LONTAR issue #1 Read online

  "Oi," said Feisal automatically. "What's so exciting?"

  "You didn't hear?" said Joshua. "See lah, when you skip out on office breakfasts, you miss all the news."

  "Xinya's left, is it?"

  Joshua was disappointed. "Hai, if you knew already, say lah! You know why she went?"

  Feisal shrugged. He was acutely conscious of the skin on his face. It was important that it should not wrinkle, that his face should not be betrayed into any kind of expression.

  "Official line is she's been posted to Region because of urgent business need," said Joshua. He lowered his voice. "But they all were saying actually it's the authorities request, one. Xinya was caught in flagrante with a lower-station person."

  "What was she doing?"

  "Flagranting, lah," said Joshua. "Bangsawan like her, must be she really overstepped the line. They only send elect overseas as a last resort."

  Something was wrong with Feisal's eyes. He couldn't make out the images on the screen before him. He moved a style element a few pixels to the left to make it look like he wasn't really listening.

  "Can't believe Xinya risk it like that," said Joshua. "She seem so sensible. This kind of thing can really mess up your life. No more housing grant, no pension, children not included in the school quota. Private sector also won't touch you if the admin blacklist you already. Like that, it's like you never pass the exam in the first place."

  "We are OK, what," said Feisal. "Who needs to be elect?"

  "We're OK because we're used to a shitty life," said Joshua. "Once you're elect you don't want to stop, one. At least Xinya still has a chance. If they're sending her overseas instead of downgrading her, means they're going for reeducation. If she's smart, she'll hang on to her special rights."

  "She strike me as being smart."

  "More than that. Xinya's ambitious," said Joshua. "She told Shazrina she didn't plan to spend more than one year in this company. Too small for her. Oh, you won't see her giving up her future for some random rakyat. Pretend only she doesn't want to excel. Underneath she's like all the bangsawan."

  No, thought Feisal. There was something restless about Xinya, a striving quality, but she dreamed of different things. Not the upward climb, but the meandering path, curving into the unknown distance.

  "Is it?" he said. "She seem laid back. But I don't know her well."

  "If you survive the screenings to get to uni, you're not going to be laid back, one," said Joshua. "She's very clever, she won't show people she's ambitious. But at end of the day these people all want the administration job, the car, the housing grant. I'm just surprised she was so careless to let herself get caught. You never know people, ah."

  "Yeah," said Feisal. "Who knew."

  *

  The details of what had happened to Xinya filtered down to Feisal over the next few weeks. There was no mention of his name, or indeed much curiosity about who the rakyat was who'd caused her fall. To Feisal's surprise it was assumed that anyone of a lower station would leap at the chance of a liaison with a bangsawan. The scandal was that Xinya had been willing to lower herself in that way.

  It appeared that the state Family Planning Unit had slipped a word to management: the company must be alert to prevent undesirable fraternising among its staff. Foreign businesses could not expect to succeed in the New Federation without a firm commitment to local values.

  Worried about its tax rebates and state subsidies, management had acted swiftly. Xinya had been called into the big boss's office and given the kindest of lectures. ("She finished uni at sixteen, eh," said Joshua. "Three National Merit Prizes at secondary school. No wonder they didn't downgrade her.")

  Did Xinya not know that it was essential for the New Federation, management explained, still recovering as it was from the devastation of the Crisis, to preserve its only remaining natural resource—human intelligence? The best way for such resource to be cultivated was for the elect of a country only to maintain intimacy—and produce its results, children—with one another. This had been established by many a study. Intimacy between stations could only lead to cultural and intellectual decline, ultimately disastrous for the nation.

  Curious tales circulated about that interview. Xinya was accused of saying the most outlandish things.

  "You know what she told the boss," said Joshua. "Shermayne sits just outside the office and she heard. The boss was explaining all about the policy—you'd think a bangsawan would know—and Xinya said, you won't believe this, she said: 'Does the policy leave space for homosexuals?'"

