He felt a single hand rise as if to calm a grumbling crowd. Eyes glittered in the room as they followed the hand, and then dropped back to his face. He felt himself smile a reassuring, gentle smile. Feeling the cold behind that smile, it was strangely terrifying. He didn’t know what this suppressed part of his mind intended, but it frightened him.
“We are entering a difficult time, Penumbrians.” Was that even a word? They didn’t seem to mind. “Not only have we lost Administrator Uduta Virri to a terrible accident, but we live in a time shared with those who see no value in your contributions to the galaxy. They see no value in you or your efforts, and they have the power, if they decide to do so, to destroy us all.”
Within his own head it was hard to tell, but he thought his voice had gained a depth and a richness that he could not have achieved on his own. The silence of the room now seemed less ominous, and more laden with anticipation. But anticipating what? This deeply-buried part of his psyche had no more information than he had. And yet, through the same observations, seemed to have gathered far more knowledge than his waking mind.
“Penumbra serves an indispensable purpose in the galaxy. It is a place for beings of good conscience and self-determination to forge their own destiny, regardless of what others might say.” He took a breath, and he saw that many of the creatures before him were leaning forward in their shifting chairs. “Especially, I might add, those who live lives of pampered luxury, existing off the bounty of others in the comfort of their palaces far, far away.”
Many in the room were shifting. Eyes were skittering to the tall alien standing in the back; Taurani’s servant and spy. There could be no doubt who Marcus was trying to call to mind.
“Now, these beings look to the freedom and opportunity you enjoy here as a threat to their ordered universe. They seek to undermine you at every turn, to influence that which they cannot outright dominate. Nothing has stood between you and these benighted fools save for ancient treaties and agreements coated in the dust of ages and neglect, and a succession of beings who looked to the city of Penumbra as nothing more than a source of wealth and comfort.”
He felt his hand dive into the neck of his tunic. What was he going to do next? There was a surreal pleasure to this experience, watching himself work a crowd with the ability and ease of a veteran politician. There was a dreamlike sense of disconnection, however, watching this new self maneuver through the maze of intergalactic politics. When he pulled out the amulet, even he was surprised.
He found the Thien’ha again in the front row, and watched the tall Humanoid’s eyes widen in surprise. The green-furred snout, however, gave nothing away.
“You have all heard that a Human has replaced Uduta Virri.” The medallion sparkled as it dangled from his hand. “No doubt your emotions have run the gamut since.” He held up his other hand again, as if for begging for quiet from the silent room. “I will address my own place in these events soon, but first, I believe it would serve us all well to remember from whence we come.
“I have no doubt many of you were friends of Uduta Virri.” Marcus felt a slight twist curl his lip, and felt the beings in the room respond. “I have no doubt many of you were friendly with Virri’s business practices.” The curl blossomed into a smile, and he saw many answering smiles start to peak out from the crowd. His own smile vanished more quickly than it had appeared, and he saw those mirroring expressions fold in upon themselves. His brow furrowed, and he leaned forward.
“Rest assured, Virri would have presided over the final destruction or annexation of Penumbra.” Many heads reared back at this, and Marcus found himself hoping that he could back the statement up. “The Council moves more blatantly than ever before. Under the protection of plausible deniability, they have sent agents against the administrator more than once. And others as well, I dare say.” Here, he cast a quick glance at K’hzan. He leaned over the podium even further, fingers gripping the smooth material tightly. “Who’s to say this accident that has swept us all along in its wake wasn’t engineered by them, hm?”
Marcus caught the purple-furred Eru jerk at that. It was buried, however, by the sudden surge of sound from the crowd. Marcus did not believe the Galactic Council had anything to do with Virri’s death, but it was clear that the beings in the chamber were more than ready to believe exactly that. In the muttered moments of doubt, he replaced the necklace. It seemed none of the creatures in the room would have noticed had it not been for the Thien’ha, both of whom watched him with intent eyes.
