Master of Shadows, Chapter 2: The Third Treasure

Shortly before sunset Starman Alice Montaine walked into a small cafe with her mother and older sister. The restaurant they had chosen to dine at that evening was Freeman’s, an older establishment that was well-known for its fine cuisine. The Montaine family had been there many times over the past twenty years; the food was excellent and the establishment was only a few blocks from their apartment.

Tonight they had chosen to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful evening. The rain the weather forecaster had promised never materialized, and the evening was warm and pleasant. An Ahmanyan waitress seated the party of three and then left to get their drinks.

“So how has everything been going, Mom?” Alice asked.

“Oh, just fine, dear,” her mother replied. Isabella Montaine put her purse under her seat and then picked up her menu. “You know, I think I’ll have the shrimp scampi tonight. They do have such excellent shrimp.”

“They don’t serve shrimp here,” Amanda said. “This is Ahmanya. The only planet that has shrimp is Earth.”

“Oh, that’s right,” her mom said. “Pardon me. It’s been so long since I’ve been here that I had forgotten. We almost never go out to dinner anymore.”

“I’ve been busy,” Alice said, defending herself. “Besides, I don’t see Dad anywhere.”

Amanda kicked her sister under the table. “So, um, tell me, sis. How did your meeting go this morning?”

Her mother looked up from her menu. “You had a meeting today? How exciting! It was with one of your friends, I suppose?”

Amanda shook her head. “It was with Caedmon Starlight, mother. We talked about a planet I just discovered.”

“That’s nice, dear. I saw in the news just the other day where another one of your Starman friends discovered a planet. I think this one had rings or something. You Starmen do seem to stay pretty busy! Always way out there, far away, doing things.”

“Somebody has to do it,” Alice replied. “There are a lot of dangers out in deep space. I’d rather fight them on their home planet than let them invade Eagle City and fight them here.”

“It’s been a long time since Eagle City was invaded,” her mother pointed out. She set her menu down and looked around for their waitress. “That Zip Foster made short work of the last guy that invaded our home. He was really something.”

“You’re all really something,” Amanda said. “I for one can’t believe I have a Starman as a sister! It’s like being related to David Livingston. I imagine you hacking your way through the jungles with a machete, keeping an eye out for alien headhunters. That’s got to be amazing.”

Alice laughed. “Fortunately it’s usually not that exciting. I’m very fond of my head. I hope to keep it for many years to come.”

A minute later their waitress returned to their table and set down their drinks. After taking their orders she gathered up the menus and left.

“So tell me a little more about what you’ve been doing,” Amanda said. “You told me this morning that you discovered a lost planet of the First Races. What is the significance of that?”

Amanda sighed. “It’s kind of complicated. The short version is that I believe the planet contains the weapon that the Lucians used to defeat the First Races. I think that someone else is after that weapon and I’m trying to stop them from getting it. If that weapon falls into the wrong hands – ”

“- then we’ll be in a lot of trouble,” Amanda replied. “Man. That does sound important.”

“What did Caedmon Starlight have to say about it?” her mother asked. “Is he going to send all the king’s horses and all the king’s men to take care of it? I suppose you would feel better then, wouldn’t you, dear?”

Alice hesitated. “Well, he’s not going to do anything just yet. He thinks I should do a little more research before he asks King Izmaka for permission to use Tharsos.”

“You wanted to use Tharsos?” Amanda asked. “Wow. What did you want to use it for?”

“To battle aliens, of course,” her mom replied dismissively. “Or maybe it was ghosts. But fortunately Caedmon is a wise man. I always did like him! He’s just like his father Richard – he’s got a good head on his shoulders. He was never one to be frightened by imaginary monsters.”

Alice sighed. Please let this dinner be over soon, she muttered. This was such a mistake. I’ve got to start coming home less often.

* * * * *

Late that night Alice left the restaurant and headed back to the spaceport. This has just not been my day. But I guess there’s always tomorrow. Well, unless someone comes along and eats tomorrow for breakfast. That’s always a possibility.

