Gaia Achedemy Revenge of the Behemoth

CHAPTER1
THE DIRELICT CITY

    The sun rose above the steel and glass colossus shining its golden rays off the jagged corners of the monuments to the forgotten gods who created them. The ancient city was quite still now. No more would it see the hustle and bustle of human existence. Nor would the theatrics of every day life. That had once been played out on this the grandest of human stages be seen again. The catastrophe that had causes all life to vanish from this place had left no visible signs of its calling. Only time had ravaged what had remained of its once teaming metropolis. Now it was silent and empty of its people leaving only silence in its wake.
    The city had only one purpose left for it. A secret that it had kept hidden for so long. A secret that had remained hidden since the eve of the apocalypse that befell this city. It had now waited for such a long time to be discovered all alone with no company. It lay unnoticed and unwanted in the basement in one of the many ruined buildings that littered the quiet landscape.    The spacious room that kept it was once a research laboratory now forgotten by the city it’s self. Its chances of eve being found were quite remote. But now events were about to conspire in it’s favour, for this was not the place in which it was to be discovered
    Across the room a shadowy figure lurked in the darkness, unnoticed even by the city itself. Moved towards the secret, to move it somewhere it knew it could be found. The figure knew that it must be found, and soon.
   
    In a small corner of this vast cityscape in a once empty foyer of a now unused building. Two uniformed men have appeared as if from nowhere. The foyer had been as deserted as the rest of the building only minutes ago. There arrival was as mysterious as the reason for the desolation in there surroundings in which they now stood.
    The men walked out into the gloomy air of the dead city. The twighlight was hastily arriving to throw a veil over this mysterious rendezvous. As they walked along the vacant and forgotten streets they were in eager discussion amongst themselves. This for them was a perfect place to conduct there business away from prying eyes and sharp ears.

    One of the men was a tall well-built man in his late forties. The uniform he is wearing is black with a silver belt and an insignia on the left side breast of his jacket. The whole look showed him to be part of some official organisation with no other identification on show to tell the observer what sort of organisation.
    The uniform fitted snugly over his slim and svelte physic. It showed him to be quite a tall man over six feet.
    His face was thin and gaunt portraying the officiousness of his position and a serious and practical nature.
    His companion although roughly the same age was much shorter and not as obviously fit as his companion. The uniform was much more lose fitting by design to cover his more ample frame. His face was kinder and showed him to be a more compassionate individual than his colleague. There was a different insignia on the left side of his jacket.

    The two men continued in there polite but earnest conversation as they traveled down the forgotten streets.
    “Have you heard?”
    “Yes just this morning”
    “I didn’t think they would go through with it.”
    “Well they have and we can’t turn back now.”
    “So we are well and truly on the path where ever it may lead.”
    “I did have a terrible felling this would all happen again some how. The settlement between our two peoples was not going to last was it.”
    “Ideals like the one’s they live by do not easily go away or change. They believe they are doing the right thing.”
    “Let’s hope it does not lead to the rattling of the sabres this time as it has so often done in the past.”
    “It may not come to that yet.” The tall man was not at all sure of this but thought it was best that he said it anyway.
    “If they want to live differently from us, why do they not just get on with it? All we want to do live our way without constant conflict with them because of it. They always seem to drag us into these more and more ridiculous arguments. All because they think, we must be saved from our selves.

    The tall man watched as his friend vented his feelings on the subject. After all, it was a very worrying time at present. He was trying to make sense of it all. His companion was not the best at this and would worry endlessly if he did not calm his fears. He realised it would be best to let his friend finish venting his anger and worries first.
    “I do hope they do not cause us the sort of problems they did last time. There were a lot of difficulty putting down the riots and civil disturbances in the areas that were affected. The military were tied up for weeks and as for the numbers of people that were killed.”
    The shorter of the two men had to pause at this thought. His friend realised this was because the memory of such a terrible occurrence caused him pain.
    “It will not be allowed to get that far this time I assure you. The administration and the people’s council will keep a careful eye on the situation. But with going ahead with the Eden Project as we have, we are committed. This is going to give us more problems with them in the future.”
    “That is what unsettles me; we know how irrational they can be. We can’t be sure what they will do next.”
    “The security forces will be able to handle what ever they try to do. They are just going to be more of a pain than they used to be.”
    “That’s not what was said at the time when they caused that trouble all those years back. It did lead to the precarious arrangement we find ourselves living in today. Now we live in our world they live in their’s. That should be an equitable arrangement for anyone.
    “They do not have the resources to cause that sort of trouble again. Besides the portals between our two worlds are always carefully guarded against incursions by there military, or any other force.” The tall man looked his counterpart squarely in the face and smiled in an attempt to allay his fears. He then tried to move the conversation to other matters. However, his friend was still thinking about what they had just discussed. Therefore, he would give him a little time to think.
 
