Divine Deception: The Will Traveller Chronicals (36 page)

“So we can talk to
our people in there without the House hearing” I asked
hopefully

“Yep” She replied
happily, adding “And, when you’re good and ready, I can put you
through to that charming sister of yours, the Lady Ursula”. I gave
her a big hug and Susan joined in. Zoran left the three of us, to
tell Captain Millwell and our team the good news, Sharon put her
hand softly and intimately on Susan’s leg.

“It’s funny you
know” Susan murmured, she had changed from sophisticated city lady
to one good looking country woman “Sharon and I really do like a
lot of the same things” She purred, looking down suggestively at
Sharon’s hand. In place of the business suit, Susan wore denim
pants and a man’s shirt; though it was unbuttoned enough to make
sure you could see that she was one heck of a woman.

They both got up
slowly and, still almost glued to each other, they came over to
stand in front of me, holding hands.

“You look a little
tired Robert” Susan said softly, then knelt down to pull off my
boots.

“You’ll be able to
work it out much, much better when you’ve had some rest” Sharon
added, as she mounted the arm of my seat and began unbuttoning the
red shirt I wore under my kaftan. Once they had me naked, they took
me to the bed and lay me down. Then Sharon came around behind Susan
and proceeded to unbutton her shirt. Both pairs of beautiful, lust
filled eyes were fixed on mine. Fortunately, no one minded that I
didn’t attend the big planning meeting at military headquarters
that night, I sure did sleep well though.

As it turned out,
my absence was a good thing according to Zoran “It was good to hear
what they all thought, when you weren’t around Lord Robert” He told
me. After those two beautiful, intelligent and pleasure mad women
had finished with me, I had to watch the two of them make love to
each other, so, in no time, it was back to me again! You could say
that I was making love while the rest of the world planned more
important things, to put it mildly. The good thing was that, when I
woke the next morning, leaving the two still sleeping women with
their naked bodies entwined, I got up and went alone to the empty
cockpit, to think. And that was when I had the idea. A way to
create an illusion of my own, especially for those three masters of
deceit and illusion.

Some minutes
later, our Captain, Zoran and Millwell joined me. I told them of my
plan. Zoran’s eyes glittered in anticipated victory.

“That will work
Lord Robert” He told me confidently “I have always known you would
find a way to fulfil the prophesy” He added. We decided that this
had to be kept on a need to know basis. We could not afford to have
our plans leaked to the Supreme House. When Susan and Sharon joined
us for breakfast in the main cabin, I told them of my idea.

“When do you need
that cut off in place?” Sharon was excited at the major role she
was to play. “Now” I told her and she cheerfully went off to her
‘own T.T.V.’ to set it up. Susan and Zoran were to focus on
convincing our own troops that the illusion we were to create was
real.

Captain Millwell’s
men, though still dressed in their unusual attire, now had the very
best in weaponry, thanks to our House Guards, who were much
relieved to know they were not to be involved either. For them too,
it would have been like brother against brother. The obviously
tough Arc Islander troop now looked very much the way a commando
team should, informal and lethal. They too were pleased that, for
all the huffing and puffing, they were not actually going to have
to give their lives to save the planet.

“All of our people
have to believe you’re actually going in” I told them, certain of
their loyalty “Some of you may come under fire” I continued “If you
do, just stay down and keep drawing their fire. But please don’t be
heroes, there is no need” I told the men.

“They are
completely cut off” Sharon announced proudly, looking up from her
Alpine grand provided communications control panel.

“Do you want to
hear them?” She asked, happy to be in control.

“Why not” I
replied, then along with Zoran and Susan, I listened to the ever
growing uncertainty in Ursula’s and Edmond’s voices, when they
could not get any response, from any one! Not even the guards whose
duty was protecting the Supreme House.

“Just let them
stew for a while” I grinned, getting up “I’ll let you know when to
patch me into our allies Sharon” I told her, adding “Right now, the
three of us have to go tell some lies, very convincingly, to our
own people” I told the gorgeous technical genius. I was really
impressed with the way both girls had acted as though last night
hadn’t happened.

