The Waterhole

by Warren Chazan

  “Who is this monkey?” asked Denny, his hands on his hips.

  “General,” said Sheri. “This is Drew Murrey, head of engineering at Stromlo, my counterpart in Australia.”

  “Well he ain’t making much sense to me,” he said. “Why are only some cars and elevators affected and not televisions, computers, lighting, etcetera? Surely there are complicated electronic components in all these things.”

  “The general has a point,” said the President.

  Steve answered, “You’re quite right, General. We need to work out what all these things have in common. New cars post-2030, old elevators, air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, fans.”

  They all pondered for a moment before Sheri’s eyes widened. She beat her forehead with the heel of her hand. “Of course, they’re all powered by motors.”

  “And the significance of that?” asked the general.

  Sheri stood up and began to pace. She appeared to be deep in thought. “Hang on, give me a moment to think this through.” She continued her pacing.

  “Well?” asked the general, his patience clearly non-existent.

  “For god’s sake, General, can you give us a few moments to collect our thoughts?” asked Steve as he ran his hand through his thinning brown hair.

  “Oh my god,” Sheri said.

  “What?” asked the others.

  Sheri’s face had taken on an ashen shade. “I believe something fundamental has occurred, something completely unbelievable that even though it makes sense to me, my scientific mind is telling me it’s impossible, but …”

  “But what, hon?” asked Steve, who was rhythmically tapping his pen on his desk.

  “It’s the only thing that would make sense of the facts we have. Steve, you’ve got to think back to basic high school physics. Remember Fleming’s right- and left-hand rules?”

  “Vaguely, why?”

  “Because my theory is based on that. Fleming’s rules govern the direction of thrust on a conductor carrying a current in a magnetic field. It determines the direction a motor will rotate in a particular situation. That means Fleming’s right-hand rule is clearly no longer working the way the laws of physics say it should, but rather it’s working in the reverse.”

  The professor frowned and scratched his scalp before interjecting. “That’s insane, my dear girl, and even if it were factual, then why when the magnetic poles switched a few days ago, did we not see any of this happening? Why only now? I don’t believe a—’

  “Let her speak, Professor,” said the President, raising his right hand in the air.

  “The Professor has a point. You see, that’s where it gets even more interesting,” Sheri answered. “My theory is that when the poles flipped, fortuitously so did the direction that electrons normally flow, and thus this canceled out the effect the magnetic change would’ve had, so nothing therefore happened. A double negative, so to speak, makes a positive, just like when you turn a map upside down. However, turn yourself around, too, and presto, the map seems to be facing the correct way again.”

  The professor added tentatively, “That is of course until today, when for some unbeknown reason the electron direction reversed back again.”

  “Hang on here, wait just a second, lady,” said Drew. “If what you’re saying is true, then you’re implying that …”

  There was a pause. No one wanted to say it. It was scientific blasphemy. It was like telling a priest they had absolute proof that God did not, and never had, existed.

  Finally, it was Steve who relented and spoke in a barely audible, trembling voice. “The laws of physics are changing.”

  CHAPTER forty-FIVE

  “What did you say?” asked the President, a puzzled look on his face.

  Sheri repeated it loudly. “What he’s trying to say is we believe the only possible explanation for these strange sequences of events, is that the laws of physics have changed.”

  “Have you all gone completely mad?” said the general. “I may not be a scientist, but I do remember one thing clearly from high school science class 101, and that is the laws of physics are constant, and they’re assumed to be the same throughout the universe. You’re all crazy, this is complete and utter madness.”

  “No,” said the professor. “You just said it, General. Assumed, that’s the key word. We’ve always assumed that the laws of physics are stable and unchanging, and that they’re constant throughout the universe, but that’s simply because we have no way of knowing if they aren’t. Until today that statement held true, but today something unimaginable has taken place. I don’t know why, but it has, and we have to try to make sense of it and then try to deal with it somehow.”

  Sheri spoke up again. “I think I know why.”

  “Please do enlighten us, Sheri,” said the professor.

  “The magnetic field reversal happened almost at the exact moment, if not the exact moment that we fired up EMB. At first I thought that was probably just coincidence, perhaps because I wanted to believe it was, but now I’m certain it had everything to do with EMB. Fast forward a few days, and we suddenly make a discovery, a discovery of all time, the discovery of not just other intelligent life in the universe, but in a time where it shouldn’t have existed, thirteen billion years ago, just after the Big Bang. Now only moments after the professor downloads what we believe to be data from an ‘internet’ of unknown origin, does the world suddenly turn upside down. This is not coincidence, guys, this happened for a reason, and one for which we’re fully responsible.”

  There was a deathly stillness that no one dared to break. It was a solemn moment, as the reality of what was happening began to sink in. Eventually the professor couldn’t hold back any longer. “But even if that’s all true, why did the laws change?”

  Sheri scratched her head. “That I can’t tell you right now, but there’s a million possibilities. EMB is a remarkable machine, and I guess despite all our tests and simulations, we must have overlooked something.”

  Steve said, “Okay, so we screwed up, what now?”

  “It’s simple. We need to shut down EMB,” said Sheri.

