Authors: David Samuel Frazier
Arthur H. Long had been President for only a short time, so Batter had some genuine empathy for the man was now dealing with the worst event in the history of the world.
Batter had
been asked to report on two issues. The first, which might have been monumental news at any other time in history, was that, indeed, the specimen that they had found in Utah had somehow survived not only 65 million years of hibernation, but a massive traffic accident to boot. Even more incredibly, it appeared to be as intelligent as a human, not that that was necessarily saying much. And yes, it did seem as if the scientists had discovered a possible cryo-protectant based on the minor ingredients in the mixture the creature had hibernated in. They believed that it might actually work, but testing had just begun and they were running out of time.
The second
, and much bigger issue, was that the world was about end, and it looked like Batter was only going to be able to get three of the four ARCs functional in time for that unfortunate event. Batter felt like he was failing on the Utah site, an emotion he was completely unfamiliar with. But the fact of the matter was that if the astronomers were right, they were only going to be able to save a small handful of people anyway, and who knew for how long? This situation made the plague or World War III or most any other disaster imaginable look like child’s play.
“
I am sorry, Mr. President, but the progress in Utah does not look good,” Batter said. “We are 99 percent complete and have everyone available on it, but I just don’t think we are going to pull it off. Are we still on the same schedule?”
“Yes
, Batter, unfortunately nothing has changed. 2117 hours Eastern Tuesday is what they are saying. I am still waiting for the scientists to pin down a more precise impact point. So far, they are saying somewhere in the Pacific, maybe just off of Ecuador’s coast. So that doesn’t help us. The blast is expected to be several thousand times Nagasaki/Hiroshima, and it really couldn’t be closer to North America without being
in
North America. Just the tsunamis alone will wipe out the entire West Coast. It truly looks like it is the end of the world, at least the world as we know it. I think you may want to just scratch Utah, and concentrate on the other three ARCs. I can’t risk populating it, if you can’t guarantee the site’s integrity.”
“I’ll consider that. Do you mind if I ask
, Sir, what the other nations have decided to do?”
“We are in agreement not to panic the public in advance of the event. This
first asteroid is almost 1 kilometer in diameter, with the second one about three times that size. Between the two of them, they are probably going to kill everything on the surface no matter what we do. The more lead time we give the public the more unnecessary grief. Six hours is what was decided.”
“What’s that
, Sir?”
“Six hours.” The President repeated. “It’s funny, there seems to be more concern about the potential behavior
of the general population
before
the event than the event itself, and I am inclined to agree. In the meantime, internally, we are still calling it a drill, even with the some of the highest security personnel. Otherwise, as you know Batter, some will just panic, and it won’t be good for anyone.”
“I understand
, Sir.” Batter had already imagined the rioting that would eventually ensue once the word got out. He made a mental note to keep close tabs on anyone on his staff who would be aware of the actual situation. People were people, always a frightening prospect.
“Also
, Batter,” the President continued, “I have arranged to send the Vice President in my place. I will be staying in Washington.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“It’s not for me, Batter, this underground thing,” the President said matter-of-factly.
“Let me know if there is anything else I can do,” Batter said, in complete agreement. He was quite sur
e that it wasn’t for him either, but it didn’t occur to him that he had a choice.
“Just help everyone settle in. I assume that you will stay at 51?”
“Yes, Sir.”
The President paused on the other end of the line. “Fascinating coincidence isn’t it?”
“Sir?”
“That dinosaur you just woke up
? Sounds like it was around the last time this happened. I wish I could be there just to see her. Perhaps you can send me some video?”
“Certainly
, Sir. Regarding that issue, Sir, protocol has always dictated the elimination…,” Batter caught himself, suddenly not knowing exactly how to say something. “Well, you know. ‘Document then eliminate’ I believe is how the policy is summarized. How would you like this matter addressed?”
“Oh, I suppose during any other time we might have had a wide
-ranging conversation about whether or not we could risk the exposure. I mean, that is one of the main reasons we have always maintained 51, right, to ‘shield the world from any evidence of other intelligence?’” The President paused. It was as if Batter could see him shaking his head. “I am going to let you decide this one, Alan, since I no longer think that it is an issue. I guess you’ll have to figure out whether your dinosaur ends up being house guest of the Nevada ARC or not. But you will have some challenges with that as I am sure you are aware.”
“Yes
, Sir,” Batter said, suddenly realizing this might be one of the last times he ever spoke to the man.
“Hey, what is it that they call that place again? I can never seem to remember the nickname.”
“Dreamland, Sir. They call it Dreamland.”
*
Pete had finally left Ara to the care of the other researchers so that he could go and give a full report to Batter. He also wanted time to pursue a theory he had developed regarding the cryogen projects, something he was very excited about. He had quite possibly identified the one problem that had been holding them back, and its solution. He eventually tracked down Batter in one of the libraries reserved for ranking officers and was surprised to see him enjoying a cigar and what appeared to be a snifter of cognac.
“Sorry
, Doctor, I went ahead and had dinner, and then…” Batter said, displaying his cigar and the giant balloon snifter. “What is that saying? ‘You only go ‘round once.’ Isn’t that it?”
Pete was a little surprised at Batter’s mood
. The bottle on the table was Remy Martin XO Premier Cru. Pete had been working closely with Batter for years, and had never seen him relax at all, let alone smoke a cigar or indulge himself with something as expensive as the Remy.
