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Prelude
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Already there, the next book's introductory chapter.
As always I'm providing the family trees you'll need to get a right idea of who's born to whom.
It is Pleasure to write their stories and It's an honor to have you as readers.
Please don't forget to review, just a little emoji to let me know your support would be great.
And since it is that time of the year: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
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Annex One : Family Trees
Bennet Family Tree (as of 1843)
Edward Bennet 1751 + Fanny Gardiner 1758
- Jane 1778 + Geoffrey d'Arcy Spirit, Life and Ether
- William 1801
+ Elizabeth Romanov
- Betty 1801 Spirit, Light and Shadow
+ MazymKhan Khazegheld, leader of the Khazak (First wife),
1836 Ishtar
+ Ayyala – (Second Wife) mother of the Heirs, Geffraan and Koublaï
- Sarah 1812 Spirit Light and Life
- Jonathan 1812
- James 1820 (History) Jamie
- Cassandra 1820 (marketing and business) Cassy Life Light
- Elizabeth 1779 + Fitzwilliam Darcy Astral and Air
- Geoffrey 1801
- Janet 1801 Water, Fire, Earth and Air
- Rodrigo Guzmann de Harrara,
1831 Eduardo
- Charles 1820 (Management) Charly
- Charlotte 1820 (Weaving and History) Loty Air Ether Thoughts
- Mary 1781 + Gerauld Duroc - Emilie 1792 (first marriage)
Earth, Ether, Life and Thoughts
- Rebecca Rose 1804 Manna, Astral and Earth
- Napoleon 1811
- Alice 1820 (linguist) Ally Life Earth Water
- Godefroy 1820 Froy
- Catherine 1784 + Charles Bingley Biorna Air and Thoughts
- Deirdre 1804 Didi Water and Thoughts.
- Rupert 1810 Trep
- Louisa 1820 (music) Lou Light Ether
- Caroline 1820 (music) Lina Light Thoughts
- Lydia Georgiana 1820 (music) Lydjo Light Spirit Air
- Lydia 1785 + Donald Gordon Air and Earth
- Matthews 1812 (Explorer) Mat
- Clemens 1812 (Military scout) Clem
- Aileen Jane 1820 (Math – Physics) Gordy Shadow Earth
Edward Gardiner + Adeline
- Emma 1793 + Mikhaïl Apraxine (Russian Prince)
- - Boris Sergei 1818
- - Tatiana 1821
- - Youri 1825
- Alicia 1795 + John Gordon Byron (6th Baron Byron)
-divorced from Annabella Byron in 1817
- - Steven 1820
- - Mathilda 1823
- - Charles 1831
- Thomas 1797
- Philip 1798
- Georgiana Darcy + Charles Douglas
- Regina 1804
- Fitzwilliam 1809
- Robert 1815
- Kyle 1820
- Maureen + Geoffrey d'Arcy (Shadow, Fire and Earth=
- Alexandra 1802 + Alexandre Bonaparte (Earth and Ether)
- Sean 1812
- Gwenhyfar 1812
- Yasmina Hosmanli Hanedani + Geoffrey d'Arcy
- Bouran 1818
- Ayïda 1818
- Ann de Bourgh + George Darcy
- Lionel 1813
Alana Portia Rufa ( Alana Darcia Rufa) ;-)
- Joan 1813
- Catherine 1820 (Maths Physics) Kat Life Astral Manna
- Arthur 1820 (Politics) Arty
- Caroline Bingley + George Augustus Herbert 11st Earl of Pembroke
- Gwennhifar 1804
- Charles Augustus 1810
Others
Tilana + Rob Roy Kealey
Teenara + Richard Fitzwilliam (marriage July 1821)
- January 1822 Theodora
- January 1822 Constantine
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Annex Two : *Link*'s members and skills
(J) - James d'Arcy 1820 (History) Jamie
(J) - Cassandra d'Arcy 1820 (marketing and business) Cassy
(E) - Charles Darcy 1820 (Management) Charly
(E) - Charlotte Darcy 1820 (Weaving) Loty
(M) - Alice Duroc 1820 (linguist) Ally
(M) - Godefroy Duroc 1820 (Strategy) Froy
(K) - Louisa Bingley 1820 (music) Lou
(K) - Caroline Bingley 1820 (music) Lina
(K) - Lydia Georgiana Bingley 1820 (music) Lydjo
(L) - Aileen Jane Gordon 1820 (Math – Physics) Gordy
(A) - Cath. Darcy de Bourgh 1820 (Medecine) Kat
(A) - Arthur Darcy de Bourgh 1820 (Politics) Arty
Jamie Hindi Bengali Pundjabi
Cassy Norsk Dansk Svensk Icelandic
Charly Welsh Mansk Cornish Brezhoneg
Loty Ghandaran Hebraic Coptic Aramaic
Ally Swahili Igbo Yoruba
Froy isiZulu Khoisan Balkan Slavic
Lou Italian Portuguese
Lina German Dutch
Lidjo Hungarian Finish
Gordy Pashtun Scottish
Kat Japanese Spanish
Arty Latin Greek Ancient Greek
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Foreword
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Earth-0 24 December 1843
