Quiet Invasion(152)

Helen hadn’t cared. No one had ever been below the cloud layer before. Oh, they’d sent some probes down, but never a person. They were first, and they’d see…they’d see…

Then had come that moment when the blanket of clouds had parted and she looked down and saw what they’d been guessing at and arguing over for literally centuries. She saw the mountain lifting above the rugged tableland with lava running freely down its charcoal slope.

“It’s alive!” she had shouted to Greg, delight making her foolish. “It’s alive!”

“You can help keep this process as smooth and open as possible,” Su was saying. Did they give you a script to read from, Su? This doesn’t sound like you. “We will need to consult closely with your people about their experiences and the data they’ve gathered thus far on the aliens.”

“No,” said Helen.

Alive. Almost no one seemed to understand what that meant. This world still had a living heart. It wasn’t broken, like the Moon, or burned out, like Mars. It had fire, it had air, it had earth. There was even water, if only just a little in the heart of the clouds. It had all the ancient elements, the only world that did, aside from the home world herself. It was Earth’s neglected twin, but because they couldn’t mine it or build on it, no one cared.

“I beg your pardon?” came Secretary Kent’s astonished reply.

“Your people will not be consulting with my people. Your people will not be allowed to land.”

No one cared how beautiful this world was, how rich and vibrant, how much they could learn about the origins of their own home from this mysterious and fiery place. No one at all cared what she might have to offer.

Except the people in Venera, and now, the People.

“Helen. Be very sure you understand what’s going on here.” Su again, sounding much more like herself. “You are not being given a choice. The Golden Willow will be leaving in two days. It has a complement of C.A.C. diplomats and support staff, as well as a full company of peacekeepers to make sure that this transition goes smoothly and to advise in case the aliens become overtly threatening.” Su paused to let that sink in. “If you try to break your charter, all flights to Venus will be halted. There will be no transport of goods or people between Venera and Earth. All satellite support will be shut down. You will not be able to speak to any of the other worlds. You will be completely cut off.” She spoke the last words slowly, making sure Helen heard each and every one.

Su was trying hard. She was a good friend, and she genuinely cared. A sort of colonial mother hen was Yan Su.

“It doesn’t matter, Su,” sighed Helen. “This little call is just for show and we both know it. The Secretaries and the committee are going to do what they are going to do, and so am I.” She cut the connection.

Take good care of my world, she thought toward the vanished aliens. You’re all we have now. She got to her feet. She didn’t want to have to shout at Adrian, but they needed to get back in the air. There was still Venera to consider, after all, and it looked like Venera was going to be put under siege.





Chapter Seventeen


MICHAEL GLANCED AT THE clock on the living-room view screen. 4:05 a.m. Not a time anybody should have to know about. There should be a rule that everybody was allowed to sleep through four in the morning. Because when you were awake at four in the morning, you felt like the last person alive in the world. In any of the worlds.

He’d kissed the kids good night hours ago, running through the rituals of tooth care and story telling on autopilot and hating himself for it. Even Jolynn had gone to bed at last, not saying anything when he didn’t join her. He’d just he there, staring at the ceiling, all his thoughts running circles. They both knew it. They’d been there before, although not quite under these circumstances.

In four hours, Helen would be taking off from the surface to come back home. In less than that, every single person aboard Venera would have heard what happened between her and Secretary-General Kent Half of them already knew before they’d gone to bed. It was the only subject being talked about in the Mall, in the labs, up and down the staircases, and along the halls.

She’d come back tomorrow, and then what?

The lights would come up to full morning, and he’d still have Bowerman and Cleary trying to get into the base system and calling him a hypocrite. He still wouldn’t know who killed Derek and Kevin. He didn’t even know who sent that picture that Helen had decided was a direct attack against her and Venera.

Or rather, he might know. He just didn’t want to look.