Chapter Nine

 

Dinner was a big hit. Roast lamb with sliced potatoes. Special sweet onion gravy put a smile on everyone's face as they dipped the meat into the sauce. The most difficult thing was choosing a wine.

After dinner they had tea or coffee at the conference table. Mac told them upon the initial steel box metal check that nothing matched with the obvious variously used metals. Further checking was taking place. Once again suspicion deepened thinking that off-world materials were used. It was determined the door was spring loaded and self retracting. Without dismantling only speculation how it worked went around the workshop.

Matt said, "I'd like for us to go around the table and each of us ask a question that we've been curious about. I'll go first to get it started. I wonder what is between the leather covers front and back."

"Let's take it apart and see," said Gwen. Liz was playing secretary writing down what the talk was about. "For me, I want to know how this super race traveled back and forth."

Barry jumped in and said, "I'd like to know why we're being watched and why someone is so adamant to know what we're doing?"

JB looked around and Matt gave him the nod. "We're supposed to send them a message. How do we do that and from where do we send it from? This might sound far out, no pun intended, but it's my thinking humans are being asked to use the moon to send a message. No, I don't have a lot of evidence to support my premise, but I've a feeling."

Alice took her turn, "I have to agree with JB. We don't have the capability to send a message that far away. Atlantis history under the ocean. My question might be, do we use something that is alien made to send a message?

Mac spoke next. "What is the key to the puzzle or code?"

Lisa said, "What would the message be if we sent them a text?"

Diane said, "I wonder if they have some good looking guys there?" The table erupted in laughter. It took a full five minutes before they settled back down. Liz was the remaining question. She said, "Is human kind ready to meet a race of beings so much further advanced than we are?"

Matt said, "Okay, we have a good start. Let's list our questions.

"Wait," said Gladys. "What do they eat?

 

 

1. Is mankind ready to meet a superior race?

2. Are they a friendly race?

3. What is the key to the riddle?

4. How to send a message with primitive technology that far?

5. Where do we send a message from?

6. Who is watching us and why?

7. How did they travel back and forth between galaxies?

8. What object is between the covers of the book?

9. What do they eat?

 

"I'd like each of you to write a brief answer to each of the questions. Let's have a full blown meeting tomorrow at the museum," said Matt.

Gwen said, "I'm thinking we might need to go back to our site and dive down to see if anything else is to be discovered. Any idea guys?"

"I think it's a good idea," said Matt. "When do you want to leave my love?"

"Tall Man, I'm ready anytime. Let's make that decision tomorrow. Now if you'll excuse me I need to call my mother."

"Let's call it a night guys. Don't forget your homework and see you at the museum tomorrow," said Matt.

JB took advantage of an early to bed. He wasn't young anymore and needed his rest. The brain eats energy like nobody's business. He must remember to eat and exercise properly. He drifted off thinking of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon so many years ago. He was the only one among all of the team that witnessed that 'One step for man; one giant step for mankind.' If the truth were known, others had been there long before he and his fellow astronauts visited the moon. Just before he fell asleep JB wondered where on the moon had man set foot.

He would soon discover that men from earth had landed very near the Archimedes Crater.

Gwen and Matt were getting ready for bed. Gwen said, "Do you think our timing is right to go back to Spain Tall Man?"

"Well, I don't see why not. Let's look inside the cover and from our meeting let's make our decision then. Now I'm bushed. What say we watch a movie and see where the movie leads us."

"That's was the best movie I've ever watched, Tall Man," said Gwen.

"What're you saying; I never even turned it on," He joked. "Now, I'm going to really turn it on."

Once in a while England will surprise you with a wonderful spring day. Liz remarked upon leaving the loft that it's a shame they couldn't take a picnic lunch to the seaside and enjoy the balmy weather. Barry agreed and said, "They'll be more of these days for us to enjoy. I wonder what kind of seasons and weather the Scio people experience?"

"Well, they hung around southern Europe for a long, long time. I'd guess they must have liked the weather," said JB who had walked up alongside Liz as Barry left to get the van. "I see our friends are still across the street keeping an eye on us. Matt told me that the museum would come by this late afternoon to sweep the house checking for listening devices."

"Are you going with them to Spain," asked Liz.

