by Max Swan
“Let them dump us on some unknown planet at the mercy of diseases, and predatory animals that’ll probably make Earth’s seem tame by comparison. Even if you survive that, you’ll go back to a colonial Wild West before you go forward again. No, you can have that. I’ll take my chances with the Garan’s.”
Paul took a deep breath through his nose and calmed his himself. “What do you want?”
“I want you to take me to Rome, to the Caesar himself.”
“I’m not taking you anywhere until you release him,” Paul said.
“Do what he says, we’ve come too far to waste any more time,” Marcus pleaded.
Paul looked at them for a moment, shrugged, and sat at the console slipping his safety belt on. “Don’t try anything funny either,” Richard warned.
Paul activated the new course he entered, and the Shuttle suddenly jumped to supersonic speed. The extreme momentum shift caused Marcus and Richard to go flying across the cockpit into the wall behind them. Paul noted the shuttles name: Sir Isaac Newton, and he smiled to himself. Marcus took his cue and begun to struggle with Richard. Paul suddenly loomed over the men, and punched the Professor in the face making him pass out. He helped Marcus onto his feet.
“Are you OK?” he asked Marcus.
Marcus brushed his suit down. “Yes, I think so. Just damaged pride more than anything.”
“Help me get him up,” Paul said, and they lifted him and laid him face down on one of the bench seats.
Paul got an implant removal kit from a drawer and placed it on the back of Richards head. The readout on the small screen read error, the implant couldn’t be removed. Paul got his cell out and touched it.
Then he said, “Fox-one to Ship, I can’t get the implant out.”
Dexter’s voice answered. “What’s the error code?”
Paul scrolled through the screen until he found it. “It says error number one-hundred and twenty. What does it mean?”
“It means brain tissue has infiltrated the implant. To remove it would kill him,” Dexter said.
Paul looked down at the Professor feeling sorry for him as they had put him in this predicament, even if it were unintentional. They didn’t know when they kidnapped him that a Vaman was hiding on Ship.
“Run a medscan on him, and send the data back to me,” Dexter asked, and Paul retrieved the device and held it over Richards head.
It hummed for a moment, Paul removed it and plugged it into his cell, and hit a button. “Should be coming through now, Dex,” Paul said.
On Ship Nadir monitored the conversation from the Bridge with interest, but wondered why it were relevant. Either way the Professor had to die, so whether it happened while removing the implant or being vaporized didn’t faze him. The knowledge he had in those implants is too dangerous to allow to fall into Garan claws. However, what bothered him looking at the readouts on the main monitor is that the shuttles course.
“Major, why are you heading for Australia?” Nadir asked.
Paul looked at Marcus for a moment feeling a lump form in his throat. He had agreed without getting Nadirs permission, and though technically he didn’t break any EMC regulations in doing so, this always creates tension between Keepers and Greeters.
“Sir, to complete my mission I made an agreement with Dr. Smythe, who’s in Berlin with The Pedigree,” Paul said.
“What agreement?” Nadir asked, standing from his chair in the Bridge feeling his heart begin to beat faster. What have you got us into now, he thought?
“I agreed to evacuate some refugees from Earth for his help in the prison,” Paul said in an even tone.
“You what?” Nadir nearly shouted at the monitor.
“Sir, I ask you hear me out,” Paul said.
Nadir clenched his fists by his side, trying to control his temper. “Explain yourself.”
“These people are like the ones we left at home, our friends and family. We can’t sit by and allow them to become Garan slaves, just to save our own asses. How can we live with ourselves knowing we didn’t help our race in its hour of greatest need?” Paul said firmly.
“There’s nothing we can do to help them, Major,” Nadir said.
“No, but we can save a few so the human species can go on in this dimension, free of Garan oppression. To maybe become what we are in our dimension, the turning of the tide for freedom,” Paul said.
“The Garan’s will be here anytime now, and you want to arrange an evacuation of several thousand people. Are you fucking crazy?” Nadir shouted.
“Marcus says he has a way to contact all the staff and students at Melbourne University. That’s where we can get people from.”
“Let’s say you do get them, how do you propose to control several thousand people suffering void sickness? There’ll only be five of you to handle them,” Nadir said pacing.
