The Secret of Excalibur (26 page)

Ruth explains to me about the blast of psionic power I unleashed. I assure her everyone should recover, except the two medics, and especially not the drooling medic. His brain is as fried as the terrorist Reshan. I feel ashamed and guilty. I wasn't aware of what I was doing and didn't intend to hurt anyone, but I had been fighting for my life. It sounds like a lame excuse, as I apologize to Ruth, but I really mean it.

I focus on the Major down the beach. *Major Paber, I'm sorry for the mental blast I sent out before. Please, come get the Commander ready to travel. He's asleep, but doing fine. Let's get him moving.*

Paber clutches his head, falling to his knees.

Ruth taps. –God, Arthur. Take it easy. Remember whatever was affecting your powers before is gone now. You could do permanent damage to someone.- She's staring pointedly at the drooling medic.

The Major's kneeling, shaking his head in pain. I concentrate. His ears are loudly ringing, as if in shock. As he stands, obviously in severe pain, he begins stumbling slowly towards us. I concentrate on soothing his ears, and push. Paber's eyes pop open wider as he grabs his groin, doubling up, then falling on the sand.

Now what? God damn, I accidentally pushed his pleasure center.
The man's having a staggering orgasm.
What the fuck? Can't I do anything right anymore?
Ruth is right, whatever was bothering me before is now gone. In fact, I feel more powerful than before. I'll have to be very careful.

With a coy smirk, Ruth taps. –Did you just do to him what I think you did?-

*Uh, yes, kid. Accidentally.* She falls over laughing.
Damn, and I'm so exhausted, too.

Jumping up, the Major heads for the trees at a dead run. I go over and sit in a chair, fuming. I'm too upset to even notice when the Major shows back up with two men carrying a stretcher. The men are moving around like robots, stiff-limbed. After Dobie is loaded and checked, the stretcher-bearers take him back down the beach. The Major stays and sits on the edge of the fire-pit, his medical bag in his lap to cover the spreading wet stain. Ruth glances at him and cracks up again. He's totally embarrassed, with a beet-red face.

*I'm sorry, Major. I was trying to soothe your ears.* I stare down sheepishly at the glass of beer in my hand.

TAP –Uh, well, sir, you certainly did that. My ears are fine now. - He leans forward like he's whispering, nervously glancing over at Ruth. –Uh, and to be honest, I've never experienced an orgasm like that in my life.- He straightens up. - Sir, I was informed Commander Dobie died from a heart attack, but he looks fine and alive. We'll be transporting the Commander back to the Lodge, as soon as our pilots can remember how to fly. Everyone's disoriented right now. As for those two medics, well, we'll take care of them. I don't know what happened with you and Dobie, and I don't exactly know what you are, Merlin, but I felt some of your power, and I fancy I saw you leave Dobie's body and fly around. I've never believed in such stuff, but now I'm not so sure.- A red flush spreading across his checks again, he asks, -Uh, Mr. Merlin, uh, is there a way what you did to me could be put into a pill? I mean, uh, I'd like to give one to my wife. Just once, sir?-

Maybe because I'm still partly focused on Ruth or due to bleed over, I suddenly realize she's been overhearing our conversation. She's sitting on the other side of the fire-pit, but when she hears that last request, she falls on the sand, holding her knees, laughing like hell. Of course, the Major can hear her laughing, and he jumps up all upset, quickly salutes, and stomps off fast.

As the choppers lift off one-by-one, Ruth stops laughing, wipes her eyes, and tries to become serious again. But that's difficult to do with a fading grin and tears streaking down your face from laughing so much. We watch the last choppers rise and turn, then fly off. I could swear I faintly heard rotor blades.

Ruth taps. –I heard the helicopters, barely, but I heard them. Did you?-

I nod yes with a relieved smile, and she hugs me.

That's when I notice the three burned-out hulks being towed into the small bay. They're scorched pieces of twisted metal. All three of them are leaning at extreme angles, and they look like they're going to sink any minute. Ruth watches as a smaller boat motors back and forth from one to the other, dropping anchors, then the small boat turns and heads back up the river to the sea.

I stare at the orange and green life jackets piled up around the decks, dead men. I feel as though we're the only two living people in the whole fucking area. I guess right then, we are.

More than three hundred dead sailors on three ships, Ferguson back in the trees with a hundred more dead.
How many sailors went down with the two Corvettes? I only found thirty-nine bodies.

