133 Black Markers (1/2)
Within a subterranean living room, all eyes and ears are glued to the television, watching and listening to the greatest global event in history of humanity.
It is being unfolded across the planet.
More than a thousand of these black obelisks are deposited onto the planet by the numerous starships hovering in the sky and in orbit.
These strange alien structures are placed at an equal distance from each other for maximum coverage and effectiveness.
The vast ocean of the planet did not impede their emplacement whatsoever.
Untold power radiates from each of the spiraling black towers, pulsating and emanating ominously.
It is mostly for effect, but any kind of electronic equipment that get too close to these alien towers will be instantly fried by powerful electromagnetic pulses.
Several helicopters have learned this painfully and fierily.
Although the structures are not designed to bomb the human race back to the stone age and keeping them there until the stars themselves burn to stellar dust, they do have the power to do so.
I only needed to say the word.
Just a single word.
However, that would be plan B if plan A gets fucked sideway.
There is also a plan C and D, but those are kind of unnecessary to be honest.
It is highly unlikely for one of my plans to fail, but there will always be that possibility.
The future is always changing, so I cannot be completely certain even with my power.
I can only be relatively sure.
For now, Legion is testing the range and effectiveness of the electromagnetic pulses. It is one of the many tests that I am conducting on the planet and against the entire human population.
This is as good as an opportunity as any others.
And it seems like a waste if I didn't take advantage of it.
I like to do more than one thing at a time. Not only it keeps me busy, it also using the resources at my disposal more effectively.
”What are those things, Max?”
Stephanie asks fearfully.
My mother seems to think that I somehow know the answer she is looking for.
While I obviously do, there is no logical reason for her to think that. She probably just wants assurance from me.
An assurance that everything will be alright.
Usually her father provides this, but I suppose I am more important in her mind right now.
”I do not know, Stephanie, but I hope that they aren't anything bad. But if it is, I will be there with you, I promise.”
I answer with a warm smile.
Stephanie reciprocates with one of her own.
Grandfather notices the exchange and lets out a heavy sigh. As much as he wants to separate the both of us, it is impossible when we are like this.
In fact, the more he tries, the more he pushes his oldest daughter into my arms.
Grandfather knows that the longer he and his family stay here with me, the harder it is to leave.
But he is unable to do anything about that currently.
Dejected, grandfather returns his attention to the television, trying to understand what is happening to the world.
It was so simple before. Even with the death of all plants and animals, it was still simple. Now, he has no fucking clue what is going on.
And the fear of the unknown is more terrifying than anything.
It is the same fear that everyone in the world are feeling. They do not know what these black obelisks do, and that alone frightens them.
”Hey! Anyone is hearing that?”
The news reporter on the television questions puzzlingly. She is quite bold for standing so close to the tower like some lunatic, so the energy pulses are affecting her mind in a number of ways.
Most if not all of the energy pulses are harmless, as I do not want to drive anyone insane just yet.
I do not even know if it is possible to with a prototype, but I guess I will find out soon enough.
”Oh my god! What is that!? What is that!?”
The reporter looks around frantically as if she is seeing things while her mind is being affected by the brainwave generator. The device is housed within the black obelisk, and the hallucination effect grows stronger the closer she is.
The generated brainwaves affect everyone differently due to different physiology, so having a diverse and sizable population to test will yield more meaningful results.
Once the reporter starts panicking, the crewmen grabs her and drags her away from the tower. As she is no longer standing so close to the alien structure, the effect diminishes until it vanishes completely.
People quickly learn the danger of these towers when standing so close to them.
Some suicidal people actually touch the tower and get the best shock of their life, literally.
Legion did not consider these suicidal people are dangerous to others enough to be locked up in stasis cell within a spatial dimension. They are just a danger to themselves.
Once they get shocked by the alien tower and sent convulsing on the ground, they start mumbling a string of random numbers.
While it sounds gibberish at first, it actually an encrypted message due to being repeated at certain interval.
There are also some legible words within the rambling.
”human… earth… black… markers… decipher… host… need…”
I chuckle inwardly when the people on the television start calling these obelisks as Black Markers.
That sound about right because they are.
I basically stole the design for the helical obelisk from the Dead Space franchise.
Since the first game of the franchise won't be released until October of 2008, I can plagiarize as much as I want.
It isn't like anyone living in this reality know about it.
And with everything that is happening across the world, no one would dare to develop such a survival horror game in the future of this reality, assuming there is a future.
I hope there is, for my mother as much as it is for humanity.
Unlike the black markers within the survival horror game, my version does not reanimate dead tissues and turning nearby people into murdering psychopaths. And it certainly does not create a moon-size Cthulhu-like monstrosity in the end.
That would be crazy, not to mention way over the top.
It is already enough to scare the living shit out of people by making them hear ghostly voices and see things that are not there.
But is there a reason for making them hear and see all of that?
Actually yes. It is to study the effect of the brainwave generator have on normal and sane people.
Since I didn't want to test this device in the prime-reality as it will create widespread panic and chaos, I will test it in this reality instead.
This reality is already in a state of panic and chaos. A little more wouldn't hurt.