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Pemberley Great Library
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- Merry Christmas, Uncle…
Charles opened his eyes and took a long breath. It had been a long day and he was quite surprised that he had fallen asleep while lounging on his favorite armchair near the Southern Fireplace. A place he often shared with Fitzwilliam, Mr. Bennet and, when he was present, Geoffrey d'Arcy.
A place where they knew nobody would disturb them…
Nobody outside of family of course.
Falling asleep in an armchair was something that had not happened to him for a very long time. The fac that he had skipped last night's sleep to finish his latest visit to his London Labs could probably explain it.
And he didn't regret the time spent there. Earth technology was still full of incoming wonders. All in all life was great.
And the fact that he was, like everybody else of the family, feeling safe when in Pemberley had helped him to relax into sleep.
Safe and at ease… That was Pemberley for them all.
Luckily for him and the rest of the household, the end of December was a period where their guests -especially the Germans- loved to be within their familial homes and most of Lizzy's rambunctious guests were at that period of the year absent.
They would be back for new year to strut around during the new year festivities but for now forty-seven of the fifty-two who were around during the year were with their families… Only Beethoven who had no family he didn't despise, Emmanuel Kant who was, even if upgraded, at 120 years old no longer very mobile, Georg Hegel who was too brooding to be a man of feasts and celebrations, Friedrich Schiller who never left Pemberley where he had found his muse and Jane Austen who had been joined by her family and was more than less part of Pemberley's perpetual guests.
Charles recognized young Lionel and smiled at him.
- You did it! That's good… You came alone?
- I would never not be here for Christmas, mamma and all the aunts would be very upset with me would I forget to come! And Alana is of course with me. It will be her first Family Christmas. I would never be accepted again here in Pemberley if I hadn't been able to convince her to come.
- You had to convince her?
- No, she wanted to come and since her family isn't of the Christian faith there was no matter of awkward choice. We were with them in Londinium until this very morning.
He looked at the end of the Library.
- Alana who's with Aunt Jane to make a few controls will soon join us. Even if she's still doing everything in her power to stabilize the political situation in the Roman Empire she wouldn't miss what everybody describes as the event of the year.
- Still problems in Britania?
- More than enough and solving them will take a few more years, I fear. But she's well and in her best mood. And if she's well, so am I.
Charles let his smile expanse. He liked the young Earl de Bourgh and even if he still disliked the man's father, who would be present like the rest of the family, he had overcome his antipathies for the man because dealing with the de Bourgh kids and Anne was always a fine intellectual challenge.
- That's how it must be, said he with a knowing smile.
He felt exactly the same.
- I wouldn't have thought, added Lionel, that marriage could bring me so many satisfactions…
- It does, son, it does but don't take anything for granted, having a marriage that lasts asks for lots of efforts. It is a marvelous relationship, but it is also a very brittle one. Do not hesitate to ask those who succeeded at making it last. Ask old man Bennet to have a list of everything he had done and shouldn't have. It will be easier that way. We from the younger generation didn't do everything as good as we could, but we managed to make our marriages last for a few decades now.
- I'm not the social exchange type, you know that…
- Indeed, but whatever. Even introverts like you have periods where doubts will assail them. If it happens, find the strength to look for help. It won't be easy but it's worth it, believe me.
