The Iron thief [ART2015]

My name is John Histor and I am a historian. For years, I’m tracking paintings and their stories behind the painted portraits that I researched for over a decade. As to my surprise, this painting came to my interest after I researched the battle to Newport where a full-equipped brigade attacked a smaller Dutch regiment at Newport. The story is well known in the historical archives, but a remarkably detail had been left out due to the controversial and dangerous catholic powers ruling in those days.

According to the statistics, the Dutch regiment couldn’t have won this battle at all, and should have totally annihilated in that time, but the opposite of this story happened and the whole Spanish brigade lost that battle and had to retrieve from their attack. Later on the Spanish regrouped and won the war.

As in nineteen eighty six I left on a trip to Rome where I had a meeting at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna with pastor Vito Lambrusco as we entered the museum vault he showed me this painting dated back from sixteen hundred thirty five . On this painting, the famous Cristian Huygens the well-known Astronomer portrayed along what could bare seen as some alien being in the back of the room covered in the thick shadowy background.

Some of us know that a great deal of paintings painted in those days consist of what we call UFO’s in our modern time. The Pastor specifically told me never to speak about this what I just saw, because he would go in denial in every way possible, if this story should be linked to this museum or him in person.

He placed the painting, who still was wrapped in some old rice paper for conservation on a large old wooden table in the middle of the vault where we were standing. A big old iron lamp above our heads shined upon the table and I could clearly see through the paper, and see small details of the painting itself.

Then Vito said, I leave you alone for a while and I’m back in ten minutes but the vault remains closed when you’re in here with the painting. at first I felt a little uncomfortable and had the idea that I could be a trap and soon got liquidated by some Mafiosi or left behind and to later on be found dead totally hydrated in the vault where I remained. As I quickly got my senses back, I delicately unwrapped the rice paper faulted this and put it aside in the corner of the wooden table. Then, I stared for about three minutes at the painting with my mouth wide open. I was baffled of that I saw not that I had seen strange painted vehicles or other markings before but never had I seen such a strange being in the shadows of a painting from the late sixteen hundreds.

I slowly lifted the painting who was surprisingly big and heavy in size , because the handmade wooden carved frame with strange markings made this painting the most incredible painting I’ve encountered in the many years of my profession.
As I turned over the painting and looked at backside of the frame, I could see the catalog dates written with some other things we historians know the meaning of. As to my surprise, this painting had wooden board at the back something that wasn’t custom in those days.

My curiosity made me do stupid things and I grabbed my Swiss army knife and started to remove the wooden board. A loud cracking sound filled the room and I got scared that I might be caught doing this.
Some old copper nails kept it together and after a while, the wooden board started to loosen up and came off.
Immediately I could see that something was stuck at the back of the board. It was some kind of diary and I pulled it off as fast as I could, slipped it into my jacket and closed the board where it belong , turned over the painting and wrapped on the rice paper the way it was before.

Soon after Don Vito, excuse me, I meant pastor Vito came back and we talked awhile about the painting how remarkable and unique this painting really was. He told me that he believed that life on other planets was no longer a maybe, but rather fact in his opinion and that Vatican could change their views about this in the near future.
As I went to my hotel room and locked all doors I closed the curtains switched on the lights at some old cabinet in the corner of my hotel room sat down and started to read the diary as this is what I describe I read from the diary that day.

My mysterious friend

We enter the year sixteen hundred. The eighty-years of war asked toll of many peasants and civilians. Many religious battles took place in Europe and the occupation of the Netherlands started to happen in full sight.

When a full brigade of Spanish soldiers started to attack Newport. We had no chance against this large amount of Spanish soldiers and as I counted my small armored regiment, I feared this could be the end of our standoff against this kind of force.
We could see that they had more advanced muskets and cannons with strong Spanish horses transporting the heavy cannons to their alignment not far from our stronghold.

This information came to bare after the incredible event happened a story no ordinary or even the higher class of my Kingdome would believe happened that day.

As I Count Maurits Prince of Orange Nassau arrived with seventeen hundred men barely equipped with swords and muskets, we aligned ourselves at the dunes of Newport. I took my handmade telescope out of my leather holster and started to gaze over the dunes to find any trace of our uprising enemy. At first, we had no sign of the enemy and as I looked for over three hours at the misty beach, I barely could see a thing. Many times, I had wiped clean the lens of the telescope.

