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Worldshaker - CHAPTER SUMMARIES

CHAPTER 1 Colbert (Col) Porpentine woken up by officers looking for an escaped female Filthy on the

Upper Decks

Col is the 16 year old grandson of Sir Mormus Porpentine, the Supreme Commander of the

British juggernaut, Worldshaker

Officers leave Col discovers the female Filthy in his room she is 14 years old

she had been fished up from Below to make her into a Menial was on her way to the

Changing Room

Col has the chance to hand her over to the officers but he doesnt

He locks her in his cupboard for the night

CHAPTER 2 Col didnt have a good nights sleep kept thinking about the female Filthy

CHAPTER 3 Cols 18 year old sister, Gillabeth, woke him up told him to get dressed for a special

announcement by their grandfather at breakfast

The announcement is about Col

Gillabeth opens Cols cupboard the female Filthy isnt there, to Cols relief

The female Filthy picked the lock of the cupboard to escape

CHAPTER 4 Cols family: mother, Quinnea; father, Orris; sister, Gillabeth; baby brother, Antrobus;

grandparents, Sir Mormus (grandfather) and Lady Ebnolia (grandmother) Porpentine

The Porpentines served by Menials at breakfast

Queen Victoria III is monarch and she has a Consort (husband who is not King) then Sir

Mormus is the next most important person on Worldshaker

Sir Mormus announces that Col is his successor as Supreme Commander

Gillabeth doesnt seem genuinely happy

CHAPTER 5 Col taken to the Bridge by his father (Orris), who told Col about how he had failed the test

to become successor 26 years earlier he was weak and reacted to the suffering of the

Filthies

Col vowed to never be like his failure of a father

CHAPTER 6 Sir Mormus shows Col the control units on the Bridge

They go up to the top onto a platform above the Bridge its the first time Col has seen the

sky and felt the wind he saw lands and seas is amazed

They are on the east coast of southern India

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Coaling stations bases where Worldshaker take on coal and raw materials (outposts of

the Old Country) re-stock every 18 months

Worldshaker lives by trading, exchanging manufactured goods for raw materials

10,000 people + 2000 Filthies live on the juggernaut

Sir Mormus promises to take Col Below the next day

CHAPTER 7 Cols mother takes him to be measured for a school uniform accompanied by Quinneas

favourite Menial, Missy Jip

Tailor is Mr Prounce his workshop is on Thirty-Third Deck

Quinnea visits Cols room gets sentimental about Col growing up

Col bends down to retrieve his mothers hair comb and sees the female Filthy hiding under

his bed

After Quinnea leaves Col confronts the female Filthy she mocks him, is sarcastic

She is clean had used Cols washstand

Col tells her to go back where she came from but she cant as she was fished up on a hook

she is still looking for a way back

She is fast, speedy, wiry and smart blackmails Col so he wont betray her to the officers

As she leaves she still has Cols book in her hands he wrestles it out of her hands

She threatens to visit him again and reveals her name, Riff

CHAPTER 8 Col cleans himself after contact with Riff upset that she has invaded his life now that it is

going so well wants her to go back down Below

Col couldnt eat dinner that night too upset and worried

Col visits Professor Twillip, his former tutor, in the Norfolk Library, on Forty-Fourth Deck

asks him about Filthies and Menials, but he doesnt know much

Col respects Professor Twillip, who taught him that truth is the most important virtue

CHAPTER 9 The next day Col is escorted to First Deck to meet up with his grandfather on his way he

passes decks on which are located kitchens, laundries, a graveyard, animals, food storage

areas

Meets up with Sir Mormus goes through DOOR 17 which leads to the Bottom Deck he

takes Col to VIEWING BAY17 (a kind of suspended cage made of wire mesh)

Sir Mormus orders the officer to give them some steam causes the Filthies to suffer even

more Col starts to question his grandfather about this but changes his mind as he doesnt

want to be seen as weak, like his father Sir Mormus happy with Cols unemotional

reaction Col had passed the test

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On his way back Col noticed that there was a way back down for Riff, and that was the food

chute

Col secretly watches his grandfather work the combination for the wheels in Door 17 cant

wait to get Riff out of his life

CHAPTER 10 His grandmother escorts Col to visit Dr Blessamys Academy where hell be attending school

He loves his grandmother she is kind and sweet

Col is to be in Mr Gibbers class, with the Sqellingham twins

Col meets Mr Gibber and finds out what school equipment he will need

CHAPTER 11 Riff visits Col in the middle of the night he tells her that he knows how she can go back:

through the food chute

She asks if she could borrow one of his books, even though she cant read he refuses

Col furtively leads Riff to the Lower Decks they pass the Graveyard Rooms, which give Riff

the creeps, and where they have to hide from an officer

They get back to the corridor so Col can find the route he knows will lead to the food chute

CHAPTER 12 They get to the Fifth Deck where there are shelves of plaster statuettes of the Imperial

Family

They go through Door 17

Riff says shes a leader of the Filthies and is on the Revolutionary Council she admits

theyre making plans

Just before she goes down the chute she kisses Col, leaving him shocked

He makes his way back

CHAPTER 13 The weekend before Col starts school is filled with social activities he is the object of much

admiration everyone wants to meet Sir Mormus successor

Ebnolias new favourite Menial is Wicky Popo

Gillabeth escorts Col back to his room, which shes not too happy about she tells him that

all the mothers are fussing over him for marriage to their daughters

She tells him about tomorrow nights Imperial Gala Reception, where Col will be formally

presented to Queen Victoria Gillabeth has not been invited she seems resentful,

unfriendly and cold towards Col

CHAPTER 14 Sir Mormus comments to Col on the more important people at the Gala Reception the

