God’s Child Chapters 31-35
Chapter 31
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“Anyone else have an opinion?”
Captain Pasdard looked around at everyone. There were no opinions or objections.
“Then, the day after tomorrow, we’ll load up what we need and return to the mother ship.”
The flight from the landing site on the Gonneau Plateau to the Royal Space Station took less than thirty minutes. Captain Jumolan, who had been waiting for them, directed the loading of the necessary supplies in a brisk and efficient manner, and they were soon ready to go.
“Thank you very much for your help–eh…?”
Hearing the idling sound of the landing craft’s engine, Pasdard looked around for the Jumolan to thank him.
“Where is Captain Jumolan?”
An aide saluted him.
“The captain had to leave the base for some urgent business. Please forgive him for not seeing you off, but I have a message to say that he wishes you well.”
“I see. Please tell him I’m grateful for his hospitality” Pasdard replied and boarded the landing craft.
Looking down at the receding surface, Major Kromzender muttered to no one in particular, “it’s good that we departed safely, but it’s a bit unsatisfying.”
Before he could finish his sentence, two fighter jets suddenly appeared and flanked the landing craft.
“What’s going on?!”
The radio operator turned to Captain Pasdard, wide-eyed.
“They’re hailing us, sir!”
“Tune in!”
Pasdard grabbed the mic.
“This is a landing craft of the Gilgameth Strategic Space Command, 205th Mobile Space Wing. I am Captain Dromzen Pasdard. Why are you blocking our path?
“Captain Pasdard, you will follow our instructions for the rest of your flight.”
“Instructions? What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t have time for explanations. I just want you to follow my instructions.”
At that moment, a voice came from behind the captain.
“Follow the instructions. We won’t make you do anything dangerous.”
The captain turned around and shouted in surprise.
“Captain Jumolan?! Why–”
“Hahahaha! Why am I here? I boarded with the cargo.”
“What? Why?”
“The reason will come later, now…” Jumolan pointed to the fighters ahead of them, his jaw set. “Those fighters, though old, are still fighters. If you don’t follow their instructions, you will be shot down. However, if that happens, I will share your fate.”
Jumolan had a fearless smile on his face. Pasdard found his attitude hard to resist and made up his mind.
“I’ll follow your orders,” he spat into the mic. “Lead the way.”
After a few minutes of flying under the guidance of the fighters, Jumolan said, “We just crossed the border. We are now free of the Van Valarasa Heavenly Kingdom.”
“Captain, where are we going?” Pasdard asked,
“The Tavtablay Nipni Nation. They are rude, unreasonable, and belligerent, the most hated people on the planet Glasseus. The state is unstable and without authority. In other words, it’s fascinating.”
Jumolan was eloquent.
“Van Valarasa’s Heavenly Kingdom, though antiquated, is stable in terms of power and authority. Therefore, there is no place in it for us young people. Let me be clear. I sold my country. Hahaha, you’re a souvenir.”
Things seemed to be coming into view. Captain Jumolan used the “Mettalia” to make a pitch to the Nation of Tavtablay Nipni.
“The man now in full control of Tavtablay is Colonel Arluban Galayan. He took power in a coup d’etat last year. He is the head of the rogue Vuolan Party, and calls himself the chairman of the National Revolutionary Leadership Council. He also uses the long-winded title of ‘Supreme Leader of the Zjamangin Empire of the Great Tavtablay Nipni, and Initiator of the Revolution.’ But in any case, it is a self-proclaimed title without any backing. He wants it so badly he’s going to choke on it…”
Pasdard arrived at a conclusion. “Do you mean to legitimize his power and give him authority?”
“As you understand, the Mettalia would be a nice souvenir, hahahahaha.”
The landing craft made a safe touchdown at the air base of the Tavtablay Nipni Kingdom, led by the fighter jets. There was no pursuit from Van Valarasa. The crew was picked up and taken to Zujar, the capital of the Tavtablay Nipni. It was a medieval fortified city made of stone and earthen walls. As they passed through the gates and drove through the streets, they noticed enormous destruction that appeared to be the remains of a battle.
