Changing Yesterday

by Sean McMullen

  ‘Well, what’s it doing on the Andromeda?’

  ‘Probably the same as us – searching for Barry Porter and that secret weapon. We must be on our guard, and never go anywhere alone.’

  Roberts awoke in some dimly lit space that was not familiar to him. He was tied spread-eagled on his back, and standing over him with a foot to either side of his chest was one of the stewards who had vanished from the Millennium in Colombo.

  ‘By your leave, speaking courtly,’ said a husky voice.

  Who are you? Roberts tried to ask, then added helplessly, What have you done to my voice?

  The steward held up a small, sleek, black thing.

  ‘I am Battle Commander Liore of the Imperial War Academy operational crews. The rank of Battle Commander allows me to charge, assess and execute any British citizen who endangers the empire of his majesty King Charles the Third by an act of treason. Your voice has just been cancelled, but I can read what you say.’

  Whatever you are going to do, you can’t get away with it.

  Liore dropped to her knees, straddling his chest. She reached out and clasped a hand around his throat.

  ‘I am from a century in the future, John James Roberts. You Lionhearts have made two attempts to start a war between Britain and Germany, one in Melbourne, the other in Albury. That is treason. Treason draws a sentence of death. How do you plead?’

  You have no authority. You’re mad!

  ‘No plea is taken as a plea of guilty, so you are guilty of treason, as charged.’

  Harris paced beside one of the lifeboats as the makeshift antenna for his spark gap transmitter was rigged on the superstructure of the Andromeda. It was half an hour past midnight, and the ship was only dimly outlined by the lights on the upper decks. Somewhere in the distance someone was playing a piano and people were clapping in time.

  ‘Count the men,’ he said to Moore as they worked.

  ‘I counted them only a minute ago.’

  ‘Count them again.’

  ‘Six,’ said Moore after a moment.

  ‘So only Roberts and Dodgeson are missing. Are you sure nobody has seen anything at all?’

  ‘Nothing that could lift a grown man like Roberts and –’

  ‘Enough. Hurry up with the transmitter.’

  Daniel sat on Madeline’s bed and dictated as he stared at the screen of the radiocomm wired into whatever Liore had been building. During the day Liore’s shirt, coat and trousers had been returned from the laundry, so he was now dressed more normally. Propped up with the pillows from both beds, Madeline recorded everything in a notebook. The exchange of messages was brief and cryptic.

  ‘They must be finished,’ said Daniel after a period of silence. ‘Can you read the exchange back?’

  ‘LION SCOUT TO LION PRIDE STOP PROCEED STOP,’ said Madeline. ‘That’s followed by, ACKNOWLEDGED STOP PROCEED STOP. Then they sent MOST CABINS SEARCHED STOP ALL MAIL AND CARGO SEARCHED STOP FINISHING FIRSTS STOP OUT STOP. There is, ACKNOWLEDGED, then nothing.’

  ‘The Lionhearts are going to search the last of the first-class cabins,’ said Daniel. ‘That includes this one.’

  ‘They can’t do that!’ exclaimed Madeline.

  ‘They certainly can,’ replied Daniel. ‘Maids and stewards have keys to get into all cabins to tidy up, so why not Lionhearts?’

  Daniel put his ear against the door and listened for sounds in the corridor outside.

  ‘There is a sign on the door saying we are not to be disturbed,’ said Madeline. ‘Liore put it there when she started building that thing with all the tubes and coils of wire.’

  ‘That will not stop them once all the other cabins have been searched.’

  ‘The door is jammed shut with that chair.’

  ‘Then they will be certain that this is the cabin they want. They will take a fire axe and break in – there! I can hear them arguing with someone in a cabin down the corridor.’

  ‘What can we do?’

  Daniel thought frantically. What would Liore do? Irrelevant, nobody can do what Liore does. Barry? He would hide under the bed and say he didn’t do nothin’. Dad would call the police, but there are no police here. Emily would say something so stunningly embarrassing that the Lionhearts would cringe, not know where to look, then back out of the cabin and close the door behind them – but that’s it!

  ‘Take off your clothes, get into bed,’ he said to Madeline without turning.

  ‘What?’ exclaimed Madeline. ‘Daniel Lang, how dare –’

  ‘Take off your clothes and get into bed! Do it. If they find us in bed together they will think that’s why we have been hiding in here for so long.’

