When pressure equalized, the Warmarks opened, at the same time, at the ladder hatch.
Everyone was mute as they came down the ladder. They followed Barcus and Po out into the hangar. They walked around the side to look at the exterior damage. It was worse out here but repairable.
“Are you seeing what they are saying on the nets?” Hagan stepped up and said.
The others stood behind Barcus, in shock.
“They say there are seventy million dead.”
Barcus turned toward them.
“All told, in the end, the count will be just over one hundred twelve million dead. All three of the main spaceports destroyed. We saved Freedom Station and hundreds of other cities where the chancellor had bombs hidden. Zimmerman, Krieger, Hudson, Cook, Muir, and Beary are all dead. The Memphis, the Sariska, Echo, and Ben are also gone,” Barcus paused, “and they will blame us. They will blame me.”
“But—” Kuss began.
“And we will let them. Because if we don’t, and the colonies hear that Earth came within a day of extinguishing them all, it will mean war. Three hundred billion murders, just because Dalton could not control them.
“I’m sorry, but we are all fugitives now. They have the STU on various security cams, speeding away from M-City. They will track Krieger’s drop ship to the Ventura and the Memphis. They identified the Memphis in Sri Lanka, before it was destroyed. They know I killed the chancellor and destroyed the base on the Isle of Man.”
Barcus paused as the door to the hangar opened.
Worthington entered with Bobbie, the kids, Rand, Hume, Pho Pete and Dan Sawyer. Pete and Dan were helping Rand and Hume walk.
Worthington stepped up, and said, “Krieger is dead.”
“We know,” Hagan said.
“When he was officially pronounced dead, classified orders were automatically issued to me and many others.”
Barcus nodded as if he already knew.
Kuss stepped up. “They erased all knowledge of Baytirus. We must flee.”
“Yes. Plus, I am to establish a Forward Operations Base and await additional orders,” Worthington said.
“Tell them the rest, Jimbo,” Bobbie said.
They already knew, because his HUD already told the story.
“I have received another temporary field promotion.”
“Rear Admiral? Might have to sex you now,” Kuss said.
“You get all your promotions by getting your commanding officers killed in the field?” Hagan asked, trying to jest.
No one laughed, this time.
***
“I always wondered how you got a Renalo-class luxury yacht,” Turkot said, absently.
Wex raised an eyebrow.
“I recall telling you all about it, after we get back to the Iosin.”
She smiled very wide.
“My good Turkot, you are in a long white. How does it feel to be human, to know only the past.”
She sat in the main pilot’s chair. Turkot took in the freshly cleaned engineer’s station.
“I find it quite restful. I sleep so well. And as the white eventually fades, I enjoy the surprises of the new future.”
“It is very restful. I am glad we finished this chapter first. I confess that Iosin told me this outcome just before our last parting. I confess my patience for High Keeper Atish wore thin.”
The Sedna lifted off lightly as they exited the hangar.
“Just a bit of housekeeping before we go,” Wex said, as they bore down on a small, two-man escape shuttle. There was a great WHOMP, as the EMP cannon disabled the shuttle.
“Enjoy freezing to death, you bastards. Those two were charged with destroying you and that base,” Wex said, as they watched the shuttle crash on the surface.
“I’ve missed you, Wex. You are such a practical girl,” he said.
Turkot waved at them as they peeled away. Turkot looked at the status board as Wex manually controlled the course. The status board remained green as they pulled away from Rhea. She then activated the Sedna’s sound system. She played Adigio in G minor by Albinoni. It was beautiful and sad.
The lies were over.
The war was over.
Miles was right about everything.
She sighed as she intentionally entered the course. The board remained green as she checked it again.
She closed her eyes and flew the Sedna directly into the sun.
***
They put Rand and Hume through the STU’s autoDoc first. Po announced she was staying right here with the STU, like they might leave without her.
“We leave in four hours. They are not looking for us yet, and Station will give credit, if you want to get anything.”
Barcus watched them file out, one at a time. Rand, Hume, Kuss, and Hagan went together. Jude and Cine sat on the hangar floor, cleaned their flutes, and began to play. Jimbo, Bobbie, and the girls went to gather what was left of their things.
Dr. Shaw came up to Barcus, and said, “Station tells me there is a longevity serum synthesizer still in a crate in one of the cargo holds.”
She looked at his dark face.
“We can talk as we go.”
“Thanks but no. There is someone on Freedom Station I need to talk to.”
Barcus looked over his shoulder at Po.
Dr. Shaw left the hangar alone.
He turned and faced Po. “I need to do one more thing, before we go.” He added the last part to reassure her. It was the right thing to say.
“Barcus, this wasn’t your fault. I’m sorry for what I said to you…”
Barcus gently touched his fingers to her lips in an intimate gesture.
“You once begged for forgiveness at the beginning of every sentence.”
He remembered her, thin and weak, and impossibly tiny. She stood close to him now. She tucked her hair behind her ears with both hands as she looked up to him.
