Return to Atlantis

Chapter 19 - The Message

General Dunreft was called away from the WAC symposium to view a highly important and urgent transmission by the enemy, the first and only.

Waiting for him in his spacious, round shape office are two of his commanding officers, Simon Rutledge and Ben Kaine, middle-aged men of stature.

"For the first time in the history of this war, sir," Commander Rutledge immediately reported as Dunreft stepped in the double doorway. "Addressed specifically to you, Sir," Rutledge mentioned what everyone already knew.

"After a decade of intentionally blocking communication signals " added Kaine.

Dunreft went straight behind his desk, sat down with one of his elbows propped up on the desk and his chin resting on his curled forefinger in contemplation. A decade of war and yet these invaders remained as strangers for reasons known only to them. Is today really the day they are going to break their silence once and for all?

"Okay, put it on," instructed Dunreft.

Kaine signalled one of his men in the background who pushed some buttons on a portable console, activating the centralink that was wired in the President's office. The monitor hanging to one side of the wall lit up. 

The face that came up was no alien stranger. It was a familiar face: aged, pale, rigid with long, unshaven and unkempt white beard. Dunreft sat up on his chair, gripping the side handles in a tense motion. Everyone else in the room stood still, their faces and mouths agaped.

 It was the face of the missing Professor who appeared to be in a dark and gloomy laboratory setting strewn with unrecognizable artifacts.   

Silence pervades the room as General Dunreft and his two commanding officers listened in and watched the recorded feed of the scientist who has obviously, unbelievably, crossed-over to the enemy stronghold...just as Dunreft and his fellow head of nations have feared.

"How are you doing, General? Isn't this a lovely day? Oh, you must have guessed by now of my whereabouts, don't you?" spoke Kinski, his eyes glistening. "Alarming isn't it? But this is not the actual surprise I've cooked up for all of you."

'What is he up to!' Dunreft clamored in his head.

"As you can see, I have my computer with me," the bald professor went on, beckoning to the small tablet computer he held up for everyone to see. "This here is my best friend." 

'What are you up to, Kinski?' Dunreft murmured audibly.

"This little computer has access to Sybil's mainframe."

Lieutenant Kaine stepped beside Dunreft. "What does he mean, General?"

But Dunreft was speechless, surmising very well where Kinski is going.

"That's right," Kinski went on. "This has access to my Barrier System."

"General," Kaine spoke again. "He's not thinking of--"

"One press of a button on this computer and it will be the end of little peaceful Earth."

"He can't do this!" Dunreft stood up in agitation, slamming both his hands on the desk infront of him.

"My God, he is thinking of disarming Earth's barrier System!" came Lieutenant Rutledge's cry of terrible conclusion.

Kaine interjected. "Surely he is bluffing. He can't possibly disarm the barrier remotely, lest in outer space."

"One press like this," and down came Kinski's finger into the computer keyboard, a seemingly trivial action but everyone knew can be their worst nightmare.