The Mutant World (61 page)

“I can relate,”
laughed Talos.
“Well, good night, Great Ancestor.”

******

Bain Island, Earth Realm

President Chambers arrived at the capital city of Meta-Megalopolis and was greeted by the administrator of the city Gloria Hong, her husband Unis Hong and Luther Jeffries. With Luther was a young Bellasarian aid. At least, the President assumed she was young; with these people you could never tell. President Chambers looked at Lady Hong and chuckled. She looked
nothing
like a “Hong”. Gloria Hong was a short woman with blond hair and blue eyes. She was very fair skinned and had full lips. Her figure was curvy, but not overly developed. She didn’t look Asian at all and neither did her husband who looked Latino.

Lady Hong cocked her head and said, “What is so humorous?”

“I’m sorry, Lady Administrator,” said President Chambers, “but you don’t look like someone named ‘Hong’ would normally look in my country. You look like Scarlet Johansson!”

“Who is that?” asked the Bellasarian woman.

“An American actress who was very popular a long time ago,” said Chambers.

The Bellasarian woman snapped her fingers and quickly a small pad-sized computer was produced and she said, “Searching, Scarlet Johansson.” Immediately several images appeared of the woman at various ages, hair color and in various roles. She enlarged a photo of the actress in her twenties with blond hair. Lady Gloria looked at the photo and smiled, clearly she was not displeased with the comparison.

“You
do
look like her,” said her husband. “Well…when she was young.”

Administrator Hong then looked at the American President and said, “Come, Lady President. Actually, I am a
true
Bainian. My direct ancestor was one of the original mutant children brought here and enslaved. We have lived on Bain from the beginning till today. When other Bellasarians began to leave the island for the mutant world, leaving this island to the new mutant immigrants from the outside, we remained…along with others who couldn’t bear to leave our home. After all, we fought hard for it and built these mighty cities. This is where the bones of our ancestors are buried or their ashes scattered. Still, we
were
pleased when the island was brought back to the Bellasarian realm. There are many of my kin who now live elsewhere in the empire, but there will always be a Hong Family on Bain.” Then the administrator grinned and said, “I think this image will be what you might expect to go with the Hong name. It was taken from the old genealogy records the humans kept to prevent excessive inbreeding among their slaves.” Administrator Hong then said, “Display Hong Family direct line.” Immediately, images of various mutants of
many
races and mixtures of races appeared on the small computer. “Clan matriarch,” said Hong. The other images disappeared and a picture of a Chinese girl of about four years old with pigtails and a wide grin appeared on the computer’s screen.

President Chambers smiled and said, “Yes, that is definitely what comes to mind in America when you hear the name Hong.”

The president then looked at the grinning and happy little girl in the picture and couldn’t conceal her sadness as she thought about what ultimately must have happened to that child. Administrator Hong noted her change of expression and correctly guessed its reason.

“It was a long time ago,” she said gently, handing the computer pad back to her aide and taking the president’s arm. “Come, you’ll have lunch with me and we’ll talk.”

******

It was late afternoon and President Chambers was shown to her accommodations and soon Mr. Jeffries was informing her of what was occurring on Bellasaria.

“I know that there is a war raging on Bellasaria,” said Chambers. “Administrator Hong has told me the reason, but this war seems to have gone well beyond the usual Bellasarian practices of war and has become
real
war. In your last report you say you witnessed troop movements and even was at the scene of the taking of an enemy city.”

“I tell you,” said Luther, “a Bellasarian army, a real one, not the war parties that raid in mock battles for captives and fun, is a sight to behold. ”

“Oh,” said President Chambers, “well give me the details.”

“I’ve seen the influences of many Earth cultures in their armor,” said Luther. “The most recognizable is Japanese and European, but some other influences can be seen too. And banners! Banners bearing the insignia of hundreds of nations, tribes and clans as far as the eyes can see! Beautiful! Magnificent!”

“I trust you have some pictures or actual footage to show us?” said the president. “We’d like to see for ourselves.”

“Oh, yes Lady President!” said Luther quickly. He produced his phone and the scenes were downloaded onto the president’s laptop. She was amazed.

“Wow,” said Beverly. “That
is
impressive.”

“It can’t compare to actually seeing it in person,” said Luther.

“No doubt, no doubt,” said Beverly. “Are those siege engines I’m seeing, battering-rams and siege-towers? With all their advanced military technology they’re really going to use
this
to attack an enemy city?! They really don’t use modern weaponry, even in serious conflicts like this?”

“No, ma’am,” said Luther. “But…”

“What?” said Chambers.

“Well,” said Luther, “during a duel between King Roc’s illegitimate son, Jawara, and the usurper king, one of the usurper’s men jumped in and pulled a gun.”

“What?” said the president. “So, Jawara is dead?”

“No,” said Luther. “The usurper seems to have had more honor than anyone gave him credit for. He jumped between the gun and Jawara as the bastard pulled the trigger. He’s dead. As for the trigger man, he teleported out of there just in the nick of time.”

“If that’s the case,” said President Chambers, “why are they still fighting?”

