Alien Deception

by Tony Ruggiero

  Robise again nodded agreement. They walked down the long, deserted hallways of the facility in silence, both in deep thought. Robise reached out and rubbed his aged fingers along the counters and walls, almost lovingly, as he passed. He acted as if it would be the last time he would see his archives. Greta watched him in a questioning manner.

  Noticing Greta's perplexed look, the custodian explained, "I've been here my entire life. My father before me was the custodian and then I followed in his footsteps. He would tell me over and over again that you must be thorough in everything you do, and always have a backup plan. Always."

  He continued to walk, staring ahead, remembering, "We would sit here and correlate all the data that came in. Sort it and place it away forever. At least that is what we had hoped."

  "It is an immense responsibility," Greta said sincerely.

  "Yes, yes, it is," Robise replied, his voice fading.

  Unknown to either of them, perched above along a storage access catwalk, a lone shadow sat in the darkness. The figure was pointing a weapon directly at them, the sight moving back and forth. His dark-within-dark eyes peered at the image the laser sighted device produced. As his head rested against the stock of the gun, his lips parted in an evil smile.

  Chapter Ten

  COPOLLA'S FAR REACHING GRASP

  Journo whispered, "You almost fooled me, Robise. Yes sir, old one, almost. But I make it a point to know who my adversaries are. And yes, it certainly does pay to be thorough."

  He watched the two figures approach as the cross hairs on his target scope confirmed that they were just barely outside of the guaranteed kill range. "Just a few more moments should do it," he said softly.

  As he waited, his thoughts began to drift as his finger seductively played with the trigger. A cold feeling suddenly settled upon him. No. No. Not now, I have to concentrate, he said to himself harshly. But his thoughts betrayed him and began to take him on a trip that was all too familiar to him. The images came as he fell into his old role again, seeing himself only a few years ago. He saw the simple individual who was not a hired thug who spied and killed for a price. He saw himself as a husband and a father. He saw his wife and child. He saw them living together happily on their home world of Narcissus 5.

  Not again…

  He was not home when it happened. He returned from a business trip to find his wife and child dead in the beds. The investigator's report noted the cause as a faulty environmental unit. His wife and baby were exposed to toxins released through the vent ducts. His family had gone to sleep, unknowingly, forever.

  The investigation revealed the company made the unit with less-than-quality parts to maximize their profits. As a result of the deaths, there was supposed to be a trial regarding the negligence of the company, but it never happened. The company had bribed and wrangled its way out of any wrongdoing. They were free. Free to kill again. Free to churn out profits at the price of innocent lives. Journo vowed, out of grief and anger, that this injustice would not go unpunished. They had to be stopped, somehow, somewhere.

  Journo's mind had hardened, and he knew what he had to do. He studied the blueprints of the company owner's complex. Then he methodically re-rigged the owner's environmental unit after he was sure the company owner was alone. The man was dead in a matter of an hour, and no money or contacts could help him anymore.

  Journo disappeared after that. He had nothing to hold him to Narcissus 5 anymore. No family and no friends. He knew that no one would miss him. So he left his soul and conscience behind and entered into another life. It was a life that was constantly fueled with the rage that had become his insatiable ally. He sold himself for a price; a person for hire for whatever needed to be done. It didn't matter whether it was right or wrong, sabotage or murder.

  After a while, he developed an underground reputation as a life form who could get things done, for a price. Life forms talk. A name gets dropped here or there, and that was how this latest arrangement had been made. Copolla had searched Journo out based on his reputation and offered him permanent employment on retainer. It was good pay and easy work. The only hitch was the internal loyalty device that had to be implanted. He knew it was Copolla's fail-safe measure, but Journo didn't really care anymore, anyway. He knew that he was living on borrowed time. Occasionally, he even toyed with Copolla, hoping that he would go right ahead, push that little button, and end the suffering Journo constantly endured.

