The dual rotor Chinook helicopter chopped through the air with an oversized van-like vehicle dangling from a winch underneath. The helicopter slowly descended to place its cargo in an open field adjacent to a dense, black forest.
Ten days ago, Trevor landed a black-painted Eagle in that same field which, at the time, lay behind enemy Platypus lines. Much changed since then.
Now tents, water buffalos, a latrine, and the Chinook's cargo-a mobile bio-weapons lab salvaged and modified from the old world-filled the field and created a command post for the Science and Technology task force named "Prodigal Son".
If not for Hoth's costly-but-successful offensive, such resources could not have been brought to bear in the search for Trevor Stone.
As the General watched the vehicle lower to the frozen ground, he reflected on events of recent weeks, starting with the foolhardy decision for Trevor to lead the rescue mission.
Hoth's knowledge of history taught him to distrust the title 'Emperor,' but he respected Trevor Stone and recognized the man's focus on the mission and his understanding of the new world order. Yet he could not fathom why a man who seemed guided by the cold logic of this changed reality would act in such a rash manner.
This put those left behind in a difficult situation. They dare not announce Trevor's disappearance. Given the economic and political state of things back east, only chaos could come from such revelations; the type of discord that could derail the war effort that, despite Army Group North's recent troubles, went surprisingly well.
Casey Fink approached Hoth and reported, "Sir, my casualty reports are piling up. Unless we get some armored support I don't want any part of Dayton. It's not the Plats that are the trouble; they're almost easy compared to all these damn hostiles infesting everything."
Hoth replied, "Not possible. We suffered a damaged-or-destroyed rate over fifty percent this week, the natural outcome when an operation is rushed without proper reconnaissance and with poor weather restricting air cover. What first-line armor I have available has been organized into a mobile screening force on our southern flank to guard against any additional Roachbot incursions. It seems there is more than one slaughterhouse in that sector."
"We captured the ground we needed sir, perhaps it's time to slow things up?"
"I don't think we have much choice. We will focus on eliminating Plat stragglers and consolidating our position. At this point, it is not prudent to continue a general offensive. We need to conserve our forces for any eventuality."
Fink cocked his eye and asked, "You expecting something, General?"
Hoth zipped his parka zipper to his chin and pulled the fur-lined hood over his ears.
"If you were planning to attack our Empire, you might first want to decapitate leadership. From what I can see, General Fink, we have been decapitated."
Hoth swung his legs over a hoverbike; another piece of invader technology usurped by humanity, and said, "I am going to inspect progress at the site."
Two bodyguards flanked Hoth on crafts of their own as he sped into the forest along a recently-cut path of toppled trees and trampled undergrowth. Squads of soldiers and K9s patrolled the area around the access road, turning what had been a dark, foreboding forest into pacified ground as evidenced by the body of a massive StumpHide lying just off the trail.
After several minutes, they reached a clearing in the forest where trees and thick brush once stood, but something had changed that.
Never had Hoth seen a tree crushed and flattened like a flapjack. Yet that is exactly how dozens of trees appeared in the middle of the otherwise thick forest at exactly the spot where the complex Shepherd described once stood, the one that disappeared with Trevor Stone inside.
He dismounted the hoverbike and walked among the science team. The ground was a pulpous mangle of those flattened trees and vegetation. Gory masses of worms and slimy insects had frozen after being fooled to the surface by the warmth of the complex; a warmth described by Nina and the Dark Wolves and one that suggested power.
Professor Nehru-Director of Science and Technology on the Imperial Council-led the investigation. He wore a white parka two sizes too large, a knit hat, big gloves, and a ridiculous orange scarf. He paced the edge of the artificial clearing while consulting notes on a PDA.
Other researchers spread around the clearing with a variety of measuring devices and scanners. That variety of equipment reflected the puzzle they faced in the sense that no one knew from exactly what angle to approach the mystery.
