by S. T. Boston
Adam swallowed hard and nodded his head, “I understand, I know you will do your best.”
“Now's where you and Oriyanna come in,” he continued. “Whilst I am working on Enola you will have forty minutes to find, secure and recover Sam. Arkus 2 is a vast ship, but from the server room I will be able to access her life support systems, this will show us just where the crew are, it will also allow me to track them. Now that craft can carry in the region of two thousand crew. From what we know there are only a handful of Earth-Breed on board, just the ones who were advantageous to the plan, the ones he needed. I'm hoping we will be able to identify the part of the ship that Sam is being held in, negating the need for a room-to-room search, which, let's face it, we won't have the time to do. Once you have Sam you need to get back to the hub. If I get a copy of Enola before you two are back and I can return to the ship, I will. You have the other return window if you need it. I hope we can all get in and out together and the first half hour will be enough.”
Adam let out a long breath through clenched teeth, there was a strange acceptance about the situation he was about to enter, and it made him wonder if it were akin to the one a soldier feels when he's about to go into a battle that has a high probability of failure and possibly death. “He who dares wins, huh,” he said nervously.
“We are going to take a mixture of Earth and Arkkadian weaponry with us,” Oriyanna cut in. “Adam, you will take the two Glocks, and I'll use our own tech. One of the weapons is for Sam, when we find and recover him. Taulass will also be left with one of our weapons, but we hope that he can stay out of the fight, he is too valuable to risk in any conflict. Above all else he needs to copy that program and get back to the ship,” her face was deadly serious. “You need to be prepared for the fact that we might not be coming back. None of our lives are greater than the job that we need to do.”
“I know,” Adam answered in a low voice. “I can do what needs to be done, don't worry.”
“I never doubted you for a second,” she concluded with a smile. “This is where you come into it, Lucie,” she continued. “If the worst happens, if none of us make it back and Enola is successful then you have a job to do.”
Lucie fixed her attention on Oriyanna, “I'm listening,” she said in a voice laced with fear.
“The Niribus has an auto return program, it's designed to kick in if the ship gets in to difficulties or the crew are incapacitated. Basically it will take the ship directly back to Arkkadia. If we don't come back, and those nuclear weapons launch then you are to manually activate the return program.”
“On my own,” she said, her eyes wide.
“You will be taken to Arkkadia, we will make sure that we encode a message into the ship's systems explaining what has happened here on Earth, and you will be given asylum there by the council.”
“No offence, but that's not really much of a plan B,” she said.
“You have more than yourself to think about now,” Oriyanna said, seriously. “If the worst happens you will die here on Earth, and your child will never even be born.”
Lucie nodded in understanding, if not a little shocked at the directness of Oriyanna's statement. “I know,” she said solemnly. “But I don't like it.”
“Promise me,” Adam cut in. “You promise me that if we don't come back, you'll use the ship and go to Arkkadia, you can have a life there.” Adam saw tears welling up in her brown eyes, they built until they ran down her pale cheeks.
“I promise,” she said in a broken voice. “I'm scared, though.”
“We all are,” said Oriyanna sympathetically. In the rear view mirror Adam watched as she placed her hand on Lucie's shoulder. His sister instantly relaxed and he inwardly thanked her for pulling a little of her, hocus-pocus, as Sam called it.
The rest of the short journey was made in silence, it seemed even the two Arkkadians needed that little quiet time to take stock and prepare for what they were about to do.
All too soon, Adam found himself taking a left off the A303 and bringing his trusty old Mazda to a stop on an unmade road, next to a footpath sign that read 'LONG BARROW.'
'Where is the stone circle?” Oriyanna asked as he levered the driver's seat forward and let her out.
“It's a five minute walk down this track,” he said, pointing the way. “You can get closer on the main road, but if we stop on the verge and just hop over the fence we are going to draw attention to ourselves.” He realised that pretty soon what your average person would refer to as a UFO was about to swoop down over local countryside, so a few people climbing a fence would not be that big of a deal. “How close do you need to be?”
