What Exactly Is Reality?

by D.P. Allen

  Mike’s arrival with 25 armed men didn’t help the situation as many shrank back in abject terror. As if they had been waiting for his arrival, two wagons loaded with what appeared to be the personal belongings of the exiles came around a corner followed by a cart holding the three Elders.

  The exiles were herded down the street that connected with the North Road, as Mike had named it, by Hue and a dozen people dressed as he was. More Watchers Mike suspected. The wagons followed and then a mighty crowd of citizens swarmed behind Mike, his followers, the Elders in their cart and the guildsmen led by Erman.

  The procession traveled out of the city and fanned out as they crossed the area by the fields. At the place where the road continued around the hill, everyone came to a halt. The drivers left their positions with the carts and the exiles were told to take their belongings from the carts. Then, with Allas in the lead, they left the city lands for their trek into the unknown. Several had to be helped by their family members as they began trembling to the point that they couldn’t walk.

  No one in the crowd shed any tears at their leaving and more than one muffled cheer issued from within the crowd. It was obvious that these people had done many wrongs to the citizens to be given such a farewell.

  The throng began filtering back to the city and soon there were only several of the guildsmen, Erman, the Elders, Mike and his Protectors left to watch the empty road. Hue and his men had followed a short distance behind the exiles and in a while returned to say that the exiles had passed beyond the hill and into the open country to the north. So ends a sad time in the history of Tif’n, said Samu, as he looked Mike straight in the eyes, May our future be better. “Amen” thought Mike and as if reading his thoughts, “Amen” said Erman.

  The rest of the day was spent in celebration by the city. The warehouses were opened and the citizens took on the air of carefree children. Mike and Erman stood at the edge of the city “Center” as Mike found out the park they had passed through the first day was named.

  Mike said to Erman, It’s good to see them so happy, but this isn’t the end you know.

  To which Erman replied, No, it is the beginning. Everyone here knows that there is much work ahead before we can be really free from being enslaved again. Today they rejoice and tomorrow they work. If there really is a Deus, as the padre says, HE has certainly sent you to us. You have passed the first test and won many friends here today. I hope you can pass the other tests as they appear, for I am not one to give my loyalty and respect easily and I don’t want to be disappointed.

  Mike looked straight back into the very intelligent brown eyes and said, “Erman, your respect is something I would do nothing to lose. I tell you the same that I told Marcel. If you see me doing anything that you don’t think is good for the people of Tif’n, tell me. I am new here and I need all of the advice I can get. Any time that I do something you don’t understand, ask and I will explain. If you disagree, tell me. I want to help the city protect itself, but not to the point where it becomes worse than what it is being protected against.

  Erman’s eyes softened as he said, My friend, you can be assured that I will do that. You may come to rue your words, as this humble servant can be a mighty conscious for the people and you have just become one of my flock. With an exchanged smile, they joined a procession heading up the street towards the Government Center.

  At the entrance were many people going in and out. Those going in carried personal belongings, while those leaving had empty hands. Erman explained that the guildsmen thought it only proper to move the Elders into the recently vacated rooms, to save them traveling to the building every day. They had been chosen by unanimous decision to act as organizers and liaisons with the guild factions. They would be at Mike’s beck and call and give advice in all matters, as Mike should deem necessary.

  Are you moving in too Erman, asked Mike with a smile, or do you think the three of them will be sufficient “conscience?” Erman replied, I will be available any time you need me, but I have other duties to perform my over tall friend. By the way, did Marcel tell you that your personal things have been moved into the large rooms where you won’t have to worry about hitting your head on the doorways. I was asked not to mention how your Protectors got past your locked doors. Mike replied in the same joking tone, It seems that I have an interesting assortment of talents within the Protectors. Maybe you should have moved me into a shorter room so that my head wouldn’t become too inflated. Hmm, said Erman, I guess we could always move you if the need should arise.

  One other thing. By order of the elders and supported by the guildsmen, I wish to welcome you as the newest citizen of the city of Tif’n. I hope you don’t consider us too presumptuous, but you have been appointed Commander of the Defenses of Tif’n. Mike said, I’m flattered, but I think Hue would be better in that capacity.

  How about we just call me the tactical advisor to the Commander of the Defenses? Over his shoulder, Erman said loudly, I told you that’s what he’d say Gabre’. From the next room came open laughter from the three elders. Erman said, Test two, passed my friend. Welcome to your new home.

  Chapter 19

  Caution, men at work.

  Manpower it seems was the least of their problems. Mike awoke in the morning to the sounds of many people in motion. He quickly dressed and armed as he had the previous day and went to the front gate. The sight that met his eyes was one of total chaos. People were moving in all directions either singly or in groups.

  Is there some direction to this or is everyone running around in meaningless circles? Mike asked Erman, who had been standing by the front gate when Mike opened it as if expecting Mike at that very moment.