A large number of K9 Grenadiers researched the area in their own way; they sniffed and scratched apparently under the guidance of Trevor's personal dog, Tyr.
Hoth approached Director Nehru, overhearing the man talk to himself, his voice muffled by the big scarf. "Oh, yes, yes, certainly, yes. Yes, that is of course, yes."
"Dr. Nehru. What is the status of your investigation?"
"Yes, yes, I am thinking is-"
"Doctor."
Nehru faced Hoth revealing the stubble of two days without shaving as well as driblets of frost around his hood and scarf.
"Oh! Yes! General, Sir! Yes!"
"What is the status of your investigation?"
"I am sorry to say that our status is very preliminary at this time, yes."
General Hoth did not dislike Dr. Nehru. He did, however, have little use for sarcasm and levity and coyness.
"Dr. Nehru. What have you learned so far?"
Omar waved a hand toward the empty clearing. "Ah! We can certainly say with no doubt that the building described as to have being here is, most certainly, no longer here."
The General’s ears filtered through Nehru’s forced accent to try and understand. When he put the words together, his eyes narrowed.
"Doctor, I did not come out here to listen to jokes."
"No joke, Mister General Hoth. I am quite aware that your sense of humor is not as much as would appreciate humorous interludes. It was of the first objective to understand that the building had first been here and that its absence now was a matter of fact and not speculation."
"What are you saying?"
"The building was, in point of fact, here at one time. The disturbance to the ground and surrounding area is consistent with the presence of a structure similar in the size and nature of which General Shepherd reported."
"So…it wasn’t an illusion? Is that what you're getting at?"
"Yes! Or, I should be saying, no, it was not an illusion. We have since ascertained that its disappearance is no illusion either. It is, as a matter of fact and I can say most assuredly, gone. Disappeared. Vanished."
"Dr. Nehru. Are you telling me that your investigation has managed so far only to prove what my eyes can see? Time is critical."
"Well," Nehru's heavy clothing sagged as he sighed. "I will be telling you that we know that a large amount of energy was expended at this place. A significant amount of heat was dispersed through the surrounding area. Your eyes will be seeing that, I would be imagining."
"Heat? Okay. That implies an engine or machinery or some kind of chemical reaction."
"Oh my! Yes! Very good."
A hawk squawked as it dipped into the clearing from the sky, swooped over head, then disappeared off again.
Nehru offered one more revelation, "Then, of course, there is the radiation which I am much doubting your eyes are seeing."
"Radiation?"
Omar nodded and turned his attention to the PDA he held.
Hoth waited. As a few seconds approached a minute, he considered throwing the Professor against a tree to grab his complete attention. Instead, Hoth's deep voice instructed, "Doctor, I require further explanation."
"Oh, yes, you must excuse. I am quite busy I am sure you are understanding."
"Of course."
"There is a residual radiation that has permeated the area. It is not harmful radiation, not at the levels currently measured, at least. While that is quite a revelation of interest, there is something of much more importance. I have accessed records from the Department of Defense that remarked on radiation similar to this. It is the only match to which I have been making in regards to this energy signature."
"And that is?"
Omar went through the effort to pull the scarf entirely off his face so that he could be clearly heard. A stream of frosted air led the words from his mouth.
"Before the invasion, radiation such as this kind was found in trace amounts in areas of mass disappearances."
– A heavy door marked a choke point in the containment system of the underground facility. Anita Nehru slid a key card through the slot. A red light turned green then a heavy bolt retracted and the bulkhead slid open.
"This next area is focused on Hostile biology," she told the tour. "Here is where we try to gain a deeper understanding of our enemies by examining them on a molecular level."
President of the Senate-elect Evan Godfrey, standing at the front of the tour of three Senators and feeling a touch of claustrophobia from being far underground, asked, "What was this facility prior to the invasion?"
