by Bob Blink
“Is there any possibility of identifying those other star systems?” I asked. I’m not sure why it would matter since we had no idea how quickly they could move between systems. It might suggest something.
“Probably,” Al answered. “We need to make getting into their systems a priority. See what we can learn. Hopefully there is a great deal more information stored in their data bank.”
“Do you think they are in regular contact with this ship?” Mike asked. “If they have some regular status checks, similar to what we do with teams that go outside the center, they are going to start wondering what happened. That might bring them back quicker than otherwise.”
The ships obviously had to travel faster than light. Was there some form of faster-than-light communications? It seemed reasonable, but we had no way of knowing. We needed information badly. For all we knew they were already on their way to investigate a missed check-in call. Until we learned more, I could think of only one thing that might give us a clue. “We need to keep an eye on that monitor,” I suggested. “It may not be correct, and it may not show everything, but if the ship outside is a shuttle from a larger ship somewhere nearby, then that monitor has a high probably of showing us where it is. If it starts our way, moving off the path it has indicated, we can bet we are going to have company.”
“Jim, there could be other ships. We can’t know when they will get here.” I thought it interesting that Carol used ‘when’ not ‘if’.
“Agreed. So our plans need to consider best response as a function of time. What can we do now versus what we can get in place over time? Somehow we need to get the information. That means getting into their system.”
Everyone looked at John. “When we walked through I took a quick look at their computers. I don’t see anything different, so there is a very good chance we can simply network in with the computers we have been using in the center. I even saw a couple of interface points that weren’t occupied. If we can extract their files, we can farm them out to the off-sites, and continue our existing parallel investigation approach that has been working so well. We need to shift all the efforts to the ship information as a priority?”
“Absolutely,” Carol said. “As soon as we can I would like to know if we are able to gain access. We will also need some people to work with Al. I think we need to see if we can learn how to work some of the equipment on the ship.”
That approach had its own risks. I was curious what she was looking for. “What kind of equipment?” I asked.
“One of the first things I would like to be able to do is open those other windows on the top level,” she said. “Then, I would like to see if the ship is equipped with any weapons. Something that we could use against them when they arrive. Also, is there any more information about the complex hidden in the files here? There is too much we don’t know that might be useful.”
I had thought about opening the windows myself because I was curious about the view back to the station, but I couldn’t see why that would be a priority. Then it hit me. She wanted to see what the complex looked like. What are the weaknesses? We had talked about the possible need to destroy it. From the battle we had just survived, it seemed our preparations to destroy the complex so far were inadequate. Maybe we would find a weakness if we could see it from the outside. Perhaps if the ship had weapons they could be used against the complex.
“The power room is one area,” Carol continued. “The capability there is immense. If we could find a way to over-load it.”
“So we are still thinking about destroying the complex,” Al asked a bit sadly.
The idea had been tossed around our group for some time. Despite the personal cost to those of us that had become attached to the facility and the idea of visiting the different eras, it offered the best chance for humankind. It would keep the complex out of the hands of humans who would want to use the power it offered, but destroying it might also save us from the aliens as well. We couldn’t expect to beat them. I didn’t believe we could even win another battle. We had won the one skirmish we would ever win. If the complex were to be destroyed, they might just go away and lose interest. Since learning they were on a tight schedule, we had developed hope that loss of the facility would mean there wouldn’t be enough time for them to construct another and start over. We already had hints they were starting to rush things. Without the facility, they wouldn’t be able to extract any revenge on us because we would be in their past, protected by time. It was a desperate plan, but the only one we had come up with that offered any real chance of success. The problem was how to do it. The facility was far more rugged than we had expected.
“It might be time to give Jeff a chance,” I offered. He had been eager to seek outside support, and the close call of the last battle had made him even more emphatic.
“I’m not sure they will be of much use. It’s gone beyond fighting. We need to do what we have talked about, destroy the complex and their access.” I could see Carol was saddened by the necessity as well.
“They have the means,” I insisted. “But we will need to convince them of the necessity. That is not going to be easy. They will want to salvage what they can.”
“You mean nuclear weapons,” Al noted. “If we had a couple of nuclear devices we could certainly destroy the place.”
I nodded. “It would mean the aliens would have to start completely over. If what we have learned is correct, it would take them too long to do that. They would have to abandon their activities here.”
“Once we bring the government in, there is no going back,” Carol reminded us. “If we disagree, they will be able to deny us access out of the entrance to home. We can keep them out of the complex, but we would be restricted to other eras.”
It was a difficult choice, but in the end it offered the best chance to accomplish the goals. We would have to get everyone we could out of the complex before disclosing the entrance location. Once the government knew what we had, we could expect them to record and follow anyone that went in or out. We were reluctantly unanimous in the vote, so I would get with Jeff and turn him lose. Before we sent him out, Mike would give him a full tour of the ship. He would go with video of the encounter and of the ship and complex. We weren’t sending any examples of technology with him. If he could get the right groups interested, he would arrange with us to bring them inside so we could show them the facility. We would have to see how things developed in real time. Other options had to be considered in parallel. I was sure they would be interested. I just wasn’t convinced they would understand the necessity of destroying the complex. Carol was certain they would be a problem.
