prescribed in the correct location?”
“Yes, Commander,” Freema replied. “But I still think you are sending him on a dangerous mission with only the bare minimum of training.”
“And you, Freema,” the Commander retorted, “should not be letting your personal feelings for John get in the way of the execution of the mission.”
At that, Freema abruptly turned away and stormed out of the room with Kronos in hot pursuit. He eventually caught up with her in the hallway of the Prime Minister’s residence.
“I know it might seem harsh, Freema,” Kronos said, “but there are very important operational reasons why we must make the attempt tonight. I cannot elaborate further; you are just going to have to take the matter on trust.” He looked at her searchingly. “Is Commander Vadoran right? Have you fallen for him?”
Freema made no response.
“John was a rascal when I first met him,” Kronos continued, “but now I am proud to call him a friend. I am convinced he will do us all proud tomorrow. No matter what you feel for him one way or the other, I hope you will be there tonight to see him off and wish him well. You know how lonely it can be when an agent goes on a mission. Especially his first. You have trained enough of them over the years. Anyway, I will leave you to think over what I have just said.”
With that they then bade each other farewell and went their separate ways.
On Earth I was just concluding my final private moments at my parents’ grave ide. I leaned over until my cheek touched the cold marble headstone and whispered, “Goodbye Mum, Dad. I love you both.” I then stood upright. I remember when my mother died, the vicar asked me what I thought the meaning of life was. I told him I thought the meaning of life was to honour your parents. He thought that was a good answer and said he would always remember my response. On my father’s parents’ grave in Holland, part of the inscription reads, They lived their lives serving others. I think my parents could have the same inscription written on their headstone. Yes, for they were the good people and the good people are everything. It is true that all the best people get taken first. It was early morning; no one else was about, the birdsong was increasing and the squirrels with their long bushy tails were actively scampering along the grass and running up and down the trees. I noticed a gang of sparrows feeding; a young blackbird that was much bigger than any sparrow was standing next to one of the sparrows. He had his mouth open and would you believe it… the little sparrow was feeding the blackbird by dropping worms down its throat. The blackbird kept asking for more; I should think the sparrow must have been exhausted with all the demands. In the end he got fed up and started to show the blackbird how to find his own food by rummaging in the grass verge. But the young blackbird was having none of it; he knew when he was on to a good thing and made the sparrow carry on feeding him until the whole group of them flew away to pastures new.
As I stood there, I could have sworn the sun was shining just that little bit brighter than normal. I think that could be explained by the fact that I hadn’t seen much natural sunlight over the last few days. In effect, I had been living like a troglodyte. I then thought to myself, if the day dawns in a couple of days’ time and everything remains as it is now, calm and peaceful, then I will know we have succeeded and with a bit of luck I may already be home, staring up at the sky.
“Kev,” I said, “can you detect the Kayton battle squadron heading towards Earth?”
“Yes, I can,” Kev replied.
“How long before it reaches Earth and what will happen to the population when it does?”
“At its present Translight speed, it will reach Earth’s atmosphere in just over thirty six hours’ time. If the population resists there will be carnage on a truly global scale. If they surrender without a fight, the men of military age will be turned into Drones to fight in the Kayton armed forces. As for the old and the women and children, they will be put to work in the Kayton war factories or the mines because Earth has rich mineral resources which they will be keen to exploit.”
Not much of a choice, I thought. Anyway, I had heard enough. I took one last good look around me. “Right, Kev, then let’s show them who they are messing with when they take on Earth. Transport me back to my quarters on Sontral immediately.” And so it was done. The remaining time, I used to pack my belongings and tidy my room up. I always like to leave a place the way I find it. Then I just sat in the armchair, contemplating what lay ahead. Not a good strategy. When the inevitable knock on the door came, my face lit up. I thought it was Freema coming to collect me, to accompany me to Chris and Alana’s laboratory. When I answered the door, my smile disappeared. It was Kronos who came to collect me, not Freema. Mind you, it could have been worse… it could have been Commander Vadoran.
