Darkspace

by Richard Tongue

  “Evidently the first target of the Exterminators was their own homeworld, assuming that’s what this is.” Scott mused, then asked, “Any sign of orbital defenses. Other than the enemy ships?”

  “I’m not picking up any satellites at all, sir. Just their large ships. No freighters, shuttles, any other sort of spacecraft at all. It’s as though they standardized on one type and left it at that,” Rochford said.

  “Come on, Clyde, they must have some sort of interface ship! You’re not going to convince me that they’d ever attempt to land one of those behemoths!”

  “Why must they ever have physical contact with the surface of the planet?” Joe asked. “All of their requirements can be supplied from their space-based assets. Anyone on the surface can contact any other ship in the system at will, perhaps even any point in their empire, vast as it may be. For all we know, there are no people down there at all, not as you understand it.” He turned to Scott, and said, “If you came here to talk peace, should you not open negotiations?”

  “He’s got a point, skipper,” Rochford added with a smile.

  “I know, I just didn’t expect it to be so quiet. Based on past performance, I had anticipated immediate attack.”

  “Why, Admiral?” Joe asked. “You pose no current threat to any of the ships in this system, or to any of their other assets. It is as you suggested. They are simply watching and waiting, seeing what you action you choose to undertake before considering countermoves of their own. I suggest you attempt a general hail on all frequencies, sent to every ship in the system. They will understand your language, and with my assistance, your computers should be able to translate theirs, at least after a fashion.”

  “They spoke to us before, at Kapteyn’s Star,” Chen noted.

  “Those would likely merely have been rote phrases, Lieutenant, intended simply to goad you to action. It is doubtful there was any meaning behind them other than that you chose to give it.”

  “Interesting,” Scott said. “Lieutenant, you heard what Joe said. Set it up.”

  “Aye, sir,” Chen replied, his hands cautiously moving over his console, as though afraid that something would reach out and grab him when he opened the channel. Leonidas continued its slow, measured cruise towards the target, and with a smile on his face, Scott turned to Rochford.

  “Stand down from battle stations, Captain.”

  “What?” Rochford asked. “Sir, you’ve got to be crazy…”

  “If we had any weapons on board that could directly affect them, I’d agree with you, but given that our arsenal has been demonstrated to be singularly ineffective, we might as well show a measure of good faith.”

  “Admiral, they’ve slaughtered thousands of our people,” Chen protested.

  “The vast majority of whom volunteered to place themselves at hazard to defend billions of others, Lieutenant. They knew what they were doing, and so do I. We’re not out here to get revenge for our fallen. We’re out here to make sure others don’t join them.” He turned to Chen, and said, “I get it. I do. And to an extent, I feel it to, but if we can end this without a fight, if we can guarantee the safety of our people without further bloodshed on either side, then I’ll be content to leave my revenge for another time.”

  “Aye, sir,” he replied, though his expression suggested he still disagreed. “Channel is open.”

  “This is Admiral Michael Scott, speaking for humanity. I have come to open negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the differences between our peoples. You have seen my ship disarm to demonstrate my good faith. Please respond.”

  “Bet they don’t,” Cunningham said. “Standard orbit in twelve minutes, Admiral.”

  “Still no sign of any movement from any of the enemy ships,” Morales added. “They’re just sitting there.”

  “Put me on again,” Scott said. As Chen nodded, he began, “We know that you have destroyed countless intelligent species across the galaxy. We have no wish to be added to that ever-growing list. We are willing to fight to the death if that is necessary, but I am hoping that it is not. Talk to us. It does you no harm, and may save billions of lives.”

  “Good, Admiral,” Joe said, with an approving nod. “I dislike the concept of using force as a negotiating tool, but under the current circumstances I am compelled to admit its use.”

  “A signal, sir!” Chen said. Joe leaned over, tapped in a sequence of commands on the console, and turned to face Scott, a smile on his face.

  “The message is a set of co-ordinates, Admiral, on the surface of the planet below.”

  “Sensors, take a look,” Scott ordered.

  “Doing it, sir,” Morales replied. “There’s a tall tower there, maybe a mile high, with a shuttle landing pad on the top. It’s close to the planetary equator, one of the highest buildings on that hemisphere.” Shaking her head, she added, “I can’t give you any ideas what might be around that place, though, sir. I don’t recognize any of the structures, and I don’t see any obvious signs of life. Aside from the street lights, the whole planet might as well be unoccupied.”

  “It might be a trap,” Chen warned.

  “Possibly, Lieutenant, but this entire system represents a trap that we would be hard-pressed to fight our way out of. Helm, bring us into synchronous orbit over that point. If our landing team has to get out, I want them to have the shortest possible flight, for whatever that might be worth.” He reached for a control on his armrest, and said, “Bridge to Shuttle One. Do you read me, Commander?”

  “Aye, sir,” she replied.

  “We’ve got a landing site for you, and what appears to amount to an invitation to open talks. Are the three of you still willing to volunteer for this mission? Speak now if you aren’t. I wouldn’t blame any of you for changing your mind.”

  There was a brief pause, a faint murmur of conversation in the background, and Novak replied, “We’ve all talked, Admiral, and we’re all ready and willing to go. Just give us launch clearance and we’ll be on our way.”

  “One moment, Admiral,” Joe said. “I would like to accompany the shuttle, if it is permitted. I believe you may find my perspective of use in the negotiations on the surface, and it is a rare chance to gather information on a part of space we had never believed we would reach.”

  Scott looked at Joe, nodded, and replied, “On your way, but make it quick. The sooner we’re on our way out of the system, the happier I’ll be.” With a beaming smile, the alien walked to the elevator, the doors slamming shut behind him, and Scott continued, “Shuttle, you’ve got an extra passenger coming. As soon as he arrives, make your way to the surface. Consult with me as often as you can, and don’t give away the silverware. Bridge out.”

  “Do you really think they’ll come up with anything other than another version of unconditional surrender, Mike?” Rochford asked. “They’ve had all the time in the world to negotiate before. Why start now?”

  “Maybe because now we’re facing them on their own soil, in their own territory. I wonder how long it has been before any other starship has made it this far.” With a sigh, he continued, “Hell, Clyde, I don’t think there’s a realistic chance, but it’s got to be tried, and we need time.” Looking around the bridge, he added, “We’ll give peace a chance. Should it fail, I want options, people. There’s got to be a way to win this war somewhere in this system. All we have to do is find it. One way or another, we are not leaving this system until the threat to humanity is over. Even if that means we never leave it at all.”

  Chapter 17

  The shuttle soared over the endless cityscape, Novak constantly watching, waiting for signs that the Exterminators were planning to rescind their invitation, that they were flying into a trap. None materialized. Aside from the unbelievable view, everything was normal, almost strangely so, the co-ordinates leading them smoothly along a standard approach pattern, Silva easily guiding her ship towards their target. Joe sat silently at the rear, his eyes locked on the sensor display, the ghost of a smile on his face.


  “Projected population could easily be a hundred billion,” Belinsky said, “though I’m not reading any signs of life down there. Just empty, abandoned buildings that they seem to be maintaining extremely well.” Looking at the sensor display, he added, “These don’t match anything I’ve ever seen before on any of my digs, but there’s a lot of structural commonality between the buildings and the Exterminator ships. If we had any doubts that this was their homeworld, I think we can forget about them now.”

  “Three hundred miles to target,” Silva added. “I’m not getting any approach beacons or guidance directions from the surface, but I’m not seeing any other traffic, either. Nothing in the air, nothing on the ground. Nothing at all.” Shaking her head, she added, “It’s strange. It’s like going into a house that’s been empty and alone for years. Eerie.” Peering down at the cityscape below, she added, “The lights are on, but nobody’s home. You think we’re going to find anything when we get to where we’re going?”

