BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 26:FRIDAY IN SECURITY.

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 9.15AM

“Hello, Maria, you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, Pris. Have a seat. So. Tell me.”

“Anything in particular?”

“Let's start with the important stuff. How are you?”

“Confused.”

“About?”

“Oh, pretty much everything. Conflicting realities and priorities, life in general, my future, my role in Security.”

“Would you like me to give you some certainty?”

“Probably.”

“Bella's wrong. I'm not expecting you to take over my job. I think it'd wipe you out.”

Pris felt like a massive weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “That's very good news.”

“Want some more?”

“Yes.”

“I've received the other's reports. Something rather important was missing from yours.”

“Oh? What was that?”

“That after a morning of punishing hill-walking walking, you pulled not-so-light Mr Dirk Smythe on a sledge for about a kilometre across uneven ground at a sprint, mostly going up hill, wearing new boots, through fifteen centimetres of snow.”

“Guilty, it was a bit silly, but I wanted to check how my stamina was. Not as good as when I did basic, I was getting tired towards the end.”

“But you were still able to hold a perfectly normal conversation at the end of it.”

“You're labouring this as though it's exceptional.”

“It is, Pris. And I checked up on your records. There was a little note from your instructor on basic, it said 'Please, please, send her to us sometime, she's passed with the highest marks we've seen in a decade and is probably able to run most of us into the ground.'”

“I didn't know I did that well. It was fun, but...”

“But most people think it's a form of torture, Pris. So, what do you think? Could you be 'firm but fair' and run circles round great big burly men who think they're strong but have no real stamina? Would it cut you to shreds to say hello, goodbye to so many people, like it would Eliza?”

“Maria, hello, goodbye is my life. As for running circles and showing them the ropes, I think I'd quite like that. And 'firm but fair' is just propaganda.”

“Oh? What are they really?”

“Lenient and entirely soft on people who are giving it 90% effort. Hard on people who need a kick in the tail for being lazy.”

“So, do you think you could do that?”

“I think I could, Maria. I think I might even enjoy it.”

“Wonderful. Consider yourself assigned. Next intake is in mid-January, so you've got some time get to know your new colleagues.”

“Where will I be based?”

“Next session is going to be near Restoration. We're going to need people there, so it makes sense to base your recruits there. Convenient for you too.”

“I hope you're not showing favouritism, Maria.”

“Not at all. I had the recommendation on my desk and approved it ages and ages before you came in the office.”

“That's all right then.”

“So. How's that confusion going?”

“I'm slowly admitting to myself that I might be falling for him.”

“Romance was certainly in the air on that trip, wasn't it?”

“Romance and repentance. I went on that trip thinking that when Dirk stopped gossiping then he had the makings of a very fine field tech guy.”

“Now?”

“Now, I'm biased. I think he is a very fine field tech guy. Humble about it, but he just understands stuff, knows stuff. He's turned to God fully realising that he can't beat temptation on his own. He was hoping that God would take it away entirely, but he tells me it's not gone, but it does go when he prays.”

“And how's his stamina?”

“He did OK. I mean, I was suffering with sore muscles and things at the end of the day, but he was fine. No sign of anyone falling behind on the walks. Well, except Bella and Trevor who decided they needed to step off the path once or twice to investigate something.”

“That something being each other's tonsils?”

“No, I think they were mostly admiring the views together. I didn't see many kisses at all. Quite a lot of hand-holding, but maybe that was just communication. They are certainly thinking marriage, by the way. I presume Bella's reported on why Trevor's resisted fieldwork?”

“Air travel.”

“Yes. I don't know if she's reported it officially, but she told me I could tell you: she wants him to talk to John about it. She's actually told him not to bother proposing until he's talked to someone at I.H.M. about it.”

“Well, since a psych-checkup is part of him taking up his new role, he's going there today. So Bella won't have that excuse any more.”

“She wasn't looking at it as an excuse, more of a source of frustration. I think if she hadn't set that condition then they'd be engaged by now. She blames the impact. I tend to agree.”

“No one's said it's going to be the end of the world, as far as I know.”

“No. But the thought of deadly rocks paying us a visit makes people think that maybe decisions shouldn't be put off.”

“Are you telling me that you and Dirk...?”

“No! No, it's too early. But we are officially going out together. Depending how we count it, then tonight is going to be our second or third date.”

“The uncertainty being?”

“Does going to a romantic beauty spot count as a first one, or if that doesn't, what about sharing a sledge down a kilometre or more of slope? We did have choice about that, after all. Or was it only the candle-lit dinner we shared last night that counts?”

“Does it matter?”

“Probably not. But anyway, from my biased opinion, Dirk's good at electrical stuff, electronic gizmos, hacking into bugs and so on. I think he'd do well in field tech.”

“OK. I think I'm going to be moving him into that role, if he's happy about that idea. They're certainly short-staffed at the moment, and he's been doing a lot of that side of things anyway. Long term, just so you're not worried about the future, someone needs to teach new recruits the basics of field tech while they're on basic training. Dirk's shown aptitude for teaching in the past, so if you two do end up marrying, I don't see why it shouldn't be him.”

“Thank you. It's too early at the moment.”

“You've said that. That's why he's not going to be there for a while. But I'm just saying that you don't need to think that the marriage would never work because of you being stuck out in the wilds half the year or something.”

“Thank you, Maria.”

“Now, moving on to your analysis of Eliza's people-centredness. Very well done. You said she agreed?”

“Yes. Going from one group of friends to another is fine, as long as she knows she'll see the ones she's leaving again. She's active, better than Bella at combat, unless Bella's cheating — using the power, that is — she's smart, she's good at making friendships, but emotionally would want to keep in contact with them all. And she's one of those personalities that everyone remembers. I'm pretty sure that red wig wasn't a long neglected prop, it's part of her natural expression of her character. I won't say she's utterly useless for low profile, she can sneak. But it's certainly not something that comes naturally.”

“So she suggested diplomatic. Ambassadorial support, maybe, and you agreed.”

“I did. I'd been thinking of it before she suggested it. I also wondered who I'd most like to see accompanied by a support worker who can put Bella on the floor four times out of five. Plus, she's said she does like travel, I'd add that's as long as she stays long enough to connect with people. And I'm sure she wouldn't mind one bit shuttling between a posting at a certain embassy I spent a lot of time at and the palace, say while the ambassador's wife was spending a little more time with her husband than she's been doing recently.”

“What do you mean, recently? I was back home most of this week.”

“I mean in general, Maria. What proportion of the last six months have you two actually slept in the same country?”

Maria ignored that question, the answer was painful. “So, you're thinking that she'd make a good understudy?”

“I do. Or at least a good assistant. I'm not recommending her for just any posting. She and Nigel do seem entirely made for one another, and posting her somewhere she'll never see him would be plain cruelty. She agrees that putting her in royal protection wouldn't be a good idea, unless someone guaranteed they were never going to be on duty at the same time. Too many hormones involved, at least at the moment.”

“I don't agree with you, Pris. Sorry.”

“Oh.”

“I don't think there's any need for her to go the diplomatic route. Too much training. I'll interview her and give her a trial as my assistant. If that works out then yes I'd love to cut down on my travel. You've been a wonderful helper, but I know it's been slowly eating away at you. Let's see if she can cope. She's been reporting to you on that case with Roland's surveillance team, hasn't she?”

“Yes.”

“Right. Tell her that she's reporting directly to me now, because you've been assigned to be firm but fair. You may also take the time to tell Dirk, about your new assignment if you like. Let Eliza know that when she judges that there's no need for her in that liaison role, I'll interview her for a new role.”

“And if she asks what the role involves?”

“Long term relationships with people, keeping herself and others safe, quite a bit of travel, but being here a lot of the time. Lots of brain-work.”

“Well, that ought to keep her guessing.”

“It does me, so why not? Go on, share you good news, Pris.”

“Yes, Maam!”

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FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 9.25AM

Trevor approached the institute on foot, taking his time. He was early for his appointment anyway. He'd spotted twenty cameras so far. Impressive security! Yet when he approached the building he wasn't challenged, and the door wasn't locked against him, there wasn't even a receptionist. It seemed totally incongruous, somehow. He looked around the lobby, wondering what he should do, which door to knock on.

“Hello, Trevor,” a voice came from behind him. “Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah, Bella didn't say you'd be coming today.”

“She didn't know. Nor did I until I was on my way to work this morning.”

“John, my husband, will be talking to you.” [ Informed consent, the interview can be silent if you like, and since you're a friend I'll add that no touch is necessary.] she added, then opening the door to a waiting room, she continued, “He's with another client at the moment, would you like a tea or coffee?”

He was taken aback to hear Sarah's mental voice, but he suddenly realised what the tiara discussion the day before had been about. “Tea please. I'm pretty sure that Bob and Christine Coal would would send their love too, if they'd known I'd be coming.”

“Oh? You met them both?”

“Yes. They invited us for lunch, and we were told to accept and explain our visit. I'm afraid that those discussions mean that all of us now know about your cousins, and your inheritance.”

“Well, that's not a secret that'll be secret very long, once Karen gets married.”

“They also, naturally enough, asked about you. Did you know they weren't permitted to visit you once Bob was able to?”

