Anomaly (12 page)

Garbage had begun to pile up in the streets. It was bagged, but birds and animals had been tearing at the uncollected waste. Police sirens sounded in the distance all too often.

Union Square had been the site of a riot. Several buildings had been burnt out. Storefronts had been ransacked. A bus had been overturned and used as a barricade, forcing them onto the side streets. Broken glass lay strewn on the footpaths. The historic Grace church, on the corner of Broadway and East 10
^th
street, was in flames. Smoke billowed from its ornate marble steeple. Several fire engines were in attendance, battling to contain the blaze. The streets were chaotic. People were everywhere, all of them carrying something, but mostly bags of food and fresh produce.

“What happened?” asked Cathy, leaning forward from the back so she could talk to the driver.

“A couple of days ago, it was just panic buying,” said the young Marine behind the wheel. “They said people were hoarding, that there was no need for panic, but the stores couldn't restock fast enough and people got angry. The mayor sent in the police to break up the protest, and turned it into a riot. A couple of young kids were killed. One of them was the daughter of a union boss, or something like that, so the unions shut down the city, stopped the trains, refused to pick up garbage, closed the ports. The whole place has ground to a halt. Everyone's gone loco. Since that thing appeared from outer space, the place has been like a powder-keg. One spark and boom.”

He stopped talking as they approached a barricade of burnt-out cars blocking the road. The young Marine reversed the Hummer, turning around so he could try another route.

“This anomaly is making people go crazy. They're acting like it's the end of the world.”

They drove on for a few minutes before the driver asked, “It's not the end of the world, is it?”

“No,” said Teller confidently. “It's not the end. It's a new beginning.”

It was only then Teller noticed Cathy had moved over next to him. Rather than sitting on the far side of the Hummer, she'd moved to the middle seat. Somehow, she felt a little safer being close to him. Teller rested his fingers on her hand. She squeezed his fingers in response, appreciating the silent gesture on his part.

Flander's Square, immediately outside the town hall in lower New York, was full of protesters waving placards. Teller caught sight of a couple of them as the Hummer was directed to the rear entrance at the back of the adjacent courthouse.

Roswell Was Just The Beginning.

No Police State.

They Have Been Lying To Us For Decades.

Our Rights Are Not Subject To Alien Interference.

What About Life On Earth?

Beam Me Up, Scotty. There's No Intelligent Life Down Here.

No More Military Cover-Ups.

Teller and Cathy were ushered through the rear door into the town hall auditorium. The discussion had already begun. One of the stagehands escorted them to their seats behind a long table on the raised stage.

There was a mixture of cheers and boos as they sat down. The public was packed in tight. Teller didn't like it, the auditorium was clearly beyond capacity. Any panic in here would be fatal, he thought, noting that people were already blocking the aisles and stood pressed up against the fire escapes.

Teller apologized for their late arrival.

After a round of introductions, it was clear the other panel members were disappointed, if not insulted, that Mason had sent a school teacher and a reporter to represent NASA in the forum. The chair for the meeting directed the first of several prepared questions to them.

“Do you see the alien as incongruous with religion?”

“Ah, that's quite the open-ended question,” replied Cathy. She seemed determined not to rely too heavily on Teller. “Regardless of their historical or regional origins, all religions are concerned with mankind. They are concerned with us, with people, with how we live life here on Earth, with our morals, our ethics, our sense of duty. So, no, I don't see the anomaly as incongruous with any of our religions. I think it is distinctly separate and operates outside them, without contradicting them.”

Teller liked her style. She was trying to avoid the obvious confrontation to come. It was a nice try, but he doubted it would work. And, besides, it was a closed question.

Reverend Barbara Johnson replied first, representing the Southern Baptists. She was the only person dressed informally, which Teller found interesting. She was wearing a polo shirt and jeans. With her thick black hair sitting just off her shoulders, she looked confident and relaxed.

