Framandi Alliance- Galaxy Accretion Conflicts

by Rashid Ahmed

  “Good to see you Gylfi. And you Katrín,” Sven greeted them. He explained his reason for calling, saying, “I understand you’re on the lookout for the Nál. We may have a bead on the vessel. It turns out that framandi automated manufacturing systems are responsible for any hardware they produce. I’ll explain. Any framandi system which automatically manufactures another, is then required to track and manage it. Just like how parents are supposed to be responsible for minor children. What we’ve learnt is that the framandi gaupa originally provided by AL-I and now aboard Nál, is on standby. It’s using a limited internal power-source, which allows it to transmit occasional status bursts, and assist in bridging new connections authenticated by its parent manufacturer, in this case AL-I. The framandi gaupas use a peer-to-peer load-balancing system to efficiently utilise all their gaupas. Kei probably only disconnected power to AL-I’s gaupa, after manufacturing one or more new gaupas for its own use.”

  Gylfi and Katrín nodded, encouraging Sven to carry on.

  Sven said, pointing to the framandi beside himself “You’ve been introduced to Áox.” He continued, “Áox contacted AL-I and the framandi gravity manipulation satellites, on your side of the solar system -framandi wormhole. As you may be aware, the gaupas on these function by manipulating quantum foam, using focussed gravity. They’re also able to detect the direction of strong gravity sources, and their position in relation to these. That’s one of the input systems the framandi use for system-wide situational awareness mapping. I’ve just learnt from Áox that AL-I, or rather a portion of it, has just re-entered the solar system. It’s on its way back to the framandi system, after transporting and delivering its passengers, equipment and other cargo, to Beta Hydri. The two of you need to go after Nál. You’re the closest to it. Vessels from Álfhól will take over pursuit as soon as they arrive at Nál’s location.”

  “Where is it, the Nál?” Katrín asked.

  “I’m transmitting the data. Shun will display it,” Sven said. A few seconds later, a blinking dot appeared approximately one AU under the sun’s southern pole.

  “It’s somewhere under the system’s ecliptic plane, directly below the sun; and coincidently, in the path of AL-I. The only way to track the autonomous SSEV, would be to get a visual on it. Until then, all we have is an approximated location.” Sven pointed out.

  Katrín said, “The viral vector manufacturing and delivery system is already streamlined. Production, packaging, storage and launch have all been automated. Our counterparts on Earth are monitoring the effectiveness. The biotech team on Sólríka are capable. They can take over.”

  “We’ve just got off a call with Max and Maji,” Sven informed. He added, “Three of Maji’s combat trained space defence team members will join you, along with three xenotechnologists.”

  “Space defence personnel? Really now?” Gylfi asked. Realization dawning, he added, “There’s more to this isn’t there?”

  “Yes,” Sven nodded and said, “two objects discovered in the solar system’s main asteroid belt, have been confirmed as dormant kilig vessels. Another four objects are being investigated. Both confirmed kilig spacecraft are large. The nine-crew control-ship kind. We need to take control of these. It’s likely that Kei may make a grab for the spacecraft. The rogue AI had access to the search results, prior to being disconnected from our systems. We need to get to them first. Besides locating the Nál of course.”

  “We’re approaching the wormhole through which the gigils and Síast exited. All the best. Talk to you later,” Sven hastily said and disconnected.

  There wasn’t any time to lose. Gylfi and Katrín called in the bio-techs who were on the team assisting them and reviewed the viral vector delivery project. The duo then met with the combat team and xenotechnologists before boarding the Habogi.

  The S3 'Nesting Doll' autonomous cargo and transport vessel had been rigged for analogue control; in case they required to take the vessel’s mission AI offline.

  Katrín was assigned as the taskforce chief. The newly formed crew practiced vessel handling and manoeuvring simulations. Then they buckled down before being sedated for a high-G run to where Nál was last located.

  Temporary control of the Habogi was handed over to Álfhól space platform from where Max and Maji were monitoring them. Álfhól mission control also monitored Átt and another pair of SSEVs which had departed from Rauður, the space platform located at the L2 Sun-Mars Lagrange point. The other two SSEVs had been tasked to reconnoitre the newly discovered kilig vessels. A new system defence control centre on Álfhól, was bustling adjacent to the mission control. Capable crew members monitored critical activities. Similar centres were being brought online on all functional platforms across the solar system. Real-time, deep space communication capabilities courtesy the framandi, allowed the group’s adhocratic structure to flourish.

  Now alone in his wardroom, Max looked up as a new pane hovered over his conference table. It was an incoming call request, which nudged itself amongst the already crowded volumetric projection windows. Max gestured at it. An administrative AI picked up his action and opened the connection. Rafael’s pane expanded, appearing over the others.

  “The defence network satellite deployment is picking up pace,” Rafael said happily. He added, “We’re ahead of schedule. Shun’s aided me in shaving time off a few processes, in our space-based centrifugal casts and forges. We’ve also added gravity focussing units to these. Additional force is being created resulting in greater compacting pressure.” Engineering renderings appeared within the projection as he spoke.

