The Fight for Britannia

by Saxon Andrew

  “I’m not from Melbourne, Abby.”

  Abby looked at Taffy’s flight suit, “I wondered about the uniform you’re wearing, I’ve never seen one like that. And what’s the rabbit doing on your unit patch?”

  “My husband and I just arrived from another colony that is currently under attack by an alien civilization. We came searching for another colony to possibly come and help us. The name of our ship is the Rex Rabbit and it appears your government has a very high level of interest in it.”

  “Why?” Abby pointedly asked.

  “Because your warship’s blasters can’t harm it.”

  Abby stared at Taffy and smiled, “Ok.”

  Abby began pushing buttons and throwing switches. Taffy asked, “What are you doing?”

  “Shutting down the weapons; we won’t need them.”

  “Do tell!” Taffy replied.

  Abby laughed and lifted the transport and headed toward the city. She began talking, “You’ll notice the tall building in the center of the city from…”

  “You can stop with the tour speech, Abby. If we pass something you think is interesting, then just tell me. Just look at this as two girls out for a ride, ok?”

  Abby nodded and shook her head slightly, “Would you like to go back to your hotel and change out of your uniform?”

  Taffy turned her eyes to the side and looked out the window as she stated, “You’re looking at the only clothes I have. I barely escaped being disintegrated by an alien blaster and I didn’t bring any clothes with me before I managed to be saved by my husband.”

  “Well, I think the first order of business is to go and rectify that problem.” Taffy lowered her chin and glared at Abby. “We should purchase you something to wear.”

  “I don’t have anything to pay for them, Abby.”

  Abby waved a hand, “I was told that expenses were no object. We’ll let the government work it out.”

  Taffy raised her chin and shrugged, “You’re the boss.”

  Abby chuckled, “You’ve shown who the boss is, but I can certainly handle this.” Abby turned the transport and headed into the city.

  • • •

  Abby drove the transport down a wide thoroughfare and had a running commentary going. “This part of the city is known as the garment-center. Most of the stores on both sides of the street sell men and women’s clothing. Some of the finest clothing shops on the planet have stores here. Taffy looked out of the window and saw Abby was right. She saw plus-size stores for both women and men along with stores that specialized in petite sizes. The street pedestrian traffic was high and most of them were in front of the plus-size stores. Abby brought the transport to a stop in front of a beautiful storefront and parked in a no-parking zone. Taffy turned to her and Abby smiled, “Being in a military vehicle has a few side-benefits; parking wherever I choose is one of them. Let’s go in.”

  Abby led Taffy into the store and a slim woman walked up and came to an abrupt stop. She turned and shouted, “Charlotte, get up here!!”

  A beautiful, well-dressed woman came walking quickly out of the back of the store and stopped in front of Taffy. Her hands went to her throat and she said, “OH MY GOD!!”

  Taffy’s eyebrows came down, as she asked, “Is something wrong?”

  The woman was shaking her head, “I’ve been waiting for someone like you for a long time.”

  “Excuse me!” Taffy replied.

  “You’re absolutely perfect, your hair, your eyes, your face, your body…I have clothes that I’ve never sold waiting for someone like you to put them on.”

  Taffy turned to Abby, “That’s some sales pitch!”

  Abby stared at the woman and shook her head, “I don’t think she’s kidding.”

  Taffy turned back to the woman and she asked, “Who are you?”

  Abby spoke before Taffy could reply, “She is a guest of the Prime Minister and the government will be paying for whatever we buy.”

  The woman’s hands were still on her throat as she almost hyperventilated, “I will sell you clothes at my costs if you will just tell anyone that askes that you purchased them here!”

  Taffy saw the woman wasn’t kidding. She glanced at Abby and said, “I think we’ll pay full cost for them. However, I will gladly tell anyone that asks that my clothes were purchased here.”

  The woman’s hands came off her chest and she clapped. “Let’s get started!!” Abby walked over and sat on a chair.

  • • •

  An hour later, Abby shook her head and grabbed one of the sales associates by the arm, “I’m stepping out to get a bite to eat.” The associate nodded, and Abby walked out of the store entrance. She purchased some food from a street vendor and leaned against the transport as she ate. She saw several men jerk their heads around toward her, but she ignored them. If the Captain was out here, she’d be invisible. She finished eating and went back in the store. Taffy walked up wearing a yellow and cobalt blue sundress. “How do I look?”

