Terra Nova

by David C. Garland

  Chapter Forty Nine

  ‘That was a disaster,’ exclaimed an exhausted looking Ezra, resting uncomfortably on his favourite marble chair in the secretariat. His entire body ached after being shaken to and fro for hours in the swaying, bumping, grinding, chariot through the uneven, cobbled streets of Leviticus. His back, legs and arms were so painful and his feet, covered in blisters caused by chafing from the ill-fitting boots he had been wearing, were soaking in a golden bowl full of lushly scented water. Perched on the floor at his feet was an attractive young woman, kneeling, caressing, massaging, each of his toes, one-by-one. Standing obsequiously by his side was Publius, trying to contain an errant smile at the sight he was witnessing.

  ‘No, Great Leader it was not a disaster,’ he replied assuringly. ‘Yes the people were unusually quiet but I think that was because you silenced them by your imperious stance and yet at the same time you appeared to be humbled by the reception you received. It was a challenge you surmounted admirably, for it must have been extremely difficult for you to project two opposing traits and yet you managed to do so with much success.’

  Publius was not yet a fully-fledged sycophant, but he was heading down that slope as smoothly as a porpoise skimming through the warm, blue waters of a tropical ocean. He was, after all, responsible for the startling about turn taken by Ezra. So it behove him to support his given advice even though he was experiencing serious doubts, resulting from the crowd’s reactions he had witnessed from his position on the chariot immediately behind the one carrying Esther and Marcus. As a precaution, prior to the parade, he had positioned over a hundred men and women, some with children by their side for good effect, at key points on the parade route with instructions to applaud, shout, wave, whatever was needed to rouse the crowd’s tempo - all to no avail. The shouting he had heard had the impact of a single drop of rain falling upon an arid desert.

  Ezra was so concerned with his aching limbs and cosseted feet that he brushed Publius’s words aside with a coarse grunt. He leaned forward and lifted the young woman’s chin in order to look into her eyes.

  ‘Do you think me a disaster?’ he asked her, a smirk disfiguring his face. ‘Do you? You may speak freely my lovely.’

  Tears emerged from the woman’s eyes. ‘No Great Leader, I think not,’ she answered timidly. ‘I am sure the people worship you, as I surely do.’

  Ezra smiled and released her chin from his outstretched fingers.

  ‘There speaks the truth from the lips of one so young,’ he said benignly. ‘Begone now, sweet petal, I will seek and enjoy your company later.’

  The atmosphere in the secretariat was tense, exemplified by the nervous shaking of the young woman’s hands as she raised Ezra’s feet from the bowl and dried them carefully with a huge white towel. Finished, she placed the towel over the bowl, picked it up and made her way towards a door at the rear of the room. Ezra’s voracious eyes were set upon her, until she disappeared from his sight. He sighed a sigh of the unsatiated, then transferred his attention to Publius who was looking forlorn, apprehensive.

  ‘So Publius, you think it went rather well. Is that what I am meant to believe or is it what you lead me to believe?’

  The prominent Adam’s apple in Publius’s exposed throat sank, then rose, as he struggled for an answer that would be of most benefit to him.

  ‘Great Leader,’ he began. ‘The advice I gave was not confined solely to the effects of a parade through the streets of Leviticus. Much more important issues are involved. Among those being the rescinding of two contentious laws, Immaculation and Proscription. Following on successfully from those dramatic repeals, will be the popularity you gain from those who will be released from jails and allowed back onto our streets, plus those who are presently fugitives, hiding for fear of arrest and incarceration. While the support of the mass of the population is to be applauded, the major benefits to you will come from those who sought to oppose your rule, that is, members of organisations such as Licentia ex Persecution. Also of much importance, in my humble view, is that of Richard Moss who was brought to Terra Nova for a very specific purpose. If you were to demonstrate your support, your determination, to ensure the successful completion of his mission, if I may put it that way, then you would find yourself in a position of unassailable authority. Your conversion would be complete and the continuation of your third term in office would therefore be assured and a fourth term in prospect.’

