In The Beginning by Gail Daley (top 100 books of all time checklist .TXT) 📕

"Don’t make a campaign speech for Heaven’s sake!" Genevieve protested. "I agree we have to do something, and this sounds like a practicable solution, providing the issues I see can be worked out."

"What issues?" Drusilla finally found her voice.

"The most important one is that we are inviting grown men to become a part of our culture. Adult males who won’t have been raised with our traditions. Issue two is these will be men who are used to fighting and may not readily accept our traditions—"

"That’s why you’ve been working on that old emigration selection program," began Corinne.

"A program! For what, pray tell? Please don’t say you’re talking about that crap the Makers use to set up marriage matches?" demanded Genevieve. Her Quirka chittered anxiously and she stroked her back, growing visibly calmer as she did so.

Katherine put two fingers in her mouth and gave a loud whistle. "Time!"

Everyone turned to look at her. "If I could be allowed to finish? As far as your first two objections go, yes, there is still a program for selecting emigrants. We haven’t used it since the first ships, but I do have a copy. The program analyzed genetic data and personality traits to weed out anyone unsuitable for our culture. We use a part of it in our Matchmaking system. Once we received the results of the bio-weapon used on us, I realized what would need to be done. I have spent the last year working on combining the two programs and I plan to offer them to any clan that wants them. Who knows Genevieve? Since I did make improvements to give more weight to personal compatibility, maybe we’ll get lucky and our dream man will be waiting for us on Fenris."

Katherine smiled reassuringly at her younger sister. "It isn’t really that much different than the match lists given out by the Makers when we turn of age you know, and we already do that during the Spring and Fall Festivals each year. The couples just won’t have met each other beforehand. I think we can sell it to our young women if we put it out to them as being romantic instead of a cold business proposition."

Genevieve pointed a finger at her sister. "All right Politician, write this up in a speech I can present to the Clan for acceptance."

Drusilla hadn’t given up. "Why would any of these ex-military types come here? And where will you find them?" Drusilla asked.

"They’ll come because we will offer them a home to come back to. We were hit with a bio weapon but our world is still intact. Many planets weren’t so fortunate. Soldiers from those planets will need to find a new home. As to where they can be found, I intend to present this plan for accepting immigrants to the base commander on Fenris. Fenris was the staging area where most of the troop ships from this area departed. I’m sure he will cooperate in presenting our proposal, because he will appreciate that he can get rid of some loose cannons by sending them home with us. You see Fenris is where they are going to turn loose most of the military units who no longer have a planet to return to. Even if the base commander is reluctant, the planetary government won’t be. Housing thousands of ex-soldiers and finding work for them if they stay on Fenris will mean a big drain on planetary resources."

"You will need money to operate. We used to do a lot of trade with Fenris," Corinne said thoughtfully. "Might be a good idea to take along some trade goods to build up capital and rebuild relations. I think I’ll go with you."

Genevieve jumped to her feet. "Go with her? Then who will sit in Parliament?"

"You are," Katherine retorted.

"You are talking at least six weeks to get there and the same to get back! Not including the time spent on the planet setting this up. I can’t be away from our lands that long."

"Sure you can. Parliament only sits three times a year. You name Drusilla as your deputy—"

"Me!" squeaked Drusilla.

"Yes, you," Katherine replied. "Genevieve will be reachable for advice by message crystal. It has to be you in Parliament Genevieve. Drusilla is too inexperienced to deal with that den of vixens."

Genevieve sat back down heavily. "Oh, God. I hate politics!"

Katherine nodded briskly. "Now here is what I propose we offer our new Handfasting partners; full clan rights, that is they can hold property for any daughters until the daughter reaches majority. If no daughter is born, they will have lifetime privileges on the property they occupy. Sons will automatically be full clan members; the women those sons marry will become holders. We will guarantee pension and dowry rights if they marry into another clan after the Handfasting period. Because we need to develop a viable population base as soon as possible, I would prefer to approach a unit from the same area; I think it will be easier to integrate them into the clan as a group. That way if there are older men in the group who don’t find a match or unit members who don’t want to be matched, they would receive the same benefits as those who do, and they would be available to supply sperm for the planetary banks. The other Clans will design their appeal as they see fit. The only thing I plan to bring up before the Parliament next week is that the program is available and that we intend to offer the Year and A Day Handfasting to these men."

"What if your matching programs works so well the couples want to change the Handfasting to the Forever and A Day?" inquired Corinne.

"Then that will be up to each couple," Katherine said firmly. "Not our business."

Drusilla took a deep breath and then asked, "Okay, but what are we going to tell them about us?"

Her sisters and aunt just looked