New World Order?
“Mr. Timothy, I want to help.”
Ruth laughed sarcastically at her offer. She could see what Darlee was up to and she resolved to watch her every move. Darlee chose to ignore the laughter and waited to see Timothy’s reaction.
“What…how can you help?” Timothy asked, surprised at the offer.
“I know of people that have the knowledge you need. We have used them to keep as much of this base functioning as possible.”
“And where are these people?” Ruth asked, smelling a trick.
“Follow me and I’ll show you.” Darlee looked at Timothy for permission since Junior wasn’t letting her go.
“First off, get some clothes on. Junior, let her go but follow her closely. Make sure she doesn’t hide any weapons on herself.”
“Yes, Sir. I have to recharge.”
“Can you watch her as you recharge?” Timothy asked.
“Yes, but with Meagan’s help.”
“Then let’s make ourselves comfortable and rest for a few hours. Meagan, does the base have any food supplies that you know of? And do you know of any group of people in charge of keeping parts of this base running?”
“Yes to both questions. My surveillance cameras show a large food storage area just down the hallway. You will find preserves, bread and dried meat. My sensors are still offline so I can’t tell if they’re edible or not, but you should be able to. In reply to your second question, this wing contains instruction units and a formidable library three floors down, together with the original housing quarters. That area also allows access to the positron accelerator. My Duty-Bots will arrive there shortly to assess the situation.”
“Oh. I had forgotten about that. I’m not worried about the accelerator itself, Meagan. Concentrate on getting the base defense and communications systems working.”
“Your orders are contradictory. The positron emitter also serves as the base’s defense system.”
“I thought that the positron emitter was for the study of spacecraft drives,” Ruth said.
“The base served two purposes. One was for the study, design and construction of a viable drive system and its effects on humans, but its primary purpose was for Earth defense. The Super Efficient Positron Emitter generates and emits a tightly focused positron beam. It is, as the name implies, efficient, easily aimed and was in working order before the Base’s destruction.”
“I see.” Timothy said. “How did it work as a weapon?”
“The positron drive isn’t actually a drive. Like quantum particles, positrons react in unusual ways when manipulated. Scientists were able to create a sustained, coherent and focused positron beam. In their attempt to reach this milestone, they found that the beam resonates at different wavelengths and that the quantum properties of the beam change as the wavelength changes. This discovery came after they nearly destroyed the base.”
“You still haven’t told me how it can be used as a drive or a weapon,” Timothy said.
“Because of the nature of this once elusive particle, particular wavelengths distort the space/time fabric. In effect, our emitter creates a ripple in this fabric, much like waves on the ocean.”
Having never seen an ocean before, Timothy and Ruth were a little lost, but they kept quiet.
“When the effects of this ripple were studied, they quickly theorized that a bubble could be created that skipped the very tops of these waves. Because the trough of each wave was not in our universe, distances could literally be cheated. Obviously, much more is involved, but once scientists were able to focus the beam to near laser coherence, it became useful as a weapon too. A coherent beam could be initiated on earth and directed to any target, the length of the beam dependent on how focused the beam itself was. Once it hit an object, the target would disappear.”
“Disappear? Where? And what do you mean when you said that the tops of the waves were in one universe and the bottom in another?” Ruth asked. As she asked this, Darlee sat on the floor eyeing her carefully.
“The top of the crest or ripple in space/time exists in our dimension and the trough sits in another, unknown dimension. Our first unmanned test ship proved this when it disappeared. All telemetry ceased the moment it tried to ride the positron waves it had created. When the scientists retuned the sister ship, it traveled 2 parsecs in under five seconds. Needless to say, the military was extremely interested in where the first ship went. After much study and more tests, there was no firm answer, and the test ship never reappeared.”
“What was the range of Base Canada’s weapon?” Timothy asked with a hint of a smile.
“I see where your question is going, and your presumption is correct, Timothy. Permission was given for an effective range of just past moon orbit.”
“Permission from whom? And did they permit anyone else to construct such a weapon?”
“That is the million dollar question, isn’t it?” Meagan said. They were once again mystified with this million dollars, but didn’t ask. Sidestepping the issue, Meagan continued. “Canada had long been working on a positron emitter, so it was a logical choice to build a base that would be perfectly suited to house a fully functional one.
“Who ended up making the final decision to start the research and eventually establish it here is unknown. In theory, a resolution would be passed that was to the agreement of all, but in reality…”
“Let me guess,” Ruth interrupted. “China Lunar wasn’t happy.”
“Yes. China Lunar felt that their position afforded superior range, that the energy requirements suited China Lunar perfectly, and that their location added a degree of safety, limiting damage in case of an accident. It was a sound argument, but Base Canada was so much further ahead and the decision had already been made.”
“And then, as you mentioned earlier, something happened, there was a serious incident that was erased from your memory banks and China Lunar attacked Canada Base,” Timothy said.
“Possibly. Data indicates that certain files should exist, but when I look for them they’re not there.”
“I see. And since then our communication with China Lunar has been sporadic at best. Hmm…”
“What are you thinking Timothy?” Ruth asked.
“I’m thinking that China Lunar may not stay quiet much longer.”
“I have a question.” The voice startled Timothy and Ruth, and they turned around to see a smiling Elkana looking at them.
“Elkana!” Ruth yelled and quickly hugged him as Timothy tousled his hair. “Are you alright? Should you be out of bed?”
“The Medi-Bot says I’m fine but that I have to take it easy. But I really have to go to the bathroom and I heard what Meagan said. Meagan, did any ships leaving earth use this drive?”
“Yes they did. Every single ship built in Earth orbit used this drive. But we don’t know for how long. This ward housed the initial long term test subjects that were subjected to the fields created by these positron emissions, and every single one showed signs of dementia after thirty or so years. Most were in their fifties when the full effects became evident.”
“So it’s possible that…no it’s not possible!” Ruth said in shock. Timothy stood quietly, contemplating the issue. “HAL, have you ever received any communication from humans in space more than three decades after they left earth orbit?”
“No Timothy,” Meagan said. “But I can add that when the effects became evident, all World Federation ships were warned; and that the children of the test subjects grew up to be completely normal. Also, please keep in mind that a ship bearing signs of human origin was recently destroyed by China Lunar.”
Ruth and Timothy mulled over the information.
“I have another question,” Elkana said.
“I’m sure you do,” HAL said, listening in.
“Who is this council you keep talking about?”