Squellinghams are the Porpentines greatest rivals

Col is presented to the Queen and her Consort, who question him

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The Queen seems to rely heavily on Sir Mormus for guidance on how to think about certain

matters she is a figurehead and according to Sir Mormus, decides what he decides he is

the one with the real power

Col likes his new-found power

CHAPTER 15 Col arrives at school, Dr Blessamys Academy meets Septimus Trant and his friends

Lumbridge takes Col away from Trant and his friends (the grindboys) to be with the best

families: Fefferley, Flarrow, Haugh and the Squellingham twins (Hythe and Pugh)

Col is told about the different social classes at school the grindboys, the blockies, the

climbers and the crawlers Col is now part of the elite Squellingham group

CHAPTER 16 Cols teacher, Mr Gibber, has a rack of canes he has a number for each of them

Mr Gibbers lesson is on geometry

CHAPTER 17 The rest of the day at school continued in the same way Mr Gibbers lessons were very

moral

Mr Gibbers history lesson he describes the Filthies as disgusting, lewd and indecent

Murgatrude is Mr Gibbers pet that he keeps in his wastepaper basket

Col keeps thinking about Riff

CHAPTER 18 Col disappointed with his first day at school but he didnt let on to his family how he really

felt

Ebnolia acknowledges that the females in the Porpentine family never bothered with

education Gillabeth says that females in other families do, but Ebnolia says thats

because theyre not Porpentines

Sir Mormus tells Col hes at school to learn about power + that the world is all about

obeying or being obeyed that power is earned by subduing other people, which starts in

school

Sir Mormus tells Col to start dominating the other students, beginning with the lower class

ones then working his way up to the elite he must learn supremacy Col feels

uncomfortable about this new role described by his grandfather

CHAPTER 19 Col start to receive little presents at school from girls

He is getting high marks on his tests and is surprised

The boys show him Mr Gibbers pet, Murgatrude very fast and vicious they dont know

what kind of animal it is

CHAPTER 20 Mr Gibbers lesson on geography very moral e.g. good and bad coastlines

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violently whacks his cane on Septimus desk during the lesson

Col understands the hierarchy Mr Gibber puts on an exaggerated servility towards the

elite group, ignored the blockies and showed sarcasm to the crawlers and climbers + when

he really wanted to bluster and perform, it was always a grindboy he picked on

CHAPTER 21 Cols weekend was filled with social activities organised by his grandmother

Wicky Popo (Ebnolias Menial) not well Col remembers his grandmother is known for her

soft heart and compassion towards Menials

Ebnolia lies to Col about the escaped female Filthy says she was caught when Col knows

the truth Col wonders how many other times his grandmother has been making things

up

CHAPTER 22 Cols second week at school much like the first he doubts his teacher, Mr Gibber, and

thinks he makes things up, just like his grandmother

He keeps thinking about Riff

Col keeps getting good marks but he has doubts about Mr Gibbers marking the grindboys

always worked the hardest yet got the lowest marks he decides to question Septimus

after school

CHAPTER 23 Col talks to Septimus after school Septimus warns him he shouldnt be seen speaking to a

grindboy as Col is a Porpentine Col doesnt care

Col asks Septimus about why he gets low marks when he writes such long answers on tests

tells him that The Gibber never reads what he writes + that Gibber and the Squellingham

twins decide the marks after school Septimus warns that the Squellingham twins will drag

Col down if they get a chance

Septimus doesnt agree with Mr Gibbers lessons - thinks theyre rubbish Septimus is

well read and knowledgeable

Col take Septimus to the Norfolk Library to meet Professor Twillip and ask him about the

history of juggernauts and Filthies Col leaves Septimus and Professor Twillip to research

because he has to go back for a social engagement

CHAPTER 24 Dr Blessamy announces that there will be an excursion the following day to the tomb of the

schools founder in the Graveyard Rooms Col thinks of plan to give Riff a present Below:

will bring his book on mountains and volcanoes + find a spare moment to drop it down the

food chute during the excursion

CHAPTER 25 Col keeps the package (Riffs present) hidden under his jacket

Its hard to find a moment to himself other students always around he runs into the

Squellingham group but soon moves off

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Makes his way to Door 17, unlocks it, finds the food chute and drops the package down

The Squellingham group discover Col at the food chute they had followed him they

question him and call him a Filthy-lover

A group of officers are on their way Col tries to escape but the Squellingham group wont

let him they fight Col falls into the manhole

CHAPTER 26 Col landed at the bottom of the chute he is caught in some kind of net and is surrounded

by dirty, sweaty Filthies (Scarface, Greasy, Toothless), one of whom was holding Cols book

Col bites Scarface and tries to escape the Filthies chase him

Col runs along floors sees how the Filthies live and is disgusted

The Filthies try to knock Col off the chain to make him fall to his death a voice calls out to

stop and to bring Col up

CHAPTER 27 Col is pulled up the female Filthy who ordered him up to the top is Riff, who had already

recognised him when he was on the chain

He notices that how young most of the Filthies are

He reminds Riff that she owes him a favour she admits to the other Filthies that Col is

the boy who hid her in his cupboard

Riff wants to hand Col over to the Revolutionary Council but Scarface (the one Col bit)

wants him to die Riff and Scarface fight it out Riff wins

Col gives her the book on mountains and volcanoes Riff is secretly delighted

Riff promises to argue Cols case with the Revolutionary Council

CHAPTER 28 Riff and Col have to carefully make their way through the dangerous machinery must

have fast reactions, warns Riff, or you die: reactions slow down after you turn twenty. Aint

no one here lives much past thirty

Col witnesses the daily danger the Filthies live with as well as their poor living conditions

the Filthies must cooperate and be organised if they are to survive

CHAPTER 29 They arrive at the meeting place of the Revolutionary Council which consists of 6 people

including Riff (Padder, Fossie (Red Headband), Zeb, Shiv, Dunga)

