Read Online Birth of the Alliance by Alex Albrinck - Free Book Online Page B

chuckled.
    Will’s fortune, amassed over centuries of profitable business deals, dividends, and minimal spending, funded the construction and operation of the Cavern, as well as the individual research efforts. He also supplied a modest allowance to each person as they left the Cavern the first time; they were expected to earn their own fortune thereafter.
    If the Alliance ran out of money at some point, he knew where they could get their hands on billions of dollars in three centuries.
    “I don’t know if we’ll be able to come back here often, though. At some point the Nautilus will be put to use taking people to and from the Cavern, and side trips here just won’t be an option.”
    Hope tilted her head. “Why not build a second submarine, then?”
    Will sighed. “I'd like to build a fleet of them, actually. We'll need quite a few just to move people out into the world, but that won't happen often. We'll need more to ship materials in and out. We do need to consider the cost, though, and I don't have quite as much free time as I did when I built the first one.” He gave her a weak smile.
    “ You don't need to build them,” Hope said. “You told me one of the men in the Cavern built the underwater pods to transport people to and from the Nautilus , move them back and forth between the sub and the Cavern, right?”
    “Right, that's Aaron, but—”
    “You don't have to do everything yourself, Will,” Hope said. Her voice was soft and gentle, but her words cut through him, the incision of hearing a fatal flaw laid bare. “You have good people working with you now, people who are eager to make progress just like you are. Why not let Aaron take charge of building additional submarines? You’ve got well over a hundred people living there now, right? He can probably get a full team and build one or two every year .”
    “Aaron's due to leave, to go out into the world.” He knew it was a weak excuse.
    Hope did as well. “Aaron's immortal now. When you head back, just make the suggestion that building replicas of the Nautilus would be a great idea. I suspect he'll stay behind to do that. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s been waiting for the opportunity to step forward and do so.”
    Will shook his head. “I doubt it. He's immortal, yes. But he's also been living in the Cavern for many years. He's ready to go outside again. I can't see him staying behind.”
    Hope shrugged. “Perhaps. But you might be surprised. And even if Aaron chooses to head out, there are others who worked on those underwater pods with him, right? He didn’t do it all himself.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and he looked at the floor. “Any of them could work on the effort to build the subs while Aaron’s gone. Or while you’re gone.”
    “I'll try.” It was a surprising relief to say the words. Will knew that at some point, others would have to do things out of necessity. He alone among them knew he wouldn't be around forever. The diary had made it clear to him several times. At some point not long before his actual birth, there was no reference to this historic Will Stark. And after the time machine whisked him away, there was no reference to any version of Will Stark. Hope was right. It was best to get people used to doing things without him, making decisions without his input. They sought him out often in the beginning, when everything was too new and too strange to grasp, but they survived well in his recruiting absences.
    He had to prepare them for life without him at some point, anyway. Might as well start with something like building submarines.
    Three days later, they approached the island Will called Eden. At some point, this place would be found by the outside world. But it was outside the currents favored by sailors, making it unlikely to be found by those using ships powered by the wind. Perhaps he could build a dome over it and make it invisible, and retain it as a private hideaway.
    He looked at the island of Eden on