Termination

by J C Ryan

  “Not at all.” Korda grinned. “No offense, but you 11th cyclers are very narrow-minded. We discovered long ago that children learn best when they are interested in what they are learning. Forcing them to learn things they don’t want to know slows them down and is a waste of time. What are your children interested in at the age of three?”

  Everyone laughed and Kerinski shrugged. “Playing?”

  “Exactly!” Korda replied. “As were ours. We started our children at the age of three, playing the games they enjoyed the most…”

  “Three!” Kerinski interrupted appalled. “You sent your kids to school at the age of three?”

  “Yes, but you misunderstand. Their school was play. For instance, children that enjoyed building with blocks were encouraged to build anything they wanted. As the children aged, different kinds of building materials were introduced to allow their creativity to grow. Through their interest, they learned to read and write because they had to identify products and learn how to obtain them. They learned math by learning how to count and then estimate how many more items they would need, and later to calculate angles, weights, and volumes.

  “This facility, for example, is the result of a young boy who enjoyed exploring caves and wanted to live underground.

  “As a su’tien, or student as you call them, he became friends with another young man that enjoyed designing family dwellings. Together they branched out, one learning about the earth structure and materials, the other about building, and together they used their knowledge to design and build this facility when they became adults.

  “This also required them to bring in others with knowledge in areas such as electronics, computer technology, environments, horticulture, power systems, waste disposal, craftsmanship, and all the areas that would form an operational system.

  “The su’tien learned much more than just their own subject of interest, they also learned to work as a team. Most of them stayed in their field of interest, but the young man who was interested in caves and living underground became one of our best kolte’ahr, most knowledgeable, planet scientists. The one that wanted to design family dwellings did so, but he branched out into larger structures and became one of our most well-known designers of buildings and family dwellings that complimented the surroundings of the environment they were in.

  “Some children stayed with their initial interest of choice, others branched out into other related fields, and many of them mastered a variety of fields. All learning was encouraged.”

  The group was dumbfounded at the simplicity of the solution of a subject that troubled the modern world’s school systems whose curriculums were set and soon outdated.

  While they marveled at the concept, Korda moved through the room, showing them the three long hallways that housed the dormitories. “These were for the older children when they were ready to leave their parents’ homes, usually by the age of twelve or thirteen. There are large labs at the end of each hall where the children gained hands-on practice with what they learned on the computer in the great hall.

  “This,” he said stopping at the next hallway, “is the recreation wing where the children participated in physical exercise and games.”

  The next hallway he identified as the kitchen and laundry areas. “Serving one another was also taught to our children. All the children took turns working in the kitchen and laundry. They learned that serving is a requirement of life, for without it, one is hungry and unclean.”

  “What does that mean?” Kerinski asked. “It sounds like if they didn’t participate, they didn’t eat or have clean clothes.”

  “Precisely,” Korda replied grinning. “Any child that refused to serve was denied meals and access to the laundry—in our way of life, laundry includes personal hygiene as well.”

  “You let them starve?”

  “No, they were denied meals, but they could choose to take a nutritional supplement instead of serving.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad.”

  Korda smiled. “In our culture, nutritional supplements were not enhanced with flavorings to make them palatable. The supplement was a powder of vitamins and protein, nothing else.”

  Wrinkling her nose, Kerinski responded, “Yuck.”

  “Exactly. A few of those meals, and most of them decided that serving wasn’t such a bad idea.”

  As the group moved through the multi-level facility, they continued to be amazed by what they saw.

  Each level had the same layout – a large central room with five spokes leading off it. Below the educational level, as Korda referred to it, was the family level. The large room seemed to be a general gathering area, and Korda explained that it was also used as an art museum with statues, sculptures, paintings, pictures, and various other forms of art. All of which still exist as it had been removed and hidden in an unknown location in the last days of the Eighth Cycle. Four of the spokes held apartments suitable for family dwellings with the fifth spoke being used purely for recreation.

  Below the family level, they were surprised to find a farming level. “Before the end of our cycle, these gardens were rich with fruit and vegetables. All our sustenance came from here,” Korda said sadly. “The gardens were beautiful.”

  “So, you are vegetarians?” Eric asked.

  “No, not at all,” Korda responded. “Come this way,” and he led them toward one of the spokes.

  Upon entering, they saw the hallway consisted of glass walls containing a large amount of water behind them. “I believe you would call these aquariums,” Korda said. “This side,” he said indicating the wall to the left, “contained freshwater fish, and the other, ocean fish. In the last third of this hallway we kept an aviary for meat and eggs.”

  “Amazing,” Jack commented. “All this underground.”

  On the next level down, Korda showed them an entire hospital, medical facility, and research laboratory. Underneath that, was the room with all the Eighth Cycle deep sleep pods. Here was the secret lab of Linkola and Korda.