We left to address
the ‘final battle strategy’ meeting, as Zoran had formally
announced it, with all the allied troop commanders and Governor
Ryan, to be held at the Centropolis Military Head Quarters. It was
a most impressive sight. Twelve ‘colour’ troops, carrying the flags
of every ally, lined the entranceway for the arrival of the many
National leaders and ourselves.

“Generals,
Governor and staff” I began my address to the thirty strong
audience of military and civilian men and women “Just before dawn
tomorrow, Captain Millwell’s commandos will move into the Supreme
City and take up strategic positions” I lied to them blithely.

“But how can they
do that Lord Robert?” General White, whom I had appointed as the
Commander of the ‘strike’ force, asked “There is no way in, Zoran
told us that”. He Pointed out. I looked directly at the General and
the Centropolis Governor when I answered. My voice held just a
trace of accusation

“That was before
we met Michael De Longueville” I told them and both men tried to
hide their surprise but failed “His people built that place, did
you know that?” I asked, almost chatty, they shook their heads
dumbly. “Perhaps” I said, penetratingly serious “If your
predecessors hadn’t driven them out and you two had not been so
ruthless about keeping them out, what is now to be done could have
been done decades ago” I suggested “Have you now learned that in
unity there is strength?” I asked.

“My Lord Robert”
Governor Ryan began to rise. I waved at him.

“What’s done is
done” I said “Time for restitution later.” They both nodded,
relieved “Due to information obtained from the Mercan people, we
now have the Supreme House cut off from everyone else inside the
Supreme City” I told the leaders and received an enthusiastic round
of applause.

“You mean they
can’t even talk to their own guard?” Sentoria’s General Davis asked
gleefully. As a commander, he knew the effect of that on the troops
and their command.

“That’s right
Commander Davis” I affirmed “Once Captain Millwell and his
commandos are in position, they will radio back co-ordinates to the
Alpine Grand which will be passed onto your vessels.”

“I want all of
them off the nearest coast by then, and, unless the Supreme One
surrenders, we will have no choice but to commence bombardment” I
lied to them. “Captain Millwell and his men will try to evaluate
targets as they call them in, so as to minimise the chances of
innocent people getting killed” I finished explaining.

“But what about
them?” Patty Rice, Susan’s replacement asked stridently pointing at
Captain Millwell “They’ll be twenty one to two hundred or more, and
the Supreme House guard is on home ground” The Administrator
pointed out, sounding concerned. The Arc Island Governor rose and
bowed to her

“I’ll be thanking
you for your concerns Madame” He smiled gallantly at the very
attractive woman “But my men and I are more than a match for a
bunch of robots without their controls” He laughed and so did his
men “It’ll be like three blind mice” Captain Millwell went on, that
got the whole place laughing. There was an electric atmosphere. All
the military men, including General White, were both in admiration
of Captain Millwell and, just a touch envious. Unlike the ex-pirate
Captain, these were men who did not fear death in battle, truth is,
it was an ambition, and none really believed that Millwell or his
men would escape unharmed, if at all! I was satisfied that we had
presented a plausible plan to our own people, and, equally
confident that Ursula would soon know of it, because some true
believer would take word to her. I headed for the Alpine Grand
T.T.V. and its ‘owner’ Sharon Black. Leaving Zoran and Susan behind
to hold down the public relations front, I felt it was time to talk
to our insiders, because they would need the night to set the plan
up. I settled myself quietly into the chair beside the intent
blonde girl.

“Are you there
Randal?” She spoke softly into the microphone “I have isolated our
line from the Supreme House, so don’t worry, they cannot hear us”
She continued.

“You must be a
bloody genius lady” Came Randal’s much relieved, but under pressure
reply.

“I have Lord
Robert here to give you instruction” Sharon told him.

“What, in person?”
Came the surprised response as I held out my hand for the
microphone.

“Yes Randal, in
person” I answered softly.

“We are honoured
to serve you Lord Robert” He shot back “Tell us your wish and it
shall be done, even if it cost us our lives” Everyone seemed really
keen on dying around here.

