R’s Shutdown
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Foundation Dreams
Part 6
Bayta Darell
Chapter Twelve: R’s Shutdown
Summary
Zeeta Mallow’s daughter, Roa, had an exceptionally intelligent daughter, Bayta. The dramatic story of Bayta and the Mule takes place 300 years after the establishment of the Foundation. At a time when Terminus was losing its former glory, Bayta’s story begins.
Bayta’s parents repurchased the farm that once belonged to Gaal Dornick and began living there. Bayta, who also lived in Terminus’s capital, Mauve, frequently visited her family. As the Indbur regime brought dark clouds over Terminus, Bayta found herself drawn into a fateful journey with psychologist Ebling Mis and trader Randu Darell.
She married Tran Darell, and they visited Kalgan for their honeymoon. However, that trip soon turned into an event that would shake the galaxy. Before them appeared a man who claimed to be the Mule’s jester, Bobo. And even more mysteries awaited Bayta.
Story
Tran Darell and Bayta Mallow were at the palace in Kalgan when the jester Bobo sought their help. Bobo, pursued by unknown forces, warned them that danger was closing in. Immediately, the two returned to their spaceship’s hangar, but waiting for them there was a third party:Captain Han Pritcher. Already brainwashed by the Mule, he had become a pawn to prevent their escape.
Just before Bayta boarded the spaceship, she realized that Bobo was no mere jester. His words, actions, and the strange glint in his eyes were not those of a terrified runaway, but of someone with a deeper scheme.
A few days later, they returned to Terminus, only to witness the Mule overwhelming the Foundation’s military forces. The Mule used his psychic powers to implant feelings of helplessness in people, stripping them of their will to fight. It was as if his mere presence dominated the galaxy.
“Toran, something’s wrong…” Bayta felt an unease growing within her. Ebling Mis, too, seemed possessed by something as he immersed himself in his research. Secluded in a room at Streeling University, he hardly ate, spending all his time poring over materials. Every time his sense of urgency reached her, Bayta’s anxiety deepened.
That night, tragedy struck. Mis had finally discovered something and, in a state of excitement, was about to share it with Bayta. But at that moment, the room echoed with the sound of a gunshot.
“Mr. Mis!” Bayta screamed. Mis collapsed, blood pooling on the floor.
Toran held a gun, but it wasn’t him who had fired. Another figure was also holding a gun: Vena Birel. Her eyes glinted coldly, and her hands trembled slightly.
“Vena…” Bayta whispered.
“You understand, don’t you?” Vena smiled faintly, lowering the gun. “I couldn’t let you carry the burden of taking a life.”
Bayta suddenly grasped everything: the Mule’s true identity and Vena’s mission. It was a sacrifice made to preserve the Foundation’s existence and protect the secret of the Second Foundation. Vena quietly continued speaking.
“The Mule must never learn the location of the Second Foundation. That’s all that matters. And so, it’s up to you to guard this truth.”
“But…” Bayta’s eyes filled with tears as she asked, “Why didn’t the Mule use his psychic manipulation on me?”
It was Bobo—no, the Mule himself—who answered.
“Bayta, you were the only one who treated me as a living being. That’s why I didn’t manipulate your emotions. That was my greatest mistake.”
The Mule admitted that, for a brief moment, he had felt a human emotion toward her. And in that fleeting instant, his defeat was sealed by his own humanity.
But the story does not end here. The Mule, along with Captain Pritcher, vowed to challenge them once more as they set course for Dacenda. Meanwhile, Bayta and Tran embarked on a new journey, seeking to unravel the mysteries of the Second Foundation.
To be continued . . .
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