First Contact: An Alicia Jones Novel 01 Read online

  First Contact

  An Alicia Jones novel

  Author: D. L. Harrison

  Copyright 2016. This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Afterword:

  About the Author

  Other books by D. L. Harrison:

  Book Description

  Prologue

  My name is Alicia Jones, and I am different from everyone else I’d ever met. I always had been for as long as I could remember. While growing up I had come up with many bizarre theories but the truth of who and what I was eluded me. I could do things that other humans could not. Was I the next step in evolution? Something even stranger? I’d never found anyone, outside of fiction, that remotely came close to my… otherness. This is the story of how I found out what I was, and believe it or not, I am not the strangest thing in it.

  Despite my differences, I’d never really been an outcast. Mostly thanks to the fact I’ve hidden those things that made me stand out. I was only six years old when I figured out I was different. Up until then I’d assumed everyone could feel what I felt, and do what I could do. I could look at my parents, my adoptive parents since my biological parents died in an accident when I was just an infant, and I’d see in them what they were feeling at that moment, I could also see that they were good. Most importantly I could see they loved me.

  This was instinctual. I just… knew.

  I couldn’t read minds or feel emotions like a telepath, or empath like in some story. The closest thing I can compare it to was the concept of reading a person’s aura. But not really that either. It’s more like a vibe, or a gut feeling. Regardless, I’d figured out I was different when my mother and father introduced my new babysitter.

  I was shocked at what I felt from this new person my parents were entrusting me to. It took me a few minutes, but I realized my parents had no clue what type of monster they were allowing into their home, and to watch me. It was the first time I knew I was different.

  There are other things that make me different, but I’ve been able to hide them as well, in no small part because of my ability to read the people around me. It’s made it very simple to… fit in. Fit in yes, although feeling as if I belonged… that was another story entirely, because I didn’t… belong that is.

  My story starts in my twenty third year, in my post graduate studies in experimental physics. The year was twenty forty-eight and the world’s technology has grown in leaps and bounds the last thirty some odd years.

  Chapter 1

  “What the hell is going on,” I asked myself out loud as I looked up at the ceiling in my lab space. I felt confused and unsure. This result had not been anticipated.

  My A.I. who I’d creatively named Al answered me in a dry even voice, “Unknown. Running scans, this could take several hours. Reminder, you have plans with Kristi in forty minutes.”

  I sighed. A night out sounded fun, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave the lab in light of this… result that had my mind spinning. Still, Kristi was my roommate and best friend, my only friend really, and if I cancelled on her she’d probably give me grief, track me down, and drag me out anyway. Plus, I really didn’t need to stay, Al could stay interfaced with the equipment from anywhere, and even shut it down if something went wrong. Or I should say, more wrong.

  My theory was so promising, and now… this. Whatever this was. Technology was booming, as was the race to get out into the solar system. Cold fusion, superconductors outside of very low temperatures, ion drives that required very little reaction mass, personal AIs, all these things and more had been invented over the last thirty years. Space was in our grasp, but shielding from radiation in space outside the Earth’s EM field was still unreliable at best, an energy hog at worst.

  My experiment involved a miniature fusion reactor directly feeding energy into a superconductor shaped into a spiral. Nothing new or groundbreaking about that, it should create an EM field capable of stopping radiation from reaching anything enclosed within the spiral, it should also shield any side reactions from the reactor as well. The entire device was about two feet in diameter and a foot in height.

  The actual breakthrough was in the materials used, it should be extremely efficient and reliable. Yet, when I turned it on an hour ago, once it reached ten percent power it started to rise off the table. It only took a few seconds, and it was flush against the ceiling. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out what the cause could be. Hopefully when the scans were done the data would give me a clue.

  I thought about shutting it off, but the reactor was steady, the power measurements were as expected. It even measured the EM field that I had anticipated. The only problem was… it was on the ceiling, defying gravity.

  Floating, for no apparent reason that I could determine.

  I remarked as I walked to the door, “Al, keep an eye on it, if anything changes before the scans are done inform me please… and seal the lab.”

  It wouldn’t keep out my professor, but it would keep out just about everyone else.

  I jogged over to the edge of campus to the apartment. I was running late so I wasted no time and jumped in the shower. I should have been clearing my mind of work, getting ready for night out, but it wasn’t quite that easy. I wondered if maybe it could be some type of EM drive, maybe I was getting thrust that way? It didn’t sound right, but I really didn’t see another possibility offhand.

  I finished up and glanced at the clock and winced. Luckily it didn’t take me all that long to get ready. I dried my hair which came out light blonde and wavy and put on a light touch of makeup around my eyes and got dressed. The local college bar was a casual hangout, pool tables, dart board, small dance floor, large bar with televisions usually tuned in to sports. I pulled on a pair of skin tight jeans, a casual cotton shirt and some low heeled sandals.

