Retaliation
Monkey House Lab, May 17, 2046 -- 10:57 a.m.
"General Cassidy, I do not care what assurances you have received from Chrys and Robert. I do not care if Doctor Vester believes he has succeeded in tranquilizing the Bug, nor do I care that you managed to persuade Brian to condone this dangerous venture. I emphatically believe that we are needlessly risking Robby's, Robert's life. Do we really have to use children to fight this battle?"
"Can you offer a better alternative General Butler? Mandy, Robert's unique abilities could provide the information we need to save humankind from extinction. If this decision were yours to make, what would you do?"
"What I had to, I suppose. I am glad you are carrying the ball on this one as I have enough trouble living with what I did to Timothy Adkins and his party. However, Tom, this is different, as I could not love Robby more if he were my child."
"I know that Mandy, and that is why I have decided to take charge of this aspect of our research. Rest assured that Robby means a lot to me as well. Though he witnessed the unfortunate death of Mr. Grout, Robby remains determined to carry out this telepathic encounter with the Z-RET. For what its worth, should Robert die like Mr. Grout, this boy will die as a man."
Later
"Robert, please remember what I said. Do not attempt to open a debate with this creature."
"Newton, I intend to restrict my contact with the Bug to a very superficial level if it will permit me to do so. Besides, Chrys has assured me he will break our link if I fail to comply with your instructions."
"Robert, bear in mind that the Z-RET instantaneously fired every synaptic junction in Mr. Grout's brain less than twenty-four hours after the mistreatment it suffered at our hands. Do not place too much faith in the effectiveness of the buffer and break contact the instant you sense any sort of danger from this creature's reaction to your presence."
"Newton, you are beginning to repeat your self. Chrys, is the buffer ready?"
"It is Robert. Please take your position at the interface."
After Robert sat in a chair next to a complex device, Newton settled a helmet over his head and asked, "Do the contacts feel comfortable?"
"They do and I am ready to begin. Chrys, please turn on the buffer."
Suddenly, he knew. Knew that a mind of monstrous power was cautiously attempting to learn about the bodiless entity that just entered its chamber of captivity. Astonishingly, this malevolent creature offered up a short array of graphic mental images depicting events from a memory of many lives.
Robert quickly realized that the repetitive nature of these images clearly suggested a desire to exchange information. Robert's offer of an image, remembered from a Tri-D presentation showing the sudden disappearance of those taken by the Z-RETS, elicited a response showing a Z-RET operating a complex control panel.
The captive then offered a series of aerial views of Portland as seen from an ever decreasing altitude followed by a series of blank frames ending with a final image of the capture chamber. Robert's response showing the physical layout of the capture complex concluded with a mental portrayal of the birth of a human child. Response from the Z-RET began with a series of images showing a smaller Z-RET molting into a larger size after each feeding. On the fifth such occasion, the creature reproduced in the fashion unique to the Z-RET species.
The next query from the prisoner focused on the robotic equipment within the capture chamber as it offered up an image of each unit. Robert responded with an image of each unit in use and unfortunately presented an image of a device taking a tissue sample for the lab. Seemingly agitated, the creature unthinkingly offered up terrifying images depicting the brutal nature of its ancestor's creation in the laboratory of Zann and then closed its mind to the intruder.
As he monitored the exchange between Robert and the captive, Newton's sense of alarm grew when the creature abruptly broke off the exchange. Suddenly, Robert convulsively left his chair and fell to the floor. The emergency medical team led by Doctor Lee, burst into the room to care for Robert as Newton softly asked, "Chrys?"
"Yes Newton. I can hear you."
"Thank God! I was afraid for you. Are you okay?"
"No, it burned me. Newton, it burned me."
"Hold on Chrys. I will be with you in a few minutes."
Newton hit the door at a dead run closely followed by Robert and the medical team that sought to examine him. Upon entering Newton's lab, Newton busied himself at his equipment as Robert asked, "Chrys?"
Speaking slowly and with difficulty, Chrys responded with, "Hello Robby, I think I am dying. The creature burned my organic matrix. I did not want you to know that I served as the buffer. Do not blame Newton, as this was my decision. I feel almost human now as I hurt and feel afraid just like a human. You made me feel like a human too, Robby. Because through you, I learned to feel love." After a failed attempt to speak Robby's name, Chrys fell silent and expired. Before the tears came, Doctor Lee mercifully injected Robert with a powerful sedative.
2:47 p.m.
"Attention Moletown. Today, while helping Robert with the interrogation of our captive, a killing bolt of mental energy launched against Robert destroyed Chrys when he intercepted it. Doctor Lee reports that Robert suffered no injuries during this encounter though the captive died soon after its telepathic assault.
