Chamberlain's Folly (The Terra Nova Chronicles)

by Robert Dean Hall

  “I seriously doubt it,” Aro Non replied. “At least I have never seen it.”

  “Are you telling me the evidence doesn’t exist, or are you telling me you believe it points to the contrary,” Zheng asked.

  “All of the official public documents that pertain to that incident have been sealed,” the aro answered, sternly. “Nobody will be able to open them for another eight-hundred years.”

  “I have, however, seen the notarized documents the government was required to turn over to our family for inclusion in its history archive,” he explained. “There is nothing in there that even hints at any explanation of the events other than the official one.”

  “I see,” Zheng replied.

  “If Cozeremi wasn’t so consumed with thoughts of vengeance, he might see that he has lost his objectivity and is hurting the credibility of the Bureau,” the aro said.

  “How so,” Zheng asked.

  “My opponent, Barad Jaro, has been interviewed for Cozeremi’s so called documentaries and has been promoted by the Bureau as a de-facto expert on economics,” the aro said. “I must admit, to her credit, she does have a degree in Economics from one of Ekkida’s finest universities, but hers is only one viewpoint.”

  “Cozeremi refuses to allow me, or those who support me, equal access to the resources of the Bureau,” the aro continued. “Most of us are quite wealthy, but we can only do so much to relay our message. The influence of the Bureau and the Central Government is subtle and pervasive. In the minds of the people, what they say must be the truth. If those who Cozeremi answers to choose to buy the election for Jaro, they will have no difficulty.”

  “What have you done so far to try and counter their influence,” Zheng asked.

  “Outside of ensuring I have been well-prepared for the monthly debates, I have done nothing publicly,” the aro answered. “My campaign staff and those who support me have been active behind the scenes, however.”

  “They have been collecting as much information as they can about the connection between Jaro, Cozeremi and their backers in the Central Government,” he said. “I have enough to go before the Ekkidan Parliament and the Office of Internal Affairs of the Executive Branch of the Central Government with my accusations. But, I am afraid that my protest would be seen as an act of desperation by the voters.”

  “The Ekkidan electorate, as a whole, is not always well informed on the intricacies of politics,” he explained. “But, they do demand a certain amount of decorum from those who campaign for office.”

  Aro Non looked at Zheng as if he was about to let the man in on a something so secretive they would be in mortal danger if anyone overheard them. He moved closer and said in a voice that was almost a whisper, “What I need is for someone who has nothing to gain from the outcome of this election to leak something for me.”

  Zheng became suddenly amused at his situation. He fought the urge to laugh out loud and had difficulty keeping a grin from taking control of his countenance.

  “Does this have anything to do with the coincidence you mentioned earlier, Aro,” he asked.

  “Actually, it does, Colonel,” the aro admitted. “I had originally wanted to ask you to publicize what I have found out regarding the improprieties inside the Bureau of Historical Sciences, but I believe now after talking with you, it might be a mistake.”

  Zheng was having trouble following the aro’s logic. “Why would you have thought I would have been the proper channel for this leak in the first place,” he asked. “And, why do you now think it would be a mistake?”

  “You have a history of defying the Bureau, Colonel,” the aro replied. “Your battles to find the truth about John Edward Chamberlain are well-known to my constituents. It hasn’t escaped their notice that your detractors in the Bureau have not been able to seriously discredit you.”

  He reached over and patted Zheng on the shoulder.

  “I can think of nobody who the public would be more likely to believe,” he said, wistfully, as he turned back to look out over Ekkirazaddeqar once more. “But I can’t ask you to do this, Colonel. It is my battle and I can see it must be me who goes before the people with this information. I must trust them to interpret my actions properly.”

  “Well then, Aro,” Zheng asked. “Is there something else I can do for you?” He was now afraid that any chance he would have to find information on Zhereveldonne was now lost.

  “Actually, I believe there is, Colonel,” the aro said. He looked as if a brilliant idea had just come to him.