  Ezra was visibly impressed by Publius’s response. He had expected contriteness from a relatively junior member of his Council of Ministers, instead a forthright declaration of impenitence had caused him to reevaluate his original catastrophic assessment of the vir triumphalis.

  ‘Publius, you have grown immeasurably in my opinion over these past several weeks. I will continue on the course you have laid out for me. You will be rewarded with multiple honours upon my achieving those goals. I now feel confident that I am set upon on a course which will lead to my redemption.’

  He paused, shuffled his feet into gold encrusted sandals, and rose from his seat.

  ‘Please leave me now Publius,’ he whispered, ‘For I am still in much pain and only the comfort of a loving companion will bring me any relief.’

  Publius stood up and watched Ezra shuffle away to disappear through the door at the rear of the Secretariat. He shook his head several times and left, mumbling incoherently to himself.

  Chapter Fifty

  Alexander’s third birthday was a happy affair. Eight friends from his play school were invited as was Emily Moss who, since her brother’s disappearance, has now become Julia Brownstone’s dearest friend. So close was their relationship that some of their friends and colleagues began to question whether there was more to it than mere friendship. Jules and Emily, very aware of the spate of rumours and innuendo, either ignored or played up to them, depending on who was the instigator of the latest piece of gossip. It had become a role to be played and they would laugh uproariously in the privacy of their homes after discussing yet another back of the hand, sly remark aimed at themselves. Alexander, of course, is unaware of this except for the fact that he is the recipient of much love from his mother and from he woman he refers to as Hemmy! Still unable to articulate Emily’s name he is nevertheless aware that, upon uttering his version of the name, he is able to capture her attention. Annie Brownstone and Katherine Moss, the respective mothers, were at the birthday party and enthusiastically joined in the efforts to ensure Alexander and his friends were enjoying themselves.

  There was little or no positive talk about Richard Moss these days. A sense of detachment had become the norm, and he was spoken of as if he was but a pleasant memory, to be stored away until an appropriate moment arose when it was deemed safe to raise the subject.

  Julia’s vivid dreams were still a constant reminder of her lost love however, and she felt a huge degree of solace whenever they occurred. The latest dreams still carried messages of hope but were inexplicit as to when, where and how Richard would return to his loved ones. Scenes reminiscent of ancient Rome still featured on a regular basis, although the latest dream appeared to be forecasting a governmental change which, if it transpired, would lead inexorably to a series of monumental events. The frustration felt by the dream maker was evident since nothing resembling a definitive closure was forthcoming.

  Surprisingly, in view of their closeness, Julia had never spoken of the dreams to Emily because she felt to have done so would fracture the tenuous, intangible link that existed between herself and the dream maker. Alexander was the only other recipient of the dreams’ messages and he listened, enraptured, without interruption, to his mother‘s bedtime stories which assured him, by means of a solemn promise, that his father would one day return. The little boy would smile when Julia reached the close of a story, rarely demanding more but conscious of being loved, not only by his mother, but also by a father he had never seen. Each n
ight, after Alexander drifted off into a deep sleep, Julia would place a kiss on his dimpled cheek, gently stroke strands of hair from his forehead, tuck the bed clothes around his body and, as he drifted off to sleep, she would shed a silent tear. How could she be sure that her promises to Alexander would be fulfilled? She couldn’t. All she knew was to pray and pray some more.

  Chapter Fifty One

  Joshua Tullius Cicero and Amos Caelius Aquila, co-founders of Licencia ex Persecution are facing a dilemma. They have received several disparate reports concerning Ezra’s vir triumphalis and were heartened to learn of the apathetic reaction to it by a majority of the citizens of Leviticus. Nevertheless, trying to interpret Ezra’s true intentions was proving a challenge even to Amos, his brother, who justifiably should know more of the Great Leader’s character than those whose opinions have been formulated from less personal sources.