“I... suspected. The aunt who raised me was a great believer in not dragging up memories from the past.”

“I hope Bella wasn't giving anything away she shouldn't have, it didn't make any sense to me at the time, but she asked if they remembered your tiara, they responded cryptically and then Bella spoke about it getting broken.”

“Oh! It hadn't occurred to me that thay'd know anything about it, but yes, it makes sense. I wonder if they know anything about how it was made.”

“It is something to do with the power?”

“As far as I can work out, it either artificially hid my thoughts from others, or stopped me from hearing thoughts. Possibly both. It certainly meant that I couldn't hear thoughts properly until God healed me and gave me the gift. So, I didn't grow up with the power, not really. Nor did John, for that matter. God surprised us both. I'm not entirely sure why, but the rest of the gifted didn't get in contact with us either.”

“Maybe they didn't know about you?” Trevor suggested.

“Possible, I suppose. We certainly didn't know about them, or how to use the gift to find them at the beginning.”

“Can I ask... why do I need to know this?”

“Good question.” Sarah pondered. “I think it's because in some ways, you and Bella are experts with a lifetime of experience, whereas we're beginners. Anyway, I probably owe it to you for my bit of stirring a week ago.”

“Oh, that was you, was it?”

“It was. Guilty as charged. I see wasn't listening to her in quite the normal way, I don't really know why. I picked up some other people's thoughts in the background, mostly very fuzzy. Your confusion about how you felt was quite clear through, I guess because you were close and really wanted to know. Seeing how much you wanted to know, I had a quick peak at your top level emotions, not thoughts even, and told Bella to tell you that you were hopeful.”

“We're both a bit more than hopeful now.”

“Or hopeful about other things?” Sarah suggested.

“Hmm. I have hopes, dreams and plans, yes.”

“I'm happy for both of you, and I promise I won't tell Bella you're here. That'd be illegal, anyway.”

“Oh, that reminds me. Christine would probably want to say hello if there's someone here called Kate, and anyone else who remembers her. She apparently used to work here before your father offered her a better job.”

“Well! Someone's been skirting close to the law then.”

“Pris. And she didn't say Kate worked here, she just said that an experienced counsellor called Kate had become a Christian through you.”

“I might have known, she's a tricky one. I'll tell Kate, though. I didn't know Christine used to work here.”

“The price of secrecy.”

[Sarah, coast is clear, now.]

“Indeed. John says he's ready. I'll show you the way and then leave you in his expert hands.”

----------------------------------------

Trevor had agreed to John's suggestion that they do the rest of the interview first and then look at the fear. So, after amassing enough data to be quite certain that Trevor's mind was working properly, John asked him about his fear. He reported back:

“Trevor, I've had a look at your thoughts, and what I can tell you is that you have an aversion of flying.”

“Urm, I know that, John.”

“Perhaps I should explain. Normally, fears are based on something, you know, someone got bitten by a particular dog and the child heard of it and built it into a fear or all dogs. Or they were wearing a yellow T-shirt and the child decided that there was a connection between yellow T-shirts and getting bitten by a dog and now doesn't like any yellow clothes, but they've totally forgotten why. You're not like that. Deep down, the reason that you're afraid of flying is that sitting in your mind there's a very strong thought that flying is a scary thing and you shouldn't ever do it.”

“Does that make me insane?”

“No. Not at all. I've seen similar, baseless thoughts. Some of them were from God, others were from another source entirely.”

“And if you had to guess, who would you say was origin?”

“If I had to guess, I'd say God. It doesn't affect your life, it doesn't affect your relationships or your church-going. Unless you ever discover that there's a medical reason that you shouldn't fly, or something like that, then I think the safest thing, the most obedient thing to do is stay away from planes the rest of your life. I'll get Sarah to look if you like, for a second opinion.”

“If it's no trouble.”

[Sarah, can you come? Oddity, in Trevor's mental landscape.]

[His fear of flying?]

[Baseless.]

Sarah locked the screen on her terminal and went there.

“You'd like me to have a look?”

“Yes please.”

“OK, Trevor can you think about when you first knew you were afraid of flying?”

She focussed her thoughts on him, looked at the thoughts and memories, then mentally stepped back and analysed. There was the baseless fear of flying, and there, next to it were his first memory of it. He'd been at church, a missions presentation, about flying aid into a troubled country. Trevor had been fascinated, and briefly considered it as a career path. Deeper still, she saw that he'd prayed that God would show him what he should do. He'd been surprised to find himself afraid of flying, and there'd been a thought too: 'Never fly'.

“Did you remember anything?” she asked him.

“There was a thing about flying for God. I was thinking maybe I'd be a pilot. I think even I prayed about it. I don't know how old I was. Small.”

“It's often the way that we can see more than than people can bring to mind, so don't worry. Yes, you prayed. And you got an answer, too. You got the fear and you got the command: 'Never fly.'”

“You're right! I remember now.” Trevor said “I told my parents that God had spoken to me.”

“So, Trevor. I think it's very simple.” John said. “Your fear of flying is not something you want to be cured of. It's something that helps you not to disobey God.”

“Thank you. Nice to know I'm sane. And no wonder I fought so hard against my brother if God's told me not fly. I think I'd prefer to die than disobey.”

“Now I need to work out how to phrase this to make it acceptable to an atheist.” John said.

“I don't think you need to, John.” Sarah said. “I mean, an atheist wouldn't accept our testimony, would they?”

John thought about it. “I'm going to write 'Investigation has shown that his profound aversion of flying is motivated by and linked to an early years religious experience. Subject believes he informed his parents of this at the time. Their memory has not been confirmed. However, now that this has come to light, it is inextricably linked to his present-day deeply held beliefs. Subject should be expected to view flying as a violation of his commitment to God, and to resist any attempts to make him do so accordingly.' Happy?”

“Yes.” Trevor agreed. “I'm not sure Bella will be.”

“She may not be happy, but she should understand.” Sarah said, “the question is, would you like me to take a few seconds to tell her now, so she can do any screaming and shouting in private, or would you like to tell her yourself?”

“You think she'll scream and shout?” Trevor said.

“No idea.” Sarah said. “How much has she got her heart set on flying anywhere?”

“I don't think she has, but it sounded like she'd like the option.”

“So. Back to my question. Would you like me to tell her?”

“No. I'll do it.”

----------------------------------------

9.45AM

“Dirk, was it you?” Pris asked accusingly, once he answered her phone-call. She had the video off so he'd not see her grin.

“What?”

“Grassed me up to Maria,” trying to pretend to be angry, but she was too happy.

“What about?”

“You mean you grassed me up on lots of subjects?” She burst into laughter “Sorry, I can't keep this up. Did you tell Maria I pulled you on the sledge?”

“Yes. Did I get you in trouble?”

“No. You got yourself in big big trouble. The next time I see you you're going to get a big sloppy kiss.”

“I'm confused, Pris. You sound happy, and your sentences don't quite connect.”

“Well I think they do. Would you like a hint?”

“Yes please.”

“Tough, I can't think of any, so I'll just tell you straight. Because of your testimony to my stamina, Maria looked up my record from Basic. They put in a request for me to go on staff, there and then. I'm going to be 'firm but fair', Dirk. Can you imagine it?”

“Hated by half of security.”

“And loved by the ones who need it, yes. Pushing people so they know what their real limits are, not just the edges of their comfort zones. It takes stamina, got it. It takes reading people, got it. It takes being able to sneak up on people, got it. It takes field experience, got it. It takes the ability to look to people's best interests, no matter how much they're moaning, I'm not sure if I can do it, but I'll try.”

“You can do that last one, too, Pris. I mean, look at how you've been applying cold hard logic to our relationship.”

“Speaking of which.”

“Yes?”

“It looks like I'm not going to be vanishing in a cloud of dust. Therefore, some of that cold hard logic rather falls apart, and I can admit something to myself.... I'm falling in love with you, Dirk Smythe.”

“I love you too, Priscilla Robertson. So, why am I in trouble?”

“Because now I've admitted that to myself and to you, then sooner or later I'm going to introduce you to my family, and you're going to need to introduce me to yours, and then where will we be, eh?”

“Building up everyone's expectations,” Dirk said, “not to mention each other's.”

“Exactly. See? You've landed yourself in in trouble.”

“I don't mind that sort of trouble, not if you're with me.”

“Now that was a good answer. I'd better tell your sister about her new future too.”

“Oh?”

“You can ask her sometime. Not on work time. In case you're wondering, Maria told me I could tell you about my lovely new role.”

“You don't mind giving up being a courier?”

“For this? No, not at all!”

“I'm very glad.”

“So am I. See you tonight!”

“See you tonight, Pris.”

----------------------------------------

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 10AM

“Hi, Eliza. Any progress on the case while we've been away?”

“Yes. They've been busy. All of them decided to confess everything. Basically, they're wrapping up the loose ends.”

“So, you're not needed there any more?”

“Not really.”

“Then while I'm on my way down to Restoration, to learn how to be firm but fair, it looks like you're due here in the capital ”

“You're being assigned to staff on basic training?”

“Yes. Aren't I the lucky one!”

“Urm, I guess so. It's not something I'd enjoy, all those goodbyes.”