“What about the people scattered at the various sites?” Mike asked. “What do we tell them?”
They had selected where they wanted to go knowing they might be trapped in the eras they chose. Still, we should get the word out reasonably soon that it was likely to be a certainty. We would be closing the door ourselves if possible. Some might want to change their minds. We decided to give it a few days and see how plans developed. Then they would be informed.
“We still have to deal with the alien that slipped into the tunnel,” Mike reminded us. He hesitated a moment, then continued. “The one that slipped uptime shouldn’t be a problem for us, but the other could create serious problems. We need to go after him.”
There really wasn’t any choice. If we could pull everything else off, leaving that one creature free could undo everything. In the time he had slipped into he would be unstoppable. If he found himself cut off and trapped, what damage might he cause? “Who should we send?”
“Thomas wants to go. Perhaps Curtis as well,” he said indicating one of the men who had been in the thick of the fighting earlier. “He has first hand experience and knows as well as anyone what to look for. We need to arm both of them with the alien rifles. Nothing else will have much of a chance against them.”
That reduced our on-site defense from the stubby rifles by twenty-five percent. But it
made sense. Sending only one put them on equal terms with the alien. Having two rifles might be enough of an advantage. “Only two men?” I asked.
“I’d send along a couple more from the office there. They know the area and will be able to provide additional support. We are thin enough here I don’t want to reduce our forces any more. With four to five men tracking, two with the pulse rifle, maybe we can get him.”
It wasn’t foolproof, but there wasn’t much more we could do. The team could stay in contact with the office, and if they located the alien and needed additional support we could re-evaluate the situation as it developed.
When we broke for the night it was past midnight. John indicated he was going to stay a bit longer. He wanted to check the interface inside the ship. Since we couldn’t help, the rest of us made our way to the base, and rest. I hesitated, then took the pills Doc had given me to assure I would sleep. It felt disloyal to Naiya, but I needed the rest now. The most I could do for her was do what was necessary to beat the aliens.
Chapter 41
Central Asia
7179 AD
Naiya winced as the gravel surface leading out of the tunnel cave crunched under her boots. There was no help for it. The gravel bed extended across the floor of the cave from wall to wall, and ended a short distance from the mouth of the cave another twenty feet in front of her. Dix was trying equally unsuccessfully to make his way quietly towards the entrance, the small rocks defeating his efforts as well. They both held their rifles ready against the chance of coming across the alien unexpectedly. There had been no sign of him, however, since they had arrived uptime. The creature had apparently left the tunnel cave quickly, as though it had a specific destination in mind. It might be so, Naiya realized, remembering the aliens seemed to have a strong interest here. Maybe they should have spent a little more time exploring this area after realizing the aliens held that interest. Earlier teams had reported back a dead civilization, with decaying structures and cities as far as they had been able to investigate. No living humans had been found, although the forests were reportedly filled with wild animals.
Just a short time ago they had come to grips with their situation. The way home was gone. That most likely meant the aliens had taken the complex and shut down the tunnels. Other explanations might be possible, but she and Dix had to face the most likely reality. They weren’t going home again. Both knew how long it had taken to open new tunnels. That was if one knew how to operate the system. None of her friends knew the secret, assuming they were even alive and free to try. So scratch that. Other issues needed to be dealt with now. Food and water were going to be one of their first problems, putting aside their enemy for a minute. Other than a couple of candy bars and a small bag of trail mix, neither had anything in their pack besides ammunition and in Naiya’s case, a thin windbreaker she always carried. When her anger drove her to follow the alien, the possibility of not being able to go back for supplies had not been foremost in her mind.
She knew their status had hit Dix pretty hard at first. Well, it had been a hell of blow to her as well, she admitted. He was hiding it pretty well now, but when they both realized the situation she had seen the look on his face. She wondered what he had seen on her own face. Then determination had taken over again. The thing had killed Carol. She suspected the enemy had most likely killed Jim as well. That left little to live for except getting even. She and Dix had talked about it, and agreed that killing the alien was essential. If it could be killed quickly, so much the better. If it took time, they would have to work out how they were going to survive. Dix reminded her that two of their people had set up a camp here somewhere. That meant they had allies nearby. They would have food, water, and other important supplies. He had helped them preparing, and knew they had food for several months, a portable power system, tents, and even a couple of motor bikes. Depending on what they found outside, they would need to choose between hunting down the alien, or finding the others as first priority.
Now, they carefully approached the mouth of the cave. The bright light from the sun made her squint. At least they were hidden in the shadow, but anyone nearby listening could easily have heard their progress. Finally, Naiya thought as she stepped free of the gravel and onto the packed dirt surface near the entrance. She slipped quietly behind a large boulder near the entrance. The sides of the cave shielded her on either side, and the boulder shielded her from the front. Dix slipped behind another large boulder ten feet to her left. Both carefully scanned the area outside the cave, at least those areas they could see without exposing themselves to view.