"I think so. We need someone top side while they dive. I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I'm game. I think we'll be gone about a week from what I hear. While I'm gone Liz, see if you can tie together the coordinates of Spain and the moon. In other words, check the Gulf of Cadiz for latitude and longitude; then compare that location with the moon. I think it's more important for the Latitude rather than the Longitude. Why, I'm not sure, but I've a feeling about it."

"I'll work with Alice on that end of things. We'll look at the math angle too. Here comes Barry, well, let's jump on board. You take the front JB and I'll sit in the back."

Upstairs Gwen and Matt were packing. JB had already made up his bag and was going to do a few things at the museum before they left that afternoon. Gwen said, "Tall Man, are you going to be hassled by the Spanish government?"

"I hope not. As long as we record what we find with the Antiquities Department, we're home free. Eventually all items will be returned to Spain for their own keeping. We should be fine, I hope."

Gwen asked, "Did you hire some security for our loft?"

"I sure did. The Pinkerton folks will be the security for 24\7. One inside and one outside. I don’t' want anyone sneaking in the windows from the roof."

"Gladys will club em with a fry pan. I don't think anyone wants to mess with her," said Gwen.

I think we are leaving the place in good hands," said Matt. "Let's call Sid and see what's what. We'll tell him we're coming."

"Tell him to shop for some fresh veggies and fruit. I'm not sure what meat to get so we'll wait till we get there for that part of the stores," said Gwen. "Now I must e mail my mom and tell her what I'm doing and where I'm going. A short note makes my life so much easier. When we have kids, I'll demand the same thing."

"I get the feeling my love; your hormones are running rampant. Nature has a way with us to reproduce kind of whether we like it or not. I think we'd best let nature take its course. We can make all the excuses in the world why not to have kids at this time of our lives. Throw those pills down the toilet and let the good times roll," Matt said.

"Oh Matt, I'm so happy. I told my mother today that I was going to ask you if we might consider having a baby. My mother told me that you would surprise me by thinking it was a good time as any to have a baby. I do have a confession to make. After we found the box, for a week I forgot to take my birth control pills. No, my Tall Man, I didn't do it on purpose. For now, let's just concentrate on our trip and keep focused on our new discovery."

"Good idea and now let's hit the road. Barry should be here soon to shuffle us off to the airport. Before we get bogged down and swamped with things to do, what are your premonitions as of this time? Anything like the last time?"

"A slight apprehension with a satisfying ending. Nothing like the last time as that one was so strong."

"If we don’t check it out, someone will encroach and try to steal our glory. I'm tempted to take Sid under our confidence and see if he can provide some security for us while we are afloat," said Matt.

 

While Matt, Gwen and JB were flying to Spain, at the museum the team was plowing ahead with the research. Alice and Liz were working on the geographical locations of the discovery site and its relationship, if any, to the moon. Barry was lost in a sea of metals. Mac had introduced him to their metal expert, Eddie Franklin. He and Barry were huddled at the end of the conference table discussing, what turned out, only a few metals known to man might have been used to make the box.

Eddie said, "Without a piece of the box we can't tell what it's made out of. I even took a diamond drill bit to the bottom and was hoping for a few filings. The result was nothing. After that a carbide tip and then a cobalt bit. The drill bits wouldn't touch the steel box. It just ran around like a marble on a flat surface. Now it could be regular steel, but case hardened by some method we're not aware of yet in our technical world.

What makes steel hard is the amount of carbon in it. Too much carbon and it becomes brittle and not malleable. In our example, it's both very hard and malleable which goes against our technology at this point in time. Simply put Barry, I've no idea and you have something very curious indeed. It's something, no pun intended, out of this world. I would love to know the technology."

"Thanks Eddie. Please write up a report for our records. I know you probably would do that anyway so how about a copy for us."

"Mac already gave us instructions but I'll make sure you get both a hard copy and a copy sent to your website. Now I must go Barry. Let me know if you need any additional information."

Barry walked over to where the book lay. Mac, Lisa and Diane were all peering at the cover trying to determine how the ends of the leather roll tying the two pieces together. Mac had a handheld magnifying glass slowly going around the cover. He realized that the two pieces were probably glued close to the back of the book. The spine was expertly fastened to the pages. The only option was to cut the leather tie. Mac gave off a sigh and set back in a chair. He said, "Let's take a surgical knife and we'll use needle pliers and or tweezers to unwrap the roll."