Jumolan frowned. “This again. The scars from last year’s coup d’etat have yet to heal. Now let’s see where they take us.”
He smiled slightly. But, to their surprise, they were taken to a magnificent palace. Upon arrival, they were quickly ushered into the audience chamber. A man was seated on a throne in the upper part of the hall, one step higher than the others. Captain Jumolan, who led the group, kept them at a respectful distance.
“Mr. Chairman!” he called out with a salute, “I am here to escort your guests.”
The man on the throne, who until then had been leaning his head against his right hand watching everyone with narrowed eyes, suddenly stood up, opened his arms, and laughed loudly.
“Gahahahaha, you’re here! The Tavtablay Nipni Nation welcomes you all with open arms!”
After he finished, he ran down from the height of the throne and grasped the hands of those standing in the front row in a grand gesture.
“Welcome, welcome!”
He started walking and motioned for them to follow.
“It’s so formal in here! It’s old-fashioned, authoritative, and stifling! This way, please!”
The chairman himself led them to the dining room where hospitality had already been prepared.
“Now, now, please don’t hesitate to take your seats,” he said.
He himself sat down in the center of the table.
Chapter 32
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Servers emerged from behind the pillars or through curtains and filled everyone’s glasses.
“Thank you all for coming, I give you a cup of red heart!”
Colonel Garayan poured the liquid from his glass down his throat and into his stomach in one gulp.
“And you, too!” he urged. “Everyone!”
As soon as they sipped from their glasses, some coughed and others choked. Pasdard struggled to hold in a mouthful of the fiery liquor.
“This is…a very strong drink…”
The chairman let out a surprised voice. “It’s Ganaha, the best of the best. How do you like it?” He laughed hysterically.
The banquet proceeded without any speeches from the host. Eventually, Captain Jumolan said, “Mr. Chairman, I’d like to introduce the guests.”
He stood up, but the Colonel waved his hand. “No, no, no formalities. Even if you told me now, I’d forget all the details by the end. That would be impolite. We’ll get to it later. Tonight we will drink and eat. That’s all.”
He gobbled up the food in front of him and kept pouring Ganaha down his throat. After the party was over, they were led to their rooms in the palace and placed under house arrest.
Three full days passed following the welcome banquet. During that time, the captives were not allowed to leave their rooms, and they had no contact with each other.
On the morning of the fourth day, the guards opened the doors and shouted at them.
“Come out! His excellency the chairman wants to see you!”
One by one, they were brought before Colonel Garalyan, who was not in the throne room where they had first seen him, but in his humble office. Captain Jumolan was there, wearing a serious face. He had changed his uniform from the Heavenly Kingdom to that of the Tavtablay Nation.
“Captain Pasdard, I’d like you to answer the Chairman’s questions. Of course, I want you to tell him the truth, the whole truth, and everything you know.”
“You look good in that uniform, Captain Jumolan” he said sarcastically.
“I’m humbled by the compliment, sir,” Captain Jumolan said with a smile.
“Would you like a drink, captain?” The colonel poured clear liquid from a bottle into two glasses on the desk. The room smelled strongly of Ganaha.
“In the morning…” the captain frowned.
“It tastes good in the morning, too,” he said.
He drained the glass of Ganaha into his throat and got down to business.
“Captain Pasdard, I’ve already heard about most of what you’ve been doing, but I really want to ask you just one question. Mettalia, as they call it, the Son of God. Is he real?”
The captain thought for a moment, then spoke haltingly. “I don’t know. My mission is only to transport him to Gilgameth Joint Headquarters. Whether he’s real or fake doesn’t matter to me at this point. It’s up to headquarters to decide.”
“Yes, indeed. Then let’s change the question a little. Captain, what do you yourself think? Is he a child of God? What’s your opinion?”
Again the captain thought for a moment. His answer was cautious and humble.
“I don’t understand God. I heard that there was once a god named Wiseman in the Astragius galaxy. I don’t know what He did or what He wanted. Evidently, God chose the child as his successor, but he doesn’t know what will be succeeded. I’m just a soldier, the captain of a cruiser.”
“Hmm…”
The colonel threw another glass of Ganaha down his throat.