“Oh, I'm used to general goodbyes, as you know. But it means I don't need to say goodbye to Dirk, which simplifies things no end. Anyway, Maria wants to interview you for a new role.”

“Maria herself?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Can you tell me what the role is? Is it diplomatic?”

“I can't tell you the role. I can tell you some of the things it involvles, if you like.”

“Yes, please.”

“Long term relationships, keeping yourself and others safe, quite a lot of travel but having said that, you'll be in the capital a lot of the time. And lots of brain-work.”

“That sounds like some kind of mutant flying analyst-cum-bodyguard. Sounds like it fits me, though, even if it's nothing I've ever heard of. When do I go?”

“Good question. The answer might be now. I'll just ask.”

“Just so I know... should I go expect to stay in the capital?”

“Always safer to be prepared. I'll ask that too.”

“Thank's Pris.”

----------------------------------------

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 11.30AM

“Thank you for getting here so soon, Eliza.” Maria said.

“Pris said that I should grab clothes for a week and jump on the next hypersonic, so I did.”

“Well done. Being able to move that fast is a very good point in your favour.”

“I err, do have a reservation for a trip this weekend. Is it a problem if I'm not here?”

“Not at all, have a good holiday. Now, tell me what you know about this job.”

“Pris told me there'd be brain-work, travel, long term relationships and keeping people safe.”

“Were those her exact words?”

“No, I summarised. Would you like me to repeat them?”

“Yes, please.”

Eliza thought back and said “Direct quote: 'Long term relationships, keeping yourself and others safe, quite a lot of travel but having said that, you'll be in the capital a lot of the time. And lots of brain-work.'”

“Well done. You've just proved you've got a good memory. That's important. So, Is that all you know?”

“I know that you're interviewing me, and that I need a good memory.” She made a guess, the only thing she'd been able to come up with in the last frantic hour: “I don't know how relevant it is, but I know that Pris has been reassigned to be staff on basic training.”

“If it were relevant, then where might your thoughts lead you? Walk me through the process.”

Eliza tried to keep her emotions under control, and her thoughts in order. “I'm aware that in the last week, maybe before too, Bella has been labeling Pris as your assistant, maybe even understudy. I'm also aware that Pris's reaction was to say 'I'm a courier!', but that she's very happy to be moved to basic training. So my hypothesis is that either she hadn't thought of that possibility at all, or her 'I'm a courier' protest was directed against the role that Bella had allocated her. I'm also aware that Bella's assumption wasn't groundless, and that Pris moving to a full-time training position will mean that she can't continue in the different tasks where she's been representing you. I can imagine that such a role as the one Pris has been fulfilling would indeed match all the aspects of what she told me.”

“You're wrong in that last bit.” Maria said. “Pris has had no need to protect anyone except herself. Nor has she travelled far at all. So correct your analysis and tell me about your role.”

“Urm. OK. I can imagine that the sort of role Bella's been ascribing to Pris would fit the description.”

“Who do you think you'd be protecting?”

“Ultimately, the Royal Family and thus the nation, more immediately, you?”

“Good guess, who else?”

“Anyone I was taking instructions to? I'd need to make sure the information I had didn't get into anyone else's hands.”

“Yes. You'd be acting as a special courier, part of the time, but not often. Mostly, we'd leave couriers to do that. I'd imagine that you'd be taking a lot of travel load from me, eventually. I'd be staying at home with my long-suffering husband, and you'd be visiting me one day a week, or so, to tell me things in person that can't go electronically.

The travel time is about six hours, plus or minus a couple, depending on the connection. You'll probably be able to do it as a long day trip, I know I have done. If there's not time you can stay over, or I could meet you half way. You wouldn't be getting all the information, of course. Already I get a lot at home. What you'd be doing, again this is probably a year away, is relaying stuff to their majesties. Which is where I take a little pause for you to reflect. Again, I'd like to hear your thought processes.”

“I'm honoured, maam. I don't particularly understand why me, but I feel really honoured to be considered for this posting.”

“You realise, I presume that it's more of a career path than a posting?”

“I, urm, was trying not to think of that maam. It's scary enough to consider it as a posting. I don't understand why it should be me.”

“Let me explain it to you then. I'm turning fifty relatively soon. I have about fifteen years before I'm due to retire, and while I've no plans to retire early, it is normally expected for the head of Security to... shall we say fade into the background and adopt a more advisory role. The minimum time for on-the-job training, if we are to have a smooth transition, is five years. Ten is better. This automatically rules out of consideration anybody over forty, or we can't guarantee a good transition to whoever who comes after them. And of course that depends on there being an agreed on trainee, which you're not going t be for quite a while yet. Add a year or two for the other heads of departments to get to know and trust the individual, and you're looking for someone thirty-eight or younger. But, like I say, that's the upper limit. Twenty five or so makes more sense. So, I've got about three or four years to find someone roughly twenty-five years old, who I can put through their paces as an assistant. Yes, Bella was sort of right: Pris was stuck with regular hospital visits and I gave her some assistant type tasks. I wasn't very confident that she'd cope with it, and it's pretty clear that she hated some aspects of it. You're not the only candidate, but you're the only candidate who's at all feasible now, and seeing how much Pris helped, makes me realise that having an assistant is a very good thing indeed. If you decide the job's not for you, then tell me, and we'll find someone else. There's time. There's plenty of time, and if home wasn't an embassy a long way from here then I wouldn't be asking, I expect. But it is. You seem to have the potential, you've got roughly the right character traits. So, you get first stab at it. You might find out you can't work with me, I might decide you're better suited to another job. We'll see, OK? Unless you want to tell me the challenge is too much.”

“I don't easily turn down a challenge, though I am able to admit when I'm beaten.”

“I noticed that in the reports I got about this last week.” Maria paused “I have a personal question for you. Nigel: There's quite an age gap.”

“Yes, we've talked about it.”

“Brutal time, sorry. Given that men on average still die younger, you're probably going to be a widow a long time. Also, assuming you don't want to have kids at university when he retires, then you've got about ten years before your last child is born. Some women don't start until their mid thirties. If you accept this role, if you do well, and if you are selected as my successor, I will tell you now, when you start training, then you'll basically be living in my pocket. You don't want to be doing full-on training with a toddler who can't be without mummy. It would just about work with a babe-in-arms, but they don't stay that size for long. It would be far better to wait until you're actually confirmed in my place. In other words, seven to twelve years from now. The other option is that you work as my assistant far longer than you need to and start your family very soon, so that any children you have are at least in school by the time you start training. We can delay the onset of your training up to seven years, maximum. At which point, of course, we'd all be hoping and praying that we've got a replacement couple at the embassy, and I can be living here. Otherwise either you don't see your children or I don't see my husband.”

“Oh. So, say, four kids at two year intervals, like my parents had, is just going to be impossible?”

“Not impossible. But sufficiently difficult that I'd say that if that's your dream, it'd be better to take this job as my assistant — I do need one — but not think of it as a stepping stone anywhere so much as helping me out, and a chance to see a bit of the world and be near Nigel at the same time.”

“This isn't something I've talked about with Nigel at all, but thank you. I hadn't thought through those implications.”

“I'm just speaking from experience, Eliza. We thought it all through and decided to wait, but God sent us Karen unexpectedly, part of the way through my training. I must say that a new baby and taking over at the same time would have been even worse.”

“If it's not rude to ask; you didn't think of having more than one child?”

“We'd been assigned to the embassy. It made absolutely perfect sense for us to do it; we knew the president personally from our days in fieldwork, and had, still have, a good relationship with him. But looking after the embassy, plus the interesting bits of Security, plus a toddler, plus a new baby? I think that would have been rather too much. I know we did then. The other reason for accepting the embassy, of course, was keeping away from my brother.”

“I don't think I've been officially told who your brother is.”

“But you've worked it out?”

“Cousins, dresses, cameras, wedding dates. Yes.”

“It's going to be fairly obvious in eight days time, when the world sees Karen in that spectacularly famous dress, and just as confirmation Eliza and Albert are at the wedding.”

“Yes. Well, at least the fact that they're cousins.”

“My maiden name goes on the marriage certificate.”

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“And that becomes a matter of public record.”

“If the press have any sense, they'll also spot Sarah as bridesmaid, look up who she is and see that her mother wore the dress too. That was a high society wedding, too. And just to grind it into everyone's faces, Karen and Sarah are going to be bridesmaids at Eliza's wedding.”

“Isn't the correct phrase 'matron of honour' if they're married?” Eliza asked.

“Oh, you've been reading old books?”

“I guess so.”

“It used to be the right phrase, for a married head-bridesmaid or 'maid of honour', at least in some parts of the world. But really, I'm not aware of there ever being a restriction on someone stopping being a 'lady's maid' in the sense of helper, just because they got married. So if a lady can have a married maid, why can't a bride?”

“Oh, thanks. That makes sense of it for me. So, one more secret escapes. Does it have practical repercussions?”

“Not so many for me. Quite a lot for Karen, you know she's joining the service? I don't think it'll be Security with the public profile she'll have. Oh, by the way, you have a lot of studying to do, for which you can partly thank my niece's research.”

“Oh?”

“Parliament have just voted in a new law. Civil service promotions are on hold until the candidate has passed a civics exam.”

“Does that affect Pris, too?”

