Chapter 14: Sunday Morning Revelations

"Master Sergeant Dennison, are you sure that the morning report is correct?" General Branch asked, a note of incredulity in his voice.

"Yes, Sir," the Master Sergeant replied. "I double checked with the field before signing off on it. The field team rechecked the tracker download. The Subject did not stay at his residence last night. I cross checked the address where he did stay. It belongs to Captain Jane Janus. Sir, as you know, Captain Janus was on the team that responded to the Incident. I wasn't sure if that constituted a security breach, which is why I flagged it in the report."

"No, Dick," the General replied thoughtfully. "I ordered Captain Janus to find a way to keep a closer watch on Mr. Connor. That she would go to such lengths to obey an order is very surprising." He looked up and met the Master Sergeant's eyes and grinned before saying, "And it is interesting. Based on the few contacts that I've had with the Captain, I've always considered her a cold fish."

Master Sergeant Dick Dennison nodded with a smile on his own face, saying, "That's pretty much how the men view her, Sir, no offense meant to the Captain."

"Oh, judging from the report, I don't think the good Captain would take offense," the General replied thoughtfully, as his smile slowly broadened.

General Robert (Bob) Branch and Master Sergeant Dick Dennison had been serving together for over twenty years. Bob Branch had been a First Lieutenant when he assumed command of his first platoon. Dick Dennison had been a Sergeant and a squad leader. During an engagement with some strategic 'casualties, ' Dick had become the Platoon Sergeant, and the two of them had been a team ever since.

There are things in any military that an officer can't do, and places he can't go, but an enlisted man can. Influence in those areas would help an officers career. Dick took care of those issues. At the same time, there are areas an enlisted man can't go or influence, but an officer can. Bob took care of them for Dick. The result was a rapid rise in rank for both of them. They knew each other well, including each other's idiosyncrasies.

Master Sergeant Dennison smiled back, asking, "May the lowly Master Sergeant suggest that the General ... um ... debrief the Captain personally, sir?"

"The lowly Master Sergeant can always make suggestions of such high merit," the General replied, his smile turning into a grin. "After the first ... ah ... what did you call it ... um ... after the first debriefing, maybe the Master Sergeant should assist in subsequent debriefings."

The Master Sergeant sighed, shook his head in mock surrender, and said, "The things I do for my country."

"Yes," General Branch said drily, still grinning. "I know she's a little old for your taste, but she looks pretty nice for a thirty-six year old."

"Yes, Sir, she does," the Master Sergeant replied. "To be honest, bringing down her high and mighty attitude has more attraction than her looks."

"Yes, well, both facets have their attractions," the General replied. "However, she may another use that I've been considering. Don't get too excited about her. I may need her in a longer term role. Why don't you send off a 'well done' to the field team, and then call that new Corporal in that you were telling me about. We can practice our 'debriefing' technique."

"Yes, Sir," Dick said with a grin. "One Corporal for debrief practice, coming up."

Caleb's mind was in a turmoil, as he hurried home to change. He had been 'ordered' to hurry. He was also supposed to bring back a change of clothes, along with whatever toiletries he would need for the next night. He smiled at the memory.

His smile faded slightly, when he considered Kim and Blake. Their attitude was about the same, this morning, as it had been last night, or earlier this morning. Blake was still suspicious, but, maybe, slightly more accepting. Kim was upset that her mother's relationship was evolving so quickly. Still, they were both good kids, and more importantly, they were good people. Caleb considered the difference significant.

"Al, you've been pretty quiet this morning. Is something wrong?" Caleb asked his Companion.

"No, not wrong," the alien replied. "I'm just troubled. I did as you instructed, and attempted to figure out what happened last night. I was able to slow the memory of the event down, like slow motion in a movie. I know what happened, but knowing brings up more questions than it answers."

"Isn't that the way discoveries usually work?" Caleb asked. "What happened?"

"A portal was opened," Al replied. "Or, more accurately, a hole was torn in the wall of creation. I can show you, when you quit driving. It would be easier to explain what happened if you see it happen. Explaining why it happened is a different problem."

