● ● ●
They were seated in the small library adjacent to the Grand Patriarch’s bedchamber. Books in tall, glass-faced barrister cabinets lined the walls, protected old, leather-bound books. Sharné glanced up at the worn spines and remembered borrowing some of those ancient tomes when she was younger. Sadly, her duties took up much of her time and she no longer had the luxury of reading for mere pleasure.
She brought her mind back to the present and looked at her father wondering if the madness she had witnessed was still smoldering. She was relieved to see that his demeanor had noticeably softened. His eyes had reverted to their normal aspect. She had never seen that side of him before, and she thought it would be wise to tread softly lest she inadvertently triggered another outburst. “There was so much I did not know,” she began carefully. “Much of what you revealed came as a complete surprise to me.”
“Yes,” he nodded slowly. “It was unfortunate you had to discover it in this manner.”
She couldn't keep the hurt out of her voice, “Father, why was I not told before?” She wondered how she would have reacted had she known.
“I am sorry, Sharné. I withheld the knowledge until I felt you were properly prepared to receive it. But in light of recent circumstances…”
She needed to know the truth. “But why, Father? Have I failed you in some manner? Have I in some way violated your trust?”
“Of course not, child, you have fulfilled every task put before you.” He paused searching for the right words. “You must understand, your additional instruction would have begun when you reached your seventeenth birth year.”
She was confused, “What additional instruction? It is a prerequisite for this knowledge?”
“Yes.”
“Then why was I not given it?”
He sighed ruefully. “It saddens me to say it was your mother, Founder rest her soul, who delayed your exposure to the First Teachings. It was, and remains the prerequisite to the School of Doctrine.”
Why would her mother refuse her this birthright? She never knew her mother was this involved with her schooling. He was implying something, something about her mother. It was leading to an allegation. She was certain of it, but she would not be sidetracked by this new revelation. She would put her mother’s role aside, for the time being. “But as with every citizen, I attended the First Teachings.”
“Of course you did,” he agreed, “but you were enrolled much later than it is normally mandated. However, that was not the sole cause for the delay in your entry into the Mysteries.” He looked at her for a long moment. “Irregularities were reported during the later phases in your education by your tutors. Certain conditions were not met. It was only then I became aware of the indirect effect of your mother’s intervention.”
She was drawn by his innuendo and sorely tempted to ask her father exactly what he meant by her mother’s ‘intervention.’ She vaguely remembered long talks with her mother that lingered deep into the nights when her father was called away. Was he trying to distract her? She steeled herself and refrained from pursuing the case her father seemed to be building against her dead mother. Instead, she asked, “What Irregularities? I passed the required courses and received all the certificates of accomplishment. I was never told my performance was lacking in any way.”
“I felt it prudent the deficiency remained a secret. Of course, you passed every logic and theology principle. Political science, English, social studies, you excelled in them all.” He added, “In fact, I remember well your scores were quite high. However, in the matter of your Trial of Faith, your results did not quite match the expected profile.”
She frowned in thought, and then shook her head. “I am afraid I do not remember taking anything called a Trial of Faith,” she confessed.
He gave her a small smile. “That is because it is not separately identified. In fact, it is not a course at all. Rather, it is part of a series of evaluations conducted by your instructors throughout your education.”
An ugly thought occurred to her and before she could stop herself, she said, “It sounds like a form of surveillance.”
He did not take offense, instead he shook his head, “Not at all, it was more of an ongoing appraisal of your… education. Do you remember the discussions with your tutors during the instruction and review sessions?”
“Of course,” she answered. “I was always encouraged to talk openly with my teachers on all the subjects they taught. I was often reminded open dialog was the principal means of effective teaching.” She remembered the many sessions with her tutors, the sometimes passionate discussions on a recent subject taught, what had been truly meant, and all under the benevolent, warm glow of the Orb of Light.
He nodded, “As it is with all of our citizens.”
“Everyone is taught in this manner? Do they also undergo these evaluations?”
“Yes, although they are not entitled to know of the Mysteries, they are essentially evaluated the same as anyone within the ruling classes, including the First Families.”
The first inkling of what her father might be leading up to, chilled her.
He went on, “There are certain evaluative criteria interwoven with the course material.” He was pleased to note her continued calm. “You must understand it is… ”
“A measurement of my indoctrination,” she finished.
He stopped and stared at her, then sighed heavily and said, “In a word, yes.”
CHAPTER 52
Captain Collin stood once more before the Guardian of the Way. “The preparations are complete Guardian, and the location for secreting the outsider has been secured. My team has been fully briefed and now stands ready to do your bidding.”
“Very good,” Talin was gratified by the captain’s efficiency. “At my order, you will lead your men to Janus Owens’ quarters and take him into custody. Should he resist, use only the force necessary to subdue him properly and keep in mind I would rather not have him sedated. His physiology is somewhat different from ours and I choose not take the chance he may react unfavorably to medication.”
