THE PRIZE: BOOK TWO - RETRIBUTION, page 13
“That’s a human for you, more a pain in the rear than they are worth. I guess that’s one of the things your Queen and I will be talking about.” They both turned their head to look at him. “One way or another, those humans are going home with me.”
“Please, Sir Penn. We will ensure they are released now that you are here, I swear it. Regina pleaded. “I can understand your anger upon finding this out, but please, do not do anything um… rash before you have spoken with our Queen.” They both tried, but it was impossible for them to hide the fear in their eyes.
“I promise not to do anything until I have spoken with your Queen.”
Chapter Nine
Meeting of The Minds
After a shower, a change of clothes, and a light meal of fruit, cheese and some sort of bread, Rim Timor led him back through the palace complex for his audience, past nervous guards. Before he ate, Richard took a couple of vitamins and antitoxins to reverse any effect the daily products might have on his systems. Rim opened a door and motioned him inside, and Richard walked into a well-lit, furnished room. Instead of some stately audience chamber he was expecting, the room reminded him more of his and Ellis’ office in their house on Sigma Draconis. Two large landscape paintings decorated two walls, very good landscapes at that, Richard thought. Another wall was dominated by a huge floor to ceiling view screen, while the other had just a few well-placed holographs of children and young adults, the Queen's children he suspected. Apart from a large desk with actual papers scattered on top and an easy chair behind the desk, the remainder of the richly carpeted wood floor was taken up with two couches and several easy chairs. Small, gracefully carved wooden tables sat beside the couches and chairs that Richard took to be coffee or drink tables. Penn closed his eyes and expanded his senses for a moment, smiling slightly. Free he might be, trusting they were not. He detected at least three energy weapons pointed at him, and probable more hidden away behind decorative scroll work where the walls joined the ceiling. Any sudden, or threatening movement toward their Queen and they’d fire without warning. Richard took a seat near the desk and relaxed.
A few moments later, the Queen and Tal Regina strode into the room in all her regal splendor similar to what she had on before. Regina sported a vibrant blue cape that floating behind as she walked. The Queen sat behind her desk with Regina taking up a position to one side. A few moments later, Rim did the same on the other. Penn meanwhile remained sitting, which brought a slight frown to the Queen's face. Power plays were something Richard understood, such as sitting behind the desk, putting it between them as if to say …‘this is my space. Don’t enter’… the fact she expected him to stand when she entered was another, as most people here would have done. Doing so while she sat would have put him in a psychologically inferior position than her. Penn on the other hand needed to establish that they were equals, and neither spoke from a commanding position. It was something people in power loved to do to people they considered lesser than them, from politicians to senior officers in the military and managers. Director Markoff was especially prone to doing that with people, like the Var elite.
'“My cousin and Commander Timor has told me again of their adventure inside the accursed building, yet she could not tell me exactly what it is, or its purpose.” She steepled her hands, elbows on the desk and looked straight at him without flinching as Penn returned her look. “They also couldn’t explain how they and the others returned here after they were apparently killed.”
“It’s not what everyone thinks.” He paused a moment, trying to find the words to describe what the building, and the planet was.
“For a start, the whole building is a massive cybernetic intelligence and built to test members of its builder society who wish positions of power.” He could see from her blank look that she didn’t understand.
“At the moment, you are Queen by what means?” He asked. Queen Tal Alesha-Baan blinked, as if she didn’t understand the question.
“I… my family has ruled for three hundred years. It is our right…” Penn shook his head. “What!” She asked, looking slightly cross.
“You are ruler because everyone says you are.”
“What! That’s absurd.”
“Is it? What if in the future a bad ruler ascends the throne, what then? Revolution, war, the King, or Queen deposed. Then the people would put someone else in their place and call them Queen, King, President, Supreme ruler, or what have you.” Penn could hear her tapping her foot, a slight frown marring her perfect features.
“And what has this got to do with that infernal building.” She barked. Penn glanced at Regina and Rim, seeing them color slightly. A smile tugged at the corner of Penn’s mouth. They got it, even if the Queen wasn’t prepared to admit the truth.
“The building is a testing ground. It was built by the first intelligent species to inhabit this galaxy many millions of years ago. They also faced the same question and concluded there had to be a way to test their people to see who should rule in all levels of their society. And so, the pyramid. You enter, you are tested, and depending on what you do inside, you succeed or fail.”
“That’s ridiculous. Anyone could fool any testing, no matter how good.”
“Even if that test was against yourself?” The Queen shook her head and frowned at him.
“The test comes from your own mind. Will you give in to your base needs? Greed, anger, fear, indecision, or a host of other things buried deep in your mind?”
“He speaks the truth my Queen. I… we have experienced this.” Regina added softly.
“At some point you will have to face the biggest monster of them all.”
“And what would that be!” She snorted.
“Yourself.” Rim gasped. The Queen and Penn both looked up.
“Speak!”
“It’s nothing my Queen… but I was just wondering what sort of monster Penn had to face?”
