I awoke once again in the same cell with Mary and Robert lying beside me. Through snatches of
conversation I gathered we had been under for three days. As we lay sleeping, plans were formulated with
meticulous precision to invade earth through the wall. Of course to them we seemed ‘lowly apes’ compared to
the radical erudition of this civilisation. I climbed up onto the metal bed to see the troops. The chanting of
rally’s echoed in my cell as I watched the proceedings unfold.
It was late the following night that a sudden change in our predicament occurred.
“
Prisoners we have come to reconsider your situation. We believe you could in fact be extremely
beneficial in the aiding of our current plans”
I sat up, the words ‘reconsider your situation’ rebounding off the walls. I turned them over, sounding
them aloud and testing them against my tongue. Was it true? Could this really be our way out?
We were led from our cells through a labyrinth of corridors lined with guarded doors, key pads and
thumb scanners, face recognition and codes encapsulated the hidden network of this government.
When the last door was opened, I gasped; before me a never-ending network of computers and wires
lined the walls, interlaced with scurrying people, alerts and warning systems buzzed and whirred, the eloquence
of the system stunned me.
“
Welcome to Base One. This is where you will be assisting in our operations; I am Officer Jackson,
Second in command.” A woman stepped forward, her dark mahogany skin contrasting with the silver of her suit.
She waited patiently for a response but all she got were three blank stares.
“
We believe as you managed to perpetrate the multi-dimensional rift making it through to our world, in
one piece; we surmised that we could do the same. After many discussions we have deliberated it would be
beneficial to induct you into our highest ranks. You will now be addressed as officers, Maloney, Martin and
Jones.”
Robert cut across her sharply,
“
Why would we help you? What’s in it for us?”
She turned to face him directly; a sly smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“
What’s in it for you? Well let’s say, we won’t kill you and we will return you to your universe
providing you don not disclose your fanciful ‘story’”
“
Really”! I looked up hopefully.
“
Of course not. We won’t kill you until you have completed your task to give us information on the
world and transport us safely through the wall.” She let out a short burst of ironic laughter.
“
You will report for duty immediately. Go.”
We hurried through a door and found three neatly folded, military uniforms. I turned desperately to
Robert,
“
What do we do, we can’t help them! We know what they are going to do! “
Robert spun round curtly.
“
Well, what else we can do! Do YOU have any ideas? Do you think we can just step through the wall
hope for the best they don’t follow? Is that your great plan to save everything?”
His eyes were angry, incongruous to his defeatist comments. I turned away, tears pricking the corners
of my eyes. I pulled my dirtied rags over my head and felt how the new uniform was lightweight and smooth, as
it glided over my scathed patchwork of skin.
We walked back through the sliding door Robert leading, shadowing me in his mask of confidence.
Soldiers worked ceaselessly at computers, headsets secured to their buzzing brains, their voices
entwining, a mixture of languages, a cacophonous muddle of tones and intonations. The woman that we had
spoken to stood at the top of the room, like a queen bee surrounded by her workers. She looked up as we
approached her.
“
We have a meeting. Follow me.”
We walked into a room with a large table surrounded by officials. Their conversation ceased, as they
surveyed out entry. We took our seats before a large map stretched out on the table with positions marked
with3-dimensional holograms.
“
We meet here to discuss our next course of action regarding the advancement of our troops.”
Murmurs followed this statement, a few tapped at the screens in front of them dispersing digital
holograms, and others looked attentively at the model troops marching across the map. Officer Jackson
coughed politely.
“
But it seems we are yet to welcome our guests to this discussion?” she turned to us, a sneer playing on
her lips.
“
Wait you have to understand that we didn’t get through the wall because we knew about it. It was Dr
Lockwood you sent him and he showed us and well we just fell through.” I said.