‘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.
31
The strange distant feeling lasted only a moment, before the real world was back with a rush and the full force of anger hit me. I took a step forward, staring at Gaius Devon’s pompous face on the vid image. Luckily for him, he was out of my physical reach. Chaos take my duty to protect civilians, if I could have strangled Gaius Devon at that moment then I would have done.
Behind the anger came a wave of panic. Gaius Devon had just called me an ape on a vid that was streaming out to every sector. That was personally humiliating, but far more importantly it was disastrous for the Military plans. I was supposed to be inspiring confidence, but no one on sector worlds would have confidence in an ape. I should have known this would happen, but I’d made the fatal mistake of starting to think of myself as human. If that meant Colonel Torrek was forced to order an attack on the alien sphere …
I stood there, white and shaking, knowing there was nothing I could do to mend things. I felt Fian’s arm go around me as Devon continued speaking.
‘Putting your pet throwback in charge of something of this importance is …’
Colonel Torrek’s voice calmly spoke over the top of him. ‘I was prepared to answer any issues of public concern, but I’m not willing to listen to personal abuse of a valued Military officer.’
‘Earth Rolling News is removing Gaius Devon from this broadcast,’ said the presenter. ‘We refuse to give a public platform to his statements.’
Gaius Devon’s image abruptly vanished. I was still stupid from shock, so it was a moment before I understood the obvious. Earth Rolling News was a vid channel run both by and for other Handicapped. The insult to me was an insult to them as well. Of course they would cut off his call.
I glanced around at the faces of the dig team members. Whether they were Handicapped or norms, they all looked furiously angry.
‘Thank you,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘It’s now painfully clear Gaius Devon suffers from uncontrolled prejudices. His true reason for breaking his oath of secrecy was a xenophobic wish to force the Military into a hostile act against an alien race of unknown capabilities. Every school teaches the basic logic and objectives of the Alien Contact programme. I remind everyone of Premise One. Conflict should be avoided if possible, since attacking an alien race of inferior technology is unnecessary, while attacking one of superior technology could result in the extinction of the human race.’
He gave people a few seconds to take that in, before hammering the point home. ‘There is every indication these aliens have far superior technology to us. An unprovoked attack could lead to a war that destroys our entire species, so we must make every possible attempt to establish friendly communications with them.’
Colonel Torrek paused again. ‘The insults Devon directed at our Field Commander aren’t worthy of comment, but I am prepared to reassure the public on the issue of her qualifications and age. Major Jarra Tell Morrath was recruited in the first phase of the Alien Contact programme, was personally responsible for the Ark initiative, and has in depth knowledge of the tactical situation with the alien sphere. She has extensive experience of excavating Earth’s ruined cities, and was involved in the discovery of both a cache of ancient paintings in New York and a partially functioning medical laboratory in the Eden ruins. She has received bravery commendations for her part in the rescue of another dig team and was recently awarded the Artemis medal after being injured while helping rescue Solar 5.’
My head wasn’t in much of a state for thinking, but there seemed something odd about the glib way Colonel Torrek reeled off these details.
‘As for the issue of age,’ he continued, ‘our Field Commander has many ancestors with distinguished Military records. Everyone will have heard of at least one of them. Tellon Blaze fought the chimera on Thetis when he was, coincidentally, 18 years old.’
The interview ended after that, and I stood there, numbly, with everyone staring at me. The lookup on my arm chimed for attention, and I automatically answered.
‘Jarra,’ said Colonel Torrek, ‘can we talk in reasonable privacy?’
I realized what this must be about, and moved away from the crowd before speaking. ‘Sir, I wish to stand down as Field Commander. My Handicap is an embarrassment and …’
He interrupted me. ‘Jarra, Gaius Devon had organized a group of politicians to table an emergency motion in tomorrow’s session of Parliament of Planets. We couldn’t risk Parliament ordering us to attack the sphere, so we set things up to tempt Devon into a public confrontation. We hoped the combination of glorifying one of the Handicapped and disparaging him would sting his ego, but we didn’t expect him to lose his head so completely. He made a huge fuss on the newzies about his noble self-sacrifice in risking prison because of his concern for public safety, but when we gave him the opportunity to state his case he wasted it in a display of personal jealousy and prejudice.’
They’d done it again, I realized. The Military had used my Handicap to check for prejudice on the Attack team, and now they’d used it against Devon. ‘You were expecting him to say something like that? So, that’s how you could recite all those details about me.’
‘Of course, Jarra. When I use one of my officers as bait to tempt the chimera out of the shadows, I make sure we’re ready to defend her.’
Yes, I thought. Last time they’d had Drago standing by to defend me, and this time it was Colonel Torrek himself. I couldn’t hate the Colonel for using me against Gaius Devon. He was fighting to defend humanity, particularly the part of it which was trapped on Earth like me. I did hate the fact that wherever I was, whatever I did, the only thing people cared about was the fact I was Handicapped. I wasn’t just a faulty immune system, I was a person!
‘Gaius Devon’s lost all credibility,’ continued Colonel Torrek, ‘and I’ve just scared everyone with a blunt reminder that a pre-emptive attack could lead to the extinction o
f the human race. Now the politicians have to allow us more time to contact the sphere. Of course, I risked triggering a blind panic, but that was why you were such a perfect choice for our Field Commander.’
I shook my head in bewilderment. ‘What? Why?’
Colonel Torrek laughed. ‘Because you’re descended from Tellon Blaze, Jarra. Right now every news channel in every sector is playing vid clips about him.’
I instinctively glanced across at the wall showing Earth Rolling News, and saw one of the famous images of Tellon Blaze. ‘But that’s ridiculous. We’re digging things up, not fighting, and …’
‘This isn’t about facts, or logic, it’s about pure emotion,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘The most terrifying creatures humanity has ever met were the chimeras of Thetis. Everyone’s seen the ent vids building up the legend of Tellon Blaze fighting them. An 18-year-old boy doing the impossible, rallying people against a terrifying foe and leading them to victory. Now we’re encountering intelligent aliens for the first time. Everyone is comforting themselves with the thought that if the aliens turn out to be hostile, there’s another Tellon Blaze in command ready to save them.’
I was grazzed. I could have understood that reaction, even felt the same way myself if the descendant of Tellon Blaze had been someone like Drago, but when it was just me … ‘Sir, I’m just a history student, how can anyone possibly believe …’
‘They believe it because they want to, because they’re scared and it makes them feel safer. Forget about Gaius Devon. He damaged himself, not you, by insulting a descendant of Tellon Blaze at a time like this, and it would be more than his life was worth to set foot in Beta sector.’
Beta sector, I thought vaguely. Yes, it wasn’t just that Tellon Blaze was Betan, Thetis was in Beta sector as well, so feelings would run strongly there. I realized this was like being constantly saluted when wearing the Artemis medal. I was only a clueless kid who’d been in the right place at the right time, but people weren’t really saluting me. They were saluting the history of courage and sacrifice represented by the medal on my shoulder.