Sunday 31 July 2016

"The Two Bens" Episode 8

EPISODE 8 : UNIVERSE COLLAPSE

 
Ben, Kyle and the rest of the team ran through the corridors as the pursuing soldiers fired shots at them. They found an exit which was guarded by a young soldier armed with an AK47. The soldier raised the gun:


"Hey, you can't leave through here....."

The inexperienced soldier's warning was cut short by Kyle who smacked him one in the teeth and decked him. Ben and the team ran outside:

"Nice work Kyle. Shame though, he was pretty", Ben shouted with a grin. They ran through the grounds of the barracks and into some woods, eventually finding the perimeter fence which was topped with barbed wire. Beyond it was a road.

"How the hell do we get over that?" Katie exclaimed. Shakey Jake grinned:

"Hey babe, we don't need to." He rummaged through his hair and pulled out a homing device concealed within it.

"I kept this groovy thing hidden and activated it in the cell. Far out ain't it?" Ben grinned:

"Jake, you are an asset to the team. I should tell you that more often" he stated.

"You should tell us all that more often Ben", Katie added with a barbed look. As she spoke, a car sped up and out jumped Corinne Shaw and Paul Farraday. They quickly used wire cutters on the fence and soon the whole team were speeding away from the base.

 

As they drove along a deserted road, Paul briefed Ben and the team:

"Ben we have discovered that there is an underground resistance movement already in operation, led by UNIT operatives who the invaders have failed to apprehend. We're heading to their HQ now, which is in a disused nuclear bunker in Kelvedon Hatch, Essex." Kyle scowled:

"Ere 'ang on mate. There are injured soldiers and the alternate Ben back there who need our help like."

"I have to agree with Kyle on this Paul. We cannot just leave my alternate self back there", Ben added.

Paul pulled the car to the side of the road and stopped.

"Ok so what do we do? Just go back in there and get ourselves captured?" he asked. Ben thought carefully:

"No. You drive to Kelvedon Hatch and persuade those UNIT resistance fighters to mount an all out assault on that barracks. Meanwhile Kyle and myself will sneak back in there and rescue my other self. I'm a very altruistic guy.

Corinne jumped out of the car and opened the boot, lifting out a bag.

"Ok Ben but take these with you", she stated, handing Ben the bag of guns and grenades."

Meanwhile the alternate Ben was thrown back into the cell with the injured soldiers. Fortunately the bullet had only slightly grazed the side of his head. However he was tired and slumped down in a corner, holding his head in his hands.

"Hey, you ok?" one of the soldiers asked him.

"Do I look ok? I'm suffering from extreme stress and trauma", the alternate Ben shouted. He lay down and slept for a while until the sound of explosions and shooting woke him up.

"What... what's happening?", he asked. The cell door flew open and Ben and Kyle rushed in:

"Whoooh, the dynamic duo to the rescure dudes" Kyle shouted laughing. Ben frowned:

"Excuse Kyle's plebian cultural references. Come on, we need to get out fast.

They all ran through the corridors and out of the base , the two soldiers helping their seriously injured comrade. As they ran through the grounds however a strange shuddering began. It was as if the whole earth was shaking not just the ground and Ben felt a strange sense of out of body displacement.

 

In London, Richard IX sat elegantly on his golden throne as his Privy Councillors knelt before him. One of them stood up:

"Sire, our forces have secured virtually the whole of the UK. So far there have been no issues with the cross dimensional transfer operation." The King looked up elegantly:

"We assured you that there wouldn't be. Our science committee were unanimous that the inter-dimensional interface rationaliser would work once the minor difficulties had been ironed out."

*whispering* Yes because you purged them, " a senior councillor whispered to a colleague. Unfortunately the King overheard:

"Giles, step forward", the King firmly stated. The councillor stood up and moved forward.

"Giles, were you not our brother we would have lost patience with you a long time ago. We focus your attention on the fact that we are your sovereign liege lord as well as your brother." Giles looked at the other councillors and then at King Richard:

"Brother.... sire, you must understand the dangers we are all in. I have seem the evidence presented by the scientists whom you got rid of. There is a real risk that the interface rationaliser can only produce a temporary tranference corridor. The mathematical equations suggest that sooner or later the universes will close it. However the greater dangewr is that this process will trigger a chain reaction leading to the total collapse of both universes."

King Richard reached for his pet monkey, which was sat on a low perch, and stroked it:

"Giles, we are saddened by your jealousy of us and your coverting of our throne. We see now that you must be restrained......"

 

As the King spoke a strange shuddering began. Everone felt a sense of bodily displacement:

"You see? You see now? Its starting", Giles shouted................

