Orbs II: Stranded Read online

  As a kid he had always wondered what aliens would look like. It wasn’t long before he concluded that they would likely be so vastly different from anything on Earth that even imagining what they looked like was futile. As he got older, their hypothetical appearance was the least interesting part of the equation. He had so many questions. Were they intelligent? What were their bodies made of? Would they communicate telepathically? Would they even communicate at all? He used to wonder if alien life-forms would have a shared conscious; all connected to a central hub, communicating through sonar waves or something similar. But as he examined the creature in front of him, he realized that in some ways, these aliens weren’t that different from species found on Earth. They had a central nervous system, a heart, and a very small brain. They even resembled giant insects.

  But there were also significant differences that made the Organics very alien. Preliminary scans of the Spider specimens showed their blood consisted of 80.43 percent H20 and 19.57 percent of a substance similar to plasma. Alexia had concluded the blood had an electrical source, like an internal battery. Emanuel’s job was to figure out what that source was. This was the key to developing a weapon.

  The biologist couldn’t help but smile. While the aliens had effectively wiped humans off the top of the food chain, he found their anatomy to be completely fascinating. He wished Sophie would see just how amazing the creatures were.

  He dipped into the cryo chamber to retrieve another specimen with a pair of tweezers. Squeezing the metal tips together, he pulled a translucent piece of flesh from the container, watching it disintegrate right in front of his eyes.

  “Damn,” he muttered. Without their shields, the Organics’ bodies were very fragile. As the skin broke down and dripped around his tweezers in spaghetti strands, he thought back to the first giant squid he had dissected. The composition of its flesh was similar, and the sea creature survived outside of water just about as long as the Organics.

  It made sense. After all, humans would die in seconds on other planets. If you took any animal out of its normal habitat, its body would fail very quickly. With their shields, the aliens had found a way to survive in a hostile environment. Kind of like having a space suit, he thought. An electric space suit.

  But what was the power source? And how did it work? If he could find a way to shut it off, then maybe, just maybe, he could design a weapon to destroy them.

  He discarded the ruined sample and plucked another specimen from a chunk of spider leg before closing the lid. Even with the chamber cooled by carbon dioxide to minus 60 degrees, the fragile samples were quickly breaking down. It wouldn’t be long before they were useless.

  Emanuel worked for hours with his right eye pressed against his microscope, performing various tests with different samples. Each test yielded something new, but the most startling discovery was the composition of the Spiders’ bones. They were made of some sort of metal. At first he believed it was tungsten, but how could that be? The only examples of biological tungsten were in certain bacteria—nothing like what he was seeing under the scope.

  They are made up of elements that won’t show up on the periodic table from your high school chemistry class.

  Dr. Hoffman’s words replayed themselves in Emanuel’s head. It wasn’t surprising that an alien life-form would be made up of foreign elements. Ever since scientists had discovered bacteria that fed off the ocean vents, there had been a growing belief in the scientific community that alien life could survive in habitats previously thought to be unsurvivably hostile.

  After performing more tests, he realized the metal was an element unlike any he had ever seen. Its density was about the same as tungsten’s, but its melting point was much lower, at only 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

  Does the metallic element conduct electricity to power their shields? If so, then what’s the damned source? Emanuel wondered. He was frustrated. Understanding the aliens’ defense system was the key to developing a weapon. He knew the magnetic disturbance outside had something to do with it, but connecting the dots was like putting together a puzzle without all the pieces.

  He shook his head, his mind drifting from one idea to the next. With an audible huff, he pressed his eye against the microscope and squinted. Twisting the dial with his right hand, he magnified the specimen several more levels. The sudden thrill of excitement that only a new discovery could generate rushed through him. He was staring at something new—something that didn’t seem to belong.

  Could it be?

  He manipulated the sample until one of the peppercorn-like clusters came into focus. He leaned back, rubbed his eyes, and then looked back into the scope.

  “Alexia, are you seeing this?”

  “Yes, Doctor.”

  He straightened his back, wondering if he should inform Sophie of the discovery. Not yet, he thought. He needed to know more first.

  Transferring the image to the closest screen, he swiveled the display to face him. He ran a hand through his neatly groomed hair and laughed. For weeks he had been looking for the source of the creatures’ defenses, and it had been right in front of him the entire time. It was just too small to see without an electron microscope.

  “It’s nanotechnology. Nanobots, if you want to be specific,” he said. “How the hell did we miss this, Alexia?”

  “With all due respect, Doctor, there was simply no evidence of nanotechnology in the preliminary samples,” Alexia replied politely.

  He waved his hands. “It’s not a big deal. I’m just glad we finally know.”

  “Sir?” Alexia asked.

  “The source,” Emanuel replied quickly. “The electrical source for their blood. These bots must be electrically charged, and the Organics’ bones conduct the current.” He suddenly paused and pursed his lips, realizing he still didn’t know the third piece to the puzzle.

  “But what charges the bots?” he asked aloud.

  Alexia’s image transferred to the AI console next to Emanuel. Her face solidified into a translucent blue. Blinking, she said, “The magnetic disturbance, Doctor. I believe it’s the source of everything.”

