Episode III – Eternal Antagonists
Ever felt like you were being used?
We use people every day whether we realise it or not. Not always on a grand scale, but we get others to achieve our objectives.
But what if you were to be used to betray your own kind, whether you wanted to or not?
The Lord Low Troll always resented the fact that a certain human eluded him in the courts when a griffin judge threw out charges against this human. Now the Lord Low Troll wants to use the remnants of the Inter Dimensional Entity Control agency and their allies to bring this human back to be put on trial yet again, in return for his help to free Earth from his daughter the Lady High Troll.
Elsewhere on Earth, a certain personal secretary to the former chairman of the Inter Dimensional Entity Control agency is to be used by the drow consort Vabalavich to locate the remnants of this agency so they can be located and destroyed.
+ + +
Dallas
Texas
Earth
Sophie stood there shell shocked and clutching at the drow cloak which was all she had to wear. She had spent so long a prisoner at Karam Tag Chou on the Mystical Realms that her spirit had just about been broken. It seemed several lifetimes since she had been the self confident resourceful and long suffering PA to Kathryn Cooper. She had served faithfully on the side of her country and for the cause of humanity in the face of the existence of this other world with all sorts of creatures from the imagination of people world wide.
Now she was to be the vessel where by the last hope of freedom for humanity was to be extinguished.
“We will take this human up to the quarters to prepare her for the dark space magic” Vabalvich said to the drow major, “before that” Vabalavich added. Vabalavich then pulled away the drow cloak leaving Sophie completely naked.
Sophie instinctively tried to cover herself with her hands as best she could, but Jaigon the Drow apprentice on a nod from his master used his telekinesis to stop her from doing so and her arms were held by her sides in a vice like grip, displaying her naked body in full to the others in the lobby.
“I know that you are not Hadreth but you should be able to see what size she is major” Vabalavich went on, “Now get her clothing that will fit her from one of these clothing stores they have in this city and bring them. Nothing too fancy for I have not decided if she will be executed after we have used her to crush the resistance since she once worked for those declared enemies of Brameana”
The drow major saluted, said, “You word will be actioned consort” and left.
Vablalavich then passed back the cloak to Sophie, “You may cover yourself with this again human if you wish”
Sophie took the cloak and obediently wrapped it around herself. Even though she was back on Earth the over active air-conditioning of the building left her bitterly cold.
A human female nervously approached Vabalavich. She was dressed as was expected of any female executive; however she wore a strange collar around her neck and was carrying an identical one in her hand.
“Here is a collar of strangulation consort and here are the details of your quarters my lord” the woman said as she handed the collar and a plastic card with a room number on over to Vabalavich, “The collar is for her my lord” the woman added pointing at Sophie
Vabalavich looked up at one of the bugbears quizzically
“Our drow major insists all humans wear them, it ensures obedience” a bugbear explained
“And can you all operate them or is that just the major?” Vabalavich asked
“Yes “replied the bugbear, “We can all trigger them, allow me to demonstrate on this one”
The woman turned around in terror, “But I have a daughter” she pleaded
Her pleas were to no avail as the bugbear with the typical streak of cruelty common to all bugbears shook as small talisman and grinned as he triggered the woman’s collar of strangulation.
Instantly the woman clutched at the collar as it started to contract, choking her to death. She then collapsed on the floor dying
“Don’t worry there are plenty more where this one came from” the bugbear said as he watched the woman die.
Vabalavich suddenly chanted an incantation and waved his hand. The collar flew off and the woman started spluttering and coughing. Vabalavich went over to the woman and helped her to her feet. Then he took out a small vial
“Drink this” Vabalavich instructed the woman, “It will counter any ill effects of the collar”
The woman, still terrified did exactly as she was told and drank the potion.
Vabalavich sniffed the air, “Now go and clean yourself up and get a janitor to clean this floor”
The woman squeaked out a “Yes my lord” before heading away to obey the drow’s command in tears
The bugbear looked aghast
“Why did you stop it” the bugbear asked with disappointment in his voice, “I was so looking forward to seeing one of these humans die”
Vabalavich walked up to the bugbear menacingly. Even though the drow was half it’s size, there was something about this drow that made him more terrifying. “When you execute a slave bugbear, you do it for better reasons than to demonstrate the means” Vabalavich said to the bugbear in an angry tone, “I already know what a collar of strangulation can do, I do not need you to show me”
“Aw she’s only a slave” whined the bugbear, “I said we can find more of them”
“You may have more slaves lined up” Vabalavich went on, “But if you are seen as too brutal then all you do is make them more likely to fight you to the death as they have nothing to lose and they will be harder to control. Plus you run the risk of engendering vendettas against us and creating martyrs.”
The bugbear glowered at the drow in silence
“I want all collars removed immediately” Vabalavich ordered, and then he held up the one the woman gave him and instantly it burst into flames and soon was ash. “I will be speaking to the major as he is obviously incapable of controlling slaves if he has to resort to such devices”
Vabalavich then ordered Jaigon the apprentice Hadreth drow to bring Sophie to the elevator. Vabalavich pressed the elevator button. Fortunately it was already at their floor and so the three of them entered the lift.
As soon as the lift doors closed Vabalavich sighed, “I am not sure who is worse, bug bears or orcs. At least trolls have a sense of honour”
“What you said to the bugbear my liege, I would never have thought of” Jaigon said in a manner that indicated that he was ashamed at what he was admitting “I would have let the woman perish. I am sorry my liege, sometimes think I will never be a full Hadreth”
“Have you ever worked with bugbears before Jaigon” Vabalavich asked
“No my liege, only trolls and they are big enough”
“You must learn Jaigon not to let species that are bigger than you physically intimidate you. A drow versed in our magics can easily over come them”
“Like you did with that insolent troll?” Jaigon asked
“Exactly” Vabalavich replied
“I only hope I can live up to my father’s expectations of me my liege”
“Tut, tut” Vabalavich grinned, “Why do you have so little ambition?”