Dexter’s voice suddenly cut in, “Sir, we do have adequate stocks of serup on board. We wouldn’t be able to vaccinate all the refugees, but enough to give us a group to help control the others.”
“Mr. Crimpson, are you always of the habit of listening into conversations?” Nadir asked.
“Begging you’re pardon, sir, but you were the one who cut in on my conversation with the Major. I happen to agree with what he is proposing. It’s not as if we’ll be leaving here, and heading straight home. We could be stuck in this dimension for months, maybe even the rest of our lives. So setting up a colony is logical, in case we’re stuck here forever,” Dexter said.
“If you wanted this, why didn’t you raise it months ago so we could plan for it? It’s too late now, it’s too risky,” Nadir said.
Paul felt as if his blood is about to boil when he heard that. “Listen, Colonel, maybe you don’t wish to admit it but you’re also part human. How can you be so cold-hearted about what’s going to happen here? You’ve served in the EMC your entire life, and you’ve seen what happens to planets invaded by the Garan’s with your own eyes, yet you feel nothing for these people? What does that say about you?”
The voice of Lijuan cut in, “Sir, Captain Blake and I agree with Major Goddard.”
“Lieutenant Huang, I should remind you that this isn’t a committee, it’s a fucking military vessel, and you’ll respect the chain of command,” Nadir shouted.
“Captain Barrett also wishes it made known she agrees with Major Goddard,” Dexter said.
“So everybody wants this?” Nadir yelled. “To put yourselves at risk, for this? Fine, only don’t expect me to help. If you and your refugees are not on Ship when I’m ready to leave, too bad!” Nadir shouted and cut the connection.
Marcus looked at Paul asking, “Are you sure it’s OK?”
Paul sighed. “Yeah, we’re good to go.” Paul said to Dexter, “Anything on that medscan, Dex?”
“The whole anatomy of the Professors brain has changed. It looks similar to a human brain on the surface but it’s a Vaman one beneath. Can you take a DNA sample?” Dexter asked.
“Sure, hang on,” Paul said.
Foraging into a draw he pulled a white cylindrical object and slid it over the Professors finger. He hit a button on the end the device pricked the Professors finger and collected a small sample of blood. A light flashed green on the end, and he removed it. He plugged device into the console of the shuttle, and began sending the results.
“Here it comes, Dex,” he said.
Dexter downloaded the data into his station in Medlab12 and ran a diagnostic on it. “Wow, it’s as I thought, his DNA has changed. The Professor is no longer human, he’s a hybrid Vaman/human now. It’s something I never thought possible.”
“One more thing, Dex, how’s Jane?”
“Fortunately, I got to her in time, but the poison has done considerable damage to her body, and her recovery will be slow.”
“At least she’s alive. The rest she’ll get through. She’s a fighter that one.”
“Agreed. I’ll autopilot six troop carriers to orbit above Melbourne, so th
ey’re ready for use when you’ve gathered the refugees,” Dexter said.
“Good idea, we’re not going to get any help from Nadir. Are you going to manage everything alone?” Paul asked, feeling concern for his friend.
“Judging by how everybody else supported you on this, I don’t think I’ll be alone. Even Captain Blake is on your side,” Dexter said and laughed.
“Hell has truly frozen over,” Paul joked. “I’ll be in touch soon, fox-one out.”
Marcus grabbed Paul’s arm saying, “What are you going to do with Richard?”
“Kill him,” Paul said coldly.
“You can’t kill him!” Marcus cried, his eyes bulging.
Paul looked at Marcus noticing how the once distinguished, well-groomed man, who walked with his head held high as most successful men do, had changed. He now seemed older, beads of sweat across his pale forehead, his grey hair messy, and his clothes rumpled and wrinkly.
“Why not? He’s a thief, a sex offender, a murderer, and if the Garan’s get hold of that data in the implant it would spell doom for the whole galaxy,” Paul said.
Marcus insisted, “I don’t know why, but I just feel it would be better to leave him alive.”
Paul guffawed, and said, “Better? He’s the most dangerous man alive in the galaxy today. I’m sorry, but his fate was sealed the day the Vaman put that implant in his brain. Now take a seat please.”
