Johnny Mackintosh and the Spirit of London (27 page)

“I'm not sure I follow,” said Johnny. The sound of footsteps coming closer distracted him, so he patted the dolphin on the head once more, whispered, “I'm sorry—I'd better go,” and stood up to return to his chair.

Mestor entered the chamber, his eyes flickering between Johnny and the dolphin. “Perhaps you are more suited to the priesthood than I had imagined,” he said. “Come, preparations for the feast are underway,” and he led Johnny, dressed all in blue, out of the chamber and back into the sunshine. Without the Melanian tunic it was scorching outside and his priest's robes quickly dried out. “Tell me,” said Mestor, “will the Senator support Neith in her claim?”

“I don't know,” replied Johnny truthfully.

“Don't forget that you are Terran, not Melanian,” said the priest.

“What do you mean?” Johnny asked.

Mestor stopped, leaned heavily on his staff and looked straight into Johnny's eyes. “Your homeworld has the chance to rule the galaxy—you should remember where your loyalties lie.” Johnny stared back into Mestor's eyes, unable to look away, but he said nothing. The priest continued, “Neith will be Empress with or without the Senator's support. You would do well to remember that.” When Johnny didn't speak again he turned and started hobbling along the path. Johnny followed just behind.

Several hours later Johnny was sitting beside Clara in the Hall of Ancestors, the grand room they'd passed through earlier, as Queen Neith's feast was ending. “Thank goodness that's over,” said Clara quietly, as the final speaker at the head table sat down. “You're so lucky being able to understand everything.”

“Lucky?” said Johnny. “That last one was the most boring of the lot.” Johnny and Clara had discovered the feast had so far been made up of very little food and an awful lot of speeches. At least it had been a chance to catch up with Clara and tell her what Neith had said earlier, and about Nesaea the dolphin, while trying hard not to laugh at her heavy make-up, black-rimmed eyes and the black and gold striped dress that Clara thought was especially pretty. Johnny had failed, but Clara hadn't seemed to mind and thankfully the speeches finally appeared to be over.

“But what was he saying?” Clara whispered. “It's got to be important to find out.”

“It was the same stuff as all the others,” said Johnny. “You know … Neith is great, she's so wonderful and important and powerful and she controls this Diaquant thing and look how impressive Atlantis has become and because of it Terra's bound to dominate the galaxy soon.”

“And now what's happening?” Clara asked, yawning, as everyone got to their feet around them.

“Everybody's going outside, I think,” said Johnny. “It's midnight—that's when this Senator's meant to be arriving. Let's see what's happening.”

They stood up and made their way toward the main doors, past a central orichalcum pillar and a statue of a man holding a giant fork. “Neptune,” said Clara. “God of the sea.”

“How do you know that?” Johnny asked.

“It's the trident,” said Clara, pointing to the fork. “There was
a painting of him at the Proteus Institute. Proteus was a shape-shifting sea god who served Neptune.”

“Guess that fits in a place like this,” said Johnny as they stepped through the doors and outside onto the lawn at the front of the temple. The full moon was illuminating the great walls of water surrounding Atlantis in the far distance. It gave him the creeps—no wonder the sea god was center stage.

A crowd had gathered along the banks of the great canal. Johnny and Clara fought their way past the assorted fire breathers and jugglers and squeezed through a gap to get close to the water's edge. An enormous crystal barge, pulled by what must have been fifty dolphins, was slowly making its way up the canal toward them. They weren't the only two who were impressed. Many of the younger priests were pointing in awe at the approaching vessel. Johnny felt something hard on his shoulder. It was a staff. He turned round. Mestor was standing there.

“You are to come with me,” said the priest. “Both of you. Queen Neith believes your presence in the welcoming committee will be … illuminating.” The crowd parted to allow them to pass through behind Mestor, who led them, hobbling, toward a dais that held a handful of important-looking people, surrounding the Queen's large couch. Lying on the couch was Neith, stroking her cat.

“About time, Mestor,” said Neith, as they approached. “And my darling girl—you look so much prettier in that dress,” she said to Clara.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said Clara, smiling as she curtseyed.

“The Senator approaches,” said Neith. There was an “ooh” from the assembled crowd as the crystal barge drew alongside the temple grounds. Johnny understood why—close up he could see that it was shaped like a giant swan and the moonlight glinted off its many surfaces. “He is such a show-off,” said Neith.

Johnny and Clara watched as the hooded figure, all in white, accompanied by a floating robed hundra, disembarked and made his way through the crowd toward the Queen's dais. The man lowered his hood to reveal a young, near human face with bright blue eyes, and blond hair that seemed as though the moonlight itself was shining from it. There could be no doubt at all about it—it was Bram.

“Senator Bram Khari, last of the Lysentia, craves audience with Neith, Queen of Atlantis, Ruler of the Terran Dominions, Keeper of the Diaquant, Galactic Empress in Waiting,” said Bram, bowing his head slightly before the Queen.

It was Mestor who replied. “Queen Neith of Atlantis considers your request—do you bring tribute so she may look more kindly on it?”

Johnny couldn't believe his ears—surely Neith wasn't in a position to stop Bram coming to Atlantis if he wanted to. Bram, though, appeared unfazed by the request. “Behind me, Your Majesty, is a royal barge cut from a single diamond. I offer it to you.” There were gasps from the onlookers.

Mestor spoke again. “Is there further tribute for the Queen, Keeper of the Diaquant?”