The elevator bell rang and the two drow took a terrified Sophie to their assigned room. Vabalavich took the card he had been given and swiped it through the door’s electronic lock.
The door open and Sophie was brought inside.
It was a hotel room, just like the countless number of them in downtown Dallas
Where they had landed was a hotel in downtown Dallas, and this ordinary looking place was to be the place that Sophie would be made to sell out the human race.
+ + +
Another plane of existence
Away from Earth or the Mystical realms
The humanoid figure in white, between two others, also in white, who were acting as guards, approached a large bench.
Behind the bench sat another figure in white, on his right and left sat two other figures.
The figure in white seated, in the middle behind the bench took up a gavel in front of him and brought it down on an obsidian disc.
The sound was like that of thunder.
Then the seated figure in the middle spoke in a voice that sounded like the rushing of many rivers, “Karael you stand charged with breaching the treaty we have with the fallen ones”
“Which treaty would that be my lord Adonael” The figure standing between the two guards asked defiantly.
The figure known as Adonael took his gavel and once again hit the disc of obsidian. There was yet another sound of thunder.
“Insolence” Adonael yelled, “You know very well which treaty”
“You mean the one that forbids us from doing what was our duty for millennia, assisting mankind and acting as their guardians” Karael replied still with atone of defiance.
Adonael leaned forward, “Yes that one” he growled, “Do you not realise if we are seen to violate that treaty it could mean the destruction of mankind”
“I did not violate the treaty my lord Adonael” Karael insisted, “And I will claim that before lord Metatron himself”
“Did you not create the illusion of a human’s truck driving on a road he was not?” Adonael said accusingly
“No my lord Adonael” Karael replied, “That was done by creatures known as faeries with no prompting from me. I also believe that a drow was aware of the deception but supposed that the real driver of that vehicle would be listening into police broadcasts and did not want them to know they had seen through it”
The figure to Adonael’s left whispered into Adonael’s ear and Adonael then leaned forward, “My apologies Karael I was misinformed on that one”
“So you recognise I did not violate the treaty?” Karael asked
“No I do not” Adonael replied in a quieter voice, “You still assisted and therefore violated the treaty”
“How?” Karael demanded
“Did you or did not intervene to limit the effects of a force blast from a drow of the Hadreth order” Adonael pressed.
“I did my lord Adonael” Karael admitted
“And yet you claim you did not violate the treaty?” Adonael replied
“I did not” Karael insisted
“How can you claim that Karael” Adonael pressed, “You limited a blast from a drow so that it was not immediately lethal”
“So I am brought to tribunal because I saved a life when an agent of the fallen ones unjustly tried to take it?” Karael questioned indignantly, “This tribunal is clearly doing the works of the fallen if that is the case”.
Adonael brought his gavel down on the obsidian disc and there was another sound of thunder
“This tribunal is not under judgement” Adonael said angrily, “By your actions on Earth you are. Do you not know how close the fallen ones came to rewriting history to ensure the destruction of mankind because of your intervention?” Adonael asked and then added, “They still might if we are not seen to take severe action against violators of the treaty”
“A treaty that was brought about due to their deceptions and use of a third party who aligned themselves with the fallen ones” Karael spat back.
“It matters not now how the treaty came about” Adonael insisted, “The treaty stands and we must abide by it and stand aside”
“While the fallen ones through their agents have free range to do as they wish” Karael challenged, “Did you not see the devastation their agents, the drow of the Hadreth order, have wrought against mankind with their magics and stolen weapons. If anything my lord Adonael, it was the fallen ones who violated the treaty”
“They did not Karael” Adonael replied, “None of the fallen ones were involved in the attack on Earth. The fallen ones have not violated the treaty, you have”
“Oh come on, with all due respect my lord” Karael insisted angrily,” the drow of the Hadreth are known to be agents of the fallen ones, it was they who forced us into that treaty in the first place”
“Hearsay is not proof” Adonael answered back, “And even if they did we are still bound by the treaty”
“My lord, I did not violate the treaty” Karael repeated
“But you have admitted to limiting the effect a blast from a drow so that it was not immediately lethal” Adonael countered.
“I saved the life of a kobold my lord, not a human” Karael said in a quiet determined voice, “They are not covered by the treaty”
“Semantics” Adonael replied, “The fallen ones say this Kobold was on a mission to aid mankind and so was covered by the treaty”
“I disagree my lord” Karael replied, “The fallen ones are trying it on as always. The treaty does not prevent us from intervening in the affairs of those not of Earth and not of mankind. It was a drow trying to kill a kobold, not a human”
“A kobold who was working for mankind” Adonael interrupted in frustration.
“Who was working for a troll” Karael persisted. “If the fallen ones are accusing me of violating a treaty they forced on us, then I say I did not. I did not intervene in the affairs of any human that we are not entitled to. I admit I also escorted the soul of a human to be with the souls of his slain family, but the treaty allows us to do that. What ever the fallen ones say, my conscience is clear, I did not violate that treaty”
There was an uneasy silence as Adonael and Karael stared at each other across the tribunal bench.
“Karael” Adonael said in a quiet voice, “You put us in a very awkward position”
“And so like before, you just cave in to the demands of the fallen ones” Karael asked with incredulity in his voice, before adding a barbed, “yet again?”
Adonael leaned forward and put his hands together, “My dear Karael, when we were entrusted with our sacred duties we made a solemn oath not to put mankind at risk and yet allow them free will. Renegade actions such as yours put them at risk”
“Who do we serve my lord” Karael answered softly, “HIM or the fallen ones?”
