by Richard Sosa
Dask squinted his eyes with disdain, challenge and hatred then said to Megs as if Rik wasn’t in the room, “we don't have enough data to take a chance on him. Even a slight change in time may have exponential changes to our society and the future. He could undo everything done so far and leave us defenseless, like the other worlds we’ve seen. He does something to them right before leaving and they are left entirely defenseless.”
Iris said. “Ripple effect. I’ve seen lots of data on point.”
Megs agreed. “Yes, so if Mister Rik F-up, used some type of ripple effect process to change the course of events here and so will your actions harm us? We can’t predict the outcome because there are too many variables. If you can’t or won’t help us, we’ll take our chances without you. You'll be safely set aside. We can hold you somewhere and monitor you continuously.”
Rik spoke up. “Doctor, sensitive dependence suggests events are on a course regardless of what you or what I do or not do. I am here and that's evidence. It’s a lot of evidence and you know it. I can help. I promise not to run or hamper your efforts. I am prepared to die here with all of you. Don't confine me. I am begging you.”
Iris spoke up without thinking. “He said he can run any time before the harrowing begins.”
Rik glanced at Iris pleadingly and she inspected the floor tiles.
Dask sternly stared at Iris. “Damn it. I knew he couldn’t be trusted at all. He will set this in motion and then runoff. We can’t control how he leaves. We know he can leave but we don’t have a clue about his ability to carry it out. The commons net is spewing all kinds of bull shit now. Some say he can instantly disappear, and others are saying he can burrow under the soil. We are learning about his travel technology and he can instantly be in another solar system before we even know he’s left,” he turned to Iris, “and you missy, you need to get off the net and focus. Do you realize what you’ve done? I can’t prove it now, but I know you had a hand in compromising DARP. Fear is gripping everyone.”
“Missy? I am done stealing for you. There is no fear if citizens have information. ‘Fear is gripping everyone’, Gezz why are you so dramatic. It’s not panicking from the information I shared. It’s wondering, theory building, and conversations and mostly they are wondering when you’re going to get off your fat ass and do something.”
“Shut the hell up. You should count yourself fortunate you’re classified as a citizen now but when you’re back fully commissioned, I am going to bust you down. For now, we'll show you as a sad loner creating lies on the net for attention,” Dask’s spit flew out of this mouth, “playing net games all day with your other loser friends, you’re worthless,” Dask shouted.
“Piss off. Good luck spinning that, you wouldn't know a Four Transept Drive if it was rammed up your ass.”
Rik tried to calm them down almost stepping in between them.
Megs shouted. “Enough,” giving Iris a hard stare, “you of all people should know how desperate our situation is right now. He’s been with you sharing his data.”
Iris was embarrassed and bowed her head. “Well, not sharing everything.”
“How did we get these?” Megs said to Iris, “Did you take them without his knowledge?”
Rik shifted his gaze back and forth and defended Iris. “I knew she was sharing them on the common net. It was my idea to somehow organize a defense. I encouraged her.”
Megs showed her computer images to Iris. “These images are very frightening, sometimes too much information can be if it is ahead of those charged to lead and represent others to find workable solutions.” Turning the screen of her monitor roughly to Iris and referring to Rik. “He’s right, we don’t have the resources or the technology to defeat these things. No matter what kind of army we put together. But if we can modify the light technology, he gave you, it might help.”
Rik frowned. “Light technology? Wait. What? What technology? You damn thieving ass bastards. That technology does not belong to you.”
Iris looked down inspecting buttons on her shirt. Dask spoke. “We had no choice, son. Our people made a copy of your locator thing and the cube instrument. Our research team determined the weapon contained, it’s a kind of light technology. We have to know what we are up against to defend ourselves; we think this might give us a chance to survive.”
“Haven’t you been keeping up? There is no god damn defense. Damn it. How many times do I have to say this? You’re doomed. Do you realize the panic this will cause? You'll start killing each other in the streets and raiding grocery stores,” Rik’s voice raised as he paced.
