Shadows of Golstar (54 page)

A hatch unsealed in the shuttle’s side and a small
cloud of condensation puffed out of the opening. It quickly dissipated and a
ramp smoothly unfolded and lowered to the ground. A number of armed, dark uniformed
men and women exited the shuttle’s hatch and walked purposely in single file
down the ramp. As Owens and Sharné watched from a distance, they quickly
assembled into two columns. They then marched in parade fashion towards Owens
and Sharné’s position. Owens was reminded of an ancient play he once saw as a
child. In it was a scene called the ‘March of the Toy Soldiers.’ He could
almost hear the catchy music as he watched the uniformed figures march forward.
He quickly stifled a growing grin.

As they came nearer, Owens noted that they numbered
nine, two columns of four with one figure following a little back from the main
group. They were a small distance from the shuttle so it didn’t take long for
the squad to arrive. They all stopped in unison with loud, single stomp and the
columns separated to allow the ninth member to walk forward, between them.

Owen watched the approaching figure with interest. It
quickly resolved into a gray-haired man in an immaculate white uniform. His
sharply-creased trousers had gold striping running along the outside seams and
flashed brightly in the fading sunlight as he walked stiffly forward. The
high-necked jacket had double rows of gleaming gold buttons down the front. As
an obvious sign of rank, the shoulders sported small, shiny gold
representations of a native raptor, and the jacket’s sleeves ended in multiple
gold bands. He walked forward with stiff, measured steps as if participating in
some sort of military parade. He stopped crisply before Sharné and gracefully bowed.

She motioned for him to rise. “We are hardly in a
position to stand on ceremony, Admiral.”

Straightening, he looked at
Sharné
and said, “Admiral Lender at your service, Honored Keeper. It is gratifying to
see that the Light has shown upon you. We are most heartened to find you
unharmed.”

“Thank you Admiral. I owe my life many times over to
my companion, Janus Owens.” She looked at Owens and smiled.

“Indeed, the Light banishes even the darkest of
shadows.” The Admiral’s face remained expressionless his eyes never wavered
from Sharné's face. “The Founder protects his children.”

Owens wasn’t sure what to make of the Admiral’s words.
They sounded like part of a ritual. He wondered how the phrases applied to
their current situation.

Sharné responded, “And his children protect his
legacy.”

The Admiral nodded his acknowledgment. “I thank the
Founder you are safe.” His eyes still did not leave Sharné’s face. “The Grand
Patriarch has asked me to convey his compliments on your resourcefulness,
relief on finding that you are safe and sends his affection.”

“Thank you for his words, but as I stated before
Admiral, I owe my life to Janus Owens.”

Owens thought that the underlying steel edge to her
voice was the same tone she had used with him aboard the
Saber
.

The Admiral said nothing but continued to look
benignly at Sharné. Owens was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. Admiral
Lender had pointedly not looked at Owens, not even for a small glance of
contempt. It was obvious he was being ignored. As far as the Admiral was
concerned, Owens didn’t exist.

He glanced at Sharné and saw she was frowning. She
started to say something when she was distracted by the muted roar of reaction
drive engines rumbling in the distance. They looked up and saw the glint of
metal in the distant sky. A second shuttle was approaching.

Admiral Lender looked up to see the shuttle. He turned
back to Sharné and said, “I see that your transportation is arriving. It will
take you up to the flagship.” His eyes took in her appearance. He tried to hide
it, but she could see mild disapproval in his expression. He wisely kept his
thoughts to himself. “No doubt, Honored Keeper, you will wish to refresh
yourself. On your arrival to the flagship, you will find a stateroom fully
prepared for your needs. Ah…” He hesitated and then went on, “Appropriate
changes of clothing have also been provided.”

“What I am now wearing was most appropriate for the
situation in which I found myself, Admiral.” She said this with a more
pronounced edge in her voice. Then, in a more conciliatory tone she said,
“However, a proper bath does sound welcome.”

She turned to Owens, “For a time I did not think it
possible, but soon we will be on the flagship heading back to Berralton. Once
there, you can finally begin to undertake your assignment.”

The Admiral cleared his throat, “Excuse me, Honored
Keeper, my apology but there appears to be a misunderstanding. Your companion
will not be joining you on the flagship. My orders are he will travel on a separate
ship for his protection.”

She looked at the Admiral questioningly. “I was given
the responsibility for Owens’ well being. I have absolute authority in matters
of his indoctrination and interactions within our society. Respectfully Admiral,
it is my decision to make. Janus Owens will travel with me.”

For the first time, the Admiral looked uncomfortable.
He quickly bowed again. Rising, he said in a conciliatory tone, “I have been
found lacking, Honored Keeper; I should have first explained. This is a new,
official directive from Berralton. The orders are countersigned by the Grand
Patriarch.” He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a folded
piece of what looked to Owens like real parchment. The admiral walked over to Sharné
and placed in her outstretched hand.

Owens watched closely as she unfolded it. Her brows
drew together in a frown as she began to read. She quickly finished and thrust
the document back at the Admiral. Knowing her a little better now, Owens could
see that she was struggling to suppress her temper. In a low, controlled voice
she said, “It does appear that these new orders supersede my own… at least in
this one matter.”

She paused, apparently thinking about her change in
status. Then she said, “Very well Admiral, you have my leave to follow your
orders.” She again fell silent as the roar from the shuttle’s engines
increased. It was now quite near to the ground. It soon landed in an area not
far from the Admiral’s shuttle.

