A Simple Truth (33 page)

The usual preliminary speakers stood up and made some appropriate remarks.  Several local dignitaries had been inv
ited and also a popular talk-show host
who was acting as master of ceremonies.

They kept everyone interested for half an hour or so but the main spot was reserved for Lincoln.  From eleven thirty he would address the gathering and then formally give back Sharma and Knight their freedom.  They would each make some brief remarks about their experience and then amidst music from the bands they would hopefully get away to the main building and peace.

Lincoln had prepared some notes for the occasion and scanned through them quickly before his turn to speak.  He should have been used to public speaking by now but he always felt nervous.  As he stood the crowd gave a thunderous welcome of applause, he had no idea that people thought so well of him.  He felt
tremendous
warmth and gratitude for their eager support, his notes were forgotten
;
they were hopelessly inadequate to follow such a welcome.

The crowd fell silent, and he began to speak, a little uncertainly at first, and then more confidently as his voice gathered strength and his convictions unfolded.  He spoke of the most exciting event in the history of the world, of the inestimable value of life, of the end of our wandering alone in the emptiness of space and of our intimate link with all life.  He spoke of the new-found harmony between all of earth's peoples that had already begun to blossom and would grow and grow until all differences were forgotten and true brotherhood and sisterhood were attained.  He spoke of the age of light into which we were entering, where knowledge of the value of all life would be fundamental, and the end of the crippling belief that humanity's existence was no more than a chance occurrence in a
harsh
and
indifferent
u
niverse.  He spoke as he had never done before and his audience was spellbound.  He listened to the words cascading from his own lips and was as moved by them as was everyone else.

He knew that this oratory was from deep within himself.  It came without conscious effort, straight from the soul, from the source of all
truly original creations
.  It was as if his conscious mind was a member of the audience, as if he was hearing the voice of someone else.  He did not realise it then, but his words would echo round the world, would be repeated over and over, and would themselves help to bring about the very unity that he was declaring as inevitable.  From then on his position was
unassailable;
he would have world support for whatever he decided.  He was the man in control, the right man
at the right time in the right place
, and would not be challenged.

At five minutes to twelve he commended Knight and Sharma as the brave pioneers of the new age.  They had dared to enter the habitation of gods.  They had risked their lives to open the door of knowledge and understanding for which humanity had hungered since we had first drawn breath.  He declared that they had started the process that would change totally the lives of every man, woman and child on the planet.

At twelve hundred exactly he turned and opened the doors of the quarantine facility, proclaiming as he did so that this simple action symbolised humanity's entry into the age of peace and wisdom. 
It would be a
n age when no-one could ever again doubt their worth or their purpose.  Then he stopped speaking, the door
s were
open, and Knight and Sharma stepped out proudly.

From fifty thousand people there was not a sound.  The silence lasted perhaps for two or three seconds, then someone began to clap.  Quickly everyone took up the show of appreciation, the tumultuous applause combining acclaim for Lincoln's message, and a hearty welcome for Knight and Sharma.

The celebration broke up quickly after that.  Knight and Sharma recalled a few amusing incidents for the crowd's entertainment then departed with relief to the main building.

Lincoln thought long and hard about his speech.  He had heard of similar cases before but had never really believed them until now.  He became aware of the power held within the subconscious mind, and gained a new respect for humanity's rarely demonstrated but very real latent abilities.

'
Now we really begin
,
'
thought
Lincoln
two days later.  The exchange programmes were arranged and the first team of scientists, technologists, sociologists and trained observers was already on its way to Pleiades.  He recalled the intense competition there had been for places.  The choice had
been made by
considering
diplomacy and politics rather than ability since there had been an abundance of eminently suitable candidates.  He had been forced to enlist the help of a computer to make the final selection when the initial aptitude and medical requirements had been met, and as a result there were six groups of forty people briefed and trained, the first one led by Knight and
ready to
board the alien vessel very soon.

Their main duty was to observe and record.  It was not known how long the aliens would stay, so as many hard facts about them and their vessel had to be collected as quickly as possible.  And to help in that task they were armed with the latest and finest instruments that technology could provide.  Even if it was never fully revealed how the vessel functioned or came to be constructed, at least it would be known what it was made of, its dimensions, layout and appearance.  There would be enough data to keep thousands of researchers busy for decades.

Lincoln reflected on the initial reluctance to allow detailed observations.  The aliens claimed they had nothing to hide but argued that human technology was already too highly advanced.  They had eventually relented after persistent pleas from all quarters, probably realising that the human thirst for more and more knowledge was insatiable.  Whatever their plans for the future this aspect of human nature would have to be fully taken into account.

'
Communication
room
,'
announced Lincoln's
communicator
.  "Go ahead
,"
said Lincoln.  He had been expecting this.  The Scouts must be on their way.  Jack Arnold's smiling face appeared on the screen.

