Excolopolis_Poles of Enforcement

by Jack L. Marsch

  “Yes. It will form the shell from the inside, followed by a flexible, heat-retaining ceramic material, then a residual radiation-absorption material and finally a special metal layer that will support the liquid covering.”

  “The shell will be more than two meters thick,” observed Neelam, as he stroked his chin.

  “It's significant, I admit, but also very necessary. Expeditions may last for years and during that time research will be carried out on board. In addition, bases for mineral extraction will be build on the surfaces of unknown moons, asteroids, comets and planets, so we have to make absolutely sure that the ship is prepared for any occurrence.”

  “Right. What speed can we expect from the new drive?”

  “About one and a half million kilometers per hour,” Karen estimated.

  “How much?”

  “With our new drive technology, higher speeds can be achieved, but there are dangers associated that don't allow us to go faster at this stage. There are also other limits imposed by the inability of the navigation systems to track efficiently at such high speeds.”

  Sixteen minutes to the moon is still fairly impressive, though, Neelam thought for a moment. “So, there are concerns about the navigation systems not being powerful enough to cope with higher speeds.”

  “Yes. They will have to be adjusted or redesigned for us to achieve faster velocities.”

  “Okay, that's clear. What will the ship's environment be like for the crew?”

  “Inside the ship, we're attempting to roughly mirror conditions here on Earth: the same levels of oxygen, nitrogen and CO2, the same atmospheric pressure and the same gravitational force.”

  Surinder Neelam's expression mirrored his skepticism.

  “Don't worry,” Karen reassured the scientist who seemingly faced with lot to learn.

  “I think I had better start studying the specifications very thoroughly,” said Neelam pragmatically, concluding the briefing.

  “Make sure you do.”

  Dilemma

  The more Oliver Trenerry thought about the responsibilities that had been piled upon him, and the deeper he immersed himself in planning the details, the more questions arose as to how to execute well what they were facing without allowing themselves to become an authoritarian dictatorship as judgment can so easily be overturned. Especially where certain restrictions may apply to human activities towards a goal that had never before been a priority.

  He felt that he was facing the greatest and most significant challenge that he had ever encountered. Steersman was right, this was his life's greatest work, or would be if he was up to the challenge. Somewhat unconventionally, he chose not to consult with the leader of the organization. This time he involved his best people in formulating the first universal ‘code of conduct’ for humankind as a whole. It was a little overwhelming and extremely humbling that only half a dozen people had come together to bring it into being. They often felt a gnawing sense of doubt, wondering who they imagined they were to be dealing with a question as vast as that.

  The answer always came to them whenever they felt any sense of hesitation. All it took was for them to take a look at one of the organization's research departments, or to watch the machines toiling relentlessly, to immediately lay to rest their questions and doubts: they were the ASEC, the organization destined to save mankind from the tangle of past mistakes that had dogged it throughout history.

  The communications team was made up of battle-hardened analysts, but they could only begin to seriously work after they had laid to rest all of their dilemmas.

  “Let's divide this job into more manageable parts! Firstly, we need to create the document itself, a moral code, then we also need to develop communications protocol for making the introduction on a global scale. Neither can exist without the other. The responsibility we are charged with is enormous. I'm fairly certain that this is unprecedented,” Oliver Trenerry announced sternly.

  “The latter will be a particularly sensitive process. I propose building a top-to-down introduction. What I mean is, we need to create an operational framework in which we progress in carefully timed increments until we find ourselves with a fertile ground for presenting this document. It is a sequence of logical steps.” Jackie McCold looked up.

  “I agree. If we first construct a program that resembles a resolution on which direction we direct our operations, that would fit the concept nicely. We'll be doing nothing other than preparing a fertile environment for the media to disseminate information to the public,” said Alan Furman, who at thirty-two, was the team's youngest member, though the effect that his guerrilla marketing activities had had on the Turkish oil giant, the FossOil's drilling efforts in the Aegean Sea had made him a legend. Because of his work, FossOil had abandoned their plans and an environmental disaster had been averted.

  “All right. Global deployment of the enforcement poles is then scheduled as part of this program so that it becomes an integral part of the concept; clearly designated but easier for the public to understand,” said Trenerry.

  “At this point, however, we need to allow some time, as it is in itself an overwhelming event. There'll most certainly be conflicts and incidents that will cause considerable hindrance to proper management of the implementation process. If we deal with any obstacles well enough at that point, and the ideas and concepts behind our work will be clearly understood, then, and only then can we unveil the document.” Sal Selma joined the debate. As the only employee of Middle Eastern descent at ASEC, she did not feel too comfortable about the circumstances surrounding the attack on Excolopolis.

  “Yes, this is a pivotal point, and therefore I think we need to make sure that we support it and generate some positive press with a new media event, to ensure that we're not just drawing all sorts of directives in the sand,” said Jens Saari, with his usual visualizing ability.

