The Darkness Beyond the Light by Frank W. Zammetti - HTML preview

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sleep

Alex sipped from the glass and swished the water around in his mouth for a few seconds before finally swallowing it with a loud gulp that he made sure the microphone in front of him would pick up. He felt childish doing it, but what the hell, he figured: it wasn’t like these congress critters weren’t acting childish themselves. Might as well fight immature fire with immature fire!

“Captain,” the Honorable Marty Rickerts, Democratic Senator from Massachusetts and chair of the newly-formed Special Committee on Extraterrestrial Affairs, said, “are you ready to continue now?”

Alex took another sip and swished it around a bit more. In fact, the rolling of the water in his mouth subconsciously matched the rolling of Senator Rickert’s eyes.

Alex swallowed and leaned into the mic.

“Yeah, sure Senator, I’m ready to continue.”

This was the third day of his testimony now. The first day had been spent trying to convince the 36-member panel that aliens did indeed exist. Fortunately, much of that day fell to members of NASA and the military who showed a lot of video footage from the encounter with the Xe’Tara warrior and the probe. NASA had managed to pick up the X-100 leaving Earth orbit, and video footage of a plane that wasn’t meant to fly in space was rather convincing.

Of course, not everything was recorded: Alex was left to describe the horror of the encounter at the cabin, and of the two battles with the Xe’Tara warrior. But, more than enough footage existed from base cameras so that the debate about the veracity of his claims didn’t actually last very long. The committee members were probably convinced within the first hour, but they spent most of the day trying to convince themselves that reality wasn’t actually reality. Alex understood: finding out you aren’t alone in the universe is a pretty big deal. Finding out the only other life form you’ve ever encountered is hostile in the extreme more so.

The second day was more or less a data dump from Alex, what Melissa had given him via the stolen probe data. It seemed to him that every other sentence resulted in questions. The committee members were finding it next to impossible to accept the reality of what they were hearing, and they questioned Alex about everything, multiple times. Again, he understood: the knowledge that at some point in the future the human race would face attack from a species far older than it and far more advanced was a tough pill to swallow, to say the least.

But this third day, this was something else, and it was something that Alex was having a much harder time understanding. This day seemed to be about little else than blaming him and Melissa for everything that had happened! He guessed they needed a scapegoat for what had happened and Alex was ideally suited for that job, given what he had been through.

But he would be damned if he would let Melissa be a scapegoat, and either way, i’t wasn’t his style to take that blame lying down, if he had to take it at all. Alex was in no way going to make these proceedings easy for these people, hence the childish antics he had been engaged in for the better part of four hours now.

“Captain,” Rickerts began with a huff, “I want to come back to one point because I’m still unable to comprehend this decision.”

“What can I help you understand, sir?”

“When you learned that the goal of the probe, err, Xe’Tara warrior, whatever we’re calling it…”

“Either one would be appropriate, sir.”

Alex was enjoying interrupting Rickerts every chance he got.

“Right, whatever. When you learned that it wanted the X-100, why didn’t you just destroy it? Why not just blow the damned thing up? I’m just not grasping…”

“No, sir, I can see you’re not. Let me try to explain this, again, a different way. Do you know the process that powers the Sun, senator?”

“Yes, of course, nuclear fus…”

“That’s right sir, nuclear fusion, whereby atoms are fused, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the process. You may have heard of hydrogen bombs too?”

“Of course, Captain, I serve on the armed service com…”

“Armed services committee, got it, Senator.”

“Captain, I warn you again to watch…”

“Watch my tone, yes senator. As I was saying, nuclear fusion powers hydrogen bombs and the Sun. Now, imagine if the Sun was suddenly to appear in… is it Massachusetts, that’s your state, correct Senator?”

Alex said this as he squinted at the plaque underneath Rickerts’ microphone that said “Senator Rickerts, (D) Massachusetts."

“You know that’s correct, Captain…”

“Right, Massachusetts, cool. Now, imagine what would happen if the Sun suddenly appeared in downtime Boston…”

Rickerts thought he saw an opening to finally slap Alex down, and he went for it, interrupting Alex for once.

“Well now Captain, that’s plainly ridiculous because the Sun is millions of times bigger than Earth, let alone Boston…”

Alex continued without missing a beat, noting the smug look on Rickerts’ face.

