A recovered Durga tells Kali that the takeover of the flagship, C99, is vital for their survival. She intends to displace Athene and become the most influential person in Worldwideculture, one step nearer being CEO.
‘The wilderness is safe now,’ she says. ‘We’ll march with your workforce and demand entry.’
‘My workforce are not used to marching,’ Kali reminds her.
‘I’ll train them,’ Durga says. ‘I’ll train them to be warriors.’
At the morning meeting, Kali tells her colleagues that she has decided what to do to avenge Jason’s death. Durga will take charge of the most able-bodied mutant humanoids and train them in the skills of warfare.
Durga does her best to teach them to walk, march and run round the outside of the compound. At first most of them quite enjoy the experience. It’s a novelty to be away from their workstations, to be outside, breathing relatively fresh air; but Durga is a hard taskmistress and soon they are puffing and blowing and complaining of aches and pains.
She bribes them with gaudy uniforms in red and silver, tells them how manly they look and praises their efforts.
‘Quick march!’ she says and off they go again with their awkward jerks, judders and twists.
It’s ludicrous, thinks Michael. How can she turn these mutant humanoids into warriors? At C98 she was given less damaged mutants to work with, the pick of the compounds, but these recruits will never be able to keep in step when they march and the thought of them trying to fight is a joke.
Durga sends them out to find twigs and tendrils from the plants and bushes that have now begun to sprout. Some they shape into bows and arrows, others they sharpen to use as swords or daggers. All are makeshift weapons, as clumsy and unwieldy as the mutilated humanoids destined to use them.
Kali watches their efforts and shakes her head. Her snakes uncoil themselves and hiss but she has no choice other than to agree to Durga’s crazy plan. A fair exchange for Durga’s help in retrieving C55.
As the bizarre training continues, Stella switches her attention to Jaga and Sati.
They too intend to attack C99. The difference is that they have ready-trained warriors to help them. Jaga suggests that Sati lead the attack on C99 with Captain Theseus and his battalion of warriors. ‘They’re loyal to you and will not be tempted to change sides at the last minute.’
‘No chance of that,’ agrees Sati. She puts her heads on one side and winks at Jaga. ‘I’ve made quite sure of their devotion to me.’
Jaga shrugs. ‘If your unorthodox methods work for you, who am I to complain? You will proceed with the attack. I’ll stay here and organise things from this end. Once you’re in the compound, I’ll join you with backup.’
Sati pouts. ‘So I do all the work and you reap the benefits.’
‘Sati – I could lock you up in a cell now and throw away the key. You know that. Count yourself lucky that I’m trusting you to do this thing.’
So there they are, two disparate groups of warriors marching across the wilderness, hoping to capture and occupy C99.
Neither Stella nor Michael believes that either group has much chance of success. Stella is concerned that the proposed tactics could result in a power shift quite different from that she plans. She watches and waits. And so do Michael, Jaga, Athene and Heracles on their respective computers.
Durga, Kali and the raggle-taggle army arrive outside C99, only to find Sati and her battalion of golden warriors already there. Durga strides up to Sati, swings her arm back and gives the blonde head an almighty slap on the cheek before striking the dark head with a stinging backhander which knocks her sister-wife over.
Durga barks out, ‘Forward march. Halt. Present arms.’ The warriors obey and are Durga’s to command once more. So much for Sati’s confidence in their loyalty. Under Durga’s command they face the entrance of the flagship compound, ready to attack.
A huge figure looms large in the doorway of C99, a giant protecting his castle, three muscular legs wide apart, a rifle aimed at the intruders.
Sati crawls towards him, kneels, grabs his legs, begs for sanctuary. ‘Heracles, you have to help me. Remember how good we were together. We had good love sex together once and could again. Please Heracles, let me in.’
He doesn’t look down at her but kicks her out of his way. She lies on the ground, doubled up in pain. With the same decisiveness he shoots Durga in the head and she falls to the ground. With a quick gesture, Heracles summons Thor to come out, tie her up and carry her inside.
Not dead then, stunned, the observers decide.
