Dark Matter (53 page)

'You said, all of them hopefully, you don't really mean that do you?'  Sally inquired, unsure of her position in all of this but needing to ask the question.

Jack placed his knife and fork down on his plate.  He looked at Sally and saw in her the combination of youthful innocence and civilian ignorance.  He collected his thoughts; he didn't want to punish her for just asking a question, and especially not when it was one he constantly asked himself.

'I do mean that and I'll tell you why.  The more of them that die, the fewer of us they can kill.  They don't have any military system that we can recognise and therefore no one to negotiate their surrender with.  We have no idea whether they even recognise the concept of surrender.  Everything we know about the Sunarr soldiers, if that is what they are, implies that they are without concern or conscience.  If we did capture a significant number of them, how would they react?  What would we do with them?  How could we communicate with them without the devices and could we let even one of them have access to such a device?  What capabilities might it have?  What range?  I know this is hard to grasp, I really do.  But try to think of this as a hostage situation.  You go in, neutralise the enemy and free the hostages.  That's it.  No more no less.'

'But neutralising doesn't always have to mean killing them does it?  It’s just removing their capacity to act.'  Sally replied.

George had been trying to keep out of the conversation, but the analogy with a hostage situation left him no choice but to join in.  He reached out to his brother and gently squeezed his bicep.

'Jack…'

‘Sorry.’  Jack took three deep breaths before continuing.  ‘I was merely illustrating that this is not a normal military conflict.'

Jane broke off her conversation with John.

'Sally, remember what John said they have planned for us.  Extermination of our entire race.  We can't take risks with that.'  Jane smiled as she said this, a serious smile not meant to engender affection but just to show her human side.  That she understood and cared.

'I know.'  Sally replied.  'I know, but it’s just that...’

'Go on.'  Jane prompted.

'I'm part German on my mother’s side and one of her ancestors was a German solider.  He was just a soldier, just fought for his country.  But he was captured by the Russians.  They treated him very badly before...he died.'

'I have covered many conflicts,’ George began, ‘and all of them have the same common theme.  They did this to us so we will do this to them.  It’s not a happy scenario.  The greatest fight in any conflict is the one you have with yourself not to lose your humanity.  Most people win that fight, some do not.'

'Sally I will put your concern to the group.  I promise.'  Jack said.

'Thanks Jack, I'd appreciate it.'

25
The Dinner Party

07:45
              10 November  [07:45  10 November GMT]

Moore Terraces, Flat 4d, Brixton Road, Brixton, London, England.

Nine months had now passed since the discovery of the Sunarr's plans to exterminate humanity.  This morning, the first anniversary of the arrival of the Sunarr, found Severine in bed, beginning to stir.  She turned over, tucking her left leg in between Julianne's and her left arm around her waist.  Julianne sighed, pushing her body backwards into Severine's. 

Julianne had become quite a regular feature in the flat now.  Severine had discussed it at length with Solomon.  She had desperately wanted Julianne back in her life but hadn't wanted it to impact adversely on Solomon or Natasha.  They had been through enough after all.  Solomon hadn't the slightest reservation personally, but wanted Natasha to be comfortable with it.  Severine understood completely.  Natasha had taken to calling Severine auntie and although she had been initially uncomfortable with this, Severine had grown to appreciate the title and even take on the role.  When she was there, Severine would take Natasha to school, having helped her get ready as well.  It had made her start to think for the first time about whether she wanted children and whether it would happen if she did. 

'What are you thinking?'  Julianne asked in that way she had of knowing the answer but wanting her to tell her anyway.

Severine froze, aware that she had again been caught thinking.  Julianne felt the change in Severine's body.

'It’s OK, whatever it is.  I'd just like to know.'

‘Actually,’ Severine confessed nervously, 'I was thinking about having children.'

'Oh?  How many?'

'Funny!'  Severine replied.  She dug her fingers into Julianne's left side causing her to yelp in surprise.

There was a quiet, timid knock on their bedroom door.  A small voice called out.

'Are you OK auntie Sev?'

'Yes Nat, we are both fine.'  Severine replied.

'Is auntie Julianne here?'  Natasha called out.

'Hi Nat, I'm here.'  Julianne replied.

