Now I'm no genius but I was starting to think that this symbol represented a type of command, like stop/go. Or out/in.
And there was one other thing I'd noticed; on each cycle before it reset back to the beginning, I saw another symbol that wasn't present at all on the gate until the end of each cycle. It would flicker bright red and then disappear. It seemed something like a fire symbol. In the files, this was the self-destruct symbol. According to what I'd learned from the blackguard files, the cipher would need to be inserted and activated when this symbol came on in the cycle. Tricky work, now that I was watching how the stargate operated in reality.
The gate was communicating with some entity out there. I knew it. The signal appeared to be dead around here because they didn't want anyone to know what they were actually up to. To unopened eyes, this was a diagnostic check. But even though I was no engineer I knew something wasn't right here. They were getting outside information. Probably about how to adjust or correct the conditions of the wormhole that would soon be opening through it. I heard the carpeted footfalls of security officers coming around the corner. I moved swiftly through a doorway down the hallway just out of sight. I took out my pin camera and took a few pictures and then streaked across a small walkway and into a tube lift. There was no Virtual Voice. At all. For a moment, I was stunned, expecting to give it a command. I looked over the panel and touched it. Numbers lit up and I touched numbers UL1, where I wanted to be in the first place. I was now wishing I'd brought a gun with me under my jacket. For which then I'd have been arrested.
I felt fear spike through me as the doors remained closed. The panel lit up again and then blinked. Soon I heard the chime of a timer. The code! I touched the numbers on the panel, inputting the code: 10011001. The countdown timer shut off and the doors slid open.
What I saw before me was a dimly lit room full of monitors, huge cables and tubes and it hummed with a low resonant sound like deep drums in the far distance. I didn't see or hear anyone in this room. I stepped forward to an arch of curved black metal columns curving up from the floor into the ceiling and through it. Tubes full of plasma fluid were flooding and winding around this apparatus and I realized this was the gate itself. It was a small gate as fanciful artist renderings and illustrations I'd seen in the past went but it was still large enough to be awe inspiring, especially now that I was beneath it and looking up into its very center.
Far away on the other side of the Lissler Room, I heard people talking. I quickly hid behind a huge coil around one of the huge, pronged-shaped columns holding the gate up. I quickly glanced at the tube lift doors. They were in direct sight of the next room which seemed to be filled with working people. I heard another different sound. A mech was coming. I crouched down to hide and heard something pass by behind the column. Perhaps it didn't matter that I was here. No one knew what these aliens were up to except the people outside protesting the convention and even they didn't know the whole story.
I examined the coils and cords, studying them, trying to remember what cables might—according to the files—take this bad boy out of commission. One, two, three. . . four. It was the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth cords from the third column that I needed to tamper with. Things always looked different in three-dimensional space from blueprints. Now I was confused and this did nothing to alleviate my fear of fouling things up. I needed to figure it out now. Concentrate!
Certain that the mech had continued on, I sneaked over towards the third column, studying the system of coils, cables and lights here. The humming, that low, barely heard rumbling of power was immense. I felt as if I were peering into the heart of the universe. When looking up it felt like I was falling into a black hole, In a way, the device may eventually allow humans and aliens to peer and travel to the heart of the universe, if such a thing existed. It felt like touching infinity. But enough of that.
I saw it. The small mass of cords where streaming plasma fluid streamed in thick currents, and within this mass, the three smaller cords that by hand I could either snatch away if my strength was great enough or cut. I would need a special weapon to do that. A laser shear. I'd need one small enough to fit inside of a pocket or a small bag under my clothes. I worried about the UV radiation such an amount might emit once these cords were ruptured but what else was there? I would need to do this in order to render the gate temporarily inoperable.
But that would only be a short, temporary solution. The gate could reactivate itself or be repaired rather simply in under a half hour. So after that, I would need to find a way to get the cube inside one of the ports in the gate itself once the start sequence was running and the fire symbol appeared to actually render it completely inoperable. I heard the faint buzzing of the security mech coming back again. I crouched down underneath the gate by the third column, just barely missing the sweeping searchlight before the mech moved on again. Creeping out again to the aisle, I looked back to see the room at the other end. This time, the door was closed. I slipped back to the tube lift. I would need something special to make this easier to do and not be seen and I had the feeling that Ellen Vartan would be able to help me out. I input the code on the panel to get back to the main floor. It was time to get Will and see how he could fit into the plan. And if Vartan didn't realize that someone else had died down in the shaft I was going to alert her. It made me shiver. That could have been me down there. It could have been me in all sorts of scenarios. Had she even cared about the poor soul?
