Текст книги "The Warriors Of Shambhala"

Автор книги: Sergii Sheludchenko

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 17 страниц) [доступный отрывок для чтения: 7 страниц]

Eric drew attention to “Spirit’s” power plant that consisted of sections, resembling a miniature nuclear reactor, with offices filled with some flasks containing clear liquid. The lieutenant did not meet a similar construction of aggregates in any textbook. The technician, who wore a tremendously huge helmet, mounted the thin rods into a small container. Eric decided to ask the principle about the strange Templar engine.

He asked the monk to speak in an intergalactic dialect, which was mandatory in the sectors of habitat. The technician, who was busy with his work, had not heard the lieutenant.

‘Hey, brother, are you accidently deaf?’ Eric touched his shoulder. Malkovich almost flew to the metal-bottom ceiling in reaction to the sharp turn of the monk. The technician picked up a face mask, and Eric whistled in amazement.

‘Marek!? What the heck?’

‘I could ask you the same, if it were not for your imperial attire. It turns out that the guards searched your capsule in the mountains.’

‘How did you get to the base?’

‘Thanks to one freak with the captain's stripes.’

‘Did you decide to go to the monks?’

‘I have decided to become a novice. All technicians are novices here. The monks were not allowed to join a ship.’

‘So the captain has shown you the right path, hasn't he?’ Eric laughed.

‘At first, I showed him the way to the hospital bed.’

‘There are small differences with the Imperial Code again, aren't they?’

‘What do you think if a person runs to an unknown destination and is ready to be hammered into any hole? Better I'll be here to conduct intelligent conversations with the brothers than to waste time in the chamber.’

‘It is a wise idea – at least, did you kill him?’

‘Who?’

‘The captain. I squeezed him a little bit. I had to be quick as I was hired on the cargo ship coming to the borders. I'll hide here until things die down. It is better to tell me how did you get to Terra?’

‘We were attacked by Arktats and I woke up on the base. To be honest, I do not remember anything. Do the transport workers come here often?’

‘It's Free Traders. Hyper Terminal is not in the sector, if you noticed.’

‘I noticed we had something on the radar.’

‘We have ships poking out of boredom, as you can see. The brothers are working on some kind of a computer system that allows replacing almost the entire crew. Yesterday I finished changing the weapons on board the frigate. I think it will not be a light cruiser today. The level of technology of these monks is that they can be crammed into a tin by electronics, and it will come to life.’

Marek Kowalski had not changed. When had they seen each other the last time? It seems that it was ten or twelve years ago. At that time Marek, being on a short vacation, managed to get to the police station three times in two weeks. The inspector threatened to send a letter to the head of the Technical College, where he studied, with a proposal to expel the bully without the right of return. But after a conversation with his father, Marek was limited to a fine and "the last warning". When Marek passed his qualifications and received his diploma, the college sighed with relief. The teachers touted the outstanding ability of a future technician in unison, but all agreed that he will end his days behind bars.

Listening to Marek’s chatter, Eric had completely forgotten about the meeting with the monks.

‘I have to go back. Templar urgently needs a pilot.’

‘Pilot? They're plotting something again.’

‘Nothing special, you need to deliver the goods in the sphere.’

‘Do you agree?’

‘Not yet, I am an officer and took an oath to the Empire.’

‘So what? I wanted to spit on Carl and his empire, for example. Come on, I'll take you to the monorail. You'll be there in five minutes.’

