Pilgrim One: Prominence (Project Pilgrim Book 1)

by Christopher R. Marrs

  Who would believe that the Scientists and Council could see an End of any type and could accurately put a date on it? Twenty-one seasonal cycles after the Discovery? This was all ginned up to devote the people to a common cause, an unnecessary cause. For once the End is exposed, and the needless deaths tallied, the members of the Council would be prosecuted, and the Gifted would be in a position to rule. For only they could see the truth, they had the Gift of foresight. The fact that the Gifted weren’t organized into any type of group or cause, and had no official doctrine, didn’t stop them from planning for the future. They had truth on their side.

  Narmer had suffered other Gifted in the past. All had different ideas on the how’s and why’s, but in the end, they would rule and set things right.

  Jegit was entertaining for a while, but Narmer eventually left him mid-speech on the virtue of hoarding so that the Gifted could survive long enough to make all things right in the world. Never mind the misery that this would cause a fair number of different thinking people trying to survive, but those were just details.

  The Farewell broke up rather early in the set, but Narmer was fine with that, still suffering some effects of the Farewell prior. He and Deides left for a late setmeal at a favorite proprietor of Deides’. They talked, laughed, and flirted. But Deides strictly forbade him from talking about the current realities. She didn’t want to break the spell of the almost normal feeling they were having. They parted late that set, with the plan that Deides would arrive with the risemeal, as late as it was, only a handful of chirps hence.

  However, the Guardsmen arrived first. So now Narmer was riding towards the Citizen’s Hall, where he had attended a few public and charity events. Why he was traveling there was the pressing question. But, the Guardsmen didn’t seem to know much, so talking to them was fruitless. And Deides obviously knew what’s going on, but, where was she? With no knowledge of any wrongdoing, and no other explanation forthcoming, he decided to watch out the polypanes until they arrived.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The groundcar drove up the thoroughfare to the large plaza surrounding Citizen’s Hall. Again, very few people stirring at this time. The groundcar pulled up to the main stairs to the Hall.

  The Team Leader and the other Guardsmen exited with practiced ease and formed up. Narmer was not so quick.

  “Citizen Narmer Yen-Stedt,” the Team Leader bellowed, which seems to be his thing, “you will come with us.” He then strode ahead as before, and the not so merry band followed.

  They climbed the impressive stairs up to the equally impressive colonnade. It was truly a grand structure, the people’s house.

  Awaiting them as they stepped off the top stair was an average looking man in the standard gray two-piece uniform of the Council’s office. He glanced at Narmer but mostly tried not to look at him as they approached.

  “Citizen Narmer Yen-Stedt,” the Team Leader said in a very unexpected and subdued tone, “you are hereby released to this Council member. You will cooperate with him as he requires.“ The look on his face didn’t allow Narmer any other thought except to cooperate.

  “Citizen Narmer Yen-Stedt, follow me please,” the Council member said with practiced politeness.

  The Council member made his way into the Hall through the overly large main doors, with Narmer in tow. Narmer followed him through the main hall, into the antechamber, and then into a suite of offices beyond. Now Narmer had been to the Hall in the past, but never this far into the functional offices. The Council member stopped at the door of a nondescript office and gestured Narmer into the office. Narmer stepped into a well-lit office while the Council member closed the door and remained outside.

  “Good rise to you Citizen Yen-Stedt,” said a man who wore the white of an Investigator and was seated on a rather plain but functional chair. There was a similar chair facing him. He waved at it, indicating Narmer to sit. As Narmer took his time approaching the chair, the man watched him with sharp, intelligent eyes, but no real expression on his face. Narmer stared back and then sat.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, please let me introduce myself, I am Investigator Aut-Loren. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me at this early chirp,” the Investigator said as if he truly meant it.

  “My escort and driver were very efficient and pleasant, so I didn’t see how I could refuse your invitation,” Narmer replied as if he truly did not mean it.

  “Come now, Citizen, we have some rather nasty business to attend to, no need to make it more so.”

