March 3976: The heat rose off the desert of the Forbidden Zone in long shimmering waves. Here and there were outcroppings of rock but little else. This deep into what had once been fertile land, nothing could grow. One could pass across it if lucky and a day later the tracks would be gone. The lone wagon that was crossing this wasteland went slowly, laden with supplies for the long trip. At its front sat two Chimpanzees, both wearing floppy broad brimmed hats to keep the sun off their heads. The younger of the two, Lysius, thought his master, Doctor Milo mad. But in this thought he was no different from many other apes back in their city; Milo had nearly been cited for heresy on more than one occasion. He’d stood up to Doctor Zaius in council and been reprimanded. This was why an ape of his stature found himself tutoring students privately and sneaking off into the Forbidden Zone to do what he wanted without Gorilla or Orangutan interference.
Lysius thought that Milo’s latest jaunt was insane. Friends of his, Cornelius and Zira (who would have been his had he been more down to earth) had told Milo of a man, a different man; one who could think and told a strange story. Unlike other Apes, Milo had believed them. He knew that somewhere, hidden in man’s mind was the capacity to think. He also knew and would have been imprisoned or worse had he let this out; that man had once been the dominant species on the planet; that the apes owed much of their culture to their hairless enemies. If Zaius had known that Milo had seen papers, papers that were not part of the Sacred Scrolls, but were part of the Orangutan’s secret documents – he certainly would have been quietly killed by now.
Pulling back the reigns, Milo halted the wagon. Reaching to his side he removed a map, not one of the primitive ones such as Cornelius had shown Taylor; this one was ancient and battered. On it in red ink was the legend US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY – 1975. Milo rubbed a hand over the map absent mindedly. His friend Cornelius would have given a decade of his life to see this – but Milo was cautious. He’d found this in among things Zaius had scheduled for destruction. But the Gorilla guarding it had been easy to fool and as such, now it was Milo’s. He envied a time when there was power to create such things. As he envied the engineers whose drawings he’d seen in the two books he was able to make off with. He had them with him and had been reading them for years. This strange man Cornelius told him about had merely fired his ambition to see if the tale was true. He believed that at one time Man could fly, indeed had gone into space itself. The books he had saved – heresy indeed! – from Zaius foolishness was proof of that! Taking out another map, Milo held them side by side. The ancient one proved that the planet had suffered a horrible catastrophe. Where they sat on their wagon had once been water, part of a great harbor. He had used this one to make a more accurate one of the surrounding area. The ruins of the Forbidden City were to their west, the ravine that led to dead lake lay ahead. Still they had to take a longer route; there wasn’t any path for the wagon through the ravine.
“All right, let’s get moving.”
It took most of the next day to traverse the ravine to where a gentle slope led down to the shores of the lake. It was cooler by it, a light breeze ruffling their hats. As they rode about the lake, its dead waters lapping at the sandy shores, Lysius pointed ahead. “Doctor, what’s that?”
Milo stopped the wagon and lifted a hand made telescope. Holding it to his eye he peered ahead. There, at the edge of the lake was a white triangle. It was sticking out of the water at an angle, showing that it had washed ashore but could go no further. Milo could feel his heartbeat increase. “I think I’ve found what I’m looking for.”
As Lysius watched in amazement, Milo stripped off his clothing and waded – waded – out into the cool waters of the lake. Few apes, if any, were willing to go into open water. When they bathed it was in safety. Lysius had never seen one do what Milo had. The brilliant ape carried only a rope with a grapnel. Moving alongside the object – which he suspected to be an aircraft of some kind, he paused to look at the blue circle with ANSA stenciled in white. Licking his lips, Milo moved alongside until he was next to and below a hole in the craft’s hull. Deftly he tossed the grapnel and tugged back, feeling it bite. Swiftly he climbed up onto the craft and peered down into its depths. For a moment he felt around the hole and envied the makers of this craft. The metal was so smooth, so even. The best metal smith he knew couldn’t do this. For a moment Milo wished he could bring Zaius here. What would this do to his idea of ape superiority? But no, Zaius would call this heresy and have it destroyed. Milo squirmed into the hatch and climbed down into the ship.
It was dim inside, a slight amount of light coming through the quartz crystal windows. There were four seats and at the rear of the craft, water from when it had sunk. Holding onto the various consoles, Milo moved further back, until the water was as high as his knees. There were four sarcophagi here, not unlike those used to bury apes of higher class. All but one was open; this last bore a skeletal corpse in a white uniform – from examination, Milo could see that it had been a female.
Moving back through the ship he saw a light blinking on one of the consoles. Peering down at it he moved away some muck and read: FUSION ENGINES AT 71%.
Fusion engines! Milo was aghast at the word. He’d only seen it once before, in the writings of Virgil which were now forbidden. His ancient teacher, Dante had shown him them before Zaius and the council had ordered them destroyed. Virgil believed that man had broken the time barrier and been able to travel through it. Milo rubbed his eyes. He had to save this vessel! Had to!
April 3976
Milo wiped sweat from his face with rough towel. There before him lay the ship. In secrecy, assisted by several of his students he knew he could trust – all chimpanzees – he had smuggled horses and equipment out to dead lake. No one had tried to stop him. In the last year prior to this craft arriving, he had kept a low profile, not wanting Zaius to close his classes. His title in the past would have been Mathematician/Engineer, but to the apes he was just that chimp with the odd ideas.
It had been a struggle getting the ship ashore. Logs covered in grease were used as rollers, but even with ten horses and twelve healthy young chimps, they had just gotten it out of the water. Looking at the ship and then at his own meager equipment, Milo felt a surge of jealousy. Several times he had been tempted to tell Zira and Cornelius about this discovery, but all it was so far was salvaged. Having been inside several times, he thought it could be made to work, to fly again. That would be an accomplishment even Zaius couldn’t deny! Perhaps it was time to end the Orangutan hold on Ape civilization and return things to the way they had been under Cesar, a return to Chimp rule!
