The Nine Unknown Men - It Begins...

By Douglas Shaw

What deadly secret links an Ivy-League professor with fighter pilot credentials; an investigative journalist – blackballed by the Chinese; a Buddhist monk with the skills of an assassin, and a besieged US President Elect embroiled in a hostage crisis that could easily spark World War Three? The answer lies with two warring secret societies, both of which have the best interests of humanity at heart but employ very different methods of achieving their ends – violence is inevitable.
The story takes place on one day in 2009 and moves from Dartmouth College USA, to North Korea, Japan and the North Pole; from the Vatican City, to London and a medieval castle in Switzerland. All the while looking inside the minds of committed individuals, some heroic, some misguided or brainwashed, and some truly evil; but each with their own take on the meaning of love and loyalty.
This is a fast moving thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat desperate to find out what happens next!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365196096

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The Nine Unknown Men - It Begins...

The Nine Unknown Men - It Begins...

Copyright © 2016 by Douglas Shaw

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author and publisher Douglas Shaw, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Douglas Shaw has asserted his right under Copyright Design and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

First Printing: 2016

ISBN: 978-1-365-19609-6

Author’s Note

Dear Reader, thank you for opening this work of fiction, the first in ‘The Nine Unknown Men’ series… and know this, you have my promise that its words have been put together with all honesty - at least the honesty I hope I possess - to both entertain as well as inform, and provide something of value which can be trusted.

In this novel - subtitled ‘It Begins’, my aim has been to build a complex set of story lines surrounding an heroic character who finds himself at the centre of a maelstrom, where the fate of mankind rests in the hands of a few tenacious individuals.

This is a contemporary work of fiction, and due to the contentious nature of its subject matter - global politics, military interventions, spooks and assassins going about their dark and sometimes grisly business, warring secret societies and duplicity - I feel honour bound to emphasise the fact that this book really is a work of fiction, of that there can be no doubt.

From the outset, as one of my valued readers, you are strongly urged to consider this novel to be set in a parallel universe, where all its characters, be they people of notoriety, people of public interest or simply people wrapped up in the story… they are all truly fictional no matter how similar they may appear when compared to persons in real life.

It must be understood that whilst seeking to create a fictitious world, I have based this world on the reality I find myself in, to give my characters an air of credibility and a feeling of authenticity… which of course is in fact an illusion.

To maintain this illusion I have found it necessary to give my characters names similar to those belonging to real people, public figures and officials, some of whom occupy or have occupied high office around the world - such as (bear with me): The President of the United States; The United States Secretary of State; The White House Chief of Staff; a United States Congressman (acting as the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs); all of the various United States Government employees mentioned; all of the other fictitious world leaders as mentioned; all of the armed services’ commissioned, non-commissioned and basic ranks as mentioned; all members of the US Secret Service, CIA and plain clothes and covert agencies from around the world as mentioned; all members of the US Customs & Border Protection Agency as mentioned; all fictitious members of the real life Luventicus Academy of Scholars as mentioned; the fictitious Secretary General of the United Nations as mentioned; all fictitious proprietors and employees of Roman Catholic publications as mentioned; all fictitious members of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and its supporters as mentioned.

With that horribly ungainly but nevertheless necessary statement over with - concerning my novel being made up of fictitious people in a fictitious world (laborious repetition I know… sorry about that); may I offer you my thanks for reading this far. If you choose to continue then I genuinely believe you will not be disappointed.

Whilst my characters are nothing more than an illusion, the issues and dilemmas that they face are not… they are very real.

Acknowledgments and Thanks…

My dear partner Nicky – whose patience I cannot fathom and in particular your forensic style proof reading

My mother Maureen - for your steadfast support, together with your book club sampling of Book Two (The Nine Unknown Men – Confrontations) their feedback was much appreciated

A good friend Sue Branch - for your support, suggestions and in particular your artistic flair in helping with the cover design… a true artist

Also a word of thanks to just twelve of my many heroes… Mervyn Peake, Aldous Huxley, Stanley Hooker, Christopher Hitchens, Ronald Laing, Marc Chagall, George Orwell, Philip Farmer, Joe Cocker, John Tolkien, Stephen Fry and of course Joanne Rowling… larger than life people who touched my soul.

The Nine Unknown Men - It Begins…

DOUGLAS SHAW

Contents

INTRODUCTION

AN ANCIENT BEGINNING:

The Ruination of Kalinga & King Ashoka’s Nine Rings.

A MODERN BEGINNING:

So What Can Happen in Just One Day?

CHARACTERS

WORDS of THE SCROLL:

Presented to King Ashoka Maurya.

LEAD-IN to BOOK TWO:

The Nine Unknown Men – Confrontations.

INTRODUCTION

The Nine Unknown Men – It Begins..., takes the reader on a journey of discovery as seen through the eyes of its three main characters - Daniel Law, Constantina Elmo and Lochan Nagas (a Professor, a Journalist and a Buddhist Monk); who find themselves at the centre of a storm, deliberately set into motion by an ancient secret society. This secret society has a name that has been passed down through the ages – The Nine Unknown Men; once the sole purview of the XY chromosome - a male preserve, but that is a thing of the past. Over several thousand years it has evolved, and in so doing it has chosen to absorb many of the qualities of the Age of Enlightenment which bubbled up between the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries, at least those that it considered to be of value from a Machiavellian perspective; qualities that made The Nine Unknown Men stronger - for example, parity of gender. In so doing this clandestine group of nine (always nine) has removed all prejudicial barriers to its membership; all bar one unequivocally binding stipulation – that each candidate must possess the intellect of an absolute genius. (In modern times the word Men in their name is retained merely for sentimental reasons, but now its usage refers to Mankind as a species, which is really quite fitting, since it is the whole of mankind that The Nine Unknown Men have chosen to serve in their own inimical way).

