She studied each face, intently. “All I ask of you is that if you choose not to help us, you keep this conversation confidential. To fail to do so can unleash horrors on Alturian society that are unthinkable. I’m speaking of a civil war of such a magnitude that it would totally eclipse the suffering that has recently been felt on Keswick.”
She swallowed hard, as though she was envisioning the warfare that would ensue if she was unsuccessful. “If you choose not to listen to what I propose, then please indicate so now so that we can disconnect. If you will listen – and mind you, I’m not asking for your advanced agreement – I ask that you each restate your own planet’s confidentiality oath.”
Larimore took the lead, asking the men on the Allegro and Wilkerson on Keswick to join those on Kalenden as they recited the oath. Lansing also swore his own private oath. It was quite risky for him, since he might gain intelligence that could be used against him in the future. But his acceptation was without hesitation.
Richards relaxed noticeably. She then put the matter on the table. “Thank you and here’s what’s happening on our planet. We find the rebel alliance has grown much faster than we anticipated and that it is well organized enough to undertake guerilla activities. It’s our belief that in just months it will be strong enough to seriously threaten the government. My military advisers indicate we have more than enough automated weapons to squelch the rebellion, even if members of the military turn against us. So, in effect, we can destroy enough of our own people that they cannot succeed. Some advisers have even suggested we take pre-emptive action against the rebels now, while they’re not fully organized. I’ve indicated I’m not willing to do that. Of course, I can’t make such a statement without the authority of the monarchy, so I’m telling each of you and particularly you, Mr. Lansing, that the Alturian monarchy is committed to opening our society and instituting broad government reforms.”
“I appreciate that, Mrs. Richards and I want you to know that we are doing nothing to stoke the fires of your rebellion. We have our hands full sorting out our own fate.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Thank you. Still, there may be those on your planet who support our rebel movement. If such a connection was ever established our military will undoubtedly move to unseat the current government with the intent of ultimately dominating both Keswick and Alturus. Then, the fear you mentioned earlier, may become very real.”
Again she paused, waiting for one of the others to pick up where this would take them. PM Larimore broke the silence this time. “Of course we on Kalenden will not allow that to happen. Beyond the orchidite mines, we’ve spent billions of common currency to protect our borders and will not see a planetoid as close as Keswick fall under Alturian domination. So, unfortunately, we will be drawn into a war we do not want, but that we will feel compelled to wage.”
A feeling of dread seeped through the Esper links as the enormity of the conversation sunk in. Full-scale war was possible in as soon as two months. For societies which had avoided war for such a prolonged period of time, it was overwhelming to think of their people being exposed to such a meaningless waste of lives and resources. And yet, it was beginning to appear unavoidable.
“Perhaps a recognition of the danger is our best hope to avoid it,” Lansing said. “What can we do to prevent this?”
“Our Royal Family has met privately with the leaders of the rebel movement and they have indicated that what is desired is there be an absolutely irrefutable acknowledgement of the value and character of the second and third-class families. To avoid an overthrow, the rebels believe what is needed is change in the monarchy itself, one that will infuse lower-class blood into the monarchy, establishing, once and for all, that we are all equal. It’s a difficult request that we have resisted. But now we see no other way.”
Jesik was fascinated, but could see no reason for it to affect either Keswick or Alturus, other than to keep their politics at home. Prime Minister Larimore must have been thinking the same thing, for he interjected, “That’s a significant change, but why does it affect us?”
“It actually affects Kalenden more than Keswick, although we hope it will give the rebel government on Keswick the cover they need to keep their more militant groups out of our affairs. What the Alturian rebel movement calls for is a marriage of the Crown Princess to an individual with pure royal blood on his maternal side, but second or third-class blood on his paternal side. It’s believed this will provide the groom with the confidence of royals, aristocrats and commoners. He can then represent all our people. Although in the first generation the royal line would clearly be predominant, in time the lineage would equalize and one day the monarchy would assume the embodiment of the best of our entire society. It’s a bold plan that we believe has real merit.”
