Chapter 9

I stopped short of the tunnel exit to make sure that there wasn’t anyone watching. There wasn’t, but there was a slight complication.

A black bear was looking around inside the cave. I landed a few feet from him.

“What’re you doing in here? I don’t think this is a good place for you to hang around, it’s too long and too steep,” I said. The bear looked at me, a little confused. I walked up to it, letting it get used to my smell. It sniffed me, recognizing that I was human, but that not only did I not fear it, I also didn’t mean it any harm.

“As much as William and Harry would enjoy having a real bear to ride around on and to cuddle with, I don’t think I could take you home with me, and I also don’t think you need to hang around in here, okay?”

The bear snuffled around, then gave my hand a lick.

“Okay, fine.” I picked it up, which shocked it, and flew it out of the tunnel. It wasn’t sure what to make of what was happening. I took it about half a mile away, then set it down. “No!” I shook my finger in it’s face. It growled at me, so I gave it a little flick on the nose. I think about then it figured out that it shouldn’t mess with me. It snorted, then turned around and headed further down the mountain.

I chuckled a little, then double-checked the sky again before taking off. I felt that Peace was curious about something. “Yes, Peace, can I answer a question for you?”

“My database indicates there were animals similar to that on Star Home, only they were considerably larger. I did not encounter similar creatures in the region known as Africa here on Terra. Are these animals not dangerous to human life, and if so, why did you not kill it?”

“That was what is known as a black bear. There are multiple types of bears on this planet, but they only have four legs, not six. At least from my time, which was a long time after yours. Two things, basically. On Star Home, I was trained as part of what we called ‘Scouts’ to try to exist with wild creatures, unless it was absolutely necessary to kill them. An example of that kind of animal here would be a rattlesnake. If you don’t threaten the creature, it will leave you alone. But it cannot help what it is, and that’s venomous. Snakes also live in places where humans do as well, so there is a lot of potential for interaction. On our land, which is not wilderness, I kill one every couple of months or so. If I had encountered a rattlesnake on the mountain, though, I would have left it alone. Regarding the black bear, that mountain is his home, not mine. While they can be dangerous to a regular human, unless the human trespasses on the bear’s territory, there’s not much chance for interaction. If humans build their homes in areas that bears inhabit, then they should learn to deal with them peacefully.”

“I think I understand and will record the information. While my knowledge has increased considerably from working with Mycroft, there are still gaps.”

I grinned. “I wouldn’t doubt that. You can’t get caught up on everything from the last few hundred thousand years quickly. Simply copying it? Probably. Understanding it? I suspect it’s like when I read something. You have to assimilate it, first.”

Peace was quiet for a moment. “That is correct. You appear to be very ... comfortable in talking with me as a personality overlay. Why is that?”

“You’re aware that Mycroft is a fully functional AI, correct?”

“Yes. There were certain restrictions that needed to be followed regarding creation of a full AI, but so long as those were followed, there was no danger to human life.”

“That’s the reason. We pretty much outlawed AIs due to fear of their dangers, but we had personality overlays that were nearly indistinguishable so far as their responses were concerned. I think that’s why my grandfather was able to make Mycroft. And one more reason why Shiva needs to be destroyed.”

“Even though I am not actually a fully self-aware entity such as Mycroft, based upon my studies and calculations, I agree. Warning, we are approaching an autonomous defense unit!”

I stopped. I was still ten miles up, straight line a little over twenty-five miles away. “Weapons range?”

“Unknown. I must be closer to unit to attempt communication. However, due to potential for energy protection field, I recommend you land.”

“That may be what Dora found before.” I stopped, then dropped down at an angle to just east of a little town named Santa Maria. There was both a road and a river that went to the base of Machu Picchu, but I could also cut across the mountains if I wanted to.

Peace didn’t detect anything, so I started south, running along the river on the side opposite the road and against the woods. Even though it was just after midday, there wasn’t any traffic, which was fine with me. I stopped at another little town named Santa Teresa, which was about four miles straight line to Machu Picchu. As with Peace, I felt something probing me. I also felt the energy protection field activate, but with no effect.

