The Celestials

by Richard Wood

  Day Sixteen started for the crew with servants bringing chai and chapatti laced with honey to them in bed on Adeetoo's orders. After breakfast, Glaina and Breen went to visit Ancore and Rogan in their room Ancore was already up, Adeetoo fussing around Rogan, who although now awake was looking awful, both his eyes were black rimmed and appeared sunk far into his skull.

  “How are you both?” asked Glaina brightly.

  “Very thankful to Breen that we are still alive, Rogan, and I can't thank you enough dear friends,” she said giving Breen a kiss and a hug, oh, sorry that was painful,” she continued, “I keep forgetting my ribs are broken.”

  “Rogan is recovering well considering the damage that was inflicted on him by Ravana,” Adeetoo told them. “The puncture of the lung is healing. I have introduced nanobots into the body to carry out the repairs needed to the smashed rib cage and bruised heart. The complete process will take several weeks, but at the end of that time. You should be as good as new Rogan,” he said turning back to his star patient.

  “It can't come soon enough,” smiled Rogan wanly, before closing his eyes and drifting off into a healing sleep.

  Adeeone shooed them all out of the room, “off you all go, I will stay with Rogan. Breen did you retrieve your hand after the fight?” he asked.

  “No replied Breen with all the rush to save Rogan and Ancore. It was forgotten.”

  “Maybe you should think about returning to Hastinapura this morning to fetch it, and then I can reattach it for you,” he said turning back into Rogan's room.

  “You wouldn't go back there would you?” asked Glaina.

  “If it means having some kind of hand on the end of my wrist that I am happy with, then yes I think I will go back to fetch it.”

  “Ugh I couldn't face returning, just the thought of Ravana lying there with your hand still clutching his throat makes me feel shivery all over,” Glaina told him pulling her jerkin closer around her throat and pulling a face that expressed her revulsion at the mere thought of going back.

  “I would only need you to fly me there. You could stay in the Lander while I went to fetch my hand,” he told her with a big grin on his face.

  “Well since I don't have to see Ravana.”

  “You stay in the Lander my love. I should only be a short while, will you pilot me there now? We might as well get this over as soon as possible.”

  Glaina turned to Ancore, “will it be all right to take Breen and the Lander to Hastinapura this morning?”

  “Certainly Breen needs his hand, will you be all right going by yourselves I want to stay near Rogan today,” she replied.

  “We'll be fine, and should be back before you know it,” answered Glaina taking Breen's good hand as they turned to leave.

  When they arrived in Hastinapura Breen left the Lander shoving a laser hand weapon into his belt, he made his way into the palace. There were signs that the servants had returned he saw one of them in the distance, sweeping the marble floor, when he turned into the room where Ravana's body should be he found it empty. The place had been cleaned there was no sign of the struggles that had taken place, for a moment he thought he was in the wrong room. No, there was the carved elephant this was the room.

  Breen opened his mouth and hollered, the shout echoing around the walls and rushing down corridors. Suddenly, he was aware of a small brown face peering at him from around the archway.

  “Come here boy,” he ordered.

  The lad came into the room looking extremely uncomfortable; he was about seven years old dressed in a short grey tunic and barefoot.

  “What is your name lad,” Breen asked him.

  “Charan great sir,” he replied his eyes huge and staring at Breen's missing hand.

  “Where is the body of Ravana the dead celestial, that lay in this room yesterday,” he asked the lad. “Great sir he has been taken to the funeral pyre to be sent to his gods,” the lad replied nervously.

  “Will you take me there Charan,” asked Breen.

  “Yes sir it is this way,” the lad said turning and leading the way out of the room toward the garden where the Pandava troops were pinned down yesterday. There he found four servants relaxing from building the very large funeral pyre. The bodies of the dead Zedds and Pandava troops lay in rows nearby.

  It moved him to see that all the bodies had been cared for and prepared for the funeral rites by being washed and anointed, even though they had been mortal enemies. He announced himself to their bows and greeting of great sir.

  “I am Breen of the celestial Coorg, slayer of the celestial Danava known as Ravana, I have returned for my hand fetch it to me.”

  The servants turned and approaching the body of Ravana tried to remove the stainless steel hand from his throat, without success.

  One of them approached Breen, “great celestial Breen, we are having difficulty removing your hand from the celestial Ravana's throat, is there some incantation that will release it, that we may bring it before you?”

  “Let me look,” said Breen moving forward and squatting beside the body. He tried pushing his stump into the fitting on the end of the hand, hoping contact could be made with the sensors that controlled the fingers from the end of his stump but too much damage had been caused when it was torn from him, now nothing was working.

  “It will have to be cut from the neck,” he pronounced.

  There was the sound of sharp indrawn breaths from all four throats. “Great Breen, we cannot do this thing for you. The celestial Ravana's spirit will terrorise us and our families if we desecrate his earthly body,” spoke the servant who had spoken to him before.

  “Very well, give me a knife, I will do it myself.”

  The servant who had been the spokesman now ordered the young boy, “Charan run and fetch a sharp knife from the kitchen, quickly now son.” Within minutes, the lad returned clutching a knife with a foot-long blade, which he handed to Breen, Gritting his teeth Breen cut away the swollen black flesh finally managing to free the hand, but leaving Ravana's throat in a mess in the process.

  He turned to the lad, “run and find a cloth lad, be quick now,” he ordered. The young boy shortly returned bearing a large white cloth, which Breen tore in half wrapping his hand in one piece and placing the other piece over Ravana's ravaged throat tucking it in underneath the back of the neck to prevent it blowing away. Then he returned to the Lander.

  “I'm glad your back. This place gives me a sense of foreboding, let's get back to Indraprastha.” Glaina greeted him.

