Here we begin Chapter One of the 2nd book in the Mists of Fate series. For those who've gotten hooked on the action in the last few chapters, this Chapter may seem a lot slower. Enjoy it while you can. It takes place eighty years after the end of The Wreckers. It will end several thousand years later. Because of this, there will be some chapters which begin several hundred or more years after the last one. I will try to make sure these jumps are as coherent as possible.
This story does have several gay main characters. If this offends you, go read your bible instead. There will also be incidents of violence and/or sexual situations. They are a part of the story. If you don't like them, don't read.
Once again, thanks to Ed for his work in editing this story!
Shapers' War Chapter 1 - To Serve and Protect
Once more, the Earth rose above the horizon of the moon. The gray surface of the moon provided a beautiful backdrop for the sight of a revitalized planet. Instead of the sickly brownish-green of the last eight decades, the Earth was once more blue. Billowy white clouds circled the globe, looking much like it once had.
Satisfaction at the sight ran through J'Stan, momentarily diverting him from the tangle of his thoughts. For the first time in days, his mind stopped racing and thoughts went silent, appreciating years and years of efforts in that one moment. He was so entranced sitting there, staring, he never felt the swirl of the moon's dirt as someone appeared behind him. He nearly jumped ten feet into the sky when the person's mental voice reached him.
'I see now why you come here so much,' Adam said.
'Yes, and until now, almost no one has bothered bugging me here,' J'Stan said, resentment in his mind's voice.
'I know you've taken your kids, even Alan, up here. It's not like you've kept it a great secret, or claimed it as a private retreat.'
'It's just that I wanted to be alone.'
'You always want to me alone for the past few weeks. What's got you so on edge? In the last eighty years we've been able to restore a lot of the planet. New Phoenix has tripled in size, and there are now ten other settlements, all pretty damn big. Alan's been Mayor for eighty years, you've been head of the Guardians just as long. Every damn cycle you both get elected every time with over eighty percent of the vote, even when you don't run. There hasn't been a serious crime beyond theft in over ten years, and we haven't seen hide or hair of Jheris' people. What's wrong?'
'Partly it's that everything's going too good. I don't remember ever being this comfortable. Then, there's the fact that eighty years have passed. None of us have aged physcially, except Alan. I'm going to miss him.'
As he listened to J'Stan, Adam moved forward, taking a moment to get used to the weird gravity. Both J'Stan and he were dressed in the brown pants and white shirts of the Guardians, but here in space, they were crisp instead of soft corduroy and cotton. Gently placing his hands on J'Stan's shoulders, he let comfort flow from him into the man he loved.
"We're all going to miss him when he leaves us. For some reason none of our efforts, even yours, seem to work in keeping him from aging. At least David took care of the cancer. That was forty years ago. Wasn't it you who told me that people move in and out of our lives all the time?'
'Adam, it's the same reason why I can never let you in, like you want. I had no choice with Alan, Tad, or Erica. They're family, my kids. I have to love them. But it's been eighty years and I just don't want to feel the pain again. The pain of real loss.' J'Stan's mind voice was barely a whisper.
'It's too late for that, love. You've been in denial about this for eighty years. I love you just as much now as I did then. I think you love me the same, even if you won't admit it to yourself. You're the only one making a fuss over the little deal. I don't care if I wait eighty years or eight hundred. My feelings for you won't change, ever. I'm not Curtis or Jason. I've been here for eighty years, and I'll be here for a lot more,' Adam sent, flavoring his thoughts with his feelings of love.
'There's more, but I don't want to lose you too,' J'Stan sent.
'You won't.'
'Yes, I will,' J'Stan retorted, knowing what would happen if he gave in, but feeling the desire, the longing surging up from some hidden wellspring deep inside.
Now, Adam leaned farther over, wrapping the man he loved in his arms. By all laws of physics, their bodies should have long since died from explosive decompression, or at least have been frozen stiff in the cold vacuum of space. They were neither. As their hot cheeks pressed together, side by side, the reflected light from earth set off the contrasts between J'Stan's golden blond hair and Adam's mane of jet-black hair. Passion flared in both their eyes at the close contact and J'Stan turned slightly, looking deep into Adam's face.
Adam didn't look any older than when they'd first met. He'd kept his body looking like it had that first day, young, innocent. The passion shining in the man's eyes, young in truth no longer, was tempered by long years of waiting. The desire, the longing for company, for sharing swelled to a crescendo inside him and he could hold back no longer.
He leaned forward a little bit, and finally pressed his lips against Adam's. The touch was lingering, sweet, and better than he ever had dreamed over the past decades. A low moan escaped his throat, and flicker of thought created atmosphere and warmth around them. Their clothes were quickly shed as the two started to explore each other in wordless passion.
J'Stan felt the walls around his mind, his soul start to crumble just from the feelings of Adam's hands exploring his body. The gentle, wonderful touch of their lips brought their minds closer together until their minds touched just as their bodies were, joining together. It had been close to a hundred years since someone had been this far into J'Stan's mind. It was over a hundred years since the parts of himself he shared with Curtis and Jason were ripped out by death.
A part of him that had been dead since that time filled with Adam's love like parched land receiving a gentle rain. His loneliness began to be assuaged, and the bonding between them became complete. As they made love, on the surface of the moon, J'Stan became joined once more with another living being.
It was afterwards, as they lay next to each other on the surface of the moon, legs wrapped together, that Adam explored the new bond, the new link between them. While J'Stan remembered how it had felt with Curtis and Jason, it was different with Adam. They'd been young, as he had been. Adam was older. Passion tempered by years of life. He enjoyed the once familiar aspect of looking at a memory that was not his own, but felt like it had been. It was of seven years ago, Alan's 90th birthday party. He never realized how dead his own eyes looked then, even though he was smiling.
He could feel Adam doing the same thing. Once more it was like one mind doing two things at the same time. Adam was remembering J'Stan's first meeting with Tad and Erica. He could feel the message of sympathy from Adam and the unspoken question of how could anyone stand that much pain. Gently, he nudged Adam out of that memory and reminded him that they should be getting back to New Phoenix soon. Assent traveled across the bond, and the two concentrated briefly, reappearing in the living room of J'Stan's home.
