The Mutant World (70 page)

“No, Bellasarians are not a prudish people by any means,” finished the president, “but they do have their own standards of morality and what is and is not acceptable behavior. Much of what we allow here would never be tolerated on Bellasaria anywhere. But that’s neither here nor there. You really don’t give a damn about those mutant kids anyway, do you? Most Americans would be happy to see them gone and most mutant Americans will be happy to see them safe. As for me,
I’ll
be happy to get, cheap, clean energy solutions, air-car technology and powerful allies. If the Bellasarians can get what they want and give us what we want, or at least need, what do we care?”

“What we want,” said Hartman bitterly, “is the teleportation technology that allowed them to invade our cities and slaughter us! And the secret of how they took over our nuclear defense systems that allowed them to virtually force our surrender! That’s what every president who’s had dealings with these…
mutants
have promised the American people, including
you
, and have always failed to deliver!”

“I’ll say this one last time, Fred,” said President Chambers. “And I want the rest of you people to listen carefully too.
We
started that war and everyone here knows it. The Bellasarians could have nuked us all and with our own nukes…but they didn’t. That’s why you’re here alive to complain now. They even let us off with our freedom and dignity. They could have humiliatingly forced us to publically surrender before the world and then force tribute out of us. Does anyone here dispute that?” There was silence. No one spoke. Not even Hartman. The president continued.

“The Bellasarians will not give up those secrets you want so badly easily, Fred. Not so long as our mentalities are the same as they’ve always been. We
might
get teleportation technology someday, under their supervision, but we’ll NEVER get their military secrets. And quite frankly, I believe Mr. Jeffries is right. If we had them, it would only be a matter of time before others had them, and then
nobody
on this planet would be safe. So, be happy with the harmless
useful
things we’re getting. Stop thinking selfishly and materialistically. And for God’s sake, accept the technology that will give our descendants a healthy planet to live on rather than a polluted shithole!”

******

“I’m sorry, Beverly, but you can’t count on the Republicans’ support for introducing Bellasarian engines and other clean energy technology into this country,” said Vice President Finley. “They say they would cripple the major industries we have here now and cost millions of jobs. Some Democrats agree…myself included.”

“What? Why?” said Chambers.

“The Bellasarians will give us what we need, clean energy and clean air, water etc. But…Look, Beverly,” said Finley, “this is the same problem that other presidents who’ve dealt with the Bellasarians have had with these people. Their world doesn’t depend on or need money…but ours does. It’s that simple. You mentioned the Amazon Rain Forest and the trees. How Teddy Roosevelt wanted to cut them all down for farms, cities and factories.”

“Yeah,” said President Chambers, “so?”

“Yes,
Teddy
didn’t know how much the planet needed those trees then, but the modern Brazilians today do…and the trees are
still
being chopped down, Indians are being displaced and the wildlife slaughtered. Why? Because in the short term, people need
jobs
more than trees! Nobody wants to give up the comforts they’re used to and live like an Indian. The poor man trying to survive in a favela can’t think beyond his personal immediate needs. His family is hungry now. In two hundred years from now when the forest is finally gone and everyone is feeling the effects he’ll be long dead. That’s what you’re dealing with here in this country.”

“I can’t believe it!” said President Chambers. “The Bellasarians are right aren’t they? We
are
a selfish, greedy and self-destructive people!”

“Beverley, the mutants only built on what was there before, and even they have admitted it. A car engine that ran on regular household garbage was built way back in the 1970’s by idealistic college kids,” said Finley. “It wasn’t very fast. It certainly wasn’t in the same league with what was on the roads already at the time. It was a prototype. But the government recognized its potential and bought it anyway…and quickly made it disappear! That car has
never
been seen on the roads in this country despite all the environmental benefits it promised. And for the
same
reasons we can’t accept the mutants’ now
perfected
technology today, not extensively. That goes for their solar, wind and water technology too. We can implement them a little to satisfy the environmentalists, but not widespread. Joan was right. Yes, she’s selfishly thinking of her own self-interests, but she’s still right. We can’t put certain industries out of business, millions of our own people out of work and cripple our own economy…not even for the sake of the environment. That’s just the way it is.”

