But he still worried.
Chapter 76
Van was in the office early. He sat at the table desk, looking out into the distance beyond Cambria. After a second week in the office, he was more than ready to return to the Joyau, except that he couldn’t, even without the hearing ahead, because Aerolis hadn’t finished the repairs.
In addition, he’d had to work out a redefined strategy for IIS, not that it had been that difficult, not with Nynca’s considerable assistance. The hard part had been working out the implementation plans. Then Laren had brought them the new notification requirements imposed by the Coalition, and Joe had brought in the latest financials—worse than any of them had expected, and Van hadn’t been that sanguine to begin with. The only saving grace was the reserve fund that Trystin had built up, and Van insisted that IIS only use a third of it in the next year.
Besides that, he had yet to testify before the External Commerce Subcommittee, and he couldn’t afford to alienate the Coalition, for all too many reasons.
He smiled, sadly, thinking of Trystin, then looked down at the hand-written message that Trystin had left, his eyes going over the words he had read so many times in the last days.
This is for you, in the event matters do not work as well as I hoped. I hope you do not see this, but a good commander plans for the worst. A long time ago, I thought I could fix something. I did, but it didn’t stay fixed, because as my father said so many years ago, a tree truly bent is never straight again. He was a far better gardener than I.
About most things, the Farhkans are probably right. About other things—like human nature, which they believe can be changed, because they have changed their natures—I have my doubts. Some aspects of human nature and some cultures can never truly be changed. There are trees that need to be uprooted so that better trees can grow, and I have taken that upon myself, because, much as I have tried to prune and shape and direct the Revenant culture from without, there is a core that is wrong. I have watched, and asked, and questioned, and waited, but the tree has again grown twisted and crooked, and in many ways, worse and more hypocritical and evil than before. Were anyone else to see this, they would doubtless decry my arrogance. I may well be arrogant, but I am willing to act when others will only wring their hands.
I ask that, once read, you destroy this. Not because I am concerned about posterity, but because ascribing what happened to human action will only reinforce the determination of survivors to regrow the same twisted tree. So long as there is doubt about what happened and why, there will be questions, and questions are the very basis of truth. Questions denied are truth denied.
Van read the words a last time, and then set the single sheet of heavy parchment in the decorative bowl he had borrowed from a table in the hall. He focused the miniature gas torch on the corner of the note and flicked it. Flame licked the creamy parchment, creeping toward the words set in black ink. Before long, only ashes remained, as Trystin had requested.
Had the device not worked as Trystin had planned? Or had he just gotten tired in the end? Or had he taken too much to heart the feeling that he had been responsible for the Revenant resurgence? Nynca seemed to be the only one who knew, and she wasn’t saying.
Then how was Van any different, worrying as he did about where the Taran Republic was headed?
Incoming out-system for you, Director Albert.
Accept. Van could feel himself tense. What now? What other problem was coming home to roost on his shoulders? Van looked at the office screen, then called up the message.
His sister Sappho’s image appeared on the holo projection. He could see the tiredness in her eyes, and the darkness behind them.
“Van, the local IIS office here in Kurti gave me this address and said that they would forward my message to you. Yes, Aelsya and I and the children made it to the Kushite systems, and we’ve settled in here on Meroe. It’s hotter than we expected, but we’ve certainly been welcomed. That’s the good news…
Van winced, but continued to listen.
“…we were already set to leave when your funds came through, and Dad Cicero made sure they were all retransferred to our names with the Nabatan Trust…Aelsya and I begged them to leave Sulyn with us, but they both said that…that everything that meant anything to them—except us—was in Bannon. Dad Almaviva shoved us onto the first out-system flight we could get. I couldn’t believe the cost…”
Van could. He knew those costs all too well.
“…I’ve tried to find out what happened after we left. At first, even the Republic embassy here wouldn’t tell us anything, but there was a woman there who recognized your name, somehow, and she’s been very helpful…this morning…” The image of Sappho swallowed. “This morning…she gave me a hard copy report…”
Van waited for the image of his sister to go on.
“…I can’t believe it…They…they executed Dad Cicero and Dad Almaviva…and it was Arturo…he was the one…He claimed that they had supported you, and that you had killed a sub-minister in New Oisin…and had committed treason against the Republic. The RSF just came and took them away, and they shot them for treason…and I know they…they wouldn’t have done that. You wouldn’t have done that…”
“They’ve already killed hundreds, and it could be thousands, and no one even raised a weapon…it’s hard…how could anyone…?
“I sent a message to Arturo, asking him what