  Beads of sweat suddenly rolled into his eyes, causing them to burn and momentarily force him back to reality. Slowly, his mind returned to the matter at hand. He had been here earlier with a few members of his team and they had killed, or thought they had killed, Robise and then destroyed the main core with the acid worm. Journo sent his team back to report, but he remained behind just to be sure. In this instance, it had paid off.

  "An ingenious decoy, old one, I'll give you that," he whispered to himself, sneering. "And it almost worked. Almost."

  Journo squinted into the gun's sights. The luminous distance numbers in the sighting unit decreased as his targets slowly moved into optimum range.

  "Almost there," Journo said, pleased.

  He felt the moisture leave the two tongues in his mouth and perspiration run down his scaly skin underneath his clothing. His finger itched as it felt the reassuring presence of the firing trigger. Suddenly, a voice came to assault his mind.

  Is this right? Don't you even care about what is really going on here? What really is at stake?

  The fresh onslaught from his conscience was almost overpowering. He felt his finger loosen from the trigger as the distance numbers blurred in his eyesight. His head began to suddenly throb.

  Is this right thing to do? What have these people done to you? Do they really deserve to die?

  In a sudden moment of hesitation, he pulled his finger totally off the trigger. Blinking quickly, he raised his head from the gun's sights just as the luminous numbers turned green, indicating that his targets were in range for a guaranteed kill. He gazed at the two figures, which were now directly in his line of sight.

  Last chance, Journo. What are you going to do? The internal voice demanded an answer.

  Shut up! he ordered, gritting his teeth.

  It only took a moment to decide. His head returned to the gun's sights and he pulled the trigger. There was a momentary flash of light, and then immediately the coppery smell of burnt flesh. "There, it's done," he said out loud, his eyes returning to their cold blackness. "And be damned to everyone, conscience or no conscience."

  He replaced the weapon in its carrying case, then stood and headed for the stairs leading down to the area where the two bodies smoldered. Standing at the point of incineration, he kicked through the remaining ashes relentlessly with the toe of his boot, inspecting his work. There was no doubt about the kill.

  Journo noticed, off to the side, the small box Robise had been carrying had amazingly escaped the brunt of the explosion. The old fool had placed something into some kind of protective box. He picked it up, opened it, and studied its contents, turning it about in his hands. "A computer core, old one," he said. "Now what could be on this." He smiled, and then placed it inside the case with his weapon. He then turned his back on the ashen forms and headed out of the archives.

  His words echoed in the now deserted building. "You never know when something like this might come in handy."

  * * * *

  Scrav, the delegate from Bernard's Star, sat in the chair opposite Copolla's desk. The orange smoke from his cigarette exited his mouth and reentered the breathing apparatus attached to the side of his head. Bernard's Star possessed an atmosphere that contained no oxygen, thereby requiring its inhabitants to wear the breathing device outside of their personal quarters.

  Copolla turned from his terminal to face Scrav, as if he had just remembered he was there. His eyes momentarily fixated on the curling orange smoke.

  "So, Scrav, have you called for the emergency session of the Council yet?"

/>   "Yes, it is done," Scrav said in his raspy voice, nodding. "The meeting will convene in one standard hour."

  "You know what to do?" Copolla asked.

  "Yes," Scrav stated simply. "I am to question the errors in the indoctrination process conducted by Leumas, and to make it appear to the Council that he is incompetent. Also, I am to plant the seed that the whole plan to bring Earth into the Council is in jeopardy because of his actions." Scrav's voice rasped on as the orange smoke continued its flow. "I have informed my associates to spread these rumors as soon as the announcement is made regarding Leumas’ procedural errors."

  Copolla smiled evilly, placing his hands under his chin in steeple fashion. "That sounds absolutely perfect."

  "You are aware that there are those who, if they heard of this arrangement, would possibly side more favorably with Leumas, and not with you." Scrav's voice carried a tone of arrogance within it.

