Down the Road Uncharted The Path of a Leader, Ali Aujali

Among the most complicated tasks, diplomatic mission is the most demanding and the most complicated, since it presupposes not only the interaction of different cultures with completely different pictures of the world, but also the solution of the conflicts which arise as a result of the above-mentioned discrepancies.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Down the Road Uncharted: The Path of a Leader, Ali Aujali specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, with the help of an appropriate leadership style or a successfully developed combination of the ones, sufficient results can be obtained. Analyzing the leadership strategies used by Ali Aujali one of the most prominent Asian diplomats, one can possibly understand the way in which leadership theories can be put into practice. Tracing the peculiarities of the ambassador’s policy, one can see evidently that Ali obviously uses the path-goal theory, since he convi nces people that the cooperation between Libya and the United States is bound to prove efficient. As Northouse (2009) stresses, A second positive feature of path-goal theory is that it attempts to integrate the motivation principles of expectancy theory into a theory of leadership. This makes path-goal theory unique because no other leadership approach deals directly with motivation in this way. (p. 133) Hence, it is clear that the theory chosen by Ali combines at least two approaches, which doubles the efficiency of the strategy. It can also be claimed that Ali Aujali has been using consistently the style approach, since Ali has been shaping thoroughly the image of his own self as well as the entire population of Libya to achieve the mutual understanding between the USA and the Middle East. According to what the leader says, â€Å"It is important to reiterate that the Libyan people stand firmly and unequivocally alongside America and the West in the fight against terrorism,† (Aujali, 2009), which means that Ali is trying to position Libya as the country searching for the U. S. government’s understanding and cooperation.Advertising Looking for term paper on diplomacy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With the help of these rather wise steps, Ali has managed to shape people’s opinion of the country and its population as friendly and willing to build strong relationships. Reminding the leader that the â€Å"impact on others occurs through the tasks they [leaders] perform as well as in the relationships they create† (Northouse, 2009, p. 78). According to Elshinnavi (2009), the ambassador was determined to cooperate with the United States of the USA as long as the latter changed their policy towards the Muslim world and make it obvious that the new USA policy is aimed at establishing highly trustful relationships with the Middle East instead of the existing ones, which were at that point rather cold and hostile. As the ambassador explained himself, Until we see this change in American policy in the Middle East, and we see that Americans have shifted from supporting one side against the other side, until we see a clear position of the administration that they will help to stop the new settlements, I think the Arab world still will not believe there is a change in the administration’s foreign policy. (Elshinnavi, 2009) Thus, it can be concluded that the strategy which the ambassador used to establish better relationships between the Middle East and the rest of the world could be described as the contingency theory, which, as Northouse (2009) explains, presupposes the ability to adapt to the current situation and react to the changes in the policy rather promptly (p. 115). However, for the most part, Ali Aujali displayed the strategy of authentic leadership, since he had to apply a number of methods which at the given point in history were completely new for Libya. For example, the idea of cooperating with the United States can be seen as rather bold move due to the enmity which exists for quite long between the United States and the Middle East. Suggesting that there can be friendly relationships between the two nations, Ali literally made a breakthrough, which meant the authentic strategy was utilized. To give the ambassador the due credit, the chosen strategy has proven quite successful and rather reasonable. Despite the fact that the authenticity strategy seems quite legit in the given circumstances, it must still be admitted, though, that the path chosen by Ali presupposes a bit of risk. As Northouse (2009) explains, â€Å"authenticity emerges from the interaction between leaders and followers† (p. 208); hence, the use of the authenticity approach was the most demanding of all, which still did not stop Aujali from using it to reach higher level of trust between the USA and Libya. Therefore, judging by the above-mentioned facts, it is the mixture of various styles of leadership that makes a perfect strategy for a politician. Basing both on the previous experience and the deductions concerning the given situation, one is likely to find the most appropriate solution for a certain complexity.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Down the Road Uncharted: The Path of a Leader, Ali Aujali specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As in the given case with Ali Aujali, the authentic strategy must be the most appropriate way to handle a certain situation, for it allows the maximum flexibility and helps to adapt any policy to the given problem, which Aujali has demonstrated in the most striking manner. Reference List Aujali, A. (2009, September 3). Why Lybia welcomed Megrahi. The Wall Street Journal. Web. Elshinnavi, M. (2009, April 24). Albright praises Obama’s efforts to engage Muslim world.  NewsVOAcom. Web. Northouse, P. G. (2009). Le adership: theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. This term paper on Down the Road Uncharted: The Path of a Leader, Ali Aujali was written and submitted by user Jerry Moore to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wurthering heights study

