Chapter Thirteen

THE OLD WOMANclutched the small book to her chest as she sat on the floor of the dimly lit shelter, her

back to a crate markedCIVIL DEFENSE . The stained, ragged cloth cover of the book she was holding

flapped to and fro as the woman rocked back and forth while mumbling something unintelligible, her eyes

tightly closed. Data had long since analyzed what she was saying. It was a prayer.

 

The four of themData, Ro, a young man and the old womanwere seated in the middle of the small

underground shelter, surrounded by crates and barrels.

She’s beginning to get on my nerves,

the man

suddenly said.

 

Excuse me, Tarrajel?

Ro asked.

 

I saidoh, never mind,

he said, sighing and waving a hand.

That was rude of me, Fessalahka,

he said

to Ro.

I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. The old lady can’t help it. It’s just that some of

the old folks still buy into all the crap the monks used to sell, and I’m tired of hearing about it.

 

The young man shifted his weight and frowned more deeply.

I wonder when we’ll be able to get out of

here? This has been a pretty long alert. I wonder when they’re coming?

 

This may be merely a drill,

Data said.

 

I hope you’re right, Porratorat,

Tarrajel told him.

 

He might be,

Ro said.

We haven’t heard any explosions or anything.

 

That doesn’t necessarily mean much,

Tarrajel said.

The Krann could be vaporizing the other side of

the world. We’d never know.

 

Perhaps we could leave the shelter,

Data said.

I would like to go outside and look around. Perhaps we

could learn something.

 

Tarrajel snorted.

The only thing you’d learn, my friend, is that being out on the street during an

alert is a shoot-on-sight offense, like everything else is these days. Say, I saw somebody raising an

illegal banner over the avenue just before I came down here. Did they catch anybody?

 

I do not know,

Data replied.

The banner was cut down, but I did not see the authorities apprehend

anyone.

 

Well, that’s good,

Tarrajel said, settling back.

I don’t have any use for the old religion, but I

don’t want to see anybody wind up in the hands of the police, eithernot for putting up a sign, anyway.

There are better reasons to go to jail.

 

The old woman stopped mumbling and opened her rheumy eyes. She wagged a finger at Tarrajel.

Prepare!

 

she said urgently.

The agents of vengeance are coming, and there can be no escape!

 

Prepare how?

Ro asked politely.

Please tell me.

 

The old woman looked at her suspiciously.

You’re no Follower,

she said.

Few of you young people are.

 

No, I’m not a Follower,

Ro said, putting on her most sincere look.

But I bear Followers no ill will,

and I really want to know how to prepare for what’s to come. The banner we’ve been talking about warned

us to prepare. I’d like to know what that means.

The ensign took the old woman’s hand.

What’s your

name, mother?

 

The old woman smiled timidly. Ro saw that she didn’t have very many teeth, and the few she had were not

in good shape.

Ilsewidna,

she answered.

I work here. I work for the landlord. I clean up inside the

building.

 

Hello, Ilsewidna,

Ro said.

I am Fessalahka, and this is my spouse, Porratorat.

 

How do you do?

Data said politely.

 

Do you already know the heretic in here with us?

Ilsewidna said sourly.

 

My name is Tarrajel,

the young man said.

I practice law. I have an office in the building. I see

Ilsewidna just about every day. Hello again, mother.

 

Don’t you call me that,

Ilsewidna grated. She refused to look at him.

You’re always calling me that,

and you’re no son of mine.

She held up her book and shook it approximately in Tarrajel’s direction.

 

You mock the truth,

she said, nodding vigorously.

You mock it with your disbelief, even when the

truth is all around you, even when it is about to strike you dead. Well, it’s all in here, every bit of

it, no matter what the government says, or how many of us they imprison and torture.

 

As you say, Ilsewidna,

Tarrajel said mildly.

The truth is yours.

 

Ilsewidna moved closer to Ro.

Daughter,

she began,

have you ever been given the truth? Was your

mother a Follower? Or your grandmother, perhaps?

 

Ro shook her head.

I’m afraid not, mother. I’ve never even heard of this book before.

 

How terrible for you,

Ilsewidna clucked.

What a wicked world this has become.

She held the book up.

 

When I was a little girl, we had to read from the book for two hours each night after our work shifts

were over. Oh, we could read, all right, no matter what stories the government tells you. We could read

and write, and there was plenty to eat. Me and my brothers and sisters would sit by the firelight as one

of us read the verses aloud. My mother would tell us what they meant if we didn’t understand them. Life

wasn’t near as terrible as Kerajem and his crowd would like you to think.

