‘I would have told you earlier why I was sent here,’ he continued, ‘but I was afraid you’d think I was crazy.’ He put his arm around her shoulder, but Maura gently removed it.
‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘I forgive you, but no hanky-panky, okay? Actually, I need to talk to you. I think OPDEO suspect something.’
‘I don’t think we’ve done anything to upset them, have we?’ said Geoff. ‘Not yet, anyway.’
‘Well, the bathyscaphe went in for repairs and the technicians have been photographing the damage. They’ve found scorch marks from something like an oxyacetylene torch. And there are indentations that look like the hull was gripped by something powerful.’
‘Oh heck, d’you think they realise something helped us?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Maura. ‘But an OPDEO major has been crawling over the hull too. I had to see Prof yesterday. I thought he was going to give me the third degree about what happened on the seabed.’
‘Is he suspicious too?’
‘Actually, he was as nice as pie. He wants me to go diving again in the spare bath as soon as possible. He said he needed more temperature data from the Cronus Rift. He even told me to take you as my crew.’
Geoff was relieved Maura was talking to him again. But there was something very odd about what she’d just said. He sat listening to the sound of a pair of humming birds, rising and falling in volume to a regular beat. He knew the birds were flapping their wings at slightly different frequencies, making the sound increase and decrease in volume. He estimated the pitch of the humming and then rapidly calculated the difference in their rate of flapping. Then, having solved that problem, he began another train of thought.
‘You know,’ he said at last, ‘I think OPDEO already know about the crab-bot. Earlier today, one of the OPDEO programmers asked me for advice on something he was working on. His boss had downloaded some hardware device and given him a printout of machine code.’
‘Why did he ask you?’
‘He shouldn’t have spoken to me, but he was under a lot of pressure. He knew I had a background in artificial intelligence and he asked me what the program was for.’
‘That’s weird. Don’t they have manuals for their software?’
‘It wasn’t OPDEO programming. In fact, it was in a code I’d never seen before, but it used highly developed back propagation routines.’
‘Sorry, that means absolutely nothing to me,’ said Maura with a dismissive wave.
‘Well, what if I said there were subroutines for operating a jib with a grabbing device? What would that make you think of?’
‘You mean like a crab-bot?’
‘Exactly. I think OPDEO have captured our robot friend, or one of its kind. They’re probably dissecting it to see what it’s made of. If I’m right, OPDEO know there’s extraterrestrial life in the ocean.’
‘So they know that we know. Is that it, Geoff? Perhaps they’ll stop us diving again.’
‘Maybe, or they may have ordered Prof to send us back to the Cronus Rift, hoping the bots, or their masters, will contact us.’
‘Holy Mother of God, you mean now we have to go searching for extraterrestrials after our fellow humans have taken apart one of their robots?’
‘Exactly,’ said Geoff. ‘OPDEO could use any encounter to learn more about the aliens, without putting themselves at risk.’
‘But, even if we meet the ETs, I don’t understand how OPDEO will find out. There’s no way they can see us in the Rift.’
‘They don’t need to. They could bug the inside of the observation gondola. Then they’d rerun the recordings after we’ve come home again, assuming that we come back. And if the aliens turn nasty, then we’ll just be another tragic news item.’
Maura sat looking at Geoff, her arms crossed. ‘So, according to you, we’ve been set up. Up to our necks in the Wicklow bog and sinking fast. What are we going do now?’
‘Well, I think we’d best stick to my plan. If we can get direct proof the aliens exist, then we can tell the world. That’ll make it much harder for OPDEO to destroy a whole new biological domain.’
‘You’re certain OPDEO are a load of heartless bastards? I thought they were ecologically friendly.’
Geoff looked Maura full in the face. Somehow, he had to get the seriousness of the situation across to her. ‘I’ve seen secret UN reports,’ he said. ‘They show OPDEO plans a pre-emptive strike on the Khitan Empire on Earth. They don’t care about human life, never mind aliens.’
