To Kill the Christ! - Chapter Twenty-four: To Kill the Christ

Eight years had passed since the three time travelers had entered pre-historic Britain, and they had built an economically vibrant coalition of tribes that kept the peace in central Britannia. It had come at some cost in blood and coin, but the people of Long Reach and its surrounding villages were better off than the people in the southern part of the country, which was a reversal of fortunes. The change was primarily the result of a spate of new technologies produced by the people of Long Reach, The "barbarians" were even learning to live in small towns.

In those few years, Carl and his cohorts had created an industrial powerhouse with an economy largely based on trade in unique products with the continent. If it seems too dramatic to call it an "industrial powerhouse," what else describes an economy based on the use of animal harnessing devices that freed many men and women from drudgery in the fields and, in a few cases, from drudgery in the home, while improving the standard of living of the people.

Rebecca raised a pertinent question of Carl. "Are the people better off now just because they live a better life and have more food?"

"Some are. I don't think the former slaves would want to go back to their previous life, and I know Marcus and the other Romans wouldn't want to be held for Druidic sacrifice. Besides, I think people are responsible for their own spiritual well being. We can only offer them what we think is the truth. They have to decide whether or not to embrace it."

He laughed and caught Curtis as he raced by. "I know this, we eat better because of some of the things we've done, and the people do to. Perhaps that's enough."

The fortress still was unfinished, though all of its walls were about forty feet high with another six feet to be added. Its towers were designed to protect all approaches to the walls. They would be another twelve feet higher than the parapets. The enormous gates providing entrance to the city had a fail safe mechanism, in which one man could not raise the inner iron gate nor could one man lower the bridge across the moat. Carl had seen too many old movies that showed one man scaling a wall and opening the gates to the fortress.

The outer gates swung on huge hidden hinges with ball bearings enabling them to swing open easily. Metal covered the entire gate, though the inside was made of three layers of heavy timber, with each layer cross-hatched to make splitting of the door almost impossible. It was going to be an almost impregnable fortress which would protect the people of Long Reach as well as those of the castle itself.

The castle was expensive, but exports had brought great sums into the kingdom, sums that paid for the public structures and enriched the kingdom's citizens. And they paid for the Romans who had been sent to teach Latin, Greek, and mathematics.

Carl and Rebecca had two sons, Curtis and Carl, Jr., and Breka, an adopted daughter. Rebecca's second pregnancy had been even more difficult than the first, so they decided to have no other children beside the two boys. Rebecca had later performed a vasectomy on Carl. He had quipped, "If I trust you with this, I'll trust you with anything!"

They had adopted the daughter of a Coritani couple killed in a raid on the small coastal community of Breka. By the time Long Reach's cavalry had reached the coast, the raiders had long since disappeared, probably across the German Sea to the shores of modern Denmark. So far, the Vikings officially had not reached the shores of Britannia.

The baby had been lowered into a well when the raiders attacked, which probably saved her life. Long Reach warriors, hearing her crying, took her to Rebecca for treatment, and it was love at first sight. She and Carl immediately decided to adopt her, a very informal affair, and named her Breka after her birthplace. It was also a play on Rebecca's name.

Even Raphael and Messalina had two sons. Ahmet was five, and Mehtma was three. Raphael was so proud he could hardly contain himself. The birth of the two sons had deepened his love for Messalina, if that were possible.

So far, the kingdom's relationship with Rome was beneficial to both countries, and the détente that existed, from Long Reach's perspective, enabled the kingdom to grow its army and provide it with the most sophisticated weapons and tactics it was possible for the kingdom to develop.

Carl was, however, getting rumbles from the continent that it wasn't Rome that was considering an invasion of the island but the son of Dumnocoveros, the previous ri of Nottingham. As Catuvolcus had warned, sons seek revenge. Atheldarius, Dumnocoveros' son, now eighteen, was building a reputation as a warrior. But he had no kingdom, because of his father's foolishness, and he would have to attract the support of other leaders on the continent. That would take time.

Raphael sat in one of the stuffed chairs Rebecca had custom made. It was comfy and had cup holders at the end of the arm rests, much like movie theater cup holders in modern times. Somehow, the conversation turned to religion.

"You've talked with Arab traders," Carl said. "What do they believe about God or gods?"

Raphael's mouth twisted to show his disgust. "They have house gods that are potent only in their country, like Rachel's father Laban in the Old Testament story of Jacob. They don't bring them to Britannia because they don't have any power here."

Carl's eyebrows raised. He was constantly surprised at Raphael's knowledge of the Bible. "I know you were raised in a Christian home," he said, "but how did you learn so much about the Bible?"

Raphael gave a big smile. His knowledge of the Old and New Testaments had given him an advantage in talking with English young men. Their knowledge of the Scriptures was minimal when it existed at all. Still, he thought, I didn't dare impress my Muslim friends with that knowledge. His incomplete knowledge of the Qur'an was the problem in their minds.

