The Mask of Omegon (Gwen Farris Book 6)

by P. S. Power

  “That… Might work? I could give it a shot? If Mr. Weathers is willing to try and carry me like that. After I get back from my trip?”

  Marianna, who had been sitting quietly the whole time, taking notes, tapped the back of her pencil on the pad in front of her.

  “Or, and this is just an idea, you could do a show tomorrow? If that can be worked out? I seem to recall being counseled several times that waiting on things like this almost never helps anything… Why, that was by you, wasn’t it Gwen?” She pretended to look innocent, her blue eyes and blonde ringlets suddenly a bit too doll like.

  “Don’t try that with me, Marianna. I see through your clever trap, using my own words against me.” Making a little noise, Gwen forced a nod. “I… Can try? We still need to ask Mr. Weathers about it. He might say no. I would, if I were him. Having some amateur alien woman come in like that has to be a pain in the… Rear.”

  Agatha smiled then, standing.

  “He’s on the air right now. In fact, I need to leave soon, if I’m to make it to my own program in time. Sorry to leave so soon…”

  Gwen got it. After all, Agatha, while their media face, having her own show, was the one person in the room who wasn’t a Westmorland that actually had a real job. The rest of them were kind of kept women. Not in a sexy way either. Ethyl was a wife and mother, as was Ella. Marianna was a Queen, which pretty much meant useful to them, but not hard working over all. The poor woman did a lot of rather boring things, day to day, trying to stay busy.

  Gwen… Well, she had that sweet part time gig with the Special Service. At least she had. Her term there was kind of over. Unless she reenlisted. Except that her current two-year term wasn’t actually up. She’d put in all her work hours already, however. She could kind of go with the idea that her being a student would count, once that started. Plus, her loading work in a few days.

  Suddenly though, she felt lazy. It wasn’t really true, but that didn’t mean her brain wasn’t trying to get her to do a lot more than she had been.

  So she stood up.

  “Right. I’ll get you in to the station? Then I can talk to Mr. Weathers when his show is over?”

  Agatha smiled and headed toward the front of the place, after ten minutes of chatting with everyone. There were hugs, including for Countess Goebbels, along with a warm hand touching thing with Marianna. Then the woman walked out as if it made sense to head to the driveway. Except that there was no lorry waiting for them there.

  Gwen cleared her throat, then moved in to hug the lady.

  “Hang on. One second here…” She’d been to WGN before. It had been a while but it was a lot easier to find someplace that she knew than a new place was. She could do both however, so landed in the lobby of the telesar station half a moment later, gasping for breath like always after a thing like that.

  Agatha yelled. It was most unladylike of her. Not that Gwen was in a position to tease the other woman about it.

  “Oh, my! I’d heard you had the ability, but… That was amazing! I… Come dear. I think we need to deal with some things immediately.” That, apparently, required them to raid the broadcast booth. Politely.

  Agatha led the charge, walking right into the area that had the microphone in it. That part looked remarkably similar to what Gwen would have expected from a radio studio. At least from the nineteen-twenties. There was a very large metal mesh covered thing on its complicated arm, right in front of a friendly looking silver haired man. He was bald on top, short and dressed in a shiny suit that looked a bit like it had been stolen from a sofa.

  Pure robbery, no doubt. The vertical stripes weren’t loud, thankfully, being all in metallic colors.

  The friendly looking man virtually growled into the microphone however.

  “I can not believe this. Parents allowing a boy to do that kind of thing. Reading picture books, at age fifteen? How can he help but not be infantilized and lazy? It isn’t the child’s fault. Boys need to be out in the fresh air, getting healthy exercise! At worst, if they must spend their hours in a stuffy room indoors, they would be better served seeing to their studies, instead of wasting their life on such tripe!” The man practically had a gleam in his eye as he looked over at them. He lit up a bit at Agatha, then gave the woman a questioning look.

  As an after thought he waved at Gwen. She couldn’t tell if that indicated that he recognized her however. Not until he spoke.