"Do you know why it happened, or have any theories?" Caleb asked.

"A theory, yes. Proving the theory will be difficult. Repeating the same activity in the hopes of getting the same results would not prove the theory. I would need to find another way to reproduce the same result, to prove the theory. I am working on an idea. based on something found in your memories, and some memories of JJ's that I borrowed," Al explained.

"That sounds mysterious," Caleb replied, as he stopped in front of his Condo.

He was walking towards the front door when Al said, "You have an electronic device that is broadcasting from your car."

"How do you know that?" Caleb asked, suddenly concerned.

"Your body functions on electrical signals sent over your nervous system. It isn't difficult to stretch your receptivity to detect nearby broadcast sources," Al replied, and Caleb could feel his shrug in his mind. "I can only detect their presence, not their function."

"A lot of rental cars have location devices in them," Caleb mused. "That could be what it is."

"It could be," Al agreed. "I just wanted you to know."

"Thank you, Al," Caleb said, and meant it.

He hoped they would be able to forge a better working relationship. Fighting with someone living in his mind was tiring.

"Can you show me what you meant when you said a portal opened, now?" Caleb asked, continuing into his condo, and proceeded to get ready to return to JJ's.

Al didn't reply, but an image appeared in Caleb's mind's eye. At first, there was nothing to see. Then, seemingly out of nothingness, a portal opened, or expanded. It was like a small hole in a rubber sheet suddenly being stretched open. Caleb could only see the few moments of the portal's appearance, because the light blasting through the portal washed out the picture. Something came through the portal, three times, then the portal snapped closed, like a rubber band with the tension released.

"The ramifications of this event have several points of interest. The portal seems to have been in the very fabric of space-time," Al explained thoughtfully, sounding like a college professor.

"Humans have theorized the existence of other dimensions, and other universes," Al continued after a pause, as if he were gathering his thoughts. "Most species of my past hosts, have been aware of other dimensions and universes, I have never heard of a species that has succeeding in accessing another dimension, or universe, but humans have, now, and with the simple act of procreation," he said somberly. "The question is, why doesn't this happen regularly? I think the answer to that question is that my presence raised the energy level enough to overcome some type of threshold. Obviously, the three objects that came through the portal were members of my species, which raises another issue. What is the origin of my species?"

"Wow!" Caleb exclaimed. "That has got to be mind boggling to you."

"It is," Al agreed, sounding troubled. "Our origin has been the subject of debate and questions for as far back as I can remember. Now, I have a real clue related to our origins, and I have no way to get the information out to our community. I also have to consider your situation. You are in danger from your government. If you don't survive, I don't survive, and the information will die with me. I am always concerned for my host. Your well-being is doubly important, now."

"Why would only three come through the portal?" Caleb asked.

"I don't know," Al replied, and Caleb could feel him shrug in his mind. "I think it is because there were only three unoccupied minds within range of the event."

"Well, I don't think JJ will agree to repeating the experiment in the interests of science," Caleb said drily. "She'll probably search the house to ensure no one is around before she lets me get close to her."

"I got that impression, too," Al replied drily, but Caleb could feel his smile. "Now that we know what happened, I think we can prevent an accidental repeat of last night. I don't think we need to, in order to prove my theory. Sex is a physical act. Last night contained all the physical aspects of sex, obviously, but also included very strong mental and emotional attributes. I think that is what you humans call love. What we need is a situation that includes the mental and emotional attributes, but without the physical aspect that is present during sex. I think I've found a solution in one of your memories."

One good thing about mental conversations, is they don't interfere with other things that you're doing. Caleb was able to continue pulling out clothes, taking a shower, and generally getting ready to hurry back to JJ's.

"Really?" Caleb asked in surprise, as he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair.

"Yes, really," Al replied. "JJ gave me the idea when she said people called sex a little death, and a religious experience. Those both carry mental and emotional attributes. You had a religious experience, once, when you were in your teens. In your memories, it had many of the same attributes as your memories from last night, when the portal opened."