Infinity's Gateway, page 34
“You’re not still thinking of that craft as being a weapon, are you?” asked Garrett.
“I don’t know. How do you see it?” asked MacKay.
“I’m just speculating, but I’m not sure that I believe that it’s a weapon at all,” said Garrett. “We never once saw that craft hurt anything. It gave us the gel because it knew we had injured men. From that point on it never left our side. In the end, it saved us from what Dr. Brennan assured me would have been all but certain death from those mosasaurs. They use that light as needed, but never in a violent way. I don’t know who those people are, but I’m not sure that it’s a weapon. For that matter, I’m starting to doubt if that craft is even a part of their military.”
“That opens up a whole new line of speculation, doesn’t it?” said Colton. “So, if I were to advance that line of reasoning one more step, then we might be dealing with a group who is so technologically advanced that they may have moved beyond the need for offensive weaponry.”
“You two make my head hurt,” said MacKay. “Even if what you are saying is possible, let’s say that that’s it exactly, I would find that both comforting and absolutely terrifying all in the same breath.”
“What is so scary about that?” asked Garrett. “Do you find it frightening that we’ve possibly fallen in with people who love peace and nonviolent methods?”
“Captain, you’ve had more training than this. Shangri-la doesn’t exist,” said MacKay. “You know as well as I do, a blade can cut both ways. What can be used for good can also be used for evil. A tool such as that light, in the wrong hands, could do a great deal of damage. Until we know more, a lot more, we cannot let our guard down for a minute.”
“I have to side with MacKay on this one,” said Colton. “We really don’t have any idea who we are dealing with or what their ultimate plan may be.”
“Isn’t it possible that they don’t have an ultimate plan?” asked Garrett. “I’ll get Father Ryan with me and we’ll talk about this some more. Couldn’t this just be a classic Good Samaritan act of kindness?”
“Captain, it could be, and I hope you’re right,” said MacKay. “But any group that has tools as advanced as that light, I shudder to think what their weapons would look like.”
“On that happy note, who would like some tea?” asked Colton. Looking at MacKay, he added, “And coffee.”
They threaded their way to the mess hall and Hezekiah soon had them set up, along with some cookies. “It’s a good thing we were resupplied a few days before that wave hit us. We’re still going to have to start making plans to somehow supplement our food and water supply.”
“Dr. Chudzik mentioned that she’s already working on that with Argos and one of Sahir’s people,” said Garrett. “She’s an amazingly brilliant individual.”
“Of Meinhard’s entire team, I’ve gotten to know her and Dr. Brennan the best. Frankly, I’m glad they’re with us,” said MacKay.
Colton was getting ready to weigh in on this when Hezekiah walked over to their table. “Captain MacKay,” he said, “I’ve got Mr. Mercer on the phone for you.”
“Be right back,” said MacKay, and followed Hezekiah over to the phone. “MacKay here.”
“Sir, you are needed on the bridge,” said Mercer. “Colton’s escort has returned.”
“You sound rather tense, Mr. Mercer,” said MacKay. “Is there a problem?”
“There might be, sir,” said Mercer. “This time it’s not alone.”
CHAPTER 25
How long have they been out there?” asked MacKay, looking at the scene before them through binoculars.
“That’s a little hard to say. We didn’t see them as they approached, and not one of our systems picked them up,” said Mercer. “They just sort of appeared, so they were obviously shielding themselves again.”
“As before, Mr. Mercer, quietly bring the ship to battle stations.”
Mercer turned and nodded at Lieutenant Gallo, who immediately went to work carrying out the order.
“I don’t disagree with your order, Captain,” said Colton, “but I’m pretty sure that if they had any intention of attacking us, they would have done so by now. They most certainly would have attacked long before they let us see them.”
“Has there been any communication?” asked MacKay.
“Using the exact same frequency as the radios that Commander Colton’s team carried, we’ve tried hailing them several times,” explained Mercer. “So far there’s been no response.”
“I’m pretty sure they got the message,” said Colton. “It’s just that they communicate in an entirely different way. Has Argos picked anything up?”
“I’ve not yet talked with Sahir, sir,” said Mercer. “I’ll check with him now.”
“Very good, but like before, make sure Sahir keeps Argos reined in,” said Colton. “We don’t know why they’ve returned, and I have no intention of our starting anything we can’t finish.”
Father Ryan entered the bridge and walked over to stand next to MacKay. “Round two, Callum?”
“Round one worked to our advantage, Father,” answered MacKay. “Let’s hope round two is as beneficial. At this point I have no idea what to make of all this.”
Trying to put aside the strong feelings of apprehension that ran through each of them, the scene across from them, the crafts hovering above the shoreline, was rather impressive. The craft that had guided Colton’s team back to safety had returned and was hovering over the beach in almost the same spot as it had been before. But this time it was flanked by several other craft. Hovering much higher up in the sky were seven dark blue spheres in a broad V-shaped formation. Each of the spheres looked to be at least three hundred feet in diameter, if not larger.