The laughter that suddenly filled the room at their appearance reminded them that they'd forgotten to put their clothes back on. The room was full of their extended family. Henry and David sat on a couch next to Tad and his lover Barry. Erica sat on a recliner, holding her latest adopted daughter in her lap. Alan sat on the other couch, his features a reminder of the youth he'd once had, but still lined by age. His wife of seventy years, Elen, sat next to him. Their kids, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren weren't here, which J'Stan was grateful for
He could see Adam blushing next to him, his upbringing had always made him somewhat modest. An even bigger surprise was that J'Stan could feel his own face growing red. He hadn't felt embarrassed by something like this in ages!
"Damn, looks like you win, David," Henry said after he'd gotten his laughter under control.
"Yeah!" Tad exclaimed. "Who'd have thought it IS possible to do it on the moon."
"Hey!" Elen added, "Watch out for these virginal ears, you whippersnappers."
Another bout of laughter filled the room as the new couple quickly disappeared into J'Stan's room. They quickly got on another set of uniforms and made their way back into the main room. Everyone appeared to be settling down for an evening of talking, a common occurrence over the last few decades.
The hours of the night passed by quickly as everyone talked about a wide variety of subjects. Adam made a hit by telling some stories from J'Stan's life...from his memories, and J'Stan did the same. As the night wore down, Alan and his wife left first, followed by Erica and her new daughter. Finally it was just J'Stan and Adam.
When they were alone, they passed the rest of the night, sitting on the couch, just reveling in each other's company. J'Stan couldn't help it, but feelings of guilt kept popping up, and he wondered when it was going to end. As the sky started lightening outside the window, his waiting was brought to an end when he felt Adam draw back mentally from him, and every muscle in the man's body tensed.
He turned to look in his old friend, and new lover's, eyes. The pain, and loathing that he saw there was what he expected. The bond between them roiled with Adam's emotions. Fear, pain, anger surged through the bond, and J'Stan waited for what would come.
"You bastard!" Adam hissed aloud. "You murdered my father! You've lied to us all this time. You're not bound by the Oath. How could you?"
"Love.."
"DON'T call me that!" Adam roared.
"Adam, you know those answers. You know them as well as I do."
"I know the reasons you gave, but...but how could you be so lacking in feelings? You barely felt guilty about it!"
"Adam, you're looking at it from the memory of eighty years. Time heals. At the time it was as strong as the love I feel for you."
"I can't accept that. I need to be alone." With that Adam was gone. J'Stan collapsed on the couch, crying.
Hours passed as sobs racked through J'Stan. It had seemed ages since he had cried like this, and he didn't know if he'd ever stop. Finally, though, they did come to an end. Just as quickly as he had disappeared, Adam reappeared, standing before the couch in the living room.
"Shhh," Adam whispered, bending down and taking J'Stan in his arms. "It's ok, love. I'm back."
"Wh...Why?" J'Stan croaked through a throat raw with pain.
"Because you were right," Adam whispered, running a free hand through J'Stan's hair as he manuevered them into a sitting position, still holding the man.
"What do you mean?" J'Stan asked, still not quite believing what he was hearing, and feeling through their bond. Suddenly, the part of the bond that was Adam surged, and he found himself remembering the events of a few hours before from Adam's perspective.
Adam was reveling in the joy of their new bond, exploring it, and J'Stan's memories all through the night. With each new experience he felt the love for J'Stan grow, and wondered at just how much he'd been through. Moments of happiness faded into moments of pain. The death of J'Stan's parents years before the Event. The death of his sister and her family, the first death of the twins, and their more damaging second deaths.
Yet, through all that the man had persevered. He was driven by a desire to help others, help those who could not fend for themselves. It was what had led him to the idea of forming the Guardians. A group of regular humans and the gifted, working together as a team. Not the separation that had been the norm before.
Then the memory had bubbled to the surface of that fateful encounter, eighty years ago. Jheris, leader of the Shapers on the other side of the planet, had taken over the body of a man who was a follower of Adam's father. In a prison cell in New Phoenix's first administration building, J'Stan had confronted Jheris. He had dismissed everyone except Father Morgan from the cell, had made the confrontation all but private.
Adam's own memories were of J'Stan walking out of the room with a shaken Hal Johnson, now free of Jheris' influence. He'd said Father Morgan had died helping to convince Jheris to leave this side of the planet alone. J'Stan had just left out the part of how Father Morgan had actually died.
The cold, unemotional state of J'Stan's mind as his hands took Father Morgan's neck in their grasp. The quick movement breaking the old man's neck. The sickening crack as the neck broke, all brought up horror inside Adam as he remembered it from the perspective the man who'd done it. The man who'd lied to him for eighty years.
He couldn't stand it, he had to leave. His short words came from the anger, the pain he was feeling. In that moment, he was no longer a ninety-five year old man, he was a fifteen year old boy who'd just lost his father. The feeling of betrayal was just too strong. A simple thought took him away.
He reappeared in a location he hadn't visited in ages. The sun had just started to come over the horizon, and people were moving, doing the morning chores. Neat gravestones stood before him, part of the small cemetery set up by his father's followers. On his right, his mother's. She had died forty years ago. On the left, was his father's. Sobs shook him as he let the grief wash over him. He never heard the footsteps behind him.
"What's wrong, Adam?" a gentle voice asked from behind.
Adam turned to look into the wizened face of Terrence Gilley. Father Gilley was the current leader of the Morganites, as they were now known. They had been the followers of Father Morgan, and had settled here, on the outskirts of New Phoenix over eighty years ago. Gilley had been a boy of six then, but he still remembered Adam, and Father Morgan.
"I needed to visit my father's grave, Father Gilley," Adam said, choking back the grief for a moment. "I miss him."
"We all do, Adam," Father Gilley said gently, sitting on the ground next to Adam. "You know, there are times I envy you people not growing old like the rest of us. But the price you pay just isn't worth it."
"There, I'd tend to agree with you," Adam said, beginning to resent this intrusion.
"You know, my father told me a lot about Father Morgan, beyond the few memories I had as a kid. He was truly a great man. At least he died the way he wanted to, saving a life instead of letting the cancer eat him up."
"WHAT?" Adam shouted.
"You, you didn't know?" Father Gilley asked, shock in his voice.
"Know WHAT?" Adam said stridently, every muscle in his body straining towards the man sitting next to him.