  Nasty business? Now Narmer really wracked his brain trying to figure out what this was all about, with no success. So not knowing anything, he said nothing, just sat with his hands in his lap, waiting for the Investigator to continue.

  “Are you not curious as to why you are here?” he asked, being irritatingly gracious.

  “I’m pretty sure that you’ll let me know in due course,” Narmer stated.

  “Aww, yes, yes I will, of course. So, let us begin. Do you know the whereabouts of the spal of Citizen Las-Dilsa?”

  Las-Dilsa? Where had he heard that name? Woodam Las-Dilsa! The Honoree and spal of Deides. Or ex-spal.

  “I’ve not had the honor of meeting the spal of Citizen Las-Dilsa, and thus know nothing of her or her current location,” Narmer said with conviction.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, I know that you’ve spent quite some time with Citizen Lud-Dilsa lately. You just left her a few short chirps ago. So, please, let’s get past your weak attempts at deceit. Do you know where she is?”

  “Investigator, it was my impression that Citizen Lud-Dilsa was an ex-spal, and I have not had the honor of meeting the new spal. In any case, I do not know the location of either,” was his somewhat smug reply.

  “Citizen, this is a serious matter and trying to toy with me will not help you in your situation. But, if you help me, then I can help you.”

  “What exactly is my situation?” Narmer honestly asked.

  “You are an accessory after the fact, at the moment, and that could be changed to co-conspirator fairly soon.”

  What? “What?”

  “Citizen Woodam Las-Dilsa was found murdered this rise. Citizen Deides Lud-Dilsa is the prime suspect. You are a suspect. Now is your situation much clearer?” asked the Investigator, not quite so politely this time.

  “I don’t know anything about this. I went to have a late setmeal with Deides, Citizen Lud-Dilsa, then went home and to bed. Then my escort arrived this rise. That is the sum total of my knowledge of the situation.”

  The Investigator leaned in closer, “Is that correct? Please think carefully, anything else?”

  Now Narmer felt pretty confident, “That pretty much is all I can come up with.”

  “That is unfortunate, for you, as we know that you received a vidcon from Citizen Lud-Dilsa this rise. While we were not able to break the encryption in time to listen in, we do know that you spoke with her.”

  “Simple enough, she said that my escort was arriving. It was very nice of her, and she was accurate, they knocked at the same time I was speaking with her. It was a short conversation due to the insistence of my escort.”

  “If you would surmise for me, why would she do that and how would she know?” a true inquiry from the Investigator.

  “Well, now you are getting into areas I truly have no knowledge of,” more smugly this time.

  “Citizen, you spent two sets and a rise with Citizen Lud-Dilsa, truly you know more.”

  “Until this moment I didn’t know her full name, you gave me that information. And as of two sets ago, I didn’t know her at all. So, you obviously have more knowledge of her than do I.”

  “Citizen, do you make it a habit of not knowing those that you spend time with so, eh, closely?”

  “Investigator, in these times, it is known to happen…” Narmer snarked.

  “Sadly, this is true, I suppose. In any case, she had reason to warn you and then did, and we will find out the reason. Until then, you will be a guest o
f mine, and thus of the Council, as I am currently stationed here. A Council Aide will escort you to your temporary quarters. We will speak again, soon. In the meantime, please remember your time with her more completely. It will be the topic of our next conversation.”

  Narmer understood the firmness of the Investigators statement. Now he started to worry. Only because he knew he was in a situation out of his control, but still didn’t know why.

  The Aide entered and motioned Narmer to follow. So, Narmer dutifully followed him down a hall and upon turning into another hall, stopped in front of an indistinct door. The Aide opened the door; and Narmer entered by himself, the Aide then closed and locked the door. Narmer could hear him walking away.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Narmer surveyed the room, a bed, with bedding, stacked neatly, a chair, and a half-height hygiene stall. The light in the room was typical in that it came from the glowing walls and ceiling, and standard voice commands would alter the light and temperature levels. So, not much in the room.

