X - Non Sequitur

The Capitol Circle, or simply the Circle as it was more commonly known, was a forty acre plot of land roughly in the shape of a circle. Traffic ran all around it. A thick stand of trees stood at the north end. Well manicured green grass grew on the rest of the area.

South of the trees was a modest bandstand, the one artificial structure in the Circle. Despite its simple construction, the bandstand had a rich tradition in the nation of Marmot. People came there to speak, to demonstrate for or against causes, or to simply express dissatisfaction in general. Oftentimes, it was simply a place for people to collectively vent their frustrations.

Some thought the prophets had preached at the very spot upon which the bandstand stood. However, the Fraus church did not officially recognize this as a holy place. Nonetheless, tradition held that the bandstand and the Circle held a very special place in the history of Marmot.

Physically, the bandstand itself would never have stood the test of time. But as the centuries had passed, it had always been rebuilt or refurbished. No government funds had ever been expended in its upkeep. There was no standing committee, no official organization in charge of maintaining it. When needed, people had simply seen to it that the restoration of the bandstand was accomplished. It endured as a national landmark, open to all, owned by no one.

Kamon arrived at the Capitol Circle, his shirt soaked with perspiration. He really did not want to miss Jasmine. He hoped he was not too late.

He slowed to a jog as he ran from the southeast onto the grass of the Capitol Circle. A crowd of about five hundred was gathered in front of the bandstand. The woman on the stage looked like Jasmine. He continued trotting closer. It was Jasmine!

Kamon noticed the television news crew off to his right. What were they doing here? Must be something interesting happening.

Kamon skirted the crowd and moved toward the front. He noticed that clouds had begun forming; some were dark; a storm might be brewing. No one seemed concerned, however. The crowd was focused on Jasmine.

She was using a microphone. A speaker was on each side of the stage. Jasmine's voice was clear and bold, quite unlike the reserved, quiet tone he had heard during their first meeting in the Zone.

"You cannot say -- that you believe in peace -- while you hate one another!"

"You cannot say -- that you believe in peace -- while you despise one another!"

"You cannot say -- that you believe in peace -- while you scheme against one another!"

"You cannot say -- that you believe in peace -- while you hurt one another!"

"You cannot say -- that you believe in peace -- while you kill one another!"

A voice in the crowd shouted a response. "You present a world which is simple -- where no one is evil and everyone is good. But yours is not the real world. In the real world, evil is oftentimes strong, and it can only be stopped by the use of force. And the force brings destruction. But there is no other way to stop the evil. And if the evil is not stopped, then all the good will perish, and we will be left with only evil to rule us. And there will be no peace."

Jasmine answered calmly. "The employment of destruction to stop destruction is a non sequitur. A true and lasting peace can only be achieved through non-violence. Peace must not depend on force. If it does, there is no peace. There is only more violence waiting to be unleashed."

Another person shouted from the crowd. "The Delphi has condoned the use of force to suppress the Clemens insurgents in Kefar, yet she also preaches peace. What do you say to that?"

Jasmine paused a moment, then responded. "I do not wish to make comments about specific political figures or statements. My message of peace is for you to implement."

"Are you saying that the Delphi is merely a politician, not a servant of Nome?" the voice shouted back, pressing further.

"My statement stands," Jasmine replied stoically.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Jasmine's response had brought her to the brink of blasphemy. To imply that any public statement made by the Delphi was something less than divinely ordained was heresy.

Kamon saw the television news crew scramble toward the stage. Blasphemy! That's what they thought of the comments. It would be on the news tonight. What was Jasmine doing?!

Out of the corner of his eye, Kamon noticed two temple officers working their way through the crowd toward the stage. Nome! They were going to take Jasmine in for questioning! This was serious! She must leave immediately!

As he thought, so did Kamon act. In seconds he was at the stage. He leaped and pushed himself easily up onto the stage. He scrambled to his feet and rushed to Jasmine's side.

The crowd was buzzing with excitement. Jasmine had placed herself in a most precarious position, and they all knew it. No one could hear what Kamon said to Jasmine. "Do you understand what you just did?!" he asked incredulously.

"I believe I do," she answered calmly. She smiled. "I'm glad you came, Kamon."

"We can talk about that later," he said, glancing quickly around. "You have to get out of here," he advised grimly. He then nodded in the direction of the crowd. "Those are temple officers on their way up here. They're going to take you into custody. Don't you realize that?!" Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jasmine seemed not at all nervous. What was she thinking?! Kamon stole another glance at the approaching officers. They would soon be free of the crowd. "Jasmine! You have to leave here! I'll try to delay them! But go!"

Inexplicably, Jasmine remained placid. However, she did finally speak in agreement. "Yes, Kamon. That would seem best." A flash of lightning punctuated her statement. Kamon looked up. The clouds had grown darker. A storm certainly seemed imminent.

Jasmine quickly left the stage via the steps to her right. She turned north, to the rear of the bandstand, thus disappearing from Kamon's view.

The temple officers noticed Jasmine's departure as well. They emerged from the crowd in pursuit of her. Kamon ran across the stage and leaped. It was the only way he could cut them off. As he flew through the air, four quick flashes of lightning occurred. Kamon landed in the path of the temple officers just as the bright lights faded.

The officers halted, a bit stunned. It had been most unusual lightning. Neither of the two had ever seen anything like it. And a council member had literally flown through the air to land in their way. Bizarre. They did recognize Kamon, of course. After a moment of indecision, however, one of the officers spoke. "Councilman, we would ask you to please get out of our way. We are here on official business."

"You seem to be pursuing the woman who was just speaking," Kamon replied calmly. "I'd like to know why."

The two temple officers exchanged quick glances. This was a councilman after all. It made them hesitate.

Another series of lightning flashes occurred, as unusual as the first set. The landscape around them was brightly illuminated for an instant.

With the fading of the light, the second temple officer spoke. "With all due respects, Councilman, this is none of your business." She then motioned to her partner and the pair moved around Kamon.

For an instant, Kamon thought about physically restraining the two officers, then thought better of it. He was a high ranking government official, but the temple officers were acting in performance of their duty. It literally was 'none of his business'. He'd lose the resulting confrontation in court.

But there was nothing to prevent Kamon from following the temple officers. He was right behind them as they reached the rear of the bandstand.

All three halted in puzzlement. Green grass, nothing more except for the stand of trees to the north. Jasmine was nowhere in sight. Where had she gone? There had not been enough time for her to make it to the trees.

The temple officers looked quizzically at one another. Where? The question was on each of their faces. The first officer finally spoke. "I'll take the trees! You circle around the bandstand, then back into the crowd! She has to be somewhere close!"

The second officer nodded, then both sped off.

Kamon remained for a moment in indecision. He considered the trees. No, not possible. She couldn't have reached them in time.

Kamon hastened after the second temple officer. It seemed more logical that Jasmine had run in a circle around the bandstand in an attempt to escape. He expected someone in the crowd to soon raise an alarm, alerting the temple officers to her presence.

Kamon frantically searched the crowd for some sign of Jasmine, praying that he would find her before the temple officer did. But each of them came up empty.

It was not long before Kamon raced for the woods. This made no sense. What had happened to Jasmine?

The clouds began to dissipate. The storm that had once seemed so imminent had faded without even a drop of rain. The day grew bright again. Kamon searched the woods until dusk for some sign of Jasmine, but he found nothing. Neither did the temple officers.

END OF CHAPTER