Walking back to his tent, Milo looked around and removed the ancient books from a hidden pocket in his pack. One was A History of Spaceflight the other was a Physics text that had helped him in his theories. Flipping through the book on spaceflight he stopped at a photograph of the ship he was looking at. It was amazing, but there in a separate picture was the captain of the vessel, a Colonel George Taylor! Milo stared at the picture and turned the page. There were two more ships like the one before him, but subtly different. They appeared shorter. Closing the book and putting it away, Milo walked over to the ship. Lysius, with other students was washing down the hull. Climbing a rough wooden ladder, Milo entered the cabin. He knew that he could figure out how to make this ship work again. But without the missing hatch he’d climbed in through, he couldn’t make it fly.
Clambering down past the seats to the cryogenics (although he didn’t know what they were, he had surmised they were to lie down in) chambers. He stared at the broken one. He’d had the corpse removed and set aside for further study. In a storage locker to the rear he’d discovered four space suits complete with helmets. Could he fly the ship with a broken hatch in one of the suits? If he had to he would. He was determined to bring his fellow apes out of their apathy. Knowledge should never stand still.
“Doctor Milo!” A voice called from above. Milo cocked his head and headed back toward the hatch’s passage. There at the top, staring down was Xyla, a handsome young chimpanzee female and an excellent student. “What is it?” He called up.
“Come see what we’ve found!”
At the excited urgency in her voice, Milo clambered up and out of his ship, for that was how he thought of it. It was his ship.
Xyla shot down the ladder and ran to a wagon. Milo followed. On it were two male students, both using towels to dry off. Milo smiled wryly. Many of the younger chimps had followed his lead, learned to swim and enjoyed it. Milo was proud to have circumvented another ape myth; that they couldn’t swim. As he walked closer to the wagon, he felt his breath go short. There, partially covered, lay a white disc… Could it be? Milo covered the last few yards in a near frantic leap. It was! It was a disc of metal like the ship itself!
“H-how did you find this?” He stammered.
The taller of the two chimps, Xenos, grinned and practically hopped up and down. “We used lodestone on a rope, Dr. Milo. Remember when you showed us in class that lodestone can pick filings out of sand?”
Milo nodded, remembering their excitement at the simple experiment. It was one he’d taught himself when he was five. He’d also learned that the stronger a magnet the stronger the attraction. He remembered confusing a young cousin by moving a bowl on top of a table by using two magnets.
“Well,” said the smaller chimp Walon. “We used a big piece of lodestone, then dove down and attached ropes. This thing is heavy!”
Milo smiled broadly. “Thank you for this gift, my young friends. Thank you!” Pulling the tarp off he stared at the… covering. On one side it was white; on the other were four small knobs. Experimentally he turned one. A half moon shaped piece of metal squeaked out of a hidden spot. Milo looked from it to the hole on the ship and grinned.
The ship would fly again. He would see to it.
May 3976
Milo stood by the ship, now upraised at an angle on a platform of wood, laboriously built by the students who were as excited as he was. The hatch had been put in place, a new hinge constructed (of poor design which annoyed Milo, but the men and he knew it was men, who had built this, knew how to build things!) and set in place. Ropes also held the hatch because Milo didn’t trust the craftsmanship of his own people. He had to thank his students who were constantly bringing supplies here without alerting the Gorillas or Orangutans. He hadn’t been back to the city for nearly three months now, so obsessed he was with the ship.
Climbing up the scaffolding he entered the ship which was now lit by its internal lights. The fusion engine was still at 71%, the lights barely using any power at all. He wished he could refuel it, but the computer which he laboriously learned to half use, made him certain that if he opened the fuel area, he would damage something beyond repair, perhaps even destroy the irreplaceable engine.
Once they’d cleaned out the inside of the ship, Milo began investigating the controls. While peering into the small computer screen and reading – it was in his language, which absolutely confirmed his theory that this ship was from the past! That meant that Virgil had been right; Man had broken the time barrier. Whether by purpose or accident, it had been done. This ship had been launched from the past of this planet, before the cataclysm – and Milo was sure it had been a war – had happened.
Milo had discovered a switch marked purge and, taking a breath, he had pushed it. Instantly there came a great whirring noise and current of air had swept through the craft, taking the musty smell away with it. Opening an access hatch he found tanks that he theorized contained air for a voyage. Two were empty, the others full. Milo thought it best not to use the purge button again.
Further examining caused him to discover a fail safe that would enable the ship to float if it landed on water. There were voids in the hull that would fill with air, giving the ship buoyancy. But this ship had been underwater, so something had gone wrong. Checking with the ships computer, he discovered a circuit board had been burned out, so this would have to be done manually. It could land on the ground, that was why the stubby wings, but he was sure if he launched it, that he could land on water. Perhaps somewhere closer to the City, that way none could deny his genius. Grinning to himself, he spent nearly all his time in the ship, reading and learning. Who would he take with him on his journey? Who?
Milo didn’t know it, but events were shaping up that would force him into a decision, a decision that would affect the course of history on his world.
June 3976
Milo sat in what he now knew was called the cockpit of the spacecraft, peering into a computer screen. He slept little these days, worrying those students who had remained or brought supplies. This ship was a marvel of engineering, designed to traverse the stars. Milo couldn’t be sure about all the telemetry he’d read, but apparently this ship had entered a curve in time, a curve that had brought it home to Earth, thousands of years after it’s launch, rather than put the crew on a distant planet.
That Man had been able to do such things made Milo more of a believer in some of the things the Sacred Scrolls held. One thing he knew, without doubt, was that man had wreaked a war of unknown, of nearly impossible proportions on himself and the planet. If the Gorillas, if that oaf Ursus could read what the Orangutans had held back, as well as the history Milo had discovered in the ships computer, they’d melt their rifles and cannon down and become farmers!
Milo was sure that the very engine that powered this ship, or an energy source like it, had helped destroy humanity and its hold on the planet. History said that Apes had been slaves to men, and he now believed it. He had to make this ship fly! He was sure the engines could bring it aloft. He’d already mapped out a partial flight plan – with the computers help – that would end with him landing in the reservoir that supplied the city with water. If he could do this, with a few students to fly with him – more for moral support than anything – the ship could fly itself given instructions, perhaps he could break the Orangutan- Gorilla hold on the Chimps, start a new age for all apes.