“Well, Sir Penn. Can you tell us?” The Queen asked. Penn shook himself and stood with the muscles of his hard jaw clenching as he remembered the apparition he had faced in that building. For a moment he couldn’t speak, a sheen of sweat beading his forehead.
“When you first looked at me you saw a monster, a mad monster. A killer without mercy or compassion.” The Queen gave him a slight nod, frowning and pursing her lips for a moment.
“This is true.” She said at length.
“What I faced was pure evil. So evil that he could have watched the destruction of a million Human Beings… men, women and children, and laughed. He would have never lifted a finger to save any of them, and gladly worked for Markoff to kill anyone he wanted, even you, Majesty.”
“Humph!” She snorted. “You think he… or you could have penetrated this building with all my guards, and um… other defenses to do this?” Penn looked around the room and smiled slightly.
“With the threat of the weapons pointed at him, it would be difficult to show you what he would be capable of my Queen.” The Queen regarded him for a moment.
“Show us.” She commanded.
“You are a brave woman your Majesty.” And saying that, Penn squeezed down on his stomach muscles and went into full combat mode.
To Richard, everything slowed down to a crawl as he strode quickly to the door. As before, when running through Emperor Cytec’s palace, all anyone saw was a blur of motion, and even the auto weapon systems couldn’t keep track or lock on before he was gone, and if anything he was faster now. To him, it took far longer than he thought to locate his knives on Rim’s desk and strap them on. He smiled, seeing the stunned look on a lieutenant’s face as he swept through Rim’s office and back out in a whirlwind of flying papers. He then ran back to the Queen’s office and came to a halt, breathing heavily. Penn shivered as the burst of adrenalin dissipated, taking deep breathes as his body slowed to normal.
“Prophet preserve us!” Rim muttered, his hand reflexively reached for his sidearm when he saw the knives. The Queen rocked back in shock seeing them strapped to his legs.
“As I said. He would have had no trouble entering and executing you, your Majesty.”
“But… but… how did you disable the weapons…”
“I didn’t.” Penn quickly moved back and sat in one of the easy chairs just as six guards burst into the room, weapons all pointed at Penn. Rem and Regina exploded across the room to stand between the guards and Penn before they could fire.
“Stop!” Regina ordered just as the Queen stood and held up her hand to stay them as well.
“All is in order. You may return to your posts.” For a moment, they didn’t move, but one by one they lowered their weapons and backed out of the room.
“Sir Penn spoke the truth, my Queen. Had he meant you harm he could have done so right then.” The Queen waved them back and looked at Penn.
“Sometimes Rem, I wonder what my cousin sees in you.” Penn smiled seeing both of them blush bright red. The Queen knew they were mated.
“I’m sorry… I…” Regina took his hand and pulled him back to stand beside the desk.
“He’s not usually this dense, my Queen.”
“I should hope not. Stating the obvious gives me pause to wonder about your future children.” She smiled.
“Majesty… I… we were waiting for the right moment to ask…” The Queen waved her hand.
“I knew the moment you two arrived back here so unexpectedly from your trip to that planet… can you tell me how this was done, Sir Penn?”
“I have genetically enhanced combat reflexes built into my body that permit me to move very quickly for a short period of time.”
“And this… pyramid you called it, how did it send my cousin and her...” she smiled slightly, “her mate back here.” Both Regina and Rem blushed again.
“Yes and no. The pyramid is controlled by… let’s call it an entity. The people who enter it are tested by things taken from their own minds, usually the things they fear or want the most. If they fail, they die. At that moment they are transported back to their planet of origin by an inter-dimensional gateway.”
“I don’t remember dying…” Rem interjected softly.
“Neither do I. We remember entering a place full of lava, like from a volcano, and then trying to cross it…” Regina stopped for a moment, as if searching her memory. “Then nothing. We don’t remember what happened after that, just waking up here, in a field outside the city with Rem beside me.”
“This is the same memory that I… we had.” Rem added. Penn nodded, remembering the place.
“All our wounds were healed and somehow we were restored to health, as were the rest of the troops that went in with us.”
“A bonus. The entity returns all who come and fail to their place of origin, in good health and a little wiser in most cases.
“How is this possible… we are far from that accursed planet, months in fact.”
“Michael, that’s the name of the entity, can transport anyone to anywhere in the universe, no matter how far away in an instant.”
“By the prophet! If we had such technology…” The Queen stopped, seeing Penn shake his head.
“That is far beyond anything we, or anyone else can comprehend, let alone duplicate.”
“Given time, our scientists could.” Again, Richard shook his head.
“The pyramid will not give you any technology beyond what you can produce yourself.”
“And you know this, how?” The Queen asked.
“Because I asked. Even if I did win the prize, whatever it was, I can’t use any of the technology… well, most of it.”
“Most?”
“Yes. The ship that brought me here is about the only thing I get to use, and then under very strict conditions.”
“And the rest?” The Queen asked.
“There is a very old saying on my planet, your Majesty. The Prophet Mohammed once observed when an important man wouldn’t come to see him, saying that if the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.”
“I think I understand. We must come to knowledge ourselves. Knowledge will not come to us without effort.” Penn nodded.
