by A. K. DuBoff
“There’s a lot of history here,” Wil said. “I’d like to hope not all of it was bad.”
Perhaps there was a time when the Priesthood lived up to its name, but none of that was left by the end. As far as she was concerned, nothing about the organization or the monsters that ran it was holy or good. They’d abused and performed secret genetic experimentations on the Taran people for centuries. That was unforgivable.
“Maybe, while we’re digging around, we’ll find out more about what the organization was like before it fractured into the Priesthood and Aesir,” Cris commented.
Wil shrugged. “I’d be interested to know. The Aesir have been rather tight-lipped about their history before they branched off into their own community.”
Raena shook her head. “I’d want to distance myself as far from the Priesthood as I could, too.” She couldn’t help but resent the Aesir a little. They had known about the Priesthood’s genetic manipulation of unwitting Taran citizens and had done nothing to stop them.
“Knowing the Aesir, getting distance from the Priesthood wasn’t their sole reason for leaving,” Wil said.
Cris looked at him questioningly. “Why else?”
“The Aesir have firmly held beliefs about how to achieve enlightenment. I suspect they felt… limited by being planet-bound and wanted to leave anyway.”
“They’re a strange bunch.” Cris shrugged.
“But wise. They have reasons for doing, or not doing, everything. It’s bomaxed annoying, don’t get me wrong, when they refuse to give a straight answer. Except, I’ve come to trust them that some things need to unfold in a certain way.”
“I still hate the cryptic-ness,” Raena said. “Like this whole mess with Jason’s vision not being about the Priesthood, after all.”
“What’s this now?” Cris asked.
Raena glanced at her dad and realized that he hadn’t shared the information with her grandfather. “Um…”
“We’ve been reevaluating our previous interpretation in light of new information,” Wil stated. “It remains a warning with no answer, so there’s nothing new.”
Nonetheless, her grandparents had lost a measure of their joviality.
“But we have a rare night with the family together, so we needn’t dwell on such things,” Wil said, giving Raena an encouraging nod.
She smiled. “That’s right. Dinner should be just about ready. Shall we?”
Raena took Ryan’s hand, and together they led the others to the smaller of the two formal dining rooms, reserved for more intimate gatherings. The other space was more like a massive ballroom, capable of seating hundreds at one time. She had yet to attempt planning an event at the estate with such an extensive guest list, but it was inevitable. For now, though, she enjoyed meals around the oval table in the Gathering Hall, as she’d taken to calling the smaller space. Even without guests, she and Ryan would have dinner with select members of their staff at the end of each week to celebrate their accomplishments together. She enjoyed the new tradition and hoped it would continue even as their lives became more complicated.
A server came around to offer drinks as they got seated, and Raena decided wine was a definite requirement after the day she’d had.
The conversation meandered while they waited for food to arrive. Eventually, Kate asked Ryan about his mother.
“She wasn’t able to make it on short notice,” he replied.
“We’ll get her feeling comfortable here eventually,” Raena told him telepathically by way of support.
“I know.”
Kate was the kind of person who’d keep working on Ryan’s mother, Marie, until she was her best friend, so it was best not to broach the topic that there was any discomfort there.
Raena understood where Marie was coming from; if she’d found herself suddenly hanging out with celebrities she’d admired as a kid, she’d feel out of place. To anyone on the outside, their little family dinner could be characterized as having an exclusive guest list consisting of the figurative King and Queen of the planet, the most decorated war hero of the past millennium, and the lone descendant of a bloodline that had been resurrected from the ashes. Stars, if Raena didn’t know them as Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, and her husband, she would have been intimidated, too.
The food arrived, and they served their own plates from the communal platters, how Raena preferred it for these casual gatherings.
“I’m so glad you inherited my taste in what makes a good dinner,” her mother said as she finished piling her plate with lasagna—one of the family dinner favorites from her childhood.
Raena hurriedly swallowed an overly ambitious bite. “And your metabolism so I can get away with eating like this!”
Kate took a dainty bite; though her grandmother was never one to complain, Raena knew she was partial to more sophisticated dishes. “Being around the same table is the real treat.”
“Indeed. Oh, Kalin and his partner send their regards,” Cris said as he began eating.
Wil smiled. “I’m glad it’s worked out having him there.”
“I wasn’t about to turn down the chance to have a TSS Primus Elite Agent remain in a permanent post.”
Raena had trained with Kalin, a member of her father’s first cohort of Primus Elite trainees, after she left the TSS to continue studying on Tararia. She and Ryan had been declared on an extended TSS ‘internship’ so they could officially train in telekinesis without breaking the Priesthood’s ban on such abilities. She’d been a natural, so the lessons had been more for show than necessity, but the training had been a fun diversion from studying economic policy and corporate accounting. Even after she and Ryan graduated, Kalin had elected to stay on Tararia.
“Making him your head of security for the estate doesn’t exactly quell the concerns about the Sietinen Dynasty and TSS being too closely entwined.” Wil shrugged.
“We can’t very well dissolve the Dynasty, and you are, without question, the most qualified person to be leading the TSS,” Cris countered. “People can complain all they want, but that’s the reality of it.”
