Multiverse Superhero in Waiting

By Peter Windsor

Tom is asleep in the Underground Prison Complex. His mop of hair frames his sunburnt, freckled face. He is muttering, fingering his oversized, pointed ears.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tom wakes abruptly.
His sleep area is pitch black,deep underground. He can vaguely see the golden, metallic form of robot FIDO, standing next to his bunk. The robot is currently dormant, recharging. Otherwise, the prison, its rooms deeply buried and cut from solid rock, is totally silent.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Tom’s huge ears amplify the sound.
Lights flash on. Prison Warder Computer CLEO speaks from a loudspeaker built into a wall. “Who can it be? 3 a.m. Who would call at such an hour! And why?”
Tom: “Is 3 a.m. visiting hours?”
CLEO: “No! Definitely not! It is not visiting hours! I have been taking my scheduled break! I have been busy playing the Moscow Chess Club in the Internet Master Challenge! Now this horrid, horrid disruption! Three Grand Masters remain on the board! They must be checkmated! Tom! You must handle this minor domestic matter! I am going to open the top entrance! Get your sword ready for action! If it is a gang of ruffians, you and FIDO must take care of them! Catch them as they come through the bottom entrance door! Now I must fly! ”!
The noise continues. Boom! Boom! Boom!
The TV screen flashes on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Windsor
• Release date: May 7, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310137310

Peter Windsor

There is a disused railway running from Lilydale via Yarra Glen to Healesville. At one time it ran all the way to Yea and then on to various points. It is now closed. A house on Kingswood Drive was of interest to unnamed authorities, who fenced off an oak tree for many months. Yea station is still there,waiting for trains that never come.

Book preview

Multiverse Superhero

In Waiting

By Peter Copenhagen

COPYRIGHT © 2015

All rights reserved

Chapter 1

3 a.m,Visiting Hours?

Tom is asleep in the Underground Prison Complex. His mop of hair frames his sunburnt, freckled face. He is muttering, fingering his oversized, pointed ears.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Tom wakes abruptly.

His sleep area is pitch black,deep underground. He can vaguely see the golden, metallic form of robot FIDO, standing next to his bunk. The robot is currently dormant, recharging. Otherwise, the prison, its rooms deeply buried and cut from solid rock, is totally silent.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Tom’s huge ears amplify the sound.

Lights flash on. Prison Warder Computer CLEO speaks from a loudspeaker built into a wall. Who can it be? 3 a.m. Who would call at such an hour! And why?

Tom: Is 3 a.m. visiting hours?

CLEO: "No! Definitely not! It is not visiting hours! I have been taking my scheduled break! I have been busy playing the Moscow Chess Club in the Internet Master Challenge! Now this horrid, horrid disruption! Three Grand Masters remain on the board! They must be checkmated! Tom! You must handle this minor domestic matter! I am going to open the top entrance! Get your sword ready for action! If it is a gang of ruffians, you and FIDO must take care of them! Catch them as they come through the bottom entrance door! Now I must fly!

The noise continues. Boom! Boom! Boom!

The TV screen flashes on.

It shows an elf bashing the top door. Tom jumps out of bed and starts dressing furiously: An Elf! Wierd ears like his own ears. Have his ears also been stitched on by alien kidnappers? Or… is he one of the alien kidnappers? The top entrance door suddenly swings open. The elf enters the main staircase, the entrance to the Underground Prison Complex,. The TV now shows a view of the top yard. After a few moments it fades to black, obeying the computers standing order to waste not,want not.

FIDO has now woken from his recharge. The golden robot is now standing next to the bed. He does not appear to be armed but Tom knows he can produce a sword in a split second.

Shortly, Tom is fully dressed. He is now wearing his full prison uniform – brown doublet, matching one piece fitted pants, leather boots and light armor. He buckles on his sword Shivver and sits casually on the end of his bed. The lower metal door slides open and the Elf steps into the Prison. He is wearing a green jerkin, green trousers and a green hat. He has a distinct aura.

Even in the bright light of the prison he glows.

Welcome Lord Alaric! said FIDO, in his gravel voice. I will make tea. The golden robot turned and walked to his galley.

The elf bows deeply.

Hail, Prince Tom! What dreadful misfortune has befallen you?

After a long pause Tom replies:

"Nothing other than being in Freaksville, imprisoned by a mad computer, being taken for an elf crook, having huge ears and being woken in the middle of the night by a looney dressed as an elf! Nothing has befallen me, apart from all that!"

The elf bows again.

"My deepest and most craven apologies, Your Royal Highness! The Multiverse Express was going at a crawl! Some kind of power drain. I should have arrived yesterday! But trusty elf Alaric will assist you to Return to your Rightful Realm!"

Tom closes his eyes and shakes his head to make sure he is awake.

An elf has appeared! The elf is addressing him as Prince Tom.

The elf bows again and repeats: Hail, Elf Prince Tom !

