Library of Alexandria
Chapter 7
Saturday was another beautiful day. But, most of the scholars were inside, feverishly translating parchments, clay tablets, books, and other written documents. Word about the early Egyptian book that featured a lengthy history of Atlantis spread like a prairie fire storm. Nearly all other translating work slowed to a snail's pace. As soon as a new page was made available from the three experts on early Egyptian hieroglyphs, there was a rush to read it. Comments, conclusions, and comparisons were drawn between the play and the new discovery. It seemed that everyone had an opinion by the end of Saturday.
John and Michael had breakfast with Mr. Asquith and the three early Egyptian translators Sunday morning. John and Michael had skipped the workout and slept in. Eric smiled throughout the breakfast. The other experts looked rested and ready to continue the translation work. After breakfast, John pulled Eric aside and asked how his evening had gone.
"I had no idea I could have that much fun with one man. And such a man! He's brilliant, well-read, clever, fun to be with, has a body that won't quit and a need for sex that matches my own," he beamed.
"A repeat performance this evening, then?" Michael wondered.
"Count on it," Eric smiled.
"Our work here is done," John laughed. "But, you still have your translating work to do, Eric. Better get to it." Eric departed with the learned couple, eager to continue their work. Drs. Abernethy and Steele were sharing a suite of rooms. Tongues wagged about the two scholars sharing accommodations, but it was quickly learned that they were in fact married. Dr. Steele saw no reason to adopt her husband's name. So, she didn't.
Apparently, no one was taking the day off. The entire staff hovered over their computers, waiting for the next translated page to appear. Notes of exclamation and disbelief permeated the estate. Messages were sent back and forth among the on-lookers, marveling at the unfolding story. By noon, only another 30 pages were translated. Word was that the translated pages to date amounted to only 20% of the total. There was no way this translation would be ready by Monday at press release time.
So, John and Michael scoured the other teams working on translations to find something else to include in the press release. The Sumerian/Babylonian team had translated a particular group of clay tablets that made references to their polytheistic religion. There was nothing new here that wasn't already known. However, it didn't contradict anything that had been known about the Sumerians to date, either.
They wrote up a press release on Sunday evening and showed it to the Sumerian experts and to Mr. Asquith. The first paragraph noted that none of this was new information about the Sumerians. But, in the spirit of full disclosure, the text was being released along with the translation and annotations about the pantheon of Sumerian gods. The press dutifully reported it. And it was greeted with a collective yawn by everyone but the few Sumerian experts not in residence at the Asquith estate.
However, the press wasn't satisfied with known information about the Sumerians. They clamored for more information about the Atlanteans. Another press release was sent out on Wednesday that cautioned the press. "We will release the information when we have it," Mr. Asquith was quoted as saying. "Meanwhile, you'll have to be patient. Translating an ancient language is not simple. We have very little to go on for a complete translation. We do have a complete alphabet and some translated words from the Atlantean play, but that doesn't give us a working knowledge of the language. Please, be patient."
Of course, that didn't satisfy them, but they weren't going to get anything else until the following week. In the meantime, Mr. Asquith asked the trio of Egyptian translators to work only a standard work day. It would be too much of a burden to continue working at night. They all needed down time to collect their thoughts and rest their minds. Compliance was an issue, but the three did see the merit in his argument.
Eric was the only one of the three that complied fully with Mr. Asquith's wishes. He had a delightful distraction every evening that kept him otherwise occupied. On Thursday, he pulled John and Michael aside for a short conversation.
"My time with Jared has been the best time of my life," he smiled. "He's so giving and caring. I'd never expected that from a hard-ass, former Marine and security type. But, he's an astonishing sexual partner, always hungry for more fucking and breeding. I'm glad there is so much expected of me during the day or I'd want to be in bed with him all the time. But, he does have his duties as well, so it wouldn't be a problem anyway."
But, nothing remains the same. Jared's shift was changed to late afternoons and early evenings. However, he did crawl into bed with Eric as soon as his shift was over. They had fewer hours to fuck, but they managed to get in some quality time together before they had to sleep. And they fucked each morning before Eric left for his translation duties. At noon on each day, Eric would wolf down his lunch and disappear. John and Michael knew that Eric had gone back to his room for a "nooner" with Jared before they had to return to their respective duties. Eric allowed that this split in their love life seemed to increase their need to be with each other. And they took full advantage of each other during their brief interludes.
