Uni's Unicorn

Chapter 9 - The Pegacorn

Several dozen armed guards, dressed in black, stepped up on the deck of the Barassic.

They circled the bridge, including the deck at the front and filed around the edge on the rest of the vessel, leaving larger spaces either side of Tyson.

A whirring noise was followed by the folding up of the deck so that Uni and the bridge were hidden from view. It was dark behind this thick screen. Slowly, beneath them, the strip of deck flooring upon which they stood, rose up and up until they were in view of Tyson at the top of the deck cover.

"Uni," a voice spoke. It felt like it was in her head.

"Yes," she replied.

"I didn't ask you anything," Pete said.

"Don't speak, Uni. This is Tyson. No, don't answer. I'll tell you about this technology later but for now, don't talk."

Uni couldn't prevent herself asking, "How are you doing this?"

Pete spoke and she wanted to block her ears. It was confusing. Tyson in her ear, in her head, and others talking so loud.

"We have to keep you safe, that's why," Pete repeated. "He's crazy, your brother. Look at him, just standing there with the animal up there above him. Why doesn't he just fly off on it?"

"It's good that he's stationary. It's good they both are," Logan called, adding, "We'll have them in a minute or two."

"It's okay, Uni. You can hear me but they can't. Just listen. To talk to me, bow your head and lean forward to put your hand over your mouth. Whisper softly; I'll hear you."

Uni did as Tyson said and whispered, "How do I know you're Tyson? You don't sound much like him."

"Are you all right, girlie?" Logan asked.

Lifting her head, she replied, "I feel faint. I'm better to lean forward and put my head downward."

"Well done," the voice in her ear said. "You should know that man, the director, he's NOT our father, Uni. First of all, Dad has brown eyes like you. You know that. But I'm glad you didn't think of it because that man who calls himself 'The Director' would be angry to know you don't believe he's Dad. He's wearing a face like Dad's. Look at his hair, it's dark brown and Dad hates chin hair, you know that."

Leaning forward again, Uni whispered, "Yes, you're right. Can you take me with you now?"

"Not now. Later, perhaps tonight, or..."

"They're going to shoot you with tranquillizer," she interrupted. Realising she said that in her normal voice, she whispered, "And the unicorn too."

"Yes, we are; and it'll be easy too!" Pete said, "You're right, keep your head down, you shouldn't watch."

"It won't work," Tyson's voice said. "But they'll try. Yes, they're getting ready to do it now."

Raising her head, she looked across at the man they called director. He looked like her father and was looking back at her. He now wore tinted glasses. Leaning forward, she said, "He's got sunglasses on; do you think he knows what you're saying?"

"No, he can't know, Uni. Every time I've seen him outdoors, he's been wearing sunglasses.

Uni looked up and across at the director. A guard offered him headphones with a small microphone connected to them.

Turning her head back to look at Tyson, Uni saw him move upwards as if he had some kind of power beneath his knee-high black boots. He stood in air now. She shook her head, wondering at such technology that he could do such a feat. It dawned on her.

She bowed herself, leaning into her cupped hand, whispering, "Are you really here, or are you a, a hologram?"

"Hey, are you vomiting?" Logan asked, sidestepping a little away from her.

"Yes, you remember, Dad was working on holograms. Good, now you know that I know this too, you'll see what we've done in these past five years. Watch and enjoy it."

Feeling sure now that this hologram was from Tyson, that he was whom he said he was because he knew about their father and the holograms, Uni realised the director couldn't be her father; he wasn't her father but had tricked her into think it. She felt strangely safe. The director's grip on her, which seemed cruel and unlike her father, it was because he was a stranger to her. Drawing a deep breath, she stood up straight and said, loudly, "I'm feeling much better now."

From somewhere within the hold of the ship, a thick, oblong object was fired into the air followed by the tranquillizer darts. At the same time, a dozen more holograms of Tyson floated, down, down, down, one by one, standing in the air above the open hold. Each one, the shape of Tyson, appearing human, substantial, real, as if a living clone of the original.

Up, up, up, the 'missile' flew, unfolding into a huge net, falling down, down, down.

The shining pegacorn descended, moving slowly downwards, with a dozen more of them, descending, dropping untouched right through the net. Darts flew through the holograms, falling harmlessly into the ocean some metres from the Barassic.

Gasps came from all around with cries of shock and anger, then groans of defeat as the net broke into flames to land on the deck in ashes with the metal beads, the size of tennis balls, landing with loud bangs.

The pegacorn holograms vanished as if into thin air. Those of Tyson, changed into the shining white armour it had been before and descended into the hold itself. Over a dozen entered the Barassic.

"One of those holograms of me, is me, Uni and I'm now down in the belly of the Barassic. I will rescue you and take you to Mum and Grandad. Just pray it goes well, but don't speak about it, not to anyone."

Uni didn't answer. She saw the director coming around to her as Tyson spoke again, warning her, "Don't tell the director that you know he's not Dad, Uni, don't give it away."

Uni smiled at her feet before looking up at the director. His attention was on the open hold. She turned to view what he looked at.