“Doctor?” It was Lysius, his voice echoing unmistakably from the hatch. Shaken from his reveries, Milo rose and stalked over to glare up the tunnel. The light was mostly blocked by Lysius head, so Milo waved for his favorite student to clamber down and join him.
Lysius came down, excited about something. Before he could start talking, Milo said, “Calm down. Deep breaths.”
Lysius leaned on one of the consoles, only standing up and putting his hands behind his back when he saw the look of disdain from his teacher. “What’s all this? Why the excitement?”
“Well Monro came in with some supplies and he brought some news. Supposedly a human has spoken! He and his keepers, I guess, Doctor Zira and Cornelius are going on trial!”
Milo froze. Then he grabbed Lysius by the shoulders. “Did you say a human spoke? In what way?”
“Come, speak with Monro! His brother works at the veterinary clinic, he can tell you better than I!”
Monro was a homely chimpanzee. Milo remembered him now. He was brilliant with chemicals, but was so involved with what he did that he didn’t take care of his appearance. How or if he ever expected to mate was beyond Milo.
“So what is this about a talking man?” Milo was partially amused at this, never believing that a man could speak.
“Yes, he was under the care of Dr. Zira. He escaped and raised quite a ruckus in the city before he was captured by security police. When he was, he told the officer to let him go!”
Milo rubbed his chin. “This wasn’t a trick?”
“No sir! I was there when they brought him in. He was screaming and cursing. It was funny in a way since the Gorillas looked frightened.”
Milo leaned back on his stool, enjoying the cool air flowing across the lake. The sun was going down and torches were being lit. Some of his students were clustered in small groups, talking among themselves. One of them; a slender handsome female, came forward. Milo looked up at her.
“I’m Quentell, Doctor Milo and Monro isn’t telling all the news.”
Milo looked at Monro. “Well, what is it?”
Monro scratched his chin and his eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh yes! We aren’t supposed to know this but Jerlla; a clerk in Dr. Zaius’ office told me that several Gorilla scouts have disappeared in the Forbidden Zone!”
This news electrified Milo more than the talking human had. “Do you know where?”
Monro was practically hopping up and down now. “Yes in the area where the warnings are. They’ve been thinking about starting to cultivate that area, to see if it can be cultivated that is, and they just disappeared!”
Milo licked his lips. “Disappeared? That’s too close to here for comfort. We’re going to have to work harder.”
Quentell put a hand on Milo’s arm. “Doctor, Monro told us that General Ursus is campaigning for war. He wants the council to approve his plan for the Army to march on the Forbidden Zone.”
Milo looked at her, puzzled. “So? War is the Gorilla’s business. Ursus must be frothing at the mouth for such a chance. Chimps don’t go to war.”
Quentell put her eyes down. “If there is a war, Doctor, there is a Chimpanzee movement to oppose it. Ape Shall Never Kill Ape. What if this unknown enemy is an Ape one?”
Milo was left speechless.
That night, sitting in the ship with Lysius, Milo told him of what he’d learned. “This ship will fly, Lysius. It will. Once I’m ready, I’ll secure that hatch and lift off. With the help of its computer, I will launch and land in the reservoir. The entire city will see me! Apes will have to acknowledge the supremacy of Chimpanzees!”
Lysius looked confused. “How will this help us, Doctor?”
Milo sat back in the chair. It wasn’t as comfortable as one of his; but then it had been built by humans for humans. “Because it will make our fellow apes, even some Gorillas and Orangutans aware that we have been held back by the ruling hierarchy; that Apes can aspire to so much more!”
Lysius rose. “Yes, but some of us are planning on returning to the city, to protest this war. War is wrong, it always has been. We Chimpanzees have to protest it.”
Milo frowned. “How many of you feel this way?”
Lysius eyes were downcast. “All of us.”
“Well, I won’t stand in your way, though your assistance has been invaluable. When do you think you’ll be leaving?”
Lysius licked his lips and stared at the floor. “The end of the month at the latest. We still have to organize our protest.”
Milo put a hand on his friends shoulder. “Can I ask you to bring a message to Doctor Zira for me?”
Lysius nodded. “I’ll do anything for you, Doctor Milo. You’ve helped us all so much.”
Milo smiled; the first he’d done in months. “Come to me before you leave and make sure no one sees you pass this message to her. Is that clear?”
Lysius nodded again. “Of course Doctor. I’m well aware of what Dr. Zaius thinks of you.”
“Zaius!” snapped Milo. “The only thing he’s a doctor of is obfuscation. If it weren’t for apes like him and his fellows, we Chimps might well be flying to the stars!”
Last Day of July 3976
Milo stood in the shade of his tent. In the last few weeks they’d made more progress. The ship had been raised a bit more, the now wood and metal (stolen in great secrecy from the city) scaffold strong as it would be. Milo had discovered, in the rear of the ship, between two of the glass sarcophagi, a second hatch. This one had a legend on it: EMERGENCY USE ONLY. He surmised that this hatch was for escaping from a land based, not a sea based landing. Examining the outside of the ship he saw a handle, recessed into the ships left side. So the emergency hatch could be opened from the outside? That made sense. What if the ship landed and its crew were incapacitated?
Milo looked at the sad face of Lysius. His students were leaving him, but he didn’t begrudge them for it. They felt in their hearts that they could stop this war, keep peace in the world. Who was he to shatter their ambitions and beliefs? Putting a hand on Lysius shoulder, he handed him a rolled parchment in a tube.
“Make sure that no one other than Zira gets this? Understand?”
Lysius nodded, tucked it away in his tunic and clambered up onto the wagon. The other students had already left; the better not to raise suspicion in the city. With Lysius were Quentell and Monro. Milo looked up at them. “I’m proud of you all for standing by your convictions. You are a credit to our people. I ask only that you remain silent about my endeavors out here, until you see me land in the reservoir and bring a new freedom to all Apes.”
The three of them smiled at the praise, but said nothing. Lysius snapped the reigns and the horses moved off, leaving Milo very, very alone. He stood there for a moment, watching them leave, wondering if they would succeed, but knowing they wouldn’t. Chimps had too much responsibility and not enough power.
But that was going to change.
