Sunstone: A Steampunk Reality

by Holly Barbo

  Kes was waved into the office and he shut the door behind him. Putting the books on the floor beside him, he stuck out his hand and smiled. “Dylan, I’ve heard a lot about you from M’nacht. I’m Kes.”

  The man studied the young man in silence. “You barely have any resemblance to the photographs I’ve seen. What are you pulling here?”

  “Well, that proves my disguise is good. Ask me any question. I’ll answer it.”

  “I’ll do that, young man, but I have other ways, too!”

  He proceeded to fire questions, which Kes answered calmly and completely. A short while later, there was a knock on the door and the same young woman poked her head in. Dylan nodded, and a moment later Mitch walked into the office. He was taken aback to see someone else in the office with Dylan.

  The office manager gestured him in. “Come on in and close the door. This concerns you.”

  Bewildered, the scientist complied. He took a chair and glanced over at the stranger… who was looking at him with a small smile. He stared hard at the young man, then, with a quick glance at Dylan, he looked back. With a barely audible voice which grew in volume, he said, “Kes? What have you done with yourself?” He looked down at the young man’s left hand and noted the pale spot on his littlest finger. “I have your ring. That was a clever way to get me a message.” His voice hardened when he raised his eyes to the big grin on Kes’s face. “What are you doing here? Are you crazy? Someone might recognize you!”

  “I came as an errand boy.” He reached down and handed the books to Dylan. “I need to talk to you and find out what you know. Due to the riot last night, the science building is closed for the day. This is the first opportunity I’ve had. Good thing you’re here, Mitch. Dylan didn’t believe me and was being rightfully cautious.”

  “I almost didn’t recognize you.” He looked at Dylan. “He can’t stay long. We need to fill him in!”

  Dylan nodded. “Thank you for understanding, Kes. Since Mikla was killed, I have been concerned about the rest of my team.”

  “Mikla was killed?” Kes asked, his face going pale. He had met her just once but knew how much M’nacht liked and respected the young woman.

  The researcher explained about the tasks they had been working on for M’nacht and summarized the results. He told of Mikla’s investigation and her murder, ending with the fact that she had hidden notes in the boiler of the car.

  Mitch explained what he had learned in the Okamak and the visit he had received from the woman Kes had sent. “She came back today. The compound worked. I contacted a doctor Jordan had mentioned and gave him all we have. It raises a problem. We didn’t have a large supply because, by regulations from the Council, we weren’t supposed to be making it to begin with! That law is still in place. I sent some teams to gather more ‘samples’ but it will take time to make more.”

  Kes stood up. “I need to go. I haven’t much to report, except that I did get caught up in the riot last night. The people are desperate and without hope. I was talking to the woman, Babs, just before it started. She had recently lost her whole family and had been at the Council peacefully protesting about working conditions and safeguards. Now she’s dead. Conditions aren’t good. People’s spirits are being crushed. There used to be a feeling that if you worked hard you had a good chance of improving your life and that of your children.” He shook his head. “Now they feel lucky if they can just not lose what they have.” He turned to the door. “Oh, and thanks, Mitch. That healing cream sample you gave me erased the damage from being inside a mob.” He put his newsy cap on over his wavy, bleach-streaked hair and, tucking his chin down, left the office. As he passed Frea, he touched the rim of his cap in farewell and smiled with a wink.

  She looked after him in puzzlement. A moment later, she jumped from her chair and headed for her boss’s office at a run.

  Elder Rune paced back and forth in his library. He grumbled under his breath and gestured his ire to an unseen audience. There was a scuff of sound as the door opened and closed down the hall, then the tap of heeled slippers could be heard on the parquet floor. The statesman’s countenance changed in an almost mercurial mood swing, and he called out a greeting, “Marova! How are you on this fine day?”

  The lovely young woman hesitated in the foyer. She had a mass of curly black hair stylishly cascading down to her corset strings… and tears dampening her face. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, Uncle. I’ll just head back to check with the cook.” She turned from him and swiped at her cheeks.

  Catching the movement, Rune stepped into the hall. “Come in and talk to me, my dear. I was just practicing the speech I’m going to give on the Council’s steps tomorrow. It’s been too long since we addressed the people. This lawless behavior of the rabble must be condemned!” He reached for her hand and pulled her into the library. The aether lamp light glistened on the moisture she hadn’t wiped away.

  “Sweet, what’s wrong?”

  “A dear friend died last night.” She took out her handkerchief and dried her face. With quiet determination, she turned to face him fully. “It was Babs. She was in the riot and got trampled.”

  Rune patted her hand. “My dear, I’m shocked to hear she was part of the lawless rabble. Senseless violence!”

  Tilting her chin a bit higher, she squared her shoulders. “Babs was not rabble, and I hazard to guess the rest of the people there weren’t either. You have a valid point about law breaking, but have you stopped to question why they were there?”

  “How would I know? They’ve been gathering in front of the Council building, too, waving signs and yelling! We will not encourage such behavior by giving them attention.”

  She patted the air with her hand in a placating gesture. “Let’s sit down. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while, and perhaps if I had, I wouldn’t have lost a valued and close friend.”

