The Missions (excerpt)
The Elders nodded and spoke quietly for a moment before Elder Eli began to explain the mission.
"The Omega home world has developed, through stolen technology, a device, designated Two-Zero-Nine, which has allowed them to dominate every solar system in their galaxy. They have looted and destroyed countless worlds in their voracious appetite for more, more, more of everything."
"You want us to bring back that device or destroy it?" Yana asked.
"Neither." He held up a small leather pouch, loosened the draw string and poured the contents on the table top. Ten glistening metal chips, small and rectangular shaped, one inch wide and two inches long, a sixteenth of an inch thick.
"What are these?" Sean asked and picked one up to examine it.
"Information chips," Yana answered.
"Correct," Elder Robert said. "Each chip holds all the knowledge of the ten closest Galaxies to Omega. They will be the next logical targets."
"Targets for what exactly?" Sean asked.
"Domination first, then decimation and finally destruction. First the Omegans drain all the knowledge, then the resources before they enslave the people. When they have no further use for a particular world, they destroy it so that it can never be used again."
"If they stay true to their established pattern," Elder Eli spoke quietly, "they will continue until there are no galaxies left. Uncountable lives are at stake here."
"Not just lives but worlds," Elder Mathew added.
"You want us to somehow feed these chips into this device? How will giving them more information stop them?" Sean asked.
Elder Daniel smiled broadly. "I said the chips contained all the information about these ten galaxies. This is true. However each chip also contains... a little something extra."
"A self-destruction code?" Yana asked.
"Perhaps a more accurate description would be additional instructions—instructions that will bring about the machine's own demise," Elder Eli said.
"If this device is as intelligent as we have reason to believe it is, then it will see that its current course of action can only lead to self-destruction. We are assuming that it's programmed with self-protective initiatives and will not let that happen and thus, shut itself down—permanently."
"Brilliant!" Sean grinned, eager to accept this first assignment.
"Wouldn't it be simpler to just plant the misinformation on the different worlds and let the device gather it that way rather than feeding it to the device itself?" Yana asked.
"We don't have time for that. Their initial gathering has already begun."
"Do you have the plans for this device?" Sean asked. "How will we know what it looks like and how to feed it this information?" The possible difficulties began to sink into Sean's thinking.
"We do not have plans but we do have its exact location. Chips of this precise dimension have been seen being inserted into the device," Elder Mathew said.
"You have someone already on the inside? Why not use them for this mission?" Noel asked.
"Her only access was temporary and while others were in the room. She has left the Omega System and is attending to other information gathering," Elder Eli explained.
"You've only just prepared these chips?" Yana asked.
"We have."
"And has any thought been given as to how we can enter the facility without being seen?"
"I'm afraid that is going to be up to you, Yana. It's precisely why you were chosen for this assignment. There has never been a facility yet, that you haven't been able to... shall we say... access," Elder Mathew said.
"I'll need a Winston," Yana said.
"There is one waiting for you. Can you leave immediately?" Elder Mathew replaced the chips in the leather pouch, drew the string and handed it to Yana.
"Yes, of course." Yana took the pouch and slid it into his jeans pocket.
"There is one more... complication," Elder Eli said.
"I thought there might be," Yana sighed.
"Another group has learned of the device and is on its way to the Omega system with plans to retrieve it for their own use. You must beat them there and get the job done before they arrive. This device cannot leave the Omega system!" Elder Daniel spoke.
"This other group?" Yana asked.
"The Krill."
Yana leaned back in his chair with a grimace.
"You are the only member of our group who has dealt with them and survived to tell about it," Elder Robert said somberly.
"Who are they? Who are the Krill?" Sean asked, first the elders and then Yana.
"I'll do it but I don't want Sean in on this. Find someone else," Yana said.
"This matter has been discussed and it was decided that you and Sean have a special personal connection that can only be advantageous. We have every faith in him and his abilities," Elder Eli said and stood up; effectively ending the meeting.
Yana exited the room angrily followed closely by Sean.
"Why don't you want me to go? I thought you said I was ready?" Sean said as the old adrenalin began to flow. He rubbed his hands together as they walked down ramp after ramp.
"You've never been exposed to aliens before. The Omegans will be bad enough. I don't want you anywhere near the Krill," Yana said with gritted teeth.
Appraising the difficulty of the mission, Yana would do whatever it took to accomplish it. Definitely not the kind of first assignment for Sean he'd hoped for. The Krill being involved put an entirely different light on the situation. He only hoped he had enough strength to get the job done and get them both back alive.
