The boat stopped thrashing a moment later, with a suddenness that jarred them. The wind and rain failed to reach them. Strange warmth permeated the air around them, smelling like peppermint, drying out their clothing and hair.
And then he was there.
“I see that the weather has cooperated.” Will pointed his hand to the side of the boat, and a portion of the wood splintered and flew to his hand. It was the section bearing the name of the ship. Will glanced at the six passengers, noting that Judith seemed the least fazed by the storm and his nullification of its effects. “Judith, would you do us the honor of tossing this overboard?”
Judith blinked once, then nodded and accepted the wooden plank from Will. She walked to the side of the craft, still marveling at the protection from the biting winds and spitting rains she received from Will's Energy shield, and tossed the plank overboard. It would float back to shore, and the few in Boston who knew them would mourn their deaths at sea, victims of the violent storm that drowned them.
Judith returned to the group, her eyes wide with awe, and glanced to her fellow travelers. “The boat! It’s floating above the waves!”
The others gasped, and Will allowed them a moment to see for themselves. He couldn’t calm the storm, but he could simulate the effects of doing so. With telekinesis, he could float the boat above the waves and eliminate the effect of the turbulent water. With an Energy shield, he could block the cold rain and biting winds. The Energy usage required to accomplish those feats wasn’t taxing, but he didn't want to stay in one place for long. When the group returned from observing the marvel Judith had described, he had them form a circle and hold hands. Once the circle was complete, he floated them above the surface of the ship, allowed the boat to fall into the water, and fired a bolt of Energy straight down through the craft. It began to sink instantly.
They wouldn't be around to see it happen.
Will teleported them all aboard the Nautilus, watching the reactions. The encounters he’d had with each of the six over the past two years included conversations about advanced technology, about the Energy lying dormant within them, Energy that would enable them to do things they believed impossible. They'd doubted him, of course, until he'd trickled a bit of Energy into them, raising an eyebrow to let them know that sudden warmth they felt wasn't their imagination. Repeated "chance" encounters led to more questions, and more answers, until at long last each of them expressed a readiness and willingness to leave Boston behind for a completely new life.
They had no family and few friends to mourn them. Will had indicated that there would be no return trips to Boston for them in their mortal lifetime, though they could certainly travel elsewhere. Of course, they'd all have the opportunity to live many lifetimes. Once they'd lived long enough to ensure no one remained in Boston who might recognize them, they'd be able to return if they wished.
Once the faces of amazement, the shrieks, and the disorientation eased, the passengers glanced around at their new surroundings. “Where are we?” Aaron asked.
“We're on a boat.”
Peter glanced around. “I don't see any water, though.” He sniffed. “I don't smell any water, either.”
Will nodded, motioning to something behind Peter. “The water is over there.”
The six turned around, moving slowly toward the screen, eyes wide. “But… if that's water… then…” Peter seemed unable to vocalize his thoughts.
“We're under the water,” Will said, finishing the thought. “That’s correct.”
Peter stared at Will. The look on his face made it clear he thought Will had gone mad. When he realized Will wasn't joking, he began shouting. “We're drowning! We're going to die!” Peter raced around the main cabin, opening doors, looking for an exit that didn't exist. When he realized he was trapped, he raced to the giant screen and started beating on the glass.
The others watched him in silence. They turned to Will, who merely shrugged. “It's a bit of an unusual concept. He'll get used to the idea.”
Peter finally realized he'd never break through the clear surface or, perhaps, that doing so and subjecting himself to an unknown depth of water wasn't the best of ideas. He stopped, and then became aware of the six pairs of eyes watching his every move, with expressions ranging from horror to amusement.
He looked at the ground. “Er… sorry about that.”
Will nodded. “Quite understandable. I assure you, you're perfectly safe.”
Peter nodded, the abject terror finally out of his system. “Just to be clear, though. We are, in fact, in a boat that you can sail under the water. On purpose. In complete safety.”
