Olan Thorensen - Cast Under an Alien Sun

Culich chuckled. “Meaning I shouldn’t give advice to God?”

“You’ll do what you think best,” Sistian said with a pious twinkle.

“What does Kolsko think of all this?”

“I don’t believe he’s aware of it. I’ve neither seen nor heard indication of such.”

“What do you think his response will be once he does become aware?”

“I suspect he’ll be appalled. Truth be told, I’m not sure he believes in the existence of God.”

“Then how can he be a Septarsh?”

“Nothing in the Word says a Septarsh must be a believer. He only has to be in communion with God, whether he knows it or not. We commonly think of the Septarshi as archangels, carrying out commands they hear directly from God, but all a Septarsh has to do is carry out God’s will, irrespective of how he gets the direction.”

“Well,” said Culich, “I’ll be skeptical. Then again, I suppose so will you. Keep an eye on him, and we’ll see what Maera reports back. When I get back from Orosz City, and there’s time, we can think again about arranging for me to see for myself.”

Two sixdays later, Culich Keelan sat alone in his study amid papers strewn across his desk. Semaphore messages from other provinces reported incursions and small raids into their territories bordering the Narthani client provinces, Selfcell and Eywell. Suspected sightings of Eywellese occurred in Northern Keelan. Raids erupted along the coasts throughout Caedellium, now by the Narthani themselves. There were details on the attack on Abersford and St. Sidryn’s, along with Maera’s transcription of his notes from a hetmen conclave in Orosz City, chronicling his discouragement at failing to convince more of the other hetmen of the seriousness of the Narthani threat.

His right shoulder blade had a knife of pain in it, he knew from tension. He avoided looking himself in the eye when before a mirror these days, too afraid to see the fear he hid even from Breda. When he was alone like this, it was the worst. It was then that he closed out externals and looked deeply into how he saw the play of the future. Every instinct he had said the Narthani meant to enslave the entire island, and he discerned no path to stop them. Even if it might not happen in his lifetime, this didn’t provide solace. The weight of his ancestors and the entire Keelan Clan was crushing.

Okan Akuyun’s mood contrasted with Hetman Keelan’s. Akuyun was . . . cheerful. He engaged in friendly conversations with both immediate subordinates and common troops. Rabia and the children all teased him on his relaxed manner at home, and he found himself noting minor things like a sunrise, the passing of seasons on this beautiful island, and the pleasure of reviewing the progress of the newest Narthani civilian colonists. He even found time to read Landolin poetry, something he would never confess to any other Narthani, besides Rabia.

Everything was going according to plan. All of the assigned troops were in place. Granted, they had been of poor quality when they arrived, but continuous training had them rounding into shape for what was necessary to accomplish the Caedellium mission. The attempts to confuse the Caedelli and prevent them from uniting was ongoing and impossible to evaluate with any certainty, but the Buldorian and Narthani raids, the secret contacts with several clans, and the placement of agents throughout the island had all proceeded as planned.

Now it was time to ratchet up the pressure on the Caedelli before launching the final phase. It was only a matter of time before they integrated the island into the Narthon Empire. Akuyun was not a cruel man. He would prefer that all of the Caedelli lived to serve Narthon, but serve they would, even if by no longer existing.

While Culich Keelan and Okan Akuyun both foresaw future paths, one dark and one beckoning, Joseph Colsco, aka Yozef Kolsko, had no such clarity. He sat on the porch of his house, the Faughns long asleep. The sounds of the night were similar to Earth’s but different. A breeze wafted across his face. The scents were similar to Earth, though not of Earth.

The stars were bright on this clear night, as they would be on Earth, yet not the same stars. There were no recognizable constellations as seen from Earth. Did the Caedelli have constellations? If not here, elsewhere on Anyar? He wondered whether he could even see any star here that was also visible from Earth. Harlie, the disembodied voice that had been his only contact with the aliens whose vessel collided with his flight near Denver, had never answered his queries about Anyar’s location. It could be within sight of Sol or tens of thousands of light-years across the Galaxy.

Were the Watchers, or whoever they were, up there looking down at Anyar . . . at Caedellium . . . at him? Was this just someplace where they dumped him and went on their way again? Would anyone ever know what happened to him? No, he decided. No one would know. At least, not in his lifetime. His journals could someday let it be known. But now . . .

He stood and paced the porch slowly, back and forth, his footsteps helping anchor the feeling that he was here and now. Once again, everything had changed. On Earth, he had been satisfied with a predictable future. Then he’d been ripped away and left on Anyar. He’d been here almost two years. Anyar years. He’d struggled to accept and adjust. And he had. He had begun to think he knew the direction of his life here: satisfied and predictable, once again, as it had been on Earth. Now . . . ? What was predictable ?

The Narthani and the Buldorians were a reality of this world. He could easily have been killed at the abbey, and who knew what might yet happen? The Narthani weren’t going away. They’d be back, and if what he heard was accurate, it sounded like soon. And it wasn’t just him. He did care for these people. They were rough in many ways but basically honest and appreciative of the lives they had. Even the Faughns, with all of their struggles, had a pride of self. The Narthani might destroy all of that.

He stopped pacing and took a deep breath. There must be more he could do to help, both for himself and the Caedelli. Some knowledge he could dredge out of his enhanced memory. God! I might have to accept that this life may never be safe and predictable . It wasn’t a comforting realization, but it somehow eased the confusion of his thoughts and kindled a determination to face reality.

Yes, he had to give all of this much more thought. But not tonight. He entered the cottage, walked to the bedroom, and climbed under the covers. His last thought before drifting off was that whatever came, he would have to face it.

Abulli, Omir . Buldorian mercenary from different clan than the Adalan’s.

Adalan, Adel . Buldorian mercenary. Second-in-command to cousin Musfar Adalan.

Adalan, Musfar . Commander of Buldorian mercenaries.

Akuyun, Okan . Commander of Narthani mission to conquer Caedellium.

Akuyun, Rabia . Wife of Okan.

Balcan, Mamduk . Narthani religious prelate.

Beynom, Cadwulf . Scholasticum student. Son of Diera and Sistian. Friend and employee of Yozef.

Beynom, Diera . A medicant. Abbess of St. Sidryn’s abbey. Wife of Sistian.

Beynom, Sistian . A theophist. Abbot of St. Sidryn’s abbey. Husband of Diera.

Bolwyn, Elton . A medicant at St. Sidryn’s abbey.

Dyllis, Saoul . A medicant at St. Sidryn’s abbey.

Erdelin, Memas . Narthani colonel.