Atlantis - Return of the Nation

Atlantis - Return of the Nation Page 16

by Steven Cook

  ‘We’re dead!’ Craig’s voice was tinged with panic.

  ‘As long as we don’t give them an excuse we’ll be fine.’ Carl tried to reassure him. Unfortunately he didn’t feel at all confident in his own words.

  ‘Besides, they know where we are and will be working on getting us to safety,’ he added after a short pause.

  ‘It’s all well and good they know where we are. What can they do about it? All our weaponry is inferior to Orichalcum and the Minoans can beat the crap out of anybody in a fair fight.’

  Carl considered Craig’s words.

  ‘We’ll be OK,’ he added hopefully.

  ‘Who’s going to try and save us? We’re nobody. They’re not going to care that we’ve been caught by a bunch of bull headed freaks.’

  Carl was quiet for a few minutes then spoke slowly.

  ‘I’m being serious. Somebody will come and save us. Danny won’t let us die.’

  ‘He can’t do anything.’

  ‘You’re wrong; he’ll do everything he can to save us. You see, I owe him a tenner!’

  Craig looked at Carl for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

  In the antechamber the jailor went over backwards at the sound, cracking his head hard on the stone floor. Carl and Craig paused, looked at him, and then burst out into even harder laughter.

  *

  The White House 23rd May

  There was a deflated atmosphere in the situation room. The Joint Chiefs had drifted away from the table, each immersed in his own thoughts.

  ‘Mr President, we my have something.’ The aide stood to attention in the doorway of the situation room.

  President Sheen turned slowly from the satellite display he had been perusing and looked at the aide. He quickly matched the face to a name.

  ‘Come in Phil, tell us what it is.’ He slowly took his seat sat the head of the table.

  Phil Taylor stepped forward, letting the pair of armed marines close the door silently behind him. He was surprised at the dishevelled state of the President.

  ‘Mr President, the commander of H.M.S. Daring has reported that one of his seamen got involved in a swordfight while they were breaking out of the fort. He took a blow on his ceramic watch. I believe it to be a Chanel of some kind. Instead of it taking his arm off the sword shattered. It has also been confirmed that the watch has been working all the time it has been on the island.’

  ‘How does this help us?’ General Norton asked from the shadows at the back of the room.

  Taylor blinked in surprise, not having seen the Army Commander.

  ‘Sir, it’s speculated that the ceramic disrupts the effect of the field that prevents our equipment from working. We intend to get a workshop set up to ceramic coat some of our weapons. We may be able to use an automotive company that does powder coating. Our idea is to transfer them to H.M.S. Daring or one of our ships and get them to test them on the beach. If they work we can attempt another rescue.’

  Norton stepped out of the shadows and also took his seat at the conference table. He rested his massive fists on the edge of the table.

  ‘There’s a big ‘If’ associated with that.’

  ‘There is other news,’ continued Taylor.

  ‘The Daring has rescued two of the people from the island; Senior Chief Petty Officer Dave Carrick from the Boise and Lieutenant Julian Fisher of the 75th Rangers. Carrick broke his ankle badly when the Boise was destroyed 3 days ago. The Medical Officer on the Daring has confirmed that the break is completely healed. The injury was packed in some unknown herbs that have accelerated the healing process.’

  This caused several raised eyebrows at the table.

  ‘Well it luck is shifting in our direction at last. Phil. Go ahead and get the hand weapons sorted. Art.’ President Sheen addressed General Fry. ‘I want a plane ready to get that kit out to the island as soon as it’s ready.’

  He looked back around at Taylor.

  ‘Inform Her Majesty’s Government of what we intend.’

  Finally he turned to Admiral Kay.

  ‘Tell the carrier group to get a move on. We need somewhere to land the equipment.’

  The admiral smiled.

  ‘I’m on it.’

  He left the room.

  *

  Fifth Phalanx Bridge Crossing 23rd May

  Dingo and Saraph stepped outside the room containing M’Varak to join the others in the communal area of the guardhouse. They left three of the guards in charge of the Minoan.

  Danny looked at them from across the room, where the rest of the escapees had gathered.

  ‘What is it?’ he said.

  Saraph and Dingo exchanged glances.

  ‘You better tell them, you understand it more than I do.’ conceded Dingo.

  Saraph hooked a stool with his foot and sat down.

  ‘It is bigger than we thought. The Sixth and the Minoans have support from some other Realms within Atlantis. They intend to put Atlantis under siege to prevent intervention from the remaining factions whilst they send a delegation to Zeus. They have already petitioned and received Poseidon’s approval for our exile to end permanently. This means that Arcanadia will be staying in the world.

  ‘They have Carl and Craig with them to carry out the terms of a prophecy whereby the status of Arcanadia can only be decided fully with the cooperation of the ruling class, a citizen of Atlantis, somebody from the outside world and a member of a withdrawn race.

  ‘As Arcanadia is fully raised the Minoans have been promised aid in getting their revenge on the Greeks. It is as we thought. They plan to expand the effect of Arcanadia so that all machinery and weaponry will become useless.’

