Backup Procedures Chapter 7

           Walking down the crowded streets of Mooring, Norton easily kept his bearings. Even if the buildings were ramshackle to homemade, the streets were wide and straight. Crossing a neighborhood notable for its immigrants from Rio he smiled at the Samba music came out of open bars and restaurants. Brazil had leveraged their "sharing" of the Conneaut Lock well and had become even more of a dominant force on South American politics.

           Having a larger and more impoverished population than either Japan or Canada (the US's two other "Lock partners"), Brazil was able to get more colonists out to settle on more and more planets. Often outnumbering North Americans in this part of the Spinward Steppes.

           The slightly orange tinted sun loomed above, a bit larger than Earth-normal. A standard naval base boomtown, Mooring had the standard rough shanties and eager, sometimes even legitimate, entrepreneurs.

           Most of the business supported the military, the seaport, or the colony, which rapidly spread over the rest of Cooke Island. As the population had grown large enough to support secondary businesses and stores.

           Near New Carlisle's Earth-bound Lock, Mooring served as a gateway for planet's other continents and the four other worlds that it connected too: Rossford, Hamilton, and two worlds that had only been partially surveyed. Nameless, they were still referred to by their serial numbers: N4c-3a-2a-1e and N4d-3a-2a-1e.

           The humidity had broken today and the air was less oppressive if still full of the smells of fuel, and fish. At least the city had a modern sewage system. Norton had been in some areas of the Consolidation where water treatment was a tertiary concern, if that.

            Pedestrians weaved around lumbering cargo trucks. He glanced at a pair of Descended that leaned on a metal wall. Beyond their revealing clothing, he noticed their appraising predatory eyes. It was the same mercantile look he had seen on recon teams. The reporter shook his head and looked down the block, finally spotting his destination.

           Gabriel Norton walked into the cafe. One of the newer constructions it was a prefab franchise. The smooth decor and crisp walls were a shocking bit of home among the stone and cargo crates that made up the bulk of Mooring.

           An image flashed on the HUD displayed on Gabriel's contacts and he scanned the room looking for a match. He found the subject in the corner of the café sipping from an almost comically oversize mug. A bit past middle age, the man had leathery, tanned skin, a shaved-bald head, and wiry muscles. He was dressed in a field-vest, boots, and shorts, al of which had a light dusting.

           "Professor Bruce Teage," Norton walked up to the man. He was about to nod when the professor jumped to his feet and thrust out his hand.

           Only showing a fraction of his reluctance, Norton shook the man's hand.

           "So you must be the freelancer that's swung past this far end of space," Teage chuckled and took his seat.

           Norton ordered and took a chair opposite. He pulled out his recorder, and Teage nodded agreeably to it. "You're on a dig funded by Cornell and the Office of Naval Research?"

           "Their xeno-cultural program is rather good," Teage lowered his voice theatrically. "Even if they're a bit anti-Maker in their bias."

           Norton paused as the waitress handed him his tea. "It's a Maker site you're investigating here?"

           "Oh yes, I'll have to bring you in sometime. We can't take any visitors right now, we're at a critical phase right now. Many of the artifacts are submerged and recovering them is a delicate mater."

           "Ah." Norton made a note. "How is the Navy helping?"

           "They've brought in some ground sensors and digging equipment. Plus a couple of operators to help me and my six grad students. We even had someone visiting to ask if we needed anything else."

           Nodding, Norton wondered if those operators were just ONR or if they were ONI as well. Maker artifacts were a potential security risk, and the Office of Naval Intelligence tried to keep tabs on most off-world developments.

           "We've found some wonderful pre-Fall artifacts. The outpost is not too far north of here." Holding the over-size cup two handed, Teage took a sip.

           "Have you had much luck decoding them?"

           The cup shook a bit. Teage gave a weak smile. "To a degree. It looks like they were doing some marine husbandry work. We found stockbooks, cages and the like. It's really fascinating."

           "Surely you know the type of stock the Makers kept." Norton said.

           Teage sighed. "Yes, but this was simply aquatic animals" He tapped his mug. "I'm actually a bit surprised you agreed to meet with me. Your pro-Descended bias is well-known."

           "I wouldn't call it unwarranted. I've served with them and spend time with them. Doubtless you've read my interviews."

           The professor nodded. "Yes and where you tend to post them. In addition to your own feed, our work tends to be picked up outlets that are...well I'm afraid your the label conservative will have to do."

           "Conservative?"

           He waved a hand. "I apologize, that's a bit too narrow and somewhat out of date, but pro-military, pro-Empire, pro-colonization."