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This novel focusses upon a single day – January 11th 2009 – the day on which The Nine Unknown Men chose to mount a covert attack on the United States of America; a hostile act designed to neutralise a potential chain of events which, from their perspective, would unquestionably lead to the annihilation of Homo sapiens as a species. The unthinkable chain of events in question, related to the very real risk that the highly ambitious ‘big idea’ of a newly incumbent President Elect, might become a reality. This idea, albeit still only a kernel in the President’s mind, where it was being moulded and shaped into a plan - a hidden agenda to form his lasting legacy, was known only to a few of his most trusted colleagues and friends. As an idea it was certainly ambitious as well as being impressive and entirely laudable. However, when it reached the attention of the The Nine Unknown Men, through their network of spies and listening devices, they were immediately stirred into action – seeing it as a clear and present danger to the world.

Should the President’s big idea be turned into reality, it would see huge sums invested in establishing a viable human presence on the lunar surface; an investment which would be hugely beneficial – all things being equal. However, there was a special factor that had not, and could not have been considered by the President in his calculations; a factor that made his lunar ambition too dangerous to even contemplate. It was something of which Nine Unknown Men knew all too well, having been tasked to keep it a secret ever since their inception deep in the distant past. This knowledge made the President’s hidden agenda simply one step too far and could not be tolerated. They would therefore see to it that the President’s energies were diverted away from the moon. To do this they would they draw on the considerable skills and resources at their disposal, to ensure that he was kept extremely busy; tying him up in knots with a huge expansion of his daily in-tray briefs and responsibilities, combined with the sudden flaring-up of many difficult problems - both domestic and foreign, with the added issue of an international crisis of Third World War proportions thrown in for good measure. If need be, this new fledgling President would not only find himself besieged with an overwhelming workload, but also, have his government destabilised to such an extent that it was only able to act with a purely reactive, defensive posture.

President Barry Alana II was under no illusion that a covert war was being waged against the United States, and that he had been singled out to be the fall guy. However, the President was not about to go down without a fight and immediately set into motion a covert black op to recover the situation, together with a deception to redress the balance and take back the initiative; a deception involving a retired USAF fighter pilot – a wildcard (possibly an ace) up the President’s sleeve, namely: Professor Daniel Law.

The President was having to act in the dark without a single clue concerning the identity of the perpetrators who sought to undermine his administration; he had no idea of their motive which was in fact related to the existence of his hidden agenda. He was entirely ignorant that his big idea had unforeseen consequences of unimaginable magnitude. He also had no way of knowing that the attack on his administration might well be justifiable.

Should the burden of the terrible secret that The Nine Unknown Men stubbornly hold onto be more widely shared, then their ruthless actions might be more readily appreciated if not condoned; but this is unlikely to ever happen, at least not in the foreseeable future, not as long as they are steadfast in their refusal to reveal themselves and the terrible knowledge that they keep locked away.

As far as The Nine Unknown Men are concerned, their secret must never see the light of day, for in the wrong hands it might easily set in motion an end-of-days scenario with literally Earth-shattering implications. This is why The Nine Unknown Men guard their secret with their lives; a secret passes on from one generation to the next, since time immemorial, a secret that relates to a certain crater on the far side of the moon.

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The Nine Unknown Men have existed as a secret society since before the time of King Ashoka Maurya (the third in line of the long lasting Maurya Dynasty); an Iron Age emperor who ruled most of the Indian sub-continent between the years 268 to 232BCE. During the time of King Ashoka, this society of nine philosopher-polymaths - each possessing a giant intellect, was recruited by the King to protect his realm from the ever present threat posed by Alchemy. This precursor of all things scientific, was the fuse that was about to light-up the dangerous wonders now recognisable as the products of Science and Technology - two sides of a highly volatile coinage, namely: discovery and inventiveness - common traits that sets Homo sapiens apart from other species. It is a coinage that shares in its responsibility for offering both hope and despair in equal measure; for minted into its two faces are records of achievement which carry tremendous pride as well as dreadful guilt – a coinage that The Nine Unknown Men constantly seek to limit by all means at their disposal, acting as unelected moral arbiters… (in their words) …to isolate the ‘banes’ from the ‘blessings’ that Science and Technology constantly generates in its unbridled two pronged naivety.

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One of the aims of The Nine Unknown Men series of novels, is to explore the way humanity is often faced with the dilemma of having to choose between equally right and equally wrong beliefs, or courses of action; where those looked to for guidance at times of need - the leaders, gurus and unbiased intellectuals, often disagree; where context is open to interpretation and personally acquired values and gut-instinct have to rule the day… there is nothing else to rely on. Knotty issues often lie on either side of political divides, where right and wrong cease to have any real meaning, where arguments always have counter-arguments… forming dilemmas ad- infinitum. Such is the case between the two warring secret societies that form the skeletal structure of this novel… (The Nine Unknown Men versus a fellowship of scientists hidden in plain sight within the Luventicus Academy of Scholars – shortly to be introduced).

On the one hand are The Nine Unknown Men, who have taken it upon themselves to pursue an entirely admirable agenda: namely the saving of mankind from extinction; having evolved as an organisation over a staggering length of time to widen its remit from the protection of an Indian King’s Realm, to that of the protection of the whole human race, and the continuance of its Homo sapiens genome. On the other hand is another secret organisation, a select group of intellectuals buried deeply within a society of scholars known as the Luventicus Academy; whose raison d'être is diametrically opposed to that of The Nine Unknown Men, even though they share similar wholesomely benevolent sounding goals… namely: to use all of their undoubted skills and resources, freely given in the furtherance of a bright tomorrow for humanity. However, the tactics and modus operandi they employ are entirely different; each seeing the world from utterly conflicting standpoints.