    The two men continued to walk through the deserted streets passing the remnants of what was once a clothes store selling the day’s latest fashions. All that remained now was the life less shop dummy with the remnants of cloth that pathetically draped around it useless body. Even more faded items of drapery lay strewn all across the deserted shop floor. 
    The shorter man’s gaze was captured by the plight of a solitary mannequin its friends now long gone there fate as unknown as the shoppers who once used to crowd into the store.
As he glanced upon this scene, the taller of the two men began to speak snapping his mind back to more pressing matters.

    “What about the cryogenics programme is its still in the difficulties you told me of when we last met?”
    “We are still getting to many non viable patients for the revival process. Also they do not survive the process or treatments for long.”
    “I had been told that the process is proving a little difficult on them.”
    The tall thought to himself for a mere moment. In that moment he realised this was the best opportunity to tell his friend the real reason he had call to meet him here.
    “There is a reason I asked to meet you here today and for my inquiry into your work. I need to ask a favour of you.”
    “Ok, ask me and I will see what I can do.”
    “I still need to find two children of acceptable age for the academy for this year. Candidates I was promised have not been found for this year through the usual methods. How long will you need to find an acceptable candidate’s for me?”
    “Once I find two healthy children with the right background. It should take about two weeks to get them ready.” The shorter of the two men knew this would be a little difficult to achieve. There was not much time left until the start of the Achedemy year. But he had been expecting this request from his friend and had already made some preparations.
    His companion thought it would be best to wait a little before asking the next big favour of his friend. It was related to the work they were both engaged in for the Achedemy,s board. The request was going to be a little on the unusual side. He would best ask it later, not so soon after his first request.

    The streets were especially quiet as the two men continued walking trough the deserted city. There were no signs or sounds of life but there own. The street they were now walking down was littered with rusted Automobiles of the time. Most of them were rusted beyond all hope of recognition. But some had obviously been built to last.
    The tall man observed the surroundings and decided that this must be and old shopping part of the city. There were more buildings on either side of them that once had glass fronts. The items that would have been displayed for sale long gone as was the glass that used to be in the windows of these shops. 

      The taller of the two men began to speak again. There was important things to discuss not to continually gaze at there surroundings
    “I don’t understand why the administration feel’s it must keep the programme going all this time.” The tall man felt all this work that they had to do was becoming a little excessive.
    “It has cost us so much in time and resources to train and acclimatise the children. Some of them still do not work out as they should”
    “There won’t be many more now, there are not many left I understand”
    “I am surprised that so many survived for so long and through so much.
The technology available at the time was very crude to say the least. Not a patch on what we can achieve now”
    “That is a sign of the time they came from, also the desperation of the people in that era. Trying to save there sick and dying children in way they could out of total desperation. Hoping they would find a better and more rewarding life in the future. A future that they had no possible belief could ever happen.”
    He looked thoughtfully into the distance as if trying to imagine the plight of people from a time long ago who were in such trouble. They trusted in the cryogenic technology to deliver them and there children into a better future. He knew that this act of supreme desperation was at times futile. Not all who underwent this process survived. There was the time they had to survive in the cryogenic pods for a start. Not to mention the need for constant power for the cryo-pods. What an undertaking just to survive for a hundred years let alone a millennium and a half.