Col is questioned he tells them he wants to go back to the Upper Decks members of the

Council debate what to do with him

they finally decide to help Col get back to the Upper Decks on the condition that he helps

one of them get back up the top, too, through using a rope down the food chute they

say theyll want to explore the Upper Decks Riff is chosen Col agrees to the plan

CHAPTER 30 Col is positioned near the closest viewing bay the Filthies are screaming at him,

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pretending to chase him, while he is suspended in the air on a beam the officers see Col

and pull him up via the hook

Instead of being met with an attitude of respect by the officers, Col sees revulsion

CHAPTER 31 The officers escort Col to see Sir Mormus, who questions him Col lies when he says that

he was following the Squellingham group who were going to the Bottom Deck because he

thought they were up to no good Sir Mormus refutes this lie

Sir Mormus tells Col that theyre going to the Executive Chamber where an Imperial inquiry

is already under way + that Sir Wisley (Squellingham) will turn it into a trial the whole

Porpentine family will be on trial Col is told to let his grandfather do all the explaining and

to just back up everything he says

They arrive at the Executive Chamber

CHAPTER 32 Queen Victoria questions Sir Mormus + Prince Albert summarises details of the incident

Sir Wisley Squellingham interrupts, clearly intending to discredit Col

The officers are questioned by Sir Wisley and Sir Mormus Sir Mormus implies that

Lumbridge and the Squellingham twins may have had an interest in getting rid of a future

Supreme Commander

Against his conscience (remembering what Professor Twillip taught him about the

importance of truth), Col says that Lumbridge pushed him down the chute the Queen

and Prince are shocked

Sir Wisley raises the question of the item Col threw down the chute Sir Mormus concocts

a story about a secret mission hed given to Col (the package was supposedly a sealed

container filled with a special drug that would, when vaporised and breathed in by the

Filthies, have made them work faster and longer) Col backs up this story

Sir Wisley challenges this story of Col and Sir Mormus Sir Mormus is outraged and the

Chamber is in an uproar

The Queen doesnt know who to believe Prince Albert declares the decision is nothing

and status quo in other words, Sir Mormus and Col are off the hook and there will be no

consequences everything is back to normal with the Porpentines still the preeminent

family

Sir Wisley threatens hes only just beginning

CHAPTER 33 At a gathering of the whole Porpentine family Sir Mormus recounts the incident with Col and

the outcome of the inquiry

Sir Mormus warns them that the survival of the Porpentine family is at stake thanks to the

fact that people will talk and that Sir Wisley will try to make the Executive doubt the

decisions of Sir Mormus in order to bring a no-confidence motion against him, and thus

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remove him as Supreme Commander to be replaced by Sir Wisley

Col feels the disapproval and blame of his extended family some want to disown him, but

Sir Mormus refuses as that would be an admission of guilt

Sir Mormus strategy: ignore peoples comments or praise/defend Col and express complete

confidence in him, as if nothing has happened

Gillabeth volunteers to go to school and monitor Col and the situation, and to report on any

trouble that might be brewing for the sake of the family Sir Mormus agrees, and

Gillabeth is to be enrolled in Dr Blessamys Academy

CHAPTER 34 Cols weekend was a social agony Ebnolia made a fuss of him, praising him

everything was a polite faade

Other families had obviously heard about Cols incident and he could sense the change in

attitude towards him

He made a serious blunder by picking up a piece of cupcake that had fallen to the floor

instead of waiting for a Menial retrieve it Ebnolia and Col try to deflect attention

Col realised that his future would be one filled with hypocrisy where he would be always

acting a role, while everyone pretended to carry on as normal

He cant yet bring himself to fulfil the promise he made to Riff and the Revolutionary Council

about the rope down the food chute

CHAPTER 35 School on Monday Dr Blessamy speaks to the students about a dropping-down incident

and warns them to avoid those who should not have gone where they should not have

gone and seen what they should not have seen he is referring to Col but never directly

accuses him

Mr Gibber also reinforces the importance of thinking pure thoughts goes overboard and

hurts himself with his cane

Col keeps away from the Squellingham group suspects theyre plotting against him

CHAPTER 36 The next day at school Col sees Gillabeth

A group of girls, including Sephaltina Turbot, try to talk to Col but Lumbridge barges the

girls aside Col tells him to pick on someone his own size the Squellingham twins tell

Lumbridge to wait for a better time to get even with Col, who knows whats coming to him

Col realises he cant fight the whole Squellingham group he thinks of Riffs fighting skills

and how she could easily beat them all he decides to ask her how to teach him how to

fight

Col plans to get a rope down the food chute the sooner he does it the sooner he can ask

Riff to teach him fighting skills

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CHAPTER 37 After midnight Col makes his way down to Door 17

He hears some officers mock the Filthies as they drop food down the chute it made Cols

blood boil because they made the Filthies live like animals and then blame them for it

Col drops the rope down the chute Riff climbs up - she is cold and unfriendly towards Col

who she says took his time

Col asks Riff to teach him how to fight she says she doesnt have time

CHAPTER 38 Col feels used and betrayed by Riff she wasnt interested in him, she only considered her

fellow Filthies and was on her own spying mission and he had no part in it

Col is perhaps jealous of the Filthy, Padder suspects a close connection between him and

