Earth's Last Angel (11 page)

She simultaneously uploads the entire history of the Croc's family, the development of the technology needed to go to the asteroid belt and mine it, right up until this moment in time, into the First Croc's implant.

Fading in and out of consciousness, the First Croc starts to remember small scraps of memory, the massive upload is almost too much for his brain to handle.

Slowly a distant memory starts to take shape. He is with his son and two grandsons, the place is desolate desert country where it is hot, dry, and dusty.

As the memory finally starts to gel, a faint smile appears on the Croc's semi-conscious face.

A wedge tail eagle soars overhead through a cloudless sky. As the 4x4 off road vehicle covered in red dust bumps over the dusty desert track, rocks bounce off the vehicle as it winds its way along this remote track. Perok is now 800 hundred kilometers distant to the south. It's now late afternoon. Kangaroos are plentiful out here, so it's with a sense of relief that we arrive at our destination, which is not far from the small desert town of Wildok in the northern goldfields. This, is a very isolated stretch of the western desert.

We pull up near some straggly gum trees by a dry creek.

My son Alex gets out, stretches, then looks at me over the bonnet of the vehicle.

‘Looks like a great place to start,' he comments.

I smile and nod.

My 19 year old grandson, who has protested his boredom for the last couple of hours, reluctantly climbs down from his seat, looking around first, then looks at his father.

‘Dad, I could think of better places for a camping trip. Are you sure about this?'

A crow calls out and a small flock of finches scatter from a nearby shrub.

‘It's perfect,' replies Alex, glancing back at me with a smile.

Maxxy spots the exchange. ‘There's something going on with Dad and Granddad,' he states.

For a 12 year old, Maxxy is very perceptive, more so than his older brother.

‘What are you rattling on about?'

Ignoring his older brother, he turns to me. ‘There is, isn't there?'

‘All will be revealed when we've setup camp,' I reply.

‘Gawd, I left my girlfriend behind for this?' Dave mutters, as he surveys the desert landscape.

Maxxy start's ratting through the food ice box. Alex stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

‘Set up the table and chairs first, then we can set up the barbecue and get some food cooked for tea.'

‘But dad, I'm starving,' Maxxy moans.

Dave gives him a shove. ‘You're always starving.'

While the boys are busy setting up the camp, I use the opportunity to prepare my surprise.

‘When are we going to start prospecting Granddad?' asks Maxxy, who suddenly appears behind me.

I back out of the passenger side of the vehicle, turning my head to face him, leaving the briefcase in front of me.

‘Tomorrow morning first thing, bright and early,' I tell him.

He stares past me at the briefcase. ‘How come you've brought a briefcase with you on a camping trip?'

I pause to consider how much I should tell him. ‘Your dad and I have a long held family secret to tell you and Dave. I was going to surprise you with it after tea.'

Maxxy looks skeptical. ‘Is this one of those campfire stories? I gotta to tell you, Granddad, I've heard them all at Scouts.'

I laugh. ‘I'm sure you have, but no, this is a blood secret handed down from father to son. I'll tell you more once we've eaten.'

Maxxy grins ‘I told Dave something was going on.'

‘Now, Maxxy, don't go winding Dave up,' I warn ‘I won't be telling you pair this secret if you get mouthy with Dave.'

Maxxy's disappointment is evident as he slumps against the door. ‘Aw, Granddad that's not fair, finally I get know something he doesn't.'

I barely control the smile threatening to break loose. ‘This is important, top secret Maxxy, do you understand?'

Maxxy brightens. ‘OK Granddad!'

‘You are going to be just as surprised, Maxxy, I was thinking as he scarpers off to help with tea.

After a good meal we clean up, tossing the scraps into the fire, not wanting to invite every ant in the district to our campsite. The flames crackle and pop, sending a golden glow into the surrounding bush.

Alex cracks three beers, handing one to me and one to Dave.

‘Not for you this trip, mate, as soon as you're legal age I'll shout you your first brew,' I say to Maxxy, who is eyeing off the stubby in my hand.

Maxxy screws up his face and grabs a soft drink.