What a slaughter, all because we saw a UFO.

No, that's not right. We saw one, but Relman said he saw three streaks flying up from different angles.
Three UFOs?
That would explain what happened to the ships seaside. Two UFOs blasted over the top of them, like what happened with the Corvettes, and look at the slaughter.
Yet, what killed Ferguson and his squad? They weren't hurt. The bass fiddle noise we heard over the radio? Some sort of ultrasonic death vibration maybe? Shit. We'll most likely never know. God, what a mess, and I'm so tired. So damn tired.

Ruth is sitting at my feet, her head resting back against my knees. I lightly stroke her hair, matted, singed, with dirt, mud, sand and some blood. She's been through so much in the last few days. As have I.
A grown-up adventure
, I think with a snort,
if only I'd known.

Once Dr. Tober arrives with the other Marines, we'll go investigate the cavern. I doubt we'll find much. They wouldn't have left anything behind for us bumbling human beings to discover. Not if they could've helped it and they'd had plenty of time to clean up, pack, and get ready to leave. And that had been a spectacular exit. When Major Paber scoffed all this carnage was like a bad movie, he didn't know how right he was.

Ruth is quietly crying again. She looks up at me as I tenderly caress her check. *You sure cry a lot, lady.*

–Do you have any idea what's happened to me and my life since I met you six days ago? Here we are alone; the only two alive on this whole damn beach, with hundreds of dead people around us, and you think I cry too much. Fuck you, sir!-

*And you, ma'am.* I give her a weak smile.

–Can you focus and find Dr. Tober?-

*Uh, yes. They're ready to takeoff from the Lodge. Should be here in about thirty minutes.*

Jumping up, she grabs my arm, dragging me with her towards what was once our tent. She crawls inside and begins throwing suitcases and clothes out of our partially flattened tent, then ducks out with a sleeping bag. She spreads the sleeping bag then lies down, squirming out of her shorts and panties.

*You want to have sex right now? That's crazy, Ruth.*

-No, it's not. It's the most natural thing in the world. We're suffering from shock. Now, get your pants off and get down here, we don't have all damn day.-

As I unzip, I'm already half-hard from watching her strip. Natural or not, it feels right. When we're spent, she's lying there tightly holding me, softly crying again.

Very faintly, I hear the whomping of choppers flying in. Turning over, I see them landing, sand whipping around in little cyclones, eight of them settling along the same area the other choppers had recently vacated. I jump up as fast as I can, pulling my pants on. Ruth does too, then hugs and kisses me, half leaning, half sinking against me.

–I'm so damn tired. What time do you think it is?-

*Oh, I'd say after seven, kid. Be dark soon.*

Dr. Tober jumps clumsily from the first chopper. Behind him is a man I recognize. Men are pouring out all over the beach.

“Mr. Merlin, Dr. Burns, I think you know each other.” Dr. Tober has his handkerchief, mopping his sweaty forehead.

Telepathically, I gently say, *Major Breckenridge, good to see you and Alpha Team again.* With a grim expression, he salutes, then we shake hands.

Ruth's knees give out, nearly fainting, and I scramble to hold her steady. Dr. Tober takes one of her arms, trying to help me support her. I explain to Tober we're exhausted and in desperate need of sleep. Smiling, he points as he pats my arm. There, next to what's left of our tent, the men of Alpha have already erected a new, green one.

Dazed, I glance around. There's a whole long row of tents, looks as if Alpha is here to stay. Tober takes over helping Ruth to the tent. Breckenridge strides next to me, not quite touching, but there if I need assistance. We crawl inside, into the new sleeping bags, and in minutes, we're zonked out.

UMM. Now that feels fantastic.
It's still dark, and I feel Ruth's soft lips and tongue sucking on me. I hear her slurping.
Hey. I can hear her. Uh, oh, ah, hell with it.
With a deep thrust and low groan, I climax into her throat. When she crawls up beside me, I can barely see her sassy smile.

“Good?” She asks with a throaty purr.

“Awesome,” I answer with a sign of contentment. “Hey. I heard you.”

Her smile grows wider. “And I you. That's what woke me. You were screaming in your sleep.”

“Oh, I'm sorry, kid.” I tenderly kiss her soft lips.

“Umm, I'm not,” she says as she curls up around me.

