“OK. We’ll meet here again in two hours. It will be ten thirty by then.”
“See you then,” Jenna said as she took Raynie’s arm leading her into the street she had indicated.
Jake and Lyle took a street in the opposite direction, it too leading to an even older part of the city. They were both keen to discover something soon. “I know we need patience, as this search could last for days, even weeks. But I feel urgency here, like Chan was on about. I hope we find something tonight. There has been a hint of synchronicity about our travels so far and I am hoping it continues, and keeps up the momentum,” Jake said as he and Lyle headed into a more dimly lit street than those closest to the market place.
“I know what you mean, or should I say, what you feel,” Lyle replied. “I am thinking along the same lines about the momentum we have.”
“Can it be everything seems a little too right, too connected? Perhaps there are forces or persons playing this out, away from our conscious recognition?”
“That too is on my mind, but then it gets counteracted with a gut feeling to go along with it and see where it takes us. The encounter in the desert before we arrived in the city, sure made it look like luck or something is on our side.”
They continued on in silence for the next few minutes as they checked the street, and then another. It was when they had entered a darker, even more dimly lit area, that something caught their attention. As they entered the lane, barely one vehicle wide, they noticed a cafe - the only business open for trading.
“We’ll check in there,” Lyle said. “Ask some questions.” Just then a light rain began to fall, which they both noticed and thought a little unusual, considering they were in a city bordering on the fringes of a desert. As they approached the eatery, which had the sole street lamp outside for lighting the lane, the cobblestones glistened from the rain, adding to the mystique in the atmosphere. Upon reaching the front door they found the place empty except for a man who appeared to be cooking in the kitchen behind the counter. When they entered, he did not break from his chores and they wondered if he had even noticed there were two people inside.
A soft yellow light only partially filled the cafe. The remaining light came from a residue mix of light shining in through the front window from the street lamp outside, and reflections cast off the many decorations adorning the walls and hanging from the ceiling inside. They took a seat at the counter bar quietly, for some reason not wanting to disturb the man at work in the kitchen. As they sat there for a moment in silence, they looked around at the various ornaments and decorations, pondering the meaning of each, and slightly dazzled by their appearance in the low light. The objects seemed to take on a mystery they were sure would not be there given the plain light of day.
“See that?” Jake said pointing to a small-framed pictogram located behind the bar. Lyle turned to see what Jake meant, immediately seeing the pictogram. As if by some coincidence, the man then stopped what he was doing and came to the bar.
“Torus of Eternity,” he said answering their unasked questions. “It shows life and its’ creative force.”
“I see. Um…what exactly does it mean?” Lyle asked.
“It is for the forces at play beyond our understanding, yet retained deep in our memories.”
“That part looks like DNA sequencing.”
“You are correct. It is DNA that we need to unlock. An understanding, hard to put in your western terms. Now how can I help you gentlemen?”
“How about a couple of coffees just for now. We have already eaten tonight.”
“OK. Two coffees coming up.” He turned to make the coffees leaving them to continue contemplating the pictogram.
“You know what. Those sequences remind me of the ones we saw on the figurine of the moon demon in San Francisco.”
“I thought similar just as you spoke,” Jake replied. “Maybe we are onto something.”
“Yeah maybe, but remember, we only just arrived Dunhuang and we did speculate on this being a little too easy.”
“I know, but looking on the bright side, perhaps it is meant to be easy. This search I mean. However, we need to remain alert. I get the feeling there are more encounters ahead, perhaps like the one in the desert.”
The man then returned with their coffees. “Enjoy gentlemen, but please excuse me if I go back to preparing in my kitchen. My most regular customer is due to arrive in an hour and I always ensure I have his meal ready to his taste when he arrives.”
“Certainly. Just one more question. Um…where did you get the pictogram?”
“Why, from my most regular customer. He told me it would heighten my awareness and thus be a positive influence for my business.”
“Do you think we might be able to speak with him when he arrives?”
“I cannot see why not. But he is a solitary man, so he may not be so forthcoming when you ask him questions.”
“Thanks. We’ll keep it brief. Both of us are very interested in antiquities and old pictograms. We just want to get a little more understanding ourselves.”
Jake checked his watch, and seeing it was just after nine, he decided he and Lyle would not have time to meet the others and bring them back here when the regular customer arrived. “After this coffee, we could go for a walk for half an hour or so, see if there is anything else we can find.”
“Good idea,” Lyle replied.
Raynie and Jenna had been wandering for half an hour looking into whatever establishment they thought may lead to some information. Upon realizing they were making their way further into a warehouse area and without any success so far, they decided to try the direction Lyle and Jake had taken. Ten minutes later they were crossing the central market place, once again, momentarily immersed in the festivities. As lights danced and flickered around them, they noticed the three men who had earlier crossed their paths, but this time, with a sense of foreboding.
“I don’t like it,” Jenna said grabbing Raynie’s arm. “Let’s keep low. Those guys look very intent, and angry.”