After taking the subway back to the spaceport she decided to walk to her starship instead of taking one of the speedy electric vehicles. Alice loved taking long walks in the warm Ahmanyan evenings and wanted to enjoy it as long as possible. When she at last made it to her ship’s parking space, however, she was treated with a rude surprise.

“Rachel!” she screamed. “What have they done to you?”

A holographic figure materialized in front of Alice. “Is there a problem?” Rachel asked.

“A problem!” Alice shrieked. “I’ll say there’s a problem! Your hull plating has been dismantled. Your engines are lying in pieces all over the ground! What happened to you?”

“I am simply undergoing routine maintenance,” Rachel explained calmly. “My hull has received a lot of damage over the past six years and it is time for an upgrade. The plating has been removed so it can be replaced with a much stronger, more durable alloy. And I am far overdue for an engine rebuild.”

“Oh my goodness,” Alice said. “This is awful. Just awful! And what happens if it rains? Your top three decks are all exposed to the weather!”

“I am quite capable of taking care of myself. In the event of inclement weather I can simply extend a force field to keep out the precipitation. It is not a problem.”

“But where is everybody? When I left this morning there was a small army of people here! It looks like they took you apart and then went home.”

Rachel nodded. “It is quite late, Alice. They put in their day’s work and went home to be with their families. You did not request a rush job so I saw no need to request overtime. I have seen their schedule and have no doubt they will be done by the first of November as promised.”

“I guess,” Alice said sourly. “But where are the security guards? Your parts are lying everywhere! What’s to stop someone from stealing them?”

“Once again, I am quite capable of taking care of myself. My weapon systems have not been dismantled. In the event that a prowler decides to steal me or my parts he will discover that I am not as defenseless as I look. I might remind you that in the past ten years no one has successfully stolen an AI-equipped starship. We are a breed apart.”

“I just don’t like this,” Alice said. “I can’t believe how lax the spaceport’s security is! I want to see some human guards out here, Rachel. What happens if all the computers get disabled? You’ve got enough armaments to wipe out a continent and yet apparently no one sees anything wrong with leaving you unguarded. Have we all lost our minds? Have we become senile in our old age?”

“Is there a problem?” Rachel asked. “You are not your usual jovial self. Did your meeting with Caedmon not go well?”

Alice sighed. “No, it didn’t go well. In fact it was a total disaster. No one believes that there are evil things lurking in the dark places of space. Nobody thinks that we just might be in terrible danger. No one sees any need to prepare for the worst. It’s up to me to save these people from themselves and I have no idea how I’m going to do it.”

“So Caedmon Starlight did not grant you permission to use Tharsos, then,” Rachel replied.

“No, he did not,” Alice growled. “And it looks like I won’t be using you, either, for the next week. You’re in no shape to go anywhere. That is great. Just great. A perfect way to end a perfect day.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Rachel asked.

Alice looked at the Raptor in frustration. She started to say something, but then changed her mind. “I’m sorry, Rachel. I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know anything right now. What I really need to do is get some sleep but my living quarters are in pieces.”

“There are intact rooms on the lower decks,” Rachel pointed out.

“Forget it. They’ll probably be dismantled tomorrow anyway. I’ll just find somewhere else to stay until you get put together again. Then we’ll head out to Lemura and do whatever needs to be done.”

“Very good,” Rachel replied.

“No, it’s not very good,” Alice said. “But it’s all we’ve got right now.”

* * * * *

Alice got in touch with the Ahmanyan branch of Starlight Enterprise and explained that her ship was undergoing maintenance and she had no place to live. They provided her with an apartment in downtown Eagle City and told her that she could stay there as long as she needed. For the next two days she sat in the apartment, trying to come up with a plan. On the third day she went out, borrowed some computer equipment from Starlight Enterprise, and set up a small lab in her living room.

Two days later she was ready. Alice made her way to the capitol building in Eagle City and went up to the third floor. At precisely ten o’clock in the morning she entered mayor’s office. The secretary looked up at her as she entered the room.

“May I help you?” the young man asked.

“I have an appointment to see Mayor Seaton,” Alice explained.

“Of course. Your name, please?”

“Starman Alice Montaine.”

