Shadows of Golstar (85 page)

The
weeks sped by, seemingly like days. Owens and Sharné’s love continued to
flower, their contentment bolstering them against the new stresses of repairing
Golstar’s decayed infrastructure and deep concerns regarding its people’s
damaged psyches. Though their working days were long, their time together and
growing intimacy eased their burden.

Hec
made steady progress in resurrecting the physical underpinnings of Berralton
and its sister planet, Dante. All the elements of the infrastructure that were
previously functioning before the Controllers’ attacks were now restored and
work was progressing on the restoration of the defense net. Other elements,
long broken down from lack of proper maintenance, were just beginning to be
replaced. Swarms of maintenance and construction robots were becoming quite
commonplace among the populace.

After
a few initial missteps, the bureaucratic machinery of the government was
functioning smoothly once more.  With the daily broadcasts from the office
of the Grand Patriarch, much of the general populace was beginning to
understand what was happening; their acceptance was another matter. It would
take many years before any real conciliation would be achieved. Understanding
their technical superiority was the result of the endowment of a long dead
alien race rather than through their own achievement, was still somewhere in
the future. Even so, the crimes committed by the ruling class were slowly coming
to light. As a result, the police and military forces were being kept busy in
dealing with sporadic demonstrations. Still, the daily updates on the
reconstruction provided in the media were helping to ease some of the unrest.

The
power of the founding families had been broken, and many were already on their
way to a remote location where they would spend their days in exile under the
watchful sensors of the Sentinels. As their crimes could not be forgiven, what
limited capability for procreation they still possessed would be suppressed,
and over time their lines would eventually end with this, the last
generation. 

Hec
was successful in reprogramming the control sphere protocols and the first step
in weaning the population from their mind-controlling influence had finally
been taken. The directive for blind obedience to the government was the first
to be eliminated. The artificial tranquilizing effects had also been reduced.
As a result, contact with Confederated Planets became more important. The long-term
psychological and social damage wrought by the mind control could not be
repaired simply by gradually turning off the control orbs, and just as
troubling was the quasi-religion of the Light of the Way. Using the orbs’
influence, it had been engrained in the minds and hearts of the populace for
generations. The separation of church and government did not exist in Golstar;
the Founder had seen to that. Owens was not entirely sure even the vast
resources of Confederated Planets would be sufficient to cope with multitude
and complexity of the ills inflicted upon Golstar’s population over the
centuries. He fervently hoped something could be done.

In
addition to repairing the minds and hearts of Golstar’s people, the sterility
problem also needed attention. While future generations would no longer suffer
from the orbs’ radiations and sound waves, the current populace needed to
become fruitful once more if Golstar was to survive. Once weaned from their
prolonged exposure to the orbs, the genetic damage would remain. The people
would still require treatment. Owens had assured Sharné that genetic sciences
were highly advanced in Confederated Planets and he had direct contacts with
some very large corporations that would leap at the opportunity to help. Of course,
it wouldn’t hurt that their prestige and reputations would benefit as well.

After
a lot of discussion, it was decided Sharné would act as the first Golstar
ambassador to Confederated Planets. Although a member of one of the founding
families, her innocence and role in breaking the grip of the ruling families
was broadcasted across the planets. Though not exactly achieving heroine
status, she was generally looked upon favorably by the populace. As the last
official act of the acting Grand Patriarch, Sharné would be formally appointed
to the diplomatic position, hopefully with little resistance.

Owens’
own role in ending the autocratic rule of the founding families would be kept a
close secret. The few people who knew of the Grand Patriarch’s plan, and of
Owens, were limited to select members of the founding families and some
military officers.
 
They already were
effectively isolated. Better the change was initiated seemingly from within,
rather than by a member of an outside agency, particularly from an old enemy.
Perhaps someday, long after Golstar’s society had been repaired, Owens’ role in
Golstar’s history could be finally revealed.

● ● ●

The
day of their departure from Golstar neared and Owens and Sharné were still
considering their transportation needs. A message had already gone out to
Confederated Planets weeks before, outlining the purpose of their upcoming
mission.

“I do
hesitate in taking one of the fleet battleships,” Sharné told Owens. “I do not
think it wise to arrive in a machine built for war when peace, trade and aid
are our true goals.”

Owens
nodded, “That makes sense, but on the other hand, your smaller ships aren’t
that impressive. They lack the distinction I think would be required for what’s
going to be a historic diplomatic mission. Even if Hec spruces one up, the
design is pretty old school and doesn’t measure up to Golstar’s past
technological reputation. Come to think of it, when compared to Confederated
Planets current class of military ships, neither do Golstar's battle wagons, if
the
Saber
was any example.”

“I am
afraid that it was. The story I gave you while we were back on the
Holmes
was a total fabrication. I am sorry to say the
Light
Saber
was a
typical example of the sad state of our battle fleet.”

He
smiled at her, “I kind of figured that was the case.”

“You
knew?”

“Yes,
I did. I figured you were acting on someone’s orders and it certainly wasn’t my
place to challenge a ranking member of Golstar’s government. Besides, it just
whetted my curiosity, made the mystery more tantalizing. No hard feelings?”

“None
taken, but I think it is I who should be asking
you
that question.”

“Speaking
of questions, we’re still not any closer in deciding what ship we’re going to take.
We need to decide fairly soon. You have any ideas, Hec?”

*Only
that you two need to take a break. You’ve been working almost non-stop for
weeks,*

“Well,
maybe we could use a short breather,” Owens began.

