Rule Britannia

Chapter 5

Chapter Five


Clive examined the sword as it lay in the box; Pence hadn't understated its beauty a whit.  The sword was a work of art.  The blade featured a mirror finish and incredibly detailed engravings and filigree, the handle was wrapped in the finest leather, while the pommel and hilt were inlaid with gold; truly, it was a sword fit for a king.  Sturdy, yet no less artfully made and decorated, the scabbard complemented the sword perfectly.  A surprisingly high level of Middle Ages craftsmanship had been revealed through the recovery of some very handsome examples of swords and other weapons from the earliest years of that period.  This blade outshone them all; no king could refuse such a gift.

The two men spoke a little longer about Clive's mission, and Pence answered such questions as he could (and as he felt Clive needed to know).  They rose from their chairs and Geoffrey escorted Clive to the suite's door.

"At least one of Cedric's men will be nearby at all times," Geoffrey said, "partly for your safety, but mostly for ours.  You may not communicate with anyone but our group, unless specifically approved by either Cedric or myself.  Rest assured that we will know, if you even make the attempt.  You will be brought back here tomorrow night for the final preparations.  Good night, Mr. Marsden."

As Cedric drove him back to his hotel, Clive considered all that had transpired over the course of the evening.  He also thought about all he'd potentially be leaving behind.  Pence's overview of his life really had been spot-on.  An only child, his parents had been killed in an accident ten years ago, and he had no real friends, just his associates at work.  If he never returned, they'd wonder at his disappearance but wouldn't shed any tears.  He also didn't have a girl, not now, anyway, and there had only been a few since college.  College, he mused.  Wanda.

Wanda had been a special time in his life, back in his Sixth Form College days.  She had been very fond of music, among other things, and the American rhythm and blues group Earth, Wind and Fire had been a particular favourite.  The title to one of their songs--'Here Today and Gone Tomorrow'--seemed appropriate to this moment.  Had Pence been privy to these thoughts, he might have suggested 'The Changing Times', instead, and Clive might have agreed.  After all, if he successfully travelled back in time, the result would be a complete rethinking of Man's place in the universe.  He and Pence might have even shared a smile at the musical dedication to the impending event, albeit for entirely different reasons.

Reaching the hotel, Clive returned to his room and selected one of the books Pence had given him for additional study.  As he prepared for bed, he wondered just what exactly was going to happen in the center of Stonehenge tomorrow night.  He never could have guessed.

***

At Stonehenge, Andrew was speaking with a patrolman who'd stopped to take a look at the unusual activity.

"We had a report of a water line break in this area, so we're checking the seals and fittings at the joins," Andrew explained.  "Our roving van took one of the lads to the shop to get some additional test gear and check for any updates.  Depending on what we find, this could be an all-nighter."

"Well, good luck, then."  The patrolman sketched a salute, climbed back into his car and drove off.  Andrew wasn't worried about the stop, nor about the report the officer would eventually make.  Their cover was solid enough to withstand any routine inquiries long enough to complete the job.  Lifting his walkie-talkie, he keyed the microphone.  "All clear.  Back to work, lads."

***


Chapter 5 word count = 630
Running total word count = 3715