"It was easier when I went back after the Graal. And less stressful", Indy thought. 
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So they're not alone down there
Serves them right for disturbing what should not be disturbed ...
Serves them right for disturbing what should not be disturbed ...
Of course, Indy can't enter an ancient ruin without awaking all the sleeping critters there.
Still, this is Indy. We need the inevitable and one of the baddies must stand at an elevated position, raise his fist and yell: "JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONES!" in furious anger as Indy escapes.
This will not end well.
Shub-Niggurath vs Ghatanothoa?
Nominations to the Council of Seven
Lo Pang (Big Trouble in Little China) possible new Viceroy / Governor of America
Genetically chosen / engineered son of Fu Manchu (similar to Sang Chi from Marvel comics) also possible Viceroy
Evil banker colluding to bring down Western civilisation (Carlton Clutch also from Marvel)
Shub-Niggurath vs Ghatanothoa?
Nominations to the Council of Seven
Lo Pang (Big Trouble in Little China) possible new Viceroy / Governor of America
Genetically chosen / engineered son of Fu Manchu (similar to Sang Chi from Marvel comics) also possible Viceroy
Evil banker colluding to bring down Western civilisation (Carlton Clutch also from Marvel)
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A grim and foreboding update for Dr. Jones. I'd like to know what's going to happen, soon.
I'm sure people on those other forums the other readers are suggesting would eat this story up. It's good.
I'm sure people on those other forums the other readers are suggesting would eat this story up. It's good.
Great update again.
It is sometimes like reading two or three different stories but they are all great.
Where do you get those cavern pictures?
It is sometimes like reading two or three different stories but they are all great.
Where do you get those cavern pictures?
Flying polyps.... Invisible, out-right invulnerable creatures with senses that spot a nearby target without any need for sight or smell. A lightning gun from aeons past is their only hope now
What about General Yen from A bitter Tea with General Yen orOddjob from the James Bond franchise.
Thanks for the suggestions. I was also thinking about historical personalities. Whether historical or fictional the CV for the candidates would include villanous or at least ruthless antagonists of Western colonialism - historical people I've been considering are the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, the Zulu king and Ho Chi Minh. However, I fear they could derail from the pulpiness of the story and make it more politically controversial, which I do not want.
Another posibility is that Fu Manchu will dispense entirely with the Council of Seven and rule the Si Fan with an iron hand as an autocrat. After all, the Si Fan, like so many other things in his long life has merely been a means to an end. As ruler of the Pan-Asian Empire, it's not really in his interest to retain a strong secret criminal society like the Si Fan. Rather, it's membership will be gradually absorbed into the Imperial administration and security services, and the remaining Council members set up as Viceroys of India, Indonesia and Persia respectively.
Another posibility is that Fu Manchu will dispense entirely with the Council of Seven and rule the Si Fan with an iron hand as an autocrat. After all, the Si Fan, like so many other things in his long life has merely been a means to an end. As ruler of the Pan-Asian Empire, it's not really in his interest to retain a strong secret criminal society like the Si Fan. Rather, it's membership will be gradually absorbed into the Imperial administration and security services, and the remaining Council members set up as Viceroys of India, Indonesia and Persia respectively.
Could be interesting if that allows Fah to conspire with angered SiFan memebrs to organize a SiFan betrayal of Fu.
You've already had a lot of pulp and myth about elder races and whatever, plus a huge genocidal war against white people that seems to be going OK; I don't know how a political appointment could be too controversial, even if it is Uncle Ho.
Sandokan the pirate is in, is he not?
What about the villains from the Tintin comics...
Mr. Bohlwinkel
Roberto Rastapopoulos
Colonel Sponsz
Not really supervillains, though. Although Rastapopoulos is a powerful and influential person with international connections. Sponsz is a bit of a buffoon but he's ruthless.
What about the villains from the Tintin comics...
Mr. Bohlwinkel
Roberto Rastapopoulos
Colonel Sponsz
Not really supervillains, though. Although Rastapopoulos is a powerful and influential person with international connections. Sponsz is a bit of a buffoon but he's ruthless.
