She cocked her head to the side and frowned. A girlish gesture for a nearly grown woman. “I am a soldier, father. Your soldier.” A question coated her words.
“Yes! My little soldier.” He kissed her forehead then walked around her to Lot who stood at attention. “What do you know of the battle?” he asked.
Lot saluted by tapping his heels on the ground as their traditions demanded when saluting a superior. “Not much yet, sir, but I expect a full report in moments if you’d care to wait. I,” he stalled a moment. “I understand your desire to stay out of the battle and am grateful for your understanding as to why I had to stay on Camelot.”
Being in the Lothian hangar made Uther uneasy. Too many cameras, too many men in uniforms with searching eyes. They would know it was not Galois who stood before them now if given the chance.
“Take your time with the report, Lot. We’re in no hurry. Uther has done it; he’s saved us.”
Lot hesitated, confused. Then he quickly nodded and dropped his heels again in salute. “Of course, sir.”
Uther stepped away from the greeting party and set his hands hard on his hips like Galois used to do. “Now, I must go find my wife. Surely she will want to know of this great victory we have achieved.”
As Uther strode away, Morgause watched his steps. Something in Galois’s steps was not normal. Lot watched too then met his fiancé’s eyes. Without words, they both turned and began an investigation into the so-called great victory.
***
Uther’s heart dropped as he saw that finger scanning was needed to enter into the heart of the great network of buildings that compiled the center of the Lothian city. By the time he entered the city, evening set in and the plants and small insects and reptiles began to glow in the darkness. But the D.R.U.I.D’s procedure proved true. He pressed his thumb to the censor and it beeped him in as Galois.
After gaining entrance, the tension eased and he relaxed a little. The halls were like a labyrinth though and he got lost more than once. He ended up on a great silver balcony that overlooked a terrific sight. This time of the moon’s cycle caused the loose parts of that terra to float and hover. Because of this, a valley just below him encircled a floating land mass. Now that it floated, what had once been a river had transformed into a great, blue waterfall from one suspended mountain range to the valley below. The water flow seemed to dominate the land beneath it with its roar and splendor.
To his left, leading off the balcony, were a set of hovering platforms that he guessed were only accessible at this phase. They wound around the towers of smooth silver and up into an unseen room. Chancing this, Uther climbed onto the first one. He gasped and held his arms out to steady his big frame as the platform wobbled slightly under him. Only about twenty more to go.
As he climbed higher, he could look out over the landscape more. The more he looked, the more he loved it. How could he have just given such a place to Galois to lord over while he had to fight for his? He looked down and noticed the danger of the path he’d chosen. He probably wouldn’t die if he fell, but he wouldn’t be unharmed either. Over the glowing land, a strange roaring howl broke up from the forested mountains. He looked over his shoulder to see a flock of leathery-winged reptiles burst out with glowing tails and claws. They were graceful and colorful, but he guessed the talons were sharp.
Finally, he reached the top of the wobbly platforms and found himself on another balcony. This one faced a wide-open room with only soft curtains to shield it from the night. The inside looked like an operating bridge to an aircraft carrier with lights and screens and a scanner searching the planet below. Igrain stood in front of the screen, hands on hips which were thrust out to the side in impatient authority. She looked for Galois below.
Realizing she must not locate him, Uther all but ran into the room and took her waist in Galois’s large hands. She felt smaller and more delicate than he had imagined.
“I’m here, why are you searching Camelot?” He smiled as she gasped and turned to face him.
“Galois!” she shrieked. “You never sent me a communication. You said you would. I never heard from you. What were you thinking? Are you hurt? How dare you!” She screamed at last. “I thought Uther had killed you for certain.”
This last sentiment gave him pause. Had he killed Galois or had Vortigern done it?
“I’m here, my love. And we’ve won the fight. It was a great victory for us.”
Igrain crossed her arms and stepped away from him. “You went to stop Uther. Is… is Vortigern dead?”
