The World of Tom Stafford by D.A. Sanford - HTML preview

Chapter 17: Tough decisions

The woman in charge of research explains that they have come up with an agent that will cause the lungs that allow all to breathe surface air to shrink and harden. Everyone

effected will survive and be normal but they will not be able to ever again breathe air.

The agent will spread over a hundred mile radius.

“How do you know that will work?”

“We tested it on the sleepers that were rounded up. They did not even know they had been exposed. We then brought them to the nearest shore where we told them they were expelled and had them go up. Within seconds, they all were back in the water frantically saying that they could not breathe. They are still in custody.”

“What about the other part?”

“We have success on that but have not tested on humans. Because it is airborne the agent will affect the entire surface of the world.”

“Let’s wait on the deployment of both. I will be the one to say go. The final question I have is, if this is deployed, can the effects be reversed by any means?”

“It would be impossible due to the total elimination of the lungs for the people staying in the water and the gills on the people on the surface.” She told me.

I don’t like what I have to do next. The guards come in and all the researchers, including the woman in charge, are under house arrest. They are to be sequestered, in the comfort of the castle, until the matter has come to its conclusion. All their research notes and records have been destroyed.

King Galintine has come for my meeting. King Shaffer, being under our protection, is also here. I truly dread what I have to tell them but I know that this must happen to prevent total war. The surface returned “self-inflated, privileged” people want to remain in charge and will do anything to do that. They must be stopped.

I am meeting with only those two,

“I must turn everyone against any surface return that is in a position that allows them to dictate the course of this conflict.”

King Shaffer asks me “Exactly how are you going to do that without them turning on you also?”

“I’m counting on the people turning on me, as they should. I will need both of you to publicly decry me. That will distance you from me. To survive, you must do that.”

Filling them in on what is going to happened, I can tell that they do not like what they are hearing.

King Galintine is the first to comment.

“Your plan is going to change the shape of our world forever. I can see why you want us to publicly distance ourselves from you. Your actions are going to be described in our history as one of the greatest atrocities and you will be vilified forever.”

I tell them,

“I have already released a rumor that my ancestor was not going to see what was happening on the surface, he was actually exiled because of trying to exploit the surface conflict to take over the entire four kingdoms. Just enough information to make it seem believable.”

“With a false grain of truth, it will be enough for people to believe that this is his descendant’s goal to complete what he tried to do. I am comfortable with that. It will take the focus off the people who want to stay. Now for the hard truth. The reason for you to denounce me.

I inform them that I have already released the agent that makes it impossible to breathe air in Pacifica and Tridinia. With out the population of those kingdoms knowing it, they can no longer walk on the surface.

There is genuine concern bordering on horror on both of their faces.

“Yes” I said “I have already deployed it. There are no side effects and no one died. I am sacrificing my reputation to prevent those of the returns that gathered in both of those kingdoms from ever being in control of your destiny.”

“It is my intension to, when this is made public, and those that initially put in motion the summons of the surface people are exposed, I will abdicate as king and return to the surface. Once there, I will deploy the agent that will genetically change those who choose to return to the surface from ever being able to breathe underwater.”

“King Shaffer with your publicly denouncing me, you should be at least able to return to your kingdom to live as a normal person. They may even welcome you back as king.

Now this meeting is done. I only need you to go public with this information. Harold, Arden, I did this to try to restore the balance to your kingdoms.

I have realized that I do not belong here. That is the feelings of most of the people that came with me. We will return to the surface when it starts to calm down in the two kingdoms.”

They realize what Tom is doing. He is sacrificing himself for the return to peace. He is taking the action that will prevent this situation from ever occurring again. Yes, it is against the will of the native sea dwellers but did they not do the same to the surface dwellers when they were called down here. You have to acknowledge that preventing either side from living as one entity is the only situation that works.

The worldwide small number of people that have returned to the surface will prevent the wide spread pollutions and wars that disturbed the sea dwellers. The one thing that surprised Tom was that approximately two hundred and twenty couples have returned to an area within a few hundred miles of where Thornton is.

“This meeting was to give you a heads up on what is happening. My Chamberlain will now announce that he has resigned due to me inhuman act against the two kingdoms. I will then denounce him for leaking secrets and bring him in for questioning but that is the cover story. He will be named my successor and return to regent.”

“After he makes his information public, I need the both of you to storm out and make your disgust of my actions public. I wish you would express that you only denounce me but support Seaden and its citizens.”

They reluctantly agree. With that I tell Gar to start his part. Gar also realizes that this is actually for the best for Seaden. He does what he needs to do.

The kings leave and make public statements denouncing Tom after Gar announces the news about the agent release.

I sit with both Nadean and Bart.

“It’s started. Are you both sure with your decisions?”

Nadean holds my hand, “We’re married, where you go, I go. As you said, it no longer feels like we belong here. It was a crazy time but it also was a fun time. I talked to Doris and Reba recently. They both expressed the same feelings about returning to the surface world.”

Bart then speaks, “I have nothing on the surface, even though it is now mostly empty. I have an announcement. Mom, I have found someone here that I want to spend my life with. We are going to stay here. I am happy that you found Tom. Tom, please take care of mom.”

“I will”

Time for my role to play out.