Bold War 2020

by Redemption

  "Thanks for that answer, Rose," said Trevor. "It was thorough. I must remember not to ask you a question if we are short of time or feeling tired."

  =

  Raj was reticent. His background and culture did not prepare him well for forthright presentation to sell his ideas to groups. "There are many avenues I can offer for people to become healthy in body and mind and, if you wish, spirit. But I face two major hurdles. Western medicine has enabled control of infectious diseases, and its surgical techniques correct structural problems and emergency situations. So that now most of your remaining illnesses and health problems, perhaps 85% of them, are lifestyle-related. Your medicine treats symptoms rather than causes, and your prescribed drugs have side effects which can mask symptoms and cause dependency. However these illnesses will respond to changes in lifestyle and health habits, and these are fields in which I can make offerings.

  "Secondly, Western science, which has given you tremendous strides in technology and standards of living, carries with it an unfortunate passenger, or should I say ticket inspector. Because you reject things that cannot be proven scientifically, and this includes many Eastern disciplines, you have turned your back on sources of inestimable value to you, personally and for society.

  "My aim will be to convince you of things which will improve health, physically and mentally, and quality of life - in the non-material sense. My methods will be simple, practical and useful and can run parallel to and enhance other aspects you are looking at.

  "My most likely offerings will include yoga, meditation, tai-chi, proper diet and exercise. The thread which runs through all of them is balance of mind and body (and spirit), giving access to worlds of which modern man is only vaguely aware. We work on the inner and outer and higher person.

  "A final difficulty. We in the East believe this improvement will only happen when people are ready for it. Others say you cannot re-invent yourself. However Mr Buchanan thinks this is rubbish and we should not wait. I am willing to give it my best effort. I believe, strongly, that answers to the problems exist - it is just a matter of finding them."

  Kent: "You bet. Thanks Raj. Now Guy, as a relative new-comer, has put to me an interesting idea, and I have agreed to let him give you a little 'homework' for later." As Guy handed out pieces of typed paper, he added: "Instructions are attached. It won't take you long, and he guarantees interesting revelations from it."

  Trevor Urquhart asked, "Raj, I don't doubt the things you talk about are highly commendable, and beneficial for those who persevere with them, but why haven't they penetrated the Western world to any great extent over the past few thousand years?"

  "I can respond to that," said Kent. "It's because Westerners have either ignored them, or those that have dabbled have not gone far enough to get the full effect. Probably like me they've been too busy focusing on material things and the pursuit of affluence and influence, or distracted by our soft living style and entertainment. My recent experience with part of Raj's repertoire leaves me, once a confirmed sceptic, a convert totally convinced of its value and relevance."

  When his turn came Mario was far from reticent. "Can you imagine a world where everyone told the truth?"

  "No!"

  "Of course not."

  "Don't be ridiculous."

  Expecting the answers, he continued. "Once my machine is introduced some will tell the truth because they feel they have no alternative. But most, once they get used to the idea, will tell the truth because they find it easier, more fruitful in their relationships, and surprisingly liberating. Importantly, it will eliminate most crime and revolutionise the law. Knowing they have a high chance of being caught is a far greater deterrent to criminals than a severe sentence for which there is only a moderate chance of being apprehended.

  "Business dealings will become transparent - think of the stimulus to commerce when you can fully trust people. Politicians telling the truth would necessarily become - I know you will find this difficult to believe - statesmen. Absence of lies will put a stop to the cheats and system-abusers. It will eliminate the bludgers and snakes-in-the-grass of society. It will become a system of 'abuser pays'. (In these days of high-tech, we still can't achieve the social responsibility of a small village.)

  "It will stop tax fraud, drug-taking in sport and pop up in all sorts of ways and give enormous benefits to the community - fewer taxes for example. And Phillipa, people will become progressively more honest. Imagine what these things will do for your new philosophy?"

  "I'm trying," she said.

