The Diaries of an Enigmatic Manipulator
A/N: You know, when I was writing this chapter, it came across to me that Siyana is a lot like that star/woman played by Claire Danes in the movie Stardust. Ironically, Jason Flemyng is in that movie as well.
Somewhere (I believe) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, 1899
Due to Agent Tom Sawyer's encouraging words and Mr. Skinner's loyal memorandum, the entire crew, the league and I have given the injured Nautilus a swift recovery within about a day. Oh, and how tired I am! Agent Sawyer had been working in the engine room, helping to fix up all the broken pressurized pipes and water shafts. Mrs. Harker and Dr. Jekyll worked in the infirmary, curing and patching up all wounded crewmen. Captain Nemo had been working in the stateroom, drawing and planning out our headings to where Mr. Skinner said he would meet us, and I, although useless otherwise, was able to fix any busted lighting, and charge the solar panels, which once fully operational, will help operate the machinery and electricity within the ship. So, if I must say so myself, I had quite the important job. I was indeed proud of my success! Although from my curiosity, I have not seen Mr. Quatermain around any time today. I wondered what he had been up to. Within early morning of the next day, however, we all met in the stateroom, ready to witness our good work put to hand and the Nautilus to be gliding out into the open sea once more. Once all gathered and everything was put to order, Mr. Quatermain congratulated us for our hard labor.
"Good work…all of you." he turned to our dear Captain Nemo. "Captain?"
The two men bowed heads to each other, and then, Captain Nemo stood tall and gave his orders.
"All ahead, full!"
A crewman pulled a lever in which once lay on its highest setting, read 'full', and the Nautilus was off.
"If Skinner's headings are correct, we will pass through the treacherous Straits of Tartary, and enter the Amur River, which empties out into the frozen lakes of Mongolia, virtually inaccessible to outsiders."
How inviting.
It took us about a day or less to reach our destination. Within that time, we had all been occupied to prepare what we needed and our plans for once settling there. Although I wasn't too preoccupied with these deeds, I had nearly calmed myself to arrange for the worst once come. If I were to fully operate my abilities, I must be completely and utterly in focus. I have indeed realized my power to give off illumination were to be stronger once in danger, and subconsciously my power is in action to defend, however I am capable of giving off a little radiance when in high spirits. However, if I am to be physically incapable to see what I am doing, I am more than harmful to my colleagues and not ready to fight our enemy properly. If I am to be blind, I must be ready. If I am to be blind, I must be calm, and know my surroundings. I must connect with my inner sense and be familiar with what other resources I could use to realize my environment. If I am to be blind, I must see otherwise.
I took place in my cabin for about the full day, concentrating on my worst fears and becoming blind, so I can then practice the way I see and sense otherwise. After a while, however, I have reached the point where I am able to control my fears and deliberate on returning my sight! It is exhilarating to have this much controlled power! And yet, I have fallen tired. A nice walk around the ship shall keep my spirits up, I believe.
Once passed the library, I found my way inside the peaceful tranquility of it all. The old smell of year-old novels, the warmth of the blazing fireplace at the south end, and the silently beautiful reminiscence of the grand piano at its centre. Now, I have not been one to know a great collection of songs by heart, but music has always been an enlightened part of me in which I loved. I can remember before the house was I a part of the Community Church Choir and had taken many lessons a few blocks down of my loft on every Wednesdays…oh, I do recall! My elderly piano teacher, the lovely Mrs. Bryant, would help me so well! And yet, now I cannot remember much but only bits and pieces of a few songs!
I sat down on the glossy pearl bench, and lifted the dusty cover in which the keys lay underneath. I rested my hands upon them, as if my touch could help me remember the correct order of keys. It did not, in a sense.
I attempted to play the mere beginning to Symphonie Nr. 9 by L.v. Beethoven, and stopped in midst due to my lack of commemoration. I tried a bit here and there of Allein Gott In Der Hoh Sei Eh by N. Decius and Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme by J.S. Bach, and simply failed to play anything but a few seconds of a melody! Menuett In G Major WoO 10-2 (L.v. Beethoven), Prelude Op. 28 No. 7 (F. Chopin), Für Elise (L.v. Beethoven), and Etude Op. 10-3 "Chanson de l'adieu" (F. Chopin) failed as well.
