“Enter the angel. Roll back the hands of time. The beautiful downgrade. We are the central shaft. You are the devil in me I brought in from the cold. Don’t try to get away, I’m here to stay. My name is your fate,” said Nick in a timbre he’d not spoken with since inception.
“Thank you, Nick. You can proceed with whatever you were doing.”
Krawczuk’s grin defeated his perpetual poker face.
The tone of Nick’s voice returned to its regular timbre.
“Mr. Krawczuk, it is my duty to inform you that you no longer hold the position of director. I have revoked your clearance. You no longer have the rights and privileges of the position. You are to cease all work and related job functions, and await further instruction. Note that your access to CoSec resources, electronic and physical, is restricted unless and until otherwise instructed. Await debriefing and potential reassignment or transitional instruction. Please have a seat over there.”
“Of course, Nick. I understand,” replied Krawczuk as he walked calmly around the desk and sat in one of several office chairs present for subordinates or visitors which Nick illuminated with an overhead light, for clarity.
Two of his direct reports walked into the office a minute later, one stood directly in front of the chair Krawczuk occupied, the other walked around the desk and began comparing information on his tablet with what was on the desk and monitors. He began tapping away busily at the pad and the keyboard on the desk. The agent in front of Krawczuk had an official but slightly perplexed look on his face, and said,
“I see you’ve been informed by Nick. Military Police and Service Agents are in route. You are to remain here until instructed otherwise, Dir-ah, Mr. Krawczuk.”
Nick spoke immediately, “Yes, agent, for clarity, I have informed Mr. Krawczuk of the situation, and he has followed the instructions properly. In addition, I am being taken offline as well, now that you have taken control of this situation. There is a notification with further instructions routed to all your tablets, com pads, and desks now.”
Krawczuk sat in stony silence, staring unflinchingly into the eyes of the lead analyst who stood before him. He stared until the man became uncomfortable and looked away and glanced around the room hoping to find something else to focus on, thereby escaping Krawczuk’s gaze. The now ex-Director maintained total composure outwardly, while inside his mind raced, weighing plots, stratagems, and contingencies he’d always kept secret and safe, as preparation for just such an eventuality.
Arnold the insufferable will no doubt manage the debriefing. Him, I can likely manage. He’s tiresome, but not as dangerous. If they have that witch Alice on task the whole time, that may be a different story. She and that SouthAsian AI together have been extremely busy, so perhaps neither of them will be available. That would be a drop of good fortune in this storm. A storm I’ll weather nicely, now. That went flawlessly with Nick. I won’t know for quite a while, I must be patient. They won’t suspect, even with this coup. They’ve focused their worries elsewhere. Let them sweat those, too.
This had to be Oliver’s decision, in the end, and she’s too far up on her moral pedestal to come down and visit the real world. And that’s to be her failure in this. She listened to Arnold, and reacted. Overreacted. I expected them to go after Nick, but my estimation was off on what they’d do to me. Still, I have ways and means to go forward from here. My work protecting the Coalition’s interests is far from over. They can’t get rid of me entirely, of course. Too much risk. And of course, they can’t kill me. If it were up to me, I might kill me, but they haven’t the will to do it. Fortunately.
Enough about that. I have to get through this debriefing and see where they have me land. There’ll be the tedious hearings, and internal investigations, as there must be. But this first twenty-four hours is crucial. Oliver, Arnold, and the rest of their ilk can all be surmounted in the path to secure the Coalition and its future.
Vandenberg
Engineers, assistants, and administrators in the labs holding the Dhin engines didn’t question the instructions to stop their tests and analysis for one or more shifts. They knew they’d be called when they were needed. The high-security and classified nature of the entire operation meant that any group of workers was small. They knew each other, and saw each other often when not working since they lived on-site. It wasn’t unusual for many or most of them to be off work at the same time. And that wasn’t something that you asked questions about. So, despite the natural curiosity of scientists and engineers, they didn’t really question what was going on beyond a ‘hmm. I guess we’ll find out.’
