Time Commander (The First Admiral Series) (22 page)

Two down, two to go
. Sownus took another breath and cautiously turned the “T” bar a half-turn back to the left. The red lights extinguished and the blue lights illuminated, whilst the third and innermost ring fell back flush with the panel with another satisfying CLUNK. This left the cylinder at the centre of the mechanism with the “T” bar key lodged inside it.

And, one more for luck
, Sownus thought, and turned the “T” bar through another three quarter turn to the left.

With a final CLUNK, the final cylinder fell flush with the control panel, however, the lights did not alter as they had before. This time all of the lights illuminated in a rapid sequence; giving the impression of the light running around the edge of the panel. As the light pattern circled the panel, the metallic rings began to descend below the level of the panel, taking the “T” bar key with them. This was what Sownus had expected. With the correct sequence coded into the rings, the circular central mechanism would drop down and lock. The entire sculpture then pivoted back to its original position; balanced on top of the four cylinders, which held it above the level of the altar. The other three cylinders re-engaged and locked the sculpture again, whilst the telescopic cylinders retracted, bringing the sculpture back down to its original level.

Whilst the sculpture was returning to its original shape and position, below the altar the Pumping Station was being activated. The entire control panel was rapidly descending into a deep shaft underneath the temple to fit neatly into a slot built into the top of a large proto-star reactor. The large rectangular reactor was filled with proto-star matter, which had lain dormant and enclosed beneath the planet surface for almost three millennia. The small power pack in the original control panel would now kick start the larger reactor. When the control panel had slotted into the prepared slot in the larger reactor, the power from the small power pack had caused the control panel to go through a pre-programmed quarter turn, which released the containment valves of the reactor.

In the temple above the reactor, Sownus, Thrigla and the Trooper heard the low, dull, throbbing sound of the enormous Garmaurian reactor sending power to the massive underground pumps that would release the stored water back into the ground of Ganthus, from where it had originally been extracted. Sownus knew that it would take at least three days for the huge Garmaurian water pumps to refresh the natural water table of the planet. However, within two days, the first of the rivers would start to flow again, which would, in turn, begin to re-fill the massive oceans between the continental landmasses. By the third day, the computer models had predicted that enough water vapour would have been burned off by the twin-suns to create the clouds that would disperse major quantities of rain over the planet’s surface.

Just in time for the First Admiral’s Time Warrior ritual
, Sownus considered.

“
There! See, I told you that the goddess liked you!” Sownus grinned at the small Ganthoran girl standing by his side.

The little girl smiled her appreciation to the stranger who had spoken to the goddess on her behalf and had gotten a reply.

“I’ll have to go now.” Sownus crouched down in front of the young Ganthoran. “You must promise me that you will tell no one of what you saw here, not even your mother, do you promise?”

The little Ganthoran girl nodded her head vigorously. However, Sownus knew that there was very little chance of her keeping the secret for long.

That didn’t really matter to Sownus, he just needed enough time to get back to the Personal Transport, and back to the stealthed Cruiser that was hanging in orbit just above the western continent.

“
Will you come back here again, traveller named Sownus?” Thrigla asked.

“
I don’t know, little one...maybe.” Sownus patted her cheek, stood up, and began to walk to the door.

Half way down the central aisle of earthen benches, he turned again to the young Ganthoran girl.

“Always remember that the goddess told you that she favoured you tonight. When you grow up, you will be a fine priestess, like your mother,” Sownus said, “and never forget the night that T’glamara spoke to you.”

Thrigla nodded, clutching her doll closer to her chest as the travellers known as “Sownus” and “Trooper” went out through the door and disappeared back into the stormy night from which they had emerged. When they were gone, Thrigla felt the oppressive calm of the temple pressing down on her, accentuated by the dull throbbing of what she would later describe as the goddess’ heartbeat. With the two strangers gone, she darted to the door to catch one last glimpse of them. She reached the door just as the strangers climbed onto some other strange machine.