“I agree. Although some would have us believe otherwise, citing examples like the church persecuting Galileo, the reality is, Christianity has always been supportive of scientific endeavors. Newton was a devout Christian, as was Benjamin Franklin. Ralph Waldo Emerson was an ordained clergyman. Although Darwin was agnostic toward the end of his life, he was raised in a Christian family and studied to become ordained with the Church of England. There's no doubt this influenced his academic career and his discoveries. Niels Bohr, the father of quantum mechanics, was a Lutheran. So there is a strong precedence for Christianity supporting scientific research. For me, the appearance of intelligent extraterrestrial life is simply another step in our emerging scientific understanding of the universe. There's no conflict with the scriptures. There's no need for it to fit into the framework of the Bible.”

Archbishop Chambers replied, saying, “I beg to disagree. The Bible speaks clearly of angels and demons, of the seraphim and the cherubim. These are all celestial beings of differing orders within creation, creatures that did not originate on Earth. They are extraterrestrial, and yet they are subject to the Almighty. The LORD God is above all and is worshiped by all. The anomaly is part of creation, therefore it must be subject to the Creator.”

Although Teller appreciated Reverend Johnson's perspective, he didn't like where the archbishop was going with his point. Teller knew this was going to be a seesaw debate, but he wasn't sure which way the panel would end up leaning. It could go either way.

The Hindu delegate spoke up, swinging the balance back with his strong Indian accent. “We see no conflict. The anomaly is in harmony with our religion. It is, in essence, an example of the Dharma, the force or power that holds the universe together. Rather than challenging our notions, it reinforces them. Its very motion has been shown to be in harmony with the universe.”

Rabbi Stills added his thoughts. “We look at this anomaly like it is something new, but it is not. The scriptures speak of Moses and the burning fiery bush, the bush that burned but was not consumed by the flames. That sounds remarkably similar to the events we saw unfolding before us when you released that balloon full of helium.”

“But the balloon was consumed,” added Teller.

“Ah, yes,” the rabbi responded. “But my point is that such supernatural manifestations of power are not unprecedented in human history.”

“This is not supernatural,” replied Teller rather aggressively, surprising himself with how forceful he was on the issue.

“Oh, but it is,” the archbishop added, agreeing with the rabbi. “It is not natural. It defies the laws of nature, does it not?”

He didn't wait for an answer, cutting Teller off before he could reply. “You must agree it is supernatural, something that is beyond nature. You yourself pointed out that we only see the manifestation of this power, we don't see the source. Just as Moses could see the burning bush but not the LORD God Himself.”

Teller raised his palm, wanting to interject something, but the archbishop continued at a pace.

“And Moses commanded the waters that they stood up in a heap. Is that not what we have seen with this anomaly? The very laws of gravity being defied? And in both cases, no reasonable, rational, scientific explanation can be provided. You see, the anomaly is in the realm of both science and religion.”

“Now, wait a minute,” Teller began, finally able to get a word in. “You're portraying science as though it were a philosophy or an alternative theological notion, but it's not. Science is the discipline to investigate the world without regard to any preconceived ideas, be they religious or traditional beliefs. Science looks for reasons. And it asks but one question. How? In this case, the technology is beyond our understanding, but that does not mean it is beyond all understanding.”

The archbishop went to speak, but it was Teller's turn. He cut him off.

“There are television screens in this hall, projecting and enlarging our image for all to see. And yet to someone from the Bronze Age, when the majority of the scriptures were written, these would be mystical, magical, supernatural, but that doesn't mean they are supernatural. It just means there's a gap in understanding that needs to be bridged. And, when it comes to the anomaly, we are bridging it. We are investigating this remarkable alien artifact to understand its science.”

“If I may add something,” said Cathy. “The anomaly has been sprung upon us all. A week ago, none of us would have thought we'd be sitting here today having this discussion. And it is surprising. It is alarming. We want to understand it. We want to be able to reconcile it with our beliefs, and we will, but we need to be patient, to give the process of investigation more time. We should not be hasty to jump to conclusions, religious or otherwise.”

