Espionage
galaxy20,000yearslater series
Foundation’s Dream
Part 6,
Bayta Darell
Episode 8
Espionage
Summary
Zeeta Manella Barr, the daughter of Onum Barr, who was thought to be dead, was actually alive. She invited Zeeta Bellis Mallow to the planet Siwenna and also brought Zeeta Wanda Palver from Trantor. Zeeta Wanda Palver was the first girl born in the Palver family, and Zeeta Bellis Mallow gave her one of the two pendants she possessed. This event hinted at the imminent emergence of the Second Foundation.
Bayta Darell was Zeeta Mallow’s daughter, and she was an exceptionally intelligent individual. Her dramatic story with the Mule begins 300 years after the establishment of the Foundation. Bayta’s parents repurchased Gaal Dornick’s farm, and Beta often visited it from Mauve. Nearby stood the dilapidated mansion of Gaal, and secretly, Bayta came to possess the “Report on the Search for the Homeworld,” which was stored in the mansion’s basement.
This report contained the records of a special mission that Gaal Dornick had secretly carried out at the time of the Foundation’s establishment. Later, Arcadia would receive it from Giskard Hannis, but its contents are left to be revealed in the following story.
By this time, Terminus had lost much of its former glory, and under the hereditary rule of the Indbur family, dark clouds were looming over the era. Ebling Mis, a psychologist, the trader Randu Darell, and Bayta Mallow were all aware of the changes.
Bayta Mallow married Tran Darell, and together they moved to Tran’s home planet, Haven. There, Tran’s uncle, Randu, recommended that they take a honeymoon trip to Kalgan. The honeymoon soon escalated into a galaxy-shaking event.
- Espionage
Just after Bayta and Tran Darell arrived on Kalgan, a man appeared before them. He introduced himself as Han Pritcher, revealing that he was not the head of Kalgan’s police, but actually a captain in the Foundation’s secret intelligence service. He had been assigned by Mayor Indbur to infiltrate Kalgan and uncover the truth behind the Mule.
Pritcher had witnessed the commotion caused by the jester fleeing from the Mule and approached Bayta and Tran in an attempt to exploit the situation. However, Bayta, sensing something amiss, grew increasingly suspicious of his actions.
“What’s going on?” Bayta couldn’t hide her confusion. “You came to retrieve Bobo, and now you want to do the opposite? It’s too convenient to suggest we escape together. We only arrived on Kalgan yesterday, so what’s the third hidden motive in your ‘three birds with one stone’ plan?”
Pritcher, with a calm expression, replied, “I’ve been instructed to make contact with you and investigate your actions. I’ll need to interrogate you both thoroughly.”
At that moment, the jester Bobo raised his voice. “Madam, what could you possibly learn by interrogating me? We should throw this man out and depart at once!”
Pritcher glanced at Bobo and said, “If you leave now, your ship will be seized by Kalgan’s space patrol. If I’m aboard, I can send the necessary coded transmission to release it.”
Tran sighed and turned to Bayta. “Well, Bayta, this is what it’s like being with you. Always one adventure after another in our marriage.”
Before the three of them lay new adventures and trials.
コメント