The Fallen Goddess of Alpene: A Goddess; A Pirate--Kidnap! (Dyak Series Book 1)

by Paul Brandis

  Still he hesitated.

  She frowned. "You don't like? Tell me what you want?"

  "Where did you get it?"

  Taken aback, she shrugged at the obvious. "We are traders. I ran a check. This is very popular food on your System."

  Thirstily he downed the container of juice, then intermittently sipped soup, and munched the sandwich. As he did, he asked, "Do you know what happened to my men?"

  "I really haven't paid much attention to it. Apparently there was a skirmish on a small planet, and you were captured."

  "But what about my troops?"

  "Which troops are those?"

  "The men from Terra?"

  She shook her head helplessly. "I just don't know. But I can see you are concerned. I will ask my father."

  "Why would he know?"

  She smiled. "He knows, or can find out, everything. That's what he does." She thought. "It's difficult to say. Our names are our position, what we do, and current information about us. You might say my father is the Minister One Who Sees In The Past."

  "Minister of History?"

  "Well, he's in charge of our records, and it is from these we make all our decisions. You have a word: hindsight. I suppose you would call him Minister of Hindsight. But he's much more."

  Phil gave up. "All right. And what's your name?"

  "I've been thinking about that too. I suppose Caring Golden Desire is about as close as we'll come for now. Caring is my profession, or sense of duty."

  He leaned over and kissed her cheek, which she allowed with interest. "Well, if it's all right with you, I'll just call you Golden. You can call me Phil." He stretched. "Man, I feel great. I don't ever remember feeling so well.

  Pleased, she stood up. "Would you like to see why? Come." She led him to the tall monitor again. She murmured something, and his image became skeletal, three dimensional, and multicolored. He stared. The top of his skull, his shoulders, spinal column, and ribs shone and were very uniform. "Those aren't bones, are they?"

  She stepped forward and ran her hand down the image. "All of these were crushed, so we replaced them with with a metal rather like what you call titanium, only lighter and stronger. Also the joints have been redesigned and shaped to be more supple."

  He tapped his head, watching the skeleton imitate his movement. "Even my head?"

  "It was badly cracked. This will provide better protection. I hope you don't mind."

  He shook his head in wonderment. "Not as long as it all works."

  She smiled prettily. "I think we just proved that."

  A soft bell gonged. Golden spoke and a tall man entered. He did not look much older than she, but carried himself with slow dignity.

  As his eyes ranged from Phil to his skinless reflection, he questioned the girl in low, rapid tones.

  Phil waited for a moment feeling uncomfortable without clothes, then walked over and slipped into his short robe.

  Finally Golden turned to him. "This my father. As we already discussed, his name is difficult to translate."

  Phil nodded to the man. "Yes sir. Your daughter said you are a minister, and that you study history. She mentioned it was like hindsight. Perhaps I could call you Minister Sight, or Sighter? Uh, with your permission, of course."

  The minister's eyebrows arched. "I think that would be appropriate. I will remember it when I'm called on to give a name to others in your system."

  Like his daughter, the man stood tall with a mane of

  sandy, grey hair and flaring eyebrows. "My daughter says that your name is Phil. Is that a title or an accomplishment?"

  Phil laughed. "Neither, I'm afraid. My full name is Phil Dyak. Please call me Phil."

  "As you wish. My daughter also said you expressed an interest in what happened on the planet you call Newgreen."

  "Yes sir."

  "Representatives of Dynamine Corporation intervened in the battle in which you and the religious group were involved. As you can presently surmise, it is your personal good fortune they did. One of our observers at the scene brought you here. However, Dynmine Corporation continued altercations and took over the religious group's operations on Newgreen. Your men were released, allowed to take their ship, and with two other cargo ships carrying the mining men, returned to planets named Quinas and Alpene. They work there now for Dynamine Corporation."

  "Oh, well, what about my friends, Doctor Kim Copperfield, Dante Albergetti, a tall girl named Thea, Ray or Jed Googan?"

