The Foundling Saga: Revelation

by Bowring, S D

  The steward waved Keller’s I-disc toward the screen on the wall. Keller’s face appeared, followed by words and numbers too small for him to read from where he stood. The steward waved his hand in various areas before Keller could see what was written. Then he asked Keller to put his hand near the screen. Keller saw a list appear beside his picture. The steward looked at the list, “Ignore these red ones, they are messages from the pilots.” He looked through the moving list. “You have one message from Earth, and one message from Rayleigh.”

  “Can you show me the messages?” asked Keller. The steward showed him how to open and close the messages with his hand and then politely averted his eyes.

  The first message brought a huge lump to his throat immediately. It was one month old. It was from Marcus confirming that his message had been deposited, as planned, near Suffolk Road and located by Outsiders who delivered it to Nola. Marcus had ended his own message with a simple “Good Luck.”

  He knew that this would have provided some comfort to his family. They would now believe that he was travelling rural England with others. He felt a wave of emotion and relief, but also felt very homesick.

  The second message confirmed that he would be escorted to his birth mother on transfer to Plymouth Rock, the given name of the first city of Rayleigh, which was also the capital city and the main port of transfer. He was to report to the chaperone area on arrival.

  The steward looked back after Keller indicated that he had finished, showing Keller again how to ‘close’ the PMA, explaining that this was the abbreviation for Private Message Area. “When do we transfer?” asked Keller.

  “You are on the first transfer, someone will collect you. You probably have about six hours.” the steward said. Keller noticed his pronunciation and accent were similar to the diplomat he had spoken to earlier, it had a harsh lilt but he seemed friendly enough.

  “Are you from Rayleigh?” He asked.

  “Yes, but I look after the Rayleigh to New Exeter run, so I don’t get home very often. Four months of work, two months back home, then four months of work again. I’m leased to the company for ten years. I’ll get a freeholders house when my lease is completed, so I am very lucky. Maybe then I’ll work landside again.”

  Keller asked to return to his cabin. He needed to prepare for his transfer. Another steward arrived and provided some further refreshment for him, advising him of the procedure for transfer. He also apologised for any neglect in attending to him but the ratio of stewards to passengers was a concern to all, he added wryly.

  Eventually, the second steward returned, checked the room, then escorted Keller and his meagre belongings through a narrow corridor. Keller found himself on a similar transfer craft to the one that he had departed on Earth. Again it was smaller, and a little less luxurious. He was approached by a woman who introduced herself and said she would be his hostess for the short journey to Rayleigh. She looked him up and down as though appreciating him, which made him feel a little self-conscious.

  He was seated, this time not in a cabin but a relatively private seat with a cloth curtain between himself and someone else. The ‘someone else’ turned out to be the diplomat he had spoken to earlier in the lounge.

  The journey of about two hours left him in awe of the planet below and the stunning view of the two suns in the distance. It was an incredible experience heading towards the planet like a dropping stone. The land below rose quickly towards them and he could see mountains, land, sea and greenery. Like home, he thought. The craft levelled and flew in a more parallel route with the land before gliding over some bright green forests. The forests became fields and he saw the outlines of a city coming towards them. Domes were everywhere on the horizon. They had passed some smaller domes on the fields and he assumed these were the homes of the off-worlders.

  Now he could see that they must be approaching Plymouth Rock. This was the first outpost from Earth to last more than fifty years. It was now the well-established capital, where, he was told by his hostess, the people were proud of their history. They were also proud of their heritage as the children of the early adventurers.

  The craft finally landed on a wide strip. The hostess came and asked him to wait for a few minutes, then she would return to escort him off the craft.

  Keller sat patiently, still weary from the journey and still wondering how his birth mother would receive him and what she was like. He wondered whether he himself would move beyond the still simmering feeling of resentment. No matter how often it had been explained to him, he still felt he had been brought here under a certain amount of duress.