The young man scanned the holoscreen in front of him. “I see you are right on time, ma’am. Please go on in! The mayor is expecting you.”

Alice smiled and walked through the double-doors behind the secretary’s desk. Inside was the small, comfortable office the mayor. Starman Mark Seaton had been the mayor of Eagle City for the past ten years, and was now in his third and final term. After the fall of the Xenobots Mark had dedicated his life to working with the Ahmanyans and rebuilding their shattered home. He was highly respected by everyone that knew him and had forged close ties with the Ahmanyan people. Mark was nearly eighty years old, but he was still as sharp and alert as he had ever been. Under his leadership Eagle City had flourished.

When Alice walked into the room she saw that the mayor was not seated at his desk. The back wall of his office was a solid piece of glass, and Mark was standing in front of that window gazing down upon the city below. The mayor turned around when he heard Alice enter, and his face lit up in a warm smile when he saw her uniform.

“You must be Starman Montaine!” he said. He quickly walked over and shook her hand, and then offered her a seat. “I hope you don’t mind if I stand. I never was one to sit down when there was work that needed to be done.”

“Um, not at all, sir,” Alice said. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I know you are a busy man.”

“Not at all,” Mark said graciously. “I’ve heard a lot about you lately, Miss Montaine. Caedmon tells me you’ve been doing some first-class research! I’m quite interested in this new planet you just discovered.”

Alice’s eyes widened. “I had no idea you were familiar with my work! I’m really not well-known, sir.”

Mark laughed. “I may not explore the galaxy the way I used to, but I’m still a Starman and I try to keep tabs on what my fellow Starmen are doing. The discoveries you’ve made on Lemura are going to rewrite a lot of history books. I can only imagine what Joe’s response is going to be when he gets your report.”

Alice blushed. “Well, thank you, sir. That is partly why I wanted to see you. I’m a bit concerned about the implications of my discovery.”

“You said you wanted to see me about security,” Mark said slowly. “I’m guessing this has something to do with the Eight Treasures?”

“That’s part of it,” Alice agreed. “As you know, in the Ahmanyan Museum of Natural History are all eight of the famous Eight Treasures. Now, I understand that they are thousands of years old and are great relics of the Ahmanyan past. I also understand how generous it was for the Ahmanyans to loan them to a museum right here in Eagle City. But somebody out there is trying to break their way into that chamber on Lemura. Do you know what they could do with the knowledge hidden inside those relics?”

“You’re concerned about the Third Treasure – the sum total of all Ahmanyan scientific knowledge,” Mark said.

“Exactly. The entire wealth of Ahmanyan knowledge is contained within that small device. Do you know what kind of dangerous secrets that includes? If ever there was a tool to use to get inside that chamber that would be it. And it’s laying right out in the open.”

“You know, it has been there for more than a decade now and so far no one has even tried to take it. The Ahmanyans have put a lot of effort into guarding it. It would not be an easy thing to steal.”

“But things are different now,” Alice pointed out. “Somebody – some shadowy being that has eluded our every attempt to locate – knows what is in that chamber. Somebody is trying to find a way in. And that Third Treasure is immensely famous. It defies belief to think that he’s not going to try to steal it. It would be the perfect tool.”

“I don’t disagree,” Mark said. “You make a good case. So what are you suggesting?”

“Well,” Alice said slowly, “I don’t mean to nitpick, but security in Eagle City is not very tight. I had to hound the spaceport’s chief of security for two days before he agreed to post armed, human guards around the Raptor. He just didn’t see a need – he thought the electronic security systems were enough to protect her.”

“I heard about that,” Mark replied, grinning. “You were right, by the way. We’ve come to depend far too much on technology. It’s easy to get comfortable when there are no apparent signs of danger.”

“Exactly. So what I’d like to do is perform a security audit at the museum. I’d like to make sure that the Third Treasure really is secure. And it might also be nice to check the rest of the infrastructure in this city – the power plants, the communication centers, and so forth.”

“You believe a war is coming and that we’re not ready to fight,” Mark said.

“That’s exactly what I believe,” Alice agreed. “If a threat like the Xenobots were to invade this planet today can you honestly tell me we would be ready?”

