Shackleton's Folly (The Lost Wonder Book 1) (38 page)

Gray concentrated on the readings. “No longer ‘Shackleton’s folly’ — he really did find it. Earth… again.”

“What did you say?” Captain K’Dhoplon demanded.

“‘Shackleton’s folly’ is no longer a folly but a fact.”

“What?” replied Captain K’Dhoplon. When he saw that he was not going to get a response from Gray, he directed his crew. “Set a course to intercept — best speed.”

Gray went back and scanned the world below. His mind took in the beautiful landscapes and the wildlife that had been left to itself and had made a great comeback. There were cetacean species Gray had studied in school, not only real, but in great and small pods. There was the African savanna, covering a continent greater than the entire land area of Earth four times over, filled with herds of elephants, zebras, and common eland. The land was free of human development or settlements, as far as he could tell. A great flight of flamingos lifted from the shallows of a large lake as the noise coming from the Koty battleship passed. It was not as if they were going to be of any consequence to the
Illia,
but watching the birds attain flight gave Wolfgang pause. Hope had flickered into existence in him and begged the question. Was he in the right?

Gray sat back and murmured, “Shackleton, it’s much too late.”

The battleship
Illia
gained speed. They were at about 20,000 meters, giving its gunners the advantage of height if anything came from the surface.

The main screen tracked the
Quest
through the beacon installed internally. Captain K’Dhoplon ordered, “Find them!” Gray stood in the background, considering his options.

The council members in attendance surrounded the large table and holographic display. Alec and Electra were on the other end of the great room at a smaller table; the maintenance screen they had found was resting on the table between them. The screen filled with information that poured in directly from the garden’s systems. They watched together the revolving globe that represented the gardens show more and more of the titanic stress forces building higher and higher.

Electra pointed out the Atlantis garden to Alec on the globe’s display. Electra said, “The First Ones’ technology, such as this, is still beyond us in many respects. Our scientists have never been able to reactivate or repair a maintenance screen. It is truly a lucky thing that I found one still intact.”

Dancer looked like he had a hunch when he came over. He looked at the maintenance screen in Electra’s hands. Dancer asked, “May I?” Electra handed it to Dancer. Dancer made note, “A very functional piece. Wireless and seems to be without power storage onboard.”

Alec suggested, “Wireless energy transmission — the Empire must have built everything on a wireless system. It makes sense since they are capturing all of the energy produced by a mid-sized star. Free energy for billions of years, with little to no maintenance.”

“Are you on good terms with the other races living here in the Emperor’s Gardens?” asked Alec.

“We keep in touch with a few we know, but there are many more we do not. There isn’t any need to bother anyone. We have the space and resources of thousands of worlds right here, just as they do.” She sighed, “It is one of the reasons we have not left the gardens in centuries for anything other than the inscription pieces.”

Dancer scanned the device.

“Well?” asked Alec.

Dancer replied, “I have assimilated the Atlanteans’ knowledge of the First Ones. They didn’t have technology access to the maintenance program, or what is referred to as ‘the Groundskeeper.’”

Electra reminded them, “We were little more than a primitive race when we were relocated here from Earth by the Empire.”

Alec took the device from Dancer. He ran a finger along the edge. Alec said thoughtfully, “If we take what Electra has told us to be true,” he said as he looked at her, “we have to take the word of the alien races. They did not have a working unit,” he reminded her. “Not saying they lied, but they may not tell the whole truth. I would have to surmise that no one else has a working maintenance screen, or they would have found what they needed to do to fix the Groundskeeper. This would have led them here, looking for clues as to where the Rovers went.”

He tapped the surface with his forefinger. “Not just a maintenance screen but an interface with the Groundskeeper running this place.”

Electra said, surprised, “What makes you think that?”

Alec held the maintenance screen up. “No group of life forms have interacted with the Groundskeeper. The life forms which were employed to maintain the garden would have to have a way to connect and be assigned work. This,” he waved the device, “could be carried by a remote worker. It had limitless power and total connectivity. There must be a network of nodes under all the gardens to coordinate all these workers and the important work they performed to keep the gardens stable.”