“Captain Jumolan, call the next one.”
Major Kromzender was called next.
“Major. Would you like a drink?”
The colonel filled two glasses with Ganaha, as he had done with the captain.
“No, thank you. Too strong for me.”
“Is it?”
And with that, he slurped down another glass.
“Hmm. I love it in the morning. Whew.”
The colonel let out a satisfied breath and turned to Major Kromzender, asking the same question as the captain.
The Major answered, “I was ordered by Gilgameth Joint Headquarters to receive and transfer the child found on the planet Rado. I am not in a position or qualified to judge whether he is truly the Son of God.”
When asked for his opinion, he replied, “I don’t know if he is the Son of God or not, but he fits the word ‘Mettalia,’ or ‘transcendent.’ His abilities are beyond the reach of the average human being.”
“Interesting. I’d like to hear more about that.”
The colonel tossed down another glass.
“The things I’ve seen that child do with my own eyes…”
Major Kromzender recounted the marvels of the child’s abilities on the destroyer.
“That’s it,” he concluded. “The things I have just described are marvels to my ordinary eyes. But there is someone who can more objectively and academically prove the uniqueness of the child. The professor. Ask him.”
“Professor?” The colonel asked back.
“Professor Bobul Sharazain, mathematician,” Captain Jumolan explained with a smile. “I’ll call him next.”
Bob came into the office with a reserved look on his face.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Oh, Professor. I did call for you, sir.”
The colonel beckoned to him with a dulled expression. He was holding a bottle in one hand and pouring Ganaha into a glass in the other.
“How about a drink?”
He slid the glass across the table toward Bob.
“Ganaha, isn’t it?” Bob’s face relaxed. “Don’t mind if I do.”
As soon as he said that, the colonel emptied a glass down his throat. Seeing this, Bob picked up his glass and took a gulp.
“Ooh…it’s working,” he said and downed the rest. “A good way to start the morning.”
The colonel broke into a smile and tipped the bottle into their glasses again. Watching this, Captain Jumolan felt that the colonel knew how to deal with people. Both Captain Pasdard and Major Kromzender were of lower rank in the military. Yet, despite the contempt they both obviously held for a colonel from a small army on a remote planet, Galayan still got what he wanted out of them. Now he was treating this good-natured civilian with a certain amount of respect.
“By the way, Professor,” he said, “I heard that the child is a mathematical genius. ”
“Genius? There are 1,000 people you could call a genius. But he stands atop a group of 10,000 geniuses. The child — no, Lu — is an outstanding person who may only appear once in the 3,000-year history of the Astragius Galaxy! This is the hope and dream of every mathematician! He unraveled and solved the Quent 3,000 Year Prediction in just a couple of months! To call him a ‘genius’ would just be trivial. Truly!”
The colonel gaped in astonishment. “Well! The only one in the 3,000 year history of the galaxy! Amazing! But even greater than a genius, the most outstanding of them all, must be you, Professor. His mentor and teacher.”
“No, no, I’m not a teacher. I’m a collaborator, an assistant, something like that. I only taught him the rudiments of the world of mathematics. Just a few rules. Why do you say so?”
Bob was embarrassed, but the Colonel pressed him further.
“There’s no doubt that you’re his master. Even if he is a great genius, his master is his master, and whatever you say, the young Lu will listen to you. Isn’t that so?”
“No, it’s true that I taught him basic mathematics, but that’s all. He’s an honest boy, but he has a very strong core. He’s…well…if there’s anyone he would call a mentor, a teacher, or perhaps trust the most…” the name tumbled out of Bob’s mouth “…it would have to be Chirico.”
“Chirico?!”
Captain Jumolan whispered in the Colonel’s ear.
“Chirico Cuvie, the one who was entrusted by Wiseman to take care of the child.”
Chapter 32
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“Hmm…”
The Colonel fastened the cap on bottle of Ganaha and slid it across the table.
“Professor, the day is long. Take that with you if you like.”
“I appreciate it.”
Bob grabbed the bottle, which still held seven servings in it. Then Chirico was called.
“Sergeant Chirico, thank you for coming.”