The sand that almost damaged my binocular piece due to strong winds against my telescope and my head. I could feel the sand hitting my skin like heavy hail in a winter storm at sea. As I hold my arm in front my face to withhold as many of sand to rest, my scope I could manage to overlook the battlefield and beaches where we would meet our enemies.

As the winds started to lower down and the thick dark clouds started to make way for bits of blue skies and plumes of white clouds dripped in from the sea horizon. Something in the distant sky just above sea level caught my attention. Glittering like the heads on the waves reflecting the sunlight in obscure this strange object emerged from the sea.

As it rose from out of the waves taking altitude this strange object started to move land inwards to the beach where we were encamped. One of my men shouting that a silver cannonball had fired from the sea targeting our battalions. Chaos and fear started to rule our regiment.

Continues ....

I shouted to my lieutenant colonel “Prepare my horse I am going in to hold off this shiny dragon for god and country, stay here and prepare the men for battle, only when I give the signal”. I drove as hard as I could towards the beach. As we began to approach each other, the shiny object that was now traveling with tremendous speed to our beach suddenly came to a full stop.

It stopped just above my head. As I looked up my eyes experienced more pain than all the sand that struck my eyes that day.
The bright light started to dim and I couldn’t get a really good look at the contours of this silvery cannonball, but I can say that it was not round at all.

As to my understanding, it more looked like a silver tube caravel. It totally took my breath I got struck with awe .As this immense ship slowly started to land on the beach strange elongated swords came right out of the hull and impaled the beach as a sword in butter
My horse got very nervous and whinnied very loud and I started to lose control over the animal. I decided to follow his instinct and let him run off some few hundred feet from where the ship was starting to land.

After a while, I could get my horse quiet and controllable I slowly walked to the strange warship.
As I arrived at the strange warship again. I could see a kind of steam coming out of the cracks of the swords that pierced the beach. A strange kaleidoscopic door started to open and the air pressure coming from the inside out scared my horse again. Now standing on the back of my horse his, feet whinnying loud I could manage to bring him down to ease.

With a still restless horse, there came a black extension ladder or gangway down. Blueish light shining the doorway as I could see a small being dressed in our dress code standing at the opening, looking me right in the eye.

Diageo slowly walked down this crazy looking stairs from this weird looking flying machine. He stopped at the bottom of his craft, and both stared each other in the eyes for ten minutes. My horse still nervously walked along the beach restless shaking his head, making whinnying growling noises.
I suddenly talked with an assuring voice “Take it easy boy it’s probably nothing to worry about, or we wouldn’t have existed anymore. As if he knew what I said he suddenly stood still, some distance apart from where the ship was
Immediately I made a sign to my lieutenant colonel that everything was well. I noticed immediately how small this person really was. I yelled, “What do you want and what are you? “He made some waving gestures to come over to his ship so we walked to him and my horse started to be restless again.

He started to talk in my language not moving his mouth. “Come over here sir and look me in the eye “he said. I looked at him with questioned eyes. He reminded me of a harlequin with the large blue eyes and pointy ears. “My name is Diageo di Rosso, what’s your name “He said.

I yelled “Are you Italian you look Italian, are you related to the da Vinci families to come to aid my quest against the Spanish forces that are on their way to Newport, or are you going to kill me and my men? “
As I knew that Da Vinci was a great inventor who could have easily invented this silver ship this small looking human came with this ship to aid the Spanish armada and overthrow my kingdom .

Diageo answered, “Are you not going to tell you your name and immediately turn to questions? Is it not rude in your custom of habits? “
I yelled, “what do you want, and who are you?" He made arm gestures as if he said we had to come.
We slowly walked over and my horse started to be restless again.

He looked at the sand on the beach and said. “It still looks pretty, but that will change soon. “He looked up, nodded at me, and said. “Prince Mauritius what a pleasure to see you here at the beach on this beautiful day that soon has to turn into something horrible" With a

I lifted my shoulders and shake my head with a rejecting gesture and said" how do you do it , talking to me not even moving your mouth ?" I still have had to use my mouth when I talked to him, not that it was necessary but just the human habits not used to have telepathic skills, like this being.

I had my horse on the leash in a firm grip to take off any second when I had the feeling to do so; I asked, “how do you know my name and what the hell are you?"
He answered “another rude question of a arrogant Prince who thinks that he can say whatever he wants to say."
I answered." No that's not it , I only defend myself and my men for what's coming at me, and I do it with my life if I have too ".

