Shadows of Golstar (83 page)

At a
fast pace, Talin headed toward the entrance to the Founder’s Sanctum, his two
ever-present guards trailed after him, trying to keep up with his long strides.
Earlier, the lifeless body of the former leader of Golstar, his one-time
dearest friend, had been carried out of the Sanctum. His remains would be
prepared for public viewing. His body would lie in state for ten days during
the prescribed public mourning period. To the general populace, he would be portrayed
as a fallen hero.

He
supposed that in a way he was a hero, not that the public would ever know of
the exact circumstances. In the end, he
had
activated the Founder’s
fail-safe program and successfully halted the Controllers’ rampage. Of course,
no mention would be made this, nor of his role in instigating the catastrophic
events that forced his act of heroism or the fact that it was by his misguided
actions, Golstar was in its current deplorable state. He grimaced at the
thought. The truth could never be revealed.

His
mind briefly turned to the fate of Sharné. She had gone missing during the
crisis and her whereabouts were still unknown. They had searched the Palace and
found no trace of her. In her rooms, they found the opening to a secret passage,
its door ajar. They surmised her father might have taken her to the Sanctum for
reasons known only to him. Talin had personally scoured the Sanctum’s maze of
rooms without finding her. However, what he did find was troubling. There was a
large amount of damage to a number of inner walls that could only have been
caused by a Sentinel mech. Had she been taken? And if she had been taken, why?
He could only pray she would soon be found alive and unharmed.

He
forcefully redirected his thoughts to the more pressing matter at hand. While
he strode toward the control center of the Sanctum, Minister Joselé, the heads
of the military branches and senior ministers were meeting in secret to
formulate the provisional plans that would lead them back to greatness.
 
Creating a new caste was no small undertaking
and assembling the core members loyal to the Founder’s original ideals, might
take some time. However, if anyone could help lead them back into the Light, he
was confident it would be Lauren.

He
sighed. It was now time for him to play his part. He would make the
announcement of the Grand Patriarch’s death, describe the new challenges that
stood before them and appeal for calm in the interim period. Though it had all
been carefully contrived, more fiction than truth, he knew his news would be
received with mixed results. The cessation of the soothing influence normally
provided by the control orbs was already beginning to manifest. Angry
gatherings of people demanding explanations by the government were on the rise.
The unprecedented occurrences of civil disobedience had local police agencies
barely coping with the sudden influx of arrests. Getting the control orbs back
online was first in order.

Another
problem that would soon need to be addressed was Janus Owens. Having not found
plausible evidence that any ships had left orbit around Berralton, it was
assumed Owens remained in hiding, secreted somewhere within Berralton’s Prime
complex. Without the Controllers to interfere, the Sanctum’s portal should be
accessible. The force-field protecting it shut down. He was confident the Prime
would be breached within a relatively short time. An army unit was readying a
search squad.

On
gaining entry, they could then begin the search for the Outsider in earnest. He
hoped they would be able to capture the cursed man alive.  A live
execution of the one who could be blamed for the recent catastrophic events
might help allay some of the smoldering emotions of the populace.

Still,
he must do his part. The people needed the reassurance their Grand Patriarch
would lead them forward, back into the Light, the Light of the Way. He entered
the Reception Room. From there he would access the Sanctum and activate the
planet-wide and inter-planet communications systems. He cleared his throat, on
the verge of giving the verbal command codes for access into the Sanctum, when
he was startled by a gravelly voice.

*I
really hate to interrupt, but I’m afraid that some changes are going to have be
made to your grandiose plans, actually you’ll have to scrap them entirely.*

With
a sudden feeling of dread, he sputtered, “What is the meaning of this
intrusion? Who is this? Controller?”

*I
prefer to be called Hec, but I suppose you could say I control the Primes.
 
And as such, I have a certain amount of power
to influence the way in which Golstar will recover. I have been tasked to exert
that power. So, before you step down as His Most Inflatedness, there are a
whole lot of changes that first have to be implemented. You got something to
take notes with? Of course, I’ll provide a written and aural transcript, but I
have always found that it’s easier to remember when you personally take notes,
don’t you? Now make yourself comfortable, this could take some time.*

● ● ●

Back
in the Trah-tang quarters, Owens sat on a plush cushion at the low table with
Sharné nestled beside him. He smiled, remembering Hec’s voice when he had sat
up after hitting his head on the corridor’s floor.

*Damn,
Boss. You should have rammed it with your head. That would surely have stopped
the bot for good.*

“Hec,
it’s good to hear your voice, but I see your sense of humor still hasn’t
improved. I take it you’re back and in one piece. What’s your status?”

*Happily,
I have more than just survived. I've gained control over the Primes. This and
its brother Controllers are no more.
*

In
spite of his splitting headache, Owens asked, “The Controller was actually
bragging. It thought it had you cornered.
 
Just how did you manage to overcome it? It sure seemed you were on the
ropes, ready to go down for the final count.”

*Can’t
take all the credit. I
was
on my last legs when someone from the surface
launched a damned virus. It was a very nasty little bug. Good thing I was
isolated from the core memory stacks or yours truly would have gone the way of the
dinosaur. I managed to stop the damage before the auxiliary and peripheral
stacks were affected. As it was, the virus pretty much gave the Controllers a
total frontal lobotomy. I’m still processing the software peripheral
interfaces. In a few hours, I should be able to do just about anything the
Controllers could do.*

Owens
felt a slight twinge of anxiety, “So, what’s next?”

