The Demon Plagues (25 page)

Elise’s face was slack, stunned for a moment.
“Too much, Daniel, too much. I can’t do it.”

Daniel’s heart caught in his chest, aching
for his wife. “My love…you have to. We both have to do the best we
can, that’s all. Just remember I love you. Rely on your people,
tell them what to do but not how, they won’t let you down. Lean on
those above you. If we all work together, we can do this.”

“I hope so. Daniel, I surely hope so. I love
you too, but I have to go.”

Daniel watched her turn away from the video
link as if the weight of the world rested on her.
Which it does.
On both of us. Dear God, I try not to bother you too much with my
little problems but I think this one is big enough for Your
attention. Please give her the strength to do it.

***

The conference room was filled to
overflowing, with extra chairs and standing room. Chairman Markis
stood front and center, flanked by Millicent and his military
chief, General Arlo de Sanchez Ribera.

Markis nodded at the video tech, who gave him
the countdown. When they went live, he spoke. “Good morning from
Medellin, Colombia. We welcome the representatives of all nations
to the first live open meeting of the Free Communities Council. My
feed, and anyone who has the floor, is also being broadcast live
around the world, so I also welcome all the people of Earth.”

The red lights showing requests to speak were
already popping up on his board, but he ignored them. “First let me
say again, on behalf of all of the Free Communities, how utterly
appalled we are at the horrific loss of life brought about by the
rogue nuclear strikes. The investigation continues and we will
eventually publish a full report, but at this time all I can say is
that it appears to be the work of one deranged individual who
eluded our psychological screening and reprogrammed the
missiles.”

The longer I hold this job the more I become
a politician – evasions and half-truths. I can’t fully disclose
what I know or it would shatter the Free Communities’ unity. It
would embarrass and alienate the Australians. I feel that slippery
slope under my feet. Lies for the greater good? God, give me
wisdom.

“That aside, there is only one thing on the
agenda right now, and here it is. Most of you will have heard about
the outbreak of a terrifying new disease in certain areas of the
globe. Free Community scientists and technicians, in conjunction
with their Neutral States counterparts, believe that this disease
is a biological weapon, deployed deliberately against humanity by
one or more sophisticated spacecraft.”

His whole board immediately went red, and he
could see the thumbnail images spasm into frantic motion. He
ignored this too. “We have very solid evidence that the spacecraft
that deployed this bio-weapon is extraterrestrial in origin. Let me
say that again, quite clearly: we believe this disease was sent
here by some nonhuman power, with the intention of harming us.”

“At approximately the same time” – this was
stretching the truth a bit, but he did not yet want to implicate
the Australians by pointing out to the world that the radio
transmission had arrived before the disease – “Australian
scientists picked up a communication we believe to be from an
extraterrestrial intelligence. It appears to be inhabiting a
spaceship approximately twenty million miles from, and on course
for, Earth.”

Markis held up a hand and waited for a
reduction in apparent chaos. “I have consulted with our scientists
in the South American Free Communities and they have confirmed the
signal and an apparently artificial craft exactly as the
Australians reported it. This is no joke or hoax. Here is the text
of the message we first received:
Greetings, people of Earth. My
name is Raphael. I am a nonhuman entity. Please arrange contact
with Chairman Daniel John Markis.”

He went on, “Once I established the veracity
of this message, I responded as follows, also in text:
Chairman
Daniel John Markis will communicate with you at 0930 American
Eastern Standard Time tomorrow.
That is just a few minutes from
now. My technicians assure me that, as long as the…person on the
other end of the transmission is listening, we will be able to
communicate using the same parameters and protocols that brought
the message. All of you will witness this exchange, but he – or she
– asked for me and I will speak for Earth.”

Markis took a sip of coffee, his hands
steady. “We have time for a short word from some of the major
powers. I yield one minute to the Prime Minister of Australia.”