  Keller had only been awake for a few days during the four month voyage, however, he still felt painfully detached from his family in Suffolk Road. Whatever he felt though, he knew his life had changed forever. He would need someone to guide him through all of this and maybe his birth mother would turn out to give that guidance. And, just maybe, he could return to his family as soon as his ‘duty’ was done.

  The curtain was pulled back and his hostess smiled at him. “You can disembark now, please follow me.” He walked through a corridor, out through a narrow tunnel and then realised he was on firm ground again. He saw through some plas windows a concrete area that again reminded him of the Arpo. However, this one had vehicles snaking their way around on some unknown purpose.

  His I-disc was scanned by another woman whilst his hostess stood by. She then took him along a narrow corridor to a desk above which read “Chaperones.” She asked him to wait on a soft chair and bade him goodbye. “Might see you again, Keller - if not, good luck!” She gave him a little wave, turned her back to him and walked briskly back to where they had come from.

  PART 2

  The Arrival

  During his recuperation on the transfer to Rayleigh’s orbit, Keller had thought he had learned much about the planet he now found himself on. Those programmes barely touched the surface, in truth, but to him, it was an overwhelming amount of information.

  Rayleigh was about half the size of Earth. Because of the two nearby suns, it had two nights during its seventeen and a half hour day. Depending on whether you were in the northern or southern hemisphere, and the time of year, you may get a night lasting three hours, followed later by another lasting four hours. At certain times of the year you could have one lasting five hours and one lasting forty-five minutes.

  It has a similar atmosphere to earth, albeit a little thinner. However, this meant that humans would still need to avoid ascending even the relatively low mountain ranges unless equipped with breathing apparatus. Gravity was about fifteen percent less than that of Earths’ - not significant enough to deter potential colonists, but it did make a difference to visitors and would take a little getting used to. The planet had a surface that was forty percent water, mainly in the form of a large ocean which split a large land mass from a smaller land mass. The smaller land mass was known as New Fiji and so named because of beaches to the west of Plymouth Rock and its tropical wet climate. This tropical wet climate was the most habitable part of the planet and it was in New Fiji that the bulk of the population was based. The other land mass, Khatru, was substantially larger. It was less hospitable, with some intense weather systems due to its Northern Hemisphere position but it provided the main source of export income for the planet. There were a number of mines and the land had vast mineral deposits. A series of outposts of hardy people would exploit these deposits and they would be transferred to the Eastern port of Macau B on New Fiji. This was then shipped internally for processing at various places and eventually shipped as freight to other off-worlders, or back to Earth, depending on the material needs of the various communities.

  The population was about 3.1 million people. There were always new arrivals but not so many as there had been 60 or 70 years ago. They weren’t self-sufficient yet, particularly with regard to medicines and manufacturing facilities - all of which were vital to sustain a population. The economy of Rayleigh allowed for repairs to mining a
nd transport equipment for example, but they did not have the population or infrastructure to allow for the manufacture of this equipment. Ownership of mines was shared by a cooperative arrangement between various off-world communities who all benefited from this trade.

  Food was plentiful for the New Fijians but less so on Khatru. This was transported to Khatru via the same sea craft that brought raw materials to Macau B.

  The only meat bred on land was turkey and other fowl, such as partridge and pheasant. Early attempts at breeding other animals were foiled by certain viral strains which wiped them out. However, the Ocean was teeming with fish of various species and these ensured a relatively easy access to protein for the population.

  Governor Whelehan of Rayleigh had to govern a relatively small population spread over vast distances. It was, however a population that was striving, even now, to make the best of what they had on the planet, and even after several generations they were a community with a common goal of growth and success for Rayleigh. This growth and success was in the interests of all for maintaining and strengthening what they had chosen as their new home generations earlier.

  It was still a community that operated like any other. They had their problems and disagreements and those in power, both in business or government would always occasionally seek too much advantage over their neighbours. Such manoeuvrings were the cause of the occasional trials and tribulations of mankind everywhere.