  "One moment." He said something in his own language, then spoke to Phil. "Repeat the names again, please."

  Phil did, and the walls emitted a soft warbling. The minister listened, and turned to Phil. "The girl name Thea was taken away by representatives of Garve Slen. The Ray Googan flew the ship, the Frisco Flyer, to planet Terra. The Kim Copperfield was captured, but was allowed to go with him and other people from that planet. Of the whereabouts of the others you mentioned, there is no report yet. We will continue searching the records for them."

  "Thank you." He turned to Golden. "And thank you both. I'm not too sure about all this, but you must know how grateful I am."

  The man's face held no emotion. "We are not sure, but we are endeavoring to find out. As the representative of

  Garve Slen said in his news release, we travel and trade. But equally as important to us as raw materials, is information. We must have it to survive. One aspect of our trade arrangement with Dynamine Corporation, was access to its, and your, entire System's computer records. It is with these we are able to assess all our possibilities, and to choose the exact outcome in any particular case."

  "I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying by looking at records, at history, you can predict the future with absolute certainty?"

  "Fairly precisely. In increments of your time sequences, instantly."

  "Uh huh, sure."

  "I can see you are dubious, but I assure you it is true. It is for our ability to predict future contingencies, that Garve Slen traded to us the entire output of Dynamine Corporation for one quarter of Rupert's rotation of the central sun."

  Phil's jaw dropped. "You mean Slen traded three Rupert months of all that his company can produce for your ability to predict the future?"

  "You are surprised?"

  "That conglomerate is one of the biggest. They must produce a lot of stuff in three months."

  "Apparently you don't have the imagination that Mr. Slen has. Try to imagine if you had a corporation's assets, and knew exactly what would happen every minute for three months: the investments you could make, the bets you could wager. Even as you invested, you'd know the influence your money would have, and reinvest. Your money would multiply exponentially. With power like that it is possible that Garve Slen could be the wealthiest man in your civilization, even rule it."

  Phil was doubtful. "In three months?"

  "If he invests well and, analyzing his history, you will see he knows how to invest."

  A thought struck Phil. "But, if you are able to predict the future, you know how well he'll do. Have you told him?"

  A small smile flicked across the minister's lips. "We have only told him that he will be very wealthy."

  "But, that's not telling him anything that he didn't already know."

  "He seemed content with it."

  "Could you predict the future for me?"

  "Of course. But you, Mr. Dyak, have not traded anything to us of any value."

  "That's true. After that mess at Newgreen I don't have anything of value left to trade with."

  "Would you like us to take you to wherever your home is?"

  "I guess so. Do you know where that is?"

  Now the older man smiled. "Are you testing me, Phil? To be honest, your system's records have quite a lot about your activities, but not always where you are staying at the present moment."

  Phil eyed him conspiratorially. "If I tell you, would you promise to keep it a secret?"

  Minister Sighter smiled again. "I promise."

 
"Okay. I guess Terra is as good a place as any. It used to be a lovely before they tore it up with a nuclear war."

  The minister's eyebrows arched with interest. "Radioactivity? But that can be a basic source of energy. For a nominal fee, we can show you how to harness it."

  "I'm not sure the inhabitants would want that. Mostly they have small farms, and want to be left alone."

  "Small farms? I'd like to see that too. Of course we've seen corporation documentaries on some of the large operations where they have leveled whole planets for farming. But I'd like to see how it's done on a small scale. Being self-contained here, scale is very important to us. There is just so little room."

  "Well, you're certainly welcome to come and visit." He looked around. "But, I'm afraid our housing isn't as nice as this."

  Sighter waved away the problem. "We are really quite hardy. We have had to be to survive as long as we have. We've been to your solar system once before, about forty thousand revolutions of Rupert ago. Some of our people even stayed and colonized, though not on Rupert. It was on one of your other planets. I'm afraid the people were quite primitive then."

  Phil chuckled. "We haven't progressed much, have we?"

