“So who is she?” Raimes flicked through the personnel file in his hands.
“Exactly what she says she is, a soil specialist. She is from the North sector, farming, agricultural development.”
“How did she get to the,” Raimes paused, he didn't even know himself what to call the room they held the object in, “Viewing room?”
“It’s called an anechoic chamber.”
Raimes' face looked less impressed, “The Chamber.”
Walter nodded, “Well, it looks like she kind of just,” He paused fumbling through some paper printouts from the security cameras, “walked in.” He held up the images. It showed a picture of Ellis at a checkpoint, the next picture was of her speaking to the guards casually and then flashing her badge.
“She just walked in?”
Walters mouth drew inwards with embarrassment, “It’s been a very long time since we have had to deal with this type of security, I've already told all the men no-one else is to come in without your strict authorisation.”
Raimes wasn't going to admit it but it was true, this had been organised very quickly and although security in the other divisions of the capitol was high, their sector was separated from that.
Over the years the Capitol had more of an air of security, and most of the enforcement was done in the central district. After almost three generations they had perfected focusing the general population on their jobs rather than wondering what was happening in the capitol.
Even still, this was a huge missight on their behalf, “No-one else, we don't need anyone else. Move the others offsite and tell them they are to work only off the report. Anyone who has seen the object doesn't leave the site understood.”
“We managed to keep the object mostly hidden. So only the initial team, not including Ellis, has seen it,” Walters added.
“Keep it that way,” Raimes said, closing the file.
“Keep what that way?” A crackly voice came from the open door. A slender man entered the room stepping just inside the doorway. He was dressed in a khaki jumpsuit with a worn brown leather belt fastened around the waist.
‘Stint’ Raimes knew exactly who it was before he turned to greet the man. “Sir, we are just discussing the next steps,” Raimes said, turning to the man. “Had I known we were expecting you I would have prepared an appropriate brie..”
“Where is the object?” Stint cut Raimes' sentence off like a clean blade through flesh.
“We have it in the chamber,” Raimes answered swiftly.
Stints cold eyes trailed down Raimes to the folder in his hand, without speaking he extended his hand and clicked his fingers.
Raimes slipped the folder into his hand knowing he had no other choice. Stint flicked the folder open and skim read through Ellis’s profile. “Geologist?” His harsh voice questioned.
“Yes, at my request. She has... “ He looked at Walter, “skills we need.”
The folder slapped shut-in Stints hand before he returned his cold gaze to the two men.
“I want to see it,” He ordered, turning to one side allowing room for both men to exit the room. “Now,” he reinforced.
Raimes and Walter filed out of the room into the hall. All three men began the walk over to the anechoic chamber. Raimes and Stint in front and Walters trailing.
“Do we know where it’s from?” Stint said striding with an air of authority down the long dark hallway. The tiled walls and floor echoed with the clapping of his leather boots.
“We don't have any proven theories yet,” Raimes said, “One of our team believes it’s extraterrestrial in origin.”
“From space?” Stint simplified.
“Yes, from space.”
Stints eyes glanced sideways at Raimes, his stern gaunt face giving no pleasure in this news.
They rounded a corner in the hallway passing several doors that branched off into other rooms. The base was an old bunker that had been retrofitted to house a contingency of men, researchers and store technology they had found through the years. Things they wished to keep, yet not necessarily make public.
“And this room you have it in, what's that all about?” Stint continued.
At this point, Walters took over. “The anechoic chamber has also been retrofitted after one of the team members suggested it might dampen the signal the object was emitting,” he huffed, short of breath from the quick pace. “Since we don't know it’s intentions towards us we thought it was best.”
“Hmm, yes good,” Stint remarked, “Anything else?”
“We haven't had it for long enough yet Sir,” Raimes said. “We haven't had to deal with anything like this before.”
Stint stopped abruptly and turned facing Raimes. “Nicholas,” He said calmly, “You know why I’m here, and you know what will happen if I don't get what I need from this,” He stepped closer, “If this thing poses any threat, or, is unstable in any way. I’m ordering it to be destroyed and your team will be made redundant. Clear?”
Raimes looked at his dark eyes, he knew redundant was a cleaner way of saying his team would no longer be of any use. On this project, or any other.
“We need more time, you will understand when you see it,” he said gesturing with his hand towards the end of the hall.
