brewery and also provided by any street dwellers clever enough to supply it (although this produce was mainly consumed by the employed street dwellers themselves, due to its inferior quality). They were not as wealthy as the tsars of nineteenth century Russia, or the kings of early eighteenth century France, but they were wealthy enough, especially when compared to the street dwellers who died in droves each winter and who scavenged through the bins of the rich, when they could get away with it. The more Leslie thought about it, the more he marvelled that there hadn’t been some major uprising in the past century. There had been riots, some of late, in fact, but never had the poor galvanised themselves into a force to threaten the status quo.
Leslie had spent his entire life in the luxury of the scrapers, thanks to his father, who had been rich. He had been privately tutored and had enjoyed all the trimmings of opulence. In fact, his friends said he was mad to seek public office because it meant a demotion to the lowest levels of the scrapers; just above the street dwellers. But he had insisted and he had achieved his goal. During his young life he had built up a battery of ideas and had always wanted to serve in public office, but until this moment he had never seen so clearly how utterly the present city had failed its citizens. It was no good blaming them, he reasoned, they needed guidance. That was what good government should be about. But he had been so buried in books and ideas that he had not, until now, really considered how to best utilise his ideas to effect government. Technological advance was all very well and he could help provide that, but it must be practical technological advance that served the individual citizens of Corporate City. It must be technology that served Jeremiah’s dream. It must be technology shared by all, not only enjoyed by the wealthy.
And then it crystallised. Elizabeth was wiser than she knew. He would get to know this Damien. He would get to understand how the city functioned and he would tailor his inventions to suit the practical advancement for all. Even if the famously lost manuscript didn’t surface, he could still achieve great things for his city. He would join all the little brown dots he was still watching clustering along the streets and join them into a cohesive picture.
And when he had established himself as a scientist and consul of worth - then he would make a pitch for Elizabeth Dawson.
*
EXT.THE MOUNTAINS.DAY
A mansion sits silently upon the hill. It is unused and dilapidated.
Two men on horseback ride out of the nearby forest. One soldier wraps a rag around the head of an arrow and lights it.
The soldier shoots the arrow into the dry, old structure and immediately it bursts into flames.
The soldiers ride away.
Chapter 5
The following Thursday, Elizabeth convened what was officially the first meeting for the triumvirate. So Leslie was amazed to see Damien Hill perched between Elizabeth and Nicholas, sitting patiently behind the polished hardwood table. His amazement was transparent and Elizabeth responded.
‘Our friend Damien Hill has graciously agreed to attend today,’ she explained with a broad smile. ‘He has, unfortunately, resisted my attempt to bring him more permanently into the fold as an adviser, but he has agreed to meet with you today for some preliminary discussions, apropos our conversation the other day, consul.’
Elizabeth awaited Leslie’s reply. His natural disposition was to caution. This man was not a part of the body of three who ruled the city and damn it, he was quite good looking and Elizabeth obviously had great regard for him if she had asked him to be adviser. She looked absolutely stunning too in a light green dress. Her beauty was no doubt appreciated by the young businessman she now sat beside. All these thoughts went through his head but he replied courteously, ‘Of course,’ and seated himself.
‘Alright,’
Leslie had spent his entire life in the luxury of the scrapers, thanks to his father, who had been rich. He had been privately tutored and had enjoyed all the trimmings of opulence. In fact, his friends said he was mad to seek public office because it meant a demotion to the lowest levels of the scrapers; just above the street dwellers. But he had insisted and he had achieved his goal. During his young life he had built up a battery of ideas and had always wanted to serve in public office, but until this moment he had never seen so clearly how utterly the present city had failed its citizens. It was no good blaming them, he reasoned, they needed guidance. That was what good government should be about. But he had been so buried in books and ideas that he had not, until now, really considered how to best utilise his ideas to effect government. Technological advance was all very well and he could help provide that, but it must be practical technological advance that served the individual citizens of Corporate City. It must be technology that served Jeremiah’s dream. It must be technology shared by all, not only enjoyed by the wealthy.
And then it crystallised. Elizabeth was wiser than she knew. He would get to know this Damien. He would get to understand how the city functioned and he would tailor his inventions to suit the practical advancement for all. Even if the famously lost manuscript didn’t surface, he could still achieve great things for his city. He would join all the little brown dots he was still watching clustering along the streets and join them into a cohesive picture.
And when he had established himself as a scientist and consul of worth - then he would make a pitch for Elizabeth Dawson.
*
EXT.THE MOUNTAINS.DAY
A mansion sits silently upon the hill. It is unused and dilapidated.
Two men on horseback ride out of the nearby forest. One soldier wraps a rag around the head of an arrow and lights it.
The soldier shoots the arrow into the dry, old structure and immediately it bursts into flames.
The soldiers ride away.
Chapter 5
The following Thursday, Elizabeth convened what was officially the first meeting for the triumvirate. So Leslie was amazed to see Damien Hill perched between Elizabeth and Nicholas, sitting patiently behind the polished hardwood table. His amazement was transparent and Elizabeth responded.
‘Our friend Damien Hill has graciously agreed to attend today,’ she explained with a broad smile. ‘He has, unfortunately, resisted my attempt to bring him more permanently into the fold as an adviser, but he has agreed to meet with you today for some preliminary discussions, apropos our conversation the other day, consul.’
Elizabeth awaited Leslie’s reply. His natural disposition was to caution. This man was not a part of the body of three who ruled the city and damn it, he was quite good looking and Elizabeth obviously had great regard for him if she had asked him to be adviser. She looked absolutely stunning too in a light green dress. Her beauty was no doubt appreciated by the young businessman she now sat beside. All these thoughts went through his head but he replied courteously, ‘Of course,’ and seated himself.
‘Alright,’
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