“Exactly.”
“This has to be the most amazing thing ever.”
Will laughed. “We're five miles away from the place where the Seaworthy sank beneath the waves, and over a thousand feet beneath the surface of the ocean. Surely that counts for something?”
Everyone laughed.
“Besides,” Will said, “this boat does more than just sit still. Computer?”
Yes, Will?
“Set course for the Cavern. Maximum speed.”
Yes, Will.
“Who said that?” asked Deborah, whirling around, searching for the form of the woman responding to Will's commands. “You say her name is Computer?”
Will shook his head. “It's not a person. It's a machine.”
“Is it me, or is this boat moving?” Ruth asked, glancing around.
“You can talk to machines?” asked Graham. “Can you talk to plows, too?”
“Yes. I mean, no.” Will sighed. “Yes, the boat is moving. No, I cannot talk to machines unless they're built to talk to me.” He made a mental note to take things a bit slower with the next group; he was overwhelming this group with too much that was beyond their comprehension, too quickly. “Look, let's sit down and get something to eat and I'll explain more about this boat, how it came to be built, and more about how I envision us working together.”
They moved to the side of the main cabin and seated themselves around a large circular table while Will moved to the galley. He'd set a few large cuts of meat to cook in an oven and steamed vegetables before he'd left to retrieve them. He inhaled the scent of the beef and his mouth watered. The Energy expenditure might not have taxed him, but it did leave him hungry. He looked around for a tray, and found nothing. With a sigh, he assembled a tray created with some of his nanos, reminding himself he'd need to dispose of it after the others were settled in their quarters.
Trying to explain an underwater, thinking boat was one thing. Trying to explain that he was in possession of a swarm of intelligent machines smaller than human cells would be impossible at this stage.
He carried the tray out, set it on the table, and motioned for everyone to eat. After a moment's hesitation, they did so, and the sounds of chewing filled the cabin. Will went back to the galley for water, a beverage which generated a few puzzled looks. Nobody questioned him, though, and they ate and drank their fill.
“I've told each of you a good amount of what we're about, but I want to tell you the story of how all of this”—he waved at the interior of submarine—“happened. It's a lot to take in at once, and I apologize for not easing you into this. But I think it’s best to tell you everything possible and let you adapt into it, rather than try to guess what you’re ready for and when.”
A few heads rose up in the midst of chewing their food, with looks of surprise. “You made it pretty clear we'd see things and do things we didn't believe possible, Will,” Peter said. “I don't think you have anything to apologize for. Just… let us accept it all at our own pace.” There were a few chuckles in memory of Peter’s earlier meltdown, and the man grinned and blushed.
But there were murmurs of assent to his statement, and Will felt a sense of relief. Far from being overwhelmed by what he'd shown them, they'd considered it further proof of the truths he'd offered them.
Will nodded, and continued. “Almost seven centuries ago…�
��
He paused. Had it truly been that long? Saying the words made him realize just how long he’d actually lived, how long he’d been at all of this.
“Seven centuries ago, a small village formed in England. That wasn't unique. What was unique was that the villagers truly believed that many things we call ‘magic’ simply aren't. You don't need spells, or wands, or cauldrons, or demons. You can tap into something inside you, and do far more than you ever believed possible. They sought out reports and legends of people all over the known world, people who were supposedly doing just such ‘magic,’ and sought them ought to learn the secret.”
“Did they find it?” Deborah asked.
Graham snorted. “Dude just freaking moved us inside an underwater boat from five miles away. What do you think?”
Everyone laughed, and Deborah blushed.
“They searched for years, but nothing seemed to happen. And then the solution, as it often did, appeared in their midst. It was the combination of two rare plants, taken in the correct sequence, which served as the key to unlocking everything. They never looked back. The members of the group flourished economically, of course. It's difficult to make a non-profitable trade when you know what price the other party is truly willing to accept.”
