“It is fine. It would take more than a little bit of mist to damage it, believe you me.”
“I believe you.” she smiled. She was suddenly aware of the sound of feet thudding down the stairs, running down the steps almost.
“Mister Boot. Come quickly. Please be careful not to kick ze bucket. We must inform miss Neaves.”
“Inform me of what, Viktor?” she smiled, the cellar now beginning to clear.
“Are you expecting ze visitors?” he asked. Victoria began to feel nervous for no reason that she could quite place her finger on.
“No.” she asid. “Why?”
“Zeppelin incoming.” he said. “It’s ze big von too.”
She pushed past them, racing up the steps and into the hall before crossing to the kitchen and out through the open double French windows and out into the garden.
Above the house hovered a huge zeppelin, Union Jack insignia on its side. It bristled with weaponry and was making the last manoeuvre to dock with the other side of the docking arm that was currently vacant. The sleek zeppelin that belonged to Victoria was dwarfed by the sheer size of the government ship.
“Class “A”.” said Romney. “Micronic weaponry I would have thought. “What do they want?”
“They want me.” said Victoria sadly.
Overhead there was a loud thump as the airship and the docking arm locked together and the propellers on the zeppelin began to wind down. Already the hatch was opening on the ship that was now docked above the house more than one hundred feet over their heads.
“I have been a fool.” she said as if she was lost already. “I should have run further and faster. I should never have looked back.”
“Let’s see what they want.” said Romney. “They don’t seem to be taking their time.”
Already the elevator of the tower was descending, the cage holding what looked like a minimal landing party. There was a slight hiss of steam and the elevator cage reached the ground and the door slid open.
Out walked a man flanked by four soldiers, rifles held tightly across their chests, all watching her eagerly. Behind her Viktor and Mister Boot watched as they approached impassively.
“Go back to the cellar both of you.” she said. “Do not come out unless I ask you to.”
Neither of them argued with her, rushing back across the garden and disappearing into the house.
He strode across the lawn flanked by the four soldiers, all of whom looked at Victoria carefully, never taking their eyes off her even for a second. The man they flanked was approaching her at a match. He was tall and broad and though his marching days were long behind him, his face ruddy and slack jowled. A thick white moustache and beard covered his chin and upper lip. He was, Victoria noticed, in full naval uniform.
“Admiral.” said Victoria, recognising the epaulettes on his uniform for what they were. As he approached the man smiled broadly, holding out his hand to shake hers.
“Admiral Denning.” he said, his voice deep and upper class. “I take it you are Miss Neaves?”
“I am at that.” she said, “What can I assist you with? Would you like some tea?”
“Oh I am afraid this is a swift visit. There is no time for tea I am sorry to have to inform you.”
“Looks like they are in a rush.” said Romney telepathically. To Victoria’s amazement the admiral smiled.
“Ah. Romney.” he said, “Pleased to meet you too. I am as you say in a bit of a rush as you seem to have guessed.”
“You can hear Romney?” gasped Victoria. “How is that possible?”
Admiral Denning tapped the side of his head. “Ethereal implants.” he smiled. “Synaptic Resonators. All of the rage these days. Especially in the forces.”
“That is news to me.” said Victoria.
“Me too.” said Romney. “But pleased to meet you all the same, Admiral.”
“Excellent.” said Denning. “Well. To business. I have whilst on manoeuvres in the English Channel been relayed a telegram that her Majesty’s government wish to be delivered to you. I have a paper copy here but I have been instructed to request your presence at a meeting in Westminster in London Monday next. The meeting will be with the minister for the interior, Sir Charles Churchgrove at nine am sharp.”
“The Sir Charles Churchgrove?” Said Victoria, her mouth dropping open slightly.
“The same.” said Denning, as he passed her the telegram. “Needless to say the matter is of great importance to the minister and her majesty’s government. Also I would suspect the urgency of the meeting can be taken as proven, the evidence being the detour I have been requested to make to deliver the telegram,”
“Quite.” said Victoria, taking the telegram and quickly scanning it. It said no more that the Admiral had already revealed.
“Using an “A” class gunship to play postman is not something I am greatly accustomed to, Miss Neaves.” said Denning, “You must be a particularly important person to the government.”
“Oh I am sure that is definitely the case.” She smiled, “In fact, I am as good as their property.”
“As are we all, my dear.” he said, “As are we all. For now, I must return to London. I bid you a good day, Miss Neaves.” he said, shaking her hand again. “Romney.” he finished and strode away back towards the zeppelin tower without another word.
“Synaptic resonators?” said Romney. “Eavesdropping I call it.”
Minutes later the huge zeppelin was heading back out across the village and then rising in the air back south and towards London.
“Everyone in the village will have stopped to look at that.” sighed Victoria, “Probably the event of the decade at least for some of them.”
“Well it’s not very often that lot would clap their eyes on a ship like that.” said Romney.
“Me neither.” said Victoria. “Now - let’s get indoors. I want to sit and drink some tea whilst querying the data cloud with regards to Sir Charles Churchgrove.”
