47. The Apprentice Candidate’s Interview

47. The Apprentice Candidate’s Interview

Galaxy 20,000 Years Later Series – Part I：The Dream of Foundation

Part VII：Arcadia Darell
Date：Foundation Era 376
Place：A chamber in the Second Foundation

Synopsis

Zita Mallow’s daughter, Roa, had a remarkably intelligent child named Bayta.

The grand story between Bayta and the Mule unfolds three centuries after the founding of the Foundation. This is how Bayta’s story begins.

Her parents had repurchased Gaal Dornick’s old farm and settled there. Bayta, who lived in the capital city of Terminus, Mauve, often came to stay with them.

The era was darkening under the hereditary rule of the Indbur dynasty, and a few began to sense the coming storm. Among them were the psychologist Ebling Mis, the merchant Lathan Devers, and of course Bayta Mallow herself.

Bayta married Toran Darell and traveled to his homeworld, Haven. There, Toran’s uncle, Randu Darell, suggested that the couple take their honeymoon trip to Kalgan—a journey that would soon trigger events shaking the entire Galaxy.

From the palace of the Mule, a court jester appeared before the newlyweds, begging for help.

He called himself Magnifico—“Bobo.”

Soon after, the couple hurried back to their ship’s hangar, only to find a third party waiting for them:

a double agent—Captain Han Pritcher, who had already been mentally enslaved by the Mule.

The Mule himself accompanied Bayta and Toran aboard their ship to Terminus. There, he descended upon Mauve City, struck the Foundation Fleet with despair, manipulated the crowd awaiting Hari Seldon’s appearance at the Time Vault, and within a single day conquered the entire Foundation.

Even the last bastion—the Independent Traders’ Union—lost all will to resist before the Mule’s overwhelming psychic power.

Bayta, Toran, Bobo, and Mis escaped to Haven, then journeyed to Trantor. Randu, sensing something uncanny about Bobo, chose to remain behind.

On Trantor, near the old Streeling University, a community calling themselves Comporellans was busy preparing for the Foundation’s 300th Anniversary Festival. Their leader, Linge Chen-ter, warmly welcomed the four travelers and invited them to the village banquet.

Among the guests was Vena Bili, a woman from Neo-Trantor who claimed to be a Speaker of the Council.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mis secluded himself with Bobo in a university room, fasting as he feverishly sought the truth.

Then, it happened. Mis had made a discovery—and just as he turned to tell Bayta, he collapsed.

Shortly after, Vena Bili also ceased to function.

It would not be known until Bayta Darell’s granddaughter, Arcadia, visited Trantor that Mis and Bobo had been working in the very same laboratory once used by Hari Seldon himself.

Main Story

Peleas Anthor entered the dimly lit chamber with a tense expression.

Ancient tapestries adorned the walls, and in the center sat Elder Narobi, whose calm presence filled the room. He was none other than the First Speaker of the Second Foundation.

> “Apprentice candidate Peleas Anthor,” Narobi began. “There is a reason I summoned you.”

His tone was gentle but carried the weight of centuries.

> “It’s time for you to graduate from apprenticeship,” he continued.

“Before you are sent into the field, we will conduct your final oral examination. Although, I’ll probably do most of the talking.”

> “That’s fine, First Speaker. I’m fully receptive,” Ansoar replied, straightening his posture.

A faint smile crossed Narobi’s lips.

> “Then let us begin. Fifty years ago, the Second Foundation succeeded in luring the Mule. We barely managed to keep the location of Trantor a secret. Tell me—what was the key factor in our success？”

Anthor answered without hesitation.

> “We exploited the Mule’s pride. After conquering Terminus, he overestimated himself, believing the Second Foundation would fall easily. His arrogance made him vulnerable.”

> “Precisely.” Narobi nodded. “Through Pritcher, we convinced him that Tazenda—the End of Stars—was the true Second Foundation. Before he could conquer it, we controlled Tazenda ourselves, seizing the Kalgan Sector and isolating him completely.”

> “So you led him away from Kalgan to Rossum, cutting off his retreat,” Anthor observed.

> “Exactly,” said Narobi, smiling faintly. “Our purpose was to utterly shatter his confidence. In the end, his ambition perished with him.”

Anthor breathed deeply, in awe of the intricate plan—but Narobi’s expression grew grave.

> “Yet that very victory brought about a new problem. A crisis even Seldon could not foresee.”

> “A new crisis . . . ？”

> “Yes. The First Foundation, having regained its strength, now distrusts us. They believe they alone should dominate the next Galactic Era. The balance between us must be preserved—yet it is now at risk.”

The tension in Narobi’s voice struck Anthor’s heart.

> “That is why I’ve chosen you,” Narobi said, fixing his gaze on him.

“You will go to Terminus. Discover the key to restoring harmony between our Foundations.”

Anthor bowed deeply.

> “I will do everything in my power to fulfill your …expectations.”

Silence fell upon the chamber.

1In that stillness, Ansoar realized that he now bore a fragment of the Galaxy’s fate—and that his mission would be both perilous and profound.

To be continued . . .