  They were back in under the hour landing as close to the palace as they could get. They locked the Lander, Breen leaving Glaina looking for Ancore. He went to find Adeetoo clutching the blood smeared steel hand.

  After disinfecting the hand, it took Adeetoo less than an hour to repair and refit the hand. Breen returned to Glaina, who was sitting with Queen Kunti, Draupadi and Ancore, around a table laden with delicacies. He noticed that all the women looked at his false hand when he arrived, they had obviously been discussing it.

  “We have just been telling Queen Kunti and Draupadi, about the demise of the Zedds,” Ancore told him.

  “Shouldn't we go to see Yudhishthira, and help bring this war to a final conclusion?” he enquired.

  “Your right Breen we should go. I will just check Rogan then I will join you at the Lander,” turning to Kunti and Draupadi, “Please excuse us ladies, but we have a war to help finish,” she told them as she turned, leaving to check Rogan.

  They were in Yudhishthira's tent within the hour.

  “Welcome, welcome my friends,” he cried as they entered. “You have triumphed and wiped out the Zedds. The whole army has been celebrating when we heard of your victory last evening,” Yudhishthira's face suddenly looked grave, “where is Rogan?” he asked. Ancore answered him, “he's at Indraprastha where Adeetoo is looking after him. He was very badly injured in his encounter with Ravana.”

  “I am very sorry to hear that Ancore,
when is he expected to be well again?” he asked.

  “Adeetoo estimates several weeks before his rib cage is reconstructed by the nanobots, and the bruised heart has healed,” she answered.

  “While you were defeating the Zedds yesterday we had a great triumph of our own the noble Bhishma was killed. A great mind in the conduct of warfare is removed from their side. Now we only need to remove Drona, and the rest of the Kaurava will crumble and wither away.”

  “Have you any strategy in mind to rid yourself of Drona,” asked Ancore. “Yes Bhima has come up with a ploy. We know Drona loves his only son above all else. His son is fighting further down the line. It would take Drona several hours to verify the death of his son. Meanwhile, Bhima has heard of an elephant also called Ashvatthama that died of injuries in battle yesterday afternoon.”

  “How will this rid you of Drona?” asked Ancore mystified.

  “Bhima will tell Drona that his only son is slain in battle, We hope Drona will be so disheartened by the news, he will withdraw to mourn, that will give us the chance to overcome his army, without him directing the battle, we will surely be victorious,” explained Yudhishthira with the light of victory gleaming in his eye.

  “If it shortens this war, then it must be justified,” commented Ancore, who was now war weary, and was looking forward with longing to the end of this awful war.

  They broke up at this point to watch the proceedings, as the battle in this part of the front line had died right down as Bhima shouted to Drona across the front line, when Drona came to the fore of his own front line; Bhima shouted the news across to him.

  “Drona Ashvatthama is slain.” Drona looked at him with disbelief, is his son dead or not? He has not heard this news from his own side, and he did not totally trust Bhima to tell him the whole truth.

  “Call Yudhishthira, and let him tell me my son is dead, for if I cannot trust an honest man, then who can be trusted,” he called across to Bhima.

  Yudhishthira walked down to the front line, “you called for me Drona,” he called across to him.

  “Yudhishthira tell me honestly is my son dead.”

  Yudhishthira shouted back, “Ashvatthama” and quickly under his breath, “the elephant, is dead.”

  Drona looked suddenly very old, his shoulders slumped as he sagged backward against one of his men who supported him, he threw down his weapons and helmet, getting one warrior to help him, he removed his chain mail armour and he stood upright turning, to leave the front line.

  At that moment, the arrows hit him. Three entered his back with sickening thumps throwing him forward into the arms of one of his men. A great cry of dismay welled from the warriors around the slain Drona, at the terrible treachery that had caused the death of such a fearless warrior and astute general.

  Yudhishthira went across to Bhima, “you didn't tell me of the plan to kill Drona, my brother!”

  “I was worried you wouldn't be able to tell him a half lie if you knew the whole truth, to win this war brother we needed to get rid of Drona, he was thwarting us at every turn,” he explained.

  “You’re right of course Bhima, with Drona in command this war would have dragged on for months probably.”

  Ancore, Glaina and Breen knew the necessity for the death of Drona but still found it a sickening experience. That an honourable man had been tricked, and then killed, in such an underhand manner.

  “Now we must take the initiative in this war,” Bhima told his brother.

  “Very well, now we shall attack Duryodhana and his armies night and day, there will be no let up until he has been vanquished,” ordered Yudhishthira.

  The orders went out all along the front line the armies were split into five separate armies. Two were to fight alternately during the day and two during the night, the fifth was a reserve that would change with one other army every day so that each army is given a rest in turn. The heat of the battle increased throughout the rest of the day, at four o'clock when the Kaurava army thought the battles would cease. They received a horrible shock, as fresh troops appeared and the battle continued.

  Because the Kaurava were not prepared for this turn of events, they found their troops getting wearier and more exhausted, and when the battles continued throughout the evening without cease, their commanders began to get very worried.

  They had to put their reserves in to give the weary front-line troops a rest, and the battles continued without cease into the night. The Kaurava army was slowly but surely being worn down, and making more and more tactical errors.

  So ended day Sixteen of the war.

  Of course, day Seventeen of the war actually started at midnight. The weary Kaurava are forced to fight through the night, while the Pandava are being relieved at regular intervals by fresh troops.

  By dawn, the relentless Pandava attacks are cutting great swathes into the Kaurava armies, and then came the big breakthrough; several Kings under truce came suing for peace and are allowed to leave the field taking the remains of their armies with them.