"My father was a man who believed I should know as much as possible about Christianity's holy books," he said. "My early education was an intense study of the Bible. It sometimes was beat into me. My father had old fashioned ideas about how to teach." He sipped the hot spiced cider. It was a great blessing to have such comforts.

Carl decided to test some of his knowledge. "It's AD27, if my calculations are correct. Has Jesus started his ministry yet?" Most Christians think (oops, will think) that Jesus was crucified in his thirty-third year, AD33. Let's see how deep your knowledge goes, my friend.

Raphael's face was impassive, but he grinned within. This wasn't the first time Carl had tested his knowledge of the Bible. He confidently answered: "No, Jesus won't start his work until C.E. 30. Then he'll have a three-year ministry (but not if I can do anything about it) that will end in his death in C.E. 33." He suppressed a triumphant chuckle and barely kept his elation from Carl.

Carl's answer was unexpected. "No. I thought the same thing for many years, but ol' Exiguus was off in his estimates of Jesus' birth date by five or six years. Jesus probably will be crucified next spring, if he wasn't crucified last spring."

The information hit Raphael like a thunderbolt. He jerked, spilling cider on his shirt. "You mean he's already been teaching for three years?"

"Either two or three. Scholars disagree on the exact date." Carl got a towel to wipe Raphael's clothes. He was pleased to see that Raphael hadn't known that information, though why he was pleased escaped him.

Raphael was nonplussed. "How can that be? I was taught that Jesus had a three-year ministry that ended in A.D. 33!" He was so distraught he used A.D. instead of C.E.

"So was I. It doesn't really matter that people will think AD1 was based on Jesus' birth date. Since the date of Roman emperors is well known, it was easy to fit their lives into Exiguus' calendar. When we say that Augustus died in AD14, that's when he died. I've been calculating AD based on my knowledge of his death and of Tiberius' succession. The discrepancy in birth date only makes a difference in Jesus' life." He paused. "And to us because we're living during his life."

Raphael quickly subdued his astonishment. His face hid the fact that it was the news not the spilled cider that upset up him. I'm too late! he thought. Jesus has been teaching for nearly three years! His followers have his teachings to build a church on. I've failed Allah! But then his knowledge of the New Testament kicked in. No! His followers believe the crucifixion fulfilled Scriptures. If there's no crucifixion, the so-called prophesies can't be fulfilled, and Jesus won't be proclaimed the Christ! That's what's important. But is Carl right? "How do you know this to be true?" he asked.

"I don't remember all of the so-called proofs, but Jesus wasn't born in winter for shepherds aren't in the hills during winter. And there's no zero year between B.C. and A.D. There's 1BC and AD1, but there's no zero. More important, Luke tells us that Jesus was born during the rule of Herod the Great, but Herod died in the spring of AD4. There are other anomalies, but Jesus had to have been born five and maybe six years before Exiguus' dating,

"So, if I remember the calculations correctly, Jesus will be crucified early this coming spring around Passover, in AD28."

Raphael swallowed, hard. "So soon?" his voice very weak.

"Yes, I think so. The only way to know for certain is to go and see."

When Raphael retired to bed that night, his mind was made up. Carl's calculations had raised the issue to a crisis—he no longer had time to think about it. I have to act, now! Why am I the one chosen to return to this time? O, Allah most high, praise your name. Nothing you do is without purpose. How can I kill your Holy One, the one called Jesus the Christ? It's not his fault that his followers will make him into a God, one with you. He was a good and noble messenger. Is there no other way to get rid of him?

None came to his mind.

I've been called by Allah to stop the start of  Christianity. If I kill him that'll keep his followers from using the crucifixion and him as a symbol of the Christ, as a bedrock upon which to build the Church.

When he returned to Camulodunum, his resolve almost died. I've got a wife and two beautiful boys. Why should I leave them? Then a New Testament quotation entered his mind: "He who will not forsake family and friends for my sake is not worthy of my kingdom." He knew he had garbled it a little, but he also knew Jesus emphasized such dedication on the part of his followers. Allah required no less of His followers. Raphael brightened. He would leave Messalina and the boys in Corinth where they would be protected by her former father-in-law. He'd leave them funds to begin their new life there, just in case he couldn't return after the deed was done.

I won't tell Carl and Rebecca what I'm going to do, he thought. I don't want Carl on my tail until it's too late to stop me. I want to return, even if I destroy their Christ. They won't know. There's no e-mail to Judea.

For three days he planned, reviewed finances, got contracts in order, and briefed Toth and Agitures on their duties in his absence. Then he told Messalina, not what he planned to do, but of his desire to see his home town and to see Jesus in Judea.

"What of Long Reach's trade?"

"I've made preparations. Toth and Agitures will handle all of our contracts and arrange for shipping. We'll be back in late spring for the summer shipping season, and I'll make contacts with traders on the way. You and the boys can visit Corinth, and I'll pick you up when I return. You can even visit your former father-in-law to see if he wants to expand his business with us."

Messalina's arguments were futile. When Raphael had his mind made up, it was best to go along.