    The tall man brought his companion out of his thoughts by asking another question.
    “The children you are working with from the cryogenics revival programme, what time do they come from”
    “Oh early 21st century”
    “Were they frozen before the start of the third world war”
    “Yes these children are well before that after all I did not start until 2062”
    “Sometimes I wish our history did not have such dark pages to it. But I suppose it is all apart of life. There will always be death and most often in times of war.
    “Were there any medical problems this time?”
    The tall mans question caught him by surprise as if he had not been listening to a word he had said. Well he had known him long enough now to learn that his friend, did not spend time dwelling on such matters,
    “No we can cure most medical problems of the time the children I am working with now were not infected with any pathogens or viruses from the time of the great pandemic”
    Quite a lot of people who had been cryogenically frozen in these times. Were affected with viruses and pathogens from chemical warfare. This cut there chances of survival down quite a bit even in these times.
    “That reminds me there was another reason I asked to see you today. I have another important favour I wish to ask of you. I don’t want to ask too much but this is a very important thing I ask of you.”
    “And what would that be you should know by now if I can do anything to help you I will. After all I do owe you my life you know.”
    “I wish to enrol in to the achedemy one extra candidate this time.”
    “Why we normally only get two candidates to be allowed admittance to study at the Achedemy a year? Your request would make it three for this year.”
    “Could I ask you why you need me to do this for you? It is a little on the unusual side. Something to do with the work I am not privy to perhaps.”
    “I would prefer not to say it’s probably going to be an advantage to us and to our group’s plans for the future this time that’s all. I have consulted with the Headmaster on this already and he has given the go ahead. I just thought you should be informed that’s all. Look I should be able to tell you more about it later. Besides you know about most of the work we are engaged in. Anything I keep from you is for your own protection.”
    Sometimes Brant whished he had not had to ask for his friends help all those years ago. It had begun his involvement in this dangerous but necessary conspiracy.
    “Can you at least tell me which child in particular?”
    “I am sorry I can’t even do that I already have all the information on which candidate I would most prefer. It’s Just that I may need your backing and your approval of there application”. If you could also make sure, certain people do not ask too many questions that would be a great help indeed. Besides, you will know who it is on academy enrolment day. Trust me it is best for now that the details and reasons are kept between me and the Headmaster.”
    The short man did not know what to think of this. But he knew that certain things were happening. He was pertinent to the details of some but not all. He did not want to know much more. They were meeting in secret after all. This meant that some people in authority would not be pleased at certain plans that were underway. He only had to hope that they were being made for the right reasons and he was on the right side.

    As they walked further into what was once a lush green area of the city. The shorter of the two men caught a glimpse of something moving in the now dense undergrowth.
    “What was that?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I thought I saw something moving up a head through that dense undergrowth. Near the fountain just ahead on the path.” He indicated to his friend by pointing just ahead.
    “Can’t you see anything?” He looks very intently at the place just ahead where his eyes had been sure they spotted movement. All that could bee seen was the gentle movement of the greenery slowly swaying with rhythmic movements in the breeze.
    “There is nothing there.” His colleague was now also looking intently at the place where the shorter of the two men had said he had seen something. He could not see any thing at all out of the ordinary.
    “Why would there be anyone out here without protection. Nothing can live here any more.”
We can only survive here because of these.” He pointed to the silver metal belts they are both wearing. The metal case fastened to the belts operated as a portable bio shield. The tall man had personally designed the model they both wore.
    “Anyway I should check the power packs for the bio shield it will be time to change them for the trip back soon.”
    He took a small rectangular metal strip no larger than a computerised pass card from out of his pocket. As he is examining it, his calm face transformed to one of utmost concern.
    “Wait a minute,” he shouted at the shorter man holding his hand out to stop him walking away. He still looked intently at the card device as if something about it is worrying him greatly.
    “What is the matter?”
    “This power pack is nearly empty and the replacement is empty.” He removed a small canister from the box shaped interface on the front. He then did the same to his companions pausing to check the canister carefully. “Yours is the same I am afraid.” I know I did not leave before I came here to meet you with out checking them”
    “Could there be something wrong with it maybe it just did not charge properly that’s all.”
    “No with something this important I would not make that sort of mistake.”
    “Why are you so worried about it anyway?”
    “The bio shield devices we are both wearing are very important pieces of equipment. “It is protecting us from any harmful radiation or biological matter in the atmosphere. With out it we would be breathing it in or it could enter by touch or a variety of different ways. Then if we do not get treatment in time it would most likely kill us as it did the poor hapless citizens’ of this unfortunate city about 1500 years ago.”
    “You’re not going to tell me we are in going to be in danger of that happening to us are you?”
    “Well we have about 20 minutes to get back to the transfer point to be safe.” The tall man explained as he looked at the device on his belt before signalling his friend to start walking.

