Interpretation 163to overcome VN by aggressive means but been defeated by an alliance between DN and
VN (see Chapter 6). In the month before the attack on ZT, however, VN had a leg
wound, possibly inflicted by BK. Thus BK was an aspirant beta male who may have
been trying to enhance his status as beta male by joining DN in the attack on ZT.
Coupled with this, we know that BK was sexually interested in JN, for he had been
observed copulating with her three times the previous day, 3 November, so that an ele-
ment of sexual competition may be important in his case, as well as that of DN.
VN was apparently absent or took no part in the attack on ZT, either because of his
leg wound, or because of the presence of BK. BK was, however, very much in evidence
and may have been involved in the initial attack on ZT during which he was injured; he
alone was still attacking the seriously injured ZT after the students arrived at 0730.
Whether DN or BK or both made the initial attack on ZT is not known, but each would
have had his own motives: BK’s sexual and to consolidate his political ambitions, DN’s
sexual and to emphasize his alpha status. Whether, in the absence of BK, ZT would
havekilledfor obstructing access to JN is doubtful. DN was (and at the time of writing
still is) a very composed alpha male who normally controls his aggressiveness. BK on
the other hand has always been prone to aggressive outbursts and it is in keeping with
his character to have initiated or escalated the attack on ZT with the end result that this
young adult male, who had hitherto been a well integrated member of the community,
lost his life.
A tail-ender to the story: 11 months after ZT was killed, JN gave birth to a daughter,
Janet; genetic analysis (see Appendix C) shows that the father was DN. Thus ZT, for all
his efforts, did not impregnate JN; if he had she would have given birth seven and a half
months later. Nor did BK sire JN’s subsequent offspring. It appears that some three or
four oestrous cycles after ZT’s death, JN conceived by the alpha male DN.