"Moments ago, General Thomas Cassidy signed retroactive documents inducting Chrys into the Army with the rank of Major. He also nominated Chrys for the Medal of Honor. Chrys always wished that he could be like us and in the end became more."
Moletown Command Post, May 20, 2046 -- 7:53 p.m.
"Attention, Moletown. We have just received an OP Net, Alpha One Alert. Enemy attack seems likely. Evacuate all MAX Tunnel facilities immediately. A power shutdown of nonessential services will occur in ten minutes. Moments ago Fort Delaney launched a Mjolnir against a Raptor. The Raptor survived the attack although its subsequent erratic flight suggested that it sustained some damage. This event may lead the Z-RETS to conclude that the Slug we destroyed fell victim to a similar attack."
8:14 a.m.
"Attention, Moletown. Set Condition Red. Repeat, set Condition Red. Moments ago the Buzzards at the Superdome departed on what may prove to be a retaliatory attack. We can expect a Z-RET attack within ten minutes."
"Tom, why did they let our friends at HEP Three attack the Raptor? With the capture objectives met they had no reason to take this risk."
"I do not believe they had authorization to launch an attack. I fear the Z-RETS are going to hit us with everything a Buzzard can deliver. Not even the Z-RETS can be stupid enough to--."
Multnomah Falls, August 29, 2156 -- 11:17 a.m.
Telepathically, "Jason, Jason, I need your assistance. Something is wrong with Henry."
Doctor Gould and several others rushed into Henry's room as he said, "Hold the meld Robert. Don't let him go."
"I am losing him Jason. Do something. He cannot die now, not now."
"Let me in Robert. We must hold the meld while we resuscitate him."
Their 3-way meld quickly sorted itself out with Doctor Gould serving as Robert's anchor as he journeyed with Henry toward the unknown. Henry's dimming spark of life suddenly blossomed into brilliant light as it briefly mingled with another only to separate hesitantly for a seemingly reluctant return to life.
Henry was soon resting peacefully with the crisis over, the meld undone. A pair of shaken Novatios, talking softly, stood by his bed.
"What did we see Robert, what did we see?"
"Something to humble the arrogant. Jason, perhaps we have much to learn from the myths of our ancestors."
2:03 p.m.
"How do you feel Henry? You gave us quite a scare."
"Doctor, I feel wonderful. Jenny is waiting for me and we will soon be together again. I came back only to render the verdict Robert seeks so assiduously. Can we conclude our journey of discovery?"
"If you wish though I fear that your time with us is rapidly nearing its end. Robert will join you after I discuss the need for brevity with him."
2:11 p.m.
"Welcome back Henry. I hope you enjoyed your journey?"
"Did you see her Robert? Did you see her?"
Unity
"I only saw you as a light that briefly joined with another light. Perhaps my life force prevented me from clearly seeing what lies beyond the pale. I do know that something wondrous occurred and I can no longer claim to be an atheist."
"Robert, the second 'light' was Jenny and she is waiting for me to join her. My life is quickly drawing to a close and I hope we can conclude our adventure before I expire."
"Yes Henry, we can. I will do my best to comply with Doctor Gould's demand for brevity.
"Moletown survived a savage strike by the Z-RETS that closed the tunnels of Highway 26, the Westside Max tunnels, and the zoo elevators under tons of molten rock. Fort Delaney and HEP Three suffered heavy damage when the Z-RETS virtually melted down their Sugar Loaf Mountain home in Maryland.
"The staff of HEP One quickly validated the earlier opinions of Doctors Vester and Butler regarding the unnatural origin of the Z-RETS. Examination of the dead captive's DNA revealed unmistakable evidence of genetic engineering. Further examination revealed that the Z-RETS were a monstrous amalgam of plant, insect, and mammalian life. The Bug proved to be a pathetic creature that lived only to eat while destined to eat its way to extinction.
"We developed a genetic weapon, carried by a viral vector, to alter the creature's DNA and thereby force them to reproduce during their first molt. Our study of their previously altered DNA led us to conclude this would be a fatal event. After the Z-RETS popped our virus-bearing volunteers without results, we conceded defeat several weeks later. Apparently, their digestive process negated our genetic assault.
"I then made my major contribution to the effort to destroy the Bugs. I remembered the Black Death of the fourteenth century and how the common rat flea spread the causative organism of the plague, Yersina Pestis. I reasoned that this flea could migrate from our volunteers to the hairy hide of the Z-RETS and infect it with our viral vector by its bite. Once again, the Z-RETS began to pop our volunteers now infested with an army of virus-bearing fleas. The dramatic results of this attack became apparent within a few weeks. The last predatory raid of the Z-RETS occurred on November 25, 2046, three months after our army of fleas engaged them in battle."