Fifth Day of August, 3976
It was late in the day when Zira heard a knock at her door. She and Cornelius had been keeping a low profile since their trial, hoping that they could save Taylor and perhaps open their fellow ape’s eyes! All around her, the City was abuzz with the preparations for Ursus and his war. That Zaius was standing by and allowing this was unconscionable, but what could she do? She and Cornelius were lucky not to be in prison!
Walking to the door she opened it a crack. A young Chimpanzee, dust covered and nervous looking, stood there.
“Yes,” asked Zira. “What can I do for you?”
“Doctor Zira,” the chimp replied. “I’m Lysius, a student of Doctor Milo. He asked me to give you something. May I come in?”
Zira looked around. Could this be a trick of the security police? Stepping back she wished Cornelius was here, but he’d gone to the market for her. “Yes, I suppose so. Where is Doctor Milo?”
Lysius waited until the door was closed, then whispered, “He’s out at dead lake. He found something, a flying machine. He said you told him about it.” As he spoke, the younger ape removed the cylinder from his tunic. “He gave me this message for you.”
Zira’s eyes opened wide with surprise. Dead Lake? A Flying machine? They’d told him about Taylor, but she and Cornelius never really believed that part of his tale. Even the paper plane didn’t convince them.
“Would you like something to drink? To eat?” She asked starting to wave him further into her home.
“No, Doctor. I have a meeting with some other students. We’re planning to stop this war the only way we know how, through peaceful protest.”
Zira smiled at this. “Well here,” she stepped over to a table and lifted a string bag full of fruit. “Take this with you and good luck!”
As soon as she closed the door, Zira opened the tube. Unrolling the parchment, she spread it out, recognizing Milo’s hand writing.
Zira,
Using information you and Cornelius supplied, I have discovered the flying machine the human Taylor, spoke of. I have salvaged it and it will fly again. I am planning on flying it to the reservoir near the city. Will you join me? If we do this, I am sure it will usher in a new era for our people, an era that we, the chimpanzees will lead. It’s time the dominance of the gorillas and orangutans was ended!
Don’t wait too long in your decision.
Milo.
Zira sat back in her chair, amazement glowing from her face. She knew that Milo was a genius, but he was going to fly? In a ship that he recovered from Dead Lake? Glancing out the window, Zira took a deep breath. When would Cornelius get home?
September 3976
Milo clambered down through the circular hatch, pausing only to pull it secure and turn the four handles. Four tell tale lights (it was amazing what he’d learned from that computer, just another thing to be envious about) turned from red to green. The hatch was sealed. Finishing his climb, he smiled at his two new flight mates, Cornelius and Zira. Both of them were in the white suits he’d found, helmets in their laps. He made sure that they were strapped in. Zira looked exuberant, Cornelius doubtful. Milo started pulling on his own ‘space suit’ as the computer called it and smiled at both of them. “Today is a great day for Chimpanzees and apes. I may have missed stopping the army from leaving, but they will return to a new City, a city of intellectual freedom!”
Cornelius raised his brows at Zira. She’d said something similar two day earlier, just before they decided to leave the city and join Milo. They’d nearly killed their horses getting to him. The Scientist was exited, but he realized there was little time for them to talk now; there would be plenty after their triumphant return. He’d hustled them aboard the ship having already started the pre-flight. Why there were four seats when he was sure the ship could be flown with only one on board was forgotten now. He was about to do something no ape had ever done!
“All right, put on your helmets!” Milo commanded, pressing a control on the console. A screen lit up and split, one side saying; FUSION POWER AT 70%, the other: TEN MINUTES TO LIFT OFF. The amount of power in the ship amazed Milo. He’d had it on for nearly seven months and it had only used one percent! He was sure that the engine in this ship would power the entire city! Perhaps after he’d landed they’d allow him to do just that!
The three chimps sat back, Milo watching the countdown. They could all feel a subtle shudder in the ship as the engine powered up for thrust. What they couldn’t see was the engine exhausts swiveling to launch position. Milo chewed his lip inside his helmet. Had he done everything correctly? Would the ship launch or explode? His question was answered as the engines fired, their fusion powered thrust sending the ship up off the scaffolding, which collapsed under the stress, the wooden parts of it burning, the ship ripping its way free of the Earths gravity.
Had there been anyone to see it launch, they would have seen a dirty white triangle pushed by a glowing streak of light, move up and away from the earth. But other than three horses, tied a safe distance away, there were no witnesses.
Nor would there ever be any. Deep in the war ravaged ruins of New York City, in a place that had once been one of worship, a dead man’s hand fell off a ruby switch, beginning a chain reaction in a weapon that should never have been built.
Zira, sitting in the seat next to Milo stared down at the Earth. Much of it was blue, but too much of it was brown, devastated no doubt by the war in the past the Orangutans feared so. As the ship began to level out, to orbit the earth, she stared down at a tiny globe of white light. “Milo, look at that…”
“Close your helmets!” he shouted. “Do it now!” With clicks of securing mechanisms, they did as they were told, the heavily opague face shields coming down into place. Below them they could only watch in horror as the bright white light spread out, encompassing the entire world, causing it to shiver and melt…
Before any of them could react, their ship was buffeted and tossed about, like a cork on a lake. If they hadn’t been strapped in, they would have been tossed all about the cabin, possibly killed. As it were, the force of the concussion blasted them into unconsciousness. As Milo’s conscious faded the last thing he saw was the Earth Time Chronometer, counting backwards from 3976…
April 1973
One moment the radar scopes were clear, the next the object, coming down on a sub-orbital polar route was there. Alarms went off and NORAD went to Defcon 3. As men about the United States ran for planes and sealed off missile silos, the craft began to descend in a shallow glide, down toward the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
A fast jet was scrambled, the pilot having the time to cross and re-cross the ships path, getting a good look at it. His information brought calmness back to the worlds military. “This is Cyclops One to Red Baron command. The unknown craft is a NASA lifting body spacecraft, repeat a lifting body Spacecraft. It appears to be heading for a touch down off San Clemente.”
An emotionless voice replied, “Roger that Cyclops flight. RTB, Red Baron will launch an immediate recovery mission.”
As Cyclops flight moved off, the pilot could only wonder, who or what was in that ship and why were they landing here, rather than in the Atlantic?
