‘So you'll be a whole year older tomorrow, Napoleon?’
Captain Smythe sat at the breakfast table, looking at his youngest son.
‘Yes, Dad,’ Napoleon mumbled as he wolfed down his cereal. ‘That's what happens on birthdays.’
‘What a pity we can't turn a year younger every now and then.’
Napoleon stopped chewing. ‘What for?’ He couldn't wait to be older.
‘It'd be nice to be young again, that's all. I can hardly remember what it was like to be your age. It all goes so quickly.’
Napoleon glanced sideways at his dad. He'd been acting strangely for a few days; getting all serious and saying weird stuff. Maybe that's what happens when you get old, Napoleon thought.
‘I'd like to keep talking, Dad, but there's this mission, er, book I have to get.’
‘Ah, the library. I used to spend time there. When I was your age. Not that I was ever a big reader. I sometimes wonder what I did there. It seemed exciting at the time, I remember that much.’
Napoleon rinsed his bowl. ‘Sorry, Dad, have to fly.’
‘What's the book about?’
‘It's to do with the Mongol invasions of Japan by —’
‘Don't tell me. Kublai Khan, 1274–1281 AD.’ Captain Smythe wrinkled his brow. ‘How did I know that?’
‘You must've read it somewhere, Dad.’
‘No. It just came to me in a flash, that very moment.’
Napoleon felt his Battle Watch throb. ‘I really am in a hurry.’
The captain's eyes suddenly brightened. ‘Tell you what. I'll take you. I feel like a day in the library.’
‘No, you stay right here. It's your day off. Sit back and relax.’
‘That's exactly what I'll do. At the library. With a good book. I might even get to see one of your special books.’
‘They're not that special, Dad. And you really don't have to take me. Honest.’
‘Nonsense,’ said Captain Smythe, standing up. ‘I'll get the car.’
As soon as his father had gone, Napoleon whispered into his Battle Watch.
‘Cancel the mission, Prof. My dad wants to hang with me today. I can't put him off.’
Napoleon heard Professor Perdu sigh. ‘So it's happening,’ she said, as if thinking aloud.
‘What's happening? What are you talking about?’
‘Never mind, BB005. Go along with your father for the moment. Let him take you to the library, but try to lose him there if you can.’
‘And if I can't?’
‘Then you'll have to bring him here.’
‘To the Special Reading Room? But —’
‘Don't worry, Battle Boy. We'll deal with your father if and when he shows. We don't have time to argue. Book 44 is approaching advanced Delta Phase. We'll miss this mission unless you hurry.’
On the way to the library, Napoleon thought about what the professor had said. So it's happening. What did she mean? It clearly had to do with his father. And it was certainly something she expected. But what?
Captain Smythe was thinking too. ‘Very strange,’ he muttered to himself.
‘What is, Dad?’
‘I've never read a single thing about the Mongol invasions of Japan, and yet somehow I know all about them. I have this strange sense of having actually been there at some stage.’
The captain's words sent a tingle down Napoleon's spine.
‘You're right, Dad,’ he said. ‘That's very strange indeed.’
‘Are you sure about this, Dad?’
‘Absolutely.’
Napoleon had tried to lose his father in the library but it wasn't possible. After the third urgent call from Professor Perdu, he gave up. They now stood at the entrance to the Special Reading Room.
‘I think you're in for a big surprise, Dad.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Captain Smythe as he gazed about. ‘Although I must say that there is something familiar about this place. That door – I feel as if I've seen it before.’
‘Have you seen this before?’ Napoleon pressed his hand against the palm pad.
‘Welcome, BB005,’ the door said.
‘What was that?’ Captain Smythe exclaimed. ‘BB005?’
‘It's my code name. Short for Battle —’
‘Boy,’ the captain said. Father and son stared at each other.
‘You are not alone, BB005,’ the door interrupted them. ‘Identification scan required for the accompanying person.’
Napoleon's father pressed his hand against the palm pad.