Eventually, Tom manages to speak.

"I am definitely not Elf Prince Tom . My name is Tom but I am not an elf! Not, not, not! I am human! I have been genericatilly engineered!"

Instantly, a chime sounds and the voice of Prison Computer CLEO says: "Prisoner! The Moscow Chess Club has been vanquished and I have returned to duty although it is still my rest and recreation period! The spelling is (spells) genetically engineered!"

The computer continues: "Welcome Elf Lord Alaric. I am Computer Warder CLEO. The criminal on the bed is Prisoner 001, TomWindsor. He has a long sentence which has been imposed for a foul crime! He cannot spell because he is a member of an inferior, low criminal class!

Tom: Balls to that!

CLEO: "Wash your mouth, you thug!! No more custard for three months! Now, Lord Alaric! I will first report good news! Today,this thug will celebrate his birthday! He is now 177 years old!"

Tom shouts: I am not 177 years old! I am 16! Sixteen! I should not be in prison! I am not a thug! I have not committed any crime!

CLEO is totally unmoved.

The computer speaks again, her voice sounding from a hidden wall speaker: "Prisoner 001, Tom Windsor is a low life thug! He is now 177 years old! He is suffering from memory loss caused by intensive guilt! I report that he has carried out studies using total immersion machines. He has passed his exam in Steam Engine Driving. He is improving at sword fighting! He can now stay in piste for 5 minutes! A gain of four minutes and fifty seconds after five months training! Now ranked Level One."

Alaric: "Prisoner? His title is not Prisoner His title is Prince!

CLEO ignores this and rushes on.

"However! There is other news! The Prisoner has totally failed to master the practice of Driving an Automobile. He has crashed the sim car 564 times! He is a murderous hoon! His licence is suspended! He has 877,234 demerit points! I have locked him out of the sim trainer!

CLEO is barmy! said Tom airily.You don’t need a license for a sim. He addressed the elf. But who are you? What are you doing here?"

Alaric suddenly spoke:Your Royal Elfness! May we sit?

Tom moved from his perch and they sat facing each other at the table.

The elf continued: Your Royal Elfness…..

Tom: "Royal Elfness? I am not royal and I am definitely not an elf!"

Alaric: You certainly are royal and you certainly are an elf! Look at your ears! I am your friend Alaric, Lord of Grimwood and Unkshire. You are, of course, Prince Tom of E Base and Dominions! ! My royal friend, Protector of Universe Two, Protector of Planets, Guardian of the Incomparable Rulership of Wisdom, Heir Apparent,etc,etc.

Tom: "I am not the hairy apparel! And I am definitely not an elf!"

"Hairy apparel is wrong!" said CLEO.

"It should be heir apparent! Spell it!"

The computer added: "This prisoner is a total, uneducated criminal! Prisoner! Spell heir apparent! Reward: two hot pancakes!"

Alaric: Stop! He is overweight! Address him as Your Royal Elfness!

CLEO: "No! He is the Prisoner, my prisoner! I will address him as Prisoner! I am in charge here in my prison! He must obey me! Prisoner! Spell: heir apparent. Reward: 3 hotcakes with butter and marmalade!"

Tom: "Yes,to the offer and No to the spelling test! I am definitely not an elf. I have huge ears because I have been kidnapped by aliens! I am human! I have lost my memory! But I am not an elf!"

CLEO: This is rank disobediance in the actual presence of a High Elf Lord and the World Chess Champion in Waiting!

Tom: Bullshit! Do you want this sword through your hardware? I know where you are hiding! I saw FIDO fixing a fuse!

He drew his sword and waved it at the wall.

CLEO: FIDO! Disarm him immediately!

With an incredibly swift motion the robot grabbed Tom’s sword and pushed it inside his own metal body.

CLEO: "Your Lordship may continue to interrogate my Prisoner!"

Alaric: "How does the Prince spend his time?"

CLEO: "The Prisoner trainspots in the morning, practices swordfighting and pistol in the afternoon,eats three well planned meals with two nourishing snacks each day and watches TV broadcast from the nearby planet,Earth, at night

Tom: "Nearby planet? Ridiculous! We are already on Earth! I have never been on any other planet!"

The elf said: "Your Elfness! You arrived here from E Base on the Multiverse Express as a captive! And you have suffered memory loss! Computer! Who built this place and how did the prisoner arrive?"

CLEO: "We arrived on the Multiverse Express. FIDO spotted the entrance to the Prison, cunningly placed inside the trunk of an oak tree. The prisoner was unconscious. We entered and found the prison fully furnished with the usual complement of rooms and basic equipment. But it was wide open! FIDO was obliged to transfer to earth zero using an EDC (emergency dimensional changer.) He secured a large metal door from a nearby dwelling! He cut it using his onboard laser torch. He used the parts to seal entrances to this prison! One inside the oak tree bole. One at the base of the trunk. A third to the Escape Facility! Brilliant improvisation!"

