The Dove

by Brendan Carroll

  “If it’s a comet, something is definitely wrong with it.” Bari mused and had to look away from the light. “For one thing, it doesn’t have a tail.”

  “Haven’t you studied astronomy?” Nicole asked him. “Comets always have tails. It has to be something else. Maybe a new satellite surveillance system.”

  “Like what? Alien space invaders?” The Emperor shrugged and then smiled ironically. “It has to be something that creature dreamed up. Probably some new weapon of mass destruction!”

  “That big? And that close? I doubt it.” Nicole disagreed. “What does the Colonel say about it?”

  “He doesn’t know much about astronomy. He doesn’t know of any satellites being launched or anything. All the space programs that were in place before the wars are gone. There aren’t anymore. Even China got put out of business. I don’t think America has anything left either. It would have to be France or Russia and I doubt my spies would have missed it.”

  “Who knows? Maybe it’s the Aussies. They were working on a new spaceport or something. I remember hearing something about it before the war.” Nicole glanced back at the ominous light in the eastern sky. It didn’t seem to be moving. It was as if a new star had appeared in the sky that was close enough or big enough to shine during the day right alongside the sun. She hooked her arm through Lt. Galipoli’s and he patted her hand instinctively, comforting her.

  Bari rolled his eyes in disgust. The man was a fool.

  “Sergeant Spellman said it might be a supernova in our local vicinity or elsewhere. He studied astronomy in college or something.” The lieutenant offered as they walked back toward the officer’s barracks.

  “A supernova? An exploding star?” Nicole looked at him as if he were a genius. They had left the building after speaking with Simon of Grenoble and sought out the Captain of the Guard upon seeing the light in the sky.

  “Yes. It could even be in another galaxy, I’m told. I hope it is something like that.” Bari told her. “Anything else would be too bizarre.”

  “Weeellll, in case you haven’t noticed, nephew, things are pretty bizarre already.” Nicole told him sarcastically. “But I don’t think that’s a good thing. Galaxies are made of billions of stars. It would not be very comforting to know that one was hovering off the port bow.”

  ((((((((((((()))))))))))))

  Simon and the two brothers had gone to the roof of the barracks to observe the latest in a long list of unusual occurrences. This one bode nothing but bad news. As they stood on the flat roof of the building in the ultra bright light, they cast two shadows. One dark one from the sun and another, even darker one, from the brilliant object that hung below the sun.

  “What do you think, Master Simon?” Gregory asked him after a few moments.

  “I think that we might be in trouble.” Simon shook his head and brushed back his blonde hair. “That is no doubt a comet and it’s either very large or very close or both.”

  “I thought comets had tails, Sir.” Nicholas shaded his eyes. “That looks like a star to me.”

  “If it is coming toward us, the tail would be pointed away from us at too sharp an angle to make out or perhaps the head is so brilliant, it is obscuring the tail.” Simon explained.

  “It could be a supernova.” Gregory suggested. “I’ve read that they can be brilliant enough to be seen in the day time even when they are in distant galaxies if the exploded star was big enough.”

  “Maybe it’s a quasar!” Nicholas offered. “They are supposed to be the brightest objects in the Universe! Or maybe it’s a black hole passing through our Solar System!”

  “Don’t be silly, old chap,” Gregory used a fair imitation of a proper English accent to object. “If it was a black hole, we couldn’t see it!”

  “Yes we could! We could see the event horizon. Also I’ve seen pictures of them and sometimes they have jets of gas shooting out of them.” Nicholas demonstrated this with his hands and thumbs. “Like this. These photographs were taken with the venerable Hubble Space Telescope before it was left to drift aimlessly in space forever and forever. Amen.” The elder brother crossed himself reverently and Simon tried not to ask, he didn’t want to know.

  “I don’t see anything shooting out of that.” Gregory turned away and blinked, trying to clear his vision.

  “I doubt there would be a world left if a black hole was passing through.” Simon disagreed. “I think it’s a comet. A very close one.” Sweat trickled down his face in the extreme heat. “We’d best get in out of the sun. There could be harmful rays… energy. Who knows?”