"Your, um, Father Morgan had cancer. It was shortly after we got here that David Baxter found it during that exam he gave everyone. Father Morgan refused treatment. He didn't believe letting your abilities being used to heal him was right. He let every member of the community choose for themselves, and we still do, but he chose not to. At the time he died, Mr. Baxter estimated he had a few months left," Father Gilley explained.
"Thank you, Gilley. That helps me with something. Thank you," Adam said.
"I'll leave you alone, then. Go with God, son," Father Gilley said, climbing to his feet with the help of an arm on Adam's shoulder. As the man walked away, Adam looked back to his father's grave, thinking once more about the memories of J'Stan. Hours passed by, and the sun was rising higher and higher. Finally, he accepted J'Stan's actions. The final deciding factor was the relief on his father's face that moment before he died. What Gilley had said was true, his father had died for others.
Having made peace with that, he opened up the part of himself he'd blocked, the part that was his bond with J'Stan. Pain filled him the moment he removed the block. Pain, fear, loss, and grief swelled inside him, barely lessened by the distance of a few dozen miles. His love was hurting, because of him. Guilt welled up in him and he returned to their home with a thought.
J'Stan returned to himself from Adam's memory with a mixture of feelings. The pain, the fear were still there, as was Adam's guilt. He looked in the eyes of his new lover, and old friend, and smiled slightly. "I love you," he finally said.
"And I you," Adam said, emphasizing it with a surge of the same emotion J'Stan felt.
"I should have showed you sooner, let you know," he whispered.
"Yes, you should have," Adam said gently. "But you didn't. It is in the past now, love. Learn from it and move on."
"Using my own words against me now, are ya?" J'Stan said with a slight chuckle.
"From now to eternity," Adam said, a smile finally forming on his face.
"I'm counting on it."
The two of them continued to sit there on the couch, wrapped in each other's arms as the day went by. Outside their modest home, people walked past. Carts with farm goods came in with food, and people made their way towards the center of town for the daily market. The wide living room window was open as it had been the night before, and quite a few passersby said hello to them. They smiled and waved back.
"You know, it's probably around town by now that we're intimate at last," J'Stan finally said as noon had become little more than a memory.
"It was probably printed on the front page of the paper as soon as Alan got home last night," Adam laughed.
"So, what now?"
"Probably you two getting off your butts and rejoining the rest of civilization," Henry Sells said from the window. "Or did you forget that you have a meeting, Mister Head Guardian J'Stan?"
"Ah, hell!" J'Stan rumbled, standing up. "Give me a few minutes and I, we, will be there."
Laughing, Henry made shooing motions at them and made his way back downtown. It only took both of them a few minutes to wash up in their bathroom, and change into fresh uniforms. When they were done, they left their house and walked towards the town center, hand in hand.
'We could have done all that with just a thought,' Adam sent mentally.
'Yeah, but it's still comforting to do it the old fashioned way,' J'Stan responded.
Eighty years ago, New Phoenix was a small town of around thirty thousand souls. Now, nearly a hundred thousand dwelled here. The original Administration Building had been torn down sixty years ago, and replaced with a larger four story building. It housed the Council Chambers, and those functionaries that dealt with the day to day running of New Phoenix, and region (which was half the planet).
There were no guards on duty outside. There hadn't been in decades. The two men made their way inside and upstairs to the fourth floor. They passed several people milling around inside the building, and were greeted by many smiles. For some reason both of them were blushing by the time they made it to the Council Chambers.
The top floor had been designed for the single purpose of holding council meetings. Coming out of the stairway, they were greeted to the sight of two tall wooden doors. The doors opened as they approached, and they walked inside.
Even though he'd been in here more times than he could count over sixty years, J'stan still enjoyed it. Above, the roof was dotted with skylights which lit the room brightly. Warm wood paneling ringed the room. From the entrance, tiers of seats for visitors and observors ringed around the room. Over a thousand people could be seated here now. In the middle of the room was a great table, around which meetings were held.
The table could seat all two hundred Councilmembers. However, for this meeting, there were only ten people seated, at the section of the table closest to the entrance. In the gallery, there were another twenty people, including a few Councilmembers who J'Stan was not too thrilled to see.
Quickly putting down the feelings at seeing those certain Councilmembers, and ignoring the mental admonishment from Adam, J'Stan pasted a smile on his face and jauntily greeted the men gathered there.
"Good day, everyone! I hope my tardiness hasn't inconvenienced anyone too greatly?"
Shakes of heads, and few "No" comments from the people at the table were made as he sat down in an empty chair. Adam went to a seat farther down the table. J'Stan looked at the table and saw that everyone was there. In front of him was a single sheet of paper, laying out the agenda for today's meeting.
"Very well," J'Stan began. Gods, he hated meetings. He'd hated them before his, and everyone else's, life had changed all those years ago; and he hated them just as much now. The mental laughter from Adam wasn't helping his composure much either.
"Unless there are any changes to the minutes of the last meeting, let's get moving," he continued, looking around and seeing shakes of heads. "Good, then this meeting of the Guardians' Board is called to order. We'll start as usual with Department reports. Henry?"
Henry Sells sat straighter in his chair and cleared his throat before beginning. Like the rest of the gifted among the Guardians, his powerful frame showed little signs of aging, but unlike J'Stan and Adam, he chose to appear to be in his mid-thirties instead of mid-twenties. "Well, Public Works hasn't much new to report. All water, sewer, garbage services are working just fine here in New Phoenix. Same with the other ten cities under our jurisdiction. New construction of homes and businesses is proceeding as planned with only the regular delays. We haven't received a report yet from the new settlement at Gibraltar, but we aren't expecting the first ship back from there for another few days."
Smiling at Henry's usual shortness, the man hated meetings as much as he did, J'Stan nodded as Henry finished. Looking back to the Agenda, even though he didn't need to, J'Stan readied himself for the next report. "Barry?" he said.
Barry Corvis also sat straighter in his chair. Unlike Henry, he showed every year of the fifty he'd spent on the planet. Also, unlike Henry, he wasn't gifted and loved meetings. "Sir, the Utilities Division has seen an increase of approximately 23% in power usage within New Phoenix. Parrinor has increased power consumption by 8%. Other settlements are remaining approximately the same as projected..."