“Wow,” Judith breathed. “I hadn't even considered that. I guess after a while it would start to add up.”
Will nodded. “It did. But it wasn't just money. They saw things… differently. They didn't accept the way things were always done. They built machines to help them do daily tasks like baking, or to help them create linens they could make into clothing, or cut wood they’d use to build chairs and tables. They made buildings out of new materials that were stronger, more resistant to cold and fire, and easier to shape than what had always been done before. They were literally centuries ahead of everyone around them.”
“That's amazing,” Aaron said. Most of them had stopped eating. “So, I take it you're part of that group?”
Will sighed. “Not any more. I left. Or I was kicked out, depending on who you ask. It doesn't matter. I wouldn't be part of that group now.”
“Why not?”
“Unfortunately, as power and wealth grew, so did paranoia. There was a silent, unspoken fear that the rest of humanity would figure out what was going on. When they did, the fear was that they’d storm our villages and kill our people. Everyone was forbidden to talk about what they were, what they could do. No one was permitted to talk about the machines, either.”
Peter snorted. “That’s crazy talk. There's no way a group of regular people could hurt someone like you. Not after what I've just seen.”
“But they did,” Will whispered. The cabin was completely silent. "I was even there for one such incident. A mob formed, convinced we were working with the devil, and when we tried to talk sense to them, they attacked quickly and killed quite a few of our number. We… retaliated, but it was further evidence to strengthen that paranoia.”
“Oh.” Peter looked downcast at this news.
“To me, though, those rules weren’t the worst. We learned that other groups of people had developed these skills and had children, and that the children were far more powerful than their parents. The concerns about what that meant were… varied. We… had a bit of a war about it. In the end, the whole group blamed the mere idea of having children, or even thinking about it. So they set up penalties for those crimes as well.”
There were a few muffled laughs, until they realized Will wasn't laughing. “You're serious, aren't you?” Peter asked.
Will nodded. “I wouldn't take the oaths they made everyone take, about that or any of the others. I believed then, and now, that the best thing we could do for ourselves and the rest of the world was to share those advances and that knowledge. So, either I left, or was kicked out. Either way, I doubt they're happy that I'm running around free.”
“Whoa, wait a minute.” Judith's face was lined with worry. “Are we in danger because of this?”
“Life is full of danger, no matter what you do,” Will said. “None of the people in the original group know about you, so there's no need to be concerned. You'll be in a safe location until you're strong enough to handle anything you might encounter. And you'll have a chance to do something the original group, which calls itself the Aliomenti, never did.”
“What's that?” Ruth asked.
“Make the whole world a better place. I told them when I left that I'd openly violate each of those rules, because I don't think that knowledge should remain hidden with a select few. It has the potential to do a great deal of good. Each of you will be able to live that out as you see fit, especially as you get stronger and more able to deal with any threats posed by the Aliomenti. You can go out into the world and work among the people. You can stay in our primary location and work on your version of this boat, or something else entirely. It's up to you. I'll give you the tools, but it's up to each of you to put them to use.”
There was silence for a few minutes, as each of them pondered the ramifications of this statement.
Deborah raised her head. “So, there are others like you out there, using these amazing abilities to help everyone?”
Will thought about Hope, who was doing exactly that, but wasn't quite ready to talk about his seven centuries old wife-to-be. Not yet. “The Aliomenti are only worried about helping themselves. So… no. You’ll be the first.”
Silence.
After a moment, Peter looked around. “I don't know much about the rest of you, but I was wandering the streets of Boston, trying to find work. I don't own land. I don't own anything, really. I took any odd job I could find to make enough to eat. Most days I did. Some days, I didn't. There are a lot of people like me, people who want to work hard, but can't find the opportunity. I don't know if it's because there are no opportunities, or because they don't know how to find them. I didn’t know how to find anything out there, that’s for sure. So… the idea that I can go back to my city, or some other city, and find people like me and help them take that next step to achieve that prosperity they're ready to work hard to achieve? To me, that's something special. So, if those lunatics come after me, so what? Will's made it pretty clear that he knows how all this magic-y stuff works. He's going to teach me how to do it. And I get to ride in a boat that talks.” He glanced at Will, grinning. “Let's do this.”
