Welcome back to my humble island! Stay, rest awhile, ignore the screams of those
animals I'm experimenting on. Be comfortable. You're next on the operating table, heh, heh,
heh! Okay, okay, I'm good. Rini has arrived at the island, and her danger is far from over! Let
us continue! But first, disclaimers -
Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Toei, DiC, Pioneer, and Cloverway, in that
order, none of whom are me.
The Island Of Dr. Moreau belongs to H.G. Wells and his descendants(if any), also not me.
_This_ is emphasis, and *this* is thought.
And now, the terror continues...
******************************************************************************
The Island Of Dr. Tomoe
by Scorpinac
Chapter 2: In the Company of Dr. Tomoe And Friends
When we reached the shore, a woman with long red hair and red-brown eyes in another
lab coat and red heels was waiting for us, along with three more of the odd looking manservants.
I decided to wait in my boat until told otherwise, not wanting to get in anyone's way. But then
the waiting woman turned and saw me.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"Her name's Rini," Mimete answered. "Found her floating out in the middle of nowhere,
and brought her back from death. Paid Rubeus to take her to Bermuda with him, and this was his
answer."
"And you brought her here?!" the woman snapped as the launch was tied to the dock and
the manservants began unloading the various crates and cages, taking them up to the building
beyond. The building was surrounded by a sturdy looking wall of stone and what looked like
bamboo, the building within made of stone and normal wood. A single string of smoke escaped
the smoke stack, and from where I sat it looked quite cosey.
All around the outside of the wall was thick jungle and some hills in the distance, and of
course the dock and the pretty white sandy beach. I hoped then to find a swimsuit that fit me so I
could go swimming later. Mimete walked up to the other woman, and I had to lean in at the front
of the boat to hear anything.
"What was I supposed to do?" she said. "The bastard dumped her three miles away from
the island. The waves would have washed her up eventually anyway. Would you rather she'd
washed up on the far end of the beach and seen....something she shouldn't?" At the last, she
noticed me leaning to try and hear, and so did her companion.
"I guess not," the woman said. "Take her up to the compound and make sure she stays
out of the way until we decide what to do with her. And since _you're_ the one who brought her
here, _you_ can tell the Doctor about her while you're there!"
"Fine, Kaolinite, consider it done!" Mimete snapped, then turned to the blonde manservant
from before. "Jadeite, pull her boat up to the beach!" she ordered, and the 'man', Jadeite, walked
over in his odd, inhuman gait to my craft, untied the rope, and pulled it up to the beach and landed
it. Somewhat timidly, I got out and stepped on to dry land for the first time in almost two weeks
by my reckoning, maybe longer.
For a moment I was unsteady, I'd gotten used to the 'ground' below me bobbing with the
current, but then regained my land legs and walked up to the new woman, bowing politely.
"Hello, I'm Rini Shields, pleased to meet you, ma'am," I said as politely as I could.
"Ellen Kaolinite," she nodded, and Mimete touched my shoulder, and indicated for me to
follow her, which I did. We walked up to the big wall and then along it for what felt like several
minutes, but I doubt it was, until we reached a gate. As I had noted earlier, the wall consisted of
a solid concrete base below hundreds of vertically standing bamboo 'logs' tied closely together so
as to leave not even the slightest notion of a gap. The gate was only the bamboo logs on a swing
that, when Mimete called to someone named Unazuki, swung upward, allowing our entrance.
Unazuki stood just inside at a control wheel, which she turned counterclockwise to begin closing
the gate, but Mimete told her the others would be coming up with the 'packages' soon, and to
just leave the gate open until they finished it, or she was otherwise instructed.
Unazuki, like the other people I had already seen aside of Mimete and Ms. Kaolinite,
seemed misshapen, and also hunched over, a distinct difference from those I'd seen so far. Her
face was just as mis-formed as Jadeite's, a seeming parody of a human's, yet she had long red hair
in a pony tail, which seemed to add to her contrast to my knowledge of human shapes.
"New...little...mistress?" she asked in a slightly guttural, yet still distinguishably female,
voice while indicating, gee, big shock, me.
"She's a guest, Unazuki, and yes, if she asks you for something, you are expected to
comply," Mimete answered, shocking me no end as I had _never_ been allowed such...authority
over a servant before due to my age. At home, I was always expected to defer to the wisdom of
my elders, even the butler and the maids, and especially my parents and my nan. Being told I
could boss someone around as I wished, and that they were expected to obey without question,
was a new concept to me.
As to the compound, there was a moderate tower near the gate with a small antennae dish
on the roof, and I could see someone sitting inside it, staring out at all that lay around. To one
side sat a rather ample looking vegetable garden, and several trees bearing various fruits and other
consumables, and a small well was tucked away near the house. The house itself was, as I had
surmised, wood and three stories tall, about seventy feet I think long, and about forty feet across
with a redbrick chimney on the end to my far right as I entered through the gate, and all in all
looked like a small mansion. There was also a second, smaller building off to the side, which
when I asked on the way up to the main house, Mimete told me was for storing certain animals
until they were considered needed.
We went up to the house and entered through the front door, walked through a few
corridors, and entered a room with a small couch against one wall, a comfy looking easy chair in
one corner, a tall stand-up lamp between them, and a throw rug upon the floor below a small table
with an incomplete jigsaw puzzle on it. There was also a small bookcase with several books on it.
There were two other ways out of the room, one to the left of the chair, and another leading out
to a patio, or so it looked through the window near it. Once we were inside, Mimete came to a
stop and turned to me.
"Okay, you stay here in this lounge and wait 'til I come to get you," she told me. "I'm
gonna go tell my boss you're here and make sure he doesn't decide to use you for one of our
experiments. So just sit tight, okay kiddo?"
"He wouldn't really experiment on me, would he?" I asked nervously.
"Nah, just pulling your leg," she said. "Oh, and don't try to get through there, it's
locked," she indicated the inner door to the left of the chair. "Right, I'll be back as soon as I can,
'kay?" she said, and left the way we came in, closing the door behind her. I stood still for a while,
quietly staring at the door, not sure what to do, then walked over to the door and tried to open it,
only to find that Mimete had locked it.
Finding that I was not trusted to look around on my own was a bit upsetting, I must
report, but I quickly accepted that whatever Mimete and her friends were doing on this island I
was not to be privy to unless they decided to show me. I went over to the bookcase and looked
at the books contained therein; they were all science and medicine books, and some were in other
languages, and I realized I'd get no entertainment from these, I wouldn't understand a word they
said! So I went over to the table and looked at the puzzle thereon - a picture of a beautiful large
baleen whale, a Grey, I think, swimming peacefully underwater. I fiddled with fitting some of the
unfit pieces for a little while to distract myself, and then I heard music floating in.
