She remained silent.
So far, other than a brief expression of surprise, she maintained an unreadable expression. She’s pretty good, he thought as he plunged ahead. “So, when I saw your imposing battleships, I thought they might be there to foster a little awe, perhaps to remind a citizen of Confederated Planets of exactly where he was.”
Sharné’s face remained impassive, but her response took on a noticeably cooler tone. “But you now know you were wrong in your assumption.”
Owens kept himself from grimacing at her reply; good thing he hadn’t made reference to Confederated Planets’ first encounter with Golstar. He could tell by the warning tone in her voice, if not her expression, he would have to tread a little more cautiously; he was approaching dangerous ground. He smiled ruefully, thinking, treading carefully wasn’t exactly one of his strong suites. “Well yes. It didn’t take me long to reconsider after my initial surprise wore off. By then it was simple to see the three battleships were not there for show but were obviously positioned to discourage possible aggression. I recognized that the battleships weren’t there to impress but rather to protect.”
Sharné remained silent, thinking about what Owens had just said, the cooling cup of tea momentarily forgotten. Owens had been drawn into this because of Golstar’s request. She, along with her father and Uncle Tal believed they had prepared a more than sufficient escort to protect Owens. As it turned out, they had been proven quite wrong. Owens had just endured another serious attack, an attack within Golstar’s sphere of control. That added up to three attacks; three attempts on his life that were all plausibly linked to Golstar's request for Owens, attacks that would not have occurred had not Golstar the desperate need for him. She realized that if they escaped their current pursuers, there would likely be yet other assassination attempts.
She said, “I believe I understand your initial reaction. Under normal circumstances, three battleships would not have been necessary. However, as you know, that was not the case. As I said, we knew of the two previous attacks and having a vested interest in your survival, wanted only to avoid further risk to you.” She looked at her teacup then back at Owens, “So we came in force, not suspecting the very resources deployed for your protection would be used instead in an attempt at your destruction. No one could have predicted we would be attacked by those very same sent to shield you.”
Owens wasn’t so sure but didn’t say it out loud. Instead, he asked, “So you do believe the attack was aimed at me? That I was the primary target?”
She nodded in agreement, “Yes. I am so very sorry, but I think there can be no other logical answer.”
“And,” Owens continued, “ the previous attacks are also somehow related to Golstar’s assignment?”
Sharné looked down at her cup, trying to think of an alternative answer, but she could think of no credible lie, so instead she would tell him the truth. She nodded and said with unveiled sadness, “Yes, the Founder forgive us; no other reason comes to mind.”
He was surprised at her forthright answer. “Well, whatever it is that you want me for, it sure seems not all the good citizens of Golstar agree with you.”
The auto-cook took that moment to signal that their meals were ready. Owens turned looked at the auto-cook’s panel. He smelled enticing aromas wafting from its vents. Saved by the bell, he thought. “Okay, let’s take a timeout to eat.” He saw that Sharné finally showed some expression. She appeared relieved.
● ● ●
Owens had told Hec, that unless he said otherwise, the AI was on his own and was trusted to make decisions alone. Hec interpreted this to include all aspects of ship’s operations, including the freedom to monitor Owens’ conversations with Sharné. Listening to their discussion in the galley, Hec hoped Owens would soon ask about why they were here and finally get the long-anticipated answer.
In the meantime, Hec had something in mind that would normally require Owens’ approval, but the AI didn’t want to interrupt the current discussion taking place in the ship’s galley. Hec didn’t want to be the cause for further delaying the explanation behind the Golstar summons. Instead, he decided he would again act independently as Owens had earlier given him the permission to do.
Hec hoped Owens had been sincere in his expression of trust because the AI was going to do something that hadn’t been discussed with, let alone blessed by, the Boss. Hec didn't want to say anything in front of Sharné for fear that she might take some offense. So Hec made the decision alone. It seemed to be the only prudent thing to do; a simple test to verify the satellites within the net were indeed deactivated, and the orbiting fortresses would not fire their weapons.
Hec prepped a small drone to send deeper into the sensor net. The AI deftly guided the ship’s manipulators, resembling the limbs from some great mechanical insect, to position the sleek, tapered cylinder into the Holmes’ launch tube. Hec had used every sensor on board in an attempt to verify the tiny satellites and weapons systems had received Sharné’s coded signal and were truly off-line. Failing that confirmation, the AI had decided to try another approach and directly test the net’s reaction.
It was fortunate that the government do-gooders back on Denbus had thoughtfully added a number of reconnaissance drones to the ship’s inventory. The small drone had been set for maximum acceleration and would arrive at the sensor net about thirty minutes before the Holmes did and still have enough fuel remaining to reach well within its center. If the drone triggered the defensive armaments, then they might have enough time to take some evasive action. Then again, it may not provide any buffer at all but, Hec reasoned, it couldn’t hurt.
