Dark Matter (59 page)

Sameena found herself running in mid-air.  It was a curious sensation, but it didn't last long as she plunged into the cold, dark waters below.  She lost consciousness as she hit the water.

Shiwanevar looked over the edge.  'Forget her, get me aboard!' she boomed at the soldiers.  The ramp withdrew behind her as she disappeared into the ship.

Sam looked around her.  She was in a room.  There were people there, shouting and cheering.  Her father walked up to her and hugged her, which she thought rather odd, him being dead and all.  The scene shifted outside and she looked into the air as a huge shadow passed overhead, again people were waving and cheering.  There was a pram in front of her, the baby inside was hers, again she knew that she had never been pregnant. 
OK, I'm dreaming,
she realised,
let’s see where this goes,
she relaxed and let herself go.  Now she could feel lips pressing upon hers, but she could not see to whom they belonged.  She tried closing her eyes in the dream but that didn't help, now she couldn't see anything at all.  A voice called to her, it sounded urgent, but deep and resonate.

'Are you OK Miss?' 

Sameena threw out a loud of water.  She was suddenly aware of being wet and very, very cold.  She was shivering, soaking wet and had no idea why.

'Are you OK?'  Again the urgent, deep voice.

Sam opened her eyes, the man before her had no cap on, but his was clearly a policeman.  He was bent over her, she reached out placing her hand upon his chest she pushed him gently backwards to give herself some room.  The officer didn't resist. 

'I'm alive?'  Sam asked.

'Yes.  You weren't when I pulled you out mind.  But I did some CPR and here you are.'  He smiled down at her.  She could see he was much older than she was, but still attractive in the way an older man can be.  It didn't hurt that he had apparently saved her life.

'CPR?  You kissed me?  Gave me the kiss of life?' 

'Well we don't call it that anymore, but yes I did.  In my defence you did need it.'  He smiled as he placed his right hand over his heart to show that he was being honest.

'I guess I should thank you.'  The words troubled her even as she spoke them, she corrected herself.  'I mean thank you, thank you so much.'

They were interrupted by a deep throbbing sound, so loud that it penetrated their bones making them resonate.  They both turned and watched in awe as the Sunarr ship lifted off.  It swung majestically through ninety degrees and then moved straight up.  Neither of them spoke, but Sam just thought to herself,
thank God I'm not on there.

28
Longbow

18:20
              10 November  [18:20  10 November GMT]

No.1 Carlton Gardens, Westminster, London, England.

The building is going to need a shit load of work doing,
Jack reflected on the scene of devastation confronting him.  It was amazing really.  There were casualties, a few dead, others injured, mainly from the blast to the building.  Nevertheless, overall they had been incredibly lucky.  The ambassadors had been busy.  Once the fighting had stopped and after being reassured that they were safe, they had calmed down enough to go about the business of getting in contact with their governments.  First with their Embassies or Consulates, then speaking directly with their countries.  The news was spreading fast.  Two things were becoming very clear.  The first was the palpable relief of the senior politicians and military officers at being freed from their virtual incarceration.  The second was the pivotal role being played by Unity. 

Unity, in cooperation with the Russians, had helped to free countless countries.  Ordinarily the arrival of a foreign armed force in their countries would have led to a serious diplomatic situation, if not an outright declaration of war.  This is where Group 79 had played its own crucial role behind the scenes.  Every country involved had at least one or two senior figures directed by Group 79.  Some were full members, others had been recruited as agents in the past year.  They were on hand when the forces arrived to smooth both the local politicians and the military.  The situation had been fraught, but as they were freed, they came to see the bigger picture.  Now with their ambassadors reporting in from around the world their anger and frustration was turning away from the friendly invasions by Unity and the Russians, to the object of the military conflict, the Sunarr.

The leaders of each country were briefed on the situation.  Each in turn contacting their own military.  The senior military officers, almost to a person, were ahead of their political masters.  Alerts had gone out to divisional commanders;
throw all you can against the Sunarr forces
.  Then, in most instances, they received their official orders calling for mass mobilisation.  There were pitched battles in the streets as the Sunarr forces found themselves overwhelmed.  The gold mines were a particular focus.  As the Sunarr realised that their time on Earth had come to an end, they took what they could and boarded their scout ships.  Most had a surprise waiting for them when they exited the domes.  Thousands of frightened and angry troops who had been ordered to stop the Sunarr by all and any necessary means.  The officers in command held nothing back.  The scout ships, designed for use within an atmosphere were well armed, but unlike the domes, they didn't have the special shielding.  They fought well, and took extreme punishment.  About half fell to the strength and blind fury of the combined local and Unity forces.  The rest made it away from the area to rendezvous with the Sunarr survey ship.

