Species 5319: Arrival

By Dalton S. Hendra

Economic and political chaos is ravaging the planet as nations and alliances are ripped apart. Citizens are being forced to flee for their lives as the global balance of power shifts rapidly. Not even the shadowy forces who control the levers of power are able to contain the situation. Meanwhile, the world’s last remaining superpower is consumed with political deadlock as people demand change and hope. The fate of the world rests in the hands of a few as a threat unlike anything the world has ever seen heads towards Earth. Can the planet stay united long enough to prepare for what’s coming?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dalton S. Hendra
• Release date: Jun 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463209127

Dalton S. Hendra

Dalton S. Hendra is a science fiction writer based in Canada. He enjoyed watching TV shows and movies and being in nature, especially at the beach. Dalton S. Hendra is a pseudonym.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Northern Turkey

The black-clad man tried to control his racing heartbeat as he anxiously peered over the dark, still waters of the Black Sea. Moonlight glinted off of small ripples racing across the surface, but otherwise it was still and calm, a perfect night for the mission. He stole a quick glance at his watch, which confirmed that the shipment was about half an hour late. A small cloud erupted from his mouth as he exhaled, grinding his teeth in frustration and rubbing his hands together in an attempt to keep warm in the cold, dark night.

It wasn't cold enough for frost to form on the old wooden dock he was pacing back and forth on, which was a small blessing from Allah. Any kind of accident, such as slipping on the worn wooden pilings, would imperil the mission and, more importantly, harm the cause. He had invested in a pair of brand-new boots just in case, the organization certainly paid him enough for his services to afford the expense and maybe it was the difference between ending up in a Turkish military prison, or worse. 'Where is the damn shipment?' he raged as he scanned the bay with his binoculars, blood pounding through his ears as his brain came up with endless scenarios about what could have gone wrong.

He was just about to take out the disposable phone he had been assigned for the mission and call the emergency number when the signal finally came. Far off in the distance, a small light flashed twice. 'Praise Allah!' he thought as he took out his own flashlight and returned the signal. The muffled sounds of the boat’s motor soon became audible as it approached the dock. Adrenaline surged through him as he glanced at the pallets he had positioned on the dock, the pallet jack sticking out like the neck of an animal.

He grabbed the mooring line a deckhand tossed him as the dull grey fishing boat drifted towards the strong, tall posts of the dock. With a soft thud the large tires on the side of the boat, which rose about three feet above the dock, came to a stop. He quickly tied off the mooring line just as he had been taught as another of the crew jumped onto the dock and tied the rear mooring line. The burner phone suddenly buzzed angrily and he took it out and stared at the text message, glancing at the two men who were impatiently waiting for his reply.

His hands shook so badly he had to re-type the reply code he had been given three times before it was correct. Sweat beaded on his brow as he berated himself for not practising on the phone's small buttons, which were very different than the Blackberry he had been previously assigned. The code was quickly confirmed as the two men standing a few feet away on the dock sprang into action, one climbing back on board as the other moved one of the pallets closer. Two more men appeared on the sloping deck of the ship, both carrying the familiar heavy boxes with rope loops at either end.

One of the men handed him a wooden box, which was about half a foot wide and a foot long, his muscles straining despite the relatively small size. As with the other shipments he had received, the boxes were secured with multiple metal loops and had no markings or labels on them. Nobody told him what was inside and he knew enough not to ask, although he didn’t need to. Faint traces of a foreign language, which looked like Russian to him, or maybe Ukrainian, confirmed his speculations. 'Only Allah, praise be his name, knows all,' he thought as he gently placed the box in the centre of the pallet and turned to grab the next one, this one larger and heavier.

It took 32 minutes for the shipment to be loaded onto the pallets, five minutes longer than last time. His employer was always interested in those sort of details for reasons he didn’t understand. The men immediately boarded the boat and left as soon as the last box was unloaded, leaving him to wrap the pallets, which were about six feet tall, and carefully load them into the back of the truck. The wide rubber wheels of the pallet jack bumped over the slats of the dock as he manoeuvred them, careful not to jostle them too much. The strange assortment of boxes seemed securely packed, but there was no sense tempting fate.