"Red Rock started as a Cold War storage and survival complex, primarily for records and artifacts. Apparently in the 1980s it changed to a black-box scientific research facility, mainly for dealing with bio weapons. In the days before the invasion, when the alien creatures started showing up, the government decided to convert it into a containment facility."
"Trevor finished the job?"
"It was discovered as part of 'Task Force Boom', the initiative to find and secure nuclear and biological weapons to use against the invaders. As you know, none of those weapons have worked, for reasons yet unknown. But with a little manpower we've been able to finish the conversion of this complex. I think you'll agree that the location is nearly ideal; we're surrounded top side by forest and wilderness yet only an hour drive from the estate."
Godfrey asked, "Is there any reason why this facility is being kept secret? I thought Trevor was convinced that the public supports the idea of killing off every last alien species."
Nehru showed the men along a tight passage that felt like a submarine corridor, albeit with higher ceilings and wider girth. They passed laboratory and office doors as they moved.
"We study these creatures in a variety of ways, Senators, including genetic testing, weapons research, physical tolerances…this is nasty, bloody business."
"Ahh," Godfrey thought he cornered her. "So you admit that if the public knew about what happens here they might not approve?"
"Senator, most people would be put off by what happens in a cattle slaughterhouse, but that doesn't stop us from loving hamburgers, does it?"
Senator Wasnieski, an older man from Delaware, asked, "You said this area is for Hostile biology. What exactly does that mean?"
"It is critical that we discover the building blocks of our enemies," she explained with the type of elegant tone that so eluded her husband. "By understanding their biology, we can better understand their needs, tendencies, and weaknesses."
Evan asked, "What about finding means to communicate? What about better understanding with the aim of coexistence?"
Anita smiled a polite smile the way she might at a child who wondered if the moon was made of green cheese. "Well, that’s not part of our charter."
"What is your charter?" New Jersey Senator Whitman wanted to know.
"It is our mission to find better, more expeditious means of killing our enemies and more effective means of protecting ourselves from their attacks. Furthermore, we are always looking for clues as to the greater nature of the invasion."
Evan pointed out, "Of course, beginning next year the budget for this operation will be approved on the Senate floor and not by direct edict."
"Is that so?" Again that tone of humoring a child, as if Evan told her he was going to be an astronaut when he grew up.
Whitman interrupted, "Well, I hope they make the things in here suffer real good. Do you have any Jabberwocks?"
"Not presently, no."
They went through a high security door to a catwalk encased in heavy glass above a series of chambers with transparent ceilings, each occupied by an alien creature.
"Here are holding pens for specimens awaiting dissection."
She led the group forward. The security glass muffled all sound from the pens below.
"Are they terminated in a humanly manner?" Evan asked as he eyed a Rat-Thing run headlong into its cell wall.
Anita answered, "Most are put down by draining the oxygen from their chambers. This ensures the cadavers are in the best possible physical condition."
Being in such proximity to alien monsters appeared to unnerve Wasnieski. His voice wavered as he looked down at a Giant Jellyfish in its cell. "Wh-what have you learned?"
"Our research has been quite fruitful. The troops in the field have the most up to date information on how to kill or disable our enemies."
Evan noted a bipedal, reptilian Hivvan in a holding cell. "There, that’s a very intelligent creature. Why is he caged like an animal?"
She told him, "Because it is scheduled for dissection tomorrow morning."
Godfrey's eyes widened. "Are we now torturing our enemies?"
Nehru answered, "No enemy hostiles who surrender are sent here as a matter of policy. This particular Hivvan was a slave pen overseer in Raleigh and was captured after being wounded. It is personally responsible for executing at least one hundred human beings."
Anita used her key card to open another bulkhead into a new section. The skywalk still looked down on specimens, but this time the holding pens spanned areas the size of small gymnasiums.
The first pen held a creature resembling a house-sized hermit crab with slimy, worm like appendages oozing from some kind of shell.
"If you'll look over here," Anita pointed, "you'll see our resident Shellsquid."
