Read Online The Warlock's Gambit by David Alastair Hayden, Pepper Thorn - Free Book Online
Authors: David Alastair Hayden, Pepper Thorn
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he was. The large picture window looking out on the Song Between the Verses from the Paladin’s Office was impressive, but this … this was a thousand times better than that.
The lift had brought them up into the center of an actual observatory; it had a long telescope projecting out from a dome and everything. It was almost exactly like the one at the state university, with the fully rotational, forty-inch reflecting telescope. He’d seen it on the same field trip that took them to the Governor’s Mansion. That used to be one of the highlights of his life.
But this observatory was different, because the dome was made of clear glass and was exposed to space, or in this case, the Song Between the Verses. Streaming around the dome were the rainbow of nebula-like gases and star trails, and from in here, they were even more vibrant. Suddenly, for half a moment, the dome lit up with a golden-white light so bright Arthur couldn’t see anything. Then it was all back to normal. Lexi hissed; Vassalus growled.
“Did we … did we just pass through a star?” Morgan stammered.
Arthur nodded. “I … think … so, maybe.”
Lexi nudged him, and he stepped forward off the elevator platform. Morgan didn’t even point out how the Observatory’s position didn’t make sense.
“It’s hard to believe all this is real,” Morgan said.
“I know,” Arthur replied. “But even if it was fake, I don’t think I’d care, because it would be the best amusement park ride ever.” He walked around, examining the telescope. “I’m guessing the scope’s pretty useless right now. I’ll have to wait until we’ve stopped.”
“Oh, give it a shot, Arthur!” Lexi said as she padded around the end of the dome.
Why not? He climbed into the chair at the bottom of the telescope and peered through the lens, but there wasn’t much point with all the swirling colors. In fact, it was a bit disorienting. He leaned back in the chair and sighed. A joystick was attached to the right arm of the chair. He grabbed it, and pulled back on it. The telescope inclined. He pushed forward, and the telescope lowered. He moved it to the right, and the entire dome began to rotate clockwise.
“Wicked,” Arthur said.
“I do not see anything the least bit evil about it, Master Paladin,” stated Vassalus. “It really is quite — oh, I get it.” He added, distastefully, “Slang. You think it is … ‘cool’ … and … ‘awesome.’”
“Yes, I do,” Arthur said.
Vassalus rolled his eyes, and Morgan stifled a giggle.
Lexi suddenly leapt six feet up into the air and pounced the glass hard as a bright red supernova passed in the distance. A THUMP reverberated through the dome, and Arthur worried that she’d cracked the glass and would kill them all. Clearly, the catnip-high was still in effect.
“Alexis! You big, dumb cat!”
Lexi hit the floor, spun to face Vassalus, and bared her fangs.
“Lexi! Vassalus! That’s enough.” Arthur hopped down from the chair. “You two are not going to ruin my Observatory experience.” His voice must’ve been pretty fierce, because they both nearly cowered and fell silent before stalking off to opposite ends of the dome.
“Um … so,” Morgan said, “astronomy is your thing …”
“I have a telescope at home,” Arthur said. “It’s not much, but it’s my favorite possession. Saved up for four Christmases to get it. I like to go out at night and see the stars, sketch the rings of Saturn, and that sort of thing. I always dreamed I’d be the first to spot something new … somehow.”
“Now you’ll be seeing a lot of things no Earth astronomer has ever seen,” Morgan replied.
There were two lounge chairs to one side of the dome; they each took one. They watched the bright, streaming swirls of Multiversal stuff go by. Each time they blazed past a star or within sight of a particularly bright galaxy or nebula, they would ooh and aah.
“I don’t think we’re going full speed,” Morgan
The lift had brought them up into the center of an actual observatory; it had a long telescope projecting out from a dome and everything. It was almost exactly like the one at the state university, with the fully rotational, forty-inch reflecting telescope. He’d seen it on the same field trip that took them to the Governor’s Mansion. That used to be one of the highlights of his life.
But this observatory was different, because the dome was made of clear glass and was exposed to space, or in this case, the Song Between the Verses. Streaming around the dome were the rainbow of nebula-like gases and star trails, and from in here, they were even more vibrant. Suddenly, for half a moment, the dome lit up with a golden-white light so bright Arthur couldn’t see anything. Then it was all back to normal. Lexi hissed; Vassalus growled.
“Did we … did we just pass through a star?” Morgan stammered.
Arthur nodded. “I … think … so, maybe.”
Lexi nudged him, and he stepped forward off the elevator platform. Morgan didn’t even point out how the Observatory’s position didn’t make sense.
“It’s hard to believe all this is real,” Morgan said.
“I know,” Arthur replied. “But even if it was fake, I don’t think I’d care, because it would be the best amusement park ride ever.” He walked around, examining the telescope. “I’m guessing the scope’s pretty useless right now. I’ll have to wait until we’ve stopped.”
“Oh, give it a shot, Arthur!” Lexi said as she padded around the end of the dome.
Why not? He climbed into the chair at the bottom of the telescope and peered through the lens, but there wasn’t much point with all the swirling colors. In fact, it was a bit disorienting. He leaned back in the chair and sighed. A joystick was attached to the right arm of the chair. He grabbed it, and pulled back on it. The telescope inclined. He pushed forward, and the telescope lowered. He moved it to the right, and the entire dome began to rotate clockwise.
“Wicked,” Arthur said.
“I do not see anything the least bit evil about it, Master Paladin,” stated Vassalus. “It really is quite — oh, I get it.” He added, distastefully, “Slang. You think it is … ‘cool’ … and … ‘awesome.’”
“Yes, I do,” Arthur said.
Vassalus rolled his eyes, and Morgan stifled a giggle.
Lexi suddenly leapt six feet up into the air and pounced the glass hard as a bright red supernova passed in the distance. A THUMP reverberated through the dome, and Arthur worried that she’d cracked the glass and would kill them all. Clearly, the catnip-high was still in effect.
“Alexis! You big, dumb cat!”
Lexi hit the floor, spun to face Vassalus, and bared her fangs.
“Lexi! Vassalus! That’s enough.” Arthur hopped down from the chair. “You two are not going to ruin my Observatory experience.” His voice must’ve been pretty fierce, because they both nearly cowered and fell silent before stalking off to opposite ends of the dome.
“Um … so,” Morgan said, “astronomy is your thing …”
“I have a telescope at home,” Arthur said. “It’s not much, but it’s my favorite possession. Saved up for four Christmases to get it. I like to go out at night and see the stars, sketch the rings of Saturn, and that sort of thing. I always dreamed I’d be the first to spot something new … somehow.”
“Now you’ll be seeing a lot of things no Earth astronomer has ever seen,” Morgan replied.
There were two lounge chairs to one side of the dome; they each took one. They watched the bright, streaming swirls of Multiversal stuff go by. Each time they blazed past a star or within sight of a particularly bright galaxy or nebula, they would ooh and aah.
“I don’t think we’re going full speed,” Morgan
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