Chronicle of Ages (22 page)

After Uriah had gone, Maelgwn considered that the lad was far more confident and outgoing than Selwyn had been at the same age. Perhaps the Delphinus matured more quickly than Homo sapiens, or had a different ageing process? His memory implant told Maelgwn that he was right on both counts. Due to their telepathic ability, Delphinus children matured far more quickly than Homo sapiens offspring. Their lifespan was usually longer than the Homo sapiens of Maelgwn's day and age, thanks to a better diet and their aquatic lifestyle.

Maelgwn had consumed a good part of the seafood and fruit platter and he was of a mind to call his squire back when he recalled the memory recorder pertaining to Taliesin's reports on his kin back in Gwynedd that the Lord Marduk had given him. He knew before he even put the thought-band on that the accounts it contained were going to make him homesick. Still, as it was hard to foresee when he might have a quiet moment to himself again, it seemed to be a case of now or never.

As well as Rhun's wedding, and the births of Maelgwn's daughter, Rhiannon, and grandson, Cadwell, the thought recorder also contained footage of Maelgwn's funeral, Rhun's inauguration, and his son's account of his quest into the Otherworld.

Rhun advised the men gathered at his initiation ceremony at Llyn Cerrig Bach that his father, meaning Maelgwn, had come forward to lead him to his otherworldly meeting with the Goddess. Maelgwn knew that this had not been the case. His inner knowing told him that it had been Gwyn ap Nudd in the guise of Rhun's father who had led the young Prince to the Otherworld to receive right of passage. Hence, Maelgwn had to figure that it had not been his deceased mother, Sorcha, who had led him to the Goddess during his own inauguration ceremony, but the Night Hunter disguised as the person Maelgwn trusted most.

When the thought recorder abruptly switched off Maelgwn found himself in a highly agitated state, having just experienced every uplifting emotion known to man. His return to reality was a rude awakening;
his wondrous surroundings felt foreign now, and Maelgwn had not felt this alone and alienated since before he'd met the love of his life.

Only creation knows how I miss her. He clung to his sadness a moment, before releasing it back to the universe with love via three deep breaths.

Maelgwn paged his squire to prevent himself stewing over the past, but his lover's memory lingered as he awaited his tour guide. He had so many happy memories of Tory to choose from, and his heart soured as he suddenly recalled Marduk saying that he could experience Tory anew via at least two other incarnations he'd had. But such leisure activities would have to be reserved for when he finally enticed Gibal back to the
Aten
. Maelgwn needed to focus on the mission at hand and could not allow his pursuit of Tory to become a distraction which, judging from the band he held in his hand, could become more like an obsession if he allowed it. He suspected this was the reason Marduk had supplied him with the band in the first place. More than a gift, Maelgwn suspected it was a test.

‘I am in control,' Maelgwn assured himself, folding the band away and attaching it to his belt along with all his other apparatus — half of which he still hadn't familiarised himself with, thanks to being knocked unconscious for the flight here. The reason Cornelin had given for his actions on that count led Maelgwn to wonder about the female they called Aquilla.

‘Aquilla,' he uttered the name, finding it pleasing. ‘No. Don't go there.' Maelgwn snapped himself out of
his Tory-induced delirium and stood to discipline himself. ‘I will maintain control, and I will not wonder about her. For she is no concern of mine …'

The brief glimpse he'd been allowed of the woman in question came back to haunt him.

‘… and can never be,' Maelgwn concluded with regret.

G
ibal's Technological Advancement complex was an expansive and amazing building; there were many different projects being developed therein by Delphinus scholars, the progress of which was constantly monitored by their Lord and instructor.

The Operations Centre of the city was also housed in this complex. The dome, oxygen levels, climate, security, power and all other communications for the city were monitored and attended to by different departments within Gibal's headquarters.

‘So tell me, Uriah. What do you do here?' Maelgwn wondered what kept his squire amused when he wasn't running around after him.

‘Pretty much what am I doing right now … protocol. I assist Cornelin. My calling is not so dissimilar
from yours, En Dragon,' he supposed, ‘except that I am not required to have heroic tendencies.'

