by D F Capps
“What are you going to do to them?” Montgomery asked.
“Come with me,” Dr. Schna said. “I’ll introduce you to the next generation of medicine.”
The inside of the alien spacecraft seemed a lot larger than the outside indicated. Montgomery watched as nurse Elu undressed the patients and helped them into individual chambers with clear walls. There was a ledge where a person could sit. Most of them were so weak that they simply slumped against the side of the enclosure.
Dr. Schna attacked fine wires to each patient.
“What are the wires?” Montgomery asked.
“Electrical anesthesia,” Dr. Schna replied. “No drugs, no side effects. A very mild current activates certain meridian systems in the body and renders the patient unconscious.”
Montgomery raised his eyebrows. “And they don’t experience any pain?”
“No pain,” Dr. Schna said.
“And what does this enclosure do, exactly?”
“It’s a regeneration chamber. Watch.”
Dr. Schna activated the electrical anesthesia on the four patients and inserted a catheter to collect urine from each of them. Doors slid down from the ceiling, sealing the chambers. A yellowish fluid poured in.
“How can they breathe?” Montgomery asked.
“The fluid is completely compatible with the lungs and is oxygen rich,” Dr. Schna explained. Once the chambers were full, an intense red light illuminated the inside of the chambers and a deep humming sound started.
Montgomery stepped forward, concerned about what was happening.
“They’re perfectly fine,” Dr. Schna said. “The frequency of light promotes rapid healing and the vibration from the sound is tuned to the body for maximum penetration of the healing components in the fluid. Wherever oxygen goes, the fluid goes.”
“And the catheters?”
“Prevents contamination of the regeneration fluid,” Dr. Schna said.
Montgomery nodded, then frowned. “How long do they have to be in there?”
“To correct most radiation damage, about twenty minutes. These patients are all within two hours of dying, so they will need to stay in the regeneration chamber for around thirty minutes.”
“And then what?” Montgomery asked.
“Then they can get on with their lives. They will be completely healed,” Dr. Schna said.
Montgomery was skeptical. He couldn’t imagine how such serious damage could be reversed in twenty to thirty minutes inside this strange chamber. He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to watch his patients in the chambers.
“The damage is repaired on the cellular level in a matter of minutes,” Dr. Schna said. “The damaged molecules have to be extracted by the kidneys. That’s what takes most of the time.”
At the thirty minute mark, the fluid in one of the chambers drained. Dr. Schna stepped into the chamber and removed the thin wires. Nurse Elu used a large towel to dry the man off as he regained consciousness.
“Where am I?’ the man asked. “What happened?”
“Dr. Montgomery can explain all of it to you,” Dr. Schna said. “How do you feel?”
The man frowned. “I feel okay.” He looked around the inside of the saucer. “What is this place?”
Dr. Schna glanced over at Montgomery and smiled. “You’ve been very sick, so you’ve missed a lot of what happened. Dr. Montgomery can fill you in, right, Doctor?”
Montgomery scoffed. That’s right, he thought. You do all of the magic and leave me to try to explain it all. “I’ll do what I can.”
The fluid drained in the next chamber as Dr. Schna and nurse Elu continued working.
“Will you teach me how to do this?” Montgomery asked.
“Absolutely,” Dr. Schna replied. “Your apprenticeship starts now. By the time our people can build a new set of regeneration chambers, you’ll be able to use them to heal as many people as you can manage.”
“I want to examine these patients first,” Montgomery said.
“Of course,” Dr. Schna replied. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Montgomery examined the first four patients from the regeneration chamber in detail and ran complete blood tests. Every medical test came back normal. He was satisfied that his patients were healthy and had no residual effects from the radiation. In fact, one lady had a history of diabetes and had been on insulin for years. Her blood sugar levels were now completely normal without medication. He shook his head. This was the kind of miracle that the field of medicine hoped would be forthcoming in the future. The surprise was that it was here, now.
Montgomery walked back to the Tau Cetian saucer. “Okay, I’m convinced. Show me how to operate this thing.”
Chapter 66
Ambassador Doran waited in the Oval Office. He shook hands when Andrews entered.
“I have been contacted by the commander of the Zeta Greys. They want to negotiate the terms for leaving the planet.”
“I want them out of the solar system,” Andrews stated firmly.
Doran nodded. “Understood. But that’s strictly unenforceable at this point and they know it. Off the planet is the best we can do for now. As long as they are still on the planet, sooner or later they will create a breach of the planetary shield and you will be back in a shooting war. Only next time you’ll be up against much more difficult odds.”
“Can they be trusted to honor the agreement?”
Doran shrugged. “No more than they proved trustworthy in the past.”
Andrews scoffed. “Then that’s worthless.”
“Not necessarily,” Doran replied. “It will buy you critical time to build your battle fleet. Once that’s in place, you can drive them from your solar system. Only then will you be safe.”
“Will they take the hybrids with them?”
“I can negotiate that. They may want to take the incubator ships with them in exchange. They don’t want to lose everything.”