“Because the rat with the gun was the one behind Stragg,” said Luther. “He was pulling the usurper’s strings all along. And now because of that pistol he used the entire nature of the game has changed.”

“What do you mean,” said President Chambers.

“See for yourself,” said Luther forward winding the footage. Chambers and her staff witness airships made solely for war landing in hastily cleared areas of the city. Men and women in gear clearly not made to turn spears and arrows began dropping in from hovering transports. Their armaments and other equipment were of a type not entirely unknown on Earth, albeit more advanced, but which until now, had NEVER been seen on Bellasaria by the president or any other Earth dignitaries.

“All that because of a single pistol?” said Chambers in disbelief.

“Yes, ma’am,” said Luther, “and a teleport device. The thing is, nothing like this has happened before…ever. Also, someone had to have supplied the culprit with the weapon. As you know, the Barratians have been denied certain technology and not just anyone has access to firearms. There is a real fear that this bastard may have other weapons of a forbidden sort and even Bellasarian traitors aiding him.”

“Look at that tech!” exclaimed one of Chambers aides. “With that weaponry they could invade and take over the U.S. Hell, the entire planet. If
we
had it, no one would dare to threaten us!”

“If we had it, it would only be a matter of time before everyone had it!” snapped Luther. “Just like the bow and arrow and the Atom Bomb! And that is why they’ll make sure we
never
have it!”

“Going native on us, Luther?” said one of the president’s aides.

“No,” replied Luther, “I’m only saying that we and the world are better off without one more danger to worry about. Or do you like the idea of terrorists with teleportation devices, stealth armor and plasma weapons? Or maybe you like the idea of a rival nation being able to teleport whole armies into our major cities at will? I know, I know, you’re thinking that
we
would be the
only
ones with this technology. Think again! Like I said, the bow was a secret weapon once.”

“Alright,” said President Chambers, “that’s enough. Then she looked at Luther and said, “I find it curious that you were there to see all of this. Why was that?”

“I was invited,” said Luther matter-of-factly. “The empress even said to feel free to take pictures and film.”

“Obviously she knew I’d be seeing this sooner or later,” said President Chambers. “This little trip to the battle zone was to let us know that they were still
very
capable of fighting on our level of technology…and beyond. How is the rest of the empire being affected by this conflict?”

“No nation is supportive of the Barratian rebels. The murder of the king and his consort assured that. The fact that Lady Ayala was raped first horrified everyone. Even the Akkadians offered to send troops, but the empress politely declined. However, the offer was greatly appreciated. As for the empire and people in general, life goes on as usual. Most of the lesser vassal kings and queens have returned home now, leaving chiefs or their eldest heirs to lead their armies. Many of the major rulers have either returned themselves or sent their children home instead to manage their realms. This war is drawing to a close.

President Chambers nodded and said, “That fool with the gun may actually have made it end even quicker. With that modern tech they’ll level that city in less than an hour if they don’t surrender.”

“Well…Only if the enemy has or uses high level weaponry themselves,” said Luther. “If they don’t, and still choose to resist, the empress and her armies will storm the walls ‘old-school’ with catapults, siege towers and battering rams. There is an elite force of thousands camped out below the walls even now, all elders five hundred to two thousand years old. Many are former queens and kings themselves. Once Lord Jawara arrives and enough forested area cleared for artillery transports…just in case, they’ll attack.”

“So, you didn’t get to see this Jawara person?” said President Chambers.

“No, Ma’am,” said Luther. “I wished I had! That guy’s deeds and reputation has spread far and wide. The fact that he’s a direct descendant of Cato Curtis only adds to his fame.” Then Luther chuckled and said, “Poor guy.”

“What’s so funny Luther,” said the president.

“Well, Bellasarian women are…” Luther snickered and then composing himself began again. “Those Bellasarian women are already clamoring to make him their mate! I saw a princess faint when she was told how he carried off Princess Miko and fought his way out of the Barratian royal palace, single handedly scattering her guards and the Barratians who tried to stop him. His exploits in battle, not to mention looks, have not been overlooked either. Even worse, he comes from a branch of the Catonian line that has been separated from the main clans for a long time. That means he’s not too closely related to any of the noble houses and princesses. You know what
that
means. The empress’s daughter has first claim, but other great houses are now demanding breeding rights for
their
daughters. Not only that, but in order to secure military support from the tribes beyond the mountains, he was obligated to take two or three wives from their royal houses already.”

Then Luther looked around quickly and leaned into the president’s ear and whispering said. “The best part is, that despite the fact that Jawara has no interest in the Barratian throne and wants freedom and adventure in the uncharted west, the empress and her family intend to keep him in the empire. They have no intention of letting him go his way after this war is over.”

“How do you know this?” said President Chambers.

“It is known that the late king made a pact with the Illyrians before he departed,” said Luther. “They
want
Jawara. The only person who doesn’t know how badly they want him is Jawara himself. And he’ll be finding out in a day or two.”

President Beverly Chambers remembered what she had seen of Bellasarian women when their blood was up. Even the human ones were capable of leaving a man exhausted and completely spent after a night of, as the Bellasarians say, “Love-Play”. She shook her head and chuckled herself.