The Grand Master

by Bill Stenlake

  ‘It would be interesting if we find that George has some more power or something than a normal human. That would maybe raise the question as to whether he would have equal power to The Keeper or maybe watered down’ The Watcher brings to the table.

  ‘That is always assuming that The Keeper has any sort of power. That is assuming that there is some substance to the deterrent.’ Sinca speaks for the first time.

  ‘So where do you see yourselves in everything that is going on?’ The Watcher is trying to see where these people are going to take their stance. Baram resumes the role of talking for the trio.

  ‘We have taken the stance that we were selected to be here for a reason. We have concentrated on our defences, but we have also developed some extremely powerful weapons. We do not really want to get involved in that area. We do not want to have to fight, but we will protect ourselves if we have to. Whether our defence system will be effective against The Grand Master, we will only know if and when the time comes. The way we understand that things are going is this. The Grand Master has chosen Malis 2 as his first area of his quest. He has recruited some men from there and it would appear that he has sent them in different quadrants of the Universe. Exactly what he is doing we don’t know, as we haven’t been told that much so far. But we have to presume that he is on a quest to take over the Universe. How or what he is expecting to actually get, is anyone’s guess. The latest we have is slightly more disturbing, as it appears that after he has despatched the others on their missions, he has aimed straight for the base where the Guiding Masters are. Our best hope is that no one knows of our existence and that in time, when they have achieved as much as they are going to, the time will come when we are able to release you and your craft from this planet.’

  None of them rise to the words that mean that they are in effect prisoners on Parlantte. That is because they realised as soon as their craft was taken under control by the people of Parlantte, then they were only going to get away if they are allowed to.

  CHAPTER 65 VEE AND BAR

  As the four men with the cage move forward, the dog handlers get the dogs to back off and make way for the men to get through. Bar carefully watches the situation. It is impossible for anyone to see what he is watching, as his eyes do not move like a human eye. He doesn’t have long left to make his move, if that is what he is going to do. He doesn’t want to make it too soon, as he is watching the dogs carefully. They are backing away to their handlers, but it is the action the handlers are taking that is making him hold off. The men with the cage are now almost at him and the front two men can’t help but make an involuntary move as they pass him. They are trying not to get too close and move their feet further away from him as they pass. At the point where the cage is directly over him, he sees that the dog handlers are reaching for their dogs. How long can he wait to see if they are going to do what he thinks they are; take hold of their dogs’ collars? The four men are in place and immediately start to lower the cage. They are not dropping it, but bringing it down slowly in an attempt. Bar thinks in their eyes, it is so as not to startle him.

  The cage is dropping down as the handlers get a first hold on the dogs. This is his moment. He doesn’t have to brace, because he is not built that way. Bar just moves before the cage entraps him and his moment is lost. The ones carrying the cage cannot help but shield him from view, as they are around him. Bar dashes in the direction away from the dogs. He is out of the reach of the trap before anyone realises that he is not going to go in the cage. Then there is the immediate realisation that he cannot be fired upon, without the soldiers getting caught in their own crossfire. The dog handlers are in the process of tightening their grips on the dogs. They have wrongly assumed that their part in all this is done. Even the dogs appear to have thought their part is over, as they have relaxed.

  Bar runs in and out of the soldiers’ legs, creating some confusion. His intention is to get them off balance and he succeeds in doing that. The hedge would be his ideal direction, but that will be too close for Vee to take her chance to escape. Bar takes the decision to go in the direction of where the rest of the soldiers are, further around the mound. He is hoping that this will not be his expected route. He takes a zig-zag path out through the ring of soldiers and round the mound. The dog handlers have now realised their error and loosed the dogs. The dogs immediately set their eyes on Bar and leap into chase. Bar runs under the nearest vehicle and out the other side giving him a few more seconds’ advantage over his biggest threat. The dogs quickly realise he has escaped out the other side and spin round the front of the vehicle. The soldiers are turning and trying to block him with their hands. No one is foolish enough to try to open fire. Bar is only four inches high and is moving surprisingly fast. He has no trouble avoiding the groping hands. In fact the hands help him as the dogs are slowed by the people between them and Bar.

  Bar knows he has to make a break away from the soldiers and the vehicles, otherwise soon enough he will run out of a place to run. The dogs are quicker than he is, but he is more agile and can turn faster. The soldiers are being called to stand back, to allow the dogs room to do their job. Bar knows that he has to make for the edge of the field before it is too late. His eyes pick on a low slung vehicle. The dogs will have to stop and crouch to look under it. That he hopes will give him a little more of a lead, as he makes his dash for the edge.

  As he goes under the dogs are really almost upon him. He is so small he does not have to break stride as he goes under the car. He does a slight turn in an attempt to make the dogs think he is going to stop or go out in another direction. He just keeps running initially in a straight line to make the most of his lead. He can’t do it for long in case one of the soldiers can take a shot at him. The dogs haven’t taken as long as he would have liked running round the vehicle he’d just run under. He can hear the sound of their feet pounding along the ground. He even thinks he hears a bullet whistle past him, but he isn’t sure of that.