"They're about to depart Arthur, they say they've already completed their preliminary survey work, so the Scouts are set to be dispatched to specific locations."

"What are they
?"
asked Lincoln.

"Wrong question
,"
countered Arnold.  "You should have asked 'How many?'"

"
All right
then, how many?"

"Brace yourself, eight thousand three hundred and six."  Arnold waited for the inevitable reaction, and didn't have to wait long.

"Eight thousand
,"
repeated Lincoln softly, "surely not?"

"
Yes
and the location list is coming in now."

"Get a warning to them quickly.  We can't prepare enough people for their arrival and some might be shot at or
they
might give people heart attacks.  Advise them to land in only a few places so that we can arrange escorts, and let me know as soon as they reply."

"OK, will do."

"Eight thousand
,"
whispered Lincoln thoughtfully.  They hadn't said anything about sending such numbers, but then they hadn't said they wouldn't send so many, it had been assumed that manageable parties would be used.  Lincoln decided to go down to the
communication
room, he couldn't settle to do anything else until he knew the aliens understood his warning and were acting upon it.

As he arrived the reply was being received, so he read the hard copy as it emerged.

"We note your warning but assure you there is no cause for concern.  The Scouts will be on station in about two hours."

Jack glanced at Lincoln with a 'we might have known
,'
look on his face.

"Two hours to arrival, eight thousand of them, no cause for concern
,"
summarised Lincoln, "nothing makes any sense, but they've been warne
d.  I
f they get shot it's their own fault."  Make a plot of landing sites on a world map so we can see where the major centres of interest are."

"Will do
,"
said Jack and im
mediately entered the code for
Data Services.  He was quickly connected to a suitable facility and then transmitted the sequence of co-ordinates sent by the aliens.  Within five minutes the screen displayed a world map with dots indicating each location, and any degree of enlargement was possible by selecting areas of interest.  The map clearly showed that the locations were generally quite diffuse, but with denser regi
ons in the Mediterranean, Central
Africa,
Middle East, India and China.

"They must be arriving in individual transport craft judging by the separation
,"
observed Lincoln.

"That's right
,"
confirmed Arnold, "there are as many locations as Scouts."

Lincoln thought fo
r a moment;
then asked
,
"Where is the nearest location to here?"

Arnold enlarged the Queensland region and found two locations, one about fourteen hundred kilometres to the west and the other about eight hundred kilometres to the south-west.

"That's the one
,"
he said making a further enlargement."

"How precise are the co-ordinates?"

"Correct to within a hundred metres."

Lincoln requested a hard copy and a printed duplicate of the displayed picture rolled into his waiting hand.

"Arrange for an aircar to be brought to the front, then wait for me there please Jack, and thanks."  With that he was gone.  He raced up to Khan's office and burst in.

"Come on Ranjit, we're going to meet a Scout!"

Khan looked up, startled by the sudden intrusion.  "What now
?"
he asked.

"Now!" shouted Lincoln and dashed out again.  Khan didn't need telling twice, and in ten seconds he was in the elevator that Lincoln was holding for him.

It had been thought that when the landing sites were known researchers from the WSA might fly over to assist the Scouts, or at least observe them.  But they had expected fewer sites and more time.  As it was they could just beat their selected Scout to the target, but only if they hurried.  The car was just arriving as they left the building.  Arnold was already waiting and all three hurriedly climbed aboard.

Lincoln handed the map to the pilot who took one look and asked "How soon do you need to be there?"

"No more than an hour
,"
answered Lincoln.

"You'll have to justify the fuel
,"
he pointed out.

"Just get us there, I'll justify anything you want
,"
Lincoln countered.

"Hang on then
,"
advised the pilot as he lifted the little plane smoothly a hundred metres into the air, then set the controls, and away they went, quickly reaching the craft's ultimate cruising speed.

Khan was brought up to date on developments as they sped along and the pilot showed a keen interest as well.  It seemed no time at all before their little craft began to slacken speed and then to lose height.

"There she is
,"
said the pilot indicating a very ordinary patch of scrubland, part of an identical area that stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction.  They stopped and the three jumped out.

"Are you sure this is it
?"
queried Lincoln.

"Dead ahead, twenty metres or so
,"
said the pilot confidently.

Arnold checked the time.  "We've about twenty minutes to wait if their estimate was accurate."

"That was only an average time I think
,"
said Lincoln, "ours might be a bit early or late."

So they all settled down to wait, searching the skies intently for any sign of a visitor.

20
   
A G
uided
T
our

Knight was enjoying
playing the expert.
  He was in constant demand for information and advice and found that popularity suited him very well.  Lincoln had decided that each of the early investigating parties would contain at least one member with previous experience of conditions inside Pleiades so Knight's inclusion in the first party was guaranteed.  The excitement was almost tangible.  Everyone had eagerly watched the mysterious vessel grow and grow steadily as they approached until she now totally dominated space, almost a
complete world
in her own right.