The Mask of Omegon (Gwen Farris Book 6) (17 page)

Smiling the man harrumphed. It
sounded a little mean. It didn’t look it however. It made for a strange sense
of things, being there in the booth.

“Perhaps you can manage that kind
of thing. I doubt that any of them would even take my calls!”

Gwen nodded. It was probably just
the truth, after all.

“I can get that set up. Now, we’re
about to have a fight? About King Ferdinand? Bad mouthing him in front of me
isn’t
going to go over well.” She sounded sharp. Like they were really going to go
after the issue hammer and tong.

“Oh? Are you going to tell me that
young ladies
should
be sent into battle zones?”

That one was hard for her. The fact
was, she didn’t know the answer at all as far as that went. Were women able to
be good and affective fighters was a question that even testing hadn’t really
answered. Sometimes the answer was a clear yes. Other times it was a stark no.

“Not at the moment. What I’m going
to tell you is that blaming the King for things he wasn’t even there for isn’t
fair, or correct. Yes, I ended up going in when I
should
have managed
things in a better fashion. I got hit by a crin in the leg for my troubles.
Don’t worry, one of the best healers in the world, Peter Westmorland, saw to
that for me, so I’m fine now. He does great work by the way, in case that ever
comes up for anyone. Using the new protocols? It’s still a lot of work, but
doesn’t use torture at all. Anyway, I teletransported into danger
all
on
my own. It was…
Foolish
of me. Not anyone else there, however. They were
all
no, don’t do it
…
It isn’t proper for a young lady
.” She made
her voice sound high pitched and girly then. “Those were all Westmorlands, too.
Part of the new recovery program. Leslie and Farah Westmorland helped save
several people each yesterday. From prisoner of war camps.”

That got a nod from the man, but
he’d stopped smiling. When he spoke his voice was serious seeming. He looked
that way as well.

“That part is incredible. So,
you’re saying that I’m being too hard on King Ferdinand? I hear that you two are
a couple?”

She actually chuckled.

“Nope. He’s never even hinted at
that kind of thing. Plus, Marianna, Queen Marianna, is a friend of mine. Before
anyone takes that the wrong way,
no
, it isn’t like those dirty Gwen
Farris Investigation books. Um, if anyone knows who’s putting those out, please
get in touch with me? That’s… Well, same sex relationships
are
normal
where I come from, but it isn’t my personal choice. Nothing wrong with it, but
those books are a bit pornographic. Just as a warning, to any innocent
listeners, so they don’t run out and buy one thinking it will be about the
great girl detective.
Grrr
.” She was probably skipping around too fast,
but the man went wide eyed and started to nod.

Letting her know he got the idea.

“Interesting! So, that will be part
of the show? Things about your world and your take on ours? No matter how
delicate the issue? I really figured that you were going to hit me about that
one about the King and you. It’s out there, but you
do
have a bit of a
violent reputation.”

She snorted, not able to help it.
Covering her mouth as it happened.

“Oh, that’s… Really true, isn’t it?
Not that people
should
be that way. Violence should be avoided. But
sure, I’ll be answering what people ask. Even if the questions are horrible and
inappropriate. Other than state secrets, which you don’t get to know, so don’t
even ask those. I’ll tell you the truth, too. Even
if
it makes me look
bad. Then, after we do that, Agatha Longbranch can go over how many social
rules I just managed to shatter with my alien ways. I’ll be listening, too,
Agatha. Goodness knows, I need the lessons. Now, we should cover the Students
Service things. I know that most school children won’t be listening right now, being
busy and hardworking like they are, but if you’re a parent, make sure to
suggest they sign up, if they aren’t currently involved. Like always, help is
needed, so don’t be shy about setting things up in your own neighborhoods, or
at the local schools. Now, I’ll be quiet so that Brian here can talk about me
in peace. Until tomorrow. At noon. Tell your friends and send in your
questions. I’ll try to answer all of them that I can.”

Brian laughed. He was wide eyed,
smiling and sounded wicked. Like he was planning something evil with her.

“Perfect, Miss Farris! You heard
her folks. Send in those questions for the first Gwen Farris Hour tomorrow!
I’ll be making up my own as well. I think we can needle her nicely, if we all
work together.”

Agatha seemed pleased enough about
that and kept bantering with the man, until it was time for her own show, after
the commercial breaks. That part was very different, since Brian had to read
from scripts for each product. Including singing jingles for them. No one had
ever invented the produced commercial there yet, even if they
had
prerecorded messages and even music. It was how that part was done, she was
almost certain.

It just had never occurred to
anyone there that they could do better than Brian humming a bit off key. Not
that there wasn’t a bit of homey charm to that kind of thing. When Agatha took
over, she did it by literally getting behind the mic, trading with the man as
he scooted out of the way and got the chair around for the woman. Then, on his
way out, the man waved for her to follow along. Like it was a real thing.

“Miss Farris! This is wonderful.
I’m planning to leave soon, however. I don’t know if you were told about that?”

“Nope. I mean I
was
told,
but there’s a war on. You’re on tap for the time being. We
all
are. I’m
going off to work on an airship for the next few weeks, starting tomorrow. I’ll
be here though, since we won’t really be needed as loaders until the day after
that.”

“We? I’m not really cut out for
manual labor, I’m afraid. The job isn’t high on exercise.” There was a wave
toward the booth, to explain what he meant.

 She nodded then.

“I’m working with the crew of the
Peregrine. The flag ship of the Vernor line? That’s the
we
I meant. I
have to check in early. Probably moving directly between here and there, so if I
show up in a jumpsuit ready for work, don’t be shocked. Or tell Agatha. I bet
that wouldn’t go over well with her.”

