Venus of Shadows

by Pamela Sargent

  Dyami's fingers danced over the console. “—imagined they could give our world to Earth,” a familiar voice was saying. He looked up at the face of his sister. “But we shall never bow to the Mukhtars. Those who betrayed us will be called to account.”

  He bowed his head, bewildered, as he listened to Chimene's forceful, demanding voice.

  Thirty-three

  Risa sat with Noella outside the house, holding the other woman as she wept on Risa's shoulder. The crowd had stormed the west dome's school before the patrol volunteers stationed outside could stop them. The attack had succeeded; all of the children had been saved, and their parents had been given the satisfaction of seeing Matthew Innes's mutilated body thrown outside the door. But the assault was too late for Theron, whose death at the hands of those holding the school had precipitated the crowd's vengeance. Risa shuddered again with the shock she had felt when Theron's body was dumped outside, and the fear that had swept over her when the crowd suddenly surged forward.

  The Council members, except for Boaz, had been detained without incident; patrol volunteers had managed to subdue most of Boaz's allies. Risa had told herself then that they might be able to win without violence, since those who weren't joining the struggle seemed content to wait it out behind the walls of their homes. But a few of Boaz's allies, here and in other settlements, had decided not to give in so easily. Pilots had died in reckless attacks on the bays; households had been threatened by people trying to hide from the patrols who were searching for them. Passive, frightened people had become avenging mobs. They had not been fighting for justice then, or for freedom from Earth, or against those who were allied with the ones who had wanted to impose Earth's rule. They had only been creatures avenging themselves on those who dared to threaten their neighbors or their children.

  She did not know how many had died; she had news of only a few. Josefa Huong was dead, after she and a few others had successfully defended the Guide's house against three of Boaz's loyalists. Gupta Benares was gone, trampled by a crowd as he hastened to the side of an injured woman. Theron, trying to protect his pupils, was gone.

  Now the orgy of violence was past, and she did not yet know what the dead had purchased with their lives. She had been in the Administrative Center, monitoring several channels on the screens, when a message came from an Administrator on Island Two. Alim ibn-Sharif, according to this woman, was indisposed, and in his place, she had advised the Mukhtar's delegation on Anwara to meet with the Habbers when their ships arrived. The Mukhtar had apparently agreed, swayed by the knowledge that one of the Habber ships would remain in an orbit near Anwara's, ready to disable the satellite.

  The Habbers wanted to help resolve the crisis. Risa did not know if Mukhtar Kaseko would listen or if he would decide to fight after all. She did not know if the Habbers were acting out of sympathy for the Cytherians or only because they might view any victory of Earth's as a defeat for themselves. She did not know how fervent her people's wish for autonomy would remain if Venus became a battleground for Earth and the Habitats.

  Even if the Habbers succeeded in interceding for the people of Venus, what then? The Cytherians’ freedom would mean little without the aid the Project still needed from outside to help the settlements survive. Would Earth continue to aid Venus in return for nothing except the possibility of closer ties and friendship in the future? Would the Habbers want more influence in return for their help?

  She feared what still lay ahead of them—recriminations, blame, demands that many be called to account for their deeds.

  Noella had stopped crying; she drew away from Risa and wiped her eyes with a sleeve of her shirt. “My children want me to stay with them for a while,” she said. “That might be best.”

  “You have a home here whenever you want to come back,” Risa murmured.

  “I know. I'll have to see.”

  The door opened; Nikolai hurried outside. “Risa, you'd better come in. A call came from Turing—Sef's talking to Dyami.”

  Risa got to her feet. Nikolai went to Noella as she hurried inside. Dyami's face was on the screen—thin and almost as marked by age as his father's. His flared cheekbones were sharper, and his skin was much too pale. Risa halted near the screen and raised a hand to her mouth.

  “Sef told me a little of what's been going on,” Dyami said. “We had something of a battle of our own, but I'll tell you about that another time. We're safe here—the patrol, what's left of it, is under restraint. Judging by what the screen's been showing us, we may have acted just in time.”

