The more he read it, the more shocked Mr. Pepper came. He couldn’t believe that his signature allowed the legal actions to let the animals live in peace and never be turned to meat, allow them to work voluntarily, provide them free healthcare and provide free education for all the little animals among others. Not just the animals in England or the British Isles, but every creature around the entire planet. He also saw that he had signed the documents to make every G.C.A. city world heritage sites and on behalf of the entire United Nations.
“What were you thinking, Jake?” the Prime Minister snapped at his Secretary of State for Defence as he read the documents with him.
“I didn’t know I did it,” Mr. Pepper protested. Then he angrily turned at his daughter. “How did you get me to sign these?”
“Remember all those birthday cards you asked me to get you to sign for every colleague when it was their birthday when you were prime minister five years ago?”
Her father nodded. Then he realised when she used got birthday cards for fake colleagues, she hid the legal documents onto them so whenever he signed a card, his signature would be on the documents instead. He checked the dates on the documents; he signed them during his five years of prime minister.
“You put your mark upon it,” his daughter explained. “So now you know this entire organisation is all legal, protected and not a forgery. And need I tell you why I helped Lukeson, Skipton and Tugson start the business in the first place?”
She got her answer when the politicians turned backed to Lukeson.
“Okay, you’re clear with the charges of illegal actions, Sergeant,” said the UK Prime Minister.
“And we would love to have this tour you offered us,” said the US President. “And I can now promise that no harm will come to you or your animal friends from us humans.”
They heard shouting. They turned to see two teen boys in suits each chasing Pedro and Larissa.
“Come back here, feather brain!” one of the teens chuckled.
“Leave us alone!” Larissa yelled.
“Have you no sense of fun?” called the other teen.
“Are we too fast for such stupid spoiled brats like you guys?” Pedro yelled.
“Pedro, you just insulted the children of the most powerful woman in the world!” Larissa cried.
“Powerful or not, they are slower than us!” Pedro cried back. Then his proud feeling vanished when he was picked up by one of the boys, who looked very angry.
“What the hell did you just call us?” the teen roared.
Pedro gulped.
“Oh, you’re scared now,” the teen chuckled. He reached for Pedro’s feathers, but the teen was trapped in a metal net. Pedro was free.
The other teen was trapped in another metal net and Larissa was free too.
The penguins looked at Rustom approaching them. They noticed the President’s sons cowering as he went to them.
“You mess with one animal, you mess with the entire kingdom,” the rhino warned them.
The boys cowered again, as he left them in the nets.
“Rustom, you saved our lives,” Larissa said. “Thank you.”
“This is the first time I saved lives without having to kill someone else,” Rustom said proudly.
Pedro hugged him around his right leg and Larissa hugged his left one. The rhino patted them on the head.
“Pedro! Larissa!” Lukeson called. “What was all that about?”
“These spoiled, stupid numskulls in the nets were trying to steal those eggs.” Pedro pointed to a wooden apartment that served hens and cockerels. “So I went in to stop them from killing unborn babies and –”
“I wasn’t joining him,” said Larissa. “I was trying to get him out of –”
“Quiet!” Lukeson snapped. “Did you realise that the most powerful person in the world is in one of our secret towns and you guys have just made us look bad?”
“No, they haven’t, Sergeant,” said the US President. Then she smiled at Pedro. “You are right about my children being spoilt and stupid, young penguin.”
All the young penguin could do was blush. Larissa was disappointed when she got no praise for helping him save the eggs.
“I agree, Madam President,” Rustom said. “I would even call them complete –”
Mengy used her trunk to flick the rhino’s big horn. It hurt him enough to shut him up.
Lukeson turned to the US President. “Why did you bring your kids with you all the way to this city, Ma’am?”
“A mother is any mother who wants to protect their kids from harm, not matter how spoiled, difficult, toxic or stupid they can be,” she replied.
“I wouldn’t say that, President,” Rustom said. “I think there are some who are not worth –”
“Stop trying to sound so smart, Rustom,” Kathy snapped. “We don’t need to be under any more pressure.”
“Mom, get us out of here!” one of the teens yelled.
“Not until you guys change who you are!” the USA President yelled back. Then she turned to Lukeson. “I have already seen that these animals have many qualities. They are capable of standing up for themselves and being disciplined. But I must warn you; if anyone of you is found guilty in accordance to the recent world war, we will have no choice but to close down these premises, arrest and sentence you all to die.”
“We?” said Kathy.
Then everyone saw that the UK prime minster and the USA President were joined by another group of people – a very important group of people. Paula pointed out that the remaining world leaders were the human prime ministers and presidents from Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Japan, China, Dutch, Brazil and Greenland.
After a whole minute of thinking, Lukeson approached his commanding officer. “All right, sir. At best, we can make this work and build a stronger connection with the humans. At worst, we will die honourably after what we did for the sake of the planet.”
Tugson sighed. “Very well.” He turned to the world leaders. “This way, sirs, madams.”
Everyone followed him and the tour began.
