The second attack weapon is in the form of Air Micro compressed air pellets. Each one has two sections to it. One part is for thrust and the other is for the explosion. In effect it is a very small self-propelling hand grenade, but with something like a million times the power of a hand grenade. These pellets are heat seeking if required and can be loosed off to chase or follow, to be activated. The screen on the console shows a demonstration of the effectiveness of both attack systems. It is more than a little bit impressive for a craft of only this small size.
Not only is Spirit’s craft much faster than the likes of The Watcher’s craft, but it has much more fire power and defence capability too than anything else Spirit can find in his memory banks. That is not to say that there isn’t something out there with superior weaponry and defence systems, but it is extremely unlikely.
Satisfied with the results of that, Spirit feels much more confident that he will be able to approach his task with a greater degree of confidence of being able to successfully pull off what he is going to do.
Spirit checks around the rest of the cockpit to familiarise him with what is there. When he has completed that, he sets his course to his destination. He is unaware of why this destination has come up, but he knows it is where he has to go. The coordinates are set in for Boristal 7 which is about a quarter of any distance away. Spirit sets the limiter to maximum and then allows the Air Micro Compounder Engines to do their work. He guesses that the shell of his craft will be able to take the pressures of speed. As he picks up speed he sees a cone deflector emerge at the front of the craft. He guesses it will be made up of air. It seems to stretch a long way in front of the craft, but it has to really to be able to do its job. Its job is to stop any pieces of space debris hitting the body of his craft.
CHAPTER 33 THE GRAND MASTER
The Grand Master makes his way under escort to meet Valpar. When he arrives in the meeting room he is not surprised to find that Valpar is not alone. Valpar may not be the greatest tactician, but he is no man’s fool. He knows where his weaknesses are, well the ones he is prepared to admit to that is. Alongside Valpar he has his trusty deputies, Grillech and Posdon. It is not that they are any superior to Valpar in brainpower, or any other way for that matter. It is just he knows they might pick up on something that he doesn’t. Valpar is very much aware that the planet is lacking in its own balance of intellectual prowess.
The niceties of greetings are carried out and refreshments are brought in for their exulted guest. Valpar always looks on GM3, as he used to be called, as someone similar to him. Now apparently he has raised his own status to The Grand Master. Valpar thinks it is purely a change of title, but he suspects there is little of substance change other than that.
‘So what brings you to our planet?’ Valpar cannot bring himself to use the man’s title when addressing him. GM3 is one thing but The Grand Master is just too much.
‘I have come to give news of a change of the general status quo in the Universe.’
‘Oh’ Valpar limits his reply for now.
‘Yes. You may or may not be aware of what happened on Velchitta a while ago.’
‘As you well know we do not have any communication outside of our own people.’
‘I know that. I couldn’t remember for sure whether I had been there since that time. Obviously I have not.’
The Grand Master goes on to tell the trio what has occurred on Velchitta and how Algreb had assumed control of Velchitta, albeit as only being the leader. He then tells of how The Keeper had fled the planet while things were in a disruptive period. It is at this point he changes the facts to suit his circumstance. He tells that as GM3, he has taken it into his own hands to follow The Keeper, on the grounds that he should have been on Velchitta. He does not tell that Algreb and some others had accompanied him. Nor does he tell them that he has disposed of them on the journey back from the planet Earth.
What he does tell is that he has met some resistance from The Keeper and his family, which changed his stance on the situation. He tells them it was when The Watcher (he has to explain who he is and what his purpose is) refused to cooperate in him taking them back to Velchitta, that he took his stance on his position.
‘I never thought I would be able to just bring him away with me, but when they refused to come on their own volition, I found that neither The Keeper not The Watcher had anything in their armoury to stop me from doing what I like.’
‘But surely as a Guiding Master you have more power than them anyway?’
‘I do, we did! But I suppose I didn’t realise just how little resistance they would or could put up to me, when push came to shove.’ The Grand Master as he is saying all this is starting to feel a little exposed. He is in the middle of telling some very rough people how easy it had been to overpower The Keeper and The Watcher. In their turn they might easily decide to challenge his capabilities.
He looks all three in the face, but thankfully none of them seem to have registered what he is thinking.
‘So why are you telling us all this?’ Valpar eventually responds, having stayed quiet for a few moments after The Grand Master stops talking.
‘I have decided that you have spent long enough suffering from the consequences of your civil war here on Malis 2. I think that it is past the time where all the planets in every sector of the Universe are kept apart by their lack of technology.’ The Grand Master leaves a few seconds gap to let those words sink in. ‘I believe that we should allow differing peoples to go to different planets and if they choose, fight and take over them.’
