Chapter 1

The passageway narrowed as Jon crawled on hands and knees. He had always loved to explore. He had never been bothered by confined spaces. His headlamp illuminated the slimy walls that now took a turn downward. Did he dare go further? If the space narrowed much more, he could plunge downward. And then what? Be stuck upside down in a slippery underground tunnel? Or worse, he could be stuck head down in a pool of water. At least it would be a quick death.

Something inside Jon pushed him to risk the unknown. All of his seventeen years, he'd languished on this backwater planet, always feeling out of place, always looking for something more. Everyone here was told to accept others as their equals, but Jon knew he was more than just equal. His destiny didn't lay in the path of sameness that guided so many of his friends and neighbors. His ancestors had been greats, the rulers of whole planets and most of the galaxy. Maybe they hadn't always been kind, but they took bold leadership to bring stability and steady progress. At least that's what his Granddah said.

With a quick impulse urging him forward, Jon crawled further into the tunnel before he could change his mind. The next thing he knew, Jon was sliding downward at an accelerating pace as the channel turned sharply downward. Jon was plunged headfirst into shockingly cold water.

Tendrils of fear gripped him as he realized he had no choice but to swim further into the murky darkness. His hands brushed the sides of the channel ahead of him, making him pull back as he realized a wall was in front of him. What if this was a dead end?! Jon felt around and discovered he could swim upward. His lungs burning and his heart pounding, Jon swam upward and hoped for at least an air pocket.

What he found was much more than just a pocket of trapped air. His head broke the surface, and he reached to cling to the stone edge. Whatever this was, it was pitch dark. Without a choice, Jon opened his mouth to gulp in some air and found it stale but enough to help calm his breathing. Maybe he wasn't going to die today after all.

Jon pulled himself onto the stone floor beside the water and let himself settle while his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He could make out objects on a wall not far away. There seemed to be enough headspace to stand, so he cautiously got to his feet. Hands in front of him, he moved slowly toward what he thought was a wall, only to hit something with his leg that clattered to the floor. Bending toward the sound, Jon found what felt like a chair that had fallen on its side. He probed the darkness with his hands and felt what might be a desk or bench. 

Jon followed the outline of the bench until it angled back toward the wall. Now he guessed he was standing next to the wall of this chamber and began to search along the wall, careful where to place his feet lest he end up back in the water. Jon's hand found protrusions coming from the wall that felt a bit like boxes or perhaps switches. He moved the lever of what may have been a switch, but nothing happened. 

His explorations took him a bit further along the wall. He began to suspect the chamber was not just a tiny air pocket but needed more light to be certain. His fingers found a large, smooth, raised object that fit the palm of his hand. Jon probed the object's edges and found it was raised, perhaps on a short pedestal. Later, he would recall that he had no idea of its function but decided to push on it to see if it moved.

To his shock, the object moved further toward the wall, followed by a click and a low rubble. Jon blinked as lights flickered on in the chamber. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Jon could now see the chair lying on its side in front of a long, narrow bench that served as a desk along the wall. Gauges and dials peppered the wall above the bench, and what looked like a door was recessed near its far end.

Jon moved over to examine the items on the bench and found a few scattered notebooks but nothing that explained who made this place or its function. He moved to the door after examining the baffling gauges and dials. It had a crank wheel in the center, of the kind that Jon has seen in books about underwater craft. He cranked the wheel and pulled at the door. It took all his strength to get it to move just a few centimeters. Jon looked around for something to use as a lever to pry the door further open. Finding nothing, he placed a foot along the doorframe and heaved with all his might.

Very slowly, the heavy door yielded, moving at a glacial pace as if determined to resist all his efforts. When it had moved enough to allow him through, Jon collapsed onto the stone floor to catch his breath and hope he hadn't hurt his back.

