THEY — Chapter 8 — Contact
This is chapter 8 of my book “THEY”. If you are finding it for the first time, begin with Chapter 1 (or check the INDEX )! Then check out the rest of my stories on my MEDIUM profile: Caralynn Scott — Medium
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CHAPTER 8 — Contact
Navlin sat in the council chair, only partially aware of the presentation being made on a new water treatment system. Something to do with potentially upgrading the current purifiers in the area plant. It was tedious and boring, and Navlin had done it for so long that they could listen with half their brain and continue using the other half to muse on and debate other matters more closely related to their portfolio. Sometimes those matters had nothing to do with affairs of government and were entirely personal. At the moment, it was the latter.
Had it really been a week now, since Jennic had been taken from their family? Navlin missed them terribly. There had been word sent from the facility that Jennic was settling in nicely, but Navlin had not heard directly from their child, and the lack of communication worried them.
Questions continued to swirl in their head. What was really wrong with Jennic? In all the years Navlin had known them, they knew Jennic was odd, yes, but dangerous? Hardly! If there was any threat, it was only in the perception, the idea of what was going on with Jennic. There was no actual plausible threat. That just made the whole situation seem more disheartening. Being a politician themselves, Navlin knew that sometimes ideas were much more powerful in creating social momentum than were facts alone. Often opinions could be entirely wrong, but if the idea were pervasive enough, if it could capture the imagination, it could lead people down the path regardless of what the facts actually were. Facts became irrelevant.
How many times had society been divided on opinions regarding things like vaccination or reproduction or any of a million cultural taboos? Ah, those cultural taboos! What one group of people considered foundational to their very existence culturally, another would take offence at and lobby against. Things would likely not be much different now, if it were not for two things keeping the world from falling into chaos again: One, the overall desire for peace that drove civilization to blend into one uniform, universal culture, and two, ARI’s foundational logic and wealth of information that helped remove the murkiness of ignorance.
Navlin knew too well that the less knowledge a person had on any given subject, the more outspoken and confident they became, and the more annoying they could be. This was part of Navlin’s personal motivation to staying in the political arena, not simply to lead people, but to educate them. By bringing them more knowledge and understanding Navlin hoped that conflicts between them would be reduced and together they could build a better future erected on collective understanding.
What knowledge was missing in Jennic’s case? What information was lacking? What data did they need to make sense of it all?
Navlin supposed that the facility might be an effort to move in that direction, and in that regard, they were very much behind Jennic being taken there. The more data they could gather on Jennic and others like them, the more they would be able to understand and ultimately help not only those individuals, but the world around them.
But why the secrecy?
This thought continued to burrow into Navlin’s mind and heart, gnawing at them relentlessly. Surely secrecy was in direct opposition to the free acquisition and distribution of knowledge. Secrets bred lies and deceit. Secrets created chaos, not order.
There is indeed a place for secrets, but only with regard to the timing of dispelling information. There are times when it is best to release information at a controlled pace and order. For example, when something needs to be kept confidential until a complete plan or action can be put in place. If the secret becomes permanent, however, then it is likely to decay beneath the surface causing theories and conspiracies to be expelled like noxious gasses from a compost heap. If people are not given facts, they will make guesses and conjectures, most of which will be wrong and some of which can even be outright dangerous.
Why had Navlin not heard of these facilities before? Was the one that Jennic was taken to within their own district? If they were, why did they not know about them? If they existed and the fact was being kept from the government and the public, that was a massive secret that had great potential to explode, causing all sorts of harm.
The presentation was wrapping up now, and Navlin began to shut down their devices, putting away their notes and filing the briefs. The room began to fill with chatter as some began discussing the ramifications of what they had heard presented, or simply caught up with old friends.
“Navlin?” they heard their name called by an unfamiliar voice directly behind them.
Looking around to locate the caller, Navlin noticed a tall, thin individual weaving their way through the crowd towards them. They were focussed intently on them. Undeterred by those who stood in their way, they pushed through with only a necessary modicum of grace.
“Navlin Petrovic?” the person said one more time as they approached the space in which Navlin stood. Slightly out of breath, they placed a hand on their chest and began to tell their story, “Let me introduce myself. I am Napthal. You will likely not have heard of me as I am only a humble host in these premises, but I am well aware of who you are, and am humbled to meet you hear. I would humbly ask that you spend but a few moments of your time with me. I can truly tell you it will be worth your time.”
Navlin scanned the interloper, determining if they should grant them a few moments of their time, or if they should be brushed aside with some excuse of feigned busyness.
Napthal leaned in towards Navlin and in a lowered town whispered, “It’s about Jennic.”
Navlin’s attention suddenly became razor focussed, “What about them?” Navlin exclaimed, almost loosing their composure, but regaining it quickly. There were many on the council who knew each other’s children, but few were aware of recent events in Navlin’s household, and none knew that Jennic had been taken from them by Enfos.
“Perhaps there is somewhere… quieter, we could speak.” Napthal motioned toward the exit and began to lead Navlin in that direction. The counsellor was still uncertain, but decided they needed to know what Napthal knew. So, out of curiosity, they followed.
The building host led them through the main doors and down a corridor towards a series of small meeting rooms where they selected one, placing their hand on the security pad to open the door. “One of the benefits of the job; I have access to almost all the rooms in this block. I assure you; we can speak privately in here.”
Apprehensively, Navlin followed Napthal through the sliding doors which closed silently behind them. After taking a seat and visually scanning the room for any signs of monitoring devices, they asked “Now what is this all about?”
“We have something in common you and I, Navlin.” Napthal began. “You see, my child was taken a few months ago in the same way yours was just recently.” Navlin stopped looking for surveillance and turned their gaze fully on Napthal who returned it with no less seriousness in their eyes. “Oh, don’t worry,” Napthal continued, “There is no monitoring in this room, and even if there were, I could have disabled it — another benefit of the job. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, starting with whether I am who I say I am. I can’t say I blame you. Go ahead, check for yourself.”
Navlin pulled out a pad and pointed it in Napthal’s direction, touching the screen in such a way as to request identification of the individual in the camera’s view. ARI responded immediately with a lengthy description of Napthal’s public history, including a photo of them with their partner and their child, Xania.
“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Napthal asked, knowing full well the photo would be in front of Navlin. “I miss them terribly as I’m sure you do Jennic.”
Napthal paused for a moment to let everything sink in before continuing. “I’m not going to prolong this Navlin. We believe we need you, and we believe that, though you don’t know it yet, you need us too.”
“Us?” Navlin asked.
“I’ll get to that in a moment Navlin. I think it’s time you were introduced to the ‘Network.’”