  This allowed the Pandava to bring even more troops into battle with the remaining Kaurava forces. By two p.m., the Kaurava were on the run all along the front line. By four p.m., the last resistance collapsed. All that was missing being Duryodhana and his bodyguard, of them, there was no sign. The word went out, and the hunt began for Duryodhana, who had fled the battlefield.

  They were all crowded into Yudhishthira's tent, all the Pandava brothers, the crew and King Muktananda of Lanka. The mood was euphoric. But they had steeled themselves not to get carried away celebrating until Duryodhana and his men were found and dealt with, for it was he who had brought about this war in the first place, and the Pandava brothers were determined that they would finish it.

  Tausiq and the remnant of his men had been hailed as heroes and handsomely rewarded; all those who wished it, were invited to remain in the employ of the Pandava brothers. They would be made very welcome in the Pandava army. Tausiq had accepted Yudhishthira's offer and had been promoted colonel responsible for ten Vyuha.

  The rest of that day, they waited for news of the whereabouts of Duryodhana, while continuing the day-to-day running of a vast army, in one respect it was good that the war was nearing its end, as provisioning the army was getting more difficult by the day. With this problem in mind Yudhishthira, addressed the Mohenjo-Daru and Harappa armies, he thanked them for all their unswerving loyalty and help then he announced the gratuities on top of their normal pay to resounding cheers. They were then informed that all who wished to return home were now free to do so; all those who decided to stay would be made welcome in the Pandava army.

  Nearly a million men began the long trek back to their homelands of Mohenjo-Daru and Harappa hoping against hope that their homes were still intact, and their loved ones were awaiting their return.

  At eight p.m. Yudhishthira received the news he was waiting for, Duryodhana had been located, he was hiding on an island in the middle of a lake, three hours journey to the east. Yudhishthira summoned his senior cavalry officer, and told him to have a thousand of his best cavalry mounted and ready to depart in the hour.

  “Ancore would you care to accompany us or will you take your flying machine to the lake where Duryodhana is hiding,” Yudhishthira asked her.

  “When do you intend to storm this island,” she enquired.

  “We intend to start hostilities after breakfast,” he replied.

  “Then if you don't mind I would rather return to Indraprastha to check the well-being of Rogan. We will meet you at the lake in the morning,” she told him.

  “Yes certainly you must check Rogan, give him the wishes of us all for a speedy recovery, may the gods smile kindly on him,” he told her.

  They were back at Indraprastha inside the hour. Ancore went straight to see Rogan, while Glaina and Breen called for a late supper and chai, before popping along to see Rogan and Ancore, then retiring for the night.

  Thus ended day Seventeen of t
he war.

  By dawn, the crew gathered for breakfast. Rogan was asleep, which was how it should be. Adeeone had told them, the more Rogan slept the faster he was healing.

  “Have we the co-ordinates for this lake where we are to meet Yudhishthira,” Ancore enquired.

  “Yes I programmed the lake position into the flight computer last night,” Glaina answered. “Very well, shall we visit Yudhishthira and his brothers? I for one will be very glad when this terrible war is finally over,” she confided.

  “Oh, you’re so right Ancore, the sooner peace comes the better I will like it,” Glaina agreed.

  They had just reached the Lander when, in the distance, they heard faint wailing it seemed to be coming from the women's quarter of the palace, paying scant heed, they boarded the Lander and with Ancore at the controls took to the sky heading ten degrees North of East. Soon, the lake drifted into sight through the haze that was beginning to mark the heat of the day to come.

  They could see Yudhishthira's tents where he and his men had camped for the night, on shore were thirty or forty boats; his men had been around the lake and scoured all the small villages for anything that would float. The owner of each boat had also come, to try to ensure the safety of their precious boats.

  Ancore next swooped low over the wooded island in the centre of the lake, on two sides small cliffs rose sheer from the water, about twenty metres high. Another side had masses of gnarled twisted rock that entered the water and continued out into the lake for over two hundred metres. That side also would be difficult to traverse in boats. The fourth side of the island was a gently shelving sandy beach, and it was here that a small village could be seen, with boats drawn up on the beach.

  In the centre of the island built on a crag where it had a view of the whole island, was a small stone fort. No flag was flying, but as they slowly flew over it, they could see that it is inhabited, and the walls are well guarded. After completing their survey and recording it on Tri-Dee, they landed near Yudhishthira's tent on the edge of the clearing, taking the Tri-Dee and a small generator with them, they set it up just inside his tent and set it running. The pictures were crystal clear, as the Pandava brothers gathered around to look; they could freeze on various parts and zoom in for a closer look.

  “Well three sides of the island look almost impossible to land on, that leaves the beach. They do not appear to have any men stationed there, but we can't take chances and will have to be prepared to be attacked as we land,” Yudhishthira told them.

  “He appears to have concealed himself on this island, trapping himself with no thought of ultimate escape, although he might have fresh water, he must eventually have to leave to re-provision himself and his men,” Arjuna told them looking thoroughly puzzled.

  “It might be that terror of his certain death at our hands drove him headlong to the first secure haven that he could think of,” Sahadeva one of the Pandava twins suggested.

  “You could be right young Sahadeva, but let us worry more about what we will encounter, when we invade the island later this morning,” Yudhishthira replied.

  After breakfast, all the men gathered at the boats, they could only move four hundred at a time so several trips would be required to ferry all the men across to the island. The Pandava brothers went across in the first wave. The crew flew over and met them on the beach, there was no resistance everything appeared peaceful. They waited on the beach for the rest of the warriors to be ferried over, then all the boats were drawn up on the beach, as they started the short march through the woods, that was when the first of the hit-and-run attacks began.

