"There
are strange happenings with the conquest of Mexico in the year 1521AD. The
Time-Line is under threat and it appears to centre on a Spanish Captain who
doesn't follow the historical norm - Captain Hernando De Plaza, a very
different Spanish Conquistador - appears to have gone native! Mr. Tibbs must investigate before the history
of South America changes and with it; the modern world."
THIS EPISODE MAY CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS:
SMOKING - ALCOHOL USE - VIOLENCE [INCLUDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE & BDSM] - STRONG LANGUAGE - GRAPHIC HARD SEX REFERENCES INCLUDING PROSTITUTION AND DIVERSE SEXUAL PRACTISES - DRUG REFERENCES – STRONG ANTI-RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS AND OPINIONS - HUMAN TRAFFICKING – STRONG COMMENTS AND BEHAVIOUR THAT MAY OFFEND SOME PEOPLE BUT WERE CONSIDERED 'NORMAL' IN THE TIME PERIOD – MILD HORROR & SUPERNATURAL, PARANORMAL FEAR. |
Author’s notes about this episode:
[1]
This episode contains strong language and descriptions of battle.
[2]
The original Title for this episode was: ‘THE SPANISH CAPTAIN.’
[3]
A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.
[4] Illustration is an original drawing created by the author and is Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without permission.
Concept
date: 14th February 2018
First
published: 21st July 2018
Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.
Location: BOOK SERIES 2 – EPISODE 6.
Revisions: 4 [last revised September
2019]
Version:
Final.
Published
Episode No. 018
Previous
episode: “Sister Sarah dreams of demons.”
Next
episode: “Tomb ES-42.”
Age
recommendation: 15+
Average
reading time: Approx. 60 Minutes.
Angel-in-charge: Margret
Team Assigned: Team 74
Human Time: 1521AD-0926AH
Mission: 7
- 633115 - 2 - 1521
Episode preview.
“People never noticed that small changes had taken place. Most put it down to their memory or old age etc. It wasn’t until the ‘Information Age’ arrived with people chatting together, on Social media, that some suddenly realised, they weren’t the only ones that thought the past was different than it’s reported today.” Alex explained to Owen and shifted her Castle across the board four spaces.
Owen nodded; “So until it became known as the ‘Mandela Effect’ most people thought it was just their memory playing tricks on them.” He moved his Bishop, hesitated a few seconds before removing his fingers from the piece. “They have no idea, that these were small changes to the Human Time-Line that couldn’t be undone?”
Alex smiled and captured his Knight with her Castle, continuing she added;
“Sometimes the little changes cannot be undone despite our best efforts and
some humans do realise that the present time has changed. But sometimes those
‘little’ changes create big change later down the Time-Line.”
Owen sat back considering his next move; “You mean like what happened with that
strange Spanish Conquistador?” he asked and realised that Alex could check-mate
him in another couple of moves, if he didn’t really start to concentrate on the
game.
Alex nodded and sipped her brandy; “South America and the world generally would
have been so different, if that Spanish Captain hadn’t fallen in love and
nearly changed everything.” She sighed to herself and remembered that adventure
with great fondness and a little horror, if she was really honest. But she grimaced;
thinking about a certain Spanish Knight who wielded his pen like a sword......
Jericho returned to the lighthouse just as evening was moving in; his boots
crunching upon the gravel as he walked slowly up to the large double, black
doors. Mr. Harris pulled them open and slightly bowed; “Everyone has just left
for the Dining Room Sir.” Jericho nodded and handed the big man his coat and
hat, whilst the delicious smell of hot food wafted around the Hallway.
“Has our guest arrived? I asked Wilson to host him whilst I was with Angel
Margret this afternoon.” Mr. Harris nodded affirmative and opened the Dining
Room door for Jericho.
All conversation ceased for a few seconds, then Alex rose from her chair and waved at their guest, saying quietly; “Sir, this is Temporal Detective Inspector Jericho Tibbs.” The little man stood and extended his hand to Jericho, who clasped it firmly; “Always a pleasure to greet a Senior Time Controller Mr. Albain, but we’re all totally fascinated that you would call upon humble temporal detectives.”
The little man smiled and adjusted his pebble glasses, then returned to his
seat. He accepted a plate of hot soup from young Ruth and dropped his napkin
upon his lap, lifting his spoon, Mr. Albain grinned; “I’ve heard the stories
about your House-keepers cooking and well, I finally couldn’t resist;
especially when all your guests speak so highly of it!”
