by Geoff Wolak
Two hours later, as we sat watching the TV news, another report arrived. Jimmy read, ‘This is … another six years on, 2001. America clashed with Venezuela, siding with Colombia, Indian Prime Minister and cabinet killed by a suicide bomber, Indonesia bombed by Australian Air Force, bombs going off in Australian cities, blood product widely used – banned in Middle East, several Muslims have attempted to kill Sandra – who has produced four hundred kids, ah – CAR have taken full control of the Congo, joint naval bases in Somalia. Somalia quelled by American, British and Russian forces, now Africa Union peacekeepers there.
‘Oh dear. American military forces landed in new Israeli state and now protect American Jews, who declared an independent state. Fighting on the borders of the new state, Syria involved, American jets bombing Syrian towns, whites still running South Africa.’
We all collectively sighed.
‘She’s not you,’ I said. ‘What did we expect?’
‘Are you sure that you want to know more?’ Jimmy posed.
I exchanged a look with Susan. Facing Jimmy, I said, ‘Has Toby seen those?’
‘Not yet, they’re classified.’ He waited.
‘We’ll find out eventually,’ I said.
In the morning we found that more reports had arrived, several more, the portal operators having been stepping through that world’s history.
Jimmy lifted a pad over breakfast. ‘OK, what have we got? Syria, Egypt and Israel fought a war -’
‘Sounds familiar,’ I quipped.
‘- and the new Israeli state is established, 2010. Iranians are still quiet for some reason, Pakistan sponsoring terrorism all over the place – no change there, border clashes with India, an annual death toll of sixty thousand. Indonesia was bombed by the Americans, now a failed state sponsoring terrorism. Global oil production is steady, prices steady, electric buses used in many countries, and all around Africa.
‘CAR is still developing the Congo, Venezuela is now quiet, America and Cuba are talking, China is growing steadily, population boom due to drugs – expected to stabilise. 2017, Hawaii destroyed, wave hits many places, American economy hit, Republican President unseated mid term. Wow. And … actor John Travolta wins it for the Democrats.’
We exchanged looks, faces pulled.
‘The Ark is founded, Brad involved, Saudis making ready for 2025, as are Kuwaitis, Dubai is a failed state, al-Qa’eda setting off bombs, Travolta impeached by a massive majority of senators – and steps down after two years. Guess he wasn’t very popular on the hill.
‘Ah, this is interesting. Sandra sanctioned drones to be used in Afghanistan, most fighters killed. Not bad. A few more assassination attempts on her, several of her kids killed by the Earth for Humans movement.’
‘Arseholes,’ I let out, shaking my head.
‘OK, 2024, six alien craft attack Earth, all shot down, but much damage done. They attacked CAR in the Congo, the Zanzibar oilfields, and Sandra directly.’
‘Bloody hell,’ I let out. ‘That’s a bit personal, and a bit close to home.’
‘It says that the attacks united many nations.’ He read on. ‘They now have fast sub-orbital craft, effective missiles, micro-wave radars, optical scanners, and satellites that can scan and shoot. Earth space station has … wow … thirty six people on board, and weapons, small base on the Moon – a joint venture between the Americans, Russians and Indians. Chinese not there yet, which is odd.
‘OK, 2025 sees mass refugees after the Middle East quake, but … money was used to house them in neighbouring states. Start of war -’
‘War?’ I loudly asked.
‘War with the Zim,’ Jimmy answered, frowning at the pad. ‘Around twenty alien ships attacked Earth, cities damaged across the globe, but all Zim craft were shot down in a two year battle that saw Sandra deploy the drones to fight the alien craft. Space station was destroyed, many satellites destroyed, base on Moon was destroyed.’ He looked up.
‘My God,’ Susan let out.
‘Why are the Zim so interested in that world?’ I wondered out loud. ‘So many ships committed and destroyed. Why there?’
