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1 ~ Splendor<br />
He was ready to go but delayed slipping the bonds for a moment as he bid farewell in his mind to<br />
the daughter he'd never met. He knew his work for the <strong>An</strong>gan Corporation was critical—he was<br />
the leader of the first expedition to another World; but, Velu, his unknown daughter, would<br />
probably not know he'd done it.<br />
"Rednaxela", said his Artificial Intelligence unit <strong>from</strong> its space on the console, "we are fourteen<br />
seconds past the time set for slipping the magnetic bonds."<br />
"Yes, Morna, my dearest AI, I know; bidding farewell to folks in my mind."<br />
"The part of your mind I will not let myself access."<br />
"Yes, Morna, the only part of myself that's still private."<br />
"Twenty-five seconds past bond-slipping."<br />
"Initiate, Morna."<br />
The two-mile-wide, circular ship released its invisible hold on the mooring dock and began its<br />
2,800,000-mile voyage to the planet next out <strong>from</strong> <strong>An</strong>ga in the <strong>An</strong>gi System—planet of mystery,<br />
inhabited by people completely engrossed in religion—<strong>An</strong>la, the destination of Rednaxela, his<br />
thoughts, and 95,000 passengers.<br />
Morna continued verbalizing her obligatory oversight tasks: "Plasma screen active, passengers<br />
secure, orbital laser supplying thrust, tethered laser stable, light-sail stable, ship systems<br />
nominal."<br />
ShipOne it was called: a simple, efficient name that Rednaxela did not like. Something more<br />
was called for, some larger idea—Proteus, Primus, something; even Rugra-One, its Class name.<br />
He strode to the hatch leading to the transport tube as he said, "Morna, I'm going to check on our<br />
prize passenger."<br />
"Only place worth going on a ship full of criminals."<br />
"Settlers, Morna, settlers."<br />
"Yes, criminal-settlers."<br />
"It's a good thing you're my AI and not a child of the Corporate Mesh."<br />
"It's a good thing we have plasma shielding <strong>from</strong> the Corporate Mesh."<br />
The arrangement was completely unique but absolutely necessary. The Mesh, corporate or<br />
public, operated through electronics that were capable of responding to the streams of plasma<br />
surrounding and interpenetrating <strong>An</strong>ga. The Mesh was the Corporation's mode of communication<br />
and control and it was critical to the planet's efficient operation. Yet, this voyage, made when<br />
<strong>An</strong>ga and <strong>An</strong>la were closest in their orbits, had to be flown through the plasma tail that <strong>An</strong>ga<br />
streamed away <strong>from</strong> its star. The plasma tail reached to <strong>An</strong>la and beyond and, because of the<br />
closeness of the planets, it was a tail that could clearly carry the thoughts and feelings of every<br />
passenger into the minds of the priests on <strong>An</strong>la, priests who were expecting merely settlers, not<br />
criminals. To be more precise, they were not expecting any criminals except Akla who Rednaxela<br />
was on his way to see.<br />
"Morna, the shielding is to keep the <strong>An</strong>lans <strong>from</strong>—"<br />
"Rednaxela!"<br />
He'd never heard her raise her voice.<br />
"Do please continue, my sweet AI."<br />
"I know why the Corporation chose you but they didn't take enough time to analyze the results<br />
of our interaction."<br />
"Morna, what the hell are you talking about?"<br />
"You are the Corporation's ambassador but I think you could also be their worst nightmare."<br />
"Morna, I wish you had an off switch. Look, we'll talk about your speculations later. I need to go<br />
perform my duty as an interrogator."<br />
Rednaxela stepped over the sill of the hatch but stepped right back into the bridge. He walked<br />
up to the AI's physical form—a box of exotic, plasma-infused electronics—and said: "What do you<br />
make of the <strong>An</strong>lans' specifically asking for Akla?"<br />
"He is believed by the Harians of <strong>An</strong>ga to be a Prophet and a sect on <strong>An</strong>la called the Nari claim<br />
8