Everyone chuckled and Mr. Harris smiled, he was always pleased to hear
compliments about his wife’s wonderful cooking. Jericho dropped into his chair
and Harris placed soup before him; “Brown Windsor; your favourite Sir.” He said
quietly and continued around the table, carrying the soup tureen, whilst Ruth
dished the hot liquid up. Everyone noticed the large portion poured into young
Owens’s plate by the smiling young girl, but nobody commented upon it; they
just smiled to themselves.
“I have a feeling that your visit is not entirely a social function Sir.”
Jericho sipped his soup and smiled a little. Mr. Albain nodded and placed his
spoon down; “Well, Mr. Tibbs you are quite right about that, you see, with have
a slight problem with the Aztecs, which left to fester may create unwanted
changes to the Human Time Line further down its history.” The little man clasped
his hands together and sighed; the smile had gone.
“The problem centre’s around a certain Spanish Conquistador; he’s just not
behaving as he should do!” The little man sounded quite frustrated and picked
his spoon up, then placed it back down. “He’s being influenced by a young
Native man who appears to exercise some sort of control over the man. Before
his appearance, Captain Hernando De Plaza was quite normal; he killed and
tortured, raped and stole from the local people without any regard for anything.
Now, suddenly he’s forgiving people and feeding the starving widows and
children. He won’t even burn heretics against the Catholic faith, which is
quite unbelievable for that time period!” The frustration of the situation
could be felt in the little man’s voice.
“You mean he’s gone native.” Wilson said and slurped his soup. “Yes, yes;
that’s quite right Sergeant.” Mr. Albain nodded and resumed his soup, relaxing
a little. “If this is allowed to continue the Human Timeline will change and
‘the BOSS’ has ordered that it will not.” He rolled his eyes towards the
ceiling and sighed. Everyone knew exactly what he meant.
“What do we know about the young native man?” Asked Alex, sprinkling some salt into her soup. The little man placed his spoon down yet again and stared up at the ceiling, then turned to Alex; “His Spanish given name is Mafias, his original name is quite unpronounceable, and his behaviour has changed too. Originally, he sold his fellow natives out to the Spanish conquerors because he can speak their language; the Spaniards paid him well for his much-needed talents. Then, suddenly he has become St. Mafias!”
Mr. Albain slumped back in his chair and gestured towards the ceiling; “He wants an end put to it and the line restored; by any means that achieves that end. Do you understand what that means Mr. Tibbs?”
Jericho nodded and sat back in his chair; direct interference with the natural
progression of the Human Timeline, but what bothered Jericho was the change in
personalities of the leading pair: Mafias and the Captain. He had an inkling
that the ‘Dark Prince’ could be lurking in the shadows of this one and quite a
neat job he has done already!
The change to upstanding “Christians” by the two men would be a slap in ‘the
Bosses’ face alright – using such tactics would not be received too well
upstairs – That made Jericho smile a little. But then, ‘the BOSS’ didn’t have
much time for the religions that Humanity had saddled itself with, over the
centuries of Human existence. Everyone knew that his sister had argued; that he
should take a more proactive role with their creation – but ‘the BOSS’ had
followed their Grand-father’s approach and kept a ‘hands off’ policy in force –
unlike their father.
The BOSSES father had interfered with the fledgling humanity on several occasions: making headlines in the early religious books with thunderbolts, Angels, nuclear type blasts and turning people to sand, which were just some, of his more memorable forays, into the early life of mankind. But his son had other ideas about the creatures inherited from his grandfather, who had first created them. They were unique from all other living entities: they could think and reason because they had been granted ‘Free-will’.
So, the ‘BOSS’ always
stated the same answer to his sister’s question; they [Humanity] had been given
the privilege of ‘Free Will’ and how they exercised that, were up to them! So, he only ordered direct interference with Human affairs when it was
absolutely necessary, like on the occasions that his wayward brother stuck his
nose in; maybe this was one of those?
Jericho had enjoyed his soup and dabbed his mouth with a napkin. He had
discussed this very topic with Angel Margret that afternoon. His team would
initially reconnoitre the problem and then report back to her. Then,
undoubtedly, she would get a decision and subsequent authority to change the
current time-line, from the BOSS directly.
The dinner party broke up a couple of hours later with Mr. Albain thanking his
hosts for a superb evening and taking some of Mrs. Harris delicious rhubarb pie
home in a ‘doggy bag’. The following morning the team gathered for a light
breakfast and final briefing before heading to the Light Room and onward travel
to Mexico in the year 1521.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.”
CAUTION:
“SOME OF THESE EPISODES CONTAIN VERY STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, HORROR AND SEXUAL REFERENCES. Some are RECOMMENDED suitable for persons aged 15+ years only.”
THE AUTHOR.