Paul couldn’t feel too upset about Marcus wanting to keep the Professor alive. He knew Marcus would have no idea what kind of data is in the implant, and what power it would give the Garan’s in this dimension if they got it. Meanwhile, noting Paul had his back to him, Marcus bent, picking up a disruptor that lay on the floor, and slipped it into his jacket pocket. Paul worried about Nadir, whose stubbornness could jeopardize everything they have worked for the last three months. What can you expect from Nadir, Paul thought? Is he so old now that he’s too set in his ways? A message from Lijuan appeared on his cell, it read: About to ignite the new qdrive. If I die, I want you to know I’m sorry about that detonator thing. If I live, it’s time you took me out on a date.
*****
Nadir and Dexter joined Lijuan in Enginelab before the end of the mixing procedure. The qdrive core had formed as planned, but the last part of the procedure is the most dangerous. Once the core of the drive is formed, it’s a complete semisolid mass, surrounded by a clear viscous fluid made of diamond and xelion crystal dust. The fluid keeps the area between the crystal sphere and the core from touching allowing it to spin without causing friction on the outer crystal housing. However, the way a new qdrive is started for the first time is done by a controlled nuclear explosion at a certain vector on the surface of the core. If it works, the energy and heat released by the explosion is absorbed by the core, and acts to set it into a solid mass. The explosion also causes the core to start spinning at a tremendous speed. The spinning acts like a centrifuge, which concentrates gravitons in the center of the core. The danger is the nuclear explosion sets off a nuclear cascade, which could vaporize half the Moon with a core this size.
“How’s he going?” Nadir asked Lijuan.
“He’s barely able to stand in there. I’m worried, Colonel, no one is supposed to be that close to a forming core,” she said wiping a tear from her eye.
“No one is supposed to be as close as what we are too,” Dexter said.
“Has he spoken to you?” Nadir asked Lijuan.
“No, I tried to talk to him but he bit my head off,” she said, then grimaced.
“We can take that as a good sign,” Dexter said with a slight smile.
“How long ago was that?” Nadir asked Lijuan.
“About an hour ago.”
Nadir hit the intercom button, “Gordon, its Nadir. What’s your status?”
“So far so good, Colonel,” Blake replied wearily.
“But what about you?”
“Well, I may put in for some shore leave after this,” Blake half joked. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m getting to the bad bit.” The connection closed.
They looked at each other wide-eyed, knowing he meant the ignition. On the monitor you could not see the core, as a bright-white glow came from sphere caused by static electricity build-up. The image suddenly got replaced by a countdown, starting at thirty seconds. Everything they had endured for the last three months came down to this point. The countdown hit one, and suddenly all the lights in the Enginelab went out. Several stations blew sparks and shut down. The three standing outside the qdrive housing were in darkness, making Lijuan grab Dexter’s arm and hold it tightly. A low-pitched hum began to be heard, growing higher and higher in pitch as the core started rotating at mind-boggling speeds. In thirty seconds, the low hum had turned in to a piercing high-pitched scream. So unbearable that the crew outside tried desperately to cover their ears. Ship itself began to tremble in fear, causing sections to shake, making objects fall off shelves, and the three outside the housing grab a station to steady themselves.
When the torture of the noise reached its peak, the qdrive ignited, and the core began to spin at sublight speed. As this occurred, it threw out a smoky looking shock wave of energy that bent the space around it. The walls of the qdrive housing warped into impossible shapes. As it hit the crew, they went sprawling all over the place, screaming in pain as the field warped their bodies. The shock wave spread over the body of Ship, which bent like a piece of paper, and beyond into the crater. Some rocks fell into the crater at the sudden gravity, but the energy field expended itself in the moons mantle. The crew left lying in the quiet darkness, their bodies aching all over.
“Are we dead?” Lijuan whispered in the stillness.
The door to the housing pushed open with a bang, and Captain Blake fell out. A glow of many bright colors silhouetting him from behind.
“He did it,” Dexter said sitting up rubbing his arms. “The Captain did it!”