Riff

Col wanted to kiss Riff again he felt ashamed of his feelings

While walking through the Gallery, Col comes across a female Menial turns out to be Riff

in disguise

Riff will teach Col how to fight if he teaches her how to read he agrees their first lesson

is to be that night in Cols room

CHAPTER 39 Col is first to do training Riff tells him not to be so controlled about everything and to

loosen up - she starts with defence training

Col starts to teach Riff how to read its not as easy as she thought

Riff resumes training Col tells him to always watch his enemys eyes tells him to look

into her eyes he finds it hard to concentrate: it wasnt only the effect of her eyes, it was

her physical closeness

Col continues teaching Riff she has to learn to say words with his accent frustrating for

both of them

They agree same time the next night

CHAPTER 40 During the week Col and Riff kept up their midnight training sessions Col slowly improved

his fighting skills + Riff also made progress with reading

Riff never revealed anything about her spying activities

Riff still hadnt found where the Changing Room was

Cols time at school was getting more uncomfortable the hostility towards him was

building up the Squellingham group was talking to boys they wouldnt normally associate

with Col couldnt be bothered trying to counteract the rumours he was sick of school

His test marks went down he was below the elite group but above the rest of the class

Mr Gibbers campaign against impure thoughts continued he nearly threw chalk at Col,

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who told him not to

CHAPTER 41 The social engagements of all branches of the Porpentine family had decreased Sir

Mormus blames Sir Wisley, who is also undermining Sir Mormus position on the Executive

Council

Ebnolia realises that (Chief Helmsman) Turbot is the key to the Porpentines problem

make Turbot an offer that the Squellinghams cant match

Col continues practising his fighting skills hes getting much better, as is Riff with her

reading

CHAPTER 42 Monday at school Cols place in the classroom has been changed hes now sitting with

the grindboys, which he doesnt mind

The grindboys shifted as far away from Col as possible even Septimus ignored him Col

is hurt and angry by this considering that he and Septimus had shared secrets

School was to break up on Friday Col had to survive another 4 days

Septimus is sorry for ignoring Col and wants Col to continue talking to him Col tells

Septimus: You have to stand up for what you believe

Septimus tells Col that he and Professor Twillip have found out the truth about the Filthies

they go to the Norfolk Library to meet up with Professor Twillip

CHAPTER 43 Professor Twillip and Septimus tell Col about the significance of certain historical events and

people:

the 1789 French Revolution, the French general Napoleon Bonaparte and the French

invasion of England (the Old Country) via a tunnel under the English Channel led to the

lower classes in London siding with Napoleon (who promised liberty and equality) and rising

up against their own English King the British army were defeated

eventually a British general, the Duke of Wellington, beat the French and dealt with the

lower classes by 1805

Britain had to help her allies in Europe + the best way to do this was through

industrialisation factories making more guns, ammunition, machines and new inventions

Napoleon couldnt defeat the allies + the allies couldnt defeat France stalemate

The labour force that made mass industrialisation possible, the factory slaves, were given

the name of Filthies much later these workers, the lower classes/urban poor, had always

been in the Old Country this is a shock to Col knowing that the Filthies were born and

bred in Britain and werent some kind of disgusting subhuman as hed been taught they

were the same as everyone else, except they didnt have money

The Fifty Years War had changed everything the endless battles had made Europe into a

wasteland. Along with the smoke and pollution from the factories . . . agricultural

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production was decimated and vast areas were uninhabitable

The Age of Imperialism then started and nations started building juggernauts

Col realises that Filthies were just as human as anyone else and that Upper Decks people

were living a lie. They were wrong, wrong, wrong!

The population of Europe had escaped from their ruined continent in vast juggernauts,

travelling and trading over the rest of the world . . . the British had built Worldshaker, the

French the Marseillaise, the Prussians the Lebensraum . . . (etc)

CHAPTER 44 Riff isnt surprised when Col tells her about how the Filthies and Upper Decks people are all

the same

Riff leads Col to the side of Worldshaker where there is a crane scooping up land, which is

deposited on the juggernaut the Menials will then come to sort through it

She tells him that this process started when the juggernaut began travelling over land

Col tells Riff what his grandfather told him, that Worldshaker trades manufactured goods for

raw materials

She shows him the impact of Worldshaker on the land a great ugly gash across the

landscape. A gash of flattened earth, a churned-up strip of ruin. It cut through hills and

dammed rivers . . It was exactly the same width as the stern of the juggernaut its now

clear to Col that Worldshakers 340 rollers (each weighing 800 tons) destroys everything

and everyone it rolls over, including villages, settlements, animals, forests Col realises

the people in the path of the juggernaut never had a chance

Riff shows Col what the juggernaut trades with: the plaster statuettes of the Imperial

family trade means cruelty and bullyin and tramplin on anyone weaker. Some get

crushed underneath and some get crushed inside. While your lot stays on top and rides

over everyone this is why there must be a Filthies revolution to take away the power of

the Upper Decks people

CHAPTER 45 Col only has 4 more days to survive school before the holidays

Mr Gibber play-acting as if Col was a source of infection

On Wednesday Col finds an anonymous threatening note inside his desk

On Thursday theres another threatening note, in his satchel this time says well fix you

tomorrow Col knows hes going to have to fight the Squellingham group

CHAPTER 46 Ebnolias Menial, Wicky Popo, is more sick than usual Ebnolia is extraordinarily kind

towards him: Look at your poor thin arms! Look at your chest! Not eating properly at all

Sir Mormus announces that there will be a no-confidence motion the next day, thanks to Sir

Wisley, when there will a special session of the Executive says its up to Ebnolia now,

who is confident that her plan will work

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Sir Mormus says that the Queen hasnt let him speak to her since the incident says the

Queen cant make decisions by herself as she doesnt have the brains

Sir Mormus doesnt want to hear Gillabeths report on Col at school

Gillabeth knows grandmother Ebnolias plan but wont tell Col Gillabeth blames Col for

the familys predicament: Do you have any idea what youve done to this family? Do you

even realise how youve dragged our name down?