I decided to go cross country a bit and get to the top of the closest peak, so I could scan Machu Picchu with my telescopic vision. The probing intensified the closer I got to the top of the peak. Once I did so, I felt the thoughts in my head.

“Warning! You have entered a restricted area! Defenses will activate if you continue your approach! This warning will repeat.”

“Been there, done that. Activate personality overlay.”

“Negative! Unauthorized user.” It then repeated the warning.

Peace sent me a suggestion that I then sent out. “Request guest visitor access.”

“Limited visitor access granted. Welcome to Mountain Defense System Command, visitor zero zero two. Please identify user name and origin for authentication.”

Surely it couldn’t ... I wonder. “Kalikulo, Star Home.”

“Visitor zero zero two confirmed as Kalikulo. Mental and physical scans complete. Visitor origin confirmed as resident of Star Home.”

“Peace, can you talk to this unit?”

Peace transmitted, “Mountain Defense System Command, this is Autonomous Defense Network Unit One. Activate linking protocol Zayin, authorization Wāw Tēt Yōd Kāp.”

“Authorization recognized. Begin linking protocol. Link established.”

Peace then sent, “Begin communication. Activate personality overlay. Visitor Zero Zero Two, user name Kalikulo, status change to authorized user. Confirm.”

“Personality overlay activated. Hello, Peace. You do not have authority to change the status of Kalikulo from visitor to authorized user.”

“Hello, Mountain Guardian,” Peace replied. “We request permission to approach without you shooting us out of the sky or when we land.”

“Granted. I am curious as to your comment regarding flight. No external flight control unit detected.”

I grinned, then simply flew from one mountain peak to the other, landing near the building that housed Mountain Guardian.

“Interesting, visitor zero zero two, Kalikulo. Visitor zero zero one exhibited similar abilities.”

“Mountain Guardian, I presume you were placed here in what is now known on this planet as Machu Picchu, in the nation of Peru, for a similar reason to Peace being placed on what is now known as Mount Uhuru, in the nation of Tanzania. To protect the first settlers of this planet and protect them and their descendants in their growth.”

“That is correct. Due to genetic diversification, the natives of this region are between five and seven percent related to Star Home standards from my memory banks.”

“How closely did Shiva relate to Star Home standards?” I asked.

“Supervisor of Star Home Investigation of Valuable Artifacts division was ninety-four percent related to Star Home standards.”

“I take it that’s how he identified himself and never did actually give you his name. In the long run, it doesn’t matter what his name was, anyway. He set himself up so that the natives without his abilities would consider him a deity. How closely do I relate to your standards, since I was born effectively a quarter million years after you left?”

“Based upon database standards, you show ninety seven percent relation. I request clarification. I detect within you a mutation that did not exist when this planet was originally colonized by Star Home that I have only encountered in an individual once, and that was quite recently. That individual was genetically a fifty percent match to Star Home standards but was also native.”

“Yeah, that would have been Dora, trying to get close to you. She is one of my wives. Are you aware that your mission here was experimental, in an attempt to determine if this planet could support our life, as Star Home itself was dangerous to us at that time?”

“That information is in my database.”

“Well, what you consider a mutation is why there weren’t any follow-up missions. We were genetically modified to deal with the radiation from Star Home. You might update your records so that they show that I am the current standard for Star Home residents, not like you’re ever going to run into anymore of them.”

“Suggestion noted, analyzed, and agreed. Kalikulo, you now match Star Home standards at one hundred percent. I request clarification. Why will I not encounter additional residents of Star Home?”

“Peace, since you’ve been tied in with Mycroft, would you please share the files?”

While they were doing that, I moved into a building and out of sight. Some tourists were being guided into the ancient ruins. I chuckled to myself, because the tourists had no idea how ancient some of the things here were.

Even at the transfer speeds Peace and Mountain Guardian operated at, it still took them nearly thirty seconds for all of the information to be sent. The two devices continued to ‘talk’ between themselves for almost another minute.

