The Golem City (Complete)

Chapter Fourteen

When the World Armistice was signed a century earlier, the world states were obligated to turn over all their machines of war to the Commission and were forbidden from building such mechanisms again. This not only ensured that no state could threaten another, but also that the Commission would be an unrivalled force, should any attempt be made to do so.

One of these mechanisms was the mobile battle platform Fortress Six. A feat of ingenuity, fitted with the latest devices and armaments, it served as transport for the bulk of the Commission's peacekeeping forces. No part of the planet could escape its shadow, no matter how far or remote. And, once a course was laid in, none could stop the fortress other than the one in command.

The bridge of the fortress was situated at the top of the sole tower, its forefront dominated by a vast window. The commander could manage all of the fortress's operations from a raised chair in the middle of the room, commanding the operators of the flying empire like a king upon his grey iron throne.

Balsa was perched there, a cigar in one hand, as his people zeroed in on the tracker planted on the girl. The navigator insisted that no landmass existed in that part of the ocean on any map, but Balsa was adamant. They would descend.

As they had delved below the dense cloud cover, they spotted a tiny island. Drawing closer, Balsa's eyes widened  when he spotted the damaged mountainside through the window and the steel mould within, recognising what it was almost immediately.

"A Wandering Isle! To think such a relic still exists. I thought them all destroyed."

"Sir," one of the officers reported, "our aerial forces have been wiped out."

"General," another officer said, pressing a set of headphones tightly against her ears, "spotters report activity along the eastern shoreline."

"Show me," Balsa barked, and a giant magnifying lens dropped over the window, enhancing a particular spot on the island below. Another lens dropped, the combined magnification bringing human figures into focus. His gaze settled on the Tartaruga and a sly smile crept across his face.

"Didn't expect to see us so soon, did you?" he said, clamping his teeth onto the pulp of his cigar, its woody flavour filling his mouth. "And the girl?"

"The signal is very close, sir. No question, she's down there somewhere."

"Tactical," Balsa pointed, "light some fires on that shoreline. Keep those people from falling back into the woodland. I don't want to have to waste time sifting through that archaic hovel looking for the girl, if it can be helped. Pin them down, and deploy the Crimson Commandos, immediately."

"Aye, sir."

******

"Something just dropped from the bottom of the fortress," Angeline announced, staring at four black, bulky shadows descending from the underside of the hovering fortress to land heavily in the water below. Side by side, they cruised along the water's surface, closing in fast on the shoreline of Rainbow's End. "Personnel carriers!"

"I wasn't expecting our great enemy to appear so soon," said Herrera, "but we are far from helpless. Angeline, the welcome mat, if you please."

Angeline flipped another switch on the panel and a number of black, spiky spheres rose up from the sea and sat, bobbing on the surface. One of the carriers hit the sphere, which exploded. The resulting geyser flipped the vessel onto its back. The remaining three carriers hit the minefield before any could react defensively. Those on the shore watched as the burst carriers disappeared.

"You did it!" Turner announced, joyfully.

"We've slowed them down - maybe," Angeline said, far from looking proud. "We haven't the defences to take on a flying monster like that. Herrera, we can't stay here."