  The ditch at the edge of the field is fast approaching, but he can hear the dogs’ breaths almost at his back. To give him a chance he does a ninety degree turn to the left. As he turns the lead dog sticks out a paw which sends him flying. Putting the paw out has also set the dog off balance and it goes rolling over as it tries to take in the turn at the same moment. The second dog leaps over the tumbling figure of the first and comes onto Bar, who is just finishing his out of control roll. The dogs mouth opens with its jaw ready to sink into Bar. Bar turns defence into attack and leaps up at the dog, biting it on its lip. Taken totally by surprise the dog yelps and pulls back its head. The other dog has now recovered and appears at the side, but as the first dog yelps, this dog stops too in uncertainty. Bar wastes no time in his aggression. He might get away with it once but not twice. He quickly turns and dives into the ditch.

  CHAPTER 66 MARIO & TZ

  Ma eventually returns from the store. She is satisfied that she has sent the desired funds to as many as she can. She is getting texts back that some of the money has been picked up already. In some cases it is going to have to wait until the morning. But even those ones know how much is coming their way and can carry on their planning accordingly.

  By the time they have had a snack to eat and discussed what their involvement is going to be, it is in the early hours of the morning. Buzz has taken a real shine to TZ, ever since Ma got back. They have been sitting together closer and closer. Ma shows Mario to a room on the upper floor of the house. It is sparse in its furnishings, with just a bed and a large closet.

  Mario gets undressed and lies down on the bed, before the cool night air makes him slide under the covers. The house is quiet, nearly that is, except for the sound of voices drifting up from downstairs. Maria had gone to bed first, as soon as making plans was finished. She appeared less interested since Ma had got back and had paid little attention to the proceedings. In fact she has almost been disinterested in the goings on as Ma, Buzz & TZ particularly, planned their objectives for the next afte
rnoon and evening. Mario has been in there too, but whereas TZ still seems to be full of the energy that invaded her earlier, he appears to be taking a more stand-offish position.

  Ma is the keenest and it is easy to see where Buzz has got his taste for action from. Ma has seen some action in her own time and is definitely the driving force here. Ma is going to lead from the front. She is going to take one half of the men from there with her, while Buzz and TZ are going to take the rest. All three are intent with what they want to achieve and their part in that. Maria’s pen has not left the paper and the paper has not left the table. It is still where it has lain before Ma had got back. Mario has said a few words. It becomes clear that they need someone to remain at the farm to help keep everyone co-ordinated, which is what Mario feels they are steering him towards. When he volunteers, they accept almost before the words are out of his mouth, so keen are they to be part of the action themselves. Mario notes that Maria has smiled at that point, in his direction. No one else notices it, as they are too busy back into their plans and vying for the best targets for their respective teams. Not once is it suggested that Maria should take part in this assault in any way or fashion.

  While Ma had been out earlier, Maria has been on the internet ‘contacting’ people. At one point she had left the house and Mario had heard a vehicle starting up. It then drove off quietly, only to return a couple of hours later. Maria had made a short written comment soon after Ma had got back, to let them know that she has alerted her people and others and that they will be doing their bit. Ma, Buzz & TZ have almost taken that statement that Maria has already done her bit and that she won’t be taking an active part in their action.

  Mario hears Buzz and TZ coming up the stairs. They are talking in a low tone as they pass by his door. He hears the light being switched off and the ring of light round the door frame disappears. There is a little bit of light filtering in through the windows. There is a moon shining down from the sky, but it isn’t providing much light. The house is now silent and he closes his eyes to get some sleep before the big day starts in the morning. He isn’t sure if he falls asleep and is woken or if he hasn’t fallen asleep yet, when his door creaks. A light footfall comes to his ears and then the door creaks again as it is shut. Before he can sit up, he feels a hand against his face. The hand is soft and silky, as one finger finds his lips and lies across them. He feels the covers being lifted and he is being joined in the bed. The finger is removed from his lips as the person nudges up to him. His lips then feel her lips upon them in a gentle kiss. Very gently he is being kissed. He moves his arm to feel the person, the woman, lying next to him. His eyes have rested on this figure for the greater part of the day. His hands explore what his eyes have seen earlier. He can feel the beauty he’s already seen. She snuggles closer into him as he explores her gorgeous skin. All the time the kissing becomes more passionate, as she allows her hands to start to explore his body. The kissing becomes more intense, as they move as close to each other as they can get. Their legs are entwining as they continue to kiss, still their first lingering, exploring kiss. They are pushing to be closer still to each other and they are now ready to stop their kissing on the lips and start kissing each other’s body. Mario feels he has never touched skin so soft and sensitive. His manhood is telling him that he wants to take this a stage further, but he can’t but help hear the words of warning he had been told earlier. His manhood is going to win though, he feels. That is before Maria even moves her mouth to his ear and says the first words Mario has heard her speak.

  ‘Make love to me Mario.’

  CHAPTER 67 SPIRIT

  Spirit, in consultation with the system on his craft, decides that he has to go in sometime. On the balance of things he decides that the probability is that what he has been told is correct. This has been based on, because they also believe that Spirit’s target, The Keeper is not on Boristal 7 or Luvus.

