by Raven Bond
“Well, it's something unnatural for sure,” he said wryly. He saw Abigail go straight to a series of what looked like scratches in the wall. She looked from the scratches to her father's open journal. Tesla was beside her. She pointed to something in the book and then at the wall.
“It has to be; don't you agree?” Will heard her ask the Savant. Tesla nodded, though he creased his forehead in thought.
Abigail began pushing against the markings. Will was about to ask her what she was doing when the wall in front of him parted along a seem in the middle, soundlessly. The air devils all stepped back at once, their weapons raised to cover the new opening.
Calming his racing heart when they were not instantly attacked, Will peered over the barrels of his revolver into a strange darkness shot through with green whirls. The smell of fetid dead things washed over them, carried on a faint, uncanny breeze from within.
“Abigail,” he said softly. His eyes were still trying to pierce the darkness for threats. The green swirls seemed to turn his stomach slightly the longer he stared into them. “Did you just do that?”
“Of course,” Abigail replied. The Scholar was starting towards the opening, book in hand. Saira silently blocked Abigail's way with her body, her rifle still pointing into the opening. Abigail closed the book, and made frustrated motions with her arms.
“Really, you are all rather jumpy,” Abigail said crossly. “Father found the way into it days ago. His explorations have shown that it is quite uninhabited.”
Slowly Will crouched, gun at the ready. He nodded to himself, keeping his temper down. She wasn't under ship discipline, and dressing her down in front of the others would do no good. At times though, he thought that Saira had it right, about the English being all crazy, even the good ones.
“And it would have been really good for us to know that before you did what you did,” Will explained calmly. “From now on, I want you to tell me before you do anything like that. It'll make us all less jumpy, I promise.”
“Well, alright,” Abigail promised, vexation in her tone. “But don't you see,” she continued exasperatedly, “Father will have gone inside to hide from whatever happened out here.”
Will stared into the maw of strangeness. The strangeness stared back. He placed his free hand on his medicine bag where it lay against his chest, under his clothes. Every instinct told him to turn the hell around and get his people far away. He didn't need his totem to tell him that death laired inside. Still, he knew he couldn't do that without some obvious danger.
“Ravin,” Will ordered. “Go back to Dancer. Report to Rogers. Tell him what we found, bring back bulls-eye lanterns and rope. Everyone else, we all move back from the opening. Keep sharp, but nobody shoots without the word.”
“But you can't mean for us to simply wait here,” Abigail protested. “I assure you Father found nothing dangerous inside!”
“That’s as may be,” Will allowed to her. He continued with no give in his tone for all her entreaties. “But he is not here. We will wait.”
~ ~ ~
Will Hunting Owl would have called the inside a nightmare except he never had nightmares this bad. Once Ravin returned, Will had them use rocks across the opening like a doorstop. He didn’t want the only entrance they knew of to close behind them. Abigail told them what her father's journal had described of the inside, but words couldn't prepare them for the reality of it.
Will tried to shine the bright light of his electric lantern deeper into the darkness. Once again the light was swallowed up a few yards away. All you could see beyond that was a darkness that was somehow lit from within. An occasional, green glow gave no real illumination. The light from the entrance had also vanished behind them as they went deeper inside the opening.
Sound was swallowed up too. Farther away than about ten feet, you couldn't hear anyone, even if they were shouting. They’d tried. Will had ordered them all to stay close together. Even the dry surface they walked on felt wrong. Their feet sank deep into it, making each step a slog as if through mud. When he looked down, Will could see no trace of where he'd just stepped. It would be far too easy to become lost in here. Eerie lights flickered in the dark. Will felt like the will-o-the-wisps were following them.
One person had already been sent back to the entrance. They couldn't stand the unnaturalness of it all. Will didn't blame them. The further they went, the stronger grew the sense that this was some place no human was ever meant to be. Evil and darkness hung in the air like a rotten swamp. Will had pulled out his medicine bag while he kept moving. He muttered a short warrior chant of the Ghost Dancers. That seemed to calm his spirit some.