  ‘But – oh. I – I – um, well all right, but keep your back turned while I undress.’

  Daniel took the chair away from the door and extinguished the light. Standing in the darkness, he pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear what was going on outside. Seconds passed, then minutes. He removed his shirt, then his shoes and socks.

  ‘What is happening?’ asked Madeline.

  ‘People are still shouting.’

  ‘Even I can hear them now. Daniel, I think –’

  ‘They’re coming!’ hissed Daniel, removing his trousers and flinging them aside as he made for the bed.

  ‘Now what are you doing?’ asked Madeline as Daniel climbed in beside her.

  ‘Putting my pistol and radiocomm under your pillow. Where is your gun?’

  ‘In my hand.’

  ‘Well, put it under the pillow.’

  ‘But what if –’

  ‘Trust me, Madeline, no girl takes a boy to bed with a loaded Webley in her hand.’

  They settled down under the covers. There were more raised voices outside as the Lionhearts reached another cabin where the inhabitants had expected a little more privacy in first class.

  ‘Do you think this looks suspicious enough?’ asked Daniel.

  ‘Daniel Lang, was that meant to be a joke?’

  ‘Of course not! It’s just that this is all a bit unfamiliar to me.’

  ‘Same for me.’

  ‘But I’ve seen pictures. Barry had a book called A Scientific Guide to Human Reproductive Biology, and there were some rather lurid pictures on page thirty-seven. It’s in my cabin if you want to have a read.’

  ‘If we live through the next five minutes, I’ll be sure to. In the meantime we shall have to rely on your memory.’

  ‘Just keep your arms around me, but when they come in remember to scream and look embarrassed.’

  ‘Look embarrassed, he says.’

  ‘Actually, do you speak French?’

  ‘Mais oui, je parle très bien français, mais –’

  ‘Good, good. When they break in just cower behind me, speak a few words of French, then let me do all the talking.’

  ‘If only my mother could see me now. Lying in bed with a boy in a first-class cabin, with two pistols under my pillow, pretending to be a French courtesan for the benefit of some armed men from a British secret society who are trying to start a worldwide war.’

  ‘Just send a postcard from Port Said saying, “Wish you were here” and – what are you doing?’

  ‘Making us look more convincing.’

  ‘Oh. But –’

  ‘Come now, Daniel, as lovers we need tousled hair and some of my make-up smeared over your face.’

  ‘But surely not –’

  ‘Daniel, this is for Britain, this is for the king.’

  ‘But what if Muriel found out?’

  ‘Well I’m not going to tell her!’

  They waited. Beyond the door the Lionhearts entered a third cabin, to be greeted by a shriek of alarm and some angry shouting. The minutes passed. The Lionhearts surprised the inhabitants of a fourth cabin.

  ‘I, ah, do apologise for this,’ said Daniel.

  ‘Can’t be helped. I never thought I could disguise myself by taking my clothes off.’

  ‘They are taking rather a long time.’
>
  ‘I suppose the other passengers are being less than cooperative.’

  ‘Perhaps I should have waited at the door a bit longer.’

  ‘No matter,’ replied Madeline. ‘You were very clever to think of this.’

  ‘I learned it from my sister, Emily.’

  ‘Your sister did this?’ gasped Madeline.

  ‘Not as far as I know. It’s just that she has a way with people. Her attitude is that if you do or say something so incredibly embarrassing that people just don’t know where to look, they will probably go away and leave you alone.’

  ‘Clever,’ said Madeline. ‘Emily must be a formidable girl.’

  ‘Formidable? Try growing up as her younger brother.’

  They heard the sound of a key rattling in the lock, then the door was flung open. Several men rushed into the cabin, and one of them flicked the switch to the light. Daniel and Madeline sat up together. Madeline screamed and cowered behind Daniel. Her scream was followed by a long silence.

  ‘You filthy young devils,’ hissed the scandalised purser at last.

  Two of the Lionhearts smirked, but Harris scowled at the sight of such immoral behaviour.

  ‘Monique Cluny and Lucielle Chasseur are supposed to be here,’ said Harris.

  ‘I am Daniel Lang, from another cabin,’ said Daniel softly.