“The energy source is richest at the henge,” Taulass replied, shouldering the backpack and starting off down the path.
“Alright,” replied Adam. “It's not far.” The group crunched their way up the gravel road. Yesterday's rain had given way to a bright and chilly morning, wisps of ground mist floated lazily on the light breeze, partially obscuring the green grass of the field to their left. They cleared a small rise and as they did, the ancient circle of stones made its appearance.
“I'm amazed it's stood this long,” Oriyanna commented, stopping momentarily and placing her hands on her hips.
“It's time,” Taulass said, a little unease in his voice. He cut to the right, vaulting the fence that separated the path from the field containing the ancient monument. The others followed suit, falling into line behind him. “As soon as the craft arrives and we get on board I can cloak it, but I fear we may cause a bit of a stir to begin with.” He pointed toward the main road which, as Adam had mentioned, was now visible, a couple of hundred meters to the front of them on the other side of the stone circle. Taulass produced the return device from his pocket and pressed his thumb to its surface, the whole thing glowed green as it read his biometrics and finger print information. As the light on the device faded they all craned their heads toward the crystal clear blue sky and waited.
Chapter 35
“May I be the first person to welcome you to Peru, Mr. Becker,” Sam heard an overly confident voice claim as he opened his eyes. His head was hammering to a beat all of its own and he felt as if he'd been out of it for a week.
“Is that your natural eye colour?” Sam asked, as the first thing he noticed about the man stood before him were his strangely haunting amber eyes.
The stranger grinned, “Yes, it's a rare pigmentation that effects less than half a percent of my people. Magnificent, aren't they?”
“Bit freaky if you ask me,” Sam replied, realising that his hands were not bound, nor were his legs. His shoulder, where Namtar had cut him, hurt like a bitch, it was a stark reminder that he was back to normal again.
“I must say that it's an honour to finally meet the infamous Samuel Becker,” the guy said, his smile still taking over the whole of his face. “It's cost me a large number of men and resources to get you here. I had hoped to meet Adam as well, but you know what they say about best laid plans.”
Sam propped himself up on his elbows and shimmied himself into a seated position, then swung his legs over the edge of the bed that he was on. He took a moment to take in the room, it was around fifteen feet by ten. Everything seemed to have been moulded at the same time. The bed rose out of the black, onyx-like floor, as if it had been grown there. Near to the end of the bed was what looked to be a sofa, springing up the same way. There was also a desk-like fixture recessed back into the metallic wall. Just to the left of this was some kind of drinks or food dispenser, almost like a vending machine without the glass display cabinet. Sam didn't need to be told where he was, he knew this was Arkus 2. Just like the Arkkadian craft he'd travelled home in almost two and a half years ago now, it struck him just how much the room looked to be a product of human manufacture; on one hand everything was alien, yet at the same time strangely not. “Best laid plans are all very well,” Sam said, turning to look at the amber-eyed stranger, “until someone comes along and fucks them up for y
ou.”
“Indeed,” the stranger beamed. “But I wouldn't go getting any ideas, Sam. You're on your own here, and we are so close to completion that to think you can intervene in any way would be paramount to foolishness.” The guy perched himself on the end of the bed, and turned to look at Sam. There was a charismatic nature to the stranger that took Sam off guard. His overconfident and relaxed posture also unnerved him. “I thought you might like to know that not half an hour ago, China, the last of the world's nuclear powers came back online. Europe, American and Russia are all back, which means we are about ready, and just a few last minute tests before the final show. Although after we nuked Tokyo yesterday there is so much political tension that I'd bet a buck you Earth-Humans would push the button yourselves if left to it.”
“You did what!” Sam cried.