Chirico stood without response. The Colonel spoke more cheerfully than he’d done with any of the three men before him.
“Did you sleep well last night? I told them to give you a bed cushion softer than an A.T. cockpit.”
Chirico gave no reply.
“It seems A.T. riders everywhere are the same in their reticence. Hahaha, I don’t care. I brought you here because there’s something I want to ask you.”
Chirico still remained silent, waiting.
“How is my general Astradan? Does it make sense? I was confident that it was adequate.”
Finally, Chirico spoke. “I understand.”
“Well, that’s a relief. Hahaha, good, good.”
The colonel slowly fostered a relaxed atmosphere.
“About that boy named Lu…is it true what they say about him, that he’s the son of God?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t understand. You’re raising him, and you don’t know?”
“I’m just raising him.”
“You promised God and Wiseman that you would raise up a successor.”
“I didn’t say anything about raising a successor. I just said I’d raise the baby.”
“Raise the baby. What did you mean by that?”
“Just that.”
“Just that. Sergeant Chirico, what is your definition of raise?”
“Feed him, teach him, help him grow up.”
Now it was the colonel’s turn to be silent. Chirico’s answer was so simple and curt, it took a moment of confusion to generate a response.
“I see. That makes sense. That’s what it means to raise someone…”
“Sergeant Chirico,” Captain Jumolan interrupted, “it seems that child called itself Mettalia. That is an ancient word on this planet, which means ‘transcendent being.’ It is comparable to a god. The child recognizes himself as the son of God.”
“That’s kind of a ruse,” Chirico said. “We were welcomed by nomads on the plateau of Van Valarasa. They thought they were welcoming a Mettalia from outer space. That’s what Lu called himself. There were no other intentions.”
“But Taegsang and the others saw something worth believing in, did they not? According to Professor Bob, the child is a being with abilities that surpass genius. Captain Pasdard and Major Kromzender seem to have the same impression. In other words, the child surpasses human beings…”
“No matter how good an individual may be, there’s always a limit to their abilities.”
“But, Sergeant–”
The colonel interrupted Captain Jumolan. “Thank you, Sergeant Chirico. You’re probably still tired, so go back and rest.”
The colonel waited for Chirico to disappear through the door and muttered, “That’s the God Killer. The man they call the Untouchable…”
“There’s something rebellious about him,” Captain Jumolan warned. “If you leave it like this…”
“Well…” said the colonel, casually restraining him.
“Would you like to have an audience with Mettalia?”
Lu was called in.
“What should I call you? Child? Lu? Mettalia?”
“Lu.”
“Hmm, I guess Sergeant Chirico is your godfather.”
“What does that mean?” the boy asked.
“Lu!” the colonel suddenly shouted. “It’s easy to say. It sounds good.”
“I see.”
The colonel pondered their life together in the northern wilderness, which he had read about in the documents.
“Did Chirico feed you well?”
Lu nodded. “Gudorn, too,” he added.
“Gudorn?”
Captain Jumolan answered the colonel’s question.
“He’s an old man living in the arctic region on the planet Rado.”
“Hmm…Sergeant Chirico taught you a lot of things, didn’t he?”
Lu nodded again. “Gudorn too,” he repeated.
“Hmm…as they say, feed him and teach him many things…” The colonel looked at the boy. “And help him grow.”
The boy standing before the colonel was already approaching Chirico’s height.
Chapter 32
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“Hmm.”
The colonel let out a loud exhale as Lu’s figure disappeared through the door.
After a few seconds of contemplation, “What do you think, Captain? Do you think that boy is the Mettalia? Is he the Son of God, the real one?”
Captain Jumolan avoided giving an immediate answer. For him, the question wasn’t if Lu was real or not, but what answer would be beneficial for him to provide. After a moment, he politely probed the dictator’s opinion.
“I don’t know…what do you think, your excellency?”
“You’re very cautious. No, very Captain-like, hahahaha!” The colonel laughed heartily. “In any case, we’ll have to keep our guests a little longer.”
Colonel Arluban Galayan, leader of the Coup d’Etat. Head of the rogue Vuolan party and chairman of the National Revolutionary Leadership Council. Behind his forceful personality, which laughed off abduction as an invitation, lurked a strong will as black and heavy as the murky water of a tropical swamp.