    “My god we could have died out here if we had walked any further or you had only discovered the problem when the power packs needed to be changed.”
    “Thankfully I did we should be safe now, it’s not to far back to the portal.”
    “Could you have made some form of mistake?
    “No, I am sure of that” He paused trying very hard to think of any thing he may have forgotten. Alternatively, if indeed he may have made the mistake himself.
    “I am very sure it is not my mistake but it may not have been deliberate tampering either. At least not by directly tampering with the power packs. I do keep them safely locked up. As I designed the security protocols for storage I don’t think anything could have happened there”
    “So what else could it be?”
    “To prepare the bio shield device properly set up I have to key its memory into the mainframe computer at the lab. This has all recorded data on the possible hazards in places such as this and exposure times to lethal pathogens, radiation or biohazard. The information is uploaded on how to counteract these dangers and the correct bio shield operation whilst working in or travelling in these areas. Now of late we have been having many problems with the mainframe in our lab of late. So maybe the problem lies there.”
    “We haven’t had any similar problems in the med facility. Could it be a problem just in your department?”
    “No I don’t think so; apparently it has also happened at the Justice Centre, Social Resources and the Scientific foundation. The current thinking is that there is fault developing in the mainframe or rather there may be someone hacking into the mainframe. But up to now no one has been able to find any proof of this.”
    “Who could be sabotaging the mainframe?” As if just after the words had left his lips, the answer immediately came to him. “The Zionist Nation of course they haven’t tried any thing like that before.”
    “No but there would sure like to try, you can bet on that. Just think of all the problems they could cause us. Think of it a much more effective way to get at us than they have used before.”
    Then suddenly remembering the plight they were in. “We should hurry up we can discuss the implications later if I turn out to be right.” He did not have to be a clairvoyant to tell that his friend was hoping he was wrong.

    A tall and much worn building was just ahead along the street in front of the two men as they now walked down the road towards it. The striking beauty of its structure was still noticeable despite all the decay that was very evident in all the buildings surrounding it. Its surrounding gardens were in a terrible state of untamed growth. While no one had been here in a long, time to tend to them. Mother Nature had taken over in her preferred way.
      The building still stood proud but unkempt in stark contrast to the landscape in which it stood. A proud structure capable of holding several museums and libraries of it’s time within its walls.
    The pathways that lead to the impressive but dishevelled entrance was no longer smooth and even. Ones steps had to be sure to avoid tripping over. Despite this, the two men had to hurry along it to reach the safety of the transfer point.

    “Well we got here in good time let’s be off as soon as we can.”
    The tall man surveyed his companion with an intimidating stare portraying his thoughts on the matter. After all, he also knew how much time they had left. It was a rather complicated procedure, creating a transfer portal back to the med tech facility.
    “I do know we only have a little time left you know just bare with me a little longer and we will be on our way we still have plenty of time left.” Of course, he knew that this would be true only if they did not encounter any more problems with the equipment. Especially when it had to be connected to, the mainframe to calculate all the co-ordinates needed to open a portal. Moreover, that could be experiencing further and even more severe problems than had occurred with the bio shields power packs.
    “I am just going to check the mainframe before I initialise the transfer portal. Then we can be on our way, why don’t you look around for a few minutes just don’t go to far or out of earshot in case we need to get out of here quickly.”

    As the tall man, went to work on forming a travel portal with his equipment. His shorter companion started to slowly wander around the surroundings he found himself in. He had not had much of a chance to look around when he arrived. This was because his friend had been in such a rush and preferred to be away from the area   
    At first he could not decide why this was but now he knew. They had met to talk of secret matters pertaining to the roles in the Achedemy. His friend had already made the requests of him. He had suspected since the meeting had been arranged.
 
