The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 88

© Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Dawn Charlie’s armoured spaceship.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.
Margaret Thomas ‘Failed’ police security guard.
Sally. 1st Oz Special forces trooper
Jacky 2nd Oz Special forces trooper.
Juliet Charlie’s Mal engineering assistant.
Laura The second mate of the Second Dawn
Katie (Katherine Bergson) The Australian defence minister.
Lieutenant Engadine Asi Charlie’s second prisoner.
Charlotte Charlie and Chloe’s older daughter
Michael, Jessica & Lucy Charlie and Chloe’s younger triplets
Queen Sophia Young UQ monarch recently crowned
Princess Victoria Her fourteen-year-old daughter

Chapter 88

Charlie sat glued to the screen with a profound mixture of relief and satisfaction as he watched the mayhem erupt in the conference room of Dawn 4 where both Prime Ministers had been jointly incarcerated.

As Charlie and his companions watched in stunned silence, the UQ prime Minister was surrounded by several of her own security and it was hard to tell whether it was a defensive encirclement or an arrest. Of one thing there could be little doubt and that was the vehemence of the accusations flying back and forth.

The most prevalent charge being loudly and vociferously made was the demand to know how or why they had endangered the Princess, a mere child. The irony was that many of the UQ feminista delegation were mothers with children and the very thought of setting a child up to be murdered if necessary, for political purposes made them incandescent with rage.

Charlie reflected with silent satisfaction at this sudden turn-around. It seemed that the Princess Victoria was a skilled judge and motivator of crowds despite her tender years.

Queen Sophia was in a conundrum as to what to do. She turned uncertainly to Charlie and the Moonbase Commander.

“Should we go down there and intervene?” She asked.

“We don’t want to endanger your person your majesty,” Charlie observed, “but we do need somebody to negotiate or arbitrate.”

“What should I say?” Queen Sophia wondered.

Once again, the Princess Victoria demonstrated a wisdom beyond her years.

“Take me with you Captain Sage.”

Both Charlie and the Queen turned to stare at the Princess.

“How would that help?” Queen Sophia asked.

“You’re too important to be risked Mum if things get violent down there. If I go with Captain Sage, they will at least realise that we are safe and accessible to negotiations and discussions. They’ve already demonstrated that they care for me as a fourteen-year-old girl even if they don’t care about royalty. There must be some sort of negotiating lever we can pull from that aspect; even if it’s only to buy time.”

Queen Sophie looked uncertainly towards Charlie.

“I leave it to you Charlie, d’ you think Victoria can pull it off.”

“Well from what I made of the reaction amongst the people on Dawn 4 I think she might. What we can do though, is use Dawn 1 to take Victoria and I down to Dawn 4. It might be a good idea to take Laura as well, she can be a guard and chaperone. I can open the main service door and actually enter Dawn 4 into the main docking bay. There are currently only two guards in there at present. And they only have assault rifles so they cannot harm Dawn 1. We can talk to those two guards before we open our access door. If they are agreeable, Victoria can disembark into the Dawn 4’s docking bay.

Hopefully, we can gauge the mood of the UQ feministas from those two guards. After all, technically when they joined the force, I presume they swore allegiance to the crown and not the Prime Minister.”

“Are you okay with that Vicky?” Sophie asked.

“I can’t see a better way and Laura and Captain Sage can at least cover my back with guns. Apart from Laura’s gun, I don’t know what guns we’ve got.”

Captain Juliet then described their defence equipment.

“I’ve got several weapons in my locker and Dawn 2 is an armed merchant spaceship. We gave her that option after the Singapore affair and the assault on Riau. The trouble is, Dawn 2 is not a flying tank so we’ll have to send the princess down in Dawn 1 in case those idiots take a shot at her while she’s entering Dawn 4.

Angie is currently my second in command so she can pilot Dawn 2 while I accompany her Majesty in Dawn 3 because that’s the main communication centre for us. Engie is down with our Ozzy PM, I saw her on the cameras.

Charlie turned again to Sophia.

“That’s the best we can offer, plus of course we’ve got six Space fighters loitering overhead for protection. They’ve all got Australian pilots so I’ve little cause to think any of them have changed sides and they’ve all definitely sworn allegiance to you.”

“Very well then ladies, - oh and gentlemen! Sorry I’m not used to having men beside me. Let’s get to work.”

Soon a flotilla of three spaceships were speeding back to Earth.

ooo000ooo

Inside Dawn 1, the Princess Victoria was checking out the modest control room and compact accommodation. Then having quickly exhausted those points of interest she took the co-pilot seat beside Charlie and resumed chatting.

“She’s just like a private yacht.”

“Well I built her with that sort of thing in mind. A way of escaping the turpitudes of the whole feminista thing.”

“What stopped you?”

“My wife Chloe.”

“What was she like?”

Charlie smiled curiously.

“You mean what is she like?”

“Is she still alive then?”

“Of course she’s alive, she’s actually down there stuck aboard Dawn 4.”

“Oh my god! So she’s a hostage.”

“I’m not sure,” Charlie conceded. “Juliet might be able to tell you better than me, he’s the one commanding Dawn 3 with all the screens and information. Call him up if you want and get a sit-rep.”

“How? This console’s just packed with stuff. I wouldn’t know where to start!” Victoria confessed.

Charlie reached back to activate the communication console then reached across the bring the comms screen to life on Victoria’s dash.