The door burst open and Natasha made a flying leap at the bed.  They had little time to brace themselves for the impact.  They both hurriedly pulled at the duvet, trying to cover their modesty.  Natasha settled in between them, kneeling on the bed facing them.  She had a look of great expectation about her.  Julianne had arrived late the night before and hadn't seen Natasha or her mother.  She reached over the side of her bed and retrieved her rucksack.  Natasha's eyes were wide, she didn't say anything but whenever Julianne or Severine returned from abroad they normally brought her back a little something.  As Julianne pulled her hand out of her rucksack, she revealed a soft toy.  It was about a foot in height and was mainly white.  She offered it to Natasha's outstretched hands.

'I thought you could call it Lamby.' 

Lamby was about the same size as Sheepy, maybe a little bigger, it made no logical sense but that didn't matter to Natasha.  She hugged it dearly and scrambled off the bed making for the door.

'Aren't you forgetting something?'  Severine called after her.

Natasha stopped on the spot and turned round, her face was a picture.

'Thank you auntie Julianne.'  She emphasised the words and did a sort of small curtsy at the same time.

'That's better.'  Severine said.

'You're welcome Nat, go have fun.'  Julianne said winking at her.

Natasha launched herself out of the bedroom at full speed, a girl on a mission to unite sheep and lamb.

'You see,’ Julianne said, turning to Severine, 'you're not the only one who has been thinking about children.'

After a breakfast of French toast and coffee, they assembled their belongings to spend a couple of nights at Jack's place in Chester Square.  The theory was that they would be safer in numbers and Jack's place was large enough for them all.

08:15
              10 November  [13:15  10 November GMT]

Office of the Secretary-General, United Nations, New York.

So today's the day
, Jay reflected.  It wasn't as if she hadn't expected it.  They had been planning this day for months now.  Nevertheless, even when you have planned for something its arrival can still take you by surprise.  There was no turning back now.  No last minute change of plans.  The future of the entire human race on one throw of the dice.  Her aide William, a statistician by education, but a diplomat by career had calculated their odds of complete success.  They were not good.  Too many variables.  However, their chances of operational success, where things went wrong but the overall objective is achieved were slightly better at one in six.

One in six is still a huge gamble.
  Surprise was one of the few things that were in their favour.  So too were numbers.  They had an average of two point three operatives targeted against each Sunarr bodyguard.  The problem was that the Sunarr were armed with advanced weapons and the operatives only with what they would have to hand at the time. 

Jay was holding an official reception at home tonight.  Thirty-five guests had been invited including Shiwanevar.  Jay had no way of guessing how many body guards she might bring along, there would be at least eight bodyguards, her own two plus her daughter Sameena's two, plus there were two dignitaries invited.  On her side, Jay had ten operatives down as guests, plus eight of the guests were in on the plan.  That made a total of eighteen, twenty including Sameena and herself.  It probably wasn't enough but it would have to do. 

Jay looked at her diary for the day.  William had thoughtfully kept it light, but busy enough so as to help stop her mind from lingering on the dinner party to come.  She looked at her two bodyguards standing by the wall, impassive. 
If all goes well tonight, you two will be dead.
  It had started already she realised, thoughts of what was to come, plaguing her, burrowing their way into her resolve.  Jay by nature was a pacifist, she disliked violence in all its forms but her journey through the Indian diplomatic corps and latterly her rise in the United Nations had taught her that force is necessary when all else fails. 

When all else fails…
  That was what troubled her so much.  They had not once approached the Sunarr to talk, to negotiate, to try to reach an understanding.  Instead, they were simply going to kill as many of the Sunarr as possible.  Tonight. 
Why didn't I make the approach?  What stopped me?  I have negotiated countless settlements peacefully, why not this one?
She reminded herself that the Sunarr were duplicitous.  They said they had come in peace.  A lie.  They said they would offer us cures.  None so far.  Another lie.  They never said they wanted our gold.  A lie of omission.  Now she knew the ultimate truth, they would eventually kill every man, woman and child to extract trace amounts of gold from their bodies.  Worse than a lie, it was the ultimate in evil. 
These are not people with whom you can negotiate.  These are not people.

She shook herself, trying to bring her focus back to the present.  She buzzed William to send in the first of her appointments.
Time for work.

13:30
              10 November  [13:30  10 November GMT]

Chester Square, Belgravia, London, England.

