Starfire

by B. V. Larson

  Statnik’s eyes flashed angrily. “I’m trying to be civil, Kira. You brought all this onto yourself—and you involved the rest of the world as well! The least you can do is let me speak.”

  Kira rolled her eyes and gazed at the fish. Lev said nothing. The more Kira pissed off the authorities the better, as far as he was concerned. With luck, they would assign no blame to him for the disastrous loss of their undersea facility.

  “Lieutenant Burkov,” Statnik said, turning toward him. “The Russian Academy of Sciences was established in 1724, as you may know. In modern times, it has grown to encompass over five hundred institutions and fifty-five thousand scientists.”

  The man said this with considerable pride, so Lev endeavored to look impressed. To his mind, the government’s money had been overly allocated to science and space since the Cold War. But he saw no reason to antagonize this man.

  “I had no idea the academy was so extensive, sir,” he said politely.

  “Indeed, it is. The Primorsky Scientific Center in Vladivostok is one of the most impressive institutions in the Far East Division, if I do say so myself. As the director, I’m very proud of our achievements. We were a major participant in the Mars-500 project, simulating a manned journey into space in 2011. Vladivostok now boasts, among other things, the Primorsky Oceanarium, which is the largest such facility in the world.”

  Lev crossed his arms, and he felt moved to ask a question. “What exactly is an Oceanarium, sir?”

  Dr. Statnik smiled indulgently. “The Oceanarium is what sits directly above this office. It’s an amazing enclosure that presents ocean habitats in a myriad of forms. It’s a giant ecosystem—or rather a grouping of different ecosystems—under one roof. It functions as both a tourist attraction and a research facility.”

  “Ah, I see,” Lev said, sitting back again. He eyed the ceiling reflexively, hoping not to see any cracks or leaks.

  “Yes, there is an artificial body of water above us even now,” Dr. Statnik explained. “We’re underneath the structure itself. Here, our most serious work is done. When we discovered the Artifact at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, a research facility was needed on the continent to anchor scientific efforts and exploit what was learned. The excavations here have been deep and rapid, but at last the facility is beginning to bear fruit.”

  Suddenly, Statnik turned a dark eye toward Kira. “That was, up until someone saw fit to alter all our schedules and destroy three years of painstaking work!”

  Kira sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “Nothing was happening up there, Statnik. You should be thanking me. Perhaps, in the near future, you will.”

  Statnik turned back to Lev again. His face shifted back into that of the kindly professor. Lev was beginning to wonder if the man was schizophrenic

  “I’m sorry, where was I? Yes, the Oceanarium. We’ve been taking in the data learned in the Arctic and applying it here. We’ve learned about molecular compression and physical models we can’t observe directly on Earth—not without the Artifact.”

  “A waste of time,” Kira snapped. “A sick waste of time. Is the ship done yet or not?”

  Statnik stared at her with an expression of mixed anger and concern. “That is a classified matter, Dr. Norin. Surely you haven’t discussed this matter with—”

  “With Lev? I most certainly have. We’ve been stuck together underwater for days.”

  Lev became concerned. He leaned forward and attempted a flickering smile. “Dr. Statnik, I urge you not to listen to anything this woman says about me. She’s treacherous, irrational and a consummate liar. I have no idea what ‘ship’ you two are talking about—nor do I want to learn anything about it.”

  “Hmm, yes,” Statnik said. “Unfortunately, you may have to learn more about it, under the circumstances.”

  Lev stared at him, unclear where he stood.

  Statnik flicked his eyes up to the two guards who had quietly moved into the room to stand behind them. He nodded toward the door, and they left.

  Lev could not help but consider his next move. He had choices now, should he decide to exercise extreme options. He could kill Statnik and Norin within seconds. In fact, the idea was somewhat appealing. He’d had about as much as he could stand from scientists of any stripe over the last few weeks.