Wurthering heights study WUTHERING HEIGHTSEmily BrontÂÆ' «, 18471)The story takes place in the early XIXth century. There are two characters in this extract : Mr Lockwood and Catherine Linton. Mr Lockwood is the first narrator of this novel, he was one of Mr Heathcliff's tenants. At the beginning of the story , there were three characters : Heathcliff, a foundling, his sister Catherine and his brother Hindley. Catherine fell in love with Heathcliff, but was married with Edgar Linton. So, the second character we meet here is Catherine Linton, Edgar Linton's daughter. This extract belongs to the end of the novel. Catherine comes back to the farm Wuthering Heights, she tries to get in the house trough the window. Mr Lockwood, which had read Catherine's diary, does not recognize her.2)In this text, Mr Lockwood is in his bed room at Wuthering Heights, he is alone and he had to stay in the farm because of the snow.English: Emily Brontà «'s novel Wutherng Heights ca...He is disturbed by the gusty wind and the i ncessant move of the fir-bough. So he tries to stop this teasing noise, opening the window and seizing the branch. When his fingers grabbed the branch, another cold hand caught his. Then the context makes the text become an ambiguous experience and we can say that this extract is set between sanity and madness to some extents.First of all, we will see that this text relates an ambiguous experience. The atmosphere is gloomy : Mr Lockwood is alone in an isolated farm, everithing is dark around him and there are many teasing noises. So we can say that the atmosphere is quite nightmarish. Mr Lockwood had found Catherine Linton's diary, and he had read it. So he knows the passion between Catherine Linton and Mr Heathcliff, the owner of Wuthering Heights. The first contact between Catherine and Mr Lockwood in this text is physical : Catherine catches Mr Lockwood's hand by surprise, in the dark. So Mr Lockwood does not see her, and when she says that she is Catherine Linton, he does not be lieve her because he had never seen her. We see that Mr Lockwood is shocked ; the situation is ambiguous for him because he meets in a very unusual way the person who had written the diary he had just read.But for the reader, the situation is not ambiguous because we know who is Catherine Linton. We know that the scene is a combination of cicumstances ; Catherine wanted to come back to Wuthering Heights, she just wanted to get in the house. The combination of circumstances makes that Mr Lockwood, trying to catch the branch, had been surprised by Catherine. But she has no intention of surprising Mr Lockwood. So, we could say that the gloomy atmosphere leads Mr Lockwood to confused feelings, between sanity and madness.The text could be set between sanity and madness for different reasons with regard to the two charcters present in this scene : Mr Lockwood and Catherine Linton. Both charcters can be indeed considered as mad but in the same time, they show sanity in their actions and re actions. Catherine Linton came back to Wuthering Heights because she wanted to find her origins in this place where her mother lived and above all because she had an affair with the owner of the farm : Heathcliff. But she had never lived in this farm, so she didn't know how to get in and maybe noone could let get in. It is obvious tah the only way she had found to enter, in by the window. There is nothing really mad in this action, that is just a woman who wants to get into a farm where she could find and discover her roots.In the same way, Mr Lockwood does not show madness at all. He is in his bedroom, disturbed by the noise of a fir-bough, he opens the window and tries to stop this teasing sound. But when he puts his fingers on the branch, a hand catch them. Moreover when he tries to draw back his arm, the cold hand keeps it with force. As we have said before, the atmosphere is gloomy and oppressive, Mr Lockwood is alone in a farm which he does not know really. He inevitably surpr ised and afraid of the sudden and unexpected intrusion of this woman. So, the fact that Mr Lockwood is frightened and ends up reversing is normal, there is nothing mad about it.But, to some extents, we must admit that the two characters show madness towards the atmosphere and actions. First of all, the intrusion of Catherine Linton is very violent and sudden and as everyone knows it, thre are only thieves who try to get into a house trough the window. On the first readind, this action is really mad. The madness of this intrusion is inforced by the first mords of Catherine : ‚ « Let me in ! ‚ ». She doesn't say who she is, and why she wants to get in. This action could easily be considered as mad and almost supernatural.Besides, that is this aspect which could make Mr Lockwood go mad. The atmosphere is really supernatural and surreal : the darkness, the coldness of the fingers which keep with force his. At the firts sight, he could think that the coming of this woman sobb ing and begging to let her in is really unbelievable, he could assimilate Catherine Linton to a ghost or even a product of his imagination because he has just read her diary.3)This novel had been written in the middle of the XIXth Century. We can note that the evocation of extreme feelings an natural elements, mixed whith the presence of a nightmarish atmosphere lead us to ascertain that this novel belongs to the pre-Romantic genre. So we will try to see in what way we can find extreme feelings, the use of natural elements, imagination and the supernatural in this text.We can note some natural elements, which show us that Wuthering Heights is an isolated place. The natural elements create a gloomy atmosphere : the fir-bough is creaking in a teasing sound, the night, the snow and the