Soon those questions would be answered.Salvage
March 3976
The heat rose off the desert of the Forbidden Zone in long shimmering waves. Here and there were outcroppings of rock but little else. This deep into what had once been fertile land, nothing could grow. One could pass across it if lucky and a day later the tracks would be gone. The lone wagon that was crossing this wasteland went slowly, laden with supplies for the long trip. At its front sat two Chimpanzees, both wearing floppy broad brimmed hats to keep the sun off their heads. The younger of the two, Lysius, thought his master, Doctor Milo mad. But in this thought he was no different from many other apes back in their city; Milo had nearly been cited for heresy on more than one occasion. He’d stood up to Doctor Zaius in council and been reprimanded. This was why an ape of his stature found himself tutoring students privately and sneaking off into the Forbidden Zone to do what he wanted without Gorilla or Orangutan interference.
Lysius thought that Milo’s latest jaunt was insane. Friends of his, Cornelius and Zira (who would have been his had he been more down to earth) had told Milo of a man, a different man; one who could think and told a strange story. Unlike other Apes, Milo had believed them. He knew that somewhere, hidden in man’s mind was the capacity to think. He also knew and would have been imprisoned or worse had he let this out; that man had once been the dominant species on the planet; that the apes owed much of their culture to their hairless enemies. If Zaius had known that Milo had seen papers, papers that were not part of the Sacred Scrolls, but were part of the Orangutan’s secret documents – he certainly would have been quietly killed by now.
Pulling back the reigns, Milo halted the wagon. Reaching to his side he removed a map, not one of the primitive ones such as Cornelius had shown Taylor; this one was ancient and battered. On it in red ink was the legend US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY – 1975. Milo rubbed a hand over the map absent mindedly. His friend Cornelius would have given a decade of his life to see this – but Milo was cautious. He’d found this in among things Zaius had scheduled for destruction. But the Gorilla guarding it had been easy to fool and as such, now it was Milo’s. He envied a time when there was power to create such things. As he envied the engineers whose drawings he’d seen in the two books he was able to make off with. He had them with him and had been reading them for years. This strange man Cornelius told him about had merely fired his ambition to see if the tale was true. He believed that at one time Man could fly, indeed had gone into space itself. The books he had saved – heresy indeed! – from Zaius foolishness was proof of that! Taking out another map, Milo held them side by side. The ancient one proved that the planet had suffered a horrible catastrophe. Where they sat on their wagon had once been water, part of a great harbor. He had used this one to make a more accurate one of the surrounding area. The ruins of the Forbidden City were to their west, the ravine that led to dead lake lay ahead. Still they had to take a longer route; there wasn’t any path for the wagon through the ravine.
“All right, let’s get moving.”
It took most of the next day to traverse the ravine to where a gentle slope led down to the shores of the lake. It was cooler by it, a light breeze ruffling their hats. As they rode about the lake, its dead waters lapping at the sandy shores, Lysius pointed ahead. “Doctor, what’s that?”
Milo stopped the wagon and lifted a hand made telescope. Holding it to his eye he peered ahead. There, at the edge of the lake was a white triangle. It was sticking out of the water at an angle, showing that it had washed ashore but could go no further. Milo could feel his heartbeat increase. “I think I’ve found what I’m looking for.”
As Lysius watched in amazement, Milo stripped off his clothing and waded – waded – out into the cool waters of the lake. Few apes, if any, were willing to go into open water. When they bathed it was in safety. Lysius had never seen one do what Milo had. The brilliant ape carried only a rope with a grapnel. Moving alongside the object – which he suspected to be an aircraft of some kind, he paused to look at the blue circle with ANSA stenciled in white. Licking his lips, Milo moved alongside until he was next to and below a hole in the craft’s hull. Deftly he tossed the grapnel and tugged back, feeling it bite. Swiftly he climbed up onto the craft and peered down into its depths. For a moment he felt around the hole and envied the makers of this craft. The metal was so smooth, so even. The best metal smith he knew couldn’t do this. For a moment Milo wished he could bring Zaius here. What would this do to his idea of ape superiority? But no, Zaius would call this heresy and have it destroyed. Milo squirmed into the hatch and climbed down into the ship.
It was dim inside, a slight amount of light coming through the quartz crystal windows. There were four seats and at the rear of the craft, water from when it had sunk. Holding onto the various consoles, Milo moved further back, until the water was as high as his knees. There were four sarcophagi here, not unlike those used to bury apes of higher class. All but one was open; this last bore a skeletal corpse in a white uniform – from examination, Milo could see that it had been a female.
Moving back through the ship he saw a light blinking on one of the consoles. Peering down at it he moved away some muck and read: FUSION ENGINES AT 71%.
Fusion engines! Milo was aghast at the word. He’d only seen it once before, in the writings of Virgil which were now forbidden. His ancient teacher, Dante had shown him them before Zaius and the council had ordered them destroyed. Virgil believed that man had broken the time barrier and been able to travel through it. Milo rubbed his eyes. He had to save this vessel! Had to!
April 3976
Milo wiped sweat from his face with rough towel. There before him lay the ship. In secrecy, assisted by several of his students he knew he could trust – all chimpanzees – he had smuggled horses and equipment out to dead lake. No one had tried to stop him. In the last year prior to this craft arriving, he had kept a low profile, not wanting Zaius to close his classes. His title in the past would have been Mathematician/Engineer, but to the apes he was just that chimp with the odd ideas.
It had been a struggle getting the ship ashore. Logs covered in grease were used as rollers, but even with ten horses and twelve healthy young chimps, they had just gotten it out of the water. Looking at the ship and then at his own meager equipment, Milo felt a surge of jealousy. Several times he had been tempted to tell Zira and Cornelius about this discovery, but all it was so far was salvaged. Having been inside several times, he thought it could be made to work, to fly again. That would be an accomplishment even Zaius couldn’t deny! Perhaps it was time to end the Orangutan hold on Ape civilization and return things to the way they had been under Cesar, a return to Chimp rule!