Two pallets with legitimate cargo were the last to be loaded on the truck. If he was stopped by a policeman who didn’t take a bribe, a rare feat in his country, then they would probably be enough to get through a cargo inspection. The back door slid shut with a satisfying thud as he released a long breath and rolled his sore, tired shoulders, which a long, hot shower would fix. He hopped off the end of the dock and walked to the cab, yawning as a wave of exhaustion suddenly swept over him. He made sure his seat belt was on and his shipment papers were ready before he popped the top of an energy drink and drained half of it.

The diesel engine started as soon as he turned the key, a good sign that the truck was as eager as he was to get home safe. The roads were empty this early in the morning, which meant he was able to make good time instead of wasting time in traffic. Despite the deserted roads he carefully followed every law, well aware that getting caught meant a long term in prison away from his family and, even worse, damage to the cause he worked so hard to serve.

Besides the fact that they paid well, he didn't know very much about his employer. His pay came through an intermediary and he wasn’t supposed to know the real source. Here and there he had heard enough snippets to put together the full picture, however. His family might not understand why he was working for them but the cause was something that he believed in with every fiber of his being. For centuries his people had been oppressed and denied a future and thanks to the will of Allah that was about to change.

The truck bounced over a speed bump as he turned into the deserted parking lot and stopped in the designated space. He texted the code confirming the delivery was complete before he locked the truck and walked towards the loading ramp next to the warehouse. A quick glance confirmed that he was alone as he knelt down and pressed on the small black rock embedded in the concrete. He dropped the key into the small compartment along with the phone and made sure it was closed before he stood.

His little girl had choir practise tomorrow which meant he would only get a few hours sleep. That was a comparatively small sacrifice for the cause and one he was more than willing to make. The engine of his small, black Honda purred to life as he turned on the motor and immediately switched on the heat to drive away the night chill. He didn’t notice the cameras tracking him as he left the parking lot, the tracking chip covertly installed in his car flashing red as his every movement was logged. All the stress and anxiety drained away as he lay down next to his wife, instantly falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter 2: CNN News, New York City, New York

And leading the news this hour, new reports confirm that the economy continues to shrink, leading many experts to predict that a double-dip recession may already be upon us. The grey-haired news anchor paused and gave the camera a stern look. For more on this story, we turn to Megan Grant, reporting live from Wall Street. An equally serious blonde-haired reporter, standing in front of the iconic New York Stock Exchange building emblazoned with a massive US flag, nodded as his voice was transmitted into her ear piece.

"That's right Tom, according to the US Department of Labour the unemployment rate has reached 9.7% as another 250,000 jobs were lost last month. This comes on top of the consumer confidence index report showing Americans are feeling less confident about the health and strength of the US economy and a report showing that manufacturing here at home has dropped again, hitting new record lows. American consumers are feeling the pinch, spending less on consumer goods which is hitting corporate profit margins and increasing calls on the administration to increase economic stimulus.

"Economic news out of Europe is equally grim as the recession gripping most of the continent gets even worse. Stock markets continue to drop and GDP numbers from France and the UK show the recessions gripping those two major economies have no end in sight. The only country that has not been hit as hard is Germany, but they are heavily dependent on other countries buying goods produced by their massive industrial sector. Governments have been responding with economic stimulus programs, spending billions to try and halt the economic damage and in the process adding to their record levels of government debt.

All of this economic gloom and doom has led to yet another 500 point loss on the Dow Jones, with jittery Wall Street investors pulling money out of banking and financial stocks and waiting to see if things are going to get worse, as some predict, or if this is just a bump in the road. Most economists expect the situation to get worse before it gets better without any glimmer of an economic recovery for years to come. She gave a tight smile as the anchor nodded, a pensive look on his face.

And what is the White House saying about this? Surely this must be having an impact for the Democrats as the midterm election race continues to heat up.

The official White House line is that we are experiencing a bump in the road, that the economic fundamentals are strong and we're going to see the recovery continue. Here's what President Wallace had to say earlier today. The broadcast changed to the Commander in Chief, a finger raised as he spoke to a large audience.