“Ah yes, you’re right, Senator. So, let’s imagine that we shrink the Sun down into the size of, say, the table I’m sitting at. Think it might be a bit hot in Boston that day, sir?”

Rickerts opened his mouth preparing to reply, but Alex cut him off instantly.

“Yes, it would Senator. That amount of energy crammed into something that size would, to put it mildly, destroy Boston, your home state, the United States, the Earth, the Moon, and everything else for hundreds of thousands of miles. Now, as has been previously explained, the X-100 uses a quantum-scale black hole to power the hyperstealth drive. It’s an incredibly potent energy source, to say the least, but it has one unfortunate flaw: trying to shut it down in anything but a controlled manner releases that energy suddenly, not controlled and channeled as when the drive is operational. So, imagine something not quite as potent as the Sun in downtown Boston, but a significant fraction of that energy. It would still be enough to destroy all of Boston as well as a large radius outside the city instantly. And, that controlled shutdown I mentioned? That takes the better part of a week to complete. The X-100 hyperstealth drive is in fact designed to almost never be shut down; it’s designed to be exhausted of its energy. The singularity evaporates and then it becomes inert and perfectly safe. But that takes time, Senator, that’s the key. So, why didn’t we just destroy the damned thing, you ask? Because simply destroying the damned thing would have simply destroyed a large chunk of the United States, not to mention every living organism on that chunk. That seem like a good idea to you, Senator?”

Alex could practically see fumes rising from Senator Rickerts’ ears now. Mission accomplished, he thought to himself. Mission accomplished!

“Captain Wakeman, I have had more than enough of your…”

An aide leaned into the senator’s ear and said something to him that he clearly didn’t want to hear. Rickerts shook his head a few times, mouthed “No!” a few times and finally banged his fist on the table in front of him.

“Much to my chagrin, these proceedings must take a temporary break. Captain,“ Rickerts said, with obvious malice in his voice, “I’ll be getting back to you very soon, I promise you that.”

Alex couldn’t help himself now. As he rose, he fired one parting shot into the microphone.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Senator.”

Alex bowed ever so slightly. “I take my leave of you now, sir.”

Alex quickly spun around and began the long walk to the doors in the back of the chamber, but he caught one last glimpse of Rickerts, mouth agape, face redder than a pomegranate!

——————————

Alex re-checked the creases in his pants for the sixth time, then adjusted the patches on his shirt. He looked nervously at the door beside the chair he sat waiting in. He guessed this was probably the only door left anywhere on Earth that could still make him nervous. What was behind there was something entirely new.

He thought knowing that a Xe’Tara warrior awaited him in the room beyond the door might actually have been less nerve-wracking.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door opened, and Walter Jackson, Chief of Staff to the President of the United States quickly and silently ushered him in. Alex moved briskly, giving one final tug to his Class A uniform top to flatten any wrinkles that might have developed from sitting there so long as he did, and he walked through the door.

“Ah, Captain Wakeman, thank you for coming to see me on such short notice!”

President Clifton Dillard greeted him jovially, quickly moving from behind his desk – the famous Resolute desk! – hand extended. Alex hesitated for a moment, not sure whether he should salute before going in for the shake. He decided that was the best course of action, so he stopped mid-stride, snapped to attention, and saluted.

“Oh, please Captain, we can dispense with that sort of formality here. I think you’ve earned at least that”.

The President was just a foot or so from him by the time he finished the sentence. Alex relaxed slightly and met the President’s hand with his own.

“It’s an honor, sir.”

He noted that the President’s shake was firm, but not so firm as to be uncomfortable. Exactly as Alex’ father had taught him a proper handshake should be.

“Captain, the honor is all mine, I assure you. This nation, this whole planet, in fact, owes you a debt of gratitude that I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to re-pay. I hope my deep, sincere thanks now can at least act as a small down payment on that gratitude.”

Alex smiled. He had voted for this president, though he wasn’t sure it was the best choice at the time. He was starting to build a measure of the man, and that measure was quickly telling him it had been the right choice.

“It does indeed Mr. President, thank you, sir.”

The handshake broke off now as Dillard spoke.

“Captain, I’d prefer not to have to order you to be less formal! You can call me Cliff here in the Oval.”

Alex smiled now.

