by Jon State
"I'll see what's going on," Specialist Johnson said, already heading for the door. He paused at the yawning door and turned back to the doctor. “You gotta see this!” Johnson urged, disappearing hastily.
Dr. Spencer sighed and went to see what had excited the medic. The doctor could see other people staring at a distant dust cloud. He stepped around Johnson to get a better look and, there he made out a caravan of little machines following the remaining excavation team. “What the hell are those?”
“Looks like a lot of little androids,” Johnson said.
“I can’t tell if they’re friendly or not. At least they don’t look like the Bisonon.
"Sarge seems calm, and his Z-9's slung over his shoulder.
“They cut off the alarm. That’s a good sign,” the doctor said.
“Let’s go. Charlie 4 will keep an eye on Miller.”
Johnson hesitated at the door. He had nearly exposed himself several times already. “I would rather wait here. If I get around a crowd of people…I’m not sure what my ability would do.
“That’s true. I’ll be back soon.”
Johnson watched him leave. The doctor called his ability a gift, and in a different world that could be true. Here, where it could result in unknown repercussions, it was a curse. The people--especially those in charge--were scared, and that alone made him nervous.
************************************
“Do you know anyone on this list: Senator Stanford, Lieutenant McBride, Chief Trainer, and Magistrate Anon?” Ben asked, seemingly exasperated.
“Those names are unknown to us,” the small Alpha said.
“But you are here to help us, to…protect us?”
“Affirmative, Dr. Greer.”
Ben circled the Alpha, with a glazed look in his eyes. He and others had questioned each Alpha. They were an AI marvel, each one responding logically and uniquely and denying any ill intentions toward humans. The Alphas approached each question differently, not unlike a human. He felt everyone’s eyes on him. “Anyone else want to cross-examine the last Alpha?”
“May I, Councilman Ben?” Mathew asked, holding up his hand.
“Why not?” Ben said, throwing his hands in the air. “Why not, I’m too tired to ask any more questions.” Hopefully, Mathew won't ask any silly supernatural questions as Malica and Spence have been. These androids were sent to us as a ruse by the Bisonon. They were sent to eliminate us. But why not do it while we slept in our cryo-units before we awoke? he thought, his jaw clenched tight.
“Alpha 1, I’ve been scrutinizing your code, and I want you to be honest with me…” Mathew paused.
“I am always honest, Mathew. We are taught to emulate sentient creature’s virtues and not their notoriety to contrive,” the little man answered.
Mathew had to smile at the android’s candor. “Understood. Then here is my question: Did a human write the code?”
“Negative. The code is in ciphers,” it said, nonchalantly.
Chatter erupted and only ceased when Ben signaled with a jerking hand across his throat.
“Humans do have ciphered code too, Alpha 1,” Mathew countered.
“Yes, I am aware of that," Alpha 1 said, cocking his pan head. "However, the conventional human ciphers are missing from our programs."
Mathew knelt before the pristine chrome AI. “How do you know our ciphers?”
"When we came in contact with you, we interfaced with your computers, but we did not exchange data.”
“Then how do you know our code?”
I scanned the database in answer to your question.”
“Just now?
"Affirmative." Mathew was amazed; such an advanced machine was not of human design.
What else can you tell me?”
“Our code is too sophisticated to be human,” the Alpha said, its red eyes shooting toward Ben Greer, who moved toward him.
“If it’s not human, then how do you know there isn’t an embedded code saying, 'Help the humans, then when they are most vulnerable, eliminate them'?” Ben said, his face becoming flush.
"I have analyzed all the ciphers, and there are no impeded messages in our codification. We are programmed to remove any corrupt or suspicious characters. Furthermore, Ben Greer, our weapons are far superior to any in your database. If we intended on harming your settlement, the task would prove elementary. As it stands, hurting any human opposes our primary command—the preservation of humanity,” Alpha 1 said.
