Below the Council were various administrative bodies, all staffed by women who had proven their competence and loyalty. Men could hold certain positions—teachers, craftsmen, artists, local administrators—but they were barred from the highest levels of power by law and tradition.
Martha had once asked a historian why this was so, why men were excluded from governance even if they showed talent and ambition. The answer had been simple: origin energy responded best to female channelers. Men could sense it, could sometimes manipulate it to small degrees, but they could never achieve the power and precision that women demonstrated. And in a world where origin energy was the foundation of civilization, where it powered everything from street lamps to long-distance communication, those who could channel it most effectively naturally rose to positions of authority.
