Read Online The Temporal Knights by Richard D. Parker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Richard D. Parker
Ads: Link
Sergeant, return to base.”
“Yes Sir,” Moore said and without another word both hummers slowed and turned back toward the northeast.
“Yes Sir,” Gardner said and everyone could hear the reluctance in his voice, but within moments he was directly over Moore and the rest of the team, circling and keeping watch. He landed thirty minutes later and was immediately surrounding by the excited camp.
“Sorry Sir,” Gardner immediately apologized and saluted as he approached the General.
“Nothing to be sorry for son,” Peebles answered, returning the salute. “It’s not every day someone confirms that they’ve just gone back in time.”
Once again they all dropped into silence as the enormity of the accomplishment hit them, and suddenly everyone was cheering again, and laughing and pounding Captain Gardner on the back as the hummers pulled into the midst of the happy crowd.
“We’ve done it then?” Moore asked excitedly as he climbed out of his seat.
Peebles, Lemay, Rice and Robertson all looked at each other. “It looks like we may have done it; if Robertson and his team are right we should be in England, sometime around 880.”
“My God,” someone yelled.
“I wish Cummings were here,” Robertson finally said. “He was sure it was going to work from the very beginning.” Everyone grew quiet again as they remembered their comrades so recently left behind. Cummings, the builder and chief engineer of the Door was one of them, but there were so, so many more.
“Let’s get these trucks fixed,” Peebles finally yelled breaking the spell. “We have people to meet...our people.” Everyone cheered again, then like the disciplined soldiers they were, they immediately returned to work, but now they worked with much more hope and with much more happiness that any had felt in the last five years.
§
The next morning found them with three more operational trucks and one hummer. General Peebles woke to find many of his men already up and eagerly working.
‘I have the easiest job of the bunch,’ he thought and felt vast pride for his men, for himself and for all of humanity. ‘We’re not finished yet!’
He made his way quickly to the central fire and poured himself a cup of coffee, which was watered down, strictly rationed. He didn’t mind and it didn’t dampen his good mood, nor did he mind the gloomy overcast morning. It had grown chilly again with the smell of rain in the air, like a promise, but it was great to be alive…and free. A few men shouted greetings, which he returned, then started back to his tent to begin work for the day. Colonel Lemay met him on the way.
“Good morning Sir,” the usually stoic Colonel said with a broad smile.
“Isn’t it though. Status?”
“One more truck is just about finished, which will be all for them. That will leave three more hummers...and of course the ship. No change there. Blish and Turnbull are the only grumpy people in the camp this morning.”
Peebles laughed, but felt a twinge of worry over the ship’s condition. Repairing it was a very important part of the plan to stop the Skawp’s future attack; actually it was the primary part. They needed that ship, badly. Moving to, and living in the past, was just a backup plan, a hedge against the primary objective, a surprise and devastating preemptive strike. Few truly believed that the progress of Man could be changed drastically enough to contend with the upcoming Skawp attack, even with twelve hundred years to prepare. History would likely prove very hard to change with less than four hundred men.
“Any progress on the ship at all?” he asked finally and frowned when the Colonel just shook his head. “Have Blish report to me this afternoon. I want to know exactly what’s going on.”
“Yes Sir,” Lemay said. “And Sir, I think we should stretch the perimeter by at least a klick, and probably expect visitors.”
Peebles nodded, slightly surprised, but he trusted
“Yes Sir,” Moore said and without another word both hummers slowed and turned back toward the northeast.
“Yes Sir,” Gardner said and everyone could hear the reluctance in his voice, but within moments he was directly over Moore and the rest of the team, circling and keeping watch. He landed thirty minutes later and was immediately surrounding by the excited camp.
“Sorry Sir,” Gardner immediately apologized and saluted as he approached the General.
“Nothing to be sorry for son,” Peebles answered, returning the salute. “It’s not every day someone confirms that they’ve just gone back in time.”
Once again they all dropped into silence as the enormity of the accomplishment hit them, and suddenly everyone was cheering again, and laughing and pounding Captain Gardner on the back as the hummers pulled into the midst of the happy crowd.
“We’ve done it then?” Moore asked excitedly as he climbed out of his seat.
Peebles, Lemay, Rice and Robertson all looked at each other. “It looks like we may have done it; if Robertson and his team are right we should be in England, sometime around 880.”
“My God,” someone yelled.
“I wish Cummings were here,” Robertson finally said. “He was sure it was going to work from the very beginning.” Everyone grew quiet again as they remembered their comrades so recently left behind. Cummings, the builder and chief engineer of the Door was one of them, but there were so, so many more.
“Let’s get these trucks fixed,” Peebles finally yelled breaking the spell. “We have people to meet...our people.” Everyone cheered again, then like the disciplined soldiers they were, they immediately returned to work, but now they worked with much more hope and with much more happiness that any had felt in the last five years.
§
The next morning found them with three more operational trucks and one hummer. General Peebles woke to find many of his men already up and eagerly working.
‘I have the easiest job of the bunch,’ he thought and felt vast pride for his men, for himself and for all of humanity. ‘We’re not finished yet!’
He made his way quickly to the central fire and poured himself a cup of coffee, which was watered down, strictly rationed. He didn’t mind and it didn’t dampen his good mood, nor did he mind the gloomy overcast morning. It had grown chilly again with the smell of rain in the air, like a promise, but it was great to be alive…and free. A few men shouted greetings, which he returned, then started back to his tent to begin work for the day. Colonel Lemay met him on the way.
“Good morning Sir,” the usually stoic Colonel said with a broad smile.
“Isn’t it though. Status?”
“One more truck is just about finished, which will be all for them. That will leave three more hummers...and of course the ship. No change there. Blish and Turnbull are the only grumpy people in the camp this morning.”
Peebles laughed, but felt a twinge of worry over the ship’s condition. Repairing it was a very important part of the plan to stop the Skawp’s future attack; actually it was the primary part. They needed that ship, badly. Moving to, and living in the past, was just a backup plan, a hedge against the primary objective, a surprise and devastating preemptive strike. Few truly believed that the progress of Man could be changed drastically enough to contend with the upcoming Skawp attack, even with twelve hundred years to prepare. History would likely prove very hard to change with less than four hundred men.
“Any progress on the ship at all?” he asked finally and frowned when the Colonel just shook his head. “Have Blish report to me this afternoon. I want to know exactly what’s going on.”
“Yes Sir,” Lemay said. “And Sir, I think we should stretch the perimeter by at least a klick, and probably expect visitors.”
Peebles nodded, slightly surprised, but he trusted
Similar Books