Mathew turned to Ben and nodded. "He's stating the truth. I've gone over every file, and I've used a sniffer to find any hidden symbols or characters, and there's nothing there," Mathew said, wiping his glasses with his sleeve. His deep-set eyes screaming for rest."
“What if, before the Bisonon left, they were going to present the Alphas as a gift?” Dr. Spencer said.
“I’d believe that if they were in a warehouse, but stacked one per floor in the Empire State Building, it makes no sense.” Ben sighed, releasing the air slowly. The day's events had left him exhausted. "I have seen plausible reasons why land masses have shifted, but not how a 52,000-ton steel building sank four-hundred yards beneath the earth and is still intact. There is no denying that aliens are involved because the sheer pressure alone should have made the Empire State implode,” Ben said, his tone sharp and terse.
“Unless the aliens reinforced it,” Dr. Spencer said.
“It’s plausible, Ben. I kept a keen eye on all Bisonon news during their visit, being a SyFy aficionado and all. They claimed they kept time and space. They could have anticipated our planetary freeze and devised a way to deliver the Alphas safely."
At least we’re off the Mother theme, Ben thought. “Why would they help humanity? If I recall, they left on rather shaky terms with humans," Ben said.
“What if we would never have dug at that site, eh?” Malica interjected.
Dr. Spencer looked at the way Malica had braided her golden hair. Lately, his eyes took her in whenever she looked aside. He reminded himself to focus. "Efrem said two Dreamers foretold yesterday’s events, said he’d find a unicorn and inside, its rider.” the doctor clarified.
“This means the Dreamers are being directed by something dangerous,” Ben said.
“Indeed,” Ruby said. “All the more reason to make haste in preparing our defenses. The Bisonon, in fact, did leave on bad terms after they were discovered infiltrating several key utility stations across major metropolitan areas throughout the world. Their purpose for this never explained or understood.”
“These aliens colluded in our past and are probably doing so again,” Ben said, pointing at the little chrome man.
“The Dreamers are the reason we are safe. They have helped countless times. Mother could’ve left us to rot in those caves,” Dr. Spencer said. This bastard will do anything to further his agenda to lock us away, he thought. “Why can’t we simply accept that Mother sent the Alphas to help us?”
“Back to this entity. The entity’s existence has yet to be irrefutably proven,” Ben said.
“Perhaps humans found a way to store the little Alphas until a human needed them. Efrem said the Alpha became active when they approached,” Mathew offered.
The city of ManVienna had already reinforced the building to withstand the Atlantic's rage,” Mirra said, letting her bright eyes rest on Ben's dark expression.”
“It’s plausible,” Mathew said, nodding.
“You have a point there, Mirra,” Dr. Spencer said. Glad to see that others are thinking out of the box.
“So what do we do?” Malica said.
“We need them to help with the wall,” commented another council member.
“We can strip the Empire State Building to use the metals to assist with the bulkheads. Countless other needs can also be met, like a freshwater delivery method and a water carriage system," said another member.
"The Alphas can provide boundary security, at least until we complete the wall," said someone else. Others echoed this
as well.
“We will have to discuss this further because I’m still not convinced they're benign,” Ben said. What just happened? I can use this. If they can help with the wall, then I don’t care who sent them, he thought with satisfaction.
Malica saw Spencer’s stone-like gaze directed at Ben. “This is getting stranger and stranger,” Malica said while brushing his elbow with her hand to break his concentration.
“Yes it is,” Dr. Spencer finally said “and I'm afraid they're living up to Ben's expectations. If uncertainty prevails, it will give Ben and his followers the excuse to vote for complete isolation. This is how dictatorships arise," he said, his gaze fixed on Ben again.
“He’s using fear and any new confusion to get his way. I should know. The communist Consortium assimilated my people quite easily because fear ran rampant throughout Belgrade before the communists ever arrived,” Malica said, knowing this would draw Spencer’s attention.
“I’m sorry. I remember reading about that. Sadly, I sense more than fear among the people.”