The Nine Unknown Men see the Luventicus Academy as a loose cannon, seeking to expand all knowledge regardless of its potential to reap havoc in the hands of the uneducated, the unprincipled, the callous opportunists of this world, or the amoral sociopaths who cannot see further than the ends of their noses. In their defence, Luventicus might argue that they always maintain stringent safeguards in all that they do; and see any kind of external moderation or control, that aimed to supress or restrict their freedom of enquiry, as tantamount to an assault on what it is to be human. They might also argue that in their view, curiosity and ingenuity cannot be watered down, and blinkers must never be placed over the eyes of an inquisitive mind. It could also be argued that Luventicus is non-partisan and non-interventionist in all that it does, and will always stand up for the rights of true academics whose sole aim is discovery for its own sake. Being essentially a non-military organisation whose peace loving members are not equipped to defend themselves or protect their work, some Luventicus Academicians have decided to be more proactive in their defence. A secret inner core has therefore been set up within the Luventicus Academy, whose clandestine defensive tactics are pursued without the knowledge or sanction of its legitimate leadership. However, after fighting a losing battle for some time, this secret inner core has found it necessary to team up with a covert military branch of the United Nations, which also operates without the knowledge of this organisation as a whole; with one exception, namely: the UN Secretary General who is fully aware of its existence, having set it up and even given it a name – ‘Cagot’. Working together the two secret arms of Luventicus and the United Nations aim to counter and undo all that The Nine Unknown Men seek to achieve. So the die is cast with the ruthlessly interventionist Nine Unknown Men versus the idealistically non-interventionist Luventicus-Cagot team set to do battle.

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Being a multi-headed beast operating globally with thousands of years to have become embedded into all organisations – be they governments, armed services, companies, education establishments, religious entities or charitable concerns etcetera, etc… The Nine Unknown Men always have many insidious acts of intervention in play at any one time, dealing with all matters which in their view might possibly become a cause for concern. One such cause for concern related to an archaeological find known as the Derveni Papyrus; since it could conceivably contain information in some way linked to the central reason for The Nine Unknown Men coming into existence – the self-appointed guardian of humanity. Newly aware of the danger posed by Luventicus joining forces with the United Nations, The Nine Unknown Men devise a plan to discover the identities of the operatives they fear most, namely the undercover agents working for Cagot. In their view Luventicus was an inconvenience, but Cagot was a threat that had to be eliminated. The plan involved the recruitment of an investigative journalist (Constantina Elmo) under the protection of an ex-spook (Lochan Nagus). Their recruitment was carried out under the auspices of a Roman Catholic newspaper, whose Editor-in-Chief and certain Cardinals residing with the walls of the Vatican, were led to believe that the archaeological find contained information that might overturn all that the Counter-Reformation had sought to achieve.

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I hope this provides a useful taster of what can be expected in this book. There are many aspects I have not mentioned for example the range of assassins lined up against the people loyal to President Alana; the assassin on the tail of Constantina and Lochan; the assassin assigned to ‘take out’ the UN Secretary General; and many more characters who find themselves working on either side of the righteous divide. Another theme which becomes more prominent in later books is the important part played by special abilities, and the way they influence and shape events and the tenuous references in the story that links ancient monuments with the unborn at specific times of the year.  One thing is clear, none of my characters are fully aware of their importance in the scheme of things, and even those seemingly in control of events are unaware that there is something happening within humanity itself that trumps all that The Nine Unknown Men consider to be the world’s darkest secret!

AN ANCIENT BEGINNING:

The Ruination of Kalinga & King Ashoka’s Nine Rings.

Western Banks of River Daya, Republic of Kalinga, India… 261 Years before the Common Era - The Age of Iron.

Most of the life sustaining waters of the Indian subcontinent are provided by seven major rivers combined with numerous tributaries and natural lakes. In some regions, human ingenuity has worked its wonders with the building of surprisingly sophisticated dams and weirs, to form reservoirs, canals and intricate irrigation systems; thus altering the natural flow of these watercourses and delaying their gravity led journey to the sea.

It is a time when the vast majority of India’s many fragmented Kingdoms have been consolidated into a single thriving whole by the ruthless King Ashoka Maurya, now aged 39 – third Emperor King in succession of the Maurya Dynasty. As the black and scarlet storm clouds of death and destruction begin to disperse over this diverse land of many contrasts, a new time of peace and prosperity is about to dawn, after decades of war instigated by Ashoka, his father Bindusara, and his father before him, Chandragupta.

The Mahanadi River is one of the seven seemingly endless river arteries, which span the Empire that King Ashoka inherited and expanded, stretching more than 860km from the Satpura Mountain Range at its heart, to the Bay of Bengal in the east. When the waters of this mighty river reach the island-like district of Cuttack, which splits the Mahanadi like a driving wedge, the Koyakhai River is formed and immediately branches away in a southerly direction. The Koyakhai River flows south for about 40km before it forks off to the west feeding the Daya River - a river that flowed red with blood on this day 261 years before the Common Era (257 years before the birth of Jesus Christ – assuming He was born 4 BCE).

It is a time when the potent mix of Science, Philosophy and Superstition have been melded into a highly empirical process of discovery by technological artisans known as Alchemists. These pioneers of the scientific method seemed to have harnessed the magical forces of nature using their wizard-like skills, often recklessly gained, to conjure many new, innovative and sometimes highly dangerous products - the founding of Iron being one of Alchemy’s crowning achievements (a non-intuitive chemical process that led to a whole new age of human development). Iron was just one of the wondrous breakthroughs that forward thinking figures such as King Ashoka would come to both covet and fear. For it was with Iron weapons that his war with Kalinga had been fought, resulting in the bodies of over 100,000 dead and dying men, women and children, to be strewn over the plains that surrounded his tent – 10,000 of them being from the ranks of his own conquering army.