"Several Arab traders are sending a shipload of goods to Gesoriacum in Gaul next week. I've made arrangements for our passage. We'll then cross to the South Coast and sail to Ostia, as we did when I went as Carl's ambassador five years ago. I'll leave you and the boys in Athens or Corinth, and try to catch the last of the sailings to Antioch in Syria. From there it's a two- or three-day journey overland to Maaloula." He didn't tell her he would visit his home after he had slain Jesus.

"I'll write a long letter to Carl explaining the suddenness of the trip, but Long Reach's financial interests will be protected." I have every right to leave, as we all agreed in Aquae Sulis. Why then do I feel guilty?

Raphael did write his letter, though he arranged to have it sent long after they had sailed. But unknown to him, Messalina also wrote and sent a letter via a shipment of goods to the Wash. Her letter arrived in Long Reach only ten days after they sailed, and it provided a different set of facts.

"Carl!" Rebecca was agitated, since Messalina's letter had been written to her.

He was in the courtyard of the house in Long Reach, helping the boys with their archery. Curtis was already a very good archer. He was six years old, tall, and strong for his age. He was consistently on the short target. Carl, Jr., was also strong, but not very accurate. Carl hoped he would grow out of his sloppiness.

He yelled his response. "I'm in the courtyard with the boys!"

Rebecca hurried to the door. "I've received a letter from Messalina. We need to talk about it. Now!"

Carl was about to put her off until they had finished practice, but her agitation was obvious. "OK, I'll be right in."

A few minutes later he confronted her in their spacious front room. "What's the hurry?"

"Raphael has gone to Jerusalem to seek Jesus. Messalina thinks he's going to kill him. So do I."

Carl was all attention. Raphael had often spoken of the terrible advantage Christianity had over Islam because of its early start. It's not illogical for him to try to kill the Christ in order to stop Christianity, but I don't think he can do it, he thought. He sought to pacify Rebecca, but that was a doomed effort.

"They've already left for Gaul," she said. "If Messalina is correct we should receive a letter soon from Raphael explaining his plans for Long Reach as well as his rationale for going to Syria. But Messalina is convinced he's going to kill the Christ because he was depressed upon his return from Long Reach this last time. There was something you had said about the Christ being crucified this spring, not in five years as he thought would be the case."

She looked at Carl accusingly. "Is that true?"

"Yes. We were talking about when the crucifixion would occur, and I explained why this spring is the logical date."

Carl could see the impact his words would have on an agitated Raphael. Whatever his intentions about Jesus had been for the future, he would be galvanized to action now if he were ever going to have an impact on the start of Christianity.

He tried to reason with Rebecca. "God won't allow Raphael to kill Jesus, if he's the Son of God. That just isn't going to happen."

"Why not? Maybe God knew that Raphael was going to be sent back into time with the intention of killing Jesus, something like Terminator II, and he sent us to stop him."

It was possible, though Carl was the skeptic. "If Jesus is the Christ, then Raphael can't stop prophecies from being fulfilled."

Rebecca wasn't dissuaded. "You've often said that everything we do changes history to some extent. Then why not Raphael? We must stop him. There was no Raphael when Jesus was crucified. That moment in history will be changed by our presence. He's going to kill the Christ!"

Carl had never seen her quite this distraught, not even when Carl, Jr., was born. He just couldn't believe Raphael would succeed. God wouldn't allow it.

When he was by himself, his mind turned to all of the good things that Raphael had done for Long Reach. He was saddened by his leaving. No one could be as trusted as Raphael when it came to his elaborate and efficient trading system.

Islamists of a later period might well practice taqiyya or dissimulation, he thought, by arguing that Islamists never owed truth to an unbeliever. But Raphael had been faithful and truthful in everything he had done.

Nottingham and Long Reach already were producing, selling, and trading probably eight times as much as the rest of the country, so far as Raphael could estimate. He had cemented Long Reach's contacts with the entire trading community, especially as they now had abundant exports to counterbalance the goods sent to Britannia. Replacing him would be extremely difficult, though his apprentices might be able to do so, if Messalina returned and continued the business.

Carl fingered the silver coins in his pocket as he ruminated on Raphael's contributions. His fingers reminded him that Raphael had pushed strongly for silver and gold coins, preferably with Carl's visage on them. He had refused. They needed coinage, that was correct, but it should emphasize Long Reach, not him. When the decision was made, it was easy to establish heavy presses that would stamp the silver and gold blanks. Raphael had insisted that every coin be serrated on the edge so that any shaving of metal, thus lowering its value, would immediately be recognized. He also had the intaglio designer put "8" on the coin. It would designate the year after the founding of Long Reach. Carl's contribution was to insist on slightly purer and heavier coins than the Romans produced so as to win the acceptance of Gauls, Iberians, and Romans.

He wandered into the living room that night where he found Rebecca sitting in a soft chair, sobbing.

"What's wrong?"

He had a hard time understanding her between sobs. She couldn't stand to do nothing to stop an attempt on the life of the Savior, and she was appalled at his lack of concern. She didn't know what to do.

He knew he was going to have to chase Raphael. He immediately contacted the commandos for volunteers.