  “I'd say that the launch of the new space fleet might just generate the hype we need,” Trenerry observed, smiling.

  “Then we can work around that, too.”

  “And, to the defense corps. Anyway, how will the corps work? I mean, in what sort of cases will it be deployed? When would it intervene in a crisis, and to what extent?”

  “This document will lay down the guidelines for intervention. Its strength and credibility will lie in the fact that ASEC stands behind it, and also considers itself bound by it. ASEC will consistently support it and not allow any transgression to go unanswered,” Trenerry stated, with a tired frown, having missed out on days of sleep.

  “Perhaps this document should be issued sooner. Then we could support it and give it weight with the launch of the enforcement poles. Because each step in the plan is built on the previous step, efficiency will be enhanced, meaning that an event like this will be useful to us in any case,” opined Jackie McCold.

  “Sounds reasonable. In this case, however, we don't have much time to prepare the document, which adds a little extra risk,” Trenerry responded.

  “Regardless of what order things are done, we need a framework that sets the basic tone,” said Alan Furman.

  “Definitely. The establishment of the enforcement poles and constructing the defense corps will certainly take a year. The factory plants are still under construction, so we have considerably less time than we need.”

  “Factories?”

  “Four giant factories are being built near Odessa. All routine manufacturing processes will be relocated there, except for prototyping. In fact, we'll need to build residential facilities because the plants will function as a labor magnet for the whole area.”

  Test drive

  As the Sumo II cargo transporter had not been designed for space travel, it had to undergo significant modifications in a short period of time, like a sports car tuned up in a backyard garage workshop. Six NGI drives were installed in an octahedron formation, the most ideal arrangement for three-dimensional spatial navigation. Because use of the impulse drives was not recommended in the densely populated
atmosphere of Earth, it was necessary to fit a further eight more powerful DCG spheres to allow the ship – along with it's extra weight – to ascend past the theoretical limit of the atmosphere and into outer space – across the Karman line at an altitude of one hundred kilometers. It was at this point that the impulse drives were designed to kick in.

  The ship's cargo hold was not empty either. The first fifty units for the global sensor network filled the entire bay. Massive hockey puck shaped devices were ready to be put into orbit around the planet at about sixty thousand kilometers from the surface of the earth.

  Samples of construction materials were also being taken for testing. The polymer tissue that had been designed for use in the structural frame of the spacecrafts was to be put into space with the aim of observing how it would react.

  Alien navigational map

  How it was possible to exchange messages with a planet in a star system so many light years away so quickly, was a mystery that caused some concern. Martins sometimes still had his suspicions that it was some sort of elaborate scam and because of that some of his team members were also a little uneasy.

  On the basis of distance alone, it was obvious that there could presently be no reasonable explanation for this phenomenon, and although in a previous observation it had been noticed that the velocity of radiation near the Earth reduced, that too had not yet been proven.

  However, the complexity of the signal caused quite a few headaches for every member of the team, which kept them going and reaffirmed their belief that their work over the past few years could not have just been a huge mistake.

  “There are an amazing number of references in the transmission, that correspond to earlier or later details. It is as if they were not willing to apply the same unit twice, but rather wanted to refer to it obliquely. At the moment, though, I really can't see what the point of it is,” snapped Pat in annoyance. She had proved to be the fastest during the entrance tests, and when they saw that the young women was – in spite of her rebellious nature – taking the challenge extremely seriously and was dedicated to her work, they let her in on the secret of the alleged source of the signal. Meanwhile, she received a very gratifying offer of permanent employment from ASEC, which she accepted.

  Another girl, Tya Mints, had also been drafted into the inner circle of the program and had been quick to accept the job.

  “Yes. We have already struggled with this problem in the past,” said Dr Martins, who was also the girls' boss. “In this sequence they use it especially often.”

  “I'm going to get a coffee,” said Patricia, suddenly getting up from her seat.

  Martins had become accustomed to her habit of being abrupt hotheadedness whenever she didn't understand something immediately. Due to her fiery nature, there was a sleeping volcano inside her that would often wake up at times like these, but by the end, it always burned out, and from the eruption a solution was born.

  “Get one for me too, please,” he called after her.

  Patricia stayed away for a while. She could always concentrate better when she was alone. At times like that, she had no idea what her body was doing, it was on autopilot while her brain worked. On one occasion Martins found her on the table standing on her head.

  “Let's try something!” she said suddenly, flipping upright and instantly beginning to pound out the fruit of her latest brain wave on the virtual console keyboard.

  It took quite a while.

  *

  The next morning Tya woke Pat. They attending the same cryptology faculty course at PrEUST and Tya's abilities were not far behind Patricia's, but far enough that she viewed Patricia as something of a Goddess.

  “Hey Pat! You don't look too good. Were you here all night?” asked the surprisingly pretty cryptologist.

