ASSOCIATION / CH. 30:STATE VISIT
MONDAY, 12TH FEB.
The Great Leader of the People's State of the Beautiful Peninsula descended from the plane, accompanied by the woman who was officially considered his prime consort. She wasn't the first in this post; her predecessor had been heard by a junior spy to say something that might be critical of the leader, and so had fallen out of favour, and into an executioner's 'care'. That had been five years earlier. The present prime consort had learned that lesson and was therefore very circumspect about speaking her mind in front of anyone but him. For peace of mind, she also made every effort to make sure she was his only consort, not just his prime. Almost everyone on the Beautiful Peninsula and outside would have been surprised that she was able to speak her mind freely to the Great Leader. But in a private selection interview, he had told her that if she was to be given the post, then for the good of the people she would have the responsibility to aid his decision making processes in every way possible. She'd been surprised, but had obeyed. Recently, that part of her role had included telling him that going ahead with this meeting was more important than getting upset that there weren't going to be any of their security forces with them. She had a difficult job, but it had its perks, like power, for instance. Over the years she'd even become fond of this man whose bed she shared.
The ambassador and his wife, the Prime Consort's cousin, were waiting and ushered them into the car. There would be a briefing session at the embassy before the meetings began.
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“Their head of the diplomatic service is a courteous man, Great Leader, but the foreign minister seems to think that diplomatic courtesy is of no value.”
“He's rude?”
“He's unrefined, but honest. You do not need to look for hidden meanings. If he says he likes something, that is because he likes it. If he does not like something, he will tell you. He may declare that he does not like our policies, for instance. The head of their diplomatic service often appears like he would like to sew his lips together.”
“Ah. Can this internal tension work for us?”
“Probably not, sir. The diplomatic service are civil servants, the minister is a politician. Some of what he says is to keep voters happy.”
“Ah. A yapping dog, with no teeth?”
“Unfortunately, he has teeth as well. It is a complicated system, the more complicated the more one looks. The king makes the decisions of policy, but he first listens to the ministers and the civil servants. The civil servants work to implement the laws and will study them for potential problems, but it is the politicians who write them.”
“It sounds cumbersome.”
“I can be. Especially if the politicians are opposed to the policy. It rarely happens, but it is possible. The king can override them, but that is even more rare. More often, the decision will be postponed until consensus is reached.”
“Ah. And such is the position now?”
“There are areas of agreement and areas of disagreement, Great Leader. They agree that they do not like our security service. I was almost convinced that they had their response prepared, they moved so quickly, but I believe that is to misunderstand them. They have a great number of laws which normally have no effect, and lie semi-forgotten. But if an incident occurs, the civil servants look up the old law and it simply becomes a question of 'does this fit?' If so, then the course is clear, dictated by that law.”
“Ah. So your wife crossed a line, and so the fences come up?”
“Yes, sir. For them, the punishment must be decided by a judge who was not a witness. They do not approve of instant justice, and decided that our security service acted with no respect for the law. Once they had done that...” he shrugged. “They told me that their law allowed no alternative action.”
“And yet they allow your wife to stay.”
“Yes, Great Leader. They put great store in families. It is part of their religion, I think, but I have not examined their motivation in this regard deeply, but in any case, they do not believe I could function well without her, and thus they have made it so instead she cannot function in her previous office, and allowed her to stay.”
“I find it intriguing that they took that attitude.”
“They also suggested that they could not send her back.”
“They could not? Why not?”
“They do not think to question that my son's defection was genuine, so they think my wife is at risk for not stopping it. Under their laws, they cannot send her away if she might face execution for the actions of another.”
“Yes. I understand that, but, Mr Ambassador, you have a problem there.”
“I do, Great Leader?”
“Do they not have people who can identify agents? Why then did they not identify your son as an agent? Is it not the case that his defection was genuine?”
It was not entirely expected, but the ambassador had been well prepared. “Ah, Great Leader! That is the beauty of the system here for an outsider. We do not need to speculate, they explain much and tell more. It has been widely stated in their newspapers that when the people who can do this strange thing search, they must phrase who they are looking for very specifically. The list of deportees they sent stated that it was a list of people holding office in our security services or their informants from our Beautiful State. A specific category, and we can presume that they phrased it this way. My son is neither! They did not look for loyal citizens living here undercover, and so they found none.”
