When he realised she could not be deterred, he acquiesced and told his daughter to pack. Requesting privacy when he entered his study, the guards could not refuse him because he still commanded respect, whatever his crimes. There was no way for him to escape the room and it seemed a safe enough request.
When he did not emerge, they broke down the locked door and found the General dead. He was lying face down on his desk, an empty glass of wine next to his unmoving head. The contents smelled suspiciously of Night Rose, a poison made from a flower of the same name.
At his funeral, only the Imperator and Kalistar were present.
XXXIII
Sacrifice
The tale of the blue planet remained a secret.
No one would ever know about the third White Star world and how it paid for Brysdyn's survival with its children. Garryn met with Jonen's colleagues, mentalists Darix of Tesalone and Alwi of Rainab, to reveal what he learned at Cathomira. Due to the high nitrogen content in the planet's depleting ozone, the sky did appear blue from the surface of the planet. This was also the cause of the sun appearing yellow in his dreams. Despite Cathomira's destruction, Garryn was satisfied there was no other cause for suspicion.
The dismantling of Security Elite continued under Garryn's strict supervision. The members of the organisation were absorbed into the Imperial army and the Enclave was left deserted until some other use could be found for the building. Major Danten pleaded guilty for his complicity in the General's crime, but asked for no clemency. Sentenced to a penal colony on the far side of the Empire, he received none, and was given a life sentence.
But the damage was done.
Once the fallout from Security Elite's demise settled, the Imperator was left with an uncomfortable truth. His son could not replace him.
When the truth was revealed to Iran back in the Enclave, he knew there would be a price to be paid for his part in all this. True, he would never have sanctioned what Edwen did to Earth, but how hard had he questioned it when those children were brought to Brysdyn? Wasn't there a part of him wondering how this convenient miracle came to be? If the need was not so desperate, Iran knew he would have been more determined to learn the truth. His desire to save Brysdyn kept him from asking hard questions.
Now Edwen was dead and his precious Security Elite was gone. Iran knew he too had a price to pay and it would be Garryn.
There was no way he could allow Garryn to succeed him when the boy carried the ugly truth inside of him. Could he run the risk that someday Garryn would come to resent the Empire for what it did to his home world? The boy remembered his natural parents, he remembered their deaths. Could such resentment manifest itself and what would the consequences be to Brysdyn because of it?
* * *
“You want me to step down as Prime?” Garryn stared at his father in astonishment.
When Iran asked Garryn into his private study after the evening meal, Garryn assumed he wanted an update on the progress of Security Elite's dismantlement. Edwen had constructed a vast network of informants and resources needing careful redistribution. It never occurred to Garryn the Imperator's agenda was far more astonishing.
“Do you think I want you to?” Iran asked, unable to look at Garryn.
His father, who always seemed so alive and vital, now seemed decades older than his years. Garryn couldn't deny that the truth about Earth created a rift between them. They had always been close, but now there were uncomfortable silences that neither man dared to break. As the weeks had gone by, it had only seemed to worsen and, while father and son loved each other, they were at an impasse neither could overcome.
“Of course not, but that's not why you're asking me to leave, is it?”
When Iran looked at his son, Garryn saw the anguish in eyes. It hurt him to see his father this way. This man was his father. Whatever his origins, that would never change. He had been a good father, a good man Garryn admired and loved. At no point did Garryn blame the Imperator for what Edwen did, but it appeared he did not have to. Iran blamed himself enough as it was.
“Do you really want to stay?” Iran countered, studying his reaction closely.
“I am Prime. I have a responsibility to you, to Ellisha and to Brysdyn.”
“That's not the question I asked. Do you want to stay? Do you want to become Prime? With everything you remember about Ther…I mean Earth, can you tell me in all honesty that your heart is still here?”
Garryn opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself before he could say the words. He fell silent immediately, betrayed by how he almost answered.
“I don't want you to go, Gar,” Iran stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I wish this never happened and you didn't know where you came from, but you do. With anything else, I would say we would get through it together, as a family, but not with this. You'd have to bury your feelings about Earth and perhaps you might learn to live with it, but you might not and what of your sister? She doesn't know and you'd have to lie to her or tell the truth.”
Garryn blinked, unable to imagine shattering Elisha's world by such a revelation. His father was right. He knew, and every day he found himself thinking about what he'd lost on Earth. He thought about the mother and father, murdered in the fields so he could be stolen away. His name wasn't even Garryn.
“I can't simply leave…” he started to say, rallying a last bit of defiance to his father's words. “I couldn't put this on Ellisha.”
“Your sister is strong, Gar. I think she would do quite well as Prime. In any case, I am far from retiring. Ellisha could marry and decided to pass over the line of succession to her children. It's not unworkable.”
As Garryn stood in front of him, reflecting on his words, Iran could see that he'd thought about leaving before this moment. He was just never able to overcome the obstacle that was his responsibility to his family.
