2040 Revelations (12 page)

2011 AG5, or Big Bertha as the professor liked to call it, had its trajectory mapped out in the centre of the display Goodwin now watched.
Key Control Centre staff moved around the room as keyboards clicked, finger circlets flicked, voices chattered and phones rang. The implementation of final surface procedures had begun as U.S.S.B. Steadfast cycled towards complete isolated lockdown for the years ahead.
This is what they had prepared for; everything was coming together, apart from one major piece of equipment that should have arrived. Goodwin had asked the professor about the back-up water purification machinery and its location, and he’d told Goodwin it would be there. Goodwin had pointed out its importance; however, the professor didn’t seem to be worried, a small comfort as Goodwin knew the importance to the programme such a device represented.

He was also concerned that the professor had decided to set up his base of operations at Steadfast instead of U.S.S.B. Sanctuary where he had initially been scheduled to be during impact. It seemed a lot of new people had streamed into Steadfast at a time when he needed calm and familiar faces. He’d also been told by the professor to expect a large and heavily armed contingent from the Darklight security firm. Basic procedure, he had said, but Goodwin wasn’t convinced. Something was going on, but he was far too busy to look into it further;
besides
, he reasoned,
the professor knows what he’s doing … doesn’t he?

U.S.S.B. Steadfast was being sealed indefinitely. Surface deployment could only be sanctioned under special conditions authorised by the Joint Chiefs, Professor Steiner or the President himself. While according to predictions AG5’s impact wouldn’t be apocalyptic, it did represent a severe threat, as it posed a multitude of scenarios that a subterranean base was designed to combat. These scenarios included unforeseen fallout due to unidentifiable parameters, atmospheric ignition triggered by the impact detonation and microbial contagions piggy backing in on the meteor’s surface or within its structure.

Steadfast also helped to preserve plant life and protect U.S. command structure against possible nuclear or biological attack by a hostile nation during the potential chaos following the asteroid’s arrival. The U.S.S.B. programme was a crucial and pivotal component in defending the United States; however, it also had offensive capabilities hence the civilian and military collaboration. Certain doomsayers within the subterranean base community said the meteor could be the prelude to a war with the Chinese. Goodwin doubted this; he knew people liked to imagine the worst to bring some excitement into their lives, as he’d done the same in his youth and even occasionally in later life. This train of thought, he theorised, was perhaps an unfortunate mental aberration in the human psyche in response to modern day life and all the rules and controls it brought with it. He had to admit to his older self, however, that he’d been getting excited as the asteroid drew closer. He shouldn’t, he knew, because people’s lives would be in danger even though mass evacuations had been made in Africa and beyond.

Goodwin had also noticed the change and buzz that circulated in and around the base as Impact Day grew ever closer, which was inevitable, really, since everyone had geared up for its arrival for so long. And despite the many years of preparations by virtually every nation on Earth, such a huge global event would spark worldwide panic, especially when the dust cloud brought with it an eternal night. It was said the younger generations would deal with the darkness better since they were biologically more resilient. They had also grown up knowing the impact would happen, what would ensue and how it would affect their lives. It had been ingrained into their education and very existence, whereas the majority of the adult population were set in their ways and used to a
normal
life, not the horror of a world without sunlight.

Goodwin told one of the analysts to bring up the nuclear reactors’ live data feed.

‘All reactors are operating within parameters, sir.’

‘Air regeneration systems?’ Goodwin said.

The analyst brought up more data. ‘Five by five, sir.’

‘Water?’

‘Seventy five per cent efficiency.’

‘Control systems?’

‘One hundred per cent in the green.’

‘Population anxiety levels?’ Goodwin said. All underground citizens, civilian and military, had bio readers implanted under the skin, enabling numerous psychological and physical checks on whole or specific groups throughout the base. This was an extremely useful tool in the event of an emergency or to identify potential flash points. Population management in Steadfast, and for all U.S.S.B.s, played an integral role in the smooth running of a modern day subterranean facility.

‘We have a few anxiety spikes, sir, mainly due to the EMERGCON and DEFCON display and sign activation, since it coincides with the time they went live around the base.’