J'Stan pretty much let the man drone on for another fifteen minutes going over minute details that were of little import. When the man had wound down, he asked, "So, are the aberrations within our ability to adapt to?"
"Yes, they are," Barry Corvis said, providing the only really valuable information J'Stan was interested in. The next reports were presented shortly and with little of note., Dylan Lewis from Parks and Recreation, Karen Masterson from Health and Human Services, Armand from Agriculture, Mona St. John with Mining, Haseem al'Hajir with Industries, Ricardo Escobar from Education (basic), Honce Moltham from Education (advanced), and Donna Smith, head of Security. Adam's report for Exploration was just as short. Each of them, except Donna Smith, was actually an assistant, or liaison to the responsible group and coordinated the efforts of gifted and ungifted Guardians in each area. The heads of each Department reported to the main Council, but these people reported to the Head of the Guardians, J'Stan.
Reports out of the way, and over an hour passed, J'Stan was ready for the meeting to be over. Unfortunately for him, there were actually a few more things that needed to be discussed. First, was the reason for the presence of the Councilmembers, and not something he enjoyed all that much of.
"Thank you for your report, people. Please advise your department and division heads that the Guardians continue to stand ready to assist wherever possible. Moving on to items continued from the last meeting, I believe we have some visitors who wish to address us once again. Councilmember Gerry Jindell, you are recognized."
The man he addressed stood from the gallery, and approached the speaker's stand before the table. J'Stan was forced to turn in his chair to face the man, and watched him as he approached. Gerry Jindell was of medium height, his mousey brown hair grown long in the current styles favored by many. His clothes were well-cut, as close to fancy as any available. He swaggered down and took his place at the stand, confidence exuding from him.
"Honored citizens of New Phoenix," he began in his best public speaking mode, guaranteed to set J'Stan's teeth on edge. "Once again I am privileged to address the august body of the Guardians' Board. It is a matter of great importance that I bring once again to your attention.
"For all my thirty-five years of life, we have been sheltered and protected by the Guardians. I still remember when I was young how the air would smell of ash and sulfur and how the weather was wild. The groundquakes caused much damage. Thanks to your efforts, those have all been taken care of."
As the man continued extolling the praises, in preparation for what he'd bring up once again, Adam's sly mental comment welled up from the bond between them, 'He's more longwinded than my father was at a revival!' Carefully, J'Stan made sure that the laughter he was feeling didn't show.
"..and so, I come before you once again to broach a topic of vital importance. For eighty years our planet has been sundered in half by the rift between those gifted who have taken the Oath and serve as Guardians and those that call themselves Shapers. It is time for us to see if that breach can be healed. I ask for you to support my proposal before the Council to send an embassy to those that call themselves Shapers to attempt a rapproachment with our sundered brethren."
As the man wound down, J'Stan turned to Barry Corvis, senior of the ungifted Guardians present. A nod of his head was all that was needed to convey his message, and the man stood, facing Gerry Jindell. Except for the sound of Barry's chair moving back as he stood, the room was totally silent.
"This issue was first raised thirty years ago by your own father, Councilman Jindell. All gifted members of the Guardians decided at that time that they would remain silent on this subject, and let the will of the community prevail. It was decided then, and every time that you or your father brought this issue before us that the Guardians, as a whole, would likewise remain silent. What is new about this issue that you bring it up yet again?"
"It is a new day, isn't that enough?" Gerry Jindell responded. "Isn't that enough? Beyond that, however, it is the fact of our newest settlement that has convinced me to raise this issue again. Gibraltar was named after a port of the old world, an entrance between two great oceans. Now it is our farthest flung settlement, nearly eight thousand miles away. It sits on the border of the great barrier created by Guardian J'Stan.
"That barrier prevents those that are called Shapers from bothering us here, but it also separates us from our fellow humans on the other side. Gibraltar would make an excellent point from which to send an embassy. An airship using it as a homeport could easily reach into their part of the world and contact our brethren. By decision of the settlers, and the Council, no gifted were part of the group sent to Gibraltar to make it a home.
"While gifted Guardians are always part of an airship's crew, there are none as permanent residents there. That makes Gibraltar perfect for reaching out to our brethren, it makes it as unthreatening as possible. We did not have a place like that before, we do now."
"What says the Board?" Barry asked. "Do any have questions for the Councilman?"
Shakes of their heads announced the lack of questions among the ungifted members on the Board (in fact, there were only four of the eleven who were gifted). When Barry asked for a motion, it was given by Donna Smith, carefully worded to express that the Board neither supported or opposed the proposal. The vote was unanimous, except for the abstentions of those members who were gifted.
"I only hope that..." Gerry Jindell began in a tone he used when disciplining his children, but was interrupted by the main doors being slammed open. A small commotion stirred through the room as someone barged in. With a start, J'Stan realized that he recognized the young woman striding into the room. It was Lisa Hampton, the Guardian assigned to the 'Bon Aventure'. The 'Bon Aventure' was the airship that had been sent to Gibraltar.
"SIR!" Lisa Hampton shouted into the room, causing echoes to bounce in a room designed to carry normal conversations across it.
Resuming the authority of his position, J'Stan stood and faced the young lady before him. Taking a deep breath, and drawing support from Adam through their new bond, he prepared for whatever the young woman was about to report. A slight nod of his head was all he gave to signal her to give her report. Around them, everyone had also come to their feet.
"Sir," Lisa began in a more normal tone. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but the situation warranted it. The 'Bon Aventure' is two days out, and able to make the rest of her trip home without my assistance. She's got a cargo that, um, well, I thought it best if everyone here was forewarned about."
"Very well, Guardian Hampton," J'Stan began, resuming his seat - quickly followed by the rest of the people in the room taking theirs. "What kind of cargo could the 'Bon Aventure' be bringing that would warrant you leaving her before her arrival?"
"Human cargo, sir," Lisa Hampton said, her voice almost catching. "Delegates from a colony found on the far side of Gibraltar. They arrived there about a month ago. From the other side of the Barrier."
"IMPOSSIBLE!" Barry Corvis nearly roared.
"No, not impossible," J'Stan said quietly. "I assume none are gifted?"
"No, sir," Lisa Hampton answered. "All regular men, women, and children. But there are about five thousand of them. More than twice the size of our colony."