“Neither do we,” Andrews replied.
“With your permission, I will continue to negotiate with them,” Doran said.
“I will contact President Pasternov and President Hua. We will come up with a list subject to negotiation.”
Doran nodded. “I believe ‘bargaining chips’ is your term.”
Andrews smiled. “This is going to work, isn’t it?”
“To one degree or another,” Doran replied. “I have had some success in such negotiations in the past.”
“I’m sure you have,” Andrews said.
* * *
“This is take number two, Mr. Wells. Any time you’re ready.”
Sean Wells stood in front of the camera in the small studio of Wilson & Reese Publishing, nervous, shaking slightly, and a little short of breath. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”
“You’re doing fine,” the director replied. “You come across as professional and authoritative. That’s what we want. People will accept that you are a bit nervous. The average person would be, too. It actually gives you some street cred.”
Sean took a deep breath, blinked hard, and began. “When the main battle against the Zeta Greys took place, I was there. I’ve met some incredibly brave and courageous people fighting for the freedom of our planet. It’s time for you to meet them, too.” He held the mock-up of the book in front of his chest. “Here is the inside story of subversion by an alien race, how we almost lost control of our world, and how the heroic sacrifice of hundreds of very special people brought us to the victory we so desperately needed.”
When the taping of the promotion for the book was finished, Sean couldn’t stop shaking.
“You all right?” Finns asked.
Sean shook his head. “I’ve got to get out of here.”
“Saundra’s got some personal appearances scheduled on a whole list of TV shows.”
“I can’t do it. Maybe later, okay?”
“But . . .”
The anxiety was building in Sean’s chest, his breath was inc
reasingly labored, and the tremors worsened. “I’ve got to go.”
He rushed from the studio and into the street. He looked around for any means of escape. His eyes locked on a taxi and he waved it down. He returned to his hotel room, locked the door, and drew the drapes over the window. He sat on the bed, trying to calm the rising panic within him.
“Help me!” he cried out as he burst into tears.
Half an hour later a sense of calm returned to him. He knew what he had to do.
* * *
Rosaq’s plan to subdue the planet had failed. There would be severe consequences for him now. His last duty was to negotiate a way for the Zeta Greys to leave the planet instead of being gradually terminated by the Earth forces. His primary concern was the incubator ships.
The overall plan of turning the planet into a genetic farm depended on the continued survival and use of the hybrids and hubrids. Even though access to the planet was not available at this time, the breeding process needed to continue.
Rosaq connected telepathically with the Insectoid and Ambassador Doran.
There are three of us negotiating? Ambassador Doran asked.
No, the Insectoid replied. Rosaq will negotiate. I will listen. I alone hold final approval of the terms.
Very well, Doran replied. All Zeta Greys will leave the solar system. You will terminate all operations within the solar system and evacuate without delay. The hybrids will remain behind and face the justice of the Earth governments. All of the incubator ships will land and all hybrids and hubrids will become the property of the Earth governments. All children, at whatever stage of development, will stay here.
This is totally unacceptable, Rosaq stated.
That’s fine, Doran said. You’re the one who wanted to leave. We’re just as happy to hunt you down and eliminate every last one of you. In fact, we’re looking forward to it.
Big demands, Rosaq thought. But they have no means of enforcing anything off the surface of their own planet. We still have hubrids in control of nuclear weapons all over the world, Rosaq stated. We also possess many of those powerful weapons. Governmental control wasn’t our only approach. We still control many people in your military systems all over your world. If we cannot leave, we will render your planet incapable of supporting life of any kind.
How many nuclear weapons do you have in your possession? Doran asked.
I don’t have to tell you, Rosaq replied.
That’s true, Doran said. You don’t have to leave either. You can die here, along with the rest of your race.
You are willing to risk all life on this planet? Rosaq asked.
We are, Doran replied. Are you willing to risk all of the occupants of the incubator ships?
Rosaq hesitated. We are willing to trade some of the nuclear weapons if we are allowed to leave with all of our incubator ships.
All nuclear weapons, Doran stated.
All nuclear weapons in exchange for all of our ships and all of our hybrids. Plus a guarantee that all of our hubrids will remain free and unrestricted.
Rosaq waited for Doran’s response.
The Earth leaders find that unacceptable. The hubrids can stay, but they will be subject to surveillance and reasonable restrictions. Some of them have committed very serious crimes. They will face the justice system in place in each country where they are captured.
Rosaq queried the Insectoid about the negotiations so far and any guidance that might be offered.
It’s your failure, the Insectoid replied. You are responsible for all results. Save what you can.
Rosaq doubted that “save what you can” included himself. He was no longer an asset to the Corporate Alliance. One way or another he was slated to be counted among the losses.
We take all of the hybrids with us, Rosaq stated.
In exchange for the identities of all of the hubrids you have on the planet, Doran replied.
It leaves the alliance with nothing, Rosaq realized. They will need something, a foothold, resources they can use in the future. We will not reveal the identities of the hubrids.
Then the hybrids stay, subject to the Earth’s justice system, Doran said.
