18 Dec 2011

Beyond the Farthest Star: Chapter 34

Posted by joncooper

Noel Lawson was on his way home after a long day’s work. He had spent the entire day in meetings with a group of engineers and construction workers, planning out the next steps to solve the ruin’s food supply problems. In his excitement he lost track of time and ended up working much later than he had intended. It was now well past nine o’clock and he was tired and ready to get some sleep. As he was getting out his key to open his apartment door, however, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Why Amy!” Noel exclaimed, as he turned around. “I had no idea you’d returned. Where have you been? Miles told me that you’d left but he didn’t know where you had gone. We’ve both been a little concerned about you.”

“That doesn’t matter right now,” the girl replied. “Look. Did you just receive an invitation from the mayor to go to dinner tomorrow?”

“Yes and no,” Noel said. “The invitation was actually delivered by Scott Glover, not the mayor. It was the first time I’d ever met him! I don’t normally get mixed up with security. But you are partially correct. The invitation is for dinner, it is for tomorrow evening, and it is at the mayor’s home. The council is supposed to be there too, though, so it’s not just with the mayor. I think they want to talk about my plans for the new colony. It’s quite exciting!”

“So they have asked you to be there at 7 PM?”

“Yes, they have,” Noel commented. “I can hardly wait! But how do you know about all this? Was the invitation in the news or something?”

“You’re missing the point! You need to stay focused here. The reason the mayor invited you to his home for dinner is so he can kill you. He sees you as a threat to his political future and he plans on eliminating you. Whatever you do you must not go to that dinner tomorrow.”

Noel shook his head. “Amy, you’re a bright girl, but I really believe you’re letting your delusions of grandeur get the better of you. The mayor has actually been very supportive! Despite what Miles has said I truly believe that the mayor is on my side.”

“He is not on your side! The only time he has even pretended to be on your side was when he thought you were going to loot the ruin and bring its treasures back here. Now that he knows that you want to start a new city on the surface he sees you as a political rival – and a serious threat to the future of New Tikal. Look, Noel, think about it. You are trying to lure people away from this underground city and back to the surface. If you succeed, this city will be abandoned and the mayor’s career will end. Do you really think that he hasn’t figured that out?”

“But that’s years away!” Noel protested. “None of this is going to happen tomorrow. That ruin up there won’t be able to compete with this city for a long, long time.”

“But that day will come, and the mayor knows it. That is why he wants to stop it now before he loses control. Don’t you remember what happened to Don Elliott? This isn’t the first time this has happened!”

Noel sighed. “I appreciate your concern, I really do. But I really think you’re blowing this all out of proportion. It’s just a dinner invitation, nothing more. Nothing bad is going to happen tomorrow.”

“You’re going to regret this,” the girl said, shaking her head. “They’re not even going to serve you a meal – by the time you get there they will have already eaten. If you won’t listen to me then I guess I have no choice. I’m going to go with you to that so-called dinner tomorrow.”

“But you weren’t invited!” Noel protested. “The mayor is not going to like this. I don’t think that is a good idea.”

“Oh, believe me, you’ll have a very different opinion by this time tomorrow. Besides, I’m not asking you if I can go, I’m telling you that I’m going. This is not a discussion. If you’re not going to look after yourself then I’ll have to. Somebody has got to protect the future of Mars.”

“Fine,” Noel said. “I can see your mind is made up. Should I pick you up at your apartment?”

“I’ll meet you at the mayor’s house,” she said. The girl then turned around and walked off.

Noel sighed, opened the door to his apartment, and walked inside. “She’s a nice girl, but she’s really got to get a grip on reality,” he said aloud, to no one in particular. “She is far too paranoid for her own good. But if coming along to the mayor’s is what it will take to calm her down then I guess I can go along with that. I owe her that much.”

The man closed the door and locked it. He then paused. After all, she can’t possibly be right. Can she?

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