“No. Courier to pretty much anything is at best a sideways move. But witness protection to director's assistant? Certainly a move up. There's a grace period. I can move you into the post and give you the duties, but you don't get the pay-rise until you've passed, and it's not back-dated. And if you decide to be lazy and not study, then the only direction your career goes from now on is down. Sorry.”

“I'd better get studying then. Where and when can I take the exam?”

“That is part of the problem. The spending freeze makes setting up exam centres rather hard, so you'll quite possibly need to hunt around for a school with an exam being sat, then sit it along with the spotty teenagers. The exam used to be set in schools anyway, so apart from the age differences, and of course the difficulties of school security, why not? There ought to be some guidance offered over the weekend.”

“So, like I don't know how many other civil servants, I need to find an old school textbook, find a school, and apply for the exam?”

“That's about it. Karen and George are in the same boat, only civil-service recruiting decided that it was easier to put everyone's entire application process on hold until the applicants manage it, than to track down who had and hadn't done it this year.”

“So, they have five days to do it before they cause a major disruption to the serenity of the exam hall?”

“Yes. I assure you that we're aware of the situation. Otherwise they'll sit it as part of their finals, which is also possible, but just means less time to revise in an already over-busy exam schedule.”

“And their wedding is all organised?”

“I certainly hope so. So, your brain has had some time to assimilate stuff. Does it need more, or do we move to interview stage three?”

“What's stage three?”

“We go and talk to their majesties.”

----------------------------------------

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 5.45PM

“Hello, handsome.” Eliza said, totally surprising Nigel.

“I thought we were meeting at the station?”

“We were. That was before I got reassigned.”

“Reassigned?”

“I'm allowed to tell you. I'm Maria's new assistant, and Pris is learning how to be firm but fair.”

“She's got the stamina for that job.” Nigel nodded, “But I think I must have misheard you.”

“I don't think so. Assistant to the director of field operations. Confirmed by their majesties this afternoon.”

“Gulp.” he said and turned away.

“What's wrong?”

“You're going to end up knowing too much, aren't you?” he asked the wall he was facing, feeling like the ground had opened under him, and plunging into despondency.

“Too much for what?”

“To talk to me.” Nigel said.

“Nigel, what are you talking about?”

“Isn't it obvious?”

“No.”

“I'm happy for you, but it's the end of us, isn't it?”

“Why?” she asked, incredulous.

“Surely you're not that naïve?”

“I think I must be, Nigel, and Maria must be, because we were talking about family planning if I end up, in two to seven years, getting selected to be trained up to take over her job. Neither she nor I thought it meant the end of our relationship.”

“How can it not be? You'll have so much going on in your head that you can't talk to me about because of clearance issues, and you'll want to talk to someone about it. It'll pull us apart.”

“Nigel, you've got clearance, remember? Where did you get that rubbish? It's not like you're a civilian. Oh. Is that where it came from?”

“What do you mean?”

“You told me, after you'd broken up with Wilma. Did it come from the psych-counsellor, telling you it would never have worked out anyway?”

“I guess it might have. You think it can work?”

“Of course it can work, Nigel. I mean, we'll probably both get bumped up to one alpha or something, but it can work. I'm sure we can talk about things. But shouldn't we be moving?”

“Do you have your stuff?”

“Yes. I left it at the station. Good job I was all packed.”

“I'll just grab my stuff.”

“Need a hand?”

“I can manage, but if you've really got nothing to carry, yes please. You're not changing into your dress?”

“It's at the station too. But I'm now based here: I'm apparently just down the hall from Bella.”

“That's handy for going out isn't it?”

“Yes.”

“I looked at my armor last night.”

“Badly rusty?”

“I knew I'd not be wearing it for a while, so I sprayed it all over. So there's only a tiny bit of rust in one space where I missed. But there's a bigger problem.”

“You're not the same shape as you used to be?”

“Worse. The rust protection I used must have attacked the straps. They're falling apart; I'll need to find a complete set if I'm going to put the armour on. Hopefully there's someone selling them at the tournament.”

“There probably will be. So, court wear for you tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that's nicer to hug, anyway. By the way, I'm planning to spend the trip up embroidering your belt. Can't have you wearing a lie, can we?”

“Thank you, Eliza. I'm actually wondering if I should take the armour at all. It'll take an hour or more to redo the straps, and I can't imagine turning up to church in full plate. I'd be a bit out of place, I think.”

“You'll fit right in. Christine said the pastor at one of the local churches is a reenactor, and there'll be a service on site.”

“And there I was thinking that you swapping contact details was just your psychological quirk.”

“Very useful quirk.” Eliza said. “Speaking of which, why don't we call them and ask if there'll be anyone with straps for sale?”

----------------------------------------

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 6.00PM

“Hi Bella!” Trevor greeted her with a kiss and his thoughts hidden as they met at their agreed spot — just outside the palace. Bella, Trevor noticed had traded the practical clothes she'd worn the past week for the dress she'd worn on their previous evening out. “You look stunning.”

“You're biased, but thank you. You're looking rather elegant too. So, how was your first day back at the office?”

“Mostly away from the office. But can I ask about yours first?”

“I already asked you first.”

“I know. But some things in my day are probably going to keep coming up the whole evening. So, anything you can and want to tell me about your day?”

“Yes. I missed you, especially at lunch time. A cryptic note saying 'Sorry, I can't come for lunch, but people you know say “hi “, meal out tonight in apology.' does not exactly compensate for missed hugs. Nor does it explain why you're still keeping your thoughts hidden.”

“Neither of us are dressed for a long walk in this weather, but can we walk a bit before we catch a transport?”

“Of course. It's not too cold yet, and this is warmer than it looks.”

“I hope so. OK, nothing else you want to tell me before I derail your thought processes?”

“Not really. The usual to here, from there sort of stuff. I did meet Pris, with a massive grin on her face. She's got a new assignment.”

“Oh, formally assigned to be Maria's assistant?”

“No, formally escaped from that future, hence the grin. She's going to be firm but fair, apparently.”

Trevor was silent for a bit then said “I can imagine that working incredibly well. I mean, she doesn't look like she could run us all into the ground, but she did, didn't she?”

“She did, yes, and that was after a few months of mostly desk-work. Imagine what she'll be like once she's really back to full fitness? She'll have those poor tough-guy recruits in tears. Plus I think she's going to love sneaking up on people to scare the living daylights out of them when they're on night watch.”

“She did it to us enough, yes.”

“So, who says hi?”

“John and Sarah. I got told to go and get my head checked over as part of my new job.”

“Oh wow. And? What did they dig up? Are you fixed already? How long do they think it will take?” Trevor heard Bella's enthusiasm and hoped what he said wasn't a going to hurt her too deeply. He stopped and looked into her eyes, pleading with her to understand.

“My fear isn't at root a fear; it's an aversion, and it helps obedience. When I was six there was a missionary pilot visiting our church, and it sounded like fun. I prayed about whether I ought to be one of them. God answered 'never fly', and to make it clear planted my aversion in my mind. It seems that it would be sin for me to fly. I don't know why.”

“Oh. Nothing to fix then? But no flying for you.” It was a surprise. She'd assumed, with everyone else, that eventually his fears would be cured, that he'd be able to fly eventually.

“No. Not unless I'm forced to break a specific command.”

“Trevor, that changes things doesn't it?” Bella said in a neutral voice. She was happy — no delay — and a little sad too, that they'd never see as much of the world as she'd hoped.

“How do you mean?” Trevor asked, fearful.

Bella, hearing his fear realised that he needed reassurance of her love, and gave him a bright smile, “My stupid condition is null and void. Can I give you a hug? You sound tense and worried and I think you need one. And stop hiding, or you'll get stuck.”

“Bella, be sensible. If you hug me when I'm not hidden...”

“Then you'll hear my heart singing.” She said, laying her head on his shoulder.

“I was afraid that you'd say it wouldn't work.”

“Just stop it, or I'll propose to you.” she kissed him, “Trevor, it's not like you've got cancer or anything. We can have a happy life together without going anywhere exotic. And stop hiding.”

“Bella, if I unhide like this then we might get feedback.”

“And if you don't then you'll get stuck.”

“We said we'd not risk that until we're engaged.”

“Then get on with asking, if you're ready to, or tell me you're not.”

“I can't ask you like this.”

“That's true. You need to do it mind to mind.”

“You never said that.”

“I've just decided.”

“How do I ask you mind to mind if we're going to be risking thought-blotting-out feedback?”

“Trevor, do you want me to ask you?”

“I love you very much Bella, will you marry me?”

“As long as you can ask me that with your mind. You're worrying me.”

Trevor tried to unhide. “Rightly, it seems.” he said, and concentrated on being a bubble. It didn't take long for him to hear Bella's concern, and then he was out. [Bella, I'm out. Will you marry me?]

[{relief}Good to hear your thoughts, Trevor. Of course I will. I've been wanting you to ask me for at least half a week.]

[What about your declaration that I needed to get fixed first?]

[It was inconvenient. Anyway, you've tried; it can't be done, let's get on with important things. Did you notice, no feedback.]

[Yet. I'm trying hard to keep my emotions under control.]

[Me too. This is too nice to break it with feedback.]

