Dimension Lapse II: Return to Doomsday (Dimension Lapse Series Book 2)

by Nicholas Davis

  "You son of a bitch!" Rollings yelled in anger, as the two guards grabbed his arms.

  "You murderer!" Angelica sneered, and turned toward Balta. "You just had a defenseless man killed. I knew you beings were evil, but I had no idea how much!"

  "Now you will help me?" Balta asked her.

  "What the?" she gasped in disbelief. She realized now, if she wanted to spare Rollings, she would have to go along with him. "Yes, I will help you."

  "That's better," the sinister tyrant said. "As agreed, I will spare your other friend's life for now. But I'll keep him as my prisoner until we complete our tasks, an assurance that you will keep up your end of the bargain. Is that satisfactory?"

  "Yes," Angelica said, and bowed her head in sorrow.

  "What about my android?"

  "He remains with me."

  "But I need him for some of the research."

  "I will allow him to help you in the laboratory, under heavy guard, but that is all. You're not allowed to be alone with him. Is that understood?"

  "Yes."

  "Will I get to see Rollings at least?"

  "Not until we are done. Any more objections?" She shook her head in despair. "Very good, we have an understanding, then. Rest for the remainder of the day, and we'll begin tomorrow. Good day, Ms. Avery."

  The two guards directed her to stand, and the three of them left the tunnel, on their way back to Angelica's living quarters.

  As she walked solemnly down the corridor, she couldn't help but feel that this had all been her father's fault. A man she once loved, honored and revered turned out to be a diabolical, egotistical, insane scientist bent on killing off the human race. She began to realize that she was wrong about her father, and yet a part of her still wanted to cling to the man he once was; a gentle, caring, and sensitive human being.

  Her mixture of emotions tore her apart from the inside; her feeling of despair for her father, the distrust of the wrong people, such as Varloo and Malone, and her feelings of attraction and resistance toward Rollings. A woman who was sure of herself most of the time was now unsure of anything, even though her intuition told her she must somehow find a way out of this situation.

  She now had to go along with Balta's crazy plans, whether she liked it or not. Alone, she was defenseless, and there was no outside help coming soon. She wondered who this Jeff Walker was and his connection to her father. It was pretty obvious that Balta was the one who killed him, probably to gain control, and that Walker wasn't to blame. She knew in her heart that if Walker was the one who actually did it, it would have been justified. Her father, who once had been an object of her admiration, had somehow slipped into madness and became the same kind of monster that he created.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  A month passed since they left the derelict Renake, and they entered the Matari star system. They passed through the ort cloud without a problem, and the deflector worked like a charm through it's vast Kuiper belt. It would still be another couple of days before they reached Zacharas, and the ship probably wouldn't be attacked until they reached about seventy million miles away from it. The more advanced Zacharians were warlike and territorial, but not invaders. They liked their privacy, and kept in their own neighborhood. With the exception of Maol, all their other colonies were off limits to outsiders, especially the Garlicians, their mortal enemies. Each colony was self governed, so there was no unified system. This worried the crew that they might be attacked, unless Jeff could communicate with them somehow.

  By this time, the Lingworts, Ensign Vega and Lieutenant Wilson all were awake from cyrofreeze. Dormiton stated to Jeff that it was the best sleep he had in years, but Milgic just complained about it being too tight a space, and feeling trapped. Jeff could see that it didn't affect their personalities at all; Milgic was grumpy as always, and Dormiton was his usual optimistic and realistic self.

  They approached the bright red sun of Matari, and Carver, Vega, Batar, and Jeff manned the bridge, while the others prepared provisions that were needed once they got there. Most of the planet was covered with lush, hot and wet tropical forests with a variety of alien life; some of it deadly. It was decided by Carver that Batar, Jeff, and Vega were to go with him to meet with the council representatives, and Lori, Vega, Wilson, and the lingworts were to stay onboard. Lori was up in arms about Jeff going without her, but Carver told her it was far too dangerous for her to go, and ordered her to stay.

