Uplift (29 page)

       The Pentagon – Office of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs

Admiral Detweiler was concerned that Patterson knew the Horde was coming. He was concerned Patterson had built ships that could defeat them. He was concerned how Patterson could produce training modules in ten alien languages. How could he know? What was he playing at? Evidently, Patterson could hack into any electronic communication – that was scary enough when the NSA did it. Yet – Patterson had the answers again, and again. What should be done about this man? Maybe he should let some of Patterson’s critics be put back in charge.

                                      
****

Richard Patterson had been asking to interview the Graloc officer since they returned. The military had not allowed access to the alien ships, or captives. The government was experiencing a love-hate relationship with AcuMint, and the Wallups Island facility. The military finally realized they might gain more information if they let Richard interview the aliens – with a military escort who spoke the language. Carole had been turning out thousands of modules now, and had given several hundred to the military. She told them the ones they had, were all that were available.

The Hermolic, and Xeeg were not the languages we had learned, but I assumed they spoke Trade. I was finally let in to see the Graloc officer. Sergeant Garcia accompanied me.

“Are they treating you well?” I asked.

“Well? Not a matter of concern,” the Graloc said.

“Why?” I asked.

“The Horde will return. I am dead.”

“Why are you dead?” I asked.

“I had displeased my Horde master – I was to be replaced. The Horde will return.”

“He’s told me all this before,” Garcia said.

“Thank you sergeant. Send me transcripts, and I won’t ask the same questions – otherwise please observe…observe,” I said letting him know I was displeased.

“How many ships should we expect? Their size compared to the Xeeg ship?”

“Ten? One hundred? Five hundred? One thousand?” I said.

“Not one thousand…a bit more than five hundred,” said the Graloc. “Their ships are about the size of the Xeeg ship, but their weapons are stronger.”

“This is all new Patterson,” said Garcia.

“You’re not observing sergeant,” I said. “Describe their weapons, and shields.”

“When their ships are damaged, or face powerful foes – those ships produce a field none can penetrate. Others not damaged then repel the attack. That is why they have so many ships. I was very surprised you were able to defeat my ships, or the Xeeg. The Xeeg only agreed to be scouts, or face extinction.”

“What about the Hermolics? What is their function? What do their ships look like?” I asked.

“You will find this humorous – you have laughter – yes. The Hermolics’ ships were powered by chemical means when the Horde discovered them. Your planet was supposed to be the same. They have no ships. They speak Trade, but that is not their main function,” the Graloc said.

“Is that humorous? I do not understand. We do not use chemical rockets any more,” I said thinking that we didn’t – since last year when we learned we could build the WALLUP. “What is their main purpose?”

“Food. They breed in less than a year. Their offspring are very tender,” the Graloc said. “You were thought to be as undeveloped as them – a new source of food. My people will not eat intelligent species, but the Hermolics enjoy eating them. The Horde enjoys eating intelligent species, but usually only in front of their mate, or close friends. They do eat offspring in front of the mother, and otherwise, eat the males first. The Hermolics are getting less intelligent so the Horde is looking for new, intelligent food sources. They derive some form of pleasure from the emotional distress of their victims.”

“Tell me about any weapons you have seen that are effective for the Horde, or any other race. We have weapons that can pierce their impenetrable barrier,” I said.

Garcia grabbed my shoulder. “I knew you civilians would do that – telling him about our weaponry.”

“OUR weaponry sergeant,” I said in English. “Who is he going to tell? I know enough about Graloc history that I believe him. They have been fighting the Horde for a long time, and they are still here.”

“How long could they fight that number of ships? He has to be lying…it’s all just telling us what they think we want to know. I’ve told my superiors that I think he’s making it all up,” said the sergeant.

“They’ve been fighting the Horde for tens of thousands of years. They are still here. He is cooperating. He is telling me very useful information.”

“This is just some junk he’s telling you ‘cause you’re a friggin’ civilian…he knows a liberal when he sees one,” said the sergeant.

I gritted my teeth, and turned back to the Graloc. Corey had taught me Xeeg when we realized they might be species that was involved. It was not one of the languages on the training modules. “Do not show a reaction if you understand me,” I said in Xeeg. “Lean back a little if you understand,” I said, and the Graloc leaned back slightly. I decided I wouldn’t have another chance with this guy so I would ask some pertinent questions. “What was your position on your ship? Master of the ship?”

The Graloc laughed a very human like laugh. “No. I am the chief engineer. I was being punished because our earlier survey showed your planet only had primitive rockets. We were coming to perform the final assessment before committing forces. When you defeated the Xeeg you will now get a larger assignment of ships, but it will be longer before they come back…bringing slightly more than 500 ships now. They will be back in about half an orbit of your planet.”

“How do you know?” I asked.

“I am an engineer.”

“Would you help me design weapons to defeat them if you could?” I asked.

“This soldier, and others like him would not let me,” the Graloc said.

“What is your name?”

“I am only called Yaloo – our word for engineer.”

“Okay Patterson,” said the sergeant. “That’s enough – you’re tellin’ him too much stuff I don’t understand, and as a civilian you wouldn’t know what not to say.”

“Sergeant. I am sure you are doing the best you know how. I will tell the general you couldn’t do a better job. No amount of money is worth the job you’re doing. I’ll make sure to tell them that. This engineer agreed to help us design weapons – I could use his help,” I said. “Oh…for your information. I was fighting in Asia, and Africa when you were in diapers. I don’t need any transcripts now, but I would like to study his ships, and have him work with me.”