CHAPTER 47 Col admits to Riff he needs to learn more attacking moves because hes going to be beaten

up the next day at school

She goes through attacking moves with him

While training Col kisses Riff, who rebuffs him he is ashamed of himself he cant trust

his feelings

Col isnt confident hes ready to fight tomorrow but Riff tells him he can win if he thinks like

a winner

CHAPTER 48 Friday at school (last day of the term) Col manages to avoid trouble with the

Squellingham group until lunch time he squashes a sausage roll into Fefferleys face, then

escapes to the toilets, locking himself in a dark, smelly cubicle the Squellingham group

try to get in the bell goes for class they threaten to get Col after school and get him

ten times worse

Col finds another note in his desk saying that this is the end for him and that hes dead

Dr Blessamy comes to the door to tell him that his father has arrived and to leave his

satchel and come and see him

CHAPTER 49 Orris escorts Col to the Executive Chamber, where Sir Wisley is making a speech to the

Queen and the Executive about how Sir Mormus is no longer fit to be Supreme Commander,

and declares a motion of no-confidence

Sir Mormus makes a request: that Col and Sephaltina Turbot receive the Queens

permission to marry Sir Wisley objects, but Ebnolia declares that Col and Sephaltina are

in love Col (under subtle pressure) admits that he loves Sephaltina, and she says she

loves Col

Ebnolia says that the young couple want to get married as soon as possible, that is, in one

weeks time Queen Victoria allows it

The mood in the room had changed in favour of the Porpentines Sir Wisley withdraws his

no-confidence motion

Col asks his grandmother if he can skip the rest of the school day to start packing for the

holiday theyre all going on (he wants to avoid the Squellingham group) she says no, and

that his father will escort him back to school

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CHAPTER 50 Orris escorts Col back to school

After the last bell of the day Col waits for the other students to leave the room, then hides

under a desk to avoid the Squellingham group

While in the classroom Col looks in students desks as well as Mr Gibbers for a bottle of red

ink, as the threatening notes hed received were written in red couldnt find one

Suddenly the Squellingham gang (10 of them extras included) burst into the room Col

primes himself for the oncoming fight: ten against one

Col uses the techniques that Riff showed him

He pushed Lumbridges head into Mr Gibbers basket, where Murgatrude is Lumbridge is

attacked by it

The Squellingham twins are giving the orders for the others to attack, but never join in the

fighting themselves the gang start throwing things at Col

The gang arm themselves with Mr Gibbers canes Col didnt hold out any hope that he had

a chance, but then he remembered that Riff taught him to think like a winner one by

one he outmanoeuvres his attackers

After Col downs Lumbridge, the others start retreating out the room Col doesnt let

Hythe or Pugh leave he threatens to push Hythes face into Murgatrudes basket if he

didnt tell him whod been writing the notes tells Col that Gillabeth has been writing them

and organising everything all along

CHAPETR 51 The twins fill in the details of Gillabeths plot, but they didnt know why she was doing it

Col is in shock cant believe that his own sister is his secret enemy

Col and his family go on holiday to Garden Deck, where only the elite families spend their

vacation

Wicky Popo, Ebnolias favourite Menial, collapses Ebnolia is distressed cant understand

why he is so sickly: if only he had the power of speech! If only he could tell us why he fell

down! . . . I cant stand to see him fading away like this. Ill be heartbroken if he dies

Col regrets that he didnt leave Riff a note telling her that he was on holidays he would

have liked to share his experience with the Squellingham gang with her

He decides to confront Gillabeth the next day

CHAPTER 52 Col asks Gillabeth why she plotted with the Squellingham twins and wrote those notes

she denies everything at first, then admits it shes angry with him, wanted him to have

been disowned for falling down among the Filthies instead of being supported by the family

Gillabeth hates Col for the fact that he gets everything handed to him on a plate because

hes the son, the male because shes a girl, she doesnt matter she has to do female

jobs like minding Antrobus and organising her mother only boys can be Supreme

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Commanders no matter how stupid they are

She says that one day Antrobus can be Supreme Commander Col realises that Gillabeth

intends to manipulate Antrobus once he becomes Supreme Commander that one day she

will give orders through him

CHAPETR 53 The weeks holiday passes fairly quickly

Sephaltina and her mother, Hommelia, socialise with Col and his family Sephaltina makes

conversation with Col, who tries to reciprocate awkward and artificial Sephaltina is

somewhat self-preoccupied, vain and immature

Ebnolia presents a gift to Sephaltina from Col (who knew nothing about it)

CHAPTER 54 Col finds an opportunity to speak to Gillabeth and tell her that he doesnt want to be her

enemy and that he didnt tell on her betraying him

He tells her that she questions things that no one else does, like why Supreme Commanders

have to be male he says if this could be changed, then everything else could also be

different he questions the beliefs they were brought up with and admits that Gillabeth

would be a better Supreme Commander than him

Wicky Popo faints again Col feels sorry for him being so sick, but Gillabeth states that