“So you are sure that his asylum was falsely claimed?”
“Great Leader, I have seen not one shred of evidence that he is anything except a young man with a love of his country and a dream of becoming an engineer, who collected too many old films when he was young.”
“Ah. What sort of films?”
“Mostly those from your late father's rule, sir.”
“Ah, patriotic titles?”
“Yes, Great Leader. I could show them to you, but I would need my wife's help. When he was, ten or twelve, I think it was, his sister taught him about encryption one summer holiday, and he encrypted almost all his films.”
“Why?”
“Why does a young boy do anything under pretense of having a lot of homework, Great Leader? Because he was fed up with his classmates borrowing his films and messing up his library, I expect.”
The Great Leader nodded. It seemed a sensible motive; tidiness was important, just like loose ends that needed to be cleared up. He was satisfied.
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“Cousin Min.” the Prime Consort greeted the older woman. “Your nest is empty, and will remain so, it seems.”
“I am a proud mother, whose loyal chicks have flown into danger for their country. There will be a price to pay, of course. I cannot return home for some years, without compromising their cover.”
“How so?”
“If the defections were genuine, then my own loyalty would be suspect, would it not? Our hosts are not so ignorant as that.”
“Ah! So the best thing we could do to ensure your offspring are beyond question would be call you home and execute you?” It was not really a joke, more a statement of power.
“If I went willingly, cousin, they would surely suspect something.”
“If you would not go willingly, but we called you, what would you do?”
“Our hosts have... hinted that they would expect me to defect too, for my own protection. I would of course prefer not to face that interview, but compared to a promised bullet or a knife when I do not feel my duty lies in that direction? I'm not at all sure. But of course, who knows what might come out if they use one of their truthsayers on me. And surely they would.”
“Ah. So, for the sake of your offspring's cover, we should perhaps execute you here, somehow? Or perhaps it would be better to allow your husband to convince us to allow him to volunteer for another term?”
“I do not know what reason he could give that would sound convincing to our hosts, honoured Prime Consort. Perhaps if there were some complicated negotiation?”
“Such things are not in the habit coming up in a stable relationship.”
“Our hosts are neither allies nor the worst imperialists in the United Nations by a long way. Perhaps they would welcome some discussion on something they can wave at their allies and say 'See, we were right, talking is preferable to shouting insults.'”
“Did you have anything in mind?”
“The missile which sparked this meeting, is the programme a total success and under budget?”
“The secret is known and the budget has grown, of course. Such things go without saying. You have a plan.”
“I wonder what might be obtained in exchange for ceasing development on it, or, if it is more successful than our hosts believe, reduce our other missiles that it would replace anyway. I can think of few things more complex than the dance which is a disarmament treaty, unless it is a schools exchange programme.”
“What is so complex about a schools exchange programme?”
“Ah, my young cousin! Such things await you, I hope — the Great Leader must have an heir, after all, and time is running out for you — But I digress. A schools exchange program... there is the academic issue, what age of children, repetition rates, the issues of safety and ensuring that they do not receive inappropriate teaching, but that it is relevant for their studies. There are issues of what sporting activities will they undertake, what foods they will be served, procedures in case of illness or dispute. Will the children be hosted by families and who will ensure they are safe? Compared to this, I think disarmament talks are relatively simple, the main question there is how far do we trust each other and the rest of the world. Since we don't, I'd actually be surprised if such discussion would go very far.”
“You do not think you go too far, cousin?”
“In what respect, honoured consort?”
“You speculate about matters of high policy, you speculate about defecting? In what area do you not go too far?”
“Do I go too far in pointing out that you have been with the Great Leader these four years, with no heir in sight, and that his father had a policy in that regard.” None of that man's consorts had survived five years of childlessness, and there had been some who'd sought other lovers in desperation. That had led to another spate of executions.
The response was icy. “Yes, you most certainly do, cousin.”
“I thought I might. So cousin, what do you really want to talk about? My teetering on the edge of execution, you getting dangerously close at least to our previous Beloved Leader's limit, how to prevent either unpleasant eventuality, or something else entirely?”
“You play with danger, as though it is a slap on the wrist!”