It was a pleasant melody, and it seemed to be coming from the nearby patio, so I put
down the piece I was holding and walked over to the patio door, nudged it open a bit, and peeked
out. Sitting on the patio porch was a small table with an old-fashioned radio sitting on it, from
which the music came. But that quickly became unimportant to me as I saw who was listening,
and dancing, to it!
There were two girls, one with short black hair that she wore down to her chin where it
curled inward slightly, and pretty purple eyes, and one with more purple hair held in a small white
hat and equally pretty blue eyes. They both wore brief black, two piece swimsuits and white,
nearly transparent shawls around their shoulders. But what mattered the most to me was that the
purple-haired girl was my age! And the other girl was only a year or two older, maybe three! I'd
found playmates!
Letting my excitement and happiness get the better of me, I opened the door all the way
and walked out to stand less than three feet from them, smiling widely. I watched them dance to
the music while I waited for them to notice me, and after a few moments the younger girl turned
her face toward me and opened her eyes. The moment she saw me she jumped with a gasp, and
this got the other one's attention, who also jumped and gasped when she looked and saw me
standing there.
"Hi!" I said, "My name's Rini, what's yours?" But they just stood there and stared at me,
like I was some kind of evil space alien like in the science fiction movies, or a monster like in the
horror pictures. I started to feel a little uneasy, and then I heard Mimete's voice calling out for
me from the lounge I so recently had occupied, and a moment later she came onto the patio
herself.
"Oh, there you are," she said as I turned to her, and the two girls ran off down the patio to
another door. I turned my head back in time to see them disappear inside, and felt really
downtrodden, for lack of a better term.
"Hey, wait!" I called to them futilely, but they were gone.
"Ah, I see you met Hotaru and Melanie," Mimete said. "Come on, the Doctor's
instructed me to show you to a room until further notice." She put a hand on my shoulder and led
me to another hall, then to a stairwell up to the second floor.
"Why'd they run away?" I asked. "I just wanted to be friends with them."
"I'm sure you did," Mimete answered as we reached the top of the stairs and headed
down another corridor. "But they've never seen another kid aside of each other before. You
probably scared them spitless." At that point she turned and opened a door, ushering me inside
the room beyond. The room held a bed, a chair, a small writing desk, and little else. A window
allowed sunlight to filter in and illuminate the room. "If you need to relieve yourself, the nearest
bathroom is just down the hall, second door on your left," Mimete said. "Please remain in here
otherwise until I, or someone else, comes up to get you. We have quite a few things to move
around, store, and whatnot, so it could be awhile. If necessary, I'll send some food up to you at
lunchtime, but we should be more than ready for a full sit down by dinner. So you just behave
yourself up here til then, 'kay?"
"Okay, I will," I replied, and she closed the door and left. I checked the door almost
immediately, and found that this time I had _not_ been locked in, but decided that until I knew
more about my current situation, I would do as I was told. So I sat at the desk, found some blank
paper and some writing implements, and decided to doodle for awhile.
Before long I had drawn pictures of my parents, my nan, my house, the Millennium, my
two belated companions from the lifeboat, and even Mimete and Captain Rubeus when my tummy
started to pester me for food. I got up and glanced out the window, and found I was on the side
of the house facing the main gate, where Mimete, Ms. Kaolinite, the ten servants, including
Unazuki, and the girls I had met on the patio, who as far as I could tell had not put on any more
clothing than what I had initially seen them in, as well as a new man I had not yet met with short
white hair, black circle frame glasses, blue pants, and another white lab coat were still moving
things around, the Cougar being brought inside by Jadeite, Kyusuke, and one other man with
wavy red-brown hair.
I watched for a few moments more, then felt my body voice another, far more urgent,
need, and following Mimete's instructions quickly found the bathroom and allowed myself some
much needed relief. The bathroom had both a sink, a full on tub, and, of course, the most
important requirement of all, which was the first thing I made use of before cleaning myself up at
the sink. When I returned to my room, I found the man from the tower waiting for me with a
plate of biscuits, a pate of butter, a pair of bananas and carrot sticks, and a glass of juice. I
accepted them gratefully, and set the plate on the desk before turning back to the man, or, as I
then looked at him more closely, a boy actually, no more than fifteen or sixteen at best, who was
already retreating.
"Wait," I said, "My name's Rini. What's your's?" He had brown hair and eyes, and like
the other manservants his face seemed slightly misshapen, his back hunched a bit like Kyusuke's.
He stared at me a moment before he answered.
"Greg," he told me. "I Greg. I manage tower, listen to radio, watch for boats in water,
Mimete tell me bring food to you, little mistress Rini."
"Thank you," I replied. "It looks good. I hope I'm not keeping you."
"Must go now," Greg said. "Have to return to tower, Doctor said take food, then come
straight back."
"Okay," I said, "See you later, Greg." He nodded, seeming happy that I took the time to
be nice and thank him for his trouble, then shuffled out. I turned to my meal, and ate it heartily,
as I then realized I had never taken breakfast that morning before departing the Nemesis. When I
finished eating and had downed my juice, I looked myself over, and realized I could not recall the
last time that I had bathed myself. While I am sure Mimete washed me after bringing me aboard
the Nemesis and ensuring my survival prior to my first awakening upon the now hated and long
gone craft, I still felt dirty, and decided to return to the bathroom.
At this point, I suddenly felt adventurous, maybe even a bit rebellious. After all, the girls
of my own age group I had seen in the courtyard helping to move boxes were dressed in almost
nothing, which told me that discipline was far more slack than what I was accustomed to, and it
had been nearly two weeks since I had been told how to be a proper young lady by anyone. So in
a sudden moment of naughtiness, I disrobed in my room and traveled from there to the bathroom
in only the suit of my birth. I was not seen, yet felt extremely thrilled at my boldness. I am sure
my mother will take me to task for this act when she reads this account, but I enjoyed it,
nonetheless.
I filled the tub and bathed myself calmly, enjoying the wonderfully soothing soak in the
lovely warm water. One might think I would never want to see water again after my ordeal, but
for some reason it didn't bother me. Once I felt thoroughly relaxed, I got out of the tub, emptied
it, collected a towel from a pile in one corner of the room and dried myself off, then poked my
head out the door to see if the coast was clear, it was, and then lightly sprinted back to my room,
as naked as before. I couldn't help it, it was just so much fun!
Once back in my room, I went to the window, glanced at the people below who still
continued to move around the crates and boxes and other things Mimete had brought with her
from the Nemesis, then pulled the drapes, darkening the room, and slipped between the covers of
my new bed still nude and closed my eyes for a nap.
