After a pause she looked at me and continued.
“Your people have made incredible sacrifices and shown a dedication to your principals of independence that only those of us that have lived on your planet and gotten to know you would believe… but as great an effort as it was you still couldn’t keep the warning from getting out to Noridia.
“They’re coming major. And this time there will be no pretense; they will either declare you a protectorate or destroy your world—and they won’t even stop long enough to ask you which you prefer.”
“How can you be so sure?” Dr. Decker demanded.
“Because they’re out of options and out of time. Noridia has to make the Earth Problem go away now - before they attract anymore galactic attention. They will act first and then give apologies if necessary, but they will not allow formal evidence of their past transgressions to get out.
“We are still prepared to allow Earth the protection of Coridia. I know it’s not your ideal solution but it may be your only way out.
“Major, your society is in turmoil, your armies are defeated, and your enemies are on their way. Will you accept our hand of friendship? Will you accept a Coridian protectorship?”
Chapter 38
Dr. Mark Spencer
I felt stupid, uncomfortable, and more than a little foolish standing by myself in the middle of the Al-Drek Circle while my friends sat on the benches that were scattered around the perimeter.
I had walked to the middle of the pavilion and started speaking conversationally about our situation and need. That was twenty minutes ago.
I had started speaking louder and louder until I was shouting my demands for them to speak with me.
Semi and Ashima were now both standing, obviously concerned. I don’t know if they thought I was losing it or if they’d just never heard anyone address the Lower Houses so sharply—for all the good it was doing. I was still standing by myself talking into thin air; the only response the pleasant sound of an occasionally chirping bird.
I was tired and I was frustrated. I’d never asked to be put into this situation and I was feeling the unbearable weight of potential failure. I stood silent for the next five minutes just trying to organize my thoughts.
I suddenly felt the urge to hear Julie’s voice—I needed reminding of something I could count on, something that was pure and good.
I took the holorecording device that the major had given me from my pocket and sat it on the ground.
Her life-size image appeared and that sweet voice filled the clearing. It was just as I remembered it; at the end of the song her eyes found mine and locked. I knew the last few lines were meant for me and even though I was terrified I was letting her down I was also somehow buoyed by her faith in me.
The song ended and the image disappeared.
“That was beautiful,” said a voice from behind me.
I spun around to find the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen standing before me. Wavy blonde hair, classic bone structure, and my height… yes her features were perfect but her beauty was different than that of Jaki, or Semi, or Ashima. She was radiant.
Almost as if some invisible power was emanating from her; her glow wasn’t visual so much as it was felt.
I must have been standing dumbfounded because she laughed.
As the initial shock of seeing her was wearing off I was becoming more aware of my surroundings. Aware that Anzio was now standing up with what was probably the same stupid look I’d had plastered across his face. Aware that Semi and Ashima were now on their knees with their heads bowed. Aware that I could no longer hear the birds or any other forest sounds.
I’ve always prided myself on staying cool and collected in the face of the unexpected and I lived up to that now as I said, “You must be Malatina.”
With a wide smile she responded, “Yes, I am.”
She nodded at the holo device and said, “Is she a friend of yours?”
It was my turn to nod as I said, “Yes, and she… I mean we… all of us, we need your help.”
“Unless you are a perfect being Mark everyone needs help. May I call you Mark?”
“Yes, of course, but I mean that my people are in a dire situation and you could help us.”
“Yes, but we could help many different people, in many different places, at many different times. Are you more worthy of help than all the others?”
“Umm…” This wasn’t going the way I’d visualized it. She stood silent, politely awaiting my response.
“I think it depends on what you mean by worthy,” I finally said. “In some ways yes, in many ways no, but does it really matter if we’re slightly more worthy or slightly less worthy than someone else? Wouldn’t you want to help everyone?”
After a moment she said, “Mark, you appear to come from a primitive world. There are many things you do not understand.
“Know this… the Lower Houses live on a different plane of existence from your world. We have our own duties and responsibilities; we have our own worlds and systems. If we got involved with every problem of lower mankind we would never be able to tend to our own.
“So I ask you again, what makes you worthy of our time? What of value can you offer us for our efforts?”
Ok, now we were back on track to where I had visualized the conversation going. Oh, not exactly but I knew that dynasties had to contribute something unique and valuable in order to move up the galactic hierarchy and I’d figured it would be no different for us.
So I mentally crossed my fingers and played my gambit; the only possibility I’d been able to think of.
“Malatina, we give to you and all of galactic society a gift of beauty. We give you the gift of our music. You’ve heard but one song; know that our world is full of music and most every one of us appreciates and contributes in some way to our songs. Our musicians number in the hundreds of millions with every one of them creating their own unique beauty. We will leave it to you and others to consider its value, all I ask of you right here right now is to listen to our predicament and consider helping us.”
A long silence passed while she continued looking at me.
“Very well,” she finally said. “I will listen to what you have to say but we should move to better accommodations…”
Suddenly I was in a very different place. The transition was so unexpected that I nearly stumbled. It’s not that it made me physically dizzy, it was more like a natural response to a mental lurch—or at least that’s the best way I can explain it.
Because I’d spread my feet to catch my balance I found myself looking down at the incredibly intricate tile patterns that covered the entire floor. I was in an open-walled room made of stone and plaster that reminded me of an Italian mountaintop villa. Trellises with vines and colorful flowers were in full display and the view was breathtaking.
With the bulk of the villa behind me, I could see forested hills and gentile mountain slopes rolling away from me in three directions. If it wouldn’t have been for the oversized moon that was fully visible during the day I could easily have mistaken our location for a castle in the Italian Alps.
I also realized that I wasn’t alone; Malatina was nowhere in sight but Anzio had made the trip with me.
He must have felt a bit unsteady himself for he was lowering his long torso onto one of the many low-backed couches, sofas, and ottomans that adorned the open-air room.
I walked over and sat down beside him. Neither one of us said anything.
“Of all the wonders we’ve seen,” he finally said. “This one it is the first that is so far ahead of us to be magic, no?”