All characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrighted to Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. I've taken the idea for the Unseelie Court from the TGS. Characters and concepts from Star Trek are property of Paramount and created by Gene Roddenberry. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All real persons belong to themselves, and no offense is intended. All original characters are the property of SN/TVfan.
Note: I'm disregarding the events of the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. Also, I am altering large sections of the Star Trek storyline, especially concerning events like WWIII and the Eugenics Wars, which without the Cold War as a backdrop probably wouldn't happen the way Roddenberry wrote them, if at all. This story takes place immediately after "Once and Future King: Revenge Planned ".
Once and Future King: Revenge Discovered
By SN/TVfan
Email: Sam_Nary
York
"Arthur's been raiding their bases and so on," Gwendolyn Winters said to Rory, "and according to the news reports that the Illuminati have made, he's been making things bad for the people there, though that's likely code for that he's making things tough for them."
Rory nodded, he'd figured that much out.
"So… to attract his attention… why not take some action up here?" Gwen suggested, "To the south of the city the Illuminati have built a big POW camp for anti-Illuminati soldiers that they capture."
"You want me to storm a POW camp?" Rory asked raising an eyebrow with some suspicion, "All by myself?"
"Once you get the POWs out, you will have men that can help you," Gwen commented, "and it isn't like as though the Illuminati have large forces here… so if you can get in with some measure of surprise you should do well."
Rory was quiet for a moment and looked around the living room. His mission was somewhat of a secret one and was only to get the equipment Arthur would need to talk with the British government to him. He may have ambushed a few patrols here or there, but his actions had all been small scale and under circumstances where he wouldn't be facing down a bunch of heavily armed infantrymen in the open. However, the woman did have a point in that he could get some help from the POWs in the camp if he could move quickly. He also looked over to see the Illuminati soldiers that had been disarmed and tied up with bedsheets.
Normally when he moved he had been alone and able hide out away from the attention of others. So, if someone came following him and ran into someone, they wouldn't have seen him or he had managed to move on and the person telling the soldiers which way he went wouldn't matter too much. This case was different as these soldiers had moved faster than others and had caught up with him before he could move on. That would likely make Gwen a target when he did move on.
"It means you may have to become something of a fighter," Rory commented, "and using their weapons."
Gwen looked over in the direction in which Rory gestured and looked at the two Illuminati soldiers wrapped in bedsheets. Their camouflage uniforms contrasted heavily with the old white with pink poke-a-dot bedsheets that Gwen and Rachel had gotten from their mother years ago. The movies always said that wars did funny things to people, but she could never see herself as a fighter. Though she also knew that the Illuminati would come looking for those men by her being there when Rory knocked them out.
"I'm not much of a fighter, but I can keep a lookout and help with cooking as needed," Gwen answered, "the POWs will be the ones that can help you fight as need."
That comment also made Rory rub his head and sigh before he looked to her, "the thing is that my mission really isn't to fight. When I have fought with Illuminati men on this mission, it's mostly been to help me move along my way toward where the British army said they thought Arthur was operating out of. If I end up running around with a bunch of armed POWs, I could get caught before I can reach Arthur."
"You don't have to take all of them with you," Gwen commented, "Most, I'd bet would likely try to make it back to wherever the British army currently is right now. And that will likely help you… help us. They may want to catch you, but if they have to recapture a bunch of freed POWs… you and I will be low on their list of priorities to capture."
Illuminati Military Headquarters in York
General Bison and General Crawly both stood quietly as they watched a series of helicopters come in through the air. They managed to make them out based on the lights that were on at the front, the rear of the main body of the helicopter and at the end of the tail. The whirring sound of the engines could also be heard as the helicopters came in for a landing on the tarmac.
"I still do not think this is a good idea, sir," General Bison spoke, "its needlessly expanding things and going against what the council wanted when the war began."
"I know, and I'm not necessarily fond of it either," General Crawly answered, "but the Council is busy with this Khan business as far as I know and we must put an end to Pendragon's little revolution to get things back on track and in line with OUR way of thinking."
General Crawly focused his eyes on the helicopters as they landed. Doors on the sides of the helicopters opened to reveal commandos climbing out. They were dressed in black commando gear and armed with submachine guns. The Illuminati general was quiet as the last two pulled two green pained ammunition boxes out from inside the helicopter and set them on the ground.
"And that will mean taking actions that will be less than desirable," General Crawly said to General Bison and then walked forward.
He calmly walked forward and looked over the men that had just arrived. General Bison followed in his wake. General Crawly walked along until he came to a captain who stood at the right of the commandos. The captain snapped to attention as General Crawly approached.
"We're going to have a rather tough mission for you," General Crawly spoke to the captain, "are your men up to it?"
"We can handle any mission assigned," the captain answered confidently.
"Good," General Crawly said calmly, "if you'll come with me, I'll brief you on what your mission while the rest of your equipment and the transportation you'll need specifically for this mission arrives."
"Sir, if I may speak plainly," the captain spoke up.
