Shroud of Eden (Panhelion Chronicles Book 1)

by Marlin Desault

  Ariela steered him to a heavyset villager dressed in an aquamarine kirtle-cape that hung loose around his bulk. She swept her arm toward the man. “This is Shalbor, Thane of the village of Dorocain.” She moved her hand toward Scott. “Thane Shalbor, I present you Captain Scott Drumond, recently arrived from Earth.”

  As she had taught him, Scott bowed in an awkward imitation of the Niobian greeting.

  Shalbor, in a reciprocal show of politeness, returned the bow, and in his official manner said, “Welcome to our village. We have prepared a small midday meal for you and hope it’s to your taste. We are eager to learn about our visitors who have crossed a great distance.” The Thane extended his arm, inviting them into the building.

  Scott followed, peppering Ariela with questions. “Does the thane tell the people of the village what to do?”

  She shook her head and patiently explained. “No, he offers advice, and he is also their elected representative at the Ekklesia.”

  The thane led his guests to a room inside the modest dwelling and invited them to take their places at a large wooden table. Large bowls of fruit with crimson melon and berries graced the table. At the thane’s nod, three young women served one of Ariela’s favorite dishes, a pasta in red sauce. After a ceremonious pause, the thane nodded, and the assembly began their meal.

  The Niobians chatted in typical fashion among themselves as they ate. When the settings were cleared away, Thane Shalbor politely lifted his hand for silence.

  “Our guest from afar honors us, and no less than our official historian herself has brought him to our table. Let us hear what he has to say.” He gestured with his hand to give Scott the floor.

  Scott acknowledged with a tip of his head and, setting his cup aside, rose to address the Niobians. “A wonderful meal. Thank you for your hospitality. We share common ancestors. I’ve told your historian and Proconsul Wimund my crew and I come from Earth on a mission to renew contact with our kinsmen estranged to us for these many years.”

  Ariela then stood. “Both the chancellor and proconsul have met with our visitors from afar. They asked me to show our guest some of Niobe so he may learn our ways, and so you may know more about him as well.”

  Scott returned to his seat and shifted in his chair to face the thane. “Perhaps you would indulge me and tell me your reaction to the arrival of my ship and crew?”

  When the thane hesitated with his answer, Ariela’s cheeks flushed. She dipped her eyes to the floor, but relaxed when Scott took the opportunity to explain his question.

  “I appreciate the gracious offer of the chancellor and the proconsul to visit with you. I ask only so that my colleagues and I may be more sensitive to your customs.”

  Shalbor faced his visitor. “How should we react? We learned that you are human, but you do not share our Tradition. Our curiosity compels us to ask why you made the long journey. Earth, we are told, is a violent place, and our history teaches that at the time our ancestors departed Earth, you even ate the flesh of other creatures.” His face grew stern as he locked his eyes on Scott.

  “Yes, the meat of animals. We still do.” The words had barely escaped Scott’s mouth when a gasp circulated through the room.

  “Barbarians,” murmured one of the men. “They no doubt brought their vile practices with them.”

  Ariela cringed, ready to make a comment, but held her tongue when she saw Scott open his mouth to speak.

  Scott glanced up from his meal. “We also eat plants and fruits, fare that meets with your traditions.”

  She hoped he understood that while Niobian Tradition had bred physical dominance out of the Niobians, they could still criticize something they found repulsive.

  Shalbor stood, stepped behind his chair and gripped its back. The room grew quiet. He looked to the sandy-haired man on his right, and then turned to the others until they all were silent. “He is a guest in our house, and despite his ah... unusual habits, we must treat him with courtesy.”

  Scott hesitated for a long moment before he spoke. “I hope you judge us by our actions. You may yet come to the conclusion that Earth and Niobe can hold peaceful intercourse.”

  Among those at the table, some crossed their arms while others leaned forward. One of the group stood. “You see, Captain, we find some of your customs quite disagreeable.”