  Max was impressed with Rafael. Soon to be seventeen, the young transhuman showed exceptional drive. Clubbed with superior intelligence, memory and nonlinear thinking abilities, Max imagined Rafael to be the ideal person. Of course, he knew there were another three transhumans in Rafael’s batch, each separated by a year. He was yet to come across any of them. No doubt they’d be just as impressive. As morally conflicting as Lýsi’s transhuman program was, he was impressed with the results. And, he was glad it had borne fruit at a time when it was needed.

  Max nodded and smiled at Rafael. He replied to the young transhuman, “That’s fantastic news.” Then he asked, “How soon before we begin bouncing concentrated light and radiation between the satellites?”

  Rafael reported, “ACTVs are still transporting some to the outer reaches of the solar system. Some of the inner system satellites have already been deployed, initialized and are running onboard tests.”

  Diving deeper into his presentation, Rafael continued, “We’ll begin light and radiation focussing operations in eight hours. The beams will be sent outward to receiving satellites. Later, when additional defence network satellites are brought online, radiation will be collected and bounced between them. Initially, we’ll be operating a grid on the solar system’s plane. After this has been sufficiently populated with satellites, we’ll introduce another grid over and under the system’s plane.”

  “We may need to use the defence network sooner than we thought, Rafael,” Max said. He nodded and emphasised, “Get it working as quick as you can. There’s a situation brewing. The Nál may need to be taken out. We’re hunting for it now.”

  Maji entered Max’s wardroom. They shared the same shift. He looked excited and announced, “The Átt is entering the wormhole through which the gigils and Kei went through. A dozen framandi vessels are accompanying them. Other framandi vessels from nearby, will join them as soon as they’re able to make it.”

  Max spoke with Rafael saying, “Update me once the solar system defence network has been tested.” Rafael nodded and cut the connection.

  Maji gestured at the volumetric projection bringing the various feeds from Átt into focus. The primary feed showed the crew gathered in Suður, along with the two framandi aboard. Other panes showed wide angle visual inputs from the front, rear and each side of Átt. Maji made the interior feed larger and turned on audio.

  They heard Isla say, “This wormhole
is larger than the last two we’ve been through. Its six times wider than the wormhole joining the solar and framandi systems. Notice the barely perceptible dust and matter flow into the wormhole, from this planetary system into the system at the other end. This is one method to detect wormholes on our own. The other of course is utilizing framandi technology to detect dark matter flow.”

  She and the crew of the Átt were speaking aloud for the benefit of all the observers. They’d all learnt to think to each other and between themselves over their diadems, even while talking aloud.

  Sven announced to the crew, “Everyone, strap into your grav-chairs. The accompanying framandi vessels have formed up beside and behind us. Their navigation has been slaved to Átt’s until we’re well clear of the wormhole. We’re going to swing to port and accelerate, as soon as we exit the wormhole into the planetary system on the other side. Our small fleet may need to manoeuvre hard if there are objects in our path, on the other side.”

  Observing the feed beside Max, Maji felt the armrests of the grav-chair he was sitting on. He marvelled at the thinking that must have gone into these. They were suitable for crew wearing just pressure regulating innerwear, or personnel completely cocooned in their HSEVA suits. The chairs formed around a seated individual and swung about to bring a crew member into a comfortable position that dramatically reduced stress on the lungs. They used a combination of technologies, drawn from camera gimbal mounts and ship mounted self-stabilization artillery. Accompanied by continuously adjusted gravity points within the spaceship, the chairs provided exceptional comfort. Maji thought he wanted to take one home.

  Sven’s voice came over the feed again. Maji focussed on the action aboard Átt. “We’re coming to the exit point to wherever this wormhole leads to. Brace, brace, brace,” Sven announced ahead of their hard manoeuvre.

  The Átt accompanied by a dozen framandi vessels barrelled out of the wormhole and veered left. The spaceship rocked. One of the framandi vessels disappeared from their formation. Sven who had his fingers on the manual navigation-balls on each armrest, immediately began a turn hard right. “Hold tight,” he said in a flat calm tone. Without missing a beat, he continued, “There were some of those gigil wormhole maintenance units, on moon-like bodies close by. We’ve taken a few beam weapon shots for getting too close. One framandi vessel has been lost.”

  Now clear of the vigilant automated weapons systems, deployed by the gigils around the wormhole, Sven turned the Átt towards the spaceship taken over by Kei. It had suddenly showed up on the situational awareness feed, which began to rapidly populate with the system’s star, planets and other space objects. Right after, spacecrafts began to appear on the feed’s volumetric projection, a quarter way around the system from the Átt.

  “Jæja! That was quick. The situational awareness feed took quite a while to populate when we entered the lofi system,” Ásta exclaimed.

  Sven replied while observing, “Áox says that we have entered the vilji system. That’s the other system linked to the framandi’s, in which the gigils were massing. The situational awareness feed is updating from inputs provided by recon drones, which the framandi had covertly inserted directly from their planetary system. Gigil vessels which were approaching the wormhole leading to the framandi system, have now turned around. The situation here is rapidly changing. They’re sure to box Kei between themselves and the gigil armada ahead of us. We’ll be trapped too unless we turn immediately.”