I awoke with the coming of dusk, and had just redressed myself and finished fixing my
slightly tangled hair when there was a knock at my door and Jadeite stuck in his head.
"Mistress Mimete sent me, to bring the new little mistress to dinner," he said.
"Okay, just a sec," I said, completed putting my hair up, and then followed him back
down to the first floor and then to the dining room. The dining table wasn't very big, about ten
feet long, maybe, and the white-haired man I saw earlier was at the head, and I noticed his eyes
were a pale blue. Mimete sat to his right and Ms. Kaolinite to his left. The raven-haired girl from
before sat next to Ms. Kaolinite, and the purple-haired girl sat at the other end of the table
opposite the man.
Mimete turned and saw me, then waved me to the open seat next to her right across from
the raven-haired girl.
"I was just telling everyone how I rescued you from the sea, kiddo," she said. I sat down
and glanced at the spread - juice and what looked like wine or something else with alcohol in it to
drink, various fruits and vegetables, a warm loaf of bread hand sliced with a stick of butter to go
with, and what looked like roast beef. I glanced at my hosts, who indicated I was to serve myself,
so I took a piece of roast, some carrot and celery sticks, a coupe of slices of orange, a glass of
juice - my parents told me I was never allowed to have anything with alcohol 'cause I was too
young, even if they weren't there - and one slice of bread that I covered with butter while Mimete
finished her part of the tale. I noticed that no one had said grace, but instead had immediately dug
in, so I began to eat, when Mimete turned to me once more.
"Okay, you already know Kaolinite," she said. "And this is Hotaru," she indicated the
raven-haired girl, "and Melanie," the purple-haired girl, "whom you met on the patio this
morning. By the way, they have something they'd like to say to you."
"Oh?" I turned to them while munching on my bread.
"We're sorry we ran off on you like that," Hotaru said to me. "We didn't mean to be
rude."
"We've never had guests before," Melanie added. "Especially one our age. You...scared
us..."
"I noticed," I commented. "It's okay, I forgive you. I really hope we can all be friends
while I'm here." I noticed them glance at each other as though unsure of my comment. I then
glanced at the man sitting at the head of the table. Mimete saw me and immediately introduced
him.
"And this," she said, indicating him, "is my and Kaolinite's boss, Dr. Souichi Tomoe. He
also owns the island." Dr. Tomoe smiled at me warmly, which made feel all the more safe with
my new company, and I smiled back.
"Hello, Dr. Tomoe," I said. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Rini Shields."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Rini," he said. "I'm glad you forgave my daughter. As she
and Melanie said, we've never really entertained visitors before."
"Daughter?" I blinked. "Hotaru's your daughter?"
"Of course I am," Hotaru said. "Whose else's would I be?"
"Uh," I stammered, "It just...took me by surprise is all...you don't really look much alike."
"Yes, I brought Hotaru with me when I and my assistants here departed civilization for the
isolation of this island," Dr. Tomoe stated. "She was only twenty months old then, and Melanie
was born here a year and a half later. No, she's not mine, she's...someone else's. Regardless,
she's been a boon companion to my darling little angel ever since." Hotaru blushed a pretty shade
of crimson at her father's last comment.
"Dad," she hissed, "You're embarrassing me..."
"Why?" he asked. "You'll always be my darling little angel, no matter how big you get.
Now, as to you, Ms. Rini, would you care to enlighten us as to how you came to be in the middle
of the ocean for Mimete to find and save you from the claws of the grim reaper?" I blushed a
little myself at being addressed so formally, then went into my tale for the second time, from my
family's early departure from Europe to the sinking of the Millennium to the loss of my initial two
companions.
"The rest you know," I said in conclusion. "I floated alone for I don't know how long,
and then Mimete and the Nemesis found me and saved me just barely from death. And now I'm
stranded here."
"Well, that won't be indefinite," Dr. Tomoe assured me. "I'm sure we can get another
boat's attention with our radio and get you passage home, or at least to a mainland where you can
make contact with your family and arrange for transport home from there. I'll have Greg set to
work on it first thing in the morning."
"Thank you," I said. "I'm really grateful for all this. I don't want to be a burden or
anything."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Mimete said. "We have plenty of food and drink to go
around, it's no problem. Besides, it's the least we can do for you. Just because we left
civilization doesn't mean we stopped being civilized!"
"Um...if I could maybe ask," I started slowly, "Why are you all here? And what are you
gonna do with all those animals?"
"The animals are for experiments I and my two colleagues here are conducting," Tomoe
answered. "Before departing civilization, I was conducting experiments into an amazing new field
of research, and many of my peers, my fellow scientists, starting making noise about some kind
of...moral...dilemma, or some such."
"So we came here to conduct our research in private," Kaolinite stated. "And in the past
twelve years we've made many strides. Soon our research is sure to pay off!"
"So what kind of research are you doing?" I asked. "Medicine of some kind?"
"No," Tomoe replied. "I'm afraid I can't go into the nature of our research too much
right now, Ms. Rini. It needs to remain just between those of us working on it. Not even Hotaru
or Melanie will let on about it, they know better than to tell secrets to outsiders."
"Ah, come on," I said in a slightly mischievious tone of voice. "Just one little hint? I
won't tell anyone, promise! Please?!"
"No way!" Hotaru snapped. "Until dad says we can, we tell _no one_ from the outside
world!"
"And for your own safety," Tomoe then continued more gently, "I must ask that you stay
away from the laboratory at all times. Dr. Mimete will, no, _Hotaru_ will point it out for you on
your way back to your room after dinner. Oh, and if you decide to step outside the outer walls,
for any reason, it would be wise of you not to stray too far from the compound; again, for your
own protection."
"Okay, the lab I understand," I said carefully, "but why would I need to..."
"Like he said, for your own safety, kiddo," Mimete cut in. "Trust me, you _don't_ want
to run into what's out there."
"Oh...okay," I relented. Sometimes, as I was to learn in due time, it was better not to
push. At this point, Tomoe changed the subject to current events in the outside world, and even
asked me for my two cents on the activities of the world at large as we continued our meal. I
must say, at this point he seemed a likable enough man. But then again, I imagine he would have
put on the same airs to anyone new and stranded upon his private isle.
I will not dull this record with moment by moment accounts of what happened from then
through the next few days, but I shall highlight. Once my first dinner upon Tomoe's island was
done, Hotaru did as he bid her and showed me where the lab was so I would know where not to
go, and then after doodling in my new room some more, I came down to the parlor and tried to
offer my assistance on the jigsaw puzzle, and for the most point just tried to be friends with
Hotaru and Melanie, who still seemed troubled at my presence in their home. About an hour later
everyone started turning in, and realizing my own exhaustion, I returned to my room and retired
for the night as well.
