[tbontob]

THE ZAX SOCIETY
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THE LOCATION: ZAXXON'S BEDCHAMBER OF ZAX CENTRE

Zaxxon was screaming.

The high chamberlain ran into the room in response to the anguished cries of his Zaxxon.

He had to shake Zaxxon with increasing roughness until Zaxxon awoke. He was wild-eyed, pale and shaking.

"You had a bad dream, Sir."

"It was so vivid, so real."

"What Sir?"

"I dreamt I was being sliced in two, from my head to my foot. Blood was everywhere!"

"Just a nightmare, Sir!"

"No, it was more than that! It was so vivid, so real...so extraordinarily real!"

"Well,..."

"What does it mean?"

"I could ask the court physician, Sir"

"Yes, ask him to come at once!"

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THE LOCATION: ZAXXON'S BEDCHAMBER OF ZAX CENTRE
THE TIME: 30 MINUTES LATER.

The court physician was saying "From what you tell me it can be no more than a bad dream..."

"No, no! It was more than that!" interjected Zaxxon.

"Well, I think we can help calm you." said the court physician as he prepared a hypodermic.

Zaxxon went hysterical, "No, no. I don't want to go to sleep. I may dream it again!"

"Hmmmm. Well, if you will calm down, I will not give you an injection."

"Yes, yes. I am calm, I am calm!" said the wild-eyed Zaxxon in a trembling voice.

"But my dear Zaxxon, we need to resolve this."

Zaxxon was so disturbed that he didn't notice the court physician and the high chamberlain had moved to a corner of the bedchamber and were discussing his situation in low whispers.

"We are at a loss Sir as to how to explain this event and its significance. We will put it before the council to ascertain how we should proceed. Is there anything we can do for you, now?"

In a trembling voice, "I just wish my Zaxxoness was here now. I could relax in her..." Zaxxon stopped, turned red and amended with "I meant with her."

"Well I am confident that Eston and the Zaxxoness are on their way here at this very moment."
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THE LOCATION: JUST OUTSIDE OF THE ENTRANCE TO ELSTONILE CASTLE.

Eston was starting to panic.

He called a meeting of the Zax nobility who had accompanied him on the mission.

"Well, it seems obvious that she will not meet with anyone unless it is her Zaxxon." said one noble.

Another responded with "And if we cannot meet with her, then our mission is doomed. What could we tell Zaxxon? He had such high hopes for a reconciliation."

Everyone looked at each other, hoping against hope someone had a solution.

Seconds passed. Seconds turned into minutes. Everyone had a haunted look.

"Ahem, I may have a solution." said the guard who was in charge of the flap to the tent.

"Ignore him. He is only a guard! What does he know of matters such as these!" said one of the nobles.

"Insufferable!" said another.

"Low class...

The guard persisted with "But, I may..."

"Do you want to be dishonourably discharged from the service without a pension." shouted a noble.

Eston stepped in with, "Gentlemen, gentlemen! We have not come up with a solution. I do not want to go back to the Zaxxon and tell him our mission was a failure."

When the nobles had the opportunity to digest what Eston said, he continued with "I propose we allow him to tell us his idea."

Grudgingly, the nobles saw the wisdom of Eston's words and gave permission to the guard to speak.

"Well, it seems obvious that the Zaxxoness will not meet with anyone but her Zaxxon. And the Zaxxon cannot come here. So, the only solution is to pretend the Zaxxon is here and wants to see her. Once you have an audience with her, you can plead your case."

The meeting turned into an uproar.
"That's terrible you would suggest such a...."
"To lie to the Zaxxoness..."
"You actually suggest we use deceit?
"She could lay charges if we did such a thing!"

Unanimously, the nobles turned down the guard's suggestion with utter contempt!

Sadly Eston said "I do not want to return to Zaxxon to tell him the bad news. Personally, to avoid that, I would try almost anything."

"But, I however much I would like to try it." he continued. "I cannot do it without your help."

Zaxxon concluded with "So if this mission fails, it fails because you are not prepared to risk offending the Zaxxoness."

The nobles all responded with,
"My ethics do not permit me to lie...
"It is not right!
"To even imply that we do such a thing...

To a man, the nobles agreed that they should return to Zax central forthwith.

Sadly Eston said, "Yes. I will report our failure to the Zaxxon. It is likely he will ask if we have tried everything. If he does, I will have to tell him "No." because I didn't have your support."

Eston continued with "We should realize our society is imperilled with the war with three empires. How well our society performs depends in large part on the Zaxxons health and enthusiasm."

The nobles responded with
"Maybe so, but to demand we lie..."
"My conscience will not allow it."
"Sometimes we just have to accept things."

Eston quietly said, "But I think we have a law which says that if by action or inaction a person imperils the society, he could be hung."

The nobles went into shock and then suddenly said:
"Our Zaxxons health is paramount."
"We should do our duty."
"It is only right that we do what we can to reconcile the Zaxxoness with the Zaxxon."
"I am sentimental and want to try to get these lovebirds back together."

"How do you propose we do it?" Eston asked the guard.

"Well, if it was the Zaxxon, he would be accompanied by a retinue of nobles dressed in their finest silks and literally dripping in jewels. To do less may expose you."

The guard continued with "Then, I would suggest you pretend that Zaxxon is in the litter. Make sure the litter openings are closed with silks, give the reason that the Zaxxon is ill and requires immediate attention of her physician."

"Here, here!", the nobles shouted happily, each thinking of the silks and jewels they would like to have.

Historians would write that it was not only the nobles inner sense of duty and loyalty to do the right thing and but it was their compassion for the lovebirds which unwaveringly led them to change the course of history.