  “What were you planning to do with the information you needed on Zhereveldonne Cozeremi,” he asked. “Because, if you are still interested, I would like to make some documents available from my family’s archive.”

  “I was planning to put what I could find out from you with the evidence I already have,” Zheng replied. “It suggests Zhereveldonne Cozeremi was communicating with the mutineers on Chamberlain’s crew, but it is mostly hearsay.”

  “And now you tell me that Zhereveldonne was accused of treason for giving information to off-worlders,” Zheng said, chuckling and shaking his head as if he found in difficult to believe his luck. “You even have documents in your family archive that can prove it. That is indeed, quite a coincidence.”

  “I can’t promise you that the records in my possession tell the complete story,” the aro cautioned. “But, added to what you have already discovered, they should be more than enough to prove there is merit to your allegations that John Edward Chamberlain fell victim to some sort of conspiracy.”

  Zheng didn’t understand why, but his head reeled at the mention of the word ‘conspiracy’. It made him shudder. He had used the term himself innumerable times in the past, and he had heard others use it. But, it never had the impact on Zheng it did at this moment when spoken by Aro Non. He came to himself when the aro reached across the table and patted him on the shoulder.

  “Colonel, are you alright,” the aro asked. “You look a bit ill. Would you like to go back inside? It’s cooler in the penthouse. You aren’t accustomed to this heat.”

  “I’ll be fine, Aro,” Zheng answered. “I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed, I believe.”

  “Understandable, Colonel,” the aro told him. “It isn’t often that one is handed proof that his worst suspicions about such an infamous event are in fact, true. I imagine it’s quite overwhelming indeed to realize you can definitively answer the arguments of your detractors. How soon do you think you would be publishing your conclusions?”

  “I’m not sure,” Zheng answered. “Why do you ask?”

  “The Ekkidan elections occur on the first day of our new year,” the aro replied. “That is the twelfth of May according to the official League calendar. If you could publish your findings before then, it would lend quite a bit of credence to my claims.”

  The aro looked at Zheng, plaintively. “Can you complete your investigation of the material and put together a press release that soon,” he asked.

  “If you don’t mind telling me, Aro,” Zheng requested. “How can my making these documents public help you?”

  “By providing a plausible explanation for my suspicions of gross misconduct by members of the Central Government and the Bureau,” the aro replied.

  “Surely people will know where I got the documents from,” Zheng replied. “You still may hurt your chances…”

  “The court records I will give you would have the same verbiage no matter what archive they came from,” the aro told Zheng. “I would only ask you not to reproduce the notarizations. Or, if you find you must, at least wait until the elections are over. I would not want your credibility or the quality of your evidence to fall under question.”

  The Aro became silent and studied Zheng’s expression. After a moment he asked, “Are we agreed that this arrangement is beneficial to us both?”

  Zheng didn’t answer. He was still considering what was said.

  “Perhaps you would like to study one or two of the documents before comm
itting,” the aro asked. He stood up from his chair and turned to go inside. He motioned for Zheng to follow.

  The two walked back through the dining area into a hallway. They traveled the distance of the hallway to a doorway at the end. The Aro opened the door and held it for Zheng, who quickly entered. The aro followed and shut the door behind them. He went to a large desk that sat at the far side of the room from the door.

  Aro Non opened one of the desk’s drawers and pulled out two sheets of legal stock that had printing and signatures on them. Each sheet was watermarked and had a seal that indicated the documents had been notarized by an Ekkidan court clerk.

  Zheng could speak enough Old Ekkidan to confirm the documents were as Aro Non represented them.

  “Colonel,” the aro asked. “What do you think? May I count on your assistance?”

  Zheng held up the documents and asked, “All you require of me is that I say publicly these exist?”

  “I would also ask you give an assessment of their validity and what they mean in light of your ongoing research into Chamberlain’s Folly,” the aro replied. “I will reference your findings later when I make my case to the voters. As I told you earlier, I am also planning to ask for an investigation by the Office of Internal Affairs. I don’t expect anything to come of it, but it will gain the attention of the electorate.”

