Chapter 29: Visitors

Scott continued to have dreams about the Stone of Destiny that seemed to be leading him deep into space. He saw great ships that travelled in the zero gravity voids, powerful ships that reached unbelievable speeds. When he awoke he once more questioned the relevance of the dream.

He had returned to Inveraray after having travelled to Iceland with the Dalriada to show Olaf the lands that could be available to the Danes. It had taken three days sailing to reach Iceland and Olaf and his interpreter were amazed at the speeds the ship could maintain. In the absence of sails or oars they were mystified as to how the ship was powered and Scott was in no rush to show them.

When they had allowed Olaf to investigate Iceland they returned to Copenhagen and he had gone in search of King Harthacnut. A meeting had been arranged and Scott had put his proposal to Harthacnut in person. Olaf had confirmed the technology that the Scots had and also that the lands Scott referred to did indeed exist and were uninhabited.

Harthacnut had agreed to Scott's idea and they had discussed details of how the Scots would supply people to help the Danes improve their farming, healthcare and education. The Danish King was obviously very impressed by all that Olaf had told him on top of the reputation that the Norse-slayer already had.

The success with the Danes had fired Scott up and he decided to call on Harald Fairhair to offer a similar arrangement to Norway as he had to the Danes, helping the Norse discover Greenland. More of the Scottish experts would be enlisted to help the Norse. Harald could see no down side to what Scott was proposing and agreed the deal quite quickly.

He now had trade agreements with the English, Danes and the Norse and plans to expand that to encompass the Irish and the Welsh. He had also encouraged the Vikings to colonise Iceland and Greenland and that would provide new opportunities for trade there too.

While he had been travelling the hydroelectric plant had been brought on-line to much celebration amongst the specialist community. The main plants that had been constructed for the various manufacturing needs were now hooked up to power and progress was already being seen.

The priority had been given to making the various components for modern engines so that heavy machinery could be made to help with the infrastructure projects. Building had also been targeted and the Scots up and down the country were finding themselves moving into modern style housing with running water and the capacity to take advantage of other improvements such as electricity, central heating and the like when they were available.

Scott had insisted that this building should be underground so that the natural landscape wasn't spoiled and slowly but surely the towns up and down the country were disappearing below the soil. A start had been made to constructing duplicates of the main industrial plants underground too.

Priority had also been given to the production of radio and other electronic technology. Scott was surprised at the complexity of what he had considered the most basic of things from the twenty-first century. There were so many small components required and their production needed a long lead-in time to set up the buildings and machinery. Fortunately, the specialists had been planning for this and much of the work had been carried out in preparation for the availability of electricity.

Radios had been singled out as something that Scott wanted to see available as quickly as possible. Production of short wave radios had begun quickly and the locals had once more been amazed at being able to speak to their friends and family in distant towns. Scott knew this was a huge step forward in Scotland's progress. He had urged his electronics experts to redouble their efforts and make the breakthroughs necessary to begin to construct computers in particular.

Amidst all the effort and excitement of the fast moving developments, a surprise visitor arrived at Oban. A radio message advised Scott that an envoy had arrived on a ship from the Pope. Scott was amazed. Why would the Pope send someone to Scotland?

He asked Gavin MacCann to fly him to Oban to meet with this envoy and they climbed aboard the bi-plane to fly to the coast. They climbed above Inveraray and headed in the direction of Oban/Dun Ollaigh.

As they came in to land Scott could see that a mass of the people of Oban had come out to see the plane again. The plane landed and Scott jumped from the passenger seat. He had radioed ahead to make sure that his old friend the Abbot of Kilchrennan was on his way to Oban too and he had asked the languages teacher to stand by for a flight to Oban also, Latin being the most likely language the Catholic envoy would use.

The envoy had been standing watching the plane land and he was trying to school his features to hide just how impressed he was at the manner of Scott's arrival. He was dressed in bright red robes with a red mitred hat on his head, and there were gold chains round his neck from which a large golden crucifix hung. Scott could see a variety of rings on the man's fingers, one of which could only have been the ring of a Cardinal.