  ‘The future of LEP depends very much on the decisions we now take,’ stated Amos. ‘My brother is a very complex character easily persuaded to a point of view by argument that closely mirrors his own deeply ingrained ideas and ambitions. Since we were children our lives have been a constant battle between two incongruent schools of thought. We would argue over the most innocuous things, things such as which colour should our bedrooms be painted! I would suggest blue, he would demand red. It was infuriating trying to live with someone whose demands were always skewed towards how they best suited him, rather than considering the wishes of others. My mother used to cosset him as if he were a precious jewel to be constantly polished. She made sure that he was prominent in any gathering so that everyone present was always acutely aware of his presence. Consequently he grew up expecting everyone to acquiesce to his wishes.’

  Amos halted, aware that Joshua wore a look on his face that he had often seen on many people over the years.

  ‘I know, I know, I know,’ he said with an understanding nod. ‘It sounds as if my words are those of a jealous younger brother. And to a certain extent I suppose that is true, but as I have matured I have tried to step outside of the jealousy-induced scenario and have tried view everything from an unprejudiced, outsiders’, viewpoint. It has been difficult but the most difficult decision was to assist you in forming LEP, an organisation that is diametrically opposed to my brother’s thinking and to his style of governance.’

  Joshua held up a hand, palm facing Amos.

  ‘Please, please, my dear Amos, you have no need to explain. I am well aware of your family history and how that has shaped your character. Your willingness to help establish LEP in spite of it is to be applauded. You are a man of honour who has the courage to stand up for what he truly believes. It is virtues such as those which will be invaluable to our cause as we confront and answer the questions that will determine the future of Terra Nova. So, let us put away the past and instead look to the future and determine what our response will be to your brother’s devious machinations.’

  Amos nodded his thanks and took the seat adjacent to his friend.

  ‘We cannot under any circumstances reveal the names of the LEP members to my brother. Neither can we allow Noah and Richard to have their lives put at risk by coming out of hiding, until we are completely assured of their safety. As I have said before, there is no sincerity in my brother’s words or in his actions and we must not be tempted to do anything until we have irrefutable proof that Ezra has changed his ways. But, and this is the question, how do we do that? How can we possibly know what is really going on in that devious mind of his?’

  Joshua smiled.

  ‘There is a way,’ he said.

  ‘There is?’ questioned Amos

  ‘Yes, Esther!’ replied Joshua.

  ‘Esther? And how can Esther possibly help?

  ‘She has, often times, been taken into the confidence of your brother.’

  Amos looked unsure.

  ‘Was she not in a favoured position in the vir triumphalis?’ questioned Joshua. ‘There she was standing beside Marcus, immediately behind Ezra’s chariot. He would only approve such an exalted position with persons he knows he can trust beyond doubt. She has his ear. She can be a source of invaluable information as to his true intentions. Although she is but one of many female associates, she is the one he turns to in times of trouble, when he needs her comfort and reassurance. And of course Esther is a committed member of LEP! Need I say more?’

  Amos shook his head.

  ‘So, we sit back and wait for Esther to tell us if my brother is to be trusted? I don’t think so. He is far too shrewd to divulge his real intentions to anyone outside two or three of his most trusted sycophants, and we underestimate him if we choose to ignore that fact. While Esther may be of some peripheral use, the person I think we should look to is Obadiah for he has Ezra’s complete confidence resulting from years of working closely alongside him. Obadiah is in a unique position to keep us informed, but we must use the information he provides with utmost care otherwise he could be compromised.’

  His eyes were fixed upon Joshua.

  ‘So - are we in agreement?’

  Joshua returned the stare, paused a while and then nodded.

  ‘I bow to your personal knowledge and experience,’ he said. ‘We shall place our trust in Obadiah and pray he will be guided and protected by The Creator during this period of great peril.’