  He gave his head a shake to clear it of mad thoughts and sighed. “Please go on, sir,” he said. “But I would like to point out that I’m perfectly happy to leave right now. I was ordered to transport Dr. Norin to Moscow. I could leave her in your custody instead. Actually, I would think it would be an efficient move for the Kremlin, since from this location we’re conveniently close to certain Siberian prison facilities. I could name them for you.”

  Statnik found this humorous, and his grin grew into a chuckle. “I like the way you think, Lieutenant. But let me finish, please.”

  Resigned to the idea he wasn’t getting out of here immediately, Burkov sat back again with as much civility as he could muster.

  “The ship,” Statnik said, “is a terrific advancement in science. We’re launching it very soon. We had not planned to, of course, but all our plans have been accelerated due to recent, unsanctioned actions taken by Dr. Norin.”

  “And that concerns me how?” Lev asked.

  “Because I plan to place you aboard the ship, Lieutenant.”

  Lev stared at him. After a moment, he laughed. “Why? I’m not a cosmonaut.”

  “No, but you are extremely resourceful. You survived an undersea disaster. You managed to contain Dr. Norin in the process and force her to help you escape in a submarine you weren’t qualified to pilot.”

  “Yes, but—” began Lev, feeling alarmed. Was he never going to get back to Nika in St. Petersburg?

  “The matter has already been decided,” Statnik said. “I’ve contacted your superiors in Moscow and made all the arrangements. You’ll be going with us.”

  “With us?” Lev asked, frowning in astonishment. “Who are we talking about?”

  “There are a significant number of people going. Our weight limits are quite generous due to the new propulsion systems. I’m going, and so is Dr. Norin.”

  Lev looked at Kira in shock. She laughed aloud, enjoying his discomfort and surprise.

  “But why?” Lev demanded. “Why am I going anywhere?”

  “You can handle the cold, you can handle machines, and you can handle Dr. Norin. I would call her a mixture of both, wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes, but…”

  “Lieutenant,” Statnik said gently. “I know this all must come as something of a shock to you. Believe me, my staff and I have been shocked since we learned of the accelerated plans. You have only yourself to blame, Dr. Norin.”

  “I’m glad to be of service to the Empire,” Kira said bitterly.

  Statnik and Burkov winced at her inflammatory use of the term “Empire” but said nothing.

  “But I still don’t understand,” Lev said. “What kind of ship are you talking about? Where are we going?”

  “We’re going into space,” Statnik said with an almost apologetic tone. “We must follow the beam the Artifact transmitted into the void. And unfortunately, we must leave immediately.”

  “But…” Lev said, at a loss. “I know about the beam. The radiation was intense, and Dr. Norin said it was a signal of some kind. Why must we rush into following it? Hasn’t the Artifact been sitting down there for more than a century?”

  “Indeed it has. But Dr. Norin activated it, and the signal has been noticed by our rivals. They too, know where the transmission went. We can’t take the chance they’ll beat us to our destination.”

  “Our rivals? You mean the Americans?”

  “Of course.”

  Lev was stunned. Of all the things he might have expected to fall on his head today, a trip into space was not even on the list.

  “I still—why her? Why is she going into space instead of prison?”

  “Let me answer that one,” Kira said. “There�
��s something I never explained to you, Lev. I’m one of a very few people who can activate the Artifact. That’s why they sent me down there in the first place. That’s why I was able to get it to respond the way I did. I would suspect they’ve stolen some of the technology utilized in this ship from the Artifact.”

  “All right,” Lev said, still trying to find a way out. “But why involve me? I’ve been punished enough on this mission. I’ve completed it, even though it was seemingly impossible to do so. My reward for a heroic effort is to be shot up into space?”

  “Lieutenant,” Kira said in an admonishing tone. “You kidnapped a woman and surfaced a sub. Let’s not call that heroism.”

  Lev ignored her. He focused on Statnik, who seemed to be making the decisions here.

  “Sir, I implore you. I don’t want to spend years in space. And I don’t see how I could help you.”

