Chapter 2

The man that stared through the observation window was grey-haired. His wrinkled face afforded him a dignified appearance. He was dressed in a long flowing garment that stopped just above the floor. For a moment, I thought that this was all a wind-up that Jenny had orchestrated. I even considered the possibility that I was dreaming. The clarity of my senses ruled out the latter, and I doubted Jenny would have thought up such an elaborate hoax. I performed a quick scan for hidden cameras, and then accepted what Sarek told me without reservation.

"When can I get out of here?" I asked plaintively.

Sarek stared placidly through the glass, observing me as though I was a rare animal in the zoo. "Please be patient. We are working tirelessly to disable the hostile bacteria within your system. Released into our biosphere, it could kill thousands unless adequate precautions are taken."

I sulked on the bench, wearing just a thin robe that he'd passed through a small re-sealable breach in the shell of the stasis chamber. A ceramic plate held the remains of the bread and fruit that he'd delivered. Beside that rested a jug of crystal clear water.

"How many people survive?"

"There are twenty thousand in the citadel, and perhaps a similar number in each of the similar settlements around the globe. There are perhaps a million inhabitants alive in the world in total."

"More than that used to live in the Greater London area alone."

"I have studied the Ancients, and know how numerous and profligate they were."

"Who were the Ancients?"

Sarek looked surprised at the question. "You were of course. Many think that fate decided to rid the world of your reckless extravagance."

"You're talking about billions of lives," I snapped back.

He nodded. "Forever fighting, climbing over one another to achieve success at any expense. Their reign was always destined for tragedy. Only by working in harmony with nature can any society ever expect to prosper."

"What's going to happen to me?"

"I hope to learn more from you about the Ancients, filling in some of the gaps in the understanding of our ancestors."

"And then?"

"You'll soon see how pleasant things can be. Hopefully you can lead a quiet and fulfilling life."

"What could I possibly do?" I asked, imagining how obsolete my knowledge must be.

"You don't need to do anything. The concept of having to work died out long ago. You can live leisurely, study, or even learn any number of skills necessary to help run the citadel. It is entirely your choice."

"You make it sound too good to be true."

"From your perspective it is. War, disease, famine and suffering are words that no longer have meaning in our world."

"Please inject yourself," Sarek urged, "it won't hurt."

I looked down at the unfamiliar implement and pressed the blunt end against my forearm. On contact, there was a slight hiss as whatever it contained surged into my bloodstream.

"I'm told it's a complex antigen. Rest while it acts. Tomorrow, we'll probably be able to release you."

I settled back onto the bench, unable to get comfortable. Perspiration dripped from my forehead as I became flushed and feverish with the effects of the drug. Sarek was not around to answer my questions, and I wondered whether destroying the harmful germs would end up killing me in the process.

The worst of the fever had passed by the time Sarek reappeared. With the help of a younger colleague, he struggled to open the door, but the mechanism had seized with two hundred years of disuse. They summoned assistance from another man, dressed in a crisp grey uniform.

"Please stand back," the latest arrival urged, producing what appeared to be a small pistol with a long, square barrel.

An orange glow leapt from the muzzle and melted through the steel door in seconds, removing any residual doubts about my situation. The door toppled inwards with a deafening clang that reverberated around the confined chamber, leaving my ears ringing painfully. Sarek stepped over the threshold and held out his arms. It took a few seconds to realise the greeting for what it was, and I returned his embrace.

"Come," he said. "I'll take you to meet the High Council. They are most anxious to make your acquaintance."

My clothes were still bundled over the chair, where Jenny had left them. They fell apart as soon as I tried to pick them up. My wallet contained a small amount of money, credit cards, driver's licence, and a faded picture of Angela. I placed everything in the pocket of my robe and prepared to leave. The stuffed bear still sat patiently on the shelf in the chamber, watching me. I returned to collect him, a final reminder of my daughter.

We climbed up a narrow ladder that I assumed must have been some sort of service duct. Corroded with age, the rungs creaked as they bore our weight. Emerging into brilliant sunshine, I glanced up into a pale blue sky, appreciating the fact that bad weather did not mar my emergence into this strange new world. I powered up my iPhone and, unsurprisingly, there was no signal. Sarek looked at the gadget with a sense of curiosity and I tried to explain its function.

