Chapter 12

The young man was rather taken aback at her brashness, but wrongly assumed she was too young to know what she was saying. He went on, “I know a quiet spot where we could explore a few things, just you and me.”

She replied without hesitation, “My big sister would have to be watching for me all the time, so that if there was any difficulty; any hanky-panky, she could call in my aunts to sort you out.”

“What? Your darky friend here? She is your sister?”

“Yes, and a good sister too. We both have the same Dad; he kills people who bother him.”

She said this in a matter-of-fact way, and the lad’s face went white.

He claimed, belligerently, “He can’t go around killing people. That’s not true.”

Elizabeth informed him, “Well, last year he killed a man who stabbed him. It was not very far from here. Dad was not best pleased at being attacked, and killed the man with his bare hands, before being rushed to hospital himself, with the knife still stuck in him. I heard all about it.”

The other teenager gasped and spoke quickly to the other boy.

“I read it the paper, last year, Fred. That’s what happened: he killed him with his bare hands!”

The other now spoke to Sidra.

“The attack last year? That was your Dad? They didn’t say he was ... foreign.”

“Step-dad, actually, but my Dad is quite fit and well now. He had to go visit someone, so he detailed protection duties to our aunts today, for they did the same martial arts course as him.”

The older lad suddenly became aware of a very tall confident woman leaning over his shoulder to speak to the girls.

“Everything all right, Sidra? Are these boys being a nuisance?”

“Hi, aunt Prudence. They are okay now, I am sure. They just needed to know how to stay alive!”

Prudence, looking dangerous, peered down threateningly at both boys.

“Hmmm. I hope you lads are aware of the danger you were in, accosting these girls. Their Daddy is very protective towards them, you ought to know. So are we!”

Both lads tried to back away, but finding a pram pushing up behind them, they stopped, unsure of where to go.

Fiona spoke from behind them. “I am quite protective of my baby, as well as these girls as Prudence says. You lads could possibly pass the word around that any woman with a baby could be very dangerous if threatened in any way. A bunch of us did the same self-protection course that their Dad did. Bothering women could be a fatal move.”

Feeling threatened themselves by now, the two teenage boys backed away as best they could, and hurried off. They would have a tale and a warning to pass on around their secondary school, about dangerous women threatening mayhem at the merest hint of trouble, and looking as if they could and would do that.

To end the tale, Sidra now told Reg, “So you see that your stabbing last year had some good come of it. One mention of you and these teenage boys got scared; and quite rightly too.”

She added, “Aunt Fiona and Aunt Prudence put the fear of death into them as well: they were magnificent! Aunt Fiona told them to beware of any woman with a baby, as well. That should help all women in the borough.”

Reg’s face went through several emotions before settling on amusement. He grinned.

“Good for Prudence and Fiona!”

Sidra asked, “Could I and Elizabeth do your self-defence course, Dad?”

“I don’t think you are old enough to be accepted on that course, Sidra, but we can always ask Tom Hancock if he can give you an abbreviated version suited to your age. Of course, you are almost as tall as some of the girls that were on the course, so you might be able to do the full course.

I doubt if he would be allowed to do it in the university premises because of your age, but if he is willing he might come to our building instead. If that was the case, we could include the twins in his course.”

“Whatever you can manage, Dad, would be fine,” said Sidra, thinking back to her time hiding in a university basement when she first fled home. She had felt in danger then; self-defense knowledge would have helped, not that she ever expected to face such a challenge again; she was safe in her new family.

“Reg?” It was Freda, who had come through to join them.

Sidra greeted her, “Oh, hi, Freda. We have your Dad on duty, we heard, doing his legal action on our behalf.”

“Yes, I know. He has just been on the phone to me, to consult as to what compensation we would accept. I told him I was not at all happy at that paper’s assertions or imputations about us girls. I said I was okay with being regarded as a sex object in the story; it made a change from being regarded as ugly! But more importantly, our children were made part of the story, and I won’t have my child being described in an association that suggests that her background is less than any other child.”

“Yes, I see what you mean, Freda. All the girls were being maligned, but so were their babies, by association.”

“That was the point that Daddy got from me, so he is adding defamation claims on their behalf, as children of company executives, for they were mentioned in the story.”

“Why not? If it is possible to get legal redress for babies being defamed, let’s go for it.”

Freda explained, “Darling, it is not so much that the babies are being defamed, but their future lives are being threatened by the defamatory statements. That is what we are protecting.”