‘Mother of God! But if you’re right, the aliens may not be so friendly next time we dive. Last time a crab-bot came to rescue us. It could just as easily have sawn us in two.’
‘True, and I cannot guess what might happen if we dive again. But I still have one trick up my sleeve. The UN gave me something, just in case I could ever leave a message.’
‘How do you know what language they speak – if they speak?’
‘I don’t. But what I’ve got is a copy of one of those plaques carried by the Pioneer spacecraft in the early nineteen seventies. You know, a diagram of the Solar System with an arrow pointing to Earth, and fundamental data about hydrogen and stuff that extraterrestrials ought to recognise.’
‘With the picture of the naked man and woman? I always thought it would give aliens funny ideas.’
‘At least the man was waving – with his hand, I mean – I’d better shut up.’ Geoff was relieved to see Maura had given up trying to look serious, and they both laughed.
‘It’s on a cylinder this time,’ he continued. ‘I’ve weighted it so it’ll have negative buoyancy in the Cronus Rift.’
‘But we can’t possibly know if the aliens have the same senses as us. And how are they going to read it? The seabed’s in total darkness.’
‘The cylinder’s engraved with pictures. If they’re as smart as I think they are, they should be able to understand it. It’s also coated with gold, to resist corrosion. That should make it a rare object anywhere in the universe.’
‘So, what you’re saying is there are creatures we know nothing about and, unless we risk our lives again, they may not even make it to a natural history museum.’
‘We don’t have to do any of this, Maura. But we’re on the verge of a breakthrough that could change humankind. I’m prepared to take the risk, if you are.’
‘We’ll be like two worms on a hook. When d’you want to go squirming?’ Maura stood up and wriggled her hips. Geoff copied her, and they both collapsed back on the bench, chortling happily.
They were being reckless but Geoff didn’t care. He was too excited by the prospect of diving with Maura again to worry about the consequences. He was sure she had forgiven him for their previous upset. He was ready for any adventure if he could share it with her.
‘Tell Prof we’ll take the spare bath down again in two days’ time,’ he said. ‘That’ll give me enough time to prepare.’
Major Breckenridge rapped sharply on the door of the Professor’s outer office and went in.
‘Major, how nice to see you,’ said Leona, ‘and how polite of you to knock.’
‘Just to give you a heads-up. Here’s a programme and a list of topics we’d like your department to research,’ said Breckenridge, his face contorted into a smile.
‘But you could have sent us all the documents electronically, Major,’ said Leona, as if she wanted to help.
‘Well, it’s always nice to see all your pretty faces.’ He scanned the room, his face twitching, but all the assistants continued working at their com-pads without looking up. He turned back to Leona. ‘I like your tanzanite beads, by the way. Talk to you later.’
He left the office and paused outside to call his contact in OPDEO Intelligence. ‘Shirl, I’ve got a job for you. Can you dig out some dirt on Leona Adaeze, for me? Today, if you can.’
It was 20.10 CHT and Leona was the last to leave. She’d taken her wings from the office rack, locked up, and was about to launch herself for the short flight to her acc
ommodation, when Breckenridge appeared from behind a screen in the Oceanography concourse.
‘Hi, Leona,’ he greeted her, simultaneously grinning and twitching. ‘I was hopin’ to bump into you. I understand you’re a divorcee, right?’
Leona stood rigid, taller than Breckenridge. ‘That is correct information, Major,’ she replied.
‘You were married to Shashi Mavuto, who’s now collaboratin’ with the Khitan Empire, and livin’ in Chenzhen?’
‘I expect you know the details better than me. Shashi defected five years after our divorce.’
‘Yeah, but confidentially . . . we suspect he was spyin’ for the Khitans a long time before he did a runner. What did he tell you?’ Breckenridge began whispering in her ear but she leant quickly away.
‘We got divorced because we were incompatible,’ she said. ‘I knew nothing about his political activities.’