General Crawly stopped walking back toward the headquarters building that had been built near the POW camp so to allow the local commander and garrison to better supervise all the operations and hopefully have a lighter footprint with regard to the people of York. He then turned slowly to see the captain standing quietly in front of his men. After a moment of silent, the captain continued.
"We were preparing to deploy in southern England as previously ordered to help pin down Pendragon's forces there as he rampages along the countryside and seeming to raise an army as he goes," the captain spoke, "admittedly, from all reports most are too old and too undisciplined to be effective soldiers if brought into an actual battle… but with his supernatural help, Pendragon could very well raise an army that could break our entire position here. Wouldn't it be better to stop him directly now while he's still too weak to truly stand against even what we have now?"
"If you come with me, the briefing will explain all that you need to know," General Crawly spoke firmly, turned and resumed walking to the inside of the headquarters building.
The captain looked to General Bison, who said nothing, and then reluctantly fell in behind General Bison. They walked in and continued on until they came to a long rectangular room. On the far end of the room, there was a projection screen that was set up and was held on a metal tripod. General Crawly lead General Bison to stand before that screen while the captain directed his men to the seats at the table. There was a bit of an uneasy silence as the men moved in and assumed their positions. Once done, General Crawly stood before the projector screen and straightened his jacket so to be ready for the briefing.
"Good evening," General Crawly began, while picking up a remote to activate the projector that hung from the ceiling, "I must inform you that the mission you're to be assigned to and the reason for your being here is critical to our success over Arthur Pendragon and his war against us as well as the war that has grown out of it."
General Crawly pressed a button and a map showing the front lines of the Illuminati and anti-Illuminati forces. All of them could see that the front line had moved south and that the Illuminati had been pushed out Northern Ireland. One of the commandos, however, noted a star marked on the area where the old Scapa Flow naval base was located.
"Thanks to Pendragon's continued actions against us and our mission to enlighten the world, we are facing the real potential of defeat," General Crawly continued, "especially as the anti-Illuminati forces have been lead to believe in a lot of old stories that Pendragon is some kind of hero."
"And in the old stories, sir," the commando who had noticed the star at Scapa Flow commented, "He is. Protecting the weak and ruling with honor. In many ways, his legend is precisely what the Illuminati has tried to be."
"True," General Crawly admitted slowly, "but there are also sacrifices and deals that aren't always the most noble that MUST be made for the sake of the greater good. Nothing we do in life is easy and in the end our goals will benefit everyone, even if they don't see it."
The commando didn't answer, which General Crawly took as an end to the debate.
"And at present the British government believes that Arthur Pendragon will save them from us and to continue to be the hero that legend depicts him as," General Crawly stated, "This means we must make a show of force to demonstrate that it is Pendragon that is the threat to them. That we would not have come into the open and invaded if it were not for him."
"Wouldn't be that be something we do AFTER we've won the war?" the commando's captain asked, "or at least something we do behind the lines politically in the hope to get the British people to side with us, sir?"
"We've tried that to some degree," General Crawly gave a sigh of frustration, "but so far, none of that has worked… likely because of the belief in Arthur Pendragon saving them."
The commandos all traded glances while General Crawly continued.
"Which is why your mission is representative of a tough decision that must be made and carried out to break the will to resist us," General Crawly stated, "the government of the Anti-Illuminati forces believe that Pendragon will save them. This filters down to the soldiers and the people. But until the main part of the war is won, we cannot divert troops to fully pin Pendragon down… particularly in the wake of the reverses we've endured at the front."
The commandos all looked to the projected map, which did depict the advance of the anti-Illuminati forces recently. The map didn't show the areas where Arthur had been active, but lines that marked where the front line was did show dramatic reverses. General Crawly continued.
"This means we must strike at the British government in a direct way," General Crawly spoke, "remove the royal family and the very symbol the anti-Illuminati have for their own cause. The shock will kill the British will and demonstrate that Arthur Pendragon could not save them and all they held dear."
The gasps were audible as all of the commandos were surprised and shocked by the mission orders. The one who had noticed the star at Scapa Flow looked especially surprised, but said nothing while General Crawly continued with the mission briefing. The general pressed a button and the map of Britain was replaced by a map of Scapa Flow.
"Our satellites have pinpointed that the Royal Family have been kept here at Kirkwall with the anti-Illuminati Parliament members are at Lyness and the military headquarters is presently at Stromness," General Crawly reported and pointed to each town on the islands that made up and surrounded Scapa Flow, "this protects them to a degree from air attack as leveling such a wide area would consume a lot of our ammunition and the Council did not clear us to use nuclear weapons in this campaign."
"So we're to assassinate the Royal Family," the captain surmised.
"In a sense, yes," General Crawly nodded, "you'll take a stealth helicopter in to Kirkwall and infiltrate the residence they're keeping the Royal Family in, which appears to be a bread and breakfast type of place… based on the satellite photos we have."
"And we're just to kill them?" the man who had noticed that the point on Scapa Flow when the map was turned on.
"Yes," General Crawly said firmly, "without the monarchy, their government will realize that Arthur couldn't save them and that further resistance is hopeless."
