The Octagonal Raven

by L. E. Modesitt Jr.

  … the number of demonstrations and violent incidents has dropped sharply … analysts … uncertain as to whether the use of Federal Union troops … or the realization that the latest pre-select plague appears to have peaked …

  … greatest number of fatalities … in Eastasia and West Noram …

  … epidemiologists studying the pattern …

  … use of nanite-based antigens developed by the High Plains Research Center … while too late for full effect … will reduce future incidences …

  Kharl’s effort had borne some fruit — or looked to do so.

  … claimed isolation of pre-select populations reduced impact …

  Reduced or merely delayed and strung out the deaths so that the impact didn’t seem so great?

  I eased the glider practically to the front door of my parents’ dwelling, setting it on the grass there, rather than in the lower gliderpark.

  Lecia, the broad-shouldered and squarish younger sister of my mother, had the door open before I reached it.

  “Come in, Daryn. She’s been expecting you. She’s fretting more than a little, and she’s not in shape to fret that much.”

  “I know. I came as soon as I could, but …”

  “It’s not as though you live a klick away, like your brother. She’s in her study.” Lecia motioned for me to enter.

  Mother’s study was more like a library, a small room behind the lower front parlor. The armaglass door between the parlor and the study was open, and she still was sitting in the armchair. I eased the door shut behind me.

  “I’m sorry … about Father.… I tried to warn you … as soon as I knew,” I said quietly.

  “I know, and it helped the children, Rhedya said.”

  “I just wish …”

  “There wasn’t anything else you could have done, dear. He was one of the first here in Calfya — he and Gerrat. The doctors and the medcenter didn’t even know what was the matter, just the symptoms.”

  “I’m still sorry. I leave, and Father and Gerrat are healthy and well, and three days later, they’re dead … gone.”

  Mother nodded. “It was … a difficult time. It may get more difficult.”

  “How are you doing?” I turned the desk chair and sat down facing her.

  “I’m as well as can be expected, but I’ll be fine. Other matters … may not.”

  “With the family? Kharl is having a hard time.”

  A flat smile crossed her face.

  “Then you’re referring to UniComm?”

  “How much stock do you control?” she asked.

  “Twenty-three percent.” There was no point in beating around on that.

  “The trust your father established has twenty-one percent. Gerrat had nine percent, and Rhedya has voting control of that.”

  “I thought as much, but I also thought I should talk to you first.”

  “What do you intend to do?”

  “That depends on you. If … if you’ll support me, I’ll take over as director general. Then I’ll rebuild UniComm.…”

  She raised her eyebrows. “And you think Gerrat and your father didn’t try?”

  “I’m sure they did. I have several advantages.”

  “Such as the complete programming schedules and strategy of OneCys?”

  “And some of the comparative analyses of three of the smaller nets as well, and an understanding of their general approach.”

  “Gerrat always underestimated you,” Mother said slowly. “Your father wanted you in UniComm very much.”

  “I know. It wouldn’t have worked.”

  “Your father and I talked about that, and he came to understand that, but it was hard for him.” She took a small sip from the glass of water on the round cherry side table at her elbow, replacing it on the crystal and silver coaster.

  “I had thought so, but Gerrat never listened to me, and my being in UniComm wouldn’t have changed that.”

  She nodded again. “What about … Elora was murdered, you know?”

  “They all died because of the same people.” That was certainly true.

  “Do you know who they are?”

  “I know who some of them are. One is already dead.” I let my words come out flat.

  “Can you handle what needs to be done?”

  My smile was lopsided. “I don’t know. I do know that no one else has a chance, and I do have a plan.” I paused. “Don’t ask me, and I won’t tell you, except that it’s totally legal and totally amoral.”

  “You had a plan to become wealthy and independent. It worked well, Daryn. Let us both hope this one is as successful. I already signed over voting control to you for the next year. You’ll have to talk to Rhedya.”

  “I know.”

  “I told her that, hard as it was, you would have to talk to her. She wasn’t pleased.”

  “She’s here?”

  “For now.” Mother raised her eyebrows.

  “How did you get her to stay here?”

  “Let us just say that I played upon her wishes for the best for her children.” Mother took a long and slow deep breath. “I told her she could ask you anything, but that you were the only hope she had for some sort of justice.”

  “You mean revenge.”

  “Justice is a much more … appropriate term, Daryn.”

  I almost smiled. Mother was definitely on the mend. I stood. “I presume it would be best if I talked to Rhedya before she decides to leave?”

  “She won’t, but it would be best if you did not make her wait.”

  “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with me that time and sleep won’t mend. Now … don’t you think you should go deal with Rhedya?”

  I stood and bowed. “I’ll see you before I leave.”

  “That would be nice, dear.”

  After another bow, I turned. In leaving the study, I made sure the door was ajar.

  Rhedya was waiting in the parlor. She sat on the burgundy sofa, her face blank.

  I made a motion for her to stay seated, although she had shown no inclination to stand when I stepped into the room.