“Kalikulo, you are aware that we are autonomous devices, with personality overlays to communicate easily with human beings. We do not actually need those overlays to do our jobs. We do not meet the criteria of full artificial intelligence, as our programming limited us to performing within certain specifications. However, our programmers did give us certain variables which we could use should the situation encountered meet the criteria that a more emotional response would be appropriate. When you encounter the being known to be identifying himself as Shiva, or his AI, I would like you to bring him here. Due to various factors, including weather and tectonic activity, as well as simple age of equipment from having been emplaced two hundred forty six thousand, five hundred forty seven point one years ago, I no longer command a fully operational planetary defense unit. Internal diagnostics show that fourteen percent of weaponry is destroyed, thirty-two percent is between ten and thirty percent functional, twenty-one percent is between thirty and seventy percent functional, twelve percent is between seventy and ninety-nine percent functional, leaving only twenty-one percent at full capability. Once you have brought him here, I plan to use every single bit of every unit to destroy him.”

“I have no units to offer to assist Mountain Guardian,” Peace said. “My defense units were destroyed due to volcanic activity similar to that which buried me under ash. However, I completely agree with him. I have also suggested to him that your status be upgraded.”

Both units were quiet for several seconds while I digested what they said. “Mountain Guardian, I request a status upgrade from guest visitor status to fully authorized user. Under the guidelines of the original colonization plan, I believe that I qualify as a colonist from Star Home to Earth and thus would be fully authorized.”

Mountain Guardian didn’t hesitate. “Authorization granted, User Kalikulo.”

I logged into his system. I found a map of Earth, not much different from what it looked like today. I started looking through the files. “This is interesting. You have records regarding the original trip. It appears that my ancestors were rather more well equipped than I have been assuming. They brought more than enough supplies and equipment to develop a small colony. Why were there so many defense units sent?”

“It was unknown if there were indigenous or hostile life forms present, and if so, how dangerous they would be. The original colony ship remained in orbit for one local month while planetary defense units were deployed. There were indications from analysis by the initial probe of the remnants of the fifth planet that it had been destroyed by external forces. As this world was potentially to become the home for our entire race, ensuring the safety of the citizens was of utmost importance. While the primary goal of moving more of the population was never accomplished, defenses have been utilized multiple times.”

“Why is that?”

“From your response and my analysis of the files transferred by Peace from the AI you call Mycroft to me, it is apparent the most recent population of Star Home ... those that had rebuilt civilization after what you called ‘the AI Wars’ ... was unaware of the presence of two alien civilizations that traded with Star Home at the time of this mission. Those civilizations had FTL drives and were genetically similar to the people of Star Home, which indicated they had also been seeded by the same entity that seeded Star Home. They did not have the same degree of skill in miniaturization, genetic manipulation, and sciences in general. While they would not trade their FTL drives to Star Home scientists, knowing that something was possible is what prompted this attempt at colonization. Since arrival here, this world has been approached twice by ships from one of those races, and twelve times by ships or probes of unknown origin. Due to a variety of factors, it is no longer possible to properly defend the planet.”

I looked through the walls from where I was hiding, to make sure I wasn’t going to be bothered by either nosy tourists or the local guides. They were all concentrated in areas of Machu Picchu well away from where I was.

“Okay, I’m going to have to take this one at a time. Peace, so far as I know, you didn’t mention alien races to Mycroft.”

“No. It did not come up in our discussions. I have the relevant information from Star Home, of course, in my own files, as well as the encounters prior to the destruction of my weapons and sensors due to volcanic activity.”

“Shit! One of us would have had to have asked you about that, because you didn’t know to volunteer that information on your own. We originally thought that all of you were simply larger versions of the shivalingam and never investigated further on our own once we found you. You told me up front, you were placed here to protect human life on this planet from invaders, and I didn’t even think to ask you why?”

“Based upon your emotional reaction, User Kalikulo, it appears that you had insufficient information to discuss the situation properly. Rephrasing, you didn’t even know to ask.”