Then,
as if a sudden thought had struck, Hec said,
*Hey, I know what, a change of
scenery will do you both some good.*

Owens
and Sharné looked at each other in puzzlement, but before they could frame a
response, they were instantly transported to an observation platform. The
platform was dimly illuminated; there was only darkness beyond the guard rail.
Owens strained to see beyond the shadows, remembering a similar scenario he had
experienced with the Controller weeks before. The Trah-tang must have been very
fond of these platforms, he thought wryly. At Hec’s request, they closed their
eyes. Owens immediately began to fidget. “Come on Hec, when can we open our
eyes?”

*Okay,
okay, you can open them now.*

The
area they were in was now fully illuminated. Owens and Sharné looked out on a
large hanger-like enclosure. Owens was still amazed by the apparent lack of a
single visible support. Looking upwards, he wondered what in the hell kept the
gigantic roof from caving in? All of the Prime’s levels were similarly
constructed. Before he could pose the question to Hec, Sharné nudged him and he
redirected his gaze towards the ground. Neat rows of tan colored cylinders,
lying on their sides, filled the expansive floor. There were hundreds of them.
With no reference point, Owens couldn’t determine their size, but he had the
impression that they were huge. 

Sharné
spoke first, “Um, an interesting display, but what exactly are they?”

*Watch,*
Hec replied.

One
of the nearest cylinders began to rise, slowly rotating to present its flank to
them and then began to approach their platform. They could now see that its two
ends were rounded into perfect domes. As it neared, Owens began to make out
subtle variations in its coloring. What at first had appeared as a uniform
color, was now quickly resolving into definite striations of browns and tans.
It stopped about ten meters away from them. Owens had watched carefully as it
had approached and estimated its length to be somewhere around two hundred and
fifty meters and maybe forty meters in diameter.

In
spite of its size, it was easy to recognize. “Okay Hec, what’s the big deal?
I’ll grant you it’s the biggest one that I’ve ever seen, but it’s still just a
log.”

*Hah,
you're wrong, Owens. It’s not just any log.*

Sharné
nodded, “No. It is not just any log, and not from just any tree. I believe I
know... It is from Selane, is it not, Hec?”

*You
win the prize, Sharné.*

Owens
looked rueful, “Now how did I miss that? Those huge conifers, right? But I seem
to recall that Sharné told me they couldn’t be harvested.” He remembered the
slippery texture of their bark, almost frictionless, like he couldn’t actually
touch it. “So, this means the Trah-tang knew how to chop them down and mill
them. No offense Hec, it’s interesting and all, but what’s the big deal about
some unusual trees?”

*
Well
to begin with, the trees are more than just a little unusual. Their very
existence defies what we might call the laws of nature. Only
quantum
physicists will fully comprehend their true composition. The Trah-tang were
incredibly advanced in so many fields. It's a real shame Golstar ignored most
of them. Anyway, without going into a long and boring scientific explanation,
one that you probably wouldn’t
understand...*

“Hey,”
Owens said to Sharné. “I think we’ve just been insulted.”

“Hush,
go on, Hec.”

*Well,
let’s just say that
the trees
exist slightly out of phase with this dimensional plane. They actually manifest
themselves in more than one dimension and as such... *

“They
can’t be touched using conventional equipment, equipment from this single
dimension.” Owens finished.

*Okay,
you are smart after all. As I was saying, though they manifest in this
dimension, to over-simplify, they are slightly out of phase with this reality…
making them virtually indestructible. But the clever Trah-tang figured out how
to breach multiple dimensions simultaneously, allowing them to harvest and
successfully mill the trees. Even so, it takes the resources of an entire
manufacturing level just to convert one tree.  It takes over a year to
fabricate the end product. What you see here the total inventory. There are
over three hundred logs in this storage area.*

*They
have all undergone the initial stage of their processing. The real fabrication
takes place in another area on this level. To date, there are only about twenty
that have undergone the complete transformation. The Trah-tang succumbed before
they could complete the transformation of this existing stockpile.*

Sharné
asked, “What could be so valuable that the Trah-tang would expend such
resources?”

*Ah,
you’re getting closer to the surprise I cooked up. I’m now going to transport
you again so that you can see for yourself. You’re going to another facility on
the other side of Berralton.*

As
usual, without a sense of transition, they found themselves standing on yet
another platform. They were facing a strange-looking gantry that was centered
in a high-domed, cavernous building. Their surroundings were familiar. They
were in a covered maintenance hangar of what had to be a spaceport. Owens’ eyes
were drawn toward what rested in a nearby gantry’s cradle. He gaped openly at
the sight. He said, “I don’t believe it,” and started to laugh.

Sharné
looked at it in wonder. Her brow crinkled in concentration.
 
“It is a starship… a starship constructed of
wood?”

Mirthful
tears were beginning to roll down Owens cheeks. “I don’t believe it,” he
repeated.

*Ah,
you recognize it, do you
?
*

Owens
wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. Still chortling, he replied, “What
a joke, the Great Confederated Planets was brought to its knees by a wooden
ship!” He had immediately recognized its unusual shape. Here, at last, was the
invulnerable, enigmatic ship that had delivered Golstar’s terse ultimatum
centuries before.

*I
will have to give credit to that past ruler of Golstar. It was a stroke of
genius to use one of these ships. No conventional weapon could harm it and with
its alien design, it appeared to be almost supernatural.*