“So,” Jesik interrupted for the first time, “you will give your people the token they need to believe in your sincerity.”
“Precisely.” PM Richards smiled. “We believe the substance is in place, but the rebels doubt its reality. This is the most dramatic way we can signal how serious we are.”
Everyone paused to consider the impact. It was truly historic in that the course of an entire civilization was about to change by design of those leaders responsible for it. There were few examples in history where a hereditary monarchy voluntarily surrendered its authority to the common people.
“Again, Prime Minster, how does this affect those of us on Kalenden?”
“Thank you, Mr. Larimore, for bringing me back to the point. I’m a bit nervous, because the plan affects one of your citizens directly. We’ve conducted a genetic scan of our entire population and found the individual we seek doesn’t exist. There’s not one person on Alturus with the desired bloodlines. Through the years, our royals have occasionally had children with commoners and the rebels indicate they will not accept any person with royal blood on both sides, no matter how remote. They figure that can become an excuse for future royals to indicate the royal line was actually preserved. No, they insist on someone who is strictly second-class via the father and strictly royal on the mother’s side. We’ve tried to get them to compromise on this, but to no avail.”
Now, everyone was intrigued to find out how the Alturians hope was to be found on Kalenden. PM Richards continued. “We’d almost despaired of using this to avoid conflict, until our genetic scanners indicated the desired match had been found – and quite by accident. You see, during the recent Keswick campaign we rendered assistance to a number of Kalenden injured, which naturally brought us into contact with their genetic material, which was automatically sequenced. When the system flagged a match, we delved into the history of the individual to be certain we had the correct lineage and that the bloodlines were indeed pure. Our tests prove a confidence level of ninety-eight positive. Kalenden has also collaborated with us and verified our findings, per a special protocol previously authorized by PM Larimore.”
“So, what you need now is to contact our citizen and seek his permission for direct genetic testing?” Larimore said.
“I’m afraid it’s much more than that, Mr. Larimore. With your planet’s confirmation, we already know he meets the criterion. What we need is to seek out your citizen and ask if he will be willing to consider a marriage to our Crown Princess. On Alturus that would not be an issue, since it would be considered a duty of citizenship. But, it’s my understanding that you have no arranged marriages in your system.”
Larimore smiled. “It’s true we have no formally arranged marriages, although many leading families do everything in their power to see that a certain social status is maintained.”
“I’m sure you can relate to that,” Brighton whispered to Jesik.
“So, if you’ll tell us who our potential royal citizen is, we’ll arrange to contact him and inquire.”
“Perhaps I can have our chief geneticist indicate the lines.” A new face stepped into the Alturian viewing field.
“The first check is on the maternal side, since
that’s how royalty is distinguished from aristocracy.” By the tone of his voice it appeared that the geneticist was not a fan of openness between classes. “Once that’s cleared, then the father’s line is searched. In this case, the normal protocol was modified to search for a second or third-class family without royalty mixed in. Of course it’s irrelevant if second and third-class blood is mixed, since either would disqualify a person for inclusion in the aristocracy. In this case, the mother’s blood line showed a clear connection through the Wentworths, with no corruption by non-royal lines. From our records, the woman is a Helen Wentworth, a widow in the capitol city of Kalenden.”
Jesik instinctively blurted out “No,” as his stomach twisted. Unfortunately, he said it loud enough that his monitor took control and his image moved to center screen.
“Is something the matter, Captain?” PM Larimore asked him.
Jesik struggled for breath. “I don’t know if there is, Sir, but I’d like this conversation to be private between you and the Alturians. I think it’s very important.”
Unconsciously, he rose from his chair, his face flushed.
“I’m afraid the conversation must include you, Captain Jesik,” PM Richards said gently, but perhaps you should be the one to continue the story.”
With those words, everyone turned to look at Jesik, who had slumped back into his chair. It was the old nightmare again. Would it never leave him alone? How could this be possible?
