‘Well, I don’t remember getting any instructions.’
‘Oh. Sorry.’
‘Forget it. I’ve got a tough hide.’
‘You’re more generous than your sister was. She used to yell and hit me when she missed her landings.’
I shake my head. ‘That would be right. Isabel is obsessed with proving her ability to stand on her own two feet.’
Arkarian materialises before us and notices the fragrant air and shifting rainbows above. ‘I haven’t seen the Citadel this happy since my return from the underworld.’
‘You say that as if the Citadel has emotions. Isn’t this place just a building?’
‘It’s far more than a building, Matt. It was designed by one Immortal, restructured and perfected by another. And when I speak of it having emotions, I’m referring to the beings that live there and are as much a part of it as the bricks and mortar that make its walls. But let’s not get distracted from what you two are about to do.’
He runs his hand along the back of a white leather high-back chair, one of three in the room, then decides to sit in it, motioning for Ethan and me to follow. ‘You will be assuming the identities of scientists,’ he explains. ‘Ethan will be the botanist Henry Robins, and Matt, you will be the astronomer Edward Cowers. These people do not really exist, but we have been able to establish your reputations. The Endeavour’s official astronomer, Charles Green, is especially looking forward to meeting you, Matt. His particular talent is finding the longitude at sea purely from observing the moon and stars. Not many scientists of his time can do this. He is keen to discuss navigational instruments with you.’
‘But how will I sound convincing? I don’t know anything about navigating.’
Arkarian glances at Ethan, sparking my memory of the knowledge dust. I wave my hand in the air to let him know I remember Ethan’s explanation, but he’s probably reading my thoughts anyway. After all this time training, I still don’t know how to screen my thoughts from Truthseers. I just don’t get it.
Arkarian continues with his instructions. ‘The two of you will be given a guided tour and introduced to several prominent members of the crew. You are not expected to sail with the ship. Learn what you can about recent activities. In the short time the Endeavour has been docked at Plymouth eighteen men have deserted the ship. The Captain has taken aboard marines and volunteers to make up the full complement. Joseph Banks, the scientist and adventurer, will be arriving just ahead of you, along with his friend, a Swedish doctor by the name of Daniel Solander. Apart from these two gentlemen, no other crew members should change in this last twenty-four hours. Do you understand so far?’
He waits for us to both nod before he continues. ‘The most important thing you have to remember is to make sure you are off the ship before it pulls out of the harbour. I can return you from anywhere, even from out to sea, but if you are seen by the crew when it departs, you will have to stay on board until they reach land. You can’t afford to let this happen. That ship will go for months without docking.’
‘OK,’ Ethan says. ‘We get that. Do the job and get out.’
Arkarian leaves us and Ethan takes me up a series of staircases that disappear beneath every one of my steps. ‘Why does it do that?’ I can’t help asking.
‘For protection,’ Ethan explains. ‘It leaves no trail or scent of where you arrived or departed.’
We end up in a room with clothes lining every wall. As we walk past them, our own clothes change, and when I look in one of the many mirrors I can’t believe how different I look now. I’m wearing white stockings that go all the way to my knees! My shoes are black and fastened with big silver buckles. I turn sideways and shake my head. My shoes have high heels! Looking up I notice the shirt, white and frilly with baggy sleeves. This is tucked securely inside tight black knee-length pants that have buttons running all the way up the outside of my legs. Over the top of all this is a brown vest and rust-coloured coat.
I look ridiculous.
‘Do they really expect us to wear this get-up?’ I glance at Ethan. His outfit is similar, but he doesn’t look uneasy at all. ‘Are these costumes close enough to the real thing that we won’t be seen as frauds?’
‘They’re authentic,’ Ethan explains, tugging his vest down at the front. ‘These coats were the peak of fashion in 1768. Didn’t you study this period in history with Mr Carter?’
‘I didn’t take history.’
‘Everybody had to do history in the lower years.’
‘Well, I don’t remember learning about it.’
‘Never mind,’ Ethan says, pulling me into the centre of the room. ‘You might need an extra dose of knowledge dust.’