King Ashoka’s face looked ashen. His spirits were untypically sour and despondent. His eyes now dry, had shed many tears. For the first time in his heroic life as a leader directing the clash of shield and sword, he had returned from the battlefield chastened and downhearted despite his victory; even his name (meaning ‘painless, without sorrow’), seemed to offer no more than ironic derision. He had finally understood the full sickening horror of war, where evil lurks like a contagious disease within every silent shadow.

Shortly after the violent clash of arms that had lasted two days, when the adrenaline rich madness of battle had left his eyes, and his temperament had quietened; Ashoka had ordered a chariot to take him through the streets of Kalinga which was now his to do with as he pleased. His battle stained and torn tunic, and his scratched and dented armour, showed just how ferociously he had led his army from the front. He had been so eager to venture into his newly won territory that he had refused offers of damp cloths to clean the dried spattering of congealed blood from his cheeks, brow and neck.

Kalinga was a state he knew only too well, a safe haven that had once provided him with shelter in his time of need, when he was a Prince escaping death at the hands of his brothers. It was a place that had once given him a home, where he had both loved and found love in the arms of a Kalingan fisherman’s daughter Tissarakkha Kāruvākī, who he later made his second wife. Everywhere he looked, from the vantage point of his roaming chariot, he saw destruction, smoke, raging fires, bodies of all shapes and sizes, many still with sword in hand and all broken beyond repair. He could also hear the occasional scream, and watched distraught, pitiful looking people weeping over slaughtered family members, heedless of the danger that still surrounded them, and the fact that they were soon to be deported as slaves. Victorious comrades-in-arms could also be seen paying respect to the many brave heroes who had fallen this day; while at the same time holding onto the newly acquired spoils of war; pillaged trinkets, foodstuffs, wine, rolls of fancy woven fabrics – everyday chattels and heirlooms of the dead and defeated.

Ashoka could not believe that such a mighty state could be so utterly crushed, a state that had shown such valiant defiance over the years, in the way it had successfully resisted his father and his father’s father in defence of its sovereignty. Kalinga had been a truly civilised state that prided itself on its monarchical parliamentary democracy; where the concept of Rajdharma was maintained – its rulers understanding the concept of bravery, justice and duty. Kalinga had abided by the principles of Dharma that were close to Ashoka’s heart, and he would have happily allowed it to continue to flourish had it not refused so stubbornly to acknowledge him as its ruler.  Resisting him to the bitter end when it must have been known that all was lost and hope no longer fed their courage, refusing to surrender, going like mad dogs to the slaughter.

What have I done? Ashoka asked himself again and again, Tissarakkha my dear wife will you ever forgive me? Why did they not submit to me… why?

On returning to his opulent marquee-like tent, King Ashoka had summoned his two ageing spiritual advisers, Moggaliputta-Tissa (Mo-Tissa) and Upagupta, both eminent Buddhist teachers. He needed them to interpret his mood and bring him solace.  Almost immediately, they had arrived somewhat breathlessly, and on entering the King’s temporary audience chamber – a spacious affair lined with silk drapes, and furnished with well-crafted tables, chairs and an assortment of cushions; they had both knelt beside Ashoka’s throne-like chair, awaiting his attention and permission to speak.

The King looked extremely troubled but nevertheless managed to offer a smile, acknowledging the presence of two men of wisdom whom he thought of as family friends. Then without saying a word he used a beckoning gesture with both of his hands, thereby inviting his guests to get off their knees and speak to him. First to gain the Emperor King’s attention was Mo-Tissa - King Ashoka had briefly glanced down into his eyes with a haunted look and a nod of his head. Mo-Tissa took this as his cue and proceeded to gently whisper well considered and carefully reasoned words, words for the Emperor’s ears, and the Emperor’s ears alone.

Mo-Tissa began by offering heartening words of optimism, comfort and reassurance, designed to gradually pave the way for more purposeful words of guidance; and at some point, the recommendations that he and Upagupta had painstakingly laboured over in secret as conspiring councillors, to be broached only when the time was deemed to be right.  Words that, unbeknown to them, would act like a catalyst, unleashing an unexpected sea-change of thinking in the Emperor’s mind; helping to engender a heartfelt epiphany that would transform him from ‘Ashoka the Conqueror’ and to ‘Ashoka the Great’.

Your Grace, on this day you have achieved a great triumph worthy of song, a song of joy and lament, with a sweet and bitter melody fit for a warrior who understands the smarting pain of victory.

Ashoka nodded seeing the truth in his counsellor’s words and said, No song can accurately describe this battle’s end, there can be no words that truly tell the tale of misery, death and destruction I have brought down upon a people who once accepted me as one of their kin. Speak to me and tell me which road I should follow, for I have reached a fork clouded in dust, the way ahead is no longer clear to me.

The sickening sights and sounds of King Ashoka’s personal war on Kalinga, echoed in Mo-Tissa’s mind like a waking nightmare.  The two days of vicious fighting had certainly left their mark on him, so much so that he was finding it hard to disguise his feelings of utter contempt, anger and disgust for the all-powerful sovereign; a wretched man who seemed to be looking for spiritual absolution, or perhaps some kind of sympathetic endorsement, neither of which he felt able or willing to provide. Moggalipitta realised however, that no matter how bitterly disappointed he was with Ashoka - the man whose life he had watched over, protected and enriched, ever since he was a babe-in-arms being suckled by a wet-nurse - he had to contain his feeling at all cost, now more so than ever. Judging by the Emperor’s somewhat dubious mien and the likely volatility of his state of mind, to do otherwise could easily be fatal.

