Alien Storm

by Don Viecelli

  Dave had about twenty people working this site now and another fifteen at the first crash site. As soon as he was finished here, he planned to travel to the other site for inspection. Up ahead he saw a familiar face. It was one of the structural engineer specialists from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He must have flown in while he was sleeping. Dave spoke into his headset, “Hello, Dan. How’s it going?”

  “Pretty good, Colonel,” Dan Topias said as they shook hands. He was the chief inspector for the NTSB and Dave usually called him in on his crash investigations. They worked well together and he didn’t need much direction. “This is a hell of a crash, Dave. I’ve never seen anything like this material. It isn’t anything we make and I don’t know its composition. I’ll have to send some pieces to the lab for analysis.”

  “As soon as we finish marking and recording the grids, I’ll let you take some samples for your analysis, Dan. They’ll have to be cleared by the biohazard team first since we’re dealing with a foreign agent. I don’t want you guys contaminating the world with a new plague we can’t control.”

  “Me either, Dave. I can wait. How long do you think it will take?”

  “Maybe a day or two. I hope to clear this whole area in a week. We can’t keep the park closed for too long and the debris is too sensitive to leave out in the open like this. Are you the only one here?”

  “No. I brought my assistant with me. His name is Walter Simmons. He’s investigating the other crash site. I heard it might be radioactive.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I heard too. I don’t think it is too bad, though. I have another team trying to clean it up so we can work over there. I plan to visit the site this afternoon. Do you need to see the site?”

  “No, Walter can handle it. I want to finish looking around here first.”

  “That’s fine. Thanks for coming, Dan. I’ll talk to you later.” They both went back to what they were doing. Dave decided to walk the entire crash site to make sure everything was progressing as expected. He headed straight for the main impact area, which was ahead a hundred yards. There were several people working in the area and he stopped to talk to each one to see who they were and how they were doing. For the most part, everything was going according to plan. Each person had a specific task to perform and was well qualified to do it. Dave knew many of the people, but not all. Most of the people on site were from Colonel Feldman’s search and recovery team and that was expected. The specialists on site were people Dave personally knew and had called in for the job when he was on the air force transport plane last night. Somehow, that seemed a long time ago, but in reality, it was just over twelve hours ago. The investigation was just beginning and he knew it would take more than a week to clear the site of wreckage and months to reassemble the spacecraft and figure out what had happened. Usually, all it took was time to find the answers to the cause of a crash. This time, they had a cause, but nothing they could compare the craft to. This wasn’t going to be an easy investigation from that perspective. No one knew how to fly this craft, how it was built or how it operated. This was going to be a whole new experience for the people involved and it would take more than time to find the answers. Some of it may never be explained or understood, at least not without some help from the aliens who made and flew it.

  The main portion of the spacecraft slammed into the forest at a high rate of speed and burrowed a hole twenty feet or more into the ground. All the trees around the hole were completely demolished and burnt. There were no large fragments left. Somehow the main cabin of the spacecraft must have separated when it hit the tops of the trees before the rest slammed into the ground. Otherwise, they may never have found any alien body parts larger than a finger. Two people in biohazard suits were taking dirt samples for testing back at their lab. He knew the first person. It was Dr. Karen Sing, a biologist from one of the DOD medical labs in Washington D.C. “Hello, Doctor Sing. What have you found so far?”

  “Why, hello, Colonel Hampton. It’s nice to see you again. How long has it been? A year?”

  “No, not that long. I sent you some samples to test from a crash investigation last August and I came over to discuss the results with you. Nothing like this, though. Do we have anything to worry about?”

  “I haven’t found anything yet, but it’s early. From the briefing you gave me on the crash, I have to assume there will be tissue contamination from the bodies and other contamination from the alien food supply and waste systems that were on board the spacecraft before the crash. Some of it may have been destroyed by the fires, but something should have survived. We just don’t know what type of organisms we’re looking for yet. It will help when we get the medical autopsy results and can compare them to the dirt samples we’re collecting. This won’t be resolved soon, Colonel Hampton. I’m afraid we will have to quarantine the whole area for a long time as a safety precaution.”

  “I think you’re right, Doctor Sing. That’s why I called you in on this. Did you ever think you would be involved with something like this?”

  “To tell you the truth, I thought you were joking until I got here. Nobody would believe me if I could tell them anyhow, but I sure do thank you for calling me in on this. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime, you know.”

  “Yes, I do. I’m glad you’re here. I hope it all works out. I’ll talk to you later. I have to finish inspecting the site. Let’s discuss what you find out later tonight at the visitor center. See you later.”

  Dave continued his inspection of the crash site until he covered every square meter. It was tough going in some of the woods because of the terrain, debris and broken tree limbs. After about an hour, he headed back to the clean tent for decontamination. He had some calls to make and he needed to make arrangements to visit the other crash site. He had assigned the search and recovery operation for the other site to Colonel Feldman and he needed an assessment. He decided to leave Sergeant Carter in charge of this site’s recovery operation while he was gone. As he approached the decontamination tent, he got a call on his two-way radio headset. It was the sergeant. “Colonel Hampton, the National Guard truck unit has arrived. They have a road cleared to the crash site now.”

  “I hear you, Sergeant. I’ll be back at the command tent in a few minutes. Find out who is in charge of the guard unit and bring him to the tent.” Well, one more problem solved, thought Dave. He had heard a bulldozer pushing over trees in the distance and figured the truck unit was getting closer. They could start loading debris from the wreckage before nightfall.

  Dave made his way to the decontamination tent and stepped into a large foot pan filled with some sort of bacterial disinfectant solution. He was sprayed down with the same cleansing agent and checked by one of the workers before they allowed him to take off his suit. When he stepped outside of the tent, he saw Sergeant Carter and a National Guard major waiting for him. They saluted and Sergeant Carter introduced the major. “Colonel Hampton, this is Major Robert Drew from the Michigan Army National Guard. His men are clearing a road for us.”

  “Hello, Major Drew. I’m the Chief Air Force Investigator for the DOD. It’s good to see you.”

  “My pleasure, Colonel. This is quite an investigation you have going, sir. We’re glad to be able to help you guys out.”

  “Did you have much trouble opening up a road for us, Major?” Dave asked.

  “Not too much trouble, Colonel. The old copper mining trail needed to be widened a bit, but it was in pretty good shape. We had to carve a new road about a half-mile long through the woods to the crash site, but we’re almost done. I can have the trucks and loading equipment up here within the next two hours. What do you want us to do?”

  “We’re still marking out the crash site and photographing all the debris. The contamination team has inspected the area and it was clean, but the biohazard team is still working. This area will have to be quarantined for some time. None of your men can work in the crash area without contamination suits, so you probably will have to let
my team start loading the debris on your trucks. Everything has to be taken back to Duluth for air-shipment to Milwaukee Air Force Base. Everything you see or hear during this investigation is classified as ‘Top Secret’, Major. No exceptions.”

  Dave continued. “I have to visit the other crash site across the lake. I’ll be leaving soon. Sergeant Carter will be in charge of the search and recovery operation here while I’m gone. I’ll stay in touch with the radio. After I visit the other wreckage site, I’ll go to the visitor center to conduct the crash investigation. Colonel Feldman is handling the transportation logistics for the two crash sites. You can work out any transportation details with him while I’m gone. Clear everybody out of here before it gets dark, Sergeant Carter. Leave a guard detail for the night. Use the trucks to haul the team out tonight. Have the search and recovery team meet with me at the visitor center at 1800 hours for a debriefing. Thanks for helping us out, Major. I need a ride to the helicopter landing site if you don’t mind.”

  “No problem, sir. I drove up in a Humvee,” the major answered. “We can leave any time.”

  “Good. Let me make some calls and I’ll be with you in fifteen minutes, Major. Sergeant, I need you to do something for me. Excuse us, Major. Dave and Sergeant Carter walked over to the command tent.

  “Sergeant, I found out something interesting this morning with the alien disks you left in the tent. They seem to be able to copy data files from my computer when I turn it on within fifteen feet of the disks. I don’t know what it means yet, but I want you to pack the items up for shipment to Milwaukee and make sure they don’t come in contact with any turned on computer devices. I made arrangements for someone from NASA to take a look at them later. This could be important for the investigation.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll take care of it for you. When should we begin loading wreckage on the trucks?” Sergeant Carter asked.

  “Check with Doctor Karen Sing and Dan Tobias. Let them pick the marked areas ready to be loaded. The trucks will have to be decontaminated before and after each load. Karen will be able to help you. Keep me informed on your progress. I’ll see you tonight at the debriefing.”

  Dave found his carry-on bag and prepared to leave for the helicopter. He called General Anderson on the satellite phone. The general told him what decisions were made at the meeting with the President this morning. The President agreed that everything would be treated as ‘Top Secret’ for National Security reasons. NASA had a press conference this morning and some interesting things were released about the sun’s solar flare activity and its impact on the ISS and planet. They would discuss it in more detail later. The general promised to send him a copy of the press release via email. Dave brought the general up to speed on the crash investigation and what must be done next. Everything seemed to be under control except for the issue of the intruders and the missing disk. It was especially critical to find these people now that the disks seemed to be able to do some unusual things. The disks needed to be analyzed quickly by NASA scientists. Dave promised to find out how the search was going and inform the general as soon as he reached the command center this afternoon. They hung up and Dave left the tent to find Major Drew.

  The major was having a drink of water from a plastic bottle and watching all the activity around him. There was a lot of noise from the road clearing equipment. He noticed Dave walking towards him and he offered to help carry his bag, but Dave politely declined. The Humvee was parked a short distance away. Once his carry-on bag was put in the back seat, Dave climbed into the passenger seat and used his radio to call Major Cole who was waiting by his helicopter. “Major Cole, this is Colonel Hampton. Do you read me?”

  “Hello, Colonel. What can I do for you, sir? Over.”

  “I need a lift to the other crash site, Major. I’m getting a ride to your location. I should be there in a few minutes. Over.”

