Mid-morning, the small Imperial Palace gymnasium buzzed with the sounds of combat. Pon, along with the Tinju Warriors that arrived from Salaburi had been training since 4am.
The sound of men roaring, metal against metal, wood against wood and flesh against bone, echoed around the gym.
Although the selected Tinju Warriors were as competent as their Prime Master with swords and Juglaves, with them no longer trained in assassination techniques, Pon and Vitchae gave them a crash course using the lethal Pitou.
The previous evening, Pon had asked Brigadier Lee in Cambodia to arrange transport for Samouern’s Chokdet Warriors to the Thai Imperial Palace and expected them to arrive sometime the next day.
He wasn’t sure how long it would take Prime Master Chuck Johnson and the Warlords of Peace Warriors to arrive, but knew they were en route.
Pon took a drink of water, wiped the sweat from his brow, and watched his Warriors training.
Pon saw a pair fighting with kendo sticks and he looked angry. He frowned, ran over, and struck a Tinju Warrior across his face.
The Warrior, too slow to respond, dropped his kendo stick and Pon struck the monk again. The Warrior blocked some of Pon’s ferocious punches and elbows, but unable to avoid his legs being swept out from under him. Pon stood over the fallen monk, who tried to roll away as Pon stomped on his face. The Warrior looked at Pon’s feet and although they moved with lightning speed, he predicted where they would land. After avoiding more stomping, he rolled away and sprung to his feet.
The pair fought for several minutes, and although the Tinju Warrior put up a defence against the beating, it wasn’t until Pon thought the monk mounted an offence that he stopped and stood back.
The bruised Warrior feeling relieved faced Pon, bowed, wai-ed, and looking ashamed, said, “I am sorry for my lapse in concentration Prime Master, it won’t happen again.”
Dave and Manhut came to the gym several hours later and walked over and wai-ed Pon.
Pon returned the wai and asked. “How are the children?”
“They’re fine, Prime Master,” said Manhut and smiled, “Sid and Lek are getting on well.”
Dave chuckled. “Yeah,” he said, “Spock’s entertaining them.”
Pon smirked and handed them both a kendo stick and they trained together. Although Dave and Manhut were Muay Thai fighters and versed in swordsmanship, they were no match against Tinju Warriors.
Taksin sat in his office waiting for information and results. With his desk cluttered with maps and printed satellite images, he planned the easiest route to Abdullah’s hide out.
****
Spock looked consumed as his battle raged. With beads of sweat trickling down his brow, he sat on the sofa in the lounge growling and shouting while he concentrated.
A buzzer then sounded, and he raised his eyebrows looking shocked. “Bloody things not working,” he said sounding angry, “how come my mother ship blew up? None of your space ships where near it.”
“My turn,” said Sid trying to wrestle the Gameboy from Spock.
Lek said something, chuckled, and whispered in Sid’s ear.
Spock frowned when he heard the two little terrors speaking Thai and asked. “What are you two little buggers planning?”
Sid smirked and said. “Lek said she could beat your score… and I know I can.”
“It’s broken,” said Spock furrowing his brow and hiding the Gameboy behind his back.
Sid winked at Lek, who looked sad as her bottom lip quivered and she cried.
Sid smirked and hollered. “Moo! Spock made Lek cry.”
Panicking and looking at the door, Spock handed Lek the Gameboy.
Lek stopped crying, took the Gameboy, and she and Sid ran out of the lounge chuckling.
“What are you doing stupid, making that poor little girl cry?” asked a furious looking Moo coming into the lounge.
“I’ve been hustled,” said Spock, and grumbled as he went to the kitchen where the bard of Cleethorpes was tapping away on his keypad.
Spock looked at Stu who had his tongue out the side of his mouth as his inspiration flowed.
Bored, Spock picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and sat down.
He watched CNN, which again showed footage of Fahed, dressed in a scruffy camouflage garb, with a red and white checked turban on his head. He was reading from a sheet of paper and waving around his finger while he yelled in Arabic.
“Look matey, they are on about Fahed,” said Spock turning up the volume.
“Fahed Del Alaz’s whereabouts was unknown…” said the broadcaster, “… in other news.”
Spock furrowed his brow. “Bollox, we missed it. We will have to watch it when it repeats later.”