The spheres were slowly rotating, but you had to look closely as their movement was almost imperceptible. While they didn’t give off anywhere near as brilliant of a light as the egg-shaped craft, each of them was encased by a soft, bluish light. Outside of that, there was absolutely no movement from any of them. They almost appeared to have been painted on the sky.
“Mr. Colton,” said Mercer, “I have Sahir on the line, but at this point he doesn’t have much to report.”
Colton nodded and reached for the phone. “I really didn’t expect him to,” said Colton. “Mr. Sahir, is Argos picking up anything that we can use?”
“Not really,” said Sahir. “I seriously doubt the information it has been able to pull is all that accurate. We know all too well their capability to shield themselves.”
“I understand, but go ahead and tell me about the information Argos has given you,” said Colton.
“The spheres appear to be solid balls of metal with no evidence of any kind of propulsion system. Based on what we’ve been able to determine, they’re simply floating in the sky,” said Sahir. “I say metal, but in truth, Argos hasn’t been able to determine what they’re made of. Also, please know that none of us believe that these things are solid objects. As with the first craft that saved you and your team, we haven’t been able to determine the source of energy they’re using, but once again the energy level readings we are getting are extraordinarily high.”
“Very good,” said Colton. “I’ll be back with you shortly.”
“Did Sahir have anything new to report?” asked MacKay.
“Not really,” said Colton. “Captain, I’d like to suggest that the four of us adjourn to your conference room. I also think it would be good to have Captain Garrett and Sahir join us, along with Drs. Meinhard, Chudzik, and Brennan.”
“Very well,” said MacKay. “Lieutenant Gallo, you have the bridge. If those things move so much as an inch, come get me. Briggs, please have Dr. Meinhard, Dr. Brennan, and Dr. Chudzik join us.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” said Briggs.
Father Ryan and Mercer followed MacKay and Colton as they left the bridge. Although the Eclipse had not yet been threatened in any way, the potential for things to turn very violent, very fast was a definite possibility. The Eclipse was clearly outnumbered, and most probably, outgunned. If anything was to happen, and the Eclipse was lost, the crew would find themselves stranded on the beach. In that event, their survival would be measured in days, if not hours.
It wasn’t long before they were all gathered in the conference room and Colton closed the doors. “As we have no idea how much time we have, I want to keep this little meeting moving along. If you’ll remember, Captain Garrett and I shared with you our experiences in the cave. One of the most significant things we discovered was that the cave blocked the influence of the light that the craft projects. The calming effect couldn’t reach us. Whether it was merely the density of the rock, or some specific mineral running through the walls of the cave, we probably will never know. The good news was that it demonstrated to us that they do have limitations. That is why I’ve brought us here to talk.”
“So, because this room is encased in steel, you believe it will keep them from eavesdropping,” said Mr. Mercer.
“That is one of my goals,” said Colton. “The other one, though, is more significant. The light from the larger craft has a very calming effect on just about everything it comes in contact with. I know it does with us. Therefore, on the off chance they do attack, whoever is in command should operate out of this room, or, if they can get there, to where Argos is housed. That’s probably the most shielded area on the entire ship. It will not be helpful to any of us if the person in command of the ship, and our defenses, is feeling so relaxed that they want to take a nap.”
“Your point is well taken, Commander,” said MacKay. “Nodding off while under attack would prove to be embarrassing when it came time to write up the report.”
“Agreed,” said Colton. “So, let’s get some general housekeeping items out of the way. If I’m killed, or seriously wounded, command will fall to Captain MacKay, and then Lieutenant Commander Mercer. Security on board the Eclipse, and especially for all shore parties, will be directed by Captain Garrett, then Lieutenant Tanner.”
Dr. Meinhard’s face had gone pale with traces of sweat appearing across his brow. “Then it’s as bad as I thought. They’ve come back to kill us, haven’t they? What are you not telling us?”
“No, Doctor,” said Colton, “that is not what I’m saying in any way, shape, or form. We’ll get to why they’ve returned in just a moment. All I’m doing is laying out the hierarchy of command in the event, unlikely as it may be, that the worst case should happen.”
Father Ryan did his best to comfort Dr. Meinhard. “Doctor, I’m sure you’ll agree these are extraordinary circumstances. So, it is standard operating procedure to make sure everyone knows who’s on first, so to speak, and what their responsibilities will be.”
“Thank you, Father,” said Dr. Chudzik. “That it is most reassuring.”
“Let’s get to it,” said Colton. “We know very little about these people or what they want. As Dr. Meinhard has suggested, they may be here to attack us, but that is highly unlikely. From a military perspective, their ability to shield their presence gives them a distinct edge over us. Having failed to take full advantage of that ability, it indicates to me that their intentions are not hostile.”
“Rather than preparing to attack, this may be their way of taking a defensive posture of sorts,” offered Garrett. “They know we’re vulnerable and took casualties the last time we ventured into the jungle. Their ‘John Wayne,’ so to speak, arrived just in the nick of time to pull our butts out of the fire. It may be something they’re not willing to do again.”
“You’re a John Wayne fan?” asked Mercer.
“I had no choice in the matter,” said Garrett. “Growing up, it’s all my father watched; the same movies, repeatedly. I actually know most of the lines from The Quiet Man. That was my favorite.”