‘Sandra is there, and she’s Seethan, and … maybe they have issues with the Seethan,’ Jimmy suggested. He read on. ‘Following that war, World Government was started, a common defence budget, common radar and ground weapons systems. The International Space Station was re-launched, heavily armed, Moon base replaced, also heavily armed, deep space weapons deployed – designed by Sandra and her offspring.’ We exchanged looks.
‘China finally commits to space programme, as do South American countries, listening post positioned on Mars with automated weapons. Sandra’s new research facility produces … an orbital fighter, later variant has an anti-gravity engine, ion engine and solar energy capture. Her research facility has nine thousand scientists based around London, and they’re producing electric cars and buses as well, and … drones, sophisticated drones.’
‘Sounds like she got frustrated,’ Susan put in.
‘Can’t blame her,’ I said. ‘That world didn’t cooperate as much as our old world.’
Jimmy was still studying the report. ‘2028 sees no less than six alien craft intercepted in space. Resulting explosions suggest they were carrying fissile material, enough to level a few cities.’
‘That’s a new twist,’ I said, suddenly very concerned.
Jimmy read on. ‘System of world governance continued, combined defence policy, mass use of electric vehicles, African GDP very good, global economy stable, Middle East stable after refugee crisis – widespread use of solar technology thanks to Sandra, what …’ he stared at the screen. ‘Unusual solar activity … world now EM silent.’
‘What?’ I gasped.
Jimmy faced me, ashen faced. ‘That world … is EM silent. No life.’
Susan said, ‘What year was the solar flare?’
‘2032,’ Jimmy answered.
‘There’s been no such flare anywhere else,’ Susan adamantly stated.
‘Maybe that world is different,’ I managed to get out, choking a little and fighting the feeling welling up in my stomach. ‘All that … for … for nothing?’
‘That solar flare, it … it may have been our alien friends,’ Jimmy suggested. He touched a button on his pad. ‘Computer, dispatch Dark Star I and II to the world where Sandra is, to a date of 2032, to observe the sun for Solar flares affecting Earth, but also to scan for any alien ships prior to such solar activity.’
We exchanged looks for many seconds. Jimmy finally lifted his pad again. ‘Computer, organise emergency meeting of all world security representatives for tomorrow at 6pm, Manson, this world.’
‘We’ve got to unwind that world,’ I urged.
Jimmy sighed. ‘If … that solar activity was part of that time line, then … then how the hell do we evacuate six billion people?’
‘We should save some,’ I said. ‘Especially Sandra and her offspring.’
‘Some people may see that as … a little callous,’ Jimmy pointed out. ‘Just … pray that our alien friends had a hand in it, because that solar activity could affect other worlds at other times, or all of them.’
He lifted his data-pad. ‘Computer, emergency override. Issue orders to breach protocols regarding the sampling of future Earth history, to Moon Base personnel. Instruct them not to listen to EM signals, but to look for a lack of EM signals on any world, and then to look for solar flares prior to the lack of signals. Top priority, and top secret, my eyes only.’
Within an hour, I was receiving calls from world leaders. The current US President came on. ‘Paul, you’ve breached our protocols agreement.’
‘Trust me, it’s necessary, and we’ll discuss what we find … if we find it. And pray we don’t find it.’
‘Is there a problem?’
‘Try going back to 2010, knowing about 2025, and ask … is there a problem. Then multiply it by ten.’
‘Jesus.’
‘Trust us for a while. This
planet is safe, but … well, just trust us.’
Jimmy came and found me, his tie undone, looking harassed. ‘That solar flare must be artificial – and a paradox, because if the Zim knew that Sandra’s world would be destroyed naturally they wouldn’t have gone back and tried to nuke it.’
I found myself nodding at that. ‘Makes sense.’
‘Might get a report back from Dark Star before the meeting. And … they’re all worried.’
‘They … are not the only ones. And I haven’t spoken to Toby yet.’
‘I’ve summoned him for this meeting.’
I took a moment. ‘He picked a world with alien interference, thinking that it would help. And … it did, up to a point.’
