Ancient Birthright (20 page)

“Satellite or cable?” Beldon asked when he spotted the large flat screen TV and receiver box.

“Both actually, Director Breathsword had the cable company install a connection from Socorro, and I had a satellite receiver added. By the way, Breathsword paid the cable company, owned by his brother the senator, almost a quarter million dollars of NRAO funds to do the cable installation. I got the dish with free installation and three receivers when I signed up for two years of service and took the premium package.”

“Are we permitted to leave the building?” Beldon asked.

“As long as you call the reception desk and alert them. That way they can have a bodyguard ready to accompany you for your protection.”

Beldon’s eyes widened. “Protection from what?”

Striker stared at him. “I have something I want to ask both of you. We need to establish communications with the alien spaceship that’s approaching Earth.” Striker paused studying their reactions.

“I see from your non-reaction that you caught my slip a few weeks ago when I visited you in the infirmary,” Striker told Beldon.

Beldon nodded.

“We had one intercept, the day we discovered the craft. It was in English. Imperfect English, but still understandable and lucid. Since that time, the signals we have received have been encrypted, and we’ve been unable to break the code. Signals from the craft are being intercepted with the VLA. I’m not sure if they’re intended for someone here, a base on another planet or moon, or perhaps another ship we’ve yet to discover. I want the two of you to lead a team of specialists to try to establish communications with the aliens. I think your work to develop your English teaching program could be the key to communicating with the spaceship.”

Cindy’s face turned red, and she looked like she was about to explode. “You...you want us to help you and the government that destroyed our child, home, and lives?”

“No, I want you to help me talk to the alien ship, so we don’t have to destroy them.”

Beldon pulled Cindy into his arms. “Destroy them with what? All our weapons are designed to kill people here on Earth, not alien visitors. The only resources this country has that could be used to go out and meet them are the space shuttles, and they’re being decommissioned and turned into museum exhibits.”

“Before all this happened to us,” Beldon linked fingers with Cindy and faced Striker. “I heard a news report that said the last booster and fuel tank manufacturing facilities in the US was closed and demolished. The workforce was laid off. At the end of the report, they said something about the President looking at a potential Mars mission in fifty to a hundred years, and that he’d cut funding for all of the near term development projects that would have replaced the shuttles.”

“Much of that is true. We have three shuttles that are either still in working order or could be restored to the point they could make one final mission. Spare solid booster engines are available for the two decommissioned shuttles, and the third is already fitted with its boosters for its last mission to the International Space Station. One spare external fuel tank is available. We’re checking to see if it would be possible to build one more in a fairly short period of time.”

“Even I can see problems in your plan. The shuttles are low Earth orbit vehicles and carry just enough fuel for reentry. How do you plan to get them into deep space and back? There’s no spare fuel that I know of on the ISS.”

“No one said anything about them coming back,” Striker said.

“So this is a one way suicide mission?” Cindy asked.

“It may have to be if it will save Earth. I’m hoping it won’t be a suicide mission if we can communicate with the aliens, or if we can capture their ship and use it to get back. The other option is to use modified ICBM’s with nuclear warheads to intercept the spaceship. That option is bad for everyone. It destroys the aliens and any chance we have of learning about them. Where they came from, and why they’re coming here?”

Beldon interrupted. “You left out a few other potential outcomes. You could end up killing the aliens, but not destroy their ship, and it crashes into Earth and kills millions of people. They could be friendly and want to establish trading relations with Earth, and your attempt to kill them could make them hostile, so they then attack in retaliation. They almost certainly have technology beyond ours since they traveled from a distant star. They could use that technology to intercept your missiles, turn them around and send them back to us as a thank you for sending them in the first place.”

“I’m glad you see my problem. I just don’t know enough to respond correctly,” Striker said.

