“Come on, you can’t just walk off the job,” said another.
“Can’t I? Just watch.”
“But you’re the best we’ve got,” said a third delegate.
“Best you ever will get.”
“But your country needs you,” said the first delegate again.
“My country’s still got me. It’s only you buggers who have just lost me.”
“Some of us are loyal to you, you know that,” said the second delegate.
“Yes, and I know who you are. You will be amply rewarded when the time comes.”
Aub carried on walking until he reached the door to the hotel complex.
“Now he should be there ready and waiting,” said Joanie, observing the entrance to the complex from within The Great Dome, her Chancellor by her side.
“I think you’ll find it’s all taken care of,” The Chancellor replied.
The minister stepped into the awaiting Kamchatskiy, a brand new Silver Shadow.
“Where on earth is he going?” the second delegate asked the first.
“I don’t know, but I rather think the clue might be in the car that just drove him away.”
The car proceeded swiftly and quietly through the streets of Perth, passing through the northern suburb of Mirrabooka and on through Northbridge until it finally arrived at the airport.
“Good luck, Prince Regent,” said the driver as he deposited his passenger at the terminal building.
The Prince did not stop at the check-in, but continued instead directly toward departure gate six. Joanie meanwhile followed his progress with the remote camera which Aub had placed carefully in the lock of his suitcase, just as she had ordered him to do the night before. He followed the pathway through the airport that she had prepared for him, allowing him to bypass airport security, until he had almost reached departure gate six. At that point he was approached by two security officials.
“Excuse me sir,” one of them said to him. “You cannot go there. There are no flights from gate six today. I’m afraid you must return to airport security at once.”
Fortunately Aub had the perfect response. He removed from his jacket pocket a small case containing the blue and gold hologram badge that Queen Katie had given to him the previous Christmas. This bore The Island logo, which international security officials had knowledge of. He flashed it at the security guards who instantly recognised its significance.
“I’m so sorry. This way Your Royal Highness,” said one of the guards, who pointed the way toward The Queen’s own Hebden Three that was parked discreetly by the gate.
Back in her Dome Joanie reached for her mobile phone.
“Can I have a close-up on that plane,” she ordered to her Operations Manager, triggering a transfer from the camera in Aub’s suitcase to that on the tail of the aircraft. “And make sure the pilot is ready for takeoff on cue and that he gets immediate clearance from the airport authorities. I will now inform The Queen that his presence on The Island is now imminent.”
The plane took off and followed a westerly course until eventually reaching supersonic speed over the Indian Ocean, approximately one hundred miles north-west of Perth. The same hostess that had greeted Gary on his somewhat shorter flight to The Island greeted the sole passenger, first with a commemorative bottle of Prince Regent lager, The Prince noting his face embossed in gold on the label, then with a document for him to sign.
“Sir, Her Majesty kindly ask that you sign paper,” said the petite Korean.
“Oh? What could that be for then? She knows who I am doesn’t she?”
“Of course sir. But she need you to sign for plane. Queen want that you have it as a gift. From now on plane and pilot are at your command.”
He scrutinised the form carefully and noted that it did indeed transfer ownership of the aircraft to him.
“What if I don’t want to own the plane?”
“Then too bad. Queen will transfer it to you anyway.”
“So the form is meaningless?”
“No. Form very important. It show Queen that you respect her wishes.”
“I see. Then I suppose I had better sign it.”
She offered him the pen and bowed her head. He noted the gesture, detecting that if he refused to sign the hostess would see it, rightly or wrongly, as a reflection upon her. He knew that, unlike with the budgets that he had been asked to approve a couple of hours earlier, he had to sign.
“Much obliged,” said hostess Su Lin, whose name was written on her Island logo badge. “Now I bring menu. Su Lin think Your Royal Highness ready for lunch.”
She returned a few seconds later and handed Aub the menu.
“Quite a choice,” he remarked looking at the various fish and vegetarian options before making his choice.
“Prime Minister want that you have great flight to Island and will have everything ready for your arrival. If you look at screen you will see coachman preparing horses and royal coach.”
The viewing screen was revealed allowing Aub to see for the first time the coachman carefully grooming the two black stallions that would pull the meticulously polished royal coach from the beach airstrip to The Town. Then Joanie appeared on the screen.
“Greetings Prince Regent,” she said. “Her Majesty and I are so pleased that you have decided on this day to accept the new and great future that she has offered to you. You will know from our history what awaits you in the weeks and months ahead. You know that a lot will be expected of you, but we have every confidence that you are the man who can steer us forward. It is a decision that we know you will not regret, and we are honoured to have you. You are now officially Prince Regent, and the band may start to play.”
The band started playing from the Colonnade as selected members of The Island’s staff – led by The Reverend, who beat his drum loudly, followed by The Concierge – began to parade around the Town Square marching in time in military fashion in their ceremonial blue and gold uniforms. Aub watched as those on parade turned their heads perfectly in unison and saluted as they passed the camera that would beam the image directly to his plane whilst Su Lin prepared his chosen meal of vegetable soup and lobster crepes. Gary and the others watched from their cottage.