  “I wish I didn’t have to be here, Rhedya,” I said slowly.

  “Gerrat’s hardly dead, and you’re ready to take over.”

  I shook my head. “Less than three hours after I found out about Gerrat’s death, Brin Drejcha was after me to suggest that he take over as director general of UniComm. I have to meet with him tomorrow. There are rumors that OneCys has already approached him to suggest a takeover — with him to remain as director general.”

  “Let them.… I don’t care. Do what you want. You Alwyns do anyway.”

  “I need your help, Rhedya.” I sat down on the edge of the side chair, leaning forward to meet her eyes directly.

  “You want Gerrat’s stock, and he’s been gone three days.”

  “No. I don’t want the stock. I don’t need the stock. I do need your votes to keep control of UniComm, and I need control of UniComm to go after the people whose actions caused Gerrat’s and Father’s death.”

  “How could someone cause a plague?”

  I decided to be honest, if somewhat careful. “The plague was created by a man named Eldyn Nyhal. He was a brilliant norm, and Gerrat and I knew him growing up. His wife was killed in mysterious circumstances, and he blamed a pre-select conspiracy. He thought the conspiracy was trying to kill off all of us — the wall that fell on me was part of their work, and so was the tunnel train explosion that killed Elora. I don’t know all the details, but I got a message from Elora — recorded before she was killed and sent by her solicitor after her death, on her instructions, that told me to contact Eldyn for details in case anything happened to her. That’s why I was in the Sinoplex. I was talking to him, trying to get answers when two men in FS camouflage suits burst in with restricted slug-throwers. He threw himself in front of them to save me, and triggered some kind of explosion. I was wearing a body screen, and that saved me.…”

&nb
sp; “Too bad there aren’t body suits against plagues.”

  I nodded, then continued. “Before we were interrupted, he was telling me that he’d engineered the plague because it was the only thing he could do to stop this conspiracy from taking over the Union —”

  “But Gerrat … your father?” For the first time, the hardness left her voice.

  “According to Eldyn, the people behind it are backing OneCys in an effort to take over UniComm. They wanted to kill Gerrat and Father like they’d tried with Elora and me. Eldyn was afraid, after Elora’s death, that no one would stop them. I don’t know if he’d tried to talk to Gerrat.…” I paused and waited.

  Rhedya’s fingertips went to her mouth. Then she swallowed. Finally, she began to speak. “It was maybe two months ago. Gerrat said something about an old acquaintance. He never mentioned the name. He said that he was brilliant, but not very stable, imagining conspiracies everywhere. Gerrat said that this … norm … almost threatened him … if he didn’t use his influence against these imaginary conspirators.”

  I took a deep breath. “Eldyn was brilliant, and he wasn’t very stable. But he was also right. One of the groups that filed the request for the stakeholder meeting is a front for some very wealthy pre-selects who are large stakeholders in OneCys and who are trying to make perceptual intelligence testing a requirement for education and jobs.” I hoped I was reading Rhedya right, but she seemed close to her nephew Frydrik.

  “… all this … it’s monstrous … conspiracies and plagues … people, children … dying … and you’re playing to it.”

  “I could do nothing. I could let Brin Drejcha manage UniComm, and watch it be bought by OneCys. I could see your children get a fraction of what their stock is worth. I could stand back and watch as people like Frydrik are pushed away from any real future.” I paused. “Is that what you want?”

  Rhedya looked at me for a long time. I met her gaze.

  “What do you want?” she finally asked.

  “All I want is your support for me to become director general of UniComm. With the stock you hold in trust for the children, and with what I can vote, we control fifty-three percent.”

  “So … you have to listen to me?”

  I smiled. “I have always listened to you, haven’t I?”

  She nodded.

  “I might be able to keep control in the family without your votes. I’d certainly rather not have to try.”

  “You were the only one who was honest with Frydrik. He told me that, years ago. He was angry with you then, but he still respects you.”

  “I tried to be as honest as I could, but also to be helpful. I told him that if he had a better idea, I’d listen. I try to listen.”

  “What are you going to do with UniComm … if I support you?”

  “Make sure it remains strong and profitable, and ensure that the people who created this mess that led to Gerrat’s and Father’s death pay for it.”

  Rhedya’s eyes glittered … just for a moment. Then she nodded, and the façade of the sweet loving woman dropped back across her. “It would have taken something like this to bring you back into UniComm, wouldn’t it?”

  “So long as Gerrat was alive, UniComm was his, Rhedya.” That was certainly true.

  “I’ve never quite understood the relationship between you and Gerrat, Daryn, but Gerrat respected and trusted you, and he didn’t trust many people.”

  I wasn’t aware that Gerrat had trusted anyone, including me. “Gerrat was very good at making people like him. I’m probably not that good, but I don’t want to see what Father and Grandfather and Gerrat built just traded away.”

  “You’ll tell me what you’re doing and why?”

  “Yes. First, I need to ensure I have control of UniComm. If you support me, I do. The next step is to investigate the names I’ve discovered. Then, I’ll need to take action.”

