“Unbelievable, right?” he said finally. “Like I said, it takes a lot to impress me. But this facility always does. We’re now on the long, north-facing wall of a five-story rectangular structure, about a block and a half long. On the top floor, to be more precise. Other than the sickbay and fitness center, this section—the view section—is mostly comprised of individual residences.
“This entire wall faces the reef, and evenly spaced rooms of various sizes jut out from it like the air-filled bubbles in bubble-wrap, although they’re cubic in shape. The point is that for each room, three of the walls show a view of the reef when they go transparent. The units are also built for privacy. Even if you’re in a transparent room, you can’t see into another transparent room nearby.”
“Then why not just keep them transparent?” I asked. “At all times?”
“Not advisable. The view is mesmerizing, and the ever-changing marine life is endlessly fascinating. When the walls are transparent, it’s difficult to focus on anything else.”
I watched an octopus change position on the reef and disappear, as chromatophore cells in its skin matched the bright blue color of the coral it was near. I nodded, not taking my eyes from the reef. “Yeah, I get that,” I said.
I forced myself to look away from the ocean, which appeared to be held at bay by an invisible force field rather than a window.
“Hard to imagine your organization is large enough to fill a facility this extensive,” I said.
“It isn’t. Not by a long shot. But if you’re going to go to the trouble of building an undersea paradise, you should plan for the future. At the moment, much of this facility is unused, but we have ambitious plans to grow the organization, especially if we can achieve certain goals.”
“This is all fascinating,” I said, “but it’s time to get down to business. I need you to tell me more about the Sentinels. Pick up where you left off in the woods. Explain how you have access to UAVs and other alien tech when you’re not affiliated with the Federation. I’m ready to be much more open-minded and receptive to what you tell me than I was earlier.”
“Why? What happened on the island before we arrived? How did you get on the outs with Nari?”
“You first,” I said.
The captain studied me for several long seconds. “Okay, mate,” he said affably. “You got it.”
38
I stared at the sea life around me for several more seconds and then sighed. “Can you make the walls opaque again?” I asked, not wanting anything to distract me.
Seconds later the sickbay returned to the condition it was in originally.
Just after it did, a tall, raven-haired nurse entered the room, introducing herself as Davi Ann Hardy, and asked how I was doing. Before I could answer, a woman named Cheryl Cavanagh entered the room as well, bringing trays of sandwich wraps and chips along with an assortment of drinks, which she set on a table in the middle of the room.
Nick explained to the nurse that I had made a miraculous recovery—not wanting to take the time to explain nanites—and that I’d be checking out soon, and thanked the woman named Cheryl, ushering both out of the room and closing the door.
We relocated to the table and I tore off one end of a chicken Caesar salad wrap and chewed gratefully.
“Did Nari tell you about an alien species called the Swarm?” began Nick while I continued to devour the wrap. “One with all the charm of an army-ant colony, but not quite as cuddly.”
I swallowed. “He did.”
“Yeah, I thought as much. But that’s a lie. There is no such species. I mean, come on, mate, really? A species that exists solely for the purpose of wiping out all life in the galaxy?”
I opened a cold bottle of apple juice and took a swig. “Why would he lie?” I asked, deciding to play devil’s advocate, even though I knew he was telling the truth.
“To get you riled up against the actual species coming this way. A race we call the Benefactors.”
“And you know about this species how?” I said.
“I’ll get to that in a minute.”
“No need,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s obvious from the name you gave them. You and they are allies. Which also explains how you have all this advanced tech. I thought you didn’t trust any aliens. That you were all about the human race exclusively.”
“We are. But this species has proven itself trustworthy—and extraordinary. They’re everything the Grays and the Federation pretend to be—and so much more. Thousands of years from now we’ll be welcoming them as equals, with much to thank them for. Not that we won’t have had endless discourse with them holographically before we meet them in person. But I’m getting way ahead of myself.”
I considered this carefully. “You said they’re everything the Grays and the Federation pretend to be. Who do you mean by the Grays?” I asked, once again knowing the answer.
“Nari and his people. That’s who they really are—small, hairless, gray humanoids. From Zeta Reticuli, not Rho Cancri. And I can prove it.”
I nodded slowly. “That’s okay,” I said. “I believe you. This matches what I’ve been told exactly.”
“Then why play dumb?”
“I know what I know. I want to know what you know.”
“Fair enough,” said the captain. “Allows you to compare the Grays’ story with mine, without biasing me first.”
“Exactly,” I replied. “But can we call them the Zetas from now on?”
“Why? Does calling them the Grays seem too conspiracy theory-ish to you?”
“Pretty much, yes.”
“Despite it being a conspiracy theory that happens to be true?”
“Do you really believe that?” I asked with great interest. “Believe that actual abductions have taken place? That Nari and his people are behind them?”
The corners of Nick’s mouth turned up into the hint of a smile. “Actually no,” he replied. “As you’re no doubt coming to appreciate, the Galactics never come to Earth themselves. So let me guess, Nari told you the fictional Swarm is behind the Gray abduction reports. That they can reach into sleeping minds and create these false narratives, these nightmares.”
I nodded.
“A convenient lie,” said the captain. “Again, there is no Swarm. And the Benefactors can’t reach into anyone’s mind, near or far.” He raised his eyebrows. “But the Federation sure can,” he added. “Did Nari tell you that?”