The Prime Minister smiled and said, “Thank
you, Mister Chairman. I confirm what has been said here. I also
deny any notion of Australia being involved in the disease
outbreak. We believe we were spared because the aliens simply tried
to infect as many human beings as possible. Our computer models
show a near-optimum deployment of this pathogen purely on the basis
of population density. Thank you, and I yield the floor.”

Markis pressed an icon on his screen. “I
yield one minute to the Prime Minister of Canada.”

Prime Minister Portmanteaux looked into the
camera pickup rather abruptly, caught off guard, but after a moment
smiled and responded smoothly. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First let
me apologize personally to you for the unfortunate incident in
Geneva. It appears rogue elements within the former United
Governments Security Service attempted to infect you with a
nanomechanical poison. I had no knowledge of this. Now that Canada
has seceded from that government, I will take this opportunity to
announce that this country intends to apply for membership in the
Union of Neutral States to ensure its continuing freedom and
independence.”

Markis nodded. “Thank you for your frank and
honest attitude, Prime Minister, and on behalf of the Free
Communities we look forward to working with you in the future. I
now yield the floor for one minute to the Interim President of
Russia.”

The heavy-faced man on the video looked down
and laboriously began reading from a piece of paper. “The Russian
Federation denies in advance any authority our participating in
this meeting appears to grant to Mister Daniel Markis or the rogue
nations of the so-called Free Communities. We are not bound by any
negotiations between any eks-exso-exoterrestrial entities and will
make our own determinations as to our course of national action. We
deny –”

Markis pressed the icon to cut him off.
“Since you deny my authority in this matter, and the Free
Communities’ very right to exist, you have forfeited your right to
speak publically on Free Community channels and time. Ladies and
gentlemen, let me remind you this alien asked for me. I did not
seek to speak for the world, but I’m damn well going to do my best
since I’m stuck with it. I hope when you are given your turn you
have something constructive to say. Now, China has one minute, and
that will be the last. After this, I have to talk to some little
green men.”

Nervous laughter swept through the crowded
conference room, partially obscuring the Chinese President’s first
words. “The People’s Republic of China thanks Chairman Markis for
his leadership during this crisis. China is confident that the
interests of all peoples on the Earth will be taken into account,
and hopes that these days of horror and needless bloodshed can be
done away with. China has already recognized the Free Communities
and the Neutral States as valid political entities and requires no
more than reciprocal recognition of a united China by the peace and
freedom-loving peoples of the world.”

Markis choked back a chuckle.
Which means,
‘We get to keep Taiwan and Tibet.’ So be it, I have much bigger
fish to fry right now.
“Thank you Mister President, and I see
my technician signaling me that we’re coming up on time.”

The clock numbers ticked slowly to 0930. As
they did, Markis sent the first transmission from the keyboard in
front of him.

Greetings, Raphael. This is Chairman of the
Free Communities Council Daniel John Markis. What are your
intentions?

It took over a hundred seconds each way for
the signal to travel to distance; thus it was almost four minutes
between transmissions. The reply finally came.

I will orbit Earth and we will talk. I will
give you information vital to the survival of your race.

Markis typed,
What do you know of the
extraterrestrial biological attack upon us? Who is
responsible?

The response time seemed a little longer this
time.

It was my ancestors, but it was not me. My
ancestors seek to subjugate all sentients to themselves as they
expand from world to world. This infusion is only the first of
several. Each phage will spread and build upon the last. You must
find a way to defeat the phages.

Markis typed,
If you truly wish to help
us, transmit to us all the knowledge you have about these phages.
All research, all data. As soon as possible.

I will send all I can, but this
communication protocol is slow. Most of the data is encoded in my
biomimetic and genetic material. My craft is primitive, barely
adequate for transportation to and from Earth. I require a human
for an interface, for Blending.

Markis looked around the room.
“Blending?”

Rick responded, “Sounds like he wants to
merge with one of us. You know, like on a sci-fi show or something.
He said the information was encoded in his DNA. Maybe they transmit
knowledge biologically.”

