Chapter Forty-two
Bakman released
One day in his son’s sixth month a friendly guard smuggled in a small one-inch square piece of twice folded paper that had one printed word, "Boy." Bakman cries for in his forced isolation he was not allowed to talk to anyone or have any access to outside information.
The only break from his bleak isolation was one Middle History period political party propaganda history book. It was one the authorities selected every other month. This even numbered month he was in the middle of reading for the third time The Legacy of the Gulf Wars by James W. Girt, former New San Francisco Representative to Congress for nine terms, twice selected chairman of the Democratic Party, and well-known anti-war, anti-police, and anti-military activist. According to the book jacket Mr. Girt was proud of his record of voting for every troop and police deployment issue and against every military and police funding bill—even soldier and police officer pay and widow benefits.
By now everyone on the planet that had hated Bakman begins slowly to think more about what he has did with less personal anger. Through the ninth, tenth, and eleventh month people gradually start to ask, “Why is this man Bakman locked up?” Many argue at work that he paid for it and he sent it off on a mission. It was his! A few talked about Bakman’s plan of trying to put their children on other planets. At first, large numbers of people thought that it was a wild reckless scheme. As month slipped past New Horizons reports from deeper in space, some begin to say that if he had asked for their sperm or eggs they would have gladly given them to him.
Soon, a few people were starting to say these things on Information Screens. Each month some people who had been victims now are proud to believe and tell others they hope that Bakman is successful so that their offspring might live on a planet in another solar system around one of the three stars in the Centaurus Constellation. Men and women began to wear a small cluster of three miniature golden stars or a small single star pin and proudly boast to others that their offspring are on the way to the stars. Many gold star individuals hope that Bakman gets to see his family or is set free and say so publicly. Small star-groups form larger associations and start to plead for Bakman’s full pardon and immediate release. Three small jewelry companies merge. This new company takes patents out on a "Star Pin" and a small "A" pin. The new company, Star Jewelers, is unexpectedly very successful and patents and markets both a silver and bronze Star Pin.
This new movement continues until whole programs fill with gold-star people every month speaking out in Bakman's behalf, and during the sixteenth month a silver-star grandparents group is formed. Two months later, a great grandparent’s bronze-star group forms and representatives from twenty-seven cities meet to write up association bylaws for all three groups. Silver and bronze "A" pin sales by Star Jewelers experience steady growth.
Two years, seven months, nineteen days, twelve hours, forty-three minutes, and fifty-six seconds after being sentenced to twenty-six life sentences two guards armed with nightsticks open Bakman’s cell door. Roughly they push, kick, and hit unresisting Bakman without restrains all the way to Warden Carson Monroe Steele's office. A flushed angry-faced Warden Steele without a word pushes a piece of paper across the desk. Bakman reads it. It was his release on probation to the Great Basin Clone Colony. During his lifetime he was never to leave their property, except in flight with Great Basin police escort between the colony and the Wind Farm. A second condition stated that he was never to grant an interview to an Informationalist or appear as a guest on a view-screen. Bakman signed the document when a photo-pen was pushed toward him, and behind his signature an image of his thin ghostly white unshaven for three months face with uncombed hair surprised him. Below his signature it was further stated that no moneys or property seized would be returned to him. The line provided said Bakman had to initial that clause. With a nod he scribbled D. G. B. and saw again his picture printed.
A panel button was pushed, a loud click, and an outside door opened. Turning his head Bakman glimpsed a black night sky and heard rain. The sound of rain made him smile for he liked rain. A guard stepped inside, put on Bakman full arm and leg restraints, motioned for Bakman to exit, and an angry and frustrated Warden waved him away. Not a single word had been spoken inside that office.
On a dark and stormy night though light sprinkles between heavy rain showers with distant lightning flashes and thunder rumbles his guard roughly led Bakman able only to take small steps to and up the short stairway to the prison roof, and half dragged and pushed him through puddles toward his waiting transportation.
A special high-speed hover-shuttle took Bakman to the Clone Colony. It set down on the north-building roof at 5:19 in the morning under a fading hazy dim quarter moon. The roof guard accepted his papers that she was offered. Bakman was roughly pulled and dragged off still dressed in striped prison orange. His U. N. prison guard Commander removed his restrains and stepped back into the craft. It lifted off.
A call downstairs during pointing directions and a wave sent Bakman walking to the elevator. Downstairs Woll laughed and hugged him. Dee cried and kissed him. When she introduced him to Duncan Guilihur Duffy Bakman the 2nd, Duffy Bakman cried. The children were frightened of Duffy at first, but they quickly became a family and prepared to celebrate Woll’s wedding to Laureena Saybooks.
The Centauri Conspiracy Page 44