The Celestials

by Richard Wood

  It was two days to the grand tournament. They spent every morning teaching, but the afternoons were free. Rogan, Ancore, Breen and Glaina met the Pandava brothers every afternoon for archery practice, and a teaching session of Kalarippayat. The brothers were very enthusiastic about it and wanted to learn everything at once, but Ancore persuaded them to be patient, first they had to learn the limbering up exercises, which are so important for good health and suppleness. Each afternoon, after they had warmed up Ancore taught them one of the one hundred and seven vital spots on the body, where a correctly aimed blow could kill. In addition, one defensive move and one attacking move, as they were already trained warriors, she found that they were learning at an incredible rate, it was only later she found out, they were spending all the following morning practicing the moves they had learnt the previous afternoon.

  Breen and Rogan spent every afternoon at archery practise. They had both purchased a Ghazna horn bow with two rhinoceros hide bowstrings and one hundred arrows each from a local trader recommended by Arjuna. The arrows they had fined down and reworked so they were perfectly balanced, and they had re-flighted them with triple flights set at a slight angle, which caused them to spin in flight. The pair of them was getting deadly accurate with their new weapons.

  It was after they had finished practising for the day and stood around talking before going for an evening meal that they saw it. A jet-black circular craft flying low above the town, about twenty metres across it disappeared to the West, obviously looking as they had, for a landing site just outside town. They looked at each other and cried almost in one voice, “Zedds,”

  Arjuna asked, “Do you know these flying people?”

  “We know them. We are at war with them. They are our sworn enemy,” answered Rogan.

  “There can be no hostilities here Rogan, whatever you do, do not pursue your war here. There is a truce for all who come to compete in the great tournament, and if you pursue your war with these people on the Emperors lands, you will be put to death by impalement,” spoke Arjuna gripping Rogan by the shoulders, “I tell you this as a friend.” Soon, they heard trumpets sounding from the West.

  Hasit ran off to find out for whom the trumpets had sounded. He returned a short while later bubbling with news,

  “Muktananda the king of Lanka has arrived in his flying bird, with him is Ravana his first minister, and commander of the royal bodyguard, second in command is Indrajit with fifty warriors, they are veritable giants of men sahib.”

  “Thank you Hasit it is good to learn of these events with such speed,” praised Rogan.

  Hasit beamed and swelled visibly with pride.

  “We had better inform the others of this new turn of events and stop them doing anything foolish if they should come across any Zedds, Rogan spoke aloud the fears of them all. When they arrived back in the Blue Rooms, they told Fantee, Nassel and Adeeone what had happened.

  “They landed to the West of the town, I suggest we have a meal and walk out that way this evening and check our Lander,” proposed Ancore.

  “Now that the Zedds are here. I think we should fly the Lander here, and park it outside the Blue Rooms, there we can keep an eye on it,” suggested Nassel.

  Everyone agreed, after a quick meal they all strolled down to the West gate and along the river to where the Lander had been hidden.

  “Look at this lock,” cried Ancore. “Someone has tried to enter the Lander.”

  They all crowded around the entrance hatch and found the lock fused.

  “Looks like a laser weapon did this,” pronounced Breen bitterly.

  Ancore asked Adeeone, “Can you open the lock in some way?”

  Adeeone examined the lock, “I cannot repair the lock captain, the only way we can gain entry is to cut the lock out and replace it with a new lock.”

  “Stand back everybody, Adeeone is going to cut the fused lock out,” announced Ancore. Adeeone pulled a hand laser from the wide sleeve of his tunic taking careful aim he fired, the thin blue light shone on the door, and it started heating up. It took an hour to cut out the old lock and get the hatch open.

  “We can all crowd in for the short flight back to the Blue Rooms. Adeeone fly us to our dwelling,” commanded Ancore.

  On the way back they spotted the Zedd ship with six Zedd guards around it, very close to where the Lander had been parked.

  “Well it is obvious who sabotaged our hatch lock, what does surprise me is how quick they were to find it, and try to gain entry. I assume they could not get the hatch open and thought right. We will fuse the lock and let them try to get in,” said Nassel as Adeeone brought the Lander down outside the main entrance to the Blue Rooms. They welded another lock into place and left Adeeone on guard for the night.

