Heaven's Conspiracy (Child of Man)

Heavens Conspiracy (Child of Man) Chapter 3

                                  Heavens Conspiracy (Child of Man)

                                                    Chapter 3

    General Vladamir Danko entered the briefing room perusing the field reports that had
been coming across his desk for the past several weeks. A veritable statue of a man he towered over the assembled members of his staff who snapped to attention when he entered
the room.
    "Be seated", he said, moving to the large chair at the head of the u-shaped table where he conducted his open staff meetings.
    "Has the state Health Minister arrived yet", the imposing man asked no one in particular,
taking his designated seat and continuing to study the papers he held.
    "Minister Bresvan isn't here yet General", Natina the general's personal secretary responded from behind him, typing each word on to the dictation tape machine at her station.
    Appearing not to have heard any response, absorbed in the information before him, Danko continued leafing through the narratives while the fourteen assembled staff members sat quietly in their seats awaiting the general's attention. After several more minutes, the general
abruptly cleared his throat and looked up from his paperwork to his right.
    The General began most of his meetings this way. He was a subtle and deadly man, hardened by the warrior's code and seasoned in a politically maleficent atmosphere of torture and iron fisted subjugation. Danko had survived this volatile environment and achieved his position of rank through courage, audacity, and sheer cunning. There was little to like about the man, but much to respect, from fear if nothing else. This was just another day of intimidation and manipulation for the Head of the Soviet Union's Military Intelligence Department.
    "Comrade Jensta", the General said to the blonde haired woman in civilian style dress, her only connection with the Department her small half dollar size emblem embroidered on her collar. "Have you prepared the statement to be delivered to the state press", he asked?
    "Yes General", the information officer replied, "I have taken the liberty to include copies for all staff present sir. They are in the packets here", she finished, passing the small stapled
booklets about the table.
    When the members of the assembly had received their copies, the General asked Jensta
to read the proposed article of distribution for the members to review, asking for comments upon it's completion.
    Moving around to the open end of the table, facing the personnel present, Jensta turned to the first page of the brief reading the article, beginning with the headline.

                                            "Earthquake Aftermath"
                                              Poison Water Tragedy

    "Moscow, - Today, Health Minister Arestina Bresvan, announced that the earthquake which occured fourteen months ago North of the Arctic Circle, at the head flow of the Omolon River, caused the release of several cubic tons of pure Chrysoberyl, specifically Alexandrite,  a mildly radioactive multiple oxide, into the water source. The toxic dispersion accumulated in the tributaries of the Omolon and Kolyma Rivers causing the substance to kill many people in this region. The substance is known to occur naturally in the pegmatite dikes bordering the estuaries in the areas many oxbow ponds, formed by the alternating river flow.
    Minister Bresvan stated that the delivery of the substance in such mass quantity had poisoned the water of the two rivers, but the natural distribution of the extremely hard ten centimeter sized minerals, normally causes no adverse reactions to people or animals. However in this incident, Minister Bresvan has concluded that the mineral was dispersed in a powder-like consistency, causing the most extensive damage and natural death to the residents of the small village of Pusklava.
    Upon discovery of the incident, medical and military personnel were dispatched to assist and care for those affected by the contamination.
    In the village of Pusklava, doctors worked for several days treating the infected populous for their illness, with but one survivor emerging from the devastating sickness.
    Minister Bresvan has issued a national alert to all Soviet citizens living in the areas of the
Omolon, and Kolyma Rivers, and under no circumstances should the water from these rivers be used for any purpose, until otherwise authorized by the Ministry of Health.
    Thousands of dead fish, birds, mammals, and even insects were found to have been killed by the polluted waters, succumbing to the deadly effects and further complicating the situation for pollutants and spread of disease.
    Minister Bresvan further stated that all people in this region of alert should only use water from wells, lakes, or streams which are not contiguous to the rivers. It is unknown how long it will be before the river cleanses itself of the unwelcome mineral, but Minister Bresvan warns residents that it is potentially deadly to use these waters or harvest any fish, until tests determine the toxic levels of Alexandrite have diminished".

