by Robert James
“It is only because you’re unarmed and not in uniform that you live” He told us. The long haired, white giant, stood over two metres and had a body any muscle pumper would be proud of. He wore animal skins, sandals and had a huge medieval broad sword slung at his waist. In his right hand he held a shining metal pole. He stood silently, expectant, waiting for us to respond.
“You may be sure that we are not armed” I began “Nor can your arrows or magic stick do either of us any harm” I told him with a quiet, firm authority “But we come in good will and I would speak with your leader” I added, as I stepped toward the huge man.
“I ordered you not to move” He growled threateningly, pointing the metal pole at me.
I automatically rose two metres, my golden halo came on and all but the big man fell back.
“To fire upon a member of the Supreme Family is punishable by death” My voice boomed. Momentarily taken aback, but not cowed at all, the big man looked up at me strangely.
“You are from inside that accursed place?” He asked, his deep voice flat and emotionless.
“I am Lord Robert of the Supreme Family” I replied without any kind of superior tone.
“Though I die for it, this honour is mine!” He snarled, then fired a huge bold of electricity at me, from the end of his metal rod. I felt nothing, not even my kaftan was singed.
The poor man’s jaw dropped first, then he did. Down onto one knee, head bowed, laying his weapon down he awaited my retribution. My glow faded and I came back to earth, then I walked on over to the now kneeling warrior.
“My friend you have truly suffered much at the hands of the people from in there and from Centropolis” I told him gently, his men had faded back to the tree line “You are truly brave and I honour you, now stand up and let us talk” I added. Amazed, but with his dignity still intact, he took my offered hand and got to his feet, then tried to make himself smaller, so that he would not be looking down on me.
“Stand tall and tell me your name” I told him, adding “You owe me no deference”. He took a step back and bowed from the waist “I am Golan of the Mercan” He told me. His twenty or so men returned to form a circle around us, at a cautious, respectful distance, while Golan led the way to the village we’d been heading for. We did not speak until we had reached the edge of the forest. When we stepped out of it we were faced with several thousand men, women and children, now all frozen and looking at us. Three people walked towards us, like everyone else, they wore animal skin clothes and sandals, but theirs were somehow more formal, looking more like robes than clothes. The elderly man in the middle stepped up to Golan. We could not hear what was said, but a moment later, the elderly man stepped past him and stood with his arms folded, in front of me.
“So you’re the famous Lord Robert we have been hearing so much about on New World radio” He stated, his high society accent, hardly what you’d expect from a ‘savage’.
“I am” I agreed “And you are Sir?” He was surprised at the title, but recovered quickly. He stepped up to me, hand extended “Michael De Longueville at your service Lord Robert” We shook hands “You seem remarkably normal, if I may say Lord Robert” The old, but still ramrod straight gentleman commented, as he led us to a large thatched hut.
“Didn’t Golan mention the flying and all that?” I asked, as we got to the meeting place.
“Well of course” De Longueville replied “Not to mention your blast at Forward One, that scared the daylights out of my men over there” He added smiling “But we have always known you people had some pretty effective technology” He grinned at me.
“None of that was technology Mr. De Longueville” Captain Millwell spoke for the first time since our encounter with Golan “Lord Robert is immune, even from the weapons of the Supreme Ones. He has come to end their tyranny and liberate the whole planet” The Arc Island leader almost intoned. He had become very much a zealot for my cause.
“So what will change when you take over from your family?” The elderly leader queried with an understandable touch of scepticism.
“I will not be taking over Mr De Longueville. Have you not also heard my speeches?” I asked him, he looked back at me blankly. We sat on wooden, cane bound chairs in the animal skin ‘carpeted’, cool straw building, as I told him and his male and female colleagues of what had occurred and what we planned to do. After two hours of answered questions he understood. Now it was his turn to tell us what had really happened out here.
“About a hundred and thirty years ago, Bill Carnarvon, used to run Carntown, a coastal town with all the usual culprits” De Longueville’s voice held disapproval “Suddenly, he turned up in Bascomeville” The Mercan leader continued “My Father was the city’s mayor” De Longueville told us “But Carnarvon just took over, killing anyone who tried to resist.”
“Once he ruled like a king, he had his men make all our people build his Supreme City, as he called it” He went to continue.
“Bill Carnarvon was the first Supreme One?” I interrupted.
“You don’t know your own Grandfather’s name?” He asked.
“Well I do now, so please go on” I invited the Mercan leader.
“Not much more to tell” He replied “His State Militia drove all of us off our lands, and forced us to live wild, because every time we tried to build anything permanent, they came with those infernal flying craft and destroyed it” He laughed, almost to himself “The irony is that, for the past century, we have had to live like those our Forefathers drove off, when they first arrived” Michael De Longueville told us.
“Are there any of those your Forefathers drove off still left?” I asked the Mercan leader.
