‘That’s easy,’ said Krath. ‘We claim I’m the one with impact suit phobia. You just have to tell them I’m on your team and you urgently need my help.’
I stared at him. ‘You’d do that to stop me looking a nardle? Krath, that’s pretty noble.’
He shrugged. ‘Not really. I’m always looking a nardle anyway.’
Amalie smiled. ‘You know, Krath, you’re definitely improving these days.’
He glanced at her and blushed.
‘They’ll want to give Krath the meds themselves,’ said Playdon, ‘but we can talk them into letting us do it if we quote security risks at them.’
‘We’d better get back to the hall and watch the announcement now,’ I said. ‘We can try the meds thing after that. Thanks again for volunteering, Krath. I appreciate it.’
Krath went pink again, and we trooped back to the main hall where everyone was watching the display of Earth Rolling News. A male presenter, who’d managed to find some serious clothes instead of a party outfit, was speaking.
‘This is Earth Rolling News broadcasting live across all sectors from our evacuation base in Ark.’
His voice had an uncontrolled edge of excitement as he said the words. Earth Rolling News had always been the poor relation of the other news channels, relaying incoming stories from the sectors, while no one outside Earth was interested in the affairs of the Handicapped. It had had recent moments of glory with the solar super storm, and hosting coverage of the Military medal ceremony, but they were nothing to this.
The fact that this was going out live to the sectors suddenly sank in. Oh chaos! It would have been bad enough watching my nardle theory explained to the entire population of Earth, but people in Alpha through Kappa would be watching this as well. Nuke it, even the Military in Zeta sector would probably have a live feed. No pressure. No pressure at all!
I waited tensely while the presenter explained some basic information for the viewers on worlds where even a short solar storm was a once in a lifetime event.
‘Earth is currently in portal lockdown due to a solar storm causing interference to portal transmissions originating on Earth. This would have fatal consequences to travellers, so the portal transportation network is closed to all but incoming medical emergency traffic from off world. The comms portal network remains open but is also subject to interference. We apologize for the resulting low image quality.’
He finally said the words I was waiting for. ‘Colonel Riak Torrek and Commander Mason Leveque are joining us on live link from the Military Operations Centre in Ark.’
The image changed to show Colonel Torrek and Commander Leveque standing in the centre of a vast cavern. In the background, I could see figures in Military uniform working at banks of equipment. There was also a huge holo display showing massed fighters parked on a landing area in front of a line of portals. I restrained the urge to giggle. The Military couldn’t need a live display of the fighters on standby at Echo base, Adonis. They were definitely playing to the vid bees with that one.
Colonel Torrek gave viewers a few seconds to take in the scene before he spoke. ‘I announced earlier that the Military were in the process of opening up communications with the alien sphere. I apologize for the delay in giving you further details. Professor Gaius Devon’s breach of secrecy means this information is being released ahead of schedule, and we had to complete the vid sequences. Commander Leveque will now continue the briefing.’
Leveque spent the next five minutes explaining my nardle theory, except the way he described it, with the help of images and graphics, it didn’t sound like a theory but a solid fact. Listening to him, I was almost convinced myself!
‘For obvious logistical and safety reasons,’ he said, ‘excavations cannot begin until Earth is out of portal lockdown. We estimate a 78 per cent probability the alien device is located at what we’ve designated Zulu Dig Site. Military aircraft surveyed the site before the start of the solar storm, taking visual and sensor images.’
My guess was the survey had actually been made immediately after the arrival of the sphere. I watched an aerial view of closely packed trees with the distinctive reddish foliage of Griffith hybrids. Those were going to make this a difficult dig, chaos take them.
Leveque’s relaxed voice started speaking again. ‘The Military wish to thank the civilian archaeologists from Eden Dig Site in Earth Africa, who have volunteered their expertise to help excavate the device. The operation will be led by Field Commander Major Tell Morrath, and her deputy, Captain Eklund. They will be assisted by Professor Pereth of University Earth who will be acting as site leader. Plans for the excavation are being finalized at the Eden Dig Site evacuation centre in Ark.’
Everyone in the hall watched the next vid sequence intently, trying to spot themselves in the pictures. Dalmora’s cunning work, combined with some careful editing by the Military, made us all appear hard at work and totally oblivious to the vid bees, apart from a moment when Fian and I turned to look at them and nod. I sighed with relief.
The screen image returned to Leveque, who wound up his speech. There was a moment of silence before the Earth Rolling News presenter spoke.
‘Earth Rolling News has just received a call from Professor Gaius Devon. Do you wish to hear his comments, Colonel?’
Colonel Torrek sighed. ‘Please patch his call into this interview, so I can talk to him myself. I’m afraid Professor Devon greatly overestimates his understanding of the situation. He was a minor member of a civilian Physics team attempting to analyse the sphere. He failed to make any useful contributions, and his position gave him only a very limited knowledge of events.’
There was a pause before the presenter spoke. ‘Professor Gaius Devon is joining us on live link from his home on Alcestis in Gamma sector, so his answers will suffer from significant comms portal relay lag.’
Fian leaned across to whisper in my ear. ‘Is it a good idea to let Devon into this?’
I was worried too, but I tried to hide that and whispered back. ‘Colonel Torrek knows what he’s doing.’
The screen image divided to show a close-up of Colonel Torrek on one side, and a chaos furious looking Gaius Devon on the other.
‘Please, Professor Devon, briefly sum up your concerns so I can reassure the viewers,’ said Colonel Torrek.
It took a moment for Devon to react and respond. I smiled as I realized how big a disadvantage he was in because of relay lag. Viewers wouldn’t just be impatient at having to wait for him, but constantly reminded of how distant he was from events.
‘First of all, I’d like to point out the holder of the Wallam-Crane Portal Physics Chair at University Alcestis shouldn’t be belittled by being described as a minor team member.’
‘I apologize for any offence,’ said Colonel Torrek. ‘I was merely speaking in the context of a team including three Physics Nobel winners. I’m under time pressure here, with an important situation to handle, so can we please move on to less personal issues?’
Fian laughed. ‘Devon may think he’s important, but everyone knows a chair at University Alcestis isn’t in the same sector as a Nobel. He was hoping his precious portal theory would get him a nomination last year, but he lost out to …’
Gaius Devon now reacted and spoke again. ‘I’m appalled at your plans for retrieving this alien device.’
I felt like cheering. I’d expected Devon to ridicule my theory, but the whole of humanity had heard him accept an alien device existed. I didn’t have time to celebrate because Devon had lost control of his wounded ego and was ranting at Colonel Torrek.
‘Firstly, we shouldn’t communicate with aliens, we should destroy them before they destroy us. Secondly, you’re incompetent to the point of insanity if you’re putting Jarra Tell Morrath in charge of anything. She’s not just a totally unqualified 18-year-old, she’s an ape!’
Something odd happened to the world when I heard those words. The people around me, the image of Earth Rolling News, and the huge cavern I was standing in, all seemed to recede off into the distance. I was alone, far away, somewhere very, very cold.
31