“What?” Uther gathered his thoughts, shaking his head. “Vortigern was evil. Of course he’s dead. He wanted to rule Camelot.”
“And so did Uther,” she insisted. She tapped her gloved fingers on her arm. “They were no different, you said. Did you change your mind?”
Uther scoffed and turned away from her to hide his face. Galois had been there to stop him and not aid him after all. “Of course, I did. I see now what Uther wanted. He wanted a peaceful Camelot. One with no opposition inside its own atmosphere. There is nothing wrong with that.”
“He killed a man, Galois.” Her voice came in a deep and flat hum. “Didn’t he? Is Vortigern dead?”
A shooting star swished across the sky. It came so close and glowed so bright it turned the whole room green as it passed. Lying didn’t seem right. Not to Igrain.
“The palace that Vortigern had built to show his power collapsed on him. Uther did not bloody his hands.” No, Uther was innocent still.
Igrain walked softly up behind him. He could feel her whole aura change. He felt her soften. This is what he came for.
She slid her hands around his waist and then clasped them in front of his chest. Laying her head against his back, she sighed and began to sway back and forth.
“I’m glad then. I wouldn’t want Uther to turn into a killer. Not for a throne that does not exist.”
But that throne existed in Uther’s mind. Aside from this night, the throne was all he wanted right now. He had come this far and sacrificed so much already. Camelot was young and needed a king. He was physically too weak to demand fealty, but with Excalibur, that wouldn’t be too much of a problem. But for now, the night awaited.
He turned to face Igrain. Her face shone a little red and perspiration evaporated on her forehead. She had been busy in her husband’s absence. She had been preparing for the worst by the looks of the screens that hovered all throughout the room.
He walked away from her to the master control board and waved the screens away. The room grew dimmer without their neon light so he activated the soft glowing lights around the corners of the room.
“You’ve been wearing a soldier’s gear too long, Igrain.”
She shrugged slowly, letting herself be lulled into submission. “I like a soldier’s clothes. You said they made me sexy.”
“Some men desire something softer.” He stood before her now, his hand sliding the clasp of her jacket down. “Something less threatening.” He undid her belt and tossed both her pistols aside.
“I like using my guns,” she smiled. “You need a tough girl, remember? Someone to keep you in line and match you at physicality, you said. That’s who I am.”
“Time for a change.”
Uther slipped the jacket away from her and playfully pushed her back onto the bed. Her feet went up and he pulled her boots of quickly. She giggled and tried to vault back up onto her knees to retaliate, but he pushed her back, unfastening her belt.
“Galois,” she protested lightly. “Play fair.”
The name stopped Uther, but only for a moment. He didn’t have to be gentle or mindful. As far as she knew, he was her husband and she wouldn’t be too wary of a soldier home from the war. He had an advantage over her.
“Igrain, be reasonable. I’ve had a rough day.” He yanked her shirt away, still trying gentleness lightly though.
“So, don’t play rough,” she insisted as she fell back onto the bed in her stark white underg
arments. The female soldier’s underwear always looked so attractive to Uther. Tough, but sensual. Her body didn’t have as much hardened muscle as he had always imagined, but the subtle mixture of femininity and war-hardened muscle more than appealed to him.
He disrobed quickly, fumbling with his pants and boots. So close to his goal, he could not stop now. There was no time for foreplay or catering to Igrain’s wishes. He had waited years for this. He had fought a battle for this. He had bled for this. And now, he had become another man. For her.
“Take it easy, soldier,” she said through a thick smirk. “No need to hurry.”
“There is every need.”
Nude, he crawled onto the bed with her and pinned her under him. How great it felt to finally grasp something he desired. He imagined it would be like mounting his throne for the first time. He would just take it. He tore her remaining coverings from her. Wanting to rule wasn’t so bad. He saw the planet as his. He had led the men here and in such an emotional state too.
“Ah!” she cried out as he bit into her flesh.
