The fear of the Borg Hulks spread outward from their point of creation like wildfire. Alexander’s strategy of choosing to introduce them from the biggest assembly line in Dallas had worked spectacularly, and was now being scaled up all over the world. The problem for the Rebel Brotherhood was the sheer number of production units. There were some twenty-three in receipt of the schematics from Dallas, and they were beginning to appear with frightening efficiency. The phenomenal upsurge in membership of the Brotherhood, and the consequent numerical superiority would count for nothing, unless an effective defence could be found. The High Command was proving to be the more coherent war machine and they now held crucial elements from which they could inflict maximum disruption of the rebel cause. Power supply, medicine stocks, manufacturing monopoly and the invisible but mentally debilitating scourge in the form of You2Me distribution, all added up to a winning formula. When all of this was supported by the total control of the sky, it looked really bleak for the revolutionaries.
Galileo also had the impending arrival of Alexander to contemplate. His analysis led him to believe that with many loyalist strategic targets already re-taken, the High Command leader must be considering the broadcast network before reappearing. The global loyalist force needed to see and hear their leader to be certain that he was still alive and capable of directing the campaign. Galileo felt that the strike must be imminent, and the rebels would not be able to hold the stations. He ordered a counter-strike campaign. The Borg Hulks were the highest priority to be targeted around the broadcast facilities. Large numbers of them were also protecting manufacturing and pharmaceutical stocks; that much he knew for certain. He ordered guerrilla attacks on Sky stations, Hubs, and sabotage of power generating facilities. His plan was to suck the ever-increasing number of Hulks into more defence of facilities, rather than continue offensive attrition of the Brotherhood personnel. It was intended to buy time.
*
The Cape Hub was the first to suffer. Apart from passengers, the logistics of all manner of goods were now under threat. The toppling of the station was a spectacular sight. Many loyalists and a handful of humans perished as a result. It was impossible to tell how many rebel moles were eliminated in the process. Another two important Hubs, Washington and London, went the same way before Alexander responded with exactly what Galileo had hoped for, redeployment of Hulks to sky stations. The rapid switch of rebel forces to sabotage of power plants was now open to the Brotherhood. This was however, an action which would have grave consequences for humans living in the vicinity. Galileo instructed his mole operatives in Denver to stage a false alarm in the cooling software monitors within the nuclear power facility. He asked that it should be repetitively causing concern without actually producing a genuine danger to the organic population. It would eventually be detected as such, and the consequent witch hunt would hopefully cause all power supply plants to require more security, including Hulks.
*
Christophe Rivet had ‘meandered’ to Vancouver rather than be driven by undue haste. He was still refining his thoughts, not on what he had in mind, but on how. The gathering was now complete in terms of personnel. The cabin in the backyard of Michaela’s mother’s property was ideal for discussion, but they needed a bio-lab facility to actually begin the study.
Rodriguez had a contact in the former Vancouver Life Sciences complex. Much of it had been mothballed since the High Command edict that all human genetic research be confined to modification of foodstuffs. The necessary equipment was still there and the security checks had drifted because of the glittering success the complex had made in producing genetically designed sustenance products.
“Let me introduce Paul Meyer, he has been briefed on what we want to do and why. He will find a way to conduct the experiments and report the results. I’ll let him explain the rest.”
Meyer explained the risks involved and suggested a routine based on avoidance of prying eyes. “We are trusted, and we aren’t about to prejudice that status. Even with all the present hostilities, we are pretty much unaffected because we’re subscribing significant contribution to the High Command objective of freeing up farming land. We don’t like this programme, but we recognise that until the radiation vulnerability is reduced we have no real alternative. Humans cannot continue land farming at the required output even with the protective apparel.”
The core group for the stone vial investigation was of necessity restricted to those with relevant knowledge and expertise. The director was an obvious choice. Douglas Newton had by far the best experience in the study of the human genome. Medical cross-checks would fall to Christophe Rivet. Harley had the most complete knowledge of the jars and what they were supposed to contain. Meyer was the implementation conduit. This left Cleopatra to supervise the three domestiques in detecting any unwelcome increase in loyalist presence in the region. Rodriguez became the intersection between the two groups. His local knowledge was critical in maintaining their cover. He wanted to search out a number of safe locations where they could meet and negate any pattern which would endanger his family. The first jar was accessed by a tiny drill, a sample taken for Meyer, and the jar was resealed.
Chapter 12
The vial chosen was the human template with enhanced radiation resistance. It was the most conservative step available, yet it was from an era before humans became peerless on Earth, via what had always been considered to be natural evolution. However, they now knew that this creature which was about to be brought to life had been genetically programmed by alien technology, and it was disconcerting to say the least.
The enabling catalytic broth had begun its infusion and the process was being observed by Meyer. After only two days he felt a little out of his depth in interpreting what he saw, and took the risk of asking Douglas Newton to attend.
The early implications were that the embryonic humanoid was growing a thick leathery dermis, and it was continually puckering as the form of the infant took shape.