They picked themselves off the floor and started toward Captain Blake who rested on his knees outside the housing. The internal lights began to come back on, and all the systems rebooted. Nadir reaching Blake’s side first, pulled his helmet off, and a sweaty man opened his eyes and smiled at them with big white teeth. Lijuan handed him some water she had picked gotten from a bench near the housing, and Blake drank deeply. The crew stood around watching him closely as he did.
He looked around at them, and said hoarsely, “Am I any good or what?”
“You’re brilliant Gordon, bloody brilliant!” Nadir said smiling joyfully, and the rest of the crew joined in congratulating him.
History had been made in the EMC, but better still they now could escape the solar system using the void. This success means that they can get away from the Garan’s, and take some refugees to a suitable world with them. There they could help build a new colony while Dexter worked out how they could get home to their dimension. Now all they need is for Paul to complete his mission, and they can be on their way.
*****
Paul opened his eyes feeling the sluggishness that comes from having been stunned, he’d felt it before. Sitting up slowly, he looked around the Shuttle finding himself alone, and the back hatch open. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to remember what had happened to him. He had landed the shuttle southeast of Melbourne to do something. He sighed, feeling frustrated by the fuzziness the stun made him feel. He remembered the Professor. Yes, I was about to kill him, he thought. Grabbing a seat, he pulled himself up to his knees, stopping momentarily to wait for his head to stop spinning. Once on his feet, he stumbled drunkenly as he headed toward the back hatch. Outside of the shuttle the sun shone brightly, and he shielded his eyes while he looked around for Marcus.
“He’s gone,” a familiar voice said from Paul’s left.
Paul turned, waited for his eyes to adjust, and said, “What the fuck have you done?”
Marcus looked down at his hands like a guilty child. “I couldn’t let you kill him. Despite everything he’s done,
I couldn’t let you do it.”
“Fuck me! Do you know what’ll happen when the Garan’s get that information off him? Every civilization in this galaxy strong enough to keep the Garan’s at bay, will now fall. The blood of countless billions will be on your hands,” Paul said kicking the ground in frustration.
Marcus stood with hands on hips, saying, “You’re wrong. You don’t know Richard as I do. He’ll dangle the carrot in front of them for sure, but he’ll use that to manipulate them into doing things they never dreamed possible.”
“When the Garan’s discover the implant contains data, they’ll rip it out of his brain in the most gruesome way imaginable, and Richard will be dead.” Paul turned and walked back inside the shuttle, and Marcus followed running inside behind him.
“Paul?” Marcus called to him making Paul turn to face him.
“What?” Paul said, looking down his nose at Marcus.
“I’m sorry, maybe I messed up. I just have this feeling that the only weapon we have now that’ll really fuck those Garan’s up is Richard. I know you haven’t any reason to believe me, or believe he can do anything to the Garan’s. But I know him, I know what he can do,” Marcus said.
“I hope you’re right. It’s too late now, I’ll never find him before the Garan’s get here. Whatever happens, be it on your head,” Paul said turning and taking his position at the console. The back door started closing and Marcus sat in one of the seats feeling regret for his actions. He sure didn’t want other worlds suffering because of him. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Richard had to live.
The shuttle lifted off and headed into Melbourne, and Paul tried to control his anger at what Marcus had done. He remembered Dexter telling him that these people are primitives, and he should avoid thinking of them as he would people from their time. Easier said than done, he thought. People here do act similar to people back home, except at times like this. He knew Marcus didn’t really understand the depths of trouble that’s coming this way. How could he? Until three months ago, these people only grappled with the theoretical existence of extraterrestrials, which made it easy to be skeptical. Now the most brutal extraterrestrial race man has ever encountered is about to descend on this world, and even then it seemed kind of theoretical to them. His anger eased, and he began to feel sorrow instead. Paul remembered the first world he’d ever seen that had been liberated from the Garan’s, his first assignment as a young Lieutenant on a planet called Chivas. How utterly amazed and horrified he’d felt when he witnessed how the Garan’s had wiped the planet of any trace of the native race. Every city, town, and house erased from existence, along with thousands of years of cultural history. All gone, and replaced with Garan stock pens that held the native survivors. Maybe ignorance is better, he thought.