The conference room fell silent as those in
it contemplated that unnerving prospect. “That’s…I don’t have
words.” Markis rubbed his eyes. “Is any human being really going to
want to do that?”

Ilona spoke up. “I suspect you will have more
volunteers than you might think. What a unique opportunity!”

The Chairman stared at the intelligence
officer in surprise. “Sounds almost like you want to do it…well, at
least we have a few weeks before we have to come up with someone.”
He put his head down to the keyboard and wrote.
We will try to
locate a human volunteer for Blending. When will the next
biological attack arrive? Is there anything you can tell us that
will help?

The next infusion probe will arrive in
forty-nine days. You must put aside your differences and work
together to decode the bioinformation in the phages and counter
their effects. If you do not, all human sentience will be wiped
out.

Markis raised his voice above the buzz. “All
human sentience? Do you think he misspelled ‘sentients’?
Anyone?”

Millie replied, “He hasn’t misspelled a word
yet. He seems to be communicating very precisely. Maybe he means
exactly that?”

“Maybe. But what does ‘that’ really
mean?”

Captain Ilona spoke up again from the back.
“Sir, Mrs. Markis’ reports said the original Devil Plague seemed
aimed at reducing humanity to the level of animals. For some reason
it didn’t work very well. Maybe Raphael means exactly what he said.
What if these aliens send explorers from world to world, then if
they find any intelligent life, they customize a phage, an organism
to reverse any progress they have made, sending them back to an
animal state while not disrupting the ecosystem. They send back
word to their nearest populated world and some years later – many
years later perhaps – the alien colonists arrive. They merge –
Blend – with the life forms, gaining instant adaptation to their
new world, but without sentients to oppose them. That way they get
to keep it all, no hassles.”

The noise level rose again. “At ease,
people.” Markis held up his hand until things quieted. “That’s a
very good guess, Miss Ilona, but it’s only a guess.” He typed into
the computer:
Raphael, you said you wanted to speak with me,
Daniel John Markis. Why? Also, how can you confirm it is me
speaking?

The response came a little early this time,
apparently responding not to Markis’ text but to Ilona’s words.

The young woman who last spoke came
amazingly close to accuracy. My ancestors are not natural warriors;
instead, they infect, they corrupt, they Blend, and ultimately
there is nothing left but lower animals and Meme.

There came a brief pause, and then more text
appeared.

I know it is you speaking to me because I
see you, just as the rest of the human race watching on their
screens see you. I have grown adept at reading people in the last
four millennia. I have watched you for ten years, Daniel John
Markis. You are a symbol to the entire world. Some love you, some
hate you, but all know you.

I am one individual. My race is a race of
individuals. I cannot trust a committee or an assembly or a
congress. I can only trust a trustworthy individual. I have visited
your world many times, and always I found one man or woman to
trust. Today, I choose to trust you.

Markis sat back amazed, looking around the
crowded conference room as if he would see the alien himself
appear. “Of course. Of course, this is being broadcast, so he’s
seeing it. Raphael,” Markis raised his voice, “I thank you for your
trust. Will you now trust us and show yourself? Show us who and
what you are?”

As you wish. My appearance is not appealing
to your species, but truth is more important than aesthetics. Here
is a realtime feed of the inside of my spacecraft.

The picture on his video screen changed from
the simple text display to a complex interior view. The resolution
of the picture was surprisingly sharp considering the distance the
signal had to travel. “Send this out to the world, Rick, will you
please?”

Rick raced to the control station where he
and the video tech there adjusted the system. He gave Markis the
thumbs-up.

Everyone watching around the world saw a
scene not so different from those of Earth’s own space explorations
– a cramped room filled with unfamiliar and complex equipment,
keyboards and buttons and levers and lights – and displays, oddly
curved, concave, like inverse bubbles of color. Something sat –
stood? – in front of one of them, an amorphous mass of pale green,
held in a container, like a giant cup. An orb on a stalk extended
from the creature, hovering at the focus of the inward-curving
screen, as if to see everything from the inside of the
hemisphere.