    The space he found himself in was quite large and at one time more welcoming. The room did not have anything in it at all apart from the worn tiles on the floor, and what appeared to a large desk stretching from one wall to the other. He surmised that they must have been where the tickets were sold to enter this place. He had read about such places when he was young.
    Just as he was admiring the ambience of the place, some thing caught his eye from the far side of the room. In a small corner, the wall had partly collapsed leaving masonry and dust piled in the corner. In the middle of all this mess, he could just make out the top of a large cylindrical object lying on its side.
    As he moved closer to the bizarre article his mind was able to slowly but surely discern what it was. When the picture had fully formed in his mind of what it was. He had no choice but to cry out in surprise.
    “Come her quick” he turned towards where his friend was working to check that he had been heard. This was a most urgent discovery and he would need his companions help. If only they are not too late, he thought to himself.
    His friend disturbed from his work called back in an irritated tone. Before setting off to join his friend and peruse over whatever he had discovered.
    “What is it this had better be very important, I know you always finding interesting relics and nick naks from the past.”
    As he drew alongside his friend his eyes caught, a sight of what his friend had found. He was no longer quite so cross about being disturbed and was as amazed as he friend was.
    “My god what is a cryogenic capsule doing all on it’s own out here?”
    I don’t know do I” irritated at not having an answer. The taller of the two men could only speculate at the moment as his shorter companion tried to take look inside.
    “Well can you see if there is any one in there or not?”
    “I don’t think they will still be alive do you.” He used his hand to wipe away the dirt to look through the glass panel only to be amazed at his discovery.
    “My god you are right there is some one alive in there a male I think about 14 or 15 years of age. Quick we have to see if the seals on the pod are still intact.
    His friend was way ahead of him on that one. Nodding to the taller man to indicate that the seals were still intact. He then carried on with further examinations of the pod.
    What could they do now even if the person inside the cryogenic capsule was stable enough to be revived from his long sleep they could not do it here. They did not have the right equipment for a start. The equipment they needed was at the revival centre now untold miles from where they were.
    “We are going to need help” the taller of the two men felt he had to state what they were both thinking. The problem was this would inevitable lead to questions as to what they were doing in a quarantine zone.
    “I suppose you are right there is nothing we can do here we must get to a med facility. There is one thing that puzzles me about this though. But I suppose that will have to wait for now". The sorter of the two men realised it was best to deal with one thing at a time.
    “You will have to save it until we are safely back in the med facility. I will have to travel back to my lab from there but that cannot be helped now.
    “We will be able to work out the arrangements later ok, but we must get going now. I think we may also need help we will not be able to move the capsule on our own.                       
    Without a moment more to lose, he dashed over to his equipment now arranged neatly in the centre of the foyer. On top one of the large boxes was a small device that the tall man grabbed immediately. He then started pressing buttons urgently to summon help.
      No sooner has he done this than a hologram of a younger looking blond haired man in his late thirties appeared just ahead of him. He addressed the tall man with a rather pompous tone.
    “In Trouble again are we senior scientific consular Brant? Oh and chief medical technician cal as well I see”
    “Not so much as you can have a laugh about it at our expense Retrieval Coordinator Harte.” Suddenly remembering why he called for help. The tall man became less officious in his tone.
    “Look we do not have time for this we have a serious problem here.
      The retrieval coordinator started to take the matter a little bit more seriously. After all Brant would not call him out frivously. He may not like the fellow but he had a job to do. He waited to hear what Brant’s problem was.   
    “We called you because we have discovered a cryogenic capsule here and there is someone still alive inside it. But without your help they won’t be for much longer.”
    “You’re sure of this.”
    “Yes I am sure will you hurry up.”
    “Yes of course, sending a retrieval squad with med facility backup to your location now.” He then turned to look directly at Brant.
    “They will be with you in a minute. If you could send me your exact co-ordinates for the portal. Retrieval coordinator Harte out,” and with that his hologram vanished.
    Brant punched in the details requested which would be received immediately by the retrieval squad.
    “That pompous stuck up twit the Brant uttered to himself as he began walking back to where his friend and the cryogenic capsule were located. At least he could now inform him that help was on the way.
    Cal noticed that his companion had returned. He started conversing with his colleague Brant about the strange events they had been part of so far.   
      “I have just figured out what is bothering me and it  is very worrying if you ask me.”
    “Well what is it then don’t keep me in suspense.”
    “You mean you have not noticed.” Points to the capsule,
    “If this is not attached to a power source how come the person inside is not dead.”
    “I think the model of cryogenic capsule we are dealing with stores power for when it is not attached to a power supply. However, that would not account for the person inside still being alive. Unless someone had moved it within the last few hours.”
    “Then maybe I did see someone earlier on.”
    “That is possible, do you know this little trip of ours has turned up a rather interesting puzzle.”
Just as they were about to discuss all that had happened to them since they had meet only an hour ago, the retrieval squad arrived with the med techs from the med facility. Now both of them were a little bit more confident that the situation could at last be resolved.