  The two brothers followed the priest down the stairs into the dimmer interior of the building as yet another argument erupted between them about what sort of rays might be emanating from the quasar or whatever it was. Simon had witnessed many such arguments and neither of them ever won. The healer was impressed by Nicholas’ extensive knowledge concerning astrophysics.

  Colonel McGuffy met them in the hall.

  “My scouts just returned.” He told them at once. “They say that the Prophet’s troops are less than a hundred miles away and headed toward Jerusalem. We are going to have to make our move tonight. The only thing saving us is the fact that he is traveling at a camel’s pace.”

  “Then I should make preparations for moving the ark.” Simon frowned. He had hoped not to have to do that. He did not want to go near it, but he was the only one qualified to oversee such an endeavor. “Gregory and Nicholas will help me. We’ll need a wooden crate big enough to hold it and a truck to carry it in. Do you have a troop carrier?”

  “There are several of them.” The Colonel nodded and then shrugged. “There are just no troops to fill them.”

  “Then have your men clean one of them. Take everything out except a good length of rope to secure the box. Also see if you can find some incense, frankincense and myrrh, preferably and have them burn some inside the truck. Knock both ends out of the crate and put it inside so that a man can walk through it. Park it in front of the Temple and… we’ll need a ramp… wooden if possible. Have them bend all the nails inside the box and cover them over with plaster or clay, something that won’t fall off. Tar or pitch would be best, if you have some. And then cover the outside of the box with the same thing. We’ll need another length of rope to secure the ends of the box. No nails or wire. Make sure the rope is new.”

  “Will nylon rope be OK?” The Colonel asked him and Simon’s frown deepened.

  “Hemp would be best. Just plain rope or cotton. Something natural. If necessary, use torn up sheets and braid them together, but make sure they have been cleaned and bleached before and after handling. Can you oversee this yourself?” Simon asked him as he stopped in front of Mark and Sophia’s room.

  “I will see to it personally, Master.” McGuffy told him. “Will you need anything else?”

  “I will need some clean water and some unleavened bread… Kosher? Do you have any Jews in your numbers?”

  “I’ll see.”

  “If not, I’ll have to make the bread myself.” Simon’s mind was racing. “Oh! And our baggage? We need our bags.”

  “Of course. Anything else?”

  “Let me know if you can’t find a kosher baker among your men and when you’ve got everything together, call me and I’ll inspect it before we get started.”

  “Certainly, Sir.”

  The Colonel hurried away and Simon turned to his two accomplices.

  “I will need to give you both cleansing baths and consecrate you.” He told them. “I take it that you’ve both been circumcised?”

  “Circum-what?” Gregory frowned at the Healer.

  “Circum…” Simon slapped his forehead. “Of course, you haven’t. Look, Nicholas, go with the Colonel. Get our bags and bring them back to our rooms. See if you can find some good wine… and something stronger like bourbon or brandy and send that fellow, what’s-his-name… Philip? The one who is in charge of the first aid supplies. Gregory, come with me.”

&nb
sp; Simon shook his head and mumbled to himself as he hurried down the hall, by-passing the chance to peek in on Mark Andrew. This was going to be worse than he had expected. Much worse! He stopped in his tracks and whirled about like a mad man.

  “Go on to my room and wait for your brother!” He snapped at Gregory. “I’ll be there directly.”

  The Healer rushed back down the corridor to Mark’s room. Sophia sat on the bed beside Mark with his head resting in her lap. Selwig was stretched out across the foot of the bed, snoring peacefully. He had worked himself to exhaustion.

  “How is he?” Simon approached the bed and looked down at Mark’s face.

  “He’s sleeping, but not very well.” She told him. “The fever is down, but he is still having nightmares.”

  “We will be leaving tonight.” Simon told her. “We cannot stay here. If Jozsef decides to pick up his pace and ride ahead of his mounted troops, he could be here within the next few hours. We have to hope he will continue at the same pace, not wishing to separate his forces. I’ll be busy for the next several hours until we can move the Ark and make it ready to transport.”

  “Isn’t that dangerous? To move it?” Her eyes widened. She had heard the stories about how lethal contact with the instrument of God could be if mishandled.

