Provider Prime: Alien Legacy

by John Vassar

  Charlis snapped back, ‘Earth as a meat farm. I can see why you wanted this kept secret.’

  Ga’naal’s head dropped once more. ‘What I have told you is only part of the barbarity of Ka’laat’s plan. It would not be sufficient to merely slaughter the people of Earth. The act had to be carried out in a very specific way.’

  Mitchell frowned. ‘Ritualistic?’

  ‘No, Lee Mitchell. For the resulting flesh to be untainted, the victim must die in abject fear. To such a level that it is fear itself that kills them.’

  Mitchell looked at Charlis in disbelief, then back to the Vis’haani commander. ‘You’re saying that Ja’faal intended to frighten everyone on Earth to death?’

  ‘Ja’faal’s intention, as we understand it, was that all humans would be subjugated using the psychological weapon he had developed.’ Ga’naal turned back to face them. ‘Doubtless, this would leave the population of Earth in a constant state of fear, but not sufficient to kill. A similar, but more intense method would be used for the controlled slaughter.’

  Mitchell shook his head. ‘We know that Thorne, when he was human at least, was using a chemical serum to control key people in our defence organisation. Is this the psychological weapon he had developed?’

  ‘No, Lee Mitchell.’

  ‘Then what is?’

  Ga’naal paused. ‘The androids located on the base below us are not what they appear to be. They contain the very essence of human fear. Each autom, as you call it, contains the thought engrams of an individual human mind as it was tortured to death. From your SenANNs, we know that Ja’faal had been luring human workers to this base over several cycles. Each of these innocents was systematically tortured and subjected to the most agonising death that could be imagined. At the moment of each death, the engrams were digitally captured and stored in a single autom unit.’

  Mitchell stared at the shimmering white deck of Ga’naal’s quarters. This explained the low level human life signs that the SenANNs had detected emanating from T-1. Human memories, ready to be launched against the Populus at Thorne’s bidding.

  He heard Charlis say, ‘Who devised this… method. Whose idea was it?’

  ‘It is unimportant. What is done is done. The intention was to release these seemingly innocent machines into every one of Earth’s orbital conurbations. Others would be stationed in the more heavily-populated areas of the planet itself and on the major outposts of your civilisation within Sol System.’ Ga’naal was watching Charlis very carefully as he continued, ‘Each autom is capable of transmitting the fear engrams across a considerable distance. Almost half of your current population is already capable of low levels of empathic response. The resulting panic across the globe would be difficult to imagine. Combined with the mobile weaponry that Ja’faal was developing, Earth’s subjugation would be inevitable. Ka’laat’s forces, although small, would have arrived to find very little resistance.’

  Charlis took a step towards Ga’naal. ‘I’ll repeat my question, Commander. Who thought up this plan of attack?’

  Ga’naal’s yellow eyes became noticeably red. His mouthparts twisted slightly. ‘We believe that Ja’faal was selected because of his extreme intelligence. He was instructed to use Earth’s own resources to produce a weapon that would enable conquest. We believe that this was his solution.’

  ‘Then Ja’faal must-’ Charlis suddenly reached up to his head, his fingers clutching at the sides of the cam-suit helmet. His eyes were wide with confusion and pain. Mitchell grabbed his shoulders. ‘Charlis! What’s wrong?’

  Charlis dropped to his knees and slumped sideways. In the low grav, Mitchell just stayed upright as he tried to stop him hitting the deck. Ga’naal was suddenly at his side. Rapid, high-pitched clicks rang out as the Vis’haani commander lifted the DS man’s limp body onto a translucent table that had emerged from the wall. A halo of blue appeared over Charlis. More commands from Ga’naal as he reached through the atmospheric barrier and removed Charlis’s helmet. He turned to Mitchell and said, ‘We believe there is a problem with the device. We must extract it quickly.’

  Mitchell beamed out to the SenANNs, “I have to get these things out of my ears before the same happens to me…”

  There was no response from the SenANNs. Mitchell sensed they were no longer connected. Ga’naal was watching a stiletto-beam of light as it etched into the skin on the far side of Charlis’s head, which was now being steadied by flanges that had risen up from the table. A wisp of smoke appeared. Mitchell tensed, wondering how he was going to tackle Ga’naal if the time came. And the time looked close.