    Completed with her reading, Jensta returned to her seat to the nodding approvals of the other staff members.
    "Recommendations", the General made the word a question, looking around at his subordinates.
    When no one answered, Captain Moval leaned backward in his chair at the far end of the table, causing the springs used to cushion it's wood surface to squeak irritatingly drawing the attention of the room's occupants, and a quickly suppressed smile from the General.
    "I believe it would be prudent", Moval began, "and reassuring to the people, if we could give a more accurate prediction of when the rivers might be clean again. Where it says here, It is unknown how long it will be before the river cleanses itself".
    "I think it wise sir, to give the people a more anticipatory time frame, such as, It is believed that it will require a year or more before the river cleanses itself. By providing a set period, I believe we will receive greater voluntary compliance from the people, and run less risk of any premature use".
    "The putridity of the village of Pusklava, I would not care to experience again, and it will require considerable military resources to keep monitors on the rivers. Furthermore, I would
like to add this to the article. While at Pusklava I observed a distinct greenish tint to the color of the Omolon's waters, so I would include the information that any water appearing to be greenish in color be avoided completely", Moval concluded.
    All heads turned to look at the General who sat nodding in the affirmative, and he told Jensta to incorporate Moval's suggestions into the information release.
    "Now", Danko began, flipping to the next page in the brief, but was interrupted when the conference room door opened and Minister Bresvan walked in, followed by two Health Ministry aides. The aides carried a host of assorted paraphernalia, including charts, film reels, bound documents, and a steel box approximately a half meter square securely chained and padlocked.
    "My apologies for the tardiness of our arrival General, but it was necessary to use due caution with the materials we brought with us", the Minister said, walking into the gathering.
    "No apologies necessary Doctor", the general said, "I have faith in the Health Ministries function and of it's service to the Military. The Ministry knows it's place and the proper procedures to follow".
    Minister Bresvan read through the veiled pleasantries, and certainly identified the demeaning address she'd received when the General referred to her as Doctor, instead of her official title as Minister.
    She nodded to the General cordially with a strained smile at the attendees, and said, "Thank you General Danko", her eyes betraying the smile with a look of disdain. But she also knew the egomaniac was right, she did know her place where Military Security was involved.
    Though a Minister within the Parliamentary Cabinet and technically outranking the General, the woman was no fool, and wasn't about to fan the ire of Vladamir Danko. He probably even knew her hat size, she thought to herself, recalling her own appointment after the sudden mysterious disappearance of her predecessor. He had been a devoted man of healing, but was less than politically astute, ruffling the feathers of several high ranking government officials, and sadly, finally, causing the wrath of the Military upon himself.

    After a military debacle a few years ago involving the accidental release of a germ warfare agent, which killed nearly two thousand troops, the previous Minister had the audacity to proclaim before a packed Duma, that the Military was incompetent and should not be entrusted with such agents, recommending that all such programs have oversight by the Health Ministry.
    One week later the previous Minister had disappeared, a note saying he had gone on holiday the only evidence found by the investigating authorities. The Military had also been involved in the investigation of the missing man, but both agencies had arrived at the same
conclusion of incompetence, that the man had simply disappeared, quickly shelving the case, and ultimately leading to Arestina's appointment to the post.
    When the Minister and her aides finished completing setup of their equipment, the General addressed the group.
    "Natina, Captain Moval, you will please remain here, the rest of you see to your duties, and Jensta, have the revised copy of the press release to me first thing tomorrow". The information officer nodded her understanding of the order and followed the others from the conference room.
    "Minister Bresvan", the General said, seeing the Doctor's aides remained, "this is a secured meeting, your aides may wait outside".
    The two aides looked to the Doctor, who gave them an exasperated expression since she faced away from the General, and nodded her support to his instructions.
    When the aides had left, Minister Bresvan walked over and sat in one of the vacated chairs, setting the attache case sh'e held since entering the room onto the conference table. Removing a small key from her vest pocket, she opened the lock on the case and removed a ten centimeter thick black binder, sliding it toward the General.
    "This is our preliminary report of the substance", she began, "derived from the tests conducted on cadavers transported at the first onset of the outbreak in Pusklava. Also the cadavers transported during Captain Moval's assignment to the region, and the water samples taken at that time from the Omolon".
    General Danko's eyebrows furrowed handling the document, thumbing through it briefly, noticing the vast amount of medical terminology and formulas it contained, certain that if he had time to read it, he wouldn't understand the material. Never one to admit unintelligence to anything the General simply handed the document to Natina, then without hesitation turned to the Doctor and asked, "Your Summary Minister".
    With a resigned shrug of her shoulder's Arestina simply shook her head and said, "we don't have one General". "We have been studying the substance for almost a year now, attempting to analyze it's different characteristics, and what causes it to act as an extant virulent. With our most current scientific knowledge we have reach only four factual conclusions".

