25. The Big Secret

        "I saved the noisiest classroom for last" Dell pulled open the door of the last stop on the tour. "It's also the least popular." The chamber spoke for itself. As the second set of doors were opened the students beheld a magnificent machine room, loud grinding squeals dominated the airwaves informing the students as to why. This was worse than the Engine Chamber, intermittent booms escaping the various cylinders amidst the squeals made it almost impossible to talk once again, but unlike the Engine Chamber, there were actually students working in here, each of them wearing large ear muff hats to filter out the noise. "THIS IS OUR SOUND CHAMBER" Dell introduced the classroom in between booms. "THESE ARE ALL SOUND MACHINES. THE WALLS HAVE CUTTING EDGE SOUND INSULATION, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T KNOW IT'S HERE!"

         Finally Dell led the students back to the lobby of Merchant U, down the hall to a classroom of assigned desks, a home base where they sat down exhausted, overwhelmed by the incredible field trip. Nolan studied his new Professor with awakened eyes as he prepared to present the next lesson. Dell seemed to be a little more easy going than the other gods.

         "This will be your main classroom" Dell took a piece of chalk and wrote in capital letters on the board: 'MERCHANTS'. "From this day forward, even as students, you will now become Merchants, bound by the rules of The Merchants of Atlan." He picked up a box and began handing out passes. "These are your Merchant ID's. These get you in and out of the Underworld and must be carried at all times. To the Above Society, it is simply a Merchant ID, there is no Below Society, do you understand?"

         "Yes, Your Honor" The class replied in unison as reality took hold. So it was, officially, a big secret.

         Thoughts racing, Nolan fondled his new ID, amazed once again. A secret underworld? He was chosen to know? It made him feel special to have been chosen for such a secret world below the bustling empire above, to be trusted with such a big secret.

         Dell began handing out scrolls wrapped in fine red ribbons, there was one for each student.

         Nolan untied the ribbon and unfurled the scroll to reveal a finely scripted document… An Initiation Oath?

         Dell continued his lecture in front of the chalk board. "You are here because you were selected as the brightest, most promising examples of the Serpent year Gens! In this classroom you will be taught the secrets of the Atalan Underworld. This is our sacred knowledge, our power and our strength depends upon the integrity of our secrecy." Nervous glances were exchanged across the class, Dell was serious. "The Merchants of Atlan are the lube of the Atlan Empire, the servants of the Firmary gods, the blood pulsing through the veins of the empire. It is your ancestors, your DNA that made this Great Empire the Great Empire it is today!"

         Dell picked up the chalk and wrote the number 1. on the board as he began laying out the rules. "Everyone's business is our business, but no one's business is Public Domain. Every transaction, whether personal, business or material must be properly documented and accounted for, as they will be audited and cross examined for Excellence." He continued to make a list, writing only key words. 

         "One. You will all be under strict Oath to withhold any non-public information you have from any example or aribu that you come into contact with, including each other, unless otherwise instructed by a god. 

         Two. If you write about it, lie about it, claim to see or hear something that you are not authorized to see or hear, you will face an Expiry Assessment immediately. 

        Three. You serve the King first. You will only take orders from the gods, unless otherwise instructed by a god. If you are uncertain about an order in any way, it is your responsibility to send a private communication to the source via Administration in the main floor of the headquarters Building." 

        Dell placed the chalk in the tray and turned toward the class. "The Merchant of Atlan is a highly respected position and you have been selected for the position because we believe you are suitable for the job, we only ask that you prove us right. There are many rules for a Student Merchant of Atlan" Dell returned to the chalk board to write a new list titled '3 Student Rules'. "But these are the top three." He wrote them out in caps: 

        1. YOU WILL CARRY OUT THE FIRMARY ASSIGNMENTS EXACTLY AS DIRECTED.  You will be responsible for documentation and will submit all data to the Records Department in Administration by Friday afternoon of each week. 

        2: DON’T ASK DON’T TELL. YOU WILL BE GIVEN INFORMATION ON A NEED-TO-KNOW BASIS ONLY. You will refrain from asking for more or sharing what you know, all new information obtained must be submitted via official authorization only. 

        3: IT IS YOUR DUTY TO REPORT ANOTHER MERCHANT'S VIOLATIONS OR DECEPTIONS ONLY IF APPROVED BY A GOD TO DO SO. Failure to comply will result in an immediate Expiry Assessment. Sometimes an operation can look like a violation when it isn't, and interference of such a nature can be detrimental to the operation. Do you understand?"

         "Yes, Your Honor" The class replied in unison, even though none of them really understood at all.

         "Good. Now let's read the Oath."

         Nolan scanned the document with glazed eyes, at this stage he knew very little of the things he was swearing an Oath to.... What if they made a mistake? Would it really be grounds for Execution? 

        Death didn't scare Nolan, but he wanted to know where he was headed. There were only two portals at The Gate; The Promised Land, paradise for those who died an Honorable death, and Hellias, a cold and barren wasteland for those who died a Dishonorable death, just knowing that was enough to keep the aribu honest. Textbook images of Hellias were forever branded into his mind, these were some of his earliest lessons in Culloom; no one wanted to go there.

         "All you need to do is remember that you are here because we believe you are the best. For that reason, chances are, you will make the right decisions" Dell assured with a smile, then picked up a small box from his desk. "It is now time for you sign the Oath" He noticed Bell pull out his pen. "And pens are for disposable communications, Merchant Bell. Put it away. When a Merchant makes an Oath, he makes a Blood Oath."

         Eyes were wide open now as Dell began to hand out blades. "If you feel we made the wrong decision, if you have changed your mind about being a Merchant, you can opt for the Sacrificial Placement, it will assure you a nice trip to the Promised Land but the offer is only open for twenty four hours. I know it sounds very serious, but it's serious business. Atalon did not build this empire using weak and incompetent Gens."

         Nolan read his Oath of loyalty and secrecy again, it didn't seem like such a big deal, why would he not want the responsibilities? Who did he have to tell? The Underworld was awesome!

         Soon enough the box of blades was hovering in front of him. Without another thought, he picked out a blade, sliced his finger and signed the document on the dotted line.