Saturna and the Battle for Zard
Page 35
Chapter Eighteen
The plan was finally complete and Saturna, Hete, and Peep started immediately on the large amount of work each of them had to do before sunset. Hete jogged down the second tunnel to the outside of the castle to engage the help of Uncle Tete and seven other Kievils. He was to bring them back to the Vaulted Room, leave them with Saturna to mix the sleeping gas and then begin his rounds in the castle announcing tonight’s great celebration. Somehow Hete was to make the Veectoreze believe attendance was compulsory.
Peep was in charge of the computer. She used Gondee’s information about the computer programs, information Maize had communicated to her, to gain access. There were a few problems, but Peep was able to get into the castle’s and barrack’s computer from the Vaulted Room. By doing an analysis of the programs, she would soon understand how to override them. Her job was to find a link between both computers, see how the computer controlled the lighting in the castle, and look for a way to lock the Veectoreze in the Grand Dining Hall. It didn’t take long for Peep with her highly intelligent, data processing brain to realize the process was going to be very complicated and difficult.
Saturna’s job was to contact the kitchen Urites and organize the feast and mind-link with Anton to discuss help they would need when they arrived at the barracks. She was then to supervise the mixing of the sleeping gas with the Kievils Hete organized, and take them through the tunnel system to their positions on the balcony. Luckily, Saturna knew many of the secret passageways from her childhood explorations. Her main problem, she realized would be getting the Kievil crew unseen by the Veectoreze sentries from the Vaulted Room through the castle kitchen and into the main passageway.
“Peep, I’m concerned. I can’t seem to contact Gondee through my auri. Something dreadful has happened to him, I sense it. He’s always answered me, always. I feel he needs me. Should I go to him?” Pushing her hair away from her face, Saturna frowned. She wondered if she went to the barracks in her most official gown and crown, the crown which she could take from the Vaulted Room, whether the Veectoreze guards would obey her command and release Gondee.
Looking up from her computer work, Peep thought for a moment and then said, “My Queen, I’m not able to advise you on what to do as I don’t understand the logic of the siege and the violence of the Veectoreze. I come from a peaceful Solar System, ruled by a council, where power and decisions are shared by all.”
“Yes, Gondee told me your Solar System is peaceful, very advanced--much more so than ours. One day I hope my Solar System will be the same. Believe me I don’t understand the violence and siege. But in my heart, I know what I have to do. I have to fight to retake my kingdom or there will never be hope for any inhabitant.”
Slipping down the gloomy kitchen tunnel, Saturna continued to try to contact Gondee. There was still no reply. She had never been in this passageway before, yet Saturna felt completely at ease. The darkness and many silver cobwebs almost invisible on the grey brick didn’t frighten her--she simply pushed them away as she felt her way down the rough stone stairs. When she reached the concealed doorway, Maize’s auri spoke to her.
“Do not enter the kitchen, My Queen. There are many Veectoreze guards present.”
“I understand. I’ve come to tell you we will retake the castle tonight from the Veectoreze. Please make all the Urites aware to begin preparations for a large feast. This will be for the Veectoreze sentries and officials and will be held in the Grand Dining Hall,” replied Saturna through thought.
Trying to peer through the same crack Hete had used, Saturna continued to speak to Maize through her auri about the plans and contingency plans for the night, as she observed the Urites catering to the Veectoreze guards seated at several tables in front of the secret doorway. She heard some unkind remarks made to a Urite servant and felt her anger rising because she could do nothing to help him.
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Do not worry about me, harsh words from a Veectoreze carry no meaning to a Urite. You must keep yourself hidden until the right time, so we can take back the kingdom as they took it from us,” the Urite servant said to her through his auri afraid the Queen might enter the room to protect him.
Saturna clenched her fists and promised herself at that moment she wouldn’t fail. She would regain her kingdom from the Veectoreze tonight! Feeling an incredible sense of strength and confidence, she knew what she needed to do. As she had witnessed those few minutes of verbal abuse, Saturna realized the realm would become one of chaos and hopelessness if the Veectoreze won the battle. She remembered her lessons about the ancient kingdom when Veectors ruled the Solar System. Although Veectors ruled the kingdom over five hundred years ago, the anarchy and social inequalities her books described during that time suddenly became clearer. She now understood what Gondee meant when he had said some cultures are incapable of maturing and prefer to live in rudimentary states.
“I won’t allow history to repeat itself!” she whispered as she returned her focus to the plan for the evening. Quickly climbing the stairs to the Vaulted Room Saturna was ready to begin her next assignment.