"What of Parliament and their military high command?" the commando's captain asked.
"You can move on to them as well," General Crawly spoke, "but the stealth helicopters cannot stay in the area while the mission is ongoing. They will need to go back to our own lines for safety and refueling."
"That'd leave us isolated," the captain said slowly.
"You will have radios to contact us," General Crawly answered, "and it is doubtful they have the forces to really combat any skilled team… and our bombers can reach the area and provide you with some support until the helicopters can get back to you."
"So… we'll have to walk if we're to get the rest?" the captain asked.
"If you wish to extend the mission to that," General Crawly spoke, "your prime mission is the royal family and the royal family alone. If you feel, captain, that surprise is lost and you can't get to the rest of the British high command, you are free to do what you can to keep your units intact until we can get the stealth helicopters back to pick you up. THAT is up to you."
The captain nodded, but the man who had noticed Scapa Flow being targeted on the map looked rather nervous and conflicted. The war was supposed to be about putting down the direct influence Arthur Pendragon had on the British government, not to take things to the point where the royal family, whose role in the actual governing of Britain was rather limited, was not part of the reasoning.
"You are dismissed for whatever practice for the mission you wish to take, Captain, or for whatever relaxation you may wish," General Crawly spoke, "though do not leave York. You will leave here on your mission tomorrow at sunset."
Streets of York
"And you're sure they'll just let us in?" Rory asked to Gwen as they walked along carrying a few small boxes of sandwiches and snack foods, "wouldn't they suspect that as aid and comfort to their enemy?"
They might… but they will let us in," Gwen answered softly and looking forward, "I think they have the idea that seeing us visit and seeing that we aren't being harmed will serve as something of a propaganda message that the Illuminati isn't out to kill everyone."
"Sounds strange," Rory commented.
"They want to make themselves out to be the good guys in all of this," Gwen answered, "so why not allow somethings that might give them a shot at proving they're humane?"
Rory shrugged and put that aside as they walked along. He moved his eyes along the streets that were lit by various street lights and the lights coming from the buildings that lined the streets. He remembered the guy that had come looking for him and was ready to attack Gwen to get at him and knew that he was behind Illuminati lines. There were sure to be other people hunting him and there were also bound to be people in York that did support the invasion.
"And you're certain no one is going to recognize me as that other guy did?" Rory asked, "Generally, breaking INTO prison isn't a good idea."
"I can't say if they'll recognize you or not, but I wouldn't think so," Gwen answered, "and even if so… surely you could knock the guards out and start the breakout right away. I could try to talk to them… sorta like Han Solo in A New Hope."
"You do realize that his attempt to talk the Stormtroopers out of investigating failed, right?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hey… I'm just thinking of ideas here," Gwen answered, "and hopefully, things will go well and that won't be a problem. The trouble is that we don't have much choice now, do we?"
The two were silent for a few moments as they came up on a few more people on the street. These people looked fairly normal and were going about their daily lives at the end of the day and evening, but neither could be too careful. If they were supportive of the Illuminati and heard them talking, the whole plan to get some of the pressure of the Illuminati men that were hunting him off his back would be defeated before it could even truly be implemented. Thankfully few people gave Gwen or Rory much notice, which was preferred. At times Gwen liked some attention, and a fair number of people gave her some when Rachael had been attacked by what they thought was a wild animal, but even she knew the present situation was different.
After a while they began to move toward the edge of the city and the foot traffic seemingly went down. Rory also thought he noticed something that looked like some giant prefabricated structure looming on the horizon. It contrasted heavily with many of the buildings around them, even the newer ones. As they got father away from prying ears, Gwen spoke up again.
"And besides, you'll still need some way to get the Illuminati thinking about someone other than you if you're to get to Arthur," Gwen told him, "getting their prisoners out might be the only way to do it."
Not being able to really argue with that point, Rory only nodded. He wasn't in the war for any grand reason. His home and family were safe now, and he personally felt that was all he needed, but he did accept the offer to do more. If only with the idea that he'd make sure the Illuminati couldn't return to Ulster again. That said, he wasn't going around killing Illuminati soldiers. Most of the ones he'd run into were usually knocked out. His ancestor might have killed enemy warriors in battle once, but Rory wasn't that type of man by nature, even when he took Cuchulainn's form. It generally took a fair bit to get him to the point where he'd actually kill an opponent.
They walked along quietly and Rory did his best to remain as inconspicuous as possible, and it did work. No one seemed to bother them as they walked along and came to the outskirts of York where the Illuminati had built their POW camp and headquarters area. Rory noted the headquarters area was active but not any more alert than what would be expected. If they stayed more towards the POW camp, they wouldn't have much of a problem. They slowly approached the gate area to the POW camp and the guard window that was at it.
"Isn't it a bit late for care packages?" the guard asked as he watched Gwen place a small tin on the ledge of the window to the guard post at the gate.
"I was busy and taking on a new tenant who's been displaced by the war," Gwen answered, "otherwise I would have been by sooner."