  “Harrumph. If Babs was with that unruly mob, she wasn’t worthy of your friendship!”

  “I disagree, but let’s set that aside for the moment, Uncle.”

  Their eyes met for a long second before he nodded. “Only because you are so dear to me will I continue this pointless discussion!”

  “Good. I love you, too. You took me in and raised me after my parents died. I know you well and admire your fine qualities. Hearing me out is one of them! Now, about the crowds in the Council Square. Did they start after petitions to talk with the elders in their offices were denied?”

  “We haven’t time to chat with a hoard of people when we have a full docket of meetings!”

  “I understand you’re busy, Uncle Rune. I see your appointment schedule, but I’d like to make a small point here then go on. You are elected to represent the people and act on their behalf. Your salary for this position is paid by their taxes, so in a sense they are your bosses. If you don’t listen to them, how do you know what policies and legislation are required?”

  “The salary isn’t much, but I see where you’re going. We do listen to our constituents. Several of us have been meeting with Y’lon and her people who have been taking surveys and getting information for us.”

  “She’s a beautiful woman. I see her name in your appointment book frequently.”

  The elder twitched in his chair and blushed.

  “She was a couple of years ahead of me in school. You’ve spent a lot of time with her and her associates. Have you looked into her credentials? I have. She and her associates are all related to and paid by Raj’t and Chemedco. Now consider… if that is your only source of information, might it be possible that you are only seeing one viewpoint?” She raised an eyebrow at him and waited.

  “Harrumph. But they have charts and numbers!”

  “I can make some of those for you, too, if you like, but let’s go on. Have you been getting things other than information? Perhaps gifts, favors or money?”

  “Now, niece, we have the right to earn extra. The salary for this position isn’t lavish. There’s nothing illegal and everyone does it.”<
br />
  Marova leaned forward and clasped his hands. “I’m not attacking you. I love you, but I’ve been doing my own research and you need to hear it like you did Y’lon’s.” She cocked her head in question and waited.

  He gave her a nod.

  “I looked back into the origins and writings about our constitution. The Council salary was set not as a moneyed position but as a wage for serving the people. The major reason for having our legal system was to protect the weak and defenseless. The laws are to safeguard those people. Regulations and regulators are necessary to keep abuses in check. When the Council made it legal to accept large gifts and gratuities, you were in your right… but were unbalancing the system. Those same contributions can be seen as bribes. When you stop seeing people who cannot afford those larger gifts, not only are you limiting your information to the perspectives of the wealthy but you’re perceived as not caring about the welfare of the majority who did elect you. This is reinforced when policies and regulations that favor only the wealthy are put in place.” She squeezed his hand. “It isn’t just you. This has been slowly happening over the last three or four decades.” She patted his hand, then withdrew the contact.

  “Changing gears just a bit. You’re proud of my artistic talent and the sculptures I do.”

  “I love what you create!”

  “Did you know that it was Babs who encouraged me to ask you to fund my art classes? We’ve kept in touch. Anyway, when I’m creating something, I’m working with suppliers, lorry drivers, janitors and many trade people. Regular folk. So I’ve talked to some of the people who were standing for hours in Council Square trying to get a chance to talk to an elder. There are some very difficult things happening to these people.”

  “Yes, the shaman—”

  “Are probably a figment of someone’s imagination. No one has seen or talked to a shaman or know of anyone who has. Let’s set that aside. People are losing their homes and businesses in this economic downturn. To make ends meet, everyone in the family down to the little children are looking for work. Have you actually read past the front page of the newspaper lately? Buried back on page three or further are the stories of the accidents in the factories, terrible maiming or deaths. Then there is the rise in this awful disease which is putting a further strain on the people.”

  Marova took a calming breath. “The people out in the square were asking for the Council to look into regulations and safeguards. They were looking to their elected officials for help. They weren’t rabble, but your constituents. Babs was there during the peaceful gathering, and when that didn’t work, they brought signs. Uncle, they depended upon you in the Council to right some imbalances. They were ignored, and at the same time, things have gotten progressively worse.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me all this sooner?”

  The young woman hung her head. “I should have. I’ve looked up to you for so long. For many years, I put you on a pedestal. It began to change when Babs fell and broke her leg. That was when she needed us the most. At first you were so understanding, offering to pay for her medical care. But the break was bad and instead of being a month of recovery, it grew to three. You felt I was too long without a companion and chaperone so you fired her. Jobs are hard to find, especially for someone who was dismissed from Elder Rune’s household. She started her own floral business, but the banks shut down her credit line and she had to close. Within the last week or so, her husband was in an accident at the metallurgy plant and her son Tommy was killed in a horrific industrial accident. Both were in the papers.

  “Uncle, the people are stressed almost beyond what they can bear with the crushing financial inequities, the horrific conditions in which they work and now the incurable disease. They came to the Council who refused to hear them. They aren’t rabble. They’re people of Myrn and they’re being driven by despair and hopelessness.” She raised her head and looked into his now serious eyes. “And when you get a large number of people who have no hope… it can get very dangerous. Please consider what you and the Council can do for the majority of your constituents. If you leave everything the way it is, the Council of Elders can be blamed. But look at what you can change, and you’d be heroes! Right now they are taking their frustration and despair out on buildings. I pray to Navora that it stays that way, but mob violence can take on a life of its own.”

