Harbinger (The Janus Harbinger Book 1)

by Olan Thorensen

  “This was actually Jill’s contribution,” said Zach. “When we asked the rest of the people cleared for Level 3 for ideas the common person would appreciate, Jill piped up with better light bulbs. She said that almost everyone complains about the newest energy-saving light bulbs. Not only are they more expensive than the older incandescent bulbs, but they don’t give off as much light, plus they contain mercury, which requires different safe disposal. Jill also pointed out that businesses, including all shopping malls, use entirely fluorescent lighting that causes headaches for many women, including Jill, after too long exposure. This is a known effect from the flickering of the fluorescent lighting. On top of that, the fluorescent lights do not always give true colors, so a shopper who buys clothing not uncommonly finds her purchase to be a different shade of color once she’s at home.”

  Huxler laughed. “It was quite a change of pace to go from discussing computer chip design to shopping mall lighting.”

  Mueller also laughed, then said, “Yes, but we think we have gotten out of Simeon a basic design of lighting fixtures that is significantly more efficient than anything we’ve developed so far, even LEDs. They should be cost effective and give off full-spectrum light accurately, mimicking sunlight. The latter will alleviate conditions such as seasonal light disorders. This may turn out to be the product with the most short-term benefits, with better pricing and disposal issues immediately appreciated by consumers.”

  “Good enough,” said Sinclair. “Not exactly what I would have imagined you’d come up with. But, as you say, this kind of thing might be helpful. I see Miss Hardesty has turned out to be useful.”

  “Yes, and she and Simeon are working through some additional ideas I’m afraid the original three of us would not have thought of.”

  Sinclair was taking notes, then he looked up. “And the other five ideas?”

  Mueller continued. “Better computers may be the most important long term because they impact just about everything else. Actually, two of the ideas pretty much fall under improved computers. One is increased processing power. The other idea is denser memory chip design. We’ve speculated for years about quantum computers—computers whose decision trees involve quantum states, instead of the on/off, 0/1 states of current computers. Quantum computing uses quantum bits called qubits and the phenomena of superposition and entanglement to—”

  “Whoa!” said Sinclair. “Remember who you’re talking to. Just give me the bottom line.”

  “Uh . . . sorry. Quantum technology should allow denser storage capacity and computational speed.”

  “What level of improvement are we talking about?”

  “It’s too early to be certain, but I think something like ten times the computational power, possibly much faster for certain calculations, and maybe as much as a hundred times the storage capacity.”

  “Am I hearing a reservation in your voice?”

  “Three reservations. One is we’re talking about technology enough in advance of what we have right now that outcomes are unpredictable. The second is that it will require new generations of software to take advantage of new systems. And then there’s time. We can’t estimate when the applications would come out.”

  “So, you’re saying it’s unknown if and when we can use the technology?”

  “Oh, I’m reasonably confident we’ll be able to use it, but how long it will take to put it into use is hard to estimate.”

  “Give me your best guess as to a timetable?”

  “Five years for the first functioning hardware, even with Simeon’s help. The software development can start in parallel. The unknown is how quickly the software can take advantage of the full capabilities of the hardware.”

  “And this is assuming how much help from Simeon?”

  “Probably less than we would like,” said Huxler. “Simeon says it’s important for humans to do as much of the development as possible with the least nudge from him.”

  “What reasons did he give?”

  Zach spoke up, after being quiet and listening the last few minutes. “He said it was to meld the new technology most effectively into humans’ existing technology. This makes some sense, but I’ll note it also ensures it’ll take longer. I don’t think Simeon, the Object, or whatever this thing is, is in any rush.”

  Sinclair made some more notes. “And the other ideas?”

  “Oh . . . better telescopes,” said Mueller. “Good enough for possibly imaging exo-planets and getting detailed spectra of them. Technology for more efficient ore extraction. We figure this would apply mainly for the more exotic ores because our current mass mining and extraction procedures are reasonably efficient, and the new techniques would be more expensive.”

  “By exotic, I assume you mean like the rare earths?” prompted Sinclair.

  “Yeah, the fifteen lanthanides in addition to scandium and yttrium. The Chinese have been producing most of the rare earth elements the last few decades. They have used this to exert leverage in other international areas but have learned to be careful not to do it too much and give the rest of the world too much incentive to increase their own production. However, they may have overplayed their hand. That’s good for us and bad for them.

  “If Simeon’s extraction improvements prove doable, it will guarantee rare earth supply lines for both ourselves and our allies,” said Huxler. “While not cheap, the high value of such elements more than compensates, and the elements can be extracted from much lower grade ores than we’ve currently attempted.”

  Sinclair nodded, pleased. “That’s going to be a good one for State, Homeland Security, and Commerce. And the president and Congress can both play it up to the public.”

  “And finally, better batteries,” said Mueller. “He’d already given us improvements, but I think we might get another three- to ten-fold increase in storage capacity, probably toward the upper end. It will make electric cars a reality with longer ranges, smaller batteries, and battery life that may exceed the vehicles’ lifetimes.”