“I'm sorry, I forgot that for the best part of a day you have been indisposed.” He grinned and Sam felt an overwhelming urge to rip his head off. The amber-eyed stranger had not introduced himself but Sam knew only too well who he was dealing with here. “Our secretive friends in North Korea managed to get their systems up and running first, and we thought it only right to test our little program. It worked, and it worked very well. It's fair to say that Japan is in need of a new capital city.”
“You crazy fucking bastard,” Sam groaned, feeling sick.
“That's nothing compared to what is going to happen in the next hour,” he beamed.
Sam shook his head and said, “Your name has been used to depict the very image of evil for thousands of years,” Sam watched him smile, obviously pleased with his legacy. “But now that I have had the unpleasant fortune of meeting you, I can tell that you are no different than any Earth-Human tyrant our history has seen.” Sam saw the smile turn to a scowl. “You're just a narcissistic bullyboy with far more power than any one person should have.” Sam watched him rise to his feet. He hammered the back of his hand across Sam's face, knocking him back over the bed. Sam tasted blood, but didn't mind, he'd struck a cord and that pleased him.
“You're going to wish you were dead,” Sam Becker, Asmodeous growled. “When we are ready you are going to come to the bridge and have a front row seat for the biggest fireworks display in history. When you watch it you can think of your friend, Adam, out there, and also your wife, Lucie. There is not a corner of the globe that won't be effected by the radiation. Maybe they will die quickly, maybe they will die slowly. Whatever the outcome, I'd wager that Lucie will be dead long before she gives birth to your bastard child.” Sam did a double take and saw the hateful grin spread across Asmodeous' face once again. “I'm guessing from your reaction that you didn't know she is with child, Namtar told me, we have an uncanny way of picking up on such things, call it evolution if you like.”
Before Sam could jump from the bed and reach him, Asmodeous crossed the room and left, the door sliding closed behind him. Sam sunk onto the bed, buried his face into his hands and screamed.
Chapter 36
The Niribus arrived precisely four minutes after Taulass had activated the return device. From the cold, crystal clear blue morning sky, the bright silver craft had first appeared as no more than a spec, which glinted brightly in the sunlight. As the craft descended rapidly, the glinting Taribium hull was almost too bright to look at.
Eventually, having passed out of the direct sunlight it swooped silently down, across the A303, and over the ancient stone circle, before coming to a stop in a graceful hover just a few feet above the glistening, dew-covered grass, not ten feet from where Taulass stood.
The sudden appearance of the alien craft, which resembled a jumbo jet sized triangle, with a domed bulbous top, caused two cars, who were passing Stonehenge at the time, to veer across the road and collide head on. Adam had heard the sound of screaming brakes and grinding metal from across the field as the craft touched down. He felt bad for not being able to rush to the aid of the drivers and passengers. He just hoped that no one had been seriously hurt, and that it would be a case of a few bruised egos and the occupants of both vehicles being able to recount one hell of a story to their friends and family.
As the craft had settled above the grass, a crack appeared halfway along the otherwise seamless looking hull, and from this opening a gangway extended out, forming a gentle slope that led into the magnificent ship. The whole process was silent and automatic and happened in less than a minute. The craft was identical to the one that had carried Sam and Adam home, but the sight still caused Adam to catch his breath. He looked briefly at his sister who was standing up, mouth open, her brown eyes fixed in wonder at the sight before her.
Taulass wasted no time in shaking her into action as the gangway appeared, tugging her by the arm he said, “We need to get in and get this ship cloaked. We can't have a visible craft when the authorities arrive at that accident.” Taulass led Lucie into the craft, helping her along by her arm, the way a parent might guide a reluctant child into the dentist's surgery.
