After being in the centre of attention for a while, people slowly lost interest in him and he was able to start looking at the art. Most of the people like Abigail seemed to be ignoring the art work, preferring to drink and gossip to each other with occasional glances at the paintings and sculptures. This enabled Chris to walk around quietly, by himself, and look at range of art. Some of the paintings were very abstract giving a very thought-provoking quality to them. While others were beautiful landscapes and scenes of people about their life. One picture caught his interest keenly. It was an abstract picture of the concept of magic in space. This was a dream of many in this magical world, as the four magical pillars were earth bound. Their strength and power dropped as you moved away from the planet, the further into the void of space you ventured. This kind of concept had first started Chris on developing his theories of Ether.
As Chris was looking, a short man who had been watching Chris study the painting walked up to him. “If you have any questions about the piece, I would be pleased to answer for you. It’s one of my favourite creations.”
Chris turned to the man, and said “My names Chris Prof, I’m new to this art world, but this has really caught my interest. I couldn’t say quite why though.”
The artist beamed. “I thought you looked familiar, your image has been in the news all of today. If you like this, I have some more that based on a similar concept over here, would you like to look at them?”
Chris nodded and spent some further time with the man talking and discussing his paintings. After a while Chris said, “I would like to buy them and use them for some publicity. We have some of the up and coming products we will be releasing in the future that would fit well. If that’s okay with you of course.”
Chris managed to catch Sarah’s attention and she came over. After talking to the artist and Sarah for a while, he managed to start the process of using and buying the art for the company. Chris left Sarah and the man discussing the detail, while he looked at the art work, pondering the future and how he could help the vision of what this art represented come about.
The rest of the week was filled with more events in glamorous settings and evenings filled mostly with people just speaking at Chris and not actually having a conversation with him. Most of the people in the public spot-light, were very self-centred, focused on their own image. After several days, Chris grew tired of being around Abigail and her self-promotional temperament.
The last event was going to be a night with just Chris and Abigail going to an upmarket night club. Of course, Chris would have the guards monitoring him at this venue, but it would be only Chris and Abigail drinking and talking the night away.
As he was sitting in the spectacular night club, Chris again felt out of place. All the people were well dressed and moving happily from one group to another, like beautiful social butterflies. As with the past events Chris had been going to, there seemed to be no deeper relationships than what was shown on the surface.
Abigail turned up late but was dressed in a form fitting outfit with a short skirt. She seemed very confident as she walked toward Chris’s booth. The night started out with idle talk about this and that, but as they were talking, people who knew Abigail would come up a talk to her.
Abigail smiled confidently as if introducing some good idea, “Why don’t we play a drinking game with shot glasses, of the best whiskey from the bar?”
Chris looked at her concerned “I don’t want you to hurt yourself by trying to outpace me by drinking.”
Abigail smiled. “You don’t need to worry about me with this, it's you who should be worry. Are you up to the challenge?”
Chris acquiesced, and Abigail ordered a bottle of the best whiskey and a had two rows of shot glasses, placed in front of both of them. As they each started to drink, the object was to keep up with the other person. Chris would only drink a glass when Abigail drank one. After a few glasses Abigail started to question Chris more and more. When he avoided her questions about his life, she would encourage Chris to drank more. As his protective shield was mitigating any of the alcoholic effects on this body, he was not the slightest bit drunk. But as the drinks went on, Abigail’s words got more slurred and her behaviour worse. Abigail was trying everything she had to get the information out of Chris.
As her condition continued to worsen, her eyes were starting to get red and puffy. Soon Chris was sitting next to a woman with her face down on the table. Chris indicated for the guard to come over and said, “Would you please get somebody, to look after her for me and make sure she gets the correct medical treatment? I don’t want her left alone until she’s fully recovered.”
The guard nodded his head a started making arrangement. Chris walked out the night club past all the people in there expensive clothing thinking, “If this is the high life, leave me out of it.”
Chapter 11 Power Brokers
The article that Abigail eventually produced did not reflect badly on Chris and the Ether company. If anything, it raised more questions in the public mind than it answered about Chris. Most of the article was very superficial in its presentation, with a lot of pictures of Abigail and Chris together, with a great amount of rumour and innuendo about a possible relationship. This did not bother Chris one bit, as he knew that this would blow over shortly when nothing eventuated, and the public would be onto some other gossip soon.
What was more damaging and several times more bothersome were the politicians in the county, who were increasing their political posturing as they stirred up public opinion. Sarah was always reporting on editorial articles in news, decrying the limited supply of inscriptions from the Ether company, and how they were profiteering from this as they created supply and demand. More and more politicians were demanding action against Chris himself. His legal department was running a delaying action, but the county’s Senate was starting to organize hearings and demanding for Chris to attend.
