MISC: The Girl Who saved the world Part 17

[George Phillies]

I seem to be gaining on my critics

Curiously,’ Featherstonehaugh said, “the position of Queen Victoria, the 
Third of her Name, and her Ministers is in many respects similar to that 
of the United States. I realize this circumstance may sound surprising 
to some. In particular, Her Majesty’s government is disenthused with the 
notion that foreigners are entitled to appear in our country unannounced 
with the intent of using our lochs and rills to fight a war. Her Majesty 
and Her Government must  categorically and absolutely refuse to be 
responsible for the consequences if such an event were to occur. While I 
could go on at greater length, I am in the common position of Final 
Opening Speaker, namely I believe that we might all find it useful to 
consult with our governments about your preliminary remarks, some of 
which were not what official positions would have led us to expect. 
Naturally, we are all gentlemen and ladies, and do not employ spies,” 
the room burst into giggles, “so none of us have any non-official 
knowledge before the meeting of what was about to be said.  If any of 
you are curious, my actual prepared introductory remarks are in the 
meeting packet. I will be happy to meet privately with any of you who 
have questions on it. I therefore propose a pleasant recess.”

“Does anyone else want to be heard on this matter?” Holmgren asked.

“Manjukuo pledges one hundred tons of gold to the persons who locate and 
catch her, and gain for us the Namestone,” Manjukuoan Legate Hong Sangui 
interrupted.  Holmgren smiled and applauded.  His audience might need a 
little while to realize that this interruption was pre-rehearsed.

  “In that case,” Holmgren continued, “I propose that we recess until 
after dinner, so that we may receive instructions . I see several 
objection pyramids on the table.   Those might perhaps be the first 
order of business this evening. Is there objection? Hearing none, we are 
recessed.” Holmgren wished he had not seen Buncombe and 
Featherstonehaugh exchange knowing glances.  What might that unlikely 
duo be planning? A lack of world peace would be an incredible disaster, 
and that lack might appear rather quickly. This meeting had gone no 
farther than preliminary remarks, and already the latent hostilities 
between the Great Powers were coming to the surface.

Chapter Four
The Hidden Fortress
Morning
January 12, 2018

The Healing Matrix had promised: I would wake before sunrise.  Indeed, 
here it was, not yet seven in the morning, the sky still dark, and I was 
awake. I still hurt a lot.  I was also ravenously hungry.  The Healing 
Matrix had done more in two days than normal healing would do in two 
weeks, but it demanded calories. You can call on gifts instead of 
eating, if you have the right gifts, but that’s not a good idea at my 
age.  Mum was emphatic about that, not that I wouldn’t want her cooking. 
Not eating is an especially bad idea if you are doing high-intensity 
healing, which I am.  You really want solid food to replace all the 
chemical bits and pieces you are consuming.

My bedroom’s full-length mirrors confirmed that my cuts and abrasions 
were gone, as though they had never been.