Starship Gods
By Gary L.M. Martin
Chapter 11: The God Sanduval
Things were calm in Boeotia. At least, things
seemed
to be calm. There seemed to be no more executions, no more child rapes. The population seemed to be complying. But the new rules about diet and dress and customs, to conform with the Church of the Unredeemed, were observed more in breach than in compliance. It would be a long, arduous road to bring these heathens to heel.
Father Sanduval hired his star pupil, Sabiba, as his personal chef. She brought such delightful treats to their study sessions, and she kept complaining he didn't eat enough. He liked her. She was also becoming extremely devout, accepting the faith of the Church of the Unredeemed quite openly now (at least when they were in private). Sabiba was his first genuine convert! Father Sanduval felt elated.
And yet... he was feeling increasingly tired. He found it hard to think straight at times, especially after meals. When people came before him to settle disputes, in the Palace of Sparticus, Sabiba would sometimes stand behind him. And when he had trouble thinking clearly, she would whisper suggestions to him, which made sense. More and more he came to rely on her.
Kristiana looked at Sabiba with mixed emotions. On the one hand, she wanted her father to be happy. On the other hand, the split with her mother was still a painful memory for her. It had happened when she was 12. Her mother had married Father, who was much older, knowing he was a pastor, but perhaps not knowing quite how devout he was. Or maybe she did, or maybe he changed over time. Whatever the facts, it was the extent of his devotion which drove them apart.
Father was simply too demanding. He wanted Mother to comply with every rule of the Church of the Unredeemed. She had to dress a certain way, talk a certain way, even walk a certain way. After a while, it became too much for her, and she left.
Kristiana had been faced with a choice back then. She loved Mother dearly, but realized that Father needed her even more. So she had stayed with him.
And now there was a new woman in Father's life. Kristiana hadn't even seen them so much as kissing, but a sixth sense told her that they were emotionally if not physically involved. Father was almost 70, and Sabiba looked to be in her late 30's... and Sabiba was married to someone else!
And yet Father, her super moralistic father, didn't seem to mind. He seemed befuddled around her, as if Sabiba had cast a spell over him. Kristiana tried to think of a way to talk with Father about her, but couldn't figure out what to say or the right time. Sabiba was officially their cook, but she seemed to be Father's constant companion now, always around him, always whispering in his ear.
In a way, Kristiana instinctively felt that Sabiba was stealing Father away from her, but the reality of it hadn't quite jelled in her conscious mind.
Kristiana spent her free time doing good works in the villages on the outskirts of Boeotia. She helped women take care of their children, helped fix fences, and even helped farmers carry their loads, as best as she was able. She was fully aware that she was undermining her image as a "Goddess" by doing these menial tasks, but she didn't mind. Kristiana got the impression that because of her young age she wasn't really viewed as a God as Father Sanduval was, but was more viewed as one of the "Gods' helpers".
Ingram went with her everywhere. Ever since the incident with the pig farmers he was her constant companion. He carried a staff now, which Kristiana realized was for more than just walking.
Ingram was about the same age as her, but was a very simple man, given his background. Kristiana found him surprisingly refreshing. Unlike the men she met on other worlds, Ingram was not jaded, or guarded. He said what he felt. And his smiles came easily. And best of all, he never tried to touch her. Kristiana was not so naive not to realize that Ingram was in love with her; but he was such a disciplined, honorable young man, that she knew she would always be safe with him, even if they slept in bed together.
Sleeping in bed together? Where had that thought come from?
It was ironic that Father held people in high moral esteem only if they were followers of the Church of the Unredeemed, while Ingram, who was totally unaware of the Church, seemed more virtuous than many of the followers that she had met.
"You don't have to follow me everywhere, Ingram," she once said to him.
"It is an honor to accompany the Goddess," said Ingram.
"I am not a Goddess, Ingram," she said in a low voice, so no one else could hear.
"You are to me," said Ingram. And that made her smile like nothing else could.
Father started to sense something between her and Ingram. He asked her pointedly about it one day.
"He's just my bodyguard, Father," said Kristiana.
"He is a man, and all men have lusts in their heart," said Father Sanduval. "I want you to take great care never to be alone with him, child."
"Yes Father," said Kristiana.
"You must be pure for the day you wed a true follower," said Father Sanduval.
"Father, where I am going to find a true follower here? You and I are the only true followers in all of Boeotia."
"Ask not, and the Lord of the Unredeemed will provide," said Sanduval, looking upwards.
And so matters progressed as they would. Kristiana grew more and more fond of Ingram as she got to know him better. She wondered why he was still single. And then she found out, to her surprise, that the very element which made her most attracted to him was what had alienated him to other women.
"I was engaged, once," said Ingram, speaking with a pained expression as they walked to a poorhouse a mile down the road. "Her name was Ingridus."
