An Account of The Arrival
The Golden Sunset materialized in orbit around Argo leaving a splendid icy, blue vapor trail from its twin astro-turbine motors. Its hull was glassy, jet-black and held an observer's eyes from the triple-pyramid shaped nose, down over sweeping lines to a tapered aft. According to Argentice's projections, their path through the star cluster had been recorded down to the meter. Finding their way back through the maze of black holes and No-space barriers wouldn't be a concern.
General Manuel deFol sounded the general alarm and summoned his first officers to the bridge. He looked at the main computer screen. "Open a ship-wide channel. First officers' brief on the bridge." When the computer obliged and made the announcement, he turned to the helm. "Steer us beyond the second moon," he told his navigator.
The first officers filed onto the bridge and stood in ranks.
deFol remained silent until the narrow black shadow of Argentice was cast over the deck just beyond the hatch. Though the robot remained just out of view, it was far enough away for deFol while speaking to his staff.
"As most of you know, we are within an hour of Argo. Since the moment this mission began, especially once we discovered the location of Argo, we have been surrounded by inconsistencies and abnormalities that remain outside of logical explanation. In short, we have little more than topographical charts, atmosphere readings, vegetation and life form projections." deFol stopped at a slight nod from his science officer.
"I have been able to put together some conclusions about mineral deposits, but there is no sign of life beyond what we have agreed to believe is their principal civilization." Major Gallant said in a smooth, sonorous tone. "No sensor aboard this vessel has come close to penetrating Argo's enigma. We have soil scans, maps, everything we would normally be able to acquire from any other planet, except for an obscured shroud over their civilization. That should be our chief concern. A strategic infiltration into their society."
"In search of paradise, yet even then we use words meant for war," Reverend Doughty mused. "Why not simply call them?"
deFol, seeing an imminent insurgence, shook his head. "Our deep space probes found no communication signal residue of any sort. They remain as much a mystery to us as we to them. I agree that our first move should be a strategic one, not simply waving our arms over our heads and shouting that we've arrived. No evidence has come to light that would lead us to believe that Argo is the world of paradise."
"Sir, with all due respect, perhaps I'm not seeing eye to eye with you, but what do you propose we should do?" Major Gallant asked.
"It seems reasonable that we should send out an advance party to determine the nature of Argo's principal civilization." He caught a wary glance from Reverend Doughty and hastily added, "but not a human."
"Send a Mars series?" Major Gallant asked.
"It's not a war, Major." Sergeant Major at Arms Victual blew a translucent wisp of spicy air, fresh from supper. "And if it was, we could simply level their one city."
"Which we're not going to do, right?" Reverend Doughty asked.
deFol shook his head. "Not a Mars series. Not to a world that, even by the little information we do have, meets the criterion for a world of paradise. Perfect climate, well-adjusted geology structures and ample mineral deposits. Though a Venus series may prove valuable. The citizens may be more lenient to answering our list of questions if they are posed from the safety of their own beds."
Victual chortled though fell silent when Doughty interjected.
"Kill them in battle or seduce them in their homes? Isn't this entire line of reasoning imbecilic?" Doughty asked, exasperated.
"No," said a deep, rich voice from the hallway.
deFol narrowed his eyes and looked up as Argentice walked onto the bridge. It hadn't been the first time the robot had given its opinion on a subject and deFol's desire to have him remain outside during staff meetings was to prevent its interruptions altogether. Mostly because the machine tended to be right.
The introverted machine that rarely spoke, and offered the soundest argument when it did, stepped into the bridge's warm, glowing light. The gray skinned, androgynous humanoid wore its hair in a seemingly immobile style. Strands of hair bounced out of place when it walked, only to return to their original posture. "Excuse my interruption, gentlemen," it said like clockwork.
deFol folded his arms across his chest, glancing side to side at his first officers.
"Say your peace, Argentice," Gallant said.
"It is in the mission's best interest that a robot is sent in for reconnaissance. Just not a machine of war or love." Argentice steepled its fingers together and set the dangerous gambit of digits against its chest.
"Until one month ago, Argo has been nothing more than a mythical place, a figment of human belief in mortal paradise. The single question that has evaded all of you throughout your discussions is whose?" Its aquamarine eyes, coronas polished with a subtle tint of blue, looked at the first officers.
"I'm afraid you'll need to expostulate your theory." deFol moved his arms to his sides before continuing. "Whose else would it be? A machine's?"
"Humans have neither discovered intelligent life of other origins, nor have they disallowed that such life may exist. I only offer this: Argo does exist. It may exist as paradise. If, by chance, it doesn't exist as human paradise, with what means would you assume to investigate the supposed civilization?" The machine fell silent though its lips remained pursed.
Send you? deFol thought to himself. The robot wanted him to send it to the surface as the chief investigator, that much was for certain. Throughout the voyage, he had discovered as many mysteries in Argentice as he had about Argo. But, again, to his dismay, it made the most sense. Argentice's dermis and skeleton were polymorphic. It could assume almost any conceivable form of equal mass. It was superior to humans in every way, except for the key . . .
deFol pushed the thought from his mind and adopted an expression of musing. The Lady Candida either was wise to send her best robot on this mission, or had her own agenda that the robot was supposed to keep. But he couldn't dwell on such thoughts for long. Argentice had a peculiar way of knowing and he had little mind for entertaining silicon-based prattle.
