Forbidden Fruit – Containment Protocol-Part 26
For science. Fiction. 2100 words, 11-minute read.
“Your world view is likely to suffer irreparable harm...”
The rest of the Containment Protocol saga can be found here: https://raytabler.substack.com/s/containment-protocol-serial
Part 1 (the beginning), ... Part 25 (last episode), Part 27 (next episode)
Forbidden Fruit – Containment Protocol-Part 26
By Ray Tabler
At the sound of the statue speaking, Pinsky looked up from his camera view finder. His mouth dropped open, and the camera clattered to the floor. In a rare instance of military procurement functioning as intended, the supplier of the video camera had actually exceeded the durability mil-specs for supplying electronics to the Army. Although, it was the salesman’s liberal funding of lap dances for the official making the decision which had finally closed the deal, instead of his product’s superiority. As a result, the camera didn’t shatter when it hit the flagstones. Rather, it kept operating, recording the scene for posterity’s critical assessment.
Booker, Muñoz, and Pinsky became statues themselves, unable to move or speak in shock. Then, eyes wide and gulping on a suddenly dry throat, Booker found his voice.
“H-hello. Who are you?”
“I go by many names. You may use, Ralna.”
“Ralna.”
Ralna shrugged. “Not quite the proper pronunciation. But that will do.”
“You speak English.”
“I speak all of your languages. It’s useful.”
“Son of a bitch!” Muñoz gasped, leaning forward to peer at Ralna.
“How different you are from the others who come here.” Ralna mused. “Half of them cower and whimper at my feet. The other half swoon or flee.”
“Runnin’ like hell sounds like a good idea to me.” Pinsky squeaked.
That reminder of momentarily-shirked duty steeled Booker. “Pick up that camera and make sure you get this Pinsky.”
“Yes sir.” Pinsky scooped up the device, and stepped back to make sure he got both the soldiers and Ralna in frame. Focusing on the task at hand steadied his nerves considerably.
“Where we come from, our gods are a lot more... distant. The idea of meeting one face to face is more startling than terrifying.” Booker realized he was babbling. There were a million questions he should be asking, not wasting time on small talk.
“Yes, you’re too advanced to fear the gods. We are more of a curiosity to you.” Even with his alien face, Booker perceived an air of disappointment in Ralna’s tone.
Are you a god?” Booker wasn’t sure he wanted the answer.
Ralna stared back for so long it seemed he wouldn’t respond. “Please define the word ‘god’ for me.”
“I, uh, I don’t know if I can.”
“Alas, neither can I. Are you a god to an ant? As powerful and enigmatic as I appear to you. Perhaps it is merely a matter of perspective.”
“Are we ants to you?”
“An interesting question. In some ways, yes. In others, no. I wish we had the luxury of time to debate the matter. I believe I would find the exercise amusing.”
“Amusing?” Muñoz was angry. “We’re amusing to you?”
“At times, you are, Mister Muñoz.”
“Well, that’s my highest ambition, to provide entertainment. He talks more like a lawyer than a god, Booker.”
“I perceive that to be a mild insult. A few minutes ago, I was a god. Now, I am an ambulance chaser. No, you are not ants to me. Your species is more along the lines of a persistent squirrel, who somehow keeps finding ways to get into my bird feeder.”
Muñoz looked at Booker. “I don’t know whether to feel insulted or praised.”
“I’ll choose both.” Booker smiled. “Is that what this place, this world, is? Your bird feeder?”
“It’s much more than that. Are you sure you want to know? Your world view is likely to suffer irreparable harm.”
Booker stopped, and forced himself to consider what was clearly a warning. “Better the devil I know...”
“So now I’m the devil.” Ralna smiled, showing a glimpse of fangs. “A demotion from god, but slightly up from lawyer.” He slid his yellow eyes over to Pinsky and Muñoz, then back to Booker. “Very well, forbidden fruit on the menu. This world is a containment facility. It is designed to preserve control groups of humans, free from further development.”
“Free from further development? Is that what happened to the Holtha tribe? The ones who lived in the big trees. Zunta said they became too clever, and displeased the gods.” Booker asked.
