by Derek Haines
‘So how long?’ Feb asked hoping for a simpler answer.
‘Twenty hours with full power sir.’
‘Good. And on our reduced power?’
‘Double sir.’
‘But aren’t sub-spacial particles more abundant around a sun?’ Snurd asked.
‘Um. Yes,’ Likklet replied and started to get what Snurd was saying. ‘Yes. A couple of close orbits would help refuel.’
‘So?’ Feb asked.
‘Well, if you can all suffer being uncomfortably hot for about five or six hours, we can have the ship fully powered quite quickly,’ Snikkle explained.
‘How hot?’ June asked.
‘Have you been in a sauna?’ Snikkle replied.
‘So we can all sit together with towels around our waists? String asked with a huge smile that seemed aimed at May more than anyone else.
‘Are there any dangers we should know about?’ Feb asked ignoring String’s observation and May’s quiet giggle.
‘As long as we have enough power to hold the orbit sir. At the lower orbit we would be at risk if we lost all power. But even at forty percent, we would have enough to keep the orbit secure,’ Likklet replied.
‘And it would get us to Terranova Two faster?’
‘Yes sir. From our position now, around twenty-eight hours. We just need to conserve as much power as possible from here to our sun orbit,’ Likklet explained.
‘Alright. Everyone happy with the plan?’ Feb asked.
‘If we just wait here?’ April asked.
‘Sixty hours to re-power plus around twenty-four to Terranova Two,’ Snikkle answered.
‘That’s nearly four days,’ April responded.
‘Yes.’
‘Feb?’
‘Yes April?’
‘You’re the Supreme Potentate. Whatever you decide is what we shall do,’ April said looking at everyone. Making her point that Gregorian rule must be respected and maintained. Even if only amongst so few for the time being. She was greeted with firm nods of approval.
‘Thank you,’ Feb said. ‘Set course for a low orbit of Sun Two gentlemen.’
Meanwhile back on Gloth, there were some unhappy souls who could have benefitted from a relaxing hour or so in a sauna. Things were heating up, but it was not from the cleansing steam produced from pouring water on hot rocks in a wooden hut.
‘So where is he?’ Dagnion almost screamed into his Q’muniktor.
‘We’re not sure. The last fix we had was near the Unterlodd Void,’ an agitated General Durrgan Dirrth, the commander of Glothic High Command replied.
‘What’s that?’
‘It’s a dangerous anti-gravitational area betwee…..’
‘Alright, alright. I don’t need a science lesson! Is he still there?’
‘There’s no way of knowing. We can’t track anything that’s in the void. We’ll have to wait until the SSGCC-Twelve exits it. If it can.’
‘It should have been taken before then anyway. Why weren’t the orders followed?’
‘They were followed. The SSGCC-Twelve was to be stopped and all people aboard returned to Gloth.’
‘But you had your chance to stop the ship, then you called off the attack!’ Dagnion started to shriek like a spoiled child.
‘With respect, our Attack Commander called off the action as he was ordered to by the Supreme Potentate.’
‘But that’s who we were after!’ Dagnion screamed in an even more exasperated state.
‘I’m very sorry Mr Dagnion but the attack order was issued by The Puissant of Croonumble, Lefroy Overload, the President of the Grand Council and was rightly called off by Attack Commander Fitchfatlic after orders from the Supreme Potentate who Fitchfatlic verified by facial recognition during his transmission with the Supr….’
‘You had no authority to call off the attack and I….’
‘I believe it is you sir who have no authority in this matter. So please desist in your assertions.’
‘How dare……’
‘With respect, I believe it is true that the Supreme Potentate terminated your position…,’ Dirrth began to say before he heard Dagnion terminate the call.
Dagnion immediately called Lefroy Overload to have the order reinstated at Glothic High Command.
‘Perhaps you should speak to Hadlian Kortek and Alsiatious Umblicat,’ Overload curtly said before he too cut Dagnion’s call short.