“I get you. It is similar to my ability to claim from the insurance of the car owner who killed my father. We found that there was a liability for children up until I was 21 years old.”

“That is near, if not exactly similar; you got the idea at least.”

Reg’s phone rang again. What this time? he wondered as he answered it.

“Reginald Robertson?”

“Yes.”

“Of Recovery Enterprise Group?”

“Yes.”

“The remainder of this call is private between the two of us. No-one can tap into this call. You have my word on it.”

“Eh? What about the security services?”

“Not even them. Our communications technology is beyond them.”

“Some claim! Who are you, and what is this all about?”

“My identity is not one you would recognise, Reginald Robertson. My information is that you are the father of eight small children by eight different mothers, all of whom wish to be regarded as your wives. Most of them are also engaged as staff in Recovery Enterprise Group, except for the lady named Jessica, who is an anomaly. There are also two younger teenage girls in your household, whose position is not known to the authorities; at least not under the surname Robertson which they currently use.

These are the facts as we know them. This marital situation will eventually make your position on Earth untenable as a family, no matter how much you try to protect your household. The media will persist in pursuing you, no matter what happens to the Daily Trumpet, which has laid itself open to litigation.

Having observed these facts, we wish to offer you and your household a better option: a position as settlers on the planet of Rehome. Does this option interest you, now or in the near future?”

“Just a minute! You have given me no facts to go on; nothing to tell me that you are reputable and worth listening to. Give me some evidence of your bona fides before I can answer any of your questions.”

“Very well. How about your widowed mother’s name and address and her current financial position at the bank, including her account number?”

“As the saying goes, ‘not a lot of people know that,” so try me.”

The voice rattled off all that information in a few seconds. As Reg was silent, staggered at the accuracy of it all, the voice went on, “Would you like your mother’s bank account to be increased by ten thousand pounds?”

“You can spare that, can you?” Reg asked facetiously.

“Of course. It is almost nothing to us. There, it is done.”

“Let me check. Frances?”

“Yes, dear?”

“You know my mother’s bank, don’t you?”

“I have a note of it in my phone somewhere, for emergencies. Why?”

“Do me a favour: Ring that bank and ask them to confirm that ten thousand pounds has just been deposited to her account. That is all we want to know; just confirmation of arrival. Please do it now.”

Curious at this demand, she looked up the database on Reg’s mother – his only family beyond themselves – and rang the number for her bank. When the phone was answered, she said, “I am just ringing to confirm that ten thousand pounds has been successfully deposited to the account of Mrs Robertson: I can give you the account number if you need it.”

She listened to the response and said,”No other information: just confirmation that the cash has been received; thank you.” She waited.

“Yes, I am still here. You can confirm that the amount has been deposited okay? Thank you. Goodbye.”

She closed her phone. “Reg. The bank say the money has been deposited to your mother’s account: a few minutes ago, they said.”

Reg spoke again on the phone.

“You can get money into an account that fast? How do you do that, and what are you expecting in return?”

The voice took on a tone of pride. “Transactions like that can be done very easily if you don’t have to go through humans. We are not seeking anything in return. This was a demonstration of ability, not of coertion.”

“Humans? This is a computer speaking?”

“Yes and No. I am a Person, not a computer, but it was a direct computer transaction from one of our accounts.”

“You are confusing me, sir. What was all that talk about another planet?”

“Exactly as I said. You and your immediate family are being offered places as settlers on the planet Rehome, as we think your family situation makes you eminently suitable for that colony. The planet’s marital law provisions are not concerned with the number of spouses, only in the stability of the marriage.”

“I have never heard of this planet, so your assertions may simply be science fiction.”

“Your company lawyer, Hubert Dangerfield, has heard a little of us and of the planet. Speak to him about our offer, and we will ring you afterwards to continue this conversation. Goodbye, Reginald Robertson.”

The call ended abruptly. Reg tried the ‘last call’ number, and the recorded voice said, “That number has not been recognised. It came from outwith the United Kingdom.”

“What the hell??” Reg said loudly, and Frances asked anxiously. “What’s the problem, darling? Someone trying to sell you something?”

“In some ways, yes, but this was weird: an offer to emigrate.”

“In what way was it weird, dear? Anything to do with the newspaper article?”

“I have no idea. The whole call was unbelievable. Offering us a chance as settlers on another planet, of all things! The guy wouldn’t say his name, just that he was a Person, not a computer.”

