‘So what brings them to our planet?’ Professor Wilks asked.
‘They’re basically explorers.’ Vannevar Bush took over the conversation. ‘We learnt that they developed the ability to travel vast interstellar distances approximately five hundred years ago.’
‘Five hundred years!’ Norman Canning exclaimed. ‘We were still squabbling with the French and Spanish back then. America and Australia weren’t even on any maps.’
‘How long have they been visiting Earth?’ Professor Wilks asked.
‘The creature claimed that they have known about us for about three hundred years. At first all they did was catalogue our planet as containing life. But as the Industrial Revolution kicked into high gear they started to show more interest. The Human race was starting to develop technology and now that we have managed to split the atom our species is now of great interest to them.’ Bush paused. ‘And to others.’
‘Others?’ Frederick queried.
Bush took a deep breath. ‘We’ve also learnt that there are other space faring species out there that have been around much longer than our friends that crashed at Roswell. Thousands, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of years more advanced. The creature also told us that their species had observed hundreds of civilizations like our own who have destroyed themselves through conflict. Perhaps it was fate that delivered them to us considering our level of technology.’ Bush looked at Frederick. ‘This is why we made the decision concerning Mainbrace last year. A public display for the Russians to observe.’
‘And when you handed the creature back, was any other exchange made.’ Norman Canning asked.
‘Not really just a friendly handshake so to speak. They did inform us that our species was being monitored and that we had potential and further contact will be made.’
Professor Wilks rubbed his forehead. ‘As an astronomer I can barely grasp what we have learnt here today. Our current knowledge and understanding of our universe is practically nothing compared to the other species that we now know to exist out there.’
‘I think Gentlemen we can leave it there for the time being. Chambers announced. ‘I suggest we have an early lunch.’ He looked at the three Americans. ‘I trust you gentlemen are planning to stay for a while. Unfortunately we cannot continue until the day after tomorrow, there’s a little matter of Her Majesty’s coronation.’
‘We’d be delighted to stay for a few days.’ Hillenkotter said. ‘Wouldn’t miss this little shindig for the world.’
Frederick and Wilks stayed behind, while everyone left the room.
‘I take it you don’t trust the American’s.’ Wilks said.
‘No I do not, after everything they have done over the past year, for them to just come out now and admit to everything suggests that they still have an agenda. What they have revealed is startling to say the least but something tells me we’re still not getting the whole picture.’
Wilks sighed. ‘That maybe so but what they have told us today as still been one hell of an eye opener.’
‘Yes it’s certainly given me a lot to think about.’ Frederick glanced at his watch. ‘But as William pointed out tomorrow is a big day, and I have to get back to Emneth.’
‘Say hello to Liz and Susan for me.’ Wilks said.
‘I take it you’re having a day off like everyone else?’
‘Oh yes, but I have business to attend first, before heading to join in the festivities with Pam and the boys.’
‘Well say hello from me.’ Frederick said.
Chapter 61
God Save the Queen
The Mall – London – 10:38am
Tuesday 2nd June 1953
Igor Lakatos caught sight of the smiling princess who waved at the cheering crowds as she passed by in the Royal Golden coach. The sound of dozens of royal horses could be heard as they escorted the future queen to Westminster Abbey. The Mall was a dazzling sea of red white and blue. Tens of thousands of people waving flags and cheering as the royal procession passed them by. Many people had camped out overnight to catch a glimpse of the royal procession.’
‘Brings back a lot of memories does it not comrade.’ Lakatos’ informant said.
‘What do you mean?’ He snapped.
‘You were part of the household guard for the Tsar were you not?’
‘That was a long time ago comrade, during the dark days before the revolution.’ Lakatos replied as another royal coach passed. ‘You British should have done away with your royal family a long time ago.’
The informant glared at the Russian. ‘Sometimes comrade, it’s the simple things that keep us strong, come let us walk.’
The two men made their way through the throng towards Green Park. Although there were still many people celebrating the day they managed to find a secluded spot. The informant produced a small brown envelope. ‘I managed to acquire the names of all Majestic 12 members. The American seem very forthcoming with information.’
Lakatos slid the envelope into the inside pocket of his jacket. ‘This is old news, we already know what the Americans are in possession of. What about this new aircraft they’re testing?’
‘They’re keeping tight lipped about that, but promised to share technical details and the Prime Minster has agreed to let them continue their tests.’
Lakatos nodded.
‘We have another meeting tomorrow; Vannevar Bush is to demonstrate part of the technology recovered from the Roswell crash.’
‘What is the likelihood of you obtaining this piece of technology?’
The informant shook his head. ‘The Americans are running the show at the moment.’
‘Well it doesn’t matter we have similar technology recovered from Tunguska. Now that we have the names of the Majestic 12 group our comrades in the United States can get to work. Unfortunately comrade Modin’s efforts to persuade Professor Frederick to turn were unsuccessful despite what he showed him.’