Making my way out of the convention center and toward Nadine's, I checked my com-link. Diamond had finally called me back. It was about time. Time was running out and I could feel the pressure bearing down on me. If anyone knew where a key for this cipher could be found, it had to be Diamond.
6
“You're looking for what now?” came Diamond's voice on the other end of the line, full of incredulity.
“A key for the cipher I have.”
“What cipher?”
“It's something I found at Genevieve's hideout.”
“And she let you keep it?”
“Yes!” I said irritably. Actually, I didn't recall whether she gave permission. She probably didn't miss it anyway. She had a million pieces of alien hardware stacked up out there. Besides that, I got the strangest suspicion that Diamond was stalling.
“So this thing has a special key that needs to unlock it after all?”
“That's the information that I've got from the Blackguard Files. It's the only way that I know the cipher will work. This cube is actually something that works with the stargate but in order for it to work in the gate, it also needs a physical key.”
“That's weird. There's got to be an easier way to do this.”
“I'm sure there is but I don't know any other way, Diamond and I don't have a lot of time,” I said, injecting a tone of urgency in my voice. I was sure this wasn't lost on him.
“Okay. Give me the rundown on what this plan of yours is. I get the feeling that the whole world and the universe hangs in the balance, once again. Am I right?”
“Real funny, wise guy. Something came into my possession recently. Something called the Blackguard Project. It isn't the first time I'd found out about it. Genevieve told me about it years ago but now the Big Boss had one of her agents send me the files. I'm telling you Diamond, this seems to be one of the things that started it all. The first solar gate was to be built from the information found in these files. The information on how to construct the solar gate were stolen by an alien shadow group and the people who found out about what they were planning to do were killed. Well, they've built another gate, a stargate and some of these hidden loyalists will be at the Sci-Tech convention to usher in their own in the first attack on Earth! This gate is being used as a Trojan Horse.”
“But how? Unless someone on their side out there on a hive ship has built a gate as well?”
“That's the thing. I think they have. Or they're in the process of doing do. Remember the battle of Europa? As we l
eft the moon I saw something like a drone or a capsule escape from the surface, from the alien base. We weren't able to get to it in time and destroy that capsule. What if that capsule had information containing how to build another stargate? I have this information now from the project and by happenstance, I have something that can put the gate on Earth out of commission.”
“Dear God! My part of the battle was in space. I'd forgotten about the capsule. But if they could build a gate why bother building it here on Earth? Why not on one of their hidden bases in the system?”
“Who says they haven't? I believe they are doing just that but this is a smaller gate meant to make a direct attack on Earth with smaller fighting forces that are going to come right through that gate once they activate it at the convention. I really think a much larger one is being produced somewhere out there in the solar system to accommodate much bigger ships. The thing is, scarce resources and the means to extract them and build with them is a huge challenge. That's really the only thing that's stopped them from executing a complete takeover in the past.”
“But once their brothers get here from the Mothership, it's game over for us.”
“Right. That's why they stole the Blackguard Files, to get the stargate information and that's why they are trying so hard to build these stargates. One after another. They won't give up. They know that's all they really have to do! Just build another one!”
“I'll be honest, I don't know anything about keys for stargates but if such things exist, I know a guy who knows someone else who might help. However, I'm not friends or a close acquaintance of this guy so I can't guarantee you anything.” I could work with that.
“And?” I probed. He paused. I could hear his reluctance over the com-link.
“And the place to find him is on Gan Ning.” My heart sank like a stone hearing that word. Gan Ning. The worst station in the solar system. I cleared my throat.
“Yes, you heard me correctly,” said Diamond, with a hint of humor in his voice. “Gan Ning is where we'll find someone who might be willing to help us. I hope you've got serious credits for this Bob because he ain't gonna be cheap.” Honestly, I wasn't too concerned about that because of my backer.
“I have an unlimited expense account to spend whenever I go on a mission off Earthside,” I said.
“Good. Because if that weren't the case we'd be dead in the water before things got off the ground. Unless you have another idea. So, uh, unlimited expense account, eh? I like the sound of that. There are a few places that have some interesting food and rare spirits up there on Gan Ning. Fine wines, rare liquors and more,” Diamond was said with relish. “You'll have to have an atomic stomach, though.”
“Hold on there, partner. We're on business to save the world. Remember, we've got a nasty loyalist invasion to stop before it gets started.”
“Sure! But who knows what might happen to us? Let's have a bit of fun while we're out there. That's all I'm saying.” I had no idea how decent folk could have fun on such a place but Diamond's motto was live fast, die hard. Or was it live hard and die fast? Whichever one it was, it wasn't ideal. I preferred my grandmother's motto: 'Pray, hope and live.'
“We're on strict business, Diamond!”
“Sure, Bob!” I could hear the grin in his voice. He always exasperated me when it came to stuff like this. I never knew what tricks he had in store.
