Gates of Neptune

by Gilbert L. Morris

  Valar assisted them in adjusting their suits and explained how the compressed air worked. If one chamber failed, there were four others, and they had plenty of air for more than eight hours outside the city itself.

  “Besides,” he said, “you won't feel the pressure of the water because the oxygen inside pumps up your suit. You won't even know you're deep down under the ocean.” He explained again the use of the radios. “All right, we're ready to try it. Now this is what makes all the difference.” He reached into the equipment box and pulled out a pair of flippers. “You've all seen these, I suppose?”

  “Yes, I have,” Dave said. “I went snorkeling once off the coast of Belize, in the reefs. That's what we used, all right.”

  “I don't know about Belize, but you can certainly use them in Atlantis.” Valar looked at Wash, picked up a pair of the smaller flippers, and said, “Put these on, young fellow, and I'll show you how simple it is. Suppose we let you go first while the others watch.”

  Valar—Josh was sure—had picked the weakest member of the team, knowing that if he could teach Wash, then they all could learn.

  Wash slipped on the huge black fins and looked down at them. “I look like a frog.”

  Valar laughed. “Well, you'll be about as awkward as a frog on dry land. These things are hard to walk with. Come on, and I'll give you a lesson.” He reached down and assisted Wash to his feet, and Wash stumbled across the room towards the water in the exchange tank.

  “Now,” Valar said, as Wash stood up to his waist in water, “I'll come with you, and the rest of you can watch through the ports. You see, Wash,” he said, “you don't even use your arms to swim. All you do is kick your feet, and you'll be surprised how you go right along, just like a fish. Don't be afraid.”

  Wash did look afraid, but there was determination in his bright eyes too. “I'll try. If I get drowned,” he said with a faint grin, “I don't guess I can drown but once.”

  Valar laughed again. “You won't drown. Just kick your feet. To turn right, kick your left foot. To turn left, kick your right foot. Come along, now.” He fastened their helmets, led the small black boy farther into the tank, and they both ducked under.

  As Josh looked through the window, he saw at once that Valar was staying right beside Wash.

  “Look,” Reb yelled out. “He's got it already! He's swimming like a fish!”

  And sure enough, Wash was. For the next fifteen minutes, Valar led him through various maneuvers. Once he brought him up to the porthole, so that Wash could look inside and see his friends smiling out at him. He grinned broadly and motioned for them to come on out and join him.

  Soon Valar had led them all out of the air tank, and they were swimming along smoothly underwater. Sarah said later that she knew fear for a moment as the green water closed about her, but in five minutes she found that it was the most delightful experience of her life. She had no trouble at all breathing, and the water was so clear she could see for many feet. As for movement, it was the easiest thing she had ever done. She clamped her hands to her side as Valar taught her, kicked her feet, and went along as smoothly as any fish.

  For the next hour, they trained themselves on how to make turns, how to go up, and how to go down. Finally, Valar said, “All right, that's enough for one session. We'll go out again later.”

  When they were inside, Reb said, “Shoot, that was more fun than riding a bronco. I wish I'd of knowed all this time I was a good swimmer. I'd of had more fun at it.”

  Valar smiled. “You'll be a little sore after a while. You're using some muscles you don't ordinarily use, but you'll grow strong quickly.”

  This proved to be the case. They were all sore the next morning, but by the time they had trained four days, they had worked the soreness out, and all had become adept at the rudiments of swimming.

  Valar was pleased and said so. “You've done very well. Now we get down to more serious matters.”

  He led them to a room that was lined with lockers. In each was one of the strange-looking spear guns that Josh had seen the mariner guards carry.

  “This is what you'll use as your primary weapon,” Valar said. He pulled down one gun and a quiver of arrows. Basically, the gun looked much like a rifle, except that it was made of some very lightweight metal.

  “Really, it's very simple. You put your spear in like this—” Valar demonstrated carefully, sliding a spear with a three-foot shaft into the chamber made for it “—then you put your weapon off safety.” He raised the spear gun and aimed it at a wooden, rounded figure down the hall. “Then you pull the trigger.”

