Read Online Area 51: The Legend by Robert Doherty - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Doherty
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to believe their own lies.”
Donnchadh leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“They believe they are Gods. Why shouldn’t they? They’ve been doing it for long enough. Who has challenged them? Who
can
challenge them?”
A long silence followed.
“Other Gods,” Donnchadh finally whispered, her body stiffening as a surge of excitement coursed through it.
“What?” Gwalcmai turned toward her.
“Other Gods can challenge them,” Donnchadh said with more confidence in her voice.
“What other Gods?” Jobb demanded.
“The Airlia here are just a few of a larger group,” Donnchadh said. “They are an outpost. Outposts have to report in, right?” she asked of Gwalcmai, the military expert.
Gwalcmai shrugged. “One would assume so. It would be normal operating procedure.”
“And if an outpost doesn’t report?” Donnchadh pressed.
“You send someone to find out why,” Gwalcmai said.
“And we know how they communicate,” Donnchadh said.
“That’s your area of expertise,” Gwalcmai said.
“We saw the deep-space transmitter array coming here,” Donnchadh said. “But that’s only the transmitter. The message has to originate from here. This planet. From the Master Guardian.” She turned to Jobb, who had been following their brief conversation without comprehension. “You were taken to the red pyramid—the Master Guardian—to be conditioned to be a high priest, correct?”
Jobb nodded.
“Where is it?” she asked.
“Inside the holiest place in the temple,” Jobb said. “The inner sanctum, high up in the holy spire.”
“And the sword that controls it?” Donnchadh pressed.
“Excalibur?” Jobb asked.
“Is that what it is called here?” Donnchadh asked. “Yes, Excalibur.”
“It is set in the crystal stone in front of the red pyramid,” Jobb said.
“They are very confident,” Donnchadh murmured. “Can you get us there?”
“When do you wish to go?” Jobb asked.
“Tonight.”
Donnchadh gave a silver chain to Gwalcmai as Jobb led them into the temple. “Wear this just in case,” she whispered to him. He took it from her and strapped it around his head. She took another from out of her cloak and put it around her own head.
They wore the yellow robes of the favored—those who contributed greatly to the upkeep of the temple. This, and being guided by a high-ranking priest, allowed them to pass the Guides who manned all the entryways into the temple. After all, high priests were above suspicion, just as the Guides were.
Donnchadh had to admit to herself that she was impressed as they made their way into the temple. The one on her home world had been destroyed during the first year of the Revolution, leveled by multiple nuclear explosions that had also eventually devastated half the surface of the planet with radioactive fallout. The weapons had been sneaked in underneath the Airlia shield that protected the island via an undersea tunnel that took over twelve years to build. Their detonation had been the first act of outright rebellion.
Donnchadh and Gwalcmai knew this world was far away from any outright attempt to use force against the Airlia, so they had decided on a different course of action. Tonight would bring the initiation of that plan.
They made their way up into the temple tower. It was almost deserted so late at night. The Airlia, Donnchadh knew, had a fondness for living underground. Whether that was something inherent in their species or a defensive measure, she didn’t know. Jobb had confirmed that the Airlia lived in tunnels deep under the palace and rarely came to the surface or to the temple anymore. They were so confident in the imprinting of the Master Guardian on the high priests and Guides that they felt the temple was most secure.
The three walked up a long spiral ramp that wound along the interior wall of the tower. It took over an hour to get near the top, where the Master Guardian computer was secreted. The entire journey was made in
Donnchadh leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“They believe they are Gods. Why shouldn’t they? They’ve been doing it for long enough. Who has challenged them? Who
can
challenge them?”
A long silence followed.
“Other Gods,” Donnchadh finally whispered, her body stiffening as a surge of excitement coursed through it.
“What?” Gwalcmai turned toward her.
“Other Gods can challenge them,” Donnchadh said with more confidence in her voice.
“What other Gods?” Jobb demanded.
“The Airlia here are just a few of a larger group,” Donnchadh said. “They are an outpost. Outposts have to report in, right?” she asked of Gwalcmai, the military expert.
Gwalcmai shrugged. “One would assume so. It would be normal operating procedure.”
“And if an outpost doesn’t report?” Donnchadh pressed.
“You send someone to find out why,” Gwalcmai said.
“And we know how they communicate,” Donnchadh said.
“That’s your area of expertise,” Gwalcmai said.
“We saw the deep-space transmitter array coming here,” Donnchadh said. “But that’s only the transmitter. The message has to originate from here. This planet. From the Master Guardian.” She turned to Jobb, who had been following their brief conversation without comprehension. “You were taken to the red pyramid—the Master Guardian—to be conditioned to be a high priest, correct?”
Jobb nodded.
“Where is it?” she asked.
“Inside the holiest place in the temple,” Jobb said. “The inner sanctum, high up in the holy spire.”
“And the sword that controls it?” Donnchadh pressed.
“Excalibur?” Jobb asked.
“Is that what it is called here?” Donnchadh asked. “Yes, Excalibur.”
“It is set in the crystal stone in front of the red pyramid,” Jobb said.
“They are very confident,” Donnchadh murmured. “Can you get us there?”
“When do you wish to go?” Jobb asked.
“Tonight.”
Donnchadh gave a silver chain to Gwalcmai as Jobb led them into the temple. “Wear this just in case,” she whispered to him. He took it from her and strapped it around his head. She took another from out of her cloak and put it around her own head.
They wore the yellow robes of the favored—those who contributed greatly to the upkeep of the temple. This, and being guided by a high-ranking priest, allowed them to pass the Guides who manned all the entryways into the temple. After all, high priests were above suspicion, just as the Guides were.
Donnchadh had to admit to herself that she was impressed as they made their way into the temple. The one on her home world had been destroyed during the first year of the Revolution, leveled by multiple nuclear explosions that had also eventually devastated half the surface of the planet with radioactive fallout. The weapons had been sneaked in underneath the Airlia shield that protected the island via an undersea tunnel that took over twelve years to build. Their detonation had been the first act of outright rebellion.
Donnchadh and Gwalcmai knew this world was far away from any outright attempt to use force against the Airlia, so they had decided on a different course of action. Tonight would bring the initiation of that plan.
They made their way up into the temple tower. It was almost deserted so late at night. The Airlia, Donnchadh knew, had a fondness for living underground. Whether that was something inherent in their species or a defensive measure, she didn’t know. Jobb had confirmed that the Airlia lived in tunnels deep under the palace and rarely came to the surface or to the temple anymore. They were so confident in the imprinting of the Master Guardian on the high priests and Guides that they felt the temple was most secure.
The three walked up a long spiral ramp that wound along the interior wall of the tower. It took over an hour to get near the top, where the Master Guardian computer was secreted. The entire journey was made in
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