“It’s the same issue we ran into when considering what kind of government structure to install when we were planning the overthrow of the Priesthood,” Kate said. “While a true democracy is appealing, there’s too much complexity in the interplay between infrastructure, commerce, and security concerns for the Taran Empire to have an elected leader step in without training and experience. It’s why we decided to declare the High Dynasty’s corporate interests public services and keep the Heads of those Dynasties in charge of their pieces of the larger infrastructure.”
“Speaking as someone who had to jump in to learn all of this stuff, I can attest that a four-year elected term, or whatever, would be absolutely impossible,” Raena chimed in. “I spent almost five years shadowing Grandpa, and even after another three mostly on my own with regular check-ins, I still don’t feel like I understand it all.”
Ryan let out a long breath. “Don’t get me started! I would have gladly gone back to start studying for this position in primary school.”
“There’s something to be said for grooming successors from a young age to take over,” Cris said. “I resented many aspects of my education while I was growing up, but it gave me an incredible foundation, looking back on it.”
Kate nodded. “We’ll see how our arrangement plays out. Keep training our heirs and heiresses, knowing the people have the power to vote us out from power if we mess up.”
Ryan laughed. “No one in their right mind would want these jobs.” He took out his frustration from the day with a purposeful stab of his fork into his meal.
“Makes me wonder how the old monarchs I read about in school on Earth felt,” Raena mused. “Sure, it’s great to be rich and powerful, but how many of them took the responsibility seriously?”
“There’ve been good rulers and bad, no matter which planet you’re studying,” her father said.
Cris nodded. “The best leaders are always
those who act in the best interest of their people. It’s what I always strive to do.”
“It’s been wonderful to see the other Dynasties following suit,” Saera chimed in. “I never thought we’d have so many new dynastic scions enroll in the TSS for training.”
“I can’t even put into words how much it means to me to see that come to pass,” Cris said with a joyful sheen to his eyes. “I was almost disowned for wanting to embrace my abilities.”
Kate rubbed his shoulder. “Me too. But I can’t blame our parents for feeling that way at the time. The Priesthood had done masterful work espousing the dangers of our Gifts, making the punishment for violating the law too severe to take the risk.”
“Of everything we’ve done, the most meaningful will always be reversing the ban on public use of telekinesis,” Cris said, heartfelt emotion coloring his tenor voice. “No one should have to ignore an innate part of themselves.”
“To my dying breath, I will fight to make sure that never happens again,” Wil said.
“I know all of us will,” Kate agreed. “We need to be patient. The Taran Empire is still finding its new cultural identity now that the Priesthood’s controlling grip has been removed. Being reborn anew. We can be stewards, but we can’t force the process.”
“And already people are making calls for independence rather than taking this opportunity to unify.” Wil shook his head and sighed.
“They’ll come around. I have no doubt,” Cris assured him.
“Leave the peacekeeping to the Guard,” Saera said. “And we weren’t supposed to talk about work stuff tonight.” She glanced at Wil.
“Sorry,” he said bashfully. “I can’t help it.”
“We’ve lived and breathed this life for too long,” Cris said. “I guess it’s inevitable that you become your career when you’re this invested.”
Wil nodded. “Like we were saying before.”
Born and bred to fulfill a role. Her parents had been crafty about it, but Raena couldn’t help looking back on her childhood with new light. Ballet as a toddler leading to martial arts. Violin lessons. Debate team. Science camp. They’d given her the foundation she needed to be disciplined and agile in both body and mind. Without that, adapting to this crazy life at the forefront of the Taran Empire wouldn’t have been possible.
They tried to keep the conversation lighter for the rest of the meal, finishing with a chocolate confection for dessert.
“Well, we should call it an early night and get at it first thing in the morning,” Wil said when they wrapped up.
“Yes, finding secret stashes is rarely a quick endeavor.” Saera rose from her seat. “That was a great meal, thank you. We eat well in the TSS, but this…” She placed her hand contentedly on her abdomen.
“Indeed. Raena stole our sous chef to head up things here. The guy is amazing,” Cris said with an envious smile toward Raena.
“You can come eat here whenever you want.” She patted his arm. “See you all in the morning, then?”
They said their round of goodbyes and hugs, then Raena and Ryan headed to their suite.
She kicked off her shoes and collapsed on the couch as soon as the door was closed. “I love them, but playing hostess is exhausting.”
“I think it’s good that my mom didn’t come, given the conversation of the evening,” Ryan said.
“Yes, that would have been awkward.”
“I hope they find what they’re looking for tomorrow.”
“Yeah, my parents are more worried about everything than they were letting on today. It seems impossible that going down into the Priesthood’s dungeon could glean any useful information.”
He shrugged. “Who knows what’s down there?”
“I try not to think about it.” Though she’d been enthusiastic about the impending journey into the depths of the underground structure, Raena now found apprehension welling in her chest.
The last time she had been there, it had been to rescue the Priesthood’s captives, whom they’d been using as subjects in their perverse genetic engineering experimentations with the goal of creating a new physical form to unlock enhanced abilities. Raena, herself, had almost fallen victim to their vile designs as a teenager, though she’d escaped before the Priests could carry out their plan to use her as a tool in their bid for ascension.