  With the defence system still fully engaged, the craft is manoeuvred into position and lowers down onto the launch pad. There is no onslaught of any sort as he lands and the engines are switched off. The figure in front of them is in a non-aggressive stance. There is also no sign of any weaponry. He is standing in a central position well away from the side. A slight concern, but not a complete surprise, is that this is an android. Setting the instruments to protect him as far as is possible; Spirit opens the craft and exits. The android stays exactly in the same position all the while Spirit is moving around. Even when Spirit walks right up to him he fails to move.

  Spirit stands in front of him and sees that the android is active.

  ‘Please show me around Luvus’ he says when the android does not talk to him.

  ‘Follow me’ the android responds immediately.

  Spirit follows, although as he does so he has one hand in a pocket holding a mini micro compounder laser beam pistol. He doesn’t make it obvious, as it looks as if he is walking with his thumb just hooked in his pocket. Spirit is not so obviously an android and he doesn’t know if the android thinks he is human or not.

  The door slides open to allow then into the main corridor. It is empty, as Spirit expected it to be. The android takes him to the control room first, ignoring some obvious doorways on the way. Spirit is slightly concerned, but not overly so. The control room is empty, as are the rooms he is showed to next. Although the android is taking him on a fairly complete tour, Spirit is aware that there are some areas he is not being shown. He decides to keep his own counsel on this, until such time as the android declares that he has been shown every corner of Luvus.

  Spirit is realising that there is quite an extensive area inside for him to search. On the way round he comes across a room where he sees evidence of some human occupation. There is evidence of foodstuffs in an area which can only be described as the kitchen. When he makes a comment about this the android only replies that:

  ‘The Master needs nutrition in a way that androids obviously do not.’

  ‘So the food is only for the Master then?’

  ‘You should call him The Grand Master’ the android replies sharply.

  ‘So the food is not for anyone else?’

  ‘No. The prisoner was not fed here.’ The android let out, before seemingly realising he has said something that maybe he shouldn’t have.

  ‘That will have been The Keeper then?’

  ‘That is so’ the android replies unconcerned again about giving this information.

  ‘So he is not here then?’

  ‘No, he is not.’

  ‘Show me the rest of the rooms please.’ Spirit decides all this information really changes nothing. The android could really tell him anything it likes and he wouldn’t know if it is the truth or not. They continue in their not so systematic visiting of rooms on the different levels. The only room that is refused entry directly on the lower floor is the launch room of the missiles. The android says it is now sealed off, as the area is not safe after Spirit’s attack. He does allow Spirit to search the room by remote camera though, to satisfy that he is hiding nothing.

  Even though the search has not been done systematically, there comes a point when Spirit’s brain tells him that he has seen every room on the lower level. They move back up to the upper level, the same level where the control room is. Spirit knows that there are several rooms or areas that he has still to see. One area that has flagged up to him is that he has not seen the area where the androids are kept, charged or whatever. Judging from the fact there are at least 21 of them; that area would have to be quite large. It would account for a lot of the undisclosed area so far.

  The android shows him a couple of areas first. They look like spares and repairs areas, as there are storage ports with an impressive amount of parts. The android all the while, is quite relaxed. Spirit is of the belief that there is going to be nothing for him to find here on Luvus. Surely he would have found anything early on in his search. He has become more relaxed the further into his search he has gone. The android is going pa
st the control room towards the next section, when Spirit decides he wants to take another look at the control room.

  The android keeps walking towards the next door, not realising that Spirit has stopped some way back behind him.

  I’m going to go back in here’ Spirit announces as the android turns round realising Spirit is no longer with him.

  ‘We have not finished all the areas yet. There are two more yet to be seen by you’ the android says in a monotone.

  ‘I know, but I want to see something back in here. I need to see if I can find what route your Master has taken when he left here.’

  The android becomes agitated without warning.

  ‘You call him The Grand Master. You are not permitted to go back in there.’

  Spirit is surprised by this stance, but decides to ignore it. He makes to open the door to the control room. The android pressed a control button in the palm of his hand. The door of the control room slides open. Two androids are standing just inside the door. They have their weapons directed through the doorway at Spirit. Spirit turns quickly and notes another android move into the corridor from another room down the corridor. He removes his thumb from his pocket and stands with his hands at his side.

  ‘The Master told us someone would come. You will walk to the next door and stop!’

  CHAPTER 68 THE GRAND MASTER

  The map is downloaded under strict supervision from the androids guarding GM6 and GM7. The Grand Master sends more androids down onto the launch pad to help with the complete search of the base. There is no real urgency to complete this, but he feels the sooner it is done the safer he will feel. The search is systematic and is done effectively. There are no hidden traps and there are no surprises waiting in store in any of the places on board the base. When the androids find the core of the base, they spend a long time ascertaining the validity that O is just a system. They do that and can even confirm that the system that is O is not connected to anything else outside the base. There is no link of any kind where the system that is O can be fed any data from anywhere else. It is a complete system in its own right. It is only at this point that The Grand Master has considered the possibility that there might be some greater entity out there in the Universe or beyond, if there is a beyond.