"All the satellites were destroyed in the Calamity, and the aftermath has rendered all but line-of-sight communications unworkable, something to do with permanent changes in the Earth's ionosphere, I believe."

"Incredible," I sighed, as I powered down the phone to preserve what little charge remained.

A small vehicle rested on the dusty, rubble-strewn ground. Not much remained of Genotech's headquarters, although its outline, and those of neighbouring buildings, could clearly be discerned. The sun, and the ravages of time, had taken a heavy toll on Cambridge's most prestigious science park.

The uniformed young man from earlier conversed with Sarek in a language that I could just about comprehend.

"You will have to learn our language," Sarek said. "It varies only slightly from the Ancient, has a simplified grammar, and much less redundancy. It is spoken throughout the world, unlike your time, when thousands of languages and dialects proliferated."

I nodded. "I can understand you."

"I speak Ancient because it is my chosen area of expertise. I can't tell you how much it means to me to be able to converse with you. Until now, everything had been very speculative."

He indicated the uniformed man.

"This is Tamar," he continued. "He is a Guardian, and he'll fly us to the citadel."

"Fly? In that?" I asked, observing the small craft.

It wasn't much bigger than my Audi and had no wings or any visible means of propulsion. I accompanied Sarek into the back and watched whilst Tamar settled in the pilot seat, operating basic-looking controls. The instrument cluster lit up and displayed a number of sophisticated graphics. A contour map of the area was projected onto the front windshield.

The vehicle ascended quietly into the air and then headed off at great speed. Amazingly, I remained comfortably seated without being thrown around the cabin as we twisted and turned onto our heading. I questioned Sarek on my observation.

"Stasis technology can also be employed to dampen inertia," he explained.

"Just like on Star Trek," I quipped.

"I'm afraid I don't understand everything that you say, much of the Ancient's artefacts and culture was destroyed, or has disappeared over the years."

"And yet you speak my language well."

"There are digital archives from which we have learned much. Your civilisation produced such an abundance of material that it would be almost impossible to remove all trace. I'm hoping that you may be able to help us make sense of some of it."

A vast shiny structure rose out of the ground, almost reaching to the sky. Whilst wider at the bottom, it tapered inwards as it reached its apex, almost like a rocket poised for launch.

"The citadel," Sarek advised, smiling at my expression of disbelief.

"How tall is it?"

"Two kilometres from base to tip. Stasis fields hold the structure in place, and also shield it from the weather and extreme events, such as that that destroyed your civilisation. We are determined that nothing shall ever again threaten mankind's existence."

About half way up the structure, there was a narrow horizontal aperture that the flying car headed for without making any attempt to slow. I braced myself for impact and then gasped as the vehicle decelerated to rest, within just a few feet once inside the confines of the building.

"Thank you, Tamar," I praised tentatively as I held out my hand for him to shake.

The man stared for several seconds, then grunted and turned away, leaving me feeling slightly foolish.

"This way," Sarek grinned, indicating the direction for us to proceed. "Don't worry about Tamar. He's a Guardian, and they're generally not the most sociable of souls."

"What's a Guardian?"

"The nearest I can compare them to is a policeman of your time."

"You still have crime then?"

"They deal mainly with internal security matters, and ensure people are aware when their actions inadvertently endanger lives. We still haven't managed to eradicate stupidity."

I laughed. Sarek's manner put me at ease, and I was glad of his company at such a traumatic time. We walked through a pleasant atrium, where a small group of young women sat barefoot beside an ornamental fountain. Their robes hung loosely on their slender frames; one was even bare-breasted. All were incredibly attractive.

Sarek noticed where my attention focussed, and smiled.

We approached what appeared to be an elevator. Sarek pressed a button, and its doors opened to admit us. We entered and he typed a floor number into a small illuminated panel. The doors closed, and then immediately opened again. I thought that there was possibly some malfunction until I noticed the scene outside the elevator had changed.

"This is the High Council level," Sarek advised. "I'll let them know you're here. Sit down for a second."