“Yes.” Ralna dismissed the matter with an airy wave of his hand. “Your species is occasionally prone to spontaneous technical innovation. The Holtha were removed to prevent contamination of the other baseline communities.”
“What exactly does the removal process include?”
“Simple physical isolation. The Holtha now inhabit a remote archipelago, sufficiently distant to insure no contact with other tribes.” Ralna rolled his eyes. “At least until they develop ocean-going vessels. Then other measures will be necessary. Did you think we exterminated them?”
“Crossed my mind as a possibility.” Booker said.
“Then we would lose the opportunity to study the spontaneous development.”
Muñoz’s eyes narrowed. “I’m no scientist, but I know that the only purpose of a control group is for comparison with another group, which has been experimented on.”
Ralna pointed at Muñoz. “You are not nearly so dim as you appear, Mr. Muñoz.”
“Thanks, I think. So, where are the experimental subjects?”
“We are.” Booker felt cold. “The people back on Earth. We’re the ones being experimented on.”
“Bravo.” Ralna clapped daintily. “I had expected you to require more explanation. But you leapt right to the correct solution. Impressive, in your limited way.”
“How long has this experiment been running?”
“This particular run through? Approximately seven thousand years.”
“This run through?” Muñoz asked.
“Yes. A number of replications is advisable to obtain a statistically significant result.”
“Replica--!” Booker took a couple of calming breaths. “What exactly is involved in these experiments?”
“We allow humanity to develop civilization, observe for a period of time, then wipe the slate clean. Repeat.”
“Wipe the slate clean? That sounds violent.”
“It can be. Civilizational collapse is induced. Remove evidence of previous civilizations. Then we wait to see what arises next.”
“Nobody asked us if we wanted to be part of this experiment.” Muñoz growled.
“Well, of course not. That would introduce unwanted variables.”
Booker felt angry and sick to his stomach. “Why? Why are you doing this?”
“For science.”
‘Science!”
“Yes. I warned about your world view being damaged. Did you think I was joking?”
Booker wiped a hand over his face, at a loss for words.
Ralna continued. “Your species is remarkably resilient. We noticed you when we were modifying your planet for another purpose. You adapted easily. Well, relatively easily. We tried to eradicate you. Some of you survived. Another attempt at eradication. You survived again. That was deemed worth study.”
“And how long before you wipe the slate clean again?’ Booker felt like emptying his carbine’s magazine into Ralna. Though he doubted it would do the least amount of good.
“Frankly, you people are well past that. We have more than enough replications of the experiment to draw our conclusions. This time will be different.”
“Don’t like the sound of that.” Muñoz muttered to Booker out the side of his mouth.
“Understandable.” Ralna conceded. “However, it won’t be as bad as you fear.”
“The Holtha treatment?” Muñoz asked.
“Not exactly. Your recent discovery of trans dimensional capability precipitated a debate among my colleagues. You cannot be allowed to go blundering around the multiverse, like a bull in a china shop. Therefore, your universe will be walled off from the others. Purely a preventative measure.”
“They can do that?” Muñoz asked Booker.
Booker shrugged.
Ralna continued. “At the same time, botting your species up on one planet will simply lead to another civilizational collapse. This one even if we do not induce it. Sooner rather than later, according to estimates. And we would learn nothing new. As a result, your interstellar expansion will be facilitated.”
“What does that mean?”
“Humanity will be allowed to spread to other solar systems. You will adapt to various planetary environment, both amenable and challenging. You will interact with other species, both friendly and hostile. We will observe and, in all likelihood, learn much.”
Ralna pivoted his luminous gaze to Pinsky. “You have enough footage of me. point your camera down here, to that panel immediately below.” The god nodded, and symbols on the indicated section of the plinth changed to equations and diagrams.
Pinsky looked to Booker. “Go ahead, Pinsky. Make sure you get a clear recording of the whole thing.” Pinsky moved to follow the order. Booker turned back to Ralna. “What is that?”
“It is a detailed explanation of what you, in your ignorance, would call faster-than-light travel. Your scientists should be able to follow the thread of it, once they accept that what they think they know is outrageously wrong. Their ludicrous pronouncements provide no end of entertainment for our cosmologists.”
