Earth Star

30

The Eden dig teams must have been the happiest people in Ark at this point. They were people who liked action, something incredibly important needed doing, and they were going to help get it done. Dig Site Command automatically started work, making a list of teams who wanted to help, and mailed it to me.

The Military Command Support team had also sent me mail, giving site location details and logistics information. I sent Dig Site Command’s list of personnel on to the Military, and sent the Military information on to Dig Site Command and all the dig team leaders. This seemed to give everyone the delusion I’d competently arranged all this myself, right down to the details of the aircraft flying in freight-sized portals to Eden and Zulu Dig Sites.

‘You’ve chosen a very clever name for the excavation site,’ said Rono. ‘I love the way Zulu is in current use as a letter designation for the Military, but also has historical links to Earth Africa. Cassandra’s original colonists came from Earth Africa, so I take a special interest in its history.’

I knew Command Support had just randomly named the excavation site after our Military base, but I smiled and accepted the compliment. It all helped build up the fantasy this had been calmly planned for days and I knew what I was doing.

One of the people clustered around the Dig Site Command desk raised his head. ‘Will you want to set up temporary domes on site, Major, or portal people back to Eden for rest breaks?’

It was the first of what could be hundreds of detailed questions, and I’d no idea how to set up a large-scale dig site operation. I remembered Colonel Torrek’s advice. If I didn’t know the answer, I should recruit an expert, and I knew exactly the man I needed.

‘Before we get into detailed decisions, I’ll need my site leader involved. I’d ideally like that to be Pereth, given his experience running the Solar 5 rescue operation. Anyone know where he is?’

‘Earth 2 were working on the California Rift,’ called a voice.

Dig Site Command Eden promptly called Dig Site Command California. One minute, and two call transfers later, I was speaking to Pereth. This was the man who’d managed the incredible feat of running an excavation with 24 teams working simultaneously in the chaotic conditions of a solar super storm. I hero-worshipped him, but I had to hide that and be the efficient voice of the Military.

‘Major?’ Pereth seemed bewildered by events. Hardly surprising. He’d only just learned about the aliens, and now he’d been told a Military Major wished to speak to him.

‘Thank you for speaking to me, sir. I assume you’ve seen the news.’

‘Yes. This is about the aliens?’

I recited approximately the same speech I’d made to the Eden dig teams with an extra addition. ‘I had the honour to be part of the Solar 5 rescue, and I’m hoping you’ll agree to be my site leader and handle the details of the Zulu excavation for me.’

‘Jarra from Asgard 6. I hadn’t realized … I’d be delighted to assist the Military. Can I bring my team? I’m used to working with them and delegating some of the tasks.’

During the Solar 5 rescue, I’d been awed by Pereth’s superhuman ability to watch half a dozen different things at once. I should have realized some of his team had been helping him.

‘Their assistance would be very welcome.’

‘We’re just …’ He paused and turned away for a moment to glance at someone out of view of the lookup. ‘We think it’d take us about an hour to walk to your location. Should we come to you or …?’

‘That would be ideal. I’m sending you logistics and site location information right now. Take a few minutes to scan it, so you can make plans on your way over here. Unfortunately, Gaius Devon’s ego trip has rushed us into going public ahead of schedule and created a lot of unexpected problems, but I know I can count on you and Eden Dig Site Command to take most of the excavation arrangements off my hands.’

Pereth nodded. ‘We can handle an excavation, no problem, but … should we take any special precautions?’

I was probably still paranoid after the accident that had nearly killed me and Fian, but if the alien device really existed, we’d no idea what technology it might use, or what it might do to impact suits and lift beams.

‘We believe the power cells of the device are drained, so in theory there shouldn’t be any especial danger, but we’re dealing with a complete unknown. Shut down all lift beams the second you locate it and clear the area as a safety precaution.’

Pereth nodded. ‘What happens after that?’

I smiled. I wasn’t worried about what happened when we found the alien device, but what happened if we didn’t. ‘The Military take over full responsibility at that point.’

He seemed relieved.

‘I’m sorry, but I have to go,’ I said. ‘Thanks to Devon, I need to organize vids for a public announcement.’

‘Of course. We’ll be with you soon, Major.’

I ended the call, and looked around the crowd of fascinated bystanders. The dig teams were obviously more interested in my conversation with Pereth than in Earth Rolling News, which was still talking away to itself in excited tones in the background.

‘Dalmora, Krath, Amalie.’ I resorted to using the microphone, since I couldn’t see them.

Three dazed figures came forward in response.

‘I need you to set up some vid bees. The Military are preparing a detailed announcement, and want to include images of what’s happening here. Dalmora, I’m sending you information on how to link your vid feed to the Military.’

Dalmora checked her lookup, and suddenly changed from grazzed to professional. ‘Of course.’ She looked across at where Pereth’s image was floating above the Dig Site Command desk, busily conferring with a group of team leaders. ‘Should we be showing anything in particular?’

‘We just want viewers to see us looking reassuringly busy and professional.’ I looked around and used the microphone again. ‘People wearing silly party hats, can you please lose them or keep out of vid bee view. We’re going to be on the newzies, and we want to inspire confidence not laughter.’

