Grand Master’s Pawn,
Chapter 1
“The
Council of Twelve will be destroyed.” The words blazed in his memory from two
decades ago. The clairvoyant, Frank Hunter, had prophesied their doom not long
after the Griffin had attained the rank of Grand Master. He recalled the
furious arguments in Council meetings, the Chair’s arrogant derision of his own
‘naïve’ objections to eliminating the prophet, and the ensuing radical
prohibitions on psychics. As the outcome, Frank Hunter had died. And
henceforth, talented people were denied access to proper training and excluded
from the annual selection of pawns.
He
glared at the name on the list of top candidates, Violet Hunter. A spate of
questions swept across his mind. How had she dared to apply for the selection?
Was she foolish or merely ignorant of her heritage? He scrolled through the
records once more, seeking a clue to her personality. Her qualifications were
superb without a hint of prohibited psychic talent.
Psi
crackled and the screen blanked.
Her
application was futile. What Grand Master would take the risk of employing the
prophet’s daughter as a pawn? What a crazy choice, embracing the omen of their
destruction.
His
grim laughter echoed around the room.
How
amusing. The very idea would stun the entire Council. He replayed the clip of
the girl’s combat exam with one of the instructors. The tiger-striped
Aman-ellan sheathed his claws and fought with a sensor-tipped knife.
Anticipating each strike with agile leaps, the girl blocked his attacks with
ease.
Suspicious
as always, he pondered the possibilities. Had Violet Hunter inherited a psychic
skill from her parents? Why then had she volunteered to be a candidate for the
Council’s selection of pawns? She might not be aware of a minor skill. Her
talent might have not yet manifested. Or else, she had deliberately evaded the
Council’s prohibitions. How delightfully dangerous. If he selected her as his
pawn, he would force the truth from her.
And
yet, despite his caution, he felt a modicum of sympathy for the child who had
lost her father. She deserved a recompense. And perhaps a chance to revenge her
father’s murder.
* * *
Alerted
by the rustle of dry leaves, Violet Hunter rotated to face the sound.
Three
yellow striped velociraptors bounded through the giant ferns, cruel eyes
focused on their prey.
Acting
with honed reflexes, she sidestepped to elude the claws of the foremost
attacker. Swinging her sword with both hands, she sliced into the neck of the
second reptile, and ducked under the toothy jaws of the third.
Ignoring
the small human, the two wounded carnivores tore into each other.
Violet
swiveled to meet the bellowing onslaught of the first dinosaur. She thrust her
blade into its throat and skipped out of reach of its teeth.
Its
thrashing body thudded to the ground, flattening fern fronds.
Jumping
away from the snapping melee of dying and bloody dinosaurs, Violet hit the off
switch.
She
strode out of the dimly lit game room into the annex, hung the sword on the
rack, dropped the helmet on a shelf, and sighed. Bored with the simulated
combat sessions, she longed to explore alien planets. Real life would have
advantages. She preferred to carry a multipurpose laser instead of wielding the
archaic sword. And, her hidden empathic sense would warn her of lurking
predators. She had kept her talent secret during her years at the Space Academy
because of the Grand Masters’ ban.
Leaping
up the stairs from the underground training facility, she paced across the
campus towards the Council Hall for the annual selection of pawns. The black
marble facade of the windowless building reflected the overcast sky, and the
massive iron gates at the entrance deterred casual visitors. A wintry gust
froze her bare face and she shivered at the ominous symbol. Despite her
forbidden empathy, the Grand Masters were her best hope of escaping Terra for a
career in space. Anger flared as she remembered the rejection from Space Corps,
“Does not meet the physical standards.” Translation, she was too small.
She
sensed Tessa’s nervous mind an instant before her friend stepped out of the
shelter of a doorway. Tessa’s delicate beauty was heightened in the cold air.
Tessa
gushed, “Oh Vi, I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve been waiting for ages.” She
glanced at the crowded plaza in front of Council Hall. “I couldn’t face going
in there alone.” Gazing at Violet from her lovely blue eyes, she said, “I
applied only because my parents insisted. They say it’s an honor to serve the
Grand Masters.”
Torn
between amusement and annoyance at her friend’s timidity, Violet retorted,
“Tessa Brown, you’re twenty-two. Your parents can’t force you to do anything.”
“I
don’t want to disappoint them,” Tessa whispered, clinging to Violet’s arm.
“You
won’t. I predict you’ll marry a wealthy noble or a brilliant inventor,” Violet
joked. With Tessa’s beauty and sweet nature, marriage was surely in her future,
while Violet was fated to remain single. What man would wed a woman who could
read his mind? Even when she tried not to pry, thoughts slipped unbidden
through her mental shield. But Tessa, like everyone else at the Academy, did
not know about her psychic talent.
Tessa
protested, “How can you be so cheerful? We don’t know what we’ll face inside
that awful black building.” She shook her blonde tresses, and said, in an
obvious attempt to evade her worries, “It’s a pity your mother didn’t stay
after our graduation last week.”