Kali, aware that her turn may be next, calls out, ‘Heracles, wait! I only came with Durga because I owed her a favour – because she helped me reclaim my compound. You know that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Please allow me and my workforce to return to C55 in peace.’
Heracles looks at the motley set of clowns in their garish makeshift uniforms and grimaces. ‘OK, off you go, then,’ he grins and Kali and her careworn excuse for an army begin their long march back to C55.
Michael breathes a sigh of relief. He can now look forward to his date with Lizzy, assured that Kali will soon be back in her rightful place.
It’s the turn of Heracles to give the order to the fickle army: ‘Forward March!’ he yells and the golden warriors change their allegiance yet again and march inside C99. Heracles strides into C99 after them and closes the huge door.
A moment later he reappears, takes hold of Sati’s long, dark tresses with one hand and her blonde curls with the other and drags her unceremoniously inside. The door slams shut.
Stella has to admit that Heracles has dealt with a potentially dangerous situation very well indeed. She wonders what Athene has been doing during this coup. She flicks to Athene’s office and sees Athene watching the proceedings on the screen. She’s watching and waiting, as calm as ever. And Jaga? Stella flicks to Compound 98. Jaga is at her workstation too, watching the same events. She looks far from distressed by Sati’s defeat and the loss of a regiment of warriors. On the contrary, her little smile of satisfaction as she leaves her workstation to begin a tour of C98, shows Stella that Jaga is as content as Kali to have her position as head of a sectoid confirmed. Never mind that it’s at the expense of her sister-wives, Sati and Durga.
Back at C99, Athene is sending messages, calling for the proposed meeting in the conference cube of C99.
Stella notes that Athene’s list of invitations is almost identical to her own shortlist of candidates for the post of CEO. Durga, Sati and Heracles are already in C99 and the others are to be teleported to join them. Stella is still not sure how sincere Athene is in her wish to cooperate with her colleagues. Does she genuinely want their input? If so, it is the sign of a good leader; but if her intention is to take the opportunity provided by the gathering to seize power, that is a dangerous ploy. The clash of personalities involved could lead to an inappropriate takeover. A disastrous power shift.
Stella has no intention of letting such a coup take place. The appointment of a new CEO is her prerogative, a right she will not relinquish. It’s not a post that is up for grabs. Normally Stella doesn’t interfere with what is happening on Earth, but this time she must. An intervention is necessary.
Chapter Twenty-two
Power Games
(according to Heracles)
What satisfaction it is to pleasure myself with a pliant Sati. She’s so anxious to please there’s very little challenge. I pump up and down on top of her, bored out of my brain. The thought that so many mutants have been in this intimate spot before makes me consider her worthless. I get pleasure from telling her that. ‘You’re a worn-out old tart,’ I tell her, ‘a wrinkled old whore.’
I change the ground rules, am less active myself, make her pleasure me. Yes, that’s the answer. Let the bitch do all the work while I relax. She’s only too willing. The new strategy works for a while but then palls. She’s putting on an act, pretending to be my slave but in reality gloating over her hold on me. And t
hen, suddenly, it’s over. She really has lost her appeal, sexual vengeance not so sweet after all. I chuck her in an empty cube with no bunku and lock the door. Let her rant, scream abuse, bang on the door, exhaust herself. Let her turn on the waterworks with tears and sobs. Who cares about a spoilt bitch permanently on heat for any male who fancies her? Not me. Not Heracles the Great. Not any more. I’m satiated with Sati.
I mooch down to the RR and chat to Thor. I need him to do something for me – go the sci-lab and find a drug, not strong enough to kill, but strong enough to act as a sedative. It’s not intended for Sati, but I will try it out on Sati, mix it in her food packoid and see what effect it has. At least it should put a stop to that screeching. Thor agrees to help me. He’s a good chap, completely loyal to me and I shall think of a suitable reward for his loyalty when I achieve my goal.