“As you have pointed out, dear cousin, my chicks have flown the nest. They no longer depend on me, and if I die, I make my children's position safer. I have no questions about their loyalty, about my own, I remain in two minds.”
“You question your own loyalty?”
“Would it be loyal of me to plot with my cousin about how she can keep enticing the Great Leader to her bed even while she remains childless? Is that for the good of the country? I don't know, even though I'm sure that generals fighting for the leadership would be as disastrous for our country as the final war. Thus I prompt my cousin to think of what is bad for the country as bad for herself also, but she does not want to discuss it. Is it loyal to our people to listen to her and obey her in this? Is it loyal to the country to ignore the wishes of the most powerful woman in the party? Or is it more loyal to tell her how to conceive even if the Great Leader himself wants her to remain childless? These things, here isolated as I am, cross my mind. Where is my loyalty ultimately? To the party, my cousin, or my country?”
“You speak dangerous words, cousin.”
“Oh, I know, outrageously dangerous. I also know that to be loyal to the people should mean loyalty to the leaders of the people, i.e. the party. But here, knowing there are no agents or informers, and with my life on a knife edge already, I speak dangerous thoughts, and I press my cousin to put the needs of the country first.”
“You do not consider me an agent or informer?” her cousin asked her with a smirk on her face.
“No more than I am, cousin dear. We are both retired, are we not? Of course, I have promised to raise concerns about anyone I saw being disloyal to our beloved country.” The whole conversation was a high stakes gamble, and this was the highest of all: such a denouncement of her cousin would have serious consequences indeed — for both of them — and even the veiled threat of it was probably enough to get her killed if she had been at home. But she wasn't at home.
“You are not after my position, nor after improving your own.” the Prime Consort stated, shocked by this escalation.
It hadn't a question, but Min answered it anyway. “Of course not.”
“Apart from my support of you and your husband there is nothing I could offer you, and you have a strange way of getting it if that is what you desire.”
“I do not desire your support, cousin. I would not reject it if you were determined to give it, but I do not feel your involvement in my case would be a good thing for our country. If I fall, and you have supported me, that would not be good.”
“So why do you tread this dangerous road, issue threats and risk my anger?”
“I have told you cousin; the country needs an heir. The Great Leader is thirty-five. A child conceived now has the chance of being an adult when the succession is next discussed. Wait another five years, and that might not be the case. Unless there is a change of regime, like our enemies so desire, your decision in this matter affects the good of the country.”
“And if it is not my decision?”
“Neither yours nor the Great Leader's? Or are you saying that he does not want you changing shape?”
“The Great Leader would be happy to see me change shape, cousin.” she whispered.
“I misjudged the situation.” Min bowed deeply. “I am sorry.”
“So, cousin, since you now know my situation, do you have more dangerous words for me? Do I share this man I sought for power but have grown truly fond of? Do I cut out my heart or put a bullet in my own head for the good of the country?”
“There are no guarantees in this life, cousin, except death. And that is either the end of hope or the hoped for end, depending on your perspective. I do not think you hope for an end. So I say, do not give up on hope, my dear cousin. Do not cut out your heart literally or metaphorically.”
“And what of the succession? You were threatening to denounce me over it just now. Is it suddenly less important?”
“No, but it is not a question of disloyalty either, is it? It would be wrong to denounce you over matters you have no control over. But I will plant one last dangerous idea in your mind, cousin, if you will allow me.”
“Say it, cousin.”
“I would rather that the party change than implode. I would rather the system change than the generals fight. History shows that strong leaders can change the system. If the system does not invest all power in one person but power is given to judges and courts, then perhaps there need be no succession war. Here, they have a mechanism where all know who will be the king next, and who it will be if something happens to him, and so on. The Great Leader could instigate such a succession, if he so desired. One without an heir might be ideally placed to make such a move, for the good of the people. But it ought to be soon, rather than later, because by the time that this change is needed there should be no thought in people's minds that it would be settled any other way.”
“To voluntarily put power permanently into the hand of others...”
“It is a dangerous idea, is it not?”
“Very. Our Beloved Great Leader is not fond of rivals.”
“It is surely true greatness to put the needs of the country above ones own preferences.”
“Cousin... are you drunk? Do you hope for an ending? Why do you flirt with danger so?”
