And the World Changes - A M Kirk (books to read fiction txt) 📗

don’t realise it. So if you say to me that you want to go to the Soros ship and you want me to drive you and not tell anyone what we’re doing, of course I’ll do it. In any event, I’m probably as keen – well, maybe that’s not the right word - as determined as you are to see this through. Of course I’ll do it. But why do you need me to come?”
“Simple,” said Mark. “You’ve got a car and I can’t drive.”
Roberts smiled.
“Thanks, Mr Roberts. And we’ll pick Carrie up at half-past eight. She insisted on it, I’m afraid.”
And so it happened that at nine the next morning, the morning of Tuesday July the third, Roberts’ car was skirting the perimeter security fence surrounding McIntyre’s Field.

**********

The vast circular ship glinted dully in the morning sunlight. It appeared completely harmless, like a rather clumsy prop left over from a long-abandoned film set decades ago. Mark, Carrie, Janette and Roberts got out of the car and stood at the security fence looking at the Soros ship. The world had changed the day it landed, changed irrevocably and forever. More changes had still to come, Roberts reflected, glancing at the seemingly self-assured boy beside him.
This day the Museum was obviously closed for business. Disappointed bus parties were being mollified by the uniformed human staff at the ticket kiosks.
No, we’re very sorry, we’re not quite sure why, madam. Perhaps it’s some kind of essential repair work. Certainly we will refund your money. No problem, sir.
The four had spent a long time watching from a safe distance the goings on. As well as coach parties, police cars and military vehicles were much in evidence. Behind them, in the little narrow lane that ran alongside the field, the car sat with its engine running. The heightened security was undoubtedly a result of General Miller’s assassination by the League, reflected Roberts.
At last Mark sighed heavily and said, “Well. No time like the present.”
“Can we not come with you?” asked Carrie. The tremble she could not control in her voice was proof that she was clearly very frightened indeed.
Mark gently took her hand and put an arm tenderly round her shoulder. “No, we have to do it like we discussed earlier. I’m pretty sure I can protect myself, but I’m not sure I could protect you. And you know, in almost every story I’ve read and film I’ve seen, it’s always the girl that trips over her high heels and gets captured by the baddies, and creates endless complications for the hero. Think about it. It’d be a disaster.“
“I’m not wearing high heels!”
“It’s better this way,” continued Mark. “This way, if anything does go wrong, you can tell the story to everyone. Tell them what happened.”
“You won’t reconsider? There’s absolutely no other way?” asked Janette. “We can’t just go to Miller’s people?”
“No other way. What could the army do against them, the Soros?”
Carrie leaned her body close to his and held him tight. “Don’t go,” she whispered looking into his eyes with her direct gaze. Tears were about to flow. “Don’t go, Mark. Please.”
Mark kissed her and returned her embrace. Then he said, “I have to. There’s absolutely no other way.”
As they finally disengaged, Roberts said, “Look, I’ve still got General Miller’s gun in the glove compartment. Do you want to take that with you?”
Mark shook his head. “I’d be as much use with a gun as I would be driving a car. They’d probably detect it on me, anyway. I don’t suppose you can travel across a galaxy and not have some idea about customs control. No, my weapon has to be up here.” He tapped his head. “Whatever force enables me to go through solid walls is what I have to rely on.”
Janette nodded. “Well…” The muscles around her mouth began to tremble and she had trouble with the words, but she could not allow Mark to from her with a memory of negative, despairing hopelessness. So she mustered up a composure she did not truly feel now, and breathed, “Go to it, Mark. We’ve got faith in you. Remember that.”
After a final hug, Mark turned from them and faced the fence. He passed a hand through his hair, and Carrie and Janette both smiled, recognising the familiar gesture.
Mark raised a hand in front of him and the tungsten steel fence parted without a sound. He stepped through, still apparently calm. Inwardly, however, he felt as a high diver might feel the first time he ascends the top board. He was almost giddy with fear, and the thought God, let someone else do this kept running through his mind, accompanied by God, don’t let them see how afraid I am! Let me be strong for them! Each step he took now (and he felt he walked with knees that shook like jelly) was a triumph of reason over emotion, of will-power over terror.
The air almost seemed to crackle as he moved and Janette, Carrie and Roberts were conscious of the incalculable, incomprehensible power that lay within him.
Is there anything he can’t do? Janette wondered.
“You come back to us!” called Carrie, but her voice came out as a squeak and it occurred to her that Mark could not have heard it. “I love you.” Her voice tailed off. She didn’t think he had heard her. Janette slipped an arm round her shoulder.
Somehow Mark’s legs carried him across the field to the ship. Some official, or military policeman had seen his movement and was calling out and hurrying from the main gate. He was vaguely aware that other soldiers had begun to cross to intercept, but they were too far away. A long, curving line suddenly appeared in the hull and the familiar ramp slid soundlessly down towards the ground. The soldiers began to run.
“They know he’s coming!” said Janette.
This is a trap I’m walking into, thought Mark.
Carrie and Janette watched as Mark walked up the ramp and disappeared into the ship’s dark interior. The soldiers were still a hundred metres away and stopped in confusion. The ramp soundlessly and seamlessly closed behind him. Carrie turned her face into Janette’s chest and burst into tears. Janette, feeling her own tears beginning to course down her cheeks, led her back to the car, assisted by Roberts.

