Colony (Terran Chronicles Book 3)

by James Jackson

  Robert switches on his mini recorder as he clears his mind, and begins his interview, “What is it we are witnessing here today?”

  The short man does not reply, but instead gulps as he points at the now wildly moving needle.

  Robert leans over to peer at the marks, they are almost meaningless to him. He turns back, catches the man’s name tag, and then asks, “Okay, Ben. What exactly does this mean?”

  Ben stares back incredulously for a moment, then ignoring Robert, takes out his phone. With shaky fingers, he quickly taps in several numbers. “Hello, this is Ben, we have a magnitude nine happening right now.”

  Ben pauses while he listens, and then forcefully interjects. “No! This was triggered by an event east of the fault line.”

  Robert gazes around the small room, his attention is drawn to the needle once again. It is swinging even more wildly than before. All of a sudden the floor begins to shake, sending vibrations up his legs. Ben stares downward in awe as he hangs up, then puts his phone in his pocket.

  “We have to get out of here, now!” Ben states, his voice is filled with fear.

  Robert looks up sharply and says, “So the floor’s not supposed to do that?”

  The men make eye contact, then dash for the doorway, and out into a world gone haywire. The distant sky is full of dust, as if from some volcanic eruption. Nearby, people are fleeing in panic. Cars race off down the road at high speed, all the while, an odd rumbling noise emanates from beneath their feet. It sounds almost like a freight train going by.

  Robert stops Ben, and asks. “Why is everyone leaving?”

  Ben stares back with disbelieving eyes. “This whole site is right on top of a major fault line.” He gulps as he points at the distant dust cloud. “And whatever caused that, triggered a series of category nine quakes.”

  Robert looks down as the soil jiggles and dances around his unsteady feet. Ben suddenly grabs Robert, then shouts out over the growing din. “There has never been a series of quakes like this, not down the entire line. Not ever!”

  Robert gulps as he finally grasps what is going on. He shouts to the shorter man, “Good luck!” And then sprints for his car as fast as he can on the shaky ground.

  Ben makes it to his car just as a new realization dawns on him. He shouts over the deafening grinding noises to Robert, fear in his voice. “Don’t go to LA, it will be worse there! Go inland.”

  Ben gets into his car, and even though everything is shaking violently, he manages to get the key into the ignition.

  Robert barely catches Ben’s words over the horrendous noise. He starts his own car, then slams his foot on the accelerator, the tires screech as he peels away. With everything moving, staying on the road is quite a difficult task. Avoiding the elevated roadways, he heads east as fast and as best as he can. The enormous dust cloud hovers in the distance casting a dark shadow below it. Whatever that instinct is that drives reporters toward danger begins to take shape in Robert. He ponders, the largest quakes in recorded history, and that dust cloud is the source. Checking the passenger seat, he is pleased to find the gear he needs is there. He turns on the radio, selects a local news channel, and then heads toward the expanding dust cloud.

  Location:

  White House

  Washington DC

  The President stands before an assembly of men and women. He gazes at the many familiar faces, then nods in acknowledgment as he makes eye contact. His face is a stern mask while he focuses on the task ahead. With his second term in office nearing its half way point, he has made many friends. Reflecting upon the last few years, he sighs inwardly, I have had to contend with an alien invasion, oh, visitation, he corrects himself, and now I have to handle this mess!

  The many television cameras pointing at him are a stark reminder of the importance of this day. His eyes glance at the teleprompter as genuine tears begin to well up in his eyes. A crouched man holds up three fingers, then two, then one. A second later he points to the President as he silently mouths. “You’re on”.

  The President stares at the camera for a moment, and then begins his speech. “To the citizens of America, I ask that we come together in unity and offer our hopes and prayers to all those affected this day. May we continue these prayers for the days to come. I have declared a state of emergency for the entire state of California. In addition, everyone west of the San Andreas Fault line is to be evacuated east until we can determine the region’s geological stability. This will be a monumental task, but one we must undertake.”