    "One, is that it contains a negatively charged radioactive emission".
    "Two, that it can be diluted with nothing but ordinary water. We've even tried to dilute the
living virulent with Hydrochloric Acid without success".
    "Three, that it has indiscriminate lethality to all living organisms, when the organism ingests the virulent or is injected with it. That orginally the substance killed it's host swiftly, but as it diluted in it's consistency it mutated it's effects on living tissue, keeping the host organism alive and feeding on the victim similar to a parasite. Our most recent test of the Omolon's water shows that the dilution of the contaminate has progressed rapidly, and now the substance only causes limited sickness. So within another six to eight months the water
should be safe again".
    "The main issue we still have is where the substance originated from. If this is an isolated pocket of contaminate then there is nothing to concern us. But if it isn't, and we cannot clarify this, I dare say that the tragedy in Pusklava could very well happen in Moscow".
    Danko listened to the Doctor with his usual stone faced expression, betraying the whirlwind of thoughts blowing in is mind, as he pieced all the information together.
    "You said there was a fourth conclusion Doctor", Danko prompted.
    "I'm not sure where to begin General, so I will just give you the facts and let you decide
how to interpret them", Arestina began, disbelief registering in her eyes regarding what she was about to say.
    "The virulent appears to possess some form of sentient cognition".
    "Excuse me", the General interjected, his raised eyebrow and slightly opened jaw removing his stony look. "Minister did I hear you right"?
    "As impossible as it sounds General, I chose my words carefully. The final analysis of the mutated strain that we obtained from Captain Moval's expedition to Pusklava, shows that the virus began to show intelligence in it's effects on living tissue".
    The General sat staring at the woman stupefied. He'd heard and seen many things in life
he couldn't believe, but this was all together ridiculous.
    Seeing the man's obvious mental reluctance to accept this information, the Doctor continued with her justification of the evidence.
    "Through our continuing experiments in the laboratory, we found that the virus acts as a sedating mastication, numbing the area that it feeds upon, differentiating it's consumptive process to allow the infected organism to live as long as possible, before the effluent mass begins feeding on vital systems bringing about death. In this way it can prolong it's own
survival, by prolonging the organism that it feeds on. Upon the demise of the host organism the virus dies also, unless ingested or injected into another organism. This is the good news, as it is incapable of continued regeneration, and shortly is reduced to it's base elements, and this", Arestina said, removing a small stoppered glass vile containing a fine yellow green dust.
    "So this is the end result of the virus after death", Danko asked, taking the glass vile offered by the Doctor, holding it up to his eyes. The General stared at the negatively charged dust particles, a slight radiance to it's appearance.
    "Yes General", the Minister responded.
    General Danko handed the small vile to Captain Moval, noticing the intent stare the officer was giving him, even as he looked at the glittering dust in the vile. Immediately Danko recognized the look, and called for a recess to the meeting for ten minutes. Leaving the room,
to be followed close behind by the Captain, the two entered the toilet down the hall. Checking to see that they were the only ones in the facility and finding it deserted, Moval turned to his commander.