  “Dyami.” She lifted a hand and touched the image.

  “We can get along for now. We don't want any airships coming here until we're sure of who's aboard—we're not taking any risks until matters outside are more settled. There are a great many things we want to discuss with the other settlements. My comrades will demand hearings for the people we're holding.”

  He sounded so cold. Much of her son was still hidden from her, as it had always been. “Theron's dead,” she heard herself say. “The rest of us are all right, but he died at the school when—” Her voice caught in her throat.

  “I know. Sef told me. I'm sorry.” His voice was still steady. “Sigurd Kristens-Vitos is gone, too.”

  She bowed her head. “I'm afraid I can't talk anymore,” Dyami continued. “I'll send a message, when there's more time.”

  The image flickered out. He might almost have been talking to strangers. Sef reached for her hand; she clung to him for a moment, then let her tears come.

  * * * *

  Yakov summoned Risa to the main dome; it seemed that Chimene wanted to speak to both of them. She met him at the Administrative Center, where Andrew Dinel and a few other volunteers were watching over those being held there. Risa smiled sourly at Andrew as she and Yakov passed, thinking of all the business Ishtar had once brought his way. Andrew was not wearing his sash now.

  “Your daughter confirmed one rumor for me,” Yakov said as they walked. “I heard that Boaz Huerta had been taken to her house three days ago, during the last of the disturbances. He'd been hiding in the house of a friend, but when the friend saw how things were going, she informed Chimene, who had him brought there by a couple of people on the patrol. She says he's there now.”

  Risa pressed her lips together. Chimene's speech had been useful, but the Guide, except for her recording, had not been much in evidence lately. Hiding in her house, she supposed, anxious to protect all the things she did not own, waiting for the struggle to pass until she could emerge to claim the love of her people. “I wonder if Chimene knows what some are saying about her,” Risa muttered.

  “I don't know. We've got people seeing her as a heroine, and others who wonder exactly how much she knew about the deeds of some close to her. I've listened to some fairly disturbing stories about events in Turing just today. I don't know how we're going to maneuver between those who admire her and those who think she allowed a great many evils to happen. We'll have to hold hearings, and some of those defending themselves will be quick to point a finger at her. She may have to face a hearing herself, and then—”

  “Don't think of that now,” Risa responded. “Worry about that after we know the Mukhtar's intentions.”

  They were silent until they crossed the bridge near Chimene's house. Lang Eberschild and Yusef Deniz were outside with a few of the patrol. “My daughter wishes to see me,” she said to Lang as he moved in front of the door. “I trust I'll be allowed to enter.”

  “I didn't know,” the gray-haired man replied.

  “Didn't she tell you?”

  “She hasn't allowed anyone to enter since Boaz was brought here. Yusef and I have been staying with friends when we're not on watch.”

  “And you left her in there with that man?” Risa said.

  “It was her request.” Lang lowered his eyes. “She is our Guide. Two men are inside, to keep Boaz restrained, and Galina and young Lakshmi are with her. Have some pity for your daughter, Risa. When Boaz
was brought to her, she didn't curse at him for his betrayal—she wept and spoke of how much she had loved him.”

  “How moving,” Risa said acidly. Lang pressed the door open; she went inside, followed by Yakov.

  Chimene lay on a mat in the center of the common room. She was naked; her head rested on her hands as she stared toward the wall screen. Two young men were reclining on either side of her. The brown-haired one sat up quickly and covered himself with a dark shroud lying near Chimene's feet; the dark skinned man adjusted the loose open robe that was his only garment.

  Chimene looked up and smiled at Risa. She had thought her daughter might at least be viewing some transmissions or trying to comfort some of her followers with calls, but the screen held only an image of a green planet with small continents and vast oceans—Venus as it would be.

  “Greetings, Mother.” Chimene sat up and nodded at Yakov. “I'm so pleased you both decided to come here.”

  Risa narrowed her eyes. “Are these the two who are supposed to be guarding Boaz?”