  Zing. There was a hiss of air, and when Josh looked, he saw the spear quivering in the wood figure.

  “If that had been an enemy, he'd be dead,” Valar said in an offhand fashion. “We'll practice in here, loading and unloading. That really is the hardest part. Actually, all you do is point your spear gun at the enemy and pull the trigger.”

  For the next two days, they trained as hard as they could, learning the use of the spear guns. Josh discovered that there were different types of spears and that the best mariners carried some of each. There was the armor-piercing spear, which had a tough tip on it, very sharp and keen enough to pierce the hide of a hammerhead shark. There was another that had a strange-looking lump at the tip.

  “That's compressed air in there,” Valar informed them. “The spear passes through the fish, usually a big one, and instantly the compressed air explodes, forcing the end of the spear out into jagged shreds that'll cause concussion and instant death.”

  Jake picked up one of the compressed-air spears and looked at it carefully. “I wouldn't want a thing like that stuck in me,” he said.

  Valar smiled. “No, but sometimes we have to protect ourselves and our country by using such weapons.”

  That night the Sleepers had supper with the king and the queen and Princess Jere. The elders were not there— only Valar.

  “And how are our young friends doing, Valar?” King Cosmos asked.

  “Oh, very well, Your Majesty. They've taken to swimming like native Atlantians.”

  “I'm so glad to hear that.” Queen Mab had a sweet smile, but there was a sadness about her that was never quite gone. “But I hate to think about them being subjected to war—so awful.”

  Cosmos leaned over and patted her hand. “I know, but it must be done, my dear.”

  Valar said suddenly, “Tomorrow, you'll have a rather unusual day.”

  Sarah asked at once, “What is it, Valar? Tell us.”

  Valar shook his head and smiled mysteriously. “You'll find out soon enough.”

  The next day, they did find out soon enough, for Valar took them to a different air lock. “This lock,” he explained, “is where we keep your mounts.”

  “Mounts? What kind of mounts?” Reb asked with keen interest. “More porpoises?”

  “No—” Valar smiled strangely “—a little bit more active than that.” He took them over to a chamber and pointed to a porthole. “They're out there in what you might call a corral, I guess, Reb, from what you've told me.”

  Josh and the other Sleepers crowded to look through the glass, and when they did, Sarah gasped. “But… but Valar … those are sharks!”

  “Yes, they are much like a tiger shark.” Valar looked at Josh. “Perhaps you'd like to be the first—show the others how it's done?”

  Josh could not think of anything he would rather not do than get in the water close to one of those fierce-looking animals with the cruel teeth. But stubbornly he said, “I'll do it. Just show me how.”

  Valar slapped him on the shoulder. “You're a good mariner, Josh. And it isn't as bad as it looks. These sharks have been specially bred. They will never attack, except as you direct them. They certainly would never attack their own riders. As a matter of fact, we grow quite close to our mounts, much as you grow close to your horses, I suppose, or did back in the old world.”

  Josh looked again at the shark, wanted to refuse, but there wa
s no way. “Well, we might as well get it over with.”

  They left the others to watch, and Valar led Josh down to the tank. There they fastened their helmets and entered the underwater corral.

  Valar approached one of the huge animals, more than fifteen feet long and sleek as a torpedo. He swam up to the shark, stroked him under the chin, then led him over to a rack where a kind of saddle was hanging. Valar saddled the shark and then motioned for Josh to get on.

  Josh did not hesitate, for he knew he'd be lost if he did. Gingerly, he approached the beast, gave himself a push so that he got over the side, and then slipped into the saddle. He found there were pegs inside that he could lock his knees around so that it held him firmly, and there was a sort of bridle. He sat there fearfully, afraid to do anything, while Valar saddled another shark and then came up beside him.

  “We'll ride around a little bit, just like riding a horse. Pull right, left, up, or down. Eventually you can just guide them with your knees, when you're familiar enough with your mount.”

