Diamond Mask (Galactic Milieu Trilogy) (56 page)

Ominously, it was the gray-eyed Unifex who addressed the First Magnate in a soft voice:

“We must confer with you on matters of the utmost gravity, Paul, and so you must forgive us if we forgo the usual pleasantries and get right down to brass tacks.”

“Right,” said the First Magnate aloud. And to himself: Oh, shit.

“My colleagues and I,” Atoning Unifex continued, “have been discussing the advisability of condemning the so-called Rebel movement and requiring an oath of loyalty to the Milieu from all Human Magnates of the Concilium. Please tell us your reaction to this proposal.”

“I think it would be a tragic mistake,” Paul said immediately.
“Even though I myself once cosponsored a bill that would have forbidden debates about Unity in the Concilium, I now believe that such gag-rule legislation would be futile—possibly ruinous to Human Polity discipline. It would be even more disastrous to label anti-Unity sentiment treasonous.”

“You believe that your race values free discussion so highly?” Noetic Concordance asked.

“Yes,” Paul replied. And then: “What penalty do you propose for refusing to take the oath?”

“One would have a choice,” said Homologous Trend. “Redaction of the magnate to the latent state and expulsion from the Concilium … or euthanasia.”

“You would very likely lose nearly a quarter of the two hundred human magnates,” Paul said, “including some of the most brilliant and influential. A significant percentage of the others would be so scandalized by the draconian action that their own loyalty to the Milieu might waver. I know my own would. I’ve undergone a change of heart about this business—”

“By the Prime Entelechy!” Eupathic Impulse exclaimed. “Does one mean to say that one has converted to the Rebel point of view?”

“Certainly not,” said Paul sharply. “I’m more committed to Unity than ever. But I firmly believe that it is impossible to
force
the Human Mind to accept the Unity of the Coadunate Milieu. Humans must be persuaded—shown that Unity does not pose a danger to their free will or mental integrity. This is the purpose behind the recent establishment of the Panpolity Directorate for Unity, in which my son Jon and my sister Anne are prominent.”

“But the Rebel movement is spreading apace—especially amongst nonoperants in the human colonies,” said Asymptotic Essence. “Never before in the history of the Galactic Milieu has a precoadunate race presumed to question the value of Unity.”

“Humans are unique,” said Atoning Unifex. “I warned you about that at the time of the Great Intervention.”

“One remembers.” The voice of Noetic Concordance was soothing. “These were your words concerning Earth:
This small planet occupies a critical place in the probability lattices. From it may emerge a Mind that will exceed all others in metapsychic potential. It is known to us that this Mind will be capable of destroying our beloved Galactic Milieu. It is further known to us that this Mind will also be capable of magnifying the Milieu immensely accelerating the Unification of all the inhabited star
systems. For this reason we have directed this extraordinary attempt at Intervention …
”

Unifex inclined Its head. “I said further that the step involved great risk. But all evolutionary leaps are hazardous, and without risk-taking there can only be stagnation, the triumph of entropy, and eventual death.”

Asymptotic Essence said, “Nevertheless, there remains the dire new resultant of the latest probability analysis, which prompted one to offer the drastic remedy: If the Rebel movement continues to grow at its present rate amongst operant and nonoperant humans, the Unification of that race may never take place. Instead of merging with our Coadunate Galactic Milieu, humanity will be constrained to declare war upon it.”

“Nonsense!” Paul exclaimed. “Not even the most xenophobic of the anti-Unity faction advocates that course. At the worst, they’d simply drop out of the confederation to go their own way—”

“Even if we would allow it, this is not likely,” said Homologous Trend. “Why does one think the Great Intervention eradicated the last vestiges of the old nationalism on Earth before enfranchising its populace? Why does one think the Simbiari Proctorship suppressed—sometimes ruthlessly—those Earth sects and political movements that had bigoted mind-sets or advocated so-called holy or preventive wars to eliminate opposing points of view? Why has the Milieu been obliged to forbid certain types of commercial activity by human entrepreneurs even now? Why does it severely limit governmental autonomy of human colonial planets, and control their operant/nonoperant population mix?”

