The Londum Omnibus Volume Two (The Londum Series Book 12)

by Tony Rattigan

  ‘But I thought this was just your capital city!’

  ‘This is the only city. Our population now numbers around three thousand.’

  ‘Lord Felder told us that you were only in the thousands. What … what happened?’

  ‘Well, I understand that Felder explained about how we were stranded on this barren planet, so different from the lush Earth we had left behind. Look around and you will see that it is not conducive to growing crops here, poor soil and a meagre water supply. Unlike your Earth this condition applies to most of the planet that we have been able to explore. We’ve tried Europe and other lands but they are even worse. Also we are the only ones here; it was empty when we arrived. Perhaps the natives died out, we’ve never found any traces of previous inhabitants. So, unable to jump to another Universe, for better or worse, we were stuck here.

  ‘Over the years since we arrived, mineral deficiencies from the poor food led to deformities and still-births amongst us. Century after century we diminished as a race. The clever ones, the artists, the Mages, the leaders were being born less and less into each generation.

  ‘Our only solution was to try to escape before we finally died out. We tried over many years to duplicate scientifically what we could no longer do Magickally but we were unsuccessful as we could not power the machine. Then, one day we discovered Livarium. Just one small nugget of it but it was a gift from the Gods. It allowed us to drive the portal generator, in the hope that we could find a way off this rock to a better world.’

  ‘And yet you found no better world?’ asked Barrington.

  ‘Alas no. Each new world we went to was worse than the last and all worse than this place. So the council decided to throw all our hopes into one last effort, find the co-ordinates to your world, our original world, and attempt to negotiate to be allowed to return.’

  ‘That’s why we’re here, Your Majesty, to conduct negotiations.’

  ‘I urge you, Lord Barrington, no, I beg you, to consider our application favourably.’ He raised his arm, indicating the city below them. ‘Your world is the last hope for my people. However, it may be too late for us, perhaps the damage is too ingrained in our bodies, the bloodlines too weak. But if we are to expire as a race then let us die with some dignity, back home in the land of our ancestors. Then at least there will be someone to remember us after we are gone. Hopefully our songs and our tales will live on with your people. That’s all we ask,’ he finished sadly.

  ‘I can assure you Your Majesty that we will give it favourable consideration.’

  ‘That is all I ask. Now then, Lord Barrington, let us join the others, tonight we celebrate for there is finally hope for my people.’

  He led the way back down the tower.

  ***

  Meanwhile, back in Londum, Lord Felder was being introduced to all the interested parties but in secret. First he was smuggled into the palace to meet King Victor and certain key members of government from both sides of the house. This was too big a deal to be decided by one party alone.

  To all of them he told his story and pleaded for his race to be allowed to come to this Earth. Some received his request warmly, others were more sceptical but all of them responded to his offer to hand over the portal generator.

  ‘You would give us the secret of trans-dimensional travel?’

  ‘Certainly, both the designs of how to build it and the Livarium to power it.’

  ‘You’d freely give up the Livarium?’ they asked, incredulously.

  ‘Why not? We would have no further need of it, we would already be where we want to be. And I’m sure that when you came to build it you would call on us to help you, given our knowledge and experience.’

  ‘And you’d give it to us, not any other country?’

  ‘If you were the ones that welcomed us, yes. But of course, if we had to open a portal in another country and ask them for sanctuary, then …’

  The unspoken message was received and understood. Many felt that the Elves should be allowed to settle in Albion. Some agreed for altruistic reasons, genuinely wishing to help out fellow beings in time of need. Others saw the chance to exceed the limits that the British Empire had reached on Earth and conquer or exploit other worlds, beyond our own. But whatever motivated them, they all agreed that this needed to be debated in the House of Commons and voted on. And that would mean going public.

  ***

  Warning! This scene contains flash photography!

  A couple of weeks later, Prime Minister Lord Parmesan, stood behind a podium, in the press room at Westminster Palace, waiting to make an announcement. Standing beside him, dressed in modern day, Albion clothing was Lord Felder. He had been persuaded to wear his new outfit so he could be discreetly ferried around Londum without being noticed. In that time long hair was not unusual on a man and so his flowing locks (which helped to hide his ears) passed without comment.

  Lord Barrington’s party had returned from the Elf world and given their reports to the PM. It appeared to be pretty much as Felder had told them, an impoverished race, on its last legs, fighting to survive. An agrarian society with no military strength to speak of, but some useful advances in science and medicine. The only thing that surprised the delegates was how low the population had sunk.

  The team of envoys had ridden far and wide and studied the Elves as much as they could in the time allotted and had reached the conclusion that they posed no threat to mankind and they could see no reason not to allow them entry to this world.

  After consultation with the palace and senior politicians it had been decided to follow the king’s suggestion and announce their existence to the world and then after a short period, vote on the matter in parliament.

  The gathered pressmen were taking photos of the two men as they waited for the room to settle down. Trays of flash powder went off around the room, dazzling Felder. The PM had advised them to take their photos before the announcement as it might not be possible afterwards. Eventually Parmesan decided he had allowed enough photography and banged a gavel on the podium and requested silence.