The next day, I spent my time again trying to get to know Hotaru and Melanie, and while
beginning to accept my presence, they were still more wary about me than I felt I deserved. Later
Mimete came by the lounge and we traded idle banter, and then she went on to where she was
headed right then - I think to check on some of the animals brought in with her the day prior - and
of Kaolinite I saw none.
That afternoon after having lunch and a bath, I decided to walk around the yard outside
the house, and took a close look at the vegetable and fruit trees, then found myself wandering
over to the animal storage house, and trying to open the door.
"Little...mistress?" a voice asked, and I turned to see Unazuki staring at me.
"Hi, Unazuki wasn't it?" I greeted her. Then, deciding to experiment with my supposed
absolute authority over her, I asked, "Hey, could you open this for me? I wanna take a look
inside." Unazuki looked at me for a moment longer, then came up and started to work on
opening the door when the man with the wavy red hair I'd seen helping move things around the
day before walked up.
"Unazuki," he said. "Orders from Doctor. New mistress not to be let into storage hut
until further notice."
"Why?" Unazuki grunted.
"Not say. Just tell not to let new mistress in," he replied, then looked at me, allowing me
to see he had actually very pretty sky-blue eyes and an only slightly distorted face, as though it
was being partly forced into being human somehow. "Hello, Mistress Rini. I be Nephrite, Keeper
of Grounds. Nice to meet you."
"Hello, Nephrite," I said. "It's nice to meet you, too. Are you sure you can't just give me
a little peek?"
"Doctor said, gave order, was very firm," Nephrite stated, just as firmly I would add.
"Can not disobey Doctor."
"Umm, what if you just lift me up so I can look in the window?" I asked. "You said that
Dr. Tomoe said not to let me _go_ inside the hut, you didn't say anything about just _looking_
inside it." It looked as though I had succeeded in outwitting him, as he paused to consider that
logic for a moment, but Unazuki's face lit up in delight as she moved to lift me as desired.
"Yes, only...say...not...go...in...not...say...not...look...in," she said in her somewhat
annoyingly slow speech. As she lifted me, I glanced at her hands, and noticed for the first time
that they were also malformed, missing both thumbs and pinkies!
"Uh, Unazuki...your hands..." I said slowly.
"I...three...man..." she said, as though it were obvious. "You...five...man...little...
mistress." I glanced at Nephrite's hands, and noted suddenly that he was equally devoid of
pinkies, and only his left hand had a thumb; and the other had two middle fingers between the
index and ring fingers. At this point my attention from the somewhat alarming irregularities in my
fellows was distracted by Nephrite finally reaching a decision.
"One look, brief, no more," he stated firmly, and Unazuki held me up to the window, and
I glanced inside. As expected, the walls held a row of cages each, and at this time I could only
barely make out the movement of any animals within the closest ones to the front door. Thinking
on it now, I realize I may have seen something moving around in there that was less animal, and
more human...
But I doubt I'll ever be sure.
A little while later I found myself near the tower, and decided to climb up and look inside
the small lookout deck that lay at the top, and found it held a telescope, two or three pairs of
binoculars hanging on hooks hammered into the posts around the area, a small table holding
recently used dishes, and a complex wireless radio system that seemed to be hooked to a cable
that lead up a post and out onto the roof of the tower, presumably to the antennae dish that I had
seen earlier.
Greg was sitting at the wireless equipment, listening to the airways on a headset, so I let
myself inside and quietly glanced at the equipment until he noticed me. His chair was surrounded
by a waist-high(to a grown-up, chest high to me) banister that had one opening on his right for
him to get in and out of. It was several moments before he did notice me, and he seemed both
surprised and happy to see me.
"Hello, Mistress Rini," he said. "Why you here?"
"I was bored," I replied. "I thought I'd take a look at what was up here."
"Is Greg's machine, Greg run, hear many things," Greg told me, and I had to staunch a
light giggle.
"So, have you done as the Doctor said you would?" I asked. He stared at me blankly, so I
added, "He said he'd have you radio the mainland to have someone come and pick me up so I can
go home?"
"Ah, yes!" he said. "Greg has done, send word earlier, waiting for answer."
"You're still waiting?" I blinked. "Maybe you should try again." Greg seemed to think
about that for a moment, then sat down and flipped a switch which, I can only guess, turned on
the transmitter.
"This is Greg, Repeat, This Greg. Over," he said into a microphone. "I am on island
owned by Doctor Souichi Tomoe, at .....," he then spoke a series of navigating coordinates which
I didn't understand nor remember. "Request any ship within two to three days away to come for
purpose of collect one stranded person for to carry back to mainlands. Please come back soon.
Over!" I rested my arms on the banister as he re-flipped the first switch and flipped another to
turn on the receiver, and then waited.
After a few moments, his face lit up, a response had come in, and then his face fell. I
looked at him, silently asking for commentary, or at least what was wrong. He flipped a third
switch, turning on a speaker so I could hear.
"I repeat again," a male voice stated from the grill. "War in Europe escalating, all seacraft
within your area redirected to support combat against Germany. All American seacraft avoiding
general area in attempt to maintain neutrality in conflict until further notice. No available seacraft
at this time. Possibility of available seacraft to rescue refugee in three or four weeks, more
possible within five to seven months. Over."
"Weeks?" I said. "Months?" Greg ignored me for the moment, and re-flipped the first
two switches to again transmit.
"Greg understand, repeat, Greg understand situation," he said into the microphone. "Will
wait contact from first boat can come. Over." He flipped the switches again. A moment later the
radio man responded again.
"Received and confirmed, island," he said. "Will notify your position of first available
craft. Over and out." Greg then switched off the speaker and glanced at me.
"Sorry, Mistress Rini," he said. "No boats can come, you can no go home yet."
"Yeah," I sighed, resting my head on my arms. "Guess I'm going to be here longer than I
thought I'd be." It occurs to me now that I should have suggested that Greg tell the radio man
my name and parents' names, as my family's standing might have encouraged him to find an
available ship sooner, or at the very least pass on to mother and father that I was still alive and
alright, none the worse for wear...yet.
As I stated before, I'm just a kid.
******************************************************************************
And thus Rini's stay on a tropical island with only herself, a few scientists, and two other
preteens and oddballs begins. Next time: peace and complacency turn suddenly to fear and utter
terror! Course, that goes without saying, doesn't it?