To keep the crushing sense of dread at bay, he went over the Tigers' action plans once again in his head. Saira had drilled the Tigers in most battle situations. It never hurt to review them for quick orders. Wovoka had taught Will that when facing great evil, the warrior looked to his bow as well as his Medicine.
Will had ordered a rope tied around the waist of their rear guard. The other end of it was back with the guards at the entrance. That was their lifeline. The batteries in their lanterns were good for a couple of hours. That gave them a time limit. Will couldn’t help feeling they would be easy prey in this darkness. One hour searching, and he would order them back. What else hadn't he thought of?
Will stopped, allowing Saira to move past him and take the lead. He waited until Abigail and Tesla, in the middle their small formation, were beside him before walking forward again; this time he walked beside Abigail.
“How big did your father say this thing is?” Will asked the Scholar. Abigail walked beside him, lantern in one hand and her father's book in the other. Even the sounds you could hear were flat, as if all the life had been leeched from them. It wouldn't be hard to believe that they had entered some dark underworld of the dead, like some of the southern tribes believed in. Will wished he hadn't thought of those stories right then.
“Father estimated that it must go on for at least a mile,” Abigail replied. “He had only explored a fraction of it. Ah, here we are.” She turned towards what looked like more of the scratchings they had seen on the outside wall. These seemed to hang in the air on their own, glowing a sickly green.
As they got closer to the symbols in the air, the lanterns banished the glow to reveal that the marks were actually on a wall, much the same as the outer one. Abigail handed her lantern to Tesla to open the journal. She turned to Will.
“If I am reading father's notes correctly, this leads into a power room,” she explained to him. “When I push these characters, another doorway should open. There ought to be light we can see by inside. May I continue?” Her hand hovered over the markings.
Will shifted his grip on his revolver. “Look sharp everyone!” Will ordered. “Lady Abigail is going to open another doorway.” He pointed both lantern and gun at what he hoped was the right place. It was hard to be certain in this distorted place.
“Go ahead.” Will nodded at Abigail. She pressed the characters in a certain order, referring to the journal in her hand as she went. Without noise the wall slid aside. Will was momentarily dazzled by the swirling rainbow of eldritch light that spilled through the opening.
As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he could just make out a large chamber lit by a huge ball that seemed to throw light as it turned. The ball was in an alcove along the left wall, floating in the air. The right side of the room vanished into the shadows. He saw no threats, but was going to be damn sure.
“Saira,” he ordered. The small Arms master slid smoothly between Abigail and himself into the room, rifle ready. She was followed by the burly Sebastian who moved almost as fluidly. Will watched the two of them stalk across the floor lit by swirling colors from the ball. They vanished into the shadows on the right. A few moments later Saira reappeared, signaling that it was clear of obvious threats.
As Will stepped into the room, Tesla pushed forward, making his way quickly towards the rotating ball on the left wal
l. Tesla was closely followed by Abigail.
“Wait up there!” Will called out to them, in vain.
Cursing all educated boffins, Will snapped out orders to set a watch and have half of the guard come inside. He figured they could at least conserve their lanterns. If it was some sort of trap, he would still have half his fighters outside the room.
Will hurried to catch up to the two Scholars who had already reached the wall. They were pointing up at something, chattering away like kids at a party. He also realized that he could hear them. Whatever swallowed the sound in the passage, it was different in this room.
“You see how they have used the tension?” Tesla was saying to Abigail. “When fully powered, it must pull on the very fabric of the Aether itself! How very elegant,” He looked to Will like a man who'd seen heaven.
“So what are we looking at?” Will interrupted them.
“Ah, Captain.” Tesla acknowledged him absently, his attention still on the ball. “What you are looking at is clearly a trans-dimensional displacer.” Tesla chewed his abundant mustache in absent habit as he studied it. “Can it really be so simple?” he said out loud.
