by Robert James
It was a tight squeeze getting the T.T.V. into the entrance tunnel, but once we passed through it, we were in a stadium sized cavern, with the rotting remains of a miniature harbour all around us. Now dilapidated jetties and collapsed sheds bore testament to its history.
“When the tide is in, you can’t even see that entrance” Captain Millwell told us, drawn between fascination with our modern day ‘battleship’ and his pride that our pilot was his Son. We had talked briefly of my plan, which was still formulating in my mind, now, with our craft out of Lady Ursula’s reach, we returned to the town, all the men now in ‘civvies’, for some serious discussions. Our pilot took the rest of the crew and the six guardsmen off, to settle them in for their first-ever “shore leave”.
The Captain had, very respectfully, but quite firmly, asked to join Zoran and I. When Zoran gently tested him, he admitted being ‘uncomfortable’ when we saw Supreme fleet T.T.V’s attacking the House Of Red retirement resort, but he felt it not his right to question us. He gave me a garbled page of numbers, which he said he believed was a message to me from Miss Proust, as a way of demonstrating that he, like his young pilot, navigator and the guardsmen, had decided that I was the one to whom they should be loyal. He’d flown for my younger siblings and long found their ruthless behaviour ‘disturbing,’ but, again, ‘a good soldier never questions his command’. Unfortunately. The message was from Susan, using a code I’d shown her, so only she and I knew it.
“Lady U. knows you’re in the NW coast, Lord Elton comes with three. He really believes you killed M & P to take over. Be careful. All is well here. Love Susan” The note read. I thanked the Captain.
“You didn’t kill Lord Peter and Lady Margaret did you Sire?” He Captain asked. Zoran took his arm, led him away and enlightened our Captain, at a table some distance from where the Arc Island leaders and I sat, dining on home cooked style stew and chunks of soft crusty bread. Susan’s note had given me an idea. Captain Millwell was a shrewd leader, he believed ‘no commander had the right to join his men in battle, unless there was a real chance of victory’ and that to ‘die in a winnable war was not heroic, it was plain suicide.’
He was obviously glad that my plan did not involve pitting our T.T.V., with his Son in it, against three of theirs which were just like it, but intrigued to know how the old man and I were to beat them. I’d pretty much figured it out. With our T.T.V. now totally switched off, there was no way Elton could track it, beyond knowing it had come this way. But, he was sure to come here. So I gave the leaders a story to tell him when he did. Yes Lord Robert had come here, with a handful of much bedraggled men. They would show him some knocked about guardsmen’s uniforms. Their T.T.V. ran out of fuel or something. It’s out there in the ocean’s depths. Lord Robert and his men took a boat and went to Port Rualé. The town of Stonebridge was in mourning, for the Son of their leader, who was lost at sea navigating my T.T.V.
I and my ‘stragglers’ would leave evidence to support their story.
“There is no way Lord Elton will bring three ships to hunt me down, if he believes I’m on foot” I told my five man planning team, sensing everyone’s excitement rising.
“I think your right Lord Robert” Agreed Zoran “He will park two here and take just one after you” The old man grinned..
“Then as soon as he’s gone, you zap them with that thing you have” Ken Blarty exclaimed excitedly to Zoran “And that’s it! Then the odds are even” He added expectantly.
“There’ll be no need for damage or injury to anyone Supervisor Blarty” Zoran corrected him “The Captains can tell the two T.T.V. Captains that Lord Robert is really here and has them both hostage” Zoran explained.
“They know my weapon can destroy them, but they have no means to defeat me” I picked it up “Zoran can fire a blast, to convince them, and they will surrender”.
“I believe you’re right” Our Captain agreed “Only because they are to do so to a member of the Supreme Family. Otherwise they would choose death” He added proudly. After a knowing look at me, Captain Millwell turned to our T.T.V. Captain.
“Well Sir, it will be up to you to persuade them that, to choose otherwise, whatever the reason, would not be at all heroic, it would simply be suicide” Captain Millwell told him. Our Captain went to argue, but I held up my hand.
“Gentlemen, we all are entitled to our views, however, Captain Millwell is right” I told our Captain “The fate of your Supreme fleet colleagues does depend very much on your own powers of persuasion” I told him and he looked back at me with gratitude.
“I shall, as always, do your will Lord Robert” He pledged. We got down to the details. The plan was to be circulated by word of mouth to all in the city. All but Zoran, our Captain, the three State leaders, and my soon-to-be three local companions, believed I would dress as one of them and join three crewmen on a small fishing vessel that evening. I was in fact, going to visit Port Rualé alone. There was some concern about my solo venture among the five of them, till I pointed out some realities to them all.