“Sir, I’m afraid you would indeed have to issue that order, and I’m not so sure I wouldn’t just disobey it.”

President Dillard laughed now, a hearty, gut-driven laugh.

“Alright, alright Captain, have it your way. If you don’t mind though, I at least am going to drop down a level of formality and call you Alex. Is that okay with you, soldier?” The President gave Alex an obviously joking look of authority.

“Of course it is, sir. And even if it really weren’t, I’d still say it was, sir!”

Everyone in the room laughed now. Alex, President Dillard, Jackson, Secretary of Defense Miller Jensen and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Sam Tucker. Alex had missed the general initially, being so focused on the President himself. He wondered if he might get an ass-chewing later for not immediately saluting, but Dillard quickly put that notion to rest.

“Alex, I know you’ve spoken with Walt here already, and I suspect you at least know SecDef Jensen and General Tucker.”

Miller and Sam took turns shaking hands with Alex and nodding their approval as they did. It seemed nobody had even noticed his lack of salute. Or, if they did, they had zero interest in pursuing it.

“Well Alex, you’re probably wondering why I called you here so suddenly.”

“Yes, sir, although I certainly am thankful for being pulled away from that Senate hearing.”

“Yeah, dealing with Congress can be, shall we say, trying, can’t it Walt?”

“That’s for sure, Mr. President!”

“Well Alex, the good news is that as President I have the authority to ensure you don’t have to bother with that mess again at all. I mean, I can’t actually stop a Congressional hearing, but I can make it so that you aren’t eligible to testify.”

“How’s that, sir?”

“Well, this is one of those classic good news, bad news situations. The good news is getting you out of the hearings. The bad news is the way I can accomplish that.”

In an instant, Alex knew what the President had brought him here to say. Especially given that the idea he knew was about to be proposed was, in fact, his own idea.

Alex spoke up before the President, or anyone else, could continue.

“You want to implement my plan.”

President Dillard paused now. A pained look spread across his face. Alex realized that this man really and truly understood what the plan entailed. That insight gave him a full measure of the man, and he knew this was a President he could respect and trust, something he wouldn’t have thought possible in a politician.

“Yes Alex, I do.”

A somber mood fell over the room. Moments passed, just a few seconds in reality, but to every person in the room, it felt like days. Finally, General Tucker broke the silence.

“Captain, we’ve had top scientists reviewing the data dumps you’ve been able to provide us. The stasis chamber design you provided enabled them to leapfrog the existing research that was being done in that area. We believe we’ll have a working stasis chamber ready for real use within six months, maybe less if you work directly with the scientists. We’re well aware of your expanded capabilities thanks to the merging with the nanotech probe remnants that your late wife provided.”

SecDef Jensen interjected now.

“We’re all truly very sorry for your loss, Captain. Your wife will be remembered as one of the greatest heroes in the history of this nation, in the history of humanity in fact.”

Everyone shook their heads in solemn agreement. Alex felt a lump appear in his throat.

“Thank you, sirs.”

“Alex, I want to make clear what’s being asked of you. Your plan or not, I want you to know that we all fully understand and appreciate the sacrifice we’re asking you to make.”

“That I’m volunteering to make," Alex corrected. He suspected he was the only person alive that could get away with such a correction without reprimand.

“It may be your plan, Alex, but the burden of it is something that will weigh on my shoulders until the day I die. That’s why I want to make perfectly clear that I am, in fact, asking you to do this. I am not ordering you to, nor is anyone else. You must feel completely free to decline. Not a single person in this room or anywhere else will harbor even the slightest resentment if you refuse. I’m asking something of you that’s far beyond what’s ever been asked of a human being, and if you accept, then I want to feel the weight of that decision for as long as I live.”

Alex’s respect for this president rose yet again. He could have taken the easy way out and accepted Alex’s volunteering for the plan. If anything went wrong, he could have shaken it off because it wasn’t his decision. But no, he very consciously wanted any potential consequences to fall square on his conscience. More than that, he understood that even if everything went exactly according to plan that the sacrifice Alex would be making was momentous, and he wanted to take as much of that burden on himself as he possibly could.

There was no hesitation from Alex though as he was completely prepared for this course of action all along.

“Of course sir, I understand. And I accept, absolutely.”

The President just smiled at him and let his chief take the next step.

