Corinth

Mark woke up as per his usual time, but it looked like it was still the middle of the night as there was nothing but the blackness of space visible out the window. The position of the ship didn’t even have the planet visible.

He extracted himself from between the two beauties, got dressed, and went to his office. Sitting at the desk, he instructed the drink synth to make a cup of black coffee. It was nice just to sit at his desk and go over the daily reports with Cricket, almost like things were going back to normal.

The only unusual item in the daily report was a contact that had appeared on the edge of the scanning range along the route near Rift 13. It stopped for several hours and then moved out of scanning range. The contact hadn’t ventured back into scanning range and they had no direction of travel, so there wasn’t anything they could do about it.

He told Cricket to monitor it as he contemplated building more Sentinels, but decided against it since ships could get anywhere in minutes, plus they had autonomous drones at the hyperspace gates for defence.

Taking a quick look at the clock on the wall, he figured breakfast was in order. If it wasn’t already being made, he could make breakfast this morning. So he sent a quick message off to Edward saying he’d be down on the surface shortly and they could go over plans and figure out what to do with the Bishop and his men.

Mark’s office was the only room in the living quarters that had two doors, one to the bedroom and one to the common area. His office was also way bigger than the other offices, since it had a seating area around a coffee table. They had considered putting the throne room in his office, but used the thrones as the commanding seats on the bridge, complete with the Atlantean flag on the wall behind them and the trident and crowns off to the side.

Opening the door to the common area, the smell of bacon assaulted his nose as he wandered toward the kitchen area, where Ra’ki and Rayven were making breakfast.

Everyone was soon awake and eating breakfast. Enjoying the peace compared to the mornings at the outreach centre. The peace didn’t last long though, as everyone started going over what they were doing today.

Annabelle said she was setting up a school in Federation City today. They needed something to use as a template for the other communities. Almost everybody volunteered to help her with the school.

Liyana said she was going to work with Jonah and Rebecca to more or less get a proper town council setup and then see if they could get some other businesses started. Ra’ki volunteered to help with that.

Mark smiled at seeing the group help the community. The other communities would copy soon after anything that happened in Federation City.

There was already a golf course for every community.

When they asked Mark what he was going to do, he theorized that he, Edward and possibly Fred, the mayor of Hubbard, might take the Bishop and his men back to wherever they came from and talk to the Pope.

Since Athena was staying to protect the Queen and Prince, Gyges and Rayven both indicated they were coming along for Mark’s security and Maren was going to do the flying.

After breakfast, they boarded Maren’s shuttle and went down to the surface. Everyone that was going to help around Federation City exited and within a few minutes Edward was boarding, and they headed back to the space station.

Upon landing in the emergency services bay of the space station, they waited while security went to retrieve the Bishop and escort him out to their shuttle.

While they were waiting, Mark informed the head of security that they would need to take 3 securivacs down to the surface to pickup the Bishop’s men in Hubbard, but to wait there until Mark called for them.

After reviewing the plan, they then escorted the Bishop into the landing bay.

Mark greeted the Bishop, “So how was your night in your cell?”

The Bishop sneered, “You think you’re something special, don’t you? The Lord will smite you and the rest of you heathens from the face of this world.”

Mark shook his head and laughed, “Wow, they’ve really brainwashed you, haven’t they? Sad ... No matter, get on board and we’ll be on our way.”

Gyges and Rayven then made their presence known, but upon seeing Rayven, the Bishop pissed himself.

Mark laughed as he pulled Rayven to his side. “I guess I should’ve asked if you had to go to the washroom before we left. Or are you simply scared of my girlfriend?”

Mark gave Rayven a kiss, as security led the Bishop away to get cleaned up.

Rayven laughed. “Did I really scare him?”

“I suspect so! He’s so brainwashed about his religion and if they believe in a hell or a devil of some sort ... Well, my love, you fit that profile!”

Rayven laughed again. “Wait until his leader sees me!”

Mark laughed, “As long as you’re wearing your belt! Which reminds me, I should probably give Edward a belt to wear today.”

Mark went back into the shuttle and called Edward in. He pulled a spare belt out of the cubby above the cockpit and handed it to Edward, instructing, “Wear this security belt. We’re not sure what these guys might do, but this belt will protect you if they try to shoot something at us.”

Edward looked a bit scared. “Do you really think they might attack us?”

“I do not know. Religious fanatics are unpredictable because of the amount of brainwashing they’ve endured. This is just a precautionary measure. It would be in your best interest to stay close to us. We all have these security belts. In fact, I think I might leave you with this one, then if you’re notified whenever a new ship comes into any of the ports, you can be there to greet them. Which reminds me, we should probably setup a security training camp. I’d suggest someplace that’s out of the way.”

Edward laughed, “Like Lookout Mountain!”

Mark laughed. “Exactly! I was thinking about making a hotel and hot springs resort up there, but actually a security training camp would probably be a better use of the area. It would toughen up the recruits.”