  He gulps when his eyes catch the next words, “Many of you already know of today’s dreadful catastrophe. A series of magnitude nine earthquakes occurred along the San Andreas Fault line.” He puts a hand to his mouth as he tries to convey the enormity of the event. “The entire coastal shelf has moved, in places, up to three hundred feet toward the Pacific Ocean. The resulting loss of life is incalculable, with numerous people still unaccounted for. The ensuing tsunamis have devastated many islands in the Pacific, including Hawaii, where the death toll is also unknown. The effects have been felt as far away as Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, where localized flooding has been reported.”

  The President wipes beads of sweat from his forehead, then continues, “We must remain strong as we assess the damage and rebuild. Many coastal areas are now underwater, while others may yet succumb to the numerous aftershocks plaguing the region. I implore everyone to stay away from the many disaster areas, relief crews are on the way. God bless America.”

  The President stares blankly at the camera as the operator shuts it off. Putting a hand to his forehead again, he tries to stave off the headache that is forming. He shifts his gaze to the many advisors that fill the room. With a resolute voice, he speaks up, “Send them everything we have, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, everything!”

  Closing his eyes he reflects on the enormity of the calamity. A year’s research, billions of dollars spent, and what did I do? Cause the greatest disaster this nation has ever known. He rubs his eyes with his hands, stress threatening to break him.

  Gazing at the table once more, he picks up a handful of photos that rest on it. A damn reporter got to the site first. The series of photographs display a massive crater, a military transport with its paint scorched and peeling away, and finally the buckled and damaged perimeter fence. What to do with that inquisitive man? Lock him up? Suddenly an idea comes to mind, one that makes him smile.

  Location:

  KGB Headquarters

  Minsk, Russia

  Pavel sits passively, his arms folded, while Igor stomps around the majestic room working himself into an angry frenzy. The dozen other key members of the Russian government sit quietly around the large wooden table. Pavel sighs then stands, has Igor put on even more weight? He ponders as he stares at the shorter, pudgy man.

  Gathering his thoughts Pavel speaks up, a little timidly at first, but gathers strength as his conviction resonates. “Igor, we have no way of knowing what happened at the American facility, so it’s not possible to predict if the same event will occur at our own.”

  Igor stares back, his eyes blaze as his efforts to calm himself fail. He blurts out. “Had we listened to the Americans, we would be set back as much as them. Fortunately we had the wisdom to conduct our own research into the alien technologies.”

  Igor places his hands on his hips, then lifts his chin in defiance. Pavel has to concede the point, it was Igor’s idea to duplicate the research being done in Nevada.

  The voice that booms across the room surprises them all. “The question is gentlemen, do we share what we know?” The Russian President stands in the doorway, his eyes casually look over everyone present. His signature heavy cloak rests upon his shoulders.

  Igor does not give anyone else a chance to speak, “Mister President, we do not!”

  Pavel’s eyebrows quickly raise, not so much in surprise at the words, but more so at the insolent tone behind them. He quickly interjects, “What Igor means…” h
e stops talking when the President lifts a hand in the air.

  The Russian leader strides into the room, his voice full of conviction. “We will hand over ALL of our research to the Americans,” his eyes rove over the men in the room defiantly, “understood?”

  Igor blanches at the blunt statement, no discussion, no debate?

  The President smiles at Igor’s obvious distress, then in a softer tone continues. “Gentlemen, the old days are long gone, I have been keeping America appraised, as they have been keeping me informed of their progress.” It has been quite fortunate that Demetri and Barbara have been inspecting each other’s facilities all this time. The thought comes unbidden.

  Everyone in the room is stunned into silence. Finally, as the seconds drag on, Pavel speaks. While his tone is soft, his eyes pierce Igor’s. “We will do as you instruct, Mister President.”