  ‘Gentlemen of the press, I have an important announcement to make today, which is why I called this press conference. It has been known for many years now of the existence of other planes of existence, dimensions if you will, beyond our own. Time and again over the years we have seen glimpses into those other dimensions and occasionally there have been accidental visitors from those alternate Universes that have temporarily passed from their world to this one. There are thought to be any number of multiple Universes, a “Multiverse” to give it its correct name, and we are but one of them. Our greatest scientists and Magi have studied this phenomenon and although they understand it, they have as yet been unable to find a way to travel between those Universes.

  ‘But we are not the only ones that have been trying. A short while ago people from one of our adjoining dimensions were able to breach that barrier between worlds and their representative presented himself to us.’

  There was a collective gasp from the waiting journalists and a hub-bub of noise broke out as they began to shout out questions. The PM banged the gavel again for silence.

  ‘But that is not all my news, gentlemen. It transpires that those who contacted us are previous inhabitants of Earth and they now wish to return. They are seeking our permission to relocate to this Earth and settle down here. They are from a race that up to now we thought were creatures of myth and I must admit, I was as shocked as anyone to find out they were real, I present to you Lord Felder, ambassador of the Elf Nation!’

  At that, Felder did his party piece and flicked his hair back to show his ears.

  There was a shocked silence for a moment then the room went wild. Several journalists made a dash for the door, racing to tell their editors the news, while their colleagues remained behind to pick up the details. Others just shouted out their questions, trying to shout louder than the man next to them.

  Parmesan let the pandemonium rage for a few moments t
hen raised his hands until the room settled down to a constant murmur.

  ‘The decision as to whether we allow them to settle in Albion or not will be debated in parliament. In the meantime however, Lord Felder and I will answer some questions now and then you will all be provided with a press release that gives you all the relevant facts that we have so far. After that, my press secretary will handle all enquiries. Lord Felder has kindly agreed to make himself available for an interview at a later date but it will only be with two or three journalists, so you will have to decide amongst yourselves who they are and what questions they ask. Now then, who has the first question?’

  ***

  And so it became public knowledge. The country was split into two camps. There were those who thought, quite rightly, that it was unwise to just throw open the doors and let an unknown race with a different culture, customs and values set up home in the middle of the nation without any thought of the long-term issues.

  Then there was the other side of the argument that declared that Albion had always been a charitable nation that helped its neighbours and friendly countries in times of hardship. The liberal left claimed that it was our duty to help the Elves, due to the fact that they had once lived in Albion.

  The debate raged on in pubs and workplaces throughout the country and in parliament. But there were those in government who thought of what access to the trans-dimensional portal technology could give them, both personally and for the empire. Fresh lands to plunder!

  There were politicians on the left who thought that the borders should be wide open for the whole world to settle here, and then there were those on the right who argued, quite rightly, that you can’t take an alien culture and plonk it slap-dab in the middle of an existing society and not expect there to be problems between the two.

  As a tool to sway the public to regard the Elves in a friendly light, a trip was arranged for King Erlathan and Queen Valindra, accompanied by Bazo their personal Magician, to come to Londum and visit King Victor and his queen at Buck House. The public loved this and lined the Mall to cheer the Elven royalty as they rode down the road to the palace. The clever propaganda arranged by the government did its work and many in the country came around to the idea of letting these poor remnants of a dying race settle in the Lake District.

  Eventually it was voted on in parliament and it was decided by a large majority to invite them to make their home in our world. So, not for the first or the last time, the politicians put their own personal and political interests above that of the country they were supposed to defend and protect.

  ***

  Cobb read the morning paper announcing the government decision to allow the Elves to settle in Albion. He was more than a bit peeved. He had no evidence whatsoever to point to, to say that this was some kind of trick, but he had been warned personally by the Creator of the Multiverse to ‘Never trust an Elf’ (and when that happens you tend to listen and take it seriously). And now they had shown up out of the blue, pleading hardship and begging for help and Albion was falling for the subterfuge and basically rolling over on its back to have its ‘tummy tickled’. Lie back and think of Albion while we get shafted by the Elves, he thought, disgustedly.

  Adele noticed his annoyance and asked, ‘Isn’t there anything you can do to warn people?’

  ‘Well, I’ve spoken to Thornton and he’s promised to pass it up the line through his Secret Service contacts, so that should at least alert “the powers that be” that the Elves are not to be trusted. The problem is though that without any proof, why should anyone believe me?’

  ‘There’s your reputation. You did that little job for them in Pils-Holstein, remember?’

  ‘Yeah, but that doesn’t entitle me to dictate government policy. They wouldn’t be accepting the Elves so easily unless they were getting something out of it, so they’re not going to give that up on my say-so. I’m afraid that we’re just going to have to wait and see just how it goes wrong, as I’m sure it will.’

  ***

  Several weeks later the portal opened and led by Durlan a procession of carts drove through. Aboard the carts was the first batch of Elves due to settle in Albion. Each cart carried a family, men, women and children with all their worldly belongings.

