Bastets Box
Chapter 1
Leonard was waiting in suspense for the upcoming news. He was zipping nervously from one channel to another, searching for an anchorman who would announce they're life-project. They had to be mentioned somewhere. Sure, unsolved crimes, wild car chases and flooding were interesting subjects but what about their mission? No one made words about this important event in which he, Sheldon, Raj and Howard could possibly risk their necks.
The door to their spacious apartment was opened and a small, thin man, loaded with an olive-green backpack and a way too huge holdall by his standards, entered.
"Did they already talk about us?" he asked and sat next to his friend on the couch.
Leonard shook his head. "No one seems to care about Egypt and its mysterious marvels. Pyramids are out", he added in a low tone and sighted.
He cast a glance at the five tickets in front of him. Those sheets of paper would bring the four scientists to Cairo, a capital full of open secrets. They had the opportunity to travel through North Africa, wandering around the desert, exploring lost places and finally solve the legendary riddle of Bastets Box.
"Maybe you just missed it" assumed Howard and snatched one of the tickets. "After so many years of theory and research I'm eventually allowed to visit the country which accompanies me since I was four. Can you imagine that I started to read books of the Ancient Egypt at the age of a toddler? I was fascinated by the fact that there is not a person alive who found out how Cheops has been built", he was walking down memory lane.
"There are certain conjectures of course and by the way, you're sitting on my place", Sheldon said pointing at his favourite seat. He came from his bedroom, wearing a purple shirt with the eye of Horus on it and put down the luggage. Howard rolled his eyes and stood up at once. "If you want to believe the opinion of middleclass explorers Cheops was built around 2550 bc. But it might be bollocks since the only evidence that Pharaoh Cheops had something to do with the pyramid was found in Herodots scripts. Apart from that there are absolutely no hints that are indicative of Cheops. Not a single hieroglyph praises him as the erector of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Pharaohs and their buildings were often registered on the "Kings list of Abydos", he wasn't honourably mentioned", Sheldon finished his speech and fixed the TV.
"Have you heard of this journalist who will be attending our trip?" Leonard wanted to know.
"They say she has no experience, is new on her job and clumsy", Sheldon replied without losing sight of the news.
"I saw a picture of her. She looks pretty", Leonard whispered. "Her name is Penny; she has long blonde hair and big brown eyes", he went on and hoped that his friends would join the conversation.
"I heard that they have hidden numbers like Pi and the distance of a light second in the construction of the pyramid", Howard narrated and turned to Sheldon. Originally Howard wanted to become an archaeologist but his passion for numbers was bigger than his love for mummies, so he decided to become a mathematician instead. He was desperately searching a way to combine his two interests and finally found it. His best friend Raj called his attention by telling him of Ah – mose a popular writer from the Middle Kingdom who delivered the whole knowledge regarding mathematics to the posterity.
Sheldon didn't answer. He was observing the four young men on the screen. "There we are", Leonard shouted and went a step closer to the TV.
"We're assembled to interview four scientists and to discover more from their exciting journey to Egypt", a man with a safari hat on his head addressed the audience. "Mr. Sheldon Cooper is standing next to me", he carried on. "It's 'Doctor'", Sheldon corrected and grinned into the cam. "Doctor, of course, excuse me. Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter, Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali and Mr. Howard Wolowitz are about to throw themselves into a dangerous adventure featuring the pyramids of Gizeh and tons of pharaohs."
"He has no idea what he's talking about. I can't understand why they hire a person who has no clue at all what the Ancient Egypt means to us. Seriously, at least he could have said 'featuring the pyramids as well as Pepi and Amun-Re'", Sheldon moaned and turned off the program.
"Hey I wanted to watch that", Howard yelled but Sheldon stuck to his guns.
"We're already late. If we want to arrive in time at the airport it's up to you to call Raj! Why on earth do we always have to wait for him? We sure will miss our flight and I'm not going to forgive him", angrily Sheldon opened his luggage and checked out once more if everything he needed was there.
"Do you know where we're going to meet Penny?" Leonard asked. She wouldn't go out of his mind. "Who cares? I bought a new fine-grained camera. We can do the documentary on our own", his roommate pointed out.