While Chirico, Lu, and the others were stranded on the planet Glasseus, other things were happening in Atemdo, the ancient capital of Gilgameth’s planet Melkia.
“You have arrived.”
Hotel Golvaz was located in the heart of the Alders Gon district, which symbolized history and authority. The thick doors of its inner sanctum opened, and a man was respectfully invited in.
“Oh, there you are.”
The man, who was clad in a black robe, nodded respectfully to an older man who stood there to greet him, resembling a dead tree. The man in the black robe was Jean Paul Rochina. The man who greeted him was the chairman of the secret Byrne Society, which had hidden power within the Gilgameth Union: Hoblet Suma Villatext III.
Villatext III was said to be over one hundred years old. Though he had retired from public affairs, he had been a leading figure in the development of cosmic civilization, serving as a power advisor to the Gilgameth nations scattered throughout the Astragius Galaxy. He was, therefore, a monster who still retained influence behind the scenes.
“Dr. Jean Paul Rochina, you have been summoned here today.” He looked back at those present. “Due to the nature of the occasion, I will refrain from introducing you to the people in attendance.”
Seated there were the current head of state, leader of the Gilgameth military, head of the Pan-Galactic Economic Association, religious leaders, political party leaders, and others, all holding their breath.
Dr. Rochina looked around. “I understand the details,” he said. He lowered himself into a seat prepared for him.
Villatext III also sat down in front of Dr. Rochina.
Dr. Rochina gave the old man a direct look that matched his words. “What do you need?”
“You’re here about the child, or rather Chirico. You are also a member of the Byrne Society, so I’m sure you’ve heard about it, Dr. Rochina. The transfer of Chirico and the child from the planet Rado recently began.”
“I have heard.”
“However, they anticipated contact with a Balarant fleet in the Trokhov sector. We lost contact with them while they made a detour around the northern tip to avoid it. They have not been heard from since. We’ve examined all possibilities, including engagement with the Balarant, but we haven’t found any answers. A mass of steel carrying dozens of people disappeared like a phantom. As if spirited away.”
Rochina stared, speechless.
“As you can understand, there were many factors in this transfer plan that could not be made public, and it was a top-secret project even within the military. We are at a loss to know what to make of the situation.”
“So, you’ve turned to me.”
The old man’s tone was calm but compelling. “Yes. If something has spirited them away, it must be in your domain.”
“I am certainly the right man for the job.” Rochina stood up immediately. “I would like all the data starting with the departure from Higneus on planet Rado immediately. I’ll begin work right away.”
He flipped his black robe as he headed toward the exit.
A few days later, Dr. Jean Paul Rochina was at the airfield of the free trade city of Gulphee. In the past, it took five or six days of sweaty, dusty hovercraft rides across the Somji Desert to get here because the air route was closed during the war. Now it took only a few hours to reach Gulphee from the nearest airport. As he passed the counter, the officer didn’t even smile.
“Go la mulan de Gulphe,” he said.
Rochina passed him with a stone face. Go la mulan de Gulphe was an old term in this area meaning, “May the sand, the rock, and the law protect you.” The sand was of the Somji Desert, the rock was this hard plateau, and the law was the protection of the Marteal cult.
The free trading city of Gulphee neither rejected those who came nor chased those who left. Go la mulan de Gulphe symbolized the pride of a free and autonomous city in the desert.
“Don’t look so gloomy!”
A high-pitched voice and aged face greeted Dr. Rochina.
“Vanilla Vartla…thank you for meeting me.”
Emotionless glances were exchanged.
Chapter 35
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“I never expected to hear from you,” Vanilla exclaimed.
“Hmm, I suppose so,” Rochina replied. “But everyone has their uses.”
“You talking about Saltio?”
Rochina lifted an eyebrow at the mention of one of Vanilla’s three sons.
“You have good instincts. I’m glad I didn’t take the easy way out after all.”
They walked out through the lobby and saw a buggy-style car parked outside.
“Get in,” Vanilla said, pointing to the passenger seat. “I’ll look after you.”
