“Is that what I think it is?” asked Teller.
“Double latte,” said Cathy, handing him one. “The coffee here is lousy, but I've got contacts on the outside; an old friend that works as a barista in Midtown. She's set up a portable station and is making a killing from the media circus.”
Teller sipped at the coffee through the disposable plastic lid. The milk froth was smooth and creamy. The coffee was a little cool, but quite refined, not too bitter. After two days of military mud, it was refreshing.
“We're going to have to get security clearance for your friend,” joked Teller.
Cathy was beaming. She reached out, brushing her hand playfully against him.
“I must admit, I had an ulterior motive in bringing you some coffee.”
“Really,” replied Teller, enjoying her contagious enthusiasm.
“Can you help me?”
She looked quite coy.
“Sure,” he replied, smitten.
“Mason's given me the assignment from hell. Well, that's probably a bit of an overstatement. I shouldn't call it that, but I've definitely drawn the short straw.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I get the religious debate. They're sending a car over in a few minutes. I've got to go and meet with the Interfaith Commune Group down in lower New York. Would you like to come? Keep me company? Help out if the discussion gets overly technical?”
“Sure.”
“You mean it?” she asked. “You'll come? Really?”
“Really.”
“It's not too late to say you're too busy,” she said.
From the radiant smile on her face, Teller could see his company on this assignment meant a lot to her, so he was happy to go along with her. She was quite quirky, and he liked that about her.
“I'll come,” he replied as they walked into the command tent. She gave his hand a little squeeze, trying not to draw too much attention to them, but wanting to reach out and touch him. She was flirting, but he could see she was trying to avoid making it too obvious to anyone else. Nothing much had happened last night, nothing beyond a kiss, but they both seemed drawn to each other all the more.
“Oh, here's another headache,” said Mason with a smile, reaching out and shaking Teller's hand. “Sleep well?”
“Too well,” replied Teller.
“Good. The core team has a list of questions for you and the contact team wants to run some scenarios by you. The scaffolding's complete, so we're ready to proceed with the beryllium. Anderson has that scheduled for lunchtime, when the intersection aligns. Oh, and you'll love this, they're going to throw a few isotopes at it, try to mix things up a little, see what it makes of that.”
“Nice,” said Teller, liking their thinking. “I'll be interested to see how it responds to that.”
Anderson walked over, seeing Teller talking with Mason,
“Hey,” said Anderson, patting Teller on the shoulder. “You're going to love this. Beryllium, boron, carbon. We get carbon!”
“Really?” replied Teller, his mind racing with the possibilities.
“Oh, yeah. And we're going to have some fun with it. Give it some purified 12C and separate dumps of the isotopes 13C and 14C. I've got buckyballs, graphite, diamonds. We've even sourced some carbon nanotubes. A couple of the guys are really pushing the bounds of the fullerenes on this one, putting together an absolute smorgasbord of different types of carbon molecules. Don't ask me how, but Bates has got his hands on almost a kilo of buckminsterfullerenes; purified 12C in an arrangement of 60 atoms that look like a bunch of mini soccer balls. What do you think our little green friend is going to make of that?”
“Damn,” said Teller. They'd taken the concept of communicating via chemistry and were running with it. They were about to ask some serious questions of the anomaly. He was beginning to regret saying he'd go with Cathy. She was standing beside him, seemingly reading his mind. He glanced at her. She frowned a little, his childlike excitement was evident.
“I suspect,” he began, “that our friend is going to get very excited about taking things beyond the elementary level. Twenty bucks says he shows us some new fullerenes in response.”
“He,” said Cathy, somewhat amused at the assumption of gender.
“It,” added Teller, conceding ground.
“Now, that's a bet I'd like to lose,” replied Anderson with a laugh.
“How are you going to present?” asked Teller.
“The idea is to use the scaffold to drop-feed from just above the core,” said Anderson. “So we're avoiding the possibility of introducing any foreign elements during the delivery process, minimize any possibility of contamination. I want to keep the tone of our conversation pure, so to speak.”
Anderson was pointing over at the rigging on the concrete slab as it sat on a 30 degree incline. The framework sat to one side of the intersection, rising up in a hook-like shape that reached above the softly glowing core like a giant question mark.
“Now is when the real science begins,” said Teller, aware Finch was broadcasting their conversation. “I wish I could stay for the drop, but I'm speaking at the Interfaith Commune Group this afternoon.”
Mason looked at Cathy. She tried to hide her delight.
“Are you sure about that?” asked Mason, turning toward Teller. “Do you know what you're getting yourself into? It's a very different world out there. It's not the same world you left a few days ago.”
Teller was surprised to hear Mason talking like that. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the comment.
“The anomaly has changed everything. The rule book has gone out the window. The whole world is scrambling to keep up. The implications of contact with extraterrestrial beings have been earth-shattering. I don't think you realize just how sheltered you've been in here. Things are moving at a rapid pace out there. This whole fiasco has upset the apple cart.
“And it's not just the fringe groups, or the conspiracy nuts. This thing has rattled everyone's cage. Governments, churches, corporations, they're all struggling with what's been termed The Upheaval. They're struggling because the assumptions they built their lives upon have been called in question with the advent of an alien intelligence. And they're all reacting in different ways. Some are embracing it, others are in denial, while still others are raging against it, but no one is indifferent to it.”