Chatter among the rest of the scholars focused exclusively on the translations coming from the Egyptian group. The other scholars did pursue their own specialties, but always stopped when another page became available about the Atlanteans. It was like a soap opera that they couldn't turn away from. By Friday, the Atlantean group was nearly finished with their translation. The last few pages of the text moved away from the Atlanteans and told of the first three dynasties and their history in Egypt.
"We'll be ready for a summary no later than Monday morning," Dr. Steele promised. "We'll work on that this weekend."
Mr. Asquith reminded them that there was no deadline for their work. If it wasn't finished by Monday, it could wait until the next Monday. However, they were sure they could finish, so he let them proceed. But, Mr. Asquith did direct John and Michael to prepare another press release that wasn't about Atlantis. They surveyed the groups again and found that there were two completed translations that could be released. One was concerning the Phoenicians. The other was another Babylonian text. Unfortunately, the Babylonian text was about grain harvests and the distribution of them.
Michael and John suggested to Mr. Asquith that the Babylonian text be released with another note suggesting that the mundane was to be expected. The Phoenician text was about trade with Egypt and Greece. Again, no new information. However, it was interesting in that the documents were two trade treaties with those two civilizations and the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians were better sailors and navigators, so the Greeks and Egyptians were agreeing that materials shipped by sea would be carried by Phoenician ships, and how much the charge would be. Also stated was the fact that neither Greece nor Egypt had the requisite skills or vessels to accomplish the trade in goods anticipated. Greece and Egypt did have military navies, but that wasn't spoken of in the treaties. Pirates did exist, so the Phoenicians agreed that any losses would be borne by them. However, for that assurance, additional fees were charged. It was up to the merchant sending the goods to buy that additional "insurance" from the Phoenicians. Truthfully, the Phoenicians could sail the ship into their ports and say that the ship was l lost to the pirates. Hence, it was more of a protection racket than the classic "insurance" that we think of today.
With the stand-by press release approved and ready to go, Mr. Asquith relaxed and told the Atlantean team to take the weekend off. Of course, they didn't do that. They worked on Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday polishing the translation and summary. On Monday morning, they were ready with their presentation. The conference room was overflowing with standing room only around the periphery. All the researchers and translators attended. Off-duty security people also found space in the conference room.
Dr. Steele rose to address the group. She received an enthusiastic ovation. She motioned for Dr. Abernethy and Eric to stand also. Their work was also critical to the success of the translation. The applause swelled, with whistles and foot stomping. Dr. Steele held up her hands for quiet as her two cohorts sat down. "Thank you for attending and giving us such a warm welcome," she began. She got more applause and laughter for that line. "I know that probably all of you have been keeping up with the translations as each page was released." Nearly everyone nodded sheepishly. "And we thank you for your comments and questions. A few of your comments were important to our translation work when you suggested a change of word or questioned the word we used, noting that the meaning was unclear in the context of the story. We have created a summary of what the text says for those who haven't followed it as closely as your friends night have. I knew that the room would be filled today, so I have placed the summary on the computer screens around the room and on the projector screen behind me. Lights, please," she directed.
The conference room lights dimmed. The first page of the summary flashed on to the screen. "I'm not going to read this to you. You all know how to do that," she quipped. "But, I do want to point out certain key elements. And feel free to ask questions. There are no dumb questions, so open up and ask them. If it is something I'll cover later, I'll tell you that. If I still haven't answered your question when I get to that point, ask again." She looked down at her notes. "Ready for page two?" she asked her captivated audience. No one responded in the negative, so she nodded to the projectionist and the second page filled the screen. "These are the bullet points that are the highlights of what we discovered," she said, turning to the screen and pointing with a small laser device. "Again, you can read as well as the rest of us, so I won't bore you with reading to you."
The rest of her presentation went through all 12 screens. There had been no questions until the end. Then, the questions poured out. "Is the world really ready for this revelation about our collective, ancient past?" one of the graduate students asked. Several heads nodded agreement.
"We are all men and women of science and learning," Dr. Steele prefaced. "I know we collectively have no issues with this. But, the conservative and religious people are going to have a fit. Mr. Asquith needs to make the determination about the release of everything in this translation. Mr. Asquith?" she nodded to the boss.
Mr. Asquith rose slowly, collecting his thoughts on the matter. "I completely understand the concern in the question that was asked. But, I have to tell you, I did promise to the world that nothing would be held back. This is a full-disclosure operation. We can couch it in terms that don't purport that this is a true history written by the participants. It is all second hand. However, the tale is so extraordinary and the chronicler is clear that he consulted texts available to him to tell the story of Atlantis. I doubt that he made any of that up," he smiled. "Some will see this as a grand tale, but not true because of the distance between when the events occurred and the recording of those events in this book. Others will grab the text and believe every word of it as gospel. I can't judge which will prevail.
