As usual, traffic was extremely light and there was just a scattering of pedestrians on the walkways. Many of the buildings they passed appeared empty and a vague sense of decay permeated the area. The General shifted in his seat, oblivious to the deserted neighborhoods they passed through. He fought to control the black mood descending on his psyche.
Granted, there was a good reason for his growing displeasure. That reason was contained in the terse message he had just received prior to his departure from his office. Before he had destroyed it in a fit of rage, it had conveyed the bitter news that Janus Owens continued to ride a phenomenal streak of luck and had once again avoided what should have been certain destruction.
The stratagem had failed. His stratagem had failed. With mind racing, he reviewed the plan yet again but could find no obvious fault. It should have worked. The element of surprise and two-to-one odds was a traditional and usually reliable formula for success. Unable to find an obvious flaw, the General rationalized its failure must be due to the inept execution of his plan, and the enemy’s uncommon cursed luck.
He continued to believe the plan had been audacious, brutally simplistic and close to foolproof. Yet to the General’s great dismay, the target had again eluded his fate. What should have been a swift, powerful killing stroke had instead been one more near-miss in a series of failed attempts.
The Light Saber had been destroyed completely, yet the enemy-of-the-state still lived. Now, traveling in a ship that appeared virtually unscathed, this Janus Owens fled from the General’s agents and a deserved fate. Further troubling to the General was the report the enemy’s ship had actually appeared to have a slight edge in maneuverability and speed over its Golstar pursuer.
Shifting restlessly in his seat, the General thought at least he could take some solace in the news the enemy appeared to be headed for Selane instead of Berralton. He could not have obtained another ship for an intercept had the enemy made for the home planet. The General had encountered trouble enough in assembling space worthy crews for his original plan from the limited number of supporters whom he could count on as being loyal to him exclusively.
With the enemy’s likely destination being that of the planet Selane, there still remained an excellent chance to correct the error. His agents could yet take the enemy out on the planet’s surface without interference. Selane was normally out-of-bounds, even to the military.
He vaguely recalled that it was something to do with the Founder. It used to be a personal retreat or something. Now it was considered a holy memorial. It was fitting really, as he thought about it; what better place to terminate a threat to the Way than a holy site commemorating the Founder of the Way. He only wished he could be there in person to witness the interloper’s final termination. Better if he could end Owens’ life personally, by his own hand.
As he thought about it more, some of his confidence returned. Yes, he thought with a renewed conviction. His plan could still succeed. This small glitch was only a temporary setback. He began to relax in his seat as he thought it was also fortunate he had yet to communicate his bold plan of action or convey its current sorry state to the Leader.
With this new perspective, the pain in his stomach lessened. He took a deep breath, relieved the Leader remained unaware of his unsanctioned activities. While it was still his intent to notify the Leader of his unilateral action, he hoped to convey at the same time its ultimate success. There was no need to trouble the Leader with this momentary setback, he told himself. Yes, he thought, the reward would still be his when he announced the successful removal of this Janus Owens. A small smile appeared on his thin lips.
The vehicle carrying the General slowed as it approached a tall stately building situated on the southeast side of the city, near the Empire River. The building afforded a panoramic view of the clear, blue waterway with its scattered trees and rich vegetation lining each shore. The General had purchased his residence primarily because of this location and he never tired of the vista it afforded him. The carrier pulled into the underground parking area below the noble edifice and without a word to the driver, the General quickly exited and took the private lift up to his penthouse located on the top floor.
The lift opened, and the General entered the wide foyer. Bright sunlight beamed through the skylight above, bouncing off the polished stone-tiled floor. As he walked, his boots clicked loudly on the tile’s hard surface. He strode quickly into his study and the sound of his heels abruptly ceased as he transitioned to thick carpeting. He did not pause but immediately headed for a tall ornate cabinet standing in a corner, fashioned of native woods and hand rubbed with a rich dark oil-finish.
He ran his hand over it in appreciation. It was a beautiful piece; it had been custom made to his specifications when he had been promoted to colonel, a present to himself. He opened its two curved doors, and a large wooden rack filled with vintage wines was revealed. He reached out and grabbed a bottle in the lower left-hand side of the rack. He pulled it about a quarter of the way out until he heard the soft click. The rack split in two, and opened outward to reveal an inner compartment. With its contents exposed, the General reached in and removed a clear bottle filled with a colorless liquid.
The General took a crystal tumbler from the top shelf of the cabinet and went over to a large chair and pedestal side table. He opened the bottle and poured a generous amount of the liquid into the tumbler. He put the bottle on the side table within arm’s reach and sat down.
He took a large swallow. The smooth liquor burned its way down his throat, immediately loosening the remaining tightness in his stomach. His face flushed in reaction to its molten heat. He took a smaller sip and sighed. He smiled as the illegal spirits warmed him further. ‘Hard’ liquor was banned by the Way. Only wine and weak ales were allowed and then only in measured moderation. The penalties for public intoxication were quite severe. However, as within any society, there were those who would ignore the rules and take advantage of an untapped market, in this case, a market for bootleg liquor. He had paid a lot of credits for his supply, but at times like this, he considered it a very sound investment indeed.
