The summer of the year 2030 had begun, and the rising heat penetrated the capital of the newly founded state of Japan to the last corner of the endless street canyons. Tokyo resembled an enormous hotplate and its citizens groaned under the torrid sunbeams.
A sun had risen in the Far East, at the outermost end of the Asian continent, as the national flag of old and new Japan had always symbolized it. Haruto Matsumoto, the president of the island state, sat in the garden of his mansion in the outskirts of Tokyo and pondered. Everything around him flowered, insects hummed quietly and a blue sky opened itself above him. It was wonderful today - and very hot. But the president hardly noticed the world around him. His thoughts stuck in the middle of a swamp of concerns and fear, and even the blue sky which expanded above his country could not change this.
The president of Japan sat down on a couch and read once more the reports of the foreign press which casted a poor light on him and his country. After a while, he put the papers away and stared angrily at the sky.
His old friend, the Japanese foreign minister Akira Mori, sat beside him and was still studying the current reports of the international media. From time to time he just murmured quietly and looked at Matsumoto. Finally he put the newspapers aside, straightened up and folded his arms. Behind the two thoughtful men, the outlines of the Fujiyama, the great, old mountain, dominated the horizon.
The “Fujisan” or „Mr. Fuji“, as the Japanese called their admired mountain, seemed to mount guard over the capital. But if this mystic mountain could really protect the Japanese nation was uncertain.
„Will it go on forever – in this manner?“, asked Matsumoto his good friend and advisor.
„I don`t think, that they will just stop this campaign tomorrow“, answered Akira Mori and took another newspaper from a table.
„This hate is incomprehensible to me. One day, they will call me a child murderer!”, said the president, full of frustration.
„The cartoon you, in the „Global Policy News“, as a dung beetle that wants to throw a bomb at the world“, replied the foreign minister. “You will have to live with this form of agitation, Haruto!”
„Over 89% of the Japanese have voted for me! Yes, 89%! And these wily rats of the foreign press tell the world that I have just deceived my own people!”, grumbled Matsumoto.
Akira Mori, who did not expect any other behaviour from the international media, and was more realistic than the Japanese president and answered: „You have dared a lot, when you have liberated our country from the World Union. You have created an independent Japan and have furthermore given our land back to the Japanese. So be glad about your achievements, my friend.
The economy blooms under your hands and the our people admire you. This is the best time for Japan since many decades. Just ignore those liars of the press. The damn lies of a press, controlled by the Lodge Brothers and the World Government. It is just their usual strategy to defame all forces of freedom on this planet.
The time will come, when even other nations wake up and break their chaines. You have shown the rest of the world that resistance is possible. Millions of men and women look up at you, because our country is their symbol of freedom and hope. However, don`t forget your mission, Haruto!”
„Nevertheless, the price is high...“, said Matsumoto.
“Of course, you are right! But even the worldwide boycott of our goods has not carried the fruits that the World Government has expected!”, answered Mori with an aggressive countenance. „Japan stands like a strong rock in the sea!“
„Will they start a war against us?”, asked the president haggardly.
The foreign minister was silent for a short moment. “I don`t hope so, Haruto...”
The two men stared at each other and finally turned around. Then they looked together at the Fujisan and the snowy peak of the mountain reminded them of the white beard of an old, wise man. “Mr. Fuji”, the ancient father of the Japanese nation.
He had always been there, hard and steadfast – and Matsumoto wished to have only a little piece of his power. It was not easy to rule over a renegade nation, a country of dissidents. Millions of Japanese people had given him all their hope and trust, but Matsumoto just feared to dissapoint them. Japan was isolated and enemy troops conglomerated at its borders. A peaceful future seemed to be nothing but an illusion.
The goods of the island people, formerly appreciated in all other countries, were now proscribed and rejected by the surrounding administrative sectors. The conversion of the Japanese economy to bigger autarky, became increasingly difficult and laborious. Occasionally, Matsumoto thought about giving up, because his fight often seemed to be futile. He sometimes wished to be just a “private person” again, free from all responsibility. But he wouldn`t have had a private life, even if he would have given up. His enemies wanted to take revenge on him and hated him for the fact that he had led his country to independence. Since he had abolished the interest system some weeks ago, in his eyes the root of all evil, the hateful nagging of the international press had become a true hurricane of slander.
Only his friend, Akira Mori, was able to keep his crumbling morale up, again and again. Even in times of deepest resignation and hopelessness. He was a gift of heaven, this foreign minister with the heart of steel.
The two politicians were silent and knew deep inside that the possibility of a war against their country was anything but improbable, if the economic boycott and the malicious campaign was not successful enough.
But they still continued to hope for peace. Matsumoto went into the house and sat down in his office, Mori followed him. Today it was valid to prepare another governmental declaration which would suggest the World Government a peaceful solution of the conflict. However, the danger that it would find deaf ears again, grew with each applying day more and more. Even if the day was as beautiful and sunny like this.