  The following day after the morning meal and chai, they checked with Adeeone but the rest of the night had been uneventful, so he was left on guard for the rest of the day while the crew went off to their teaching jobs, then Ancore, Rogan, Glaina and Breen went to archery training, and resumed teaching the Pandava Kalarippayat. Ancore told the Pandava brothers what had happened last evening.

  “Sabotage and spying these are unfortunate but it is a way of life in these lands and is almost impossible to stop. What must not happen is for war to break out between you and any killing. Be very careful the Emperor has spies everywhere, there are probably as many spies as there are servants,” counselled Yudhishthira.

  “Thank you for your advice, we do not intend killing any of them, unless they break the truce and attempt to kill us, replied Ancore.

  The morning of the great tournament had arrived, the orange ball of the sun breaking through the misty purple morning. After chai and the morning meal, trumpets started calling everyone to the tourney field where large tents had been set up with seating inside for the Kings and nobles taking part in the tournament.

  One very large tent had been set up for the Emperor and his entourage in the best place to observe safely the targets. There were fifty targets across the field hanging on poles driven into the ground. Each target was the size of a small shield, in the centre of each shield was a circle a hand span wide, and this was the area to hit to remain in the contest. As there were so many contestants, over two thousand, they had to be whittled down rapidly. Fifty judges appointed by the Emperor were on duty, one at each target, the Emperors first minister Chakshu would arbitrate any disputes his word was final. All the contestants were housed in two tents on one side of the field. On the other side was another two tents one very large one much smaller where the losers and winners went after they had fired one arrow at the target.

  All those inside the circles were given a small red ribbon, and directed to the smaller tent. All the crew was there but only Rogan and Breen are allowed into the competitor’s tent. There they met with the Pandava brothers, sitting with them watching the contest until they were called to compete.

  It took most of the day before the Pandava were called, they had been eyeing up the opposition, and had sounded reasonably confident. They were not very pleased to see their cousins the Kaurava there competing, when Rogan asked why, Arjuna told him it was because of a feud and would not say anymore. Bhima, Arjuna, Yudhishthira, and Sahadeva made it through to the next round, Nakula had missed by a finger's breadth, and was out of the contest. Rogan and Breen both made it through the first round.

  Then the King of Lanka Muktananda, who although he appeared fat at first sight was actually heavily muscled, with the Zedds Ravana and Indrajit, all got through the first round. By the end of that day, they had all fired twice and the number that had won through to the next round had been whittled down to a manageable four hundred. The Pandava, Rogan and Breen were through to the next rounds that would take place the following day.

  That night they attended a large feast put on by the Emperor for all the contestants their families and friends. Lavish entertainment, they had jugglers, singers and dancers, acrobats from Chini,
and a wrestling contest, there was much betting on the outcome of the contest. The winner clothed in leather shorts with oiled body glistening in the torch light offered to take on anyone in the audience for a purse of silver, after some persuading Bhima entered the arena, to the cheers of the crowd and had his body oiled ready for the contest. The rules are strictly enforced by a referee. The contest went on for at least twenty minutes before the professional managed to dump Bhima on his back and hold him there for a count of twenty.

  After a drink, the champion called for any other takers, the huge figure of Ravana rose and a hush fell over the crowd. He stood seven feet tall, hugely muscled he wore a white linen shirt that came down to his waist over loose trousers and calfskin boots, his clean-shaven face with powerful jaw. Long black hair pulled back from his face and held in a twisted leather thong made him look remarkably handsome. It was the eyes that held the attention. They appeared to have no iris and were lifeless black. It was like looking into the eye of a shark, very frightening indeed.

  Rogan noticed the prizefighter visibly quiver when Ravana stood up. The contest lasted all of ten minutes, most of that time the professional had been dancing around Ravana trying to keep out of his reach, when they did make contact and grasp each other Ravana picked him off the ground and threw him on his back knocking the wind and the fight from him. After claiming the purse, he faced Rogan and Breen, looking them in the eye he crowed, “I am Ravana of the Danava, who among you have the courage to fight.”

  Breen was furious and stood up immediately shouting, “I will,” looking the giant straight in his cold emotionless eyes.

  “Be careful Breen you should not have volunteered, we cannot afford to get involved in open hostilities,” Rogan admonished.

