Flies from the Amber by Wil McCarthy

Author:Wil McCarthy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: colonies, black holes, alien artifacts
Publisher: ReAnimus Press

~~~

Uriel Zeng burst into the office, her face ashen. “I've just heard the most terrible rumor!”

Luna cupped her hand over the telkom receiver. “Uriel, I'm on the telkom here.”

“The egg thingies are emerging from Malsato!” Uriel said, breathlessly, ignoring Luna's words. “They're hostile alien spaceships, made of centrokrist and armed, and they're coming out!”

Inwardly, Luna sighed. Uriel was young, and never had learned much in the way of politeness. And she hadn't learned the ways of rumor.

“I've just heard that same one,” she said, trying to project a sense of calm onto her young protege'. “I've also heard that the aliens are the egg thingies. And that they eat babies, or they eat black hole matter, or they don't eat anything at all because they're creatures of pure and radiant light, or that they're planning to kick us out of this star system because they were here first... Where have you been all morning?”

“Out on the Zulamie cables.”

“Well, walk around for a few minutes and you'll get caught up on the rumors. Right now I'm talking to Jhoe, who's a little closer to the source than the rest of us.” She took her thumb off the microphone. “Jhoe, Uriel just came in. She seems to be panic-stricken.”

“Hi, Uriel,” said Jhoe's little face on the telkom.

Uriel, who could see only the telkom's plastic back, paused for a moment to flash a look of displeasure. “Salutes, Doctor,” she said coolly. “What can you tell us?”

Luna slapped the top of her desk. “Uriel! I'm talking to the man, here. Do you mind?”

Uriel snorted angrily, then turned to leave. She slammed the door heavily behind her.

“Has something happened?” Jhoe's image asked.

“Oh, Uriel is just being her usual charming self. Anyway, you were saying?”

“Uh, yes. I'd been wondering how the objects could get out of the black hole once they'd fallen into it, but when I asked Tomus he said they were never really in it at all. Just grazing past it or something, somehow taking advantage of the time dilation.”

“Right,” Luna said, “I got that part.”

Jhoe's image nodded. “Okay. He said Introspectia had observed two separate groups of objects, emerging on slightly different paths. Fourteen large objects, I think, followed by eight smaller ones. Or something like that—anyway, I know we're not looking at a large fraction of the total population. Three hundred of them? Something close to that. He said all the objects will come out eventually, but the times range from centuries to, well, to millions of years.”

“Huh,” Luna said. “Not much of invasion.”

“Enough of one for my taste,” Jhoe admitted, looking uncomfortable. “Doesn't this... worry you?”

“Of course it worries me. But I can't really fall apart over it, right? Whatever ends up happening, it will eat up lots of electricity. Crises always do.”

“Well then, I suppose you're lucky to have the job you do.” Jhoe ran a hand through his hair. Long strands in disarray, it looked like it hadn't been combed since he'd slept on it last. “I... don't feel so good about this.

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