Shadows of Golstar (12 page)

Owens shrugged, “That’s just the few that readily come
to my mind. There must be hundreds more. I have heard the quadrant is
restricted for civilian traffic and the restriction is strictly enforced by the
military. I’ve never been near the area myself, so I’ve always doubted it ever
truly existed. So, are you now actually telling me it’s real? And even it’s
true, just what in the hell does it have to do with the mysterious client?”

“Actually, it has everything to do with your
prospective client. A message was recently received from this ‘myth.’ They
named you, specifically, and have requested your professional services,” Neven
answered blandly.

Now Owens was really taken aback. He leaned forward
and said, “You’re saying it actually exists? It’s not just a cover story to
hide some ultra-secret government installation?”

“Oh, it exists alright,” Neven said. “It’s been a
thorn in our government’s side for over three centuries. And now you’re going
to find out exactly why you had to sign those papers.” Then, Neven launched
into a description of the events that led to the quarantine of Golstar so many
years before. After about two hours, they broke for dinner. A servitor arrived
with a food-laden cart and they ate in Neven’s office. After the meal, it took
another hour for Neven to complete the tale.  

“It’s almost as bad as all the other stories I’ve
heard.” Owens said.  “So, you’re saying Golstar basically whipped our
butts and it’s since been off-limits all these years.”

“Not quite,” Neven sighed.  “After the first
hundred or so years, another attempt was made to penetrate the Golstar system.
We sent a specially designed spy probe, heavily shielded for stealth. It didn’t
even make it as far as the very first unshielded probes. Transmission was
immediately lost as it crossed the quarantine’s border and as a gentle
reminder, five of the picket ships stationed just outside of the system to
enforce the quarantine vanished without a trace.”

“Quite a response…”

“Yes, I failed to mention they also destroyed a number
of subspace communications repeater buoys that had been in-place since they
were deployed by the first expedition. Needless to say, we have not made
another attempt since.”

Owens couldn’t keep the smirk off his face, “That was
very wise of you.”

Neven ignored Owens’ comment and pushed a single
hardcopy sheet across the desk. “They have since remained in complete
isolation. However, now, after three uninterrupted centuries of silence, they
send us this.” He motioned at the innocuous-looking sheet.

Owens picked it up and began to read. After a few
moments, he looked at Neven and said, “You’re kidding.”

He awoke to a soft tapping on his bedchamber door. Being
a light sleeper, he was immediately alert. He recognized the knock and sat up
in bed. He reached over and touched the light globe on his bed stand. As the
room gradually lightened, he gathered and drew on his night robe then said
loudly, “Come in Sharné.”

The ancient latch clicked and the dark-oiled wooden
door manually swung inward on its black iron hinges. Bright light from the
hallway flooded the soft-lit chamber. His daughter haloed in its light, was
momentarily framed in the doorway. At that moment, the Grand Patriarch achingly
noted her resemblance to her mother was truly striking. 

So many years ago, he thought, and yet he still felt
the sense of loss as if it had happened only yesterday. The regret would never
leave him. Each night, before he retired, remembrances of his beautiful young
wife would gently insinuate themselves into his thoughts. With these
remembrances, came the sorrow that such a bright-burning and promising life was
extinguished before its time.

Sharné quietly entered the chamber and the moment was
lost. She closed the door behind her and sat down in a side chair next to the
oversized, canopied bed of her father. He smiled, “Well daughter, what brings
you to me at this late hour?” He looked over at an antique clock, “Or perhaps I
should say, early hour?”

“I am sorry father, but I could not sleep. I cannot
stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong. More importantly, if
the plan should fail because of me…” she said quietly, staring at her hands
resting in her lap. “I am not usually so insecure.” She looked up, “I just
needed to talk.”

He reached over and took her hands. “Sharné, it is I
who should be the one to apologize. I knew it might be difficult for you, given
the role that you will play, and I am truly loath to put you through all this.
There
is
always a possibility something may go wrong; there are so many
variables after all. Nevertheless, I truly believe you will do fine. I have
faith in you.”

“I will do my utmost to justify your faith.”

“I know that, daughter. That is all any father can
hope of his child.”

She said softly, “Still, I worry that I may not prove
adequate to the task.”