  “It looks like my old nemesis, Agatha Longbranch is here to take me to task for what I was saying about her friend, Gwen Farris, earlier. Well, I stand by my word on that. The King has no business sending her into danger! While I have to commend the effort to get our personnel back from the camps, we can’t just throw lives at the problem. Especially not one that has been so very wronged. Agatha, do you have a different take on that?” The man was fighting a laugh, it was clear.

  It made his gruff tone a lot easier to take. He even gestured for both of them to sit, winking at Agatha while he did it. It was the right kind of wink too, which was a conspiratorial blink on one side, instead of scrunching up half his face. That one pretty much meant you were down to get busy.

  The nicely dressed and made up woman next to her pulled a microphone over like she was used to doing that kind of thing. Gwen did the same thing, reaching to the left. What she didn’t do was push the tap on the bottom that would activate it. It was just a silver nib. She’d seen that kind of thing before however.

  Agatha smiled back. She sounded very polite and friendly, which was how she normally seemed.

  “I have different news for you, Mr. Weathers. It seems that our station has been given a tremendous opportunity. Each week on the fifth day, during your time slot, Gwen Farris will be hosting a new program. Herself. Apparently she’s getting a bit tired of people saying untrue things about her. I can imagine that might seem a bit off-putting, don’t you think, Brian?” She was teasing a bit, but the man just seemed interested, not upset at losing his time slot.

  “Oh? That is rather a blow for us then!” He grinned over at Gwen then, looking like he was almost giddy. “I guess that means we can announce that we have Miss Farris right here in the booth? I was hiding that part, planning to ambush you just before the end of the program, but if I know where you plan to be tomorrow…”

  Gwen leaned in a bit and pushed the nib once.

  “Well, Mr. Weathers, the plan is for me to be on with you, so I imagine you can work up all the best questions. The hard ones that no one has bothered to ask yet? We can chat about different topics as well. For instance, reading graphic novels is a great thing for the mind. Any reading is healthy that way. This is testable and where I come from it’s a known and proven thing. I do have to agree that a fifteen-year-old should be out and getting exercise. Perhaps with the Students Service? We have a lot of brave young men off on the front right now, which means we all need to be stepping in to do our part for the war effort. There are jobs that need to be filled, collection drives to be held, city and country based guards are going to be needed and everyone, man, woman and child should be getting with their local school soon on that one! Countess Goebbels and Ethyl Vernor are putting that together, along with Queen Marianna. We can get them in for an announcement on that soon?”

  Smiling the man harrumphed. It sounded a little mean. It didn’t look it however. It made for a strange sense of things, being there in the booth.

  “Perhaps you can manage that kind of thing. I doubt that any of them would even take my calls!”

  Gwen nodded. It was probably just the truth, after all.

  “I can get that set up. Now, we’re about to have a fight? About King Ferdinand? Bad mouthing him in front of me isn’t going to go over well.” She sounded sharp. Like they were really going to go after the issue hammer and tong.

  “Oh? Are you going to tell me that young ladies should be sent into battle zones?”

  That one was hard for her. The fact was, she didn’t know the answer at all as far as that went. Were women
able to be good and affective fighters was a question that even testing hadn’t really answered. Sometimes the answer was a clear yes. Other times it was a stark no.

  “Not at the moment. What I’m going to tell you is that blaming the King for things he wasn’t even there for isn’t fair, or correct. Yes, I ended up going in when I should have managed things in a better fashion. I got hit by a crin in the leg for my troubles. Don’t worry, one of the best healers in the world, Peter Westmorland, saw to that for me, so I’m fine now. He does great work by the way, in case that ever comes up for anyone. Using the new protocols? It’s still a lot of work, but doesn’t use torture at all. Anyway, I teletransported into danger all on my own. It was… Foolish of me. Not anyone else there, however. They were all no, don’t do it… It isn’t proper for a young lady.” She made her voice sound high pitched and girly then. “Those were all Westmorlands, too. Part of the new recovery program. Leslie and Farah Westmorland helped save several people each yesterday. From prisoner of war camps.”