  Zheng handed the documents back to the aro who returned them to the desk drawer. The aro then opened another drawer and pulled out a small box. He opened the box to reveal a dozen memory cards.

  “There are thousands of legal documents and hundreds of hours of court transcripts on these cards,” the aro told Zheng. “Please keep them safe for me. And, use them well.”

  “I will not be able to release the shuttle to return you to Thosa for three days,” he added. “During that time I would be honored if you accepted the assistance of my ori, Kestar. I have instructed him to develop an itinerary for you that will cover all of the most popular sites here in the city. I think you will find the Ekkidan Museum of Art and History particularly interesting.”

  “That is generous of you, Aro,” Zheng replied. “I would like to see the city.”

  “I’m happy to oblige, Colonel,” the aro told him. “I will have Kestar bring the car and take you to your hotel.”

  Chapter 40

  5-November-2409

  Zheng sat on the side of the bed in his hotel room and thought about the events of the past three days. His relatively trouble-free twenty years as an educator had become much more complicated in only a few weeks.

  He placed his forehead in his palm and thought about what to do first with the information that Aro Merak Non had given him. The last thing that Zheng wanted was to become enmeshed in a power struggle between proponents of competing economic philosophies he felt ultimately had nothing to do with what was truly vital to the League of Aligned Planets and its citizens.

  He was about to stand up and reach for his briefcase to once more inspect the contents when the public communicator that sat on the night stand alerted him to an incoming call.

  He pressed a finger against the touchpad on the top of the communicator and said, “This is Zheng.”

  “Colonel Zheng,” a hotel staffer replied. “Your ground transportation to the space terminal has arrived.”

  “Thank you,” Zheng replied. “Tell them I will be there momentarily.”

  Zheng collected his belongings and made for the lift to the lobby. The doors slid open and he entered the lift for the descent to street level.

  When the doors opened again, Zheng looked around for Kestar, but didn’t see him anywhere. He went to the desk.

  “I thought you said that my ride was here,” he asked the clerk.

  “Of course, Sir,” the clerk replied politely. “A gentleman is waiting for you just outside the front door.

  “That’s quite irregular,” Zheng thought to himself as he went to the front door. “Kestar told me he would meet me in the lobby. It isn’t like him to change things without warning me beforehand.”

  Zheng was not fearful, but he was concerned. He took a cautious look outside the hotel door before passing through. The information he was carrying made him a likely target for anyone with a grudge against the Non family or their adherents among the upper chamber of the Ekkidan parliamentary body.

  Zheng scanned the area carefully. There was a ground transport there, but it wasn’t Non’s and Kestar was nowhere to be found. Zheng poked his head out farther and again perused the area.

  The rear window of the ground vehicle slowly opened.

  “Herbert,” a voice from inside the vehicle asked. “Do you want to go to the space terminal, or not?”

  It was Galuz Cozeremi.

  Zheng felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

  To find Cozeremi here on Ekkida, when he was currently supposed to be on Earth, wasn’t necessarily surprising. This was the man’s home planet. It was quite disconcerting for Zheng, however, to have Cozeremi show up at this particular time. He was certain there was no mundane reason for Cozeremi to have found out he was on Ekkida, much less that he was staying at this particular hotel and just happened to be ready to leave.

  “Well, get in Herbert,” Cozeremi said. “Non’s diplomatic shuttle won’t leave without you, but we must hurry. The crew is being paid by the hour, not the mission.”

  Zheng walked toward the vehicle and a man opened one of the front doors and stepped out. He opened the back door for Zheng and offered to take his bags. Zheng handed his duffel to the man but refused to allow him to take his briefcase.

  The driver placed the duffel in the luggage compartment while Zheng entered the car.

  “This is quite a surprise, Gus,” Zheng said and extended his hand for a shake.