[Bella, nice though this is, we do have a reservation.]

[Too far away to walk?]

[Too far to go at this speed.]

[So's five metres. Shall we start walking?] she pointed out.

[Yes, my beloved fiancée{joy,love}]

They started walking, hand in hand.

[I love you too, but your emotions are starting to leak.]

[That's amazing.]

[Why?]

[They're only leaking, not filling the whole world. Maybe Sarah was right.]

[What?]

[We've got more expertise than them in some things.]

[You're used to keeping your emotions from leaking?]

[Maybe I am. I don't know. What about you?]

[My Mum's got the power. Of course I am.]

[I'm not sure, but sometimes I think Fido can pick things up, so yes, I do try not to project emotions round him.]

[Now that's a interesting thought. More experiments for the institute to do some year.]

[Handy skill in a guide dog.]

[Hmm. So you think people might have been breeding for it, unknowing?]

[It's as good an explanation as any.]

[You've never picked anything up from him?]

[There's a lot of fur on him. And I while know there are some pet owners who let their dogs lick them, I've always thought 'yuck'.]

[I'm glad to hear you say that. There's two questions I'm going to get asked, when I tell people we're engaged.]

[Can they see your ring and have we set a wedding date?]

[Yes.]

[Well, let's wait a bit on the latter.]

[And the ring?]

[I don't want to risk dropping it in the dark.]

Dropping hands, Bella said “I love you, Trevor.”

“I love you too, Bella.”

----------------------------------------

FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER 6.20PM

“Hello William, long time no see.” Nigel said to his old friend. He'd aged, Nigel noticed, but then Nigel expected he had too.

William was amazed, “Nigel! I thought you'd abandoned us for ever! It certainly felt like it. Eliza, I know you said you'd be bringing a man I knew, but you could have given me a hint! How many years has it been?”

Before he answered, there was something Nigel felt he had to check up on. “Majesty, the lady Eliza, wearing the belt of your court, bid me welcome to return to the kingdom. Is this the case, in truth, or didst thou indeed issue a writ of treason against me for entering into the bodyguard of the high king, as thou raged at our last meeting?”

“Erm. I rather think I might have. Sorry.” William admitted, shame-faced.

“You did what!” Eliza exclaimed.

“Things got a bit heated, Eliza. Nigel told me he wasn't going the be in my bodyguard, I told him I needed him, and I wasn't going to let him just resign like that. He said I'd do perfectly well without him. I said he'd better turn up at the next meeting or I'd pass a writ of treason against him. He told me to grow up, and get used to not seeing him around. Since there were witnesses to me threatening the writ, I expect I signed it the next meeting. And we got used to not seeing Nigel around.”

“And did perfectly well without me.” Nigel said.

“I think I grew up a bit too.” William admitted, “Good job that we're going to be guests of another kingdom though, or I'd need to put Eliza on trial for offering welcome to a traitor.”

“If that's necessary, I demand trial by combat, your majesty. Personally," Eliza said, smiling sweetly as William winced. “After all, I've heard you say a number of times how it would be good to have Sir Brokennose back amongst us, and made no mention at all that you'd declared him traitor. I'm sure that God will ensure that victory goes to the righteous.”

“OK, OK, I admit it was a stupid, vindictive thing to do.” William said.

“So where does that leave us?” Nigel asked.

“Wondering where everyone else is.” William said.

“Oh, that's easy. I told you six twenty and everyone else half past, so you could have some private time with your old friend. I didn't know you'd gone and exiled him, but Nigel told me you'd argued, so I thought it might be good to not have crowds around. And I did give you a clue. William. I specified this meeting point.”

“Which was always where I suggested we meet,” Nigel added, “If you remember.”

“I do remember, I did, even, and thought it's a long time since I've met anyone there.”

“So, you had your clue. You know who I work for, and you know what Nigel's job is, so you had enough to work it out, I think.”

“Yes, all right. You're clever, Eliza and I'm not. Nigel, did Eliza tell you I'd had to sell the plane?”

“Yes. Sorry to hear that.”

“Another business venture like that one and I'm going to lose my house too.”

“What went wrong?”

“Financially, the usual. I ignored expert advice.”

“You got expert advice and then ignored it? Any particular motive?”

“She was very pretty, a friend, and I wanted to help her.”

“And she ran off with the money?” Nigel asked, half joking.

“No! No, sadder than that. She died; it was sudden heart failure according to the coroner. I'd guaranteed the loan she took out to set up in business — a smithy — and when she died she dropped what she was working on, that started a fire which pretty much gutted the place. So the bank said no smith, no smithy, hand over the money. There's a small chance her insurance might pay up eventually, but it'll probably be a long time.”

“Oh.” Nigel said. “Sorry, I shouldn't have joked.”

“It's OK. It was a year ago. I'm not about to break down in tears. But if you know anyone recruiting a pilot or ski instructor or anything else you can think of that I might be able to do, please do tell.”

“Ski instructor?” Eliza asked.

“Grand scheme number eight, I think it was. I did ski-instructing as a winter-vacation job as a student, I've got the certificates and everything. I saw this second hand ski-tow, dirt cheap. I thought, yeah, buy a bunch of skis, hire a nice steep farmer's field for the winter, within an easy commute of the capital, hey presto: instant ski-school, loads of money!”

“What happened?”

“I got the ski-tow, bought the skis, then the deal for the field fell apart, I couldn't find another one that winter, or the one after, gave it up as a dead loss and went on to schemes nine, ten and I think the forge was number twenty.”

Eliza and Nigel looked at each other.

“Have you still got the skis and the ski-tow?” Eliza asked.

“Yes, I just kept on hoping, you know. The skis are still in their nice shiny wrappings at home, the ski pull is collecting bird's nests at the end of the barn.”

“You need to talk to a man called Bob Coal.” Nigel said.

“The Jester?” William asked.

“Yes.” Eliza confirmed “He was just telling us yesterday that he'd love to put some kind of ski-lift up this hillside he's in charge of, between the cabins and the tournament field. We went down the slope on a sledge. It was great fun.”

“You said it was good weather up there for skis, Eliza, you didn't say we could be skiing to the tournament!”

“Problem?” Nigel asked, realising that William's long-bow case had skis in it as well as his bow.

“Not at all. But it sounds a glorious idea. You really think he wants my ski lift?”

“I think he thinks he wants an instant ski-hire company so he doesn't need to gamble on the skis. He was talking about using a tractor to take people to the top of the slope. The grand scheme is a cafe near the peak with some kind of all-year chairlift or cable-car. The views are impressive, but I think he knows he needs to start on a smaller scale.”

“And he really owns that much land?”

“He's director of the land management company. Mostly it's woodland, like where the cabins are, but by the sound of it they own three quarters of the mountain, the rest is a national park.”

“And you went down on sledges?” William asked. “How steep is it?”

“Depends where you are. We weren't crazy enough to go straight down. I'm pretty sure you could use a drag lift to take you to near the top, though.”

“That's what I wanted to hear.”

“Here,” Nigel said, unfolding the screen of his wrist unit, “scene from the top.”

“Ooh. Pretty views. You went up there in your full garb, Eliza?”

“It's warm, comfortable, and mostly dirt proof.”

“Not to mention that she looks stunning in it.” Nigel said.

“So, do I gather that you were stunned, Nigel?” William asked.

“It was mutual.” Eliza replied.

“But Nigel, you're a Christian, and Eliza's not. Or has something changed?”

William asked, obviously confused.

“I didn't used to be. I am now.” Eliza explained.

“Ooh, pictures of where we're going?” a woman asked, peering over William's shoulder. “Hi, Eliza, William. Who's this man who's been taking pictures of you, Eliza?”

“Hi Susan. Let me introduce you to my knight, Sir Nigel Brokennose. Nigel, this is Susan, who's slightly better at archery than I am.”

“Hello Susan. The tournament's going to be on the edge of the town here somewhere, the view is from the ridge between the cabins and the town. We can ski or sledge down if we want to, otherwise we'll need to go down to reception and call for transport.”

“And you've just been staying in one of these cabins, Eliza?” Susan asked.

“Yes. I loved it. It's basic, but the staff are friendly, the stove keeps the cabin nice and warm, cooks well and let all six of us have a nice warm shower every night.”

“So are we going to be in the same cabin you were in?”

“I hope not.” Nigel said. “The site is something like eight kilometres across, and where we were last time wasn't on the side closest to the tournament.”

“I hope we're not going to need to walk eight kilometres tonight.”

“No! We go up the hypersonic, change to maglev, and get met by someone from the station and driven to the cabin.” Nigel said, then re-thought. “Urm, well, actually, that probably depends how many other cabins they managed to rent out. We might need to catch a taxi to the reception and then get taken to our cabin. You did the booking, what did they say, my lady?”

“Goodman Henry said to me that I should call to him by means of the crystal bracelet when we approach, and at that point he will advise us whether his wagon is in the vicinity or if we should approach one of the wagoneers awaiting custom at the staging post. And if it's OK with everyone, I'll just go and change into my dress while you wait for the others.”

As Eliza vanished, Susan asked Nigel “Have you known Eliza long?”

“No, not long. I've heard her being mentioned a few times at work, though.”

“Oh? You're in witness protection too?” Susan asked.

