The Athenites

"The Athenites!  Don't be ridiculous!"  That came from Einstein.  He was a loyal and devoted follower of the church.  I was keenly interested to see his reaction to Hooke.

Hooke stood his ground.

"They are not ridiculous.   The group has been growing more every day.  If we are not careful, they will be a danger to the power structure on the ring."

Yes, that was a good concern.  The ring was ruled by Newton and the High Lords he put in charge.  If another God existed, it could put into question everything.  While I found Hooke's hypothesis interesting, I found it more intriguing to let the group fester longer to see what trouble they could cause in the long run.  Call it a social experiment.

Einstein didn't give up either.

"Newton is the true God!  No one would dare question the validity of a living God.  Not one as good and pure as Newton."

Oh yes, the religious nature of Einstein couldn't see a world where other Gods even existed.  This was why the old priest had come forward to me before.  He had wanted me to do something about the Athenites.  I wondered if the church had also approached Hooke on the subject.  I decided to approach the matter lightly.

"What Lord Einstein says is with great merit.  I have been personally charged with investigating the matter of the Athenites by the church."

Hooke turned to look at me with his old eyes.  The eyes that were sealed almost closed.  No pupils could be seen.  But he was looking at me nonetheless.  

"And why have you never brought this to the attention of the council, Lord Kepler?"

I stood up and made a light nod to Einstein.

"Well, as my friend has said, I found the matter so unlikely that I decided not to bring it up in the first place."

"That is absurd," snarled Hooke.  He slammed his fist into the table.

 "Look, Lord Hooke, I never really believed that the Athenites were a real thing.  Even so, I investigated the matter."

"Don't tell me that you used the All Seeing Eye!"  Yelled Hooke.

"No, you have my word.  My father warned me of the dangers of it.  And you know very well the history my father and my grandfather had with using the device."

"Then how did you investigate the matter?  Where is your research?  What materials and procedures did you use to study the matter?"

"Well, my methods are my own, but I can assure you that some of my absences during council business were spent investigating the matter.  In addition, I have traced the source of the rumor to Old Town."

Einstein gasped, "Don't tell me that you went there?"

"Sadly, for the purpose of this research, I had to.  I didn't want to, but I have been mapping out Old Town in my spare time.  It is my theory that anything with the Athenites has to come from that place."

"And how did you come to such a theory, Lord Kepler?"

"I have had just about enough of this non-sense."  That voice came from Lady Freud.

"The Athenites, if they exist at all, have not caused us any problems.  Lord Einstein and Lord Kepler have years of experience as scientists.  I believe it's best we leave it in their hands if anything ever comes of it."

Hooke didn't look happy, but he had just been refuted by three different lords, and no one else looked like they cared in the slightest to talk about the matter at hand.

Hooke sat down with a look of defeat on his face, but I could tell that he wasn't going to let go of the matter.  On his own, as a High Lord, he might be able to hire some people to investigate the matter.  And I really didn't want anyone else sticking their necks around Old Town in case they found what I was hiding there.

"I motion that only I have the right to investigate this matter and go into Old Town.  I think I have the right to it due to the church directly asking me to do it.  In addition, I have already spent my own time and resources on this matter."

The jetpack or a remodeling plan for the stairs would have to wait.  I needed to protect the globe from anyone who would go near it.

"I second that motion," that came from Lady Freud quite quickly.  It looked like my future wife had uses I didn't know about yet.

Hawking stood up again.  The square metal frame clanging against the table as he did.

"A motion we have.  Put up your hands.  Put up your hands if you agree."

Every lord in the room except Hooke raised their hands.

"Motion passed.  A new regulation to abide by.  Beeeep."

I couldn't help but smile.  Now everything to do with the Athenites and Old Town would be my legal responsibility.  I doubted the Athenites were even in Old Town, but that didn't matter.  It only mattered what the others believed.

********************

Lady Freud and I walked out of the building together, hand in hand.  Einstein was quick to follow us.

"Is it true the church really asked you to do that?"  He asked.

"Remember when that old priest wanted to talk to me that one time?"

Einstein titled his head up and gazed into nothingness for a while.

"Hmmm...  Yes, I seem to remember that.  But I thought you were going back there for a different reason...."

"Just make sure to take good care of the matter, my dear.  Also, I want to hear all the details about what you have found later."  Lady Freud pulled me by my collar and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

I almost lost myself to the thought of Lady Freud being my wife, but now there was a new nagging concern.  I would have to share ALL my time with this woman...  Not just the good part, either.  I really looked forward to the good part.  But I hated people.  And she would be around all the time.  Never alone again.  A shiver went up my spine at the thought.

And if she really meant to know everything about the Athenites....  Well, that was another problem.  I didn't know anything about them at all.

In the end, I had gotten what I had wanted, but what price had I paid to obtain it?