Beneath the Eye of God (The Commodore Ardcasl Space Adventures Book 1) (28 page)

The Commodore came up beside them. "The world dreamed of Leahn among the stars, lad. In that it was correct. Do you recall its dream of you?"

Ohan swallowed his tears and tried to think. It was an image he had examined in his mind many times. "My heart was cut out and stretched around the forests, around the whole planet, stretched tighter and tighter until it burst."

The Commodore nodded. "This is a pretty place, lad. Few worlds can match it. None surpass it in all the universe. Should you lose it, there will never be another quite the same.

"I'm a wanderer, lad. I go from place to place leaving little of lasting value behind—if I'm lucky, a memory or two. I have to depend on those who stay to keep these pretty places for me. To be a traveller would be no fun, were there no places worth visiting.

"I can't help you do it. I can only tell you that it must be done and if you don't do it, no one will. And I'll also tell you this, you don't do it with kind thoughts and slogans. You do it with money and power. They are the things that shape mankind's universe for good as well as for evil. These ladies seem to have accepted you as master of the estate. Blackman Nol coveted it as the foundation of great power, though the uses to which he would have put that power make one shudder. Now that the estate is yours, the power can be too. The world dreamed of your heart encircling it, protecting it. I don't think there can be a higher calling in all the universe than that.

"I'd like to stay and help, but that is a life's work and my attention span is short. A few months and any project, even the triplets, begins to chafe. All I can do for you, lad, is tell you what both the world and I think you should do, and offer this little token of remembrance. It's not as nice as Leahn's gift but I hope it will help you remember an old comrade." He handed his tiny jeweled dagger to Ohan. It was wrapped in a piece of paper.

"I will never forget you, Commodore," Ohan said. "This is very nice. I'm afraid I don't have anything for you."

"We've done quite well here, with your help, lad. Don't lose that little piece of paper. It's the instructions."

"Instructions?"

"You press the jewels in the proper sequence and the laser inside will kill a man at 30 paces. It holds four shots and recharges in sunlight."

"Wait a minute," Leahn said. "You had that knife when you saved me from my uncle. It didn't make any difference that I couldn't hold my sword or that Hossen Em decided to change sides. You could have blasted him any time you wanted to."

The Commodore closed Ohan's hands around the little weapon. "It's called an ace in the hole, lad. It does wonders for one's self-confidence. Even if you never use it, it's nice to know it's there. I wouldn't mention it to Em though. He made the right decision. No sense telling him it didn't really count. He'll be your man as long as Silane loves him."

He heaved himself aboard the aircar. The others were shouting their good-byes. Before he closed the door, he leaned out and confided to Ohan, "And if you really need power, I'd wait a couple of years and go find Malie. That little lady is going to make Feathered Shield and Leahn's uncle look like a couple of amateurs."