The experience had altered her perception of life. How could it not? Being ripped from her bedroom at the Sietinen estate in the middle of the night and taken captive in the Priesthood’s underground lab. She’d known about the Taran Empire for less than a week at the time, and yet she had come face-to-face with its deepest levels of perversion and corruption. A cautionary tale about how lusting for power led to terrible ends. Breaking free from them had affirmed her own power and how she could use both her abilities and her social station for good. It was what had shaped her as a young leader, and it’s what made her sensitive to the motivations of others. Ryan had been there by her side during the whole ordeal, and it had brought them together not only as a couple but by giving them a shared vision for how they must always work to avoid the pitfalls of power. They had vowed, together, to never succumb to selfish motives, but to always put their people first.
She’d gladly given up her autonomy for that goal. Though it had meant leaving her parents and brother, she’d do it all again to help her people. Not a day went by that she didn’t thank the stars she’d helped bring down the Priesthood and put an end to that chapter of Taran history.
Sensing her mood, Ryan moved closer to her. “Awful things happened here. Especially down there. But we can overcome anything so long as we have each other.”
“Just like we came together then.” She looked into his eyes, feeling the strength he gave her now, as he had when they were both captured by the Priesthood as teenagers. They had been the lucky ones, escaping within hours. Many others had lost their entire lives.
Ryan placed his hands gently on her shoulders. “You don’t need to go with them tomorrow.”
“I feel like I should, but…”
“Raena, this doesn’t have to be your fight. There’s no sense revisiting those unpleasant events from the past. This, up here, is our home. Everything down there can stay locked away, far from sight and mind.”
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll sit this one out.”
“It’s not sitting out. It’s being supportive from a distance.”
“Nice spin. You really are getting the hang of this politicking thing.”
“I try.” He kissed her, and her worries melted away.
— — —
“The demonstration went perfectly,” Oren announced with a broad grin.
The whole thing was odd to Lexi. They’d been gathering materials for years, apparently, and the ‘big event’ was putting up some posters and gathering a thousand people to chant about freedom? She didn’t buy it. There had to be more going on behind the scenes, but Oren still wouldn’t tell her anything more.
Her ‘promotion’ had been a joke so far. Granted, it had only been a couple of days, but Lexi had been hoping for a revealing sit-down with Oren or other leaders of the Alliance. She wanted answers and to finally get a glimpse of the organization’s structure she’d been trying to figure out. Instead, the short tour of the underground storeroom had been the extent of it, along with the declaration that she would handle pickups on her own moving forward. Even the latter part of that had proved anti-climactic when Oren had informed her that there wouldn’t be a pickup for another week, due to the demonstration activities. So, Lexi had spent the last two days sitting in the warehouse, watching and waiting for direction, with no clear sense of what she was supposed to do.
Meanwhile, Oren was ecstatic for whatever reason. The tall, thin man was awkward on his best days, but now there was something downright unnerving about seeing him prance around like he’d just scored the greatest victory in civilization’s history.
What’s the big deal? We didn’t do anything! Lexi couldn’t help f
uming with frustration about being kept in the dark. She’d pledged her commitment to the movement, but she wanted to know where the whole thing was headed. That didn’t seem like too much to ask. It was beside the point that she didn’t care about knowing the goals themselves; all she wanted was to work her way toward the inner circle so she could get answers, and this was just another step in that long, convoluted, and perilous path.
“Oren, could we talk?” she asked. The words came out before she’d made a conscious decision.
When he cast her a disapproving glare, she wondered if she’d made a mistake. “About what?”
Lexi glanced at people gathered in the nearby rec room and those working on projects in the warehouse. “Alone.”
He sighed and waved his arm. “If you insist.”
Oren led the way down to his office, not bothering to hide his annoyance. She followed him wordlessly. Upon reaching their destination, he leaned against his desk, sticking his feet out at an angle toward the door. It barely left her room to enter and close the door without tripping over him in the compact space.
“I don’t understand,” she stated.
“What?”
“The rally today. How it connects to anything. What made it such a success?”
Oren crossed his arms and stared at her. The annoyance was gone, replaced with an intensity beyond anything Lexi had seen from the man before. He was in his late-forties, and though she didn’t typically think of him as being much older than her, the expression made every crease stand out on his face under the single, stark light centered on the ceiling.
“What do you know of the Taran government’s operations?”
The question caught Lexi by surprise. She gave a noncommittal shrug and shook her head. “In what sense? The High Council runs things.”
“More specifically than that.”
Lexi bit down a snide response. She wanted to talk about the plan for effecting change in the Outer Colonies, not get a civics lesson about the very government they hoped to break free from. “Each High Dynasty is responsible for a corporation, which oversees a major infrastructure element of the Empire. Navigation, communications, food, power, mining, home goods, shipping. The Lower Dynasties have their own corporate arms, many of which roll up to one of the seven major umbrellas. Business and politics are one in the same. Only medical care and banking are independent.”