“As I said, my team has been thoroughly briefed and is ready. My men are aware the prisoner may be stronger due to his heavy gravity origin. We will immediately administer physical restraints to facilitate his cooperation.”
“Good. Remember, take no action that could result in any permanent injury. We need him whole, at least for the time being.”
The captain’s posture stiffened, “Guardian, you have my word that every effort will be made to insure the prisoner will not be harmed.” He then hesitated, “Though there is the possibility he could incur some minor, superficial injuries if he chooses to resist.”
Talin thought a moment, and then said, “You have my permission to use a shocker at the lowest setting. I will not be overly distressed if he experiences some limited bumps and bruises, but nothing beyond that, if at all possible.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small object. “Now, here is the route you must take.” He tossed the captain a disc resembling a thick coin.
Collin caught the disc and pressed the small stud at its edge. A three-dimensional map of a portion the palace sprang to life. It provided a detailed image of the main building’s layout. A glowing red line traversed numerous floors and hallways.
“That is a marked map indicating the path you must take. All surveillance devices along that course will be deactivated at the proper time. It is important that you make no deviations from the indicated path. Stray from it and you will certainly be discovered.”
“It will be as you order, Guardian. I guarantee our success.”
“Very well, I expect you to fulfill that vow. Do you have any questions?’
“No, Guardian.”
“Then it is time to return to your men and await my word. You are dismissed.”
The captain saluted and left. Talin stared at the closing door and once it was shut, he slumped back into his chair. He rubbed his forehea
d and wondered at his own audacity. He found himself both appalled and elated by his intended actions. He was appalled he was forced to take matters into his own hands, wresting control from the Grand Patriarch, his leader and his longtime friend, but he was also elated that through his actions, Golstar would finally be restored to its former greatness.
● ● ●
Owens returned to his chair, the meal forgotten, and listened to Hec’s story. What the Controllers had told Hec was amazing. It answered many of Owens’ lingering questions. As Hec was finishing the explanation of the Compact, the AI suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. Owens asked, “Hec? Are you still here?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry for the interruption, Boss. The Controllers just broke in to tell me that you’re going to get some visitors fairly soon.”
“The mad Patriarch is returning to gloat?”
“No, Boss, it’s not him.”
“Well, then who is it?”
“Although they have isolated themselves, the Controllers still closely monitor everything that goes on in Golstar, including the palace on Berralton. They tell me there is a kidnapping plot underway with you as the prize.”
Owens stood and began to pace. “That’s just great. Everybody wants a piece of me. Who’s responsible this time?”
“Somebody called the Guardian of the Way.”
“That title sounds familiar,” Owens stopped in mid stride. “I think Sharné mentioned him while we were running from the mutineers. I assume the Guardian’s a man or woman of some standing.
“He is, he’s the defense minister, head of their spy network and police enforcement all rolled into one. He’ll soon be sending a military goon squad to take to you a secret hiding place.”
“Seems that I’ll be trading one jail cell for another,’ Owens remarked.
Hec replied, “Yeah, but your new digs won’t be anywhere near as luxurious.”
“So, what else can you tell me about this little surprise?”
“The Controllers say you can expect a visit from a captain and four underlings.”
“Only five… damn, I think I’ve been insulted. Say, your Controllers wouldn’t by any chance be willing to help me out of this little dilemma, would they?”
“Sorry Boss, unless your life is in immediate danger, they won’t directly interfere. It’s the Compact again. They told me if you had the command sequence, that along with your DNA, you would own them.”
Owens sighed, “It figures. The Compact sure shows that Founder didn’t trust anyone. He was a genuine paranoid son-of-bitch.” He scratched his chin. “Well, if the Controllers told a fellow AI this much, would they tell you the numerical sequence, then you could tell me?”
“Sorry, that was one of the first questions I asked. They bent the Compact’s rules as far as their programming allowed in contacting me. They’ve provided me as much information as they can. I’m afraid that question exceeds their boundaries.”
“Okay, okay, but since they told you of this kidnapping, can they at least tell you when my unwelcome visitors might arrive?”
“Based on the conversation that they monitored, they surmise it will be sometime later this evening, close to midnight. That’s a few hours from now. They’ll let me know when it’s actually going to hit the fan. That should give you a few minutes lead time.”
“Hmmm, better than nothing I guess.” A troubling thought crossed his mind. “Can they tell me where Sharné is right now? I don’t want her involved in any of this.”
“She just arrived back at her rooms.”
“How far away are her rooms from here?”
“Not too far,” then Hec gave him the directions.
“She’s a little closer than I would like. If something goes south, I don’t want her anywhere near the action.”
“What are you planning to do, Boss?”
“Try to stay in one piece, preferably alive.” His mind raced. “I know something of what the Grand Patriarch is planning, but I know nothing of this Guardian of the Way. At least for the time being, I think it would be in my best interest to stay out of the Guardian’s hands.”
“You’re going to stick with the Grand Patriarch?