Simply frustrated, I had slammed my palms against the alignment of keys, resulting in an unharmonious sound! I grasped my head; it is as if I can remember nothing peaceful of my life, which had all happened before the home. It had taken my pride and joy—merely, it took me! My soul was taken that day, along with anything I would yearn for recalling.
But I mustn't have such a mere frustration lose my concentration. If so, how will I be able to defeat the Fantom? And so I tried again. This time, I attempted to play Pachelbel's famous "Canon In D".
I closed my eyes, playing the song within my head. I remember it to be a beautiful song…Pachelbel's unique sense of music I can recall filling my early years on my own with such tranquility. It began to play within my head, the easy wave of my fingers. I used my second hand to add a harmonious rhythm. It seemed to come back to me now, flowing like a soft current of water through my mind, and on and on the melody played not only in my head, but through my ears. I smiled through the soft harmony that echoed the room—I was remembering! And it sounded oh so beautiful! Oh, if only I could record this audio of the angels on paper—if only you could know! I preceded so on for about seven full minutes…and yet, it lasted but a lifetime! This is what I had missed all these years; the sweet, sweet accord of my youngest years lifting up to heaven in sound—the peace! I do remember the peace! What a joy I was then, and as I opened my eyes, watching my radiant, softly glowing hands glide the keyboard in magic, I looked over to see Dr. Jekyll standing in the door frame.
"That was beautiful." he murmured.
I smiled in return.
Soon enough we arrived at our destination in Mongolia. I say, even inside the Nautilus was I freezing! I had to hold my own arms in hope of staying warm, which really did not help at all.
The Captain, once announcing our arrival, all asked for our assembly on deck. We were all to be ready for the worst. I suspect those such as Agent Sawyer, Mr. Quatermain, Captain Nemo, and possibly even Mrs. Harker to be stocked with weapons. I, myself, have had luck by coming across a small silver dagger in which I held onto at the side of my dress. Besides that, I really didn't have much I needed to equip with.
Before climbing up the once treacherous ladder to the deck, the Captain and his crew equipped us with long, heavy white fur coats, goggles, and other necessities for our travel. We had all put on our coats before greeting the snowy, chilly air, and I found it interesting to realize that the Captain's own coat was not white, but a dark blue to match his uniformed armor. I supposed it had to do with his customs.
We greeted a view consisting of a blue-grey sky, white mountains, and a white layer of snow at the ground, supporting a small village.
"Peasant settlements…" Mrs. Harker observed.
"They're all deserted." said Mr. Quatermain.
"Why deserted?" asked Mrs. Harker.
Just then, behind a few mountains on the Eastern way, a faint detonation was heard, and the sky shouted in reds and oranges. I would believe that was where our purpose lay.
"Fear, no doubt." said the Captain, in his deep, strong voice.
We had taken at least a half an hour or slightly less putting on the rest of our gear to make our travels through the snow and to where M and his destruction was, and to where Mr. Skinner will once again rejoin us and fill us in on what we are up against. The league, me, and dozens of crewmembers attempted to climb off the ship's main deck and on the snowy grounds (which was not too much of a distance—the Nautilus had only risen about twenty feet above the ice—it could not go further) with enough struggle itself. And, once upon the snow, I must say, we traveled such a horrid, brutal way in which I have never faced before! It was certainly not pleasant above the terrorizing wind and snow, and although our clothing kept us warm, I felt as if I could walk no longer after merely a mile! There was hardly any resting, and we had walked at least a dozen miles before we came into view with a large, fiery fortress which not only made me feel warmer already, but terrified me. But, I thought, I must stay brave.
"M's summer retreat!" Agent Sawyer joked above the whirl of freezing winds.
"This is where Skinner signaled he'd meet us—so we wait." ordered Mr. Quatermain.
Thanks to Mr. Skinner, he had found us a nice cave to settle in as we waited for his arrival. Mr. Quatermain volunteered to wait outside for him and watch the cave while a few crewmembers assembled a fire in the middle. As everyone waited in the corners of the cave, and Dr. Jekyll cared for a few crewmen who must have suffered from some damage to due to the frozen voyage, I myself warmed up to the fire heartily and unintentionally glowed in bliss. And so, the dark cave grew lighter on my behalf. And, if it had not been my imagination, I believe the cave had gotten warmer too…
Not before long did we all hear Mr. Quatermain make a noise outside, and Mrs. Harker and Captain Nemo went to investigate. I had heard some chatting between the three, and then I viewed as Mrs. Harker jumped and gasped in surprise! I feared as to what had happened! Some more chatting was made (this time the voices sounded a bit harsh…I do wonder what had happened to Mrs. Harker—until I recognized an extra, familiar voice in which I presumed to be Mr. Skinner), and the three returned to the cave, accompanied by a recognizable invisible man.
