Origin Expedition Page 16

  “There should be an investigation,” Carmela said.

  Good, she’s drawing the conversation away from my family, Hek’Dara thought and sat back, pulling himself out of the view of everyone.

  “What kind of investigation?” Jackman asked.

  “Is there still a need for such an outdated concept such as slavery?”

  “Yet you keep your fair share of slaves yourself, Carmela,” Lucinda said.

  “I do – because there is no such thing as free enterprise anymore. The low-born borrow from us and struggle to pay us back, but at an interest rate far exceeding their income. Their small businesses are stagnating, and they have no hope of becoming a high-born. They just don’t know it, but the low-born are slaves of a different kind.”

  “The low-born are just leeches. They made it into orbit three hundred years ago and they haven’t left. They’re like an infestation of roaches we can’t get rid of,” Warner Cromwell said. His sinus congested, he hacked and snorted and sniffed his way through the meeting. “I have said many times before, that we breed way too many slaves. Why do we need so many? Most of the facilities should be shut down and dismantled. According to my calculations the number of slaves has grown exponentially. Like Jackman… I’d like to know where they’ve all gone?”

  Havashaw Orlander leaned into the table. “We Orlanders have kept security for more than a hundred years. Security of the breeding camps should be in our complete control. Yet the Lady Moyah Everhart holds that power. She should be held accountable and make a report of the breeding facilities here in front of the Union…”

  “That can wait,” Carmela Anders said cutting off Havashaw. “The slaves chanced an uprising last night. This needs to be addressed.”

  Warner snorted and said, “The hell it does. We’re not here because a few slaves stood with fists in the air… we are here because someone destroyed the Dalnaspidal complex. There should be concessions.”

  Lucinda laughed and drew everyone to her. In a purr, she said, “Let’s just put it all out on the table, shall we? We are gathered here because we believe one of us is behind the destruction of the complex and the slaves’ display of defiance last night. I agree with Jackman. The slaves need us… they need us just like we need them. But, what happened at Dalnaspidal cannot be overlooked.”

  “I wondered how long it would be before you allied yourself with our youngest member Lucinda,” Carmela said. She brushed her ginger hair off of her face. “Has she tried to molest you yet, Jackman? She’s tried and succeeded with more men than she has failed.”

  “A woman uses what she has been given,” Lucinda replied and pointed at Carmela’s large impressive breasts. “Don’t tell me you haven’t used those to get your way with people?”

  “Enough of this, both of you,” Iris said.

  “My point is,” Carmela said. “The slaves are becoming organized again like they did during the last uprising. This time they are more organized than before. Blowing up one of our complexes is proof of that. Sooner or later they will revolt.”

  “And you think they are so organized to pull off a terrorist act like last night?” Brandon Hyguard asked.

  “Yes,” Carmela replied with absolution in her voice. “Think about what they do for us. They pilot our supply ships, work in our processing plants. Sometimes they teach our children. They’ve been gathering the means to pull off something like this for a long time. It’s just a matter of time before they decide they’ll destroy everything we’ve worked for.”

  Havashaw cleared his throat and spoke up. “That’s why the Watchtower and the ORACLE system are in place. They wouldn’t dare move against the hand that feeds them, unless one of those hands is helping them.”

  The room went quiet. Hek’Dara dared to look into the steely gaze of Havashaw Orlander. The broad shoulders and square jaw of the security agent fixed on him. The Orlander’s militaristic black and white trim attire commanded authority. Earth kept no army, had no defense, but the Orlanders strong belief in order and discipline embodied the deep-rooted sentiment that eventually destroyed the old Earth civilization. Hek’Dara looked away from Havashaw and collected his thoughts until…

  “And what of the Lady Moyah Everhart? How does the family Everhart feel about the events of the last few hours?” Iris asked.

  All eyes turned to a small, timid red-haired girl sitting by herself at the end of the long table. A note pad in her hand she stared back at the group of lords and ladies pursing her lips. A proxy for the Lady Moyah Everhart, she never spoke to anyone in the Union, not a hello or a goodbye, nothing. The only words she ever spoke – in a soft timorous voice – were, “The Lady Everhart abstains.”