  “Yes,” Scott countered, “we wouldn’t ask you to accept or even tolerate such behavior. For the time we are here, we’ll conform to your traditions. If others from Earth come to Niobe, they would only do so at your invitation.”

  Ariela caught his slight blush that suggested he didn’t have total confidence in his statement.

  The thane glanced at his fellow villagers. “This stranger makes reasonable proposals. I suggest we take the matter up with the Ekklesia and seek council of Proconsul.”

  The exchanges of polite farewell carried a hint of strain.

  Ariela and Scott returned to the glide-car. “Don’t be offended,” she said. “Your extraordinary nature and presence here perplexes them.”

  “I tried to allay their concerns,” he said as he walked with her to the glide-car.

  Her crisp words instructed the car to drive to the Mipeyle River. As it gathered momentum and accelerated down the path, it wove its way through trees along a riverbank. The sweet perfumes of moist fern and conifer needles wafted through the open car as they cruised in and out of the forest shadows.

  Out the corner of her eye, Ariela noticed Scott observing her.

  After a while, he broke his silence. “The aversion to eating meat surprised me. Why do they regard it with such abhorrence?”

  She had anticipated his question and answered directly. “It’s not so surprising if you think about it. We know of animals only from the books brought from Earth. They describe animals as deserving of care and protection. Over the years, animals have taken on a mythical quality... deserving of reverence.”

  He mulled over her comment. “The display of disgust startled me. I would have thought a non-dominant people wouldn’t have such strong emotions.”

  “Just because we are non-dominant doesn’t mean we don’t have emotions. We just have an exceptional ability to control certain emotions.”

  His eyes swept from the passing scenery back to her. “The beauty of your forests is beyond anything I’ve seen on Earth. You live in a garden paradise.”

  Pleased with his remark, Ariela continued the theme. “This part of the conifer forest, where the Mipeyle River widens to the Innestl Estuary, is one of my favorite places.”

  The car unerringly followed its instructions and pulled to a stop in front of a pale green building with vine-covered walls. A boat lay protected from the elements by the part of the structure perched over the water of the estuary. Above the roofline, the top of the boat’s gleaming mast swayed as the little sloop rocked gently in the waves rippling in from the sea beyond the estuary.

  She pointed to the mast. “You’re familiar with wind-driven boats? Our books say you are. This estuary leads to the Serenty, our inland sea. Near the far shore it opens to the Great Ocean of Niobe.”

  “I am familiar with similar boats, but I confess I’m not adept at operating them.” He stepped into the boat after her.

  She spoke her instructions, and the craft floated into the estuary as commanded. The sails opened fore and aft, white wings to catch the stiff breeze moving across the water. The scent of salt air drifted across from the far sea. A gust of wind filled the sails, and the boat surged through the water.

  Ariela took only casual notice and leaned against the combing of the open deck. Her courage bolstered by the relaxed mood of the moment, she sought to satisfy her curiosity on one issue. She set her gaze on Scott. “Proconsul told me you don’t believe in our Tradition.”

  Scott took a firm hold on the rail opposite her. “True, but please don’t take offense. I don’t believe your tradition of non-dominance is compatible with human nature. Eventually, a deep-seated human behavior will bre
ak through the veneer of your peaceful tradition. For a person to be fully human, he must responsibly submit to and exercise control over others, especially in the case where some would do him harm.”

  His remark so contradicted her sense of being that she responded with a sigh, and countered, “Captain, we’ve lived our Tradition in peace for more than two hundred years. Now you come and tell us this is wrong. I fear what will happen when people on Earth learn of our presence. Will they also want to control us?”

  He moved closer to her. “That depends on whether or not they perceive you as a threat. They don’t yet know of your culture of nonviolence. When I report what I’ve seen to my superiors, I’ll describe your non-dominant nature and recommend that Earth and Niobe come to friendly terms.”