"Argentice has posed a very realistic scenario," deFol admitted to the first officers. With little else said and in turn, they each nodded their approval. "Your suggestion has both merit and approval, Argentice."
"What do you propose we should do?" Doughty looked with earnest to the humanoid. "Send a machine of war or love, or send humans to conceivably die?"
"Or send me," Argentice simply replied. "My model was originally of diplomatic import and my analytical skills would best an entire envoy of the Mars or Venus series."
deFol could see that his first officers had expected Argentice's suggestion to a similar degree as his own projection. His eyes hunted over the officer's for any sign of disagreement before voicing his command. "Then Argentice will infiltrate Argo's principle civilization and build a field study of their nature, civilization, if any, linguistics, history, science and current events." When no objection or questions arose, the general motioned Argentice to begin his mission.
The machine nodded and left the bridge.
deFol dismissed the first officers though signaled Victual to his side. "Is the Venus series polymorphic?"
Victual's mouth turned into something between a sneer and a coy smile before settling on pure contemplation. "No. The Mars series is, though their brain housing groups can be swapped out with a Venus series." A faint smile was perched on his mouth. "Sir, a Mars series robot equipped with a Venus brain housing group would be less than attractive considering the additional physical mass it would have to work around."
"Stripped of weapons, armor and all combat orientated devices?" deFol asked.
The corpulent Sergeant Major at Arms set his chin upon a pedestal of hands. "Possibly."
"Is it practical?" deFol belatedly asked.
Victual turned and started to leave, but stopped. "Sir, the Mars series," he paused and turned his head as one of the bridge crew walked by. "The Mars series are machines of conquest. A lot of their programs are hard coded and can't be changed, only disabled. The brain housing group contains all of its higher brain functions. Some of the instinctive combat code is hardwired into the neumorphic strands of its polymorphic skeleton."
deFol's lips twitched and he clasped his hands together at his stomach. "Try, Victual. Try. I think Argentice may find need in a partner, but his overdeveloped arrogance won't let him admit it."
"Justifiable caution, sir." he agreed. "I'll have it ready for transit before Argentice leaves."
deFol dismissed the Sergeant Major at Arms and looked up into the large view port at the sliver of Argo that was visible around the edge of the second moon. Paradise awaited. Possibly. And he felt the excitement intensify. He knew all of his staff wanted to set foot upon the mythical planet, but he had to give Argentice its chance. Perhaps the machine would come through in the end. And then he left the bridge for the space dock.
Argentice quickly prepared for departure, gathering necessary instruments and a small array of scanning modules, organizing everything in a neatly packed satchel.
deFol watched the machine's preparations from a distance before approaching it. "Argentice," he said, then paused several moments until the machine raised its head and looked at him.
"I am quite aware of your doubts concerning my motivations, sir." The robot fetched the slick plastic satchel into its left hand and slung it over its right shoulder.
"And I'm sure that you have your own about me," deFol said in a smooth, friendly tone. "But I have a feeling that you are not telling me something."
Argentice peered at deFol with a statuesque bearing. Nothing moved from its permanent wave of hair to the flat sheen on the tips of its boots. "Sir, this is not a mission of discovery or conquest. It may be the answer that Earth has sought to improving its society."
"Indeed," deFol mused, listening.
Argentice studied the general's expression before continuing. "Suppose Argo's principle civilization is paradise. What then?"
"What do you mean, what then?" he asked, dumbfounded by the audacity of such a question.
"What will paradise do for Earth? Will all creatures of Earth share in its graces? Or maybe only humans? Or a single race, or class?" Argentice walked to a drop shuttle and opened the hatch. "Sir," it spoke over its shoulder, "my previously unspoken concern is that any paradise we find below will be beyond Earth's grasp. If it is paradise they yearn for, then they should do everything in their power to make their home planet a paradise first."
"Haven't we already accomplished that?" he challenged. "There is no pollution, anything we take from the planet is recycled back in its base form."
Argentice set his satchel inside the hatch then turned to face deFol again. "No sir." It watched the answer send a curdling jolt down the general's spine. "Paradise for all does not exist."
"Do you realize what the cost would be to insure the happiness of every last intelligent life form on Earth?" deFol asked.
Argentice nodded. "A price, I imagine, that should we find a paradise civilization on Argo, has been paid down there, but not on Earth."
deFol swallowed a carefully manufactured retort and nodded. "I look forward to your report. Do you have an estimated time for your return?"
"Anywhere between several minutes after I land if there is nothing to research, to several days to catalog the required data."
The general nodded and then watched as Argentice entered the drop ship, closed the hatch, and melted away into the thick black canvas of space. The drop ship followed a carefully mapped window to place it in a remote area beyond the principle civilization. When it had disappeared completely from sight, he left the bay and retired to his personal quarters.