Things needed to be taken quickly. He wanted to establish a pattern and a rhythm that needed to be maintained. He had the power to do that. He had Excalibur. He had Avalonian DNA. He was strong. The plans would escalate quickly, but all of Camelot would be in rhythm with him. No one would deny him.
The climax was inevitable.
***
“The scouts are giving me conflicting reports,” Lot sighed as he gazed into the glass over his eyes. He stood at the master control dock in the hangar where probes were coming back with news of the battle and movement on Camelot in general. “Uther seems to be missing, but Merlin is not worried.”
“And Vortigern, is he dead?” Morgause straightened the sight on a large energy-bazooka. “The calculations are all off on this thing. What else do they say?” She crossed her legs, sitting fully on the nav-dock’s desk top.
“He appears to be. Some say they saw your father with him when the tower collapsed. Others say he was fleeing the scene.”
“Before or after the collapse?” she asked, stopping in mid tuning of the scope.
He scanned the information quickly. “I don’t know. And it seems Pellinore has been trying to reach Uther. No luck though.”
Morgause turned her eyes back to the screens before her.
"It's been days at least. I don't even know anymore." She rubbed her temples. "I'm not wrong."
"What?" Lot removed his eye glass. "Wrong about what?"
She pursed her lips and shook her head. "I can't explain it. It sounds crazy."
Lot waited.
"That's not my father. That's not Galois, can't you feel it?" Now that she had said it, she felt better. And Lot didn't deny it right away. He frowned, thinking.
"What should we do? Scan the planet?"
"No." She took up her pack and slung the bazooka over her shoulder. "We go ourselves and talk to Uther. I have this feeling he won't be at home."
"What do you mean, Morgause? In truth, you're not making much sense."
"We need to talk to Merlin. And the other D.R.U.I.Ds about their technology." She heaved up her new weapon. “I know you are loyal, Lot, but I need the truth.”
They whispered just a few more words to each other before departing in a little, fast star-cruiser. They left no word with the guards; they simply took the ship and left. Lot scanned the planet below as they approached to find a suitable place to land.
“Find these coordinates,” Morgause said typing them on the screen. “This is the heart of Avalon on Camelot and may not show up on our systems, but it’s worth a try. If not,” she set her jaw. “I can find it by touch, I think.”
Lot risked a concerned look over at her. “Does that have to do with your mother’s choice?” he asked.
Morgause ignored him and pushed the ship even faster. By the time they were inside Camelot’s atmosphere, the ship overheated and nearly ran out of fuel. She had been correct in assuming that the Avalonian circle could not be tracked by their outdated systems. She tapped into that part of her mind that was wired, literally, like the D.R.U.I.Ds. She got a nose bleed from it and her head throbbed, but she was sure they were within miles of it.
She and Lot exited the craft, armed to the nines, and began to carefully search the surrounding grounds.
“Vortigern’s city is close,” Lot said, gazing into the electric map of the near ground. “Do you suppose Uther didn’t want him close to the circle?”
Morgause shook her head. “He doesn’t care about this right now. I don’t think he does any way.”
After a few minutes, the two came to realize that they were very alone. There were no living humans near them. The only thing out of place was the smell of burning metal and overheated engines. On the ground there were foot prints that could only belong to the Avamech. Trees were broken, shattered and some were smoldering, once tall and leafy now just black cinders.
“He is destroying his planet already,” Morgause said. “Bastard.”
“Look!” Lot pointed ahead to where a small D.R.U.I.D girl stood over a dead form. “Is she friendly?”
“I didn’t know the D.R.U.I.Ds were allowed to breed,” Morgause said, more interested in the young appearance. “Uther can’t possibly know about her.”
“Hello there!” she called to the girl. The girl looked up with wide eyes. “Don’t worry, we just want to ask you a question.”
Morgause gasped and stood back as she saw the thing the girl leaned over. It couldn’t be described any other way than a devil. The size of a man, its black and red skin glistened, horns protruding from its skull, a tail, and battered wings. It still breathed even though it was burnt and covered in hot, orange blood.
