Faster Than Light: Babel Among the Stars

Epilogue

PhaerAbsalom was sick to his stomach. He stared out of the window in hisoffice on board the Europa station and rubbed his aching leg. Asmuch as he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about Seth Garland. They’d worked together for months. They were friends. Garlandsaved Absalom’s life. And then, just like that, he betrayed him.

MaybeAbsalom should have seen it coming. It wasn’t like Seth enteredhis life under the best circumstances. He was arrested protestingthe Fall. Absalom only brought him into the fold because he thoughthe was an asset to the Republic. Garland could be very convincing,and he was willing to spend a couple hours every week trying toconvince people that the Fall was the right thing to do.

Ithad all been an act,: a way to get access to a starship. SethGarland never believed in the Spatial Preservation Act. He was acoward unwilling to accept that humanity had to fall from the skies.And he’d won. He single-handedly prevented the Fall. When heleapt away with the I.S.S. Monitor, he prevented the end offaster-than-light travel. And there was no way to even chase him,because he had the last ship capable of such a feat.

Worstof all, Absalom was the only person willing to admit that it was adisaster. Most people in the Republic didn’t even know aboutGarland’s theft of the Monitor. He’d managed to cut offall the cameras on board the Europa station before the news got out. The other commissars who knew were unconcerned, they figured he wouldbe killed sooner rather than later. The scientists assured Absalomthat a single Heilmann Drive couldn’t do much damage to the fabricof space by itself. They all just acted like it was best to pretendthat it never happened.

Thatwasn’t good enough for Absalom. He’d already put through hisrecommendation to the High Council to begin re-assembling a smallnumber of starships in order to pursue Seth Garland. It was likelythe council would reject him, or that such a feat was impossible, buthe would keep petitioning them until they gave in. They wereweak-willed. They would eventually allow Absalom to finish the jobthey gave him. It was only a matter of time.

Aloud chime disturbed Absalom from his thoughts. He looked up at thedoor and saw a flashing blue light. “Come in!” Absalom shouted.

Thedoor slid open. Standing on the other side was one of hislieutenants, a young man by the name of Avery Jacobs. He wasfidgeting nervously. “I’ve got some information that yourequested, sir,” he said. “But I’m not sure that you want itanymore.”

“Whatare you talking about, lieutenant?”

Jacobstook a deep breath. “It’s the report on Mr. Garland’s father,”he replied. “You asked me to look into it, but that was last week,and--”

Atthe very mention of Seth’s name, Absalom felt his muscles tighten. A throbbing pain ran up his leg from his ankle. He remembered thathe’d called in a favor with the prison administration to find outwhat became of Seth’s father. Seth believed he was in some sort ofindefinite detention within the system and Absalom wanted to provehim wrong. That was back when they were friends, when Absalom stillhad hope for Seth

Hewanted to tell Jacobs to throw the information away, to never lookinto it again. But Absalom was curious, and he knew that he wouldget a strange satisfaction out of knowing what happened to JamesGarland Seth would never be able to find out. He would always be inthe dark because he betrayed Absalom.

“Handit over,” the commissar said. Jacobs passed him the tablet andloitered in the doorway while Absalom read it over.

Mostof the information on the tablet reiterated what Seth told him. James Garland was a Sensory Stimulation Specialist who refused togive up the profession after it was banned by the High Council. Hewas discovered plying his trade beyond the law and sentenced to sevenyears prison. But that’s where it got interesting.

JamesGarland had his sentence commuted to three years for good behavior. He was a model prisoner and well-liked by all of the officials. Hewas scheduled to go home to his family when Seth was only ten yearsold. Everything was set up to re-intigrate him into society,including a new job in research and development with a governmentgnostin manufacturer.

Atfirst, Absalom was confused. This was nothing like the story Sethtold him. It appeared as if James re-joined his family withoutincident. If nothing else, he’d been free for over ten years. Then Absalom saw the actual documentation from the prison. Specifically, he examined the form authorizing the release of JamesGarland.

Hewas not retrieved from prison by his family, or taken from the gatesby the Republic police. Instead, he was released into the custody ofa third party.

Absalom’shand tightened around the panel. “You know, this might be why Mr.Garland hates us,” he said. “He thinks we took away hisrims-damned father. But it wasn’t the Republic. It was someoneelse. They plucked him right out of prison and made him disappear.”

“Who?”Lieutenant Jacobs asked.

“Ido not know,” Absalom replied. “All I have is her signature. Don’t know why she was allowed to take custody of a Republicprisoner. Highly irregular.” He paused, squinting as he read thesignature. “Does the name ‘Moira Quick’ mean anything to you?”

“Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell.”



Absalom’shand tightened around the panel. “You know, this might be why Mr.Garland hates us,” he said. “He thinks we took away hisrims-damned father. But it wasn’t the Republic. It was someoneelse. They plucked him right out of prison and made him disappear.”

“Who?”Lieutenant Jacobs asked.

“Ido not know,” Absalom replied. “All I have is her signature. Don’t know why she was allowed to take custody of a Republicprisoner. Highly irregular.” He paused, squinting as he read thesignature. “Does the name ‘Moira Quick’ mean anything to you?”

“Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell.”