           "Ah," Norton shrugged. "I can't deny that. Your issues with the Descended are equally well known."

           Teage raised a finger. "Ah, I do not have issue with the Descended. As individuals they're fierce, loyal, and ethical in their way, but-"

           Norton made a note of the "but" on his mental scratch-pad. It was too similar to phrases such as: "Some of my best friends are Pilipino but-" or "Of course I agree people should be able to defend themselves but-" or "Yes the Soviet Union was horrible but-"

           "But collectively, as a nation, as an empire, they propose policies and influence humanity in a very questionable direction. I'm not an anti-Descended, I'm an anti imperialist."

           "Individuals can cause some real problems."

           "Not that," Teage waved Norton off. "Yes, a Descended can get her claws into a human and cause a lot of mischief."

           "Not to mention several security issues. Under the right circumstances, they can compromise a person. The things a Descended mother can do to her children..."

           "And I'm the Anti-Descended?" Teage laughed. "Under the right circumstances a human child can be used as a living weapon, and humans have been compromised long before the Descended showed up." The professor became distant. "A single Descended can be a great danger to be sure, but that's missing the forest for the trees."

           "The limits of what the individual can do?"

           "The difference is between crime and lobbying. Between acts of violence and acts of war. If a person can become corrupted by a Descended, then humanity could become corrupted by the Descended Empire."

           "That suspiciously sounds like a religious view." Norton stirred his tea.

           "I am well aware of the irony." Teage took another sip. This time there was less jitter. "It's irksome when have undesired allies, but I suppose reflexive paranoia of demonic influence is better than reflexive acceptance of the 'other'."

           "And yet before you said a pro-Descended stance was a conservative position."

           "I apologize for the labeling." Teage settled into his chair. "As I said before I'm quite supportive of individual Descended and find the sexism and religious intolerance they face quite heartbreaking."

           "So much so that the Descended Naval Diplomatic Office has openly denounced several countries and recommended no Descended immigrate to them."

           "All countries that lack significant Lock influence mind you." Teage raised a hand. "Look at China. They're no bastion for women's rights or religious freedom. Yes compared to the Saud Federation they're a beacon, but they're still an oppressive regime. Although, I'll concede the Chinese have insulated themselves from Imperial influence better than the rest of the Big Eleven."

           "You think that the Descended use immigration as a tool to affect policy?" Norton asked.
           "Naturally. All powers with Locks do. Look at the strains caused at Primorsky Oblast. It's supposed to be under joint Russo-Sino control, but China has far more colonists to send. Or consider this colony, Brazil has a simple way to assure the get a large slice of the Steppes pie."

           "The Descended do not have our population levels. We outnumber them fifty to one."

           "Which is why they use their population wisely." Teage curled his hands around the mug. "They specifically limit their immigration, preferring to move to colonies or small communities on Earth. Areas where they can form their own neighborhoods."

           "They are sensitive to high population centers, and have special dietary needs." Norton said.

           "And they're disproportionately represented in medical, military, and technological research fields. Their people concentrate on companies in countries they can influence, Germany, Brazil, Japan, and of course the United States."

           "What of personal choice?" Norton pressed. "Those locations are some of the more appealing to move to, especially for someone with abilities and skills that are in demand, and they're all among the Big Eleven, countries with Locks."

           "Exactly!" Teage smiled like Norton was an apt pupil. "How many of earth's weapons systems use Descended components? How many medical procedures? Our entire cybernetics industry uses subdermals based on Descended designs. Entire broods, whole clans flock to whichever defense contractor, pharmaceutical, or tech company dangles the shiniest baubles. Look at WIC's efforts, they're trying to co-op their Descended's tribal loyalties to that of the company."

           "And human corporations are building their telecom system from the ground up. That's a huge example of human influence right there. What about the manufacturing methods we're teaching them? Or consider that our scientists have managed to develop their tech much further than they ever did."

           "Oh I agree." Smiling, Teage leaned back. "I realize how this sounds." He shook his head. "Humans depending on Descended tech is sinister infiltration. Descended using human technology is us giving away the store. But there is a difference. Those human telecoms are not trying to control their governments. They're simply making money."

           "At least there's that," Norton flatly said.

           Teage raised an eyebrow.

           "You're not blaming human greed or business. That much is refreshing. You didn't even rant about war-profiteering-mercenaries."

           "Young man, we can see what mere human greed does." Teage lightly chuckled.

           "Really?"

           "Consider the East Bloc Consolidation." The professor held up two hands. "Seven worlds. All of them within two Locks of Earth. All their colonization and development is concentrated there, close to home, close to trade, where it's safe."