  Josh felt the huge beast quiver beneath him and thought of its great muscles. He thought also of those long teeth, but he nodded, saying, “I'm ready.”

  “Come along, then.”

  * * *

  Through the porthole the other Sleepers watched Valar show Josh the basics of sharkmanship.

  “Yikes,” Dave said, “I don't care what he says. If one of those animals had a mind to, he could turn around and bite your head off.”

  Reb said, “Aw, shoot. That's the same way with a horse. You think about it, now. A horse weighs fifteen hundred pounds, and you weigh a hundred and twenty. All he's got to do is turn around and kick you, and it's all over—but most of them never do.”

  Dave grinned weakly. “It's that most of them I don't like, Reb. They just take one bite, and the show is over.”

  But that did not happen, and for the next three days the Sleepers worked hard at learning to manage their sharks. They found that there was an art to it but soon learned how

  On the fourth day, Valar said, “Today we're all going fish hunting. I've assigned a man to take each one of you on a hunting trip.” He reached out and put his hand on Sarah's shoulder. “I'll take Sarah myself, and the rest of you will have expert mariners to guide you.”

  Sarah felt Josh's eyes on her but said nothing.

  They left almost at once, all heading in different directions, and it was a delightful trip for Sarah. She had been using the spear gun for some time, but the first time a big fish swam by and Valar said, “See if you can hit him, Sarah,” she got excited and did not even aim. Unfortunately, she missed the fish by a good five feet and was humiliated.

  “That's all right, you'll be fine. You just have to learn to be a little steadier.”

  Sarah did learn, and before an hour had passed she had shot a beautifully shaped red fish.

  Valar said, “These are the best fish, I think, in Atlantis. We'll have him for supper tonight.”

  Sarah was proud of herself.

  For the next hour they hunted but did not take anything more.

  It was when they turned to go that it happened. Sarah was slightly behind Valar, who was looking off in another direction. Suddenly, a hideous face appeared in a crevice in a bank of coral, and at once Sarah knew what it was. She had seen this creature in nature films.

  A moray eel! her brain cried out, and even as she thought it, the huge eel came exploding out of his hiding place, headed straight for the unprotected Valar.

  Without thinking, Sarah raised her spear gun and pulled the trigger. The spear caught the moray eel in the middle of his body. At once, he began to writhe and sank to the bottom.

  Valar whirled, saw what had happened, and came back at once. “Good girl!” he exclaimed. “Those things can be nasty.”

  He said nothing else on the way back. But later that evening, when she was walking along a corridor, looking out the portholes, which she loved to do, he came up to her. “You know, in my country, in Atlantis, when someone saves a life, that life belongs to him.”

  Sarah felt a thrill run through her, but she said, “I wouldn't know what to do with someone else's life, Valar.” She laughed slightly. “I have trouble with my own.”

  Valar shook his head. “We have a ceremony when someone saves our life.” He embarrassed her by kissing her cheek, and then he bowed deeply, saying, “My life is yours.”

  Sarah flushed. Such a thing had never happened to her before.

  What Sarah did not see was that Josh, coming around the turn in the corridor, had seen the last of this episode. Neither did she see the anger on his face as he turned and walked away in the other direction.

  * * *

  Later that night Sarah encountered Josh. She was still thrilled about what had happened and very happy.

  But suddenly he turned and said, “Sarah, you've been so busy with Valar you haven't seen what's going on.”

  She stared at him angrily. “What do you mean, ‘what's going on?”

  “I mean the whole country's falling to pieces. They're ready to give up. The people that are left here are hopeless, and the Council doesn't know how to hold them together. And you're so busy romancing that Valar fellow, you can't see it.”

  Without another word, Josh stormed off.

  That hurt Sarah, for she was fond of Josh, more than any of the other Sleepers. She thought back to the time in the old world when they had become friends, and all the adventures that they had had, and how he'd stood beside her. “I'll have to make it up to him,” she said, “but I don't know how.”

