by Rashid Ahmed
Isla commented, “That would take significant processing resources. If we didn’t get it right, we’d have asteroids smacking into the planet. There’s also the possibility of the asteroids missing the gigil vessels and continuing to plough on, slamming into our lines.”
Áox thought to them, “The calculations can be made by each individual vessel once they reach the asteroid belt. The catapulted asteroids trajectories and paths could be fed into our situational awareness model of the local system. This is feasible.”
Sven said, “Isla, implement it. Max, oversee the inputs please.”
The first wave of armed asteroids released by the framandi frontline were speeding along. As the framandi vessels released their armed asteroids and swung towards the system’s main belt, they provided focussed gravity propulsion to speed up asteroids released by other vessels behind them. This way, there were multiple waves of asteroids hurtling towards the gigil fleet, at dissimilar speeds. It was expected that this would further complicate matters for the gigils.
The Átt was drawing close to releasing its own asteroid, which was being tugged along behind it. Sven checked the vessel’s systems and ran a quick diagnostic to ensure everything was working as needed. Áox noticed and asked, “Is there something amiss?”
Sven replied, “It never hurts to be extra cautious. That way, we’re always sure we can trust our systems to function as intended.”
A pulse of energy caused the lighting inside Átt to flicker. Fortunately, nothing went down. Sven asked the AI, “What was that?”
Kei replied, “We seem to have been hit by a broad but powerful beam of energized particles. The gigils may have fired it towards us a while ago, and we entered its path. The beam is like what we faced from the armed drone while entering the framandi system, except this was a lot more powerful.”
“This is to be expected,” Áox thought to them.
Sven said, “Kei, run diagnostics on all critical systems again.”
Áox explained, “The outer material now covering your vessel, is made of tightly packed molecules of different densities. It’s formed by tiny self-assembling molecular machines, which interlock into specific shapes and densities as needed. They take the brunt of each beam contact and then rebuild themselves. This ensures the surface is always prepared for additional assaults.”
“So, then we don’t have much to worry about, is it?” Sven asked.
“At close range, the beam from the largest gigil ships can do considerable damage. It could rip this craft apart,” Áox clarified. “At this distance, we only need to worry about an energy overload, produced by your passive energy generation system, portions of which are embedded into your hull panels,” the framandi added.
Jón said, “We should work on a circuit breaker between the CREGs and batteries, in future vessel models. In this vessel, the batteries are designed right into the hull frame. They’ll be difficult to get to, given the situation we’re in.”
Sven said, “We’ll have to do whatever it takes, to survive. Austur SSEV can be isolated first. No one’s using it right now. The drones can take the insides apart, until they can get to the hull frame. We’ll manufacture the energy overload trip units in Vestur, while the drones are at work. Once Austur is upgraded, we’ll do the same with the other SSEVs.”
Áox added, “I would also recommend an energy release mechanism on the exterior of this vessel’s hull.”
“Elaborate please,” Sven said. Then regretted it. He was immediately bombarded with reams of data sent through his diadem by the framandi.
Áox added, “Your energy generators could switch from charging your batteries, to creating a field of charged particles around your vessel. As soon as a sharp jump in energy generation is detected, this switch could be triggered.”
Jón interrupted, “I’ve pulled up the SSEV’s design and worked with Kei on a simple trip mechanism which can be reset as soon as energy levels drop to an acceptable range. We’re sealing and depressurising Austur now for work to commence.”
Áox continued explaining “A layer of the material covering your vessel could be ‘instructed’ to form a superconducting shell.” The framandi elaborated, “Fed with high energy, this would create a magnetic bubble around your vessel. Like a planet’s magnetosphere. The bubble would repel a vast portion of particles, from beam weapons. The greater the density of particles hitting your CREGs, the greater the energy generated, and consequently a stronger bubble.”
“How would we accomplish this?” Sven asked.
“The technology to do this may not be within your reach presently,” said the framandi. “I’ll instruct the hull material covering your vessel to form itself as needed, and integrate with your energy generating system,” Áox said.
Jón said, “Actually, we have ongoing research for similar magnetic shielding, back on Earth.” Probing, he asked, “Shouldn’t your vessels be equipped with the same kind of cut-outs and bubbles?”
“They do not need to be. Each one transmits excess energy to other vessels through a distributed system, which identifies energy demand by individual vessels. We adapted and adopted a small portion of the gigils own technology, recovered in the past. We have recently deployed it, after eons of research to understand how to safely apply it,” Áox explained. The framandi then appended a set of references to how the concept broadly functioned.
It was time to release their towed asteroid. Jón announced, “Initiating asteroid splitting gravity-field sequences.” The asteroid they were towing ripped itself in three, releasing some debris. Jón then said, “Asteroid acceleration sequence activated.” A series of focussed gravity points were thrust ahead of each asteroid portion. Once the portions began accelerating, the intensity of gravity was rapidly amplified. This set the asteroid chunks hurtling towards the gigil fleet formation, aimed at the expected positions of individual enemy spacecraft.