  "A new start. No more lies and deceit. Transparency. Trust. Just imagine."

  "It's certainly interesting," said Pip. "I can see how it would underpin self-regulation by conscience and morals. But I can also see problems. Compulsory lie-detection tests sound too much like a police state. It won't be plain sailing."

  "Guy and I are looking at ways of addressing this type of concern. Somebody famous said nothing worth anything is easy. Now Mr Buchanan is helping us it will be less difficult. Our task will be to deliver benefits of a fundamental but radical concept - a world of truth - without becoming a police state. I have seen how democracies can be taken advantage of, savagely and remorselessly, and I know my truth machine will be an important weapon to help democracies. Frankly my main purpose is to maim the Mafia. All the foregoing is, for me, a spin-off from that aim. I express it because I know that you are more interested in that direction."

  Guy: "Imagine the airline industry problem - it could be solved in a single blow, before you'd have time to say 'hijack'."

  "I'm not sure I'd want to go through the truth machine every time I wanted to fly," protested Yvonne.

  That's all right," responded Guy. "You could travel in a later plane with the others who didn't want to face the machine".

  After a silence during which Yvonne and the others digested what sort of people might be fellow-travellers in the later plane she replied, smiling, "I've changed my mind."

  Guy again: "An accurate and foolproof truth machine could have wide application, not only for crime and the justice system, but in areas as diverse as customs, licensing of guns and drugs and international diplomacy. Statements made under oath would be totally meaningful. Imagine journalists and lobbyists, for example, having to present truthful accounts. And in religion? - we'll leave that aside for the time being.

  "This machine, I predict, will permeate society. It will purge and purify and become indispensable. And we will all be much better off once we get used to it. By the way, strictly speaking it is a lie detector rather than a truth machine. Sometimes people may not be aware they have not told the truth, but they always know when they have told a lie."

  "How will you attack the Mafia?" asked Xena, interested.

  "They thrive on fear, lies, cheating, distrust, suspicion, all under the cloak of secrecy," said Mario vehemently. "A world of truth will blow them apart."

  "But what is the danger in following your path?" asked Rose. "It's all very well to try for those commendable goals, but not if we are going to get 'bumped off'. Already there have been casualties."

  Before Mario could respond Kent intervened. "Safety is my responsibility. I have a strong security department. Their eyes and ears are everywhere. They will ensure none of us come to harm. While you are here you have the full run of the house and grounds. There are fifty acres in which to roam, but I must ask you not to leave the estate."

  ~

  While he was speaking more shadowy figures appeared and moved among the bushes outside the boundary fence. Their stealth and purposeful movements and the outline of menacing weapons presaged evil.

  ~

  "Pip - would you care to follow?"

  "Yes, I developed a 'code' because I found none of the existing philosophies was sufficiently relevant to me and most were rather 'dead'. They neither inspired me nor showed a positive or practical way to lead my life. I have borrowed from many and come up with a composite that will give me and enable others to
find a more fulfilling life in modern times."

  "But what you are embarking on looks suspiciously like social engineering, changing people's lives," protested Trevor.

  "No, I don't want to change people per-se. I prefer them to be able to change themselves, to have the opportunity, the choice to do this - if they want to. I seek to prise apart the curtains of ignorance, open windows of understanding and doors of opportunity. Unlock their personal treasure chest so they can sample the contents. But no compulsion, purely voluntary - give them a chance - if they want to. That's where the marketing will come in. I want them to want to change for the better.

  "Rose's Pow got me thinking," Pip added. "I have decided to expand my Social Entropy into 'Sed', standing for Social Entropy Disease. I hope Sed sounds a bit sinister, because it is. It's everywhere, hidden, lurking. It sneaks up on you, catches you unawares, enfeebles you and pulls you down. And you don't know you've got it - doctors and psychologists can't even diagnose it. And like other diseases, it is catching, but the disease analogy is also apt in that there is a cure.