“Captain, you and Mr. Mercer can pick this up over some popcorn some other time,” growled MacKay. “Please, elaborate on your point.”
“Yes sir,” said Garrett. “Following this line of reasoning, there are two possibilities that come to mind. The first would be that they don’t want us to go back into the jungle again, and the reinforcements are here to help keep that from happening. The other possibility is a little more ominous. We were flat-out lucky to have survived our first trip, and had we been left to our own devices, I wouldn’t be talking with you now. As we discussed during the briefing that laid out for us why we believe that we are now on Earth in the Cretaceous period, we told you of creatures we saw that have never been reported as having lived during that time.”
“Yes, but Captain,” said Dr. Brennan, “if you’ll remember, we discussed that. As sure as I’m sitting here, there are probably a plethora of creatures that lived during the Cretaceous period that have never been discovered, and frankly, never will be.”
“Yes, Doctor, I understand, which brings me to my second point,” said Garrett. “What if they’ve returned not to threaten us, or to keep us from going back into the jungle, but to take up a defensive posture against something else that lives out there? Something that we have no idea even exists. From the moment we left the beach, we were flying blind. As with all scouting expeditions, we led with our chin. What if we inadvertently pissed off something, or some things, that may very well be grouping together at this very moment to come and finish us off?”
“Now I’m sorry I pressed her for details,” said MacKay, sighing deeply and leaning back in his chair. “I hadn’t thought about anything even remotely close to that. Well, here’s one more reason why I’m going to need Dr. Severin’s help getting some sleep tonight.”
“Captain Garrett, thank you, you’ve given us a very valid possibility,” said Colton. “Anyone else want to venture an opinion before I give you what I’m thinking?”
Dr. Brennan had leaned over and had been whispering back and forth with Father Ryan. As the room suddenly went quiet, all eyes turned towards them. “We have something, Commander,” said Father Ryan, speaking for the two of them. “What if they’ve returned simply out of curiosity?”
Colton smiled at him. “That’s the same line of thought that I have. Father, please, elaborate.”
“Dr. Brennan and I believe that their return may be to learn more about us,” said Father Ryan. “What if we’re the first Americans they’ve ever run across?”
“For that matter, what if we’re the first humans they’ve ever run across?” added Dr. Brennan. “We are the anomaly here, not necessarily them. Humans didn’t exist sixty-five million years ago. Their return could simply be a quest for knowledge, to get a better look at us under less trying conditions.”
“That’s exactly the direction I’m leaning in,” said Colton. “When that craft was leading us back to the ship, it wasn’t until we’d almost reached the beach that a terrible thought crossed my mind. How will they respond to the Eclipse? Will they see it as a research vessel or a ship of war? While I now fully believe that they were already aware of the Eclipse, they may have come back to get a better understanding of who we are and why we’re here.”
“Well, if that’s the case, they’re going to be sorely disappointed,” said Mercer. “We don’t know why we’re here.”
“Okay, that could make sense. They want to learn more about us,” said MacKay, “but then, who are they? Of all the fossils that I’ve ever seen, I don’t recall any that came anywhere close to looking like that craft hovering out there over the beach.”
“Sir, I doubt you’re going to like my response to that,” said Sahir, “but this argument has been going on for decades, if not longer. Many people believe that there is life on other planets, intelligent life. Even the Church has accepted that possibility. Isn’t that right, Father? Many believe that Earth was visited by extraterrestrials ages ago. It’s just a theory, but based on all of this, I’d say that theory is suddenly looking better and better.”
“I’m curious, Father,” said Meinhard. “What is the Church’s position on extraterrestrial life? Has it finally caught up with the twenty-first century, taking progressive steps forward, or is it still mired down in ancient doctrine?”
It didn’t appear that Father Ryan even heard the demeaning tone laced through Meinhard’s remark. “Where the Church is concerned, we believe that God created the entire universe. Therefore, when intelligent life is found elsewhere, we would welcome them as God’s creatures.”
“Oh please, Father, come off it,” said Meinhard. “The discovery of intelligent life on other planets would threaten the very foundation that Rome has based all its doctrines and teachings on.”
“Oh, quite the contrary, Doctor,” said Father Ryan. “It would actually speak to the diversity and creativity of His creation. Many questions along this line have been posed to me before, and I’ve given it a fair amount of thought. The question that I find to be the most intriguing in all of this is, what would they look like? The Bible teaches us that humans were created in God’s image. Will we find that that image of God is consistent across the universe?”
“Mr. Sahir,” said Colton, “if we are right, and they are curious about us, then Argos is going to attract a lot of attention. The amount of information that Argos contains, as well as some of its unique capabilities, is not something we want to fall into the wrong hands. How hard is it to just turn Argos off?”
Before Sahir could answer, Meinhard was on his feet, his face beet red. “Turn Argos off?” he bellowed. “That makes no sense at all! Argos is the best chance we have of defeating these people. Rather than turning him off, we should be using him to plot the best way of blowing those things out of the sky! We need to show them that we will not be intimidated!”