At the meeting, at the Guest Centre in Manson, sixty representatives slowly settled after greeting each other. Jimmy had the guards wave wands and check for bugs, phones and data-pads being handed in at the door. Baldy attended, and sat near me.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ Jimmy began, stood now facing the crowd, myself sat to one side with Toby. ‘The situation is both grave … and top secret. Security … must be maintained regarding this subject matter. I have, as you know, deliberately breached our agreed protocols, and I have Moon Base looking at the futures of all of your worlds.’
A chorus of whispered comments broke out.
Jimmy held up a hand to silence them. ‘I also have Dark Star on a mission to gather information.’ He heaved a sigh. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I have become aware of the Zim using a weapon … that ended all life on the world we sent Sandra to.’
Toby was on his feet, shocked and stunned. Manny others were up as well, a loud debate breaking out. I grabbed Toby and forcefully led him back down. He stared into my eyes, his look asking a million questions.
‘Quiet please,’ Jimmy called. He waited, and they eventually settled. ‘As I began, this subject matter is grave, and secret. And the reason that I’m now checking a few futures … is to see if our theories about that particular weapon are correct. If my theories are correct, then I shall take steps to deal with the problem.
‘Moon Base is now more important than ever, and I would like funding increased – just in case.’ His pad bleeped, and he read the message. ‘Dark Star had reported its findings, and … that world was destroyed by an alien weapon.’
A chorus of whispers shot around the room again, a few questions fired at Jimmy, but not answered. He held up his hands. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we shall make a plan, and we shall try and deal with the alien threat that we now face. The detail of that weapon will remain secret for now, for obvious reasons, and we don’t wish to start a panic.
‘As a first step, I would like the appropriate governments to ready a small army, equipped with our best scanners and weapons, and I would like to assign a few of our ships to that world for an extended period. I suggest two ships. Here, in our time, I suggest that we increase the sizes of our ships, their ranges and capabilities. And quickly.
‘We will … in the near future, be looking at long range space flight as part of combat missions; we now have no choice but to take the war to the enemy. That means Seethan combat pilots, including those now working with us. I also propose … that the designs for our craft such as Dark Star be handed to Sandra on that world, but at a date of no later than 2020 – she does eventually develop her own anyway.’
‘What are the politics like at that date?’ someone asked.
‘Not … great,’ Jimmy responded.
‘They could abuse them, or start a war!’ someone shouted.
Jimmy raised his hands again. ‘If we leave the date any later, then the planet will be lost. The alternate is that we use our own ships over there … for decades.’
‘Use ours!’ came from several people.
‘A show of hands, please: those in favour of handing over the technology?’
About a third raised their hands.
‘And those in favour of using our ships?’
About two thirds raised their hands.
‘Then we shall look at using our ships. Kindly prepare the scanners and technicians, and build additional craft to existing specifications as fast as possible.’
Back at the house, Jimmy said, ‘I spoke to an expert, and a solar flare big enough to knock out all of our satellites and ground electrical systems would only need to be around five times bigger than the largest recorded solar flare. At the next level up from a simple eruption of solar material it would destroy the Ozone Layer – but the effects of that radiation which actually reaches the ground would take years to kill people, and then the blood product would help. Finally, to burn off the oxygen would require a magnitude of solar flare that isn’t so big, and not so hard to prompt.
‘Dark Star reports that six Zim ships deployed a large silver screen, and channelled solar energy through their ships and back to one point, after they had waited for six months for just the right natural solar flare to occur. They gave it some help. All in all, a very effective way to destroy life.’
‘At what particular time juncture do we go back?’ I floated.
‘I’d say, before they start their two-year war; 2026.’
‘Toby has already mentioned that he would like to go.’
Jimmy gave that some thought. ‘Does he want to go because he’s a suitable pilot, because he wants to save those people, or because he doesn’t want his idea to fail?’
‘That’s a bit cruel,’ I pointed out.
