Shackleton's Folly (The Lost Wonder Book 1)

by Yunker, Todd

  The Illia slowly entered the next garden, finding it very different from what they had found before. The ship trekked onward. The Illia continued to follow the course plotted by their predecessor, Shackleton. When they realized that the Quest’s course had taken them deep into the base of the garden, they hesitated. The Koty did not like to follow others, and this case was no different. They would claim the station in the name of their sovereign and reap the rewards and accolades they so richly deserved.

  Their systems painted them a wondrous sight the army of warrior robots. The Koty would have to hack the systems quickly to lay claim to these monsters of destruction. The number of these great machines was overwhelming. Any opposing forces would hesitate to engage them.

  Illia Captain K’Dhoplon stood close to the view screen, which was bursting with the storage system as far as the eye could see. Each storage system filled with six giant robots. These giant machines would not even have to be fitted with weaponry — their size alone would spell total destruction for any ground installations and vehicles.

  Captain K’Dhoplon said with a little awe, “Such power can rip apart the worlds of those who oppose our rule.”

  Wolfgang Gray replied sarcastically, “Such imagination.”

  Captain K’Dhoplon said, amazed, “What I would have done to the Shaker Colony on Barron Seven with three of these.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  The Quest flew over a different ecosystem as they slowed and descended to six thousand meters. The open oceans between the continents were sprinkled with island chains. The land and waters below were teeming with life; the surface changed color as schools of animals roamed free. Dancer checked the sensors and found large flights of winged animals over the coastal and inland areas. His sensors classified nearly a thousand as they passed from land to ocean to island chain and back again. The Quest resumed its descent and lowered to two thousand meters.

  A continent they came upon had a small coastal range with a large valley, rich with what looked like cultivated fields and hillsides. The terrain rose quickly and forced the Quest to gain altitude and cross the mountain range. The mountains were conical in shape and looked, from a distance, like volcanos.

  Dancer had to hand it to the First Ones’ Empire and the engineering that had been required to build the gardens. If he had only a video of this place, he would have classified it a Planetary Mass Classification of Terran, a Planetary Thermal Classification of a mesoplanet or Earth-like. The ground fell away as they continued in the direction Electra had indicated. A new mountain range rose up from the land, reaching higher than the last. The Quest returned to 4500 meters to clear the imposing, snowcapped mountains.

  The First Ones’ builders had not only reproduced the temperate zones of the planets — they had recreated the mountains, too. Dancer scanned in all directions and, to their right, he found a polar tundra climatic zone. When and if they survived, he would like to explore this garden of Electra’s. If it was as Electra said, this was where Alec’s people had settled. Dancer glanced over at Alec, who was mesmerized by the world outside as if he had just been away on a trip and returning home. The Quest reduced altitude as they came across a huge plain. Grasslands and herds of animals could be discerned as they flew at five hundred meters. Civilization had not disturbed the land in any significant way.

  “A transportation network of maglev cars and trains runs under the entire land system. It keeps the air traffic under control and allows a more natural interaction with nature,” commented Electra.

  Alec managed to look away from the screens. He was misty eyed as he said, “This is just as I had imagined. I have watched so many vids about my world before it was lost; I recognize so much. It’s so beautiful.”

  Their eyes met.

  Electra smiled in that special way of hers. “We are nearly there,” she said.

  The Quest flew over the continent’s panhandle and out over the ocean. They increased their altitude and speed to cross quickly. Wave patterns crisscrossed the water below; ahead of them was another island. Electra pointed to it and nodded. Alec slowed the Quest and took her into a wide, spiraling course.

  The island was 550 kilometers by 370. One end of the island had a kilometer-wide channel cut into the land from the coast inland for 30 kilometers, bisecting a teeming cityscape. The channel started at what looked like a large stone bluff at 1.5 kilometers wide and 300 meters deep, separating the canal from the open ocean. The height was 100 meters. A distinct current in the water came from the bluff and went toward the city. It was artificial — the product of a pumping station that processed saltwater into fresh water and pumped it into the channel. The Quest had slowed enough to make the turn from the coast toward the city a simple maneuver. They covered the distance quickly; the last few kilometers were through high rises and skyscrapers intermixed with a series of three large, open, one-kilometer wide channels, drawing on the water from the main channel. They were perfectly circular in construction, encompassing the metropolis. The first channel was at 12 kilometers from the city center, the next at 14, and the third at 16 kilometers.

  The city had a unique blend of ancient Earth architecture and a futuristic, organic type that blended usage and environment. The waterways provided fresh water to beltways of greenery subdivided by the water that passed through the channels.

  The populace could be made out easily, as they were floating through the buildings. As the Quest came in slowly through a section of apartment buildings, Dancer saw humanoids in the midst of everyday city life through the open windows. He scanned the city’s inhabitants and found that, like Electra, they were of human ancestry.