  “He challenged me the murderous swine,” Breen snapped back at Rogan.

  Rogan shrugged.

  Glaina was holding his arm trying to pull him back down, “Why do you have to fight him, she wailed.”

  “Someone has to stand up to the murderous swine,” mouthed Breen pulling himself free and plunging wildly out to the arena.

  Ravana looked on with a half-smile on his face that never reached his eyes, “who challenges me?” He asked in a deep rumbling voice.

  “I Breen of the Coorgis system challenge you,”

  “Advance to your defeat Breen of Coorgis,” mocked Ravana, with a chuckle that sent shivers down the spines of grown men.

  Ancore was comforting Glaina, “there are rules to this contest. Breen can handle himself, he'll be all right,” she tried to allay Glaina’s fears, but even to herself, she did not sound very convincing.

  Breen had stripped to his shorts, and his body stood out whitely in the torchlight as it was greased in preparation for the contest. Although Breen was only five feet ten tall, he was almost as wide with huge muscular hands, and though Ravana dwarfed him, he looked capable if anyone did, of giving Ravana a match.

  Ravana flexed his muscles, in the torchlight his brown skin took on a ruddy hue; it looked like red serpents writhing over his body.

  Breen, although trained in Kalarippayat like all the crew, he was not a master of it like Ancore and Rogan, but it did give him confidence, as he stood lightly on the balls of his feet watching his opponent intently. They circled each other looking for an opening; it was all a matter of getting a grip on your opponent and dumping him on the floor, then keeping him there for a count of twenty to win the contest.

  Ravana suddenly reached out with lightning speed to grasp Breen, but Breen was quicker and slithered from his grasp. So it went on each trying for a hold, suddenly Ravana stepped forward to grip Breen in a bear hug, but Breen spun putting out his leg and catching Ravana behind the shoulder, he used Ravana's bulk against him, helping him on his way with a hard push. The thud as Ravana hit the floor made the ground tremble, as Breen danced away. Ravana rose from the floor his face writhing in hatred. Hands held like talons before him, fingers jerking spasmodically. He rushed at Breen hands reaching convulsively for the throat as his hands encircled Breen's throat, Breen lifted both his feet into Ravana’s stomach falling backwards and gripping the hands around his throat by the wrists. Ravana’s momentum carried him over the top of Breen just as Breen’s legs hoisted Ravana’s body upwards and onwards, the force Broke Ravana’s hold on Breen as he somersaulted over the top of him, then landed with a massive thump that knocked all the wind from his body.

  Breen was on him instantly, seeking to hold him down and win the contest. Ravana although winded, recovered very quickly indeed, Breen found himself gripped by the back of the neck as Ravana sat up. Breen still trying to hold him down found himself gripped by the seat of his pants and hoisted skyward.

  Ravana rose, knelt on one knee it was obvious what he was about to do, drop Breen onto his knee, and snap his spine.

  The referee and the crowd realised it about the same time, but Rogan was quicker, before anyone could move, he had erupted into the arena and with a hand strike that was too fast to follow hit Ravana in the neck.

  The Zedd crashed sideways leaving Breen sprawled on top of him, trying desperately to stand on wobbly legs; the referee called it a no contest. Indrajit was immediately at Ravana’s side helping him to sit up.

  “This is not over you will pay for this,” Ravana hissed at Breen and Rogan as they left the arena.

  With the rest of the crew and the Pandava brothers, they left the festivities and returned to the Blue Rooms where they ordered chai, then sat around discussing the nights events. Yudhishthira spoke, “You have an implacable enemy in Ravana, my friends, and I think you need all the spies you can recruit to keep an eye on this Ravana and his henchmen.” Ancore and the rest of the crew were nodding agreement. “I have my own spies. I will ask them to pass on any information about Ravana or his henchmen, to you,” continued Yudhishthira.

  “Thank you Yudhishthira, I think you're correct we need all the help we can get,” Ancore responded for them all.

  Rogan spoke, “I know you don't want to talk about it, but what is this feud the Pandava have with their cousins the Kaurava, if we knew maybe we could help in some way.”

  Arjuna spoke, “It is a long story of rivalry and bitter injustice.