‘I told you Frederick wouldn’t come over so easily, Burgess thought about recruiting him back in Cambridge but decided against it, besides MacLean made a much more tempting target.’
‘Speaking of comrade Modin, he will handle you from now on; this will be my last trip out for a while. The Tunguska project needs my full attention I must return immediately.'
The informant nodded. ‘I understand old friend, I will make sure Moscow is kept in the loop.’
Both men parted company without a handshake.
Chapter 62
The shape of things to come
Bletchley Park – 1:23pm
Wednesday 3rd June 1953
Vannevar Bush stood in front of the examination table. ‘Gentlemen, welcome to the future.’
Frederick, Sir Harold Bates, and Norman Canning looked on as Bush tapped on the object he had shown them two days earlier which immediately projected a spinning globe. The light from the globe lit up the immediate area bathing everything in a blue light. ‘First of all how does it work?’ Bush smiled and let out a nervous laugh. ‘Truth is we haven’t a damn clue.’ He shook his head. ‘Our scientists haven’t even come up with any theories what powers it. All we have learnt is how to access its basic functions.’
Sir Harold Bates leaned forward and studied the object. ‘It seems to be capable of projecting light directly into the space in front of us.’
Like a film projector on a flat surface.’ Frederick added.
Bates nodded. ‘Yes but this doesn’t need a flat surface to function. It can project light particles directly into three dimensional space, thus giving the illusion of structure.’ Bates waved his hand through the floating sphere which did nothing.’ He rubbed his fingers. ‘There seems to be a static charge emanating from this image.’ He tapped the surface of the device twice. The glowing sphere vanished in an instant.
Frederick reached forward and picked the object up. ‘It has almost no weight.’ He noted with surprise.
‘Drop it on to the table.’ Bush invited.
Frederick loo
ked at him.
‘Go on.’ Bush encouraged.
Frederick held the object flat over the table and then let go. The object didn’t move, it remained where it was. Frederick, Bates and Canning could only look on in wonder.
‘I thought you’d like that.’ Bush said. He reached forward and flipped the object on its side, before tapping it once. The transparent material changed colour turning to black, masking the inner components. An image of earth appeared on the surface of the object. ‘This not only has the capability of projecting light into three dimensional space but you can view information in two dimensional space.’
‘Like a television screen.’ Norman Canning said.
Bush nodded.
‘But what makes it just float in the air?’ Frederick asked. ‘It shouldn’t be doing that, gravity should pull it down.’
‘But it doesn’t, our scientists have theorised that it generates some kind of antigravity field.’
‘For what purpose?’ Bates asked.
‘We believe that different gravitational strengths on different planets may create a problem for beings capable of interstellar travel. So they have devised a technology to overcome this.’
‘Different planets?’ Norman canning stated.
‘When we were able to access the craft found in the New Mexico desert we found about thirteen hundred of these devices.’
Canning pointed at the device. ‘Thirteen hundred of these!’
‘Yes, and we’ve been through all of them. Every one contains a detailed record of other planets and solar systems. What’s more all these devices contain planets which harbour life. We have also learnt that they are all within close proximity to our solar system.’
‘How close?’ Bates asked.
‘Within a hundred light years, and we believe that’s just a tiny drop in the ocean compared to how many planetary systems there are in our galaxy alone. Every star you see in the night sky gentlemen could well have a planetary system.’
Frederick thought back to the conversation he had with his daughter Susan. ‘This is incredible we’re talking about billions upon billions of planets, do you know what this could do for science on this planet. To know that we are not the only planet with life changes everything. It’s a shame Professor Wilks isn’t here to see this.’
‘I agree with everything you say Professor, but let’s not get carried away and make any announcements just yet. There are scientists out there who are not ready to accept such knowledge.’
‘That’s absurd.’ Frederick stated.
‘Nevertheless, it’s true, the fact that we may not be alone in our universe makes a lot of the scientific community nervous.’
‘Why?’ Frederick asked.
‘You as a Nobel Prize winning physicist should know the answer to that one Professor.’ Bush Answered. ‘Professor Einstein’s theory of relativity states that it’s not possible to travel beyond the speed of light.’ Bush indicated to the device. ‘Yet the creatures that piloted the craft found at Roswell seem to be capable of faster than light travel.’
Frederick nodded. ‘There are scientists that have based their life’s work around Einstein, most notably myself. To disprove relativity could throw the scientific community into disarray.’
‘Which is why we need to keep things to ourselves.’ Bush stated.
‘For how long?’
‘As long as it takes, our main goal is to figure out how this technology works, so that we can kick start science. It’s our first day at school Gentlemen.’
‘Kick start science, it sounds as if you have plans to utilize this technology.’ Norman Canning said.
Bush nodded.
‘What would you hope to gain from doing that?’ Harold Bates asked.