Will noticed that the dial needle of the small box around Tesla's neck was moving. Will pulled out his own and looked down at it to see the needle jerk up and fall back again, over and over.
“The sickness detectors are going off,” Will said to Tesla tightly.
“It is only an insignificant reading,” Tesla waved a hand absently. “Nothing that can harm us unless we stay here for a very, very long time. They seemed to have found a way to reduce emissions greatly.”
“What Tesla was saying, Will, is that this is more than a power room,” Abigail explained excitedly.
“This,” she pointed at the ball, “is actually what provides the vessel’s motive force. It is akin to one of your ship’s impellers if you like. Only instead of pulling air through an induction ring, and then out in a jet stream which pushes the ship, this pushes against the fabric of the universe itself. Is not that extraordinary?” She stared up at the ball, enraptured.
Will looked up at it. He could not quite see the universe as a piece of cloth, much less how a big sparkly ball like that could push it. Will had already decided that he would rather not stay here any longer than needed, despite Tesla's reassurance about what his plague boxes showed.
“So, is this your power thingamabob here or not?” Hunting Owl asked them bluntly. Will gathered that this was something important to them, but there was a time and a place to sight-see. Now would not be it, Will reckoned.
Tesla gestured at a row of tubes set into holes in the lower part of the alcove between themselves and the ball. Two of them showed a small green light on their tops.
“Oh,” Tesla said to Will carelessly, his attention still on the ball. “Doubtless these are the generators. The lights most likely show which ones are still working. We must be very careful removing one of them.”
“All right,” Will said. He turned to Abigail. “Can you and Tesla get one of them yourselves or do you need help? I want to move from here quick as we can. There is still your father to look for.” He reminded her.
“As I am here,” came a deep voice from behind them, “perhaps I may be of assistance?”
Will whirled around, gun coming up. He saw a tall, bearded, white man in a bush jacket step towards them from the shadows. The ginger haired man smiled, and held out his arms towards Abigail.
“Abigail. You've come,” he said simply.
“Father!” Abigail cried running towards him.
Chapter 18
The Alien Device
Will watched the reunion of daughter and father with a feeling of disquiet. He signaled Saira to come over to him. She sashayed across the room and leaned her head close to Will.
“Before you ask,” Saira whispered to Will, “No I do not know where he came from! Sebastian and I searched this room most thoroughly. The room was completely bare; there was nowhere to hide. We found no possible hiding places, and there was no sign that anyone had been in the room. He was not here, I swear it!”
“I was afraid that you would say that,” Will sighed unhappily. Smiling at Will, Abigail was bringing the man back towards them. Will smiled back at Abigail.
“Follow my lead,” he whispered to Saira out of the corner of his mouth. “I will want your truth sense here. Stay sharp!”
“Father,” Abigail said, “These are my friends. They saved my life. Without them I never would have found you. This is Captain William Hunting-Owl and Arms master Saira Brighton of the airship Wind Dancer, and of course you know Tesla.” She placed her hand on the man's shoulder, “This is my father, Lord Robert Hadley.”
“Nikola!” Lord Hadley exclaimed, holding out his hand. “I am so glad you came!”
“How could I not, Robert?” Tesla smiled and clasped the offered hand. “You worried your daughter here quite a lot. You worried all of us.” Tesla said disapprovingly.
“It seemed necessary,” Lord Hadley said. He shrugged Tesla's comment off. “I was afraid that my inquires in Hong Kong had drawn unwelcome attention. I was warned most darkly about a deadly, white woman searching for me.”
“A Russian woman named Petrov?” Will interrupted.
“All I was told was that the locals called her the White Death, if you can imagine anyone called such an absurd name.” Hadley spread his hands in explanation. “I was also told that she was searching for me. Normally, of course, I would not concern myself with such nonsense. There was a strange man skulking around at my hotel.”
“I am sorry that I could not wait for you, Abigail.” Hadley frowned and took Abigail's hand in his. “I would have messaged, but I was certain you were en-route by that time. Nor did I judge it wise to leave any clearer message at the hotel. I had every faith that you would decipher what I left you.” He patted her hand, beaming. “And here you are.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then turned to face Tesla.
