by Amy DuBoff
Jason rubbed his sister’s back as he glanced at the TSS members going about their work. “I should probably help out.”
“Right.” Raena pulled herself from her thoughts. “Things are probably a mess at the estate. I should get back.”
“I’ll arrange transportation,” Wil told her.
He looked over both his children. “You were very brave today. You’ll make great leaders for our future.”
Raena blushed slightly. “I’ll try.”
Jason shrugged and cracked a smile. “Someone’s gotta do it.”
That’s one torch I’m happy to pass. Wil smiled back. “All in a day’s work.”
CHAPTER 20
Wil supervised the final members of the Priesthood being loaded into transport shuttles bound for a TSS holding facility. All told, only two hundred ninety associates had been inside the Priesthood’s compound. It’s remarkable to think so few people were responsible for so much damage. How many died because of their actions?
There were others, of course, in facilities spread across the Taran worlds, but it all came down to two dozen High Priests who had been running the civilization from their chambers deep within the Priesthood’s island compound. That kind of concentrated power introduced too much opportunity for corruption. The dynasties could just as easily fall into those same patterns if things continued along the current path.
Any solution would bring its own set of challenges, but Wil was convinced a fundamental shift was necessary. How, exactly, to get that change implemented would take some maneuvering.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of approaching engines overhead; no additional transports were expected that evening. Looking up, he saw that the approaching vessel was an Aesir shuttle. What are they doing down here?
Wil watched the shuttle’s landing path and jogged over to meet it.
As the engines powered down, a door in the side of the twenty-meter-long craft slid open, and Dahl emerged.
The Oracle looked even paler under the light of the setting sun, his skin having experienced nothing more than light from the artificial star in more than a millennia. Tentatively, he stepped down the ramp from the shuttle to the ground. His eyes closed as he set foot on the soil.
“Welcome home,” Wil said.
Dahl opened his eyes. “This hasn’t been home for a very long time, but it feels good to finally return.”
“This place belongs to you, if you want it.” Wil made a gesture to encompass the island.
“No, we have a place that suits us now. What the Priesthood left behind is yours for the taking.”
“On that note, our part is done,” Wil stated. “We had an agreement.”
“Indeed.” Dahl bowed his head. “We shall provide you with the data archive, as we promised. Much of the technology will not be possible for everyone to use, however—it is for a culture where all possess the abilities we take for granted.”
“It will be made available to everyone regardless. We’ll find common ground to unite us.”
Dahl nodded. “That is the future we always hoped to achieve.”
“Will you remain out in the galactic core?” Wil asked.
“For now, but perhaps we will one day be among you again.”
Wil eyed him. “And what about the rift?”
“That is an interesting matter,” Dahl replied. “Our conditions for helping you were to gain access to the tear and harness its power, but what Jason saw made us realize that doing so would be not unlike the Priesthood’s ambition.”
“One person’s statements have made you change your entire outlook?”
Dahl’s thin lips stretched into a smile. “Don’t underestimate the power of one person’s words. Some people’s word should always be heeded.”
Wil crossed his arms. “You’re talking about what you said earlier, aren’t you? That I should fill the role the Priesthood should have been serving.”
“Such a role is something to grow into.”
“I don’t think I’ll be hanging around for twelve hundred years,” Wil replied.
“You needn’t decide that now,” Dahl insisted. “We’ll provide you with all of our life-extending technology. Once the genetic patch is ready, those tools can become widely available.”
And then Saera would be with me… “I’m still not convinced such technology is for the best. Look at what happened to the High Priests when they sought eternal life.”
“Their intentions were twisted from the outset. Do not confuse the technology with a person’s application of that tool.”
Wil nodded. “Fair enough. I’ll keep an open mind.”
“We shall, as well.” Dahl inclined his head. “As much as we like to think of ourselves as ascended, we are still fallible beings. I insisted our intentions with the spatial tear were pure, but when we came face-to-face with its power, I found even myself tempted. We do wish to study it, but we would also ask to have… oversight.”
“From the TSS?” Wil asked.
“Specifically, from you.”
He laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think I’m really the best person for that job.”
“You’ve come closer to that kind of power than anyone and have always come back. I can think of no one better.”
I don’t have a great counterpoint to that. “Well, I’m not living in the rift.”
“You needn’t. Keep watching it from afar, as you have already been doing with Jason.”
Wil sighed. “Very well.”
Dahl smiled. “In time, you will come to understand you can be more than what the Priesthood forced you to be. That was never your true purpose, Cadicle.”
“I’ll try to live up to the name.”
The Oracle nodded. “I have no doubt you will.”
* * *
Waking up the following morning, Cris felt like a new era had begun. For the first time in a millennia, the Priesthood was not the authority over the Taran people. Now, he was one of the select few tasked with ensuring the safety and prosperity of the civilization.
It’s not just the Priesthood. We need to make even bigger changes. He took a deep breath and began to get ready for the day, organizing his thoughts for the meeting to come.