  “Yep, you've figured it out, Tya, nice one,” Pat slurred sarcastically.

  “I've also been solving something else. I figured out why the signal that's carrying the message changes all the time,” announced Tya, happily.

  “What have you figured out, Senorita?” said Martins, appearing unexpectedly in the doorway.

  “Good morning, Dr Martins. I think I've found out why the message changes. It changes because the universe is constantly changing. Here on Earth, if we look for a street address or a city, it will be in the same place it was yesterday, but universe itself revolves as a whole, moves and twists around … or something like that, though that's not really my thing.” She waved her hands about vaguely. “It's therefore impossible to specify the exact direction you need to go to find what you're looking for.” She gestured more vigorously in all the directions. “There is simply no such thing as a fixed three-dimensional space out there because nothing is fixed. Everything is in constant motion, and it's impossible to describe it using only three coordinates. Unfortunately, I can't yet say what the influencing factors are that could help us determine a position accurately.”

  “Hmm, yes. That would explain the cycles too,” Martins said, frowning.

  “I think I know the solution to that part.” Pat stood up, holding her coffee mug.

  Tya and Martins turned to the near comatose girl. Her voice had a tired strained tone, almost as if she had been shouting all night at a rock concert.

  “What is it?” asked Tya, the excitement in her voice jolting Patricia from her stupor.

  “Of course!” she exclaimed, as if discovering it all over again. ”I don't yet understand it completely, but all of the factors that influence our determination of position could be termed dimensional. And if that is so, we find ourselves with a five-dimensional coordinates system, … although who knows …” she sank back into her thoughts.

  “Miss Griggs, wake up and pull yourself together, for goodness sake!” Martins ordered quietly.

  “I'm sorry,” she said, looking at them sleepily. “The spatial position of an object is usually defined on a three-axis matrix. The axes have positive or negative values allowing the expansion to be determined in all directions. The system has a relative fixed point: the zero position of the axis matrix which is most probably the center of the galaxy.”

  “That is also known to us, yes,” affirmed the astronomer.

  “The mass flux is also determined by two further factors, one of which is the strength of gravity, which is what moves the whole universe. Each body has a different impact on the surrounding space, and this certainly must be taken into consideration.”

  “What's the other?”

  “I think it's the kinetic energy! This is another factor we need to account for. In fact, besides the whole universe revolves and swirls, it does that unevenly, so the cycles can vary. In a moment the position of everything can change in relation to its previous position. All additional factors considered, we end up with a five-dimensional map.”

  “Therefore, there are no distances or durations on the map because it's completely irrelevant. Indeed, even if we set off in one direction towards a set destination, after a period of time, that destination will be in a completely different position in another direction,” said Martins thoughtfully.

  “That's also why it's possible to start our journey in one direction when, at the moment of departure, the destination does not exist,” added Tya.

  “But, by the time we arrive, it'll be there,” Pat finished. “That's right!”

  “But why doesn't time count?”

  “I don't know,” Patricia shrugged.

  “We are talking fucking huge distances here. I have no idea how to cover them,” Mints declared succinctly.

  “Yes, and you know what? I've always thought that the cosmos was not meant to be traversed. Where there are such vast distances that make the speed of light seems mere shuffling, it's simply not possible to get around, just like that,” said Martins, sharing his own private thoughts with the girls.

  “Oh, well, never mind, it's not really our problem,” said Pat, with a smile.

  ***

  Chapter 17

  Defense co
rps

  One and a half years after the eruption of energy war, the future of countries still operating on older technologies became more and more uncertain. These countries were still sufficiently developed militarily to be able to cause significant destruction in defiance of other nations or because of bitterness. Of course, their governments deliberately imposed barriers to the spread of new technology, meaning that simple smooth persuasion was not enough.

  The ASEC maintained steady good relations with the Russian Federation, the United States and the United Nations of Europe. They, along with many other countries, after mutual consensus, began to dismantle weapons of mass destruction for the umpteenth time in history.

  The elimination of national armed forces was still considered to be an illusion, but it was a promise that was given on the condition that there be a force preventing hostile actions anytime, anywhere and in any form; a force that would intervene to protect national integrity and sovereignty, when needed.

  Steersman didn't need anything more. In fact, for those nations that actually took that step, he offered permanent and free energy supplies.

  For ASEC to be taken seriously, the installation of the planned sensor network, sixty thousand kilometers from the Earth's surface, had to take place. After tests, the devices were continuously being put into orbit, but it still took months to position the more than fifty-five thousand probes in space, a thousand kilometers from each other. There was no need for the probes to move at the rotational speed of the earth as, in contrast with other satellites, they formed a single static network around the entire planet.

  They had to maintain only one position: their set distance from each other. They passed information and directives as the location of each event required. Each probe was communicating directly with the four closest probes that were in constant and continuous contact with each other, practically forming one entity.