Scaevola's Triumph (Gaius Claudius Scaevola trilogy Book 3)

by Ian Miller

  It would not open. He released the catch again, and tried again. Nothing! What a disaster! He was not even going to be able to get started on his tests, because he was stuck in this . . .

  He looked around. Nothing. He looked over the back of the seat, and saw a small piece of . . . what? It did not matter. It was wedged into the floor behind the seat, and it almost looked as if it were there to stop the seat sliding backwards, although when he pulled it out and pushed, the seat seemed firm enough.

  He pushed down the release catch, then wedged in the object. The catch was held down. Now, with both hands free, he pushed with all his might against the lid. It refused to move. He yelled at the top of his voice. Nobody came. He pushed and pushed, and yelled again. Nothing happened. He slumped back in despair. The air was starting to get thick. If he did not find a lever soon, he would die for lack of air!

  He started pressing buttons. Suddenly the capsule shot forward, he was flung back into his seat by the acceleration, and from nowhere a safety harness wrapped around him. He tried to reach the controls, but somehow the seat had slid backwards. There, ahead was the entrance to the tube in a small bank upon which stood a huge building. Faster and faster the capsule went, then suddenly it leaped off the line, heading straight at the bank, and at the same time, the lid finally opened.

  They were flying towards the edge of the building at such a speed. He was going to die! Right there, in an out of control transport capsule! Then suddenly they hit something, the capsule veered, and there was a tremendous bang as the corner of the building tore off the lid. The capsule was now spinning through the air at a rate that Gaius knew would make him sick on some trajectory that . . .

  There was another bang, and Gaius felt water across his face. He opened his eyes to see them bouncing across some sort of lake. The capsule almost made it to the other side, but not quite. It then began sinking.

  It was then that Gaius suddenly realized he had no idea how to release the emergency harness, particularly since the seat was not in its correct position. It was designed to automatically hold the occupant into the seat for protection when the capsule lost control, and the instructions for how to deal with this, and other disasters, were apparently written on the inside of the capsule lid. Now the capsule was gradually sinking, and the lid was somewhere back there.

  He yelled for help at the top of his voice. And again. And again. Nothing.

  Water was now surging into the capsule. He pulled with everything he had. Nothing moved, except the water was now up to his neck. He yelled again. The water was now up to his chin. Somehow he had avoided dying in a collision with the building, only to drown here! He yelled once more. Then he felt a slight bump.

  The capsule had grounded, the water just below the level of his lips if he stretched upwards. It was then he noticed how cold the water was. Charming! Instead of drowning, he would freeze to death.

  It was then that he discovered that the harness was not holding him quite so tightly, and somehow he could feel metal through the seat. Yes, for some reason, the padding in the seat was shrinking. In principle he could wriggle free.

  He began wriggling. It was no use. The harness was looser, but he could never get the rest of his body through the shoulder harness. He was trapped.

  No! Perhaps not. If he couldn't get his body through the top of the harness, perhaps he could get his head through the other way. He took a deep breath, then slid down into the water. He found he could hold the harness up, and he could get his head through and . . . Not quite! He was stuck. His lungs felt as if they were bursting. He had to go back up.

  He just managed to wriggle up again, and get his head above the water line. Deep breathing; that was what was required. The attempt had been so close, but so far from success. But there was no choice. He had to try again, this time wriggling his body down as far as he could, so he could get his head deeper.

  He breathed deeply once . . . twice . . . and on the third he slipped down. He wriggled his hips down, pulling on the seat, cancelling all his previous efforts, then he pushed up on the harness and desperately tried to get his head through. Almost . . . almost . . . the harness was pushing against the wretched headpiece. If he got that off . . . but no, he could not. Pulling wires out of his brain did not seem like a good idea. He pushed again, his lungs almost bursting, his mind becoming almost giddy, then . . . somehow the harness slipped over the top of the headpiece. He wriggled and wriggled and forced himself up.