“Because I am far from my home, but still loyal to the people who live there.”
“That is not enough motivation, cousin, for such flirting with danger.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“There are dangers, cousin, at every turn of my life now, it seems. Why not take some risks to do some good? Do you wish to know the dangerous questions I ask myself as I toss and turn at night?”
“If you will share them, I will listen.”
“How do they expel the security officers and informers? How does a human being know which solders are agents in disguise, when even the soldiers in the squad do not know. How does a human being know things about a soldier they have never met, that even her political officer does not know?”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Spies, and better record keeping?” the Prime Consort suggested.
“Cousin, I asked who could use a sword, on that plane delivering our new embassy guards. The answer was more specific: who could use a sword well enough to train others, and it came back in the blink of an eye. There were two on the plane. One was no surprise to any, but one of the soldiers, Lieutenant Su-Ki, was surprised. She had never considered this about herself, but hesitantly acknowledged it as true. And it has proven true indeed, she has started to train our soldiers in the most effective weapon we can use here. Someone knew, better than she knew herself, that she still possessed skills she'd not practiced since being at school. The atheist truthsayer who relayed this jibed to the expert swordsman, 'Congratulations, you've just confirmed a miracle.' But it was not really the expert who confirmed this in my mind, it was the Lieutenant, when she picked up a sword on Saturday, and found the memories of what she learned at school, her teachers words even, all coming back in a flood.”
“But of course the services here set the limit of using distance weapons, cousin Min. They had time to guess what question you might ask beforehand. It could all be a trick with radios and hidden microphones, could it not?”
“I almost asked who on the plane liked roses. But, yes, it could be, cousin, if they have a more complete idea of what goes on in the Beautiful Peninsula than even our own security service does, recording even the school reports of every soldier, not to mention knowing who is assigned to guard the embassy when the soldiers themselves did not know enough to pack correct equipment.”
Min shook her head in remembered amazement. “They carried grenades and a machine gun, cousin! Can you imagine! To police tourists and business-men interested in a visa, and the occasional student group protesting for freedom of speech! I do not believe that their intelligence gathering and processing is so far ahead, cousin. If it were, then we would never keep any secret from them.”
“Like your children's cover?”
“Exactly. I much prefer to believe what they say, that they can look into such things, but only do so occasionally. The alternative is that they have so compromised our systems that all that information is sitting in a database, waiting for some computer to flag up a warning, and I would find that level of data collection, from their security apparatus, far far beyond comprehension. But that does have implications.”
“You mean that you find yourself preferring supernatural knowledge to improbably heroic information gathering?”
“It is not just for your exquisite face and body-shape that you have your position, cousin.” Min acknowledged.
“I know.” But the compliment still made the Prime Consort smile. “So, you find yourself flirting with so many dangerous ideas, that you can't hold some of them in?”
“Oh no, cousin. I can hold them in, but I is merely that I felt you might as well know them. I expect that in your discussions with their majesties the topic might come up. Proof beyond your ability to doubt might even be offered, and it is important to know what is most important to us in such a situation.”
“I do not understand what you are saying, cousin.”
“Then I will speak clearly. Is your principle loyalty to yourself, your husband in all but name, the party, the system, or the country or the people?”
The Prime Consort sucked in her breath at such thinking, but Mim continued. “If it is the country, then you will accept that perhaps the system might need to change, if it to the people, then the country's boarders might need to change, to reduce the chance of war, where it is always the people who suffer. If it is to the man, then in a surprisingly short time you'll find yourself asking whether continuing his rule at all expense is actually good for him, or if he should retire. If it is to yourself, then where will you stand, if you find that you become convinced that the ideology that a free and enlightened people have no need of 'the opiate of the people' does not in and of itself preclude the existence of the supernatural? And then consequently where do you stand if that supernatural then makes claims to jurisdiction over human affairs?”
“Cousin Min! Are you mad?”
“Cousin Prime Consort, these things disturb my sleep. If we admit to ourselves that there might be a judge and caring king over us who we nevertheless refuse to acknowledge, does that make us mad, or merely evil?”
“Expressing such thoughts should get you shot, cousin.”