  The minister only shrugged.

  CHAPTER 22

  "Interesting," Sighter said sadly.

  Below stretched the twisted steel and rubble that had once been a thriving city. Huge craters, each several miles wide, overlapped each other. Desolate, melted earth spread to the horizon. Thick, grey dust reduced everything to a monotone. Nothing moved.

  He shook his head. "Our navigational records show that this is the very planet on which we left members of our ship. They were to colonize and intermingle with the indigenous personnel." He turned to Phil with bitterness. "How could you do this to one another?"

  "Hey, don't look at me. The idiots who lived here must have believed that total destruction was a political option."

  Sighter stared deep into his eyes. "But I am looking at you. Don't forget how you came to meet my daughter and me. As you said, you people have not progressed."

  Phil nodded ruefully. "I guess you're right."

  Sighter turned back his monitor window. "Since we have a direct relationship with these people's history, we need to know more." He spoke in his rapid, trilling tongue, and from his walls his computer answered.

  When the computer finished, Sighter said, "It seems that all responsibilities for these polluted lands have long been denied or lost. That means legally we can do what we wish with it. I'll have to convene with the other ministers, but I'm sure I can get permission to clear and search the land for information as to what happened here."

  "I can tell you what happened here. They nuked the poo out of each other. And I sure as hell don't want to go down there to confirm it."

  "No, what I refer to, is what happened to the colonists we left. It is imperative to our future welfare that we ascertain this information. Remember, knowledge is the key to our survival."

  "So you said. I only hope you have lead suits."

  Sighter smiled. "We won't need them. We simply analyze what particles are missing causing the unstable atoms, then add them to make stable ones. Understand?"

  "Uh, whatever. Anyway, our home is almost due magnetic north from here, if you'd like to drop me off. Perhaps you'd like to stay with us. I can introduce you to some of the farmers so you can observe their work."

  "Thank you, that's kind of you to offer, but I don't know if I'll have time. My daughter may want to stay with you for a while, though."

  Phil turned to the tall girl, and she smiled her acceptance.

  Soon an armada of the Trader's ships cruised the land, and where they passed, thick clouds of particles spread and settled. Huge graders, crawling communities of steel, scoured the cities' wreckage, slicing layers of debris, retaining pertinent artifacts, and leaving arable land in their wake.

  Phil sat on his front porch, feet up, hat tipped over his eyes. Kim and Golden jogged up, their moist bodies barely covered with shiny strips of material.

  Kim smiled, jogging in place. "Look what she gave me. Isn't it beautiful?"

  He was looking, indifferent to eyestrain.

  "And see," she thrust out her chest, "you can get a suntan right through it."

  "Mm. Then why wear it?"

  "In exchange," said Golden, bouncing nicely, "she is working to strengthen my heart in this gravity."

  "What's wrong with your heart?"

  Kim spoke up. "Living in a lighter gravity, their heart is smaller and they have a tendency to become light-headed with exertion in our gravity."

  Phil stared at the jiggling girls. "Well, don't stop on my account."

  Down near the shore, a horse wandered out of the woods, spied the girls, whinnied happily, and frisked up the hill. Nearing, he slowed and shyly approached.

  Golden reached out rubbed its smooth head. "Oh, he's a beauty."

  Kim watched fascinated. "Did you call him?"

  "Call him? I don't know. I saw him by the water and thought how I'd like to see him closer. We do it on home, but I don't know if this animal received my thoughts. Didn't your friend Thea do it?"

  "Yes, and we've noticed several similarities between you and Thea. Do you think she could be a descendent of the colonists that your people left?"

  "Could be. If you can give me some information about her, I'll have our computer check her genealogy."

  "As soon as we get back to the cabin." She grabbed a handful of horse's dark brown mane. "Would you like to ride?"

  With a laugh, Golden leaped and straddled his back. "I certainly would."

  The horse spun and leaped away up the path.

  Golden laughed and waved to them. "And apparently, so would he."