More soon, but so you know, I'm knee deep in several projects right; this, finishing
Roman Legends, and one other which is kind of a one shot which, hopefully, will be done by the
end of the week. Later!
animals I'm experimenting on. Be comfortable. You're next on the operating table, heh, heh,
heh! Okay, okay, I'm good. Rini has arrived at the island, and her danger is far from over! Let
us continue! But first, disclaimers -
Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Toei, DiC, Pioneer, and Cloverway, in that
order, none of whom are me.
The Island Of Dr. Moreau belongs to H.G. Wells and his descendants(if any), also not me.
_This_ is emphasis, and *this* is thought.
And now, the terror continues...
******************************************************************************
The Island Of Dr. Tomoe
by Scorpinac
Chapter 2: In the Company of Dr. Tomoe And Friends
When we reached the shore, a woman with long red hair and red-brown eyes in another
lab coat and red heels was waiting for us, along with three more of the odd looking manservants.
I decided to wait in my boat until told otherwise, not wanting to get in anyone's way. But then
the waiting woman turned and saw me.
"Who's that?" she asked.
"Her name's Rini," Mimete answered. "Found her floating out in the middle of nowhere,
and brought her back from death. Paid Rubeus to take her to Bermuda with him, and this was his
answer."
"And you brought her here?!" the woman snapped as the launch was tied to the dock and
the manservants began unloading the various crates and cages, taking them up to the building
beyond. The building was surrounded by a sturdy looking wall of stone and what looked like
bamboo, the building within made of stone and normal wood. A single string of smoke escaped
the smoke stack, and from where I sat it looked quite cosey.
All around the outside of the wall was thick jungle and some hills in the distance, and of
course the dock and the pretty white sandy beach. I hoped then to find a swimsuit that fit me so I
could go swimming later. Mimete walked up to the other woman, and I had to lean in at the front
of the boat to hear anything.
"What was I supposed to do?" she said. "The bastard dumped her three miles away from
the island. The waves would have washed her up eventually anyway. Would you rather she'd
washed up on the far end of the beach and seen....something she shouldn't?" At the last, she
noticed me leaning to try and hear, and so did her companion.
"I guess not," the woman said. "Take her up to the compound and make sure she stays
out of the way until we decide what to do with her. And since _you're_ the one who brought her
here, _you_ can tell the Doctor about her while you're there!"
"Fine, Kaolinite, consider it done!" Mimete snapped, then turned to the blonde manservant
from before. "Jadeite, pull her boat up to the beach!" she ordered, and the 'man', Jadeite, walked
over in his odd, inhuman gait to my craft, untied the rope, and pulled it up to the beach and landed
it. Somewhat timidly, I got out and stepped on to dry land for the first time in almost two weeks
by my reckoning, maybe longer.
For a moment I was unsteady, I'd gotten used to the 'ground' below me bobbing with the
current, but then regained my land legs and walked up to the new woman, bowing politely.
"Hello, I'm Rini Shields, pleased to meet you, ma'am," I said as politely as I could.
"Ellen Kaolinite," she nodded, and Mimete touched my shoulder, and indicated for me to
follow her, which I did. We walked up to the big wall and then along it for what felt like several
minutes, but I doubt it was, until we reached a gate. As I had noted earlier, the wall consisted of
a solid concrete base below hundreds of vertically standing bamboo 'logs' tied closely together so
as to leave not even the slightest notion of a gap. The gate was only the bamboo logs on a swing
that, when Mimete called to someone named Unazuki, swung upward, allowing our entrance.
Unazuki stood just inside at a control wheel, which she turned counterclockwise to begin closing
the gate, but Mimete told her the others would be coming up with the 'packages' soon, and to
just leave the gate open until they finished it, or she was otherwise instructed.
Unazuki, like the other people I had already seen aside of Mimete and Ms. Kaolinite,
seemed misshapen, and also hunched over, a distinct difference from those I'd seen so far. Her
face was just as mis-formed as Jadeite's, a seeming parody of a human's, yet she had long red hair
in a pony tail, which seemed to add to her contrast to my knowledge of human shapes.
"New...little...mistress?" she asked in a slightly guttural, yet still distinguishably female,
voice while indicating, gee, big shock, me.
"She's a guest, Unazuki, and yes, if she asks you for something, you are expected to
comply," Mimete answered, shocking me no end as I had _never_ been allowed such...authority
over a servant before due to my age. At home, I was always expected to defer to the wisdom of
my elders, even the butler and the maids, and especially my parents and my nan. Being told I
could boss someone around as I wished, and that they were expected to obey without question,
was a new concept to me.
As to the compound, there was a moderate tower near the gate with a small antennae dish
on the roof, and I could see someone sitting inside it, staring out at all that lay around. To one
side sat a rather ample looking vegetable garden, and several trees bearing various fruits and other
consumables, and a small well was tucked away near the house. The house itself was, as I had
surmised, wood and three stories tall, about seventy feet I think long, and about forty feet across
with a redbrick chimney on the end to my far right as I entered through the gate, and all in all
looked like a small mansion. There was also a second, smaller building off to the side, which
when I asked on the way up to the main house, Mimete told me was for storing certain animals
until they were considered needed.
We went up to the house and entered through the front door, walked through a few
corridors, and entered a room with a small couch against one wall, a comfy looking easy chair in
one corner, a tall stand-up lamp between them, and a throw rug upon the floor below a small table
with an incomplete jigsaw puzzle on it. There was also a small bookcase with several books on it.
There were two other ways out of the room, one to the left of the chair, and another leading out
to a patio, or so it looked through the window near it. Once we were inside, Mimete came to a
stop and turned to me.
"Okay, you stay here in this lounge and wait 'til I come to get you," she told me. "I'm
gonna go tell my boss you're here and make sure he doesn't decide to use you for one of our
experiments. So just sit tight, okay kiddo?"
"He wouldn't really experiment on me, would he?" I asked nervously.
"Nah, just pulling your leg," she said. "Oh, and don't try to get through there, it's
locked," she indicated the inner door to the left of the chair. "Right, I'll be back as soon as I can,
'kay?" she said, and left the way we came in, closing the door behind her. I stood still for a while,
quietly staring at the door, not sure what to do, then walked over to the door and tried to open it,
only to find that Mimete had locked it.
Finding that I was not trusted to look around on my own was a bit upsetting, I must
report, but I quickly accepted that whatever Mimete and her friends were doing on this island I
was not to be privy to unless they decided to show me. I went over to the bookcase and looked
at the books contained therein; they were all science and medicine books, and some were in other
languages, and I realized I'd get no entertainment from these, I wouldn't understand a word they
said! So I went over to the table and looked at the puzzle thereon - a picture of a beautiful large
baleen whale, a Grey, I think, swimming peacefully underwater. I fiddled with fitting some of the
unfit pieces for a little while to distract myself, and then I heard music floating in.