  “There’s only one way to find out,” Belinsky replied. “There’s the tower.”

  Novak turned to look at their goal, a spindle-thin structure reaching high into the sky, dominating the landscape around it, a single, winking light at the top. The building looked impossibly slender, as though a single gust of wind could blow it away, but as Silva slowed their approach, gaining height once more while reducing speed, the tower never moved an inch, cold and implacable. The sides were smooth, no windows, no lights, the same constant grey of whatever material it was made from, unbroken by decoration or décor.

  “Different from the other structures,” Belinsky said, looking at his scanner. “More recent, for a start. Perhaps only a few hundred years. Most of the other buildings date back tens of thousands, perhaps more, though there are a few younger ones. Maybe they replace them when they wear out.” Shaking his head, he added, “If I could get down here with a research team for a few weeks, we might uncover the secrets of the universe down there.”

  “We don’t have weeks, Professor,” Novak replied. “We don’t even have days. Bring us down, Lieutenant.”

  “Descending,” Silva said, firing her landing thrusters to gently guide the shuttle into position, engines roaring as it settled into place on the top of the tower, looking out over the landscape beyond. “Engine stop. Legs locked. We’re down and safe.” She looked across at the communications panel, and said, “We’re cut off again.”

  “I expected as much,” Novak said, throwing off her restraints. “Let’s go and take a look.” As Belinsky eagerly rose, she added, “A few rules of the road, people. We stick together at all times. No wandering off. If you somehow find yourself separated, get back to the shuttle as fast as you can. We’ve got a damned tight window of opportunity down here, and I don’t want to waste a second of it. Is that clear?”

  “As crystal, Commander,” Silva replied.

  “Agreed,” Joe added.

  “Really…,” Belinsky began, as Novak glared daggers at the wayward archaeologist. “If you insist, Commander.”

  “I do,” she said, carefully tugging on her spacesuit. “Keep our communication cords attached. I doubt we’ll be able to trust the suit communicators any more than the ones on the shuttle. And all sensors to full active, set to record. I don’t want some scientist a hundred years from now complaining that we missed something crucial.”

  Locking her helmet into place, Silva said, “No sign of anyone outside. I guess they aren’t interested in greeting their visitors.” Shaking her head, she clipped her cord to Novak, and added, “It’s dead out there, Commander. I don’t think anyone’s been down here for thousands of years. No trace pollutants, no outgassing from any of the buildings, no electromagnetic activity at all.”

  “The Exterminators sent us down here for a reason, Lieutenant, and if they wanted to simply kill us, they could easily have done that at any time since we entered the system. There’s got to be something more going on, and I only know one way to find out what,” Novak said. “Are you ready, Professor?”

  “Raring to go, Commander,” the archaeologist replied with a smile. He looked at Joe, and asked, “Thoughts?”

  “That there are wonders waiting for us below,” the alien said. “And dangers just as great.”

  Nodding, Novak worked the airlock controls, cycling the group through the hatches and depositing them on the top of the tower, the view of the city even more spectacular than it had been from the cockpit. They looked out at the astonishing landscape, towers and roads reaching as far as the horizon, endless and empty, silent and dead. Behind them, there was a faint boom, echoing through their suits, and they turned to see a hatch opening up in the floor, leading down into the heart of the tower, the first real invitation they had received since their arrival, a gleaming golden light.

  “Follow the yellow brick road,” Novak said, leading the way as she clambered down the ladder. The entrance seemed new, fresh, as though it might have been constructed only a few days before, and the rungs were perfectly human-sized. Up above, the hatch slammed shut, and a hissing of air filled the gap, a series of green lights flashing on their heads-up display to inform them that the atmosphere around them was now perfectly suited for human life.

