Crypto-One

"Crypto-One" is the companion novel to "The Six". I wanted to post a little teaser for those who might be interested, so I decided to put part of the Prologue on the Blog.

PROLOGUE

Thursday, 29 July 1993 - Kahuku Point, Oahu
Construction had finally started on the new north-shore resort, and the bulldozer was clearing away the debris from two days of blasting. The foreman noticed the metallic glint coming from the huge chunk of igneous rock. He signaled the bulldozer operator to halt and went in for a closer look.
“What’s wrong, Chuck?” the operator inquired after killing the engine.
“I’m not sure, Don. There’s something embedded in the rock here. I think you’d better check this out.”
Only a small portion of the object was exposed, but its surface appeared perfectly spherical. It had a shiny copper appearance with no visible scratches or gouges.
As Don climbed down from the bulldozer, Chuck commented, “This thing looks man-made to me; like a giant ball bearing. What do you think it is?”
Don approached cautiously, removed his cap and scratched his head. “I don’t know what to think. It’s inside the rock. It must have been there a long time. It couldn’t be an unexploded Japanese bomb or anything. It’s gotta be hundreds of years old.”
Chuck shook his head. “Maybe even older!”
Both men were bewildered. Chuck decided to call the University of Hawaii and have them send someone out to take a look. Two hours later the van pulled up to the site. A middle-aged woman and a young man got out and started toward the construction trailer.
“Over here,” Chuck shouted as he emerged from a group of men gathered around the rock. He jogged over and extended his hand. “Chuck Morgan at your service.”
“I’m Professor Polly Shaeffer from the Archeology Department, and this is Gary Mahi, a grad student. Why don’t you tell us what you found?”
“It’s metal and it’s encased in lava,” Chuck explained as he led them to the rock. “You tell me what it is!”
He watched them examine it. Polly sent Gary back to the van for a tool box. When he returned, she selected a small hammer and chisel, then gently tapped the rock around the exposed metallic area. Small chunks broke away cleanly, exposing more of the object.
“Take a look at these markings,” she instructed Gary.
He leaned over for a closer look. “My God!” he exclaimed. “It looks like some kind of picture writing, but I don’t recognize it. Do you think it’s hieroglyphics or something?”
“Or something!” she replied. “It’s not like any hieroglyphics I’ve seen before.”
“So what happens now?” asked Chuck impatiently.
Polly looked up and said, “If it’s all right with you, I’m going to get a crew out here right away to remove this thing.”
“Sure,” he agreed. “So what do you think it is?”
“Too soon to tell,” she admitted. “We’ll have to examine it more closely back in the lab. Is there a phone I can use?”
“Over in the trailer,” he said. “I’ll show you.”
He walked them over to the office and listened while Polly made her call.
“Hi, Bill. It’s a strange one and I’m going to bring it in. Can you send a few of the guys up here to help? Tell them to bring the truck and a five foot crate with some blankets..... No, it doesn’t appear fragile, but I’d like to give it a soft ride anyway. Do you know where this place is?... Great! How long before you get underway?... Okay, I’ll see you in about two hours. Bye.”
She hung up and asked Chuck, “Can your men work around the thing for a couple of hours?”
“I guess they’ll have to. You two are welcome to wait in here if you want.”
“No thanks,” Polly politely refused. “I’d rather spend the time out there with the find.”
.
They arrived at the lab a little after five. Polly and Gary worked most of the night chipping pieces of the rock away from the object. They concentrated on the area with the symbols, hoping to reveal something recognizable. By daybreak they were totally discouraged.
“What do we do next?” Gary inquired.
“I think I’ll bring in someone from Metallurgy,” answered Polly. “Professor Jacobs might be able to shed some light on the subject.”
“He usually gets in around nine,” Gary informed her. “I’m going to crash for a few hours. I’ll see you later this morning.”
“Okay, Gary. I’m too excited to sleep, though. I think I’ll grab some toast and coffee and then keep chipping away. I’ll see you later.”
They left the lab together. After an hour of tossing and turning, Gary decided to take a shower and return to the lab. He found Polly and Professor Jacobs examining the object.
“So what’s the prognosis?” he asked walking up behind them.
“Hi, Gary! Professor Jacobs only arrived a few moments ago. Professor, do you know Gary Mahi?”
“Sure,” Professor Jacobs replied without looking up. “Hello, Gary.”
“Hello, Professor. What does it look like to you?”
“I’m not sure. It looks like copper, but it’s much harder. I can’t even scratch it with my diamond tie tack. I’ll show you something even stranger. Touch it! It doesn’t feel cold. It feels more like ceramic than metal.”
Gary pressed the palm of his hand against the object. “You’re right!” he agreed. “It’s not a good heat conductor. Could it really be ceramic?”
“No! I’m pretty certain it’s a metal, but it just doesn’t fit.”
“What do you mean, Professor?”
“It’s embedded in the rock; suspended there. Are we to assume it survived molten lava temperatures? And the time frame seems impossible. How long ago was this chunk of lava in a molten state?”
Polly asked, “Then what can it be?”
“I think we’d better ask Uncle Sam that question,” suggested Professor Jacobs. “Maybe the Navy guys will know what it is.”
.
Lieutenant Stratham arrived at one o’clock sharp and introduced himself as a Navy weapons expert. Polly led him to the lab and watched him inspect the object. She noticed he was very careful not to touch it.
“Where did this come from?” he inquired.
“The north shore. They blasted there and this turned up in the debris.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t planted there?”
“Planted? What do you mean?”
“Do you know for a fact that this emerged from the blasting? I was just considering the possibility of a hoax or something.”
“I’m afraid I only know what the foreman told me,” admitted Polly. “He appeared sincere to me. I suppose it could have been planted there. What are you getting at?”
“I’m just asking some routine questions,” he assured her. “I don’t mind telling you that I’m baffled. I’m going to take a few pictures and consult with my superiors. My advice is that you leave it alone for right now. Just stay away from it.”
“You’re frightening me, Lieutenant. Are you suggesting it’s a bomb or something?”
“No! I’m suggesting that it’s an unidentified object and common sense demands we exercise due caution.”
He placed a six inch steel rule on the table by the object, took a small camera from his briefcase and snapped photos from every conceivable angle. He took a sample chip of the rock from Polly, then packed everything up in his briefcase.
“I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, Professor Shaeffer. Here’s my card if you need to reach me for anything. Do you think you can keep everyone away from this thing until you hear from me?”
“I suppose so,” she agreed reluctantly.
“Look, I know it’s tempting. I’d love to pick and probe at it myself, but I’m a weapons specialist who’s trained to suspect everything.”
“Say no more, Lieutenant. I understand.”
Polly showed the Lieutenant out and then returned to the lab. She viewed the object with new respect and new fear.
She made her way over to the classroom for her three o’clock class. It was a welcome distraction for an hour and a half. After class, she began gathering up her belongings, oblivious to the man approaching her.
“Excuse me, Professor. May I speak with you?”
“Lieutenant Stratham! You startled me. What’s going on?”
“I’m very sorry I startled you, Professor.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “This is a contraband material seizure notice. I’m afraid we have to take possession of the object.”
“Why? What is it?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not at liberty to discuss the matter with you. I wish I could say more, but I’m under strict orders.”
“I’ll have to check with my Department Head, Lieutenant. The object is technically University property.”
“I understand, Professor. I’ll accompany you if you don’t mind. And there’s one more thing. I’ll need you to provide me a list of everyone who saw or came in contact with the object.”
“Everyone?”
“Well, everyone you’re aware of. That includes the names of anybody you know at the blasting site.”
“You’re frightening me again,” she confessed.
“I’m sorry. It’s just a routine precautionary measure.”
“Precaution over what?”
“Please, Professor Shaeffer! I just can’t tell you anything more.”