  “Out of the frying pan, into the fire,” Eiji said aloud. Both framandi aboard turned to look at him with well-practiced expressions of surprise. Eiji must have quickly thought an explanation to them. They turned away grimacing while some of the crew sniggered.

  Tension broken, Jón drew their attention back to the still updating situational awareness feed. He said, “The sensor inputs from the framandi vessels accompanying us, are providing additional resolution to the feed. It looks like the retreating gigils aren’t stopping to face Kei’s subjugated control-ship. They’re heading towards the system’s star. Under it in fact. The feed’s updating to show gigil support vessels forming up there, awaiting other portions of their fleet.”

  “Focussing on the area,” Isla said.

  Áom pointed at the situational awareness feed projection. The framandi must have thought instructions across to Isla. She immediately said, “Overlaying and sharpening dark matter sensor inputs, from all vessels in the system.”

  That’s when it became evident. A wormhole as wide as the one they’d come through, now appeared plotted into the situational awareness feed.

  Behind them, framandi vessels began streaming through the wormhole the Átt had just exited. They massed close to the wormhole, while maintaining a safe distance from the sensitive gigil wormhole maintenance and defence structures.

  Sven said, “Áox has instructed the framandi vessels formed up at the vilji wormhole, to enter this system. We’ll join forces to form a large parabola between the wormhole we’ve just come through, and the wormhole joining this system to the framandi’s.”

  Crystal announced, “Kei’s pursuing the retreating gigils heading towards this system’s star.” She added, “A group of attack and recon drones are dropping behind the gigil fleet, to form a skirmish line.” Then she exclaimed, “Okay, here goes! The gigil fleet closing in from the framandi-vilji wormhole side, have begun firing on Kei. They’re completely ignoring us. They probably think their subjugated command-ship is kilig controlled.”

  “Some of the drones have stopped firing on Kei,” Jón said, quickly adding, “They’ve begun firing on the inbound gigil fleet instead. Other drones are joining in now. Kei’s command-ship doesn’t seem to be affected much.”

  “Áom indicates that the drone assault by the inbound gigil fleet is probably just a distraction,” Sven announced. Then he added, “The rest of the gigils are giving Kei a wide berth. They’re swinging around Kei, keeping well away from known electromagnetic subjugation range. They’re maintaining a hundred-thousand-kilometre safe zone around Kei. We should do the same.”

  Lei who’d kept out of the rapid dialogue so far, spoke up, “Let’s send recon drones of our own behind the retreating gigil fleet. It’d be good to know what’s on the other side of the wormhole they’ve begun withdrawing through. I think it may be vital to know what’s going on.”

  Áox nodded in her direction. The situational awareness feed updated to show several tiny blips leave the framandi formation and head towards the retreating gigils.

  Kei halted its advance. It was dealing with an ever-increasing number of drones, subjugating some, disabling others and destroying a great many by cross directing their fire. Soon the subjugated command-ship began gaining the upper hand. The gigil fleet had nearly past Kei’s position by now. They let lose a fresh barrage of drones. Kei slowly dealt with them as well.

  As the framandi formed a massive multi-layer wall, the Átt seemed lost amongst the vessels. Its crew took turns resting, although none of them wanted to.

  A few hours later, the last of the gigils were passing through the wormhole below the vilji system’s star. Kei was now in complete control of the drones around itself. Instead of following the gigils, it turned towards the framandi-vilji wormhole.

  Engrossed with the situation in the vilji system, Max thought he couldn’t take the tension any longer. That’s when Katrín called. Accepting the call, Max inserted an additional pane, projected beside the feed from the Átt. He said excitedly, “Please tell me you’ve located Nál.”

  “We got lucky.” Katrín explained. She elaborated, “We established communication with AL-I. The framandi vessel managed to point us in the right direction, before it began a gravity assisted acceleration around the Sun. It’s on its way back to the framandi system. Once Nál was pinpointed, we directed visual sensors at the SSEV, from all assets close to the Sun.”

  “That’s good news indeed. The space combat crews sent to your location, will arrive to take over from you. They’ll att
empt to take out the Nál, or at the very least, stall it,” Max said. Looking at another display pane and then looking back, he added, “You need to take the xenotechnologists accompanying you, to the main asteroid belt. Salvage crews dispatched from Rauður space platform, have arrived at the pair of dormant kilig command-ships. Kei may want these for itself. We need to access and control them before our renegade AI does. Failing that, we’ll need to destroy the two kilig spaceships.”

  Katrín replied, “I’m quite keen on getting my hands on a few kilig specimens. No doubt Gylfi will be very interested as well.”

  “I’ve got some news for you too and I’m afraid it isn’t good at all,” Max said. He explained what the situation was like in the vilji system saying, “Kei took control of a gigil command-ship. The AI has subjugated several gigil drones as well. The command-ship and drones are approaching a blockade of framandi vessels. If they make it through and into the framandi system, Kei might enter our system next. I actually think that’s what the AI intends.”

  “That’s disturbing news indeed,” Katrín said. She observed, “I have no doubt Jón and Ásta will do whatever they can to defeat Kei in the vilji system. But we’d best be prepared here as well. We’ll be on our way then.”