“What did he say?” asked Amanda.
“The chief was aware that we wanted to visit the cave of the ancients,” said Kyron. “It was part of the message I had recorded for Admiral Benjamin Thompson. The chief has informed me that the high priest of the tribe awaits us at the entrance of the cave. It is time for us to continue our journey, Amanda Williamson.”
“Sounds good to me,” said Amanda. “Let’s go.”
Along with the chief, Kyron, and her father, she walked to the edge of the village. As they got closer to the entrance of the cave, Amanda was amazed at how large the stone doorway was. It had to be twenty feet high and twenty feet wide. According to Sentinelese legend it had been on the island before the tribe itself.
Finally they were standing less than twenty feet from the entrance. Amanda noticed the symbols on the doorway. Upon close examination she saw that some of the drawings resembled the amulet she was wearing. She watched as the chief moved to the doorway. He was about to push some of the symbols when a beam of bluish light emanated from one of the ones near the top of the door. The light beamed directly onto the amulet around Amanda’s neck. She could feel the ground under her feet rumbling. The bluish light then surrounded Kyron and the admiral. Within seconds the large stone door had opened.
There was an eerie silence. Amanda noticed that the chief and the rest of the tribe were on their knees. They were chanting. She looked at Kyron and then her father. “I guess that’s our welcome greeting,” she said.
“Indeed,” said Kyron. “It appears that the legends of the amulet as well as the Semina Vitae are quite real.”
“Let’s hope that all the legends are real, including that ship,” said Admiral Williamson.
As the three of them entered the cave, the enormous stone door closed behind them. Amanda turned on her flashlight. A blue path illuminated the ground. “That must be for us,” she said.
As they followed the path, the walls started to glow. There were writings with pictures of what appeared to be maps of solar systems, and planets that were marked. Earth was one of them.
“These appear to be systems that the gods seeded with life,” said Kyron.
“There are so many of them,” said Amanda. “I’ve counted twelve so far and it looks . . .”
She failed to finish her sentence because a bright light filled the entire cavern and the alien from her dreams appeared.
Kyron fell to her knees and started speaking in ancient Altarran. Admiral Williamson looked at him in disbelief.
“Where is the ship we seek?” asked Amanda.
“You must look where the demons and dragons meet three equal points. It is there that you shall find what you seek. Now hurry. The Karang will do all they can to defeat your ships and get to Earth in time to stop you.”
The light faded and the alien disappeared. Amanda looked at her father. “Did you see him? Did you hear what he said?”
“I heard everything. I’m trying to understand what he was talking about.”
Kyron stood up. “The gods spoke directly to you, Amanda Williamson. You are truly blessed. Where is the place the gods spoke of that has demons and dragons and three equal parts?”
“I’m not sure,” said Amanda. “Something about it sounds familiar, but I need to do some research.” She turned to her father. “Let’s get out of here, sir. I want to get back to the base and start working on finding some answers.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” said her father.
With a renewed sense of hope, Amanda headed towards the cave’s exit. She knew that at this very moment the UEDF were engaging a brutal alien race hell bent on destroying Altarra and Earth. She hoped that they could hold on long enough for them to find the Ship of the Gods. And once they had found it, to figure out how to get it operational.
Ryan was pacing the bridge. It had been hours since his last contact with Amanda or his father. The last message from Amanda had informed him that they had landed on the Sentinel Islands and were preparing to meet the chief.
The last message from his father had confirmed that they were getting ready to attack and were initiating radio silence. There would be no further communication from the main fleet until after they had engaged the Karang.
Ryan’s mind was racing with numerous scenarios and, since he had no control over either situation, his frustration level was high. The only thing he could do now was wait. He returned his attention to the task at hand.
“Nicole, what is our E.T.A. for Pluto?” he asked.
“We will be there in sixty minutes, Captain.”
