The Presentation
#2 of MMCXII
It was to be known as the day that the wolf would awaken the citizens of Megadon to music as a major force in shaping the culture of the city. He had bought a large enough suitcase to carry the guitar and as he went down to his beloved waterfall, visions of his name being praised by the Priests who would lavish him with many gifts, came through his mind. The hovercar ride back to Megadon was too long, even if it was only five minutes. Those five minutes seperated him from glory, his hometown from cultural advancement and he could not wait to stand before the Priests and show him the new discovery which would make Megadon a better place to live for decades to come.Getting through the narthex of the Temple Hall was easy enough, the excitement in his voice convinced the workers that whatever the wolf had found was truly exceptional and he got his audience card almost summarily.
"Come forward and announce what you have found. We have heard of a great discovery you have made and must be sure to evaluate what this discovery is and what it does. Then we shall see if it is worthy to be introduced to the people," the hypnotically deep, droning voice of the owl Father Brown, the most powerful of the Priests announced. In his full regalia, which included a white robe and a necklace which contained familiar red star within a circle which served as the symbol of the Solar Federation, he was a menacing presence in the Temple Hall. This owl's associates, also members of the Priesthood themselves, wore the same uniform and were all wise elders from the city of Megadon, appointed for their willingness to uphold the Federation's laws and culture. The wolf, who knew very well the consequences of wasting the Priests' time quickly reached into his large suitcase and pulled out the ill-fitting guitar and spoke, with just a hint of nervousness.
"This is something I found in a cave outside the city of Megadon. It seems to be very old and the Department of Antiquities should give it a close examination. It is a musical instrument which if it were mass-produced today would give the citizens of Megadon and the outlying provinces a way to create their own music- all in praise of the Solar Federation, of course." The wolf could already hear the disdainful whispers of some of ther Priests even before he started playing his own songs.
"I know this is very unusual for someone to come and suggest changes but there's something in this music that this instrument produces that is filled with life and beauty. I like it and think other people will like it as well. We need to make advances in culture desperately. What might we be able to do with this music. But enough of my babbling..." The wolf began to play on the guitar, an improvised work notable for its virtuosity but the audience of Priests in that Temple Hall was simply not impressed at all with his playing.
'...In the sudden silence as I finished playing, I looked up to a circle of grim,
expressionless faces. Father Brown rose to his feet, and his somnolent voice echoed
throughout the silent Temple Hall...'
"I'm sorry, but the Federation has already provided for the musical entertainment. We have no need for this instrument, no matter the quality of the music."
The owl's assistant, a tiger who happened to also be the curator for the Department of Antiquities spoke up, "From time to time, we get relics from the people who lived before the Solar Federation's war with the Outer Planets in 2062. The Federation pushed these enemies out across the asteroid belt on to the moons of those gaseous planets and they live out their lives in domes today. You don't have to worry about them making a siege on our planet- our military is too strong for them. They left a few things behind before the Federation forced them out. And this guitar is one of those relics."
"Well since you won't be using the guitar for musical performances, can we at least keep in the Department of Antiquities to show life before the rise of the Solar Federation?", the wolf worriedly asked the tiger.
"No, I'm afraid not. We already have enough relics- clothes, furniture, and writings from the pre-Federation days. We have no need for your guitar, unfortunately. We will take your guitar and determine what shall be done with it."
The voice of Father Brown was heard from across the Hall "Oh, I know what we will do with this guitar. It is too dangerous for the people of Megaodn!" He garbbed the guitar and smashed it
'...Instead of the grateful joy that I expected, they were words of quiet rejection!
Instead of praise, sullen dismissal. I watched in shock and horror as Father Brown ground
my precious instrument to splinters beneath his feet...'
"This guitar led to the downfall of the Elder Race- the ones who lived before the Federation. I can understand why you would seek to better Megadon's culture but your ideas simply do not fit the plan that we have desinged for the people who live under the Red Star," the owl said, as he placed his wing on the wolf's shoulder. But the wolf was in no mood to be comforted, his beloved instrument was now a useless collection of wooden planks with some broken wires running through it. And somewhere in his mind, his respect for the Federation and its wisdom was eroding.