    "Sir", Moval started right in, not waiting for the question, just dispensing with his information, knowing the General's distaste for useless chatter. "The particles the Minister just showed us were the same particulate dust I observed after the experiment conducted at Kytvak station. The Ministry Secretary, and Stalin were well pleased with our progress there, and has led to the financing of the counter point program. If the Health Minister should make the connection between these events, we could face serious repercussions from the Duma".
    The General thought for a moment, then clapped Moval on the shoulder and said, "Lets see what she knows", leaving the room and heading back to the meeting, followed closely
by the Captain.
    When the briefing resumed, the General said, "now where were we", his tone and demeanor innocent of any clandestine discussion.
    "You had asked about the end result of the virus General", Natina spoke up from behind him, reviewing her dictation scroll.
    "Yes, so Minister, at this point you are unaware of how this toxin arrived in the rivers water I assume?
    "We are unsure General, however we are fairly certain that the reported earthquake in the
region undoubtedly played a role. In this consistency", she said, again holding up the glass
vile, "the questions outnumber the answers. Though containing Alexandrite, there are elements of these particles we simply can't identify".
    "I have a proposal here from the Health Ministry", Arestina began, removing a short stack
of papers from her attache case and handing them to the General. "We would like the assistance of the Military to conduct a reconnaissance of the area North of Pusklava, to see
if we can discover where the substance originated".
    Taking the papers and passing them to Captain Moval, Danko said, "Captain you will be at the Minister's disposal in this matter, and you will review the Ministries data and testing".
    "Yes sir", Moval spoke clearly, taking the brief and relaxing back into his chair, watching
with ease at how his commander had with magnanimous gesture just placed him in the perfect position to monitor the Health Ministries activities releated to the incident, and assure that they would find nothing to link the Military with the resultant deaths caused by the explosion at Kytvak station. 

    "Thank you General", Minister Bresvan said, realizing that she had just been maneuvered into a position she would have preferred to avoid. The last thing she wanted was to have a
member of the Military reviewing the Health Ministry's operations, and there was an element
of today's presentation that she deeply desired to keep buried, and far from any notice by anyone, especially the Military.
    Just thinking of the infant she felt herself becoming defensive, protective of this special child, that inexplicably had brought her the greatest joy of love she had ever known in life.
Feeling ill about what she was going to suggest, Arestina felt it necessary to give these two
rabid dogs a bone, and divert there minds from any indepth scrutiny of her Department, and
possible inquiry about Itnavian.
    "The Ministry has taken upon itself to sustain the virulent, in an effort to study it further.
We believe that it may provide insights into other virus strains, and it may well prove advantageous for military applications", she finished, trailing off and letting the men draw their own conclusions.
    The General sat contemplating the information, pinching his chin with his right index finger and thumb, seeming to consider the Minister's words in depth, and indeed he was. If the Soviet Military was capable of producing this virulent a chemical weapon, it would certainly be of use. But logic and the Minister's dossier told him that this was not the Doctor's goal in divulging the knowledge. Alarm bells were going off in Danko's mind. From everything he knew of the Minister, this was completely foreign to her character.
    Showing no sign of his insight, the General nodded and said, "Thank you Minister, we would be interested in any information the Health Ministry gleans worthwhile to our national security".
    With a satisfied smile at the General's words, believing her diversive ploy a success, the Minister rose from her seat, walking over to the square metal box brought in by her aides earlier.
    "Captain Moval, could you assist me with this", she asked, grabbing onto the chains on one side of the container. The Captain helped the Minister to move the box onto the conference table, then stood aside to allow the Doctor room to release the padlocks securing the metal chains. Once removed she used another key to open the built in lock on the box.
    Pulling back the top on the piano hinged lid, she reached in with both hands and carefully withdrew a round cylinder approximately twenty centimeters in diameter, setting it on the table. When she moved her hand the men saw that a short polymer tube labeled oxygen ran from the cylinder back in to the metal container, where it wa secured to the next item the Minister withdrew, a clear thick glassed casing.
    This immediately captured the attention of the men, and they watched in sickening fascination the contents of the clear container. General Danko had seen the photographs and films of the Captain's expedition to Pusklava, but had not yet witnessed first hand the effects of the virulent on a life form.