  "What did the boss say?" said Feisal stonily, though he was shocked.

  "Shermayne said silent only," said Joshua. "I wouldn't know what to say also. Imagine, she can talk like that at work! I wouldn't have expect it of her, lorh. She seem so affable."

  "Maybe she thinks—" Feisal was determined he should not stumble over the word—"homosexuals deserve affability also."

  "I don't have anything against that kind of people, so long as they pull their weight," said Joshua. "Affability is one thing. But if we're all homosexual, where would the country be?"

  "Same place, what. Country doesn't move around," said Feisal. He was acquiring a reputation for being rather slow.

  He found himself checking Xinya's network profile compulsively. She was using the network heavily to keep up with friends and family, and every evening there were status updates and photographs for Feisal to torture himself with. Xinya smiling against a backdrop of golden city lights reflected on dark water; Xinya with her arms slung companionably around new, attractive colleagues. Xinya was having delicious French food—thanks for dinner, Charles! Xinya felt like going to the cinema; could anyone recommend a movie? Xinya was looking forward to the weekend—time to party!

  Feisal grew so quiet that his mother started dosing him with chicken essence. Muna asked for his opinion on things, in the hope that this would cheer him up. Something had to change.

  *

  Muna intercepted the UPK's response despite Feisal's vigilance. When he came downstairs to get the post, she was sitting at the dining table with the parcel before her.

  Feisal knew he looked guilty; he hoped the irritation didn't show. The post had always arrived at 4:15 on the dot before. If you couldn't trust the post, what could you trust?

  "Are you in trouble?" said Muna. Her eyes were fixed on the state seal on the envelope. "Is that why you're so quiet lately?"

  "Don't worry. It's not trouble." The size of the parcel told Feisal what the answer was. If it had been a refusal they would have told him in a letter.

  "Kak, you open it, lah," he said. "It's time you knew anyway. I didn't tell you before because I wasn't sure whether can get or not."

  Muna tore open the envelope with shaking hands. A sheaf of application forms and brochures fell out, along with a thick booklet.

  "The lease," said Feisal, picking it up. "So fast! I thought they only allocate the flat after you're married."

  "You applied for betrothal?" said Muna.

  Feisal was skimming the lease, his eyes widening. "This is at Sri Mutiara. Rent only five hundred a month! I didn't know betrothal was so laku."

  "Because you cannot choose who you want," said Muna, falling into explanation mode. "Whoever they give you, you must marry. You don't even get to see picture first. Why—why—"

  "You said, what," said Feisal. "I'm about the right age. I might as well settle down."

  "But applying to the administration?" said Muna. "Why didn't you just ask Mak and me? We could have found a girl for you. Or if you just kept going to the affability events, at least you can choose somebody you like. I know you didn't enjoy the first one, but—"

  "It wouldn't have worked, lah," said Feisal. "I don't think I'm the kind of person who suits those events." He sat down. "I'm not sure I'm the kind of person who suits anything."

  It was a relief to say it, as it had been a relief when he'd decided to apply for an intimate partnership. He'd known Muna wouldn't be pleased, a
nd who knew what their mother would say when she found out. Submitting to the state-run betrothal process was not improper, but it was archaic—a relic of the bad old days just after the Crisis.

  It used to be that all marriages were arranged by means of the blind matching algorithm run by the state. If, the argument went, people were made to intermingle with their neighbours—if the mixture in the make-up of the population were reflected in nuclear families—the old violence would not be repeated. You could not accuse another ethnic community of profiting to the disadvantage of yours if you were married to a member of that community and your children were members of both.

  Economic stability and integration rendered the policy superfluous and it was eventually dropped, but the system was still associated in people's minds with times of hardship. Feisal's grandparents had been betrothed by the state. His mother would not be happy to hear that he'd decided to return to the practice.

  "I don't even understand what are you talking about," said Muna, steely with despair. "Is this because of that girl, your colleague? I should have known you'll take it to heart. You're too sensitive."