“You let me sleep in your lap, more than once, just to be kind. Did you know that half the time I wasn’t asleep?”
“I wanted you, even then,” he said. “But I wasn’t strong enough.”
It was her time to stop him from talking.
“When you almost died and killed that Telis Raptor…it changed me.”
“You’re still changing.”
“So are you.”
“Would you like some soup?”
***
Pho Pete already had his apron on when they arrived. An old Asian woman yelled at him in a language he didn’t understand. Pete didn’t allow them to order; he knew what the best in the house to eat was.
The crowd was thick. And it was loud. Speculation was rampant. All the public monitors in the promenade were on Net News channels. All the spaceports with catapults had been destroyed. Speculation held that there was an attack on Freedom Station as well, and it was stopped by two heroic security crews that went out and intercepted it.
Pete set fresh garden rolls and peanut sauce down in front of them, followed by bowls of pho that had onions and meatballs.
A woman slid onto the stool next to Barcus.
“Oh, that smells lovely. Pete, can I have that, too?”
She was older but fit. Her hair was groomed and set in formal fashion on her head.
“Hello, Senator,” Barcus said, between bites of garden roll.
“Hello. I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”
She took a closer look.
“Have we met? With all that has happened…”
She trailed off.
“No, we haven’t met. Before you return to Earth, I need you to know something.”
Pete brought her rolls and peanut sauce. Barcus slurped noodles, casually. She dipped her garden roll into peanut sauce and took a hungry bite.
“Chancellor Dalton was behind the attacks.”
He lifted his bowl and drank from it. Pete set her soup down before her.
“You will be the only one to know. There are more bombs, and the only control system is in Dalton
’s residence on Calf.”
She was staring at him.
“In eleven days, you will be made the new chancellor. The day after that, your hand-selected team will find and destroy the control systems, never mentioning it.”
Barcus wiped his mouth.
“I was just called back to Earth. How do you know any of this?” she asked.
“I’m Roland Barcus. You don’t know that name yet but you will. All of humanity will. Because I will take the blame for killing the chancellor, for destroying the Ventura, and for annihilating 111,243,601 people today.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked.
“Station will send you an ‘eyes only’ file two days after you have been named chancellor. It will reveal the locations of seed nukes hidden all over the Earth and on the moon. I’m sorry, but you have the hardest road, going forward. You will balance on the razor’s edge, with full colony war on one side and lies on the other. Take the lies.”
He wiped his mouth and rose.
“Why should I believe you?”
He seemed to tower over her.
“The real war is over. Don’t look for me too hard.”
He turned and walked away, without looking back.
Senator Lang watched him go.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: The Final Report
“They all say the same thing. They don’t know where he is or even if he is alive. It’s like they are afraid we might find him. Afraid for us, not him.”
--Solstice 31 Incident Investigation Private Testimony Transcript: General Patricia Chase, senior member of the Earth Defense Coalition.
<<<>>>
All the evidence collected on December 22, 2631, had long ago been identified and attributed to Roland Barcus. This narrative confirms those assertions but views them with a different optic.
The Warmark designated DS-12, recovered at the chancellor’s residence did, in fact, contain blood and hair from Roland Barcus. The recently released surveillance video confirmed his landing and entrance into the residence.
Security video showed him disarming, and being scanned through three checkpoints, before entering the residence. The newly uncovered video from the chancellor’s private chambers has been certified and authenticated.
Testimony from the Ventura's surviving crew, regarding the subsequent cover-up, have explained all the outstanding questions regarding the detonation of nuclear bombs in Sri Lanka, Mexico City, and New York. Since then, ninety-four additional seed bombs have been discovered.
This independent investigation has revealed that Roland Barcus was not responsible for the destruction of the Ventura or the Solstice 31 Incident that killed over 111 million people. Evidence clearly indicated he did kill the chancellor’s bodyguards, in order to stop additional cities from being destroyed. Someone else, in fact, killed the chancellor. That someone was never identified.
Even though his actions now seem justified, he remains sought for additional questioning.
The location of the planet, Baytirus, like so many other colonies, remains unknown. With the destruction of the Memphis, we lost all references to its location. Former Chancellor Dalton was careful to keep the location closely held, and the subsequent cover-up removed all other data regarding it.
That cover-up left a digital trail. That trail led this independent investigative committee to Senator Kendall and his organization. Once the questioning began, the cover-up unraveled, quickly.
The conspiracy that led to the Solstice 31 Incident was threefold:
The chancellor was consolidating power and eliminating opposition. By placing bureaucrats in specific locations, political adversaries in the military and civilian deep space programs and their ships could be easily destroyed. This allowed the complete control of the apathetic bureaucracy within Sol and seven other colonies.
Dalton's genome program attempted to create a race of humans that would be perfect followers. Perfect in that they would always obey orders, any orders, no matter how horrific, even if they resulted in their own deaths. Dalton nearly succeeded in his plan. Some of these suicide soldiers were captured after the Solstice 31 Incident.
