by James Octavo
“I think so. We can always add extra footage if you’re anxious,” Nora says.
“Sounds good. Let's add 500 feet just in case. We don’t want the crystals materializing inside of people just because we had the barricades wrong.”
“How about the placement of the detection equipment?”
“Readings from the exact center may help us understand what's causing it,” Dan says, pointing to the approximate location. “Let's put equipment racks at the exact center with sensors to read everything from barometric pressure to neutron emission.”
“Some of the crystals will appear inside the equipment.”
“Probably. So we put transmitters and redundant equipment outside the barricades.”
Dan, Nora and workers roll the equipment, Looking like network servers or old-fashioned stereo racks, six foot towers of equipment into the street near a curb next to abandoned cars. Soon, they roll two other racks next to the others.
They turn on diesel power generators outside the barricades, attach power cables and plug them to the equipment.
“Did we measure the exact focus point?” Dan asks Nora.
“Yes. All the events have been spaced exactly 192.445 miles apart at the exact same latitude.”
With the people evacuated from the barricaded area the scientists wait. Afternoon and evening pass without incident and when morning comes, irritated residents of the community complain. As afternoon approaches, even Ophelder wonders if they miscalculated.
“People want to go back to their homes.” Nora points at the crowd.
“They think it’s a false alarm.” He points to a man near them jumping over the barricade. “I’m out of here. I’m out of beer.”
“Stop him.”
“I’ll try. But he’s too far in.”
Nora trips the man and he falls.
Dan tries to grab him.
But then it happens. From start to finish, the fiery sequence of events lasts only ten seconds. First, at the exact center, an area twenty feet long and ten feet high turns completely black as if all of deep space had been brought to one small place. Five seconds later from the center of the darkness a spot of light appears becoming a beam filling the entire area. Everywhere, the beam touches thousands of the beautiful baubles appear, many in the air promptly falling to the ground sounding like an Olympian hailstorm.
Dan pulls the drunk inside the barricade and hears him scream out. One gem appeared in the man’s foot during the event.
“You’ll survive. You idiot.”
Thousands of others appear in the streets, the walls of buildings, the roofs of houses and the windows of stores within the barricades.
Just as suddenly as it begins, it ends. The bright lights flicker out, the equipment racks still sit at the center but carry the polka-dotted reminder of what had happened. Like the forest and town, this neighborhood carries the bright oranges, lemons, blues, and other iridescent colors on their buildings. The wood in houses creak, brick structures lightly rumble, some windows tinkle, then silence.
“My God. Did you see it? Did we get any readings?” the Army commander asks looking at the suburb, now a colorful, crystal ménage.
“Readings? Who needs readings? What we saw was outside known science,” Dan says. “But yes. barometric pressure dropped for the whole time the doorway opened. We detected electromagnetic emissions in the infra-red and radio wave, but thankfully nothing at the other end of the spectrum.” She then walks beside Dan. “What was your idea you’ve been holding back?”
“I think we saw a teleportation device in operation,” Ophelder calmly says.
“Come on. No one has built a teleporter.”
“You're right...On Earth anyway,” he says and looks up in the sky.
“My God. If it's a teleporter, then interstellar others have reached us. It would explain how objects materialized inside things.”
“It looks like First Contact. But it’s a strange way to do it. Teleporting crystals?”
“But I'm not so sure it's purely a teleporter. Notice the black area?” Nora says. “I think the first part of blackness is a doorway allowing the teleporter to function across space,” she argues. “If you noticed, all the energy came from the center of the black area while the black area looks like the wormhole. Since teleporters wouldn't be effective across interstellar space, they used the doorway to join the distances, then the objects teleported across the doorway.”
“If it's a doorway why don't things from our side in the black area vanish to the other side?”
“They did. Air went over. We saw barometric pressure went way down. But I think other objects would have to move through it. Maybe people can walk over.”
“I think you’re right. At least in the first five seconds,” Dan says.
“But what's it all about? Why communicate this way?”
“Maybe it's an invasion,” Dan says.
“Where? I don’t see invaders. Besides, if it is, why use trinkets? The crystals could be gifts, offerings of friendship from people who think we're primitive.”
“Then why drop them in our populated areas? No. Without sending armies, they teleport these things to destroy our infrastructure and then our people.”
“Come on, Dan. There must be something else going on.”
“Look around. Look at how they appeared inside everything.”
“What can we do if it is an invasion?”
“Somehow, we need to see if can cross over. Ask them what’s going on.”
“How can we test it?”
“Easy, all we have to do is throw something over.”
“The next time it happens, you can try. At least it's a start.”
“If it is a two-way entrance, then maybe there's something we can do about this destruction,” Dan says pointing to the now closed entrance.
“The next event is scheduled to happen near the southwest border of Colorado.”