‘What makes you think I have heroic tendencies?' Maelgwn mocked the lad's observation.

Uriah stepped away from his charge and eyed him with a vague look on his face. ‘It's hard to say, but … I think all that hardware you carry might have something to do with it.'

‘You think it's a bit excessive?' Maelgwn threw his arms wide as he stepped backwards and was startled when he collided with someone.

‘Watch out!' Aquilla turned to reprimand the clumsy fool who'd nearly caused her to drop her precious cargo. ‘This is a very … rare … stone …' Her anger faded along with her ability to speak, as she registered the face of her deceased lover. Of course, she knew immediately that this could not be him — the man before her was very obviously Homo sapiens — but the resemblance made her jaw drop.

‘My sincerest apologies.' Maelgwn backed away to collide with another passerby. He apologised again and kept moving.

Uriah was breathing a quiet sigh of relief in the wake of the near miss, as he had told Cornelin that he would do his best to make sure the Dragon and Aquilla did not meet.

‘Uriah.' Aquilla postponed his escape. ‘Who was that?'

‘Ask your uncle, or the Lord Gibal,' he suggested, ducking away before he caused himself any grief.

‘I was asking you!' she called after him, sounding a little annoyed.

Uriah ignored Aquilla to catch up to his charge. ‘I know it's not my place to lecture you on diplomacy, En Dragon, but that was a little bit rude, don't you think?'

That was the trouble, Maelgwn wasn't thinking; the sudden chance meeting had thrown him completely. He needed more time to build up his defences, that much was obvious, for a clear image of Aquilla's face had formed in his mind and was already urging him toward further investigation.

‘Desperate circumstances call for desperate measures,' Maelgwn advised.

Uriah didn't understand the Dragon's reasons, but he agreed wholeheartedly nonetheless.

‘You must keep me away from that woman at all costs.' Maelgwn made Uriah swear he would do his best.

‘If that is your wish.' Uriah couldn't believe his luck. With the Dragon's cooperation his vow to Cornelin would be much easier to keep.

 

The only approach to Gibal's lab was down a long corridor, with guarded doors at each end. There was no transporter plate inside this top security area, nor, as Gibal had explained earlier, was there any PK teleportation access.

Uriah was permitted to escort his charge to the inner doors, where a short muscle-bound guard stood at his post.

As Maelgwn looked over the first Delphinus warrior he had encountered, he noted there was something very familiar about the stance of this fellow. ‘Oh no!'
Maelgwn smiled as he drew nearer the guard, for the soul before him was none other than Calin Brockwell. His silvery-white hair made him appear more like Brian Alexander, who was Calin's twentieth century incarnation and Tory's brother. ‘Let me guess,' he put to Uriah. ‘Aquilla's brother.'

Uriah winked as he gave a nod. ‘The bravest warrior on the planet, and another very good reason to steer clear of Aquilla. Zerrah!' Uriah called the guard by name and waved to him as they approached.

‘This is highly unusual, Uriah.' Zerrah moved to confront the intruders. He ignored Maelgwn completely and directed his queries to the soul more familiar to him.

‘I am delivering the Dragon to the Lord Gibal, as requested,' Uriah advised.

‘So … you are the one the Lord Gibal feels can protect him better than I?' Zerrah was most perturbed until he raised his eyes to look Maelgwn in the face. ‘Durak,' he gasped, stunned into backing up a few paces, whereupon he shook his head to get a grip on the situation. ‘But of course that can't be?'

Maelgwn maintained the same delighted smile. ‘I assure you, Zerrah, you are also very familiar to me.'

Zerrah gave a vague nod, obviously disturbed by this unexpected development. He looked back to Uriah, feeling more comfortable conversing with him. ‘Has my sister met —' He pointed to the Homo sapiens.

‘You could say they've bumped into each other,' Uriah explained. ‘We were in a bit of rush, unfortunately, so I didn't really get the chance to introduce them.'