The man looked at Rory for a moment and then sighed and nodded, "very well. Let me just check what you've brought to make sure you haven't brought anything that would be used to escape…"
"You should be asking if I brought anyone," Gwen thought to herself but said nothing aloud. Both she and Rory stayed quiet as by now, things had moved to where they'd need to keep their secrets in order to maintain the element of surprise and succeed in their mission.
The Headquarters Building
The soldier who had recognized the targeting of Scapa Flow stood quietly walked along a quiet portion of the roof. Things did not sit right with him. He remembered joining the Illuminati as a means of furthering enlightenment and bringing knowledge to the world, not letting it be held back by closed minded thinking. Sometimes force might have to be used to put down those sorts of things, as those that favored closed minded thinking could be quite fanatical, but murdering the Royal Family didn't sit right with him.
Sure they might have to accept stepping down to accept a pro-Illuminati regent, but that would still give them the chance to live in retirement. The fact that the British monarch was pretty much powerless in Britain's system also made him sure that killing them wasn't the right thing to do. The whole briefing on the mission struck him as something out of some comic book villain's plan for global domination. There was nothing enlightened in that.
"Orders are orders, Harvey," came a voice from behind him, making the commando stop his pacing.
The commando, Harvey, turned and looked to see his captain joining him on the roof. The man's face was calm and surprisingly accepting, though that didn't put any ease on Harvey's concerns.
"Even if there is no honor to them?" Harvey asked.
"That isn't entirely our place to judge," the captain answered.
"Do you think the Royal Family poses any true threat to our victory here that murdering them in cold blood is the only answer?" Harvey asked.
"I wouldn't think so personally," the captain replied, "but it could help put an end to the war. Besides, while we may not like it, we also both know that unless they accept our direct rule at the end of this, they'd lose their throne anyway."
Harvey's eyes narrowed to show his displeasure, "Retirement to an island is one thing. Murder is another."
"Orders are orders," the captain answered, "we've been assigned to this, and if we don't go through with it…"
Harvey looked to watch the captain raise his right hand up and then drag it slowly in front of his neck. The captain then twisted his neck to make it look as though his head were being cut off by something as his hand moved in front of his neck. It gave Harvey the clear impression that the Illuminati wasn't about to let anyone live that would oppose their decisions. He only sighed turned his head to look back out over the toward the POW camp facilities. None of what was said made him feel better and a part of him seriously wondered if it might be better to take a stand, at least for what was surely right and decent.
"Just remember that," the captain spoke and then left Harvey alone to his thoughts.
The POW Camp
Gwen and Rory were lead quietly through the halls by a lone guard as they went along. The halls were lined with doors, but the three of them moved fast enough that Rory couldn't pretend to be simply looking around and see what the doors were marked for. For all he knew they could lead to guard barracks or bathrooms. Some of this was important, as he'd need to split off in order to go through with Gwen's plan to bust the prisoners in the camp out, and hopefully do so without bringing too much attention on Gwen.
He also kept a look out for security cameras, which would be needed to make sure the Illuminati got no advanced warning. Thankfully there didn't seem to be too many cameras around that Rory could see which likely men they were away from the prisoner areas and tight monitoring was not as needed. It might give him a better chance, but he'd still need to be careful.
"It's a bit late to risk taking you into the main holding areas for the prisoners," the guard spoke as they walked along, "as we don't want to risk exciting them when we're wanting them calm for dinner and lights out."
"Makes sense," Gwen commented, feigning understanding.
"However, we do have a new prisoner that's recently come in and is here in the medical unit after being wounded while being captured," the guard answered, "and from what I've been told is a bit disbelieving on the good that we've done since we've begun our occupation here. Seems rather certain that Arthur and his friends will win."
The guard quietly opened one door and ushered for both Gwen and Rory to go into the room. Gwen walked quietly in, but Rory paused as he approached the guard.
"Say… I don't suppose you have a bathroom I could use, right?" Rory asked.
The guard gave a sigh and then pointed down the hall, "the men's room is just down the hall and the third door on the right. Move slowly, as I can watch you from here."
Rory nodded and moved to follow the man's directions. He wouldn't emerge as Cuchulainn until after he was in the bathroom and changed. He hoped he could also create enough of a racket that the Illuminati might think he was attacked while in the bathroom to given him and Gwen time to get away.
0-0-0
Gwen didn't look back over her shoulder as she heard Rory head off as she had played her role in getting the break out attempt started. Responding to look after him or anything other than doing what she'd told the guards she was there to do would only alert them to something being wrong and could potentially get both her and Rory in trouble. Instead she went in and focused on the lone bed in the room. In it a lay a lone man who had his shoulder bandaged as a clear indicator that he was recovering from surgery. The man was calm and barely responded to her arrival with a worn soldier's face.
"So you've come to tell me I'm wrong for believing in my country's freedom to?" the man said slowly as Gwen approached the bed.
"They hope we'd do that," Gwen commented with a warm smile, "but no, I'm not here for that."
"So why are you here?" the man answered.