Kate looked him over with concern while she finished dressing. “We can’t fall into the same trap.”
“I know—and Wil knows it. I’ve already chatted with Ryan and we’re in agreement on what we have to do.”
“The others might not go for it.”
Cris shrugged. “We have to try.”
The meeting of the High Dynasties was set for 09:00, a symbolic gesture for the new beginning after what had transpired the day before. Following a quick breakfast, Cris and Kate met the other members of their family in the same conference room. Raena and Ryan had already arrived, and Wil was coming down the hall. Cris waved at him and stepped inside.
“Good morning,” Cris greeted his granddaughter and her new husband. “Is it just me, or does yesterday feel like it was all a dream?”
“Hasn’t sunken in yet for me, either,” Raena replied.
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t think any of it will seem real until I’ve had a couple weeks living the new life.”
Wil entered the conference room and closed the door.
“No Jason?” Wil asked, looking around the room.
“I believe his exact words were, ‘Politics? No thanks’,” Cris replied with a smile.
Wil chuckled. “Sounds about right. I’d be tempted to sit this one out, myself, if it weren’t a once-in-a-lifetime historic moment and all that.”
“Assuming the resolution goes through,” Raena clarified.
“We’ll make it,” Wil declared.
Kate cast him an evaluating glance. “Even if it doesn’t pass, this is still the first meeting under the new structure. It’s a historic time any way you look at it.”
“Very true. I’ll just sit back and observe.” Wil took a seat in one of the chairs on the outskirts of the ro
om away from the view of the cameras linked to the holoprojector. “The TSS should be a neutral third-party rather than sitting with one of the High Dynasties.”
“All right,” Cris agreed. He checked the time, seeing it was 08:58. “We should begin.”
He sat at the head of the table with Kate to his right and Ryan to his left, with Raena next to her husband.
The holoprojector created an overlay on the far side of the table, which populated with the Heads from the other High Dynasties.
They exchanged brief pleasantries, and then all eyes turned to Cris.
“So, what’s our first order of business?” Kaiden prompted.
“Well, I’m curious about the new laws regarding telekinesis, which were enacted yesterday without going for an official vote,” Byron Monsari cut in.
“A necessity to ensure appropriate action could be taken against the Priesthood,” Eduard Baellas interjected, much to Cris’ surprise.
“Yes, only a majority vote was required,” Cris added. “Talsari, Monsari, and Makaris are welcome to submit a vote now for the official record, if you wish.”
“I support it,” Ellen Talsari said.
“Well, I’m against it.” Byron crossed his arms.
Liam Makaris glowered at the Monsari Head. “You really intend to perpetuate that divide between our people? I think Cris has demonstrated that those with abilities aren’t dangerous or something to fear. If anything, it’ll be better for people to be open with those abilities so they can receive proper training. The greater danger is creating a population of outcasts.”
“And let’s be honest,” Kate jumped in, “I have abilities, and that means Kaiden does, too, but never tapped into them. His children and grandchildren haven’t, either, but the first member of a Twelfth Generation is about to be born—we can either keep ignoring those abilities, or we can finally acknowledge what’s right there inside us.”
Kaiden nodded slowly. “Training as a soldier with the TSS is no longer the only path. We should lead by example and be our full selves rather than hiding behind traditions established to hide the truth about what we lost. The Priesthood told us to hide our abilities because they didn’t want us to know what we’d be missing. I, for one, hope future generations will have the opportunity to learn something about themselves I did not.”
“We intend to be out in the open,” Ryan spoke up for the first time in the meeting. “Dainetris and Sietinen will promote open use of telekinesis in the Third Region. We hope the rest of you will join us in changing the public perception about what it means to have abilities.”
“I believe everyone but Monsari is on board with that intention,” Ellen said.
Byron’s cheeks reddened. “You haven’t thought through the implications.”
“As things stand now,” Cris replied, “the main concern is that the High Dynasties appear divided. If we want a peaceful future, we need to start working together.”
The Heads all fixed their gaze on Monsari.
“Fine,” Byron yielded. “For the sake of unity, I will support the new regulations on telekinesis, but I must insist we review the wording more closely.”
“Agreed,” Ryan said. “This wording was meant as a placeholder, anyway. We will find language that’s in the best public interest.”
Cris nodded. “To that end, we have another matter to consider regarding how to most effectively serve our people. The Priesthood was always meant to be a neutral third-party to keep the High Dynasties’ corporate interests from interfering with equitable administration of the Taran worlds. Well, we all know the Priesthood wasn’t playing fair. Having lived outside our happy sphere of opulence here on Tararia, I also know from personal experience that things are far from equitable. We need to consider if the way things operate now is really what’s best for Taran citizens.” He paused, looking around the table. “From my vantage, that is a resounding ‘no’.