  Erman replied, The people have been organized into four groups according to skills, One small group is refitting the boats with catapult platforms, one group is heading to each bluff over the harbor entrance to build the firing positions for the catapults to be placed there and the largest group is heading to the road to build the defenses that you described for that area. The guilds have promised that they will have the catapults and ammunition ready for installation in the finished positions within 3 days.

  Mike couldn’t help but be amazed by the way these people were working together, but doubted that an industrial society, never mind this agricultural based group could meet the production schedule.

  Mike decided after dodging back into the gate for the second time to avoid being trampled by pick and shovel armed groups of citizens that perhaps this would be a good time to ask Erman about the Royals. So far they had been treated as a “boogie man” and he needed to know what their real threat level and capabilities were.

  Erman was more than happy to oblige giving a very detailed description of the very feudal system that had been in place since as long as anyone could remember.

  The system consisted of each city being ruled by a Bar’n from that city’s Government Center, with numerous subordinate Duche ruling small sections of the city. The Bar’n in turn was subordinate to the Rex and Rexes in Atʼlan, who ruled all of Joe'Ja. Each level in the hierarchy had its own court and followers managing all of the minor operations and each had their family members. The several thousand inhabitants of Tif’n worked to support about 75 Royals of different levels of power. All were blood related and no one not of “the blood” could aspire to a Royal position. Dalliances happened, but any children were rejected by the Royals as inferior creatures. There were probably no more than several thousand Royals total.

  The Royals had total authority and were all-powerful over a normal citizen and even could kill or have a citizen killed on a whim. The act of accidentally “violating” the body of a Royal by touching them would result in the offender and their entire family being cast into slavery or killed as the offended Royal wished. The younger male Royals, called “Duche” held a position similar to that of the old knights, riding their “mounts” everywhere and carrying razor sharp lances, which they would use against any common person who offe
red any insult or imagined insult to their authority.

  They were touted as the defenders of the city to justify their nonproductive presence. This was disproved as they followed the other Royals in a panicked retreat from the city when word arrived that the Spaniards were approaching the harbor in a boat.

  Stories were told that the Spaniards who had arrived at ‘Acon had been met by a troop of mounted lance brandishing Duche, demanding that the Spaniards make themselves subservient to the Bar’n of that city. Several cannon balls smashing into their ranks sent the survivors riding out the city gates never to be seen again.

  The common people of Joe'Ja had only exchanged one ruling group for another.

  The one thing the Spaniards had inadvertently done for the common people was to teach some of them to use crossbows to augment their small numbers in the cities that they occupied. The Spaniards didn’t fear the crossbows as their armor and own armaments made them seem impervious to the effects of the low powered crossbow bolt that was all the locals could handle, and they could use the locals so armed to capture any outsiders who came within reach. That had worked well until they had tried the tactic with Mike and his superior weapons. Having a weapon in one’s possession was punishable by death under the Royals. Especially one like the crossbow that might not be very dangerous to the Spaniards, but could inflict serious harm to a Royal.

  Word had it that most Royals had fled the coast and were now in the capital city of At'lan, but some were in the city of Alb'ny, which was the port to the west across the Shallows.

  Physically Royals and regular citizens were identical although the Royals claimed that they were superior both physically and mentally. No one could prove any different as the common people were not allowed to compete with Royals in any way and any attempt or hint of an attempt to compare them was punishable by death.

  Citizens were brainwashed from birth to think that they could not hope to hurt a Royal, which went further to protect Royals no matter how cruel. Royals never traveled on foot, always being transported in the carriages or when young by their mount. A mount was a species of goat used for riding by Royals and to produce milk and cheese. Any non-Royal caught attempting to ride a mount was immediately executed.

  The Royals wore no armor, as they felt invulnerable and far superior to the common people. They rejected any thought that anyone could or would even dare to attempt to hurt a Royal. Mike thought they might get a rude awakening should they attempt to return to this city. Their normal attire was of basically the same design as worn by the common people, but in the colors of bright gold and blue, which none but a Royal could wear.

  The fabric was made from the spun hair of an animal called a shp. The shp were raised in another part of Joe’ja and none were kept in Tif’n. No one in Tif’n had ever seen one, so Mike had to assume that a shp was probably a descendent of the old sheep and the fabric was simply a form of wool.

  The fabrics used by the common people were woven from the hair of the “Drafters”, which were the giant guinea pigs Mike had seen pulling carts. Sashes worn across the chest adorned with family crests represented the different ranks within the Royals.

  The Rex and Rexes wore white while their immediate family wore the white with a red stripe. A Bar’n wore pink and his family pink with a red stripe. The Duche wore light blue and their families light blue with a red stripe. All of their personal wagons and mounts were decorated in their rank colors as well as the small family crests which differentiated Royals of equal ranks.

  From the mindset of the Royals, it was probable that they would expect to return to their old rule once the Spaniards were gone. Perhaps we can use some adolescent psychology 101 to buy some extra time. thought Mike.

  Aloud to Marcel Mike asked. Marcel, do you know any boat captains who could be trusted with a very delicate matter?

  Marcel responded that he had a distant cousin who captained one of the fishing and before the deus arrived, trading boats. He knew every port and route along the coast and could be trusted to carry out any instructions exactly.