“Or asylum, yes, depending where one lives. Is it not odd how my son's loyal claim of asylum in support of his sister's deepening her cover has ended up bringing me such thoughts to disturb my night? Perhaps it is the stress. Beware the dangers of this country, my cousin. They expect all to have freedom of thought, and throw out such challenges to our thinking with hardly any concern or forethought. I hope my nightmares have not disturbed you unduly.”
“And where does your loyalty, lie, cousin?”
“Ah, cousin, my loyalty? I've spoken of it already, shall we waste time and go there again? I am a spent cartridge, marveling at how much has changed in the last weeks. Is it not more important to explore where yours lies? I think you must realise that I will not report anything you say, cousin. I see your role as far too important to our Great Leader, our country, our people for me to do that.”
“You are too philosophical for my liking, cousin Min. Are you sick?”
“Only of tiptoeing around the truth. You know that not every decision is made for the good of the people. You know that our people have starved in the past, before you attained your present role, and the guns bought then will probably never be fired, as no one dared suggest they be stored properly.”
“Who have you been talking to?”
“I am right, am I not? The students probably thought it was a loyalty test, but even it it was, it was incompetence.”
“I have ensured the incompetent one no longer ruins weapons.”
“But what is wrong with the system that no one dared to report it, cousin? I think it is that loyalties are misplaced. People are often loyal to keeping their place, to themselves, to the people they feel could hurt them, and not to the country they serve. Fear has grown and loyalty has shrunk. Here... you will find that the royal family greet you in lavish surroundings. Do not make the mistake of thinking that is their home. Perhaps, if you act offended at such lavishness, you might be invited to their personal rooms, I don't know.”
“You suggest that the king of this rich country lives like a poor peasant?”
“No, but a pair of republican journalists found themselves invited to a meal with the royal family a while ago; they published that the royal family live like civil servants. I find it entirely believable, certainly they speak often of their duty to their people.”
“Republican? I am not sure I understand the word in this context.”
“Dissidents, if you like. They reject the idea that who your parents are should be important in choosing a country's leader.”
“And they were invited to ... discuss their views?”
“Not explicitly, and certainly not in the threatening sense. The man asked his colleague for a date and she said 'Only when you get me an invitation to discuss the constitution with the king.' Little did she know that the prince apparently reads their articles.”
“I am confused. Why does the heir to the throne read articles by those who think he should not be heir?”
“I expect you may ask him about it, Prime Consort. I think it is that he values honesty.”
“This is a strange place that you live. And I come to see some of these values have rubbed off on you.”
“I would not be surprised.”
“And I should take that into account in what you have said, I suppose.”
“I wonder you doubt my words at all, cousin. Do you think, perhaps, I worship their god? No, I do not. But I find it interesting that they accuse us of worshipping the Great Leader. Do you worship him, cousin?”
“Worship? No.”
“I'm glad the accusation is false.” Min said. “For I am sure that he is a man like any other. Sometimes thinking with the brain between his ears, sometimes with the spare pair between his legs.”
“It is the prime consort's role to assist his brains to function well, cousin.” she acknowledged, “All three of them.”
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THE PALACE, 3PM
After some time on diplomatic pleasantries, during which it was agreed that dropping titles would not cause any offence, the Great Leader said, via Tina who to her absolute terror had been nominated as translator,
“You asked for a face to face talk.”
“I did, yes. And thank you for agreeing to it.” the King replied, “I wish to make something clear, right from the beginning, if I may.”
“We are your guests and we are here to talk.”
“Exactly. If there is anything that would make your stay more comfortable, please, do say.”
The Prime consort smiled and said in English, “If I might make one request, I do find this room with all it's wood panels too reminiscent of the headmaster's office at the school I was at here for a year. I am sure the headmaster meant well, but I found the meetings intimidating.”
“We would certainly not want to intimidate you.” the Queen said. “I must say it's not my favourite room either. I don't like all the gold.”
“Might I ask which is your favourite room?”
“Well, of the state rooms, I prefer next door, but I'm afraid there is a problem with the heating in there at the moment.”
Tina asked for help, “I'm sorry, what are State rooms?”
“The formal rooms in the palace, deemed suitable for official business.”
Tina translated that, and her leader's reply “Ah, so you prefer one of the unsuitable rooms?”
“Our living room has a good view of the gardens, which I love, for instance.” the Queen said.