“I think you’re right, Mountain Guardian. I think we need to have a fairly long talk.”

When I finally got home that night, Beth was a little bothered. “I could tell that you weren’t in any trouble, but the later it got, we were getting worried.”

“I understand. It couldn’t be helped.” I sighed. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I need to get Peace hooked in with Mycroft and Junior and then have a very long discussion with them. I probably won’t make it to bed tonight. If you’d leave me a pitcher of iced tea and maybe some snacks ... I’m actually not that hungry or thirsty right now, but ... I’m going to be up all night.”

“We can stay up with you, mi amor. What is troubling you?”

I wryly smiled, saying, “Thank you, Adorable. I know you can. I’ll tell everyone in the morning, I promise.”

“Well, that’s sufficiently mysterious that I don’t know if I’m going to get any sleep,” Hannah said.

“For tonight, just to allay your concerns, as I didn’t come home with a device similar to Peace, let’s just say that we don’t have to worry about Machu Picchu.”

They were unhappy, but agreed. I took Peace in to the computer room and set him down in the same compartment as Junior. I carefully placed the extra shivalingam in the compartment with them, then put on a headset so I could talk to Mycroft privately.

“Peace, begin data transfer.”

One nice thing about having multiple computer printers was that it allowed me to have multiple copies of the information summary available for everyone. I made sure that the security night shift informed Mike and Cally, our entire personal security team, and Jeremy Gage that I’d need them here at breakfast.

Claire had everything ready for all of us in a buffet setting. She made sure we had plenty of drinks before then heading into the kitchen and closing the door. While she, Linda and Mary had learned many things regarding us, they all knew there were things above their security classifications that happened here.

Everyone knew me well enough to go ahead and eat normally, ignoring the large stack of folders on the counter behind me. Once the basic meal was done, with two of my Indian wives taking Harry and William into the other room, I floated folders and pencils out to everyone. “They’re closed with a small piece of tape on purpose. I’d appreciate it if you’d wait until I tell you to open them, so I can see your reactions at the same time.”

“Well, that’s mysterious, even for you,” Chuck said. “The minor detail that you’ve got all of us and Jeremy here doesn’t bode well for my peace of mind.”

“That’s being polite. Carrie, Cally ... actually, disregard, I forgot that you can all talk to Holly now. I’m guessing she knows there’s something going on this morning, and she can update Gloria.”

“We’ve got it under control, Cal,” Cally said.

“I hope so. Go ahead and open the folders. Please hold all questions until everyone has had a chance to read their copy. Go ahead and make notes in them as well.”

My youngest wives read through them quickly, then as one, they all three looked at me with shock in their eyes. Then they put their heads down and re-read them, slower. I sent coffee pots around to top the cups off for those that drank coffee, milk and juice carafes for the rest. Several head shakes and pencil notes were made during the twenty minutes it took for everyone to finish.

Leaning back in his chair, Mike said, “Well, at least we’ve confirmed that your planet wasn’t the only one inhabited out there. Jesus Christ!”

Angela looked back down at her notes. “How accurate is what this Mountain Guardian said? Can it be trusted?”

“Very much. If nothing else, this helps explain the genetic variations here on Earth and why some peoples match the First People more closely. We’re actually descended from Star Home or the two planets that traded there, while everyone else is ... from somewhere else.”

Dora shook her head. “In here, on page four, you mention genetic similarities. If the other race that sent ships here was also started by the same beings that seeded Star Home, wouldn’t they have also been genetically similar, as it appears everyone is humanoid?”

“We are genetically similar, we’re just not genetically close. Even before anything else, I’m about a twenty percent match to every indigenous Australian and Aleut that’s alive. There’s only so many DNA pairs, after all, that actually make us human. It’s the ones we actually share already that determine how close we are.”

“So what you’re saying is that we’re actually the aliens here,” Wendy said.