Walking back to his tent, Milo looked around and removed the ancient books from a hidden pocket in his pack. One was A History of Spaceflight the other was a Physics text that had helped him in his theories. Flipping through the book on spaceflight he stopped at a photograph of the ship he was looking at. It was amazing, but there in a separate picture was the captain of the vessel, a Colonel George Taylor! Milo stared at the picture and turned the page. There were two more ships like the one before him, but subtly different. They appeared shorter. Closing the book and putting it away, Milo walked over to the ship. Lysius, with other students was washing down the hull. Climbing a rough wooden ladder, Milo entered the cabin. He knew that he could figure out how to make this ship work again. But without the missing hatch he’d climbed in through, he couldn’t make it fly.
Clambering down past the seats to the cryogenics (although he didn’t know what they were, he had surmised they were to lie down in) chambers. He stared at the broken one. He’d had the corpse removed and set aside for further study. In a storage locker to the rear he’d discovered four space suits complete with helmets. Could he fly the ship with a broken hatch in one of the suits? If he had to he would. He was determined to bring his fellow apes out of their apathy. Knowledge should never stand still.
“Doctor Milo!” A voice called from above. Milo cocked his head and headed back toward the hatch’s passage. There at the top, staring down was Xyla, a handsome young chimpanzee female and an excellent student. “What is it?” He called up.
“Come see what we’ve found!”
At the excited urgency in her voice, Milo clambered up and out of his ship, for that was how he thought of it. It was his ship.
Xyla shot down the ladder and ran to a wagon. Milo followed. On it were two male students, both using towels to dry off. Milo smiled wryly. Many of the younger chimps had followed his lead, learned to swim and enjoyed it. Milo was proud to have circumvented another ape myth; that they couldn’t swim. As he walked closer to the wagon, he felt his breath go short. There, partially covered, lay a white disc… Could it be? Milo covered the last few yards in a near frantic leap. It was! It was a disc of metal like the ship itself!
“H-how did you find this?” He stammered.
The taller of the two chimps, Xenos, grinned and practically hopped up and down. “We used lodestone on a rope, Dr. Milo. Remember when you showed us in class that lodestone can pick filings out of sand?”
Milo nodded, remembering their excitement at the simple experiment. It was one he’d taught himself when he was five. He’d also learned that the stronger a magnet the stronger the attraction. He remembered confusing a young cousin by moving a bowl on top of a table by using two magnets.
“Well,” said the smaller chimp Walon. “We used a big piece of lodestone, then dove down and attached ropes. This thing is heavy!”
Milo smiled broadly. “Thank you for this gift, my young friends. Thank you!” Pulling the tarp off he stared at the… covering. On one side it was white; on the other were four small knobs. Experimentally he turned one. A half moon shaped piece of metal squeaked out of a hidden spot. Milo looked from it to the hole on the ship and grinned.
The ship would fly again. He would see to it.
May 3976
Milo stood by the ship, now upraised at an angle on a platform of wood, laboriously built by the students who were as excited as he was. The hatch had been put in place, a new hinge constructed (of poor design which annoyed Milo, but the men and he knew it was men, who had built this, knew how to build things!) and set in place. Ropes also held the hatch because Milo didn’t trust the craftsmanship of his own people. He had to thank his students who were constantly bringing supplies here without alerting the Gorillas or Orangutans. He hadn’t been back to the city for nearly three months now, so obsessed he was with the ship.
Climbing up the scaffolding he entered the ship which was now lit by its internal lights. The fusion engine was still at 71%, the lights barely using any power at all. He wished he could refuel it, but the computer which he laboriously learned to half use, made him certain that if he opened the fuel area, he would damage something beyond repair, perhaps even destroy the irreplaceable engine.
Once they’d cleaned out the inside of the ship, Milo began investigating the controls. While peering into the small computer screen and reading – it was in his language, which absolutely confirmed his theory that this ship was from the past! That meant that Virgil had been right; Man had broken the time barrier. Whether by purpose or accident, it had been done. This ship had been launched from the past of this planet, before the cataclysm – and Milo was sure it had been a war – had happened.
Milo had discovered a switch marked purge and, taking a breath, he had pushed it. Instantly there came a great whirring noise and current of air had swept through the craft, taking the musty smell away with it. Opening an access hatch he found tanks that he theorized contained air for a voyage. Two were empty, the others full. Milo thought it best not to use the purge button again.
Further examining caused him to discover a fail safe that would enable the ship to float if it landed on water. There were voids in the hull that would fill with air, giving the ship buoyancy. But this ship had been underwater, so something had gone wrong. Checking with the ships computer, he discovered a circuit board had been burned out, so this would have to be done manually. It could land on the ground, that was why the stubby wings, but he was sure if he launched it, that he could land on water. Perhaps somewhere closer to the City, that way none could deny his genius. Grinning to himself, he spent nearly all his time in the ship, reading and learning. Who would he take with him on his journey? Who?
Milo didn’t know it, but events were shaping up that would force him into a decision, a decision that would affect the course of history on his world.
June 3976
Milo sat in what he now knew was called the cockpit of the spacecraft, peering into a computer screen. He slept little these days, worrying those students who had remained or brought supplies. This ship was a marvel of engineering, designed to traverse the stars. Milo couldn’t be sure about all the telemetry he’d read, but apparently this ship had entered a curve in time, a curve that had brought it home to Earth, thousands of years after it’s launch, rather than put the crew on a distant planet.
That Man had been able to do such things made Milo more of a believer in some of the things the Sacred Scrolls held. One thing he knew, without doubt, was that man had wreaked a war of unknown, of nearly impossible proportions on himself and the planet. If the Gorillas, if that oaf Ursus could read what the Orangutans had held back, as well as the history Milo had discovered in the ships computer, they’d melt their rifles and cannon down and become farmers!
Milo was sure that the very engine that powered this ship, or an energy source like it, had helped destroy humanity and its hold on the planet. History said that Apes had been slaves to men, and he now believed it. He had to make this ship fly! He was sure the engines could bring it aloft. He’d already mapped out a partial flight plan – with the computers help – that would end with him landing in the reservoir that supplied the city with water. If he could do this, with a few students to fly with him – more for moral support than anything – the ship could fly itself given instructions, perhaps he could break the Orangutan- Gorilla hold on the Chimps, start a new age for all apes.