Hec completed the drone’s placement and sealed the inner launch chamber. The manipulators retracted back into their overhead trolley. The trolley then rolled smoothly into its niche. Hec irised an opening in the forward shield in the area of the launch tube’s opening. Using compressed air to push the drone out from the tube, Hec waited until its momentum carried it beyond the ship’s shield perimeter, closed the ship’s shield, and then fired the drone’s engines. This assured that Owens and Sharné would not be distracted by the vibration from the drone’s launch.
●●●
Owens and Sharné had finished their meal in what he hoped was a companionable silence. He finally pushed aside the tray and said, “You’re probably expecting me to pose the long-awaited question, why your government asked for me. What does it want?”
She nodded, “Well yes. I expected you would have asked me that long before now. It has been almost two days since we last met aboard the Light Saber to begin our discussion. Then the attack…” her voice trailed off. Owens knew she was thinking of the lives that had been lost in the ambush.
Sharné looked away from Owens. He saw the sadness shadowing her expression during their meal deepen, and watched in admiration as her face cleared and she reasserted her composure. She turned and looked back at him, her eyes still bright with unshed tears. “Now that you’ve asked your questions, shall I first start with an overview of the assignment or case, as you called it? Then you may ask questions regarding the details.”
Owens surprised her by shaking his head in negation, “Not quite yet, but soon. I didn’t get to my questions about the Saber.”
She asked, “Your questions regarding the Light Saber?” Then she remembered, “Oh yes, you did say you wanted to clarify some observations you made while you were aboard?”
“Yes, and to put my next questions into some context, I first want to share with you some of those observations. My hope is that you can shed some light on what I saw and…” He hesitated, wondering if her answers would have any bearing on the yet to be revealed assignment. He idly fingered his empty teacup.
Dismissing that thought, he quickly began to relate what he had seen aboard the Light Saber. He was careful to describe the strange anomalies he had observed on the ship; anomalies that plagued him since returning to the Holmes. Just as he had told Hec, he explained in detail the co
rrosion and crystallized metal he had seen during their escape. He told her of the archaic nature of the exposed electronics that were part of the damaged power coupler and described the weakened condition of the docking mechanism.
He finished by expressing his puzzlement over his failure to see any significant number of ship’s personnel. He omitted the conclusions he had drawn about the previous two attacks and asked no direct questions but simply narrated his observations and waited for Sharné’s reaction. They weren’t long in coming.
CHAPTER 29
The tall, middle-aged woman walked towards her well-appointed suite of offices. She wore no makeup, her face only beginning to hint at her age. Her high-necked, long-skirted dress, gray in color with burgundy trim served to accent her tall, thin stature. Her light hair was severely pulled back, gathered at the nape of her neck and secured by a platinum clip fashioned in the shape of a nocturne rose, her only concession to fashion.
She paused to consider a large picture hanging to the right of the entryway. It was a painting of the Founder. She personally commissioned and paid for it herself. She had supplied a number of archived images she believed best reflected the true, noble nature etched in the great leader’s face. She was not disappointed in the artist’s final interpretation.
As she had so often, she again admired the artist’s skill in capturing the Founder’s character, his strength. The bold brush strokes of the portrait depicted the Founder at the height of his physical prowess when the planet Berralton, named after General Golan Berral Light, the Founder, was first settled. His iron grey hair was close cropped in military fashion and the crisp uniform he wore was festooned with ribbons and medals. His shoulders were broad, hinting at the powerful physique he was known to possess. His clean-shaven square jaw was firmly set, thinning his lips into a straight, horizontal line. Though only an oil painting, she imagined she could feel his strength radiate from the stern image it reflected.
General Light had led the glorious fleet of Earth’s last settlers to the solar system that was now home to their civilization. It would be named in his honor. However, it was also a system with a secret... a secret discovered by the great man himself. It was a secret that had lifted their people to unprecedented heights.
Gazing at his unyielding visage, she felt a familiar rush, a renewal of her resolve to ensure his legacy would continue to flourish; his Light would shine undiminished. She smiled openly in satisfaction and turned to enter the outer office of her aide.
As she entered, she reasserted her normal countenance, a slightly bored expression with no trace of the smile she wore just moments ago. Her eyes were drawn to the sound of rustling hard copy, and she was pleased to note that her aide was working diligently. The slight noise made by the door closing caused her aide to look up from a pile of documents she had been sorting through. When she saw who had entered, she quickly stood up, causing some of the documents to flutter to the floor.
She said in an anxious tone, “Minister Joselé, I am so pleased you have returned early. How went your audience with the Grand Patriarch? Well, I hope?”
Joselé was surprised by the question, but managed to maintain her composure. She arched one eyebrow and said, “Audience? Melinda, I recollect no invitation to an audience with the Grand Patriarch, so naturally I did not attend one. What are you talking about, dear? Surely, you remember I had you clear my schedule so that I could visit my son. It was not that long ago. Certainly, you have not forgotten. You must recall prior to that, nothing was noted in my schedule regarding a meeting with that stubborn old man.”
Her aide turned white at the derogatory reference to the Grand Patriarch. She stammered, “Of co-course Minister, th-the command came only today.”
“Really…” Joselé murmured.