"How many of them are on the 'Bon Aventure'?" J'Stan asked.
"Ten, sir," she answered the newest question. "They have sent a delegation, to request permission from the Council for their colony."
"Very well," J'Stan sighed deeply. "Guardians, summon all Councillors for an emergency meeting. I'll inform the Mayor."
With those words, everyone around him swung into action, several gifted Guardians winking out to summon Councillors from the other settlements.
The last two days had passed in a blur for J'Stan, and for Adam. The emergency Council meeting had lasted for over twenty hours, the longest ever. Even after it was over, debate continued among members of the Council, and among the public. Finally, J'Stan had broken his self-imposed silence and the debate had ended. Everyone was surprised when he spoke in support of the position held by Gerry Jindell.
Now the debate and the preparations were over. He stood on the outer section of New Phoenix, on a great platform used for the loading and unloading of the great airships. He stood to the right of his son, Alan. On the other side of Alan was Gerry Jindell. Behind them, facing the tower that would anchor the airship, were most of the leaders of New Phoenix and the other settlements. All were looking over the horizon, waiting.
Just as the crowd was growing restless a cry went up from the guiders on the tower. Heads turned up and were greeted by the sight they had been waiting for. Over the horizon, a few hundred feet above the hills to the west, sailed a sight that was impossible a mere century before. Anachronistic, as so much about the new world was, the airship was a mixture of old and new.
Three tall masts were filled with sails. The sails glowed a golden color as they collected and reflected the sun's light. The wooden hull was shaped much like that of a wooden sailing ship from a few centuries ago, but it had never sailed on an ocean of water. Instead it sailed the ocean of air currents, the secrets of its flight lay in the power of those gifted Guardians who had created, and maintained it.
Like a swan floating in, the 'Bon Aventure' drifted in until it reached the tower. Following the directions of the guiders, the ship swung down on a gentle breeze until it was close enough to send down leading lines. Large, thick ropes were thrown down by the crew, and caught by the guiders who attached them to the waiting winches. The hum of machinery filled the air as the winches drew the lines tight and guided the large airship into its landing slip.
The boarding ramp raised up from the platform and connected to the quarterdeck of the ship. As it slipped into place, several figures walked down the ramp, and came to a halt before the party waiting for them. J'Stan was somewhat surprised that the first one down, and seeming leader of the group, was a woman. Short, dark hair cropped shoulder length, she moved down the ramp with a steady, rapid stride, her entire body tense, like she was walking towards her own execution.
Finally she reached the three men standing in front of everyone else. As she stopped, five paces in front of Alan, J'Stan, and Gerry Jindell, all those present were shocked to see her fall to her knees and place her head on the ground. Recalling such obeisances from the days of the Shapers' Council, Alan obviously was suppressing an urge to vomit. Gerry Jindell, too young to remember those days, looked horrified. J'Stan showed no reaction on the surface, but Adam could feel the revulsion surging in him.
"Please don't," Alan said softly, his voice being amplified by J'Stan so all could hear what was being said. "We do not bow to others here in New Phoenix, or any of our settlements."
A strange mixture of emotions played across the woman's face as she followed Alan's instructions. When she did stand, she stood tall, shoulders squared back. She looked directly into J'Stan's eyes, then Gerry Jindell, but would not look directly into Alan's.
"Great one," she began in a light contralto, "I, Margaret Zindel, ungifted daughter of Shaper Zindel, do hereby submit myself and my colony upon the mercy of your Council. We have not broken the Compact, as we call it. None of our people are gifted. I was chosen, because of my parentage, to lead our colony to a land that we thought was uninhabited. I beg you to show mercy on us."
It was a few moments before Alan responded, obviously he had already discarded his prepared speech, and was searching for something more appropriate to say. He looked over at Gerry Jindell, whose face was racing through a variety of emotions, and J'Stan who was calm as ice. He decided what he had to say.
"The Regional Council has already met regarding this situation, Ms. Zindel, and we are prepared to accept your colony based on certain conditions. From your actions and words so far, it is obvious that in the past eighty years, the civilization you came from and ours have grown further apart. First of all, we do not bow here. We believe all people are created equal, and it is only their actions which separate them.
"So long as you and your people are willing to become a productive part of our extended community, you will be welcome. Your participation will include membership and representation on the Regional Council, and the protection and service of Guardians as appropriate or desired. If you agree to live by our laws, and agree to participate in our community as equal members, you will be most welcome."
"I am grateful for your words, Great One. We will gladly accept guidance and leadership, and representation by a Shaper, I mean a Guardian, as chosen for us," Margaret Zindel said after a moment of thought.
"I thought that Guardian Hampton had briefed you on our form of government and some of our customs here?" Alan said into the sudden quiet following her answer.
"She did, sir, but I must admit I didn't understand some of it," Margaret answered, still not looking Alan in the eye.
"Do you assume that a person must be gifted, like the Shapers from your birthplace, to sit on the governing body?" J'Stan asked in a soft voice.
"Of course, how else would it be?" the woman answered. "The only reason our colony does not have one to guide us is the Compact whereby they agreed not to cross the barrier. I was chosen since I was raised as part of a family of Shapers, and am the closest thing to being one that someone without the ability can aspire to."
"That very idea is probably the one that will take the most adjustment for you and your people, ma'am," J'Stan said. "It was the concept that people with the abilities such as myself, and your father Eddie Zindel, that caused the conflict which led to the Cataclysm."
"You? You're a Sh..I mean Guardian?" Margaret asked, somewhat surprised.
"Yes, I am. Of the three here before you, I am the only one. Alan here is the Mayor of New Phoenix, and leader of the Regional Council. Gerry Jindell is a member of New Providence's Council, and a representative of the Regional Council. Neither is gifted. I am the head of the Guardians, and serve at the direction of the Council."
"This..I..uh..we knew things were different here, but this goes beyond what we were expecting," she stuttered at last.
"Perhaps we should retire to a more relaxed location before the Council meeting?" Adam asked, raising his eyebrow to J'Stan in a long practiced signal.
"Yes, why don't you and your delegation come to my place for some refreshment, and to clean up?" J'Stan asked, while feeling Adam teleport to their house to get things ready. "Your entire party can join us there, and we can talk some more about the differences between your old land and your new one."
"That, that might be best," a disoriented Margaret Zindel said.