  Moyah Everhart was as big a mystery as the disappearance of the first wormhole ship, the Cosmos. No one in their lifetime saw or heard from her except through her proxy. Even her age had been the focus of many debates. A prominent member of the Nine, the Everhart’s never voted on anything, which Hek’Dara often wondered why they even bothered sending the red-haired proxy.

  Iris cleared her throat and drew everyone’s eyes back to her. “What about you Hek’Dara?” she asked. “We haven’t heard from you.”

  Hek’Dara knew before long they would come around to him. The valid argument of a second slave uprising chilled his blood. If the slaves decided to rebel what would become of the high-born? Most of the upper class didn’t know how to wipe their own asses, let alone fight off an uprising.

  “Isn’t he the reason we are here?” Warner Cromwell snorted.

  “What do you mean?” Hek’Dara asked. All eyes in the room fell on him.

  “It’s no lie, your daughter is sympathetic to the slave’s rights. She’s spoke out many times against their treatment. She is a disgrace to your family.”

  “Perhaps you will allow me to judge my own family, Warner and you do the same for yours. How is your granddaughter?” Hek’Dara asked. He saw the shame cut across Warner’s weathered face. His granddaughter, Avon, the product of a nameless slave forever apart of the Cromwell family, a hush, hush situation that whispered in secrecy, until now. Still Hek’Dara gave the old man credit since he allowed the child to remain with her mother on the family platform.

  Iris Lexor cleared her throat again and brought attention in the room back to her. “I’m afraid I have to agree with the others in the room, Hek’Dara. Your daughter must be investigated to see if she had anything to do with last night.”

  “At one time Iris, the word of a Tannador was all it took to clear my family of any wrong doing,” Hek’Dara said.

  “Times are changing,” Jackman spoke up. “The people want answers. They no longer trust us. As much as we hate to admit it, we need the low-born as much as they need us. They look at us for answers, and when we fail to provide it they lose confidence in the way we govern. It’s time for a younger approach.”

  “Led by you, no doubt?” Carmela asked with a hardened voice.

  “This is not the time or the place for this discussion,” Warner said and looked back to Hek’Dara. “I want you to tell me that your daughter had nothing to do with what happen last night.”

  Hek’Dara believed his daughter when she told him she had nothing to do with the previous night’s sedition. Convincing the members of the Union would be another thing. He leveled his voice, said, “I can assure you that Da’Mira had nothing to do with what happened. She swore it to me herself.”

  An unnerving hush came over the meeting hall. Hek’Dara saw the mistrust on everyone’s faces. He didn’t even believe his own words. Da’Mira pledged to him, but how many times did she lie before? How many times did she go behind his back? It seemed like even after her stunt at the breeding facility he’d been learning more and more about her involvement in the free slave movement. Then he wondered if she and Avery Lexor had conspired with one another? He tried to convince himself otherwise.

  “Can we question Da’Mira?” Iris Lexor asked with a raised brow. “I’m sure if you brought her here before us
we could clear up this matter in no time.”

  Hek’Dara heard the distrust in the old woman’s voice. In Iris’ lifetime she’d condemned high-born family members to exile with success. He looked down the table at Carmela Anders. Her sister exiled by the Union for forging papers and giving slaves freedom, replacing their slave status as if it never existed. Hek’Dara found no reason to deny expulsion of Carmela’s sister to a low-born community. Even then he regretted his vote but knew he couldn’t be seen as weak. Not then and not now.

  Though exile was not a common practice he felt his decision to get Da’Mira away from Earth a wise choice. Hek’Dara cleared his throat, and said, “Da’Mira left early this morning on Requiem, for a new survey mission. She will be gone for eighteen months.” Long enough, Hek’Dara hoped for tensions to calm down.

  “That just proves her guilt,” Lucinda said. She sat back in her seat and scowled.

  Carmela chuckled. A wide grin engulfed her mouth.