"To give you a bit of encouragement and hope for a future set right," Gwen commented and sat down in a plastic chair that was set beside the bed and leaned in to whisper in the man's ear, "be it by Arthur or by your comrades fighting against the Illuminati."
The man's eyes widened briefly but he said nothing. After a moment he calmed down a bit and leaned back into the pillows they had given him with a smile that showed a great deal of inner confidence. Gwen felt proud of that and even amazed that the man could endure so much and still smile.
"What's your name?" Gwen asked after a moment.
"Gawain Green," the man answered, "Did my best to protect this country and live up to all the legends that have grown around it."
"Well… I've brought you a few things that may make your stay here a bit better," Gwen commented, "The Illuminati won't torture you outright… but…"
"They won't let me go free without some oath of loyalty," Gawain finished for Gwen, who could only nod. After watching Gwen's response he shrugged, "I suppose it'd be best to enjoy at least somethings… and wait and hope for the right side to win this war."
"Amen to that," Gwen replied and began going through the treats that she'd brought, "most of these are candies… but I'm sure they'll let you keep them. I'm afraid I don't have much else."
"There is nothing wrong with that," Gawain said in response, "Sometimes a kind face and a sympathetic ear is really all that one needs."
Gwen could only smile back, as a loud crashing noise was heard outside the room, indicating that Rory's part in springing the captured anti-Illuminati soldiers was getting started.
0-0-0
Rory was doubly sure to make that no one was in the restroom when he entered and was quite relieved to find that there was no one there. He then double checked to make sure that there were no security cameras in the bathroom and was pleased to see that there were none, and figured that the Illuminati did have some respect for privacy. With the room secure, he let himself be encased in a flash of light only to be replaced by the form of his ancestor, Cuchulainn. He looked back to the door to see that no one was there at the moment and then gave a smile, remembering the plan he'd come up with in Rory's form.
While historically Cuchulainn and Rory were two different people, Rory's life was not fractured into something where he had no control over Cuchulainn. He had access to things that Cuchulainn remembered, but in a way he very much remained Rory and thus why his battles as Cuchulainn against the Illuminati matched Rory's own personal style and ideas rather than the terms and mores of Cuchulainn's time.
"Now to draw their attention to me," Cuchulainn mused softly and looked over to what looked like an air vent.
He pulled down on the vent and let it clatter to the floor before then turning to land a powerful punch on the partitions to the bathroom stalls. The partition fell and landed with a loud bang. It settled down in a way that it was laying across one of the toilets and leaning against another stall wall. It would do enough to let the Illuminati be misled into an attack for when he and Gwen made their escape, but that would come later. For now, he needed the guard to begin his initial investigation.
His efforts were successful in that the guard was quick to rush to the door to investigate the sound the crashing bathroom stall. The door opened the man entered, though in a way that did not allow the guard to have his gun ready and Cuchulainn took quick advantage of it by grabbing the guard by the arm and throwing him against the tiled wall. The Celtic hero quickly pinned the guard to the wall with one arm and disarmed him with the other. He spoke to the guard as he did so.
"You have odd visiting hours for a prison, but your toady is of no concern to me," Cuchulainn growled to the guard, "all I want to know, is where is the main control center for this prison?"
"Who… who… are… you?" the guard grunted back slowly with his cheek pushed against the wall.
"Cuchulainn, the hero of Ulster," Cuchulainn spoke, "Now, I'll ask again. Where is your command center?"
"You'll… never… get… away… with… this," the guard grunted back as defiantly as he could.
Cuchulainn responded by pushing against the man harder until he began to hear the man begin to give a few cringes of pain. It wasn't enough to hurt the guard, but definitely enough to let him know who was in control.
"We'll see about that," Cuchulainn spoke, "now… about that command center?"
Unable to move the guard grunted and sighed. He tried to struggle and get his arms so that he could push against the wall, but only found that the Celtic hero only tightened his grip and increased the pressure he applied to pin him against the wall. His only real hope was to draw the man into a firefight with the main guards and hope they would provide enough firepower to free him.
"I'll lead you," the guard said slowly.
"Good," Cuchulainn answered, and pulled back on the guard so that the man had his arms behind his back, "Let's go."
0-0-0
Both Gwen and Gawain heard a series of loud shouts after a few moments. Gwen had an idea on what was going on, but Gawain was a bit perplexed.
"This is most undignified!" the guard yelled, "release me, you brute!"
"When we get to the command center," came Cuchulainn's voice, "wouldn't want you to lead me into an ambush, would we? For if you do… you'll catch most your friend's shots."
The guard continued to scream and protest, but they grew quiet as they began to move away from the area where Gawain had been placed to rest and where Gwen was talking with him. The anti-Illuminati soldier might be recovering from wounds, but his mind was still quite sharp and new that something outside the room didn't sound right.
"What was that?!" Gawain commented as he moved to actually sit up in the bed he was in.
He looked to the door and noticed that the guard who had been standing at the door was no longer there and then looked to Gwen who seemed to have a bit of a smile, which told him that she knew something.