Something else occurs to me. Why not try out the sedadrug on Durga as well?’ She’s locked up in solitary in the dormo-cells in the basement. She likes to exercise her vocal chords whenever anyone approaches. A dose of the sedadrug should keep her big mouth shut for a while.
On another tack, I ask Thor if he has found the source of the gossip about Ra’s untimely death. He understands that it doesn’t matter if the humanoids he hits upon are the genuine instigators of the rumour as long as they are willing to take the blame.
What methods he uses to achieve this result is up to him. The truth is not important. The important thing is that a couple of scapegoats are found to take the rap for the gossip about Athene.
‘It was no problem at all,’ he assures me as he hands me the names of a couple of dodgy mutants who, ‘with a bit of persuasion,’ as he puts it, confessed willingly enough.
‘Good chap.’ I give him a manly slap on the back. ‘You’re sure they will keep to their story when confronted by Athene?’
‘Trust me. There’s no way they’ll crack. I’ve made sure of that.’
We shake on it. I’m well pleased with Thor. I have no idea what Athene will do with the information I’m about to give her. That’s not my concern. I’ve fulfilled my part of the bargain – to give her the names of the culprits. It’s up to her how she deals with them. I suspect she’ll let get them away with a warning. Not my way. When I’m in charge anyone who opposes me, any potential enemy, will disappear, never to be seen again. It doesn’t pay to be soft. Think Pinochet. Think Mao. I won’t stand any nonsense once I’m CEO.
Athene is becoming a real pain. She has called the meeting of those she calls “top mutants” and is determined to chair it herself. She’s becoming far too officious and it won’t be long now before I’ll have to do something drastic and show her who’s really in charge.
‘What we need to do at this meeting, Heracles, is to demonstrate that – with you at my side – I am the right person to be CEO of this company. That’s why we need to be really organised. We mustn’t permit any deviation from the agreed agenda.’
Who is this “we”? Does she really think I’m her pet puppy dog, trained to obey her every demand?
The list of invited delegates is supposed to consist of prospective rivals for the post of CEO. It’s a deeply flawed selection. For a start, Athene has included Durga and Sati, my captives, without, I may say, asking my permission. How insulting is that? How can either of them be prospective candidates for CEO when I’ve arrested them and banged them up?
Secondly, she’s included two old men, Odysseus and Brahmin, scarcely able to put one foot in the front of the other. Their minds are stuck in a rut in the past. Why should they be consulted about the Earth’s future when they have so little time left?
As far as Odysseus is concerned, he has made some bad errors in the past, not the least being to fire me and keep that airhead, Isis, as his assistant. He also stole some precious artefacts and secreted them in his dormo-cube. Ra should have fired him for that. No way should he be considered as a potential leader. It’s ludicrous.
The final names on the list, apart from Athene and myself, are Jaga and Kali. Much as I respect Kali, I can’t think why she’s been invited. She’s already achieved her ambition, to regain her position as chief administrator of C55. That’s as high she can fly. As for Jaga, she’s proved herself willing to change sides at the least provocation, so hasn’t earned her place at the conference table either. The final humanoids on the list, Athene and myself, are, in my opinion, the only genuine contenders for the post and I have no doubt, when push comes to shove, about who will win that contest.
Athene sits at the head of the table in the confer-cube; I lounge on her right-hand side, playing with my auto-pad. Athene is subdued, her eyes dull. She passes a hand over her forehead as if her head aches. The seda-drug appears to be working. Good job I tried it out on Sati and Durga first to assess the required amount.
The dose we put in Sati’s food packoid led to her sleeping for two whole days. I was a little worried that we’d gone too far, that she might never revive, but she did. And how. With her energy renewed, she started ranting again, demanding to be let out and treated in the manner she deserved. I grinned, told her that she was being treated in the way she deserved and left her banged up. We gave Durga a reduced ration which didn’t send her to sleep, but certainly quietened her down for a while.
From Durga’s reaction I assessed the amount to give Athene. I realise that everyone’s metabolism differs so I can’t be sure of Athene’s response.
What I intend is for her to lose her edge and be incapable of controlling the meeting. When that happens, it’s my chance to take over.