There were now two guards stationed outside the only entrance to the room. Raimes stopped in front of one of them and passed him a red swipe card. The guard read it, looked at Raimes’s face and then turned and swiped the card through the electronic lock. A stiff clunk sounded as the steel bolts slid back releasing the door. Raimes gave a nod and was handed his pass back. “This way, Sir,” He said, leading the way into the chamber.
The three men walked past the guards and entered the now secure room. Another two guards stood inside the doorway. Raimes wasn't going to take any more chances with people walking into the chamber. Ellis had caught them off guard and fortunately turned into a possible asset, not that he was going to tell Stint that. As far as Stint was concerned the chamber had been secure since the object had been delivered.
The room opened up into a half arc that surrounded one side of the chamber. The chamber itself was circular with a large window along the rear wall where the men now stood. The window had been fitted with one way reflective coating since Raimes and Walter had last been in there. Additionally, they had fitted a blind that turned the window opaque with the flick of a stitch on the control console.
Raimes turned and looked at the guards. “You men are relieved,” he said in a commanding tone. Both men nodded, turned and left the room closing and locking the steel pinned door.
“Well, show me.” Stint walked up to the window.
Raimes flicked the switch on the console and the window transitioned from opaque to transparent. Stint stood silent, looking into the room chamber.
In the centre still stood the semi-translucent bubble surrounded by sensors and leads that tracked back to the instruments in the viewing room. All the readouts buzzed and displayed all the same levels and information it had previously.
“Space you say?” Stint asked.
“Yes,” Raimes answered.
“Any ideas on who sent it?” he continued.
“Not yet, we have a team member tracing its age. We should get the results soon.” Raimes dared a step closer to the thin man. “We also have people looking through the archives.”
“Archives?” Stint looked at Raimes.
“NASA, Roscosmos, NSAU, anything we have on previous programs to do with,” Raimes dropped his voice, “Technology around space travel. It's Been emitting a signal since we found it but we are having trouble decoding it.”
Stint gave a small grunt of understanding.
“We don’t, however, have access to the AI archives.”
Stints eyes met Raimes, “No, you do not.” Stints voice was sharp. He looked back at the object, “Those files are restricted, all records are blacklisted and you know that.”
“We might need them in order to decode the signal, it might help us communicate.” Raimes knew he was treading on very thin ice. Even discussing the old AI programs was risky, let alone acknowledging any records and asking to have access to them.
Stint looked into the room, his eyes tracing the outer distortion of the object. With each pulse, a small ripple expanded from the centre and then evaporated into the air. The oscillating hum was still audible, barely readable but it was there.
“This chamber, is it soundproof?” He asked.
“Yes, it's been heavily insulated,” Raimes answered.
“Why can I hear it then?”
Raimes looked at Walter, “It’s the signal it's emitting, it seems to vibrate through most objects and amplify itself. It's been gradually getting more and more intense. When we first brought it here we could barely hear it, now it's audible to the human ear.”
“And it's shown no signs of hostility?” Stints eyes stayed fixed on the object.
“Not yet, not that we know of,” Walters answered.
“That you know of?” Stint turned to Walters.
“Well, we can’t tell what the signal means, but it hasn't attacked us if that's what you mean,” Walters smirked a little.
Stint’s eyes narrowed and Walters' smirk quickly vanished.
“You’ll get your access,” Stint said. “I want to see it.”
“The object itself is hard to see, but you will see the distortion around it.” Walter pointed to the ripples emanated around the object.
“No, I want to go in there,” Stint corrected him.
Walters gave Raimes a puzzled look. “Sir, I don't think that's wise, it’s a cleanroom. We have to be very cautious about exposure.”
Stint’s eyes were on Raimes, “You want access to the archives, I want to see this thing up close.”
Raimes paused for a moment weighing the request in his mind. “Walters, get Mr Stint prepared with whatever he needs.”
“Yes Sir,” Walters answered obediently. “We will need a little time to prepare you for entry Mr Stint.” He stepped to the side and directed him to a door positioned off to the side of the viewing window.
“Aren't you coming?” Stint looked sternly at Raimes.
“Someone will need to stay here and monitor Sir. Walters will accompany you,” Riames responded. He had no intention of entering the room, not just from fear, but also protocol. Two senior staff members locked in a room with an alien entity, that was something he wasn't about to let happen.
Unsettled Walters director Stint to the door again, “Sir, this way.”
“Very well,” Stint turned sharply and followed Walters through the side door.
to be continued.
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ADH Thomas
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