The group had made their way to J'Stan's home in a slow procession. Fortunately, this had given Adam time to prepare some snacks, and get a variety of drinks for their guests. Like the platform, the streets had been filled with people anxious to see the visitors, but they had been mostly quiet. Surprisingly, Gerry Jindell hadn't said a word at all. For a consummate politician like him, that was very, very odd.
Margaret Zindel had again expressed surprise over the size of J'Stan's home. While not small, it was by far not the largest in New Phoenix. In fact, the largest room in the home was the living room facing the street, where J'Stan's extended family often gathered regularly. The ten delegates were shown the bathrooms where they were able to refresh themselves, and shortly gathered in the living room which was now adorned with a variety of refreshments.
Once everyone was seated on the several couches, recliners, and other chairs available, Alan launched into a brief history of New Phoenix, taking care to stress that the governance was by all the people, not just the gifted. All ten delegates from the unexpected colony were there, as were Alan, Adam, Gerry Jindell, and J'Stan. While people passed by on the street outside the windows, those windows were closed to allow the delegates some privacy.
"How can you expect normals to make the right choices?" one of the delegates, Xian Hu, asked after a while.
"The same as you could expect a gifted to make the right choice," Adam answered. "Just because you have these abilities doesn't mean you are any wiser, or smarter."
"But most of the gifted have the experience of age, don't they? I mean, no Shaper on our side is allowed to join a Council until their hair is white. You can tell their wisdom by looking at their aged faces!" another delegate, Vladimir Zhorosky, said.
This time all four locals laughed as both Adam and J'Stan shifted their features to 'aged' and 'wise'. In Adam's case, a beard that was long and white flowed out until it touched the ground. Just as quickly their features shifted back to their 'normal' ages of mid-twenties.
"For the gifted, appearances are deceiving," J'Stan said, doing his best not to burst out in fresh laughter at the shocked looks on the delegates' faces. "My son, Alan, wears his ninety-seven years well, but my age of over one hundred thirty years only shows if I want it to."
"Same as my near one-hundred," Adam joined in.
"But, still!" Margaret broke in, "You have gifted that guide you, protect you. It may not seem that way, but they do!"
"We listen to them, those that are elected to the Council have a vote, yes," Alan said in his soft voice. "But they, like everyone else in this place, answer to the Council, and follow the laws. They are a valuable part of this community, but no more or less than any other member."
"It is far different where we come from," Margaret said. "Shapers are set apart from the people. They must lead us, guide us, protect us. That's why they can't live among us and be troubled with the daily squabbles of our lives. That's why they live in large palaces, in comfort for the terrible price they pay on a daily basis to keep us safe. That is also why they are given whatever they may desire from us, as it is our only way to repay them for their sacrifice."
"Rubbish!" Gerry Jindell finally said, his face nearly purple in anger. "You set this up, J'Stan! You had your Guardian feed them these stories!"
"You know that's not true," Adam said, coming to J'Stan's defense.
"Most definitely," Alan added.
"It is! You just want to make me look a fool!" Gerry Jindell exclaimed loudly, throwing the visiting delegates nearly into shock.
"I have no need to make you look a fool, Councillor," J'Stan said, letting his frustration with the man get the better of him. It took Gerry Jindell a moment to realize the insult in the comment.
"That is no way to speak to a Councillor, Guardian!" the man retorted.
"And your accusations against me are insufferable, young man," J'Stan answered back, not heeding the mental warning from Adam.
"Enough," Alan's voice was low, but commanding. "Father, you know better than to resort to such witticisms, and Councillor Jindell, if your accusations had one ounce of truth to them, I'd haul J'Stan up on charges so fast you'd be dizzy for days."
"Yes, Mayor Ackeman," Gerry Jindell said in a low voice, while J'Stan nodded at his son.
"Ackeman?" Margaret whispered, her face gone white. As were all the other delegates.
"Yes, Ackeman. Alan Ackeman is my full name," Alan said, slightly puzzled at their reaction. In J'Stan, his gut started to churn, guessing where this was headed.
"Are, are you related to Justin Ackeman, the Destroyer?" Margaret's voice was just a whisper now.
"Of course, I'm his son and he's sitting next to me, although none of us appreciate the title 'Destroyer'," Alan said calmly.
"We're doomed," Margaret breathed before passing out, along with the rest of the delegates.
"Well, well," Adam drawled into a now quiet room. "Looks like I married the devil himself."
It took a few minutes to rouse all the delegates, but eventually they were all reawakened. All of them looked at J'Stan, sitting in the same chair calmly sipping on a drink, like he was about to cast them into the pits of doom at any moment. After they had answered his question behind 'Destroyer', he told them the story of the Cataclysm from his point of view.
"So, as you can see, the true story probably lies somewhere between what you were taught growing up, and what I've just told you," J'Stan finished. "Every story has at least two sides, and most often more. Usually the truth lies somewhere in between. Know this though: I have sworn to defend the people on this side of the planet, and to work for them. If you accept the conditions and choose to live here, that includes you."
The people nodded at that, appearing calmer. The next hour or so passed with them asking questions about different aspects of life in this part of the world, and what they could expect if they accepted the conditions being placed. At last, it was time for the Council meeting, and all of them followed Alan Ackeman and Gerry Jindell downtown to the Administration Building.
Again, the roads were packed with people, mostly silent in watching the group move down the road. Several times, different delegates expressed startlement at the lack of need for crowd control. It was far different than they were used to. As they reached their destination, the crowd had gathered in front of the large building, where speakers had been set up to carry voices of the meeting to the crowds who could not fit inside.
They made their way inside, where the meeting room was packed with people. All the other Councillors were there, and every seat full except for a few along the outer edge of the table. After showing the delegates to their seats, Alan, Gerry, and J'Stan took their seats at the table. Adam stood next to the delegates along the edge of the public gallery.
Once everyone was seated, Alan spoke aloud, his voice carried outside by one of several hidden microphones around the room. "This emergency session of the Regional Council is hereby called to order. Due to the unusual nature of this meeting, there will be no public address prior to the start of business. We are here today to hear from delegates of a colony which has settled on the far side of Gibraltar. As you have heard, this colony comes from the other side of the Barrier and consists solely of un-gifted people who wish no more than to live in peace. Speaking for the delegates is Margaret Zindel."