  The air was so good! So sweet! Now, by not being held back into the seat, he could get his shoulders above the water line. Then he screamed. The capsule jolted, and began sinking further.

  He began more furious wriggling. He could feel his body working its way upwards, but the water was rising faster. As the water hit his jaw he took another deep breath and as he felt the water go over his head, he bent downward so that his hands could get more leverage on the webbing. It was working. His thighs were coming free. He carefully made sure his legs were free, then he kicked out with his feet and shot upwards. Again the fresh sweet air. He looked towards the shore and began swimming.

  He made it, then dragged himself through the mud and onto the dry ground. He stood, and suddenly realized how cold he was. His body was shivering terribly. He sprawled out onto what was the local form of grass, and let the warm sun shine onto his back.

  He had forgotten how pleasant simple things could be. Just being alive! Being warm, smelling the plants, and yes, there was quite a pleasant herbal smell. Then something like a butterfly flew past. It had brilliant colours over the largest wings Gaius had ever seen on an insect, and it was as much gliding effortlessly as flying.

  He lay there for almost half an hour, gradually drying out and getting warmer, then suddenly he remembered that he was supposed to be at some facility. He had to make contact, and let the Ulsians know what had happened. He got back to his feet and looked around. There was no sign of any building, but there was a small hillock over there. Thanks to the spinning capsule, he had no idea which direction he had come from. Perhaps the one redeeming feature of this headpiece was that any Ulsian who saw him should recognize where he came from, and help him get back. He must find out which direction to go, and he would get an improved view from the top of the hill.

  It was an easy climb, and he was rewarded to find that at the bottom of the hill on the other side were two buildings. With no better option, he quickly walked down to see if he could get help. They were rather strange buildings. The first one had a number of windows well above his head level, but it seemed to have no way of getting in or out. The second had a door with an obvious handle, a sign with writing on it, but no windows. To make matters worse, the sign was written in a language Gaius had never seen before. It most certainly was not standard Ulsian.

  Gaius walked around both buildings, but there was nothing else that could be seen. He called out at the top of his voice. There was no reply. He called again. Still no response. He had two choices: he could try walking, but with no idea in which direction to take, or he could try the door. He would try the door. There might be a communicator inside.

  To his surprise, the door opened. He peered in, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. To his immediate right was something that looked vaguely like a knife on the end of a pole. It was leaning against the wall, and behind it, a waist-high bench ran along the wall to disappear behind a large collection of drums piled up against the far wall. There was nothing along the wall on his left, and there was another door on the remaining wall. Apart from that, the room was empty. He began walking towards the far door, then, suddenly, there was a shrieking noise from the direction of the drums, and something reminiscent of a giant snake was slithering across the floor in his direction. It had no limbs, it slithered like a snake, but while it was only about three metres long, it was as round as a small tree trunk. Its head had a row of massive teeth, but those he could see were more like incisors than fangs. But this did not matter. Whatever it was, it was angry and it
was after him. He tried to run towards the door he had come in, and almost made it when he felt the teeth bury themselves into his leg.

  He screamed with pain, and as he fell forward, he found he could just reach the pole. He took it, and swung it around, slashing into the side of the "snake". The snake let go of his leg, made a horrific shriek, and lunged towards Gaius' head. Gaius pulled back, and swung. There was a further shriek as the knife struck the snake's head. Gaius swung again, and saw to his horror, a second snake, slithering furiously towards the door.

  Gaius' leg was now feeling numb, as the now furious snake made a further shriek, and a lunge. This time, Gaius was ready, and as it lunged forward, Gaius thrust the knife into its mouth, and as it went in, he thrust with everything he had, then he leaned back and pulled, levering the sharp edge upward, slashing the snake's gastric lining. There was more shrieking, and blood began oozing out. The snake seemed to be losing control, so Gaius pulled the pole back, until the knife emerged. As the snake slumped, Gaius gave a furious swing, burying the knife into the back of the snake's neck. The snake collapsed, dead.

  "And exactly what do you think you're doing?" An Ulsian stood there.

