A Meeting At Corvallis

which gave a route across the Willamette that wasn't controlled by Corvallis.
"Ah … my lord … you do understand that there are plenty of people in Corvallis who feel that
having, ah, buffers between us is a good idea. Particularly people on the Agriculture and Engineering
Faculties."
"But of course," Arminger said.
That translated as the farmers and the craftsmen, more or less. Oregon State University had been
the core that organized survival in the little city, and its Faculty Senate still governed the place—as much
as anyone did. Everyone there affiliated with the Faculty closest to their daily occupation, though the
town had gone to great lengths to keep the teaching functions active as well.
"Still," the lord of Portland went on, "I'm sure you can see that disunity—and especially the anarchy
that bandit gangs like the Bearkillers and the so-called Clan Mackenzie spread—are bad for everyone.
We're all Americans, after all! The Association has been the main core of survival and order on the West
Coast—the only large one between Baja and Alaska. Its expansion throughout the central and southern
Willamette could only benefit everyone, and then it would soon include the Bend country as well."
He smiled slightly at their hunted expressions; that was more than they'd bargained for. And while
they were influential in Corvallis, they didn't rule it. A rumor that they'd sold the city out to him would be
disastrous for their reputations.
His wife took up the tale: "But of course the Association is a decentralized organization. We've
incorporated a number of independent communities through agreements with their own leadership."
Which translates as made deals with and gave titles to local warlords and strongmen, my love,
Arminger thought.
She went on: "We realize that Corvallis has developed its own system, and a very successful one too.
We don't want to incorporate the city directly, or even the lands it holds beyond the city walls."
"You don't?" Kowalski blurted in surprise. Turner glared at her and made a placating gesture to his
hosts.
"Not directly," the Grand Constable said. "No fiefs, no castles, no bond-tenants. Besides, frankly,
your militia is too well equipped and too numerous for us to be comfortable about fighting it head-on.
Not while the Free Cities League in the Yakima is hostile, and we have the Pendleton area to pacify."
"Plus," Arminger said, "and quite commendably, you in Corvallis came through the bad years with
much less damage than most areas. That means, however, that, ummm, the old habits of mind are still
entrenched in your city's territories. It would be difficult to introduce new ones as we did up here during
the chaos."
He made a spare gesture with one long-fingered hand. "As you know, I've drawn a good many
precedents from my pre-Change studies in medieval European history; they suit our times, and they've
generally worked well. Let me explain another medieval idea, the concept of the autonomous,
self-governing chartered free city, that was a way of accommodating urban life within a rural world.
You'd have a, as it were, constitution, guaranteed by the Association, confirming your autonomy and
your own laws, but—"
When the Corvallans had left, Renfrew poured himself more of the brandy. The three of them lifted
glasses in salute.
"Do you think they'll buy it?" the commander of Portland's armies said.
"Why not, Conrad?" Sandra replied, nibbling a flaky pastry centered on hazelnuts and honey and
sweetened cream. "We actually mean it, for a wonder, this once."
"More or less," Arminger said. "More or less."
A maid came in to clear the table; she smiled at their laughter, glad to find the overlords in so merry a
mood.
Larsdalen, Willamette Valley, Oregon
December 12th, 2007/Change Year 9
"Hold them!" Michael Havel shouted. "Hold them!"