‘Dave, could you please grab my briefcase from the 4x4?' I ask, adding ‘be careful it's heavy.'

‘Geez Grandfather,' he wheezes as he lugs the case over to the table. ‘You must have a ton of lead in here!'

Carefully, Dave places the case on the table. Its light alloy legs struggle to support the weight of the case.

Now both lads are watching curiously as I snap open the locks on the case, spinning it around to face them. Inside is a large jarrah wood box. Maxxy leans forward to get a closer look. Dave looks to his father for answers, waiting for him to explain.

‘Dave, you brought me the case, so you can open the box,' I say.

He approaches tentatively and slowly lifts the lid. ‘What's in here?'

‘Come on Dave!' Maxxy urges ‘just open it.'

Inside the blue velvet lined box it glows gold.

Dave stared, ‘Wow it's solid gold no wonder it's so heavy!'

Maxxy clamors to get a closer look. ‘Can we hold it, Granddad?

‘You and Dave each get to hold the slab, it will eventually belong to you both.' I reply.

Maxxy stares wide eyed. ‘It belongs to us?'

‘Sort of, I'll explain it all soon enough,' I promise.

‘You hold it first, Maxxy,' whispers Dave quietly. He seems almost afraid to touch it.

‘No, that privilege is yours, Dave. Take it.' I instruct.

‘That's not fair, Grandad!' protests Maxxy. ‘Dave always gets to do everything first.'

Reluctantly, Dave reaches in and with both hands lifts out the golden slab, its size and thickness is about the same as an A4 ream of paper, it weighs 34 kilograms, Dave sits down resting it gently on his lap.

‘Hey, the slab has writing on it.' Dave reads aloud the lettering on the top of the slab:

‘the Croc's Prophecy.'

‘What is this?' asks Maxxy.

‘Read the rest, and your dad and I will tell you all about it.'

‘Dave looks at his Dad. ‘So you knew about this?'

‘I told you something was going on,' says Maxxy with smug satisfaction.

A stiff breeze stirs the coals in the fire, a small tongue of flame licks at the tinder dry twigs just thrown in. In the silent desert night, four faces glow golden in the darkness, as the fire takes hold, throwing shifting shadows through the camp.

Dave, with his head bent over, reads the finely inscribed lettering on the slab.

When Dave finishes reading he looks at me, questions written all over his face.

‘So what is this all about?' Dave asks.

‘Give it to Maxxy to hold for a while and I'll explain.'

Dave places the slab on his brother's lap. ‘Feel the lettering,' he instructs his younger brother.

Maxxy strokes the lettering, murmuring: ‘It is beautiful.' After a short time he hands it back to me, and I put it back into the box which is still in the briefcase, relocking the case I carry it to the 4x4 to put back into the small car safe. The auto lock mechanism whirls and clunks as it activates the lock.

‘Granddad, it's just us out here,' says Dave, ‘why do you have to lock it away?'

‘He probably thinks Skippy is going to take off with it in her pouch!' Maxxy giggles.

‘That was not funny, Maxxy, plus it is disrespectful to your grandfather!' scolds Alex.

‘Maxxy stops laughing. ‘I'm sorry, I was just joking around,' embarrassment in his voice.

‘All jokes aside, this is serious. ‘The Croc's Prophecy' describes a discovery 250 years before it happens, this prophecy is written by the very First Croc.'

‘So what is the discovery?' Dave inquires.

‘staronium.' I answer.

‘So who named it?' asks Maxxy.

‘I did.' I answer again.

‘Then you must be the First Croc!' both boys chime in together.

‘That's correct. Your dad is the second and Dave you will be the third.'

‘Blast! I miss out again!' whines Maxxy.

A tear of pain forms in my eye as I glance at Dave, recalling the future loss of my grandson with his lovely young wife. My great grandson survives the crash and is raised by his uncle Maxxy, who then becomes third Croc in his brother's place.

‘No you don't, son, you will have a major part to play in all of this,' as I discreetly wipe away the tear.

‘Let Granddad tell you the story, and you'll find out how it all happens.'

Dave stands up. ‘Sorry Grandfather, I have to go see a man about a dog first.'

