by Robert James
“Not so long ago, your Forefathers came and tamed this land” I began “Now your work here fuels half the New World” I told them. There was a loud and long response to that information.
“I want to say to every one of you” I began again “To all the people of Carabindy Province, that I am proud, so very proud of what you have achieved. Of what you have become!” I raised my voice towards the end and received an ear-splitting response from the people. Even the dogs barked and those enormous horses tossed their manes and whinnied “I have come to launch you on your next great journey” I continued telling the mass of people “I have come to bestow upon you Nationhood!” My voice announced. After a second of stunned silence, the whole multitude erupted once again, all of them cheering and clapping. I waited until they had quietened down a little then raised my hands
“I thank you for your most gratifying welcome” I continued “Now would you guide me to your great city so that I can, along with your leaders, begin to forge the future of the Carabindy Nation!” I asked them and received a tumultuous, positive response. While they roared their approval, there was still clear organisation amidst the joyous melee. The largest of the three gigantic elephants lumbered over towards me.
“I am honoured to serve Lord Robert” Came into my head, as the mastiff stood there, his huge head almost level with mine. Down below, they attached the giant creature to thick vine ropes. With his two almost as large companions on either side of him, the huge elephant began to effortlessly tow my near twenty metre high, very solidly built podium structure to the town. The T.T.V., with Zoran and Susan riding the transom, got nearly as much attention as I did.
They hadn’t seen one around here in twenty years. Of course they had never seen anything like this one. In this seemingly non mechanised society, it looked like a visitor from space. Soon after we started, I was able to get a look at the first of their suburbs. They stretched endlessly, all single story houses, with generous green yards that grew much smaller as we neared what these folks called their city. This was more of a large country town than a city. No tall buildings here, in fact, the only imposing building was the State Government’s Headquarters. Along the way, the near hysterical cheering and clapping had actually got even louder, so I set my outward self to smile and wave automatically and asked a silent question or two of my pachyderm powered transportation.
In fact his female colleague, on my right, provided most of the important answers. From the questions that she answered for me, I found out that this was the centre of the New World’s mining operation. They piped their raw material to a processing plant and dispatch port, over a hundred kilometres to the West. I also found out that they were environmentally considerate people, who were good to the many animals they used as beasts of burden. They bred and humanely slaughtered their own cattle and sheep for food and clothes, and they farmed crops, so they were no drain on their host locality. The Aklodyte they mined, from huge, open cut quarries nearby, had no known benefit to the local environment.
“You have come to stop the wild people have you not Lord Robert?” The four legged female giant on my right asked somewhat boldly. I had to silence the many creatures who admonished her for that, before I could ask her what she meant.
“Well Sire” The female elephant telepathed “When the pipeline was first laid, several decades ago, the Supreme One sent ships like yours to move all the wild people away” She told me.
“How was that done?” I asked, cringing at the likely answer.
“They were all killed Sire” Was the predictable reply.
“And now they have returned?” I asked her silently.
“They have returned tenfold Sire” The big male elephant answered “And they have sworn to drive these gentle people away” He added, his sympathies obvious.
“They killed all the wild people, yet you say they are gentle people?” I asked him.
“The wild people kill us, these people care for us” He replied.
“The wild people kill every living thing they find” The female on my right added “These people do us no harm” It was clear that she too had little time for the local natives.
“But you are captives?” I asked the huge elephant “Wouldn’t you rather be free?” I asked her, not expecting the answer I got.
“No Lord Robert, only you command us” The big male replied “We could leave if we chose to; they have no means to stop us” The giant pachyderm assured me. Our procession halted in front the State Government Headquarters, and the clock tower was the only part of the structure above my Dias.
The large town square and all the streets leading to it were totally packed with brightly dressed clapping and cheering men, women and children. The five men in safari suits came out onto a kind of rooftop garden, just a metre or so below where I stood, this time there was a megaphone, and one of the ‘he’, turned out to be a she. No doubt she was Miss Proust’s counterpart, out here in this ‘frontier’ State. The two female elephants hooked their trunks onto steel rings below a cleverly designed walkway and pulled it into place. I now had a golden hand rail and plushly carpeted path to the five who were waiting respectfully on the rooftop below. Again, no-one spoke until I did; I was running out of original opening lines! The five of them bowed deeply as I approached.
“I’d really rather shake all of your hands for doing such a good job” I began brightly, holding my hand out to the tallest one in the middle. He looked up at me like a frightened rabbit caught in headlights, he a fearless leader! Such is the power of blind belief.
“I’m Chief Administrator Carpenter, Lord Robert” The leathery, clear eyed leader said nervously, taking my hand quite firmly.
“Why not Governor Carpenter?” I asked, shaking his hand.