Sally showed Julianne to her room, whilst Anita did the same for Solomon and Natasha.  They were sharing out of preference rather than due to any lack of space.  George was downstairs in the kitchen ordering a take away for them all.  He was actually ordering from both an Indian restaurant as well as an Oriental one.  They were going to have quite a feast.  It was nerves, George knew, they were all on edge with the possible exception of Natasha who always seemed well composed. 
Perhaps it is her age
, he wondered,
maybe she is just too young to really understand what is happening, or about to happen anyway.
George knew all too well.  He had seen war up close, the smell of charred and putrefying human flesh.  The sounds of men, women, and children screaming, sobbing, or just groaning.  As a war photographer, he viewed everything through his camera lens; this had provided some emotional detachment.  He could frame each picture without concerning himself as to the subject matter.  Sometimes however, sometimes it too was more than he could cope with. 

16:30
              10 November  [13:30  10 November GMT]

Kremlin, Moscow, Russia.

General Ivanskiy’s mood seemed focused but upbeat, his aide Nickolai Andreovich Petrov noted.  The General had been busy these past months.  Ever since the end of the tripartite exercise, the General had made some extraordinary orders.  None in themselves particularly unusual, granted, but when combined together they were one of the largest peacetime troop movements in Russian history.  Ordinarily the troop movements would not have been allowed on grounds of cost.  The main cost being fuel.  Military vehicles are not known for their fuel efficiency and Russian military vehicles are amongst the thirstiest of all.  He was aware that the General had done some kind of deal.  He didn't know the details, but it included fuel provided by the Gulf States and funds for other material from an unknown source.  As his aide and an aspiring officer himself, Petrov had kept a secret note of all the orders and he had plotted these on a map of Russia.  The results were interesting.  The General had personally promoted over seventeen hundred officers.  The structure of units had changed radically as enlisted men replaced conscripts to a much higher degree than was the norm.  All of the Special Forces units, the Spetsnaz, had now been formed into one force, the Razdeyelyenye Zolota or the Gold Division.  A large number of Brigades and even Divisions were moving from East to West and others from West to East.  The majority of these were transiting through Moscow, even though it was against standing orders.  Now, apparently, there was a problem with the rail system.  Forces were building up around Moscow and even within the city itself. 
This is no accident,
Petrov thought;
the General has planned this to coincide with the first anniversary of the Sunarr's arrival.
 
The General is plotting, that much is clear and if he is successful and I am by his side, well careers have been built on less,
he reflected.

13:30
              10 November  [13:30  10 November GMT]

Research Laboratory, Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.

John looked at the clock,
Just a few hours to go
. 
Hopefully, this will be the last time I will have to disrupt the Sunarr communications.
  Any hope he had had of making the disruption appear to be a natural phenomenon had disappeared in the days after he had suggested it.  That meant making it appear to be a fault with the devices themselves, a much more complex task.  He hadn't needed the extra work; the projects had all taken so much of his time.  However, it had to be done so he had just gotten on with it. 

The devices worked in a similar way to the Doran communications system.  Two or more devices within range of each other created their own network.  A device in-between two or more of these networks would link them to create an area-network, when several of these connected it became a super-network.  This was both the fundamental strength and weakness of the system.  The high resiliency of the self-creating network provided range and reliability, the down side was that the essentially viral system was open to both hacking and attacks by a virus. 

John had two of the best hackers in the world working for him and it hadn't taken Barry and Neil long to crack the system.  What they had produced was tremendously elegant.  Essentially an anti-virus virus, like artificial white blood cells believing themselves to be the legitimate occupiers of the system, they sought out and cleaned anything alien.  It worked like a charm, spreading itself through the networks and stopping all communications without adversely affecting the status of the devices.  Their self-diagnostics reported that all was well with the devices, they were linked to one another, but all non-status traffic between them ceased.

Up until now, the devices had been down for defined periods.  The Sunarr had what equated to a thirty-eight hour seventeen minute day, based on Earth time.  This was divided into one hundred Demar, equivalent in use to Earth hours and each Demar was sub-divided into one thousand Demaray, like an Earth second.  This made each Demaray one point one five seven Earth seconds long.  It was this time measurement that John used to calculate the length that the Sunarr system went down for.  He started with fifty Demaray, or forty-three point two seconds.  This he felt was sufficient to be noticed and investigated but not so long as to send the Sunarr into spasms of panic.  The second time he increased it threefold.  He increased it again threefold on the third and fourth times.  That would make the fifth time, today, anticipated to last four thousand and fifty Demaray, just under three thousand five hundred seconds, or fifty-eight minutes and twenty seconds.  He hoped it would be enough.