**********

Mark sensed rather than heard the door silently close behind him, and the fear that had gripped him began to loosen its hold. There could be no going back now. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly and looked around. The Reception Area was much as before, but there was no feeling of nausea this time as he passed inside. The shaking in his legs subsided now too.
Subtle lighting compensated for the doorway being closed, but the feeling of being totally cut off from the outside world was now virtually overwhelming.
Mark. Welcome. Sit, please.
The words sounded in his head. Words, and yet not words, not as he knew them. Soros words, Soros thoughts, Soros telepathy.
There was a feeling of laughter, but Mark drew no comfort from it.
The one with the Striped Arm was sitting at a console, much the same as the one Mark had seen in his “dream” at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. The alien wore the same white suit, human in form since it had two arms, two legs and a head, but the swirling bulges and appendages were unlike any human space suit. The Soros leader turned to face him. Mark saw his own form reflected in the helmet’s opaque visor. Words came clear in Mark’s mind.
You are very near this “truth” that you seek, Mark Daniels. Do you want our help?
Mark glanced behind the Soros. The door was there. He had to go through it. Without moving a muscle he stretched out his thought and made it open.
Ahhhh… Very strong. But are you ready to see what is beyo –
“Never mind the melodrama,” said Mark out loud. He started confidently towards the doorway.
Deep within the space ship a low vibration was suddenly only just perceptible. Mark was at the doorway when he became aware of it.
Striped Arm was beside him and the gloved hand closed around Mark’s upper arm.
I will show you. We will go together.
Mark shrugged off the guiding hand and began to walk straight towards the room he had seen in his dream.
I warn you, said the Soros in Mark’s mind. You must be ready to face what you are about to discover.
“I’m ready.”
The vibration grew slightly in intensity.
He opened the door and stepped inside.
No – you are not.
Suddenly strong hands seized and pinned his arms from behind. He had no time to react. Simultaneously he felt cold sharp pressure on the back of his neck and the prick of a many-pointed syringe. His neck went cold. Mark felt his legs fall from under him and the same strong arms bear him up. Then he lost consciousness…

**********

As they were driving away from McIntyre’s Field, to report to the Field Command Centre and explain themselves, Janette began to scream.
For the past few moments she had been aware of a low humming vibration emanating from the space ship. Now Roberts skewed the car to a halt and the engine stalled. Out of the corner of her eye, she had seen movement, then turned. What she then saw, on the other side of the perimeter fence, was the Soros ship effortlessly starting to rise, slowly at first, then with greater velocity.
They all got out of the car and ran to the fence. Janette rattled it furiously and impotently. The ships legs were disappearing into its body. She was still screaming NO! when the ship, moments later, moved smoothly and soundlessly into the sky and vanished entirely from sight. Carrie fell to her knees in the damp grass and her anguish found expression in long, desperate wail.
An army Landrover approached down the narrow road. It stopped before the car, blocking its path. Another vehicle came up behind. Four burly soldiers, armed with rifles, got out. They surrounded the car, rifle barrels trained on Janette and Carrie. Roberts began to reach inside his jacket for his ID but a warning wave from a rifle muzzle brought his movement to an abrupt halt. He raised his hands above his head.

27 Cheyenne Mountain

It was 2.15am when the US Defense Control Command Facility was thrown into uproar. Locke came growling from his sleeping quarters in the annexe adjoining his offices and began barking to subordinates to tell him what the hell was going on.
Jack Bruce was not due to come on duty until later that morning, but Sam Webster had come back on three hours previously and it was to him that the General finally came for answers. “This had better be a goddam nuclear attack, boy,” declared Locke, “or I’ll have your ass on