gusty wind force Mr Lockwood to stay in the farm. Another typical natural element that we find in pre-Romantic novels is the moor. In fact the moor, evocated by Catherine, is isolated and not a very reas suring place, above all during the night. These natural elements create a nightmarish atmosphere, which leads Mr lockwood to express extreme feelings. We can note different feelings in this text. On the first hand, there are feelings of annoyance, and on the second hand, there are feelings of fear. The feelings of annoyance are illustrated by different terms and expressions : a ‚ « teasing sound ‚ », ‚ « annoyed me so much ‚ », ‚ « I must stop it nevertheless ! ‚ », ‚ « I muttered ‚ »... all these feelings are excessive, and maybe show that Mr Lockwood is already in a state of anxiety. In the second part of the text, the feelings of fear succeed to feelings of annoyance. We can note this feeling in the following expressions : ‚ « the intense horror of nightmare came over me ‚ » ; ‚ « struggling ‚ », ‚ « terror made me cruel ‚ », ‚ « almoste maddening me with fear ‚ », ‚ « yelled alo ud ‚ », ‚ « a frenzy of fright ‚ ». These feelings of terror are also excessive ; it creates a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere, which leads to imagination and unreal.The intrusion of Catherine Linton could make Mr Lockwood go mad and could let him believe that what he is living is a hallucination, a product of his imagination because nothing seems to be real. Maybe that the excessive feelings mentionned are caused by Mr Lockwood's imagination ; for the reader, the atmosphere is not very threatening. As in many pre-Romantic novel, the nightmarish atmosphere, symbolised by the darkness, the moor, the winter, is the source of imagination and also of fear : imagination and extreme feelings like fear are linked together.We could make a link between this novel from Emily BrontÂÆ' « and the short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, like in The Raven for example. Indeed, Poe wrote his short stories in the same period as Emily BrontÂÆ' «. In The Raven, the power of imaginati on, the supranatural and the unreal have also a great place, and we could note, as in Wuthering Heights, that the feelings expressed are often excessive.

Communications between Group Members Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communications between Group Members - Essay Example The author of the paper states that solving the problem involves taking on a leadership role, one where the group leader tries to bridge differences between group member principles. By setting a vision for the group, which is a constant reminder of the goals set for discussion, everyone can remember to stay focused and not let individual differences guide decision-making or problem-solving. It is necessary, I have found, or the group to have a solid leader with strong emotional intelligence. Actions to take include role playing, which allows a person in the group to understand the needs and emotions of others by pretending to walk in their proverbial shoes. A leader acts as the moderator for others to ensure discussion stays on topic. Another action is role modeling or setting the example for others by maintaining professionalism and using empathy to show others that they are understood and their suggestions considered. This brings group harmony.

Global Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Marketing Plan - Essay Example The present study would focus upon the international expansion plan of the UK based cosmetic firm Avea in the Indian market. The study would include an analysing of the Indian consumer market as well as a general framework for the strategic initiatives of the firm to enter the Indian market. The study would also contain a product mix that would be used by the firm in the Indian consumer market. Finally a feedback and control mechanism would also be framed that would help the firm to evaluate its strategies and generate sustainable competitive advantage in the Indian market. Introduction Globalisation has changed the dynamics of business environment as firms have expanded beyond geographical and political boundaries to reach out to new markets. The present study would focus upon the international expansion of Avea into the Indian consumer market. ... These figures also generate significance for firms like Avea as the cosmetic industry alone is being valued at 274 million US dollars. The personal cosmetic products hold the biggest potential for the entire industry with personal wash based items being valued at 989 million dollars (IBEF, n.d., p.90, 92). Target Country Profile/PEST The external environment of an organization is largely based upon the aspects of political, economic, sociological and technological factors (Wakley & Chambers, 2005, p.38). Political India is the world’s largest democracy and has been a role model for a democratic state. The nation has a stable government that is headed by the president who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and his council of ministers that are elected democratically. This makes it one of the most attractive destinations for investment for business organizations (CIA, 2011). Economic India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world registering favourable GDP grow th rates. The growth of economy also implies higher disposable income of the residents of the nation (CIA, 2011). This holds good opportunities for business organizations like Avea to expand its operations into the Indian consumer market. Sociological India is the second most populous nation of the world having a population of approximately 1,189,172,906 individuals as of 2010. A majority of this population falls within the age group of 15-64 years which is the target market for the company. The median age of the population is pegged at 25.6 years that again represents good opportunities for cosmetic marketing firms like Avea (CIA, 2011). Technological Technological aspects also hold widespread implications on the business prospects of an