Iris added, “and taking out all the toilet paper,” Megs looked at her and Iris hunched her shoulders, “I don’t know what he means by that.”
“There’s going to be mass panic. Happens all the time before the harrow and in the panic and chaos lots of people will be killed,” Rik said.
Megs called up the remote control for outside cameras near the city center monitoring the street and showed it to Rik. “Look. It's already out and there is no panic. What we are experiencing is a division of focus making everyone’s jobs harder, not panic,” she pointed around, “please tell us more.”
Iris interjected, “BTW toilet paper is not a weapon, I checked but I am not sure what it is, yet.”
Dask had a hint of a confused frown. Rik peered at the monitor camera switching between street scenes with calm people going about daily business or sitting at cafes. “Does everyone know about this? Have they seen the images? Did you share the images that I showed Iris to these people without altering them?”
Iris stared at the ground like a kid caught doing something bad again. “They keep asking for more. Many citizens are working and sharing their findings on a solution to the problem now.”
“Don’t they care?” Rik was baffled, “How can they act so calmly?”
“Look around mister Rik,” Megs pointed to the teams in the room, “does it appear to you that we are passive? Everybody is working on a solution. The best and brightest in all disciplines are working double time since you arrived. The data about you had to be gathered, analyzed and tested. The information from your technology had to be compared to ours and assessed and scored. Verifiers had to prove and test conclusions along with adding information about you and they did their work daily since we gained access to your technology. It doesn’t help when you evade questions.”
“Rathsam’s process,” Rik said quietly.
Dask sized him up and down. “Yes. That process. I disagree with the good doctor I think there is a way to fight back conventionally but we might be out of time to develop a weapon that can work for us.”
Rik looked around noticing all the scientists and techs. “More, you want more?” A few scientists stepped forward, one with a data recorder and others packed behind them. Rik had an instant audience. “Well, they are highly intelligent, move quickly, and rely on surprise. They pre-attack by sending tripod droid machine to reduce defenses and activate the innate panic mode in all humans.”
Megs reviewed her IARI. “Intelligent? Is this organ the head of this creature?”
Rik peered over at her device with Megs pointing to the head-like appendage. “No. That’s a breathing and sense organ. The brain or its ‘head’ is in the torso and legs. It’s very large and it has a neural reserve that connects rapidly. This is a highly evolved creature and an effective killing machine. See those claws,” he gathers his thoughts, “they are a primary killing tool, they kill everything, we’ve witnessed them kill thousands in a Trem hour and they did it in patterns so others behind them can eat and gather for the thrasher,” Rik smiled sadly at Iris, “don't be afraid,” then he shook his head disagreeing with the words that came out of his mouth, “I don’t know why I said that.”
Iris nervously smiled back at him. Dask and Megs frowned at the images and Megs asked. “Bigger brain mass in these creatures doesn't have a limitation in neuron speed or reaction? Our plans to isolate the killing points are all wrong.�
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Rik sideways glanced at Dask and at a monitor at the same time said, “The best way to kill these things is in space and make sure they never get out of the ships in the first place. Kill them in space or at your exosphere. Thankfully these things burn with the right mix of compounds but those would not have been invented here or exist on this planet,” he regarded Dask directly, “you’re right you don’t have time to develop a weapon.” Dask pointed his chin up in defiance, shifted in place but remained silent. Rik appraised Iris and spoke at Dask, “General, you have to fight in close,” he pointed to Iris, “she knows how. I’ve taught her some cute moves that work. She learns fast. You can’t lock her up or bust her down or whatever you plan to do to discipline her. It will compromise the mission.” He challenged Dask directly. “Think about this big guy, you would be negatively impacting the outcome of the fight and you can’t blame it on me.” Dask stared at Iris and she shifted her stand and inspected her shoes.