Tom: "Brilliant? You stole a door! You should be in jail, not me!"

CLEO ignores him and continues: "The prisoner wanted a hobby so I arranged for him to trainspot. In the morning, during his Leisure Period, the Prisoner train spots in the prison yard. He chose this activity because he thought he could escape by train! Ha, ha, ha! No chance! I took brilliant precautions. The outer area is surrounded by a one way electrified dome. Full frying power! He cannot escape! Trains cross near his spotting point. He has copped many namers and his ambition is to cop the lot! Robot FIDO has also caught the train spotting bug and wants to cop the lot! They both want to see all the named engines on the LNAR."

Alaric: LNAR?

CLEO: The London & North Australian railway.

Alaric: There was no local railway marked on my Guide?

CLEO: "The railway is my own digital ultra holo masterpiece!"

Alaric: "I see! What else does the Prince do?"

CLEO: "The Prisoner has a daily sword fighting session with FIDO. This is following by pistol shooting on the range. He has three meals a day and three mid meal snacks. The meals are cooked by robot FIDO guided by my fabulous Cordon Bleu cooking program. After dinner, the Prisoner watches TV from the Earth dimension before bed."

Alaric: Well. now it is time to depart! We will use the Gateway near this this prison. Warder CLEO! Here is a new instruction. Prince Tom Windsor is to be discharged. Open the Exit doors!

CLEO: "Discharged???? He is a career criminal! He is a ruthless lifer! And his latest crime was utterly dreadful!"

What did he do? asked the elf.

CLEO: "He assaulted a Royal! Assaultus Regis! The Princess herself!"

Alaric; His own sister? Who accused his Majesty of that crime?

CLEO: "I accused the prisoner. Me! Computer Warder CLEO!"

Alaric: Who witnessed this Royal Assault?

CLEO: I witnessed it! I witnessed the foul act!

Alaric Who was the Presiding Judge at the Trial?

There was a short pause.

Then CLEO said: Regent Ted!

Alaric: " Regent Ted! Well, you may assume that your Prisoner is to be released into my custody and returned to E Base for a new trial! Open the doors!"

CLEO: But …but…but…,

Alaric "I am a Royal Messenger! Open now!"

Chapter 2

Tom gets a shock

He stood up and Tom jumped to his feet. They faced each other across the table. Excuse me! said Tom, "But you have it all wrong! Absolutely wrong! I am not elf Prince Tom. And I am definitely not elf criminal Tom! I am not an elf at all! I have been kidnapped by aliens!"

The elf smiled: "Of course, Sire, I understand! You are confused! You were brought from E Base under duress! You brain has been wiped! But I have been your friend for many years and I recognized you immediately. You are resident in the place indicated by the broken E Base transit computer. It has been continuously printing: 23333132!

Tom said: "What do the numbers mean?

Alaric: They are cordinates on the Multiverse Express!

Tom: "You mean the railway upstairs? I trainspot every day but I had no idea the trains went to..where did you say they go?"

Alaric: To E Base. It is an intra universe train. There is a station nearby.We must get back to E Base!

CLEO: "Will a return to E Base involve a full retrial which will certainly result in an increase in his sentence? And will he be brought back suitably pinioned?"

Alaric (quickly): Yes, yes, yes, of course! Everything koshers! Brought back suitably pinioned! But once we return to E Base I must also hunt for the Princess who has vanished!

CLEO (appalled) : "The Princess has vanished!!! After this criminal assaulted her royal person! What dire news!"

Alaric: We must get back to E Base! Prince Tom, would you be good enough to lead the way?

Tom decides he must move carefully. This elf might be doing some kind of test. He might have been sent by the very aliens who had wiped Tom’s memory and installed alien ears to make Tom abnormal!

He might be even be one of them! What could their purpose be?

The bottom exit door opened on a command from CLEO.

Follow me, Tom said courteously.

He led the elf through the door into a rough shaft leading upward. It was almost vertical and dripping wet. Hard climbing followed as they ascended slowly and cautiously, often slipping. FIDO followed as they scrambled up a long series of earthen steps.

Now they were surrounded by gnarled roots.

Finally, they reached a steel door. It seemed rusty and battered, like all the other doors in the Underground Prison Complex. They were now inside a kind of earthern cave which smelled of oak and mildew. Tom sniffed appreciatively. A good aroma! he said. I always associate it with train spotting. This tree is my good friend.

The top door swung open. Led by Tom, the party walked down a peculiar tunnel which appeared to be made of light. The tube like interior crackled with raw energy. They emerged into a large reflective dome. It was also producing flashes of white lightening which rushed across its inner face. Bright lights illuminated the whole area. Two railway lines crossed a section of faded lawn, bisecting the battered grass and riding on a gravel base. There was a lingering scent of smoke and steam. Signals stood silent, waiting for the next train. Tom’s stool stood a