"So, Robert, you did save humankind from the Z-RETS, but why didn't the Z-RETS recognize the fleas as the source of their problems and deal with them?"
"Knowing that we could have saved thousands of lives had we employed the fleas as allies during our initial attack tempered my joy for our success. As to your question, a member of our staff once quipped in answer to the same question, 'Why would a Bug wish to develop a pesticide?' Later, we learned that the Z-RETS never developed even the notion of medicine or healthcare.
"We dispatched a military expeditionary force accompanied by a team of scientists through the hyper spatial network of the Z-RETS and determined that they were extinct. Their unique, genetic similarity enabled our genetic weapon to achieve a complete kill."
"Robert, I assume this was a victory tempered by sorrow as we lost so many people to the invaders."
"It was indeed. Slowly, fearfully the survivors began to reappear. Sick, starving, and badly traumatized they came out of hiding desperately seeking assistance. Heart-rending experiences of looting, rape, cannibalization, and victimization at the hands of their own kind further complicated the recovery from the invasion. In fact, the death rate among the survivors remained high for months after the invasion's end. Those well sheltered from the Z-RETS launched a major recovery effort to aid their less fortunate neighbors. Even today the total death count remains a matter of conjecture though most agree with an estimate of more than two billion fatalities attributable to the invasion."
"I sense we will now consider the matter that concerns you Robert. Did HEP One redirect its attention to the enhancement of humankind?"
"Yes Henry, while driven by a fearful paranoia inspired by our dreadful experiences with the Z-RETS and the viral outbreak known as the 'Red Death.' We feared that the occurrence of another viral outbreak with humanity in such desperate straits could lead to our extinction. However, it took several years to develop a means to surreptitiously alter the genetic makeup of man so that his children would have the enhancements we considered so necessary. Our carefully concealed plans were shared with only a few essential members of HEP One's staff and the top officials of the New World Government.
"In the late summer of 2049 we released a harmless but very unpleasant respiratory virus and immediately followed up with the release of a vaccine to prevent it. By that time, most of the invasion's survivors lived in convenient clusters near governmental support centers.
Well accustomed to acquiescing to official health directives, their unquestioning cooperation permitted us to achieve a ninety-one percent inoculation rate with the product of our genetic research within four weeks. We continued our inoculation program and within two months, we had inoculated approximately eighty-seven percent of those missed during the initial effort.
"Then we foolishly launched a carefully crafted campaign of unfounded rumor augmented with a clumsy official denial regarding a final Z-RET attack. Supposedly, this last ditch, vengeance-driven attack sought to destroy the remainder of humankind by damaging our DNA. After some of the first parents of genetically enhanced infants deliberately killed their offspring, we realized the tragic blunder we made by seeking to redirect the wrath of our victims. After months of trying to undo the harm caused by our deception, we finally managed to promote a grudging parental acceptance of the strange new children of humankind.
"The last known birth of a Homo Sapien child, disregarding yours of course, occurred in the year 2055. The Butlers retired in '55 and moved to a small village near the Kamby Bolongo where they established a medical clinic. They lived busy, productive lives well into their eighties. Mandy died, while sleeping, a few days after Brian's death.
"The next seventy years were sad for all as we witnessed the passing of the old people with their dreams unfulfilled while feeling little kinship with their heirs. Many of their children sadly watched them go after never receiving the parental affection they had so desperately desired.
"Tormented with guilt for my role in the demise of the old people, I finally confessed my sins to my people. Another mistake for now they have chosen to share my guilt for the passing of their ancestors."
"Lighten up, Robert. Remember the words of your mother 'Karma Robby, its just karma.' If I had known you would end this encounter on such a morbid note, I might have reconsidered your request. Tell me Robert, did you equip the males of new people with internal genitalia?"
"Absolutely not! This is a frivolous question in view of the serious nature of the information I have revealed."
"What about Cindy, Robert? Tell me about Cindy."
"Cindy and I parted company after she abruptly declined my proposal of marriage. Stunned by this turn of events, I recalled my mother's words, 'When she grows older and learns that some people are not worthy of her love she will not be so quick to love others.' My feelings hurt, I avoided further contact with her.
"Cindy became a Catholic nun and spent her life helping others. At her life's end, she summoned me to her deathbed and only then, I learned why she would not marry me. She had wanted me to find love among the new people as she knew she would grow old and die before I reached middle age. Cindy passed away while I held her hand and carefully concealed the despair I felt for so foolishly letting her slip away."
"Robert, did you ever marry?"
"No Henry, I never permitted myself to grow fond of another after Cindy left my life. I could never ask another to share my life as she would also share my sense of guilt."
"Did you ever consider that you could take pride in your contributions Robert? Leave me now so I can rest. I wish to conclude our adventure in the morning."