He landed on the beach and ran over to her.
“Did you find what you need?” he asked, trying to keep her focus on the task of finding Olympians.
“Yeah. Do you have a good reason for being late?”
Smirking, he said “I got stuck down there and had to find us a ride. I parked it back on the beach.” Loki could tell Sigyn was preparing to upbraid him for using advanced tech. “It’s dark and Linters are quiet! You didn’t even realize I was flying it and look how close to the beach you are! We don’t have time to argue—we need to track down those Olympians.”
“Your timing of caring about this mission is suspiciously aligned with covering up your own incompetence.”
“Ha! When have I ever pretended to be competent?”
* * *
Loki and Sigyn slid through the dark skies over the Pacific Ocean, whose presence was only marked by the soothing sound of churning water.
“So you still think they went north?” Loki asked.
“Yes, but I think they either split up or are doubling back. I’m getting the sense at least one flew south and then north again. It’s hard to say. The signal from the north is stronger than the one from the south. Without other disturbances nearby I think I can tell the difference between one and two Olympians, but I’m not sure. “
“What do you want to do?” Loki asked, knowing the answer wasn’t going to affect his ultimate goal either way.
“Um…let’s head north. If nothing else, it puts us closer to Vili in case the Olympians somehow caught on to him.”
“Makes sense. Just keep me flying along their trail.”
Act I, Chapter 16
Preparation
Location: Pachacamac, Peru
Atlas had just received Athena’s orders and was prepping his flight back to Antarctica. He ignited the cylindrical Linter and activated the conveyor belt that would deliver him under the Pacific. Earthly communications were still on in the background; Atlas was unsure if other odd international news would be reported any time soon. Between the broadcast message and the way the eerily chanting villagers descended on the site, he was pretty sure there was more to come.
The conveyor belt lifted his ship to the ocean floor and Atlas flew directly up to the ocean’s surface. He broke through and ascended to about sixty kilometers above Earth’s crust. Suspended high above the surface, he keyed in the coordinates for Antarctica and pushed the Linter to maximum acceleration.
The Linter, far faster than the primitive Cessna, delivered Atlas to Antarctica within an hour. He made quick work of locating the entrance to the hanger and plummeted below the ocean waters to activate it.
Athena needs her ship and I need my weapons.
Atlas returned to the white hallway of the facility and made his way to the hibernation room. He saw the vertical cylinder that held him in suspended slumber for one thousand years, temporarily freeing him from the prison of time, but providing the more horrifying confinement of stasis. It all looks the same as when I went under. Atlas put his hand on a panel by the door, his biometric signature required to unlock its contents. I wonder if others had access to my weapons in my…absence. He was relieved to see they were all still there. Just like the last time I saw them.
He changed into a shirt that resembled a thick, skin-tight black sweater—weaved with carbon nanofibers—and black pants. The armor allowed flexibility while also providing cushioning from blows and a temporary barrier to melee weapons or projectiles. I don’t need the mask—it blocks my vision. I just need you. Atlas picked up a small, circular shield and threw it into a duffle bag.
He strapped a standard Petram pistol on one hip and short-handled ax on the other. Lastly, he collected a sniper rifle and his favorite weapon: a simple mace riddled with spikes. The spherical core was marbled, a patina highlighting the metallic fragments susceptible to oxidation. Atlas’ life was indelibly etched into his mace; it was as much a part of him as his memories. Each broken or missing spike harbored a story of jubilant victory or seething defeat. Blood stains clung to the weapon in homage to the victims slain; their pattern and color the last impact the extinct being made on the universe. He smiled inwardly and went to find Athena’s ship. I hope the combat stays close-quarters.
He followed the instructions Athena outlined for him and started to move her ship—the Aegis—out toward the opening under the ocean. Once I crush these intruders I’ll be too valuable for Olympia to discard again.
* * *
Athena stood in front of the mysterious door while Atlas fetched the Aegis. Why would the researchers warn every race about this door? As if they knew we’d come searching… She repositioned her stance, not liking the feeling of standing still for too long. If the intruders are Huacan then I doubt they are coming back here. Why would they want to unleash this—assuming it’s real? Who would? Someone who wants to start another war and pin the initial aggression on the Huaca?
This may all just be a distraction—I still don’t even have evidence the intruders are interested in this place.
* * *
As Atlas approached the base in Pachacamac, unexpected news came in over the radio.
“It’s happening! Astronomers confirmed last night that there is life outside of Earth! Their telescopes were suddenly able to view broken alien structures near the sun. Legitimate questions are being raised about the message heard around the world less than 48 hours ago.”
Atlas was furious. I knew Athena was moving too slowly! Just like the Council during the Fracturing.
Act I, Chapter 17
The Unveiling
Location: Longyearbyen, Norway
Lugh awoke startled and with a headache. He had fallen asleep in the same clothes he wore the previous night and felt a terrible hangover waiting for him over the horizon of consciousness. Was someone trying to convince me that they were an alien last night or was I just that drunk? Then he heard the pounding on the door that awoke him from his slumber.