  At least, five warriors were killed outright as the first flight of arrows came whistling out of the trees, Arjuna ordered men out in a crescent ahead of the main body forcing the defenders to run to get outside the horns of the crescent or be gradually forced toward the main body of warriors where they would be finished off. The fighting continued sporadically until they reached the fort, there the main body halted just out of arrow shot.

  Yudhishthira and the rest of the Pandava, gathered to survey the fort that confronted them. Although not big, it was nevertheless well built, and would be a tough nut to crack. It was constructed on top of a rocky crag that jutted up out of the forest apart from the few bushes here and there the surrounds of the fort were barren consisting of rock or scree slopes, not a lot of places to hide. The door of the fort was a very solid looking door studded with lethal looking iron spikes. It certainly appeared to be elephant proof. The walls were about five metres high with embrasures that jutted out from the wall enabling the defenders to fire along the face of the walls also.

  “I think we should try massed fire arrows on the main door, let's see if it can be burnt down,” Yudhishthira told them.

  A hundred archers were duly assembled, with three fire arrows each; on the word of command, they opened fire. The roar of the arrows very loud, then decreasing in volume as they sped away towards the door. Some arrows hit metalwork on the door and fell out but most struck well enough, then the next volley and the next volley following that in close succession, the door was now one mass of flames.

  Suddenly, with a loud whoosh and clouds of steam the defenders poured water from the top of the door and then could be seen trickling water down the face of the door, soon the fires were out and the face of the door completely soaked and wet.

  “Well that has stopped us burning the door down with fire arrows,” remarked Yudhishthira smiling.

  “How do you intend us to gain entry into the fort brother,” asked Arjuna.

  “Maybe we can get him to come out, rather than we have to go in,” replied Yudhishthira. “How so brother,” asked Bhima intrigued.

  “I shall tell him that he can fight one of us, whichever one he chooses, and if he wins then he can have the Kingdom, and we shall go into exile,” explained Yudhishthira.

  “When he comes out from the fort then we kill him eh! Brother," asked Bhima.

  “No Bhima, he will fight whichever of us, he chooses, if he wins, we will go into exile, we will not break our word.”

  “This seems to be a gamble brother. It is possible he might win,” Bhima argued.

  “If we do not make the wager fair he will not come out,” replied Yudhishthira.

  They asked Krishna if he would deliver the message to Duryodhana under a flag of truce. Krishna agreed and was shortly approaching the gates of the fort under the white flag. After listening to the message, Duryodhana called down to Krishna.

  “I need time to consider this proposal, tell Yudhishthira that I will give him my answer in two hours at noon.”

  Krishna saluted and returned with the message, “Duryodhana after due consideration will let you have his reply at noon.”

  “Well we might as well stand everybody down and have chai and a meal while we are waiting,” Yudhishthira told them. The orders went out, and the army got down to the serious business of preparing a meal and chai.

  It was an hour later when the fort gate opened, and Ashvatthama stood erect throwing down the bush he had been hiding behind and slipped inside the gate.

  The matter was reported to Yudhishthira. “This is very strange, why is Ashvatthama sneaking into the fort, what has he been up to, I wonder,” he asked of no one, in particular.

  After two hours, Krishna returned for Duryodhana's answer.

  “I shall take Yudhishthira's word and will be out to fight within the hour. I have chosen Bhima for my adversary,” he informed Krishna.

  Yudhishthira was given the message, “I must say that I admire the mans courage. He could have chosen one of the young twins to fight, but has chosen the strongest of us, you Bhima.”

  “The choice of weapons is also his though, that gives him some advantage as I suspect he will choose the sword, which is his strongest discipline. Whereas my strongest discipline is the mace, I am not as skilled as he with the sword.”

  “We have complete faith in you Bhima, and
are sure that you will prevail,” Yudhishthira told him.

  A large circle of men is thrown around the combat area. They had chosen the flattest terrain they could find, and the combat circle was about fifty metres across, there were several hillocks and one pine inside the circle.

  Duryodhana accompanied by his men and Drona's son appeared at the fort gates and slowly made their way down the rocky slope to the circle on the edge of the forest. The circle opened and Duryodhana and his men filled the gap on that side, leaving Bhima and Duryodhana facing each other across the circle.

  “What is your weapon of choice,” called Yudhishthira across the clearing to him.

  In reply, Duryodhana drew his sword and held it up high, “The sword of my forefathers,” he called, twirling the blade about him in a show of dexterity that caused the sun to flash in a dazzling glare off that lovely bronze blade. They all knew it to be the famous sword, The Shining Serpent.

  Bhima now appeared bearing the blade given to him for the fight by Yudhishthira, one of the most famous of all blades the Mawj-i-Darya (The Waves of the Sea), its wavy cutting edge flashing sparkles of light in all directions.

  Both warriors now discarded their chain mail and leather jerkins leaving only their loincloth and calf length boots on, before being oiled everywhere except for their hands. Finally, they were facing each other across the centre of the clearing, waiting for the signal to start the trial by combat. Duryodhana called across to Yudhishthira, “Give me your word that whatever the outcome of this contest. My men will be allowed to leave in peace.”

  Yudhishthira called back, “On that you have my solemn word, Duryodhana.”

  The referee then called out the terms of the contest, “This is a fight to the death, if Duryodhana wins this contest, he will win the right to rule the Kingdom unopposed, and the Pandava will go into voluntary exile forever. If Bhima wins, the last of the Kaurava dynasty will have died, and Yudhishthira will inherit the Kingdom, to hand down to his sons in succession for evermore, he will also allow the loyal bodyguard of Duryodhana to depart in peace.” He then raised his arm holding the red cloth high above his head, “When my arm falls the contest will begin,” he shouted then let his arm drop.

