Chapter 4: Asia

Scott continued to stare at this 'new' Lachlan who was the spitting image of his old friend from the ninth century. Nothing would do but that Lachlan handed his responsibility for the group he was leading over to someone else and follow Scott immediately.

The slightly bigger group made their way to the elevator and descended below ground once more. They were on their way to the Transport Room when William piped up.

"Your Grace, I'm receiving a message from the AI asking us to return to the Operations Room."

"How did you manage that William?" Scott asked.

"I'm sorry sir, I should have explained. All QDM3s have communications hardware and software embedded as standard. The AI knew that and asked me to pass the message on."

Scott nodded and they all about-faced and headed back to the Operations Room. As they walked in they could see that there was a new flurry of activity. An Executive Officer approached Scott and the Admiral.

"Your Grace, Sir, we seem to have experienced a problem with the containment field in Asia. I have to advise against you travelling to the region your Grace, I cannot guarantee your safety at this time."

"What do you mean - 'a problem with the containment field' XO?" Scott asked.

"An unknown problem at this point your Grace, the field has gone down and the iLOX are on the loose."

"What about the Special Forces troops on the ground? Do they have any Intel?"

"Negative Sir, they have been holding back awaiting your own arrival and that of Mr MacKelvie."

"Make that General MacKelvie son, he is the commanding officer of all of Earth's ground forces - although currently that doesn't amount to much. Mac, I need you to get out there and find out what the fuck is going on. Admiral, this smart-dust, what's its communication range?"

"I believe it is theoretically able to transmit at distances of twenty five to thirty five astronomical units (AU) your Grace, an AU is about 93 million miles in distance to folks like you and me, so that's quite a range. Of course we've never tested it over that kind of range." The Admiral responded.

"XO, have the iLOX transporters been moved or are they still under the jungle canopy?" Scott asked next.

"No movement on them your Grace. There are three Broadswords stationed above them, so that's not a great surprise." The XO added.

"Okay, Mac, I want some smart-dust infiltrated onto some of the transporters without anyone being detected. XO, allow the two damaged Broadswords to return out of the atmosphere and complete repairs. I want the Dalriada to remain on station and ensure those transporters don't go anywhere until we have them 'bugged'." Scott ordered.

Scott watched the giant plasma screen once more as his latest orders were being carried out. He thought it might be time to return to the remainder of his family. Helfe would travel with Mac to join the Special Forces, but Tara would go with him to New Inveraray. William would go with him too. He knew he had to find out what the arrangements would be for replacing the dead President.

The Stone had fed him details of the constitution, as he had been transported to 2012, but he wanted his acceptance of the leadership of the Earth to carry more weight than the legend that admittedly was now enshrined in the United States constitution. What he really hoped for was endorsement by the various Prime Ministers. He felt that would give him far more legitimacy.

"Admiral, I'm going to return to New Inveraray to meet with the Prime Ministers and pack up my family and the Stone. I would prefer to make this my base of operations - call it sentimental reasons. Can suitable accommodation be found for all of us here?"

"Of course your Grace. It might not be to the level of quality that befits your station, but I'm sure we can find something big enough for all of you." Replied MacCulloch.

"Admiral, I can assure you that we can get by without the luxury! Now, there has to be sufficient room for Lachlan and any family he needs to have with him too."

"Of course your Grace."

"And Admiral, I would like to meet with the Captain of the Dalriada when I return if that would be possible?"

With that, Scott hugged Helfe and clasped Mac's arm and then headed for the Transport room with William and Tara. She would begin her studies at the Academy, but Scott had already decided that the majority of her training as a ship's captain would take place under the watchful eye of Bruce MacFergus on the Dalriada. He thought that would guarantee she learned good habits. Lachlan would be given the opportunity of tying up any loose ends he needed to, as he devoted his service to Scott.

The journey back to New Inveraray was just as quick as the journey out and Scott, Tara and William made their way through the corridors to the accommodation Scott had been allocated. Fiona and Eilean squealed with delight when they entered the rooms, but immediately began to question why Helfe wasn't with them.

Scott explained the requests both Helfe and Tara had made and that he had agreed they could follow their chosen courses. He was surprised that Fiona and Eilean seemed to accept this without argument and once more he decided that he would never fully understand women so long as he lived.

Indeed, when Fiona indicated that she wished to make a contribution in some way and Eilean asked whether it would be acceptable for her to return to her medical training, he was left feeling proud that his family all wanted to play their own part in the effort to defend the Earth.