Several people sprinted off to change their clothes, including Rono, Playdon and Stephan. I was relieved. Dalmora just looked like a vid star, but the rest of the Replays were in reproduction archaic costumes, and telling my lecturer he was unsuitably dressed might have been a bit awkward.

Fian looked worried. ‘Do I have to be in the vid?’

‘Definitely,’ I said. ‘You’re half the Military presence here.’

Vid bees began to patrol the hall. Those clustered around the Dig Site Command desk shot nervous glances at them and continued their discussion with a self-conscious air. For the next twenty minutes, Fian and I were each stalked by a vid bee, before Dalmora announced the Military had enough images and called a halt to the persecution.

I checked the time and resorted to the microphone again. ‘Everyone from Asgard 6, and Rono from Cassandra 2, we need a quick conference in …’ I glanced towards the Dig Site Command desk.

‘Alpha corridor, Area 1 is still empty,’ Ellen said. ‘We thought it might be a bit noisy so close to the main hall.’

‘That will be fine.’ I led the way to Area 1. As the others gathered around me, I said three words. ‘Impact suit. Help!’

‘What?’ asked Rono.

‘You know Jarra and Fian had a major accident recently,’ said Playdon. ‘Jarra has impact suit phobia.’

‘This excavation was supposed to be happening in secret using people from the Stasis Q list,’ said Fian. ‘We thought …’

‘It was?’ Playdon asked. ‘When did …? No, it doesn’t matter now, sorry for interrupting. Carry on.’

‘We thought we could just explain Jarra’s problem to people,’ continued Fian, ‘and she could lead the excavation from inside a dome. Anyone on the Stasis Q list would understand, but now …’

‘The dig teams will understand too,’ said Rono.

‘Yes, they’d understand,’ I said, ‘but what about the rest of humanity? Gaius Devon has scared people to death, and this operation is supposed to happen in a blaze of publicity to reassure them. I won’t inspire much confidence by cowering inside a dome, terrified of my own impact suit.’

I shook my head. ‘I have to get back into a suit. I’ve already asked Major Tar Cameron of Command Support to send over impact suits and skintights for Fian and myself. Some poor Lieutenant is probably hiking across Ark, right now, to bring them over. Any suggestions on how I get into mine?’ I looked hopefully at Rono.

‘I had the same problem, but it took me two months before I could make myself put a suit on.’

‘If I can’t make myself … Is it possible to force me into one?’

‘No!’ said Playdon. ‘Jarra, be reasonable. Even if it was physically possible, what state would you be in afterwards?’

‘Meds!’ said Fian. ‘There must be some meds that would help.’

I wrinkled my nose. I hated taking meds, but my personal feelings were pretty low on the priority list here. ‘Would that work? I can’t be on the newzies if I’m acting powered on meds.’

‘Once you’ve got into the suit for the first time, you might not need the meds again,’ said Rono.

I thought for a moment. ‘If I used the meds soon, and they only affected me for a couple of hours … We’ll have to explain to the staff at the medical post why we need the meds. That’s a risk, but I don’t see a way out of it.’

‘That’s easy,’ said Krath. ‘We claim I’m the one with impact suit phobia. You just have to tell them I’m on your team and you urgently need my help.’

I stared at him. ‘You’d do that to stop me looking a nardle? Krath, that’s pretty noble.’

He shrugged. ‘Not really. I’m always looking a nardle anyway.’

Amalie smiled. ‘You know, Krath, you’re definitely improving these days.’

He glanced at her and blushed.

‘They’ll want to give Krath the meds themselves,’ said Playdon, ‘but we can talk them into letting us do it if we quote security risks at them.’

‘We’d better get back to the hall and watch the announcement now,’ I said. ‘We can try the meds thing after that. Thanks again for volunteering, Krath. I appreciate it.’

Krath went pink again, and we trooped back to the main hall where everyone was watching the display of Earth Rolling News. A male presenter, who’d managed to find some serious clothes instead of a party outfit, was speaking.

‘This is Earth Rolling News broadcasting live across all sectors from our evacuation base in Ark.’

His voice had an uncontrolled edge of excitement as he said the words. Earth Rolling News had always been the poor relation of the other news channels, relaying incoming stories from the sectors, while no one outside Earth was interested in the affairs of the Handicapped. It had had recent moments of glory with the solar super storm, and hosting coverage of the Military medal ceremony, but they were nothing to this.

The fact that this was going out live to the sectors suddenly sank in. Oh chaos! It would have been bad enough watching my nardle theory explained to the entire population of Earth, but people in Alpha through Kappa would be watching this as well. Nuke it, even the Military in Zeta sector would probably have a live feed. No pressure. No pressure at all!

I waited tensely while the presenter explained some basic information for the viewers on worlds where even a short solar storm was a once in a lifetime event.

‘Earth is currently in portal lockdown due to a solar storm causing interference to portal transmissions originating on Earth. This would have fatal consequences to travellers, so the portal transportation network is closed to all but incoming medical emergency traffic from off world. The comms portal network remains open but is also subject to interference. We apologize for the resulting low image quality.’

