The End of the World

Chapter 2

Section Two

Orbiting Earth

1134 Hours

October 1st, 2168

Several days had passed during which Alyssa and her assistant had discovered many useful bits of information from the alien computer.

Using the translation matrix that Alyssa had designed on the return trip from Mars, they had discovered that the aliens were not so different from humans. From what they could tell, the aliens had been called the Iacari. They had been at war with a race known as the Dreysic, which meant, as nearly as they could tell, Destroyers.

The Dreysic had tried to invade Mars, but they had been able to fight them off of the planet. The battle moved into space. The Iacari had developed a technology that allowed them to create what Alyssa described as a "quantum doorway".

"In theory," Alyssa said, beaming, "you could create a quantum doorway that could connect to another galaxy."

"Yes, but the amount of energy consumed b the doorway is directly proportional to the distance you are traveling. To create a doorway to another galaxy, you would theoretically have to harness the power of a supernova. No one has ever even dreamed about producing such a vast amount of power."

Kyle and Alyssa sat at a mess hall table discussing their findings. Alyssa had asked Fletcher to join them, but he was busy supervising a training exercise on Beta Station.

"I'm not saying it would be anytime in the near future, I'm just saying that, once the energy barrier is broken, this technology had nearly unlimited application. We could finally find out if the universe had an end." She smiled, this had always been something that puzzled her: did the universe have an end?

It was hard to imagine something going on and on for eternity. It was like trying to imagine a nothing. It was impossible. Even if you think about empty space, space is something.

Alyssa laughed as Kyle gave her an odd look. "Sorry, I got lost in thought for a second."

"It's quite alright," he said, smiling.

She studied him for a moment, noticing how content he appeared, despite the obvious reasons he had to be angry.

She snapped out of the momentary trance and leaned closer to the table.

"I was looking over the data from the engine schematic, and I think it could be possible to try to create a quantum doorway from one side of earth to the other. I've already got a paper written in my head, I'm going to submit it to the United Earth Science Directorate."

"I was reading your file, and I was quite sure that it said you were a mineralogist. Why the sudden interest in quantum mechanics?"

"I've always been interested in the subject, I even went to school to study it, but resent events have kindled a desire within me to explore. We know that there is intelligent life out there, and I want to be a part of the team that finds it."

"Well spoken."

Alyssa didn't know what it was, but there was something strange about Kyle. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was like he was... different from the other people she had met.

She looked at her comm-band. "I think we should get back to work before the director has time to complain about us eating. I don't think that man does anything but work."

She was referring to the man she had met when she first arrived on the station. He always seemed to be in his lab, tinkering with engine parts, writing complex equations on a whiteboard or looking through the data Alyssa had translated.

There was something odd about this man as well. Alyssa joked about him never eating or sleeping, but it really seemed to be true. He was in his lab at all hours of the night.

Stop it, she thought, You're just paranoid because of all this stuff that's going on with Russia. There is nothing that unusual about working all the time.

The two of them started back to the lab, but were stopped by the director before the could turn the first corner.

Alyssa noticed that Kyle seemed to avoid direct eye contact with the director.

No. It's just my imagination. I need to calm down.

* * *

Brent looked around to make sure he was alone, then pulled a slender piece of glass from his pocket.

"Establish a secure connection to Earth Control. Use encryption protocol Lambda-7."

The devise emitted a soft electronic tone and a mans face appeared of the screen.

"I assume you have something of worth to report, seeing that this encryption protocol was banned by the Earth Counsel."

Around the time that Russia had relocated to the moon, a network of satellites had been placed in orbit that allowed a communication channel that was impossible to decrypt without the proper codes. The only problem was that the satellites used such high frequency comm signals, that it was proven to erode was was left of the ozone. The use of these satellites was forbidden, but the United Earth Defense League had secretly left the satellites in obit for just such an occasion as this.

"I think Earth Counsel will want to hear this," Brent said, looking pale.

"What is it?"

"The Russians have developed a weapon beyond anything we can imagine. I was told that this kind of weapon was impossible to develop with current technology, but apparently, Russia is more advanced than we thought."

"What are you talking about?"

"They have a nano weapon. They have perfected they have turned the Gray Matter Theory into fact. I witnessed it myself, they completely disintegrated a a forest, leaving all of the insects perfectly intact."

The man on the other end of the conversation wore a shocked expression.

"How long until they launch it?"

"It could be anytime. The only thing keeping them from launching right now is that the nanobots are still breeding. They increase exponentially. I ran the numbers and they could be ready to destroy every major city on earth within the next two days."