  Igor turns in disgust, then looks out through the window before him. Days like today make him miss his old home in the Ukraine. While his mind wanders, his eyes are drawn to the heavy drapes, then down to the floor with its abundant collection of exquisite Persian rugs. The paintings along the walls herald various points in Russia’s history.

  Igor’s mind races while his eyes wander. After a few moments he turns around to face the President, then gives a slight bow and says. “I understand now, and apologize for my behavior.”

  Pavel gulps, Igor apologizing, now I have seen it all. His eyes narrow as he considers Igor’s actions. What’s he up to?

  The President grins again as he addresses the assembled men once more. “I also took the liberty of assuming a unanimous vote in regards to sending assistance to the Americans.”

  While the words sink into the minds of those in the room, the President departs. Igor grins as he thinks. We are returning to the old ways, he just doesn’t know it.

  Pavel is as perplexed by Igor’s reaction as he is by the President’s arbitrary decisions. Sending aid is one thing, the research, well that should have been discussed.

  Location:

  Parliament House

  Canberra, Australia

  The speaker of the house stands, places his hands behind his back, and then waits for silence. The one hundred forty-five people in the room consist of members of both major political parties, with a smattering of independents being present. As the speaker stands, the chatter in the room diminishes.

  In a solemn tone, the speaker addresses the assembly. “The disaster in America is unprecedented, thus they are going to need all the assistance they can get. There are a number of pressing issues. The first and foremost is the utter destruction of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant. The entire area is now underwater. The destroyed facility is spewing forth vast amounts of radioactive isotopes into the surrounding ocean. The Russians and Japanese both have experience in dealing with nuclear disasters, and we will be transporting teams from both nations to the effected site. In addition...”

  The Speaker is interrupted by a man who stands up and points at him while shaking his head. The man’s voice booms across the room as he confidently questions the speaker. He moves his hands in a rather animated fashion as he adds flourish to his statement. “Why not just let America handle its own mess, or better yet, just let the other two countries handle the clean up? We have little experience with radiation disasters and should be focusing on our own domestic needs, instead of helping everyone else with their problems.”

  Many people nod in agreement, quiet mutterings becoming an audible buzz. The self-righteous man gazes around the room, his painted on smile and smug expression clearly displaying his disdain for sending aid. Finally after an exaggerated wave at his rowdy colleagues, he bows then sits down.

  The Speaker of the House is no stranger to challenges, and today he was expecting a confrontation like this. He grins back wolfishly, and his expression becomes hard. His reply carries with it an uncanny venom. “We will stand by our allies, no matter the cost!” He waves a warning finger at the assemblage, “And I tell you, this is just the beginning.”

  The speaker’s eyes blaze with energy as he continues. His voice resounds around the room powerfully, “The Prime Minister has empowered me to also inform you that we will now bear the full burden of all costs associated with construction facility in the Outback. Also...” He pauses for maximum effect, while at the same time glaring at any would be opposition. All who meet his gaze wither.

  Once he has everyone’s undivided attention, he continues with his speech. “We will be committing the alien space shuttle and the bodysuits to the American relief efforts, in addition to providing food, and medical supplies.”

  The room explodes in an uproar as members of both parties and the independents stand and bellow at the Speaker and each other. The speaker bangs his gavel on the table while shouting, “Order in the house. Order!” Even he cannot interrupt the pandemonium.

  Location:

  Kangbashi District

  China

  The two men carefully steer the sheet of gravity plating between them. Its power source is a small energy cell attached to one side. Upon this plating rests a small round metallic object, about the size of a newborn’s head. The energy cell’s power fluctuates, only for a split second, but it is enough. The round object jostles out of its cradle and rolls. The pair frantically attempts to adjust the load, but they are too late and the metallic ball rolls off the edge and falls.

  One of the men reaches out, as if to catch it. “NO!” Shouts the other in utter panic.

