Mythlands: THE HEIST

You will produce your tickets and travel permits if you please.

Prior to boarding the train to Narnia's capital, The Glass Cat had done two things - he had divided their forces so that the group would look less suspicious and he had given them a brief history of the nation's existence in the Mythlands.

Narnia, he had said, was not only isolationist and religious, but it was a state that had made scant progress in technological and other areas, mostly resisting outside influences. There were some however - at the time of the Great Rebirth, Narnia had been a medieval fantasy land and to a large extent it retained that character. But the State had also been exposed to Victorian sensibilities when Andrew Ketterley and others from Victorian London had entered their society. Gradually some of the fashions, manners and even technology of that mortal era had filtered through.

All in all, modern Narnia resembled nothing less than a mish mash of King Arthur's Camelot crossed with the London of Sherlock Holmes - a fact pointed out by none other than Professor Moriarty himself. Gentlemen, ladies and upright creatures of the realm tended to wear either courtly dress or late 19th century attire. The streets of the capital and other large population centres were lit by gaslight and the most popular form of transport was the horse driven hansom cab.

Then there was the Cross Narnian Rail Network, which was the height of the transport revolution in the Aslanist State, which most viewed as a source of pride but some few considered a sinful decadence and the sign of a corrupting creeping modernity.

Currently The Glass Cat and co were steaming across the countryside on the Cair Paravel Express. Bungle had decreed that Professor's Ketterley and Moriarty travel in first class with himself and the stylish Renard. If questioned, they would merely be distinguished scientists and businessmen accompanying Ketterley to the Cair Paravel summit.

In a smaller compartment nearby The Cheshire Cat and Griffin were to travel with the Bulgy Bear and the supercats, now attired in checked suits with starch collars and cravats.

Further down the train in another first class compartment were The Hare, Jessica, Golden Goose and Goldie. The Cat had put their travel arrangements under a microscope and not fully trusting The Hare's contingent had assigned the fully loyal (or so he thought) mercenary Goldie to keep an eye on them. Similarly Bulgy was situated where he was, both to be constrained by the presence of the supercats and to use his credentials to make sure the Cheshire Cat's false travel documents weren't examined too closely.

It was a few hours into the trip, when the sharks came. Bulgy had warned them that at some point Narnian rail police nicknamed the sharks due to their legend of 'being able to smell blood in the water.', would arrive to examine their travel permits and tickets. Narnians were suspicious of foreigners at the best of times and it was not uncommon for travellers to be arrested and removed from their train.

Bungle's group had passed muster with a minimal inspection. Despite not being well liked in palace circles, Andrew Ketterley's name commanded instant respect and grovelling subservience. Ketterley, acting on the Glass Cat's instructions adopted a haughty tone and ordered the rail police to 'hurry up and take the tickets of their servants who travelled with the Bulgy Bear.'

The Bulgy Bear was famous as well, so the sharks gave him all due respect.

Now it just remained for The Hare's group to pass muster. Jessica and Goldie were dressed in respectable Victorian garb, their collars buttoned up to their necks and their hair piled elegantly atop their heads. The Hare himself had, despite Jessica telling him not to, added a monocle to his top hat and tails.

He had taken the ladies to the dining car while The Goose settled himself in the drinks carriage, where his slight glow attracted a bit of attention - this was the plan. Separate themselves so the Goose drew the most attention as an obvious foreigner. Unlike his compatriots, The Goose would hide in plain sight as himself.

The plan almost fell apart when GG saw the guardsman standing behind the rail police. At odds with the Victorian sensibility at work in the rest of the train's atmosphere, this man carried a very sharp looking axe.

'Papers?'

The Goose put his tumbler of bushmills back on the bar and turned. 'One moment if you please.' He fumbled under his wing. 'There. My train ticket and travel permit.'

'We require identification also.'

The Goose bristled. 'You ARE joking aren't you? Anyone can see who I am! The world famous Golden Goose!!' Affecting a grumble, the Goose produced his passport, stamped by border customs. 'Never heard of The Golden Goose? What backwater have I traveled to. Why when I tell King Peter ...'

The head policeman was looking decidedly un-amused but at that moment Professor Ketterley and Renard walked past ... as previously arranged. 'I say is that ... good Lord it is. The Golden Goose! I'd heard that his majesty had invited you to speak at the summit when it reconvened. What was it again?'

'Economics of course,' replied the Goose.

This was good enough for the rail policeman who tipped his hat. 'I apologize Mr Goose. You are of course known far and wide.' He took a cursory look at the passport and made to move off.'

The Goose expanded his wing span. 'One moment Captain. Would you be so kind as to take the tickets of my travelling companions without haste. You'll find them dining in the restaurant car and I for one would rather not be disturbed in our compartment later. We're playing a hand or two of gin rummy with the ladies don't you know and I daresay his Lordship and I will be wanting a snifter or two and a bit of a smoke ... without disturbance!'

The Captain glanced at Ketterley and then bowed slightly to the Goose. 'Of course Mr Goose. I trust you and your companions will tell the King that you were treated with the utmost courtesy and that on your return to your own country, you will speak of Narnian hospitality. May I ask the gentleman's name?'

The Goose sniffed. 'Lord Peter Rabbit. You can't miss him. He is accompanied by Lady Rabbit and her companion Miss Gold ... no relation naturally!'

The Captain clicked his heels and bowed. 'I shall attend his Lordship straight away. Please enjoy the rest of your journey. Hail Aslan.'

The Goose raised a wing. 'Most considerate of you. Hail Aslan.'

Renard nodded and he and Ketterley moved off in one direction while the uniformed men headed towards The Hare, with every intention of performing a quick and exceedingly courteous check ... as planned.

The Goose turned back to the bar and gulped his bushmills down in one shot and immediately ordered another. He was beginning to calm down as he sipped at his third, thinking, 'I'm getting too old for this!'

The rest of the journey passed without incident ... well almost. There was one small incident.