  Copolla gave Scrav a withering look, not speaking immediately, but allowing his look to be embedded into the alien's memory. It was a look that transferred a murderous feeling, one that commanded fear within the receiver.

  "There may possibly be some truth in that statement, Scrav," Copolla stated in a controlled voice. "But you know what? I am willing to bet that no one will find out anything. I have confidence in the loyalty of those who serve me." He emphasized the word "loyalty" for Scrav's benefit.

  "Sometimes, the promise of fortunes or great power can corrupt those of limited means and destroy what loyalty they may have possessed." Scrav said.

  "You know, Scrav, if I didn't know better, I'd say this sounds like an attempt to get more money out of me," he said, with his brows raised in question. There was a dangerous sparkle in Copolla's eyes, one that Scrav didn't like, not at all.

  Scrav scratched his head above where the breathing device rested and nervously smiled. "My service to you has always been based on loyalty and trust. If you wish to reward me for that, I will gladly accept it."

  "That's good to hear, Scrav. Why don't we discuss this further after the Council meeting?" Copolla said, almost too pleasantly. "Better yet, why don't we dine together this evening, say in about four standard hours? Then we can discuss these issues at our leisure and in more detail. How's that sound?" His facial expression attempted to reflect amiability, but his eyes stayed cold and held that strange gleam.

  "Very nice," Scrav said with mixed emotions. "I will see you then."

  Copolla sat and watched as Scrav scurried out, thinking what a silly creature he was. He hummed an old familiar tune, one that always soothed his frustration, allowing his anger to subside. It wasn't working. A voice inside his head suddenly spoke.

  Careful now. Don't do anything that will any attract unnecessary attention. You'll end up regretting it. Allow this to pass. The voice faded.

  Ignoring the voice, Copolla swiftly turned to his computer and began to type furiously. Screen after screen scrolled by, each requiring a password of its own. He quickly moved through each one until he reached the screen he sought. He stopped and stared.

  His face was cast in an eerie green light from the terminal, making it appear to be a pure contortion of evil. He pressed the final key with such force he nearly ripped the keyboard away from the terminal. He waited a few seconds, his breathing erratic, and then sat back in his chair. He was calm now, and he felt the comfort of the chair's material caress his body.

  He smiled as he read aloud in pure pleasure. "Loyalty device termination has been scheduled. Subject: Scrav, Bernard's Star. Termination time: Four hours. Mode: Slow disintegration."

  The voice in Copolla's mind worked its way up from the dark depths it had been shoved into. See… I told you…

  Copolla immediately squelched the voice. "Shut up!" he exclaimed, as he swiveled in his chair to look out of the window.

  * * * *

  The Council members scurried to their seats for the impromptu meeting that had been called by Scrav. As the roll call was completed, the ominous Copolla entered and was seated.

  I love watching them scurry about, Copolla thought to himself. Something unplanned disrupts their little slithering daily routines. How complacent they have become.

  The Council settled down to business. There was only one item on the agenda for this emergency meeting: the progress on the installation of the two new delegates from the planet Earth. Scrav initiated the discussion.

  "Leader of the UCDW and fellow delegates, I have seen the preliminary reports on the initial indoctrination process of the new members from the planet Earth. It does not appear as promising as what was laid before us on the original premise of this endeavor." He paused, looking around the room at the faces that had now turned toward him attentively. "If it would please the Council, I move that the current status of the new delegates be explained to us."

  Copolla stood from his seat and began in his booming voice. "Delegates, I will speak on this subject myself due to the lack of the head representative, Leumas, Initial Contact Agent, leader of the indoctrination team." He spoke slowly and carefully, placing emphasis on certain words he wanted to embed in their small minds.

  "Leumas is very involved in this indoctrination process and was unable to be here. I have spoken directly to him to learn of his progress. He has ensured me that everything is going along fine. There have been a few minor technical difficulties, but nothing that he hasn't been able to handle."

