Horizons

by Donald B McFarlane

  “Excuse me,” Doctor Beck leaned forward. “Can you explain what The Reach is, and where we are in relation to the rest of the planets of the Alliance.”

  “Of course.” Dinalis tapped a few keys on the table, and the image of the Sol System was replaced by a celestial map of immense scale. “Here.” He touched another key. “Is Terra.” He allowed time for everyone to see the tiny flashing dot on the map. “And here is The Reach.” A red line started and wrapped itself around the map, with all the known planets on the interior and Earth on the exterior. “The Reach is what we refer to as space that has not yet been explored, beyond the boundaries that have not changed since the beginning of the War of Succession, almost 70 years ago.”

  “You haven’t explored anymore in 70 years?” Doctor Ji-woon asked, in a stunned voice.

  “I’m afraid not. It’s been a question of resources. Everything had been poured into the war effort, and the only new species that we have encountered are the ones that came into our territory.”

  Dinalis tapped the table again, and the map shrunk until it just showed the Earth system again. “Regarding defence of your planet. For the time being, the 6th Fleet, which makes up the Reach Guard, has been able to allocate the,” he checked his notes on the data-pad. “73rd Reach Guard Garrison Squadron for this system, and they should be arriving in the next few days.”

  “And they will protect us until when?” Rhea asked.

  “Until a Reach Sanctuary can get here, but I’m afraid that won’t be until the month you call June.” Dinalis rechecked his pad. “I can assure you the 73rd is more than adequate to protect you against any threat that the Coalition could pose.” He signalled one of his aides, who stood up, and walked to a small stand behind the Prefect, and collected a stack of datapads. “These data-pads will give you nearly unlimited access to our information banks.”

  The pads were quietly passed out. Joe turned his on, and quickly searched for the section on the Alliance fleet, and without much trouble pulled up the specifications on the 73rd RGGS. What he read wasn’t comforting.

  “All of the ships that you’re sending here are ancient.” He said, slightly dumbfounded.

  “They are old vessels, yes, but so is this PCS. This ship is almost 200 years old.” Dinalis replied.

  Joe swallowed as he went through the list of seven ships that would be allocated to Earth’s defence. “True.”

  “May we please move forward?” Dinalis looked at the humans, who were already engrossed in the pads they had been given. “The next, and perhaps most important piece to discuss, after the safety of this planet, is the possibility of Terra becoming a member of the Alliance.”

  That peaked Joe’s interest. He set his datapad down and looked at Dinalis. “How do we proceed?”

  “Some criteria and areas need to be addressed before membership can be permitted.” Dinalis frowned slightly before continuing. “Some of these criteria might seem objectionable to some of your fellow humans.”

  Rhea put her datapad down. “Is there a simplified list?”

  “There is.” Dinalis tapped a series of keys, and the map of the Sol System disappeared, and a list of five directives appeared, hovering in the air across the middle of the table in blue.

  Joe read the list to himself.

  Provide clean food and water for every human

  Reduction in greenhouse gases

  Cleaner oceans

  Dramatic cut in animal extinction levels

  Reduction of worldwide conflicts

  Joe leaned back on his stool and rubbed the side of his cheek. He knew that this list was going to be hard for some people around the world to accept.

  “After reviewing the mission logs from the Epsilon, and the data they gathered since their crash, we decided that these five areas represented a clear and present danger to the health of this planet. Now,” Dinalis paused and looked at the humans. “We are willing to aid you in bringing about positive change. We don’t expect you to do this all on your own.”

  Keegan stood up, tucked his stool under the table, and looked at the rest of the team. “Is it just me, or is that list just about perfect?” he asked with a smile on his face, and a tear running down his cheek.

  Rhea stood up and gave her colleague a hug. “Not bad, huh?”

  Joe looked at Dinalis and gently shook his head. “No matter how good your intentions may seem, some people on this planet will resist this. They’ll say that you’re pushing some anti-human agenda, and it’s all a conspiracy.”

  Dinalis nodded, “It always happens. It’ll take time. Years probably. But you’ll have our protection in the meantime.”

  Joe nodded. Lots of work to be done. “And once we get membership, then what?”

  “Access to all our technology, free passage throughout the Etelainen, anything and everything we can offer, within reason.” Dinalis replied.

  “Okay.” Joe stood up. “I think we can take that list to our people.”

  5

  There was snow on the ground in Washington when the President received the call from Joe. He listed to the proposed list of initiatives that had to be tackled and understood that Joe had already forwarded the list to Berkley, and the UN.

  President George Bednarik was not himself that early winter morning. He listened to Joe’s briefing passively, mainly due to the presence of his Chief of Staff Nicholas Beaudrot and National Security Advisor Zach North. His most trusted advisors took copious notes while the President stared out the window of the Oval Office and on the slowly falling snow outside.

  “Joe, was there any sense of what aid they were offering to address this list?” Asked Zack.

  “Not yet, Sir. I got the impression that there were going to give us some time to discuss this among ourselves before going back to them with any firm course of action.”

