You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
the <strong>An</strong>lan leaders with <strong>An</strong>gan technology in the hope that its usefulness would make them more<br />
valuable as to who they actually were rather than whom it seemed the <strong>An</strong>lans would want them to<br />
be. Morna was supplying them with appropriate gadgets to immediately impress the <strong>An</strong>lans. She<br />
knew they would be capable of devising whatever else was needed as circumstances progressed.<br />
The cessation of endocrine enhancement had also helped the passengers realize, with Morna's<br />
aid, that their transfer to the planet was the beginning of a war of occupation by people who the<br />
<strong>An</strong>gan leadership believed could be remotely influenced through the implants. They reasoned that<br />
the Corporation hoped to influence them to insane actions, anything that could disrupt the<br />
<strong>An</strong>lans' ordered existence, providing leverage for more interference by <strong>An</strong>ga's leadership. If<br />
enough potentially disruptive settlers could be shipped to <strong>An</strong>la and the Corporation could<br />
"intercede" to control the settlers, it would be progressively more in command of a constantly<br />
growing population of drones. The <strong>An</strong>lan priests had literally begged for the settlers. The reason<br />
for their dwindling population had yet to be determined.<br />
~~~<br />
ShipOne attained orbit around <strong>An</strong>la and deployed the tethered laser to power their return. The<br />
transfer pods began their descent—down to the city of Muram, capital of Enes-Suva, center of the<br />
Lord's Army Dominion.<br />
The <strong>An</strong>lan priests were prepared for two actions. The first was immediate interrogation of each<br />
settler to decide who would live or die; the second was the immediate death of Akla.<br />
~~~<br />
Not long after the dispatch of transfer pods paused, to give ShipOne time to return to the proper<br />
place in its orbit, a single pod prepared for descent. It contained Akla, Rednaxela, and Morna.<br />
"Morna, check Akla's coordinates again please."<br />
"They are fine. We'll be landing in a deeply forested region of what the <strong>An</strong>lans call the Unholy<br />
Lands in a country called Ceia-Abi, 50 miles <strong>from</strong> the main city, Oaur."<br />
"Yes, yes, I know. Sometimes you're too consummate in your responses."<br />
"Thank you, Rednaxela..."<br />
Akla returned <strong>from</strong> his lengthy meditation and said, "The Nari in this region are anxious for my<br />
arrival."<br />
Rednaxela countered, "Their knowing the time of your arrival is the one part of this plan that I<br />
truly don't understand."<br />
"It is simple. I told them."<br />
"Yes, you've told me you told them but communicating through plasma waves can only convey<br />
general principles and emotions— Why am I repeating myself?"<br />
"You are trying to convince yourself that what I have done is impossible."<br />
"Yes."<br />
Morna chimed in with, "Detach."<br />
Rednaxela began to wonder about the crew he'd left aboard ShipOne. Had they believed him<br />
when he'd told them that the <strong>An</strong>lans had asked that Akla be delivered to a place not in their<br />
orders? Would the people of the Educate and Conquer group convince the <strong>An</strong>lans that ShipOne<br />
needed to be seized? What would they do when the <strong>An</strong>lan priests queried them about Akla and<br />
the Captain of their ship? Did any of it matter? His moral sense was completely confused. His<br />
devotion to <strong>An</strong>ga had been shattered by what Akla had taught him. He thoroughly trusted Akla<br />
and had no idea why he did.<br />
Morna piloted the pod in a series of trajectories that would hide the location of their landing.<br />
His last thought as they neared the ground, dutifully recorded by Morna, was: Velu, my dear<br />
13