His thoughts returned to the problem at hand, and he began to consider new instructions to the crew of the ship chasing Janus Owens. Though it was unpopulated, the planet Selane was not forgotten. No, he thought, definitely not forgotten, and it was well protected. He knew of the safeguards set in place among the scattered facilities on the planet, guarding the valuable assets and protecting a holy shrine. The interloper could hardly be expected to know of or defeat the numerous security systems in-place on the planet’s surface. These systems could only help speed Owens’ ultimate fate. He would need to send the security codes to his agents, so they would remain unharmed in their pursuit of Janus Owens. Perhaps the security systems would take care of Owens for them. He freshened his drink and considered going out on the balcony to enjoy the view and consider the ways in which Owens might ultimately meet his end.
With these thoughts, his mood began to lift further. Victory would still be his. Surprisingly, his stomach took that moment to rumble, and he realized that he had not eaten since that morning. He started to rise from his chair, intending to retrieve a snack from the nearby pantry when he was startled by a deep, cold artificial voice, “I am most disappointed in you, my General. Is that contraband liquor that you are drinking? Never would I have suspected you, a high-ranking member of the military, would participate in such an illegal activity.”
At these words, his hunger forgotten, the General’s heart began to beat rapidly. His whole body vibrated to its harsh pounding.
“But you are fortunate that I can overlook such a transgression.” The synthesized voice came from a hooded figure standing in the threshold of the den. The Leader raised gloved hands in both benediction and greeting. The bright light from the foyer framed the Leader, creating an aura of divinity.
The General quickly rose, moved from the chair and dropped to his knees, as was the pra
ctice when addressing the Leader. His head bowed. “Leader, you are most welcome in my home.” Then looking up he said, “This is unexpected but a pleasure, nonetheless. May the Light of the Way illuminate your path.” Though shaken and fearing the worst, the General was pleased in the strength of his own voice. “And may I ask why you are here?”
The Leader took a step into the room. The holy visage abruptly disappeared, and then the Leader completed the holy passage, “And may the path you choose be the Way to true enlightenment.” The Leader said with hands gesturing casually, “As to why I am here, it is only to discuss the progress of your recent, bold attempt to remove our enemy.” The mysterious figure paused, and added as if an afterthought, “And to obtain your signature for the certificates of transfer documents I brought with me.”
Though he half-expected it, the General involuntarily flinched at the mention of his plan. He thought desperately, vainly seeking a way to blunt the failure, his failure. He could not fathom how the Leader had discovered his plan. He had been very careful and only those directly involved knew of it. He had instructed his agents to be most vigilant in protecting its secrecy.
Nevertheless, he conceded that someone had not been careful enough. Or even worse, the Leader could have found out about the plan by an informer secreted within the ranks of the General’s trusted associates. It was difficult for him to accept; there was a spy within his loyal circle, but then again, perhaps it was attributable to carelessness rather than espionage. His thoughts refocused on the matter at hand. How would he answer to the Leader?
Still kneeling, he belatedly realized his silence was becoming pronounced. However, before he could frame a response, the Leader said, “Oh, do get up General, it is not dignified to begin our discussion with you on the floor… we should speak eye-to-eye on this.” A pause, “And perhaps you could spare another glass?” The Leader nodded toward the bottle on the side table.
The General blinked and slowly rose from the floor trying to regain some of the poise he had lost. Under these circumstances, he had not expected a social overture from the Leader. He moved over to the cabinet, his back now to the Leader and removed another glass. He turned to pour the liquor and found the Leader had taken his chair. He filled the tumbler and handed it to the Leader, then turned and drew up another chair and sat before the gray hooded figure.
The Leader held up the glass the General had poured as though admiring the craftsmanship used in creating the reflective cut planes and facets of the crystal. The Leader lowered the drink slightly, holding the tumbler in the manner of a toast and gestured for the General to do the same. The General reached over, took up his own glass and raised it, likewise.
“To success,” the Leader intoned, the harsh synthesized voice giving no hint of derision and lifted the mask just enough to expose a shadowed mouth. The General looked closely, but from his angle, he could not discern anything unique, no special feature was apparent. He could not even tell if the Leader was a male or female.
“To success,” the General echoed. They both drank deeply.
“And now General,” the Leader repositioned the mask and put the drink on the table, “while I am gratified that under my leadership, you have taken such a bold step, surely you agree that the time for secrecy is over? Why not tell me exactly what you and your people have endeavored to do in the name of the Preservers of the Way. Indeed, I am most anxious to hear the current status of the, ah… situation.”
The General hesitated, trying to think of a way to justify his plan and his choice to act alone. Seeing his obvious uncertainty, the Leader spoke again, “Come General, surely you knew I have many resources at my disposal. A grand scheme such as yours could not go unnoticed for long. I now only ask these questions so I may fully understand your strategy and how you envision it promoting our goals.”
Seeing the General still hesitate, the Leader continued, “I admit I was somewhat taken aback when I first found you had acted without sanction, but I must also confess I am now intrigued by such a daring and decisive move on your part. Please, won’t you enlighten me with the particulars?”
