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“Jade is forty-two, Barry.”

  Barry choked on his beer. “Oh no! Oh hell, you knew? She told you? And we let her go?”

  “Their life expectancy is 170 years old.”

  “My God, a few decades at the speed of light is not a lot to ask with a lifespan like that!”

  “Precisely Barry, nail on the head mate. It makes a whole range of things possible and requires a radically different society to ours to make it work.”

  “I suppose I have to keep that quiet as well, Mark?”

  “I’m sorry Baz, but I think it would be wise just for awhile.” Barry decided to take the initiative and took a deep breath. “On a more personal note, how are things going Mark? I don’t mean what just didn’t happen at ASIO, I understand that fully. It was the farewell I had in mind.”

  “Nothing really, I asked her to back off and give it some time.”

  “I see, so you are not that interested?”

  “Shit Baz, it’s not like that. There is nothing I wouldn’t have liked better than to rip that cute little green tunic off her and give her a damn fine rodgering. But then what? Where’s the future in it? Just another interstellar fuck.”

  Barry was laughing but he was aware of the implications. “Perhaps you’re right Mark. You’re my best mate and it was good to see you with Jade... after, after everything... You know what I mean?”

  “Sure, who knows what’s around the corner, eh? Like I told her. I need thinking time, I can’t just lead with my heart.”

  “Be open to all possibilities, OK?” said Barry, placing a hand on Mark’s shoulder.

  “Sure. She is stunning, but meanwhile it appears I’m out of the loop. The PM is too busy lately, even Jade didn’t seem to interest him once he realised the Tuathans were pacifists and not going to form an alliance,” said Mark.

  “How’s the war going?”

  “Actually, Mark it’s still going to plan. The US ambassador has requested a meeting with Paul to discuss trade arrangements for the future. The cheeky bastards have decided we are going to be around for a while yet apparently. I expect Paul will give him the don’t-call-us-we–will-call-you speech, he does it so well. I’m having three days at home then off to see our old consortium mates at the launch site up north. What about you, Mark?”

  “Oh, I’m being allowed to stick around the communications unit. I’m keeping an eye on the array and listening for communications with The Pride of Tuath. It is parked near the Moon again.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  NOVEMBER 2032

  “To observe without interfering can be frustrating and requires discipline.” A quote from the Friend.

  The crew of The Pride of Tuath had watched events unfold on Earth with increasing concern; there was no longer a stalemate, the Islamic forces were losing ground daily, Brunei had fallen and was occupied by Japanese and Philippine troops. All of PNG and West Irian were occupied by Australians and New Zealanders. The Balinese were revolting and finding weakening resistance by the Javanese military. West and East Timor were free. The Americans had opened up dialogue with the Russians. Casualties on the Islamic side had been massive.

  The colony on Mars had continued to grow and the Consortium had big plans for a spaceport and construction facility. Hydroponic farms had sprung up and the colony had on average seventy personnel at any one time stationed there.

  Jade had short ten-minute talks with Mark every day. The crew felt sorry for her as it was obvious that she was pining for Mark. Eventually it was suggested by Clover that Mark be allowed to visit The Pride and spend a few days with them. Jay was of the opinion that Jade’s Earth visit had been a disaster on all fronts and that he would be reprimanded once he returned home. He regarded all contact with natives as a mistake. He felt personally responsible for the stabbing and asked for a reconciliation session with Jade. Clover presided. Afterward he was able to function normally, without heavy guilt.

  The ship’s AI picked up the first nuclear explosion in Brunei and alerted Jay. “The city and surrounding countryside for thirty kilometres has been destroyed.” Bali and Timor were next then Port Moresby in New Guinea, all three areas were levelled. News broadcasts stated that a huge invasion force was being prepared to attack the north Australian coast. A diversionary force took Darwin and moved across the north heading for the east coast. The main army in fact came ashore on the west coast at Broome. They were going to make an example of Australia. Refugees swarmed south to Perth. Another nuclear attack reduced Perth to rubble. The Australian army had been concentrated in the north and had been decimated by the attack on Port Moresby. Manila was the next target and the destruction resulted in the forces of Japan and the Philippines being recalled back to Luzon to help with the few victims who survived. The Southern Islamic Army was advancing toward Adelaide in Australia with little resistance as the Australian and New Zealand force was intent on getting to Canberra to make a stand. The Russian President, fearing that the days were numbered for the south-east Asia region, launched a massive missile attack at the Middle East. Israel found itself stuck in the middle of the onslaught with nowhere to run.

  All this was being watched at a safe distance by The Pride of Tuath. Jade was watching with increasing fear for Mark’s life. She knew that Canberra could be the next nuclear target and that the entire continent was in danger of becoming uninhabitable.

  The Southern Islamic Force consolidated itself in Adelaide; preparing for the east coast offensive. In Canberra the array was brought into play. Paul had no choice, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur were systematically burnt to the ground. The offensive ended abruptly. The Japanese and Philippine army were quick to take the initiative and swept south, attempting to over-run Java before it could recover. The Southern Islamic Force was now cut off from supply in Adelaide and, although it outnumbered the defending army, its generals wavered and were without orders or any form of support from Jakarta.