“I agree,” said Reverend Johnson, her southern twang hanging on her syllables. “Christianity has always been about compassion and understanding. It hasn't always lived up to those ideals, but they are at its foundation. When it comes to this alien entity, these must be the guiding principles. We need to understand the anomaly, as what you don't understand, you invariably fear. And fear has no place in our first contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence.”

Teller nodded. He liked the Reverend Johnson's style.

“It is an abomination,” began the Reverend Stark, ignoring her entirely. “Ye shall worship the LORD your God and Him only shall ye serve. But look at you. You worship the anomaly. You adore it. You set up your little research centers. You focus your attention on it. You lavish your praise on it. You marvel at how it defies gravity. But it is to be condemned. You have been deceived by your science. Professing yourselves to be wise, you have become fools.”

“Now, hang on,” said Teller, but he kept going.

“Oh, I don't care what it is,” the Reverend Stark continued. “I don't care if it's from Vega or from Vegas, from Mars or from New Orleans. What I care about is what you've done to it. You have turned it into an idol. You've set it up on a pedestal. It may be from an alien world, but it cannot save your soul from the depravity and folly of your own idolatry. You have magnified it above God.”

“I have to agree,” said the Imam at the end of the table. “Islam is also clear on the subject of idolatry. There is only one God and that is Allah. Mohammad is His prophet, blessed be his name. If this was the burning bush of Moses, of whom we, the Christians and the Jews all honor, then there would be a message from Allah in this anomaly. If this were the parting of the waters, enabling the exodus from Egypt, there would be great deliverance to the people of Allah. But it is mute. The angel spoke from the burning bush, but the anomaly is silent.”

“But it speaks to scientists,” added Cathy, frustrated with their closed minds.

“So it speaks to you?” asked the archbishop. “Are you now to assume the role of our apostles and prophets?”

“Do you presume to speak for Allah?” asked the Imam.

“Are you our new high priests?” asked the Reverend Stark. “Is it only scientists that can enter into the Holy of Holies to hear from the anomaly?”

Teller was horrified, but he wasn't the only one, Reverend Johnson was clenching her teeth. She tried to say something, but she was cut off.

“I see only suffering,” said the Buddhist monk sitting next to Cathy. “The Buddha taught us about the Wheel of Life. The turning of the anomaly is like the continual rebirth of life, with each cycle offering the hope of change, rising up before us, but it only ever turns back to where it began. It is a false hope.

“You crave knowledge, but you don't understand that suffering is caused by these desires for knowledge. You crave a level of understanding you will never achieve. You cannot be content to let the anomaly be, to let the wheel turn. You are driven, consumed by your desires, and so your desire for knowledge will hurt you. It is karma. Everything you do to understand this anomaly will only drive you further from true enlightenment. For what you seek cannot be found in a test tube or a telescope, it can only be found through the cleansing of the soul, through mantra and meditation.”

Teller wanted to walk out in disgust, but the cameras were watching, broadcasting his reactions to the world. They were goading them, ganging up on them. He didn't want to say anything he'd regret, but sooner or later his anger was going to spill over.

“This is an age-old debate,” he began, finding an opening and vainly hoping he could steer the conversation. “It reaches back to the days of Copernicus, if not further. This debate is clearly not about the anomaly, this is not a discussion, as it should be, about the prospect of talking to an alien race. This is about the religious distrust of science.”

“Are you an atheist?” asked the Reverend Stark.

Teller was exasperated. He squinted as though he were trying to look right through the tiny man.

“How is that question even relevant?” asked the Reverend Johnson. “We are here to discuss the proposition of mankind talking with an alien intelligence, not to stir up strife.”

Teller appreciated the way she stood up for him.

“I want to know who I'm talking to,” said the Reverend Stark with disdain.

Teller looked over at the archbishop, the rabbi, the Hindu and the Imam, before turning to look at the Buddhist monk and the Baptist minister sitting beside Cathy. Reverend Johnson was shaking her head in astonishment. The others were silent. For once, they actually wanted to hear what he had to say, but Teller wasn't about to let the debate degenerate into a personal attack.