‘DNA recorded and cross-referenced,’ the door continued after a moment. ‘Subject identified. Access re-approved.’ The door hummed open. ‘Enter.’
Captain Smythe took only a few steps into the Special Reading Room and stopped. He stared around, gaping in amazement.
‘Don't tell me this is familiar too, Dad?’
‘I'm afraid so. I can't explain it, but everything about this place is very familiar: the atmosphere, the sounds, the lighting, the equipment, your code name, everything.’
‘How could that be?’
‘It's quite simple.’ Professor Perdu sat in the blue glow of her control panel. ‘I may as well tell you, BB005 – your father was a Battle Boy, just like you. So was your grandfather and your great-grandfather. And all of you have operated under the same code name.’
‘You mean they were all BB005s?’ Now Napoleon was gaping as well. ‘Why didn't you tell me before?’
‘You know that everything about Operation Battle Book is on a need-to-know basis, BB. That's how it has always been.’
‘You're right,’ said Captain Smythe. ‘That's how it was in my day. I remember. Never knowing enough, never given the full picture, all those unanswered questions. In fact, I've got a couple for you right now. How come this weird memory thing is happening to me? What's it all about?’
‘There is no time for explanations now, XBB005. You'll have to wait until... later. Unless you two move quickly you will miss a critically important mission.’
‘Do you mean both of us are going?’ said Napoleon.
‘Of course. We can hardly stop your father now.’
Napoleon turned to the captain. ‘Are you up to it, Dad?’
‘Am I up to it? You just watch and learn.’
Professor Perdu pressed a button and two change cubicles opened in the wall.
‘Your cubicle is the one on the left, XBB005.’
While Napoleon and his father were in their change rooms, the professor continued talking.
Napoleon tried to listen to the professor as he pulled on his SimulSkin. But his head was churning with questions.
He came from a long line of Battle Boys? His father, grandfather, great-grandfather – all Battle Boys! How much further did the line go back? And what about his brothers?
‘Good morning, BB005.’ Skin hummed into Active Mode. ‘I detect excessive neuron agitation. Your pre-mission mental state approaches unacceptable levels of disquiet. Please ameliorate.’
‘It's okay for you, Skin, but I've just discovered some amazing stuff. My dad was a —’
‘I am aware of the facts pertaining to the Smythe family involvement in Operation Battle Book.’
‘Now you tell me.’
‘The relevant information would have been transferred had you instituted an enquiry.’
‘You mean you'd have told me if I'd asked? Well I'm asking now. What else can you —’
‘Enough, BB005!’ Professor Perdu interrupted. ‘Please get dressed.’
Napoleon looked at his clothes for the mission. They were old and threadbare.
‘You are going back as peasants,’ Professor Perdu continued. ‘A father and son looking for work.’
‘But I wanted to be a samurai,’ Napol
eon said. ‘Or even better – a ninja. That'd be cool.’
‘Too bad, BB005.’ snapped the professor. ‘Ninjas didn't appear until the 14th century.’
‘Are you sure?’ Captain Smythe interrupted. ‘I thought there was a secret sect around much earlier.’
‘Correct,’ Skin added. ‘The sect was connected to the Kōga Clan and began in the early Kamakura period. But it was so secret that to this day it remains one of the true mysteries of history.’
‘That's enough for me,’ said Napoleon. ‘I'm going back as a ninja.’
‘You are doing no such thing, BB005. Now get into those clothes on the double, or there won't be a mission to dress for.’
Napoleon pulled on the hemp trousers and tightened his NukeBelt, strapped on his HoverVest and threw a rough cotton shirt over it. Then he slipped on the heavy sandals, tossed an old cloak over his shoulders, and stepped out of the change cubicle.
Once they were dressed, Professor Perdu inspected Napoleon and his father.
‘Hmm,’ she said, tapping in some figures at her control panel. ‘I'm activating facial modification software in your SimulSkins.’
Napoleon felt his face tingle and stretch. He glanced across at his father. ‘Hey, Dad! I wouldn't recognise you.’