It was a pleasant melody, and it seemed to be coming from the nearby patio, so I put
down the piece I was holding and walked over to the patio door, nudged it open a bit, and peeked
out. Sitting on the patio porch was a small table with an old-fashioned radio sitting on it, from
which the music came. But that quickly became unimportant to me as I saw who was listening,
and dancing, to it!
There were two girls, one with short black hair that she wore down to her chin where it
curled inward slightly, and pretty purple eyes, and one with more purple hair held in a small white
hat and equally pretty blue eyes. They both wore brief black, two piece swimsuits and white,
nearly transparent shawls around their shoulders. But what mattered the most to me was that the
purple-haired girl was my age! And the other girl was only a year or two older, maybe three! I'd
found playmates!
Letting my excitement and happiness get the better of me, I opened the door all the way
and walked out to stand less than three feet from them, smiling widely. I watched them dance to
the music while I waited for them to notice me, and after a few moments the younger girl turned
her face toward me and opened her eyes. The moment she saw me she jumped with a gasp, and
this got the other one's attention, who also jumped and gasped when she looked and saw me
standing there.
"Hi!" I said, "My name's Rini, what's yours?" But they just stood there and stared at me,
like I was some kind of evil space alien like in the science fiction movies, or a monster like in the
horror pictures. I started to feel a little uneasy, and then I heard Mimete's voice calling out for
me from the lounge I so recently had occupied, and a moment later she came onto the patio
herself.
"Oh, there you are," she said as I turned to her, and the two girls ran off down the patio to
another door. I turned my head back in time to see them disappear inside, and felt really
downtrodden, for lack of a better term.
"Hey, wait!" I called to them futilely, but they were gone.
"Ah, I see you met Hotaru and Melanie," Mimete said. "Come on, the Doctor's
instructed me to show you to a room until further notice." She put a hand on my shoulder and led
me to another hall, then to a stairwell up to the second floor.
"Why'd they run away?" I asked. "I just wanted to be friends with them."
"I'm sure you did," Mimete answered as we reached the top of the stairs and headed
down another corridor. "But they've never seen another kid aside of each other before. You
probably scared them spitless." At that point she turned and opened a door, ushering me inside
the room beyond. The room held a bed, a chair, a small writing desk, and little else. A window
allowed sunlight to filter in and illuminate the room. "If you need to relieve yourself, the nearest
bathroom is just down the hall, second door on your left," Mimete said. "Please remain in here
otherwise until I, or someone else, comes up to get you. We have quite a few things to move
around, store, and whatnot, so it could be awhile. If necessary, I'll send some food up to you at
lunchtime, but we should be more than ready for a full sit down by dinner. So you just behave
yourself up here til then, 'kay?"
"Okay, I will," I replied, and she closed the door and left. I checked the door almost
immediately, and found that this time I had _not_ been locked in, but decided that until I knew
more about my current situation, I would do as I was told. So I sat at the desk, found some blank
paper and some writing implements, and decided to doodle for awhile.
Before long I had drawn pictures of my parents, my nan, my house, the Millennium, my
two belated companions from the lifeboat, and even Mimete and Captain Rubeus when my tummy
started to pester me for food. I got up and glanced out the window, and found I was on the side
of the house facing the main gate, where Mimete, Ms. Kaolinite, the ten servants, including
Unazuki, and the girls I had met on the patio, who as far as I could tell had not put on any more
clothing than what I had initially seen them in, as well as a new man I had not yet met with short
white hair, black circle frame glasses, blue pants, and another white lab coat were still moving
things around, the Cougar being brought inside by Jadeite, Kyusuke, and one other man with
wavy red-brown hair.
I watched for a few moments more, then felt my body voice another, far more urgent,
need, and following Mimete's instructions quickly found the bathroom and allowed myself some
much needed relief. The bathroom had both a sink, a full on tub, and, of course, the most
important requirement of all, which was the first thing I made use of before cleaning myself up at
the sink. When I returned to my room, I found the man from the tower waiting for me with a
plate of biscuits, a pate of butter, a pair of bananas and carrot sticks, and a glass of juice. I
accepted them gratefully, and set the plate on the desk before turning back to the man, or, as I
then looked at him more closely, a boy actually, no more than fifteen or sixteen at best, who was
already retreating.
"Wait," I said, "My name's Rini. What's your's?" He had brown hair and eyes, and like
the other manservants his face seemed slightly misshapen, his back hunched a bit like Kyusuke's.
He stared at me a moment before he answered.
"Greg," he told me. "I Greg. I manage tower, listen to radio, watch for boats in water,
Mimete tell me bring food to you, little mistress Rini."
"Thank you," I replied. "It looks good. I hope I'm not keeping you."
"Must go now," Greg said. "Have to return to tower, Doctor said take food, then come
straight back."
"Okay," I said, "See you later, Greg." He nodded, seeming happy that I took the time to
be nice and thank him for his trouble, then shuffled out. I turned to my meal, and ate it heartily,
as I then realized I had never taken breakfast that morning before departing the Nemesis. When I
finished eating and had downed my juice, I looked myself over, and realized I could not recall the
last time that I had bathed myself. While I am sure Mimete washed me after bringing me aboard
the Nemesis and ensuring my survival prior to my first awakening upon the now hated and long
gone craft, I still felt dirty, and decided to return to the bathroom.
At this point, I suddenly felt adventurous, maybe even a bit rebellious. After all, the girls
of my own age group I had seen in the courtyard helping to move boxes were dressed in almost
nothing, which told me that discipline was far more slack than what I was accustomed to, and it
had been nearly two weeks since I had been told how to be a proper young lady by anyone. So in
a sudden moment of naughtiness, I disrobed in my room and traveled from there to the bathroom
in only the suit of my birth. I was not seen, yet felt extremely thrilled at my boldness. I am sure
my mother will take me to task for this act when she reads this account, but I enjoyed it,
nonetheless.
I filled the tub and bathed myself calmly, enjoying the wonderfully soothing soak in the
lovely warm water. One might think I would never want to see water again after my ordeal, but
for some reason it didn't bother me. Once I felt thoroughly relaxed, I got out of the tub, emptied
it, collected a towel from a pile in one corner of the room and dried myself off, then poked my
head out the door to see if the coast was clear, it was, and then lightly sprinted back to my room,
as naked as before. I couldn't help it, it was just so much fun!
Once back in my room, I went to the window, glanced at the people below who still
continued to move around the crates and boxes and other things Mimete had brought with her
from the Nemesis, then pulled the drapes, darkening the room, and slipped between the covers of
my new bed still nude and closed my eyes for a nap.