Booker and Muñoz looked at each other.
“Happy we can provide a few laughs.” Muñoz growled.
“Just like that?’ Booker asked. “You hand over a way to get to other stars?”
“Because your civilization will all but destroy itself if we don’t. We want to see what you do with it. At the very least, it will distract from further trans-dimensional efforts. Which will be futile. You’ll try anyway, because that is your nature.”
“This will take the sting out of it?” Muñoz gestured at the panel displaying the technology.
“In a manner of speaking.” Ralna agreed.
“Wait a minute.” Booker held up a finger. “Why didn’t you just talk to our leaders? Why allow us to trave here at all?”
“Because they would not have believed us. You had to come here, and see all of this with your own eyes, and record it to convince them.”
Booker knew Ralna was right about that.
“Furthermore,” Ralna continued. “There will be an irresistible urge to keep this technology secret, just as your leaders have done with trans dimensional travel. It is immensely valuable, and they will want to control its implementation. That will not be allowed.”
Ralna snapped his fingers. “Pinsky, point that thing at me. I wish to speak directly to your leaders. One year from the day you receive this information, it will also be shared with each and every one of the tribal factions on Earth, which you call countries. Understand, this will be done to encourage rapid development and exploration. Use your head start wisely.”
“Holy crap!” Pinsky swallowed.
“Guess you do know how to motivate us.” Booker said.
“There will be conflict between your tribes over this matter. It is inevitable. If every country gets the technology at the same time, we estimate that the conflict will be maximized. Giving your tribe a head start both disincentivizes delay, and somewhat mitigates the destruction.”
“So, you’ve got us all figured out.” Muñoz spat.
“Time will tell.” Ralna smiled; a flash of fangs visible. ‘Which brings us to another point. You will have to carry this information back through your portal. Which may prove difficult.”
“What do you mean?” Booker felt dread feeling creeping up his spine.
“This planet has been designed to contain the human control groups. Periodically, small groups from your world have been allowed in to prevent genetic bottlenecks from forming. But the biosphere is set up to prevent travel back to Earth.”
“That big dino chasing me last visit.” Muñoz whispered. “And the klesuf migration starting early.”
“Exactly.”
“Can’t you just turn it off? Let us through?” Booker suggested.
“Regrettably, the system is complex, and autonomous. That is not a practical option.”
“Didn’t you build it?” Muñoz prodded.
Ralna stared at Muñoz, coldly. “Regardless, you will have to deal with the situation.
“Any other surprises?” Booker really didn’t want to ask, but felt compelled.
“Just one.” Ralna swept a hand, and a spherical volume before the men swirled with mist, then cleared, showing a scene. “This is happening outside at the moment.”
In the spherical projection, or hologram, Nohfa struggled with four men. She had her back to a stone wall, machete in one hand and a broken lance in the other. Three of the men were unfamiliar tribesmen. The fourth was Bunzo.
The attacker on one end lunged in, to retreat as Nohfa slashed his arm with her blade. That only bought her a moment. Another man threw a stone tomahawk with practiced skill. The flint axe head impacted Nohfa’s turned head, and she collapsed. The three unwounded men rushed in and seized the woman, binding her.
“I judged you would want to know about this. The woman carries your child.”
Booker barely heard Ralna. He was sprinting for the exit.
END.
Tune in next time for the part 27 – Hot Pursuit
The rest of the Containment Protocol saga can be found here: https://raytabler.substack.com/s/containment-protocol-serial
Part 1 (the beginning), ... Part 25 (last episode), Part 27 (next episode)
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Wow what a twist! And I like the humor of Pinsky filming the God and the God speaking directly to the camera. Very funny and exciting scene!
Wow! Did not see this coming!
Rotten of you to drop a hundred kiloton bomb in middle of your story!
Yikes, this opens lots of portals all with crazy outcomes!
You had better keep future installments coming fast and furious or the natives will grow restless waiting to be entertained. Very cool way to blow this story open in all kinds of fascinating directions. I’ll fire up the popcorn popper while I wait for the next episode.