  “Very. I would appreciate any prayers you can spare for us.” He told her. “Try to get some rest if you can and let him sleep. I’ll send word when we are ready to go.”

  Sophia nodded and Simon hurried out of the room.

  Mark stirred in her lap and opened his eyes.

  “Sophia?” He reached for her arm with his uninjured hand. His injured hand was cradled against his chest.

  “I’m here, Mark.” She leaned over him slightly. “You need to sleep. Go back to sleep.”

  “Can’t sleep. Monsters.”

  “I thought they were gone. Tell Sophia about them. Maybe I can help you scare them away.” Sophia leaned back and stroked his damp hair.

  “The hand of God comes for me. Shining bright and it strikes me!” He raised his head a bit. “I see the head of darkness and the head of light in a place of the white stone. The crystal palace. It’s very cold there and God talks to me.”

  “What does God tell you?” She asked.

  “He says ‘Tell Noah to build the ark.’ Who is Noah?”

  “Noah? Noah is dead, Mark. Noah has been dead for a very long time.”

  “God says the evil one will kill the giants with water and the people, and fire from the sky will come.”

  “You’re talking about the great flood. That happened a long time ago. That’s not going to happen now.”

  “No! It will happen. God said it would happen.” Mark frowned and grimaced and looked up her. “The stars say so. I saw it.”

  “What? Where?” Sophia was not sure if this was a dream or a vision of things to come. The idea made her heart beat rapidly.

  “Up there.” Mark turned his eyes toward the ceiling.

  “In the sky?”

  “In the stars. In the crystal palace where the special babies are made.”

  “Special babies?” Sophia breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. A dream. Only a crazy, fever-induced dream. “Babies are not made in crystal palaces, Mark.”

  “Special babies are.” He insisted.

  “Really?” This was intriguing. He was so much like a child. Certainly someone would have to have that ‘special talk’ with him soon, but it would not be her. No way! She would speak to Simon about it… if they survived. “And just how are these special babies made? Do you know?”

  “That’s a secret.” He smiled slightly and closed his eyes again.

  “Ohhh. A secret. So you don’t really know, do you?”

  “I know, but I can’t tell you. It would not be proper.”

  “Why not?”

  “Two days and I will tell you. Maybe I will show you.”

  “Uhhh. Well! OK, then. We’ll see. You just need to rest now and sleep. No more dreams.” Sophia frowned. Two days? She tried to imagine what day it might have been, and if there could be some special significance in the date. If there was, indeed, something that he knew. They had been captured and kept in seclusion for a long time. She shook her head. She’d not even thought to keep a record. Sometime in September, possibly near the end of September. There was nothing special she knew of in September except the equinox. The first day of fall. A significant day to some people.

  “Hurts.” He said and made a small noise as he tried to move his hand.

  “Here. Sit up a bit, and then I’ll lay down with you.” She helped to set him up and then froze at the sight of the white braid in his hair. It hadn’t been there in days… weeks. “My God!” She covered her mouth with her hand. “When did… How did…” He looked at her quizzically, but his eyes still burned with fever.

  Selwig mumbled and then sat straight up in alarm.

  “What is it?!” The Tuathan looked about the room. “What happened?!”

  “Nothing.” Sophia shook her head and then helped Mark turn over. “Go back to sleep. Father Simon says we will leave tonight. He said to get some rest.”

  Selwig crawled across the bed and checked the bandages on Mark’s hand.

  “Good.” The Tuathan smiled. “His fever is down. He will make a full recovery.”

  “Great.” Sophia lay down behind Mark and then picked up the white braid very carefully. “Selwig? Did you see this?”

  Selwig frowned at the hair with the silver ornaments attached.

  “Of course. Many times.” He nodded.

  “He didn’t have it when we got to New Babylon. He didn’t have it when we got here.”

  “Ohhhhh.” Selwig’s eyes widened. “That is very odd. Are you sure?”

  “Quite.” She laid the hair back on Mark’s head so as not to disturb him. He had already drifted back to sleep.

  ((((((((((((()))))))))))))

  “That is a great relief.” Barry slumped in the chair in one of the elaborate outer offices of the papal apartments.

