‘Can’t we shut down the relay network as a defensive precaution?’ asked Devon. ‘At least, the network near Sol system?’
I was no good at science, so I’d been keeping quiet, but now I had to speak. ‘No! That would stop Handicapped newborn babies from reaching Earth. They’d all die!’
Devon gave me a look of pure disgust. ‘Insignificant given what’s at stake here.’
‘Shutting down the relay network near Earth would prevent not only alien forces but our own from reaching it,’ said Leveque.
‘We could abandon Earth,’ said Devon. ‘Only the Handicapped live here, so it’s an acceptable loss.’
Acceptable loss? My home planet! Everyone I loved! I half rose in my seat, but Colonel Torrek spoke before I could choose which furious words to say.
‘Earth has five inhabited continents and the highest population of any of our planets except Adonis and Zeus. I don’t regard it as an acceptable loss, and I’m not killing thousands of babies a day just as a defensive precaution. We’ve been discussing a purely hypothetical situation, because the aliens may not have portal technology yet, or may be friendly.’
Devon frowned. ‘Tactically though …’
‘Tactically,’ said Leveque, ‘it should be blindingly obvious that if the aliens can use our portal relay network to reach Earth, they can also use it to reach any of our other inhabited worlds. We can’t shut down the whole network, and blocking them reaching Earth would just divert an attack to another planet we’re completely unprepared to defend. If we have to fight a battle, we must fight it here in Sol system.’
‘Can we make the portal relay network more secure?’ asked Colonel Torrek. ‘Distinguish between our signals and alien ones?’
‘We can,’ said Leveque, ‘and we must. Not just because of these aliens, but any others we may meet, however changing the entire portal relay network will take years.’
‘The current aliens are enough for me to worry about,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘We’ll end this meeting now. Commanders Leveque, Stone, Shirinkin, and Major Tell Dramis, please join me in my quarters for a command meeting. Major Tar Cameron, set us up a live link with the General Marshal.’
Colonel Torrek stood up and went out of the door, and the four named officers followed him. Devon turned to face Fian.
‘Your name’s Eklund,’ he said. ‘You’re related to Jorgen Eklund?’
‘Yes,’ said Fian.
‘So you’re the one who’s been telling them that outdated rubbish.’
Devon moved towards us and I stood up to face him. If the man who was prepared to discard Earth as an acceptable loss wanted a fight, I was perfectly ready to give him one, but suddenly everyone in the room seemed to be standing and the officer in charge of the Science teams was blocking Devon’s path.
‘This meeting is over,’ he said.
‘I’m not done here,’ said Devon.
The officer shook his head. ‘I think you are.’
Devon hesitated for a second, then turned and walked out of the door. I realized I’d been holding my breath, let it out in a sigh, and turned to look at Fian. I discovered he was the only person still sitting down. He was looking a little pale but quite calm. Leaving the room immediately after Gaius Devon would obviously be a bad idea, so we waited a few more minutes before heading back to our quarters.
It was two hours later, when we were having a snack meal from our food dispenser, that we heard a little chorus of chimes. Two civilian and two Military lookups were announcing emergency mail.
Fian’s gaze went from his civilian to his Military lookup in indecision. He went for the civilian one. ‘Oh chaos!’
I was checking my Military lookup. ‘Our Military mail is the same except it has an extra bit about this being the official cover story.’
I turned on the wall vid. One of the Earth Rolling News presenters appeared, wearing a bemused and thrilled expression.
‘… warning of a rogue comet approaching Earth. This has a trail of large asteroids, which may survive entry into the atmosphere and cause significant damage. We repeat there is no cause for concern. The Military have built an emergency base on Earth, and are portalling ships into orbit to destroy any dangerously sized asteroids. Earth Africa solar array is now off-line so the power beam is available to assist if necessary. Power is being supplied to Earth Africa by relay from Earth Asia and Earth America.’