“Alex, our understanding is that while in stasis, you will continue to evolve and expand your capabilities, as well as your access to the probe data, is that correct?”

“Yes, sir, it is. The program that Melissa activated will continue unabated. It won’t even be slowed down by stasis, though my vital functions obviously will be.”

“So really, there’s no telling what will come out of stasis?” The President had been waiting to ask that particular question since the plan had been brought to his attention.

“Well, sir, it’ll still be me, that much I can say. But it’s true, even I don’t know what my abilities will be. It depends on how long I’m in stasis for, how much the nanotech can actually do at all, and those are things I just don’t know all the details about.”

“But you believe you’ll have full access to the probe data?” General Tucker asked.

“Yes, sir, I do. I believe that is, in fact, the primary purpose of the enhancement program Melissa activated. My brain structure will be developed sufficiently so that all that knowledge can be made consciously available to me, something that isn’t the case today. I get drips and drabs of it, almost like dreams, and only sometimes do I get real data I can use directly. It seems Melissa’s programming prioritized basic scientific knowledge and capabilities, basic intelligence and such. In retrospect, I think she knew what the plan was long before I did.”

“Understood. That’s exactly what we need right now: intel. You’ve given us quite a bit already, about the Xe’Tara, but we need more. We need to know how to prepare. We know we’ve got time, based on what you’ve told us, but you know military planning, Captain. We want to game out every possible scenario as quickly as possible, not to mention develop as many new technologies as possible, and we can’t do that without more and better intel to inform our decision-making.”

“Absolutely, General, that makes perfect sense.”

“Alright Alex,“ President Dillard began, “I think it’s settled then. We’ll get the stasis technology ready as quickly as possible with your assistance, as well as a facility to house the program, and you’ll enter stasis as soon as possible. Simultaneously, we’ll set up a deep space monitoring system based on your design specs, to watch for early hints of the Xe’Tara fleet. It may take a hundred years, maybe more, but upon those first hints, you’ll be removed from stasis and hopefully be able to provide meaningful intelligence on how to defeat this enemy. We’ll make whatever preparations we can in the meantime, but ultimately, we’re counting on you, Alex.”

Alex smiled.

“I won’t let you down, sir.”

——————————

Seven months had passed since that meeting at the White House. Alex looked out the window at the fall foliage that was just entering its most vibrant phase. Vermont was beautiful in late October.

He sincerely hoped this wouldn’t be the last time he saw it.

He was sure the stasis pod behind him would work. He had worked intimately with the best scientists from around the world on it. The tests performed in the last two months had all gone perfectly. Numerous animals were put into and pulled out of stasis for longer and longer period each time. Sure, he would be the first human, and sure, even he didn’t know how long he’d be in stasis for, but every calculation and every test was saying it didn’t matter. He could be in stasis for hundreds of years without a problem.

Of course, calculations and tests never equaled real usage when dealing with technology this new and delicate, but he had faith. Not faith in deities but in science. Just another gift from Melissa, he knew.

“Alex, before we do this, I’ve got a little surprise for you.”

President Dillard had demanded he be here for this moment. Alex felt an affection for Dillard that he hadn’t felt for many people over the years. They had developed a deep friendship over the last half a year, a friendship based on mutual trust and admiration. They had spent many long nights in the residence of the White House talking about life. Sadly, the First Lady had passed away about a month after that first meeting with the President. They had bonded over the loss of their wives, and Alex knew he had helped Dillard get through a very rough patch, one he had gone through himself. It was yet another service provided to his country, he knew. Keeping a president together under such terrible circumstances was almost as important as besting the Xe’Tara warrior nearly a year ago.

“A surprise? I’m not so sure I’m thrilled about the idea of a surprise with what we’re about to do, sir.”

“Oh, don’t worry Alex, I think you’re going to like this one.”

The President waved to someone just outside the door who Alex couldn’t see yet, but as the summoned man walked through the door, Alex couldn’t help but smile a big, broad smile.

“Bob! You piece of shit!”

“Ah, fuck you too Alex.”

President Dillard’s expression immediately clued them both into the fact that this wasn’t the exchange he had expected. They both realized it at the same time and couldn’t help but laugh as they embraced one another.

“You didn’t think I was gonna let you go and do something this damned stupid without coming in and trying to talk you out of it, did you?”

