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Authors: Marilyn Campbell
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sensitive, I didn't even reveal details of it to
Governor Romulus. He was not personally involved, however, and you are. I see
now that you should have been informed of the situation right from the
beginning. You must swear that what I am about to tell you will remain
confidential. Millions of lives could be at stake."
Cherry clucked her tongue. "You
know, you almost had me before that last line. Don't you think millions of
lives is a bit much?"
Gallant sighed. "I
realize you have reason not to trust me, but I swear by the Noronian code of
honesty I was raised with, everything I'm about to tell you is the truth."
"Okay, I promise
whatever secrets you reveal will stay inside my head." She proceeded to
get into a more comfortable listening position by folding her legs Indian-style
on the bunk. "Aster and Rom saved millions of lives ten years ago when an
asteroid was heading toward Earth. Is this something like that?"
"I'm afraid it's not
that simple. For you to understand, I'll have to go back in history about four
hundred years. Within the same solar system as Norona is the planet Illusia. At
that time, the Illusians were a barbaric warrior race, kept isolated from the
other planets by their own lack of development. It isn't known positively, but
it is assumed that a spaceship from a more sophisticated civilization landed or
crashed there and, suddenly, the Illusians gained the ability to leave their
home planet and make war on one of their neighbors.
"When the first planet
was devastated, they moved on. Wherever they went destruction and violence
followed. Ultimate power was their only goal. They cared nothing for the people
they conquered other than how they could most effectively be used to entertain
the Illusian warriors. There are wild animals more civilized than they
were."
Cherry wondered at the
vehemence of Gallant's speech. He had started out in a matter-of-fact tone, but
it quickly altered as he began listing the atrocities accredited to the
Illusians. There was no question he was being truthful and that the truth
infuriated him. The horrendous cruelties he went on to describe made Cherry's
stomach queasy, but she didn't interrupt him until he paused on his own. "But
how was it that such primitive people could so easily overcome more
sophisticated nations?"
He took a slow breath as he
brought his obvious disgust back under control. "The Illusians have the
uncanny ability to create perfectly realistic illusions, complete with sound. It
was the only mental ability they were known to have, but no other talents were
needed. Basically, their victims were either fooled or terrified into
submission because of images they saw and believed to be real. The Illusians
were able to make a conquering army of one hundred appear to be one million
strong. They didn't have to actually possess city-leveling weapons, they only
had to make the people think they saw such a weapon aimed at them, then demand
their surrender."
Cherry didn't bother to
conceal her fascination with his story. "Then how were they stopped?"
"When they attempted
to attack Norona, they hadn't taken into account that, unlike the people
previously conquered, the Noronians possessed superior mental abilities of
their own. A highly perceptive person discovered the deception and put a stop
to the Illusians' goal. To determine Illusia's fate and maintain interplanetary
peace thereafter, the Consociation of Planets was formed with the Ruling
Tribunal of Norona as its leader.
"Due to the treachery
of those barbarians, it was decided by the Consociation that they were too
dangerous to be given free reign of the solar system, but the Ruling Tribunal
was strongly opposed to committing more violence than had already been
perpetrated. Instead of destroying Illusia and its people, the warriors were
all gathered and returned to their home. Then a barrier shield was created
around their planet, which prevented anyone from leaving or going to Illusia. The
last message
Governor Romulus. He was not personally involved, however, and you are. I see
now that you should have been informed of the situation right from the
beginning. You must swear that what I am about to tell you will remain
confidential. Millions of lives could be at stake."
Cherry clucked her tongue. "You
know, you almost had me before that last line. Don't you think millions of
lives is a bit much?"
Gallant sighed. "I
realize you have reason not to trust me, but I swear by the Noronian code of
honesty I was raised with, everything I'm about to tell you is the truth."
"Okay, I promise
whatever secrets you reveal will stay inside my head." She proceeded to
get into a more comfortable listening position by folding her legs Indian-style
on the bunk. "Aster and Rom saved millions of lives ten years ago when an
asteroid was heading toward Earth. Is this something like that?"
"I'm afraid it's not
that simple. For you to understand, I'll have to go back in history about four
hundred years. Within the same solar system as Norona is the planet Illusia. At
that time, the Illusians were a barbaric warrior race, kept isolated from the
other planets by their own lack of development. It isn't known positively, but
it is assumed that a spaceship from a more sophisticated civilization landed or
crashed there and, suddenly, the Illusians gained the ability to leave their
home planet and make war on one of their neighbors.
"When the first planet
was devastated, they moved on. Wherever they went destruction and violence
followed. Ultimate power was their only goal. They cared nothing for the people
they conquered other than how they could most effectively be used to entertain
the Illusian warriors. There are wild animals more civilized than they
were."
Cherry wondered at the
vehemence of Gallant's speech. He had started out in a matter-of-fact tone, but
it quickly altered as he began listing the atrocities accredited to the
Illusians. There was no question he was being truthful and that the truth
infuriated him. The horrendous cruelties he went on to describe made Cherry's
stomach queasy, but she didn't interrupt him until he paused on his own. "But
how was it that such primitive people could so easily overcome more
sophisticated nations?"
He took a slow breath as he
brought his obvious disgust back under control. "The Illusians have the
uncanny ability to create perfectly realistic illusions, complete with sound. It
was the only mental ability they were known to have, but no other talents were
needed. Basically, their victims were either fooled or terrified into
submission because of images they saw and believed to be real. The Illusians
were able to make a conquering army of one hundred appear to be one million
strong. They didn't have to actually possess city-leveling weapons, they only
had to make the people think they saw such a weapon aimed at them, then demand
their surrender."
Cherry didn't bother to
conceal her fascination with his story. "Then how were they stopped?"
"When they attempted
to attack Norona, they hadn't taken into account that, unlike the people
previously conquered, the Noronians possessed superior mental abilities of
their own. A highly perceptive person discovered the deception and put a stop
to the Illusians' goal. To determine Illusia's fate and maintain interplanetary
peace thereafter, the Consociation of Planets was formed with the Ruling
Tribunal of Norona as its leader.
"Due to the treachery
of those barbarians, it was decided by the Consociation that they were too
dangerous to be given free reign of the solar system, but the Ruling Tribunal
was strongly opposed to committing more violence than had already been
perpetrated. Instead of destroying Illusia and its people, the warriors were
all gathered and returned to their home. Then a barrier shield was created
around their planet, which prevented anyone from leaving or going to Illusia. The
last message
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