Binary by Jay Caselberg (best short books to read txt) 📖

crunched up the pebbled drive and headed for the main door. He was a mere step away when the door swung open and lights came on around the entrance. Jarid frowned, a little surprised despite himself. How could there still be lights?

Guildmaster Ky Menin stood in the doorway, a superior half-smile on his face.

"I see you like my little welcome, Jarid."

"Welcome? But how could you...?"

Ky Menin waved his hand. "No matter. Just one of the advantages of being in the Guild. Call it a benefit of the trade." The smile turned into a self-satisfied smirk.

Jarid nodded slowly. "So," he said. "The trappings of power, eh?"

"Oh, more so than you could imagine, Jarid Ka Vail. So appropriate." His face grew serious. "But enough play. You must be here for a reason."

Jarid looked around, then back at the Guildmaster. "Yes, I am, but it would probably be better if we discussed things inside."

Ky Menin stepped back, held an arm wide and waited for Jarid to pass before closing the door.

Inside, the house was in much the same style, neatly defined, almost utilitarian, not a thing out of place. Jarid hated to think what it would be like after a quake. He could just imagine the people running from place to place, desperately trying to get things back in order, Ky Menin looking on with a chill gray gaze. Jarid didn't have time to take in much; Ky Menin led him immediately down the entrance hall and into a large study. A broad screen dominated the room and despite everything, the lateness of the Season, it appeared to be still active. Ky Menin noticed the direction of his gaze, and the slight smirk reappeared. So, this was to be the game the Guildmaster was going to play. Jarid hid his own smile. Already he was starting to tell how the man worked.

"But how?" he said dutifully, the appropriate level of awe in his voice.

"That's unimportant, Jarid. We in Technologists have our needs. We haven't the numbers to support the entire population. You must understand." He waved his hand around the room. "Much of this is foraged, or kept or copied from what survived the original landings. So much was lost then, but there is still the odd thing we manage to maintain. But, as you can imagine..." He shrugged. "There is only so much we can do."

Jarid nodded, making sure he looked suitably impressed. It seemed to work, because Ky Menin turned away.

"So, tell me. What is it that brings you here? The news about Roge Men Darnak, I suppose. I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey. I've already been informed."

"No, Guildmaster Ky Menin. Agreed, it was simply terrible news about the Principal, but I'm afraid I've come on other business." Jarid kept his wondering thought to himself. Ky Menin had already been informed. That didn't make sense either, unless the Guildmaster was trying to intimidate him with more secret knowledge -- stuff that may or may not exist.

Ky Menin turned to face him slowly. "What 'other business' are you talking about? As far as I'm aware, we have no other business. All our business was concluded at your father's estates."

"It's my father I've come to talk about."

Ky Menin narrowed his eyes. He fixed Jarid with a lingering look, then turned and sat, folding his hands across his lap. "So tell me."

"I'm afraid my father is going to be difficult."

"Go on�"

"He's talking about assisting the old Principal however he can. He's made it quite clear he's not happy about the events of the last few days. Last thing he mentioned, was giving aid to Leannis Men Darnak. I think he means to try and bring him back to influence the other Guild members."

"You'd better sit." Ky Menin got a faraway look in his eyes. "Does he, by the Twins?" he said. "Yes, indeed, that would make sense. Ka Vail has always understood how the Guilds fall."

Jarid located a chair across from the Guildmaster and sat as instructed. He waited patiently. Finally, the man's attention came back to the room, and again he fixed Jarid with that cold, gray gaze.

"We've come too far for that already," he said. "I'm afraid we can't risk it, even only as a possibility. There is no room for error here. I thank you for coming to me with this, Jarid, but I'm not entirely sure why you would do so."

Jarid had been expecting the question. "I wish that I hadn't been the one to discover my father's intent, Guildmaster. It saddens me that he should let his superstition and his reliance on the Church's teachings influence his thoughts, but that's what's happened. The power the Church and tradition both have over him have been more apparent over the last few months. We in the Guilds need more vision, more forward thinking. This is a time of change. More than that, it's a time of opportunity. I'm here for just that reason." He watched carefully as the words sank in.

"You're right, Jarid Ka Vail. This is a time of change. That change could go either way, and we need to be aware of the implications of everyone's actions within the Guilds. I'll be honest; it saddens me to hear that your father is not as forward thinking as some of the rest of us. That is going to present us with more than one problem, unless we can do something about it. I fear the conclusion is unavoidable." Again, his focus changed. His hooded gray eyes stared off into the middle distance again as he processed.

Jarid watched and he assessed. This man announced far too readily when he was thinking, unless this was a performance too, but he didn't think so this time.

"But if that is the case," Ky Menin continued. "We are going to need a solution. From what I've seen so far, you seem to be a capable young man." He leaned forward. "We cannot have Primary Production falling to the likes of Yosset Clier, can we?"

