Part 27 (1/2)

Torn by even greater political strife back in Ankara, Caliph Robur had threatened further executions. He insisted that Nemo's team work to complete the construction as fast as humanly possible. Nemo held the stubborn man's bloodl.u.s.t at bay only by emphasizing how the loss of more good workers would cause further delays.

Nemo had grown cold inside, feeling the guilt on his conscience, no matter how much Auda tried to soothe him. He had lost an innocent comrade because of this warlord's mad ambitions. Any enthusiasm he'd had for the project had been killed with the same scimitar that had murdered Conseil. Even after such a long time at Rurapente, Nemo had never accepted his fate, had never believed in the caliph's barbarous ambitions. But he would have to do something soon.

The Nautilus Nautilus functioned perfectly. Once Nemo had demonstrated the vessel's capabilities, Robur could easily convince his Sultan of its necessity. All political power would s.h.i.+ft. With such a clear triumph over conservative Caliph Barbicane, Robur would once again become a favorite in the Sultan's court. functioned perfectly. Once Nemo had demonstrated the vessel's capabilities, Robur could easily convince his Sultan of its necessity. All political power would s.h.i.+ft. With such a clear triumph over conservative Caliph Barbicane, Robur would once again become a favorite in the Sultan's court.

Nemo knew the warlord would never keep his promises of rewarding his captive experts with freedom, though. He could see it in Robur's dark, calculating eyes.

His twenty-five remaining engineers were already aboard the Nautilus, Nautilus, a full crew. Food and supplies had been stored in the sub-marine's chambers. The men had said farewell to their families, because Robur had announced his intention to explore the Mediterranean on this trial voyage. Accompanied by his most trusted guards, the caliph meant to be gone for a full week. a full crew. Food and supplies had been stored in the sub-marine's chambers. The men had said farewell to their families, because Robur had announced his intention to explore the Mediterranean on this trial voyage. Accompanied by his most trusted guards, the caliph meant to be gone for a full week.

At the edge of the docks, Caliph Robur sat on his stallion as if he intended to bring his big horse aboard the vessel. When the warlord saw Nemo walking toward the launch site under escort, he dismounted and handed the reins to a servant. He motioned to a troop of white-robed guards who climbed through the hatch down into the armored sub-marine. Smiling above his pointed beard, Robur stood proudly beside Nemo, congratulating his chief engineer. Nemo wanted to spit at him.

”We will now depart and explore the realm beneath the seas,” Robur shouted for all the gathered workers to hear. ”We will journey into unknown territories, and when I return, all of the Ottoman Empire -- in fact, the entire world -- will know the power and terror of this invincible wars.h.i.+p. The Turks shall once again be masters of the Mediterranean.”

Nemo scanned the slaves and workers. Though they cheered on cue, many seemed agitated in a strange way. The warlord remained oblivious to the changed mood -- Robur had never heeded the feelings or motivations of the people who were forced to serve him.

Then, even in his red haze of resentment, a relieved grin broke across Nemo's face as he recognized beautiful, long-haired Auda pus.h.i.+ng through the crowd. He'd known she would come. His wife clutched little Jules's hand in her own and made her way to the dock. In her other hand, she grasped a bouquet of flowers.

”Wait!” she called in Turkish. ”I must give these to my husband. It is a tradition from his home country.”

The guards let her pa.s.s, and she hurried forward. After years of knowing Auda so well, Nemo could read the concern in her sepia eyes. ”Take these flowers, my husband,” she said, using French this time. While Robur could still understand her, the guards could not. ”Put them in your stateroom and think of me on your journey.”

Then she bowed formally to the caliph himself, though her eyes remained as hard as flint. ”It is my way of offering prayers to Allah,” she said. ”A gift of beauty for my husband.”

Robur gruffly nodded to her. ”Take the flowers from your woman, Engineer, and get aboard. I am anxious to be off.”

Concerned, Nemo took the bouquet from her trembling hand -- perhaps she was afraid for him on this trial journey? But Auda had not shown such fear on his other test voyages. Why now?

Impatient, Robur gestured for him to climb through the hatch into the vessel, then rapidly followed, scrambling down the metal rungs. The hatch clanged shut with a sound like a coffin lid closing.