He paused. ‘The Military report the situation is currently under control, but there may be problems if a significant solar storm interrupts their blockade. The underground caverns of Ark are being prepared for possible use as an emergency shelter. Those will be familiar to many people from school trips. Individual mails will be sent giving details of what should be taken with you to Ark, and which Ark portal address you should use.’
The vid went split screen, the other half showing a rotating picture of Earth.
‘Ark is located under Earth Australia. In the event of an evacuation to Ark, all inter-continental portals on other continents will be continuously locked open to Earth Australia destinations and there will be no portal charges for journeys. Please read your instructions carefully and respect luggage restrictions.’
The image of Earth now changed to a random view of the famous monument marking humanity’s first off-world settlement on Adonis.
‘For those wishing to evacuate off world, all Earth off-world portals will be locked open to worlds in Alpha sector. You may portal to an Alpha world with no charge, and then continue your journey as normal from there. Education Earth advises arrangements are being made for Earthborn norm children to stay at their Alpha world orientation schools during the Ark evacuation.’
He started the story again. ‘The Military are warning of a rogue comet approaching …’
I turned off the wall vid. ‘So, the Military have decided to evacuate people into Ark during the next solar storm. They’re sending the norm kids off world to safety as well.’
Fian made an odd, shocked noise. ‘This is just like one of the nardle conspiracy theories that Krath’s dad talks about. The Military using a cover story.’
‘I wonder who invented the story.’
‘Can’t you guess? Doesn’t this sound suspiciously like what happened on Hera? Drago must have suggested the cover story, but the evacuation is really happening because of you.’
I shook my head. ‘I only told them about Ark. Colonel Torrek decided to go ahead with the evacuation because of what you said about the portal relays.’
Fian laughed. ‘We’re both to blame then.’
My civilian lookup chimed and I picked it up. ‘It’s Lecturer Playdon.’
I accepted the call and transferred it to the wall vid. Playdon’s shocked face looked at us. ‘Jarra. Fian. This evacuation to Ark … The alien contact is here!’
I nodded. ‘I’ve got permission to give you limited information. There’s an alien sphere in geostationary orbit above Earth Africa. It’s small, so probably unmanned.’
His head snapped backwards as he gave a startled look upwards. ‘Above … above here then.’
‘A bit north of the Eden Dig Site,’ I said. ‘Don’t worry, sir. It’s not responding to our attempts to talk to it, but it’s done nothing hostile. The Military are just worried it may make a move during a solar storm when we’re at a disadvantage. That’s the reason for the evacuation to Ark.’
Playdon shook his head. ‘Embarrassingly enough, I didn’t even know Ark still existed. I had to look it up.’
Fian grinned. ‘Using Ark was Jarra’s idea.’
I laughed at the expression on Playdon’s face. ‘I had the advantage of local knowledge, sir. I’d been there on a school trip.’
Playdon took a moment to recover from that before he spoke again. ‘You know, Jarra, given your uniforms, I really feel you should stop calling me sir.’
I glanced downwards. ‘Oh those. They decided to make us real Military rather than civilian advisers, so we could be given Military tactica
l information.’
‘Since you appear to be a Major …’
‘Jarra’s a Major, but I’m only a Captain,’ said Fian, going into a martyr act. ‘Jarra’s a team leader, but I’m only a deputy.’
I threw a cushion at him.
‘Team leader?’ asked Playdon.
‘I’ve been put in charge of the History team,’ I said. ‘The Military want to know if there’s any hint the aliens visited Earth before. If you think of anything in pre-history that might be relevant, please let us know.’
‘I will, but … What happens if there’s an Ark evacuation? Will you two be going there?’
I nodded. ‘Combat personnel and civilian advisers portal to a base in Alpha sector. The rest of us move to a temporary base in Ark.’
‘Each dig site has space allocated in Ark,’ said Playdon, ‘so the dig teams can evacuate together if they wish. I’ve already told the class they can go off world and visit their families for a few days, but I’m planning to go to Ark myself. I missed the Solar 5 rescue through taking the class to Asgard, and I’m not going to miss this.’
