“Depends on the country,” Nathan mused tapping at one of the icons and calling up a list of those he deemed most likely to cause problems. “China has ships in the area. They’re clearly hostile and putting themselves in place to be hostile. However, we have either full warships or monitor ships from several countries within two-hundred miles, well within our area of influence if we were a country.”
“Which ones are you most worried about?”
“China, obviously. They have two cruisers floating around out there, now, plus that same spy ship that was here during the launch of the Brokkr. I almost wished we hadn’t told the Americans to shadow them so we could see if they would have made a move.”
Alex raised his eyebrow.
“I did say almost,” Nathan said with a wry look. “Russia has sent a cruiser and two smaller ships, and America has matched them. France, Britain, Brazil, Japan, Australia, and India all have something floating out there as well. We’re certainly the center of attention in this part of the world.”
“Submarines?” Alex asked.
Nathan nodded, flipping to another list. “Three. Two American and one Russian. They’ve all been hiding pretty well, but we’ve been able to detect them. All fast attack types, but they still have land attack capability. Depending on their intention, they might also have special forces on board.”
Alex sighed, studying the three dangerous looking vessels. “I think we’re in a pretty good position with both countries. Russia seems to be firmly in our corner, but I’ll admit I was surprised at the stand-offish presence of the US during the meeting.”
Nathan gave Alex a wary look. “I hate to say this, but the US can be fickle. They like to identify as the innovators and progressives, but if they aren’t in the driver’s seat, it makes them nervous. Also, we both know that lobbyists can have a large impact, and with our little shadow organization problem, I’m betting they have deep pockets sitting in Washington. I’m hopeful with General Solmon and all the help he’s given us, but that may not be enough. There are a lot of powerful players that would love to see us taken down a notch.”
“I know, and we are just beginning. They have no idea that we plan to be on and to mine the moon by next year. Maybe triggering the confrontation is a good thing, before they understand our true potential.”
Nathan took a deep breath but nodded. “Maybe,” he answered. “Maybe that’s exactly what we need to do.”
Chapter 18
Time: November 21, 2030
Location: Empyrean Island, Pacific Ocean
Alex leaned back in the leather seat and listened to the news as the grav-car flew itself across the beautiful Empyrean Island. Rich greenery and beautifully sculpted buildings flashed by underneath him, broken by beautiful plazas, and wide roads. There was a great benefit to planning not only a city from scratch but the entire still-growing island.
Alex grimaced at the terse tone of the reporter, listening to the man’s overly dramatic voice as he criticized not only Empyrean but Alex in particular. The world was still reeling after Alex read the Empyrean statement regarding the embargo on spaceflight that the UN had imposed. It had shocked the world. No one had expected a simple company, no matter their accomplishments, to defy the world but that is exactly what Empyrean did.
The six rockets and twelve orbitals that had ascended to Gateway station the same day had only compounded the shock, but it was sending up another huge station section and the Brokkr’s sister ship, Eitri, that was the icing on the cake. The entire episode had sent the world into a tizzy of supposition, fear, and in some cases, admiration.
In the weeks since the announcement and launch, Empyrean had increased its construction of Gateway. Now, the two docking modules for the construction ships were no longer the dominating elements of the growing station, slowly being overshadowed by the building of research bays, construction elements, and housing.
Political pundits of all stripes had come out of the woodwork, calling for everything from more investigations of Empyrean activities to taking control of the station, itself. Alex smiled at the last one since no one had the capability to get into space without a significant effort. Even if someone managed to launch a vehicle toward Gateway, the station was no longer toothless. After discovering the two armed satellites that had been directed toward their station, they had decided to install defensive weapons.
There were now several EMP turrets covering a variety of angles on the large station, as well as several lasers. The lasers were powerful, though still fairly primitive as weapons had not been a primary design thrust of Empyrean, but now, with the increasing attacks on their worldwide assets, Colleen had begun to pay more attention to this neglected area of research.
What was most disturbing to Alex, was that once the idea had been broached, it seemed that their mysterious benefactor had many avenues of study for them to pursue. Some appeared to have immediate applications, like lasers, grasers, and photon streams, but other areas that Colleen had begun to mull over were truly frightening. Types of energy that they hadn’t even fathomed could exist.
Colleen was the first to admit they weren’t even close to developing these exotic forms of weaponry, but she was disturbed that she even had the hint of their existence. It was one of the first indications that wherever these ideas were coming from, It was not necessarily rooted in a peaceful utopia.
Even the very informal notes and ideas jotted down about these weapons were put into a very secure vault in the deepest part of Atlantis. Alex, Piper, Helen, Colleen, and the several other people they had found who shared their gift had all agreed this was the right thing to do. They were not needed now, and they didn’t want even the hint of weapons that could shatter their moon to leak out.