  He almost smiled, but managed to keep it hidden. "As you all know, this was Leumas’ plan from the very start. He even volunteered for this assignment, based on his new hypotheses and procedures for handling difficult assimilations. I have received from many of you glowing praise of Leumas’ work, and he was perfect for such an important assignment as this. Leumas has not failed us before."

  He swept his arm around the room to emphasize his next words. "I am sure that each one of us here has the utmost trust in Leumas, even in an important event such as this one. Leumas will not fail us!" Pausing for effect, looking hard at each one of the delegates, he continued. "Again, I want you to know Leumas has assured me personally that the subjects will be ready to take their place as delegates within the UCDW soon, barring any more unforeseen delays." Pausing again, and smiling congenially at the delegates, he said, "I expect that they will join this unique group on the floor of this noble hall in a very short time period."

  The member from Sirius A stood and addressed the Council in a serious tone, "What are these minor problems that Leumas is encountering?" he asked and then sat back down.

  Copolla spoke slowly, enunciating each word clearly. "Problems in their specific details are not the major concern of this Council due to their technical aspects." He tried to sound grave. "However, in layman's terms, I believe the Earthlings were given too much data too quickly. This occurred before they were given a firm base on which to build. In essence, they reached a saturation point before their brains could correlate all the new data."

  The sudden buzz that ensued among the delegates was music to Copolla's ears. It was exactly what he wanted to hear.

  The delegate from Sirius A stood up abruptly. "But Leader, is this not the basic concept point of all indoctrinations? Are they not required to examine the subjects carefully before going to the next level so that they are not damaged?" The delegate had begun to wave his arms in questioning motions. "Is not damage at this point possibly irrecoverable?"

  The murmurs within the hall now became rampant.

  "Leumas should know better…"

  "What was Leumas thinking?"

  "Perhaps we praised him too hastily…"

  "Overestimated his abilities…"

  Copolla waited a few moments to allow all the damaging comments to circulate completely throughout the Great Hall before he continued.

  "Yes, this is all true," he said, planting his words like tiny seeds. "But remember, Leumas is using new techniques which, I am sure I don't need to remind you, have met with overwhelming favorable endorsement from this Council.
" Arching his brows for emphasis, Copolla continued. "As I said earlier, this is merely a minor setback. Leumas has not failed us before, has he?"

  The delegate from Wolf 359 stood to be recognized.

  "Leader of the UCDW," he began.

  "The Leader of the UCDW recognizes the delegate from Wolf 359," Copolla answered.

  "The urgency of the Earth subjects’ attendance within our circle will reach a critical turning point soon, as it is so stated in the Council’s report." The delegate's voice rose in concern. "There is an opportunity here we must take advantage of. Any delay could cause further damage! If Leumas should fail—"

  The delegate was cut off abruptly by Copolla's thundering voice. "The issue will wait until they are ready. This Council has decided that the time is appropriate for Earth to have its own delegates for representation. Leumas has assured this Council that their presence in this hall will happen as planned. He has personally staked his reputation on it. We will wait." The finality in his voice brooked no further questions. "That is the ruling of the UCDW."

  Copolla ended the statement with a long stare at the Council members. "Now, are there any more questions?" he asked with extreme sarcasm. Silence greeted him.

  "Then this meeting is adjourned."

  * * * *

  Copolla removed his robes and hung them up with a casual toss from a few feet, ringing the hook on the wall. He was feeling very pleased about the Council meeting; it had gone extremely well. Everything was going according to plan. "Perfectly," he said out loud, as he sat down in his chair. He had learned through the years to try to allow for every possible contingency. The sabotaging of the indoctrination process had caused Leumas’ loyalty, abilities and integrity to fall under question and scrutiny by the Council. It was just what he wanted.

  He knew Scrav was openly spreading rumors about Leumas’ failings as he had been instructed. He would add significantly to the concerns of the Council members on Leumas’ competence. Unfortunately, Scrav would coincidentally, but mysteriously, disappear this very same evening.