by Robert James
As an ever-rising executive in the Centropolis administration, first in production, later in planning and, as she was when I met her, in the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning, where she was already second in charge, which was quite some achievement I guessed, Susan had had frequent contact with other State Administrations. While she only knew what she’d been told, she was able to provide me with a very clear picture of the New World. However, she was genuinely taken aback to hear, from Zoran, that the New Worlders, as she knew them, made up but a tenth, if that, of the human population of this planet.
“But where are they all?” Susan quizzed the old man.
“Ma’m” The pilot answered for him “I’ve seen ‘em, lots of times, on hunts and harvest runs” He told us. We all looked at him waiting for him to go on.
“I never thought of them being like us Lord Robert” He told me “We thought they were just like animals” He added. It seems my Brothers and I would frequently travel, for many hours, at high speed, just to hunt a particular type of beast for the Supreme House table and, along the way, we would make sport of running down the locals and engaging in utterly one-sided skirmishes. One of the goals being who could kill the most, in the least time! Susan added that on some half dozen occasions, the Centropolis T.T.V’s had been damaged, while out on their fuel harvesting excursions, supposedly from wild beasts. Though oddly, none were ever killed or captured.
“There is at least six tribes of the wild people within your State T.T.V’s range Ma’am” The pilot told an astonished Susan “Some of ‘em are pretty tough too” He added.
“You had no defences against them?” I asked Susan.
“Well, all of those issues, defence, policing, correctional treatment” Susan listed them on her fingers “They are all under the Governor’s guard authority” She explained “And the production department is separate from us too, though the Guard have a big say with them, I know that” She added confidentially. It was easy to see why no one other than the Supreme One and his confidants knew the complete picture.
After considering what Susan told me about the other twelve States which made up this New World, I decided that one of the smallest of them, Carabindy Province, the most recent to achieve independent statehood, would be ideal for our purposes. But it was almost literally on the other side of the planet! In fact it was about the furthermost away. I announced my choice to considerable surprise, assuring my colleagues that I’d explain as we travelled. Just after noon we said our goodbyes and smoothly moved away across the open fields around Willow Vale. From the air it was easy to see why the place had been so absolutely secure, from everything but the Supreme House’s own forces! Without the ability to fly, no-one would even know it was there. Steep cliffs, all around the base of Willow Vale’s volcanic mountain, ensured that no man or beast could enter any other way.
As we were able to fly at an altitude of just on a thousand metres, at a top speed of six hundred kilometres an hour, our T.T.V was going to take a little over ten hours, just to reach the city/state of Alpine Grand, from there we’d get directions to our destination.
“These models have a range of over thirty thousand kilometres, from a single-load up” The co-pilot was explaining to Susan and I proudly. Zoran was fast asleep back there with our eight man guard unit and the other two crew members. The constantly surprising, extremely attractive woman was proving to have considerable stamina as well.
“So you can actually circumnavigate the world non stop?” She asked fascinated.
“That’s right Ma’am” He reported “There is only four others like it in the fleet” He was a proud man, and with good reason. This craft was specifically designed for personal use by the Patriarchs only. It was faster, went further and carried more fire power than anything ever designed and built on this planet before. It’s heat scopes could identify a rabbit in the undergrowth, at night! To all intents and purposes, the craft we were travelling in was invulnerable
“Except from them laser ray things of yours Lord Robert” The friendly, thirty five year old laughed softly. Susan used the navigator’s computer to give me a geography lesson.
She began with the major State of Alpine Grand, before moving on to our destination Carabindy Province. The New World’s third largest State, Alpine Grand was not unlike Centropolis, in the ways that all community centres or cities are alike. The big difference was where it sat, high in a very mountainous part of the world. The weather and steep local terrain had created many cultural differences, so that, although, like all the New World States, the population had originated from the same place, the people of Alpine Grand were now very different from their lowland brethren, and proud of it! During the snow half of each year, teams of hunters went far and wide on skis and using dog and horse pulled sleds, to bring home their always plentiful bounty, enough to last the rest of the year.
They considered themselves as the elite, in fact they were fitter and even marginally taller than their recent ancestors. Also, it was from Alpine Grand that many of the Supreme House’s top technicians had been drafted. Carabindy Province, on the other hand, was so un-famous that the co-pilot had never even heard of it. Susan showed him where it was, but the highly trained navigator was absolutely sure that couldn’t be the case.
“That’s solid jungle Ma’am, I’ve flown all over that area, few years ago, nothing but solid jungle down there” The pilot told her.
“Well I could be wrong about it” Acquiesced Susan, then proceeded to fill me in on the details of our final destination, Carabindy Provence.
