She opened her eyes and looked to Michael. “Pretty, but I don’t hear anything out of the ordinary.”
“Let me speed it up,” he said, messing with the controls. He hit the play button and the cosmic song came out as more of an aria. The notes shortened as they chased each other in growing crescendos; then, it hit her. A sharp high pitch screech nearly shattered her ear drums. She couldn’t get the headphones off fast enough. Michael looked startled. “Sorry,” he hit the controls. “I didn’t realize I had it that loud.”
“Jesus Christ, Michael!” she said loudly, then stuck a finger in her ear and shook it trying to get the ringing to stop. The room tilted and one hand went to the edge of the desk to hold herself upright. “That was loud.”
“Sorry,” he said. “But see what I mean about the difference?”
“Sheesh!” She shook her head. The ringing began to subside. “That’s insane.”
“It’s like screaming,” he said. “Right?”
“Uh huh,” Lauren’s ears were still ringing.
“Can you make any sense of it?” he asked. “Does it sound like ... language? You’d know if it was a language right?”
Lauren’s face remained pinched as she considered him. “I think I would, but ... but I don’t hear anything in the recording ...” She stuck her finger in her ear again. “Probably because I can’t hear anything other than ringing.”
“Look.” He pulled up a chair and took her hand, pulling her into him. “I told you you’d think I was crazy, but ...in these dreams I’ve been having I told you I would wake up some place different, right?”
“Yeah,” Lauren puzzled, wondering where this was going.
“And I told you I thought I’d been abducted by aliens.”
“Uh huh?”
“I saw them,” he said. “They talked to me. They told me things. Things that come back to me in bits and pieces. Things I don’t understand, but yet, somehow I know that in this signal there is a message, and it is important that I find it. That we find it.”
“Why is it so important?” she asked.
“I wish to the gods I knew,” he said.
Lauren gazed at him a moment. “I’ll listen to them, on one condition.” She held up a finger.
“Sure,” Michael said. “Anything.”
“You’re going to have to show me where the volume control is.”
Chapter 12
“There are fundamental laws which apply to the entire universe,” Dr. India Cameron explained as they sat at the conference table. Michael had introduced his sister to his boss, and the conversation had taken most of the afternoon. “It’s because of these fundamental laws that we have to believe that if life developed on Earth, intelligent life must have developed elsewhere, too,” she reasoned. Michael had made certain she knew that her boss was in on his secret project and they could talk freely with her about it.
“Fermi’s paradox,” Lauren agreed. “It’s my understanding, just from the limited information Michael has given me, you believe these signals come from a sentient species.”
“Has he filled you in on Project Morning Star then?”
“Project Morning Star? That’s the name of your telescope that you’re working on, right?” Lauren asked.
“It’s also the name of the secret project,” Michael said. “These signals...” He looked to his boss. “I figured the less I told them, the better,” Michael explained.
“Probably for the best,” India said. “Just know this, we are looking for life in the universe outside our own solar system. We believe we may have found it within our own galaxy.”
Lauren felt like Mr. Spock as her brow lifted and she spoke. “Fascinating.” She thought on this idea for a moment. “So let’s talk serious science. How would one go about looking for life in the galaxy? I mean, what kind of scientific process are you using. What’s your methodology? Surely you’re not relying on these screams from space alone, are you?”
“Of course not,” India’s face lit up. “We use radio-waves to scan for exo-planets around stars similar to our own. We’re looking for several things. First is an exo-planet in an area we call The Goldilocks Zone ... not too cold, not too hot ... just right.”
“Cute.” Lauren mused.
“Then we look for evidence of an atmosphere,” she said.
“Can you tell that with a radio telescope?”
“We can,” she said. “More or less. If we had access to Hubble, we could verify the preliminary data.”