“Lugh, get up! We don’t have much time!” Vili yelled through the door.
The alien? Lugh tried to respond, but his voice came out more mumbled and gargled than he expected. “Uhh…hold on…”
“We have work to do and we can’t stick around here—I’m going to start drawing too much attention. Turn on your relay box if you don’t believe me. Hurry.” Vili’s voice was aggressively authoritative; Lugh wouldn’t have been able to disobey if he tried.
Relay box…? The television? He fumbled around for the remote and tuned the TV to the first news station he could find. His glassy eyes were still struggling to process the photons bombarding him as his auditory system converted the rush of sounds into words.
The television presented a split screen with two talking heads. The left portion was occupied by a clean-shaven, square-jawed American, dressed in formal military attire. His chest and arms were littered in badges of honor. On the right sat a pockmarked scientist with glasses and long, curly hair. Am I reading something about aliens in the chyron?
Commander*: “We must mobilize the worlds’ militaries against this unknown threat. We have to rely on our strength until we have a better understanding of what’s going on. I’m certainly not ready to hand the keys of Earth—or any singly country—to some alien.*
Scientist: How do you know our weapons are even effective against these alien forces? If we’ve been watched for who knows how long and some alien offers us help, my first reaction is not to treat it to the worlds’ military might.
Commander: You’d sooner rollover and play lapdog?”
Lugh’s slow comprehension of the situation was abruptly stunted when a loud crack was followed by his door swinging open. Fragments of the door and chain lock flung throughout the area. Vili had shoved his shoulder into the door, above the handle, and ended the illusion of security the room offered.
“We have to go, now!” He grabbed Lugh, and his luggage, and practically dragged him downstairs.
Lugh didn’t struggle agai
nst Vili; he was confused and still milking his hangover. For as big as Vili is, he is even stronger than he looks.
As Lugh and Vili left through the back of the inn they heard a crowd forming out front. “Are they after you?” Lugh said while jerking his head back.
“Probably. Humans have their first incontrovertible evidence of life beyond Earth, and are falling into a panic.”
“And you clearly aren’t from around here. Your timing will seem suspicious,” Lugh said, regaining some control over his foggy mind. “Why not just explain you’re here to help?” Are you here to help? “Running isn’t going to make them trust you.”
“No time to explain anything to them—they’ll get over it. When we finally reveal ourselves to your world it needs to be on our terms.”
Lugh thought for a second, now allowing more of his weight to be carried by his own legs. “…Am I included in the ‘we?’”
Vili glanced at him. “For better or worse, yes, you are.”
Lugh’s body lightened as the sensation of fainting came over him. He breathed slowly to stave off the stage of nausea that typically followed if he couldn’t invert himself. His body needed time to recover from the revelatory jolt. Or maybe it was just that he hadn’t eaten since consuming massive amounts of alcohol the night before. “Are we heading to the spaceship you mentioned last night?”
“Yeah. Should be there in 20 minutes. We have a lot to discuss.”
END OF ACT I
Act II, Chapter 1
Panic
Location: Grindavik, Iceland
Chaos struck Earth at its resonant frequency, daring it to break. The news cycles across the planet weren’t dominated by any single theme; stories of fear, ecstasy, despair, heathenism, regret, and hope all prominently rang. Some humans saw no value to existence and lost all sense of morality. They committed obscene acts against neighbors and strangers alike, and commonly died doing so. Others found new meaning in life, elated from the idea humans aren’t alone. Emphasizing science, a few daydreamed of the technological advancement contact with other civilizations would bring while uncountable more braced for a contentious future. The latter were under the belief that Earth could soon be at war with their observers, or the alien that came to “protect” them, or both.
Groups attempting to take the matter into their own hands formed across cities and towns to protect their local community from aliens. Anyone deemed too peculiar—or even relatively new to the area— was beaten, locked up, interrogated, or killed. It wasn’t unheard of for police and military officers to join these groups, making them hard to quell.
Religion became fractured overnight. The news of aliens made some devout worshippers even more secure in their religion, claiming the end predicted by their sacred text was befalling the corrupt human race. The streets of major cities became inundated with these evangelists. Others left their religion behind entirely, unsure of how to calibrate their moral compass in a purely secular world. They wandered through their lives as strangers to themselves and the life they built.
At least half the global population stopped showing up to work and school. Many went home to be with their families while others were immobilized from anxiety attacks, fear, despair, drug use, or some combination. Some simply thought participating in society no longer held value.
Though most of the Earth had some reaction to the news of aliens, a small portion of humans still weren’t convinced. They looked at the population as going mad over an elaborate prank or pure manipulation; most blamed the conspiracy on a secret group that was trying to control the world. Regardless of their reaction, anyone who watched the news and observed their neighbors realized that humans had the capacity to be as terrifying as any cruel extraterrestrials.