    Vladamir Danko was a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, having witnessed the mutilations of flesh in every possible genre. For most men, simply to know the darkness of death which he had seen would have destroyed their belief in humanity.
    Even so, the sight of the half consumed and still lively lab rat, twitching and pawing at the sides of the glass, while being absorbed by the greenish fluid clinging to his body, made the General's nose crinkle up.
    "Is this the result of the rat being fed the particle dust", the General asked Arestina?
    "No general, this is a result of mixing the dust with water. Those that we have given direct particles to have died in a short time, actually being burned alive from the inside out,due to the radiation effects".
    "This particular specimen was force fed the virulent from another rat who had already been given the particulate water mixture. In this way we have been able to keep the virulent going without using the small quantity of particulate dust we have on hand".
    "What are the effects of the mixture if it is not ingested", the General querried?
    "An open wound can cause the onset of virulent activity", the Doctor replied, "but exposure to skin, or breathing of vapors has produced no ill effects. The only way to contract the virus we've found, is through injection or ingestion.
    The General continued to watch the pitiful rat in the clear casing, a question toying with his mind on a subconscious level, a piece of this puzzle that just didn't fit. Unable to corner the elusive element Danko simply asked the next question that came to his mind.
    "Doctor, has the Ministry found any reason why the survivor of Pusklava, this child, was not killed like the rest of the town victims.
    The Minister's reaction to the question would have been seen by the blind. Her body stiffened as if the General had asked her to dance naked on the table. An air of tension as thick as fog surrounded the woman, and she appeared as someone who had been caught in the act of stealing.
    Arestina had hoped long before this briefing that the subject of the child wouldn't even come up in the discussion. She believed by diverting the mens train of thought to the Military application of the virulent, she would forego any question regarding Itnavian.
    "No,...no General", her voice stammered caught completely off guard by the inquiry, hating her own voice for it's betraying change in rhythm. "We aren't sure why he wasn't effected by the virus, but we..we have been monitoring his progress closely, but I do not hold out much hope he will survive".
    "Possibly the mother filtered out the radioactive elements through the liver and kept most of the virulent from the fetus. However since his arrival at the Ministry he has suffered a reduction in his natural immunity, and he shows no sign of getting better", she lied, the falsehoods coming to her easily now.

    "I see", the General said, wanting to applaud the Doctor's quickly contrived deceits, keeping an apathetic expression on his face, not to reveal the interest she had sparked in the youth. Danko admired the woman's healing skill, but he had gotten better lies from the clergy, he thought to himself.
    Making a quick decision the General changed the subject, foregoing any further questions regarding the youth. He had other avenues to explore the mystery behind the child and why the woman had become so unnerved by his innocuous query. Further he didn't want to alarm the Doctor into doing something rash. He needed more information before coming to a conclusion or taking action.
    Danko's next questions pertained to the Health Ministry's field reconnaissance proposal
and the logistical equipment they would need. For another hour the discussion moved about from aspects of the virulent, to maintenance of the specimens, safety precautions, and so on.
    The General noticed without effort the relaxed demeanor return to the Minister, knowing that he had put the Doctor at ease regarding the tense subject of the child.
    When the briefing concluded, the General thanked the Minister for her time and participation and asked her to stop at the Information Officer's station, to review the press release for information she wished to include. The Minister had her aides remove the contents they had brought in earlier and headed downstairs.
    When the room had emptied of all but Danko, Moval, and Natina the General addressed the Captain.
    "Did you see this child that was recovered at Pusklava"?
    "Yes General, and I don't recall the medics saying anything about the child being in any way unhealthy. The Minister may be in error in her assessment of the child's diagnosis", Moval replied, fully aware of the bizarre demeanor the Minister displayed when asked about the youth.
    An internally puzzling memory came to the Captain at that moment, suprised that until now it simply hadn't registered with him. He prided himself on detail, and rarely missed anything regarding his duties, guessing that the dismal village of Pusklava and it's inhabitants had caused the lapse.
    General Danko caught the expression on his underlings face, asking "What is it"?
    "I'm not even sure this is relevant sir, and I just now recalled it. When the squad who brought the child back to the village arrived, they appeared, well, almost cheerful. I  don't
need to tell you about the carnage there, and it was to say the least, a depressing atmosphere. When the squad left to search the surrounding hillsides, they had appeared to be just as morose as the rest of the force".