  ‘And you, young woman?’

  ‘Daniel, je ne comprends pas,’ said Madeline.

  ‘She only speaks French,’ said Daniel, who then turned to Madeline. ‘Comment tu t’appelles?’

  ‘Ah, je m’appelle Monique Cluny,’ said Madeline. ‘Il y a un problème?’

  ‘She asks if there is a problem,’ said Daniel.

  ‘There will be when your parents are informed, you decadent young wretches. Where is Lucielle Chasseur?’ asked Harris.

  ‘Lucielle? We, ah, suggested that she might stay in my cabin because it’s, um, nicer there,’ said Daniel.

  ‘When did you last see her?’

  ‘Ah, some days ago. Four or five days, I think.’

  ‘Four or five days!’ exclaimed Harris.

  ‘We pretended to be seasick. The stewards brought us meals.’

  ‘Young woman, how long have you known your travelling companion, this Lucielle Chasseur?’ asked Harris.

  ‘She doesn’t speak English,’ Daniel reminded him. ‘Well, you ask her.’

  ‘I already know her story, sir. They met in Colombo, in a hotel, just before the Andromeda sailed. They were both travelling alone, and Lucielle speaks French and English so it seemed like a good idea to share a cabin on the Andromeda so that Lucielle could translate –’

  ‘Get on with it!’

  ‘They were walking from the hotel to the docks to board the steam launch for this ship when some ruffians attacked them, but I came along and drove them off.’

  ‘Yes, yes, yes, and you were not slow to take advantage of Mademoiselle Cluny’s gratitude,’ said the purser.

  ‘Did Mademoiselle Chasseur mention a youth named Barry Porter, or perhaps Barold Chalmer?’ asked Harris.

  ‘No, sir.’

  The purser turned to Harris, his face grim.

  ‘Do you have any more questions?’ he asked.

  ‘Is your cabin number fifteen, Master Lang?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Mademoiselle Chasseur is not there.’

  ‘I can’t account for that, sir.’ ‘She is probably elsewhere on the ship, in similar circumstances to yourselves,’ said Harris. ‘Purser, I have heard all that I need to.’

  ‘In that case, we had best leave these disgraceful young people to their amusement,’ said the purser, turning back to Daniel and Madeline. ‘You can both be certain that your families will be informed of what I have just witnessed. Good night to you both.’

  The men filed out of the room, and the purser’ key rattled in the lock again. Daniel and Madeline sat absolutely still, listening to the footsteps receding along the corridor.

  ‘It worked!’ whispered Madeline, putting her arms around Daniel and kissing his cheek. ‘What a fantastic warrior you are!’

  ‘Warrior? What do you mean? I just let myself get caught stark naked in bed with a girl and did a lot of fast talking.’

  ‘You drove five armed men out of the cabin by being very brave and clever. You may not be a conventional warrior, but you are a warrior without any doubt.’

  Daniel put a finger to his lips, listening for any sign that the Lionhearts were returning, or might have left someone at the door. The moments dragged past like hours.

  ‘Well . . . should we get dressed again?’ asked Madeline.

  ‘They may come back.’

  ‘Good point. So when will we know they are not coming back?’

  ‘The radiocomm will make scratchy sounds.’

  ‘Daniel, cheri?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Cela t’as plu?’

  ‘Very funny.’

  ‘Je l’ai trouvé sensationnel. Et tu?’

  ‘Stop it!’

  ‘Just teasing.’

  Some seconds of silence passed, with only the distant rumble of the ship’s triple expansion engines as a background. Madeline turned and reached under the pillow. Pulling out the radiocomm, she held it at arm’s length and pointed it at them.

  ‘Well, I do wish I could take a photo of us just as we are, so that I could send it to my mother. Horrid old bat, taking me away from my father and trying to marry me to that draper’s son.’

  ‘Give it here, please,’ said Daniel, taking the radiocomm from her and putting it back under the pillow.

  ‘Daniel?’

  ‘Oui – oh, for goodness sake, I mean yes?’

  ‘What do you think of Liore?’

  ‘She’s wonderful, but she’s not . . .’

  ‘Not human?’

  ‘Not really.’

  ‘Then what is she to you? Why did you want her to kill you?’

