The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street - 3. Chapter 3

Having a chance to clean up and put on clean clothes Simka awaited the summons to meet with his mother and Councilor Harmon. He had not seen his mother since the death of his father when she was forced to this place to become head of The Order. His ‘guest’ room was comfortable and warm, unlike what he thought it would be. The food was good and the staff helpful. His discussions with Councilor Harmon had been frank, the time was now if they were to stand any chance of a successful outcome. While there was always a chance that the match with the boy from the twelfth dimension would not work, time was running out, they were out of options. They were ready to go barring any unforeseen issues with the physical scheduled for the morning. Concerns surrounding the lessening of the symptoms were paramount, a growing worry that they may be acting in haste. Alleviating all the worry was that fact that Bordon, the former Regent, whereabouts were still unknown.

The meeting with his mother was a private affair, supper on her terrace. A meal she had fixed herself to minimize prying eyes, as was everything regarding the Crown Prince’s stay. The path from Fanars Col was a ledge trail across the face of the mountain known as the First Sister. Suitable for the mountain goats it was precarious to say the least for Circadians who negotiated that part of the route. The Monks Path traversed, for most of its length, shear ledge face and led to the separate male community of monks on the north side of the mountain.

There was little to no communication between the two cloistered societies, the only time they communicated were for the biennial trading days. The monks produced a variety of products that were highly sought after, from mountain goat cheese to wool carefully selected for the finest of fleeces. The pemmican jerky was without peer and world renown. In order to conserve the source of their products they limited production to sustainable levels.

What was only known between the Mother Superior and the Senior Brother was the existence of a tunnel that led directly to the living quarters of each at either end. All other communication otherwise was by the Monks Path to Fanars Col and from there up the path Councilor Harmon took the morning he met the group escorting the Crown Prince, The Sister’s Pleasure.

Councilor Harmon escorted the Crown Prince to his mother’s quarters through the tunnel and were unobserved along the way. With a soft knock on her terrace door Simka laid eyes on his mother for the first time since the death of his father, ruler of Circadia.

Mother and son stood still for a moment, each appraising each other, each trying to fill in the blanks after so many years of separation. Councilor Harmon quietly retreated towards the terrace. Standing by the roaring fire he watched expectantly as both reached out towards each other. Satisfied this abrupt disruption and reunion would go well he turned around and left the two to their own devices.

Any awkwardness between them melted away as both fell onto a tearful embrace. It had been far too long under the most difficult of circumstances. That her ever trusting husband had named his brother Regent in the unlikely event of his demise would prove to be his downfall.

Upon assuming the Regency, Bordon exiled his sister-in-law to the Order as the new Mother Superior. Little did he know at the time it would prove to be the beginning of his downfall. Descended from the oldest of the Noble Houses the family connections stretched far and wide. If she were to ensure the continuation of the House of Godson and her son’s ascension to the Throne of Circadia there was a longer game to play at hand.

What was unexpected and took everyone by surprise was the news that shook both Councilor Harmon and herself to the core. At first, the news was inconceivable and she requested additional tests be run, only to have the original diagnosis confirmed. It wasn’t something unheard of, there were plenty of references in the earliest of medical manuscripts and records.

As life imperceptibly improved for the earliest of the Circadians and population censuses showed a healthy, growing populace, instances of environmental sexual determination became less frequent and finally non-existent. At the behest of earliest religious dominations, the racial purity laws were passed. Careful records were kept tracing bloodlines and establishing a matrimonial registry. Couples wishing to marry needed to establish the proper bloodline before a union could be approved and blessed.

As to the why’s and how’s of Crown Prince Simka, it was easy to see in retrospect what was happening. For whatever the reasons, simply put…somehow…there was no genetic match for the young Crown Prince. What was not understood was how his body knew that biologically, the need to procreate would awaken evolutionary changes not seen in generations lasting the span of several millennia’s.

Left unspoken and hanging over them like the darkest of storm clouds, was the simple fact that if…a successful mating failed to occur an internal trigger would be tripped. And as such, the biological necessity would terminate the life of those who failed to mate. As the species evolved, genetic weakness was pre-programmed to self-destruct to ensure the survival of the fittest.

Racial purity laws had run the law of unattended consequences, the effort however intended, had finally come home to roost. A quirk of Circadian evolution had remained dormant and eons of inter and cross breeding failed to ensure healthy bloodlines. At the molecular and cellular level biological triggers were activating. For the species to survive, fresh genetic material was needed, injected through natural selection into the Circadian bloodlines.

