Battle for Time

by Gerry A Saunders

  Done.

  Frank mentally felt the heightened synchronization burst as Gerry mentally sent the activation code.

  Then Gerry mentally repeated the order he’d given Ronin before carrying out Tamar’s instructions on Delta, which seemed years ago, to him.

  You must come to me immediately…Ronin. You must only operate under my command.

  Then all is not lost, captain, Ronin replied.

  Not yet Ronin… Verify my command.

  You are Captain Gerry Stevens… I am yours to command.

  Then come to us now, Ronin. And, accept Frank Richardson’s commands in an emergency, as if they were mine.

  Gerry sensed Ronin’s acknowledgment. And could almost see Ronin’s fluid surface change to a smile, in his mind’s eye, as he and Frank closed their mental contact.

  Gerry sighed, he wished he’d spent more time exploring Ronin’s capabilities, back when he had had the chance, instead of Cindy’s.

  Chapter 12

  The Techno Clan

  Ronin, the 27th-century warship, exited a micro-jump and came to a halt just two kilometers from the Time ship, and directly between the two warring factions.

  Gerry saw Carn’s holo face redden when he realized Ronin was no longer under his control.

  “I named the ship, and it’s back under my control Carn,” Gerry coldly stated.

  “This is not how our own predictors envisaged the ship’s function.”

  “Ronin is a living entity. Not just a mass of metal and Simonides.”

  Frank smiled at Gerry’s intentionally incorrect word, knowing it was done to throw Carn a curveball.

  “Right. First things first,” Charlotte interjected. Having recognized that time was of the essence, she had decided to take charge for the moment.

  “My mental blocks are up, Carn, so, what was in the last statement that the Clan entered in Delta’s security memory block?” She asked.

  “Why?”

  “Humor me, Carn.”

  “It would have to be, per ardua ad astra.”

  "Through adversity to the stars,” Charlotte uttered.

  “Yes. And it was a motto of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, back in the 20th century,” Carn added.

  “Correct. So, now we can work together.… Drop your mental blocks, and I will bring you up to date,” Charlotte ordered Carn.

  Then Carn’s holographic image dimmed as Charlotte strengthened her mental link and entered his mind.

  While Charlotte updated Carn, the other five discussed where and how to alter the timeline, and how to save Charlotte and Susanna’s children.

  “We need to cut off the supply at the exact point in time when Andromeda started reproducing the brain cells in vast numbers, and that shouldn’t affect the outcome of the Garoden War,” Cindy suggested.

  “But that wouldn’t be enough on its own to correct the timeline,” Anton pointed out.

  “That’s true. But on the other hand, we don't know whether or not the Varons were involved with the humans at an earlier stage,” Frank stated.

  “Maybe they did something critical that we don't know about, that may have added to the problem with our timeline, Frank,” Anton suggested.

  “Didn’t one of our Survey ships go missing near the quadrant where the Varons are located?” Susanna asked.

  “I’m not sure, but if that really did happen, and the Varons managed to stop us from knowing anything about them and their goal, then they succeeded,” Frank replied.

  “Yes, and if we’d known what we know now, we could have done something about the Varons before now,” Gerry put forward.

  A short time later, Charlotte ended her mental update with Carn. She was pleased with his response to the updates and the information he’d given in return.

  “Okay, everyone,” she said, interrupting the other’s discussion. “Carn’s Techno Clan are preparing a visual framework to help Anton and Gerry participate.”

  Gerry and Anton looked at each other, both of them feeling hurt that they were still too far down the mental ladder to keep up with the others. And, even though Gerry had managed to converse with Ronin, he knew it had only been possible through Frank’s mental link.

  Just then, the dimmed holo image of Carn suddenly brightened, then morphed into the human face of a female.

  “Friends. I am Supreme Techno, Vellore,” she stated. Then stopped speaking as the holographic image of her face morphed again into a large sphere.

  Within the Holo sphere, eight silvery-blue pear-shaped ships could be seen leaving Delta.

  “Charlotte has told you how our newly developed Temporal search device picked up the Varons covert operation, and that we had informed Delta’s high council of the danger. But the council dismissed our warning as fanciable,” Vellore told them and paused, while the vision changed to a web-like image.

  “So, we agreed that it was imperative for some of Delta’s original Techno Clan to leave and prepare to thwart the Varon’s plan, which had already started to fool the council…

  “Vellore, why couldn’t you have stopped the Varons yourselves with all your technical knowhow?” Gerry asked.

  “That was impossible for us with only eight small vessels at our disposal, Gerry. But you were correct in your assumption that the Sub-Space devices, linked to your discs, were part of our plan to make sure Tamar saved all of you. And placed us all in 2300.

  Our plan included a Time ship and the Time crystal, but we had to ensure the Varon’s weren’t aware of this. Unfortunately, that decision by our own predictors went slightly astray when Gerry manipulated Ronin to obey him, and only him.”

  “So, even you aren’t above using a little manipulation yourselves,” Frank remarked.

  “Saving the human race is all that matters to us,” Vellore coldly replied.

  “That is paramount to all of us, as well,” Susanna shot back.