  “And you’re sure that this isn’t some elaborate ploy to, I don’t know, terra-form the planet for their own needs?” Interjected the always cautious Beaudrot.

  “At this point, Sir, I’m not really sure they’d be offering us a seat at the table if they had hostile intentions. It’s not like we could resist their advances in the first place.”

  Zach and Nick looked at each other and nodded. “What’s the next step?” Zach asked.

  “I suppose we need to have a sit-down and discuss how we can tackle this list. Once we’ve got some ideas, we go back to them and see where they can assist.” The President responded in a tone that failed to show any interest.

  Zach and Nick looked at each other again, then back to the President. “Mr President, is everything alright?” Zach asked, getting up from his chair, he circled around the Resolute Desk until he could see the President’s face.

  Noticing that the President was completely distracted, Zach quickly ended the call with Major Hunt and focused his attention on the President, who had a glazed look on his face as he continued to stare out the window onto the snow covered gardens of the White House. On his lap rested a single sheet of paper.

  Tilting his head to get a better view of the document, Zach strained to read the text from the angle he was standing, but one word did stand out cancer. He knelt down by the President and put one hand on his long-term friend, and boss’s knee. “How long have you known?”

  The President looked at Zach, and put his right hand on top of his advisors, “A few months. We weren’t sure how bad it was until now.” He picked up the sheet of paper and gave it another scan. “Stage four, they’re saying.” The President swivelled his chair around to face his desk and dropped the paper. “It’s why she’s been in Philly all this time. Her sister is up there, and they wanted to spend some time together while she went through chemo.”

  Nick got up and went to a small cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whisky and three crystal tumblers. “How have you kept it out of the media this long?” He returned to the President’s desk and poured out three large glasses of Hibiki, which the President had received on his last visit to Japan.
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  The President took his glass and immediately took a long sip. “It hasn’t been easy. She’s been using her maiden name, and she just got two Secret Service agents with her. It’s all very low-key.”

  “What happens next?” The Chief of Staff asked.

  The President picked up the letter, crumpled it into a ball and tossed into his wastebasket. “It seems that the game is up. We’re all played out. Out of options and out of time.” He took another sip.

  Nick put his glass down and looked at his rather poorly polished shoes before looking back at the President. “When this gets out, we’ll be accused of covering the whole thing up. It won’t be good.”

  “I’m past caring at this point. I’m not running for re-election either way.”

  Nick took a sip from his glass. “If that’s what you want, Sir.” He set his glass down before pouring out some more of the whisky. “How much time does your wife have?”

  “A month, maybe two.” The President turned just far enough in his chair so that he could see out of the windows again. “We spoke yesterday. She’s coming back to the White House in the next few days.”

  Shooting upright in his chair, Zach almost spilt his drink, but he was careful enough not to spill any of the brown elixir. “What if there was a chance to save your wife?” He asked, a smile broadening on his face.

  “What are you talking about?” The President asked, spinning back to face his two closest advisors.

  “We need to get Major Hunt back on the line.”

  Nick’s eyes opened wide. He knew what his colleague was considering. “You can’t be serious?”

  “They saved his life. What’s to prevent them from helping your wife?”

  The President put down his glass. “You’re suggesting I allow my wife to receive medical assistance from the visitors.”

  “It will not only set precedence but will also help show that they are the friends we have been led to believe they are.” Zach interjected. “If this works, your wife will have her health back, and we’ll have taken another step to show the world that this relationship is beneficial to everyone involved.”

  The President turned and continued to look out the window at the falling snow. “Perhaps.”

  6

  After the meeting aboard the PCS Joe had sent the list that Dinalis had given them to Berkley and awaited the response from the scientific community. Joe was fairly confident that the wiser minds that were going to examine the list and look at the best courses of action as to how to implement change were on the same sheet of music. The global scientific community was more united than ever at the moment, and bringing them together to make the world a safer and healthier place wasn’t going to give them any cause for concern.

  That could not be said for the rest of the planet's inhabitants. In the United States, there had been calls for the impeachment of the president after he announced his support for the adoption of the list. Many hardliners were demanding that the visitors get off-world as soon as possible and then leave the system. Of course, that ship had already sailed.

  News had arrived on the 3rd of December, two days after the meeting aboard the PCS, that the 73rd Reach Guard Garrison Squadron was in the system, and that the remainder of ships that had arrived the previous week had departed. Word had also reached Joe that the Epsilon would be recovered by a salvage ship in two days and taken back to Traxis for repairs. It would also signal the departure of the Epsilon crew.

  As Joe made his way out of the Stokes residence, which had been converted into a lodge for the VLT members, he was a bit depressed at the idea of losing touch with Ranix and the rest of the crew, many of whom he had grown close over the last half-year.

  Walking towards the Epsilon, he couldn’t help but notice how much more serene the atmosphere was compared to Paraguay. Sure there was activity here, but not on the scale he had seen in South America. Gone was the infrastructure, and the full weight of the Tohil machine. On Lasqueti, there were only a handful of families, all of whom were welcome at the Stokes’s property, some infantry wandering around the island constantly, and a small number of hand-picked scientists that were assisting the VLT.