  “Lieutenant Burkov, I understand your confusion. If you wish to talk to your superiors in Moscow—”

  “Nyet!” Lev roared. The other two froze for a moment. They sensed their danger—and they were correct in their assumptions.

  Lev fought to control himself.

  “I’m talking to you, sir,” he said. “Not to Moscow. You have the power to change this.”

  “Lev,” Statnik said in a low voice, “my team is made up entirely of scientists. We aren’t fighters or jailors. We must take Dr. Norin with us, and she doesn’t want to go. You will serve as her keeper.”

  Lev stared at the woman. “I should have snapped your neck when I had the chance,” he said, and he meant it.

  Alarmed, Statnik picked up his phone. He tapped at it, then handed it to Lev, who took it reluctantly. Lev was all too familiar with the stern voice on the other end who commanded him to complete this new mission.

  By the end of the meeting, he’d accepted his fate. He was a soldier, and he knew how to follow orders. He thought about killing everyone in the room, naturally, even the guards who had quietly returned to stand behind him.

  But he would not do so. Not today.

  Instead, he would leave the Earth and fly to God knew where while holding the leash of a madwoman he couldn’t stand.

  Chapter 30

  Area 51, Outer Gates

  Day

  Scorched brown rocks surrounded by white sand. That’s all there was out there. It was a region of outright desolation. A place with little life. Even the flies avoided it. The skies, however, were as blue as could be.

  Sandeep rolled up to metal gates and presented his credentials.

  “Sir?” the guard said. “You’re not on our roster for entry today.”

  “No, I’m not on the published list.”

  “I’ll have to call this in. You understand, I’m sure.”

  “Yes, of course.” Sandeep handed the man an additional card. The card bore the name of Major Clark.

  “What’s this?”

  “Call the extension printed on this card, would you?”

  The guard frowned, looking at it. “Yes sir.”

  The armed man walked back to the booth where two others had watched the entire exchange closely.

  Security had tightened over recent years as international tensions had worsened between Russia and the United States. Sandeep swiveled his head, spotting the snipers atop guard posts strung along the fence. They all looked the same, these troops. They had caps, sunglasses, and were armed with rifles. They rarely smiled, not even at one another.

  After a few minutes, the guard came back and handed Sandeep a clipboard to sign. He did so and drove into the compound.

  The turmoil that news of his visit had just undoubtedly ignited amused him. The people within the base who were afraid of Clayworth would be scrambling now.

  He wasn’t like her, he assured himself. He was far less ruthless. He was a government man who got his work done, certainly. But he did so for national security and an archaic sense of duty. He had been born in Kashmir, India, and had immigrated with his parents to California to avoid the constant unrest in their homeland. They’d seen the United States as a rare bastion of civility and hope in a world full of neither.

  Like many people from India, they’d always maintained a favorable impression of America. That was rare in the world at large these days, but not on the subcontinent. His family liked a place where a hardworking man could make a good living.

  When Sandeep had grown up, he’d decided to help keep it that way. He’d seen the events of September 11th, 2001, taking them in as a warning from his own family’s past. Could the U. S. become another struggling democracy? He’d dedicated his life to making sure that didn’t happen. First, he’d joined the military and served in the Mideast. Later, he’d joined Homeland Security and climbed his way through the agent ranks to become one of Clayworth’s trusted lieutenants.

  Today, however, he was less certain that his efforts were helping. After all, when working for a woman like Clayworth, who thought of nothing other than accomplishing her mission in her own way, regardless of any consequences to the society she was supposedly defending—well, it bothered him.

  Clark met him in a hangar as Sandeep had known he would. It was neutral ground, part of the airbase, but also part of the elevator system that connected the upper world to the lower.

  “Sandeep!” Major Clark said, throwing out a hand to clasp.

  “Major Clark, it’s been too long. I can see the desert clime agrees with your disposition.”