Sergeant Major at Arms Victual nervously stuffed the remains of a nutrition bar into his pants pocket before knocking on the General's hatch. The Mars outfitted Venus had cast an ominous shadow from its pedestal where he'd left it half an hour prior. The polymorphic skeleton had been coded with every conceivable fetish available from Earth's historical society. Yet the shadow was somehow longer than it should have been, especially a shadow cast from such a comely machine as a Venus series. It made no sense that deFol pressed desperately for Argo's principle civilization, enough to the enigmatic Argentice to lead a singular expedition. His mouth tasted of spoiled milk and rancid beef. Victual stared dumbly at the hatch before reaching into his pocket for the remainder of his nutrition bar. If deFol wanted to send Argentice then that was none of his business and he decided not to worry the General with his petty grievances.
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An Account of The Chateau
General deFol faced his officers and the Reverend with a dour expression. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it has come down to a top level investigation of the inexplicable civilization below. We have voted and agreed that at this stage, nothing else may be done from the Golden Sunset and only an eye witness report of the strange city will answer our questions." He looked from face to face. First Sergeant Major at Arms Victual, then Major Gallant, Reverend Doughty, Staff Sergeant Aufait and finally Corporal Ubermensch.
The first officers exchanged wary glances of concern though their eyes reflected an all-conquering resolve.
"By Staff Sergeant Aufait's report," deFol continued, "we were able to put together piecemeal outfits that match the projected era of the civilization. Take special care to pack additional supplies of field rations and power cells." He nodded. "That is all. We'll muster at the drop ship in half an hour."
deFol dismissed the first officers and began his decent to the drop ship bay. The Golden Sunset was a marvelous ship and he detested the notion of personally leading a mission away from her, but felt the safety of his crew was paramount.
The first officers met deFol at the drop ship ahead of schedule and he commenced with loading and undocking.
For the first time in several months, deFol was away from the safety of The Golden Sunset. He felt utterly naked without her warm, protective skin enveloping him with purely scientific love and affection. From a distance, Argo offered little to console him against his nakedness. The planet was glorious and the subconscious thought of meeting the inhabitants of the Chateau distracted him long enough so he didn't dote over the Golden Sunset.
The voyage to the planet's surface was uneventful and proceeded safely. When the drop ship settled into a soft bed of loosely packed dirt, Corporal Ubermensch opened the door and performed a light reconnaissance of the landing sight. The juggernaut enlisted man toted a Leopard Dragon mountable sub-light plasma canon as though the five hundred pound shield buster weighed as much as a feather weight pistol. Staff Sergeant Aufait followed him, wearing form fitting, flesh colored dermal armor and carrying a rapid fire rail rifle at the ready. Both called clear the officers dismounted from the drop ship.
Sergeant Major at Arms Victual, wearing a range vest and a pistol strapped across his chest, met with Ubermensch and Aufait. After a brief exchange of tactical conversation, he sent them forward to the edge of the Chateau with specific instructions not to enter.
deFol knew both Aufait and Ubermensch well enough to trust their adherence to orders. When the two enlisted men scouted ahead, he double checked his officers and then started the short trek across an open, cultivated wheat field. The Chateau was within view from the drop ship's landing site, but the finer details were obscured by sheer cliffs guarding its north, west and south walls. A grand arch on the east wall lead into an outlying village and a second, higher wall cradled the fabulous Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile.
Victual, disliking even the notion of physical exertion, started to wheeze after less than five hundred yards.
"Will you be able to make it, Sergeant Major at Arms?" Major Gallant called over his shoulder.
"I'll (puff) do just (cough) fine, thank you." Victual stopped to catch his breath before continuing the short trek.
"Would you look at that?" Reverend Doughty said, awed. "I didn't think it would be so gorgeous. The entire Chateau must be made of crystal or diamond."
"It is beautiful," deFol whispered, more for his own assurance and gratification than as an answer. "Astounding."
The officers followed a trail through the wheat field blazed by the enlisted men. It took little more than half an hour to reach the light, ascending grade to the Chateau. Staff Sergeant Aufait held a well concealed post in a row of carefully pruned hedges. He emerged from the rich greenery and motioned the officers forward.
"There appears to be no sign of life, gentlemen," he said when they were within earshot. "Corporal Ubermensch is holding down a post near the gate."
Indeed! deFol thought when he looked for the Corporal. Ubermensch stood next to the entrance with the mountable canon perched across a bicep. The muzzle of the canon faced away from the entrance and he appeared to be in an involved conversation with a slight maiden of few notable proportions and a cute, albeit young face.
The woman flushed read at an inaudible comment from the megalithic corporal then turned to face deFol and smiled weakly. She hurriedly waved to Ubermensch and scurried into the Chateau.
deFol approached the seven foot enlisted man with a quizzical expression. "I never thought of you as a socialite."
The corporal flushed and shook his head. "No sir," he replied in a deep tone. "She was, I mean ..."
deFol watched while the Corporal pushed a muscle-knotted hand through his hair with all of the facial expressions of a teen crossing his face in a matter of seconds. "This isn't a military mission, Corporal, socializing will happen." He smiled surreptitiously.
The officers and Staff Sergeant approached the entrance though did not cross into the Chateau. They could see an entire city beyond the wall though few of the populace strayed near the entrance and no one appeared to take notice of them.
"She wasn't surprised that you were here?" Aufait asked. "By the way you were dressed or the way you spoke?" The enlisted men had scouted ahead in clothing and armor of their own designs while the officers and the Sergeant Major at Arms were already garbed in makeshift costumes.