I love the Tintin characters, but while they are bad guys, all of them are very much Western. I am fully in favor of including some of them, however - I think it could be a fun twist to have the Rastapopoulos-owned SS Ramona captained by Allan or Rastapopoulos' submarine assist our heroes somewhere.
OK, I might.
"It was easier when I went back after the Graal. And less stressful", Indy thought.
I'm sorely tempted to include that line somewhere down the line.And they never learn, do they?So they're not alone down there
Serves them right for disturbing what should not be disturbed ...
He must have real heavy steps.
Or perhaps the things were never asleep to begin with.That will have to wait. These baddies are not of that bent.Still, this is Indy. We need the inevitable and one of the baddies must stand at an elevated position, raise his fist and yell: "JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONES!" in furious anger as Indy escapes.
Interesting nominations. Lo Pang is a ghost though, isn't he?
You're not learning in this update, but it won't be long (in terms relative to the usual pace of this story).
Mostly from deviantart.com. It's a great source for unsettling pictures.
And they found only debris of those...Flying polyps.... Invisible, out-right invulnerable creatures with senses that spot a nearby target without any need for sight or smell. A lightning gun from aeons past is their only hope now
Yen would have been an interesting choice earlier in the story, but by now he'd be a military nobody, a thirten-a-dozen Chinese General in the Pan-Asian military. Odjob is a perfect Si-Fan killer, but he'd be far to young for a Council Seat, quite apart that he's frankly more of henchman than evil overlord material.
Yes, some more interesting in pursuing a criminal career than furthering a new Chinese Empire will feel dissaffected.
These people would be cast as villains and are heroes to some. In contrast, nobody really identifies with Fu Manchu or Shiwan Khan.
Hmmm... Not Bohlwinkel, for many reasons. Sponz would require Borduira to be in the story, so no. Rastapopulous... possibly. Will consider it.
Actually, the SS Karaboudjan with (an uncredited) Haddock as Captain and Alan Thompson as first mate already did a small cameo.
I will be somewhat busy at work tomorrow so here's your update almost a full day early. Hope you don't mind!
Imperial Palace of Tokyo
Japan, Pan-Asian Empire
Thursday, September 20th 1940
’Receive my deepest condolences, kōtei Heika, and take comfort in the knowledge that your son fell in battle, bravely facing and ultimately vanquishing his greatest foe, the American Ying Ko!’
Carried by radio waves through several relay stations across the expanse of the Pacific and amplified by great loudspeakers, the voice of Field Marshall Count Terauchi Hisaichi echoed in the throne room of Fu Manchu. Standing at stiff attention in full dress uniform, soldiers of the Mongolian Imperial Guards lined the walls while silk-clad courtiers and military high-rankers thronged at the base of the throne dais.
Sitting on his throne Fu Manchu might just as well have been a statue of cold marble for all the emotion shown. Leaing toward a large microphone placed next to him, he answered Terauchi.
‘I thank you for your kind words, Field Marshall. I hereby appoint you acting Viceroy of America, in addition to your duties as theatre commander of the Imperial armed forces, until such time a replacement for Prince Shiwan Khan is appointed. I trust you shall continue the march to victory initiated by my son.’
‘I humbly accept your decision and will strive for final victory against the United States of America, kōtei Heika. But, if you permit, I would as my first official act as Viceroy of America humbly request that the policy of Kharash be rescinded forthwith.’
Fu arched a thin eyebrow. ‘Why? It has served us admirably so far in the war. We could never have maintained any sort of control over the occupied areas with the meagre forces you have at your disposal had it not been for Kharash. I regard it as my late son’s greatest achievement. And you would discontinue it?’
‘kōtei Heika, if I may speak plainly, it defiles the honour of your soldiers, undermining their morale, and while it might ease our victory, it will make ruling this country impossible. The Americans will hate us enough for it that the rebellions and the resistance will never end.’