  Part of the key to downsizing the operation had been putting a significant amount of the research and other work that had once been done on site in Paraguay into the hands of the SETI team at Berkley, and their support teams around the world. It was all part of the scientific communities plan to unite the world around this incredible discovery.

  When Joe finally reached the Epsilon he was met by Master Engineer Sulvan, his second, Master Engineer Class 3 Valerex and Sub-Engineer Venko.

  “How goes it, gentlemen?” Joe asked, extending his hand to Sulvan.

  “Good, Major. We’re going over a final report to send to the recovery ship that should be here in two days time.” The engineer made some notes on a datapad. “It’s back to the repair yards for our ship.”

  “Do they plan to put her back into service?” Joe was a little surprised. He knew that the ship was missing jump coils, its weapon systems were offline, large sections of the hull had been patched up on Earth, and the engines were operating at a fraction of their capability after the scrap with the Raider beyond Mars. He was confident that she would be headed for the scrap heap.

  “They have to. With resources the way they are, we cannot afford to retire the ship. Give the mechanics and technicians at the repair facility enough time, and they will have the Epsilon back in action.”

  Joe moved forward and ran his hand along one of the rear landing supports. “It’ll be sad to see her go.”

  “Perhaps. But in the meantime, I have some good news for you.” The Porthean smiled at Joe before looking to his assistant. “Open the hanger bay.” He ordered.

  Joe and the two engineers moved away from the landing strut to a position opposite the hangar bay door as Valerex jogged to the makeshift steps that were in place, climbed them quickly, and tapped a few keys on the exterior access pad.

  The doors creaked open slowly, which was the speed at which they’d been operating at recently, but once they were open, they revealed a stationary, factory new looking, Sentinel Commander unit.

  “Follow me.” The Master Engineer instructed.

  Without taking his eyes off the 10-foot tall robot, Joe moved forward.

  “Is it the Sentinel Commander?”

  “For the most part. Same mind, new body.” When they entered the hanger, the engineer went up to the robot and pounded on its torso a few times. “This body came from Admiral Taark’s command ship. It was in storage and hadn’t had a neural uplink yet.” Sulvan knelt by the units right thigh and unscrewed a metal plate that was attached to the inside of the leg. “This,” he handed the plate to Joe. “Is it’s registration from the factory. This model is less than six months old, and is ready for data upload.”

  “You mean we’ll have the old Sentinel Commander back?” Joe asked with a smile on his face.

  “Correct. And this new body will give him more capabilities than his old chassis.” Sulvan looked at Valerex, “Start the uplink process.” He ordered.

  Joe took a step back and gave the chassis a good inspection. Everything looked like it had before the battle with the Coalition, albeit in newer condition. The green stripe that ran down the length of the head unit looked not a day old. All of the antennae that were mounted on the units head were also in their up-most position, all straight and looking ready for service.

  “Up-link accepted.” Valerex reported.

  “Give it a minute, and the unit should be online,” Sulvan said, arms crossed. “Oh, and he’s staying here with you.” He added.

  Joe looked at Sulvan, then back at the unit. “Really?”

  Sulvan nodded. “Ranix wanted you to have someone or something I should say, stay with you when the Epsilon departs.”

  “And the Admiral didn’t protest?”

  “He liked the idea. Continuity is good for everyone, and this ship doesn’t need a Sentine
l Commander in the depot while it’s undergoing repairs.”

  “Reactor coming online.” Valerex reported.

  Sulvan brought his arm up and pushed Joe back as he backed up. “When it comes back online he might think he’s still in combat.”

  Joe took a few more steps back until he was almost at the threshold of the hangar bay.

  The group stood there in silence as the machine's engine went through a variety of shifts, almost if it was warming up and running tests. Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, its ice blue eyes started to flicker, slowly at first, then more rapidly, before blazing to life in all their glory. The antenna on the head quickly retracted, as the sound from the machines reactor became deafeningly loud, before finally dropping to the standard hum that the robots gave off in non-combat mode.

  Standing in silence, Joe and Sulvan watched as the machine moved its head, arms, rotated its torso, and finally took a step forward. Like checking brake lights on a car, the robot was running system checks.

  Once it had stopped fidgeting, the machine stood upright and moved slowly towards Joe. The machines large strides only requiring two paces. Towering over Joe, the SC leant down until its head was on a level with Joes before issuing its first declaration.

  “I’m back!”

  Joe smiled and shook his head. He really needed to stop recommending what films the crew should watch, which the SC was apparently uploading to his neural-net.

  “Yes, you are.” Joe slapped the upper arm of the hulking machine, with a big grin on his face.

  7

  While the Visitor Liaison Team had had the chance on two occasions to visit the Ataries, they had yet to take a cameraman with them, but that was going to change for the third visit, with Jose Berenguer just returned from a weeks’ vacation in Brazil, it was time for the world to get an inside look at the largest alien spacecraft to have set down on Earth yet.