The Nautilus Nautilus's front chamber consisted of a raised bridge deck made of anodized metal plates. Corrugated steel steps dropped down to the main control deck where workers manned the apparatus. Wide plate-gla.s.s portholes showed a forward view, as if through the eyes of a fish; side windows also looked out upon the undersea world.

Within the main body of the sub-marine boat, private cabins for Nemo and the crew members lined the hull. A large sitting room and salon -- which Robur intended to use as his throne room -- filled the central section of the Nautilus. Nautilus. On the lower deck were supply closets and a dressing room complete with undersea suits and bra.s.s helmets, as well as a double-lock door to allow egress beneath the water. The engine room, with propulsion screws and pounding pistons, was crowded into the narrow aft chambers.

Nemo deposited Auda's flowers on the table in his cabin and hurried back to complete preparations for submerging. By now, his European crew was well-practiced, and he merely gave the orders to rea.s.sure them. He took his formal place at the bridge controls. Robur stood next to him, domineering, as if he meant to take the helm as soon as he had observed Nemo's piloting skills.

The sub-marine's engines started. Electricity pulsed through the motors; the crew tested the rudders. Finally, the ballast tanks were opened as the Nautilus Nautilus drifted free of the dock. drifted free of the dock.

The metal deck hummed beneath them. Solid and st.u.r.dy, the undersea vessel showed no distress as water filled the tanks, and the ocean rose above the porthole windows until it swallowed the ridged upper hull. The Nautilus Nautilus sank, and then moved forward. sank, and then moved forward.

Away from direct sunlight, the bridge deck darkened. ”Lights,” Nemo said. Brilliant cones of white illumination stabbed into the water as they proceeded through the mouth of the cove into the Mediterranean.

Robur gasped with childlike glee at the new world beyond the thick portholes. He saw confused fish swimming about, rocky outcroppings far below on the ocean bed, waving tendrils of seaweed.

”Marvelous, Engineer.” Robur startled him by clapping a firm hand on Nemo's shoulder. ”My ambitious dream has come true.”

Nemo considered guiding them down the Turkish coast to where they would find the rusted wreckage of the gigantic cannon Columbiad Columbiad -- just to show the caliph evidence of his hubris and his technological folly. -- just to show the caliph evidence of his hubris and his technological folly.

”You need never have doubted us,” he answered, trying hard to keep the vindictive tone out of his voice. The round, terrified face of slain Conseil swam in front of him.

The caliph and two guards observed Nemo closely, studying the man's every movement to learn how to pilot the Nautilus Nautilus. Nemo wondered how soon the caliph would consider his crew obsolete -- and what Robur would do to them then.

They traveled all day, covering many leagues under the sea faster than any sailing s.h.i.+p. Propelled by the Nautilus Nautilus's powerful engines and ignoring the vagaries of wind or water currents, they could choose their own direction.

The muscular guards eventually relaxed. After all, where could Nemo and his men go? They could never escape. Robur soon insisted that he take the helm on his own, giving Nemo no choice but to relinquish command. He pretended to do so willingly, feigning weariness. ”I'll retire for a while and rest, Caliph.”

In his cabin Nemo sat down, his thoughts in a turmoil. He stared at the bouquet Auda had insisted on giving him. He smiled at the thought of his wife and their boy Jules, fastening on the one shred of pleasure remaining to him. Although he had never surrendered the place in his heart he would always hold for Caroline, his first love, he adored Auda and their son. They had made him happy during what would otherwise have been an impossible time.

He sniffed the flowers -- and discovered something strange around a thick stem at the center. She had folded and wrapped a thin sc.r.a.p of brown paper which matched the color of the twigs. Curious, Nemo unraveled the sc.r.a.p and found that she had written him a note in tiny letters, painstakingly translated into French. He held his breath as he read, feeling cold horror grow within him.

”Nemo, my love, Robur intends to kill you and your men on this voyage. He no longer has any use for you. He does not realize, though, that it is already too late for him. While he is gone during these seven days, my father's troops will sweep down from the mountains and overthrow Rurapente. The Sultan has issued an order for Robur's execution.

”Protect yourself. Stay on your guard and be prepared to fight when the caliph makes his move. My father has promised me safety -- yes, all along I have been his spy at Rurapente, and I have sent regular reports via the shepherds on the plateau, who are my allies.