Parts of a second creature the size of an elephant with a big seal-like face, a soft fuzzy hide, and a jagged backbone shared the same pen. The Shellsquid held the remains of this "ChewCow" in its tendrils, puncturing its lifeless hide and slurping in chunks of flesh.
Whitman nearly vomited; the other Senators turned their heads.
"Sorry. I forgot it was feeding time."
Wasniewski repeated his earlier question, "What have you learned? What would be your, hmmm, biggest revelation so far?"
As they left the Shellsquid to its meal, Anita answered, "We’ve made some astounding discoveries in terms of the basic building blocks of life. That is, in relation to our existence."
Godfrey: "How so?"
"As you are no doubt aware, every living organism is built with a genetic code or DNA. It’s what makes us look the way we look; gives us big noses and green eyes or," Anita ran her hand through her hair, "beautiful, lovely long black hair for that matter."
"So? So what?" Senator Whitman ignored her attempt at levity.
"All life on Earth is built from DNA and, in general terms, it is structured in much the same manner. That’s why you may have heard that there is a great deal of similarity between, oh, human DNA and nematodes."
"Nematodes?" Wasniewski was not sure if he heard correctly.
"A type of worm. Anyway, all Earthly life forms have similar genetic structures. Evolutionists theorize that this proves life on this planet is descendant from one particular organism; that evolution, time, environment, and other factors resulted in the slow creation of a variety of animals, including humanity. In essence, every type of animal on Earth evolved from the same seed."
The next pen held a monster that had rolled itself into something like a fetal position alongside a big fake rock. The tour could see the thick legs, wiry black and silver hair, lizard tail, four arms, and crocodile-like snout of a Troll.
Nehru continued, "The aliens who have invaded our world have a very similar-if not identical-DNA structure. They look different, of course, but their basic biology is the same and they share a cell structure with us that we categorize as Eukaryota. That means the DNA is enclosed in separate membranes within the cell. You could say it makes us-and these invaders-complex organisms."
"Do you consider that a surprise?" Evan asked.
"Senator Godfrey, it confirms that the basic building blocks of life are obviously the same. We may come from different planets, but we could easily have sprung from the same type of seed."
"Good God," Whitman burst. "You’re telling us that we have a lot in common with these things. I’m not sure I can accept that."
"However, during the course of studying alien DNA we came upon a find that may shed light on the nature of what has been happening to our planet. We were able to identify small-tiny-amounts of damage to the stem cells of the aliens that have come to our world. We believe radiation caused this damage, albeit a kind different of radiation than that attributed to the mass disappearances. Now, NASA had been studying the effects of stellar radiation on the human body to understand how it would affect long-distance space flight. They found a threat to stem cells in particular."
Whitman jumped in, "But the aliens here didn’t come on space vessels, they came through those damn gateways."
Evan held an impatient hand aloft. Whitman must learn when to listen and when to speak.
Anita responded, "I understand that. We believe that their travel through the gateway caused this damage to their stem cells. Nothing major, mind you."
"So we need to be worried about the aliens’ health? Maybe we should offer them free health care," Wasniewski joked but no one laughed. His smile faded fast.
She said, "Damage might not be the right word; perhaps 'marking' would be more accurate, but let's stick with damage for now."
"But..?" Evan wanted to move things along.
"But what’s interesting is the degree of damage done. We’ve identified several very specific levels of damage."
"Wait a second," Godfrey leapt. "You’re saying that different batches of these aliens were exposed to different levels of radiation."
"Consistently, yes."
"I’m lost," Whitman pouted.
Evan answered for Anita, "She's saying that we’ve been able to identify that different groups of aliens came from different points of origin. Am I right?"
Anita smiled in appreciation of his explanation and added, "Yes. For instance, we know that the creatures we call ‘Vikings’ come from the same environment that the animals nicknamed ‘Jaw-Wolves’ and ‘Rat-Things’ come from. And that Hivvans almost certainly originated from the same place as Gremlins. The amount and types of radiation damage to their stem cells links those groups together. It’s as if they traveled further through their gateways or through a different type of gateway…something."
