Free Thera by Jonathan G. Meyer Page B

wake as he passed. The curtain seemed to move by itself, and Al entered the throne room. At the other curtained opening further down the corridor were Elizabeth and the rest of his party. They were motionless and staring towards the center of the room. His eyes followed their gaze, and he saw Darius secured to the chair, the King holding a gun to the dazed man’s head.
    The guard was slowly backing up, with his empty hands above his head, making it clear he wanted no part of what was about to happen.
    The king was scared but furious enough to override his fear. “You will not succeed. My guards have you cornered like the dogs you are.”
    He was waving the pistol and screaming, “You have no right to be here. This temple is mine and has been for generations. You will not drive me from it!”
    The king mistakenly believed the situation to be a stalemate. Because he was armed, he thought the odds were even. It was far from that. The angry king pointed his handgun in Elizabeth’s direction and fired, barely missing the ear of Al’s wife. The situation was deteriorating rapidly, and Al realized the threat needed to be eliminated—and quickly. He knew what he had to do. Al raised his laser pistol and shot him in the middle of the forehead.
    The king’s face changed from anger to surprise, as the weapon slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor, followed by the man. He uttered one final “No,” with his last breath, and then died. The King was dead, and his dynasty along with him.
    Almost immediately, the original titanium doors that the curtains replaced so many years ago slid closed, and Tiro materialized next to Al.
    “We have control of the facility’s central computer Mister Clark,” he said, “The outpost is locked down. Do you wish for me to make the surrender announcement?”
    Al’s reaction to the king’s aggression had been immediate, and without thought. The King was the first person he had to shoot in his new life, and in the aftermath, it made him sad—but not sorry.
    “Yes, Tiro. Let them know their temple is under new management.”
    “What sir?”
    “You know what I mean, tell the people here there is no reason to fight for something that now belongs to everyone on the island. Let them know they are to gather in the chamber of the sacred cube, and I will fill them in on what happens now. Tell them today their lives just changed dramatically for the better.”
    Tiro systematically opened the doors and herded the people occupying the facility to the meeting chamber, where Al and his team waited. There was no resistance.
    Edward Florida, a skilled surgeon, treated Darius’ injuries, which looked worse than they were. Still, he would carry some scars in memory of his ordeal.
    “I am still in shock that we succeeded. You are truly an extraordinary person Master Clark,” said Darius.
    “I had a lot of help, and don’t call me Master. You are my equal in many ways, so please call me Al.”
    Darius lie on a stretcher looking up. “I call you Master as a sign of respect, and cannot feel comfortable referring to you otherwise. Please allow me this courtesy.”
    Al thought, Who am I to fight tradition?
    In that first meeting with the subjects trapped inside the outpost, he told them little more than there was to be another meeting the following day, and they were to make residence in town until then. Al canceled work on the castle. Tomorrow would be a day of rest.
    The research outpost inside Vision Peak was emptied and the doors locked to respond only to Al’s badge. The exhausted victors went to Darius’ house to rest and recover.
    The next evening they returned to the sacred chamber, and Al stood before the clear teleporter to tell the people of Thera the real purpose of the temple, and what he knew of its history. He informed them there would be a security protocol established, and access would be limited, but all would be free to become involved with the exploration and use of the