The New Era Chapter 6

IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE NEW ERA
The ship landed smoothly on the ground. Pericula said good-bye to Livius, and got out, followed by the four senior officers. Pericula had thought it best to exit the ship about a kilometer away from the camp so that the soldiers didn't get scared when they saw it. The five walking back to camp.


Gaius cursed the weather, and closed his eyes, as he put his head down on his bed. He had known that he wouldn't be able to adjust the temperature in Calet like he had in the city, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad. "Don't worry," he told himself. "I may be a little uncomfortable, but I still have the power I want." Power, the word echoed in his mind. It was the one thing he had dedicated his whole life to getting, and the more he had, the more he wanted. Last night he had not slept well, worried about Jistap's threat to take away his power. This morning, his mood was much better. He had decided that Jistap's threat had no teeth behind it. Jistap wouldn't dare make an enemy of him. Gaius smiled, Jistap knew how dangerous he was.
Gaius bolted upright. He could stand this weather any longer, something had to be done. He marched outside of his tent, and happened to see an officer passing by. "Hey, you," Gaius called out.
The officer came running. When he reached Gaius, he bowed low to the ground, terrified. "What do you wish, my lord?"
"I'm humid."
The anxiety the officer was feeling showed on his face. It was clear he didn't know how to respond. "Yes sir."
"Well don't just stand there, do something about it!" Gaius face flamed red as he waved his hands in anger.
The officer looked around nervously, and swallowed. "Sir, we don't exactly-"
A soldier ran up to Gaius, saving the officer from his dilemma. After bowing to Gaius he announced, "the four senior officers have returned sir."
Gaius' eyes lit up. "Is that so? They think they can just waltz on back after all the trouble they've caused me? I'll make them sorry they ever turned against me." Gaius grabbed his laser gun from his belt, and held it tightly. The soldier led the way, and Gaius followed.
After walking half-way through the camp, the soldier pointed to a group still a good four dekameters away, by the outskirts of camp. Gaius squinted at the far off group. "Those are the senior officers?" The soldier nodded. "But there are five of them."
"A female human is accompanying them. She is dressed like you." Gaius' heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening. He sprinted towards the five.


"Oh no! Here he comes! Lets run for it!"
"Calm down Kirtten," Pericula reassured him. "I come with orders from the very top. Gaius won't dare harm any of you." Despite her show of bravery, Pericula was really worried. She didn't know what Gaius would do.
Soon, Gaius had rushed to their location. He tried to get out words, but he was too busy gasping for breath. Pericula spoke while he recovered from his mad dash.
"Greetings Gaius. I've come with new orders from Jistap himself."
Still breathing heavily, Gaius asked, only able to get one word out at a time. "Why...didn't...Jistap...contact me...through the...computer?"
Pericula responded, "I don't know," thinking it better not to mention the truth. Jistap had stopped communicating personally with Gaius, as part of his humiliation. Pericula continued, "I have been sent by Jistap to replace you. These four senior officers are to be directly under me. You have been placed under the authority of these four, and are to obey their orders to the letter."
Gaius gazed at Pericula, stunned. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected that Jistap would place him below Caletians. He was a Watcher, and no matter what he had done he deserved his elite status because of that fact. Finally he found it with in himself to ask, "are you serious."
Pericula nodded. "Jistap was quite clear. I believe his exact words were 'Gaius isn't allowed to breath without their permission.'"
Gaius pointed his laser gun at Pericula. She reached for hers, but Gaius warned, "don't even think about it. You make one false move and I'll kill you."
Pericula tried to smile. "You wouldn't kill a fellow Watcher would you Gaius?"
"Try me. You'll get back in whatever ship you came in, and you go straight back to the city, or I'll kill you right now, Watcher or not!"
Pericula looked straight into Gaius' eyes, defiantly. "Go ahead and kill me Gaius, but my orders come Jistap. Your little pea shooter won't be much good when he brings out the big guns, and then you'll be sorry you crossed him." Gaius screamed in rage like an animal, clawing himself with his fingernails. Then, his outburst over, he hung his head and handed his laser gun to Pericula. She grabbed it triumphantly. "Arrange an assembly in one hour Gaius, in which you will formally hand over command of this army to us." Gaius left, and inside her facade of confidence, Pericula breathed a deep sigh of relief.