Fu Manchu smiled crookedly. ‘You have a lot of nerve, Field Marshall, I’ll grant you that. So obeying the orders of my son has defiled your precious honour? But I will lenient, and say instead this; if we ceased Kharash today, do you think the Americans would feel any less hatred four us the day we march into the White House? On the other hand, the damage and the trouble it causes them can hardly be overestimated. The policy will remain in place, but I will grant you this boon; you may from now on chose to allow your men to drive off, rather than slaughter the civilians in occupied areas at your discretion. At this point, their fear of us must be so great that no great amount of convincing will be needed. Of course, ultimately you must be ready to resort to decisive use of force against those who refuse to leave.’
There were a few seconds of silence. ‘Thank you, kōtei Heika!’ the answer finally came across the air waves.
Fu Manchu waved a hand dismissively and a courtier closed the connection. The Emperor of China rose from his throne and descended the steps of the dais as all except the impassive soldiers abased themselves before him. Looking straight ahead, he headed to the open doors to a walking balcony encircling the building.
‘Field Marshall Chiang! Walk with me!’ Fu Manchu ordered.
His old associate, the former Guomindang leader now made First soldier of the Empire, Field Marshall Chiang Kai-Shek immediately rose from the floor to follow in the steps of his master.
‘Yes Imperial Majesty?’
‘What is your assessment of the situation in America after these developments?’
Chiang frowned, and looked left and right. They had now passed through the doors and to their left, beyond the railing of the balcony the city of Tokyo sprawled colossal and colourful under the bright autumn sun.
‘No one can hear us Chiang!’ Fu said with the mere hint of a patient sigh. ‘You can speak freely.’
‘Then I fear Terauchi is quite correct, Master. Even if we win, America will become ungovernable to us, unless we can free many millions of men for occupation duties.’
‘Of course, but now that my idiot son got himself killed before he could serve his purpose as scapegoat, that can no longer be avoided nor mitigated. All he had to do was to keep breathing until the Americans surrendered, and he failed even at that. But I noticed you said IF, rather than WHEN we win. The outcome is then in doubt to you, even after our latest colossal victory?’
‘Very much so, Master. We’ve done well so far, but we’re still gradually lagging behind schedule. I think there’s little hope of final victory before winter sets in, not the least because of logistics. Our men and their horses are largely living off the land, plundering stores left behind by the Americans as they fled. But they still need ammunition, spares for their weapons and vehicles, fuel for trucks and tanks and aircraft... granted, the ammunition factories and refineries we’ve set up or taken over in California do help matters, so that we don’t have to ferry every bullet and every can of petrol across the Pacific, but even those supplies need cross half of a continent, soon most of a continent. We’re operating at the end of a very, very, very long supply chain. In truth, even if we had many more forces to spare for the American front, we could never supply substantially bigger forces than this for any length of time without using American resources – which we can’t as long as the country is depopulated. As for the American forces, they keep growing faster than we can destroy them. I’d say that thanks to this last victory, things are still touch and go – come spring, we might be able to crush their last resistance – or they will start driving us back. If that happens, it will be a fast affair. Our forces in America are quite mobile and reasonably hard-hitting but they have little staying power.’
‘Well thought and well put, Chiang. And I agree. But I’m not worried; time is working for us here.’
‘Master, I respectfully disagree! The Americans...’
Fu Manchu stopped and raised a hand to demand silence. ‘You miss the point. The American theatre is a sideshow. I started this war not to conquer America, but to prevent America from conquering us. Even if the Americans finally start rolling us back, by then we will have all of Asia and its resources in our hands. So we may lose the oil of Texas and Oklahoma – no matter, by then the oil fields of the Dutch East Indies, Persia and Iran will be in our hands. In the mean time, instead of rebuilding their Pacific fleet to a power that could threaten us, the Americans will struggle with meagre resources just to reclaim their homeland. Already, the point in time when they can become a real threat to us has been pushed ahead many years. Even if we’re finally stopped one step away from their East Cost, it will be decades before they again become a danger to us. And by then, we shall be masters of the old world and invincible!’