“No doubt!” The man moved with her
to the front area and instead of leaving, waved to a small table in the corner,
that had four chairs at it. “We need to go over the show. It shouldn’t take
long. It’s a bit of a surprise to me. Still, I wasn’t looking forward to being
put to pasture. My wife passed several years ago, so all I have to look forward
to is a long lonely time in my tiny cabin by the lake. I don’t even like
fishing, so it isn’t as wonderful as it might sound to some.”

She got that one. This world had
its good things, but it wasn’t high on entertainment really. Mainly bad radio
programs. They didn’t even have anything like the old serials, at least that
Gwen had ever heard.

“Okay. Well, I wasn’t joking. I can
answer questions to start with? We can select out the worst ones and start
there? Then… We can go over different topics? Right now… What’s the big story?”
She didn’t really know, but instead of mocking her over it, Brian grinned. It
was charming in an old man kind of way.

“Today? Why, how the kingdom has
once again been abusing Gwen Farris, as you should know. Having you in will
rather take the fun out of that one, I have to imagine. Unless you know any
good secrets you can share about the war effort?”

That got her to shake her head.

“Loose lips, sink ships.” It was
from world war two, at least back home, but the man took a breath and nodded at
it.

“Understood. Let’s cover the war
though? Being involved in the recovery of our men is a good one. Also, you
hinted at Students Service projects? Can you work up some things on that? I
know that it went over well at the start. Then the battle was handled rather
quickly, so it wasn’t needed any longer. No one restarted things after the new
war began two years ago. If we can lead that from here, have your people in on
it, things like that, it will be huge for us. Just having the woman from
another world will be. Is there anything that you want to address in
particular?” The man was leaning in a bit, as if there was some kind of secret
behind the scenes reason for her being there.

As if it
wasn’t
just about
getting a new career going. Which was correct, so Gwen let her eyes narrow and
nodded a bit.

“Yes. People seem to think that I’m
being held prisoner for some reason. That isn’t true. The poor Vernors are
being hammered over the issue, too. I’d love to make it clear that they’ve been
really helpful and kind to me. The
entire
time. They’ve done everything
for me. I mean that, too. The difference between what people think about them
and what they really are is
vast
.” She spread her hands wide to show
what she meant.

“Oh? That does sound a bit
different. We can go over that, near the start? Then double back as needed. I
take it that you’re rather Ferdinand positive? It would be more interesting if
you two were dating. There were rumors that he was going to divorce Queen
Marianna in favor of you, half a year ago. Anything to that?”

It wasn’t true at all. He
had
suggested that her ex-fiancé Christophe dump his pregnant wife for her however.
Not that she was going to mention it. Not unless asked.

“Nothing at all. Ferdinand and I
are friends, I guess. I’m rather horrible at that kind of thing, to be honest.
Being friends? I never really learned how as a child. It shows now as an adult.
Another reason for kids to join the Students Service. Making good friends that
will last a lifetime. Pull together or pull apart, right?” She meant it, but it
also
sounded like patriotic clap trap.

The fellow across from her seemed
to agree. There was nodding at least.

“Good then. I look forward to
working with you. Come ready. Otherwise you’ll end up flustered when all the
questions about what, and
who
you enjoy in the bedroom come in. You do
know that’s going to be half of it, right?”

She nodded.

“Sex sells. I have to get with my
boyfriend first, so he doesn’t end up taken by surprise. That would be a deal
breaker, I have to think. End the relationship? No one wants to be under that
kind of scrutiny, do they?”

The man took some notes, which got
her to pull her own pad and do the same. She had things to find out before the
show after all. Specifics for various programs, for instance.

As soon as Brian stood up to leave,
clearly waiting for her, she nodded at the man.

“I’m off then. See you at
eleven-forty-five? I can be in earlier, if you want?”

“No, no, that will be fine. In
fact, it’s the rule. Show up at least ten minutes early, so that you can take
over smoothly on the hour. Fifteen works even better. Until then, Miss Farris.”
He moved to the wall, to get his coat, which wasn’t needed in the warm weather
they were having and his hat. It was a bit like a bowler style thing. It had a
copper colored hat band on it, but the base was black.

Gwen left from there, closing her
eyes and focusing on her room at the mansion. It was a great place, really. It
would be sad if she had to leave, but she was a grown up. The world might be
strange, but she’d lived on her own for nearly two
decades
. She could do
it again. Normal people did things like that all the time, after all. It wasn’t
like the Vernors would be cutting her off, monetarily. So she could get a
little place of her own without having to struggle. That would leave her time
for her studies, along with the work that she needed to be seeing to for
various things.

Walking, she went to the main
telestator room, then thought better of doing that. After all, she was supposed
to be dating Tomas now. That meant showing up unannounced for some sexy fun
times was allowable. It might be a bit awkward if she walked in on him doing
some other woman. Or man. Not that he’d hinted at that, or seemed like it was
his way, but people in the Western Kingdom wouldn’t.

She tried to find where he was,
rather than just going to his home. It was a good thing, since she ended up
outside of a small tan building. It was almost a cube. About four stories tall
and plain, except for the deeply recessed windows. Behind it, to the left, was
a very large lake. Given where Tom lived, that was probably the Great Salt
Lake. Or whatever it was called in the world she stood in. There was a city
around her, but it wasn’t vast or anything.

None of them in the world were, as
far as she knew. Not compared to home.

The door going in was made of wood,
but seemed to be open. No one came when she knocked either. Tomas, for his
part, was above her. She could feel that one. It was a portion of the reason
she hadn’t moved directly to him. Just in case there was a sudden fall when she
came in. If she were high enough above the ground it would be fine, since she
could simply fly out of it.