           "Ironic given the three nations involved."

           Teage waved his hand. "India's flirtation with communism ended long ago, and Russia and China have long learned the advantages of authoritarian-capitalism. But you see, that's what happens when government, human government, and business hold the reigns."

           The professor nodded to himself. "Development is controlled, rational, conservative." He said the last word in hushed tones. "Compare that to what the United States is doing."

           Keeping the appearance of being professionally engaged Norton mentally made a few more notes. "The Spinward Steppes?"

           "There are outposts at N5!" A bit of spittle bubbled at the corner of Teage's lips. "Worlds so far away one would have to sail across four oceans and dive through Five locks. Why?"

           "The Descended?" Norton's voice was level.

           "How much exploring have they done? Bastion, their furthest outpost is only three locks from their Homeworld. They've hardly explored the fringes of their waters, and yet they egg us on. Even the Europeans are heedlessly expanding into Squid territory at their beck and call."

           "How are the Descended doing this? Why? And does this relate to your research?"

           "My research will help humanity understand what the Makers are, were, really like, beyond Descended propaganda." Teage smiled knowingly. "As you said, we outnumber them fifty to one. They use their technology, their magic, as a lure and the corporations bite, but that's not enough. No, to really get things going you need government, and that's why they created this war." He rapped his fist on the glass tabletop.

           "With the Makers?"

           "Of course."

           "But there are open hostilities." Norton narrowed his eyes. "

           "Yes several skirmishes." Teage held a finger. "No doubt caused by desperate and degenerate Makers further exacerbated by Descended antagonists in the ranks. It's not like we ever tried talking with them."

           "Argos was hardly a skirmish." Norton paused and exhaled. "And the Descended were hardly an enemy of Earth in that battle. We were allied, defending ourselves against a war fleet." The journalist held his jaw.

           "Ah, but it wasn't the outright invasion the war planners and their Descended cheerleaders claimed it was. They've been bang the war drum for forty years.  If the Makers were really this existential threat where's the massed invasions?  The Makers are thousands of years older than us, older than the Descended. If they were truly a threat we'd already be fighting a hopeless war. I'm sorry but Imperial propaganda aside we are at peace."

           "You are aware of what the Europeans, especially the French are doing in their sector?" Norton tightly asked.

           "Peace with the Makers." Teage waved the question aside. "Weapons of that scale are the only sensible way to deal with the Squids. They're a real problem, not this aggressive ancient alien conspiracy the Descended and their allies keep trying to gin up."

           Norton paused and stared at the man. "Are you questioning the loyalty of Descended soldiers?"

           "Never. Again, I respect the individual, but-"

           Norton made another note at repeated use of "but".

           "But every Descended has been raised to fight the Makers, to hate the Makers. Their elders tell them to kill the Makers. With an upbringing like that how could they not fight?"

           "And at every contact there's a Descended that goes off half-cocked?"

           "Not quite. Plenty of humans have a bias against the Makers. Most of our intelligence on them comes from the Descended, hardly an unbiased source."

           Norton leaned back.

           "But there's something else I'd like to stress. You said skirmishes. Isn't it odd that for such a supposedly evil and controlling race they can't rebuild their forces? In forty years we've colonized over a dozen worlds and explored dozens more.

           "How come in over twenty times as many years the Makers have yet to rebuild their Homeworld. For that matter how could such an supposedly aggressive race be reduced to scattered remnants by losing one world?"

           "As a species, they were always low in numbers and they did not do much colonizing, preferring to perfect their Homeworld," Norton stated.

           "Yes, sounds like a very evil bunch to me," Teage shook his head. "Let's say the unthinkable happened. That the Squid attack earth, en masse. Let's say Earth is depopulated. Would our colonies wither on the vine? Would it take us half a millennia to get back on our feet?"

           "The Makers weren't like us."

           "No they weren't," Teage shook his head sadly.

           "Results from your findings?"

           Teage nodded. "Unlike many of my colleges I've collected much info on the... day to day activities of the Makers.  Banalities and such that most have ignored. They're an ancient people, and they considered their Homeworld a holy place, an ageless place, a perfect place. A terrible depression struck them, many put themselves to sleep, slumbering away the ages. Hoping to awaken in a better universe. Can you comprehend how disillusioning that is?"

           Sighing, Teage continued. "Do you know what we've found in every Maker settlement we've uncovered? Every single one?"

           "Shrines to their Homeworld?" Norton ventured, pushing aside the greasy feeling in his stomach.

