. All the worries he had before were gone. And not just because he could vaporize people with a thought or make anything he ever wanted... it was the people. They were decent, helpful... friendly. He didn't even lock his door. Not that anyone would break into HIS house, but that applied to everyone. For now, there was no instance of someone fucking about. Maybe that would happen in the future, but it was nice to live in a place that just... had people you could trust.

It was still warm enough for him to sit out here in the buff, and no one would mind. He'd see others passing by, waving to the man and him answering with that curt nod. He went through a cigarette while watching the view. It was not much, lacking a hundred things that modern society had back in his world. But it also lacked its problems, its almost unremovable stains that had planted themselves so firmly and were providing vital services that you just could not demolish them. No such worries here. Yes, there were new ones... they'd have to slowly work to build a society, with laws and organization and such. But maybe they could do it better. He was not absolute on that statement... people make mistakes. He made mistakes. The important part was to question those mistakes and learn, not bow your head and say all is fine.

Yep, he could live his life like this. Maybe his skillset was not as useful in this situation... even less useful since not only did they not have computers, the internet, or businesses yet.... They did not have the reporting software that he could work magic in. But to give minor praise to his dad, the man might be capable of some feats of more manual labor... or see if his mind could be of use in some other way. But he was not fucking leading these people. Leading implied all of those details you have to handle, all the laws and disputes and all that responsibility... advise, maybe... but lead... NOPE.

The door to his right opened, out coming a naked figure he still did not get tired of seeing. Pami was awake and no longer rushed to have this morning ritual with him. Chatting over coffee and smokes. Often naked.

"You know, when it's gonna get colder, we might need to do this inside... or see if we can have some heater. There were these mushroom-like things that could heat its immediate surroundings outside through design."

She would not ask for him to solve that. Nope, it was up to them. Inside, for now. Right, she forgot stoves. That was something to put in next. At least all the houses were done. The girl sat right beside him to sip from the mug before reaching for her pack.

"I'll see about that. Oh, we're having a meeting of the heads later today. They want you there."

"It would be polite to tell me a couple days in advance. I wanted to go visit Phoebe. Do I have to go? I'm not a head of family."

"Yes. They just want your opinion on how to go on. It's gonna be just an hour." Beat. "Or two."

"Alright, but this better not be some intervention to force me into leading you guys or something. Not doing it."

"We know. Come on, no need to keep saying it."

"Just making sure. Sometimes people don't listen." A sigh. "Still too used to the old world."

"You think we could have done something to solve what's going on in your world?"

"I don't want to think about it. But... MAYBE. It would take a lot of effort. The problem is that there's no big serpent of evil that you cut the head off and all is well. The problems are inherent in the system. The incentives, the laws, cultures, religions. We'd face more opposition from the people we're trying to save than the ones we want to get out of the way."

"It's sad, you know..." He knew. "How they got to the point where they'd hold on to still living like that. How do you get that way of thinking?"

"Fear. People are afraid of change, afraid of what it would mean, what it would do to them. Who might come and ruin things anew. The sheep stays in the pen not because it can't jump the fence, but because it's a harder world out there, even if it will die sooner in it."

"Deep. You should write books." She was only slightly sassing him.

"We are missing a lot of stuff from before. And maybe I will... someday. Don't think I'd be too good. I failed literature twice."

"And our carpenter called my work a waste of firewood. So, maybe people can be wrong."

"You know, if it's another thing I like about you is that you entertain these talks. I know that you miss the point half of the time."

"Well, I try... And I get the point more often than you think. Just think that you want to have someone listen, even if they don't get things."

His second cigarette was put out. The last sip of coffee was had. Pam barely got halfway through. The man drank coffee like it was juice. No wonder he could tolerate that strong stuff.

"True. Okay, think we can run over what that meeting will be about? Prep some answers and such. Or I might extend it with thinking."

"I know what I might put forward, but... relax. I talked to a few of the guys. They aren't expecting perfection from you. Just an opinion. Even if it's wrong or that you don't know."

James did not feel proud of having his job just to give opinions. But he could not deny that he had in him a decent collection of knowledge... on what happens if you do this, that, and how to avoid many of the pitfalls of society.

He still was not looking forward to a meeting.

*

The great hall would have to do as a meeting place for now, though it was not the best. What rules they had of organizations told of a community needing a head of family and a caretaker... a more "physical" leader and a spiritual guide. All the other settlements have done exactly as such, finding one among their number to organize their interests and another to see to more spiritual needs. Only one caretaker was here... and that was Anna, as she would try and act as a sort of moderator for the discussion. The only other odd entity was James... but he was the one they sought the wisdom of.