The space beyond wasn't a room. It appeared to be a hallway leading off in a direction that Jon judged was further toward the heart of the large hill adjacent to the entrance tunnel. Moving cautiously, Jon was surprised when dim lights began to shine, seemingly triggered by his presence. Rooms lined the hall at intervals, most of them locked but some opening to his touch. One such room looked to have a medical purpose, with beds lining one wall and antique medical tools lying atop wheeled carts. Nothing here indicated a more specific purpose for the room. The age of the instruments hinted at origins in the distant past. Jon returned to the hallway, checking which rooms were unlocked. Some were like the first room, while others appeared to be storage or meeting rooms.

At the end of the hall was a set of double doors, each with a more conventional handle. Jon was surprised when the doors opened and found himself in an opulent space. Thick but dusty carpet covered the floor, and wood paneling lined the walls. At the far end was what appeared to be a raised dais with five elaborately carved high-back chairs in a semicircle. 

Two doors led off the rear sides of the chamber. One led to a kitchen, which reminded Jon that he was truly hungry. He rummaged in the shelves and drawers, hoping to find something edible. Most drawers were empty, but one cabinet contained sealed containers that appeared to be freeze-dried meals. Jon found he could read the labels but was shocked at the package details indicating when the contents would expire. It showed a date three hundred and fifty years in the past!

This place has been sitting here for over three centuries? No way! I used to play on this hill, but no one ever mentioned it as a historical site. Who put all this here and why?! I wonder if Dad or Granddah knows about this place? thought Jon as he stared at the labels.

The package instructions included adding water and heating the contents. Jon looked around for a water source and a container. He spotted a sink and turned the spigot, but no water flowed. Returning to the cabinets, Jon searched further and, at the very back of a lower cabinet, found clear, sealed containers. They appeared to contain water, so Jon opened one, dipped in a finger, and touched the drop to his tongue. It tasted like water and smelled slightly of bleach. It would have to do. Next, Jon searched for some way to heat the packaged food. He saw a chamber that reminded him of the cooking chambers in his family home, but the controls were lifeless.

Faced with starving or eating a cold meal, Jon found a bowl, emptied the food package, and added the water. It did not look convincingly edible, so Jon let it sit for a while. If the contents had been dehydrated centuries ago, it may take time to absorb any water.

Returning to the main chamber, Jon turned the door handle and entered the other adjoining room. He saw shelves for supplies and a rack that may have functioned to hold garments. It was nondescript except for one odd thing. The rear wall on the left side of the room had a square box protruding about chest high. Jon examined the box to try to find a clue about its function. As he ran his hand over the flat front of the box, he jumped back, startled that the image of a hand had appeared on the surface. Jon peered at the image, but it suddenly disappeared. Curious, Jon ran his hand over the surface again, and, as before, the image of a right hand appeared on the box's surface. 

Looks like an invitation to me, said Jon to himself as he placed his hand atop the glowing image. Sensors appeared to sweep his hand several times, after which there was a gentle chime, and the wall receded slightly away from him and moved to his left. A passage into the space behind the wall appeared to Jon's right. Cautiously, his hunger forgotten, Jon walked to the opening and entered the room behind the wall.

After a few steps, lights activated to illuminate the room. Jon was so focused on the room's contents that he didn't see the wall behind him move to seal him inside. The room contained a blend of old and modern. Real paper books, found only in museums now, filled the bookshelves that lined most walls. An electronic workstation with an old-fashioned monitor and keyboard was centrally located below a work of art that looked like three crossed swords, with an inscription in a language unfamiliar to Jon.

Then, Jon noticed the wall behind him had moved back to its original position, sealing him inside. 

Should have at least brought that food with me, said Jon as he shook his head at the thought of starving inside his discovery.

Resigned, Jon sat in the chair before the monitor and looked for a switch. He poked the keyboard and spoke verbal commands but met with nothing but deathly silence. Jon ran his hands over the monitor case and peered under the keyboard. As he ran his hands over the table's surface, a rectangle bearing the image of a hand again appeared on the table's surface. Shrugging with an expression that said, I've got nothing to lose, Jon placed his hand atop the image on the table and waited.

This time, the sensors took longer, almost as if debating about an internal conclusion. Finally, the monitor glowed, and a message appeared.

Welcome, Monsignor Almonte.  It has been 127,500 standard days since your last log-in. Do you wish to continue your search from where you left off?

