The Collective

by David McCahan

  “Yes Sir! You heard the man. All aboard!” Glory motioned everyone inside the shuttle.

  “Glory I think code name for this mission is ‘Eagle’ if you follow the meaning?” Jeff looked to see if her amateur historian status would catch the meaning.

  “Jeff I think naming the mission after the Lunar Lander from Apollo 11 is perfect. I’ll keep a video feed from the shuttle open as well as com channels from each crew. It’ll almost be like you’re along with us.” Glory commented.

  “No it’s not. Get out of here before I take your place even though I’m evidently ESP blind, but keep the channels open like you said just the same.” And Jeff shooed into the shuttle.

  “OK OK OK I’m going. Sheesh pushy much. We won’t be late, keep the lights on for us. I’ll call when I get there.” She kept the commentary up as the shuttle hatch closed.

  Jeff keyed his com “Launch Control this is General Fitsimmons. The Eagle is cleared for launch.”

  “Copy General, The Eagle is cleared for launch. Control out.”

  The bay launch alarms began to sound signaling all crew that a launch is eminent and about to be depressurized. Jeff made his way off the bay, the yard master made a final sweep to assure all personnel were clear, and the inner doors closed. A minute later the bay was devoid of oxygen, gravity was cut in the bay and the outer doors opened allowing the shuttle to depart on its own power.

  “Eagle this is Columbia you are cleared for departure to Eden.” The Space Boss signaled the shuttle.

  “Thank you Columbia, the Eagle is departing.” Lt. Sato signaled the ship. Glory sitting in the co-pilots seat nodded her ascent to the young lieutenant. “Beginning our decent now.”

  The shuttle display showed a tactical display of their flight path. After Glory’s visit she was able to pin point the location on the terrain mapping that Bonnie’s crew had been able to produce from their orbital position. They had resisted the temptation to send probes to properly map the planet but that would come soon enough.

  “ETA five minutes Ma’am”

  “Acknowledged” Glory monitored the flight path and shuttle systems as they went. So far everything looked very good.

  We listen to you.

  “We listen for you. We will be with you soon.” Glory thought to the Collective. Unfortunately, Hiroshi had not witnessed this listening before and couldn’t help looking at Glory with a confused look on his face. She held up a hand as a signal to wait a moment.

  You will be with us soon. We welcome you. We are one on this.

  “Sorry Hiroshi, the planet was calling and I needed to reply. Takes a bit of getting used to.” Glory explained to the Lieutenant.

  “I tried to warn him Glory but I don’t think he quite believed me.” Rhonda added from her seat behind Hiroshi.

  “Well Lieutenant keep an open mind cause you ‘aint seen nothin’ yet.” Glory replied.

  As they were talking the planet surface was coming up fast. “Beginning approach to landing site now. Stand by for landing.” Hiroshi narrated his approach. He brought the shuttle in with his usual skill and touch down was barely perceptible.

  “Columbia this is Eagle.” Glory keyed the com to C&C.

  “Go ahead Eagle” The familiar voice of General Fitsimmons on the com.

  “Columbia, the Eagle has landed.” Glory couldn’t help but paraphrase Neil Armstrong from the Apollo 11 mission.

  “Copy that Eagle. Good luck with your mission, Columbia out.”

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Eden. Ok, lets suit up and get ready for our visitors.” Glory directed them.

  “Colonel I don’t show any contacts for miles.” Hiroshi looking at the sensor sweeps from the landing didn’t see anyone to greet them at all.

  “Relax Hiroshi. They are giving us a free run of the area until we are setup and run our initial air sample test and are ready for them.” Glory tried to reassure him.

  “I’m finding on this trip its best to just wait for it and not question how or why. So if you say they’ll be here then what can I do to help?” Hiroshi commented.

  Index

  Chapter 9 – Friends

  Having landed in the shuttle named Eagle for this mission, Dr. Rhonda Evans has begun to direct the landing party in their tasks to assemble the quarantine tents and equipment in order to test the inhabitants of Eden to check genetic compatibility with the crew of Eden and also whether there is any danger of either species infecting the other with a disease. The air, water and soil of Eden needed to be screened for potential hazards as well. The first order of business was everyone onboard donning Isolation Suits and then allowing the shuttle’s decontamination routine to evacuate the ship air, sterilize the interior of the ship and then allow equalization of the shuttle’s atmosphere with the planet atmosphere.

  “Captain if you could take the Lieutenant here with your Marines and unpack the isolation tents we can get setup and begin our testing. I believe Marlene briefed you on how they assemble and interconnect before we left Columbia?” Rhonda began to direct the flow of tasks.

  “Yes Ma’am, we’ll get them squared away in a few minutes. Pretty much erect themselves.” At that Adam Gerard turned toward the rear of the shuttle and the tents. “Lieutenant looks like you just became an honorary Marine, you’re with me. Alright you Jarheads, let’s look alive and get these quarantine units up.” He bellowed as they began to move the heavy gear outside.