  The antagonists warily came together each tried to manoeuvre so that the sun shone in the opponent's eye but neither fell for that ploy, and they came together with the sun shining from the side of them. The first clash came in a thrusting lunge from Duryodhana that caused Bhima to jump quickly back parrying with his own sword at the same time. Then it became a furious exchange of blows, the sound of metal on metal ringing around the clearing as the sun flashed from the flickering blades. Now the two men were running with sweat from their exertions, and both were finding that their sword hands were beginning to slide on the leather bound handles, but still the fierce thrust, parry and slash went on as first one, then the other gained a slight advantage.

  The furious pace of the battle continued unabated into the second hour of the fray, but it was becoming clear from an accumulation of nicks on Bhima’s arms and shoulders that Duryodhana was marginally the better swords man, and unless something catastrophic happened, he would win in the end. The same thought must have gone through Bhīma’s head, for he manoeuvred the battle toward the fir tree until they were fighting around it. Suddenly, Duryodhana momentarily caught his foot on an exposed root, and his guard faltered. That was the moment Bhima struck, catching Duryodhana behind the right knee severing the hamstring tendon, as he fell crying out in pain, Bhima thrust his sword unopposed deep into Duryodhana's stomach just below his belly button, as Duryodhana fell back mortally wounded, a cry of treachery resounded around the clearing, from his loyal bodyguard.

  Ashvatthama rushed across to cradle the dying Duryodhana in his arms. Duryodhana accused Krishna, of unfairly encouraging Bhima’s deceit, “You have encouraged him throughout this battle to use treachery and deceit. You are a snake Krishna,” accused Duryodhana. Krishna replied, “Deceit in battle is acceptable against a deceitful foe. Even Indra used deceit to overcome the mighty asuras Virochana and Vritra.”

  One of Duryodhana's men cried out, “Bhima has sacrificed his dharma for the sake of victory. That will never lead to success or happiness.”

  Krishna replied, “Bhima was merely keeping an earlier vow, a sacred duty: there is no unrighteousness in him, rather he was paying a debt he owed his enemy.”

  The dying Duryodhana spoke bravely, “I die a glorious death, and the end that is sought by the virtuous warrior is mine. Who is as fortunate as me, for I shall ascend to heaven where all my brothers await me, while you Pandava will remain here, torn by grief and continued suffering.”

  Ashvatthama, Drona's son bent his head and whispered in Duryodhana's ear. “Last night great king, I took a troop of assassins into the women's quarter of the Pandava palace. We killed all the guards, and then killed the ayah and the Pandava children while they slept; now the Pandava have no heirs, that is the reason I had to sneak back into the fort earlier today.”

  Duryodhana looked at him in horror, then quietly mouthed, “I die disheartened, for it means the race of the Kurus appear to have no future on this earth,” then he slumped dead in Ashvatthama’s arms.

  The body of Duryodhana is entrusted to Drona's son Ashvatthama, and his bodyguard for escort back to his father the blind King Dhritarashtra, in Hastinapura for cremation.

  “This war is finally ended, with the death of the last Kaurava we can think about the future at last,” Breathed Yudhishthira thankfully.

  “We can now plan our victory celebration and start disbanding the armies that have served us so loyally during this war,” Arjuna answered as they started the march back through the forest to the boats on the beach.

  At the beach, the crew decided to head straight back to Indraprastha, Yudhishthira asked to go with them leaving Bhima in command, until he returned. The flight back was leisurely, no one was in a tearing hurry, the sense of relief that it was all over at last was gradually beginning to seep into their beings.

  When they landed, it was obvious that something serious had happened. The prime minister, the commander of the guard and a horde of servants greeted them, as Yudhishthira disembarked, they fell to their knees the women wailing tearfully.

  “What is the matter, with you all?” he asked.

  “Your highness your children have been massacred during the night, your wife Draupadi and your mother Queen Kunti were the only survivors,” answered his prime minister.

  “Where were the guards?” Asked Yudhishthira, in bewilderment. The commander of the guard shuffled forward on his knees, “your highness, they and all the servants in the women's quarters are dead, killed silently during the night. The fault is mine your majesty, I was responsible for the safety of all in the palace, do with me as you deem fit,” he cried throwing himself on the mercy of the king.

  Yudhishthira put his hands to his head. He could not take it all in, what monstrous infamy, as he staggered backward with shock, Breen supported him from behind, and the whole company heard the anguish in his voice as he cried out.

  “We the conquerors have been conquered.”

  Then like the true king he was he pulled himself together and stood straight, then spat one word, “Ashvatthama!”

  Ancore spoke for the crew, “we have no words to assuage your grief, but anything we can do, you have but to ask, Glaina and I should go to Draupadi and Queen Kunti. They must be out of their minds with grief,” she told him with her hands clasping his.

  “Thank you Ancore, I have some business to complete first then I will be along shortly,” he told her. He swung back to his prime minister issuing commands for him to send out gallopers to his army and his brothers, they were to organise a massive search for Ashvatthama and if possible capture him alive and bring him to Yudhishthira to dispense justice.

  He then asked Breen if they would search for Ashvatthama from the air, collecting Bhima on his way to help him,
and informing the rest of the brothers of the terrible news of the massacre of their children and to organise a search for the culprit Ashvatthama.

  Breen readily agreed and took off immediately heading back toward the lake, going over in his mind how he would break the terrible news to the Pandava brothers.

  After Yudhishthira had completed all necessary arrangements, he made his way to the women's quarters to comfort Draupadi and his mother. His heart heavy, with the terrible sense of loss that he had unwittingly instigated. For he was now convinced that if they had managed to kill Drona honourably, then his son Ashvatthama, would not have resorted to this terrible retribution, as payment for his father’s ignoble death. He sensed that what he had previously sown to win this war had returned now to extract payment in a full measure. He knew that from the deepest recesses of his mind where he would try to bury it, that during those quiet restful future moments, it would slither darkly into the forefront of his conscience haunting him forever.