"-your new leaders." Gaius introduction had been less then enthusiastic, but the soldiers cheered as if he had given an inspired performance. The four senior officers ascended the platform. The soldiers cheered even louder. Drusus tried to quiet them down, but they would not be quieted. They cheered until their voices could cheer no more. Their jubilation was not without merit, for Gaius' brief but horrible reign of terror was over.
At last, when the applause had finally come to an end, Drusus addressed the soldiers. "My friends," he said, "I am both happy and sad at this moment. I am happy because the rule of Calet has returned to the Caletians." At this point, a great cheer was heard, but it did not last near as long as its predecessor. "I am sad, because of the memory of Miktesh. He was a noble man, a great man, and we can only hope to be a worthy successor to one so admirable." Again, Drusus was forced to pause for the soldiers' cheering.
"We four will share power equally," Drusus continued. "We shall also share power with another, one called Pericula." Pericula ascended the platform. She was dressed in Caletian fashion, so that those who had not seen her before did not know she was any other than a Caletian. Those who had seen the showdown with Gaius, cheered her enthusiastically. The others were puzzled that a woman should be given such authority, but were too jubilant to question the appointment. Gaius was out of power, everything else was details.
The five exited the platform together, followed by Gaius. Kile turned to Gaius, eyes' gleaming of mischief. "Gaius," he said, "I've got a job for you. The latrines need cleaning." Gaius' jaw dropped. He turned to Pericula, hopping a fellow Watcher would save him from this humiliation, but Pericula remained looking out at the camp. Gaius went away angry.
Pericula sighed and shook her head as soon as he was out of sight. She didn't want to have to fight him for the rest of her command. As the only two Watchers here, they should corporate. She didn't want to humiliate him, but she knew better then to interfere with Kile's command in front of Gaius. She gave Kile a light tap on the shoulder. "Be easy on Gaius," she whispered. "He'll make a far better ally then he will enemy.


Jistap leaned over Bakes' shoulder. "How's everything going?"
"Things are going good. Pericula has assumed power, and Gaius has been totally humiliated. The transfer of power went as smooth as possible."
"Excellent. What's happening with the army Sulla used to command?"
"With a lack of strong leadership, the army completely dissolved. Many of the men are now looking for work and creating trouble in the nearby towns, but most of them are heading to join Pericula's army."
"Excellent, Excellent!" Jistap paused, struck by a new thought. "Is communication a problem?"
"No sir, they speak Caletian just like us."
"But the Icelers spoke Caletian too, and we had trouble communicating with them."
"The Icelers lived in a climate few others did. They had little contact with Calet, and never fully caught on to their language, but only just enough so that we can call the Icelers language a Caletian language."
"But over the one thousand years The Watchers have been in isolation, wouldn't our language be different from that of present day Calet."
"No it's not, and you can thank the Teacher for that. The Teacher can understand every language in Fabulae. When Haket first spoke to it, the Teacher immediately realized Haket spoke Caletian, and so communicated with Haket, his friends, and their descendents in Caletian ever since. The interesting thing is, the Teacher changed its language as Caletian changed outside the city. The teacher always communicated in present day Caletian, and so The Watchers have learned modern Caletian from the Teacher. Off course, we have developed some slang words of our own, but for the most part, our language and Calet's is the same."
Jistap thought about this answer for a while before he asked another question. "How hot are the Coler mountains now?"
Bakes shook his head. "The satellite keeps emitting heat. Although the rate of increase has slowed down dramatically, the temperature is still rising on the Colers. Right now the temperature is thirty two degrees and rising."
"Is there a danger?"
"We may have to turn the satellite off if this continues."
"What? If we turn the satellite off, how can the new world order come about? The satellite is essential to my plan."
"Lets just sit tight then, and the mountains don't get to hot. I already have scientists working on space travel, as you ordered. If we have to, we may have to delay the new world order until we develop space travel."
"How long would that be?"
"Oh, one month, one year, two years, a decade, a century, no one knows. We have barely begun to scratch the surface on this project. Once we find out what's involved, we can give you a more accurate time."
"How is Rodens doing?"
"Still harmless. He hasn't touched his ship or any of the equipment he left in it since he hid it. Using his ship's lasers, he was able to hide the ship beneath the ground, so I don't think there's any danger of someone finding it soon, but we might want to pick it up. Rodens himself has been living in Dishon, acting as a beggar. Perhaps you should pick him up too."
"I know I should. I've just been too busy lately. Your right though, I should pick him up. He could be a thorn in the flesh if he isn't dealt with. Send Livius in a ship to pick him up. I'll deliver justice to him when he is brought before me."
"I'll give the order sir."
"One more question, Bakes, what is-" Bakes gave Jistap a look with just enough exasperation on his face to let Jistap know this wasn't a good time. "I'm sorry Bakes, are you busy? I can ask you another time."
"That would help me sir. I am busy here."
Jistap nodded and walked out, saying, "no problem, sorry to disturb you."
As soon as Jistap was gone, Bakes rapidly punched a few buttons on his computer. A face appeared on the monitor. "Sorry for the delay," Bakes said. "I was talking with Jistap."
The face looked concerned. "Oh no! Is he on to us?"
Bakes shook his head. "He doesn't suspect a thing. We were just talking business as usual."