  “I know… But you’ve set the Timeship’s primary-matrix search too narrow.”

  “If we widen the search, we’ll have no chance of finding the human timeline at all,” Anton argued.

  “That is because both you and the Varons are wrong to assume that the Timeline is singular. They too, were adversely affected by the Time quakes. In fact, any species that touched the human timeline without Temporal buffering, suffered the same changes, to different degrees.”

  “Okay, so, the Varons are here in this period, and no doubt in large numbers,” Cindy commented. After realizing that sitting here with no real plan, was suicide.

  Gerry could see it all now. “So, the Time ship and Time crystal had been locked at a given point in the Timeline when they were all wrenched out... That means that all the filaments linking other species are still connected to the original event.”

  “Exactly, Gerry. It’s the wrench point, the event that will stand out like a sore thumb… That is your contact point for the Ship’s Matrix to lock onto, not the Timeline itself. It’s the only point that the energy field will still be strong enough to detect.”

  “So, we go to the exact time we left in 2725. But because we're in the Time ship, with the crystal, we can then move back in time enough to prevent the event happening in the first place.”

  “Correct… Except that the exact moment you reenter the event, the Time crystal will leave you, and go back to its original location, and the Time-shaft should reestablish.”

  The web of interconnecting strands within the Holo sphere, then morphed back into Supreme Techno Vellore’s face.

  On looking at her face, Frank realized that Vellore didn’t seem any different from a human female from his time. However, her smooth white skin made it difficult to judge just how old she was, but even so, she had a sparkle of youth and confidence about her.

  “Can I assume that we could become a time paradox, Vellore?” Susanna ventured.

  “A time-loop is theoretically possible. But our theorists are confident that won’t happen,” Vellore replied and paused briefly.

 
“But, within 30 to 40 seconds of the time shaft re-establishing, the event will happen again. So. It’s imperative that you quickly enter the Time shaft and move down to a time before the event takes place. Then you can go anywhere without hindrance and make the time adjustments that need to be made to stop the Varon’s plan,” Vellore added.

  “But what if we haven’t had time to finalize the adjustment points?” Cindy asked.

  “We have already provided your Time ship with the possible intersect time-points to adjust… And, you’ll have seventeen hours to study and modify them before entering 2725.”

  “It sounds workable, Vellore,” Anton said, feeling hopeful for the first time in days, then started to change the Time ship’s Matrix search parameters.

  “Vellore, when we leave, how will your Clan and Ronin join us in 2725,” Frank asked.

  “Our other six Clan ships are still in 2725. But the diamond-shaped objects you detected in Sub-space, that linked with the Varon discs, have just been reprogrammed by my technicians for 2725… As well as my two ships, and Ronin.”

  “Of course,” Gerry concurred. “But don’t try to erase my authority over Ronin,” he warned Vellore.

  “We won’t, Gerry… After all, there must be a reason why you were allowed to take control of Ronin,” Vellore replied. Then a smile broke across her face. “Don’t worry, we’ll keep Ronin with us and ready for you.”

  “Excellent,” Gerry said. Then wondered if the two Clan ships out there had just come directly from 2725. If so, then the diamond-shaped objects suspended in subspace must provide limited time-travel. But Ronin didn’t have a subspace device as far as he knew, so how did they manage to move that size of Starship around in Time, Gerry wondered.

  Am I missing something, he asked himself? After all, the Timeship’s Primary-Matrix hadn’t detected anything resembling a Time shaft.

  Still, he’d have to leave those questions for later… If indeed there was a later.

  Vellore’s holo image then disappeared as Carn’s face morphed back.

  “I have just received an update from our subspace sensors. It seems that we have thirty-seven minutes before several more Varon vessels exit warp,” Carn informed them.

  “Unfortunately, they are unknown to us and appear to be a superior version. So, we all need to be gone before then,” Carn explained.

  “We will be, Carn,” Charlotte confidently stated.

  “I hope so. We haven’t the firepower to protect you,” Carn replied.

  “Understood,” Frank acknowledged while sensing frustration building in Anton’s mind.

  “The Matrix is having trouble locking onto the event, Frank,” Anton grumbled.

  “How long before you can get a stable lock,” Frank asked, then wished he hadn’t.

  “As long as it takes,” Anton shot back.

  Chapter 13

  Frank’s Plan

  Thirty-two minutes passed before Anton managed to tweak the Timeship’s matrix to lock onto its target, the Temporal event.

  By now, both Gerry and Anton were hurriedly writing a new execution program into the ship’s AI. But it was taking far too long due to the doppler effect on the diminishing ‘Temporal Event’ that had thrown them all back to 2300.

  Consequently, the fear that the Varons would engage them before the Time ship could commence its journey Uptime to 2725 was very real.

  “Four minutes, max,” Carn warned Charlotte.

  “Anton?”

  “We’re almost there.”

  “Almost there, means we're all dead,” Charlotte stated.

  Gerry turned to Frank.

  “Frank, use my command to instruct Ronin to get between us and the Varon ships, to protect us?”

  Frank, knowing that Ronin might not be able to follow the Clan ships, or the Time ship, back to the event. Thought about the implications for Ronin before answering.