“Even if they had nothing to do with that, is there any sentient here today that doubts the grasping reach of the Council? They would have moved against a weakling like Virri sooner or later, and everything around us would have been lost.” He shook his head, a strong, rigid smile blooming over his face. “This accident, failed assassination or honest mishap, was a gift, my friends. What Penumbra needs now is true leadership, not the stewardship of a lazy, egotistical hedonist.”
Many of the attendees were on their feet now; or on what passed for feet in the various lifeforms present. There was shouting, and in the buffeting chaos of sound, the nanites struggled painfully to provide a hundred conflicting translations.
But that part of him that had taken charge seemed unaffected. Marcus raised his hands for quiet, and received it. The silence rippled through the crowd, reaching the outer edges where Justin sat, wide-eyed, and where the huge red-skinned giant watched with implacable calm. The Thien’ha had not changed their expressions since the beginning, staring at him with unnerving intensity.
“You have no doubt been told that a replacement will be sought immediately for the position of administrator, and that is true.” He nodded at the dark, suspicious looks he received from several quarters. “I do not intend to remain in this position any longer than necessary. Even now efforts are underway to find a leader that will be able to secure your safety for many generations to come. A true leader, able to guide you into a future where the Council knows full well that it is not welcome in Penumbra!”
No one cheered at that, but he could tell many of them wanted to. There was only one thing holding them back now, and he was dying to see how this new version of himself intended to deal with that concern.
“And so finally we come to me; a minor cog in the wheels that fate has now set into motion.” He rested one elbow on the podium, assuming a far more casual pose. “My Humanity is the single greatest bone of contention to be contemplated in this moment of grave historical significance. I beg of you, do not lose the galaxy for the sake of some ancient fear.” He stood up straighter. “I am no legion, I am no fleet. I am no great threat come back from the mists of time, no matter what you may believe of my nature or my inclinations.” Damn, he had put a lot together, sitting there inside his skull!
“I am one being, seeking to do the best in a bad situation, just like many of you.” He pointed out into the crowd. “I am no more dangerous than a Subbotine with memories of greatness.” The white-skinned Humanoids seemed to rankle at that, but the beings around them smiled and smirked. “I am no more of a threat than a single Namanu, contemplating the engines of the universe.” The orange skinned beings smiled themselves, clearly possessing a healthier sense of humor. “I am far less perilous than a single Variyar, lost in remembered glories.” There were far fewer smiles at that, although the red-skinned demons remained still and silent.
“The reality is that I am only one sentient among tens of thousands.” He shrugged. “You have my word that I will step down as soon as a suitable replacement for these dark times is found. I will return to Earth quietly, never to return, and you will be in far better hands than the tentacles with which Virri encircled you in the past.”
The room was quiet again, and he leaned back over the podium. “You need to prepare. You need a leader that will help you to prepare. The galaxy as you have known it is dissolving around you, and only with effort and commitment will this bastion of freedom remain.” He felt his shoulders shruggi
ng in a cavalier twitch. “You do not have to allow me this freedom, of course. You can demand that I remain in my quarters until the Skorahn can be presented to my successor. That is within the rights of the citizenry of Penumbra as I understand them.” Again, leaning over the podium. “But please just think of this: would you rather have the only Human within thousands of light years brooding in solitary confinement, setting his mind to all sorts of dark and forbidden thoughts, or would you rather have that mind turned toward your own wellbeing and that of the city?”
Marcus felt himself straighten to a position that his father might have even been willing to refer to as attention.
“I leave myself in your hands, citizens of Penumbra.” His voice hesitated. He cocked his head, and raised a hand. “No, I’m sorry. I leave myself in your hands, fellow Penumbrians.” He felt his head tilt back, his chin rising defiantly. “For I have come to see your struggle as my own. Many of you did not even realize your way of life was in jeopardy, but I am proud to now share your danger. This city is a beacon of hope and freedom in a galaxy regimented and controlled by the Council. I am proud to call it my home, no matter how brief my time among you will be.”
