Shadows of Golstar Read Free

rear. This assault was as ineffective as
all the previous attacks. The alien ship finally halted 160 kilometers above
the Seat of Parliament and hovered in a geo-synchronous orbit.
    For
three days, all attempts at communication failed to elicit a response from the
ship.   Finally, at the end of the third
day, it sent a single burst of data. The ship then broke orbit, and began a
course back toward Farway. No attempts were made to prevent its departure or to
follow.
    The
ship’s transmission was soon translated and found to be a simple warning. In
old English, it stated that any further entry into “Golstar” space by
Confederated Planets ships would be considered an act of war. Parliament hotly
debated the meaning of the message, but in the end, a point had been made and
the message clearly received. 
    At
the edge of then-charted space, the government quietly put the Golstar system
in quarantine, making it off-limits to members of Confederated Planets. Stories
were created to explain the “runaway star-liner” and how it had been pursued
and ultimately destroyed by the military. Nevertheless, over the years, some of
the real facts leaked to the public. Even so, through the passage of time,
rumor and speculation became myths and legend. The quarantine continued to be
enforced and Golstar’s isolation remained unbroken for three centuries.  

CHAPTER 1
     
    In
spite of his years, the Grand Patriarch presented an imposing figure. Dressed
in the black, scarlet, silver and gold trimmed robes of state; his regal
bearing served to emphasize his broad shoulders and tall stature. The only
jewelry he wore was an intricately wrought, gold medallion, suspended on a gold
chain around his neck. It took the form of a symbolized sun, similar in style
to a zodiacal representation.
    In
contrast, his features reflected age beyond his years. High cheekbones stood
out in marked relief with sharp creases beginning on either side of his
aquiline nose, bracketing a thin-lipped mouth framed by a lean, clean-shaven
jaw. Deep furrows plowed above his thoughtful brow, and though
he still retained full, shoulder-length hair, the once shocking red was now in
retreat from encroaching strands of silver and white. The Grand Patriarch’s
countenance was softened only by the humor reflected in the webs of laugh lines
bordering his gray-green eyes.
    With
hands loosely clasped behind his broad back, he faced a wall covered by an
expansive tapestry. His eyes held a blank stare, unfocused and unseeing of the
richly colored threads woven by deft artisans of centuries past, depicting
scenes of the first colony ships landing on Berralton. Instead, he looked
inward, testing his resolve as he had countless times before. Behind him was
the expansive vista of the quiet capital displayed prominently in the large
amber tinted, crystal window in his receiving room.    
    The
discussion that was taking place, reflected an earlier era in human history.
The formality, context and archaic phrasing would not be recognized by denizens
of Confederated Planets.
    The
Grand Patriarch was pointedly ignoring his second in command, the Guardian of
the Way.  The Guardian of the Way oversaw the defense of the Golstar
system. He controlled the space force, armies and navies, and was answerable
only to the Grand Patriarch. The Guardian of the Way was currently trying to
mask his agitation and failing miserably. He and the Grand Patriarch were in
the midst of a continuing discussion that had taken place for the last three
days. The most-recent dialog had become quite heated.
    “I remain firm in my belief that a straight-forward
abduction would have the best chance for success,” the Guardian of the Way said
carefully. “In my experience, I have found elaborate plans often fail under the
weight of their own complexity. Surely, the disappearance one human being out
of a trillion cannot be of any great concern to Confederated Planets.”
    The Grand Patriarch sighed quietly and