While Dagnion fumed, Kortek and Umblicat were meeting to discuss the future of Lefroy Overload. They decided that there was little future for him now. They needed a new President of the Grand Council. One they could rely upon. Either by persuasion or otherwise, a new election needed to be held as soon as possible. And install the new Supreme Potentate. Even without the twelve Gregorian traits. They would come in time once the fool February had been captured.
They didn’t discuss Dagnion at all which would have disappointed him greatly.
To A Cavern In A Canyon
‘Approaching Terranova Two sir,’ Likklet announced over the intercom.
Feb was extremely pleased with the flying skills of Snikkle and Likklet who had managed to get the SSGCC-Twelve safely to their destination without incident and more importantly, seemingly without being tracked by Glothic High Command. It was only an assumption, but with no contact from Hoogs or Noorlacs on their journey, it was a good sign. Apart from the hours orbiting Sun Two and feeling like being cooked in an oven, the rest of the trip was smooth and comfortable. As power was fully restored, everyone enjoyed pleasantly hot showers and smoother flying with the force shields operating at full capacity. Feb’s mind was now occupied with a new goal. Finding a mysterious cavern.
‘Well done,’ Feb said as he entered the flight deck.
‘A pleasure sir,’ Snikkle replied with a smile and a lick of his lips.
‘Yes sir. Me too. Very pleased we could get you here safely,’ Likklet added.
‘I won’t forget this gentlemen. I promise,’ Feb said sincerely.
All three men sat silently, and relieved, as Terranova Two loomed ahead.
‘I’ll ask my sisters if they can prepare a celebratory dinner once we’re in orbit.’
‘Thank you sir. That would be very fitting I think,’ Snikkle replied.
A few hours later, everyone was at the dining table enjoying a beautiful meal, and each other’s company. Although it had only been such a short time since they were rushed aboard the cruiser, accompanied by some unfriendly people shooting at them, they had all bonded. Having respect for the resourcefulness, courage and will all had shown. Some would have wondered how two reptilians, three spoiled princesses, a boy servant, a boring administrator and a fool could have managed such an expedition. However there was no doubt at all in their own minds.
Over dessert, Feb turned the discussion to the landing party. Their next objective. To find not simply the Cavern of Clavius, but to hopefully find the assistance a three hundred year old letter promised. To equip February to return to Gloth as the undisputed and rightful Supreme Potentate. One his father would have been proud of.
Feb suggested that he be accompanied in the landing party by April, Snurd and String while May and June would stay with Snikkle and Likklet aboard the SSGCC-Twelve. Everyone agreed without any discussion. It felt to Feb that he was learning. It felt to the others that Feb was becoming a true leader.
After an enjoyable meal, a good night’s rest was in order for all before the landing the next morning. Morning being in a figurative sense only, as being so far from the sun and orbiting its most distant planet meant there was no such thing as day, night, morning or afternoon. Just a murky, insipid sort of greyness that didn’t even pass for a good dull evening. But as all were Gregorian in body or belief, they held fast to their beloved calendar and twenty-four hour day. No matter what light shone or didn’t through the windows of the cruiser.
Morning aboard the SSGCC-Twelve broke, and presumably whatever time of day it was on Terranova Two broke as well.
<
br /> ‘Are we ready then?’ Feb asked everyone and a chorus of agreement signalled that it was time to get going.
Snikkle made sure Feb, April, String and Snurd were secured in the landing module, which resembled a miniature version of the SSGCC-Twelve. A simple silver sphere with seating capacity for eight people in comfortable reclining seats that floated and rotated inside the sphere to ensure the passengers had the feeling that whatever the gravity condition, they were seated upright. The interior walls of the module were decorated with 3D murals of some of the most famous waterfalls on Gloth, giving its passengers a warm and relaxed feeling. The module was controlled from the SSGCC-Twelve, so there was no need for a pilot. On its normal commercial service, a crew member would accompany the passengers and serve little cheesy snacks. There were no little cheesy snacks today though.