‘That's good.' Zerrah patted the younger man on the shoulder before turning to the Dragon to explain himself. ‘What I mean to say is, I don't think my sister would take to you very kindly.'

‘Why so?' Maelgwn couldn't resist exposing the warrior's lie. ‘Wasn't your sister married to this Durak fellow?'

Zerrah nearly jumped out of his skin. ‘Absolutely not! Whatever gave you that idea?'

‘Yes.' Uriah was just as shocked by the Dragon's statement. ‘What indeed?'

Maelgwn raised both brows to call Zerrah's bluff. ‘That is what the Lord Gibal told me.'

‘Oh.' Zerrah didn't feel he could really contest his Lord's word. Still, if he couldn't trick the Dragon into steering clear of his sister, he'd just intimidate him into it. ‘Well then, monkey man, let me put it this way … go anywhere near my sister and
I
shall not take to you very kindly. As head of security here, I have eyes and ears everywhere —'

‘Zerrah, it is the Dragon's wish to avoid Aquilla,' Uriah advised so that Zerrah might dispense with the unpleasantness, but instead Zerrah took offence.

‘And why is that?' He confronted Maelgwn again. ‘She is the most sought-after woman in the city!'

Maelgwn just couldn't wipe the smile off his face. Zerrah was so like Brockwell that he couldn't help but be pleased to see him again. ‘It is because she is the most beautiful woman in the city that I wish to keep my distance,' Maelgwn appeased the proud brother, ‘for I am a happily married man.'

‘Excellent!' Zerrah backed off at once and motioned the Dragon to proceed. ‘Then I shall not detain you any longer.'

‘Most appreciated.' Maelgwn turned to his squire to bid him good day. ‘I could be here awhile, so feel free to be about whatever it is you normally do.'

‘That would be nothing,' Zerrah scoffed, as he returned to his post.

‘That I shall.' Uriah ignored the guard. ‘If you require me for any reason —'

‘I'll holler.' Maelgwn gave him a final wave. ‘Many thanks for the tour.'

The large dark door at the end of the hallway vanished upon Maelgwn's approach, granting him entry into the most restricted area in the city.

 

Gibal's laboratory was the biggest single room Maelgwn had ever seen, even larger than Marduk's Star Chamber. In fact, it appeared so immense that Maelgwn could only assume that he was beneath the city. The location of the Lord's lab was something Uriah had failed to comment on and, as they taken the teleporter here, Maelgwn realised he was still oblivious as to where it was located in the technological complex.

Where Maelgwn entered there was row upon row of identical, tall, rectangular-shaped machines — although the machines on his left differed slightly in appearance to those on his right. Maelgwn's implanted data advised that the machines that towered over him to the left were generators, which were powering the equally tall processors to his right.

Where the rows of machinery came to an end there was a huge area that was rather reminiscent of an amphitheatre. Inside this great space many different inventions were in progress and these were being tended to by numerous artificial arms that sprouted from several small airborne platforms — each of the artificial arms ended in a different tool in place of a hand. Gibal hovered high above all this activity on his own floating platform, controlling all that took place below.

As the Lord appeared rather tied up at present, Maelgwn decided to wait until Gibal addressed him. Gibal was obviously aware that he had company; it could only have been he who had admitted Maelgwn.

Beyond Gibal's enormous work space, up near the ceiling at the far end of the lab, was what appeared to be another operations room. Maelgwn failed to see what this large observation chamber would be used for and headed around all the works in progress to investigate.

 

Uriah made a move to return to his duties, when the first set of entrance doors at the far end of the passage opened and Aquilla entered the long corridor.

Upon spying Uriah, Aquilla briskly made her way down to the main lab door to question the young official about this morning's chance encounter.

‘O-oh.' Uriah did an about-face and headed back to Zerrah, seeking protection. ‘She's going to question me about the Dragon,' he advised in a panic.

‘I shall handle my sister,' Zerrah informed. ‘When she reaches us, take your leave.'

‘Good plan,' Uriah agreed, most relieved.

‘Just the man I want to see,' Aquilla stated upon approach.

