Divine Deception: The Will Traveller Chronicals

by Robert James

  Chapter Twelve

  We had a few days to discuss the myriad of political possibilities and try to find agreement on exactly how this new world order could best be governed. And that would be by the people of the planet, not by a ruler or ruling race. By the final day, Julia had drawn up a ‘Declaration of Intent’ for them all to sign. It called for a United Nations Council, to be headed for three years by someone from a member Nation. All Nations of the planet would be sought out and invited to join with the elected New World Governors, in building a fair and prosperous future for the whole planet. We installed all the needed communications gear, brought by Governor Lucas, in one T.T.V. which I nominated as Sharon’s Alpine Grand.

  Surrounded by handsome young fighting men, on her ‘own’ super craft, Sharon didn’t mind not travelling to Centropolis in my cabin at all. Susan had got herself a ride on an acolyte transporter, right after sending me that brief, and would be there soon after we arrived. I was concerned but felt certain I could pull off this overthrow of the Supreme One. After that, all else should be easy.

  “It’s hard to overestimate the value of the knowledge and technology that is there in the Supreme House’s compound” Zoran said, as he, Captain Millwell and I sat in my T.T.V’s cabin “And there is no way I know of to find out which building is which, everything is run on a need-to-know basis there” Zoran explained.

  With all the T.T.V’s ‘grounded’ by agreement for this battle, we were discussing ways to get inside the Supreme House’s stronghold. Due to land in Centropolis in just a few hours, we still had no way, unless invited, to get into that virtually impenetrable fortress. My six escorts and the twenty four Supreme House guards that had come with Elton had persuaded the thirty two guardsmen, from the other four “grounded” T.T.V.s, to work with us, however they could no more get out than we could get in! Now cut off from the outside world, thanks to Sharon Black and Governor Lucas, with all the world’s military power either neutral or against them, the old man, my Sister and my Brother were now like cornered rats. Known as the most dangerous of animals, I was sure those three would live up to that description, right to the very end.

  “Can Miss Sharon cut the Supreme House off from the rest of the

  compound?” Zoran asked “Then we could talk to our allies inside, without getting them all killed” He added with a wry smile. I gave Sharon a call and asked her.

  “I won’t know for sure until I can actually scan their in-house system” Sharon replied, sounding very businesslike “But for you Lord Robert, I’ll try anything” I could almost see her smiling, as she made a point of stressing her last word.

  “D’ya think we can get them to let us in somehow Lord Robert?” Millwell asked hopefully “If we can talk with the other T.T.V. guardsmen, without Lady Ursula being able to hear us, there may be something they can do” The Arc Island leader suggested.

  “But if they tried to break open any entrance, even from inside, they would be killed instantly” Zoran warned “Don’t forget, they still have over two hundred very well armed troops who will stay loyal to their death” He added. I said a silent prayer that this would not be so. As long as the Supreme House had those lasers on top and could communicate with their forces, it would remain impenetrable for everyone, except me. When we arrived, a thousand metres over Centropolis, I got my first look at this planet’s biggest city, and it was big, very big. The city itself was at least twice the size of any I’d seen so far, and the State went East, North and South, as far as the eye could see, even from up there.

  Supreme City was over to the North, our Captain pointed it out to me, but he was at pains to explain that he could not do any more.

  “I know you can’t Captain, nor would I ask you to” I told him, holding up my hands “The fact is, none of our forces are able to defeat theirs, so we have no choice but to keep them contained till they see sense” I reassured the relieved Captain, only to see Zoran’s look of disbelief at my words. But, the Captain’s fair play attitude, which took all the T.T.V.s and his colleagues out of this struggle, was the single most effective way to prevent any blood being shed. It would be very wrong and probably suicidal to ask our thirty two allies inside to take on two hundred of their own colleagues. For all the military might I’d amassed, I really had no intention of actually using it. It was just for show.

  Governor Ryan, having been told of the Port Rualé Conference’s outcome, and that he could talk to us without being monitored, was both delighted and concerned. Obviously happy at the prospect of a free hand to run his State, he was concerned that, because of the central role Centropolis was to play, it may suffer reprisals. When I told him that all the T.T.V.s were out of it, his relief and gratitude were boundless. Earlier, when we had slowly descended vertically to the city, we could see that they had cleared the commercial port, to make way for our mini armada, some of which had already arrived. A football sized area that obviously was for container storage, had also been cleared, and decorated in red of course. It was both the landing pad and our operational head quarters.

  Essentially because of the communications aspect, but also because I felt more comfortable there, I stayed at ‘home’ on my T.T.V. rather than be a guest of fawning, still disillusioned people. Sure enough, as we landed, everything but the brass band went off, and no doubt it could have too, if they’d had one. Thousands upon thousands of people roared out their welcome, all waving little white flags with a red rose in the middle. The slightly plump, semi bald Governor Ryan was in full robes, not unlike those of a Lord Mayor, complete with chain and ermine collar. His two male and one female colleagues all wore very expensive and stylish business suits. They stood beside two sleek T.T.V.s that were identical to the one that collected me from Miko’s bordello.

