01 Taxilas Children

TAXILA'S CHILDREN
Lyot's estate seemed immense, Steve saw no boundaries. They walked in silence for about
an hour before Zayez paused at the crest of a rise. He stared back reflectively at the tiny
speck of buildings below them. Steve tried to be sociable, he addressed the sombre Danyk.
"Your father owns a large estate."
"My father owns nothing."
Zayez interposed gently.
"All property is held in common. We govern ourselves by the Power of the Gift - not by
Law. By consensus, not by force. A Thane holds his position, not because of the extent of his
lands but by reason of his excellence in the Gift. It is this that equips him to be a wise and
able ruler. No one owns land or property, but while there are descendants, there is tenure of
the land. When a man wishes to leave the community of his father's family, he seeks a place
which is untenanted by another. There, he establishes a home for himself. With the aid of the
Scarn, he creates a farm, or tills the soil for the common good. If he dies without descendants,
the land he has tended reverts to the stewardship of all and then another man can take his
place. It has been our way for countless ages."
"But what if he doesn't want to be a farmer and wants to go into one of your cities?"
Zayez contemplated the question.
"We have no cities. Once we had cities but we found them to be an error and we returned
to the land. We are going to the remains of one of them, it is where we shall spend the second
night."
Steve persisted with his question.
"But what about those who have no wish to be farmers? For instance, how do you and the
Adepts fit into your scheme of things?"
"No man is forced to be productive, Steve Holt. If he wishes to remain idle for some
reason, he will still receive the benefit of another man's toil. He will receive but not give of
his own labour. There are very few who are prepared to do this."
Steve thought bitterly, the good old moral obligation doctrine. These people were more
enslaved under their system than the poorest miner on Mars. Even in that menial position,
they had some freedom of action. Zayez had been tuned in.
"You have an interesting concept on life but I fear that you have a complete
misunderstanding of our ways. Perhaps you will never understand. The Masters and the
Adepts are not expected to contribute to the common good by our physical participation.
Ours is a special service - we care for the health of our people's minds."
Steve retaliated.
"We have priests in our society too - or used to have them - before their nonsense was
blasted to hell with them. They caused more harm to the human race with their clarion calls
in this or that cause, than all the warriors that followed them. They also used the mighty
weapon of moral obligation."
"We are not priests, young man. Maia has told you something of our concept of the
creative God. We are not divided into sects and schisms according to doctrines. Jabez is not
typical of the majority of the men of Lynxe. There are a few like him but we shall prevail
over them. Long ago, we grew out of such beliefs and grew into the mental status we now
possess. It requires much care and nurturing and that is our task among the people."
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