The Struggle for Empire/Chapter 2
CHAPTER II
LIFE IN THE YEAR 2236
The 10th of June in the year 2236 was a day that will long be remembered in the annals of the Anglo-Saxon race, for on that day began a series of disasters that brought the proud inhabitants of the earth to the brink of ruin. Far off in the abysses of space the offspring of the two great races of humanity met, and flung defiance in one another's faces. But we are anticipating events, and must leave the description of what happened in those distane regions for another chapter.
The sun ascended higher and higher into the sky, diffusing his radiance around. The sky was covered with air-ships of all sizes and shapes, darting hither and thither. Some were of light build, and were principally used for transporting passengers and cargo from one part of the city to another; others were larger, and travelled to different parts of England; while still larger ones did the passenger and goods service to the more distant parts of the earth. Far up among the clouds the gleaming hulls of the huge interstellar ships could be seen returning from their voyages to the planets and more distant stars, and further down were the outward-bound vessels slowly floating into the air from the wharves below. Every now and then some great war-vessel floated slowly over the tops of the buildings, almost brushing the summits of the trees, on its way to the manœuvring-ground, the sunlight glistening on its rows of murderous-looking cannon, and the complicated masses of wires and rods that covered the exterior of the hull. The bustle and noise of a great city ascended from the streets and squares, that were now filled with busy people and with vehicles of every description.
As the day wore on and the afternoon began to wane, a beautiful girl, scarcely out of her teens, stood at one of the windows of a magnificent house that was situated almost in the centre of the city, and looked out upon the cool shades of the garden that surrounded the house and the variegated buildings beyond. Her features were regular and of the most perfect type, her eyes were of a soft dark-brown colour, and the voluptuous curves of her figure were draped in a light-blue garment. Her name was Flora Houghton, and she was the only daughter of the famous Dr. Houghton, who had made many important discoveries in physical science. She stood in the sunlight for a few moments, showing off her marvellous figure to perfection, and then she drew back the light gauzy curtain from the window that she might drink in the refreshing perfume-laden breeze that blew across the garden.
'What a beautiful thing is life!' she murmured, with the joyous accents of early maidenhood, as she tripped lightly out into the garden. 'Everything around me is so fresh and bright. How happy I feel! Only three more hours and I shall see my dear Alec.'
She stooped over one of the flower-beds and made a small nosegay out of the most sweet-smelling flowers.
'There!' she said, as soon as she had finished binding the flowers together. 'That will do for his button-hole when he comes to dinner this evening. Now I must go and have just one look at him to while away the time.'
She returned to the house, dreamily twirling the button-hole in one hand, and entered a small room where there was a strange-looking instrument made of several concave reflectors standing in front of a large screen. She pressed a button and spoke into a telephone that was attached to the instrument. In a few seconds there came an answering ring, and then she turned a handle that was fastened on to one of the reflectors. A picture immediately began to form on the screen, and grew brighter until every detail depicted on it appeared to be quite real. It represented a young man of twenty-five or thereabouts, clad in naval uniform, and seated at a table covered with a mass of papers, which he was busily engaged in examining. This was Lieutenant Alec Brandon, of the first-class interstellar war-ship Lightning. He was a rising young officer of great abilities, who was expected soon to obtain his captaincy. This fact and some minor achievements that he had wrought in the field of science made him very acceptable to Dr. Houghton, who had consented to his engagement with his daughter. As soon as the picture was quite perfect, he looked up from his papers in the direction in which Flora was standing and kissed his hand to her. She smiled and nodded to him, and held the flowers up for him to see. He bowed his thanks to her, and then she turned a handle and the picture vanished.
Flora then threw herself into an armchair with a book and a fan, and patiently occupied the next two hours by reading a sensational story about twenty-third century loves. She was just in the full swing of the romance when Lieutenant Alec Brandon was announced.
'At last, my sweet one,' he said as he entered the room, 'I am released from the toils of my office, and have the pleasure of seeing your sweet face once more. Are you tired of doing nothing, or would you rather that I waited just a little longer?'
