Centurion's Rise

by Henrikson, Mark

  Alfred spun away from his workstation and snapped his fingers three times to draw everyone’s attention away from the news broadcasts. “I need you to pay attention now class. The gravity of this situation is of paramount importance. ”

  He rested his hand on the display showing the pyramid schematic. In his most professorial voice Alfred continued, “The Great Pyramid of Khufu is basically a monument to the earth and sun’s gravitational relationship. Equipment housed inside the four chambers of the pyramid allow us to harness that immense power and redirect it however we see fit. For instance, I think that hunk of rock orbiting this planet should be a little bigger in the night sky so I’m going to bring it in closer.”

  On Alfred’s right hand display Mark saw a red line diverge from the moon’s current orbital path that brought the celestial body closer to earth. Despite the impressive display of technology he’d witnessed so far, Mark couldn’t shake the feeling this was all for show. Any decent programmer could model the moon’s orbit and draw a diverging line on screen. That didn’t mean it was actually happening.

  It didn’t take long before update banners began flashing across the news broadcasts. One by one they fell like dominoes until all six screens prominently featured updates of earthquakes, flash flooding, and sudden volcanic activity.

  “Amazing isn’t it,” Alfred pondered to no one in particular as he returned the moon to its standard orbital path. “You think of the moon as subservient to the earth, yet Luna holds unimaginable influence over its master. Her elliptical orbit pushes and pulls the entire ocean mass to create high and low tide twice a day. Tectonic plates are also affected by the moon’s proximity.”

  Mark wanted to believe it was all a hoax, but the hidden chambers, the tunnel, the technology all around him? Not to mention the six news broadcasts which clearly showed today’s date and featured well known anchors. This was the real deal and it frightened him to his core.

  “Why are you doing all of this?” Mark managed. “What is your end goal?”

  “The greater good,” Alfred answered.

  “What greater good is served by threatening the existence of every living organism on this planet?” Mark challenged.

  “Ours,” came a curt reply. “The Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union never came to blows because both sides knew any act of aggression would result in mutual annihilation. That is what we have here. The technology exists to detect this chamber now, and a few well placed bunker buster bombs would destroy the Nexus. Our ability to bring the moon crashing down on top of this planet keeps the threat of our destruction at bay.”

  “Why would I destroy this Nexus device,” Mark asked, feigning innocence. “It apparently grants me immortality.”

  “That was a onetime demonstration I am afraid,” Dr. Andre responded.

  “Pity, it would come in handy with my line of work,” Mark sighed and then took the conversation in a different direction. “So you can destroy us and we can destroy you. Now what? We hold a staring contest until your probe and its message reach your people and they show up in force?”

  “The Alpha conquer, not us. For thousands of years we have protected this planet from conquest and continue to do so,” came Alfred’s emphatic response.

  “Who are the Alpha?” Mark asked. “Are they the seven foot dog like creatures I examined from the Roswell crash?”

  Alfred deferred to his companion to provide an explanation. “Yes, that is an accurate physical description of their species. Simply put, they are the bad guys.”

  “And that of course makes you the good guys,” Mark bellowed back with a mocking grin. “Why should we believe you don’t mean our planet harm?”

  Alfred looked to the side in disbelief. “I could rattle off an endless list of good deeds we’ve collectively performed through the ages, but I doubt that would sway you. You need to go talk with your brother. He can fill you in on the back story since he and Captain Hastelloy are well acquainted and on friendly terms - for the moment.”

  Mark took the not so subtle threat on his brother’s life to heart. “So I need to talk to your boss who is holding my brother hostage. Did I receive the right message there?”

  Alfred tilted his head back and let loose a hearty laugh and followed it by adding, “It’s not the best way to start a trusting relationship, but it’s where we find ourselves.”

  The instant his captor’s eyes looked toward the ceiling Mark was on the move. His hand reached down toward the dead body laying prone on the floor to his left. He shoved his hand under the armored vest and retrieved a cylinder the size of his fist and pulled the pin.

  The instant the flashbang grenade left his hand Mark mashed his eyes shut, buried his face between his knees and plunged his index fingers into his ear canals. An instant later the world erupted around him with disorienting chaos.

  Chapter 52: He’s Gone Native

  Valnor remained reclined in his litter as the four servants carrying the conveyance on their shoulders lowered the contraption to rest on the paved ground. Once all the jostling subsided, Valnor separated the purple curtains on his right side, stepped out and rose to his full height.

  His flesh rippled with goose bumps as a blast of winter air made the folds of his toga flap in the breeze. He was instantly reminded how silly the fashion of high Roman society really was. The temperature was near freezing, and yet prudence dictated he walk about in public wearing nothing but a bed sheet to keep the bite of winter at bay.

  When Valnor’s eyes focused on the bath house standing before him, a temporary sensation of warmth danced up his spine. The building featured six sets of columns rising sixty feet to support a rectangular pitched roof over the grand reception hall. Behind that sloping roof line Valnor saw a series of circular domes ringing the central open air pool. Each of the domes had plumes of steam rising from vents cut in the ceilings as hot air heating the chambers and pools escaped into the cold winter air.