  Abby tilted her head, “It fits you perfectly.”

  Taffy frowned, “That’s not an answer, Abby.”

  “If you go out wearing that, you’ll probably stop traffic.”

  Taffy waved a hand at her, “Get out of here!”

  The store owner came up and smiled, “May we carry these to your transport?”

  Abby nodded and opened the back hatch for them. Taffy was standing beside the front door looking across the street at the clothing stores. A big and tall store was next to a plus-size woman’s store beside it. Abby watched the pedestrian traffic come to a stop. She closed the hatch and went to her door, “You should get in!”

  Taffy looked at her, “What’s the problem?”

  Abby snorted, “Turn around.”

  Taffy turned around and saw a large crowd had gathered on the sidewalk. She saw one woman punch a man on the arm and drag him away. Taffy was surprised and decided to handle this politely. She smiled, did a curtsy, and entered the transport. The crowd erupted in applause and Taffy shook her head as she closed the door, “Grady is not going to like this!”

  Abby glanced at her as she lifted the transport, “Why not?”

  “He doesn’t like other men staring at me.”

  Abby chuckled, “Go figure.”

  “No, I’m serious, Abby!”

  Abby’s smile disappeared, “It appears you don’t either.”

  “I don’t!”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it hurts his feelings. I don’t want or need other men looking at me.”

  “Well, you and your husband are going to have to come to terms with that. You can’t help being beautiful and you are going to be stared at. I think you can solve that by making sure he knows your feelings for him.”

  Taffy nodded; Abby was right. She turned to Abby, “Why did you leave the military?”

  “I was stupid.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  Abby sighed, “I was engaged to a very successful business man and he told me that if I were going to be absent for long periods, then we should call the wedding off.”

  “I can understand that,” Taffy replied.

  “I could as well. So, I resigned and started spending more time with him.” Taffy was silent, and Abby continued, “We very quickly discovered that spending more time together wasn’t a good thing.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, he was accustomed to everyone doing what he wanted, when he wanted it at work. I didn’t operate that way. We discovered that both of us were very strong willed and it wasn’t a good match. After four months, we mutually decided we needed to part ways. I went back to the service and was told that the time limit to rejoin had passed a month earlier and that I’d have to enlist as a private and work my way back up through the ranks. I decided I wasn’t going to do that. So, I found a job as a tour guide and, voila, here I am with you today.” Abby paused and smiled, “Let’s take your clothes back to the hotel and have them taken to your room.”


  “That’s a good idea, Abby.” Taffy turned the transport and headed toward the center of the city. They arrived at the hotel and Abby opened the hatch. Taffy stepped out of the transport and the Senior Baggage Handler stopped in his tracks. Taffy smiled, “Will you please take my packages to my room.”

  The man asked, “And you are?”

  “Captain Henricks.” The man nodded and clicked his fingers for the baggage handlers to start moving. Abby watched them stumbling over themselves trying to get a closer look at Taffy. Abby had enough, walked over to Taffy, and said, “Get in the transport!”

  “Why?”

  “If you want to stay here all day while they waste time looking at you, then stay where you are.” Taffy sighed, opened the door to the transport, and sat down. Abby glared at the baggage handlers and they completed their work a few moments later.

  Abby got in the transport and shook her head. Taffy looked at her and asked, “What’s bothering you?”

  “I wish I was as pretty as you. I’m pretty much invisible with you around.”

  Taffy shrugged, “That’s because you want to be.” Abby jerked her head to Taffy and she continued, “You deliberately dress like you do to avoid being seen. Your face is gorgeous, except for those fake glasses you wear. Your body is shaped like mine, but you hide it in a baggy tour guide uniform. And that stupid bun you have your hair put up inside your tour hat would turn off anyone.”

  “That’s ridiculous, Taffy! You’re at least five inches taller than me.”

  Taffy snorted, “That only means I wear a larger dress size. Don’t sit there and try to tell me that men don’t ogle you most of the time!” Abby was silent, and Taffy added, “Dress up and you’d be entirely visible no matter who’s around.”

