The story so far, No.6 has taken his place on the chessboard as the white Queens pawn. He has met with No.14 the reputed ex-count whose family played chess with their retainers whose heads were chopped off as they were wiped off the board!
No.6 discovers how to tell the whites from the blacks by judging by people's attitudes, the way it is in life, you soon find out whose for you or against you. And so No.6 sets about finding his reliable men, to distinguish between the Prisoners and the warders. Amongst the reliable men are the Rook, No.14, the shopkeeper-No.99, the painter-No.42.
The plan is to transmit a distress call using a radio which the Rook has been able to assemble from stolen electronic components. This done it is up to the Rook who is off-shore to transmit a radio signal to bring a ship in-shore and thereby executing a rescue and escape of the trusted men. This while the others take measures against anyone who might try and prevent No.2 and any of the guardians from taking any action against them.
The action continues at the stone boat. In the control room the distress signal bringing in M.S. Polotska, is being closely monitored by the Supervisor-No.56 and his assistant No.249 in the control room.
"There is" says the Supervisor listening to the continuous bleeping of the radio signal they have picked up.
"Very close" No.249 comments.
"Lets try a radar search" the Supervisor suggests.
"Nothing" 249 comments as they look at the radar screen.
"That's twelve miles, try six" the Supervisor suggests.
"That's six. Not much chance of finding them unless the aircraft is still floating."
"Couldn't you get a signal off a dingy?" asks the Supervisor.
"Ooh doubtful."
"Could be more than one, they didn't say how many passengers they'd got aboard."
"Only one distress signal" 249 remarked.
"Might be saving their batteries. Search in closer"
No.249 pressed a button on the radar screen "Start getting readings from the high buildings in the village."
"What's that?" the Supervisor asks pointing to a blip on the radar screen.
"The mountains to the north of us."
"Better see if the radio station in the tower can give us a cross bearing" says the Supervisor picking up a telephone "This is control calling the tower, control to the tower are you receiving me...over."
Meanwhile down at the stone boat Number 6 meets with his fellow escapees who are gathered in the main cabin.
"Is everything going according to plan?" No.14 asks.
"Yes, we sent out a radio signal, there's a boat coming to our rescue." No. 6 assures them.
"Splendid!" observes No.99 "We're on land!"
"They think we're an aircraft down at sea, Rook is off-shore sending out an automatic distress signal bringing them in" No.6 explains.
"The guardians will pick it up" says 14.
"Yes, our job is to prevent them from taking any action until that boat is here."
Then they see the searchlight, the crew in the tower are taking a bearing on the signal, and No.6 and his men head off to the tower with the intention of knocking out the searchlight.
At the top of the tower a fight ensues between the desperate escapees and the searchlight crew who are quickly overpowered, one of who is sent hurtling from the tower into the water below, and the searchlight is put out.
No.2 at this time is meditating in his office when he is disturbed by a call from the Supervisor informing him that the searchlight crew in the tower have been attacked. No.2 informs the Supervisor that he'll be right over. But on his way out, No.2's way is barred by No.6 and his reliable men.
"Isn't it a bit late to come calling?" No.2 remarks
"We didn't like to leave without saying goodbye, tie him up" No.6 orders stepping behind the desk, he presses a button to increase the volume of the distress signal through the speakers.
Suddenly an announcement comes thought he speakers....... "Commander Riker to the bridge."
"End hologram programme" Commander Riker orders.
Instantly the domed circular office disappears revealing the blank steel walls of the hologram deck. Stepping forwards the huge pair of steel doors slide open and Commander Riker steps out and into the passage way of deck 5. A swift journey in the turbo lift brings him to the bridge of the USS Enterprise.
On the bridge Commander Riker takes his seat next to Captain Pickard.
"I see you escaped the village just in time No.1"
"You could say that Captain" Riker replied "But at the end of the day I'm still a prisoner!"
"We all are Commander..... of the Enterprise
Be seeing you
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