* * *
Tugson was sweating as he faced the human world leaders at the Victoria G.C.A. headquarters meeting table. The building was like the Log Scraper in Blackpool, but only half its size. The meeting room was more working class size than his Blackpool office but was very clean and big enough to fit everyone in. No one had even hit their heads on the tree branches hanging from the ceiling so Tugson was relieved that the room was high enough. He didn’t know what kind of trees they were; all he knew about them was that they were evergreen.
Tugson and Lukeson had finished showing them the entire of Victoria Wooden Underground City. All the log houses, the farming areas, the factories that can make anything out of wood and all powered by reliable renewable energy. But it wasn’t just his organisation and the lives they look after he had to worry about; it was also the lives of the sea and the sky as the human world leaders and soldiers had now seen two mermen and a wingwoman.
Tugson quickly looked at the window behind him. He could see the animal citizens, Squad J and the Victoria Wooden Underground G.C.A. Squads among them trying to calm them down, were just as worried about their future as he was. He was relieved that all the human soldiers were with him and the human world leaders in the room instead of bullying the animals outside. He crossed his fingers for the future of G.C.A. as he turned back to face the world leaders. “Well, ladies and gentlemen, what do you think?”
“Your organization is… wonderful.” The US President smiled. “I see that not only do you find these animals who can walk and talk like us and shelter, feed and educate them, but you also solve mysteries, some that us humans don’t even know about, let alone try to solve.”
“Without damaging the environment,” said the Dutch Prime Minister. “That’s a big bonus.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Lukeson.
“And you give them job opportunities, even though it’s voluntary and t
hey don’t get paid,” the French President added.
“Everyone needs a purpose in life and a desire to prove their worth. That’s more important than all the money on the planet.”
“So the good news is you can keep your lives, your organisation and your jobs,” said the UK Prime Minister.
“The way it is?” said Lukeson.
“Yes. Why?”
“Because I just thought that after what these animals have been through for the last two weeks –”
“That we would welcome them to the surface?” The US President sadly sighed. “If only that was easy.”
Lukeson had just won one war; he was in no mood for another one. “Why?” he demanded louder than he intended.
The human soldiers aimed their guns at him, but the U.S. President ordered them to halt. “I know you’ve been through a lot these past two weeks, Sergeant. But we can’t go back to the surface and tell our species that we have to live with talking animals. Especially after this war. They won’t take it very well.”
“But these animals, mer-folk and wing-people are the heroes behind the war,” Lukeson protested. “You come in here, try to kill us, seize our property and say that they have to stay underground for the rest of their frustrating lives?”
“Sergeant Lukeson, watch your tone,” Tugson warned.
“It’s okay, Captain,” said the US President. “It’s our species that’s the problem, not your friends. There are still some problems with racism, sexism, disabled people, immigrants and everything today. Most humans are incapable of change. So welcoming the animals to the surface is not what they need right now and it will be more hard work than it will be worth.”
“We don’t keep them here just to protect them from the dangers of the Earth’s surface,” said Lukeson. “Our organisation isn’t like an assisted home company. We provide them with education and laws, your laws, so that in the future hopefully, they could be civilised and blend in with our own species.”
“That is why we thought that if your organization works for the United Nations, all the world leaders and their armies, Global Creature Alliance will finally be to advance and there will more opportunities for your citizens in the future.”
Lukeson thought his ears were full of wax. He wriggled his finger in them to make sure they were clean as whistles. “Excuse me, Madam President. I thought you said you wanted us to join you?”
“You heard me correctly, Sergeant.” The USA President got out a document and gave it to Lukeson. “If you agree and sign this, we swear we will let you guys do your own thing and not turn our back on you. Your organization and its properties will still be world heritage sites. We also swear not to interfere with your friends from the sea and the sky and their properties if they sign it. But they and their species will have to remain hidden from the rest of the human race as well as your animal friends because you know otherwise.”
It took Lukeson five minutes to read the document, not because it was long which it wasn’t, but he had to reread it three times to consider signing it.
“Just be grateful that we are resisting turning the animals into meat, clothing and curing for diseases among many other things,” the UK Prime Minister said. “Many humans would crave for those.”
Lukeson waited for someone to say they found their new plant-based medication they had seen on their tour very impressive, but no one did. He gave Tugson the document to read and he looked at Louise, Chris and James. They all exchanged worried looks.
* * *
The G.C.A. citizens had been waiting outside the Victoria Headquarters for hours. They were worried as they didn’t know what was going to happen to them now they were discovered by the humans.
“I don’t know what’s more tougher for Lukeson today,” Pedro said. “Stopping the Cult of Kishpu or negotiating with the humans.”
“Oh, that’s easy,” Larissa said. “It’s the… It’s the… I’m sure it’s…” Even though she didn’t say it, everyone knew she gave up.
“Well, let’s just say both are tough,” Kathy said, “and we are all lucky to have Lukeson to lead us through both.”
“Aye, too right, lass,” Stu Pot agreed.
Then Squad J and the G.C.A. citizens went silent as Captain Tugson, Sergeant Lukeson and the world leaders took the big wooden stand in front of the building.