A line of dancers suddenly invaded their space and they elected to be swept along with them as a means of cover. As the line took a turn back towards the center of festivities, Jenna lead Raynie away from the group, taking the same street the two men headed down around an hour earlier. Feeling somewhat more at ease, the women walked into the dimmer light glad to be free of the melee and the prospective gaze of those who appeared more and more to be their enemy.
“Well. What do we have here,” Lyle said grabbing Jenna’s arm from behind. Instantly she felt a surge of panic in the split second before she recognized his voice.
“Don’t do that, we just had a scare.”
“What? A scare….”
“Yeah those men are still circling and they look angrier than before.”
“Is that possible,” Jake replied thinking of the attack in the desert.
“It seems so,” Raynie said putting her arm around him. “We are glad to see you two.”
“And so are we. We wanted to come find you but thought we would not have the time. Jake and I have a tentative meeting lined up in about half an hour. So it’s great we caught up with you. Now we can all go.”
“What have you found?” Jenna asked.
“Not so much what, but whom. Jake and I stopped at this cafe and noticed a pictogram reminding us of the demon figurine in San Francisco. When we asked about it, the owner told us its meaning and where it came from. It so happens the person who gave it to him is his most regular customer, and is due for dinner anytime soon. He told us we might get a little more information, but was hesitant to say any more. It is our best lead yet.”
“We ought to go back now anyway,” Jake said. “Perhaps he might show up early and we don’t want to miss him.”
“OK. Lead the way.”
Ten minutes later they were standing outside the restaurant under cover to avoid the rain, which was now a steady drizzle, bringing out the musty smell of the old city.
&
nbsp; “Let’s go in,” Lyle said. “There is someone inside, I think.”
They entered and discreetly as possible, all glanced towards the only occupant aside from the owner who was in the kitchen. Immediately they all saw it was a woman sitting alone eating. Jake led them to a table, “It is a man whom we need to see.”
As they sat, the owner turned, coming over to them. “Ah, you are back I see. Good time too, I have some fresh soup just made. Would you like some? And your friends?” he said to Lyle.
“Sure,” came a unanimous reply.
“My regular customer will be here soon. Perhaps he will talk to you about the Torus.”
“There it is, see,” Jake said indicating to the pictogram behind the bar.
“Yes, I see it does look a little familiar,” Raynie replied. They huddled together for the next few moments eagerly discussing the Torus and the possibility of success in meeting someone who might give them a lead. The owner then returned with four bowls of soup, bringing them to a hush. It was a welcome meal even though they had eaten earlier. Somehow, their eagerness had given them an appetite and the soup was also some comfort in the damp cool night.
When they had finished, Jake walked over to the bar and ordered them each a coffee. As he sat down again upon return to their table, the bells over the front door chimed, announcing the unmistakable most regular customer. Dressed in a dark hooded coat against the elements, his face was barely visible as he made his way to his usual table in a corner near the far end of the bar. Before sitting, he removed his coat, placing it on a chair opposite to where he would sit. Lyle glanced his way as if to be momentarily distracted by the man’s actions, and suddenly felt a rush of excitement. In that fleeting second, he felt sure he recognized the man. Discreetly he turned to Jenna, disguising his words with actions as if they were lovers. He whispered softly to her, very close to her ear as the others watched them fascinated.
“What is it?” Raynie asked leaning toward Jenna after Lyle broke their embrace.
“Lyle is sure he recognizes the man who just came in, the most regular customer. He is sure he is the same man we saw at Baita, the White Pagoda Mountain.”
The owner came out to serve the man his meal he had prepared before his arrival, greeting his customer with an exalted handshake and affirmation that his favorite dishes were as tasty as ever. Upon his return to the bar, he prepared their coffee then came over to serve them. “I will speak to him after he finishes his main courses. Perhaps then, he might invite you to share tea after his meal. He likes a meaningful conversation, but is always hesitant to whom he speaks.”
“Those sequences we saw on the demon statue and again here on the Torus, remind me of something I was looking at in Australia,” Raynie said, breaking a momentary silence in the group.
“Yes. Tell me more about that,” Lyle said. “From what you told us before departing, both you and Jake had seen something interesting. Also, I think we should take another look at the stone you found.”
“Agreed. The inscriptions on the stone seem to resemble both the Torus and the statue in ways. I have been thinking a combination of the inscriptions and pictograms might reveal more.”
“Sounds similar to the reading on quantum phasing I did. I showed some of the information to Jake, but before he arrived, I read a bit deeper into the work. It appears as though quantum phasing comes through some type of opening up or tuning into its’ existence. To get there, coding of some manner had to be sequenced…um, you could say released.”
“Sounds like a propulsion system,” Jenna chimed in.
“You could say that,” Raynie replied. “In a manner of speaking, the whole thing could be about propulsion, but in an awareness and vibration sense.”