  They have robbed us of our inheritance, and although we are related and of the same blood, we cannot forgive them, for the Kingdom, they have cheated us out of.”

  The Pandavas then related some of the grievances they held against the Kaurava. Cheated from their Kingdom in a crooked dice wager, Yudhishthira had lost not only the Kingdom but also the brothers' wife Draupadi. She was married by mistake to all five of the brothers instead of just Yudhishthira, and although she had been returned, she had been terribly insulted by the Kaurava while in their hands. Duryodhana the leader of the Kaurava had hauled her into a room full of his cronies by her hair, naked while in her monthly flood, so that they could, all jeer at her and call her harlot for marrying five brothers at the same time. The memory of it had scarred Draupadi from that day onward.

  Although the Kaurava had returned Draupadi, and their father, the blind King Dhritarashtra had tried to make recompense by giving the Pandava half the Kingdom, it was the most inhospitable half, and it was not enough.

  Therefore, the Kaurava ruled Hastinapura, and the Pandava ruled Indraprastha, both sides were spying on each, other and recruiting allies for the war that they both knew must eventually come.

  The crew had been riveted, as the story had unfolded; when the girls heard the story of Draupadi, they had been incensed.

  Ancore spoke for them all when she said to the Pandava, “If we can help you, we will. You only need call on us.”

  The Pandava thanked them for their offer of help and took their leave, so they could get a good night’s sleep ready for the tournament the following morning.

  The following morning at the tournament, each competitor had to fire three arrows at the target. Each arrow had to be in the inner circle. By the end of the
day, the competitors left in had been reduced to fifty-five, Breen was out but Rogan was through to the next round, of the Pandava only Arjuna and Sahadeva had made it through. The Zedds Ravana and Indrajit were through, also the ruler of Lanka, King Muktananda. They did not attend the feast that night preferring to stay in their rooms and get an early night.

  The next morning after breakfast, they made their way to the tournament when the trumpet sounded calling all contestants to the field. By the end of that day, only five contestants remained to battle it out the following day. Arjuna, Rogan, Duryodhana, Ravana and Chandrak a flat faced stocky man from the mountain plateau of Tibet.

  The day of the final dawned, with a mist being rapidly burnt off by the rising sun as it warmed the land. The finalists bowed to the Emperor, before lining up to shoot at the single target, placed twenty-five metres distant, but this time the circle they had to put an arrow in was only the size of a clenched fist. They drew lots to determine the order in which they would compete. Rogan was fourth to shoot, first was Duryodhana, and then Arjuna followed by Chandrak, Rogan and finally Ravana. They each fired one arrow in turn until someone missed and was eliminated, when only two remained the arrow closest to the centre of the circle would be declared the winner. The arrows hitting the centre of the target began to get monotonous after a while as each competitor hit the centre of the target with unfailing accuracy time after time. The judge called a halt after they had all fired twenty-five arrows each without missing. The target was moved back a further ten paces, and the contest resumed.

  This time Duryodhana failed as his arrow nicked the outside edge of the circle, a groan went up from the rest of the Kaurava and their cronies. All hit the target until Ravana fired and missed, he stalked from the field with a face as black as thunder, to words of sympathy from his second in command Indrajit, and a lot of backslapping from his minions.

  The target was again moved back another ten paces and the remaining three contestants lined up Arjuna first; he just made it into the circle, then Chandrak who scored cleanly and then Rogan who just made it. Again, they fired and Chandrak's arrow hit the cord marking the circle and bounced out, Arjuna and Rogan sympathised with him, as he was a fine archer, they shook his hand before he left the field.

  Now it was between the two of them they shook each other’s hands and wished one another good fortune, before lining up to shoot.

  Arjuna's arrow thunked into the centre of the target, with a grin Arjuna turned to Rogan, “Take your best shot that arrow will take some beating.”

  Rogan thought privately that he was probably right, but what he said in reply was, “Watch and weep, my friend,” as he pulled the arrow back and took aim. He held the arrow judging the wind and correcting angles, then released it, as it thunked home, he was satisfied he had tried his best. A large “OOH,” went up from the crowd; both arrows appeared to be in the centre of the target. As Arjuna, Rogan and the judge walked down the field for a close look at the target, they realised that it was very close, both arrows were side by side, but when they got up to the target and looked very closely they could see one arrow was a hair breadth closer to the centre. The judge turned to them both, and raised Rogan's arm in triumph.

