Soj Yar’s War

Science Fiction. A prequel of sorts toThe Resistance.

A man, during his research, discovers the true and shocking origins of his people.

Status: Various excerpts written, notes detailed, vague plot outline done.

***

A young man, thin, with long curly black hair and piercing blue eyes stepped up to the witness chair. He placed a hand on the statue in front of him and swore to tell the truth, the whole whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He then sat down, straightened his jacket, and looked at the advocate who approached him.

"Good morning, Qwillig. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to come down here and testify today. We know this is a difficult position you’ve been put in, testifying against your friend and mentor. We’ll make this as painless as possible." Qwillig merely nodded. "Let’s start with the class Soj Yar was teaching. What was it called?"

"Beginning Astronomy."

"Were most of the students astronomy majors?"

"Oh. Yes, of course. There is another class offered for non-science students, and it only discusses things in the most general of terms. This one was very technical."

"And what was the focus of the class supposed to be?"

"Oh, the usual. How the universe is formed, how it’s evolved. What the planets, stars, satellites are composed of. How all these bodies move relative to each other. You understand, of course, that I’m putting this in the most general of terms for you. I don’t want to bog you down with overly scientific terms."

"Yes, thank you. We appreciate it. It’s been a long time for many of us since we were students, and no doubt we’ve forgotten almost everything we learned there.

"How did you happen to be in this lecture? You were not a student in that class, were you?"

"No. I was a doctoral student. And as part of my duties in the astronomy section, I was assigned to this class as a teaching assistant."

"Hmm. And what were your duties as a teaching assistant? Grading papers and exams, I suppose, and not much else?"

"Yes, grading papers and exams, but there was more to it than that. I also attended a seminar three times a week to answer questions that students had about the material. Help them with their assignments. Not do it for them, mind, but help them in the right direction."

"So you had to know your material."

"Oh, yes. Of course. Otherwise, I could never be an effective assistant."

Did Soj Yar follow the prescribed curriculum?"

"For the first few ten-days, yes."

"And what happened then?"

"It was the lecture on the origin of our solar system, and, more particularly, the origin of life on our planet." Qwillig paused and wiped beads of sweat off his forehead.

"Yes? Please go on."

Qwillig smiled weakly at the advocate. "Soj Yar was teaching according to generally accepted scientific principles when the subject of life on our planet came up."

"What happened?"

"One of the students asked how, if life was supposed to have evolved on this planet independently, then why weren’t there more species? She thought that, if our civilization was as old as the scientists proclaim, then shouldn’t there be a wider variety of animals and insects. And Soj Yar - well, sir, he just chuckled. Couldn’t explain it."

"He chuckled."

"Yes, sir. He chuckled, and then he said something like, ‘Of course not. That’s just a tale they tell to keep you from looking for your real ancestors.’ I was shocked. Soj Yar was brilliant. I looked up to him, I wanted to be like him. But this comment? It was completely off."

"Did he say anything else?"

"Uh, yes. But I’m afraid I’m embarrassed to say it."

"Go on, Qwillig. You’re just quoting him. No one can hold you responsible."

"Yes. Well, then he said that we came from the stars. He said we’d only been on this planet for less than a thousand years, not the fifty thousand years that the scientists claim. Then all the students started getting loud, real loud. Some were shouting at him that it was pure rubbish. Otherwise were yelling at him to tell them more. It was, well, chaotic."

"What did you do then?"

"Uh. Nothing. I was too shocked. For a few minutes. Then I started to worry that he may be insane. In my junior year, I took a psychology course, and we learned about how highly intelligent people usually have a skewed perspective on reality - their brains interpret things differently. And sometimes, they just stop functioning."

"You thought he was a danger to himself?"

Qwillig looked at the man in shock. "Wouldn’t you?"

"Indeed. Wouldn’t anyone. Council, do you have any other questions?"

A well dressed middle aged man spoke up. "Yes, I have a few. Qwillig. You said you were a doctoral student, correct?"

"Yes, that’s right."

"And you said you had to know the material in order to be a good teaching assistant, correct?"

"Yes, of course. But it’s also material that anyone who’s received a junior degree would be able to handle."

"And you had a junior degree?"

"Of course. I passed the exams several years before. Top of my class."

"Top of your class. So that would mean that you would have excellent command of this information?"

"Of course. If I didn’t, I’d never make it as a doctoral student."

"Were you threatened for expulsion?"

Qwillig’s mouth opened, but he said nothing. He turned pale, almost green. "Were you threatened for expulsion? Answer the question." The advocate quickly rose to his chair.

"Council. What is the meaning of this? Qwillig is not the one being accused here. Soj Yar is."

"Yes, but his credibility is on trial. I demand an answer."

The senior three members of council consulted amongt themselves, then turned to Qwillig. "Faren’s question is valid. Please answer it."

"Yes, I was called for expulsion. But the matter was dropped."

"And what were the grounds?"

"Lack of ethics. I was accused of presenting a seminar based on someone else’s original research. But it wasn’t proven, and the charges were dismissed."

Faren cleared his throat while he asked the next question in a calm, level voice. "And who’s work were you accused of stealing?"

"Soj Yar’s."

"So it becomes rather convenient for you that Soj Yar is facing a sentence?"

"The one has nothing to do with the other! He blasphemed! He presented heresies. He was becoming increasingly radical! He had to be stopped!"

"Increasingly radical, you say?"

"Yes. He’d been spouting off some of his odd ideas for a while. They were getting wilder and wilder."

"So perhaps you should have said something then. Why didn’t you?"

"I, uh, don’t know. I don’t think I took it seriously.I didn’t know who to talk to."

"But a few moments ago, you said you were shocked by what he said. Why would you be shocked if you knew what was going to happen?"

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