Standing silhouetted in the doorway, the shape of Thrigla, still clutching the doll, waved vigorously to the two strangers who had climbed aboard the peculiar machine. Looking back, Sownus raised his hand in acknowledgement and activated the Hover Bike, which took off at high speed. The Trooper, facing rearwards, watched the shape of the small girl rapidly recede into the distance until she vanished completely.

Well
, thought Sownus as he increased speed,
I need
to be away from Ganthus as quickly as I possibly can
.

Initiating the Pumping Station would have drawn the attention of the Ganthorans who monitored for earthquakes.

Someone’s mummy was going to be in for quite a surprise when she came home that night.

Ambassador Sarkor Nicx was glad that the evening was finally over. The first day on Ganthus had, in her unbiased opinion, been a resounding success; even though she did say so herself.

The Welcoming Ball, also having occurred that evening, had also been a triumph. First Admiral Caudwell had been an absolute star. He really was, without a shadow of doubt, a big hit with the young ladies of Ganthoran high society. Even more top his credit, he had not managed to create a diplomatic incident with any strange or outrageous Earth behaviour. In fact, Caudwell had shown a degree of maturity well beyond his years; which added to Nicx’s feeling of satisfaction.

All in all, it had been a successful evening, and despite being “on duty” in her diplomatic capacity, she had still managed to enjoy herself. The Ganthoran dancing was quite easy for Nicx to follow. As a Thurvian, all she needed to do was to keep close watch on her partner and negotiate and anticipate the various movements that his body indicated. The Ganthoran brandy was rather pleasant; it appeared to be quite a powerful concoction. However, being the official Universal Alliance representative, it would not have appeared to be diplomatically correct for her to have become inebriated in public. Nicx, however, had determined that several containers of the sweet tasting blue Ganthoran brandy would be leaving with her in the Diplomatic pouch when she returned home on leave. In the meantime, she needed a drink to help her calm down after all the excitement, and to help her get some well-deserved sleep.

Sitting at the small table top embedded into the wall of her Private Office, Nicx’s fingers flew at lightning speed over the dark green folio sheet which indicated that it was a protected Diplomatic Document. The Ganthorans, expecting this to be a Temporary Legation, had not extended much in the way of luxuries or furnishings to the Alliance Diplomats. The walls of the Legation were bare of any decoration or fixtures, whilst the furniture was little beyond primitive. In her Private Office, Ambassador Nicx had little more than a filing cabinet, a desk, and three rickety chairs. Her small work desk was little more than some kind of board embedded in the wall with a small bench beneath it.

Finishing the document, she rose and walked towards the open doorway that led to her office and summoned one of the three Landing Troopers who stood security detail in the corridor. The Trooper was instructed to take the report down to her diplomatic secretary in the coding room, which was only slightly larger than a clothes cupboard she kept at home. With the report dispatched, she set off to find some Ganthoran brandy. She knew that there was some in the Legation, because despite their paucity with furnishings and premises, the Ganthorans had been generous with welcoming gifts. There had been an oval container of brandy amongst the gifts that First Admiral Caudwell had received, and with any luck, he might not have consumed all of the highly intoxicating liquid.

Slipping on a long dark blue dressing gown, to ward off the chill that seemed to haunt the Legation like an unquiet spirit, Sarkor Nicx walked past the two remaining Troopers in the corridor; who acknowledged her presence with a nod and a friendly grin. There would be three Landing Troopers on the flat roof of the building, with eight more stationed on the first floor. Plus, there would be three more in her corridor, with another four stationed at the two entrances to the building on the ground floor. The remaining Landing Troopers would be asleep on the ground floor. The traditional Ganthoran design of the Legation building meant that there were no windows on the ground floor, and only two entrances. This made the building very defensible from a military point of view, not that Sarkor Nicx expected an angry howling mob or contingent of rebellious Imperial Guards to attempt to seize the Legation.

At the entrance to First Admiral Caudwell’s quarters, she knocked on the doorframe in the absence of any actual door. With no response, she peered nervously into the darkened room to discover the teenage First Admiral curled up and fast asleep in a Fleet Infantry Sleeping Pouch.

