by Paul Dayton
“So who here does that research? Wouldn’t it take huge resources?” Ruth asked.
“Processing power is of course shared with the bases and a large number of people are collaborating, including many scientists in the WF ships. Really, we’re a very small part of the picture as many work on this research, but what we do here can perhaps be better understood if I just show you instead. All of you.”
Nan’mtek got up, and everyone else rose with her. She led the group off to the door from where she came in, and they walked into another short hallway that led to a heavily fortified door, with a much more modern Guard-Bot standing near it. Bishop could clearly see the inconspicuous but definite defense systems lining the ceiling along this corridor. Once the door opened, the group gasped at what was revealed.
Although they faced another round room, the similarities ended there. This one was approximately fifty meters wide, and it brimmed with electronics, housing a command center that oversaw the operations of the base they were in. The base itself was far bigger than they had ever guessed. Each wall had a screen that displayed multiple views of ongoing operations, and Timothy and Ruth went to the centre of the room so they could get the full picture. The first display was a video feed of a large subterranean ore processing center. A robotic ore carrier came out of the large tunnel and dumped the ore into a crusher. From there it was washed, and taken through different processors until the final product emerged on a conveyor belt. They followed the process, wondering how the base disposed of the tailings, but they couldn’t see how it was done.
“Computer,” Timothy said. “What happens to the tailings?”
“All materials that we can use are extracted and stored until needed. The tailings are cleaned up and shipped eight kilometers to a large natural cavern.”
“What sort of materials are being extracted?” Ruth asked.
“Iron, copper, zinc, aluminum and traces of gold and other metals are being removed and refined.”
“Where do you get the supplies needed to run this?” General Hoyt asked as he listened in.
“The base is almost completely self-sufficient, General,” Nan’mtek said. “But we do have different stations around the earth that supply us with those necessities we can’t get here. A two thousand kilometer underground railroad brings it in from a port in Old Alaska. Don’t forget, we’ve had over seven hundred years to perfect our operations.”
“How many people occupy this base?” Bishop asked.
Nan’mtek looked at Nun, who said, “As of last count, we stand at four thousand six hundred and forty.”
They looked at each other, surprised at the number. “How do you grow enough food for everyone?” Ruth asked.
“Some of the food is grown remotely and cared for by our people and locals, but most of it is grown here.”
Nan’mtek took them to another display, this one showing a series of large rooms filled with hydroponics equipment. Numbers under each room showed relative humidity, temperature and light levels, and the progress to a mature crop.
They continued to walk from screen to screen, impressed at the operation. The base power supply screen was particularly impressive, displaying the heat pumps and low pressure generators that supplied power to the base.
Eventually they made their way to the screens displaying the R&D and engineering department. They looked on as a variety of equipment was being built, tested and repaired. Men and women in casual clothing studied readouts as others worked in their individual bays. Bishop and Hoyt could clearly recognize a number of the ships and equipment in the room.
“So why was there a half-assembled fighter in the docking bay?” Jack asked. “Were you just trying to impress us with the new metamaterial?”
“We knew that some of your group would recognize the highly classified fighter, and that this would lead you all to hypothesize in the general direction of the truth,” Nun said. “It was ready for a small test flight to calibrate the grav units. The fighter will return to R&D very soon. I think you will be very pleased at the new fighter’s capabilities. Aside from what was considered, it is also torpedo or gravity bomb capable.”
“Speaking of which,” Nan’mtek interrupted, “We’re very interested in your ship, Jack. Do you mind if we poke around?”
“If it will let you,” she replied, not liking the idea very much.
“We’ll treat it tenderly, and you can have it back anytime you like,” Nan’mtek said, seeing her hesitation.
“I’m not kidding. It may refuse to allow you to poke.”
“We gathered as much when we lost communication with the Klinger’s ship comp,” Nan’mtek said smiling.
“One more question,” Timothy said. “Base Mother Russia is in desperate need of equipment. You being so well supplied, why didn’t you provide them with what they needed to keep the base running at optimal?”
“For the same reason no one else knew of Base Arctica. The situation has now changed, and of course we will be helping as needed. We’ll get into this in a few minutes.”
They left the control room and converged in a library filled with books on every wall. Bishop looked up once again to see, painted on the ceiling, an exact copy of Michelangelo’s three primary paintings depicting Noah’s Story. Several servants came in asking if anyone needed anything, from coffee to cognac. Several chose the latter as they sat down waiting to see what the council really had in mind.
Nan’mtek looked around and waited until everyone was served.
“Women and gentlemen. We now come to a crucial part of our visit.
“We stand at the threshold of an event that will affect the human race’s survival. This is not an understatement. Our computers have calculated a ninety-eight percent chance that the aliens will attack in the next year. Our gut feeling tells us it is a certainty. We feel strongly that they will attack before the year is up, which of course brings us to the first point.
