Destroyer from the Lost Planet, page 19
The admiral looked to the President for permission to disclose the information, and the President nodded.
“We’ve got most of our nukes up and running as we speak, thanks in large part to Hendrick,” said the admiral. “But that’s the most closely held secret in the solar system right now. It’s possible Enki’s guessed at it, but it doesn’t leave this office. So, bear that in mind.”
Buck whistled softly. “That changes things mightily, don’t it?”
The admiral shrugged. “Some things it does. But some it doesn’t. If Anzû knew we could obliterate him ten times over, he’d be real careful about provoking us—or giving us an excuse to whip his ass.”
Gary added. “But since Anzû doesn’t know, detonating an EMP has gotta be at the top of his bag of tricks.”
“It’s not that clear,” said the admiral. “He’d still have to deal with an Anunnaki response.”
Buck scoffed. “Unless they were to leave us in the lurch … again.”
The admiral shook his head. “We still don’t know what the Anunnaki have in mind, but if they’re planning on moving in with us in a few hundred years, they can’t have the planet poisoned indefinitely with radioactivity, or worse, occupied by Anzû’s merry band of lunkheads.” He looked at the pilots. “Believe me, I hate like hell allowing Anzû to think he’s got a clear shot at us, but we just can’t let him know we’ve got nukes; first thing he’ll do is tell Enki.”
Buck said, “If we want to keep open the option of being first to use an EMP, we’ve got to have conventional means from keeping every one of his aircraft out of U.S. airspace. Otherwise, he’ll just retaliate and we’ll be fighting with sharp sticks.”
The President said, “What do you think the emergency ramp-up of the SF-5 is all about?”
Buck looked dubious. “How many are we gonna have, and how soon can they be deployed?”
“Seventeen squadrons,” replied the President. “And whatever the Anunnaki can send us. Think it’ll be enough?”
Buck shrugged. “How many squadrons does Anzû have?”
The admiral replied, “We have no idea. We know he has at least a few in the Arctic and at least one in the Antarctic. We expect a lot of those in the Arctic are kept submerged, so we can’t get a count. As for the Antarctic, we know where the hidey-hole is that they fly out of. What they’ve got down that hole is unknown. They could have been building up down there for centuries.”
Gary chimed in. “Any way we can get somebody down there to count? Skeeters, maybe?”
“No electromagnetic waves seem to escape their hole,” said the admiral. “So, as far as we can tell, even if we get some skeeters down there, we’re gonna have to get them out before they can transmit their intelligence to us.”
“So, what’s stoppin’ us from sendin’ in skeeters? They got a can o’ Raid down there?”
The President scribbled on a pad in front of him. “We’ve hesitated to send them in. If we send them in numbers large enough to spread out and gather meaningful intelligence, they’re likely to be spotted and draw some retaliation—such as an EMP.” He looked up at the two pilots. “You think we’re exercising excessive caution?”
Gary said, “It’s a valid concern, but less so if we’re ready with a one-two punch. If the skeeters get caught down there, we have to be ready with an EMP first-strike to pre-empt any retaliation.”
The President resumed scribbling. “And then we’re in a hot war, instead of the cold one we’re in now.”
The admiral changed the subject. “As for the Anunnaki leaving us in the lurch, we’ve analyzed both the recording of our request for Anunnaki assistance in Dakota and our receipt of a beep confirming receipt. Turns out neither our dispatch nor the confirmatory beep appear on Enki’s recording.”
Buck was puzzled, but Gary seemed to catch on. “It was all done down here, wasn’t it?”
The admiral nodded admiringly. “Lorraine’s transmission was jammed locally and the confirmatory beep was sent by a source no further than two miles from base.”
“No more’n two miles?” Buck wondered aloud. “Geez, even our practice squadron was further away than that. The only ones closer were … the bandits.”