‘How are we going to do that when we have no spacecraft to leave the planet and no one skilled enough to plan and build them?’
‘I guess we will just have to go and fulfil your requirements.’
‘You just said ‘we’’ Grillech growls in. He doesn’t mean to growl, but it comes out that way in frustration. He is wondering why this man in front of him is suddenly so keen to help the people of Malis 2. He doesn’t keep his words to himself. ‘Why are you coming to us now with this?’
Valpar and Posdon nod as their thoughts are just about in the same place as Grillech’s.
‘That would be because I need someone to help me. I no longer have the support of the Guiding Masters I suspect, so it is time to go and take all we can for ourselves. With you all by my side, we will be strong enough and much better equipped to take what we like.’
‘So isn’t there going to be anyone out there to stop us?’
‘There is no one across the Universe who has the attributes that you and your people have when it comes to fighting. I believe there is no one who will stand up and defend against what will be, to all intents and purposes, an edict from those who control the Universe. Previously that would be the Guiding Masters, but now they are nullified it will be us, you and me!’
‘You are going to have to give us some time to discuss this amongst ourselves and our people. I have to say though, that the way you have put it means we have so much more to gain and so little to lose. Where were you thinking we should visit first?’
‘Velchitta seems like a good idea’ The Grand Master says.
CHAPTER 34 THE BADDIES
The Grand Master returns to his craft as soon as he has finished. He leaves Valpar, Grillech and Posdon to discuss the revelation he has given them to think about. He deems it best that he goes back on board his craft, giving them some time to review the situation. Valpar actually insists that he removes his craft from the planet and goes into orbit around it, while they take their time to come to a decision. The Grand Master is not too perturbed at this request and in fact it is easier this way than him suggesting it. Not that he expects them to come to any other decision than to join him on his side. His side as opposed to anyone else’s.
Once they have established that The Grand Master is no longer on the planet, the threesome sit down to discuss what has been suggested to them. It doesn’t take them very long to work out that The Grand Master has offere
d them very little other than giving them the opportunity to gain space flight. They quickly decide that they need to know what exactly is in it for them, before they come to any decision. That is even though they know that they will find refusing the opportunity of recovering their original capabilities too much to turn down. What the three really want to know is; what is in it specifically for the three of them.
They invite The Grand Master to dock his craft again so they can put their questions to him. Soon he is back in the meeting room.
‘What exactly do you want from us? Also what do we get in return? Valpar asks with his two deputies nodding in agreement at his brusque manner.
‘That is quite simple. I want you to enforce our request that all planets allow us to take overall control. They will either allow us to take over, or you will enforce it for us.’ He very nearly says me, but stops himself just in time. ‘We will become very powerful men. We will have everything we could ever desire. We will have tremendous wealth and power and so will everyone from Malis 2; if you decide to join with me.’
‘How will we be able to do that with only 5000 people, with less than half of those able to fight?’
‘I will make sure that you have more technology than anyone else. I will give you the fastest craft. I will give you the most powerful weapons. No one in the Universe will have the fighting capability or the armoury you will possess. We will be unstoppable and you three will be revered by all. You will also be feared, as they will be able to do nothing to stop you; as long as you have me with you. So there you have it. I need you and you need me. A perfect partnership I think you will agree?’
‘Thank you for being so frank with us. We will carry on our discussions, but this time I think I can speak for all of us when I say you are welcome to stay and watch.’ Valpar receives two nods at his words. ‘I believe the discussions will be short and fruitful for you and us.’ He smiles as he finishes his words.
The smile unnerves The Grand Master a fraction, but he is never going to let that show on his face. He is wondering if he can keep these men under control, once they have the means to travel and take over planets. He will have to show them somehow that he has the power to take away whatever power he gives them. He feels that he is safe enough for now, but he will have to incorporate something in his strategies to keep them in check and in particular to keep him safe.
‘Well what do you think Grillech?’ Valpar turns to his deputy to ask.
‘It seems like a no brainer to me. Freedom to travel and gain power and wealth. I’m for it!’
‘Me too’ Posdon speaks before Valpar gets the chance to turn to ask him the same question.
‘That makes it a unanimous decision’ Valpar announces again with a smile on his face. ‘So where do we go from here?’
‘We will have to build a transporter so that we can take some men with us to Velchitta. I have the knowhow and you have the manpower. I suppose we need to decide how many men
you want to bring with us.’
‘How many do you think we will need?’
‘Probably not as many as you would think. What I believe you may want to consider is how many of your people you want to share the wealth and the power with, if you get my meaning?’