    The wall on the opposite side of the foyer to where they were standing. Began faintly shimmering as if its surface was turning into liquid. It looked like the surface of a lake on a calm day, but at the same time looked so unnatural. The shimmering on the surface of the wall calmed to a discernable pattern. Thus indicating the portal had been successfully formed.
      The portal was now ready for people to travel through it by just walking through the glistening surface and travelling to who knows where and how far.
    Through this newly formed portal two men in protective clothing and strange looking breathing apparatus walked into the middle of the room. They took a cursory look around to see where they were needed. Then walked to the corner of the foyer that was increasingly getting crowded with people.
    As soon as the tall man had seen them, he immediately called the stragglers over to the corner, where he and his companion stood over the cryogenic capsule.
The men moved towards them as the portal that had gained them admittance deposited two more people. These two were med tech sent to help in dealing with this strange discovery.
The leader of the rescue squad was the first to speak.
    “So this is the cryogenic capsule you found, not a totally unique discovery so why were we called in the occupant would be long dead by now.”
    The leader was a tall man in his mid thirties with long brown hair. He was not a man to be impressed with the foolishness of others. As a consequence of this he was growing tired of people getting in to trouble. It always meant his retrieval squad having to be dispatched to rescue them.
    “Nevertheless, they are not if you will just look. Brant could see the warped temperament in the leader’s eyes. This man may not care about the situation but he did.
    He leaned forward to give the pod a through examination and confirm the tall man’s assessment which he thought to be impossible, unless
    “Do you know how long the pod has been here? 
    “No and we can’t tell you why it should be here in the first place although my friend and colleague here did think he caught a glimpse of some one else in the city earlier.  I did not see anyone I am afraid.
    “We will deploy search teams later; if anyone is here they will be found. I hope you have an explanation for being here your selves. The council will want to hear your explanation for being here. You should know the council are very strict on the enforcement of no go areas.
    The leader of the retrieval squad now knew where they were and was not happy at this turn of events. It was forbidden for people to travel to the old world. The home they used to call Earth so long ago. That was before they came to settle on the new world called Gaia. Ever since there had been a state of war between the two worlds. That was the main reason for travel to be forbidden. As it was travelling into enemy territory. There was little time to debate this now as soon as he informed the council of this. Brant and his friend would have to be disciplined. His face drew a picture of quite contempt for them and there actions.
    The tall man and his companion just exchanged looks of quiet annoyance at his attitude. Surely, there was more of concern here now. The cryo-capsule still needed to be transported to the med facility.

    While this discussion was going on. The Medical Technicians who came through the portal last, had unpacked some rather curious equipment. One brought out a hand held scanner to check the patient’s condition. The other med tech was unpacking something to aid in the transportation of the cryogenic capsule back to the med tech facility.
    The one with the scanner was busily going over the capsule while his friend attached a device to transport it back to the facility trough the portal. When attached and powered up, it levitated the capsule the right way up. It now floated in the air like a stretcher without wheels. This allowed the whole party to move to a more spacious part of the foyer.
    “Well that confirms the findings, the man holding the scanner announced” before every one. “If we get the capsule and the patient inside back to the med facility soon enough there is a good chance he can survive. But that decision is up to you section leader.
    “Ok I think that would be best or our intrepid explorers will be at hazard from exposure. There are harmful bio matter readings still in the vicinity.
They have some questions to answer when they get back to central anyway.”
    The whole party now with the capsule in tow floating along approached the still glistening wall marking the entrance to the portal and one by one disappeared. Leaving the foyer of the once proud building alone and quite again.

    The shadowy figure watched as the last of the travellers returned through the portal. Reassured that the first part of the plan had gone well. The secret was now on its way to were it needed to be. At least for the present until the second stage of the plan would come into effect. The dark shape silently smiled it had been waiting for this for so long. At last, when the plan was complete it would have all it desired. Everyone else would be left with only what they deserved.