Mena House, Alexandria
Kingdom of Egypt
Thursday, September 20th 1940
Holding the tray of food with his left hand, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith knocked on the door of his own hotel room, his heart full of apprehension. He had news to deliver, some good, and some that could potentially be devastating.
‘Are you decent, dear?’ he asked. ‘I’ve brought you breakfast!’
There came a throaty laughter from the woman laying on his bed, the love of his life, the one spot of light in his existence since returning with the survivors of the Royal Navy battle fleet from the debacle in the South China Sea.
‘Nope! But don’t let that stop you – I’d love a glass of fresh orange juice!’
With just a pinch of self-loathing for feeling like a peeping Tom, Nayland Smith entered the luxurious suite.
Fah Lo Suee stretched and yawned on his bed, without a doubt at least as much to display her stunning physique to advantage as from genuine sleepiness. Wearing nothing but make-up and jewellery, the stifling Alexandrian late summer heat had her covered only by a flimsy mosquito net. Although by now it was almost a familiar sight, Nayland Smith swallowed and felt his face burn. He worked hard, and with only partial success to prevent his eyes from wandering. If she noticed, she gave no sign that she minded.
‘God morning, Dennis!’ she smiled. ‘Why so serious looking?’
‘I have something to tell you, which I hope will not sadden you too much’ he said, depositing the tray at a small table next to the bed.
‘Oh?’ she said, raising her head and resting it on one hand. ‘Do tell!’
‘It concerns your brother, Shiwan Khan. I’m afraid that he has been killed in an American raid on San Francisco. Now, I know that you were at odds, but family is family and... Fah?’
The former Lady of the Si-Fan turned Secret Service agent threw back her head and laughed until tears began to run down her cheeks.
‘Dennis!’ she finally gasped. ‘You’re priceless, my big silly English gentleman! That’s the best news I’ve had in months – let the moron scream in all the Eighteen Levels of Hell, and good riddance, I say! He’s always despised and feared me, because he knew that for all his talent, his brains didn’t hold a candle to mine. Of course, he was at a disadvantage in that respect, since I’m not insane!’
‘A-hum!’ Nayland Smith mumbled, feeling tremendously uncomfortable at her callous attitude. ‘Well, I’m glad you’re not aggrieved then. Eh... splendid, I guess!’ Pushing aside the mosquito net, he sat down at the foot of the bed, feeling sheepish.
‘Come here and let me show you how aggrieved I am!’ she purred, making a calling gesture with the index finger.
‘Ah... eh... actually, there’s one thing more – good news now, I hasten to add! Heh-he. I had saved it to cheer you up after... well, anyway, James is alive!’
When he did not immediately succumb to her considerable charms, Fah Lo Suee had crept up next to Nayland Smith, ignoring his continued babbling. She had just begun the process of gnawing on his ear lobe when Sir Dennis dropped the bomb. She recoiled violently, as if struck.
‘What!?’
‘Yes, it’s the most fantastic good news, isn’t it?’ Nayland Smith laughed, completely misinterpreting her reaction. ‘We’ve just received word through the Swiss embassy in London, they delivered a proposal from the Pan-Asian government for a prisoner exchange – they offer to return the people they picked up after South China Sea in return from POWs taken in India. And the name of Lieutenant Commander James Bond, Royal Navy was on the list!’
Fah Lo Suee’s head span with the implications. She had burned her ships with Fu Manchu, and if James Bond was allowed to tell Nayland Smith how he had betrayed him and the mission just to save her own life, not even the love of Nayland Smith would save her. She would be forced to flee and strike out on her own, far from all opportunities to affect the future course of events. That must not happen – she still had need of the Secret Service.
‘But... that is fantastic news!’ she said, forming a wide happy smile through sheer force of will. ‘I just don’t understand how it can be possible though – I distinctly heard Dr No order Sandokan to kill him and shoot his body out of a torpedo tube!’
‘Well I’m sure James will tell us all about it when he’s back! The exchange will take place at sea two weeks from now, off the coast of Ceylon.’