Adonael shook his head and then conferred with the figures seated beside him. After about five minutes Adonael spoke, “It is the decision of this tribunal, that whilst the strict letter of the treaty was not violated, the spirit of it may have been. You are confined until a full trial can be convened”
“And in the mean time the agents of the fallen ones can do as they please while they make us look like fools” Kerael said with anger, “I will appeal to Metatron himself over this refusal to stand up to the fallen ones”
“That is your prerogative” Adonael replied, “Earth may be under the rule of those not of that world and mankind maybe enslaved but the treaty is clear, we can not intervene. We agreed that we would stand aside to prevent the destruction of mankind, and while I am dealing with these tribunals I will not jeopardize mankind by sanctioning the violation of the treaty” Adonael then picked up his gavel and once again brought it down on the obsidian disk. “Take him down” Adonael’s voice boomed
At this the two guards took hold of Kerael’s arms.
“But what if I bring proof of the collusion between the Hadreth and the fallen ones” Karael shouted.
“You have caused enough trouble” Adonael replied, “I am not going to allow you to cause anymore”
With that the two guards and Kerael vanished.
Adonael put his head in his hands.
“You are troubled by this lord Adonael?” asked the figure to his left.
Adonael nodded, “Kerael maybe right but our hands are tied by the treaty”
“If only that meteorite had never landed on Earth” the figure on the right complained, “We would never have had that other world with it’s creatures interfering with mankind”.
“I know” Adonael replied, “But what’s done is done and we shall abide by the treaty as we agreed”
“Those from that other world are not all bad” the figure to the left of Adonael interrupted “Remember there is that prophecy from that other world” they added.
“What prophecy is this? Remind me” Adonael asked.
“The prophecy from that world that the humans gave form to, it speaks of a child of fate and death that shall also be found with a soul of man. It is said they will play some role in the affairs and condition of mankind”
“That is a myth” Adonael replied, “The ravings if memory serves me correctly of what mankind called a dryad many years ago”
“I remember that one” the figure on the right interjected, “It was also spoken of by a mystic on Earth three thousand years ago”.
“Still a myth” Adonael insisted, “Only this time by a false prophet long dead and long forgotten by mankind”
“But if such a child were to exist” the figure on the right pressed
“Then they would have no business being with mankind” the figure on the left said as if finishing the other figure’s sentence
“I agree, as they have parentage of those who are believed to be of us, such a child should belong with us and subject to the same laws we abide by” the figure on the right added
Adonael shook his head again, “My colleagues, we are not here to discuss myths and ravings of others long departed, about hypothetical children born to those most likely formed by the beliefs and fantasies of mankind” he insisted “Even were such a child to exist, they have no bearing on the case we have just heard. This case was about one of our own violating that infernal treaty by which we are bound.”
“You are right lord Adonael” the figure on the right responded
“As always my lord” agreed the figure on the left
“However lord Adonael” the figure on the right interrupted, “in recent times a soul was created for which no human child was to be born”
Adonael turned to look at the figure on his right, “Are you seriously saying that there maybe truth in this prophecy”
“I do not know my lord Adonael” the figure to the right replied
“Oh come on” the figure on the left interrupted, “Maybe it was a soul destined for a child to die before birth”
“I know those types of soul” the figure on the right insisted, “The others said it did not feel like that”
“This is all very well” Adonael butted in, “There is still no relevance to this case”
“But maybe we should investigate my lord” the figure on the right suggested
“As long as the treaty is not violated” Adonael replied
“It will not be my lord Adonael” the figure on the right replied
“Then this tribunal is adjourned” Adonael declared and once more hit his gavel on the obsidian disk. With that all three figures vanished.
+ + +
A Lava flow
The Hawaiian volcano Kilauea
Earth
The dark brooding fiery figure watched as the volcano continued to erupt. He was in a foul mood
Another dark and fiery figure materialised in front of him causing the first figure to look up.
“I thought I would find you here lord Samael” the second figure said with a voice that sounded like rolling thunder.
“Those disgusting half breeds think we live in areas like this” the first figure said to the second.
“Indeed those disgusting wretches do” the second figure agreed, “what of it?”.
“I like to come to places like this to reflect Bernael” the first fiery figure said in a melancholic tone
“Oh that we had the power to make the entire surface of this world like this” the second fiery figure mused, “We could wipe out the half breeds once and for all ourselves”
“Why have you come Bernael?” the first fiery figure asked
“I heard you had gone to see the drow in that other world” the second figure replied
“If you are hoping that they would at least wipe out that detestable religion of our enemy you are sadly mistaken Bernael” the first fiery figure said with a touch of anger, “They are using it to tighten their grip over the half breeds”
“What do you expect of the drow?” the second fiery figure replied in an angry tone, “They are opportunists at best”
“Indeed Bernael the drow are the masters of pragmatism and the eschewers of those wretched ethics our enemies so prize. This Hadreth clan doubly so”
“Why do we put up with them lord Samael” the second fiery figure asked, “We could over come their magics, obliterate them and take over”
“I admire your ambition for the cause against the hated half breeds Bernael” the first fiery figure went on, “but you should not underestimate the power of certain elements of the drow, especially this order of the Hadreth”
“Even so” the second fire figure protested
“Like the other races in that other world, they were formed by the collective unconscious of the half breeds and they gave them power to challenge us” the first fiery figure explained, “annihilating them will not be that easy”
“My lord Samael” the second fiery figure then asked, “May I ask you a personal question”
“That depends” the first fiery figure replied
“Do you regret diverting that creation remnant to hit this world?” the second fiery figure asked, “You said it might lead to the demise of the half breeds but it failed”
The first fiery figure thought for a moment as he continued to watch the eruption
“I regret” he began “that the so called Magnus Timor that resulted proved such a disappointment, that was why it failed Bernael”
“The creation of that other world did not help either” the second fiery figure interjected, “Unless you include how the drow subjugated the half breeds”
“You are right it did not help until now, that is true” Samael admitted
“My lord Samael” the second fiery figure went on, “We must find a way to overcome the magics of the drow”
“Patience Bernael” the first fiery figure went on, “The drow I spoke to believes he can crush all resistance to his rule by proxy”
“And that helps us how?” the second fiery figure asked
“The drow are arrogant and will over reach themselves” the first fiery figure said to the second, “We must be seen by them to be their allies while we wait for them to make a mistake and then we can move. Those foolish drow will make us an opening so we can do more than just whisper temptations into the ears of the half breeds”
“I look forward to the day my lord Samael” the second fiery figure enthused “I can not wait until the last stinking half breeds is exterminated and our enemies’ prize creation is no more” Then the second fiery figure said with anger, “How dare we be told that they were the pinnacle of creation when we are. To add an immortal soul to a mere beast is plain wrong,”
“I agree Berneal and I too look forward to that day” first fiery figure agreed, “but we must be patient. Ever since the drow brokered that treaty we have been playing the long game”
“Oh yes the treaty” the second fiery figure laughed, “The drow did have their uses, oh the look on Metatron’s face when he had to concede”
“You should not gloat so Berneal” the first fiery figure reproved, “Many a mortal has fallen to our clutches because they went down that path”
“Sorry my lord Samael” the second fiery figure responded.