  Returning to the lift, Korda took them up past the educational level. “This is where our soldiers stayed,” he said stepping out of the lift. “Their housing, training, medical, and recreational facilities were all on this level. Between this level and the educational level below is a storage level. Above this level are the Command Center and other military type facilities.

  Stepping back into the lift, they ascended one level and joined the others in the Command Center.

  “How’s it going?” Jack asked.

  “Fairly well,” Raj replied. “Max and Robert are setting up the portable drives to transfer the data. I’m going to have to write a program that simulates the satellite input so that the B’ran think they are seeing real data even though the actual transmission will be re-routed to the hidden lab.”

  Looking a little bemused at how easy Raj made it sound, Jake replied, “Sure – sounds simple enough when you explain it like that.”

  “Well, maybe not simple, but doable.” Raj laughed. “If you all have some time, Robert and I could use some help moving some equipment from storage to the lab.”

  “Sure!” Jake replied. “Then we need to raid your spyder and fly collection and place them in strategic locations.”

  “All right Robert, we’ve got our help!” Raj exclaimed.

  “Great!” Robert replied standing up. “These are set to run on their own, and we can set up downstairs while they transfer the data.”

  Following him out the door, they all headed for the storage level and the required equipment.

  * * *

  Washington, DC

  DANIEL STOOD FIDGETING behind the curtain waiting to take the stage for his address to the nation. His mind was occupied with the new danger that was hanging like a dark cloud over the world but which only a few knew about. Suddenly he felt tired, emotionally spent. It felt like a never-ending saga since discovering the existence of the Tenth Cycle. Every time they have discovered an earlier cycle the world had been thro
wn into turmoil and people died in their thousands and millions.

  “I hate giving speeches,” he said with a deep sigh.

  “But you do it all the time, and I’ve never seen it bother you before,” Sarah objected, straightening his tie.

  “No, I talk in front of people—that’s easy—I just … talk … to them. This is different, it’s a speech.”

  “Daniel, this is no different. You’re just talking to the people, telling them what you know. It’s only different in your mind,” she reassured him.

  “It feels different, Sarah.” He shrugged and sighed again. “I’m afraid this new threat we’re facing is not going to end well for us. Not you and me but our civilization.”

  A somber look had settled on Sarah’s face. “It’s worrying, but so far God has protected us and always provided an outcome. He will not forsake us.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “You’re right. You’re my pillar of strength. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Sarah smiled and whispered, “I love you Daniel.”

  The Chief of Staff approached Daniel. “We’re ready, Mister President.”

  With a final kiss, Daniel parted from Sarah, stepped from behind the curtain, and took his place at the podium in the East Room of the White House.

  The blinding strobe of flashing cameras and stage lighting disoriented Daniel for an instant as he raised his right hand to greet and silence the clapping, cheering crowd.

  The news that night carried clips of Daniel’s speech, showing cheering crowds as he relayed an update on the Nation’s progress toward stabilization. From fully operational military bases to the completely restored power grid, to FEMA shelters, food trucks, and the lifting of Martial Law in many areas, the news was good, the nation was recovering.

  When he announced the re-establishment of the pledge of allegiance, footage showed a few of his military advisors with tears shining in their eyes.

  Watching the broadcast from the White House with Sarah, Daniel’s eyes stung too, just as they had during the speech.

  The story concluded with Daniel’s final words. “In short, the government has been living and operating for its own benefit at the expense of the people, and it is time for control of this country to be returned to the people for their benefit.”

  “That was some ending,” Sarah said grinning.

  * * *

  TWENTY-THREE HUNDRED miles away, in the western third of the United States, three men stepped off a plane in the desert heat. Moving through the deplaning crowd they went their separate ways knowing they would meet again in Flagstaff.

  Throughout the evening, nine more of the Re’an soldiers would arrive in three other towns and make their way to Flagstaff as well.

  * * *

  “SALOME TOLD ME that the phone meeting with the world leaders went well,” Sarah said.

  Daniel smiled. “Yes, I think it did go fairly well. We have a good start on some valuable trade negotiations, and I think they will be amenable to the prisoner situation.”

  “What have you decided to do about that?”

  “We still have to get a couple of countries to agree, but we plan on holding the trials in Washington near where the prisoners are being held.

  “The problem is the punishment if they are found guilty. Under normal circumstances, the ICC would carry out the punishment, but in this case, the represented countries are out for blood. Most of them have the death penalty and want it applied immediately—and they want to be the ones to apply it, their way.”

  “Can’t we allow them to carry out punishment here?”

  “Some of their forms of execution are rather… gruesome.”

  “And Brideaux’s methods weren’t?”

  “I see your point.”

  CHAPTER 27

  Eighth Cycle Site, Grand Canyon, USA

  WHILE JACK AND the two Tectus leaders went through the facility again, strategically placing Roy’s technology-enhanced spyders and spy flies, Jack and the others were helping Robert move and rearrange equipment between the command center and the lab.