"We need someone with a fine touch," said Barry. "And that leaves me out," he said laughing.

Lisa said, "I'm pretty good and would like to do it."

"I'll go get the tools," said Diane.

"I'll watch," said Barry.

"I'll get the video camera," said Liz.

All were laughing and enjoying the camaraderie. "I'll supervise," said Mac.

Alice looked up from the conference table and said, "I think I found something interesting here." Liz hurried over as did Mac. Lisa and Diane took off to find some instruments to take the covers apart. Barry followed Liz.

"Here's what I have. The Gulf of Cadiz where the artifact was discovered lies at roughly 4 degrees W at almost 35 degrees longitude N. The Straits of Gibraltar are right at 4 degrees W. Okay, are you with me? Now on the moon, the Archimedes Crater, the third largest on the moon is located at almost 30 degrees N and at 4 degrees W. I know this is stretching the point, but if we use the world's first mathematician Archimedes, then compare the location of the artifact with the location of the crater named for him, could it be we have a piece of the puzzle?"

Mac said, "JB mentioned Luna as being mentioned more than any other nouns. Could it be that a clue to the Scio is located on the moon? This is getting way too serious. Are we expected to launch a trip to the moon? I'd think we need more proof than 'we think, because of a latitude similarity' we need to spend billions on a trip to the moon. We'd be laughed out of a job."

"But what if there was something in or near the crater that could be used to send a message. In the vernacular of the day, this is 'way cool' gang," said Liz.

Lisa and Diane came back with a tray of instruments. After setting the tray down they moved over to the conference table to see what was so exciting. Mac quickly told them what Alice had discovered. Lisa said, "Where can I sign up to be on the rocket to the moon."

What nobody realized, the door was party open and the woman cleaner had her ear to the room listening and recording in her greedy brain. The guard, who'd stepped to the restroom, hurried back and shooed her away. At lunch time she made a phone call from a pay phone.

 

++++++

 

After the plane landed in Madrid, Matt, Gwen and JB were met by a Spanish lawyer. They sat in a restaurant where the lawyer told them what to expect from the government. At first they wanted a government person on board the research boat. When the lawyer told them that were impossible, they relented to having a person on shore when they docked to insect the find; if any. Matt breathed a sigh of relief as well did Gwen. JB kept his thoughts to himself.

Later they took a domestic plane to San Pablo Airport near Seville. From there a hired car dropped them off at Sid's restaurant. Sid was waiting for them with an ear to ear smile. Sid had a man take all the bags to the yacht while they sat drinking wine.

JB fell in love with Cadiz. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven. Cadiz had that Old World charm located right on the ocean. Even though it was dark out, JB could feel the years of feet pounding on the mostly cobble stoned streets. Lights from fishing boats either headed out or returning dotted the cove. The doc itself had a smattering of lights from private craft docked for the night. Not so many people walked to and fro as most locals were settled in for the night; except the tourists out enjoying some fine food and wine.

Sid's place was fairly busy as a tourist bus had come and gone leaving a nice cache of money in his safe. However, Sid always had something special and never failed to surprise Gwen and Matt. JB truly enjoyed his dinner and wine. After dinner he passed on coffee and said he would like to lay his old head down. Matt told him where his cabin was onboard and Sid sent his man to guide JB to the yacht.

Matt and Gwen drank some coffee with Sid as he told the story of a guy who had, he thought, snuck on board their yacht. Since then nobody has been around except a fishing boat with three guys aboard were pretending to go out finishing each day. It wasn't hard for a local to tell a real fisherman from a fake. Sid said, "Perhaps they were watching and waiting for your return."

"We have at least two guys watching us in London Sid. We'd like to hire a boat with a couple of guys who aren't scared of their own shadows to accompany us out to our site. What we discovered Sid, is very valuable information and we're not sure if it's dangerous or not. But we'd like to dive in peace. From what you've said, those pretend fishermen will probably follow us tomorrow."

"Rest easy my friends. I'm way ahead of you. You'll be well taken care of fear not. We've got two boats going with you. One slow fishing boat and a fast craft just in case if they start trouble, we'll finish it. We are in a defensive position not an offensive one. The fishing boat is equipped with video and a radio tuned to the Spanish Coast Guard. Well, you must excuse me friends as I need to close up shop. I'll see you in the morning and introduce you to your new protectors."