"As if they all traveled on the same bus together," Evan put the final touch on her analysis. He then asked, "Have any we can communicate with-like the Hivvans-told us more about what they know?"
"Very little. We’ve never interrogated a high ranking officer. The most information we’ve obtained from these creatures is that they were either forced or volunteered to come through a gateway to get here. We believe the planets they came from are in our universe but the descriptions they gave of the environments and so forth indicate amazing ecosystems."
Evan said, "But all based on the same genetic framework. So they may look different and have different cultures but they are-biologically speaking-similar to human beings. They breathe air, drink water, and eat food for sustenance."
"Well said, Senator. One might even dare to suggest that we sprung from similar ancient gene pools, but evolution chose different appearances and some different traits, based on the planets each of us are from."
Godfrey asked, "Mrs. Nehru, how is it that aliens that have the technology to cross the galaxy don't have military technology that could wipe us out with the push of a button?"
"Senator, there are several possible answers but I think the most likely explanation is that the gateway technology did not originate with the invaders."
"Wait a second," Whitman waved a hand. "You said you can differentiate between groups of aliens coming from different places. How many have you identified?"
"We’ve identified four distinct damage patterns we feel indicate four points of origin. However, we haven’t cataloged even half of the creatures in the Hostiles Database at this point. That number could double before we’re done."
"Interesting," Evan mused.
"There are two other mysteries just as big."
They came to the end of the bridge. Anita opened the secure door there and they walked into a security station. Several guards with side arms worked there.
"Such as?" Godfrey prompted.
"First, we’ve seen only higher life forms. The smallest thing we’ve done battle with has been cat-sized cock roaches. While they are insect in appearance, they have more in common with tigers, lions, and bears than ants and millipedes."
"What do you mean? What is the difference?" Wasniewski asked.
"Insects perform a vital function in relation to soil and plant life; bees pollinate flowers, worms and beetles decompose organic matter. We’ve found alien carrion eaters but nothing that really lives at the background level. For example, where are the alien versions of spiders or flies? Where are the alien flowers? Or weeds? Just as important, where is the alien bacteria and archaea; those are the categories for simpler organisms that do not have membranes separating their DNA from the rest of the cell."
The expressions on their faces told Anita she might be throwing around too many scientific buzzwords. She decided to simplify.
"When Columbus came to America he brought with him nasty diseases and new viruses. Logic suggests that the alien invaders should have come to our planet with that type of baggage. But they didn’t. And our bacterium appears not to have an effect on them."
"I recall Trevor once suggested that the aliens went through a decontamination process and likely received inoculation against bacteria on Earth," Evan remembered.
"Yes, the obvious answer is that this was a well-organized, well-planned invasion. It also suggests there were parameters. Rules, if you will. Some agreement that dictated what could or could not come over. I mean, do you know how many problems Earth suffered from insect or rodent species changing ecosystems? Snakehead fish are a good example. Someone transported them from their native habitat in Asia to some North American waters. They had no natural enemies and almost destroyed indigenous species. Imagine what alien roaches or other pests could do to our environment. Or an alien disease so different it would take medical science years to understand it. We could have been wiped out without a single shot fired."
Whitman said, "Isn’t it possible that all of that is the same on their home worlds? Maybe insects have come, we just haven’t noticed because they are identical to what we have here?"
Everyone looked at Whitman, surprised at the thoughtfulness of his suggestion.
Anita answered, "That’s possible. It would explain how they survive here with minimal effort."
"You raise some interesting questions," Evan conceded.
"Ah, Senator Godfrey, if you think that’s interesting, now consider this."
She led them to one of the security monitors and told the guard there to "Punch up three."