Calmly, Paul said, “In order to prevent the kinds of bloody conflict that traditionally prevailed among human beings in pre-Intervention years. If humanity wasn’t restrained, the probability is that we’d fight for what we perceived to be our self-interest. Asymptotic Essence’s calculations are correct.” He fixed his gaze on the gray-eyed Lylmik Overlord. “But there’s a paradox here. Don’t tell me
you
don’t see it, Unifex.”

“Certainly I do: In order to protect itself from humanity while the race is still immature and dangerous, the Milieu has behaved in a despotic fashion. By limiting human freedom, it has provoked the very kind of behavior it sought to prevent. The Milieu took a great risk in admitting humanity. It may have overreached itself.”

“I don’t think so.” Paul’s mental aspect shone with stubborn
hope. “Aside from the Unity issue, there are only minor pockets of human discontent. If Unity can be proved to be the right and proper goal of human mental evolution, the Rebel movement will most likely evaporate. The new Directorate will bring together the best minds from all six racial Polities to discuss every aspect of Unity and deal with legitimate Rebel objections to it. Forget the notion of outlawing the Rebels—at least until you’ve given the more conservative course a chance.”

Unifex said, “This is my recommendation also, colleagues. My reasoning is perhaps not the same as Paul’s—but I say again that without risk there can be no evolution, only torpidity and finally extinction. Our own Lylmik race is a melancholy exemplar of that truth. We believe we have reached the pinnacle of our evolution, and there we stand, most of our number now content to think their own grand and unutterable thoughts, alone and self-sufficient. The excitement engendered by my original Protocol of Unification has long since dwindled to ennui in all except a handful of Lylmik minds. We do not reproduce. Except for this small Quincunx, we do not create. The Twenty-One Worlds each send a single delegate to the Concilium but there is little genuine interest in Milieu affairs remaining amongst us. Shall I tell you the true reason why the Galactic Milieu needs the Human Mind? … It is because the Lylmik Mind is dying, as I am dying Myself. When I go, our race will retreat into aloof senescence and will perish inside of a single millenary. But by then I foresee that the Human Mind, fully coadunate and Unified, will have taken our place. The magnification of the inhabited star systems in the Milky Way will continue under Human Polity direction until all thinking beings within it are loving siblings, as they are in the Duat Galaxy from which I originally came. And then, if it pleases the Cosmic All, another Unifex may move on to a younger whirlpool of stars and begin again.”

Paul listened, stunned into speechlessness. Nothing of this had ever been hinted at during his long years as a Milieu official. Each Polity had its own legends and speculations of Lylmik origins and destiny. Each had debated why the nonconformist humans were declared to be necessary to Milieu survival. None had suspected this rationale.

“You can’t tell a soul, Paul.” Atoning Unifex was smiling, almost playfully apologetic. “Not until I give you permission. But you, of all people, have a right to know.”

The other four Supervisors exuded resignation.

“One must trust Unifex,” said Noetic Concordance. “The decision
is made: there will be no further attempts to outlaw or restrict the Rebel faction of the Human Polity.”

“Even when the probability of a successful human Unification seems to grow more and more remote,” ’ said Homologous Trend, sighing.

“This does not mean, however, that the First Magnate should diminish his efforts to bring the Rebels into conformity.” Asymptotic Essence spoke sternly.

Eupathic Impulse delivered the kicker. “Most particularly, the First Magnate and his family must restrain the malevolent persona called Fury and its execrable servant, Hydra, from using the anti-Unity faction for their own evil ends. The obliteration of one Hydra-unit is a cause for rejoicing. But the other three—and Fury itself—are more dangerous to the Milieu than ever.”

“But who the hell is Fury?” Paul cried. “I can’t believe you Lylmik don’t know!”

The Quincunx only stared at him sadly.

“Is it Marc? Is it
me?
Isn’t there anything you can do to help us find this—this family devil?” Paul had sprung up from his chair and stood with his fists clenched at his sides. Sweat dampened his hair and he thrust a graying lock impatiently out of his eyes as he glared at the silent exotic heads.

Unifex said, “Go talk to your sister Anne. An ancient sin lies at the heart of Fury’s generation and a terrible moral dilemma attends the monster’s destruction. Perhaps a priest can help you with the problems.”

“Very well.” Paul spoke wearily. “Is there anything else you require of me now?”