  Within seconds of him sitting down at the chaperone desk, two uniformed men approached Keller briskly. “Welcome to Rayleigh,” the bearded one said. They both shook hands with him. “Come this way,” he added, holding his hand behind Keller’s back. “We have transport waiting.”

  They walked through a doorway towards a vehicle that looked similar to the mediheli he had initially been taken in. They helped him into the craft and strapped him in. The one without the beard got into the front and the bearded one sat opposite Keller. He looked at Keller with interest. “How are you recovering after that long journey?”

  “Okay,” he responded, “a little light headed, but I’m okay.”

  The ‘heli’ flight, as the bearded man called it, would take about thirty minutes. He introduced himself as Astec.

  Keller was stunned by the scenery - it still being light enough to see a good distance. As they passed over a mountain range the scenery still had plenty of green patches but it was clearly dryer. He pointed this out to Keller. “Most of rain falls on the west of New Fiji. It condenses after it comes over the mountains. The East still gets enough rain for crops, but it doesn’t rain almost every day as it does in the West,” Astec explained.

  The heli was brought in to land. “Where are we now?”

  “You’ll see soon enough,” said Astec smiling, as he undid the straps on Keller’s seat.

  They had landed on a concrete area with high grey walls surrounding them and a large domed building to their left. Some uniformed men were walking into a doorway nearby. They seemed a sullen, purposeless group to Keller and he wondered at their body language.

  Both men stepped out of the heli and assisted Keller as he stepped down, a little giddy from the flight. “I don’t suppose you have flown in these too often?” asked Astec and, without waiting for a reply, he took Keller’s arm and guided him away from the heli to a nearby door.

  The trio walked past a waiting uniformed man and through a corridor. No one seemed to want to scan his I-disc, he noticed. The building was roughly finished and made of bare concrete walls and floor. They passed a number of doors and then took Keller through one of these into a small room. “Wait here,” instructed Astec, “do you want a drink?”

  “Water,” Keller said. Astec nodded and left.

  Keller was left to ponder his surroundings. The room he was in had a table and two chairs. However, he could see it was used for sleeping with a wooden bed and a plump bed mat. There was also a sink next to a curtain. The curtain was partially open and he could see a toilet and a shower. It looked similar to where he was first kept in London but not as comfortable. He was impatient and frustrated. He didn’t want to wait in here for hours and wondered when the Governor would come to see him, or when he might be taken to meet her.

  Astec returned with a cup of water along with another man who introduced himself as Kurk. This tall confident man, pulled out a chair and sat down opposite him with folded arms and examined Keller with interest. Astec stood behind Kurk, leaning against the door.

  Kurk stroked his dark beard and seemed to be waiting for Keller to say something. Keller noticed his eyes seemed intense.

  “Am I to be taken to see Governor Whelehan soon?” asked Keller. He took an instant dislike to Kurk who seemed to be amused about something at Keller’s expense. Keller knew he was tired and irritated and tried to put his impatience to one side. “It’s been a long journey,” he said by way of explanation. He was annoyed with himself for almost offering an apology.

  Kurk looked over his shoulder at Astec as though considering his presence. Then he looked back at Keller.

  “These are troubling times on Rayleigh. Your mother is not even aware yet that you are here. She will be soon.”

  “I presume she knew I was arriving sometime today?” Keller asked, a little confused.

  “Your mother doesn’t even know of your existence. Your mother is focussed on internal affairs at the moment and isn’t even aware that her government helped fund your trip. We intercepted the communication from London regarding your existence and have channelled all further arrangements through a friendly colleague in the government here. We requested complete discretion from London. They are always keen to oblige an off-world Governor - since their wellbeing is only guaranteed by continued trade.”