  “That had occurred to me, but I don’t understand how it’s possible.”

  “With all due respect, Doctor, two months ago you probably didn’t think floating blue orbs were possible either.”

  Emanuel chuckled and looked up at the wall camera. “Since when did you develop a sense of humor?”

  “I’m not sure I follow you, Doctor.”

  “I was joking,” he replied. Then he snapped his gloves off, placed the sample under one of Alexia’s interface scanners, and said, “Please conduct a full scan of this specimen. I want any data loaded to my tablet as soon as possible.”

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “To grab some coffee,” he replied on his way out of the room.

  Alexia’s voice transferred to the com closest to the door. “Wait,” she said.

  He turned, wondering what her scans could have found so quickly.

  “Doctor Rodriguez,” she said. “Sir, do you realize you have discovered a new element?”

  Emanuel smiled broadly. “Indeed I do, Alexia.”

  “Traditionally, the scientist who makes the discovery is tasked with creating a name. Have you thought of one yet?”

  He paused for a second, considering his options. “I think I’ll call it humanitarium,” he said with a chuckle before heading to the kitchen. “Humanity needs something to call our own.”

  By the time Emanuel reached the coffee dispenser, data from the scan was crawling across his tablet. Looking down, he read the first line and almost dropped his cup.

  “What the hell?” he muttered.

  “Remarkable, isn’t it, Doctor Rodriguez?”

  “How?” He felt paralyzed with questions, unsure what to ask first.

  “Even though the Organic entit
y is technically dead, the nanobots inside the bloodstream are still emitting very small traces of electricity. They are much weaker now, and are not able to power the creature’s defenses. But they seem to be searching for something, moving through the bloodstream as if they are trying to connect.”

  “Connect to what?”

  “To the magnetic disturbance, Doctor.”

  “That’s impossible . . .” Emanuel began. With a flick of his index finger, he sent the image to the wall monitor. He stared at the screen intensely, pushing his glasses higher on his nose. A theory was developing in his mind. It would more than likely require a field test, and as much as he hated the idea of running it by Sophie without knowing if it would work, he also knew they were running out of time. The Organics were farming humans—survivors that had lived through the invasion. And he was going to find a way to save them.

  * * *

  ENTRY 1890

  DESIGNEE: AI ALEXIA

  Since its collision with the Sentinel’s tail, the video feed from the robot I sent into the field has been fading in and out. While I wait for the feed to clear, I pull up video the drone relayed before the feed was lost. The drone has confirmed the presence of three different alien species. Video 1 shows a dozen of the arachnid-like creatures hunting a deer on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. The animal is severely dehydrated and unable to outrun the creatures.

  After a brief struggle, the Spiders overwhelm it and wrap it in a glowing blue web. Moments later the web pulsates and a blue field surrounds the animal. What happens next is fascinating. The orb fills with liquid, and the carcass inside begins to break down. The time lapse indicates the entire process takes about six hours, at which point one of the harvester Worms slithers through the forest, inhales the orb, and emits a ray of blue mist into the sky.

  Another feed shows a pair of Sentinels standing guard over a parking lot full of blue orbs. The Sentinels remain frozen, watching over the field with their reptilian eyes.

  The feed from the robot’s camera finally clears, and the image of another parking lot emerges in real time.

  If I had been programmed to believe in luck, I would attribute the drone’s survival to it. But luck is a human term, a word made up to illustrate situations where someone or something defies the odds.

  Statistically, the drone has already beaten the odds. It has been in the field for a week, and the data it has relayed has taught the team much about the Organics. After studying the creatures for several weeks, I have come to the same conclusions as Dr. Rodriguez. They seem to exhibit behavior similar to that of insects. They work together toward the common goal of finding and processing water. However, the Spiders, Sentinels, and Worms are clearly not creatures capable of interstellar travel. These three species appear to be the workers. Something much more sophisticated must be relaying orders from the safety of spaceships high above, in Earth’s orbit.

  I reset the robot’s control system. Then I relay a set of coordinates to the drone’s GPS. The wheels automatically obey, and in less than a second the machine is moving across the parking lot, silently zipping across the blacktop toward a pile of what looks like miniature versions of the deadly orbs. They appear to be eggs of some kind. The drone eases to a stop near one of the eggs to take a sample. It’s a job that requires precision: Cut too deep, and the outer layer is compromised. The robot gently removes a small fragment of the egg’s skin. Then the tiny metal claw retracts and places the specimen into a container in its cargo hold. If I had to use a human term, I would say I am satisfied with the results. The drone has performed its function, and I, in monitoring it, have performed mine.

  Drone is perhaps too generous a term for the machine. Engineers would call it a retrofitted maintenance robot, fully equipped with solar panels and rigged with additional cameras to ensure that it collects as much data as possible. Ideally, it would also be able to monitor radiation and carbon dioxide levels as well, but the video feed and sample collection capability are still informative.