Mason paused for a second.
“There's a reason I asked Cathy to go. And, no, it's not to throw her to the wolves.”
Cathy clenched her lips as she focused carefully on what Mason was saying.
“For us, the anomaly is fascinating. It's impartial and unemotional. It's just another science experiment, albeit on a cosmic scale. We just want to have a crack at it and analyze the results, lose ourselves in the details. For the rest of the world, though, it's disruptive, it's upsetting. The anomaly's very existence threatens everything. It threatens the religious status quo, it challenges the old order, it forces a rethink. Everything is being re-evaluated.”
“So why did you choose me?” asked Cathy. “Am I the dumbest? Or just the most expendable?”
“Not at all,” said Mason, laughing at her choice of words. “I chose you because you're the closest one to them. Out of all of us, you're the best one to be able to relate to the challenges they face. For you, this isn't about hydrogen and helium. For you, this is about the awe, the intrigue. For us, this is about discovery. But for you, this is about change. And you have a unique advantage, you've seen all this through our eyes, and you've seen it without any fear.”
Teller was genuinely surprised. For a hard-ass, Mason had some depth to his reasoning.
“Well,” he admitted, smiling, “I guess that means I am throwing you to the wolves. But the point is, you're street-smart, you're used to people driving a hidden agenda. You're a reporter, you know the angles. Just don't commit to anything and I think you'll represent us quite well.
“The organizers have assured me the debate is not go
ing to be technical or speculative. I've told them we're not willing to entertain in any kind of scientific discussion, or any announcements outside of the established channels, so they're not after an inside scoop. They just want an inside opinion. They want to hear from someone that's been here on the ground. The less technical the better. That's why I chose you.”
Cathy stood there, nodding her head.
“Are you sure you still want to go?” asked Mason, looking at Teller.
“Yes,” said Teller. As intriguing as the element drops were, there would be plenty of time to go over the results when he got back. And, besides, he was surprised by Mason's comments about the outside world. Teller hadn't given the rest of the world a second thought. He assumed everyone would be as excited about the anomaly as he was, so he was curious to see what other points of view there were out there, what their reasoning and motivations would be. And, besides, deep down, Teller felt he fell into the same non-technical category as Cathy. He was an elementary school teacher, not an astrophysicist. It was time to let the real scientists get on with business.
“Then go,” said Mason without any hesitation. “I've got enough headaches to deal with. Do you know what this bloody anomaly did when it broke up those buildings? It tore through the office of the Consular General for the country of Turkey. It ripped the roof off the mission for Bosnia Herzegovina, and cut through a storage room belonging to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. They all want to claim territorial sovereignty over the damn thing, saying its presence on diplomatic territory is akin to being present in each of those countries.”
Cathy laughed.
“You laugh, but I'm happy to hand the religious debate to someone else. I've got enough to deal with.”
Cathy and Teller turned to walk out.
Mason called after them.
“Hey, take no prisoners.”
Chapter 11: Downtown
The drive to the town hall in downtown New York took almost an hour even though it was only four miles away. Teller and Cathy sat in the back of a Marine Corps Hummer. The police cleared the road immediately around the United Nations so they could drive out with ease. Their military Hummer was provided with a police escort, but the traffic in New York was chaos. At first, it just seemed like the classic New York gridlock on a Friday afternoon, with everyone wanting to head upstate for the weekend, but it didn't take long to realize something was wrong.
Garbage had begun to pile up in the streets. It was bagged, but birds and animals had been tearing at the uncollected waste. Police sirens sounded in the distance all too often.
Union Square had been the site of a riot. Several buildings had been burnt out. Storefronts had been ransacked. A bus had been overturned and used as a barricade, forcing them onto the side streets. Broken glass lay strewn on the footpaths. The historic Grace church, on the corner of Broadway and East 10th street, was in flames. Smoke billowed from its ornate marble steeple. Several fire engines were in attendance, battling to contain the blaze. The streets were chaotic. People were everywhere, all of them carrying something, but mostly bags of food and fresh produce.
“What happened?” asked Cathy, leaning forward from the back so she could talk to the driver.
“A couple of days ago, it was just panic buying,” said the young Marine behind the wheel. “They said people were hoarding, that there was no need for panic, but the stores couldn't restock fast enough and people got angry. The mayor sent in the police to break up the protest, and turned it into a riot. A couple of young kids were killed. One of them was the daughter of a union boss, or something like that, so the unions shut down the city, stopped the trains, refused to pick up garbage, closed the ports. The whole place has ground to a halt. Everyone's gone loco. Since that thing appeared from outer space, the place has been like a powder-keg. One spark and boom.”
He stopped talking as they approached a barricade of burnt-out cars blocking the road. The young Marine reversed the Hummer, turning around so he could try another route.
“This anomaly is making people go crazy. They're acting like it's the end of the world.”
They drove on for a few minutes before the driver asked, “It's not the end of the world, is it?”
“No,” said Teller confidently. “It's not the end. It's a new beginning.”