“I think” the first fiery figure then said, “It is time I went and spoke with the rest of our brethren about the meeting I had with that loathsome drow”
And then the two fiery figures were gone as the eruption continued.
+ + +
“Do I need to disinfect the room before you move in Sandra?” Charlene said to Captain Sandra Philips
Sandra carried her kit bag into Celeste’s old room and dropped it on the floor
“Not Really”, Sandra replied, “Celeste may be a teenager but I always thought it was the boys who smelled worse”
“That’s not what I was thinking of” Charlene replied, “I’m just so glad she’s gone from here, I mean it was bad enough when I had to go to South America with her”
“I heard you two didn’t get along” Sandra casually mentioned
“That’s an understatement” Charlene replied, “Everybody else seems to have forgotten what she did and who she worked for”
“But I thought you worked together in South America” Sandra asked
“Only because I was ordered to” Charlene retorted, “And that was bad enough, but why put me in the same cabin with her?”
“Well she’s gone now” Sandra commented “and I’m here”
“Well good riddance to her is all I can say” Charlene remarked, “I just wished that they would keep her grubby little mitts off of Simon, I mean that b***h almost killed Sue-Lim, Simon deserves a lot better than that tramp”
“You’re close, you and Sue-Lim” Sandra probed
“Well I thought so until today” Charlene replied, “She was the first person who had an understanding of my work on M-Theory and parallel universes when I first joined up. We both went to the Mystical Realms when we went up against the Magnus Timor.”
“Were you the one who went into space?” Sandra asked
“No that was Sue Lim” Charlene answered, “Since then we seemed close friends. It was me that she finally opened up to about how she was raped in an immigration detention centre in Miami.”
“There’s a but there” Sandra observed
“Sandra, I couldn’t believe her defending that so called Spirit of Second Chances. I mean Celeste a major spirit of virtue that has to be some kind of joke!” Charlene protested
“Wasn’t Celeste involved in some kind of assassination attempt on our colonel?” Sandra asked
“Absolutely but luckily it seems she botched that up because she went to see the assassin carry it out and ended up tipping the Colonel off somehow” Charlene confirmed, “She does that, working for a man who had the aim of bringing down the IDEC and when she allegedly switches sides, that’s forgotten about too”
Sandra shook her head in disbelief, “Well the colonel’s more forgiving than I could be Charlene” she uttered, “I wouldn’t be wrapping her in my coat and carrying her in my arms if she had done that to me”
“That’s what I like about you Sandra” Charlene smiled, “You’re not taken in by her act either”
Sandra took her jacket off and hung it up carefully on a coat hanger by the front door of the cabin.
“I heard that Celeste has regained her teleport ability but they haven’t told her yet” Sandra told Charlene
“I heard that as well” Charlene remarked
“But what about when she teleported herself and the troll to the Bataan?” Sandra asked, “Doesn’t she remember that?
“That was apparently such a shock to her delicate little system” Charlene went on sarcastically, “that she has no memory of it. Shamus told her that the GPS locater managed to work after all and he and the major teleported in and pulled both of them out”
“Changing the subject, Sandra went on “Can I ask you something Charlene?”
“Depends on what you’re asking Sandra” Charlene replied
“I heard that they will be handing Mr Andrews over to the Lord Low Troll so we can roll time back and stop those bombs hitting the US”
“Ours was hit as well” Charlene reminded Sandra
“I forgot sorry” Sandra apologised
“They hit a lot of places” Charlene said wistfully, “I remember when the bombs went off and I heard that Bethesda had survived the attack on Washington I was so relieved that Sue-Lim, Pete and Simon were all right” Charlene added with emotions welling up in her voice.
“Now what about this time travel business?” Sandra pressed, “Could he really roll back time?”
Charlene shook her head and in a contemptuous tone retorted, “Well that part has to be the biggest load of bull.”
