Hugh Valleroy

Appears in: House of Zeor, Zelerod's Doom
Gen - Male
Out-Territory Gen - future Companion to Klyd Farris --- Natural Donor
Working for the Gen army as an interrogator of sime prisoners. Hugh knew the sime language from his mother when had escaped Sime Territory when she had established.
Hugh was an artist, and his skill was utilized in providing identification for Aisha, and later for Zeor and Imil.
Description:   (From House of Zeor, Ch 2)  'He stood nearly six feet tall, weighing a hundred eighty pounds, mostly well-conditioned muscle. His skin was weathered to a light brown that almost matched his hair. He knew he was handsome in a rugged sort of way, and he could pass for a rancher or a Border Guard as long as he kept his long-fingered tapering hands out of sight.' ... 'It was those hands that usually attracted more attention than his rather common features. They appeared to be grafted onto the heavy-boned, square wrists, and were really better suited to a sime body. One of the first things Valleroy had noticed about the nurses and attendants who cared for him in Zeor was that neither the Simes nor the Gens ever stared at his hands.'
(Source:  Index card file.  House of Zeor)  May be just under 30 years of age --- had not had such a sense of belonging in "nearly thirty years of his life."
Evidence of Companion's Ability ---  In garden, watching Raul's changeover:  "His own stomach seemed to be knotting in sympathy." He achieves an unusual selur nager with Klyd, while Klyd is working on Raul.  Klyd tells Grandfather that his perceptivity tested in-range.  After his visit with Grandfather, wasn't sure he wanted to learn to be a Companion ... "but he wasn't sure he didn't want to, either."  Distress and sympathy with sime prisoners during interrogation, couldn't witness death by Attrition.
Insight in his sketch of  Zinter and Enam:  In his mind, could see the tentacle lines resolved into an intricate, delicate balance.  Can see how vulnerable a sime feels with laterals exposed.  Yet, these are "most deadly survival equipment." ... "The very source of the sime's strength was his greatest weakness."  Nashmar calls this sketch "truth," and Klyd says that Hugh has "a very rare, very special, very ... precious talent."
Drawing of himself as a sime:  arm upraised, done as a teenager --- doesn't even know if he was disappointed he didn't turn out sime.
In cave, rationalizing:  had developed the kind of quiet confidence enabling him to share a blanket with a sime almost in Need.
Hugh's nightmare in the Shrine:  he seems to have some random notion of the "feel" of fields.  "He felt a tangible, pulsating aura around her, drawing him in.  He knew it would kill her, but he had to consume that aura."  He imagines himself with tentacles, and arms ache from trying to extend them.  Then, he thinks, "Nightmares are what you get, he thought, for wanting something too much ... and not being sure exactly what it is that you want."
In waking Klyd from nightmare, the second time, he does something to make Klyd think he is Denrau.
Hugh's attitude watching Klyd using tentacles in Shrine:  "they seemed the embodiment of all the grace and beauty the human soul could contain.  His own arms seemed incomplete."
When Aisha gets Andle:  "Valleroy could feel the sime's death."
In transfer, feels with Klyd, feels the Need and senses selyn and selyn flow "the glittering sustenance."  After transfer, before opening eyes, finds that no longer has an awareness of selyn.  "The selyn nager was gone.  His body could no longer sense even the strongest field-gradient.  Even ... the selur nager was gone."  Now he seems to understand what these terms mean.
Is able to sieze control of the selyn flow for a moment in their first transfer.  Is able to "induce" something in Klyd during entran outfunction, without training.  His single forced donation stimulated his selyn production to higher than normal levels.
(Source:  Index card file. --- "Personality/Character" ---  House of Zeor)  Is very emotional and impulsive, finds it easy to fly off the handle at Klyd (at Klyd's attitude toward "Thrino's" death), reject the whole idea --- he seems more led by his emotions than by rationalizations.  Seems that what he has always wanted most is to live for something that mattered, to live for something beyond his own small life --- finds that Zeor has always been willing to take him in, but he keeps rejecting the acceptance.
Very proud of keeping his promises.  Very sensitive.  Also flies off at Stacy in the beginning.  Understood revenge, innate pride strong in him; loyalty, dedication, getting used to sime point-of-view and ideals.  Did do a lot of deep thinking though "knew that all the events of his life had been leading up to this test."  (Going in-Territory to get Aisha.)
Had a rock collection as a kid -- kept in his private shrine ("secret temple.")
Hugh wants to dedicate his life to a cause far greater than his own small existence --- finding Zeor a "wonderously good feeling."  Still selfish at this point (day after night at the way station) --- no longer wants to live if he can't paint --- but still wants to work, or do something against Zelerod's Doom --- at this point, still thinking of his own homestead, not of staying in Zeor.
(Source:  Index card file. --- "Background" --- House of Zeor)  Had been field operative for the Federal Police, the best in the district --- also their best interrogator.  Says he has never blown a cover.  Has since been promoted to a desk job.  Also best composite man.  Called "Sime-lover" by everybody else in the past.  Had been a "soldier,"  knew about wartime command.  His mother had fled from Sime Territory.  Has seen Attriton while in the Army --- had been busted for shooting the second sime they'd caught.
In childhood, apparently was poor, humble upbringing --- suffered starvation (at least figuratively), went to school only sporadically --- where he learned to keep his mouth shut about simes, although he had a good attitude toward them.  Orphaned early.  Father died early, mother before he reached puberty.
Emotional security as a child, before his mother's death --- his mother had loved him unreservedly, whether he'd be sime or Gen, taught him what to do if he found himself in changeover --- so he trusted her (this is after his father's death.) 
Had learned Gen view of simes and history, but never believed all he was told.  Had hidden behind a well-constructed cloak of Gen conventionality all his life, but every interrogation of simes assignment cracked it a little, made him run to Aisha for comfort in his guilt.  Knew he couldn't kill his own sime child or teach proper hatred to his Gen children.  Never talked about simes on these occasions.  The reason he never asked Aisha to marry him:  fear of having children.  Had many quarrels with Aisha, but kept going back to her --- finally decided he'd have to marry her, and found her kidnapped.
  
(Source:  Index card file. --- "Development" ---  House of Zeor)  Musing in cave alone --- Perhaps Zelerod's Doom would be a blessing, leaving only channels and Companions (Simes who could live with Gens and Gens who could live with simes.)  The Householdings were obstructing evolution. "But then, thought Valleroy, the avoidance of human misery had always obstructed evolution.  It would just take longer to get wherever they were going.  Valleroy was in no hurry."
He has a deep need to express himself, drawn forth by Klyd and Hrel, Zinter and Enam --- wants to do "the real ART that comes from the soul."  An old dream of having a small ranch, but thinking in cave, feels that something is missing, the dream is shallow, that he no longer wants to paint only for himself.
Second day in cave:  realizes his art means nothing if Zelerod's Doom comes --- "But he had nothing to fill in the sudden vacuum except Klyd's idealism.  It was a burning reality for the channel, but it remained abstract to Valleroy." 
Became real to him in the glade and accepting the transfer with Klyd and its consequences.
Category:Characters