  “I hope you don’t mind,” Cozeremi said, apologetically. “I told Non’s ori I would get you to the terminal on time. I also asked him to contact Non and tell him you were being looked after.”

  Cozeremi gave Zheng’s hand a firm shake and smiled.

  “Kestar is a bright young man,” Cozeremi continued. “He will have a nice long career as a ‘peer wrangler’. If he hooks up with the right people, he may even be able to get his own seat in the House of Commons. He only has to show an interest.”

  Zheng didn’t know exactly how to respond, so he remained silent.

  Ekkidans never insulted each other directly. They had sarcasm down to an art form. No complement was ever given without containing some form of subtle irony or equivocal remark. What sounded gracious to the untrained listener often alluded to a characteristic the speaker found annoying or offensive in the subject. It was difficult for off-worlders, even those well versed in Ekkidan customs, to tell where sincere compliments ended and insults began.

  “Kestar’s mother was originally from Earth, you know,” Cozeremi stated. “But, he has lived here his whole life.”

  “I think he gets his attention to detail from her side of the family,” Cozeremi continued, giving Zheng a sly wink. “Although his ability to set priorities and interpret the intent and spirit of his employer’s requests has to come from an alo upbringing…”

  “I found him to be a methodical and efficient young gentleman,” Zheng replied. “Exactly what one would expect of a man whose father is a mid-level bureaucrat.” He couldn’t resist. “When in Rome,” he thought to himself.

  “Yes, indeed,” Cozeremi said. “Hopefully, he will take everyone’s advice and decide to pursue his own seat in the lower chamber. The heavens know the House of Commons needs some new blood – even if half of it comes from another planet. Of course, the upper chamber is in much more dire need of new blood…”

  Zheng interrupted. “I appreciate the ride, Gus,” he said. “But, if you don’t mind telling me, what are you doing on Ekkida and how did you know I was here?”

  Cozeremi gave Zheng an amused look, but didn’t offer an explanation.

  “Seriously, Gus,” Zheng continued when he saw that a
n answer wasn’t forthcoming. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on Earth.”

  “I was. Until yesterday morning, that is,” Cozeremi replied. He still offered no direct explanation for his appearance, but by his answer intimated he must have been ordered by some powerful entity to be there. To get from Earth to Ekkida in one day required a ship with third generation superluminal propulsion. Those were in short supply and tended to be only at the command of those with diplomatic responsibilities.

  Cozeremi pointed to the briefcase Zheng was so hesitant to hand over to the driver, and asked, “Do you have any idea what you’ve gotten yourself in the middle of, Herb?”

  Zheng glanced down at the case himself in subconscious acknowledge of Cozeremi’s attention. He pulled it slightly closer to himself and clutched it tighter.

  When Cozeremi saw Zheng’s reaction, he chuckled and said, “I don’t want what you have in your case Herb. I already know what is in there and it is of no use to me whatsoever.”

  “However, my friend,” he said. “I truly wonder if you realize it will ultimately be of little use to you.”

  Zheng cringed at Cozeremi’s use of the word ‘friend’.

  The two were cordial, but not friends in any sense of the word. The two had been at odds with each other the whole of their acquaintance.

  “I’m aware it can prove there was Ekkidan interference in John Edward Chamberlain’s journey to Terra Nova,” Zheng replied.

  “Is that so, Herb,” Cozeremi asked. “Have you actually studied what Merak gave you?” He slowly folded his arms over his chest.

  Zheng recognized the change in Cozeremi’s posture as the beginnings of an overture to some sort of negotiation.

  “What could Cozeremi possibly have to offer,” he asked himself. “And, what does he want in return for it?”

  “Yes, Gus,” Zheng replied. “I have looked at it and I think that what is in here could be quite damaging to some people…”

  “If you are referring to my great grandfather’s great grandfather, Zhereveldonne,” Cozeremi answered smugly. “Anything you find in the Non family’s history about him could be easily refuted by more than one source. And, once you go public, it probably will be. With a vengeance.”