He said" you're brave I have to admit that ,but if it wasn't for me right here right now the battle you had to face wouldn't be won today. And they would slaughter you and your men in let's say half an hour "
I then said " we are one regiment strong and they are to my information with only half a regiment strong so we are at upper hand here on this."

Diageo started to laugh and said, "I don't need this I'm going to leave you with your MEN and wait until this is all over to collect what I came here for."

I asked, “What possibly could be worth what we got that interest you at all my weird looking friend? So take off and flee you cowardly looking midget.
“Take off with your flying light ball, what possibly could your smooth bold looking ship be any advantage to us at all there are no cannons on that thing so leave ".

Diageo started to laugh again and said" thirty thousand, if the Targoids knew of this planet they would had want to have it "
I immediately reacted to his words and said," what! Thirty thousand planets or whatever you're talking about?"
Diageo answered. " It's not half a regiment it is thirty thousand full equipped battalions heading your way just around that hill you see in the distance, and you will not survive this.
You have to get used to the idea that your country will be seized and conquered soon there's nothing you can do about that and I'm not in the position to even want to be part of that rescue operation. I am only here for my own cause"

I started to get goosebumps and choked at my words, I wanted to say something to Diageo after he had finished.
I started to approach him in a more offensive humble tone and apologized of my rude behavior and asked"
What's your cause of being here and I hope you can accept my apologies for me I had no idea what approached us"

Diageo answered" I'm from another planet who's on the same collision course as your country is heading. And no I'm not a family member of Leonardo da Vinci or any other Italian royalties whatsoever. I just had to appear in a more fashionable neutral outfit that blended in this time of your planet.”

As I listened to his story about the many encounters of dangerous situations in what he still mentioned the word space I yelled out to my commanding officer. He was still standing in full readiness waiting for orders and my signal to attack, I asked for my closest friend and writer Constantine Huygens whom I asked to defend and register everything that he could see on the. Battlefield for later purpose. I wanted him to join my side and write everything down into my journal that I discussed with Diageo.

Continues...

The Spanish arrival

At some point I stepped away from the conversation we had. Leaving Constantine behind still talking with Diageo, writing a full report and knowledge this being possessed.
I slowly walked to the sea, and with my leather boots, I walked into the water, but not that far only to feel the water between my toes. I let me down bending my knees and let my fingers glide through the water. Looked up over the water and inhaled the sea breeze.

A swarm of sea gulls flew over my head, and made allot of noise. For me this was the sign that the Spanish armada was close. I stood up and could see ships in the hazily distance.

As loud as I could I yelled, “Attack, they are coming. Formation now” I could see that Constantine was shocked. He dropped his journal in the sand, but quickly picked it up and run to his horse, jumped up swiftly and drove off to the regiment who were armed and ready in order to attack.

I maintained myself as I walked calmly and confidently to Diageo and said, “I’m ready what your plan in all this?”
Diageo answered, “Come with me into the ship “as I immediately answered, “No there’s no time”
Diageo said” Don’t worry I will help you, if you only thrust me “
I asked “Why, why help us anyway? “
He said, “I need the iron lead and precious metals”
I looked beaten silly and said” What? What for? “

He started to explain that made allot of what happened that day very clear. Diageo needed as much as iron and precious metals he could get to go back to his home world before one of their moons would catastrophically could hit their planet and all of the life that was there for billions of years to evolve.

He described that he was on his way home with his starship that for a fact was a kind of collector ship that scavenged space in search of as many as special types of metals and precious metals he could find to save his world.
The metals would be specially prepared for injecting into the core of this rogue moon.to equalize the distance between the planet and the moon, and come into a stable orbit again. This last stand between the Spanish and us was just enough for Diageo to go home and do something good before heading to his home planet. He told me he had done more wrong then good traveling through space to save his own kind.

I followed him into his ship after sending my horse to Constantine and gave the order to wait again for my orders.
I entered his ship it was so unreal, I would never had seen this in my whole life. It looked like if I saw fireflies in various colors dancing on iron tablets. The interior was as smooth as my polished sword and armor.
Ghostly figures and writings appeared in front of my and earth was portrayed as if I could hold it in my hand like a bright shining apple in the night sky.