After the call ended I sat down, my mood dropping even lower. Pam had sent me a bomb in the form of a terse letter this morning on my datapad that she was taking the kids and going back to stay with her family in Vermont next month. I couldn't believe it! I needed to find some way to explain to her what was really happening. I'd get Ellen to help me. Pam wasn't about to listen to me but she might believe Ellen. Especially when the bodyguards showed up. I prepared for another trip, this time to the unknown wilds of the infamous Gan Ning, and at the same time hoped desperately that I could find someway to keep my family together.
. . .
I was studying a news broadcast on WSEL while making some preparations for my trip when I got a sudden warning in my mind, like a sharp slap. I went down the hallway and to the living room and peered outside. One of the bodyguards, nicknamed Steel Eye, was checking the perimeter of the house. Pam's simmering anger towards me had turned into shock and dismay when Ellen informed her that we'd be having twenty-four hour security, as in bodyguards and of the work I was doing for her. Hearing this from another woman seemed to help matters. She decided not to move with the kids. She was finally coming around to the fact that this wasn't a joke and that I wasn't lying.
But things still remained tense, just in a different way. Rather than anger there was fear. Which wasn't much better.
I went to Jonah's room and looked in. He was on his computer playing a game. Silently, I walked down the hall and through the kitchen to look out the windows. I saw a blur of shadow, the second security guard, maybe? There was a soft footfall behind me. I whirled around, senses on full alert. The second bodyguard had come into the kitchen, finishing her first round at the back of the house and the basement.
The neighborhood was quiet like it always was. I frowned. So why do things feel strange? I peeked through one of the blinds and thought I'd detected a blurred image of. . .something. But it was so quick and faint. It was late evening and the sunlight was fading.
“The family should stay inside the house to-” her words were cut off suddenly as her com-link. crackled with a warning from Steel Eye.
“Gather the family and go to the safe room, now!” she warned. “Something's been detected!” I ran to Jonah's room.
“Jonah! We need to get to the safe room right now!”
“But I-”
“NOW!” I charged into the room and grabbed him by the arm. “Something is wrong and we need to get to the safe room right now! No argument!” With him at my heels I ran to Mary's room and scooped up my daughter who had been lying in her bed listening to an audiobook. The female bodyguard, Maddie, went to the basement where Pam was washing clothes and warned her. I grabbed my laser pistol from my bedroom as Maddie ushered the children downstairs.
“What's happening, Bob?” Pam asked fearfully,
“The house is under attack!” I glanced through to the kitchen only to see what the culprit was. It was a spider mech. It crawled inside the kitchen having bashed through a window seconds before with one of its long, rippling metal legs. I ran toward the basement as another one crawled in behind it and the other scuttled across the kitchen floor and into the dining room. In a few seconds it was already in the hallway, growing larger and its legs becoming longer as it lept toward me. I slammed the basement door closed and locked it.
Upstairs I heard laser fire as one of the killer mechs shot at me and hit the door. Maddie was calling the police. I entered the safe room just as the metal doors to the safe room locked down.
“Jonah, take your sister to the closet over there and stay quiet,” I said. His eyes were alert but he took Mary and obeyed.
Pam comforted her as Jonah urged Mary to go with him. Pam went with them both as I took out my gun. The guards already had their weapons out and they were each stationed at either side of the locked metal doors. I could hear the slide-tap-tap sound of the mechs making their way into the basement after having fired a furious volley of laser fire. I heard the basement door fall off its hinges and pieces clatter down the stairs. Now they were making their way into the basement.
There was silence as the sounds on the other side of the door stopped. And then something sounded like a canister dropping to the ground. Oh no!
As if right on queue, the male guard told me to get away from the door and Pam grabbed masks for me and the rest of my family. Unfortunately, there were none for the bodyguards. Pam hurriedly put the children's masks on first. I put mine on just in time to see thin streams of a thin, fog-like substance coming in from cracks in the ceiling. Some type of poison gas.
“Where's the back door?” demanded the first bo
dyguard. I pointed to a round metal door in the ceiling of the closet.
“Go!” he shouted. He directed Maddie to go with us. We climbed the mounted ladder and fled out the hatch just in time to hear sirens wailing and the police air craft dropping down around our house. There was a small family carrier coming up behind them. She ushered us all in. I looked back to see the first guard sprawled out in the front doorway as we lifted off. He was choking and then he gasped and went still. Maddie climbed into the carrier with us, wracked with violent coughing, and we were spirited away. The look in Pam's eyes was fright but she held it together for the children. She took off her mask and put it on Maddie. The bodyguard's coughing finally subsided.
Mission: Blackguard Conspiracy Page 8