Many decades ago, researchers approached The Order with their findings. Tests were run, no cost was spared, findings confirmed and after much discussion concerning the morality of the proposed course of action, the decision to move forward on a small scale was approved. To this end, ‘seedlings’ were introduced to the fifteen different parallel dimensions.

The hope was that the infusion of new genetic material, steeped like tea, over several generations would produce heritable genes that could be re-introduced into the Circadian population. If the singular mating of a Circadian and an ‘’off-worlder’’ descended from a seedling produced a child, the genome could be duplicated and a vaccination created. For the program to work, many more children from different sets would be needed.

As lead scientist, Fanar explained to those needed further convincing, ‘It was time to shit or get off the pot”.

Much was caught up on over the simple meal based on the fall harvest, root vegetables glazed and roasted served as companion to a small roast of lamb, ciders were served and as mother and child ate companionably and caught up with each other, discussion of the future was agreed upon. The Crown Prince would be traveling to the 12th dimension. It made the most sense, while the 3rd and the 8th were nearly compatible with the 12th, it was the 12th that was the most technologically advanced.

Compared to Circadia, the 12th was still in its infancy yet they had reached the Age of Reason. While it may not have been put into practice there was the ability of discernment. Like most early societies they had failed to reach their potential, the planet was wracked by internecine tribal warfare, there was a planetary organization of nations but it was and would remain toothless for several generations to come. The single overriding qualification was the ability when needed, to think beyond themselves.

There were many other issues to cover on his return, there would have to be an announcement that the Crown Prince was alive and well, Simka would need to address the Circadians and announce the need for rest, contemplation, the studies needed for when he ascended the throne.

A new Regent would need to be announced and on this Simka was unyielding, it would be his mother. There was much heated discussion on the focus it would bring to The Order. Simka wisely countered as to who better, who had at this time the best planetary network?

Privately there were discussions with his mother about the biological changes he was undergoing. He was at a loss as to what to expect and to understand the totality of the changes. Why was he spotting in his small clothes every few weeks, why were there days when the pain emanating from his groin was nearly unbearable? And what was up with the mood swings?

By the time Simka was done discussing with his mother all the various and sundry issues he had a much better understanding of biology, particularly of the other sex and the menstrual cycles. At times the conversation was a bit graphic for the young prince. The idea that his hips and pelvis would disjoint, after a seven month gestion period, during the birthing process was ameliorated only slightly by the average weight and size of the typical Circadian new-born.

Hanging over the three dining companions was a final discussion concerning how to reveal the information to the Circadian populace. Unlike the era when the purity laws were introduced the major religious centers had lost much of their power and adherent’s through a continuing series of scandals, mis-information and generally bad behavior.

One suggestion was to publish more information on the origins of the Circadian species in conjunction with the newly discovered information concerning the racial purity laws. If presented correctly with the right emotional level of hubris, along with support from The Order it was felt the news would be well received.

Still there was the issue of the match, so much was riding on this one chance. Everyone was feeling the pressure internally while not trying to show it externally. There was no word of Bordon’s whereabouts, while his network of informants was slowly evaporating, there wasn’t a clue as to his location.

It was decided that Councilor Harmon would proceed before the Crown Prince in transport to the 12th dimension and would go later that evening. Crown Prince Simka and Sprog would follow just before dawn. The drain on resources would be immense, in order to maximize power storage and regeneration, without damage to the Celestial Globes and Library, everyone would have to return within sixty days from initial transport.

Deep underground in a laboratory located on the southernmost continent Bordon watched the only other known Celestial Globes on a view screen. This laboratory had been years in the making and these Celestial Globes were a poor cousin, a bad first attempt when dimensional technology was in its infancy. They weren’t complete or stable nor did they hold all the information and power the Celestial Globes and Library did. It was thought they were destroyed much like a potter would reject and discard rejects from his potters’ wheel.

Because of the unstable nature of these Celestial Globes they were contained securely in a reinforced view room, the danger was the random spikes of power that would surge intermittently and without warning. In the effort to securely contain these celestial globes many died in that effort.

The only way to observe these Globes was from view screens that monitored the containment fields. What was unknown to but a select few, was that anytime dimensional transport was used, the corresponding celestial globe would brighten and shine like a beacon.

Once, transport was tried from this chamber. It was Bordon’s first attempt to determine the feasibility resource extraction from another dimension. The 14th dimension was selected, it was relatively young in its evolutionary development. Few if any species walked upright, raw minerals and gems lay relatively close to the surface, in fact much that was desirable was easily extracted.