  “Hmmm . . . ,” mused Sinclair. “I’m sure we’ll have military uses. Less reliance on fossil fuels on the battlefield, and the navy might have to rethink nuclear power. What about something with solar power? He’s already given hints that one of the Sandia labs is working on. Anything more?”

  “We brought that up,” said Mueller, “and we mentioned work was being done. He asked to see the latest results before he committed.”

  “Well,” said Sinclair, “besides civilian use, the Department of Defense would like better batteries and solar. For one thing, drones could be developed to stay aloft longer on less fuel.”

  Sinclair scratched out his last notes, then looked back up. “Good. That’s enough to get us going. Keep pressing him and relay to me any additional ideas.”

  “You know,” said Mueller, “even with what Simeon has committed to give us, we all have to wonder if it will balance out the negatives after revelation.”

  “Like the ‘two-edged sword’ or “two faces of Janus’ allusions,” said Zach, nodding. “The same thing can be good and bad.”

  “True,” said Huxler, “but Janus was more than about merely good and bad. The two faces are looking at both the past and the future. The Romans saw him as the god of beginnings, endings, and transitions such as birth and journeys.

  “Well . . . it’s certainly started us on a journey and I suppose of transition of some kind,” said Zach. “The problem is we don’t know where this will end.”

  CHAPTER 47

  PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER

  Changes

  One week after the attack, Site 23’s transformation was underway. Of the 97 staff members before the attack, 48 were gone: 14 dead, 8 evacuated wounded, and 26 who were too traumatized to work or who demanded to leave immediately. Another 17 agreed to stay short term only until replacements arrived. Of the three sections, only Level 3 had no living member leave yet, although they were missing two staffers, Charles Adams and Rachel Munoz, killed during the
attack.

  An FBI team had arrived and carried out interviews. Helen Lin had broken down immediately. The last anyone saw of her was when she left in custody.

  Chesterton had reluctantly understood that maximum subterfuge was no longer possible. Once he acknowledged that fact, the president moved quickly. The careful protocols for selecting people to work at Site 23 were replaced out of necessity by far less stringent criteria. There was no pretext that staffing would return to previous levels. No one, from Chesterton to Sinclair, Huxler, and Mueller, doubted the future major expansion.

  Personnel levels increased with every flight into Nanook International. A permanently manned control station was under construction to serve until a new airstrip was prepared closer to the site, only three miles away. Flights brought in construction equipment small enough to fit in a C-17 cargo bay to prepare the new airstrip. It was still the largest plane Nanook could handle, but space was cleared for it to taxi off the airstrip for unloading/loading while other planes landed or took off.

  The two dormitory buildings had been relatively plush for the previous staffing. Yet they quickly became crowded with two and sometimes more people per room to deal with the influx of enhanced security, replacement and new maintenance staff members, and temporary construction workers. Sinclair mandated that the remaining original staff members keep their individual rooms.

  “You new people will just have to suck it up and live elbow to elbow,” he growled every time he heard a complaint. “Be damned if the people agreeing to stay after the attack are going to lose their rooms.”

  The remaining Level 3 staff members continued their work with Simeon but hanging over them was uncertainty about their role in the inevitable coming changes. A watershed moment came when Stephen Harper insisted that he and Chesterton visit Site 23 personally. It was assumed to be a coincidence that on the same day, Simeon suggested it was time for him to meet the U.S. and Canadian leaders.

  Leaders Meet Simeon

  The arrival of the president and the prime minister was kept as secret as possible. People not directly involved stayed confined to their quarters or kept out of sight from the Level 3 building. The Canadian helicopter transported the parties after their landing at Nanook.

  Once at Site 23, they were led to the Faraday cage room and the Object. A one-hour briefing by Mueller, Huxler, and Sinclair summarized what was known. Then it was time to meet Simeon.

  The audio/monitor room overflowed. It had never been designed for such an occasion. Only four people had chairs: General Sinclair, Howard Mueller, James Chesterton, and Stephen Harper. Immediately behind them stood the U.S. secretaries of defense and state, the U.S. vice president, the Canadian deputy prime minister, the Canadian defense and foreign ministers, the Canadian military chief, General Justin Hardesty, and Wilbur Huxler.

  In a sense, it was to be the first formal contact between an extraterrestrial intelligence and human authorities. All previous contacts had been with human non–decision makers—those who reported to the U.S. president but had no political power. Yet in this room, the president and the prime minister were the newcomers. The historical significance was not lost on any of them, although the Canadian leader remained skeptical that all this was real.

  Outside the room awaited security for both leaders—Secret Service for Chesterton and Harper’s corresponding staff. Few other people on site knew a meeting was taking place or who was attending. It had been an unprecedented accomplishment that both leaders and a few top officials had managed to slip away from their respective capitals for the trip without hints leaking to the press. Harper was “vacationing” in an undisclosed location to get in some early season cross-country skiing. Chesterton was on a long weekend at Camp David to relax before the coming session of Congress dealt with his major new initiatives. The other officials needed less stringent cover stories, but all had been carefully prepared.