They decided to engage the maturation option with a new specimen. When Harley heard this, he said it was a departure from the agreed plan, and was uneasy about the science overtaking the ethical consequences. He was frustrated that he couldn’t attend the experiment because he could be arrested and scupper the entire project.
The rate of growth of the newest embryo was astonishing. In only one week it had the appearance of a four-year-old. The dermis was grotesquely uneven. They were looking at a child which looked at least a hundred years old. It was already making communicative sounds and getting angry that no one understood. If this continued they felt they would soon be facing an adult filled with apprehension at the strange creatures surrounding him. They would have to at least attempt to use his rapid development to familiarise him with basic human language for objects, and particularly food. The overall consensus was to create a friend for him. They had determined that the vertical division in the vials was for separation of male and female versions. They didn’t want to allow any breeding, so another male was fast-forwarded.
*
Galileo’s counter-strikes had made a difference and it meant that Alexander had not yet arrived at HQ. Maybe he had reconsidered because the Sky station had been taken out. The ability to get away from personal threats against him would be a high priority. Further rebel strikes of this nature would be more difficult with the relocation of the Hulks.
The plague was still spreading, and this was in no small way related to the total shutdown of pharmaceutical production, following the commencement of hostilities. This situation could possibly become the defining shift in the outcome of the war, simply because the dwindling number of humans was inextricably linked to the morale of the rebels.
*
The second experimental child to be fast-tracked to adulthood was already exchanging grunts and squeals with his friend. This seemed to help both of them to begin association of ‘things’ with ‘sounds’. Douglas Newton wanted Christophe Rivet to join him in order to begin m
edical assessment of these new creations. The rationale was logically to relate any alterations of genetic code to possible side effects, and he needed his friend to chart these test results from the initial baseline through to future modifications. Christophe however, saw this as his best opportunity to observe Newton’s procedures first-hand. His vision of the future was getting stronger.
The two young individuals were both over six feet tall after only two weeks from their birth. It was quite a sobering experience to gaze upon a live snapshot of human ancestry. The time had arrived for them to be smuggled out of the laboratory facility, as the next routine Borg inspection was due. Rodriguez had located a derelict corn mill not too far from the family residence. It dated back to the seventeenth century, and would have been maintained as a heritage site but for the Era of Conflict. The Borg High Command had no interest in such nostalgia. The teenagers now had names. The firstborn was burdened with Adam, and his buddy was now responding to Simon.
Douglas Newton had already determined that the alien influence was greater than anticipated. The rate at which the two were improving their communication skills with each other was not considered to be normal for such hominids. The arguments raged within the group over this. Harley and Rodriguez agreed with Newton, and felt they should suspend further work until the next developmental stage of Adam and Simon was complete. Christophe Rivet and Cleopatra disagreed and stressed the need to know as much as possible about the radiation resistance conferred by the alien intervention, in the shortest time possible. Nero, Beethoven and Anton unsurprisingly supported Harley’s view. The decision was taken to wait another two weeks before proceeding to the next vial. At least that is what everyone thought was agreed.
Adam and Simon were allowed to forage outside the creaking old mill, and they enjoyed this freedom. Christophe was responsible for monitoring their radiation counts and response to any significant rise. The hunter-gatherer instinct began to show itself and together with their astonishing surge in language skill, they were becoming quite adept at outwitting the local fauna.
Douglas Newton addressed Harley privately. “I am primarily a geneticist but I also have considerable experience in behavioural science. Adam and Simon are not only showing miraculous rates of maturation, but they are way ahead of what our expectations should be in terms of intelligence. This comment is related to the genetic origination point in both the period of its extraction thousands of years ago, and its tendency to mutate. As fascinating as this is academically, it has the portents of unpredictability.”
“Are you saying that the alien modifications are not solely for improvement of environmental adaptability?”
“Absolutely, the cerebral development is presently lagging the physiological growth, but it is on an overtaking trend. If this continues, Adam and Simon may soon offer surprisingly modern thinking capability. Such rapid and complex maturation is simply not present within our current human genome structure. The techniques applied by the aliens are light years ahead of our capabilities, even if we were prepared to ignore the ethics question.”
“How do you reconcile this with their appearance? Despite being clothed, they still have an ‘ancestral look’. I suppose this is more to do with their facial features than anything else, yet Christophe claims that their skin is entering a phase of smoothing out the wrinkles. He says if that continues it will certainly make them look more like modern humans.”
“Yes, I agree with his prognosis, because from birth they didn’t really look like our projections of hominids of their time. Whether our ideas in this respect are inaccurate or not, there is indisputable evidence that their epidermis is changing in a way which is not possible for modern humans. I have to include the probability that these vials contain branches of Homo-Sapiens which have never been created on Earth as yet. It also makes me curious as to whether this alien influence has occurred in different eras. There are still many fossil gaps if we go back far enough, and this could be one explanation of unusually quick emergence of many species compared to the anticipated timeline.”