“Yeah, right, Bob. I’m pretty sure you’re just here to collect my bar tab before I do this.”

“You got that right buddy!”

Alex’s smile faded a bit as he spoke again.

“I assume they’ve told you what we’re doing here then?”

“Yeah. Well, I mean, they tried to explain it to me as best they could, but there’s a ton of classified information that I couldn’t be told. Seems my clearance from the military days wasn’t quite up to snuff.”

“Well, they’ve told you enough I think. They explained stasis to you?”

“They did. Most of the science crap went right over my head, but I get it: you’re going to sleep for a long fucking time. Oh, uh, sorry Mister President, sir.”

Dillard smiled.

“Under the circumstance, it’s perfectly all right. Besides, you’re absolutely correct: it’s going to be a long fucking time indeed!”

All three men shared a laugh now. Finally, Bob turned his attention back to Alex alone.

“No chance I’m gonna talk you out of this, is there?”

Alex shook his head.

“Afraid not, Bob. This has got to be done and, for reasons you, unfortunately, can’t know... actually, scratch that: I'm actually glad you can't know, Bob. Trust me, it's actually better that way. But regardless of that, it’s gotta be me, Bob, that's the bottom line. There’s not really a choice in the matter, though I’d be doing it even if it was one hundred percent optional.”

“Well, I sure as hell know how stubborn your ass is when you make up your mind about something, so I guess I’ll just have to trust that this is the right thing.”

“It is Bob. It really is.”

Bob smiled now, a warm, deep smile born of years of friendship.

“Well then, fuck it, just forget the bar tab. I got you, brother. It’s the least I can do for you after what you did for me.”

“Bob, I’m really going to miss you.”

Bob now visibly fought back the tears.

“Captain, it’s been a privilege and an honor to be your friend.”

Bob stood up and saluted his friend, a final show of respect and affection. Alex returned the salute.

“Bob, the privilege has been mine. Though, I’m not so sure honor is a word I’d associate with some of our less savory exploits!”

Bob and Alex both broke out into hearty laughter as Bob lunged towards Alex and into one final embrace.

“Alex, you son of a bitch!”

President Dillard let the laughter and back-patting go on for a little while longer before stepping in.

“Alright gentlemen, I think unfortunately it’s time. Mr. Williams, I’m afraid we’re going to have to escort you out now. And it goes without saying that you can’t speak of anything you’ve seen or heard here today. State secrets and such, you know?”

The President directed Bob out of the room as he spoke.

“Oh, yes sir, they explained that to me pretty clearly before I was told anything at all. Something about treason and being hung until I’m dead if I let slip anything, right?”

“Well, I’m not sure anything quite that severe, Mr. Williams. Probably just some CIA black site for the rest of your natural life or something along those lines.”

Bob stopped in his tracks and looked at the President. He was smiling, but it was a smile who’s meaning was clear: I’m a nice guy and I’m being jovial right now, but I’m not kidding about this stuff. This is serious business.

Before Bob could reply, the President ushered him out the door where a secret service agent greeted him as the Dillard said: “But hey, don’t worry about it, Mr. Williams! Just be sure to vote for me in the next election and everything will be fine!”

As soon as Bob was out of view, Dillard turned to Alex. Before he could speak, Alex did.

“Thank you for that, sir. I really do appreciate it.”

Dillard smiled.

“Least I could do, Alex. And don’t worry about Bob there, I’m going to keep an eye on him personally. I know he’s had some troubles and if there’s anything I can do help him, I will.

Alex was genuinely touched and tears began to well up in his eyes.

“Thank you again, sir.”

“Not at all. Gotta cultivate the constituents after all! Anyway, Alex, are you ready?”

“Yes, sir, I am.”

“Alex, you know what, come on, even now you’re not going to call me anything but sir?!”

Alex smiled. Even in their late-night conversations, he had always stuck to the formal (although he hadn’t called him “Mr. President” since their first meeting, so really, he was already less formal).

“I’ll tell you what, sir: if you’re still around when they pop the hatch on this thing, I’ll use your first name then.”

The President could only smile at that. Typical Alex, he thought to himself.

“Alright Alex, that’ll work.”

They both automatically extended their hands and shook. Alex thought they likely would have hugged had they not be