  Chimene rose gracefully to her feet, then smoothed some of her long dark hair over one breast. The two men stared at her, looking hypnotized. “There's no need to guard Boaz now,” she said. “He's repented of what he's done. He's returned to the truth, and perfect happiness is his. Ishtar has forgiven him. I have forgiven him, too.”

  “Where is he?”

  Chimene beckoned with one arm. The two young men sank back against the mat as the Guide led Risa and Yakov toward her room.

  Galina Kolek sat in one corner, her arms around Lakshmi Tiris; a strange, rasping sound was coming from the child's throat. Boaz lay on the bed; his face was contorted in a grimace, his eyes wide, his teeth clamped together. His body seemed stiff under his clothing, and his chest was still. Risa moved a little closer, then realized the man was dead.

  Lakshmi looked up at Chimene and screamed. The girl's face was red and swollen; tears spilled from her eyes. “Be quiet,” Galina murmured. “He's with the Spirit now.” Lakshmi tore herself away from the woman and threw herself across the bed, clawing at the body.

  “I thought you gave her something,” Chimene said calmly. “It doesn't seem to be working very well.” She turned toward the bed. “Calm yourself, Lakshmi. This isn't the way a possible future Guide should behave.”

  “Boaz!” the child shrieked. “Boaz!”

  “Get that girl out of here,” Risa said. Yakov pulled Lakshmi from the bed; she screamed again as he carried her out of the room. Galina gazed up at Risa. She was twirling her reddish hair with one hand; the other rested against her physician's bag. “What have you done?” Risa managed to ask.

  “He loved me,” Chimene replied. “He repented—I gave him the chance to repent. Galina helped me—she gave him something that paralyzes the central nervous system while keeping him conscious. It works slowly—the limbs and the ability to speak are affected first, and one can stay alive for some time before the heart and the lungs stop working, but she can explain it to you in more detail. It's something physicians use when a patient has to remain immobile temporarily, but of course he had a much larger dose.”

  Risa sagged against the wall, unable to look away from the body.

  “I spoke to him,” Chimene continued. “I told him that I couldn't allow our world to fall into Kaseko's hands and that I knew he was conspiring against me. But I also told him I still loved him in spite of that, and I proved it to him by letting him atone for his deeds. The Spirit especially loves those who overcome great obstacles and errors to serve Her. I gave him the chance to confront his death and to be sorry for what he had done. He accepted that at the end—I know he felt great joy at being led back to the right way.”

  Risa stared at Boaz's twisted, frozen face. He did not look like a man who had found joy in dying.

  “I also made him happy when I told him our child would live. Galina helped me there, too. Our daughter's embryo is already housed in one of the artificial wombs in the infirmary's laboratory. You see, I knew that we would preserve our world, regardless of what he had done, in spite of Eva's treachery in fleeing to the Habbers.” Chimene moved near the bed and smiled down at the dead man. “I would have wanted to carry my child inside myself, but there will be much to do in serving the Spirit during the days to come, so I will give up that joy to carry out my duty. In nine months, my daughter will be with me, and someday she'll hear of how much love her parents shared at the end of her father's life. It was my last gift to him—telling him of the child he had always wanted with me.”

  Risa heard voices in the hallway; Yakov entered the room, followed by Lang and a few others. “So much lies ahead,” Chimene went on. “I must begin to form a new household, to help me and to prepare for my daughter's birth. Don't you think it's time Dyami returned here? I would be so pleased to have my brother at my side—surely he's ready to accept the Spirit now.”

  Risa reached for Yakov's arm. Lang gaped at the body on the bed, then went to Galina and pulled her to her feet. Chimene was still smiling when a man went to her clothes rod, pulled off a robe, and draped the garment over her before leading her from the room.

  * * * *

  Chimene lay on her bed, her hands folded over her chest. She had felt so weary during the past days, ever since Boaz's body had been taken away. She knew that she should be preparing a speech for the fellowship and consulting with Yakov, who, now that Oberg's Council was under detention, had temporarily taken on a Councilor's duties. But she was often too tired for the effort of a speech, and Yakov had sent her no messages asking for her advice.