“Enough,” He said kindly. “You are the Keeper of the
Way. That position is by no means undemanding. Yet you have excelled in all that
has been asked of you, have you not?” He smiled, “You have nothing to say to
that, now have you?”

Sharné could not help but smile, “No, father.”

His own smile faded, and he allowed himself a small
sigh. “To be honest, your performance is the least of my worries. The eventual
outcome will likely be influenced by other, unforeseen events for which no
amount of planning can prepare. Please believe me when I say I am confident
that you will not falter in your role.”

“Thank you father. I suppose I just needed to hear
your assurance. These doubts overwhelmed me in a moment of weakness,” she said
ruefully.  

 He said, “Your doubts are a sign of concern for
the People, not of weakness. You must know I too harbor a few doubts as to the
ultimate outcome of my plans.”

Sharné looked at him skeptically.

“No, it is true. I do have my doubts. In particular, I
am concerned the Grand Council and the Assembly may yet discover what we are
doing and attempt to intervene.”

“They would dare to defy openly the will of the Grand
Patriarch?”

He chuckled, and then said, “No, not openly and not a
majority. They would not do it in public because the general populace remains
ignorant of the severity of the problem. The Council and Assembly understand
bringing our activities out in the open can only polarize our people into
separate camps. Not even they would risk civil war.”

He paused, rubbing his eyes, “However, that being
said, the members of the Council and Assembly would still intervene and attempt
to undermine our plan.” He nodded to himself, “Yes, there are those who would
not hesitate to disrupt, out of the public eye, all that we have done and hope
yet to accomplish.”

“You are certain?”

He nodded, “The activities of certain members have
been documented.  Minister Joselé and her cronies immediately come to
mind.”

Before Sharné could voice the protest he knew was
coming, he continued, “She has been a worthy adversary and in past years she
provided the necessary balance that our government needs. However, on this
issue, she refuses to see the truth of it. Should she become aware of our
efforts, I know she will not stop at anything short of public exposure to
prevent our plan from succeeding. I understand she has the best interests of
our people in mind, but on this, she is wrong.”

He saw that Sharné seemed to accept his words. “So,
you are not alone in your feelings. And just as you, I confess I too sometimes
lay awake at night, wondering if I have done all I could to halt our continued
fall and ensure that our people will flourish.” He sighed again, “Yes my
daughter. I have my doubts also.”

“Thank you for confiding in me, father.”

“Thank you for listening, daughter.” Then as if an
afterthought, he said, “You understand that the plan is a last act born out of
desperation. It may very well fail due to its own inherent shortcomings.
Nevertheless, something should have been done long ago. I read my great, great
grandmother’s journals. She suspected the coming crisis almost two hundred
years ago. The signs were clear even then. However, our scientists assured her
a solution was close at hand, as they have with each ruler since.  And yet
the situation has steadily worsened. And up until a short time ago, the Founder
help me, I believed them too.”

Sharné looked at her father intently. “We all believed
them; everyone within the inner circle believed them. You cannot take the full
responsibility on your shoulders.”

“Oh, but I must,” he gently countered. “After all, I
am the Grand Patriarch, hereditary leader of Golstar. Our people look to me to
protect them and our Way of life.” He paused, looking into her eyes. “But
you’re not here to listen to me lament my fate. I see there is something more
that troubles you. What is it, daughter?”

She bowed her head once more. “You know me too well. It
is the man from Confederated Planets. He is... I have reviewed the profile that
you provided me.” She became silent.

He prompted, “And?”

She raised her head, “He is alien.”

The Grand Patriarch asked, “In what way? Is it his
background, his personality profile or perhaps his physical appearance?”

“It is what he represents.” There was repugnance in
her voice. “He comes from a foreign culture, an alien culture. He is not of our
Way. His people are our enemy. He is our enemy. For over three hundred years
his kind has been our nemesis. And now when I view his image, our enemy has a
face. How can I…” She stopped abruptly, unable to say the words.  

“Let him be near you, breathe the same air? Let him
get close enough to allow him to talk to you?” The Grand Patriarch’s voice
strengthened, “I do understand. Much of your reluctance comes from our Way of
life. Even though the adjustment will take a little time, I know you can
sublimate your true feelings. You know as well as I... you have no choice in
this matter, if my plan is to succeed.”  

“Yes, Father,” she said in almost a whisper.