Funny how sometimes women don't seem to have any bones, just soft and cuddly. Then, at other times, they're all bones, bones and thorns. We fall sleep again. I awake to her softly fondling me, and my hormones standing at attention again.

“Umm. I must still be in shock.” I stretch, then lean over and kiss her.

“Maybe you're dreaming,” she says teasingly, then pulls me over on top of her.

We slowly make love. As the pace of our rhythm of love increases, I start feeling a warm, tingly, energy creeping up our bodies, enveloping us, encasing us in a cocoon of love. I feel as though our spirits have bonded and we're now one entity. I'm not only making love to Ruth, but myself at the same time. It's the most sexually exhilarating and intoxicating feeling.
Am I causing this effect?
I'm too enthralled in the sensations to care. As one entity, we cry out, climaxing together, feeling each other's orgasm. As we lie there, panting, catching our breaths, the warm energy field splits like an amoeba, leaving us as two separate bodies again.
Whoa. What just happened?
Before I can pursue that question, I fall deeply asleep on top of Ruth.

“Oooh, Arthur, please rollover. Oooh,” Ruth moans.

“How long have we been asleep, kid?” I ask while crawling towards the tent door.

More moans, then, “Uh, it must've been for hours. You almost crushed me.”

I peek out the tent door. It's barely light enough to recognize objects outside. I see fires everywhere, and men either sitting, or standing by them.

“Umm. Smell that, kid? Bacon. Coffee. I'm in heaven. C'mon, let's get dressed and eat. I'm starving.”

Catching my arm, she pulls me to her. “Oh no you don't, I'm not done with you yet, mister.”

Dropping her head to my lap, she sucks me into her soft, warm mouth, and in seconds, I'm erect again. Looking up with a glimmer in her green eyes, she pushes me back, then feline crawls on top of me, slowly impales herself on me, and begins rocking back and forth. Feels like heaven to me, as I tightly grip her rocking hips, but must feel even better for her. She's moaning, gyrating faster and faster, grinding her hips harder and harder into me. Feeling her right on the brink, I give one finally hard thrust, sending her into orgasm heaven, with me right behind her. Finally, coming back to Earth, she's straddling me, panting, with sweat trickling down her long back.

“You're insatiable, woman. You're too much,” I tell her as I gently pull her hair.

She leans forward until her tantalizing nipples are barely brushing my lips, saying, “You did this to me, MAN. Now, suffer.” She rolls off me and commences dressing. “Let's go. I'm ready to face anything now.”

She's glowing, full of energy and vitality. I'm half worn out.
Women.

Following her out the tent, I notice the sky's lighter. Ruth stops dead in her tracks, staring at the lake. In the bay, where the three burned-out hulks used to be, sit bigger ships. Battleships. Alongside them, two submarines. The five battleships look mean, but the two subs catch and hold my eye. They're one-fourth the size of the biggest subs, but that slim frame looks ominous and deadly as hell. They make a definite impact on my mind.

Standing, the Major salutes, then moves two chairs over for us. He never spoke, so he must think we're still deaf.

“Major, we're able to hear today,” I inform him as we take our seats.

“That's good news, Merlin. Would you like coffee, or tea?”

I glance over at Ruth, who's still glowing, and tell him one of each. He yells at someone, and soon one of his men show up with a tray and everything he ordered.

“Thank you, Corporal,” I say as he sets the tray down. He salutes, smiles, and leaves.

Dr. Tober pops his head from a tent, disappears back inside, then comes out carrying a sack. “Ah, good morning. I heard you talking. You can hear again?”

“Pretty well, yes. There's still some buzzing, but at least we can hear you today.”

“Ah, good, now pour out some of your beverages, please,” he orders as he removes a bottle of Napoleon Five Star Brandy from the sack. He pours a generous dollop in each cup, including the Major's cup, who frowns. Tober places a reassuring hand on Breckenridge's shoulder. “Oh, come on, Gregory. We're having a celebration here. You're part of a historical event. Sit, and drink with us.”

With a slight shrug, the Major sits down. His hair is white, but I doubt he's forty yet. He looks as if he weren't on duty; he could drink the whole bottle, with no visible effects. A very capable man.

Tober turns his enormous eyes towards me, the sun glinting off the lenses of his glasses. “Cecil briefed me on everything that happened here, and what you did to save his life. I think one thing is as remarkable, and incredible, as the other. He was able to hear by the time he awoke, so you must've fixed his ears as well.” Tober leans out, patting my knee.

