2175 C.E.

XVII: Who Watches

Official Transcript: Phone Call: From Adrian Aucaman: To David Aucaman: 07/29/2175

ADRIAN: Dad, I really need you to come down here as soon as you can!

DAVID: Why? What's the matter?

ADRIAN: Umm, so that lightwave anomaly that I've been working on? There was a spike a couple of days ago on long band EM frequencies. I checked it out with my survey equipment, and it was sending wavelengths with regular spikes and dips, and I finally figured out it was a radio signal of some kind directed at low Earth orbit. Then there was an answering signal and I managed to piggyback my own signal into it and I started interacting with this binary interface.

DAVID: You mean your lightwave anomaly has a computer?

ADRIAN: Exactly. Well, this happened on Friday night, I've been trying to interact with it since then. It's all in some weird language that I've never encountered, but it was simple enough that I was able to figure out a few basic functions. The system's based on a—

DAVID: Get to the point. What is it?

ADRIAN: Umm, point is I gave it a command sequence and the thing causing the anomaly decloaked, and it's a black probe.

[Pause]

DAVID: A black probe?

ADRIAN: It's like the one that went to Beijing last week. Dad, I don't know what to do. I don't know if the thing's still sending quantum signals to the black ship or if they know I've found it or what. I'm still intercepting signals pretty much unaltered, but I don't know what it's saying to the black ship, and I don't know what to do about it. Should I just leave? It's their ship after all.

DAVID: No. Don't do that. I want you to stay and find out as much about that thing as you can. Your mother and I will be there too as soon as we can. If one of those creatures shows up, run away as fast as you can. We'll talk more as soon as I get there.

ADRIAN: All right. I'll do my best. I'm worried though. If the ship can cloak, how do we know it doesn't too?

DAVID: We'll have to take that chance. Stay there and stay safe. If one of these things attacked Billy, we can't trust them.

ADRIAN: All right, Dad. I'll do my best.

DAVID: That's all we can do. We'll be right there.

[End Transcript]

Personal Communication: From Vice President Yong An-Hong: To Admiral Nobuyuki Ito: 07/29/2175: Translated by Zhou Hanshen-Yao

Respected Admiral of the Terran Fleet,

Yours are not the first words of warning that I have heard regarding the military inquiries of President Yan. Contrary to your belief and my expectation, I have not been made privy to the President's war councils, nor has he informed me of his plans regarding Nova and the Federation. I had heard rumors that the President was meeting with the admirals and the generals both, but until I received your communications, I had hoped, and therefore chosen to believe, that they were simply rumors. Know that I shall look more closely into the matter, for I agree with your assessment. The Hegemony's fleet is mighty, but we lack the manpower and firepower necessary to reconquer Nova and hold the Grushan at bay. This matter, I deem, is of utmost importance, and you have my personal guarantee that I shall investigate at once and speak to the President on your behalf, and on the behalf of all Terrans.

Yong An-Hong, Vice President of the Terran Hegemony