Fah’s mind was already in high gear, feverishly formulating and discarding elements of a plan to rid her of James Bond before he could spill his guts. The trust of Nayland Smith would be critical to any chance of success, and his love to kill any hint of suspicion in him. She would have to be very careful.
None of what was going on inside her head showed though. She kept smiling happily as she gently pushed the senior Secret Service man onto his back and climbed on top of him.
‘This needs to be celebrated, I think. And I know just the thing for the occasion, Dear Dennis.’
‘Oh! Dear God! Fah!’
Japan, Pan-Asian Empire
Thursday, September 20th 1940
’Receive my deepest condolences, kōtei Heika, and take comfort in the knowledge that your son fell in battle, bravely facing and ultimately vanquishing his greatest foe, the American Ying Ko!’
Carried by radio waves through several relay stations across the expanse of the Pacific and amplified by great loudspeakers, the voice of Field Marshall Count Terauchi Hisaichi echoed in the throne room of Fu Manchu. Standing at stiff attention in full dress uniform, soldiers of the Mongolian Imperial Guards lined the walls while silk-clad courtiers and military high-rankers thronged at the base of the throne dais.
Sitting on his throne Fu Manchu might just as well have been a statue of cold marble for all the emotion shown. Leaing toward a large microphone placed next to him, he answered Terauchi.
‘I thank you for your kind words, Field Marshall. I hereby appoint you acting Viceroy of America, in addition to your duties as theatre commander of the Imperial armed forces, until such time a replacement for Prince Shiwan Khan is appointed. I trust you shall continue the march to victory initiated by my son.’
‘I humbly accept your decision and will strive for final victory against the United States of America, kōtei Heika. But, if you permit, I would as my first official act as Viceroy of America humbly request that the policy of Kharash be rescinded forthwith.’
Fu arched a thin eyebrow. ‘Why? It has served us admirably so far in the war. We could never have maintained any sort of control over the occupied areas with the meagre forces you have at your disposal had it not been for Kharash. I regard it as my late son’s greatest achievement. And you would discontinue it?’
‘kōtei Heika, if I may speak plainly, it defiles the honour of your soldiers, undermining their morale, and while it might ease our victory, it will make ruling this country impossible. The Americans will hate us enough for it that the rebellions and the resistance will never end.’
Fu Manchu smiled crookedly. ‘You have a lot of nerve, Field Marshall, I’ll grant you that. So obeying the orders of my son has defiled your precious honour? But I will lenient, and say instead this; if we ceased Kharash today, do you think the Americans would feel any less hatred four us the day we march into the White House? On the other hand, the damage and the trouble it causes them can hardly be overestimated. The policy will remain in place, but I will grant you this boon; you may from now on chose to allow your men to drive off, rather than slaughter the civilians in occupied areas at your discretion. At this point, their fear of us must be so great that no great amount of convincing will be needed. Of course, ultimately you must be ready to resort to decisive use of force against those who refuse to leave.’
There were a few seconds of silence. ‘Thank you, kōtei Heika!’ the answer finally came across the air waves.
Fu Manchu waved a hand dismissively and a courtier closed the connection. The Emperor of China rose from his throne and descended the steps of the dais as all except the impassive soldiers abased themselves before him. Looking straight ahead, he headed to the open doors to a walking balcony encircling the building.
‘Field Marshall Chiang! Walk with me!’ Fu Manchu ordered.
His old associate, the former Guomindang leader now made First soldier of the Empire, Field Marshall Chiang Kai-Shek immediately rose from the floor to follow in the steps of his master.
‘Yes Imperial Majesty?’
‘What is your assessment of the situation in America after these developments?’
Chiang frowned, and looked left and right. They had now passed through the doors and to their left, beyond the railing of the balcony the city of Tokyo sprawled colossal and colourful under the bright autumn sun.
‘No one can hear us Chiang!’ Fu said with the mere hint of a patient sigh. ‘You can speak freely.’