- I do believe you but it's still not what I do best…
Charles shook his head while smiling at the young man facing him. The boy sure wasn't an adept of sharing problems but like every young husband he would have to find his own ways to nurture his marriage.
- Is there a reason you woke me up?
- There is, indeed, uncle. I'm facing a small problem I can't solve alone…
He shook his head.
- No, that's not the truth, I could resolve it, or at least I have a few workable solutions in mind, but I would prefer to burden somebody else with it…
- What sort of problem?
- A historical one, of course, answered Lionel. The technical and scientific ones I have no problems solving either alone or with Alana's help. And with IT and *Link* around, there's always another line of heavy guns that are available should the nut be too hard to crack.
He shook, once more his head.
- No, my problems are historical ones! The ones I always fear…
- Could it have a link with our preferred time-period?
Lionel nodded.
- It has but sometimes I doubt that it is my preferred Time period. Rome's history was not an easy one for Mankind. They weren't good guys those Romans you admire…
- There are no good guys, son. Humans are a lot more complicated than just good versus bad. Look at our dear Geoffrey who came from evil assassin to world saver in less than two decades! But he didn't come there alone. He had help… Where or rather when could I be of help?
Lionel looked around walked over and brought an armchair to sit down.
- You have met Varus and his wife, you remember?
- Of course, I remember. Quite the interesting couple and Varus was a very good surprise. It did reconcile me with the beginnings of the Empire. It was a shame said Varus couldn't compete for Augustus' succession.
- Well, my Varus did better than that, he not only saved the Western Roman Empire, he sponsors a young man who should, with luck and Alana's proactive help, be amongst those who will be recalled as the good Emperors… But whatever Timeline we look at Varus will never be amongst Augustus' available choice for a successor.
- I see that, agreed Charles. But am I right in speculating that your presence here with me could be about said successors?
- That's only part of the problem, Uncle. My real conundrum turns around the issue of meddling. Once more should I say. I have already caused some minor changes to the timeline I envision to deal with, but those things shouldn't have altered greatly the timeline. Now I am tempted to do things that could change drastically the future there! Things one could see as necessary but that I refuse to take over because I believe one major meddling is enough… For one man, at least…
Charles took a long breath.
- And you see me as the other man?
Lionel shrugged.
- You do have a perfect knowledge of the language and the History of the early Imperium has no secret for you… I don't see anybody else within the small group of people I trust who could meddle intelligently. And intelligence is needed since what is about to happen with the Empire seems a lot more favorable than what I found in Alana's Timeline.
Charles couldn't help but make a face.
- Tiberius wasn't a very good emperor, said he. And those who followed from the Iulia Gens weren't really better even if I believe that Nero wasn't the monster the Historians have drawn, but I will have to admit that before Vespasian there weren't a lot of Emperors who convinced me of their worth. The Julians, after the first two men of the Gens, who were in everybody's opinion geniuses, came out as great deceptions when compared to their forefathers .
- But the Empire prospered in spite of the dubious quality of said early Emperors. There were bad rulers, but they were often followed by good ones. If in 420 the meddling can be accepted and justified with humanitarian reasons, it is not so in 5 or 15 AD…
Charles shook his head very aware that he had just been manipulated but still baited quite efficiently.
- I must disagree with you… There are a lot of reasons to meddle. Augustus had designated at least five successors who all died in rather unclear circumstances. Augustus himself died not of old age but because he poisoned himself by eating a rotten fig…
Here Charles made a face.
- You know that I have lots of orchards all over Europe and I love eating fresh fruit, so, I know that nobody has ever bitten in a rotten fig. Not only do they look nasty, but they stink like rotten cabbage. You don't even want to touch them or plug them…
Lionel couldn't help but smile at his uncle's outburst.
- Exactly. And it would be so easy to warn Augustus about dubious figs, don't you think?
Charles nodded.
- It would indeed… Why don't you do it?
- Because it would burden me with yet another timeline. One is enough to fill my schedule and if I have no scruples to just kill Stalin or Tamerlane and let those timelines heal from alone, warning Augustus about the fig incident can only signify another heavy investment. If we save Augustus, it won't be a one-time meddling. In my opinion it would mean going on looking at what happens next.