Immediately after release, the Átt followed other asteroid depleted framandi vessels. They headed deeper into the lofi system. Most gigil defences were centred around framandi vessels about to release asteroids. Once detected, the paths of high energy beams emanating from gigil spacecraft, were updated to the framandi situational awareness feed. Áox observed, “The enemy has begun directing its vessels to concentrate energy beams onto asteroids approaching their frontline. Many asteroids have disintegrated under focused assault.” Áox tweaked the framandi plan to ensure a higher volume of asteroids were aimed at beam emitting enemy vessels.
As Átt progressed towards the asteroid belt, Kei alerted that it was time for a shift change. The crew had maintained the rigour of sticking to shifts, unless they were engaged in close quarters battle. They had rearranged shifts so that there was always at least four crew and one framandi awake.
Jón and Isla were due for a sleep shift after a meal and shower. Curious, Jón thought to Áox, “Are you hungry? I haven’t seen you eat.”
The framandi gave his now well practiced smile and thought back, “I recuperate and replenish in my suit which is placed in Norður, your bio-module which was recovered by us. The suit provides vital nutrients and hydration which are injected directly into my digestive tract, through a feeding tube on my side. Body waste is handled via a similar process, but without any permanent implants.” A series of visuals flashed through Jón’s mind along with Áox’s response.
Áox elaborated, “We took the liberty of integrating some of our own space-based vegetation growing units, alongside yours. We grow a wide variety of flora in space. Primarily for solid-food consumption. Incidentally, while Norður was being brought back to Átt, we had the opportunity to study your flora. There are a great many similarities. With minor modifications, we could consume yours, as you could ours.”
This surprised Jón. Picking up on the reaction Áox added, “Do not forget. Generations ago, we were present on your home planet, to salvage life there.” Previous references were appended to the thought. “The collateral damage inflicted to life on your world,
caused by sustained inter-galactic battles fought in your system, was near catastrophic. During the recovery stages, we needed to sustain ourselves. So, we introduced some of our own flora and fauna. We also brought back some of yours to grow in our system. Over time, these have evolved into the environments they were introduced to. On your world and on ours.”
The consequences of this revelation boggled Jón. If the framandi had chosen to, they could have taken up residence on Earth, instead of looking for other systems to occupy.
Instead of letting such a thought fester in his mind, Jón thought to the framandi, “Why didn’t you remain on Earth, the human home-planet?”
“We had a lot of rebuilding to do ourselves,” Áox thought back. “Once we were sure life, especially sentient life, would recover on your planet, we decided to leave you to your own path,” Áox explained.
Jón thought to Áox, “We’ve pretty much wrecked our planet, Earth. Conflict, intensive resource extraction, unconstrained consumption and widespread pollution have adversely impacted our world.”
Ásta entered the central operations area. She nodded her head to Áox and said, “Time for you to get some rest Jón. You too Isla. You’ve both overshot your shift.”
Isla grinned and replied, “Your brother is to blame of course. He’s been in deep-thought mode with Áox for a while now.”
As Jón got up to leave, Áox thought to him, “Once, we too brought our planet to the brink of destruction. That was a long time ago, after our planetary system saw similar battles, as yours did. In our dash to recover, we stripped our planet bare. That nearly ended us. We chose to evolve. Consciously and deliberately. On the surface, our home world is now a paradise. We plan to keep it that way. You too will need to take initiative. I’ll show you how we did it later.”
Jón nodded to the framandi and said to his sister, “Glad you’re here. I’m actually exhausted.” Sven who was on the shift after Jón’s said, “I would be too if I worked through two shifts. Go get some rest.”
Isla handed over her tasks to Crystal and left the central operations area, jogging to catch up with Jón.
Crystal’s story was just as unique as each of Lýsi’s members. She was an extraordinarily gifted student and had completed post graduate studies in astrophysics, by the time she turned nineteen. Then she had run into a math professor at university, who was consulting with a private London based organization, to develop the next generation of quantum computer-based AI hardware. Impressed with Crystal’s capabilities, he roped her into the project.
A portion of the project she was working on, was transferred to the port at Aichi in Japan, aboard the Kuji Maru, a merchant ship. Once the quantum computing cores on the ship were up and running, the AI Shun ran Crystal through a series of moral assessments. The AI had done this with every person it had come into close contact with. The evaluation was based on Lýsi’s standard recruitment tests. Crystal stood out. Not only was she a good person, she was the very best. Shun recommended she be recruited.
Soon after, she found herself in space and part of an epic deep-space adventure. And, she had her biggest crush Sven, aboard with her. Crystal was just where she belonged.
Ásta surprised her. Crystal was pouring over the imminent asteroid slinging manoeuvre, set to commence once the first framandi vessels arrived at the system’s main asteroid belt. She was engrossed with star charts on her pad.
