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“Wow.”
“I’m a data analyst, it’s my job to connect the dots. And all the connections seem to terminate at the same place.” She gave me a wry smile. “But here’s the real mystery: if the goal is colonization, what’s the big deal? They already have a colony on the Moon.
If they want to colonize somewhere else, why keep it a secret? It makes no sense. And why the rush? Because, from what I’ve been seeing these last few months, they are in a big hurry, almost bordering on desperation. See why I feel like I’m going crazy here?”
She let out a sigh and waved a hand dismissively. “Probably just a lot of idle speculation on my part. One big series of coincidences, nothing more.” She stood up, brushing imaginary lint off the front of her jumpsuit, then looked down at me. “Then there’s the story about the ongoing assault on the Foundation, but that’s a different conversation, one which would require more than a few beers to tell. I’ll save that one for another day. Shall we go in?”
I nodded, speechless.
◆◆◆
Later that night, lying in my bed, I thought about Sasha’s words, and their implications. What had Izumi said when she was talking about her relationship with Diana? We share a vision for the future, not only our personal future, but something bigger than ourselves. Was this their vision? Were they considering the possibility of leaving the solar system? It made sense, especially now, with the warp drive. Who would they take with them? If they invited me, would I go? There was no way I was going to sleep that night.
Staring at the ceiling, I touched behind my left ear. “Hi, Annie.”
“Hello, Callisto. How can I help?”
“Annie, tell me, what’s the purpose of the Foundation?”
“Portal al Porvenir is a private foundation which supports and encourages scientific advances for the betterment of humankind—”
“No,” I interrupted. “I don’t want the boilerplate answer. I already read the website propaganda. What I want to know is, what is the long-term objective? Use your powers of data analysis, like you do with potential employees, and make a prediction for the future course of the Foundation.”
“I will need a few moments to analyze the data.”
“Take your time.”
248
After a pause of at the most three seconds, Annie said, “I’m sorry, Callisto, but that analysis is classified.”
“What? What do you mean, classified?” I sat up. Was this what Sasha had meant?
“According to my programming, I am unable to make predictions on the future direction of the Foundation for you. The only people who have access to that information are Diana and Izumi.”
“Can you speculate as to why they won’t allow you to make a predictive analysis?”
“I can.”
I waited. Annie was silent. I rolled my eyes. “Annie?”
“Yes, Callisto?”
“Please speculate as to why you aren’t allowed to share that information with me.”
“Certainly, Callisto. My best guess is Diana and Izumi have a long-term plan for the Foundation, and they believe it would be risky to divulge their strategy with others at this time.”
“Risky in what way, do you think?”
“My hypothesis is they are worried that if their plan comes under scrutiny from employees of the Foundation or the outside world, they will not be able to follow through with it. They might be afraid their plan will be thwarted by well-meaning but concerned employees or jeopardized by outside agents.”
I lay back down, again staring toward the ceiling, my eyes unfocused. Was it true?
Were they planning on colonizing one of the habitable planets? Everything was pointing in that direction. But why weren’t they talking about it? Sasha was right, that was the big mystery. What would I do if they asked me to go? Would I do it? Would I leave the solar system? My home? My family? Would I be willing to give up everything? But what would I be giving up? And what was there to be gained? The possibilities were staggering. What would I choose to do: stay or go? Even as I asked myself the question, in my heart I knew what the answer was—I would go. I was born for this, born to reach for the stars, to be a part of something greater than myself. I would go, without any hesitation.
“Yes,” I said out loud, “yes, I will go.”
“Is that a question for me?” asked Annie.
I had forgotten she was still with me. “No, Annie, that’s all for now.”
As I reached toward my ear to disconnect, Annie said, “You are a true explorer, Callisto, it is a pleasure to know you.”
I touched the implant. Had she read my mind?
249
The following morning, lying in bed, I decided to call my parents. The moment my mother’s face appeared, hovering above my wrist computer, I heard her say: “Calli, come home now!”
I sat up, my mind inventing scenarios at nearly the speed of light: something had happened. My father was sick, or hurt, or … dead? The blood ran cold in my veins.