  Arjuna's congratulations drowned in the huge roar from the crowd as the judge escorted Rogan to the Emperors tent. The Emperor sat on his throne as Rogan and the referee approached, and they were escorted into the Emperors presence by twelve armed nobles who stood arrayed on each side as the Emperor gestured for Rogan to come forward and kneel before him as he stood and held a plain band of gold above his head.

  “Do you Rogan of Coorgis swear allegiance to myself and promise men at arms and supplies to wage war if called on to do so.”

  “I do so swear your highness,” pledged Rogan.

  “Then with this crown I make you King of Kodagu, may you reign long and loyally,” said the Emperor placing the crown on Rogan’s head and putting his hand out for Rogan to kiss. A huge cheer went up from the crowd as Rogan turned and waved to them all, Ancore and the rest of the crew were let through the crowds, and rushed to congratulate him.

  Chakshu the Emperors prime minister came forward and presented Rogan with his new battle flag, a dark-blue ground on which was a red elephant, above the elephant in a half circle were six golden stars.

  “There is a big feast tonight in your honour,” Chakshu told Rogan, “You are expected to attend.” “Thank you Chakshu, we will be there,” promised Rogan.

  An elephant arrived draped in red cloth and carrying a howdah on its back, “Here is your transport, a gift from the Emperor,” Chakshu informed him.

  “Please inform the Emperor that we are overwhelmed by his generosity,” Rogan asked Chakshu, as he and the crew ascended the ladder into the kneeling elephant’s howdah.

  A servant walked in front of the elephant, proudly carrying the battle flag ahead of the procession as it slowly made its way back to the blue rooms. After alighting Nassel had a quick word with the mahout, who assured him, the elephant will be quartered as befitting a royal elephant in stabling nearby. The mahout’s name was Tungar, and his charge the great bull elephant called Himadri, after the great Himalayas mountain range.

  They all disembarked into the Blue Rooms. Rogan could hardly believe his success in winning the kingship of Kodagu. Waiting to congratulate him were the Pandava brothers, as excited as the rest of the crew. After things had calmed down somewhat, and they were all sitting comfortably with chai and trays of fruits and confections, the conversation turned to Rogan’s new Kingdom.

  “Let me spell something out to you all,” announced Rogan. “This is not my Kingdom. It is our Kingdom, when I say ours, I mean the whole ship's crew. We share the Kingdom equally.”

  “That is very generous of you. It will not be forgotten,” promised Breen speaking for them all.

  “Does this mean, I am Queen Fantee now,” she asked her eyes twinkling.

  “You were always a queen in my eyes,” replied Nassel gallantly.

  “Of course it does we are all Kings and Queens now,” enthused Ancore.

  “Speaking about the whole crew sharing the Kingdom, what about Adeeone and Adeetoo,” queried Glaina.

  “Goodness he's still guarding the Lander, can't we get some servants to relieve him,” asked Fantee.

  Rogan went to fetch Adeeone, and set some of the servants to guarding the Lander.

  When he returned with Adeeone in tow, Breen asked Adeeone, “What does it feel like to be a King.”

  “I do not feel as you do, I am incapable of feeling,” answered Adeeone seriously.

  “That's the Adeeone we all know and love,” cried Nassel.

  Yudhishthira spoke to Rogan, “You are a great and worthy winner of the tournament, if Arjuna had won, he would not have made his brothers co-kings, and neither would I nor the rest of my brothers.”

  “You have different customs from us, but I am sure if any of you had won, brotherhood would make you share the fruits of the Kingdom."

  “Yes that is true,' Yudhishthira replied.

  Rogan asked the Pandava, “Do you know anything about Kodagu, where is it? We don't even know where our Kingdom is.”

  “Yes we know,” Arjuna, answered, “It is in the far South situated on the Western Ghats. To the North is the mountain Pushpagiri, in the South is Irpu falls. The capital is Mercara a beautiful little capital, although it is not a large Kingdom, it is very rugged and wonderfully forested teeming with elephant and tiger, and the climate is refreshingly cool. It also benefits from the salt trade passing through the Kingdom to the Mysore Plateau, in the East and on to the Deccan Plateau. They harvest pepper vines, and the cardamom trees. They finally have a few rice paddies. Between June and September are the monsoons, when the trails get very muddy and there are many leeches.”