***
“He really is most highly placed.” said Victoria, placing the tea cup back down on the table and writing in her notebook. “Very chummy with the prime minister.”
“Same school?” asked Romney.
“Yes. Very well-trodden path for a lot of politicians I suspect. The usual school ties and gentleman’s clubs.”
“Admiral Denning is quite an interesting character too. The cloud have any information on him?”
“Yes.” she confirmed, “Veteran of the Morant Bay Rebellion in 1864 and the subsequent air barrage. Also the Ashanti campaign a few years later. Wasn’t much left of that by the time he was finished with it. It is often the case. They lack the vision to look for alternatives. It had been their downfall on many an occasion. They just plough on and on until the job is done.”
“All well and good if you have a class A war zeppelin carrying micronic weapons.” laughed Romney, “Otherwise you just have to keep bludgeoning on until there is nobody left to take a swing at.”
“I think that is a fair assessment of British foreign policy since the technological revolution.” laughed Victoria. “That and ensure that only the British Empire has access to all the latest technology, of course.”
“I am still getting over the synaptic resonators.” said Romney. “Bloody snooping is that.”
“Calm down Romney.” she laughed. “We need to figure out what Sir Charles Churchgrove wants.”
“A meeting.” said Romney.
“Yes. Well I know that! There are two possibilities.”
“What are they, then?” asked Romney.
“Well the first possibility is the least palatable. It is that they are tired of me making too much noise out here in the sticks and so have decided to do something about it.”
“Well yes. What’s the second theory?”
“Well the second is that it has something to do with our recent encounter with Mister Hugo Topping and his strange transmitter as well as the Horsell Common coordinates.”
“The
re were government inspectors on site there according to your boyfriend.”
“He is not my boyfriend, Romney!” she protested. “But it does provide a connection. Perhaps whatever is happening there they need assistance on and have decided to ask me to assist.”
“But why you?” asked Romney, “It is not that they are short of people to help them out. Most of them are employees.”
“I don’t know.” said Victoria pensively. “I will see if Inspector Vaillant can shed any light on the matter tomorrow evening when we go for dinner.”
“Oh I imagine he will be too busy making doe eyes over the top of the table candles.” he laughed but Victoria ignored him. She knew that if she did otherwise then it would only make him continue.
***
“Do I have to?” said Romney. His voice was high and indignant, like that of a naughty child.
“Romney!” she said, finally turning red faced. “Do it and do it now!” There was a small popping sound and Romney appeared before her, now corporeal.
“Thank you.” she said, ‘At least now I shall have a little privacy. Now are you Sebastian or Romney today?” She knew that when corporeal Romney, apparently according to his mood, either went by his own name or liked to be called Sebastian instead. She was not quite sure why this was the case, but she knew also that pursuing the matter was at best a waste of time.
“Sebastian I suppose.” he said sulkily, sitting down in the armchair and draping his legs over the side of it. “After all, Inspector Vaillant thinks you have a brother named Sebastian. I have spoken to him on the telephonic device remember?”
“Indeed.” she said, “Sebastian it is then.” She continued to pat her hair in the mirror and looked at the grandfather clock in the hall. As she glanced at it it began to chime the three quarters of the hour before eight o’clock and as it did so there was also the sound of a knock at the front door.
‘Impressively punctual.” said Romney, swinging his legs onto the floor and generally making himself look less like he was in danger of sliding out of the armchair and onto the floor.
Viktor appeared in the hall and there was the sound of brief conversation and then Vaillant was introduced into the room.
“Inspector Vaillant.” announced Viktor and then left. The Inspector was carrying a large bunch of flowers which Romney looked at with a grin, resisting the urge to laugh.
“For you, Victoria.” he said. “You do look lovely.”
“Thank you Inspector.” she said, “For the compliment and the flowers. Sebastian this is Inspector Vaillant, and Inspector, this is my brother Sebastian.”
“Ah.” said Vaillant, “I can see the family resemblance.”
Victoria thrust the flowers at Romney before he could say anything and made her way into the hall.
“Be good enough to ensure Viktor puts them in a vase for me please, Sebastian.” she said, “And make sure he doesn’t let Mister Boot eat any of them. You know how he is with inanimate objects.”
Sebastian had no chance to reply however, for Victoria quickly rushed the Inspector out of the front door, slamming it behind her. A minute or so later he watched as the small steam wagon drove down the drive to the lane beyond and then was gone.
“Flowers.” snorted Romney, resisting the urge to pretend to sneeze. “Just my luck, Viktor!”
***
Victoria felt quite settled at the table for two in the restaurant. It was quite busy but their table was set sufficiently off to one side to give them some privacy yet did not detract from the atmosphere of the room. The waiter appeared and whisked away the soup bowls, the candles on the table illuminating the corner in which they were sat
“Did you see that ruddy great big zeppelin over the village yesterday?” asked Vaillant, and she felt her spirits dip. She knew that the villagers would not have failed but to stop and stare. Most of them had probably never seen anything remotely like it before. “A” class if I am not mistaken, and that means Micronics.”