  Valnor longed to get into those rooms as fast as possible, but a few social protocols had to be met before that could happen. First, he needed to wash in the frigid waters of the massive open air pool to remove the dirt and grime of everyday life before moving on to the warm waters and sweat rooms.

  Valnor walked into the reception hall and bid several senators and wealthy patrons strewn about polite nods as he strolled past the dozens of reclining sofas arranged around roaring fire pits. The looks he received along the way invited him to join their conversations, but Valnor had no intention of lingering anywhere other than the hot water baths.

  Past the reception hall was a mind bogglingly large rectangular open air pool spanning one hundred feet across and three hundred feet long with twelve half-moon shaped alcoves with doors in the middle of them lining each side. Steam billowed out from underneath those doors as the wooden fixtures tried to retain the heat within the rooms they guarded. Valnor could almost feel the warm embrace of those chambers, but first he needed to torture himself.

  Scattered throughout the chest deep waters of the open air pool were clusters of anywhere from five to fifty men talking while they bathed. The bath house was the one place where one’s station in society did not matter. Any citizen was welcome in the baths, from the lowliest freedman to the highest ranking senators. No togas, or pins of office were worn in the waters. Every man was equal and had a right to talk to the other.

  A slave helped Valnor unwind from his toga until he stood at the steps of the frigid pool wearing nothing but a smile. He would have preferred jumping into the waters all at once to get the shock over with but that was not how things were done, especially for the young man holding the reins of the entire Republic. All eyes were on him as he slowly descended into the waters to see if he would let out any visible signs that the 45 degree water bothered him. Of course it bothered him, it bothered everyone, but this was one of many subtle ways a man’s strength of character was proven.

  Valnor put his right foot into the water and the violent embrace
of ice cold water nearly compelled a reflex to pull his foot back out immediately and run screaming for the heated chambers. Valnor pushed the urge aside and forced his left foot into the waters. He casually descended two steps so the icy line marking his warm flesh above water and the freezing flesh below rested at mid thigh. He, and everyone in the bath house knew the next step was the man maker.

  He let out a long exhale to make sure there was not enough air in his lungs to let out a yelp, and then stepped down bringing the water level past his genitals, which were now retracted and might never be found again.

  Valnor quickly descended the remaining two steps to bring the water level up to his nipples, which were hard enough to cut diamonds at the moment. Every atom in his body demanded he take no more than ten seconds to wash, and then head for the heated chambers, but he had social obligations to meet. Tragically, he was expected to make brief social visits to each discussion group and then exit from the waters on the far side; a very long three hundred feet away.

  Valnor dove forward to simultaneously plunge his head under for the cleansing effect and to bring him that much closer to the first discussion group. When he surfaced again, Valnor took a few easy swimming strokes to bring him next to the nearest cluster of fifteen men. While Valnor clinched his jaw to suppress the chattering sound of his teeth, he evaluated if he knew any of the men. Thankfully none were familiar to him so the discussion would be brief, a few handshakes, a joke or two, and he was on to the next group, and that much closer to warmth again.

  “. . . I heard he’s even dressing like them now,” a slender man in the discussion group was saying when he noticed Valnor’s approach which abruptly ended the conversation to acknowledge the honored guest. Technically all men there were equal in the pool, but everyone waited for Valnor to break the silence.

  “I must say, there are many things I miss about the spring and summer time, but the warming effect on this pool definitely tops the list,” Valnor said with a forced smile.

  “Here, here,” the men all confirmed.

  “Perhaps we should all pay the temple of Sol a visit and offer sacrifices and prayers that the god may speed along the return of warmer weather,” the slender man added. “It would be time and money well spent.”

  Valnor shook a few hands as he returned the banter, “Ah, but if we didn’t occasionally endure bad weather, would we truly appreciate the good?”

  “Politicians always find the bright side of any situation,” a chubby man on the far side of the conversation circle said with a laugh.

  Some of the men let loose an uneasy laughter while others didn’t make a sound as they looked at Valnor to see how he’d react. The comment could be taken as an insult or a joke and they waited to see which was the case.

  The chubby man was not worth the effort of a confrontation so Valnor casually moved across the middle of the discussion circle to show there were no hard feelings. He shook the man’s hand and clapped him on the shoulder with his free hand.

  “Indeed,” Valnor said. He then turned to address the men as he walked backwards toward the next cluster of men. “I’ll leave you gentlemen to your prior discussion. Good day.”

  Valnor moved on to the next cluster of men with much haste since his legs were already going numb from the extreme cold enveloping them. One visit was down, but six more loomed before Valnor could excuse himself and seek comfort in the warm waters of the hot rooms. As he approached the next group of five men he overheard the conversation and instantly slowed his approach to maximize his eavesdropping opportunity.

  “The man who captains my merchant ship just returned from Egypt. He said he saw Mark Antony with make-up on his cheeks and black charcoal coloring around his eyes. I tell you, the man has gone native, forsaking his Roman heritage completely,” a blond haired citizen said.

  One of the men noticed Valnor’s approach. To tip his friend off to shut his mouth, the man cleared his throat and nodded toward the new arrival. “Good day to you, Consul Octavian.”