“And no wood panels?”
“None. I'd never have time to clean them properly.”
“Did I understand you clean your own rooms?” Tina asked nervously.
“As much as possible, yes. Sometimes when we are very busy we pay for a cleaner, but hiring a security-cleared cleaner for everyday cleaning would get quite expensive.”
“Perhaps you should just award yourselves a pay-rise.” the Prime consort suggested.
The king shook his head with a smile, “There are too many others linked to the same pay scale as us. And anyway, we don't set the pay scale.”
“But you are their king!” the leader objected.
“Yes. I am king, a specific type of civil servant. If you want good pay and short hours, don't accept the job.”
“So, I was informed truly?” the Prime consort asked. “This is not your home?”
“No. This is part of the our work-place.” the Queen agreed. “Like many people who work here, our home is in another part of the palace complex.” Seeing the consort about to respond, she added “And we are part way through repainting the walls and ceiling, so please don't ask to see it. It's a mess.”
“Ah. So we must confine ourselves to the state rooms.”
“Unless you would prefer a staff meeting room?” suggested the king. “I warn you, though, they mostly have no windows, at all.”
“I expect I should just get used to the wood.”
“Yes, you should.” the Great Leader said, wondering what this had been all about. He'd have to ask later.
The king spoke, “Then moving to the reason I asked to talk. I fully agree that every country has the right, no the duty, to protect itself and it's citizens. And I'm sure you'll agree that taken to extremes that can lead to arms-races like in the age of chaos. Some of our more volatile allies believe that they need to respond to your missile programme with increased spending on programmes of their own. We do not want to see such an arms race develop, for the world to descend once more into chaos.”
“The peace-loving people of the Beautiful Peninsula have no such desire either. But we are a small country with powerful enemies.”
“Yes. And by developing the Hydra missile, you cause fear in your enemies, and some suggest it would be better to attack before the missile is finished. We have pointed out to them that such talk causes fear on the Peninsula which has promoted the hydra missile.”
“They do not like socialist states.”
“They see the age of chaos returning. We too, in their attitude, your reaction, their reaction to your reaction. I asked for this talk to see if we can stop this cycle, which causes people to live in fear and alters government policies so that important things are left un-done because of military expenditure.”
“If you seek to get us to join the United Nations, do not expect a solution which deprives us of our sovereignty will be acceptable.”
“Of course not. But talking is cheaper than shooting missiles. Starting to talk to the United Nations might go some way to reduce tensions.”
“The United Nations is a talking shop for capitalist-imperialists. Why would we want to waste our time talking to them?”
“Perhaps you could give us support in promoting the cause of the poor?” the King suggested.
The Queen added as an aside, to the Prime Consort, “It might also be advantageous on a number of fronts if they don't decide that the only way they can start even talks about talks is by invading.”
The Great Leader waved that argument away, and asked “Your representatives are at the United Nations, do you get listened to about the needs of the poor?”
“Oh yes. They listen. They do not always agree, of course, but they listen. And sometimes the votes are very close. Sometimes the decision is chosen to be the centre ground, and we are the furthest left. We know you'd class us as compromised centrists ourselves, so imagine how far right that decision is. Is it any wonder that the decisions of the United Nations are biased towards extreme forms of capitalism, when there is a total lack of involvement in such discussions from anyone from the Marxist end of the political spectrum?”
The Prime Consort leaned forwards, “Interesting. You say our absenting ourselves from the discussions condemns world policies to those that support the most oppressive forms of capitalism?”
“I thought that was well known from history.” The Queen commented. “World policy lurched significantly to the right when the left-leaning countries abandoned even their advisory missions to the United Nations.”
“And your feeling is that even without full voting membership, which of course the U.N. denies us because of internal policy matters, international tensions would in fact be reduced by our representatives voicing unpopular comments?”
“I believe so, yes.” the king agreed. “Because as well as your comments being taken into account, at least to some extent, your representatives would be available for informal discussions outside the debate proper.”
The Queen added “I am aware of your concern about undue interference in internal matters, but I believe I should state this: another way to reduce tensions might be to remove, or at least reduce the penalties for certain activities.”
“I understand you recently invited some dissidents for dinner.” the Prime consort said to the Queen, deflecting that issue onto safer ground. "Republicans."