“So, you and Sven are a thing now?” Ásta asked. “Huh?” Crystal mumbled. Now distracted, she said, “This isn’t the time. But, there’s no keeping anything from you. So, yes!” Ásta peeked at the pad and saw that Crystal was now checking through calculations related to their approach to the gigil formation, after they rearmed. She also had a pad window open, on the asteroid catapulting manoeuvres. It required focus. She touched Crystal’s forearm and said, “You’ve been withdrawing into yourself. You can’t isolate yourself with only Sven as your confidante. He may be your partner, but you need to interact with the rest of the crew. Isolation is dangerous, especially out here.”
Crystal was intelligent enough to understand. She nodded her head and gave Ásta a smile. She said, “I’ll be sure to take time out to socialize. It’s just that I’m feeling the stress.” Ásta replied, “We all are. But we’re also the ones making first contact. Both the friendly kind and confrontational. You’re one of the most intelligent persons I know. And you’re always up for action. I for one, am glad you’re here with us.”
Ásta gave Crystal a quick hug and went across to Áox. She looked at the projected situational awareness feed, noticing Áox peering at a section of it. The framandi zoomed in on an area, to the left of the wormhole through which they’d entered the lofi system. She thought to Áox, “Is something amiss?”
“Yes,” Áox responded and thought back, “I have noticed a plume of dust and dark matter entering this system, from beyond the gaseous planet holding the seventh orbit. It is likely, there is a large wormhole at that location. There are several gigil freighter and factory-ships accompanied by armed reconnaissance drones, which appear to be departing the fleet. They seem to be heading for this location.” Áox appended overview data, to back up his thought.
Ásta studied the information. She was now accomplished at getting to the nuts and bolts of pertinent information, from framandi presented data. She did this better than anyone else on the crew, including her twin brother.
“Sven, you’ll need to see this,” Ásta called out. He looked their way, taking his attention away from the gigil rear formation. Crystal put her pad aside and walked up as well. Stefán was the only one on shift who was missing from the central operations area on Suður. He was on Norður, tending to the bio-module and researching some of the framandi plant material.
Sven asked, “What am I looking at?” He had learnt to speak aloud while simultaneously thinking the same thought through his diadem. Ásta replied, “The gigils seem to be withdrawing some of their freighter and factory-ships towards what appears to be a wormhole. Focus on the area to the left and south of the wormhole we entered the system from.” Ásta had picked up the way Sven concurrently spoke and thought through his diadem. She managed to do it just as well.
Crystal pointed out, “There are a few large bodies behind the wormhole.” She said to the AI, “Kei, zoom in on the area directly behind the mouth of the newly identified wormhole.”
A portion of the volumetric projection showing the wormhole, expanded into view. Crystal said, “There. Looks like five moon-like bodies. There are some structures on them.”
“That is wormhole maintenance technology, like those the gigils had in our system, before the structures were destroyed in ancient battles between them and beings from your galaxy,” Áox thought to them. The framandi continued, “I recognize these from our ancient history.” A set of data followed the thought. Áox went on, “These take time to deploy. Unlike our own technology, these gradually expand and hold wormholes open, using tiny, incremental increases in energy. We still do not have the enlightenment to replicate this. However, we do know how to destroy them, and collapse the wormholes to their natural states.”
“We should refrain from destroying these unless there’s a pressing need,” Sven advised. Max who was keenly following Átt’s progress, came online. He agreed with Sven, “We would gain a strategic advantage to control known wormholes. These will allow further exploration. They’re choke-points which may be easier to defend as well. However, if there is a threat, reducing the size of the wormhole mouths, may be an option. It all depends on how the current situation unfolds.”
Ásta’s eyes widened. She turned towards Áox and thought while speaking aloud, “You mentioned that framandi know how to knock these out. Did that involve taking over the gigil wormhole-preservation structures?”
“Yes, it involves penetrating the structures and disabling specific components,” Áox explained while transferring imagery into their minds. “This requires infiltration,” the framandi explained, prov
iding supporting data, “and, a stealthy approach while remaining masked. The structures are automated and defend themselves. Even against approaching but unauthorised gigil vessels.”
The outlines of a plan began forming in Ásta’s mind. It would require cunning, stealth and sheer luck. She decided to discuss it with her brother once he awoke. He had a knack at identifying gaps in logic. He was also very crafty when it came to strategic planning.
Crystal announced, “We’re nearly at our first designated asteroid. The one we’re to lob at the gigils. I’ve finished reviewing the calculations for our part of the operation. Speed, trajectory, gravity assisted acceleration around the fifth planet, and expected location of the target vessel. They all check out.”
Sven announced to them, looping in Stefán who was still in Norður, “Everyone strap in. We all know how exciting pushing, towing and chucking asteroids can get. We’re five minutes out from our plotted asteroid.” He wasn’t worried about the remainder of the crew, secure and asleep in their capsules. They’d be protected should something go wrong. He knew because he had spent enough time in an evacuation capsule, until they were rescued. So had Crystal.
