The Watchers Chapter 4

IN THE TENTH YEAR OF RECAB, KING OF DISHON
Hans looked at the fifteen men he had handpicked from the two hundred thirty seven volunteers. They were going to be the ambassadors to the Icelers. They were the ones who were going to explain to the Icelers who The Watchers were, what the problem was, and how The Watchers were going to help. Overcoming the language barrier between the Icelers and The Watchers was somewhat of a problem, but by no means difficult to overcome. At the time of Haket, both the Icelers and Haket's group spoke Caletian, but since each had been in isolation since that time, each developed their own offshoot of the language. Needless to say, both dialects were extremely similar, and with the help of the Teacher, little time was needed to learn the Icelers language.
"Alright, you all know your job," said Hans, "lets go." They began proceeding towards one of the many exits from the city. They were all dressed in appropriate clothing to combat the temperature.
"Hans, could I talk to you for a moment?"
Hans turned to see Rodens pushing his way through the ambassadors to get to him. Hans could guess what Rodens wanted. Rodens was angry about not being picked as an ambassador, claiming it was time Hans was not being observed by him. Hans had been very gentle in explaining the sensitivity of the project, which could only take the most enthusiastic and the best qualified, but Rodens didn't seem to understand. With the knowledge that Rodens' option really should have won the vote, Hans had treated what seemed to him like uncontrolled bigotry, with out getting upset.
"Hans, I need to talk to you," Rodens repeated his request.
"We've been through this before Rodens. Your not coming."
"No, it's not about that. It's about the vote."
"What?"
"May I see you in private to discuss the vote?"
"Rodens, now is not a good time. Can't you see we're about to start delicate negotiations here?"
"Hans I'm not waiting for you. You either talk to me now or your regret it. I will inform the people."
"What are you talking about?"
"I think you know what I'm talking about."
Hans heart beat rapidly. Could Rodens possibly know about the vote conspiracy. It was a chance Hans couldn't afford to take. The negotiations could wait five minutes.
Hans motioned with his hand for Rodens to follow him, and the two went down the hall and around a coroner, well out of sight and hearing of the fifteen. "What do you want to say?" Hans voice demanded an answer, a tone that was unnecessary since Rodens was more then willing to tell his story.
"Hans, you and I agree on very few things. The Iceler situation is no exception to that, but it is an issue that has created some strong feelings. I know what you are like when you feel strongly about something, and among other things you are very vocal and tend to be somewhat close minded." Hans did not view himself as being close minded at any time, but he decided not to say anything. The definition of an open mind was yet another thing that Hans and Rodens did not agree about.
"Lately, for the couple days you have demonstrated a tolerance unlike you. You no longer argue with me about the Icelers, but simply accept my view and even sometimes admit I might be partially right. Hans you look almost," Rodens paused as he searched for the right word, "guilty when we talk about the Icelers."
"At first I didn't think anything of it. Hans is just becoming a more well-rounded person, I told myself. Then one day I remembered that the last time you acted like you knew you were right was just before I yelled at you because I had been convinced the vote was fake. Just for fun, I had the monitor display that argument, and I noticed some things I hadn't before. When I was talking to you, I had been so involved in my little speech, I failed to notice how the expression on your face changed when I dictated my logic. Watching it on the monitor, I saw you lose your confidence. I didn't know what I'd find, but I decided to have the monitor track your movements after we parted. Well you made a beeline for Jistap's room, burst open the door, and everything after that has been classified by someone."
"You can imagine my surprise. After all, even though someone with the computer know how, such as Bakes, could classify something, it is forbidden by Watcher law. This allows little privacy, but it is a price we must pay to ensure that nothing dishonest is being done. That is the only reason I can think of to classify your conversation, to hide something dishonest. When I asked the teacher to display the next unclassified footage of you, you had just parted company with Jistap at the super elevator, looking more confused then you did before."
Hans looked straight at Rodens, fearing the inevitable complication to his plans, one that he now realized he should have seen coming. Rodens, after taking a deep breath, announced his fear was true. "You were talking about the vote, weren't you? The vote was fake, wasn't it?" Rodens voice rose as his face grew scarlet. "You knew the vote was fake, and you didn't do anything about it. Your in league with Jistap and his little henchmen aren't you?" Rodens stamped his foot down hard on the ground. "Damn it Hans! Damn you to Hell! Damn you! Damn you! Damn you! Damn you! Your destroying our democracy! Your destroying our fucking democracy to help those damn Icelers!" Hans opened his mouth to defend himself, but Rodens hand flew out across his face in rage. "Don't even talk to me Hans. You can go rot in hell." Rodens walked off, still talking. "Your through, I'm exposing you, Jistap, and every single other damn conspirator. If your cause was truly just, you wouldn't have to accomplish it by deceit."
"Rodens, I understand your frustration. It's so hard to know what's right sometimes, but if your work with me we can solve this problem together." Rodens kept walking, without giving the slightest indication that he had heard a word. "Rodens, I don't want to fight. Don't do this, we can work it out." Rodens walk broke into a run as he disappeared down the hallway. Hans sighed. "Executor, let me talk to Jistap."
After a minute, Jistap's voice came through the wall. "This is Jistap, what do you want?"
"This is Hans, are you alone?"
If Hans needed to talk in private, Jistap could guess why. His voice became very concerned. "Yes, why."
"Jistap, we've got a problem."