  That got a nod from the man, but he’d stopped smiling. When he spoke his voice was serious seeming. He looked that way as well.

  “That part is incredible. So, you’re saying that I’m being too hard on King Ferdinand? I hear that you two are a couple?”

  She actually chuckled.

  “Nope. He’s never even hinted at that kind of thing. Plus, Marianna, Queen Marianna, is a friend of mine. Before anyone takes that the wrong way, no, it isn’t like those dirty Gwen Farris Investigation books. Um, if anyone knows who’s putting those out, please get in touch with me? That’s… Well, same sex relationships are normal where I come from, but it isn’t my personal choice. Nothing wrong with it, but those books are a bit pornographic. Just as a warning, to any innocent listeners, so they don’t run out and buy one thinking it will be about the great girl detective. Grrr.” She was probably skipping around too fast, but the man went wide eyed and started to nod.

  Letting her know he got the idea.

  “Interesting! So, that will be part of the show? Things about your world and your take on ours? No matter how delicate the issue? I really figured that you were going to hit me about that one about the King and you. It’s out there, but you do have a bit of a violent reputation.”

  She snorted, not able to help it. Covering her mouth as it happened.

  “Oh, that’s… Really true, isn’t it? Not that people should be that way. Violence should be avoided. But sure, I’ll be answering what people ask. Even if the questions are horrible and inappropriate. Other than state secrets, which you don’t get to know, so don’t even ask those. I’ll tell you the truth, too. Even if it makes me look bad. Then, after we do that, Agatha Longbranch can go over how many social rules I just managed to shatter with my alien ways. I’ll be listening, too, Agatha. Goodness knows, I need the lessons. Now, we should cover the Students Service things. I know that most school children won’t be listening right now, being busy and hardworking like they are, but if you’re a parent, make sure to suggest they sign up, if they aren’t currently involved. Like always, help is needed, so don’t be shy about setting things up in your own neighborhoods, or at the local schools. Now, I’ll be quiet so that Brian here can talk about me in peace. Until tomorrow. At noon. Tell your friends and send in your questions. I’ll try to answer all of them that I can.”

  Brian laughed. He was wide eyed, smiling and sounded wicked. Like he was planning something evil with her.

  “Perfect, Miss Farris! You heard her folks. Send in those questions for the first Gwen Farris Hour tomorrow! I’ll be making up my own as well. I think we can needle her nicely, if we all work together.”

  Agatha seemed pleased enough about that and kept bantering with the man, until it was time for her own show, after the commercial breaks. That part was very different, since Brian had to read from scripts for each product. Including singing jingles for them. No one had ever invented the produced commercial there yet, even if they had prerecorded messages and even music. It was how that part was done, she was almost certain.

  It just had never occurred to anyone there that they could do better than Brian humming a bit off key. Not that there wasn’t a bit of homey charm to that kind of thing. When Agatha took over, she did it by literally getting behind the mic, trading with the man as he scooted out of the way and got the chair around for the woman. Then, on his way out, the man waved for her to follow along. Like it was a real thing.

  “Miss Farris! This is wonderful. I’m planning to leave soon, however. I don’t know if you were told about that?”

  “Nope. I mean I was told, but there’s a war on. You’re on tap for the time being. We all are. I’m going off to work on an airship for the next few weeks, starting tomorrow. I’ll be here though, since we won’t really be needed as loaders until the day after that.”

  “We? I’m not really cut out for manual labor, I’m afraid. The job isn’t high on exercise.” There was a wave toward the booth, to explain what he meant.

  She nodded then.

  “I’m working with the crew of the Peregrine. The flag ship of the Vernor line? That’s the we I meant. I have to check in early. Probably moving directly between here and there, so if I show up in a jumpsuit ready for work, don’t be shocked. Or tell Agatha. I bet that wouldn’t go over well with her.”