  "The thing attacked me," Gaius muttered.

  "Of course it attacked you. It's a killer! That's why the door's shut, stupid! Or at least it was until you opened it. Can't you read?"

  "Not that language," Gaius muttered.

  "You've killed this one! I don't suppose you know how rare this animal is?"

  "So? It was trying to kill me!"

  "That's what they tend to do, stupid!" the Ulsian snorted, then noticed that Gaius was trying to bandage his leg. "Here, let me do that," the Ulsian grouched. He made Gaius lie down, then he threw a blanket over him. Gaius could never describe how he felt in the next few moments; it was almost as if he did not really exist, but when the blanket was pulled from him, his leg was healed. "There," the Ulsian grouched. "That's more than you deserve for not reading that sign."

  "Thank you," Gaius replied, as he stretched his leg. He looked at the Ulsian, and said, "If it's that important to keep out, why not lock the door?"

  "An Ulsian would never ignore a sign just because he couldn't read it."

  "I had no choice," Gaius muttered, barely restraining himself.

  "That's because you couldn't read the sign, stupid!"

  "If you want the sign read," Gaius spat, "try writing it in the local language."

  "I wouldn't have to, if there weren't stupid people like you!"

  "Then," Gaius asked, more in frustration than anything else, "why put up a sign in a language that nobody who's likely to arrive can read? It's a waste of a sign."

  "Ulsians aren't allowed here," came the superior retort, "so if nobody is ever going to read the sign, it hardly matters what language it's in, stupid."

  "Then why bother with a sign?"

  "To keep people like you out, stupid!"

  "Well, that's very thoughtful of you. Now, if you've got nothing more constructive to say," Gaius said coldly, "keep quiet."

  "Or you'll be more stupid still. Stupid! Stupid little Terran!"

  Gaius leaned forward, and grasped the Ulsian by the neck. "Shut up!"

  "That's right, stupid! Waste time!"

  "What d'you mean?"

  "You're wasting time! The other snake's a killer too, you know," the Ulsian gurgled.

  "So?"

  "Your precious Vipsania's on the other side of that hill. You killed its partner, so it'll kill yours. You're wasting time!"

  "What!" Gaius cried. It was not a question. He knew what the Ulsian meant.

  He threw the Ulsian to one side, grabbed his pole firmly, then ran out the door and towards the hilltop. He began panting, his legs began to feel like lead, and the newly healed leg began to give shooting pains. He suddenly realized all the sitting around had made him unfit, and the stronger Ulsian gravity was not helping at all.

  But he could not stop. Somehow he reached the top, and with lungs pumping furiously, he looked down. There, at a table, apparently eating some sort of picnic, was Vipsania. Slithering directly towards her was the snake.

  "Look out!" he yelled, and ran with all the energy he could muster.

  At the last minute, Vipsania looked up, saw the snake, and screamed. The snake leaped, and sunk its teeth into Vipsania's neck.

  Gaius ran for all he was worth. Vipsania was struggling, but her struggles were ebbing. He swung with everything he had, and hit the snake. It screamed, let go of Vipsania, and slithered slowly away, badly wounded.

  Gaius looked at Vipsania, slumped backwards, her throat torn open. "No!" he yelled. He cradled her in his arms, and as she tried to say something he leaned forward. He thought he heard her say she loved him, then her body turned limp.

  "I love you too, Vipsy," he wailed, and tears began running down the side of his face. He rocked the limp body slowly from side to side, side to side . . .

  He heard a noise, looked over, and saw the snake slithering away. In a blind rage, he grabbed his pole, strode towards it, and swung. Down he struck, again, again, and kept slashing until the body was a bloody pulp.

  He stood there shaking, then he threw the pole away, and returned to the body of his wife.

  "I'm sorry I brought you here," he said as he shook his head. "You . . . you . . ."