He paused. ‘That reminds me. The Cassandra 2 team have just arrived at Eden Dig Site. Their team leader, Rono, said to say hello to you two, and ask Jarra if the dig site was safe from crashing spaceships.’
I giggled. ‘Rono was a bit shocked when he found out Solar 5 crashed on New York Dig Site because the Colonel was the pilot and he’d been there for my grandmother’s Honour Ceremony.’
‘I know. Rono told me about it at great length when you were in hospital, Jarra.’ Playdon had one of his evil smiles now. ‘When this is all over, I’m going to tell Rono the Military decided to evacuate the population of Earth into Ark because you went there on a school trip, and watch the look on his face.’
He paused. ‘I’d better let you get on with your work. Fian, try to keep Jarra out of trouble.’
Fian nodded. ‘I’ll do my best, sir.’
‘Captain Eklund, please stop calling me “sir”!’
10
‘I hate aliens,’ I said to Fian.
He gazed at my breakfast. ‘I hate cheese fluffle as well. That stuff isn’t meant for your breakfast, you know. It’s intended for the fighter pilots who’ve done one of the night shifts up in orbit and are having dinner before going to bed.’
I grinned. ‘Nobody has objected to me stealing it yet.’
‘I have. Repeatedly.’
I ignored this. ‘As I was saying, I hate aliens. Why did they have to make that thing a sphere? It’s unbelievable how many old paintings have weird circular things in them. One more day of …’
I broke off, looking across at the door of the dining hall. ‘Here comes Drago!’
Fian gave a heartfelt groan.
I greeted Drago with a welcoming smile as he joined us at our table. He took my hand, and gave my palm one long and lingering kiss, before giving Fian a teasing wink. Fian grimly concentrated on eating his breakfast.
‘You’re looking even lovelier than ever this morning, Jarra,’ said Drago.
‘He says that to all the girls,’ said a female voice. Captain Marlise Weldon, Drago’s deputy, sat down next to him. She nodded to me and Fian in turn. ‘Major. Captain.’
I nodded back to her, grateful that everyone had stopped the manic saluting. It had taken me days of heartfelt pleading, but I was finally being treated like any other officer instead of a walking Artemis medal. ‘Morning, Captain.’
She looked at my plate. ‘Cheese fluffle again. Of course, you’re only 18, Jarra, you can eat anything you like. Older people, like Drago and I, have to be far more careful.’
Fian laughed, and nearly choked on his drink of frujit.
‘I’m 29, so stop talking about me as if I’m 92!’ said Drago.
‘Did I mention age again?’ asked Marlise, in a voice of startled innocence.
A whole crowd of people came into the dining hall, led by Nia Stone. She went up to the end wall and turned on a vast vid screen.
‘Oh no,’ muttered Drago. ‘They aren’t going to …’
Marlise smiled sweetly at him. ‘Everyone wants to watch your big moment of fame, Drago.’
Drago pushed his plate aside so he could bang his head on the table.
‘You want to be careful,’ said Marlise. ‘At your age, you could hurt yourself doing that.’
He looked up indignantly. ‘I’m only two years older than you.’
She shook her head sadly. ‘Yes, but the doctors did have to start your rejuvenation treatments early.’
It was obvious from Drago’s face that he’d been teased mercilessly about this in the past. ‘One cycle! They did one rejuvenation cycle last year, and it was only because I was in a tank after being injured.’
‘Well, that’s what the doctors said, but we all knew it was really because of the effect of your wild life style.’
Drago’s eyes narrowed. ‘Captain Weldon, shut up. That’s an order!’
She smiled and turned to look at the vid screen. It was set to Earth Rolling News.
‘… temporary extra Transit areas, to prepare for a possible evacuation to Ark,’ said a cheerful young man. The screen showed a single large inter-continental portal to his left, and a whole row of normal local portals on his right.
‘It looks like they’ve put up a standard Military training dome without bothering with any internal walls,’ I said
‘Exactly,’ said Drago. ‘They just need a nice big space to take the portals.’