  “No doubt!” The man moved with her to the front area and instead of leaving, waved to a small table in the corner, that had four chairs at it. “We need to go over the show. It shouldn’t take long. It’s a bit of a surprise to me. Still, I wasn’t looking forward to being put to pasture. My wife passed several years ago, so all I have to look forward to is a long lonely time in my tiny cabin by the lake. I don’t even like fishing, so it isn’t as wonderful as it might sound to some.”

  She got that one. This world had its good things, but it wasn’t high on entertainment really. Mainly bad radio programs. They didn’t even have anything like the old serials, at least that Gwen had ever heard.

  “Okay. Well, I wasn’t joking. I can answer questions to start with? We can select out the worst ones and start there? Then… We can go over different topics? Right now… What’s the big story?” She didn’t really know, but instead of mocking her over it, Brian grinned. It was charming in an old man kind of way.

  “Today? Why, how the kingdom has once again been abusing Gwen Farris, as you should know. Having you in will rather take the fun out of that one, I have to imagine. Unless you know any good secrets you can share about the war effort?”

  That got her to shake her head.

  “Loose lips, sink ships.” It was from world war two, at least back home, but the man took a breath and nodded at it.

  “Understood. Let’s cover the war though? Being involved in the recovery of our men is a good one. Also, you hinted at Students Service projects? Can you work up some things on that? I know that it went over well at the start. Then the battle was handled rather quickly, so it wasn’t needed any longer. No one restarted things after the new war began two years ago. If we can lead that from here, have your people in on it, things like that, it will be huge for us. Just having the woman from another world will be. Is there anything that you want to address in particular?” The man was leaning in a bit, as if there was some kind of secret behind the scenes reason for her being there.

  As if it wasn’t just about getting a new career going. Which was correct, so Gwen let her eyes narrow and nodded a bit.

  “Yes. People seem to think that I’m being held prisoner for some reason. That isn’t true. The poor Vernors are being hammered over the issue, too. I’d love to make it clear that they’ve been really helpful and kind to me. The entire time. They’ve done everything for me. I mean that, too. The difference between what people think about them and what they really are is vast.” She spread her hands wide to show what she meant.

  “Oh? That does sound a bit different. We can go over that, near the start? Then double back as needed. I take it that you’re rather
Ferdinand positive? It would be more interesting if you two were dating. There were rumors that he was going to divorce Queen Marianna in favor of you, half a year ago. Anything to that?”

  It wasn’t true at all. He had suggested that her ex-fiancé Christophe dump his pregnant wife for her however. Not that she was going to mention it. Not unless asked.

  “Nothing at all. Ferdinand and I are friends, I guess. I’m rather horrible at that kind of thing, to be honest. Being friends? I never really learned how as a child. It shows now as an adult. Another reason for kids to join the Students Service. Making good friends that will last a lifetime. Pull together or pull apart, right?” She meant it, but it also sounded like patriotic clap trap.

  The fellow across from her seemed to agree. There was nodding at least.

  “Good then. I look forward to working with you. Come ready. Otherwise you’ll end up flustered when all the questions about what, and who you enjoy in the bedroom come in. You do know that’s going to be half of it, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Sex sells. I have to get with my boyfriend first, so he doesn’t end up taken by surprise. That would be a deal breaker, I have to think. End the relationship? No one wants to be under that kind of scrutiny, do they?”

  The man took some notes, which got her to pull her own pad and do the same. She had things to find out before the show after all. Specifics for various programs, for instance.

  As soon as Brian stood up to leave, clearly waiting for her, she nodded at the man.

  “I’m off then. See you at eleven-forty-five? I can be in earlier, if you want?”

  “No, no, that will be fine. In fact, it’s the rule. Show up at least ten minutes early, so that you can take over smoothly on the hour. Fifteen works even better. Until then, Miss Farris.” He moved to the wall, to get his coat, which wasn’t needed in the warm weather they were having and his hat. It was a bit like a bowler style thing. It had a copper colored hat band on it, but the base was black.