Electra said curiously, “Then why did it fail?”

“A number of things were happening. After a few thousand years, my guess is that the worker’s descendants were growing fewer and fewer each generation. Then came what I believe was the clincher for them. The failure of the Groundskeeper to direct them and the systems related to maintenance. At first, I think some did try to fix things but, without directions from the Groundskeeper, they would have given up and gone native in the gardens they came from.” He handed Electra the maintenance screen. “The workers could have been recruited from the intelligent life forms in each of the gardens; without direction, they just rejoined their people.”

He showed her the schematic of the gardens. The maintenance screen displayed a flight path from Atlantis back to the Citadel. Alec said, “It’s showing us the way — let’s finish this. We will need some help to get this done.”

*

The air cars slowed as they descended to the ground inside the perimeter set up around the
Quest
. The exterior of the ship had been cleaned and readied for flight by the robots Dancer commanded. Alec turned to Dancer. “You had the
Quest
cleaned up?” Alec was wearing a borrowed special forces uniform, equipment, and utility belt.

“If we are to get the attention of the Koty, we have to look like something bright and shiny, not covered in mud,” replied Dancer. “Lures have to look the part.”

Alec and Dancer stood and exited the air car. Electra, Commander Astraeus, and the two security personnel who carried the pieces of the inscription with them touched down in a second air car. Alec and Dancer met the security personnel and accepted the pieces from them.

“Commander Astraeus,” said Alec as he turned his back on him.

“Electra, you cannot seriously be going along with this plan,” implored Commander Astraeus.

“Commander Astraeus, you have no authority here. I would suggest you follow your orders. You will follow us as planned,” came the brisk rebuff from Electra. Electra wore her own Special Forces equipment and gear she had left behind long ago. It didn’t fit as well as it had before, but that was what a few years as a slave will do for you. Her wrist bracer was on her forearm.

Alec and Dancer walked to the airlock as the Commander reentered the air car just before it lifted and accelerated away, making the park’s edge in just a few seconds. It headed to the security force’s operations. The carriers filled quickly with specialized equipment and trained personnel.

The airlock remained open and apparently empty as Electra arrived at the
Quest
. She was about to step through the airlock when Alec appeared, blocking her way. “I think you should reconsider coming with us, Electra,” said Alec.

“You are asking me to stay here?” she asked.

“I am. I would prefer that you stay here with your family safely.” Alec was serious in his request.

“Alec, have you gone brain dead?”

“No.”

“I have to be there, and you know it. The men and women, the friends I have lost trying to recover the inscription pieces demand that I be there.”

“You cannot blame me for trying.”

“Oh, yes I can. Really.” She pushed him aside as she entered the
Quest
. Alec closed the airlock.

Alec arrived on the command deck as Electra finished strapping into the engineer’s chair. She busied herself with the engine and weapons checklist. Dancer finished with his checklist and watched Alec sit and strap himself in. Alec looked over at Dancer and nodded. “Take her up.”

The
Quest
lifted up and hastened toward the heavens. They quickly ascended through the atmosphere and made a show of it to attract all the wrong attention.

The battleship
Illia
’s sensors, as well as forward scouts, easily spotted the
Quest
’s departure. Orders were given and sent to follow the human’s ship and to stop its escaping. The space yacht doubled back on the battleship, using its much higher speed and agility to out-fly the few fighters on patrols nearby. The
Illia
lumbered about as it turned to follow the fleeting prize.

The
Quest
hurdled the garden’s wall without difficulty and made for the Maintenance Citadel. The passage through the legions of robots passed rapidly, with the Koty in hot pursuit. The
Illia
crossed the garden wall; its forward contingent of fighters and scouts caught up quickly with the
Quest
.

The Citadel now in view, the
Quest
sped up with an engine burst to arrive first. Koty fighters fired on the
Quest
in an attempt to knock out her engines. The
Quest
managed to escape the hail of energy blasts and put even more power into the engines. They responded instantly and widened the already large gap between the ship and its pursuers. The
Quest
headed down to the deck and tried to become invisible in the metallic surrounding of this garden.