‘You should be on soon,’ said Marlise.
Drago sighed.
I peered around the room. The people who were just here for the show were standing at the back, leaving the tables for those who were eating either breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending on their shift.
The young man on the screen wound up his piece on the extra Transit areas. ‘… and now, a vid made yesterday by special permission of the Military.’
A close-up of a female presenter, a real glam girl with glittering makeup, filled the screen. ‘I’m thrilled to be talking to one of the heroic pilots who are defending Earth from the incoming comet debris. The devastatingly handsome Major Drago Tell Dramis.’
She turned, and the image on the screen panned out to show Drago. He gave her a relaxed, charming smile. Whatever he said at that point, was drowned out by a sudden volley of piercing whistles from around the dining hall. I jumped, startled, and guessed from the look on the real Drago’s face that the whistling was some sort of Military custom of ridicule. It died down after a moment, and we could hear the vid again. The presenter was giggling as if Drago had said something complimentary.
‘You’ve had experience of this sort of thing before in the Hera blockade, Major?’
‘That’s right,’ said the screen Drago. ‘Several veterans of Hera are helping out.’
‘Perhaps you could talk us through what you’re doing.’
‘We have several teams of fighter pilots working shifts to keep a continuous guard up in space. Our ships are at a temporary Military base on Earth. We take off, fly through portals up into space, and watch out for trouble.’
The presenter gazed adoringly at him. ‘You’ve got the Earth Africa solar array standing by to help you out as well?’
‘Yes, if there’s anything we can’t handle with just fighters, we can call on the solar array for assistance.’
‘My viewers would love to see one of your fighters, but I’m told that isn’t possible for security reasons.’
The screen Drago gave an apologetic nod.
‘Disappointing. Amateur astronomers are also a little disappointed they’re not getting any exciting displays in the skies at night. Presumably that means you’re doing your job very well.’
The screen Drago laughed. ‘I hope we are.’
‘How long will this situation last?’
‘I’m just a fighter pilot, so I can’t predict that, but I promise you we’ll be here to keep you safe for as long as necessary.’
The presenter seemed to take that personally, because she had another burst of flirtatious giggles. ‘Well, I’m really glad to hear that, Major Tell Dramis. May I call you Drago?’
The screen Drago smiled into her eyes, with the same intense, meaningful look that he’d used on me a few times. ‘Of course you can.’
‘Well, Drago, should my viewers be panicking if an Ark evacuation is called?’
He gave a shake of his head. ‘No need for panic. We just want to make sure everyone is perfectly safe if we’re forced to pull out our fighters because of a solar storm. There may well be no problems at all, but we never take risks with civilian lives.’
The interview ended, someone turned off the vid, and Marlise climbed on to our table and raised a glass of frujit. ‘A toast everyone! To the devastatingly handsome Major Drago Tell Dramis, the finest liar in the Military!’
I giggled and drank the toast with the others, while Drago buried his head in his hands. When Marlise got down from the table, he peeped through his fingers at me.
‘Let’s run for it, Jarra.’ His eyebrows bounced suggestively. ‘Come with me, and let me show you my fighter.’
I instantly abandoned the remains of my cheese fluffle and stood up. We went out of the dining hall, with Fian trailing after us, and Drago headed towards his room.
‘I need to change into my impact suit.’ He grinned at me. ‘You can come in while I do that if you want. Betans don’t have a nudity taboo, or at least not as much of one as the officious Gammans would like.’
‘We’ll wait in the corridor,’ said Fian.
Drago sighed, vanished into his room for a couple of minutes, and reappeared wearing a Military impact suit with the hood down. He led the way outside to the nearest base internal portal. I watched, thrilled, as he selected the Shift 2 Attack area as our destination, and authorized us to accompany him.
We went through to where four fighters were parked in neat formation by a huge portal. I could see three more of the great portals nearby, each with a group of sleek, black fighters.
‘Zan! Totally, totally, zan!’ I just stood there for a moment, absorbing the sight.
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