Chapter 22
Mervyn watched a copse of Ureg trees shuffling away across the valley, they disliked the noise of the crowd. He could see where they had churned up the ground round the amphitheatre earlier in the day as officials set up the ceremony. The grey dawn had unfolded into a gloriously sunny day -- the vagaries of weather still surprised him. He would have to get used to it: Lord De Monsero’s occupation of the mining asteroids meant Pershwin would be his new home. Despite every urging of the Patriarch, Lord De Monsero refused to yield, ‘The situation precludes an early return of civilians.’ The asteroids were hideously booby-trapped reports said -- especially Starlight -- though Mervyn had seen no sign of this during the rescue mission. He suspected De Monsero just wanted to keep the Helium3 profits for himself.
The Republican President, Al-Zak-Uilin, was presenting to Guthrik, first President of New Earth. He handed over deeds of title for the planet, a membership charter for entry to the Republic, and thanked the Humans for saving Zetalona. All four of his arms appeared full at the same time. Guthrik, resplendent in the uniform of a Republican General, bowed low and received the honours on behalf of the Human race. News of the human homeland had spread like a neutron burst throughout the galaxy -- helped by Guthrik’s promise of a plot of land and employment for each newly arrived individual or family. Hundreds of escaped human slaves arrived almost daily. Enterprising Silvins had set up a shuttle service from the spaceports of major planets to carry the influx -- Mervyn could see a group of them clustered on a grassy knoll downwind of the ceremony. Miners -- refugees from the old Mining Federation now worked Pershwin’s Helium3 mine on a proper commercial basis. He had no idea there were so many humans in the galaxy -- virtually all third generation or more descendants of those originally snatched from their home planet -- the ever-elusive Earth.
Aurora balanced on tiptoe at Mervyn’s side to get a better look at the ceremony, her leg fully healed, ‘I can see my Uncle.’ She pointed to a flock of platforms hovering above the green rolling grass accommodated the senators and officials from the Republic of Free Nations.
‘Hey, is that your Father with the Patriarch, Tarun?’ Mervyn asked.
‘Yes, he’s become an advisor to the Patriarch. De Monsero withdrew his objections after the Patriarch told him about the spybot -- especially the coincidence with the passwords. At least something good has come out of this for Ethrigia.’ At the Patriarch’s other side stood the ever-present skeletal form of Lord De Monsero, but his acidic opinions were now balanced by the measured wisdom of Lord Tivolli.
Aurora laughed, ‘That and Ethrigia becoming a full member of the Republic. De Monsero had to tone down his opposition to avoid any suspicion he might have had a hand in the Naga’s plot. All my Uncle and Lord Tivolli had to do whenever De Monsero spoke out against the union was give him a suspicious look and he shut up.’
Loren grinned, ‘Your Uncle doesn’t have many advantages, Aurora, but he sure knows how to milk the ones that do come his way. At this rate he might even survive the next enclave. We’re going to have to watch out for De Monsero though, because he’ll be trying even harder to unseat your Uncle.’
Mervyn felt a surge of hatred for his enemy. De Monsero destroyed his home, killed his friends and murdered his neighbours -- sold his home as a reward for an even greater evil, and all to further his own lust for power. Even with the spybot there would have been scant proof of any link between De Monsero, the Naga, and the plot to destroy the Republic. Without it there was none. As Lord Tivolli said when they relayed their story to him, ‘No agreements signed, no money changed hands, and there is no record your spybot ever existed. I do not doubt that what you say is true, and I will watch Lord De Monsero’s every move with renewed interest, but without proof the Patriarch can do nothing.’ Actually, the Patriarch seemed to have achieved rather a lot, which was gratifying.
Mervyn searched the crowd of Academy students for the other object of his hate. Rufus De Monsero, as handsome as his father was skeletal, but alike in character. Mervyn spied him laughing and joking with his cronies. Just at that moment De Monsero glanced up and caught Mervyn watching him. The smile left his face, then, to Mervyn’s astonishment, De Monsero acknowledged him with a nod, before turning his back to share a new joke -- no doubt at someone else’s expense.
Aurora had seen it too, ‘Whatever else may have happened this year, Mervyn, Rufus De Monsero will never underestimate the Misfits again.’ They grinned childishly at each other.
‘Don’t kid yourself that he likes you,’ Loren warned, ‘if he respects you it just makes him twice as dangerous.’
The last semester of the year had been a good one for the Misfits. Hard work in their syndicate projects and end of semester exams had paid off handsomely -- they would be back next year. Mervyn recalled the fury on Rufus De Monsero’s face as Cage awarded the sledding league cup to the Misfits. Beating the Raiders, in new sleds, had been a synch compared with outrunning the Naga. And running the gamma jets of the neutron star made the obstacles Cage gave them to navigate look easy -- even without the advantage of biolinked controls. When Guthrik heard how Loren had doctored their sleds to outwit the Naga he made her repeat the exercise on one of his fighters. Now the entire Republican navy was refitting, and she was earning royalties on the design.
Mervyn felt a tug on his sleeve -- it was Rose. Since their return to Pershwin, now called New Earth, she had become an honoury Misfit.
‘Show me again, Mervyn,’ she demanded. Reluctantly, Mervyn produced the key hung round his neck on a chain. Guthrik had given an identical key to each of the Misfits in a private ceremony.
‘The Human race is eternally indebted to each of you,’ Guthrik had said as he presented each of them with a key to symbolise the freedom of the planet. ‘If there is anything you ever need, anything, just let me know.’
Mervyn looked around now at his friends and in the front rows of the audience his family -- all safe and well. He smiled, he had everything he could possibly think of right now, ‘Teach the Republic how to fight like humans,’ he had replied. Maybe now they would have a chance against the Centaph Swarm when it came their way.
‘Better than that,’ Guthrik had replied with a smile, ‘I am personally taking charge of the Republican Navy. This time next year it will be the most efficient fighting machine in the Galaxy.’
Loren looked bored with the proceedings, ‘When do we start the party?’
‘Party?’
‘The final semester of the year is over, and we beat De Monsero at sledding. That deserves a party.’ She offered her team-mates a high-five, ‘If you don’t like the game...’
‘Change the rules,’ they said in unison, and for a brief moment all four hands came together above their heads, then they headed off to the tumbledown farmhouse the Brights' had adopted as their home on New Earth.
The End
Coming soon
NINA SWIFT – GAIA’S BROOD
also by N J Travers: