The Alien Whisperer Book 2

by Ira Tabankin

  “What would happen if such an explosion took place in a wormhole. Would it be dangerous to the universe? Would there be universal side effects?”

  “Not to the universe. However, it would break the balance and energy matrix which opened the wormhole. Thus, the wormhole would explosively close, dumping the ships into a universe they didn’t plan to exit. The energy and radiation of the mine may have also damaged their drives, and, depending on how close the mine was to the ships when it exploded, their AIs were most certainly damaged if not ruined. I don’t know what the results would be on their androids. I project either the androids lost their processors, or they might have gone out of control and injured any of the surviving crew. Their hulls weren’t thick enough to block the radiation. Hence, if the mine exploded it most likely killed most of their crews, and with their damaged or destroyed AIs and drives, the ships could be dead and may have entered any one of millions of systems. If that system was inhabited, those ships might jumpstart a young race to the stars. Before you ask, there’s no way to determine where they exited the wormhole or where they ended up.”

  “You weren’t able to track where their wormhole was going to end?”

  “No. I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to get a clear vision into the wormhole. Due to the angle we were to the opening of the wormhole, I wasn’t able to get a clear view of the system at the end of it. It could have opened anywhere, and, with the high probability of our mine exploding, which most likely dumped them out in an unknown system, we may never see them again.”

  “Or we may have just armed a young race with the means to jump-start their interstellar program with massive warships we may have to deal with later. Consider if the ships exited into an advanced system, if we thought those ships were advanced now, consider if someone improved them. We may not be able to stop them when they show back up. That is something I’m not looking forward to or having to report back home.”

  “Kalteck, if they were blown out of the wormhole, there are so many systems, we have no idea where they exited the wormhole or even if they exited it one piece. They could have been blown up in the wormhole, the wormhole may have collapsed and destroyed them, or they may have made it to their base or home.”

  “I know you’re responding based on the math, I’m telling you I feel it in my spikes we will see those ships again. I’m still trying to figure out where the Neanderthals came from. Again, my spikes are saying we haven’t seen the last of them either. If they show up at the wrong time, the Earthlings won’t be able to handle both our enemy and the Neanderthals. I wonder if they are allies of our enemy or a new power we’re going to have to deal with.”

  “There is a real distinct possibility we’re dealing with new power. Kalteck, you have been away from Earth for a very long time, I suggest you return to check in with Everett. I’m sure he’s wondering if you’re okay. They most likely saw the flashes, and he thinks you were involved in a battle. You should return. If the Soviets and Americans held to their last timetable, they should be getting ready to launch their people for their first moon landing. They may need you in case they run into any last-minute complications.”

  “Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me. Set a course for the Area 51 and inform Everett we are returning.”

  “Yes, sir. The course is laid in and we are leaving orbit now.”

  @@@@@

  “AI, wait till a very cloudy sky before we attempt to land.”

  “There is a storm due to arrive in two days unless you’d like to for us to create a storm.”

  “Yes, create a nice thunderstorm to mask our approach and landing. I do not want to wait two more days. Based on their radio and television reports, the Americans are going to launch in three days. I want to check their math and the status of their rocket.” The ship’s AI placed television images of the Cape and the Saturn V moon rocket on the walls. “I’d forgotten how large it needs to be given their crude technology. Is everything proceeding according to the plans?”

  “So far. I have hacked into their private channels if you’d like to listen in.”

  “Begin the storm, their time is running out. Let’s not waste any more time.”

  “As you command. I am shooting the capsule into the sky to generate a charged atmosphere and begin the storm for our cover. I have contacted Everett, who will open the roof of the hanger when the storm hits, which should be in two orbits.”

  Everett was overjoyed to see Kalteck’s ship return. He noted to himself that it looked different. It was much larger and there was a new structure under the ship’s body. The humming he usually heard when the ship was landing wasn’t there. The ship was now almost deadly silent. After the ship landed, Kalteck quickly jogged down the ramp to hug Everett, whom he easily lifted up off his feet. “My friend, it is so good to see you again. You must fill me in on everything that I’ve missed, and I hope you brought a cold beer.”

  “Of course, I did.” Everett held out two cold cans of Kalteck’s favorite beer. No matter what I do, my replicators can’t produce a decent beer. You have no idea how I’ve longed for one.”

  Everett brought Kalteck up to date on the almost 6 years he’d been absent. “It didn’t seem that long. The shrine does something to me. Once I immerse myself in our history I never want to leave. I can interact with them, eat, and work with them. I lose all track of time when I’m immersed inside of it. I’m sure you remember what it’s like. The current passage of time is meaningless.”