  “I’ll be waiting for you, Colonel. Over.”

  Major Drew and Dave drove half a mile past several army trucks parked alongside the newly made path to the old mining trail and turned left toward Lake Superior which was only a few miles to the north. The helicopter was sitting beside the trail in a small clearing that appeared in the forest by a fast moving river. It was a lovely spot in a remote part of the park usually only accessible by hikers. Major Cole already had the rotors going and was just waiting for Dave to climb aboard.

  Dave thanked Major Drew for the ride and quickly walked over to the helicopter with his bag and got in. They were airborne in minutes. The view outside the open door in the air was spectacular. The fast moving river flowed through the mountains and some deep gorges all the way to Lake Superior. Dave could see the lake to the north sparkling in the distance for as far as the eye could see. All he knew about Lake Superior was that it was clear, deep and very cold. The water temperature never got much above 55 degrees in the summertime. Below him, Dave had only seen the mountains and forest during the previous night and the beauty of the place in daylight was truly awe-inspiring. He promised himself he would return to this place sometime in the future after all this was behind him. Undoubtedly, it would become one of the most important spots on Earth after what happened here becomes public knowledge. He hoped it wouldn’t destroy the natural beauty of the place for future generations.

  Major Cole circled the crash site before the helicopter headed back over the mountain and crossed the Lake of the Clouds. Dave looked at the devastation below where the UFO had crashed into the trees and broken apart. He could see several search and recovery team members in contamination suits working below as he passed over the site. It didn’t seem very large compared to the surrounding woods. The forest would grow back over the damage within a few years, and soon, no one would be able to tell anything had happened down there.

  The helicopter flew over the mountain ridge and quickly descended to fly over the lake to the crash site where the first pieces of the UFO had fallen into the woods close to the edge of the lake. The easiest way to get to the crash site was to land the helicopter on the water as close to the shore as possible. But first, Dave asked Major Cole to circle the crash site so he could see the extent of the damage. This crash site was much smaller than the other site, but there was more fire damage from the falling debris. A large portion of the crash site was blackened from the fires. The fires must have quickly diminished because they did not spread. If the crash had occurred later in the year when the forest was drier, there could have been a serious forest fire to contend with. They were lucky this time.

  Several search and recovery members from the second team were hard at work checking for contamination. The biohazard team had not been in yet because of the small amounts of radiation contamination that was found. The team was still trying to determine the extent of the hazard and how to contain it. With permission from Dave, Major Feldman had sent in a second ten-person team under the leadership of Lieutenant Tim O’Rorke. So far, they had marked and recorded all the fallen debris and identified where the hot spots were. They were bringing in shielded liners to cover the radioactive debris, some of which were quite large. They appeared to be some sort of drive propulsion system components. According to the report from Major Feldman and Lieutenant O’Rorke, these components were still relatively intact. How they worked and what powered them was a mystery that had to be solved later by the NASA JPL scientists.

  Major Cole expertly landed the helicopter on the water near the edge of the lake. He used the rotors to move the helicopter right to the shoreline where there were no tall trees and then turned off the engine. Dave was able to jump out of the helicopter onto dry land. He told Major Cole to wait for him. This wasn’t going to take very long. He started to walk towards the decontamination tent he saw near the woods.

  The crash site was only about a mile from the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Visitor Center, but it was in dense forest with only foot trails for access. Instead of trying to cut another road through the woods, Dave and Colonel Feldman decided to use helicopters to l
ift out the wreckage when they were ready. They would move the debris to the visitor center parking lot where Army National Guard trucks could gain entrance off Highway M-107 that led to the park. First, they had to determine the level of radiation exposure from the debris and find a way to contain it for removal.

  Dave switched radio frequencies to call Lieutenant O’Rorke and let him know he was at the site and needed to speak with him. He had not met the Lieutenant yet, but Colonel Feldman had recommended him to lead the search and recovery team. After a few minutes, the Lieutenant appeared at the edge of the lake and saluted Colonel Hampton. Lieutenant O’Rorke was young, had the ruddy complexion of an Irishman and appeared to be in excellent physical condition. “Nice to meet you, Colonel Hampton,” he said and they shook hands. “I suppose you would like to see the wreckage?”

  “Yes, I would, Lieutenant O’Rorke. I’m sorry I couldn’t get over her sooner, but we were busy over at the other site and I couldn’t get away.”

  “No problem, sir. There isn’t much to look at over here anyway. Let’s walk up this trail to the wreckage area and I’ll show you what we found. We need to put on our facemasks and gloves here, Colonel.” They switched on their radio headsets. “There weren’t too many pieces that hit the ground here, sir, maybe fifteen or twenty. We covered the whole area and marked each site as you ordered. We found some radioactivity on the larger pieces. We think they’re engine drives of some sort. The radiation levels are not very high, and the funny thing is the levels are decreasing rapidly. We don’t know why that is occurring or how, but it’ll make it easier to contain it and prepare the pieces for transport. Here’s one of the first pieces, Colonel.”