The doorbell rang and a man of Indian origin came in. He had nothing but a small suit case in his hands.
"Raj! Where have you been? And where is your baggage?" Howard wondered and greeted his friend. Raj smiled widely. "It's in the cab. Sorry that I'm late but I had to tell my parents that I won't be online for a few weeks. They're very sad because they had chosen a wife for me and now I can't say hello to her."
"Leonard, take the keys! Shut the windows! Close up our bedrooms! It's time", Sheldon ran out of the apartment without looking back. In thoughts he was already in Egypt, engulfing himself in white linen sheets, tasting savoury dates and browsing in books of the famous Museum in Cairo. "He wants me to close up his bedroom? Oh boy, I guess he's already besotted with Bastets curse", supposed Leonard.
The taxi was waiting outside. The woman sitting on the steering wheel was in a bad mood and when Sheldon told her that she was the beginning of a legendary trip she told him to shut up a to fasten his seat belt.
"Not really enthusiastic. I would be graceful if I were part of an unforgettable expedition", he brought it home to her.
The driver addressed Leonard. "Listen! I'll drive you to the airport if you tell this freak to leave me alone, okay", she grumbled and darted malignant glances to Sheldon. He got quiet and rummaged around his bag taking out a map.
"This is awesome", Howard replied again and again. He still couldn't believe that his child dreams were coming true. A ten hours flight was separating him from his long-desired destiny.
The airport was full. Hundreds of people were walking around, pushing through and bowling at each other. Howard was slack-jawed; he was looking out for some Shahs, wearing a turban and dark sunglasses. Then he spotted a woman dressed up in pink, waving agitatedly with a cardboard. "Good Lord", Sheldon exclaimed and hid his face in his hands. "What? What's wrong?" Leonard asked. His friend pointed at the cardboard. "Our names are written on it. That's the journalist. That's the woman who will follow us everywhere in Egypt. Look at her! She has two pigtails and chewing gum in her mouth. That's a joke, right!" Sheldon didn't want to believe that their organisation had chosen such a frumpy girl as an acceptable companion.
Penny came towards them and held out her hand. "Are you the four guys who take the next flight to Cairo?" she had a squeaky voice. Without waiting for an answer she took out her camera and focused the lens on Leonard.
"We're not four guys. We're four graduated scientist, three of us have a doctor title, I have two", Sheldon interrupted, contemptibly snorting.
"I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper, this journey wouldn't take place without me. I'm a linguist, aware of over 15 languages among them ancient Egyptian, middle Egyptian, new Egyptian, Demotic and Coptic", he introduced himself while placing his head in the centre of the screen.
Howard who wanted to impress Penny thrust Sheldon aside and winked over to the her. "I'm Howard Wolowitz, passionate mathematician and lover of numbers. Passionate and lover were little hints" Penny wrinkled her nose and panned over to Raj. He simply starred into the dazzling light of the lamp and said nothing. "What is your task?" Leonard was magically attracted by her. He kept tab on every move she made. "Dr. Rajesh Koothrappali won't give you an appropriate answer. He can't speak to women", Sheldon clarified. "Raj studied Near Eastern archaeology and works as a specialist in the fields of antique treasures."
"This is so exciting. What about you?" now it was Leonards turn to tell Penny his job. He tried to collect his thought but without success. Embarrassed by the fact that she was filming his stammering he faced away. "Have I done anything?" Penny touched his shoulder. "The crabbed parts can be cut away. Come on say something" Leonard smiled awkwardly, put his glasses in the right place and cleared his throat.
"I'm, I'm a lecturer at the California Institute of Archaeology."
"And cut! Cool, how about I lay some textures over these interviews giving them a special effect." Penny wanted to put away her camera but right then the buckle of her bag opened and a bunch of note books, empty cassettes and more or less forty pens tumbled out.
"I'm sorry, I'm a bit gawky at times" she stumbled. Howard kneeled down and picked up her stuff.
"We will miss our flight", Sheldon whispered to Leonard.