So ya wanna hear about the Zhos, eh? The Tavrchedl' in particular,
Ok.
Catie compares them to Judge Dread.
Well, I don't know Judge Dread, however as I understand it he's
basically Judge, Jury and Executioner. That is NOT the normal
Tavrchedl'. The usual Tavrchedl' is not some violent nut in battle
dress on a grav bike carrying a fusion gun while his faithful
sidekick merely mans a VRF gauss gun.
No. As Stewart said, the Zhodani aren't Klingons.
This is not the kind of thing that fits into the normal law
abiding, harmonious society that the Zhodani are famous for. The
Tavrchedl': the "Guardians Of Our Morality" are DOCTORS. They are
treating SICK people. Sounds boring doesn't it? Sorry. That's
another thing the Zhodani society is famous for. You see, when
society is functioning together like a harmonious whole, you don't
have people out there who would necessitate a Judge Dread.
Oh sure, every once in a while you may need some military muscle to
round up the Branch Dividian Cultists out on the planet Waco. But
that will be the exception, not the rule. The Judge Dread bit
MIGHT show up on the unabsorbed worlds in the Consulate, but I've
a feeling that the Zhodani, who are supposedly the Machiavellian
Masters of Humaniti would be much more subtle than that.
[Soap Box Warning]
Lots of people think that the evil "Thought Police" are terrible
Orwellesque oppressors who will be instantly obvious to anyone who
isn't completely blind. HA! (excuse me while I laugh heartily at
you) If the Tavrchedl' were that obvious, well, they would KNOW
they were obvious and correct it wouldn't they?
How obvious are they?
Are there perhaps Tavrchedl' in our society today? The answer is
yes. But who are they? Who are the people who seek to mold us and
shape our `Morality'? Preachers? Teachers? College Professors?
Cops? Journalists?
Consider the movement of the "Politically Correct". THIS is my
model for the Tavrchedl'. After all, are not the goals of the P.C.
people and the Tavrchedl' fairly closely in line? I would imagine
so. Discrimination and antipathy must be the crimes which the
ordinary citizens most often come in contact with the Tavrchedl'.
(Actually, I imagine the Tavrchedl' more persuasive than the PCs.
They know how to appeal to people and make their ideas sound
reasonable instead of going off the deep end, thus losing their
audience.)
Catie sites the idea of a Tavrchedl' officer trying to clear up a
problem between someone and their mother in law. :-) A good
example for humor, but I think a more typical case would be along
the lines of:
"Well, Mister Radenov, I see that you are having difficulty in your
job: you lack respect for your supervisor because she is female.
Surely, you recognize that this problem you are having has no basis
in proper thinking. I think it would be wise if you were to agree
to come along with us so that we may sort out these feelings you
are having..."
Another thought is where the Tavrchedl' get their name: "Guardians
of OUR Morality". That's *Zhodani* morality. Acute difference
there. Remember, the Zhodani, being mind readers will know all
about the human (and readable alien) psychology. They will *know*
which thoughts and feelings are "natural". Because of this, the
`Morality' of the Zhodani will be Quite different from what the
"Honorable" Senator Jesse Helms considers `Morality'. I think the
Consulate would take extreme views on what the `Moral Majority'
calls itself.
Now, there are quite a few sexual and societal practices which
mainstream culture defines as deviant. Undoubtedly, the Zhos will
have some very different opinions as to what defines `deviant'.
Especially when they have known the human psyche intimately for the
past 9000 years. There are a great number of fantasies the human
mind entertains, but does not act upon because of societal
pressures. When it is a known fact that everyone (or a large
percentage thereof) has such fantasies, the Consulate will define
said thing as `normal'.
For instance, there is a much quoted (albeit highly debated)
estimate on the percentage of homosexuals in our society (10%). If
we are to believe that this is genetic, one may expect similar
numbers in Zhodani culture. The Zhos, if they see 10% will
undoubtedly conclude that homosexuality is indeed "natural". As
such, homophobia will undoubtedly be seen as disease along side
misogyny, misanthropy, etc.
Bestiality (oops sorry) Zoophily will probably be acceptable to the
Zhodani. <Which may account for the good relations the Zhos have
with the Vargr and the Droyne. |->
(BTW, there are no anonymous mail/news servers in the Consulate :-)
All in all, the Zhodani will be a lot more in touch with their
feelings, and the id of a Consulate Citizen may be indulged a bit
more than that of an Imperial Citizen. (Making the Zhodani more
along the lines of the historical definition of an IDiot :-)
Racism may be another matter though. After all, everyone knows
that the Zhodani are the best psionics among Humaniti, (at least
the Zhodani think so) and psionic strength is obviously the way
people are judged in the Consulate.
Now, remember, when a Consulate Citizen sees signs of what THEY
consider DISEASE, they will want to help. It's rather like the
Imperial Citizen sees a person with scarlet fever. The Imperial
Citizen (if they care at all) will want to "cure" that person by
sending them to a "Doctor". Well, the Consulate Citizen has the
same view except the disease isn't fever, it's a phobia... Or free
floating anxiety... Or feelings of inadequacy... Or deep seated
aggression... Or dissatisfaction with the government... These are
DISEASES. And what is perverted about Imperial Society is that
they have *outlawed* the cure for these diseases. The only way
that Imperial Citizens may "cure" such problems is by blind
techniques like `psychotherapy' which compared to the Zhodani is
like a dug-out log, next to a jump-6 starship.
Yes, the Imperium has declared all the doctors are criminals and
all they have left are medicine men with their rattles, beads and
hollow drums.
- --
Scott 2G Kellogg
"Kellogg is just plain nuts!" -- H. Beam Piper
^Z