Jon sat in stunned silence. Whoever this person was, he had last accessed this room over three hundred and fifty years ago. And for some reason, this machine thought Jon was this Monsignor. Intrigued by the question, Jon reached for the keyboard and typed yes.

An outline of data streams appeared on a menu that covered a wide variety of topics. Terms like asset protection and long-term strategy options appeared with many others. Uncertain how to proceed, Jon touched the screen near the item listed as asset protection and began to read. Whoever owned this place must have been immensely wealthy because there were pages and pages of items, ranging from valuable minerals to companies and even whole planets.

Jon sat back, his thoughts overwhelming as he tried to process what he had found. As he stared at the screen, he noticed an icon in the lower left that looked like an antique book. Curious, Jon touched the icon, and a recorded message filled the screen.

"If you have accessed this room and these archives, you are likely working to protect and restore our glorious Order. If time and circumstance prevent the speedy acquisition of this knowledge, allow me to provide a summary. We are The Order, leaders, managers, and guides to nearly every planet in this galaxy. From our humble beginning four millennia ago, we grew to be the masters of every major government and owners of both wealth and power almost too vast to number.

But we grew complacent, assuming in our hubris that we were unassailable. But from an obscure planet emerged the evidence of our involvement in a plan to squash independent thinking. Opposition began growing like toxic weeds, trying to choke out the peace and Order we had bestowed on every world. If it had only been the three simple people who came seeking to weaken us, we could have swept them away; their voices lost for all time. But fate aligned them with a powerful foe, the descendants of a space pirate named Madron, with resources vast enough to resist us. These were joined by representatives of an ancient civilization unknown to us and possessing technology more advanced than ours. Their combined efforts exposed our plans, eroded our resources, and destroyed our ability to govern.  

But we are The Order, and our plans span hundreds of years. We may have suffered a defeat, but this facility and others like it were created to assist our descendants as they rise in power, restoring the glory of our organization and returning the galaxy to the peace and order that only we can provide. You will find all the resources you need within these archives. Plan carefully and learn from our mistakes. It is your destiny to restore The Order to its role as Master of this galaxy. We wish you well."

Jon sat staring at the screen, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. His Granddah had told him the same story, though his father had shunned mentioning The Order. Was it a coincidence that his family owned the land where this facility was located? Granddah said they were descendants of a leader from The Order. Maybe this Monsignor Almonte? That name sounded suspiciously like all mountain, and Jon's family name was Wholemont. 

Jon rose from his chair and looked back at the wall that had moved to let him enter. He noticed the hand reader on this inside surface and used it again to move the wall and return to the kitchen. He needed all the energy to continue the search, so he hoped the food was edible.

Chapter 2

The rehydrated meal was chewy but edible. Jon found another container of water to help wash it down and was soon aware of another need. Returning to the hall outside the audience chamber, Jon looked for stairs or elevators to ascent to the upper floors of the building. Jon knew the footprint of the hill covered at least six hectares, so there had to be lots of the building yet to be explored. That had to include a particular room that Jon needed quite soon.

Another hallway ran at a right angle to the one he had just followed. It had assorted rooms on either side. Just as Jon became desperate, a doorless entry opened to his right. Peering inside, Jon was glad to see the much-needed bathroom. He rushed into a stall and sighed in relief, soon realizing he had no idea how to operate the waste disposal mechanism.

If I'm a descendant of this Monsignor Almonte, I'd better be smart enough to operate a toilet, or there is little hope for The Order, thought Jon. By pushing or pulling the nearby levers, Jon finally activated the unit and disintegrated the waste. Feeling proud of himself, he decided to look for a path to the upper floors while he explored this hallway.

At the end of the hall was another blank wall with a scan box. Jon didn't even wait for the hand outline but placed his hand on the wall scanner and heard the slight click as the door in front of him unlocked. Beyond lay both stairs leading upward and what Jon hoped was an elevator. They opened as he approached these doors, allowing access to an elevator car. Once again, he was faced with a hand scanner, which he activated. Whoever built this place was determined to limit access to certain rooms and floors.

