The Martian Ambassador by Alan K Baker

Author:Alan K Baker
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: SF / Fantasy, 9781907777448
Publisher: Snowbooks
Published: 2011-02-28T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE:

Strange News from Another World

‘Well, de Chardin, you look like you’ve been in the wars!’ Blackwood said, indicating the cut above the Templar Knight’s right eye.

‘A young lad, a good eye and a sharp stone: a dangerous combination,’ de Chardin replied. ‘How are you, Blackwood?’

‘Never better.’ Blackwood asked de Chardin and Sophia to be seated and took his own chair behind his desk. It was three o’clock, and they had just returned from Hampshire, coming immediately to the Bureau of Clandestine Affairs.

Blackwood’s secretary brought in a large tray bearing a pot of Earl Grey for his guests, one of Blue Mountain coffee for him and a plate of macaroons, and without further ado they got down to the matter at hand.

‘Did you see Petrox Voronezh, Thomas?’ asked Sophia.

‘I did. Your psychometrists were quite right, as we expected them to be. But the situation is much more serious and unsettling than even their brief glimpses suggested. Voronezh confirmed that there is intelligent life on Venus, and that the Venusians have all but destroyed their world through the unbridled development of technology and industry.’

‘Why didn’t the Martians tell us this before?’ asked de Chardin, handing Sophia a cup of tea.

‘I asked him that very question,’ Blackwood replied. ‘He said it was to protect us…’

‘Protect us?’

‘From potential contact with a hostile and acquisitive species. It seems that the Venusians aren’t the types to fall in with: they’re extremely aggressive and arrogant beyond all reason. They believe that it was their right to consume their world and turn it into a suburb of Hell. I must admit, I was wrong about the Martians: Voronezh assured me that they harbour no animosity whatsoever towards humans, and I believe him. The real danger lies on Venus, not Mars.’

‘You may well be right,’ said de Chardin. ‘But I fear that the people we spoke to would not agree with you, even if they were told the truth.’

‘Thomas,’ said Sophia, ‘we were thinking that it would be a very good idea to inform the public that there is hostile life on Venus, and that we have nothing to fear from Mars.’

Blackwood smiled. ‘I was thinking the very same thing. In fact, I suggested it to Grandfather as soon as I returned from the Martian Embassy. He’s going to discuss it with Her Majesty and the Prime Minister, and put forward the case for releasing this information.’

‘I hope they agree,’ said Sophia. ‘It seems plain enough that the Venusians are engaged in some kind of propaganda war, sowing fear and mistrust amongst the people of Earth…’

‘And fear and mistrust amongst the people of Mars,’ Blackwood added. ‘Voronezh believes – as I do – that this Indrid Cold chap is far from finished, that he has something else up his sleeve… perhaps a lot of things.’

Sophia was about to speak, but she was interrupted by a sudden puff of lilac smoke in the air above Blackwood’s desk.

‘Good afternoon, everyone!’ said Shanahan.

‘Good afternoon, Shanahan,’ said Sophia. ‘How lovely to see you again.

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