“Doctor?” It was Lysius, his voice echoing unmistakably from the hatch. Shaken from his reveries, Milo rose and stalked over to glare up the tunnel. The light was mostly blocked by Lysius head, so Milo waved for his favorite student to clamber down and join him.
Lysius came down, excited about something. Before he could start talking, Milo said, “Calm down. Deep breaths.”
Lysius leaned on one of the consoles, only standing up and putting his hands behind his back when he saw the look of disdain from his teacher. “What’s all this? Why the excitement?”
“Well Monro came in with some supplies and he brought some news. Supposedly a human has spoken! He and his keepers, I guess, Doctor Zira and Cornelius are going on trial!”
Milo froze. Then he grabbed Lysius by the shoulders. “Did you say a human spoke? In what way?”
“Come, speak with Monro! His brother works at the veterinary clinic, he can tell you better than I!”
Monro was a homely chimpanzee. Milo remembered him now. He was brilliant with chemicals, but was so involved with what he did that he didn’t take care of his appearance. How or if he ever expected to mate was beyond Milo.
“So what is this about a talking man?” Milo was partially amused at this, never believing that a man could speak.
“Yes, he was under the care of Dr. Zira. He escaped and raised quite a ruckus in the city before he was captured by security police. When he was, he told the officer to let him go!”
Milo rubbed his chin. “This wasn’t a trick?”
“No sir! I was there when they brought him in. He was screaming and cursing. It was funny in a way since the Gorillas looked frightened.”
Milo leaned back on his stool, enjoying the cool air flowing across the lake. The sun was going down and torches were being lit. Some of his students were clustered in small groups, talking among themselves. One of them; a slender handsome female, came forward. Milo looked up at her.
“I’m Quentell, Doctor Milo and Monro isn’t telling all the news.”
Milo looked at Monro. “Well, what is it?”
Monro scratched his chin and his eyes suddenly lit up. “Oh yes! We aren’t supposed to know this but Jerlla; a clerk in Dr. Zaius’ office told me that several Gorilla scouts have disappeared in the Forbidden Zone!”
This news electrified Milo more than the talking human had. “Do you know where?”
Monro was practically hopping up and down now. “Yes in the area where the warnings are. They’ve been thinking about starting to cultivate that area, to see if it can be cultivated that is, and they just disappeared!”
Milo licked his lips. “Disappeared? That’s too close to here for comfort. We’re going to have to work harder.”
Quentell put a hand on Milo’s arm. “Doctor, Monro told us that General Ursus is campaigning for war. He wants the council to approve his plan for the Army to march on the Forbidden Zone.”
Milo looked at her, puzzled. “So? War is the Gorilla’s business. Ursus must be frothing at the mouth for such a chance. Chimps don’t go to war.”
Quentell put her eyes down. “If there is a war, Doctor, there is a Chimpanzee movement to oppose it. Ape Shall Never Kill Ape. What if this unknown enemy is an Ape one?”
Milo was left speechless.
That night, sitting in the ship with Lysius, Milo told him of what he’d learned. “This ship will fly, Lysius. It will. Once I’m ready, I’ll secure that hatch and lift off. With the help of its computer, I will launch and land in the reservoir. The entire city will see me! Apes will have to acknowledge the supremacy of Chimpanzees!”
Lysius looked confused. “How will this help us, Doctor?”
Milo sat back in the chair. It wasn’t as comfortable as one of his; but then it had been built by humans for humans. “Because it will make our fellow apes, even some Gorillas and Orangutans aware that we have been held back by the ruling hierarchy; that Apes can aspire to so much more!”
Lysius rose. “Yes, but some of us are planning on returning to the city, to protest this war. War is wrong, it always has been. We Chimpanzees have to protest it.”
Milo frowned. “How many of you feel this way?”
Lysius eyes were downcast. “All of us.”
“Well, I won’t stand in your way, though your assistance has been invaluable. When do you think you’ll be leaving?”
Lysius licked his lips and stared at the floor. “The end of the month at the latest. We still have to organize our protest.”
Milo put a hand on his friends shoulder. “Can I ask you to bring a message to Doctor Zira for me?”
Lysius nodded. “I’ll do anything for you, Doctor Milo. You’ve helped us all so much.”
Milo smiled; the first he’d done in months. “Come to me before you leave and make sure no one sees you pass this message to her. Is that clear?”
Lysius nodded again. “Of course Doctor. I’m well aware of what Dr. Zaius thinks of you.”
“Zaius!” snapped Milo. “The only thing he’s a doctor of is obfuscation. If it weren’t for apes like him and his fellows, we Chimps might well be flying to the stars!”
Last Day of July 3976
Milo stood in the shade of his tent. In the last few weeks they’d made more progress. The ship had been raised a bit more, the now wood and metal (stolen in great secrecy from the city) scaffold strong as it would be. Milo had discovered, in the rear of the ship, between two of the glass sarcophagi, a second hatch. This one had a legend on it: EMERGENCY USE ONLY. He surmised that this hatch was for escaping from a land based, not a sea based landing. Examining the outside of the ship he saw a handle, recessed into the ships left side. So the emergency hatch could be opened from the outside? That made sense. What if the ship landed and its crew were incapacitated?
Milo looked at the sad face of Lysius. His students were leaving him, but he didn’t begrudge them for it. They felt in their hearts that they could stop this war, keep peace in the world. Who was he to shatter their ambitions and beliefs? Putting a hand on Lysius shoulder, he handed him a rolled parchment in a tube.
“Make sure that no one other than Zira gets this? Understand?”
Lysius nodded, tucked it away in his tunic and clambered up onto the wagon. The other students had already left; the better not to raise suspicion in the city. With Lysius were Quentell and Monro. Milo looked up at them. “I’m proud of you all for standing by your convictions. You are a credit to our people. I ask only that you remain silent about my endeavors out here, until you see me land in the reservoir and bring a new freedom to all Apes.”
The three of them smiled at the praise, but said nothing. Lysius snapped the reigns and the horses moved off, leaving Milo very, very alone. He stood there for a moment, watching them leave, wondering if they would succeed, but knowing they wouldn’t. Chimps had too much responsibility and not enough power.
But that was going to change.
