Kingdoms End

The time now was 09:43 and the entire house was frantic, but not Lord Greg Haavik. Lord Haavik was seated on a two-seater sofa. He had the miniature bust of a man in his right hand. The bust was that of General Marsh Haavik, an ancestor of Lord Haavik and his daughter. “You are a General, Marsh,” he told the bust. “General Marsh Haavik. You joined them in swelling the money and then you stood by idly while the entire family was murdered.” He looked at a portrait of his mother which hung on the wall. “Don’t look at like that mother,” he told the portrait. “General Marsh deserves to know the truth, don’t you General?” He looked back at the bust as he asked the question. “You people just fail to understand me,” he spoke. He got to his feet now and brought the bust close to his face. “I do not fear to look you in the eye,” he told the bust. “Tell me why you did it?!!” he roared at the ceramic bust.

The door to the living room suddenly burst open and Linus rushed in. Lord Haavik spun around to face his personal assistant and found the latter looking afraid. Lord Haavik lowered the ceramic bust in his hand. “I have warned you about disturbing me, Linus,” the lord spoke. “I also remember relieving you of your duty more than twice ,” he added. “My lord--” Linus began, but Greg cut him off. “For the last time, Linus Chase, I relieve you of your duties to me,” Greg spoke. “I shall have money released to you that you may..........” “Lizandra is gone, Greg!” Linus said sharply, cutting his lord and friend off.

Lord Haavik froze mid-speech. His anger washed away and worry took its place. “Have you searched the whole house?” he asked Linus. “She deceived her guards into leaving their posts and she fled the building. She told the guards she would be in the room doing a special prayer for her mother, thus they did not check on her until a few minutes ago,” Linus explained. “When did the guards last see her?” Greg asked, putting down the ceramic bust on a side table. “Around four fifty-one at least,” Linus replied. “I told her elf guests would be leaving by five this morning and I believe she she snick into their one of the cars and left the compound with them.

Lord Haavik immediately rushed toward the door. “This is why I did not want any visitors in the first place,” he lamented as he went. “I must say that if anything is responsible for Lady Haavik’s running away, it was your most thoughtless words to her before your guests last night, Greg,” Linus stated. Greg turned to face Linus, but the latter stood his ground and looked defiant. “I have to be honest with you, my Lord,” he spoke.” Greg had no expression on his face, he didn’t show if Linus’ words had angered him or not. “Let us find the girl first and I shall come back to you later,” he said calmly, then turned and left the living room.

Lord Haavik, Linus and twelve Bruttites stood in the office of the Director of the Trent terminals’ park from where Lizandra had been carried off in the container. The Director was not in the room, but he entered now. All eyes fell on him.

“What have you found out?” Lord Haavik asked the director immediately. “Some of the workers report seeing a young girl with bags near the large cargo loading area,” the Director replied. She was a pretty woman of about forty, 6ft tall, with brown hair and long legs. “And they did not see her leave the loading area?” The lord asked next. “No, Lord Haavik,” the director replied. “Where there any large cargoes at the loading area early this morning?” Linus asked this time. “We received containers containing supplies from all over the Queendom for the growing population of people waiting at Halo-Bir for transportation off Setuh,” the Director replied. “By the gods!!” Lord Haavik exclaimed, as the realisation hit him. “Were the containers tagged with names of the places from which they were brought?” the lord asked. “They were,” the director replied.

“I doubt Lizandra has ever been to a transportation terminal before,” Lord Haavik stated, sounding very concerned. “She must have been planning to return to Mareda and not have known how to get a ticket,” he explained. “And she feared that asking for help might get people suspicious as to why she was without an adult of she didn’t know her way around,” Linus added. “Thus she went to the loading bay and probably saw a container with Mareda written on it and she felt it was to be taken to Mareda, rather than coming from Mareda,” Lord Haavik completed. “Have the containers been taken away from the terminal already?” Linus asked the director. “They were taken to the royal air force base in the capital and immediately loaded onto a Proceron engine space vessel. The vessel left the planet two hours ago,” the Director explained.

Lord Haavik immediately turned to Linus. “Have two vessels ready by the time we get to the Haavik command post,” he told the P.A. then moved toward the exit. “Running on a Proceron engine, that vessel will be on Setuh in no more than two days, my Lord,” the director stated. “Whereas our fastest space vessel will take at least a week to complete the trip,“Linus added. Lord Haavik stopped at the door now, ut was already held open by a Bruttite.

“Purchase two Proceron engine space vessels, Linus,” Greg ordered. ” No matter the price.” “Has the price ever been our problem, my lord?” Linus asked with a smile, as he put a finger to his earpiece. “Proceron engines are new, my lord,” said the director. “The Tesh only just newly developed them and I doubt you shall find any vessels manufactured with the engines already in them.” “How long might it take for a vessel to be fitted with a Proceron engine, Director?” Lord Haavik asked, his eyes on the director now. “It should be like fitting on a normal engine,” the lady replied. “No more than six hours if you find yourself a good mechanic.” “Make contact to whomever can provide us with two Proceron engines as soon as possible, Linus and I also want a team of the ten best mechanics in the capital sent to the Haavik command post,” Lord Haavik ordered. “I must get my daughter back at all costs and before any harm befalls her. I have been such an idiot for such a long time. She loved me and I disgraced her. I see that now.” He turned to Linus. “I am mist sorry, my friend,” he spoke.

Lord Haavik finished speaking and left the room. Linus on the other hand, stood transfixed by his employer’s words. His friend had finally come back to his senses, Linus thought to himself. The thought of loosing his only child after having known and lived with her for days, had caused him return to normal. “The true Greg Haavik is finally returned,” the P.A. thought aloud, a big smile spreading across his face. “Hurry up, Linus!!” Lord Haavik yelled from outside the office and Linus was brought back to the reality of the situation. He took one finger tk his earpiece and pushed a button on it. “I need two Proceron engines delivered to the Haavik command post,” he said.