Shadows of Golstar (57 page)

The Guardian of the Way began to bow when the Grand
Patriarch interrupted, “No need to stand on ceremony Talin, we are quite
alone.”

Talin looked around and found they indeed were the
hall’s only occupants and wondered briefly where the Grand Patriarch’s guards
were lurking. Straightening, he observed that the sunlight, diffused by the
leaded crystal windows mounted high along the walls, splashed the polished
stone floor with bright spots of prismatic color. It brought back memories to
Talin of a treasured kaleidoscope he had owned as a child. The thought of that
distant childhood brought quickly forth darker, more recent memories. Pushing
that momentary reverie aside, he remained standing and returned his gaze to the
raised throne where his impatient leader sat.

The Grand Patriarch had been rubbing the medallion
that hung around his neck. He released it, leaned forward and asked, “Can I
assume you bring me some good news?”

“Yes. As you know, Sharné arrived on Berralton early
this morning while you were in Assembly. It took some time to complete her
medical examinations. I am happy to say she was found to be in very good health
despite her ordeal. She has been asking to see you ever since her arrival. I
conveyed an apology, but she still seemed most anxious when I told her told
that you were attending Assembly and could not be disturbed.”

“So, she is well? Unharmed from her experiences?” The
Grand Patriarch asked.

The Guardian of the Way smiled at his leader, “As it
was transmitted from Selane by the admiral numerous times during the voyage
back, as the medical staff confirmed and as I verified with my own eyes...
Sharné is indeed safe and quite sound.”

The Grand Patriarch returned the smile, “This is truly
a joyous occasion, and it gladdens me that she is safely returned and once
again under your protection.”

“On my life, she will come to no further harm,” Talin
swore. The vibrant sincerity in his voice moved the Grand Patriarch. “I know
that my friend and I are comforted by your promise.” His smile faded, “Now,
what of Janus Owens?”

“Good news as well,” Talin replied. “His ship has just
entered Berralton space. A shuttle with him aboard should land late this
evening.”

“Yes, that is indeed good news.” Then, as if an
afterthought, he asked about the mutineers.

“They have been interrogated thoroughly. They provided
names of other conspirators within the military. Some of them are assigned to
very sensitive areas. Arrests have already taken place. They are now undergoing
interrogation.”

“Excellent. And the mutineers themselves, what is
their current status?”

 “As you directed, under your emergency powers,
their rights to formal hearings were revoked. All participants in the mutiny
have been summarily executed,” Talin replied.

The Grand Patriarch nodded to himself and said, “It
saddens me that I am forced to eliminate those sworn to protect us, but the rot
from within the military must be excised before it is allowed to spread.”

“Do you still wish Janus Owens taken to the secure
site?”

 The Grand Patriarch said, “No, I think not. With
the additional arrests impending, I do not believe it is now necessary. I think
that it is safe to bring him directly to the palace. I wish to have immediate
access to him. You may redeploy your security forces here.”

Talin wondered briefly at the Grand Patriarch’s
reference to ‘additional arrests.’ “It will be arranged as you command; my
security forces will be stationed throughout palace and in nearby strategic
vicinities. He will be well protected.”

The Grand Patriarch paused, thinking. Then he said,
“It is fortunate my daughter arrived before Janus Owens. I will meet with her
to glean her perception of the man and the harrowing experiences they shared.
As a result, I expect the plan will require some further adjustment. Hopefully,
it will be minimal.”

Talin agreed, “I, for one, share in that hope. Even
so, it will still be difficult. With the opposition becoming so bold, I fear
the plan will continue to put Janus Owens at a much greater risk than we had
first anticipated.”

“The opposition has been seriously compromised and
there are further developments that will be forthcoming.”

Talin masked his surprise, “Further developments?”

Grand Patriarch’s tone of voice was dismissive, “Yes,
I will explain them to you later this evening. I will call for you when it is
time.”

Talin nodded. He knew better than to pursue the
subject any further.

“In the meantime,” Grand Patriarch continued, “the
plan’s overall premise remains feasible. The pretext of the missing statue
should allow him to investigate, at least to the limited degree that we have
planned. This should put him at ease, performing the familiar tasks of his
profession.”

Talin added, “The accident we have prepared will
render him unconscious and the small injury he will incur as a result should
account for any loss of blood and tissue.”

“Yes,” the Grand Patriarch agreed. “Even with all that
has happened, it should still be possible to keep Janus Owens unaware of the
underlying purpose of his visit.”

“Perhaps even the attack on the
Light Saber
will work in our favor. We can claim it was the work of those who stole the
statue,” the Guardian suggested. 

“An interesting suggestion, I will think on it.” The
Grand Patriarch paused, “It makes it all the more important I discuss with
Sharné her observations of him during the crisis. She should be able to shed
light on Janus Owens’ perception on what happened.”

“In any event, the medical staff will be ready when
the time comes. The special equipment is being prepared.”

“Good, we are coming nearer to our goal, but keep in
mind that all of our preparations hinge on Owens’ survival.”

Talin assured his leader, “He will be protected using
every trusted resource at my disposal. My forces have been triple-screened and
possess the highest qualifications for this assignment. As we are so close to
our goal, I have left nothing to chance. To fail now is unthinkable.” He kept
his true thoughts well hidden.

“Yes,” the Grand Patriarch agreed. “It is quite
unthinkable.”

The Guardian of the Way bowed deeply and said, “With
your permission, I will take my leave and begin final preparations.”