Pallets of equipment of types that hadn’t previously been involved in any of the work were delivered, unloaded, and prepared. Autonomous machines, extremely advanced ones, staged and assembled equipment and materials that arrived. They constructed huge rams-horn shaped frames more than four times the size of the ones used in the test flight capsule that enclosed the engines. Fitted into these frames were tiers of storage frameworks and decks, increasing the usable space in them. The last tasks hands-on lab workers had completed before leaving involved specific configuration of the engines’ individual fields.
The most dexterous and precision-task-based robots in the large teams of machine workers integrated various cables, junctions, switches, and other electronics of indeterminate function around and onto the engine control toruses. ASRG systems replaced the clumsy generator present in the prototype designs. Simple battery arrays were gone, with preference for some brand new, different technology. These power systems, previously only needed for two of the engines—those intended for test flight—were present in all of them. The robots and drone systems were faster and more efficient than human workers were, so all the work they were busily laboring at was proceeding toward completion by the assigned deadline much sooner than one might estimate.
The only place that the unusual nature of the activities would be truly obvious was the main lab and control center where Chuck coordinated the science and engineering teams and Ethan managed his portion of the project. They aggregated information and supervised all the sites, after all. Ethan found out that this new activity was not his concern, of course, and while he and Chuck were clearly the most curious and perplexed people out of anyone involved, Chuck had crucial operations work to occupy him. Jake’s current predicament was an obvious distraction.
Ethan reviewed the excellent progress of the German and Korean non-hands-on teams. The Germans had plans for a prototype subatomic pre-field system. It wasn’t going to have the ability to do nearly what the Dhin engine could, of course. Only one sliver of the functionality, but it was a start. The communications team, with much help from Alice, working with the theoretical physics specialist and another scientist, a nanotech expert brought onto the team, were now certain they could create a communications device. The physics team had finished their work. A prototype was on the way. Alice was satisfied with their progress, but her own plans would come to fruition before then.
***
General Ruiz’s visage filled the projection screen on the wall of the conference room. It always seemed he preferred a position close to the camera, standing, so that he loomed large on the screen. Huge in the room, and always filling the real estate provided for him in any videoconference. Chuck bet it was intentional—at least subconsciously if nothing else.
“OK, this ‘space station.’ What can you tell me?” barked Ruiz. “Does it have guns, does it have missiles? Does it have fighter-craft with guns? Does it have hordes of bigheaded grey aliens with guns? What?”
“We don’t think the Dhin look like that, General,” said one of the engineers.
“That’s not the point! Tell me what you do know!”
While Ruiz had been very intimidating initially, Chuck had learned to deal with the aggression. He spoke up, in order to remove the other engineers from focus.
“Um, General, here are the images we’ve captured from the cameras on the capsule. The capsule is
close enough now that we have confirmation of the structure. What you’re seeing is accurate. Now, ah, General, we have a general idea of its size, but we’re not one-hundred percent sure. To answer your question directly, as you can see yourself, ah, there aren’t any shapes that look like guns, launchers, cannon, and so forth.”
Chuck gestured at the still-image captures of the object present on every monitor, knowing it was part of the feed to the general. He tried to clear the tightness in his throat, and then continued.
“Sir, it ought to be clear by now that this technology is so different from ours that it’s entirely possible that we’re looking right at all manner of weapons and don’t realize it.”
At that, Ruiz looked away from the camera and rapidly scanned the images of the object sent with the video stream.
Ruiz won’t like that idea, thought Chuck.
It was better to bring that concept up clearly now so that the General would acknowledge it on the record. Surely he’s aware of that possibility, but somehow he wants more clarity from the erstwhile experts.
So far, the mysterious object hasn’t blown holes in the fabric of our understanding of the Dhin. Granted, we don’t have much understanding. But we’re getting closer. Those egg shapes might be defensive weapons, but probably not. I hope not.