  "This has nothing to do with her," said Feisal.

  This was only the truth, but not all the truth. If he'd wanted to frighten and worry his sister even more, he could have told her about his meeting with his manager the week before. Feisal had sat silent, his pulse beating high in his throat, as the embarrassed woman had explained how it had come to their attention that Feisal's personal life was not in keeping with the company's values.

  "Usually we don't consider your outside life our business," she said. "But some things have impact on the rest of the office. We want decent people of all stations to work here, and that means everybody must respect the order of society. If the bangsawan feel threatened here, they will go elsewhere, and then how will the company survive?"

  Feisal tried to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. "Do you want me to resign?"

  "No, no," said the manager. "The problem is not so bad yet. This is just friendly advice. We are lucky to be in a company that doesn't play favourites. If you work hard, you can go far, even if you are just rakyat. But work is not enough. We can find plenty of people who are willing to work. What's important is our staff care about the reputation of the business."

  But she was trying to be kind.

  "I know it's hard to be young in this world," she said as Feisal made to leave. "Maybe you should sign up for the affability events."

  The next evening he printed off a betrothal application from the network. Xinya had forgotten him; there was no reason to hold back. To be partnered was to be safe, and it was very important just then that Feisal should be safe.

  *

  Feisal was cheerful on the morning of his wedding. It was something to do and he'd done it.

  Muna still could not bring herself to say anything good about his decision, but his mother had come around to the idea. She explained it to others on the basis that: "Feisal was always shy, difficult for him to make friends with people. But he is a good boy. Good that he wants to settle down."

  To be so approved of made Feisal feel secure. Surely now he'd done the correct thing, he would be protected from future upheavals.

  This sense of well-being lasted until Muna came in to announce the bride. Feisal rose, anticipatory, but Muna wouldn't meet his eyes. She came up and touched his face.

  "Maybe it's a joke. Try your best. Mak and I are behind you."

  Feisal opened his mouth but he didn't speak. His partner was following Muna into the living room.

  She was dressed in a neat blue dress and had a filmy scarf wrapped around her hair. She was not much changed from when he'd last seen her. She had put on some weight; her face was fuller. But her eyes were as amused and her mouth as melancholy as ever.

  "I am sorry," said Xinya without preamble. "I was going to ask, will you take me? But now you don't have a choice."

  Everything seemed to have slowed down, as in a dream or a nightmare. The initial shock of joy was succeeded by confusion. Feisal said helplessly, "But how—?"

  "I didn't have the chance to tell you before," said Xinya. She took Feisal's hand. "My parents are in the administration. That's why they couldn't fire me. They could only give me what I wanted. I heard you were assigned a partner and I told my parents I'd come back if they fixed the assignments."

  Even after everything that had happened, this revelation about the administration shocked Feisal. It ran against everything he'd understood about the way the world worked. Of course the elect were granted privileges, but this was different; this was like corruption.

  He put the thought away. It was too big an idea for him to deal with right then.

  "You should have stayed away," he said, not really knowing what he was saying. He'd spent so much energy working himself up to the betrothal, invested so much in the idea that it would protect him and his family. His plan hadn't accounted for Xinya in his living room, bearing the administration's blessing—and the promise of unknown chaos.

  "It wasn't as good as I thought it'd be," said Xinya distantly. "I guess they're right. The New Federation is the best place after all."

  "How did you know about my application?"

  Xinya didn't seem to hear the question.

  "If you ask me why I came back, I'd have to ask you why you did it," she said. "Maybe both of us shouldn't ask so many questions."

  "But your career," said Feisal. "Won't you suffer?" He thought wildly of scholarships, housing quotas, job prospects, everything people talked about. Admission to the nice restaurants Feisal would never enter. State honours. The way bangsawan greeted each other in the street.