21:30
              10 November  [18:30  10 November GMT]

Kremlin, Moscow, Russia.

Nickolai Andreovich Petrov paused for a moment outside the command centre.  He was not bringing his boss wholly good news and this worried him.  He knocked rapidly on the door and entered.  His boss, General Gregori Stephonovich Ivanskiy had his head down, absorbing information as it came in, displayed on the map table.  The situation was good and getting better.  He now had control over fully ninety per cent of Russia, including all the main military bases, the major cities and the nuclear arsenal.  He looked up at his aide.

'What is it Nickolai Andreovich?'

Petrov took a deep breath, straightened his back, and looked his boss square in the eyes.  He knew that Gregori Stephonovich appreciated directness.

'It’s Bondarenko, he has left town.  It is reported that he is making for the Sunarr mining camp at Blagodatnoye.'

'I see.  What do you propose I should do about it?'

'He should not be allowed to leave the Motherland General.'  Nickolai Andreovich kept a firm eye on the General's reaction; he could see that it was positive.

'Very good, Nickolai Andreovich.'  General Ivanskiy replied turning to his communications officer, 'Dispatch the 2
nd
Army Group's rapid reaction force.'

21:30
              10 November  [18:30  10 November GMT]

50 Km
from Blagodatnoye near Svetlograd, Stavropol Krai, SW Russia.

General Bondarenko was well strapped into the Russian Mi-24 Hind troop carrying assault helicopter.  He had been on this planet for long enough and had no wish to become a permanent resident.  He cursed Ivanskiy and the fact that the Sunarr had rejected his suggestion to have Ivanskiy killed. 
If Ivanskiy were dead, I wouldn't have to be running like a common criminal.
  He consoled himself that it wouldn't matter in the end; this was only a temporary setback.  A minor one at that, in the grand scheme of things.  He was leaving today but he promised himself that he would be back.  When he did he would see that dog Ivanskiy crushed, but not before he turned Ivanskiy's beloved Russia into a wasteland. 

He looked around at his men, wondering idly about their fates.
They will probably be shot for helping the enemy.  Good, that will be six less to deal with later.
  He had never cared for his men, or anyone really.  They were just a means to an end.  True, there had been some that he had grown close to, but none for over a century now.  Now they could burn, would burn for the greater glory. 

His aide saw him smile, but the look was not pleasant.  The general's face was contorted; it reminded him of when he was at school.  There had been a boy who had the same look on his face as he had knelt on his chest after beating him to the ground, and fed him grass to eat.  He shuddered at the memory and tried not to think about the thoughts going through his boss’s mind that generated such a look.

The helicopter was descending now, and they could see the battle raging at the mine below.  The distinct shapes of the Russian tanks firing on the dome over the Blagodatnoye mine.  As they came lower, a shape appeared out of the side of the dome, it moved quickly, dodging the artillery fire and soared into the air.  Bondarenko shouted at the pilot.

'Follow that craft!'

The pilot hesitated, unsure as to what to do.  He knew instinctively that the craft was Sunarr, he had served in the Russian forces for nearly thirty years and had never seen anything remotely close to it, and besides his comrades were raining fire down on it, which was a dead giveaway.  The helicopter continued to hover and the General exploded.

'Follow that craft now or I'll have you shot for insubordination!'

The helicopter pitched forward as the pilot obeyed.  It gained speed and closed on the craft.  Bondarenko slipped his communications device out of his pocket and put it to his ear.  He spoke into it in a language his aide did not recognise.

'Shoota hee nar fey, dorall te ney ve laripsocol!'

Almost instantly, the Sunarr craft descended towards the ground.  The pilot needed no further order; he took the helicopter lower following the Sunarr craft in its descent.  He landed within a couple of hundred feet from the Sunarr craft, but kept the rotor ticking over, his hand on the control.

'Wait here!'  The General boomed as he slid open the door and jumped out, remembering to keep his head low lest he were to lose it.  Bondarenko ran off in the direction of the Sunarr craft, the rear opening up, he disappearing inside it.  It took off almost immediately.  Sergey, Bondarenko's aide sat there, he was relieved to see his boss go, but now was worried what he had helped him to do. 
True I was under orders, but others before me have said the same.