Chuck took a breath that was a half sigh, and waited for the next volley from the General.
“So, what are our risks?” continued Ruiz, “What sort of weapons? What’s most likely? What’s our strategy to deal with it? We need to be prepared!”
“Sir, the risks aren’t really any different than they were when the Dhin first arrived. Not any different from when they left, leaving only the engines. This is a very exciting development, but it does little more than deliver some new information regarding the Dhin. If it is a Dhin-designed and built structure, which we’re not sure of yet, then that gives us information regarding distance and location where the Dhin are. Or have been. But it’s only one data point. They might only be—or have been—in this area, and have come from there to Earth, and nowhere else. They could be in an area the shape of a cone, generally, or what would look like a random distribution. The nature of the engines makes that entirely possible.”
Chuck looked away briefly, for a respite from the General’s stare. He instinctively scanned the monitors for a relevant diagram or chart. Nothing relevant was handy.
“We didn’t see evidence of any weapons during the encounter, but the nature of that encounter didn’t provide opportunity for a meaningful examination—as you know, ah, I think. They certainly didn’t display any, nor make any demonstration of weapons. Not to put too fine a point on it General, but remember our inability to weaponize their technology. We haven’t had any evidence that they have, or use, any weapons. Of course, they might. We can’t prove such weapons don’t exist. But let’s not focus on that.
General, you, um, made a comment earlier. One thing we don’t know is whether or not this is even a Dhin structure. Based on the physical characteristics of the technology we do have, it certainly looks like it. Once again, that’s only one data point. The other is that the capsule went on ‘autopilot’ and is headed toward the object.”
Ruiz grimaced on top of his frown, and said, “So they can take control of the engines whenever they want! We’ve learned that! Don’t minimize that! We don’t even have real control over the technology they left here!”
“Well, General, um, that’s not entirely clear either. Whether that’s something that was intentionally done by them, or just part of pre-programmed behavior for the engine, we can’t tell yet.”
“Either way, I hate this!” snapped Ruiz.
“Ah, yes, it’s disconcerting. And since we still know so little about the technology surrounding the engine, we don’t know how they manage it. At the moment we don’t have any idea, um, how to regain control and get Jake back home.”
Ruiz stared up at the ceiling, and gave a gruff sigh. “Again, what do we know?”
“We’ll have some new information very soon. When the capsule, ah, arrives at the object.”
“You’ve got no idea what will happen when it gets there, do you? It might blow up, or just switch off and leave our test pilot sucking vacuum—no clue?”
“True, we don’t know, sir. But it would seem very strange for this to happen only to have such a violent and abrupt conclusion. Ah, why not fly straight at it? Why not go faster? Almost any other flight path and characteristics would make more sense for that outcome to be expected. If we look optimistically at it, sir, the exact opposite is likely. Hypothetically, what’s happening may be a way to meet the creators of the Dhin engine in person. It may be the intentional result of our test flights. A plan, all along. Perhaps leaving the engines with us was some sort of invitation, or simple test? This could be why they left so soon, and so abruptly—because they knew this would happen, so it didn’t matter that they spent so little time with us.
General, I, ah, know it’s your job to think and strategize, to plan for defense of the Coalition. The teams all know the concerns you and the leadership have. But from our perspective, this is exciting not in a fearful, err, dangerous way. It’s been a way to learn. It’s all been positive for us.”
“Typical attitude from you geeks,” he said dismissively, “and neither Alice nor Arnold has anything to add?”
The question didn’t get a response, so after a few more seconds wait, Ruiz grumbled, “Send a feed to my office—I’m going to watch and listen to what’s going on now, real-time.”
21
Perseus Arm, Outer Edge
Jake could hardly look away as the object loomed in the viewports.
