Quinn nodded. “Israel.”
Che Lu was in her lecture mode, as if she were back at Beijing University. “Very good. And an agent of that government met Turcotte at Hazerim air base, did he not?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I recommend contacting that person and seeing what assistance he can render.” She almost shoved him toward the door. “Go!”
After Quinn had exited, she turned to the bank of computers that hid Professor Mualama. “Do you have any more of the manuscript done?”
Mualama raised his head, just his eyes peeking over the top of the monitor. “Yes. It’s loading now.”
“Does it say what exactly the Grail is and what exactly it does?” Che Lu asked. “That information is most vital now that it appears that someone has escaped with it.”
“The new chapter speaks of the Grail’s travels and—” Mualama paused. “You will have to determine what more for yourself.” His eyes disappeared and she went back to work.
“Sit!” Che Lu ordered Yakov as she scrolled.
BURTON MANUSCRIPT: CHAPTER 7
For just short of five hundred years, the Grail was hidden by the Watchers in their headquarters at Avalon. That none of them succumbed to the temptation offered by the alien device in those successive generations is a testament to the discipline of the order. But it was inevitable that such a powerful icon would once again cause trouble.
A Watcher by the name Myrrdin, Merlin as he is more commonly known, read the same scrolls I have translated. He read of Atlantis, the Grail, the Ark, and the alien creatures who walked the Earth. He learned much of the ancient ways. Indeed, I believe he stole some of the original scrolls that told of some of the powers the wedjat of Atlantis had and used them to his advantage, presenting himself as a magician to the people of his day. Indeed such things as gunpowder, the use of a compass, which plants to be used for healing, surely the humans of Atlantis had such technology and knowledge as part of their day-to-day life, but they would be wonders to the people of Britain of A.D. 500, toiling in their fields and dying on average before the age of 30. Imagine the effect this information had on Merlin?
One can understand Merlin’s desire. I have been in the room deep under Glastonbury Tor, surrounded by the scrolls of the Watchers. I too wondered why they kept such knowledge hidden. How would I have felt if I had found information in those scrolls that I knew could help the people around me? Would I have been able to stay true to an ancient oath, or would I have tried to spread the knowledge to do good? I cannot judge.
But there were more than scrolls under the Tor. In addition to the Grail, there were other Airlia artifacts. I found a listing in one of the scrolls, dated A.D. 489, which tells of the Grail, shaped like a golden cup, yet solid on both ends — the first description I read. It also says that the Grail is not complete by itself, that two special stones are needed for it to work. This may have been much of the problem that it caused throughout the years — men could hold the Grail but not partake of it!
It also tells of a weapon, a sword of unbreakable metal, yet lighter by three times than the normal sword of the same size fashioned by the best of current blacksmiths. And the sword had runes written into the handle and blade telling of its power.
You must remember that Britain at this time was a divided land, racked with wars between petty kingdoms, threatened from the north, east and south with invasion.
What harm, this Merlin must have wondered, would there be in using this wondrous sword as a symbol of power to help unite the land? After all, the Watchers didn’t even know what it really was.
So Merlin stole the sword from the Tor. He gave it to the one he thought had the best chance of uniting the various factions, Uther Pendragon, one of the two sons of King Constantine.
But the sword was not enough. Fighting continued and Merlin realized he needed something stronger.
The myth is that he disguised Uther, brought him together with Ygraine, the wife of the Duke of Cornwall, and out of that illegal bond came a son, Arthur.
This is not the truth.
Merlin stole the Grail from the Tor. He had it in mind to allow part of it to be used, the part that brought knowledge, to the next ruler of Britain. But he did not have the stones to work the Grail. And then it was taken from him by one of the many fierce tribes from the north.
This brought about what the Watchers had feared. The Ones Who Wait brought forth one of their own, Arthur, to regain the Grail. I believe Arthur was an incarnation of Artad, using the ka method — his Shadow.
The Mission, of course, responded. Mordred, one of the many incarnations of Aspasia’s Shadow again using the ka, came forward to do war with Arthur.
“Is this ka thing connected with the Grail?” Yakov asked as the chapter came to an end.
“Perhaps we will find out later in the tale,” Che Lu said. “For now, let us hope Major Turcotte has a plan.” She pointed at the screen. “Note, however that Artad, or his Shadow, was King Arthur, while Aspasia’s Shadow was Mordred. I think our cause lies closer to what is in the lowest level of Qian-Ling than what is hidden in The Mission.”
“Perhaps,” Yakov allowed. “But you would have to convince the United Nations Alien Oversight Committee of that, and then all the countries that are aligning as Isolationists, Progressives, or Neutrals.” He laughed. “I can just imagine trying to convince those politicians that Artad was once King Arthur!”
“This is a very serious matter!” Che Lu admonished the Russian.
“I know it is,” Yakov agreed. “But Artad is going to have to rise from the dead and do something quite spectacular to convince people to align with him. And coming alive in the middle of Communist China might not have been the best choice he could have made.”
“He did not make that choice,” Che Lu said. “Communism occurred long after Qian-Ling was established.”
“Yes, but people have short memories,” Yakov said.
The first sign of life was the eyes flickering open. And it was the first indication that the “man” was not completely human. Red vertical irises within red pupils, his eyes stared straight up for several seconds before shifting about, taking in the two figures that stood next to the black tube.
Lexina held her hands up. “Welcome,” she said in English, knowing there was no way he could understand, but hoping he picked up the intent.
Lexina, Coridan, and Elek bowed their heads as the man sat up. He adjusted his robe. Then, the spear in one hand, he stepped out of the tube.
The red eyes fixed on the three Ones Who Wait. The mouth opened and the singsong words of the Airlia flowed forth, receiving no comprehension. Lexina felt the frustration of not knowing the Airlia language, another piece of knowledge lost over the millennia they had waited. The creature must have realized that, for it became silent once more. Then it spoke in another tongue, most likely ancient Chinese, Lexina guessed, but it was also unknown to her. Once more, seeing the words making no import to the listeners, the man ceased speaking. Abruptly he turned and strode toward the main tunnel leading up.
“Artad!” Lexina cried out, hoping that one word would be recognized. The man paused, eyes glancing at the black wall ever so briefly, then continued up the tunnel. Lexina, Coridan, and Elek hurried to follow.
As they entered the main chamber, the man paused, taking in the shield generator, then entered the smaller room that held the guardian. He went up to the golden pyramid and placed both hands flat on the surface. In a moment he was surrounded by the golden glow that meant he was in contact with the computer.
Lexina, Coridan, and Elek stood by, watching and once more waiting.