I awoke with the coming of dusk, and had just redressed myself and finished fixing my
slightly tangled hair when there was a knock at my door and Jadeite stuck in his head.
"Mistress Mimete sent me, to bring the new little mistress to dinner," he said.
"Okay, just a sec," I said, completed putting my hair up, and then followed him back
down to the first floor and then to the dining room. The dining table wasn't very big, about ten
feet long, maybe, and the white-haired man I saw earlier was at the head, and I noticed his eyes
were a pale blue. Mimete sat to his right and Ms. Kaolinite to his left. The raven-haired girl from
before sat next to Ms. Kaolinite, and the purple-haired girl sat at the other end of the table
opposite the man.
Mimete turned and saw me, then waved me to the open seat next to her right across from
the raven-haired girl.
"I was just telling everyone how I rescued you from the sea, kiddo," she said. I sat down
and glanced at the spread - juice and what looked like wine or something else with alcohol in it to
drink, various fruits and vegetables, a warm loaf of bread hand sliced with a stick of butter to go
with, and what looked like roast beef. I glanced at my hosts, who indicated I was to serve myself,
so I took a piece of roast, some carrot and celery sticks, a coupe of slices of orange, a glass of
juice - my parents told me I was never allowed to have anything with alcohol 'cause I was too
young, even if they weren't there - and one slice of bread that I covered with butter while Mimete
finished her part of the tale. I noticed that no one had said grace, but instead had immediately dug
in, so I began to eat, when Mimete turned to me once more.
"Okay, you already know Kaolinite," she said. "And this is Hotaru," she indicated the
raven-haired girl, "and Melanie," the purple-haired girl, "whom you met on the patio this
morning. By the way, they have something they'd like to say to you."
"Oh?" I turned to them while munching on my bread.
"We're sorry we ran off on you like that," Hotaru said to me. "We didn't mean to be
rude."
"We've never had guests before," Melanie added. "Especially one our age. You...scared
us..."
"I noticed," I commented. "It's okay, I forgive you. I really hope we can all be friends
while I'm here." I noticed them glance at each other as though unsure of my comment. I then
glanced at the man sitting at the head of the table. Mimete saw me and immediately introduced
him.
"And this," she said, indicating him, "is my and Kaolinite's boss, Dr. Souichi Tomoe. He
also owns the island." Dr. Tomoe smiled at me warmly, which made feel all the more safe with
my new company, and I smiled back.
"Hello, Dr. Tomoe," I said. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Rini Shields."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Rini," he said. "I'm glad you forgave my daughter. As she
and Melanie said, we've never really entertained visitors before."
"Daughter?" I blinked. "Hotaru's your daughter?"
"Of course I am," Hotaru said. "Whose else's would I be?"
"Uh," I stammered, "It just...took me by surprise is all...you don't really look much alike."
"Yes, I brought Hotaru with me when I and my assistants here departed civilization for the
isolation of this island," Dr. Tomoe stated. "She was only twenty months old then, and Melanie
was born here a year and a half later. No, she's not mine, she's...someone else's. Regardless,
she's been a boon companion to my darling little angel ever since." Hotaru blushed a pretty shade
of crimson at her father's last comment.
"Dad," she hissed, "You're embarrassing me..."
"Why?" he asked. "You'll always be my darling little angel, no matter how big you get.
Now, as to you, Ms. Rini, would you care to enlighten us as to how you came to be in the middle
of the ocean for Mimete to find and save you from the claws of the grim reaper?" I blushed a
little myself at being addressed so formally, then went into my tale for the second time, from my
family's early departure from Europe to the sinking of the Millennium to the loss of my initial two
companions.
"The rest you know," I said in conclusion. "I floated alone for I don't know how long,
and then Mimete and the Nemesis found me and saved me just barely from death. And now I'm
stranded here."
"Well, that won't be indefinite," Dr. Tomoe assured me. "I'm sure we can get another
boat's attention with our radio and get you passage home, or at least to a mainland where you can
make contact with your family and arrange for transport home from there. I'll have Greg set to
work on it first thing in the morning."
"Thank you," I said. "I'm really grateful for all this. I don't want to be a burden or
anything."
"Oh, don't worry about it," Mimete said. "We have plenty of food and drink to go
around, it's no problem. Besides, it's the least we can do for you. Just because we left
civilization doesn't mean we stopped being civilized!"
"Um...if I could maybe ask," I started slowly, "Why are you all here? And what are you
gonna do with all those animals?"
"The animals are for experiments I and my two colleagues here are conducting," Tomoe
answered. "Before departing civilization, I was conducting experiments into an amazing new field
of research, and many of my peers, my fellow scientists, starting making noise about some kind
of...moral...dilemma, or some such."
"So we came here to conduct our research in private," Kaolinite stated. "And in the past
twelve years we've made many strides. Soon our research is sure to pay off!"
"So what kind of research are you doing?" I asked. "Medicine of some kind?"
"No," Tomoe replied. "I'm afraid I can't go into the nature of our research too much
right now, Ms. Rini. It needs to remain just between those of us working on it. Not even Hotaru
or Melanie will let on about it, they know better than to tell secrets to outsiders."
"Ah, come on," I said in a slightly mischievious tone of voice. "Just one little hint? I
won't tell anyone, promise! Please?!"
"No way!" Hotaru snapped. "Until dad says we can, we tell _no one_ from the outside
world!"
"And for your own safety," Tomoe then continued more gently, "I must ask that you stay
away from the laboratory at all times. Dr. Mimete will, no, _Hotaru_ will point it out for you on
your way back to your room after dinner. Oh, and if you decide to step outside the outer walls,
for any reason, it would be wise of you not to stray too far from the compound; again, for your
own protection."
"Okay, the lab I understand," I said carefully, "but why would I need to..."
"Like he said, for your own safety, kiddo," Mimete cut in. "Trust me, you _don't_ want
to run into what's out there."
"Oh...okay," I relented. Sometimes, as I was to learn in due time, it was better not to
push. At this point, Tomoe changed the subject to current events in the outside world, and even
asked me for my two cents on the activities of the world at large as we continued our meal. I
must say, at this point he seemed a likable enough man. But then again, I imagine he would have
put on the same airs to anyone new and stranded upon his private isle.
I will not dull this record with moment by moment accounts of what happened from then
through the next few days, but I shall highlight. Once my first dinner upon Tomoe's island was
done, Hotaru did as he bid her and showed me where the lab was so I would know where not to
go, and then after doodling in my new room some more, I came down to the parlor and tried to
offer my assistance on the jigsaw puzzle, and for the most point just tried to be friends with
Hotaru and Melanie, who still seemed troubled at my presence in their home. About an hour later
everyone started turning in, and realizing my own exhaustion, I returned to my room and retired
for the night as well.