Margaret made her way to the Speaker's Podium, drawing as much dignity as she could manage. While she looked a little nervous, she also exuded an aura of dignity. As she reached the podium, she looked around the table at the hundred-plus councillors, and around the galleries packed with people.
"Honored Councillors, citizens of New Phoenix, and of the Region, I greet you. I must say that what I, and my fellow delegates, have seen and heard here are not what we expected at all. Before I say any more, I believe I must first tell you of the world where we come from.
"Although it is the same planet we live on, things are much different on the other side of the Destroyer's Wall, as we called the Barrier. There the gifted take a more active role in the leadership of society, and the ungifted less of a role. Many more people were delivered from the Cataclysm, as you call it. Unfortunately, not as much land was saved as you have on this side.
"Due to these two factors, more people and less land, life is more, well, cramped. There is about two hundred times more land per person here than we enjoy. Because of this, it was decided to find a land on this side of the barrier that was uninhabited. A group of colonists was selected to establish a homestead. This was very controversial since no gifted could cross the barrier without terrible consequences. Those that volunteered to go understood they would not be able to count on any help from the gifted, and were willing to take that risk.
"We thought the land you call Gibraltar, and which we will now also call Gibraltar, was uninhabited. We were very surprised to find your colony on the far side as they were to find us. However, we have been given instructions on what to do in the case of such an event, and are willing to abide by the conditions of our staying."
"I think those conditions should be stated once more," Gerry Jindell said from his seat next to Alan. "Just to make sure everyone is on the same page."
"Agreed," Alan said. "Guardian J'Stan, would you please read the conditions?"
"Yes, sir," J'Stan said, rising to his feet to recite them from memory.
"One, The colony called 'Haven' by its occupants, shall be granted full recognition and membership in the Regional Council equal to all other settlements on this side of the Barrier. The colony shall be granted land rights, water rights, and support rights equivalent to that of any other community. Representation on the Regional Council shall be granted on the same basis of one representative for every ten thousand residents, and shall be granted a seat on the Executive Committee as with every other community.
Two, Haven shall have the right to pass and enforce laws as they see fit, except that they must not conflict with Regional Law, or the New Phoenix Charter. The authority of the Guardians shall be recognized and supported by the Haven Council.
Three, all contact with residents on the other side of the Barrier shall be restricted in that all communications must be reviewed by an appointed member of the Guardians.
These are the conditions for acceptance of the Colony known as Haven."
"Thank you, Guardian J'Stan," Alan said. "Margaret Zindel, are these conditions acceptable to Haven?"
"Yes, Mr. Mayor," Margaret said. "In fact, they are much more than we possibly hoped for. Know that from this moment forward, we consider ourselves part of this community, and appreciate your generosity.
"That being said," she continued, "I must perform one last duty for the Shapers' Council. Before authorizing our colony, the possibility of our meeting your people was well known. For the past eighty years, the two sides have worked independently of each other. Long ago there was much antipathy and conflict between the gifted of each side.
"Our Shapers' Council did not fully grasp just how different this side of the world would develop. They did not envision a government not led by the gifted. Therefore, their message was pointed specifically to the gifted, but it should instead be delivered here to this Council. I will give the message exactly as it was given to me, please understand they are not my words, or the words of any citizen of Haven, but the words of the Shaper Jheris. Here then is the message." She seemed to go into a trance and then spoke.
"To our brethren who now call themselves Guardians, I give greetings and salutations. Eighty years ago, our world was sundered by a great Cataclysm. Then it was further sundered by the forming of the Wall. We have honored the demands to not cross that wall since that time.
"In the times since the sundering of our world, our people have grown in number until we struggle to support them. Meanwhile, your people have much more land than we do with which to support people. It is our request that you will accept those that we cannot support, and let them live in peace with your people.
"If you are willing, we ask that you send a representative to our capital, to speak with us on the conditions for such a thing to happen. I have put the location in the memory of this woman, daughter of one of our most revered Shapers. Scan her memory for the exact location, she knows it well. Any envoy will be granted full diplomatic status, and will be most welcome. Peace unto you."
As Margaret came out of the trance, the room erupted into noise of hundreds of people talking loudly to those next to them. This continued for minutes while Alan sat back in his chair, eyes closed. Seated next to him, J'Stan quickly scanned his son and didn't like what he saw. The stress he'd been hiding was consuming Alan. Despite all their best efforts, he was nearing one hundred and his body was not up to the things he had once been able to do. When Alan recovered a little, J'Stan let loose a thunderclap which brought everyone to silence. Into that silence Alan spoke.
"Thank you, Margaret Zindel. As you might expect, your words have raised a whole new situation for us to consider. As your delegation was empowered by your people to accept the conditions, and you have, please take a seat at the table. Unless there is objection, you will represent Haven on this Council until elections can be held for a regular member to take your seat."
As Margaret moved to the table, and took a seat which was hastily placed there for her, there was little conversation around the table, or in the galleries. Alan paused another longer moment, and J'Stan began to realize that with the elections coming up in a few months, his son would most likely be letting go the leadership position he had held so long.
"Now, we have heard an offer from the people on the other side of the Barrier for talks to take place. Is there a motion from this Council to take action on this offer?" Alan asked.
"I move that we send an embassy to their leadership," said Zachary Taylor, an ardent supporter of Gerry Jindell.
"Seconded," came from Karli Williams, another supporter.
"Very well, with a motion on the table, I'd like to hear discussion from any in support of this decision. Who would like to begin?" All eyes turned to Gerry Jindell, who just sat there, a frown on his face. Finally, when it became apparent he was not going to speak, Zachary Taylor spoke up.
"In the past years, there has been much discussion on attempting a rapproachment with those people on the other side of the Barrier. Now, we are invited to begin this discussion by the leaders of the people on the other side. How much else do we need to make this happen?"
"Speaker for those opposed?" Alan asked when Zachary Taylor sat down.
Everyone was surprised when Gerry Jindell rose to his feet. Several other people had also risen, but sat down hard at the sight of Gerry standing to speak in opposition to the motion. His voice was low and measured, not his usual voice geared to swaying a crowd.
"As most of you know, I have advocated such an outreach for years. Now, I am not so sure. I have spent the last several hours talking with these people, now members of our community. Before that, I thought that the stories we heard growing up were exaggerations. The idea of a group of people holding so much power over others was too outrageous to believe.