* * *

The Supreme Master prepared the installation of the computer on the frigate. As his engineers assured, this small detail would increase several times the co-efficiency of adaptive response of the control systems. The masters were not specialized in the field of nanotechnology, but the project was endorsed and supported. According to the calculations, the fee will increase the safety of flight and combat capability of the ship. Millions would pay for such developments in this field. However, there was a small problem. The program held a full cycle of tests in laboratories; the on-board computer was introduced for the first time. The experienced crew was required to monitor and debug the equipment according to the phases of flight. "Northern Shambhala" did not have its pilots. Tramp ships chartered for the delivery of cargoes through proxies. Two combat starships stood in the port only for a working platform for engineers and technicians. A testing ground for technologies was born of the Order of the minds of scientists. The frigate and the boat was not just kept in excellent condition, they represented structurally new devices, hidden under the shell of the old models. The shell was changed, keeping only the form of a prototype. These ships were all that remained of the fleet of the Order after the last run-in with the Exots. Eight starships had returned, but one of the "Drakkar" remained undamaged under Captain Derrick Grossa. He was patrolling in the atmosphere and did not participate in the battle. The "Assassin" frigate can be considered as a trophy that was thrown by nizarites accompanied by Himu landing boats and found that the ship was damaged and not compatible with any further operation. The ship managed to get to the base after a small repair in the open space where engineers and technicians mended it. The "Assassin" was the latest development of Exots, and not adapted for human usage. Scientists had to work hard, making changes to the design features of the frigate, from the chairs to the anatomical skeleton and the keys on the remote control. The result exceeded all expectations. "Northern Shambhala" had an excellent fighting unit with enhanced protection, powerful engines and hyper drive consuming minimal power. The rest of the surviving ships after the division of the Order were transferred to the "South Shambala" and then left Terra.

Now one of the spacecrafts had to leave the base by the Council and would attempt to get through to the peacekeepers. Unfortunately, the use of stations of long-distance or depth probes for transmission of information in this situation was unacceptable. The probe and the signal were likely to intercept and destroy Arktarts if they were still present in the sector. He was not able to attack the cruiser ground-based defense. First, he firmly took refuge behind the energy shield and the locating stations could not determine the location of the ship. Secondly, the ground-based defense had long been preserved. Their start-up took a lot of time to debug. And the teachers would not give permission. Fortunately, they agreed to prepare the team. They could only gain this same command. While the Arktarts would remove the protection on the combat course the crew would be left for a few minutes to break up and jump. What Exots will take if the ship will be able to break out of the sector? Will they go away? Most likely, they will try to take back what they first came for. And they came, judging by recent events, for a new strain of the killer virus. The primitive technology of earthlings only recorded one out of ten visits to the atmosphere and that if the visitors' defense failed. We should hope for a miracle. The information must be delivered to the peacekeepers, and the laboratory data should be delivered to the scientists. The sector data will be warned about the possible threat posed by the Exots. In any case, it was necessary to send a ship. Forming a team was the most painful question of preparation for the launch. The pilot was only a young boy of lieutenant rank. His agreement was a matter of time. There remained a problem with the mechanics and technical staff. The Master of the Order forbade attracting the crew of the Temple. The Master of International Contact submitted a perfectly acceptable option; to type a command to the earth dwellers, the disappearance of which would not cause a special resonance. They need to enter information using neuro downloads as soon as possible that will allow service to the ship. Then a couple of training sessions on the simulators and the crew was ready. More specifically prepared were those who do not get cranky after neuro jump. During the war with the Exots when the Combined Fleet suffered significant losses, a shortage of experts was actively contributed by volunteers who underwent neuro downloads. As a joke, they even nicknamed "neyrosapiens" or "of neural networks." "Neural networks" were different from ordinary crewmen by their speed of thought and the ability to analyze deeply. Taking advantage of the huge information base that was rooted in the brain, "neyrosapiens" assessed the situation quickly and made the right decisions. Rumor has it that the peacekeepers were still subjected to neuro jump of all officers and technical staff of the Galactic Patrol. Alas, the loss of the volunteers’ staff by direct impact on the brain was more than fifteen percent! At least fifteen people out of a hundred were immersed in an altered state but simply went crazy. The Supreme Master could not afford this. Not many candidates were in his possession. There were two climbers, who miraculously survived the avalanche, and passengers of military transport aircraft who were faced with a packet boat during the fall of the latter. The situation with victims was not hopeless but the storm happened in the disaster area. Chances of survival became more elusive. Another reason that influenced the Magistrate was that the surviving passengers of the aircraft witnessed a collision with a space object, and the Order was not interested in spreading unnecessary rumors. The master of the external contacts engaged in the delivery of people to the base immediately.