  He looked up. In the distance was some sort of flying machine, heading his way. He cradled Vipsania's head, rocking it slightly from side to side as he watched the machine grow steadily bigger. It slowed, nearly hovered, then landed. Six "Tin Men" strode out. One looked at Gaius, and said, in the same flat tone as his own Tin Man, "You seem to have been misplaced. You must return with me at once."

  "I have to look after Vipsania . . ."

  "They will do more than you can," the Tin Man replied. "My orders are specific. Please do not make me use force."

  Gaius looked at the Tin Man, then nodded agreement. Since the Tin Man was so much stronger than he was, resisting was truly futile. He kissed Vipsania for the last time, and walked dazedly to the craft.

  He took very little notice of the return journey, and, if asked when he returned to the room what terrain he had flown over, he could not have offered even a suggestion. He sat in the offered chair and slumped back.

  "You missed your appointment," a Tin Man said.

  Gaius stared bleakly at him, and said, "Bugger the tests!" He slumped back in his chair.

  "We're trying to prevent your doing that," Kuldek said, as he came in through a door. "Fortunately, that was an excellent test!"

  "That was a what?" Gaius roared.

  "An excellent test. All that was, of course, supposed to happen."

  "You mean," Gaius roared in anger as he got up, "Vipsy dying was part of a test?" He strode towards Kuldek, who held a strange wand-like device. The wand was pointed towards him, and suddenly he found he could hardly breathe. It was as if a huge windstorm was pushing him backwards. As his legs hit the chair, he fell back and immediately the strange windstorm ceased.

  "Yes, and no," Kuldek beamed, as he held up his hand to indicate Gaius should remain where he was. "What you thought was Vipsania dying was part of the test. But that was not Vipsania. That was an illusion. Rather good, don't you think?"

  Gaius stared at him in disbelief. Then the door opened, and there, rather tousled looking, was Vipsania.

  "Vipsy!" Gaius ran towards her, kissed her, felt her skin, and said, "It's you! I thought you were dead!"

  "I thought you were trapped in a crashed machine!" Vipsania replied, hugging him in return. "I was sure you had drowned."

  "I nearly did," Gaius admitted, "but I got out." Gaius turned towards Kuldek and asked, "How could you make something so like Vipsania?"

  "In one sense, very easily," Kuldek replied with a clear tone of superiority. "Of course making illusions is a specialty of Ulse. The killer snakes you saw were also illusions."

  "Was anything real?" Gaius asked curiously.

  "You d
id travel in a capsule," Kuldek said, "but it didn't spin. We thought there might be a problem there. We had to hope you wouldn't notice the lack of appropriate force on your body."

  Gaius stared at Kuldek and said, with a straight face, "I assumed the capsule had whatever your space ships have, the inertial lock, or whatever you call it."

  "Did you?" Kuldek said, with concern in his voice. "Tell me the absolute truth," he said emphatically. "This is important for the design of your equipment. Did you really think that at the time?"

  "No," Gaius admitted, slightly abashed. "Things were happening so fast I didn't have time to analyze them."

  "Got you!" the Ulsian said with a tone of superiority.

  "By extortion," Gaius countered, "and not by reason."

  "That's a matter of opinion," Kuldek almost crowed. "As for the rest, the major features were real, the snakes, not. What do you think of it?"

  "I've got to admit," Gaius replied, "that snake was extraordinarily realistic."

  "It was based on a real Ulsian animal," Kuldek said, "but while these tests have to have some level of danger to be realistic, we try not to actually kill off our subjects. We would not have let you drown."

  "That," Gaius remarked with more than a touch of sarcasm, "is touching."

  "It is, isn't it," Kuldek beamed. "Now, you two've got a lot to talk about, so I'll leave you together," the Ulsian said with his version of a smile. "Through that door there is privacy, your favourite foods as well as we can replicate them, beds, and music. You can do anything you like, except to try to remove the headpieces. Enjoy yourself, and sleep well. Tomorrow you have more tests."

  "Lucilla? How's she?" Gaius asked.

  "Quite safe! She has a different scenario that is still underway. So, now you two have finished, you may compare notes." He nodded, and turned away.