“Captain,” PM Larimore said, “do you need time to compose yourself?”
Jesik looked at a camera, his face ashen. He sat on his hands to control their trembling.
“No, Sir, I believe I can proceed. If this is going where I think it is, I must now open a very old part of my life. Helen Wentworth is now Helen Wight, which is also a first-class name.” He swallowed hard. “But, as a young woman she had an illegitimate child.”
His face clouded up. “My child. Her father suppressed the incident and the child was given up for adoption. I very much wanted to marry her, but Kalenden society is not so different than Alturian, in that first-class families don’t want their children to mix with seconds, in spite of propaganda to the contrary.” He looked around the table for a moment in an attempt to suppress the rising tide of bitterness he felt. “Helen eventually succumbed to her father’s coercion and married into a first-class family.” He then added, “Then she and her first-class husband became parents of one of my officers, Kevin Wight. Obviously he’s not the child you seek, because he enjoys a first-class heritage through both sides.”
Jesik’s pause was used as an opportunity for the geneticist to continue.
“Captain Jesik is correct in thinking he’s the father of the individual. As it turns out, Captain, you have absolutely pure second-class blood lines, extending clear back to the Earth Migration. Thus, your liaison with Mrs. Wight produced a child with precisely the bloodlines the Alturian government desires.”
“But, I have no knowledge of my child,” Jesik said. “All that was denied to me.”
“Then, we are in a position to help you find him,” PM Richards said softly.
“I’m not sure I want to know,” said Jesik. “He’s grown up with no knowledge of me, so I’m not sure if it’s right that his world gets complicated by learning he has two, living, natural parents. Maybe he doesn’t even know he’s adopted.”
Prime Minister Larimore was reading a piece of paper transferred to him by a separate Esper link. He looked up at Jesik and said, “Captain, I hold the name of your son and it’s clear that he’s aware of his adopted status. But, you’re correct that he has no knowledge of you or Mrs. Wight being his biological parents. Perhaps you’d like me to share this with you, offline?”
PM Richards interrupted. “Gentlemen, we would normally offer time for Captain Jesik to deal with this. Unfortunately, though, we have very little of that commodity. It will be days before we can re-establish a link as complicated as this. Although I have no legal authority in this matter, I implore you to use this link to finish this.”
Jesik indicated it was all right to proceed as he was curious to learn about his child. But, mostly, he was ashamed. He should have insisted Helen marry him and as awful as it would have been then, he should have never surrendered to Kensington’s blackmail. Now, their child was to find the truth in the glare of the public spotlight. How can I explain my motives in abandoning the child? How can I understand it myself? The only answer I have is that it was Helen’s choice. One that I’ve regretted every day of my life.
“PM Larimore, perhaps you can announce who the individual is.”
“Perhaps I don’t need to. Captain, do you have any idea who your son is?”
“Of course not, why would I?” He glanced up at Sean Magill and at the same moment, recognition came. The likeness of their countenance was striking. A shudder ran down his spine that turned his legs into jelly. Who else but Magill had been injured on Keswick whose treatment required genetic analysis?
Jesik struggled for breath and must have blanched. It took Magill a moment after he saw the utter shock on Jesik’s face, and then he flushed as his eyes grew wide. He choked back a sound in the back of his throat and turned to the cameras defiantly.
“If you think you’re going to tell me that I’m the one…” his voice trailed off. “My parents are Robert and Sharon Magill. That’s it. I’m from a third-class family, not a royal.”
He looked at over Jesik, desperate. “It’s not that I wouldn’t be proud to be your son, Sir, but the Magills are my parents.” He pushed his chair back from the conference table as Jesik lowered his eyes to give Magill lots of room.
No one was saying anything, so Brighton spoke up for the first time. “Prime Minister, is Lieutenant Commander Magill the individual?”
PM Larimore answered. “Yes, Commander, the record match has been verified while we’ve been speaking. Sean Magill is the genetic child of Pietr Jesik and Helen Carlisle. There’s no question about it.”
