Kwaide (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 2)

Chapter Two

There was a running whisper of amazement as those present assimilated the new situation. Mandalon glanced towards his assistants. They appeared uncertain, and eventually parted to make way for another figure, one whose white hair was far too familiar.

“Atheron!” Grace exclaimed “Oh no! He is in cahoots with Mandalon, then!”

 The two men consulted, and then Mandalon took a step forward.

“Almagest, Cian and Valhai, the perfect heavenly triangle. May their orbits remain stable!” The Sellite leader intoned, his words endowing him with authority.

“And may the flares on Almagest remain quiescent!” replied Arcan, who had learned the protocol of the system.

“You are going to represent yourself at this meeting?” Mandalon asked. 

The shadowy figure inclined its ‘head’. 

“Very well. The Sells call Atheron to explain our position.”

Grace and Six exchanged horrified looks. Both had a strong conviction that nothing good was going to come of this.

The white-haired figure that they knew so well oozled its way forwards. “Thank you. Elders of Coriolis, Kwaide, Cesis, Xiantha and Valhai: the aim of this meeting is to discuss the possibility that the alien life form has a right to Valhai. We, the Sellite people, can prove that such a right does not exist. We demand that you remove this alien from lands duly granted to the Sellites.” The collective gasp which arose from his words appeared to gratify Atheron. He smiled thinly, and then went on, “The alien, known as Arcan, is not endemic to Valhai, and therefore has no right to inhabit it.”

There was a deep look of satisfaction on Atheron’s face. He had planned this, Grace realized, and the idea had resulted in the educational tutor scaling several positions in the Valhai hierarchy. No wonder he was looking so pleased with himself! 

Diva’s father hauled himself to his feet again until he was facing the gathered international community. “Alien!” He peered over in Arcan’s direction. “What have you to say to that? Are you endemic to this planet or not?”

“I am,” Arcan’s deep voice replied. “In any case, I have lived here on this planet for the last thirty thousand years, which is longer than the Sellites.”

“The question is not, however, how long you have lived here,” said Diva’s father, “rather, whether you have the right to claim this planet as your own.” There were muttered agreements all around the chamber. 

Grace noticed that Diva was staring at her father as if he was an unknown. The Coriolan girl had adopted a threatening stance, with one hand on her belt, just above the hilt of her ornate dagger. 

“Of course I can claim it as my own,” Arcan insisted. “There can be no doubt”

“I am afraid that is untrue,” Atheron interrupted, licking his lips. “Your biological markers bear no relation whatsoever to any other life in the system. We therefore assert that you are of extra-Sacran origin, and have no rights at all here.” He sat down, turning to make a side comment to Mandalon, which appeared to amuse the leader.

“Can this data be proved?” asked one of the Kwaidian Elders.

Atheron stood up again, and smiled deferentially. “If you would allow me to show you the detailed DNA analysis carried out on samples taken from the entity which calls itself Arcan…?”

Six clutched at Grace. “They have got their hands on the samples we took up to the Exolabs to save Arcan when he was ill!”

“We should have thought of that!” Grace’s eyes were worried.