  That task was made all the easier by the use of the Marine’s powered armor suits. Typically used in assaults they had the added usefulness on this mission as a one-man cargo carrier. The autonomous units fit the operator of the suit with minimal bulk. The Marine using the suit could move with greater speed and strength without losing the dexterity they would enjoy without the suit. From a strength standpoint the suit provided the operator with at least a tenfold increase in lifting capacity. The exterior of the suit provided a flexible armor nearly equal to the armor of the shuttle. A Marine outfitted with this powered body armor was nearly impossible to stop in close encounter warfare. Today the armor was powered but not armed.

  Rhonda turned to her crew “Emily and Greg, go ahead and begin to unpack your equipment. I see that they have already cleared the tents out of the way in back and should give you enough room to uncrate. Glory if you would like to get some exercise with me I’ll grab the collection kit and we’ll go get the bio samples for analysis.”

  Glory and Rhonda walked down by the lake and found a suitable level spot to setup that collection kit.

  “Nice to see this place with my physical eyes. It surprises me some that it does not seem any different than in spiritual form. It’s just as gorgeous either way.” Glory said as Rhonda looked up from unpacking the kit with an amused expression. Glory caught the look and registered the meaning. “Wow, that did sound so very nonchalant didn’t it? I can’t believe how this is all becoming just a part of my life. I guess I still should be so totally freaked out by the changes but every new ability just seems to become second nature after a try or two. Should I be concerned about that?”

  “Glo I don’t know how I would take what you have been through since we entered the system but then again adaptation to change was very high on the criteria when they screened the populace for candidates for this mission. That you adapt well to the unusual was a major reason you made the first selection cut. Remember we are going into very much the unknown for a long duration mission. Actually for a large percentage of the mission crew this is hopefully a permanent destination and will not return to Earth. So the crew has been selected to adapt and survive while at the same time selected for genetic and psychological compatibility. Everyone onboard is a potential colonist. So I’m not surprised how easily you accept the changes and integrate them rapidly. It in your genes!”

  “Well Doc I think that helps a little.” Glory responded to Rhonda as she looked out over the lake enjoying the view while Rhonda prepared the equipment. “Realizing that the green water is actually probab
ly good clean water is good to take some time though I think.”

  “Well since you mentioned water how about making yourself useful and take these vials a get water samples with them please?”

  “Works for me, I get to play in the water.” Glory said as she took the vials cheerfully and headed for the lake.

  “Hey don’t forget to look out for gators or something else that likes to eat people. We don’t know what lives in there yet.” Rhonda said as Glory walked off.

  “Actually I extended myself out and could only sense some small fish, or something similar, within about 200 yards. If I’m wrong, I’ll try to scream before it eats me.” Glory teased her friend. Rhonda just shook head and continued to prepare the vials and containers.

  Glory continued to explore the nearby surroundings with her new senses as she reached the water and began to fill the vials with water for analysis. She was finding a variety of small creatures in land, water and sky that gave her the impression of a variety of wildlife similar in nature to what she would find on Earth. A thought struck her just then that Earth was beginning to be more of a place than home anymore.

  We listen to you. It is good that you accept your new self. You learn quickly.

  “It is so beautiful here. We thank you for allowing us to visit you here.” Glory thought, and this time it seemed that it was only thought and not verbal also. She had finished gathering the water samples and stored them in the carry case and turned back towards the shuttle. No one showed any sign that they heard her say anything over the com. Good she thought to herself.

  This region you are visiting now is where we invite you to make your colony.

  “We are flattered but thought that if you would invite some of us that we would live in areas that you do not.”

  This is such an area. There are many such areas that we do not use that you may live in.

  Glory searched for more detail behind the thoughts and received the impression of vast temperate areas such as this that were as wilderness. Where Earth’s population numbered in the tens of billions, not counting the permanent space platforms and their millions, the population of the Collective may only number in the tens of millions and on the low side at that. Also the fleeting impression of a population that was not growing for a very long time.

  “Your offer is most generous. We hope that our tests here today prove we can live together without fear of harm to each other through disease and can be friends.”

  We know not disease. We have seen you close and there is no harm from the smallest of you.

  That took a few seconds to feel the meaning of the statement. The smallest of you meant at a microscopic level. They had looked at our physiology at maybe even the atomic level when visiting in spirit form and ruled out any fear of us contaminating them.

  “We are grateful of that fact. We must still test to be most careful. We cannot risk harm to you.”

  We understand. We are one on this. When you wish us to come in physical form we are listening and we will come so you can be most careful.

  “We understand. We are one on this.” Glory concluded the conversation with the Collective.

  Glory had reached Rhonda as she hung up the phone. “Rhonda you can forget the tests you are about to run They already did them.” With that Rhonda looked at her as if she had indeed lost all touch with reality.

  “Colonel you’re going to have to add some detail to that comment.”

  “When the visitors were on Columbia they were doing more than just floating over beds waiting to scare the crap out of unsuspecting dreamers. They also took a look at us and our surroundings at a molecular level. Actually more like sub-atomic level I think. They looked to see if we were compatible with them and if we carried any biological dangers and also if they, or this planet offered any dangers for us. They agree though that we should also do our due diligence and not come out of our bio suits until you are absolutely sure that there are no dangers at all.” Glory said in all seriousness and then continued “Now one interesting thing I learned is that this is the new colony’s first home”

  “Wait a minute I thought we were looking to not displace the native population in anyway if we proceeded to leave personnel here permanently. How can we take what appears to be prime real estate from them?” Rhonda asked.