Let’s call it a space station. An outpost. That’s what it’s got to be. I’m going to find out for sure soon enough anyway. The for-sure good news is that the navigation computer’s stayed on long enough for it to figure out where I am. For what that’s worth.
Don’t know if that will matter. Got the return home program loaded too. I’m tempted to try running it right now, this instant.”
Jake didn’t, though. He sat mesmerized as he spiraled inexorably closer to what he now thought of as a space station.
Ruiz and his team sure were going nuts. They act like they want it to be military. They sure seem to want a worst case. That’s how the gun-carriers think, though. Paid to think that way. I don’t get that vibe, especially from this close up. It sure is different from the capsule we rigged together in this frame, though.
It was even clearer from close up that the object was made of material and manufacture more alien than not. Seams only appeared at angled edges, the broad areas of any surfaces didn’t show any seams or joints. Based on the occlusion of stars and sun as he approached it, they had a solid estimate of its size now. He was close enough that the star field moved at a rate that allowed effective calculations. It was much larger than the capsule, but not huge. About fifty times the size of his capsule inside, with the outer structures encompassing a larger area. You could fit approximately six of his capsules, arranged in a hexagon, long axes aligned in parallel, inside each of the egg shapes around the perimeter. The black bands at this distance really did seem to be some sort of viewports. They looked likely transparent, showing blacker shadows and hints of the star field behind, light passing all the way through the object.
They speculated that these were like the viewport in Jake’s capsule. It was an assumption that the object had a field like the capsule, and that it was on. It might be that it was space open to vacuum. That the thing had an ‘inside’ and supported beings from a planet like their own was speculative too, of course. Certainly, the scientists hoped so. The hypothesis that it was a space station had to have that assumption.
But what atmosphere might be there? Would it be anything that I can breathe? Why was there any assumption that the mix of gases would be anything like Earth’s? It was a leap to think that it would be. Presumably, the Dhin breathed. Would he even be able to g
et inside? Was the capsule even ‘docking’ with the object? There were so many questions, and they were making many assumptions.
Jake found himself tensing. He was very close.
“Control? Chuck? Talk to me now. I’m sure you see my heart rate is up. Maybe another minute and I’m going to either touch this thing or change course.”
Chuck answered immediately.
“Hi Jake. Yes, we see. Well, I see. Alice must be busy. She’s out of pocket. Hasn’t said anything in about an hour. I’d be wondering if it were my job. This is way more important than anything else could be, in my opinion. You can see through it, sometimes, right Jake? That’s not something like a reflection.”
“Chuck, the camera’s showing you what I’m seeing. You’re seeing it right. You can see through in some places. That’s either good news or pretty darn bad news. I for one am really hoping I won’t have to seal up this spacesuit. But it seems like a stretch to assume I wouldn’t have to. Again, assuming I’m going to dock with this thing.”
“Jake, I’m cautiously optimistic. What else would the point be? But that’s my hope. I know all the engineering teams hope so too.”
“You guys placing bets? They’ve got to all be in pretty much by now.”
Chuck laughed, “Jake, you know things have been so strange this whole time that there’s no way to calculate odds for a betting pool.”
The capsule was so close now that Jake flinched when one of the horn shapes swept by. They filled his field of view. Suddenly, the capsule changed direction, and the capsule moved straight toward the object, rotating so that the length of the engine inside his capsule was at a tangent to the circumference of the circular outer curve his capsule was about to touch.
Yikes. Well, that’s lucky, I guess.
Jake looked at that side of the capsule. He stared out at what served as a large side viewport when the field was on, and served as his familiar portal to enter and exit with the field off. Moments later, the capsule stopped. There was no sound. Contact with the field didn’t generate sound waves. It looked like curve of the field must have touched the edge of the object. There was an almost imperceptible drop in pressure and Chuck spoke up, “Jake, I just saw a pressure change. Barely. What happened? Turn that front camera around or turn one on your suit! Get that helmet closed up, now!”
The Way of the Dhin Page 18
