“Precisely,” Corren said. “Now, what is this secret?”
Efren had his speech already memorized. The week before he had carefully not told Rehl the reason he wanted to know the exact words for conduit, detection system, and others phrases. And now he had the exact sentences in their proper order, syntax correctly laid out, vocabulary still fresh. He didn’t stop until he explained it all.
Corren had a difficult time comprehending all of it. He had never heard of this suppression or filter circuit before. Could it be possible that hundreds of years ago it had been integrated into every nav system for the sole purpose of maximizing profits? Maybe no one knew what that radiation was that was being detected. Whatever the reason, it was certain Andakar was either using the technology or would be very shortly. Efren didn’t know, upon inquiry. He only knew that some of the so-called conduits had been mapped. The strategic advantage such knowledge would bring to Andakar’s fledgling independence movement would mean that he, and thus Earth, no longer had the upper hand.
This new information was greatly disturbing. Corren had been sure this issue was all sewn up before they left Andakar. Now, he was sure that wasn’t so. And he was, at minimum, a month from getting back to Earth with this information. There was every indication, based on Efren’s detailed knowledge of how his people traveled space, that he wasn’t lying. Corren changed the subject, satisfied he had obtained what information he needed about the conduits. “This gateway you came through. What can you tell me about it?”
“Nothing. I was not aware such a thing existed until I went through it.”
Corren ignored Efren’s denial of its purpose. “Perhaps you can take me across and we can look.”
Efren looked shocked. After all, this chubby, middle-aged man certainly didn’t look like the type who would deliberately walk a block, much less want to go through a dimensional gateway. “There is much danger. It is… not smart.”
“On the contrary, it’s very smart,” he said, sound quite full of himself. Corren could have kicked himself for not having studied the intel about the aliens a lot more closely when he first heard about it. After all, it wasn’t a business deal, had nothing to do with accounting and had occurred at the far end of Inhabbed Space. During the long trip to Andakar he had studied the details of the mummified aliens, the reports about the mysterious stone structure in the cavern, the role of this Empire Efren belonged to and that they had long been at war with the exact same aliens. There had been hours and hours of vids about it all. Most of the information was nearly impossible to believe. But there was something nagging at Corren. Something had been left out. He was sure of it. Despite the hazards the reports alluded to about the other side of the portal, Corren saw profit. He had convinced himself there were more details than had been reported. After all, not a single person who had traversed the portal was a businessman or understood how business was supposed to be run or developed. He was sure Rylerran Citizens would soon be exploiting the gateway for the profit potential it represented. That much he had already decided before they had disembarked on Andakar. If it were true an entire civilization lay on the other side of the dimensional gateway, aliens or not, it represented a way to secure an even more lasting legacy than he’d already garnered. After all, no one in his universe was at war with the Telkans. A look. Just a look. To see if what was spoken of were really true. After all, what could a mere look hurt?
“You do not have the travel things,” Efren said. “They were… broken.”
“Travel things?” Corren needed Takaramyus, but there was no way he was going to let the Lieutenant Commander know anything being discussed here.
Efren held the fingers of his hands together, forming a circle. “The travel things to cross the tunnel.”
Corren chuckled as he now understood what Efren was saying. “Not to worry, my friend. I have two of them.” He stood and motioned for Efren to accompany him. They went to a desk at the end of the room. Corren pressed an icon on its surface and a small opening appeared. Inside were two of the disc-shaped devices.
Efren couldn’t believe what he was seeing; his large brown eyes grew wide in surprise. “They said they … broke them.”
Corren chuckled to himself at the way Efren was speaking. The man sounded vaguely like a three year old. “These will work. I’ve been assured of it.”
“Assured?” Efren didn’t know that word.
“I have a guarantee,” Corren told him smugly, holding one of the discs up victoriously.
Efren involuntarily bit his thumbnail. This was not good, he realized. This man was extremely powerful and was going to do exactly what he wanted. Despite Efren knowing it was exceedingly dangerous, even for a moment, to go across the barrier he nonetheless realized he had become a major player in the man’s risky game. A game he had started. After all, he had offered conduit technology to Corren as bait. To gain himself safe passage off Andakar. He needed to get to Earth to start a fresh life. Earth was his home planet. No matter that it was totally different from the Earth he knew. He nonetheless held out hope that living there would provide him with an emotional anchor of sorts, in familiar territory. After all, a place called Spain still existed.
But that would have to wait. There was an exchange, a barter going on here. Unfortunately, Efren realized too late that Corren had not only a greedy look, but a downright hungry one. Efren needed to continue to make sure he got his end of the bargain. Unfortunately, it was only now that he understood the depths of the man’s ruthlessness and utter disregard of the advice of others. He felt he should kick himself. The man actually had two of the devices!
Corren noted how distressed Efren appeared to be as he put the disc away and made sure the desktop opening was sealed shut. He snorted. Corren was convinced the emphasis placed on the risks were far too great. It was a ploy. A trick even. After all, anyone could be traded with. An empire. An alien culture. Did it really matter? Everyone had a price. Everyone. Efren just proved that, he thought with a haughty smile.
