number of very complex-looking monitors lining the walls and arranged in ranks through the center of the room. A cushioned therapy platform was positioned in front of each console, and a multitude of patients lay sleeping on the beds beneath them.
Every person wore a simple coronet made of what looked like silver metal. The bands themselves shone brightly from within. Above them, strange glowing balls zipped to and fro, buzzing and thrumming with power and hidden purpose. Calen pointed to one of the slumbering occupants. “Do you know him?”
Mac peered closer before letting out a whistle of surprise. “That’s me!”
“Yes. You will be pleased to know all members of your particular team survived the transition through the gateway to Arden. They, along with a number of other people from the drilling installation, are currently undergoing treatment and induction.”
The radiance encompassing several of the nearby positions brightened momentarily, allowing Mac to recognize Mark Stevens, Sean Masters, and Sam Pell. Looking further along the ward, he could see the series of medical stations curving away into the distance. There must be thousands of people! Mac was stunned. “So, why have you gone to all this trouble to get us here?”
“Because we need your help,” Calen replied solemnly. “May I introduce the colleague I spoke of earlier?”
“I guess so. Are you going to wake me up for that?”
“Not just yet, my friend.” Calen’s kindly face creased in regret. “Forgive me, but the neural cocoon we have placed about you allows us to download information directly into your mind at a much faster rate than would normally be possible.”
Mac couldn’t help but laugh as he thought of one of his favorite sci-fi trilogy classics from the turn of the twenty-first century. He had always loved the series, as it depicted the struggle of a group of human survivors who fought an ongoing guerilla war against their machine overlords.
Calen looked thoughtful as he assessed the contents of Mac’s mind. Then he broke into a broad grin. “A reasonable analogy. While our techniques are not as succinct as those employed within your work of fiction, you will nevertheless find our methods quite remarkable.”
“I’m sure I will,” Mac replied, still not quite believing he was really here. “When do we start?”
“Now would be as good a time as any. We are still treating some of the radiation burns you sustained when the nuclear device initiated, so we can use the time wisely.”
Gesturing calmly, Calen removed the scene of the chamber. Mac discovered himself seated behind a desk within a familiar briefing room back at Special Forces Headquarters, London. An inviting pot of Earl Grey tea awaited his attention, next to a bone china cup and saucer.
How thoughtful!
Helping himself, he noted Calen now stood in front of the incident board at the head of the room. Calen caught his eye, inclined his head, and said, “Mac, please let me introduce a sentinel.”
A concentrated ball of plasma appeared in the air, midway between the two men. A cheery voice rang out, “Welcome to Arden, Lieutenant Alan McDonald. It is a pleasure to meet you. As you have a basic grasp of current events, I will begin by summarizing the history of Arden. Through it, you will appreciate what led to our predicament, and why it was felt necessary for us to reach out over eighty thousand light years for help.”
“Eighty thousand light years?” Mac was astonished by the scope of the task involved.
“Yes. Although we occupy the same galaxy, we are as far apart as you can get.”
A rippling curtain of energy fluttered down from the ceiling. As soon as it touched the floor, a holographic image of the Milky Way bloomed to life. Two glowing points of light within it were joined by a sparkling ribbon of diffused colors.
The sentinel continued, “The blue area represents your home world, Earth. The green one, Arden. That glittering thread is the
Every person wore a simple coronet made of what looked like silver metal. The bands themselves shone brightly from within. Above them, strange glowing balls zipped to and fro, buzzing and thrumming with power and hidden purpose. Calen pointed to one of the slumbering occupants. “Do you know him?”
Mac peered closer before letting out a whistle of surprise. “That’s me!”
“Yes. You will be pleased to know all members of your particular team survived the transition through the gateway to Arden. They, along with a number of other people from the drilling installation, are currently undergoing treatment and induction.”
The radiance encompassing several of the nearby positions brightened momentarily, allowing Mac to recognize Mark Stevens, Sean Masters, and Sam Pell. Looking further along the ward, he could see the series of medical stations curving away into the distance. There must be thousands of people! Mac was stunned. “So, why have you gone to all this trouble to get us here?”
“Because we need your help,” Calen replied solemnly. “May I introduce the colleague I spoke of earlier?”
“I guess so. Are you going to wake me up for that?”
“Not just yet, my friend.” Calen’s kindly face creased in regret. “Forgive me, but the neural cocoon we have placed about you allows us to download information directly into your mind at a much faster rate than would normally be possible.”
Mac couldn’t help but laugh as he thought of one of his favorite sci-fi trilogy classics from the turn of the twenty-first century. He had always loved the series, as it depicted the struggle of a group of human survivors who fought an ongoing guerilla war against their machine overlords.
Calen looked thoughtful as he assessed the contents of Mac’s mind. Then he broke into a broad grin. “A reasonable analogy. While our techniques are not as succinct as those employed within your work of fiction, you will nevertheless find our methods quite remarkable.”
“I’m sure I will,” Mac replied, still not quite believing he was really here. “When do we start?”
“Now would be as good a time as any. We are still treating some of the radiation burns you sustained when the nuclear device initiated, so we can use the time wisely.”
Gesturing calmly, Calen removed the scene of the chamber. Mac discovered himself seated behind a desk within a familiar briefing room back at Special Forces Headquarters, London. An inviting pot of Earl Grey tea awaited his attention, next to a bone china cup and saucer.
How thoughtful!
Helping himself, he noted Calen now stood in front of the incident board at the head of the room. Calen caught his eye, inclined his head, and said, “Mac, please let me introduce a sentinel.”
A concentrated ball of plasma appeared in the air, midway between the two men. A cheery voice rang out, “Welcome to Arden, Lieutenant Alan McDonald. It is a pleasure to meet you. As you have a basic grasp of current events, I will begin by summarizing the history of Arden. Through it, you will appreciate what led to our predicament, and why it was felt necessary for us to reach out over eighty thousand light years for help.”
“Eighty thousand light years?” Mac was astonished by the scope of the task involved.
“Yes. Although we occupy the same galaxy, we are as far apart as you can get.”
A rippling curtain of energy fluttered down from the ceiling. As soon as it touched the floor, a holographic image of the Milky Way bloomed to life. Two glowing points of light within it were joined by a sparkling ribbon of diffused colors.
The sentinel continued, “The blue area represents your home world, Earth. The green one, Arden. That glittering thread is the
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