„If they ignore our declaration again, then remember the old Romans!“, said Mori to the president.
„They will probably reject it. Everything else would be nothing but a miracle, Akira“, answered Matsumoto and shook his head.
„Then I will tell you something! A proverb of the old Romans, from a time in which they had been in sustained conflict with their contiguous tribes in ancient Italy: „Who wants peace, prepares for war!”
„I just want peace and also want to safe our people from another war. Apart from that, we wouldn`t have a chance against the forces of the World Government“, groaned Matsumoto and hold his head.
“You must take war into your account. Don`t be a dreamer!”, muttered Mori and clapped his friend gently on the shoulder. „I also pray for peace, but mind the worst case too…”
“The decision to become a politician was the biggest mistake of my whole life”, hissed Matsumoto desperately and kicked against his desk.
“You brought the good thing to the people of Japan! Never forget that! We will also come through this crisis!”, said the foreign minister with a humorless undertone.
But Haruto Matsumoto did not want to hear this. He still rued the day, when he had been involved in the bloody and dirty game called “policy”…
At the same time, Frank Kohlhaas and Alfred Bäumer walked the streets of Vilnius, far away in Lithuania. The two rebels were visiting this city for the first time since their arrival in Ivas, the small village in the southeast of the country. They enjoyed a sunny day, sauntered through the streets or hung around in cafes. Moreover, there was a lot to see, here in this old city, founded in the early Middle Ages.
The two men prefered the old town of Vilnius which still had a lot of beautiful buildings, in spite of the social decline and the omnipresent state of neglect. Old churches and slowly crumbling but still beautiful house facades could be admired here. Nevertheless, the effects of the social crisis had even reached Vilnius. Many homeless and poor people hung around in the city center to beg the visitors for some Globes.
The police presence was, in comparison to the adminis
trative sector „Central Europe”, still small, although the streets in the inner city were meanwhile supervised by numerous video cameras. However, Frank and Alfred had taken precautions by wearing baseball caps and sunglasses which they rarely removed. In spite of a subliminal feeling of tension, they enjoyed the day and were glad that they had come out of the little hicktown of Ivas to see another environment. Although the surveillance had also increased in Eastern Europe, the two rebels enjoyed their trip to Vilnius, always trying banish the sorrows from their minds.
„Look at this sticker there!”, said Frank to his friend, pointing at a tattered and faded label on a lamppost in front of him. Alf Bäumer came nearer and took a look at the torn sticker. He lifted his sunglasses and tried to decipher the Cyrillic letters on the label, whispering something in Russian.
„Hmmm…”, hummed the tall man.
„Can you read it? It`s time for us to learn some more Russian“, said Frank, staring at the noticeable symbol in the middle of the sticker. It was a black dragon`s head on a white flag.
„Thus, it is something about the Varangians, I think...“, murmured Alf and scratched his head musingly. “And it is from an organization called Freedom Movement of the Rus...
“My Russian isn`t very good, but I like this sticker. I don`t think, that this stuff is legal in the administrative sector „Eastern Europe“.“
„Varangians? What is that?”, asked Kohlhaas.
„They are, more or less, the ancestors of the Lithuanians and partly also of the Russians, the Belarusians and Ukrainians. The “Rus” or „Varangians“ were Vikings who founded the realm of Kiev. They are generally known as the first Russians. It is something historical – and of course not legal!”, explained Alf and smiled sardonically.
„It seems that here in Vilnius is a group of this organization, otherwise this label would not stick there“, said Frank.
„However, we know nothing about this group. I will search the Internet for some more informations. Maybe I will find something about this Freedom Movement of the Rus. Anyway, I like their symbol.”
Bäumer still tried to translate the Cyrillic text on the sticker for the next minutes. Shortly afterwards, the two rebels walked away and went into a pub at the end of the street to drink another beer.
It was a relaxing day for Frank and Alf, despite of the occasionally returning feeling to be observed. Both had missed to see another environment after many boring weeks in Ivas. The spent three further days in Vilnius and went back then to their home village. Meanwhile, a lot of work was waiting for them and Thorsten Wilden, the leader of the rebel base, was already expecting them too.
In the evening hours of the following day, the annual meeting of the “Bilderblickbrothers” took place in the middle of the idyllic mountain countryside of Switzerland.
This meeting was the most important political conference on earth, where the leading persons of politics, media and economics came together to talk about the next steps to control mankind. Far away from any public and surrounded by hundreds of policemen and GSA agents, the most powerful men of the world colluded in the luxury hotel „Bilderblick“. The internal circle, the Council of the 300, met at this protected place and decided the fate of over eight billion human beings. At this meeting, the introduction of the new Scanchip which should be implanted in the future, was the main topic. This new chip was proposed as the successor of the regular Scanchip.