“I didn’t get enough time with Hubble when I was in Houston to check.” Michael looked sheepishly at India. “Assuming our technology continues to improve, we think we’ll be able to examine over a million stars in the next twenty years or so. We think that at least one in a million will have a habitable exo-planet.” Michael continued. “But if this signal is sentient, if it’s a message, we could save twenty to thirty years of work, if we can identify the source.”
“Have you ever considered that they might not be all that much like us? They might not even be carbon-based. In fact, they’re more likely to be silicon-based; it’s the next sequence in the periodic table.”
“Valid point. We are definitely a product of our evolution. But there are theories that we might have been influenced, or formed and shaped by outside sources,” India said.
“Alien DNA,” Lauren muttered to herself. She’d heard this theory before. She had discredited it at the time.
“What’s your blood type, Lauren?” Michael asked.
“A-negative, but what’s that got to do with anything?”
“I’m A-negative as well,” Michael noted. “There’s some who think that negative factor is indicative of alien DNA.”
Lauren sniffed. “It’s a simple genetic mutation that occurred sometime in our evolutionary past. You might be an alien, but I certainly am not.”
“Rude.” Michael protested. Lauren gave him a wink to show she was joking. He was not. “Did you know that 15% of the modern population have the negative Rh factor?”
“So?”
“Did you know the majority of those people live, or have genetic connection to the Iberian Peninsula?”
“What’s that got to do with it?”
“Ever heard of the Astronaut of Cesar?”
“Any relationship to the Astronaut of Palenque?”
“Actually, yes.” Michael surprised her. “It’s a carving found in the Iberian Peninsula, of what appears to be an alien. The stone dates back thousands of years. Archaeological and linguistics analysis of the astronaut shows unusual features that cannot be explained with the knowledge that we have now of the cultures and languages of ancient Iberia. The going theory is visitation by extra-terrestrials.”
“Aliens are responsible for human’s having a negative Rh factor. Is that what you’re saying?”
“It’s one of the theories,” Michael said.
Lauren turned to say something but paused with her mouth agape. She closed it abruptly but hesitated to speak again. “Fine. Where can I find more on the linguistics of the region and this Astronaut of Cesar?”
* * *
Rowan arrived at the lab with a wailing baby on his hip. Henry’s face was red and crocodile tears welled up in his eyes and ran down his face, along with slobber that darkened his shirt. Every once in a while, he’d add a wailing, “Ma ma ma!” to his tirade.
Lauren turned when the door opened and was halfway across the room as Rowan thrust the boy into her arms. “Oh, baby! What’s the matter? Huh?”
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Rowan demanded, clearly frustrated. “I’ve been trying to call you for hours.”
Lauren glanced up at the clock and her whole countenance collapsed. “Oh, honey.” She took Henry over to a chair at the conference table and sat down with him. “I’m so sorry. I completely lost track of the time.”
“I gave him his last bottle four hours ago,” Rowan said. “I tried cereal, Cheerios, peaches, but he didn’t want any of them.
He’s been inconsolable for the last forty-five minutes. When you didn’t answer, I didn’t know what else to do.”
“No, you’re fine.” Lauren settled in to nurse him and he heaved one last sob before he relaxed and calmed. “I don’t know what happened. I must have laid my phone down somewhere.”
Rowan took a chair across from her and put a hand on her knee. “It’s okay. I knew where to find you.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, for the first time to him. “I meant to call you when we stopped for lunch.”
“So, why didn’t you?”
“We never did,” she said, looking around. “Michael!” she called out.
A moment later, Michael came in carrying a stack of books. The tomes were large, old leather-bound volumes of information. He fumbled one, and Rowan jumped up to catch it before it hit the floor. He took half the stack and set it on the table. “Hey, Rowan,” Michael said. “When’d you get here?”
“Just a few minutes ago,” he said. “What’s the big idea?”
Michael froze, looking wounded. “What?”
“Make my wife work all day without lunch,” Rowan grumbled. “She’s still eating for two, you know.” He nodded to Henry.