“It's an amazing story, isn't it, Dr. Tober?” I ask him, after he removes his hand.

“Yes, Arthur, that's the word. Utterly, unbelievably amazing.” He pours more Brandy.

“Whooh,” Ruth exclaims after taking a sip. “I think I need some tea with this brandy.” We laugh. Sure feels good to see and hear laughter again.

I look at Breckenridge. “Why is Alpha Team here, Major?”

Tober answers. “The PM was going to order out the rest of the Marines, but when word spread about all the men who died here, and that you two, other than Dobie, were the only survivors, Alpha Team volunteered.”

In wonder, I study the Major. “After learning of all the men who died, you still ordered your men here?”

Clearing his throat, he looks away, embarrassed. “Uh, actually no, sir. I was on holiday. The rest of Alpha volunteered, to the man, then I was sent for. I agreed with them, and, uh, here we are, sir.”

Tober explains enthusiastically, “Using Alpha Team is perfect, Arthur. They have the highest clearance in the armed forces, and more highly trained than the Marines. And they seem to have a special affinity towards you after the airport incident.” He leans out and pours more brandy.

I look back at the Major. “I'm honored, Greg. Thank you and your men.”

“Sir, it's our pleasure. We look forward to, ah, working with you again.” He starts to salute.

I grip his hand halfway up, “Please, don't salute me, and call me Arthur.”

Smiling, he says, “Yes, sir. Are you hungry?” He waves at the Corporal and points. The Corporal gets busy.

The bacon I smelled earlier is actually an old military staple cleverly designed to remove the enjoyment from eating. Shit on the Shingles.
Good old SOS. Yuck.
But the baking powder biscuits taste good, so we eat away.

I glance at Greg with a frown. “I've hated SOS after my army days.”

“That's why you had two plates full, mister?” Ruth asks around another biscuit.

“I guess if you're hungry enough, you'll eat anything,” I admit with a shrug.

Greg leans towards me. “I'm sorry, sir. SOS contains all the nutrition you need. I'm afraid Alpha travels light in the field.”

“That's fine, Greg. I could use more of your coffee, Doctor.”

Ruth goes, “Unggh.”

“Quite, Arthur. Once more around, and we'll begin our plans.” He splashes more brandy in our cups.

“What's all the hardware for?” I ask Greg, pointing with my fork at the battleships in the bay.

“Well, officially, they're on Naval Maneuvers,” he replies. “Eleven more of those brutes are on the seaside. According to the latest Intel I received, three more Russian trawlers were spotted cruising around, twenty miles off, watching, and several more Russian ships are heading this way. Because they arrived so quickly, it seems they know more about the nuke sub than they led on to the PM, sir.”

“How much does Alpha know, Doctor?” I ask Tober.

“Uh, they've been briefed up-to-date on this incident. Greg was with Cecil when the PM was informed. They know everything I do, Arthur. We have a possible international incident here, and though we know now it wasn't a Rusky sub, how do we explain that to them?”

“We let the Russians stew while we do a thorough investigation,” Greg retorts vindictively, “and when we're ready, we release a cover story, to appease, but not pacify them.”

Carefully sipping my one-hundred proof coffee, I reflect on their political bullshit and the rest sure to follow, and nowhere in there–the truth.
Did the world deserve to know the truth? How would people react? Would there be riots, mass hysteria?
Before yesterday, I was just as ignorant, and I still don't know how I feel.

Greg interrupts my thoughts with mention of the cavern. Apparently, the Marines recovered all the bodies, then Greg's team found the hollow rock, even moving it to check for booby traps. Nothing. They left propane lanterns and torches waiting by the rock. “Sir, I respectfully request that some of my lads and I enter the tunnel first.”

“Ugh!” Ruth chokes on her tea again. “Oh, this tastes so good, Dr. Tober. Uh, Greg, please don't take any offense by this, but I think there's only one man qualified here.”

“Yes, ma'am, but Alpha is here to take chances, so you two don't have to,” Greg disagrees.

I listen to them argue for a few minutes.
We lost hundreds of men for a discovery we weren't prepared for. What other surprises might be in store for us in the cavern?
That's why I'm determined to be the first person inside. No more men are going to be sacrificed for a bunch of political posturing. Besides, no matter how I feel about Major Breckenridge, or Tober, I can't help feeling they haven't earned the right to go first.
But Ruth and I have. Oh yes, we have.