  “And to you fine citizens,” Valnor responded as though he had not heard a thing.

  The blonde haired man must have known his words were heard. Rather than looking like a coward in front of his peers, he chose to engage Valnor in the matter. “There are rumors that Mark Antony has re-established himself in Egypt through a partnership with that desert witch. Does another civil war loom in the not too distant future for us, Consul?”

  Valnor took the time to look each man in the eye to get a read of their feelings on the matter. The relaxed lines around their eyes told him they were not angry at Valnor for his part in the troubles, but they were concerned about the disruption any further conflicts would have on their lives.

  “You, I, and every citizen in the Republic are sick and tired of the infighting,” Valnor said. “If an external nation threatens our Republic I will fight them with vigor, but no more conflicts will take place under my watch between fellow citizens. You have my word on that.”

  The discussion took an immediate turn to the lighter side, and Valnor soon found an exit point to move on. Four more visits quickly came and went without incident. Valnor’s entire body from the neck down had long since gone to sleep on him. Somehow his mind was still able to propel his limbs forward toward the final group of citizens.

  Valnor could almost feel the warm embrace of the hot rooms. A surge of unexpected excitement rushed through him as three of the four men before him got out and headed for the closest sweat room door. One last man to make small talk with and his torture was over.

  “Good day citizen,” Valnor said while extending his right hand toward the man he approached. “I see I’m catching you on your way out of the pool. I won’t keep you then.”

  The citizen looked straight through Valnor with purpose and confidence behind his eyes. He met Valnor’s hand and the men clasped each other’s forearms in a stiff handshake. “It’s about time you made it over here. I’ve been freezing my minerals off in this pool all morning to catch you alone.”

  An instant injection of adrenaline to his veins put Valnor on edge. Was this man an assassin? Both of them were completely naked under the water, but there were still places for a clever killer to hide a weapon. Valnor stole a glance around to see if anyone could help, but no one was nearby. If this man was an assassin he was dead in the water - as it were.

  “You must have urgent business in order to put yourself through that,” Valnor said with a slight waver in his words.

  The stranger held firm the handshake as he looked up toward the overcast sky. “I miss the warmth and sunshine back in Egypt.”

  That was it, there was no doubt in Valnor’s mind this man was an assassin sent by Tomal to kill him. Before he could attempt to wrench his arm free from the man’s grasp, the stranger whipped his other arm out of the water toward Valnor’s neck. The movement was so fast and sudden, Valnor didn’t even have time to duck.

  Instead of feeling the bite of cold metal dig into his neck, Valnor felt the arm wrap around his shoulder and across his back which brought them into a tight one armed embrace. The two were so close that the stranger’s lips were pressed right against Valnor’s ear.

  “But I missed the company of my helmsman even more,” the stranger whispered.

  Valnor pushed the man back to have a closer look. The face was not the least bit familiar to him, but the eyes, the eyes gave him away.

  Valnor released the handshake and wrapped the man in a full two armed bear hug. “Captain Hastelloy you have no idea how good it is to see you again.”

  “If that’s the case, I take it you’ve forgiven me for the distasteful orders I had you follow earlier?” Hastelloy asked.

  “You may, as long as you’ve forgiven me for a certain spear throwing incident a few months back,” Valnor countered with a playful smile.

  “We both had our parts to play to get Tomal and his Alpha influencer away from power,” Hastelloy answered. “As long as we can all come back together again in the end, this w
ill all have been for the greater good. Now here we are, you and I back together so we’re halfway there.”

  “Who are you anyway?” Valnor asked.

  “I go by General Agrippa,” Hastelloy said with a cheeky grin and slight nod forward. “I gave myself a promotion for this life cycle.”

  “General?” Valnor asked, “Of what army?”

  “Yours,” Hastelloy responded as he gestured for the two of them to continue the conversation in the hot rooms.

  Chapter 53: Warm Front

  When Valnor ascended the steps leading out of the frigid waters, he became acutely aware just how cold his skin temperature had become. The forty foot long crimson banners hanging between the alcoves were flapping frantically in the wind, yet Valnor felt nothing; his nerve endings were in shock. He couldn’t feel anything below his neck, but he still had to make it to the closest door which was a daunting thirty feet away. His leg movements were based entirely on muscle memory and the motion gave a strange sensation of his head floating away from the rest of his body. Despite the difficulty, Valnor managed to cover the distance and came to a stop just outside the door leading to the salvation of heated rooms and warmed pools.

  Hastelloy reached the door first and pulled it open allowing a wall of steam to billow out and provide a curtain of white haze for them to enter through. Valnor stepped through and Hastelloy quickly followed. He stood motionless for a moment, enjoying the warming sensation that tickled every millimeter of his skin. The bottoms of his feet warmed the quickest as the hot air running under the floor warmed the stones on which he stood.

  “Consul Octavian. Would you and your companion care to join us?” a voice called from a circular pool measuring fifteen feet across. The voice was that of Senator Cicero. He was sitting in the hot water pool along with a dozen other Senators of similar political persuasion.

  “In a moment,” Valnor said as he closed his eyes and leaned his back against the nearest stone wall. “This is my favorite part.”