A fine layer of dust settles over the top of us from the ceiling; instantly I feel comfortable in the outfit, but, stranger still, I’m aware of having a vast knowledge of the universe, the positions of stars and constellations. An image of a sextant comes to mind and somehow I just know that this instrument has recently replaced the quadrant because it can measure altitudes and angles with a higher degree of accuracy.
Brushing away some of the extra dust on my head and shoulders, Ethan urges me on to another room on a lower level. The colours of the rainbow are back again, but in softer, pastel tones, the scent of flowers more subtle. I get the feeling the Citadel is not only happy, but is being gentle with me.
A doorway opens in the opposite wall where Ethan instructs me on how to take the fall and land on my feet. I glance out and see the pier where the Endeavour is docked. There sure is a lot of activity going on down there. It’s daytime, but the sky is cloudy and dark.
‘What can you see?’ Ethan asks.
My shoulders lift in a light shrug. ‘Everything. The ship, the crew, sacks, instruments, casks, barrels of all shapes and sizes being taken on board. They’re rowdy down there, and there’s music coming from one of the pubs.’
He peers at me, frowning.
‘Is something wrong?’
‘No. Not at all. It’s just that most first-timers don’t see so clearly.’ Still staring at me, he motions for me to leap. ‘You go first. I’ll be right behind you.’
I take a deep breath and try not to think about what’s ahead while I jump.
I land on my two feet in a quiet back-street alley. A thump behind me and I spin around to see Ethan. He pats my back. ‘That was great. Let’s go, then.’
We walk into a cobbled street, moving out of a sailor’s way. He’s carrying a hammock on his back. ‘Excuse me, gentlemen,’ he says. ‘Are you heading to the Endeavour?’ Ethan nods and the sailor rushes on, ‘We’ve been waiting for the wind to pick up.’ He holds up the hammock. ‘I got myself a bed today. The Captain likes a neat ship.’
Ethan tips his cap at him. ‘We shall see you on board.’
Suddenly it hits me – where I am. I’m about to meet Captain James Cook, the explorer who discovered the east coast of Australia. That much I do know. I also know a little about his present occupation – a young captain of His Royal Highness’s Navy. ‘What was so important about Cook’s travels?’
Ethan is only too keen to explain what he knows. ‘His journeys to find the great south land paved the way for Australia’s colonisation.’
‘Yeah, I know that.’
‘Well, his journeys contributed to the world’s knowledge of seamanship, navigation, even geography. His surveys and maps were so accurate they were used for over a hundred years. His men didn’t die of scurvy because the diet that Cook insisted they eat included fruit and vegetables, and he was the first captain to calculate his longitudinal position with mathematical accuracy. He completely charted the north and south island of New Zealand, as well as the east coast of Australia.’
We draw near the ship and I stop and just look. She’s larger than I imagined. She creaks as she sways and rubs against the dock. She seems so … real. Ethan taps my shoulder, pointing up ahead. A man dressed similarly to us, but with a bright red coat, comes towards us.
‘
You must be Robins and Cowers. Welcome to the Endeavour.’
Ethan introduces us and the man shakes our hands. ‘Zachariah Hicks. First Lieutenant. Please come on board. The Captain is expecting you.’
Hicks takes us on board and shows us around. Sailors make way for us as we pass. On the main deck he rattles off statistics. ‘She measures one hundred and six feet from stern to bowsprit and twenty-nine feet and three inches across the beam.’ He then explains what some of the ropes and rigging are used for. ‘You’re fortunate we’re still here. If this wind continues to pick up, we’ll be sailing soon.’
Hicks shows us all twenty-two of the Endeavour’s guns, then takes us down into the well-stocked hold. He explains how they’ll be sailing with eight tons of ballast, several tons of coal, spare timber, barrels of tar and pitch, tools, canvas for repairs to the sails, hemp for the ropes and rigging, and a stash of other supplies like food.
