"Mule..."
Summary: My AU version of the Asimov tale from his collection of Foundation and Second Foundation tales.
Even as civil war threatens the mighty but flawed Foundation, the Galaxy's greatest power since the Fall of the great Galactic Empire, its road to eventual triumph as the reuniting force in the Galaxy yet (supposedly) guaranteed by the quasi-mystical Seldon Plan, a mysterious warlord of a new and rapidly rising power is maneuvering to seize domination of the Galaxy in defiance of Seldon.
Part XXV...
Sayshell Preservation Center...
The smiling young woman in casual dress, clearly a tourist but wise enough to begin adapting to the local fashions without trying to conceal herself, peered at the two small animals cradled in Sara Pely's arms, Sara in her day uniform as park ranger.
"And who are these cuties?" The woman asked.
"Well, this is Bru and this feisty one is Lor." Sara beam, regarding Lor. Who was indeed a bit feisty this morning.
"Might I pet one?" the woman asked.
"Sure, these owings are pretty gentle." Sara came closer.
"You're Pely, one of ours?" the woman addressed Sara carefully. "If we can talk, I'll present my credentials. The pass this month is, 'it's silly to call space blue.'"
"Just a minute..." Sara hissed. "Here you go..." She offered one owing through a fence opening. "They do fly when they can so I can't hand them through, just reach in and pet her. This third girl..." she smiled at a third owing, landing on her arm now, is Sarah , my sort of namesake. And like me, a jealous girl who likes attention." Smiling.
"Ohh...So cute. Hi, Sarah." The woman reached cautiously and stroked the fur. "Very nice, thank you."
"Would you care to watch a feeding? There's no one inside and the girls prefer it in there for food time." Sara noted.
"I would indeed, thanks."
Sara pulling the owings back... "Just a minute, please." She carried the birds inside. And returned in a couple of minutes, waving her to the same gate opening as she (Sara)'d met Pritcher.
...
"Thanks for seeing me. I know no orders have come through from the Foundation as yet about me and they won't. My mission, like Captain Pritcher's, is secret."
"I see." Sara offered back the disc and ring. "LIeutenant Mallow, id cleared." She spoke into her compad.
"Did I miss Han by much?" Harla smiled.
"A couple of days."
"It's fine, I don't wish to know more." Harla put up a hand. "Is young Goldan doing all right?"
"He's gone with the Captain." Sara shrugged. "Seemed quite well enough when they left."
"Ok...Well, I'll settle in for a few days and wait them out. They are returning here, right?"
"Supposed to...Can't say for sure."
"Ok. Let me get back to tourist mode. Though I may poke around a bit. Any activity I should be up on, Kalganwise?"
"Just concern among friends and the local population about the war." Sara noted.
"Ok. Do I contact you here if I need to or what?"
"Best here but here's my compad contact." Sara printed a code on her compad.
"Great. Don't forget to report my contact with Foundation intel asap."
"Certainly, Lieutenant." Nod.
...
"Major Mallow, reporting..." Harla spoke to her compad, seated at an isolated table in a Sayshell City cafe. "Made contact with a Foundation operative embedded here. My status with Foundation Intel is holding as yet. Apparently Pritcher hasn't had the chance to alert them to my conversion, suggesting he is operating out of orders as we suspected. However I am assuming he will try to get word to Terminus on me. He's slated to return with his aide Goldan soon but I preferred not to press for info on his mission with the operative. By the way I recommend this operator, Sara Pely, for conversion at the earliest opportunity."
"Pritcher is definitely following information he gleaned from Lord Rox and trying to trace the Mule's origins. I will continue the mission as planned. Recommend communication be restricted on your end to this hour each day unless I call with code. Mallow out."
"Oh, Han..." she leaned back, adjusting her sunglasses to the afternoon's intense rays. "I might have considered direct communication to rat me out to the gang, but you always were a lone wolf. Still, I'm sure you're trying to get them some word on me."
...
Aboard the Bayta, returning from Magnifica's concert on Anacreon...Her first off-world since she'd begun her new career a few days ago.
"I thought Morti was pushing you too hard, doing this one..."Toran noted to Magnifica who sat strapped in seat next to Bayta, looking apprehensive as they prepared for their second and final jump to Terminus. "But you were great, kiddo." Smile to the girl who nervously blushed and offered wan smile.
"The one thanks you, Lord Toran. People were so very kind...Too kind..." nervous smile.
"Honey, if you're going to be a star, you'll have to get used to people wanting to meet you and get an autograph or a personal holoimage." Bayta noted gently. "Part of the price of fame, as Morti says."
"Yes, my lady." Nod. "It is very kind...But so many people..." slight trembling.
"They all love you, honey." Bayta patted her shoulder, buried in the folds of her outfit, the same tunic she'd worn for her audition with Morti.