 

................to be continued.

Wednesday 27 July 2016

"The Two Bens" Episode 7

EPISODE 7: MY POWER IS ABSOLUTEThe two Ben's glared angrily at the regal presence in front of them. The King was sitting elegantly on a golden throne and dressed in elaborate robes of fine silk and gold thread. He lifted his head slightly:
"You must accept the new reality of our rule. That we, King Richard IX, have brought the benefits of wise and prudent service to this troubled England of this dimension. Soon we hope to extend this to your world as a whole".
The King gave a slight, though not ostentatious, smile and adjusted one of his golden rings. The alternate Ben flicked his hair out of his eyes and strode forward:
"How dare you risk the existence of two whole universes because of your crazy lust for more power. The technology that you are using is unstable, even the Time Lords have never perfected an inter-dimensional interface rationaliser. If it fails we get total universe collapse."
Two guards moved forward and grabbed the alternate Ben, dragging him back from the throne. The King lifted his hand:
"We feel that we should remind you that crude displays of emotion and shouting are most churlish and emblematic of the lower orders".
Tears filled the alternate Ben's eyes and Ben put his hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He stared at the King:
"How dare you. Ben here is an alternate version of me and we both come from very good backgrounds. My parents have land and property in Wiltshire and my father is a well respected classical musician. In no way are we lower class and I am disgusted that you could stoop so low as to suggest it. I am also shocked and appalled that you have imprisoned her majesty the Queen in the Tower of London of all places. Plus you are threatening the existence of two universes as well."
The King remained calm and serene:
"We see that there is some spirit about you Ben that is most attractive to us. However you must realise that our power is absolute and will remain absolute. One gesture from our hand to our household guards and you can be dead within the hour, along with all of your companions. We have taken such disciplinary measures against whole peoples' in our universe for less than your displays of rudeness. However you engage our interest."

Katie Ryan and Kyle looked on in anger and Katie strode forward feistily:
"Look I'm fed up of this. Who the hell do you think you are? This is England in 2016 not the middle bloody ages. You look ridiculous and you're clearly a complete fruitcake and I don't know about your England but in this one we have something called mental health services and they might be able to do something for you."
The King raised a hand and several guards grabbed Katie, one of them trying to kiss and grope her. Kyle rushed up and punched the guard, decking him, however was soon overpowered by others.
"Gerrof me, (to the King) hey mate, call off these goons ..." Kyle shouted. The King gave a slight smile:
"Ah, the diction of the common artisan and the coarseness of Miss Ryan. We are disappointed Ben that your choice of companions is no more discerning in this world than ours".
"¤¤¤¤ off...." Katie shouted. The King nodded to his guards:
"Take them to one of our new military centres. We will decide their fate in due course."

The two Bens and the others were driven some distance in a prison van before they arrived at a barracks, now in the hands of the invaders, and were thrown in a holding room. Several soldiers were already in the cell, one of them bleeding profusely on the floor and near death. Katie and Kyle tried to help him, however Katie shook her head:
"This guy needs proper medical attention or he's dead. Mind you I think he's had it in any case."
The other two soldiers had been beaten up but were still awake and lucid. Ben approached them:
"I guess that these invaders overran this place and took you prisoner."
One of the soldiers spoke:
"No. We were part of the invasion force. We are not from your universe. We tried to sabotage their attack on this base and failed. We're part of the underground resistance movement."
The alternate Ben approached Ben:
"Not everyone agrees with the King and his insane plans. My organisation Operation Alpha is part of the resistance movement, and the resistance as a whole has agents within the army and the scientific community . There is much opposition to the King and his plans."
Meanwhile Kyle was banging on the door of the cell:
"Ere, there's a fella in here dyin'. Came on, he needs help....."
"You're wasting your time Kyle. They clearly have no conscience these people", Ben observed. Jake fiddled with his long, greying hair and pulled out a skeleton key, hidden in the hair and fixed with an elastic band:
"Hey dudes, you need this man. They never think to search in the hair."
Ben grinned:
"I never thought I've have cause to praise your scruffy hippy hair Jake. Kyle, you know what to do."

Kyle picked the lock and they all ran outside the room.
"We need to get some help like for that injured soldier fella", Kyle shouted. The Bens looked at each other and shook their heads:
"Pointless Kyle. It will just result in us being re-apprehended. No one here is likely to be on our side, " Ben stated, thinking practically. As he spoke, a series of armed men appeared from round a corridor:
"Hey, you lot, stay where you are!" The Bens and the others started to run. A shot rang out and the alternate Ben fell to the ground.........


.............. to be continued.