"Just as in the Middle Ages, everyone was so sure that the earth was flat and you'd sail off the edge if you went too far west. It took years for the real truth' to change that view. Some fringe element people still believe that mankind never landed on the moon and returned. That kind of mind can't be convinced of anything that isn't already in their small mind. I'm sure you've all noticed that the new Pope has had much to say about how the world treats the marginalized and the poor. Yet, a few, good' Catholics are not heeding what he has to say. Evidently, they are of the opinion that the Vicar of Christ doesn't know what he's talking about, even though this new Pope is quoting Jesus," he sighed. "Even facts can't fix stupid. But, facts can change ignorance, IF the people are willing to learn. So, yes, I plan on releasing the entire translation along with copies of the original hieroglyphs. How can we not do that?"
Other questions delved into the substance of what was in the Egyptian book and how to prepare the world for the details of the first recorded contact with extraterrestrial beings, their efforts to civilize mankind, and their eventual departure. A few mentioned the expansion of the timeline during which Atlantis thrived. They were assured that the addition of another 2,000 years was based on what was written in the Egyptian book. However, that is subject to challenge, because this is the only "evidence" available that states that Atlantis lasted far longer than was previously thought.
Michael, John, and Mr. Asquith sequestered themselves in Mr. Asquith's office to draft a press release. They asked the three members of the translating team to join them. "In my opinion," Mr. Asquith began, "I think the summary that you put up on the screen in the conference room this morning should be the meat of the release. A paragraph or two of introduction, plus a summarizing one at the end should be adequate."
"There are a lot of details in the actual text that I've left out of the summary," Dr. Steele cautioned. "They add a great deal of color and dimension to the summary."
"Perhaps, we need a press release as you've suggested, like an executive summary. Then add a more detailed telling of the tale as an addendum," Michael offered.
"Is it possible to have that written before we send out the press release?" Mr. Asquith asked.
"Probably not," Dr. Steele interrupted. "There's a lot to tell in the full story."
"There's nothing sacred about a Monday press release," Mr. Asquith mused. "We can always send out the press release we already wrote about the Phoenicians and Babylonians. And then send out a special press release when we're ready about Atlantis. That would surely have a greater impact. It'll probably lead every news program in the world."
"Excluding the crazy, right-wing morons at Faux News," John smirked. "They'll be sure to call it a fraud, because it doesn't agree with their prejudices. They are already savaging the Atlantean play as `ungodly'. I guess they missed the part in the news release that reminded everyone that it is a play, not a history."
"Yeah, they gotta pander to their ignorant, bigoted viewers," Michael sighed.
"So, go ahead and create a more fleshed out summary of the Atlantean history as told by the ancient Egyptians," Mr. Asquith pronounced. "Don't leave out germane parts that help tell the story. This isn't the executive summary. This is something that can be easily explained to the general population. Keep it simple, but keep it understandable. And please avoid comments or extrapolations. This expanded summary is a retelling of the story. This is not about putting it all in context. That can come later."
"We'll have something for you on Tuesday or Wednesday," Dr. Steele promised.
"Take whatever time you need," Mr. Asquith asserted. "Next Monday would be fine, too."
"This is going to be one monster press release," John said.
"That it will," Mr. Asquith agreed.
On Tuesday afternoon, the expanded summary was presented to Mr. Asquith. He read it slowly, making a few notations in the margins. Only once did he ask if something in the summary really was stated as such in the original text. He was assured that it was exactly as written. When he finished, he handed it over to Michael and John for their comments. They didn't have any. The early Egyptian group read the few word changes that Mr. Asquith had suggested and agreed to them.
"This is going to be dynamite," Michael surmised. "We need to have someone who is ready to answer questions in a news conference shortly after the release of the material."
"Do I see a volunteer?" Mr. Asquith smiled. No one stepped forward. He sighed. "Well, as it is my project, I'm the obvious choice." Everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. "A news conference is the best approach. Being interviewed by only one part of the media will never do and will smack of favoritism. Should we send the press release before or during the press conference?" He looked at John and Michael for an answer.