  When they approached the third moon of Zacharas, Bala, they noticed a couple of ships pass by, but they were not Zacharian. Carver turned to Vega for a report.

  "Nature of spacecraft?" he asked.

  "Undetermined, Sir, but they aren't Garlician, Tolarion, or Zacharian."

  "Andronian?"

  "No, Sir, they appear to be freighters of some kind, moving at an unusually slow speed. Probably sleeper ships."

  "Could be," Carver answered. "Any Zacharian vessels present yet."

  "Not within range, Sir. We'll enter their space in about ten hours."

  "Do you think those ships could be surveillance ships like this one," Jeff asked Carver.

  "Not likely," Carver said. "This region of space is usually avoided by Garlicians. They haven't attacked here since their last war with the Zacharians, and they were defeated."

  "I have a very bad omen about all of this," Batar said. "We are treading on thin ice flying a Garlician spy ship into Zacharian space."

  "They seem harmless enough," Vega suggested. "As far as my sensors can tell, there aren't any weapons on board them.

  "Thank God for that!" Jeff said.

  "Who?" Batar asked.

  "Don't you know who God is?"

  "Of course I do," Batar retorted. "He is a deity that humans worshiped on Earth. But you can't expect me, as an Andronian to believe in fairy tales."

  "Fairy tales, huh," grunted Vega. "Haven't you ever heard of having faith?"

  "I have," Batar said. "But I don't have the same kind of faith you have."

  "Science was based on leaps of faith," Vega stated to end the argument.

  The ships passed out of range, and Jeff went back to see how Lori and the others were doing. He went down to the cargo bay area, where they loaded backpacks with food, rope, canteens, glow sticks, wire, and anything else they needed. Jeff came down the steps, as Wilson checked the hand and rifle lasers to make sure they were fully charged.

  "How's everything going?" he asked.

  "Fine," Wilson said. "Weapons are fully charged, supplies are almost packed."

  Jeff turned to Lori, who again refused to talk to him because she was being left on the ship.

  "Lori?" he asked. "You're not still mad, are you?"

  "What do you think?" she asked. "I don't want to lose you again!"

  "We're fully armed, what could happen?"

  "You could be eaten by a six feet arthropod," Milgic snorted, and placed a canteen in the pack.

  "Very funny, Buddy," Jeff said. "These beings do not carry any weapons, other than spears, and the power of their minds. But we do."

  "Are they telekinetic like Zarcon was?" Lori asked.

  "Only the Republic representatives I've heard," Wilson answered. "The tribal Zacharians only use telepathy and telekinesis. The others haven't developed to that level yet."

  "I've heard that the tribal community hasn't agreed to accept the representatives' more modern system," Jeff said. "They prefer to cling to the ancient beliefs, including being cannibalistic in nature."

  "What does that mean?" Dormiton asked.

  "It means that if they have nothing to eat, they will eat each other," Wilson said, coyly.

  "How horrible!" Lori said. "You better be careful! I don't want to lose my husband to those things!"

  Jeff kissed her on the lips.

  "Don't worry, Honey. I've faced a lot worse things before."

  They finished packing provisions, and then all gathered for their last meal before landing. They ate well, with fowl, potatoes, carrots, salads, and dese
rt. Dormiton and Milgic dined on several greens, such as spinach and kale. Jeff popped open a couple bottles of red wine that were on board as well. After dinner, they enjoyed the last moments of free time they would have before completion of their mission on the jungle like world.

  Jeff and Lori turned in early that evening, catching up on a little alone time. The Lingworts and Wilson sat in the recreation room, which was also the dining area, and the lieutenant taught them a few card and board games. They were more content when they had something to do. Their minds were like that of a ten year old, and didn't understand more complex ideas, even though Dormiton was the more intelligent of the two.