  Breen located the Pandava brothers and landed nearby, when he had told them the terrible news, they groaned and cried out futilely, railing against the gods who had let this treacherous massacre happen.

  Arjuna pulled himself together first and sent gallopers to the army commanders instructing them to send out search parties in all directions to capture alive if possible Ashvatthama. His weight in precious stones is promised to the man who finds Ashvatthama, and relays his whereabouts to the Pandava. While Arjuna organised search parties, then took his men at the gallop to catch up with the bodyguard of Duryodhana, hoping to catch Ashvatthama still with them, Bhima took to the air with Breen.

  They flew to where the bodyguard of Duryodhana was transporting him home inside twenty minutes, landing nearby they checked with the captain of the guard. Then discovered that Ashvatthama had left them shortly after they had landed from the island telling them he had an important errand to complete for the dead Duryodhana.

  Flying back, they landed briefly, to inform Arjuna of the latest news before flying off in search of Ashvatthama. All day they searched in ever-widening circles but saw no sign of the fleeing assassin, whenever they came across anyone, Bhima would disembark to check if they had seen a rider lately, it was as if Ashvatthama had disappeared from the face of the planet. At nightfall, they made their way to the palace to inform Yudhishthira of developments so far.

  It was only much later when Breen and Glaina were alone in their room, discussing the tragedy, that Glaina told him that both Ancore, and herself had decided that they would ask Adeetoo to perform the simple operation that would allow them both to have children.

  “Now this awful war is over. We can think to the future. It could be very many years before we are rescued and as Ancore and I are not getting any younger we have decided that we would like children now. As Kings and Queens with our own Kingdom, it seems only fitting that if we are not rescued in our lifetime, then our children should have the chance to carry on our names into the future.”

  “It will be wonderful to have our own children to nurture, a son to carry on my name and take our genes forward would be a wonderful thing my love,” he gently told her as he took her into his arms.

  The hunt for Ashvatthama went on with massive intensity for weeks, but nothing was ever heard of him again. King Muktananda indicated that he wished to return home to his island Kingdom soon, Yudhishthira decided to bring the victory feast forward, he also asked his generals and the head of the commissariat for an accounting of the losses incurred during the war.

  The victory feast and ten horse sacrifice is scheduled for ten days time, and will be held on the banks of the Juma river, as thanks to the gods for looking favourably on the Pandava brothers in this conflict.

  The Pandava brothers travelled to Hastinapura there Yudhishthira informed the blind King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari.

  “All your sons have perished in this senseless war, both of you are banished henceforth and for all time. You will be allowed to take your possessions, and servants with you, and are given a month to leave the borders of the Kingdom."

  Gandhari has had her eyes bound since marriage, so that she cannot see, so suffering like her blind husband, she listened contemptuously to Yudhishthira's decree then asked if Krishna was with them.

  “I am here Gandhari,” he answered.

  “I curse you Krishna. I hold you responsible for the tragedy that has befallen us. The Pandava Kingdom shall fall in thirty-six years, and you Krishna shall die at the same time, killed by the hand of a passing stranger.”

  Krishna listened calmly to Gandhari’s curse, “A light has been saved, even if you can’t see it,” he told her.

  The Pandava brothers, Krishna and their retinue returned to Indraprastha to make the final preparations for the ten-horse sacrifice and the victory feast to be held on the banks of the river Juma.

  Rogan was getting better by the day, and began taking short walks in the gardens. His favourite walk was to a clear water pool nearby where he usually breakfasted while watching the fish swimming languidly around completely unafraid of man. It made him feel so glad to be alive.

  Both Ancore and Glaina had now had the operation that would enable them to have children, and were impatiently waiting for that blissful day when they were sure they were pregnant.

  The head of the commissariat and the senapti of the army reported to Yudhishthira with their interim findings. The amount of materials used amounted to over eight million Satamana, one Satamana =50 grams of silver. This was a huge amount of treasure, which would need to be recouped in higher taxes over the next twenty years.

  However, it was the price in human life that left Yudhishthira speechless as the Senapati told him that the interim figure amounted to 4,000,000 warriors dead and twice times that number wounded. This figure did not include those killed when the Zedds razed Mohenjo-Daru and Harappa to the ground, another 2,000,000 it is estimated had died in those two places, thus bringing the total deaths caused by the war to a minimum of 6,000,000 souls.

  Yudhishthira called his brothers to a conference, when they are all comfortably seated, and served with sweetmeats and fruit juice he tells them.

  “Brothers I cannot rule, my heart is saddened by the news of how many brave warriors have died 4,000,000 souls in this war so far, all I can see is more having to die. Because to rule, ultimately means the use of more violence. Life is painful and most men are forever searching for more wealth and power, never satisfied, there is never enough. I foresee it heralds the coming of another age, where petty vicious King’s rule over a barbaric and broken world and puny, fearful, hard men live tiny lives. The cows dry, trees stunted, no more flowers, no more purity, a world poisoned and poisonous, the age of Kali. The black time, I fear is upon us.”

  The Pandava brothers are dismayed; they could not envisage anyone else but Yudhishthira ruling the Kingdom they had fought so hard to win. Bhima addressed Yudhishthira.

  “Why after coming this far, do you want to quit now. It is like man climbing a honey tree but refusing to taste it, or a man in bed with a woman but refusing to make love. I do not understand you brother.”

  Arjuna told him, “Brother refusing to rule will only create more disorder, and misery, thus causing more bad karma to face in the next life of lowly birth. You should accept your role in life. A father has an obligation to his family while they are young, so too must a King first rule, then in the latter years of his life may he put down his burdens. But to do so earlier would be an act of extreme selfishness brother.”