“Huh?” Michael looked up at the clock, wincing as he realized it was after seven p.m. “Oh, dang. Lauren, so sorry. You too, Rowan. I don’t know what happened.”
Rowan shook his head. He knew dang well what had happened, by the sheer number of reference books on the conference table. Lauren was like a hound dog with a treed raccoon when it came to figuring out a mystery. He mused, remembering Michael’s story of her and the raccoon. Clearly she’d found a hint to the mysterious signals and was on the hunt. She wouldn’t quit ‘til she dropped, if left to her own devices. “Well,” he huffed. “You two are clearly cut from the same cloth. I don’t care what you’re working on, wrap it up. As soon as Henry finishes his dinner, I’m taking my wife out to eat. You’re more than welcome to join us.”
“I know just the place,” he said.
* * *
The restaurant must have been one Michael frequented often. The owner greeted him with a kiss on each cheek and called him by name. “Amari, this is my sister,” he introduced Lauren. “And my brother-in-law Rowan, and their son Henry.”
“Welcome. Welcome.” The rotund woman wore a brightly colored caftan and a matching turban tied around her head in the traditional style. “Come. The private dining room is ready for you.” Michael had called ahead in the car.
“Thank you, Amari,” he said. “Is Jamal on duty today?”
“Of course,” she said. “Don’t worry. No one will bother you here. All my boys are on duty today.”
“Thank you, Amari.”
“Now come, I put a bottle of your favorite wine on to chill when you called. I’ll pour you a glass. Lauren? Rowan? Wine?”
“God, yes,” Lauren said.
At the same time, Rowan answered. “I’ll pass.”
“Can I get anything for the little man?” She cooed over Henry, pinching his cheek, and ran a dark hand over the curls at the nape of his neck.
“He’s been fed,” Lauren said as they entered the dining room. “Maybe some water. Bottled, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” She nodded. “How old is he?”
“Not quite a year,” Lauren said.
“He favors his father.” She patted his head one last time as they were seated. “I’ll be back with a highchair and some water for him. Please take a moment to look over the menu and I’ll take your order when I come back.”
“So what did you guys do all day today?” Lauren asked as Henry wrapped his chubby little fists in her braid and stretched to try and reach her earring. A tilt of her head kept the charm safe from his grasp.
“We took a bubble bath, and we went to the park in the middle of the apartment complex. We saw a genet in the park. Henry shrieked so loud, if anyone had been around, they’d have called the police.”
“A genet? Really?” Lauren gasped. A genet was a feline native to the area, larger than a ferret, but smaller than a housecat. She’d heard about them but hadn’t seen one herself.
“They’re usually nocturnal.” Michael’s expression mirrored his sister’s. “I think they’re known carriers of rabies.”
“It was more scared of Henry than anything.” Rowan shrugged. “But you know how he is with animals. The kid is crazy about them.”
“They seem to like him too,” Lauren said to her brother. “He’s charmed half the cats and at least three chickens on the Big Island of Hawaii.”
Michael folded his menu and set it aside. “Why Hawaii? I can think of about thirty other places to live that cost less and are easier to get to.”
“We wanted to stay in San Diego,” Rowan said. “But we couldn’t find a place. Hawaii was a compromise. We figured we’d eventually rent it out through Air B&B, but we needed a place to call home.”
“Well what about you, Michael? South Africa? Really?”
“This was where the work was,” he said. “I have an apartment, kind of like yours. If our grant doesn’t get renewed, I might have to find another project, and there’s no guarantee it’ll be here.”
“We have a guest room if it’s at Mauna Kea,” Lauren said.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “Speaking of which, this would be a great night to do some star gazing, if you’re not too tired.”
Rowan’s glass lowered mid-sip. “As if she hasn’t had a long enough day already?”
“Surprisingly, I’m not all that tired,” she said. “Why don’t you and Henry come with us.”
“But Henry ...”
“He can sleep anywhere,” Lauren said. “I’ll put him in my sling, and I’ll be right there if he needs me.”