Chapter 4 – Colorado and Kansas
Arriving at the scene, they place a tiny radio-controlled catapult near the center. A baseball and some wooden blocks would have the honors of being the first earth objects catapulted to the stars.
“Make sure we send the test objects at the sides of the doorway so they don't get caught in the teleport beam,” Nora says, looking at where the new doorway would appear.
Then, 28 hours and 9 minutes after it happened in Utah, the enveloping darkness occurs again. They turn on the catapult which throws the baseball and blocks into the darkness. Two seconds later, the bright lights flash and crystals appear as at the other sites. But the objects sent from this side stay on the other side.
. The scientists hold their breath and wait while the objects vanish.
Finally, after the artifacts refuse to return in accordance with the prayers and chants of the scientists, the usually sober, rational people holler like children.
“Yahoo! We did it! We sent the things over to the other side,” Nora shouts.
“Wonderful! But now we have to start negotiations,” Dan says. “And you think communication barriers exists between countries? What type of barriers will we have with an interstellar culture?”
“It'll be rough. But there's been research done in how to solve it. A linguist at Stanford designed a program to teach a culture our languages with only pictures and diagrams. We might be able to communicate,” Nora says.
“Let's hope they'll want to talk.”
They assemble the material suggested by the linguist and pile it atop the catapult at the next reception site at a farm in Kansas.
Just as before the materials vanish exactly 28 hours and 9 minutes after the last event at the new location near the heartland of the country.
But no response although three hundred pounds of printed matter vanish to the other side.
“There's no doubt about it,” Dan says. “They intend to destroy us. Slowly, we'll be buried in this stuff. There's no way we can stop their advance. I give us a few years at most.”
“Yes. But we're not going to let them call all the shots. We can play rough ourselves. A few well-placed bombs sent to their side should take care of the threat,” one of the Army officers says.
“Not until one of us goes across. We need to see them face-to-face before we declare war. Besides we're not sure why they're doing it,” Dan says.
“It is amazing. We just got reports of rioting from sight-seers back in California. Speculators will pay big dollars for the crystals, so people fight over them. And New Age folks like them too. They think they're proof of a coming new Utopian age, while others think it's a sign of the end of times.”
“I didn’t realize the social effects,” Dan says. “I saw it strictly a scientific problem.”
“Well you should look a little closer to the ground more often. Even some of the workers and soldiers have been pocketing them. I don't blame them. They do look beautiful,” Nora says, staring at one.
“Any luck at identifying what they are?”
“Last word is they're basically carbon with a mixture of common and rarer elements. No one crystal has the exact same chemistry, which may explain why they have so many varied shapes.”
“Interesting. But we're still not closer to solving why. Someone needs to cross over. We're not going to find answers from here,” Dan says.
“True. But it's a big risk since we're not sure living beings can survive the trip,” Nora says.
“We can send a test animal before any of us go. We'll just aim it so the subject is sent to the teleport chamber and hopefully returns.”
“You're not going to use the catapult!”
“Of course not. We'll put him in an electric cart and turn it on when the doorway opens.”
“Okay. I don’t want the animal activists on us.”
“I can’t promise the animal will return. But even if the animal doesn't return I'm going over into the doorway soon, before politicians decide to war against them.”
“Wait a second. Who says you're going?” Nora objects.
“Who's better qualified? Besides. I don't think the Army cares who goes. Also, realize we're running out of work time. Within five days the objects will materialize at the heavily populated east coast. There's no time to select outside candidates the way they select astronauts. The point is to get the job done.”
“Where is the next site?”
“It’s also in Kansas.”
“Really?”
“Kansas is a big state. It’s 400 miles from west going east.”
“No wonder people make jokes when they take road trips across the plains.”
Chapter 5 – Dog Days in More Kansas
At the next site in Kansas, a dog is placed at the center. Sitting with the dog, Nora and Dan leash him to the electric cart placed near the focal point. Around his neck they place a small micro-motor driven pump with a container to vacuum in atmosphere from the other side.
“He can sense something’s about to happen. Poor fella’s starting to shiver and whine,” Nora says and she pets the dog's head.
“We better get ready to leave. The next event is in six minutes.”
“Have some heart, Dan. Just another few minutes. I feel bad leaving him here.”
“Come on, Nora. Let's go. We have a distance to walk.” He pulls her from the dog.
While they walk to the new barricades, the light brown dog sits, wags his tail quietly whines and yelps.
. Then, as at least six times before, the horrible darkness envelopes the center of the site, the cart turns on and the dog is pulled in and vanishes in the dark. Then as quickly as he vanishes the bright lights cut through the darkness, deposit the crystals…along with the dog at the spot they placed him.
“He's alright!” Nora shouts. “Look! No crystals in him. He's only slightly disoriented.” She jumps over imbedded pieces to get to the barking dog.
“A person can make it over,” Dan says.