“Your lives need
not be lost Randal” I replied “There should be no harm to anyone,
if you follow my instructions exactly” I told the leader of the
rebel T.T.V. house guard “I will not instruct you to attack anyone,
but, if you are attacked, then it is right that you should defend
yourselves. Those who would kill deserve what they get” I told him
unemotionally. Then I went on to give him detailed instructions as
to what he and his thirty one men could do, to help us end the
merciless autocracy of the Supreme One.

“It shall be
exactly as you have ordered Lord Robert” Randal vowed when I’d
finished. No doubt pleased to find that he and his men had a very
good chance of coming out of this alive and unharmed. When I
finished with him, I asked Sharon to patch me through to the
Supreme House and record it. It was time for me to talk to my big,
bad Sister.

“Supreme House,
this is Lord Robert calling do you read me?” There was silence. She
tried again. This time, Sharon only got the first few words out,
before we got an answer.

“Who is this?”A
woman’s voice demanded to know imperiously.

“Lady Ursula?”
Sharon asked politely.

“I said who is
that?” The woman’s voice demanded impatiently.

“I have Lord
Robert for you Lady Ursula” Sharon’s voice was sweet and
compliant.

“Well put him on
you stupid girl, I have no interest in speaking with you” The voice
shot back. Sharon handed me the microphone and focussed on her
recording levels.

“I see you’re just
as polite as ever dear Ursula” I said pleasantly.

“Robert? Is that
you? What have you done?” Ursula was losing her imperious tone
fast.

“I think you know
what I’m doing Ursula, just fulfilling the prophecy you and Edmond
killed me to prevent being realised” I replied without rancour.
There was silence.

“I hope you
haven’t fainted old girl” I said lightly, after waiting a half
minute or so.

“Robert. Oh
Robert” My Sister’s tone had undergone a major change “Surely you
haven’t destroyed all that our family has built, just to fulfil
some madwoman’s predictions?” She asked me.

“No, you’re quite
right dear Ursula” I replied “I haven’t, yet. But I will, unless
you and Edmond surrender your control of Supreme House” I told her
coldly “I promise you, Edmond and Father safe haven, with those who
choose to stay with you, in Willowvale” I said, ever so
solicitously, knowing the torrent of abuse that result..

“You cannot harm
the Supreme City or this house you idiot, you know that” Lady
Ursula screamed at me, but I stayed silent.

“Every part of
this city is protected Robert, you’ll just get a lot of people
killed if you try to invade.” She was still angry, but she was
trying to be reasonable, which was not her forte. I waited
quietly.

“Robert? Are you
still there” Ursula shouted, almost losing it.

“I’m still here
Ursula, but you three just can’t stay there. Don’t you know that
yet?” That provoked another tirade. When I asked after Edmond’s
health, as though I could not hear her infuriated rantings, my
Brother joined in with a variety of none too lordly expletives, all
of which was carefully recorded by my brilliant blonde operator. We
let them rave on for a while, and then I cut in.

“Well, perhaps if
I call you tomorrow you’ll have a different view of things” I said,
my voice friendly but resigned.

“Enjoy your last
night sleep in the house” I told my siblings, generating yet
another double barrelled tirade for Sharon’s to record, before they
hung up.

“Can you patch all
that together?” I asked her.

“Just give me the
instructions and I’ll have it done in a couple of hours” Sharon
replied, she loved her work. Zoran and Susan were back in my T.T.V.
when I returned. The ex-Centropolis administrator helped me to map
out the co-ordinates of an area I felt sure would be uninhabited,
just three kilometers East of the compound. That was to give to our
waiting offshore artillery. Then, along with Zoran, we went to the
Alpine Grand T.T.V. to plant the false orders, which Sharon had
patched together from my Sibling’s rantings at me, for the Supreme
House Guard.

Now it was time
for our ‘attack’. From the cockpit of my commandeered Centropolis
T.T.V., Zoran and I could just make out the Supreme City’s
surrounding crater; to get any closer could be fatal for Zoran, our
young pilot and Susan. Just as dawn broke, we heard the crackle of
automatic gunfire. We couldn’t tell who was doing the shooting, as
they all had the same guns, but the overall effect was very much as
I wanted it. On a deliberately open line, Susan began to provide
the false co-ordinates to Sharon to relay to the ships, which was
also transmitted via an open line that the Supreme House could
hear. Then I spoke to Captain Millwell.