They looked at each other and shrugged. "In my opinion, I think we need to create another very brief news release that announces the press conference and a teaser about the subject matter," Michael suggested. "That teaser should say something about a large book that has been translated from early Egyptian hieroglyphs. In that book was a very long recital of the history of Atlantis. And I think it should be our first shot at reminding the media that this is a recitation by a chronicler who is reporting what he knows of the Atlanteans and not an eye-witness account."
"Good point," Mr. Asquith agreed. "Draft it up for me and let's see what kind of response we get. We won't send out the announcement about the press conference until we are all on the same page about the extended summary. Are we agreed?" He got nods from everyone. "Furthermore, I want the three of you on the dais with me," he pointed to Eric and Drs. Steele and Abernethy. "Michael and John will be there as well in case I get myself in a jam," he laughed. "Okay, draft it up and let's get it out today with the press conference scheduled for noon tomorrow. Will our conference room be large enough, I wonder?"
"After all the interest generated by the Atlantean play," John said, "I doubt very much that we could accommodate them here. Let me see what I can find outside. Press only?"
"Yes," Mr. Asquith said. "Otherwise, it would be a free for all and we'd never find a space big enough. I'll want our security group checking everyone who enters for their press credentials. And I want the place and the media screened for explosives and fire arms. There are nut jobs in the media as well, you know."
"I could rent one of the concert halls where there is no balcony seating, but there is stadium seating. That will allow everyone to see and be seen. I know there will be lots of media clamoring for seats," John proposed. "I'll make sure that the major media are seated in front. And I won't particularly favor television over print."
"Good. Let's get cracking," Mr. Asquith smiled.
John and Michael quickly drafted a short press release announcing the press conference, including the date, time, and place. John had already contacted the concert hall. They were delighted to have such a momentous event staged at their facility. The concert hall had several adjoining rooms where the overflow crowd could be seated. A large screen television would be in each of those rooms. During the question and answer period, there was a microphone they could use that would allow them to speak to the main hall.
The press release read as follows:
Mr. Granville Asquith announced today a press conference will be held at the Lincoln Concert Hall on Broadway at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. local time. Members of the media are invited to attend. Additional space has been made available outside the main hall for overflow. In the press conference, Mr. Asquith will discuss the latest and most remarkable translation of an ancient Egyptian book. The contents of that book speak of an extensive history and culture of Atlantis.
This history of Atlantis was written many years after Atlantis disappeared. This is not a first-hand account of Atlantean history and culture. Please keep that in mind. However, the chronicler is very direct in stating that he accessed materials in his possession that were written by the Atlanteans.
There will be an executive summary of the discovery and the revelations of this book. Mr. Asquith will also provide the attendees with a much longer summary that deals with Atlantis in more specific terms. Also, Mr. Asquith is making available the full translation of the book as well as photocopies of the original Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Please bring your press credentials with you to gain entrance to the press conference. Anyone without credentials will be turned away. Each media outlet is allowed one principal and an assistant. No others will be allowed entry. We encourage you to send only one person if possible as seating is very limited.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in our findings from the Library of Alexandria.
The press release was sent out to all the networks and wire services. A long list of the major newspapers and magazines of the world got the invitation as well. It was short notice to those media folks across the ocean, but Mr. Asquith was of the opinion that this startling discovery couldn't be held back more than a day. Someone at the estate was sure to blab.
Of course, the phones started ringing immediately. Everyone wanted an exclusive interview before or after the press conference. None were granted. Others clamored for more information about the discovery. They were ignored.
The executive summary and the fuller summary were reviewed several more times, but the changes were minor. Mr. Asquith put his approval on the final products. He also asked for copies of the full translation as well as copies of the original book. He put them in his briefcase and put that in his bedroom with a laptop computer that held exactly the same information. Mr. Asquith wanted to have a back-up plan ready to go in case his computer lost power or had a problem. The printed page would be his fall back.
John and Michael left the estate right after breakfast the next day to be sure that the main hall and ancillary rooms were ready. Accompanying them was the majority of the security team. They checked the rooms as well as the concert building for any anomalies. None were found. Mr. Asquith had contacted the mayor and asked him for a contingent of policeman to keep the curious and the crazy away from the press conference. Mr. Asquith and the three translators arrived at 1:30 p.m. to set up. Four security men followed them in and distributed to each chair in the rented space full packets containing the summaries and the full translations with the copies of the original Egyptian.
Media representatives who had arrived early and were already seated were told that they couldn't leave the press conference until after it started. And they couldn't send any of the printed information out with an assistant until the briefing began. At that point, they were free to do as they wished. However, if they felt like they were captive, they could leave anytime they wished without any of the printed matter. But, they wouldn't be allowed re-admittance.
