AL CLARK - Avalon -: (Book Two) Read online

  The captain saw through the windscreen above them a pointed beak moving with the rhythm of the shuttle. “It’s a giant bird, and it’s trying to fly away with us!” he exclaimed.

  “I think it’s more than one Captain. There is one in front and one in the back,” said Chris.

  “Well, we’ll just see about this.”

  The almost silent whine of the shuttle engines changed pitch, increasing rapidly until a shudder began. Only when the insides of the craft began rattling did the captain back off the throttle.

  The captain remarked, “That’s not going to work.”

  Chris saw their situation turning dangerous and asked, “Should we shoot them?”

  “Not just yet Chris, let me try a couple things before we start shooting up the shuttle.”

  “You might want to hurry that up; I think they plan on smashing us into the mountain.”

  The captain shoved the control yoke hard to the right. They swerved a little, and then gradually straightened out to head in the same direction once again; straight toward the rocks of the looming mountain. He was losing control of his aircraft, and he did not like it. “One thing left to try. Hold on to something folks.”

  With that, he cut power. Shut it down entirely, to make the beasts bear the entire weight of the craft. They sank like a rock, and the sound of the beating wings got louder until they leveled off at fifty feet and slowly began rising again.

  “They must be huge!” Chris exclaimed.

  The rapidly approaching ridges of the rising landscape made Cody speak up, “Maybe now we can shoot them?”

  “All right…shoot them.”

  Shooting through the roof, Chris made his kill with a single shot and only one hole to fix. Cody, who was not as proficient with weapons, left the mechanics with three more holes to repair.

  The captain poured on the power, and the shuttle shot forward and up, tapping the mountain on the way. Like a little kiss to say not this time.

  When the captain got the craft stopped, he spun it around so they could see behind them. What they saw were pointed beaks followed by large leather wings and long legs spiraling down to the ground. Several minutes later, when they caught their breaths, they swung around and headed for the hidden entrance to the hangar bay feeling relieved and thankful for laser rifles.

  ****

  The captain received a call as they were exiting the shuttle, after a safe landing in the hangar bay. It was from one of the volunteers in the lookout. A woman’s voice said, “Captain Effinger, we just watched your little…incident, and thought you might want a report on what we saw.”

  “Go ahead, what did you see?”

  “Oh sir, you’re going to want to see this. We saw the whole thing and recorded it. There are a few things you should know.”

  “All right, I’ll be up there shortly. Keep your eyes open.”

  The men found Edward standing by a replicator and talking to Tiro. The white haired scientist was not much taller than Tiro the hologram, but his long unruly hair made him appear taller. It made Al think of a senior master instructing a student. The truth was, it was the other way around. Edward needed to know how to produce some extremely complicated components, and Tiro was teaching him how to make the machine comply. They only noticed the new arrivals when the captain cleared his throat.

  “Oh…hi! What happened to you guys?” The stress of what they had been through was apparent on their faces. Edward could tell something was wrong.

  The captain told him, “We were attacked by two of those big birds on the way here. They were trying to kill us.”

  “Is everyone ok?”

  “We’re all right, but the shuttle is going to need some work. But enough of that, we’re going up to the observatory to look at the recordings, you want to go with us?”

  Edward glanced at some gauges on the control panel and said, “Okay, I have a little time while this thing finishes what I just input, you can tell me more along the way.”

  The group materialized in the clear transport cube with the open air of the mountain top all around them. Through the holographic camouflage of the force field, they could see fluffy clouds inching their way across the sky. It was like climbing to the peak of a mountain to see what you can see—without the climbing.

  There were two volunteers in the lookout, a man, and a young girl. The girls name was Samantha, but everyone called her Sam. She was a smart black girl sharing her watch with Antonio, a short man of Spanish descent.

  “Someone was watching your approach, Captain,” said Sam. “Here, I’ll show you.”

  Sam pressed a few controls, and the monitor screen changed.

  The shuttle was just coming into view. Two large birds could be seen diving down from the sun and grabbing the top of the craft. The birds had narrow gray bodies, long thin legs, and twelve-foot wingspans. The whole experience played out before their eyes, only this time from an external perspective. The video showed just how close they had come to being smashed into the side of the mountain.

  “Did you notice the clearing just below where you had your confrontation?” asked Sam.

  “I was too busy watching the shuttle,” answered the captain. Cody and Chris also admitting to missing it.

  She smiled, “This is why we thought you should see this.” A few more controls were adjusted, and the crisis started again. While they were fighting for their lives above, another bird watched from the top of a tall tree next to a clearing. In the same clearing where they had seen him before, stood a giant dinosaur. He watched with a motionless intensity as the crisis unfolded above him and continued to until the little ship disappeared into the mountain. Just before the video ended, the beast roared loud enough to be heard in the lookout and ripped a tree from the ground in an apparent act of frustration.

  “Were they waiting to see what would happen?” suggested Chris.