  “We will wait until food becomes their major enemy,” said Paul, who was in the operations room. “Our casualties have been unacceptably high. Contain them, do not attack. Let them starve for a while, then when they are ready to leave slow their retreat across the Nullarbor Plain. Let them perish slowly in the desert.”

  “What about the northern hemisphere?” Asked a General. “Now that everyone knows about The Array, our allies will be expecting us to use it to their advantage.”

  The general had spoken to the nods of approval from the military staff present.

  Paul, however was not about to allow his nation to become a pawn in the geopolitical re-allignment that was about to take place. He gave all present the benefit of one of his now infamous cold stares.“What allies? What allies have we ever had in the northern hemisphere apart from the Japanese and Philippinos?”

  “But Prime Minister, we can use the array to bring the conflict to a speedy end. We can–”

  “Yes we can! We can burn more people. Our nation is on its knees, polluted by radiation, our population reduced by at least seventy per cent. Our infrastructure and industrial capacity in ruins we face starvation ourselves within a year, and why? Because we had no friends, we were isolated and shunned. I will do you one favour, gentlemen. I will order the destruction of Mecca. Jerusalem is already levelled. I will destroy Mecca and all of Saudi Arabia and most of the Middle East. The sad fact is when I have done that I will not be able to burn the Vatican and Salt Lake City. They will scrabble for the pieces and the resources, they will rip themselves apart while we are left in the peace and poverty they helped create. Then later they will, if we allow them the chance, try to exploit and dominate us. I want no one from the invading army to survive, you see gentlemen this was what human history calls a Holy War and in true religious tradition I want no prisoners and no possibility of our enemies rising again. It is us and us alone who will dominate the new order, at least in its early development over the next few years. We will shape that future by threat and action if necessary.”

  Paul turned and walked out of the room l
eaving the assemblage shocked and quiet. Paul had shown his true feelings and they had been more violent than expected. Outside a car was waiting, inside were Jack and Daniel. The car sped off towards the Snowy Mountains on the Victorian border. He had organised a meeting with Mark and Barry at Barry’s estate.

  Paul, Barry and Mark ate a roast lamb dinner. None of them were anxious to get down to business so they ate quietly, with Barry’s family making polite conversation. Later in the study the five of them sat around an open fire. “What’s the news from the boss, Daniel?” asked Paul.

  “He is relieved that the war is over, for us at least, and approves of your decision to destroy the Islamic heartlands. He agrees to let the dogs fight over the scraps, but he is deeply concerned for our future given that we have a serious contamination problem.” Jack spoke up.

  “He wants to know is there a chance of sustaining our current population.?” Paul looked at them all and shook his head. “We only have about nine million people but we will have big problems trying to support that many three months from now. The projections I got this morning state we will be fine if we can make one and a half million disappear for about three years while we rebuild. I intend to ask New Zealand and South America to take our refugees for three years. It’s a big ask though as they all have their own problems. Barry, what’s the situation with the Consortium?”

  “Everything is working out just fine for them. The Mars base is now streaking ahead. They are pumping resources into the place as fast as they can. They are recruiting more companies to join and it now is evident that the intention on Mars is to make it a capitalistic free port. It’s a hedge against nationalism by the big internationals. They still need a base here and intend asking if they can move their launch site and research centre closer to Alice Springs. The radiation levels are worrying them.”

  “Tell them OK. We look after our friends., Jack the news from the northern hemisphere please?”

  “America is the big game in town. They know the ball is in their court all they have to do is work with the Chinese and Russians and it is all over. Muslims are leaving Europe in droves, heading for central Africa. They are under constant attack in Europe and are not in control anymore, they know the game is up and are grabbing what goodies they can before they leave. The predicted trend is that the African continent will become essentially a caliphate isolated from the rest of the world. South Africa will need strong leadership in the years to come to keep them from crossing the border.”

  “I will offer them the protection of the array once we can get it back in operation; at a price of course. From now on I intend to make an alliance, a military defence alliance with the consortium. The objective will be to make sure we are the only ones with a pre-emptive strike capacity in space. We will police this dirt ball and wear the fact that many other nations will resent us for it and be quietly hostile towards us. Our major concern must be to preserve and repair what we have and maintain the technological advances we have been making while the rest of the world was praying. To this end I need you, Mark, to open dialogue with the Tuathans.”

  “There is nothing I would like better PM, but any suggestion of an alliance would be met with nothing short of contempt. They have been sitting up there in space watching us butcher and burn one another. I will be lucky if they let me anywhere near them. I’ll give it my best shot however, and if by any chance they listen to me what do you want me to say?”

  “You tell me, Mark. You know them better than anyone. Is there anything we have got that they may want? We need a bargaining chip.”

  Mark paused and looked out at the scene outside the window. The last of the evening light was painting the trees blue and silver, mauve and soft pink tinted the grazing paddocks. Within twenty minutes it would be enveloped by a night with a sky clearer than anything in the northern hemisphere. The stars would truly shine like diamonds on black velvet. It is so beautiful here, he thought. “I think we should offer them a large piece of land, a place that can be their own. We would have to guarantee them security and the right to do with it as they pleased. A freehold title with the same privileges as a consulate would be required.” Mark was playing on a hunch that the Tuathans were still harbouring feelings for their place of origin.

