lower than what it took to destroy a farm. It was also much harder to bring Protective Forces to bear on space-borne attacks. Most of Alunur's fortune had been invested in the Created Worlds. Over time, the Independents began to consider attacks on not just cargo ships but directly on the Created Worlds themselves. The rapid growth of new plasma-related tools, spawned on one of the Created Worlds, were threatening the collapse of the plasma defenses of all the Created Worlds. Alunur began to sever his ties with the Independents. The Independents didn't like that. Alunur went into hiding. <strong>An</strong>glana, through Mura, appointed a well-known Aklan as Alunur's replacement. 82
16 ~ Honor Alunur found a resting place on <strong>An</strong>la-Purum in what had been called the Unholy Lands and was now Aklana. Being surrounded by Aklans wasn't as bad as he'd feared when his contact had told him where to hide next. This Territory remained in most minds as a place that was either unspeakably glorious or mind-numbingly dangerous. Either reputation sufficed for Alunur's purpose: avoid Independents. The daily life of the family he was staying with was so normal that he wondered why people so often attributed miraculous powers to these people. They did pray in the morning before beginning their daily routine but the routine was, well, routine. The father kissed his wife and headed out to the mining facility; the mother got her children ready for school then rushed off to the university for her classes in history; the children went to school, came home and did their homework, went out to play, and returned before dark to be loved by the mother and father. Yes, they did pray again before sending the kids off to bed. But the reputation of Aklans being some rare form of spiritual beings wasn't apparently true. They were merely good people. Good people who took him in and made him feel welcome. Good people who without trying made him feel protected. Alunur spent the first weeks just recuperating <strong>from</strong> the harrowing passages he'd navigated in the past two years. Staying one step ahead of dangerous Independents was easy with his financial resources. The uneasy and exhausting part had been acclimating to environments where his status as rich and educated mattered not a bit. He was humbled, confused, distraught, and witheringly tired. The Besul family was a healing force just by their acceptance of his need to quietly sit, eat, sleep, and sketch. One day, without premeditation, he'd asked for a pad and pencil. He was surprised he had artistic ability. He'd thought his talents were studying, writing, and negotiation. His passion about hiding his new creations was eventually penetrated by the youngest child's persistent unveiling of her own efforts in drawing. After each presentation of another of her selfproclaimed masterpieces, she would beg him to show her his sketches. He eventually did. Mother Besul was the first to rank his work as genius. The children couldn't grasp the reason for her excitement but they did like his work. Father Besul was calmer than his wife but insistent that he be able to contact an artist of his acquaintance who could help Alunur become recognized. “Mr. Besul, I can't become known for anything.” “Alunur, when will you finally call me Taliv? But no matter, we accepted you here because you're a child of God in distress. We hadn't expected the testimony of <strong>An</strong>glana to your trustworthiness but I still don't understand how a man who appears out of nowhere, who has wealth but seems a natural recluse, can receive the blessings of <strong>An</strong>glana.” “She recommended me for a job once. I had to escape attention because certain people didn't like a decision I'd made. Mr.— I mean, Taliv, I'm hiding <strong>from</strong> the Independents.” “Whew...” “Yes, I was, well, in an influential position and the Independents were counting on me to make certain things possible for them. I realized that, if I did, my entire holdings would be wiped out. In fact, a large portion of the Worlds' wealth would have been obliterated. Before I left my job, I gave the authorities the names of key individuals, people since arrested and under constant supervision. Still, those people have many friends...” “There used to be a Council member named Alunur, but his last name wasn't Pelv.” “Taliv, I'm who you think I am.” “My, my... You poor soul.” Taliv told Alunur he would make very private inquiries about a possible resolution of the situation. He assured him that, if things worked out, he might be able to live a less restrictive life. He didn't tell him that the inquiries were about how to communicate with Mura. ~~~ 83
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