TEMPUS CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

 

 

Instead of sailing off into the sunset, he hopes to sail into the next century.

Dave Anderson

“Watcher deploy the secondary sail cut the engines.”

“Cristian, what is this?” A huge metallic sail deployed and billowed around the centre of the ship.

“I am a sailor once again.”

“It’s beautiful, Cristian and quiet.”

“Watcher, deploy the mainsail.” A larger sail shot out from the bow of the ship and billowed.”

“A spinnaker that’s incredible, Cristian. When did you think of this?”

“A while ago, sweetie, I missed the tranquility of sailing.”

“How is our speed Watcher?”

“Increasing as we go, captain. We will be able to reach Pluto in less than three years.”

“I hope you brought sandwiches sweetie” They sailed for a few hours and rested in each other’s arms. The two lay in one of the bunks that folded down from the walls at the rear of the cabin.

“This is nice, Cristian, thank you.”

“I think it’s time to go see Nikola, Lorelei.”

She sighed deeply and got up and went to the co-pilot seat.

“Watcher retract the sails, fire up the engines, it’s time.”

When they woke, they had landed on the roof above Tesla’s lab.

Cristian approached a man sitting in a chair surrounded by sparks and homemade lightning. “Nikola” He yelled across the room.

“Cristian, Lorelei, it is good to see you,” He said after he turned off the electricity.

“I need you to see something.” Cristian handed Watcher to Tesla, and he felt the prick of an interface being injected.

“Good to see you, Watcher,” Tesla mentioned as he handed the watch back to Cristian.

In a few seconds Tesla’s face had gone pale, the images he saw of a planet scorched, bodies, and cities reduced to ash.

“This is horrible, how did this happen?”

“You did this, Nikola” Lorelei displayed her anger as she told him.

“Are you working on something that can be used as a weapon? Tell the truth, Nikola. Billions of lives are in the balance.”

Nikola was so shaken he had to sit in a chair for a moment.

“There is something. A few members of the Alliance convinced me that I needed to build something to destroy the Aliens.”

“You destroyed us, the Aliens lived.”

“What should I do?”

“You will leave here forever; you will gather your notes and this lab will be destroyed.”

“You can’t be…”

“Destroyed Nikola. Are we understood?” said Cristian in his don’t fuck with me voice.

“Yes, I will gather everything, Cristian.”

“Lorelei will accompany you. Contact the others, have them come here right now, tell them you have what they need.”

Lorelei and Nikola gathered all of his notes together.

“E1 can you come into the lab.”

“Right away Cristian.”

“E1 when I give you the word, I need this lab destroyed. None of this equipment can survive, try not to kill anyone, no evidence we were here.”

“Understood.”

Lorelei loaded Nikola and his belongings into the ship and waited for Cristian as he asked. Within a half-hour four men arrived to find Cristian sitting in a chair where Nikola was sitting before.

“Gentleman, we need to have a talk.”

“Who are you?” One of them started to back up to run.

“E1”  E1 rolled out of a backroom, cutting off his escape.

“Be careful of your next move, she is capable of an immense amount of destruction. If you are carrying weapons, she will consider you a threat.” The four men reached for pistols very slowly and dropped them on the floor.

“Very smart. I am Cristian Wolf. I am revoking your membership from the Alliance. Your actions would have led to the complete elimination of the Human race in the future. This is unacceptable. Don’t talk. No matter what you think, no matter what you do, I can find you, your families and your ancestors. I appreciate your intentions, but I will take care of the Lizards. Now go and rejoin society quietly.” Cristian reached for some earplugs and put on his sunglasses.

“I would run now.”

“E1 I could use a bit more light and some music, how about some more Buck Cherry.”

The four men were holding their ears and running as the lasers and music started playing.

“E1 destroy the lab when you are done, join us back at the ship.”

“Cristian, you were playing music.”

“Yes, I needed to drive a point home.”

“Did you hurt them, Cristian?” asked Nikola.

“No, just revoked their memberships.”

“Let’s go home.”

When they got back to the cave, Mary met them at the hangar.

“Mary, what are you doing here?”

“Cristian and Lorelei saved us from an attack.”

“I think he saved me from making a mistake,” Said Nikola, his face full of remorse.

“I was there, Nikola, I watched it happen.”

“Mary, I am so sorry.”

“Cristian may have fixed everything, bringing you here.”

Nikola’s face lightened a little.

“Come on, let’s get you settled.”

“Lorelei, are you okay, sweetie?”

“Much better Cristian.”

“How will we know if it worked?”

“There is only one way.”

“When do we leave?”

“I wouldn’t mind a hot bath and a meal first.”

“Need your back scrubbed, husband?”

“Did you want to join me, wife? Although I see it will be a bit more crowded” He said looking at her belly.

“I thought you would never ask? I will have to sit in front.”

“I guess I’ll do the scrubbing, sweetie.”

After a hot bath and rest and a lot of cat time, Cristian, and Lorelei rejoined the others. A meal was ready for them when they got there.

“Nikola, are you settling in.”

“Yes, Cristian, thank you.