An Unknown Variable

an Earth: Final Conflict fic

Prologue

The miniscule camera drone materialized in the corner of the warehouse, between two crates that would have shielded it's appearance from sight. It rose above the crates and began to scan the area. In seconds it focused on the alien-human hybrid going by the name Liam Kincaid and the man known as Augur- both important members of the so-called Earth Liberation Front. The drone turned in the direction the two faced as they approached and spoke to its true objective- disgraced scientist Arnold Creighton, his hands holding a small device, his body 'merged' with a metal shelf.

"We had moved things about searching this place earlier," a weak apology from Liam, "Can't you teleport yourself out?"

"Wouldn't help," the doctor moaned, "I'd still have internal injuries." He proceeded to shoot down Liam's talk of getting him to a hospital, pointing out that if they did so their mutual enemy- the alien beings known as the Companions would get a hold of him, "I can't risk them learning what I know about you."

"What are you doing?" Liam started as he saw Creighton manipulate the device he held.

"Teleporting the device in on itself." Creighton gasped.

Augur's eyes went wide, "That's going to cause an antimatter explosion" he shouted, grabbing Liam by the arm and pulling him toward the doorway they had come in from, despite Kincaid's pleas against letting Creighton kill himself.

But in the instant before his teleporter exploded, Creighton felt something strange…

When Creighton opened his eyes, he found himself a room with concrete grey walls- too drab to be heaven, too cold to be hell. Then he noticed he lay on a hospital bed, and intravenous tube attached to his arm.

"He's regained consciousness," A woman in a physician's uniform, whom he had just now registered was there turned toward a young man stepping out of the shadows. This stranger smiled, "How are you feeling, Dr. Creighton?"

"Well considering I expected to be dead, I suppose I feel rather good." was Creighton's reply.

"Glad to hear it," the stranger extended his right hand.

At that moment Creighton discovered the skrill attached to the stranger's wrist; looking at the physician he saw she wore one of the symbiotes as well, "Taelon stooges!" He yelled, suddenly struggling.

"No need for insults, doctor," The stranger's voice was quite calm, "These," indicating the lifeform on his arm, "Were cloned from cells stolen- with great difficulty I might add- from an experimental strain of skrill. Unlike the ones issued to mothership drones and companion protectors they do not require a cyber-viral implant to operate. A weapon without technologically imposed loyalty."

Creighton's body relaxed but his suspicions did not, "Well if you're not working for the Taelons, then who are you?"

The stranger realised his rudeness, "Of course, where are my manners? My name is Gene Saberhagen. I, along with Dr. Okuda here," He gestured toward the physician, "And the others in this- installation- are the former members of the resistance cell from the city of Edmonton."

"Wait a minute," Creighton said, "That's not possible. Volunteers closed in on that cell's base, they-"

"Set off a micronuclear device, vaporised themselves to avoid capture?" Saberhagen interrupted, "We did set off that small bomb, but only to make sure they wouldn't be looking for us after we made our escape- an escape you actually contributed to, even if indirectly."

Now Creighton was really confused, "Contributed? But how?"

"I'd been following your studies on teleportation theory before anyone had even heard of the Taelons. When the Companions put pressure on the Ivy League community to shut your project down it convinced me all the more you were on to something. So I supplied the scientists in my cell with as much of your research as I could acquire, in the hopes they might find a way to make teleportation happen. And they did, in fact that's how we were able to get you out of that warehouse before you set off that antimatter explosion."

"And brought me here" Creighton deduced, though he doubted he had been rescued by these people out of sheer gratitude, "I don't suppose you'd care to inform me just where here is?"

Saberhagen grinned, "I would, though it would probably be better to show you. That is," He turned toward Dr. Okuda, "If your patient is in any condition to take a short stroll."

Dr. Okuda looked worried, "Yes, but I have to insist he's brought back here quickly, he still has yet to fully recover."

"Of course," Saberhagen turned back to face his guest, "If you will come with me?"

Creighton followed Saberhagen down a corridor into an unfurnished room. Several people worked at consoles built into the walls, others passed by on errands. Creighton couldn't get a look at the wrists on all of them but those who stayed in one place had skrills on one arm like Saberhagen and Okuda.