“Remember, you need only to tolerate his presence, his
existence, for but a short while. And hopefully he, in turn, will not be made
aware of your bias. It is here that I expect your diplomatic experience will be
beneficial. And remember, too, he is our one real hope. He must remain unaware
of your true feelings. Your part is to shield him from not only from your own
feelings, but also from those of our citizens. In doing so, you will help him
to help us.”

“I know that father, but it remains the hardest part
of my role,” she replied, her voice regaining its strength. “Inside, I know I
will feel the way I always have. He is tainted, an enemy to the Way.” She shook
her head, “But you have been very patient in explaining why I must suppress my
natural reaction. I will do as you ask.”

“And what of him, Sharné, have you considered how he
might feel about you?”

“I remember my schooling,” she responded coolly. “An
uninitiated citizen of Confederated Planets would look upon us as strange,
sterile replicas of their perception of what it is to be human, more akin to
their mechanical servitors than living, breathing people.”

“True enough,” he nodded.

“And I can accept that. What I cannot accept, or for
that matter, even conceive of, is
his
way of life. Father, it has no
structure, no higher purpose. His society allows wanton interaction between
opposite and same sexes. They genetically manipulate their bodies on personal
whims, not for the common good. They exploit their environment and each other.
They have as many religions as there are grains of sand on Founders Beach.”

“I am keenly aware of his society’s shortcomings.” A
hint of impatience had crept into his tone. “I am not asking you to endorse his
way of life. I am asking you to present our request earnestly, without apparent
prejudice. And to do that, you must appeal to his instincts as well as his
intellect. We need him to believe we truly need his professional services. And
we need you to provide the bridge; a bridge to span the differences between our
two peoples, at least temporarily.”

The Grand Patriarch rose from his bed and started to
pace. “He will never know our need goes far beyond his professional services.
Should he somehow discover the true reason he was allowed to be here, well…
there are other contingencies, although less pleasant, which may ultimately be
necessary. However, I sincerely hope we will not have to employ them. It would
lead to…” He sighed, “Further complications.”      

She suppressed a shudder. “I… I think I was simply
afraid, for perhaps the first time in my life, of the unknown. That fear
clouded my judgment and brought me these doubts. I thought I had outgrown the
need for fatherly reassurance.”

He had stopped pacing and was looking thoughtfully at
her.

“With all of my responsibilities as Keeper of the Way,
I believed my experience would stand me well in the upcoming role I am destined
to play. Nevertheless, I have underestimated the strength of my beliefs and
biases, and the need for changes I must make within me. Unexpectedly, I found
myself once again the little girl who needed her father to sooth away her
childish fears. Truly, I thought I was more self-sufficient. I am very sorry
Father.”

 “Never be sorry,” he said with mock sternness.
“It gladdens me you can still come to me and seek my counsel.  Again, it
is I who should be seeking forgiveness. I am asking a lot of you and it is
unfair. I know. I admit a portion of the plan’s success rides on your lovely
shoulders. Apprehension in such a situation is natural. You know you can come
to me any time of day or night. I am your father. I will always be here for you
and know I love you very much. I only hope I have helped, if but a little.”
 

A grateful smile flitted across her lips. “You have,
thank you Father. I do promise to be more patient and work harder. No matter
how that I feel, I will not let it interfere with my responsibilities when the
time comes.”    

She rose, reached over, gave her father a gentle hug
and whispered in his ear, “I love you too.” She then quietly left without
another word. As the door closed behind her, the Grand Patriarch’s brow
furrowed with concern.

His daughter’s visit troubled him. Other doubts about
the plan since he had set it in motion now returned to plague his thoughts.
Logically, he knew it was natural for Sharné to be unsettled. 
Nevertheless, this late-night visit was unexpected. The plan’s success depended
more on Sharné than he had first envisioned, even more than he had intimated to
his daughter. Was Talin right? Should he reconsider using his daughter? He
again went over the facts as he knew them and eventually concluded that it
remained the only course to take.

He was fully awake now. He rose from his bed and
walked over to his reading table. He took a large tome with frayed bindings
that was resting on the table and sat in the adjacent leather chair. He
activated another nearby light globe and carefully opened the book to a place marked
by a thin, faded green ribbon. He breathed in the musty tang of the yellowed
brittle pages and began to read.