I walked away knowing the military would not let us examine anything. I decided I’d have to up the ante. Corey. I suspect those Graloc ships are pretty automated.

Yes. They have a sophisticated navigation system. It is almost sentient.

Do you think you could take over, and pilot them somewhere else? We’d need to empty them first. Can you still message the President securely?

I might be able to take over the ships with the engineer’s help, but the system is newer than anything I’ve dealt with in the past. I can easily send an eyes-only message to the President.

                                             
****

President Leech looked at the message from Richard Patterson with mixed emotions. He had read the report from Captain Thomas Pates. Aliens – three different species almost exactly as Patterson had explained to Walt Simpkins when Simpkins thought Patterson was crazy. The small ship Patterson had built had defeated a larger ship. The SF troops had captured two more ships, and one of those had contained a being just as Patterson had described…how did he know? Should I trust him? My military advisors do not want to turn anything over to him. The president sighed, and began to read his decrypted message from Patterson.

Mister President. Wish I had better news. The captured chief engineer from the first ship is willing to help me design new weapons – I understand the fields better than any other scientists, and I will give any new weapons to the military immediately – I need your help. They will not let me examine the computers of the alien ships. Bad news – the captive reported 500+ ships the size of the ship we defeated will be returning in six months. They were just scout ships for the Horde. The doglike intelligent species on board is used as food – we are next. How does the Horde derive its nourishment? …By causing emotional distress from victims as they consume their flesh – they can cause pleasure, or pain to victims… often eat children in front of parents. Good news: We have the same shields as the Horde, but we can penetrate their shields from close range. We have laid a minefield in area of last incident – all mines are bobbytrapped if inspected, and are harmless to Earth ships. We need to distribute the language, summary training modules to other governments. We cannot produce enough by ourselves. Access? …Distribute modules to others?

The military, on this, was a day late, and dollar short, President Leech thought while staring out the window of Air Force One. It had just landed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. It would be the end of the Earth if the Patterson timetable were right. So many people tell me their uniformed decisions based on opinion. …aliens…why couldn’t it be the sun was exploding, and we had eight, and a half minutes left…

The president dictated a message to the Joint Chiefs, and the fifteen senators on the select committee for intelligence. It included the report discredited from Walt Simpkins where Richard Patterson warned of the forthcoming attack by the Horde. The report included video footage from helmet cams from the Special Forces troops’ boarding operations. It included information on the training modules, and the need to distribute them worldwide. The chief of staff informed the president that there was a crate of the training modules awaiting his plane at the airport. These modules were reported to include the battle videos, and the Xeeg language.

People’s Liberation Army HQ – Beijing, China

Shàojiàng (General) Zhang Wei faced James Cowan, an employee of the American Company, AcuMint. These Americans had threatened him. He wondered what they wanted this time. The power modules they delivered had functioned wonderfully, but his scientists had been unable to reverse engineer them until the designs appeared on the Net…why would they give away that asset? What now?

“Sir. I have been directed by Richard Patterson to deliver these training modules. They include videos from recent battles in deep space, and a summary of the technologies we are developing. Mister Patterson says he will give you designs for the new weapons if you will join the Americans in fighting this threat. President Leech is now distributing these modules on his trip. Sir. These modules take about five hours to run. When I took it – it was really painful so I’d have a subordinate try it first, and then ask them their impression. I realize that it is highly unusual – this module has the designs to make a field that accelerates time. People under a large field can produce work, thirty times faster than normal time. Included on this one are designs for the railguns, pulse guns, stunners, and the latest design for our prototype space ship. This is a few days old – meaning it is a few months old in accelerated time…behind our progress at Wallups Island. It also has some of the videos with captured aliens, and shows the captured ships.”

“Aliens…captured ships. What fiction are you spreading? Your government would never give weapons designs.”

“Yes sir. Our government does not know. We cannot do it all ourselves. My government does not trust Richard Patterson, but I have personally found him dedicated, and honest. He can be ruthless, but he is dedicated to defending the Earth.”

“The Earth? Is he offering these modules, and technology to any other countries?” asked the general.

“Most of the Scandinavian countries, Western European countries, Japan, India…probably not Russia, or Australia.”

“Why China, and not Australia?” asked the general.

“Sir. Mister Patterson has fought against Australians for you with Sigma Max, and wanted to tell you – quote: “I don’t trust the Australians since they went so far to the political extreme. You also have more current manufacturing capacity.”

“Why would he come to me, and not someone higher in the administration?”

“Sir. He said that you were only trying to do your job, and he understood, but times change…rapidly. Do you want these modules? I have fifty…they are pretty good, but they are painful. I suggest you drink some before running them – that helped me.”

“Leave them on the floor. I have a perfect test subject. Lieutenant. Come in here now…I know you are listening. Bring me some vodka, and we will share it while I watch you take this training. Come in now.” the general spoke to the walls.

TRAITOR

People’s Liberation Army HQ – Beijing, China

Shàojiàng (General) Zhang Wei had accepted the modules, and the overall proposal, but did not know how the leadership would react. He also enjoyed allowing his aide the honor of first use without painkillers, or alcohol. He enjoyed drinking, and watching him progress through the module. His aide was excited about what he learned. He thought the training was incredibly valuable, and wanted many to use it. General Zhang Wei sent his message of acceptance, just after he took the training. He reported to Cowan that the module was a masterful job. He would try to get the cooperation of his country. How far would they go to get the new ship plans?