the oak tree falls 5/10

Lucy was waiting in a small room when Joan and the policeman walked in. She had a very puzzled look on her face and jumped up as soon as she saw them.

“What on earth is going on? I’ve been brought here to give evidence about a thief dealing in antiques. Have you got any idea what they’re talking about?”

“All in good time,” said the policeman, “I must warn you that this conversation is being monitored and may be replayed as seen necessary in a court of law. This young lady is accused of unlawful possession of a valuable antique and illegally owning a chemical battery. Will you please tell us all you know about her and how she might have come into possession of these objects?”

Lucy explained how she came to be involved and was now looking after Joan until her uncle returned. “I don’t think she comes from anywhere near here. She’d never heard of solars and doesn’t even have a monitor. That’s when I mentioned that I’d seen watches like hers in museums and that it could be valuable. I never realised it was working, or that it might have a battery inside.”

“You say you can’t remember anything until your uncle let you out of the taxi,” the policeman asked Joan, “surely you must have some idea of where you’ve come from?”

“I do remember uncle saying that I’d been seasick for two days on a steamer when we were coming here, but I’ve no idea where we normally live I’m afraid.”

The policeman held his wrist up to his mouth, “Put the steamer arrivals for the last month up on the big screen please and run a check against the pictures I’ve already sent of the young lady suspect.”

The end wall of the small room lit up, showing film of people walking down a gangplank leading from a large steamboat. The policeman looked very carefully at young children being accompanied by men on their own. Lucy tried to recognise Joan’s uncle, while Joan herself looked bewildered. The scene was completely new to her and she’d no idea what to look for.

The scene changed every few minutes as different boats were shown with their passengers disembarking. A call on the police officer’s monitor said quite loudly and clearly, “Computer finds no match for suspect over the last two months.”

“Can we stop the picture for a moment please,” asked Joan, “I’m sure I saw something I recognised just then.” The picture returned to the previous view of a liner and its passengers. “There,” said Joan, “that little sailing boat just to one end of the big ship, I’m sure I’ve seen it before somewhere.”

The policeman asked for the sailing ship arrival to be shown. Neither Joan nor her uncle were to be seen, but Joan began to get quite excited. “I’m sure that’s the Black Cat,” she said, “I don’t know how I know, but I think the captain is called Jonah.”

“Goblin trader Black Cat, Davy Jones shipping company, skipper ‘Jonah’ Jones, cargo of timber, source unknown,” said the computer in reply to the policeman’s question.

“Not much help,” said the policeman, “non humans are restricted to the port area and traders come here from every known port in all the worlds.”