Ubermensch shook his head. "No, Staff Sergeant. She asked if my, uh, sword was magic and I told her, 'no, this is a Leopard Dragon mountable canon' and she said, 'You are a dragon slayer?' and I said .."
Aufait shook his head. "Magic sword indeed!" He narrowed his eyes at the Corporal and shook his head again. "Corporal," but he broke off from his intended comment and laughed.
"Did you ask her name?" Major Gallant queried.
Again, the Corporal flushed. "Yes." A puzzled look crossed his face when he answered. "She said she was the sister of Epater les Bourgeois."
"A relative of the one we met?" Aufait asked, bemused.
deFol was more than puzzled by the coincidence. "It does seem strange that the two would be related."
"Not by blood," Ubermensch said.
"You asked her then?" Aufait asked.
The Corporal shook his head. "No, however I don't believe so, either."
deFol peered at the Corporal and could visualize a veritable, untapped intelligence behind his eyes. "What would lead you to believe they are of no relation."
"Epater les Bourgeois isn't a name, sir. It's an expression. 'To Shock the Middle Class'." Ubermensch pursed his lips and adjusted the weighty portion of the canon across his other bicep. "I've had extensive studies in linguistics and semantics and realize that many sir names and family names in the last few millennia are derived from many different expressions, but this particular one leads me to believe that the two are a part of a group literally outside of the Chateau. Perhaps a few who do leave while others don't, for whatever reason. But any guess at this point would be premature," he conceded.
deFol nodded, shocked at the intuitive definitive explanation. "Very well, Corporal. Staff Sergeant Aufait and yourself may change over now."
The enlisted men hastily donned their outfits and tucked their weapons beneath thick folds of wool.
The Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile was composed of three main structures. The outer structure, including the thirty foot wall and gate the Argonauts gazed through, was apparently the marketplace and residences. Most of the shops and homes were one level and only a scant proportion were more than two. A rich, spicy aroma drifted near the entrance thought dissipated and was overcome by the mild fragrance of a patch of marigolds. Beyond the marketplace a second wall rose fifty feet and the scattered tops of large estates could be seen. The crystalline structure of the Chateau itself was surrounded by a hundred foot third wall. Sunlight reflected from the Chateau and cast splendid showers of rainbow patterns across the grounds of the marketplace.
Reverend Doughty set his hand on deFol's shoulder to gain his attention. "Sir, how should we proceed?"
deFol was caught off-guard by the question. Everything about the city appeared inviting and peaceful. No guards or police or authority figures passed by, though that gave him no cause to assume they did not exist. One step into the city and any of his men would be overcome by the city just as the humanoids and the scout once under Aufait's charge.
"If everyone is ready, I think we should proceed." deFol looked specifically at Reverend Doughty for any objections.
The officers and enlisted men nodded and, together, they walked into the city.
deFol didn't notice any change in himself or the others at first, except that the armor beneath his clothes weighed less and the scanners and personal weapons bulged with different dimensions against his hips and waist. And then both Major Gallant and Corporal Ubermensch were the first to become immersed into the city's culture.
The sister of Epater les Bourgeois whom Ubermensch had briefly spoken with outside caught notice of him and approached. She began to blush and talk softly to him, then summoned more of her friends over to meet him. Somewhere in the conversation, Ubermensch referred to her as Evergreen and she, in turn, referred to his position as a new dragon slayer to her friends.
Major Gallant was likewise taken off guard by a sudden inundation of attention, but of another sorts. A comely woman approached him at a brisk pace.
"You've returned!" she cried and then flung her arms around his neck and kissed him with a passion that deFol had never before witnessed. Emotionally electricity charged her mouth and hands, her negative charges attracting Gallant's positives, fusing them briefly in a magnetic reunion.
Gallant looked at her surprised and quickly glanced at deFol , Doughty and Aufait. "But I'm married!"
"Yes, you are," the woman replied, a sly smile appearing on her lips. "And shame on you for not introducing me to your friends. Are you gentlemen with the Perimeter Guard?"
Aufait was the first to respond. "Um, yes." His words came slowly, though he played along. "We were beyond the wheat fields today with the dragon slayer over yonder." He nodded to Ubermensch.
deFol caught Aufait's color and whispered sharply, "What are you doing?"
"We can't tell them who we are, no can we make our way around here without identities. And by the looks of Gallant and Ubermensch, our identities already exist, we only need to step and assume them." Aufait smiled courteously to the woman. "I am ..."
But she broke him off, "Yes, I know who you are, silly boy. You are Aufait, I am Nightshade, and we are old friends. But you," she indicated deFol , "I have never met you before."
deFol paused to contemplate his answer. Major Gallant, Corporal Ubermensch and Aufait were recognized while Reverend Doughty and himself were not. They were only moments inside the city and he could already sense a pattern developing. Strangers met with prescribed identities? How were they to respond? Major Gallant was already married to a wonderful wife, but not this Nightshade. And Ubermensch had always been as unfriendly to women as to an opponent. It made no sense!
"I am deFol ," he replied with a graciously smile, not bothering to include his rank.
Nightshade blinked and then laughed. "Of course, of course. Where is my mind today? Yes, the high court has been looking for you all morning. Off with this ruffian, I see." She nudged Gallant and then kissed him again.