  “How long?”

  I frowned. “There’s the special stakeholders’ meeting in about three weeks. That’s where your votes come in. After that … if I can do what I have in mind … less than three months, perhaps much less, but I won’t know for a week or so, until I can pin down the legalities.”

  “Legalities?”

  “Rhedya. Everything that was done against Elora, Father, Gerrat, me, and you was totally illegal. But there’s not enough evidence to prove it. I know. I’ve already worked some of this with the CAs. The people who did it have snoops and taps on everything we do. My dwelling has been snooped twice. There have been four attempts on my life, but all set up so cleverly …” I went on to explain how both the laseflash and the wall had been set up so that everything under skytors surveillance looked perfectly normal. “… and I’ll probably get a damage claim from the city of Helnya.” I laughed. “So we can add fraud to murder charges — if I can prove it.”

  Rhedya’s face was somber. “Are you going to be constrained by legalities?”

  “I think I can ensure justice for Father and Gerrat and Elora, and what I have in mind is totally legal. But it doesn’t rely on the CAs or the Union.”

  For a second time, I saw the briefest glitter in her eyes. “Good. I won’t ask more.”

  I also understood that. She wouldn’t ask more unless I failed to deliver.

  So I would have to make sure that I did.

  “I’ll have the papers to you this afternoon.” I paused. “That’s for all of our protection. You’ll be giving me voting control for one year, but you can revoke it at any time, and control will revert to you immediately if anything happens to me.”

  Rhedya nodded.

  The next step, besides getting ready to take on Drejcha, would be to beef up the security at Majora’s place … if she agreed … but that would protect us both, and I didn’t like the idea of moving in with Mother — for lots of reasons.

  * * *

  Chapter 58

  * * *

  Excellence is the manifestation of superiority in some form of endeavor, and, by definition, there are far fewer creations or endeavors that are superior than there are those which are merely competent or less than competent.…

  Each individual values self more than others, except perhaps parents who behold their children. Yet in revering their children, they seek another form of self-affirmation. Even those who adopt nationalistic or patriotic ideals and offer their lives for the culture are seeking self-affirmation through a greater “good.” …

  The presence of excellence reminds the majority of humans that they are not superior. If that demonstration of excellence is great enough, it can be humbling, and humans dislike being humbled. Excellence is therefore established by some form of elite, initially by those who can create it, then hailed by those who can recognize it, and finally used as a tool by those who can do neither.

  Excellence is generally ignored by the majority of any society, except when it can be used for other ends. Great poetry is seldom read, because there are few such uses for it, while the excellently simple design of the paper clip dominated paper-pushing cultures for more than a century, its inventor immediately forgotten. Great drama was written or revived only when it could be used to part human beings from a portion of their wealth. Great works of physical art [paintings, sculpture] have been historically the most valuable after the death of their creators, when their excellence could be separated from the superiority of their creators.

  Excellence and popularity are seldom manifested in the same work, because popularity derives from the ability of humans to identify with the endeavor or the creator, and few identify comfortably with genius.…

  The “dead white male” syndrome of the late Noram Commonacracy was highly instrumental in creating the decline of excellence which, in turn, exaggerated the effect of the Collapse. What was conveniently overlooked by the revolutionaries, never accepted by the masses, and never confronted effectively by the declining pre-Collapse establishment was one simple corollary to excellence. It takes training, education, discipline, and intelligence to cre
ate and/or recognize excellence. In general, most of the individuals in any society capable in practical terms of creating excellence must come from the privileged or near-privileged strata of society. There are exceptions, often distinguished and notable ones, but statistically, they are insignificant. This has meant that, for most of history, most endeavors of artistic excellence were created, funded, and supported by white males. In those few places and cultures where equal or near equal resources went to others, others also created works of excellence. Resource allocation was the key, but the revolutionaries of the pre-Collapse cleverly established the position that excellence was merely a code for values supporting the white male status quo, rather than a reflection of the allocation of resources necessary for the creation of excellence.

  By debunking the entire concept of excellence as status quo propaganda, and by insisting that all artistic values and creations were equal, and that true beauty did not exist, but was only an ephemeral phantom in the mind of each beholder, or a tool of the white male elite, the revolutionaries undermined the very basis of excellence … and thus contributed to the Collapse, and, in the end, to their own demise, because once they had destroyed the concept of objective and not theologically-based values and excellence, they also destroyed the social restraints that had shackled the commercial and political elites, to the point that the only value was power

  “Musings on Excellence”

  Exton Land

  [included in Personal Notes]

  * * *

  Chapter 59

  Kewood

  * * *

  Majora sat beside me in the glider on the trip from Helnya to the UniComm glider park. The subtle scent of flowers, not too sweet, not overpowering, but somehow appropriate to her — made me realize just how long it had been that anyone I’d cared about had been in the glider.

  “It looks and feels like a normal glider,” she said as we walked toward the gray stone steps.