Consumer Credit Scheme Essay Example for Free

Consumer Credit Scheme Essay Executive Summary Internship is an essential part of BRAC universities BBA program. As per the requirement of the BRAC University I have to perform 90 days or three months internship which will help to prove my potentiality in the practical field. I achieved the opportunity to prove the potentiality, which has given by the Prime Bank Ltd. to commence my internship in the motijheel branch from 27th January to 27th April, 2009. As per the requirement of the internship program I have to prepare a report on the Prime Bank Limited with a specific topic. I was assigned in the credit division (corporate credit and retail credit division) so I have chosen Consumer credit scheme as my Project topic. Prime Bank Limited started its journey on 171h April 1995 and now at the present time it has created a mile stone in the banking industry. From the first step to the present move the Prime Bank Limited is expanding its business. Expanding 70 branches in the country was not enough for their glory they expand their fully owned subsidiary in Singapore also. They have different products and services, some of them are unique and others are common but they always cope up with the changing situation and tough competition. Their authority is not centralizing which has a good effect because every one wants to prove their capacity and for that they have the authority which is very motivating for employees. They will prosper that can be seen from their vision which is to be the best Private Commercial Bank in Bangladesh in terms of efficiency, capital adequacy, asset quality, sound management, and profitability having strong liquidity. Besides all these positive aspects it has some difficulties in its way of success but it will overcome those within short time because in its 14th year of operation in 2009, Prime Bank has made substantial headway in terms of business growth, profitability and establishing its image as one of the leading private commercial banks. When the organization is like Prime Bank Ltd. then it is a tribute to learn the practical way of work and a great opportunity to prove potentiality. I am glad that I used the opportunity properly. In both of the division I got the chance to do the desk work and customer dealings. In corporate credit I got to know the corporate clients and the way they place the proposals for loan and how the proposals operate to get the sanction of loan and in retail credit there was chance to work in more details. In retail credit (CCS) division I got the chance to attach with each work done in that department. On the whole it was a very nice practical experience. In the internship requirement completion of a project is also included and for that I have chosen Consumer Credit Scheme of Prime Bank Ltd. With the passing time, new competitors appear with better ideas products as well as services and creating more competitive situation in the market. Consumer credit scheme is one of the new innovative ideas which cater to the credit needs of the low middle income groups. Only Prime Bank limited and other few banks operate this scheme in a large volume. Consumer credit scheme of Prime Bank Ltd provides Car Loan which includes Car, Jeep, Station Jeep, Pick up Van, Cover Van, Bus, Truck, Ambulance and any other vehicle for own use. Doctors Loan, which is for the doctors only. Any qualified person can take advance against Salary loan. Education Loan is for Study purpose only. For fulfilling the traveling purpose Travel Loan is available. Wedding loan is also available for the purpose of wedding. CNG Conversion Loan can be taken to convert into CNG. Any Purpose Loan is available for any emergency need. Hospitalization Loan is also available because this bank realizes the emergency need for hospitalization. These all loans need personal Guarantee. These loans require certain percent of equity investment and it has to be repaid by equal monthly installment. This loan has to be repaid within a specific period. Any interested person within the age of 25 to 60 and having a permanent job or having a stable business can apply for the CCS loan of Prime Bank Ltd. Under CCS program of Prime Bank Limited a borrower can get maximum of taka 40, 00,000 and minimum taka 10,000. The down payment is 10% of the loan for each product. The interest rate is 16% for the all products and Prime Bank Ltd. charges 1% service charge and 1% risk fund for all products other than for Car loan and Doctors loan. There is system of advance against salary and CNG Conversion loan. This was the brief description of present CCS of Prime Bank Ltd. This scheme provides different facilities to the customers and its has popularity among the customers but there are some negative points where management should concentrate to get more response and satisfaction from the customer. These negative points come from the dissatisfaction of the customers so it can be harmful for their way of achievement so they should give more emphasis to solve those problems. Prime Bank Ltd. should focus on decreasing interest rate which is very high from the customers point of view, and increase the loan payback period because customer think its short enough to switch the bank for services. These changes will help to get competitive advantage for sure. Financing Scheme, Personal Loan for Women etc will help them to bring unique position in the market. They can go for the package products also because in this era people love to get various facilities with in one package program. All these will increase the market share of CCS in Prime bank undoubtedly but if they can arrange more active promotional activities with it then its obvious that Prime Bank Ltd. will be the best among the banks in Consumer Credit Scheme.