Wicky Popo isnt sick hes starving to death because their grandmother doesnt feed him:

the more he wastes away, the more she can grieve over him . . . shell have a lovely flood

of tears over him when he dies grandmother Ebnolias previous two Menials also died

from starvation being Grandmothers favourite is a death sentence

Col cant believe that his sweet, kind grandmother is so horrible hes almost physically

sick

Sir Mormus knows about how Ebnolia treats her favourite Menials, but does nothing about it

Gillabeth: Welcome to the real world. Now you see what its like, knowing what goes on

CHAPTER 55 The next day the family returned from their holiday + Cols wedding was to be in two days

time

Col is trying to think of a way to save Wicky Popo

Riff visits Col he tells her he beat the Squellingham gang and she hugs him she kisses

him on the cheek

Col discovers that Padder is Riffs big brother, which makes him very happy

Col tells Riff about the fight, Gillabeths betrayal and Wicky Popo being starved to death

Riff isnt surprised at the cruelty of the Upper Decks people Col suspects shes right

Riff tells him that shes been making plans for the revolution wants Col to help hes

conflicted: he doesnt want to betray his own people and family

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Riff says shell find a way to feed Wicky Popo

CHAPTER 56 Preparations are underway for Cols wedding

Col sees Wicky Popo, who though still weak looking, had definitely improved Riff must

have managed to feed him, he thinks Ebnolia is puzzled and a little vexed at this

improvement and says hell probably go downhill again shortly

Hommelia tells Col about the ceremony

Col bumps into Riff, whos acting as a Menial shes angry and tells him to go outside to

talk

CHAPTER 57 Riff tells Col shes been feeding Wicky Popo + she is clearly angry that he didnt tell her that

he is getting married he tells her he didnt have a choice and that its an arranged

marriage, for political reasons

He says that he doesnt love his fianc Riff says he ought to care for her if hes going to

marry her she says a Filthy would never have arranged partners she is furious

Col wants to continue seeing Riff but she wont have it instead she threatens to surprise

him with a future visit hell regret

CHAPTER 58 The wedding preparations continue the next day Quinnea becomes emotional at the

prospect of Col leaving her

Col realises with regret that his new married life with Sephaltina will mean no more visits

from Riff hell feel quite alone without her

CHAPTER 59 As Col is waiting for the wedding ceremony to start he imagines being a revolutionary

alongside Riff: letting the Filthies up, speaking up against tyranny and the elite changing

their cruel ways

Col feels the ceremony is a sham because of the insincerity of his feelings he doesnt love

Sephaltina and instead has feelings for Riff he ought to stop the wedding but it was too

late Col says I do he and Sephaltina are now married

CHAPTER 60 At the reception Col and Sephaltina dance and talk he finds it hard to communicate with

her

Col talks to Professor Twillip they are interrupted by Sephaltina, who complains of a girl

attracting everyones attention

Some members of the Fefferley family are commenting on the scandalous behaviour of the

girl on the dance floor Cols worst fears have come true: he sees Riff on the dance floor,

disguised as an Upper Decks lady, dancing with Haugh

CHAPTER 61 Col is horrified Riff looks convincing and dances well

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He overhears young men competing to be the next one to dance with Riff, who theyd never

suspect was a female Filthy

Riffs perfect dancing is giving her away

She sees Col and speaks to him in front of everyone, imitating the Upper Decks accent

he tries to get her attention and warn her that shes playing a dangerous game, but she

was enjoying her triumph too much to stop

Sephaltina comes up to Col and tells him he was meant to fetch her some sweets he

gives her some jelly, which fascinates Riff

Riff takes a spoonful of jelly and reacts in an undignified manner Sephaltina faints, Riff

giggles over how ticklish and wobbly the jelly is, which slides down under her dress she

is out of control with laughter, forgetting where she is + she falls back into her own natural

accent

Sir Mormus comes to investigate the scene that Riff has caused everyone knows that

theres something different about her Sir Mormus tells Riff hell talk to her in private

CHAPTER 62 Sir Mormus takes Riff to a quiet area where he questions her Col, Pugh, Haugh and

Lumbridge follow

Riff gives a false name to Sir Mormus Pugh tells him that Col knows her, but both Col

and Riff deny it

Riff admits to not being invited and offers to just go quietly, but Ebnolia is suspicious and

snatches the wig off Riffs head Riff is caught out and tries to escape but trips over her

high heel shoes and long dress she is caught by the security officers

Col overhears Sir Mormus and Ebnolia quietly talking about the need to prevent a scandal as

they know Riff is a Filthy Ebnolia will take Riff to the usual place: the Changing Room

Gillabeth offers to take Col to the Changing Room by a different way so hes not noticed

she has always known about the Changing Room

CHAPTER 63 Gillabeth, whos carrying Antrobus, leads Col to the Changing Room then leaves

Col, hidden from sight, sees a male Filthy turned into a Menial the Filthy is strapped in a

chair while a surgeon does something to his mouth

Riff is strapped into a chair and restrained by iron cuffs Ebnolia talks to Riff, who cant

respond, and Col shivers at the sweetness of his grandmothers tone

Ebnolia shows Riff the needles that will be used to stitch her up and says that she thinks

shell make Riff her next favourite Menial: Im feeling quite fond of you already. Such big

appealing eyes you have

Col disguises himself in a spare surgical gown and facemask

Ebnolia tells Riff that she will have limiters put in her brain to limit her mind and stop her