"The high court?" deFol asked. He found it strangely humorous enough to emote a soft laugh.
"The jester asks his own job? Is this the development of a new routine? An amnesia sketch is it? How darling!" Nightshade winked. "A difficult task, but one that the best jester in the land should be able to handle."
A court jester? Ludicrous! deFol thought. The edge of his smile twitched though he didn't want to cause any disruption. But what did he know of humor? "Yes, of course."
Reverend Doughty chuckled and bid Nightshade a greeting. "And I am Reverend Doughty."
"Of course I remember you now. The Orthodox Gentile." Nightshade offered a curtsy. "But I must say goodbye. My husband has been away far too long." She tugged at his arm and started to lead him away.
deFol looked hurriedly at Gallant, then Aufait and Doughty. Another fear struck and he looked around for Ubermensch but saw no sign of him. Sergeant Major at Arms Victuals had been looking at one of the pastry carts, but was likewise nowhere to be seen. The circle of Evergreen's friends remained, but Evergreen and Ubermensch and the pastry carts were gone.
"Sir," Aufait whispered. "I think it may be in our best interest to let Major Gallant go. I don't think any harm will come to them."
"Harm?" Reverend Doughty said, stepping up behind deFol . "Divide and conquer! They are separating us and ..."
"And what?" Aufait asked. "We don't know enough yet."
deFol smiled towards Gallant, who was lost in vertigo, and then waved to Nightshade, who lead Major Gallant away. "We need to find the others."
"Argentice," Aufait said.
deFol frowned, though silently agreed. Argentice would be the one to have collected the most information.
deFol felt as though he was losing control, then realized he never had control to begin with. Lady Candida had set out the mission objectives, Argentice had lead the Golden Sunset to Argo and performed most of the scientific work, and he was nothing more than a figurehead in the matter. He felt like a pawn. A court clown.
The two officers and the Reverend explored the marketplace, finding everything one would expect to find in a functioning civilization. Meat was taken from large herds to the north. Most species of fish were caught near the animal herds. Dairy products were processed somewhere beyond the wheat fields they had landed near. Grains, fruits and vegetables where harvested from those fields. Ores were mined from the mountains surrounding the Chateau and there was nothing deFol could find that indicated the city was not self sustaining.
When night began to settle, Reverend Doughty was the first to ask where they would sleep. deFol didn't want to return to the ship until he found the others, and there wasn't any sign of a hotel.
"We could go to the Chateau. I'm sure the jester has quarters there," Aufait offered.
"I'm quite sure the Perimeter Guard has quarters somewhere as well, but neither of us knows where." deFol yawned and then gazed at the second wall. "There may be something beyond this wall. An inn or lodge."
"We have no money," Reverend Doughty sighed. "No home, no food."
Aufait shook his head. "We have plenty of nutrition bars. I agree with the General. We should explore the other side of the wall."
Reverend Doughty had the best memory of the gate through the second wall. They walked past countless markets and small homes and then stopped. Looking back, the markets had been clean and well designed. No single building lacked for artistry or showed any sign of dilapidation. Beyond the second wall, the great estates of the Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile were beyond words. Spacious ponds, parks and lighted paths were built between each grand estate. The lights had a soft, luminescent countenance of stars and the air adopted a rich wood and stone aroma.
deFol had never contemplated the smell of stones before but could distinguish the individual flavors of marble, brick, gravel and even individual granules of sand. "Dear Lord," he said in an awe-inspired whisper. "It's gorgeous."
Aufait sighed and could only nod. "There must be hundreds. Thousands of these."
"It doesn't seem physically possible, does it?" Reverend Doughty noted. "I can see the third wall, the first wall, the mountains and the Chateau itself. But these estates," and he paused. "There must be a mansion for every family here."
A sharp voice caught their attention.
"Behold, the tusk of the great Saber Toothed Tiger Bedlam!" the orator shouted.
A cluster of people was forming around the podium the orator stood upon. They drifted in from the marketplace, the estates and from the Chateau itself. A few cheers rose from the growing crowd.
deFol walked over for closer inspection and the other officers followed.
"Bedlam has been a terror to the Chateau for millennia!" he shouted. "She has destroyed our herds and terrorized the night, taking our children and worse. I, Marcus Finley, have slain her!"
A few cries of understandably distrust rose from the crowd. They were quickly shouted down with cheers of appreciation when Marcus Finley held aloft a bloody tusk. The tusk was the length of his arm and had the girth of his thigh.
"That could have come from anywhere," Doughty whispered. He looked closer. "It's hard to tell with the clothes, but he looks very familiar."
"I know, like one of our men." Aufait agreed. "No supporting evidence about the kill other than a single prop, either."
Marcus Finley continued his oration.
deFol caught sight of a familiar face and pointed off towards a couple walking away into one of the parks. "Is that Major Gallant?"
Aufait nodded. "Yes."
They all walked quickly to him, leaving the crowd and the tall tale behind them.
Gallant walked arm in arm with Nightshade, evidently content with himself and his company. When he spied deFol he smiled warmly. "Good evening, sir."
"Hello," deFol said. He looked at Nightshade and nodded. "And to you, Nightshade."