'I was tired of being without you, Alec,' she replied, as he bent down and kissed her upturned face. 'I thought you were never coming.'
'Well, here I am at last, and so you have me safe enough. But really, you know, I think I have come away too soon,' he added, with a smile. 'I ought to be still working out those tactics for the Admiral. Shall I go back again for a little while?'
'Oh no, Alec; stay with me now you are here, and let the tactics wait,' she murmured as she rested her head on his shoulder. 'I don't see nearly enough of you as it is.'
'Don't you, my little girl?' he said laughingly, as he kissed her again. 'You will see enough of me to-night, anyhow, for I am going to take you to the Villeroy Theatre to see the new piece.'
'Oh, that will be grand!' she exclaimed, clapping her hands. 'We shall be able to have a nice evening together. Come into the drawing-room now and see the doctor; it is just upon dinner-time.'
He gave her his arm and led her into the drawing-room, where several guests, consisting mainly of men whose names were well known in the scientific and military worlds, were assembled, besides several very fascinating ladies. A few moments later dinner was announced, and the guests paired off and proceeded to the dining-room, where a dinner awaited them such as would have provoked the envy of the most particular diner-out of the nineteenth century. There were fishes and meats that had been brought from places hundreds of millions of miles off, and which were served up by cooks who had grown gray in studying the intricacies of the culinary art. They were accompanied by the most exquisite wines and vegetables, and followed by fruits that had been culled from among the stars. Miniature fountains that stood on the tables threw up showers of scented liquids into the air, and the room was flooded by a subdued light that seemed to issue from ceiling, wall, and table.
The conversation was highly intellectual. The gray-haired scientists talked of nothing but the subjects to which they had devoted their lives, and explained to one another the recent advances that had been made in their own special departments. The naval men discussed the subtleties of tactics and strategy and the latest instruments of destruction and defence, while Dr. Houghton entertained his own immediate neighbours with an account of the recent researches of the Sirian professors.
Lieutenant Alec Brandon sat next to Flora, and for a time both took part in the learned arguments that were going on around them; then they drifted into a species of conversation that was more congenial to the relation which existed between them.
Dinner over, coffee and more wines were served in the drawing-rooms, and Alec Brandon and his sweetheart set out for the theatre, leaving the other guests dispersed all over the grounds enjoying various kinds of intellectual food. They had arranged to walk part of the way, as it led through a park which was very refreshing in the cool of the evening. So they walked along arm-in-arm through groves of flowering zeratas that had come from Jupiter, under spreading Sirian palms, and past flower-beds covered with the luxurious blossoms of plants that had been brought from Uranus and Neptune. High over their heads were the arched branches of estinoderms that had been reared on Mars, and on the right and left, interspersed with shrubs that had come from the remotest depths of space, were pinophasts and purple mirapheas that had been brought from Mercury and Venus.
They walked by the side of artificial torrents rushing over their rocky beds, crossed lakes which teemed with the most beautiful fish that could be found in the universe, and then found themselves in a large open space. Here the air was filled with the voluptuous sounds of music, which seemed to come from above, but no performers were visible; for musical sounds could be transmitted all over London by a marvellous electric contrivance. There were hundreds of seats scattered about under the trees, and numerous restaurants in the open space, which was crowded with people who had come out to enjoy the fresh evening air and listen to the music.
The two lovers were making their way through the crowd, when they saw a tall pale man of about thirty years of age, apparently wrapped in thought, coming towards them.
'There is James Tarrant,' said Alec Brandon, as he nodded his head in the newcomer's direction. 'He is quite absorbed with his own thoughts, to judge from his appearance.'
The tall pale-faced man was about to pass by them without speaking, when Alec accosted him.
'Hullo, Dr. Tarrant?' he said. 'Still at it, then? Have you got any nearer to the solution than you were before?'
The individual addressed started and looked up, and showed a face that was seamed with lines, in spite of his youth.