Rochina carefully pulled on his black robe and climbed into the car. Vanilla’s voice was inquisitive as they drove.
“What do you mean you didn’t take the easy way out?”
“Saltio would have taken me up on it right away, but I knew it would be a problem if you found out about it later.”
“That’s deep thinking.”
The car soon passed through the gates of a magnificent mansion in a prime location in the city. After a long approach, it reached the driveway in front of the entrance. Rochina stepped out and looked around at the building.
“The owner of a place like this comes to pick up guests in a buggy? Why not a limousine with a driver?”
“I’m better suited to this.”
He raised his hand lightly to the servants, who greeted them with Greffaloz in the lead.
“I’ll show you around. This way.”
Vanilla led Rochina through the lobby and into his office.
“Have a seat,” he said. He pointed to the sofa, which was reserved for serving guests.
“What would you like to drink?”
“No alcohol, just tea.”
Vanilla ordered beer and tea over the intercom.
“Let’s talk.”
“Just the two of us?”
“I won’t call anyone else in. If it’s something they shouldn’t hear, I don’t want to make extra waves.”
“I see, I see.”
They waited for the drinks to arrive, waited for the servants to leave, and then Vanilla urged him to speak.
“What are you up to? Tell me.”
“Don’t be hasty. It’s a long story. More interest to you than to me.”
“I’m interested.” Vanilla reached for his beer, his eyes skeptical.
“It’s about Chirico and the Son of God.”
“What?” The beer glass stopped at his mouth.
“Look at that. Heh heh heh.”
From then on, Rochina’s story went straight to the point. “So that’s it. I want you to take me to Chirico and the child.”
“Huh! Chirico’s been raising the child of God after all!”
“If you analyze the information, the child of God may be physically the same as Chirico’s, or even better. We don’t know his mind, but we know that his intelligence is extraordinary and that he’s said to be a once-in-a-millennium genius.”
“They’ve disappeared?”
“Along with the warship that transported them.”
“How? What happened to them?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
Vanilla lapped up the lukewarm beer. And then, “Where did you say the ship disappeared to?”
“At the northern edge of the Trokhov sector.”
A wall monitor projected a map of the galaxy.
“The northern edge of Trokhov…”
That specific region was uploaded onto the projected map. After a few moments, Vanilla spoke softly. “Oh, yeah! We have Saltio!”
Rochina smiled wryly and said, “Use a snake to follow a snake, right?”
Vanilla continued to scroll over the map and suddenly stopped.
“The vanished planet Glasseus!”
“Yes, Glasseus. You and your company used to do business with that planet.”
“But it suddenly disappeared. It vanished from the universe.”
“A planet just vanished, without an explosion. Of course, that’s not possible in the normal course of events. During the Hundred Years War, the planet Glasseus was not an important strategic region. But that didn’t mean the two sides left it alone. Both Gilgameth and Balarant interfered to some degree. The war ended with Glasseus in a state of limbo. The planet then spent a few decades without a unifying power.”
“That’s when we went into business there, and we made a lot of money.”
“A vanished planet, an impossible occurrence, and both sides have been searching for it for quite some time. But for some reason, we couldn’t find anything. Not only that, but the number of casualties in the search increased. Before long, the name of the vanished planet became one of the wonders of the Astragius galaxy. Now it is rarely mentioned.”
“Beer!” Vanilla yelled into the intercom.
“I’ll have some too, I’m thirsty.”
The beer arrived, and they found themselves alone again.
“Whether it’s the state, the military, or someone else,” Rochina said, “I don’t believe a planet would disappear for no reason, Vanilla Vartla.”
He took a sip of beer from his glass.
Vanilla posed the only remaining question. “Then…Wiseman?”
“God. Only God could do that.”
“Chirico is on the vanished planet…”
“And the child of God, as well.”
“What for?”
“To find out, you’ll have to go to Glasseus, the Vanished Planet!”
“And to Saltio.”
“Yes. He’s young and ambitious. I don’t think he’ll say no.”
“Hmm. You underestimate me.”
“Will you go?”
“Let’s go.”
To Be Continued