“Yes. Two reporters, plus the niece and nephew of one of them, in fact.”
“And they walked away free afterwards.”
“Even better, they walked away friends afterwards. They were reassured that our country is not the sort of monarchy they had thought it might be.”
“But you do make the decisions?” The Great Leader asked.
“I do.” The king acknowledged. “I have any number of advisors and people reporting to me, but the decisions are mine. But my hands are tied in some respects. I could never order an individual executed just because they upset me. I could outlaw a religion, but only if I can convince the government it was a danger to the public. Not a danger to the state, you understand, but to the people. And even if I could, it would be quite difficult. A publicity campaign against it, or a ban on foreign visitors promoting it would be the practical limit.”
“Are you referring to any particular religion?” the Prime Consort asked.
“I am thinking of way that the my religion in is banned in your country, lady Consort, and also how the religious-like fervour of your security services in opposing its spread has led to them being expelled.”
“Ah. You think that displaying disrespect to the ruler of his people is a minor thing.” she replied.
“I enjoyed our discussion with our distrusting critics.” the king said “They were a godsend in some respects.”
“I cannot translate 'godsend', your majesty.” Tina said, after translating the first part.
“You do not understand? It means someone who is miraculously sent to help.”
“I understand... but could you use a word or expression without religious overtones?”
“I will translate, young one.” The Prime Consort said, then told the Great Leader, “The young one fears to translate that the king considers the journalists to have been as useful as one sent by his God for some specific circumstance.”
“Ah. He considers this a high accolade?” the Leader asked Tina.
“He expanded it as a miraculous provision.” Tina replied, nervously, “I think he means very appropriate for something.”
“So is this phrase in common usage, or does he mean that it was a act of his God?”
Tina asked the question.
“The phrase is in common usage.” The King said, then added “I understand that the young couple themselves count our inviting them to the palace as influenced by God.”
“Some people are easily impressed.” The Prime Consort said. “For many reasons, I find I am not at all easy to impress.”
“That sounds like a challenge.” The King said. “I wonder what it would take to convince you there was enough truth in our belief in God that it should not be illegal?”
“You think we ban your religion because it is false?” the Great Leader asked, “No that is not the case. We have no interest in your religion's claim to produce miracles, healings, control evil spirits or do party tricks with bread and fish. We reject it because it is a claim to authority, and all authority lies in the state. We accept private superstitions that make no claim to authority, we accept any religion that at centre is based upon the idea of not stirring up trouble for yourself and living peacefully with your situation in life. But any religion that claims a special relationship to a supreme being must be rejected, because such a religion claims that there is an independent source of right and wrong apart from what the state says. Life and death lie in the power and authority of the state, and there is no other authority on the Beautiful Peninsula.” Tina struggled to speak the hateful, blasphemous words with a neutral tone and was glad that she'd prefaced the statement with 'this is what the Great Leader said.'
“I see.” the queen said, quietly. “We will, I think leave this topic. I am tempted to speak of the authority of God to judge any who stand so fully against him, but perhaps this is not the time.”
Discussion moved on to political matters, and nothing more was said. But there was a tension that had not been there previously, and Tina was even more careful than before to repeat her preface to every statement.
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[Tina! I did not know you were going to be at the palace!] Eliza thought.
[Now, praise God, I am allowed to eat. I've been translating for the so-called Great Leader.]
[That sounds like a rebellious thought.]
[He does not oppose Christ because he has not been convinced. He does not care about 'tricks with bread and fish'. He opposes Christ because if God is real then he is an authority outside the state's control, and he thinks the state must have all authority, over life and death. And by the state he meant himself. Am I allowed to hate? I do.]
[Demonic pride should be hated, I'm sure. It is hard not to hate the man, but the Bible says that Christ's blood would be enough even for him.]
[It says pray for those over us, Mystery. How can I pray for such a monster, who cares nothing about right or wrong?]
[Could you pray for his pride to be broken, that he will bend his knee to God's authority?] Eliza asked.
[I think so... yes. Yes, I can pray that.]
[I was going to ask you if you wanted to be a truthsayer, you're close enough for me to scan now.]
[I do.]
[You've thought about it, or are you reacting against your head of state?]