Compressing
her lips, Violet said, “My mother ported back to Cirrus-beta. She couldn’t bear
to stay any longer. Ever since my father’s death, Silvia’s hated the sight of
the Space Academy. It’s the first time she’s left home in twenty years.” Her
mother’s grief had haunted her childhood. Violet had learned to insulate her
mind from the sadness, but she seldom visited Silvia these days, and never
stayed long in her childhood home.
Unaware
of Violet’s distress, Tessa asked, “Do you remember your father?”
“No.
I was two years old when he died and Silvia never speaks of him. She still
mourns for him.”
“How
sad.” Tears glistened in Tessa’s soft eyes.
Violet
shook her head, dismissing her friend’s sympathy, and gestured towards the
flagstone plaza. “Come on. Let’s join the other candidates.”
Bracing
for the flood of tense emotions, Violet tightened her mental shield and tugged
her reluctant friend towards the milling crowd. The candidates filled the
plaza, although the gates were not due to open for another thirty minutes.
People stood in quiet groups, or shuffled restlessly around the plaza. Most
were men and woman of Terran stock with a scattering of aliens. Violet noticed
the vivid green feathers of a Flia and the pricked ears of two furry
Aman-ellans.
Scanning
the other candidates, Violet wondered if she would be chosen. Despite the odds
against her, Mother Tingu had been confident she would succeed. After ten years
of secret lessons to control her empathic talent in defiance of the Grand
Masters’ prohibition, Violet trusted the White Mother’s judgment.
A
familiar, hostile mind loomed through the crowd and Violet steeled herself to
ignore the bully. Big, blond Marius Krupp shoved past her and taunted, “Violet,
the midget candidate. You’re no beauty with that silly mark on your face. What
Grand Master would want you?” He snickered and swaggered away to join his
cronies in a noisy group of toughs.
Glaring
at his retreating back, Violet shook off his disruptive influence.
“He’s
horrid,” Tessa cried. “Your birthmark looks like a star.”
Violet
smiled. Trust Tessa to turn a defect into a badge of honor.
She
sensed her friend, Srinivasan, approach from behind. His voice was sincere.
“Forget about your size, Violet. Marius is foolish to antagonize you. I’ve seen
you trounce larger men than him.” Srini’s slender physique was also deceptive,
concealing his combat skills. He was a prime candidate for selection as a pawn,
a mathematical genius and an expert in deciphering esoteric languages.
“I
suppose the Grand Masters won’t care about my height,” she said, smiling at her
friend. “Although, I’ve no idea how they select their pawns.”
His
black eyes gleamed and Srini nodded amiably. “Let me enlighten you. I’ve
analyzed the Grand Masters’ selections for the past twenty years.
Statistically, the candidates with the top academic qualifications are the most
likely to be selected. So, our chances are excellent, Violet. Both of us
achieved the top grades. Your xenobiology degree is especially suitable for
exploring planets.”
“Flashy,
I’m glad to hear your conclusions. Five out of a hundred seems poor odds.”
Violet glanced at the massive gates. “I wish the gates would open. It’s already
several minutes past the due time.” She sensed the level of anxiety ratchet up
as the candidates stared at the iron gates. Complaints sounded at the delay.
Impatient
candidates scuffled their feet on the flagstones and Violet wondered if the
Grand Masters deliberately kept them waiting outside. Ordinary people must bow
to their superiors. That attitude was on par with the ominous black marble
exterior of the Council Hall.
Tessa
tugged at Violet’s arm. Her voice quivered. “I don’t want to be chosen as a
pawn. Do you, Vi?”
Brushing
aside her timid friend’s fears, Violet chuckled. “Why not? I’d love to travel
the galaxy. Besides, I want to learn more about the mysterious Grand Masters.”
“I’ve
heard they’re horrible. Truly evil, and not even human,” Tessa whimpered, her
brown eyes wide in alarm.
Grim
images crept into Violet’s mind and she shivered. “Who knows what they are? The
Grand Masters might be aliens or even machines, if machines can have psi
power.” Thrusting her fears aside, she tried to pacify her friend. “Don’t
worry, Tessa. I’m sure they won’t want a scared pawn.”
“I should love to be chosen,” Srini said, his
black eyes shining with excitement. “It’s a great honor to serve the Grand
Masters and I’ve always wanted to explore the galaxy.”
Violet
smiled at his enthusiasm. She was more cautious. “Yes, I’d love to be the first
person to discover intelligent aliens on an uncharted planet. But, the pawn’s
missions can be dangerous.”
“Travel
is hazardous these days,” Srini said. A frown shadowed his face. “My brother
missed our graduation ceremony. He was stranded on a planet in Outer
Sagittarius when the portals broke.”
“How
awful,” Tessa cried with instant sympathy.
Shaking
her head, Violet was quiet. Doubts crowded into her mind as the minutes passed.
Would she be selected by one of the enigmatic Grand Masters? She was desperate
to leave Terra, where the high population stressed her sensitive mind. Chewing
on her lower lip, she steeled herself for the interview.