"But we should be glad you decided to come home with us on the ole Bay..." Toran grinned at the two women. "I mean you could be sitting in luxury on Morti's ship, a real space yacht."
"The one is grateful to the great Mr. Morti for all his kindness but she could not be without the company of friends. If addiction, it is a lovely one." Magnifica beamed nervously. "I have been without such for so long."
"Sweetie..." Bayta took her hand. "You are a dear kid."
"Thanks my lady...My lady looks tired." Magnifica noted.
"Just a bit...Busy couple of days." Bayta nodded.
"Maybe you should take a nap, honey?" Toran suggested. "Hard as it is to have you miss my piloting skills in this Jump."
"Oh, how I can deny him, Magnifica?" Bayta, dutiful blink Toranward, earnest tone.
"No one could deny Lord Toran anything, my lady." Magnifica smiling.
"Oooh...Careful." Bayta mock-frowned. "You'll swell his head at the wrong moment, and make me jealous." Sighing at Magnifica's devastated look.
"My lady, I..."
"I'm kidding, sweetheart. It's ok." Bayta shook head, grinning. "You deserve a little crush and Toran deserves a little ego stroking, I'm fine with it. Just warn me if you ever see another girl on the prowl for him, ok?"
"Ok...My lady." Wan smile.
"Well, I think I will take that nap now." Bayta noted, leaning back.
"Just in time..." Toran grinned. "Brace yourself, Magnifica...We...Jump..."
The ship flashed through hyperspace and materialized just outside the Terminus system. A barrage of security calls pouring in, despite The Bayta's issuing a steady stream of confirmation signatures.
"Hey..." Voice crackling over speaker. "This is Holis Morti. Cut the crap and leave my protégé and her friends be. They got clearance from the Mayor's office himself."
The barrage dwindled to a single, apologetic voice... "Yes, cleared for entry to Terminus space, by special order. Sorry, folks, wartime status. Your landing coordinates follow."
"Helps to have friends in high places." Toran noted to the two women. "And of course a major star on board." Beam to Magnifica, who blushed again.
"Only true, sweetheart." Bayta noted.
"Lets get the news while they pull us down." Toran adjusted controls.
A holoimage of a young announcer in business suit appeared. "And in war news, two more planets in the Siwenna system were successfully recovered by Foundation forces after heavy resistance. Siweena Prime's blockade continues after last week's temporary breech by Union forces and the recovery of the Siweena system seems on the horizon."
"Like it did three weeks ago." Toran noted.
"In an interview last evening with His Excellence Mayor Ramos Indbur III, this reporter was told..."
"Torie...Don't." Bayta eyed him reprovingly as he moved to interject.
"I wasn't going to make it sexual, Bay." He grinned. "Just that she was told to take her clothes off."
"Cute...Is that anyway to talk in front of our girl here."
"My lady?" Magnifica eyed her, curious. "The one has oft seen the Mule and his men with women and..." Pause.
"I should know when not to joke like that..." Bayta sighed. "But you should too, Torie."
"You're right...Sorry, guys." Toran apologized.
"The Mule..." Indbur's voice could now be heard. "Is merely a force for making our Foundation stronger. Already our errant Traders and others flock to our side to rally in defense. And our march to victory has begun. The Seldon Plan is fulfilled yet again. And I can tell the people of Terminus and the Foundation..."
"Don't." Toran sighed.
"...And our enemies, that the great Seldon has already foreseen all. A Seldon crisis is being overcome as we speak and Seldon himself will appear in a few weeks at the Time Vault to inform and congratulate us on our success."
"He did." Bayta grinned at Toran. "Well, how could he help himself?"
"That was His Excellence, Mayor Ramos Indbur III speaking from the Mayor's Place, last evening." The announcer proclaimed.
"The great Mayor is very kind to the one, letting her perform for him and others." Magnifica noted, eyeing the holoimage. "Is it so, that the victory is sure, thanks to the great Doctor Seldon?"
"Probably...Hopefully." Toran sighed. "I just wish he wouldn't give the whole thing away like that. The Mule knows, I'm sure, that he's fighting the Seldon Plan, this sort of pronouncement won't break him. And if he is Second Foundation, or just trying to score negotiating points, it makes it easier for him to undermine us."
"My lady?" Magnifica looked at Bayta.
"Torie's just a bit concerned, sweetie. If the Mule is the Second Foundation, he's working for us, in a way."
"Yes, but...The one...Is your girl, you and Lord Toran's?" she eyed Bayta, earnestly.
"That sounds a little...But, well...We do think of you as a daughter, honey." Bayta smiled.
"Then my life's dreams are done...And there is no more to wish for." Magnifica beamed.
...