As a disciple of Gautama Buddha, and a teacher of Buddhist enlightenment, including its interpretation of Dharma, as well as being a close friend to the Maurya family and privy to Ashoka’s ambitions, Mo-Tissa thought he understood the dilemma that Ashoka must have faced.  On the one hand the King would have felt obliged to show resolve and continue the campaign of imperial expansion begun by his forefathers, and in particular acquire the precious jewel of Kalinga with its sophisticated economy and strategic trading ports; a republic that had brazenly taunted two generation of Mauryan rulers with impunity. On the other hand, the King had become an enthusiastic follower of Buddhist teachings, partly as a result of the spiritual influence of his first and dearest wife Devi (namely Empress Queen Vedisa-Mahādevī śākyakumārī); and also the noble example set by his oldest son and daughter (Mahendra and Saṅghamitrā), having both made him extremely proud by their decision to become ordained disciples of Buddha.

Mo-Tissa realised that regardless of Ashoka’s status as Mauryan King and Emperor, who led the powerful army he had inherited and honed to a keen edge - an army that in his Grandfather’s time, had halted Alexander the Great’s advance at his western borders, King Ashoka was also a human being with strong Buddhist aspirations. The carnage and devastation he had both orchestrated and directed as a bloody sword-in-hand General, must be playing on his mind, for the horror he had just stepped away from was without precedent in its monstrous scale and indiscriminate slaughter. In his capacity as a spiritual adviser Mo-Tissa realised that he would have to tread carefully, but while the emperor’s emotions were in turmoil it might be possible to plant seeds of change in his mind, but first he would try to lift his spirits sufficiently to absorb his words.

Your Grace is troubled by the terrible cost of war this day, and its dreadful resolution in Your Majesty’s favour, that is clear. Who with just a shred of pity in their hearts would not weep over this final battle won; but fear not, paint and mortar and a new influx of loyal blood will soon see Kalinga not only restored to its former glory, but wholly reformed from root to branch so that it can interlock as a healthy part of the Empire of King Ashoka Maurya, the collective of steadfast and unified vassal states. After a short passage of time, the passing away of the Republic of Kalinga and its impudent ways, will be nothing more than a memory, its lands and structures having been transformed and revivified by new, willing and truly Mauryan settlers. People who will become the shining silver filigree that brightens the empire. With time, Your Grace will come to see this day as a landmark in the Maurya Dynasty. Now is the time to reflect on all that is good and promising, your Queenly wives and offspring are safe, well-nourished, healthy and vigorous in spirit. Your subjects have never known such stability and order. The Kingdoms that surround Your Grace’s borders look on in awe and tremble when the name Maurya is spoken in their presence. The Maurya legacy is secure and has never been stronger.

Ashoka looked at Mo-Tissa with a searching smile as he said, So my friend, you have found a gentle stream to sooth my aching feet, waters to freshen my spirit, no doubt you wish to open my mind to less comforting thoughts that demand my full attention.

Your Grace, it is true that I do wish to do more than hopefully, console the troubled heart of a conquering king. Upagupta and I believe that in times to come the name of Ashoka will continue to be revered as a Great Emperor King, keeping company with illustrious leaders such as your Grandfather Chandragupta… Alexander, Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes… all having ‘The Great’ appended to their names.

Ashoka frowned feigning annoyance as he said, What of my father? Does he not deserve to be known as Bindusāra the Great?

Mo-Tissa fell silent not quite knowing how to proceed.

Ashoka’s face suddenly creased with laughter at the sight of his Buddhist teacher becoming temporarily lost for words.

Mo-Tissa remained silent, and expressionless, looking up at his imperious pupil and confidante in some distress, being fully acquainted with Ashoka’s God like powers over life and death; a man who with a wave of his hand could reward a person with his or her most intimate desires, or else punish that person with their darkest most feared means of torture.

Have no fear, I was merely jesting. You know, I think you have lifted my spirits just a little.

Mo-Tissa soon recovered his composure but remained cautious and slightly nervous, his words becoming overly verbose – his way of coping with pressure. First he spoke of the Third Buddhist Council that he had organised eleven years earlier in, as he put it, …Your Grace’s magnificent Capital City of Pataliputra, Capital of the Mauryan Empire, situated on the confluence of the Ganges, Ganhaka and Son Rivers. This meeting of minds in the Capital’s vast, eighty pillared Assembly Hall, helped foster an atmosphere conducive to serious debate and fellowship; energising ordained delegates to such an extent that a new proselytising zeal became manifest, leading to the unanimous decision to send Buddhist missionaries far beyond Mauryan borders.

Ashoka seemed happy to be diverted from his feelings of guilt and uncertainty and said, Ah yes, I remember, it was an achievement worthy of praise; you did well. How are our missionaries faring?

Mo-Tissa immediately spoke of the success of the scores of evangelical monks who worked as teachers well versed in the Dhamma and Vinaya; men and women who could recite all of the words of Buddha by heart and spread his words from remote bases set up at the behest of the Third Buddhist Council. Ashoka then took the bait and requested more detailed information to refresh his memory on the missionaries, their names and the distant locations where they preached. At once, Mo-Tissa offered the Emperor a jewel encrusted scroll case fashioned from white jade and silver, with the name Ashoka boldly worked along its tubular length in golden letters. Moments later, after the Emperor King had opened the case at one end and carefully teased out the elaborate document it had protected, Ashoka looked pleasantly surprised as he unfurled a wondrous manuscript; a precious work of art containing exquisitely crafted calligraphy combined with numerous finely drawn and many-coloured illuminations – a document that the shrewd monk had kept close at hand in its valuable case, in readiness for this very moment. Ashoka nodded appreciatively as he absorbed the beauty and clarity of the information he had just requested and wryly marvelled at its timely appearance.

As Your Grace can see, your missions have found their way to nine regions of the known world, scattered around the edges of the Mauryan Empire and beyond.