‘Twelve hundred gallons of beer, sixteen hundred gallons of spirits, four thousand pieces of salted pork …’ As he rattles off the rest of their impressive supplies, he takes us through to the quarterdeck where six small cabins have only recently been built for the Captain, Charles Green, Joseph Banks and some of Mr Banks’s party.
The next part of our tour is the lower deck, where most of the men will live, eat and sleep for their three-year voyage. It looks crowded as the men continue to find their places, hang their sleeping hammocks and stash their gear. There are so many men, I wonder how we’re going to identify which two are the ones we’re looking for. Ethan must be thinking the same thing. His eyes run over the men’s faces more than the ship’s quarters. ‘Will you be sailing with a full ship’s complement?’ he asks Mr Hicks.
‘We lost two men only this morning,’ he says, then looks at the two of us. ‘There’s room for you two, if you’re willing. I’m sure the Captain would be pleased to have two scientists of your calibre aboard.’
Ethan has to be thinking about those two seamen who jumped ship only this morning. Didn’t Arkarian say the ship’s crew should not have changed at all in the previous twenty-four hours? But Hicks is apparently serious about his offer for us to sail with the Endeavour. I motion towards Ethan. ‘Unfortunately we don’t have sea legs,’ he says, plastering a huge smile across his face.
Hicks continues with the tour, and we eventually make our way to a room tucked away in the ship’s stern. Lanterns hang from the ceiling, giving extra light, even though it is still daytime and the sky is starting to clear.
It’s in this room that we meet both Captain Cook and Joseph Banks. The Captain greets us by clasping his hands around ours, then introduces us to the other scientists he wants us to meet. Joseph Banks quickly engages Ethan in conversation, while the astronomer, Charles Green, seems extremely keen to pass his knowledge on to me.
We’re served a light meal, but there’s an atmosphere of adventure in the air as the wind continues to increase in intensity. Ethan works his way over towards me. ‘I’m going to take a look around and see what I can come up with. Keep your eye firmly on the Captain.’
But the Captain has decided to set sail. He explains he has things to put in order above deck, but kindly suggests his colleague, Mr Green, show me his mathematical equipment before I leave. I can’t very well chase the Captain, so I accompany Mr Green to a room called the Great Cabin. It’s a small room with timber desks and chairs, and will be shared by the Captain as well as the other scientists and artists. I wonder what it would feel like in here after almost three years, and, if Captain Cook knew how long his journey would take, whether it would make any difference to his enthusiasm. I doubt it. He appears calm and totally at home.
After Charles Green has showed me his instruments, I go in search of Captain Cook. I find him above deck, issuing orders to a couple of sailors scrambling up the ratlines and working their way along the yards to unfurl the mainsails. Hicks spots me. ‘Are you still here, my good man?’
‘Ah, just giving the ship a final look over before I leave.’
‘Better be careful or you’ll end up sailing with us.’ He winks and tips his cap.
As Hicks walks off, Ethan comes running towards me. ‘This is bad.’
‘What is? I haven’t seen anything strange.’
‘Those two deserters.’
‘Yeah, so what do you think that means?’
‘It means the Order has done its job already.’
‘But …’ My eyes drift to where Captain Cook is standing at the wheel, his head tilted right back as he watches two sailors up at the crosstrees setting the topgallants to the wind. ‘He looks safe enough.’
‘Exactly.’
‘I don’t get it.’
‘They’re going to blow it up, Matt.’
I stare at Ethan. ‘The ship?’
‘Yeah. With everything and everyone on it. The maximum amount of damage. Don’t you see? Not only does Lathenia annihilate Captain Cook, but if she destroys the Endeavour as well, the voyage will be cancelled.’
Geez, he’s right! ‘The Endeavour is about to set sail!’
Ethan looks up as deck hands work the ropes and hawsers. ‘I noticed.’
‘So what do we do? A bomb could be anywhere.’
‘We sure could do with Rochelle’s hands right now. She would only have to run them over the timber and find it for us.’
‘Well, we don’t. Got any other ideas?’ I don’t mean to sound so abrupt. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t worry about it. Let’s just try to figure this out.’