There were only two people who tried to get into the press conference on counterfeit press credentials. The police escorted them away. Gratefully, no crazies gathered outside. However, there was a large crowd of the curious outside. Most of them were accessing their tablets and phones to get the latest information about what was being discussed inside.
Mr. Asquith welcomed the media and began his presentation. Similar to the presentation made by Dr. Steele on Monday, Mr. Asquith displayed the executive summary on a large screen at the front of the auditorium. His computer would control the speed of the page changes. He had asked the attendees to hold their questions until the end of the presentation.
"All of you have the executive summary, a lengthy summary, the complete translation of the book, and a photocopy of the original Egyptian text," he began. "I will be talking to you today from the executive summary. But, as a preface some of what I'm about to discuss has already been hinted at with the Atlantean play you received last week. I'll leave it to you to draw your own conclusions between the two.
"Now, to the substance of the summary. This is a significant window into the history and culture of Atlantis. This is not the fictional reference by Plato that he tried to show to his followers about how superior Athenian civilization was to all others. The Atlantis he writes of is a belligerent naval power. He got the name and the naval power correct. But, Atlantis was not belligerent. They did, however, have superior ships and trade practices. Plato was making a point about the Athenian state, not about Atlantis.
"With this new discovery, we now know a great deal about Atlantis. But, as with all such discoveries, it leaves out a great deal that we'd like to know, but the chronicler was silent on. Please remember that this history of Atlantis was written about two millennia after the disappearance of Atlantis. He does state that he consulted several texts that were contemporaneous with Atlantis or written by Atlanteans. We have no reason to think he made it all up.
"The text tells us that the Atlantean were visited repeated by extraterrestrials, giving Atlantis guidance, direction, and education. At the direction of their gods, they established a republic with voting rights for all adults. A king was appointed by the head of the gods, Archon. Each king was followed by his eldest son, unless that line ran out. Then, the next most senior son took over. The list of kings that we have already translated shows how they were related to each other and to the first king. The narrative does not tell us how the first king was chosen.
"At the start of the Atlantis civilization, the gods were frequent visitors, giving them guidance and correction as the gods deemed appropriate. Certain offenses would remove the king from his throne. Those included crimes like murder and other heinous crimes. He could also be removed for enslaving or attacking other lands for plunder or profit.
"Archon had a person with him by the name of Apollymi who served as healer and trainer of medical persons in Atlantis. She also had the power to raise persons from the dead. With her holy stone, she could look inside an Atlantean and know the nature of their injury or illness as well as repair them. She also would use the holy stone on each new child to remove any impediments to their successful lives. We assume that mean some kind of DNA scan that would fix anomalies in their genes.
"All Atlanteans were brilliant people, with ingenious new devices and processes invented by them. They made remarkable advances in medicine, agriculture, navigation, and science. Their interests were always the driver as to what they wanted to do as adults. People from other lands were brought in as housekeepers, cleaners, farm hands, helpers, assistants, and so forth. They were shown respect and given a living wage. Any mistreated foreigner would be given a job in another household or farm and the previous employer would be severely punished.
"Apollymi could hold her magic stone against the employer and know the truth of what really happened. Judgment was swift and sure. Persons unable to conform to Atlantean law were banished. That may seem like "big brother" to some of you, but it worked for the Atlanteans for over 8,000 years. And we don't know if there was clemency for a first offense or if there was no latitude in their laws. The text is silent on that.
"The Atlanteans developed some kind of solar energy collection and storage system. We don't know what it was. At the direction of the gods, they developed metallurgy and a form of computer. Also, they created a series of tools that allowed them to mine and smelt rock into metals that were fabricated into other tools and weapons.
"The chronicler went to great lengths to show that the weapons and tools that could harm people were designed in such a way that they were personal. That meant that if someone else picked it up, it was inert to that person. Weapons were of such a design that they would render unconscious another person who was not Atlantean, but wouldn't harm any sentient being. Any weapon used on an Atlantean would not work.
"There were instances where the weapon of choice was one that was more ancient in design like a knife or a bow and arrow. Apollymi would heal the person and the person harmed would point out their assaulter. The felon would be tried and if convicted would deserve banishment. Again, we don't know if extenuating circumstances made a difference in the sentencing.
