“Remarkably accurate,” Grant allowed with condescending frankness.
Stone ignored that. “The question remains, then, with what is the Heart communicating? The glow can be seen from beyond Luna, in the right conditions. Ergo, it must be communicating with something beyond this world.”
“That would follow. However I have yet to discover what that is, but with further communion between the Heart and I…” At this Grant chuckled. There was something about the chuckle Folkard did not like, almost as if it were verging on insanity. “The Heart did not wish to commune with Tereshkov, it could feel the pain and fear provoked in the Selenites by the Russians. But when it, uh, scanned my mind it saw I held no such desire for power.” Doctor Grant suddenly got up from his seat and headed towards the opening of the tent. “I must return to the Heart, it has so much to teach me. Things even I have never dreamed of.”
“I cannot allow that, Doctor, not until I have filed my report with the Admiralty.”
Grant spun on Folkard. “Captain, you cannot stop me. The Heart wishes to learn more, to commune with me. If you stand in my way, we shall turn the Selenites on you.”
At this Miss Somerset stepped forward. “Uncle, you cannot do that! That will undermine everything the captain and his men have achieved. The Selenites are beginning to trust humans now.”
Grant face was firm. Folkard would almost go so far as to say furious. “Then do not stand in my way.” He looked from his niece to Folkard. “By all means send your report. Indeed, tell them I require a full research team at my disposal. The discoveries to be made here are…” He shook his head. “There are no words!”
Folkard was not overly impressed, but he knew his hands were tied. He had to make a full report and there was no doubt in his mind that the British government would wish to set up a base on Luna, in effect doing the same thing the Russians were accused of. Contravening the Luna Treaty. “Very well, I will leave a contingent behind, to ensure your safety. Expect more Navy troops soon. The Russians will not take this lying down.” He turned to Stone. “Professor, you’re with me.”
Stone stood and said his goodbyes to Doctor Grant. He turned to Miss Somerset. “Annabelle, I am gratified to see you well once more.”
“Nathanial,” she said and stepped towards him. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. I always knew I could count on you.”
Folkard noticed Grant watching them closely. Not with the suspicion he had expected, but with the dawning realisation of someone experiencing an epiphany. He stepped forward.
“Professor, take my niece with you.”
“Uncle,” Miss Somerset said, her expression one of outrage, “I will not be…”
Grant nodded, and took her hands in his. “Yes, you will. Luna is about to become even more dangerous. The Russians in those outposts will get word back home, and soon others will learn of what transpired here. Not just the Russians, but in France, Germany, all over the world. I have put you in enough danger as it is.”
“You did not put me in danger. I stowed away, it was my choice.”
Grant smiled kindly. “Yes, you are as wilful as my dear sister was. Nevertheless, my mind is made up.” He turned to Professor Stone. “Keep her safe,” he said, his voice a mixture of threat and fear.
“I promise, Doctor Grant. I will guard Annabelle with my life.”
Epilogue
EXCERPT 11.
“Beyond the Inner Worlds: The Journal of Professor Nathanial Stone” (Published July 2011, by Chadwick Press.)
Sunday April 14th, 1889.
Annabelle is most upset at leaving her uncle, but if there is one thing I have learned it is that once Doctor Grant has made up his mind there is no turning back. I have asked Captain Folkard to forward a heliograph message on to Director White on my behalf, telling him of our new guest. Civilians at the dockyard are a very rare occurrence, indeed I am a special case in that regards. I hope William will indulge me, and help me honour my promise to Doctor Grant. How Annabelle will fair on a Navy base I have no idea; she is not a woman to be kept in one place for long. I fear I will have my work cut out for me. However, I have been through a lot this last day, and following the example of Folkard I shall remain determined.
For her own part it appears Annabelle is holding me responsible for her uncle’s decision, and barely a word has passed between us since we boarded the Sovereign. Lieutenant Bedford has the unenviable task of writing missives to the next of kin to those lost on this mission, and Annabelle is giving him support in this. They have spent some considerable time in the galley together. I, for one, do not like the look that passes between them when they talk. For reasons I cannot quite fathom it makes me uncomfortable.