“Yes, a deep sense of anxiety, a collective anxiety; which is the worst kind. I feel it too,” Malica said, as she and the doctor left the stage.
Chapter 46
Scrubbed
New York Territory, USC
August 14, 4067
The day leaned closer to gloom. The sun had set over the thirty-yard whitewashed wall, where some Alphas were giving it some final touches. They moved about with such purpose that most humans stayed away from their path. It had taken the Alphas a mere two months to build the massive wall with the help of nearly all the human colonists.
Mathew's bulging veined-eyes nearly pierced his glasses. His hands shook ever since the council meeting the day before as if his hands wanted to strangle someone on their own. He’d never felt such anger, and it spiked with every logical reason why he should be mad. He'd spent the night sitting in a daze. Some things he’d experienced during his time on New Earth had kept him awake but nothing like this. He felt as if his entire life had been wiped clean, and he wanted to do something about it. No, not something. I want revenge; he fumed privately. Ben had fooled him, used him.
Mathew saw Alphas and people working on the new hospital, and he could discern the man he needed to see. He sent his guys to find Dr. Spencer, Dr. Malica, Efrem Wallace, and Sergeant Gonzales to start the lynching.
"Who would've thought those little guys would be so handy. It's like they know how to do everything. I had a conversation with Alpha 12 about quantum physics, and he blew my mind,” Mathew said to the lieutenant, then began sipping water through a straw.
Lt. Pierce sighed and turned to Mathew. "Makes you wonder what they need us for, huh?" His face had become leaner and his arms tight with corded muscles. The constant, rigorous labor had hardened everyone in the camp. Newfound confidence permeated the environment all across the growing city.
“I've studied their code, and it's genius. Whoever wrote it didn’t just have us in mind, but the Alphas’ well-being, too. It's almost as if a parent and not a programmer had created their code. In essence—although I know you probably don't want to hear this—the Alphas are real sentient beings. They are capable of even love,” Mathew said with a shrug.
“Are you saying they’re our equals?” the lieutenant said, eyebrows pinched.
“Hate to say it, LT, but yes. Never fear, though—their programming is harmless. Plus, I can't find an override protocol, and I've learned their glyphs and ciphers well these past couple of months, too."
“I hope your right. Now back to the easy work—are all the terminals in place?”
“Yes, and I’m stockpiling the latest model B-routers I can for the next buildings. Too bad we won’t be able to link all the buildings in the future,” Mathew said, as he punched in glyphs on his light pad.
“Why wouldn’t we?” Lt. Pierce asked frowning.
"Council's been voting on all future projects, and we had a no-go on a wireless-connected community. In fact, it seems like we’ll have little-to-no technology, but at least we'll have sophisticated buildings with smokestacks, and we'll have little tin men to replace dogs as pets,” Mathew said sardonically.
“I thought we were manufacturing more solar panels for electricity?”
“What I meant, sir, is we’re gonna be like the freaking Indians, but we’ll be living in huge white-mud tepees. Apparently, we want a conservative society. No advancements beyond basic comforts.”
“When was this discussed?”
"We had an IT and engineering meeting with the Council, and they said they're still working on what their calling—Terranova’s Dossier. They told us that, until otherwise notified, we were to keep technology and information to a minimum. They even prohibited any Old Earth literature distribution or reproduction, which includes any entertainment, plus—”
"What!" the lieutenant cut him off, his voice nearly a shrill. "That's absurd! I've been looking forward to the release of more movies and music. I even prepared a pad to download as many books, movies, and music as it can hold, since I've exhausted my cache."
“Ain’t gonna happen, sir, believe me. My team argued the point at length. It got hot and heavy in there. They said there would be more debating on the matter later, but for now the Council wanted us to know, so we would not do something foolish,” Mathew stepped back, noticing Pierce’s dark expression.
“Screw that,” Pierce said, turning to leave. His face had flushed blood-red, “I’ll upload what I want myself.”
"No-can-do.”