  Erman, asked Mike, What type of response do you think we would get if we sent a boat to Alb'ny to inform them about what has transpired here. From the coming of the Spaniards until their defeat. The messenger would also need to warn them about the new ruler of Tif’n who is the meanest son of a bitch in this or any valley and who eats Spaniards and Royals for breakfast.

  Marcel visibly paled when he heard Mike’s words, but Erman just chuckled. I would suspect, said Erman that the Royals in Alb'ny would posture for the citizens and begin preparations for an expedition to “save” Tif’n from the invader. They would also find numerous reasons to delay the expedition, probably under the guise of building up the defenses of Alb'ny to protect their citizens.

  I would expect that after a time during which no one had moved against them, they would eventually send a boat to investigate. The problem I see is that the boat sent to warn them would have to say that they had escaped and the trip would probably be one way. How could the crew find an excuse to leave to return to someplace where they were lucky to escape with their lives?

  Mike smiled and said, I thought of that and I think that the loyalty of citizens to their cities would give the crew a reason to be the boat to return to Tif’n to do an “investigation”. I realize that the crew must all be trustworthy and ready to stay in Alb'ny until the Royals make the decision to send them on a mission to see what was going on in Tif’n.

  I expect that the Royals would also want some of their own spies on board when the ship returned, but I’m sure we could handle that situation. If the boat never returned to Alb'ny from its mission, it would be written off as lost at sea or to enemy action.

  Marcel had been listening intently to the conversation and the color returned to his face as he realized what was going on. With a smile on his face, he said, I believe my cousin can find the right crew to accompany him on this mission oh meanest son of a bitch in the valley and may I suggest to him what to tell the Royals about your evening meal preferences?

  Mike said, Make sure everyone knows that this is a very delicate and dangerous mission. Many things could go wrong. One wrong word by any of the crew could lead to all of their deaths. They would need to go unarmed so that the Royals wouldn’t suspect that the citizens here have and know how to use weapons.

  They might find that the Royals wouldn’t let them return, preferring a boat and or crew of their own or might decide not to allow any boats to sail in this direction. This would be a volunteer only mission and preferably contain a minimum crew with as few ties here as possible.

  They must also be watching for Allas and his ilk. We don’t know where they went on the road. They may have gone north to the next deus city, they may have circled to Alb'ny, the closest Royal city or, some large and very nasty creature may have eaten them. The last is my preference, but until I see their remains, I can’t count on it. They must include in their tale that the new ruler had acted like he wanted to be a friend of the city until he saw that it was defenseless and then became the monster who now rules. That would fit well with the Royals line of thinking and be quite believable to them.

  Marcel left to speak to his cousin and Mike could swear he heard him giggling to himself as he left the room.

  During the afternoon Mike, Erman and the protectors watched the red sail of the boat as it sailed around the southern point of land and headed for Alb'ny. Good luck, whispered Mike while he heard Erman muttering what sounded like a prayer. Work was progressing at a much faster rate than Mike thought possible.

  The walls were being erected of sheets of the same material used for all of the buildings. They were set upright in parallel rows about three feet apart and tied together. Then the space between was filled with dirt. Then a liquid was painted on the seams between adjoining panels that glued them together with an invisible seam. A simple, but very strong arrangement that also spoke of much more advanced technologies.

  Mike made ref
erence to possible tunnels being dug under the walls in a siege situation and after a work foreman listened to Mike’s concerns, a trench was started that would be six feet deep and lined with the wall panels. Mike asked if such a light piece of wall panel could stop tunnelers and was given a demonstration.

  The foreman struck the panel as hard as he could with a pick and didn’t even dent it. The pick simply bounced off. Mike then drew his .357 and after everyone was warned about the noise, fired a bullet from a few feet away at a slight angle in case of a ricochet. The bullet didn’t mark the panel. The foreman also advised that the material was completely fire proof. Another enigma to catalog with the other inconsistencies in this society.

  Chapter 20

  Celibacy can be hell.

  That evening, Mike decided to use the “tub” in his new rooms rather than the shower on his boat. All traces of the Spaniards’ presence had been removed and the entire set of rooms seemed to have been disinfected and cleaned to spotless perfection. As he settled into the tub, several of the women appeared and began removing their clothes.

  Taken aback, Mike quickly hid his manhood under a cleaning cloth so that his natural reaction to the beautiful and perfectly female bodies didn’t show. He chased them away saying that it was a custom in his homeland to bathe alone.

  They left, but not before he got an extraordinary show of the diminutive beauties this land had to offer. He wasn’t actually that shy, having lost all embarrassment of being nude in front of others many years before, when the “Hot Tub” was the rage. His concern was to maintain a level of respectability equal to what he had promised.

  Cavorting with naked women would make him seem no different in his own mind than the Spaniards. The women might have been acting voluntarily in his case, or testing him, but that didn’t matter. He decided that perhaps he needed to find out if the normally tepid temperature of the tub could be adjusted to very cold!