He finally said the words I was waiting for. ‘Colonel Riak Torrek and Commander Mason Leveque are joining us on live link from the Military Operations Centre in Ark.’

The image changed to show Colonel Torrek and Commander Leveque standing in the centre of a vast cavern. In the background, I could see figures in Military uniform working at banks of equipment. There was also a huge holo display showing massed fighters parked on a landing area in front of a line of portals. I restrained the urge to giggle. The Military couldn’t need a live display of the fighters on standby at Echo base, Adonis. They were definitely playing to the vid bees with that one.

Colonel Torrek gave viewers a few seconds to take in the scene before he spoke. ‘I announced earlier that the Military were in the process of opening up communications with the alien sphere. I apologize for the delay in giving you further details. Professor Gaius Devon’s breach of secrecy means this information is being released ahead of schedule, and we had to complete the vid sequences. Commander Leveque will now continue the briefing.’

Leveque spent the next five minutes explaining my nardle theory, except the way he described it, with the help of images and graphics, it didn’t sound like a theory but a solid fact. Listening to him, I was almost convinced myself!

‘For obvious logistical and safety reasons,’ he said, ‘excavations cannot begin until Earth is out of portal lockdown. We estimate a 78 per cent probability the alien device is located at what we’ve designated Zulu Dig Site. Military aircraft surveyed the site before the start of the solar storm, taking visual and sensor images.’

My guess was the survey had actually been made immediately after the arrival of the sphere. I watched an aerial view of closely packed trees with the distinctive reddish foliage of Griffith hybrids. Those were going to make this a difficult dig, chaos take them.

Leveque’s relaxed voice started speaking again. ‘The Military wish to thank the civilian archaeologists from Eden Dig Site in Earth Africa, who have volunteered their expertise to help excavate the device. The operation will be led by Field Commander Major Tell Morrath, and her deputy, Captain Eklund. They will be assisted by Professor Pereth of University Earth who will be acting as site leader. Plans for the excavation are being finalized at the Eden Dig Site evacuation centre in Ark.’

Everyone in the hall watched the next vid sequence intently, trying to spot themselves in the pictures. Dalmora’s cunning work, combined with some careful editing by the Military, made us all appear hard at work and totally oblivious to the vid bees, apart from a moment when Fian and I turned to look at them and nod. I sighed with relief.

The screen image returned to Leveque, who wound up his speech. There was a moment of silence before the Earth Rolling News presenter spoke.

‘Earth Rolling News has just received a call from Professor Gaius Devon. Do you wish to hear his comments, Colonel?’

Colonel Torrek sighed. ‘Please patch his call into this interview, so I can talk to him myself. I’m afraid Professor Devon greatly overestimates his understanding of the situation. He was a minor member of a civilian Physics team attempting to analyse the sphere. He failed to make any useful contributions, and his position gave him only a very limited knowledge of events.’

There was a pause before the presenter spoke. ‘Professor Gaius Devon is joining us on live link from his home on Alcestis in Gamma sector, so his answers will suffer from significant comms portal relay lag.’

Fian leaned across to whisper in my ear. ‘Is it a good idea to let Devon into this?’

I was worried too, but I tried to hide that and whispered back. ‘Colonel Torrek knows what he’s doing.’

The screen image divided to show a close-up of Colonel Torrek on one side, and a chaos furious looking Gaius Devon on the other.

‘Please, Professor Devon, briefly sum up your concerns so I can reassure the viewers,’ said Colonel Torrek.

It took a moment for Devon to react and respond. I smiled as I realized how big a disadvantage he was in because of relay lag. Viewers wouldn’t just be impatient at having to wait for him, but constantly reminded of how distant he was from events.

‘First of all, I’d like to point out the holder of the Wallam-Crane Portal Physics Chair at University Alcestis shouldn’t be belittled by being described as a minor team member.’

‘I apologize for any offence,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘I was merely speaking in the context of a team including three Physics Nobel winners. I’m under time pressure here, with an important situation to handle, so can we please move on to less personal issues?’

Fian laughed. ‘Devon may think he’s important, but everyone knows a chair at University Alcestis isn’t in the same sector as a Nobel. He was hoping his precious portal theory would get him a nomination last year, but he lost out to …’

Gaius Devon now reacted and spoke again. ‘I’m appalled at your plans for retrieving this alien device.’

I felt like cheering. I’d expected Devon to ridicule my theory, but the whole of humanity had heard him accept an alien device existed. I didn’t have time to celebrate because Devon had lost control of his wounded ego and was ranting at Colonel Torrek.

‘Firstly, we shouldn’t communicate with aliens, we should destroy them before they destroy us. Secondly, you’re incompetent to the point of insanity if you’re putting Jarra Tell Morrath in charge of anything. She’s not just a totally unqualified 18-year-old, she’s an ape!’

Something odd happened to the world when I heard those words. The people around me, the image of Earth Rolling News, and the huge cavern I was standing in, all seemed to recede off into the distance. I was alone, far away, somewhere very, very cold.