“That’s right,” said the admiral. “Our engineers calculated the origination points of the jamming signal and the confirmatory beep. They both came from the same source, which was airborne and inbound toward the base. There’s no doubt it was the bandits.”
Buck’s eyebrows went up. “That means that either Enki’s in cahoots with Anzû or—”
Gary didn’t even allow Buck to finish his sentence. “The Anunnaki have a traitor in their midst,” he blurted out, and tossed a sealed envelope onto the table and slid it toward the admiral. “This is a note from Lord Enki confirming that, and adding another tidbit.”
The admiral read the brief note silently, and his face blanched as he handed it to the President.
Buck was the only one who didn’t know what was going on. “What happened?” he asked.
The admiral stared at Gary and pointed his chin at Buck. “Tell ’im.”
Gary began. “David and Catharine have reached the royal pyramidion. Enki received an automated safe-arrival signal, followed up by a direct communication from the king, his brother. David and Catharine were supposed to be piloted there by a trusted android who’s resided among the Anunnaki for thousands of years. But, just before they left for Mars … somebody secretly substituted a different android, and we don’t know how or why.”
The President looked up from the note and said to Gary, “It was Hendrick who noticed this black mark on the android?”
“Yes, sir,” said Gary.
“Geez,” said the President, “he doesn’t miss a trick, does he? Is he still on Enki’s ship?”
“Yes, sir,” said Gary. “Leastways, he was there when I left yesterday.”
The admiral asked, “What steps has Enki taken to detain the android who was left behind?”
“Enki impounded him on the pretext that his battery was subject to a recall,” replied Gary. “They’re sure he’s the one who was supposed to go with David and Catharine.”
“How can they be sure?” demanded the President.
“You’ve read Enki’s letter, sir,” said Gary. “They won’t tell us how they know, but they know the remaining android’s date of origin is thousands of years ago, while their records show that the one piloting David and Catharine is practically brand new.”
The admiral snarled. “We’ve got an ambassador and my adjutant up there in peril. If I were Enki, I’d be tearin’ the place apart looking for the culprit.”
“The problem with proceeding in that manner,” said Gary calmly, “is that there are dozens of people in charge of their encrypted communications. If that unit’s been infiltrated (as it probably has), the moment they sound the alarm, the traitors will know it instantly and start coverin’ their tracks, escaping, or even implementing a planned rebellion. Hell, admiral, Enki wouldn’t even send you notification by radio. He insisted the message be in pen and ink, and that it be carried by me. He even made me wait to bring it to you until I had an alternative reason to come down here.”
Buck sat up. “You mean, Ransom’s collision?”
Gary nodded.
The President chimed in. “How long have David and Catharine been on Enlil’s pyramidion?”
Gary checked his watch. “About thirty-six hours, sir.”
The admiral shifted uneasily. “There’s something that makes no sense to me. If their pilot was a booby-trapped android, why did he successfully pilot them all those millions of miles to Mars? If he’d been programmed to do something sinister, why wait for the return trip?”
The President openly speculated. “It’s possible he’d only do ‘something sinister’ depending upon the conditions he found on the royal pyramidion.” He turned to Gary. “Is it possible the android isn’t even conscious that he’s programmed to do something wrong?”
Gary threw his hands up. “That’s way above my pay grade, sir. Besides, it’s a machine. Who knows if there’s even a distinction between conscious and unconscious thought in a machine?”
The President acknowledged the flaw in his question. “Is there a back-channel for me to talk directly with the king? I mean, bypassing Enki’s pyramidion?”
“None that I know of, sir,” said Gary.
The President looked to the admiral. “What about Miriam’s frog people?”
Gary and Buck regarded each other quizzically.
The admiral said, “I was just thinking of that, Mister President. But, no matter how heavily encrypted, the transmission is sure to be detected on Enki’s ship. They won’t know what it says, but they’ll know we’re communicating with Enlil’s pyramidion.”
No one at the meeting knew of the ancient cipher by which Ninurta had radioed Queen Inanna. And only one of them knew that David had a telepathic line to Anzû.