  “Okay, will do,” Frank then replied.

  Frank remembered that, in the event of an emergency, Gerry had given Ronin a transfer command, when he and Gerry had mentally piggybacked to bring Ronin here.

  ‘Accept Frank Richardson’s commands in an emergency, as if they were mine,’ Gerry had wisely ordered Ronin.

  Frank mentally linked with Ronin.

  Ronin, can you move and prevent these new Varon ships from destroying us before we’re able to Uptime?”

  Ronin was instantly in his mind.

  You have command. Be careful, I know Varon ships of old. But these are not familiar to me.

  Frank felt the sadness in Ronin.

  Can you follow us when we are safe? He sent.

  Unsure of the outcome, Ronin quickly replied.

  But we need you at the 2725 Temporal event, Frank urgently sent.

  “Exits,” Carn suddenly warned.

  Then Frank’s mental link with Ronin became erratic and stopped for a few seconds, as the image of Ronin’s ship blinked, then reappeared again between the human’s ships and the Varon vessels that were emerging from their wormholes.

  “Nine Varon Pathen class destroyers,” Carn informed.

  “Charlotte! We need to be gone,” Carn urged.

  Charlotte mentally ascertained Anton and Gerry’s progress. Then sent Carn a mental update.

  Carn’s face looked worried on receiving it. “You know Ronin won’t survive these Varon ships, don’t you?” He asked.

  Charlotte didn’t reply.

  “Could we mentally quad sync like we did with the Garodens?” Frank asked as he felt Ronin back in his mind.

  Then, Carn’s face once again morphed into Supreme Clan Techno, Vellore’s face, as she answered Frank’s question.

  “It’s not possible, Frank. These new Varon ships have limited intrusion protection. So, although a quad-link would have more effect, it would fragment as it tried to pass through their protection systems, and certainly wouldn’t remain stable long enough to be of any use.”

  Frank understood the unspoken inference of Vellore’s statement.

  Then, suddenly.

  “Ronin’s under attack,” an urgent-sounding voice came as Vellore’s face morphed back into Carn’s.

  “Okay. Are we agreed that a single mind might do better?” Frank asked.

  They mentally acknowledged this.

  “Then, I will join Ronin and meet you all at the 2725 Temporal event,” Frank forcefully stated, although he wasn’t sure just how that would happen.

  “Wait, Frank,” Susanna almost yelled in disbelief of what he was proposing.

  Then Carn chipped in again. “Frank is right, Susanna. With Ronin and Frank mentally causing confusion for the Varons, the plan just might work.”

  “Done,” a relieved Anton yelled out. “If you’re going, Frank, do it now, we are going to leave in three minutes.

  “Even if the Time ship gets away in that time-frame, Susanna, my ships will need more time,” Carn then pointed out. “We’ll need at least another two minutes to lock on to the Timeship’s wake before we can sync to enable us to exit together,” he warned.

  Ronin. Get me, now, Frank mentally commanded and gave Ronin a suitable area for extraction.

  The air instantly crackled as an almost one-and-a-half-meter wormhole established, exactly where Frank had indicated to Ronin. Then part of Ronin’s transfer tube extended out of hyperspace and into the Time ship.

  Frank waited a few seconds until arcs of energy that were crackling between the extended part of the transfer tube and the floor, finally ceased. While at the same time noting that this extraction was different than when he and Susanna were extracted from the Andromeda.

  “Remember, Frank. If you survive, Ronin must follow in our wake within two minutes, and sync with us in the same way that we’ll sync with the Time ship.”

  “Understood Carn. Then, because of Ronin’s size, we’ll only have two minutes to enter your wake.”

  “Correct.” Carn agreed.

  Frank kissed Susanna. Nodded to the rest of them and stepped into
the transfer tube, and immediately felt disoriented and giddy.

  Then blackness filled his mind.

  Chapter 14

  Warship, Ronin

  Frank staggered, then felt sick for a few seconds before realizing that he was on board Ronin, and they were under attack. A few seconds later, his cognitive senses recovered, and he received a battle update from Ronin.

  “Glad you came over in one piece,” Ronin said, jokingly.

  “Obviously. So, why are you still in one piece?”

  “It seems that these Varons haven’t seen a warship like me before, and I’m preventing them from scanning me to gain more time.”

  Frank moved over to stand in front of a large tactical holo sphere that Ronin had generated for him. But he could only see the nine Varon Pathen class destroyers displayed within the Holo-Sphere.

  “How long before the Time ship leaves?”

  “My countdown monitor shows one minute, twenty-eight seconds. Then we should follow on, five minutes, twenty-one seconds later.”

  Frank was initially reassured by Ronin’s confident reply, but on thinking about it, he remembered that Carn seemed to know more about these new Varon ships than Ronin did, and Carn had been less optimistic about his and Ronin’s chances of survival.

  Then, thinking on, Frank decided that Carn didn’t know the full extent of his mental powers.

  “Gather as much information on these ships as you can, in case they turn up at the 2725 Temporal event,” Frank instructed Ronin.

  “I am, I’m sending expendable probes to the Varon destroyer group. The probes should survive long enough to reach the Varon ships protective screens.”