Mark said nothing as he turned around and faced the window. He looked out over the city below. Far below he saw vehicles driving in the streets, and tiny figures going about their lives. A troubled look appeared on his face. “I’ll let the appropriate personnel know that you’re coming,” he said at last. “As a Starman you already have all the security clearance you need, but I’ll make sure you get cooperation as well. How long do you think the audit will take?”

“Give me three days, sir. On the third day I’ll come back and let you know what I have found.”

“Would you be willing to come to my house and have dinner with me that evening, maybe around seven?” Mark asked. “My wife Stenafi is an excellent cook. I think I can promise you a relaxing night of fine cuisine.”

Alice smiled. “It would be an honor, sir. Speaking of your family, how is your daughter doing?”

Mark smiled. “Dianda is doing well. Did you know that she is now a professor at Starlight Academy? She’s teaching a class on Ahmanyan culture and language.”

“She must have started teaching after I graduated!” Alice remarked. “I would have loved to have had her as a professor.”

Alice said goodbye to the mayor and left his office, feeling very satisfied. I’ve got three days, she thought to herself. I can do this!

* * * * *

That afternoon she made her way to the Ahmanyan Museum of Natural History, where she was quickly ushered into the security office. A middle-aged gentleman dressed in a neat black suit was there to greet her.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mountain!” the man said. “My name is Ralph Paddington. I’m the head of security here at the museum. It’s quite a job, to be sure, but there’s nothing else like it!”

“The name is Montaine,” Alice said. “Not mountain. There’s a big difference.”

“Right – my apologies.” Ralph waved his arm around, and Alice noticed that a bewildering array of holoscreens were crowded into every nook and cranny of the room. “As you can see, our quarters here are a bit tight but we’ve spared no expense! The mayor told me you would be by to check on things, and I can assure you that you will find everything up to par! We run a tight ship here, Miss Mountain.”

“That’s Starman to you,” Alice said, slightly irritated. “Do you see the red suit? And the logo printed on the sleeve? I’m not just another random security consultant. I’m here to make sure you don’t inadvertently help someone destroy all of mankind.”

“Right,” Ralph said, nodding. “Good call. So let me explain what we’ve got going on here.”

“I have a much better idea,” Alice interrupted. “Why don’t you let me tell you what is going on.” She took a small silver disc out of her pocket, walked over to a nearby computer, and slid it inside.

“What are you doing?” Ralph asked in alarm. “Is that safe? Are you sure you should be doing that? I haven’t authorized that piece of equipment! I can’t be held liable for this.”

Alice held up a hand and motioned for the guard to be quiet. “That disc is a little piece of hardware that I put together. It is going to analyze your systems and tell me if they’re any good.”

“How can it possibly know?” Ralph asked. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Alice sighed. “You do realize that Starlight Enterprise has an entire division dedicated to artificial intelligence, don’t you? They are quite good at this sort of thing. It will take Bob just a few moments to analyze your systems and form a conclusion.”

“Who’s Bob?”

“The name of the AI subprogram I’m using, of course,” Alice explained. “Now stop fidgeting. It looks like he’s already started work.”

Alice motioned to one of the holoscreens, where a small window had appeared. As the information in the window changed Alice explained to Ralph what portion of their system the AI program was currently analyzing. After an hour’s work Alice removed the disc and placed it back into her pocket.

Ralph was enthusiastic. “I don’t know how you do it, miss, but that was fantastic! Bob proved exactly what I was telling you. Every square inch of this museum is covered! You can’t beam in, sneak in, or drive in. In particular, the security around the Third Treasure is remarkable. Just remarkable! You can’t even get near that room without setting off a half-dozen alarms. By the time you even got close you would be caught. And when it comes to trying to get it out of that case, well, you’ve got your work cut out for you! That case is made of solid, transparent atomeron. It is scientifically impossible to break that substance! You’ve got to beam it out, and no transporter can beam anything in and out of the museum grounds. We’ve got a jammer that can stop anything. Anything! I guarantee it.”

