A 'narrative' of Earthia. Pt. 1

         My name is Freden Boer, I am an archiver of the Confederation, and I was selected to study the average life of an Earthian male and female. My arrival on the planet Earthia was quite calm and hospitable, the weather that I felt when getting off the ship was quite nice, a moist yet dry sort of weather. The Earthian who was waiting for me outside the ship was rather tall, 6'5 I believe, and he had a chiseled face. He wore body armor similar to that which I saw on Earth, in my previous mission. And his eyes were a bit cruel to look at, but his complexion was oddly rather friendly.

         "Hello" I said to him.

         "Hello . . . Archiver Boer?" he answered.

         "Yes, that is who I am, are you my guide?"

         "Yes."

         The man obviously was not much of a talker, but that wasn't too much of an issue. He asked me to follow him down from the citadel and through the city streets. And of course I followed, but I did not know why until he told me that it was best to explain things while walking the countryside. I couldn't help but smile when I heard that from him, it seemed so quaint for a man like himself. But I followed him and he then began to talk to me.

         "Too explain everything clearly, I'll describe life chronologically." he said. I was befuddled, not that he had such a vocabulary but that he said what I was just thinking. But he did not waste time in letting me decide on how I wanted, but began talking in detail of an Earthian's life from parents and birth to adulthood.

         'When pregnant, an Earthian woman is not exempt from her labors. She will be, however, if her laboring puts the infant's health at risk. This means that during her ten months of labor she will keep working unless the child becomes at risk, if that happens then she will leave the strenuous work and then commit her days to exercise until some period after giving birth. The birth of an Earthian is no different than any other, only that the woman must go without sedatives. After the umbilical cord has been cut the child's gender is then seen and a name given, usually the name of an ancestor. On the eighth day of a male child's life, the boy is circumcised. For eighteen months the child is breastfed by the mother and during this time the mother is exempt from her labors.

         As Earthians are genetically stronger than most other humans, the Earthian body is expected to mature at a faster rate. Because of this an Earthian will, at the age of three, began schooling for four years. In these four years, the child will learn how to swim, hunt, forage, read and write. At the age of seven, an Earthian male will then began training, while an Earthian female will began laboring in the fields or quarries. An Earthian's training is seen by many as excessive and unforgiving, this partially true. For about twelve hours a day, an Earthian will train his body in the most grueling ways. All whilst wearing armor an Earthian will run, swim, vault, wrestling, box and practice the art of combat. This schedule will persist for six days a week, 360 days a year, for five years. After which the Earthian male will have completed his training and become ready for battle.

         Prior to a war an Earthian male will be placed into youth brigades, in which he will fight alongside with during a battle, until the time he has reached the age of fifteen and is able to fight alongside adults. During this time, an Earthian female is all her life working. Whether in the fields, maintaining crops, clear cutting, or in the quarries or mines. The early life of an Earthian female is as hazardous as a male's is, but there has been times when a female would be given training over labor. The same goes for males who aren't capable of the training, they on the other hand are given to the artisans, to be apprentices.

         After an Earthian has reached full maturity and has reached the age of 20, there is a time in both winter and summer when festivals are held for these young individuals to meet. Earthian's, however, selectively breed, meaning that they(we) will be placed in ranks regarding our genetic and physical strength. Sort of D. C. B. A., however, then after being placed in ranks the young individuals will mingle amongst one another. Finding who they think is best for them. After which, games will be held where the male and female compete against each other. These games include footraces, vaults, wrestling and even boxing. The idea is not that they beat one another, but that they are on equal terms regarding strength. This is because it is believed amongst Earthians that 'two strong will make a stronger'. And then the whole process of an Earthian's life start over again, but this time with a slightly stronger child.'

         This entire lesson given to me by this Earthian seemed boggling. It made sense now, how the Earthians were so strong, but their life seemed to be so vague. The women produce all the food and resources, while the men produce the finer goods and yet train themselves to fight wars. Quite a strange, yet effective society.