  Narmer was surprised that his p-tab had not been confiscated. He thumbed it on, only to discover that he could not connect to the cinc. And he noticed it was now a chirp from midrise, and, ‘6’, six rises until Departure.

  The rush from all the rise’s events started to fade, and Narmer having had a short set before, laid down as he had nothing better to do.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, arise, I have your setmeal for you,” was what was said by the same Council Aide that brought him here. What Narmer heard was “meal.” He sat up quickly, but then held there, trying to understand why he wasn’t in his sleeping chamber, why he was so hungry, and why a man in gray was holding his food. Deides! The fog lifted, and his spirits sank.

  The Council Aide approached Narmer with a platter of food. Surprisingly good-looking food, he thought.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, please enjoy your setmeal, but don’t tarry too much, you will be meeting with the Investigator at the next chirp, half-a-chirp from now,” the Aide explained, rather too nicely, “and you might want to tidy up a bit as well.”

  Now, Narmer had seen his fair share of suspense and drama stories on vid and read many more, so obviously, this was a prelude to interrogation. How does one get ready to be interrogated? A whole rise was lost, he hadn’t eaten since the last set, and now he was nervous enough to consider not eating. Almost nervous enough. So, he ate the setmeal, with a purpose, wondering when the next meal might, or might not be. He ate every speck, morsel, and trimming that there was and downed the whole jug of a very nice brew of gaberry. And it was good.

  “Alright,” he exhaled as he got off the bed and shuffled towards the hygiene stall. As he relieved himself, he caught a view in the reflector. Not much to look at. Tired eyes, unkempt Ria colored hair, rumpled tunic, and pants.

  He splashed his face, wet down his hair, running his fingers through, trying to bring some semblance of order to it.

  Walking with a bit more energy, he made it to his bed and grabbed his p-tab. Thumbing it on, he saw that it was almost the appointed chirp. Narmer eyed the chair but decided that sitting was not how he wanted to be seen before they took him away. So, tugging his tunic into shape, he faced the door and waited.

  He heard footsteps, but only one pair. Then the door was unlocked, and then the door opened fully. “Obviously, they aren’t too worried about what I might do, minimal security,” he mumbled to himself.

  The Council Aide was back. ”Citizen Yen-Stedt, please follow me,” again too nicely as he turned and proceeded out of the room.

  Narmer, seeing himself in his mind as if he were in a vid marching to his doom, straightened his back, lifted his chin and strode after the Aide.

  They retraced their steps, back to the Investigator’s office.

  The Aide then opened the door, waved Narmer in, closed the door and left.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, I hope that you found your quarters satisfactory,” the Investigator stated, not really asking.

  “Investigator Aut-Loren, ‘satisfactory’ is a satisfactory description,” he replied, trying to be only a bit sarcastic.

  “Wonderful! Now if we could conclude this last bit of business, we’ll put an end to this as quickly as possible.”

  Quickly? Narmer was thinking about how to draw this out now…the end was nearer than he thought.

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, the case of Citizen Woodam Las-Dilsa has now been closed,” the Investigator said very nonchalantly. Very similar to “interesting weather.”

  Narmer could only stare at the Investigator. Closed? Is that good news or bad?

  “Our findings are complete and conclusive. The murder of Citizen Las-Dilsa was a horrible act of greed and betrayal. To be cut down just prior to the most important event in our people’s history and to be murdered by someone that was so close to you and that you had trusted, makes this a horrendous affair. And then, in addition, to draw in the supposed innocent as well, makes it tragic for everyone.”

  There will now be two more attendees for the next shuttle launch. Although, that is only a vicious rumor created by the ‘Gifted’,” he said as an aside.

  “There are a couple of loose ends, however, Citizen Yen-Stedt. I cannot prove your involvement, and I am confident that you are involved. As I am confident that Citizen Lud-Dilsa is the perpetrator, but I cannot prove that either. I can, however, prove that Citizen Nin-Brand and her half-brother Citizen Jal-Brand did murder Citizen Woodam Las-Dilsa.”