  “What?” said Steve. “After just making one of the greatest discoveries in the history of the human race? I strongly disagree. We don’t know for sure if we caused it, and even if we did, maybe what’s done is done and either it will revert back, or in the worst-case scenario, we learn to live and adapt to these new laws of physics. We know that older cars work normally, as do newer elevators, so we just start building these things, engineering them around the new laws.”

  “I agree with Steve,” said the general. “We’re on the cusp of something unimaginable. The technology and science we could learn from this race might allow us to leapfrog a thousand years into the future. Our energy, medical, economic, agricultural knowledge might grow exponentially. Diseases might become a thing of the past. We might find answers to questions we haven’t even thought to ask yet.”

  “And if we’re wrong?” said Sheri. “What if the laws continue to change or fluctuate? What’s happening now might seem like a picnic then.”

  “I think you’re being unreasonable, honey. Always the pessimist,” said Steve.

  Sheri’s eyes widened, and her lower lip started to tremble. “And if I’m right, Steve? Just for a moment, think what might happen if I’m right. There may not be a world left for us or Chloe to play in with our ten-trillion-dollar toy.”

  “I’m with Sheri,” grumbled the professor. “We can always back off, re-examine in detail what we’ve done, and if we think it’s safe sometime in the future, then reboot EMB.”

  “Hmmm, two against two,” said Steve. “It’s a dead heat.”

  “Hey, what about me, guys?” asked Drew, who up until then had been unusually quiet.

  “Sorry, buddy, you don’t count,” said the general. “Being an Australian citizen, you don’t have security clearance for decision making of this magnitude.”

  “Right, mate. We’re only good enough to back
you up in world wars and terrorist operations, but we don’t matter when it comes to small things like the fact that the world may be coming to an end.” He kicked his chair over and stormed out of the room.

  “Enough Denny,” yelled the President. “This isn’t helping.”

  “With all due respect Mr President, this is a US-based operation. We put up eighty percent of the funding, and we control the free world, not the thirty-five million kangaroos.”

  “Please, can everyone calm down,” said Sheri.

  The President sighed heavily. “I’ve heard both sides of the story, and neither have convinced me either way, so I’m going to suggest a compromise.” He rubbed his forehead. “You have twenty-four hours to gather as much information as you can using EMB, but if you can’t find a solution by then, or if things deteriorate in any way whatsoever, I’m shutting down the entire project.”

  “That will cost us billions of dollars.”

  “I don’t care if it costs us a trillion, Denny. This situation is unprecedented.”

  Sheri shut her eyes, wiped a few tears from them and marched off.

  “Hey, hon, where’re you going? Come back!” yelled Steve, but it was too late. She was already gone.

  The general sighed. “Well you heard the President. I guess you boys need to find out as much as you possibly can in the next twenty-four hours. I don’t want you wasting a second of your valuable time. Get to it.”

  “What about the chaos around the world?” asked Steve.

  “Don’t worry about that, programs are already in place to deal with the fallout. We’re on the highest national security alert since 9/11. FEMA’s been activated, as has the National Guard. Your job is to solve this problem, leave the rest to me.”

  The President said, “I’ll see to it that a coordinated worldwide panel is put into place to deal with the fallout from this. I’ve already had a very heated conversation this morning with my Russian and Chinese counterparts, demanding an explanation from us, and calls are coming in from various heads of state from all over the planet.” The President shut his eyes and shook his head. “Twenty-four hours. I need an answer to this by twenty-four hours. Please don’t disappoint me.”

  The President terminated the live feed, instantly vaporizing from the Stromlo auditorium. The general was the next to disappear.

  “Professor, you heard the general,” said Steve. “I guess we’d better get back to work.”

  “Oh screw him. I need a boost first. Care to join me for a Scotch?”

  * * * *

  “Damn, we’re late,” said Janine.

  “You’re lucky we’re going to get there at all. You do realize that every hybrid vehicle registered post-2030 has been deemed unfit to be driven. You’re damn fortunate that I have a vintage car!” yelled Jack, irritated by Janine’s infantile outburst.

  “Okay, okay, I get your point. No need to bite my head off,” she said, quickly backing off.

  The scene which they encountered, was as if the apocalypse had hit. The road was littered with modern vehicles, mostly just abandoned along miles and miles of motorway. It was a struggle to avoid some of them, and Jack was sometimes forced to swerve onto the shoulder of the road. Janine glanced over and over again at her watch. It was 8.50 am and she was rubbing her forehead. They still had about twelve miles of road to cover. It was going to be close.

  They approached the outer perimeter of Stromlo at 9.05 am, but were forced to stop.

  “Oh for crying out loud. What the hell is going on?” she said, roughly running her hand through her wild, un-brushed hair.

  Ahead of them were hundreds of parked cars and thousands of people were screaming profanities and protesting. Some were carrying electronic signs, others had cardboard posters which they were displaying with glee. Police were out in large numbers trying to maintain the peace, but were being swept back by the crowd.

  “Lunatics,” said Jack.

  “They all want to know the same thing we want to know,” said Janine.

  “And what might that be, dear Janine?”

  “Is the world coming to an end, and if so, why?”