  “I call for sanctions against the family Tannador,” Jackman said, his tender voice became rugged.

  Hek’Dara looked at the upstart. Indignant, he lashed out, “Sanctions! Sanctions! Against a Tannador? Unbelievable!”

  “Hek’Dara is right. How do you sanction the family who provides the food for the entire Earth?” Carmela asked in a supportive voice.

  Jackman stood. “I’m not saying his daughter was the instigator of last night’s fiasco. But Hek’Dara knew Da’Mira would be called here. I agree with the family Xavier. She’s guilty because she fled.”

  Hek’Dara tightened his jaw and narrowed his hazel eyes. “You and the family Xavier are slandering my family’s name and reputation Mister Pike. I dare any of you to soil my reputation as a member of this union. How dare you all.” He stood and pointed at each member. “How do any of you have proof my daughter is behind this? Proof she is guilty?”

  “Hek’Dara, sit down.”

  Hek’Dara looked at Iris. His blood boiling, he said in a deep angered voice, “You might be the queen of secrets Iris, but you are only one part of this union.”

  “I call for a vote,” Jackman said with stern voice and a point of the finger. “Since his daughter left the Earth. I therefore proclaim her guilty and because of that guilt the family Tannador is in disgrace and should lose their harvesting rights.”

  Hek’Dara spun toward Jackman. He balled up his right hand into a fist and pointed the index finger of his left squarely at Jackman. “You have no right to call for such a vote! No one has! The Tannadors have been harvesting and feeding the people of Earth for three hundred years. There is no way I will relinquish such rights.”

  “I’m intrigued, Jackman,” Brandon Hyguard spoke up. “Who would take over those rights from the Tannadors?”

  Jackman squared his shoulders. “The family Pike will bid for the job. We might not be the wealthiest of the families, but we will be able to get the job done.”

  “Never!” Hek’Dara shouted.

  “Second,” Havashaw Orlander said.

  “Hek’Dara, a second has been called,” Iris said in a quiet tone. “You must leave the room so, we might vote.”

  “I know the rules!” Hek’Dara lashed out. His ancestor signed the charter centuries ago. He had no other choice. He had to follow the rules. He cleared his throat and said in a calm tone, “If you think I will allow three hundred years of tradition to be torn down by what happens today you are terribly mistaken.” The eyes of the Union members bore into him, as Hek’Dara stormed out of the chamber in a fury of grunts and growls. Shouts of disapproval came from inside the room protesting Hek’Dara’s actions, before the steward closed the chamber door. He took a deep breath, resting his arm on the wall – his heart hammered.

  Quinton approached, he placed a hand on Hek’Dara’s back, asked, “So, what about Da’Mira?”

  Hek’Dara led Quinton away from the steward at the door, said, “I’m waiting for them to discuss the matter while I wait here. They were upset over her leaving – but I still think it’s for the better.”

  “The slaves are becoming organized father. Sooner or later we will all have to face that.”

  “Now you sound like your sister.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment. They will revolt and when they do it will be the end of our way of life. We have to think about other alternatives.”

  “If you’re going to say colonization, don’t. I’ve been through that with Da’Mira. Population control is what keeps the high-born in power. We’ve never wanted to take the risk of colonies becoming too powerful and get delusions of coming back to mother Earth. We have no armies, nor do we want any. Besides each family having their own security force we’ve never needed more. Nor should we ever.”

  “Narrow thinking father.”

  “Now isn’t the time for this, son. Once we have cleared up this mess over last night, you and I will sit and talk about why our society works better this way. Until then we both have different problems.”

  “I’m sorry,” Quinton said. “I didn’t mean to lay my ideologies on you at a time like this. But someone has to be asking these questions or we are facing something more desperate than just an uprising of a few slaves.”

  Over Quinton’s shoulder, Hek’Dara saw the two elevator doors open at the end of the hall and Avery Lexor step out. He looked at his son, and said, “I promise we will talk as soon as we can.” He pushed his way past Quinton.