"Let us say that the Resistance is undertaking a mission to give the Illuminati plenty more to worry about than just Arthur and the anti-Illuminati army," Gwen stated, "like getting as many POWs out of this camp as we can."
Gawain blinked and then asked, "Can you get ME out?"
Gwen looked at him and then said slowly, "I don't know. It doesn't look like you're on life-support or anything like that… but it is pretty clear that you may need more medical attention than I can provide."
Gwen watched as Gawain looked down and then sighed.
"But we'll see what we can do," Gwen answered, "We'll just have to wait four our muscle and bodyguard to get here at the end of his part of the mission."
Gawain looked back to her with a bit more hopeful look about him.
0-0-0
The walk was quiet and for a while there seemed to be no one else in the halls as Cuchulainn kept the guard that he had restrained led him through the facility. He remained on the alert with the knowledge that the guard would have every reason to try and trick him, but he also knew that unlike the other guards, he had the advantage of surprise, and even if the security footage gave the other guards warning, they wouldn't know the full depth of the plan for a while.
"The main control room is right behind this door," the guard said slowly.
It was a fairly standard door, but then all of them were fairly standard. Cuchulainn tensed his muscles and readied his spear, Gae Bolga, in his free hand with a flash of light just in case the guard was trying to launch some sort of trap. He loosened his grip one of the guard's arms to allow him to open the door and readied for what came next.
The door opened to reveal that the room was not the central command room but a barracks for the men stationed in the POW camp as guards. Some were in full uniform while others were in more relaxed clothing or even sleep-wear and all of them were negotiating rows of bunkbeds in the room, indicating either changes in duty shifts or different styles of relaxation. This proved to Cuchulainn that he was right to suspect a trap.
"He's an intruder!" the guard that he held prisoner just as Cuchulainn shoved him to a side. Unable to stop, that guard crashed face first into a wall and landed on his rear while the fight began.
Cuchulainn rushed forward grabbed the closest two men to him and slammed them together before thrusting them back. The two men were only wearing a tank top and shorts and weren't quite ready for a fight, which gave the Celtic hero an advantage. The first two men stumbled back into the wall and fell, giving Cuchulainn time to respond to the movements of the two guards that had either just gotten off duty or were getting ready to on duty. He looked to see that they had drawn their guns and had them aimed at him.
"You resistance nuts must be incredibly dumb to come in here alone with a glowing spear," one guard spoke.
"He has the Spear of Destiny?" the other asked.
"No, but it is glowing," the first answered his comrade.
Cuchulainn ducked behind the bunk beds and gave it a flipping throw that tipped the bed over and even rolled it at both of the guards as they argued about what Cuchulainn carried. One was knocked over by the rolling set of bunkbeds, and while the other managed to dodge it, he was left in the open and Cuchulainn took full advantage of it. He lunged forward, and using Gae Bolga as though it were a quarterstaff rather than a spear, he landed a strong blow across the face of the guard that avoided the bunkbed and knocked him out in the process. He then pivoted on one foot and landed a strong kick on the other guard as he tried to get out from underneath the bunkbed that had been hurled at him.
This left Cuchulainn facing the two men who were unarmed and had been thrown about earlier in the battle in the barracks room. Both were scrambling to try and get away and likely warn the rest of the POW camp that there was an intruder and one capable of dealing those better armed than him. The first of these two was actually nearing the door, and Cuchulainn lunged for him, managing to catch the man by his right arm as it moved backward in the course of running.
"Come now," Cuchulainn spoke, "your friend worked hard to try and set this trap. The least you can do is play it out to the end."
Cuchulainn then pivoted on his heels and threw the man that he'd grabbed back toward the other guard who wasn't ready for Cuchulainn's arrival. The Celtic hero of Ulster cringed as the two men collided with a loud "smack" and dropped to the ground and were still. With the battle over, Cuchulainn turned to the guard that he'd originally had as a prisoner. He found the man looking rather disoriented and still trying to get to his feet.
"I ought to break both your legs for that trick," Cuchulainn said in a low threat to the guard, "you know that, right."
"You… you can't be real," the guard stammered, surprised that Cuchulainn had defeated his ambush and seemingly easily.
"I can assure you that I am real," Cuchulainn answered and wrestled the guard back into a position where he couldn't do much to physically resist Cuchulainn's grasp, "and fortunately for you, I need you to lead me to the prison's command center. Otherwise… I WOULD break both your legs."
The guard only gulped.
The Headquarters Building
General Crawly came running down a hallway as alarms went off in the main headquarters building. He had no idea what could be setting off these alarms and even wondered who or what could be responsible. As far as he knew, Arthur Pendragon and his group were still far to the south and west of York and the Anti-Illuminati Army was well to the north of York. He eventually made his way into the building's main communications room to find the local garrison commander was already there and looking to the main communications officer who had an intercom button illuminated on the panel in front of him.
"What is going on?" General Crawly asked.
"We're getting distress calls from the POW camp, sir," the garrison commander said in a low voice, "apparently some lunatic has launched a one man raid."