Hell
, smoking wasn’t even allowed down here, now that Pete thought about it. He looked around but there didn’t seem to be anyone else in the room.
“Oh, I sent everyone out so that we could talk confidentially
, Pete,” Batter said, noticing. “Can I get you a drink?”
Pete was anxious to get over to the cryo lab and back to Ara
, and the last thing he wanted to do was get stuck with Batter for the rest of the evening. “No thanks,” he said, still standing, hoping to keep the meeting short. Batter offered him a cigar, which Pete also declined. He watched impatiently as Batter slowly poured more of the cognac for himself from what was rapidly becoming the bottom of the bottle.
As he stood, Pete considered Batter’s comment about “round once,” the cigars, the cognac, and the beyond amazing discovery of the Arzat which he had risked his life obtaining-and became suddenly hopeful. Maybe he’s finally going to give me a raise, he thought. Pete’s oldest daughter would be going to college soon, and some extra money would sure help. He finally sat down to listen to what the man had to say.
“How’s your dinosaur? Or should we be calling it something else?” Batter asked as Pete settled into the seat next to him.
“She’s fine—remarkable.
I have no idea how to classify her. She claims to have come from a clan of Arzats, a species she says was populous in the world of her time. We are actually able to communicate telepathically.”
“Interesting
. After all the science fiction and all the speculation, it’s actually possible.”
“She said that s
he thinks humans could telepath with each other as well, that we just need to be able to turn on that part of our brain.”
“Sounds like you could study her for years.”
“That’s the plan. My staff is very excited. We just fed her dinner. An enormous amount of very good steak, and I should add, prepared well done per her request. And we’ve worked out lavatory arrangements.”
“Lavatory arrangements?” Batter said, amazed.
“Yes, apparently she did not appreciate us forcing her to squat in the middle of the room to urinate. She said it would have been more embarrassing if she had needed to take a crap.”
“Did she say that?” Batter laughed.
“Well, not in so many words. Remember we are communicating with telepathy, Sir. It’s weird, general concepts are easy. We just have to explain unfamiliar terms to each other.”
“But she has a spoken
language as well, right?”
“Oh yes, and written apparently.
It’s amazing what I’m learning. For example, I believe her word for ‘shit,’ the expletive version, at least, is ‘kak’, or something close to that.”
“Astonishing
, really, that it took this long to find other intelligent life here on earth, isn’t it?”
“Let’s face it
, no one wanted to. Can you imagine introducing Ara to the Pope?” Pete said, smiling.
“Yes
. In fact, I know you are quite aware that, among other things, 51 was originally created to make sure such a thing didn’t happen. As was the case with our visitors from space,” Batter added.
“Yes, sir,” Pete bristled. Had he underestimated the situation? Suddenly he was afraid of Batter’s possible instructions. The crash
-landing of aliens so many years ago and many of the rumors that surrounded the event since that time were largely true, but only a handful of scientists actually knew that the aliens had been put down because of “protocol” and a profound fear that news of them might eventually become public. A “mistake” had been made, was all that had ever been acknowledged internally. The remains were still being studied, but to this day, they had not been able to figure out where the beings came from or what their mission was. There were still a handful of scientists working on the remnants of their vehicle as well, which had led to some interesting discoveries.
“Normally
, Pete, I would probably be telling you to wrap up your investigation with this creature, and to get her back on permanent ice. I mean, you are probably as familiar with the protocol as I am. But unfortunately for all of us, there has been turn of events that has probably taken that decision out of our hands.”
“Sir?”
Batter took a deep breath. He had to tell him. Pete was critical to the operation of the ARC. “Have you ever heard of a gravitational keyhole or the Torino impact scale?”
“Sounds like astro-speak to me
, Sir. I am probably not as up on astronomy as I should be.”
“I wasn’t either
until recently. Anyhow, as I am sure you are aware, some time ago the Pan-STARRS telescope identified a near earth asteroid—they call them NEOs—that was, er, interesting, shall we say.”
“Interesting?” Pete began to brace himsel
f. Batter rarely used the word “interesting” in a positive context.
“Yes, the astronomers were indicating that there was a small chance that it could impact the earth in 2036. ‘Apophis,’ they were calling it
, which is the name of some Egyptian demon. In fact, it was around that time that I received orders to accelerate the preparedness of the other three ARCs. Apparently, there were some politicians who got pretty excited about it. In any case, we later discovered that the chances of impact with earth on this Torino scale were minimal, so everyone relaxed.” Batter paused, took a drink and a long pull from his cigar. “However, the astronomers recently found something else.”
“Sir?”
“A few days ago, they discovered two other asteroids, a pair on practically the exact same trajectories, and they are apparently headed our way.” Batter looked directly at Pete. “They’re calling the first one they found Diabolus, the Devil.”
“How long do we have?” Pete said, assuming the worst, afraid that the answer might be in one or two years.
“For Diabolus?” Batter said as if he were distracted. “Twenty eight days.”
Pete was speechless. “How big?”
“Big enough—several hundred million times Hiroshima. Between the two of them, they each make Apophis look like a bad joke.”
Pete got up and poured a drink
. His hands were shaking.
“But
, Pete,” Batter reluctantly decided to continue, “Diabolus is not our big problem.”
“Sir?”
“It’s the smaller one—Depraedor they are calling it. It will arrive much sooner. They say that it is going to impact earth in,” Batter looked at his watch, “two days, 11 hours and… 12 minutes.”
Pete’s drink fell to the floor and broke. He left it there, staring at it.