Looking over at the small table that had a strange similarity to a packing crate, Sarkor saw a range of foodstuffs and beverages set out neatly. There were all sorts of luxuries and delicacies provided in special hampers. Creeping quietly over to the table, she could see that none of the packages, including the oval brandy container, had been opened. The luncheon at the formal reception at the Imperial Guards’ barracks had been more than adequate to feed them through the rest of the day.

Well, waste not, want not
, she considered, and gently lifted the brandy container before creeping out of the room, without disturbing the sleeping First Admiral.

She could explain what she had done in the morning. Meanwhile, it was horribly late, and there would undoubtedly be Diplomatic Duties to attend to bright and early the next day.

Bidding the two Landing Troopers “goodnight” as she passed them in the corridor, she quickly returned to the sanctuary to her room that doubled as her private office. Retrieving a small tumbler that she had brought as part of her own private possessions, Sarkor pushed the small circular cap to the container aside with one deft flick of her thumb. Instantly, the sweet smell of Ganthoran brandy assailed her nostrils and brain, soothing and calming her. Pouring herself a generous helping of the blue liquid from the dark green bottle, Sarkor Nicx wandered over to the open window opposite the door frame. The window itself was high; stretching from floor to ceiling, and just wide enough for one person to squeeze out of during an emergency. To the left of the window was the Sleeping Pouch that Billy Caudwell had insisted that she bring. Cradling the container in one arm and holding the tumbler in the other, Sarkor Nicx took a long draught of the brandy. Savouring the sweet tasting liquid, she closed her eyes and held her head up to further enjoy the warm sensation as it slid over her throat and down into her stomach.

The evenings in this Legation building were going to be cold and chilly until the Ganthorans sorted out something better for them, so she felt he would need the added internal central heating.

Yes
, she considered, looking out of the window at the bright lights of the sprawling Ganthus City,
this would be an excellent posting to cut her Diplomatic teeth upon
.

Billy Caudwell would triumph in the Time Warrior ritual, of that she had absolutely no doubt.

“
Billy the First
.” She smiled to herself and took another sip of the warming soothing liquid.
Was that right?
She asked herself.
Did the humans on Earth call themselves by their first names when they became Kings or Emperors? Or, was it Caudwell the First that he would call himself?
She mused, and sipped the brandy once more.

“
Well, to Caudwell the First
!” She raised her glass in salute to the expected new alien Emperor of the Ganthorans.

With Caudwell the First enthroned, Sarkor Nicx could skilfully usher the Ganthoran Empire into the Universal Alliance, all the way up to full membership status. That would be quite a feather in her cap. An entire Empire; close to one thousand Star-Systems in one fell swoop.

A long and costly war would be avoided, billions of lives saved, a massive increase in territory and population, a strategically much stronger position against the Bardomil, and huge new markets for Alliance businesses. All she had to do was play her cards right, and not mess up the Diplomatic angle. From what she had experienced today, that would not be too difficult.

But
, she rebuked herself,
don’t get complacent, don’t take it for granted. Just follow the steps you learned, and stay out of trouble.

Looking out over the city with the myriad of millions of lights twinkling in the dark night, she considered that she could grow to like this place. High above the City, the twin sentinels of Chronos and Rubicos stood guard over the home planet of the Ganthoran Empire. Chronos, with its pale orange glow, made Sarkor Nicx feel even warmer, whilst Rubicos; a distant pale-blue body that marked the edge of the de-militarised zone around the planet, made Nicx feel safe and secure. With a long sigh, she drained the last of the brandy from the tumbler, and set the container and tumbler down on the small chair next to the Sleeping Pouch. Sliding off her dressing gown, she stretched her arms and yawned one last time before clambering into the Sleeping Pouch. Once installed, she pulled the cover up over her head and initiated the Force Shielding generator that would create the protective field around her as she slept, lifting the Pouch a few centimetres from the ground to allow added comfort and security.