“Couldn't have said it better myself,” Aaron replied, and his comment was repeated by the others.
Deborah smiled. “An alliance of like-minded, very powerful people out to make the world a better place, one person at a time? I like that.”
Will grinned. “Exactly. You’re the first of this new group. But you won’t be the last. One day, there will be a lot us. We’ll all be aligned in our overall mission. We will be known as… the Alliance.”
IV
Learning
1715 A.D.
Aaron stood on the beach within the Cavern, watching his ambient light-generated shadow twitch on the sand. The fans they’d erected throughout the perimeter of the underground city adjusted at random, blowing a breeze at him that smelled faintly of salt, tossing his hair into his eyes. He moved the locks aside and stared at his creation. It was a sphere, built from the same clear material found in the windows of the submarine he’d ridden here for the first time five years earlier. The sphere was half-submerged in the water of the tunnel responsible for all traffic in and out of the Cavern. A rail, much like those which would be constructed with great earnestness in the outside world fifteen decades later, attached to the side wall, and the sphere’s wheel system rode on the rail. They’d put down three other tracks, as the tunnel was large enough to hold four pods travelling at once.
He glanced at the passengers inside. Judith, Pater, and newcomer Michael had volunteered for the maiden voyage of the “subway” sphere, which he’d taken to calling a pod. They’d ride the pod to the end of the tunnel, where it met the sea, and then back, and report on their experience.
If they survived.
Aaron was nervous. He’d ridden in the pod himself several times, but for the system to work as designed he couldn’t be part of every voyage. His friends were testing it out, without him there to adjust anything that went wrong. His primary interest was in seeing his three friends safely back on dry land.
He waved at them, cupped his hands, and shouted. “Are the passengers ready?”
Yes, of course. Judith's telepathic reply was laced with good-natured sarcasm. Peter waved a jovial hand in his direction. Michael simply nodded. The newcomer looked nervous, much as Aaron suspected he himself did.
“Looks like it’s your show,” Will said. He slapped Aaron on the back. “Your passengers are ready for departure.”
Aaron took a deep breath.
“Nervous?”
Aaron nodded. “I know we used the same materials as the submarine. I’ve tested it, and it’s sound. I know it’s the same propulsion system as the submarine. I’ve tested it, and it’s sound. You can breathe inside without worry. There’s even lighting so that you aren’t in the dark. But… yes, I’m still nervous. What if something goes wrong?”
“What could go wrong?”
“The hull could leak.”
“They’re effectively in less than thirty feet of water. No danger that the entire thing could rupture.”
“The air could be toxic.”
Will pointed. “They look fine to me. Michael looks a bit unnerved, but Peter and Judith seem to be fine. That suggests Michael’s problem is Michael, not the pod.”
“What about the track?” The track had been a huge challenge. It had been difficult enough to create the material; mounting it to irregularly shaped walls in thirty feet of sub-zero water introduced him to a whole new level of challenge. They’d adapted, though, rigging lengths of tubing held in place near their faces so that air could travel freely. It wasn’t the best solution, but they’d figured out another. They took a pod, complete with its wheels and propulsion system, mounted it to the track, and cut the front half out. Will showed them how to build an Energy-based shield around themselves that pushed all of the water out of the way. They’d fasten a section of track to the rocky tunnel wall, slide the pod and Energy-shield forward the length of the new track, and repeat the process. The pod ensured the air inside the shielded enclosure was breathable; the shield ensured they had dry space to work in. After a few days, they added a standing platform that extended along the wall, enabling them to work with better footing.
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