The BridgeBook IV: To Qwell the Tideby euhal allen |
Table of Contents Chapter 4, part 1 appears in this issue. |
Chapter 4: Surprise, Surprisepart 2 of 3 |
“Yes, Ka’Tia Shapirov, former Grand Minister of the Galactic Council is not only of human origin but, through circumstances and growth, has, with her partner Cyrnon, become Qwell’Na, and for the first time in the history of the Tunnel Worlds, we will also have representatives to this body.”
The applause began in a far corner along with the comments that it was about time that the Qwell’Na took a full part in the assembly instead of just supplying the Diet Secretary and a bureaucracy to carry out its decisions. Then, amid the comments, came the demand for the Ambassador from the Qwell’Na to speak to them again.
Ka’Tia was called forth to the vid-projector and the members grew silent, awaiting her words.
“Fellow Ambassadors, not until this moment did we, Cyrnon, (It is going to take me awhile to get used to his new Qwell’Na name!) realize that we have this appointment. Yet what can we do, but accept it. We are Family, and being Family means having obligations.
“It is certainly a new thing for Cyrnon to be family, he being of Cyber origin. It is almost as new for me. It has been many years since I was a little girl and had Family. Since then the family I had was submerged into one cause after another in hopes of saving my people. And as much as I loved them, it seems that, always, the fate of my people came first. In essence I lost them to duty.
“The Qwell’Na, since they know about such losses, have taught me what I have lost in pursuit of my duty to my people. In doing so they have become Family to me. We represent our new people with pride.
“However, this body has work to do that is more important than listening to an old woman talk, so, I yield the floor to the Secretary of the Diet.”
After the thunderous applause quieted down, the Secretary to the Diet spoke again, “It is our thought that we not only introduce the Grand Minister of the Galactic Council to our existence, but that we introduce our existence to the entire Galactic Council.
“In most cases a slow and careful introduction of a startlingly new thing is best, but we Qwell’Na, having worked with the Galactic Council for generations, feel that something more startling is in order if it is to work.
“Only if we introduce ourselves en masse will we achieve the second surprise and shock within a short time that will have the effect great enough to make the Galactic Council set up and listen to what we have to say. The first surprise and shock is now being prepared for the Galactic Council by the ‘Mutineers’ on Starhell. The second shock would come immediately after the first shock has had time to have its effect.
“We only need your permission, fellow Ambassadors, to change the future of the galaxy.”
And because it was endorsed by the Qwell’Na, who were usually right, the permission was given.
* * *
All in mere nanoseconds, the great computer awoke from its sleep and, after checking the records of the passive sensors recorded, “Our star still sings not,” and returned to its dormant state.
* * *
The people of the Galactic Council’s worlds watched as the Fleet came closer to the Starhell system center and Starhell itself. Media messages were broadcast to the people of Starhell asking for assurance that the Fleet was welcomed, as they came in peace. Care was taken that all weapons were down and no threat could be perceived by the inhabitants of the planet.
There was no reply from Starhell as it continued in the final stages of its project. A project that, now that the Fleet was assuring Starhell that there was no danger from it, only a peaceful exchange of information, was becoming unpopular with some of Starhell’s’ people.
To the surprise of the new Fleet Commander, and the incredulity of the Fleet officers and men, orders were received to offer the rescinding of the order to englobe Earth; upon cessation, Starhell and Earth would join the Galactic Council as full members. The Fleet looked at those orders as a full surrender and a disgrace of their service.
But they had learned the reward for disobeying orders and so they sent that information to Starhell also.
On Starhell, the Oversight committee was besieged with questions as to why they did not accept these offers and cease work on the power grid and field generating equipment. They satisfied those who asked by simply saying that if the equipment was fully functional and the offer was actually a hoax to get them to relax their efforts they could still carry out their planned defense.
The actual reason was the visit of Ka’Tia to the Oversight Committee just before the Fleet made these offers. “You must finish the equipment installations. You must be ready to go through with the complete operation when the time is right. It is truly a matter of safety for the whole galaxy, our people, the Tunnel Worlds’ peoples, and the peoples of the Galactic Council.