  As the girl disappeared in the dappled green light of the woods, the two looked at each other, each holding the same thought. "Have you heard anything more about Thea?" said Kim.

  "No. If Sighter stops in tonight, I'll ask him."

  That evening, Phil lay on his bed reading, when he heard a discrete cough near the steps. "Whoever it is," he called, "come in."

  The tall man ducked through the low doorway. Phil stood. "Can I get you anything, Minister?" He motioned to a chair. "Please sit down."

  Sighter bent into a hewn-wood chair. "Thank you. I need nothing. I ate aboard my ship." His hand slipped into his robe. "I want you to see something."

  He held a small, pen-shaped object in his hand, and a picture appeared between them. Cryptic symbols streaked by, followed by small colored squares, graphs, and lines.

  Phil tried to follow the rapidly changing diagrams, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Minister, but I don't understand all this."

  "I know, but I will show you what it means. It is our analysis of your system's stock market. Even with our taking the gross product of Dynamine, for three Rupert months, Garve Slen still had enough liquid assets to invest, and, using our prognoses, has greatly advanced his wealth and acquisitions."

  A list of names flicked up, many familiar. "These are companies he has purchased." Another list began beside it. "These are companies and corporations he has ruined, or closed. There are millions out of work. This is the last day of our agreement, and now he is easily the wealthiest man in your solar system. He has had investment representatives at every market, at every sporting event, anywhere where money can be made from the outcome of an event. Gambling houses have closed, and many banks whose assets included stocks Slen manipulated have collapsed."

  Sitting in the comfort of his cabin, all the numbers and names seemed quite remote to Phil. "But why tell me?"

  "I'm afraid you'll learn soon enough."

  Sighter did not continue, and Phil, remembering that Traders gave nothing away, did not ask. Then a thought struck him. "Minister, would you like to stay here tonight?"

  Sighter smiled. "Thank you, I'd be happy to. What can I do for you in return?"

  Phil cleared his throat. "Well, I wondered if you had heard
anymore about my friends who are missing."

  "Phil, in exchange for showing us this planet and introducing us to people who have provided us with valuable information, I have continued the search for your friends. First, Dante Albergetti. In recording all computer transactions that have been made since our arrival in your system, we noticed that a computer operator in an obscure trading company on Rupert keyed his console in precisely the same way Mr. Albergetti does. We investigated and found that it is he."

  "Terrific. I'll give him a call. What about Jed?"

  "I cannot tell you that."

  "Why not?"

  "It is advisable to interfere as little as possible with the civilizations that we encounter." He recited it like a commandment.

  Phil snorted. "Is that what you call what you are doing for Slen?"

  Sighter did not answer.

  "Oh, oh. Here comes trouble."

  Ray nodded toward the door of the dining hall as a young, blond-haired man in a three piece suit and carrying a brief case entered. He was flanked by two giants in black suits. Ray, along with Phil, Golden, and Kim had eaten lunch at one of the long tables, and now sat chatting. Phil remembered seeing big men in black before: corporation hoods.

  The young man smiled at Ray. "Are you in charge here?"

  Ray answered slowly. "Mister, nobody's in charge here. We all just get along the best way we can."

  "I see. Well, could you pass the word to the people living here that Dynamine Corporation has purchased the property, and the present occupants have twenty-four hours to vacate the premises."

  Phil leaped to his feet. "What? Nobody owns this land. It belongs to these people by right of possession."

  The young man turned to him and smiled benignly. "And you are?"

  Phil paused. "Never mind that, you have no right to come in here and tell these people what to do."

  "Ah, but since Dynamine Corporation owns this property," he patted his briefcase, "and I have the papers to prove it, I have every right."

  Ray stood slowly. "Mister, I'd like to see them papers, if you don't mind."

  The young man continued pleasantly, "But I do mind. The only papers you need to see are your eviction notices. Those are carried by the sheriff here." One of the big men pulled out a paper and dropped it on the table.