"Atlantis was not one island, but six islands. Their trading vessels were large and fast, foregoing sails and using the power of the sun to propel them. They traded all along the ports of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic coast. Later, they established trading posts around the world. Technology and other scientific advances were never shared with foreigners. This was at the direction of the gods. Persons who worked at Atlantis who were not natives were allowed to return to their homes any time they wished. But, they could never take more than tales of the marvels of Atlantis with them.
"They flourished for nearly 8,000 years. In the later years, they seldom saw the gods. But, on one fateful day, the gods appeared to them on the main island at the king's palace. They brought bad news about the future of Atlantis. The gods were losing a battle among the stars against their nemesis. This nemesis was unnamed. However, the Atlanteans were told that they had less than a day to flee their islands before the nemesis destroyed them. That alien race never left anything standing that had the stamp of the gods. Further, when the Atlanteans fled their islands, they couldn't take any of their technology with them. That technology could be seen from the skies and the nemesis would destroy the technology and any people nearby.
"But, they were allowed to take as many books and other written materials that weren't stored on their developed technology. Their knowledge could go with them, but nothing else could. If they had room in their ships for their livestock, they could take that with them as well. However, the impending disaster forced the Atlanteans to leave nearly everything behind. Too many of their ships were at foreign ports and couldn't reach Atlantis in time.
"On that fateful day, powerful light streaked from the heavens, blasting the six islands into dust and sinking any remnant under the waves. Two escaping Atlantean ships were also destroyed as someone had taken aboard technology that the nemesis could detect.
"The Atlanteans scattered across the seas. Many landed soon at ports along the Mediterranean coast. At that time, the Sahara desert was a verdant savanna with planted crops and abundant game. A large group of Atlanteans settled there. But, about 5,000 years ago, the climate changed in a generation, forcing the remaining descendants of Atlantis to flee to the only water and tillable land around. They settled along the banks of the Nile, giving rise to the First Dynasty of Egypt.
"That's the executive summary. Additional details are in the more complete summary and a full account of what the chronicler wrote is available as well as the original Egyptian text. I'll now take your questions."
When the projector screen went dark, he was barraged with questions. A series of microphones were placed around the hall and taken to the person asking the question. Everyone wanted to hear the question as well as the answer.
Andrew was the first person recognized by Mr. Asquith. "Sir, how confident are you in the translation of the ancient Egyptian and in the tale told therein?"
"Those are two separate questions," Mr. Asquith smiled. "The translation of early Egyptian hieroglyphs is pretty straight forward. The translation of these early Egyptian hieroglyphs has been known and agreed upon for several years. As always, you are free to try the translation yourself." That got a chuckle from the audience. "As to your second question, the chronicler wrote what he knew based on documents in his possession. I have no reason to doubt him. However, he wrote all this down about 2,000 years after the demise of Atlantis. I have no knowledge of the sources he used or their reliability. That will be up to the reader to decide."
Other questions arose about the ramifications of such a revelation and how Mr. Asquith expected the religious community to respond. He dodged that question, stating that he would leave that to them to comment. It was not his intent to engage in a debate. This discovery stood on its own merits. Just as some people will argue that the earth is only 6,000 years old, the majority of people would welcome this new knowledge about our mutual past.
Mr. O'Mara of Faux News shouted for recognition, but Mr. Asquith ignored him. He focused instead on the general media and the world's largest newspapers and magazines. There was no point in allowing O'Mara a forum to spout his ignorance, prejudices, and bigotry. He had his own network for that. That's not to say that other conservative or stridently religious people didn't ask hard questions, but Mr. Asquith parried them easily. "You are condemning it before you've read it. Are you sure you're journalists and not demagogues?" he asked. "And what will be your position when we find that there is other life out in the cosmos and probably intelligent life? Will you deny the existence of that as well?" That got laughter and applause from the rest of the media.
After an hour of questions and answers, Mr. Asquith called the conference to a close. He reminded the attendees of the origin of the ancient book and the caveats that go along with a text of this age. "The revelations are astonishing and must lead us to reexamine our view of our place in the history of our planet," he concluded.
The Asquith people left the concert hall and rode away in two limousines. More shouted questions followed them. But, the people who had gathered outside the hall applauded them as they left. Part of the Asquith security departed with the limousines. The rest stayed in the concert hall to clean up and pick up any copies of the summaries and translations. Few copies were left.
The firestorm about the new discovery of the history of Atlantis swept the world. The anticipated tsunami of interest and condemnations paled when compared to what the reaction turned out to be.
This story is fiction. Your life isn't. Always play safe.
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