Divine Deception: The Will Traveller Chronicals (34 page)

Then the new
Governor of Paterville, Miss Taylor, made what was the most
eloquent, simple and prophetic maiden speech in history.

“It would seem
that many things will have to change” She announced, looking around
at her colleagues as they rose to leave. In the long hours that
followed lunch, there were many questions, many answers and,
thankfully, many things agreed upon. Not the least important was
the decision to scrap all child birth and marriage laws. The women
of the New World would be free. Aware in their hearts that my words
were true and that my dire prophesies, if they didn’t change their
racist ways, were almost certain to be realised, Governors Rand,
Colloway and Cabot committed themselves to rapprochement with the
local populations.

“Remember to treat
their leaders with respect, for they rule over millions while you
rule over a few” I warned the three Governors. All now agreed that
a New World Order was needed and, with it, compensation, in the
form of knowledge and technology, rather than money, to those who
have been displaced and/or otherwise disadvantaged by the Supreme
One and his family. While it was difficult for most of them to get
their heads around the idea that individual human rights were
everyone’s entitlement, Captain Millwell and Zoran made excellent
and reasonably successful speeches, in favour of adopting a
Planetary Charter on that issue.

It was clear that
a far kinder and fairer world would evolve, once the inhumane
dominance of the Supreme One had ended. Hopefully, that would be
occurring very soon. All but Alpine Grand, Carabindy and Arc
Island, had ports and forces and they would each send one hundred,
well armed troops to Centropolis. I now had nine hundred men, from
nine of the twelve New World Nations, and the electronic and
logistical support of two of the remaining three. Just to make it a
totally unanimous action, Captain Millwell was to come in person,
with twenty of his best men. They would be transported by our four
T.T.V.s. A page in this planet’s history had been turned, now it
was time for Lord Robert to return to the Supreme House for the
second time.

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
Robert” 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.