‘Very good,’ Goodwin said, satisfied everything proceeded as planned.

♦

Professor Steiner had managed to set up his global response centre using some of the disaster recovery rooms he had visited earlier. They had full GMRC database access, enormous screens and a plethora of workstations. Those of his personnel that had been destined for U.S.S.B. Sanctuary had been flown in from other locations, and communication networks had been rerouted to his new operational hub.

Sophie, Steiner’s primary aide, stood by his side as images of various people appeared on a large grid live on screen.

‘We have full connectivity, Professor,’ Sophie told him. ‘Shen Zh
ǔ
Rèn is waiting to speak to you.’

Shen Zh
ǔ
Rèn, or Director Shen, had been selected by the Chinese to run their meteor response programme and he had also been on the shortlist to co-ordinate the planetary response on behalf of the GMRC, the very position now held by Steiner himself. Typically relations between the United States and China were frosty at best, especially considering China’s dominance in the fierce economic battle that had seen the U.S. increase its population twofold in the last twenty years in an attempt to keep pace. Such radical growth had been gained by opening the borders to the United States, plus the roll out of highly lucrative government incentives for couples who had five or more children. Both of these schemes proved extremely controversial and initially had caused the U.S. economy to stall; in the last five years, however, it had regained its power and closed the gap with its rival.

‘Shen Zh
ǔ
Rèn,
ni qi se bu cuo
,’ the professor said in flawless Chinese.

‘Professor Steiner, I am very well, thank you,’ the Chinese Director replied. ‘I notice you are at U.S.S.B. Steadfast rather than Sanctuary; is there any reason for this late change to your plans?’

Steiner glanced round to see the large Steadfast insignia on the wall behind him. ‘You’re very observant, Zh
ǔ
Rèn,’ Steiner said without a hint of sarcasm. ‘No, there is nothing to be concerned about, we have just a few issues to smooth out here and it seemed better for all concerned if I stayed onsite rather than moving on to Sanctuary.’

‘Can we assist you in any way?’ Shen Zh
ǔ
Rèn asked politely.

‘No, thank you. How are your final preparations? I was told that you were experiencing rioting in a few of your larger cities.’

‘That is being dealt with as we speak, Professor,’ Shen said, radiating confidence. ‘I think you should be more concerned with the EU’s Australian base, which seems to have experienced a breach to one of its chambers due to a gas explosion. Apparently it may have affected their water and air systems, although we haven’t been able to confirm this directly. We did warn the Europeans against gas infrastructure, but we were ignored as usual.’

Steiner detected Shen seemed quite pleased that the Chinese advice had proved correct, although that might have been to do with the fact that it was the Germans’ and the Italians’ final votes that had ensured Steiner had received the position of GMRC Director General over Shen himself.

An image of a large, heavyset man appeared on the screen, the EU’s Representative, Dr. Daniel Sidwell.

‘Ah, Daniel, so nice to see you,’ Steiner said, as Zh
ǔ
Rèn’s image grew smaller, indicating Steiner now conversed with another person, a situation mimicked on Shen’s own screen in China.

‘Professor, I hope you are well,’ Dr. Sidwell said, giving him a warm smile. ‘Director Shen’s information is correct, but the issue has already been resolved so we won’t be requiring assistance. Perhaps the Chinese should be ensuring their own ship is in order before criticising someone else’s.’

Steiner knew Daniel well from a research project they had run together many years ago, but he wasn’t about to start taking sides as it was his job to pull people together, not push them apart. ‘I’m glad you’ve contained the problem, Daniel,’ he said diplomatically. ‘How are the satellite relays operating from your end? We read green across the board here.’

‘There is some interference on a couple of frequencies, but nothing too serious. It’s been caused by some small space debris from an old Russian rocket, robotic repairs are already underway.’

‘These things are sent to try us,’ Steiner said.

‘We’d be out of a job if they didn’t,’ Daniel replied.

Steiner smiled. ‘We’ll talk again at the holo-conference tomorrow,’ he said, before logging off the feed.

Sophie passed him an itinerary for the rest of the week just as Malcolm Joiner entered the room with Nathan at his side.