  Dingo took over.

  ‘Within a matter of hours of them doing that, the world will be taken back to a medieval state. Everything we know will fail, aeroplanes will drop from the sky, and electricity will become a memory. Thousands, possibly millions will die in accidents. We have to prevent that from happening, and alert the rest of the world to the possibility.’

  ‘I know how to warn them.’ They all looked at Danny where he sat slumped with his back against the wall. He slowly got to his feet and went outside.

  One by one the others followed him. They gathered outside and watched as Danny inspected the ground around the Guard House. Finally he selected a level area of interlinked stones and lay down on his back.

  Saraph, Eraz, Coran and Jarak watched in stunned silence as he started to move his arms about.

  ‘What is he doing?’ Jarak asked the question for the four Atlantians.

  ‘Your island creates a field around it, but it doesn’t extend into space. We are being watched at all times by our military. He’s using a code to tell them everything.’

  ‘Fitz.’ Dingo spoke quietly to the Sonar man.

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Keep Danny this side of the building. I’m going to sort out the Minoan.’

  Fitz nodded and turned back to watch Danny waving his arms like a child making Angels in the snow. The Atlantian warriors watched in bemused curiosity.

  Dingo took a quick look to make sure they were occupied then made his way back into the building. The three guards looked at him briefly then stood aside as he walked up to M’Varak.

  The Minoan raised his heavy head to look at Dingo; despair was plainly visible in his attitude.

  ‘You have come to finish it?’ It was difficult to tell whether it was a question or a statement.

  ‘I’ve got what I need.’ Dingo replied.

  ‘Will it be a warrior’s end or an execution?’

  Dingo ignored him.

  ‘Cut him loose,’ he instructed the guards. He drew back and unsheathed his sword.

/>   The guards warily moved forward and released the bonds holding M’Varak. Watching them carefully he rubbed the circulation back into his limbs then slowly stood.

  ‘That way,’ Dingo indicated with the sword.

  M’Varak left the room and slowly walked through the main chamber of the building.

  ‘Pick that lot up.’ Dingo indicated M’Varak’s bundled armour.

  M’Varak hesitated before gathering his equipment. Dingo picked up the Minoan’s sheathed broadsword from the table and again motioned for him to move.

  The pair moved outside. Dingo indicated that he wanted M’Varak to walk onto the bridge back across the river. The Minoan complied, not seeing Dingo snap a quick glance back towards the building, which was between him and the rest of the group.

  ‘Stop,’ Dingo told M’Varak.

  The Minoan did as instructed and slowly turned to face the Ranger.

  ‘Put your gear on.’

  Slowly M’Varak donned his armour.

  ‘You have shown you are honourable by allowing me to die in my armour.’

  ‘You’re not dying today,’ said Dingo. He tossed the broadsword to M’Varak, who caught it in surprise.

  ‘I do not understand?’

  ‘I gave you my word that I’d let you go when you told me what I wanted. You told me, so I’m letting you go.’

  M’Varak stood silently for a while. Dingo could see that he was thinking conflicting thoughts.

  ‘You are a worthy opponent. We Minoans hold special regard for such as you. If we meet in battle I will not raise my sword against you.’

  M’Varak looked beyond Dingo. The rest of the group were walking back around the building. As one they began to run towards the bridge.

  ‘Get going M’Varak,’ Dingo turned his back and walked towards the others, his arms spread as if to prevent them from passing.

  M’Varak considered the Rangers exposed back for a moment.

  ‘I owe you my life warrior.’

  ‘Remember that because I may call on it one day,’ Dingo looked over his shoulder.

  M’Varak nodded once before spinning around and sprinting across the bridge.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ screamed Danny as he ran onto the bridge.

  On the far side M’Varak reached the fields and began loping back towards the fort.

  ‘Letting him go like I said I would,’ said Dingo.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘We couldn’t take him with us, and we couldn’t kill him.’

  ‘I could.’

  ‘No you couldn’t Danny. It’s not in you to kill in cold blood.’

  Danny looked at Dingo, his face set. Dingo calmly looked back. Finally Danny’s shoulders slumped and he let out a sob.

  Fitz came up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

  ‘They’re not going to kill Carl and Craig, they need them alive. That gives us an opportunity to rescue them.’

  Danny raised his head, his eyes heavy with tears. Taking a deep breath he nodded and produced a small smile.

  ‘Come on,’ said Saraph, taking charge, ‘we need to get a move on. We can make it to Atlantis by nightfall.’

  They made their way back to the Guard House and gathered their equipment. A few minutes later they left the post with the Guards in tow. Saraph had pulled rank and ordered them to follow, deciding that a dozen guards would be swept aside by the approaching army of Minoans.

  Coran, Dingo and Saraph strode along side by side. Saraph was passing instructions to his brother and the Ranger.

  ‘I think it would be best if you two entered Atlantis before us and did some snooping. We have absolutely no idea how far this plot has spread. I will need to report this to the highest authorities and I would like to know beforehand if I should avoid standing too close to certain people.’

  ‘I am sure we can do that,’ said Coran.