When the scanner was activated, a numbered display appeared on a panel. Rather than pick a number randomly, Jon picked one that seemed to be at the top of the list. He hoped that meant it would travel to the upper floors. The door closed, and Jon was happy to sense the car moving upward. Either the speed of the ascent was slow, or Jon was further within the mount than he realized because time passed slowly before the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

What awaited Jon had him jumping back in surprise. Two sentry bots faced him with weapons raised.

Identity, came the command from a synthesized voice.

In rising panic, Jon blurted out the only name he knew was associated with this place.

Monsignor Almonte, he said loudly, inwardly fearful that these machines would not accept his statement. Beams shoot out from the bots, scanning him from head to toe.

DNA match not identical but acceptable.  The bots then lowered their weapon and retreated to a charging station at the room's far corner.

Trembling from the adrenalin rush, Jon entered the room and looked around. It was a circular space void of windows or doors. He stepped closer to the wall and touched the smooth, curved surface. As soon as his hand made contact, this whole section of the wall brightened to display an image of the area south of the hill where Jon's family home was located. Playing a hunch, he placed two fingers on the image of his home and pulled his fingers diagonally apart. The image of his home zoomed into magnified clarity. He could see window curtains moving in the breeze from an open window and bits of moss growing on roof shingles. He jumped back when the image of his mother stepped through the door with a bucket of food for some of the farm animals. The view was so realistic he wondered if she could hear him if he spoke. As if sensing she was being watched, she turned and looked curiously toward the hill, cocking her head to one side before returning to her task.

Jon stepped back from the wall, and the images vanished. He walked to another wall section and touched the surface. This time, the view was of hills and forests east of his home. He could make out the outline of a few buildings from the nearest town. Jon tried the magnification trick again and was astonished when much of the town expanded with incredible clarity. He could see people walking and vehicles plying the streets. He wondered if there was an option for audio. He touched the screen again and noticed a few small icons at the base of the image. Jon examined the icons and touched one that seemed to suggest sound. He was again startled when city noises flooded from the image. Jon touched the image of two women walking, and now their conversation could be heard clearly.

Wow! That's amazing, said Jon out loud. But it still doesn't tell me how to get out of this place, he thought. Accepting that this was a kind of observation room and not an exit, Jon returned and summoned the elevator. This time, he examined the display more closely to see if anything indicated an exit.

With mounting frustration, Jon said, How the hell do I get to an exit?  To his surprise, another panel within the elevator car illuminated, showing three points that pulsed brighter and dimmer. Jon touched one of the points, and the elevator descended, stopping close to the room where he had originally entered the building. Again, playing a hunch, Jon said, Show the location of the exit.  A dotted line showed the path from this elevator to an exit. Jon looked at the diagram carefully before exiting the elevator car and walking to the spot indicated by the panel display. It was about halfway down the hall from that original room and ended at a locked door. He tried to ask the door to unlock verbally, but there was no response.

Jon returned to the elevator car and once again asked for the location of the exits. When the three dots were displayed, he selected another of the three, prompting the elevator doors to close and move to the new location. Jon followed the same procedure as last time and then studied the dotted pathway to the exit door. This time, however, he also said, Unlock the exit door. A low buzz sounded, and a voice said, Unable to comply.

Frustrated, Jon said, Then how the hell do I gain access to the exit?  He was surprised when a voice said, Use the security key.  So, what is a security key? asked Jon with some heat. All he got was the low buzz of disapproval. With a sigh and a shrug, Jon returned to the archive room. He could find answers there. Plus, it was near the kitchen.

Jon found the archive entrance and once again used the hand scanner to enter. He sat at the desk in front of the terminal and looked for a schematic of the building or whatever this place was called. He followed the screen prompt and found more real estate and bank account lists. There was also a long list of people identified as Useful Pieces, whatever that meant. Jon was sure the names would be useless if these were potential allies. Even with modern healthcare, people seldom live beyond one hundred and fifty years.

Jon abandoned his probe of the electronic record and stood up to stretch. He once again noticed the many