  After working with Raj and getting to know him a little better, Linkola had agreed that transferring the command center data to the Rabbit Hole as a backup in case of the destruction of the canyon site was a good idea.

  Raj set up the transfer and contacted his computer-tech helper at the Rabbit Hole. “Okay, Stuart, I’m ready to send.”

  “Everything is set here, ready to receive,” Stuart confirmed.

  “Transmitting.”

  A brief pause was followed by, “It’s coming through now.”

  “Ok. There’re many terabytes of data here; it’s going to take some time. Just let it run, and I’ll check back with you in about six hours to see where we are.”

  “Sounds good, I’ll talk to you later.”

  Raj checked the transmission equipment one more time before turning back to Linkola. “Let’s see if we can give the others a hand.”

  When they arrived in the lab, the team was just bringing in the last of the items that had been requested from storage, and Max and Robert had the place torn apart.

  Linkola looked in horror and dismay at the mess. “Oh, no!” he groaned.

  Siasha stepped to his side, patting his shoulder. “It will be ok, Linkola. It’s worse than it looks.”

  Linkola did a double take. “What?”

  She laughed. “I’m just kidding. This is mostly boxes and storage crates of equipment. Once it’s installed and the packing is removed it will look as good as new, I promise. They haven’t touched any of the lab equipment.”

  “We’re going to install everything over on this wall,” Robert said indicating the one bare wall in the room.

  “Where are all the charts that were on that wall?”

  “I carefully took them down, rolled them up, and stored them in the room over there, Linkola,” Siasha said and pointed to a room adjacent to the lab. Linkola still looked unconvinced and seemed stunned. “Why don’t we leave them to it and go to the kitchen for a cup of tea?” she suggested.

  He nodded, and together they left the lab.

  “I just wasn’t expecting it to be so… messy,” they all heard him say in bewilderment as the door closed behind him.

  The men got back to work, and Rebecca took Kerinski by the arm saying, “Let’s see what we can find to fix for dinner!”

  “But I can help with the computers,” Kerinski objected.

  “I know you can, and would rather, but there are plenty of them, and I need some help.”

  Looking back into the lab she locked eyes with Korda, saw him blush, and then motion for her to go with Rebecca. With a grin, she shrugged and said, “Sure, okay.”

  * * *

  Re'an headquarters Tunguska, Russia

  VIKTOR’S GAZE MOVED over the group of well-disciplined soldiers gathered in the small hall. They were of varying ages, backgrounds, skin-tone, hair and eye color, but they all had several things in common; every one of them was a Re’an soldier with an enhanced body and senses, strong, highly trained, and known for fierceness in battle; each had earned the respect not only of their team members, but of Viktor. They were one hundred and twenty-five of his best team leaders.

  Pacing slowly before them, he began the instructions for the coming deployment to the United States.

  “Twenty-five of America’s largest cities have been identified as targets for this operation.” He moved to a large map displayed on the wall in front of them where twenty-five red circles across the image of the United States glowed clearly.

  “We’ve divided the country into five regions and selected the target cities from those regions.” Identifying each city with a laser pointer as he called them out, he worked his way across the map from left to right.

  “On the west coast our targets are Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and we have included Phoenix.

  “In the Mid-West will be Denver, Albuquerque, Houston,
Dallas, and Kansas City.

  “Up North, as they call it, are Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Columbus.

  “Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. comprise the Northeast region with Memphis, Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Atlanta being the Southeast.

  “Each of you will be taking a team of five other members to one of these cities; there will be five teams assigned to each city. With your special training and sophisticated weaponry, you should be more than adequate for the task at hand.

  “I’m holding another one hundred and twenty-five teams here so that once America has been subdued, they can be deployed to other countries to perform the same task.

  “Starting tomorrow, teams will depart for their designated city. By the end of the week, you will all be on site and ready to implement our plans once the canyon team has seized control of our central command center.

  “When Deszik is in command of the canyon site, your teams will begin a systematic purge of the cities. Those unfit for reanimation will be killed—they will be of no use to us. As soon as we can set up reanimation facilities, those in their prime will become soldiers.

  “The young will be breeding stock until they reach their prime, then they will become soldiers. The children will be allowed to grow until they come of age and can be of use.

  “If there are no questions, this meeting is adjourned.”

  As the determined-looking soldiers filed out past him, Viktor grinned thinking of the glory to come when he ruled the world.

  * * *

  Eighth Cycle Site, Grand Canyon, USA

  ROBERT WALKED QUIETLY down the dimly lit corridor toward the sanctuary. It had been a very long day, and he was tired, yet sleep eluded him.

  The conversion of the lab had been successful. All the necessary equipment was installed and powered. To Linkola’s relief, the ‘mess’ had been cleared away.

  Tomorrow they would begin transferring all the operational programs and data from the computers in the command center to the control center, as Raj had started calling the secret lab. They would also transfer the satellite transmission and monitoring systems.