  Carver, Batar, and Vega remained up front on the bridge. Jeff couldn't believe Carver's stamina, staying awake for at least twelve to fourteen hours a stretch. Carver knew he needed to satisfy his need for full control, after what happened to the Renake. He was also worried about being attacked by Zacharian ships. Batar was also suspicious of the freighters they passed, and kept a close eye on the scanners. He was beginning to pick up radio waves from somewhere, but he wasn't sure where, and they were totally alien, more like clicks and clacks, than actual language.

  The next morning, Carver went back to take a short nap. They were entering Zacharian space soon, and he wanted to be alert when they did. Vega did the same, and Wilson, Lori, and the lingworts joined Batar and Jeff on the bridge. Wilson manned the weapons station and helm, Lori handled communications, Batar stayed on the scanners and Jeff took command. The lingworts found empty chairs and sat in them to stay out of trouble. They helped Jeff on the Rigil 4, but that ship wasn't as large as this one, and the mechanical design was different. Besides, with more qualified personnel, they weren't needed.

  "How long before we enter their quadrant, Lieutenant?" Jeff asked.

  "Twenty nine minutes, Sir," she answered.

  "Those freighters are shadowing us again," Batar said, as he lifted his head from the scanners. "I also sense a strange feeling. A primal, savage feeling. I'm reading thought patterns of some kind."

  "Jeff," Lori said. "I'm picking up some kind of transmission."

  "What kind of transmission?"

  "A series of clicks."

  "Put it on audio."

  She turned on the loud speaker, and it was indeed some kind of message, but in a series of strange clicking sounds. Jeff reached inside his pocket, and pulled out the translator, tied the extra banding in a knot until it fit, and placed it over his head. He began to understand the language, and listened to the message, but only he could hear it.

  "We are the Barok," it said. "You must turn back. The Zacharian council knows of your vessel, and has prepared to take aggressive action. This is your last warning."

  The message kept repeating, as if it was prerecorded. He knew this was not a good sign. He turned toward Batar with the news.

  "It's a drone ship!" Jeff yelled, and placed the band back in his pocket. "Wilson, get us out of here and toward Zacharas as fast as you can."

  "Yes, Sir," she said, and pressed the button to activate the full drive of the antimatter fusion engines.

  As they fled, four Zacharian battle drones emerged from one of the freighters. They started to fire fusion torpedoes at the ship, and the nearby explosions rocked it like an earthquake. Carver emerged from the lower deck in haste.

  "What the hell is going on?" he yelled.

  "We're under attack," Milgic said in fear.

  "No kidding," Wilson remarked, as she diverted the ship's direction away from the drones, and prepared to fire the laser photon weapons. "Awaiting your orders, Sir?"

  "By all means, fire!" he yelled, as she pressed the buttons for the four banks. Two of the ships were destroyed, but the other two regrouped and headed in back of them.

  "Fire rear lasers!" Carver yelled, and Wilson complied.

  Another was destroyed, but the other fired, and hit one of the engine compartments. The bridge shook wildly, and sparks came from a panel or two, as Carver grabbed onto one to avoid falling.

  "Number three engine failure," Batar said, and turned toward Carver. "If we don't get him next time he comes around, we'll all be dead."

  The lingworts looked at each other in fear, as did Lori, but the others kept their cool, and knew what to do. "He's coming around again," Wilson said, frantically.

  "Are weapons still operative?" Carver asked.

  "Yes, Sir," Wilson said. "But we're losing gravitational control. By the time we get out of here, there won't be any gravity left. The cyclotron device has malfunctioned ."

  "Well, worse things can happen," Carver stated. "Where is he now?"

  "Two hundred thousand miles and closing," Wilson answered. "Within range in ten seconds-"

  "Fire, Lieutenant!" She pressed the firing mechanism, and the ship exploded in front of the ship in a brilliant white flash.

  "That was too close!" Milgic yelled, and blinked his eyes from the flash. He began to lift out of his seat, and into the air. "Hey, I feel kind of funny. What's happening?"

  "We've lost our gravity," Carver said, as he floated toward an empty seat at an empty station.

  By this time Milgic was near the ceiling of the bridge. Jeff floated up, and grabbed him, and then worked his way down the wall, until he was able to strap him in a belt like the others.

