BOOK ONE: ALLELE; ChapterTwo

Chapter Two

The Hadrian Rift Collapse is estimated to have occurred approximately 30,000 years before the establishment of the current epoch. Evidence suggests that extensive ice mining at the site prior to the catastrophe was its root cause. Remnants of a vast grid of high volume ice wells within the rift's internal plain are still clearly visible despite the collapse. Why ice was being dropped into space so prolifically remains a mystery. What sparked the collapse remains undocumented.
The catastrophe left a canyon nearly two miles deep that spans over eighteen hundred geodesic miles on the outer, Anti-Jovic, hemisphere of Europa.
Popular legend claims an early Ministry was located at the center of the grid. No physical evidence of this exists, nor are there any references to such a Ministry in any known historical record.


Eighteen hundred geodesic miles was the statistic Allele couldn't get out of her mind as she sat in Harry Horst's waiting room the next day. Studies of ancient progressive satellite maps of the region made over a span of five hundred years after the collapse  indicated two or three locations of interest, but further surface deterioration put their locations in doubt. Unidentified articulates that could be debris from a prime facility seemed to drift out from a central location, but could be simply caused by the natural ice flow. If the evidence found with Lepton's help proved false she would need to porto-scan the entire site. That could take decades.
The project was originally Lepton's. He invited Allele along to interpret the cultural and social significance of artifacts for better understanding of what was uncovered and to help predict probable locations of secondary sites.
Her expedition was to be adjunct to his. As an anthropomorphist she hoped to establish an accurate date of the event to better calculate the impact on subsequent social evolution, better gauge cultural drift, in order to predict and recognize impending epochal events. How she would orchestrate an expedition of this magnitude without Lepton involved enflamed Allele's self doubt. She fixated on Ministry's possible motives for crippling the project by giving her soul responsibility.
As Allele sank into quiet despair Lepton entered the waiting room and sat next to her, "Have you spoken to Harry about this mess yet?"
Allele was too weighed down by the disaster she was facing to be surprised by Lepton's sudden presence, and simply looked up at him and answered, "No."
She was glad to see him but his presence puzzled her, "I'm glad you came. I didn't think you'd be talking to me. I'm more surprised than..."
"I know," Lepton cut in, "back stabbing is not your style."
"Lep, how can we possibly work around this?"
Harry Horst appeared at his office door. Both Allele and Lepton began to rise. Harry looked at Lepton and held up his hand, "Sorry. Just Allele, Lepton. This is an official briefing and can only involve the Expedition's Principal," he said using his official tone, though they'd worked together developing the expedition criteria for the past two years. Warning off any retort from Lepton, Harry gave a slight wave of his hand.
Allele turned to Lepton, "I'll keep you informed as much as I am allowed." Lepton nodded and stayed back. Allele walked into Harry's office as if to her own execution. Once inside she turned on Harry, "What's going on here Harry? What is Ministry trying to do, undermine our work, turn it into a circus?"
Harry held up his hand in a gesture to silence her. He said nothing for a moment, but looked deeply into Allele's eyes to make sure she gave him undivided attention. When he spoke he spoke slowly and deliberately to insure that Allele listened to his words intently, "Allele, this is the first official briefing between Ministry and the Primary Executive of the Archeological Expedition to Hadrian Rift," Allele went to speak but Harry hushed her again and went on, "As managing agent for Ministry concerning this project I am not allowed to give my opinion, nor direct advice to you or any other members of your team. As a trustee of Ministry I must maintain disinterest."
"I understand," answered Allele.
"Good. That said, Allele, the only thing I can do is ask questions." He put extra emphasis on the last phrase. Allele perked up looking quizzically at Harry who returned her expression with a playful glint in his eye and continued, "We understand each other then. As is standard practice all meetings between you and Ministry are archived for record. My job is to expedite your requests and make sure they are in keeping with the purpose and limits of the approved Archeological expedition."

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Harry emphasized the word 'Archeological'. Allele nodded in recognition.He was not referencing Anthropology as the primary topic of investigation.
"Where do we begin?" asked Allele.
"Personnel is a good indicator of the scope of a project." Harry answered.
Allele thought a moment, "Well, the application outlined my team. Jon, Sita, and myself."
"You mean Jon Slake and Sita Gravtech." Harry corrected, neither of Allele's assistants having the advanced credentials needed to drop their sectional names.
"Yes," replied Allele reluctantly. She felt the practice unfair as both her assistants were as well versed in their fields as any credentialed professional like herself. Sita was well on her way to an upper percentile. Jon maybe too someday.
"Ministry's way, Allele. Just formality," Harry said dismissively. "Your application outlined your team alone, but Ministry changed the project scope. You were originally adjunct to Lepton's proposal. Ministry has placed you in charge."
Harry walked around behind his desk and sat down, indicating the chair opposite to Allele. His words hit Allele all at once. Ministry wasn't undermining the expedition, it simply wanted her to be Prime Executor. Lepton's proposal lay open on Harry's desk.
"Ministry understands that alterations to your application will be essential to the success of your endeavor." Harry said officiously as he pushed the proposal across the desk toward Allele and pointed to the heading on the page it was opened to.
COMPREHENSIVE PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS
Allele looked at the list.  "I see," she said, still looking at the list. "Let's begin with the Archeological team which I see spearheaded by Lepton and his people. We'll need excavation crews and other ancillary support teams. As this development is new to me I'd like to take some time to review my new requirements and get back to you in a day or two. Is that satisfactory?"
"Yes," answered Harry, "that's how I see it too. This is a new responsibility for you, take time to coordinate and call my office when you are ready to schedule an appointment." Allele rose to thank him.
Harry didn't stand, "One last thing, Ministry will not be able to provide blanketing coverage inside the rift. Your team will have to use isolation units and standing range projectors. I suggest keeping your team numbers down. The less of that we do the better. You can have a few zip braces too in case they're needed." For the first time Harry made sure his eyes did not meet Allele's.
Allele collapsed back into her chair, "You have got to be kidding me!"
"I was as shocked as you when I saw the directive." Harry said in apology.
"Directive?" Allele repeated.
"Yes, it isn't that they can't. They won't. It's a policy decision not a technical necessity." Harry explained.
"Why won't they? What's going on?"
"The official explanation is Disinfection."
"Disinfection. As in protection against plague."
"Pretty much," concluded Harry.
Allele felt a new fear creep in. Trepidation about doing something dangerous, something only done for the most extreme emergency, she could accept, but there was a different flavor to this. A hidden danger she couldn't decipher. A new strange word she didn't understand entered her mind and seemed to name her situation. As she left Harry's office she said it out loud, "Bait!"