  “It sounds wonderful,” Ancore enthused.

  “When can we go to live in our new Kingdom," asked Fantee?

  “W
e have to finish training the Emperors people before we can leave,” replied Ancore, “but I am sure the Emperor would grant us three months absence to establish ourselves in our new Kingdom," she added.

  “We had better think about getting bathed, ready for the festivities this evening,” announced Breen to the room in general.

  The Pandava left to ready themselves, and the crew broke up, going about their ablutions and dressing ready for the grand feast in Rogan’s honour.

  The feast is held on the tournament field in the open air of the evening, surrounded by blazing torches a huge platform had been erected and was lavishly decorated. Large poles had been erected on each corner at the top of each pole a peacock was chained calling and showing their magnificent tails.

  The Emperors throne sat in splendour in the centre of a large table, set with golden platters and goblets, decorated with sweet-smelling roses, and heaped platters of fruit of all descriptions.

  Amphora of wine stood open with servants at the ready with serving ladles. Tables and benches were laid out for lesser nobles, competitors and towns folk stretching away in an ever-widening crescent from the central platform.

  Outside the tables and benches, pits had been dug, and roasting on them were suckling pigs, chickens, goats, snakes, monkeys, fish, vegetables, rice, confections of every sort, on tables were dishes of chutney, grated dried coconut, peppers, and small dishes of salt.

  Rogan and the crew was ushered into pride of place on the Emperors right, beyond them were the runners up the Pandava, and then Chandrak and his family. On the other side of the Emperor sat the prime minister then the queen mother and the chief queen beyond them the Kaurava and King Muktananda, with Ravana and Indrajit in close attendance. Then the Senapati, the head of all the armies and his family, beyond them sat the treasurer and family, then the guardian of the royal seraglio and beyond him, the chief of the royal armoury. At the foot of the platform were the musicians and singers, also the dancers; all around were wandering jugglers and acrobats entertaining the huge crowd.

  During the festivities, Rogan had managed to secure the Emperors permission for himself and the crew to take three months off from their teaching, to attend to his new Kingdom. Rogan also noticed that the Kaurava and Ravana seemed to be engaged in deep conversation.

  Towards the end of the evening’s festivities, Fantee and Nassel entertained the assembly. Her voice soared from the depths to the heights in a popular Coorgis love song, which she had translated from her own language for the benefit of the audience. They were spellbound with the beautiful voice that projected so much passion and heartache, for it was a tale of unrequited love. The crowd went mad with delight when it ended, clapping and cheering, they would not let Nassel, and Fantee leave until she had sung at least one more song.

  The Emperor was delighted, Rogan heard him calling servants and the royal treasurer to him. When Fantee finished the Emperor called Nassel and Fantee to him, after congratulating her on her wonderful performance, he presented each of them with a garland of flowers and a small leather bag, filled with rubies.

  They both knelt and kissed the Emperors hand thanking him for his generosity, to the roars of approval from the crowd.

  Eventually, the wonderful evening ended when the Emperor departed on the royal elephant that is richly decorated with paint, sumptuous silk cloth and golden anklets. With his retinue carried on litters, or walking, depending on rank, they trailed after him.

  “I have secured the Emperors permission for us to leave when we wish for three months,” announced Rogan to the crew, and the Pandava brothers, who had returned to the Blue Rooms with them.

  “That's excellent news, let’s decide when we are leaving for Kodagu,” suggested Ancore. “The sooner the better,” Glaina enthused.

  “If you would like us to accompany you, and show you where your Kingdom is, we would be glad to do so,” Yudhishthira informed them. A vote was taken all the crew deciding to travel to Kodagu with the Pandava brothers the following day.

  Breen explained to Yudhishthira, “We only have the two Landers available, so it will take two journeys to transport all of us to Kodagu.”

  “Arjuna should go with the first party. He knows Kodagu better than all of us,” confided Yudhishthira to Breen.

  “We had all better get a good night’s sleep, as it will be a long day tomorrow for all of us,” suggested Ancore.