“Oh yes, dear me, there’s most likely several million” He answered “We rarely have any contact with them, but when we have, it has been quite amicable” De Longueville added.
“Do those tribes also have electricity and radios?” I asked him.
“No” Came his answer “Nor did we until one of their transports crashed near here a couple of years ago. That’s where Golan got hold of your electric weapon” He explained, adding “We only use the radio to find out what’s on in your world, when it works”.
“Golan said you were the Mercan tribe, are there others like you?” Captain Millwell asked.
“We are few now, perhaps just two hundred thousand, but we are all Mercans, for that is what our forefathers named this land when they discovered it” He replied proudly. We talked on about many things, the wise old man, the brave pirate and I, then, as dusk approached, we walked back through the forest, to find a much relieved pilot and four guardsmen about to come looking for us. It was early evening by the time we returned. I requested a quick trip around the glittering citadel of Centropolis City and then we returned to my T.T.V. All the ships were now in port, so was Susan. Zoran welcomed us home and then gave us an update on all that had taken place in our absence; he was just waiting for news from Sharon. Within an hour, Sharon came over, with Susan beside her.
The girls brought good news, in more ways than one. Susan had come over to my T.T.V. as soon as her ship had berthed and Zoran had taken her to the “Alpine Grand” T.T.V. Clearly they had hit it off well, now Sharon couldn’t wait to tell me she had ‘done it’.
“My dear Sharon” I teased “I know you’ve done it many, many times, but which ‘it’ are you talking about” I asked the bubbly blonde beauty. Sharon put on her cross little girl face
“I’ve just done what you said was really, really important” She pouted “I can cut the Supreme House communications off from the rest of the whole compound” She announced proudly.
“So we can talk to our people in there without the House hearing” I asked hopefully
“Yep” She replied happily, adding “And, when you’re good and ready, I can put you through to that charming sister of yours, the Lady Ursula”. I gave her a big hug and Susan joined in. Zoran left the three of us, to tell Captain Millwell and our team the good news, Sharon p
ut her hand softly and intimately on Susan’s leg.
“It’s funny you know” Susan murmured, she had changed from sophisticated city lady to one good looking country woman “Sharon and I really do like a lot of the same things” She purred, looking down suggestively at Sharon’s hand. In place of the business suit, Susan wore denim pants and a man’s shirt; though it was unbuttoned enough to make sure you could see that she was one heck of a woman.
They both got up slowly and, still almost glued to each other, they came over to stand in front of me, holding hands.
“You look a little tired Robert” Susan said softly, then knelt down to pull off my boots.
“You’ll be able to work it out much, much better when you’ve had some rest” Sharon added, as she mounted the arm of my seat and began unbuttoning the red shirt I wore under my kaftan. Once they had me naked, they took me to the bed and lay me down. Then Sharon came around behind Susan and proceeded to unbutton her shirt. Both pairs of beautiful, lust filled eyes were fixed on mine. Fortunately, no one minded that I didn’t attend the big planning meeting at military headquarters that night, I sure did sleep well though.
As it turned out, my absence was a good thing according to Zoran “It was good to hear what they all thought, when you weren’t around Lord Robert” He told me. After those two beautiful, intelligent and pleasure mad women had finished with me, I had to watch the two of them make love to each other, so, in no time, it was back to me again! You could say that I was making love while the rest of the world planned more important things, to put it mildly. The good thing was that, when I woke the next morning, leaving the two still sleeping women with their naked bodies entwined, I got up and went alone to the empty cockpit, to think. And that was when I had the idea. A way to create an illusion of my own, especially for those three masters of deceit and illusion.
Some minutes later, our Captain, Zoran and Millwell joined me. I told them of my plan. Zoran’s eyes glittered in anticipated victory.
“That will work Lord Robert” He told me confidently “I have always known you would find a way to fulfil the prophesy” He added. We decided that this had to be kept on a need to know basis. We could not afford to have our plans leaked to the Supreme House. When Susan and Sharon joined us for breakfast in the main cabin, I told them of my idea.
“When do you need that cut off in place?” Sharon was excited at the major role she was to play. “Now” I told her and she cheerfully went off to her ‘own T.T.V.’ to set it up. Susan and Zoran were to focus on convincing our own troops that the illusion we were to create was real.
Captain Millwell’s men, though still dressed in their unusual attire, now had the very best in weaponry, thanks to our House Guards, who were much relieved to know they were not to be involved either. For them too, it would have been like brother against brother. The obviously tough Arc Islander troop now looked very much the way a commando team should, informal and lethal. They too were pleased that, for all the huffing and puffing, they were not actually going to have to give their lives to save the planet.
“All of our people have to believe you’re actually going in” I told them, certain of their loyalty “Some of you may come under fire” I continued “If you do, just stay down and keep drawing their fire. But please don’t be heroes, there is no need” I told the men.
“They are completely cut off” Sharon announced proudly, looking up from her Alpine grand provided communications control panel.