  I considered myself attractive most days, but neither did I attract every eye when I walked into a room. I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I walked out to the living room, Kristi was waiting for me and I could feel she was impatient, and a little jealous of my looks. Which made no sense to me, it never did. Kristi was gorgeous. She had long curly golden blonde hair, pouty lips on a heart shaped face, her nose was adorable, and her eyes were a hypnotizing stormy gray.

  We were both shapely, but she had larger… assets. In short, she had no reason to be jealous. That wasn’t all I felt from her of course, she was my best friend and had a bright generous soul. Being around her was like… standing in sunlight on a cool day and just enjoying the warmth soaking into my skin.

  I winked and tried to suppress a smile, “You ready to go?”

  Kristi snorted, “Yes, and I hate you. How do you get ready so fast? It takes me time and effort to reach the perfection standing before you.”

  I shrugged, “Magic.”

  For all I knew that was true, but I doubted it. There’s no such
thing. Outside of my senses however all of my… talents, were focused within. I was fairly normal outside of the fact that I had a great amount of control over my own body. I didn’t want to have bad hair days, or problems with my complexion, or catch a cold, or gain weight. Unlike normal people however, for me that was enough, I simply didn’t have to deal with those issues.

  Kristi, my brilliant friend and roommate, stuck her tongue out at me before heading to the door. I smiled and shook my head as I followed her out. She really was brilliant, but she always told me she encouraged her inner bimbo so she didn’t wind up chasing all the men away. Sadly enough, her approach worked very well. I wasn’t sure if that was proof intelligent women scared most men away, but it was clear that ditzy women did not.

  It was a warm spring evening but still cool enough to feel refreshing as we walked to the campus bar. Inside it wasn’t too crowded yet, we grabbed a table close to the dance floor and ordered some drinks. Thank goodness my weirdness had no effect on the way alcohol affected my body. I relaxed slightly as I felt the pleasant tingle of the mixed drink go down my throat and warm my stomach.

  I wanted to share the oddness of my experiment with Kristi, but I knew better than to bring up work when we were on fun time. I could feel everyone in the bar, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Like I explained earlier, it was more like a vibe, their emotions couldn’t touch mine despite my knowledge of them. It was a little like tuning out the din in a loud crowded room. It would take something unexpected to get my attention.

  Kristi gave me a sidelong glance and said tentatively, “Joe is coming tonight, he might be bringing a friend.”

  I frowned and she cringed a bit. Joe was her on again off again boyfriend. Of course, what made me frown was that apparently she was trying to set me up… again. I liked men, and I’d be the first to say I could get a little over focused on my goals and testing scientific theories, but I hated blind dates with a passion.

  I took another drink before replying in exasperation, “Did you have to?”

  She glared at me and nodded, “Yes, you need to loosen up and have fun.”

  I wanted to reply science was fun, but I knew how sad that would sound, even to me. Even if it was true, or perhaps especially because I’d have meant it. I could swear I saw her eyes grow vacant and her IQ dribble out of her ears as she looked over my shoulder, Joe must be here. A second later I could feel him getting closer. The vibes I’d get from people were like fingerprints. Part of it was transitory, how they felt at that moment, but a lot of it was simply the core of the person, who they were. Yes, that could change, but not quickly and not all at once.

  I felt someone walking next to him. Some would say it was unfair of me. I didn’t even have the guy’s name yet, but I could tell he was nervous. Deeper than that, he felt solid and dependable. That didn’t mean much except that he would probably say what he meant. After all, you could describe a serial killer as solid and dependable from a certain point of view.

  My talents didn’t tell me everything, all it told me was I could believe what I observed from him tonight. Not at all a bad place to start. From Joe on the other hand, I felt a wishy washy center, sort of why he and Kristi were on again off again. He wasn’t a bad guy, just indecisive.

  As they got closer I turned and we all said hello. Todd was my blind date, and unfairly or not, I could tell he liked what he saw. I’m not really that vain a person, but I did look good, it is another thing I can control although it’s not something I can change without suspicion, I’ve had this level of looks for six years since I have been coming to college. You could almost describe it as shape changing, but it was limited in scope. I could change almost anything about myself, as long as I stayed humanoid, and of course I had to remain the same mass.

  I used to stand out more in high school before I realized being a ten was not as desirable as I thought it would be. Luckily I was still growing so I managed to turn myself into an eight by the time I went to college. Seriously, being able to feel the emotions of all the men around you when you’re a ten is not a good thing. When it came to the older men when I was still a teen it was downright creepy at times. An eight can turn some heads but it’s a much happier place.

  Todd was tall, I’d say about six foot two. He looked to be in good shape as well but it was hard to tell in his loose jeans and shirt. He had a square jaw, short blond hair and blue eyes. The rest of his face was proportional and he looked good. Really good.

