Mother Nature Takes a Break
CHAPTER SIX
“That was a waste of time,” Cyan remarked to Maude
after every one had left.
“Not really, Mr. Cyan.” said Maude softly.
“At least you have given them fair warning of what you
expect and what the consequences will be.”
Cyan decided to meet each of the department and
division heads individually over the next few days. He
needed a strategy that involved them all, and yet trying
to involve them all at once was going to be tricky.
“Maude, I’d like you set up an appointment schedule for
me? I want to spend an hour or two with each of the
heads starting with Eus? I want Clime to be in on these
meetings. Tell him to make himself available, please.”
Eus was loath to give Cyan her full opinion. She knew
that the new division heads were argumentative and full
of mischief. They were mere children (only a few
hundred years old) and silly bickering was the major
problem. Boredom was another. They were all too
young to be running departments, but due to heavy work
loads, children came to parents late in their marriages.
Thus when a lot of the division heads had retired at the
same time their young offspring had had to take up the
reins. She would sort out her department’s problems her
self. For now she would complain to Cyan about the
twins and buy herself some time.
“Nina and Nino are causing the troubles, Cyan,” Eus
alleged.
“Their sibling rivalry has been ignored for too long. Nino,
being the boy, thinks he has the right to ride roughshod
over Nina. As you pointed out earlier, his contract is
Maude hurried to her office and Cyan sat with his head in
ambiguous. When the two of them are on speaking
his hands.
terms every thing runs just fine.”
“Maybe I was too aggressive,” he thought.
“Attract more bees with honey,” his mother used to say,
she had a swag of cute sayings for all occasions.
“I might need to tread softly at my next meetings. Zeus
this is hard!”
Cyan nodded. He already knew this.
“The major problem is that Nino is a bully. He has
stayed to long in Australian waters. If Nino won‘t move
when he supposed to, Nina can’t take her place in the
cycle.”
“Nino knocks the effects of heating and cooling, off
balance. Poor Yelhsa (Clouds) and Atteir (rain) are the
worst affected. Nino won’t move his people and
everyone else is stuck on the coast being unable to
At four o’clock precisely, as instructed by Maude, Eus
move inland. Yes there is a drought but my people can’t
entered Cyan’s office. She walked with jerky movements help if Nina can’t get down there. They rely heavily on
as if her muscles were at war with each other. When
Nina and her cooling effect to do their jobs,” Eus took a
offered a seat, she sat gingerly on the edge. Her hair
couple of quick breaths and cont inued,
was in disarray and her eyes watery as if she had been
“Nino tries to bully the other elements and the division
crying. Her normally bright flowing gown had been
heads have trouble dealing with the results. Wehttam
replaced with a grey, shapeless shift.
(Lightning) just gives Nino a bolt and he backs off.
Cyan asked her if she was all right; then kicked himself
Enyahs (wind) blows him away. But the others...”
mentally. “Of course she was not all right.” What had he
Eus’ voiced faded as she sat heavily in the chair. She
expected the woman to say? “Oh fine. I’m great. Thank
realised she was about to start talking about weakness’
you very much for asking. You think I’m doing a terrible
within her own divisions.
job but every thing is just dandy?“
Clime arrived at the office a little before four o’clock and
took up a seat next to Cyan. Although Cyan noticed this
positioning, he said nothing.
Eus just nodded silently.
“You wanted to see me privately?” she queried.
“Yes,” Cyan spoke gently.
The woman looked fragile, as if her world was about to
collapse. Well may be it was!
“Eus you are an elder of the departments. What’s gone
wrong?”
“Ellechim (thunder) doesn’t have a problem with either of
the twins. No one has the courage to intimidate her.”
Eus smiled at the thought of anyone having the pluck to
threaten Ellechim. Her temper was legendary through
out Naturalis.
Cyan sat stroking his chin. He seemed to be in a trance.
Clime and Eus sat patiently waiting for him to speak.
When he finally did, both were shocked at his naivety.
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