There was a long, drawn out, silence across more than fifty light years. Finally, Jesik spoke quietly.
“Commander, no matter what else is said here today, you must know, absolutely, that the Magills are, indeed, your parents. They are the ones who reared you and sustained you. No one will ever take their place. Neither Helen nor I will even try.” He placed his hands on the table, trembling. Brighton saw that his eyes had a faraway look. Eventually Jesik continued, his eyes down on the table. “I always dreamed of the moment I learned if I had a son or daughter. I always wondered what I’d say – how sorry I am that I was unable to stop the adoption? How much I wish I could have been part of my child’s life? How deeply I loved his mother? I wanted to say I hoped he had a good life growing up, in spite of what had happened, how frustrating it was to be a second-class person, unable to stand up for my rights. But, mostly, I wanted my child to know how much I missed not having him in my life.”
He looked up and found Magill staring at him.
“The one thing I never thought about was how I’d feel about that person—I was so concerned with what they would think of me. I never imagined I’d already know my son and how proud I’d feel to be his father. In the entire universe, there’s no one I could desire to be related to more than you. Without knowing anything of our relationship, I’ve come to regard you as one of the finest men I’ve ever known…” His voice trailed off and he dropped his eyes again.
A few moments later Magill spoke. “I always wondered, too. I figured I’d be angry at my biological father, demanding to know how he could abandon me. But, mostly hoping there was a good reason for what happened and that he really loved me, but that something had gone horribly wrong. I wanted to feel that I was wanted.”
Jesik held his position. Because he was mature in so many ways it was difficult to remember that Magill was still in his early twenties. After a few moments, Sean stood and moved uncertainly towards Jesik. Then acting on a simultaneous impulse they embraced.
“I�
�m proud to have you as my father, Sir.” Magill whispered. “In fact, there have been times when I secretly imagined you were. Clear back on Cambriol, I thought how great it would be to have someone like you to be proud of.” They hugged again.
PM Lansing cleared his throat.
“I hate to interrupt.” His image took over of the central monitor. “Let me be the first to congratulate both of you on this remarkable discovery. I can’t imagine two better men to show the universe why class distinction is meaningless. Together you’ll do more to break down prejudice than anything we could have hoped for in our rebellion.” There was a murmur of assent from the other stations. “But, I believe that there’s still some unfinished business regarding the Alturian Royalty and their needs.”
At that, Magill turned furiously toward the screen.
“You can stop right now, Mr. Lansing. I’m a freeborn citizen of Kalenden and as such will not submit to an arranged marriage. I think such traditions are archaic and humiliating and I will not be the one to provide window dressing for an obsolete tradition.”
Jesik stood silently at his side. This battle was Sean’s to fight, although Jesik stood ready to back him, whatever course he chose.
“Commander,” PM Larimore said, “you are under no obligation to do anything. Yet, you show remarkable skill in understanding the political ramifications of the unrest in our three systems. Perhaps you will consider meeting the Crown Princess, to see if feelings can develop. Whether just or not, the decision you make can affect the lives of millions of people, which places responsibility on you.”
“But, I didn’t ask for any responsibility! I didn’t ask for any of this!”
“Unfortunately, that’s usually the case for those who are thrust into a position of leadership. Fate makes demands.”
“But, how can I stand for something I don’t believe in? I detest monarchies and social classes. Now, because I have certain bloodlines, I’m to become its champion?”
PM Richards responded. “You will become the champion of second and third-class people. Changes will come to our systems, that much is certain. But, helter-skelter change leads to chaos, rather than progress. Perhaps this elevation of your status will give you the chance to make a real difference among our population and help them make an orderly transition.” She looked at him searchingly, then added, “As one who distinguished himself as a hero on Keswick and by your exploits on Cambriol, you are in a unique position to influence the citizens of all three planets.”
Assault on Cambriol: The Manhattan Trials Page 34