The heads were beginning to fade away. The eyes, as always, remained visible longest. The Quincunx spoke in metaconcert:

No. May the All sustain you, First Magnate, and bring you success.

Unifex made a sudden capricious decision to go to Earth and performed hyperspatial translation without even bidding Its colleagues goodbye. There were still matters to discuss, and so the four remaining members of the Supervisory Body convened out by the brook, wafting in and out of the dew-dripping “willow” leaves to gather the occasional molecule for sustenance.

Asymptotic Essence ventured a mild complaint. “Unifex might have stayed with us to consider the matter of young Illusio.”

“It’s probably gone to keep an eye on her,” Trend observed.
“That girl is surely cooking up another mad scheme to entice Hydra. She has a right to do so, but if she dies in the process some very important nodalities will have to be scrapped.”

“If Hydra kills her,” Essence noted astringently, “we certainly can’t appoint her Deputy Dirigent of Caledonia.”

“She’s almost as much of a wild-card factor as Jack,” said Impulse. “A pity she seems to loathe him so. He might have been a useful ally in her quest against Hydra.”

“One suspects Jack might not scruple at acting without her knowledge or permission,” Concordance remarked. “His starship has left Orb, you know.”

“No!” said the other three entities.

They all thought about the anomalous young human magnate for a time, speculating upon what he might do to help Dorothea Macdonald. Thanks to Dorothea’s probing at the Halloween party, Jack now knew the Hydra metaconcert configuration; but he did not know the identities and whereabouts of the Hydra-units, as the Supervisors did. It was most likely that his only option was following the girl, either mentally or physically, in hopes of coming to her assistance if he was needed.

“One wishes one could intervene personally in this matter,” Noetic Concordance said, with regret. “Jack could dispose of the Hydra-units in a trice if we pointed them out to him.”

“Unifex’s prohibition must take into account factors that one is unaware of,” said Trend.

“One has been mulling it over,” Eupathic Impulse said. “There may be more to this situation than the simple survival of the girl and the apprehension of Hydra. One should also consider Jack’s relation to Illusio, and vice versa.”

“She can’t stand him,” Asymptotic Essence said. “She finds his mutation repulsive and his manner cheeky and superior. He thinks that she is rash and immature. One may recall that Jack, while an estimable person in many ways, does have certain unfortunate mannerisms. His great success on Satsuma, saving the life of his brother Marc when their metaconcert faltered, bolstered his self-esteem higher than ever. Now he is determined to become Unity’s greatest champion. One fears Jack is in some danger of becoming a wise guy.”

Reluctantly, Noetic Concordance agreed.

“One suspects Illusio would bitterly resent any well-intentioned interference on Jack’s part,” Trend said. “Perhaps it is necessary to her spiritual maturation that she face the Hydra monster alone, and either vanquish it or die in the attempt.”

“One has it in a nutshell,” Essence said. “We shall so instruct Jack.”

“One can certainly pray for the girl, however,” Concordance put in. “Poor thing, with so few friends! If she becomes Dirigent at a young age, she risks becoming even more lonely. But great things are required of those possessing great talents.”

“An apt sentiment,” Impulse remarked. “Original?”

“Luke 12:48,” the poet admitted.

“One is inclined to vote that Illusio become Deputy Dirigent of Caledonia,” Asymptotic Essence decided. “How say you, colleagues?”

“Affirm,” said Noetic Concordance. “She flirts with Rebellion, but her deepest inclinations are toward Unity.”

“One also affirms,” Homologous Trend added, “while hoping devoutly that she survives until her inauguration to the Concilium. However, once Illusio is installed in office on Caledonia, the probabilities are strong that she would be secure from Hydra’s menaces for many years to come.”

“One is pleased to contribute the final affirmation,” said Eupathic Impulse. “In spite of Jack’s low opinion of her maturity, one finds her most suitable to be the eventual successor of Graeme Hamilton. She will have a lot to learn, but she can scarcely do worse than that worthy dotard. The Scottish planet is an attractive world and Illusio loves it. She should be happy there for a little while, until the next nodality.”

“Provided that the major planetary cratons behave themselves,” Essence said.

“A pity the besotted and neglectful Krondak surveyors never got what was coming to them for botching those crustal evaluations four millenaries ago,” Impulse remarked, showing a trace of righteous indignation.