Visitation - Reality (book 1 of 2)

MISSION CONTROL

“RIGHT, QUIETEN DOWN and listen up.”

“I SAID BE QUIET,” the order boomed out in military style.

It had the desired effect.

“This is the most important thing you will ever hear in this life, or perhaps the next.”

The deafening silence was strangely palpable.

“Good, you have done as I told you, now listen in.”

Everyone at the mission control desks, arrayed about the room was shocked by the new Project Director's attitude; this was most unusual.

Yes, Project Directors were always on the outside of the scientific community and especially those that made up the control teams.

Yes, he was not of the same type as those dedicated people who had spent many years on their lives planning, designing, constructing and eventually landing an Explorer on the surface; he seemed not to be technically minded at all but that was not exceptional.

Yes, he had been a last minute replacement for the previous Director that fell ill, apparently.

Yes, he was a Project Director and they came in all sorts of varieties, but why was he suddenly shouting and employing the rude manner that he was?

The Explorer buggy had been working perfectly well and been taking samples of the rocky, sandy surface, taking great photographs and sending back all the data it could. Selected photographs had been released to the press and to any one who wished to download them via the net, albeit via the agency responsible for the task of making them available.

There were stories circulating of alterations to some of the images but this was generally dismissed by the official line as the same old stories from cranks with nothing better to say.

Everything had been going well for nearly a month now and all members of the team had been patting each other’s backs with the success, which just seemed to roll on and on, then everything changed.

This guy had been brought to the team as the new Project Director on direct Presidential orders, so the official internal announcement had gone, as the surface exploration was about to enter the next planned phase.

Although he knew a great deal about the whole project, his view was a general overall one. He appeared to know little or nothing about the technicalities or science involved but that was not particularly important nor that unusual; he was a manager, nothing more.

The President had sent a confidential message (or so it seemed) to all concerned with the project and despite the queries, which were not openly verbalised, this new Project Director was installed and now in charge.

The previous Director simply didn’t turn in one day and no further explanations were provided to the team except that he was ill and taking extended leave.

The new Director had made an announcement and the room had hushed instantly with the shock of his bellowing voice. All turned on their swivel seats to face him as he stood in front of his glass panelled office.

The air seemed to take an instant drop in temperature as the silence struck home; the control room had never been this quiet before.

“For the next two to three weeks nobody in this room will be allowed to leave for any reason and that includes any obvious personal ones. Jerry, I know your wife is getting close to delivery time but that’s tough, you also will not be leaving here for a while yet.”

The silence was broken as strange murmurings went round the room. What was this newcomer talking about, who did he think he was ordering people about in this manner, there were standards to be observed, if not simple politeness.

“I said quiet and I do mean it.”

Everyone quietened down again.

“All communications from this room to the outside world have been severed, not a single telephone in here will work without a clearance code number which you will not be provided with. The link to the TV services has also ceased. There is no code for restoring this, it has simply ceased operating.”

“It has been reported to the outside world that we are suffering from technical issues which may take a while to sort out.”

“It is physically impossible for any of you to leave this room, or from those directly connected to it, including the ‘John’ and the small kitchenette.”

“Anyone attempting to break out of this facility by forcing a door will not be seen again. The military posted outside, which have no idea what this is about, have their orders and they will carry them out without my intervention.”

“Any person seen breaking through either of the two possible exit doors, which incidentally have been securely locked from the outside, will be immediately removed from existence; I’m sure you understand what that means.”

“If you do not, let me make it clear and simple; you will be killed and disappear from the roll call. Your relatives will never know what happened to you and all records of your existence or service with this department will be securely erased. I trust that you now understand what I am saying.”

Those last few words struck home. There was not a sound in the room except now for the noticeable low hum of the electronics cooling fans within the computing equipment. Many heard a thumping noise in their ears from the increased beat of their own hearts. One or two now felt the room starting to move as dizziness took over.

“This is now a BLACK-OPS operation and facility and you are now all under the direct command of me and my personal team. We are all armed.”

That latter comment had the desired effect; shivers went down backs, fingers tingled, heads spun and without exception, everyone experienced various sensations of shock. Those already feeling unwell almost passed out where they sat. The violence in his voice alone, never the less what he threatened, had the desired effect.

“I will not hesitate,” he went on, “to take out anyone who poses a threat to me, to my team or to the forthcoming mission inside this room; should this occur your permanent disappearance will simply be arranged”

There was disbelief with every single person on the team. Some had gone into a full state of shock. One standing young lady, a brilliant scientist who had worked on the long distance communications software, was crying and visibly shaking. She had to be helped to sit down as her knees were giving way.

“Just who the f*** do you think you are and what the f*** is going on here?” one of the young male engineers shouted out as he jumped to his feet and decided to advance on the Project Director.