Gender Relations and Inequality in India Essay -- female feticide, unf

Gender relations and inequality is experienced through lack of educational matters and unfair treatment of women and children, thus in many cases forcing women to run households, while the men are away at work in various seasonal migration jobs at unviable wages. As defined in a classic article, income inequality is â€Å"the distribution of total income amongst the represented population† (Gehring13). In outlined studies; evidence can conclude that poor gender relations in fact can be convoluted into other issues such as overpopulation, child malnourishment, low levels of GDP, and GNI. This in fact sounds to be true for what India is experiencing today. The predominant issue of gender inequality has led many down the pathway to poverty and what may be considered to many as the â€Å"Exploited Sector†. The exploited and primary sector in modern day India, which most are subject to, is facing many challenging issues such as long working hours, low wages, and no benefits which contributes to the inequality standards. The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector (NCEUS), reports that the â€Å"exploited sector† Is the very lowest earning in all countries which in fact is found more often than not in India, as many workers have trekked to the Southern region of India. The workers make under minimum wage daily contributing to the lower standards of growth and overpopulation numbers. Workers are also subject to work extremely long hours outside for next to nothing where they are, what Dejanvry may term the â€Å"Traditional Sector†. India’s temperature is accurate for it’s often at times above 100 degrees during the day and cooler at night making this a great deal of hardship. The workers at time often are subject to work extrem... ...ube, R., & Bhatnagar, R. (1999). Women without Choice: Female Infanticide and the Rhetoric of Overpopulation in Postcolonial India. Women's Studies Quarterly, 27(1), 2nd ser., 73-86. Gehring, Keith. "Economic Growth and Income Inequality in India." N.p., June 2006. Web. Jacobs, S. (2010). Structures and processes: Land, families, and gender relations. Gender and Development, 35-42. Kingdon, G. G. (2007). The progress of school education in India. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 23(2), 168-195. doi: 10.1093/oxrep/grm015 Mark R. Rosenzweig, M., & Stark, O. (1989). Consumption Smoothing, Migration, and Marriage: Evidence from Rural India. Chicago Journals, 97(4), 905-926. Raj, Anita. "Gender Equity and Universal Health Coverage in India." The Lancet 377.9766 (2011): 618-19. Print. "The World Bank." India. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 April. 2014.

The Host Chapter 25: Compelled

Another week passed, maybe two-there seemed little point in keeping track of time here, where it was so irrelevant-and things only got stranger for me. I worked with the humans every day, but not always with Jeb. Some days Ian was with me, some days Doc, and some days only Jamie. I weeded fields, kneaded bread, and scrubbed counters. I carried water, boiled onion soup, washed clothes in the far end of the black pool, and burned my hands making that acidic soap. Everyone did their part, and since I had no right to be here, I tried to work twice as hard as the others. I could not earn a place, I knew that, but I tried to make my presence as light a burden as possible. I got to know a little about the humans around me, mostly just by listening to them. I learned their names, at least. The caramel-skinned woman was named Lily, and she was from Philadelphia. She had a dry sense of humor and got along well with everyone because she never got ruffled. The young man with the bristly black hair, Wes, stared at her a lot, but she never seemed to notice that. He was only nineteen, and he'd escaped from Eureka, Montana. The sleepy-eyed mother was named Lucina, and her two boys were Isaiah and Freedom-Freedom had been born right here in the caves, delivered by Doc. I didn't see much of these three; it seemed that the mother kept her children as separate from me as was possible in this limited space. The balding, red-cheeked man was Trudy's husband; his name was Geoffrey. They were often with another older man, Heath, who had been Geoffrey's best friend since early childhood; the three had escaped the invasion together. The pallid man with the white hair was Walter. He was sick, but Doc didn't know what was wrong with him-there was no way to find out, not without labs and tests, and even if Doc could diagnose the problem, he had no medicine to treat it. As the symptoms progressed, Doc was starting to think it was a form of cancer. This pained me-to watch someone actually dying from something so easily fixed. Walter tired easily but was always cheerful. The white-blond woman-her eyes contrastingly dark-who'd brought water to the others that first day in the field was Heidi. Travis, John, Stanley, Reid, Carol, Violetta, Ruth Ann†¦ I knew all the names, at least. There were thirty-five humans in the colony, with six of them gone on the raid, Jared included. Twenty-nine humans in the caves now, and one mostly unwelcome alien. I also learned more about my neighbors. Ian and Kyle shared the cave on my hallway with the two real doors propped over the entrance. Ian had begun bunking with Wes in another corridor in protest of my presence here, but he'd moved back after just two nights. The other nearby caves had also gone vacant for a while. Jeb told me the occupants were afraid of me, which made me laugh. Were twenty-nine rattlesnakes afraid of a lone field mouse? Now Paige was back, next door, in the cave she shared with her partner, Andy, whose absence she