Although the request seemed genial, the words formed a command the General easily recognized and could not refuse. And so having no choice, he immediately began to describe the plan he had set in motion. As was his habit, the Leader interrupted from time to time to ask questions and clarify points of understanding.
As time passed, and the Leader still voiced no criticism only apparent interest, the General gained confidence. He progressively became more enthusiastic and animated in his descriptions. He confidently concluded the enemy would soon reach the end of his fortune.
After the General had finished, the Leader nodded in apparent satisfaction. “Yes, yes I can certainly see the value of your thinking. You have demonstrated unexpected initiative to advance our cause.” The Leader paused as if in thought. The Leader then said, “Yes, I see your novel plan was a straight forward, almost simplistic approach, and that you have put some of yourself into this noble strategy.” The Leader paused again, this time to lift the mask and take a sip of the drink.
The Leader then said as if an afterthought, “You knew of course the Keeper of the Way was onboard the Light Saber?”
The General drew back and could not hide his surprise. The Keeper of the Way was on the ship? The question was totally unexpected and his reaction had been unguarded. What could the possible reason be for her to be onboard with the enemy?
The General paused and thought of the possible ramifications resulting from the Leader’s revelation. There was nothing he could think of that would excuse this lack of knowledge. He knew he had no alternative but to admit that he had not been aware of her presence on the Light Saber.
He suddenly had an idea and said finally, “My intelligence appears to have been incomplete, but on thinking it through, I believe it to be a fortunate happenstance that she was present. Yes, yes I believe it was indeed providential. Her elimination will be one more strike at the Grand Patriarch, a virtual killing strike to his heart.”
The Leader nodded and appeared thoughtful, saying, “Interesting. That is something I would not have envisioned. Go on.”
Encouraged, the General continued, “It is well known that he dotes on his daughter, to the point of public displays of affection.” This last was said with disapproval. “I have no doubt her loss will diminish his will to prevail in his mad delusions. It is obvious to me now her removal will be one less obstacle to deal with when the new order replaces the old. By this opportunity, the Founder has indeed smiled upon us.”
“To be sure,” the Leader said. “From what you say, I can see from your perspective that it was indeed providential she was aboard. However, perhaps the man from Confederated Planets is not the only one who has enjoyed good fortune; she may have survived, too.”
“It matters not, if she survived, she will soon share the outsider’s ultimate fate.”
The masked face stared at the General for a long moment in silent contemplation. The Leader’s eyes moved to the antique clock on the wall. The Leader seemed to hesitate, as if deciding something, and then withdrew a number of papers from beneath the voluminous gray robes. “Now I must apologize but my time is limited, and I am afraid we must now deal with more mundane matters.”
The Leader placed the sheaf of documents on the table with a gold stylus on the top. “These are for your signature. As we have done in the past, we need military authorization to redirect munitions to certain storage facilities to which we have access. As the time for the Return to the Way draws ever nearer, we must make sure our supporters are prepared and thus equipped for every contingency. Do you not agree?”
The General felt he had just been tested by the Leader but was still unsure of the outcome. He remained uneasy by the clandestine manner in which the Leader had entered his quarters, yet the manner they conversed seemed to belie any sinister intent. He could detect no other, underlying motive, but he could not shake the sense t
here was more to this meeting.
To disguise his discomfort, he took another sip from the tumbler and said in his most agreeable manner, “Of course.” He took up the stylus and briefly glanced at the top sheets, nodded his ascent and then quickly signed the three sheets staggered at the bottom and handed back the documents along with the stylus.
The General sat back. He felt off-balance, still unsettled by the Leader’s unannounced visit. As he thought on it, he began to wonder why the Leader had not summoned him through the usual channels. He found his mouth dry and took a larger swallow of the liquor.
He had placed the tumbler back on the table when he felt a sudden constriction in his throat and began to cough. He experienced a wave of dizziness, and the coughing became more violent. He was having some trouble catching his breath between the hacking coughs. His skin suddenly felt hot, and he began to sweat, though the room was comfortably cool. The Leader sat back and watched him without comment. The coughing finally subsided but he continued to feel hot.
“That is a nasty cough… Colonel,” the Leader said, using the General’s official military title in a pointed manner. “I could recommend a good physician, but I do not believe there is sufficient time for it to do you much good. No, as I think on it, I believe you are quite out of time.”
“What do you mean?” The General’s face was set in almost a comical expression of astonishment.
“What I mean is that while you turned away to get the glass, I took that brief opportunity to add a little something extra to your drink. You should feel privileged; you have just joined the select few who have experienced the first effects of poisoning from the venom sac of a blue-ringed sandfish.”
“The poison is odorless, colorless and virtually tasteless. What little taste it possesses was masked quite nicely by the liquor.” The Leader paused, staring intently at the General. “I understand its effect begins in a rather mundane fashion with a cough and a sudden flush of the skin. You know... the sandfish is quite rare, and I assure you its venom was most difficult to obtain.” The voice synthesizer struggled to translate a dramatic sigh. “I do hope you appreciate all the trouble I have gone to in procuring it.”
Shadows of Golstar Page 30