"Okay, the first thing I see is that you guys need to appoint a leader for all the heads."

One thousand people means twenty groups of fifty which meant that the room had twenty-two people in it. Everyone was feeling a bit intimidated, aware of the scope of it.

"So, a head of... heads?"

"Let's find some other name for it. Me, I'd just call it a second-level head, keep going until we cover everyone. Mayor, Region chief, we decide on that AFTER. And no, I'm not gonna pick for you. And don't just go for Pam automatically because she's with me. That doesn't make her better at the job."

His wife-to-be might find that dejecting, but it was not a statement of incompetence, just a declaration that her other choices did not automatically make her so. And neither did she want the role because it might mean LESS time to be with him and do the stuff she liked.

It was clear that they already had no idea who it should be. The first relevant question came from a woman leading one of the further away settlements.

"What does this new leader need to exactly do? And what would be a good quality? I know we are the ones to think most of our own places, but..."

"Right, you fear that they're gonna be the guy to put their place first through veto decision and such. Okay, maybe I should outline your job in full. You know what, I should do that because up until now, the Head of family was supposed to just be an absolute leader of the faction but I don't believe in one fucker knowing best for everyone. So..."

James gave a clap to focus. They were sitting at a rather long table, the man and his mother at one end of the table, with Pam to his immediate right and all the rest of the leaders stretching out at both sides of the long surface. It was not too official, as they had some snacks and drinks to keep them going... courtesy of him because some of these could not be made yet, but some have brought their own.

Here he goes to set how these people would organize. The man tried to recall the many lessons he knew about civilization and people organizing. He'd fully admit to not being an expert.

"Now, despite what ideas other societies by now have thought, you have to remember that crucial thing that you're supposed to REPRESENT the people. That doesn't mean that you have that group behind you to give power, but that you have their wants in you. What you're doing here is just bringing to the table what a cumulated thousand people want but without all of them talking at once or we'll never get anywhere. So, step one... you gotta know what your group wants. Everyone here did that or did you just DECIDE on your own?"

A few heads turned around in discomfort... including Pam. The Outsider did not fault them because there was no way they could follow a direction before he gave them.

"Alright, now you know what to do. You have just fifty people each. If you talk with ten a day, you'll be done in less than a week. Yes, you are part of them so your opinion also matters, but just as much as theirs. Don't think you know better. There's this term of leaders being out of touch with what the people actually want. Don't do that. But, I guess we're here to set the guidelines on how to work."

"Yes... we were hoping to get direction." One braver than most answered.

"Good. Now, remember... don't take everything I say as absolute. I'm just a dude. Question, debate... bring up facts. I can be wrong and if you don't question me I WILL be wrong. Anyone here unclear on any parts so far? Objections, issues, strong feelings?"

"What if our people want things that are... opposite? Like one wants something that's not in line with another?"

"That's your job to decide BETWEEN those. Maybe it's one, maybe it's some compromise, maybe it's none because you have other desires that invalidate both and have more weight. Yes, you do have the people's weight behind you, but only when you bring their desires forth. You're never as strong as when you have the ACTUAL voice of others behind you. Not just because you ordered it, but because they wanted it themselves."

It was starting to make sense. A filter, a sorting system of where everyone wanted to go, unified by a person to take it a step above and see which will be a grander direction. If half of a community wanted more farms, make more farms, if enough communities wanted a road, get a road going through work between them. They were just a means to ease cooperation between multiple people. And so, it made sense why they might need a higher-level leader... one to take their filtered conclusions and filter them some more. The head of family was the voice of that community, but that power came only if they sent it further and did not just use the position to employ theirs with more power.

"Also, don't think this will be some ordered term system where if they voted for you now, you're in for ten years or such. You're in until the people don't want you there. If you don't represent their voices, you're bloody useless. But if they still don't get what they want on the higher level, show what's against you. I'll be honest... you can do this job automatically because it's just a relay. They don't like it... well, you decide what to do with that."

"It kinda sounds like a big job to be both the one to represent one community and several." Pam said that with not much thought, but there was thought.

"Yeah, it kinda does. Okay, that's up to you if you want to do the hotseat, but maybe keep to just one position. If one of you guys gets promoted, maybe you want to leave another head of family in place. Maybe. Up to you. If you can really manage both at the same time, then by all means."

The response filled them with confidence because just like that the Outsider switched his position. He was unyielding on matters until you brought facts, and then he accepted reality. Not a tyrant. Anna knew it for a while, but it was nice to see that it held.