They closed in on the Maintenance Citadel at breathtaking speed. Alec said, “Electra, what does the maintenance screen have on it?”

“It has us arriving at the main entrance at the top of the steps,” she said as the screen animated their arrival and entry into the Citadel.

Alec and Dancer took the
Quest
in at the fastest speed they could. The engines had to be reversed at exactly the right microsecond to stop them from overshooting the landing pad the maintenance screen had indicated. The
Quest
’s nose lifted; all thrusters were at maximum burn to reduce their forward momentum to zero. The thrusters were cut quickly and gave the ship time to settle down onto the landing pad; first the rear landing gear impacted with the ground, and then the nose gear smacked down. Alec cut the engines and went to Electra. He read the maintenance screen over her shoulder. It showed the
Quest
sitting in front of the Citadel. A line appeared at the airlock and went to the building’s front doors.

Alec looked to Dancer. “Bring the pieces we have — and your minions.”

“The Koty are coming, in a big way,” replied Dancer. He commented on the odds against them completing the mission. Alec crossed his arms and asked what he would then recommend doing. The silence lasted 30 seconds, until Dancer gave in.

Alec smiled. “Stick to the plan, Dancer. Let’s go.” He turned to Electra, who was out of her seat and itching to get going. “Captain, this is your command. Orders?” Alec knew that Electra needed to be there at the end to honor the men and women she had led and lost in the pursuit of the Rovers. She was a strong, independent woman who’d had the willpower to survive slavery for years while she explored the galaxy, continuing her mission even with the odds stacked against her. Her humanity, no doubt, made it worse for her. Electra needed to be leading their team as part of her healing process.

Electra looked at him suspiciously, “Captain. We have a plan and an invitation, from the looks of the maintenance screen.” She held it before her. “We follow it. An intelligence wants us to follow their instructions. Allies?” She handed it to Alec for his opinion.

“Not my place to speculate, Captain.” Alec had her lead the way out of the command deck. Dancer grabbed his satchel filled to the brim with the fleet of autonomous robots he had last used in the black pyramid. The cache of robots included units both stealth and standard, ground track, wheeled, flyers, and dirigibles. The group’s eclectic makeup was an advantage as they headed into the unknown realm of the Maintenance Citadel.

Electra, Alec, and Dancer left the
Quest
. The airlock closed behind them. Electra took point and ran up a short flight of steps to the massive double doors of the Citadel. She checked an ammo belt she’d hung over her hips and pulled up a projectile weapon she had slung over her shoulders. Alec reached the top step and stopped to read the maintenance screen. He had a larger version of the projectile weapon slung across his back and a pistol strapped to his thigh. The display changed to a humanoid holding the unit. It then showed the screen being turned, screen outward, and then viewed again. Dancer, satchel over his shoulder, arrived. Electra maintained a watchful vigil for the Koty troops.

Dancer asked, “Now what?”

Alec followed the instructions. He replied, “I’ll find out.” Alec turned the screen back to himself. It showed him entering the Citadel. Alec looked at the massive closed doors. “We’re going inside.”

The front doors were a golden hue, a contrast to the sandstone color covering the rest of the building. Alec had a chance to really look at the building’s architecture as they waited. The intricate carving cut into the front doors was of a lion on his back legs standing so its mirrored image on the other door seemed to hold it up. The use of lions and banners was very reminiscent of the family crests of Earth. Alec thought about it —
Who came up with this first?
— a debate to have with Dancer. Each of the double doors measured 9 by 40 meters and had to weigh many tons. Alec stepped up to one of the doors and lightly touched it with one hand. The material had a feel to it that Alec was unfamiliar with. It was warm, and he found his fingertips felt a little tingling sensation in them after he pulled them from the surface of the door. Alec looked back to Electra and Dancer; he placed his hand on the door and gave it a small push. Alec’s soft touch swung the door wide. The builders had an amazing ability to have balanced what was obviously a very massive door so that even a small push could open it.