“Should you choose to not go through with the planned defense there will never be another chance like this to assure peace and prosperity in the galaxy.”
Then she did something she had not done in a long time, she sang. She was once again the Dream Singer of old, and she caressed their hearts with hope for the future. At the end of her song she disappeared from sight.
So, the work went on and the Fleet received no answer; and the Galactic Council received no answer; and the people of the Council worlds received no answer. Stress and tension built up to a high that was almost unbearable. Then it happened.
The great power grid turned on and began sending the power of the star it surrounded into the field generators around the planet and its moon. As the power built up the field around the system, and thus around the Fleet also, it began to interrupt the carrier beam to the capitol and the Council; the people of their worlds lost contact with the Fleet.
The minutes went by and the Ministers of the Galactic Council, especially those who were not in agreement with the decisions of the Grand Minister began talking of impeachment. Pages were sent to demand the presence of the Grand Minister in the Council chambers. Anger began to flare and the council started to become a mob of irrational beings.
It had been over an hour since the contact had been lost, and almost everyone was convinced that the Fleet had been lost. As the Grand Minister was hurried up the aisle to the podium, Ministers of various worlds ran out, trying to strike him. Only his bodyguards stopped them, and they did so because it was their job, not their wish. Kran Xhelsher, at that moment, was the most hated being in all of the worlds of the Galactic Council.
At the podium the Grand Minister just stood and watched, a seemingly cool and calm island in the midst of chaos. The Ministers, seeing his calm, began to wonder at their actions. How could this person be so calm after having seen the destruction of their Fleet?
Then the sound system crackled and the video connection began to reappear. Facing them was the shocked face of the new Commander of the Fleet. The first words he said were, “Bless you, Sir, for your orders. If we had attacked as our former Fleet Commander intended, we would all be dead. Your orders were right, I don’t know how, but they were right.”
The Grand Minister, heaving a big sigh of relief, said, “Calm yourself, Commander, and let the Council know what happened there.”
“I shall do more than that, Sir, I shall show you.”
The scene switched from the Commander’s face and showed, once again the Starhell system. Once again the great power grid came to life before the Ministers of the Galactic Council and they saw the flow of power, greats bolts of light and energy, enter the area of the three satellites and divide towards each one.
They saw a field of unimaginable energy form around Starhell and its moon. They saw what appeared to be an opening in the field and they could see another star system on the other side.
They heard the Minister from New Earth break the silence in the room when she said, “Sol, that’s Sol !”
Then they saw the planet and its moon, the great field and the power grid itself, disappear from the system and emptiness take their place. And then they were frightened, as they understood as they had never understood before, the power of those they had condemned.
* * *
In the great Diet chambers of the Tunnel Worlds, the Ambassadors, too, were shocked as they watched the power that allowed the people of Starhell to move their planet as if it were just another ship making a scheduled Journey.
The Secretary of the Diet, in words of assurance, merely said, “Even though you have never seen such a thing, you have been told of this happening once before. You remember that we Qwell’Na were forced, before we decided to destroy the Skeltz, to move our planet to a place that the Skeltz did not know.
“What you have seen today is merely the application of that technology by another people, and it was done with our help.”
* * *
George was a nervous wreck. He had calculated everything carefully, as had all his assistants. On paper everything had checked out, but everyone knew that ‘on paper’ was not a guarantee that in reality disaster would not occur.
Soon reports started coming in giving the position, speed and tilt of Starhell in relationship to the sun. Shocked, he checked the figures again and again, not believing them; not able to believe them; knowing how implausible that they had done exactly what Charlie had wanted them to do. The power of the grid had held steady and the planet was set right where it was supposed to be, in the orbit is was supposed to have and angled towards the sun the way it was supposed to be.
Finally he opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a piece of paper, Charlie’s letter to him and the Oversight Committee. George looked at the paragraph that had started this whole project:
“There used to be stories,” it read, “of another Earth in the exact opposite orbit of Earth. The two planets swung around the sun with that same sun always between them. I always liked that story and wondered what those people on that other planet were doing. Then came space programs and proof that there was no other planet on the other side of the sun. It always saddened me that the old tale was just that, an old tale.