    "And another thing sir", Moval continued, reaching through the recesses of his brain where he had attempted to banish the images of the little town. "When we were in Pusklava, during our cleanup detail, burying the infected, a strange atmospheric phenomena occurred.
I have no way of knowing it's relevance sir, but it was an ominous event. Dark clouds appeared over the area, seeming to form above us in a roiling motion. There was severe thunder all around us, but not once did we observe any lightning. It was truly eerie General, and would I presume have made a far greater impression, had it not been for the dismal surroundings".
    The General's eyebrow raised as Moval recounted the tale, unsure himself of any significance to the child in question, but quite intriguing in it's own right.
    His interest fully piqued, Danko turned to Natina. "Natina, contact comrade Penske at KGB Counter Intelligence, and arrange a meeting with him.
    "Yes General", Natina responded.
    "Captain Moval, you will immediately assemble a clean up detail for the Kytvak station, and remove with all prejudice any remnanats of that outpost. You have two weeks to complete the assignment before the Health Minister becomes suspicious of the delay. I
anticipate it will take that long to assemble the appropriate equipment to conduct their reconnaissance survey".
    "Additionally, I would like you to collect any and all samples of the suspect particles the Minister showed us today. If you should recover any, put them under the control of Military Intelligence Evidence Storage in Leningrad".
    "I want your report in my office upon return from your assignment".
    With a click of boot heels and salute as acknowledgement of the orders, Moval strode from the room, mentally preparing for the assignment before he ever reached the door.
    "Natina", the General said next, "would you see to the contact with Comrade Penske, and also contact Comrade Yelsin, at Counter Point. Tell him to halt the current project until I can meet with him next week. You are dismissed", he finished watching his Secretary remove her dictation scroll and exit the room closing the door behind her.
    Sitting alone now in the large conference room, Danko let his thoughts hum through his mind like the ventilation fans that whirled above him. He rehearsed the next steps to follow in his course of action, looking for the advantages and potential pitfalls.
    A man of true brilliance, he was a hypocrite to his own mind. He stood in the darkest depth of the world's great forests and couldn't see the trees. The self deceptions of his own insight told him that he and his fellow citizens would not allow themselves to be controlled by another, and was exactly what he did to others under the guise of civilization and order.
    Concluding his mental plans for the future, he stood and walked from the room. He had matters of immediate state concern to attend to.

    Premiere Chosknov had taken ill several months ago from an unknown malady, and it had taken the sorry bastared until this past week to finally die. The attendant physicians couldn't explain the reason for the man's deterioration, and Danko couldn't have cared less.
    A sigh of satisfaction issued from the big man when he reached his staff car, sliding into the back seat and instructing Sargent Wesknoff to take him to the cemetary.
    All the way to Premiere Chosknov's funeral the General rehearsed his actions of paying respects to the Premiere's widow and children. Each time he tried, a smile forced itself to his lips, thinking of how he had removed the bothersome politician.
    He recalled Chosknov's instructions about the individuals who were suspect as western sympathizers, and his recommendation of how to eliminate these security risks.
Danko had to bite his lip to keep from chuckling out loud, thinking of how th Premiere had provided the perfect cover for his own assassination.
    As the dark staff car wound it's way through the outskirts of the Russian capital, Vladamir
Danko fought with his glee. With all the daring schemes and challenges he'd faced in life,
from the battlefield to the political home front, he wondered if there was ever a greater challenge before him.
    He pulled a small pin knife from his jacket pocket and opened the blade. Holding it in his right hand, he found he could easily conceal it, and he buried the tip of the blade into his left palm, just enough to cause sufficient pain to keep him from losing his composure during the funeral.
    After all, it wouldn't do to breakdown in raucous laughter, as the Premiere's worthless carcass was lowered into the cold Russian soil.