‘Then I fear Terauchi is quite correct, Master. Even if we win, America will become ungovernable to us, unless we can free many millions of men for occupation duties.’
‘Of course, but now that my idiot son got himself killed before he could serve his purpose as scapegoat, that can no longer be avoided nor mitigated. All he had to do was to keep breathing until the Americans surrendered, and he failed even at that. But I noticed you said IF, rather than WHEN we win. The outcome is then in doubt to you, even after our latest colossal victory?’
‘Very much so, Master. We’ve done well so far, but we’re still gradually lagging behind schedule. I think there’s little hope of final victory before winter sets in, not the least because of logistics. Our men and their horses are largely living off the land, plundering stores left behind by the Americans as they fled. But they still need ammunition, spares for their weapons and vehicles, fuel for trucks and tanks and aircraft... granted, the ammunition factories and refineries we’ve set up or taken over in California do help matters, so that we don’t have to ferry every bullet and every can of petrol across the Pacific, but even those supplies need cross half of a continent, soon most of a continent. We’re operating at the end of a very, very, very long supply chain. In truth, even if we had many more forces to spare for the American front, we could never supply substantially bigger forces than this for any length of time without using American resources – which we can’t as long as the country is depopulated. As for the American forces, they keep growing faster than we can destroy them. I’d say that thanks to this last victory, things are still touch and go – come spring, we might be able to crush their last resistance – or they will start driving us back. If that happens, it will be a fast affair. Our forces in America are quite mobile and reasonably hard-hitting but they have little staying power.’
‘Well thought and well put, Chiang. And I agree. But I’m not worried; time is working for us here.’
‘Master, I respectfully disagree! The Americans...’
Fu Manchu stopped and raised a hand to demand silence. ‘You miss the point. The American theatre is a sideshow. I started this war not to conquer America, but to prevent America from conquering us. Even if the Americans finally start rolling us back, by then we will have all of Asia and its resources in our hands. So we may lose the oil of Texas and Oklahoma – no matter, by then the oil fields of the Dutch East Indies, Persia and Iran will be in our hands. In the mean time, instead of rebuilding their Pacific fleet to a power that could threaten us, the Americans will struggle with meagre resources just to reclaim their homeland. Already, the point in time when they can become a real threat to us has been pushed ahead many years. Even if we’re finally stopped one step away from their East Cost, it will be decades before they again become a danger to us. And by then, we shall be masters of the old world and invincible!’
****
Mena House, Alexandria
Kingdom of Egypt
Thursday, September 20th 1940
Holding the tray of food with his left hand, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith knocked on the door of his own hotel room, his heart full of apprehension. He had news to deliver, some good, and some that could potentially be devastating.
‘Are you decent, dear?’ he asked. ‘I’ve brought you breakfast!’
There came a throaty laughter from the woman laying on his bed, the love of his life, the one spot of light in his existence since returning with the survivors of the Royal Navy battle fleet from the debacle in the South China Sea.
‘Nope! But don’t let that stop you – I’d love a glass of fresh orange juice!’
With just a pinch of self-loathing for feeling like a peeping Tom, Nayland Smith entered the luxurious suite.
Fah Lo Suee stretched and yawned on his bed, without a doubt at least as much to display her stunning physique to advantage as from genuine sleepiness. Wearing nothing but make-up and jewellery, the stifling Alexandrian late summer heat had her covered only by a flimsy mosquito net. Although by now it was almost a familiar sight, Nayland Smith swallowed and felt his face burn. He worked hard, and with only partial success to prevent his eyes from wandering. If she noticed, she gave no sign that she minded.
‘God morning, Dennis!’ she smiled. ‘Why so serious looking?’
‘I have something to tell you, which I hope will not sadden you too much’ he said, depositing the tray at a small table next to the bed.
‘Oh?’ she said, raising her head and resting it on one hand. ‘Do tell!’
‘It concerns your brother, Shiwan Khan. I’m afraid that he has been killed in an American raid on San Francisco. Now, I know that you were at odds, but family is family and... Fah?’