[A bit of both. But I am sure. I also ask, Mystery, that as you search my mind, answer a question for me. Do I want to defect, or to return home to tell people about what I had to translate?]
[I will not be able to tell you which, if you do not know, but perhaps I can tell you what lies behind each thought.]
[Thank you.]
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Later, as the 'Great Leader' left the dining room to fill his lungs with poisonous smoke, as was his habit, the Queen found a private moment to speak to the Prime Consort. “I do not know if you agree in your heart with what has been said, but I think you will understand why I will not be praying that you have a child with that man.”
“I did not realise. I have enjoyed exercising power, but not... not to the exclusion of truth. That, I find distasteful.” She had not experienced a miracle, but she had experienced a revelation: she shared her bed with a power-hungry monster. The reforms Min had talked of were out of the question, and she wondered how long it would be that she would survive. There was probably far more of his father in him than she'd thought, which meant she probably had another three months of life. Unless she struck first, of course. But Min's warning had a lot of truth in it: a power struggle between the generals would be a disaster, especially while the country was so close to war. She supposed she might defect, but no, that would taint the ideas spoken here, which were good. If she was loyal to her people, then she was stuck in her post. But it would be good, she decided, to find out more about what Christians thought. They seemed to be good at coping in impossible situations.
Tina, who had been waiting beside her as she thought this, heard and found her thoughts crystallize. Now she knew how she would respond to the knowledge she would return home. She bowed formally, and whispered “Madam Prime Consort, am I correct in thinking that you have the authority to reassign people?”
“I have. You wish reassignment away from here?”
“I am a truthsayer. You decided you wish to talk to me, maam. And I am not opposed to returning home, no matter what the cost to myself.”
“A truthsayer?”
“I have just taken my vow, between spoonfuls of dessert, to one with the gift.”
“Do you understand what you do?” the Prime Consort whispered in surprise.
“I obey the one who has authority to destroy souls, not just take lives.”
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TUESDAY, 13TH FEB. 9AM
“You take my assistant, cousin?” Min asked, “Might I ask why?” They were travelling together towards the airport, with only Tina with them in the vehicle.
“Her own suicidal request, Min. The matter you raised with me, you may be right, I would not be surprised now. But I find I am more loyal to the people than myself. I would not have the generals fighting over an action of mine.”
“I do not understand, cousin.”
“He has more of his father in him than I saw previously.”
Tina calmly expanded “The Leader of our country declared in his pride that he will allow no authority in the Peninsula except his own, and that he cares nothing about truth. I go to help the lady Prime Consort prepare for what might happen, and hope I can prepare others for the time when the limited authority he presently has is revoked.”
“Tina, you speak no sense. Who can revoke authority from the supreme ruler of our country?” Min asked.
“He at whose word storms are stilled and mountains tremble, Maam. The judge of all the world.”
“By saying such things, you put your life in our hands, Tina.” the Prime Consort pointed out “You give us evidence against yourself.”
“Those with authority, lady Prime Consort, have no need of evidence. My life has never been safe from you. But you would not want talk to me if I did not serve the risen Lord.”
“But you give us evidence against yourself! And against each other too.” Min said.
“You will not hand me over, Maam. I go from loyalty to our people as well as to God. Even though you do not yet trust in Him, you value such loyalty to others.”
“Now you have her testimony against me too, cousin.” Min said.
“And you have the fact that she heard me deciding I wanted to talk to a Christian. I will add this, since our time is short. His dismissal of truth repelled me, his pride scared me. But I will not plot against that man, for I agree that the generals fighting for succession would destroy our country, and there are too many of equal standing.”
Min's mind raced. “The general who figured on the film of the rocket is still in his place?”
“You think I could weed enough out that I could make a preemptive defence? It is an idea. But I also clutch at other thin straws, such as discussions with Tina.”
“May you find many opportunities to talk as you go to interview people with her aid, cousin. Weed out those who have only loyalty to themselves, and no loyalty to those under them, cousin. That is surely a sign of disloyalty to our people, and thus to the People's State.”
“You suggest I use her as a truthsayer, then?”
“I assumed that was part of your reasoning.”
Tina stated, “I am determined to abide by my vow, but I am happy to help root out those who abuse power with no thought for their country.”
“Please tell me of your vow, fearless one.”