”I will take Jules into isolation and protect the families of your men -- but you must not return must not return for at least a year. There is sure to be terrible bloodshed and political confusion. Because you have built this war vessel for an enemy of the Sultan, your life may also be forfeit. for at least a year. There is sure to be terrible bloodshed and political confusion. Because you have built this war vessel for an enemy of the Sultan, your life may also be forfeit.

”Do not worry about me, my husband. Just find me when the time is up. I shall wait for you, counting the days. I will make sure your son never forgets you, and when you return, you will receive the honor and glory you deserve.”

Nemo reread the letter through a hot haze of betrayal. He had expected treachery from Caliph Robur, and he vowed again that the evil warlord would not succeed in his mad goals. Robur represented the worst of mankind.

Grim and determined, Nemo knew he would have to rally his crew. They must find a way to outwit the caliph's murderous guards.

When he felt ready to return to the bridge, he looked down and discovered that in his cold fury, he had crushed the delicate flowers in his hands.

viii

Like a metal shark, the Nautilus Nautilus glided through the Mediterranean. The vessel cruised over ribbony ma.s.ses of coral and underwater forests of seaweed. Schools of silvery fish flitted through the glare of the dazzling front lights. The captive crew watched for legendary mer-people, marvelous sunken cities, or frightening sea monsters. glided through the Mediterranean. The vessel cruised over ribbony ma.s.ses of coral and underwater forests of seaweed. Schools of silvery fish flitted through the glare of the dazzling front lights. The captive crew watched for legendary mer-people, marvelous sunken cities, or frightening sea monsters.

Knowing the death sentence Robur had secretly p.r.o.nounced for them, however, Nemo could see no beauty there.

Seeing that the burly guards were occupied and complacent, Nemo took aside Cyrus Harding, whom he had named as his second-in-command, and quietly told the English boatbuilder of Auda's warning. Then, speaking a polyglot of French, English, and Italian, word pa.s.sed among the captive crew. Now vigilant, they began making plans for their defense against Robur's betrayal. Since the senseless execution of poor Conseil, the men had been eager to strike back against the bloodthirsty warlord. . . .

As they journeyed for days, Nemo stood at the helm, silently aware of Caliph Robur and his murderous guards. He watched the caliph's narrow face for any sign of impending treachery. Robur seemed to grow more eager, his motions impatient, as he demanded that Nemo show him every control of the undersea boat. He overheard two guards whispering in Turkish, confident their language could not be understood, as they caressed their scimitar hilts and chuckled about ”the true uses of steel.”

By the caliph's command, Nemo guided the Nautilus Nautilus south, following the coast of Lebanon toward Egypt. Robur grew agitated and then smugly satisfied, when they reached the northern Egyptian coast. Though de Lesseps's ma.s.sive excavation of the Suez Ca.n.a.l had already been under way for two years, the French engineer had fallen behind schedule. south, following the coast of Lebanon toward Egypt. Robur grew agitated and then smugly satisfied, when they reached the northern Egyptian coast. Though de Lesseps's ma.s.sive excavation of the Suez Ca.n.a.l had already been under way for two years, the French engineer had fallen behind schedule.

Now, the Nautilus Nautilus cruised up and down the coast, watching the trawlers and dredging s.h.i.+ps. Silt from the gargantuan project had turned the water murky. Everyone aboard could see that this supposed threat to the Ottoman Empire would not be completed for many years. Caliph Robur had imagined the speed at which this entire ”emergency” would develop. cruised up and down the coast, watching the trawlers and dredging s.h.i.+ps. Silt from the gargantuan project had turned the water murky. Everyone aboard could see that this supposed threat to the Ottoman Empire would not be completed for many years. Caliph Robur had imagined the speed at which this entire ”emergency” would develop.

One by one Nemo's crew stared out the window at the embarra.s.singly incomplete trench. Then, with barely concealed bitterness, they returned to their duties tending the sub-marine. Conseil had been slain for no purpose.

Nemo knew what he had to do. He made signals to his men and held brief whispered conversations with a few, who then spread word to the others. He had stalled long enough. It was time for revenge.

Nemo prepared to fight Caliph Robur and his men to the death.