“Their power is growing steadily,” John said. “Marshside was on the verge of joining their protectorate when we captured it; if we'd been a month later, we might've faced not just one machine gun, but a dozen."
“And that's something that troubles me,” old Isaac Fisher-of-Men said, shaking his head unsteadily. “What could you and your men-fine as they are-do against the weapons you say these people have? John, you lost what-thirty men against that one machine gun?"
“Thirty-one,” John admitted. “And two more who died later. But Elder, we were taken by surprise; we were charging down an open hillside, making ourselves perfect targets. We wouldn't be doing that against the People of Heaven; we know what we're facing this time."
“Do we? John, you may be a good soldier, but you don't know everything; there were weapons back on Earth that make machine guns look like children's slings. What if these people have them?"
“Why should they? They didn't come here to fight a war; they came to subvert us, lead us into the temptations of material wealth and sensual pleasure. If they have other, mightier weapons, why have they kept them secret? Why not let it be known, so that we would be more frightened than ever? Maybe Earth has lost some of its wonders, just as we have; maybe they couldn't bring that much with them. I don't know their reasons, but I don't believe they have any of these miracle weapons."
“Still,” Lazarus pointed out, “you'd be leading men with swords up against machine guns."
“I would be leading men with swords and rifles and bombs and whatever shields we can devise up against machine guns-men armed with steel and with steel in their backbones, the steel of the one true faith, against guns manned by soft and decadent weaklings!"
“We don't need speeches,” someone muttered; John did not see who had spoken.
“The men of Marshside fought well,” Lazarus said. “They weren't weaklings."
“They weren't the People of Heaven, either-they hadn't even joined the protectorate yet."
“So you want to take all our guns and ammunition and men, all the explosives in New Nazareth, and attack the Citadel of Heaven with them, sneaking them in where the roads are so bad travellers ride this ungodly airship,” Simon said derisively. “Fine-what are we supposed to do if the Chosen attack while you're leading your men up through these hills?"
“I hope to have the armies of the Chosen with me,” John replied.
“What's he talking about?” Simon demanded, looking back and forth at his fellow Elders.
Lazarus sighed again. “I hadn't told them about that part yet, John,” he said. “I figured we'd best start with the easy part."
“Elders, I want to make a truce with the Chosen of the Holy Ghost. After all, they're as threatened by the People of Heaven as we are; I think we should put aside our differences until this greater threat has been destroyed. You've pointed out yourselves that our army, fine as it is, might not be enough against these diabolical weapons the Heaveners use-but if we had the Chosen marching beside us, our numbers doubled, nothing on Godsworld could stand against us."
“I don't like this,” Simon said, “I don't like it at all. They're heretics."
“They're still Christians, though,” John insisted. “The People of Heaven aren't."
Old Adam Bearing-the-Cross, who had sat quietly beside Jacob Blessed-Among-Men throughout the entire session until now, spoke up. “Our ancestors put aside their doctrinal differences in order to come to Godsworld in the first place,” he said. “They hoped for a miracle that would show them how to resolve those differences permanently, and that miracle never came-but can we do any less to preserve Godsworld than they did to create it? I don't say that I believe every word John has said about these people-it's hard to imagine offworlders sleeping a hundred years to come here and make trouble-but John obviously believes it, and he's a good man, an intelligent man. If he tells us these people are a real threat, and that stopping them is more important than showing the Chosen the error of their heathenish ways, then he's probably right. I say we make the treaty."
“I agree,” Jacob said. “After all, we can always take care of the Chosen later; this way we'll know more about how they fight."
“And they'll know more about the way we fight,” Isaac pointed out.
“We know enough about how they fight now,” Simon said. “Can't we deal with them first, and then attack the Heaveners?"
“We need their strength,” John said.
“Vote!” Paul Bound-for-Glory called.
“All right,” Lazarus said, “All those who favor treating with the so-called Chosen of the Holy Ghost to form an alliance to attack the so-called People of Heaven, vote ‘aye'. Paul?"
“Aye."
“Thaddeus?"
“Aye."
“Simon?"
“No."
“Isaac?"
“I'll abstain."
“Tom?"
“Aye."
“Jake?"
Simon objected, “You're not taking them in order."
“I don't have to,” Lazarus replied. “Jake?"
“Aye."
“Adam?"
“Aye."
“And reluctant as I am, I vote ‘aye', too,” Lazarus said. “That makes six for, and with an abstention that's a majority. God's will be done, amen. If you others want to go on record you can, but that's all we need. Anyone?"
No one spoke up; after a brief pause, Lazarus continued, “All right, then-someone get John a white flag and a cross, and he can head out for Spiritus Sancti right now."
“Thank you, Uncle Lazarus,” John replied.
The party that had ridden full-speed from Marshside had been made up of John, Habakkuk, Matthew, and Miriam-John had brought Matthew and Miriam to support his testimony, and Habakkuk to report on the current state of the army at Marshside, reaffirming the soldiers’ faith in their leaders and their readiness to fight any foe. The party that gathered for the journey to Spiritus Sancti, an hour after the meeting of the Elders, included John, as spokesman; Habakkuk, as second; a civilian by the name of Peter Light-of-the-World to speak for the Elders; two soldiers as honor guard; and Miriam, because nobody had any better idea of what to do with her. Matthew was to return to Marshside with Lieutenant David Saved-By-Grace, who would be taking charge of the army there until John's return-John and Habakkuk had left a mere under-lieutenant running things, and the Elders deemed that unsuitable.
It was the third of May when the party reached Spiritus Sancti under heavy guard and was led into the presence of the Anointed.
When Peter had run through the required formalities and made introductions, John came directly to the point. “We have come here in hopes that we can convince your people to forget, temporarily, their differences with the People of the True Word and Flesh, and join with us against a common foe."
The Anointed sat back on his cathedra; the chair creaked beneath his weight. “And who would this common foe be?” he asked.
“The so-called People of Heaven, and their infernal pagan protectorate."
“I don't know a thing about them; they're on the other side of the New Jordan, and I don't concern myself with anything over there."
“Well, sir, whether you know it or not, they're a growing threat to all of Godsworld, on both sides of the New Jordan, from Asher all the way to Simeon."
“Oh?” the Anointed said politely.
“Yes, they are! They're from Earth, agents of Satan come to destroy us."
“Oh?” the Anointed said again. “What makes you think so?"
“I've visited their capital, and they told me as much. They have the lost arts-they have an airship, they have machine guns, and they're fabulously wealthy. They're expanding rapidly; it won't be more than two years before they start nibbling away at your own southeastern territories. They've already taken Little St. Peter, and St. Peter itself is a part of your domain, isn't it?"