What we need to keep in mind with these statistics is that no economic recovery is smooth, it's not a straight line, he said, gesturing with his right hand. "The reality is there are bumps in the road, and that's what we're seeing today. America's economic fundamentals are strong and, thanks to my leadership, we're headed in the right direction. Despite what you hear on the news we’re beginning an economic recovery and we're going to continue to recover, to create good-paying jobs and create prosperity that all Americans will enjoy, both today and for future generations to come.

A lot of folks have focused on the jobs number, and it’s a big one. 250,000 jobs lost in a single month. He gave his head a small, rueful shake as he looked at the teleprompter on the left side of the podium. "That's a big number, and it's in the wrong direction. More importantly, it means a lot of families are wondering how they are going to put food on the table or pay the bills. But it's less than other months, and certainly less than we saw during the depths of the recession. The economic stimulus package that I signed into law, thanks to the hard work of Democrats in Congress, is working, we are seeing jobs created and critical infrastructure built across this great country to support economic development and growth for decades to come.

We have a plan in place and I'm here today to tell you that we're going to stick to that plan. I know how tough it is in places, I've been to small towns and big cities alike and have seen the pain firsthand. My administration is going to do everything we can to help all those folks looking for a job, and we're also going to provide help to employers, to the hard-working entrepreneurs who are creating jobs. Under my leadership, the economic recovery is going to continue, jobs will be created, bridges and roads will be built and together we're going to make sure that the American economy continues to grow and create opportunities for everybody! He nodded approvingly as the audience applauded, the camera returning to the news studio.

Opinion polls, meanwhile, continue to show weakness for Democrats ahead of the November Congressional elections. Republicans appear set to regain control over the House, meaning the race to control Congress is down to a handful of Senate races. The Democratic majority in the Senate looks set to be challenged, especially if Americans blame Democrats and the White House for the current economic situation. That will make it much more difficult for President Wallace to get his agenda through Congress.

So another recession, a double-dip recession, could seriously hurt the Democrats in November then? The anchor asked as Megan nodded emphatically.

Oh, absolutely. The fortunes of the Democratic Party are largely linked to the economy, a point the Republicans have been reinforcing through a new wave of attack ads. They are claiming Wallace's economic stimulus plan, which saw hundreds of billions poured into job creation and infrastructure projects across the economy, is actually making the situation worse due to deficit spending and increased borrowing costs to the US Treasury. The rise in unemployment is being used as evidence that his economic stimulus plan has failed and that a Republican package of tax cuts and cutting red tape will work to boost the economy.

And what about the Federal Reserve? Has Chairman Bernanke made any comments about today's developments or forecasts for the future?

No he hasn't Tom. In the latest minutes they did express concern about the decline in economic growth in the US but seem to be optimistic that another recession isn't on the way. Many experts, however, say the Fed is basically powerless, they've already reduced interest rates to record lows and have very few options left to address the situation. Those minutes also warned about the massive amounts being borrowed by the US every year to finance budget deficits, which was over a trillion dollars last year. The White House is countering by saying this heavy borrowing is temporary and that tax cuts will just increase the deficit even further. Back to you, Tom.

Thank you. That was Megan Grant reporting from Wall Street, New York City.

Chapter 3: Governor's Mansion, Austin, Texas

Alright Jack, Governor Scott Kinley said with a slow nod as his Chief of Staff, Jack Demper finished updating him on the economic statistics that had been released that morning. Texas, unlike the rest of the country, wasn’t doing all that bad, all things considered. Job growth had slowed but was still positive, which was good enough for his key campaign message. So, uhh, how is the budget looking? He frowned at the stacks of papers and reports scattering his desk, which meant another late night. Jack deftly plucked a summary from the desk as he replied. He had realized long ago that it was easier for Jack to give him the highlights rather than read through all the thick, impenetrable reports.

It's looking good, the budget was balanced in April, not a big surplus, but good enough, and the year-to-date is looking good as well. Let's see, uhh, revenues are about 2% higher than projected, which more than covers the emergency costs for the hurricane. 'Thank God!' the Governor thought as he nodded and looked around his office. It was just him and Jack, as it had been since the beginning. Usually these kinds of briefings would be handled by some dry accountant from the budget office who would suck up an hour of his time, but that wasn’t the way he dd business, either before politics or now in the Governor’s Mansion.