“Do you want to hear them?” She asked, happy to be in control.
“Why not” I replied, then along with Zoran and Susan, I listened to the ever growing uncertainty in Ursula’s and Edmond’s voices, when they could not get any response, from any one! Not even the guards whose duty was protecting the Supreme House.
“Just let them stew for a while” I grinned, getting up “I’ll let you know when to patch me into our allies Sharon” I told her, adding “Right now, the three of us have to go tell some lies, very convincingly, to our own people” I told the gorgeous technical genius. I was really impressed with the way both girls had acted as though last night hadn’t happened.
We left to address the ‘final battle strategy’ meeting, as Zoran had formally announced it, with all the allied troop commanders and Governor Ryan, to be held at the Centropolis Military Head Quarters. It was a most impressive sight. Twelve ‘colour’ troops, carrying the flags of every ally, lined the entranceway for the arrival of the many National leaders and ourselves.
“Generals, Governor and staff” I began my address to the thirty strong audience of military and civilian men and women “Just before dawn tomorrow, Captain Millwell’s commandos will move into the Supreme City and take up strategic positions” I lied to them blithely.
“But how can they do that Lord Robert?” General White, whom I had appointed as the Commander of the ‘strike’ force, asked “There is no way in, Zoran told us that”. He Pointed out. I looked directly at the General and the Centropolis Governor when I answered. My voice held just a trace of accusation
“That was before we met Michael De Longueville” I told them and both men tried to hide their surprise but failed “His people built that place, did you know that?” I asked, almost chatty, they shook their heads dumbly. “Perhaps” I said, penetratingly serious “If your predecessors hadn’t driven them out and you two had not been so ruthless about keeping them out, what is now to be done could have been done decades ago” I suggested “Have you now learned that in unity there is strength?” I asked.
“My Lord Robert” Governor Ryan began to rise. I waved at him.
“What’s done is done” I said “Time for restitution later.” They both nodded, relieved “Due to information obtained from the Mercan people, we now have the Supreme House cut off from everyone else inside the Supreme City” I told the leaders and received an enthusiastic round of applause.
“You mean they can’t even talk to their own guard?” Sentoria’s General Davis asked gleefully. As a commander, he knew the effect of that on the troops and their command.
“That’s right Commander Davis” I affirmed “Once Captain Millwell and his commandos are in position, they will radio back co-ordinates to the Alpine Grand which will be passed onto your vessels.”
“I want all of them off the nearest coast by then, and, unless the Supreme One surrenders, we will have no choice but to commence bombardment” I lied to them. “Captain Millwell and his men will try to evaluate targets as they call them in, so as to minimise the chances of innocent people getting killed” I finished explaining.
“But what about them?” Patty Rice, Susan’s replacement asked stridently pointing at Captain Millwell “They’ll be twenty one to two hundred or more, and the Supreme House guard is on home ground” The Administrator pointed out, sounding concerned. The Arc Island Governor rose and bowed to her
“I’ll be thanking you for your concerns Madame” He smiled gallantly at the very attractive woman “But my men and I are more than a match for a bunch of robots without their controls” He laughed and so did his men “It’ll be like three blind mice” Captain Millwell went on, that got the whole place laughing. There was an electric atmosphere. All the military men, including General White, were both in admiration of Captain Millwell and, just a touch envious. Unlike the ex-pirate Captain, these were men who did not fear death in battle, truth is, it was an ambition, and none really believed that Millwell or his men would escape unharmed, if at all! I was satisfied that we had presented a plausible plan to our own people, and, equally confident that Ursula would soon know of it, because some true believer would take word to her. I headed for the Alpine Grand T.T.V. and its ‘owner’ Sharon Black. Leaving Zoran and Susan behind to hold down the public relations front, I felt it was time to talk to our insiders, because they would need the night to set the plan up. I settled myself quietly into the chair beside the intent blonde girl.
“Are you there Randal?” She spoke softly into the microphone “I have
isolated our line from the Supreme House, so don’t worry, they cannot hear us” She continued.
“You must be a bloody genius lady” Came Randal’s much relieved, but under pressure reply.
“I have Lord Robert here to give you instruction” Sharon told him.
“What, in person?” Came the surprised response as I held out my hand for the microphone.
“Yes Randal, in person” I answered softly.
“We are honoured to serve you Lord Robert” He shot back “Tell us your wish and it shall be done, even if it cost us our lives” Everyone seemed really keen on dying around here.
“Your lives need not be lost Randal” I replied “There should be no harm to anyone, if you follow my instructions exactly” I told the leader of the rebel T.T.V. house guard “I will not instruct you to attack anyone, but, if you are attacked, then it is right that you should defend yourselves. Those who would kill deserve what they get” I told him unemotionally. Then I went on to give him detailed instructions as to what he and his thirty one men could do, to help us end the merciless autocracy of the Supreme One.