Annales Imperii - I. Ostiia

by Ted Mayes

  The pilot left and Amanda took the questions from then on. No, we haven't planned anything for your stay. If you try to go somewhere you shouldn't, you'll be stopped – otherwise, wander around and see what you want to see. Yes, you'll be allowed to go outside, but until you're much more used to the place, stay with the tourist groups. No, there's no passport or customs to go through – as far as the emperor is concerned, you're still in the empire, so there's no need for additional inspections. Yes, the same rules apply - no theft, no violence, no drugs, obey any Marine orders.

  Things quieted down then and Amanda returned and sat down, staring out the window at space. The stewards, male and female, came by for drink orders and Michael was able to tease Amanda a little when she ordered a soft drink, which led her to grimace and comment that maybe she was getting used to being continually surprised. Several diplomats stopped by to briefly comment on how comfortable the ship was and to make sure that they would be free to look around. Michael assured them that they were as free as they were in Ostia, and they were welcome to stay overnight and return whenever they wished to. One diplomat asked about communications and Michael said he'd been informed that cell service equivalent to Earth's was available, as well as a relay to Ostia that would tie them into the Earth nets. He encouraged them to try it out and give him their opinion of the service.

  The flight went by very quickly. Michael and his people got off the plane first, and the first person he saw was a young man in a clerical collar, apparently waiting for the ship's arrival. He walked over to the young man and shook his hand, “Vicar Jahneke, how are you? How's your ministry going?”

  “Doing well on both questions, Sir. Good to see you again.”

  Michael motioned Amanda forward. “This is Amanda, Vicar. After you're done getting the new immigrants on their way, would you please see to it that she gets to the urban praetor's for her interviews, and then put her on the subway to New Hope?”

  “Certainly, Sir. Good morning, Miss Ochs.” Amanda looked surprised for only a second, but then politely replied to the Vicar, as Michael and the praetorians moved away. They waited only a few moments for the few diplomats who would be accompanying them to join up. Then they moved down a corridor in the direction which signs said was the way to the subway and elevators.

  There was little discussion until they were in what looked like an ordinary subway car. Then, as the subway car moved off, the diplomats having gathered around Michael, they felt free to begin a conversation. “I'm very curious as to why you seem to have extended me a special invitation for this ceremony, this official dedication of a new ‘village’?” Stafford, the British envoy began.

  “I thought you, especially, would enjoy the scenery, as you will see momentarily. Don't worry, all of you will have plenty of time to look around after the ceremony, and, if you wish, you can remain here as long as you like and investigate to your hearts’ content. There is a hotel functioning here and several restaurants and shops, so you can return to Ostia whenever you want.”

  “Sarah Bering, US envoy, and may I present Malik Thon, representing the UN.” Michael nodded his head in greeting. “Since I'm sure that you realize how much new scientific knowledge the … empire … has, my government would like to begin negotiations toward attaining that knowledge.”

  “Actually, Ms. Bering, since my field of expertise isn't science, I really have no idea how much 'new knowledge' we actually have, but I will grant that we seem to be able to do some unusual things. As for sharing that knowledge, I believe that all the information that we have on Mars is being freely shared right now, and that arrangements are being made for international lunar experts to be brought up here.”

  “Yes, but the knowledge behind all these things you have not shared. For instance, I talked recently with one scientific expert who insisted that you must be able to control gravity. A preposterous assumption, yet I experienced no zero gravity on the trip up here, and have yet to experience the weak lunar gravity. I’ve also been assured that it’s impossible to get a ‘space ship,’ especially one that looks like an ordinary airplane, up to 150,000 miles per hour, especially without anything that can be identified as engines. Surely the knowledge of those things should be worth sharing.”

  “The emperor doesn't think so. He is of the opinion that releasing such information would not only increase world tensions – think of a new, greatly expanded arms race – but would also stifle ingenuity. By that I mean, to use your example, scientists would try to copy exactly what we are doing with, what did you call it, 'gravity control', rather than being encouraged to make their own discoveries.”

  “But, perhaps, the emperor would reconsider his position,” Thon said in an extremely silky voice, “if he were to consider how much the United Nations would approve of such an action.”

  Michael looked at him curiously. “Personally, I doubt that the emperor would do any such thing. Do you think that someone could force such a reconsideration?”

  “International sanctions and peace-keeping forces can make an impact.”

  “How curious that would be to see,” Michael said lightly. “International sanctions against an interplanetary force! Well, I see we will have to continue the discussion later, as we are coming into New Hope now.” The subway car emerged from a tunnel and came to a stop at a station under bright sunshine. The consul's party left the car and the station, walking down a path to where a crowd of people had gathered.

  “My word,” Stafford breathed, “I see why you extended the invitation.” His eyes continued darting around, looking at everything around him. “If this isn't an almost exact reproduction of a British village … I can't imagine a better recreation.”