“Of course, and Talin, please have word sent to my daughter;
I will meet her in the Rose Sitting Room in one hour.”

Talin replied that he would personally notify her, and
then left the Grand Patriarch alone to ponder the future of the Golstar.

● ● ●

Sharné arrived early and was sitting in one of the
room’s two high-backed chairs. She was facing a large, wide window overlooking
the palace gardens. She took a sip of her tea trying to contain her growing
nervousness. She had had time to reflect on how she would approach her father
and after thinking it through, knew she could not directly confront him with
her discoveries.

She would have to be careful not to place him on the
defensive. While he was a kind and thoughtful man, his volatile temper was well
known within the Palace. She personally witnessed a few of his outbursts when
confronted with differing views on some of his policies. His intolerance for
‘unthinking reactionary fools’ made her plan the best way to broach her conclusions
about the false symbol of their faith.

She heard the click of a latch, and turning, saw her
father enter the room. She hesitated for only a moment then threw herself into
his welcoming arms. He stroked her hair, his voice gentle, “Sharné, I thank the
Founder you are finally home once more and safe.”

She looked up at him, “It is wonderful to be home.”

His voice grew husky, “There was a time when I thought
I had truly lost you. I believe it was my darkest moment since the day your
mother passed away.”

“Father, I am so sorry I could not send word earlier
of my survival. As you have likely been informed, the mutineers blocked our
transmissions. You could not know we were alive and I can only imagine what you
must have felt.”

“Sharné,” he said, “my feelings are nothing compared
to what you must have endured. Seeing you here before me has vanquished all of
my sorrow. I feel only happiness now I know that you are safe.”

She smiled. “You should know I could not have been
better protected during the ordeal. Janus Owens saved my life many times over.
His true abilities are just hinted at in his dossier. Only by his strength and
courage did I survive. I confess that without him, I would have perished.”

The Grand Patriarch noticed a slight change in her
voice when she talked of Janus Owens. He sensed admiration and perhaps
something else. He beamed at her, “As I suspected, he is a man of many
qualities, but even
I
did not expect he would play a principal role in
keeping my very own daughter alive. As a father, I will personally thank him
and as the Grand Patriarch, I will commend him. Now let me have a look at you.”
He stood back from her and gazed at her with a critical eye.

He rubbed his chin. “It seems you did not come through
your adventure completely unscathed. You have lost some weight and I cannot
help but notice that those dark circles beneath your eyes do not appear the
result of misapplied cosmetics.”

Her hand went to her noticeably thinner face. She
smiled, “It is nothing a few hot meals and a comfortable bed cannot quickly
remedy.”

He nodded and motioned for her to sit. “Thankfully,
that looks to be true. However, since you now mention it yourself, would you
prefer to rest a little more before we talk of your experiences?”

“No, Father,” she said shaking her head. “It is much
too important to delay for a few hours of sleep. I feel the need to talk about
this before I can truly rest.”

“Very well, then talk we shall,” he said, taking the chair
opposite Sharné’s. “I too believe it is important.” He saw she was about to
speak and he raised a hand to forestall her words. “You will please begin at
the beginning, from the time you arrived at the rendezvous point to meet Janus
Owens. I want you to take your time; I wish to hear every detail. It is
important that I know everything.”

She stopped, seeing the wisdom in his request and
reorganized her thoughts. She noted that his tone had changed. At that moment,
he was more the Grand Patriarch than her father. She took a careful sip from
her cup, then after replacing it on the small table, she began to tell him of
her first meeting with Owens.

Her father sat back, his eyes resting on her face and
listened intently, only interrupting from time to time with a question. She
spoke for a long time, going through a number of cups of tea while in the
process of describing the horrific destruction of the
Light Saber
and
their subsequent escape on the
Sherlock Holmes
.

Throughout, other than his few questions, her father
remained reflective. He would nod at one point of her narrative or another, and
smile encouragingly from time-to-time. As she talked, the words gradually came
easier, but she remained on-guard, careful to edit out Hec’s sentience and the
romantic aspect of her budding relationship with Owens.

Her Father seemed to be particularly interested in the
discussion that took place between she and Owens aboard the
Holmes
. She
made a side comment about hating to lie to Owens. Her father immediately
replied that it was the correct tactic and she should not be ashamed of small
transgressions when it was to achieve a far greater good.

He said, “Your explanation for the condition of the
ships was nothing less than brilliant. I underestimated Owens’ inquisitiveness.
By your quick thinking, you have protected our prestige in spite of my own lack
of foresight.”

“Thank you, Father,” she said and felt a little of the
guilt lift. Then she continued with the tale. When she at last came to describe
their decision to head for Selane, he straightened in his seat, his eyes gazing
at her intently, more focused on her words.

“So,” he said. “It was at your urging that Janus Owens
guided his ship to Selane.”

“Yes Father, it seemed the only place where we could
find a haven given that his ship’s condition prevented us from reaching
subspace.”

“Ah… Talin and I suspected that it was you who
suggested Selane. Again, you thought quickly and wisely.”

“So you agree I was right in this?”

“Yes, you made the correct decision, and as a result
it certainly forestalled your destruction.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“No, it is I who should thank you. I see my faith in
you was not misplaced.” He stood up and stretched. “This seems as good a point
as any to pause. I will call for refreshments, then if you feel up to it, you
may resume your description of what is becoming quite the epic adventure.” He
gave her a small smile and pressed an unobtrusive button on the arm of his
chair.