  A man who must have been close to his hundredth birthday, rushed up to the car and banged on Janine’s window, startling her. His colossal eyes had the appearance of a deranged psychopath who had possibly escaped from a nearby mental institution.

  “Repent, repent!” he screamed hysterically. “The end is nigh, it’s not too late, Jesus will save you.”

  Janine rolled down the window, put her face to his, and yelled back, “Get off the road!” The old man didn’t waste his opportunity. He spat at her, hitting her directly in the face. She gagged and then hastily wiped the disgusting saliva off her left cheek. “Shame on you!” he yelled.

  Jack burst into a fit of laughter.

  “It’s not funny, Jack.”

  “Oh yes it is! Serves you right,” he said, still heaving with laughter. “Tell me, Janine, are you always this bloody impatient? He’s just an old man.”

  “No, he’s an obstructive, dirty old man. There’s a difference. Now come on, let’s get going, we still have a few more miles to cover.”

  There was a small gap between the crowd, and Jack quickly put his foot down flat, swerved past a group of placard-holding rioters, then slowed to negotiate his way to the parking lot at Stromlo. Janine grabbed her bag, wrapped her scarf around her neck and hurriedly left the car.

  “Got to run, dear Jack. Thanks a million for the lift and the accommodation.”

  He cocked his head out of the car window. “Hey, will I see you later?” he asked, not quite knowing why he had done so. He had been appalled by her recent behavior in the car, so he was surprised to discover he was peculiarly attracted to her.

  Janine turned around and looked him in the eye. Her eyes narrowed and her face colored just a fraction. She replied, “I’ll see, I’ll call you later on. Thanks again,” then began fighting her way to the front of the rowdy mob.

  ***

  “Major, I have her in my sight. She’s dressed in a purple blouse with a pink scarf wrapped around her neck.”

  “Good work, Sergeant. Keep me posted, and remember this is a surveillance mission. We’re only here to observe. If she gets out of hand, we nab her.”

  “Yes, Major, I understand. What if she makes it inside to the press conference?”

  “Don’t worry about that. There’s no way that’s going to happen. We have extraordinary measures in place. She won’t be there.”

  “Yes, Major.”

  * * * *

  The crowd was becoming more unruly as Janine elbowed her way through it. She finally reached the front and pulled out her press card. Police had formed a barrier and had linked arms to prevent anyone from moving any further forward.

  Janine approached a tall police sergeant. He had a long face and a thick goatee beard.

  “I need to get through, officer. I’m press.”

  “No one gets past us, Miss, orders from the top.”

  “Look at me, officer. Do you know who I am?” she said, really not feeling up for an argument. She’d had too many of those lately. The officer did not oblige, but chose to ignore her. He didn’t seem the slight bit interested in playing her game.

  “Officer!” she cried. “I’m Janine Fuller, CNNA. I have a press conference scheduled with a Mr. Drew Murrey, and I’m already late.”

  “Press conference has been postponed until ten am, Miss, and if you really are press, you can enter at the far gate.” He pointed to a gate about six hundred feet uphill and to their left.

  “Thank you.” She brushed some dust off her blouse and then wrestled through the crowd toward that entrance. She looked at her watch. It must have been about the hundredth time she’d done that in the past few hours. She still had thirty minutes, so all was not lost.

  She made it to the gate, and again pulled out her press card, about to hand it to the guard.

  “No press cards today, ma’am, retinal scanning only.
”

  She frowned. “What do you mean, no press cards?”

  “Orders from above, but as long as you are who you say you are, the retinal scan will get you in just the same.”

  “Damn!” A retinal scan probably wasn’t quite the best idea in the world right now. There was no doubt that as soon as her retinal image was processed, alarm bells would be clanging from Canberra all the way to Washington DC. But it was absolutely imperative that she got inside. Neither Denny Smith nor the Australian Police were going to stop her exposing the truth the world needed to hear. She had come too far to be blocked by some random security procedure. A few reporters began pushing past her on the way to the scanner.

  “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but you’re getting in the way of the other press members. Either get scanned or you need to move back behind the barrier.”

  She was about to concede defeat, at least for the time being, when she felt a tap on her shoulder and froze. “Having trouble getting inside, are we?”

  CHAPTER forty-SIX

  He was an athletic-looking man, sharply dressed in a navy pinstriped suit. He introduced himself. “Ms. Fuller, I’m glad you finally made it. Wasn’t sure you would, what with all this chaos and all,” he said in his heavy Australian accent.

  Who the hell was this man? “Sorry, you are…?” she asked politely.

  “Kevin Clinger. Remember we spoke on the phone last night? You rang me. We were having a bite to eat.”

  “Yes, Kevin, of course. Where’s our team?” she asked, managing a smile.

  “They’re already assembled inside. We should be, too. Murrey is about to begin. Come on, let’s get scanned and I’ll introduce you to the gang.” He took Janine by the wrist and pulled her toward the scanner.

  “Wait,” she cried.

  “What is it, Ms. Fuller?”

  “Um …” She whispered into his ear.

  “Oh, I see,” said Kevin, nodding slowly in acknowledgement. “Okay. Let me handle this. I have an idea.”