  Later, after supper, Sarah walked along the parapet. She loved to roam the corridors and look out at the sea-green water and the strange animals that cruised by, including whales from time to time. Once she even saw a giant squid. She was still troubled by the encounter with Josh and tried to rationalize it to herself.

  She rounded a corner but stopped abruptly when she saw a man standing halfway down the hall. He did not seem to be an Atlantian, and then shock ran through her as she recognized who it really was.

  “Goel!” Sarah ran forward and took his hand. He wore his familiar gray cloak. His kind, gray eyes looked down on her, and yet there was a sternness in them.

  “Oh, Goel, I'm so glad to see you,” she said. “You don't know what's been happening.” Then she laughed in confusion. “I don't mean that—of course, you know what's going on.”

  “Come and walk with me,” Goel said. “I have things to say to you.”

  Afterward, Sarah would never tell anyone all that Goel said on that walk, but the part she remembered best was the last few minutes. He had walked slowly and had told her many things, and her heart felt encouragement and warmth. She wanted to ask him many questions, but finally she settled for one. “Goel, will Atlantis be saved?”

  Goel stopped unexpectedly and put his hand on her shoulder. “Yes—if you will help.”

  Sarah shook her head. “I'm only a girl, not a warrior.”

  Goel said with a smile, “Don't you know, Sarah, my child? I choose the feeble to overthrow the powerful.”

  But at that moment Sarah thought of her infatuation with Valar. She whispered, “And Goel, I've been very foolish too.”

  The smile of Goel was gentle. “All men and all women are foolish at times. The question is, my child, can you receive wisdom?”

  “I will try,” she whispered.

  And then she stood silent while he told her his plan. Finally, he turned and walked away, and she was alone. One cry came from her lips—”But Goel, I can't do it!”

  Still, she knew she had no choice but to obey.

  7

  The Quest

  Sarah knew that if she hesitated, thought over what it was that Goel had asked of her, she would never be able to do it. Gritting her teeth, she walked down the hall and knocked on the door where the boys were, then alerted Abbey. When they all came outside, she said, “I've got to talk to you.”

  Jake asked at once, “What's wro
ng, Sarah? You're scared, aren't you?”

  Sarah could do no more than nod. She said, “Let's go into our room where we won't be interrupted.”

  As she led them down the hall, she tried to think how to start, but when they were all crowded into the room that she and Abbey shared, staring at her, she knew that there would be no easy way.

  She said, “Do you remember once before when you were all asleep and Goel came to me in a dream—or maybe it wasn't a dream—but anyway, he came?”

  Abbey said, “I remember that.” Cautiously, she watched Sarah, then finally asked, “What is it? Are you trying to tell us that you've seen Goel again?”

  “Yes.” Sarah looked at Josh and burst out suddenly, “I wish he hadn't come to me. I wish he'd gone to any one of you besides me!”

  Josh, for the moment, seemed to have forgotten his irritation with Sarah and said quickly, “Don't be upset, Sarah. Goel speaks to whoever he wants to.” He cocked his head to one side and said, “He must have had quite a message to cause you to be as upset as you are.”

  “I guess you'll all think I'm crazy. It sounds wild even to me, and I don't even know how I can tell you.”

  Dave stepped up close and patted her shoulder. “You can tell us. After all, we're the Seven Sleepers, aren't we? We're all in this together.”

  Sarah smiled at him faintly. She needed approval, and Dave's words sounded good. “All right,” she said. She hesitated and said plainly, “Goel commands that the seven of us leave Atlantis and that we go to the Citadel of Neptune.”

  If she had told them that Goel had commanded them to go to the moon, they could not have looked much more shocked.

  For one brief moment, Josh just looked at her. “Well, that's fine! We just learned to swim, I'm not even sure I can stay on that blasted shark, and here we've got to go no telling how far, to a place we've never even seen—”

  “Don't be like that, Josh,” Jake said quickly. He was a small pugnacious boy. Sarah knew he was always ready for an argument, or even a fight, though he rarely won the fights. He set his jaw now and said, “After all, I mean, we don't have any choice, do we? Always before, Goel has brought us through. Why should this be any different?”