*That’s
why I’m here, figuratively speaking anyway. But first, let’s get you two into
more comfortable surroundings.*

They abruptly
found themselves back in the Trah-tang living quarters. Obviously, Hec now had
control of the transport system. Owens heard the familiar sound of the
waterfall.

*Now
Boss, why don’t you sit down before you fall down?*

 Owens
gingerly sat down on one of the flat stones near the pool.

*Okay,
now on to you Sharné. You already know there are a whole lot of things screwed
up on the inhabited planets. The damage caused by the Controller’s rampage goes
without saying, but the long-term problems caused by your own government, in my
opinion, should be addressed as well.*

“I
cannot disagree with your assessment,” she said carefully and wondered where
Hec was leading.
From his new position of power, was he getting ready to
announce he was going to assume complete control over Golstar’s fate?
 

*As
it looks like I’m going to be stuck here permanently, I’ll act as the
Controller’s forebrain from now on.*
Hec
paused.
*Hey Sharné, I can see that worried look on your face. I know it’s not
my call. I’m not about to do anything without your guidance. In this new role
I’ve taken on, with apologies to Owens, you’re now my new boss.*

“No
need to apologize, Hec,” Owens grinned. “It’s high time Sharné experiences what
it’s like to work with you.”

*Uh,
thanks… I think. So Sharné, as you are now the boss, where do we start? What is
it you want me to do first?*

Sharné
was relieved and pleased by Hec’s words.
 
“My trust in you was not misplaced. Thank you, Hec; first, for what you
have achieved in overcoming the Controllers and second, for the critical role
you will play in Golstar’s future. As it happens, I
have
given a lot of
thought to changes I might affect were I in a position to do so.” She looked
over at Owens, “You are not off the hook either, Owens.
 
You must also contribute. As the sole
representative of Confederated Planets, your counsel is mandatory.”

He
grinned and said, “Yes ma’am.” And then, for the next ten hours, Sharné
outlined her ideas, and the three of them discussed what needed to be
done.
 
As a result, it was decided that a
figurehead would be named to head an interim government. Sharné, as a member of
one of the founding families, wouldn’t likely be welcome once the population
came to know the truth behind the premise of their civilization. Nevertheless,
through Hec, she would provide guidance until the effects of the control orbs
wore off, and reasonable minds could be enlisted in the true rebuilding of
Golstar’s society, eventually leading to free elections. Out of necessity, much
the existing bureaucracy would remain in place, at least for the time being,
but the influence of the ruling families would be immediately removed. They
could not be allowed to regain any of their former power.

More
time was taken up with discussion about Confederated Planets’ involvement in
the future of Golstar. If Golstar was to survive, then its isolationism would
have to end. Only Confederated Planets had the resources Golstar desperately
needed to rebuild its population. The damage to human DNA caused by the
long-term exposure to the control orbs required genetic expertise that was way
beyond the capability of Golstar’s shrunken scientific community. Of equal
concern were the psychological consequences of the prolonged mind control.
Corps of psychologists and social scientists would be required as well. But to
minimize the risk of being overwhelmed by the monolithic galactic civilization,
Golstar’s automated defenses would be repaired and redeployed. Access to the
vulnerable citizens of Golstar would be carefully managed for the near future.

In
exchange for Confederated Planets’ aid, formal embassies would be established.
Negotiations for trade and exchanges of scientific knowledge would begin in
earnest. Much of the Trah-tang’s scientific achievements had been ignored by
the founding families. The advances in physics and other hard sciences went far
beyond their limited use by Golstar for military purposes.
 
There would be much to be gained by both
Golstar and Confederated Planets.

Hours
had gone by and Hec’s gruff voice now brought them back to the present.
*Well,
Sharné, I just gave our message to the acting Grand Patriarch, and he wasn’t
particularly happy. He vehemently resisted and threatened all sorts of
retaliation. So I sent a Sentinel straight into the palace, bringing it
face-to-face with the old boy and he still refused. Finally, I opened the
weapons' ports on the Sentinel and he saw the light, no pun intended.
 
When I described the planned changes in more
detail, I almost had to restrain him. But as I explained to him, he has no real
choice in the matter.*

She
stood and stretched. “When will he begin the first announcements?”

*
Within
the hour. He’s well aware he’ll be cut off before he can go off script should
he think to try.*

She
started to pace,
“What is the status of the repairs?”

*Most
of the easy stuff is done. The Trah-tang reactors that were powered down have
all been restarted. For those that were in the process of being dismantled,
their rebuilding will commence once the initial announcement is made, so people
shouldn’t be surprised or frightened by the appearance of my mechanical techs.
The plants that were shut down because of a lack of maintenance are lowest on
the priority list and will be the last to be resurrected. The solar generation
plants located in the deserts used human-based technology and were left
untouched. All total, we’re at about thirty percent capacity, but owing to your
relatively small populations, almost ninety-five percent of our people now have
power.*

Sharné
was pleased to hear Hec’s reference to, “our people.”

*It’s
pretty much the same story with the other pieces of the infrastructure. Most of
the transportation is back in-service, but again, those lines that were shut
down because of repair issues will have to wait. Currently, my little robot
buddies are in position to resurrect all damaged medical facilities, government
and commerce centers.*

*I’ve
restarted all the Primes’ manufacturing plants. By the end of the week,
replacements for what was lost over the last couple of centuries will begin to
reenter the supply lines. After that, my mechanical techs will begin the
rebuild in earnest.*