Beverly Chambers looked at Bill Finley for a long moment and then said, “You know; now I know how just about every other president before me must have felt and gone through at some point during their terms. We all thought we could really make a difference. We all had a plan. Be it stamping out brutal regimes or affordable healthcare for all Americans. Then you get into office and the reality is that you have all of these people in the way. You know, it’s really fitting that our money says, ‘In God We Trust’ on it, because that
is
the god of this stupid world, money! Fine, fine, there are other matters to deal with for now. We’ll forget about clean rivers and air…for now.”

“It is funny that you should mention God and money,” said Finley. “That priest is again petitioning to be allowed to go to Bellasaria and be permitted to ask the empress to allow him to build a church in Illyria. It was noted that there was no Catholic presence in the empire during your trip. He wants to change that.”

“The Bellasarians don’t want alien missionaries in their land,” said Chambers. “And male dominated religions that advocate celibacy are the least welcome of them all.”

“I know,” said Finley.

“He’s not even a mutant,” said Chambers.

“He has Vatican support,” said Finley.

“Fine,” said Chambers, shrugging. “I’ll arrange for him to meet Empress Beral III herself, for all the
good
it’ll do him. She’ll just send him back here like an unwanted package, which is basically what he’ll be to them.”

******

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
HERE WE GO AGAIN, NEW FRONTIERS

B
eral III looked at the man in the black clothes and his companions like they were insects that needed to be quickly squashed before they multiplied into a problem. This was the first time in two thousand years that clergy/religious invaders from Earth had come to her world. The last time, the naïve Queen Bellasaris had allowed them to stay…and soon regretted it. They had brought violence, religious intolerance and all manner of other trouble with them. Unfortunately, once entrenched on their soil it was impossible for the Bellasarians to root them or their faiths out completely. After Queen Beral II “The Iron Panther” had crushed the terrorist and other religious fanatics with an iron fist, destroyed their temples and had their leaders (and followers) put to death without regard to faith, age or gender they finally learned their place. Not a hint of trouble had been heard of them since, not even once their temples were finally allowed to be rebuilt. Indeed, their behavior has become exemplary. Now this man shows up at her door, probably the first of many. A Catholic priest no less! She knew what he wanted. Many of the humans from Earth had marked that the only Catholic Christian presence was in Akkadia. No doubt this devil was here to change that. It was never going to happen, but she’d hear him out first before sending him packing.

“Why have you come here, human?” said the empress, not even trying to hide her disdain.

“Empress Beral III,” said the priest bowing, “first, I must say how impressed I am by your country. In all my life I’ve never seen such a beautiful place or such beautiful people.”

“Thank you,” said Beral III, acknowledging the compliment. “Now, again, why have you come here?”

“I would like to establish a Catholic church here,” said the priest.

The empress smiled. “I suggest you go to Akkadia. That is where those who practice your faith can be found in plentitude. Nobody
here
is interested in giving up sex.” There was laughter at this. “From what I’ve heard of the behavior of some of your priests and nuns,” said the empress, “they’re not either.” There was more laughter among the gathered mutants.

“I assure you, Your Majesty,” said Father James, “these people are the exceptions, not the rule.”

“Is that supposed to be a
good
thing?” laughed Beral III. “But then again, their tastes do seem to run towards innocent little boys.”

“Empress,” said Father James, “the misbehavior of priests on Earth-”

“It has happened in Akkadia too,” said Beral III. “We have heard. Altar Boys molested and school children as well by priests. Nuns have been more difficult to catch in the act, but telepaths can get to the bottom of anything. (Tsk!) Most shameful!”

The priest was at a loss for words. Finally he replied, “It is a problem the church has long since stopped looking the other way on, Your Majesty. It does exist, but those who commit these acts are punished. They are kicked out of their priesthoods or orders and imprisoned.”

“Do you know what
we
do to pedophiles here?” said the empress.

“No, Your Highness,” said the priest.

“We have them put to death without mercy,” said the empress menacingly. “If said pedophile is a person of religious position, like say a minister, rabbi, imam or…
priest
, the crime is considered even more grievous. We have
him
or
her
put to death in a
very
unpleasant manner.” Immediately the priest’s mind was shown the image and he nearly vomited and collapsed. Yet he stood, white faced and shaken, but still determined. “I assure you, a priest’s collar won’t save you here,” said the empress.

