Ascendancy: A Near Future Sci-Fi Thriller

by Randal Sloan

  Her father nodded. “I know. It’s just incredible to see all the changes. It was only a couple of days ago for me and even after hearing you tell me and seeing the news announcements, to actually see it in action is even more beyond me. Of course, I suspect no one else can do it quite as well as I just saw you do. You’re an amazing pilot!”

  Julie started unstrapping from her flight console. “I might have had a little incentive to learn quickly. But it’s mostly some kind of instinct that I suspect I got from my grandfather Randolph, based on the stories I’ve heard. I’ve always regretted that I didn’t get the chance to know him.” Tapping the icon on the console to open the door, Julie led the way out.

  Quickly following her, he told her, “He was an amazing man. Although I didn’t have his talent as a pilot, his stories of his test pilot days had a lot to do with our dreams of exploring space, which led Ted and me to form Space Tech. And yes, I see quite a bit of him in you, although I still see a lot of your mother in you too.” That brought a sad smile that Julie shared with him, made all the more bittersweet from their recent experience.

  Quickly passing through security, the two were each assigned an escort. Julie was led by her escort to the gardens to see the First Lady and her father was led inside to the Presidential study. With no explanation provided by his escort, Doctor Randolph had no idea why he would be requested to meet with the President himself.

  #

  When Julie got there, she wasn’t surprised to see the First Lady waiting. She was sitting in the little gazebo next to the beautiful water feature that Julie had admired so much. The water today was, as usual, crystal clear.

  Lady Catherine greeted her with a hug as Julie sat in the chair beside her. “So it’s time we talked again. I see you put your necklace on. I guess that means you talked to your mother and she told you everything.”

  “Yes, I know now that the terrible medicine wasn’t the doctor’s idea, but came from you and my mother. Plus, she told me about needing to wear my necklace to grow.” Julie hadn’t decided yet how she felt about all that, but she really wasn’t angry about it. After all, they did it to protect her. At least they didn’t give her a false identity!

  “All of that is true. What I didn’t tell your mother was what it really meant. I foresaw a future where you had a tremendous ability with your visions. Like no one else I’ve ever known. In that future, you would find a way to change the event to where your mother didn’t die in that terrible attack. But then things would snowball out of control. You’d never meet Zeke, so your son and daughter would never be born. And you and your father wouldn’t have the drive to fight the Organization as fiercely as you’ve done and they would just get stronger. In a few years you and your whole family would be killed, and Space Tech would be taken over by the Organization. They would slowly put a stranglehold on the whole world. Even you couldn’t see that event because it involved you personally.”

  The more Julie had listened, the more horrified she became. To not have Zeke and her future children was something she couldn’t conceive of. Then to lose her whole family and herself too, while leaving the whole world under the control of the Organization. Horrible! But she would’ve had her mother. At least for a little longer, her heart said, but would it have been worth it? She knew now why her mother had chosen to accept her fate, but it still hurt that she was gone. She guessed it always would.

  Julie just sat there for a few minutes and cried on her adopted mother’s shoulder. They both cried for a little while.

  Finally Julie straightened up and looked at her mother’s friend and teacher. She had to have watched her friend and favorite student die, and couldn’t do anything to stop it. She couldn’t even be there with her at the end or attend her funeral. So finally Julie told her, “I’m so sorry. I never thought about what you had to go through with all this. Thank you for protecting me all this time. But I think it’s now time for me to do my part to help you. I think we’ve been given another task too.”

  Julie went on to explain her last conversation with her daughter. She thought the girl had slipped something in at the last that she wasn’t supposed to do. A hint of what she needed to do to help. It involved the other alternate timeline, where both her parents had been killed because she didn’t call them in time. They had been so close to boarding. If the cell phone lines had been just a little slower, she wouldn’t have caught them in time. It had been that close. Only her extreme urgency where she had been literally physically sick had stopped them.

  “So, do you think what she’s suggesting is even possible? Can I learn to do it? And do you think some temporal time agent is going to come arrest me or something?”

  “Ok, too many questions at once. I’ll start with the last one first. I suspect it’s one of those grey areas. Plus we already know the ones helping the Organization have cheated at least once. I suspect twice, because I don’t think they’re done yet. If this time they’re not helping the Organization, then it’s probably a last ditch effort trying something else. Plus, if you’re willing to cheat to try one, why not two? So they’ve let them get away with that. I think you’re safe. Plus, I don’t see how they could catch you anyway.”

  “Secondly, for the first two, the answer is yes, at least I think so. I also suspect that we don’t have much time. If the key is for your alternate Julie and Zeke to get together to have the same children, it probably means the wedding has to be on the same day. And we don’t dare put yours off. I suspect something like that would show up on some time agent’s radar faster than an illegal weapon, because it’s so pivotal. I know you intend to conceive your daughter Juliette on your honeymoon night. That’s a much stronger event in the metaphysical world than any kind of weapon.”