A favourite hunting ground of the earliest Supreme Families, even though they used to have to travel for almost a week just to get there. A sort of Safari land, till, one day, some thirty years ago, when a young member of today’s Supreme Family discovered traces of Aklodyte on his hands after he returned from a hunt. Investigation showed the world’s most valuable resource was truly abundant throughout the area, so a settlement was created and nurtured, in order to both mine and protect this asset of the people of the New World. In essence, we were headed for a sort of frontier gold township of some thirty thousand souls, only this gold was white and powered almost the whole New World!
“We’ll be in Alpine Grand in around seven hours Robert” Susan spoke into my ear “I’m going to get some sleep, care to join me?” She invited huskily.
“Only if you’re going to get out of that uniform” I smiled as I spoke back into her ear.
“Your wish is my command Lord Robert” Susan led the way back to a small but comfortable cabin. Eventually, we did get to sleep.
“Lord Robert” The respectful voice accompanied a light tapping on the cabin door “We will be in Alpine Grand in twenty minutes Lord Robert” The voice added. It was the Captain of our T.T.V. I thanked him and, once extricated from the perfectly shaped arms and legs of Susan Proust, got up, got dressed and joined Zoran, who was sipping from a steaming mug in the passenger cabin.
One of the newly promoted guardsmen scurried off to get me a hot drink and I sat down opposite the obviously well rested old man.
“I don’t think the Patriarchs are in the habit of turning up unannounced Sire” He smiled as he waited for me to respond.
“Then we had best let them know Zoran” I replied grinning.
“Alpine Grand operator Sir” The navigator reported, handing the mic to the Captain.
“Captain Logan, Supreme House T.T.V. Dash P four on our way in” He reported, in the approved manner.
“Copy that Captain, Welcome to Alpine Grand” Returned the operator “Do you have cargo? Any personnel? We don’t have any schedule….” She asked, clearly puzzled.
“I have Lord Robert and his entourage aboard; we are in transit to Carabindy Province” The captain cut in. There was silence for a moment, then, a now-excited operator asked us to allow at least thirty minutes before arriving, so an appropriate reception could be organized. I shook my head when the pilot looked up, seeking instructions. Just then, a
newly awakened and still slightly dishevelled Susan arrived at the cockpit door.
“Tell her to put Mr Jones or Miss Watson on the line” She told him
“Yes Ma’am” He replied, passing it on. In just a minute a prim female voice answered
“Miss Watson here”.
“Hello Ruth, its Susan, from Centropolis” Susan told her amicably.
“Lord Robert wants this kept quiet alright?”Susan explained.
Fifteen minutes later, we were cruising along the ground with two of their T.T.V’s and a dozen air cycle police as escorts. I could see the quite impressive city in the distance, as we pulled into a stately walled guest house type mansion, complete with statues and gardens and a circular front drive. Very similar to the one we had visited on the way out of Centropolis. That already seemed so long ago. My eight guardsmen formed a passage for us across the transom and down the four steps; another dozen or so State Guardsmen extended the passage all the way to the welcoming committee. There were six of them. I lead the way with Zoran and Susan behind. Staying absolutely silent, we made our way to the obviously nervous group.
For some moments, there seemed to considerable awkwardness, and then I remembered that I had to speak first.
“I am most pleased to be with you” I told the assembled group.
“Lord Robert, our honour far exceeds our surprise at such good fortune” The obvious leader, a tall, late fortyish, athletic looking man said, though he was not used to humility. Susan introduced. “Lord Robert this is Governor Lucas and this is Miss Ruth Watson” She introduced the man and an attractive woman, not unlike Susan but blonde and a little thinner. She did a little curtsy thing. The Governor, like the other four men kept his head bowed except for a brief look up to say “I am honoured Lord Robert” He and his party froze, when I walked over and offered him my hand.
“And honour is what you deserve, for governing this prosperous State so well Governor Lucas” I told him. Much to his amazement, I reached out and took his hand. Finally, he looked into my face.
“Lord Robert” He seemed almost in tears “You do me such an honour, no amount of dedication and hard work could deserve” He let me grip his limp hand as he spoke.
“It is one thing for a Patriarch to decide” I told him and the assembled party “But such decisions cannot become reality simply by that decision alone. To be materialised they must have the will, the strength and the courage of men such as your Governor Lucas” I added, watching his back visibly straighten, while his grip on my hand firmed.
After introductions without handshakes, to the other four, we went into the magnificently furnished guesthouse and sat down to a feast of fresh fruits, breads and thin slabs of deliciously marinated meat. Susan and Zoran told the State’s leaders the story we had concocted on the way over here. That, because the Supreme One was extremely old, it would soon be time for ascension of the new Supreme One. That couldn’t be Lady Ursula; she was a woman, it could not be Lord Peter, because he was dead, as a result of a tragic accident, and therefore, in due course, the Supreme One would be me! Of course, this was strictly for the ears of the chosen few, as I dubbed them, that’s why I was travelling, without fanfare, to every State in the New World. So I could personally come to know the leadership of all ‘my States’, before the weight of being the God King of this world prevented me from further travels.
