A third probe with more advanced collection technology that could withstand the corrosion was planned immediately. The decision-makers soon realized, however, that bringing such a deleterious substance back to Earth could be disastrous. The plans were canceled. If it had a taste for the probe, it was likely to find many other substances on Earth just as palatable.
While no progress was made in understanding what the Ring was composed of, it became clear what kind of mechanism was at work behind maintaining its fixed position relative to the sun. Observations had revealed that the structure of the Ring’s surface could alter itself on a microscopic level to control the albedo and angle of reflection of sunlight.
ACT IV: MAY 2014
AKI CHOSE THE Comparative Planetary Research Department at the Sagamihara Astrophysical Science Center to continue her studies. The choice was arbitrary since her work was only nominally related to planetology. In fact, no department yet existed for her field of specialty: the Ring and the transformation of Mercury by an extrasolar intelligence. Her research mainly involved analyzing data received from the probes, though she also worked on developing the center’s own sensing devices to be used on future Ikaros missions.
The center’s research budget increased each year, inversely proportionate to the declining global economy. There were also rumors that the center was going to become an independent organization. It was the perfect location for Aki to pursue elite studies in the field of ringology, as she and others began to call it.
Young students, most too scared to get their hopes up but some dreaming of seeing something that would change their lives the way the Mercurial eclipse had for Aki, looked to the heavens. Every television showed real-time images of Ikaros 5. When Ikaros 5 passed the three million kilometer mark, it had to pass through an invisible barrier recently generated, it was presumed, by the Ring as a defense mechanism. Asano, one of the assistant instructors, was at the helm of a wall of monitors, arms folded and reading the countdown.
“The distance to the Ring line of defense is fifteen thousand kilometers.”
The line of defense hypothesis was in vogue as an explanation of why communication with previous probes had cut out at three million kilometers from Mercury. The instant before contact with Ikaros 3 and 4 were lost, the readings from the radiation counter jumped off the scale. Also, every observation point on Earth that was facing Mercury at that time detected an unprecedented burst of radio-wave activity. Even the largest nuclear explosion ever recorded was dwarfed by the energy released by the event.
The probe was functioning normally and the telescopic camera provided by the Astrophysical Science Center showed a clear image of Mercury. It had the sharpest detail ever, clearly showing four mass drivers planetside. Material spewed from the four locations, arcing away from the surface and disappearing into space. At this resolution, the surface of the planet was unlike anything anyone had imagined, covered by a fantastic “highway network”—a term Professor Asano coined on the spot—that extended in all directions, a web of rails creating circular patterns like the canals on Mars.
“Seven thousand kilometers to the line of defense. We are almost there…”
Abruptly, the image stopped refreshing and updating, and the telemetric data came to a halt. A backup meter flashed red, showing that the signal from the most advanced probe ever had suddenly stopped. Terrestrial data lines continued to function normally.
“It can’t be gone. It can’t be. What about Hiraiso? Shiraishi, what are your readings?”
Aki checked the data coming from the Hiraiso Space Environment Center.
“A ninety-three decibel flux burst, sir.”
“We have been shot down,” Aki said. “Again.”
TWO HOURS LATER, the president of the United States, surrounded by many world leaders with forlorn faces, gave a solemn speech to announce the findings:
“We are now certain that the creators of the Ring are in possession of a gamma-ray laser, or graser. These creators of the Ring appear to have secured Mercury as a fortified outpost. Over the past seven years, we have tried to initiate dialogue, using every method of communication that is known to humanity. We have not been able to obtain any response whatsoever. To protect our lives, our homes, our countries, and the existence of Earth itself, we have no other choice but to fight this unknown enemy.”
It was then announced that a body known as the United Nations Space Defense Force, or UNSDF, was to be formed under the auspices of the U.N. Security Council. Since NASA was to oversee many of the working units of this new organization, the Johnson Space Center in Houston was selected as the location of its headquarters. However, the UNSDF differed greatly from the PKF, making it the first true military force created by the U.N. since its inception.
The “Space Force” being formed to confront Builders was all humanity had left to cheer for. Sports and mass culture continued as distractions but had become insignificant for most. Many of the countries of the world had succumbed to crime and violence, but the leaders of the world had, slowly at first, formed new and closer ties with each other because the leaders faced such a terrifying common enemy. Finally, humanity was ready to retaliate. With the shadow of the Ring ever present, with the world as it had always been known blotted out by an intransigent and aloof alien intelligence, war appeared to be the only answer. Aki disliked the idea but understood the fear and urge to fight.
“HOW CAN WE prove, without room for equivocation, that this constitutes intentionally hostile behavior?” Asano asked the crowded lecture hall. “If the Builders knew they were building their large-scale mining on a planet with no atmosphere, wouldn’t they need a system to protect their extractions from comets and meteorites? The potential explanation that presents itself is that there’s a chance they mean us no harm and do not know that we are here.” Asano paused.
“Any Builders should have considered the possibility of life in the solar system before they interceded by beginning construction,” a student said.
“I just want to know how the Space Force will penetrate the line of defense. Is overwhelming the Ring with a massive attack likely to prove effective?” another student asked.
“The Space Force cannot launch massive payloads or even platform enough war material in orbit. They could try scattering micro-probes, but that would prevent bringing back samples. I suppose other options would include camouflage or stealth.” Asano stopped to think for a moment, as he often did, then continued, “The Space Force will try different tactics, but I think that our force will end up avoiding Mercury altogether. Their prime target must be the Ring. The Ring does not have a defense system. They can get a foot in the door. There is, of course, the concern of being infected by the corrosive agent that destroyed that other probe. If it were me, I would follow the plan of sending a manned mission to the Ring.”
AKI HAD BEEN sitting in the back because she had 3-D graphical rendering to work on. She had predicted that today would be another discussion composed of wild conjecture, fear, and little grounding in science. Then she heard the words a manned mission.