Note: Many but not all. They were quietly institutionalized.
For decades, we thought they were somehow associated with Roland Barcus. They never knew the names of their masters. Some remain institutionalized, even now.
The final aspect of the chancellor’s corruption was his discovery, and capture, of Vincent Joseph Turkot and the help Turkot provided with technology and speeding humanity into the future. Classified documents indicated that Turkot was the catalyst behind many human technologies. Chief among these being: the printing press, weapons design, heavier that air flight, micro circuits, global internet, Faster Than Light (FTL) travel, Artificial Intelligence (AI), nanites, deep brain implants, polycarbon fiber material sciences, and artificial gravity.
We also believe that Turkot was the chief architect behind the Solstice 31 Incident. He manipulated events to this end, even from a prison cell. The chancellor gained his assistance in creating a worm program that would corrupt AIs and could be transported within certain HUD implants.
Earth’s war with the colonies was stopped due to the efforts of Barcus and the new chancellor, who bore the burden of the truth. Many of the government’s Liberal Fascist elements remained, until now. Even these were being detained as this report was finalized.
Chancellor Lang pledged her transparency and full disclosure of findings in this investigation. But the implications of these findings may have a far-reaching impact. Questions remain.
What if Earth was in fact, terraformed? What if Turkot was able to intentionally direct a meteor that reportedly impacted Earth sixty million years ago? How many other perfectly Earth-like planets are out there?
How many gardeners, Scarecrows, could there be?
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: EPILOGUE
“When Barcus finally disappeared, we told the whole story. Because no one cared anymore. He never really spoke of the future, after 2631. He tried to forget it just as much as he sought to forget the past. I don't know if that was good or bad. For him…”
--Memoirs: Admiral James Worthington, senior surviving member of the Ventura deep space survey ship. Friend of Barcus, the Scarecrow.
<<<>>>
Autumn leaves swirled in the light breeze. The late morning sunlight was warm on her shoulders as she crossed the small bridge and approached Whitehall.
The southern gate was far smaller than she expected. Only a single wagon could have entered there. It was open. She heard a fountain and children singing beyond. The song would end, and they would all fall down and melt into musical laughter.
The gate was flanked by a pair of carved wooden benches. One was occupied by a man in a plain tunic with long hair and a long beard.
She took off her pack and sat gratefully, with a sigh, next to him.
They listened to the leaves, and the children, and the sun, for a few minutes before she spoke.
“We met once before, long ago.”
“Yes, I remember. Your name is Wyn.”
He poured her a cup of water.
“I'm flattered. That was over ninety years ago,” she said, accepting the cup. “Much has changed since then.”
“Yes. I know. You are a prime example of all that has changed,” he said, becoming silent again.
“Is it true that all of the High Keepers walk here from the other side of the finished tunnel? Ansel told me this after he selected me. He sends his regards...and condolences.”
“He will make a fine ambassador,” he said. “He was a beloved High Keeper. Second only to High Keeper Ulric.”
“He looks forward to visiting Earth,” she said. “He has the skills for it.”
“And you? Are you ready?” he asked, not looking at her. “You are the tenth High Keeper of Baytirus. The first woman.”
There was a pause.
“And the last High Keeper to walk to Whitehall from the tunnel.
Now ask your questions, before Elizabeth runs out here to announce it's time for lunch.”
“Why did you rebuild the Abbey?”
“It was for her. Once we had the functional Makers again, it was easy.”
“Why did you settle for two rooms in the gatehouse? You could have had the biggest palace on Baytirus, if you wanted.”
“When all that you ever wanted happens to be just what you need, then you have already become the richest man in the Universe.”
She sighed, and gathered courage.
“Ansel said to ask only this. What do I need to know?”
“You are the last High Keeper that will be able to ask me anything.”
Now, he looked directly at her.
“Don't look for me. You won't find me. I'm the Scarecrow now. During your term, you will have ten years of peace, and you will pave the way for another thousand years of prosperity on Baytirus.”
“Caisy sends her regards.” She sighed. “So does Poole. They asked me to give you this.”
She handed him a QUEST comms unit.
“I can still remember Caisy when she was the AI on the Ventura and Poole was just an Emergency Module.” He looked at the QUEST unit. “In case you need to get in touch?” he asked, knowing the answer.
“No. In case you need to get in touch with us. It's keyed for Caisy and Poole. It can be routed through the entire Baytirus net via Caisy and the whole moon via Poole.”
“Have all the AIs stayed sorted out?” he asked.
“Thanks to you. The AI war was short. Minimal loss of human life.”
“Caisy will be a good advisor.”
“She does an excellent job as the University. She gets irate, if she discovers a child that can't read by age five.”
“Is the new high orbit station online, yet?”
“Elkin’s Dock has been open for almost two years. It holds an orbit halfway between Baytirus and the moon. Full dry-dock and shipyard services. Probably 4,000 residences already, families. It's beautiful. People vacation there.”
Blood of the Scarecrow: Book 3: Solstice 31 Saga Page 28