Ingram and Ingridus?
"What happened?" said Kristiana.
"She cast me aside for another," said Ingram, looking pained.
Kristiana grabbed his hand. "Ingram, I can see how bad this made you feel! I'm so sorry! But tell me, why would she give up a beautiful, gentle man like yourself?"
"That's precisely it," said Ingram. "Ingridus said I was too gentle. She said... she said she wanted a more
manly
man." He dared to look at her for a reaction.
"Well, pardon my saying so, but this Ingridus sounds like a complete and utter fool to me," said Kristiana, grasping his hand tightly. "Any woman would have to be completely out of her mind to let you go!"
"You think so?" said Ingram. He looked down at her hand, the one that currently wasn't letting him go. She looked down as well, and the symbolism didn't escape either of them.
"Yes," she said, and she leaned forward, and gave him a kiss.
The sky didn't fall. The Lord of the Unredeemed didn't appear and strike them down. It was wonderful. His lips were soft and gentle. And then, when they broke apart, she moved closer, and hugged him, and kissed him again.
They had much to think about on their walk to the poorhouse after that.
********
Sometimes, Kristiana sat with her father in the Throne Room, while he dealt with disputes and other issues affecting the realm. She was surprised to see that Sabiba, who sometimes stood behind Father and whispered in his ear, now had a chair and sat on the other side of him.
One day two men were brought before Father.
"What have we here?" said Father Sanduval.
"Heretics, Lord. They deny the validity of the Book of Sparticus," said the herald.
Sanduval looked blank for a moment, as he increasingly did of late. Then Sabiba whispered into his ear. Sanduval looked at Sabiba, as if with surprised, but she nodded and looked sternly at him.
Sanduval spoke. "Heretics. They shall be punished. Heretics should be whipped. Ten lashes for each."
"Father!" said Kristiana, jumping up. "No!"
"Carry out the sentence," said Sanduval. The guards took them away.
"Father, I want to talk to you in private. Right now!"
Sanduval paused, then nodded. Sabiba got up to accompany them. "No, just Father!" she snapped. Sabiba looked angry, but didn't follow.
When they got to an inner lounge, Kristiana turned on her father. "Father, what are you doing? Unbelievers should not be whipped!"
"In this culture they would be executed," said Sanduval. "I am doing them a favor."
"By having them whipped?"
"They must learn to obey authority," said Sanduval.
"But should they not have freedom to believe as they wish?"
"They must learn to obey authority," Sanduval repeated, as if he had heard it somewhere else.
Kristiana stared at him. "What's happened to you, Father?"
"Nothing has happened," said Sanduval, in a chillingly empty voice.
"What has that woman done to you?"
"Nothing," Sanduval repeated.
"I think she is a bad influence on you, Father. I think she should go," said Kristiana.
"Sabiba is the best thing in the world for me."
"Father, no she's not."
"Sabiba is the best thing in the world for me," Sanduval repeated.
"Father, you're repeating yourself, word for word."
Sanduval looked at Kristiana with glassy eyes. "Sabiba... is the best."
Crying, Kristiana turned and fled.
********
Kristiana sought out Ingram, because there was no one else to talk to. She explained what was happening to her father.
Ingram had heard of Sabiba. "She is said to be a woods witch."
"What?" said Kristiana.
"She married Anber, one of the richest men in all of Boeotia, even though she was poor and came from a family of ill repute," said Ingram. "He was said to be an arrogant man, who owned many lands. But after they married, he changed. He became soft. Obedient. Sabiba ruled their household. It is said that she sees other men, and even brings them into her home, and yet her husband does not object. They say she had cast a spell over him. They say she can cast a spell over any man."
"That's ridiculous," said Kristiana. "There's no such thing as spells." And yet, that's how Father were acting. Like he was under some kind of spell.
"If you can, you should try to get your Father to send her away," said Ingram.
"I tried, but he won't listen!"
"Then it may already be too late," said Ingram sadly.
********
Kristiana tried talking about her problems with others, using the holocomm. Sometimes she talked with Tara McCallister, or Pam Bloomberg, but the person she found most accessible was Naomi Weinberg, who was with the Brothers in Heraklion.
Naomi would always listen patiently as Kristiana described her growing alienation from her father, and her worries about Sabiba. But then, after patiently listening to everything she had to say, Naomi always had the same answer:
"Why don't you come and visit me in Heraklion?" she asked.
"How will that help me?" Kristiana asked.
"Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery to give you a fresh perspective. Come to Heraklion, Kristiana! We'll get massages together, and relax in natural hot springs, and sit around gardens and look at exotic birds. You'll have a great time!"
"It sounds fun," Kristiana admitted. "But I don't feel right leaving Father all alone now."