Being an event of some note, I permitted them to film and photograph my visit, but forbid release of any of it, till my ascension was officially announced. There was one thing most visibly different between Alpine Grand and what I’d seen of Centropolis. Here they used horses and dogs as a major part of their goods and people transport system, only human beings inhabited Centropolis. On our way to an incognito tour of the city, we passed well fenced and very well vegetated paddocks, their gentle slopes potted with small, sparkling dams. Each paddock contained three or four very large magnificent beasts. I would most liken them to the old English Draught horses.
“Hey, spruce up guys, don’t pay to look old when they’re culling” No-one had spoken out loud, so that had to be in my mind.
“Whose that talking?” I asked telepathically. There was silence.
“Who’s asking?” The same voice in my mind queried.
“I’m Lord Robert and I order you to identify yourself” I replied.
“Lord Robert” The voice exclaimed “We are indeed honoured to welcome you. Please slow down and look ahead Sire” He requested. I gave the order to slow down and, to all of our amazement, every horse in sight lined every fence alongside the road, all of them tossing their heads as we slowly drove by. It seems this Lord Robert could converse with horses, I wondered what else was in my current bag of tricks?
Chapter Four
That display of loyalty, by my equine ‘subjects’, had a major impact on our hosts and Zoran, but not so much on Susan, perhaps her recent experiences had numbed her to surprise, at least for now. The State T.T.V., travelled smoothly around the often steep roads of Alpine Grand city. Though most of the men and women we passed were on foot, some rode horses that were a much smaller breed than the ones I’d seen in the paddocks. Also, we passed a few two and four dog drawn carts. I made no attempt to communicate with any of them, although, when my hosts stopped their incessant chatter, about this or that feature of their city, I thought I heard fragments of conversation, particularly between the dog teams!
By nightfall I’d seen all there was to see in and around the city, from outside its buildings walls. But the day had revealed little about the people of Alpine Grand, beyond what Susan had told me. That evening however, I did gain some insight as to the true nature of these highly intelligent and sophisticated Alpine people. One of the State’s major annual events was to be staged that evening and our hosts begged me to be their honoured guest. I agreed, on condition that Zoran be treated as their guest, from somewhere nearby. I, along with Susan, would simply be his entourage. I also looked forward to when Zoran would go back to his old attitude towards me.
Currently, it was embarrassingly awestruck. He had now become convinced that I really was some kind of God. Ours was the last of the State T.T.V’s to pull up at the auditorium, there was a crowd.
“You’ve got a sell-out show here Governor” I commented.
“Every time Lord Robert, every year” Governor Lucas told me “All the tigers for next year’s circus are already sold” He added. We moved through the crowd, courtesy of a phalanx of State Guards and took our prime box seats, just above and in front of a huge metal caged stage. I started to feel distinctly uncomfortable. I could ‘hear’ male and female voices. Though I couldn’t discern their exact words, I could feel their feelings, of fear, emotional pain, even abject desperation!
The audience lights dimmed, two mobile cages, each containing a two metre tall, pure white bear, were rolled to either side of the centre cage. As my ears heard the MC dramatically announcing the “Mortal combat of these two mountain monsters….” In my head, I heard something entirely different
“Well dear, this was inevitable, you must do what must be” An older, weary voice said.
“Oh Father” A distressed young female asked “How can these animals go on with this?”
“They know no better child” The older replied, adding “I’ve had my time…” Bang! The doors slammed open and the two Alpine giants slowly climbed out of the cages and began to circle each other. To my ears, they were growling menacingly at each other. But in my head, I heard “Oh Father! I cannot do this awful thing”.
“Do as you have done so often before, fight or I shall have to kill you” The older voice in my head ordered. One of the bears reared up and rushed towards the other snarling, then it too reared up. The blood lusting crowd began to shout excitedly.
“Stop! Both of you” I thought as hard as I could. The two bears, now actually touching each other, stopped, frozen in their tracks.
“I am Lord Robert and I command you to sit back to back and wave a
t the audience” I telepathed. And that’s exactly what they did. At first, the crowd was stunned silent, then, they began to boo and yell, like wild animals deprived of their cravings, which is pretty much what they were.
The bears’ trainers came in through each side’s door, whip in one hand, pistol in the other. There was little doubt as to their intent.
“Stand and raise your front paws” I ordered telepathically. As the two bears complied, I willed both the whips and guns out of the astonished trainers’ hands and onto the floor at both bears’ feet.
“Are these two good men? You know, food, water, affection?” I telepathically asked.
“Lord Robert, to die in front of one such as you is a great honour” Came the large male’s automatically conditioned response. But the daughter was not brain washed
“No Sire, these are not good men” She replied telepathically “They starve us, beat us and torture us” She told me.