On the other side of me sits a seemingly chastened Sati, my spoil of war and concubine. She’s behaving herself at the moment, looking quite sweet and demure in fact, but I don’t trust her.
Next to Sati sits Odysseus and, next to him, Brahmin, both looking somewhat surprised to be there.
On the opposite side of the table sits a disgruntled Durga, a smug Jaga and a formidable-looking Kali. Colleagues, sister-wives, allies and adversaries: an unlikely collection of collaborators.
Athene calls the meeting to order, welcomes everyone and asks for ideas about the future direction of Worldwideculture.
Durga demands to know who gave Athene permission to take charge of the meeting. A provocative start.
Athene looks her calmly in the eye. ‘As the chief administrator of C99 and your host for the day I automatically assumed….’ She pauses and runs her hand over her forehead. The seda-tabs are beginning to slow her down.
‘It doesn’t do to assume,’ pipes up Jaga.
‘Quite right, sister wife,’ says Durga.
Athene takes a deep breath. ‘But I am quite willing to relinquish my position. Maybe we should take a vote on it.’
Odysseus coughs. ‘I don’t think that will be necessary. As you point out, this is your sectoid, Athene, and you are within your rights to chair the meeting. You have asked us for our ideas, a strategy which seems to me to be perfectly fair. Perhaps you, Athene, would like to start by presenting any thoughts that you have about the future of Worldwideculture and Planet Earth.’
I have to hand it to Ody. With one fell swoop, he has taken charge. I may have underestimated him.
But Athene is not beaten yet. She throws the question back to him. ‘Far be it from me to dominate the meeting. Why not give us the benefit of your wide experience first, Odysseus.’
Oh my Zeus, she’s opened the floodgates, let us in for one of Ody’s long-winded speeches. I close my eyes and lean back in my shaper.
Odysseus clears his throat and begins, predictably, by suggesting that history has much to teach us and away he goes launching into an account of the past, regretting lost knowledge, lost treasures and stressing the importance of recording memories.
Durga interrupts. ‘Forget the past, old man. This meeting is about the future. We must take back what is ours by right, the resources and treasures that the completes on the satellites have stolen from us.’
‘We mustn’t steal them bac
k,’ says Brahmin. His voice is reedy, like the scraping of an old bow on a viola. ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is not the way. We must tread carefully.’
‘Being cautious never achieved a thing,’ snaps Jaga. ‘We must be bold.’
‘Too right,’ agrees Durga. ‘We must fight for what is ours.’
‘No more warriors sent on a fool’s mission, though,’ says Jaga reminding everyone that she, not Durga, is now in charge of the army in C98. ‘We can’t afford to risk losing more warriors. By the way, Heracles, it’s about time you returned the ones you stole from me.’
‘He stole them from me, not you,’ bursts out Sati.
Jaga gives a contemptuous smile. ‘But you have no power, Sati. You allowed your warriors to be taken from you and now you’re a captive yourself. They belong to me.’
‘All the warriors are mine,’ shouts Durga. ‘I am the one who nurtured them, trained them and taught them how to fight.’
‘A captive can’t be the leader of an army,’ scoffs Jaga. ‘And anyway, who lost ten of our best warriors to Oasis without checking that they would be safe?’
‘Not lost,’ Athene says quietly. ‘Just misplaced. Believe me, we will get them back. Their return must be part of any treaty we make with the completes.’
Everyone turns to stare at her. ‘Treaty? What kind of treaty can we make?’ asks Jaga.
‘What kind of treaty would you like?’ Athene asks.
She’s very calm. The seda-capsule is not doing the job I’d hoped for. Her speech should be slurred, her head nodding like a puppet. She ought to be making a complete fool of herself. The seda is taking longer to take effect than I thought.
What they have to say is predictable. The olds advise negotiation for the return of artefacts, Durga suggests the threat of outright war is the only answer. Sati says we must have our own satellite, Jaga says we must persuade the completes to help us build new cities on Earth. Athene and I keep our thoughts to ourselves.
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