“Yes.” she said sadly. “They came to visit me.” She had not intended to startle the Inspector. The extraordinary to her was quite common and sometimes it took an effort to remember this.
“Really?” He said, wide eyed. “What on Earth did they want with you?”
“Oh just an invitation to a meeting with my former employers in London.” she said, taking a small sip of her red wine. She was not used to drinking alcohol at all and so she approached it with the gravity that she felt it deserved.
“Oh I see.” he said, “Well you must have friends in high places if a ship like that makes it all of the way out to here just to relay an invitation.”
“I have a terrible confession to make.” she said suddenly, reaching across the table and holding both of his hands in hers. The Inspector blushed furiously and yet frowned at the same time.
“Confession?” he asked and she nodded. “What is it you wish to confess?”
“I don’t know your first name.” she giggled. Vaillant looked relieved and smiled as she drew one hand back from his but left the other on his arm across the table. “I cannot continue to call you by your surname, or “Inspector”.” She laughed.
“Randolph.” he said, ‘An old fashioned name I know, but my parents were predisposed somewhat to be stick in the muds as they say. Randolph Ernest Vaillant to give myself my full title.”
“Randolph will do.” she smiled. “It’s a good name. I like it.”
“Thank you.” he blushed as the waiter arrived and began to make himself busy preparing for the arrival of the main course. Satisfied that everything was in order he moved away again. “Tell me about you.” he said, “Do you have a middle name?”
“No.” she smiled, but withdrew her hand across the table and played with the napkin on her lap for a moment or so. “What is it you want to know about me?”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” he asked, “Family?”
“No sisters. Sebastian is my only brother.” she said. “My parents were all interned during the purges at the start of the technological revolution. Sebastian and I managed to escape.”
“How awful.” he said as two steaks arrived at the table and the waiters now began fiddling about with placing them in front of them.
“Yes.” she said. “I doubt if they are alive now of course. I have never been able to trace them anyway, even with complete access to the data cloud.”
“You should try the government records.” he said, “Though I do believe you may need to fill in several forms and wait for years for access to that data.”
“Oh I have already done that.” she said, “I can access it whenever I want. When the government gave me the Babbage engine they left government departmental access in it. I have since confounded every attempt they have made to rescind my access. I believe that they may have given up now.”
“I see.” said Vaillant. “How frightfully useful.”
They ate in silence for a while, commenting only on the food which was of excellent quality. They both ate their fill. Eventually they finished and the waiters removed the plates.
“Tell me, Randolph.” said Victoria, and he smiled as she used his name. “Do I frighten you?” To her surprise he started laughing.
“Frighten me?” he managed to gasp as he laughed even more, “Why on Earth do you think I am frightened of you?” She put her hand across the table once again and took one of his hands in hers.
“Because you have seen what I can do. On the roof of Harrington manor. During the fire. You know I have the data processing power of a Babbage engine the like of which has never been seen before.” Silence fell between them, but she did not release his hand.
“I have, yes.” he conceded, “But I have never pressed you about that, or indeed any of the events with regards to the encounter with Hugo Topping and the excavations on Horsell Common.”
“The government inspectors that supervised the excavation may have something to do with my summons to London, I suspect.” she said.
>
“Summons?” he asked, eyebrow raised.
“Yes. I fear that the British government view me as their property, and they either want to curtail my activities or point me in a certain direction, shall we say.”
“I see.” he said. “Perhaps I can assist in some way. I speak all of the time to London. I have certain contacts there that may be useful to you.”
“My meeting is with Sir Charles Churchgrove.” she said flatly and both of his eyebrows rose this time.
“The minister for the Interior?” he asked and she nodded slowly. “My, my.” he managed to say eventually, “You do move in considerably elevated circles to mine.” he laughed.
“As I said. I suspect they look upon me as their property. I thought I was rid of them but I doubt if I ever will be.”
“What did they do to you?” he asked and he felt her grip on his hand tighten a little.
“You really want to know?” she said, and he nodded.”
“I was a member of a somewhat notorious society that was financially concerned with shall we say the darker side of human nature and the procurement of certain properties and the disposal of certain personages who were concerned with such things.”
‘Move on.” he said, “I suspected as much.”
“They abducted me against my will.” she said, staring into the distance. “Had they not I would have died, for they shot me during a sham investigation.” she smiled slightly, “Even then I had a predisposition towards investigations, Randolph.”
“Very good.” he smiled, noticing she was looking into space now.
“They augmented me. My skeleton was reinforced with an alloy that makes me stronger, faster. I have enhanced hearing and sight. I have little need to actually breathe at all, and where my womb was I have a Babbage powered computational engine that updates itself constantly. It runs all of my body’s systems and so on.”
“Does it control your emotions?” he asked.
“No. No it does not. If it did it would, I imagine, be drowned with sorrow for a life lost and my independence ripped from me.”
“Yet you are free of them now.” he said.
“Theoretically, yes. Yesterday’s visit though would seem to suggest otherwise though. They torment me in my dreams. Sometimes I wish I had died. It would have been better I think.”
The Complete Adventures of Victoria Neaves & Romney Page 33