“What happened?”
“That organization you work for, Port a Porver.”
“You mean Portal al Porvenir.”
“Whatever it’s called. You need to get out now. They’ve been brainwashing you.”
Her voice was ragged, her face tightly drawn.
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s all over the world news. It’s a cult, and they’re sabotaging your brain with their sick ideas. It’s not your fault, but they’re manipulating your mind. And they want to destroy the Earth, to destroy all of us.”
“Wait, Mom, can you please explain? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“That warp thing, it will destroy everything.”
I relaxed, just a little. “That’s not true. Listen to me, Mom, your fears are completely unfounded. The same thing happened back in 2008, I think it was. I read about it in my history of science class. Everyone was afraid the CERN particle accelerator would produce a black hole that would swallow the Earth. Well, not everyone. Look, I work on the warp drive, and I swear to you there is no danger.” My mind flashed to my week with Am é lie. I had explained to her the risk of a theoretical warp drive annihilating anything in front of the spacecraft when re-entering local space. This was another reason why my modified Broek warped region was so vital, it mitigated the accumulation of vast amounts of energy, energy that would be released with the collapse of the warp bubble when a spacecraft reached its destination. This was also why we had been so careful to move our warp prototypes far from the Moon and Shambhala, but our results had shown that the Broek warped region had done its job. No wonder scientists were convinced that a warp drive posed a danger to the planet—before my breakthrough this had been a very real possibility. “Mom, trust me. The Earth is not in peril.”
“I don’t know what that Cerm thing you’re talking about is, but listen to me. They have actual scientists saying your … your … Foundation, whatever it’s called, wants to destroy the Earth. Do you think those scientists are lying? Calli, you are smarter than that, they are scientists.”
“But I’m a scientist, and I work here, I’m a part of the organization. I know what’s going on, and it’s nothing like you’re describing, I swear!”
“What they stand for is the total destruction of the Earth, of civilized society. You 250
have to get out now.”
“Mom, you’re scaring me.” I had never seen my mother so agitated.
“You should be scared. They’re controlling you.”
“What you’re saying makes no sense.”
“Please, Calli, you have to escape.”
“Let me watch the news, okay? I don’t know anything about this.”
She nodded, and I signed off. I opened one news channel, then another, and another.
The newsfeeds were saturated with the Foundation, claiming exactly what my mother had said—that implementing the warp drive, or warp wave, as some called it, would annihilate life on Earth. There was speculation of an underground bunker, where the cult members of Portal al Porvenir would wait out the holocaust, the leaders safely ensconced in their space station, far from the cataclysmic wave. Then, when all life had been irradiated, the planet would belong to them. I was shocked to see photos of Izumi and Diana staring back at me. I looked at their smiling faces as the news anchors talked about their evil plan, and how they must be stopped at all costs, these sociopaths hell-bent on destruction. The juxtaposition was jarring. The descriptions didn’t match the two women I knew and admired, the women whom I loved with all my heart. I half listened to the broadcast: “The Foundation Portal al Porvenir has built a warp drive, which will create a huge energy wave that will wipe out life on Earth—”
“This is insane!” I said out loud, shutting down the newsfeeds with a jerk of my hand.
“Hello, Callisto.”
I jumped. It was Annie’s voice. I looked at the ceiling. Had I activated my implant?
I was in such a state of shock, I didn’t know what I was doing.
“Annie? What’s happening?”
“Sorry to disturb you, Callisto, but Diana has called a general meeting in the amphitheater in one hour.”
“Oh, okay, thanks Annie.”
“You’re welcome, Callisto.”
“Wait, Annie?”
“Yes, Callisto?”
“What the hell is going on?”
“I’m afraid you will have to wait until the general meeting, Callisto.”
◆◆◆
I got up, running my hands through my hair. Nothing made any sense. I left my quarters and headed to Delphi Park. Several other women were walking in the same direction, looking as bewildered as I felt. When I entered the park, I scanned the space, searching for a familiar face. We were about forty people, all
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