Indeed, quite remarkable said Ashoka without shifting his gaze from the scroll. [Appendix: WORDS of THE SCROLL]

"Over the last eight years, Your Grace, each mission has become well rooted in its ground, consolidating its foothold in preparation for a second wave to extend its reach beyond six hundred yojanas as Your Grace commanded (the distance from the centre of India to Greece 4000 miles away).  Preparations are already under way to carry the words of Buddha further North and West into the realms of the Greek King Antiochus and beyond, enlightening the four reaches of the world touched by the Kingly expanses of Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander. To the South and East, missionaries are about to extend their reach beyond the three Kingly realms of Pandya, Chera and Chola (Tamraparni/Sri Lanka) reaching out across the Andaman Sea and the Malacca Straights, into their zones of influence. Finally to the North over and beyond the Himalayas; missionaries are already making contact with the Chinese people as far away as the Tarim Basin in Northwest China."

A brief smile crossed Ashoka’s face as he nodded his head seeming impressed, before lowering his scroll and handing it back to Mo-Tissa to rewind. He then turned to his second spiritual advisor with the words And what say you Upagupta, my patient friend? What words do you offer to ease my melancholy?

Your Grace, we have spoken before of the three perils that threaten the Mauryan Empire. Attacks and incursions from without, rebellion and insurgency from within, and that insidious threat posed by Alchemy and other unnatural endeavours of the human mind and spirit.

So you think Mogaliputta has honeyed my mood with sufficient charm to allow you to attack me when my guard is down? You are like a rash which refuses to heal with your irritating warnings of danger to my Empire. You and your three perils. said Ashoka sounding disgusted.

Ashoka stood up and poured himself a goblet of wine, dismissing his steward with a flick of his wrist. He then walked over to a table covered in well fingered maps, some stained with wine and some dirtied with a mixture of grime and blood. When he reached the table he looked down at a map that had been torn to pieces; a hefty dagger still pierced the largest of its fragments, stapling its varnished skin to the table top in such a way that its blade had been driven right though its well-seasoned planking. The fragment of map showed the heart of the now ruined realm of Kalinga.

After a long silent pause Ashoka returned to his chair and to Upagupta’s amazement made it clear that his advisor’s disagreeable words could no longer be ignored. It was time for a change in the way he ruled, and he was open to suggestions about how he could shape a new enlightened Empire based on Buddhist principles.

Speaking for several minutes he suddenly became silent after the words, …The days of the sword, fire, fear and endless death and destruction must end. The leaves of the Arthashastra have served me and my forefathers well, but its words demand that I continue unabated and be true to its obdurate, and often pitiless ‘Principles of Kingship’. This I can no longer do, its words still serve the Warrior Emperor that I have become, but it no longer serves my spirit… he then bent forward, buried his face in his hands and wept.

After a moment, the somewhat shocked Upagupta, spoke once again; taking the opportunity to lay out the plans he and Mo-Tissa had conspired together to shape and finesse. Plans that would see the abandonment of some of the more ruthless diktats within the Arthashastra’s voluminous (15 book) doctrinaire style guidance. A work that Ashoka regularly studied, forming the bedrock of his understanding of power, politics, economics and military strategy. The Arthashastra was an ancient treatise on statecraft written in Sanskrit, and had served King Ashoka extremely well, when a power base was being grown and nurtured with merciless violence. It was at this moment however, that his chief advisors saw the opportunity they had been waiting so long for, an opportunity to see an end to the Arthashastra’s vice like grip on Ashoka’s mind-set. With their carefully crafted guidance they planned to steer the Emperor towards a more compassionate view of the world, establishing a new kind of order not based on coercion and oppression, but on love and fellowship. With their help they planned to show Ashoka how to mould the empire into a new kind of enriched entity. One that espoused tolerance and whole hearted acceptance of a multiplicity of creeds, where all aspire to embrace human dignity, integrity and common decency as the mortar that binds the Empire together.

Ashoka looked up with swollen eyes and forced a smile, allowing tears to stream down his cheeks unchecked.

Upagupta said, It is recommended that a new state official be appointed and be given the title ‘Dharma-Mahamatra’ to work alongside ambassadors and administrators, actively promoting and policing religious tolerance, while at the same time championing the virtues of Buddhism. This new Ashoka-Dharma should also enable the Empire to be bound together without the need for secret police or an inward facing army. People would then come to accept a wider citizenship of the Maurya Empire, over and above the jurisdiction of their regional state councils. With a King who honours his subjects with his trust and liberalised laws, fewer resources need be diverted into the pockets of armed men and women, whose only job is to stifle subversive acts such as free thinking and tribal allegiances. Ashoka-Dharma would view such acts as harmless indulgences which far from being merely tolerated, would be openly welcomed as a healthy constituent part of the whole.

Seemingly, this proposal would take care of the First of the Three Perils to my Empire which you never tire of warning me about; but how do I reach the hearts and minds of my people so that they can have faith in my good intentions?

In reply, Upagupta suggested that King Ashoka should issue lawfully binding edicts written in stone, rock or iron, to be scattered throughout the Empire, pronouncing a new ethical code of behaviour common to both rulers and subjects alike.

Ashoka seemed impressed but instead of dwelling on Upagupta’s solution to the threat of a popular uprising or isolated rebellions, he now turned to the Second and Third Perils he had so eloquently described.

Mogaliputta now begged leave to interject, since he was more in tune with the comings and goings of foreign governments, being well versed in the allegiances of their populations, be they political, commercial or religious. With a wave of his hand Ashoka gestured for Mogaliputta-Tissa to continue, and carefully listened to a proposition which would allow the King to reduce his expenditure on the vast standing army currently needed to patrol his endless borders. This proposal recommended the fostering of interdependency between potential enemies, expanding trade between nation states, building international partnerships, cultural exchanges both secular and otherwise, enhanced diplomatic agreements and binding treaties based upon common commercial interests and a relaxation of military activity along common borders.