"Do... caretakers have to organize like this?" Another asked that question.

"Well, do they need to? Caretakers just concern themselves with the small picture and everything above is someone else's business. Only reason is if they want some ranking just for the sake of ranking. Nah."

He spoke facts. And it truly made sense. No need for the caretakers to even care what the other communities were doing. Whatever "ranking" they decide if they might come together might come from some other factors, but this was not an "approved" organization.

Slowly, they tackled the issues of organization. This would be both religion and administration. The community was the basic brick of civilization, made of a group of people working together. For now, it would be settlements, but later it might form around other subjects... military, business, academia, or just people who are somewhere at the same time for an extended period. The way of True Family said that all must have communities, but that was more of a suggestion than an obligation. Lone wolves were free to exist, communities may go forward without being part of the "hierarchy" and many such other cases. The one that was chosen as the "Mayor" to unify these many communities was a lad named Marcus with some military experience. He called it no different to a military structure. But it was in reverse... the general obeyed those beneath them, and they did what he said only because it represented their desires combined. He could internally track favors... which had its desires unmet and which did, not just serve the majority, but try to strike a balance.

James did not much care that they were hanging on his words, but he just gave them what he knew, making it clear that it was their choice how to do it. He'd only get upset if they fucked up society again and went along the other routes of organization... the ones that usually led to the people being tools for the guys claiming power to use. But they listened because he had good points and most could agree that the old systems were no use. Pick between two dudes who claim they will do this or that, but neither is your preference? Too bad, someone else picked for you, and now you're stuck with the guy for a term and they did something else. That threat of questioning or immediate removal, if they did not represent interests, was going to keep any politician on edge. A cleaner political system.

But then came another agenda. One that had much more to do with him... and where the heads did their job of gathering some demands.

"So, as we understand, you can... declare things... like, big changes. Could we make requests of those declarations?"

"You can make requests indeed, but if I follow through is my own judgment to make. But, bring a good idea and maybe I was thinking it already and just didn't want to decide it for you guys. But don't just come begging for resources." Beat. "Unless it's really bad and you can't do anything. THEN I will do it, but I'm not giving you all the finest food because you can't make it yet. Well, maybe a sample here and there. So, what do you want? Tell me one has to do with the children. I think it's weird that they grow up in THREE years."

"In fact, yes... there were many discussions on that subject. While we understand how easy it makes the process, many think that it lessens the time one has with children. Could you... restore it to normal? Well, as normal as it was outside the lost worlds."

"Let it be so. I declare that from now on, unless you guys do something about it... or we're dealing with some other external factors, people will grow at the normal time." Beat. "I'm not retroactively de-aging people, though. I don't even know how."

"No need. Uh... I understand you made a declaration for there to be no more insects? While I do remember how unpleasant they are, there are many concerns that they have affected the environment. And people miss their honey."

"Yes, I did... and insects SUCK. Okay, maybe not all of them, but like ninety-nine point nine nine per-fucking-cent. The flies, the mosquitoes, the stinkbugs, the moths, the wasps... ESPECIALLY THE WASPS... okay, bees are kinda cool in some situations. And I guess butterflies are okay... and fireflies. Oh, and mantises can be cool. But for every bug I can tolerate there are a hundred I am glad they are gone. Denied. Mostly. You can get the bees back, but plants don't depend on them."

"But... this is what the people want."

"HOW many people? And did they say they want all of them or just bees? Okay, and maybe butterflies. I bet it was butterflies."

A double-check of the list showed that the majority was only concerned with those two. Eventually, James might allow all of them back... or they would slip past his declaration through technicalities. For now, they could have their bee vomit again. Next request.

"We have a few requests that the... um... waste no longer be consumable as it may have unpleasant implications."

"DENIED!"

That wasn't James, that was Pam. She had a moment of embarrassment before the man snorted and relaxed her.

"I agree with her. And I've got FACTS. Other than the people who enjoy playing with it, you have less worry about disease spreading around since the biggest issue was human waste and the only way settlements could grow beyond a size was to develop decent waste disposal. Who the fuck even asked for that? I don't want names to hunt down, just to call them stupid."

"Several doctors. They claimed that it might weaken the body's defenses if something DOES spread through waste."

"Hrrrrrm. Still denied, but I so declare that this will never happen. Eating the poopy will not get you diseases. But don't think me unyielding on the matter. Maybe one day that will go away, but I want much better reasons. I want you to show me where it's holding us back... and promise that you'll bring back the poop eating through some other means. Come on, it is fun."