Corren had not spent his entire lifetime working deals, sealing them, and finding more engines to generate more economic wealth for nothing. More than two dozen times during the last twenty years he made sure those people under him who balked knew they would comply with his methods, or else. Corren was supremely grateful Efren had made his decision to defect. It simplified matters greatly, he thought, as he and Efren went to the couch where he raised his brandy in a silent salute before downing the rest of it.
Chapter 48
The ties that bind, Rehl thought. It was only moments before breaking out of the wedge to Rylerra. He felt awkward being aboard an official Consortium starship. After all, as far as he knew he was officially a traitor in their eyes, although no such words had been spoken to him. He had been treated with the respect he deserved given his rank and position as a highly skilled and trained pilot. But that wasn’t the reason he was on board. He was representing neither Andakar nor the Space Navy. His official capacity was solely to serve as a translator between Efren and Corren, thus his lack of a uniform. Corren had insisted Rehl come along. Rehl had noted Corren drove a very hard bargain and was extremely persuasive. He wasn’t privy to how the meetings had turned out with the man and Darreth’s father, but wondered how Siloy had held up. Yet, Siloy himself had recommended this would be an excellent way to keep tabs on Corren. Actually, the flight couldn’t have come at a better time: Rehl had some official business with Rylerra’s Planetary Director later after the formal meetings had taken place.
“Good to see you, Rish. It’s been a very long time. It must be extremely difficult for you on the very edge of Inhabbed space,” Corren told the man.
Rish stood with Rehl, Corren, two of Corren’s lawyers, Satto, and Efren in the spaceport terminal.
“Yes indeed, First Executive …”
“Corren, Rish. I insist you use my first name,” he said magnanimously as they shook hands.
“Yes, yes,” Rish fumbled. He was very tired. The tim
e since his initial meetings with Siloy had been a blur of continuous work once he had returned to Rylerra. The long days of constant meetings and preparations for converting one of the ore processing plants had left little time for rest. Plus, he had been extremely busy trying to keep the fact that Rylerra was now allied with Andakar as secret as possible. That fact was still unknown to Corren and his people.
“Yes it has, Corren,” Rish replied. “Much has transpired recently.” He immediately turned his attention to Efren. “The famous Efren Llarena returns, too.”
“Famous?” Efren asked in surprise.
“Extremely,” Rish said as he took Efren’s hand now and shook it formally.
“He’s with us so we may get a firsthand tour of the cavern and that portal,” Corren told Rish as they strode from the terminal to the awaiting transports.
“You are aware it’s several hours from here,” Rish indicated.
“Yes, I read the report.”
“Then you know it’s of unknown construction and origin.”
“That much I am aware. But my friend here will be able to explain much more about it,” Corren told him, indicating Efren.
“He knew nothing about it until Commander James-Po and his party went through it.”
Corren waved his hand vaguely. It was more of a dismissal than anyone in the group was aware of. “That is of no concern. I believe there’s much to be learned about the portal. Much more than is believed so far.”
“Well, we can certainly visit the site but we’ll be unable to tell you much more than what you’ll see with your own eyes.”
Corren grinned. “Enough about that. We have meetings to attend to,” he said as he took a seat in the open car.
Rish and his lawyers, along with several mining executives were attending their second meeting with Corren and Satto.
After almost an hour of rushed questions and even shorter answers, Corren said, “So, to sum up, Rish, we’re here to officially provide you with tools you will need to prevent the so-called independence movement on Andakar from coming to this Inhab. In addition, after going through all the vids and examining the data that has been gathered it would be best if the dimensional portal were declared a Consortium artifact. This status, as you are aware, provides a reservation for full examination by our science team for further exploitation and development as a source of revenue.”
“Revenue? We were not aware it would be deemed worthy of tourism,” Rish stated with a distinct surprise in his voice.
“That’s merely one of the provisions in the directive. That aspect of the portal’s value has yet to be determined.” He shifted the topic. “Our team will need to examine the alien bodies before they’re shipped back to Mars.”
“Mars?”
“The exo-biologists there have the latest equipment.”
“No need to go to all that trouble, Corren. They’ve been kept under strict quarantine since their initial examinations. Plus, we’ve had two other teams come and comb through the data. In fact, Efren has already provided current information about their race. He has had multiple contacts with them. I recommend you send a team of the best people you have to come here. Rylerra would welcome their expertise.”
“The lab in Coprates City on Mars has accepted full responsibility once they’ve been released for shipment,” Corren stated flatly.
Rish pursed his lips. This was certainly a one-way meeting, he noticed, laughing to himself nonetheless. He was glad for his multiple discussions with Siloy before Corren’s arrival. It wasn’t as if he’d never been involved with high-level discussions or negotiations before. This one was particularly egregious though because of the nature of the topic and that Corren would have no other way but his own.
Corren continued to go over the points he’d already laid out. “Efren will be accompanying us to view the portal later today.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Why would it not be?”
“What can he offer that hasn’t already been officially recorded?” Rish asked reasonably.