  “That’s not suspicious at all,” Silva replied, halting her descent. “My sensors say this shaft goes down another fifty feet. Strangest airlock I’ve ever seen. Who wants to risk cracking their helmet?”

  “Way ahead of you,” Novak replied, opening the seal sufficiently to permit the outside air to seep in, a cool breeze in the stifling confines of her spacesuit. She took a first, tentative breath, then a deeper one, allowing her lungs to fill with the refreshing oxygen-laden atmosphere. “It’s fine. As soon as we get to the bottom, take off your helmets, but keep them with you at all times.”

  “It’s better than fine, Commander. This mix is identical to that of pre-industrial Earth. According to the database, it matches that recorded on our homeworld twenty thousand years ago. I guess we know when the Exterminators last swung around to take a peek at humanity.” The bottom of the shaft started to glow a rich green, then began to wink, as though urging them onwards, and the group continued their steady descent to the bottom, sensors continuing to gather information as they made their way down.

  “Alloy is hard to pin down, but it looks like the walls are made of the same material as the Exterminator ships. Ludicrously overengineered for the surface environment, but I suppose if you have the resources of an entire galaxy to play with, that doesn’t matter very much,” Silva said. “There’s a heat buildup, as well, but I think that’s just for our benefit.” As they reached the bottom, a panel slid open, admitting them to a chamber below, shrouded in total darkness, their suit lights casting strange shadows upon their surroundings.

  “Where none have gone before,” Novak muttered.

  “What was that, Commander?” Belinsky asked. “I couldn’t quite catch it.”

  “Just the reason I came out here in the first place, Professor. Don’t worry.” She took the final steps to the bottom, and at once, the lights came up, brilliant illumination from the walls that briefly dazzled her before her eyes could adjust to the glare. Then, on instinct, she ducked back, spotting a huge, tentacled creature to her side, surrounded by a gaggle of smaller beings, all of them seemingly staring at her with wide eyes.

  “I wouldn’t worry, Commander,” Joe said. “I don’t think they can hurt you. The same alloy as the buildings.” He gestured down the hall, and said, “They have friends, it would appear. A thousand different races, portrayed in this gallery for all eternity.” Running his hand across the model, he added, “Perhaps a million years old, far older than anything else on this planet. I presume this is what they brought you here to see.”

  Taking a tentative step forward, towards the creature, Novak looked up to see a display flickering into life, a hologram of a green, lush planet appearing over the creature’s head, slowly rotating as she watched. Over the seconds, cit
ies raced across the surface, roads connecting the newly-built settlements, and brief flickers of flame raced into the sky, the result of some ancient war, the green turning to brown, then grey, before back to green once more. Then more points of light rose into the heavens, racing in all directions, before the display finally winked out, the lights fading over the statue. She turned to look at the mystified Joe, who walked towards another statue, this one a squat, stout, four-armed humanoid with three beady eyes.

  “Commander,” Silva said, “you’d better take a look at this.”

  Novak turned, her eyes widening as she saw a trio of humans standing in a corner of the exhibit, one of them obviously an image of her, Earth flickering into view over the figures as she approached. The display played through as it had for the tentacled creature, this time slowing the development of Earth’s civilizations, the wars and struggles that had taken place over thousands of years, ebbing back and forth until finally the points of light rose and escaped, humanity’s race to the stars portrayed in miniature, before once more, the display winked out.

  “These are their victims,” Belinsky said. “That has to be it. This is a record of all of the life forms the Exterminators have extinguished from the galaxy, or at least some of them. Some sort of memorial gallery.”

  “Professor, there have to be a thousand statues here,” Silva protested.

  “And there are fifty-four more galleries such as this one, in towers such as this all across the planet,” a deep, booming voice said. “The Gelgari were the last race to reach our homeworld, more than three hundred thousand years ago, though they came as supplicants, rather than warriors, hoping to save what was left of their civilization while there was still time. It was a great regret that I was forced to decline their request.”