He had first met Jack in school, quickly recognizing the small, shy man’s formidable intelligence. Together they had founded Servico, which grew to provide maintenance services for energy firms throughout the country. It had been his idea to lease expensive equipment rather than purchase it, reducing their risk and growing their profit margins. They had started on the weekends with a truck and space in his parent’s garage, quickly expanding through skillfully negotiated deals and leveraging bank loans in the middle of an energy boom to switfly grow into a large company, employing over 10,000 people at its peak.

After a while it had gotten boring and he had been convinced to sell, bank his millions, and try his luck at politics. Jack’s formidable skills transferred seamlessly to politics and a string of scandals among his opponents along with excellent timing had been enough to win his first election and bring him to power.

'So now what?' he wondered as he stared at the wall opposite his desk. As always, it didn't hold any answers. Being Governor had been exhilarating at first, but he was quickly getting bored. Every year was the same thing, the same budget fight, the same issues, even the same crises. One hurricane blended into the next and a new flood was just the same as the old one. Giving a speech, a press conference, shaking hands, kissing babies, surveying a disaster scene, it was all the same. And he had mastered it, all of it, and was on track to win again in November.

'Four more years of the same old,' he thought as he glanced at a picture of his wife and kids. He was giving his trademark politician's grin, reassuring everybody that everything would be just fine under his leadership. According to the media he was considered handsome, a description his wife agreed with. 'So, should I, or shouldn't I?' he asked himself for the millionth time, his heart beating a bit quicker as he considered the question, the fingers of his right hand beating steadily against the desk.

Scott? He looked up to see Jack frowning and realized he'd been ignoring his close friend. You OK?

Yeah, I'm fine. Mind wandered for a moment. He grinned and rubbed his forehead. You were, uhh, talking about the education bill? 'Or are we still on the budget?' he wondered as he tried to replay the last few minutes in his head.

It's going to pass, the unions don't like it, they're giving it a rough ride, but it's going to get through. We stay on track, we keep pushing the message that this bill will make the system more efficient and save money, and the new curriculum is going to mean smarter kids in the future. Jack paused for a moment to see if he was really listening this time.

Right, so emphasize that teaching kids about business and stuff is essential, blah blah blah. This is going to be in the speech at the rally in two days, right? Jack nodded as he picked up a summary of the bill. He couldn't care less about education reform but it made for good politics and was an easy sell. Making business courses mandatory made good sense and fit his re-election theme of jobs and the economy. Any new polls recently?

Yeah, two showing that you have a strong advantage but that's against a generic Democrat candidate, they haven’t picked a candidate yet. 65-35 in one poll, 66-34 in another. Good numbers for this early in the game.

This ain't our first time at the rodeo. Jack nodded, glancing up from the tablet computer constantly in his hands as Scott laughed at his own lame joke. His first win in 2006 had been easy compared to 2010, when a dozen Republicans came out of the woodwork to force a fierce nominations battle. He had won handily in the general election, but getting there had taken a toll and forced him to cash in a lot of favours.

So, education bill's going through and the protests will run out of steam. Great. Time to talk about the re-election campaign? We need to hammer down a platform and all that. His Chief of Staff nodded and frowned briefly as if considering what he was going to say next. 'You're the master strategist, so let's hear it,’ he thought as he waited impatiently for the brilliant plan that was about to come. Even in the Servico days Jack had been the real brains behind the operation who did everything he could to keep out of the public arena.

His wife Jessica jokingly referred to them as a married couple, and it felt that way at times. Jack had the connections, he knew all the business leaders, the donors who funded his campaigns and the media to give him friendly interviews and write glowing articles. As long as Jack was on his side and working with him than there was little they couldn’t accomplish. A lesser man would probably feel resentful at deferring so much power to someone like Jack but he wasn’t that type. At the end of the day they had achieved great things, and that was all that really mattered.

A lot of it is boilerplate, jobs, economy, your record so far, managing the budget, keeping government small, more tax cuts, smart on crime etcetera. There's going to be a few additions to keep things fresh, starting with right to work legislation. The Governor nodded slowly as he waited for his friend to continue. Even after all these years he still had trouble determining what Jack’s actual opinions and beliefs were, everything seemed negotiable as long as it achieved their mutual goals. For all he knew, the diminutive man standing across from him could actually be a raging socialist, although it didn’t seem likely.