“Sir Brokennose left my body guard for the High King's, milady Susan.” William corrected quickly. “He's in Royal protection.”

“Eliza's done her bit of royal protection too, indirectly. Did you see any of the pictures of the woman they were calling the prince's red-head?” Nigel asked.

“Yes. She looked familiar... No! You're not saying it was Eliza, are you?”

Just as Susan said that, another couple of reenacters, Jim and Rachel, arrived. Jim had been a part-time reporter and together, Nigel remembered, they'd served excellent spit-roasted pork. Nigel wasn't sure they'd recognise him, though, he had probably been just another mouth to feed.

“What was Eliza?” Rachel asked, “And where is she?”

“Just changing into her garb, Rachel.” Nigel supplied. “I get the feeling she thinks it would be entirely inappropriate to go back to the cabins dressed in anything else. Susan was just expressing disbelief that Eliza pretended to be a red-head for the sake of confusing the press.”

“I told them. I told them, 'that red-head's got a wig on' but they didn't ask me how I knew, and they didn't believe me.” Jim the reporter said, then asked “You're her colleague from work?” Jim asked.

“That's one way to describe him, Jim.” William supplied, “But I think your reporter's memory is failing you.”

“Oh? Your face does trigger some neurons. But I can't place you. Have I seen you on news reports?”

“It's possible.” Nigel admitted.

“Has Eliza been keeping her belt up to date?” William asked Nigel.

“Yes, she has.” Nigel smiled.

“Maybe that'll jog Jim's memory then.”

“What's Eliza's belt got to do with anything?” Jim asked.

“I guess Eliza's been putting this man's mark on it, Jim, and his Majesty thinks we ought to remember it.”

“Are you still serving the best spit-roasted pork on the planet?” Nigel asked.

“Oooh, that dates him.” Jim exclaimed. “We haven't roasted a pig in, what, four years, love?”

“It was too much hassle.” Rachel explained. “And Jim's back wasn't up to hauling the meat around.”

“Oh. Shame, my taste-buds were getting all excited.” Nigel said.

“So, who is he?” Jim asked, “William knows him, he's been away from the tournament for years, he works with Eliza, come on brain.”

“Here comes your hint.” Susan said.

“Eliza, Jim and Rachel want to look at your belt for a hint.” Nigel said.

“What's this Eliza!” Rachel asked, seeing the Chi-Rho symbol on her belt, ☧, “You've signed up with the God-squad?”

“Well, when a teenager tells me that I was being really dumb, I'm not too proud to give things a re-think. And she was right, by the way. But the symbol you're supposed to be looking at is Nigel's one here.”

“It looks like a nose.”

“Thankyou.” Eliza said “It's supposed to.”

“Now hold on! You're not Nigel Broken-nose? Surely!” Jim said “Here, let me have a better look at you. You're about six years late for your treason trial.”

“It was all a stupid mistake.” William said.

“Oh?” Rachel asked.

“Yes. I made a stupid mistake in thinking that Nigel wasn't far more stubborn than I was. Not to mention that he was in the right, and I was acting as king brat. Anyone happen to know how I revoke the treason charge?”

“What, other than he de-thrones you?” Jim asked.

“Not interested, sorry.” Nigel said quickly. “I'm purely in it for the fun, the sport and the company.”

“Urm, services to the crown?” Rachel suggested.

“That's my day-job. For real.”

“Think creatively, Nigel!” William said. “If you're right about Bob then that'd be a real service.”

“That's just helping a friend.”

“So was getting your nose smashed.”

“Well, then.” Eliza said. “Why didn't you remember that, when you decided to exile one of your best friends?”

“Because I was young and stupid.”

“How about the service to the crown of demonstrating that?” Nigel asked.

William groaned. “All right. We'll count that as a service to the crown. I certainly haven't made any stupid threats since you vanished. I hope they've got some parchment up at this tournament.”

“What, the real stuff?” Eliza asked, shocked.

“No, Just something a bit more physical than bits and bytes.”

“I'm sure we can get you something.” Eliza said. Her wrist unit bleeped. “Time to catch our transit.”

----------------------------------------

Maria leant back against her husband “It's nice to know we're going to be together for at least a week, isn't it?”

“Don't make promises you can't keep.”

“Well, I've formally got an assistant now, at least.”

“Does that mean more or less work?”

“Less, eventually. In the mean time, not much change.”

“So tell me about him or her.”

“Her. Name of Eliza, just to confuse everyone.”

“Not good planning there.”

“That's about the only thing I can find to fault her with. Well, almost. She also likes dressing up in pseudo-medieval costumes to inflict mayhem and destruction on her friends.”

“With a sword?”

“No, fortunately. That apparently is the role of Nigel the royal bodyguard.”

“That vaguely rings a bell. Didn't he give it up, years ago?”

“Sort of, apparently the king of make believe land didn't let him resign from being his bodyguard when Nigel became a real R.P. officer. But now the pair of them are together, he's going back, and hoping the pseudo-king has got the point that there's a real world out there, and he's just dressing up for fun.”

“And wielding a sword is fun, is it?”

“I don't know. I've never tried.”

“So how are you going to keep the two Eliza's separate when you talk about them?”

“Maybe I'll just drop names and call them my niece and my assistant.”

“Assistant-cum-slave, or assistant-cum-friend?”

“I hope friend. I'm going to miss Pris.”

“What have you done with her?”

“She couldn't cope with the mental side of things. She's an out and about and moving sort of person.”

“So are you. You're always out and about.”

“Yes, but I rejoice when I get the chance to sit still for a week. Pris groans.”

“Ah. So what's her new role in life? Back to a courier?”

“No. She's too well known for that at the moment. Possibly forever, but I haven't told her that yet. Not that I think she'd care at the moment. There seems to be a veritable epidemic of people pairing up.”

“You still haven't answered my question. Where's Pris going?”

“She's going to try being firm but fair. She's got stamina by the bucket load, apparently and of course she's quite capable of sneaking past dozy guards, and she looks so slight than she's going to reduce the big tough lads to tears, I expect.”

“Physical strength isn't everything.”

“Which is one thing Basic is supposed to teach people. I think she'll do very well.”

“But we won't see her much.” James said.

“Not unless she comes for a holiday, no.”

“Another end of an era.”

“Hmm. I was telling assistant-Eliza that I've got another fifteen years in service.”

“It's true.”

“But I doubt the president does.”

“No. He's talking about handing over power a lot sooner than that.”

“I was wondering. Assuming all goes well, and Deborah takes over....”

“Yes?”

“Would you want to stay on another fifteen years, or should we make the odd nepotistic suggestion?”

“I don't think we need to. Karen actually asked for some fatherly advice recently.”

“It's not that rare, surely?”

“I guess not. But anyway, she's seriously thinking that there aren't really many roles she or George could fit into in Security, and is wondering about diplomacy, in particular here, instead.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her to wait and see, and list them both as potential areas.”

“You know that'll make recruiting grumpy, don't you? They much prefer either a single area or a clean field.”

“Tough luck to them. Anyway, since recruiting decided to sit on their applications anyway and not even tell them, I'm not really sure I care.”

“I was half considering whether George'd be any good in Communications.”

“And?”

“He might, and of course they're perfectly happy sitting on lots of knowledge they can't share, but I think they're both too people-centred really, not to mention active. I was thinking they could both fit in my new department though.”

“Your questions to Communications department? Yes, they might. But is it off the ground yet? I thought you said it was on hold.”

“Only because he was one of the group with Pris checking out the cabins.”

“Oh. How did that go?”

“Remarkably well, now that Sarah's bought up the place and is installing secure cameras for us. Did you ever meet Bob Coal?”

“Your civilian package man in the diamond trade?”

“Yes. He's director of Sarah's land-management company which owns the site and now the cabin company. I got Pris to fill him in.”

“So, Karen's going to a wonderful place run by trusted friends? That's what I call a result.”

“Me too. It also seems that romance was very much in the air, as I mentioned earlier.”

“Oh?”

“A week ago, Bella and Trevor were falling in love with each other, now for all I know they're engaged and the other four have also paired up.”

“Oh? So Pris paired up with the guy with the blabbermouth reputation? I can't see that working out.”

“Assistant Eliza's his sister, and they both turned to the Lord within about 5 minutes of each other, apparently. Part of Dirk's motivation is he knew he couldn't battle sin alone.”

“And Eliza's?”

“She says that she got challenged last week by Karen and then by the teenager she was guarding — George's cousin. Apparently the teenager wasn't exactly subtle.” Maria laughed at the memory.

“Details?”

“Apparently the first quote went 'Why don't you believe in God, you don't seem stupid.' When girl's mum rebuked her and then Eliza said something about it being all right, she'd told Karen she was slightly crazy to believe in God, the girl politely said 'I'm Sorry, I retract my statement.'

“As in, 'Oops, you do seem stupid'?”

“Yes. Not the sort of thing you can say as an adult.”

“So, you've got an infant Christian as an assistant, and Pris and Nigel have them as people to go on dates with, with some overlap. Any more news?”

“Yes. The police have got pretty much all of Roland's remaining associates.”

“Now that is good news. When you say 'pretty much all', what does that mean?”