“We all are, Wendy. For whatever reason, the actual natives of this planet ... and they were probably seeded here as well ... didn’t develop rapidly. They were already here, basically Neanderthal man. Our original twelve showed up. About ten years after that, a ship from one of the races that had been trading with Star Home came by and dropped off supplies and two hundred more colonists. Fifty years after that, another ship came by with supplies and five hundred colonists. That was enough for a self-sustaining civilization. They spread, like we’d thought, but...”

“But then the aliens that the rest of us are descended from showed up,” Beth said.

“Yeah, pretty much. Mountain Guardian has very clear records of the attempt to communicate with them, of them opening fire, and then the general havoc that resulted. That wasn’t their only attempt, and apparently they had a lot of crew on their ships, because some of them sustained damage and crashed. Welcome to having about four thousand survivors. Poor Neanderthal never stood a chance, due to interbreeding from both peoples.”

Hannah had been flipping through the report. “I don’t see in here how they ended up resolving things.”

“They all figured out they were stranded here, and pretty much ignored each other. Basically, the original descendants lived in Australia, parts of Asia, South America and Africa, with the invaders controlling the rest of the globe. Over time, there was spread and a lot of things were forgotten. Plus, of course, they could all breed with each other, anyway. Then Shiva showed up, convinced one of the defense units he was authorized ... and we sort of know the rest. The reason both Machu Picchu and Machapuchare sound similar is that they both house ‘Mountain Guardian’ defense units. One of the pyramids in Egypt is built on the site of where a defense unit once sat, and the locals remembered it was shaped like a pyramid. The original Nazca lines were an attempt by the invaders to communicate with their ships that remained in orbit, and then the locals have kept up that tradition for a long time.”

Mike had scanned through the booklet twice, making notes. “Okay, let me make sure I’m reading this right. There were five defensive units in the Americas. Junior originally was in Tierra del Fuego, Mountain Guardian Peru, Mountain Guardian Mexico that was in Culiacán, Mountain Guardian Oregon that was destroyed in a volcanic eruption about twenty thousand years ago, and Coastal Guardian, that was on an island chain in the Atlantic that got destroyed in combat against the invaders about seventy thousand years ago.”

“That’s correct. I don’t know if the stories about Atlantis come from that or not.”

He nodded. “Okay. Now, we have Peace in Tanzania that was buried under volcanic ash, another Coastal Guardian in the Cape Verde Islands that was destroyed in combat about seventy thousand years ago, Mountain Guardian North Atlantic that went offline over a hundred thousand years ago, Continental Guardian Egypt that was destroyed by Shiva, Continental Guardian Nepal that is Machapuchare, Mountain Guardian New Zealand that was destroyed by Shiva, and Mountain Guardian Alaska, which went offline two hundred thousand years ago but coincidentally happens to be Mount Moffett. Just as a statement in general, I’m not happy with that last coincidence.”

Dave raised his hand. “Why so many volcanoes?”

“Thermal energy to power the weapons,” I replied. “Apparently we had some directed energy beams that make high power lasers seem like a carbide lamp in comparison to the power available. The problem is, Star Home didn’t have the same tectonic drift Earth does, because of the age difference on the planetary formation, so they didn’t realize that those thermal energy sources were unstable and just exactly how nasty volcanic eruptions could be. As for the invaders, they weren’t here to fight, they were just looking for a place to set up their own colony, but there was, to use one of the common cultural references I’ve watched, ‘a failure to communicate.’ They kept coming back, hoping that the defensive units would have finally broken down, but haven’t returned for a long time now. The last three recorded attempts that Mountain Guardian had were of probes, not ships, and they may not have even been from the same group.”

I sighed. “Of course, he also had records of Shiva’s landing as well and what happened then. He lost a couple of his units attempting to help you girls ... you know what I mean ... fight against Shiva, if you didn’t know that. Shiva infected Junior with a computer virus that removed his higher personality overlays and also turned the weapons off for Culiacán. He tried to do the same thing as Visitor Zero Zero One to Mountain Guardian Peru, but it didn’t work there because the surviving units had a communications network between them at that time. He did so much in those two thousand years before your rebellion. He hollowed out a chunk of rock from the fifth planet, then put the ship that brought you here into the middle of that, so that rock would provide a natural ablative shield for it during its normal orbits.”