  "The antidote is 'Des', meaning Dynamic Enlivening Syntropy. Des is only a young lad, but he's alive and well in this room tonight. I know he's rearing to go, to get his teeth into this thing." ("Go Des!" somebody cried.) "Des has two main tasks. In the short term to limit the damage we routinely wreak upon ourselves through Sed, this apparently congenital weakness. Secondly, and more importantly, to root it out in the long term to allow our natural strengths to flourish, with a little fertiliser if necessary."

  Pip continued. "And the rest of what I've heard tonight is fantastic. If I could find ways to incorporate Ed's Pals - well, it would be a great boost. As would aspects of Raj's input. They both contribute to achieving one's potential in differing ways, as I hope my 'code' does. What a combination! As I said, I'll have to give thought to the 'truth' input. And I'm sure Rose will continue to help."

  At a nod from Kent, Rick stood up. "Summarising briefly, as we don't want to prolong the first evening after your respective travels, I see areas of commonality and congruence and convergence, with just a few differences of opinion. Undoubtedly there will be a variety of hurdles to overcome."

  "A yeasty and spawning brew," commented Pip.

  "Protean and seminal," added Rose.

  "Yes… " continued Rick. "Dictionaries are available in the library. Strongly evident is the unused abilities and power of individuals you would like to draw on. You agree there are world problems and need for resolution, for action. I see there is wide scope to interact, to build on each other's ideas and arrive at a composite multi-faceted approach that we can put our joint efforts behind. Tomorrow will be interesting."

  Earlier Charles had approached Kent and whispered in his ear. When he repeated the act Kent spoke. "Friends, we have only just begun and already it has been most stimulating. Before we finish for the day I have something to show you. Charles, it's getting dark, will you draw the blinds?"

  ~

  Christiana reaches to the controls and stops the film. "Andrew, you're very tired, it's time for you to sleep."

  "Yes, you're right," he murmurs, trying to yawn.

  "What's your view regarding progress?" she asks. "Would you care to make predictions at this stage?"

  "Maybe tomorrow - when I'm fresh. Looks promising. He's assembled an interesting team. There are plenty of obstacles but I suspect he has a few aces up his sleeve."

  "We'll see tomorrow," she says brightly. "I trust you have a good night's sleep," tucking him in. "There are surprises in store for you."

  CHAPTER 16 Hellfire

  Andrew sleeps fitfully, dreaming of a black monster, a dragon breathing fire and destruction. He wakes to morning light and nurses, ablutions, feeding, clinic routines.

  Cameron visits briefly, exchanges a few cursory words, checks instruments and leaves quickly, mumbling about important meetings. Andrew feels anxious, uncertain about the turn of events and the part he is to play in them. He is starting to fret when Christiana appears - fresh and friendly and… reassuring. His spirits rise, as does a mound in the middle of the bed.

  "Morning Andrew, hope you are well," she says brightly, pretending not to notice. She did note that he seemed to note she didn't notice - or was it that he didn't notice she did notice?

  "You're sweating," she says softly as she wipes his forehead.

  "Bad dream. Fire and damnation."

  He sees her surprised reaction and wonders.

  "Do you want to do your predictions now?" is all she asks.

  "I've thought about it - yes, I do. Let's get on with it."

  "Good. "We'll do it by ten indicator categories for which we have accurate statistics, if that's OK."

  She projects a table on to the TV screen.

  The categories and wide scope of the list surprise Andrew, but he rises to the challenge of the 'interesting' experiment, boosted by an accompanying adrenaline charge.

  "We'll start with crime," she says. "What relative level would you say it has now reached in 2040?"

  "I think the influences likely to increase crime would have grown substantially, but at the same time I believe factors applied around the world, including, I have to say, by Kent, plus new technology, will have served to keep a lid on and even reduce it somewhat to, say,…… eighty percent."

  "Wars?"

  "Similar reasoning, but with a central body like the United Nations in place, hopefully stronger, more decisive and more active than when I knew it,… despite reservations, I'd say down to about sixty percent."

