Chapter 2

Scott and Mac made arrangements to meet with Admiral MacCulloch and key members of his staff the next day and were then shown to the quarters that had been allocated to them. They agreed that either the President had a very extensive basement or Scott's early decision that all building works should be carried out underground was still being followed to this day. They moved down corridors that had no windows, only artificial light.

Their guide stopped outside a set of double doors and indicated that these were Scott's rooms.

"The St Andrew's Day celebration is due to start in one hour your Grace, a guide will come to make sure you find your way okay." The guide said.

Scott nodded his thanks and opened one of the double doors to enter the rooms behind. Immediately he entered the room, his ears were assaulted by the excited screeching of his wives. Ball gowns had appeared from somewhere and the girls were excited at the prospect of dressing up in the sumptuous finery.

"My Lord, look what they have given us to wear! Is it not a wonder? Look at these strange foot garments!" Squealed Helfe.

Tara was the most stunned looking. She was wandering around the rooms, checking out the various 'mod-cons' and asking what they were for. Of course, she had not had the benefit of a trip to the twenty-first century like Scott's other wives, as she had joined them after Scott had taken the girls back with him to recruit the specialists.

He noticed that a formal suit was hanging on the back of one of the internal doors of the suite and assumed the celebration was something of a black-tie affair. He wondered about the girls' ability to dance the various dances that might be in fashion these days, but thought better of mentioning that given how excited they obviously were.

Instead he took the opportunity to look round the suite. It consisted of three rooms. The main room was set out for receiving guests and also for dining. Off of this room was a huge bedroom with several bigger than king-size beds. Off of the bedroom was a bathroom, although the term bathroom didn't really do it justice. There was a massive sunken bath, clearly able to double as a Jacuzzi, a shower that would accommodate a soccer team and wonder of wonders, a sauna. Thick towels and bathrobes were laid out around the room and various toiletries adorned a shelf.

Scott walked back into the reception room once more and noticed someone else in the room for the first time. He walked over to the man who was standing quietly by the dining table.

"Well met, I am Scott mac Fergus." He said as he reached to clasp the man's arm in greeting.

His touch told him that all was not as it seemed with this character.

"It is a pleasure to meet you your Grace. My name is QDM-3. I am a deluxe model domestic android, programmed to meet your every need sir."

"What kind of name is QDM-3, even for an android"

"I believe it stands for Quality Domestic Male, version 3 sir."

Fiona walked over to join Scott at this point and Scott explained what an android was.

"You mean this poor man isn't really a man at all?" She exclaimed.

"Indeed my love, he has been manufactured to undertake all of the domestic chores so that you don't have to worry yourself with them."

"Well, I still think it's wrong that he doesn't have a proper name. I've decided we are going to call him William." She said as she rushed across to join the other wives as they began to get ready.

Scott moved closer to William and whispered in his ear. The android raised an eyebrow, but then nodded and the pair slipped out of the double doors and into the corridor.

By the time the girls emerged from the bathroom dressed in all their finery, including their small golden crowns, which they had brought with them, Scott and William had returned.

He complimented them on how beautiful they all looked and sidled past them to take a quick shower himself. He felt a little lost in the vast expanse of the shower, but made the most of the powerful jets of water to help soothe his tired muscles.

Stepping from the shower, he towelled himself dry and proceeded to get himself dressed for the ball. When he emerged from the bathroom the girls stopped their chatter and stared at him.

When they had been briefly in the stateroom, Scott had spotted his crown, sword of state, sceptre and golden spurs all in a glass case. He had asked William to direct him back to the room and retrieved his ornate crown, the crown of the Ard Righ nan Albannach. If the President wanted to have a little show then he had decided to oblige, but to do it with a little style.

Scott was wearing a dress kilt and his Saltire tabard. A golden belt passed over one shoulder and carried a sheath for a ceremonial sword. His crown was on his head and he wore a purple cloak trimmed with ermine fur. He looked every inch the High King and the girls oohed and aahed.

They too had decided they needed some additions to the ball gowns they had been given. Each of the gowns was a pristine white satin, but now the girls had tartan sashes going diagonally over one shoulder. Together with their crowns, they now sported intricate necklaces of celtic designs around their necks and dropping into their décolletage.