“You mean because of the Grandfather paradox” Sandra ventured
“Plus a load of other paradoxes” Charlene answered, “Even if he could produce a working time machine, it wouldn’t do any good”
“Time Loops?” Sandra asked
“Not quite” Charlene explained, “First of all according to some, they say that the implication of quantum mechanic is that every time you have to decide something one way, another universe is created where you decided the other way”
“That’s a weird idea” Sandra commented, “I thought
Schrödinger’s cat was bad enough”
“Well I ‘m not sure I buy into that interpretation of quantum mechanics and the many worlds hypothesis, mainly because of the energy issues involved in creating all those new universes and plus the fact we never bumped into them with the artificial wormhole generators, which we would do if it was correct. That said Sandra, there is another related school of thought that says if you were to go back in time to fix a mistake” Charlene went on, “All you do is create another universe branching off, and you end up only affecting that one, where as you don’t fix the mistake in this universe, you just vanish from it forever”
“So we’re not going along with it?” Sandra then asked
“Not if we can help it, Pete’s finally got the specs of Sky Guard, with Sue-Lim’s help, if she’s still talking to me, plus if we can prise Simon away from Celeste’s grubby little claws I believe we can rig something up with out having to deal with the Lord Low Troll”
“What have you got planned?” Sandra asked
“If we can open a wormhole up without being detected, we can get you guys in to try and take out the supply of nukes they have on The Mystical Realms and then…”
KNOCK KNOCK
Charlene looked at the door, “I hope Celeste hasn’t forgotten anything” Charlene growled
Sandra went over and opened the door.
Outside was the demure figure of Jenny Green, once a former coffee shop assistant manager and then manager in Newcastle upon Tyne. She was only just starting to show signs of her pregnancy with her and Commander Mark Johnston’s child.
“Sorry I thought Doctor Henshaw stayed here” Jenny stated in a confused tone
“I’m here” Charlene said suspiciously, “Have you come to sing the praises of that entity as well?”
“You mean Celeste?” Jenny asked
“Who else is the so called golden girl at the moment?” Charlene said with an irritated tone
“Not really” Jenny replied, “I heard that you were rude about my fiancé today” she added dryly
“Yeah, you should have heard him talk about you Jenny, just like all men sexist to the core” Charlene protested, “Saying he had asked you not to come to the meeting because of your condition. I could not believe it Jenny; he’s just like all men, a sexist pig”.
“He was protecting me and the baby Charlene” Jenny said with determination in her voice, “And I love Mark and I found it quite touching how he wants me and the baby kept safe. If it were up to Mark, I would be on a couch being waited on hand and foot through out the whole of my pregnancy, so what’s wrong with that Charlene?”
“Excuse me?” Charlene asked with incredulity “Is this the Jenny Green who stuck doppelganger assassin all on her own? Listen to yourself Jenny. This is what some of our kind fought against though out the nineteen seventies right through to just before Earth fell. This is the out dated and sexist idea that wives are to be kept chained to the kitchen sink, bare foot and pregnant”
Jenny glowered at Charlene and the atmosphere between them could be cut with a knife.
“I’m sure you will make a fine Marine Wife Miss Green” Sandra nervously interrupted.
“Thank you Captain Philips” Jenny replied back to the marine captain, “And Charlene if we can free Earth, I would like to have many more babies with Mark”
“Is that what you aspire to Jenny” Charlene cut in, “A baby factory when you could be pursuing a career like I did or Sandra here?”
Jenny looked daggers at Charlene and slowly but deliberately said “Charlene if I want to be as you crudely put it, a baby factory for Mark, what’s it to you?”
Before Charlene could respond, Jenny went on “By the way, since you mentioned Celeste, when I first met her she came across to me as a frightened and confused little girl. You weren’t there when she discovered that her mother was still alive, it was heartbreaking”
“Oh please” Charlene retorted, “Not you too singing the praises of Saint Celeste are you?”
Jenny was determined to finish, “You weren’t there when she discovered she had been used as well.”
“That b***h almost caused the death of my friend Sue-Lim” Charlene protested
“I met Sue-Lim before you did Charlene” Jenny retorted. “You don’t have a monopoly on being her friend; I mean we were almost deep clean executed together at the Annexe in Kent”
Suddenly Jenny could not continue as the emotion of that day when she and Sue-Lim were seconds from death due to strangulation by an IDEC clean up squad on the orders of a rouge aid to Mr Vee.
“You ok Miss Green?” Sandra asked as she made sure she got in between Jenny and Charlene in case this confrontation became physical.
Jenny waved Sandra away, for she was still determined to give Charlene a piece of her mind, “Charlene Unlike you, I have looked into the face of more than one killer, including Timothy Zachary” Jenny went, “Celeste is not a killer, as far as I’m concerned, she is a normal teenager who was rebelling against her father at the time and was manipulated by an evil man”
“I hear what you say Jenny” Charlene countered, “but this so called scared little brat of yours has form”
“What’s you problem Charlene” Jenny snapped back, “You go on at my Mark for being concerned about mine and my baby’s health, you go on at Celeste when to people she allegedly tried to kill have forgiven her. Shamus is right you have some kind of chip on you shoulder Charlene. What are you trying to prove?”
Charlene shook her head in disbelief; here she was being lectured by someone who had once been a good female role model as a special operations agent for the IDEC, now wanting to just keep popping babies out at the whim of some sexist pig.
“Do you know how hard it was for me as a woman to get my position at CERN?” Charlene went on
“So that’s it” Jenny spat back, “Your chip is to do with glass ceilings then.
Oh Look at me I’m a victim of sex discrimination! Look around Charlene, we are stuck here on South Georgia and we need every ally we can get, so just lay off of Celeste she’s already going overboard trying to atone for what that man made her do and what she thought she did, and to be frank we could all do with less of your sniping at her. It’s affecting everyone here and you are not helping matters”
“Huh!” Charlene retorted, “You come to my cabin to tell me how I should feel about someone?”
“I think you better both calm down” Sandra interrupted as things were getting heated
“Don’t worry Sandra. I’m going” Jenny then told them, “And Charlene don’t go on at my Mark for looking out for me either” she added in a parting shot as she left.