"A one man raid?" General Crawly asked, raising an eyebrow.
He looked to both officers. The garrison commander looked slightly nervous and had his eyes shifting between looking to General Crawly and the speaker for the intercom on the panel. The communications officer was focused more on the intercom button. Eventually the garrison commander answered.
"The reports have him non-modern attire and wielding a glowing spear," the garrison commander spoke, "and there are no reports of anyone launching attacks besides this man."
General Crawly quite literally growled in frustration. He had received plenty of briefings on a man wielding a glowing spear in Northern Ireland and knew WHO was attacking them. That presented a dangerous threat as this warrior in his own way had proved to be just as dangerous as Pendragon was in southern England.
"How many men do you have available to you?" General Crawly then asked to the garrison commander.
"Not many beyond those guarding the camp," the garrison commander answered, "your best shot is with those commandos you called in."
0-0-0
"This assassination plan goes too far," Harvey thought to himself as he walked toward the sleeping quarters that the commandos had been given after the briefing on their mission.
He continued to pace after his captain had left him on the roof and he could only cement his position that what had been done couldn't be allowed to continue to go on. It might mean defection once he got to where they would be sent, but it would still be something to secure some sense of honor and fair play in a war that had to be spiraling out of control and in the wrong direction. He was just about to open the door when the intercom suddenly came on and startled him. He jumped as it buzzed to live and nearly crashed into a wood and cloth cushioned chair that was in the hall next to the door.
"This is General Crawly to the garrison and commandos," came General Crawly's voice over the intercom, "the POW camp is presently under attack by a Celtic warrior who helped the anti-Illuminati army in Northern Ireland. You are to rally to the camp and at least detain him… though killing him is also an option."
Harvey looked up and was quick to realize that the resistance had to behind this and would be the best placed to get a warning of what General Crawly had planned for his revenge on the anti-Illuminati government and on Arthur Pendragon. Going on the raid and defecting there might not work as there wouldn't be enough of a warning for it. If the resistance was here, though, he might get the chance to get that warning out now rather than when it was too late. He quickly took the chair and placed it under the door knob so that the top of the chair would prevent the handle from turning down and thus opening the door. The commandos inside might be able break through eventually, but Harvey figured it would take them some time to do so.
"Sorry," he whispered in a low voice as he walked away and soon heard the screams of frustration at the door handle not turning properly.
The POW Camp
Cuchulainn's progress to the POW camp's main control room had less direct trouble from the guard that he held hostage as he had defeated the man's attempt to lay a trap for him, though it was still an advance that involved plenty of altercations. By now other guards were starting to mobilize and were trying to catch him or contain him in certain areas. It led to several small engagements and ambushes as he had to battle his way through them. These engagements left his hostage pretty bruised and disoriented, but Cuchulainn knew that he couldn't simply let the man go for fear of attack and he couldn't knock him out until he'd accomplished his main mission.
There were no audible signs of alarm, but the fact that other guards tried to stop did indicate that they were aware of his presence in the facility. While it did make Cuchulainn wish to hurry, he did manage to keep his wits about him to make sure that when he did have to deal with guards that he was on the winning end of the confrontation. That let him keep going toward the main control room for the POW camp.
"It is right through that door," the guard that Cuchulainn had as a hostage spoke, "though by now the door has to be locked."
Cuchulainn moved his prisoner forward until he was close to the closed door. Like the other doors in the camp, it looked to be a rather standard wooden door and not something that was meant to be real security barrier to any potential intruder or riot.
"The Illuminati likely didn't think they'd ever face anything like this," Cuchulainn thought as he pivoted on one foot and kicked hard against the door with the other.
The door proved to be a simple wooden door with a fairly standard bolt lock and it splintered and broke with the blow that Cuchulainn delivered. A loud cracking noise went through the room to reveal a fairly simple control room with little in the way of high tech gear. Most of what was high tech in the room were the security camera screens that covered the far wall. Cuchulainn could see practically everything on them, from the out cold guards, to prisoners in their cells, to the empty prisoner common spaces, and even Gwen sitting with the wounded prisoner. That assured him that she was alright and that everything was going fine so far.
The bigger thing was that the three men inside. Two were looked more like technicians and were unarmed, but the third was armed and was more of a standard officer and he was waiting for Cuchulainn's arrival. He fired at point blank range and Cuchulainn was forced to use his hostage as a human shield. The guard he'd taken prisoner gave a scream before the bullet hit him in the chest and then fell to the floor. The commanding officer obviously didn't expect that as Cuchulainn watched the man gasp and even shrink back at the sight of the fact that he'd killed one of his own men.
"That wasn't nice," Cuchulainn said simply and rushed forward before the commander could recover.
Cuchulainn managed to get a grip on the man's wrists and held the man's hands up and wrestled the gun out of his hands. Once the gun was free, Cuchulainn swung his free hand down and knocked the commanding officer out and then looked to the two lower ranking men, who both looked at Cuchulainn with very terrified looking faces. The two of them seemed to quiver and tremble as Cuchulainn slowly approached.
