The Mutant
20,000years Later: Galactic Series’
Book 1: The Dream of the Foundation
Part VI: Bayta Darell
Episode 38: The Mutant
Bayta Mallow returned once again to the desolate farmstead of Gaal Dornick, hidden away in a remote corner of the galaxy. The estate, now reduced to a crumbling relic of its former glory, stood as a solitary reminder of past grandeur. However, her purpose lay not above ground. Bayta had come in search of the “Homeworld Survey Report” buried deep beneath the mansion.
Descending the ancient staircase into the cellar, she carefully navigated her way through the shadows until rows of forgotten documents emerged from the darkness. Dust-covered stacks hinted at the long-departed individuals whose curiosity had once ignited their pursuit of knowledge. Bayta picked up a worn box, gently lifting its aged contents. As she turned the pages, secrets from a bygone era began to unfold. Here were records detailing Gaal Dornick’s secret mission, carried out during the early days of the Foundation.
“This is…” Bayta whispered, leafing through the report.
These will have to be the original documents that Arcadia later received from Giskard Hannis.
After carefully returning the report to the box, she quietly ascended from the depths.
The times had changed, and the once-great prosperity of Terminus was now fading under the hereditary rule of the Indobar dynasty. Yet, there were those who could sense the impending storm. Among them were the psychologist Ebling Mis, the trader Randu Darell, and Bayta Mallow. They knew that something was shifting in the currents of history.
Bayta made her way through the old streets of Terminus toward Mis’s residence. His house, now weathered by time, stood amidst a barren landscape visible through the windows. She knocked gently on the door before stepping inside.
“My name is Bayta Mallow. I have come to see Mr. Mis regarding a matter of urgency,” she said, her voice softly echoing through the room.
Ebling Mis looked up in surprise. For a moment, his eyes showed astonishment at Bayta’s youth and beauty, but his expression quickly shifted to a calm smile.
“This is unexpected. To have a visitor such as yourself come to my humble abode—I’d imagined someone more formal, but instead, you grace my home with such beauty. Please, take a seat. The place may be a bit untidy, but do make yourself comfortable.”
Bayta smiled and cautiously took a seat. Her eyes briefly scanned the piles of books and papers scattered around the room before she got to the point.
“I’ve come to share a truth that I cannot speak to anyone else about. I’m here without my mother’s knowledge. You may be aware that the Dornick estate belongs to our family, but I also possess a handwritten letter from Dornick himself. I thought it might be of interest to you, Mr. Mis.”
Mis’s expression tightened slightly. “A letter addressed to Hari Seldon, you say? That’s quite a rare artifact. Is it a copy?”
“Yes, precisely,” Bayta answered cautiously. “Psychohistory generally deals with the fate of the collective, assuming that individual actions do not influence the grand scheme. But this letter suggests otherwise. It seems Seldon was paying close attention to individual actions.”
Bayta continued, recounting Gaal Dornick’s investigation of the fifty-some planets known as the “Spacer Worlds,” which had undertaken migration from their homeworld to the galaxy. She mentioned the discovery of a new guardian force on Planet Aurora to replace the entity known as “R” and spoke of the hermaphroditic mutants on Planet Solaria, the result of excessive advancements in medical science.
Mis listened impassively but finally spoke with a quiet tone.
“And what of it? I don’t see how this is relevant to my research.”
Bayta, though slightly irritated, remained composed as she countered, “Do you truly believe it irrelevant? Does psychohistory not consider the impact of mutations or anomalies on the larger framework?”
Mis chuckled and shook his head. “Preposterous. In all the theories of Seldon, Dornick, and Alurin, you will find no such consideration. The only concern I have is the existence of the Second Foundation. Miss Mallow, it’s best for a non-expert to refrain from commenting on such matters.”
Disappointed, Bayta pressed on. “You may not be aware, but while talk of the Second Foundation has quieted on Terminus, it is still regarded as truth on other Foundation-affiliated worlds. Seldon’s birthday is celebrated, and the Second Foundation’s existence is acknowledged as fact. Did you not know this?”
Mis remained silent for a while before letting out a deep sigh. “Perhaps so. But I must remain focused on my research. While your account is intriguing, Miss Mallow, I simply do not have the time to engage with it.”
Bayta, though slightly disheartened, chose not to pursue the matter further. She quietly rose from her seat and left the room.
Despite the lingering questions in her mind, Bayta knew that she could not afford to dwell on them now. A new adventure awaited her.
Stay tuned for the next episode: Part VI, Episode 39: “The White and Pink Star”
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