Sandra closed the door as Jenny left
“Do I really have a chip on my shoulder?” Charlene asked Sandra
“No more than I do” Sandra replied, “Us girls always have to work harder to show we’re just as capable as the men, and sometimes that gets misinterpreted”
“But I thought Jenny was on our side, I mean she was a special operations agent at the Facility before it was bombed”
“She’s pregnant Charlene” Sandra said in as kinder voice as she could
“So?” Charlene contested, “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Whether we like it or not Charlene that changes some women” Sandra went on, “In Idaho where I came from I’ve seen ladies who were once real firebrands, as soon as they popped positive on the pregnancy test completely changed and all they wanted to do was stay at home and just keep having babies for their man”
“But I’ve known some heavily pregnant go on marches, and after they gave birth they took their babies on demos” Charlene protested
“Maybe, but not everyone’s the same Charlene. I mean if me and the colonel got together say and say I was having his child, I’m not sure how I would feel”
“But Sandra” Charlene went on, “What happened to the feminist movement, what happened to girl power? Attitudes like Jenny’s take us back to the Stone Age Sandra when it was considered ok for a husband to beat her wife until she was almost…”
Suddenly Charlene found herself unable to continue and breaking down in tears, which was not really her.
“Is that what your father did to your mother” Sandra asked as she put an arm around a suddenly weeping Charlene.
“Until she couldn’t take any more and hanged herself with a scarf I had given her for a birthday present when I was nine” Charlene sobbed
Sandra gave Charlene a hug and sighed; this animosity with Celeste was starting to make sense now, as it seemed Charlene at an unconscious level was obviously blaming herself for her own mother’s suicide and the anger at Celeste was obviously displacement anger.
“You weren’t responsible for your mother’s death” Sandra said quietly
“But I gave her the scarf” Charlene wept
“It wasn’t your fault” Sandra went on as she kissed Charlene on the top of her head, “You couldn’t have known Charlene”. Sandra considered whether she should mention how Shamus had told her of what had happened that day with Celeste and Sue-Lim, but now was not the right time.
“Who’s cooking dinner since we can’t order out for pizza” Sandra then asked, trying to change the subject
Charlene wiped her eyes and apologised for breaking down. Sandra told her that it was ok and she didn’t mind and that it was best that Charlene had let it out after bottling up the guilt all these years.
“I do my own cooking here” Charlene said as she managed to recover, “I wouldn’t trust that Celeste not to give me food poisoning”
+ + +
Another plane of existence
Away from Earth or the Mystical Realms
The figure in white approached another figure in white who was seated at a writing-desk writing with a quill pen in an old ledger.
The figure in white coughed who had arrived coughed and the figure writing looked up. “My lord Pravuil I wanted you speak with you about a serious matter” the figure who had arrived broached
“My lord Raguel” the seated figure said with concern in their voice, “I know you watch over our dealings and keep us in line, so what have I done to warrant you attention”
“Nothing my lord Pravuil your conduct has been an example to us all” the standing figure replied, “I believe there is one amongst the mortals who should be with us”
“A fallen one?” Pravuil asked
“No” Raguel replied, “One who was born of two, believed to be of us, who may have received a mortal soul through means unknown”
“So how may I be of assistance my lord Raguel?”
“This mortal soul that came into being” Raguel replied, “it is a soul that does not correspond with a human birth or a child destined to die in infancy”
“I had heard something along those lines lord Raguel” Pravuil said as he put his quill down
“And have you been able to do anything along the lines of investigating this?” Raguel asked, “
“It is not for me to do anything but record my lord Raguel” Pravuil said, now worried that he had broken the rules, “Was I meant to my lord Raguel?” he then nervously asked
“My apologies lord Pravuil” Raguel said as he put both his hands up, “You speak truly, you are here to record, it is for me to investigate. So what can you tell us?”
“In human terms my lord Raguel” Pravuil went on, “It was about two months ago, this human soul came into being, not of any means I am familiar with and not by normal channels. It was not by the intimacy of two people or by that modern method involving people of medicine called
in vitro fertilisation. My lord Raguel it was as if some creative force just created it, and there was a strong feeling of love and longing when it happened, even more so when two people longing for a child manage to get the woman to conceive whichever way it happens”
“Do you know where this happened lord Pravuil” Raguel asked
“I will need to look it up as I made a note of it at the time” Pravuil responded. Pravuil then faded away while Raguil stood by waiting.
After a while Pravuil reappeared carrying a large book, “Here it is my lord Raguil” Pravuil spoke up, “It was in what the people of Earth call the South Atlantic Ocean” Pravuil then looked up from the book, “But that does not make sense?”
“Maybe this soul came into being on a ship?” Raguil suggested
“You may be right” Pravuil replied, “There was a large ship near there at the time, because a human on board that ship was dispatched from life by one of those creatures from the world that humans formed.”
“Could the new soul created have killed the human?” Raguel asked
Pravuil shook his head, “No my lord Raguel, they happened at separate times”
Raguel pondered for a moment, “What was the name of the ship?”
“The USS Bataan” Pravuil replied, “It’s captain was executed along with his family for allowing humans and non humans to leave it”
“Why so harsh and who ordered these executions?” Raguel asked, confused by this news
“They were not ordered by a human” Pravuil explained, “They were ordered by one of those creatures from that other world when they conquered Earth”
“I wonder if Karael had a point?” Ragauel muttered.