Cindy stepped up into Striker’s face. “Why don’t you ask Senator Breathsword and his moron of a son? I’m sure they have all the answers. Just grab them off the nearest golf course, and stuff them in a cell in your detention center. I’m sure they won’t mind. Oh, and be sure you bring their golf clubs along. If they won’t cooperate, you can use them to beat them into submission. I’m certain no one will mind, but if they do you can take them out and make it look like an accident.” Cindy glared at Striker for a few seconds and then deflated as if someone had let the air out of her.

Beldon put his arms around his wife’s waist and pulled her close as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

Striker stepped back to put a little space between them. “I don’t know what to say to you. I didn’t do this to you, and I’m trying to make the best of the situation and give you back a life as close to normal as my orders allow.”

“Bel, I want to leave this place. I want to go back to our little cabin, finish unpacking, and buy a crib for our baby. I want to go out to eat when we feel like it and go to a movie afterwards. I want to have our families over for Sunday dinner, and have our moms give me all kinds of advice on raising kids and keeping husbands in line. I want to sit up half the night talking and giggling with my sisters,” Cindy cried into his chest.

“I know honey, I want those things too—” He kissed her temple.

“I want my life to mean something. Not end in an unmarked mass grave hidden in the desert,” she sobbed as she clenched her fists in his pajama top.

Beldon looked at Striker over the top of Cindy’s head. “Okay, we’ll help you on two conditions. One, if you send a manned shuttle mission to intercept the alien craft, Cindy and I get to go on that mission. Two, you will make every attempt to establish friendly relations with the aliens no matter where they came from.”

Striker stared into Beldon’s eyes. “What if you can’t pass the physical requirements for a shuttle mission?”

“You said yourself it was a one-way trip. If we survive the launch, what more do you need? If we don’t, it’ll solve a big problem for everyone.”

Chapter-20

Universe Explorer
: Transjump plus 4 years, 281 days:

Dantee’s testing was short and surprising. Saigg watched, as a bunch of teachers, sociologists, childhood developmental specialists and scientists gave her a battery of tests. They showed a child with the physical development of a ninety-cycle-old luzzon female, and cognitive, relational, and reasoning skills that the exams available for young children couldn’t measure. She completed each part so quickly that her results couldn’t be charted using the standard response graphs. One of the testers had the idea to administer examinations designed for advanced students. Unfortunately, without the necessary basic skills of language, math, and reading, they meant nothing to Dantee. The conclusion was that she was special. They just didn’t know why, how, or to what extent.

Saigg picked Dantee up from the chair she’d occupied during testing. As they were leaving, one of the developmental specialists handed him a stack of books used in the schools to teach children in the beginning learning cycle.

“You might have her look through some of these and see if she picks up anything from them.”

“Okay, we’ll give it a try. Come on, squirt, let’s go to our cabin and see Mommy and Reedn.”

“What did they find?” Renna asked as Reedn raced off toward the food dispenser with Dantee.

Saigg and Renna settled themselves on the couch. “She tested as a ninety-cycle luzzon female in physical development. No surprise there, but her cognitive, reasoning and relational skills were so far off the charts, the specialists didn’t know what to do with the results.”

A giggle of delight came from the food area. Saigg and Renna went to see what was causing the two little ones so much fun. The two children had apparently worked together to push a chair in front of the food dispenser. Dantee stood on the chair working the dispenser controls and tossing the extruded cakes down to Reedn. It wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn’t also dispensed several disposacups of sweet drink. Then she tried to pour them into Reedn’s open mouth, while standing on the chair three and a half feet above him. She actually did a creditable job of it. He just couldn’t swallow fast enough and the sticky liquid covered him and a large section of the floor.

Saigg cleared his throat and startled the two lunching babies. Dantee smiled and gulped down the remainder of the sweet drink in the cup she held, before she climbed down the chair and joined Reedn munching on soft cakes. “Perfect example of the findings. Her reasoning and learning abilities are so far beyond anything anyone has ever seen, but she doesn’t have the experience and maturity to know how to temper them.”

The two little ones had finished lunch and cuddled together in the middle of the sticky mess for a much-needed nap.

“Floor or kids?” Renna asked.