“I think we’d better get David and Catharine back here at once,” said the admiral.
The firmness of the admiral’s decision surprised even the President. “Bob, isn’t David supposed to present his ambassadorial credentials to the king? And aren’t the two of them supposed to do a virtual-reality overflight of Nibiru?”
“Once those are done,” said the admiral, “I want them home as soon as possible. I’m profoundly uncomfortable having both our ambassador to the Anunnaki and the only officer who’s successfully engaged with Anzû’s forces weeks out of reach.” He put on his bulldog face and shook his head gravely. “Talking to Gary and Buck today has made me more conscious that a lot can happen in the next few weeks, and I want David and Catharine where I can reach them as soon as I can get ’em. And we’ll do whatever it takes to protect my adjutant.”
Gary said, “But if they haven’t replaced their pilot with a reliable one, sir … accelerating their return could also accelerate their … demise.”
The President, who’d taken no pains to conceal his surprise at the admiral’s sudden resolution, supported him. “We have to think about the interests of the United States, Gary. Each of us is in peril, and each of us is expendable.”
On the royal pyramidion, there was an urgent knock at David and Catharine’s door.
Catharine was up like a shot and began searching her belongings for her weapon.
David smiled. “No weapons up here, young lady. Better go cover yourself. Hand me that robe, would you? I’ll answer the door.”
Catharine grabbed David’s robe from a chair and tossed it to him before heading off to the bathroom.
David was shaking off his dreams as he adjusted his robe and grabbed the door handle.
It was Ninurta without his partisan, wearing a grave expression. “You’ve received orders from your President,” he said, stepping inside and closing the door.
“What orders?” asked David.
“You’re to return to Earth at once.”
Strangely enough, David’s first reaction was to dread facing two more weeks of weightlessness with its attendant discomforts.
“But … have you resolved the issue about our pilot?” he asked.
Ninurta shook his head.
Catharine stepped out of the bathroom with her body fully covered and her hair combed. “What’s up?” she asked.
David said, “Evidently, we’re going home.”
“When?” asked Catharine.
“Now,” replied David. “At once, on orders of the President.”
“What about our pilot?” she asked, reasonably enough.
Ninurta said, “We haven’t had time to resolve the issue thoroughly, but I did interview the android. What I found was that it was commissioned only three weeks ago, as measured in Earth time. It’s definitely not Ziusudra’s android and it’s been programmed to not like me, that’s certain.”
“Have you had a chance to analyze his programming to determine why somebody switched him with the real Enkidu?” asked Catharine.
“As I was just explaining to David, we haven’t had time,” said Ninurta, “but we’ve made a complete copy of its programming and databases and will analyze them once you’ve left.”
“But we’ll already be at his mercy,” Catharine protested.
“Not completely. I’ve had a transmitter installed in your craft so I can monitor your movement and other activity. The android has no knowledge of the transmitter. In addition, if I need to, I can shut him down and take direct control of the craft.”
David’s eyebrows shot up. “Why not just disable him, and guide us yourself from here?”
Ninurta shook his head. “The android’s transmitting data about your progress, probably to Anzû. If we disable it, Anzû will know something’s up. Besides, it’s important for us to find out how the android’s been tampered with, and what its altered instructions might be, as that could inform us of Anzû’s intentions.”
Catharine was quite skeptical. “And, to think, in order to gain that intelligence, you need only risk the lives of America’s ambassador and a navy lieutenant commander.”
“I assure you that I have no intention of losing either of you,” said Ninurta earnestly.
“Of course not,” said Catharine. “Think of the paperwork.”
Ninurta found this puzzling. As he was about to speak, David put his hand on Ninurta’s shoulder and said, “Best to let it go.”
Catharine checked her watch. “We’ve been here less than two days.”