  ‘Then get going, we will be within sight of the city soon.’

  The spy and the Ranger passed out their excess equipment, drew nondescript tunics over their armour and said their goodbyes. The others continued their march as they jogged into the distance.

  *

  The White House 23rd May

  Jack Henry read the transcript of the update provided by Danny to the geosynchronous satellite now stationed directly over Arcanadia. He was chewing on the inside of his bottom lip, an unconscious habit that drove his wife mad.

  He gazed out of the window over the White House Lawn, his eyes focussing on nothing. They had moved out of the situation room to the more pleasant surroundings of the Oval Office having arranged to resume when they had further information.

  The President was sitting behind his desk, the remnants of a mostly untouched sandwich resting within easy reach. A muted television was cycling steadily through various news bulletins regarding the discovery of the island.

  A number of long distance camera shots showed a growing number of naval vessels preventing other ships from closing on the area. Central to it all was the vast bulk of the Nimitz Class aircraft carrier the USS George H.W. Bush. The newest carrier of this line had only just entered service and was on its first cruise.

  ‘That’s a good looking ship,’ he said to the room in general.

  Expecting some response from his National Security Advisor he looked over his shoulder. He noticed the glazed expression on the man’s face.

  ‘What is it Jack?’ questioned the President.

  Henry came out of his reverie.

  ‘It’s the report from the men on the island. They’ve sent a message saying that there are rivalries on the island. One of them may make all technology useless if they are successful.’

  He handed the transcript to the President, who pulled his reading glasses out of his jacket pocket and slipped them on.

  Jack Henry returned to the window and resumed his gazing. The traffic passing on Pennsylvania Avenue seemed so ordinary, yet what would happen if it stopped working?

  ‘Jack, what are your thoughts on this?’

  ‘Our response to this threat is limited. The people who are on the island have poor resources and although they can contact us, we have no means of reassuring them. Until we can get the refitted weapons to the island and test them we are definitely on the back foot.’

  ‘What is the possibility that we can identify the location of the field generator and destroy it from a distance?’

  ‘Almost impossible. We have been tracking our people because they have been moving across flat ground relatively slowly. We also knew where they were. If another group head off from somewhere we’re not watching we’ll never find them. It’ll be like Osama Bin Laden all over again.’

  The two men looked at each other

  ‘I think we’re up against it.’ Jack Henry paused for a moment.

  ‘Unless we can identify who, what or where this Zeus is and get to them first, our status as a Super Power will be going out the window.’

  ‘Unless we destroy the island,’ said the President slowly.

  ‘How?’

  ‘If this ceramic strategy works we could coat a batch of nukes and systematically destroy the island.’

  ‘John, we don’t know how many people live on that island, and the environmental impact could be irreversible. Besides, to retrofit a nuclear weapon and get it onto a launch platform will take weeks.’

  ‘Jack,’ The President looked levelly at his National Security Advisor, ‘there are over three hundred million people in the United States who look to me to keep them safe. I will sacrifice a small island to keep their way of life and liberty alive.’

  ‘Yes Mr President.’ Normally the National Security Advisors formal use of John
Sheen’s title in a private session would have caused the President to pause. There was no hint of it this time.

  ‘Alert the Joint Chiefs, I want this setting up as soon as possible with options available.’

  Jack Henry looked at the Commander in Chief.

  ‘Yes Mr President.’ He left the Oval Office.

  John Sheen looked out over the lawn, his eyes not seeing anything as he considered his choices. How would he be thought of in the future; as a determined world leader who saved mankind, or a tyrant who destroyed an ages old civilisation?

  *

  Chapter Nine - Atlantis

  Atlantis 23rd May

  As they approached the City of Atlantis the road became more crowded. They passed through an increasing number of settlements that increased in size the closer they got to the capital. At first the settlements were simple farms, taking advantage of the fertile soil and the sophisticated irrigation system. Gradually they morphed into small hamlets supporting a number of farms with social and specialised trades. Eventually they became villages housing those people who preferred the quiet of the countryside to the bustle of the city.

  In addition to the normal late afternoon migration of workers returning to the city, a number of countryside residents had heard rumours of the massing Minoans and had decided to seek the security of the walled city.

  Atlantis was built on the sides and crown of a low hill in the middle of the plain. Heavy fortifications surrounded the city, concealing all but the tallest buildings from their sight. The wall passed into the distance in both directions.

  What they could see of the city were the massive walls, each slightly higher than the one before it, all sheathed in gleaming metals. The second wall was covered in what appeared to be silver. The inner most had the same strange glowing attributes of the Orichalcum weapons carried by Saraph and his men.

  However, as the sun was lowering towards the distant horizon the distortion of the atmosphere and the Brass on the outermost wall of the city was giving the illusion that the city was burning.

  Saraph and the two other Atlantians breathed easier as they came closer to their home. Danny, Fitz and Warnett looked in wonder at the construction.

  Considering the age in which Atlantis had been built the engineering involved rivalled and possibly surpassed many of the most modern constructions around the world. They gazed open mouthed in wonder.

 

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