“I have no intention of molesting children,” said the priest angrily, “therefore I do not fear this punishment!”

The empress looked at Father James with new respect and said, “You interest me, boy. May I enter your mind?”

The priest was at first appalled, but quickly realized that this was both a test and a sign of respect. Others had not been given the courtesy of being asked permission before their minds were invaded. He nodded in agreement.

After a few moments the empress looked at the priest and smiled. “I like you, human. You have courage and honor. You are a young man, too young for celibacy. Take off those ridiculous clothes and become a great warrior here. There are many women here who’d be happy to become your mate. Stay here as one of us.”

The priest smiled, but shook his head. “I would be happy to stay here as one of you, Highness…but not as a warrior. I am a man of God. I have a greater calling.”

“A pity,” said Beral III. “Stay and enjoy our city for a week and then go. You may go to Akkadia or back to your world. But I will not allow you to stay here in the empire.” The empress looked to a servant. “See that they are all given gifts for their efforts,” she said.

Lord Talos approached the priest and handed him a sword, which he accepted. “A token of my respect, human,” said Talos. The priest thanked the High Lord, even as he nearly dropped the heavy weapon. It was a human’s sword, but the poor priest still hadn’t become accustomed to Bellasaria’s slightly heavier gravity yet. Naturally, the blade was heavier for him than it would have been for a human born on Bellasaria.

“Empress Beral III, Your Highness, won’t you reconsider,” said the priest.

“No,” said Beral III quite bluntly. “I won’t make the same mistake my ancestors did. Actually, after your week is up, you’re going straight home. The fact that you are so determined to come
here
when Akkadia is full of Catholics tells me you are
bent
on converting. I would not put it past you to try and sneak back here once you’re in Akkadia. Then I’d have to have you beheaded and I’d rather not. I like you. You might even stir up some movement in Akkadia dedicated to converting Bellasarians. I can’t have that. No, back to Earth you go. I’ll give you a gift to give to your pope as a sign of our good will when you leave, but we’re not buying what he’s selling.”

Father James and his party left the throne room disappointed, but at least they would get to see these people and their culture up close for a week and know what they were dealing with. Within a few days it was clear that the native religion Nana reigned supreme in the empire and beyond. Even he couldn’t think of one reason why these people would abandon a faith that demanded almost nothing and allowed so much for one that demanded so much and allowed so much less. Like all Christian faiths, Catholicism even demanded money from its worshipers. This disgusted Bellasarians to no end. But, there
were
Christians here from other faiths and even Muslims and Jews, so it could be done. However, by the end of his trip he realized exactly why as far as spreading Catholicism went, he was doomed to failure.

The mutants (especially their women) would
never
accept a faith that was
both
dominated by men and which demanded celibacy from its clergy. A Bellasarian girl becoming a nun? Even Father James had to laugh at that thought. Also, Bellasarians held religious leaders to their words and beliefs. They punished
them
even more harshly than their parishioners when they failed to behave as they told others to or broke their own rules. The greater the offense the more terrible the punishment would be. The prospect of being beheaded, slowly garroted to death or impaled on a blunt stake for a moment of weakness wasn’t appealing to many. This was especially true for those who were hiding secret tendencies towards homosexuality or pedophilia. The first was punished on principal. Bellasarians accepted same-sex relations, (to a degree) especially among humans, but the
church
preached against it. So therefore, a priest or nun caught indulging in it was a hypocrite. Besides…their own holy book, and therefore god, called for the death penalty for this act. The second, sexually touching a prepubescent child was just abominable by anyone’s standards and was made even more heinous when committed by a holy man or woman. The punishment for that would be slow, grisly and public.

Father James would deliver the pope’s gift and a full report of his time with the Bellasarians. He would cherish the sword that he received and would be instrumental in opening relations with Akkadia and the Vatican. But as far as his dream of establishing a church in the empire and converting the Bellasarians went, he failed.

