10.
After inheritance taxes, my sisters and I divided our mother's remaining property between us. They had married into respectable administrative families, but I had remained single, and pursued my career as a musician. By mutual agreement, I received the house in town and several investments that had been handed down through my mother's family. Mostly stocks in industrial corporations. My sisters fought over the country estate, and finally divided it between them, one getting more land, the other getting the house. They did not like living in the capital, but with my need to sing, I wanted very much to live in the center.
One investment we had to divide three ways: a hundred shares of local Calinova stock in the starship Wanderer's future cargo. The ship was not due back for another ten years, but would deliver a load of precious fossils from Earth when it arrived, conceivably within our lifetimes. We had given specific instructions to Mother's executor that none of these shares were to be used for inheritance taxes, and were so eager to each have part of that investment that we had to draw straws to see who would be the one to receive thirty-four shares, with the other two getting only thirty-three. I drew the long straw.
Two years after my mother's death I was approached by a trio of fairly accomplished instrumentalists, and they asked me to join them as a singer. I knew them by reputation, had often heard them play. Prior to that time I usually sang alone, accompanying myself on the eight-string guitar, and I had been flattered to occasionally spot one or more of the three in the audience at the clubs where I worked. I asked them to my house to discuss their request, and there, under the portrait of my mother that hangs over the fireplace, they revealed their secret to me. They were empathic. Not telepathic like I am, but fairly strong feelers and transmitters of emotion. They had developed a practice of playing music that blended with their feelings, and suspected that I had a similar talent.
"Why have you not approached me before?" I asked them, standing before the flickering fire on my hearth.
The keyboardist glanced up at my mother's portrait, and I knew. But I waited for her to speak. "Well, we were reluctant to come so close to... the lady of knowledge. Then we wanted to watch you to be sure you were not... following in her footsteps."
I nodded. "I had great difficulty hiding my own talents from her. Fortunately I was away at school when my... empathic skills first emerged. By the time I saw her again I had learned to shield it from the world."
"Is this house... safe to speak?" They asked, perhaps a bit late.
"Yes. I have it wired with sound suppressors. Even the window panes are muffled."
Now they nodded with relief.
"Besides," I remarked, quietly, "I personally want nothing to do with politics. Music is all that interests me."
The percussionist frowned. "But... we do have a political agenda."
"Oh?"
"Yes. We... well, there is too much terror building in the population of Calinova, all these bombings, and the expansion of the state security apparatus. We believe that we can counter this tendency by singing and projecting songs and feelings of peace."
"Hmmm... an interesting idea. One which the government might find... useful? If you can reduce the feelings of terror in the population, that might be beneficial to the council of oligarchs."
They frowned. "We have thought of that, but... our belief in our work is still strong. We think that peace must come from somewhere, regardless of whether the government approves or not."
Our discussion went on for several hours that night, as we moved into a deeper analysis of their lyrics and harmonic strategies. I will not detail all of it for you. Enough to say that I joined with them.
We began by playing small clubs. My voice worked magnificently with their music, and soon we were booking major concert halls in the capital city. I noticed our performances were often attended by members of the ministry of knowledge, whom I recognized from my mother's days in the government. I flattered myself that the government approved. But later I realized they came as individuals, hungry for the peace which evaded them at work.
I tried to ignore the guards who accompanied them, and my partners and I tolerated the increased security their presence forced upon our performances.
After two years together we made a tour of several other large lands on the planet, travelling by maglev train. We played in Tao Pablo, Osaka-Nu, Belverdure, Reichgarten, and Larchos. The last was especially pleasant for me, as I was able to visit with my cousins, whom I had not seen since my early puberty.
The continental tour was amazingly successful. We had made one recording the year before, and it had been distributed throughout the other lands. We drew large crowds wherever we played, and returned to Calinova with hours of concert recordings we intended to edit into a second release. But first, as a favor to the club-owner who had first showcased our small band, we performed a series of welcome-home shows at his private nightclub.
Go to Chapter(s) Eleven/Twelve