Diageo instruct me to sit down into a iron looking chair that was behind this big transparent water screen.
He then said” Don’t worry this is a journey you won’t forget”
I wanted to jump up and scream Journey. You damn midget you tricked me. However, before I knew I felt this incredible shock through my whole body and everything turned very bright, but it blacked out into a tubal form of stars ejecting other stars into this magnificent blackness and strange colors of red and orange going from blue to purple in seconds, with bright shining stars between them.

I could see other planets past by like one of our galleons captured full wind sails passing another in and out of the harbors.
I saw enormous big fireballs, which I could not see the beginning nor the end, exploding planets and things sucking into this cigar shaped ship I remembered seeing.

The speed tuned up pass by pass and I started to get dizzy. A feeling of nausea captured my senses. Then everything went black.
I opened my eyes and allot of my men and Constantine and officers of the regiment stood over me and smiled at me when I woke up.

I asked “ what happened, where’s the ship and Diageo and the Spanish Battalions ?”
Constantine Answered “Your majesty you wouldn’t believe what you just missed “
I answered “didn’t miss anything to my knowledge .
Constantine told me their adventure on how the ship aided their attack and collected every metal from the enemy forces. The ship was a completely invisible, Diageo described as a gravitational hurricane sucking up everything he could get.
I then said” I wasn’t here Constantine”
Constantine looked me in the eye and said “ I know you entered the ship ,wasn’t it great from over there?”
I answered “ I wasn’t there Constantine I was in space , and flying incredibly fast “
Constantine grabbed his journal and started to write down my whole journey.

I’m now at my last days of my incurable disease and as we won that battle at Newport I never forget how special my journey was knowing that I will continue my journey soon the same way I did on that same day the time stood still .

Continues..

Back at the hotel

To me, reading his journal here on my hotel room gives me goose bumps too. I am the only Historian who has the privilege to tell this story to the world on how the battle of Newport really happened.
Knowing now that this journal has completely written by Constantine Huygens, whose son is nothing more than the famous Cristian Huygens the Dutch mathematician and scientist. And known particularly as an astronomer, physicist, probabilist and horologist and science fiction writer.

How did he manage to hide this journal for so long until this day that I found it? I know now that the painting had to be painted by Caspar Netsher , but I still have my doubts because after the battle they had this meeting and celebration at Dunkirk where they stayed for quite a while. For what I read that they had encountered the French painter Claude Lorrain who later friended with Constantine and they ask him to paint their victory at Newport.

Now this makes it so interesting that I happen to search on Google for paintings after eighty-four years and I see this picture here on this website. I really spilled my coffee and have to buy new trousers. How could there be this portrait painted of Diageo alone. I saw this alien that day in the Museum at Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna on the painting standing behind Cristian Huygens.

It is a total surprise and now my journey has to continue and see this painting because I’ve to turn it over and see back of this thing.................

a reply to: 0bserver1

Love it. S&F

a reply to: Peeple

Thanks now I'm going to read all the other stories. I always read them afterwards otherwise I could be distracted and influenced in my own writing I think .. lol

a reply to: 0bserver1

Well written and enjoyable.

fascinating ;however, I would love to see atleast a picture of the journal with the text. The verbiage doesn't seem like it was written in the 16th Century. Your encounter with the priest seems rather "Da Vinci Code like" even mentioning Da Vinci in the story. I'm not calling you a liar but since you are presenting this evidence the burden of proof is on you.

A wonderful addition to this short story contest.

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who feels it's necessary to wait until one's own story is crafted before reading the other entries. I just don't want to be influenced. Sometimes, we all track in similar veins and I'd always be changing the story if I thought it was similar to another entry. So I write first, post then read the other entries.

My biggest hurdle is being stingy with the flags. I want to star and flag everyone, because we really have some awesome writers hear at ATS. All the stories are so good!

Anyhoo

S&F

CdT

a reply to: 0bserver1

This is the second time today I have given the 6th Star and Flag to someone! How fitting! LOL! Syx.

a reply to: SyxPak

Thanks. . Although six is not the most promising number lol but I'm glad you made it six ..


a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

I'm glad we see it the same way ..lucky we have until the 17th

a reply to: 0bserver1

The Flag and 4 Stars I give You have been well earned!
Keep them in Reverence to the Princes.

a reply to: SyxPak

Read this bit late. . But Thanx for your vote. .

a reply to: 0bserver1

No Prob at all. We all get tied up with real life issues... Have a Good One! Syx.