He hadn’t covered two steps before a cocked automatic pistol was placed in his face from some figure stood almost anonymously to one side of the Director.

“One more word and I will have you taken outside and I do mean this, you will be disposed of; I have that power make no mistake. I can overlook this initial expression of surprise but if you want to continue to make an issue, your next step will see your brains spread all over your desk or the wall, I'm not bothered which. I won’t have to give an order, it will just happen.”

Young Hank was not experienced with weapons, as was the general culture. He had never seen a weapon up-close before this moment and to have one pointed directly in his face was physically very unnerving, frightening and sent him to a place he had never been before.

This was real and he did not know what to think or how to respond, his head went blank but, somehow, his feet had more sense and took him a pace backwards.

The pistol was still unwaveringly pointed in the direction of his face by a very calm, stern, hard faced individual that nobody recognised. His cut was not obviously military but he carried the same obvious threat; he would calmly use his weapon without any order being given if he thought it appropriate to do so.

Hank sank to his seat and the pistol was lowered.

“The Explorer is working well, you have steered it to a location not as originally planned by you scientific types, but by a project program altered very slightly over three years ago on the express direction of the President.”

The President’s name was being invoked again; this didn’t seem credible and did not ring true.

“You thought he was taking a great interest in what you were doing and wanted his own little input to the overall mission; you were wrong, the President was also doing as he was told.”

That explained something but this was frightening; this was another reality in another place. Just what was this guy on about, who was he really, could he really mean that the President had been told what to do?

“The Explorer has now reached a point,” he continued, “where another new mission program will be implemented immediately and the directions for this will now be issued to you, to read.”

Sheets of yellow A4 paper with typed instructions and identification numbers were passed out by one of the hard nosed team of menacing thugs.

Sheets landed on desks in front of every seat whether occupied for the present or not. Worried eyes scanned the plain text on the sheets in a dreamlike non-recognition.

“The TV networks will be told that this Explorer mission has suffered a serious and major technical problem. This reason for the absence of any information coming out of here, will be given as being for your protection from criticism, while you work the hardest you ever have done.”

“You will appear to be saving the bureau from the obvious embarrassment of losing the entire mission and all the billions of dollars that has gone into it.”

“This is not the truth, but these will be the reasons given and the watching world will believe it.”

“Now all those who have been allowed to continue standing, go to your allocated station and sit down. Everyone turn round to face your monitors and read properly and digest the information on the pieces of paper that have just been handed to you.”

The Director’s instructions were coming in a calm strong tone with a practised forcefulness.

Standing, stationary feet shuffled to find their owner's seats. Some of the astounded team turned round staring in earnest at the handed out sheets, trying to take in the printed word simultaneously with what was happening to them.

Others turned but sat dumbfounded, stared blankly to their front, not comprehending events or the significance of the situation. They sat in a different state of shock, not believing that this could be happening, not even seeing the yellow A4 on their desks nor the instructions printed upon them.

“Do not consider making hand notes or copies of anything in this room as all paperwork will be collected and fully destroyed, including the regular mission manuals.”

“All waste bins will be collected. All you will need to see from now on is what is on that piece of paper, which is to remain on your desks face up. Do not attempt to conceal scribbled notes; this will also prove fatal,” the Director continued.

“Place all mobile phones, pads and any other electronic devices in your possession on the desk in front of you to be collected.”

“They will be returned eventually but completely wiped and your explanation for this, assuming you live long enough to leave here, is that a radiation leak from some of the high-powered equipment caused the wiping, which will also help to explain the lock down.”

“Anyone found with a device after they should have been handed in for collection will be removed from this place and disposed of along with their device.”

 The dire threats of extermination kept coming and continued to have the desired effect of a mixture of confusion and fear.

“I keep repeating myself but this is for your benefit. I do not really want to see any of you killed, but this is a job with which I am familiar whereas you are not.”

“Do not think you are indispensable; you can disappear as easily as your mobile phone. Those members of the bigger team, your replacements when you would have gone off shift, will simply be brought in if you have to be removed and you will not be heard of again, period.”

His repetition of the team’s possible fate should have become boring but each time his practised tone and manner had the desired effect; it sunk deep into each psyche. Sweat trickled and could be smelt, anal muscles twitched and a few relaxed enough to discharge their bubbling gas, minds went from numb to fright and back again, but nobody tried anything rash or dared even speak up; fear was everywhere.

“If you decide not to comply with what is on the paper I have issued or any other instructions that may be given to you as the mission progresses, this will also result in you and your phone being collected and both wiped clean; this is no joke.”

Without even a hint of a smile he had emphasised the point yet again; nobody laughed.

This militaristic approach to issuing instructions may have been recognised amongst those wearing uniform, where close attention would have been given as a matter of course, but here, amongst sensitive scientific types, it instilled nothing but fear, as it was intended to.