  “I don’t think so,” said the captain. “I think it was a coincidence. They just happened to be there when the birds made their attack.” The captain looked first at Sam, and then Antonio, “Great job you two. Keep watching, and if anything else comes up let me know.”

  The captain turned and left, leaving Cody and Chris bewildered and rushing to catch up. When the transporter deposited them in the sleeping area, Cody asked the captain why they left in such a hurry. He answered, “I didn’t want to spook those two in the lookout, but I think the bird and the Riktor were there to watch us.”

  Chris asked, “Could this have been a test to see if the birds could take out one of our shuttles?”

  Captain Effinger nodded in agreement, “I am afraid these creatures are more intelligent than we thought, and it looks to me like they are getting smarter.”

  ****

  The four men assembled in the shop deep inside the mountain knew they had one priority, and that was to save Al Clark. He had affected so many facets of their lives, that to lose him would leave a hole impossible to fill. His death would have repercussions for everyone living on Avalon. Al was more than a friend; he was their protector.

  They completed the components for his power pack and carefully assembled them. Tiro was extremely helpful, and incorporated bits of alien technology that even Edward Florida did not fully understand.

  Chris scratched at his chin and asked Edward, “Is there any way to test this?”

  “No, at least not very well. We lost a lot of the test equipment when the ship went down. There are so many inputs and outputs that are dependent on what is needed that I wouldn’t know what to look for until we install it.”

  “So…a leap of faith?” suggested Cody.

  “I am afraid so.”

  “All right then, full speed ahead,” said the captain.

  They packed the device into a custom case marked with the medical plus sign and boarded the shuttle. The captain flew high and fast and wasted no time returning to Camelot.

  Elizabeth and Ana were glad to see them when they entered the small shop. So was Al.


  “I can’t sleep,” Al complained.

  “We can fix that,” said Cody.

  There was no time to waste, and the operation began immediately. They cleared the room, leaving only the two doctors present. Working together, they hooked up the tubes and wires that made the procedure possible. When all was ready, they paused a moment to speak to Al.

  Cody said, “This is a tricky and quite possibly dangerous operation. I want you to know that.”

  “Do I have a choice Doc? Let’s do this, I want to go home and get a shower.”

  There wasn’t much of Al’s face that he could move, but Edward could swear that the beginnings of a grin were there. Barely perceptible—but there.

  Cody put him to sleep with a mild sedative and after waiting no longer than they had to, Doctor Cody performed the surgery to move a layer of skin out of the way, exposing the chest cavity. Edward removed the plate covering his power supply. They looked at each other for a moment and then pulled the plug. Literally.

  Edward, the dedicated roboticist, had repeatedly studied the book explaining Al’s systems, fabrication, and test procedures. Still, the operation lasted more than six hours. The procedure was not plug and play, and both doctors were meddling in unknown waters, trying to do something never before attempted.

  When they finally finished, before they sewed him up, the doctors went over every step in their heads; trying to think of something they forgot.

  “What are the odds?” asked Cody.

  “That it will work?” Edward stood motionless for a moment, evaluating the possibilities. “I would place them at a little more than fifty percent…all things considered.”

  “Like Al said. What choice do we have?” Cody pointed out.

  “Exactly. Are you ready?”

  “I am ready Edward. Do not cross your fingers, I think that brings bad luck.”

  “That’s good luck. You are supposed to cross your fingers for good luck.”

  “Oh…I can never remember, and I get them mixed up. I will cross my fingers.”

  ****

  It was dark outside, and every light in the village was lit. The perimeter lighting was on, illuminating the fence line, along with every porch light, back yard light, and any light that lit something. Word of the attack on the shuttle had gotten out, and fear of an attack on Camelot had escalated. When the colonists learned Al Clark was in trouble, and could be of little help, they became more nervous.

  The captain had increased the guard, assigning six officers to patrol the perimeter at all times. Chris had recently finished a second buggy, and now they could have one out making rounds while the other charged. Around the clock patrols were initiated, and when the settlers noticed these measures, they believed they had reason to worry. Robot Nine stopped roaming the village only long enough to recharge.

  Most of the village was gathered in the community center auditorium, waiting to hear more about Mister Clark and discussing their safety, or lack thereof.

  The captain decided an informational gathering was in order. He sent out the word about the meeting and waited twenty minutes before stepping up to the podium. “Please ladies and gentlemen, the situation is not as dire as some are making it out to be. We have ample security personnel to ensure the safety of Camelot. The officers are heavily armed and have proven to be fearless and dedicated to ensuring our safety. Mister Clark is in surgery now, and the prognosis is good. As for the attack on the shuttle, I don’t think they will try that again. It did not work out well for the birds.”

  He stopped and surveyed the crowd, thinking that some still appeared doubtful about his assurances. A man from the back spoke up, “Why do you think they attacked you? They weren’t doing this kind of stuff before. Why now?”

  “We don’t know why they attacked. Maybe because they were tired of us flying around in their territory or we looked like we were a threat. We just don’t know.”

  Another question came from the crowd, “What exactly is wrong with Mister Clark?”

