The Adventures of Deacon Coombs (34 page)

“When will you have his funeral?” asked Deacon.

“No funeral. Just as in Como’s case, we simply commit the ashes into space.”

“What? The remains of millions of dead Aralians float around in space?”

“Yes. Aralia at some time in her past became so cluttered with nonproductive burial plots of Aralians that it was decided to convert the remains of prominent citizens to pure energy at Vesper stations and send misguided beams to the edges of the galaxy. Travers’s remains have already been sent.” Schlegar talked about this subject matter coldly; Deacon and Quobit were dismayed to not have one last solemn minute.

“You should have told me this yesterday so I could have paid my final respects,” Deacon said. “It seems such a cruel…” he was at a loss as to how to finish his thought.

They soon moved on and completed hours of discussions on the details of the trek, Schlegar insisting on every intricate detail of his version about the sermon on the mount. Later, after Deacon had retired and reread the Owlers’ accounts of their investigation, he conversed with the Owlers privately. “We have overlooked a connection somewhere. There are no obvious candidates for Urzel in your report, and no Asiandans.” Pointing a finger at them, he said, “Check and double-check every person again. And visitors to Medulla! This list lacks any obvious leads. Jim, we must check all ships that have passed there and their inhabitants.”

Before Jim had time to orate his speech about the Owlers’ efficiency, Deacon vanished down the hallway, frustrated at their total inability to identify Urzel. Some clue had been overlooked.

Urzel is an Earthling

Back in Schlegar’s lab, Schlegar had been waiting for Deacon after conducting his own assessment of Urzel, and he attacked him at the first opportunity, as Lyanna witnessed. “I don’t doubt what you witnessed, Deacon; I simply state that there is no Earthling with the mental powers that you described. Outside of the Medullans, who can stretch their mental prowess, all other races who exhibit the power of the Uscher zone have to be in proximity to their subjects, and I have examined our files over and over. This Earthman doesn’t exist.”

Lyanna added to Schlegar’s outburst. “Suddenly, Deacon, you expect us to believe that an Earthman can control thousands of minds at great distances, as you saw on Nix. ‘Quantum leap’ would be an understatement for what you saw. Again, I don’t doubt what you observed; I, as Schlegar, simply question the obvious interpretation. Urzel is not an Earthman.”

“Schlegar, Lyanna—let me state the facts. Urzel is not a machine, not an apparition; he is an Earthling. He did manipulate minds at great distances. I can’t explain it, but he did it! Gem’s recording of the ceremony and his biological analysis support these facts.”

“Then he must be a Medullan or an alien in disguise. There cannot be another explanation.”

“He is not an alien, Schlegar, for he has the heartbeat of an Earthling. That is exactly how Gem confirmed his origins. He is not a Medullan, for he lacks their profile for metabolism. Check Gem’s records.”

The debate continued until Schlegar ended it by thrusting his arms in the air to express his frustration. At least Deacon felt comfortable that Schlegar had not withheld information from him. Lyanna was left alone with him and posed a different scenario. “Is there any wild possibility that Urzel was close to you and projected the figure on the mount? Or used Travers to project the bird in space?”

“Gem’s opinion is unbiased, and Gem confirmed the figure on the mount as real and as an Earthling.”

“How could an ordinary Earthman evolve into this creature?”

“I don’t know. But I am losing an extraordinary amount of sleep thinking about it; an inordinate amount of time arguing about it.”

“Well, Deacon, believe what you witnessed. You were there. We were not.”

“How will I convince anyone of this? It seems that Quobit and the Owlers are my only allies on this. Have you talked to Quobit about this?”

“Yes, she confirmed your entire tale.” She tried her best at being patronizing. “As I said, Deacon, you were there.”

Schlegar returned hours later with a blatant order. “Landrew wants you to conduct your own investigation on the identity of Urzel. Then you will be released. You will be compensated handsomely.”

“Released?
Released?
That is the word that he used?”

“Yes. I spoke with him a few hours ago. Those were his exact words.”

“Why does he not speak to me personally?”

“I informed him that I would convey his message. Landrew apologizes that he is engaged elsewhere in important business.”

Deacon was irritated, and so he spoke rudely. “I will investigate the identity of Urzel further only if I choose to do so.”