“Any thought of heroics in here and you will be destroyed where you are and the specialist clean-up team, the one that will also dispose of anything or anyone that needs destroying, will simply remove the mess and the remainder of you will continue with what you are doing with one less to help.”

He was driving the message home insistently until he saw the effects of stark fear becoming visible; he had achieved what he sought.

“I trust that you are all now on-message and are buying in to this.”

This was a stupid question; they were now fully aware, even in their shocked state, of what was being said. To some this was a scene from a movie but no hero was going to come to their rescue, no secret task force; this was the secret task force that was issuing the orders.

“As I have said once already, this mission is now a Black-ops one, I repeat BLACK-OPS and you are all now under my command to do with as I wish.”

“When you are finally let out of here, assuming all goes as planned and I decide to release you, you will be required to swear a new oath of secrecy. Depending upon my view of your performance and attitude you may find yourself, instead, relocated to a new posting, if you get my drift.”

“Think on about what has happened to those who opened their mouths about the saucer incident, they had fatal accidents or just disappeared, did they not. That includes a plane full of innocent people we simply took out to ensure we got the one we wanted who had tried to open his mouth. I’m sure that you know what I am talking about.”

The passenger plane shot down by, it was alleged, a stray missile during a military exercise only last year was still well remembered. No one had survived and the wreckage at the bottom of the ocean told no stories.

“It would not concern me at all if I had to have you all removed now or afterwards. I have done this before and I can easily do it again; this is the business I'm in.”

The threats continued but the impact could no longer be increased, it was already at a maximum; new words were required.

“What you may experience and learn from this mission, if it proceeds as planned, is something that no other living person will. Consider yourselves as highly privileged. Success here may find one or two of you elevated to other projects of an even more sensitive nature. Your future is now in your own hands.”

This praise meant nothing and was taken as a curious addition to the previous threats.

“The data you receive from Explorer with the new instructions you will now give it, including some fresh software, will be encrypted by a technique that you will not be able to unscramble; do not try.”

“When you think you are sending information out from here to the bureau for dissemination, it will be going elsewhere, a place you do not need to care about or have any knowledge of. This includes all video and pictures received from the buggy.”

“Just make sure it happens in a nice efficient and calm manner and the pizzas will continue to be delivered. We have a ‘John’ we can all learn to share and there’s plenty of coffee in the pot to keep us going. There does not need to be any upset or loss of life if you just get on with the new arrangements.”

“Enjoy the ride; do not make it your last.”

He actually smiled, enjoying his own inner humour, but he was clearly the only one that was. All other faces had worried fear etched upon them; a few were worryingly ashen grey.

“You have your instructions, ladies and gentlemen, stay seated and get on with them; we have a new deadline to meet.”

Shaky hands and numb brains downloaded the new software and started the Explorer off in a different direction to that anticipated. It was moving away from the rim of the large depression it had started to explore, towards the base of a steep cliff several miles away where a dark patch or shadow could just be made out at the base.

It was almost another fourteen hours until the struggling buggy (and the now struggling team) got over the mixture of rounded and sharp rocks that were scattered over and within the soft surface material, and approached the dark shadow.

The buggy had been re-programmed for the whole journey from its starting position those many hours previous with a complete set of directions making allowance for the lengthy time delay. The newly downloaded software appeared to be operating in the same manner as the previous version.

This included the instructions to stop short, automatically, of this dark feature lest it run into a rock face or other obstacle that could not be made out from a distance by the on-board cameras.

The team watched the pictures being broadcast back, via the new scrambling software, and decoded with a device brought in by these ‘animals’ now in charge.

The decoding was not instantaneous and because a single TV picture contains a wealth of information, it was taking nearly a further thirty minutes on top of the normal time delay to receive and display it.

The automatic programmed stop of the buggy, operating under its own command, had been essential.

The TV picture now lightened as the camera adjusted to the gloom into which it was pointing. What was considered previously to be a shadow was not that at all, but a giant cavern that disappeared into the depths of some velvet darkness.

On the monitors a picture, subject to the time delay, started to become clear and sharpened up.

The team as a whole now visibly shook as each stared at the single giant monitor on the command wall. Gasps of astonishment were heard, and the young lady scientist didn’t cry this time; she just collapsed into a heap as she fell off her chair in a feint. She had endured enough stress for one day and this was just too much to cope with.

Several faces viewing their monitors turned a real ashen grey; others had strange defensive smiles on them.

In the depths of the gloomy darkness a shape moved. a recognisable shape.

The shape became larger as it moved in the direction of the buggy.

It was walking upright. It came right up to the buggy.

The shape was dressed in a white space suit, similar to the type employed by this world’s astronauts.

As it leaned over, a face clearly recognisable as human, peered out of the domed helmet down into the buggy camera and out of the screens back in mission control, and smiled.

Then the picture ceased and all that was left was the static pattern of background noise.

THE END