Fifth Day of August, 3976
It was late in the day when Zira heard a knock at her door. She and Cornelius had been keeping a low profile since their trial, hoping that they could save Taylor and perhaps open their fellow ape’s eyes! All around her, the City was abuzz with the preparations for Ursus and his war. That Zaius was standing by and allowing this was unconscionable, but what could she do? She and Cornelius were lucky not to be in prison!
Walking to the door she opened it a crack. A young Chimpanzee, dust covered and nervous looking, stood there.
“Yes,” asked Zira. “What can I do for you?”
“Doctor Zira,” the chimp replied. “I’m Lysius, a student of Doctor Milo. He asked me to give you something. May I come in?”
Zira looked around. Could this be a trick of the security police? Stepping back she wished Cornelius was here, but he’d gone to the market for her. “Yes, I suppose so. Where is Doctor Milo?”
Lysius waited until the door was closed, then whispered, “He’s out at dead lake. He found something, a flying machine. He said you told him about it.” As he spoke, the younger ape removed the cylinder from his tunic. “He gave me this message for you.”
Zira’s eyes opened wide with surprise. Dead Lake? A Flying machine? They’d told him about Taylor, but she and Cornelius never really believed that part of his tale. Even the paper plane didn’t convince them.
“Would you like something to drink? To eat?” She asked starting to wave him further into her home.
“No, Doctor. I have a meeting with some other students. We’re planning to stop this war the only way we know how, through peaceful protest.”
Zira smiled at this. “Well here,” she stepped over to a table and lifted a string bag full of fruit. “Take this with you and good luck!”
As soon as she closed the door, Zira opened the tube. Unrolling the parchment, she spread it out, recognizing Milo’s hand writing.
Zira,
Using information you and Cornelius supplied, I have discovered the flying machine the human Taylor, spoke of. I have salvaged it and it will fly again. I am planning on flying it to the reservoir near the city. Will you join me? If we do this, I am sure it will usher in a new era for our people, an era that we, the chimpanzees will lead. It’s time the dominance of the gorillas and orangutans was ended!
Don’t wait too long in your decision.
Milo.
Zira sat back in her chair, amazement glowing from her face. She knew that Milo was a genius, but he was going to fly? In a ship that he recovered from Dead Lake? Glancing out the window, Zira took a deep breath. When would Cornelius get home?
September 3976
Milo clambered down through the circular hatch, pausing only to pull it secure and turn the four handles. Four tell tale lights (it was amazing what he’d learned from that computer, just another thing to be envious about) turned from red to green. The hatch was sealed. Finishing his climb, he smiled at his two new flight mates, Cornelius and Zira. Both of them were in the white suits he’d found, helmets in their laps. He made sure that they were strapped in. Zira looked exuberant, Cornelius doubtful. Milo started pulling on his own ‘space suit’ as the computer called it and smiled at both of them. “Today is a great day for Chimpanzees and apes. I may have missed stopping the army from leaving, but they will return to a new City, a city of intellectual freedom!”
Cornelius raised his brows at Zira. She’d said something similar two day earlier, just before they decided to leave the city and join Milo. They’d nearly killed their horses getting to him. The Scientist was exited, but he realized there was little time for them to talk now; there would be plenty after their triumphant return. He’d hustled them aboard the ship having already started the pre-flight. Why there were four seats when he was sure the ship could be flown with only one on board was forgotten now. He was about to do something no ape had ever done!
“All right, put on your helmets!” Milo commanded, pressing a control on the console. A screen lit up and split, one side saying; FUSION POWER AT 70%, the other: TEN MINUTES TO LIFT OFF. The amount of power in the ship amazed Milo. He’d had it on for nearly seven months and it had only used one percent! He was sure that the engine in this ship would power the entire city! Perhaps after he’d landed they’d allow him to do just that!
The three chimps sat back, Milo watching the countdown. They could all feel a subtle shudder in the ship as the engine powered up for thrust. What they couldn’t see was the engine exhausts swiveling to launch position. Milo chewed his lip inside his helmet. Had he done everything correctly? Would the ship launch or explode? His question was answered as the engines fired, their fusion powered thrust sending the ship up off the scaffolding, which collapsed under the stress, the wooden parts of it burning, the ship ripping its way free of the Earths gravity.
Had there been anyone to see it launch, they would have seen a dirty white triangle pushed by a glowing streak of light, move up and away from the earth. But other than three horses, tied a safe distance away, there were no witnesses.
Nor would there ever be any. Deep in the war ravaged ruins of New York City, in a place that had once been one of worship, a dead man’s hand fell off a ruby switch, beginning a chain reaction in a weapon that should never have been built.
Zira, sitting in the seat next to Milo stared down at the Earth. Much of it was blue, but too much of it was brown, devastated no doubt by the war in the past the Orangutans feared so. As the ship began to level out, to orbit the earth, she stared down at a tiny globe of white light. “Milo, look at that…”
“Close your helmets!” he shouted. “Do it now!” With clicks of securing mechanisms, they did as they were told, the heavily opague face shields coming down into place. Below them they could only watch in horror as the bright white light spread out, encompassing the entire world, causing it to shiver and melt…
Before any of them could react, their ship was buffeted and tossed about, like a cork on a lake. If they hadn’t been strapped in, they would have been tossed all about the cabin, possibly killed. As it were, the force of the concussion blasted them into unconsciousness. As Milo’s conscious faded the last thing he saw was the Earth Time Chronometer, counting backwards from 3976…
April 1973
One moment the radar scopes were clear, the next the object, coming down on a sub-orbital polar route was there. Alarms went off and NORAD went to Defcon 3. As men about the United States ran for planes and sealed off missile silos, the craft began to descend in a shallow glide, down toward the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
A fast jet was scrambled, the pilot having the time to cross and re-cross the ships path, getting a good look at it. His information brought calmness back to the worlds military. “This is Cyclops One to Red Baron command. The unknown craft is a NASA lifting body spacecraft, repeat a lifting body Spacecraft. It appears to be heading for a touch down off San Clemente.”
An emotionless voice replied, “Roger that Cyclops flight. RTB, Red Baron will launch an immediate recovery mission.”
As Cyclops flight moved off, the pilot could only wonder, who or what was in that ship and why were they landing here, rather than in the Atlantic?
Soon those questions would be answered.