A
gong rang and the iron gates swung open with the swish of well-oiled hinges.
The crowd of graduates surged forward, their feet rustling on the flagstones.
Violet cringed at the flare of their excitement and tightened her mental
shield. The candidates marched through the gates into a large hall adorned with
colored banners. They waited silently for instructions.
A
loudspeaker blared, “Candidates will enter the interview chamber in groups of
twenty.”
Two
black-uniformed guards stood on either side of an inner door, which was
decorated in images of the major civilized planets. The guards opened the door
and allowed the first group of twenty candidates to enter the room. They walked
through the door in silence.
By
easing past more reluctant candidates, Violet maneuvered to the front of the
crowd. She had decided the best strategy was to wait for the third or fourth
group. Then, she would avoid an early interview when the Grand Masters might
prefer to see more candidates and still hope to be examined before all the
pawns were selected.
Her
two friends stood beside her. Srini had a serious expression on his dusky face,
while Tessa’s fearful eyes pleaded for moral support. Violet was more curious
than frightened. Would they see the twelve mysterious Grand Masters at the
interview?
After
a short interval, the second group of candidates was called inside. Violet
sensed their taut excitement as they passed through the door. There was no sign
of the first group and they must have departed by another exit.
Her
face blanched with terror, Tessa gripped Violet’s hand. “I’m scared,” she
moaned.
“Don’t
worry. It won’t take long. The Grand Masters seem to decide quickly,” Violet
said to encourage her fainthearted friend.
The
door opened for the third group of candidates. Violet stepped forward, eager to
complete this step. Whether she succeeded in becoming a pawn or not, her life
would move into the next stage after today.
Marius
boasted loudly, “The Grand Masters dominate the galaxy. They rule over many
planets. I’m going to grab a piece of that power.” Shouldering roughly past
her, he strode through the door.
Obnoxious
brute, she thought, let him be the first to take the stage. But, his words
disturbed her. Did the Grand Masters control entire planets? She walked
steadily toward the door, staying with her two friends. Any Grand Master who
chose Marius would not be to her taste. She hoped to find one with less
grandiose ambitions.
Inside
the interview room, Violet stood in the middle of the twenty candidates. Tessa
clutched her hand, nearly desperate with terror. Srini stood on her other side
with a frown of concentration on his brown face.
The
candidates clustered at the back of the room, staring at a low platform bearing
a row of strange objects. Twelve black spheres stood on top of tall cylinders.
Violet was disappointed. No Grand Masters were visible in the room. She could
sense no living entities except the twenty jittery candidates.
An
eerie humming sound filled the room, prompting gasps of alarm from her
companions. Colored points of light flared on the spheres. Some spheres had a
single pair of lights like two human eyes, while other spheres bore three, five
or more colored lights. Violet saw red, blue, green and yellow lights. She
sensed very faint presences, as if the Grand Masters were observing the
candidates via the pseudo eyes on the spheres.
Tessa
trembled violently. Violet dropped her friend’s hand, ignoring her beseeching
eyes. She did not wish to be contaminated by Tessa’s display of weakness. They
would be judged separately.
An
artificial voice called, “Candidates will walk onto the stage, one at a time,
and stand still for evaluation by the Grand Masters.”
One
brave candidate stepped up, nearly stumbling in his haste. He stood silently
for a few minutes before he was dismissed to the left exit. Her tormenter,
Marius, strode to the front. He was dismissed even faster than the first
candidate.
Violet
walked forward, resolved to take her chance. She stood erect and stared at the
row of lighted spheres. An uncanny vision wavered before her eyes, and she
tensed, holding her breath in awe. The hazy image resolved into twelve entities
on thrones, human men and women and alien creatures. Their eyes glowed in the
colors she had seen on the spheres. One alien was a mass of writhing tentacles,
while another resembled a green blob. One humanoid woman wore red robes,
another woman had a green gown, and two men were clad in somber black robes.
In
the midst of this amazing sight, her attention was caught by a dark man in blue
robes seated at one end of the twelve thrones. He had a grim face with fierce
black eyebrows over a hooked nose. His eyes were half lidded. While she
watched, his eyes opened and piercing blue beams flashed onto her face. She
stared boldly into his laser blue eyes. Yet, in the next moment, his gaze slid
past, and she doubted he had even noticed her.
She
stiffened in alarm and shielded belatedly, hoping to conceal her psychic power.
The eerie vision of the twelve entities vanished as swiftly as it had arisen.
Violet was disappointed. She wanted to inspect the Grand Masters more closely.
Surely, she had perceived the mysterious Grand Masters in the transient image.
Would one of those strange beings select her as a pawn?
She
blinked, returning to the reality of the interview room with the lighted
spheres on black cylinders.
The mechanical voice called, “You have been
chosen. Walk through the exit on your right.”
Violet
grinned and raised her fist in triumph. She had succeeded in the first step of
her risky venture. As a pawn, she could study her Grand Master and pursue her
dream of exotic travel.
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