"Now, I believe them. I've now heard the story of the Cataclysm from both sides. I now believe the one I heard growing up all the more. We were very lucky that our parents and grandparents were supported by those gifted now in the Guardians. I am not sure that reaching out to the ones who call themselves Shapers is a good idea."
Back and forth the discussion went. When all the Councillors who wanted to speak had their say, the floor was open to the public. During the Council discussion, it had become apparent that there were several concerns, including that of strength. Most of those not supporting sending an embassy were worried about being overrun, either by masses of people, or by the more Shapers who outnumbered gifted Guardians. After Alan called for words from the public, no one moved for several minutes. Finally, an older lady rose from the front row of the gallery and made her way to the podium. With a start, J'Stan realized it was Elen, Alan's wife.
"Most of you know me," Elen spoke in a quavering voice. She'd never spoken publicly before this. "My husband is Alan Ackeman, our Mayor.
"Until now, I have let him do the speaking in public, and let my voice sound off at home. Or in the voting booth. Now, I feel the need to speak here, before the Council, and our people.
"I remember the old world, or at least the old world under the Shapers. I didn't like it. My parents were Morganites. I met Alan when he visited with J'Stan and Adam about two years after the founding of New Phoenix. We have been together ever since then. I know J'Stan, Adam Morgan, Henry Sells, and I know many of you as well. I have heard from all of you about your fears, your dreams, your hopes."
"I do not want, in these, my fading days, to see a return to the days of the Shapers. Nor do I want to see those poor people on the other side of the world suffer from overpopulation. Eventually, it will spill over to us in a way that can cause great harm.
"But what is a solution? I think we must talk to these people, these Shapers. We must reach some agreement which ensures the integrity of our way of life. To do this, we must deal from a position of strength.
"We are outnumbered, both by ungifted as well as gifted. However, we have something they don't. J'Stan. All of us know the dark parts of his past. He has never hid them from us. Instead he has led the Guardians to being a positive force for good. Instead of using them to rule over us, as would have been all too easy, he has made sure they stay steadfast in service to us, the people.
"In his dealings with Jheris and other Shapers, he has always proven himself stronger. In fact, I would dare to ask Councillor Margaret Zindel if his presence would not be a sign of strength?" Margaret's white face and short nod seemed to answer her question.
"What more can we ask for in a delegate? I would ask the Council that if we do send anyone to talk with them, it be J'Stan. He has never made a major decision that was to the detriment of our people. If we ignore this opportunity, we will likely pay a high price. If we do not send our best, our strongest, we will probably pay a higher price. Thank you for listening to an old woman." With that, Elen walked slowly back to her seat in the gallery while the room erupted in cheers.
A stunned J'Stan barely heard Zachary Taylor amend his motion to include sending J'Stan as the ambassador, and a near unanimous vote confirming it. The sole dissenter was Margaret Zindel, who refused any explanation. The muttering was silenced when J'Stan muttered that if he had a vote, she wouldn't have been the sole dissenter.
"Why didn't you say anything, then?" an outraged Zachary Taylor asked while the room was emptying.
"Because I swore not to influence any decision made regarding the Shapers. It was yours to make, without me providing input," J'Stan retorted hotly while helping Alan to his feet. With another sudden realization, J'Stan shook when he felt his son seemed more frail than he had a few days before. Throwing custom to the wind, he waited until Elen reached them, then teleported all three of them back to Alan's home. Damn making him walk. A few quick words were spoken regarding when he'd leave for the other side, and who he'd take with him, then Alan trundled off for a nap, Elen in tow.
Another quick thought brought J'Stan to his home. He was surprised to find people there already. Henry Sells was there with his lover, David Baxter. They were sitting on a couch talking amiably with Margaret Zindel, all munching on some of the leftover refreshments from earlier. Adam was relaxing in the oversized lounge chair that had lately become 'their' seat. Sighing deeply, J'Stan sank onto the chair and felt Adam's arms enfold him in comfort, and the link between them pulse with love and compassion.
"At least you finally believe everything now?" David continued, nodding towards J'Stan but continuing the conversation before the interruption.
"Yes," Margaret was saying. She was used to people popping in and out, after all, her father was gifted too. "I wasn't even that sure until that vote. When I was the only one who voted no, I thought we'd be kicked out immediately. But that didn't happen. I honestly don't know what to think. It's kind of scary."
"Like when you first leave your parents' home to live on your own?" J'Stan asked.
"Kind of," Margaret answered.
"I need your advice on how to approach this, and what to expect. In fact, I'd like you to accompany Adam and me," J'Stan said to her.
"Me?" Margaret asked incredulously. "Why me?"
"Because you come from there. You'd be able to read the undercurrents of what is going on, and give me advice on how to handle things without reverting to threats."
"You'd trust me with that?" Margaret asked him seriously.
"Did you or did you not accept the conditions of the Council? When you said 'yes', that made you a part of this community. I have a rule in dealing with people. Everyone has my full and complete trust until they prove otherwise. So long as you don't break that trust, you will have it now and forever."
"Understood, sir. I will be happy to go. But first I need to return to Haven and let people know."
"Fine, I'll teleport us there first thing in the morning. I was going to assign Erica, my daughter, and Michael Strausser to help Haven get adjusted to living under our rules. Your people will also have to elect a Council, about five would be normal. You'll also have to elect a representative for the Regional Council. They start meetings next week, so you'll be the representative until one is elected. We also need to be back for the first day of the meetings, which means we have a week to meet with Jheris and his people."
"Sounds good. Where do I stay until then?" Margaret asked.
"You are welcome to stay here, Margie," Adam said. "Or you could stay with the rest of the delegates from Haven at the temporary quarters normally used for Regional Councillors during meetings."
"No offense to your hospitality, but I'd like to stay with my people. There's a lot of things I need to talk to them about before tomorrow."
"No problem," J'Stan said.
"We'll show you where they are," David said as he and Henry got up to walk her out, leaving J'Stan and Adam alone.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Adam said as the others left.
"I know," J'Stan said quietly, letting himself rest in Adam's physical and mental support.
Author's note:
Ok, for those of you counting, the death toll in this one was...zero. I can do it!