Chris was glad for the delay, as it gave him time to put together a plan for his company and himself. For several months he had been developing a project in the workshop in the isolated cabin. Nobody knew what he was working on, not even Ben and Abby. In addition, Abby was opening branches of the company in every country in the world, as per Chris’s original direction. This might cause further trouble with more governments if he couldn’t get this sorted out soon.
It had been three months since the interview with Abigail, and Chris was again called to Abby’s office for another meeting with Sarah. Sarah was sitting quite nervously in a chair, opposite Abby, as Chris walked into the office. Chris sat down and pleasantly greeted the two women.
Abby started talking first with a grim expression, “Chris, the Senate hearings are next month, and we have just received a writ requiring you to attend in person. If you do not comply, then all the company's assets will be frozen, in this country and an embargo imposed on anyone that trades with us in the world. We have also had an invitation for you to meet the chief Senator on his private air yacht next week for a few days. Sarah and I think that they want to try and make a deal with you.”
Chris said with a slow smile, “Nice of them to invite me this time. The last time it was by force. If they want to talk and this situation can be diffused, it’s worth a try.”
Abby nodded in agreement, but said, “What about your safety? Do you think they will try and do something to you like last time?”
Chris said, “It’s almost certain they will, but I have confidence that I’ll be able to survive. But you must prepare the company for the worst-case scenario.”
Abby said, “We’re mostly ready to put your plans into action, but there is nothing in the plans about what you are going to do.”
Chris said, “I have that covered myself. While I’m on this trip, have legal prepare for the hearing in the Senate. Is there anything more to discuss?”
Abby said, “Nothing that won’t keep until this is resolved.”
---
Chris was in a black vehicle
, with some of his security force, on his way to the Senator’s private air yacht. It was moored in an open field with green grass. The yacht itself was about one-hundred-meters-long and fifty meters wide. It had four floors, and on the top, Chris could see an open-air swimming pool with palm trees. The yacht had massive thrust inscriptions inscribed across the bow keeping it floating. These lit up the ground with a red glow.
There was a ramp on the ground with a man standing beside it. Chris vehicle pulled up to the ramp and he got out and greeted the man.
The man extended a hand. “I’m Captain Blackmist, it's a pleasure to meet you sir. If you follow me, I will show you to your room.”
“An appropriate name for a captain.” Chris remarked as he took his hand.
Chris followed the Captain up the ramp and into the yacht. As he walked through the hallways the standard of the workmanship on the yacht amazed Chris. Ornate gold and wood carvings were inlaid across the vessel. Nothing seemed to be standard. The art work was all original and some of the art was from some of the world's finest artists. Chris was impressed with the whole interior decoration. It spoke of good taste, with enough money to do whatever they wanted.
His cabin suite included a dining area, lounge area and a bedroom on one side. The bed was very large, and everything was immaculate in its presentation. A stewardess was standing next to a small bar ready to serve Chris a drink. She had a similar uniform to what the Captain had on but had the looks of a top-class model.
She said in a polite voice, “Do you want a drink sir?”
Chris smiled and said, “Some water please, with ice.”
In a minute, Chris was given a solid crystal glass, with inscription ensuring it would keep the water at a set temperature. The ice was in small spherical shapes. The water tasted clear and fresh. Chris thanked her and sipped his drink.
The elegant woman said, “If you need anything sir you only have to inquire, using the inscription is on the table to call me.”
With that she left the room. The Captain said in a clear voice to Chris, “Dinner will be served at six o'clock this evening. It is then you can meet the Senator and his other guests. The stewardess will show you where the dining room is. We will be lifting off in about an hour.”
When the Captain left, Chris found a comfortable chair at the table and pulled out some research work to be occupy his time.
Close to six o'clock the stewardess led Chris to the top of the yacht, to an open area beside the swimming pool. There, there was a table elegantly set up with different plates and glasses, ready for dinner service. Around the table were three older men and a woman all chatting away.
As Chris was noticed by a tall grey-haired man he got up from the table and walked over to Chris and said, “Welcome Doctor Chris Prof to this little informal gathering. I’m Senator Maximillian Bond. Let me introduce you our little illustrious group of people we have here tonight.”
As the Senator pointed out each of the members of the group, they nodded at Chris in welcome. The Senator said,” That is Mr. Mack, Mr. Brown and Mrs. Wheelwright. They’re all the presidents of companies that your little products have been affecting.”
After the polite introductions were over, the meal started. Stewardesses appeared quickly as if out of nowhere carrying the first course. Polite conversation ensued as a wonderful meal was serviced. The topic of the conversation was often light and easy to talk about. Chris and the other guests were all intelligent and cultured and knew how to talk politely.
