Divine Deception: The Will Traveller Chronicals (35 page)

“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

“It is only
because you’re unarmed and not in uniform that you live” He told
us. The long haired, white giant, stood over two metres and had a
body any muscle pumper would be proud of. He wore animal skins,
sandals and had a huge medieval broad sword slung at his waist. In
his right hand he held a shining metal pole. He stood silently,
expectant, waiting for us to respond.

“You may be sure
that we are not armed” I began “Nor can your arrows or magic stick
do either of us any harm” I told him with a quiet, firm authority
“But we come in good will and I would speak with your leader” I
added, as I stepped toward the huge man.

“I ordered you not
to move” He growled threateningly, pointing the metal pole at
me.

I automatically
rose two metres, my golden halo came on and all but the big man
fell back.

“To fire upon a
member of the Supreme Family is punishable by death” My voice
boomed. Momentarily taken aback, but not cowed at all, the big man
looked up at me strangely.

“You are from
inside that accursed place?” He asked, his deep voice flat and
emotionless.

“I am Lord Robert
of the Supreme Family” I replied without any kind of superior
tone.

“Though I die for
it, this honour is mine!” He snarled, then fired a huge bold of
electricity at me, from the end of his metal rod. I felt nothing,
not even my kaftan was singed.

The poor man’s jaw
dropped first, then he did. Down onto one knee, head bowed, laying
his weapon down he awaited my retribution. My glow faded and I came
back to earth, then I walked on over to the now kneeling
warrior.

“My friend you
have truly suffered much at the hands of the people from in there
and from Centropolis” I told him gently, his men had faded back to
the tree line “You are truly brave and I honour you, now stand up
and let us talk” I added. Amazed, but with his dignity still
intact, he took my offered hand and got to his feet, then tried to
make himself smaller, so that he would not be looking down on
me.

“Stand tall and
tell me your name” I told him, adding “You owe me no deference”. He
took a step back and bowed from the waist “I am Golan of the
Mercan” He told me. His twenty or so men returned to form a circle
around us, at a cautious, respectful distance, while Golan led the
way to the village we’d been heading for. We did not speak until we
had reached the edge of the forest. When we stepped out of it we
were faced with several thousand men, women and children, now all
frozen and looking at us. Three people walked towards us, like
everyone else, they wore animal skin clothes and sandals, but
theirs were somehow more formal, looking more like robes than
clothes. The elderly man in the middle stepped up to Golan. We
could not hear what was said, but a moment later, the elderly man
stepped past him and stood with his arms folded, in front of
me.

“So you’re the
famous Lord Robert we have been hearing so much about on New World
radio” He stated, his high society accent, hardly what you’d expect
from a ‘savage’.

“I am” I agreed
“And you are Sir?” He was surprised at the title, but recovered
quickly. He stepped up to me, hand extended “Michael De Longueville
at your service Lord Robert” We shook hands “You seem remarkably
normal, if I may say Lord Robert” The old, but still ramrod
straight gentleman commented, as he led us to a large thatched
hut.

“Didn’t Golan
mention the flying and all that?” I asked, as we got to the meeting
place.

“Well of course”
De Longueville replied “Not to mention your blast at Forward One,
that scared the daylights out of my men over there” He added
smiling “But we have always known you people had some pretty
effective technology” He grinned at me.

“None of that was
technology Mr. De Longueville” Captain Millwell spoke for the first
time since our encounter with Golan “Lord Robert is immune, even
from the weapons of the Supreme Ones. He has come to end their
tyranny and liberate the whole planet” The Arc Island leader almost
intoned. He had become very much a zealot for my cause.

“So what will
change when you take over from your family?” The elderly leader
queried with an understandable touch of scepticism.

“I will not be
taking over Mr De Longueville. Have you not also heard my
speeches?” I asked him, he looked back at me blankly. We sat on
wooden, cane bound chairs in the animal skin ‘carpeted’, cool straw
building, as I told him and his male and female colleagues of what
had occurred and what we planned to do. After two hours of answered
questions he understood. Now it was his turn to tell us what had
really happened out here.

“About a hundred
and thirty years ago, Bill Carnarvon, used to run Carntown, a
coastal town with all the usual culprits” De Longueville’s voice
held disapproval “Suddenly, he turned up in Bascomeville” The
Mercan leader continued “My Father was the city’s mayor” De
Longueville told us “But Carnarvon just took over, killing anyone
who tried to resist.”

“Once he ruled
like a king, he had his men make all our people build his Supreme
City, as he called it” He went to continue.

“Bill Carnarvon
was the first Supreme One?” I interrupted.

“You don’t know
your own Grandfather’s name?” He asked.

“Well I do now, so
please go on” I invited the Mercan leader.

“Not much more to
tell” He replied “His State Militia drove all of us off our lands,
and forced us to live wild, because every time we tried to build
anything permanent, they came with those infernal flying craft and
destroyed it” He laughed, almost to himself “The irony is that, for
the past century, we have had to live like those our Forefathers
drove off, when they first arrived” Michael De Longueville told
us.

“Are there any of
those your Forefathers drove off still left?” I asked the Mercan
leader.

“Oh yes, dear me,
there’s most likely several million” He answered “We rarely have
any contact with them, but when we have, it has been quite
amicable” De Longueville added.

“Do those tribes
also have electricity and radios?” I asked him.

“No” Came his
answer “Nor did we until one of their transports crashed near here
a couple of years ago. That’s where Golan got hold of your electric
weapon” He explained, adding “We only use the radio to find out
what’s on in your world, when it works”.

“Golan said you
were the Mercan tribe, are there others like you?” Captain Millwell
asked.

“We are few now,
perhaps just two hundred thousand, but we are all Mercans, for that
is what our forefathers named this land when they discovered it” He
replied proudly. We talked on about many things, the wise old man,
the brave pirate and I, then, as dusk approached, we walked back
through the forest, to find a much relieved pilot and four
guardsmen about to come looking for us. It was early evening by the
time we returned. I requested a quick trip around the glittering
citadel of Centropolis City and then we returned to my T.T.V. All
the ships were now in port, so was Susan. Zoran welcomed us home
and then gave us an update on all that had taken place in our
absence; he was just waiting for news from Sharon. Within an hour,
Sharon came over, with Susan beside her.

The girls brought
good news, in more ways than one. Susan had come over to my T.T.V.
as soon as her ship had berthed and Zoran had taken her to the
“Alpine Grand” T.T.V. Clearly they had hit it off well, now Sharon
couldn’t wait to tell me she had ‘done it’.

“My dear Sharon” I
teased “I know you’ve done it many, many times, but which ‘it’ are
you talking about” I asked the bubbly blonde beauty. Sharon put on
her cross little girl face

“I’ve just done
what you said was really, really important” She pouted “I can cut
the Supreme House communications off from the rest of the whole
compound” She announced proudly.