Bush looked at the object which hung motionless in the air. ‘Imagine a world where information is available in an instant.’
‘What kind of information?’ Frederick interrupted.
Bush shrugged. ‘Anything you want.’ He indicated to the object. ‘One day it may be possible to build devices like this for everyday use. An electronic device that can hold enormous amounts of information. Perhaps they will be like this, capable of storing sound and moving images. I have theorised such a device I have called the Memex which is capable of storing information on microfilm which the user can access using a series of commands. I have also theorised that it could be possible to build several of these machine and link them.’
‘Link them?’ Frederick quizzed.
Bush nodded. ‘Yes, several of my devices could be constructed and designed to communicate with each other.’
‘How exactly.’
‘Through a series of telephone exchanges. I believe it is possible to station a Memex in Washington and link it up to another machine in New York via a telephone line. Each machine would be able to transmit information such as photographs and perhaps one day moving images as well as documents. It’s all theoretical at the moment, there is a lot of work to do.’
‘But what use would people have for such a device? Surely they have got better things to do than stare at images or moving pictures all day long.’ Frederick said.
‘But people do.’ Bush Stated. ‘Television is vastly popular in the United States, and we have learnt that people will sit in front of it from dawn till dusk. We believe this device could give birth to all kinds of new technologies.’
‘How long do you propose we will be able to build devices like this?’ Norman Canning asked.
‘I couldn’t even begin to guess when we would reach this level of technology. The computers that are being built today fill a large room, and can only perform mathematical calculations.’ He pointed at the device. ‘This technology can manipulate energy in ways we can’t yet grasp. But saying that I believe that development of knowledge is the key to understanding how this works. Imagine if we sent a modern day car back in time to Henry Ford, he would have little understanding of how it works. But in time he could duplicate it. Perhaps by the end of the twentieth century we may be advanced enough to build devices like this. I predict computers will be much smaller, many times more powerful. A computer small enough to fit in the palm of your hand may sound like science fiction, but then again so would things like cars, aeroplanes and television if we would have had this conversation a hundred years ago.’
‘The end of the twentieth century.’ Canning said. ‘Isn’t that being a little too optimistic?’
‘Not at all, it’s taken us less than fifty years to go from man’s first powered flight to the jet engine. And now we are beginning to build rockets capable of reaching space itself. Who knows what we’ll be capable of in another fifty years?’
‘It’s a bold plan.’ Bates said. ‘But if we are suddenly thrust into the midst of all this technology won’t people start to question where it came from.’
‘Not if they’re reliant on it. No one questions how it’s possible to drive cars around, fly aeroplanes, or watch moving pictures on a little box in our living rooms. Technology is already starting to dominate our lives. The development of technology such as this would benefit mankind in ways we cannot begin to imagine. The financial gains it would bring to both the United States and United Kingdom would be enormous. Baring in mind any new technology developed from the Roswell crash would be developed for military applications before it found its way into the public domain. We have a number of research projects up and running looking into how we can advance our own technology. The plan is to patent different products and announce them to the public from time to time. Give different people credit for inventing different technologies, while in reality the technology being developed stems from the crash at Roswell. Our project leader Senator Jacob Barnes feels that this is an ideal way to get people used to the developing technology.’
Canning thought about Bush’s ambitious plan. ‘Military application is a good way of testing new technology. This device demonstrates that it could be possible to gain advanced information on ones enemy, a key
goal in any battle.’
‘One more reason for keeping this under wraps gentleman.’ Bush said. ‘I have to admit I had to do a lot of convincing to let you Brits in on any of this, some of my people feel that you are a leaky ship so to speak.’
‘You have had your fair share of spies Mr Bush the Rosenbergs and their network caused a significant amount of damage regarding US nuclear secrets.’ Canning added.
Bush couldn’t help smiling. ‘That is true, which is why we have to work together to intercept anyone who might be working for the Soviets. Rest assured this technology is far more valuable than all our nuclear technology combined.’
Canning nodded. ‘I’ll start making plans to beef up security around Bletchley.’
‘We’ll have to set up additional research facilities.’ Frederick added. ‘There is just so much to do now.’
Bush nodded. ‘But before all this is possible we have to understand this more, this device contains a detail map of our planet. It covers everything right down to road maps, town and city maps. These creatures have been collecting data on everything about our planet.’ He reached forward and grabbed the object placing it flat on the table before tapping it. The glowing three dimensional representation of Earth reappeared. He tapped the outline of the United Kingdom. A larger map appeared with five symbols one above the other at the side. ‘Our scientists have yet to decipher the language but we have determined that the symbols have a function.’ He tapped the bottom symbol. Immediately hundreds of red and green dots began to appear on the map.’
‘What do these glowing dots mean.’ Canning asked.
‘We’re not sure, but we think they maybe landing sites for flying saucers.’
Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1) Page 21