Ryan walked over to the com station. “Jill, send a message to Captain Haywood that we are on time and will be there as scheduled. Then send a message to Admiral Williamson requesting a status update of their mission.”
“Yes, sir,” said Jill. I will let you know if I receive any reply from the admiral. Sending message to Captain Haywood now.”
Ryan acknowledged Jill and went back to his seat. Tanner was there waiting for him. “Listen, Ry,” said Tanner. “I know you’re tense but you need to chill out. We’ve got our job to do and they’ve got theirs.”
“What job is that?” snapped Ryan. “Playing delivery boy while Mandy and my father and the rest of the fleet risk their lives? This is bull, Tanner. I know it and you know it. We should be out there doing something useful. This sitting around doing nothing isn’t working for me.”
The bridge grew silent. Ryan could feel the tension growing around him. He slammed his fist against the armrest of his chair.
Tanner moved closer to Ryan and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Ease up, Ry. I get it. You want to be out there with the rest of the fleet. But someone needs to make sure that all of our bases are well stocked and prepared. Not to mention that you always need to have a backup plan. And that’s what we are. If the Karang get past the combined forces of our fleet and the Altarrans, they won’t be expecting us. Think about it. It makes sense. Your father knows what he’s doing.”
Ryan took a deep breath. “You know, that was well said and well thought out. I’m actually impressed.”
“Hey,” said Tanner. “You don’t have to insult me.”
Ryan laughed and shook his head. “Thanks, man. I needed that.”
“Captain,” said Jill, “I’ve received a message from Command. They said that Amanda and her team are returning to the base to research something they learned while searching the cave on the Sentinel Islands. Their E.T.A. is in two hours.”
“Understood,” said Ryan. “Anything from the admiral or Mandy?”
“Not yet,” said Jill. “But from my understanding they are in the air en route to fleet headquarters. I’m sure we’ll get a response once they land.”
“Thanks, Jill. Keep me posted.”
“Aye, sir,” she replied.
The next sixty minutes were routine. The Churchill was preparing to land on Pluto when Tanner approached Ryan, who knew his friend well enough to know that he had something on his mind.
“Penny for your thoughts, Tanner,” said Ryan.
“Only a penny?” said Tanner. “Man these budget cuts are killing me.” He paused briefly, then continued. “You do know, Ry, that my arsenal from our last epic battle is being stored on Pluto.”
Ryan knew what direction the conversation was headed, but played along. “You’re talking about the nukes. Correct?”
“You know me all too well, fearless leader,” said Tanner. “I was thinking, considering the massive numbers of the enemy and the minuscule numbers of our combined forces, it would behoove us to gather up my children and take them home with us.”
“You do know that they are still illegal?” said Ryan. “Which is why the president ordered them to be stored on Pluto. Obviously he didn’t want the world to know that we violated one of the strictest laws on Earth.”
“Details, details,” said Tanner. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. You know I’m right. Let’s face it, it’s the fourth quarter and fourth
down and long, and the clock’s ticking.”
Ryan knew Tanner was right. In fact the thought had crossed his mind before he’d brought it to his attention. “You know, Tanner,” said Ryan, “for a lunatic, sometimes you make a damn good case. But as you are keenly aware, we can’t take them without permission.”
Tanner moved closer to Ryan. “Great minds think alike. So tell me, how do you plan to pull it off?”
Ryan leaned back in his chair. “That’s a good question. First I’m going to talk to Mandy. If I can convince her, then we can both work on her father. Considering the gravity of the situation, I think we can make it happen.”
Jill spoke up. “Captain, I have Captain Haywood on the com. We are cleared to land.”
“Okay,” said Ryan. “Prepare for landing. Full braking thrusters, Nicole.”
“Aye, sir,” said Nicole. “Braking thrusters at one hundred percent.”