Stu looked up from his laptop. “Yeah, but it sounded like they now know his name. He is a busy little Ab-dab with his terrorist army attaching the Septic’s and his Pakhi army murdering Buddhists.”
Spock sighed. “Yeah, but they don’t know where the bugger is either.”
Mid-day, Pon, Dave, and Manhut took a break from training and ate Thai food in the lounge with Lek, Samnan, and the women, while Stu, Spock, Dave, and Sid tucked into several KFC buckets in the kitchen.
Sid looked upset and stared at a chicken drumstick.
Dave seeing Sid looking gloomy, asked, “Are you okay pal?”
Spock, seeing the young lad upset, smirked. “He’s probably thinking about how to drop me in the shit again.”
Tears welled up in Sid’s eyes and he looked at Dave. “I’m missing Mam and Dad.” He furrowed his brow and sounding anxious said. “I never saw Whippet before we come away and I know he’ll be fretting if I’m not there.”
Spock and Stu looked at Dave, who smiled, leant over, and put his arm around Sid’s shoulder.
Sid put his drumstick on a paper plate, got off his chair, hugged his protector, and asked, “When are we going horm Dave?”
Dave wiped tears from the little boy’s eyes. “We can’t go home yet pal. We have to find the people who hurt your Mam and Dad.”
“Why can’t we go horm and then find them?” asked Sid with snot running from his nose.
Spock and Stu saw remorse in Dave’s eyes and sadness and confusion on the heartbroken little face of Sid.
Dave swallowed hard and searched for the right words. His throat felt dry, and as tears welled up in his eyes, he tried to hide his anger as he said. “Sid, yer Mam and Dad are in heaven with your Gran and Whippet. They’re with my Mam and Dad.” Taking a deep breath, he looked at his distraught descendant. “The ghosts killed them.”
Sid looked into the face of the man who would give his life to protect him.
Sid frowned, glared at Dave, and screamed. “No… You’re lying; we saw them before we come ‘ere. Me faver looked poorly, but he weint dead.”
Dave looked at Sid trembling and with a quake in his voice said. “I’m sorry pal, but they are dead. We can’t go home until I find the ghosts who killed them.” He pulled the lad closer, and with tears streaming down his cheeks, said. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry pal, but they’re gone.”
Sid scowled at Dave and punched his chest while yelling “No, you’re lying, you’re lying... call me Dad… now!”
Sid looked at Dave and pleaded.
“Please Dave, call me Dad.” Then bursting into tears, Sid clung onto his protector.
Spock and Stu felt helpless and looked at Dave sobbing and comforting the distraught Sid.
Stu went to the hot water jug to make Dave a cup of coffee and Spock left the kitchen.
Dave rocked the inconsolable Sid back and forth.
“Here, drink this Dave,” said Stu and putting a mug of hot coffee on the table, whispered. “It’s coffee with a drop of Spock’s stash in it,” he then put a glass of coke on the table for Sid.
“Thanks Stu,” said Dave and continued to hug Sid and rock back and forth.
Stu, at a loss for words of comfort, sat back down. He couldn’t imagine what Sid and Dave must be going through.
Spock returned to the kitchen and sat next to Stu.
He smiled. “We are all here for you, you little hustler,” he said holding out his hand. ”Here.”
Sid moved his tear stained face away from Dave’s now sodden chest and looked at what Spock held. He saw Stu with his hand on his forehead, shaking his head, and looking in despair.
Sid sniffed and Dave wiped the snot running from his nose.
Sid furrowed his brow, “what is it?”
Spock smiled. “It’s my magic Adventure hat, which will protect you from anything.”
Dave smiled as Spock shook the dust off his hat while Sid looked confused at the dopey Meggie.
“Look,” said Spock leaning over and placing the hat over Sid’s head, which covered his face. He looked like a body with a daft hat from his shoulders up.
“See,” said Spock chuckling. “It already made your head disappear... magic.”
A muffled sound came from under the hat and Spock lifted up the front. Sid looked like an unimpressed, tearful little boy, wearing a grimy khaki cloth Darth Vader helmet.
“That’s not magic, it’s just too big, and it stinks. I bet that I look a reet twonk,” said Sid scrunching up his face and looking unimpressed.
Pon, Lek, and Manhut walked into the kitchen and Lek, seeing Sid’s tears, rushed over to him.