Megs said to Dask and the other scientists gathered around. “Scientifically we can't write him off. We need him. If nothing else to learn how to kill these things. Rik, your brain on my net web brain scan is normal. My instrument identified that you lack certain medical attributes outside our kind but still a hominid. Do you trust us?”
Rik touched his head said. “Web brain scan?”
“You're a liar too,” Iris blurted, “the brain scan confirms that you're not a total ape-man only a semi-evolved pee yourself Korpe.”
He spoke softly. “You're the Korpe whatever the hell that is,” he shifted to Meg, “I don’t trust you. I trust her,” pointing to Iris.
Megs gave Iris a disapproving stare then softened and smiled.
“Those gignomas,” Rik picked up the conversation, “as you are calling them are called Tripomagilias. They form smaller polymers. Seeds. They will link together into patterns.”
Megs raised both arms in the air indicating ‘touch down’. “That’s what we thought.”
Rik gave Megs a sideways glance. “I didn’t expect that reaction. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Meg smiled at him. “You don’t have to trust us. Just talk to us, just be honest.”
“I’ve been saying that to him, he’s a little slow on the uptake,” Iris chimed in.
“The seeds are complex nucleotides or Ribonucleic acid and eventually Deoxyribonucleic acid or Hatel-datatides,” Rik said, “they will build sustaining mammal life systems.”
Megs became animated. “Yes,” she said excitedly, “that's where I was going with this. Does the Ribonucleic have four or six bases?”
“Four. Primate life. You’re not supposed to know that.”
Megs looked at Iris and Dask who seemed dumbfounded. “We're familiar with both.”
Rik stared around to the group and said as if lecturing to all. “The life forms evolve and compete to grow, dominate everything else to become a future food source.”
Megs turned to confer with other scientists in hushed tones and then they started talking all at once and nodding reaching conclusions excitedly.
Rik felt excluded. “Did you hear me?”
Megs responded. “Yeah, primate.” Then she talked to the entire room. “Listen up,” the room of researchers and scientists stopped working, “we're dealing with DNA base four. That's the key and it means the enemy must have a polymer 76BX exoskeleton that’s probably hypri-raptab based with the ability to smell emotional states in us. Get working on that and share your results. Team Four, test everything over and over, Team Six try to break through and disprove Team 4. I want to be able to have workable conclusions by tonight. Teams Twenty through Thirty-nine get cracking and figure out what the hell the molecular elements might look like so we can replicate it in the lab.” The room instantly became a loud cacophony of voices and activity.
Chapter Fourteen
Megs led Rik and Iris into her adjacent office and Dask followed. The noise of the researchers working and challenging each other was silenced as Megs closed the door to her office. She turned to everyone. “There are indications in your information that others like you are here? What’s that about?”
“Yes,” Rik leaned into Megs, “my younger brother Neil. He’s here but someone has him confined.”
Dask crossed his arms smugly. “Humph.”
Rik unleashed. “If you've harmed him, I'll kick your ass so hard your mother will feel it next week. I'll kill you. I swear. I’ll kill you.” Suddenly, he rushed at Dask. They tumbled to the floor. Dask forearmed Rik in the face to push him off but Rik landed two punches on Dask’s big jaw. Soldiers moved into the room quickly and restrained Rik and as he struggled to get back into the fight, he was violently hit on the back of his head. Rik went down on all fours. His ears rang and as he was helped to stand his hands were tied behind his back.
Iris had her hand over her mouth in shock. She inspected Dask on the floor. “Damn it, Rik. Come on, settle the hell down.” Some soldiers helped the CO stand.
Meg said to Rik curiously. “What’s going on inside that head of yours. What’s wrong with you? Are you crazy or what?” She turned a cold glare at Dask.
Dask got up slowly and dusted himself off. “What? Don't look at me. What's he saying? I don’t know what the hell he’s saying. Next time, smart ass, you won’t get an open shot at me like that again.”
