Prelude
Nepal, 2112
Jagati Liu sat huddled behind the banister, her small figure hidden in the shadows. She could hear her father and mother yelling once again. She wished that they would not fight so much. Her auntie had once told her that even though her parents didn't always agree that they still loved each other but sometimes it was hard to combine two cultures.
"Aakil, I've been more than generous about letting Jagati follow your traditions. But I will not make her participate in the
chhaupadi
. It's an ancient, out-dated tradition."
"Samantha, you do not understand. I cannot abide having an "unclean" woman in my house."
"I've put up with making myself absent on the days of my cycle, but I'll not have our daughter ashamed of something that's as natural as breathing. The
chhaupadi
is based on old superstition. She's only twelve years old, Aakil. She's at a sensitive age and won't understand."
"The women of my house have practiced the
chhaupadi
for generations. I'll not break that tradition now."
"Then I'll take her and leave."
"No! You won't."
"Jagati...you really shouldn't be listening to this," A warm, masculine voice whispered from the speaker next to her.
"Oh, Bas, I wish they'd quit fighting!" She leaned closer to the speaker. Even though she knew that he was just a computer program, at times she thought he was the only one that actually cared for her.
"I know, Jagati."
* * * *
Bas watched over the young girl. She was sleeping in her bed with the romance book she had stolen from her mother. He knew she was the purpose of his being. He'd been created solely to protect this child. If he were human he'd most likely fall in love with her. She was lively and always seemed to be giggling. In another part of the house, he could hear the sounds of Jagati's parents making love. He'd often found it bewildering that as intensely as they fought they made love in the same manner. Humans were difficult to understand.