Saigg sighed. “Kids. I need to use the refresh unit anyway.”

“Saigg,” Renna said as he turned away.

Saigg looked back at her.

“I haven’t had a chance to wean Reedn yet. I think Dantee did it in a few truebeats without my help.”

Saigg just shook his head and headed to the refresh unit with two very sticky youngsters.

Moments later, yelps of pleasure were issuing from the refresh stall. Saigg carried the two squirming scrubbed children to the couch wrapped in a warm towel. He placed them on the middle cushion and dried them as best he could then proceeded to help Renna finish cleaning the food area.

They returned to the main room and found the two youngsters paging through some of the books Saigg had brought back from the testing session.

The entry hatch slid open, and Kaas walked in carrying Tuuan, who immediately climbed down and joined the other two at the stack of books. “I met Command Prime Garuu in the passageway. He asked me to tell you that we’ve received a transmission from Earth. Saigg, you might want to talk to your team and see what they got.”

“Kaas, could you watch the kids for a while so Renna and I can find out what’s going on? Dantee and Reedn have just had lunch and a bath so they shouldn’t be any trouble,” Saigg said.

“I’d be happy to, as long as you tell me what’s going on when you get back.”

Saigg and Renna said good-bye to the three babies lined up side-by-side and looking at one of the picture books with animal pictures and the name of each printed beneath. Saigg thought they might get away cleanly, but he knew the chances were slim. Sure enough, as soon as Dantee and Reedn realized their parents were leaving; they were up and climbed to their parents’ shoulders with Tuuan close behind. Reedn perched on Renna’s shoulder, Dantee and Tuuan on Saigg’s. “Kaas, you might as well come, too. You might be able to help control the inquisitive trio. Bring a few of those picture books.”

When they entered the team office area, they found a written version of the latest transmission displayed on the wall VH. “
Universe Explorer
, this is Colonel Striker of the United States Air Force. Please respond.”

“The signal is from the system Beldon first used to contact us,” one of the radio techs said.

Dantee scrambled up the console in front of the radio tech, looking at everything with interest. The radio tech quietly began to explain the console and displays to her as Saigg and Renna conferred with the rest of the team. Kaas had Tuuan and Reedn sitting with him on a couch as he showed them one of the books.

“Anyone have thoughts on how or if we should respond to this transmission?” Saigg asked.

Command Prime Garuu walked in as Saigg’s question met with silence.

Dantee glanced up from her study of the radio console and saw him. She scrambled to the floor using the radio tech as a ladder and launched her body at her grandfather. Jamz caught Dantee in mid-leap and settled her on his shoulder where she proceeded to nuzzle and lick his ear while saying, “Geepapa Gee” as she patted his cheek.

“You need to learn to show respect to your Command Prime, little one. Call me Command Prime Garuu when anyone but family is around, not Grandpapa G.”

Dantee looked puzzled for a demibeat before she said, “Compr Goo.” She shook her head no and repeated, “Geepapa Gee.” and nuzzled his ear again.

Command Prime Garuu sighed. “I just don’t get the respect I deserve.”

Most of the team members in the room tried to hide or stifle their laughter. Tuuan and Reedn observed the attention Dantee was getting, and demanded similar consideration. Within demibeats, Command Prime Garuu looked like a playground for young luzzons as the three perched on his shoulders and delivered a variety of baby affection. Dantee finally asserted her dominance and let out a whistle. Reedn and Tuuan stopped nuzzling Jamz and settled together on his shoulder. Dantee grabbed his ear and began pulling it and pointing as she strained toward the radio console trying to guide him in that direction.

“Messy, erf messy,” Dantee said as she continued to gesture to the console.

Jamz moved toward the console as Kaas removed Tuuan and Reedn.

“Saigg, I take it you and Renna are responsible for this erosion of my stature as Command Prime of this ship?”

“Only two-thirds of it, Karonna and Kaas provided the other third. When Dantee heard a message had arrived, she wasn’t going to be left behind, and everyone else just kind of followed.”