Corren was silent for a moment, pondering what Rish could be up to. It was as if the man was trying to prevent his team from discovering something important. “If nothing else he’ll get an opportunity to see where he first entered our uh, universe. I understand he’s not been back there since he first arrived.”
“Of course, sir,” Rish said obediently. Silently though, he wondered what Corren’s real goal was. He was certain Corren didn’t really want to fly a few hours distance only to look at a dirt-floored cavern in Rylerra’s outback.
Rehl sat opposite Efren as they both faced inboard in the shuttle transport. Touchdown to the cavern site was less than a half hour. This particular shuttle was quite plush Rehl noted, not realizing Rylerra had such luxurious transports. There were seventeen people on board, including the two of them. Rehl was noting Efren’s odd demeanor. The man seemed troubled. He’d barely spoken the entire flight, had responded only when addressed, then returned his unfocused gaze to his lap. Rehl too couldn’t figure out why Corren needed Efren on this trip. There was absolutely no information the ex-soldier could provide that he himself couldn’t. After all, the reports had been in great detail. But Rehl realized it wasn’t up to him. He looked up at the chronometer on the bulkhead. In six hours the trip would be over and they’d be back in the main compound.
Many things were going through Efren’s head right now. He had already tried several times to change Corren’s mind about going through the gateway. He went so far as to even plot out how he might steal the duplicated devices and destroy them if he could. But he knew that undertaking would be impossible. He didn’t dare tell Rehl what had transpired because he was sure he’d lose his ticket to Earth. He didn’t want to be implicated in anything underhanded. He couldn’t risk that. Not after having made it this far. He also knew it would only be a short jaunt if all went well. If the opportunity presented itself, and Efren was sure it wouldn’t, he’d prove to Corren there was nothing to gain by showing him a dark empty cavern on the other side of the portal. That would shut the man up fast, they would return and he could easily say Corren had duped him into going through the gateway if he were questioned about it.
Touchdown was nearly in the same place Darreth’s shuttle had landed. It had long since been towed back to a facility where it had been repaired then flown back to Andakar. Now a cordoned off area flanked by automated sensor equipment stood outside the cavern entrance. Banks of unidentifiable computer and monitoring equipment along with permanent lighting were crammed inside the interior of the entrance cavern.
Rehl strayed from the group for a few moments, placed his index finger on the logon pad of a display panel on one of the pieces of equipment and pressed several icons. Hmm, he noted. Everything’s in place, just like Rish said it would be. He entered the security code. The display responded as he expected. He quickly logged out and returned to the line of men now traveling down the well-lit corridor to the larger room further beyond that contained the portal.
Corren wasn’t at all concerned with what he was about to do. No one had any authority to tell him he couldn’t examine the portal up close and in any manner he felt necessary. Indeed, he merely needed to announce aloud that the object was a Consortium artifact. It didn’t matter that he had never examined any artifact in real life before. It didn’t matter that he had clandestinely duplicated the devices he’d need to do a proper examination of it either. After all, Siloy ordered the destruction of most of the devices after it was determined what they actually did. That much he had learned from Rehl upon casual inquiry. As far as he was concerned, they had been as equally valuable as the portal itself.
The rustle of cold weather clothing accompanied hushed voices as the men walked down the corridor. Within minutes, they arrived in the large well-lit room where the anomalous dark polished rectangular rock lay in the very center. Rehl casually looked all around the cavern looking for the charges. There to the left, wrapped a
round that stalagmite. Another one to the right, behind the power supply for the lighting in that corner. He looked for the other ones. They were all there. Faint glowing pinpoints of light indicated they had power. Rish told him he would face no reprisals. In fact, the plan was Rish’s own, as mutually agreed upon by both he and Siloy.
All twelve of them took turns looking at the polished rock. Several of them tentatively looked into the cylindrical opening. Efren and Corren deliberately did not.
Rehl was already bored with this. He already knew analysis of the rock by many people had turned up nothing but mysteries and questions. No one knew how the tunnel to the interior cavern was built, where the rectangular stone had come from, what it was made of despite looking like granite, how long it had existed, how it was powered, and most likely would never find out anything at all about it. Speculation was that it might exist in several dimensions, possibly dozens.
“Anyone hungry?” Rehl offered.
Several of the men quickly took him up on the offer. Rehl maneuvered them away from a direct line of sight of the stone. Three of the men took the small pouches of snack food Rehl offered them. Two others went for water bottles.
Corren watched as the rest of the contingent walked away. He kept one hand on the stone’s smooth surface, beckoning Efren along with him. They rounded the portal so as to be out of sight of Rehl and the others. Corren quickly pulled out one of the devices. He handed it to Efren who immediately placed it in a pocket of his jacket. He immediately zipped the pocket up. Corren snapped on his lantern, as did Efren. Efren had already told Corren that they would be needed. Corren peered back at the men. Rehl wasn’t looking their way just now. Corren beckoned Efren to walk ahead of him. They went through the tunnel as if to simply get to the other end.
The Rylerran Gateway Page 45