The Angel of Earth

by

Rodford Edmiston

Part Nineteen

"This is definitely worrying," said CornFed, in the computer room, the next day. She glanced up at the holographic model overhead, then at the latest analysis printout in her hands. "Not only is Blackpool missing, but Insight is growing increasingly unstable. It's worse than useless in trying to find him."

"Almost as if it's helping to conceal him," said Multi, thoughtfully.

The other staff members on the project received the information about Insight with varying reactions. These ranged from disappointment to gratification.

* * *

Meanwhile, Aaron was trying to distract Melody. Mostly by revealing things she should be interested in, but hadn't heard from him yet. Fortunately, overall the world was quiet just now. However, the situation with Blackpool had Aaron pensive. Something the reporter noticed and asked him about when he fell quiet, as they sat in his office at the Repository. He gave a heavy sigh.

"It's just that there's so much to do, so many problems which need solving. I feel... burdened."

"I remember that one of things you were hoping for after Isight started working right was taking a long vacation."

"More than once, I have been tempted to just... fly away. Perhaps take up residence in some isolated place, like the aptly named Inaccessible Island."

"Like those empowered on their artificial island."

"Only with less company," said Aaron, quietly.

"I hate to... press you, but John is still missing."

"Let's ask Insight and its team if they can provide any clues, again. Maybe they have it straightened out, finally. However, right after that I have to run an important errand."

* * *

Even with one friend missing, and another friend hurting, Aaron still had duties. One particular duty was connected with his recent work at the peace conference. He had made a promise to eliminate a problem affecting a large and important part of the world.

The Rif Mountains were younger than their neighbors to the south and west. Much younger. Still, they had withstood the ravages of time for tens of millions of years. However, this one rocky projection in the northern portion of the range had not withstood the Warlord's machinations. He had ordered the peak leveled, and a major antiaircraft and antiship installation constructed. Located at the northwestern end of the mountain chain, where it overlooked the Straights of Gibraltar, its radar saw all and its missiles ensured the Warlord got his demanded toll. Officially, it was for piracy protection.

Though no work of man was indestructible, so far the Warlord's had withstood all attempts to remove or even silence it. Mainly because he had started small and gradually escalated his demands. He was planning a similar facility in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, which would overlook important trade routes in the eastern Atlantic. With the precedent set by his first such installation, getting the powers that be to accept the second would be much easier. He and his country were already wealthy from this work. Soon both would be very wealthy.

The intruders appeared through a hole in space, which was the only warning of their arrival. Taking a lesson in part from The Protectorate, they came through in order. Scouts in the lead, then people with ranged attacks, then the real heavy hitters.

"By international agreement," shouted Malak, who was in the last rank through, to the confused staff at the facility, "this site is to be evacuated then destroyed. You have ten minutes to grab what you want to save."

The result was more confusion. Except that someone with authority was not confused and quickly sent half the armed, military guards on the base hustling towards the strange visitors. Malak sighed.

"This is not negotiable. The negotiations are over. Leave, now."

A man in a much fancier uniform than those worn by any of the others came storming over.

"You will leave immediately! This is sovereign ground!" he yelled in proper, British English.

"Which we have been given authority to clear by your government," said Malak.

The soldiers and workers shifted uneasily and began looking meaningfully at each other. The Warlord was unimpressed.

"No, you have not! I am the authority here and I agreed with no clearing!"

"The president of your nation agreed to this," said Malak, his calm in stark contrast to the Warlord's bombast. There were cultures where bombast was considered appropriate in some situations. From the reaction of the guards this was not such a situation. They appeared very uneasy. The Warlord didn't.

"President?! That fool? I put him in power to handle the paperwork for me. If he can't do that, I will take him out of power!"

"Such threats likely being why he confirmed what his negotiators at the peace conference agreed to."

"Peace conference," said the Warlord, blankly. "What conference?"

"The international conference which primarily involved the Middle East, but which also covered much of the Mediterranean and western north Africa. Specifically, the threat to international shipping this installation presents!"

"The people of this nation will never stand for this," snapped the Warlord. "This facility guards them, and brings wealth to them!"

"Wealth which has not reached them, since you have kept most of it for yourself. The rest has gone for bribes used to keep your faction in power. No longer."

"You will leave immediately! You hold no menace for a military force and have no authority beyond intimidation!"

"Is he threatening us?" said Lady Dragon, with a smirk. "Please tell me he's threatening us."

"One of the conditions I agreed to at the peace conference," said Malak, loudly, making clear that he was addressing everyone there, "was doing something about the threat this place presents to the peace of the region, if it continued to impact legal shipping traffic. This was one of the few things all the participants wanted, including those representing your nation. So, remove your people and all personal items. We're going to destroy everything and reseed the land."

"You can't do that!" shouted the Warlord. At his gesture, the guards moved closer, forming an arc around the strange visitors. Behind the newcomers was a small, open space then a sharp drop.

"Sure we can," said Mannequin, also smirking. "Did you miss the memo?"

"Though they are being facetious," said Malak, to the would-be dictator, "our purpose here is quite serious. After what happened last Thursday your forces will no longer be allowed to have a base here. It's either us, or conventional military, but you will be removed. Trust me; we'll be a lot gentler."

"Fire!" screamed the General, quickly moving backwards.

The fight was far from as decided as those ignorant of the abilities of the empowered present might expect. Neither was it as one-sided as those who knew what potent empowered could do might have expected. However, several of the enforcers - including Malak - were military veterans. So were those who had taught the other empowered involved in this operation. They had been trained and they had practiced... even Mannequin. They knew the key to victory was to quickly close and get mixed in with those defending the base. Which is exactly what the attackers did.