  Abby slowly shook her head, “I guess I do get my share of attention normally. And you’re right, I do dress like this to avoid it.”

  “I might just follow your example; it appears to work.” Taffy paused and continued, “That’s why you didn’t rejoin the military as an enlisted sailor, isn’t it?”

  Abby nodded, “It would be too much effort fending them off. At least as an officer I wouldn’t have to deal with it much.”

  Taffy saw a large woman walk out of the hotel and turned to Abby, “I need you to take me to my ship?”

  “Where is it?”

  “On top of that tall building over there.”

  Abby looked at the building Taffy was pointing at and shook her head, “That building is off limits to anyone not given clearance.”

  “Let’s just assume I have clearance, ok?”

  “Do you?” Abby asked.

  “Only one way to find out; take me to the roof.”

  Abby stared at her and then smiled, “I’ll blame you if we’re arrested.”

  “Fine by me. Let’s get moving.”

  • • •

  Abby flew in slowly above the giant building and suddenly, two warships flashed in directly above her transport. She landed it in an open space and two armed sentries appeared at their doors. Taffy lowered her window and the soldier said in clipped tones, “State your business for landing here!” Abby looked at the soldier next to her window and saw he was all business. The soldier speaking to Taffy was clearly not affected by her appearance. His eyes were narrow, and his hand was on his belt blaster.

  Taffy looked the soldier in the eyes and said, “I’ve come here to pick up a few things on my ship.”

  “And which ship is yours?” the guard snapped back at her.

  Taffy smiled, “It’s the small one. I’m Captain Alexandra Henricks.”

  The guard glared at her and took a device off his belt. He snapped it open and punched it several times. After a moment, he held it up next to her face and went to attention, “Welcome back, Captain. You are certainly welcome to go to your ship.”

  The two guards opened their doors and Abby saw the guard at her door was also standing at attention. She stepped out and glanced at Taffy. WHO WAS THIS WOMAN? She waltzed into the most restricted area on the planet and the guards were clearly intimidated by her presence. Taffy looked at Abby and smiled, “Come on; let me show you the Rabbit.”

  They started walking and a small transport rushed up. The driver smiled, “Captain Henricks, please allow me to take you to your ship. It’s quite a walk from here.”

  Taffy smiled, “Thank you.” She entered the transport and Abby joined her. The Leftenant turned around and said, “I’ll wait for you to finish your business.” Taffy nodded, and the transport moved off at a fast-speed. They passed numerous warships and Abby suddenly saw a gap in the line of ships. The transport arrived at the gap and Abby’s head went back, “IS THAT YOUR SHIP?”

  Taffy nodded, “That’s the Rex Rabbit. It is somewhat small.”

  “Small! That thing is miniscule!” Abby responded.

  Taffy got out of the transport and Abby followed her. Abby was shaking her head and looked at Taffy as they walked toward the ship, “You mentioned that your ship can defeat our warships?”

  “Abby, size isn’t what makes things powerful. You need only look at yourself. I suspect you could kick my butt if we butted heads.”

  Abby looked at Taffy’s legs and arms in the sundress and stated, “I doubt that.”

  Taffy laughed, “Well, it will never come to that. Let’s go inside and I’ll show you around.” Taffy turned to Abby, “Does your planet have a place where inventions can be registered and protected.”

  “You’re talking about a patent office.”

  Taffy nodded, “I am. Is there one on this planet?”

  “It’s on the first floor of this building. Why do you ask?”

  “Just checking.” They arrived outside the port and Taffy said in a loud voice, “Robbie, open the port.” Nothing happened, and Taffy wondered if the robot could hear her through the ship’s hull. She started to yell louder, just as the port began opening. Abby looked up into the ship and her eyes flew open, “WHAT IS THAT?!”

  Taffy turned to her, “That’s Robbie; he’s one of our construction robots. Come on.” Abby followed Taffy up the ramp and stepped around the huge robot. Taffy pressed a button on the wall and the port closed. She started walking up a corridor and said, “Follow us, Robbie.” The robot turned and moved up the corridor. They arrived on a small bridge and Taffy ordered, “Robbie, go to your charging station and Bob activate.” Abby watched the first robot go the wall and back into a wall device as another robot came off the wall next to it.