‘Look, I don’t wanna bring you in for questionin’ or anythin’. You wouldn’t like that. These truth drugs can really mess you up. It’d be good if you could do somethin’ to confirm your loyalty.’
‘Something for you, or something for OPDEO?’
‘Oh, sweetheart, you could do a lot for me. But maybe we could just start with a little bit of consultancy, like a confidential advisor.’
‘Forgive me, Major, but you don’t strike me as a man who asks for advice.’
‘You could be right there. But this is purely professional. These geeks you work for, they do a lot of probin’ around under the ice, don’t they? They find things, do tests and, when they’ve got chapter and verse, they write some smart paper and share it with their buddies, ain’t that so?’
‘They carry out scientific investigations based on observations and share their knowledge for the benefit of humankind.’
‘Yeah, yeah. All I’m askin’ is for you to give us a heads-up about the way their research is goin’, you know, what they’ve found so far. What mysteries they’re lookin’ into. It doesn’t need to be verified or validated or whatever antics they get up to. Just a bit of foreknowledge, if you like.’
‘Can’t you ask officially?’
‘I want you to tell me what’s in their minds, not in their reports. But don’t let on what you’re doin’. Then I’ll know you’re one of us, and we needn’t worry about the other business.’
‘I’ll tell you what I can,’ Leona said with deliberately ambiguity.
‘Good girl, I knew you’d be sensible. I’ll have another chat with you in a few days’ time.’ Breckenridge smiled hideously and swaggered down the corridor, whistling out of tune.
Encounters
Kai finished his exercise routine and moved across to join Chen and Huang for lunch. Their ship, the Xi’an, had been travelling for eight months and they were within a hundred thousand kilometres of their destination. They were carrying supplies for the Empire’s base on Mars, and they were on course to land in less than a day. The ship’s instrumentation showed the pull of Mars’s gravity was accelerating them towards their destination. However, as they were in free fall, they remained weightless. Lunch comprised a protein-rich soup which they sucked from their flasks. There were no rules regarding what constituted good table manners in space but, by tacit agreement, they ate together with their heads all pointing roughly in the same direction. Chen was enthusiastically telling Huang about Roborock. The bands could play their instruments five times faster than any human.
Huang was not impressed. ‘I thought you still played the two-string erhu in that wasteland you come from, Chen. It was probably the only entertainment you had in your yurt.’
Chen was used to Huang’s mocking banter, and he always gave as good as he got. ‘Mine is very advanced people. Ghengis Khan, he invent yurt when your ancestors live in cave and go to bed with yak to keep warm. Which is why you look like . . .’
An alarm sounded and Chen left the sentence unfinished. He waited for Kai to nod and then floated over to his viz-box.
‘Shenme? Missile launcher has locked on. Must be instrument error. No, there is message – from a Hesperian destroyer!’ They gathered round the screen.
Navaho:
We are on course to intercept you in 23 minutes. Prepare to be boarded. Do not attempt to resist or we shall attack.
Chen sent a reply:
Xi’an:
What is your purpose, Navaho? We are unarmed transport vessel carrying non-military supplies.
The answer came back within seconds.
Navaho:
All Khitan supplies are military. Your passage is act of aggression. You are in breach of Hesperian Decree 2930. Obey or you will be eliminated.
Xi’an:
And you are son of drooling whore and monkey.
Kai was the pilot captain. He had a split second to order Chen not to click on ‘transmit’, but something held him back. Was this meant to happen? Chen sent the message.
The alarm sounded. ‘Aiya!’ said Huang. ‘Missile strike in three minutes fifteen seconds.’ Kai read the next transmission:
Navaho:
Surrender immediately to abort missile.
Kai knew he must save his crew and his ship. But his training was not going to help him. It hadn’t covered this situation. He would have to rely on pure intuition. He’d rationalise it later.