‘Uriah was just leaving …' Zerrah cued him, whereby Uriah gave a slight bow to them both and headed back down the corridor as fast as his legs could walk.

‘Now hold on!' Aquilla moved to go after her uncle's assistant.

‘The man you seek is inside the lab with the Lord Gibal.' Zerrah regained his sister's full attention with the comment. ‘He is known only as the Dragon, and is to be Gibal's constant bodyguard.'

‘Gibal has admitted him into the lab?' Aquilla could not help but grin — the Dragon would be forced to keep her company a good deal of the time.

‘I know what you are thinking, Aquilla,' Zerrah cautioned her.

‘I seriously doubt that,' she advised.

‘This monkey man is not Durak.' Zerrah voiced his belief.

Aquilla shrugged this off as an insignificant detail.

‘The Dragon is also a happily married man,' Zerrah added.

‘How do you know?' Aquilla's good mood departed abruptly.

Zerrah smiled, having thwarted any seduction plans that his sister may have been hatching. ‘Because he told me so.'

Aquilla was furious, as she smelt a conspiracy. She would have placed both her hands on her hips, but one was still nursing her precious stone. ‘And how, may I ask, did you get onto the subject of his marital status?'

‘Just polite conversation,' Zerrah advised in a smug fashion.

‘You had a polite conversation with the man who just walked into the position of trust with Lord Gibal that you've always aspired to?' Aquilla made it plain she didn't buy his story. ‘Thanks for nothing.'

Aquilla had a particular hurt tone to her voice, one that never failed to make Zerrah feel he was letting her down. But as he knew he was acting in his sister's best interests, he refrained from apologising. ‘You're welcome,' he told her outright, before mumbling to himself: ‘The very idea is completely disgusting.'

‘Racist!' Aquilla accused, having caught the comment.

‘I wasn't referring to sexual relations with another human breed so much as the horrendous consequences it can have on any offspring that might be produced as a result,' Zerrah informed her harshly, for he knew Aquilla couldn't be thinking straight if she was already entertaining the idea of an affair with the familiar-looking foreigner.

Aquilla was quite affronted by his argument. ‘That is hardly an issue that concerns me.' She backed up and turned abruptly to head into the lab.

‘I'm sorry, that was a thoughtless remark, Aquilla,' Zerrah said before she entered. ‘I know this could be tough on you, so if you need me —'

As the door vanished Aquilla stepped beyond it. ‘You said it yourself, Zerrah, he is not Durak. End of story.'

The metal barricade reappeared, closing her off from Zerrah and any further comment he may have had.

 

Halfway around the lab amphitheatre Maelgwn was confronted by a huge device that looked rather like some sort of gigantic gun. It was mounted on a huge rotating platform, and unlike the other inventions in progress, Gibal did not have any automated hands working on this one.

That is one of Aquilla's projects.
Gibal startled Maelgwn with the information, having descended in his control chair to take up a position right behind him.

‘It looks very impressive,' Maelgwn replied. ‘Can I ask what it is?'

‘It's a wormhole stabiliser,' Aquilla advised. ‘Or at least, it will be, if I ever get it working.'

As Maelgwn turned to view her properly for the first time, Aquilla took his breath away.

Besides having the distinguishing features of her race, this woman was Tory, although she was of slighter build. Her long, straight hair was even fairer than his wife's had been and Aquilla wore her great mass of hair piled up in a ponytail that sprouted from just behind the blowhole in her crown. As with her brother, Aquilla's head was shaved smooth from each temple into a V-shape at her crown. She was attired in the same kind of suit as Maelgwn, only Aquilla's attire was the same pale blue colour as her eyes.

‘Is that what your precious stone is for?' Maelgwn decided to sidestep discussing their embarrassing collision this morning.

Aquilla shook her head as she approached to show him the jewel he had nearly destroyed. ‘I am hoping that the chaotic symmetry of this crystal will help me with a
little energy problem I've been having with one of my other projects. The atoms of this crystalline substance violate a fundamental theorem of crystallography, as they have an impossible five-fold symmetry.'