“What is that?” Lot shrieked, taking out his gun. Morgause held her hand out to stop him though, interested.
The little D.R.U.I.D girl said, “From the burning planet. He says he came to bring peace, but his brother does not want peace. His brother wants war because only war brings progress and progress must be made.” She sighed sadly. “I tried to save him. He says a human captured him and held him for days. He must have been tortured.” She gently put her pale hand on his shoulder.
“Uther?” Lot asked Morgause. “He would imprison an alien creature that tried to bring peace and stop his war.”
The thing’s eyes fixed on Morgause and it seemed as though he were trying to communicate with her. His eyes were large and red, but soft and kind looking. She didn’t expect that from such a creature as this. Kneeling beside it, she watched as his life vanished and his chest stopped heaving.
“Oh!” the D.R.U.I.D girl wept. “I know how to give life, but I cannot remember right now!” Tears spilled out of her large eyes.
Lot reached down and pulled Morgause to her feet. “We must find out what this mad man is up to.” He glanced once more at the girl but didn’t stay. The sight of the dead alien made him sick. “Uther must be stopped, Morgause. I say we search and see what he’s doing, but we do not stay.”
With a hardened heart, Morgause nodded. It was time to leave Camelot to its doom.
11
Darkening
Uther stood in Galois's command bay where he could see the hangar and the few vehicles he had. D.R.U.I.Ds worked alongside the humans, but few Avalonian machines were in sight. Morgause and Lot had been speaking closely together for some time and he didn't like the looks on their faces. With a sudden movement, they had gathered their things and marched to a transport. Curious as to what they were saying, Uther punched the master com to hear every word being uttered in the hanger.
"Prepare a pod for Camelot," Lot ordered. "And tell no one that we've gone."
"Yes, sir," the engineer said. "And sir, shall I inform Galois that Pelinore has been trying to reach us? He says there is something amiss back on Camelot."
Lot gave Morgause a meaningful glance. "You may be right," he said.
Fear stabbed Uther in the heart. How had the children found
out? What did they know? He gripped the metal railing, leaning closer to hear, but they had already embarked on their mission. They would find out. That was certain. Then word would get back and Igrain would know.
"Captain!" Uther shouted over the system. "Prepare me a small ship. I'm off to Camelot to see Uther and how he's mending."
On his way out, he slipped one of the clear tablets from their charging stations and typed madly on it as he ran out into the city. He accessed Galois's home security and set his--Galois's--status to "away from home" so that if Igrain looked into it, she would see he had left that morning. Then he checked to see that his ship was ready. He skirted down the floating bits of the town and stole a blue cloak and a curved power-saber from an off-planet merchant.
Disguised loosely, he ran to the hangar and slipped aboard the ship, careful to shield his face from the watching cameras and security bots. The things were stupid and would probably fire on such an unknown shape.
He hid in the cargo bay and then activated the ship from the tablet with Galois's password. It was simple enough for him to guess; they had been friends since childhood. The hangar men and engineers were too busy to notice that no pilot had boarded the little ship, yet so no eyes were raised when it took off without one.
Breathing deeply, Uther moved about the ship, making sure no one else lingered around. Only three rooms composed the ship; the cockpit, a small room for passengers, and the little cargo hold so it took him only moments to realize he was safe. But annoyance gripped at his mind. He had only been with Igrain a few days, five at the most, and already he was being forced to flee. If he ever found Lot and Morgause again, they may just end up dying accidentally as well. For now, he needed to get back to Camelot and resume his real identity. He mentally prepared himself because he knew the change would not be an easy feat. It had been a long and painful process to become Galois. Now he somehow had to be Uther again.
"Merlin," he said to the tablet as he sent a video communication. A second later, the D.R.U.I.D's white face and blue eyes appeared.
A New Home: A Sci-Fi Arthurian Retelling (The Camelot Project Book 1) Page 9