Ninurta searched in one of his pockets, pulled out a slim headset with a built-in microphone and handed it to David. “This will ensure that you’re not as isolated as you were on your voyage here. If you need to speak with me, press the blue button to talk. I’ll hear you soon and respond through the headphones. Remember that the signal carrying your voice to me, and mine to you, cannot exceed the speed of light, so there will be a built-in delay. Also, remember that the pilot of your craft must not know of these, as he has the capability of disconnecting them electronically.”
“So, you’re giving this to David? How thoughtful!” said Catharine acerbically. “Is this a boys’ club? There are two of us, you know.”
Ninurta reached back into his pocket. “I have yours right here,” he said, handing it to her. She seemed deflated by her own defensiveness.
David smiled so broadly he had to look away.
Ninurta’s expression was one of incredulity. He said to Catharine, “What’s a boys’ club? Do you have clubs that admit only boys?”
Catharine’s face turned bright red. “Only among children. Among adults, they’re called men’s clubs.”
“They must be very dull,” said Ninurta. “What do they do at a men’s club?”
“I wouldn’t know,” said Catharine, “would I?”
Ninurta looked to David. “Do you belong to a men’s club?”
David laughed before replying.
Catharine’s expression clearly denoted her view that he was enjoying himself entirely too much.
“Too dull,” said David. “Not only do I not belong to one, but I’ve never been invited to join one. In fact, I’m not sure they exist, except in the imagination of women who fear they’re being excluded from them.”
Ninurta seemed confused. “Why would they wish to join, if they’re so dull?”
David abruptly shifted the topic, before he could get into more trouble. “Shouldn’t the lieutenant commander and I at least pay our parting respects to His Majesty before going?”
Ninurta replied, “I’ve spoken to His Majesty, and he’s assured me that he fully understands your need to depart immediately in compliance with orders. He’s military both by training and disposition, as you well know.”
David eyed Catharine, unsure whether to broach the next subject in her presence. He decided to risk it. “Has your lordship had occasion to review the missive from Her Majesty?”
“I have,” said Ninurta with a wistful smile.
“I trust you are not disappointed in it?” said David.
“Not in the least,” said Ninurta. “I expect you and I shall be meeting on that soon, and in the presence of Ketura. We don’t wish to be dull.”
As David and Catharine would presently be leaving on a two-week journey of many millions of miles, David had no idea how such a meeting might take place.
Chapter 13
That their arrival had aroused no fanfare whatever made their departure ceremony all the more remarkable, befitting a head of state more than an ambassador and a naval officer. Though there were no children aboard the royal pyramidion to enliven their departure, instead there was an assembly of sixty uniformed troops at attention in full Etruscan dress regalia, with ceremonial swords and partisans. A band of six musicians, similarly clothed, played music that sounded as though it had originated halfway between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The unmistakable drone of sitars underlay a somber melody following a non-Western scale.
Ninurta and Nergal escorted David and Catharine to the base of the ramp leading to the door-size boarding hatch of the antimatter vehicle, which appeared to have been washed down and spruced up for the occasion. At the top of the ramp, their android pilot stood at attention and bowed at their approach.
Ninurta left Nergal on the deck and escorted David and Catharine up the ramp. He spoke quietly to the android. “Please assume your pilot station, Enkidu, if you would.”
The android acknowledged the order with a bow at the waist, and disappeared into the hatch.
Ninurta waited for him to disappear in the direction of the cockpit, and leaned in to address his two departing guests.
“I’m going in to check on a few things. I’m also setting a relay that, if triggered, will shut down the pilot’s ability to see and hear through the onboard cameras and microphones mounted all over the craft. Your headsets”—he regarded them with sudden doubt—“you do have them, don’t you?”
David and Catharine nodded confidently.
“Very well. The red button on your headsets will toggle the camera/mics on and off. Do not push that button unless I personally tell you to, for it’s sure to arouse immediate suspicion and make our lives more difficult. For now, please turn and pleasantly face the assembled.”