Saturday, 31 July 1993 - Baltimore, Maryland
Retired Air Force General Anthony Morris was putting his lawnmower away when his wife poked her head into the garage.
“Director Thorn’s on the phone for you. He says it’s urgent.”
“Thanks Flo. Tell him I’ll be right there.”
He brushed the grass clippings from his pant legs, walked into the kitchen and took the phone from Flo.
“Hi, Tom. What’s up?”
“I just got off the phone with the Navy in Oahu. They found a metallic object embedded in some lava rock.”
“I’m out of that game now, Tom. Besides, the Air Force closed the book a long time ago.”
“Tony, they said it’s a one-foot diameter sphere with some kind of picture writing inscribed on its surface.”
General Morris went pale. He sat down at the kitchen table and asked, “What color is it?”
“I think you already know, General.”
“What are they planning to do with it?”
“They don’t know what to do. That’s why they called me. Right now they’re just examining it.”
“But why would they call CIA instead of the Navy?”
“The Commander down there knows me and he knows my background.”
“Then they suspect it’s extra-terrestrial?”
“The Commander does. He wanted to get my opinion before he opened a can of worms. I’m glad he did.”
“What did you tell him, Tom?”
“I told him to get the thing crated up, but I haven’t told him where to ship it. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”
“Does this mean we’re getting a second chance?” asked the General.
“Whoa! Let’s just take it a step at a time, Tony. Will you handle the investigation for me?”
“Of course I will! If it turns out to be what we’re thinking, I want to take it all the way this time. I don’t want any pompous bureaucrats shutting us down again.”
“I knew I could count on you, General. You and I are the only ones left who know the whole truth. When can you get started?”
“Right away!”
.