“Yeah, but only for the time being and only because I have no other option. I know that once he regains the access to the Controllers, his concern for my safety will last as long as it takes to clone a replacement.”
“He’s going to clone you?”
“Yeah, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later.”
“He going to clone you, and you’re still sticking with him?”
“That’s right. I know I don’t have much of a future with the Patriarch, but I’ll still choose him as the lesser of two evils… at least until I can somehow figure a way out of this. In fact, I think I’ll call to the guards outside my door right now and ask to see the Grand asshole.”
Just then, the metallic clank of an outside latch being thrown could be heard. “Uh oh, Boss, the Controllers told me that the guards just left.”
Owens walked over and tested the massive door. “Shit, it’s locked tight. Are you still sure the main event is scheduled for later?” He hesitated then pulled off his tunic and began removing his gravity harness.
“Yes. Do you plan on resisting?”
“You bet your nonexistent ass I plan on resisting.” Owens began a series of stretching exercises. As he continued to loosen up, he said, “If I can surprise them, then maybe I can get away long enough to reach the Grand Patriarch.”
“You still have some time, Boss. The Controllers say the surveillance monitors haven’t been taken off-line yet. When they’re disabled, that’s when it all hits the fan. I’ll signal you on the wrist-comp when it starts.”
“Good, in the meantime I should have plenty time to think of a little surprise.” Rotating his shoulders, he started eyeing the room, his expression becoming thoughtful.
CHAPTER 53
Hours after meeting with the Guardian of the Way, Captain Collin sat with his men around an ancient, scarred wooden table in a dusty room off a long-deserted wing of the palace. He had been going over the plan for the fifth time when the communicator on his belt chimed. He waited and it sounded twice more before going silent. He stood up. “That is the signal. The Grand Patriarch’s bedroom lights have been extinguished for over an hour. The Patriarch’s guards were removed from their posts hours ago. Now is the time.”
The other four men stood and without a word, followed the Captain out of the room. The Captain set a brisk pace as he led them down the safe corridors that were marked on the map. Twice, they had to slow their pace to allow a palace official to cross their path. It was only then the Captain truly appreciated the Guardian’s wisdom in directing him to limit the number of men he would use and to wear uniforms. It was not unusual to see small groups of military walking the palace hallways, even at this late hour. The officials did not give them a second glance as they passed.
It took a short while for Collins and his men to travel along the route highlighted on the map. Finally, when they were a few doors down from the prisoner’s quarters, the Captain signaled his men to stop. “Nice and easy now,” he told them in a hushed voice. “The prisoner’s guards were called away a little while ago. I am sure they secured the door. I have the mag-key. We go quietly to the door and I will disable the magnetic lock. The old mechanical latch will also be locked. I don’t have that key, but it should be easy to break. Remember, once the latch is broken, move in as fast as you can. We need to take full advantage of our element of surprise. We will take no chances; use the shockers as soon as you see him.”
He then looked pointedly at two of his men, “You two know what to do.” The two burliest of his men nodded. They would lead. Under their combined weight, the ancient metal mechanism should shatter easily. “Very well, let us proceed.”
At a much slower and stealthy pace, they approached the door. Collin quickly disabled the mag-lock and verified that the old manual latch was lock
ed. He stood aside and motioned to the big men while other two drew their shockers. The two heavily muscled men immediately charged the door. The massive door hesitated only briefly as the brittle door lock gave way with a quiet snap.
The two door-busters speedily moved aside as the two armed men rushed inside, followed closely by the Captain with his weapon drawn. They entered the sitting room and quickly saw that no one seemed present. The door to the bedroom was open and the distinct sound of running water could be heard. The Captain silently motioned for his men to go forward.
Owens was standing barefooted on a wide ledge that was part of the thick decorative molding above the door entrance. At first, he hadn’t been sure that it would hold his weight. Happily, he found that it was solid and well-anchored to the door frame. He was thankful that the high ceilings afforded him ample room to stand almost upright. From his vantage point, Owens could see that they expected to take him by surprise. They had no inkling he had been forewarned. The surprise would instead be his.
He silently watched as two of the uniformed men, with hand weapons drawn, started forward towards the bedroom’s open door. The apparent leader of the group followed while the two larger men held back and remained in the bedroom. The only weapons they seemed to have were webs of dangling cables clutched in their hands.
He went up on the balls of his feet while bending his knees. He prayed that he had done enough limbering exercises to keep his joints from popping. He then allowed himself to fall forward, his upper body arcing down, his toes still on the ledge, acting as a pivot. Like a diver, he straightened his legs and launched himself, his arms outstretched, aiming for the backs of the two large men.
His aim was true. He struck the backs of their necks with his forearms, the sudden weight knocking them both to the floor. One hit the floor with his chin and immediately went limp. The other had managed roll with the fall and was scrambling to get up. Owens was faster in getting to his feet and attempted punch the man in the face. However, he was off-balance and instead of the blow landing squarely, his fist only grazed the other man’s jaw.
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