‘Say nothing. Strap yourselves into your launch harnesses,’ he ordered. He kicked off from the bulkhead and dived to the control desk. He entered a stream of data. Thirty seconds later they were all pressed into their body moulds and the main thruster was firing at full burn. Kai watched the ship’s velocity increase. After four minutes he was confident they’d escaped the missile. He tried to reach his com-pad to shut off the engines, but the g-force was too great. He lay still until the rocket motors finally drained the fuel tank. Both Chen and Huang looked rigid with tension.
‘Okay, get a drink and we will review our status,’ Kai commanded. He opened the biometric zapp on his com-phone and set it to monitor Huang’s and Chen’s blood pressure.
The three Khitans gathered around the conference table, gripping its handles. Chen looked pale and had curled his short body like a foetus. Huang, on the other hand, couldn’t keep still. He swung back and forth restlessly and then pulled himself over the table until his face was centimetres away from Kai’s.
‘Cào nǐ mā! Why did you burn the fuel?’ said Huang. ‘It was supposed to get us home. What are we going to do now?’
‘Watch and wait,’ said Kai.
‘We are heading for the stars at a hundred kps, out of control. We are on a one-way trip to nowhere.’
‘Watch and wait,’ said Kai.
‘Wait for what?’ Huang shouted. ‘Wait to see what runs out first? The water or oxygen? Either way we are dead men.’
‘Chen, run the astronavigation programme,’ Kai ordered. ‘See where this course will take us.’ Realising Chen held himself responsible for the crisis, Kai wanted to give him a task. It would stop him dwelling on what had happened and show them Kai didn’t blame him.
Chen slowly straightened his body and glanced at the instruments. ‘We cannot land. We go too fast.’
‘If we pass ahead of Jupiter, its gravity will slow us. It is the opposite of a slingshot,’ Kai reminded him.
Chen ran the course prediction and the result came back instantly. There were no options because, without fuel, their speed and direction were unalterable. ‘Simulator show we touch outer atmosphere of Jupiter. Its gravity catch us but we not pulled in. We swing through half orbit.’ He paused to study the screen more closely. ‘After that, computer say we collide with Europa!’
Huang looked flushed and his blood pressure alarm was flashing. He too needed a job to distract him from his fear. Kai summoned his attention. ‘There is a supply for the turbogenerators. Look at the schematic and find a way of routing the fuel through to the retrorockets. Then work with Chen to reset the valves.’
Huang hesitated. He opened his mouth and shut it again. He nodded
to Chen and opened up the system files. Within a few minutes they became absorbed in the engineering problem they’d been given. Their first three ideas proved to be dead ends, but eventually they worked out how the system could be reconfigured. Chen reported the new arrangement complied with safety regulations and Huang managed a wry smile.
Two hours later they’d reset the valves. Kai noted, with satisfaction, both his crew members’ blood pressure had returned to mid-range. Huang asked what they should do next.
‘Watch and wait,’ said Kai.
Maura met Geoff at the cage shaft. He was carrying the cylindrical message plaque and a small case. For once Maura had little to say during the descent to Port Authority dock, and Geoff was absorbed in his own thoughts about what might happen. They changed into their thermal suits and passed through the airlock to the quayside. Maura showed Geoff how to stow the cylinder in the vessel’s sampling bay. Then they climbed down the bathyscaphe entrance tunnel and into the observation gondola. Maura ran through the predive checks, and Control gave them clearance to cast off.
Geoff brought out two pairs of headphones from the case he’d been carrying. He put on one headset himself and gesticulated for Maura to wear hers. ‘What’s this about?’ she asked through the microphone.
‘It’s something I’ve been working on. They’re standard headphones with some electronics of my own. It’ll make our words unintelligible to sound recorders – and jam any spy camera. This way, no one else will know what we say.’
Maura shook her head. ‘D’you honestly think the cabin’s been bugged?’
‘If you look carefully you can see where the paint’s been scratched around the bolts in the middle panel on the control desk. Someone’s removed it recently. It’s my bet there are bugging devices hidden in there.’
‘I’m not sure about this. A technician could have taken the panel off as part of normal maintenance.’
The Hesperian Dilemma Page 4