‘Likewise,’ Captain Smythe replied. ‘You look so ...’
‘Come along you two,’ the professor interrupted. ‘Enough idle chatter.’
She channelled them towards the Tome Tower, briefing them on the mission as they walked. ‘A couple of new gadgets to run by you, BB005.’ She handed Napoleon a familiar glove. ‘The new Helping Hand Version 5.7. Its latest feature is the FingerWinch with Flying Fox Facility.’
‘Good for climbing castle walls,’ said Napoleon. ‘A favourite ninja pastime.’
The professor ignored him. ‘And then there's the cloak. You each have one. It is a CamoCape – a camouflage cape – made from millions of hologram chips programmed with a databank of images. Wrap it around yourself and you can change your appearance in dramatic ways.’
‘Shape shifting,’ said Napoleon. ‘That's another ninja trick.’
‘The CamoCape also operates as a kite.’
‘This is getting better all the time.’
Napoleon opened the hatch of the Tome Tower and stepped through.
‘That reminds me,’ the professor added, turning to Captain Smythe. ‘I've only been able to equip you with the basic model Simulation Skin. It will give you total body protection, but it is mute and non-interactive. In other words, it will not communicate with you.’
‘That's all I had in the old days; I'll be fine. But what about these sandals? They're so clunky.’
‘That's the Boot Boosters. They'll automatically activate upon landing, but they may take some getting used to. Oh yes, and I've also included WaterWalkers in the sandals.’
‘Now that would be a useful gadget for a ninja,’ Napoleon said.
‘I'd be careful what you wish for on this mission, BB005,’ said Professor Perdu. ‘You never know what might happen.’
The professor's glare made Napoleon feel uncomfortable. He headed for the shelves. ‘So what's our mission objective?’
‘Your father might know the answer to that. After all, he's been into this Battle Book before.’
‘What?’ Napoleon couldn't believe his ears. ‘Is that true, Dad?’
Captain Smythe stared towards the shelves. Battle Book 44 was shuddering. Napoleon's father wrinkled his brow. ‘Yes. The professor is right.’ He thought for a moment. ‘We're going back to see what happened to Kublai Khan's fleet; almost 4000 craft vanished overnight. Our task is to discover what actually happened to them.’
‘Well done, XBB005. It's the same mission you went on thirty years ago. To the day, in fact.’
‘But that doesn't make sense,’ said Napoleon. ‘If Dad has already found out what happened to the fleet, how come we're doing the mission again?’
‘Because he didn't find the answer. The mission was cut short at a critical point. Wasn't it, XBB005?’
‘Yes. But that's where my mind goes blank. I know something big happened – something that turned the mission on its head. But I can't remember what exactly.’
‘Never fear, XBB005. You will. In time, you will.’
Napoleon didn't like the sound of that. The professor was being evasive. There was more to this mission than she was letting on.
But Battle Book 44 was shaking and rattling far too much to waste time wondering. They had to get a move on. He lifted the book down and placed it on the floor in the middle of the chamber.
‘Are you ready, Dad?’
‘You bet I am.’ Captain Smythe's eyes sparkled.
Napoleon undid the latches on the metal casket. The Battle Book burst open and a shaft of silver light screamed from it, straight to the top of the tower.
The two of them stood back for a moment and bowed solemnly to each other. Then they turned and ran towards the Battle Book, shouting as one.
‘Shinobi-no-jutsu!’ they cried, and leaped into the light.
Napoleon felt so strange, hurtling back through the mists of time with his Dad.
Captain Smythe didn't do much with his sons usually – he just went to war games and military parades at the barracks with Napoleon's older brothers, Monty and Caesar.
But this was the real thing – they were heading to an actual battle – and yet it all felt completely unreal.
‘You okay, Dad?’ Napoleon shouted.
‘I'm a bit rusty at this time travel, but it's coming back.’
There were so many questions churning in Napoleon's head that in the end he just had to let them spill out.
‘How many battles did you visit in your day, Dad?’
‘I'm not sure, but there seemed to be plenty.’