Garryn wanted to protest, but this was about more than just his own conflicted emotions. His father was telling Garryn to go because he had to. Iran was Imperator first and he could not gamble the future on an heir that might end up hating the people he was meant to govern. As much as he wanted things to stay the way they were, what his father proposed was inviting. To be able to walk away from the title of Prime and a life decided for him was more than he dared to dream. His father was giving him a chance to see it realised. Could he really refuse?
“I wish I never went to Cathomira,” Garryn whispered, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I wish I never found out any of this.”
“I wish that too. You'll always be my son. Nothing will ever change that, but you need to go. You would be an adequate Imperator, perhaps in time even a good one, but Brysdyn deserves better and so do you.”
Iran watched as Garryn's shoulder slumped in defeat.
“I've tried so hard, father,” Garryn admitted at last. “I've tried to forget I came from Earth, but I can't. You're right. I can't be Prime with this inside me. I can't be Imperator to Brysdyn when I know what Edwen did to save it.”
“I know.” It was killing Iran inside to do this, but a sacrifice had to be made for Garryn and Brysdyn's sake. “No one could and that is why I am letting you go. Go wherever you must and live. Ellisha and I will always be here if you need us.”
* * *
Garryn found Kalistar at her father's estate.
Kalistar was the one person he'd avoided since his return to Brysdyn. Guilt at destroying her father kept Garryn from facing her. Even after Edwen's death, Garryn stayed away because he had no idea what he would say to her. The feeling seemed mutual, because Kalistar made no attempt to see him either. With his intention to leave Brysdyn for good, Garryn decided it was time they talked.
He found her in the gardens surrounding the house. According to the housekeeper, Kalistar spent a great deal of time on the well-manicured grounds, painting.
“Hello, Kal.”
She was painting one of the better views of the city from the garden and, when she heard his voice, put t
he brush down slowly onto the palette to turn around. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, but that was as much emotion that she cared to show. At that moment, she looked very much like Edwen's daughter. Mercurial.
“As I live and breathe, the Prime.”
Garryn took a deep breath, telling himself again this was never supposed to be easy. “How are you, Kal?”
She raised a brow at the question. “I do well, Prime. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“I came to say goodbye.”
She raised a brow at that. “Goodbye?”
“I'm leaving Brysdyn for good.”
“I see,” she took the new with little reaction. “Well, thank you for your time and I wish you well.” At that she turned around and resumed her painting.
“Kal,” Garryn sighed, realising he would have to press the issue, “don't let us part like this.”
She spun around and glared at him savagely. “What in Weaver's name is that supposed to mean to me? Do you think I will weep that you are leaving? You think I care after your reprehensible behaviour! I cared for you, Garryn, even though I never expected anything from you. I just wanted to be in your life. You discarded me like I was nothing. You couldn't even face me! You turned me out of the Domicile like some whore you paid for. I deserved better!”
Her words stung him, but it was the truth. Her anger was all she had left and Garryn would not deny her the chance to vent it. She was owed the opportunity to speak her mind.
“Kalistar,” he said once she stopped speaking. “You're right. I behaved unforgivably. I am not going to waste your time or hurt you any more by making excuses. I don't have any. I didn't want to face you because of your father. What I did to him affected you and I didn't know how to say sorry for that. I care for you, Kal. I always will. And you are right, you do deserve better than me. I can only say I'm sorry.”
There was no reason to linger and he didn't want to stretch this out longer than necessary. Giving her a nod, he turned around and started walking away.
“Wait! Where will you go?”
Garryn faced her again and answered with a shrug, “I don't know.”
Kalistar knew better, “You'll go to Earth.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because I'm smarter than you, remember?” She gave him a said smile.
Her glacial demeanour thawed a little and she took a step towards him. He met her half way. They embraced in mid stride and held onto each other for a long time. For a while, at least, everything else seemed far away. He remembered their first meeting at the Myzyne Ball and how they'd caused a stir when he'd asked her to dance. He heard her breathe and remembered her soft cries the first time they made love. She was the one thing these past few months that was worth anything to him. Perhaps, someday, he might come back for her if she'd have him.
She pulled away first and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Take care of yourself, Garryn.”
“Only if you do,” he replied, her hand still in his.
“I will be fine, Prime, and I think you will be now.”
Strangely enough, Garryn thought so too.
Epilogue
Justin Alexander sat on his porch staring into the parched landscape.
It was a glorious day, ideal for lazing away the afternoon in its golden heat. Although there was still a great deal of work left to do on the old house, it seemed too lovely a day to be wasted on toil. This kind of sunshine was delicious and intoxicating.
For the first time in years, he had all the time in the world and, at the moment, the world seemed very unconcerned with him.
Beyond the porch of the house, tall stalks of dried grass rustled as they swayed in the breeze. The heat carried by the wind left the landscape parched and dry, but this was nothing new. It was summer in this part of the world, as he understood it. Eventually the rains would come and make everything green again. Until then, he enough supplies to be comfortable and could take his time learning to grow things.
After all, it was supposed to be in his blood.
Behind him, he heard the wooden floor of the house creaking as soft footsteps approached. Justin glanced over his shoulder and saw the animal emerging from the flap cut into the doorway.