“I also owe you an apology as well, Nikola,” Lord Hadley said. “I am sorry if I alarmed you unduly. I know how incredibly busy you are. You were very kind to come all this way. While there is no danger,” Hadley waved his free hand at the floating ball, “the journey was worth it, as you can see”
“Yes, it is all quite extraordinary,” Tesla said. “There is certainly no need for apologies, Robert. You certainly have proved yourself. I dare say that Smothers will have to drink that flagon after all.”
“I had forgotten all about that bet!” Hadley said, with a laugh that sounded hollow to Will's ear.
“Yes, I suppose he will, I suppose he will,” Hadley repeated. He stared off into space for a moment, as if listening to a voice that only he could hear. Hadley turned towards Will and Saira, acknowledging them with an imperious nod of his head. Will noted that he didn't extend his hand.
“Captain Hunting Owl,” Hadley said, “Arms Master Brighton. My thanks for all that you have done for my daughter. Whatever she has promised you, rest assured that I will pay it, and add a most generous sum as well!” Abigail frowned deeply at her father's words, but did not speak.
“No need, Lord Hadley,” Will drawled. “Your daughter is an exceptional woman.” He gave Hadley the patented Hunting Owl grin. Will already disliked the man, Abigail's father or no. Will hooked his thumbs in his gun belt and slumped his shoulders, looking as non-threatening as possible.
“Seems that you were in a bit of a spot yourself,” Will continued easily. “What happened to your camp outside, if you do not mind my asking?”
“Raiders!” Hadley replied, his face serious. “Their airship appeared early one morning. There was only a small crew of workers I hired back in Hong Kong. We were outnumbered from the beginning. When it was clear that they were going to carry the day, I made my way here. I had already moved some supplies as I was spending most of my time here studying the engine.”
“I did not know that by letting the doorway close I was locking myself in,” Hadley
confessed. “I must say that I am glad to see you all, if for no other reason than that the tins were running somewhat low.”
“Well, we have a pretty good cook on Dancer,” Will nodded. “I am sure that we find you something much better than tins.”
“Dancer'?” Lord Hadley asked. Hadley paused, a look of confusion passing over his face.
“Wind Dancer is my air ship,” Will explained patiently, while giving Abigail a questioning look. She was looking at her father in concern. “I'm sure that you're eager to get out of this place for a while.” Will continued. He waved a hand at the surrounding swirls of color.
“Oh, quite right, your ship,” Hadley replied, his eyes blinking dazedly in his bearded face. “No Captain, I have no interest in leaving here. This may be difficult for you to understand, but all the knowledge of the universe is here. All knowledge, Captain. I have dedicated my life to serving it, to learning from it.” Will was about to respond that it would still be here after dinner when Chang walked up to them.
“Robert,” Chang said to Hadley looking up at him.
“Tsi,” Hadley said in surprise. “Abigail didn't tell me you were here as well!” Will noted that the two certainly seemed to be on a first-name basis. That said maybe Chang had been telling at least part of the truth. Still, they also seemed a little stiff for lovers, or at least Lord Hadley did to Will's eye.
“You vanished, Robert,” Chang said simply. “I had to come looking for you. I am glad to see that you are alright.” She laid a hand on his arm, searching his face. “You are alright, yes?”
“I am now.” Hadley smiled and patted her hand. Will noticed that Hadley seemed to stare off into space for a moment. He moved such that Chang's hand fell away from his arm. A strange thing for a man to do to his lover Will thought.
“Now, if you will excuse me,” Lord Hadley said to Chang. He turned back to Tesla and Abigail. “I would like to show you some of the things I have discovered. It seems that we have vastly misunderstood the nature of the beings we call the 'Invaders'.” Hadley walked the two of them over towards the ball, leaving Chang standing with Will and Saira. Will watched them go, the uneasy feeling growing inside him.