Communication with humans was always difficult for the monks. Although the natives are the direct descendants of immigrants from the Spheres, the way of life on Terra had formed a kind of stereotype, unique to the residents of this planet. The main thing was not to cause an attack of aggression by contact. Hypnosis was an old proven method that was safer to use. Earthlings had become helpless in a trance, although some individuals could resist the hypnotic effect. These properties were inherent in some from birth, and other properties appeared with age. But the aggressiveness of the inhabitants of the planet arose spontaneously during excitation of emotional centers. Curiously, it could trigger completely opposite feelings. It is difficult to catch the turning point. Scientists of the Order had not yet managed to create a reliable scheme of emotional cycles of earthlings. They were unpredictable. The followers of "South Shambhala" offered to destroy all the aggressive-minded individuals, continuing to work with the instances of mental stability. A similar concept was contrary to the teachings of the Order.

The Supreme Master sighed heavily. It was time to go back to everyday affairs. Earthlings will be delivered to the base soon. The rest depended on training and technical support for the future "of neurs", which was destined to become the first envoy to the Earth in the inhabited Spheres.

* * *

It took a few weeks as long as Iungten and Manley left the vicinity of the Nepal monastery. Passes had been left behind, blocking the way to the Land of Snows. The old man was perfectly oriented in the mountains. Iungten oriented well in the mountains and accurately choose the direction. The young man was surprised about the endurance of the guru. The old man explained that the main thing was the right to control breathing; it will help to save power. The travelers weren’t short of food. Iungten thought out a route in advance. Many villages and monasteries met them on their way. Residents took the monks into their homes, providing lodging and food. According to the calculations of old men the journey should take about two months. A large part of the road will pass through sparsely populated areas of the highlands. Then the reserves will be required. In the meantime you could travel lightly. Once the travelers stopped near the village on the banks of a small river. Manley went in search of firewood. Iungten sat on a stone, facing the sun. Suddenly he heard a bloodcurdling scream that came from the place where the young man had gone. And after a while, he heard the trample of feet of a running man.

‘Guru, I can see them! They are here!’

‘Calm Down!’

‘We need to run!’

Manley grabbed the old man by the arm and dragged him along.

‘Who are we running from?’

‘Predators are there and they are huge and evil! They are coming in our direction!’

‘Wait a minute. If you saw the spirits, it is necessary to read a prayer, they will disappear.’

‘I do not know a prayer, from which these monsters may disappear.’ Manley continued to drag Iungten behind himself.

‘Let go of my hand! I'm tired. I'll wait for them here. Predators may not injure a human being, if he is not afraid of them.’

‘Well, you can stay, and I will wait for you here.’

Iungten turned in the direction where the evil spirits would appear, according to the assurances of Manley. In fact, the old man heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

‘What's the scarecrow doing in the middle of the road? Brother, look at his remains. Dude, Are you alive or dead?’

‘If I speak with the spirits, then I am died, and if I am talking to people, I am still alive.’

‘He mocks us. Get out of my way, old man, or you'll get a slap!’

‘Now I'm sure that I am talking to people. Who are you – the travelers? You put an ear to my disciple with your view?’

‘We are Dobdobs from the local monastery.’

‘Manley, come out! We have nothing to fear.’

‘Look, brother, here is another one, but he is younger. He left the old man and hid.’

‘I thought that Mara went to the ground in his guise.’

‘Judging by the garment, you are a monk. Holy brothers are not afraid to face evil spirits. Who will protect us from the evil spirits? I think, brother, we should punish the negligent servant of law. Hold him and I will hit him with a whip.’ One of the Dobdobs went towards Manlam. The young man turned pale with fear as his huge mountain muscles in ragged, mud-covered robes bore down on him. Manlam heard about an illiterate arrogant strongman living in some Tibetan temples. Their duty was to maintain internal order and discipline in the monastery. Dobdobs were reputed to be the first bullies in the vicinity of the monastery. They could instill fear to any living being by an unconscious courage of a beast, wearing tattered clothes, smeared with soot and fat.

‘Do not beat my disciple. There is a Gautama saying: "Everybody trembles before the punishment, life is pleasant for all, put yourself in the place of another. Who is looking for happiness for themselves, impose a punishment on the creatures eager for happiness, he does not get happiness after death. "Please, let us go, we will reward you for your deeds.’