  When the introductions were over, they sat down we got a round of drinks. We talked for a bit, the normal awkward nice to meet you, what do you do and all that. Todd was a chemistry major doing graduate studies as well. The more I figured out that he had more than two brain cells to rub together, the more attractive he got. I was also smiling at the look of panic on Kristi’s face every time I said something intelligent. Of course, she didn’t have the same advantage I had. Most men were intimidated by smart women, Todd wasn’t one of those.

  The local band had since gotten started, and when we finished up our drinks Todd asked, “Dance?”

  I stood in answer and he grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor. My heart sped up and I found his hand holding mine to be pleasant. I know a few different dances; I love to dance actually. I don’t want to sound immodest, but as someone who can control her own body as much as I can, dancing wasn’t very hard at all for me at all.

  All in all the blind date went surprisingly well. I had my AI send my contact info when he asked for it at the end of the night. I wasn’t a prude, but I wasn’t easy either and said goodnight to Todd at my door. Hopefully he’d call me. My AI indicated the scans were done, but I was tired from a long day and fun night dancing and drinking. It could wait for tomorrow.

  Chapter 2

  I was up early for breakfast and then headed over to the lab. I was beyond curious what the scans would reveal and had AI open a window on my visor. It was… confusing. Whatever it was, it wasn’t an EM drive. The internal scans showed the mini-reactor output at eleven percent as well as the EM field. The internal sensors could see outside the field, but the scans of its surroundings were off.

  The external scans were beyond strange. It could see the object in some scans, but some came up blank. Specifically, the scans that related to measuring mass. According to the lab sensors, there was no mass. Anti-mass had been postulated by science as a possibility, but it had never been proven or disproven. But it made no sense, there was mass inside that field, I knew there was.

  When I got to the lab I turned on the mass sensors and put up a view on my visor.

  “Al, reduce the reactor power in increments of .1 percent every two seconds please.”

  I watched the reactor slowly back down from 11.2 percent. As soon as it hit 9.2 percent power I saw mass readings appear.

  “Stop!”

  Al replied, “Reactor holding steady at 9.2 percent.”

  The experiment started to slowly lower down. I was reading a minimal mass with an estimated weight of .02 ounces. It was slowly falling back to the table like it was a feather instead of a fifteen-pound package.

  Somehow, in my attempt to create a more stable and dependable EM field by joining the reactor and superconductor, I had created an anti-mass field. It behaved much like a theoretical anti-gravity field would work, except that’s not what it was. Anti-mass would be pushed away by gravity, much in the same way gravity attracts normal mass. Also, it seemed when the field reached a certain thickness, or cohesion, it cut off the mass inside of it from the rest of the universe.

  I just had no idea how.

  I needed to figure it out fast, and get a patent submitted. In a surge of paranoia I took all the data and encrypted it, I didn’t want anyone else to see this before I figured it out. I could see endless applications for this. Anti-mass would enable lifting tons easily to orbit simply by using gravity. I was also fairly sure it could break the light speed barrier.

  After all, light speed was impossible because it would req
uire infinite energy to accelerate any mass at the speed of light. But no mass? That law just became meaningless. Inertia, acceleration, force, all required mass in the equations. What would happen with anti-mass? I considered relativity as well, without mass going the speed of light would not cause time dilation.

  Of course, this was all just my mind spewing thoughts, it needed to be tested. I resubmitted my plan to the fabrication machine but added a few extra’s. A small ion drive with propulsion ports in each side, better sensors, and in the middle a globule of hard gel in a specific matrix. No sense in testing without also testing the stresses it would cause in the human body. In theory inertia should still exist for things inside the device, but not in relation to the universe outside of it. If I was right, the gel should be perfectly intact after testing.

  Even if the probe I was building actually did go to light speed I wasn’t worried about losing it. There was no indication of losing the quantum entangled communication and interface device when the anti-mass field was active, so that shouldn’t be an issue. I almost cringed at the cost of the device, but relatively it wasn’t that bad, these were all common components.

  I just hoped my professor didn’t call before I had something to tell him.

  While that was building I went over all the data and specifications again, trying to come up with an explanation of why the particles were being created. I completely powered down the experiment and did a molecular level scan.

  The first thing I noticed was the superconductor material. I had built five microns thick on the interior of the spiral, it was now four point nine six microns thick. I checked on the build, it hadn’t started yet so I paused it. I checked the internal scans again. The EM field surrounding the superconductor and reactor would shield anything outside the spiral. But the spiral itself was being bombarded with radiation and side reactions.

  The data showed the new superconductor material being slowly eaten away by the radiation. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but I wondered if that was what was responsible for the anti-mass field. I did some more testing with Al’s help that led to data backing up my conclusion.