“It means that they've got all the ones who his surveillance/grab team know about and all the ones they know about too. I don't think anyone is assuming that means the whole network. Plus they haven't rounded up all of the gang members, but they do have a list. And we now know how the gang members are getting away so often these days. Once more, my little brother.”

“Oh?”

“In the interests of transparency, and so on, the police dispatch system automatically records how many officers were sent where, and publishes it one to fifty days later, depending on the seriousness of the crime. My oh so clever little brother made it so that if you typed in the right query pattern then the dispatch system changes the delay from days to seconds.”

“So once the police are dispatched, then the gangs know.”

“Except that Roland didn't just give them the address, the gangs need to go through one of a number of computers he set up, so if the gangs disappoint him then he could cut them off.”

“Not stupid, your brother.”

“No. We also know how he persuaded them to all dance to his tune when they went mad in Restoration.”

“He offered to give them the keys?”

“Exactly, except of course he got himself arrested before he could do that. Isn't that convenient?”

“Who for?”

“Well, it keeps the gangs cooperating with his organisation, for one thing. Keeps the gangs in line. Roland knew the keys, but his colleagues could easily enough cut the cables to the computers the gang was accessing through.”

“So, you think that Roland wanted to get arrested?”

“Eliza's kidnapping put him under pressure, and he was improvising, and he knew it. He also knew that if we'd struggled to find why there were three gangs out doing mayhem on the same day then, we'd have probably invoked the terrorist laws. It was too much in one day, too bold, too brash, it had to be a conspiracy, especially with the messages he was supposed to send with the

attacks on Pris and George. So, yes. I think he gave us a sporting chance to catch him, and avoid the terror charges, and of course the out of character actions lent support for his insanity claim.”

“So, is he insane or not?”

“Of course he is. He probably hasn't been sane since before I joined the Service. It's merely that he's been too coldly-calculating for people to believe it or to actually convict him of anything serious. But it's entirely possible that he thinks he's been very clever in faking the utter lunacy we saw in court. We presume that he has plans to escape, or maybe to slowly recover his senses or something.”

“So, you think he's acting?”

“Partly. I think he's also put just enough truth into it to convince people he's really stark-raving bonkers. I mean, that stuff about 'you should be worshipping me', it rang a bell. Not long ago I remembered when I'd heard it before;

before I left home, he said it to me. It was in the context of

some old film, about someone being treated as a god, I seem to remember, and I just laughed it off. I wonder if that film was part of what started him on this terrible road he's taken.”

“I think he must have been pretty ill to start with, Maria, if that's what convinced him.”

“Probably. But I wonder if I should try and talk to him again. Remembering watching that film with him... he wasn't always a monster.”

“If you really want to. But, do wait until after the wedding, Maria, please. You know how talking to him affects you.”

“Oh, don't worry, I'm not planning to do it any time soon.”

----------------------------------------

7.30PM

“Good to see you back so soon.” Henry welcomed Eliza and Nigel.

“Well, when the tournament back home was cancelled, I decided to bring some friends.”

“Oh, it's you I've got to thank for all this work, is it?”

“Urm, possibly.” Eliza said.

“Don't worry. It's nice to see the place being used. Gives me a nice secure feeling in the wallet.”

“So, how many cabins are in use?”

“Ah, well, now. That's going to be an interesting test.”

“Oh?”

“Matt's little booking program did its job rather well. I guessed that I'd be able to check twenty five stoves yesterday afternoon and today.”

“And it sold them all?”

“It did. I can't tell you how much booking number twenty-five paid, but Matt was reportedly leaping around the office saying 'it worked, it worked'. The interesting thing is that got to twenty by lunchtime, hit twenty five by tea-break and since then I've managed an extra eight, that's why I couldn't come and meet you. Matt did but a notice on the booking site that I was working as fast as I could and more cabins might be available, so, you never know, maybe there'll be thirty-three in use tomorrow morning.”

“That's going to put a strain on transport isn't it?”

“Don't worry, I've already moved three sledges up to your cabin.”

“That's great! How will it work, we'll ride them down then hand them to someone at the bottom?”

“Yes. So do please head down fairly early. Others are going to want to use them after you, I expect.”

“Susan, you've got skis too, haven't you?” William asked. “Shall we make our way down on skis, so we don't hog a sledge?”

“Yes, that's fine,” she replied.

“I didn't think to ask! Rachel and Jim, would you prefer to sledge down to the tournament, or catch a taxi?”

“How far are we talking?”

“Well, Eliza said you'd want one double bedroom and two twins, somewhere that getting to the tournament wouldn't be hard, and I thought you'd all be youngsters, and so we put you right up near the ridge. It'll certainly be faster to get to the top than to reception.” He stroked his beard. “I guess you're talking two and a half kilometres to reception and half a kilometre to the ridge. It's a gentler slope to reception than to the tournament ground, and down hill all the way, but I don't know if it's too gentle for the sledges to go though. Probably the fastest way to get down, if you don't want to go by sledge, is to walk up to the ridge and take the ATV down when it brings the sledges up. With a hundred people staying and only twenty sledges, they're going to be doing a fair number of trips up and down.”

“Will the ATVs be coming up the same way people are going down?” Nigel asked, thinking that sounded dangerous.

“No, no, we've got a route all planned out. You'll go down the way you went last time, roughly. You won't miss the tournament site. The ATV's will be going to near the station and then straight up to where I met you with the sledges yesterday, then back the same way.”

“So, if we're feeling young and fool-hardy we can go for the sledge, but if we're feeling our age in the morning then we can wait around and admire the view, and then catch an ATV?”

“Yes. Well, you can admire the view if you like, but we thought it might be a bit fresh up there, so the boys have put a tent up there and guyed it down really well, so there's that as a waiting room. We're planning to shuttle people up there until about sun-down too, if anyone wants to get to the cabins from the top.”

“Or to just sledge down again?” Eliza asked.

“Well, yes, we'll give you tickets for a trip up tomorrow and on Sunday, but after that then there's a charge.”

“So Bob's got his café on the ridge, then, has he?” Nigel asked.

“Almost. Almost. We haven't found anyone to actually staff the café yet, but Matt's still hoping to find someone.”

“There's another job opportunity for you, William!” Eliza joked.

“I think I'll stick with the ski-school idea.”

“Ski school?”

“Our liege, king William of the fifth kingdom, fancied himself a ski-instructor and saw, in his foolish youth, a ski-tow at a low low price, And so he did invest in this wondrous apparatus. Unfortunately, there was some disagreement concerning the slope on which our noble sire wished to erect it, and his investment turned to naught. Except we think your boss might take him up on it.” Nigel explained.

“He probably will, have you told him about it yet?”

“No. We thought we'd meet him at the tournament.” Eliza said.

“You shouldn't try to talk business to the Jester at a tournament, milady, that'd be right foolish. Anyway, here's your cabin, all checked and everything. Here's the key. And don't forget to pre-heat the hotplate good and hot, or you'll get the smoke coming back.”

“Thank you. You'll be at the tournament?”

“Indeed I will. See you there. Seriously, folks, if I were you, I'd call Bob tonight. Float the idea of the ski lift.”

“We'll think of it, once we've got the cabin warming. Bye, Henry.” Nigel said. “Right, who wants to cut wood and draw water? Eliza, I think you or I ought to light the stove, since we know the controls.”

“Can you do it? I'll give the others the guided tour and then put William in contact with Bob. It's a good thought.”

Nigel looked at the wood-basket, it wasn't entirely empty. “OK, but make sure someone gets me half a basket of wood fairly quickly, there's only really enough wood here to get it lit.”

“Right, tour starts with the wood-store and the chopping block then. We'll sort out rooms later, first priority is heating the cabin.”

“I couldn't agree more. It feels colder in here than it did outside.” Susan said.

“That's just because you undid your coat, when you came through the door, Sue. You don't want to do that until we've got some heat in here.” William said. “I almost did the same — the power of habit. Lead us to the wood pile, Eliza!”

“At your command, Majesty.”

----------------------------------------

8PM

“Hello?” Christine answered the phone.

“Hi Christine, it's Eliza Smythe, yet again. Sorry for interrupting your evening but if it's not too inconvenient, I've got someone here who'd like to talk to Bob.”

“Can I take a message?”

“Of course. William here, as in monarch of the fifth kingdom, has a long list of failed business ventures to his urm... credit. As part of one of those, he just happens to have a fairly respectable pile of unused skis and a disassembled ski drag which he bought second hand.

"He was planning to set up as a ski school but the deal for renting the land fell apart and he didn't find anywhere else.”

“So it's not actually a failed venture, so much as one that never really got started?” Christine said.

“Yes. I suppose I should have said it got put on indefinite hold, if I was being kind.”

“It's always good to be kind, Eliza.”

“Anyway, Nigel and I thought that perhaps Bob and William ought to speak to each other.”

“Do you happen to know how long the lift is?” Christine asked.

“No, sorry.”

“Well, I'll pass it on. Bob's just deep in discussion with Matt at the moment.”

“You mean he's still at work until this time of night?”

“I know, I know. Sarah's not going to be happy if I tell her, and nor am I, but on the other hand we're taking the entire weekend off, and this would be something that would prey on his mind if it wasn't sorted out now.”