‘Is it? Is he going because he thinks he has something to prove, and might just ram an alien craft? Or … is he thinking with a cool head?’
I discussed Toby’s desire to go to that world with Susan, and she agreed with Jimmy’s point of view; was Toby’s desire to go back there for the right reasons. When Toby arrived later, we sat him down. ‘We know you want to help out on that world, but … you seem to be being a bit emotional about it.’
‘Damn right. They’re dead because of me!’
‘No, they’re not dead because of you,’ I carefully mouthed. ‘The Zim would never have given up, whether we were there or not. And if you keep talking like that I’ll have you grounded.’
He stared back, clearly angered, and finally turned away.
‘Go away and think about why you want to be there. If the answer is revenge, or to avoid a black mark on your record - or you’re mad enough to do something heroic and get yourself killed – then you can forget it. You go if you have a good reason to go, and no one will countermand my wishes, certainly not Jimmy.’
Following the meeting, those of our advanced craft already being built were now to be hurriedly assembled, three times as many engineers soon seen to be working on them – and round the clock. And now that we had the future Seethan pilots with us, the Seethans would go over our designs and features.
Their own ship had been piloted by our crews – after it had been aired a little, up to the Moon and across to this world, and now the Seethan pilots were put back aboard their own craft to play war games. And they questioned the little pine tree shaped air freshener hanging from a control knob. They tried to get close to Earth, and our craft chased them around and around. The Seethans buzzed various capitals, local scanners tested, and the press started asking questions about the build-up. Jimmy told the press to shut up, because aliens were listening in.
The African Rifles made ready twenty thousand men from several worlds, all kitted with the latest rifles, and those rifles could damage an alien craft at low altitude. A grand total of thirty thousand US Marines made ready, from several worlds, as well as units of Russian and Chinese soldiers from their best regiments.
Scanners were tested, taken apart, and shipped to various locations such as Manson, London, New Kinshasa or Mawlini, and a new breed of missiles were packed up ready for the journey. These new missiles were shoulder-launched, hypersonic, and had a tip that penetrated the skins of Zim craft; they had been tested thoroughly on the Zim alloy. The missiles honed in on heat, or laser designation, and wo
uld be used by the Marines and the Rifles.
None of the weapons, nor men being currently assembled, would have been any good against a solar flare, so two piloted craft and Dark Star I were allocated to the defence of that planet. But the best defence was advance warning, Baldy now busy launching probes through to that world, into the year 2020. They would fly out to varying orbits of the Sun and cover a wide area, reporting back any movement. Several unmanned probes were dispatched towards where we knew the Zim craft were coming from, and those probes would finally reach their patrol stations after eight to ten years.
Considering the probes being launched, the other worlds figured that the probes would be a good idea for them too - and could they please have some? The two worlds of 2048 cooperated, and Baldy’s Moon base was kept very busy, probes being fired off to all of the linked worlds – just in case.
I finally began my delayed vacation in New Kinshasa, the boys soon in the pool. I still threw coins in for them to find, and they knew that they could exchange them for sweets, Selemba now expert at finding coins. She was bigger than the boys, and often bossed them around something terrible, organising games. She was now attending a local nursery, where the teachers described her as “advanced, gifted, and a right bossy boots”.
With Selemba and a Seethan friend in the pool with the boys, coins being fought over, I sat with a cold beer and checked emails.
‘Being unsociable?’ Helen asked as she sat.
‘Just got a million things to do, and some decisions to make,’ I said, taking in the lake.
‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Helen asked after a moment.
‘Pennies are all in the pool,’ I quipped. Heaving a sigh, I began, ‘Toby wants to go back to the world where Sandra is.’
‘What for?’ Helen asked.
‘Sorry, you haven’t been briefed. There’ll … be a large-scale alien attack there; we peeked into their future.’
‘He is a good pilot, so what’s the problem?’
‘Large … large-scale attack, and war, and … the four horsemen of the apocalypse.’
