Epilogue
Epilogue
So that's how it all began. Three men looked evil in the eye and said, "Not on my watch." and as a result, the Confederation of Free Planets was formed.
There are many books describing the War for Freedom and the formation of the Confederation, and they examine the events leading to the war to some extent. Many of the events are well known, but I have tried here to examine the history, emotions and motivations that formed those who set the events in motion. There is much new material here. Much that will seem controversial to those who want their heroes to be perfect.
I'm the last of those who were actually there for many of these events. The last of those who knew what went on underneath the surface. And I always intended to write this memoir, so I collected the information and thoughts from the others for many years before I had the courage to write of these events. But, as with any honest attempt to examine at the past, it is filtered through my own interpretations and emotions and especially my own grief. As result, I may have made some errors, but truly I believe I have at least gotten the flavor of those years correct.
These years were not happy ones for me and many old wounds were reopened by the writing. But as I come to the end of my life, I find I need to leave the legacy of how it all came to be for future generations. So that maybe they can avoid some of the mistakes of the past and so, more importantly, that maybe some one in the future will be inspired to confront evil because others showed it can be done and must be done. This one evil has been defeated, but there will always be other evils to confront. I see a day, hopefully far in the future, when the Confederacy itself no longer serves the common good and some beings of courage must find a way to confront and fix the problem.
Some of what I've written is not very flattering to those we tend now to imagine as larger than life. But I knew these people and we were all flawed in some ways. And perhaps that is the lesson of those times. You don’t have to be legendary or perfect to work for change and make the universe a better place. You just have to draw a line in the sand and say, "No. This I will not tolerate."
My father, my friend and my husband started a chain of events that changed the course of history. They were three very different individuals, but in the end all came to see the evil and make a stand to prevent its spread. In the ten years that followed the events of this book, far too many people died. Evil doesn’t give up easily and the cost of war is high even when war becomes the only sane choice. Two of the three had been to war before and knew the awful cost. And still they had the courage to fight. Having seen the cost of war for myself, I now wonder if I would have had the courage to make their choices. I often wish that they had all survived the war, but they knew the risks. None expected to survive and I am blessed that two of them did.
I close now with the prayer for the dead that I recite every morning and evening. My friend, Steven Kurakin, wrote this so very long ago and it has given much comfort through the years.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that I will find away to redress the wrongs
Done to you.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that I will not give into the temptation for a revenge
You would not want.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing you will be remembered and loved
For as long as I have breath.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing I will join you when the time is right
But not before.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that your existence made a difference
And that you are missed.
Cory Haver Michaels
President (retired)
Confederation of Free Planets
Star Date 2503.06.17
So that's how it all began. Three men looked evil in the eye and said, "Not on my watch." and as a result, the Confederation of Free Planets was formed.
There are many books describing the War for Freedom and the formation of the Confederation, and they examine the events leading to the war to some extent. Many of the events are well known, but I have tried here to examine the history, emotions and motivations that formed those who set the events in motion. There is much new material here. Much that will seem controversial to those who want their heroes to be perfect.
I'm the last of those who were actually there for many of these events. The last of those who knew what went on underneath the surface. And I always intended to write this memoir, so I collected the information and thoughts from the others for many years before I had the courage to write of these events. But, as with any honest attempt to examine at the past, it is filtered through my own interpretations and emotions and especially my own grief. As result, I may have made some errors, but truly I believe I have at least gotten the flavor of those years correct.
These years were not happy ones for me and many old wounds were reopened by the writing. But as I come to the end of my life, I find I need to leave the legacy of how it all came to be for future generations. So that maybe they can avoid some of the mistakes of the past and so, more importantly, that maybe some one in the future will be inspired to confront evil because others showed it can be done and must be done. This one evil has been defeated, but there will always be other evils to confront. I see a day, hopefully far in the future, when the Confederacy itself no longer serves the common good and some beings of courage must find a way to confront and fix the problem.
Some of what I've written is not very flattering to those we tend now to imagine as larger than life. But I knew these people and we were all flawed in some ways. And perhaps that is the lesson of those times. You don’t have to be legendary or perfect to work for change and make the universe a better place. You just have to draw a line in the sand and say, "No. This I will not tolerate."
My father, my friend and my husband started a chain of events that changed the course of history. They were three very different individuals, but in the end all came to see the evil and make a stand to prevent its spread. In the ten years that followed the events of this book, far too many people died. Evil doesn’t give up easily and the cost of war is high even when war becomes the only sane choice. Two of the three had been to war before and knew the awful cost. And still they had the courage to fight. Having seen the cost of war for myself, I now wonder if I would have had the courage to make their choices. I often wish that they had all survived the war, but they knew the risks. None expected to survive and I am blessed that two of them did.
I close now with the prayer for the dead that I recite every morning and evening. My friend, Steven Kurakin, wrote this so very long ago and it has given much comfort through the years.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that I will find away to redress the wrongs
Done to you.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that I will not give into the temptation for a revenge
You would not want.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing you will be remembered and loved
For as long as I have breath.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing I will join you when the time is right
But not before.
May your soul rest easily
Knowing that your existence made a difference
And that you are missed.
Cory Haver Michaels
President (retired)
Confederation of Free Planets
Star Date 2503.06.17