  Avery saw Hek’Dara approach and tried to get back in the elevator, but the doors swooshed closed before he could. The tall lean man tucked down his jacket placed a phony smile on his narrow face and walked toward Hek’Dara.

  Hek’Dara didn’t say a word. He never considered himself a violent man, but his emotions brewed long enough they took control of his actions. All his life he tried to solve problems with diplomatic solutions. When he grabbed Avery’s jacket into his fists and pulled the man in close to him, Hek’Dara didn’t know himself. “Did you have something to do with last night? Did you pull this stunt knowing that my daughter would be the top suspect?”

  Avery easily broke Hek’Dara’s hold and pushed him away. “Are you mad – don’t you know where we are? There are eyes everywhere on the Watchtower.”

  Hek’Dara’s brow knitted and with a low voice asked, “Did you have something to do with last night?”

  “You already have your mind made up that I did,” Avery replied, his voice also low. “Your daughter has had a history of going against the order of things. Are you sure she didn’t have something to do with this?”

  Hek’Dara cooled his temper. It would be a chore forcing Avery to admit any involvement and he didn’t have the time to waste. “My daughter is no saint, Avery, but she has something you don’t… sincerity. What happened last night is the start of something bigger. I can feel it coming. Do you even remember the words taught to you as a child? The power in the hands of many, equals power in the hands of the free…”

  “They are just words,” Avery said smugly.

  “Let’s just hope by the day’s end they don’t ring true.”

  “Lord Tannador,” the steward called from the chamber door. “You’re being asked to return to the meeting.”

  Hek’Dara gave Avery a long pittless stare before he turned back toward Union hall. He glanced at Quinton when he walked past him. He tucked on the collar of his long dark jacket and reentered the room.

  No one looked at Hek’Dara when he took his seat at the long silver table. He felt a different kind of energy in the room he couldn’t figure out. At first, he thought things went bad for him until he looked at Carmela Anders. She gave him a soft smile and a gentle nod. The Tannadors and the Anders never had a strong alliance. Carmela’s outspoken views against the cruel treatment of slavery equaled Da’Mira’s. But the debutantes views remained her own – or he always thought.

  Iris cleared her throat. “Brandon,” she said.

  Brandon Hyguard cleared his throat, said, “Hek’Dara the vote was in your
favor… with some exceptions.”

  “What kind of exceptions?” Hek’Dara directed his question to Iris.

  The old woman looked up. “For the foreseeable future all your facilities will be under the safeguard of Orlander security.”

  A lump caught in Hek’Dara’s throat and he forced out his next words in an abhorrent stutter, “Safeguard – that means occupation. For three hundred years the nine families have lived under the charter set down by our ancestors. No armies, no borders, no hostilities. They were tired of the wars, the constant endless deaths and by the time they acted the Earth was beyond repair. Our way of life might not be perfect, but we have lived in peace all this time. The only peace man has had since we crawled out of the ocean and learned to walk. Now you want to throw it all away… why?”

  Jackman Pike thumped the top of the table and said, “We need order. Your family has upset that order and we need to make sure you and your entire family know it will not be tolerated.”

  “You’ve all found my daughter guilty of a crime she had nothing to do with. Now you want to pass judgment by holding her entire family accountable? Outrageous! Now you are giving even more power to the Orlanders? Don’t you see what is happening? First, they were overseers of the breeding facilities, and then slowly they’ve subjugated that power into a security force for the Watchtower. Now they want to…” Hek’Dara paused and looked at Iris. “You do know what is happening here, don’t you?”

  “We need order,” Iris said.

  “At the price of turning us into a police state?” Hek’Dara stood from his seat and looked around the table at the other members. He pointed his finger at each person and warned, “They’ll come for you next. They’ll come for each one of you if you allow them to do this today. Remember our charter – no family is to have more than a security force. The Orlanders are building an army.”

  “Hek’Dara, sit back down,” Iris demanded.

  Hek’Dara squared his shoulders, narrowed his eyes and said, “The power in the hands of many, equals power in the hands of the free… You’ve weakened that here today.” Without another word Hek’Dara walked out of Union Hall assured that the future just became darker.