Tug’s wife had brought the food in from the kitchen without so much as a single utterance. Although she had remained politely quiet thus far, it was obvious by the tension between her and Tug that she did not appreciate nor approve of the unexpected dinner guests.
“Ranni is an excellent cook. I apologize if there is not much variety, as we have not yet purchased our stock for the darkness.”
“I’m sure it will be more than enough,” Jalea told him as she passed the first dish of fried molo around the table.
“It’s a very nice place you have here, Tug,” Jessica stated, hoping to break the ice. She knew this dinner was the perfect opportunity to collect more intelligence, even if it meant having to force down more molo. “You’ve done quite well for yourself.”
“We’ve managed, perhaps better than some,” he admitted, a bit of pride reflecting in his voice. “It’s not a bad life. Hard work, yes, but not as hard as those working the rings.”
“A lot of people on Haven work the rings?”
“On Haven, there are two career paths,” Tug explained. “You either work the rings, or you provide for those that work the rings. That is the sole reason this world was reformed. People come from all over the sector to work the rings of Haven.”
“Why is that?” Nathan asked. “I mean, if it’s such hard work that is.”
“It depends. There are basically two kinds working the rings. Those that came here on their own, and those that had no choice in the matter.”
“What do you mean had no choice?” Nathan inquired.
“A man can earn a lot of money in a short time working the rings. Those that do-and survive-usually depart with enough wealth to start over someplace nicer. Maybe even start their own business on a more prosperous world. But sadly, most have come to pay off debts.”
“What? Like contract workers?” Nathan asked.
“Something like that. When someone is unable to pay their debts, they offer themselves up as indentured workers. Their creditor can then sell them to teams here on Haven, as well as several other worlds. These workers then have to complete their contract.”
“Sounds more like indentured slaves to me,” Jessica commented.
“There are many who would also consider that term to be accurate,” Tug agreed. “It may seem barbaric, but it is a system that has been in place for centuries. Unfortunately, it also has made Haven into a popular place for criminals, thugs, and other nefarious types.”
“I find it curious that the Takarans don’t venture out here,” Jessica said, hoping to take the conversation in a direction that would yield more useful information.
“Actually, it’s pronounced Ta’Akar. It’s the proper name of the family that has ruled that part of space for nearly a millennia. They do not bother this system because to do so would bring resistance from many of their neighboring systems. You see, many depend on the resources of these rings. Not all are blessed with such accessible abundance. And many of those that were so blessed, have long since depleted them. The Ta’Akar systems do not need the resources of Haven, but they find it best not to anger those that do. However, many believe the Ta’Akar do have spies on Haven, although this has never been proven.”
“You seem to know quite a bit about the Ta’Akar,” Jessica commented, the slightest hint of suspicion in her tone.
“No more than most,” Tug assured her.
“So, were you born here?” Jessica asked.
“No. I came here much by accident.”
“How so?”
“I was a fighter pilot in the Palee Militia. My ship was damaged in combat and I spent several weeks adrift. I was rescued by a cargo vessel that was headed for Haven. They recovered my ship, expecting a valid salvage. When they found me alive, they had little choice but to allow me passage. But they left me and my ship stranded on Haven. With no way back to Palee, I had little choice but to make Haven my home. So I sold one of the reactors from my ship in order to buy this modest farm.”
“What happened to the rest of your ship?” Vladimir asked.
“I scavenged a few systems from it, but it is mostly still intact. It is stored in one of the barns.”
“Really?” Vladimir exclaimed. “I would love to take a look at it. If you do not mind, of course.”
“Not at all.”
“And you’ve been working as a molo farmer ever since?” Jessica asked.
“For nearly twenty years.”
“How did you meet your wife?”
“I spotted her at the labor hall one day. She was on a work crew that I hired to build some greenhouses. I was smitten from the moment I saw her, so I bought out her contract.”
Jessica’s eyes widened with shock. “You mean you bought a wife?”
“No, I merely freed her from her obligations. I did not force her to stay with me. I even offered to pay for passage back to her world. But she refused to accept charity and insisted on earning the passage by working for me. Eventually, things just happened.”
“So she never earned the passage, huh?” Nathan joked.
“Oh, she keeps the money hidden in a box somewhere,” Tug laughed. “Sometimes she threatens to use it, when she is most angry with me.” Tug scooped up another helping of stew. “But enough about me. What about all of you? Where do you come from? I recognize the accents and mannerisms of these two,” Tug stated, pointing at Jalea and Danik. “But the rest of you are quite different. I don’t believe I’ve ever met your kind before.”
“They are from a quite distant star,” Jalea said.
“Really?” Tug stroked his chin, looking at his guests. “And how is it you find yourself so far from home?”
Jessica cast a displeased look upon Jalea. Prior to their departure from the Aurora, Jessica had counseled Nathan to avoid giving away too much information. Now she wished she had issued the same warning to Jalea.
Nathan chose his answer carefully. “A series of unfortunate events has led us to your world.”
“I see. And what is your business here?” Tug was intrigued by this news. He glanced at Jalea, who met his gaze without response.
“We’re just looking for a way to return home, as quickly as possible.”
“And have you found a way?”
“We’re still weighing options at the moment,” Nathan told him.
Tug surveyed his guests once more. “There is an old legend. It is one that the Ta’Akar have been trying to suppress for centuries. It tells how we all came from a faraway star. This legend has been the center of a controversy that has lasted countless generations.”
“How so?” Nathan asked.
“Several centuries after the Ta’Akar took control of their world, they tried to convince the people that this legend was false, that they had been born of their own world. The people resisted, as the legend had served to support their own religious beliefs for as long as anyone could remember. But the Ta’Akar were persistent in their efforts, eventually resorting to brutality as their primary means of coercion.”
“And this worked?” Jessica asked.
“At first, no. But eventually, the people grew tired of resistance, and they simply accepted the doctrine. Publicly, all agreed with the Ta’Akar doctrine. But many continued to believe otherwise, in secret.”
“And what do you believe?” Nathan asked. “If you don’t mind my asking?”
“I am not sure what I believe,” Tug answered honestly. “However, I do not believe in the Ta’Akar ‘Doctrine of Origins.’”
“And this doctrine,” Nathan said, “it has lasted all this time?”
“You sound surprised,” Tug said.
“It’s just that such things generally fade as power changes hands over the generations.”
“Yes, but that is not the case with the Ta’Akar,” Tug explained. “You see, the royal family are privy to special treatments that greatly prolong their life span. The last ruler was in power for more than two centuries. And the current ruler is expected to be in power even longer.”