He chose to ignore the churchman and instead asked Gavin to return to Inveraray to pick up the language specialist. Having done that, he made for the Oban hall-house and quietly told the members of the burgh to keep the envoy occupied until the Abbot of Kilchrennan arrived.

The Abbot was ushered in to see Scott as soon as he arrived as was the language teacher. Scott discussed with the Abbot what the envoy could possibly want.

"Why would the Pope be interested in Scotland old friend? What possible reason would he have for sending someone here?" Scott asked.

"What the Romish Pope always wants your Grace, more converts, more adherents to the Roman Catholic creed. With that comes more riches, more power. Already most of Europe has been converted to follow his way."

"That I will not have my friend. The Columban church, the Celtic way, is Scotland's way. I am all too well aware of the dangers inherent in a religion that is organised in the way the Roman Catholic Church is. Grasping for power, influence and riches. Popes and Cardinals interfering in the government of nations and goodness knows what else.

"It seems to me that the more relaxed approach to life of your own order is much closer to what the worship of Jesus and God should be about. The Celtic polity is almost secular in its support structures; you have a more relaxed attitude to celibacy and no great hierarchy to deal with other than Abbots. No bishops, no Cardinals and no Pope. Your brethren even take up arms when required to defend yourselves and your flock. Because of that it seems to me the Columban Church is able to focus more on the word of god, not less. It is better able to relate to ordinary people, understand their weaknesses, desires, and failings."

"My thanks for your kind words your Grace, I feel strongly that you have the rights of it and that my order has chosen the correct path for Scotland's worship of the one god. I have no enmity towards the Roman Catholics, but they would swallow us up if they could."

"Well, let's have this envoy in and find out what his mission is." Said Scott.

The Cardinal was shown into the hall and he walked over to Scott, holding his hand out in front of him, the palm down and his ring of office uppermost. The import was obvious; the Cardinal was expecting Scott to kiss the ring. Scott simply ignored the hand and gestured that the Cardinal should take a seat. A frown crossed the Cardinal's face at what he clearly saw as a slight.

As Scott had suspected, the Cardinal was speaking Latin and he turned to the language teacher for an interpretation.

"I am Cardinal Francesco, extraordinary envoy of our Holy Father, Pope Stephen V."

"Your Holy Father he may be your Eminence, but hardly 'ours', as we do not hold to the Roman Catholic creed in this country." Said Scott carefully.

"That is a position I am hopeful we can change and quickly my son."

"Your Grace. Here in Scotland we refer to the Ard Righ as your Grace. Please address him properly Sir Priest." Said the language teacher, annoyed at the overbearing attitude of the Cardinal.

The Cardinal paused, once more a frown appearing on his face at having been taken to task in this way. He clearly wasn't used to being interrupted or having his manner challenged.

"My Lord King, the Pope is aware of the growing influence of your country. We know of your people in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and North Africa and also your recent agreements with the barbarous Vikings. We could help your endeavours, work with you to bring god to the Vikings. All that is required is that you accept his holiness and the Roman Catholic Church."

"That I could nowise do your Eminence. Scotland holds to the Columban Church and we are happy to continue to do so. The good Abbot here does very well in spreading the word of god and ministering to the Scots." Said Scott.

"Then I'm afraid that you and your country will be declared excommunicate Sir King. Beyond the salvation of Christ and our Lord!"

This statement and the sheer arrogance of the man and his church stunned Scott. What gave him the right to come unbidden to Scotland and make such a statement? By what authority did he think it was in his gift or the gift of this Pope Stephen the fifth to deny a whole country the succour of Christ?

"The scale of your arrogance is stunning your Eminence. You refuse to even recognise my title and station. You sit there in your gaudy robes with your fine baubles pronouncing a sentence of excommunication on an entire country. We do not hold to your creed so your threats are empty ones. The good Abbot here is a much finer servant of the Lord our God methinks. Not for him the riches and trappings that you seem to hold so dearly. Not for him dire threats, but rather a common sense approach to tending to his flock!