“The one who you found guilty of breaking the treaty?” Pravuil asked
“Forgive me my lord Pravuil” Raguel said quickly, “I should not have discussed that case”
“That is quite alright my lord Raguel” Pravuil replied, “As for the matter in hand, I can give you a name ascribed to this soul which arose from nowhere”
“Male or female?” Raguel enquired
“Female” Pravuil replied as a leaf in the book he was holding flipped back, “This too does not make sense”
“What?” Raguel asked
“There is a first name only and a title that seems to be from that other world” Pravuil said with a frown
“Tell me?” Raguel insisted
“The first name is Celeste and the title is Spirit of Second Chances?” Pravuil looked up, “May be it was what the humans called a minor spirit of virtue or vice. The half breeds of a human parent and one of those thought to be one of us from that other world”
Raguel shook his head, “No lord Pravuil, in those cases the soul came into being when the child would be conceived like those of fully human parents, but the soul is withheld as the child’s powers supplants the soul. They only receive their soul when out of free will the minor spirit renounces their spirit-hood to embrace their humanity. The creation of this soul was still different”
“With the information I can glean my lord Raguel, I may be able to locate her, but what do you want with her?”
“She must be brought here as one of us.” Raguel insisted
“But what if she does not wish to come my lord Raguel?” Pravuil asked, “She appears to be involved in the affairs of mankind”
“She has no choice.” Raguel insisted, “If the prophecy is true, she is the child of two beings, thought to be of us. This human soul of hers is a mere complication, which we can resolve once she is brought here, but a child of two spirit beings comes under our jurisdiction”
+ + +
Celeste had finished unpacking her things with Simon’s help and the two were sitting in the living room with Major Bolak the dissident drow and Shamus McTuckle the leprechaun. It seemed the drow and the leprechaun were both playing gooseberry as Celeste felt, stopping them becoming more intermit than Celeste wanted and believed that Simon secretly wanted to be. Simon and Celeste had to be content with sitting on a couch, holding hands in the cabin’s living room.
Shamus looked at the clock on the wall, “I know the sun may still be up here, but it still quite late, and Master Henshaw has work tomorrow”
“Aw” Celeste protested.
“Shamus is quite right” Major Bolak agreed, “And we need to resume your training tomorrow”
“What about the pain Celeste gets” Simon butted in as he gave Celeste a hug, “I don’t like the idea of my fiancé being in pain”
“Fiancé?” Major Bolak inquired as he raised an eyebrow.
“Simon said he wanted to marry me and I said yes” Celeste beamed and hugged Simon back, “I just wish we could get married here on this island, I did suggest troll style but Shamus said that was not allowed”
“I said it was not valid” Shamus retorted, “You two are not trolls or surrogate trolls as Mr and Mrs Andrews were deemed one time, and this is Earth not the Mystical Realms”
“Plus” Major Bolak interrupted, “Even if we still had the appropriate human authorities, you Celeste are still too young and with all due respect to you Mr Hargreaves, some would say you would not be allowed to marry anyone because of your disability”
“I have an autistic spectrum disorder, I’m not mentally ill” Simon said angrily as he stood up, “I was cleared to work at Inter Dimensional Entity Control. How can you say that to my face?”
Major Bolak remained seated “I only said some would say that” he said with his characteristic determination and arrogance typical of a drow, “I know you are a capable young man and I have seen you improve as you have been with Celeste here. From what I have seen of the pair of you, you are probably well matched, but I have to call things as I see them”
“Please” Interrupted Shamus, “This talk of marriage is neither here nor there for anyone at the moment, given that we are still under occupation by that Lady High Troll”
“Who is a mere puppet of her consort” Major Bolak interjected
“Whatever?” shamus replied contemptuously, “As to Master Hargreaves’s concerns, we will be trying to see if there is something we can do to modify the exercises the major has been instructing Celeste in so they won’t hurt her”
“I want to come and make sure she’s ok” Simon insisted
“I’m sorry Master Hargreaves” Shamus replied, “It would not be appropriate, anyway I’ve asked Miss Caer O’Docherty and Miss Jenny Green to come by instead”
“Why?” Simon asked
“Because I have to be naked don’t I” Celeste piped up, “And you want other females with me to keep things on the level because I’m still a child in your eyes”
“I thought you said she would not have to” Simon interrupted as he sat down and put both his arms around Celeste
“It’s ok Simon love” Celeste said in a sad voice, “I knew all along I would have to work naked”
Shamus sighed and shook his head, “No you won’t!” Shamus exclaimed in exasperation, “How many more times do we have to keep saying this? We have found some old sheets we can use as makeshift clothes for testing purposes and Miss Green and Miss O’Docherty have sewing skills. They need to fit you for them and then you change out of your clothes into the makeshift ones while we try any modified exercises. Although as you say Miss Green will be here to make sure everything has the look of propriety”
Shamus then walked to the door and opened it, “Now if you don’t mind, we all need to retire”
“Oh” Was all Simon could say. Celeste and Simon Stood up and rested their heads against each other, “I just can’t wait to be married to you and having your babies” Celeste said with a cheeky grin.
Simon briefly blushed and then reciprocated “I want to give you as many babies as you want” he said as he was caught up in what Celeste told him without thinking exactly what he was saying.
Shamus let out another sigh and shook his head, these too love birds had it really bad, especially if they were talking about marriage and having babies.
Simon then left to go back to the cabin he shared with Sue-Lim and Pete Smith.
“You better get to bed my dear” Shamus instructed Celeste, “And make sure you put on a night dress”
“Oh please” Celeste said with irritation in her voice, “In this part of the world, do you think I would sleep naked. It’s cold down here”
“Mr McTuckle” Major Bolak interjected, “Celeste may still be classed in the eyes of the law of this world as a child, but she is almost what the humans would say is a grown woman, credit her with some intelligence please”
“I’m sorry Celeste” Shamus grumpily admitted, “That was uncalled for from me”
“Yeah right” Celeste grunted and left for her own bedroom, slamming the door shut.