  The captain decided there was no point in trying to hold back the truth. They already knew what Al was. His famous battle with the Riktor had played out before their eyes, inside this very building.

  “As you all know, Mister Clark has a prosthetic body. A body powered by a sophisticated power pack that is now depleted. The doctors are replacing the power supply with a new unit.”

  Where the pack’s construction took place he did not mention, or the alien hologram that helped. As a leader, there were secrets he needed to keep for the sake of the community.

  “Will he be okay?”

  “As I said, the prognosis is good. I have been informed the procedure will take anywhere from four to six hours, and should restore him to his old self.”

  “Have there been any more sightings of Riktors or those devil dogs?”

  He needed to cut this short, at this rate he could be here for hours. “Other than the two large birds that attacked us, there have been no other sightings.” Another lie, although a necessary mistruth. “Listen, everybody, when the Excalibur went down, we lost our network. We are working to restore the ships computer and terminals will be installed here in some of the classrooms. When the system is brought back online, all pertinent information will be posted on the new network.”

  Finished with his Q&A session, he saw Liz standing over by one of the doors, and made his way to her. Surrounding her were the rest of Al’s friends, and he joined them as they waited for what they hoped was good news.

  Just outside the line of illumination thrown by the fence lighting, stood a single black dog hiding in the darkness of the trees. Watching—and trying to make sense of the proceedings. Soaking it all in, he was contemplating how to tell the big one what he had seen. The invaders appeared distracted, disorganized, and scared. To him, they looked ripe for the kill.

  Chapter Thirteen

  He awoke in a land of nowhere. Unable to hear, feel, or see, in a nothingness that stretched everywhere. Al was caught in a purgatory between asleep and awake.

  This occasion was not the first time he had been here—and it was scary every time. To help keep himself sane, and to keep track of time, he started to count in his mind. One—two—three—c’mon Doc, I know you can do this. By the time he reached twenty, he was relieved when he was able to open his eyes. He blinked, cleaning the lenses, and the soft hum of electrical equipment came to his attention. He turned his head to the sound of an intake of breath, and there were Cody and Edward, standing next to him with big grins on their faces.

  Al found he could also speak, “Well—did we do it?”

  “It seems you are a man with many lives my friend,” answered Cody. “But do not get up and start this one just yet. We have to see if everything works as it is supposed to.”

  Edward reinforced the statement, “Cody is right Al, now don’t freak out, but we haven’t sewed you up yet. We wanted you to run some tests before we finished up.”

  Al glanced down at his chest and then laid his head back down. “I’m not a doctor…or a roboticist, but that looks a little scary to me.”

  A folded six inch square of his chest lay off to the side, revealing shiny metal underneath. The layer of skin was thinner than he had thought, with only a tiny amount of blood.

  “You going to be able to fix that Doc?”

  “Your Tru-Skin is remarkably like real skin,” said Cody. “It should be a simple matter of sewing it up for it to heal itself. Whether or not there will be a scar, is a prediction I cannot make.”

  Edward added, “I should warn you the technology used to construct your body is quite advanced and complicated, with elements I don’t completely understand. We will have to take this slowly, and monitor your systems carefully as we go—all right? Without waiting for a reply, he pushed white strands of escaped hair back under his surgical cap and said, “We should get on with the tests, so we can finish this up and get you home.”

  Edward flipped four switches and turned on the rest of Al’s
body. Once again he could move; tentatively at first, with the doctors watching both him and the instruments.

  The tests were simple. “Raise your left arm, your right arm, left leg, right leg.” In normal mode, it all looked good.

  “How do you feel?” asked Cody.

  “I feel fine Doc.”

  “Can you see all right, and hear?”

  “I feel like I did before all this happened.”

  Edward said, “Good…good. I think we’re ready to finish up. Do you want us to put you back to sleep?”

  “I’ll pass on that if you don’t mind. I think I’ve had enough sleep to last for a while—before you sew me up, don’t you want to test the enhanced mode?”

  “We don’t have the equipment,” replied Edward. “Plus, we’ll have to wait until your systems acquaint themselves with your new power supply before we are ready for more stressful testing.”

  “You mean I have to wait?”

  “For a little while Al. Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance. Doc Cody and I both agree that you should take it easy for a week or two. When the time is right, we’ll test further.”

  Al reluctantly agreed, and Cody closed the flap of skin, stitching it to the opening while Al watched. To be totally awake and feel no pain while the needle went in and out of his chest, was a surreal experience, and something he did not care to repeat. Later on, when Al was floated out on his hover bed and taken to his house, there was a crowd that accompanied him. He smiled and happily started putting the experience behind him. The worst was over, and it was great to be alive.

  ****

  While Al recuperated, Edward returned in earnest to working on Kira’s legs. Fortunately for both the doctor and Kira, the alien computer in the mountain included extensive files covering humanoid prosthetic legs. Progress on Earth had been considerable the last twenty years before they left, but the Caretaker technology was several levels more advanced.