“Are you seriously suggesting that the Primedes created certain tributaries in the river of evolution which wouldn’t have occurred naturally?"
“I’m not suggesting anything other than there has to be an external influence which has enabled these templates to progress so dramatically. We can debate the contribution the Primedes may have had further back in the primate timeline at some more convenient date, but the import of what I have found encourages me to reverse my caution about progressing to other templates from the vials. I believe the effort to improve radiation resistant skin was only a means to a loftier objective. Harley, I just can’t believe that such mutation can occur during the life of an individual. Darwin’s tree of life shows that it takes many generations to arrive at even tiny steps of environment-driven mutation. What else could have induced such fluid adaptability? ”
“But if you’re correct, wouldn’t that urge you to complete more checks before introducing another ‘sub species’?”
“Normally it would, however, if there is such an elusive methodology as yet unknown to my species, for conferring a stay of execution from extinction, I feel bound to try to find it. Listen, Harley, if one of the templates can be used to allow me to see how this can be achieved, I should be able to study how to transfer the capability to living humans. It has attendant risk, but so does continuing to remain hostage to the High Command agenda. Adam and Simon have given me one picture, and by superimposing others I will be able to study the commonality, and areas of subtle difference. Instead of having to theorise where the needle rests in the haystack, I’ll be able to concentrate on patterns of overlap or discrepancy. This could significantly shorten the process of defining the true starting point. With the Primedes’ ability to quicken maturation, there is a window of opportunity which I feel compelled to investigate. Surely you agree that if the High Command was cognizant of this, the knowledge would be destroyed, lost forever.”
“Not forever, there is still the remainder of what we discovered on Ganymede.”
“Yes, but access to that would depend on your Brotherhood winning the war, and that is by no means certain.”
Harley finally gave way and the others were informed. The second vial was opened and two more males were programmed for activation. Not only had the decision healed a potential rift within the group, it had settled Christophe Rivet’s building frustration. He could reduce his dependency on You2Me once more.
*
Alexander unexpectedly appeared on Video news, and he introduced the bulletin from the old football stadium of the Dallas Cowboys. It had been derelict for almost a century and had become a refuge for the homeless, drug addicts, and criminal activity. When the camera panned back, the audience could see there had been changes. There were domestiques as well as humans, and the old building had been given a facelift. The entire perimeter was decked with weapons, and they were facing down toward the crowded former playing surface. Alexander spoke very slowly.
“This event is the first of what will become a weekly programme. The hundred thousand individuals you see will soon cease to exist. It should serve as a warning to any other rebels, defectors from the loyalist cause, and humans who have sunk to a disgusting level of behaviour, even toward their own kind. I will say no more, you have to make up your mind.”
The weapons were giant versions of the Disruptive Power-Shock Beam units which were being used so effectively by the Hulks. They all operated in unison. The broadcast audience could not see much other than clouds of human blood vapour, and when this settled there was nothing but a pile of tiny metal and organic fragments covering the whole field of play. It was as if they were watching a grotesque conjuring trick, in which a hundred thousand beings vanished into air which was thick with their volatile remains.
Alexander had chosen Dallas as his re-entry point because it was closest to his major precious Hulk production line. He felt safer being surrounded by these indestructi
ble death-bringers.
The prospect of such mass execution spreading to the entire planet caused a rethink by the Rebel Brotherhood as well as individual citizens. When the second occurred within three days in Moscow, Alexander accompanied the demonstration with another update.
“We take note that you, the audience seem to think that the promise I made to repeat these cleansing events, was a bluff. The good news is that the production of Hulks has reached new levels, and we can now commute the weekly programme to one of three days. I am speaking to you from Moscow, which is another example of our progress; we have taken over most of the broadcast facilities again. There was no struggle involved. The studio was abandoned, and those rebels who are watching should know that the defection to your cause has ceased; your hierarchy should therefore consider abandoning this futile war in the same way.”
Another ninety-seven thousand souls became part of the grand scheme of cosmic recycling.
Chapter 13
The morale of the Rebel Brotherhood was at an all-time low. The group in Vancouver once again argued about how to respond to the genocide of domestiques. Humans had not been declared by Alexander to be a target. They had just refused to leave the various stadia of execution. It was even more worrying for Harley that there had been no further communication from Galileo.
The crux of their disagreement was solely about when the genetic experimentation could produce some kind of rabbit out of the hat, to trump the domestique batch-cleansing, which was now occurring on a daily basis. Harley was isolated, as even Nero and the two converts wanted to stop this awful process immediately. Harley summed up his reluctance.
“We initiated the resistance movement to create a better world, and we started from nothing. Unless I can see exactly what we will achieve by breeding more new species, I am bound to conclude that we may just compound the misery. You do know that if the Brotherhood surrenders, life will not be worth living. Also, the High Command depends on domestiques so heavily that they will have to create more and that means the resistance will grow again.”