Lawrence Schoen - Barsk - The Elephants' Graveyard

“There are gaps in your memory. The missing member of your committee committed crimes against my planet and people, admittedly without your knowledge. All of that is moot now. You know, I thought it was a mistake that the Eleph and Lox accepted being locked away, and I deliberately left home to be out in the rest of the galaxy and meet different peoples, but right now I just want to go home. Before I do, I want your assurance that you’ll continue to honor the Compact and leave us alone.”

“And will you observe your side of the agreement?”

Jorl nodded. “As we have for the past eight hundred years.”

The senators formed a huddle and argued among themselves for a time. Most of the debate passed in hushed tones, though Jorl could make out a few phrases like “precedent of paradox” and “engagement without representation” from one or another of the pair of Marmo senators; Woodchucks being notorious for getting loud when excited. The Urs senator from Marbalarma dropped a heavy hand on the Marmo’s shoulder, which friendly reminder took the volume back down below the threshold of even a Fant’s excellent hearing. When they at last broke apart, Welv stepped over to Jorl and stared up into his face.

“I speak for this entire committee. Unusual circumstances require unusual — and atypically swift — decisions. After eight hundred years, none among us is surprised that some have grown … chafed by the arrangements codified by your Compact. But that is the way of most compromises, and it continues to bring more benefit to the Alliance than discomfort. The Compact stands. Further, we will set in motion a subcommittee to ensure that any attempts to rally support to abolish or otherwise break this agreement will themselves come under our scrutiny and be … ah, discouraged. With prejudice.”

Jorl’s ears fell limp as the tension slipped from him. Ensuring Barsk’s status quo was as great a prize as he could hope for. “Thank you. I think that’s the best solution for everyone.”

The elderly Prairie Dog favored him with a flat smile. “I’m pleased you approve, but there is more. Your people’s isolation will continue, but with a change. We are concerned that a world possessing such importance to the Alliance has operated so long without direct input to the senate. Further, that this committee which defines itself as knowledgeable of all things could be so ignorant. Therefore, we specifically require something of you, Jorl ben Tral.”

“Me?”

“Who better? You’ve trained as a scholar, but your actions today show you are capable of more than just producing academic publications. You are a manifestation of your people’s traditions, but nonetheless stepped beyond them to leave your world behind.”

“But what do you want of me?”

Welv’s smile vanished. “It is not about ‘want,’ but rather, as I have said, ‘require.’ You have brought us together across galactic distances, puzzled us with our own number, and threatened us with your knowledge of our greatest secret. These are troubling points, but a solution presents itself.”

“Which is?”

“We have agreed to add you to our committee. You will swear to keep our secret of the time Before, because it is now your secret as well.”

“What? No. I don’t—”

“This is non-negotiable. Our charter demands we maintain a body of twenty-five members. There will be paperwork, no government action can occur without it, but that can come later. In this moment it is enough to speak these words. By vote of the Committee of Information, I elevate you to the position of senator and name you as a junior member of this committee. We will be in touch by courier soon. Until then, this gathering of the committee is concluded.”

“Wait, I haven’t agreed—”

“You have what you desired. Release us from this summoning. We are adjourned, Senator Jorl.”

He nodded, too stunned to argue. It required no effort to summon multiples of himself again, the better to more easily unravel the tethers of the twenty-four remaining senators. One by one he let them slip away, each of his duplicates vanishing immediately after until only he and Chieko Castleman remained.

“You live in a future my people couldn’t have imagined,” said the human.

Jorl replied with a wry quirk of his mouth. “Not least of which because my ancestors slaughtered your descendants?”

“Well, yeah, that, but—”

“I’d very much like to continue our conversation, Dr. Castleman. But there’s a young boy I need to find, and then see about getting us both off this station and back downworld. With your permission, I will summon you again.”

“I think I’d like that.”

Jorl let the construct of the human fall away, and dissolved the mindscape immediately after. He opened his eyes to the now-familiar walls of the station cabin and wiped at the trail of spittle that had run down his chin. He lay down on the cabin’s Spartan sleeping platform and waited.

* * *

JORLheard the voices of the Pandas outside his door and sat up. A moment later the guards marched into the room. The Brady followed several paces behind, walking hand in trunk with Pizlo.

“Jorl!” The boy darted past the Ailuros and launched himself into Jorl’s arms. His trunk curled around the older Fant’s neck and he sobbed. “The horrible thing happened. Horrible!”

“Shh, shh, what thing?”

“With Senator Bish.”

He disentangled Pizlo from his neck and held him away to see the boy’s face. “You remember him?”

“No,” said Pizlo. “That’s what’s so horrible. Everyone everywhere forgot him.”

Jorl frowned. “If you forgot him then how do you know that?”

“The moons. They told me. I knew it was going to happen, but I didn’t understand it. I was still putting it together. It only made sense right before. I don’t remember him, but I remember what the moons told me about him.”

The pair of guards had taken up positions on either side of the room. The Sloth made a throat clearing noise and both Jorl and Pizlo looked up to see her standing alongside the sleeping platform.

“I know you, sir. Jorl, yes? You were in my lab. You wrecked my clean room. But I … I can’t recall what you were doing there. And … why were you locked in here? You’re marked with the aleph of Barsk. No doors are supposed to be barred to you.”

“You know about that?”

“I make it my business to know a great many things. I’m quite well versed on the full range of Barsk history and culture. Oh. Are you that Jorl? I think I’ve studied from some of your books.”

“This is Druz,” said Pizlo. “She was Senator Bish’s aide.”

The Sloth frowned, and brought a hand up to rub at a spot on her forehead. “I assist a senator, yes, but I don’t know that name. I’m having trouble making sense of quite a number of things. Did I strike my head?”

“No, that was me. See?” With the tip of his trunk Pizlo gingerly prodded the bump where he’d fallen on his head.

“You’re fine,” said Jorl. “I think it will sort itself out fairly soon. I’m sorry, none of this was planned. There’s been collateral damage to anyone who spent a lot of time working for him. But we’ll get it all resolved. Where is he now?”

“Druz locked him in his room on the ship,” said Pizlo.

“The Yak is Bish? I still don’t understand how he got on the ship.”

“Don’t worry about it, his power has been broken. He’ll be busy starting his life over again. When you have a moment, put in a call to Senator Welv and I’ll discuss with her where to drop him off. I have an idea, but Bish is not going to be happy.”

“So the horrible thing is done? It won’t keep happening?” Pizlo clutched at Jorl again.