 

I’m sure it wasn’t,

Ro prompted.

What does the book say, mother?

 

It’s truth,

Ilsewidna said again.

That’s all it is, and that’s all it has to be.

 

Tarrajel cleared his throat.

Uh, Fessalahka, if I might try to explain?

 

Ilsewidna frowned as Ro shifted to face the young man.

Yes?

 

Actually, Ilsewidna is right,

Tarrajel said.

The bookis truth, or at least it’s truth of a sort. It’s

truth as viewed through a distorting glass of time and tradition, but it’s truth

neverthelessunfortunately for us.

 

Truth,

Ilsewidna insisted.

Truth!

 

Tarrajel waved a hand.

Yes, Ilsewidna. It’s truthful enough. The bookThe Holy Book of the Exiletells

in very obscure and confusing language the story of how, thousands of years ago, our people enslaved and

abused an innocent race, which eventually rebelled against our rule and forced us to leave our native

world.

 

That would be the Krann,

Data observed.

 

So it seems,

Tarrajel said.

Historical events are not stated in straightforward terms in theBook of

Exile , but the ancient writings can be interpreted to foretell the Krann invasion. I’m not surprised

you and your spouse haven’t heard of the book, Porratorat. Few people our age have, and fewer still have

read it. TheBook of Exile has been suppressed since the revolution.

 

I have read it,

Data said.

An acquaintance of ours recently gave me a copy.

 

How unusual, Porratorat,

Tarrajel said.

Well, what did you think of it?

 

I believe the ancient writings in the book can be interpreted in any number of ways,

Data told him

matter-of-factly.

They can certainly be interpreted in a manner that predicts the present crisis.

 

How did you come to know of the book, Tarrajel?

Ro asked.

 

The young man grinned.

I was a history student before I went into law, and I decided that I needed to

read theBook of Exile to understand my chosen subject more fully. I’ve always believed in doing as many

illegal things as possible, and I don’t believe in the government’s right to tell me what I can and

cannot read. I’ve studied theBook of Exile very closelyas an historical text, of course, not a

religious one. As religion, it’s pretty thin stew.

 

Truth!

 

Yes, Ilsewidna,

Tarrajel said.

As I’ve said, it is truthbut only of a sort.

He addressed Data and

Ro again.

The book is apparently based on our earliest written records, the ones we brought with us

from our homeworld. Those records, of course, were all lost during the dark centuries that followed our

arrival here. We think the book was written from oral histories that were developed during that time.

That made the text subject to corruption.

 

The ‘dark centuries’?

Ro asked.

Um, I’m sorry, Tarrajel. I was never very good at history.

 

Not much to remember, in this case,

Tarrajel said.

When we arrived here, the civilization that had

been maintained throughout the long journey from the homeworld aboard the asteroid ships broke apart

quickly. People spread out all over the planet. It took centuries for our people to draw together again

and start building a planetary civilization. TheBook of Exile dates from the beginning of that era.

 

You said the book represented truth, Tarrajel,

Data said.

Why did you say that?

 

The book has been proven correct in one very important way,

the young man said.

The most important

thing that’s in the book, the thing that concerns all of us now, is its promise that one day, should we

not repent our sins against the enslaved race, that race would find us and annihilate us.

 

And we didnot repent and ithas found us and we are all going todie!

cried Ilsewidna. She pointed a

finger at Tarrajel.

The monks were keeping the beast at bay with their holy sacrifices, but your

radical friends in the government killed or imprisoned all of them.

 

Now, Ilsewidna

Tarrajel began.

 

The old woman ignored him.

The radicals destroyed the church,

she continued bitterly.

They pulled

down all our institutions and replaced them with lies and more lies. They changed the holy way we lived,

where adults and children worked together, worked hard, to build a holy world full of hope and free from

fear. They destroyed truth and created a false paradise that drew the ultimate evil of the Krann to us

like a magnet draws iron. And now we’re all going to die in flame and fire and horror, just as the holy

book promises.

 

The Krann will not necessarily attack, Ilsewidna,

Data said.

There is still reason to hope for a

peaceful solution.

 

No,

Ilsewidna said dully, clutching the book to her.

No, there’s no hope left. The Krann are here,

and they’re bringing war and death to us all, and it’ll be the price for our sins. We didn’t obey the

law, and so we’ll die. It’s in the book.

Ilsewidna’s eyes filled with tears.

I have three

grandchildren,

she said thickly.