"The Omega home world has developed, through stolen technology, a device, designated Two-Zero-Nine, which has allowed them to dominate every solar system in their galaxy. They have looted and destroyed countless worlds in their voracious appetite for more, more, more of everything."
"You want us to bring back that device or destroy it?" Yana asked.
"Neither." He held up a small leather pouch, loosened the draw string and poured the contents on the table top. Ten glistening metal chips, small and rectangular shaped, one inch wide and two inches long, a sixteenth of an inch thick.
"What are these?" Sean asked and picked one up to examine it.
"Information chips," Yana answered.
"Correct," Elder Robert said. "Each chip holds all the knowledge of the ten closest Galaxies to Omega. They will be the next logical targets."
"Targets for what exactly?" Sean asked.
"Domination first, then decimation and finally destruction. First the Omegans drain all the knowledge, then the resources before they enslave the people. When they have no further use for a particular world, they destroy it so that it can never be used again."
"If they stay true to their established pattern," Elder Eli spoke quietly, "they will continue until there are no galaxies left. Uncountable lives are at stake here."
"Not just lives but worlds," Elder Mathew added.
"You want us to somehow feed these chips into this device? How will giving them more information stop them?" Sean asked.
Elder Daniel smiled broadly. "I said the chips contained all the information about these ten galaxies. This is true. However each chip also contains... a little something extra."
"A self-destruction code?" Yana asked.
"Perhaps a more accurate description would be additional instructions—instructions that will bring about the machine's own demise," Elder Eli said.
"If this device is as intelligent as we have reason to believe it is, then it will see that its current course of action can only lead to self-destruction. We are assuming that it's programmed with self-protective initiatives and will not let that happen and thus, shut itself down—permanently."
"Brilliant!" Sean grinned, eager to accept this first assignment.
"Wouldn't it be simpler to just plant the misinformation on the different worlds and let the device gather it that way rather than feeding it to the device itself?" Yana asked.
"We don't have time for that. Their initial gathering has already begun."
"Do you have the plans for this device?" Sean asked. "How will we know what it looks like and how to feed it this information?" The possible difficulties began to sink into Sean's thinking.
"We do not have plans but we do have its exact location. Chips of this precise dimension have been seen being inserted into the device," Elder Mathew said.
"You have someone already on the inside? Why not use them for this mission?" Noel asked.
"Her only access was temporary and while others were in the room. She has left the Omega System and is attending to other information gathering," Elder Eli explained.
"You've only just prepared these chips?" Yana asked.
"We have."
"And has any thought been given as to how we can enter the facility without being seen?"
"I'm afraid that is going to be up to you, Yana. It's precisely why you were chosen for this assignment. There has never been a facility yet, that you haven't been able to... shall we say... access," Elder Mathew said.
"I'll need a Winston," Yana said.
"There is one waiting for you. Can you leave immediately?" Elder Mathew replaced the chips in the leather pouch, drew the string and handed it to Yana.
"Yes, of course." Yana took the pouch and slid it into his jeans pocket.
"There is one more... complication," Elder Eli said.
"I thought there might be," Yana sighed.
"Another group has learned of the device and is on its way to the Omega system with plans to retrieve it for their own use. You must beat them there and get the job done before they arrive. This device cannot leave the Omega system!" Elder Daniel spoke.
"This other group?" Yana asked.
"The Krill."
Yana leaned back in his chair with a grimace.
"You are the only member of our group who has dealt with them and survived to tell about it," Elder Robert said somberly.
"Who are they? Who are the Krill?" Sean asked, first the elders and then Yana.
"I'll do it but I don't want Sean in on this. Find someone else," Yana said.
"This matter has been discussed and it was decided that you and Sean have a special personal connection that can only be advantageous. We have every faith in him and his abilities," Elder Eli said and stood up; effectively ending the meeting.
Yana exited the room angrily followed closely by Sean.
"Why don't you want me to go? I thought you said I was ready?" Sean said as the old adrenalin began to flow. He rubbed his hands together as they walked down ramp after ramp.
"You've never been exposed to aliens before. The Omegans will be bad enough. I don't want you anywhere near the Krill," Yana said with gritted teeth.
Appraising the difficulty of the mission, Yana would do whatever it took to accomplish it. Definitely not the kind of first assignment for Sean he'd hoped for. The Krill being involved put an entirely different light on the situation. He only hoped he had enough strength to get the job done and get them both back alive.
©2011-2012 Donna McIntosh