Beyond Hades: The Prometheus Wars Read Online Free PDF Page B

we use to travel swiftly between bases."
    "How does it work?" asked Talbot, intrigued.
    "It's very basic science actually," the controller explained, flicking a few more switches above his head. "Throughout the Earth there is a constant stream of heat which, when in a controlled environment such as this thermo-tube in combination with normal gravitational energy manipulated by the hull of the carrier, can be harnessed to propel a large transport at incredible speeds underground."
    "I'm glad you said it was basic; I'd hate for every single thing you just said to have gone completely over my head." Talbot grimaced. "How does it deal with the friction on the wheels produced from travelling so fast?" He assumed the thermo-carrier sat on rails like a train or monorail. Travelling at such speeds would rapidly melt any moving parts, owing to the intense friction created.
    The controller glanced at him quizzically, and then chuckled. "There are no wheels on the thermo-carrier. It works on a complete negative-polarity system of magnetic rejection."
    "What does that mean?"
    "The entire thermo-carrier is electromagnetic with a positive polarity; the tube around us is as well. The interior of the carriage is insulated against this, of course. The opposing energies push against each other like two magnets of the same polarity and we float in the middle. There were some initial issues with the carriage rolling, but they simply adjusted the magnetic power to compensate and keep the entire vehicle upright."
    "So that's why it's shaped like a football," said Talbot.
    "Exactly," agreed the controller.
    Talbot noticed a photo of a woman and young girl attached to the side of the control console, away from the myriad of gauges and switches.
    "Is that your family?" he asked.
    The controller looked at the photo and smiled, his grin seeming somewhat sad. "Yeah," he murmured. "I worry about them with what's going on out there." He seemed to realize his descent into melancholy and snapped out of it. "Sorry. You don't need to hear that stuff."
    "Not at all; I mean, who wouldn't be worried after some of the things we're seeing out there? By the way, my name is Talbot." He extended his hand.
    The controllers glanced at each other again, their expressions unreadable. The one who had spoken shook Talbot's hand uncertainly.
    "We know who you are, Doctor Harrison. Everyone here does. At this point in time you're quite possibly the most important person on the planet."
    Talbot sat back in his chair, stunned. The enormity of the man's words threatened to overwhelm him, and he could only think one thing. One overwhelming word summed up everything -
    "Shit," he muttered.

    ***

    The journey continued without incident, and Talbot eventually became bored staring through the windscreen at nothing and decided to explore the thermo-carrier.
    The two controllers glanced around quizzically when he rose to leave, but Talbot didn't give them a chance to refuse him, quickly stepping back through the door into the main hold of the carrier. Arranged before him were seats in rows - similar to those on a commercial airline - all filled with people bearing traumatized expressions; some wept openly, others merely stared vacantly at the seat in front of them. Talbot wondered abstractly who they were and what they had done at the underground base. Perhaps some were family of soldiers stationed there, or maybe their roles were closer to the core of what had been going on. He'd probably never know.
    Several of the passengers seemed to recognize him, making Talbot recall what the controller had said about everyone on board knowing who he was. It disturbed him to see more than a few of the glances cast in his direction were hollow, some even outright hostile. Perhaps the bearers blamed Talbot - or maybe his brother, Thomas - for the tragedy which had seen them arrive at this point.
    It was obvious why they were all so unhappy; only a fool could miss it. Fear possibly formed part of