"I don't think that's likely to happen, Guildmaster, but yes, we have to put the right things in place to ensure that doesn't happen."

"Certainly," said Ky Menin, with a brief tilt of his head. "I'm inclined to agree with you. I think it unlikely that Clier himself will be a real problem, however. All the same, we have to be sure of everyone."

"What do you propose?"

"I don't know yet."

"Well, when you have thought about it, let me know Guildmaster. I may be able to assist,." He looked meaningfully at the various pieces of equipment scattered around the room. Ky Menin narrowed his eyes again, and then sat back, uncrossing and re-crossing his hands, never letting his gaze waver from Jarid's face.

"I know what you're thinking, Guildmaster," said Jarid, holding firm beneath the scrutiny. "It's my father we're talking about. You know this is hard for me, but I have to face the reality of what's needed for the future of the Guilds and the future of this world, of our people. We must move on. It doesn't matter whether it's Yosset Clier or my father; ultimately, the answer remains the same."

The Guildmaster nodded slowly. A slight smirk played across his lips. He reached over to something on the table and then sat back. Jarid waited, wondering what trick he was about to see now.

"What is it Karryl?" A woman's voice from the doorway.

Jarid turned his head. He blinked twice, and gave a slight shake of his head. Jarid felt his mouth fall stupidly open, and then shut just as stupidly, as he tried to regain his self-possession. The person in the doorway was Karin Men Darnak, wife of Yosset Clier himself.

"As I said, I don't think we really have to worry about Yosset Clier," said Ky Menin.

Jarid struggled to regain his composure, and during that time, Karin entered the room and found herself a place to sit. Ky Menin meanwhile performed the formal introductions, which passed over Jarid as if none of it were happening. Karin Men Darnak. He restrained himself from shaking his head again with some slight effort. Up close, she was every bit as impressive as she had been from a distance, and he found himself watching her every gesture intently. Once or twice, he glanced at Ky Menin. This was the last thing he would have expected. Karin Men Darnak with Ky Menin? He could barely believe it. But it was more than that; the Guildmaster had simply outplayed him, and he'd managed it so easily.

As Ky Menin recounted their conversation, Jarid watched Karin as unobtrusively as he could. She had a lot that was worth watching, Karin Men Darnak. That hair, those refined features, the way she held her head. Finally, Ky Menin turned back to him. There was a flicker of something as he noticed Jarid's gaze, and then he went on.

"Is there anything else you should tell us?"

Jarid frowned in concentration. He had to at least make it look good. "You heard about the trouble with my brother, Markis?"

"Yes. I could barely believe it."

"We could barely believe it ourselves," said Jarid. "But there's more. He appears to have become involved in some sort of dealings with the Kallathik."

"What have they got to do with it?" asked Karin. Her voice was deep and rich. Not how Jarid had imagined it at all.

"I don't know. I think it's some means of upsetting the stability of Primary Production, weaken father's hold. You know how reliant we are upon the Kallathik presence."

She nodded thoughtfully, and then turned to look back at Ky Menin questioningly.

"Yes," said Ky Menin. "I can see that. A clumsy attempt, but it would certainly add to the equation. What do you think, Karin?"

Karin stood. "It's certainly plausible. But the creatures would have to be ripe for it, wouldn't they? Destabilization in Primary Production, and now with Roge gone, everything could so easily slip away from us." She plucked at her lip, thinking. "We can't let that happen, Karryl." There was an insistent tone to her voice.

"And it's not going to," said Ky Menin. "Karin, sit back down, would you? We need to approach this rationally. There are a number of logical choices. Let's explore them."

Karin took a deep breath, then slowly lowered herself back to her chair. "No, you're right. I'm just so used to dealing with Yosset."

Ky Menin looked at Jarid for a long time before speaking again. When he finally did, he kept his gaze fixed, his eyes barely narrowed as he spoke. "If we can rely on Jarid Ka Vail here, then we have the means. You and I both know Yosset has never had the makings of someone to take control. From what I have seen so far, just perhaps, this young man here may be able to take a useful role."

There was a pause, and then Karin answered. As she spoke, Jarid refused to break the Guildmaster's gaze, though her rich voice was drawing him.

"So, if you truly believe that, Karryl," she said. "What do you suggest we do?"

"We should discuss this further," he said to Karin, and then turned back to Jarid. "For now, we can continue as we are. I will trust you to keep me informed if there's anything new."

Jarid rubbed his hands together, and then stood. "Don't underestimate me, Guildmaster," he said, shooting a quick glance at Karin. "I'm not my brother, and I'm not my father."

Ky Menin nodded. "No, I can see that. I have seen that." He too stood and stepped forward to place his hands on Jarid's shoulders. "For now, I think we use this Kallathik thing