Return of the Ancients

Chapter 22 Wait… It’s Arrived

Harper watched the test with bated breath.

The bicycle-wheel-sized craft lifted from the ground on four rotational fans, like a miniature hovercraft — noiseless and sleek. The aerial mobile camera was modelled on deep-sea technology, except its housing didn’t need to be armour-plated against water pressure, so strength and durability could be traded off for mobility and speed.

Harper almost applauded as the machine remained suspended about six feet from the ground.

The four near-silent fan-blades were recessed in a broad, flat housing that made it look like a bulbous stingray. Gyroscopic assistance gave it incredible stability — it could hover motionless, even in a near hurricane, and bank and fly as swiftly as a bird of prey… well, a very fast pigeon, anyway. The front housed a large glass lens behind which sat the camera with an illuminated ring around it. It looked like a floating eye, in which a bottomless glass pupil was ringed by an iris of light.

Its miniaturised battery pack contained enough energy to run a small building, and allow the craft to run for at least forty-eight hours. It also powered the digital image feed and recorders. There was no guarantee anything at all would be delivered back to them, or for that matter that the device would survive the trip, but they didn’t have a lot of options. This would have to do.

Harper grunted his approval. ‘Ready as we’ll ever be. Okay, let’s take her in.’

The pilot ran his hand over his keyboard, giving each of the fans some extra thrust, and the craft lifted higher into the air. He turned one of the twin joysticks slightly and it spun slowly to line up with the freshly cut hole in the wall, now a dark tunnel leading to a lighter exit. Another technician focused the camera, and the image zoomed to the far end of the small tunnel. The craft entered, navigating the space with ease, emerging to hover just beside the smudge that hung in the air like steam over an air vent.

‘On your order, sir.’

Harper rubbed his hands together and leaned forward on the desk. ‘Proceed, four knots.’

The small craft glided to within an inch of the smudge of nothingness. Harper held his breath. A slight push on the joystick… and the craft leapt forward, as if being snatched up and swallowed. The data screens showed the device was still moving at a leisurely four knots, but the image feed indicated acceleration that was beyond comprehension.

Harper found it hard to continue watching the screen, as vertigo was making him feel giddy and nauseous. He turned to yell over his shoulder, ‘Distance?’

‘Ah, you’re not going to believe this, but: three feet — it’s barely moved. Theoretically, it’s still in the tunnel.’

‘What?’ Harper shook his head. ‘It must have malfunctioned. Can we turn it around?’

‘Wait… It’s arrived.’

As if a brake had been applied, the sensation of speed dissolved, and the camera light came on automatically as it detected low light. Harper blinked in confusion, and his mouth dropped open. He got to his feet.

‘Oh my God.’