David and Crinan were standing listening to the adults talking and now they both demanded that they be given the opportunity to contribute too. Scott drew the line at this, telling them firmly that they were too young to take an active part. Needless to say this did not play well with the young men, who saw themselves as full grown and as much able to contribute as any other.

Scott tried to calm the boys down, but with little success. He knew he would have to suffer their pointed stares and sullen moods for several days before they got over their disgust. He turned to William.

"William, I want you to consider yourself my personal assistant from here on in. As your first duty, I want you to organise individual meetings with each of the Prime Ministers over the next two days. I also need to meet with the foremost space engineers and scientists as soon as possible. Please set that up."

William hurried off to fulfil his new role and Scott just took the time to relax with his family, or nearly all his family, around him.

"Dada, tell us about Gabrain and Lachlan. Where did they go? What happened to them?" Asked little James.

He had not long been able to walk, but already he was speaking in full sentences. The little boy enjoyed having his father sit him on his knee and tell him stories and this latest request made it clear that he was still confused about what had happened to the family and where their old life had gone.

Scott picked him up in one arm and lifted little Tina in the other, settling them on his knees on one of the sofas in the reception room. He let them get comfortable, leaning back into his chest before he started his tale.

"I know this is difficult for you both to understand, but we have travelled far since yesterday when we left Inveraray. We have travelled far, not only in distance, but in time. We left Uncle Gabrain and Uncle Lachlan eleven hundred years in the past and that is a very long time. Your uncles have achieved much since we left them and our country remembers their deeds.

"Young Gabrain was born a Prince and grew up to show he was a King indeed. He was an intelligent King, one who asked questions constantly, one who challenged and tested, one who had the best interests of the people at heart. After we left him, he continued to drive Scotland's development. He quickly built the Kingdom, establishing alliances and agreements with many. Under his rule, Scotland sent out many parties to establish colonies, one of them founded this very place where we are now.

"Gabrain's rule brought increasing prosperity to Scotland and to all of its allies. They grew and grew. But eventually, the good King's curiosity got the better of him and three years after we left him, in the year 894 AD, he himself decided that he had to join one of his parties to explore the world. He sailed off and his party and the High King were never heard of again. He left behind his wives and two sons, Scott and Kenneth.

"Lachlan was brave and Lachlan was faithful. He remained behind when the High King sailed abroad, stayed behind to look after the High Kingdom and the High King's family. Lachlan it was who brought up the High King's sons to rule well and continue the vision that had been set for Scotland. Ever was Lachlan the rock upon which our Scotland was founded and when he eventually died, his son, also called Lachlan, followed in his father's footsteps.

"Scotland continued to grow and foster development all over the globe until eventually we arrive at 2012 when the earth has joined together to form one United States and it has prepared itself to fight the iLOX who were forecast to invade."

Scott glanced down and saw that both of his children had fallen asleep as he had told the story. Looking up he could see David and Crinan were listening raptly to his tale, lapping up every word. Beyond the boys, Fiona, Eilean and Tara sat with gentle tears in their eyes as they remembered their friends left behind.

Fiona and Eilean shook themselves and stood, walking over to Scott to carefully pick up the children and take them to their beds.

The first meeting that William arranged was with the Prime Minister of Europe. She was from what Scott knew as Germany and her name was Marlene Schein. She was a woman in her late thirties, stout, but not fat and with an air of authority about her. Marlene was shown into Scott's reception room and everyone else discretely faded away into the background to allow them to talk freely.

"Madam Prime Minister, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I can only wish the circumstances were other than what they are. I also feel at a disadvantage in that you are the elected leader of the lands that encompass my own homeland, Scotland."

"The pleasure is all mine your Grace. And as to the disadvantage, we all know that Scotland is the real heart of the Earth, all that we are, all that we have is down to the developments that Scotland has led."

"Very gracious Madam Prime Minister, my thanks. I am sorry to have to turn to serious business so quickly and rudely, but in our present circumstances I feel duty bound to. I know what the constitution of the United States says about the return of the Ard Righ, but I would prefer if I am to take power that all of you have the opportunity to either confirm that or to put forward alternatives."

"I fully understand the need for urgency your Grace. Firstly, none of us has any doubt as to your authenticity, strange as though that might seem to you. We have been reared and educated for generation after generation to believe that these days would come and it seems only natural, if frightening, that it has come to pass as the legends describe. I for one will have no problem in confirming that the constitutional position should be enacted as quickly as possible. My discussions with the other Prime Ministers would suggest a similar feeling among most of them."