  “The gist of all that is, I’ll try to teach you today. You must attempt your connection tonight and every night you have left until you accomplish this, or fail because it’s too late. As you know, sleep is when we are all closer to the metaphysical world. To contact yourself in the alternate timeline, you’ll both have to either be sleeping or in a deep meditation. Either way it has to be at night, when the interfering energy levels are lower. It would be best if you’re both trying to accomplish the same task; I’m hoping you can briefly communicate the first time and then get our other Julie trying after that too. That’s our only real hope for this to work; that and the necklace. Hopefully our other Julie is wearing it too. It should help make the connection, as it will be a strong anchor point in both timelines and the two necklaces should exhibit an attraction to each other.”

  Julie nodded. “Let’s do it then. We don’t have long. I told Zeke to take his time, but he tends to get carried away. But I think if I mess the timing up on the homecoming, because so many people are involved, that would also show up as a blip too.”

  “You’re exactly right. The more powerful the event, and the more people involved, the stronger the effect. Like ripples in a pond. The bigger the rock and the more people affected, the bigger the ripples.”

  Julie stared at her wide-eyed. All of a sudden she had an insight on the other timeline. “That’s it! Somehow, I can see it now. In the alternate timeline, they are going to hit the earth with an asteroid. A really big rock that will make a huge splash.” She stared at her surrogate mother in total shock. “The other Julie is going to need the quantum reaction to stop it. Maybe the need will also help to make our connection.”

  “You’re right and you’re already way ahead of me now. Ok, so here is what you do. You need a mirror, a full length mirror at that and you need to sit in front of it looking at yourself in the mirror. You have to reach out to that mirror but you have to slip mentally just to one side of that physical mirror. But you can’t reach too far to the side or you’ll miss the connection.”

  “I get it. Kind of like how the ship’s drives push it to just to the edge of the physical universe but not too far. I do the same thing when I feel the fields to push my control of the ship to the very edge.”

/>   “I have no idea how you do that, but yes, it is the same principle. You should practice here for the few minutes you have using the small hand mirror. And then tonight you must attempt to at least make that first connection using a full-length mirror.”

  Julie nodded, taking the mirror from her and sitting down in the lotus position beside the water fountain. Then she laughed and handed the mirror back to her. “I’ll just use the water fountain for now. The water is so pure it reflects like pure crystal.”

  #

  Julie was deep in her exercise when Zeke’s mental message came to her, “Hey, love, we’re coming up on R4 and so we’ll be at the station shortly. Besides that, all that water is giving me a headache.”

  “Oops,” Julie sent back. “Sorry, I’ll stop for a while. I have to go get my Dad, so you’re just going to have to slow down for a few minutes. But I’ll see you soon.”

  Julie looked up to see her mentor there watching her. “Sorry, that’s Zeke, and I guess I’m going to have to go. And look at me. I used up all our time together.”

  “No, I’ve been sitting here and enjoying the fountain flowing from you. It was quite refreshing. I’ll see you in just a few days. We have a wedding happening here, if you recall.”

  Julie stood up, giving her a big hug. “I can hardly wait,” she breathed. “I’m so glad we’re having it here. Thank you for all you’ve done for me.”

  “It’s I who should be thanking you. You’ve brought such joy to my life and I’m like you, I can’t wait to see that daughter of yours.”

  Wiping the tears of joy from her eyes, Julie hurried to get her father. She might have been a little eager to see Zeke again too.

  #

  Sam Randolph was a little nervous as he separated from his daughter. He knew and respected this President, but he didn’t know him as a person. And to think Julie had negotiated with him directly. He was still amazed. But when he got to the door of the study, the man was standing there waiting for him, and he grasped the outstretched hand quickly.

  “Make yourself at home,” the President told him. “I have all the ingredients to make any type drink your want, although I really don’t partake of it very much. But I recommend you make yourself something to settle your nerves.”

  Sam quickly made himself a drink from the Presidents collection of high end Scotch. He too did not partake that often, but right now, he could really use something for his nerves. When he settled down in the soft chairs the President had available and took a couple of sips, he did feel a little better.

  As soon as he was settled, the President spoke again. “I wanted to talk to you about your daughter and then about you. In fact, I have a proposition for you. But first: Julie has had an amazing impact on me and my wife as a person and obviously to the world. I’ve never met anyone else like her and don’t expect I ever will. My wife and I have asked if we could be godparents to her daughter and she graciously accepted. I just wanted you to be aware of that.”

  He looked directly at Sam. “But your return has complicated things a bit. Where will you and she fit in now?”

  “Well, sir, I have already decided not to try to take back the reins to Space Tech. What Julie has done and is doing is beyond anything I could possibly ever imagine. And she’s very happy and deeply involved in what she’s doing, and really believes that she can continue to make a difference. But for myself, I have no idea what I will be doing.”

  “That is actually perfect, and I respect you as a man for being willing to do that.” The President smiled. This was going to be easier than he had thought. “And that leads me to my proposition for you. I’d like to offer you a job. In association with Space Tech, the US has decided that with the new systems developed by them, we have a tremendous opportunity to study our amazing solar system. I want you to lead that effort!”

  Doctor Randolph stood, offering the President his hand. “I don’t even have to think about that one, sir. I without qualification accept. That is the real reason my brother and I established Space Tech in the first place. I promise I will serve in this to the best of my ability.”