'Ah, Lieutenant!' he said in an absent-minded voice, as he fastened his dreamy eyes on Alec; 'how do you do? Good-evening, Miss Houghton. I am just getting a little fresh air after my labours.'
'Have you found out anything yet, Doctor?' inquired Alec.
Tarrant shook his head somewhat sadly.
'There is one difficulty that I cannot get over,' he replied. 'If it were not for that, I could achieve the greatest discovery that has been made during the last fifty years. I could render all your great war-ships practically useless.'
'That is not so easily done as you think,' said Alec, flushing slightly. 'Besides,' he added, with a slight laugh, 'you couldn't do it!'
'We shall see! we shall see!' said Tarrant somewhat bitterly. 'I have spent all my life so far on this one subject, and find it out I will. I am poor now and I have nothing,' he continued, as he shot a meaning glance at Flora, 'but I shall be powerful enough some day.'
'Well, I hope you will succeed, I am sure,' said Alec in a sarcastic voice. 'Come, Flora, or we shall be late.'
They walked on for a short distance, and then, hailing an open boat-shaped vessel that happened to be floating in the air, they entered it and quickly arrived at the Villeroy Theatre. This was a huge building quite in character with the city in the centre of which it stood. It was replete with everything that science could suggest to add to the brilliance of the performance and the comfort and enjoyment of the audience. The magnificent 'Chorus of the Worlds,' the greatest musical composition that the world has even seen, was first performed as an overture by an invisible orchestra, and the air was filled with a rapturous music that surpasses all description. Then the curtain rose and the performance commenced. The scene was laid in one of the far-off planets, and everything was arranged to produce as realistic an effect as possible. There seemed to be real houses and streets, real woods, and real clouds flitted across a deep blue sky. Everything was exactly imitated, even thunderstorms and rain, so that the audience could easily fancy themselves on the actual spot without any effort of imagination. When there was a garden scene, real trees and flowers appeared, the sun shone down from above, and a breeze flitted over the foliage, while every now and then the most luxurious music accompanied the movements of the actors. At last the piece came to an end and the curtain fell amidst a tempest of applause.
When Alec and Flora found themselves outside, the whole of the city was lighted up almost as bright as day by the numerous Menling lamps that were suspended far up in the air from tapering metal pillars. Here and there above their heads were numerous air-ships darting about, while an occasional war-ship making signals to its confrères scattered abroad long streaks of light of every colour of the rainbow. There was no moon visible, so the sky was dotted with innumerable stars, among which Jupiter and Mars were shining brightly, and in the far distance was Sirius gleaming angrily amidst a crowd of lesser lights. Flora shuddered somewhat when she noticed his threatening glare, and the slight tremor that passed over her limbs attracted the notice of Alec Brandon, and he, following the direction of her gaze, divined the cause of her alarm.
'Our only rival to universal dominion,' he said somewhat anxiously, and then he put her into an air-ship and returned with her to her father's house.
The hours of the night fled on, but although everything without the city, with the exception of the ever arriving and departing interstellar ships, seemed to denote rest, a ceaseless activity went on in the numerous laboratories where the scientists were occupied in wresting her secrets from Nature. James Tarrant remained in the park for about an hour after he had met Alec and Flora, and then he returned to his laboratory, where his numerous assistants were still busily following out his instructions. It was a large room crammed with instruments of every description, while books, pages of calculations, and sheets of drawings lay about everywhere. He examined some of the instruments, and then dismissed his assistants for the night, but did not yet think of retiring to rest himself, although he looked intensely wearied. He sat down at a table and began eagerly looking over a voluminous mass of calculations.
'Ah, I think I shall have it soon!' he exclaimed half aloud as a gleam of triumph shot across his pale face. 'An excellent idea has struck me to-night, and if I get on to the right track it may lead me to the solution of the problem. In a few weeks I shall make the greatest discovery of the era, and then I can make myself Master of the Universe.'
He worked on and on until the sun rose above the horizon, and then he went to bed for a few hours, and then up again and hard at work until success at last crowned his efforts.