"Please don't hurt us…" the first of these men said in a nervous voice that made his fear evident to Cuchulainn's ears.
"You are unarmed?" Cuchulainn asked carefully.
"Neither of us are armed, we're communications officers," the second man said hurriedly, "not actual guards."
Cuchulainn looked to them and then the switches and boards on the panels in front of them. They might not be a supercomputer, but he knew that they were too complex for even Rory to figure out quickly.
"Can you open ALL the cell doors from here?" Cuchulainn asked carefully.
"Yes," the first said quickly and then flipped a switch, "done."
Cuchulainn watched some of the security screens as the cell doors swung open. It took a moment or two before he saw the image of soldiers the Illuminati had has prisoners began to poke their heads out of their cells. As they hesitantly made their way out Cuchulainn returned his attention to the two communications men, who were still trembling with fear in the chairs. This was the actual breakout, and while some guards might still be around, they wouldn't be able to stop the entire camp from at least trying to escape the building. He just had to make sure they knew it was safe to do that.
"Can you turn on an intercom to the POW camp and ONLY the POW camp?" Cuchulainn asked.
The first man nodded and turned to the panel and flipped a different switch. Cuchulainn watched as a green light appeared by it. The communications man then reached for a corner of the panel and picked up an old looking microphone with a pair of white plastic buttons on the base of a small metal platform. A lone metal stand rose from the center into a bullet shaped microphone. Cuchulainn took it carefully.
"Go ahead…" the first man said to him, "Just press the right button."
Cuchulainn took it and slowly pressed the button down and spoke into the microphone, "This is Cuchulainn. The 'mythical' Hound of Ulster and agent of the anti-Illuminati forces. Most of your guards are unconscious and the rest search for me. This is your chance to escape and try to get back to British lines or to give the Illuminati the trouble they rightly deserve for trying to crush our freedom. I urge all those that are capable to move to do so and free yourselves from this place."
0-0-0
"A breakout attempt," Gawain Green said slowly.
"Sounds like it," Gwen answered as she looked to the wounded soldier.
She noted some look of hope and depression on his face at the same time. It was like the man wanted to leave but knew that he couldn't, thanks to the wounds sustained and the medical treatment he likely needed. In theory they could move him, but they wouldn't be able to fully treat him or get him to a place where Gawain Green could be properly healed.
"I'll be fine," Gawain said after a few moments, his breaths slow and a bit pained, "you and this… 'Hound of Ulster' have a lot to do, and I'm rather broken at the moment."
"I wish there was a way to take you with us," Gwen said slowly, "but they got you hooked up to so much…"
Gawain was quiet and patted Gwen's hand as she remained seated by the bed. She was likely waiting for this Cuchulainn to return and then escort her out. She had to be his helper and Gawain knew he couldn't get in the way. His thoughts were cut off when a new voice cut in, and one he didn't recognize.
"That could be possible if we get him to a civilian hospital away from York," the voice spoke, "and with a good van, we could manage it."
Gawain and Gwen looked up to the door to see a lone Illuminati commando standing there. He was armed, but his weapon was not at the ready and was hanging from his shoulder by a strap. At first, Gwen was nervous that he had caught on to them and was there to take revenge, but he came forward with his hands raised.
"My name is Harvey," the commando spoke, "and I suppose you could say I'm here to defect."
"Defect?!" Gawain and Gwen said together.
"They plan to do something that I find morally wrong and strategically stupid if peace and order is the goal," Harvey answered, "and I can't go along with it… So, I'm here to help you. The camp has a garage with an American built Humvee in it. If we can get this patient to it, we might be able to drive him away from York and get him to a civilian hospital that might treat him and give him a shot at recovery and escape from the Illuminati. In exchange we may be able to get a warning to the anti-Illuminati government."
Gawain and Gwen traded looks of puzzlement to each other, but that soon faded and Gawain did look directly to Harvey.
"Can you get me out of here?" he asked.
"I believe so… if we can hurry," Harvey answered and looked to Gwen, "Do you and this Cuchulainn have a means to contact the anti-Illuminati government?"
Looking down to Rory's bag, which she had carried for him, as it sat on the floor by her feet, Gwen then looked up again to the man. A part of her didn't fully trust him, but she didn't have much choice until Cuchulainn or Rory came back.
"We do… but we can't do it here," Gwen spoke as she heard footsteps approaching from the hall.
"Being able to give the warning is all that will be needed," Harvey assured her, "and once we're away from York, we'll have the time and safety to give the warning."
"Warn us of what?" Cuchulainn said slowly as he appeared in the doorway. He'd been surprised to hear Gwen and Gawain talking to someone else and even more surprised to find it to be an Illuminati commando, but so far the man wasn't attacking, so Cuchulainn was willing to hesitantly allow the man to continue. The man's answer, however, still made Cuchulainn's eyes widen in fear.
"The Illuminati plan to assassinate Queen and the Royal Family," Harvey said in warning to those present.
To Be Continued…