The Iron Man [Serial]

The Interview

Stepping into the small control room the called the bridge, I was overwhelmed by the blue glow of the sun-lit Channel waters through the windows and the elaborate console of indicators. More correctly, it was the juxtaposition of the natural watery vista with the busy array of polished glass, wood, and brass. As my attention was called to the young man seated in the front-left seat, I found it easier to focus there.

"Is this," he waved a finger in my general direction, "all the rage in Bombay on the Thames now?"

"Pardon?"

The young man-- he was small in stature, but perhaps of an age with me --smirked as he looked up at me over the top of his eyeglasses.

"Ghat is our splicer and qualified to helm and pilot," Alpha said, standing behind Ghat's chair.

"I am kind of all the candy," Ghat said, "You can call me Garin, it's not as I'm famous or important enough to need to need a nom de guerre."

"Julien," I said. I might have said it was nice to meet him were Ghat-- Garin --not seeming catty to me.

"If you've everything marked, you can go," Alpha told him.

"I stand relieved, Captain." Garin stood from his seat and sidestepped between chair and central console.

When Alpha had taken the left-front seat he gestured for me to take the one at the right. "Don't touch anything," he said. "Amend that. Tell Dolly you are closing the voice-tube and then close it."

I leaned towards the tube. "Dolores, we are closing the voice tube now."

"Aye aye," she said, just as I screwed shut the tube's lid.

"They often use the tubes to chat," Alpha said. He looked around his leather upholstered seat, I presumed, to check that the door to the bridge was now closed. "Ghat is a genius but...you will get used to him." He paused to consult some paper charts. "Murphy tells me of your commitment to our cause. I do not wish to insult you," Usually such a phrase preceded something insulting, "but if you have in fact followed thus far for personal reasons, there are options. We could smuggle you to Egypt or another nation. We could even keep you with our crew indefinitely saying you are Murphy's valet in fact."

"But I am not."

Alpha nodded. "Let me explain. It is not so much you that I question. Sina is not military, but with us because we filed a claim that their family required Murphy and her to travel as each other's chaperones for religious reasons."

I truly did not understand, so I just shook my head.

Alpha laughed. "He's not told you much about himself. I will let him answer, except to say they are cousins and there is some truth to their acting as chaperones."

"I suppose you wish me to understand that you have risked yourself once already in assisting Murphy to add a civilian to your crew."

"I do not say I would not do it again."

"And if I say I will join the military? Is that possible?"

"Of course. Our leader has made it a kind of fashion to recruit foreigners." Alpha laughed briefly at this. "But should you join, it is possible you could be posted elsewhere. Not very likely, should I request otherwise, but possible." It seemed to me that Alpha must be either highly ranked or have some social connections that assured him preferential treatment, but also that relying on these would put me in his debt.

"I do not know how Egyptian Navy works, but if your goals are to fight against the strictness of Code and Caste that leaves citizens without choice or expression, I am with you. And if you are simply against The Fashionista, at least we have a common enemy."

"Your personal enemy?"

I sighed. "Perhaps I spoke too strongly? I meant it, yet, I only know The Fashionista through The Code. I've lost my family to Regulation, and but I did not think to act until I met Murphy and I saw that I was not alone in suffering. I want to do something to help others be able to follow their own design in life!"

"This," Alpha said, "this is self-determination. It is the same philosophy our leader teaches. For us, it is on a very nationalistic level, but it does include allowing, at least some, to be exceptional." He took up pen and paper from a cabinet to his left. "Julien Dangerous is your legal name?"

"Ha." I saw him quiz at me. "Yes. Aye, Sir."

"You speak some...Sindhi?"

"Some. English is my mother tongue. I learned some French in school, and Hindi and Sindhi in London." I saw he was recording my answers.

"You read? And you've been to school?"

"Aye. My mother taught me to read from a bible-"

"Truly?" Alpha seemed to suppress a laugh. "In English translation I take it."

"Aye." I rolled my eyes. "Before I was of an age for school. We had a proper schoolhouse in Queensfort. I went to a secondary school in London for a while but then I had to work."

"How many years have you?"

"I will reach 18 in October."

"I see." He did not write my answer.

"Any family remaining?"

"Father lost at sea. Mother taken by Gendarmerie. Sister in the Hauteorian Guard."

Alpha turned his head to regard me more directly.

I nodded.

Alpha wrote a short note. "And you are of the book?"

"Which book?"

"You are a Christian?"

"I follow Minerva-Sarasvati."

Alpha smiled. He wrote my answer. "My given name is Athené," he said quietly.

"It's a pretty name." I had already heard him invoke the goddess.

"It is," Alpha agreed. It occurred to me alpha was his initial. He made a final jot on his paper. "I've decided! I shall become responsible for continuing your education. And of course Murphy will show you the ropes. In time, you will join our military."

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Lucky chapter thirteen! Thank you, to all those who have been showing support with reads, votes, and comments. Please, feel free to ask me, should you have any questions.