Mentioning the casualties reminds me of Erasmus; he has been classed by Captain Folkard as “missing in action”. K’chuk makes it clear that if Erasmus was taken from the tunnels by these mysterious Drobates, like K’chuk believes to be the case with Doctor Tereshkov, then the odds of survival are very low. K’chuk will not tell us what these Drobates are, despite the best efforts of the captain and his first officer, but they are clearly something feared by the Selenites. That we know of the Heart, and at that barely anything, appears to be a bone of some contention between the Selenites and us Earth men as it is.
We have received many answers on this mission, succeeded in our goal of finding and rescuing Doctor Grant, but many mysteries remain. I hope that one day I may return to Luna, for there is much I would still personally like answered.
It is hard to credit that only a day has passed by since I first met Captain Folkard at the Dover Embarkation Platform; it seems that so much has happened. I have learned so much about myself. I do not know what effect this will have on my life when I return to Earth; will I be craving adventure while working at the Chatham docks? Will the presence of Annabelle lead me astray? I think both are very real possibilities. I may have been an unwilling adventurer, but this journey to the Heart of Luna has revealed to me elements of my personality I did not know existed. Will I be content to simply help out at the dockyards, to discover new and creative ways to improve the efficiency of aether travel, or will I want to be out there? I suppose that old maxim applies here; time will tell.
We are still four hours from Earth and I find myself tired. So I bid you a pleasant sleep, wherever and whenever you are reading this…
The End
Acknowledgements
Once again this book would not have been completed if not for the many people who helped along the way. Both personally and professionally.
First of all, thanks must be given to Jelena Kondrashova for almost instant Russian translations. Also to Perri Collins at the Arizona Newspaper Association, Rob Keetch for allowing me to use ‘Dr Robert Beverly’, Cardiff Central Library for wifi and research materials, Will Elliott for the hours of wifi usage at the King’s (what will I do when it’s turned into a gastro-pub?), Frank Chadwick for answering questions and allowing me to take liberties with his creations, to my bosses at Untreed, Jay Hartman and KD Sullivan, who leapt on the chance to do a Space: 1889 series once I told them of the potential in such a project, and to all of Team 1889 (Gail, Mark, Louis, Frank, Joe, Steve, David and Betty). You guys have been amazing so far, and I suspect you will continue to be so. It has been, and continues to be, an honour to work with some of the best creative and professional authors, designers and editors in the business; I am a very lucky editor/author.
A special thank you must go to all those involved in the Noise Monster Productions’ audio series of Space: 1889 six years ago, for bringing me into the property so wonderfully. If it wasn’t for that unexpected opportunity then I would never have realised the potential of a prose series based on Frank’s wonderful RPG. In particular I must thank Helen Goldwyn for bringing Annabelle Somerset to vivid life in my 2005 Space: 1889 play, The Lunar Inheritance; her performance will always be recalled when I read of Annabelle in this eBook series.
And now a few personal thank you’s, to
those friends who’ve listened to me rabbit on about this story so much over the last six months, and indulged my blathering about ant research. Especially Lisa Challoner (hey, house mate!), Traci-Anne (The Sister!), Ben Theobald (for hours and hours of intense conversation), Gary Russell (for the usual irreverence), Ross Anderson (we just don’t talk enough), Sharon Bidwell (just for the pure cheek that is she), Melinda Snodgrass (always supportive of my works, for she is the Mighty Mo), Andy Fenn (thanks, Dear, for the endless support and encouragement, big love to you always), Jarryd Little and Lisa Davies (you two have made me laugh so much lately—always be amazing!), Damian Larkins (a better man than he likes to believe), and so many others. Finally, to all those who’ve been pestering me for the second part of The Garden saga; a little more patience is all I ask of you, once this series is truly up and running I shall be returning to that dark world of mine.
Andy, 15th June 2011.
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