“We were working on a system using phasing ions with high localized magnetic field fusion resonance generators. By applying these fields to the ions, there is artificial plasma generated which in-turn gives off strong repulsing reactions resulting in a kinetic transference of the matter. This then applies a force strong enough to drive ships. Well…supposedly. The research is still new, unproven but…with what we saw in San Francisco, I would not be surprised at all, if ...” She raised her open hands as if to indicate something bigger may be happening.
“That’s some pretty advance stuff,” Lyle said thinking of his mission to the moon, for a moment.
Raynie caught his eyes drift away, “Tell us your thoughts.”
“The Moon actually. My mission is in a month or so, and all that tech talk made me think of the trip.”
“It ties in maybe,” Jake said. “We mentioned the moon demon earlier. I’ve been thinking perhaps the image of the demon is not a warning of things to come, but a warning to those unfit at the time to take on board some new information.”
“My time there is to study impact of development on lunar integrity. We are past just entering new places and junking them now.”
“Yeah, but there are no traces of anything remotely resembling artifacts found on the moon,” Raynie said. “They’ve covered just about all of it at ground level, haven’t they?”
“You’re right. There is no record of any find of that nature. I don’t think there is any connection, more symbols or code is what we could look for.”
“That could relate with what I was saying,” Jake added. “There is other meaning to look for beyond what seems obvious. If we are getting the nature of this information at all and how synchronicity plays such a part, then we could be open to circumstances that relate in any way, to being opportunities.”
“I get your meaning. We need to pay attention to any details during these times or missions, as we are actually immersing ourselves into events that are part of what we are looking for,” Raynie said excitedly. “Playing this as a game you could say, instead of just watching and collecting information.”
“So…after all that,” Lyle interjected. “I guess I should keep my eyes wide open when I go on the trip?”
Raynie laughed thinking how their conversation had just taken one turn after another, leading to some insight as to why they were actually on this journey of discovery at all. The others all picked up on her sensing the break in the moment as well, each considering similar ideas in their own ways. Their sudden commotion in the quiet café raised an inquiry from the man in the corner table - his eyes briefly turning towards them.
Chapter 14
Tobias walked into the room just a moment before John began testing a new algorithm to reprogram the personal ID microchip signals.
“You might like to watch this,” John said accepting a beer. “I think this one is going to be close. We need to mimic the original pathways through an upgrade in programming. These things can take a lot of information and I’m just cracking them wide open with this. Well I hope to.” He pushed his finger through the holographic button to his right, setting a sequence in motion that appeared above him in three dimensions. The view was spectacular. An algorithm pictured in complex detail, first entered the equally complex nano image, and then transformed it. Billions of indistinguishable tiny pathways could be seen as a carpet of motion changing the original nano tech from a dodecahedron image to something that resembled a similar object in a state of flux. This cycle ran for barely five seconds, before the nano technology had been transformed.
“I’m getting two distinct transmission signals, one back to my receiver and also the original signal. If I use this signal by sending it out through this transmitter, then we can fool any system check and make it appear as though we actually have a chip. I’ll have to keep working on it as they are bound to have placed random algorithms in all sorts of layers to keep security levels up.”
“How will you do that? We could be on the move.”
“Now I have the fix on this, I can now download it to the transmitter. The calculations can be real time and update the child devices anywhere at light speed. The only real gap you might ever get is if you are off the Earth. Two to seven seconds at the most.”
/> “Sounds OK to me. But…what about systems authentication? Is there any way they can possibly detect it as a dummy signal?”
“I’m trying to get around that at each stage of development. The floating-point calculations should do the trick. I am getting it to work in a similar way to the device I used in the Beaver for throwing those dummy signals.”
**********
Steve McCray had just about had enough. It was a lot of work getting this urgent response to a call up at HAARP and keeping the team together. Now, there were seven officers as a weapons deployment team operating at the site out of his command. He liked absolute clarity and control over situations where he was placed in charge, and now to have this additional crew working right under his nose and telling him nothing, made him furious. Aside from this though, he did observe them with an inkling of interest.
The equipment they were now unpacking and setting up in the section of the aircraft hanger they had been designated to use, appeared entirely new to him. The main unit looked familiar enough being a Radome - in use for over one hundred years now, but its composition appeared to be of some new material he was not certain of. ‘Perhaps it is a new carbon nano-composite’, he thought.
Carbon nano-composites were an extension of the carbon nano tubes developed earlier in the century, but were actually programmed compounds, which could be altered using software. He stared at it for a few moments wondering if he might detect any slight shift or flux in its’ appearance. He saw none. The team was still installing various devices within the dome and to external couplings, so it was yet to be engaged.
Steve was then distracted away from his momentary stare by his second in command officer who was seated behind him at a monitor station. “You getting any readings from that thing yet?”
“No sir. I have conducted a number of structural scans to attempt any detection of potential signal interference to the antenna array. Nothing as yet.”
First Light: Book one of the Torus Saga Page 13