Alice sighed. “Atomeron is not completely impregnable, just difficult. But you’re missing the point. This is the same situation I found at the spaceport. Were all of you guys trained at the same school or something? Tell me. What happens if your computer systems go down?”

“Computer systems can go down?” Ralph asked in amazement. “Are you serious? When has that ever happened?”

Alice sighed. “You are using computers to monitor your hallways, your video feeds, and your alarms. You’re even using computers to call the police and immobilize the thief! If something ever happened to your computers then it’s all over. Anyone could walk in here and rob you blind and you wouldn’t know the difference.”

“But that’s impossible!” Ralph protested. “How could that happen?”

“In a million different ways,” Alice said. “They could be blown up. Or hit with some sort of electromagnetic weapon that fried their circuits. Or the power could fail. Or anything. It’s happened before, you know.”

“Huh,” Ralph said. “I never thought of that. Maybe you’ve got something there, Miss Mountain.”

“I’ll let you give it some thought,” Alice said wearily. “I’ve got three more places to audit, and I bet I know what I’ll find. I’ll be in touch.”

With that, she bade the guard goodbye and headed out the door.

* * * * *

Over the next two days Alice performed the same security audit at the Eagle City power station, the city’s primary communications center, and the city’s military installation. At each location the AI program she had written analyzed their systems and found the same basic weakness – a total dependence upon computer hardware to provide security. The only group that would not be completely defenseless in the event of a failure was the military, and even they would be operating completely blind.

Alice spent the morning of the third day writing her report. She turned it in to the mayor’s office at noon that day, and that evening she went to his residence. The Seaton family lived in a large, rambling home on the outskirts of Eagle City. The estate was a comfortable one that looked much like the others in the neighborhood. There was nothing remarkable that made it obvious a Starman lived there. As Mark personally greeted her at the door and ushered her inside she could easily believe that the house had been lived in for a generation and thoroughly enjoyed. It just feels comfortable in here, Alice thought, as she took a seat in the spacious den. A fire gently burned in the fireplace, bathing the room in a soft orange glow. Mark and Alice were soon deep in conversation. I like it here. It’s not at all stuffy. Mark really seems like just a regular guy.

“I really want to thank you for putting together that report,” Mark was saying. “I’ve done some homework of my own and can confirm that what you found is just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve become very dependent upon machines for just about everything. They are our weak point.”

“Please don’t misunderstand me,” Alice said. “Technology can be a great thing. But as a society we’ve set ourselves up for some real problems. It wouldn’t take very much for someone with skill and a little knowledge to bring everything crashing down.”

“But it won’t be that way for long,” Mark promised. “I’ve already called a meeting next week. I’m going to personally see to it that we take steps to protect ourselves. History is not going to repeat itself this time.”

Stenafi Seaton, Mark’s wife, stepped into the den. She was an Ahmanyan, and had been Mark’s wife for four decades. Alice had never met the tall, graceful woman before and was immediately impressed. She has such an unusual combination of grace and strength, she thought. I can see why she would be a good match for Mark.

“Yes, my love?” Mark asked.

“Dinner is ready,” she replied simply.

“Then we won’t keep you waiting,” Mark said. He led Alice to the dining room, where the three of them sat at the table.

Alice was impressed at the array of food that was in front of her. She saw a variety of Ahmanyan vegetables, all tastefully prepared, and something she did not expect to see – freshly baked bread. Alice had learned from experience that baking good bread was almost impossible in the gravity and atmospheric conditions of Ahmanya, and was impressed that Stenafi had mastered that skill. “Excuse me, ma’am, but am I to understand that you cooked all of this yourself?”

“It is something I enjoy doing,” Stenafi said quietly.

“When she’s not battling aliens,” Mark teased. “You should see her in battle. She is quite formidable.”

Stenafi smiled at her husband. Alice had heard stories about the mayor’s wife and had no trouble believing that she could be a formidable opponent. Alice opened her mouth to say something when she suddenly heard a noise in the distance.

Mark immediately froze. “Did anyone else hear that?”

“I did,” Alice said. “It sounded like – ”

At that moment the power went out. The room became completely dark.

“- an explosion,” Stenafi finished.