‘Dude, do not interfere. I know another saying: "If anything has to be done, do work with firmness. Since a more relaxed wanderer just lifts the dust.’ The giant gave a deafening laughter at these words.

‘You know the Scriptures well, and then maybe you will remember even one line: "Do not tell anyone something rude; those with whom you spoke rudely will answer you in the same way. The irritated speech is unpleasant, and retribution can touch you. "

The giant, who came to Manlam, paused for a moment, trying to comprehend everything that he heard. But, in all likelihood, he did not have the mind to fully understand the words of Iungtens. He reached out to grab the boy, but then somehow went limp and fell to the ground. Manlam pressed upon a huge stone and watched the scene. The guru put his hands forward, walked slowly toward the second giant, carefully groping his flat foot flat in his way. The Dobdob tried to get around the old man. Maybe the case is in his dementia, and maybe, he thought he was better prepared, unlike this fellow, as the Dobdob tried to get around the old man. He knew that the monks often use the wonders of magic and hypnosis; the giant went away from direct exposure of Iungtens. The old man continued to move without changing direction. The big man smiled a little more and he was behind the tramp as he tried to tear it apart. But a strong blow to the head knocked the giant out. Manlam threw a heavy rod to the ground and an overweight body sprawled in front of him at full length.

‘I hope Buddha will help you.’ Iungten put his hand on the Dobdob’s chest.

‘He'll be fine. He will come to his senses. It's time to go.’

‘What about the second one?’

‘He is sleeping and he will wake up no quicker than his comrade wakes up.’ Manlam looked at the teacher with awe:

‘I thank you.’

‘For what, my son?’

‘You saved me from shame.’

‘You saved me from death. If the giant had grabbed me, I would not have been able to get out of his grasp.’

‘What about the inner strength? You can easily cope with his friend.’

‘Not everyone gives in to energy. Sometimes the action is far superior to inner perfection. In ancient times when the Tathagata preached to the great scientist, Thera Maudgalyayana was among his listeners. Blessed declared at once: "Great Maudgalyayana – it is the first holders of the supernormal powers among the monks." But at the same time he was beaten with a club by simple peasants. He had a smashed head, broken bones and that is why he died. Supernormal powers and fruits of action are equally incomprehensible forces. But one of the equal things will still be stronger and more powerful than the other. In the old days, the land was ruled by kings. All of them are well-born, but one of them took the upper hand and disposed of it. Here are just two incomprehensible things stronger and more powerful than action. He takes precedence over everything and disposes it. If the act is prevailing, all other forces are not allowed. Therefore, the great Maudgalyayana could not meet with supernormal powers when he was beaten: then, as now, the act is a prevailing act. You did the right thing; you set in motion your rod. This saved my life. But let’s stop talking, collect things, and continue the path.’

Iungten felt extremely weak after a week. They stopped for the night in a small cave, which Manley found. Even fires, created by young men do not make an old man feel better.

‘This is my last night. Shinje is waiting for me in the world of Bardo. He gave us a little more time. Great Mahatmas do not wish for the second time to meet with me. I believe that you will be able to reach the Holy Land. I made a detailed map after returning from the Great Mahatma possessions, by which you can easily reach the caves that begins an underground labyrinth. When you will enter into the womb of the mountains, keep to the right side. So you will not get lost and go out into the right place. Everything else depends on the will of heaven. Open my sack and take the gray scroll. A dagger must be in there. He left me after visiting the Shambhala as a memory. Purba is not a simple weapon, he is bewitched.’ The old man touched the handle of the dagger.

Manley had never seen anything like it. The blade was not thicker than a human hair. It radiated a faint purple glow. The handle was decorated with emeralds, ending with a huge clear stone, mounted in yellow metal. Manley could have sworn that it was a diamond of pure water.

‘I have already said that the dagger is not simple.’

Iungten let go of the dagger, and it hung in the air. Then, it took a horizontal position, the blade circled over his head and dropped into the old man's hand.