Once again Ashoka looked impressed, but this time instead of asking for proposals on how best to be rid of Upagupta’s Third Peril, (namely, the threat to his Empire posed by human ingenuity and in particular, the fruits of Science in all its forms, be it natural or social), he offered a proposal of his own - put forward in his own inimitable style.

I would wager that it will come as no surprise to you both, when I tell you that I have been monitoring your clandestine discussions concerning your so-called Three Perils. We all have spies who keep us informed… so that surprizes when they do manage to raise their fetid heads, are rare occurrences indeed. You must therefore be aware that I am cognisant of your thoughts regarding the appointment of agents working undercover as humble monks; their role being to secretly oversee the workings of our missions be they located within our borders or based in foreign locales. I have to commend you, this scheme of yours has many qualities that I admire. Training your monks to be my eyes and ears, keeping me informed of the world of alchemy and other such dangerous arts, whilst at the same time undertaking their customary proselytising activities… all this I found to be quite inspirational. So much so that you have moved me to think on this matter long and hard; as well as providing me with an entertaining diversion.

Ashoka’s two spiritual advisors looked on with a hint of quiet satisfaction in their eyes, both well aware of the King’s spies.

The King continued, My judgment on how best to neutralise this third peril of yours is as follows; I agree with your strategy of creating a network of spies as a means to discover and expose the dangerous wielders of unnatural forces.  I accept they pose a very real danger to my realm. I also understand the logic of selecting your would-be spies from the ranks of eminent holy men. I assume you would have me entrust this clandestine task to such men, spiritual men of learning, with an in-depth knowledge of Buddhist teachings no doubt, and as such who could be better than ordained Buddhist monks no less? Yes, I imagine they would make excellent spies.

Ashoka’s two advisors now felt confident enough to show their appreciation of the words they were hearing and nodded their heads vigorously.

Ashoka now raised his hands and waved them slowly and deliberately before continuing with the words… However, where I disagree, is your presumption that the necessary credentials of these spies can only be found within the walls of monasticism. In this regard your proposal loses its potency, since your spying monks would see themselves as being beholden to you and your clever associates before me, and that would be intolerable. I have to admire your audacious ingenuity, but do not ever think me a fool, that would be truly inadvisable. Having said that, I am willing to set aside your impudence and ulterior machinations, since your plan is not without merit.

Ashoka now raised his hands to silence his learned councillors who were obviously eager to interject, and continued…Over the last six months of much travel and campaign, I have ruminated over your plan to counter this Third Peril of yours, in search of a more appropriate solution. In so doing I found myself in the horns of a dilemma, namely, how to recruit my own clandestine agents to work alongside your learned monks whilst having them answerable to me and me alone; all the while fearing that in reality such people might not yet exist in the world, since my requirements are extremely stringent and are fivefold in number. Namely, One: be an accomplished spy and be capable of maintaining a monastic disguise; Two: accept the rigors of a monastic life and for all intents and purposes become an ordained monk; Three: be well versed in the arcane arts and be able to both recognise and search out such dark Alchemic practices; Four: be a practitioner of the martial arts and be capable of using violence to seize all works of magic uncovered in my name; Five: swear absolute allegiance and loyalty to me.

Ashoka now drained his goblet and by his own hand refilled it. He then paced about occasionally sipping and obviously deep in thought.

Finally he sat back down and appeared to snap out of his reverie with the words… During a lifetime of travel across the breadth and depth of my Empire and also abroad in foreign territories, I have seen many things, some terrible, some wondrous and some alarming. This experience has led me to believe that the only people capable of spotting and knowing how to deal with the magical practises of Alchemy and the like, are those people who are already heavily engaged in these dark arts. Such people are extremely hard to find and even more difficult to recruit, however, through proxy and much to my amazement… I have found nine such individuals… or rather they appear to have found me. All are men, although their gender is of no consequence, and they await my summons to meet with you. At my suggestion they have already and become anointed into your order. You may be surprized to know that I have only recently become acquainted with these individuals who are nine in number, although I have corresponded with them for many months. They have been protected by a small contingent of guards to the rear of our encampment, awaiting this very moment to reveal themselves to you at my command. No doubt you are both harbouring the same feelings of curiosity that I felt, just prior to seeing with my own eyes what accomplished magicians look like, but I dare say without my eager anticipation. Rest assured, these nine individuals possess the solution to your vexing Third Peril, but more importantly, they also satisfy each and every one of my five stringent requirements, of which their loyalty to me takes pride of place.

Ashoka clapped his hands and the guards outside his tent allowed the nine men of learning and dangerous expertise to enter. The men were of various ages, racial origins, heights and builds, some looked distinguished others less so, but one thing that they all shared in common was their piercing inquisitive eyes. Ashoka did not introduce the men by name merely saying that henceforth they were to be referred to as The Nine Unknown Men - the collective name by which they wished to be known; their real identities were to remain a secret only known to the Emperor. Curiously they had no leader although any of the nine could take this role upon themselves dependent on the need. Ashoka also went on to say that after today, they would never again meet as a quorum of nine in the flesh; after today their communications would be channelled by courier keeping eachother informed, and always keeping their benefactor King abreast of their clandestine discoveries. They had each agreed to join a separate Buddhist mission which best suited their individual temperaments and chosen fields of study; and had also agreed to don the black robes associated with the conservative school of Theravada monks - their disguise as undercover agents, (in tune with Ashoka’s spiritual advisors Mo-Tissa and Upagupta). In return for agreeing to spy for Ashoka, winkling out people who possessed the same kind of intellectual talents and expertise that they possessed; they would each be allowed to operate unhindered as highly skilled practitioners of a particular dark art, each being highly specialised and equally dangerous. The collective motivation behind their want to become Ashoka’s spies, was the promise of anonymity, an unending supply of gold to allow them to carry on with their studies and experiments, suitable premises from which to continue their work in secret, hidden away from prying eyes and their pick of assistants, guards and assassins at their beck and call.