“See, your girlfriend likes it,” said Spock, but the children ignored him as they held hands and spoke to one another in Thai.
“Thanks Spock,” said Dave forcing a smile, before speaking with Manhut and Pon.
“Well done mate,” said Stu, patting his old friend on the shoulder and sniggering. “Wait until I tell Moo what a great Dad you’ll make.”
Spock furrowed his brow and glared at Stu. “You bloody won’t; she’s broody enough.”
“Awh, look, isn’t that sweet,” said Stu looking over at Lek and Sid embracing.
Spock sighed and looking morose, said. “Yeah, poor kids. It’s hard to imagine how they felt after going through what they have.”
“At least they have each other,” said Stu, “and everyone’s here to protect and comfort them.”
Feeling anger welling up inside, Spock whispered to Stu. “I hope they make that fucking Fahed pay for all the hurt he’d caused. If we were going with them and we found him I’d kill the twat.”
Stu, also looking angry, nodded.
Manhut then spoke with Sid and Lek before he and Dave went to the lounge.
Lek and young Darth Twonk followed them and Spock chuckled. “There goes Darth Dwarf.”
Stu chortled and said. “I don’t think they call them dwarfs nowadays Spock.”
Spock’s head went back, and he furrowed his brow. “Oh aye, so what do they call them now, smartarse.”
“They are now called small people,” said Stu sounding intelligent.
Spock shrugged. “Why? Dwarfs know there’s a big difference between them and a small person.”
Stu smiled and expecting Spock to disclose anatomical and physiological facts said, “Oh yes, and what might that be, oh wise one?
“Well, for a start,” said Spock furrowing his brow. “One’s a fucking dwarf,” he smirked, “and they know who they are.”
Stu tutted and walked to the hot water jug. “I’ll make us a coffee.”
Pon came into the kitchen and Spock chortled, “and speaking of a small person.”
Pon looked confused at Spock giggling and said. “Manhut and I are going back to do more training. The girls will take care of the children but Dave wanted to stay here to make sure Sid’s okay.”
Pon and Manhut left the accommodation and walked over to the gym. Thirty minutes later, Dave came back into the kitchen and sat with Spock and Stu at the table.
“Is Sid okay matey,” asked Spock looking concerned.
Dave sighed and nodded. “Yes, he is not as upset as before. He’s playing with Lek and Samnan and the women are keeping an eye on them.” Dave smiled and said, “He’s a tough little bugger.”
“Poor little mite,” said Stu. “But don’t worry mate, we will all look after him and Lek while you are away.”
Spock nodded, fished around the KFC bucket, smiled, and lifted out a piece of chicken. He smirked, took a bite, and asked. “Does anyone want this last drumstick?”
For the rest of the day, Lek, Sid, and Samnan played in the lounge, with Dave and the women looking on.
It had been a traumatic day for Sid and Lek, and young Samnan didn’t understand why every so often, either Sid or Lek burst into tears.
Throughout the day, Dave and the girls consoled them, trying to find distractions to help the kids take their mind off their deceased parents, but the pair only seemed to find solace in each other’s arms.
Although Dave and the girls found their efforts fruitless, unbeknownst to Spock, he was a tremendous help in finally cheering up the upset kids...Well, his hat was.
Sid soon realised that the big dope Spock would take his hat back once he felt happier.
Therefore, any time either he or Lek felt upset, they redecorated Spock’s hat. By the time Pon and Manhut arrived home, Spock’s adventure hat was a rainbow colour with a mixture of wax crayon and felt pen. They had drawn flowers, robots, and spaceships over his once proud headpiece.
While Dao, Kim, and Moo went in the kitchen to cook the evening meal, Stu went upstairs to write his novel in peace and quiet while Spock watched TV in his and Moo’s room.
It was twilight when Pon and Manhut arrived back at the quarters.
While the women prepared Thai and Western food, Pon and Manhut sat at the table in the kitchen and drank water. With Dave not at the gym, Manhut trained with the Tinju. Exhausted and sore, after the women saw his swollen and bruised face, Moo fetched him an ice pack.
Manhut groaned as he held it to his swollen cheek after deciding that was what hurt the most.
Pon looked surprised when he heard a vehicle pulling up outside and looked at his watch. ‘Who would be coming here at this hour?’ he thought.
The kitchen door opened and a smiling Brigadier Lee walked in.
