“We have our faith, and you have yours,” said the rabbi.
“Now just a minute…” began Jean-Paul.
“Science is your religion,” continued the rabbi, “and your faith is such that you will accept no explanation that lies outside the bounds of your beliefs.”
“The so-called Ten Plagues of Egypt all have credible scientific explanations,” sneered Jean-Paul. “A red algae bloom would have caused the water to appear as blood and would have rendered it toxic to the fish who lived in it and the humans and beasts who drank from it. The fish and livestock corpses decaying in the open attracted insects like the tsetse fly, which in turn spread more disease. The so-called Angel of Death that only targeted the Egyptians’ firstborn sons is also suspect — firstborn sons were given the largest portions of grain, and if a toxic mold had infested the grain in a damp storage unit, the firstborn sons would have ingested the largest amount, ergo they were at the greatest risk of dying.”
“Or maybe it was the Angel of Death,” said the rabbi. “Since neither theory can be conclusively proved or disproved, it all boils down to faith — faith in God, or faith in a hypothesis. At the end of the day, faith is all that remains.”
Jean-Paul silently cursed himself for breaking one of his own cardinal rules: never argue about religion with a true believer.
“Your tests will show that the ceramic jar contains the manna that God provided as nourishment for the Israelites during their forty years of wandering in the desert,” predicted Brother Elias.
“The budded staff is Aaron’s rod,” insisted the rabbi. “God created it on sixth day of Creation and delivered it to Adam when he was driven from paradise. It was passed down to Shem, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, one after the other, and then it came into the possession of Joseph. When Joseph died, his personal property was stolen by Egyptian nobles, and the staff was appropriated by Jethro, whose daughter, Zipporah, would become the wife of Moses. Jethro planted the staff in his garden, where it produced fruit, and no one could withdraw it from the ground because the Name of God was carved into it.”
Now he’s throwing the King Arthur legend into the mix, thought Jean-Paul, but he had resolved not to engage in any more theological confrontations with the rabbi. It was beneath him to do so.
*******
“It all has to be suppressed,” said Jean-Paul. “We need time to recalibrate the data.”
“By ‘recalibrate,’ you mean ‘falsify,’” said Salma.
“Is this why you insisted on us meeting at your apartment, Jean-Paul?” asked Hisham. “You certainly wouldn’t want what you just said to be recorded in the minutes of any official meeting.”
“Damnit!” cried Jean-Paul. “I’m trying to give you a way to get out of this farce! You’ve come up with an amazing invention — you don’t need to get free publicity with this kind of stunt!”
“What invention?” asked Salma.
Jean-Paul sighed heavily. “You or someone you have been collaborating with has invented a laser that can reproduce any mathematical pattern. That in itself will earn you billions. Market it in the usual way — don’t participate in this sham. Your reputations will be in tatters once it’s discovered.”
“I’m beginning to think Rabbi Moshe was right about you,” said Salma. “You’ve known us for years, yet you’re willing to believe Hisham and I would perpetrate a fraud instead of accepting that there are some things science can’t explain.”
Jean-Paul shook his head in disbelief.
“Okay,” said Hisham to Jean-Paul. “You want science? I’ll give you science.”
He took out his phone, and after doing a quick search, he showed Jean-Paul a picture of a decorative object.
“It’s called a Jerusalem cube,” said Hisham. “It’s created by recursively drilling Greek cross-shaped holes into a cube. Each iteration results in a twentyfold increase in holes. This is a 3D-printed model.”
“It looks — brittle,” said Jean-Paul.
“Precisely,” said Hisam. “The problem is infinity. Any laser software program given a recursive formula terminates after a finite number of iterations. But with the cuneiforms, no matter how many times we increase the magnification, the same pattern is present. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“We have to stand by the discovery,” said Salma.