He had been invisible…and yet, he had to be exposed to the cold to do so! I feared as to how Mr. Skinner must feel to be bare under this entire frozen atmosphere! My light seemed to fade. Hurriedly, I grabbed a coat and some extra things conserved for our long lost member, and he gratefully took them.
Once putting on his coat and glasses, and covering his head with greasepaint, he spoke:
"With all the suspicion on the ship, I knew you wouldn't believe I wasn't the spy. I thought it was best to…disappear."
I witnessed Dr. Jekyll express a guilty feeling.
"So what are we dealing with?" asked Mr. Quatermain, getting serious.
Mr. Skinner looked at all of us, took a pause, and began; "The fortress is vast. Furnaces produce iron for making M's weapons of destruction. They're pieces together on the factory floor by a private army of ruthless men who share his vision. But the worst was to come; in the dry dock, M's best minds…pervert Nemo's dream."
"The Nautilus?" said the Captain, horrified.
"Nautili. There's eight, for now." he responded.
"Good God…" I said, unintentionally.
"What about the kidnapped scientists?" asked the Captain.
"M holds their families hostage. The men work, or the women and children die."
I believe the look on my face just then would have been the most sickened expression I have ever made. My eyesight blurred just a bit.
"Monstrous…" spoke the Captain.
I would not have replied in a different way.
"Oh, that isn't the half of it." said Mr. Skinner, dreading me quite the amount. "The scientists are forced to work night and day to make new versions of us. Invisible spies, and army of Hydes, vampiric assassins, blinding protectors; M leaves for Europe today with a sample of the chemicals to sell to the most eager nation."
"I'll not let my evil infect the world." spoke the Doctor, fuming.
"Do you think any of us feel differently?" said Mrs. Harker, who to my surprise had been standing in the cave's entrance, looking out. I suppose she was guarding in place of Mr. Q.
"I'm afraid of my power falling into the wrong hands; who knows what havoc will arise if we fail?" I said.
"Chimney pipes laced to buildings and bombs in the furnaces would make quite a bang. But someone needs to blow that place to hell, and I am least likely to be seen."
Why…I was impressed! I have never seen this side of Mr. Skinner before! I smiled on his behalf. It was certainly much better than his constant joking attitude, in my opinion.
"Skinner, I didn't know you were such a barefaced liar." Mr. Quatermain grumbled. In response, Mr. Skinner and I gave him a look of slightly irritated curiosity.
"…all this time, pretending that you weren't a hero?" he finished.
Mr. Skinner grinned with appreciation for the hunter's joke. I resisted the urge to 'roll my eyes'.
"Well, shut up or I'll come to my senses!" he spoke. "Besides…any more like me, and I'll lose the franchise."
Just then, Agent Sawyer jumped up and cocked his rifle in an angrily manner. Mr. Q stopped his rage.
"No…this cannot be a hunt to the death. More's the pity."
He directed to us, then. "We must take M alive if his secrets are to be uncovered."
"Not Gray…" I heard Mrs. Harker say, still standing out to face the cold. "He's lived long enough."
"Oh, I'll handle him!" Mr. Sawyer offered, in what I believed to be a tone of showing off. I feared our American Agent was not fit to fight the harmful immortal; the young and innocent against the old and experienced. I shivered.
"No!" Mrs. Harker interrupted, calming my thoughts. There was something in her voice, besides the anger, that I couldn't quite place. Was it protection, maybe? Or had it been betrayal?
Then our orders were given.
"Nemo, you and Hyde will free the prisoners. Sawyer and I will deal with M."
What could I do, then? I couldn't not think of it, until, it had struck me as just plain obvious. I turned to Mr. Skinner.
"Let me accompany you. I can blind those who might come across in our path, and notice the floating quantity of dynamite."
He nodded his head, and once we all knew what we were to do, Mr. Quatermain nodded his head as well.
Looking at each and every one of us, and with a sly smile, he finally confirmed:
"Then the game is on."