Pierce jerked to a stop and spun on his heels. “Why not?” he said between clamped teeth.
“Cause…” Mathew swallowed. “The computers have been wiped clean. Council said it must have been a massive failure, but you know me, I’m the true man in the machine, and I know a purge when I see one. Even a magnetic or thermal wipe would not have done this. I mean, them jokers are clean, man," Mathew said, kicking up some dirt, trying to keep his composure.
A penetrating silence hung around them as if they were trapped in a dreary, dark cloud while the news registered with the lieutenant.
“Backups, other redundancies, or silicone ghosting?”
“I see the LT is well versed on our modern machines, but the whole tamale is gone, sir,” Mathew said, anger now showing in his tired eyes. His team and he had been sworn to secrecy by the Council but realizing how easy it would be for the Council to use them as scapegoats he'd decided to tell someone with authority.
“Who attended this meeting?” Lt. Pierce nearly screamed, drawing the attention of some nearby workers. “Please, tell me the Doc and Malica were missing from the meeting!” He took two steps forward to Mathew’s one back-pedal.
Shit, he got as mad as I did, Mathew thought. “No. They didn’t get the invite…I guess.”
“What are you doing right now?” Lt. Pierce spoke to Mathew, but he’d spun to leave.
“Going with you, I hope,” Mathew answered, prompting the lieutenant to do a double-take.
“This wasn't a slip-up, your purpose in coming to see me was to tell me this, wasn't it?
“Yes, sir. We didn’t know what to do. They told us to remain silent until the Constitution’s inauguration. They threatened us, saying everything we discussed had to remain confidential, which meant we would face the consequences if we spoke about this to anyone. We didn’t know what he meant by consequences.” His glasses slid down his shiny nose. "For all we knew, they could blame it on IT.”
"You did the right thing. They don't have the right to delete public information. Is there a way to prove that someone scrubbed the canisters?"
“Some methods are unconventional, but doable,” Mathew said, nodding emphatically.
“You look like shit. You haven’t slept, have you?”
“No.”
“There’s more, isn’t there, Mathew? Spit it out. I will not be made a fool of, son.”
Mathew’s eyes became dull. At first it seemed he would not
speak, but then he murmured, “He fooled me into revealing tricks I used as a hacker for the USC. He said what I did for the USC COR-ONE’s surveillance unit made me a spy, and he began treating me like a friend, but he only wanted to use me to eradicate the entire human compendium. I showed him too much. I’m such a big mouth. I should’ve remembered why they kept my ass secluded at COR-ONE.
“By ‘he’ are you referring to Ben Greer?”
He nodded, eyes still downcast.
“I can see how easily someone in his position could manipulate others. He’s the snake in charge. You wouldn’t have known his true intentions, anyway. I'm glad you revealed this now rather than later, that would've given them time to cover their tracks. He’ll plead innocent,” the lieutenant thought out loud. “I’m sure this didn’t happen in one sitting. Did anyone overhear when you explained these tricks to him?
“It took a few weeks. Ben made it seem like we were becoming friends, even invited me for drinks. I did feel like something was wrong, though, because when I mentioned music, VRG’s, or books, his eyes glazed over. I thought I was boring him so that I would change the subject. Now I understand that he hated to talk about things from the past. As for others hearing us talk, I’m not sure. I never had any real reason to assume he was bitch-riding me,” Mathew said, his fists clenched tight.
“It doesn’t matter right now. We need to expose this. Others are going to rile about this as much as we are,” Lt. Pierce said, slapping Mathew’s arm.
************************************
Night had staunched the light, leaving bloody clouds hanging along the fence's periphery. The brave wall faced the living jungle, with its imposing night rhythms and sounds that seemingly challenged the wall. Vines touched the hard whitewashed surface, only to jerk away as if burned by the rock-hard clay. Trees and shrubs shied from the alien structure, as well.
Meanwhile, on the opposing end, a fierce crossfire of screams fractured the silence.
“Why?”