“Lord Elton does not know he can’t harm me, why endanger others whom he can when he tries?” I asked them. The plan settled, we got to work. My three would be fishing friends and I made sure Elton would believe the Captains’ story. I blew neat, metre wide holes, just at the waterline, of three ships that flew the Supreme House ensign in the Arc Island harbour, giving the crews plenty of time to disembark and get to dry land. Then I punched similar holes into an old looking Supreme House warship and two more of their freighters that were anchored in Port Rualé, when we got there. The three men bravely begged to be allowed to continue their service to me, but I insisted they return as fast as possible, on the boat we’d towed behind us.
That way, we were able to leave the fishing boat that I and my three crewmen were suppose to have used to get here, on the beach just south of the port. I exchanged my pirate style clothes for those more typical of the mostly European folk who lived in Port Rualé. With my bright red kaftan in a smart looking shoulder bag, I began the twenty minute walk into the now-on-high-alert city. Having been here often, the Arc Island leaders were able to provide me with maps, showing the key Supreme House building and plenty of solid and useful information. Like its counterpart over on the South East coast of this continent, Port Rualé was as famous for its houses of pleasure, as for being the biggest ports on the planet.
Unlike Sentoria however, Port Rualé’s red light district formed a two block deep ring of clubs, cheap hotels and mostly open air restaurants, serving food from around the planet. Any sailor who actually wanted to visit the city itself had to ‘fight’ his way past some of the most tempting of invitations imaginable.
“Although I’ve never heard one of them ever complain” Laughed Captain Millwell, as he told me of this town. When I neared the South of the city, I was passed by three silent running personnel carriers. Each driver in a small, four wheeled cabin, towed a separate trolley, with twelve uniformed and very well armed men sitting back to back on it. Their faces stern beneath their helmets, not one of them even looked at me. My ‘attack’ on the port had everyone running every which way. But no-one knew who or where the ‘enemy’ was.
In fact, he was sipping fine coffee, in one of the city’s better eating houses. I waited till the hue and cry had died down a bit, then walked a few blocks to the Supreme House clearance building. Like many in the city’s centre, it was a ten story brick edifice, with huge glass windows. Unlike most others, it had a forest of ariels on its roof and the Supreme House insignia emblazoned all over it. This was the control centre of the ultra busy port, but it had very few people in it right now, just a few lights on the ground floor. Donning my red kaftan, I strode out of the dark shadows of this mostly deserted city, not too surprising, given that it was almost midnight, and walked across the street to the small guard house in front of the Supreme House clearance building.
There were two uniformed men in there, they instinctively leapt to their fee
t when they saw me, saluting smartly. Both young, they would never have seen any of us live before, but they had all our photographs beautifully framed along the main wall.
“Lord Robert” They began in unison, but I waved them silent.
“Tell everyone to get out of this building” I ordered quietly. They looked at me blankly “Now!” I added sharply. Within five minutes, the building was empty. The two guards and some twenty men and women, of several nationalities, stood behind me on the opposite side of the road. I took out my little black weapon and proceeded to quickly demolish the whole place, taking care not to damage the buildings either side of the well protected compound.
Not one of them said a word, what could they say? There was no doubt who I was now and the guards could do nothing against any member of the Supreme Family. With a cape-like flourish of my kaftan, I rose up into the darkened sky, leaving the small crowd gasping, as they stood opposite their now destroyed place of business. I slipped back out of the darkness and perched on top of the city’s tallest building, then just watched the commotion below. Two of the twenty or more troop trolleys that now separated the red light district from the city, came speeding silently to the scene of my recent attack. The twenty four men were quickly and very professionally deployed. When their two commanders were told the details by the building’s guards, they found themselves caught, like the guards, in an insoluble dilemma.
Within minutes, both of the vehicles and their troops returned to their place in the defensive ring around the port district. Soon three sleek, silent running limousines, escorted by four of the thirteen man troop trolleys, pulled up below the building I watched from. A dozen elegantly dressed men and women alighted from the shiny black vehicles and were hurried into the building. They were either very important, very afraid, or both. Though not a match for the Supreme House’s forest of antenna, there were enough of them up there to tell me this building also had a communication centre in it. I decided to go down and see what they were up to.
“No of course we can’t Julia” I heard a man in his fifties saying to very stylish young woman, when I reached their room’s door.
“But Lord Elton can, he is of the Supreme Family” She argued.
“The Supreme One’s orders are not optional” The older man replied, his voice stiffly formal.
“I’ve often wondered what would happen, if there was ever a dispute among those from inside Supreme House” A pretty young blonde woman said worriedly.
“It’s not that at all Louise” Came another tall thin man’s answer “It’s simply a case of one of their own has turned renegade and they’re coming to take care of it” He told her.
“So we let Lord Robert destroy and kill until they do” Confirmed the first man.
“As you said Julia, we can’t touch him” The man added.
Just then, an extremely attractive, almost erotically dressed young woman, who had obviously come direct from a party or some other function, turned and raised her hand, she had headphones on and was over by an electronic panel on the other side of the room.
“There’s someone coming online!” She announced in a sultry, excited, but very clear voice.