  That seemed like so long ago yet it was just on three weeks. I let Zoran do his grand introduction, then, to a welcome that would gladden any movie star’s heart, I walked out and held up both my hands for silence. They obviously intended to whisk me off to one of their enclaves to join with the State’s most favoured. But it seemed a shame this government did not want to share these once-in-a-life moments with their people. In spite of the lack of a microphone, I walked to the front of the transom, which I’d stopped at the height of the T.T.V.’s roof, and spoke to the people of the planet’s largest city. The gigantic human sea fell completely silent, as each and every one of them heard my voice, as if I was actually standing right in front of them. As I looked out over the thousands of silent, expectant faces, I felt connected to each one. “Good people of Centropolis and those of you who have joined me from afar” I began. There were several different uniformed groups in the crowd “Although we have gathered the largest military force the New World has ever known, from every Nation that had troops to send, we are not here to make war” I said, then paused. The many uniformed groups showed surprise at my last statement “It is sometimes necessary to have power to deal fairly with those who also have great power” I explained “We have come with the power to enforce the will of this planet’s people, and, the will to transfer that power back to the people of this planet peacefully. There is much of great value to the people of this planet that lies within the confines of Supreme City and I do not wish to bombard it”

  “However, nothing is of greater value than freedom” I continued to the silent mass of people “I have come to ensure the end of Supreme House control of the New World, and I promise each and every one of you that end will come. I can only pray that my family will see the time has come to give the people of this planet back their freedom”. For at least five seconds, you could have heard a pin drop. Suddenly, as if released from a trance, the crowd erupted and my name was chanted by thousands of voices. Lowering the transom to bring me level with Governor Ryan and his four co-leaders, I stepped forward and extended my hand.

  “Good to see you again Governor Ryan” I said warmly, it was clear that he had not expected me to be so familiar.

  “Welcome back Lord Robe
rt” He replied, still uncertain, as he shook my hand. Flash bulbs strobed as I shook hands with the other four and I posed for the media with the five of them. The excited crowd parted automatically, as we left the staging area for a meeting with the Centropolis military leaders, and the leaders of the troops who had already arrived. I couldn’t help noticing that the Governor Ryan’s new administration director, Susan’s replacement, was slightly younger and even more attractive. What’s more, Patty Rice turned out to be one very clever lady. This Governor Ryan had a very good eye for talent. We arrived in front of military headquarters and, when we got out, forty State Guardsmen snapped to attention and saluted. Ryan and I saluted back as we entered the building.

  “We will need your help Zoran” General White, Chief of the Centropolis State Guard was saying, as we joined the group standing around an incomplete scale model of Supreme City.

  “As I’ve told Lord Robert” The wise, seemingly tireless old man replied “Only inside Supreme House would anyone know which buildings contained archives, where R and D is being done, or where the Supreme City’s infrastructure is housed” He added.

  “I’m sure once the Supreme One knows he is defeated, he will surrender his power to you Lord Robert” Governor Ryan said, his naive comment getting assent from all but Zoran who disagreed. “The Supreme One, Lady Ursula and Lord Edmond couldn’t care less if you killed every person and flattened every other building” My old friend’s voice was colder than I’d ever heard it.

  “What they know, is that we can’t destroy Supreme House. But they can, and will, kill anyone who tries to enter it” Zoran advised a disappointed Governor Ryan.

  “So it’s a stalemate then?” Sentorian Commander Davis asked.

  “For now yes” I replied for Zoran “But there are many ways to achieve an objective” I added “By all of you being here, it demonstrates that whatever we do, it is the will of all the people of the New World” Though not too sure of my meaning, all agreed.

  When I told General White that I wanted an unarmed T.T.V. tour of the ‘uninhabited’ area outside the Centropolis ‘safety zone’ he objected strongly, foolishly choosing my safety as the reason.

  “No-one can harm Lord Robert” Zoran told him haughtily “And he has ways to protect those whom he chooses to” He added. They definitely didn’t like that idea, so, in the end, I had to make it an order, which White had most unwillingly obeyed. An hour later, Captain Millwell and I sat both sides of a young Centropolis T.T.V. pilot. He was over his awe of me and already quite chatty, by the time we reached the North Check Point, the Southern edge of the three kilometre safety zone. We had four heavily armed State Guardsmen in the cabin, just to satisfy General White. But it was only when the check point guard Chief saw my four man troop that he agreed to let us pass.

  “With all respect Lord Robert” The young checkpoint Commander said, almost patronizingly “We only keep the safety zone clear”.

  “But, once you go past it you are…” The check point guard Chief’s voice trailed off, as I lifted him from beside the TTV and floated him back over to his check point house.

  “It’s wise not to forget to whom you speak young man” I cautioned him smiling. We drove out over the defoliated zone. Moving slowly, five metres above those three totally dead kilometers, I asked what stopped anyone from simply crossing it.