The next day, I spent my time again trying to get to know Hotaru and Melanie, and while
beginning to accept my presence, they were still more wary about me than I felt I deserved. Later
Mimete came by the lounge and we traded idle banter, and then she went on to where she was
headed right then - I think to check on some of the animals brought in with her the day prior - and
of Kaolinite I saw none.
That afternoon after having lunch and a bath, I decided to walk around the yard outside
the house, and took a close look at the vegetable and fruit trees, then found myself wandering
over to the animal storage house, and trying to open the door.
"Little...mistress?" a voice asked, and I turned to see Unazuki staring at me.
"Hi, Unazuki wasn't it?" I greeted her. Then, deciding to experiment with my supposed
absolute authority over her, I asked, "Hey, could you open this for me? I wanna take a look
inside." Unazuki looked at me for a moment longer, then came up and started to work on
opening the door when the man with the wavy red hair I'd seen helping move things around the
day before walked up.
"Unazuki," he said. "Orders from Doctor. New mistress not to be let into storage hut
until further notice."
"Why?" Unazuki grunted.
"Not say. Just tell not to let new mistress in," he replied, then looked at me, allowing me
to see he had actually very pretty sky-blue eyes and an only slightly distorted face, as though it
was being partly forced into being human somehow. "Hello, Mistress Rini. I be Nephrite, Keeper
of Grounds. Nice to meet you."
"Hello, Nephrite," I said. "It's nice to meet you, too. Are you sure you can't just give me
a little peek?"
"Doctor said, gave order, was very firm," Nephrite stated, just as firmly I would add.
"Can not disobey Doctor."
"Umm, what if you just lift me up so I can look in the window?" I asked. "You said that
Dr. Tomoe said not to let me _go_ inside the hut, you didn't say anything about just _looking_
inside it." It looked as though I had succeeded in outwitting him, as he paused to consider that
logic for a moment, but Unazuki's face lit up in delight as she moved to lift me as desired.
"Yes, only...say...not...go...in...not...say...not...look...in," she said in her somewhat
annoyingly slow speech. As she lifted me, I glanced at her hands, and noticed for the first time
that they were also malformed, missing both thumbs and pinkies!
"Uh, Unazuki...your hands..." I said slowly.
"I...three...man..." she said, as though it were obvious. "You...five...man...little...
mistress." I glanced at Nephrite's hands, and noted suddenly that he was equally devoid of
pinkies, and only his left hand had a thumb; and the other had two middle fingers between the
index and ring fingers. At this point my attention from the somewhat alarming irregularities in my
fellows was distracted by Nephrite finally reaching a decision.
"One look, brief, no more," he stated firmly, and Unazuki held me up to the window, and
I glanced inside. As expected, the walls held a row of cages each, and at this time I could only
barely make out the movement of any animals within the closest ones to the front door. Thinking
on it now, I realize I may have seen something moving around in there that was less animal, and
more human...
But I doubt I'll ever be sure.
A little while later I found myself near the tower, and decided to climb up and look inside
the small lookout deck that lay at the top, and found it held a telescope, two or three pairs of
binoculars hanging on hooks hammered into the posts around the area, a small table holding
recently used dishes, and a complex wireless radio system that seemed to be hooked to a cable
that lead up a post and out onto the roof of the tower, presumably to the antennae dish that I had
seen earlier.
Greg was sitting at the wireless equipment, listening to the airways on a headset, so I let
myself inside and quietly glanced at the equipment until he noticed me. His chair was surrounded
by a waist-high(to a grown-up, chest high to me) banister that had one opening on his right for
him to get in and out of. It was several moments before he did notice me, and he seemed both
surprised and happy to see me.
"Hello, Mistress Rini," he said. "Why you here?"
"I was bored," I replied. "I thought I'd take a look at what was up here."
"Is Greg's machine, Greg run, hear many things," Greg told me, and I had to staunch a
light giggle.
"So, have you done as the Doctor said you would?" I asked. He stared at me blankly, so I
added, "He said he'd have you radio the mainland to have someone come and pick me up so I can
go home?"
"Ah, yes!" he said. "Greg has done, send word earlier, waiting for answer."
"You're still waiting?" I blinked. "Maybe you should try again." Greg seemed to think
about that for a moment, then sat down and flipped a switch which, I can only guess, turned on
the transmitter.
"This is Greg, Repeat, This Greg. Over," he said into a microphone. "I am on island
owned by Doctor Souichi Tomoe, at .....," he then spoke a series of navigating coordinates which
I didn't understand nor remember. "Request any ship within two to three days away to come for
purpose of collect one stranded person for to carry back to mainlands. Please come back soon.
Over!" I rested my arms on the banister as he re-flipped the first switch and flipped another to
turn on the receiver, and then waited.
After a few moments, his face lit up, a response had come in, and then his face fell. I
looked at him, silently asking for commentary, or at least what was wrong. He flipped a third
switch, turning on a speaker so I could hear.
"I repeat again," a male voice stated from the grill. "War in Europe escalating, all seacraft
within your area redirected to support combat against Germany. All American seacraft avoiding
general area in attempt to maintain neutrality in conflict until further notice. No available seacraft
at this time. Possibility of available seacraft to rescue refugee in three or four weeks, more
possible within five to seven months. Over."
"Weeks?" I said. "Months?" Greg ignored me for the moment, and re-flipped the first
two switches to again transmit.
"Greg understand, repeat, Greg understand situation," he said into the microphone. "Will
wait contact from first boat can come. Over." He flipped the switches again. A moment later the
radio man responded again.
"Received and confirmed, island," he said. "Will notify your position of first available
craft. Over and out." Greg then switched off the speaker and glanced at me.
"Sorry, Mistress Rini," he said. "No boats can come, you can no go home yet."
"Yeah," I sighed, resting my head on my arms. "Guess I'm going to be here longer than I
thought I'd be." It occurs to me now that I should have suggested that Greg tell the radio man
my name and parents' names, as my family's standing might have encouraged him to find an
available ship sooner, or at the very least pass on to mother and father that I was still alive and
alright, none the worse for wear...yet.
As I stated before, I'm just a kid.
******************************************************************************
And thus Rini's stay on a tropical island with only herself, a few scientists, and two other
preteens and oddballs begins. Next time: peace and complacency turn suddenly to fear and utter
terror! Course, that goes without saying, doesn't it?
More soon, but so you know, I'm knee deep in several projects right; this, finishing
Roman Legends, and one other which is kind of a one shot which, hopefully, will be done by the
end of the week. Later!