  The buildings got progressively taller as the ship neared the core of the city. They arrived at a line of much taller buildings — a hundred stories or more — and, as they came out the other side, they found that the taller buildings surrounded a park area, seven kilometers square, set aside for the city’s inhabitants. The only difference between it and Central Park of New York was the scale and the fact that it was not on Earth. A circular formation of lowlying hills walled in a series of concentric channels interlaced with land. The buildings here were of a much different construction. They looked like the classical architecture found in Greece. The well-kept grass and trees accented the classic Mediterranean feel of the place.

  Electra sat quietly, taking in the view.

  Dancer reviewed the data he had recorded during the inbound flight. He commented, “A small continent, obviously. Interesting…”

  Electra put her hand on Alec’s shoulder to get his attention. “I’ve studied your history records. Long ago, on your world — our world — we chose to leave with the Emperor. It was so long ago that our leaving turned from fact to fable to a legend, lost in pre-history, just as you are to us.”

  Alec keyed in commands. He reported, “Small craft are coming our way. Electra, your people — do they ask questions or shoot first?”

  A formation of open-air cars approached, emerging from the canyons of glass and steel between the buildings; they fell into an escort formation around the Quest. They made it clear that the Quest was to follow them; they led the way down the tapering channel in the park. They passed over the outer ring made up of the low mountains. There was a hill at the center of the structure, surrounded by three circular waterways fed by the channel, like the other greenways breaking up the cityscape.

  The bustling city rose outside the park, stretching upward toward the sky. Modern buildings walled in the park and its centerpiece: An ancient Earth temple with a giant gold statue of Poseidon riding a chariot and winged horses, glinting in the sun, took up the whole hilltop. The air cars took the Quest to a landing zone nearby.

  Electra stood behind Alec and Dancer as they showed their piloting precision and followed directions given by the ground crew, who appeared from one of the air cars that had just landed.

  Electra smiled with the joy in her heart. “They have made room for you to land near the temple.�
� The Quest’s landing gear softly touched ground and compressed with the weight of the ship. “Welcome to Atlantis,” said Electra.

  Alec looked from the port to Electra. “The continent of Atlantis?” He leaned forward to get a better look outside. “I am in awe. When you said that the Empire moved you, I never dreamt you meant the entire continent. No wonder no trace of it was found.”

  Stalwart-looking dignitaries, some in suits and others in flowing robes, arrived in air cars as security personnel lined up outside the Quest, surrounding the ship. The Quest’s systems exhausted gases in its shutting-down procedures. Security cordoned off the area as the most curious citizens began showing up to see the newcomers.

  The group of dignitaries situated themselves a little distance from the airlock. They talked amongst one another and came to an agreement. They issued orders to the security troops, who then spread out around the ship and managed the crowd as needed — as well as anything coming from the ship. All eyes turned to the Quest when the airlock opened. A wave of anxiety washed across the dignitaries as they waited.

  Electra came from the darkened interior into the daylight. She paused for a moment as her eyes adjusted. The group’s attitude changed notably as they recognized Electra’s presence.

  A middle-aged, dark-haired woman of average build rushed to Electra. Councilwoman Pyrrha said excitedly, “Electra, I always knew you’d make it back.”

  Pyrrha and Electra hugged each other as would any long-separated friends.

  Alec and Dancer exited the Quest behind Electra.

  Their hug loosened enough for Electra to breathe. “Good to see you Pyrrha. You now speak Standard.” She looked closely into Pyrrha’s face, “Who else got back?”

  Councilwoman Pyrrha said sorrowfully, “Only one, my dear. Cesar made it home two cycles ago. He was in pretty bad shape and didn’t bring anyone else.”

  Councilwoman Pyrrha saw Alec and Dancer standing a short distance from them. She released Electra and went to greet Alec. Councilwoman Pyrrha said loudly, “I greet you as the one we owe so much for the return of our Captain.” She made an elaborate bow before Alec.

  Alec turned to Electra. “‘Captain’?”

  “She is of the royal family,” said Councilwoman Pyrrha, who squinted and took a better look at Alec. “You are a Rover, then?” She looked back to Electra.

  Electra smiled and said, “No, he is not a Rover,” to Pyrrha and “Yes,” to Alec.

  Alec continued, “Captain and royalty?”

  “Many of us volunteered to follow those who left to the stars. It happened once a generation. A lottery was held, and my crew won the honor,” Electra replied.

  “If not a Rover, who is he?” Councilwoman Pyrrha could see that her Electra had an attachment for this man. He would have to be tested genetically to prove beyond any doubt he was not of the Rovers — a spy sent amongst them. She motioned to a member of the security staff, who surreptitiously pulled a scanner from her equipment belt and started to scan Alec.

  “He is one generation from living on the home world,” replied Electra.

  The announcement shocked Councilwoman Pyrrha and the other dignitaries in the immediate area. They all closed in on Alec and Dancer.

  Councilwoman Pyrrha walked up to Alec and looked at him closely in the eyes. “You are from… but you would not know what our ancestors would have called our home world, would you? So many generations have passed.”

  “We called it Earth, but that word was not around so long ago,” responded Alec.

  “Called it ‘Earth’?” asked Councilwoman Pyrrha. She caught the eye of the security staff member that was evaluating Alec. She had a surprised look and nodded slightly, indicating that positive results had been returned. Councilwoman Pyrrha’s eyebrow arched with interest in the results.