Pon smiled and wai-ed. “Hello Lee, it is good to see you.”
Kim, with a smile a mile wide, said. “Uncle Lee,”
He went over, hugged Kim, and said. “You asked me to get the Chokdet here Pon, so what better excuse to come to see my family?”
“You brought them?” asked Pon looking surprised.
“Yes,” said Lee, “they are in the truck. They are a serious looking bunch, and one of them you already know Pon.”
“Uncle Lee,” shouted Samnan, coming from the lounge and running over to hug his great-uncle.
Lee sat down and Moo fetched him a cool glass of water.
“How many Chokdet Warriors have you bought?” asked Pon.
“Twelve,” said Lee and took a drink of water. “Prime Master Samouern said they are his best Warriors. He apologised for not coming, but he is preparing for any further attacks on their Sanctuary.”
Pon smiled. “I understand. I will phone him later to thank him.”
“These guys are tough,” said Lee, “They didn’t move throughout the long journey. I watched them from the rear-view mirror. They occasionally took a drink from their gourd flasks and at dusk they took off the cloth covering their eyes,” he chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind a troop of soldiers like them.”
Pon smiled, expecting no less from the Chokdet. He and Lee had already seen them in action. They were like the Tinju, dedicated and fearsome Warriors.
Dao and Moo, hearing how many there were, took twelve glasses of ice-cold water outside to the truck.
Two rows of six Chokdet wearing green cassocks sat back to back on a bench in the centre of the truck.
With no top covering the vehicle, the girls could only imagine how hot the Chokdet Warriors must have felt during the hot journey.
Moo and Dao balanced the trays on the side of the truck.
“Here’s some water,” said Moo and smiled.
The steely expressions of the Chokdet didn’t alter, and they stared straight ahead.
Even in the dark, Dao and Moo noticed the bows and swords of the Cambodian Warriors glinting, as did their eyes.
“Maybe they don’t understand Thai,” said Dao after seeing the men not taking the water, and knowing a little Cambodian, she said.
“Ne Nyham Tu nit, Bah Nham tuk ki rhom nung bong, hein Doh kieum. Here is some water, please drink, and I’ll show you my tits.”
(Only joking, Dao didn’t say that... Moo did)
The Chokdet never moved.
Suddenly, they all stood and wai-ed Pon as he approached the truck.
Pon returned the wai and recognising one of the Chokdet said. “Master Sutchet, it is good to see you again, thank you for your help.”
“We are happy to help Prime Master. We also need to find and punish the Amanussa’s who attacked us,” said Master Sutchet with a steely-eyed glare.
“Please, you and your men drink the water. I will take you to your accommodations, where you can eat and settle in,” said Pon pointing at the water.
Master Sutchet and his Warriors took the water from Dao and Moo, smiled at the girls before drinking the cool refreshing water, and returned to their seated positions.
While Kim took Lee to his room, Pon drove the Cambodian Warrior monks to their accommodations close to the gym and their new allies, the Tinju.
Pon settled the Chokdet Warriors in and introduced them to the Tinju.
The Warriors sat in a large dining area and ate before they chanted and meditated together.
Lee dropped his bag off in his room and Kim told him dinner would be ready shortly.
Lee went back with Kim to the guest’s quarters and into the lounge. Spock and Stu, on hearing that Lee had arrived, went into the lounge and when Lee came back, the three spoke at the table.
Dave sat on the sofa teasing Manhut about his bruises while Lek, Sid, and Samnan watched cartoons and plotted how to drop Spock in the kah-kah with Moo.
The girls were still busy preparing food in the Kitchen when Pon came back and went into the lounge. He sat with Lee as Spock and Stu bored Lee while reminiscing about their Cambodian and Vietnamese adventures.
The women said they would all eat at the large table in the dining room. Spock, Stu, and Dave laid out the chopsticks and spoons, along with Spock and Stu’s knives and forks.
While they ate, Pon told Lee what had happened and what they intended to do.
Lee looked concerned, but didn’t voice his opinion with Kim being there. “Is there anything I can do to help Pon?” he asked.
“Thanks Lee. Bringing the Chokdet here was a great help. I am just waiting for the Warlords from America and then we can prepare.” Pon and Lee saw Kim looking concerned, so Pon smiled and said. “We have everything under control.”