  "Given what I understood to be your views a generation ago, might not one be forgiven for suggesting your estimates are perhaps a little optimistic?" queried Christiana. "Or are you trying to stay on the safe side?"

  "Neither. I used to call myself an optimistic pessimist. Nothing's changed," raising an eyebrow in mock surprise.

  "Substance abuse?"

  "Ah, hard to say, but with the momentum it already had and it's socialising aspect, I'd estimate a sizeable increase. No, wait, I think more laws may have been brought into effect, reducing its rapid rise. More responsibility. I'll say… 110 percent.

  "Unemployment. That's difficult to guess. I would say that jobs created by technology will have made up for jobs lost because of it. Make it 100.

  "I forecast that welfare costs will have risen substantially, in line with people's expectations of a modern society. 120.

  "Income taxes - I say someone will have made a breakthrough to halt the inexorable rise of taxes. Even though welfare will be up, I'm sticking my neck out to say there will be savings elsewhere and taxes will have been kept down to 100."

  Christiana comments: "Interesting, Andrew. The next two items, education and quality of life, are less objective but we have reliable ways of measuring them so give me your estimates. Figures above 100 indicate an improvement."

  "Of course. Ordinarily I would say it's too difficult to measure in both cases, but for the sake of the exercise I'll predict 140 and 120 respectively. There's the optimistic pessimist again."

  "Yes… perhaps materialism and democracy will be even more difficult for you to assess," she says.

  "Agreed." After a long pause he adds "No change in materialism. While there was strong pressure for it to increase, it had already progressed so far in the Western world in the twentieth century. What with advertising and other pressures I felt it was probably nearing saturation. I say 100.

  "Democracy… that's very hard. I'm going to stick my neck out and estimate 120!"

  "That's fine," Cristiana says. "Now that you've made your predictions, let me show you more of the film, one of the surprises I told you about. And yes, to answer a question I know you'll ask me, everything you see in the film is an accurate representation."

  ~

  The film started with Charles pulling down the blinds, then switched to the dark road outside the manor's perimeter fence. Two heavy darkened vehicles moved quietly to positions along the fence behind
a third black vehicle - a limousine. Quietly and efficiently men in black moved about. One took up a position at the fence with a long tubular object. Others removed tarpaulins to reveal strange equipment, briefly silhouetted against the manor lights before the blinds were drawn. A fourth darkened vehicle purred to a halt out of sight of the others.

  Within three minutes movement had ceased. After a brief pause the man at the fence lifted the object to his shoulder and pointed at the manor. A bright red streak of flame erupted from the tail of the bazooka and a rocket streaked in the opposite direction. Two seconds later it shattered through the dining room window and exploded.

  As flames burst from the building a missile launcher was fired. The heat-seeking projectile homed in on the dining hall fire and ejected its cluster incendiary heads to burst in a wide arc. Rapidly other cluster missiles were fired at the enlarged fire, spreading it further. The process continued until the manor house in its entirety was engulfed in raging flames.

  ~

  Andrew 'feels' the intense heat of the fireball sear his eyes as he watches the film, horrified. Aghast, he sees the three vehicles speed off into the night. How devastating! Excruciating! What a terrible way for Sylvia and Kent and the others to die! Damn the underworld! Why did they have to be challenged? Playing fire with fire! A small light of hope for the future of the world, engulfed and extinguished in an inferno. Like Mario's house in Naples. Damn! Damn! Damn!

  Anguished, he looks at Christiana who has switched off the film and sits, impassive.

  "You should have warned me. He may have had his faults but did Kent have to go that way? Snuffed out? Sylvia too? What he was trying to do was highly commendable, although there was wishful thinking and naivety. Trying to engineer human nature, simplistic solutions. If I had known this my projections would have been entirely different. I was beginning to see hopes and possibilities, now they're totally dashed. (Shot down in flames.)"