“Oh it’s started,” said Anne. “The others are all joining.”
“He’s going to be here soon,” added Connie. “The papers predicted that he would be here at three o’ clock, but by the looks of things it is going to be a bit earlier than that.”
As the plane entered South African airspace Joanie reached again for her mobile phone.
“Can you confirm that we have clearance from the Western Cape?” she asked as she observed the plane’s progress on the map on her screen.
On board Su Lin updated The Prince Regent on the latest developments on The Island.
“Setmates have one more week,” she said. “Then they will be leaving.”
“That’s good. At least I’ll have the pleasure of meeting them. It will also be good to see the ones I sent there this year. It’s a shame I’m just that bit too late for the Carnival on Ice. Then I could have met last year’s as well. It will be a refreshing change though after the loons I’ve been cooked up with for the past five years.”
“They are all eager to meet you. It has been so long since The Island has seen a royal acclamation. By the way Prime Minister also ask me to ask you if you have named an MP for the new constituency of Bathurst and Melville to serve in Kamchatka Parliament?”
“Tell her, certainly. It will be a man called Jacob Spence. He’s very reliable and highly respected by all of our friends in Australia, and I think the Russians should take to him. I know The Queen has met him a couple of times when she visited my villa on Bathurst. Our friends also know that he will do everything to ensure that the quality of life improves throughout Australia. Something really does have to be done about the nation’s beleaguered economy.”
“Good. I make note. So I give you some in-flight entertainment. Highlights from this year’s Carn
ival on Ice.”
The plane touched down on the runway of The Island at 2.15 p.m. local time. The Prince said goodbye to Su Lin and thanked the pilot and copilot as he stepped out into the spring sunshine. As with Gary’s arrival, once the plane was silent and the passenger had safely disembarked the coachman made his way toward the plane ready to transport in style the VIP to The Great Dome for his meeting with The Prime Minister.
As the carriage passed through The Triumphal Arch the crowd applauded from The Square. The Prince Regent was slightly surprised at the number of people, the entire Island, that had turned out to greet him, once Joanie had announced that His Royal Highness had landed. The Queen gazed down from the top of The Bell Tower where she stood alone, concealed, with her parents watching quietly from the steps of The Great Dome, ready to shake hands with The Prince. The throng then cheered as the carriage approached.
“Stand well back,” The Chancellor ordered, as the carriage drew to a halt.
The cheering intensified as The Prince Regent stepped down from the carriage to a popstar-type greeting from setmates and staff alike. He was almost mobbed and was visibly overcome by his obvious immense popularity, which contrasted so markedly with the air of growing disapproval that he had left behind in Perth. He was showered with confetti as he made his way to the door of the Great Dome, which opened automatically as he approached. He shook hands with The King and Queen Mother as he entered and faced the seated Joanie. Then she rose ready to clasp his hands.
“Prince Regent, so good to meet you,” she said. “After all this time it is really you, here on The Island. All the months of uncertainty are at last over. There is much to be done and I wish I was going to be here to see your great adventure.”
“You’re not?” said Aub.
“No. I thought you would have known. Now that you are here I have to resign and hand over all of my powers to The Queen’s ministers who will, one by one, apply their tests to you prior to awarding their Royal Acclamation. When that has been done a new Prime Minister will be appointed from their ranks, whom you and The Queen must then approve. This is what our constitution demands, but I have had a wonderful six years here as Prime Minister, and it is only right that at some reasonable point I should stand down and hand over to someone else. I have been very privileged to have served in what some would say is the best job in the world.
It’s not quite over for me yet, though. I still have the pleasure of showing you around the magical world of The Island over the next week, and, of course, have the honour of presenting you to Her Majesty The Queen. All has been made ready for you and I can assure you that all of my staff will do their very best to see that you are made welcome here and they will always be on hand to assist you. You already have more friends than you will ever know, and I know that you definitely will not regret making the decision that you did this morning. Your adventures are just beginning, and there is no doubt that you will have a very powerful and influential role in the future development of the world.
I listened to your brief speech in Perth this morning and felt so proud as you stood up and said no at last to those backward-thinking individuals. You will be your people’s saviour in the end, mark my words. There is nothing more important that you could have done for Australia.”
“Some will still see me as selling out to the Russians.”
“There’s no such thing as selling out, Prince. It is the others who will sell out when the bidding starts. You will be the man who will introduce Non-Capitalist Economics to the Australian people, and, when they see it working on Bathurst and Melville more will want it, and those old fogeys in the Australian Defence Committee will be where they belong, as footnotes in Australia’s beleaguered past. So, come on Prince. Tell me how much you enjoyed this year’s Carnival on Ice.”
“I can’t wait to get my skates on myself.”
“Well, I can tell you that The Queen herself ordered her own personal maid to place a brand new pair of skates, tailored exactly to your foot measurements, on your bed in Samurai Cottage, and ice time has been set aside for you.”