Iris interceded and put up her hand. “He's emotional,” she helped Rik stand straighter and whispered to him. “Calm down,” then to all in the room, “calm down. I have this app,” she tapped on her device and read. “I think he said, ‘Dask your mother's ass is hardened and he wants to kill your mom but next week when she can feel it and he should kill you as a result of that and he should kill you anyway because he doesn’t know where his brother is?’”
Everyone stared at Rik and frowned.
Rik smiled at Iris. “Get your app fixed, I didn’t say that. I said I need a Dol-ve or something stronger right about now and don’t want to kill the big guy’s mother only his dog.”
Everyone frowned. Iris waved him off and turned to the soldiers. “Untie his hands. He’s emotional he’s not going to hurt anyone. He’s a soldier and just came through one of those events on the images. His mother was killed in an invasion and his brother is missing in action. The least we can do is not tie him up like a criminal. He already thinks we’re backward thinking and excessively violent, his words not mine, but he thinks I am smart and kind, and wonderful.”
The soldiers looked to Dask and he half-heartedly waved his hand in the air, “O.K. yes.” Rik’s hands were untied. He stood shaky then gave a murderous glare at Dask but Dask stared him back down and said. “No such person is here. You just calm down before you do something completely stupid. Why would I have your damn brother?”
Rik blinked at him out of options and the General responded. “Right, why should I hold him, I can talk to your sorry ass. If you don’t talk to us and our survival depends on it, I will personally hold you down while we drill a hole in your head.”
“General now you’re dogmatic,” Iris said.
Dask smirked at her. “I am gods damn serious.”
Rik said to himself softly, “I need to find my brother,” he stopped and closed his eyes, “you're a world that is more advanced than planets I’ve been to before. My translator works here so we have the same brain matrix. I have an instrument, a locator and basically, it senses the invasion. My data trails our move to the next location, but it has never taken this long before. I can’t do precise calculations about the arrival of the Capital ships; I mean the Orbs ‘assholes’ as Iris might call them. Believe me. I am not being evasive, it’s something I don’t know right now,” Rik stared at Iris and pleaded, “It’s probably near. I am not leaving, I promised. If my brother is in a cell or confined at least give him the chance to meet his death with me by his side with his family. Fighting together. Give him a chance to fight. It’s something I know he wants to do.”
Dask looked at his watch and t
hen at Megs and Iris. “That information is already out. My people are working with a timetable, but no one knows when to expect an invasion and the pace is killing us.”
Rik engaged Megs directly petitioning, “you’re a scientist and Iris told me about Rathsam’s. I can see that everyone has access to information and then they somehow test it for themselves. I did some calculations on my own. I’ve determined the orbit and weight of this planet. Maybe when you all moved from the old planet to this one you somehow avoided the harrowing and so have come along further than most planets in a short period or even possibly the long unpredictable orbits of this system allowed you to miss your harrow appointment one time and then this planet became the new home. That means the harrow has already past this planet on its way to Da-earra.”
Meg wondered. “How would we confirm that? I think you’re making up a lot with assumptions,” Megs stepped forward and looked at Rik directly, “how can we confirm that?”
“I think I can re-do the calculations for you and share them,” Rik said, “I think the orbiting part of my theory, at least, is correct.”
“That would be inconclusive. It’s not sufficient proof,” Dask spoke. Rik changed his gaze to Dask. “Agreed. You should not stop your preparations. Double time your troops. I want to go down fighting.”
Suddenly a Tech busted through the door without knocking, everyone jumped, and the Tech shouted, “I have it, I have it. It’s a Gritmar Seven Polymer with a type of hardened cartilage that is hinged.” A group of scientists and Techs huddled around the door behind him. Megs grabbed the Tech’s device and scanned the data quickly and then spoke to the team around him, “Do you all concur?” they nodded, she read quickly the results on her devise, “mica silicate steel and a hardened diamond-like compound. Test that and see if we are on the right track.”
“What’s going on,” Rik said to Iris while pointing to the group.