******

“Lord Talos, please come in,” said Bellasaris. With her was his wife, Gorgo, several high ranking council women, daughters and his new daughter-in-laws.

Talos entered the chamber and bowed. He then approached a large table and viewed the map. “I see you’ve been busy,” he said.

“Yes,” said Beral III. “Thanks to our new daughters we have some idea of what lies to the west, northwest and southwest of us. Where is Jawara?”

“He shall join us directly,” said Talos.

“Very well,” said the empress. “Jayna, you may begin.”

“My people live here,” said Jayna, “right on the Barratian border to the north. There are many tribes around here, many different kinds of people. My sister Nandi’s people live on the southern border of Barratia, here and Coahoma’s people live west of us, here.”

“Coahoma?” said Beral.

“There are many, many red nations beyond here,” said Coahoma, “but many others too. Far on the southern plains I hear live many tribes like you and Sister Nandi, Father,” said Coahoma looking at Talos. Some have adopted the ways of the red nomads who hunt the buffalo and Ceerius herds. Many white and oriental tribes have too. Others live in permanent villages. They farm, raise cattle and sheep.”

“What do you know of these people,” asked Bellasaris looking at Nandi.

“Of those people, only rumors. My people never go that far west. The black nations to the south here,” said Nandi pointing to the region to the southwest of her land, “are fierce warriors. Some of them are related to my people, others are not.” Beral looked to Coahoma who nodded. “The nation closest to us is the Nguni. Some of their warriors were with us during the war. But there are many tribes between.”

“The nations to the immediate north of them are mostly red,” said Jayna, “but there are others. Many of these people are descended from mutants of related, but different Amerindian nations from Earth.”

“Too few to stand as individual tribes,” said Coahoma, “they banded together with people of similar languages or cultures making new nations. It is the same with my people. My tribe broke away from our original nation about two hundred years ago and founded our own city. We welcomed people from other tribes who wished to join us as well. I was actually pleased to see my cousins on Earth…even though they were mostly human.”

“I must say this,” said Jayna. “The term ‘Red’ is just a rough term, and an increasingly inaccurate one. Even among so-called ‘Pure’ Amerindians the people range from very brown to a little lighter than Coahoma. Most Amerindian people are really ‘Brown’ and getting darker or lighter all the time as they mix with other peoples. What makes someone who may otherwise look very black or even white ‘Red’ is blood
and
culture…or sometimes just culture. They adopt people into their nations all the time. If you become one of them and take on their language and customs you are
‘Of’
that people despite your skin color or original background.”

“I see,” said Beral.

“What other nations are out there?” asked Bellasaris.

The girls looked at each other and shrugged. “Many,” said Nandi. “Some we know. Some we know of. And some we’ve only
heard
of.

“To the north up here are many white tribes,” said Jayna. “The Carters were at the siege of Merkal and are my kin. Oriental tribes and nations live over here. But as we said, there are many tribes of people with mixed origins all around the region.”

“And many,
many
we have not heard of,” said Coahoma.

“There are cities as well we hear. But I must warn you, some of these nations fled from east of the Barratian mountains a few centuries ago to escape Mavie oppression. The kings and chiefs there have honor, but they are always fighting each other and
none
will kneel to women.”

“Oh, great,” said Gorgo. “We’ll be cleaning up Mavie’s mess for centuries!”

“They are not as bad as the Barratians,” said Nandi, not by any means, but the men there are very proud and their kings do not trust women with too much authority.”

“You say, kings, Nandi?” said Bellasaris.

“Yes, Mother Bellasaris,” said the girl. “Beyond this point here,” she said pointing at the region on the map, there are very few queens or chieftesses, at least that I know of. Indeed, as you know, even my people have a king, my father.”

“You don’t seem much different from the women here, Nandi,” said Beral, “or Coahoma and Jayna either for that matter.”

“Most of the tribes and nations east of these lands have been here since before the Mavie came,” said Nandi. “Tribes from the eastern lands like the Forest Kingdom from the south or Akonia and Melmoria from the north have occasionally entered our lands too. But even among my people, women do not normally rule or even go to war. Because I’m the daughter of a king, and stubborn, I was trained for war. Also, my little brother is not yet big enough for war and he is our father’s heir.”