At the end of the meal, when they all were sitting around drinking coffee and other drinks, the Senator broached the subject that they all were here for. “Chris, as you know, you have been called to testify in front of the Senate next month and this meeting is to try and solve the issue before it all is in the public eye. To put it bluntly you have something we want control of and we are here to see what we can offer you for that.”
Chris said with a small, tight smile, “It was nice of you to invite me this time. As for control I will not give you it, but I have set out the terms of the deal and you can pay for it like everybody else.”
Mrs Wheelright pursed her lips. “I think you are missing the point of what we are saying, we want to control the inscriptions, not to be like everybody else and be at your mercy. There is no value in that.” She said in a firm, cold voice.
The senator nodded and said in a friendlier manner, “What do you want? Look around yourself, this type of luxury could be yours. We can make anything possible.”
Chris just said, “The deal is still the same, I will not give you control of the inscriptions.”
Mr. Brown’s voice was like steel, “It will go badly for you personally in the Senate hearings. We have the power to strip everything away from you and eventually force you into acquiescence anyway. Why not give in now? There is nothing you can do to get away from us. We will be able to find you anywhere in the world and eventually wear you down.”
Chris now frowning said, “I will not respond to threats. Thank you for the fine meal and the good company, while it lasted, but I will be leaving. Goodbye.”
With that Chris disappeared and reappeared in his workshops in the mountain. He had things to complete and now he knew the time limit.
---
The time had come for the senator hearing. Chris was walking up the steps to the senate house. He was thinking about the last month. Abby and the company personnel had been moving assets of the company around the world, while personnel who had wanted to had been moved to other countries quietly. The legal team had been using all the power of the justice system to secure the company in different parts of the world. Chris had a detailed briefing in his bag but was by himself coming to the senate. He had decided to do this alone. Ben and Abby were already in another country opening more offices.
There were crowds of reporters outside the doors of the senate house. As they pressed forward for any comment or reaction from Chris, he just responded saying, “You will hear what I have to say, in front of the Senate soon.”
A Senate guard escorted Chris to the room of the hearing. Chris was led to a table and lectern in front of a large semicircle of Senators. All had fine clothes, full of inscriptions, compared to Chris who had attended still in his casual clothing. All around him were cameramen filming every angle of the hearing. Behind him was an audience full of people.
After Chris had taken an oath on a truth stone, the hearing starting. The head senator started by saying, “We are here today for a hearing, into the person of Doctor Chris Prof and his company Ether. We are here to break the monopoly he has on the inscriptions he has developed and is selling through his company. Each Senator will have a chance to speak and then Doctor Chris Prof will answer some questions. Then the Senate will make a final ruling on this case.
For the next two hours, Chris heard speech after speech condemning his greed, unpatriotic behaviour and many more hyperbolic statements aimed more at the public audience than Chris himself. Chris was getting to be very sick of the self-righteous tone of the event.
Finally, the questions came, the head senator said, “Doctor Chris Prof will give up your control of the monopoly?”
Chris said, “No, I will not sir.”
The head senator said, “If that is the case, we have no option but to prosecute you according to the full extent of the law.”
Chris interrupted and said, “Before you do that, I would like to make a statement.”
The head senator nodded his head and said, “We will allow that.”
Chris pulled out large pane of glass from a bag and put it one a stand in front of the senator. The farseeing screen fogging up as Chris disappeared from the senate.
Suddenly he appeared in the mist in the farseeing mirror, with the earth in the background. He paused as he looked out of the spacecraft that was orbiting the planet. In his creation of the first spacecraft, Chris now had access to the large universe. He was determined to start the exportation of space, and he was excite
d about what he would find out in the great void. But first he had one last thing to take care of.
Chris spoke clearly to the people; his message now being broadcast around the world. “I am in an orbit around our world at the moment.” He paused to give everyone a moment to take it in. “We have finally travelled into the void of space. There are many inventions that I still have not released to the world. I have invented a new pillar of magic, to do with space and time which I call Ether. If you want to deal with me, it will be on my terms. All counties that freeze access or impede my company in any way, I will simply not have dealings with. For the counties that do not, I will be open to trade with. The choice is up to you.”
Additional book by Andrew Bardsley
The First Era: The History System Chronicles
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LDZSH9Y/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
A man is transported to a new world, given magical power, and left to survive. He has a bit of help, from a mysterious system with a none helpful personality. This book contains LitRPG based element as part of the magical system in the world.
Following is an extract from the Book:
They were both standing on the platform by the palisade, looking across the plains. As the light began to fade both of them could see a group of creatures walking up the hill in a disorganized crowd. It was the goblins. There seemed to be no organization and even some fighting. When the crowd was about fifty meters from the palisade, one larger goblin started to shouting and hitting others, forming them up into rough ranks. Ahava felt a cold sweat on his brow, but Olga was giving off an air of excitement.
Into the Ether Page 12