‘Good luck,’ Snikkle said as he closed the module’s hatch, May and June behind him waving nervously.
‘All secure,’ Snikkle told Likklet via the intercom.
‘Starting launch sequence,’ Likklet replied and Snikkle guided May and June back from the launch bay.
‘On our way up Likk.’
As Feb waited for the module to be launched, he took the letter from a pocket inside his jacket, opening it carefully and reading it yet again.
‘My trusted September,
There may come a day yet again when our family needs the reassurance of its history. This security will always reside on Terranova Two. Ready for the day it is again necessary to safeguard the millions of years of Gregorian lineage that must be protected until the day the universe suffers its last day, breath and ray of light.
The Cavern of Clavius will remain our protector.
Need it not be soon my dear brother.
Always,
November
29-11-213458’
He sat silently looking at the words as if they held a secret, wondering what had happened three hundred years ago. Had November also travelled to Terranova Two as he was now doing? Was November a Supreme Potentate, or was it his brother September? A gentle upward movement of the module signalled it was readying for launch. April, String and Snurd sat quietly as they saw the launch bay doors open through the small port hole windows next to them. April more interested in Feb. Looking at her young brother now growing up and maturing in front of her eyes. Looking at his face which now carried small creases in his forehead, and a firmness around his mouth that April read as a new hardened and determined brother. For the first time, she noticed Feb’s left eye was fixed and firm as he concentrated on the letter he was reading. Snurd studied April studying her brother, studying his letter. String looked out into the darkness as the landing module moved slowly away from the cruiser. The minutes passed. As did some more. Silently. Until finally someone had the good sense to make some light, slightly nervous conversation.
‘Have you been here before?’ String asked Snurd.
‘No. I’ve never been one for holidays really. In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever left Gloth. And you? Have you travelled much?’
‘I went to Alternus once on a school excursion.’
‘Oh. That must have been nice.’
‘Not really. It rained all the time.’
‘What a pity.’
‘So this’s been your first flight?’
‘Well, yes in fact. Strange, isn’t it?’
‘Yes. Strange,’ was all String could think of to say and went back to looking out of his window as the conversation seemed to have dried up. Snurd had a similar feeling and went back to studying April who was still studying Feb. Feb though, had put his letter away and seemed to be working on putting a more determined look on his face.
A small shudder heralded their entry into the atmosphere of Terranova Two and they could feel their module slowing as their orbit began to descend. Cloudless and murkily dull, with hardly a noticeable difference between the light and dark side of the planet. There was a uniformity to the surface of Terranova Two. A uniform dry dusty olive grey with an obvious lack of anything resembling an ocean or sea. If anyone thought Terranova Two looked unappealing, they clearly hadn’t had the opportunity to see Terranova One which was no more than a very large roundish rock that offered nothing of interest to anyone. It orbited the sun a little further away, but had lost its planet status a million or so years before due to its abject boringness. The landing module started its final approach, and through his small port hole String could see a lot of dry, dusty olive grey getting closer. As they neared the landing area, he did start to see a few signs of life. A fence, a small building and a few landing craft parked in an area of dry, dusty olive grey, but neatly marked in a grid of bright yellow lines. Their module approached one of the bright yellow boxes within the grid and as they neared the ground he could see that it was clearly marked as AG24. A slight bump welcomed them to the surface of Terranova Two as did a green light that illuminated above the hatch of the module. It was time to go cavern hunting.
‘Welcome to Terranova Two,’ a smiling old man dressed in an official looking uniform said as he opened the hatch of the module and indicated that the stairs were in position for their arrival.
‘Thank you,’ Feb said and started to lead the way.
‘Oh my pleasure sir,’ the smiling uniformed old man said. ‘I’ve been waiting for some time for you.’
‘What? You knew we were coming?’ Feb asked.
‘Well, no sir. Not you as in you. I’ve just been waiting. It’s been nearly two years since I had a craft land here. Well, I don’t count supply vessels anymore.’
