Meltdown Ophilion - Book One

43_INTERROGATION II

She looked imploringly at them. "And now we need your help. The people need your help. The Merenthaal are limited in their actions by their Code – the Code of the Merenthaal – they can only go so far. But they will go as far as they can, I really believe that. They will help the people, but they cannot interfere with Ophilion affairs or politics and they cannot speak for or address the people of Ophilion – you must do that."

Carlin's head ached from the pressure. He felt a horrible dilemma rising to overshadow his plans and his reason, and he despised it. He did what he always did in cases like these – he attacked the source of the confusion. "I say your friends are playing you over." He locked eyes with each of the intruders in turn. "If these dimensional agents are what you say they are, I say they want it all for themselves. I say they sent you here to flush us out. They could be on their way here now, following your signal. Have you thought about that?" Carlin knew they had from the way the young people instinctively glanced at each other with guilty eyes – children whose secret had been uncovered.

"Have you thought about what it would mean if the tests were successful and they could take out the Quarinor shield? Maybe your friends are trying to beat the Order to the punch and take control of the star system for themselves. Where did they say they come from?" Carlin felt better already. He would enlighten these young people – who had been deceived by power-hungry manipulators – for he could see that the young people were sincere.

He smirked. "I choose to follow what I see is the best possible option. It's what I've done all my life and I've been right. I'll tell you what, when we're done destroying the labs for the second time, we'll let you go. If you're lucky you can still get your jobs back, and I'd hang on to them this time."

Carlin glanced at Jenna. She was unwavering, and he saw the disappointment in her eyes. The plethora of emotions was overwhelming and he got up to leave. "I don't trust'em," he told his comrades, "but if you want to continue without me, go ahead. Don't let'em out of your sight and hold them in their room when you're done with them." He made for the door, then spun quickly back to face them. "And keep at full alert. I want the perimeter actively monitored at all times." And with that he walked out of the meeting room toward his private office.

An oppressive silence ensued, broken finally by the tall lady in white and gray. "I am sorry," she said in motherly tones as she thought of her own grown children at their age. "Carlin has been carrying a heavy weight for a long time," she defended him. "He takes all the blame on himself, although, we were a team; we are all responsible for the research and we are guilty of helping the Order to try to dominate our neighboring planet. Of course, the Order made the policy, but we complied."

"The plan," another scientist spoke, "what is it your friends have in mind?"

Everyone seemed to brighten at this. In any case most of them had been underground a long time, "The Plan" seemed like an interesting prospect. They could at least listen to it in full.

The representatives disclosed what little they knew of the Antarion proposal in the now more amicable atmosphere. The Chiefs listened with interest to everything they had to say. Carlin listened on his office com, smoldering behind his desk, nervously tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair. The first part of the plan was simple enough: to meet with some of the Merenthaal on the surface where they would be told the details of the next phase of the plan – which was to make a broadcast where they would share their knowledge and warn the citizens of the planet of the likelihood of a serious catastrophe and of the contingencies the Merenthaal had made.

Once they reunited with the Antarion things would be clearer, if, indeed, the Chiefs agreed to go with them. Any of the scientists who were not convinced of the next phase, after meeting with the Merenthaal, would be free to return here, to the cavern, and their decision would not be held against them – or so the intruders had told them – but there were still many doubts in the minds of the erudite men and women who sat around the table.

Immediately one of the scientists – a shrewd, athletic looking man – brought up the obvious. "This sounds like a trap," he said, eying the young people. He had a good point. "I doubt that the Order sent you; if they could find us they would come in force. I believe you do have friends with significant resources, but," he pointed a finger in the air for emphasis, "this could be the way your friends get us to surface so they can somehow force us to work for them. You see..."

He decided to disclose a secret. He needed a test and Carlin wasn't there at the moment. "We, here in our labs, have in fact found the solution for the Quarinor shield." The young people's surprise registered on their innocent faces, which was a point in their favor. "We have been keeping close watch on the Order's science team and as far as we can tell, their solutions may not breach the shield. We are almost certain, though, of our solutions. Could it be that your friends want them?"

Celli once again took the floor. She received no prompts or cues this time. She allowed her emotions to guide her. There are times when emotion is the best guide. "We know these people." She told them. "We lived with them. Yes, they are from another star system, and yes, there is a lot we don't understand, but they care for us – and they care for our planet. Please remember that the reason they originally came to our star system is because of the arrival of the Baccaran, as Jenna told you.

"The Baccaran are just as real. They are the ones who convinced the prime rulers of Kypro to try to attack Quarinor. The problem with the Baccaran is that once they have been accepted by the people who hold social and political power – and this is the rule on any world – they will not leave until they get what they came for. These are powerful beings that are not human. We don't have the means to defeat them – they are immortal." She looked around at the scientists. "The Merenthaal are the ones who have the ability to evict them from Ophilion, but that depends on the collective actions of us – the people of Ophilion – especially here, in Kypro; this is where they centered. This is why you need to at least meet with the Merenthaal and hear what they have to say."