“Jill,” said Ryan, “tell the fleet to follow us down at five-minute intervals. That will give all ships ample time to make corrections during their descent.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ryan sat back as the ship descended. Landing on Pluto was not an easy task. Between the volatile atmospheric conditions and the gale force winds it was a difficult landing. He could see Nicole struggling with the helm controls. “Keep her steady,” he said.
“I’m doing the best I can,” replied Nicole. “I’m activating the auto-computer NAV systems and initiating all stabilizers. All landing thrusters engaged.”
Within seconds the ship had stabilized and the ship’s computer continued to call out the altitude. “Now at one thousand feet. Activating landing gear,” said Nicole.
The ship landed smoothly. “Nicole, power down the engines,” said Ryan. “Jill, inform Captain Hayward that we have landed and ask him to bring us into the underground hanger. Then contact the rest of the fleet and have them continue the landing sequence.”
“Got it, Captain,” said Jill. “Message sent to the fleet.” After a few seconds had passed she called out, “Captain Haywood is on the com, sir.”
“Thank you, Jill,” said Ryan. “Captain Haywood. It’s good to talk to you, sir. How are things on Pluto?”
“It’s Pluto, for God’s sake,” said Haywood. “It’s treacherous, boring, and very isolating. Other than that, it’s just peachy. Didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon, Thompson. But that’s the beauty of being in the UEDF. You never know what’s coming next.”
“Very true,” said Ryan. “As soon as you give us the all clear, we’ll start unloading the supplies and ordnance.”
“Sounds good, Thompson,” said Haywood. “We should be ready for you in five minutes at most.”
Ryan figured now would be as good a time as any to ask about the nukes. “By the way, Captain, I have a question for you.”
“Let me save you some time,” said Haywood. “Your nukes are still here and they are already in the cargo bays waiting for your ships.”
Ryan did a double take. He wasn’t sure he’d heard Haywood correctly. He looked over at Tanner, who was grinning ear to ear. “Excuse me, Captain Haywood?” said Ryan. “Did I hear you correctly?”
He could hear Haywood laughing over the com system. “Yeah, kid. You heard me loud and clear. Your father gave me sealed orders to open once the fleet left our system. I’ll forward them to you. But in short, it’s a need-to-know operation only. They are to be used only as a last resort and under no circumstances are you to arm them unless our combined fleet is defeated by the Karang. Those are your father’s orders. I guess the tree and the apple think along the same lines.”
Ryan digested what Haywood had told him and had to admit that his father was full of surprises. “Thank you, Captain Haywood. I look forward to receiving those orders. We’ll have your supplies unloaded as quickly as possible. One more question.”
“Shoot,” replied Haywood.
“Is anyone else aware of these orders?”
“The president and Admiral Williamson know as well. In fact the orders are signed by all three of them.”
“Thanks, Captain,” said Ryan. “Thompson out.”
Ryan sat back in his chair and smiled. The last few months had definitely proved to him that he was more like his father than he’d thought. Not that long ago he would have told anyone who would listen that he was nothing like his father. Now he was realizing that he was very much his father’s son . . . and damn proud of it as well.
The next couple of hours passed quickly and without incident. The crew was almost done unloading all the supplies when Jill called Ryan. “Captain,” she said. “I have Amanda on a secure channel. They are back on the base.”
Ryan’s eyes lit up. He tried to walk to his chair calmly. He took his seat and said, “Patch her through.”
He noticed that Jill was smiling as she responded. “Putting her through now, Captain.”
“How was your return visit to the island?” asked Ryan, when he saw Amanda’s face. “Did they treat you well?”
“It was different,” said Amanda. “Not to mention the special meal they prepared for me.”
“A special meal?” said Ryan. “What was it?”
“How about a snake’s head. Roasted and grilled to perfection,” she said.
“That’s disgusting,” said Jill. “Did you actually eat it?”