‘Now it's yours. If you want Purba to start listening to you, you have a lot of time to spend with him as long as my energy will not leave the dagger, but yours will not enter into it. Purba is just a beautiful knife for you now. The gods know how to manage things. All guardians of Shambhala have the daggers. When they picked me up, one of them dropped his weapon; I picked it up and put next to my chest.’

‘Guru, The Guardians did not discover the loss, did they? You have long been unconscious.’

‘The gods are omniscient. I think they left it especially for me. Maybe they left it for me in order not to consider myself crazy. Tomorrow at dawn, when my spirit will leave the body, you will use this dagger for all the necessary rites and immediately drive everything away. The gravestone should be near here. This cave served as a refuge of yoga for many years. I feel their presence. They came from the world of Bardo, to pick collect me. Their bodies were also left on the sacrificial stone near the cave which is a good sign. Providence itself led us to the holy place. I do not know for what merits favor me, but I am grateful. You're still inexperienced, and funeral rites are likely to be the first in your life. Do not worry; I will die in due time, very soon.’

‘What does "in due time" mean, Guru? Can a person die in his own “due time” or on his terms? It seemed to me that the gods have measured life expectancy of each, which means that everyone will die in their time.’

‘You're wrong. Did you see how the fruits fall off the tree? Sometimes they are ripe, sometimes quite immature. Tell me, do the fruits fall on their terms?’

‘Those fruits that are ripe fall on their terms. Others because they have been eaten by worms and others torn by wind or knocked down by hail.’

‘The situation is the same for humans: those people are dying on their terms that have been knocked down an irresistible old age. Others die broken by past actions; others are dying broken by circumstances. The death of a living being can occur from one of the eight factors: from the disorder of life winds, from bile disorders, disorder of mucus from their concurrent disorders, by changes in the weather, from the wrong way of life, from external damage and because of action. Death as a result of actions is an appropriate death, and the rest – are inappropriate. A creature dies before the deadline as a result of the evil deeds that he had committed before. Think about it. Now leave me alone. The path to Bardo is hard, and I want to prepare for it.’

Manley came out of the cave, clutching a magic dagger in his hand. The young man was something to ponder. He climbed on a granite splinter which had once been a part of the mountain. Stars twinkled high above his head. This was a quiet moonlight night. Even the Demon Mountains pacified their ardor without pushing the old teacher to leave this world. Manley did not go into the cave until dawn. When the first ray of sunlight touched the snow-capped peaks, the young Trapa was ready to carry out the burial ritual.

Iungten was sitting in a meditative posture, without giving any sign of life. His soul left the body and went on a tour of the Subtle World. Before assuming his duties, Manley visited the neighborhood of the cave. The stone, which the guru said, was nearby. The young man took off the clothes from the deceased body and carried them to the altar. For a few hours he read the funeral prayers, seeing the soul of the teacher in the world of Bardo. Then he cut off the head, arms, legs and ripped the stomach open, expanding the interior of the stone using the dagger. That was the most disgusting moment in the burial. Manley vomited, it seemed that everything inside him turned inside out. His hands were stained with the blood of the old man up to his elbows. Gathering his last strength, the young man completed the dismemberment of the body. Now the birds and animals were easily able to profit from the remains of the monk. The body of Iungtens would become food that can prolong the existence of the inhabitants of the mountains. So death gives birth to life.

Manley went down to the creek and washed himself thoroughly. He did not deter from the cave. He folded his meager belongings, map and dagger that were given by the teacher in the sack, and he hit the road. The rest of the way Manley was under the impression that he had conducted the funeral ceremony. He almost did not eat, and the young man took less time to rest than before the death of Iungten. It was enough for a few hours to recover and continue the journey. Manley did not seek shelter for the night. He went right along the road, forgetting his short, troubled sleep. It seemed like a young man pushes forward. He hardly looked at the map, but was confident that he was going in the right direction.

* * *

A day later, the Supreme Master studied the reports from the Control Service. He had problems only with the climbers that had been delivered to the earthlings’ base. The rest conducted themselves in a much calmer way. The masters were in no hurry with the union of the future team. First of all, it was necessary to identify the leader. The Supreme Master proceeded to the room where Igor Samoilov was kept, accompanied by guards. Before entering, he looked into a small room furnished with equipment tracking. One of the monks was also kept here, by observing the behavior of the object.