  Taffy walked up to the new robot and asked, “Bob, do you have the blueprints from this ship’s construction?” The robot flashed a white light. “Do you have the blueprints for the food processors?” The robot flashed again.

  “Are you capable of modifying them?” The robot remained still. “Can you modify the processors for a wall installation and reduce the size of the balls by fifty-percent?” The robot flashed a white light.

  Taffy smiled, “Make those changes and print the blueprints once you’re done. Follow us.” The robot flashed again. Taffy turned and smiled, “Come with me.”

  Abby looked at the bridge and saw the mattress anchored to the floor. She shook her head; this ship didn’t have sleeping quarters. She followed Taffy and arrived in what had to be a kitchen. Taffy went to a cabinet and took out several plastic bags. She went to the devices on the wall and entered numbers. She put the bags under a nozzle and small balls fell into the bags. She looked at the robot standing outside the kitchen and asked, “Can you cut these in half?”

  The robot flashed, and Taffy put the bags into a drawer that opened on it’s chest. A few moments later, the drawer opened, and Taffy took the bags out. She looked at them and took two balls out of each bag and put them in another bag. She opened a drawer on the cabinet and took out a marker. She numbered four of the bags one-through four and put the marker back in the drawer. Abby watched her, and Taffy smiled, “Come with me.” Taffy went into the corridor and headed back to the port. She went into the larger room
and went to a printer. She lifted the pages in it and took a folder out from under the printer stand. She put the pages in the folder and headed back to the kitchen. She took a large cloth bag out of a cabinet and put the bags of colorful balls in it. She looked around and smiled, “Time to go.” She headed back to the entry port and said, “Follow me, Bob.”

  The robot wheeled to the entry port and Taffy opened it, “You will close the port after we exit and only open it for Grady or me.” The robot flashed, and Taffy walked off the ship, followed by Abby.

  The port raised, and Abby saw the giant robot disappear behind it. She turned to Taffy, “We don’t have anything on Melbourne like those robots.”

  “They are probably going to be the greatest thing we brought with us, Abby.” They walked up to the driver of the small transport and Taffy asked, “Is there a fast way to get to the ground floor?”

  “You’d get there a lot faster by taking your transport to street level, Captain.”

  Taffy nodded, “Take us back to our transport and thank you for your courtesy.” The driver smiled and drove away after they entered. They arrived at their transport and the two guards opened their doors for them. Taffy smiled, “Thank you for your excellent service.”

  The guard’s expression was still all business as he said, “Enjoy your time on Melbourne, Captain Henricks. Taffy nodded and went to the transport.

  Abby flew them down to street level and saw there were no available parking places…so…she parked in a no parking zone. A security officer immediately appeared and confronted her as she stepped out of the transport. “You are not authorized to park here; move immediately!”

  Abby smiled, “I’ve been directed by the Prime Minister to take Captain Henricks wherever she wants to go as expeditiously as possible.”

  The Officer saw Taffy leaning on the roof of the transport smiling at him, took a device off his belt like the one used by the guard on the roof, and opened it. A moment later, he took a sticker out of his front pocket and put it in the top center of the windshield. He turned to Abby, “Your choice of parking will not be questioned again.” He turned to Taffy, “Welcome to Melbourne, Captain.”

  Taffy beamed a smile at him, “Thank you very much.” Taffy nodded toward the building and Abby followed her in. They found the patent office and Taffy nodded to chairs outside it, “Wait for me here.” Abby took a seat and saw Taffy walk up to the front counter through the glass front of the office. She began speaking with a woman and showed her the contents of the folder she was carrying. She took out a bag of balls and handed them to the woman after she looked up from the folder contents. She walked away, and Taffy looked through the glass and smiled at Abby. A man appeared at the counter with the woman and the woman explained what Taffy had told her. The man looked through the pages and stared at the bag of balls. He asked Taffy numerous questions and at the end, inserted the papers into a copier on the counter. The pages came out and he handed them to Taffy. Taffy looked at the papers and Abby could see a large number printed on the bottom of each page. The man took the bag of balls with him and the woman shook Taffy’s hand. Taffy came out of the office and Abby asked, “What’s going on?”