“Deacon Coombs, I know that you believe in this heartbeat analysis, but the threat of alien invasion is fast becoming a reality. It may be an alien that possesses the body of an Earthman named Urzel. We don’t have time to mobilize other investigators. Our other investigators have failed. None of them have returned except you. You already have come face-to-face with the real enemy. Your account of your adventure made me shiver as you described the evil of this monster. Please, Deacon, I ask you on behalf of an Alliance and their people. Continue your work on this mystery.”

As at Moonbeam when Jim first appeared, it was useless for Deacon to argue. “And I have another theory.”

Lyanna prompted him. “Which is?”

Theories

“I don’t know quite how to express this, but let me try. For a time we believed that Urzel could bend Vesper beams, but I never believed that. From the time that Landrew and I viewed that tape in the library on Earth, I thought to myself that Travers took that vessel to Nix. I just didn’t know why, unless Travers had previous evidence of Urzel and went there to destroy him.

“Now we come to Urzel. If he really is an alien with the powers I observed, then we are helpless against him. Urzel has performed immense deeds of treachery, the most dramatic of which have been to reach out over great distance to invade minds and shape thoughts to his demonic ends, and to murder Como and Geor.

“However, he is an Earthman. So the identity of Urzel and his origins are of secondary interest to me. The primary interest of this investigation should be—how did he get this power? We know that the hair found on Nix, coupled with Gem’s metabolic analyses tell us that he is an Earthman, possibly an Asiandan.”

“Humpff,” said Schlegar.

“I think that Urzel has dramatically acquired a way to utilize and transmit his power, to use it in a way that we aren’t fathoming. I read a book once about the reactions of disbelief when the Wright Brothers discovered the miracle of flight on Earth; reactions were similar when Vesper revealed to disbelieving Aralians that interspace travel was possible through Vespering and demolecularization. Schlegar, the physicist Vesper died with all Aralians in disbelief of his miracle. Did he not?”

Schlegar nodded his head.

“Do you plan to die in disbelief that Urzel is an Earthman, Schlegar? Do you plan to deny it so that we will always be looking in the wrong place for him? Making the wrong assumptions? It seems to me that if you and I and Lyanna accept that fact and commence an investigation based on the only fact we have in our possession, we can greatly focus our efforts on the appropriate issue no matter what your damn files on Brebouillis say, and no matter what your theories say. How did Urzel become this powerful monster? Witchcraft? Aliens? No, I think not, Schlegar. We just haven’t uncovered the answer yet. We have to think as Vesper did. No bounds on ideas. No limitations on our scientific investigations. Consider any theory possible.” While Lyanna and Schlegar cogitated on the words of Deacon, he asked, “Do you accept this challenge?”

Schlegar nodded, as did Lyanna. “For the sake of expediency, please continue,” said Schlegar.

“I will continue my investigation but never to journey to Nix again. Determining how Urzel obtained this ability will inevitably expose his weakness. That is how I catch other criminals—by finding their weaknesses and exploiting them. No one commits a perfect crime.” Deacon recounted the incident in which the projection of Urzel outside the spaceship was in the form of a menacing bird and how it had reached out to touch even his own mind. He explained how Urzel had sparred mentally with him.

Schlegar jumped and broke into a tirade. “You never told me this! You led me to believe that you resisted the incursion of Urzel into your mind.”

“It was only momentary, Schlegar. I recovered by standing up to the evil, by threatening him in return. I used what Lyanna taught me—the ability to change my moods.”

Schlegar was visibly upset. “Morris Mydloan was perfectly healthy until he met the creature. You may be programmed, just as Morris was, awaiting instructions to perform a dark deed, awaiting a cue to assassinate Landrew. Deacon, this is damaging information.”

Deacon was furious. “What paranoia, Schlegar. I am in no way afflicted by Urzel. Hear me out! You asked me only a few minutes ago to accept the challenge of trying to identify this villain, and I said to you that I accept. Now, a second later, you think I’m contaminated and not fit for this assignment.”

Lyanna was convinced, so she carried Deacon’s argument to Schlegar. “Schlegar, Deacon has witnessed this madman. He must be the one to finish this assignment. You and Landrew agreed on this, and there is no reason to doubt Deacon.”