  “Well sure, if you think that would work. Personally I can’t see why they would be particularly interested but, sure, they can have a five-hectare site in Canberra. Security would be no problem, we’ll supply builders etc.”

  “No PM. That’s not what I have in mind. A ten-thousand hectare site with coastal frontage may just do it.”

  “What the hell! What are you saying Mark? We give them a small country of their own?”

  “Yes, in a way. We let them have a stake in our future survival.” Paul began to pace the floor, clearly unhappy with the idea. “I’m not happy with it Mark, can you make me another offer?”

  “To be frank, PM I’m not sure they will even go for this one. It depends what you want in return. I’m afraid you cannot ask for much. It will take a lot of diplomacy to gain their trust and co-operation. To them we are barbarians. They refer to us as natives in what I take to be a derogatory sense of the word. However, if we are successful in gaining their respect, well, the rewards could be unimaginable.”

  “Leave it with me, Mark. It’s too big for me alone to decide, ASIO and the boss will have to be in on it. I will even have to be nice in Parliament. Now peace is looming I don’t pack the punch I used to in the halls of power, which is another reason why I need to get things settled. My days are numbered, one more term of office will do it.”

  The mopping-up operation of the southern Islamic forces took two months. The Japanese formed an interim government in Malaysia and Indonesia. It was to be administered by them for the next twenty-five years as a minimum requirement for a cessation of conflict. They were to accept democracy or immigration to the Middle East or Africa. Islamic religion was outlawed, mosques were confiscated by the state.

  Mecca burned and in retaliation Islam launched the last of their missiles at the Vatican City and what little there was left of Israel. From then on Paul’s prediction came into effect: America joined with Russia and Europe was swept along with the tide. The Islamic Northern Army collapsed and surrendered three months after the southern army. The entire world apart from the Americas was exhausted and depleted. Populations had been reduced to pre-nineteenth-century levels. America was poised to take economic and political dominance once again. Against this backdrop Paul was given permission to let Mark make his offer to the Tuathans.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  DECEMBER 2032

  Jay had resisted the feelings of his crew for long enough. When the request came to engage in some friendly diplomacy he decided to spare a couple of days, allow Jade some leave and win hearts and minds before they went home. Just maybe he could salvage something from this trip to justify the rules of engagement that had been broken.

  When Mark got out of the car, Jade was already standing below the disc ship bathed in the orange light of the anti-grav coil. She half ran towards him, smiling. He was taken aback by how beautiful she was and held open his arms. She leapt into his embrace and he held her with her feet dangling; they held that stance for a full minute before walking, now in a more dignified manner, back to the transport spot under the disc ship.

  The entire crew had come to hear what Mark had to say. They had gathered on the bridge.

  “I am here on official business representing the government of Australia. I am authorised to make the people of Tuath the following offer. Ten thousand hectares of land are to be given freely and designated for their sole use without hindrance in perpetuity. The land is to be regarded as consular in nature, which means only Tuathan Law applies.”

  Jay smiled, “What must we give in return, and what makes you think we would be interested in such an offer?”

  “Nothing, just friendship. The secret of your true origins are known only to me and one other. We believe E
arth is your ancestral home. I have never questioned you about this because I sense it is culturally sensitive. However, if I am right then you still must have an attachment for Earth. I have tried to give you your own place on your true home planet. It is hoped that with time there will come a better relationship based on trust and mutual respect.”

  Jay was shocked by this speech. Mark was right in every aspect. The elders would at least want to consider the proposal. He could not say no, he did not have the authority. The fact that Mark knew their origins was another matter altogether. This the elders would find difficult to deal with and Jay was concerned for his own reputation in having been instrumental in this exposure of his entire race. “What do you suppose you know of our origins?”

  “Your language is close to modern Irish, too close to be mere coincidence. It even shows traces of the adaptation and adoption of words found in the Middle East. Your physiology is an adaptation of ours, it isn’t truly alien. I believe you to be genetically engineered. To put it simply, our similarities are far greater than our differences.”

  “If you believe this to be true, why haven’t you divulged it to your superiors?”

  “The information, as Jade would have explained, did not serve our purposes politically at that time. I felt that it also was not in your best interests for it to be general knowledge. I would rather you are given the opportunity to tell us the whole truth at a time you chose. It would be a sign of growing trust.”

  “This is a heavy burden for you to carry, Mark. Such a secret surely places you in danger.”

  “Yes Jay, you are right, but the people of Earth are so busy with the rebuilding of their societies that you have faded away from their list of things to be worried about. It is a perfect time in fact for you to begin to be seen as a normal part of the landscape, as it were. Australia is now to become a land with a very small population. The radiation levels will ensure it will remain that way for some time to come, unfortunately. Regardless of what you have observed from space the people are peace-loving and friendly by nature, you will be welcome.”