A further item on the agenda was the reaction of the political network to the detachment of Japan from the World Union. Above this committee of total power was only the Council of the Elders, also called Council of the 13. The absolute secret instance of the new world system. Lord Beaconshill, the media mogul, who had his domicile in England, raised his hand after a long debate to say something to the Japanese question: “My brothers, it is time for an example, because the outrageous actions of this Matsumoto mock our global order in a way, we can not accept anymore! If we don`t take drastic measures soon, Japan will probably become a model for other states. I finally demand a decision of the Elders, concerning the Japanese problem!“
A murmur went through the mass of the gentlemen, dressed in noble business suits. Some of them harrumphed, others whispered or shouted through the spacious hall. Then silence prevailed again for a short moment.
„In principle, you are right, my brother Lord Beaconshill. However, the attacks of the media, controlled by us, were not as successful as we have expected. I personally counted on the fact that the Japanese population could be more easily divided in different parts. But our tactic to instigate strife should be reconsidered. Matsumoto`s popularity is still very high and the opposition on the island works lamely and is not belligerent at all!”, answered Ian Basler, the boss of the “Basler Trust Company” from Seattle.
Jeff Dornberger asked for the word and hectically waved his greasy hand which was adorned with some gold rings. „I think that there are two possibilities for us. One is bringing the enemy to its knees by the various methods of slander, or on the other hand, if this should not be effective, just to ignore him at first.
At present, even the most clever designed lies fail against Matsumoto. His rule is still stable, as the internal studies of our GSA agents prove, and I`m afraid to remark that we can bring Japan back to subjecting only with a military strike!”
“I`m right there with you!”, shouted Dr. Cyrus Newton, the chairman of the pharmaceutical company “GPHP”, and banged his fist on the wodden table in front of him.
Suddenly Lucius Brown who was one of the envoys of the Council of the Elders in this round, stood up from his place and asked for silence. He stared at his fellows and scrutinized the look of his black suit.
„My dear brothers, the instructions of the highest council are clear! I don`t wish any debates about that, because the Elders have already come to a decision. An example of Japan will be made. An Example, the world will remember for many years! The attempt to question our rule over this world, must evoke a harsh and cruel punishment, but we must proceed mindfully, in order to make no mistakes.
As I have already said, the instructions of the Council of the Elders are clear: War! The lasting destruction of Japan and the following destruction of its people and its culture!“
„This will be a lot of work for us, beloved brother Brown! How can we reach this aim?”, asked one of the men.
„The council wants an invasion of Japan by our GCF troops - from several sides. A nuclear strike is not planned yet, because we still have to preserve our image as benefactors. The introduction of the new implantation Scanchip, this so unbelievably important step towards the total control of the masses, may not be endangered by inhumanly appearing nuclear attacks, especially against Japan. We must still appear as philanthropists, liberators and true humanists. In addition, Matsumoto has nuclear weapons too. A nuclear war is also not advisable from this point of view. No, for the highest council the conventional warfare seems to be the best method. And I speak for council!“
Some of the gentlemen appeared confused. Others asked for the role of the media, concerning the preparations for war against the renegade island state.
“Shall we just stop the hate campaign against the Japanese now?”, Sergej Abramovich, an oil tycoon from Russia, wanted to know.
Brown responded: „Yes, no more reports about Japan! At frist, we must prepare the invasion. This country and also Matsumoto himself may be ignored until we are ready to strike back.
Then, as the Council of the Elders has decided, shortly before the war starts, all our media will eat Japan alive. We will make Matsumoto responsible for a devastating attack with biological weapons in the East of China. In this context, he will be branded as a mass murderer and insane warmonger.
Furthermore, that incident will awake the old hostility between Japan and China again, because we have the plan to recrute masses of Chinese soldiers for the invasion army of the GCF. Finally, the whole usual talk about world peace and human rights
will follow - from our side...”
Again the round of gentlemen was shaken by a loud murmur and many of them showed their enthusiastic agreement to this plan. Only a few Lodge Brothers seemed to be sceptical, but the had not the position to contradict a decision of the Council of the Elders.
„What will we do after our victory?“, asked a gray-haired man now.
„The Japanese folk will be partly resettled to other regions of Asia. Furthermore, their traditional culture will be decomposed and eliminated in the long term“, explained Brown and stared resolutely at his fellows.
„All right! So our medias will be silent for a while?”, asked Leonard Bourger from Marseille.
„Yes! No more attention for Matsumoto until we are ready to strike back! The war against Japan will start in exactly one year!”, replied Brown and sat down.
Thereupon, the men discussed another topic, a much more important one: The coming registration of earth`s population with the new implantated Scanchips.
At first, the North American continent should be seized by this measure. And the powerful gentlemen still planned further steps for the absolute control of mankind, but these were heard by nobody, except for themselves. Everything that was discussed at this meeting, did not leave the walls of the luxury hotel „Bilderblick”. The eight billion human beings on earth still lived their simple lifes, while this small group of men decided their fate.
Peace is War