Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)(18)

—I will endeavor to do so. I can access the blueprints they used for the construction of your vessel. I also know an engineer who can help us disguise your act of sabotage as a normal mechanical failure. If I am not mistaken—

—Yes?

— …

—Hello?

—Forget everything I just said. Please tell the captain to increase speed. You must assemble in London as fast as you can.

—What’s going on?

—Are you in your room?

—Yes.

—Turn on the television.

—What channel?

—Any channel.





FILE NO. 1440

NEWS REPORT—JACOB LAWSON, BBC LONDON

Location: Regent’s Park, London, England

There are tanks on our streets. Over one hundred Scimitar combat vehicles from the Household Cavalry Regiment and the Light Dragoons were called in from Swanton Morley. Fifty-four Challenger 2 tanks from the King’s Royal Hussars also arrived during the night from Tidworth. They are joined by countless transport vehicles, and eighteen thousand soldiers, half of whom are reservists, tasked with the evacuation of an estimated four hundred thousand Londoners.

This is the first time such a massive military force has been deployed for civilian protection. In recent years, acts of terrorism have left us accustomed to troops walking the streets of Western cities, but no one can truly be prepared for what Londoners woke up to this morning. In a country that has historically feared militarization, today’s scene is more reminiscent of German troops rolling into Paris than of any crowd control or security effort we have seen before.

The three armoured regiments and ground troops gathered in the Park Royal industrial area around four o’clock and headed east along the Westway before fanning out, engulfing Central London in minutes. Soldiers then began knocking on doors, escorting local residents into military transport vehicles. It is not a coincidence that this operation is happening at the weekend, while government and office buildings are empty. Nonetheless, the operation is a colossal one and soldiers will no doubt have to persuade several residents to abandon their homes. Civil liberties have not been suspended, so how much power of persuasion the Army has been given remains to be seen.

The Canning government was under tremendous pressure to act, having lost support from Liberal Democrats, who saw this crisis as an opportunity to silence those who accuse them of being too soft on topics such as terrorism and defence. A Conservative motion to force the evacuation of London was due for a second reading on Monday, and the government no longer had the votes to stop it. Unable to adopt any legislation without support from one of the opposition parties, the current government decided not to delay the inevitable and perhaps put an end to the rumours surrounding an impending vote of no confidence. The British people, on the other hand, appear to be divided on the issue, with 46 percent of the population calling for military action, 42 percent against it, and 12 percent undecided, according to recent polls.

The Prime Minister issued a brief recorded statement early this morning but was not available for questions. Amanda Webb, Leader of the Opposition, saluted the Prime Minister for his courage and called today a proud moment in the history of the United Kingdom. No word yet from the Lib Dems, but we expect to hear from them at some point during the day. It would be surprising if they did not take some of the credit, rightfully so, for putting an end to the government’s inaction.

Reactions have been far less positive across the Atlantic. General Eugene Govender, Commander of the EDC, has called today’s deployment “a reckless move, motivated by all the wrong reasons.” He added, and I quote: “I hope we don’t all pay the price for what amounts to a weak kid being bullied into doing something stupid.” Dr. Rose Franklin, head of the scientific division, refused to comment. Unilateral action by the British Government could signal the beginning of the end for the EDC—

We’ll come back to the EDC’s reaction, and comments from other world leaders, in a moment. There appears to be some development on the ground.

Armoured vehicles are now converging on Regent’s Park. From our helicopter, we can see what is clearly a carefully orchestrated manoeuvre, as Scimitar vehicles and tanks are slowly closing in on the park from the east, west, and south. The absence of troops or armoured vehicles north of the park can only be deliberate. I would surmise that the Army is leaving an obvious escape route for the alien robot. The military might also wish to avoid making the intruder feel boxed in and provoke an aggressive response. One thing is clear. This operation is meant to send a message: “You have overstayed your welcome in London.”

Two armed convoys are approaching the park from the south. One is headed east towards the park on A5205, and a fourth has just turned on Robert Street to enter the park from the east. Armoured vehicles are seconds away from entering the park grounds. I have just been told we will remain on the air for a while longer. We will maintain our position above the south end of the park and give you minute-by-minute updates on the situation.

The closest vehicles, a long line of Scimitars, are on Park Square, now crossing the Outer Circle and entering the south end of the park. Another group of vehicles is entering the south end on York Bridge … Our colleagues on the ground inform me that the Secretary of State for Defence has just issued a statement … We should have images in a moment, but he thanked the people of London for their cooperation during the evacuation. He also wanted to publicly renew his support for the EDC and assured UN leaders that the military would not engage unprovoked. To that effect, I am told that General Fitzsimmons, who leads this operation, is under strict orders to give the alien a wide berth and avoid any action that could be misconstrued as hostile.