“Above me,” said Bram, “I offer Your Majesty a hundra, ancient translator, who alone with me passed through the ancient Arch of Lysentia.” Johnny noticed the Queen's eyes flashed momentarily to him and Clara, before returning to Bram.

On hearing of this second gift, awed whispering began in the crowd around the dais. Mestor banged his staff on the ground twice, calling for silence. He turned again to Bram. “Is there further tribute for the Queen, Galactic Empress in waiting?”

And again, Bram seemed ready for the request. “In front of me, I offer Your Majesty a shield, crafted by the ancients, that will protect against all weapons.” Bram lifted a chain over his
head, which supported a small gold pendant that had been hanging in front of his chest. He walked forward, laid it at the Queen's feet and then stepped back.

Neith sprang off the couch, sending the cat flying through the air. The Queen snatched the pendant up off the floor and, after examining it briefly, placed the chain over her head. She looked up and nodded to Mestor, before getting to her feet, slightly flushed, and returning to the couch. The old priest turned to Bram, his eyebrow raised, and spoke again. “The Queen accepts your tributes. You will remain and be granted audience.” Bram bowed and, the formalities over, looked around for the first time. Johnny tried to catch his eye but Bram's gaze went straight through him and on to others standing behind the dais. Clara picked up Auf and took the cat back to the Queen.

“Thank you, my pretty,” said the Queen, who got to her feet, holding the cat in her arms. She looked steadily into Bram's face, smiled and said, “I shall assign servants to you for your stay … unless of course you already have your own?”

Johnny tensed—he knew they were about to be exposed. This younger version of the Emperor had never seen them before. If only he'd had a little time to speak to Bram on his own and convince him they knew each other from the future. The Queen was suspicious—she wasn't going to give him that chance. Bram hesitated for just a moment, then smiled back at Neith and replied, “I understood you were aware I had sent servants ahead of me. I apologize if I did not make their arrival explicit. Johnny and Clara will be sufficient for my needs.”

“Very well,” said Neith without any hint of surprise. “I hope you approve of my little transformation. The garb of Melania is not suited to Terrans. I trust you still recognize them?”

“Come Johnny, come Clara,” said Bram holding out a hand toward each of them. Johnny hadn't realized he'd been holding
his breath, but let it out now and walked over to Bram. Clara did the same. “Your Majesty,” said Bram. “I fear I am tired after my journey. Perhaps I can retire to my quarters so I may rest?”

“As you wish,” said the Queen. She clapped her hands and a young priest stepped forward and bowed. “Take the Senator and … his servants to their quarters.” The young priest bowed again, turned to Bram and gestured for the Senator to step down off the dais. A gap appeared in the surrounding crowd and Bram strode into it, followed in silence by Johnny and Clara, with the priest behind them.

“Silence,” said Bram, his eyes blazing with blue fire. The door to his chambers had just closed and they were finally alone.

“But …” said Johnny—there was nothing more that he wanted to do than find out how Bram had possibly known who they were—that they were even there—but the look in Bram's eyes seemed to reach down into the back of Johnny's mouth and gently squeeze hold of his tongue.

Bram walked through the chambers the Queen had allotted him as though searching for something. Everywhere Johnny looked gold glittered back at him, or almost everywhere. Bram strode over to an ornament by a giant fireplace—a lizard carved from orichalcum—picked it up and turned it over in his hand several times. He threw it over toward Johnny who caught it automatically. Bram gave Johnny a look that suggested he should focus on the lizard. Johnny held it and felt a buzzing in his hands. There was something odd about the lizard—he could feel the electricity running through it as though he were listening to music on a radio. As he tuned in the music in his head grew louder; the lizard glowed a brighter and brighter red until it suddenly shattered in his hands.

“Johnny!” Clara shouted, but Bram raised his hand to silence
her. He walked over to the center of the room they were standing in, took a short black rod out from under his robes and swept it over his head, producing a transparent shimmering curtain around him. He beckoned Johnny and Clara to join him inside. They looked at each other, Clara walked through the curtain and Johnny followed. Bram gestured and they all sat down on the floor.

“They cannot hear us now,” said Bram seriously.

“Who?” said Clara. “Do you think we're being watched?”

“I would be most disappointed if we weren't,” replied Bram.

“How did you know it was us?” Johnny asked.

“I know nothing,” said Bram. “Except you may be an elaborate ruse by Neith to have me discredited, or instead perhaps you are somehow my salvation, sent from the far future. One seems rather more likely than the other and the stakes are so very high. When I stepped from the barge I had just a moment to decide. How can I know I chose correctly?”

“But you're the Emperor,” said Clara. “We stayed with you on Melania. The Imperial Palace was just like this island.”

“The type of tale Neith would tell,” said Bram. “She appeals to the ambition and greed she sees in herself.”

“But you knew our names,” said Clara. “How could you know who we are?”

“How indeed?” said Bram. “My ship told me. She was born in a place I believed only I knew—yet she found a sister here on Terra. I admit I was curious. I spoke to an artificial life form that made a convincing case for knowing me. I spoke to a phasmeer who nearly changed my mind.” Silently Johnny cursed Chancellor Gronack. Bram continued, “But it is not enough. If you truly are who this Alf claimed, then I need proof. If you know me from the future, from such a far future that I doubt even I could live that long, there must be a way to demonstrate it.” Johnny tried desperately to think of something. Bram
continued, “There must be something I told you, something I gave you, that would tell me that, in some distant epoch, we are friends.”