“I am deeply concerned over this development.” Schlegar threw up his arms and left the two of them alone.

“You believe that Urzel respects you now that you stood up to him.”

“No. Well, maybe—momentarily.”

Two security guards arrived at the door with the doctor. “I am sorry, Deacon, but in the name of the Alliance, I shall have to detain you until I have completed some customized tests to provide me the satisfaction that you have not been affected by interfacing with this evil. I desire no confrontation.”

“Schlegar,” Deacon said, raising his voice, “this is madness. Every minute we delay to continue the investigation brings further advantage to the enemy. I have done nothing to warrant this detention. I am and always will be faithful to the Alliance.”

“You went to Nix and escaped from this powerful creature. Maybe he let you escape for a demonic purpose. How could you possibly know? Tests are warranted.”

“No. I am sane and determined to probe into his identity.”

“There is the possibility that you are unknowingly a disciple of Urzel, just like Morris Mydloan.” Schlegar pointed his finger at Deacon. Lyanna tried to reason with her mentor. “Please, Schlegar, give Deacon a chance to continue his mission. What has come over you? Deacon is in complete control of his senses.”

“That is what I intend to determine. You remain here on this moon until I give you further clearance to leave.”

“Schlegar, come to your senses,” Deacon said, seeing that it was hopeless. Schlegar was stubborn. As Deacon rose to leave the room, an Owler extracted his laser gun and aimed it at Deacon. “It comes to this. You threaten me? He who ventured and risked his life to find the creature? You will maim or kill me?”

Jim and Gem were proceeding down the hallway to the area where Lyanna, Schlegar, and Deacon were now in a confrontation. The Owlers had completed their survey of all the pertinent files and finished all their master’s requests. They were summoned by Quobit as the Jabu saw Schlegar walk furtively toward Deacon with a security Owler accompanying him. Upon entering the room, Lyanna was sobbing, but more distressing was the Owler who had a weapon fixed on their master. Before Schlegar could respond, Gem exercised actions to follow the prime directive by ripping apart the Owler’s vital controls with a single strategically placed destructive shot as Schlegar gasped.

Jim stood guard at the door outside. Inside, the scene turned to chaos. As the Owler smoldered on the floor, Schlegar dropped to his knees. “I am sorry, Deacon, but I must ask you not to go. It is my duty to make sure that your mind has not been tampered with. You must understand my position. I must perform these tests. I must detain you.”

Lyanna ran out of the room as Deacon aided Schlegar to his feet. “I am not a spy. I depart for Earth. I have an extremely important theory to test there. You must meet me in Liberty City in three days. Do you understand? I believe that there is some important news that I can share with you and Landrew at that time. If not, I will have failed and we all will have failed. Schlegar, my mission on Earth is secretive and dangerous. Do I have your word not to follow me or to undermine my efforts? Do I have your word not to block our Vesper to Earth at the Vesper station? We must have safe journey.”

Schlegar examined the disabled Owler and then looked Deacon straight in the eye. “I will have to disclose this incident to Landrew and inform him about your interface with this… Urzel. I will not send a squad in pursuit, and reluctantly I will not block your Vesper. But, Deacon, I am sorry that we part under such circumstances. I cannot give you my word that Alliance forces will not pursue you once Landrew learns of these events. You must understand my position. You may be programmed to commit treacherous deeds.”

“Can you give us a head start before you report to Landrew? So we can safely land the
Heritage
at a destination on Earth known only to me?”

After giving it some thought, Schlegar replied as he sobbed. “Okay, that much I will do.”

“You must also transmit my report on the journey to Landrew, but delay the transmission until we have reached Earth. Do I have your word on this matter?”

“Yes, I swear.”

“Then I will say good-bye, Schlegar, and thank you for your hospitality. See you in Liberty City. I will summon you when we require your help.”

With Gem and Jim as escorts, they raced down the corridor. Deacon stopped by his room and gathered his gear, all the important documents he had accumulated, and the evidence collected on Nix. He packed his personal belongings and then visited Lyanna’s quarters. She did not answer, so he disappointedly raced to the
Heritage
and scrambled up the ramp. As he did so, he noticed Gem checking lift-off requirements and Quobit bringing on supplies.