  They were led to the lake and shown to the buildings that had been manufactured for them on the side of Lake Windermere, opposite to Ambleside. They were built in the style that had been agreed on, similar to what they were used to on their world. The land had been compulsory purchased from the landowners and covered in the new buildings, enough for all the Elves.

  Of course this was not taking place without some trepidation on behalf of the humans who were welcoming them, which is why just over the hill the 5th Cumbrian Rifles were stationed, with an artillery unit in support, ready to go into action if called upon.

  Fortunately they were not needed as over the next few weeks the incoming Elves occupied their dwellings and settled down to life in this new land.

  ***

  Jim and Cobb had to attend the inquest of the man in the bowler hat, that Jim had shot when they rescued the little girl. His death was ruled as “Justifiable Homicide” by the Coroner.

  They also had to appear at the trial of the rest of the gang as material witnesses. Thanks to their testimony the gang were found guilty and sentenced to prison with hard labour. To celebrate, Cobb and Adele decided to take Jim out for a meal to thank him for his help.

  ***

  Cobb, Adele and Jim sat in a fancy West End restaurant. They finished their dinner and the waiter topped up their wine glasses before taking their empty plates away. Cobb raised his glass. ‘To Jim, my best friend and loyal ally. Thanks again for being there when I needed you.’

  Adele raised her glass in support and Jim modestly bent his head forward in a bow.

  ‘And I propose a counter toast to Cobb and the lovely Adele. Cobb for being a good friend and trying to keep me on the straight and narrow and Adele for ... well, just being lovely.’

  They clinked glasses and all took a drink. The wine had been flowing freely and they were all quite tipsy.

  ‘Well, if you’ll excuse me I must away and powder my nose,’ Adele informed them and left the table. As Cobb watched her crossed the room he couldn’t help grinning.

  ‘You’ve certainly got a good one there,’ Jim informed him. ‘You know, when I first met you I honestly thought you were not for this world much longer, what with the dangerous risks you used to take and not to mention being an alcoholic.’

  ‘I wasn’t an alcoholic,’ Cobb protested. ‘I just used to collect empty bottles, that’s all.’

  ‘Nevertheless, you looked to be an endangered species but I’m glad to see that Adele changed you for the better. But, as we saw when that man nearly shot you, there’s no telling what the future has in store for any of us, so you should make the most of what you have.’

  ‘Yes, she’s a good ‘un all right. Perhaps I should show her more how much I appreciate her.’

  ‘Oooh, do I hear wedding bells?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Sorry, must be my tinnitus playing up.’

  ‘Yes, it must be.’ But Cobb had to acknowledge to himself that Jim had a point.

  Jim smiled to himself, knowing that he had planted a seed.

  Adele returned to the table. ‘Well, where are we going next?’ she asked the men.

  ‘Err ... home?’ suggested Cobb.

  ‘Oh Cobb, you’re such a stick in the mud sometimes. Jim, what are you up to?’

  ‘I thought I’d go to Annie’s.’

  ‘Annie’s?’

  ‘Yes, Annie Parker’s place ... it’s a “palace of leisure” you might say.’

  ‘You mean a brothel?’ she asked.

  ‘Well ... yes but it’s not what you think. She’s a friend of mine and the food and drink are good there and they have a four-piece orchestra. It’s all very middle class and respectable. If you didn’t know what went on upstairs you would thi
nk it was just an ordinary private, dining club.’

  ‘Sounds great, can we go, Cobb?’

  Cobb would normally have avoided a brothel like the plague but he’d had a few drinks and was in no mood to say ‘no’ to his lady love. ‘Very well then, but if anyone tries to hire you for the night, make sure you get a good price, this meal cost a fortune.’

  Adele kicked him under the table and Cobb called for the bill. He settled up and they went outside to catch a cab to Annie’s. It was a cold night and a heavy fog had crept in from the river, combining with the smoke from a million fires it had turned into what the people of Londum called a “Brown Windsor souper”.

  The cab rattled away over the cobble stones for about fifteen minutes until it pulled to a stop. ‘We’re not at Annie’s yet,’ said Jim. ‘I’ll just see what’s going on,’ as he stepped out of the cab.

  ‘Sorry sir, the road’s blocked,’ the cabbie told him. ‘They’ve gone and dug it up. Must be a gas leak or summat. I’ll have to take the long way round. Take another half an hour.’

  ‘No, I tell you what, we’ll walk to the other side of the river and take a cab from there, it’ll be quicker.’

  ‘Right you are, sir.’

  Jim paid off the cabbie and the three of them set off into the fog. Although the River Isis carved its way through Londum, cutting it in half, there were a myriad of smaller canals and tributaries branching out from it, that made it possible to get almost anywhere in the city by water.

  After traversing the road-works and covering some distance through the fogbound streets, Jim, Cobb and Adele were approaching a canal bridge when Jim tapped Cobb urgently on the shoulder.

  ‘I know,’ replied Cobb. ‘We’re being followed.’ He took Adele’s arm and softly told her, ‘Someone is following us. I want you to keep talking as if we’re still with you and walk until you get to that gas lamp on the bridge, then stop. Jim and I will duck into an alley and then come up behind whoever it is.’