  “Well, I believe the more exact term would be the 'transplanting' of an English village, rather than the 'reproduction.' As I understand it, this village was to be bulldozed for some kind of development. They were some of the first to inquire about farming here, and asked to immigrate as a group, and here they are.”

  They arrived at the place where the crowd had gathered and were greeted by the mayor who invited Michael to sit on the platform with the parish council, but he declined, saying that it was their show. He took the time to introduce Robert Stafford in particular as the envoy of the British government, and he was carried off to sit with the council. There was a speech by the mayor, an expression of thanks to the emperor, an invitation to join the tour of the village, and a gracious expression of good wishes for their future from Stafford.

  Then came the tour. The village itself, the main roads that led to the farms, the commons, the lake, the beginning growths of the 'new forest.' A return to the village. The site for the proposed bed and breakfast. The layout of the village and the surrounding area had been designed by the parish council and approved at the parish meeting. Answers to questions, mainly from Stafford, followed. There were 100 farming families in the village and 100 farms ringed the square mile the village stood on (five levels, twenty farms on each level). There was an internal debate whether to remain fully mechanized or bring in a certain amount of horse-powered machinery (apparently influenced by a nearby Old Amish village). The internal debate about how much tourism and 'outside' business to allow in. No need for a constable at the present time, though a friendly Marine non-com stopped by on a regular basis to check on things. No, the empire had provided whatever information and help had been requested, but their form of government was the same as it had been for centuries, and they were welcome to check the parish records.

  Following a celebratory drink at the village pub (and the information that the parish council was trying to decide if more pubs were needed in the village, and, if so, how many), Michael and the group returned to the station and the subway car that was still waiting there. They were accompanied briefly by the mayor, who expressed to Michael the concern of the village for a village church and curate. Michael's response was that he would send the Imperial Chaplain's Vicar to them, ASAP, to handle the details of requesting a c
urate, but, laughingly, said to start thinking about what kind of a church they wanted since, pointedly looking at the rocky walls of the cavern the village was located in, he was pretty sure he could supply all the stone they might need.

  The ride back to Capitol was quiet. Most of the diplomats talked in murmurs at one end of the car. Stafford still looked a little stunned and was muttering into a digital recorder, probably trying to get all of his thoughts organized. Tommy sat down next to Michael and said, “Looks like that pretty little village made an impression. Of course, the emperor knows that the news of New Hope will spread very quickly.”

  “I'd be very surprised if he didn't plan on that very thing.”

  “Tell me, Mike,” Tommy said with a grin, “do you think the emperor knows about your feelings for Amanda?”

  Michael thought briefly about directing a glare at Tommy, but, unfortunately, he knew from experience that doing so would have no effect whatsoever. “Once again,” he said heavily, “I'd be very surprised if he didn't – but, even worse, I have a feeling the empress has a hand in this.”

  Tommy let out a low whistle. “As I recall, the last time she decided to take you in hand was when you met Angel.”

  “Yeah, and I got saddled with you as a brother-in-law.”

  They were both quiet for a moment. “So, are you planning to surrender now or keep on fighting against impossible odds. I have to admit that Amanda seems like a good match for you.”

  “Ah, but, if you think about it, the only thing I can do is wait. As long as she's my slave, I can't put any pressure on her, and after she is freed and returns to her life, will she want to come back here?”

  As they began coming into the main station, Tommy clapped him on the shoulder, “Well, we'll just have to trust the empress's good intuition.”

  * * * * *

  It had been a week since the trip to New Hope, and how things had changed. She'd hated the interviews with the slaves, hated the idea that she could only give the chance for redemption to one of them, but she didn't have the choice to take all of them, so she'd had to pick one. They probably all could have done a decent job, but her 'gut' had led her to pick a young Columbian, Jorge Ramirez. They'd made it to the subway, guided by the Vicar, only to meet Michael returning. He'd told her to go out and take a look at the place, start breaking in Jorge, and then assigned the First to go with them – after handing First a copy of her article on him.

  It had been an interesting trip. First had read the article and exploded, shouting what nonsense it was. It hadn't bothered Amanda a bit, since she'd had plenty of experience handling her father and his tantrums. When Tommy had finally slowed down, she'd offered to rewrite the article, putting in more detail – then she began to read the citations for his honors. It didn't take very long before First backtracked, just asking her not to feature him again.

  New Hope had been beautiful, so beautiful that she decided the next article was going to be on the village almost as soon as she got off the subway car. She'd had Samuel record and she'd talked with everyone she could. The article began almost writing itself on the trip back to Ostia.

  The following week had been interesting, and she'd found she was glad she wasn't handling the reporters anymore. She found herself being drawn into the class discussions with Dr. Harrison. They were still ranging widely over the political writings of Western Civilization, Hobbes' Leviathan, Locke's Two Treatises, Machiavelli's The Prince, but during the last class one of her questions about the hidden status of the emperor had started a free-wheeling discussion about whether imperial children should also be hidden. Dr. Harrison had listed an astounding number of people 'ruined' by a royal childhood, beginning with Rheoboam, Alexander the Great, various Persian kings, continuing with Caligula, Nero and Commodus, touching the Merovingians, Carolingians and Byzantine emperors and continuing down to modern examples across the globe. He'd challenged the class to decide the 'best' time to inform the hypothetical imperial prince (or princess) that they were 'royal'. In school? In basic training? When they start dating? Before or after they're engaged? It was a fascinating discussion that arrived at no decision, but it did make Amanda really think about the future consequences of actions more deeply than she ever had.