  Yudhishthira listened to their words, still in shock at how many brave men had died because of his foolishness in gambling their birthright away even if the Kaurava had won the wager by deceit and trickery, but as he mulled over the wise words of his brothers, he realised that what they said was true. To refuse to rule after all the tragedy and sorrow, and all the brave men's lives lost due to this war, would in itself be a monstrous crime that he was not goin
g to make.

  He looked fondly at his brothers before him, so concerned for his well-being.

  “A man could not ask for better brothers than you. You are right. I must pull myself together and take up the sword of Kingship, to fight for justice and equality for all who serve the Pandu family and me faithfully. Thank you my brothers for showing me my true duty,” he said embracing them one by one.

  The day of the victory feast dawned plum purple, slowly turning pink as the sun rose lighting a distant rim of cloud. Yudhishthira had caused to be laid out, a magnificent spread around the main arena, which housed the giant pyre on which the ten fine stallions would be sacrificed to the gods, for looking kindly on the Pandava family during the war. Bringing them, a resounding victory against such mighty odds. The stallions suffered no pain as they were bled from the neck whilst partaking of fine rolled oats, they then slowly fell into a sleep from which they would never awake. The carcasses of the stallions were then arranged on the pyre awaiting the cremation ceremony at ten a.m.

  Everyone had arrived, and stood where they could get the best views. Soldiers, officers, servants, village people, farmers and peasants who toiled unceasingly in the fields producing the food they all depended on, fishermen, hunters, all were awaiting the arrival of King Yudhishthira, his brothers and all the allied Kings from far and wide who had supported him in the conflict.

  A lot of them were there to get a glimpse of the celestial's that had fought so bravely on the side of the Pandava.

  They did not have to wait very long as elephants started arriving, brightly jewelled and bedecked with each Kings Battle flag flying proudly from the howdah containing the royal personages. Even the Kings who had given their lives during the war are represented. Each by an elephant in black armour proudly carrying the dead King's colours.

  All the animals had been supplied by Yudhishthira as most royal elephants were still at home in their respective countries, The most magnificent elephant everyone agreed carried Yudhishthira and his brothers to the raised platform that contained all the thrones each side of the central throne of Yudhishthira. Over each throne was a parasol. In addition, behind each throne stood two servants, one carrying a whisk for the flies.

  After all the Kings were seated, the crew each had a throne, and each wore a simple band of gold around the head, their thrones being in pride of place on the right hand of the Pandava thrones.

  Then came a long procession of officers and warriors, who had shown great courage in battle, these were mentioned and each received a handsome gratuity as befitting his rank. After the warriors, came the elephants that had fought bravely. Mostly they were praised for their courage and pensioned off to live in luxury for the rest of their lives, then came the horses that had shown the greatest devotion to duty and had rescued many a warrior from death on the battlefield, these also were mentioned by name and finally pensioned off to live out their lives in luxury.

  At last, it was evening, and the parades had ceased now came the moment of the sacrifice of the ten stallions for the victory that had been blessed by the gods. Yudhishthira stood and gave his prayer of Thanksgiving for the victory the gods had granted him toward the end of the prayer at a secret signal the vast pyre was ignited and as Yudhishthira finished speaking the fire suddenly caught hold with a giant roar, the flames leaping skyward carrying the essence of the sacrifice to the heavens. At the same time, giant rockets roared into the evening sky exploding with roars that woke up everything in the countryside for a kilometre around, this to great cheers of approval from the crowd on the ground. Then, came something that Ancore had arranged with Adeetoo. The Lander flying out of sight in the darkness suddenly lit up. From it flickering lights sprang as a bank of lasers on one side traced a giant picture of Yudhishthira and the rest of the Pandava brothers in turn on the smoke from the fire, each brother bearing the weapon which he favoured, the whole company looked in awe at what seemed almost magic. It only lasted five minutes before all the lights blanked out leaving the entire crowd talking at once.

  The food was fabulous and the wine divine, during the meal Yudhishthira asked Ancore about the laser show. “I was most impressed by your light show Ancore, how was it achieved?"

  “Breen and Adeetoo did most of the work and planning, the device that makes the light is called a laser. Which is short for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation, which means that it is an intense beam of light, we had a picture of each of you and let the computer copy it and then used the lasers to project your pictures onto the smoke from the victory pyre,” she explained.

  The crowds were now going to the riverbank, and lighting a small wick that was immersed in oil contained in little bark floats. These are being set adrift on the river taking the peoples prayers with them as they slowly drifted downstream, soon there were thousands of them lighting up the river it was a magical sight thought Glaina, as she stood with Breen, Ancore and Rogan watching the ceremony. Then they took the elephant ride back to the palace, and turned in for the night.

  The next morning the crew went to see the Pandava brothers, to say their farewells as they had decided to return to their own Kingdom rule wisely and raise babies.

  “We shall be sorry to see you leave, Draupadi, and our mother doubly so, Why don’t you resolve to visit with us for a few weeks every second or third month, with your flying machine the journey would not take you long. We would be so pleased,” Yudhishthira told them.

  Ancore answered for them all, “That is very generous of you, and we would be delighted to visit with you every three months or so, also you must visit us. We can fly you out to visit and we have many elephants and tiger. We could organise a hunting trip into the jungli that would be fun,” she told the brothers. They parted after saying their farewells, and headed for the Lander where Adeetoo had stored all their belongings.

  “I for one will be glad to return and explore our new Kingdom at last. We haven’t seen much of it since it was won in the competition, my goodness that seems like a lifetime ago now,” said Rogan as the Lander lifted circled the palace once then headed southwest toward Kodagu.