           Nodding, the professor pulled his hands from the mug and laid them on the table. "Unlike us or the Descended, they had a word for their Homeworld. Something more prosaic than merely dirt or motherland. No what they lacked was a word for home, and they lost their home, to the Squids of all things." Teage sighed. "But I suppose that's fitting, Squids and Descended."

           "How so?" Norton asked.

           "The Squids, the Descended." Norton gave a little smile. "Isn't it funny how not long after Earth's Locks reopened the Squids came through. A couple cities get destroyed and then the Descended arrive."

           "What are you saying?" Norton suppressed a disguised sigh. "French nukes destroyed the first Squid invasion, not the Descended."

           "Well of course, them coming in to save the day would be too obvious, but they certainly took advantage of the whole bad alien, good alien divide."

           "They were looking for Earth, had been for a long time."

           "Yes, finding a new world after they betrayed the Makers."

           "Betrayed? They were enslaved." Norton allowed disgust to enter his voice.

           "Slavery is how they describe it." A bit of anger bubbled in the back of Teage's voice. "The Makers would call it protection, they were looking out for them. The Makers loved their creations, like they loved their Home."

           "A love of the Fatherland, or the Motherland is no indication of kindness Professor," Norton stated his hands twitching at the use of the word "love".

           "True. But even the worst totalitarian jackbooted thug would recover from the destruction of his home. The Makers have been lost, have been grieving for nearly a millennia. No Home, no future, betrayed by their greatest creation."

           Teage gave a pitying smile. "If that were true that would still make them cowards, but have you considered how the Squids came? How they defeated the defenses? Why did that that many Squids attack in one group? The Makers loved their Home. They would defend it to the death. What if they had to fight two enemies those on the inside and those out?"

           "Are you suggesting that the Descended orchestrated the Maker's fall? Norton laughed. "You know they'd blush with pride at that."

           "But doesn't that tell you all you need to know about the Descended?" Teage asked, eyes gleaming.

           Disgusted, Norton noted there was not even a fig leaf of tolerance preceding the professors statement.

           Teage shook his head sadly. "No, the problem with the Makers is that they were too kind. Yes they created the Descended, but look at all the gifts they gave them. Regeneration, long, long life, flight, strength, senses far beyond ours. They let their creations keep their free will. They could have taken that away you know. Easily." Teage ran a finger over the lip of his mug. "They took humans and elevated them to nearly their level. Does that sound like the work of an evil species?"

           Norton stood. "You're talking about a species that abducted humans, used them as slave labor, and then decided to alter and selectively breed them to make a better slaves."

           "And you're talking about a species that is dragging humanity into a war we don't understand an don't need. A species that is getting us hooked on their technology and their mercenaries." Teage gripped his mug.      "The Descended won't tell us where Home is. Why are they hiding that? Why do they downplay their own lifespans, their ability to turn humans?"

           "So, you're against sympathetic tech? Mods aren't just for military use they have the potential to revolutionize medical care."

           "Yes, the ability to be as free of old age as the Descended or the Makers is tantalizing. Tempting even."

           "What about dubbing? That's a technology that allows us to cheat death. Do you realize what that could do for humanity? And the Descend don't have that, we made it work."

           "With a lot of Descended help, most dubing technicians are Descended for a reason." Teage sighed with resignation.. "Look, I don't say humanity shouldn't use this technology, I just think we need to be more cautious; we need to make sure we understand what we're getting into. Recklessness often leads to regret," he said, sadly, distantly.

           Still standing, Norton watched the deflated man in his shorts and little vest. He looked like an overgrown cub-scout. "What did you find? What about the Maker's personal lives did you learn?"

           Teage leaned back. "Disillusionment."

           "What? Does this have to do with your ranting against the Descended?" Norton sat back down. "Did you find evidence of the Makers altering Descended? Post-Fall?"

           "My no." Teage laughed. "I didn't find a Lock control room or a city of gold either." Shoulder slumping, he put a couple bills on the table. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake. I have to get back to my work."

           Gabriel watched the man stand up, catch his foot in the leg of his chair, and nearly stumble. "If you change your mind, please give me a call."

           "Oh, I think I've made enough of a fool of myself." Teage shook his head and shambled out of the coffee shop.

           After stopping the recording, Norton sat in silence. He went over his notes. The decision was obvious. Glad that there was enough civilization to allow for cell service, at least around Mooring, Norton activated his phone.

           "Charles S. Abbot Naval base, Office of Naval Research," the receptionist program answered. It had a female voice and offered interactivity marginally better than a tree of numeric options.

           "Yes can you connect me with Auditor Pascal."

           "Of course Sir, I'll connect you to his extension right away."