  If you were not of the elect you were not encouraged to have more than one child. The state withdrew special rights from the whole family if you failed to comply. Perhaps Xinya did not like children, but the other things she must care about. Who would sacrifice such privileges for something as slippery and wayward as the heart?

  "You can say you changed your mind," he said, but Xinya laid her fingers on his lips.

  "Let me have this last rebellion," she whispered. "They've left me nothing else."

  She never told him about what it was that had disillusioned her in her time overseas. He never told her about the fear that had moved him to apply for the betrothal: fear that he would lose his job; fear of chaos, and a corresponding longing for the order he'd enjoyed before. Now that she was back, the chaos would be justified—and in any case, there was no way out of it.

  "All right," said Feisal gently.

  Philippine Magic: A Course Catalogue

  Paolo Chikiamco

  Paolo Chikiamco (Philippines) runs Rocket Kapre, an imprint and blog (rocketkapre.com) dedicated to publishing and promoting works of the fantastic by Filipino authors. Once an associate at a top Philippine law firm, he came to realize that while fact is often stranger than fiction, it's not quite as creatively fulfilling. He is the editor of Alternative Alamat (Flipside, 2011), and is a writer for prose and comics. His fiction has been published in venues such as Scheherazade's Façade, Philippine Genre Stories, Steampunk III: Steampunk Revolution, Lauriat, and the Philippine Speculative Fiction series.

  Note: The world of Philippine magic is deep and wide—something that is to be expected of a land with anywhere from sixty to a hundred indigenous cultures, each with their own cultural heritage and oral traditions. I've limited my scope to the three general categories of magic that are most well known in Philippine pop culture (although I tried to shed some light on some of the more obscure aspects of each). The rich worlds of magic of particular indigenous communities, as well as magical feats performed in regional epics, are not considered here.

  I'm presenting my discussion of magic in the form of a "course catalog" for an imagined school of Philippine magic (named after the Visayan goddess of charms). I'm doing this for two reasons. First, I'm not an expert or a scholar, merely an enthusiastic amateur with a penchant for compiling sources,
and a straight up article would appear too authoritative for my comfort (I have, however, cited my sources as the "textbooks" in each Major). Second, well, it was more fun this way.

  UNIVERSITY OF ABYANG DURUNUUN

  COLLEGE OF MAGIC

  COURSE CATALOG for SY 2013-2014

  MAJOR in PHILIPPINE SORCERY

  A major in Philippine Sorcery involves the study of the principles behind da-ut, a term used here to denote forms of sorcery, without a specific cultural lineage, primarily intended to effect harm on other living creatures (or "Malign Magic" as Lieban might put it). It also entails the application of the principles of at least one of the recognized Sorcery Techniques in real life, in a manner befitting a strict code of ethical conduct. To acquire these skills, students will be sent on regular field work rounds, and we will be bringing in an array of guest lecturers who are actual practitioners. Sparring will take place in a controlled laboratory setting, with professional mananambal on stand-by.

  Primary textbook: Cebuano Sorcery: Malign Magic in the Philippines, Richard W. Lieban, University of California Press, 1967.

  Secondary textbook: Encyclopedia of Folk Beliefs and Customs, Fr. Francisco Demetrio, S.J., Xavier University, 1991.

  FLK 101 Introduction to Da-ut

  An introduction to sorcery, focusing on the role and view of sorcerers in society today, distinguishing between the public perception in the provinces and in the cities, as well as the forms of da-ut that require spirit sponsors (as not all require them). The course will provide a brief overview of the different techniques, which will be dealt with in greater detail in the succeeding courses.

  FLK 102 Ethics and Efficacy

  While the debate still rages as to whether or not sorcery is effective at all on an innocent, studies show that the success of any technique is increased dramatically if it is applied in retaliation for a wrong done to the client. This course teaches students to determine the guilt or innocence of the prospective target, as well as detailing the obligation to the soul of the victim, if killed, and the difference between letting the client take responsibility for the soul, or the sorcerer taking on that responsibility.