All the equipment that was needed for resource extraction was gathered and readied for transport to the planet in an enormous cargo ship. Coordinates were set and the sequence for transport begun. Everything went off without a hitch. Those gathered watched as the cargo ship hovered, its shape fluctuating in and out, as it finally disappeared from view.

Roughly five minutes later, the Celestial Globe representing the 14th dimension went dark.

A thorough review and analysis pointed to the instability of the flawed Globe, the mathematics’ involved in the transport, and strongly suggested that the cargo ship, containing all the raw power needed for the expedition somehow arrived within the solar systems sun. The resulting explosion took the sun instantaneously into a super nova, with all the expected results.

In the royal palace, attendants responsible for the Celestial Library were stunned with the events they witnessed with the 14th dimension, what they saw was without president. The import and magnitude of this event were truly frightening. This was no accident of nature…this was a caused event…the implications, well the implications were of the gravest import.

King Oblan was summoned and once the events were reviewed, placed all the information on lockdown. An intensive behind the scenes search was instituted. The assistance of The Order was requested in tracking down the defective celestial globes.

Bordon, as the King’s trusted brother was tasked as liaison, when the trail grew to close comfort, Bordon surreptitiously had his Celestial Globes moved. It was an expensive and costly proposition, one that would ultimately bankrupt Bordon.

King Oblan wasn’t a fool, he had two investigations going, as he drew closer to confirming Bordon’s involvement, the more he understood, the need to confront his brother grew. Bordon knew the trail was tightening the noose around his neck and decided to meet head-on with his brother instead.

A vial was obtained, those who sold it disappeared without a trace, leaving no evidence as dead men tell no tales. Bordon met alone with his brother on neutral ground, he listened dispassionately to the evidence against him and the offer that would spare his life. Transport to the 8th dimension, a technologically backward world. The contents of the vial had been emptied into a mini-hypo syringe.

As Bordon accepted his punishment, he hugged his brother one last time with deadly effect. King Oblan would be dead before Bordon’s punishment would be made known later that week. In the summation of the evidence presented to him, Bordon realized his brother accidently revealed the very sources of that information. They would all die the very same day, all records were expunged and destroyed. The only information denied to him was in the archives of the Royal Library and only the Crown Prince could order the archives open.

The Order knew they had been compromised and were careful to cover their tracks, their investigation of Bordon stymied. Their informant used the informants of informants. It would take time and considerable effort but…their networks would be rebuilt and the cold trail would slowly grow warm again.

They watched Councilor Harmon and Sprog depart and mother and son relaxed, there was a plan, they knew the risks and if careful the Houses of Godson would prosper as Circadia changed, for the better.

“Our time is short my son and as your mother I took steps on my own once we knew of your condition and I pray you will forgive me. However, that is a subject for another day on your return. I took the liberty to improve your chances. Know this isn’t the path or the future I would have chosen for you, it will not be easy, nevertheless…you are my son and you are precious to me”.

“My love for you could only be surpassed by that of your father, and we are close to removing Bordon from any position that would endanger us. I want you to wear your fathers signet ring, it is yours by right and you are worthy of it”.

Simka was stunned, this was an honor he should have received upon his coronation. “I am honored you find me worthy; I will not let you or the House of Godson down”, he replied…eyes misting and, in a voice, choked with emotion.

Smiling, she reached out to her son and gathered him into a fierce embrace, willing her confidence into him, “I’ve taken one other step you should know about for your protection and success. The boy, your intended has found The Chronicles of Malvern.

Twice Bordon was summoned to the view chamber, twice the Celestial Globe for the 12th dimension briefly glowed. At last he had a destination for his plan.

At the Order, the Celestial Library was manned around the clock waiting…the Mother Superior smiled to herself, a trap had been set and the fool would take it. All it would take was for Bordon to attempt to transport himself to the 12th dimension. Once the Celestial Globe glowed in Bordon’s laboratory it would give off its location, once known a reactionary assault force would be there, nearly instantaneously.

Once the lab and the Celestial Globes were destroyed Bordon would be trapped, for the unique trace elements of his transport would be destroyed as well. He would be calling the 12th dimension home.

Bordon knew it would take a day or two to refine the exact location of the transport, it would be slightly easier as there were two transport signatures, the dual mathematical computations should rule out any variants in location. He had calculated that his transference to the 12th dimension would give him a success probability of 98% of arriving within five miles of the Crown Prince.

From there it was a simple matter of reading the burnt ozone trail. Bordon was frustrated that he’d have to wait two to three weeks to transport as it would take at least that long for the burnt ozone to coalesce into a recognizable trail.