The professor cooked a fantastic Chinese meal for me one evening near the end of the week.“As a celebration,” he said, “of all that you have learnt.”
And I had learnt so much! And not just from him either. The Latin and the maths that Talisman had learnt from Miss Aislaby was still in my head too. And I was pretty sure I could still play the piano – my fingers remembered it. But, interestingly, although Alys Mallerby had been fluent in both French and Italian, I wasn’t.
“This is gorgeous. Aren’t you going to have any?”
The professor’s face took on a far-away look. The one I usually saw when he was trying to work out how best to explain something.
“Talisman, I don’t actually need to eat.”I nearly dropped my fork in surprise.
“I know Perdita told you about the robots on Ship – well, I’m one of them.”
I couldn’t believe it! He had so much personality, and I said so. This made him laugh.
“Yes. Actually, it’s not quite like you’re probably imagining. The robots are – sort of, like…”
I laughed at that point. The professor was usually down on me like a ton of bricks if I said “sort of, like”. He grinned ruefully, too.
“Think of them as empty vehicles, into which an intelligence can be put. I’m actually part of Ship’s systems – one of the computers, if you like, but a lot more sophisticated – and complex – than your earth ones.”
“So you’re a part of Ship? But not Ship?”“No. I’m one of her major operating systems.”
“Which one?”
“Can’t you guess? From my name?” He grinned. “I’m the sat. nav. The satellite navigation system.”
I nearly choked on my food.
“That is dreadful! It’s probably the worst pun I’ve ever heard!” Another thought struck me.
“Your brother, Jupiter. The one who’s been so ill?”
He nodded. “Yes. He’s another operating system. Ship has Jupiter class engines – and he and I used to communicate all the time in flight.”
“So what happens next?”“I need to leave this vehicle and re-integrate with Ship’s systems. Tonight. Talisman, this is the last time I’ll see you.”
Suddenly, my Chinese food didn’t taste quite so delicious. I put down my fork.
“I’ll miss you.”“And I will always remember you. But I’m leaving you something. I’m leaving you all my research into the Mallerby family – there’s no point in taking it away with me! And I think it might have some value for you. I worked on it for a long time – take care of it!”
“You’ve taught me so much.”“So go and use it. Don’t waste your life away on second best. Be all you can be.”
Next morning I went down to talk to Perdita.“The professor says that you’re nearly ready to leave.”
“Yes. By the end of today. We need to leave at night.”
“Ship has two things for you. One of them is an offer. Think carefully about it.”“What are they?”
“The first one is simple. And simple justice, really. You know I said that Ship took her revenge on your parents for leaving here with you?”
I nodded.
“It was a very simple revenge. She stole their money – hacked into their bank accounts and hid it from them. She has restored it.”
That took a moment or two to sink in.
“So I’ll be rich, like the Mallerbys used to be?”
“No. Two world Wars and Indian independence made a huge difference to their fortunes. But you will have some money: I’m not quite sure how much, but it will probably buy you your first house.”
Enough to actually buy a house! I couldn’t believe it! We’d always had so little.“What about the second thing?”
“Ship can take away your memories of the times you spent finding the guerdons. Think about this one.”
Take away my memories. The first ones that flashed into my mind were the unpleasant ones.
Lissa, being struck by her cousins.
Talisman, and her miserable life.
Even the slow apathy that had swamped Talisman Malherbe.
But then I remembered other things too – understanding what it was like to have a father who loved you.
The excitement of being on Firefly’s back.
And, most of all, Aunt Violet and her loving kindness towards her niece. And what about everything I’d learnt then? Would I lose that as well? I would, wouldn’t I?
Perdita had waited patiently while I thought this through. Now I answered her.“No. I will keep my memories. The bad and the good.”
She beamed with pleasure.
“You have made a wise choice. Now, do you have anything to ask me?”
I did.
“The guerdon for Ship House. Is Ship taking it with her? I haven’t found it anywhere.”
“No. It belongs here. It is in a different form to the others. And while the name of Talisman Mallerby is spoken near it, it will continue to work. Now. Listen carefully. When I tell you, you must go and stand in the middle of that circle of stones at the front of the house. Ship will replace the door for you. She has to move away from under here. If you stand there, she will know exactly where you are, and will keep you safe.”“Do I need to go there now?”
“No. Not until this afternoon. I will tell you when.”
Ship had indeed replaced not only the front door, but also the windows. When Perdita told me to, I went and stood in the middle of the stone circle, looking at the shabby mess that was Ship House. Beneath my feet, the ground began to rumble and shake. Ship was tunnelling her way out, moving the earth through her body and packing it behind her, slowly and carefully, so as not to undermine the foundations of the house. I put my hand on one of the rocks to steady myself – and recognised it! This was the last guerdon: the one that Ship was leaving behind. But for how much longer would the name of Talisman Mallerby be spoken near it?
I stood there for ages, feeling the ground shake under me, and looking at Ship House and its chaotic, messy garden. Eventually, all was still, and I knew it was safe to go back inside.
I phoned Sapphire, from inside my own tidy beautiful garden, to tell her that I’d be home tomorrow. I wanted one more night here, one last chance to say goodbye to a place I’d come to love.
The house was eerily quiet that night, as I sat down to write about my memories. And I was back to boiling the kettle for hot water to wash in. Ship had left the electricity connected, but she wasn’t there to heat the water for me any more.
I slept badly, and woke early next morning. I went up onto the roof to watch the sun rise.
I had been meaning to go and see the village, but suddenly I couldn’t bear to be at Ship House any longer. Although I knew it was silly, I watered my garden one more time, then packed up my new clothes and my notebooks into the backpack and hold-all Perdita had ordered for me, and headed for the station. I would have to come back one more time, to move everything out, and put the house on the market: I’d collect the professor’s research then. Though goodness knows where I was going to put it!
I’d caught such an early train that Harry and Sapphire were just finishing breakfast as I came home. From the look of relief on Sapphire’s face, when she greeted me, I could tell that something was up.
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