Saberhagen nodded toward someone manning a console, that person pressed a button causing a hatch on the wall to retract. Behind that hatch lay a solid transparency through which Creighton saw earth itself in the distance, the continent of Australia coming into view.

Creighton felt like he was close to a heart attack. He stared at Saberhagen, who already knew what Creighton was about to ask.

"Between ten- twenty years before the Taelons announced themselves, humans placed a prefabricated structure- this structure, on the moon in what was supposed to be the first step in setting up a colony. Unfortunately the corporate entities funding this effort went under before the project could proceed any further. Not only was it abandoned, soon people pretty much forgot this place ever existed. But we found it."

"And nobody knows you're here?" Creighton gasped.

"That's how secret hideouts work, doctor," Saberhagen replied, "Any humans who still know of this place assume it's worthless real estate. And if the Taelons ever thought for a second it was inhabited, they'd have sent a truckload of volunteers to take the structure, or simply fired on it from the mothership."

Creighton raised an eyebrow, "A hidden base, weapons, technology? You're keeping a lot of secrets from your fellow freedom fighters."

"Because we're not their fellow freedom fighters." Saberhagen corrected him, "Oh I assure you none of us have any love for the Taelons, but neither are we content with a return to the status quo of old. Corporate greed, religious fanatics, et al. In fact even before I took over this cell, most of its members didn't trust the rest of the resistance anymore than they did the Companions. They still don't.

"I played the part of the loyal soldier, we all did, but in time I convinced the others in our little group we had chance, not just to fight off otherworldly oppressors, but to bring about a new world. A better world."

"A world under your stellar leadership" Creighton didn't even try to hide his sarcasm, "That's the real reason you saved my life, isn't it? To recruit me."

"You're a brilliant man, Dr. Creighton. You succeeded where a civilization eons older could not. And there are reasons you might want to be a part of our plan."

That last sentence got Creighton's attention, "And why is that?"

"Think of the pull you would have, the changes you could make. And you'd be in a position to do something about any- excesses- you might fear me capable of.

"Also, your intellect and our resources could help protect your fellow man from another alien menace. Though you have reason to doubt what you hear from the Taelon's mouth, the Jaridians are coming, and they are perfectly content with erasing an entire world," Saberhagen pointed out the window toward earth for effect, "Just to kill one Taelon."

Creighton gave the guy credit, Saberhagen spun a good spiel; it wasn't hard to imagine how he could win over the rest of his cell.

"And if those reason's aren't enough-"

"Yes?" Creighton wanted to hear this.

"You'd be in a position to get back at those who made you a laughing stock."

Creighton should have felt childish agreeing to throw his lot in with these people for a chance at revenge, but all the same an opportunity for payback sounded sweet, "Okay, I'm in. For now." He pointed toward the skrill on Saberhagen's arm, "I won't have to have one of those… things… attached to me, will I?"

"I see no need to pressure you to do so, if you find them so unsettling."

"And I can imagine what would happen if I tell anyone you're all still alive?"

"Hopefully you won't force our hand in that regard. Speaking of your well-being, Dr. Okuda is probably worried about you. We should head back."

Creighton held a hand up, "I can get back to her by myself. I need a moment alone to think."

"I'm sure you do." Saberhagen nodded and strode toward one of his lieutenants, a young man named Stephen Hamill. As they met the subordinate asked in a whisper, "You really sure he'll help us?"

Saberhagen turned his head to look at the scientist, "He's on the fence now, it's up to us to ensure he comes to our side and stays there." he came back around to meet his lieutenant's eyes, "You have something to show me?"

"That army depot in Alaska, the one you were so curious about?" Hamill showed Saberhagen a display on his global, "We finally managed to get a look at what's inside."

Saberhagen recognized the devices. Bombs, each with the force of a nuclear warhead, but confined to a blast area little more than tens of feet.

"The security's as tight as it gets, but we should be able to- appropriate- the devices without anybody learning who was responsible."

"We'd better be able to. Right now more than any weapon, any technology, our success depends on us being… an unknown variable."