"I think I'll stand," I replied, walking over to far window and staring down at the ground far below. "How high up are we?"

"We're almost right at the very top," Sarek replied as he disappeared along the corridor.

I shook my head in amazement. The last time I'd been this high, I was in an airplane. The fact that it was even possible to build any structure just under a quarter the height of Mount Everest seemed incredible enough, let alone that twenty thousand people lived in it. I watched as more of the flying craft arrived and departed. In the distance, a fluffy cloud formation was visible beneath my level of vision.

Sarek returned and beckoned. I followed obediently.

"I wouldn't normally set foot in the council chamber, but my services will be required to translate," he informed me.

I was grateful nonetheless; facing a barrage of unfamiliar faces suddenly seemed daunting in the extreme.

The council chamber was in relative darkness. Small glowing globes hung in mid-air, suspended from gossamer thin threads. They cast shadows in all directions, affording the interior an eerie aspect. An ornate wooden table graced the centre of the room, around which a number of robed figures sat quietly, their expressions neutral.

A middle-aged man dressed in a scarlet robe indicated a pair of vacant chairs. I nodded and dropped into the nearest. Sarek settled beside me. Self-consciously, I hid Angela's bear beneath the chair, not wanting to appear foolish in front of the citadel's leaders. The man spoke a number of words that hovered just out of reach of my understanding.

"The Chamberlain welcomes you to the citadel, and hopes that your stay here will be enjoyable," Sarek translated.

"Thank you," I replied.

I looked at Sarek, but he explained that the Ancient phrase was still in common usage. The Chamberlain spoke at length. Sarek repeated in more familiar words, during the pause between sentences. I'd met many politicians, and the Chamberlain represented the caste admirably. He talked much, without actually saying anything. I replied by thanking him for rescuing me from stasis, and promising to do all within my powers to learn and accommodate their culture and customs.

The Chamberlain nodded and clapped his hands. From out of nowhere, three beautiful young women appeared. They carried trays laden with fruit, and silver goblets that contained a deep red liquid. All three wore nothing but soft-soled sandals and a short skirt.

It was difficult to avert my eyes with so much lovely female flesh on display, but I was determined not to offend my hosts. Despite their apparently congenial nature, it was possible they were still evaluating me, and I was desperate to pass any test they might devise. A young blonde placed a goblet before me, and then deposited a wooden platter of fruit in the centre of the table. Her magnificent breasts were mere inches away. As she leant over to serve me, I could smell her exotic fragrance. Underneath the table, a certain presence made itself known. I willed my erection to subside, glad that the table hid my arousal from view.

The girls vanished as abruptly as they'd appeared, and I waited for the signal to indulge in the sumptuous feast. The Chamberlain indicated with a subtle gesture, but only after one of his colleagues plucked a handful of grapes did I reach over to capture a rosy apple and take a bite. I smiled at my host even though there was very little taste, only texture. I gnawed away until only the core remained, depositing the remnant back on the tray and then picking up a banana. Like the apple, the flavour was decidedly bland, but it filled the basic requirement of satisfying my hunger.

The wine tasted like cheap supermarket plonk. I nodded in appreciation and received a look of gratitude in return.

Sarek attacked the fruit with gusto. I felt sorry that in all his years of study, nothing could inform him of the taste of fine wine, or the succulent flavour of ripe fruit plucked straight from the tree. Throughout the meal, several of the men barraged me with questions and I struggled to answer most of them.

"Who killed this JFK fellow?" one asked.

"Why did your society value gold so highly?"

I shook my head, having no real answers for them, and they were clearly disappointed.

"Why did you take such pride in killing one another?" A portly individual asked.

I shrugged, telling them that I'd never taken a life, or even hit anybody. This seemed to reassure them.

After an hour of random interrogation, they summarily dismissed us, whereupon Sarek escorted me to what would become my living quarters.

Located about two thirds of the way up the citadel, it was exactly how I'd imagined the presidential suite of an exclusive hotel. Vast in size, it featured a king sized bed at its centre. Comfortable sofas were scattered randomly, whilst in an adjoining room, a large sunken depression hinted at the possibility that it might possibly fill with water and provide the luxury of a bath.