‘Were there other Battle Boys?’
‘Let me think. I remember a BB004; bit of a blunderer, that fellow.’
‘Always having accidents?’
‘Yes. That's him to a T.’
‘And what about Battle Girls?’
‘Girls! Of course not! Good heavens, no.’
‘What about gadgets, then?’
‘Not sure – this is still mostly a blur to me. It's as if my memory has been put through a blender, then scrambled and fried. I'm not sure what fits where.’
‘It's all so weird, Dad. I bet the professor has some hidden reason for sending you back again, some reason she won't reveal.’
‘That'd be on the cards. She strikes me as a tricky one. But then my Operation Controller was dodgy, too. I think it comes with the job. What was his name?’
Professor Perdu replied immediately. ‘Your “dodgy” OC was Dr van de Shrynque; one of our finest scientists.’ Her voice boomed out from Napoleon's Battle Watch. ‘And please keep personal comments to a minimum while on-mission – if you don't mind.’
‘Oops.’ Captain Smythe grinned at his son and mouthed the word: Sprung.
At that moment, Skin gave a warning beep and the mists of time cleared, revealing a vast sea. Soon a large landmass loomed into view.
‘Target destination locked in. Date: 12 August 1281. Co-ordinates processed. Parameters set. Zoning in on the island of Kyushu.’
Directly below them was a wide bay.
‘Hakata Bay now in focus,’ Skin continued. ‘And please observe the Japanese fort.’ An enormous fort stretched more than 20 kilometres around the bay.
‘It looks like the Japanese are ready for anything,’ said Napoleon. A huge army was lined up behind the wall.
‘Affirmative. Cursory scanning of area indicates 40,000 samurai, but more may be hidden.’
As Napoleon and his father flew closer, the samurai army came into clearer view. Every single warrior was staring intently towards the west. And it was easy to see why.
A vast armada was sailing into the bay. The whole sea was filled with ships and boats.
‘That is the fleet of Kublai Khan, Mongol warlord and emperor o
f China,’ Skin explained. ‘It is one of the biggest fleets to ever set sail in history. There are approximately 4400 craft.’
‘And they're sailing in full battle formation,’ Captain Smythe added. ‘Plus there's a strong wind behind them. We've arrived just in time to see the biggest punch-up.’
‘That's true.’ Professor Perdu's voice came over Napoleon's Battle Watch. ‘But first you must land. I'm manually initiating Epsilon Phase now and will attempt to hold it for as long as possible.’
All action stopped. The wind ceased. Thousands of sails billowed in the bay but the entire Mongol fleet was motionless. On the shore, the whole samurai army was stock-still, as if made of stone.
Napoleon felt as though they were flying above a massive board game.
They skimmed over the Mongol fleet with its craft of every kind, from huge Chinese warships to tiny river boats.
Then they turned and headed towards the shore, sweeping low over the Japanese forces. A vast army of samurai on horseback was lined up along the beach in front of the fort, longbows ready, swords glistening in the sun. Many more waited behind the wall.
As they flew over the fort, Napoleon noticed that his father looked worried.
‘What's the matter, Dad?’ he called out.
‘Landing,’ the captain yelled. ‘It always worried me when I was a Battle Boy; I had some bad crashes. And these days I'm not as agile. I'd hate to break any bones.’
‘Please dispel your father's fears,’ said Skin. ‘The Landing Ball will be utilised for this operation. Align without delay.’
‘Quick, Dad. Fly in as close to me as you can.’
Captain Smythe did so, and a moment later the spherical forcefield formed around the two of them.
‘Landing co-ordinates established. Descent mode activated. Touchdown in
‘5 ...’
‘Hey, I like this,’ said Captain Smythe.
‘4
3’
He and Napoleon changed to a sitting position.
‘2
1.’
‘It makes landing a piece of cake.’
‘The metaphor is entirely appropriate,’ said Skin as they skimmed over the ground, less than a metre above it, and finally came to a halt. ‘We have touchdown. Forcefield de-activated.’
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