Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly [29]
‘It is not mentioned in any Egyptian records after that time nor is its final resting place known.
‘Over the ages since then, the Golden Capstone has been the subject of countless myths and legends. The Persian King, Cambyses, tried to find it at the Siwa Oasis in the Western Desert, only to lose 50,000 men in the attempt, consumed in a sandstorm of unusual ferocity.
‘Julius Caesar tried to locate it, but failed. Napoleon took an entire army to Egypt to find it, and failed. The tale of Jason and the Argonauts and their attempt to acquire a mystical, all-powerful “Golden Fleece”—written by Appollonius of Rhodes—is widely believed to be a thinly-veiled allegory for the search for the Golden Capstone.
‘But all the legends have one thing in common. In all of them the Capstone is said to possess unusual properties. It is said to be a source of immense power; it is said to contain the secret to perpetual motion; it is said to be a solar polariser, capable of absorbing the rays of the Sun.
‘And then, of course, there are the occult myths: that the Capstone is a talisman of evil, forged in a bloody ceremony by occultist priests; that the nation that claims it as their own and keeps it in their lands will be unconquerable in battle; that it is a piece of alien technology brought to Earth thousands of years ago as a gift from a higher civilisation.’
The representative of New Zealand said: ‘And now the European Union wants it—’
‘Ahem,’ O’Hara said. ‘These nations do not represent the European Union. Ireland and Spain are members of the EU, and Father del Piero does not act in our name. While it calls itself an EU mission, it is really a coalition of four “Old European” states: France, Germany, Italy and the Vatican.’
At the mention of France the New Zealander visibly stiffened. Relations between New Zealand and France had been tense ever since the bombing by French agents of the Greenpeace boat, the Rainbow Warrior, in Auckland Harbour in 1985. ‘Old Europe then. My point is if Old Europe wants the Capstone, you can be assured that her enemies are aware of this—’
‘They are,’ Abbas said firmly. ‘The Americans are already putting together a rival expedition.’
‘Wait a second,’ the head of the Jamaican delegation said. ‘America and Europe are enemies?’
‘As only ex-friends can be,’ Epper said. ‘Through the vehicle of the EU, Old Europe has been waging economic warfare on the United States for the last five years. It began when America started unfairly subsidising its steel industry, shutting more efficient European producers out of its market.’
Spain said, ‘The US pressures other nations to open their markets, but then it closes off its own home market to them, protecting its own weak industries with tariffs like the steel one.’
Canada nodded. ‘And ex-friends, like ex-wives and ex-husbands, make for the bitterest of foes. Europe and America despise each other. And their enmity will only get worse over time.’
Epper said, ‘Which is why we are all here today. Our eight small nations are not the enemies of the United States or Old Europe. Indeed, we have fought by their side on many previous occasions. But on this matter, we have decided that we cannot sit idly by while these so-called “Great Powers” engage in a battle for the most powerful artefact known to humankind.
‘No. We are gathered here today because we believe that the Capstone should not belong to any one superpower. Its power is simply too great. In short, we are here to save the world.’
‘So what about the baby girl—’ Abbas asked.
Epper held up his hand. ‘In a moment, Anzar, in a moment. Just a little more background first. Throughout history, the Capstone has been sought by many powerful individuals: Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Richard the Lionheart, Napoleon, Lord Kitchener and, most recently, by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. It is worshipped by organisations such as the Templars and the Freemasons, and, this will surprise some, the Catholic Church. All of them believe the same thing: whosoever finds the Capstone and performs an ancient