“Are you ready, John?” Kronos asked.
“Yes, as ready as I am ever going to be.”
“Okay, let’s go then. Let’s give the Kaytons hell; teach them a lesson they will never forget.” And with that we made what seemed to me the long journey to Chris and Alana’s laboratory.
On the way, Kronos said, “My Guardianship notified me you had travelled to Earth earlier.”
“Did you think I had done a runner?”
“No,” Kronos said. “I know you better than that.”
“I went to visit my parents’ grave,” I explained.
“That’s what I thought,” Kronos said. “Freema paid us a visit earlier on; she tried to get the mission postponed to give you more time to prepare. Of course that is impossible, but Freema doesn’t know that.”
“Will she be there to see us off?” I asked.
“I’m sure Kronos said that if she likes you half as much as he thinks she does, she will be there.”
On entering the research facility we had to negotiate one check point as, for obvious reasons, security had been increased. We then made our way to the laboratory where I not only saw Chris and Alana awaiting our presence, but also the Prime Minister, Commander Vadoran, and Professor Zinnerman, but alas there was no sign of Freema.
After saying our farewells, Kronos and I took a few paces forward until we stood in front of what I could only describe as a large circular disc like a cart wheel but without the spokes. Just at that moment, in the nick of time, guess who arrived? Yes, of course, it was Freema.
Kronos turned to me. “Go on, John. Go and have a word with her, you still have time.”
I walked over to her. “I meant what I said earlier.”
“Yes, and I love you, too,” she replied. “I always have and I always will.”
“I do so much want to live so that I can be with you.”
“And you will be,” Freema replied. “I will not let them destroy you, but you must do exactly what Kronos and Adema say. You must see what they see and do what they do and with a bit of luck you will be back before you know it.”
“I have to tell you that I have done some very questionable things in the past that I am not very proud of.”
She gave me a hug. “You silly boy, I don’t want to know what you have done in the past. I only want to know how you are going to live your life in the future.”
Kronos then said, “I will get him back to you, Freema. Whatever it takes, I will get him back.”
As we whispered our goodbyes to each other, after which I rejoined Kronos, I think everyone in the room was touched except Commander Vadoran. As glum-faced as ever, to him it was just another potential impediment to the successful execution of the mission, the miserable old beggar. Eight of the Majestic Nine were now present. Only Adema, who would be waiting to receive us on Tyros, was not in that room as the moment of truth arrived.
The Prime Minister had the last word. “Chris, Alana, do your best, do us proud and make history.”
No pressure there then, Chris thought as Kronos and I fed the coordinates into our guardianships for our journey to meet Adema on Tyros. Our portals appeared next to each other at the base of the wheel but, as expected, they w
ere both black in colour with the occasional lightning bolt shooting across the portals. Yes, the Transdamping barrier was doing its job well. Chris and Alana then started the process. The transparent wheel itself did not move, only what was inside it. I can only describe it as white hot plasma energy, swirling around faster and faster inside the wheel and then it began to expand inwards until it surrounded our two portals. On making contact with our portals, the plasma made a horrific noise. It reminded me of a Tesla machine I had seen demonstrated on the Open University once. I could see and smell the plasma energy burning on contact with our portals as well as sparks flying. I thought, are we a bit too close? Anyway, we both stayed rooted to the spot in anticipation but to no avail. Whatever Chris was trying to do, the Transdamping barrier was getting the better of him and Alana.
The Prime Minister shook his head. “It’s not working.”
Professor Zinnerman quickly made his way over to the control panels to lend Chris and Alana a hand and do what he could to help.
“I’m reconfiguring the flow,” Chris said, “into one concentrated power surge.”
“I thought you would,” the Professor replied, “but you will only get one shot at it. The system will overload and burn itself out very quickly.”
“I know,” Chris said, “but I have no choice now. It’s all or nothing.” As he pushed the system