  Sandeep took the offered hand and shook it warmly. Sandeep was not fooled, but he played along. Clark had to be furious that he’d come directly to the base with no warning.

  Between the various black ops facilities across the country, a rivalry had always existed. There was rarely any agreement over matters such as the allocation of resources, budgets, personnel and especially the chain of command. Unlike military organizations, where a general was a general, the field of scientific research was a battleground of ideas. Gaining and holding the attention of government officials was difficult. No one liked a government official from a new presidential administration, or a manager from another lab, telling them how to prioritize—or God forbid cancel a pet project.

  Area 51 was a particularly problematic institution. The people here were top-notch, but they had a well-deserved reputation as mavericks. They operated in a gray zone between the military and the national labs. They served both entities—or neither—depending on who you talked to.

  “Is there something in particular I can do for you, Sandeep?” Clark asked.

  “I’m here to offer you my services. I don’t want to be in the way. If you could just show me around the Gamma level, I’ll be able to report back on your progress to the Secretary. If—”

  “We send daily reports. Video reports, actually.”

  Sandeep’s smile never wavered. Neither did Clark’s. “I know that. Let me be the first to apologize, Major. This is an official visit, and I’ve been charged with formulating an independent report on the Gamma Project.”

  Major Clark looked strained. “I see. I haven’t received any negative remarks from Clayworth. Is there something I should know about?”

  “Well…there have been certain security breaches.”

  “Silicon Valley? Lab 126? I know what was in the briefing.”

  Sandeep nodded seriously. “One thing we have to make sure of is that nothing like that could happen here.”

  Clark laughed. It was a short, strained affair. Sandeep could not recall ever having heard the sound come out of this man before. He was always smiling warmly—but he never laughed.

  “Absurdity,” Clark said. “Look at our perimeter. We’re not an outpost in the wilds to be broken into by local thugs. This encampment has defenses that could hold off a military incursion.”

  “Right, well…right…” Sandeep said. “I believe Clayworth is worried about indirect threats.”

  Clark’s smile slid off his face. “Terrorism? Treachery?”

  “Something like th
at.”

  “That’s my field, Sandeep. You’re saying I’m not doing my job.”

  “No, no, no! Nothing like it, Major! Look, if this is an inconvenient time, if you’re not ready—”

  “There’s no such time,” Clark said. “Of course I’m ready. Follow me, please.”

  All pretense of friendliness had vanished from Clark’s demeanor. Sandeep was sorry to see the change, but he understood it. There was little he could do. Clark was excellent at discovering true intentions—that was why he held the post he did. Major Clark was Gamma Project’s leader, and he took his job very seriously.

  Sandeep congratulated himself as he followed Clark through security. The man was a ferret—but he’d missed the scent this time. Clayworth didn’t want to know if Area 51 was secure or not. She wanted to know if the project could be advanced ahead of schedule. They had to beat the Russians into the final stages of this game.

  The two passed heavy layers of security and then rode down a system of elevators in relative silence. Finally, Clark seemed to relax.

  “We do have something new,” he said. “Something you could take back to Clayworth.”

  “By all means, I’d love to see it!”

  The elevator looked normal enough, but instead of carrying them up into a building, it had transported them deep beneath the desert. The doors opened, and a long corridor stretched out ahead of them. Odd doors with intense security systems lined the corridor. At its end was another, larger set of doors.

  Sandeep approached these with trepidation. He knew the region around the doors could kill him in a dozen unique ways.

  The doors opened and let them into the main chamber with the Artifact. Immediately, Sandeep could tell that today was unusual. There was a crowd near the ramps, and a group of scientists were pressing close to the ice-laden rock in the center.

  “Is that safe?”

  “Normally no,” Major Clark admitted. “But today, we have a surprise. I told them to step up their plans. Please follow me.”

  Major Clark walked around the central pit with Sandeep in tow. He reached a set of doors that rarely opened. Applying his hand to the lock, it opened after scanning him.