  “Yes, my world ended cycles ago. A small number of us were off planet when disaster struck our home. We do not have a planet to call home,” said Alec sincerely.

  Councilwoman Pyrrha paused thoughtfully. “If you are who you claim to be, we are your brothers and sisters. I am sure I can speak for the wishes of the Council and can offer you a home here if we survive.”

  Electra turned to Councilwoman Pyrrha. “It has started?”

  “It has.” She looked to Alec. “You say our home world has been destroyed. This world,” she said as she opened her arms wide, “and everything and everyone” — she paused and glanced at Electra — “will soon perish if nothing is done.”

  Alec held his eyes on Electra. “Tell me what I can do.”

  Councilwoman Pyrrha asked, “Has she not told you of the prophecy?”

  “Electra told me a little about it.”

  “I will tell you in short. It was foretold by the oracles on arrival here at our new home: One day our world here would be devastated, and a horrible end would come to all remaining here. Our only chance of survival was our savior, a seeker who would come from our mother world.” Councilwoman Pyrrha eyed Dancer. “You must understand that we are not the primitive culture we were when we first arrived, and, as I see it, you are not from the culture we left behind.”

  Alec glanced over at Dancer and agreed. “We are not the people you left behind.”

  Councilwoman Pyrrha said, “The oracles were a faction of prophecy fanatics, the same the end-of-the-world prophecy describing your arrival. They were terrified beyond reason about staying here in the Gardens and wanted to leave.” She looked to Electra.

  Electra nodded. “The laws in place about leaving were very restrictive. The Empire had fallen by then, and it was decided that the location of the Gardens needed to remain a secret.”

  “They chafed at staying until the end of the world.” Councilwoman Pyrrha followed Alec’s gaze as his expression became contemplative. He focused on Electra as did Alec. “They organized and made a raid on the Maintenance Citadel, cutting off a corner of the dedication plaque.”

  “Alec, it was known that the dedication plaque was tied into the maintenance system and the custodians. They must have thought the custodians would blame us for the damage,” said Electra, concerned.

  Councilwoman Pyrrha recounted, “They demanded ships and supplies for the return of the missing dedication plaque. Then their demands changed — it became the ships and their freedom.” She underscored the seriousness of the situation. “They claimed they would return the piece but were holding it hostage against anyone following. They left and just vanished.”

  Electra turned to Councilwoman Pyrrha. “The incident became the first time the custodians failed to show when known system damage occurred.”

  “The belief was that, if they did not come, it meant that the system was not as important as once believed,” said the Councilwoman. “But they were very wrong. The missing custodians were proof that it was more important than we had thought and all this time later that vandalism has brought the end of the world.”

  Alec asked Dancer, “Have you ever heard of any other groups of humans?”

  Dancer said, “I realize you are asking the question for their benefit.” Dancer turned to Councilwoman Pyrrha. “No other human groups have made contact with any of the worlds I know of, but the galaxy is a big place.”

  Electra jumped in, “Councilwoman Pyrrha, we do not need the Rovers. Alec has collected two of the three lost pieces. The last piece was captured by a hostile race who is here in the gardens. They are unaware of the significance of the piece or the imminent danger they have placed themselves in coming here.”

  The rest of the dignitaries had moved in closer to hear the conversation, and all were greatly surprised with the revelation. Councilwoman Pyrrha spoke first. “You have two of the pieces with you now?”

  Dancer turned and opened his back compartment and removed the wrapped item. He was ready to hand it to the Councilwoman but then turned to Alec. “I believe this is your honor.” He handed it to Alec.

  Alec unwrapped the piece from the royal blue velvet and presented it to the Councilwoman
. “It is my honor to return this to where it belongs,” said Alec. The Councilwoman and the others could not take their eyes from the material and the characters inscribed into it. Dancer appeared, carrying the second piece he had removed from its hiding place. He handed it to Alec. Alec took the piece from Dancer and held it out to Councilwoman Pyrrha, who handed the one she was holding to another council member and took the second piece from Alec. The proximity to each other had them not only glowing but projecting the representation of the gardens above.

  “This is too extraordinary,” said Councilwoman Pyrrha with delight.

  Alec said with pride, “My father died believing this inscription would lead him to a world where our race could live in peace and call it home. It looks as if he was right all along. I wish he could have been here.”

  “A man with honor and vision,” said Councilwoman Pyrrha. “You will have to tell me about your father sometime.”

  “That would be my honor, but we have only two of the three pieces,” said Alec.

  Electra said, “Councilwoman Pyrrha — maybe we could call together the Council and provide you a briefing.” She could see that people had gathered at the barriers erected by the security forces to control the growing crowds. Electra leaned in with a coy little smile to whisper into Alec’s ear, “Show them the man I have come to know.”

  “You are right, Electra.” Pyrrha spoke to the other members of the group, and all headed toward open air cars. The inscription pieces were carried with reverence as the dignitaries stepped into one of the cars. They left as quickly as the cars filled and doors closed.