  There were a couple of troubling things to be dealt with, though. Jorge had diffidently informed her that the reporters collectively were still hoping to have a response from her about the emperor's religion. That had been one problem, but the other had been Jorge's continued deference to her. She knew he'd worked out well with the reporters, because both Mary and Michael had complimented her on her choice, but he continued to act around her as if he were scared to death. She'd finally cornered him on it and had been shocked at his reply. He'd told her that he knew both Michael and Tommy from 'before' and that 'anyone the consul listened to and the First respected,' was going to get all the respect and deference he was capable of. She wasn't sure which surprised and terrified her more, that Tommy respected her, or that Michael listened to her.

  Which all led to her having an interview with the Imperial Chaplain on the day the article on New Hope came out, the day of the diplomatic reception. She made her way to Fleet Headquarters and found the appropriate office. Thankfully, Beth had reassured her there was nothing to worry about, but she was still uncomfortable.

  “Thank you, Chaplain Mueller, for seeing me.”

  “Not at all, Miss Ochs, I've heard so much about you, that I'm happy to have the opportunity to actually meet you.”

  She was jolted by his statement. “You've heard about me? May I ask what you've heard and from whom?”

  He smiled kindly. “You may, of course, ask, but as you know not every question is answered.”

  “Ah, another Imperial secret?”

  “Not exactly. Have you ever heard of a confessional secret?” She shook her head. “When a Christian is bothered by something, most often a sin, they may come and confess to their pastor or chaplain. By the strictest Imperial law, whatever is said in such a confession is never revealed – even clerks are 'blanked out' and unaware of what happens during such confessions.”

  She raised her eyebrows at the description of clerks 'blanking out'. “You mean if I were to confess to you, no one else would know what was said?”

  “Well, I believe you are categorized as agnostic, but a Christian would have that benefit from confession.”

  “Is the emperor a Christian?”

  “Yes, a devout Christian, and to answer your next question, I hear the emperor's confession. I also hear your Michael's confession.” She couldn't help the sudden interest at his last statement from leaping to her face. “And, no, I never discuss, or even hint, at what I hear in confession.”

  “There have been suggestions that, being a Christian, the emperor may force others to join a church.”

  “A suggestion that is not only wrong but surprisingly ignorant, Miss Ochs. Consider your own situation. You are a slave, the lowest social status, to the consul, the highest available office in the empire, yet have you ever been compelled to even attend church, let alone join one? Second, consider that in the Gospels, Jesus invites everyone, but compels no one.”

  “But, what about the Spanish Inquisition, and similar events. What about the Crusades?”

  “I could make a good historical argument that the Spanish Inquisition was the tool of the Spanish crown rather than the church, and that the Crusades were the Western reaction to Muslim mistreatment of Christians in opposition to some passages in the Koran. But, rather than get into arguments, let's just say that the Christian church has never claimed to be made up of perfect human beings, only forgiven sinners.”

  “Then there are no restrictions on religion in the empire?”

  “Only one. Most of the great problems in the past, like the inquisition you mentioned, have come about because the state wanted to rule the church or the church wanted to rule the state. The emperor is adamant about separation of church and state. Bishops who pontificate abou
t political matters, militants who want to compel public prayer or atheists who want to forbid public prayer, fundamentalists who demand Sharia law – all of that will not be tolerated in the empire.”

  “Atheists? They won't be allowed?”

  “Atheism is allowed. Atheists who insist everyone has to do things their way are not. Similar to the statement from the 60's, 'Not to make a decision is a decision', Miss Ochs, to proclaim oneself an atheist is to claim a religion.”

  “So, real freedom of religion, no government interference. What about the situation of New Hope, asking for a curate?”

  “I've already been in contact with the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and explained the situation and the restriction. I believe an Anglican clergyman will soon be appointed for New Hope.”

  She shook her head. “I have to admit, Chaplain, it all doesn't seem to make much sense to me.” She paused a bit. “Your … Vicar? … on the moon?”

  “A young seminary student, working with me. He helps get immigrants settled, leads worship services and Bible studies, hears some confessions and does some counseling.”

  “Counseling?”

  “Yes, sometimes people just want to talk or get some advice, so, sometimes we counsel people. It's not treated as a confession, but much like privileged information in an attorney-client relationship.”

  “So, if I wanted advice, you'd listen and give advice and you wouldn't tell what had been said.”

  “Not to your Michael, or anyone else.”

  “Who knows, Chaplain,” she said thoughtfully, “I may come back for some of your advice.”