‘So are you saying that we could do all this with say 1000 men?’
‘I think that will be far more than necessary. I was thinking more in terms of say 100 men as a maximum. 1000 looks too much like an invading army. 100 or 50 even will look more like a delegation. Remember they will believe that we have the power to back up our words and with the weaponry I will give you, you will have that power.’ As he is saying these words The Grand Master knows exactly how he is going to be able to keep his control on his helpers. He will put something into the technology of the weapons that allows him to disarm them, should it become necessary for him to show his power and might over his own men. Happy in that thought he gives his three helpers a broad smile.
‘We will easily be able to select around 50 men who will be the best all round to assist us in our quest.’
Four hands come together to seal the deal that takes them forward together.
‘I will leave it to you how you put this all to the people here. Then we must build the transporter and then inside that create the weapons we will take with us.
CHAPTER 35
Ricardo decides that he doesn’t really want to talk to the driver as he leaves the area. He doesn’t really want the man to ask too many questions which might show up Ricardo’s lack of knowledge and reason to be where he was. The first problem he has is when the driver asks him exactly where he wants to go to in Exmouth. The last thing that Ricardo wants to do is to have the man take him to the door of the place he is staying. Just in case something comes up very quickly and he leads his chasers to the door, before he has collected his stuff and left. He decides to get the driver to drop him off at the railway station. He remembers seeing that on his way into the town and it is close to where he is staying in a manner of speaking. He says he wants to see what times the trains are for when he goes back. The driver appears to pay him little heed at this as a destination. To him it is just a fare.
Ricardo sits in the back as the driver makes his way the ten miles or so to Exmouth. He notices on the way, out of the corner of his eye, that they pass an army barracks maybe halfway on the journey. He suspects that is where they would want to be taking him if he hadn’t made his escape from the hospital. He is relieved to see that there doesn’t seem to be too much activity around the entrance, although why would there be?
The journey only takes them twenty minutes. It is when the driver asks for payment that Ricardo realises that he can’t remember if he has any money with him to pay the man. He flusters as he searches his pockets in the hope that whoever took his old clothes away might have transferred what cash he did have with him into the replacement clothes. Thankfully they have and the situation resolves with him paying the driver. The taxi scoots away as soon as he is out of the car. As he has already gone round the roundabout to drop him, he is facing the right way to go back to Exeter. The taxi disappears from view within a few seconds.
Ricardo walks at a casual pace towards where he knows his place is. He arrives there a few minutes later, having passed only a few people on the way there. He has the key in his pocket, so lets himself in. He is hoping to get to his room unnoticed, but just as he is going up the stairs he hears a voice behind him.
‘I thought something might have happened to you. I mean, you didn’t say you were going to be away for a couple of days.’
Ricardo feels a slice of fear pierce his being. Has this woman found out who he is and what he’s done?
‘It isn’t a problem’ she continues without giving him the chance to respond ‘I just worried about you is all’ she finishes with.
‘I unexpectedly stayed over with the people I’m visiting’ he decides as a response. Ricardo carries on walking up the stairs. There is no more comment from the landlady thankfully.
As soon as he goes into his room he knows that someone has been in there. As soon as he opens the closet he knows that his stuff has been moved at the very least. More than that, maybe it has been looked at. When he takes out his case from the closet, that suspicion is confirmed. Worse than that, it appears as if the contents of his case are not as they should be.
He takes a quick tally of what is in there now, not that he can remember the exact quantity of cash he had in there. What he does know for sure is, that there is less than there was when he left it shut in there a couple of days or so ago. He has a look through the rest of his stuff, but it all seems to be in order. The question he has in his head now is whether he does something about it. He decides that he can’t let it go. It may not have been his money in the first place, but it is his now to all intents and purposes. They don’t have the right to take it, even if he hadn’t been back. He has paid for his room and his stuff should have been safe, even if he wasn’t here to protect it.
He shuts his door and makes his way downstairs as quietly as he can, trying not to alert her of his approach. He walks to the door he knows she always comes out of. He doesn’t knock but turns the handle to open the door, before stepping into the room beyond. Ricardo is a little taken aback when he walks in. There are four people sitting at a table. There is the landlady and three young men about his age. They are watching the door. They haven’t looked up as he opens the door, but are already watching the door ready for him to open it. Very clearly to Ricardo, they have been waiting for him to come down to see them.
This takes Ricardo a little out of his stride, as does the smiles on the faces that greet him.
‘Why don’t you sit down here at the table and we will make you a cup of coffee. Then you can tell us what you are really doing here in Exmouth. When you have done that, then we will maybe let you know what we can do for you.
The Grand Master Page 10