  A sensor goes off in the medical ward, and I pull up the feed to Camera 14. Dr. Rodriguez is still studying the new element he has discovered and has pinged me for assistance.

  “How may I help you, Dr. Rodriguez?”

  “Alexia, I’d like you to take a look at this when you have a moment,” Dr. Rodriguez says, without looking up from his microscope. I pull up the data on my display so that I can see what he sees. The information is . . . unexpected. He has made a startling discovery.

  “Doctor Rodriguez, I see you have found a way to reverse the effects of the Organics’ defenses.”

  Emanuel looks up at my camera sternly. “I think it’s time for another meeting.”

  CHAPTER 3

  SOPHIE had a good view of the mess hall from the hallway. It was odd seeing the empty seats where, only weeks before, her fallen teammates Timothy and Saafi had sat experimenting with their tablets. Next to the vacant chairs was a bench full of children—the last thing she would have expected to see at the beginning of their mission, before the world ended. With the loss of marine Eric Finley, there were now almost as many kids as adults.

  Overton and Bouma spoke at the adjacent table. They both wore worried looks, their faces cold as stone. It had taken the sergeant a while to calm down after seeing his men in the video, but since their argument, he hadn’t pushed the issue further. Perhaps shutting him down back in the CIC was the right thing to do after all.

  The sound of laughter distracted Sophie from the marines’ serious conversation. Nearby, Holly entertained the children with a cartoon on her tablet. The sound of laughing kids filled the room, and Sophie remembered that there was still much to be thankful for.

  Behind her a chipper male voice echoed down the hallway. “Hope you have some good news.”

  “I hope you do too,” she replied, turning to see that Emanuel had snuck up on her. “We definitely need it.” His face was animated, more so than normal. It could only mean one thing—he’d made a discovery.

  “Found something, didn’t you?”

  He showed off his dimples with a wide smile and said, “Maybe.”

  As they approached the group, Sophie watched Overton stiffen.

  Sophie summoned her business face. Clearing her throat, she said, “Listen up, everyone. There are quite a few things we need to discuss.” Taking a deliberately slow breath, she swiped her tablet and pulled up a set of notes. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Owen’s curious gaze. For a moment she wondered what the little boy was thinking, and whether he even knew what was going on outside. He’d lost both of his parents at such a young age.

  Images of the human farms instantly popped into her mind. She didn’t want the kids to know about them. Not if they didn’t have to. “Jeff, would you do me a favor? Will you take David, Owen, and Jamie to the garden biome? I want them to see how pretty it looks with the growing plants.”

  The boy rolled his eyes but paced over to Holly’s table and took the younger children by the hand, leading them out of the mess hall and down into the personnel quarters.

  Sophie watched them vanish around the corner before motioning for Emanuel to take a seat with a short nod. “While they’re out of the room, I’ll start with the human farms. By now you’ve all seen or heard about them. We know they exist. We know there are other survivors.” She paused and looked around the room at each member of her team. “I also know, Sergeant, that you want to attempt a rescue mission.”

  Overton sat up in his chair, poised like a snake, his fingers massaging the handle of his .45. But he didn’t reply. Sophie knew he was waiting for his opportunity to strike. She wasn’t going to let him.

  “This was a very hard decision to make, but I’m not authorizing any rescue operation. We’ve gone down that road before, and each time we’ve lost good people—Saafi, Timothy, Finley. I’m not losing anyone else. We’re safe inside, and until we have some way to
fight back, some sort of weapon, I’m not going to put any more of my people at risk.”

  “Your people?” Overton burst out of his chair, his voice growing louder. “Your people? That’s bullshit. What about my people? What about the people that are dying out there on our watch?”

  Sophie flinched. She felt a flurry of anger rise up in her throat. How dare he question her motives? Everything she had done, she had done for the Biosphere. For her team. She slammed a fist on the counter, silencing him. “Yes, Sergeant. My people. This is my Biosphere, and until further notice you are to sit down and take my orders!”

  Some mixture of shock and latent respect for the chain of command silenced Overton. He sat glaring at her, his face glowing red. Bouma crossed his arms, a look of shock plastered across his features. The tension in the room was palpable, but she had to keep going.

  “Now, as I said earlier: We need some sort of weapon. Emanuel has already been hard at work on this project for the past couple of weeks. And unless anyone has any further outbursts, he’s going to give us an update.” Sophie turned to Emanuel and forced a smile. “You’re up.”

  The biologist ran a nervous hand through his hair before pushing his glasses farther up onto his nose. It was apparent he didn’t want to be part of the growing power struggle between her and Overton.

  Clenching his teeth, Emanuel said, “Alexia, please bring up specimen ninety-four X.”

  A three-dimensional image shot out of the console nearest the team and rotated slowly in front of them.

  Bouma scowled. “What the hell is that?”

  “That, sir, is one of the most important discoveries in the history of modern science,” Emanuel said with a confident smile. “Alexia, enhance image.”

  He took a step away from the hologram and waited for it to enlarge. “These are the remains of one of the Organics’ bones. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much left after you decided to unload a magazine into them a few weeks ago,” Emanuel said.