Alpha One - Chris Burton [37]
“Mum and Dad have waited for six years and can wait a little longer. I am in London for three more days and then we will return to Titan. I can’t come to you, but we would like to see you again.”
“I can’t get to London. I am doing my finals. Can you not get down to the Academy.”
“No,” snapped her sister. “Professor Winterburn is keen to meet with you in London. It is important you come here so we can show you more of what the Collective has been doing. Can you come to The Savoy on Saturday? We are in the Elvedon Suite.”
“I don’t want to meet Winterburn. I want to see my sister again. Can’t we just meet up in Piccadilly or something? Yes, I can come on Saturday. “
“That’s great Carla. Come to the Savoy first, and I promise that you and I can go out for a few drinks afterwards. I’ll even call Mum and Dad if it helps.”
“Yes that would be cool. Okay, I’ll meet you at the Savoy at midday on Saturday.”
With that Joely hung up. Carla thought the whole conversation to be strange. Why had Joely snapped at her? She didn’t dwell on it, and opened a comm link to her parents’ house in Melbourne. Despite the hour, they would want to know Joely was on Earth.
Carla took a private shuttle from the Academy directly to the roofline of the Savoy. It was Saturday morning and she entered the foyer of the luxurious London hotel and took a seat at the bar. Joely entered momentarily. They embraced briefly and Carla offered Joely a drink. Joely declined and advised that they had much to discuss and that they needed to get started straight away. Carla started to object, but realized she wanted to keep this meeting with her sister going and would do just about anything to avoid jeopardizing that.
Joely led her via the turbo-lift to the eighty-eighth floor and the Elvedon Suite. They entered, and there stood Professor Winterburn, this time wearing a smart business suit rather than the Betanic Robes he wore during their first meeting.
“Ah, Carla, do come in and take a seat, we have been expecting you. “
Carla entered the suite and took a seat near the window. The view of the London skyline up here was fantastic.
“We have been busy since our last meeting,” began Winterburn. “We have been to the Sentinel home world and to the site of the Tri-stars. We are concerned.”
“Concerned about what? Whys does this affect me? What were you doing in the middle of the Tri-Star region?”
“I will answer your questions in a different order if I may,” said Winterburn. “The Betanica Sect was established fundamentally to protect the Tri-Star region from insurgence and infiltration. It is vital that the twin wormholes remain closed. If they are opened then we have failed, and the galaxy will perish. We were there to represent Earth and to ensure that Earth Central Government and Alpha don’t try to breach the wormholes.
Carla had begun to feel Winterburn’s power start to gain strength inside her. He tried to enter her mind again. She resisted and tried to exert her own mind over his to gain the initiative.
“What has this got to do with me?”
“All in good time Carla. Before we divulge the full impact of our knowledge and the danger that the wormholes represent, I need you to do something for me. “
“Do what? Joely is this for real?”
Joely stood motionless and Winterburn’s continued. “You need to understand the information we have is sensitive and is not available to just anyone. We believe your position as a soon-to-be communications graduate of Alpha’s academy—and because of your aptitude and ideology—makes you the perfect candidate to represent the Collective within Alpha. We wish to recruit your services if you like.”
“Recruit…forget it. Look, I am here to see my sister. I have listened to what you have to say, and I am sure it is really interesting, but…”
Winterburn interrupted “Fine, that’s fine. You need time to reflect on this. Joely take Carla for a good meal and explain further about our role.”
He turned again to Carla and said “You will shortly find the need within you to