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having too many thoughts

The surgeon is about to operate on Riff Col jumps up and runs forward

CHAPTER 64 Col, in disguise, surprises them all he pushes aside the surgeon and assistant , then

unstraps Riff the surgeon tries to stop him but Col fights him off

Col fights the officers

Ebnolia pulls the mask off Cols face Ebnolia and the officers are aghast Ebnolia

accuses him of being a traitor, and Col accuses her of being a murderer she orders the

officers to kill him and disowns him as a Porpentine

Riff springs up, snatches a bottle of anaesthetic and pours it down Ebnolias throat, calling

her an evil old bitch Ebnolia sinks to the floor

The officers surround Riff and Col wary of both of them, the officers retreat to get

reinforcements

Ebnolia is dead Col wants to say goodbye but Riff reminds him that his grandmother

wanted to kill him Col is sad as he remembers his childhood with his grandmother an

important part of it he couldnt deny that the real Ebnolia Porpentine was a monster

he realises that in saying goodbye to his grandmother he was saying goodbye to his

childhood and all the things hed once believed in

The world of his past was gone he was now ready to start the revolution and bring the

Filthies up

CHAPTER 65 Col and Riff descend Below to Bottom Deck theyre followed by an officer Riff disposes

of him

They lower a cable down the food chute the Filthies start to make their way up

Officers come Riff deals with them

The officers try to close the cover to stop the Filthies coming up Col intervenes, then Riff

helps the officers were killed by spikes in the throat and chest

The Filthies emerge from the manhole armed with spikes or iron bars or blades the

officers are forced to drop back

Col is knocked out by an officer he loses consciousness

CHAPTER 66 Riff starts to look after Col when he comes to, but then Fossie takes over as Riff is needed

by the Revolutionary Council

Fossie is the oldest member of the Council she teases Col about liking Riff and tells him

hell have to compete with dozens of other boys who feel the same about her Col is

prepared to do what it takes to make Riff like him back

Col is now bare chested and shoeless + Fossie rubs coal dust and grime on his face, chest

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and back now he looks like a Filthy

Col and Fossie join the Council, comprised of Riff, Padder, Shiv and Dunga

They all hear gunfire their weapons will be useless against guns so Riff decides to take a

group of fighters (including Col) up to Eighth Deck where she suspects the guns are kept

CHAPTER 67 On their way they see wounded and dead Filthies it was a slaughterhouse . . . their blood

spattered the walls and smeared the floor

Dunga is wounded

Riff and a scouting party (including Col) try and find an alternate way to Eighth Deck Col

leads them to a steam elevator which they use to get to Eighth Deck

They find the Armoury room and see some officers using a special kind of gun on a tripod

to find out what it does Riff suggests charging the counter (her first), then the others,

but Col pushes her out of the way and goes first himself Col survives the volley of bullets

and wrestles the tripod and gun away from the officer the officers are overrun by the

Filthies

Riff and the others lock themselves in the Armoury

CHAPTER 68 Inside the armoury they try to operate the guns but cant the officers outside continue to

fire at them through the locked shutter the shutter soon falls way after a hail of machine-

gun fire the officers make their way to the front of the counter and keep shooting

The Filthies, except for Fossie, make their way to the back of the room

While officers set up the machine-gun on the counter, Fossie works out how to use the gun

she then shoots one of the officers operating the machine-gun and drags the gun off the

counter

Under Fossies directions the Filthies learn how to use their guns and start shooting at the

officers the officers flee, chased by armed Filthies the officers are surrounded in the

corridor

Col is still in the armoury with Fossie, who is laying in a pool of blood

CHAPTER 69 Col tries to save Fossie, who has been hit in the lower half of her face and is bleeding

profusely she dies

Col tells Riff that Fossie is dead and she tells him of other Filthies who are also dead or

wounded she vows revenge

Shiv and Dunga start executing captured officers Col protests saying that its wrong, then

puts himself in the way of an officer who is about to be shot by Shiv Riff intervenes

Col persuades them that killing all the people on the Upper Decks isnt necessary and that

all they have to do is arm the Filthies with guns and theyll have control he also says that

they have to give the Upper Decks people a chance to surrender otherwise theyll fight to

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the very end, resulting in many more deaths and casualties on both sides

Col offers to speak to the Queen about unconditional surrender whereby the Upper Decks

people lay down their weapons and hand over the juggernaut if they do that, there will

be no more executions

CHAPTER 70 Col makes his way up to the Grand Assembly Hall to speak to the Queen on the way he

meets Septimus and puts on Septimus jacket and shoes Col tells him that the Filthies

Revolution against the Upper Decks people has begun

Sir Mormus tries to stop Col from speaking to the Queen but Col ignores him and enters the

Grand Assembly Hall

Col tells the Queen and Prince Albert that the Filthies Revolution has started Sir Mormus

calls Col a liar and disowns him

Col says they must surrender or there will be a massacre by the Filthies Sir Mormus

interrupts and says hed rather blow up Worldshaker than ever surrender he orders Col

to be taken away and executed, but Queen Victoria stops him Sir Mormus lunges at Col,

trying to kill him, but fails

Sir Mormus challenges the power of the royal couple and calls them mere figureheads he

says to the Queen: Dont start thinking you can make decisions for Worldshaker! You dont

have the brains! the Queen tells the officers to keep Sir Mormus at a distance

To Col, his grandfather was more like a madman than the strong, imposing figure of his

childhood

CHAPTER 71 Col explained to the Queen how the Filthies revolution came about she questions how

they could be so organised and intelligent since they were more like animals than human

beings Col, Septimus and Professor Twillip fill in the history of the Filthies to prove to the

royal couple and the other members of the Executive that they are indeed humans, not

animals

Col stresses the importance of unconditional surrender to the Filthies or theyll be a

massacre they don't like the idea of 'unconditional' but they dont have much choice