Had the crowd been Humans, there would have been a rousing, roaring shout of approval. Marcus had no doubt about it. But they were not Humans. They were as far from Humans as you could apparently get in the galaxy. And yet still he felt there was the intention of a rousing shout. As many of the creatures in the room stood to look up at him in silence, there was a bond of emotion that tied them together that had not been there before.
Whatever caused these people to hate and fear Humans, Marcus had somehow mitigated that, at least for the moment. He had redirected their animosity at the Council. He didn’t know how much of what he said had been truth, and what had been somewhere between an educated guess and outright manipulative lies. But it had struck a chord, and for the time being anyway, enough of these people believed in him that he need not fear for his safety. At least for the moment.
Justin stood with the rest of his new friends, his eyes still wide. The red-skinned warriors stood silently and filed out without a backward glance. Among Bha’s ‘Children’ there was a wide range of responses. From the doubtful sneers of the albinos to the warm smiles of the orange-skinned workers, it was clear each had seen him through their own lenses.
Standing in the midst of the others and yet seemingly alone, the two Thien’ha were the only people he could see that did not seem to have been effected in any way. The smaller, green-furred figure in the white robes watched him for a moment, and the lips beneath the snout curled in something a Human would consider a smile. The orange-tinged-face beneath the dark hood watched him with cold eyes that seemed to have passed judgment on him before they had ever met. The two of them turned at some silent signal and wove their way through the standing crowd to disappear through another small side door.
The fur reminded Marcus of the Eru, and he scanned the back wall for Taurani’s towering servant. There was no sign of the beast, of course. As soon as the tenor of the crowd had clearly turned in favor of the Human spouting anti-Council rhetoric, he would have made his escape to set his master’s ears to burning. Something to worry about later, though. Right now, Marcus just wanted to bask in the success of the moment.
Somehow, without any outward voting or debate, the assembly seemed to have agreed to his request. None of the slime-green Administrative guards had come forward to escort him back to his rooms. Their little tiny brain robots had probably talked to each other and agreed to give him just enough rope to hang himself. But for now that was enough. He would worry about the amount of rope later; for now, it was nice to have some at all.
He could feel the consciousness residing in his mind sliding back into the shadows. There was that clicking sensation again, and slowly control of his body returned, as if he was waking up from a restful nap. As he came back to himself he turned at the waist to regard the wide, opaque wall behind him.
The smile he gave the women hiding there was all his.
*****
Angara and Iphini Bha stood frozen in the preparation room. Beyond the transparent wall, the citizens of Penumbra were milling about, discussing what they had just seen, flowing steadily toward the doors. Marcus was still standing at the podium, his stance confident and relaxed, and watched them go.
“Well that was … unanticipated.” Angara folded her arms before her, following the retreating band of Subbotines and their Mhatrong companion. The Subbotines would not be among Marcus Wells’s proponents after this meeting. She had expected more trouble from them than from any of the other Children, to be honest. But she had not dared hope that any of their ilk would look kindly upon the first Human they had seen in their lives. The fact that many seemed willing to take Marcus at his word was reassuring at the same time it was … alarming. If enough of the Children were willing to accept Humans back into galactic society, what might the wrong Human be able to accomplish?
“We shall see how it all falls out, now that they have seen him.” Iphini Bha had not been willing to extend Marcus Wells the benefit of any doubt since his first moments in the control center. Angara hoped she would stay constant long enough for them to find a replacement.
Iphini Bha turned to her, wide blue eyes haunted, and Angara realized the deputy administrator had a lot more on her mind than bigotry against the Human. “Taurani will not be pleased with this speech.” She swallowed, stylus wobbling back and forth across her knuckles. “Virri always said that they left us alone because we were just ineffectual enough that destroying us was not worth their trouble.” The eyes moved up to find Angara’s own. “Do you think he can do what he said? Could Marcus Wells rally the people of Penumbra against the Council?” The confusion of emotions behind her eyes seemed to include equal parts hope and … jealousy?