"I should speak to them alone, Nightshade." Gallant kissed her and she walked further into the park. When she was out of earshot, Gallant walked to a park bench and sat down. Aufait and deFol joined him, Reverend Doughty remained standing. "I've unraveled one small piece of the mystery."
"She seems rather taken with you," Doughty commented.
"She should. She's my wife," Gallant said assuredly.
"You accept that immoral fact?" Doughty asked, stunned.
"I do. Now, anyway. It is a part of what I learned."
"Go on, Major." deFol crossed his arms and shot Doughty a look just in case the Reverend had any intention of interrupting again.
"Nightshade took me to one of these huge mansions which she treated as hers. Or ours." Gallant pointed towards the Chateau. "The one nearest the wall, over there. She was very intent on making up for lost time." He fell silent for sometime, coming to terms with what he wanted to say. With a quick glance at the Reverend, "I did my best to show my disinterest, but her lithe body and sweet sound had me in bed in her arms before I thought to argue. Before our consummation, even before a willing kiss, I told her that I was married, very happily so."
"At first, I thought she would express ignorance to the contrary, as she came close to doing the first time I met her. This time, she said that it was night, alone, and should be at peace. She explained it as light was a time for life while night was peace from life. Then she asked me about my wife." Gallant stopped, a momentary look of confusion intermixed with ultimate and unfortunate understanding.
"So she already knew you were married?" Aufait asked.
"After she kissed me the first time and I told her. I asked her why she didn't say anything then and she only responded that light was the time for life."
"How did she know who we were?" deFol asked. "Some of us, anyway."
"I don't know," Gallant confessed. "But as we lay there, we talked for a long time. Nightshade asked me how I could be happily involved in a relationship that wasn't working out. I denied this, but she offered intrinsic details about my relationship with my wife and about me, personally. It wasn't so much the subject of the conversation as what she said in response to her own question. She had the attributes of a woman that I would theoretically epitomize my wife should be."
"Did you ask about Argentice?" Aufait queried.
Gallant nodded. "And the others, but she didn't know anything about it. I surmise there is a limited form of telepathy involved, but not complete."
"Perhaps someone else should ask her?" deFol asked.
Gallant shook his head. "No. You can't asked her and you can't ever tell her or anyone else who you really are. When we entered the city, we personified our own deepest desires. Corporal Ubermensch's, Sergeant Major at Arms Victual's and mine were more readily apparent than yours, I guess."
"Why can't we say?" Doughty asked.
"I'm not sure why," he said sullenly. "Nightshade provided me with most of that information, but I think it has to do with the part about night being peace from life. It wasn't night then, of course, but we were alone and, in her mind, destined for one another, and so she confided the truth in me"
"How is all of this possible?" deFol asked. "The thousands of mansions, the marketplace? Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, but I haven't seen one peon or one police officer."
"Again, sir, I can't answer that. Argentice may hold those clues. Until then, I think we should get some sleep."
"Where?" Reverend Doughty asked.
"I'm sure all of you have homes somewhere, most likely with someone," Gallant replied.
Doughty flushed red.
"You are of course welcome to stay with me," Gallant offered.
They sought out Nightshade who led them back to Gallant's newfound estate. It was as beautiful as the others with a very gothic appeal. Gargoyles guarded the front gate and all of the outside doors. Large sculpted animals of various fantastic origins created an inanimate zoo in the main courtyard.
While they walked through the estate, deFol whispered to Gallant, "If you don't mind the question, did you really sleep with her?"
Gallant nodded with little forethought. "Don't say anything to Doughty, sir, and I'm still struggling with the moral implications myself, but what she said made a lot of sense. And she has proved it. She is everything I've ever wanted in a wife down to the finest detail. She claims that I am likewise for her. Nightshade has been here for two hundred years and has worked at one of the markets nearest the gate to make sure she found the first right man that walked through. In the few hours I've known her, I know more about her than I know about my own wife."
"And you could never leave her," deFol mused.
"No sir, I would never leave her," he replied.
"That's exactly what I'm worried about. Do you think Corporal Ubermensch would ever leave that maiden who was taken with him, or would Victual leave the opportunity to become whatever it is he will become?" deFol cringed at thinking that they were all becoming involved too quickly with lives that weren't theirs. And what of the humanoids? What of Argentice?
Nightshade showed Aufait and Doughty to their rooms and then sent Gallant on ahead to their room. When her 'husband' left, she turned to deFol and showed him into his room. She shut the door and a frown crossed her mouth. "Now is a time of peace from life and so I will be blunt. Aufait, Doughty and yourself have not fit into our society yet. Doubt is small pebbles cast into the placid pond, creating ripples of dissension."
deFol sat on the edge of the bed, feeling the gesture would make him appear more friendly. "What do you mean that now is a time of peace from life?"
Nightshade gathered her arms around her chest. "You questioned Marcus Finley tonight. Although Gallant and I were some distance away, I could see it on your faces."
"He said nothing to support his claim."
"That's immaterial," she snapped. "Marcus Finley is one of your men and doing everything he can do fit in here, and doing quite well given the amount of time he's had."
Doughty was right! He was familiar because he was the one lost during Aufait's expedition, but difficult to recognize through all the makeup.