  The ball smashes to the concrete floor, its sheer weight embeds it deeply. Both men stare nervously at the circular hole. It is so deep the men can no longer see the fallen object. Their supervisor, Guo, arrives on the scene within minutes. He stares at the results of the accident, then glances fearfully at Commander Jie’s tower.

  Guo purses his lips while considering their options, then after a moment issues his instructions. “Notify the gravity plate and power cell teams that the gravity sleds are faulty.”

  Guo stares at the men questioningly, “This was not your fault, but, you will stay to supervise the recovery of the power core. We will need it for the next phase of testing.”

  The pair is most relieved that they will not be blamed for the accident. It takes crews almost twenty-four hours to dig under the concrete, slide another gravity plate in place, then finally lift everything up.

  Guo spends this time drafting letter after letter, deflecting any and all blame to other departments. Staring at his efforts, he smiles then files copies of the letters away. Tapping his extensive filing cabinet, he closes his eyes and relaxes, I will not let anyone’s failure reflect on my project.

  Commander Jie is leaning back in his chair grinning like a hyena. He is so happy with the reports of discord amongst the coalition, he starts to spin around in his swivel chair. Let chaos reign, he thinks as he closes his eyes, we will become the new order.

  Later that day, Jie receives word of the accident by Guo’s men. Usually such an event would result in severe repercussions. Jie considers his response, what is one accident when compared to the destruction of the American research facility? Another thought crosses his mind, one that he failed to consider earlier. With the other nations diverting efforts to assist the beleaguered Americans, this will derail the entire coalition’s efforts. They will be set back years. It may even stall the construction of both their new spaceship, and their efforts in deciphering the alien database.

  Guo is most surprised when the only response he gets back from Jie’s office is a note in the commander’s handwriting.

  ‘Keep me informed of your progress, and make the necessary changes to prevent such an incident from happening again.’

  Guo is so surprised by the words, he has to read them twice. He takes the note and uses it to push his own agenda. All that see it follow Guo’s instructions immediately. No one dares challenge Jie’s orders, even when given vicariously.

  Thus, unbeknownst to Jie, this one act of benevo
lence actually allows Guo to advance his project ahead of schedule. Other departments fall into line as Guo’s power unit project proves to be the linchpin to the entire endeavor. Furthermore, new buildings are constructed under Guo’s instructions as he enjoys this unexpected and unprecedented free hand in completing his work.

  Six Months after the Nevada Incident

  Location:

  Kangbashi District

  China

  Commander Jie throws the letter down in disgust, satisfactory! That’s all the central government can say of my progress? He strides to the balcony, then boldly steps out. He gazes at the scene before him with pride. Hundreds of buildings dot the landscape, home to over two million workers. The contingent of one hundred thousand Chinese guards are reinforced by his private army of old North Korean Generals, and their ten thousand loyal troops. With no home to go to, they can either obey me, or go back and face war crimes tribunals. He relishes in the feeling of power he gets when gazing at the city before him. His feelings of grandeur falter, a single failure can see me replaced, he realizes, then gulps. What to do?

  With thoughts of self preservation coming to mind, he stares at a number of buildings. I must show them something, something so special I will never lose my position. His eyes lock onto a few key buildings, then as an idea begins to coalesce, his face breaks into a broad grin.

  Returning to his desk, Jie grabs another piece of paper, a scientific report on the power units the aliens use. Having previously discarded the boring looking document he sighs, then reads the lengthy report.

  Gamin Power plants.

  Having an atomic weight in the realm of five hundred, these cores are the most dense and heaviest material we have ever encountered. Manufacturing of these cores will require a zero-g, vacuum environment. Fortunately, the core material is inert throughout the entire process. They are constructed by a specialized process of layering that requires months. Once completed, gravity plating is to be assembled around the core. It is critical that the core not be moved. These specialized gravity plates have numerous holes in them, through which ‘reaction’ material is able to be inserted and/or removed.