  “Oui`! Yes, it is.” Edgard agreed and sat down next to him. “At least we will be spared total annihilation. God must be smiling on us.”

  “Did ye evar doubt it?” Luke Matthew was still pacing the floor near the door.

  “Just a figure of speech, Brother.” Edgard smiled at the distraught Knight and King.

  “Wot th’ divvil is takin’ so long?” Luke stopped and stared at the gilt door leading to the meeting room.

  “These things take time.” Barry sighed and shifted his position.

  “So it really is a comet?” Christopher spoke up from across the room. “It doesn’t have a tail.”

  “That’s just because we can’t see it from this angle.” Lavon answered him. The Knight of the Wisdom of Solomon was reading the official report from the observatory. “It will be a near miss when it comes back around the sun, but only in astronomical terms. The thing is huge!”

  “So it would have destroyed the entire world?” Izzy sat up straighter and yawned.

  “Most definitely.” Lavon nodded. “An impact of that magnitude would have probably created another moon. Or even another asteroid belt.”

  “Good grief!” Philip shook his head. “Will it be back? I mean, will it come back again next year or the year after?”

  “According to this, the astrophysicists calculate that it is what is known as a rogue comet on a parabolic course. When it goes back out, it will probably not return and there is a good possibility that it will impact with Neptune if it stays on course. It has to make it through the asteroid belt first and that’s probably when it will make its final encore. We will probably be able to see the explosion when it meets its fate. If it’s not completely destroyed, it may be broken up or deflected into a new course.”

  “That’s good news, right?” Izzy leaned forward.

  “The likelihood of it surviving the belt intact is very small.” Lavon laid the papers on a nearby table. “Good news
. And about time.”

  The tall double doors opened and two cardinals entered the room.

  “His Eminence will see you all now.” One of them held out one hand toward the door.

  Edgard got up and tugged on his tunic. “It’s about time!” He grumbled. “Who does he think he is? God?”

  The Cardinals grimaced in unison. The meetings had been very heated, long, drawn out affairs. The pope was against sending Italy’s troops to the Holy Lands. He preferred to wait until the war came to Italy. The reports of the devastation, the horrid creatures infesting the wastelands and the recent reports of meteor showers destroying vast stretches south of New Babylon had unnerved the Pontiff. The Italian army was undermanned and their weapons were very precious. He felt that sending them off to war was too risky and would leave the homeland open to invasion from the sea and the northeast. Once the kings and Dukes had convinced him that it would be better to meet the enemy on foreign turf, a new argument had arisen concerning the route that they should take. Most of the reigning monarchs and the various barons and dukes wanted to travel overland through Greece and across the Bosporus into Turkey. The Templars argued that this was a bad idea. The terrain through which they would have to travel was rough even in the best of conditions. The war had destroyed many of the roads and highways. The people had reverted to barbarism in the mountainous areas and winter was rapidly approaching in the higher latitudes and altitudes of northern New Persia. Philip d’Ornan, Knight of the Sword, had also pointed out that they would be very vulnerable when they tried to cross the narrow straits of the Bosporus between the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. If New Babylon got word of their crossing, it would be possible to attack them from the north and the south by sea. The unreliable reports they had been able to glean concerning Jozsef Daniel’s navy indicated that he commanded a considerable fleet of battle ready vessels and the fuel and ammunition necessary to decimate them in short order.

  Edgard had already made up his mind. If they insisted on going by land or spending another day arguing about it, he and Louis Champlain and Luke Matthew would take the combined Frankish and British forces south to Naples where King Corrigan waited for them with over two thirds of his fleet of sailing ships. They would cross the Mediterranean to Israel, take Jerusalem and the Ark of the Covenant on their own. The rest of them could come from the North or from Antarctica for all he cared. He’d had enough of the Papacy and bumbling actions of the Church. He would not be constrained by these political posturing and gesturing again… ever! They were running out of time and he felt the near miss of this comet was a sign that something should be done right away as disaster loomed close on the horizon. He interpreted the comet to be a representation of their situation. There was little time and even narrower margin for error. If Sir Philip, his military expert, said no to the overland route, then he would trust in the mystery bestowed on the Knight by the Creator and by sea they would go, with or without the rest of Europe.