Juliet’s profile appeared as he was talking to Queen Sophia. He turned to face the screen and smiled at Victoria’s image as she asked.

“Captain Juliet, Can you see Mrs Sage on any of your screens?”

“Who’s, - oh! You mean Doctor Sage, Charlie’s wife.”

“Oh, sorry I didn’t know she was a doctor, but can you see her.”

“Yes, she talking to Katie and the PM.”

“Katie who?”

“Katherine Bergson, our defence minister; they’re talking to the UQ delegation.”

“Are they safe?”

“Well they’re not in handcuffs but your PM is. She’s sat at the table with hands visible and in cuffs. Two of her own guards are beside her.”

“What’s the mood like?”

“Well, nobody’s giving much away. They’re waiting for Queen Sophia to make a show I think and we’re waiting for you to test the waters.”

Victoria exchanged glances with Charlie and Laura before finishing.

“Well, here goes nothing. What are the odds?”

“Pretty good if that Prime Minister is genuinely under arrest.”

Victoria turned to study the surface view as Dawn 1 decelerated then Charlie turned on the approach camera for docking.

“Well, there she, still on the beach and locked down. I’ll hover right up to the docking doors then open them with my mobile and we’ll enter before exposing ourselves to any bullets.”

Victoria heard the distinct ‘clack’ of Laura’s rifle being cocked and she turned to see her already wearing a heavy-duty bullet proof coat down to her thighs.

“You’d better put one on as well,” Laura cautioned as she held out the coat. “Nothing is for certain down there and a lot will depend on you.”

“Oh. No stress then,” Victoria swallowed nervously.

“Stoppit Laura, the kid’s nervous enough. She’ll need a cool head.” Charlie scolded the hard-bitten guard.

Laura grinned and as Dawn 1 finally settled in the docking bay of the huge Dawn 4, she cautiously cracked the access door open just enough to peer out.

“I can only see the two guards that the cameras showed, they’ve got their guns raised. “

“Show them a white flag,” Charlie suggested as he donned his protection.

No bullets struck Laura’s excuse for a flag so she exposed her arm while opening the access door wider. Eventually, she revealed herself and stepped out. After making a show of ‘un-cocking’ her gun she called to the two guards.

“We are here to meet the diplomatic team. The Princess Victoria is here to meet both Prime Ministers.”

“Where is Queen Sophia?” The guards demanded.

“She is aboard the other large ship, The Dawn 3. She will not present herself until she is certain of her own safety. The Princess Victoria has plenipotentiary powers to negotiate until Queen Sophia is content to appear.”

By now the Princess Victoria had concluded that if the guards were talking and they had un-cocked their own rifles, it was safe to show her face. Rashly, she pocked her head around the access door and shouted.

“Why have you not got your screen switched on?”

“Orders!”

“Who’s orders?”

“The security officer.”

“Would that be General Wilson?”

The guards exchanged concerned looks before replying, “yes.”

Victoria turned to Charlie and asked. “Can you get the ship to show the Captain’s cabin on their screen, without showing it to the rest of the ship?”

“I can try, Charlie replied as he tapped cautiously into his phone.”

As the Captain’s cabin appeared on the screen, the image of General Wilson lying still on the floor with blood everywhere, was enough to make the guards sit up and take notice.

Victoria seized her chance and bent her head down as she lifted her hair again to reveal the angry read scar at the top of her neck.

“That bitch up there did this to me. I’ve got tiny IED implanted under my skull and that bitch had it placed there. Is that the sort of butcher you work for.”

“Who are we to believe?”

“We are going to let you see what everybody else is seeing, so keep looking at your screen.”

Charlie promptly displayed the whole contents of the main screen on Dawn 3 and the guards now had a comprehensive view of the whole situation aboard their own Dawn 4. Vicky quickly seized the initiative again.

“You can clearly see that the both Prime Ministers are in the conference room. I need to speak at that conference table. Once I am safely there, my mother will land in the Spaceship called Dawn 3 and present herself to enter discussions.”

“Why is our UQ Prime Minister in handcuffs?” The senior guard demanded.

“I don’t know, except to say she had this thing implanted under my skull. It’s likely that some of the security forces felt it was improper for a Prime Minister to have assaulted a royal princess. So please; let me go to that conference room.”

The guards nodded consent and Victoria emerged fully to follow Laura and one guard through the open door that Charlie had released with the remote control on his phone. He still had total control of Dawn 4 and he was not going to relinquish it.

Minutes later Laura and the Princess Victoria entered the Conference room accompanied by several guards who had attached themselves to the couple en-passant for want of certainty.

A deathly silence dropped onto the room like a stone as the delegations recognised the royal Princess, so Victoria seized the opportunity to speak as concerned eyes settled on her.

“I’m here firstly to confirm that my mother is safe and secondly to confirm that it was the Prime Minister of the United Queendom, no less, who ordered that an explosive device be implanted in my mother’s spine and mine to try and ensure our compliance to their treasonous endeavours.

I can also confirm that it was the man Charles Sage who circumvented their actions by successfully finding, recovering and disabling the trigger mechanisms to these devices.

Thirdly, I need to meet a Doctor Chloe Sage, whom Captain Sage advises, has the surgical skill to relieve my mother and I of these vicious devices.

Finally, on behalf of my mother Queen Sophia I am Charging the Prime Minister of the United Queendom of Britain with treason against the Queen, inasmuch as she has been constrained against her free will by threat of death.

ooo000ooo