They then escorted the Bishop back into the landing bay and into the shuttle.

With everyone on the shuttle, Rayven donned a big grin as she sat beside the Bishop, “Hi there!”

The Bishop looked terrified, as everyone else was trying to not laugh aloud.

Maren then asked, “Does anyone know where we are going?”

Mark looked at the Bishop and asked, “We’re taking you home. Can you tell us how to get there?”

“I’m not telling you anything. You’ll probably try to kill the Cardinal or the Pope and force us all under your rule.”

“In case you haven’t figured it out, we’re a peaceful people. We have bothered no one else on this planet.”

“You attacked and destroyed my ship!”

“Only after you attacked us. So are you going to tell us where to drop you off or should we just drop you and your men off in the middle of the ocean and let you swim back home?”

They were over the ocean at the point where his ship was first detected. Maren lowered the shuttle down to just over the surface and opened the ramp.

Mark looked at the Bishop, “So what’s it going to be? Swim or ride?”

Just then, they saw some kind of sea creature, possibly whale-like, breached the surface and then disappeared under the waves. Whatever it was, it seemed to make up the Bishop’s mind.

He looked down at the floor in resignation, “Go north until you reach land, then follow the shore to the east for two days.”

Maren closed the ramp and began directing the shuttle north.

Mark told the Bishop, “Two days for you is a few minutes for us, so you’re going to need to point things out for us.”

It only took a couple of minutes until they reached the shore of the continent, then Maren turned right and began following the shoreline. It only took a couple more minutes until they reached a fair sized medieval city with many ships like the one the Bishop had arrived on. What they didn’t see in this city, though, was any castle, but there was a huge cathedral.

The Bishop directed them to the large cobblestone area in front of the cathedral. A crowd was already gathering as Maren set the shuttle down in the courtyard.

The ramp lowered as guards made their way through the crowd and position themselves around the shuttle.

The Bishop laughed, “They’ve got you now. You’re surrounded!”

Mark looked at him and shook his head as he pointed at the shuttle. “This is a spaceship. We can go straight up!”

The smile on the Bishop’s face dropped. Obviously, he hadn’t thought of that.

As the ramp lowered, a man dressed much like the Bishop, but wearing a red cloak, appeared on a balcony overlooking the courtyard. Likely the place he stood to speak to the masses.

Mark and Gyges led the Bishop out of the shuttle as Rayven stayed in the shuttle for the time being.

The Cardinal spoke through a conical megaphone type device to amplify his speech, “Welcome visitors, who are you and what brings you to Corinth?”

The Bishop dropped to his knees, “I’m sorry, your holiness, these men destroyed my ship.”

The Cardinal bellowed, “Guards!”

Mark spoke loudly, but Cricket was amplifying his voice through the drones protecting them. “I am the King of the Atlantean Federation. I destroyed his ship in defence AFTER he attacked one of our villages. We did not start this fight. We are a peaceful people and are just returning your men to you.”

The Cardinal put his hand in the air, and the guards stopped advancing. “Bishop Francis, is what he says true?”

The Bishop was still on his knees, as he stammered, “Well yes, but only because they weren’t accepting our Lord and saviour. They laughed at us, your holiness.”

Before the Cardinal could say anything, Mark added, “So before you jump to conclusions, try listening to both sides of the story!”

The Cardinal asked, “Where are the rest of my men?”

“Cricket, send the other ships.”

“They are leaving our island right now. They will be along soon.”

The Cardinal laughed, “If they have not left yet, it will take them days to arrive.”

“Maybe days for you, but mere minutes for us. Just ask Bishop Francis here. He’s seen how fast we can go; we even took him back to my home planet yesterday.”

The Cardinal was clearly flustered. “You are delusional, my son. There is only our world and the Lord and saviour watches over it. I am his prophet relaying his words.”

Mark laughed. “The Federation currently spans 20 planets, and I’ve visited many more than that. We’ve seen religion on just about every world and not once have we EVER seen actual proof that any deity actually exists.

Originally, the strongest and wisest people were the leaders, but there was usually also a spiritual leader and advisor. Usually they start either worshipping the sun or the land, as those are the two actual objects that sustain life, although they often created other false deities for other reasons.”

A skeptical man in the crowd asked, “Why would they invent an imaginary deity?”

Mark smiled, “Those spirits, gods, deities or whatever you want to call them provided something untouchable that they could praise for their successes or blame for the failures caused by the results of leadership decisions or even natural disasters.

Add the belief that only certain people could communicate with the deities gave those people unearned credibility. As populations grew, so did the number of people that would rather be told what to do, so they wouldn’t have to think for themselves or take responsibility for their own lives, and they needed to be shepherded.

Having a recognized platform, spiritual leaders can seed doubt and manipulate the thoughts of their followers. Religion became a way to manipulate the masses. Some religions may try to do good things, but because they are all based on stories, lies and deceit, they are very prone to corruption and abuse.”

