The Chairman

Once upon a time there was a Chairman. The Chairman had power but no responsibilities, influence was his coin, and he gave it to those who would be successful in the land. He could tell which way things would go, and promised others that he would help them gain the power they so badly wanted, and convinced them they could not do it without him, as he would turn on them if they didn't. His lieutenants gathered information and used this as their currency.

After many years of success with this plan, the Chairman became arrogant, and thought he could increase the influence that he had. He put his influence behind the shiny one, who promised much if he could gain power, and courted the lieutenants of the Chairman as his friends and advisors, to help him gain the power he thought the Chairman's backing would enable him to get.

But the shiny one did not know that the chairman was an evil influence on his lieutenants. He did not tell them to break any law explicitly, but they did so to increase their standing with him, to keep his influence with them not against them. The leaders and the sheriffs of the land ignored the misdeeds of the Chairmans lieutenants as they were afraid of what they knew about them, or what they would say to the public to turn their views of the leaders, who held power but were scared to use it except for the good of the few, rather than the many.

Then one day someone was caught out, by telling something they should not have known. The Chairmans lieutenants managed to keep out of trouble for a while, by telling the sheriffs there was nothing to see, and that it was a rogue amongst them. But gradually the web unravelled, as some who did not care what the Chairman knew began to speak out against him. They harnessed the power of the majority, and the leaders came to realise they had to turn against the chairman in public, to try to show they had never been in his power, or never sought his influence. The Chairman had to back away for a short time, and some of the leaders and sheriffs worried what he might say when he was called to account. The Chairman had decided to bide his time, and protect those closest to him, while cutting loose those who had been caught, but keeping them quiet in mysterious ways.

The Chairman has yet to speak, and the story is not ended, but there will be more to tell.