Militaries, police, and governmental officials struggled to maintain authority over civilians in many countries. Order was impossible to keep when at least half of those trying to instill it were also having breakdowns of their own. Rules and decorum that held culture together were dissolving at a rapid pace.
The United Nations was one of the few organizations that retained some semblance of order, but that’s because they internally believed the first message Vili sent out was genuine and had time to let it sink in. One of their bodies, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), had already drafted protocol for dealing with alien life. It was mostly tongue-in-cheek when first developed, but was now looked to as an infallible instructions guide. It was inspired by guides written by the IAA, IISL, IAU, CSR, SETI, and others.
COPUOS held non-stop meetings on what steps needed to be taken. They restructured their governing protocol to adopt a hierarchy that allowed the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to hold the most influence. Additionally, representatives from all countries within COPUOS were swapped out for those countries’ top ranking elected officials and military leaders.
The humans have always been predictable in this regard.
—In Vino Veritas, page 123, notes 1–9.
* * *
Vili spent the better part of two days traveling, resting, and avoiding mobs. He took Lugh to Iceland and tried to locate a good hideout near his rendezvous point with Sigyn and Loki. The plan was to meet his team on the southern part of Reykjanesfólkvangur—a protected national park without any permanent residents. Eventually, Vili found an inn nearby on a sleepy coast in Grindavik.
Nestled comfortably in their hotel room in Grindavik, Vili and Lugh watched a live discussion on television in which COPUOS deliberated on what Earth was to do next.
Lugh shifted in his chair and looked over at Vili. Vili, feeling Lugh’s eyes on him, turned to meet his gaze. He saw the bags draped under his eye lashes and the subtle sagging of his posture.
“I still have so many questions,” Lugh said.
“I know. But first I need to tell you why I specifically need your help.”
Lugh threw his hands up and sighed. “Of course. Go ahead.”
“Thousands of years ago, Earth was viewed as a neutral scientific ground—all of the Primordials experimented on your ancestors here.”
Lugh interjected. “Primordials?”
Vili paused. “Right…the Primordials are the five most advanced species in the galaxy.” What would Sigyn say? “They all have very different forms of…uh…underlying biology and they’ve evolved in a way that makes them…uh…physically connected to space.”
Lugh was dumfounded. “What does any of that mean?”
Screw it. I’ll wait for Sigyn to provide the details. “It means they’re fucking dangerous and run the galaxy. Or at least they did. A couple of the races vanished after a big, brutal war they had about one thousand years ago. We aren’t sure how many of the five still exist, but the ones that are still around have complete control over various sections of our galaxy—no, don’t interrupt me, you can ask questions when I’m finished. Before the war, there was a loose cooperation among those five civilizations, and they agreed Earth would be one of many neutral zones.
“Many of the experiments on Earth tested the degree of variability in abilities that could be achieved by tampering with human DNA. Scientists became overzealous and ‘super-charged’ some bloodlines—either by accident or intentionally—and a handful of humans exhibited extraordinary characteristics. Strength, intelligence, coordination, you name it.
“Most of these bloodlines were later killed off, but we believe that some lines were simply disabled. And we were right. You are the first Descendant—that’s what we call you—that we’ve found.”
Lugh was speechless. “I…uh…you keep saying ‘we’—are you the only Aesir on Earth?” He shut his eyes and shook his head while Vili responded.
Vili’s eyebrows furrowed. That’s not the first question I expected—he needs a second to wrap his mind around the situation. “Right. I’m here with two other Aesir. You’ll meet them soon enough—they’ll be in Iceland in a few days.” I hope.
Lugh sat up straight and
took a deep breath. “So you were saying before that I have some…disabled strands of DNA that will give me enhanced attributes?”
“Yes.”
“Ok, can you provide more information than that? What kind of abilities should I have?”
“No idea. I brought a scientist with me. She’ll explain the details to you when she gets here. More importantly, we need to enable that DNA again.”
Lugh jumped up at those words. “Whoa whoa whoa. I didn’t agree to any surgery or anything like that.”
Vili cocked his head. Are all humans this jumpy? He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the same disk he was using to track the rate of benign infection. There were 12 slots along the edge of one side of the disk. Vili pushed one back, revealing a black, one-by-one-centimeter patch. It was actually a legion of nanobots stuck in a substance that rapidly dissolved after coming contact with enzymes found in saliva. “No surgery, kid. Just put this on your tongue,” Vili said as he extended the square to Lugh.
“And what the hell does this do?”
“Oh, it will interact with the virus I infected you with to enable latent portions of your DNA.”
“What!” Lugh yelled. “What virus?”
Vili sighed, “It’s not just you; most of the planet is infected with it by now. It was what identified you as a Descendant and brought you to Norway. Now stop being so dramatic and take this damn patch.” Vili’s final words were spoken as an order.
The Gods Who Chose Us Page 14