‘Are you the only member of staff here?’ Feb asked.
‘Oh no sir. I have an assistant,’ the old man said proudly as he accompanied Feb down the stairs with the others following. ‘I’m in charge of the incoming and outgoing craft and my assistant keeps the yellow lines yellow.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Feb said trying to sound impressed. ‘So who was your last visitor here?’
‘Sir. You know, I just can’t recall. It’s been a while. But a supply vessel came last month!’
‘Right,’ Feb responded, still trying to sound interested and deciding it was high time to change the subject. ‘Are there many people here on Terranova Two?’
‘There used to be, but since the plitzominium mines were closed, we’re just a few hundred old timers here now.’
‘When was that?’
‘Oh, let me see. Must’ve been about four or five hundred years ago now.’
‘And you remember that time?’
‘Oh yes. I was young though. It was a hive of activity then.’
‘So you’re more than four hundred years old?’ Feb asked somewhat surprised.
‘Yes sir. I’m one of the younger ones here.’
‘So people here live to a very old age?’
‘They have no choice really. No one dies,’ the old man said.
‘I see,’ was all Feb could add.
‘So, may I ask why you and your friends have come all this way sir?’
‘Yes. I wish to locate a place called the Cavern of Clavius.’
‘Ah. It’s a popular place.’
‘Yes?’
‘Oh yes. It was, eh, let me see, um. Must have been only about three hundred years ago or so. Two gentlemen came to visit and were also looking for the Cavern of Clavius. I remember it well as they had such funny names.’
‘Yes?’
‘September and November.’
‘I see,’ Feb said. ‘And may I ask your name sir?’
‘Singular Sniddleydoop. And you sir?’
‘February.’
‘Nice to meet you officially sir.’
‘May I call you Singular?’
‘Oh of course sir. But most people simply call me Sing.’
‘Alright Sing. Most people call me Feb.’
‘Very well sir,’ Sing said as if sir was the only name he could ever use for a new acquaintance.
‘So you know where the Cavern of C
lavius is?’
‘Nope. No idea at all sir. Seems to be some kind of odd secret,’ Singular said as they arrived at a small building that seemed to be trying to pass itself off as an arrival terminal. It failed on all counts as it had nothing inside at all. Not even an out of order vending machine. Singular, with very official flair, locked the door once they were all safely inside. With off-white approaching grey walls that had not seen any hint of a paint brush for probably hundreds of years, it looked very sad indeed. An empty grey room that echoed with loneliness. Hardly welcoming for newly arrived visitors. There were two doors inside. One directly ahead with a tattered looking ‘Welcome to Terranova Two’ sign above it, which was obviously the exit, and a door on the left hand wall with a sign saying ‘Private - Do Not Enter’.
‘That’s my office over there sir,’ Singular said proudly.
‘Right. So how do I go about finding the Cavern of Clavius then Sing?’ Feb asked. Avoiding a long conversation about Singular’s wonderful office.
‘Oh, you’ll need to meet with the gentleman who can give you directions.’
‘And his name Sing?’
‘Mr Greg-Greg Gregory Gregorian, the Keeper of the Key.’
‘And where can I find this gentleman Sing?’
‘Over there sir.’
‘What? Your office?’
‘Yes sir. He’s my assistant,’ Singular said as if it was perfectly obvious.
April, Snurd and String waited in the echoing void that was trying to pass itself off as an arrival hall while Feb went with Singular to his office.
‘Oh dear sir. He seems to be on his tea break,’ Singular said as they entered his small office. Two ancient desks, one larger than the other, which was clearly Singular’s, and a smaller unattended desk that obviously belonged to Greg-Greg Gregory Gregorian. One chair behind each desk and a noticeable absence of any visitors chairs. Hardly a surprise though considering the low number of people who passed through the terminal. Feb wondered if anyone had visited since September and November. ‘He shouldn’t be long sir. Would you like to wait?’