The Cardinal was furious now. “Blasphemy! Strike them down!”

Archers from around the plaza fired at the group.

The Bishop sadly perished, but Mark, Gyges and Edward remained standing, unfazed and unharmed, protected by their personal shields. Cricket used the drones to incapacitate all the archers that shot at them.

The people that had gathered gasped as Mark just shook his head, “People, look at your leader. He’s probably told you that life is valuable and that you shouldn’t kill. That’s just common sense that everyone in every world figures out, but then he turns around and does it himself. What kind of leader breaks one of their own rules just because things aren’t going their way? Look what he’s done to his own disciple!”

Just then, the three shuttles all swooped in fast, circled around and came in for a landing; the crowd backing up further as the ships folded up their wings and settled down to the plaza.

Cardinal Lothar was furious, but scared. His adversaries were unfazed and his security incapacitated. They released the other men from the shuttles and the shuttles rose, but one of them turned on their cloak and disappeared as people gasped. The other two rose above the buildings, waited until their wings locked into place and then accelerated away at high speed.

The Bishop’s right-hand man looked at the slain body of his former leader and shouted at Mark, “You killed the Bishop?”

Mark shook his head and waved his hands at the people with him. “Do you see us carrying any arrows? We did not kill him. The Cardinal did! I ask everyone again, what kind of leader breaks his own rules just because he isn’t getting his way?”

One woman nearby in the crowd asked, “So, who should we believe in?”

Mark said, “Believe in yourselves! You are all perfectly capable of running your own lives and thinking for yourselves. Yes, there are several common sense rules to follow to keep peace in the community, which results in living safe, satisfying lives. And yes, there should be penalties if it jeopardizes the peace and harmony of the community. You don’t need a charlatan to tell you how to live your lives.”

A man then asked, “What are your rules to live safe, satisfying lives?”

Thinking of the primary laws and a few other common sense laws, Mark said, “Don’t kill, lie, cheat or steal. Treat everyone equally, regardless of gender, race, or any other differences. Respect the wisdom of your elders, especially your parents. Only have consensual sex with adults, and do your share to make the community successful.”

Another woman in the crowd asked, “You mean, as a woman, I can be equal to a man?”

Mark clarified, “I didn’t say equal to a man. I said everybody should be treated equally. Males and females are different. Only a female can birth a child, for instance, but males are often stronger. With that being said, if a woman wants to become a craftsman, a warrior or hold an office of authority, then they should be encouraged, supported and respected.”

Obviously, some men in the crowd were upset upon hearing that, as there were many groans.

The Cardinal said, “Do not listen to this charlatan. He knows not of what he speaks.”

The same woman then asked, “Why should we believe anything you say?”

“For one, I speak the truth. I do not pretend to be speaking on behalf of a deity that no one else has ever seen or heard. I’m also speaking from the experience of visiting many worlds. In fact, you are all welcome to visit other worlds if you so desire. We have an island called Colonia to the south of here. Our civilization lives as I have told you and we have given them access to technology that can allow you to visit other worlds.”

One man shouted, “Prove it!”

“Cricket, send down a large shuttle bus. We’re going to give a bunch of people a quick tour of Colonia and then Atlantis. Make sure it has security on board.”

Mark said, “You want proof ... There will be a large shuttle bus arriving shortly that can carry up to fifty people to Colonia for a quick tour and then to my home planet, so you can see another world and another way of life with your very own eyes.”

The man that asked Mark to prove it stepped forward, “We need 50 volunteers to go see if what this man says is true. If you would like to volunteer, please step forward.”

“Cricket, make sure no one even thinks about notching an arrow or shooting any volunteers.”

Immediately 25 volunteers stepped forward, all women and children, plus one adult man.

Once the initial group gathered, one woman goaded the men, “What’s the matter, boys? Are you scared?”

That drew a few of the men out of the crowd, but they still only had 36 volunteers. Finally, a fragile old man with a walking cane slowly stepped forward as everyone gasped, including the Cardinal, who said, “No ... father.”

The old man said, “I’m not long for this world, anyway. If what he says is a ruse, then it is my fate, and I will accept it for what it is.”

Once the Cardinal’s father volunteered, several other elders in the village volunteered and, as the shuttle bus was landing, a few final volunteers stepped forward to complete the group.

A human lady stepped out of the shuttle bus. “All aboard for an expedited tour of Colonia and then Atlantis on the planet Earth.

Everyone boarded the shuttle as Mark and the group stood by. The Cardinal then asked, “What? You aren’t going with your group?”

Mark said, “I’ve been to both places. Why should someone have to relinquish their seat just so I can go?”

“So you’re just going to sit here until they return?”

“Of course, I’m curious to see what they all say about seeing everything you say doesn’t exist. Especially your father!”