mourned. Lily was with Heidi in the first cave, with the flowered sheets; Heath was in the second, with the duct-taped cardboard; and Trudy and Geoffrey were in the third, with a striped quilt. Reid and Violetta were one cave farther down the hall than mine, their privacy protected by a stained and threadbare oriental carpet. The fourth cave in this corridor belonged to Doc and Sharon, and the fifth to Maggie, but none of these three had returned. Doc and Sharon were partnered, and Maggie, in her rare moments of sarcastic humor, teased Sharon that it had taken the end of humanity for Sharon to find the perfect man: every mother wanted a doctor for her daughter. Sharon was not the girl I'd seen in Melanie's memories. Was it the years of living alone with the dour Maggie that had changed her into a more brightly colored version of her mother? Though her relationship with Doc was newer to this world than I was, she showed none of the softening effects of new love. I knew the duration of that relationship from Jamie-Sharon and Maggie rarely forgot when I was in a room with them, and their conversation was guarded. They were still the strongest opposition, the only people here whose ignoring me continued to feel aggressively hostile. I'd asked Jamie how Sharon and Maggie had gotten here. Had they found Jeb on their own, beaten Jared and Jamie here? He seemed to understand the real question: had Melanie's last effort to find them been entirely a waste? Jamie told me no. When Jared had showed him Melanie's last note, explained that she was gone-it took him a moment to be able to speak again after that word, and I could see in his face what this moment had done to them both-they'd gone to look for Sharon themselves. Maggie had held Jared at the point of an antique sword while he tried to explain; it had been a close thing. It had not taken long with Maggie and Jared working together for them to decipher Jeb's riddle. The four of them had gotten to the caves before I'd moved from Chicago to San Diego. When Jamie and I spoke of Melanie, it was not as difficult as it should have been. She was always a part of these conversations-soothing his pain, smoothing my awkwardness-though she had little to say. She rarely spoke to me anymore, and when she did it was muted; now and then I wasn't sure if I really heard her or just my own idea of what she might think. But she made an effort for Jamie. When I heard her, it was always with him. When she didn't speak, we both felt her there. â€Å"Why is Melanie so quiet now?† Jamie asked me late one night. For once, he wasn't grilling me about Spiders and Fire-Tasters. We were both tired-it had been a long day pulling carrots. The small of my back was in knots. â€Å"It's hard for her to talk. It takes so much more effort than it takes you and me. She doesn't have anything she wants to say that badly.† â€Å"What does she do all the time?† â€Å"She listens, I think. I guess I don't know.† â€Å"Can you hear her now?† â€Å"No.† I yawned, and he was quiet. I thought he was asleep. I drifted in that direction, too. â€Å"Do you think she'll go away? Really gone?† Jamie suddenly whispered. His voice caught on the last word. I was not a liar, and I don't think I could have lied to Jamie if I were. I tried not to think about the implications of my feelings for him. Because what did it mean if the greatest love I'd ever felt in my nine lives, the first true sense of family, of maternal instinct, was for an alien life-form? I shoved the thought away. â€Å"I don't know,† I told him. And then, because it was true, I added, â€Å"I hope not.† â€Å"Do you like her like you like me? Did you used to hate her, like she hated you?† â€Å"It's different than how I like you. And I never really hated her, not even in the beginning. I was very afraid of her, and I was angry that because of her I couldn't be like everyone else. But I've always, always admired strength, and Melanie is the strongest person I've ever known.† Jamie laughed. â€Å"You were afraid of her?† â€Å"You don't think your sister can be scary? Remember the time you went too far up the canyon, and when you came home late she threw a raging hissy fit,' according to Jared?† He chuckled at the memory. I was pleased, having distracted him from his painful question. I was eager to keep the peace with all my new companions in any way I could. I thought I was willing to do anything, no matter how backbreaking or smelly, but it turned out I was wrong. â€Å"So I was thinking,† Jeb said to me one day, maybe two weeks after everyone had â€Å"calmed down.† I was beginning to hate those words from Jeb. â€Å"Do you remember what I was saying about you maybe teaching a little here?† My answer was curt. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well, how 'bout it?† I didn't have to think it through. â€Å"No.† My refusal sent an unexpected pang of guilt through me. I'd never refused a Calling before. It felt like a selfish thing to do. Obviously, though, this was not the same. The souls would have never asked me to do something so suicidal. He frowned at me, scrunching his caterpillar eyebrows together. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"How do you think Sharon would like that?† I asked him in an even voice. It was just one example, but perhaps the most forceful. He nodded, still frowning, acknowledging my point. â€Å"It's for the greater good,† he grumbled. I snorted. â€Å"The greater good? Wouldn't that be shooting me?† â€Å"Wanda, that's shortsighted,† he said, arguing with me as if my answer had been a serious attempt at persuasion. â€Å"What we have here is a very unusual opportunity for learning. It would be wasteful to squander that.