Rodens raced through the hall. He was in a maze of empty metal hallways, that led to several different exits from the city. A few more turns and he would be out of the exit wing, which incidentally was one of many in the city. Once he was out of the exit wing, there would be people everywhere and he could tell them all about the conspiracy.
Rodens felt betrayed. He had always considered Hans a friend, and never thought Hans would betray him like this. All along Hans had known what was really happening. Hans knew the injustice being done to him. His right to vote and to have his vote count had been snuffed out. He had been violated by the government. But now those who tried to kill democracy in favor of their own views would be punished.
Rodens rounded the next turn, to see Jistap standing there. Two guards were on each side of him, four in all. "Rodens we need to talk. I can't let you-"
Jistap's words were broken off. Rodens screamed in rage, "You! You did this!" Rodens pulled back his hand, curled it into a fist, and with great speed it headed towards Jistap's face. Rodens punch never connected, two of the guards tackled him.
Rodens struggled furiously against his opponents, but they held him to the ground. "Let me go!" he demanded. "I'm a private citizen! You can't do this to me! I've committed no crime!"
Jistap stepped forward. "No one's going to do anything to you Rodens. None of your rights will be violated, I just want to talk."
"Like hell they won't be, they already have been. You violated my rights when you fixed that vote. By all the rules of democracy my proposition should have won!"
"What I had to do was most unfortunate, but you and your kind forced me to do it. I couldn't let the Icelers die."
"Damn you man, who's more important? You were elected president of The Watchers, not the Icelers. Your first and foremost responsibility is to protect us, and you've destroyed us."
"I assure you Rodens, no permanent damage will be done to our democracy. Once the Icelers are safe, I and my compatriots will turn ourselves in."
Rodens, who had been dormant for some time now, tried once again to free himself, but to no avail. "Don't you see, the damage will already be done. For the first time in our history, you will have bended the will of the people for your own use. Your only opening the door for others to follow in the footsteps. You'll destroy us." Rodens said his last sentence desperately, hoping he could somehow convince Jistap.
"Rodens, I don't want to do this, but I'll do whatever it takes to save lives. You can either shut up about this or you can be locked up."
"You can't do that to me. I'm a private citizen."
"After what I've already done, do you think that's going to stop me?"
"If I figured it out, others will too. You can't imprison us all."
Jistap leaned forward until his face was inches away from Rodens'. For the first time in their conversation his expression became menacing. "Watch me."
Rodens spit in his face. "I'll never, never help you. If your cause was just, you wouldn't need to use dishonesty and trickery to accomplish it."
"It's easy to say that when your only looking out for yourself. When the only life you care about is your own, then you can say that. But we only had six and a half days to save the Icelers. Right now their are only two days left. We didn't have time to do much, and even less time to think. Looking out for yourself is always easy. It's looking out for others that's hard."
This short speech obviously had no effect on Rodens. His face became angrier then ever. "Go to hell, and take your self-righteousness with you. If you want to help others, then look at what your doing to me."
Jistap nodded to his four guards. "Take him away." He looked at Rodens compassionately. "You'll be released once this is all over."
As he was being dragged away, Rodens screamed back, "and Deka help you when I am!"


Rodens was taken by the super elevator to what was identified as location three. He found it to be a secret prison. No one was there except-
"Hans," stammered Rodens, "what are you doing here?" After he had recovered from his initial shock, he asked, "if time is so short, why aren't you leading that ambassador mission."
"There aren't that many of us, Rodens. I was the only one Jistap could reach whom he knew was alone."
"And why did he know you were alone? Because you warned him about me you fucking traitor. Hans, I was shocked when you betrayed me about the vote, but I'd never thought you'd do this to me."
Hans nodded to the guards, who threw Rodens into a cell. An energy field immediately materialized, trapping Rodens inside.
"Hans, I'm your friend. Don't do this to me. Hans, you can't do this to me."
"I'm sorry Rodens. You leave me no choice."
As Hans walked into the super elevator, Rodens said quietly, in a barely audible tone, "not you too Hans. Not you too."