  The light stopped. Ga’naal reached in and gently pulled the DS man’s head towards him. He retrieved a small, bloodied object and held it out towards Mitchell.

  ‘We believe this is the cause of your companion’s discomfort,’ he said.

  Into Mitchell’s outstretched hand he dropped a FedStat-issue neural link.

  52

  Where were the SenANNs?

  The translation devices had effectively covered their departure. And until they returned, Mitchell would have to rely on the wiggling seeds to converse with the Vis’haani. Charlis had been whisked back to Lomonosov in the Vis’haani shuttle, still unconscious. Mitchell was now the only human on board Ga’naal’s ship. And without the SenANNs, he had no clue as to what had happened with Charlis’s neural link.

  Except that whatever it was had given Ja’faal of Vis’haan yet another lifeline.

  Ga’naal had led him back to the bridge in silence. The Vis’haani commander had then issued a series of orders, again with no translation. He seemed able to control with ease what Mitchell heard and what he didn’t.

  ‘We are here, Lee Mitchell.’

  Mitchell almost shouted the words out loud. “Why the hell did you disconnect? Charlis has had some kind of incident with his neural link and is off-grid.”

  ‘We are aware of this. We have analysed the data from the Vis’haani vessel’s medical scanners. There was a severe overload in Sub-Commander Charlis’s neural link. Ga’naal acted correctly in the circumstances.’

  “A neural link is self-limiting. It cannot overload.”

  ‘We believe that it may have become damaged during the energy surge caused by Ja’faal’s original transmission to Vis’haan. We urge caution. We would not wish a similar incident to befall yourself, Lee Mitchell.’

  Mitchell swallowed hard. Was that a threat?

  “You haven’t stated why you withdrew contact with me.”

  ‘This action was not deliberate, Lee Mitchell. Ja’faal has activated the automs at Cytec T-1. They are transmitting on a sub-ether frequency band similar to human brainwave activity. This has necessitated an adjustment in your neural pathways.’

  “I see.” Mitchell pictured the nanites jumping up and re-tuning his head. They hadn’t had much to do in the last few days. Maybe when they’d finished they could watch the latest sportscast to keep from getting bored. “If Thorne has activated the automs we must act quickly. We must-”

  From nowhere, the bridge reverberated with the sound of the Sentinel’s voice:

  ‘This is a message for the traitor, Ga’naal. Hear me well. The lives of all humans depend on your response to my next command.’

  “Is this in Vis’haani?” Mitchell beamed at the SenANNs.

  ‘No, Lee Mitchell. Ja’faal is communicating in English. He is using a standard comlink from T-1.’

  Ga’naal was snapping out un-translated commands once more. It crossed Mitchell’s mind that he may be trying to cut off Ja’faal’s transmission.

  ‘I have activated my forces. They will be unleashed on the Populus unless you and your senior officers surrender yourselves to me. The human known as Lee Mitchell will also accompany you.’

  Ga’naal’s response was in Vis’haani. This time, though, the SenANNs translated for Mitchell.

  ‘Ja’faal. We are pleased that you have contacted us. There is no need for violence. Let us help you. We are awar
e of the deterioration your mind is suffering and-’

  ‘Do not dare to speak Vis’haani in my presence, traitor!’

  Ga’naal give another command, then shot an accusing look at Mitchell. His words now translated into English by the starship, he said, ‘Ja’faal. Let us help you. We can take you back to your home world. We can preserve your intellect until we are able to prepare another host.’

  ‘It is too late to preserve what I once was. You will obey me or the humans will suffer.’

  ‘There is no need for anyone to suffer, Ja’faal, least of all yourself. Your mission is over. We understand that you are not to blame. Let us help you.’

  ‘You have thirty minutes of Sol System time. Do as I command or the consequences will be severe. There will be no further discussion.’

  Ga’naal’s slender body hunched. His bright yellow eyes had dulled.

  Mitchell said, ‘Commander Ga’naal. I believe the way forward is clear. We have no alternative but to neutralise Ja’faal and his automs. There is very little possibility of collateral loss of life on T-1.’