“Let's do a complete checkup on him to make sure his organs or genetic structure hasn't been altered,” one of the biologists says.
“Yeah, don't conclude he hasn't been harmed,” Nora says.
“But even if he has been harmed, we have to jump over before they hit our cities. I am going. ”
“Maybe not you,” the Army commander says. “We're waiting for the joint chiefs to decide. After all, you have no training in diplomacy.”
“It's not my intent to negotiate, just to understand what's going on. It should be a scientist first. I could identify phenomena on the other side. If I'm able to return or even if I can't, then send diplomats. But please, I'm willing to take the risk.”
“It's not my decision,” he says.
“Whatever they decide, tell them to make it fast,” Dan says in anger. “We need it solved before these things hit the East Coast.”
He then walks to the mobile lab where the doctors examine the dog.
“Do you really want to go over?” Nora asks. “You may not be able to return. The doorway could strand you in some nightmare world forever.”
“Thanks for the encouragement.”
“I’m just teasing you. But aren’t you scared?”
“Yes. But think of the possibilities,” he says looking at the skies. “For the first time, humanity will meet people from another world.”
“You don’t look scared. But you're the guy who has anxiety attacks when you have to give a speech.”
“You’re right. Do you want to know what I really feel?”
“Yes.”
“Of course I'm scared. Actually terrified. This place may be anywhere in the galaxy or universe. The people could be different from anything we can fathom. But I still want to go.”
“Then let me go with you. At least you won't be alone if the worst happens,” she says, adjusting his tie.
“No. Just one of us should go. Besides, you'd have to say goodbye to your parents and siblings. I don't have those attachments. There’s only a few people for me to let know.”
“We've had some good times.” She looks in his eyes. “Won't you miss me?”
“Umm.” He looks away and blushes. “Did they do a spectrometer reading on the atmosphere from the other side yet?”
“You didn't answer my question. But yes. The numbers seem good. 70% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, 10% inert elements.”
“Good. Even though the percentages differ from ours, it is breathable.”
“How's the dog doing?”
“Excellent. No internal changes whatsoever. He hasn't been affected at all by the trip.”
“Then it’s a go. When the higher-ups give us approval I'm going on his little trip myself!” Dan says.
Twenty minutes later, the Army commander walks back to the scientists.
“Alright, Ophelder. You wanted to go. It's all yours. Just try and come back in one piece.”
Chapter 6- We’re Not in Missouri Anymore
Nora hits Dan’s shoulder. “Why do you get to have all the fun?”
“Ha! Are you trying to kid the fear out of me?”
So again, five minutes before the next scheduled appearance Nora stands with Dan at the center of the predicted event, now in Missouri.
“Well, keep out of trouble out there. Make us look good,” she jokes.
“God I am going to miss you,” he says hugging her.
“Well, I finally got you to say it.”
“Umm.”
“Then make sure you come back.” She hugs him back and kisses him.
As she walks away, Dan waits at the focal point. In spite of the tension, he starts to laugh, realizing he’d be the first person crossing the stars. But he wouldn’t see space and may not even return.
He scans the blue skies, and wonders where in those skies he'd
end up.
He looks at the grass, breathing deeply in the fresh air and realizes how much he’ll miss these small things.
He looks one last time at Nora and a happy flood of memories come to him. For one second he almost changes his mind. But finally, the waiting ends. The detectors start agitating with loud beeps and fluttering meters.
Then, blackness appears, and although he feels terror as he stares into it, Dan Ophelder walks into the emptiness and vanishes. For one second he sees nothing but black and feels like he walked off the edge of a building. But just as suddenly, he feels his feet on a surface and sees light again.
When he reappears, he finds himself on a ledge just below some machinery. On the ledge, sits all the materials sent across. Below the ledge, a roaring river of sludge flows toward other machinery.
“No wonder these people never answered. They never received it!” he shouts above the crashing waters and leans over the ledge. Trying to pull himself over it, material sent over blocks his way. Suddenly, he slips on the slick surface and falls over the ledge into the sludge.
“Help!” he shouts as the sludge chokes his mouth. Two workers hear his incomprehensible cries and run to the ledge.
“What is that thing?” asks one of the purple hued creatures in their own language.
“It looks like some kind of monster,” the other alien says. “Let's get out of here.”
“No. Though I can't understand what it's saying, it needs our help. Creature or not, I'm going to try. You call the security people.”
Then with those words, he jumps into the stinking sludge and pulls out the drowning earthman.
After they clean him with a water hose and spray him with various chemicals, they take him to their scientists, where he babbles incoherently. They figure he wants them to examine the inscriptions earlier sent over.
“He wants us to translate this stuff. Let's put it through our computers and see what it's up to. Maybe it's the first of an invasion force. In the meantime, let's learn his biology. But watch him in case he becomes a threat.”