  Several hours later, they circled the wooden fort that would be their home and new Kingdom. The three-sided single building in its own gardens looked small from up here. As Ancore circled the Lander and put it down gently in the grounds of the fort close to the main door of the house. This was the first-time Glaina had seen it, and she was enchanted when she got out and could see the intricately carved main entrance of the building.

  “Oh isn’t it lovely,” she cried in pleasure, “if only Fantee could have seen this,” she said sadly, as she made her way inside.

  The inside smelt wonderfully of sandalwood, it took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the shade in contrast to the bright sunlight outside. As she stood in the doorway, Breen joined her, and they stood arm in arm gazing at the raised platform containing the single magnificently carved wooden elephant throne set off so handsomely by the red silk drapes behind.

  “Oh Breen Fantee would have loved this,” she cried releasing his arm and running forward to the throne, “I shall sit on it for her.” She called excitedly, mounting the dais and sitting in the magnificent throne. As her full weight settled on the throne there was an ominously loud click from beneath the throne, and the low rumbling voice of Ravana filled the room.

  “Good-bye little Coorg, you are now sitting on your throne for the last time, heh, heh, heh, heh. I win in the end.”

  “Don’t move Glaina,” shouted Breen urgently rushing toward the throne. Glaina just sat there petrified. The menacing voice from the grave had chilled her brain and robbed it of coherent thought.

  Ancore, Rogan and Adeetoo had just started to enter the throne room when the voice from beyond the grave had boomed out its message filling them with sudden dread, at the sound of it both Rogan and Ancore's hieroglyphic like mass of tiny nodules over their head and necks had hardened sending a prickling ting
le of dread down their necks.

  They rushed into the throne room seeing Glaina sitting petrified on the throne while Breen was checking all around it, suddenly he got on his hands and knees behind the throne. “Whatever you do Glaina do not move,” he cautioned her, “Your weight has triggered a pressure switch which has activated a timer connected to a nuclear warhead under the throne,” he explained to her.

  “How long before detonation?” asked Ancore.

  “Three minutes,” replied Breen, while trying to ease the bomb out from under the throne, so he could examine it properly.

  “Maybe you and Rogan should take the Lander and get as far away as you can before this explodes,” he told them finally managing to ease the bomb from beneath the throne.

  “No point we are in this together,” Ancore told him as they surveyed the bomb together.

  The voice of Adeeone broke into their thoughts as they struggled to comprehend the triggering device.

  “May I look captain, I checked out a nuclear device on the red planet and worked out how its triggering mechanism worked, then set the timer on it for twelve hours before it destroyed the Zedd mother ship,” he told them.

  “Good to hear you Adeeone, please see if you can stop it,” Ancore told him moving over to let him get at the device.

  While he was checking it out with Breen, she took Glaina’s hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

  “Try not to worry too much Glaina, I’m sure Adeeone will be able to neutralise the device,” she reassured her.

  Meanwhile, Rogan had stiffly climbed onto the throne behind Glaina, and then gently pushed her off; his weight replacing hers on the throne as she staggered forward Ancore caught her as her legs were like jelly.

  “There that’s better as I won this throne it should be my honour to sit on it first Glaina,” he told her with a wide grin on his face.

  “Oh thank you Rogan,” she said standing behind Breen and Adeeone trying to see what they were up to.

  At that moment Adeeone was telling Breen in a rapid-fire staccato voice, which wires did what as he traced out the electronics of the fusing mechanism, they now had less than a minute to disarm the device.

  “I therefore, believe I have to cut the blue wire here, and the green one in the foreground to deactivate the device,” he concluded.

  “Do it then quickly,” cried Breen impatiently.

  Adeeone took each wire in his hand and broke them one after the other. The timer stopped at nine seconds, and then the display gently faded and went out.

  Breen let out a pent up whoosh of breath and sat back on his heels as the tension of the last few minutes slowly drained out of him.

  “Well I don’t want to go through so much excitement the next time we come home to our new Kingdom," said Rogan with a wry grin as he stood up from the throne and came around to look at the bomb. “I suggest Adeeone takes this bomb and the Lander, and drops the bomb far out into the Western Ocean, where it can harm no one,” he told them.

  At that moment prime minister, Chidambar arrived to greet them. “Your majesties I came as soon as I realised that you had returned,” He told them apologetically, “Your celestial friends arrived many months ago now and left the special gift you had asked them to install under the throne for you, they bade me let no one but your majesties sit on the throne, under pain of death.”

  “Thank you Chidambar if you had arrived just a few minutes earlier we wouldn’t have had such an exciting time finding the present that the celestials left us,” she told him. As they all burst out laughing at the release of tension.

  That evening the four of them sat on a seat of stone on top of a small hillock, watching the sun as it gently sank into the western ocean. None spoke of the beauty of the moment. Their thoughts had soared into the far reaches of space seeking their home planet, but plodding along behind their thoughts. Two distress buoys heading in different directions had just left the solar system. Starting their long fall through the empty dark reaches of space as they headed homeward, constantly calling, and calling to all who could hear.

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  The Author

  I am retired and live in West Wales with my long-time partner Petronella.

  I worked from the age of fifteen and joined the Royal Air Force at sixteen as a boy entrant navigation instrument mechanic. On de-mob I joined the Plessey Company Avionics Division and worked as a Principal Test Engineer, then as a freelance test engineer until retirement.

  I do hope you have enjoyed this novel, it was inspired by reading on the internet the ancient Indian Sanskrit tales of how to build and fly aircraft, also what sounded very like nuclear weapons and guided missiles plus tales of aliens, space vehicles, space travel and space stations all several thousands of years ago.

  I am at present partway into a sequel to this novel.

  Richard Wood.

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