† â€Å"I really don't think anyone wants to learn from me. I don't mind talking to you or Jamie -â€Å" â€Å"Doesn't matter what they want,† Jeb insisted. â€Å"It's what's good for them. Like chocolate versus broccoli. Ought to know more about the universe-not to mention the new tenants of our planet.† â€Å"How does it help them, Jeb? Do you think I know something that could destroy the souls? Turn the tide? Jeb, it's over.† â€Å"It's not over while we're still here,† he told me, grinning so I knew he was teasing me again. â€Å"I don't expect you to turn traitor and give us some super-weapon. I just think we should know more about the world we live in.† I flinched at the word traitor. â€Å"I couldn't give you a weapon if I wanted to, Jeb. We don't have some great weakness, an Achilles' heel. No archenemies out there in space who could come to your aid, no viruses that will wipe us out and leave you standing. Sorry.† â€Å"Don't sweat it.† He made a fist and tapped it playfully against my arm. â€Å"You might be surprised, though. I told you it gets boring in here. People might want your stories more than you think.† I knew Jeb would not leave it alone. Was Jeb capable of conceding defeat? I doubted it. At mealtimes I usually sat with Jeb and Jamie, if he was not in school or busy elsewhere. Ian always sat near, though not really with us. I could not fully accept the idea of his self-appointed role as my bodyguard. It seemed too good to be true and thus, by human philosophy, clearly false. A few days after I'd refused Jeb's request to teach the humans â€Å"for their own good,† Doc came to sit by me during the evening meal. Sharon remained where she was, in the corner farthest from my usual place. She was alone today, without her mother. She didn't turn to watch Doc walking toward me. Her vivid hair was wound into a high bun, so I could see that her neck was stiff, and her shoulders were hunched, tense and unhappy. It made me want to leave at once, before Doc could say whatever he meant to say to me, so that I could not be considered in collusion with him. But Jamie was with me, and he took my hand when he saw the familiar panicked look come into my eyes. He was developing an uncanny ability to sense when I was turning skittish. I sighed and stayed where I was. It should probably have bothered me more that I was such a slave to this child's wishes. â€Å"How are things?† Doc asked in a casual voice, sliding onto the counter next to me. Ian, a few feet down from us, turned his body so it looked like he was part of the group. I shrugged. â€Å"We boiled soup today,† Jamie announced. â€Å"My eyes are still stinging.† Doc held up a pair of bright red hands. â€Å"Soap.† Jamie laughed. â€Å"You win.† Doc gave a mocking bow from the waist, then turned to me. â€Å"Wanda, I had a question for you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He let the words trail off. I raised my eyebrows. â€Å"Well, I was wondering†¦ Of all the different planets you're familiar with, which species is physically the closest to humankind?† I blinked. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Just good old-fashioned biological curiosity. I guess I've been thinking about your Healers†¦ Where do they get the knowledge to cure, rather than just treat symptoms, as you said?† Doc was speaking louder than necessary, his mild voice carrying farther than usual. Several people looked up-Trudy and Geoffrey, Lily, Walter†¦ I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, trying to take up less space. â€Å"Those are two different questions,† I murmured. Doc smiled and gestured with one hand for me to proceed. Jamie squeezed my hand. I sighed. â€Å"The Bears on the Mists Planet, probably.† â€Å"With the claw beasts?† Jamie whispered. I nodded. â€Å"How are they similar?† Doc prodded. I rolled my eyes, feeling Jeb's direction in this, but continued. â€Å"They're close to mammals in many ways. Fur, warm-blooded. Their blood isn't exactly the same as yours, but it does essentially the same job. They have similar emotions, the same need for societal interaction and creative outlets -â€Å" â€Å"Creative?† Doc leaned forward, fascinated-or feigning fascination. â€Å"How so?† I looked at Jamie. â€Å"You know. Why don't you tell Doc?† â€Å"I might get it wrong.† â€Å"You won't.† He looked at Doc, who nodded. â€Å"Well, see, they have these awesome hands.† Jamie was enthusiastic almost immediately. â€Å"Sort of double-jointed-they can curl both ways.† He flexed his own fingers, as if trying to bend them backward. â€Å"One side is soft, like my palm, but the other side is like razors! They cut the ice-ice sculpting. They make cities that are all crystal castles that never melt! It's beautiful, isn't it, Wanda?† He turned to me for backup. I nodded. â€Å"They see a different range of colors-the ice is full of rainbows. Their cities are a point of pride for them. They're always trying to make them more beautiful. I knew of one Bear who we called†¦ well, something like Glitter Weaver, but it sounds better in that language, because of the way the ice seemed to know what he wanted and shaped itself into his dreams. I met him once and saw his creations. That's one of my most beautiful memories.† â€Å"They dream?† Ian asked quietly. I smiled wryly. â€Å"Not as vividly as humans.† â€Å"How do your Healers get their knowledge about the physiology of a new species? They came to this planet prepared. I watched it start-watched the terminal patients walk out of the hospital whole†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A frown etched a V-shaped crease into Doc's narrow forehead. He hated the invaders, like everyone, but unlike the others, he also envied them. I didn't want to answer. Everyone was listening to us by this point, and this was no pretty fairytale about ice-sculpting Bears. This was the story of their defeat. Doc waited, frowning. â€Å"They†¦ they take samples,† I muttered. Ian grinned in understanding. â€Å"Alien abductions.