"That tusk was used yesterday as a dragon's toenail, and last week as a devil's horn."
"A fantasy!" deFol said. "Nothing more than a hoax."
"A hoax?" Nightshade gasped. "Then what do you think he was doing out at the Hanson's farm building the new fence? He was out there to hunt the Saber Tooth and helped them fix up their farm in exchange for a sword, a place to stay and food."
deFol put his head in his hands. "This makes no sense. Why didn't he call us so we could pick him up?"
"It's not in his destiny to return to Earth. He is a hero at heart and today he became one. They will erect a statue to him and the poets will write ballads about his heroic deeds." Nightshade was apparently impressed with the hoax and believed in it on a deeply disturbing psychological level.
"I don't understand," he whispered.
"The reality to your fondest dream is right here, right now. You only have to reach out and take it. But tomorrow, I must send you and your two friends to the Grand Wizard. He will know what to do with you, but I cannot keep you here." She turned to leave.
"And Gallant?" deFol asked as an afterthought.
"We have found our paradise with each other, why would he ever have to see the Grand Wizard?" And then she left.
deFol slept with far too many questions plaguing him.
The next morning, Nightshade woke them at the crack of dawn and lead them to breakfast. The meal was well prepared and was almost a banquet.
deFol had to remind himself of his rank and his command. He had to get his men regrouped and leave this madness. Doughty and Aufait seemed to be adjusting to the strange city, which worried deFol further.
Nightshade brought them to the third wall and into the Chateau. She didn't pause to reflect upon the architectural beauty of the Chateau itself, but even a single glimpse was enough to carry deFol's good will through the rest of his life. He saw designs within designs, symbolism that defined every question he'd ever had, all within the graceful curves and jaded studs of the diamond-like crystal.
Inside, she whisked them through several hallways and enclosed courtyards until she came upon a richly decorated chamber. "Here is where I must leave you." With that, she turned and left.
"She seemed rather curt to us this morning," Aufait commented. "What did she say to you last night?"
deFol shook his head. "It's difficult to explain the conversation since it made little sense to me. She asked why we doubted the validity of Marcus Finley's account and, oh yes, you were right Reverend, he was one of us. The one you lost, Aufait."
"I didn't recognize him," Aufait admitted guiltily. "He was in a very good disguise."
"Who, exactly, are we waiting for?" Doughty asked.
"The Grand Wizard," deFol said sheepishly. "I'm still at a loss as to what this is all about. All I do know is that Nightshade considers us pebbles in the placid pond and that the Grand Wizard will know what to do with us."
Aufait mused and then looked up with an indifferent expression. "A pebble in a placid pond is disruption to peace. The three of us have neither assumed our given identities or readily accepted the identities of others, such as Marcus Finley."
"And Nightshade wouldn't just say that?" Doughty asked.
The door to the chamber closed and Argentice looked upon the two officers and the Reverend. It was dressed in finely woven white robes with gold trims and small silver pins along the front seam. "She would not because she could not, gentlemen."
"Argentice, what is going on here?" deFol demanded.
"My analysis has not been completed, sir. I do wish you had heeded my warning and not set foot in the city, though. The presence of myself was cause for alarm, and the arrival of the rest of you has landed me in this job."
"Job?" Aufait asked and then chortled. "Of course, you must be the wizard."
"Argentice," deFol asked, "Message? What happened?"
The humanoid produced a look of bereft amusement. "You had better be seated, gentlemen. This is to be a long conversation with many unpleasant truths for you."
"Please get to the point," deFol demanded again, though knew better from the humanoid.
"The point, sir, is that the Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile is, indeed, a human paradise. Two slightly less glamorous though important amendments are that you may not leave and Earth may not know of its location." Argentice sat down opposite a lounge the officers had selected.
"Sir," Argentice addressed deFol specifically, "I realize that this is hard for you to accept, especially coming from me, but I intend to offer you a thorough explanation."
"There is a certain alchemy to The Aurora Chateau Deo Belle Etoile, which means The Castle of Light under God's Beautiful Stars, that allows paradise to exist. This alchemy depends as much upon the history of the city as it does the current inhabitants. The Chateau was built by an inventive scientist who theorized a device that would prolong human life to the point of immortality. This device depended on certain elements existing, including the complete complacency of individuals and the society they lived in. At first, the Chateau was nothing more than a biosphere on an inhabitable planet named Argo, hence the few existing records in Earth texts. As technology progressed, the scientist began to import devices to produce a suitable atmosphere, plant and wildlife specimens, and increased the scope of his biosphere to the entire planet."
"Who was this scientist?" deFol asked, for he had never heard of one that established a biosphere on Argo.
"His name was omitted from historical texts because Earth deemed some of his research as immoral. He chose a name that fit his place in the world, Epater les Bourgeois, and his descendants carry that name, only referring themselves to their immediate generation by their placement in their family."
"Such as the father or sister," Aufait offered.
"Exactly," Argentice replied.
Argentice continued. "Those who chose to follow the scientist established a codex for living a wholesome and peaceful life. This involved great pains being taken to ensure planet wide protection from discovery and hostile or benign invasion, such as the obstacles we encountered on our voyage here. The codex set population limits, and requirements for education and etiquette."