  Narmer, his mind racing, “I, I don’t understand…I’ve done nothing, I know nothing. I don’t know who Citizen Nin-Brand nor her half-brother Citizen Jal-Brand even are. And I’ve known Deides for two sets.”

  “Citizen Yen-Stedt, the evidence is compelling. The murder was a poisoning, the poison was found in Citizen Nin-Brand’s chambers. There is vid of her tampering with Citizen Las-Dilsa drinks that set. There is vid of Citizen Jal-Brand staging the room to look like Citizen Las-Dilsa passed in his sleep, as opposed to the thrashing and gasping that actually happened. A rather unpleasant way to die. It is all tied up, nice and neat. And therein lies the problem. It is too nice and neat, and quick. My experience has shown that in all cases like this, it is surely a frame-up.”

  “However, I must follow the evidence that I have, and that leads away from you and Citizen Lud-Dilsa. So, you are free to go.”

  His throat tight and dry, “Go? Just leave? Now?” he croaked.

  “Yes, an Aide will show you out. And, Citizen Yen-Stedt, you are free to go, but you are not free of me,” he intoned with dramatic effect, overly so.

  The Aide entered and stood in the doorway. He beckoned at Narmer to follow him and turned to leave. Narmer followed.

  Narmer’s mind was churning, he was trying to figure out the past two sets, and was so lost in thought, he only noticed he was outside when the light rain mist had lifted, and a slight wind was in his face.

  “Good ria, Citizen Yen-Stedt,” the Aide stated and walked back in.

  Narmer looked around, trying to decide what to do.

  He noticed someone in the plaza below, trying to get his attention. He didn’t recognize the ground car. But he definitely recognized the auburn hair. Deides!

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Narmer started down the steps, looking around, noticing the view from the colonnade. As it was approaching the set, the lights of the city were becoming visible far off in all directions. It was impressive, a bright reminder of a proud and prosperous people, also a sad token of what is to be gone forever. Chon-su, the traveler, was rising in the East, his pale light was a beacon of hope and sadness, for, from him, Prominence would rise.

  He didn’t exactly hurry down the stairs, but Deides was watching him with mild amusement on his way down.

  “Hello sweetness!” she said as he finally neared her and the very impressive groundcar.

  “Hmpf,” was his reply.

  “Now don’t be mad at me, after all, I got you released as quickly as possible,” she explained.

  �
�The least you could do, since you got me arrested in the first place,” he reminded her.

  She motioned Narmer to the groundcar, “Let’s go someplace we can talk, there is a lot to discuss.”

  “I’m very interested in what you have to tell me; I know very little of what’s going on. And I’m looking for a drink and a smoke.”

  “I have just the place,” she said, with that smirk again.

  Narmer got in and got settled, as did Deides. She then enabled the energizers and the car smoothly move out of the plaza and down the thoroughfare. He noticed that they were headed almost directly away from his part of the city. “So, where are we going?” he asked, not truly expecting an answer as Deides was enjoying this too much. Her green eyes were energized and those lips that he remembered oh so well, were in a half smile, “It’s a surprise,” she said as she turned on some music, loud, naturally.

  The city passed by, and Narmer took in the darkened scenery as they drove. It became obvious that they were going towards the bay that the city sat on. The Bay of Chons. The history of his people was said to have started here, for the city of An was initially founded next to the waters of Wer, the greatest body of water on Kepteyn.

  The origin story was that of his people emerging from the bay to arrive upon the land. Hence the name of the bay, Chons, or traveler. His people were the children of the Ancients, and this land was given to them. The history and archeology of his people date this arrival around three thousand cycles prior, but there was a fair amount of evolutionary evidence to suggest that the origin story was just that, a good story.

  Narmer commanded the music volume to a conversation level and asked, “How much further, I’m thinking of a nap…”

  “Almost there, not too much further,” she said cheerfully.

  “We’ve been traveling for almost a full chirp; we are about to run out of dry land.”