“A respected rabbi and Franciscan friar were reduced to babbling fanatics in front of us in a matter of minutes,” protested Jean-Paul. “What do you think is going to happen when this goes public? Every kook on the planet is going to weigh in on what it means. That ridiculous man with the Bride of Frankenstein hairstyle will spring out of retirement to rehash his ancient astronaut tripe! We’ll be the laughingstocks of the scientific community.”
“The data speaks for itself,” said Salma. “The results of the carbon dating were confirmed in multiple laboratories. The artifact was constructed during the reign of Amenhotep II, who is believed to be the pharaoh from Exodus. The resin in the ceramic jar was identified as a substance called trehalose — a white crystalline carbohydrate made of two glucose molecules joined together. What the Israelites were gathering in the desert was the cocoon of the parasitic beetle Trehala-manna, from which trehalose gets its name. The dried buds on the staff have been identified as almond blossoms, which were described in the book of Numbers as sprouting from Aaron’s rod. The cuneiforms on the tablets tell of ten tenants by which to live.”
“Even you can’t bring yourself to say ‘The Ten Commandments,’” said Jean-Paul.
“It’s not for me to say we have the Ten Commandments or the Rod of Aaron or the Ark of the Covenant,” said Salma. “Data is data.”
“Data can be manipulated and twisted for any purpose,” said Jean-Paul, “especially where science, religion, and politics intersect. It’s going to get ugly.”
SPIRAL
Navy Precision Optical Interferometer, Arizona
2044 AD
“Impossible,” murmured astrophysicist Devonna Douglass.
The array of radio telescopes working as one had suddenly transmitted the signature of an object with negative mass. Within minutes, Skype meetings were taking place around the world to discuss the phenomenon.
“The gravitational lensing is indisputable,” said Devonna. “The background stars were enhanced with an observed time profile. They were part of the Cygnus constellation.”
“Did an object pass through?” asked one of her colleagues. “And if so, which way?”
“The vortex emanated from Cygnus and materialized in the Kuiper Belt,” said Devonna. “Something in the Kuiper Belt was targeted and then transported to Cygnus.”
“Maybe a derelict twentieth century probe,” speculated another colleague.
“That region of the belt was mapped a long time ago,” said Devonna. “We would have spotted something like that.”
*******
Lifeboat, Arctic Circle
Tariq met Jasper and Nadia at the helipad.
“Are you sure it was the Newisla?” asked Jasper.
“Positive,” answered Tariq. “The telemetry data it transmitted placed it right in the path of the wormhole, if the time delay is taken into consideration.”
They ran inside and found J’Vor and Emanui staring at a computer monitor.
“It’s all over the news,” said Emanui.
“Do they know it’s the Newisla?” asked Nadia.
“No,” said J’Vor. “The cloak is intact. It only served to deepen the mystery, since their instrument readings confirmed something invisible was pulled in.”
“What do we know that they don’t?” asked Jasper.
“The cloaked Vambir technology piggybacking NASA probes confirms the wormhole originated on Kepler-186f,” said J’Vor.
“Vambiri!” cried Nadia.
“Kevak never once mentioned that the Vambir had wormhole technology,” said Tariq.
“They would have used it to travel to Earth instead of drifting in stasis
for thousands of years,” said J’Vor. “No. This is something new.”
They all fell silent to think about what it meant.
“We’ve seen the images from Vambiri,” said Emanui. “There are no functioning satellites or any indication of life on the surface.”
“The city of Lun was underground,” said Jasper.
“But the spaceport was on the surface,” said Emanui.
“Maybe you don’t need to be on the surface to activate a wormhole,” said J’Vor.
“If wormhole technology is a reality, then we should attempt to develop it ourselves,” said Emanui. “We could use it to communicate with Vambiri and make sure Kevak is safe. This changes everything.”
“I don’t know,” said Tariq. “If such a thing is possible, humanity would again be at risk. We can’t have Vambir tourists using it to travel to Earth, triggering their bloodlust. It’s best if the two worlds remain separate.”
“All the more reason to find out exactly what the current situation is on Vambiri,” said Emanui.