"The most important part of the codex is in the first paragraph which I will recite for you now. Our Chateau shall stand for all things we hold within our faith to govern our way of life. We shall build a city and a society, in consideration of all faiths, that we believe God had intended us to create. It is the dream of all men and women to rise beyond mortal limitations of mind, body and spirit. Properly placed faith in one's own abilities and achievements allows the transmutation of something ordinary into the extraordinary. Thus, the alchemy of our society is dependent upon this social element. We shall not stray from our faith, nor allow outside disbelief to plague the integrity of our faith in God or each other." Argentice paused.
deFol looked at Aufait and Doughty who were riveted to Argentice's explanation. He had to admit that he was, thus far, quite intrigued as well.
"With a set population, the founders were able to calculate the amount of food and land needed, then built the great estates surrounding the Chateau. The marketplace is an open building area for single level dwellings, and anyone interested in farming or ranching could build or rebuild estates outside the Chateau. Everything is kept in order and working condition in the day to day routine of the citizen's lives."
"Why, then, did one of us simply lose interest of the outside world when he came inside to explore?" Aufait asked, specifically of Marcus Finley.
"A telepathy field is generated, for those who wish to use it, for communication and building quests. It encompasses the Chateau only to the outer wall and by crossing into it, you are severed from senses beyond it unless you force yourself to be aware of them. Therefore, if one of you crossed into the city and another shouted to you from outside, you would not hear it unless you had good reason to expect it." Knowing certain questions pertaining to this would follow, Argentice added, "This requires experience to be able to perceive senses both inside and outside the Chateau at the same time."
"What did you mean when you said building quests?" Doughty asked.
"Building your dreams," the robot said simply. "The telepathy field not only identifies normally personality traits about you to the rest of the city, but also allows the main computer to generate suitable interactions for you. For example, Nightshade was aware of Major Gallant because the computer blocked out all other telepathic signals except his because it calculated that he best suited her particular quest, that of finding the perfect husband."
"And the three of us?"deFol asked.
"The three of you, as I'm sure you have heard, are the pebbles in the placid pond, a fond saying taken from the codex. You are, of course the rocks of doubt and therefore a great disturbance to the delicate fabric of the society. Although Nightshade noticed this, the main computer knew that you had not fit in anywhere yet." The humanoid paused, then a dry smirk crossed its lips. "I'm sure you've heard many other citations from the codex that have confused you to no end."
"Yes," deFol admitted. "Light is the time for life, night is the time for peace from life. Something like that."
Argentice nodded. "It is a good rule to live by. During the day, you should interact with people and work their personal quests into your own life, thus adding to the culture. During the evening, it is acceptable to talk amongst yourselves about things that would not be acceptable to speak of during the day in public. It is merely a statement to ensure privacy since some problems do occur. Major Gallant is a case in point. He is already married and though he would be happier with Nightshade, it would not be morally correct for him to commit adultery or bigamy. This is not a topic that would be discussed in public simply because it is not the business of the entire city, but I'm sure it is something that Gallant and his new friend have been discussing quite often in privacy."
"How are people content with their work?" Doughty asked. "They aren't doing anything, only living out their dreams?"
"Haven't you answered your own question, Reverend?" Argentice replied. "It may not seem like someone on a quest to prove his or her bravery by slaying a dragon is actually performing anything beneficial to the society, but if you look and listen closely, they are. They must acquire shelter and supplies, learn knew stories to tell, learn knew skills. They perform work in return, or make trades. The artists have ample inspiration and opportunity to create and all aspects of a functional industry and economy are fulfilled, without money and without a caste."
"Then why are we unable to leave?" deFol asked, wondering if Argentice had already answered that somewhere in his explanation.
"This is a harder question to answer, sir, but I will try. It is based more on their codex than my personal experience here. Because this society is so tightly knit, every small disturbance can be felt. You may not know it, but your shadows of doubt at the Marcus Finley proclamation brought about a lot of mischief. The rules themselves are simple, but the people are complex, and they are raised to understand exactly what is going on and why it is happening. No one here is mislead about the true nature of the Chateau, but they do understand that they cannot leave because every one of them, in their own way, is a part of the special alchemy. When you set foot in the city and interacted with the people, you became a part of that alchemy. For this reason alone, you cannot leave, nor may Earth ever learn of the Chateau's location."
deFol had difficulty digesting what Argentice said, though it did make sense. He looked at both Aufait and Doughty, then stood. "And why did you become the grand wizard?"
"It was a simple matter, actually. The computers here had not been maintained for some time, so I chose to assume that responsibility. That is how I learned most of what I know, though I verified this by speaking with many of the inhabitants."
deFol closed his eyes. "Argentice, how am I supposed to tell everyone back on Earth that we found paradise, but they aren't invited?"
Argentice made no physical motion, though readily responded. "I've prepared a copy of the codex for them. It is my belief that if Earth desires paradise, they should build it, not simply partake. You once mentioned the sizable cost of building paradise and now I invite you to look once more upon the Chateau. The most exquisite city in our history, built by those Earth once rejected. Not including the initial costs of the biosphere, it was built without money. What do you tell the people on Earth? Tell them that paradise is a public state of mind. If even one person shares in its beauty but doubts its value, it shall cease to be."
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