  She decided to drop the subject for the moment, as a steady breeze stirred her hair and drove ranks of small waves parading across the deep blue water. A trail of white froth followed the boat as it sliced through the water. Near the far shore, the sea took on a turquoise hue as combers broke on the reefs and sandbars in the distance. Above them, puffy, cumulus clouds traversed the azure sky.

  He crossed the small deck and sat, leaving a discrete space between himself and Ariela. As if in deep thought, he wrinkled his brow. “If a woman has a companion and becomes with child, what happens?”

  She shook her head and smiled at him. From his remarks, he really had no idea of the Niobian culture. She decided to explain further. “Companions don’t have children. If they both want a child, then they troth. Companionships are a way of searching out a suitable mate for raising children and for a happy future.”

  He stared at the far horizon and rubbed his forehead. “Your society is far advanced from ours on Earth.” A momentary flush spread over his face. “Please don’t think me forward. It’s just that I find you fascinating, and I’d like to know you better.”

  The sentiment of his comment emboldened her. “You said you had a fiancée. Oh, I don’t mean to pry.” Her face warmed briefly as she reconsidered her remark. “But I am curious about her. I hope I’m not being offensive. I don’t know much about your social traditions.” Her explanation now made, she reached for his hand and sensed his slight flinch. The warmth and male scent of his body awakened a curious sensation in her.

  He shrugged and stared at the distant shore as if remembering something better forgotten. “My fiancée? Well, she called the marriage off. On Earth, it happens, especially among those in the military. The long separations, I guess. In my case, other factors came into play. I don’t want to sound as if I’m making excuses, but the stress of being in a constant state of readiness for battle causes different reactions in different people. I drank too much. By that, I mean I drank what you call intoxicants.”

  “Is that why you shun such drink?”

  “Mostly. My partiality to alcohol not only ruined my chances for a life with a wonderful lady, but nearly destroyed my military career as well. Fortunately, a senior officer gave me a second chance.”

  “Does your career matter so much?”

  “I hope to rebuild it and gain enough authority to change our military and our society. Eventually, I’ll find someone to share my life with.”

  His comment set her heart racing. “We have many customs that are different from Earth. I’d like to learn yours.” She gazed into his eyes.

  A gust of wind interrupted her thoughts and brought the damp smell of rain. On the distant horizon, the gathering clouds turned dark. Beneath the approaching blackness, a gray veil announced a coming shower.

  Ariela turned to face the audio receptor on the bulkhead of the boat. “Return to dock.”

  The craft executed a wide turn as the sails swung across, and headed toward the dock. A few meters from the quay, the wings folded into the mast and the craft slid smoothly to its berth.

  The first drops fell as they made a quick dash for the shelter, taking refuge in time to hear the rain drumming on the roof.

  She made them both a steaming cup of liquid brewed from a local plant, and led him to a wide lounge. “Tell me about Earth.” She nestled closer to him and teased her wet hair into ringlets with her finger. “How’s it different from Niobe?”

  “We have many more people than you have, close to forty billion in fact. It would be more, but many have left for settlements on the closer planets and outer moons.”

  “Do you have forests and grasslands?”

  “Some, but they aren’t primordial like yours. On Earth, we have preserved a few large spaces, but our world is composed, for the most part, of large cities with small, cultivated parks. Our cities are filled with human activity. People who live in them prefer the excitement of constant human contact and the chance to make new acquaintances.”

  Ariela cocked her head to the side. “I think I’d like that.”

  He seemed taken aback by her remark, and paused as if to compose himself. “How do people meet here?”

  “At work, but I work mostly alone. Sometimes we have what you would interpret as a theater. Perhaps you’d join me sometime.”

  He leaned on his elbow and met her gaze. “Your people might consider it inappropriate for us to socialize in public, you the historian and me the barbarian.”