Angara shook her head and looked back out at the chamber beyond. She had not slept well since her return to Penumbra, seeing the last moments of Uduta Virri’s life over and over again whenever she closed her eyes. She had been living a nightmare since the moment she realized the vehicle she had saved had held Humans, not the Rayabell she was sworn to protect.
But what if Marcus Wells was right? What if Virri had been a danger to the city in the long-term? If, through the mistake that haunted her nights, she had inadvertently given her home a new lease on its existence; would those nightmares one day lessen?
Suddenly she realized she had a whole new reason to hope that Marcus Wells was correct in his assessment, and in his sense of hope for the city.
But that made her eyes narrow again, and she stared at the back of Wells’s head. Had it come to this? Was her only hope in the hands of a Human? Thousands of years of fear and distrust gave the thought a deeper sense of terror than anything she had ever felt before. What if she was wrong about him? What if every sentiment ascribed to the Humans of Earth proved well-founded after all?
“I do not know if he can do it, Iphini,” she said at last. “But do not fall into a false argument. Marcus Wells was not chosen because we felt he was the right being for the work at hand. He was forced upon us by circumstance.” She shrugged, looking down at the pale creature beside her. “We need to watch him closely. If he can pull the city together in his time here, if he is right about Taurani and the Council and their plans for Penumbra, then this might all work out for the best.”
She turned back to watch as Marcus nodded to his retreating friend. “If we are wrong, and he becomes a threat to the city before he can be replaced…” She shrugged. “Then he will be far from the first administrator to die in office.”
She sighed, looking away. He would not even be the first administrator she had killed.
Chapter 12
Ambassador Khuboda Taurani sat stiff and upright in the soft plushness of his grooming chair. His latest companion, acquired against all hopes from a passing courier carrying dispatches from the galactic core, crouched at his feet, massaging the tensio
n from the long muscles of his legs with bowed head. The black traceries that ran across the porcelain skin were pleasant reminders of the damned deputy and her stubborn lack of vision.
“He as much as accused you of murder, Ambassador.” The indignation in Iranse’s voice was clear to anyone familiar with Eru intonation. The purple fur was raised along his shoulders and neck. If the Human had been in the Ambassador’s chamber at that moment, nothing would have stopped the servant from crushing his windpipe.
Taurani could appreciate loyalty like that, but now was not the time for direct confrontation.
“Well, he’s not far wrong.” He stared into the viewing sphere before him at the dead planet spinning below. The twisting path of glittering water vapor that curled up from the planet below, the lifeline of the city the inhabitants called the Diamond Road, was visible as a shimmering line across one corner of his vision. “Of course, he’s got the specifics incorrect, but it is not as if we do not have the vitae of innocents splashed upon us, my friend.”
Iranse’s head reared back slightly on his long neck, his pale red eyes blinking. “Ambassador, you can’t be—”
“Silence, Iranse.” Taurani snapped at his servant. The Eru was loyal to a fault, but lacked anything resembling an imagination. “These fools have forgotten why the Council was first brought into existence, and why we have striven to expand its power ever since.”
With one foot he pushed the Iwa’Bantu maid back and rose, wiping the imaging sphere away with an abrupt gesture. “We could not have wished for a better outcome than this, truly. A Human sitting upon the command throne of Penumbra is exactly what we need to galvanize those systems who have been vacillating against direct action here.” He waved one long arm as he spun about for Iranse to drape a fresh set of robes over his shoulders. “There are still those on the Council that revere the ancient treaties, but their legal application has faded into insignificance. Nothing but bureaucratic inertia keeps the city safe now, and with the addition of a Human into the mix, that inertia can be broken with a little judicious application of force from the right angle.”
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