They had enough trouble with people wondering when they’d fire their death satellites, ala Moonraker, down upon the earth. Ludicrous, but that was actually one of the more sane conspiracy theories going around. What was worse, was all of the social media that was coming from all parts of the world feeding the fire. Some of it was honest, crazy talk, but there was a significant amount of it being fed by automated bots and agents that even Piper was having trouble tracing.
On top of all of that, there had been two other smaller level attacks made on some Empyrean buildings. One in France, and the other in Japan. Unlike the previous bombing in Nigeria, there had only been destruction of property rather than significant attacks on personnel, but the message was there. It was just a matter of time before it escalated.
Alex was just pleased that Nabhitha had completed the creation of their Guardian Armor Mk I. The futuristic looking, fully encased body armor using materials that were several generations improved over anything else available in the world. Coupled with the low-level inertial field that each soldier would wear, it would prove effective against all but the most potent weapons.
Piper and Nathan had worked hard on the electronics. The suit contained several tools which would increase battlefield awareness, identification of terrain features, and even battlefield trauma for wounded personnel. They would have interlink capability within the new Skytigers that were just coming online, the new armored and armed variety of their Skylarks. They would provide the ability to coordinate and track any forces sent into combat.
The third leg of their security forces were the new guns and ammo that had been developed by forty-eight-year-old Juan Alverez. He was a recent acquisition by Empyrean, having come out of a coma about a year ago. They had found him in Argentina through rumors of a man who had de-aged and retained his health despite being comatose for twelve years. When he awoke, he had lost his ability to speak and kept to himself.
Alex and Samantha Gonzales, along with her security team, had flown down to the tiny town where Juan lived. After they landed just outside the village, they found their way to Juan’s house where he had already packed. Carrying his bags, Juan walked out of his house without a word, shook Alex’s hand, and then walked to the Skylark without looking bac
k.
His family had been mystified, though Samantha was able to talk to them and told them who they were and that they would take care of Juan. After a few months, Alex had brought the entire family out to Empyrean Island, letting them settle into the tropical setting.
Once he arrived, It had taken a few months to identify where Juan’s talents lay, but it had been a surprise when it occurred. Despite having no history or exposure to anything more lethal than a shotgun, he had gravitated toward one of Nathan’s security training sessions where he took a look at the armory. A short time later, he’d surprised Samantha by coming to her room with several pieces of paper, each containing rough ideas and schematics for a variety of weapons and ammo.
It had taken some time, but working with Nabhitha and Nathan, Juan had educated himself on how actually to build things, and now Nathan’s people bore the fruit of his labor. The Viper modular weapon system could be configured for both close and long ranges, with options for a grenade launcher. The silent but clever man had also developed a wide variety of both lethal and non-lethal rounds as well as a short-range neural disruptor that could replace the grenade launcher.
As the grav-car settled toward the ground at the combination air and spaceport, Alex’s eyes were drawn out to the sea. Beyond the horizon, he knew there were several ships out there that might or might not hold hostile forces. Nathan had told him to expect a covert incursion onto the island at some point, either to access technology or even kidnap himself or others important to the company. Alex secretly hoped his security expert was wrong but knew they would be ready if or when it happened.
However, today he was not expecting that. Today was the day that any employee that chose to leave could do so, taking flights out to several parts of the world. Alex had wanted to see them off and wish them well, knowing there were no hard feelings. Not many had decided to leave the company, but there were a few, and he didn’t blame them for wanting to avoid the coming storm.
For better or worse, Alex was confident in the direction he was taking Empyrean as they moved into the future. There would be great turmoil, but there was something deep within Alex that told him this was all necessary.
Part 3 – A Step Beyond
Whenever I gaze up at the moon, I feel like I'm on a time machine. I am back to that precious pinpoint of time, standing on the foreboding - yet beautiful - Sea of Tranquility. I could see our shining blue planet Earth poised in the darkness of space.
Buzz Aldrin
Chapter 1
Time: January 8, 2036
Location: Empyrean Island, Pacific Ocean
A voice seemed to float through the darkness of his shattered consciousness, speaking words he had never heard before. They were soft and gentle and felt feminine to his mostly sleeping consciousness. El’ra Solan thought he could understand the words but in an odd way, as if he were connected with something that understood the language being spoken, but not what was directly from his own knowledge.
This was not entirely a mystery to El’ra’s people, having been a standard way for translation AIs to work across species. They would link between the two minds, then process the correct responses directly into their perceptions. It helped immensely when two beings might not even have the same way to perceive, much less make noises that could be relatable.
Still, this was different in that there was no intermediary. It was just an odd relationship that seemed to give him impressions from time to time. However, this was the first time something had been directed at his consciousness, and it helped him minutely stir from his deep slumber.
He listened, piecing together some of his impressions and odd visions that would filter in with the voice that was speaking. For an eternity he floated and absorbed everything he could, even as the voices came and went. Finally, he tried to formulate some form of communication. A slow, sonorous rumble that took an age to float from his almost unconscious mind.