“Citizens of Global Creature Alliance,” said Tugson, “as you know, for one whole decade, we have been hiding from the surface of the Earth for our own protection. But now we have been discovered by the human world leaders and their armies. The bad news is we have to remain hidden and be under their supervision from now on.” He expected all the boos and the angry roars from the citizens he was getting. “BUT!” He was not defeated yet.
Everyone went silent.
“The good news is that G.C.A. will receive extra protection from the United Nations as well and we will be still able to do our own thing. We will finally be able to improve your lives, your education, your employment opportunities and make each and every single creature on land, sea and air the healthiest and happiest they can ever be.”
The animals cheered and applauded.
“Yes, I am proud of the negotiations we made with the land leaders. I am also proud of the ones we made with our sky and sea ambassadors.”
The animals applauded more, as Chris and James, still on their jetpacks, and Louise bowed to them.
“And thank you all so much for support,” Tugson said to the citizens. “Now, Sergeant Lukeson has a few things to say.” He wheeled off the stand.
Lukeson cleared his throat as he stood on the stand. “Yes, getting through this war has been an achievement for every living thing on this planet. However, I have fought through it with some very gifted animals who risked their lives to save the world and I have some special rewards to give to them.” He turned to Squad J. “Pedro Guzman.”
Pedro approached the sergeant and was given a wooden medal painted gold with a light-blue ribbon. It also included his name on it. He saluted his sergeant.
“Well done, Private,” said Lukeson.
“Private, sir?”
“Yes, welcome to the club.” Lukeson proudly shook wings with him.
“Thank you, sir.” Then the young penguin proudly joined back with Squad J who congratulated him.
“Larissa,” said Lukeson.
Larissa approached and saluted him. She was very proud to be given her golden wooden medal with a pink ribbon and the rank of private.
Lukeson announced the names of Paula, Mengy and Kathy and presented them with wooden golden medals with their names on. When he called Rustom over, Lukeson pinned on his jacket a different kind of wooden medal.
“Global Creature Alliance Medal for Distinguished Bravery,” said Rustom.
“Want me to take it away?” Lukeson said. “It’s one of the biggest medals in this company.”
“No, no, I didn’t mean it like that,” said Rustom. “It’s just in all my immortal years I have never been rewarded anything at all. Not even a birth certificate.”
“Well, you stick around here for a few more years, you can get more achievements and even better than this one, Private,” Lukeson said.
“Thank you, sir.” Then the rhino quickly saluted and dashed back to the group.
Lukeson was amazed. That was the first time Rustom called him ‘sir’. He wondered whether he meant it or if he was still up to something. Despite the rhino’s help to end the war, he still didn’t trust him completely. He knew he still needed to keep an eye on him. “Potter.”
Stu Pot approached him, but he didn’t get a medal. A green cotton hat instead. “A hat, sir?”
“That’s right, Corporal.” Lukeson smiled.
“C-C-Corp-Corporal?” Stu Pot couldn’t believe what he heard.
Neither did his friends. They applauded him as did everyone.
Stu Pot got out a piece of paper and gave it to his sergeant. It was a moving thank you note to Lukeson for all the g
ood he had done for him and for helping him improve himself. Despite the dyslexic writing, Lukeson could read and understand it. He was very impressed because it was the first written piece of paper Stu Pot had done without being ordered to do so. “You’ve done brilliant, Potter.”
Stu Pot was about to break down into happy tears and reached out to hug Lukeson, but he was stopped.
“You’re a corporal now,” the sergeant warned. “Act like one.”
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” Stu Pot saluted him and walked back to the group. Mengy and the penguins congratulated the promoted zebra. He got a kiss from Kathy on the cheek. Then Rustom approached him and offered his hand. Stu Pot shook it and they smiled at each other.
“You did very good, Corporal,” the rhino complimented.
Tugson wheeled closer to Lukeson. “I am also happy to announce that Squad J is now promoted to Squad I.”
The newly promoted squad thought they were dreaming because they thought this was all too good to be true, but it was still the best moment in each of their lives ever.
Then Rustom thought of something. “Sir, don’t get us wrong, we’re very grateful for getting promoted. We would just like to know who will be in Squads A to H while we’re Squad I.”
“Well, you still need a few more years before you can become Squad H,” Tugson told them. “I will be asking for experienced soldiers all around our cities to fill in the missing squads and you will help Sergeant Lukeson train the new Squad J.”
Despite being disappointed by not being advanced to Squad A, Squad I considered themselves lucky to be promoted at all and they have proved to Tugson that they can push themselves even further. It was Stu Pot who reminded them of all of this. They knew it wouldn’t last forever so they were going to embrace it while it did.
Mr. Pepper approached Lukeson. “And for all the good you have done for us humans, these animals, nature and this planet all these years, Rhys Lukeson, I am promoting you to Sergeant Major Lukeson.”
After more applause, the Swedish Prime Minister approached him. “And you even get this.”
Lukeson couldn’t believe what was pinned on his jacket. No one could. Not because it was a proper medal made out of real gold, but it was –
The Cult of Kishpu Page 29