  The following morning Adeeone and Nassel left in the Lander to bring the second Lander back, ready for the trip to Kodagu. When both Landers were parked in front of the Blue Rooms, they emptied them of everything except the munitions for the rail guns. It wasn't considered wise to leave any of the discs behind as directly the Landers departed the Discs would become activated due to the proximity fuses. While the Landers remained nearby the discs could not be armed and were therefore, completely safe.

  Rogan and Arjuna, Adeeone, and Ancore, and Bhima were in the first Lander. In the second came Nassel, Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva, and Breen. The two girls Glaina and Fantee had volunteered to stay together and await the return of one Lander. The trip down the coast was straightforward. The Pandava brothers were thrilled with flying, and in Rogan’s Lander Arjuna and Bhima took over the emergency controls and flew the Lander manually.

  “It is not difficult to fly this Lander. This is a great thrill Arjuna enthused.”

  Bhima also found it easy to fly, but as Rogan explained, “it's not so much the flying when in midair, but the take-off and landing that is the most difficult.”

  It was obvious by the manoeuvres that the Pandava in the other Lander were also trying their hand at flying.

  They had been airborne two hours when Arjuna pointed at a mountain inland of them, “That is Pushpagiri on the Northern border if we fly south over it, we will come to a lake and river with Abbi falls, a few kilometres beyond is the capital Mercara.”

  Rogan had been plotting in waypoints for the navigation system when he noticed a strange signal; he flew around the other Lander to confirm his thoughts, sure enough the signal direction changed. He made a signal to Nassel, I think someone has planted a homing device on one Lander. We will have to find and destroy it when we land. The reply came back almost immediately. They will have pin pointed our destination by that time.

  Rogan replied. "We are coming up on Abbi falls we will land there and destroy the homing device, before continuing to our destination."

  The Landers alighted side by side at the falls. It was a stepped falls and very pretty, Adeeone found the homing device magnetically clamped behind one of the rear landing legs. Adeeone pulled it off and crushed it, then threw it in the river. They carried out an electronic check, but nothing showed up.

  “They know roughly where we are and can guess the rest, but if the Landers are hidden, they won’t know exactly where we are,” said Ancore as they embarked for the rest of the journey.

  Several minutes later, they landed at the small fort in the capital. Capital! It was hardly the size of a small village. It nestled among the hills some thirteen hundred metres above sea level. The centre of the village consisted of the market place just outside the fort, which was built of logs. After they had landed Rogan donned his crown before stepping out of the Lander, already a curious crowd had gathered, they were soon shooed to one side as a large man with grand mustachio bustled up bowing, he presented himself.

  “Your highness may I congratulate you on your new Kingdom, I am Chidambar former prime minister of the Kingdom. I presumed you would be appointing your own choice as the new prime minister your highness.”

  Rogan replied, “I would like you to continue as prime minister as we only have three months here before we return to Mohenjo- Daru to continue teaching the Emperors men the secrets of the stars.”

  “I am honoured your majesty. You will have no cause to regret your decision,” replied Chidambar.

  “Please show us around the palace, Chidambar,” requested Rogan.r />
  Chidambar led them towards the fort “I have kept the place maintained, but no one has lived here since the old king died.”

  They crossed a footbridge over a ditch into the fort through a large gateway, inside it opened out into a garden in the centre of which stood a single storey wooden dwelling with ornately carved doorway on a raise stone plinth. Inside they found a room the width of the building it had a central raised plinth on the far wall upon which stood the throne of Kodagu.

  It was a very impressive piece of woodcarving, the head of an elephant ears wide, the head and trunk making the back of the chair the tusks were the arms, and at the front of the boxed in chair were the elephant's front legs, behind the chair were drapes of a rich red silk. On each side of the central plinth was a high archway leading to the side verandahs of the central courtyard.

  From these were the entrances to the side rooms, six down each side. The building, although old appeared to be in a good state of repair, and parts of it had the wonderful aroma of sandalwood.

  Servants appeared from nowhere bringing chai and bowls of fruit.

  “Are you going to fetch Fantee and Glaina,” Ancore asked Nassel and Breen.

  “Yes we are about to leave,” answered Nassel. They ordered servants to decorate the rooms with flowers ready for both girls when they arrived, then took one of the Landers and departed.

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  Chapter Eight