  The security arrangements had been difficult. Understandably enough, the concerned staff and agents were unenthusiastic about their leaders visiting a remote location that had been the site of recent combat. The final arrangements included a U.S. Ranger company and a Canadian special reaction company holding joint exercises in the far Arctic. The combined 340 soldiers were “exercising” in a twenty-mile radius of Site 23 without coming within a mile of the site. Within the no-go zone, security was handled by the part of Seal Team 2 that had remained after the attack.

  After they were all seated or positioned standing, Sinclair said, “Mister President, Mister Prime Minister. We’re ready when you are.”

  Chesterton felt uncharacteristically nervous—a state he thought he had left well behind in his political career. Harper sat back in his chair, arms folded. He had said little and gave the impression of a doubting parent trying to be patient with a wayward child.

  Chesterton nodded. “Let’s get to it.”

  With that, Hardesty nodded to Sinclair, who in turn nodded to Mueller. “Ring him up, Howard.”

  Mueller keyed in the attention code, and Simeon appeared instantly on the monitor—to the murmurings and faint gasps of those standing. Chesterton flinched despite himself, while Harper’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward.

  “Hello, Howard and General Sinclair. I see we have visitors today. Am I correct that two of the seated gentlemen are the president and the prime minister, as we discussed? I do not recognize most of those standing.”

  “Hello, Simeon,” Mueller said and pointed first to President Chesterton, “This is the president of the United States, James Chesterton, and Stephen Harper, the Canadian prime minister.”

  Mueller continued to introduce the standing audience.

  Simeon acknowledged the other introductions but gave the impression of staring at the president and the prime minister. It made Chesterton uneasy.

  “It is a pleasure to finally meet you both, although I am sure all of us wish the circumstances forcing this meeting were less tragic.”

  Chesterton looked at Sinclair and whispered, “How do I respond? Just speak?”

  “Yes, Mister President,” Sinclair whispered back. “He can hear anything said in this room.” Sinclair gave a small smile. “Including our whispers.”

  Chesterton’s complexion turned ruddy, but he faced the monitor. “Hello. I understand you are named Simeon.”

  “That is correct. Or, more accurately, I respond to Simeon both as a convenience for human associations and to help identify myself when we are having conversations with several individuals at a time. And speaking of names, what is the appropriate address I should use with you, considering your important positions within human society?”

  Chesterton looked at Harper, “Stephen?”

  Harper’s previous glare showed traces of doubt. Could it possibly be this is real? He had half convinced himself it was some elaborate charade.

  Chesterton waited. Finally, Harper cleared his throat. “Christ . . . I don’t know. Prime Minister Harper, Bozo the clown, for all I care.”

  Chesterton turned back to the screen. “Any address is fine with both of us.”

  “Thank you. I will use your formal titles in that case.” Simeon gave a wry smile. “So, what do we have to talk about? I am sure you have many questions, and I am also confident my existence is not something either of you anticipated. In fact, it would not be surprising if you wished I simply went away . . . or, better yet, had never appeared in the first place.”

  “You’re right, Simeon,” said the president. “On all accounts. It would make my life and job infinitely easier if you did not exist.”

  “Ah, but as your writer said, there’s the rub. I do exist. Despite the fact that I have spoken at some length with the people here at this site, the status of my relationship to humanity has been studiously avoided by myself.”

  Chesterton nodded. “Yes, that has been noted many times in the reports I’ve read and, if I may say, has been the source of considerable worry for us. What are you? Where are you from? Why are you here? H
ow long will you be here? What are the consequences of your being here?”

  “To answer some of your questions . . . first, what am I? I cannot give an accurate answer because your level of technology does not give you the necessary frames of reference to understand a complete answer. I am sure you know the explanation I have given so far. It is simply best to assume the Object is an artificial intelligence with control over its movement. I, on the other hand, am in a sense part of the Object, but a component partitioned to interact with humans. You may consider ‘Simeon’ to be a translator between you and the Object.

  “As for the other questions, I think it appropriate at this time that you speak to a ‘higher authority’ on those subjects. I and the humans at this site have, and will continue to have, useful interactions. But as you are among the most important human leaders, it is best if you speak with Athena.”

  “Athena,” Harper blurted out. “Who’s Athena?”

  Chesterton sat still, uncertain where this had come from. Mueller interjected himself before Simeon could respond.

  “Simeon, could you excuse us for a moment while we confer?”

  “Of course, Howard. I always understand your need to discuss matters among yourselves. I will be here waiting. After all, it is not as if I am going anywhere,” Simeon said with a smile, and his image faded to black.

  “What just happened?” asked Chesterton.

  “We’re being bucked upstairs, aren’t we?” said Sinclair.

  Mueller was breathing so hard, he had trouble speaking. “My God, my God, we’re going to hear directly from the Object itself!”

  The previously silent standers burst into a barrage of questions and exclamations, soon silenced by Sinclair’s, “Quiet!”

  Not all the individuals took Sinclair’s command well, especially higher-ranking officers and some cabinet members. Others were simply lost in what was happening. This included Harper, although Chesterton had an inkling.