“Seems to me that if you could build a Door big enough you could put Starhell in an orbit like that, under the protection of the force globe. Just think what we could do with two Earths, (maybe three if we worked real hard on Mars like we did on Starhell,) in making a haven for our people, a safe harbor from which to sail the galaxy.
“I’m going to my cabin in Alaska to see the stars come out again and then I am coming back and bug George until he figures out how to do this.”
“Well, Charlie,” thought George, “we did it. We did what you wanted and the disruptions in the system are minimal. And Charlie, you didn’t have to bug me to do it, you had friends to do it for you.”
* * *
The Oversight Committee had practically worn paths pacing the floor of the Committee Room waiting for the reports to come in. They knew better than to use the com equipment to bother George while he was hunkering over figures and charts, so they gnawed their fingers and paced the floor.
Finally, just as they were about to give in and call George anyway, there was a knock on the door. It opened and George walked in. One look at his face told them that if everything was not perfect it was almost so.
Olga, being her ornery self, yelled at George for taking so long to tell them and then called out for donuts and coffee to settle everyone’s nerves and fill stomachs that, until now, had been too nervous to fill.
Soon word went out to all the population of Starhell that the planet was where it should be and that Doors to Earth, via substations on Mars, would be set up within hours. (Doors were safe almost everywhere, but engineers felt better, as did carrier beams, if they were not sent straight through suns.) Word sent to Earth, also via stations on Mars, soon set that population at ease about their friends. Celebrations started there, also.
Next the populations of both planets were given a chance to rename Starhell since it hardly resembled the cold frozen waste it once was. The choice was simple. Knowing the affects that a simple old man from Alaska had on the whole process of making the planet what it was and, with Charlie’s last letter published for all to see, the planet soon bore the name of Charleshaven.
That accomplished, the Oversight Committee, its work done, began the process of creating a system government, following guidelines given them by the Qwell’Na and approved by the populations of the system.
While that was happening, the Oversight Committee, with approval from the populations of the system, and at the urging of the Tunnel Worlds’ Diet, wrote and forwarded a letter to the Galactic Council acknowledging the peaceful actions of the Galactic Fleet and accepting the conditions of entry to the Galactic Council.
* * *
Ka’Tia, looking at how things had turned out, found herself once again faced with her son and daughter. With Earth and Charleshaven, and plans for Mars, joining together it was thought, again with encouragement from the Diet, that it would be better for the Solar Union to be represented in the Tunnel Worlds by current residents of those worlds. So now Olga and Sean Shapirov, (Olga had retaken her maiden name because of its stature,) were Ambassadors to the Tunnel Worlds.
Ka’Tia would guide them until they had mastered the precepts of the Qwom-Sor Manuals, but, because of the recent situations, it was felt that new Ministers could represent and speak for their governments while they learned the Manuals, if another Minister, one who had mastered the Manuals, would be their sponsor and mentor.
Looking at the wall opposite her place in the Diet chambers, Olga saw, In a world of sand, glass can be made, and pondered over the power of that statement as well as its meaning. “Here, in this very room,” she said to her brother, “are worlds the Galactic Council thought of as worthless, sand so to speak, and cut them off. Yet, in the civilization that was built here, with the help of the Qwell’Na, glass, priceless in its beauty and form, was really made.”
“I think,” replied Sean, “that glass is still being made.” Then, turning to Ka’Tia, he continued, “And you know what? I think that you, Mother, like always, have become one of the glass makers.”
“Yes,” answered Olga, “and we, as we always have, will have to live up to your standards. I’m not sure that’s possible any more. Alexei used to calm you down; slow you down. Nothing does that any more.”
“Alexei has been gone a long time. I still miss him. But we had a dream together. The dream is still there, and I’m still pursuing it.
“But enough of this talk. You will be introduced to the Diet this morning and you both will have to say a few words. You might want to be getting them ready.” Then she walked off in that strange cyber walk that looked like she was sauntering but covered ground so quickly that, in an unbelievably short time, she was across the chamber and joining Cyrnon in conversation with another group of Ambassadors.
Copyright © 2005 by euhal allen
