Area 51: The Mission-3 by Robert Doherty Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robert Doherty
about the Airlia had poured fuel on the fire. There were confusing intelligence reports that there was much fighting inside China, particularly in the western provinces where ethnic and religious groups were trying to break away from the central gov-
46
ernment using the uncertainty of the current world situation as their window of opportunity. Duncan, talking to several of her contacts in Washington, had heard rumors that the CIA and other intelligence agencies, particularly that of Taiwan, were aiding in this destabilization. So even as she had to concern herself with the alien situation, she knew she had to always take into account the fact that governments were going to act on their base, selfish interests first, and look at the larger, worldwide picture second.
The world had so anticipated the arrival of Aspasia and his ships that the sudden destruction of that fleet had created shock waves that were still echoing around the globe. Duncan had no doubt that she and her comrades had reacted correctly, but many didn't—obviously Kelly Reynolds had not felt that way.
Upon returning from China, Turcotte had relayed the Russian Section IV concern that STAAR was an Airlia front, part of one of the two warring factions that had been on Earth over ten thousand years ago. That was an entirely differently problem that was somehow connected to all the rest. There were many pieces to the puzzle, and so far Duncan was not sure how what she had went together. This new information that Easter Island and Mars were talking verified that all they had won was a respite.
"Can we break the guardian code?" Duncan asked.
"Negative. It's the same cipher they used before when they wanted to talk to each other and keep us in the dark. No messages of love and peace in binary to us." The admiral tapped the screen. "They're chattering back and forth at high speed and high data compression. A hell of a lot of information."
Duncan knew the admiral was worried. The extent of the Airlia's capabilities was not known. The foo fighter
47
base north of Easter Island had been destroyed—at least all indications were that it had been, she amended now that it appeared the Mars guardian was still active—using a nuclear weapon. The talon ships had also been destroyed in orbit using nuclear weapons in conjunction with the ruby sphere that had been the mother-ship interstellar drive's power core. But what else might be uncovered remained to be seen, and like most of the military men she had encountered ever since they had cracked the secret of Area 51, the admiral was more than a little paranoid. She knew he would prefer to shoot first and figure it all out later.
"Aspasia must have left someone to mind the store on Mars," Admiral Poldan said.
"Or the guardian computer on Mars survived and is still functioning on its own," Duncan noted. "At least we destroyed their space fleet."
"Uh-huh" was the admiral's take on that. "But whoever—or whatever—is left on Mars survived a nuke strike."
"What about the Springfield?" Duncan asked, trying to focus attention on the immediate situation and the reason she was here. "Will the weather force a delay?"
"Weather doesn't affect a submarine," Poldan said. He pointed to a console where an Air Force officer was sitting. "We've got commo with it."
"Do you think this plan will work?"
Admiral Poldan shrugged. "The submarine itself is not attempting to penetrate the shield—if the shield extends underwater—which we hope isn't the case given that the foo fighter base wasn't shielded. We think the probe has a good chance of getting through."
"The foo fighter base probably didn't have a guardian computer," Duncan noted.
48
Poldan ignored that. "The probe is our best shot to get a look at what's happening on the island."
"No change in the shield?" Duncan asked.
"See for yourself." The admiral handed her several sheets of satellite imagery. He pointed at a dozen red spots in the lower left corner.
46
ernment using the uncertainty of the current world situation as their window of opportunity. Duncan, talking to several of her contacts in Washington, had heard rumors that the CIA and other intelligence agencies, particularly that of Taiwan, were aiding in this destabilization. So even as she had to concern herself with the alien situation, she knew she had to always take into account the fact that governments were going to act on their base, selfish interests first, and look at the larger, worldwide picture second.
The world had so anticipated the arrival of Aspasia and his ships that the sudden destruction of that fleet had created shock waves that were still echoing around the globe. Duncan had no doubt that she and her comrades had reacted correctly, but many didn't—obviously Kelly Reynolds had not felt that way.
Upon returning from China, Turcotte had relayed the Russian Section IV concern that STAAR was an Airlia front, part of one of the two warring factions that had been on Earth over ten thousand years ago. That was an entirely differently problem that was somehow connected to all the rest. There were many pieces to the puzzle, and so far Duncan was not sure how what she had went together. This new information that Easter Island and Mars were talking verified that all they had won was a respite.
"Can we break the guardian code?" Duncan asked.
"Negative. It's the same cipher they used before when they wanted to talk to each other and keep us in the dark. No messages of love and peace in binary to us." The admiral tapped the screen. "They're chattering back and forth at high speed and high data compression. A hell of a lot of information."
Duncan knew the admiral was worried. The extent of the Airlia's capabilities was not known. The foo fighter
47
base north of Easter Island had been destroyed—at least all indications were that it had been, she amended now that it appeared the Mars guardian was still active—using a nuclear weapon. The talon ships had also been destroyed in orbit using nuclear weapons in conjunction with the ruby sphere that had been the mother-ship interstellar drive's power core. But what else might be uncovered remained to be seen, and like most of the military men she had encountered ever since they had cracked the secret of Area 51, the admiral was more than a little paranoid. She knew he would prefer to shoot first and figure it all out later.
"Aspasia must have left someone to mind the store on Mars," Admiral Poldan said.
"Or the guardian computer on Mars survived and is still functioning on its own," Duncan noted. "At least we destroyed their space fleet."
"Uh-huh" was the admiral's take on that. "But whoever—or whatever—is left on Mars survived a nuke strike."
"What about the Springfield?" Duncan asked, trying to focus attention on the immediate situation and the reason she was here. "Will the weather force a delay?"
"Weather doesn't affect a submarine," Poldan said. He pointed to a console where an Air Force officer was sitting. "We've got commo with it."
"Do you think this plan will work?"
Admiral Poldan shrugged. "The submarine itself is not attempting to penetrate the shield—if the shield extends underwater—which we hope isn't the case given that the foo fighter base wasn't shielded. We think the probe has a good chance of getting through."
"The foo fighter base probably didn't have a guardian computer," Duncan noted.
48
Poldan ignored that. "The probe is our best shot to get a look at what's happening on the island."
"No change in the shield?" Duncan asked.
"See for yourself." The admiral handed her several sheets of satellite imagery. He pointed at a dozen red spots in the lower left corner.
Similar Books
Intrusion: A Novel
Mary McCluskey
The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2)
Heidi Willard
What Happens at Christmas
Jay Northcote
Written in Dead Wax
Andrew Cartmel
The Lost Tales of Mercia
Jayden Woods
The Tying of Threads
Joy Dettman
The Healing Stream
Connie Monk
The Berenstain Bears in the Wax Museum
Stan Berenstain