  A few people she did not know were staying in her house now. They were always at the door, ready to follow her if she wanted to stroll along the creek or sit in the clearing behind the house. They fetched her meals that she barely touched and she supposed that they were also turning away visitors; it was almost as if she were under a kind of detention. Maybe it was just as well. She would have some time to renew her energies before resuming her obligations as the Guide.

  She had overheard a few comments among the men and women here now and had found out that Mukhtar Kaseko was holding discussions with a delegation of Habbers on Anwara. She had even heard one of her new housemates assert that things had been better when the Habbers dwelled among them, and the others had not troubled to protest such a remark. Maybe they believed that she herself had sent Eva to the Habitat, that the Guide had decided that it was possible to reach out to such people. She would have to put a stop to that and keep her people from falling into such error.

  Her door opened; a woman stepped inside. “You have two visitors,” she said, “your mother and your friend, Lena Kerein. May I show them in?”

  Chimene forced herself to sit up. “Of course.” The door closed. She reached for the blue robe lying on the bed and got up; she was settling herself on a cushion when Risa and Lena entered.

  “Greetings,” Risa said; Lena smiled a little uncertainly. “I hope you're up to discussing a few matters with me. I was just over at the Administrative Center.”

  “Please sit down,” Chimene said. The two women seated themselves. “I've been feeling the need for rest lately. It's been kind of people not to make too many demands on me, but I'm sure I'll soon feel renewed.”

  Risa's face was solemn. Her small, stocky body was still youthful; one had to get close to her to see the small lines around her eyes and mouth and the flecks of gray in her dark hair. “It seems the Habbers may actually win some sort of agreement from the Mukhtar. When and if they do, we'll have to hold new elections here for our Councils, since those Councilors and the Island Administrators will also have something to say about any agreement with Earth. The Habbers say only that they are willing to act on our behalf and won't return here unless we request it.”

  Chimene shrugged. “We won't ask for that,” she said.

  “I'm not so sure.” Risa shifted on her cushion. “Some are saying that, when they were here, they interfered as little as possible and that t
heir presence kept Earth at a distance. But a decision about that can come after the election.”

  “I don't think I should run, do you?” Chimene asked. “Being on Oberg's Council might interfere with my duties, and I'd be too preoccupied with matters in this settlement to pay proper attention to my brothers and sisters elsewhere. The Councilors could still consult with me when necessary.”

  Risa glanced at Lena, who lowered her eyes. “We'll have to have some hearings after the election,” Risa said. “Many are demanding that, and yet if we hold hearings for everybody who's committed some offense, there'd be no end to it. We'd never heal our wounds, only deepen them. We'd go from Councilors and patrol leaders guilty of extortion and intimidation down to people who turned a blind eye to what was going on around them, and there are many such people. We'd have neighbor against neighbor and divided households and families. So we'll have to limit ourselves to the ones who committed the greatest wrongs and who led others to go along with them—the leaders—and those creatures in Turing, of course.”

  Chimene nodded. “Perhaps the patrol there overstepped its bounds, but surely some forgiveness is possible for those who were only trying to bring their charges closer to Ishtar. Perhaps I can visit Turing myself to assure my brother and his friends of my concern and love for them.”

  Risa let out her breath. “They'd probably kill you if you did.” Chimene flinched, shocked at the harshness in her mother's voice. “You don't seem to understand. I guessed you wouldn't, but I hoped you might have some sanity left. Do you think you'll escape a hearing now? Do you think we can hold them for others and not for the Guide herself? Those people were acting for you.”

  “The fellowship knows that I was deceived and misled.” Chimene's voice trembled a little; she steadied herself. “They know that it was my love for those closest to me that kept me from seeing what I might otherwise have seen, but surely it's no sin for a Guide to love. I did act against those who tried to betray us when my eyes were opened—surely that counts in my favor.”