  "We're not out of the woods yet," Carver said. "They have an outpost on their moon Torka, which is the one that's closest and biggest. What's the status, Batar?"

  "Engine three non functional, gravitational control damaged and irreparable, and minor damage to torpedo bank one. We'll make it, but don't expect to make it by today."

  "How long?"

  "Three days, at the most," he answered. "But we can't outrun or outgun them."

  Carver was silent, contemplating what to do next.

  "If we proceed, we'll probably be attacked," he stated. "But if we don't, we won't be able to get anywhere anytime soon."

  "I say go forward," Jeff said. "And pray they don't attack us."

  "We don't even know if there are any Zacharian ships," Vega said. "All we've seen are drone ships!"

  "Who were being directed by Zacharians," Jeff relayed. "Those clicks we heard earlier were the Zacharians. That's how they communicate when they're not using telepathy. There may be more drones coming after us."

  "Is there any way we can communicate with them directly?" Lori asked.

  "Not until we're within range of the base," Jeff answered. "Until then, we have to avoid the drones."

  "And how are we going to do that?" Batar asked. "With only three fusion thrusters, and a weapon bank malfunction?"

  "You're going to go down and repair the weapon malfunction if you can," Carver told him.

  Batar nodded, unlatched himself, and propelled himself toward the stairwell.

  "What you think, John?" Jeff asked.

  "I don't know, but I think we're going to have to be on guard. Our best bet is to get them before they get us."

  "Won't that be taken as an act of aggression?" Wilson asked.

  "Well, at the moment we have little choice," Carver said. "Ensign, go back and give Batar a hand." She complied, and maneuvered her way down the stairwell.

  The next three days were extremely hard on the crew, not having two feet on the ground took some getting used to, especially for the lingworts. The intense sense of uneasiness bothered them as well; traveling slower than light speed left them vulnerable to attack, and they didn't know when it would happen or where.

  Just before they approached Torka, which was closer to Zacharas than our own moon, there were several ships that came towards them. They began to fire at the Garlician ship, until one returned fire and destroyed one of their engines. Carver told Wilson to maneuver the craft to the right, and they fired the fusion torpedoes at the drones, destroying three out of the eight that were chasing them. Batar restored the other laser bank for the photon beam weapons, and as the others approached, in a "v" shaped pattern, Carver barked out orde
rs in haste.

  "Fire photon spread pattern now!" he yelled at Wilson. She followed his orders, as four more were destroyed. As the last drone disappeared, apparently aborting its mission, Carver turned back towards Batar. "Status?"

  "We've lost another engine, and the antimatter core has been damaged as well. At least we're close to the planet now, but the core will collapse in an hour and a half."

  "How long before descent?" Carver asked.

  "One hour and twenty minutes," Wilson said.

  "Well, as far as we've seen, there are only drones," Carver said. "Jeff, put on your translator. Lori, open communications. Jeff will speak."

  Lori followed his orders, as Jeff pulled the translator out and placed it on his head.

  "Communications open," Lori said.

  "I am Jeff Walker, a representative from the Republic," Jeff said. "We are flying a Garlician vessel, but we come in peace. We seek refuge from Tolarion and Garlician forces. Please respond to our plea for safety." They listened, but there was no response. "Is there anybody reading me?

  The radio was surprisingly quiet. "Any sign of any more drones?" Carver asked.

  "No, Sir," Batar stated.

  "Any sign of life from the moon complex?"

  "No, Sir," Batar said.

  "Any sign of life from the base on Zacharas?"

  "Yes, Sir, Zacharian life evident."

  "What happened to their moon base?" Jeff asked.

  "It must have been attacked," Carver answered. "Is the Republic Headquarters structure on the surface in tact?"

  "Partially, Sir," Batar said. "The rest has substantial damage."

  "I wonder what happened," Lori said. Carver, Batar, and Jeff knew exactly what happened, but just didn't know the magnitude of it. As they looked at each other, they knew already that their lives would be in danger.