“She could do it,” said Jasper, pointing to the monitor. An astrophysicist was being interviewed. J’Vor turned up the volume as they listened.
“A wormhole mouth embedded in high-mass density might accrete mass, giving the other mouth a net negative mass of unusual gravitational properties,” said the astrophysicist. “If a particle with positive electric charge passes through such a wormhole, its lines of force, threading through the wormhole aperture, give the entrance mouth an effective positive charge and the exit mouth an effective negative charge.”
“Is she speaking English?” asked Nadia.
Jasper laughed.
“Do you know her, Jasper?” asked Tariq.
“It’s Twofer,” said Jasper. “A nickname of sorts for Devonna Douglass — less obvious than ‘Double D.’ She was an intern at NASA some ten years ago.”
WORDS
Hyde Park, London
2044 AD
The regulars at Speaker’s Corner recognized the disheveled man as he made his way to his unofficial spot. After removing the milk crate that was secured to his shoulders with a dirty rope, he set it on the ground and stood on top of it.
“In the book of Luke, the Christ warns us of things that have now come to pass!” he began. “He told us there would be signs in the sun, moon, and stars! According to Matthew, after the Tribulation the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and He will come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet!”
“Off the meds today, Merk?” asked Amos, one of the regulars. “Stick with the Summa Theologica. I prefer listening to your arguments in support of why the Christ chose to live in poverty.”
“The discovery of the Ark of the Covenant with its tablets of fractal cuneiforms is a precursor to the Rapture,” continued Merk. “The wormhole that materialized in the Kuiper Belt is another sign!”
“The Ark of the Covenant was declared a fake with its laser-carved stone tablets,” said Amos, “and I don’t recall reading about a wormhole in the book of Revelation.”
“When the singularity formed,” said Merk, “the stars in that sector disappeared and the constellations on the other side became visible. Celestial disturbances were foretold.”
“Celestial disturbances have scientific explanations,” retorted Amos.
“Quantum particle physics is not in conflict with religion,” said Merk. “It is entirely possible that we live in a light-based spectrum held together by electromagnetism. This would explain how a single light particle can be in two places at once, and as such, the problem of a spaceship attaining light speed is moot.”
“I know about the light particle argument,” said Amos. “It leads straight to ancient astronaut theory. I thought you were a purist when it came to the Word.”
“I am,” said Merk. “The Bible is humanity’s book. Who are we to say that God did not share the Word with other beings?”
“Aliens with their own version of the Bible?” asked Amos. “Their own Adam and Eve? Their own Savior?”
“Who are we to say?” repeated Merk.
Amos chuckled. “Speaker’s Corner is never dull when you’re around, Merk.”
PRECAUTIONS
Lifeboat, Arctic Circle
2044 AD
“Delete tracking algorithm for all cerebral implants,” commanded Emanui. “Voice authorization Emanui-2. Hierarchy alpha.”
The artificial computer voice responded.
VOICE AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.
UNABLE TO INITIATE PROCEDURE.
TWO VOICE CODES REQUIRED.
“Override!” she commanded. “Incapacity protocol B3.”
INCAPACITY PROTOCOL B3 NOT APPLICABLE.
TWO VOICE CODES REQUIRED.
“Damn!” she muttered.
She had no choice — she would have to go through official channels.
*******
“Would you please state the reasons for your request?” asked Jasper.
“The cerebral implants will automatically swell upon blood ingestion,” said Emanui. “That is more than sufficient for the protection of humanity. Granted, when the Rescued were in the beginning stages of being weaned off blood, the tracking algorithms were an extra layer of security. We have not had a single instance of insurgency among the Rescued in centuries — the tracking algorithm is no longer necessary and is, quite frankly, an invasion of privacy.”
“Why bring this up now?” asked J’Vor. “There seems to be an urgency about it with you.”
“The wormhole that took the Newisla to Vambiri changes everything,” said Emanui.
“I’m not following you,” said Tariq.
“If Kevak and the Newlunders have been revived, there could be another hidden conspiracy like the one that happened shortly before their departure,” said Emanui.