“With the setmates?”
“With or without. You choose. Jobine, our resident trainer is eager to meet you. Hopefully she will be able to help you and Katie to become the world’s first true skating King and Queen. Now that Carnival is over and the setmates have only one more week left here I have asked that she allows them to relax a little now.”
“Then they go to Kamchatskiy, right?”
“Right. But we will have a social night at the end of the week.”
“I’d better get some practice in then. I’m very rusty compared to what I saw on the plane. I am pleased for all of the setmates, but especially for those from Australia to whom I have had the honour of handing over The Queen’s precious tickets personally. Yvonne was fantastic compared to when I saw her skate in Darwin. I’m so glad that I found the perfect person to give that last ticket to. I was getting seriously worried about what I was going to do with it.”
“Some tea, Your Royal Highness?” asked The Chancellor.
*
In the days ahead The Prince Regent made a point of visiting each of the twenty sets in person, showing himself to be the ordinary and somewhat humble man that he was. On the ice he took private instruction from Jobine and joined in with the setmates as they practised the range of simple social dances each night until the penultimate. The Queen joined them also from time to time, proving to them that she was no stranger to the ice. Her speed and flow across the ice was worthy of note, as were the variety of jumps, spins and twizzles that she showed off to her future principal.
On the sessions, The Prince Regent was very much the centre of attention. Then, when it was over, The Prince and The Queen would leave the rink together either by the royal coach or the royal train which took them to The Royal Palace. There the royal couple could spend at least some relaxing time together without the distraction of press cameras and prying eyes. It was at least a comfort for them to know that whilst all eyes were upon them, and The Island Times, with journalist Sylvia, was keen to report on their progress, the Royal Palace remained a place of sanctuary to all who were housed within. For, on The Island, the rich financial rewards for snooping reporters who could snatch inappropriate photographs and compile articles of marginal truth were nonexistent. Here the only desire was only for a blossoming romance that would lead subsequently to a royal wedding and a coronation.
Chapter Twenty
Going Underground
For their final night on The Island Joanie had arranged a fondue evening in the Training Centre at which all of the setmates and Island staff could meet together for one last time. Aub and The Queen also made an appearance, taking time to speak to everyone, wishing the setmates well in their new lives. As the stainless steel cauldrons of simmering cheese were wheeled in by royal chef Bob and The Usherette, The Chancellor played a lament gently upon the old organ which had been placed at the far end of the room.
For the setmates it was a time of farewells, goodbyes and thank-yous to all of the people who had taught and assisted them throughout the past year. In particular Mitsumoto-san and Jobine praised their efforts.
“It has been a joy to teach and work with you,” said Mitsumoto-san to Gary’s set. “Perhaps one day we will meet again. Now you know all about auto manufacture at Kamchatskiy. Now you must learn to put theory into practice.”
“It has been a wonderful and memorable experience enhancing and developing your skating skills,” Jobine added. “It has given me great pleasure helping to equip you with the skills and capabilities to join the fabulous elite of The Kamchatskiy Skaters. I know you will all go far and go on to have super careers.”
“We naturally thank you also for giving us the wonderful training,” said Anne to both of them. “To think that of all the people in the world we have been hand-picked is a truly amazing honour, and, like everyone else that has been given this most prestigious invitation, we have memories that we
shall treasure forever.”
“We will all miss this place,” Elena added, a slight tear in her eye.
Joanie later came over to them, as she did with each of the other sets.
“You have had a great time I take it?” she said.
“Wonderful and unforgettable,” Lars replied.
“We can’t thank you enough for all that you have done,” added Jose.
“Well. I can tell you that although this may be your last night on The Island, it is not over yet. You have your instructions for tomorrow?”
The set nodded.
“You will be pleased to know that you haven’t quite seen the last of me yet.”
“You’ll be pleased to know that you haven’t seen the back of me either,” laughed the Concierge from behind, sipping a glass of red wine.
“Nor me,” added the Reverend.
“So what is still to come?” Gary asked, mindful like the others about what Francesca had said.
“That’s for us to know and you to find out,” laughed Joanie. “But, like your time on The Island, it’s something that I promise you will certainly remember. As we speak I can tell you that programmers and engineers are busily at work adding the final touches to our last surprise.”
Aub and The Queen approached and shook hands with each of the setmates. Aub spoke notably to Yvonne.
“Glad you came?” he asked.
“Oh absolutely. It still just seems like a dream. I can’t believe it.”
“Don’t worry. I feel a bit like that myself. You won’t look back though. Nobody who comes here ever does. Oh, and by the way, I watched your routine on my flight here and it was so good it was unrecognisable from what I last saw of you in Australia. I know I couldn’t have given that last ticket to a more worthy recipient, so very well done.”
This praise from The Prince really touched her, to such a point that she just had to give The Prince a hug.
“Take care. You all have a great future ahead of you,” added Queen Katie, letting go of Aub’s hand for Yvonne’s embrace.
The Island of Dreams Page 27