Dora frowned. “Then, when we destroyed the protective field in Culiacán, we actually killed someone like Peace and Junior?”

“This is a case of both yes and no. Yes, in that it wasn’t what we thought, simply a large version of the shivalingam we already had. No, in that by that point, there wasn’t even a personality there, simply the energy damping field. There was no way you could have communicated with it. Hell, there wasn’t even any way I could have communicated with it. At that point, it simply was a machine.”

“I notice you didn’t put a time frame in here when the probes visited, Cal. Why is that?”

“Because I sort of hoped you’d all be too overwhelmed by what is in there to notice that, Mike. I want to deal with the Mountain Guardian in Machapuchare first. We can figure out what’s in Area 51 later in the summer.”

“What?” came from more than half the mouths in the room.

“Three probes. First probe in 1683. Second probe, in 1815, and may have caused the Tambora eruption. Most recent probe in 1947. Anyone good at connecting dots?”

“Can we ever just have one thing that isn’t a conspiracy theory?” Hannah complained. “I know my family was a major part of them, but ... now we’re adding Roswell?”

Margie made a face. “I think I just added one thing to the mix that’s not a conspiracy, but is going to take up the rest of the day, regardless of what you planned. My water just broke.” About two second later, she said, “And ... ow! That would be a contraction!”

In his command voice, Mike ordered, “Briefing over! Implement home transport plan Alpha One, thank goodness!”

The entire security staff replied, “Home transport plan Alpha one, copy.” With that, Dave and Chuck stood up and hurried outside. Angela got up and immediately went to Margie’s side, taking her pulse. Jenny stepped into the anteroom, then returned with a bag in her hand and went to Margie. She opened the bag and pulled out a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. Wendy pulled out a notebook from her shirt pocket, ready to write down the readings.

Sharon said, “Everyone other than Cal and Carrie, if you could please go into the other room right now?” Her question wasn’t really one. Sayel and Yagyu both went to the door and quickly folded chairs up, moving them to the side of the room, and picking tables up gently, yet quickly, so there was a free path to the entryway, while my wives, Cally, and Toby quickly exited.

Margie’s blood pressure and pulse were slightly elevated, which wasn’t a surprise. About a minute later, Chuck and Dave rolled a gurney into the room. They quickly positioned it near Margie’s chair.

Sharon said, “Cal, you don’t know what Alpha One is. Would you please gently pick Margie up and put her onto the gurney for transport? This is not a life-threatening emergency, so take your time.”

I picked Margie up using my telekinesis, then spun her slightly so she was over the gurney. Before I set her down, Dave put a blanket on the gurney, while Chuck put an absorbent pad where her butt would be. The back of her gown and underwear were soaked. I gently rested her on the gurney. They pulled straps up, securing her legs, and another over her chest. It had been about six minutes since her first contraction by this time.

Margie made a face and said, “Ow! There’s another one. This isn’t how I read in the books and from talking to Diana about what happens, you know!”

Sharon took her hand. “Calm down, Margie. Not only is this your first baby, but this is the first baby born with someone like Cal as the father. I think we’re going to be writing the books based upon your experience.”

Margie’s face relaxed a little. “If you want to start pulling that lower lip over your head, that’d be a good idea.”

They quickly wheeled her out through the door and to the stairs down. I assisted them in getting her down the stairs without jostling and into the back of a waiting vehicle. “Get in, Cal. This is one of ours, it’s a surplus M-886 Dodge ambulance,” Chuck said.

I didn’t know we had them, but it looked as modern as anything here inside, so I got in, took a seat and then took hold of one of Margie’s hands.

“Don’t give me that smile, Mister! That’s what got me into this situation in the first place.”

“I don’t remember you complaining too much, other than your pantyhose being ruined.”

She smiled at me. “No, I guess not.” She made an odd expression then. “Oh, did you help me with that one, Carrie?”