It was only then Teller noticed Cathy had moved over next to him. Rather than sitting on the far side of the Hummer, she'd moved to the middle seat. Somehow, she felt a little safer being close to him. Teller rested his fingers on her hand. She squeezed his fingers in response, appreciating the silent gesture on his part.
Flander's Square, immediately outside the town hall in lower New York, was full of protesters waving placards. Teller caught sight of a couple of them as the Hummer was directed to the rear entrance at the back of the adjacent courthouse.
Roswell Was Just The Beginning.
No Police State.
They Have Been Lying To Us For Decades.
Our Rights Are Not Subject To Alien Interference.
What About Life On Earth?
Beam Me Up, Scotty. There's No Intelligent Life Down Here.
No More Military Cover-Ups.
Teller and Cathy were ushered through the rear door into the town hall auditorium. The discussion had already begun. One of the stagehands escorted them to their seats behind a long table on the raised stage.
There was a mixture of cheers and boos as they sat down. The public was packed in tight. Teller didn't like it, the auditorium was clearly beyond capacity. Any panic in here would be fatal, he thought, noting that people were already blocking the aisles and stood pressed up against the fire escapes.
Teller apologized for their late arrival.
After a round of introductions, it was clear the other panel members were disappointed, if not insulted, that Mason had sent a school teacher and a reporter to represent NASA in the forum. The chair for the meeting directed the first of several prepared questions to them.
“Do you see the alien as incongruous with religion?”
“Ah, that's quite the open-ended question,” replied Cathy. She seemed determined not to rely too heavily on Teller. “Regardless of their historical or regional origins, all religions are concerned with mankind. They are concerned with us, with people, with how we live life here on Earth, with our morals, our ethics, our sense of duty. So, no, I don't see the anomaly as incongruous with any of our religions. I think it is distinctly separate and operates outside them, without contradicting them.”
Teller liked her style. She was trying to avoid the obvious confrontation to come. It was a nice try, but he doubted it would work. And, besides, it was a closed question.
Reverend Barbara Johnson replied first, representing the Southern Baptists. She was the only person dressed informally, which Teller found interesting. She was wearing a polo shirt and jeans. With her thick black hair sitting just off her shoulders, she looked confident and relaxed.
“I agree. Although some would have us believe otherwise, citing examples like the church persecuting Galileo, the reality is, Christianity has always been supportive of scientific endeavors. Newton was a devout Christian, as was Benjamin Franklin. Ralph Waldo Emerson was an ordained clergyman. Although Darwin was agnostic toward the end of his life, he was raised in a Christian family and studied to become ordained with the Church of England. There's no doubt this influenced his academic career and his discoveries. Niels Bohr, the father of quantum mechanics, was a Lutheran. So there is a strong precedence for Christianity supporting scientific research. For me, the appearance of intelligent extraterrestrial life is simply another step in our emerging scientific understanding of the universe. There's no conflict with the scriptures. There's no need for it to fit into the framework of the Bible.”
Archbishop Chambers replied, saying, “I beg to disagree. The Bible speaks clearly of angels and demons, of the seraphim and the cherubim. These are all celestial beings of differing orders within creation, creatures that
did not originate on Earth. They are extraterrestrial, and yet they are subject to the Almighty. The LORD God is above all and is worshiped by all. The anomaly is part of creation, therefore it must be subject to the Creator.”
Although Teller appreciated Reverend Johnson's perspective, he didn't like where the archbishop was going with his point. Teller knew this was going to be a seesaw debate, but he wasn't sure which way the panel would end up leaning. It could go either way.
The Hindu delegate spoke up, swinging the balance back with his strong Indian accent. “We see no conflict. The anomaly is in harmony with our religion. It is, in essence, an example of the Dharma, the force or power that holds the universe together. Rather than challenging our notions, it reinforces them. Its very motion has been shown to be in harmony with the universe.”
Rabbi Stills added his thoughts. “We look at this anomaly like it is something new, but it is not. The scriptures speak of Moses and the burning fiery bush, the bush that burned but was not consumed by the flames. That sounds remarkably similar to the events we saw unfolding before us when you released that balloon full of helium.”
“But the balloon was consumed,” added Teller.
“Ah, yes,” the rabbi responded. “But my point is that such supernatural manifestations of power are not unprecedented in human history.”
“This is not supernatural,” replied Teller rather aggressively, surprising himself with how forceful he was on the issue.
“Oh, but it is,” the archbishop added, agreeing with the rabbi. “It is not natural. It defies the laws of nature, does it not?”
He didn't wait for an answer, cutting Teller off before he could reply. “You must agree it is supernatural, something that is beyond nature. You yourself pointed out that we only see the manifestation of this power, we don't see the source. Just as Moses could see the burning bush but not the LORD God Himself.”
Teller raised his palm, wanting to interject something, but the archbishop continued at a pace.
“And Moses commanded the waters that they stood up in a heap. Is that not what we have seen with this anomaly? The very laws of gravity being defied? And in both cases, no reasonable, rational, scientific explanation can be provided. You see, the anomaly is in the realm of both science and religion.”
Anomaly Page 9