The former Lady of the Si-Fan turned Secret Service agent threw back her head and laughed until tears began to run down her cheeks.
‘Dennis!’ she finally gasped. ‘You’re priceless, my big silly English gentleman! That’s the best news I’ve had in months – let the moron scream in all the Eighteen Levels of Hell, and good riddance, I say! He’s always despised and feared me, because he knew that for all his talent, his brains didn’t hold a candle to mine. Of course, he was at a disadvantage in that respect, since I’m not insane!’
‘A-hum!’ Nayland Smith mumbled, feeling tremendously uncomfortable at her callous attitude. ‘Well, I’m glad you’re not aggrieved then. Eh... splendid, I guess!’ Pushing aside the mosquito net, he sat down at the foot of the bed, feeling sheepish.
‘Come here and let me show you how aggrieved I am!’ she purred, making a calling gesture with the index finger.
‘Ah... eh... actually, there’s one thing more – good news now, I hasten to add! Heh-he. I had saved it to cheer you up after... well, anyway, James is alive!’
When he did not immediately succumb to her considerable charms, Fah Lo Suee had crept up next to Nayland Smith, ignoring his continued babbling. She had just begun the process of gnawing on his ear lobe when Sir Dennis dropped the bomb. She recoiled violently, as if struck.
‘What!?’
‘Yes, it’s the most fantastic good news, isn’t it?’ Nayland Smith laughed, completely misinterpreting her reaction. ‘We’ve just received word through the Swiss embassy in London, they delivered a proposal from the Pan-Asian government for a prisoner exchange – they offer to return the people they picked up after South China Sea in return from POWs taken in India. And the name of Lieutenant Commander James Bond, Royal Navy was on the list!’
Fah Lo Suee’s head span with the implications. She had burned her ships with Fu Manchu, and if James Bond was allowed to tell Nayland Smith how he had betrayed him and the mission just to save her own life, not even the love of Nayland Smith would save her. She would be forced to flee and strike out on her own, far from all opportunities to affect the future course of events. That must not happen – she still had need of the Secret Service.
‘But... that is fantastic news!’ she said, forming a wide happy smile through sheer force of will. ‘I just don’t understand how it can be possible though – I distinctly heard Dr No order Sandokan to kill him and shoot his body out of a torpedo tube!’
‘Well I’m sure James will tell us all about it when he’s back! The exchange will take place at sea two weeks from now, off the coast of Ceylon.’
Fah’s mind was already in high gear, feverishly formulating and discarding elements of a plan to rid her of James Bond before he could spill his guts. The trust of Nayland Smith would be critical to any chance of success, and his love to kill any hint of suspicion in him. She would have to be very careful.
None of what was going on inside her head showed though. She kept smiling happily as she gently pushed the senior Secret Service man onto his back and climbed on top of him.
‘This needs to be celebrated, I think. And I know just the thing for the occasion, Dear Dennis.’
‘Oh! Dear God! Fah!’
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Fu can talk all he wants about not wanting to conquer America, but it's nonsense. Losing in America would matter, and not 15 years in the future; so he needs to finish it off. This little exchange is either him trying to exude confidence to his subordinate, or him deluding himself about the consequences of failure. What he needs to remember is that by giving up on victory, he has already accepted and doomed himself to defeat.
Bond assassinated? Maybe it won't come to that.
Bond assassinated? Maybe it won't come to that.
Sorry - should have been Lo Pan
http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Lo-Pan
And yes - he is a kind of ghost (strictly speaking an immortal sorceror cursed to exist without permanent flesh until he marries and sacrifices a girl with green eyes). But in the context of the story I fail to see the problem with this existence (given ghouls and Cthulu, Fu Manchu and all)
No problem with that, especially since he is a kind of ghost which can take physical shape and I like very much that he is based on real Chinese mythology. But I feel he would be more of a competitor to Fu Manchu than a potential ally. He too wants to rule the world, and in personal power is probably superior to Fu Manchu (although not as bright, it would seem ). Good suggestion, nonetheless!
). Good suggestion, nonetheless!
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