The noise quickly abated and Sharné spoke once more.
“However, until Owens boards your shuttle, he remains under my authority. You
and your people will excuse me for a moment. I have an urgent matter I wish to
discuss with Janus Owens in private. It would be well that you do not disturb us
until we return.”

Without waiting for a response from the Admiral, she
looked at Owens and then started to walk back towards the distant wall
surrounding the shrine. Owens looked at the Admiral and could read nothing from
his blank expression. The Admiral still had yet to look directly at him.
Shrugging, Owens turned and followed Sharné. They reached the shrine’s wall and
walked parallel to one side. He followed her as she strode briskly around the
curving stones until they were out of both eyesight and earshot.

She immediately threw herself into his arms and tilted
her face up to his in open invitation. He didn’t need one. They kissed. And for
a while, lost in a close embrace, they both forgot their immediate
surroundings. Too soon, Sharné regretfully drew back but remained in his arms.

She looked at his face, again noting his strong
features. He was composed, but she could detect an underlying concern, which
was no surprise given the latest unexpected turn of events. For a while, they
spoke no words, the relative silence being broken only by the occasional sound
of an animal in the distance or leaves rustling in the mild breeze. For a
change, they did not fear for their lives. Instead, they were both quite
content with being simply in each other's arms, savoring the quiet atmosphere
surrounding them, for however short of a time it was to be.

Finally, Sharné broke the intimate silence. “I do not
wish to be apart from you, but I must obey my… the Grand Patriarch’s orders.”

“Well, I don’t particularly like it either, but I
understand,” he said.

I wish that were true, she thought.

He went on, “I think your Grand Patriarch wants to
separate us more for your protection than mine. I’m the real magnet for these
attacks. There is no need to put you in jeopardy for my sake. It’s the smart
move. In his place, I would do the same.”

 “Owens, you do not…”

“You are the Keeper of the Way after all,” he went on.
“That title obviously carries some serious obligation to your people. Their
needs take precedence.” He smiled at her, “But later you’re going to have to
explain what exactly your title entails.”

“Of course,” her arms tightened around him.

As he thought about her lofty title, it occurred to
him what her statement implied and he asked, “Once we’re on Berralton, I will
see you again, won’t I?”

It was an innocent question, but it made her feel
uneasy. Their escape and the immediate press for survival had pushed away any
consideration she might have had for what would happen to him once he reached
Berralton. She could not have foreseen her growing feelings for Owens and had
not considered what would happen after, if they survived.

“I confess, until now, I had not given it thought,”
She said truthfully. “Originally, many of my responsibilities were to be
discharged once you completed an audience with the Grand Patriarch.
Intermediaries under my supervision were to act as your primary liaisons.
However, now all of that has changed.” She looked into his eyes. “I did not
expect to…”
 
She did not finish what she
was about to say.

He reached out and took her hand. “Sorry, I shouldn’t
have asked. You have no obligation to me. I’ll be content to wait and see how
things work out. With what you’ve told me about the assignment though, I may
find that I have need of assistance from the Keeper of the Way.” He smiled
again.

“You have my word, we will see each other again and
when we do, I will try to explain my role more fully.”

To him, it seemed that her words went beyond a simple
description of her lofty position within the government.

She went silent, lingering for a moment in his arms.
Then she said regretfully, “I truly wish we had more time to talk, but the
Admiral is no doubt anxious to begin the trip back.”

His smile faded, “Yeah, I guess we shouldn’t keep an
admiral waiting.” Nevertheless, he made no move to lessen his embrace.

She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. His
earlier question had blunted some of the happiness she felt just before. And
now his remark about the assignment flooded her again with guilt. The assignment,
she thought bitterly, the sham concocted by her father and abetted by her, his
only daughter. What would Owens think of her when he discovered her duplicity?
Her eyes squeezed shut.

“I do promise you I will rejoin you on Berralton, as
soon as I am able. However, I am sorry to say it may be some time before I can.
As you have just said, my duties as Keeper of the Way must take precedence. For
a time, at least,” she added.

“Of course,” he said.

She opened her eyes, lifting her head so that she
could look at him and said, “Owens, this is very difficult for me, but you need
to know there are many other things left unsaid that will require some
discussion.”

“Oh? What kind of things?”

“Things I would rather not talk about at all, but things
that I believe you have a right to know, things, which may affect…"
 
Again, she did not finish the sentence. She
said, “Now is not the time. We will talk again soon; I promise.”

There was no mistaking the gravity in her voice. He
looked at her and saw that her eyes were shining as if on the verge of tears.
He said, “Well, then I guess I’ll just have to be patient, won’t I? I think
that after all that we’ve been through, whatever you want to tell me can’t be
all that bad.”

If only that were true, she thought. She said, “I wish
we had met under better circumstances.”

He gave her a gentle squeeze and said, “Before this
assignment, there wasn’t much of a chance of that. Whatever circumstance led
Golstar to ask for my services was the only way that we could have met. And
believe me, I’m grateful that we did. Regardless of what happens after this,
you need to know I would go through it all again if I knew it meant meeting
you.” He surprised himself with the spontaneous admission.

“I feel that way as well,” she said quietly.

He gently disengaged from her embrace, “You said the
Admiral’s likely to be anxious, so before he decides to go against your order
and send someone to check up on us, I think we’d better return.”

She gazed at him for a moment longer, reaching up to
stroke his cheek. Then without another word, she dropped her hand, turned and
started back toward the waiting admiral.

Owens slowly followed her, letting her take the lead
while his mind grappled with his feelings. What had just happened? It had never
occurred to him that he could feel so strongly about someone in so short a
time. Little more than a day had passed since their first embrace, their first
kiss. Yet he felt he had known her for a much longer time.