***
“Colleen jerked from a deep place, her eyes sweeping around the comfortable study filled with old books and sturdy hardwood furniture in confusion. For a moment, she didn’t recognize anything, not even understanding the reason for half of what she saw before her. The odd thing was, she expected to see something else. Something entirely alien and unknown to her that faded into nothingness as reality snapped itself back into her mind. A moment later, it was gone with only the impression remaining.
But the presence she had felt reverberated through her head. The impression stayed, almost like someone had snuck up on her and put their lips close to her ear before speaking. There was a presence, but also a silent question filled with confusion and uncertainty. Colleen was sure she’d found their mysterious benefactor but was uncertain what it all meant.
“Are you okay, Colleen?” Brian Weltsman asked, turning toward his floating DPA and indicating for the machine to stop playing the slow drum music.
Colleen blinked once again, clearing the cobwebs before sitting up and giving the man a concerned look. “I…yes, I think I am okay, but I felt something more this time. Also, I awoke not recognizing anything. It was almost like my own study was alien, and I’d never seen it before.”
“What did you perceive? Can you describe what you expected to see?” Brian asked calmly, trying to help lead Colleen through the memory. He specialized in psychology and psychoanalysis and had been leading Colleen in her hypnosis for several years. She had confided in him the basis for her work, and despite how outlandish it had sounded at first, he could not deny the amazing technological advancements this woman had achieved. There was also the fact that while she was just about to turn one-hundred and fifteen, she looked to be in her late forties.
“It was the impression of intelligence, but it felt confused and uncertain. It wasn’t a word, but when I woke up, I seemed to expect to see something entirely different than this room. It faded quickly, but it was nothing that I had ever seen before. There were things floating that looked like artwork, and walls made of crystal though they were more than walls. I don’t exactly know how to describe what else I saw. The memory is fading.
“Well, a presence, and it seemed uncertain and confused. What do you think that means?”
Colleen frowned and looked away from Brian for a moment, trying to puzzle through what she’d experienced. In some ways, it felt as if someone was just waking up. Someone that didn’t know where they were or what was going on, but that they recognized her as a person. Or, at least, something that might answer its question.
She relayed all of that to Brian, giving the doctor a quizzical look, but they both knew it wasn’t much to go on. “Well, it’s a start,” he said softly. “Did you feel anything…dangerous? Or anything that might make you wary?”
Colleen shook her head. “No. I didn’t get the impression of it being dangerous or angry. I also didn’t feel like it was afraid. There was only confusion and a sense of waking. I don’t know if that helps, at all.”
“I think it does. It is nothing definitive, and we should proceed cautiously, but first impressions are powerful,” Brian said, before pausing and looking intently at Colleen. “Do you still want to continue?”
Colleen nodded, without even thinking about it. “Yes, I think we have to. For better or worse, this thing is part of us, and it seems to be helping us, but what if it never intended to help us? What if it decides that it made some sort of mistake? We have no clue why it’s here or if it could control us.”
“Very well,” Brian said. “But we should communicate to the other watchers and security people to be aware of any changes in their chargers.”
“Agreed,” Colleen said, thinking about the security protocol they’d put in place a few years ago. They knew something was influencing them, but until they learned more about it, they had specialized security personnel that were aware of their concerns, and it was their job to watch their charges closely. If the alien influence ever turned out to be something that was dangerous to mankind, they were instructed to captu
re or neutralize Colleen and the others. It was a frightening thought to her, but it was necessary for all their piece of mind.
Chapter 2
Time: February 12, 2036
Location: Sea Base Atlantis, One hundred miles west of Empyrean Island, Pacific Ocean
Terry grinned as the small ship coasted out of the floating hanger bay which sprouted from one of the many spires stretching up from the ocean floor. Hundreds of feet below, the city of Atlantis spread on the sea floor, sprawling over an ever-growing area both above and below the ground and housed tens of thousands of people. It was a marvel and one of four underwater cities that Empyrean had built in the past years.
However, Terry called it home, and he had lived there for close to eight years. When he was ten, he’d stowed away on one of Empyrean’ fantastic airplanes, driven by something deep within himself that told him he needed to be there. Thankfully, Alex, Piper, and the rest of the adults agreed with him and had made overtures to his parents to move out to Empyrean island and work for them. They had accepted, turning his life into the fairytale that he knew most children never dreamed of. Building rockets and flying them through space.
Not that today was going to be that day, but he’d certainly built an engine that would take him there. The new inertial engine he and Aunt Colleen had designed was nothing short of fantastic. They’d had the idea to remove inertia for many years, but it had been Terry’s idea to not only reduce and diminish that force but harness it into something that could speed them through space without the use of explosive propulsion. It’s capabilities surpassed fuel engines in more than one surprising way, but that was the holy grail as far as developing their solar system was concerned. The headache of transporting and storing fuel would no longer be the limiting issue.
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