“Hello, Einstein,” he greeted the animal with a smile.
The dog sauntered past his chair and sat down at his feet, its russet pelt shimmering in the sunshine. In the past few weeks, the animal had become a part of his life he simply could not do without. It followed him on long walks, ate with him at meal times and slept at the foot of his bed at night. He also found that it was quite useful as a sentry of sorts.
Justin wished he could say he'd found the dog but, in truth, it was the dog who'd found him. Shortly after he had taken up residence at the house, the animal had appeared out of the scrub, sniffing for food and perhaps a little companionship. Thanks to Hannah being able to translate some of the papers in the house, he was able to learn that the animal he remembered in his dream was named Einstein. It seemed appropriate.
“Maybe we'll go for a little walk later.”
Einstein seemed content at this and lowered himself next to Justin's chair, content to laze the day away with his human companion.
It was hard to grasp how radically his life had changed in the past few months. It seemed like only yesterday he'd returned to this house and begun working to make it liveable, with Hannah's aid. He'd arrived here on a small ship he'd bought himself. While not as sophisticated as the Wayward Son, it served its purpose by allowing him to bring supplies, including a skimmer, from Brysdyn. It was berthed a short distance from the house, in one of the empty fields and lately Justin had begun using it to go exploring, with Einstein occupying the co-pilot's seat.
Thanks to Hannah, Justin learned the farm was called Makari, belonging to Helen and Cameron Alexander, his parents. Aaran's daughter was of great help to him during his first weeks here. She helped convert his language modulator to understand English and eventually helped him learn to read it. Now he was able to read most of the books scattered around the house.
After he'd settled, Justin had contacted Flinn to make good on his promise to show Hannah the worlds beyond Earth.
Even though she wouldn't be gone for very long, he was surprised by how much he missed her.
* * *
He looked up and saw it was almost dark.
The sun dragged a blanket of twilight over the sky as it prepared to sleep. The air was still warm, but temperatures around these parts plunged drastically at night. He rose to his feet lazily, feeling the stiffness in his joints creak in protest as he stretched his cramped muscles. He could hear the dog in the house and, upon investigation, sighted the animal in the kitchen sniffling at its empty food bowl.
“Okay, I get the hint, time for dinner.”
A roar rumbled across the sky, but the sound did not alarm him. Lifting his eyes to the evening sky, he saw a familiar shape descending into the fields beyond the house. The dog ran out of the house at the powerful reverberation and stood on the porch, yapping in short, harsh barks. Justin watched long enough to see the bright glow of landing lights in the distance.
“Looks like we're getting company for dinner, Einstein,” Justin commented. Einstein was not so easily appeased and continued his barking.
By the time his visitors approached the house, it was after dark. Einstein resumed his barking again as they were drawn to the lights of the house. He stepped onto the porch and placed a calming hand on the animal for silence as he saw his guests coming through the front gate.
“Nice pet,” Flinn Ester complimented, studying the animal with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
“You're his first visitors.” Justin grinned, pleased to see Flinn and Hannah. “Come on in, I've got dinner cooking.”
Flinn made a face. “Brysdynian ration packs. That should be appetising.”
Hannah gave the pilot a look and nudged him the ribs. “Thanks Gar…I mean, Justin.”
A
s they walked up the porch steps, the dog's initial caution melted away to curiosity and he inspected the visitors with a gingerly sniff. Hannah bent down to pat it gently on the forehead and the animal began licking her hand to get better knowledge of her scent.
“Well, he likes you,” Justin replied.
“I used to have one,” she answered, following the two men into the house. “When I was a kid.”
“Hey,” Flinn remarked, looking around the house with approval. “You've really fixed this place up.”
“You've gotten so much done since I last saw it,” Hannah complimented as well.
The last time she'd been here, the house was in the dilapidated condition they had found it in when Garryn first arrived on Earth. While it was nowhere near complete, Justin's improvements using Brysdynian technology were obvious. Furniture was repaired, windowpanes were fused into place and the place bore an appealing look of warmth.
“Thanks,” Justin gestured at them to sit at the dining table. As they took their places, he went to check on the progress of the food cooking on the stove. “It has been educational trying to get half this stuff to work, but I managed to do it without blowing up too many things.”
“I'm not surprised,” Flinn answered, studying Einstein who was sniffing at his leg. He ran his hands though the fur on the dog's flank and gave it a little scratch. Einstein panted his approval.
When dinner was finally served, the three friends caught up on old times. It was the second time Flinn had come here to see him. The first time was when Flinn collected Hannah to take her off world. Justin could not deny he was glad for their company. Even with Einstein, it did get a bit lonely at times. While Justin had a communication device in his own ship, nothing could take the place of human contact.
“How are you finding your sightseeing tour of the galaxy?” Justin asked Hannah.
“I spend a great deal of time trying to keep him out of trouble,” she laughed.
“Let me guess, during his card games?” Justin gave Flinn a look.
“I don't get into that much trouble,” Flinn protested, but his smirk indicated it was exactly as Justin guessed.
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