“Yes, this is Governor Barry’s office” She said into the mouthpiece. A moment’s silence, then she suddenly sat up as if shocked “Yes Lord Elton, right away” She replied, her voice now breathless. She turned on the speaker phone as instructed.
“Barry, you there?” Elton’s voice demanded imperiously.
“Yes Lord Elton, I am so glad to hear from you” The Governor almost grovelled.
“Millwell here says Lord Robert is on his way to Port Rualé” Elton told him brusquely, a question in his voice.
“It’s true your Worship, it’s true!” Governor Barry confirmed to him, adding “He’s already destroyed the Clearance building, please come and….” He pleaded.
“Alright, alright!” Elton cut him off, seems he never was too patient “Enough whining Barry. How did he do that” Elton demanded to know and was alarmed to find out. Though I didn’t know it at the time, he and Edmond had tried to demolish the rest of the retirement resort, only to lose another T.T.V to Jarrat’s weapon. Thus Elton assumed no doubt with the encouragement of his older brother and sister, that I’d given mine to Jarrat. The three of them knew that we all had only one each.
“Well, I’ll just have to come over and see if my Brother and I can talk things over” Elton replied, after some seconds of silence.
“Er forgive me Lord Elton, this is Deputy Governor Flake” The older, taller man spoke.
“Yes Flake what is it?” Elton snapped back impatiently.
“Well, Sire, I am a little concerned that if you and Lord Robert fight it out, well Sire, with the weapons you use and all, it could be…..” The Deputy Governor let his voice trail off.
“There is no need to be at all worried Flake” Elton’s tone was condescending “Lord Robert has lost his vehicle and I’m sure he will just be glad of a lift home” Elton answered, giving a patronising laugh “Expect me in a half an hour” He commanded curtly, then hung up.
“I don’t understand” It was the sultry voiced radio operator “He doesn’t seem too angry about Lord Robert murdering their Brother and Sister” She commented, sounding puzzled.
“Sharon” Governor Barry replied in a Fatherly tone “You’re a brilliant young technician, just focus on that will you and don’t wonder about things which have nothing to do with you” He said..
I froze everyone in that room, except the beautiful young radio operator, and then I quietly entered through the big double doors. The poor girl almost fainted, reaching out for support from a younger man, only to find him frozen. She fell to her knees crying, when she saw the others in a living but totally immobilized state.
“Sharon, Sharon, there is no need to cry” I called to her softly. She stopped crying and looked up, without raising her head.
“How is it that you know my name Lord Robert?” She asked, speaking softly into the carpet.
“Sharon, you really have nothing to fear from me” I repeated as assuringly as I could, stepping forward to help her back to her feet. “Now let’s get to work, we’ve only got a half hour” I told her, leading her back to the communication console. She stopped, still standing in front of the console
“Should I serve you when the Supreme One has declared you an outlaw and expelled you from the Supreme Family?” The very brave young woman challenged me softly, in that low sultry voice.
“Perhaps I’ll get the chance to explain later Sharon, right now all I want you to do is make some phone connections for me” After a moment’s thought, she sat down. She used the non monitored commercial line, despite protesting that it was ‘illegal on pain of death’, to raise Susan. I filled Susan in on the current situation, and confirmed Elton’s hunt for me. Then Sharon asked for the phone.
“Does Lord Elton believe Lord Robert killed them?” She asked
“It may seem that way” Susan replied, adding “But I’m sure he knows Lord Robert didn’t”. The Port Rualé operator heard lots more from Susan too, but it was my call to Jarrat and his account of the second attack, on defenceless people who have served the Supreme House all their lives, which really did horrify her.
“Lord Edmond and Lord Elton used their laser weapons to destroy the green house, before I could get a shot at them” He told me “Two hundred and thirty dead, only eight survived” He added.
“Did you hit Lord Elton’s ship?” I asked hopefully.
“No” Jarrett’s replied “They both took off soon as I opened fire on the other one” The young man reported.
“Good work Jarrat” I congratulated “At least they have one less T.T.V. to do their dirty work. And we might have some more in another day or two” I added. After filling him in on events up to now, I said goodbye and Sharon broke the connection.
“So, didn’t you kill them Lord Robert?” Sharon asked, standing, arms folded, looking at me and showing a
bsolutely no fear.
“No, my younger Sister tried to kill me and hit Lord Peter instead” I answered “She also hit a pillar, which brought the whole balcony down on her. That’s the simple truth” I told her quietly.
“Perhaps I’m being imprudent in questioning you Lord Robert” She acknowledged in an almost respectful way “But why was your younger Sister trying to kill you in the first place?” She asked.
“Because she believed what her older Sister had told her, which was that I was going to destroy Supreme House and it’s control of the New World” I answered, looking deep into the beautiful young woman’s remarkably pale blue eyes.
“Is that true?” She asked, her sultry voice completely emotionless.