  “I do remember, I hope one day you’ll bring me back. There is so much I want to learn and experience. I still don’t understand how the shrine’s AI can generate people and scenes that feel real, how I was able to walk the old streets and talk to your people like they were really there. I ate the food, I tasted your food, slept in the beds, and I even flew in your spaceships. It was real to me.”

  “The AI can generate simulations called 3D virtual reality which interacts with your brain cells thus all of your senses believe you’re really there. Which is why it feels so real, even the scents in the air smell real as do the tastes. The shrine has the ability to generate large scale 3D simulations that are as real as us standing together.”

  “If I hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have believed it was possible. It still seems closer to magic than science to me.”

  “The AI uses very complex software to generate images that have form and function. I can’t explain it any better to you until you learn more about AIs and the manipulation of matter. Now tell me everything about Apollo 11.”

  “The launch is set for two days from now. So far, everything looks good. Once your ship told me you were returning, I collected all of the data. I set up a live feed from NASA’s control room which is live. Come, I’ll show you what’s happening in real-time.”

  “How is Nixon acting? Based on what President Eisenhower told me, he wasn’t to be fully trusted. I’ve watched his actions. I think he has a personality problem. He is very paranoid which might cause your country many problems. He isn’t as stable as your media makes him out to be. He has many personality traits similar to our enemy’s emperor. I think it’s time for us to have a face to face meeting. Please set it up.”

  “I will attempt to do so, but so far, he has shown zero interest in me or my programs. When I was asked to give him his Presidential brief, he decided he didn’t need to learn anything about fake little green or gray men. Hence, I didn’t brief him. His CoS told me that the President was pleased Kalteck, whoever that was, was away, and he hoped he didn’t return because we don’t need him.”

  “Who explains what’s going on under the table to him?”

  “I’m afraid all he’s heard are hints and rumors which he appears to ignore. He knows about you from your first meeting, but since you’ve been gone, you’re out of his mind. I was told there was no need for me to send my weekly reports via top-secret courier. I learned from his military aide he never read my reports. In fact, I’ve learned he doesn’t read a lot of reports. He’s focuse
d on Vietnam, that nasty little gift you left us with, and his second term.”

  Kalteck’s face turned a deep blue, “Then I suggest we are going to have to show him how wrong he is. Please find out when he’ll next be at Camp David and ask your friends in the Secret Service to ensure the squad that knows about me is there. Speaking of which, where is the major and his special troops?”

  “They were pulled and sent to Vietnam for special duty.”

  “Nixon is fighting the war the wrong way. He and your military leaders were supposed to learn from the war, not just throw bodies at it. In the real war, when the enemy arrives, you won’t be able to throw bodies at the problem. The North Vietnamese learned how to fight a more powerful and better-armed enemy; a lesson I’d hoped you would have learned. Namely, how to fight an unconventional war. All I see is you’re failing. You’re losing men and material in a war you should have already easily won. This doesn’t bode well for the future.”

  “The war is heating up and our loses are increasing. Can you do something…”

  “I can’t change what is. I hope you change commanders and the new one sees the error of your General Westmoreland’s ways. He can’t win the war. He doesn’t understand who he’s fighting or how they fight. He still thinks he’s fighting another nation-state. You have to learn how to fight an irregular war. This won’t be the first test I set up for you. Now, let’s stop talking about the war you’re going to lose and discuss a happy item, the moon launch. I want to review the data from NASA’s launch center. This should be a very joyous event; one your people should never forget. I hope it’s the beginning of a new age of exploration for you.”

  Everett smiled, “I knew you’d return before we launched.”

  Kalteck smiled, “You know me well. Of course, I couldn’t stay away. I find it almost hysterical that Nixon, who was against the moon program, is now taking credit for it.”

  While walking to the command center, Everett asked, “My friend, a couple of nights ago, there were reports of bright flashes of light out near Saturn. Did you have something to do with those lights? Were you in a battle? If so, against whom? Since you’re here and your new ship, which looks wonderful, doesn’t appear to be damaged, should I assume you won?”

  “Come, we will have time to discuss what I discovered and what happened out there later. I need another beer before we talk about bad news…”

  “Whoa, bad news should be discussed before beer.”

  “Beer first.”

  After quickly downing his fourth beer, Kalteck smiled, “The data looks good. I think you will do it. The rocket looks good, their flight plan is correct, and their mission profile is excellent. Yes, they should make it. Hopefully, they won’t do anything stupid on your moon and then they’ll return. The issue your people will then face is will you use the landing to move to the next step which is to build a base on the moon and move on to explore Mars and Venus and then build permanent cities in space and begin mining the asteroid belt. I can assure you they are rich in minerals; some you’ve not even discovered yet. Or, will you stop your exploration saying, yup, we went to the moon, we’ve been there and done that, and it will be the end of your space exploration?