“Whoever said these earthmen were mad, was a fool.” Regina muttered. “May I see your blade, Sir Penn.” Richard didn’t hesitate for a second and pulled out his long blade and offered it to the Queen, hilt first. She took it, marveling at its weight.”
“A worthy blade for a warrior, Sir Penn. The blade maker put a lot of work, and maybe even love into this, especially the dragon motif along the blade.”
“Yes, your Majesty, I did.” The Queen smiled.
“You are a man of many talents, Sir Penn. The dragon represents your clan, or house?” She asked.
“Um… no. It was something I thought would be fitting as a name, the dragon blade.”
“Good. Then that shall be your name among us from now on. Sir Richard Penn-Dragon of the house of Alesha-Baan Tarl.” Hearing that send a shiver up Richard’s back, remembering the old family name from a time long, long ago.
“Thank you your Majesty, you honor me with your family name.” She smiled.
“Never in my entire life have I ever trusted any male as quickly as I trust you, Sir Richard, why is that?”
“It may have something to do with what happened to Ellis… Sub-Major Ellis and myself inside that building. Once we passed through it, I knew I was free from Director Markoff’s sweaty hands and could strike back at him and his bloody Empire, and they have a lot to answer for, not only against my planet but many others.”
“This I can well understand.”
“If I may, your Majesty.” Penn held up a wafer of crystal. “I think this will fit into your viewing system.” Penn handed it to Rem when he held his hand out. Probably an automatic reflex in protection of his Queen, and he pressed it into a slot on her desk.
The huge smart screen on the wall flickered for a moment before clearing and showing Earth from deep space. The familiar blue green ball, the recognizable continents and oceans showed clearly for a moment.
“That is Earth, your Majesty as it once was.”
“Earth? That means dirt, or soil.”
“True. That’s what we call her, maybe because we are all children of mother Earth. This is what it looks like now.” Penn walked over and touched the controls and the picture changed. As before, he merely had to touch a control or switch and he knew immediately what it was for and what it controlled. Now the continents looked dim and indistinct through the haze of dust, the beautiful color dulled and lifeless. The view zoomed in, dipping below the dust cloud to show shattered cities and dead forests. Closer it showed the horrible destruction up close, and the mounds of unburied bodies.
“You call us mad, and we are. A madness born of the horror of planetary bombardment from space, madness against an alien invasion that showed no mercy. Madness against the Empire that perpetrated the senseless slaughter of so many men, women, and children.” Penn had to stop as he felt the anger and sadness swelling inside him again.
“Commander, you and Rem may leave and return to your duties, as I suspect my guards are getting a little nervous and need reassuring.”
“Yes, my Queen.” They both replied and left. Richard kept his back turned to hide his feelings until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the Queen standing behind him, her eyes full of tears. She touched the side of his face and it was enough.
“You have the right to your madness, and from this day forward there shall be peace between our races. What is it we can do for you, Sir Penn?” He told her and explained the reason for his journey, and what he needed.
“I wish I could help, Richard.” She at least was willing to use his first name, even against the convention of her people. “Alas, we cannot help.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s not that we cannot build you the ships, but our supply of contra-gravity material, as you call it, is limited. We recently lost control of one of our sources of supply to the Tellurian swine and only have a little in reserve.” The implications of that were obvious. The Silurians dared not lose starships in battle, as they’d have nothing to replace them with.
“I’m sorry to hear that, but you say you can build the ships?”
“Yes. We have a very efficient ship building program, and many shipyards, here on the planetary surface for the smaller ones and in space for the larger.”
“I see. So your only restriction is the amount of Cg material then?”
“Yes.”
“What if I could get you all the Cg material you needed to build a fleet of warships?” The Queen looked at him for a moment.
“You have your own brown dwarf star then?” Penn laughed and shook his head.
“No, we don’t.”
“Then I don’t see how you could. The only known place to get that material is…”
“…in the photosphere of a brown dwarf star. I know. I’ve heard that said before.” He finished for her, much to her displeasure Penn noted by the frown that marred her beautiful face.
“And so?”
“What if I were to tell you I could get you several thousand tons of the stuff?”
“Then I would have to say you are truly mad. Several thousand tons would take a life time to collect and refine.”
“If I get it for you, will you build the ships for me, for Earth?” The Queen looked him directly in the eyes, pondering his words.
“If, and I say if, you can do that, I will build you all the ships you’ll need.”
“Then we have a deal. I’ll need a large ore ship to bring it to you.” Queen Tal Alesha-Baan stood and paced back and forth across the room, hands on her hips. After a moment she came back and stood in front of him.
“Never in my life have I ever trusted someone so quickly, or on such slim evidence, especially not a male. They all lie, so why is it that I should believe you, Sir Penn?”
“My charming personality?”
“Charming personality be dammed.” She snorted. “You’re a mad human assassin that I should have executed the moment you stepped foot on my planet. Even now, just looking into your eyes scares me to half to death, and yet…” she paused, “I do believe you, may the prophet preserve me.” She thought of the blur of motion she’d seen as he left her office and came back a moment later with his weapons.