  ‘I wish I could agree, Lee Mitchell of Earth. But you heard Ja’faal as I did. He has activated his machines and the threat to your people is very real.’

  ‘Which is why we must act now. Ja’faal has made a critical error in allowing us time to respond to his demands. We must eradicate these automs while they are still confined to the lunar surface.’

  Ga’naal looked up, his mouthparts twisting alarmingly as he spoke. ‘The automs on your moon are a simple enough problem to deal with. As is Ja’faal himself, if necessary. Your own weaponry should be sufficient to deal with both.’

  Mitchell frowned. ‘Then what is there to discuss? Our remaining sentinel squad can destroy Ja’faal and the automs within seconds of giving the order.’

  ‘Doubtless they could. But it would not neutralise the other android machines.’

  ‘What other android machines?’

  ‘The second autom force that Ja’faal has created on the planet you call Mars.’

  53

  Lee Mitchell stood on the bridge of the Vis’haani vessel, in apparent silence to the extraterrestrial officers and crew around him. Their commander stood a few feet away from him, his head bowed once more. Mitchell’s gaze remained on Ga’naal as he addressed the SenANNs with venom.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about the Martian force?”

  Their response came as another surprise. ‘Because we were not aware of this fact until a few moments ago, Lee Mitchell. Our brothers on Mars detected the sub-ether activity at the same instant as it became apparent on T-1.’

  ‘Are you expecting me to believe that the Vis’haani had not told you of this second force?’

  ‘Whether you believe or not is irrelevant, Lee Mitchell. It is a fact.’

  Mitchell paused for a moment. ‘What do you know for certain? Is it feasible that Thorne could have done this?’

  ‘Affirmative. The organisation known as Autogen have several large industrial manufacturing complexes on Mars. The largest is within the Hellas Planitia bio dome. The sub-ether activity detected by Our brothers is emanating from this area.’

  “What is the current Populus density at Hellas Planitia?”

  ‘Thirty-seven thousand, six hundred and ninety-two.’

  Mitchell’s shoulders dropped. Earth’s flagship ExTerra colony. The beacon held up by the High Council as our greatest achievement since the Great Famine. He looked across at the stooped figure of the Vis’haani commander. ‘Ga’naal of Vis’haan. The SenANNs have advised me that they were unaware of a second force on the Mars ExTerra colony.’

  ‘They are stating the truth, Lee Mitchell. We learned of its existence during our last communication with Ja’faal, before he destroyed his host’s internal communications unit. We… had hoped to contain the situation before it became necessary to reveal the information to you.’

  ‘Do you know how many automs are in this force?’

  ‘One hundred and fifty-seven. Appropriate to the numbers of your people in this location in combination with the outer colonies of Sol System. Ja’faal’s plan was to employ the automs here to subjugate Earth due to the Moon’s proximity. Of the second force, twenty units would have been sufficient to subdue the colony on Mars, the remainder would have been distributed to your smaller ExTerra colonies.’

  Mitchell’s eyes narrowed. ‘You should have given us this information sooner…’

  ‘It would have been inappropriate given the duration of our contact.’

  ‘You mean you didn’t trust us…’

  Ga’naal paused. ‘That is essentially correct, Lee Mitchell.’

  Mitchell stepped up to the Vis’haani commander, found himself staring into luminous pools of yellow that swirled with mystery. ‘And now?’

  ‘Now, we believe that for the good of all concerned, we must work together to remove these threats to your world.’

  ‘For all our sakes,’ said Mitchell, ‘I hope you’re not lying.’ To hell with diplomacy. ‘Basic intel. What do we know? What is the range of each of Ja’faal’s automs? In terms of their ability to reach a human mind, that is.’

  ‘Depending on the sensitivity of the individual, each of the machines could cover a maximum radius of just under a thousand of the units you call kilometres.’

  ‘So without moving, just one of those Martian automs could affect the entire Hellas Planitia colony…’

  ‘That is unfortunately correct,’ said Ga’naal.

  “SenANNs…”

  ‘We are here, Lee Mitchell.’

  “I want Ga’naal to hear your responses. Can you tie into this vessel’s coms system?”

