Chapter 5: The future

The engineers were busy assembling a new lab around the blast site. The equipment around the traces of the wormhole was almost ready. The area had a strong military presence on the outskirts keeping the area secure.

In her office onsite the Director was looking over the reports. Her new lead scientist was briefing her. "Ma'am we will be able to open the wormhole on a microscopic level, but it will take massive amounts of power. It's amazing that this even happened in the first place, this whole event is changing everything we know."

The director sighed. "Yes yes, it's amazing. You understand this is to be held in the highest level of secrecy, all this knowledge is to be kept secret."

"Yes Ma'am, it's just so amazing. How did we even have this equipment ready for such an event?"

The director regarded the scientist coldly. "Let's just say I believe in being prepared for every eventuality. So how soon can expand on the event horizon?"

The scientist looked at his calculations. "Well Ma'am, given we can generate enough power I would say we can send the first probe in 48 hours."

The director nodded. "I want the probe to be equipped with a quantum tether and, if that fails, I want it to be able to find the most secure hiding place until we can find it."

The scientist nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

"You can go now."

The director turned to her computer, she began to look over the modifications to the Mark 2, it was an improvement on every level. Where Dr. Sumner had insisted on a more 'human' approach the Mark 2 was pure military, it was designed from the beginning to take a more hostile approach to first contact. Where Sumner was an optimist, she was not.

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Laura

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I woke Entoch as the sun rose. I could tell by the game trails I detected we were near his village. I helped him pack up his sleeping furs. I also fed him some of the cat jerky. He watched me as he ate.

"How come you don't eat, Laura?"

"Well, I don't really have to. I can, it just doesn't serve a purpose for me."

"Oh."

With that Entoch returned to his food, I put out the fire from the night before. I scanned the horizon and I could detect smoke from fires in the distance.

"Entoch, I am going to need to scout ahead and check out the village. I want you to stay here. If you need me just call for me and I'll hear you."

Entoch looked at me. "Really? How can you do that? Are you sure you're not a Spirit?"

"I can't really explain it to you Entoch but I promise I am not a spirit. Trust me, I'll be here if you need me. Ok?"

He nodded to me. "I trust you."

With that I took off in a sprint, moving faster than I had before. I didn't want to risk Entoch being alone for too long. As I moved I spotted what could barely be considered a settlement. I climbed the nearest tree to get a better view. There looked to be about twenty people roaming the village. The village contained small earthen huts and was in the shadow of some hills. I could also see a stream nearby.

The bad thing was several people looked to be preparing spears for battle. I figured I could just walk into the middle of the village and challenge the shaman. I could show restraint, I was pretty sure I could do so without hurting anyone.

I noticed a group of about four hunters preparing to leave. That would reduce the adult male presence down to about five. I focused for a second, locking in on the nanites I had injected into Entoch, I didn't want to give him a fright but I had to act fast while the hunting party was away.

"Entoch, don't be afraid it's me Laura."

There was a pause and I heard shuffling about.

"Laura where are you? I don't see you."

"Entoch I am using a kind of magic to talk to you from near your village. I am going to make contact with them soon and I wanted to tell you to start walking this way, but wait just outside by the game trail with the big tree."

"Ok Laura."

I shut down the link between us and jumped from the tree. I started to walk toward the village with my hands at my side. I had no weapons on me that they could see. I got within twenty feet of the village before I was spotted. I saw one of the women panic and run for the center of the village when she saw me. I slowed to a stop, still outside the village, waiting for them to make the first move.

A group of four men came with spears. They stayed back, each one waiting for something. They just kind of stared at me, seeming unafraid of a women, more curious then anything.

I raised my right hand to them and spoke.

"Hi, I come from far away to speak to your Shaman."

The four men all looked confused looking back and forth from one another, the bravest of the four moved forward to speak. "How do you speak our tongue? you are like the strange ones yet you can talk to us."

I smiled at him lowering my hand. "I am not from this strange tribe, yet I maybe strange. I encountered a family from your village. They were being attacked by a large cat. Sadly, only the boy Entoch survived."

I gestured back behind me. "He is staying back so I may talk to you in peace."