Rainbow had changed to gold, perhaps in sympathy for Malak wearing his golden robes for this attack. All those involved in the effort were definitely taking it seriously. Even Lady Dragon. One lucky shot could end a life. Though for every empowered involved in the project that would require both a very lucky shot and quite the bullet.

Still, even with the confusion naturally involved with such a fight, it was soon over. Mainly because Malak's first action was to grab the Warlord and take him desolid, leaving his uniform to fall to the ground. With that man standing naked and screaming on the roof of his administration building, and Malak and a few others flying high cover, the defenders quickly gave up. Especially when it became obvious that the victors were being careful not to kill anyone. Though some on both sides were left hurting.

Soon, all those who had actively fought against the operation were restrained, including the Warlord. After his surrender, he was allowed the dignity of his underwear, pants and shirt. Though only after those were examined by TechnoDodger. Meanwhile, the wounded on both sides were healed.

"Now," said Malak, lifting off again and looking around, "LEAVE!"

Though they had already been told they could take personal items, many didn't bother. They left. There weren't enough vehicles for all of them, but most simply headed down the footpaths leading to and from base. Very quickly.

TechnoDodger was soon joined by a few others with similar talents, who were brought in after the seizure of the facility was completed. They supervised the shutdown and demolition of the equipment. At their recommendation, the missile warhead explosives and their solid propellants were dispersed and safely burned. Then, super strength, telekinesis and many other powers were used to reduce the equipment and buildings to useless rubble. This was pushed over the edge of the artificial plateau. Malak and a few others made certain this material blocked easy foot and vehicle access to the plateau.

Then came the hard part. Rich earth, some it already heavy with local plants and other life, was placed and strategically tamped, the latter action to help the transplanted soil resist erosion. Native species were seeded. Over this went a coarse, open mesh, with openings made to accommodate the existing plants. This geotextile was made of biodegradable material, which would actually become slow-release fertilizer. Finally, some additional mature plants including a few trees from multiple, nearby plateaus and valleys were planted through the mesh.

"The land is fertile and should recover swiftly," said Malak, looking around from the air above the former radar and missile station. He landed, and addressed his assembled team. "Okay, those who fought us have been delivered to the capitol, the equipment has been destroyed, the area has been replanted. Very good work, people. All that's left is to bring in inspectors approved by the treaty panel to document everything, and we should be done, here."

"If not," said Lady Dragon, her enthusiasm for violence only partly assuaged, "I, at least, will be back."

* * *

Melody was constantly being impressed by the people at the Repository. Not only the efforts of the Brains Trust either. Blackpool - she felt a pang as she thought of him, something she quickly quashed - had created an effective bureaucracy and filled the positions with competent people. His second in command - currently a Major Brampton - ran things on a daily basis, with the understanding that his superior might be away for long periods. The fact that the current absence of his boss was unexpected was only a minor problem for him. Though it was definitely a concern.

Neither was Blackpool's absence much of a problem for those working on the quantum computer project. Blackpool generally left the supervision of that to Aaron, anyway. However, even after Malak's work in northeast Africa was finished and he returned to Repository - with all of his team - Aaron had other obligations. For one thing, he had to conduct the mission debriefing while the memories were still fresh. Something many of the participants objected to.

Melody was in Insight's protected and shielded computation room room, waiting to see Aaron and hear what he might say about the problems the project was having. However, even after the debriefing, even after some of the other members of the operation came to the room, he remained absent.

Melody was surprised at how many empowered were currently in the large chamber. As well as who was there. Arguably the oddest was Mysterious Pete, whom she knew of but have never met before. Some speculated that he was CornFed's father, since he also affected stereotypical Western garb. Well, except for being barefoot. His features were difficult to read, mainly due to being difficult to even see. There was evidence he was one of the few empowered who actually preceded the Haymarket Event. However, he had never confirmed or denied any speculation as to his origin.

The main reason so many were there - many of them only peripherally involved in the project - was Insight's current incoherent state. Discussions over the what, the how and the why were often loud and emotional. One small but especially vocal faction was in favor of immediate termination of the project. Some of the members of this group even advocated violence against the machine.

"Despite the name, inertium doesn't stop inertia!" said Multi, his volume and passion causing the rest of the room to become quiet. "Just smashing the thing on the floor a few times would do it!"

"Are you mad?!" yelled CornFed. "You'd destroy years of work!"

"That's better than letting it ruin the world!" said Multi. "You can't deny that's a possibility! We're already seeing changes around the globe which we can attribute to no other source!"

That was news to Melody! As well as very alarming. Could that be why there had been so many nearly successful attempts against Malak and a few other activist empowered lately? Some subtle, quantum-level influence from Insight? Is that what had happened to Blackpool?

"If those changes are even real they are incidental!" CornFed shouted, as if volume alone could make her point. "It just needs to learn!"

A huge, confused argument broke out. Sides were quickly formed. Roughly half of those in the chamber were in favor of destroying the device, most of them wanting to do that then and there. The other half wanted to let it continue, hoping it would learn to behave. There were only a few who were neutral, Mysterious Pete and Melody among them.

The loud discussion died raggedly as Aaron finally walked into the chamber. He looked at the box. Looked up at the display. Then looked around the room at the assembled empowered geniuses.

"It's not coming from here."

He turned began walking out.

"Shit," said CornFed, stunned. "There's another system."

Melody was about to say something, when everything stopped. Darkness flooded in, consuming everything.

* * *

In Haven, every long-term resident suddenly stopped whatever they were doing and looked around, certain that something both dire and important had just happened. Then, as one, they proceeded quickly to the center of town. Others followed less immediately, some simply out of curiosity, but most of them because they were now also feeling the need.