“Would talking ski-lifts be a weight off his mind or on it? We don't want to ruin your weekend. I expect William could come up for a chat on Monday, if that'd be better. He's nodding.”

“Thank you, Eliza. I'll see how he is, but I'll call either way.”

“Thanks Christine.”

Bob looked up from his conference with Matt. “Who was that?”

“Eliza. I'll tell you when you've finished, if I think it's advisable.”

“I think we've finished.” Matt said.

“And I heard you say the word lift.”

“Did you also hear me say that Sarah wasn't going to be happy about you working this late into the evening?”

“Yes. So, what's this about ski lifts? Please?”

“Eliza has someone in her party who almost had a ski school, but negotiations for the slope fell apart. He has some sort of drag lift, and skis. I don't know how big the lift is, or how many skis. Personally, I think you're already interested enough for him to come up on Monday. Do you agree?”

“Probably. Did she say if he'd be interested in selling up, or in running it?”

“Pass.”

“Matt, what do you think? I don't think we're really interested in buying him out. But if he's willing to run it, great, we can talk fees, percentages and everything else.”

Matt thought a bit. “I'm thinking that there's going to need to be planning permission if we end up pouring concrete for the machinery. So, he's got an investment already, and either you'd be making an investment or he'd be making more. He's also putting his time into it, and it gets really complicated. I therefore think I'd suggest splitting the package in two. Carbon-carbon supply the footings for a share in ski-lift machinery, and a share of the profit which I think would also incorporate some element for land rent. Whoever operates it get an appropriate wage. He then can run the school and ski-hire on the site or not as a separate business, again for some kind of fee or profit share.”

“I like your thinking, let's talk to him, see what he says. Is that acceptable, Christine?”

“I think so. Just don't get bogged down in details tonight. Leave that for Monday. Would there be a benefit in the ski lift side of things being a separate company?”

“Probably. It could just be accounted that way, but it's probably easier in the long run do it that way.”

“So, you'll need lawyers and a formal agreement eventually. But you will also need to know that the ski lift is a viable option to get people to the top.”

“Hey, that should have been my line.”

“We've been married long enough that I can help you think when you're tired, Bob. But I point out that you are tired. So, either get details from him, or get him to come up with them. Or if you like, I'll do the talking. That way I know you're not going to get sidetracked into the details.”

“Matt, what do you think? I think I should talk to him, since I'm director,” Bob asked.

“I think I hear valid reasons on both sides, Bob, but there's no way I'm going to interfere between you and your wife.”

“Ha! Now that's wisdom! Why don't you go home to your wife, Matt. I think we can cope here.”

“Well if you're sure.”

“It's gone eight o'clock, Matt.” Christine said “I think she might want to see you sometime, and as your personnel officer I'll point out that although the day's been exciting, you do need to spend some time away from work.”

“In less polite terms, Matt. Thank you, we couldn't have done it without you, now go home and get some rest. You'll probably have more bookings to deal with tomorrow.”

“OK, I'm leaving! Goodnight, Bob, Christine.”

“Goodnight Matt.” Christine and Bob said.

Christine looked at her husband. “You, Bob, are out on your feet. Agreed?”

“Agreed. It's been a good week though.”

“Yes. Now you need a good weekend too. I'll make the call. If you want to you can make some tea, otherwise you can massage my feet, they're killing me.”

“Your wishes are my command. Which one first?”

“Tea, please.” Christine said, hoping the call would be over by the time Bob had finished. She rang Eliza.

“Hi, Eliza. I've just sent Bob to get some tea, it's about all he's fit for at the moment.”

“Oh, OK, Christine. I'll tell him.”

“Wait a moment, we've talked it through, so could I talk to your budding entrepreneur?”

“Yes, of course. William, it's for you.”

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mr Speed. I'm Christine, Bob Coal's wife and personnel manager at Carbon-carbon. I've just been talking to Bob, and we're interested, but need some more details. I got the impression that you weren't interested so much in selling your lift and skis, but as actually using them, is that right?”

“Yes, that's right. I haven't seen your hillside yet in the light, but from what Eliza and Nigel have said, it sounds ideal for beginner to intermediate skiers, the snow on this side is fine and access is wonderful.”

“You should see the views. They're great too. Now, first question, how long is your ski lift?”

“Ah. Well, right now, it's about ten metres. The mechanism's in perfect order, or at least, it was when I put it into storage, but the cables were badly stored by the previous owner. To be precise, judging by the way they looked, they were left in a puddle of salt water. I took what decent cable there was, so that I'd at least have a sample, and told him there was no way I was buying the rest just to scrap it. According to the manufacturer, there's no real limit on the length, but you do need a support pylon every one or two hundred metres. I got three pylons, the manufacturer sells extras in the same size, but really, they'd be really easy for someone with some welding skill to put together, or for that matter a carpenter could make one out of wood, I'm sure. All they're doing is giving some lift so the cables stays off the ground.”

“And it's a drag lift, Eliza said.”

“Yes. Technically it's a T-bar lift, so it'll take two people per position. I've got thirty T-bars, so that's up to thirty people going up at a time, since half the bars will be going back down.”

“I presume the motor is electrically powered?”

“Yes.”

“And it would need to be bolted onto a block of concrete or rock?”

“That's one option. The other option, if the soil is deep enough is to use some things that look a bit like two and a half metre long wood-screws. It came with two of those. I understand they worked as guying points.”

“Interesting. So it could be a temporary structure?”

“I believe so, yes, certainly I don't see why not as a trial.”

“That gets even more interesting. We had been assuming that there'd need to be planning permission, and concrete poured and such like.”

“If there's enough soil in the valley and rock at the top, I don't think that'd be necessary. I presume you'd be wanting the lift to go all the way up?”

“If possible, yes.”

“I haven't seen it, but I think it should be.”

“Sorry, your surname, it is Speed, isn't it?”

“It is. Congratulations on finding it out. But call me William.”

“William, then, we did come up with a rough idea how we thought things might work out, but as I said, we were assuming there'd need to be some kind of investment from us. I'll let you mull over it anyway, so you know how we were thinking.”

“I'm listening.”

“OK, we were thinking that we weren't particularly interested in entering the ski-school or ski-hire business, but had no objection to you setting one up, indeed we'd been thinking we'd need to find someone to set up a ski-hire franchise or something for the guests at the cabins. What we are interested in is your ski-lift, and we were thinking that on the basis of your investment in the ski-lift, and some investment on our part, as I was saying we were thinking of groundworks, planning permission, I don't know how many cubic metres of concrete, and also of course the use of Carbon-carbon land, there could be a partnership formed between us and you, possibly as formal as registering a company to own and operate the lift, which could then employ either yourself or someone else at whatever the going rate is. We'd obviously need to work out the relative split in the shares. We understand that in your mind the lift and school are probably combined, but think it would be simpler in the long term to split them, in case, for instance, you gave up the ski-school business in order to concentrate on ski hire, or even found more lucrative employment elsewhere.”

“And if I decided to abandon all things skiing, and the ski lift was bringing in money, this semi-independent company would be able to continue to operate the lift, and you could even buy my shares.”

“Yes. Though of course if the ski lift is bringing in money, then you might be better advised to keep the shares for the sake of the dividend. I should warn you... This isn't the best time to start in on the tourist trade.”

“But from what I understand, Carbon-carbon have done exactly that.”

“Carbon-carbon has always derived an income from the tourist trade, in the shape of the rent on the land. We decided, based on a number of different factors, not least the low flexibility of the land rental agreement, that there was a real risk of the cabin company collapsing if the tourist trade suffered a downturn. Which would mean that rather than just a reduction in income we'd be faced with a tenant in receivership and no income at all.”

“And you're planning to set up a similar land rental for the ski-lift company?”

“Not unless you really want us to, William. We were thinking that shares in the joint venture was a far better approach. Of course if you have no need of investment from our part and are convinced that the business will thrive, then I'm sure we could negotiate a lease on the land.”

“Mrs Coal, I've never had a thriving business, and given the cost of the cable and my current finances, there is a definite need for investment. You should understand, over a long distance, the cable is probably the most expensive part of the system. But, with your suggested split, I'd be very happy to be a minority holder.”

“Thank you for saying that, William. Do you think you could take some pictures of what you've got, and bring them up for a meeting next week? Also if you could look up some typical prices for cable? There's obviously going to need to be all sorts of discussion on that side of things.”

“Yes, yes, I could do that. What about the ski-hire and ski-school side of things?”

“Well, quite frankly, I think you'd better start the ski-hire business soon, before someone else jumps in. We'd need to negotiate what land usage fees you pay us, and whether you'd want an exclusive contract or not, but perhaps that could happen when you come up next week?”

“But you wouldn't be interested in a profit share on that?”

“Instead of a fixed price? If the profit share contract stated how much you'd be taking in wages and other allowable expenses, then I expect that we could arrange something. Urm, I think we'd want either a third party handling the cash or to do it ourselves. I'm just saying that because the campsite owner-operator was arrested yesterday for tax-fraud and false accounting; it seems he was putting most of his takings into a hidden account.”

“Ouch. Yes. I can see you'd be nervous. I think I'd be very happy to operate that way, Christine. Would Monday afternoon be acceptable?”

“Yes, I think that'd be fine.”