The first jolt was the discovery that the levels of sulfuric acid in the cloud cover had dropped drastically. The readings were so significant, in fact, that they ran the data several times and then checked the equipment and took another reading before they concluded that the readings were correct-unbelievable, but correct. Changes in carbon dioxide levels were equally startling. Overall, the chemical changes had resulted in a nearly 50% drop in atmospheric pressure and more than that in surface temperatures. It certainly wasnt balmy and the atmospheric pressure was still dangerously high, but after checking the figures repeatedly, they realized that they could land as theyd been ordered to if conditions allowed. The deep ocean explorer that had been modified for Venus surface since it had already been designed to withstand the pressure of the ocean would be safe enough for a surface survey.
No one was thrilled at the prospect except, perhaps, the two scientists aboard-Kushbu and Rains-but even they were uneasy. They spent a good deal of time speculating on natural phenomena that might account for the sudden, drastic changes, but it was clear to Sybil that even they didnt believe any of the possibilities theyd come up with that didnt include alien interference.
Of course, before the discovery, she wouldnt have believed in the possibility that there was alien technology capable of effecting such a rapid and significant change. She still wasnt sure she completely accepted it, but there was no getting around the fact that this sort change didnt come about without interference. It certainly wasnt natural. Natural changes took place over thousands or millions of years, not in a matter of decades.
They had no real idea when the aliens might have decided to terra-form Venus, of course. It was possible theyd been working on it from the time theyd first arrived and encountered humans in those previously dismissed sightings. That was still only a matter of fifty to a hundred years, however, and it couldnt be avoided that no such changes were detected by the numerous probes that had been sent to study the planet in the late twentieth century.
It was almost easier to believe that some rogue asteroid had ripped the ozone, creating, in effect, a natural pressure relief valve. As farfetched as that seemed, putting it down to alien technology wasnt any easier to swallow. Something had certainly made a drastic change in Venus, however, and it hadnt taken long at all to do it.
It was just as well Sybil didnt have the option of joining the landing party or not. Shed been chosen to stay aboard the Mars II and monitor the ship and the ground crew. She didnt particularly like the assignment-being left completely alone for the two days they meant to spend collecting samples-but she hadnt liked anything about the assignment to start with.
She didnt know if it was Spencers suggestion that had planted the thought in her mind or if she wouldve felt that way regardless, but almost from the time theyd left the Earth behind, shed felt like she had a bulls eye painted on her back. It was a relief to arrive unscathed at their target orbit, but not a huge relief. She still felt as if they were being watched.
She was monitoring the landing when that feeling intensified abruptly. Accompanied by a flickering of light behind her, Sybil felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Whirling while weightless wasnt a bright idea, but Sybil reacted instinctively to the abrupt certainty of danger. She had time to register an odd phenomenon of light in the cockpit behind her before her momentum carried her across the cockpit and into the hull. By the time shed fought her way around again, the light had vanished, but there was no relief in that. A solid form stood where the light had been.
Sybil sucked in a sharp breath to scream, launching herself toward the apparition. She collided with it hard enough to carry both of them against the back wall of the cockpit, but the half-formed plan to subdue the intruder came to nothing. By the time theyd stopped moving, she was locked tightly against the intruder instead of the other way around. She hadnt managed to wrap her mind around that or think of an alternate plan of attack when the sudden sensation of stinging ants washed over her. It increased to a burn that was rapidly reaching the point of being unbearable when it was followed by a descent into an abyss of blackness before she could even assimilate what was happening.
A strange, bluish glow met her gaze when she attained consciousness again and opened her eyes. Movement caught her attention before her memories caught up to her and she turned her head automatically toward the motion. Her heart leapt with fright at the discovery that she was surrounded by thin, gray, almost featureless beings barely taller than a child. That paled beside the twin discoveries that her suit and helmet had been removed and she was bound to the gurney she was lying on.
A frantic search of her mind to understand what was happening brought no comfort. The last thing she remembered was discovering an intruder and trying to subdue him before he could attack. Hard upon that memory came others, distant, vague, but substantial enough that she was pretty sure she was looking at, and had found herself in a similar situation to, reports from years ago involving alien abductions.
She sucked in a sharp breath and strained against the restraints when one of the creatures moved closer. Lifting an odd looking instrument, it seemed to wave it over her. Dont! Sybil exclaimed sharply, flinching as far from the instrument as she could.
Scanning, the creature responded in a mechanical voice-in English!
Sybil was shocked enough that it took several moments to sink in that it was scanning her. It struck her to wonder why the voice sounded so canned. A translator? As bizarre as it seemed that it could speak English, given the fact that theyd decided the aliens had been to Earth many times, she supposed it wouldve been stranger if they hadnt figured out how to speak English in that length of time.
It still sent a shiver through her.
Where am I? Why am I here? What happened to my suit?
Why are you here? the being countered.
Sybil stared at it blankly, but her mind was alive with rampant speculation. I dont know where I am, she countered. You tell me.
The creature studied her dispassionately for a long moment and then backed away.
A disembodied voice spoke then, but it was clear it wasnt speaking to her since the language was alien. It was deep and Sybil had the impression it was male, but she realized fairly quickly that she couldnt draw conclusions from anything known to her. The beings shed been staring at with such horror didnt seem to have sexual organs at all.
When the voice ceased, the gray things moved closer once more. Sybil flinched again, but tensed when she realized they were removing her restraints. The urge to attack was so strong she trembled with it, but logic won out. She had no idea where she was, but she knew she wasnt on her own ship anymore. Even if she succeeded in overwhelming the aliens, where would she go?
It still went against the grain to allow them to help her from the table and escort her from the room without a whimper of protest. She tried to comfort herself with the thought that they hadnt killed her when they could have-easily-but it was cold comfort at best.
A narrow, dimly lit corridor adjoined the small examination room. Sybil glanced up and down it when she was taken from the room, but there was little to see beyond the fact that it seemed to go on for quite some distance. There were no windows. She wasnt even certain that there were any doors opening off the corridor, but she finally decided there were, that the thin cracks she could see were joints for sliding doors. This was confirmed, more or less, when the beings halted and an opening appeared. Lights flickered on-the dim bluish ones from the other room-and she was pushed inside. The door sealed shut behind her before she could turn around.