Nothing, she thought, as her eyes made a pass over the same area for the third time. Dix signaled he thought it was clear as well. At least there was no cover close by. That meant the alien had to be across the meadow in front of them, or perhaps up behind them where they couldn’t see him. He could have setup a fire zone to take out anyone who tried to follow him. Looking outside once more, she scanned the meadow. A slight incline fell away from them, extending at least one hundred yards where it ended at the edge of the stream that flowed through the center of the meadow. Then open grassland again for at least another fifty yards before the dense pine trees began. The trees filled the valley for another fifty yards before they started rising, following the ever steeper slope of the mountains at the far side. Gradually the trees thinned, giving way as the granite rock became the dominant feature of the hillside as it rose majestically over the valley.
To the right, the meadow gradually gave way changing into a steeper incline, once again generously populated with large rocks and boulders. No real cover existed for a quarter of a mile, but then it rapidly became extremely rugged going as the valley worked its way back up into the high mountains that were dominant to this area. To the left, the meadow continued for at least a mile, gradually becoming lost in the trees, as the terrain became more irregular. The water flowed in that direction, and Naiya knew from previous visits that eventually the left path would work its way ever lower, ending up at the base of the local mountain range. Roughly thirty miles from here was the first of the ruined cities. Shelter could be found there. Maybe more if they looked carefully.
It was time to make a decision. During the last scan she thought she could see faint tracks leading away. They were sporadic, only showing in the ground now and again. Perhaps her friends had made them, but somehow she didn’t think so. If she was right about the tracks, it was unlikely the alien could have had time to swing back and get up behind them. Actually, there was no reason for the creature to think anyone was following. She had come into the tunnel room just as it slipped away through the tunnel. She didn’t think the creature had seen her.
Taking a deep breath, she slipped out from behind her cover. “Stay put,” she had whispered at Dix who had tried to signal her not to move from behind the rocks. They had to move sometime. There was no where else to go. As silently as she knew how, she slipped out and away from the cave entrance. Finally she could see the hillside above the entrance. Exactly like the land in front of the entrance, this was sparsely covered with trees. There was nothing available to provide adequate cover. The alien hadn’t been waiting for them.
“It’s clear,” she said, still keeping her voice low.
A minute passed and then, finally, Dix came out to join her. “That was stupid!” he said, the annoyance clear in his voice.
There was little point in arguing. Perhaps it had been. But she had seen no other way. They could have sat there until dark. Her focus now was on finding the alien. It was all she had left. If they let it get too far away they might never find it again. At least now they could get on with their search.
“Where did our people set up camp?” she asked ignoring his earlier outburst. “Or do we have to look for them?”
“Supposedly they set up next to the stream in the first area where the trees become thick enough to provide some cover. That could be either way, but I would bet they headed downstream. They knew that the old c
ity was down that way, and wanted to explore it a little.”
She showed him the faint tracks she had seen from inside the cave. The tracks had an odd circular pattern and were rounded more than a human foot would have been. Neither had seen tracks like them before. It was beginning to look as if the alien had made the tracks as he headed away from the tunnel cave. They tracks wandered across the meadow towards the stream, but also angled slightly left, heading in the direction where Dix had indicated the two men might have been camped.
It took them more than an hour to reach the camp. The alien had been there before them, and had caught the two men unaware. Both were dead. It didn’t look like either had managed to even reach for their weapons, let alone get off a shot. The camp itself was not disturbed. It didn’t appear as if the alien had bothered to look through the camp at all. Nothing here held any interest for it. It had killed the men, and then moved quickly on.
“I think we should stay the night,” Naiya suggested. It was starting to get dark. They had arrived at a later time of day here as compared with the time complex, and by the time they sorted through the supplies they should take, it would be too late to be able to follow effectively.
Dix had worked his way through his earlier anger and was now more like his old self. He moved the dead men out of the tent, and set to organizing the gear so they could select what they needed. While Naiya sorted, he buried the men, returning after washing in the stream. By now it was nearly full dark, without a moon. They didn’t bother with a fire, eating some of the canned stew cold. Afterwards, each grabbed one of the dead men’s sleeping bags and attempted to get some rest.
Naiya was awake with the dawn. She hadn’t slept much at all. More than once the tears had started to flow as despair threatened to overwhelm her. She knew that she should be weeping for the greater loss that might mean mankind was still under the control of the alien manipulators, but, for now at least, she could only feel the more personal emptiness that marked the loss of her husband and her best friend. If Dix had heard her, he was a gentleman about it the next morning. Saying nothing, he slipped out of his bag and started preparations for their departure. Despite his enterprising manner, Naiya could see from the dark bags under his eyes that he hadn’t slept much either.