They have no effective means of identifying all of the hubrids, Rosaq thought. That will buy the alliance the time they need to come back with superior forces and take back the planet. We have possession of one hundred and eighty-seven nuclear weapons. We will leave them at designated places so you can inspect them.
And once we verify them, we will establish a place and time for you to leave the planet with your incubator ships.
Rosaq turned his attention to the Insectoid.
Approved.
The Insectoid broke off telepathic communications with him.
Then we have an agreement, Rosaq said.
* * *
Diane Zadanski led her squadron of fighters out over the Pacific Ocean and met up with the Russian Space Command and the Chinese Space Command. They spread out enough to form a long vertical cylinder through which the Zeta Grey saucers could pass. Once every fighter craft was in position, she contacted Ambassador Doran on her radio, “All in place, Ambassador.”
“Acknowledged, Commander Zadanski. Our sensors indicate the entire Zeta Grey fleet has collected under the water at your location. I am contacting the Zeta Grey commander.”
“Copy that,” Diane replied. “Standing by.”
According to the agreement the Zeta Greys would not power up their weapon system and the Space Command fighters would not initiate jinking. The whole thing was ceremonial.
A medium-sized saucer emerged from the water followed by six large Zeta Grey ships that slowly took to the air, each surrounded by several dozen scout saucers. Diane counted as she watched the ships rise through the center of their formation.
“Planetary shield is off over your location,” Admiral Hollis announced over the radio.
“Copy,” Diane replied. “They’re free to go.”
She continued counting. “They have less than two hundred ships left,” Diane said to Ryan. “We weren’t that far away from wiping them out.”
“If only we’d known,” Ryan replied.
* * *
Rosaq led the way in his command saucer, up through the column of enemy fighter craft. There was a time to observe, a time to attack, and a time to withdraw. This was the time for a strategic withdrawal. He watched the sensors that monitored the enemy fighters. So far they were holding to the negotiated terms.
One of his pilots drew Rosaq’s attention to the intermediate-distance screen. Tau Ceti saucers had formed a ring around the Earth fighter craft. They were forty miles away; a distance Rosaq knew could be covered in a few seconds. The humans didn’t trust the Zeta Greys. That was no surprise. He didn’t trust the humans either.
Rosaq led his remaining ships into outer space and headed away from the sun, to the outer edges of the solar system. There wasn’t any point to the strategic withdrawal if it didn’t look convincing. Besides, the alliance needed reinforcements and resupply before the next phase could begin. It was just a matter of time, and right now, time was on the side of the alliance.
* * *
Sean Wells’s heart felt like it was jamming its way into his throat. Dr. Jackson opened the door and studied Sean’s face as he stepped up on the small porch. Dr. Jackson drew his lips tight, nodded, and motioned for Sean to come in. They didn’t speak as Sean was led into Dr. Jackson’s office, where he took a seat.
“I read your book,” Dr. Jackson said.
Sean started shaking again, tears welled up, and his breathing became rapid. “I’m sorry; I don’t know why this is happening.”
“It’s okay,” Dr. Jackson said softly. “Everybody’s reaction is a little different. You’re experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder. No one just shrugs an experience like this off and goes on with their life.”
“I . . .” Sean paused. “There’s more than I was allowed to put in the book. They ran a security check on you.”
>
Dr. Jackson smiled. “I suspected as much. It’s not the first time.”
“In the photos in the book, the faces of the people were blurred so you couldn’t recognize anyone. Same thing with the shoulder patches. I’ve met an incredible group of people in the United States Space Command. I don’t know how they keep it together. They battle these creatures every day. They put their lives on the line all of the time.”
Sean glanced at the floor as he tried to compose the scattered thoughts that ran through his mind.
“And you don’t know why you can’t be like them?”
He looked up at Dr. Jackson and nodded.
“The difference is they’re still in battle mode. You’re not. Your part is essentially done at this point, so you can let down. You can let the shock and horror begin to come out. You’re safe.”
The tears ran down Sean’s face. “I don’t feel safe. I can’t stop shaking. New York City, my friends, the dreams . . .”
Dr. Jackson nodded. “Let’s start with the dreams, then we can go on to the other experiences.”
* * *
President Andrews stood next to Martha in the Situation Room under the White House moving their focus from one TV screen to the next. President Pasternov and President Hua were receiving the same images in their own situation rooms. All three locations were tied in with each other.
“We have completed an extensive sensor sweep of your planet,” Ambassador Doran said. “Your world is completely free of Zeta Greys.”
Applause erupted in all three situation rooms. Pasternov and Hua were applauding. Andrews turned to Pasternov’s screen and nodded. Pasternov nodded in return. Andrews turned to face Hua’s screen and bowed slightly. Hua bowed in return.
Andrews thought back to his initial meeting with Etnar from the Andromeda Council. We’ve come a long way, he thought. Were it not for the gift of advanced technology from someone not directly involved with our struggle, none of this would have been possible.
Andrews turned to Ambassador Doran.