“I have to agree with you Major on one thing” Shamus said quietly, “Master Simon has as the humans put it, come more out of his shell since he paired up with Celeste and moved in with Pete and Su-Lim. I hate to speak ill of the dead, but his parents did tend to be over protective, whereas Pete especially as been getting Master Simon to be more independent”
“He makes a fine young man even with his disability” Major Bolak admitted, “Anyone who challenges me like he did on the Bataan is worthy of someone like Celeste in my book”
“You know what Celeste asked me today?” Shamus went on
“To move in with Mr Hargreaves?” Major Bolak asked.
“Apart from that” Shamus said quietly
“What?”
“Caer suggested she moved over to working with the Andrew’s and their children” Shamus went on, “Celeste does not think she is of any use as a so called special operations agent and wants to work with the children”
“It would be such a waste Shamus” Major Bolak sighed, “She has so many other powers that do not require her to alter her form”
“Perhaps” Shamus sighed, “But she has been so despondent recently, and it might help lift her mood”
“And keep the peace with Doctor Henshaw and Captain Philips?” Major Bolak asked
“Captain Phillips I can work with, we just need to convince her that Celeste is not interested in the Colonel”
“We need to get the colonel to tell Captain Philips that he’s not interested in her” Major Bolak cut in.
“That’s bye the bye” Shamus continued, “As for Doctor Henshaw, I just don’t know what we can do about her. She just can not get past the fact that Celeste was used like lots of other people and when she saw what an evil man that Sir Sidney Gerald really was she switched sides”
“This is ridiculous Shamus” Major Bolak said as he stood up and stretched, “A drow would not allow himself to be governed by such vendettas”
“A vendetta that should not be hers” Shamus said in agreement.
“I sometimes wonder if the humans deserved to be conquered” Major Bolak said, “With all the fighting amongst themselves, even down here amongst ourselves” Major Bolak then turned to Shamus, “Sometimes I wonder if we should not just accept what has happened and sue for peace. Maybe throwing off the drow over lords at this stage would be a bad idea”
“Why do you say that?” Shamus retorted
“Simple, given the history of the humans” Major Bolak went on, “When a leadership is removed, as the Hadreth did with the former leaders of the humans, these creatures turn on one another. What would be the point in freeing Earth, only for the humans to destroy each other in a world war caused by a power vacuum?”
“It’s not really for us to moralise on the humans Major” Shamus countered, “I try to be optimistic Major” Shamus replied, “I have to hope that after this wake up call the humans would learn to live with one another in a better fashion. Plus your forgetting our world is under siege as well”
“It was a black day for the drow when Vabalavich executed his coup-de-tat as the humans put it” Major Bolak mused
“It was a black day for all of us” Shamus reciprocated.
+
Celeste drifted off to a troubled sleep.
Suddenly she was on a black plane stretching out into infinity in every direction.
“Oh s**t” Celeste thought as she recognised where she was, “This is a drow dark space”
Celeste turned around to see what she could, but so far there was nothing. Was this Major Bolak putting her through her training while she was a sleep? But why would he when he said they were restarting the training in the morning?
Suddenly in the distance came a voice Celeste had not heard for a long time. A voice that she assumed belonged to someone long dead, incinerated in one of the atomic blasts that hit the world of humans.
It couldn’t be?
Celeste turned in the direction of the voice, and in the distance was a light as a figure was approaching. Celeste strained to hear what the figure was saying. Without realising it she found herself walking and then running towards this figure and the voice.
It definitely sounded like Sophie Mitchell, the personal assistant to the late Kathryn Cooper. It was Sophie who had put Celeste up in her own home when she came to work for the human’s Inter Dimensional Control organisation. It was Sophie who had helped her change her look from black to green and brown and even taught her how to bleach and dye her hair. It was Sophie who stood up for her against Doctor Henshaw.
For a brief moment as Celeste was caught up in the memories of the short time she had spent with the IDEC organisation in the city they called Washington DC, she forgot the danger of where she was.
“Sophie?” Celeste yelled
Suddenly the figure approached Celeste at a higher speed, only then could Celeste hear what Sophie was saying, over and over again, “Celeste, wake up please, it’s a trap”
Celeste suddenly felt a cold chill, beside the figure of Sophie appeared another figure she recognised from that one time in Caracas when she was trying to rescue the troll now called Padow, it was the drow called Vabalavich
Celeste tried use her fingernails to dig into her arms to wake herself up, but it was to know avail. Sophie and Vabalavich were now next to her.
“I’m so sorry” Sophie wept, “I couldn’t stop him”
“Indeed” sneered Vabalavich, “Nobody can resist the mind of a Hadreth master’s dark space”
Vabalavich reached out an arm and placed his hand over Celeste’s face. Celeste wanted to flee but she could not. She tried to use her own psychic shield, but Vabalavich was too powerful. Somehow he had more power than other drow she had encountered, including Major Bolak, as if someone else was lending him their power.
Images of the island of South Georgia appeared in the air as it were as Vabalavich ripped through Celeste’s own psychic defences and accessed her memories.
“So that is where you are hiding” Vabalavich crowed
Vabalavich pulled out a dagger from his belt, “You my dear” he said to Sophie, “have been most helpful, I will let you live for the moment as you may yet still be of use to us”
Then Sophie was gone from the dark space.
Celeste stood there rooted to the spot, terrified of this drow as he held up his dagger, “As for you my dear” he said to Celeste, “It will take a short while to deal with your friends on that island and we can’t have you warning them”
Vabalavich raised his arm, Celeste looked at it in terror, it was a psychic dagger, and if he killed Celeste here on the dark-space she would be killed in the real world.
“I’m so sorry I have to do this” Vabalavich said in smarmy voice, and then with all his might, he brought down the dagger.
To be continued