  Kurk continued, seemingly oblivious to Keller’s look of shock. “…They don’t want to end up like Tokyo, whose intransigence during the mid-term Trade rounds two decades ago, suspended off-world trade for a nearly a year. They have never recovered. No one can even land a transporter there now, as security was so badly compromised by the riots that followed. The city is reverting back to the Stone Age rapidly since anyone with any wealth or means has transferred to other cities.”

  “Now you, young foundling…you happen to have provided us with some leverage now that we have you in Macau B. You will meet your mother and the two of you are welcome to leave Rayleigh if you don’t cause any problems. I wouldn’t want you to jeopardise the task I have ahead of me to re-align our status, our wealth and ensure we are rightly respected for all that we have achieved here.” He paused, smiling grimly at Keller.

  “Rayleigh should, in reality, be at the centre, the very heart, of decisions made affecting mankind.

  “My task is a serious task and I don’t take it lightly. The future of Rayleigh needs to be secured in a manner that is in keeping with our forefather’s vision. The truth is, Keller, that your mother should never have been Governor. An accident of marriage, perhaps, but to us who believe in a pure and strong Rayleigh, it is an abomination, a weakness and we mean to set these things right. Your mother is too mindful of the other worlds. Our population is small but we control much of the minerals required for the technical marvels mankind needs to sustain the various worlds so far inhabited. Without these raw materials, the other populations would only exist as Stone Age Earth once existed. In the case of one or two satellite communities, they would perish completely. Our blood and sweat should be better rewarded.”

  Keller listened with incredulity. He was still trying to take in what Kurk said about his birth mother. He shook his head and stared at Kurk who seemed to be getting increasingly heated the more he spoke.

  “My mother doesn’t know I exist? I have spent four months asleep for what?” He wanted to insult this man in front of him but he knew he had nowhere to go and, suddenly, no one to turn to.

  “Keller, you are sent from the Gods as far as I am concerned. We will contact our friends at the Governors House in Plymouth Rock and your mother wi
ll be sent a see-com from you asking for assistance.”

  “A what?” Keller asked.

  “A visual recording of you. Your mother will see you in the flesh.” replied Astec who seemed to be of the view that Kurk, clearly his superior, had now finished.

  Indeed, Kurk had finished. He stood up and looked at Keller, “Keller, you would presumably welcome the chance to return to Earth. I understand you are one of the Outsiders from England. If you cooperate, you may soon return.”

  Astec held the door open and Kurk left the room without a backward glance.

  Astec remained. Keller felt weakened and drained already and was looking at Astec in total confusion. “Keller, you need to get a shower to look presentable – then we will come and take a see-com. The sooner all this is done, the sooner you can leave. There is of course the possibility you could remain here and work with us if you wish. You are a healthy young man and our population is going to need to expand if we are to fulfil our goals.”

  “I’ll get some food delivered. You know how to use a shower, don’t you?”

  Keller nodded. Astec then left the room. Keller stood up and tried the door. A screen appeared on the wall and stern-faced man was looking at him. “Don’t attempt to open the door again.” There was no ‘or else’. Keller stood back from the door and the screen faded from the wall.

  He looked around. He didn’t want to be here. He didn’t know what was going to happen but whatever it was, it may as well happen fast, he thought. He took his light bag and looked at his clothing.

  “Food.” Keller turned quickly, he hadn’t heard anyone enter. An old man stood behind him. The old man placed the tray on the table. “Best you eat,” he said without smiling. “Don’t try the door again, they won’t like it.” Again, Keller didn’t register an ‘or else’, but instinctively knew that there was one. The man then left.

  He sat down, closed his eyes and calmed himself. At the moment, all events seemed out of his control. He had to get a grip of himself as wave after wave of panic and despair seem to be dragging him down mentally. He knew this. He knew that he was limited in what he could do for the time being. However, he did know that he would need to be prepared for whatever came next. He felt his heart racing. Gradually, he regained his composure. He looked at the food. He needed to eat and have another drink. He did so and thought about Kurk and tried to understand the implications of the visit he had just had.