† I ignored him. Doc pursed his lips. â€Å"Makes sense.† The silence in the room reminded me of my first time here. â€Å"Where did your kind begin?† Doc asked. â€Å"Do you remember? I mean, as a species, do you know how you evolved?† â€Å"The Origin,† I answered, nodding. â€Å"We still live there. It's where I was†¦ born.† â€Å"That's kind of special,† Jamie added. â€Å"It's rare to meet someone from the Origin, isn't it? Most souls try to stay there, right, Wanda?† He didn't wait for my response. I was beginning to regret answering his questions so thoroughly each night. â€Å"So when someone moves on, it makes them almost†¦ like a celebrity? Or like a member of a royal family.† I could feel my cheeks getting warm. â€Å"It's a cool place,† Jamie went on. â€Å"Lots of clouds, with a bunch of different-colored layers. It's the only planet where the souls can live outside of a host for very long. The hosts on the Origin planet are really pretty, too, with sort of wings and lots of tentacles and big silver eyes.† Doc was leaning forward with his face in his hands. â€Å"Do they remember how the host-parasite relationship was formed? How did the colonization begin?† Jamie looked at me, shrugging. â€Å"We were always that way,† I answered slowly, still unwilling. â€Å"As far back as we were intelligent enough to know ourselves, at least. We were discovered by another species-the Vultures, we call them here, though more for their personalities than for their looks. They were†¦ not kind. Then we discovered that we could bond with them just as we had with our original hosts. Once we controlled them, we made use of their technology. We took their planet first, and then followed them to the Dragon Planet and the Summer World-lovely places where the Vultures had also not been kind. We started colonizing; our hosts reproduced so much slower than we did, and their life spans were short. We began exploring farther into the universe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I trailed off, conscious of the many eyes on my face. Only Sharon continued to look away. â€Å"You speak of it almost as if you were there,† Ian noted quietly. â€Å"How long ago did this happen?† â€Å"After dinosaurs lived here but before you did. I was not there, but I remember some of what my mother's mother's mother remembered of it.† â€Å"How old are you?† Ian asked, leaning toward me, his brilliant blue eyes penetrating. â€Å"I don't know in Earth years.† â€Å"An estimate?† he pressed. â€Å"Thousands of years, maybe.† I shrugged. â€Å"I lose track of the years spent in hibernation.† Ian leaned back, stunned. â€Å"Wow, that's old,† Jamie breathed. â€Å"But in a very real sense, I'm younger than you,† I murmured to him. â€Å"Not even a year old. I feel like a child all the time.† Jamie's lips pulled up slightly at the corners. He liked the idea of being more mature than I was. â€Å"What's the aging process for your kind?† Doc asked. â€Å"The natural life span?† â€Å"We don't have one,† I told him. â€Å"As long as we have a healthy host, we can live forever.† A low murmur-angry? frightened? disgusted? I couldn't tell-swirled around the edges of the cave. I saw that my answer had been unwise; I understood what these words would mean to them. â€Å"Beautiful.† The low, furious word came from Sharon's direction, but she hadn't turned. Jamie squeezed my hand, seeing again in my eyes the desire to bolt. This time I gently pulled my hand free. â€Å"I'm not hungry anymore,† I whispered, though my bread sat barely touched on the counter beside me. I hopped down and, hugging the wall, made my escape. Jamie followed right behind me. He caught up to me in the big garden plaza and handed me the remains of my bread. â€Å"It was real interesting, honest,† he told me. â€Å"I don't think anyone's too upset.† â€Å"Jeb put Doc up to this, didn't he?† â€Å"You tell good stories. Once everyone knows that, they'll want to hear them. Just like me and Jeb.† â€Å"What if I don't want to tell them?† Jamie frowned. â€Å"Well, I guess then†¦ you shouldn't. But it seems like you don't mind telling me stories.† â€Å"That's different. You like me.† I could have said, You don't want to kill me, but the implications would have upset him. â€Å"Once people get to know you, they'll all like you. Ian and Doc do.† â€Å"Ian and Doc do not like me, Jamie. They're just morbidly curious.† â€Å"Do so.† â€Å"Ugh,† I groaned. We were to our room by now. I shoved the screen aside and threw myself onto the mattress. Jamie sat down less forcefully beside me and looped his arms around his knees. â€Å"Don't be mad,† he pleaded. â€Å"Jeb means well.† I groaned again. â€Å"It won't be so bad.† â€Å"Doc's going to do this every time I go in the kitchen, isn't he?† Jamie nodded sheepishly. â€Å"Or Ian. Or Jeb.† â€Å"Or you.† â€Å"We all want to know.† I sighed and rolled onto my stomach. â€Å"Does Jeb have to get his way every single time?† Jamie thought for a moment, then nodded. â€Å"Pretty much, yeah.† I took a big bite of bread. When I was done chewing, I said, â€Å"I think I'll eat in here from now on.† â€Å"Ian's going to ask you questions tomorrow when you're weeding the spinach. Jeb's not making him-he wants to.† â€Å"Well, that's wonderful.† â€Å"You're pretty good with sarcasm. I thought the parasites-I mean the souls-didn't like negative humor. Just the happy stuff.† â€Å"They'd learn pretty quick in here, kid.† Jamie laughed and then took my hand. â€Å"You don't hate it here, do you? You're not miserable, are you?† His big chocolate-colored eyes were troubled. I pressed his hand to my face. â€Å"I'm fine,† I told him, and at that moment, it was entirely the truth.