“Yes, I did,” said Amanda. “I had to. It would have been considered an insult to the chief and the tribe if I hadn’t. Honestly, I thought I was going to puke. But enough about that. We went into the cave, Ryan. And I have to tell you, it was absolutely breathtaking. There were images of all the planets the Semina Vitae have seeded with life throughout the ages. There must have been at least twenty of them. We recorded everything so we can check their locations once things are settled and hopefully back to normal. It was truly a sight to behold. I wish you could have seen it with me.”
“So do I,” said Ryan. “But more important, did you find out where the ship is located? The fleet is about to engage the Karang and I don’t have a good feeling about the outcome.”
“Not exactly,” said Amanda. “They did give me a clue and I’m getting ready to start working on some theories of mine.”
“What kind of clue?” he asked.
“They said the ship is where the demons and dragons meet three equal points. I have a theory about where the area is. I’m getting ready to input the information into our database using keywords. Hopefully I’ll have some answers soon. I don’t have much free time on my hands, but I wanted to touch base with you. When are you returning to Earth?”
“We’re almost done unloading the supplies. As soon as we’re finished we’ll be heading back.”
“Okay. I’ve got to get back to work as well. As soon as I get some concrete data I’ll let you know. Take care. I miss you.”
Ryan wished he could reach out and hold her and tell her just how much he wanted to be with her. But that wasn’t meant to be. They both had a job to do and their duty came first. “I miss you too, Mandy. I’m sure you’ll find the answers needed to locate the ship. I’ll check in with you when we get back to base. Stay safe.”
The com went silent. Ryan stood up and walked over to Tanner. “As soon as we are finished unloading I want you to personally oversee the loading of the nukes. Make sure that they’re all intact and operational,” he said.
Jill called over to Ryan. “Sir, Captain Haywood has informed us that all supplies have been unloaded and they have our cargo ready for us.”
“Understood,” said Ryan. “You heard the man, Tanner. Take Rawlings with you and get to the cargo bay.”
“You got it, boss,” said Tanner. “You heard the man, Rawlings. It’s time to make the doughnuts.”
Ryan watched as Tanner and Rawlings left the bridge. “Jill,” he said, “contact the rest of the fleet and let them know they will each be receiving ordnance. Once all ships have them secured, I want to be notified. Then we will prepare for departure.�
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“Aye, Captain,” she replied. “Sending message now.”
Ryan looked at the time. His father and the rest of the combined fleet would be in contact with the Karang within the hour and Amanda still didn’t have the location of the ship. Time was a precious commodity—one they didn’t have much of. He said a small prayer and hoped for the best but he was preparing for the opposite.
Admiral Thompson finished checking their course as well as their enemies’. After confirming the data and the fact that there was no change in the Karang’s flight pattern he checked the amount of time until they were in sensor range of their armada. According to his control panel, they were twenty-five minutes away. Once contact was confirmed by their sensors they would be fifteen minutes from commencing their attack. It was time for a final check on all systems and weapons.
“Barnes,” said Thompson, “get Chief Fowler and patch him through to me.” Fowler was the chief engineer and had been with Thompson since he had been promoted to Fleet Admiral.
“Aye, Admiral,” said Barnes. “I have the chief, sir. Patching him through now.”
“Fowler here, Admiral. What can I do for you, sir?”
“We’re less than twenty-five minutes from contact, Chief,” said Thompson. “How’s everything looking down there?”
“All systems are operating at full capacity. We’re good to go, sir.”
“Thanks, Chief. Thompson out.” As soon as the channel closed he turned to Barnes. “Contact the fleet and have all ships prepare to move on my command. Then get me the supreme commander.”
“Yes, sir,” said Barnes. “Sending fleet-wide message now.” As soon as Barnes finished, she contacted Supreme Commander Granthaxe. “Admiral Thompson, I have the supreme commander on a secure channel. Patching him through to you now.”
“Supreme Commander Granthaxe. We will be in sensor range of the enemy shortly. Are all of your ships ready to commence our attack plan?”
Cadets: 2 The Ship of the Gods Page 8