  He stood and, drawing her to her feet, gave his niece a hug. “You’ve given me much to think about. I think I need to call an emergency closed-door session of the Council.”

  Raj’t was gleeful. The riot the night before was just the sort of thing to distract the public away from the unusual illness and the fact that Chemedco hadn’t developed a cure. Ten minutes ago, he’d sent a servant for Dan’l. His son was talented in wording the slanted information, spun to their advantage. Y’lon and her group were ready to deliver it to the elders and the newspapers.

  Making a mental note to himself to fire the incompetent servant, he headed for Dan’l’s comfortable apartment in the north wing of the mansion. As he traveled the long corridors, he cataloged the things he needed to look into. The top of the list was Stone. The man had avoided coming in to give his report. That was completely unacceptable! No one ignored Raj’t’s orders. The chairman chuckled to himself. Even his mother, owner of the company, had followed them. He hadn’t seen the old woman since the day he’d ordered her to leave.

  Rounding the last corner, he loudly rapped on the door, then entered without waiting for a response. Calling his son’s name, he went through the library and kitchen. As he approached the bedroom, he heard a slight noise. Flinging open the door… he stopped. Dan’l was on the bed with the covers thrown back. The oblivion of the fever had claimed him. In horror, Raj’t stared. His son had The Blight!

  Adjustments

  It was first thing in the morning and the gloom of a twi-day hadn’t improved visibility much. The big riot in the Four Corners had been two days ago, but smaller protests and disturbances continued as shock waves across Myrn. A steam car was parked by the side entrance of the Therad Security Department. Two men emerged from the car and rapidly entered the building and made their way to the front desk. The older man had a scarf wrapped high around his head so the folds almost covered his lips in front and touched the brim of his top hat in back. The younger of the two had the look of a researcher with a couple of small crab-like message bots peering out from his vest pockets. His arm garters were tidily in place and a pair of multi-lensed goggles was perched forgotten on his bowler hat. It was he who stepped forward.

  “I’d like to speak to the Chief Security Officer concerning the murder case of a young woman named Mikla.”

  The officer looked harried. “He is dealing with several items this morning concerning the ongoing riots. Let me call Jones. He was assigned to that investigation.”

  The two visitors exchanged a look and the older man gave a slight nod. Moments later, an officer approached the counter. He gave a smile of recognition to the man in front.

  “Dylan, it is nice to see you. I was told you have some information for me. Come on back to my small office.” They followed him to a cubicle barely big enough for a desk and three chairs.

  Once seated, Dylan began. “I’ve been going over the information you gave me. It didn’t make any sense, but this morning I had a surprise visitor.”

  The man with the top hat removed it and the scarf. There were shadows of bruises that still could be seen on his face and hands. He neatly placed the items on his lap and smiled at the bewildered officer. “Let me introduce myself. My name is M’nacht. I’ve been in hiding while recovering from the almost fatal beating I received. It isn’t safe for me to be out and about as the men who gave me these,” he raised a thin hand to the discolorations on his cheekbone, “ are still at large and I believe are connected to Mikla’s murder.”

  The officer stood abruptly and with a, “Stay right there!” tore out of his office. Not a minute had gone by when he returned. “Please come wi
th me. Chief wants to talk with you.”

  Soon, the four men were seated around the head officer’s desk. “M’nacht, where have you been? We feared the worst when you vanished from Paramount.”

  “Chief, I was too weak to defend myself. I was certain the men who beat me would be back to finish the job. Everyone knew where the ambulance had taken me. If I were to survive, I had to disappear. Quin found our first hiding spot, but we’ve since moved again. He’s gone to pick up another man who will be here shortly. That individual needs to be a part of this discussion, but we can start.”

  The chief nodded to Jones, who stepped out of the office just long enough to run to the front desk and back. “As soon as they arrive, Harry will bring them back.”

  M’nacht smoothed the folded scarf and tucked it into the top hat. “I suppose I should start by saying that I thought I was being watched. That morning when Quin had gone to the market, I saw four men approach the house in a circuitous way. I set the timer on my clockwork message bot to send a message to this division in fifteen minutes. If those men were nothing to worry about, I could cancel the alarm. I knew one of the young men. He’s the son of an old business associate I stopped doing business with years ago. I’d heard he was employed by Chemedco. He’s a distant relative to that family. Stone is his name, and he was the leader of the group. The man who injected me and is responsible for some of my injuries was called Bruin. They were convinced I knew something or had hidden some evidence. You saw what they did to my study as they searched. While they were questioning me, they made it clear that anyone associated with me was in danger. Kes was on vacation, but I managed to get a message to him so he could be safe.” He ran a finger across the top hat. “If you look at what the nurse recorded when Mikla was dying, you’ll see why I believe they were the ones who killed her.”