‘Are there any changes?’

‘He behaved himself calmly. He is in the shower. We have removed his clothes, and put a jumpsuit on him.’

Samoylov did not find his clothes and took a long look at his new things. Then, he dressed and went to see what the suit looked like. There was nothing special, just a small square right wrist made of thick material with several buttons.

‘Do not touch it; you do not know their destination.’

Samoylov looked back.A man stood in the doorway, in strange clothes, that were reminiscent of the clothes of Buddhist monks.

‘I am the Supreme Master of the Order of the "Seven Stars". I greet you at the station of “Northern Shambhala." Do not worry, we will not harm you. We had to evacuate you. The avalanche destroyed not only the mountain camp but also the base, which was below. A maximum of one day and you would have become stiff corpses.’

‘Shambala? This is the same Shambala, which the Tibetans are talking about, aren’t they?’

‘That is the same. Legends exist about the World of Knowledge, on Terra. It is called "Shambala", which is located in the Himalayas. Historians and travelers sometimes accurately show its coordinates, and many even try to enter here. But the database is well protected. The energy fields do not allow the capture of any radar station or other technical means. Psychotropic radiation makes people hallucinate, making the base invisible, even if you are close. Very rarely Earthlings managed to penetrate the Shambhala without our knowledge. In that part of the planet where you were born, it preserved the tradition of Belovodye. That is the ancient name of Shambhala in Slavic rumors. We have saved the lives of you and your partner, so trust for good reason. From the moment of your arrival at the base, you began to prepare for the implementation of the mission, affecting not only the interests of Terra, but also other sectors of the inhabited Outer and Inner Space.’

‘What kind of Cosmos is there, and why did you keep us under lock and key?’ Supreme Master smiled.

‘I think it's obvious. After reviewing the technical equipment of your room, it can be concluded that the base does not belong to Earth's civilization.’

‘Let's say I believe it. But if you are all-powerful, why do you need us? Find someone more worthy to accomplish the mission’, Igor’s tone was clearly mocking. The Supreme Master realized that the story did not convince the interlocutor. A strong swarthy earthling does not see anything extraordinary in his own salvation.

‘Do you refuse our offer, as I understand? Unfortunately, all I can do for you is to return you to the place where you were taken.’

Samoylov did not have time to realize that the man called Master said this as a cold wind pierced his body. The mountain suit he was wearing protected him against the snow as he walked around his former camp. This was nonsense! A moment ago, he was in a warm, very comfortable room. What does he have to do? Igor began sleeping through time. He realized that if he freezes, he will try to move. Useless, deathly sleep takes him in its arms.

Igor opened his eyes. This was the same room, the same man in monk's clothing. Samoilov was again wearing the jumpsuit, but the mountain costume was missing.

‘Congratulations on your return. You have good stamina. Many would not have lasted half the time. I hope you understand what you expect.’

‘This is a stupid joke, I would ask you not to do these great tricks again. I do not know who you are, and I cannot assume what you want from us. I understand that I am completely powerless in front of your tricks and, relying on common sense, agree to fulfill your requirements.’

‘I am pleased that we are beginning to understand each other. Relax. Periodically, you will transmit instructions from a computer, with which you should become familiar. And a smaller request; you will repeat to Stanislav what I told you. If he will make the right decision, we will give you the opportunity to communicate more often.’ The master left. Samoylov could not recover for a long time. It seems that the owners did not lie; Igor is on the experimental base. The word “alien” was not fit for the understanding of Samoilov. He was accustomed that the theme of extraterrestrial was the destiny of science fiction, scientists and the mentally ill. Now it was not important. How can he convince Stas? Should he repeat this nonsense about aliens? What if he does not believe? He thinks that Samoylov moved for a reason. Igor found himself trying to think carefully, as if fearing eavesdroppers. It would be nice to smoke, Samoilov reached into his pocket, but he remembered that he was in someone else's suit. It is a comfortable thing, by the way. It did not hold down movements. It was unknown how the aliens dealt with super technology, but light industry is quite competitive. Igor went to the computer and decided to try a few combinations.