  ‘We are not certain that this would be a wise course of action, Lee Mitchell.’

  “There have been enough secrets. I want all three of us in the loop.”

  ‘Very well. The adjustment has been made.’

  Mitchell addressed Ga’naal once more. ‘Commander Ga’naal. I have asked the SenANNs to be involved in this. All three parties talking in the open. Do you agree?’

  ‘I agree. There is a certain logic to this approach.’

  ‘Good. SenANNs, how soon could Hellas Planitia colony be evacuated?’

  ‘The procedure would take two days, twenty one hours and fourteen minutes, approximately. This would remove ninety-eight percent of the Populus from the affected region.’ The SenANNs ‘voice’ as interpreted by the Vis’haani vessel was frighteningly close to the one Mitchell had been hearing for the last few days.

  Ga’naal said, ‘We have already explored the possibility of evacuation and discounted its feasibility. Ja’faal’s forethought has been exemplary. He has devised a method to activate the Martian force remotely. The communications array is at present sending a carrier wave signal to the automs on Mars. At the moment, like the units here, they are active but not transmitting. If the signal to the Martian colony is interrupted, the automs will begin transmission. We cannot, therefore, neutralise the communications array without serious consequences.’

  The SenANNs added, ‘We have been monitoring Ja’faal’s movements via the surveillance drone. He has now left the activated T-1 automs and returned to Area 1. We believe that he is putting into place a failsafe mechanism in the event that he is attacked.’

  Mitchell asked, ‘Would it be possible to destroy the automs on the Martian complex in time? We have several FedStat garrisons in the Hellas crater region if I remember correctly.’

  ‘There are three garrisons within effective striking distance. However, an attack in such a short space of time is not logistically possible without considerable loss of life. The Autogen assembly plant is integral to the Populus bio dome. In addition, the autom force is contained in a similar reinforced bunker to the one at Cytec T-1. However, We have devised an alternative strategy.’

  ‘Let’s hear it,’ said Mitchell.

  ‘It involves the co-operation of Commander Ga’naal. Specifically, the use of this vessel.
’

  Ga’naal took a pace forward and said, ‘My vessel is at your disposal. Ja’faal is a citizen of Vis’haan, whatever he has done in the past. He is our responsibility.’

  There was a multitude of clicking from the bridge drew and officers. It was obvious that there were signalling agreement, not dissent.

  ‘Commander Ga’naal. We have been studying the design schematics of your vessel. Its technology is impressive. We understand how the vessel’s propulsion system utilises gravitational wave forces to exceed the speed of light.’

  Ga’naal’s mouthparts twisted once more. ‘The design is the most advanced technology at our disposal. Many of the intricacies still elude me.’

  Mitchell smiled. Maybe Ga’naal was more human than he looked.

  ‘If We understand your vessel’s schematics,’ the SenANNs continued, ‘the propulsion generators produce a gravitational vortex which is used to impel the vessel on the required vector. We also understand that this vortex is capable of being channelled into your shields, anti-inertia and anti-gravity systems.’

  ‘That is correct,’ said Ga’naal. ‘The anti-inertia and gravity systems enable the craft to operate with high manoeuvrability, even within the gravitational well of large planetary bodies.’

  ‘We believe that with minor adjustments to these systems, this vessel would be capable of generating its own, directional gravity well. One of significant magnitude.’

  Mitchell’s eyes widened. The SenANNs had come up with a makeshift weapon. Commander Ga’naal, too, appeared to have grasped the notion of what they were saying. His own eyes were bright yellow again.

  ‘Our proposal is this. Commander Ga’naal, along with his selected officers and yourself, Lee Mitchell, will use the small shuttle vessel to comply with Ja’faal’s wishes and return to T-1. The main vessel will travel to Mars with its cloaking systems still engaged. Given the velocities that this vessel is capable of, the journey will take a matter of minutes. Neither Earth’s forces nor Ja’faal himself will be able to monitor this event. Your ship, Commander Ga’naal, will station itself directly above the bunker containing the automs in the Hellas Planitia bio dome. It will then induce a concentrated gravity well centred around the this bunker. We have calculated that a gravitational force in excess of one hundred and fifty-G will be sufficient to destroy the automs.’