  “Many races face this question. The ones who make the jump into space learn so much. Their economies grow when they realize the benefits of manufacturing and mining in space. I’m not sure your people have the desire to continue. Your people have been focused on beating the Soviets to the moon. I worry that it is going to be like your dog that chased the truck. He catches the truck and then what? I believe your people lack the fire to continue exploring space. I’ve done many things to help your people advance into your future. However, the one thing I can’t do is place the spirit of exploration in you.”

  Everett placed his beer on the conference table, “What does that mean for us as a race if we stop our exploration? How will we be able to stop the enemy when they arrive?”

  Kalteck quickly swallowed another beer, “What does it mean if you stop?” Kalteck shook his large blue spiked head, “It means most of you will die. The few survivors will become slaves of the enemy. Your planet will become a colony for my old enemy or one of their allies. Humans will become a controlled race and may even die out with not even be a footnote in the galaxy’s history. In very simple words, if you stop, you will have no future. May I have another beer?”

  Everett’s face paled, “Isn’t there anything you can do to help?”

  “Look what I’ve already done for your people! What would you have me do? When I tell you what happened near your sixth planet, you will know your people are running out of time.”

  Everett sat stunned, “Neanderthals? Where did they come from? Space aircraft carriers? Is that even possible? Space fighters? Where did they come from? What were they doing here? Oh my God, it sounds like Pearl Harbor in outer space. You need to speak with President Nixon as soon as possible…”

  “He doesn’t know what a Neanderthal is. He’s only concerned about his own destiny and power. I can attempt to convince him. However, I don’t believe he’ll listen, or if he does, he won’t do anything.”

  “You could use your nanites to control him…”

  “Weren’t you the one who begged me to stop using them to control your planet’s politicians, and now you want me to use them to control your own President?”

  As Kalteck suspected, Nixon laughed him and Everett out of Camp David. He told them not only not to return but questioned why Everett was still serving since he had served for more than 24 years. “Sir, due to my special mission of being Kalteck’s interface to our government, I have written permission from President Truman and Eisenhower to serve as long as I want to.”

  “I’ll consider that. I think the time may be here when you should consider retirement and someone new, someone younger with new ideas handle the interface between Kalteck and us. After all, we didn’t do that badly without his help. We just landed two men on the moon and returned them safely. The next mission will happen in a few months. We beat the damn Russians without his help. I don’t think we need an outsider ordering us around or controlling us.”

  Everett was about to say something when Kalteck touched his arm. Kalteck nodded, “As you wish. Mr. President, one little point I would like to make. General Yahnig is my choice of an interface…”

  “You’re an alien, you can’t make decisions for the American military. I am the Commander in Chief. I make the decisions, not a damned blue alien.”

  Kalteck nodded, “You are one hundred percent correct. However, I also don’t have to provide you with any continued assistance. Please decide well. While you decide we won’t take up any more of your time. You know how to reach us.”

  After Kalteck’s ship entered space on its suborbital trip back to Area 51, Everett said, “You shouldn’t wind him up like that, he is the President…”

  “He only thinks he has power. He is just as easy to remove as Kennedy was. I accepted this mission to save your people while losing everything I loved. I won’t allow him to allow your people to be killed because he doesn’t want to believe what’s coming.”

  “You gave me your word you wouldn’t arrange the assassination of one of our Presidents again.”

  “I remember, and I intend to keep my word. There are many ways to remove an elected official, especially one with the personality issues he suffers from. I will wait to see how he operates in the following couple of years. In the meantime, I suggest you keep a very low profile. I do not trust this President not to attempt to find a way to circumvent the agreement you had with Truman. Always keep the small communications device I gave you with you at all times and never let it fall into anyone else’s hands. Do you remember how to use the emergency button on it?”

  “Of course, I do. No one knows I have the device. I always keep it hidden from sight or locked in my safe.”

  “I am not sure your safe is secure enough. I will give you a new safe, one that only you will be able to o
pen, and if anyone else attempts to, well, just hope you’re not within a mile of it when that happens.”

  “No, Liane could be home when someone attempts to break in. Thus, the explosion would kill her too.”

  “I can ensure it won’t explode if she is too close to it. Will that work for you?”

  “Thank you. Will you be remaining here with me for a while?”

  “My friend, no. I don’t like the feeling I have from Nixon. In addition, there is the question I have about where the Neanderthals came from and why they were here in two warships, and believe me, they were warships. Each of them could have held at least twenty or maybe even fifty of my ships. They had defensive weapons I’d never seen before. If my AI hadn’t made a very precise and I’ll admit, a very lucky shot, I wouldn’t be here with you. They would have destroyed me.”