  “Actually they don’t live around here. Their population is very much smaller than we thought. The night lights in areas are natural as you know. Their global population is only 20 to 30 million. There are huge areas that they never travel to. This is where they want us.” Glory thought for a moment as Rhonda digested the new information and then continued. “They didn’t say in so many words but I get the impression that the population here has remained consistent for an extremely long time. Not just consistent in numbers but consistent in the sense that these same people have been here that amount of time. No death and no newborn. Totally stagnant population.”

  “Well if that’s the case I think it’ll show in the genetic modeling. I guess we’ll see what we see very shortly. I see you have the water for me. I’ve collected some soil samples while you were communing. Why don’t you take these petri dishes and get some examples of the local flora around the hill over there and I’ll do the same in the other direction?” Rhonda settled back into her mad scientist role very quickly. Logical and methodical. “By then the bio containment suites should be sterilized and ready for some visitors. Any idea how long it will take for them to come when we’re ready?”

  “My impression is not quite science fiction transporter beam quick but only a minute or two. Considering that I’m sure they are not anywhere within 30 or 40 miles this is going to be interesting to see how they do it.” Glory replied.

  “Can’t wait, I’ll see you back here in a few minutes.” Rhonda said with a wave of her hand as she headed to her chosen collection spot.

  The flora in this region was truly remarkable in its variety. There were several different trees bearing fruit, beautiful flowers similar to roses and tulips, as well as grass and what appeared to be strawberry or raspberry like fruit bearing plants. Samples were collected from a number of these different plants but especially of any resembling fruits or vegetables. The labs were very capable of synthesizing almost anything that Earth could produce, including lab grown meats, but there is certainly an interest in native grown foods.

  “OK Glo, I think we’ve got a nice wide variety. Let’s get these processed along with the soil and water samples and see if the planet likes us before we think about addressing the same question to our friends.” Rhonda said as she stowed the samples and they then picked up the carry cases and prepared to head back to the now complete processing station.

  “Ladies may we help you with those?” Captain Gerard asked as he and Hiroshi Sato walked up behind them.

  “Who says Chivalry is dead? Why thank you Adam and Hiroshi, your help is as appreciated as it is timely.” Rhonda said as she smiled at the Marine Captain.

  “We’ve got your mobile med center all setup and ready to look these over. Your team’s finishing the final equipment calibrations and I sent my two Marines to reconnoiter the area until you’re ready for our guests. Gives ‘em something to do and doesn’t hurt to know what our perimeter holds in store for us. Don’t worry they won’t break quarantine protocols until you give them the green light Doc.” Adam commented as they carried the sample cases into the med center.

  “Thank you gentlemen, right here on the table will do fine. Emily, Greg can you help me break these samples down? Let’s get them run through the genetic modeler and the bio scanner.” Rhonda and her staff began to process the air, water, soil and plant samples to look for any biological threat as well as to determine any toxicity dangers and initial nutrition values of the possible native fruits and vegetables. The variety of samples was a terrific find.

  It took about 30 minutes to get the initial results for bio hazards. The modeler found one possible bacterial hazard but it was a low risk variant and su
ggested immunization to guard against it. No show stopper in that category. Ten minutes later the initial tests for toxicity were completed.

  “We need to make sure no one eats the strawberries here. Won’t kill them but they’ll have a very bad case of something akin to dysentery to treat. The rest of the samples looks fine. No serious dangers on any of them.” Rhonda reported to General Fitsimmons via video link once the preliminary tests were complete. “The samples would be processed more thoroughly onboard Columbia but I’m happy with the safety of the crew concerning the natural elements of the planet. At this point I think we’re ready to proceed to the Collective themselves.”

  “Very well Doctor. You’re the expert in this area so you’re cleared to proceed at your discretion.” Jeff replied.

  “Thank You General. We should have those results in about an hour. Eagle landing out.”

  “I’m looking forward to your results Doctor. Columbia out.” Jeff said and closed the link.

  “Glory and Emily, you’re on next. If you would call the Collective, we’ll get them cleared and then we can take off these stinking hazmat suits.” Rhonda said.

  “Let’s go outside and watch them come in. They’ll be here in less than a minute. This should be real interesting. In fact, Hiroshi, would you get the shuttle exterior cameras looking towards the east and send the feed up to Columbia? I’ll think they’ll enjoy the show.” Glory said as she walked through the exit to go and greet their guests.

  Looking to the east Glory pointed at a speck in the air on the horizon. “That’s the welcoming committee.” The speck was growing larger quite rapidly.

  “How fast are traveling.” Adam asked.

  “Hard to be sure but I think Mach 4 is probably a conservative number.” Emily commented. “The ship is basically a ceramic egg shaped enclosure that holds about 10 to 15 people and is powered by the telekinetic power of their minds.”