“We need to regroup. We need to join forces to fight this common enemy, and to make this fight the last one. They have been weakened by the attack and destruction of their home-world, and this next event may be the end-all, one way or the other. We need to collaborate openly - simply because time is of the essence. Will you join us openly, pooling our resources so we can defeat the ants?”
General Hoyt looked at Commander Hollander and said, “We of course have to confer with the rest of our generals, but it comes down to this. We agree an attack is imminent and we also know that it’s imperative the aliens be stopped and destroyed, but we are presented with two issues. Massing our forces here removes our ships from their duties of protection in certain hot-spots. We’re spread thin as it is. We don’t know for certain that the aliens are combining their total forces against Earth, which means of course that we could be leaving millions of people undefended as we regroup here. In other words, I’m not sure it’s possible to bring all of our ships here. The second issue is one that Jack can better explain.”
Jack stood up and addressed the group. “While I was marooned on Beta-9, I came across another alien species that had been captured and used by the ants. At first I wasn’t sure why they were useful to them, but it soon became apparent.”
“We are aware of the species you are referring to,” Nan’mtek said. “Species 002. But please continue.”
Jack was put off by the reference to this number. Species 002 was the vermin found on the crashed scout ship 700 years before, but she continued anyway. “I found that the ants were establishing a major hive, possibly even the base for their new homeworld, but they were also using these aliens as a way of telepathically communicating and controlling humans.” Jack expected to see a reaction of shock on the faces of the Alliance Council, but there was none. General Hoyt was equally surprised he didn’t see one. The only people that reacted were the Liason Officer Litkov and the historian, both of whom had of course heard unconfirmed rumors of such but had remained incredulous until now.
“Actually Jack, the ants have us
ed this alien species for thousands of years as a way to telepathically communicate with each other. It is a symbiotic relationship.”
“How is that possible? I witnessed indescribable cruelty towards the aliens by the ants…”
“And what you saw was real. But let me ask you this, Jack. Were you able to discern any time period to the events you witnessed?”
“No. Not really. The events unfolded in my mind in such a way as if it seemed…beyond time…I’m not sure how to explain it.”
“We suggest that the events that were shown to you appeared as they did because the concept of time is viewed differently by those creatures. What you saw was events that transpired very recently, within the last thirty years or so. And they came about only after a mentally deficient Hive Queen took it on itself to experiment with humans.
“The symbiotic situation changed. The crab-like aliens refused to adjust to the introduction of a new species in the mind-link they had with the ants and rebelled against this deficient Queen, and so they ended up being…processed in the expedient and efficient manner you would expect from an ant. The end result is that these crab-like aliens have apparently decided to change loyalties, to come to our side.”
“What was the benefit to these crabs?” an unusually quiet Hollander asked.
“THAT is the question,” Nun said. “There are obvious benefits to us. Jack, you have a strong telepathic power, you sense people’s thoughts and emotions. Reports have it that your ship is astounding in its capabilities, and I feel that we have only scratched the surface. But, how does this benefit them? Is it only protection they seek, or are they searching for some sort of symbiotic relationship with us like they now have with the ants? Or do they want more? Perhaps they decided to change loyalties because the tide of war has turned. Or maybe it’s simply insurance, a connection to both groups in case one gets exterminated. Or,” and Nun started smiling now, “it could simply be true altruism on their part – one species trying to help another.”
“How can we find out?” Timothy asked.
“We need to time to absorb clues and get new ones. But the alien ship that crash-landed 700 years ago gave us our first one.”
“How?”
“Well, it crash-landed because Species 002 sabotaged it.”
Voices exploded as everyone questioned this new information.
Nan’mtek stood up as she tried to quiet everyone down. Eventually she said, “Why is everyone so surprised? Do you think alien craft crash-land on their own?”
“That’s not the point,” Timothy said. “How did we not know about this? As far as I can see, this is completely new information. I thought the creatures on the alien ship were vermin or food.”
“Yeah, and you now drop the bomb that they were the crabs we know,” Jack added.
“That initial thought of vermin was not ours, but it was… encouraged. Once Species 002’s capabilities were studied, it was quickly decided that this matter was too complex, with far too many questions to be allowed access by the general public.”
Nan’mtek didn’t tell them that two had survived the crash. She hated lying, but felt that to tell the whole truth on the matter would only cause greater disturbance. She was now going to lie again. “Before you comment, please keep in mind that this was the only information kept from the scientists at the time. It still is complex, and we still have no definite answers as to their purpose.
“General Hoyt, one thing is certain. We have become a new commodity for the ants. They want the Earth – there is no doubt about that. But they also want us. We supply them with a new-found, CONTROLLABLE strength, and because of this, these aliens will come here, to Earth, and they will do it because WE are here. And if they can’t have us, then they will make sure no one or no thing can have us. That’s why it’s imperative that this situation come to a conclusion, one that’s to our benefit.”
“But this new hive was destroyed, together with that deficient Queen,” Jack said. Doesn’t this mean the end of our problems?”