The girls bowed to their Lord and he walked forward to raise them and then hugged each of them, kissing them on the lips as he declared his love for them all once more.

The celebration was a great success. There was an excited buzz in the President's ballroom as all anticipated meeting the High King and his wives. The buzz was suddenly cut off as trumpets blared briefly and then a voice called out from the entrance to the ballroom.

"His Grace, Scott mac Fergus, Ard Righ nan Albannach and Queens Fiona, Eilean, Helfe and Tara!"

Scott marched into the ballroom, his head high, two of the girls on each side of him. The President moved forward smoothly with his wife, meeting Scott and his wives near the entrance. The President bowed and his wife curtsied.

"Your Grace, may I present my wife, Elisabeth."

After that it was a never ending round of introductions for Scott as the President brought forward dignitary after dignitary. He was introduced to the Prime Ministers from each of the seven continents. Scott's recently acquired knowledge from the Stone let him know that travel in 2012 AD was a somewhat simple matter and very, very quick. He guessed the Prime Ministers had all travelled for the celebration after having seen him appear on TV that evening.

Scott danced with all of his wives, pleased to find that many of the traditional Scottish dances were still being used, albeit a little different given the passage of time. He had roped William in to holding his crown while he was swirling around the dance floor and he was really enjoying himself as much as he could with the constant flow of guests he had to speak to.

He was also pleased to see that the Scots love of good drink, good food and a wild celebration did not seem to have been diminished by the passage of time. Uisge beatha, wine and other drink were flowing freely and the gathered dignitaries were drinking as much as anybody else.

Scott was catching his breath after a particularly vigorous dance - strip the willow! - when Admiral MacCulloch joined him for a word or two over the drinks that they had in front of them.

"I see you enjoy a celebration as much as the next man your Grace." He said.

"Aye Admiral, ever we Scots liked to play hard as well as fight hard!"

"Well, there's been no need to do much by way of fighting for hundreds of years your Grace, until now that is with the appearance of the iLOX."

"Aye, so I have already noticed Admiral. That's something that Mac and I will wish to cover with you in the morning when we meet. So be it that the cities are protected sufficiently, there is no guessing when an assault on the Earth itself might come." Said Scott.

He turned to look at the Admiral and saw the other man's face take on a blank look. Scott's hand paused as it raised his wineglass to his mouth.

"Admiral, tell me that the cities are protected!"

"But your Grace, we have had no need for such protection for centuries. We know the battle with the iLOX is to take place in space, not down here. Why would we have taken any precautions here on the planet's surface?"

Scott's fingers went lifeless and his wineglass fell to shatter on the floor at his feet. The people closest to him stopped talking to stare at the High King, but others continued to dance and enjoy themselves, oblivious to Scott's shocked look.

"Sweet Jesu! Tell me it's not true Admiral! Tell me that you have not left the Earth and her cities undefended!"

"Your Grace, why are you so exercised by this?"

"Admiral, what was it that sparked Scotland to begin to develop its capacity for space flight and exploration?" He asked.

"Everyone knows that piece of history your Grace, it was brought about by the appearance of the iLOX at Inveraray in the year 890 AD." Said the Admiral.

Scott moved closer to the Admiral so no one could hear his words.

"Actually Admiral it was in 891 AD, but more importantly, where was the iLOX?"

"In Inveraray your Grace." Said MacCulloch hesitantly.

"On the ground Admiral! On the fucking ground!" Scott whispered urgently.

The Admiral's face suddenly took on a deathly pale colour as he realised what Scott was saying, what he was getting at.

The people standing around them hadn't really followed all of the conversation, and Scott had painted a smile onto his face to try to make sure there was no sense of panic.

"Admiral, we need a conference room right now. I'll be damned if I continue to dance and drink while the planet seems to be so fucking exposed! Get a message to Mac, the President and the Prime Ministers to join us. Keep smiling as if nothing is wrong and make sure the messages doesn't panic anybody."

The Admiral nodded and immediately began to set Scott's orders in train. Mac MacKelvie came to Scott's side and his wives also appeared out of the crowd, recognising their husband was up to something. The President forced his way through the throng, a message having been passed to him.