“We are really such a small State your Excellency” He answered “It seemed a little early for such expensive self glorifications” Carpenter added, looking me evenly in the eyes and speaking with a matter-of-fact tone. I liked him immediately. He then introduced me to his three male and one female associates.
“This is Bligh of production and Egan from community affairs” Carpenter introduced two bookish types “Potter is from agriculture and Miss Lois is my right hand in administration” He continued. Potter looked weather beaten sixty and she was a classy late twenties lady, the other two looked like tough working types. I got them all to shake hands with me, then signalled to my T.T.V. pilot to come on up. There was an appreciative gasp as the sleek craft silently glided up to our rooftop. I introduced Susan, as Miss Proust of course, and Zoran, as my chief councillor, as they alighted from the silently hovering T.T.V. We three followed our hosts back into the building and into a high quality timber furnished boardroom, designed for around a dozen people.
A throne like chair was at the head of the table, and I was guided to it. I was about to ask where Susan and Zoran would sit, when two of the six attendants in the room quickly brought up chairs, for them to the left and right of my ‘throne’. I sank gratefully into the very comfortable chair, it had been a couple of hours since I’d last sat down. I waved the others to do so as well. Everyone’s glasses were soon filled with crystal clear water, while a very pretty attendant shyly placed a tray, containing small fruit, a silver flask and a glass, onto a table beside me. She raised the flask and looked questioningly at me. I nodded and she filled my glass I said “Thank you very much Miss” To her, and she lit up like a Christmas tree, did a little bow and skipped off to join her comrades at the back of the room. That was one happy little girl.
“Well it seems you’ve been expecting me Mr Carpenter, am I late or early?” I asked the tall and tanned fifty something year old.
“The time you choose is always the right time Lord Robert” Carpenter replied dutifully.
“Well, how long have you had the children rehearsing and getting all that lovely ceremony ready?” I asked, still trying to get my answer. Miss Lois laughed softly.
“I used to go to monthly rehearsals for two ye
ars, when I was in school Lord Robert” She told me, but that didn’t look as though it was all that long ago.
“We have staged the Lord Robert Challenge and the Presentation for the past twenty three years your Excellency” The bald and stocky Mr. Egan from community affairs advised me.
“What’s the challenge?” I asked no-one in particular.
“It’s a two day test of wit and strength your Excellency” The State’s leader told me, with pride clear in his voice.
“That’s how we pick our champion man and women of the year, your Excellency” Mr. Bligh told me. He was thinner and older than Mr. Egan with a sharper, stern face.
“Do any of you know why I’ve come?” I asked them all bluntly.
“To tell you the truth Lord Robert” Carpenter answered “Delighted as everyone in this State is to have you here in person, I have no idea what has brought this honour to us” He added, then looked at each of his colleagues one at a time.
“To increase production levels?” Bligh offered, without further explanation. The other three simply shrugged their shoulders.
“You have no idea that you are about to be attacked and, quite possibly, overrun by the wild people?” My voice asked them. All five faces paled and I could sense Susan and Zoran staring at me intently. Mr Potter, easily the oldest of the group, rallied himself
“With all respect Lord Robert” He began “When I was a young man, before Statehood, there was talk of wild folks around here. But there ain’t been none of them around in more ‘n thirty years” He assured me. I sensed that Mr. Potter was trying to do more than simply assure me, perhaps he was trying to assure himself? But it seemed odd that the State’s chief farmer knew nothing.
“Well there is now Mr Potter” I told him bluntly, adding “Ten times more than there was before”. The five shaken administrators looked silently at me. It was Susan who broke the silence.
“Is there a way to prevent this attack Lord Robert?” She asked me.
“Well, we could do what the Supreme One did last time” I answered her sarcastically.
“I think I can guess what that was Sire” Zoran grinned at Susan.
“Oh please tell us Lord Robert” Miss Lois asked passionately.
“They slaughtered them” I replied coldly “Destroyed their homes and farms, then they poisoned the land, so that nothing edible could grow within fifty kilometres either side of the pipeline” I told her and three shocked colleagues.
However, unlike everyone else in that room, Mr Bligh, the production boss, seemed unmoved by my shocking revelation.
“Lord Robert” He stood up “With all the respect rightfully due to your Supreme Self, you speak of those creatures as if they were human” There was some anger in his voice, so I matched his tone
“Mr. Bligh have you ever heard of animals farming?” I challenged.
“I know nothing of these farms Lord Robert” Bligh muttered, aware that his colleagues were now looking at him questioningly.
“You knew of this?” Carpenter asked his production chief coldly.
“They were sealed orders from the Supreme One” Bligh half admitted, half protested “It was before Statehood Jim. I gave an oath of silence” He appealed to the State leader.
