Chapter II - Debrief in Tudor City

Chapter II - Debrief in Tudor City

It took 10 minutes by train to get to Bishopsgate Station from Sheppey Airport in Essex. At Bishopsgate I went into the ParaTrans Station and transferred to the Bethlem ParaTrans Station in Tudor City, Nova Anglia. The move between parallels always left me feeling little-light headed and dizzy but I’ve been told it’s all psychosomatic. ParaTrans is old science now and I’ve done it hundreds of times but still the feeling of stepping into a Cubicle, seeing the doors close and then open on a whole new universe never fails to thrill me.

It was sunny but cold in Tudor City and I was glad to be in full uniform with my greatcoat tightly buttoned up as I walked over Arthur’s Bridge. The bridge was beginning to fill with tourists, shoppers and office workers on their way to work. To my right I could see the canopies of the Frost Fair and people skating on the frozen waters of the Tamesis. Beyond them was the new St Edmund’s Bridge and I could just see the Tudor Column in Nelson Square. To my left I could see the skyscrapers and towers of the Isle of Avalon in the distance beyond Bermondsey Bridge. On the south east of the bridge stood the Akshardham Temple Cathedral which served as a place of worship for both Bharatiya Hindus and New Albion Catholics alike.

I was still early for my debrief so I stopped to have breakfast at the Frost Fair. As I walked down the steps at the end of the bridge I could smell coffee, spices and fresh bread coming from the food section at this end of the fair. I sat down under a canopy and ordered orange juice, ande ki bhurji, plain paratha and a pot of coffee as the smiling Bharatiya waitress placed blankets over my legs and shoulders.

As I sat eating my eggs I watched the families skating on the ice and kept an eye on the flatscreen hung in the corner of the canopy. There was news from the parallel we called Henry Tudor as it is the only parallel that we’ve found where Saint Arthur died young and his brother Henry became king instead of pope. The news from Henry Tudor always seemed to fascinate us Albians and the coverage was a feed from one of the Henry news channels who were filming a war somewhere in their middle-east. 

The eggs were delicious and spiced just right for a cold day. As I paid the waitress my phone rang and I pressed the button on the side of my cap just before it went to voicemail. I could see my father’s features beaming at me from the vizard screen on my cap. He looked well, much younger than his sixty-two, his full beard was only just starting to grey. 

“Hello Dad,” I said as slid the screen down.

“Izzy my darling! Wonderful news!” He beamed. “I’m going to be a father again and you’re going to get a new baby sister!”

“Congratulations Pop. I wondered if you two were ever going to have your own children.” Hugh had three children from his first marriage, this would be Aesha’s first.

“Yes well, as you know we’ve been busy getting the farm going for the last few years. Between the farm, the reserves and building the new house there’s not been time for us to plan a family.”

“Well, it’s wonderful news Dad. How does Aesha feel?”

“She’s very happy, she’s on her phone speaking to her mother in Dhillika right now. Knowing Mrs Mehta she’s busy packing her case to come and stay with us already. When are you coming over Izzy? I know it’s not easy but I haven’t seen you in months.”

“I know Dad, sorry about that but I have been off the commonwealth for a few weeks, in fact I only got back yesterday.”

“I know love, I spoke to Tom Yaxley yesterday. He said that you’d had a difficult mission but you’d done a great job. Shouldn’t you get some leave now?”

“Hopefully, I could use the R & R but I’ll know more when I’ve met with Tom. In fact I meet him in 10 minutes. Can I call you later? If I do have time off coming to me I’ll try and get over for the weekend.”

“OK my child. Let me know what’s happening. I love you.” And with that he rang off, no doubt to speak to my sisters in Kumasi and Caliburn. Hugh Barnestone always liked to do things in the right order.