‘That's OK Dave, it's waited this long, another five minutes won't hurt.'

Maxxy looked at me thoughtfully as Dave walks a short distance from the camp to relieve himself.

‘Granddad, if the Croc's Prophecy is telling us about the future, and it has been handed down for generations of our family, then how come it's only us so far? And how come you know about staronium being found 250 years from now?'

I know Maxxy won't be satisfied with half the puzzle.

I sighed. ‘You tell him son.'

‘Your Grandfather has a friend who is an ELF.'

‘Bullshit! How can my granddad have an ELF as a friend? You got a fairy friend too, granddad?' smirking nervously after a long pause.

‘Maxxy, don't be scared.' I reassure him. ‘You know how sometimes you wish you could know the future. Well I do, my friend Mozaz is an energy life form, or ELF, not the same as you see in fairy tales. He has the ability to travel back and forth through time and space and he showed me the things that would happen in the future. He put the briefcase in the car safe, then when we finished with it, returned it back to the vault in the asteroid city of Sky Jewel in the future. He did this to let you see that I'm telling you the truth.

Maxxy turns very pale and starts to tremble. Returning to the camp, Dave notices his little brother, concern in his voice.

‘Are you OK mate?'

‘Did you just hear Granddad?' asks Maxxy, his voice still trembling.

‘Everything.' He looked at me and the questions tumble out.

‘So it's true you know about the future? Why? How?' panic starting to rise in his voice.

‘Take it easy boys!' I implore ‘The purpose of this trip is to tell you how our future unfolds and to find the gold for the slab.'

Slowly, a stunned Dave opens his hand to reveal a nugget, the dull yellow color flickering in the firelight.

‘I found this in the creek bed,' he barely whispers.

I take it from his outstretched hand, turning it over, recognizing it as the 60oz nugget I had planted earlier. I then return it to him.

‘Good one Dave, it's all working out just fine.'

‘What about the slab, Granddad?' Maxxy asks recovering a little from his earlier shock.

‘Mozaz has already taken it back. Check the safe, the combination is 3978.'

Dave and Maxxy race over to the 4x4 and unlock the safe. They open the door to see the safe is completely empty: no case, absolutely nothing!

Coming back over to their chairs, Dave and Maxxy just sit and stare at me, too stunned to speak. Alex leaned back in his chair getting comfortable, he just smiles at me.

It's time for the revelation, time for the boys to grow up and take their place in history.

Now that I have their attention, I gaze into the flickering flames and begin to explain what had happened so long ago…in the future!

‘You see lads, I meet Mozaz a long time ago when we camped up on the tablelands one winter when your dad and your aunty were still very young. After Mozaz woke me in the wee hours, we sat on the escarpment cliff edge talking long into the night. During our discussion he stood up beside me, his head level with my shoulder, and laying his hand on my shoulder he said:

“‘Close your eyes.'”

‘I did as instructed.

““Now open them.'” he said.

‘I nearly died of shock! There…rapidly disappearing far below me was…me, sitting on the edge of the cliff and the camp with everyone else asleep!

“I have converted you to an energy lifeform,” said the tiny speck of light blasting skywards alongside me.

“I will take you to see each generation of your son's future, up until you are reanimated.”

‘As we streaked skywards we blasted out of our atmosphere into outer space, Thera now shrunk behind us. Rapidly our speed increases until in a blinding flash we arrive in your future!' I continue.

‘So…let me tell you what Mozaz showed to me.'

‘I'll begin with a brief future history.'

‘First, the Croc's Prophecy is written during the next world war, because we refuse to be involved in the war. Many people are attracted to our kingdom and become citizens of it. The technology that is developed makes this kingdom very wealthy and powerful. It's during this time that our attention turns skywards again, specifically, to the asteroid belt. Available minerals are starting to run out here so there is a real need to find more. Now you will need to build a ship to get you out there and back, a big one. The ship you will build is huge, it's 25 kilometers long, 10 kilometers wide, and 1 kilometer deep.'

‘Grandfather, will this ship be powered by nuclear power plants?' inquires Dave.

‘Yes, son, it is, but not the type that you are thinking of. You will be using the Boddington Reactor.'