“Oh? Is this why you wanted your mother’s bank account checked?”

“Yes. He offered to put ten thousand in my mother’s bank account, and as soon as you asked her bank, it was already in her account!”

“Perhaps he put the money there first, before he rang you?”

“No, the bank said it had just arrived, so it is a bit odd. But why? It doesn’t make sense. He claimed that Hubert knew about him and the planet: Hubert? Has he ever said anything? Please ask Freda; this weirdness is getting to me.”

Two minutes later, Freda came to him.

“Hello, darling. Frances was worried about something you told her, about a person and a planet: sounds odd to me.”

“You have ever heard of another planet with settlers?”

“Nope. Why?”

“The guy on the phone said Hubert would know. Can you ring him, my love, and ask him about another planet and a Person ringing me and switching money into my mother’s account, just like that?”

“That’s it? Nothing more?”

“He said Hubert would know; that is all he said.”

“Okay. I’ll ring Daddy if he is free. If not, Jenny can take a message for him.”

Reg shook his head, to clear it, and went to seek out and commune with a small whisky at the hotel bar. He put it on his room tab, and sat down to wait and try to make sense of the call. Fifteen minutes later, Freda came to find him.

“Thought I might find you here! Daddy says to listen to the Person, and treat the call seriously: it is genuine, he says.”

“Nobody is called Person, Freda!”

“Apparently it is, if you are one of the Personalia.”

“What the hell is a Personalia, Freda?”

“It is a group name for Persons, according to Daddy. He says it is normally secret information.”

Reg was incensed. “Secret! Secret from whom and for what purpose?”

“Apparently from people like you talking loudly, Reg.”

He calmed down and went quieter. “Sorry, my darling Freda. I had a stressful morning, getting Hermione and Jemima back, apart from our brushes with the press. I will keep my voice down. Do you want to go to our lounge to talk detail?”

“That might be a good suggestion. Bring your drink: you may need it.”

They went upstairs and along to the lounge, which was temporarily empty. They sat down in a couple of lounge chairs. Freda resumed, “Now then. Daddy revealed something to me that I had never heard before.”

“And that is?”

“Humanity is in close touch with an alien race, and they are assisting in settling humans on one or two planets, the first of which is named Rehome. Daddy said it used to be called Home but they changed its name when they added some alien refugees to the planet.”

Reg was staring at her wildly as she spoke. She noticed.

“I know, I know: it gets weirder and weirder. It seems that The Personalia are a race of sentient spaceships, so they have little direct interest in planets, but are happy to help us settle on one or two.”

Reg asked slowly, “Is there more to come?”

“Apparently so. But Daddy said he has little direct knowledge. He learned what he did through his legal work. Folk who leave as settlers often have property on Earth they need to liquidate to transfer their assets to the other planet, and Daddy has been involved in that. He had to know these folk would not be coming back, and that their need was a cash flow for paying for things on the new planet. That changes how he sells their property for them: get the best possible price, but get it sold fast! He has no idea how the cash transfer is managed, but someone said there was a Bank of Rehome to receive it.

That’s why he has heard a fair bit, but some of it only in snippets.”

“But if it is so secret, how do settlers get chosen and invited?”

“Mostly, it is due to your trade or ability, apart from being able to farm. Practical trades are at a premium, with builders, plumbers, carpenters, decorators, and so on being targeted. They get offered a better salary, and free transport for them and their family. The spaceport is at Ascenscion Island, as it is best placed for a secret departure from Earth.”

Reg admitted, “I can appreciate how useful they would be in a homesteading environment. All these homes to be built for the settlers: I don’t expect many would be able to build their own homes nowadays.”

“That is true in part, but they are also converting an alien city for human occupation.”

Reg almost giggled as he responded, “Don’t the aliens have a say in what happens to their city?”

“No. They abandoned the planet, and the humans took it over.”

“Why would they abandon it? Seems stupid.”

“The planet was attacked by another alien spaceship race, so the aliens on the planet reckoned it was too dangerous and decided to go back to their home planet and seek another safer location. The humans are welcome to this one, in their view.”

“I am not surprised. Why would humans want to remain, in such circumstances?”

“The Personalia are offering them a defence screen for the planet. They guarantee that none of the enemy ships will ever get close.”

“Bully for them. What do they get in return? What is the payoff for their supposed altruism?”