“No,” Nun said, interrupting. “All the alien ants know about Beta-9. And…” Nun looked at Nan’mtek, “…there are more hives, and many more humans now working with them.”
The comment drew shock from the group as pandemonium broke out for a second time.
“Please!” Nan’mtek said, and the group eventually quieted down.
“Information has been downloaded to each CIA agent, with instructions to fill all Captains in this time.” Nan’mtek smiled at Hoyt and Commander Hollander in turn. “As for you, Jaclyn, Jason, you’ve bought us time. It’s time now to put this to good use.”
“What makes you think we can win this war if they do come?” Ruth asked, once the shock had passed.
“Because they’ve suffered heavy losses,” Nan’mtek said. “Because they’re desperate and want to control our threat. Because they don’t know about Jaclyn and Jason. And they’ll come because they’re afraid we may find out the truth about the crabs.”
“What about the black ship, the one we blew up?” Scratch said.
“Ah, yes,” Nan’mtek said. “That, Jason, is an enigma. We do know it was probably not intended for Earth, although we can’t be sure. The Hive Queen on Beta-9 was erratic in her thinking to say the least. But we’re sure any surprises awaiting us will reveal themselves sooner rather than later.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Timothy said. “We need to come to a consensus here on our plans.”
“Exactly Timothy. The council agrees you meet our requirements as New World Leader. This message will be transmitted shortly in every language and through every method to every human being in the Galaxy. As for our joining forces, General, what say you?”
The general looked at Hollander and said, “I presume you have a plan in place.”
Nan’mtek smiled. “We’re always planning,” she said, and winked at Hoyt.
“We recognize the authority of Earth Alliance. We always have, even though we haven’t heard anything from you for centuries. Our assurance of loyalty has been in our Anthem, in our Declaration of Mankind and even in our flag. Still, this issue is so important that it has to be discussed among us. It will take at least a week before we get back to you on this. In the meantime, we have resources that can be put to use in bringing all bases up to proper working order and we also have civilian ships that would deeply appreciate the chance to re-supply and possibly even… repatriate if that is the correct term. Many of our crew have been under immense stress lately and I’m sure they would appreciate some R&R. Can we send a committee over to speak to you, Mr. Timothy, on arranging these things?”
Timothy looked at the general and agreed. “The first order of business as I see it General is preparing our bases for an attack. Anything you can do to help is deeply appreciated. Perhaps your military strategists can also get together so we can coordinate our efforts?”
“We can,” Hollander said, as both he and Timothy looked at Nan’mtek, waiting for her confirmation. After she nodded, he continued: “But I want to make one thing very clear here. This combination of forces here will only work under the following conditions:
“One. That this plan, once it’s revealed to the pertinent people, be kept Top Secret. If details leak, we’re doomed. Two. The ants must come to the conclusion that all available resources must be spent in gaining Earth, meaning that they all have to be here when that day comes. Three. That Earth has to somehow appear defenseless for obvious reasons. They cannot smell the trap. Four. No more secrets.”
“Amen!” Timothy said, agreeing.
“And five; his probably won’t be enough. We need a breakthrough, or help, from the crabs, from other aliens, whatever. Some more of those ships like the Klinger would be good, or at least information on its barrier.”
“Agreed, Commander,” Nan’mtek said. “That’s why we want to analyze the Klinger. As for help, we’re already working on it and have a number of possibilities.”
There were agreements all
around as different committees were suggested for each of the points mentioned. Once preliminary agreements were worked out, Nan’mtek turned to Timothy and said, “We have done our job, Mr. World Leader. Now it’s up to you. Lead! People, may I officially introduce our new leader, Mr. Timothy Paul and First Lady Ruth Paul. Goodbye, everyone.”
With that, the council members slowly walked away from everyone without another word.
“That was weird,” Scratch said.
“What happens now?” Ruth asked, looking around. Before anyone could answer, the door the council members went through opened again and one of the waiters they had seen earlier approached.
“My name is Diknor Ulip. You may call me Diknor Ulip. The council wishes that I express their invitation for all of you to stay as long as you would like. I can arrange rooming and a tour of the base for anyone interested, and I am most informed on the generalities of this complex. Feel free to ask any questions. Will all of you be staying?”
Ruth looked at Timothy and she said, “It’s getting quite late, but you should meet the commander of the base…”
“Commander Kit-Na is already waiting for you, Mr. Paul, First Lady. He has been informed by the council ahead of time.”
Surprised, Timothy looked at Diknor and finally said, “Very well then. I would appreciate meeting him and also staying the night if possible. Can you arrange an early flight back to Base Canada? Perhaps we can hold our meetings there too?” he added, looking at Hoyt and Hollander.
Diknor nodded and turned to the others.
“I should leave,” Jack said after looking at Scratch. “We have a lot to accomplish on China Lunar and a honeymoon to get to.” She was a little confused as to who she should answer to seeing as Timothy was now the leader General Hoyt had admitted allegiance to, but in the end she decided that they could fill her in on the finer points of the situation when necessary.