Haugh asks what will happen after the Filthies take control Col tells them they can either

take orders from the Filthies or leave Worldshaker to live on land (go on ground) Haugh

is appalled at the idea of living like natives in a jungle

Sir Wisley tries to persuade the Queen to pretend to agree to the Filthies terms for the time

being, but Col warns against that Riff and other armed Filthies then enter the Assembly

Hall

Riff: Unconditional surrender, or we start shootin! the Queen is surprised that the

Filthies speak English + she agrees to surrender hands power to the Revolutionary

Council + she abdicates (renounces her position as Queen)

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The Queen tells Sir Mormus to hand over his keys of office to the Filthies he has

disappeared, muttering something about vengeance according to one witness

Gillabeth heard her grandfather say he was going to the Bridge Col remembered Sir

Mormus saying earlier he would rather blow up Worldshaker than surrender Chief

Helmsman Turbot believes it is possible to blow up the juggernaut by keeping the pressure

up till the boilers explode they only have about 30 minutes

Col, Septimus, Prince Albert and the others race to try and stop Sir Mormus they can

already feel the juggernaut coming to a standstill

CHAPTER 72 Col, Riff, other Filthies and Prince Albert make their way to the Fifty-Third Deck and run

towards the Bridge officers are calling out to Sir Mormus who is beyond the door to the

Bridge

The officers see Riff and the other Filthies and are about to shoot when Col and Prince

Albert stop them, telling them that the Filthies are now in charge and that Sir Mormus must

be stopped

An officer tells them that Sir Mormus has stopped all the turbines

They go up to the Bridge where Sir Mormus has been adjusting control units he heads up

a staircase above the Bridge while the others try to reduce the steam, start up the turbines

and open the safety valves nothing works Sir Mormus has locked down all the controls

and taken the keys they go after Sir Mormus

CHAPTER 73 They arrive at the platform amidst a raging storm Sir Mormus holds the keys of office

over the edge of the juggernaut so they couldnt shoot him

Prince Albert tells Sir Mormus to hand over the keys but he refuses

Riff has a plan they must keep Sir Mormus talking

Sir Mormus would rather blow up Worldshaker and kill everyone on board, even himself,

than hand over power to the Filthies Orris calls him a madman and Sir Mormus accuses

him of being a spineless weakling and Col of being a spineless traitor even Gillabeth and

Antrobus are condemned

Sir Mormus is ranting and raving no one is worthy to follow in his footsteps

In the meantime Riff has made her way to the outside of the barrier, hanging over the sill

behind Sir Mormus, out of his sight

Sir Mormus continues his raving: I disown everyone and everything! I recognise only

Worldshaker! I am this juggernaut and this juggernaut is me! You can share in my death!

Riff shouts Fire! the Filthies shoot Sir Mormus he drops the keys and slumps to the

deck Riff is dangling over the void with one hand hooked over the barrier and the other

clutching the keys she loses her grip and starts to drop but Col grabs her and starts to

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pull her up with great difficulty the other Filthies come to the rescue and help Riff

Gillabeth snatches the keys

CHAPTER 74 Riff fixes Cols dislocated shoulder

A voice warns them of significant events happening behind them they turn around and

see Sir Mormus, bleeding from his head and heart region he should have been dead but

there he was tottering on his feet and staggering around, with rivers of blood pumping

from his wounds he is still raving: The juggernaut is me. Iron colossus, mechanical

mountain, predominator

Sir Mormus clambers up onto the sill of the barrier and falls forward into the void dies

Col and Riff remember the voice that warned them about significant events but wonder

who it was they scan the platform and see Antrobus

Col is astounded as Antrobus cant talk but Antrobus informs him that Cols assumptions

are much mistaken Col asks him why he never spoke till now and he replies that he

hadnt found a topic worthy of discussion up till now Col and Riff laugh hysterically at

the absurd incongruity of the situation

Col and Riff hold up Antrobus so he may view the end of the drama they can see no

signs of Sir Mormus

They hear an almighty roar of escaping steam the safety valves must have blown

EPILOGUE Upper Decks people who had chosen to leave the juggernaut were now being transported to

the ground (land) via the great cranes that used to plunder produce this process is

supervised by Riff and Dunga the departing Upper Decks people are sullen and bitter

but too cowed to disobey as Riff and Dunga are armed

of the Upper Decks population have chosen to leave the stayers included: Queen

Victoria, Prince Albert, Orris, Quinnea, Gillabeth, Antrobus, Septimus and Professor Twillip

The last group to leave were the Squellinghams as he leaves Hythe calls Col a Filthy-

lover and says Theyll turn on you! Theyll kill you in the end. Then youll be sorry . . .

Col asks Riff what will happen to the Upper Decks people who stay on the juggernaut she

says theyll have to learn not to be so useless

He also asks her what the Filthies will do now with Worldshaker she suspects they'll keep

travelling, though not over natives and villages: well get off the land and travel only by

sea

He asks: What about you and me? and leans towards her to kiss her but she gets up and

says hell just have to hope

Riff is on her way to the Revolutionary Council with Dunga where shell propose that the

name of Worldshaker should be changed to Liberator because were goin to be an example

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to the world and make people free

Col wonders what role he will play now that the Revolutionary Council was running the

juggernaut how theyll get coal from the coaling stations what theyll do for trade how

the other juggernauts will react to news of the revolution and what future he and Riff

might have?

Riff can make him feel so good and at the same time so insecure he resigns himself to

never knowing where he was with Riff, though he really doesnt seem to mind!