Before Ashoka handed over the nine mysterious individuals into the care of Mo-Tissa and Upagupta, who greeted them somewhat cautiously on their arrival, the King signalled each of the men in turn to approach and formally swear allegiance to him as their Emperor King. In so doing they were each given a formal audience, a chance to introduce themselves, and in so doing provide the King and his two spiritual advisors a brief resume of their fields of expertise.  As they complied, they also whispered into the King’s ear, a secret pseudonym by which each of the nine wished to be separately known, code-names designed to mask their real identities and thus ensure they remained unknown. Ashoka smiled to himself on hearing the names, as he recognised immediately that they were the nine ‘Navagraha’ - the names of spiritual entities called Grahas or spirits, and well known to the ancient religions of India such as Hinduism and Jainism. The Navagraha were considered to be cosmic influencers providing Karmic guidance for living beings, to assist in the shaping of human behaviour and destiny. Then before backing away to allow the next man to approach, they each took the opportunity to hand the King a carefully crafted signet ring to be used to seal any correspondence with them in wax. Each ingeniously designed ring had a large jewel embedded into a detachable setting hiding the bezel beneath, and deeply engraved into the bezel was the name of the spiritual entity chosen to mask the man’s birth name.

The words spoken in turn by The Nine Unknown Men can be summarised as follows… first an identifying name (a pseudonym that King Ashoka had recognised as being one of the nine Navgraha spiritual entities); then the common name of a gemstone (each of The Nine Unknown Men wished to be associated with one particular gemstone); and lastly, a particular field of expertise (each of The Nine Unknown Men possessed a library of arcane knowledge, summarised in a multi-volume codex that was for ever being added to).

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SURYA: {Ruby} Light. – including its mysterious waves or power. (Electromagnetic Radiation and also leading in the future to Weapons of Mass Destruction).

CHANDRA: {Pearl} Microbiology. - including seminal works that would lead to modern-day Virology. (Mycology, Parasitology and Bacteriology, and areas of stud. that would in the future become Biotechnology including Weapons of Mass Destruction).

MANGALA: {Red Coral} Physiology. - including instructions on how to perform the ‘Touch of Death’. (For example, Martial Arts such as Judo).

BUDHA*: {Emerald} Communication. - not excluding the potential to make contact with Extra-terrestrials.

* One ‘D’ omitted in deference to those who revere the name Buddha.

RAHU: {Hessonite} Gravitation. - including the beginnings of Aerodynamics and Astrophysics of sufficient calibre to postulate and design flying machines of all types.

GURU: {Yellow Sapphire} Propaganda. - including Psychological Warfare.

SHANI: {Blue Sapphire} Alchemy. - including the manipulation of liquids, gases and metals. (Also areas of study such as the Transmutation of Metals – also leading in the future to Weapons of Mass Destruction).

SHUKRA: {Diamond} Sociology. - including rules concerning the evolution of societies and how to predict their downfall.

KETU: {Cat’s Eye} Cosmology. - the study of the origin, evolution, and eventual fate of the universe.

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Before this audience was over, King Ashoka retrieved the jewel encrusted case that his advisors had presented to him, and pulled out the scroll from within. After opening it out fully to the blank patch he had noticed earlier at its end - a bare space on the parchment-like paper devoid of writing or artistic embellishment, he called for a quill and ink. He then summoned his chosen nine to stand before him once again, one by one. This time to help him compile a list, lest he forget the whispered information that the nine had just disclosed. For the sake of secrecy the King became the scribe and wrote down nine lines, one for each of the mysterious nine men in turn. Each line represented a key containing the three important identifying facets of these Nine Unknown Men…*Field of Expertise *Pseudonym *Jewel. Once this task was complete Ashoka rolled up his scroll and placed it back in its case.

Light Surya Ruby

Microbiology Chandra Pearl

Physiology Mangala Red Coral

Communication Budha Emerald

Gravitation Rahu Hessonite

Propaganda Guru Yellow Sapphire

Alchemy Shani Blue Sapphire

Sociology Sukra Diamond

Cosmology Ketu Cat’s Eye

A MODERN BEGINNING

So what can happen in just one day?

Chapter  1  -  Misplaced Trust

Chapter  2  -  A Training Flight Like No Other

Chapter 3 -  Puppet & Puppet Master

Chapter  4  -  An Unknown Man Plans Murder

Chapter 5  -  An Ex-First Lady’s Presidential Summons

Chapter  6  -  Walking Away? Unlikely!

Chapter  7  -  A Covert Mission on Real-time TV?

Chapter 8  -  The Himalayan Guide

Chapter  9  -  Senator Maddon’s Bitter Task

Chapter 10  -  The Grand Envoy

Chapter 11  -  VIP Treatment for a Tomcat Crew

Chapter 12 -  UN’s Cagot Embrace Luventicus

Chapter 13 -  The Vatican’s Wheels within Wheels

Chapter 14 -  Putting Dan Law through his Paces

Chapter 15 -  Mangala, Budha & Rahu Plot Certain Death

Chapter 16 -  A Tomcat Refresher Turns Sour

A MODERN BEGINNING Continued

So what can happen in just one day?

Chapter 17 -  Cagot & an Amish Man with Special Skills

Chapter 18 -  Death Awaits Dan & his Snuffers

Chapter 19 -  A Thoughtful Drive in Old