Once inside, and on the bridge, Oriyanna activated a large holo-display that projected itself out of a three foot square solid-looking cube in the middle of the floor, the cube glowed a cool neon blue beneath its white surface. The bright, and vivid holo-display projected a complex looking mixture of glyphs and graphics in stunning high definition 3D, they looked real enough to physically wrap ones hand around and carry away. Oriyanna navigated it with ease and within a few seconds the craft seemed to shiver slightly, a small vibration shuddering its way through the hull. “Cloak is active,” Oriyanna confirmed as Taulass began working on the other side of the display. Each side of the cube projected a separate screen, allowing four crew members to work on separate tasks simultaneously. To the front of the cube were a trio of chairs. Each chair rose smoothly out of the bridge's white floor, and each had its own small holo-display, which projected from a smaller computer held in the right armrest. The smaller computers sprung to life as the ship's main life support systems came online. Adam watched as Oriyanna closed down one screen and opened another, she ran her hand along what looked to be a projection of a sliding fader, this brought the lights in the bridge to full power, and despite them being bright it felt like natural sunlight on the eyes. Behind the terminal that Oriyanna was busy working on, two passageways led away from the bridge.
“Where do they lead?” asked Lucie, looking around in wonder.
“Sleeping quarters and what I guess you can class as a mess area.” Oriyanna replied. “There is also a small medical bay. If the worst happens you will find enough food for the seven day journey in the mess area.”
“Why are there no windows?” Lucie questioned, not sure what to look at next.
Oriyanna smiled, she swiftly swapped screens and punched a few holo-tabs, in a flash the blank looking wall that sat around ten feet from the three seats lit up and displayed a live image of the field to the front of the craft, it was so realistic that Lucie was sure she could feel the light breeze drifting in from outside. “It's a video projection,” Oriyanna said. “Glass and other similar substances can't handle the pressures and energy releases caused by travelling through large bends in space. We use these video projections instead of windows. Each of the ten living quarters has a smaller version, as does the mess area. It makes it feel a little less claustrophobic.”
“Can you call the hub?” Taulass asked, as he started to thumb through his sheets of paper.
“Affirmative,” Oriyanna replied. She looked at Lucie and said, “Can you stand back a little please?”
Lucie shifted her body as the floor beneath her feet began to glow a deep magenta. Stepping to the right she watched as a seven foot high arch rose out of the floor. It clicked itself into place, instantly looking as if it had been there all along.
As Taulass began working swiftly at his terminal, passing orders over to Oriyanna as he went, Adam rounded the centre seat and looked out across the field. A police car had arrived at the accident, the two drivers, as well as the two passengers from one of
the cars were excitedly pointing across the field toward their position. With the craft now cloaked, he wondered just how the copper was going to handle the drivers' outrageous story.
“We need to be quick,” Taulass commented, not taking his eyes or fast-moving hands away from the screen. “They will already know we are here.”
* * *
Over the last five hours, sped along by the recent attack at the hands of the North Koreans on Japan, the superpowers of the world had gradually, one by one, brought their nuclear launch systems back online. Not twenty minutes ago China had joined the club, and the set was now complete. From the moment they went live, Ben Hawker had inserted Enola into their systems, and now he sat waiting patiently as Enola began her first phase, reading and scanning the world's weather patterns and predictions. Once this phase had run its course she would literally lock out every country's ability to control its own system, retarget the weapons and set them free. From here on in Enola could run self-sufficiently, a little failsafe he'd engineered in, in case the worst happened.
Hawker looked behind him as Asmodeous strode onto the bridge, his face framing a scowl. “I'm going to enjoy watching Becker die, when the time is right,” he growled, pacing across to Hawker's station. “It's just a shame we didn't manage to secure the others.”
“With more time it might have been possible,” Namtar commented casually.
“One is better than none,” Asmodeous said, casting his eyes over Croaker's ruined face. “You both gave much to the cause. When this is over I, too, will mourn for the loss of your brother, Asag. He was a great friend to me for many years.”
“Have you thought about what you are going to do with Becker after?”
“As of yet, no. I think to just kill him will be too swift, and no punishment. There is no rush at all to deal with him, his life will be torturous enough by the end of the day, knowing that his family is dead.”