- And influencing the succession…
- Indeed, uncle. If we meddle, we will probably avoid a few ugly assassinations who played an important role during Tiberius' reign. If we intervene, I'm quite sure that we will save a lot of lives in and around the Gens Iulia. To begin with Tiberius' sons' lives.
- You mean Drusus and Germanicus, don't you?
- I do. With Drusus not being killed by Sejanus' plot, Tiberius will, perhaps, avoid his fall into depression and paranoia and stay the sane Emperor he could have been. Add to that Germanicus not dying in Antioch and we could have a chance to see him climb onto the Throne, saving Rome from Caligula and Nero. From what we know about Germanicus, he would have been a good Emperor.
Charles could only shake his head.
- One never knows. Tiberius was considered a sane man until he became Emperor. It is only after having been crowned that he became paranoid to the point of killing most of the rest of Caesar's family. Power has, from time to time, very nefarious consequences.
- That's exactly why I consider that meddling there will be time consuming. Once we've got ourselves involved, it would be better to stay involved.
He shot a smile in Charles direction.
- And it would be extremely interesting to see what happens if Augustus lives a few more years.
- Do we really want him to live a few more years, asked Charles. Augustus was a great Statesman and I do admire him for that, but he had the morals of a gangster boss! He was a bad man who never hesitated to have opponents -or people he disliked- killed for no good reasons.
- Without supervision I would share your doubts… But that changes if we have someone in charge of the whole timeline. Someone like you…
Charles couldn't help but sigh.
- I do have a job, you know? I have thousands of people working for me all over the world. They need my competence.
- The Company has become a self managed steamroller, and you know it. They no longer really need you, Uncle, and you know it like I do. It has become a money producing juggernaut who works almost from alone. And with Uncle Gardiner still at the overall helm nothing will really change. And the Timeline survey wouldn't take you more than a few days a month. We don't need you full time there. A few days each month to look at what is happening will probably be enough. And should we decide to meddle I consider installing an IT there. You would have the help of an AI to supervise the whole endeavor.
Charles couldn't help but laugh out aloud.
- You always say 'we' but in fact you mean always 'me'…
Lionel nodded.
- I do consider you as the best choice. You have the knowledge about the land and the passion for its people. We -and I insist on the we- don't need to intervene but an intervention in 14 AD could give birth to a whole new Roman History. A History with Germanicus following Tiberius -or not- and Caligula never becoming Emperor at all.
- Which would mean that his elder brothers survive…
- Hopefully. Because, if they survive, either Nero or Drusus, Germanicus' eldest sons would be there to take over. And from what we know both young men were and sane and knowledgeable. With us in the background frowning at bad decisions I don't see any of the catastrophes of the Empire's beginning taking place.
- You have a list of what I should do once there?
- Of course, I have a list of what I believe should be done but I won't give it to you. I wasn't joking when I said that I consider you the best choice for that task. At least, a better one than me. And if you accept to be there it will become your project and no longer mine.
Here Lionel couldn't hide a smile.
- I will still interfere, of course, but I will try to be discreet and avoid everything that could be seen as backseat driving. I don't think I'll have the time to bother you, but Varus asks often about how things are evolving in his timeline of origins. So, I'll be there from time to time to get a briefing…
- Varus has the whole real History at his disposal… There are hundreds of books that had been written about the Empire's beginnings. Does he believe it will change?
- He knows that I did interfere with him and Octavian. The Romans now know about China and Rome has a lot more agents and traders roaming Asia than in any other non-meddled with reality. There will be evolutions, he's sure of it and so am I. And, last but not least, he'd like to see how his son fares within said new reality… What he did find in what was left of his family chronicles didn't please him in the least.
- One cannot be and a great Province Governor and a great father. He wasn't very present with his son when the boy needed a father figure. He could have taught him the values he believed in only if he had been present. His preceptors did nothing of the sort. And his father's bad ending did cast a shadow on what the boy imagined to be his future.
- He knows that, and he was a lot more present with Octavian than with Varus Junior. He learned his lesson and from what we have seen, the youngest Varus, who had IT as preceptor, will be an asset for Rome and the Emperor.
- I heard he and his sister were enhanced… What's the difference with our upgrade?