  Chapter Fifty Two

  Richard and Noah were cloaked in silence as they made their way to the house where members of LEP were beginning to congregate, in response to an order circulated by Joshua and Amos. The summons to meet en-masse was unusual, for it has always been a policy of LEP to restrict large meetings only to those occasions when something of monumental import was to be discussed. According to the message relayed to Noah and Richard, contained in a note slipped surreptitiously into Noah’s pocket by a passing stranger, they were to attend the meeting immediately at yet another safe house situated in the Via del Corso. When Richard asked how Noah knew which safe house to attend, Noah explained that each one, of which there were twelve, was designated with the name of a Latin month. When LEP summoned a meeting the address was never referred to because members were already aware that the name of the current month was also the designated address unless advised otherwise.

  ‘Consequently the current month is July, which is Julius in Latin,’ said Noah. ‘So we are heading towards the Via del Corso where will find the safe house known as Julius. I trust you now realise that we are not as obtuse as you would have us believe.’

  Richard half smiled.

  ‘Okay Noah,’ he said, albeit grudgingly. ‘I withdraw my remarks about lack of intelligence, but I’ll replace it with gross naivety, because that is what I see and hear displayed whenever I’m among the most noble of Terra Novans. You are all probably programmed to be naïve because of the genetic engineering that’s been going on here over the millennia. The need to question authority is no longer in your make up and that’s a great pity because the only way to confront authoritarianism is to question motives and, if the answers don’t make sense, that’s the time to take remedial action. That’s the way it happens on Earth - well in some countries it does but in others perhaps not... ’

  As Richard was speaking a large group of armed militia appeared at the entrance to the Via del Corso. Noah spotted them first and cut him short.

  ‘Richard keep walking, stop talking,’ he said ‘Take a left here. Don’t argue, here, left here, just follow me, quickly, quickly, quickly.’

  The cumbersome gowns they were wearing were a serious impediment to their progress as they began hurrying away in an attempt to avoid the approaching group of militia.

  ‘HALT.’

  Noah looked startled, shocked. He reached down and dragged the lower part of his robe up to his knees. Richard realised what he was doing and quickly followed suit. The shouted command from the corner of the Via del Corso, brief t
hough it was, sounded so threatening that it caused them to change from a tentative quick step to a high-stepping gallop. They ran up the narrow street like greyhounds after a hare, avoiding a group of men who were sat upon blocks of stone outside an open door playing what looked to Richard like five stones, a favourite game from his childhood. Noah was now a short distance ahead of Richard but, thankfully, of the militia there was no sign.

  ‘Quick, into this doorway,’ gasped Noah, slowing down to a halt and waiting for Richard to catch up. He pushed back the hood covering his head, swallowed hard, and continued. ‘I suggest we don’t go to the safe house. It looks as if Ezra’s militia is searching the district for some reason. I’d like to warn Joshua but I fear it would be dangerous so to do. Let’s get back to Trastevere as soon as we can - we must get out of these robes. Come on, catch your breath, and let’s disappear before they catch sight of us.’

  Richard, bending double, blew hard several times, placed one hand on Noah’s shoulder and the other on one of his own knees. He gasped, expelling the last remnants of spent breath.

  ‘I hate to admit it,’ he croaked, ‘but when I’m with you Noah there’s never a dull moment. Crazy certainly, but dull? No bloody way!’

  ***

  Obadiah Cornelius Scipio is sitting alone in the hall of the Secretariat awaiting the arrival of Ezra, The Great Leader, after being summoned to a meeting: a meeting he was definitely not looking forward to.

  It doesn’t take a much of a brain to realise what Ezra has in mind, especially after the debacle of the vir triumphilis, he thought, staring absent-mindedly at the threaded fingers of his two hands. What has it come to when this deluded man can suddenly announce the revocation of two onerous laws, and then expect those persons involved to trust his word, when we all know he is the last person on Terra Nova in which to place one’s trust? He is a psychopathic liar whose sole intent is to crush all resistance to his rule by any means whatever. By supposedly repealing the laws of Immaculation and Proscription he hopes to tempt those now in hiding to reveal themselves. Well, it is not going to happen and it is up to me to utilise my unique position of trust with this lascivious rogue in order to finally achieve what is now an unavoidable necessity: getting rid of the accursed megalomaniac - once and for all. But I have to proceed with utmost care... ..