  She laughed. “You don’t act like a barbarian. You’re nothing like the men on Earth as described in the books. I suspect our records may be too old. Do you think I would like it on Earth?”

  “You might find living close to so many people difficult.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder and asked, “Scott, when must you return?”

  He put his arm around her. “I’m awaiting instructions from my superiors. They may request my return at any time. If my discussions with the proconsul are successful, others may come later to discuss more formal relations between Earth and Niobe.”

  She sat up with a start. “You can communicate with Earth? How is that possible?”

  He paused. “Oh, I forgot, you don’t know about entangled communications. I didn’t... ah... it’s a technology that Marie should explain.”

  “I hope they don’t call you to go back anytime soon.” His warm touch stirred a feeling of excitement in her.

  The day turned to dusk, and she rose to prepare a light meal of spiced tubers. She brought the meal to a small table, where they relaxed on heavy cushions.

  “If you like, I can serve some of the same drink you had when we dined with the chancellor. We take it on special occasions. It doesn’t intoxicate.”

  Scott raised his eyes to meet hers. “Is this occasion special?”

  “We shall see.” She smiled and added a toss of her head.

  He helped her carry a carafe and glasses to the sleeping area.

  With a wave of her hand, the room dimmed. She kicked off her shoes and sat cross-legged on the futon.

  He followed suit. Without hesitation, he slipped his hand around the back of her head and, with the gentlest motion, brought her lips to his.

  Their moods mellowed, and their bodies intertwined. She bent close to his ear and whispered her invitation.

  Niobe

  ~~~

  “Have a good time yesterday?” Marie chided Scott. “Here I thought Klaas was the one going native, and you end up staying out all day and into the evening.”

  Scott turned to his breakfast with a sheepish grin. “Say what you want, but I did get a sliver of information about the Niobian Defense ability. What did you two find out?”

  “Not much, Skipper,” Klaas said. “We drove North about fifteen kilometers and came across some type of research compound. When we asked about it, everyone shut up. Marie and I will go back today.”

  The Niobian sun topped the far horizon, warming the Refectory as Scott crossed the terrace and descended the stone steps to the base of the white cliff that formed the escarpment. From high above, a silver ribbon with feathery edges spilled over the ledge and dove deep into the clear water of a small pool, creating a light mist above the surface.


  The crunch of his hurried footfalls on the gravel was lost in the din of the splashing water as he approached the grassy meadow surrounding the pool. Ariela rose from a bench, the wood weathered with age and speckled with tiny flecks of dried moss. He couldn’t help but admire her grace and poise when she greeted him.

  “We’ve much to talk about.” The sparkle in her eyes competed with the light dancing in the splashing water. “Come, this is my secret path. I’ve always dreamed of sharing it with someone special.” She put her arms around him.

  He returned her embrace with a passionate kiss.

  She laced her arm with his and gently guided him through trees of reddish-brown cypress, his steps cushioned by the soft layers of brown needles.

  From the black loam of the soil, a scattering of seedling trees sprouted. Ferns and currant trees stood shoulder high in the shadows cast by the boughs of the great trees, and the smell of wisteria floated on a light breeze. Through the trees, shafts of late morning light from the sun warmed his skin and contrasted with the cool relief of the shade.

  He pulled her closer. “Where are we going?”

  “A special place.” They passed a small swarm of flying insects hovering around the flowers.

  He eyed the thin cloud of tiny creatures. “Do they bite?”

  She laughed. “No, they haven’t yet evolved that ability. We have no animals for them to bite, and humans have only walked the planet for a hundred and seventy-five years. Our insects are pollinators, although some defend themselves with stings.”

  Another blessing: insects that don’t bite.

  Arm in arm, they strolled through the red-bark cypress. Deep among the trees, every direction yielded a new view of emerald-hued foliage.

  They reached a small clearing in the towering trees, and Ariela pointed to a cabin nestled in the forest. In front, a long notch had been carved in a log, forming a weathered bench.