16:30
              10 November  [13:30  10 November GMT]

Security Council, UN Building, New York, USA.

The meeting was fraught.  Delegates were talking over each other, some even on the verge of shouting, trying to be heard above the din.  Jay wasn't listening.  She was sat there, transfixed.  She didn't know it but she was heavily in shock.  Her mind kept replaying the events, always ending with seeing her daughter, her own flesh and blood, being dragged from the room.  A voice called to her.  Again.  The voice moved closer to her ear, she could feel the breath on her shoulder.  The voice insisted itself upon her consciousness.

'Jay, I have a call you must take.'

Jay looked up.  William was standing next to her, leaning in close.  He held a phone in his hand and was offering it to her.  Jay looked into his face.  It was a kind face she thought.  A face you could trust and rely upon.  He was saying something.  She could see his lips moving.  She tried concentrating and then she got it.

'Jay!  Please take this call!' 

'I thought I said no calls.'  Jay knew that she always said that when she went into a Security Council meeting and she was sure she had said it this time too.  She was a little annoyed at William.

'You must take this call.'  He placed the phone in her hand.

Jay was so out of it she didn't even ask William who was on the phone.  She placed the phone to her ear and spoke in to the mouthpiece.

'Hello who is it?'

'It's me mummy.  It's Sam.'

'Sam?'

'Yes mummy it's me.  I'm free and I'm OK'

'Sam?...Sam...SAM!’  Jay shrieked, causing the other delegates to stop their arguing for a moment to stare at her.

'Oh Sam, Sam my beautiful Sam.  Are you OK?  Where are you?  What happened?'

'I'm OK.  I'm on the shore, a little way down from your building.  I'll make my way up to see you when I can.  I jumped off the back of the Sunarr craft into the river and was rescued by this lovely policeman.'  She winked at the policeman as she spoke.  'Are you OK mummy, you sound really awful?'

'Oh Sam, I'm OK.  Just a little shaken up.'  Jay's mind was already kicking back into gear.  'Look, have the policeman help you get here; I'd like to thank him personally as well.  I must just deal with something first, but I should be free when you get here.  I love you, see you soon.'

'Love you too mummy, bye’ Sam couldn't quite believe how much of a girl she felt.  Calling her mother mummy and telling her she loved her, she hadn't done that in years.  It had felt good though, it had felt right.  She asked the policeman if he could help her to the UN building, he gallantly agreed, helping her to her feet as he did so.

Jay hung up the phone.  She could focus now and what she saw around the table she did not like.  She rose to her feet and picked up the quartz block paperweight, a gift from the Tanzanian ambassador.  She slammed it down on the table, exploding it into several pieces they shot across the top of the table.  The sudden noise and coming under fire from quartz projectiles shocked the delegates into silence.  They all turned to Jay.

'Good.  Now I have your attention, this is what is going to happen.  You will instruct your governments that they are to mobilise their forces and attack the Sunarr with everything they have.'

'And if we don't?'  One voice spoke out, but several thought the same.  They were not used to being issued orders.

'Then the world will know you for cowards and you will be expelled from this council and the UN.  You will stand alone in the world.'  Jay glowered at them; she had always been the consummate diplomat, soft spoken and patient.  This was a new side to her.  Everyone who knew her, knew that she didn't bluff, it wasn't in her nature.  She would have any nation out of their seat, no matter the cost.  The voice spoke up again, this time softer, more considered.

'Of course I for one have no intention of not following your direction Madam Secretary-General.  I will be speaking to my government forthwith.'

Nods of agreement flowed around the table, accompanied by verbal assurances that they would put the matter to their governments with the utmost urgency. 

'In that case,’ Jay said, still on her feet, 'this meeting is over.  I will let you all contact your governments.  Let me know when they agree.'  The emphasis she gave to her last sentence left them in no doubt.  Jay still had an ace up her sleeve.

18:11               10 November  [18:11  10 November GMT]

Disused Airbase, Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, England.

There was no time for the normal, full pre-flight checks.  The Sunarr ship was leaving and so were they.  John Deeth sat in one of the seats normally occupied by an image analyst.  The Sentinel R1 turned off the taxiway and pulled onto the runway. 
              Originally a surveillance aircraft this one had been heavily modified.  Longbow was a huge and complex piece of hardware and the entire radar system had been removed from the underneath of the aircraft to accommodate it.  The twin Rolls Royce BR710 engines roared as the amount of thrust required to achieve lift off had been increased due to the weight of Longbow.