‘Thank you, Sophie,’ Steiner said, as the two men approached.

Sophie bobbed her head and moved off to speak to a couple of technicians who were busy installing a secure military network connection for Steiner’s new command post.

‘Gentlemen,’ Steiner said in greeting.

Nathan nodded his head in acknowledgment.

‘Professor,’ Joiner said, before gazing around at Steiner’s new hub of operations. ‘So you’ve decided against Sanctuary?’

‘I have, there was an equipment problem and I have a little issue with the military at the moment. You don’t happen to know why, do you, Malcolm? You are head of intelligence, after all.’

‘I’ve heard you may have fallen out of favour with the Joint Chiefs,’ Joiner said, unfazed by the question. ‘Did you want me to speak to them about it on your behalf?’

‘If I thought it would do any good I’d have asked you already,’ Steiner said as he studied Joiner’s deadpan face, which – as usual – revealed nothing.

The intelligence director remained silent, but Steiner could see the cogs turning behind those cold, calculating eyes.

‘I take it you know I have secured the services of a civilian contractor?’ Steiner asked him.

‘I heard it mentioned.’

‘I thought you might have done,’ Steiner said, wondering what else Joiner was hiding from him.

A sliding door opened behind them and they all looked in its direction. Three men had entered. They each wore a full suit of black state of the art body armour, and MX4 rifles hung from slings around their necks. The leader was tall and heavily built, with a face which looked like it was hewn from granite. A nasty scar ran down the middle of his face, a small bit of his nose was also missing as the scar carried on down to his chin.

‘Ah, Commander, it’s good of you to come up to see me.’

‘Not a problem, Professor,’ the man said, his voice deep and powerful.

‘Gentlemen, this is Commander Hilt,’ Steiner said, ‘he and his division will now be taking charge of the weapons systems and security details here at Steadfast.’

Joiner’s face looked like it was very slowly being inflated from the inside as his eyes bulged at the sight of the man before him.

‘Nathan Bryant,’ Nathan said, leaning forward and shaking the commander’s hand. ‘I didn’t realise there was such a large Darklight contingent in these parts, Commander. A division: that’s ten thousand men, isn’t it?’

‘We do operate covertly at times, Mr Bryant,’ the Darklight officer said, sidestepping the question, ‘and our base locations and troop movements are not always divulged.’

‘Aren’t the Joint Chiefs going to be a little put out by you taking over their main duties?’ Nathan looked from Steiner to Hilt, and then to Joiner, who still hadn’t said anything.

‘They won’t have a choice,’ Steiner said. ‘It’s my show and what I say goes.’
Here, in any case
, he thought to himself.

‘Our men are relieving them of duty as we speak, Professor,’ Hilt told him.

‘Very good, Commander, thank you.’

Hilt nodded and left; his two men, however, stayed flanking the door on either side of Steiner’s new command post.

Chapter Eight

The door slammed hard as Joiner burst into his office.
How the fuck did Steiner get Darklight into Steadfast so quickly?
he thought, heart racing.
And how did they avoid the blocks I ordered the military to impose on traffic and flight routes into Steadfast?
Enraged by the deception, Joiner’s blood seethed through his veins like acid.
I need the base under my control if I’m to extract key personnel and equipment to Sanctuary
.

The question he should have been asking himself was why had the professor really called in the mercs? It suddenly dawned on him:
he knows – Steiner knows!
Joiner didn’t know how he’d done it, but he’d found out the asteroid’s telemetry had been altered. He must react, and quickly, otherwise word might get out and his careful preparations would be compromised.

Joiner knew he wouldn’t be able to acquire reinforcements to deal with the threat fast enough, and yet the base still had a U.S. military presence underground, which he could control. He checked his digital mailbox for the latest Steadfast intelligence reports. According to a base-wide personnel count, the influx of mercenaries was more substantial than he had initially feared, but fortunately Steadfast was heavily garrisoned and U.S. forces still outnumbered them by four to one. Steiner was craftier than he’d thought; he had underestimated him. Joiner calmed his racing thoughts, focusing his mind on the problem at hand. He picked up the phone and dialled a number.