“The High Dynasties offer the core services required for the operation of this civilization. Without our corporations, things would fall apart. That means we are beyond private interests—we have a responsibility that runs deeper than profit or what’s best for our families. We need to think about what will keep the Taran worlds safe and what will allow our people to flourish and have the greatest opportunities for happy lives.
“If things continue along the current path, those with resources will only continue to accumulate more wealth and those at a disadvantage will have very few opportunities to get ahead. Hard work and perseverance can only get a person so far when the entire system is structured to favor those who already have a leg up. If we want to continue to grow and prosper, we must rethink how we serve our people.”
“I take it you have something specific in mind?” Kaiden said when Cris paused again.
“I do,” Cris replied. “It’s going to sound extreme, and it will take time to find an appropriate balance, but I believe that the operation of the High Dynasty’s corporations should no longer be private. We provide a public service, and so the public should have a voice in what service they receive.”
The other Dynastic Heads’ eyes widened with shock.
“That’s…” Eduard Baellas began before fading out.
“We need to rethink our pricing and access to products and services in a way that makes it reasonable for any citizen to have a high quality of life,” Cris continued. “SiNavTech has already demonstrated that reducing fees on merchants and replacing that lost revenue through cross-promotion and marketing with other corporations has resulted in record profits—even when accounting for inflation. This isn’t about making everything free, just redistributing the wealth in a way that everyone benefits.”
“And how would you propose ‘the public’ has a say in these changes?” Ellen Talsari asked.
Cris smiled. “Well, stars, that’s easy—almost everyone has a VComm device,” Cris said. “Send out a survey and let the people vote.”
The Heads did not look convinced.
“What would you have them vote on?” Liam pressed.
“Not every individual issue,” Cris replied, “but they should certainly have a voice in who represents them. The High Dynasties have been around for a very long time, and we’re still here only because we have made ourselves remain in power—with the exception of Dainetris, of course, but that’s another matter entirely. I think we need to hold ourselves accountable. If we’re not doing a good job supporting the public interests in our roles as corporate CEOs, the people should have the right to vote us out and get someone who’ll think about them, not just personal assets.”
Kaiden nodded. “The accountability the Priesthood was supposed to provide, but disaggregated in a way that it would minimize the potential for corruption.”
“Precisely.” Cris inclined his head. “The question is, are you confident that you’re a leader the people will support?”
Eduard chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “It’s radical, for sure, but I think it’s brilliant. We could all use some accountability.”
“All right, I’ll support it,” Ellen agreed.
“VComm has nothing to hide,” Kaiden chimed in. “We do need a change.”
The remaining High Dynasties reluctantly cast their vote in support—to oppose would suggest a lack of worth, a social pressure Cris was counting on.
“Then the resolution holds,” Cris announced. “Now, we let the people decide if we did the right thing.”
* * *
Rolling out the process for universal approval voting was surprisingly straightforward, but waiting for the results of the polls had Raena on edge.
If the results were less than favorable, the other High Dynasties could easily go back on their word and slip into old ways. With any luck, the public would take it as a sign of good faith that the corporations central to their day-to-day lives were now trying to open a productive dialogue—and to support those efforts as a sign of good faith of their own.
“I hate being in limbo li
ke this,” Raena grumbled to Cris as she sauntered into his office.
“Well, we’ll know in a few minutes,” her grandfather replied from behind his desk.
Three days of letting the votes roll in and we have no idea how it’s gone. She sighed. “I don’t know whether I’ll be happy or upset if they give us the boot.”
“The thrills of democracy, eh?”
“I wish we could see the results in real-time.”
“That would undermine the intent of allowing people an unbiased vote, now wouldn’t it?” her grandfather replied.
“Sometimes I dislike the reasonableness of rationality.”
He cracked a smile. “Indeed. So, how are the rescued prisoners doing?”
“Well,” Raena responded, temporarily setting aside thoughts of the election. “At least, as well as can be expected.”
The fifty-two women rescued from the Priesthood’s underground labs were only a fraction of the victims taken over the years, but Raena was thankful they hadn’t been too late for everyone. Most of the women had elected to remain with their children, and the others had been placed with foster families. It was unclear what future awaited a clone of one of the High Priests, but Wil had assured Raena that any child exhibiting abilities would be welcomed into the TSS training program when they came of age. For now, she wished them happy childhoods outside the confines of a cell.
Cris gave her a sympathetic nod. “I’m sorry we didn’t go after them sooner.”
“More may have been hurt if we’d tried,” Raena said, knowing it was the hard truth of the matter. “We made the best decision we could under the circumstan—”
“Results are in!” Marina declared, bursting through the doorway. She rushed inside with Ryan and Kate in tow.
As a matter of process, an advisor with each Dynasty had been designated to receive the results rather than the Dynastic Head directly—a step toward the decentralization of power intended for the future. As Cris’ longtime associate, Marina was the most logical choice for Sietinen.
Cris rose from his seat. “What’s the verdict?”
“I haven’t looked at it yet,” Marina replied. “I thought we should all review the outcome together.”