Don’t they have a right to grow up? Don’t they? They haven’t hurt

nobody. They never enslaved no one, they never did nothing wrong. They’re good little kiddies, mindful

of their manners and always nice to their grandma. I taught them their prayers, too, even when their

mother didn’t want me to and their father hit me and threatened to call the police on me, to put me in

jail. They’re so little. So little …

Her voice trailed off.

 

Ilsewidna is only one of millions,

Tarrajel said.

You’ve seen them around recently, no doubt. The

Followers see our doom at the hands of the Krann as assured, and even deserved. It’s been hushed up, but

some Followers have been caught engaging in acts of sabotage against the defense effort. They believe

they’re helping to fulfill the promise of theBook of Exile . That’s why the interpretation of the

prophecy is so important. If enough people believe it and act upon it, it will hamper any effort we may

make to defend ourselves against the Krann.

 

The prophecy of doom thus becomes a self-fulfilling one,

Data observed.

 

But how can a book written by primitive people be so correct about what’s happening to us right now?

 

Ro wondered.

That’s not possible, is it?

 

Tarrajel closed his eyes and leaned back against one of the crates.

I wouldn’t have thought so myself,

 

Tarrajel said sadly.

Given the horrible crimes our people committed so long ago, though, prophesying

the vengeance of the Krann might be pretty much like predicting tomorrow’s sunrise. You’d have a high

probability of being right.

 

The Krann are going to kill us,

the old woman mumbled.

They’re going to kill us with fire and flame.

 

I know, mother,

Tarrajel said quietly. He closed his eyes. The shelter was silent then, except for the

soft crying of Ilsewidna and the sympathetic, hollow sound from somewhere of dripping water.

 

Suddenly, distantly, there was a quick series of thuds. The four of them could feel the vibration as

they sat on the thick concrete floor.

 

Ro took a chance and tapped her communicator.

Ro toEnterprise ,

she called. There was no response.

 

What are you doing, Fessalahka?

Tarrajel asked Ro.

 

The ensign ignored him.

Please try yours, sir,

she asked Data.

 

The android activated his own communicator.

Data toEnterprise ,

he said. Nothing.

 

I am not getting any response,

he told Ro after a moment.

I do not believe the signal is getting

through. Perhaps it is being blocked somehow, or the ship may no longer be in range.

 

Or it may have been destroyed,

Ro frowned.

 

That possibility exists.

 

What are you twotalking about?

Tarrajel demanded.

 

The building they were in suddenly rocked back and forth like flotsam caught in heavy surf, and things

went flying. A terrible noise came an instant later and remained. The rolling went on for some time.

 

Judgment!

Ilsewidna screamed.

Judgment has come at last!

 

Ro looked at Data.

I’d like to use the tricorder now, Commander. Permission to operate openly at this

point?

 

Permission granted. Your scalp is bleeding, Ensign. Are you in any pain?

 

Not so you’d notice.

Ro took out her tricorder and, in plain view of Tarrajel and Ilsewidna, began

scanning over their heads. After a moment, she sighed heavily.

I was afraid of that,

she said.

It was

nuclear, all right. Wasn’t a very big blast, though, since we’re still around to talk about it. Ground

zero was six point three kilometers east of here.

 

I believe there iswasan airport at that location,

Data said.

 

More bad news,

Ro continued.

The building above us is on fire and is threatening to collapse. We

can’t stay here, sir.

 

Agreed,

Data said.

We will leave at once.

 

I’m not leaving,

Tarrajel said flatly.

It’s not safe out there.

 

Maybe you didn’t hear me,

Ro said.

It’s not too safe down here, either.

 

Tarrajel shook his head firmly.

They’re still bombing us, Fessalahkaor whatever your real name is.

He

put the palm of his hand flat on the concrete floor.

You can even feel it.

 

You’ll bake like bread, stupid,

Ro told him.

The building is on fire! You and us and the old woman

will have a chance of living through this mess if we all leave hereright now .

She studied her

tricorder again.

We’re upwind from the airport, so unless there’s another nuclear strike near here

 

How doyou know?

Tarrajel snorted.

Whoare you people, anyway?

 

Little visitors from heaven,

Ro returned sarcastically.

What’d you think?

 

Iknew it!

Ilsewidna shouted.

I was not forgotten, even at the last. All praise to the monks!

 

Fine, mother,

Ro said distractedly.

Commander, I say we head for Government House.

 

Would that not be a priority target for the Krann?

Data asked.