“And now they are back for revenge?” Jim Carpenter asked.
“I don’t know yet Mr Carpenter” I replied frankly “They may just want their lands back” I told him quietly.
“Lord Robert, surely you’re not suggesting that we allow them back?” Bligh asked, he was really aghast at that thought.
“And how exactly would you prevent them from doing that, if that is what they want to do Mr. Bligh?” I asked coldly.
“Well, we can call for help from the Supreme One” Bligh’s voice trailed off as Zoran coughed. Then, in a formal sounding voice, Zoran explained our contrived story to them. He ended with
“So, Mr. Bligh, if you want help from the Supreme One, why not ask him in person, while you still can” He invited calmly. That shook all of them, Jim Carpenter most of all.
“Is this is why you have come your Excellency?” Carpenter’s voice had returned to the dutiful servant,
Jim Carpenter was daunted by the realization that he was now talking face to face with the near-future Supreme One. They all waited anxiously for my reply.
“It is a time of change in this world” My voice lectured “For far too long, the rule of might has held sway. My goal is to awaken the spirit of humanity, in all who dwell in the New World” I told my fascinated seven person audience “The fate that awaits your people, here in Carabindy Province, is identical to the fate that will befall all in the New World, unless there are major changes to ensure justice for all” I warned them sternly.
“The people who own these lands have no use for Aklodyte and you do not need their jungle or its animals. So there is really no need for conflict between your civilisations” I explained.
“You will have difficulty explaining that to those savages Lord Robert” Bligh was pushing me too hard. I smelled a rat and asked “And what did those sealed orders say Mr Bligh?”
“Lord Robert, what of my oath to the Supreme One of silence till death?”
Of course, I thought to myself. The man is a spy. They would have to keep the production of something so valuable as this stuff under their watchful eye. Seems it was time for a little magic terrorism.
“Mr Bligh” I said “Perhaps you didn’t hear what Zoran has just said” My loud voice was ice cold.
Without thinking about it, I flew, literally, out of my throne-like chair and over to float above the now cowering production chief “You will speak as I have ordered, or that death will be long, slow, agonizing and begin right now Bligh” My voice threatened “Now speak!” The voice that said those words scared me! Something to do with the tone, it triggered fear. I wanted to put pressure on this tall, unfeeling man. Suddenly he clutched his chest and began to gasp, I descended and stood quietly watching him, as the other six sat silently.
“Must I squeeze the truth from you Bligh?” I asked, as casually as if offering him tea.
“We were never to allow them near the Aklodyte” Bligh gasped out “No matter how many we had to kill to prevent it” He added, eyes bulging.
“Why?” I demanded to know from the terrified production chief.
“I don’t know Lord Robert, I swear I don’t” Bligh gasped, almost passing out. I could sense that he was telling the truth, so I released the pressure. After some discussion with Jim Carpenter and my two colleagues, I decided to leave Susan and Zoran there, to begin the enlightenment of the new Carabindy Nation’s government, while I went in search of the wild people and some badly needed answers. There were quite a few things that really didn’t make much sense at all.
Now aware that I could fly, I walked to the open glass doorway that led from the boardroom to a small balcony, then turned to face my colleagues.
“I’ll go and get the other side of the story, I’ll be back soon” I told Susan and Zoran. Then I turned back to the five Carabindy leaders.
“You will never hear from anyone who knows more about the Supreme Family and more about what is real in this world than my two colleagues” I told them “Listen well and learn to live with the truth” I advised, before leaping off the balcony to soar off into the late morning sky!
Chapter Five
Beyond a light breeze I felt nothing, nor did I actually do anything, I just glided smoothly and effortlessly through the clear blue sky, not going anywhere particularly fast for a while, just enjoying this new found, wonderfully free sensation. The first time I looked down, I could just make out our T.T.V. in front of the town’s main building. From up there it was easy to see the pipelines, snaking off towards the West, a blood red earthen ribbon through the dense green jungle. That was my logical first destination, the processing plant and port facility on the other end. I found that simply focussing on a point and wanting a closer look, was all that was needed to get just th
at. For a few minutes, I practiced my focus and dive, focus and climb manoeuvres.
I was having a ball! Now I really knew what it was like to be, quite literally, free as a bird! Movement in the thick jungle below caught my eye, focussing on an extra tall thickly vegetated tree, I glided smoothly down. If the three elephants that I’d seen in the town earlier that day were very big, then I don’t know what word to use in describing the herd of elephants that peacefully grazed in the cool damp shade below me. They were all much bigger, in fact, they were quite a great deal bigger! There were eight in all. The three young ones were the size of the females in town, the five adults ranged from fifteen to twenty metres in height! They say elephants have a fantastic memory, who knows what I might find out? I floated down to right in front of the herd.