“The rogue Vambir and the three Newlunder traitors are dead,” said J’Vor.
“The siblings are onboard the Newisla,” said Emanui, “and they don’t have cerebral implants. Neither do Kwetz or Vrin, for that matter.”
“It wasn’t necessary,” said Tariq. “They were put into stasis just before departure. There are no humans on Vambiri; therefore, there was no need for the implants.”
“We know that the siblings and Kwetz were highly intelligent regarding modern technology, and they deceived all of us for a time,” said Emanui. “If the siblings wanted control over the Newlunders, then sabotaging the implants would certainly cross their minds.”
“Why would they do such a thing?” asked J’Vor. “They were controlled by the Newlunder traitors, who were in turn betrayed by the rogue Vambir. The siblings were merely pawns.”
The moment had come that Emanui had been dreading for thirty years. “No,” she said. “The rogue Vambir and three Newlunders were certainly murderous traitors, but the siblings were the ones responsible for all their deaths. It was part of an elaborate plan. It was easy to believe that youths of their tender age were controlled by them.”
“You’re just guessing!” exclaimed Jasper.
Emanui hung her head and sighed. “We all believed the knife wound that Tolum inflicted into the brainstem of the rogue Vambir was done in self-defense and was the cause of death—it wasn’t. It occurred post-mortem, and it was done to hide the fact that they transmitted the kill commands to the implants of the rogue Vambir and the Newlunder traitors.”
“The implant of the rogue Vambir was not swollen,” said Tariq.
“That’s what we missed,” said Emanui. “The rogue Vambir had to consume blood in order to maintain his human form, and so the implant the traitors fitted to him by necessity was designed differently.”
“How long?” asked J’Vor. “How long have you known this?”
“I found out just after we moved the lifeboat to
the Arctic Circle,” she said. “The computer equipment from the monastery in Russia and the mainframe from Newlun were sent here for disposal. I had misgivings about the siblings that wouldn’t go away, so I reconfigured the data. The rogue Vambir’s implant was designed to kill with a high-voltage burst, not by swelling as we originally believed.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Tariq. “Kevak needs to be warned!”
“Yes!” cried Emanui. “Kevak needs to be warned! I transmitted an electronic message to him as soon as I found out, but we would have been long dead by the time the Newisla arrived at Vambiri and he could read it. For thirty years I have lived with the anguish of being powerless to help him. Then the wormhole appeared, and that changed everything.”
“Do you think the siblings are behind the formation of the wormhole?” asked Jasper.
“No,” said Emanui. “The data clearly shows it originated from Vambiri. But if everyone onboard the Newisla has been revived, who knows what the siblings are planning? If they were to return to Earth, then as a precaution, we need to prevent them from sending kill commands to the cerebral implants of the Rescued.”
“Computer!” called J’Vor. “Voice authorization J’Vor-1. Hierarchy alpha.”
VOICE AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.
“Delete tracking algorithm for all cerebral implants,” he commanded.
UNABLE TO INITIATE PROCEDURE.
TWO VOICE CODES REQUIRED.
“Computer!” called Emanui. “Voice authorization Emanui-2. Hierarchy alpha. Delete tracking algorithm for all cerebral implants.”
SECOND VOICE AUTHORIZATION CONFIRMED.
TRACKING ALGORITHM DELETED.
ARRIVAL
Low Vambiri Orbit
Earth Year 2044 AD
The interior lights of the Newisla flickered on as the computer initiated the revival sequence for the stasis pods of the crew. Kevak could hear his pod’s hatch opening as he regained consciousness.
I’m alive.
Instinctively, he rolled on his side and curled up in a ball in anticipation of the convulsions that would soon begin. To his surprise and relief, he only experienced mild nausea and dizziness. After getting to his feet and gingerly taking a few steps, he grabbed a hemo-nectar tube and quickly consumed the contents.
The Nosferatu Chronicles: Return to Vambiri Page 3