“I’ve got a small telescope I can take with us,” Michael said. “I know a nice spot just outside of the city where the light pollution isn’t so bad.”
“I’m game,” Lauren said, turning to Rowan. His features were heavy with concern, but she gazed at him, her eyes pleading.
“Okay,” he said, conceding.
“Let’s eat so we can go see some stars,” she said as much to Henry as to anyone else.
* * *
Lauren spread a large blanket down on the grassy hill far outside the city. It was darker than she’d expected, but she had a small flashlight she used to inspect the star chart Michael had brought along. She used the light sparingly to save their eyes, as Rowan stretched out on his back and tucked one hand behind his head. Lauren sat cross-legged with Henry in her lap, her braid wrapped in his fist. He reached for the light with the other hand, but Lauren held it and the map out of his reach. Michael set up the small telescope he’d brought with them on a tripod, then, pointed it towards the sky.
Stars bedazzled the dark above. Lauren scanned the sky, orienting herself. With her excellent sense of direction, she always knew which way was north, but outside of the northern hemisphere, the stars were of no help in navigating, at least – not initially. Given time to orient, she’d be just as efficient in wayfinding as always.
Michael spent a little over an hour giving them a tutorial on the constellations of the southern night sky. Lauren thought again of the star shows they’d seen at the Science Museum in Oklahoma City as kids. Michael had been fifteen, she had been five. He’d sat beside her and listened to the docent just as intently as she had, and it was one of the few fond memories she’d had of their time together as children. He would have been an excellent docent at the museum. His deep voice was warm, familiar.
Finally, he went silent for a long moment. He cleared his throat before he continued. “The signals we’re studying have come from the general direction, somewhere between Crux and the Southern Pleiades,” Michael said, as if that should have been obvious. “But it’s a broad area of space, so it’s been nearly impossible to pinpoint. We’ve triangulated multiple occurrences. At one point, it seemed to come from the Southern Pleiades, whether
it’s moving or we’re off in our triangulation, it’s hard to say.”
“The Pleiades?” Lauren’s brow twitched.
“Mean something to you?”
“The Pleiades play a central role in the stories of the Annunaki, the ancient Sumerians,” she muttered.
“The Annunaki?” Michael asked. “I think I’ve heard some stories about them, but I always discounted them as myth.”
Lauren ran a hand over her son’s head as he cooed, gurgling in his chest; content. “The word itself means those of royal blood,” Lauren began. “They were believed to be immortal gods that lived on the earth in ancient Mesopotamia. They were said to be advanced beings with currency, astronomy and even things as simple as farming.”
“Ah,” Michael said. “The Pleiades play a role in ancient Egyptian myths and even in Cherokee legends too, you know.”
“I remember Aunt Mary’s stories about the Seven Sisters when I was a kid.” Lauren nodded, leaning back. “What I find so curious is the similarities in the ancient legends from the Annunaki to even the stories you read about in the bible.”
Now it was Michael’s brow that flinched. “Oh?”
“There were two primary hero-gods in the Annunaki legends,” Lauren said. “Enlil and Enki, they were half-brothers. Enki was the protector of mankind, while Enlil was thought to be the creator of mankind, but with a less-than-benevolent purpose. He made men from clay, but only to enslave them. As the story goes, they needed gold, and so humans were made to provide that for the gods.” Lauren paused, thinking, then continued. “Enlil was also the guardian of the Tablets of Destiny.”
“What’s that?” Michael asked.
“Nothing more than a clay tablet, marked with writing similar to cuneiform; a Rosetta stone, if you will.”
“Okay.” Michael drew the word out, encouraging her to continue.
“Sorry, I digress.” Lauren stood, hoisting Henry up onto her shoulder. He lay his head down and wrapped his arms around her neck. “Enlil was the oppressor of mankind. He was not a good guy, to say the least. He was a bad guy through and through. But Enki was practically the opposite; mankind’s benefactor and hero.”
The Alien Accord Page 12