- It's almost, but only almost, as good when it comes to health and longevity. It is a technological accessory that is injected into the recipient's blood where the tech, IT calls them nanos, oversees the recipient's health. Injuries are treated immediately and diseases -or poisons- are eradicated as soon as they happen. All in all, Flavia and her brothers are amongst the people who will see their lifespan increase tremendously while staying, for most of their life, in good health and in top shape. Theodosius will be Rome's Emperor for quite a long time.
- Are you sure that it will be him? His half-brothers don't give me the impression that they are going to agree to stand down.
Lionel made a face while shaking his head.
- I fear that you are right but when the time comes, they won't have a choice. We will offer them an honorable exit and a retirement in luxury and abundance. Should they refuse the honorable exit, there is always Speedy as a last resort. I don't like doing it, but Honorius and Arcadius have been a thorn in the Empire's side long enough. And they are both idiots who should have been executed a long time ago. For treason and bad management. They won't stay in power a minute more than necessary to avoid a civil war.
- A civil war is still possible. There are a lot of would-be Emperors everywhere in the Empire.
- Not with Varus' and Drest's reputations!
- And your meddling…
- And my meddling, agreed Lionel. Or, which is a lot more probable, my dear wife's meddling. She's very decided to make sure that the Rome we are about to build survives for another millennium. At least. And her answer to avoid future invasions is a lot harsher than mine would have been. She's a very convinced supporter of preemptive strikes. For her, the only enemy that won't be able to strike you is the defeated and assimilated enemy.
- One cannot disapprove with her view, Lionel. She has felt it in her body and her soul what it means to be defenseless. I understand that she sees the world as full of enemies to fight.
- So do I, but it still scares me. Rome is under her compulsion becoming the most imperialistic regime Earth has ever known. And since she's everyday busy inventing new ways to kill people, I do have a few worries.
Charles stood up and hugged the young man.
- Don't worry. She's a fine Human Being who's still under the impression that the world is full of bloodthirsty foes. If you do it right, it won't last. It's your job now to be her anchor into sanity, Lionel.
Lionel frowned at his Uncle.
- Me, her anchor into sanity? I'm not sure that I am sane…
- You, wondering about that is a good hint that you are, indeed. Real psychopaths never doubt being in the right. So, stay with your wife as often as possible and give her as many proofs as she needs to make her happy and feel herself safe. And once she's a mother, things will probably even be easier. She'll focus on the family, and it will ground her like nothing else…
- She thinks that she isn't empathic enough to be a good mother…
- She won't need empathy to get a real picture of what her unborn kids want. Upgraded kids do have telepathic links with their mother and there will be a time when you will thank God that you no longer need as much sleep as do normal humans, believe me.
- Aunt Jane has already warned us. She's also shared with Alana her experience in this matter. We should be able to overcome that phase rather easily. Especially with the aid of the Link-cousins. They have promised to be present to help us.
Charles who knew the Link-cousins quite well, after all three of them were his, made no effort to hide his frown. He loved his daughters, but their superhumanity often made him worry. They still considered themselves as Human and that was a huge privilege for the rest of Mankind. But nothing would warrant that the next generations of Super-Humans would share the Link-cousins' worldview.
But that was a problem for the future. For now, he had to deal with his Nephew's worries and wishes.
- Just remind your wife that upgraded kids are physically almost unbreakable. Ask Maureen to teach her how to raise upgraded kids. She's had had lots of training in that science, she has learned how to always place them in an environment where they will be able to face the risks of life while never being really risking said lives. Injuries will be common and hurt them, but injuries will be their best teachers, just make sure that they cannot kill themselves. We were lucky till now and we lost none of them. Let's not begin with yours.
Lionel nodded.
- I'll ask her to visit…
He took a second to take a long breath, but Charles didn't let him ask again.
- And to answer your question, I'll do it… I'll be honored to deal with Octavian and all his retinue. I do not promise that I'll do it for more than a few months but right now I'm interested. What's the current date in Imperial Rome?
- A few days before the Ides of January in 767 after the City's Creation.
- Which means the year Augustus dies in August.
- Poisoned by a rotten fig…
Charles nodded.
- We'll see about that, young man, we'll see about that…
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