 

Not necessarily, sir. The strike at the airport was a tactical hit. If the Krann were going to attack

the entire city, they’d have done so by now. I think they’ll refrain from hitting the political

headquarters too hard, if only so there’s someone left among the Lethantan leadership to surrender to

them when all this is over. I wouldn’t give you two strips of latinum for the rest of the planet,

though.

 

I see.

Data tapped his communicator again. There was no response.

Very well. We shall go to

Government House.

 

You can’t get out of here,

Tarrajel said.

The blast door up on street level won’t roll back until the

all clear is soundedand if they catch you on the street during an alert, they’ll shoot you.

 

They’ll have to catch us first,

Ro said.

The door won’t be a problem. How do you open the door down

here, anyway?

 

That red crank right there to the left of the hatch, child,

Ilsewidna told her.

See it?

 

Yes. Thank you, mother. Are you two coming along or not?

 

No,

Tarrajel said. ‘I’ll take my chances here. Whatever else you two are, you’re also crazy.

 

I’ll stay and take care of him, daughter,

Ilsewidna said.

After all, nothing bad’s going to happen

tome .

 

I hope you’re right, Mother,

Ro told her. Almost embarrassed, she bent and quickly kissed Ilsewidna on

the top of her head.

Mother Ilsewidna, you take care of yourself.

 

You, too, child,

the old woman said.

Take care of that husband of yours, too. He’s a quiet one, but

he’s as smart as all get-out. You watch out that someone else don’t grab him.

 

Oh, don’t worry,

Ro said, hiding a smile.

I won’t let that happen.

 

Good for you.

Ilsewidna looked into Ro’s eyes and raised a hand to stroke her cheek.

I had a one like

you once,

she said.

Gone these many years now. Just up and disappeared one day. Lively, smart, and

pretty as a sunrise. Then she was gone. Ran off, I guess, but I don’t know why. I don’t think she’s

dead, but she never wrote me, not even once.

Her eyes filled, and then she blinked rapidly.

Well, you

take care, daughter,

she finished, patting Ro’s cheek.

 

Stay safe, mother. We’ll leave the upstairs door open for you, just in case you change your mind.

Ro

spun the crank, and the shelter door smoothly rolled aside.

 

Thanks, dear,

the old woman chirped,

but everything will be fine now. You’ll see.

 

Ro did not look at her again.

Commander?

she called.

I’m ready. Meet you topside.

She left the

shelter and headed up the stairs.

 

Very well,

Data replied. He turned to the other two.

I wish you both luck,

he said.

However, your

luck will be enhanced if you do not remain here too long.

 

Tarrajel remained stubbornly silent.

Thanks, son,

Ilsewidna said,

but we’ll be fine. Get along, now.

You go take care of your wife.

 

Ah. Yes. Yes, so I shall. Good-bye.

Data left the shelter and, hurrying up the dark stairs, met Ro at

the top landing. Smoke was beginning to fall the place.

 

Do you want to do the honors, sir?

Ro asked.

 

Data nodded, drew his phaser, and fired at the blast door. It crumpled and fell with a loud crash into

the street. They stepped over it and looked around.

 

Wait a moment,

Data said, holding up a hand. A second later, from below, they heard the downstairs

shelter door roll back into place.

Very well,

he said.

Let us leave.

 

Data and Ro looked up and down the boulevard as they hurried away from the building. The street was

strewn with the wreckage of buildings and cars. Despite the strict civil defense regulations, not

everyone had bothered to go to a shelter; there were bodies everywhere. They could see other people,

still alive, hurrying through the fire and smoke and wreckage along the boulevard. They were heading no

one knew whereto homes that perhaps no longer existed.

 

The fighting was still going on. In the distance there were dozens of bright flashes as conventional

weapons were brought to bear on the civilian population of the capital. Through the smoke and haze that

now hung over the city, Data and Ro could see Government House, still intact, sticking up like a black

finger of defiance against a blood-red sky.

 

Ro studied her tricorder again.

The Krann must be attacking from orbit, sir,

she reported as they

continued down the boulevard.

The only aircraft overhead are not bombing the citytherefore, I assume

they’re friendly.

 

Reasonable, Ensign.

Data looked around.

I think we had better hurry to Government House

He was

interrupted by a tearing, grinding sound behind them. The twoEnterprise officers whirled around just in

time to see the building in which they had taken shelter shudder and collapse, crushing and burying

whoever and whatever was inside.

 

Ro’s scan for life signs was negative.

 

They moved on.