Remind me what right to work is again? The name was familiar but the details eluded him for a brief moment. He snapped his fingers as it came to him Yeah, yeah I remember that now. Wisconsin, wasn't it, didn't someone up there propose it? It's the, uhh, freedom to work without being unionized, the union-busting bill?

Yes, that's right. It will play well with the base, especially if Frank wins the Dem nomination. He's a union organizer, in bed with all the big ones and this kind of thing will push him to extremes. We market this as a freedom issue, liberating workers from the union stranglehold. The ads write themselves, anecdotes of punitive union dues, salaries of overpaid union bosses, the downtrodden masses. I have studies showing the economic benefits, job creation and all that. It’s going to be controversial but it’s going to work.

Can we pass the bill? Anything to do with legislation frustrated the hell out of him, especially politicians with their hand in the trough demanding earmarks and bribes for votes. He’d made more than a few enemies by publicly sharing his frustrations at the process which meant Jack was responsible for getting bills through along with other behind-the-scenes work.

We’ll get it through. Unlike others he had worked for Jack didn’t bullshit him, which was probably his best quality. When his Chief of Staff said something, he meant it. Truth was the rarest of all commodities in politics and something he had come to value above everything else.

I guess you have a plan for the union stuff at Servico? You remember that, they're going to bash us from here to Alaska for that. The local branch of the AFL-CIO had tried to start a union drive that he and Jack had quickly and ruthlessly shut down. It had already provided ammunition to his political opponents and was certain to come up again in this election. They hadn’t done anything illegal, of course, but politics was all about perception and a scandal could be invented from any situation.

It’s a known risk, we’ve dealt with it before and we’ll deal with it again. There’s other parts of the platform that we can emphasize if the focus groups are wrong on this one. Focus groups were usually right but they had their biases and could make mistakes, as they had learned the hard way. Confirmation bias was one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome in politics and meant that getting outside of the power bubble was key to success.

OK, good. What's next? Jack tapped on his computer as he began an update on a bill winding its way through the House. Scott nodded, allowing his mind to wander again. He had come to this job as an agent of change with the goal of leaving the people’s corporation in better shape than before. It was a well-trodden path and some days he even allowed himself to think that he was succeeding. Fundamentally the job was to help people and make their lives better, something that government had a difficult time doing on a good day. A few government services were actually critical, like police, fire and national security, but everything else government did was a waste of unending amounts of blood and treasure.

Nothing government did came close to the efficiency of the private sector. Capitalism was the only system that worked, centuries of war and death had proven that over and over again. And yet millions denied that fundamental fact, demanding more government and what amounted to a nanny state. If the only thing he accomplished was to chip away at the layers of red tape and bureaucracy and leave the system a bit better than he had found it, then all of this would be worthwhile. ‘Maybe you do need another term in office,’ he thought as he locked eyes with the portrait of a former leader of his country.

Chapter 4: BBC News, London, United Kingdom

Good Afternoon and welcome to the BBC News World Report at 10. My name is Dana Travers. The reporter smiled and paused as her co-anchor continued the introduction.

And I'm John Daniels. Leading today's coverage are the dramatic events unfolding in Thailand. Following weeks of massive street protests in Bangkok and other cities against the current government, which is condemned by many of the protesters as a front for former President Thaksin Shinwatra, the Thai Army has overthrown the government in a coup d'etat. At least forty casualties have been reported following massive clashes that rocked Bangkok and other major cities as soldiers move in to occupy key government offices.

Hundreds of legislators and other key figures of the former government have been arrested, Dana Travers continued as images of massive protests ringed by Army tanks and angry-looking soldiers carrying assault rifles filled the screen. "All have been charged with treason and corruption, although the exact charges have yet to be filed with the court. We are also receiving reports that the Thai King is in favour of the coup and has called for fresh elections to be held in order to break the political deadlock that has crippled the nation’s finances.

"World leaders have been quick to condemn the coup, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling it an affront to democracy and American President Jeffrey Wallace denouncing the military's action and calling for free and fair elections to be held as soon as possible. As with the last coup, it's likely that most of the arrested politicians will be banned from political office for decades. Meanwhile analysts predict that pro-Thaksin Shinwatra forces are