  “Well, that certainly was easy. So let’s talk about what I thought it would involve, and you give me your ideas.”

  #

  They were still talking when Julie came to the door. Her father realized it had been nearly an hour. “My dearest daughter, you’re looking at the new Director of Near Space Exploration, a joint venture of the US Space Administration and Space Tech, assuming the current CEO of Space Tech approves the venture.”

  Julie rushed forward and hugged her dad. “That’s what you always wanted to do, isn’t it, Dad?”

  “Yes, Space Tech was just supposed to be the way for me to get there and now, thanks to you, I’ll be able to realize my dream.”

  “Nonsense, you guys were really close to figuring it out. Although I will admit, without me you might have been in a bit of a pickle right now. But anyway, I only took what you had and modified a wee bit to get what we have now.”

  “Maybe more than a wee bit, my humble little daughter. I saw those specs.”

  The President had been watching the two, but finally he cleared his throat.

  “Sorry, sir, we got a little distracted there. I just came to tell Dad that Zeke will be arriving with the rescued crew shortly so I guess we’d better go. Apparently we now have an additional announcement to make too.”

  “Yes, but if you don’t mind, I would like a ride up with the two of you and that way I can kill two birds with one stone. I’ve never had the privilege of going to Space Tech Station, and I would have great pleasure participating in this announcement.”

  “You’ve got it, sir. But I’ve got to tell you. You’re going up there just a little too late. We’ve converted the whole station to use gravity plates. You won’t be able to experience the station quite the same as it used to be.”

  That brought a laugh from the President. “I think I can live without that experience. I assume you’ve got room for my security detail too? That’s sort of a requirement.”

  “Yes, sir, I understand. I sort of have one too, but I keep ditching them,” Julie laughed. “Of course, I’m not as important as you, sir.”

  “I’m sorry to tell you, dear girl, but you and that soon-to-be husband of yours are far more important to the world now than the head of state of one country.”

  Julie wanted to argue, but she saw the look in his eyes and wisely kept quiet. “Then, sir, your chariot awaits you,” she told him, indicating the doorway.

  Everyone quickly boarded, including the President’s security team. Julie indicated the co-pilot seat to the President and told him, “Sir, if you would, sit second seat on this flight. My father has already had the experience.”

  Grinning like a little boy, the President quickly strapped himself in. “Are these controls live? Think you can pass them over to me for a few minutes when we get airborne? You do remember I flew fighters in the Air Force?”

  “Yes, sir, just let me get us off the ground. This baby looks like a big airplane but with the tweaks Zeke did to it, we can now fly with the full propulsion system even in atmo. And we have the anti-grav to use too. That really makes taking off and landing fun, but not without a challenge or two.”

  Julie’s fingers expertly danced on the controls and she tapped her headset, “This is Air Force One, ready for takeoff.” She grinned at them. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

  They were quickly airborne and Julie turned their flight so that they were out over the ocean. Turning to her new co-pilot, she explained, “The controls are basically the same as those fighters you flew, but in this craft the third dimension is no different. You can go straight up at the touch of a finger. I’ve locked out the controls that use the drive to phase in and out. I don’t think you will want to try them just yet. If you’re ready, I’ll transfer control now.”

  At his nod, she tapped the button making the switch and then sat back watching. The President quickly got the
hang of it and was easily moving in lazy formations when Julie noticed some blips on her scope.

  “Sir, I’m going to take back over now. There’s something suspicious going on and I want to be ready to respond.”

  Quickly taking back over, Julie keyed the mike on her headset and transmitted, “Unknown aircraft. This is Air Force One. Please do not approach any closer or I will have to take defensive measures including the possible destruction of any aircraft that continue to show aggressive action.” She quickly moved them to a higher altitude.

  “Mr. President, Sir, I will simply turn away and fly at a high enough speed to completely avoid them if you order me to do it. But you know my philosophy. I don’t run away from troublemakers, because that just encourages them to try harder the next time. If these craft make any significant aggressive moves I will fire one warning shot. If they choose to ignore that, I’ll take them down.”

  “I happen to agree with that philosophy myself. It’s your ship, fly it as you see fit.”

  The planes had changed course to follow them. “That’s aggressive enough for me. One warning shot coming up.” She grinned at them, as she powered up the plasma cannon. “I’ve been wanting to try this baby out. It’s not as powerful as the big one Zeke used against the pirates, but it should do the job on anything out here in the air with us.”

  As soon as the system was green, Julie fired one shot. It passed within inches of the lead plane. To the pilot it had to look like a ball of fire coming at him so fast that it would have been impossible to dodge. “Probably scorched the paint on him. Not that it’ll matter if they fire one shot at us. At that point, I’ll take care of all of them. Again, my philosophy.”

  Keying her mike once more, she transmitted. “This is your last warning. Any additional aggression will result in the destruction of all aircraft.”

  The planes had resolved into five airplanes. “Five. Zeke’s going to be so mad. I’ll be a triple Ace if they don’t back down.” Suddenly they each fired two missiles at her, a total of ten.