But where would those ‘sailors’ plant an explosive? ‘They would have come on board and gone straight –’
‘To their allocated area in the lower deck!’ He hits my chest with the back of his hand. ‘You’re a genius!’
Trying to look inconspicuous, we make our way down. There’s still a lot of activity, but amazingly most of the men’s gear has been stored away neatly. Ethan spots a sailor that he was chatting with earlier. ‘Those two seamen who jumped ship this morning, I don’t suppose you saw where they stored their baggage?’
The sailor points to the far stern and chuckles. ‘Up there in that corner. Nice and cosy, like.’ He grins. As we take off he calls out, ‘Oi, the ship’s about to leave, y’know.’
Ignoring him, we rummage around, feeling for cavities, searching through boxes and other paraphernalia. A rumble overhead sounds like wind filling the sails. This is quickly followed by a creaking of timbers. Suddenly the ship lurches.
Ethan looks at me with widening eyes. ‘We have to hurry!’
We start searching frantically, throwing gear around in our rush, making a mess. ‘It’s not here!’
‘It has to be!’
We keep looking but don’t find anything. ‘Maybe you’re wrong about the explosives. Maybe Arkarian’s wrong too and nothing’s going to happen.’
‘Shhh,’ Ethan warns. ‘Don’t say his name until we’re ready to leave. Now think, and believe me, we’re not wrong.’
A sinking feeling hits my gut as the ship begins to pull away from the dock with the shrill cries of seagulls taking flight. ‘There’s a cabin.’
‘Huh?’ Ethan asks.
I start to move with an idea forming in my head. ‘If they wanted to create the most damage, and make sure they annihilated Captain Cook and his most precious belongings, then it makes sense that they would plant the explosives directly under his Great Cabin. The place where all the scientific equipment is stored.’
‘I don’t remember seeing that room.’
But I do. Somewhere amidships. Somewhere in the middle. Ethan joins me in the cabin, and within seconds he has his hands on a suspiciously loose board. Jimmying the panel open, the explosives are soon revealed – six thick rods bound together with string. ‘It’s dynamite,’ he mutters. ‘Trust the Order to play to their own rules every time.’
‘What are you talking about?’
He glances up for a second. ‘Dynamite hasn’t been invented yet.’ He notices an old-fas
hioned timepiece at the centre. ‘Look at that. It’s set to go off in three minutes!’
‘We have to get rid of it.’
‘Yeah.’ He gives it a tug, but it doesn’t move. ‘First things first.’
‘Right.’
Working carefully Ethan holds the bomb as I attempt to cut the straps holding it in place. It seems to take for ever with the clock ticking loudly in my ears. When it finally comes loose too much time has passed. We only have fifteen seconds left!
‘Just enough time to get this baby into the water,’ Ethan says with amazing calm, considering he’s holding a pile of explosives in his hands.
But it just isn’t turning out to be our day. Hicks makes an appearance, with two other sailors close behind. ‘Hey! What are you two doing here? You’re up to no good, aren’t you? Good grief, what’s that you’re holding?’
Ethan looks at me and shakes his head. ‘No time to explain, sir,’ he calls out. ‘Just let us through!’
No one moves out of the way. ‘Here, you’re not going anywhere. Not with that! I thought there was something funny about you two.’ Hicks calls over his shoulder, ‘Lock ‘em up!’
I glance at the timepiece in the centre of the bomb, my heart sinking. Five seconds. ‘What are we going to do?’
‘We’ll have to take it back with us.’
Four …
‘What? The bomb? But it’s going to explode! And those three over there will see us disappear.’
Three …
‘We can’t worry about that now. It’s a risk we have to take,’ Ethan explains.
Two …
He adds quickly, ‘If we don’t, this bomb is going to kill everyone on the Endeavour and the two of us will die in the past. We can’t risk that.’
One …
Without conscious thought I snatch the bomb out of Ethan’s hands and call, ‘Arkarian!’
Chapter Seven
Matt
Arkarian transports us back to the Citadel, but in the split second after transit begins, the bomb explodes. Heat, light and fire catapults the two of us into a rapidly darkening oblivion.
The Key Page 7