“Yes,” her aide replied anxiously. “Two very large men with most unpleasant dispositions arrived here early this morning. They were waiting when I came in. They told me they were on official business from the Grand Patriarch.”
“How do you know they were truly from the Grand Patriarch?”
“I insisted they show me their identification, which they grudgingly produced. They informed me the Grand Patriarch had personally commanded your immediate presence at the palace. When I told them you were away, they were most insistent they be informed of your whereabouts.”
“What did you tell them?”
“I confess I was ill-prepared to obfuscate. My mind froze, and I was unable to think of anything plausible. I was forced to tell them you were visiting your son. Was I wrong to tell them, Minister?” The beginning of tears glistened in the corners of the young woman’s eyes.
“Commanded?” Joselé allowed some indignation to sharpen her tone of voice. “The Grand Patriarch commanded an audience?” She went silent, thinking furiously. The nuance was not lost on her. She could not recall ever being ‘commanded’ to appear before the Grand Patriarch nor, for that matter, to her knowledge, had any other minister been so summoned. Requested, yes, but not commanded, she thought. This could indeed be serious.
As time had passed, the active role the hereditary position of Grand Patriarch had once played had diminished in the day-to-day business of the government. The Grand Patriarch still retained the Founder’s ‘rule of one’ powers, but in recent history had rarely invoked them. However, the current Grand Patriarch had been slowly reasserting those Founder-given powers. This was obviously one more step in his quest have a more direct hand in ruling Golstar. Commanded indeed, she thought darkly.
Then she remembered her aide’s obvious distress and assumed her best kindly face. She smiled. “You did the correct thing, Melinda. Always tell the truth and your path will be bathed in the Light. I would never punish you for telling the truth.” She paused for a moment with brow slightly furrowed in apparent thought. “You did say they came representing the Grand Patriarch?”
The aide, now relieved, nodded vigorously, “Yes, the identification they provided me documented them as members of the Guardian’s Special Enforcement Office. I had not even known such an organization existed. They left a copy of this.”
The aide snatched a sheet of pseudo-parchment off the corner of the desk and handed the Minister an official-looking document with the Grand Patriarch’s seal at the bottom. “Since you were scheduled to arrive back at your office later this morning, and as it is now late in the afternoon, I assumed by your absence they had been successful in contacting you. I wrongly believed you had already attended the audience with the Grand Patriarch.”
Looking at the document, she waved absently toward her aide, “Yes, yes I was delayed but certainly not by an audience with the Grand Patriarch. I am afraid it was something much more mundane but in some ways no less irritating. A magna-lev stalled in the Saint Landry tube-way.”
Her expression soured. “These breakdowns are happening at an alarming rate and of late seem to be on the rise. It might be prudent to convene a special committee to look into it. A stronger presence by the Ministry may be just what is needed to address the issue. I wonder…” She shook her head. “At any rate, it seemed to take maintenance forever to arrive and clear it. So I was never contacted about the Patriarch’s request,” she paused, “…or should I more correctly say, command?”
“Shall I contact the palace and let them know of your arrival and when they may expect you?” The aide’s tone had again become anxious.
“No, Melinda, thank you but I do not believe that will be necessary. I will take up that task myself, at the proper time. I first require some time to prepare for the audience. As I suspect I know the reason behind the Grand Patriarch summons, I will need to discuss important, related matters with a number of my associates.” A slight smile formed on her lips, “Yes. I believe that I do have an inkling of what troubles our beloved Grand Patriarch.”
Her aide now looked openly frightened. She knew of the growing rift between Minister Joselé and the Grand Patriarch, but never had the Minister been so openly rebellious in
her comments.
Melinda said timidly, “The men appeared most serious in their demands to know your whereabouts, Minister. They were quite impatient and did not seem to be at all satisfied with my explanation that you were visiting with your son. They became agitated and actually accused me of hiding your location. For a moment, only a moment, I feared for my safety.”
“I am sorry you had to endure that unpleasantness on my behalf. Though I can see the reason for their agitation, they would never have been sanctioned to cause you real harm,” Minister Joselé replied. Then, with an openly grim smile, she said, “I am sure their agitation only increased when in searching for me, they finally discovered I had cut my visit short.”
She nodded to herself, “In fact, I have no doubt they will return here soon. So now, as I stated before, I must hasten to make preparations and take the time I need to consider measures I may be forced to undertake.” She appeared lost in thought for a moment but then seemed to remember some forgotten task. She abruptly turned around and began walking back toward the entrance to her aide’s office.
“Minister, please, where are you going?”
The Minister turned and answered her with an expression turned cold, “Dear girl, have you not been listening? As to where I am going, I do not believe I will tell you, for your own safety and admittedly for mine as well. I believe it is prudent that my whereabouts remain unknown, at least for the time being, so you must also remain ignorant of my location. However, as soon as I depart, I give you leave to contact the Guardian’s Enforcement Office, in fact, I encourage it. They will not be happy I have left, but I believe if you voluntarily provide such information, their suspicions about your possible involvement in ‘protecting’ me should be allayed.”
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