  ‘Because I worship her. She is the Angel of Death, and I am honoured to have been brushed by her wings. Liore is my queen. I am not worthy to touch her.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous. What if she were wounded? Would you let her bleed to death rather then touch her?’

  ‘The sight of blood makes me faint.’

  ‘So you would let her bleed to death?’

  ‘No! I suppose I would bandage her wounds – but I would apologise for touching her.’

  ‘Daniel, Daniel, you are more twisted than –’

  ‘The radiocomm!’

  A soft, scratchy sound was coming from beneath the pillow. Daniel snatched the radiocomm out and looked at the flickers on the screen, then translated the Morse code for Madeline.

  ‘THREE LEFT STOP CREATURE FROM MILLENNIUM ABOARD ANDROMEDA STOP KILLING US STOP SEARCH COMPLETE STOP WEAPON NOT ON ANDROMEDA STOP PORTER MUST HAVE WEAPON ON AJAX STOP INTERCEPT AJAX AT PORT SAID STOP STAY CLEAR OF ANDROMEDA IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES STOP OUT STOP.’

  Daniel and Madeline looked at each other for a moment, then Daniel got out of bed.

  ‘I think it’s safe to get dressed again,’ he said. ‘I wonder how they know Barry is on the Ajax?’

  ‘Barry would have escaped from this ship on one of the tenders,’ said Madeline. ‘The Lionhearts would have asked all the tender captains if they had taken a short, ratty boy with a large, tatty bag to another ship.’

  ‘Oh. And what was all that about the creature from the Millennium?’

  ‘A man on the Millennium worked out that I was a girl and tried to – to have his way with me three nights before Colombo. Liore splattered him all over the poop deck.’

  Barnes awoke to water being splashed on his face. He was bound hand and foot.

  A faintly illuminated face floated in the darkness in front of him.

  ‘By your leave, speaking courtly. Benjamin Barnes, I am Battle Commander Liore of the Imperial War Academy operational crews,’ declared the face. ‘The rank of Battle Commander allows me to charge, assess and execute any British
citizen who endangers the empire of his majesty King Charles the Third by an act of treason.’

  Untie me at once, you damn – Barnes realised that he could not hear his own voice.

  ‘Your voice has been silenced, but I can read what you say,’ said Liore. ‘You are trying to start a war that will lead to the deaths of six billion people over the next hundred years. How do you plead?’

  Britons never shall be slaves!

  ‘I do not accept pleas of insanity. Guilty as charged.’

  Harris and Edwards stood with their backs to the railing of the aft games deck. There was only one dim light nearby, and they both had their guns drawn. There was a clear field of fire for twenty feet across the deck.

  ‘It has to cross clear space to reach us,’ said Harris. ‘If it comes, I will be ready. Now get the jolly boat ready to lower.’

  ‘Don’t like it,’ said Edwards as he began to untie the boat’s ropes. ‘That thing can see in the dark and we can’t.’

  ‘Whatever it is, a gun will stop it,’ said Harris.

  ‘But what is it?’

  ‘Some sort of trained ape with claws. Fantastically strong.’

  ‘But how’d it get aboard?’

  ‘Use your brain. It probably swam out and climbed up the anchor chain in Colombo. Now get that boat lowered.’

  ‘Oi! Something over there,’ said Edwards, pointing.

  ‘Don’t shoot!’ called a familiar voice. ‘It’s me, Greely.’

  ‘Purser! What the hell are you doing here?’

  ‘I’m going with you.’

  ‘Absolutely not, sir!’ exclaimed Harris.

  ‘What do you think we’re running, a bloody ferry?’ added Edwards.

  ‘You can’t leave me on the Andromeda. Not with that thing on the loose. It knows I helped you. It knows I’m a Lionheart.’

  ‘You’re no Lionheart. Five hundred pounds of good British money bought your loyalty.’

  ‘That’s no good to me if I’m dead. Besides, I know all about that weapon you’re after. Just say that thing corners me. I’ll agree to say all I know to the officials at –’

  A shot barked out and the purser fell to the deck. Harris walked across to the dark shape and groped for his wrist. After confirming that the purser no longer had a pulse, Harris went through his pockets and retrieved the bribe. His bag appeared to contain nothing more than clothes and papers. Harris flung the bag over the side.