  “Mines, Lord Robert” Answered our cheerful T.T.V. pilot “H E nodules were scattered all over it” He laughed “They still work too! We threw some sacks of sand out to check, from a good bit higher than this of course, and Boom. Boom. Boom! Everyone of ‘em” Said the bright and cheerful young man without remorse.

  “So no-one can go out of or come into Centropolis?” I queried.

  “Not on the ground Lord Robert” He shook his head “The only way into or out of Centropolis is in one of these T.T.V.s or by ship” He told us confidently, adding “We are totally secure Lord Robert” He was watching what he was doing, so he could not see the sad looks that Millwell and I exchanged.

  “It’s nothing that a whole lot of sand bags can’t fix Lord Robert” The Arc Island leader tried to make light of it. The young pilot looked at both of us, he was completely puzzled. Because we were only at treetop level, we didn’t see the first clearing in the lush forests we’d flown over for ten kilometres since passing the safety zone. It was very, very big, more than a kilometre wide. I asked the chatty T.T.V. pilot to land in the middle of it.

  We could see, before we even got on the ground, what we were about to discover. I looked quizzically at the young fountain of information, wishing Zoran were here.

  “As the history books tell it, this was where the last major offensive on Centropolis was launched from” our pilot told us “All the tribes had assembled here, a hundred years ago Lord Robert”.

  “The invasion failed, so where are these tribes now?” I asked him.

  “All around out there” The pilot swept his hand from North to West and South, then added “I only saw small groups, maybe twenty or thirty. But some of the transports said they saw some bigger gatherings a few years ago, till Lord Elton and Lord Edmond went out and culled them again” He continued cheerfully.

  “Of cause it would have been easy with those T.T.V.s of yours Lord Robert” He said admiringly.

  “Do you know if I went on that culling trip?” I asked, relieved to him say “No Sire”, before looking at me seriously.

  “You’ve been overseas for the last few years haven’t you?” He asked and I nodded in agreement.

  “Do you know where any of these tribes are now?” I asked him.

  “Well there was some talk about an attempted ambush just West of here” He replied “But I think the attackers were all killed” He added with a satisfied tone. Assuring the young pilot and the four guardsmen that I would see to their safety, I asked the young pilot to take us to where he thought the ambush occurred.

  As they were still most reluctant, I walked out the raised door, down the three step transom and onto the thick green grass that covered this once-lived in open land. Drawing it from the ground beneath my feet, I ‘threw’ a basket ball sized bolt of energy at the edge of the clearing. The explosion shook the T.T.V., totally convincing the Centropolis men, and surprised Captain Millwell.

  “You didn’t use your weapon Lord Robert?” He asked quietly, as the now silent and awestruck pilot took us to where I had asked.

  “The will of the people is by far the most potent force on this planet Captain” I replied “As the one charged with seeing that will is obeyed, all power that I need rest with me” I added.

  “So you actually are the Supreme One Lord Robert” The young pilot asked, torn between his complex job and wanting to converse with someone whom he saw as a God.

  “Will you talk to them if we find any?” Asked Captain Millwell.

  “Of two things you may be sure Captain” I turned in my seat to face him behind the pilot “We will find some of these ‘savages’ and I will talk to them, that’s why we are here” I told him.

  “But why Lord Robert?” The young pilot asked nervously “They are not of the New World” He added curiously.

  “Have you heard nothing of my words young man” My quiet voice hid an increasing frustration “All beings have the right to live how they choose” I told him “The New World has no Divine right to that which has been plundered from the rest of this planet, or the right to deprive any from sharing in their abundance” I continued.

  “In your lifetime, you will witness the New World governments lead the rest of the people to a truly united, free and prosperous planet” I told the pilot. As I spoke, this highly intelligently young man’s face gradually grew comprehending and then resolute

  “Lord Robert” He said with utmost sincerity “Until now I would have to die if you so ordered. Now I would gladly die with honour and joy in my heart” He told me.

  “Though that won’t be necessary young man, thank you” I replied.

  “Look!
Over there” Captain Millwell exclaimed, as we hovered silently over the tree tops, in search of the ambush site. He was pointing to a thin plume of smoke rising up between the trees. I ordered the pilot to land in a small clearing we saw, right next to the much larger and occupied area from where the smoke came.

  Apparently unnoticed, we landed close to the edge of the small, unoccupied clearing. Captain Millwell, in his bright green pirate shirt, tight pants and knee high boots, along with myself, in a flowing red kaftan, left the T.T.V. We took none of the guards, whom I ordered to keep out of sight and with just the young, now thoroughly confident Captain looking on, we started into the forest toward the larger clearing. Within a minute or so we could smell food being cooked, then, the sounds of human habitat, punctuated with an occasional child’s voice.

  “If you move you will die” A cold, hard voice growled.

  All around us, men with long bows drawn, but dressed like cartoon cavemen, appeared. The man who had first spoken said