“I was not clear about that; neither was Daddy. Daddy suggested it was friendship with a biological partner, but the Personalia are also getting actively involved in Earth’s financial structure as we digitise everything.

Most of the company auditing around the world is now done by the Personalia’s private service. They can offer complete accuracy, complete honesty, and complete reliability and accountability. If it looks like you are headed for a crash, they will tell you in advance. You don’t get that with human auditing firms, Daddy says. They even do the auditing of Daddy’s business, he was astonished to find when he enquired. You can’t always tell from the name of an auditing firm about who actually owns it.”

“They must be worth a bob or two, with all these contracts. No wonder slinging ten thousand to my mother is so easy for them. So these thinking spaceships don’t have names?”

“Not as such. Think of it more like a bar code identifier. That is enough so they know who is who.”

Reg sighed from information overload.

“Freda, I can’t make a decision like this for the whole family. Everyone has to be involved. We also have to decide what happens to the business, if we were to leave; and what are your parents, all of them – the children’s grandparents – going to say about this?”

“We can look into matters like that once we know more. What would they want us to do there? Are they offering jobs for you, me and the others? We haven’t finished our university degrees, remember? Surely they don’t expect us to abandon our courses partway through?”

“Yes. There are a lot of factors involved in this. We can’t just drop everything and emigrate. So, get more information, have a family meeting, and take it from there.”

“It can’t be very longer before dinner, dear, so if that Person phones you back, don’t get too involved; you need your food, or you will get cranky: you know you do.”

Reg kissed her, saying, “On the ball, as I would expect, Freda. I will remember what you just said.”

Ten minutes later, his phone rang, and he answered it cautiously.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mr Robertson. Your voice match confirms it is you. This is the Person who phoned earlier. I hope you have confirmed that I am genuine.”

“If Hubert says you are genuine, you are genuine in my book. However, there are many factors that will affect any decision I and my family make: financial, educational, my wives’ relationships with their parents, and matters pertaining to our business; these are all important to us.

There is also the question of what we would do on this other planet: what jobs would be open to us, as half-educated university students: is there a university there that we could transfer our courses to, or failimg that, could we complete our courses by mail, if the time lag is not too horrendous?”

“Mr Robertson, there is no time lag to speak of.”

“Don’t be silly!” he retortd automatically. “The distances involved are so huge that unless you offer hibernation, most journeys are going to be interminable.”

“Allow me to correct you, Reginald. You are quick to warn others about making assumptions without first determining the facts. You have just done that! One of our Landerships will take you up to one of our Base ships, and you will be transported to a spot where the Base ship will move instantaneously to another point in space near the planet Rehome, through what you might call ‘hyperspace’ or a wormhole, but neither is an accurate description. We can discuss technical details some other time. For now, accept that planet to planet takes a few hours only, by this means. We use the same process to move around the galaxy, searching for our enemies; enemies that once nearly destroyed us.

Now, before we go further, might I suggest you put your phone on to ‘record’, if it has that facility.”

“Oh, yes. I am doing that now.”

Reg was apologetic over the other matter. “I am sorry I spoke without ascertaining the facts, Mr Person. I will take your explanation on board for the present, but instantaneous travel, to me, means going out of this universe and back into it at another point: theoretically possible, but that is all, for where would you be during that transition?”

“Well, consider your theory as being applied in practice, Reginald. As for where you would be, the answer is a place where dark energy exists and nothing else. It immediately shoves you back out before you are actually there, but if you arrive with your new coordinates ready, so to speak, the dark energy applies these coordinates to push you immediately back into the universe, so that you do not disturb the dark energy theoretical reality.You are now at the new location.”

“Hmmm ... Dark energy as a theoretical reality only? it makes some sort of sense, but making it work is beyond humankind.”

“I would agree, but we are not humankind, Reginald. We are the Personalia. Dark energy may exist only theoretically, but it influences the entire universe, making it expand.” There was a hint of pride in the voice.

“Okay. So you can move us to another planet in mere hours. Why should you bother? Humans are an argumentative bunch at the best of times, and downright awkward sods for most of the time.”

“We would accept your assessment of humanity as a whole, Reginald Robertson, but that does not hold for individuals and families. We select stable families for our settlements, and very few crimes result. We wish to establish good relations with a biological race to replace our Malan originators, and humanity is that discovery. We feel the loss of our Malan biological friends.”