The man pushed a button and the monitor displayed a "Mutant" in its pen. The humanoid creature wore a leather-like outfit over pale skin, had an oval-almost egg-shaped-head, a massive mouth, and tiny eyes positioned above small flaps that might have been nostrils.
"Just another alien invader, right?" She suggested.
"No," Evan said. His face went blank and, for a moment, he lost his statesman aura and shivered. For a moment, he was just another survivor with horrific memories.
"Yes," Anita Nehru said. "I remember that you-"
Evan regained his composure and cut her off, "You were making a point?"
Anita paused for a moment and then explained, "As I told you already, we’ve identified four different patterns of radiation damage to stem cells that seem to indicate four different points of origin. I have to add a fifth classification to that. A fifth point of origin, if you will."
"The Mutants have a different level of radiation damage?" Whitman guessed.
"You could say that, yes," she admitted. "But not to their stem cells."
It took a moment for Anita’s next words to shock them because they did not quite comprehend what she said. "They have no stem cells and no genetic structure. No DNA."
"What?"
She rattled off more names, "Mutants, Rollers, and Goat-Walkers are some of the others. We also analyzed particles of the Wraiths General Brewer encountered in the Arctic Circle. No trace of DNA there, either."
"Mrs. Nehru," Evan tried to simplify the conversation, "What does that mean?"
"Most of the extraterrestrial invaders have a genetic structure similar to man. Yet according to our experiments, some of the creatures attacking us have no such structure. They are, in essence, not living. At least, not in terms of our definition of life. They have, instead, a molecular composition that gives them the physical traits you’d expect in a living being, such as an outer shell we would call skin or mouths or eyes or even liquid resembling blood flowing through their veins. That’s where we found the radiation damage. But they have no ability to reproduce, no growing cells. No activity inside their bodies."
"Wait a moment," Whitman jumped in. "We see these things move. We see them-Mutants-eat their victims. Some even communicate. Obviously your research is wrong."
"We do not believe Mutants require sustenance. Mutant number three here has not been fed in two months. Its behavior is the same as it was when it first came here. It will consume ‘food’ when given the opportunity. It’s as if it eats for fun or out of habit, not out of need."
"But there is intelligence?" Evan led.
"Yes. In the Mutants, a blob of mass resembling a brain, but no electrical activity. No living cells. Just matter that resembles organic parts but in reality does not appear to be alive."
"Then how do they…how do they live?" Wasniewski struggled with the contradiction.
"That is a mystery that is compounded by one other interesting anomaly. We’ve examined remnants of the ‘organic’ machines used by The Order as well as salvaged implants removed from converts under the control of Voggoth. They do have a form of DNA but it is radically different from anything else we’ve seen. In short, it is a strain of DNA that is very basic, very simple to the point that we would classify it as archaea in structure, yet so foreign from our experience that we cannot figure out how it works, how it survives. It does not appear to have reproductive qualities. That’s something that even the most basic microbes on our planet can do. Honestly, we are stumped."
"So this Voggoth and his Order," Godfrey summarized, "are completely unique even among the invading creatures?"
Anita smiled a wait-until-you-hear-this smile. "Senators, we found radiation damage on The Order’s organic machines and implants that matches the type and level of radiation done to the creatures that have no DNA to speak of."
Again, that look of confusion.
"Gentlemen," she explained slowly. "Voggoth and the creatures that have no DNA-like Mutants, Wraiths and Goat-Walkers-they are all from the same place of origin and stand apart from the other invaders in terms of their biochemistry."
The politicians stood silent for several moments while each tried to understand. Evan decided he had had enough learning for the day. He returned the subject to the first question he had asked when he arrived at the front gate of Red Rock two hours prior.
"Where is Trevor Stone? We scheduled this tour with him weeks ago."
"Oh. His people cancelled his appointment. Something about a scheduling conflict."
Evan thought she spoke the truth, but he had not received that phone call of congratulations after having been elected President of the Senate.
"Well then. If the Emperor will not come to us. I think I’ll go to him."