Empire of Stars

by D. W. Patterson

  “Yes Walker I am responding.”

  Walker was monitoring the sudden bombardment of asteroids that were apparently emerging from the mouth of a close-by link. Dag was busy generating links for the Perseus to enter and exit so as to change its orbit and avoid the asteroids. So far it was working.

  Then a huge thud shook the crew ring. The Perseus rumbled as an earthquake raced throughout the asteroid.

  “If this bombardment doesn't stop I'm going to have to link us out of here Walker.”

  “I have an idea Dag. We usually link from here to some remote point. Is it possible to link between two remote points?”

  “Yes Walker I think I could do that. What do you have in mind?”

  “Well if asteroids the size we are encountering were ever to fall into this system's star they wouldn't last long would they?”

  “No they wouldn't Walker. Give me a head's up when you see the next incoming.”

  A few seconds later.

  “Incoming Dag six o'clock high, thirty degrees.”

  Dag opened one end of a link near the surface of the system's star and the other in the direction of the incoming asteroid.

  There at the surface of the star tons of super-heated plasma entered the mouth of the link and emerged at the other end still traveling with its original velocity. The plasma slammed against the incoming asteroid like a pillar of fire vaporizing everything in its path. The asteroid was no more and the plasma continued slowly dissipating as it spread.

  “You got it Dag.”

  “Yes Walker and now we have a way of defending ourselves thanks to you.”

  Dag and Walker had to keep up their parrying for several more minutes until the attacks ceased.

  After the attacks seemed over Walker started talking about the destruction on New Adowa.

  “Dag seeing these asteroids destroyed by the star's plasma makes me wonder if the simplest explanation for what happened on New Adowa isn't similarly related. I mean direct this star's plasma against the surface of New Adowa and wouldn't the result be very similar to what we saw?”

  “The resultant destruction would be very similar but it wouldn't explain those samples of other worlds we also encountered there or those on Earth either.”

  “Agree Dag, but it is certainly a simpler explanation for the destruction than the use of the gravity wave generators. Some other mechanism might be responsible for those samples.

  “I wonder Dag. What would happen if you opened one end of a link near the surface of a planet and the other end in the vacuum of space?”

  “I believe Walker that a huge storm would result as the atmosphere of the planet escaped through the link to the lower pressure region of space.”

  “But what if the link were buried in the ground of the planet?”

  “In that case the effect would be similar. A vast chunk of ground corresponding to the size of the mouth of the link opened would be sucked, so to speak, into space.”

  “Where it could be directed by another link to its destination. And Dag do you remember something peculiar about those samples we encountered on New Adowa and Earth?”

  “Yes they were about the same size in radius.”

  “Yes Dag as if they were all created by the same mechanism. Wouldn't you say?”

  “I would Walker. But that means we could be dealing with two separate antagonists. And the Trilon claim they know nothing of the gravity wave generators or non-local links.”

  “It's very peculiar Dag. They are either lying or they are completely innocent.”

  Finally, Dag was able to open a link back to the Trilon's planet and eventually found Sigmund in the open.

  “Sigmund this is Dag. Get ready for a conference as soon as possible.”

  It took a while for Sigmund to separate himself from the Trilons but eventually he was alone.

  “Okay Dag go ahead.”

  “Sigmund, Walker and I have been talking. We are not sure if the Trilon are responsible for the gravity wave generators or the links that caused the damage on New Adowa and the Earth. As Walker said they are either very good liars or completely innocent.”

  “I pretty much came to the same conclusion. Can you think of any way to confirm the Trilon's innocence?”

  “I'm not sure but we can monitor for the establishment of links by using my entanglement detector. Walker and I can then try to locate the nearest end of the link and follow it back to its source. Assuming they are using a remote source as Walker and I did to defeat the attacks on us.”

  “Yes I was wondering about that. What exactly happened?”

  Dag told him about the asteroid attacks.

  “Sounds like someone is really good at manipulating links. Is it even possible that the Trilons are capable of such fine manipulations?”

  “To tell you the truth I think it would take an Em or an AI to operate at that speed and with the needed precision.”

  “An AI? That might explain something. I wonder if the old band of rogue AI is nearby?”

  “A thought we should entertain.”

  “Very well Dag let me know if you find out anything more. Meanwhile, I will continue with the treaty establishment. The Trilon seem eager to proceed.

  “Open a link to Earth and fill them in will you?”

  “Yes.”

  It had been over twenty-four hours since the asteroid bombardment. Walker was still monitoring Sigmund on the planet while also keeping an eye out for opening links that might signal a new bombardment. Dag was finishing up his gravity wave generator simulations.

  “The simulations have converged Walker. I estimate I have over a ninety-nine percent probability of operating those generators if needed.”

  “That's great Dag. Uh-oh . . .”

  “What is it Walker?”

  “Incoming. I'm registering link openings as entanglement breaks. Better get ready.”

  “Okay give me the coordinates when you have them.”

  “Two o-clock low at 43 degrees.”

  “I have it Walker initiating remote link opening.”

  “Wait Dag, wait. There's something strange. I'm getting energy readings, like a fusion ship. There,” he said.

  The view through the link showed a fusion ship emerging from a link's mouth. The insignia indicating a United Planet's ship. Then more openings and more ships followed until there were a half dozen.

  “We're being hailed,” said Walker.

  “UPS Brenner calling the Perseus. Come in please.”

  Walker answered, “This is the Perseus go ahead.”

  “Hold a moment Perseus.”

  After a moment a voice was heard.

  “Perseus this is the Commander of the Brenner speaking. I have been authorized by the governments of Earth and New Adowa to take command of this operation. Is that understood?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Very good. We are here to disable this machine you have found. You may assist us or monitor. The choice is yours.”

  “What should we do Dag?”

  “We'll offer no interference but we will observe.”

  “Got it.”

  “Commander we will monitor if you don't mind.”

  “Very good Perseus please stay out of the way.”

  “What in the world are they going to do Dag?”

  “Destroy the machine I suppose.”

  “But they don't know anything about it.”

  “They have the information and coordinates that we radioed back in our reports.”

  “It makes no sense.”

  “They are scared Walker. The governments are scared so they are acting, probably against Em recommendations, to assert their priority and show their populations that they can protect them.”

  “But … wait a minute.”

  “Dag we've got something going on with the generators. They are both building to a discharge I think.”

  “We've got to get out of here Walker.”

  The Perseus disappeared into the mouth of a link.
/>
  On the bridge of the Brenner, the communication officer said, “Sir the Perseus has disappeared.”

  “Never mind them. Link us close enough to the power source to complete our mission.”

  It had been just a handful of minutes since Walker had noticed the build-up from the generators. Now traveling at the speed of light the tremendous wavefronts of spacetime were about to meet at the current position of the Brenner and the other five ships.

  When the high frequency, high amplitude waves met the carbon-fiber nano-webbed material of the fusion ships it was like two giants pulling in opposite directions. The ships and their contents, including human bodies, stretched like taffy until all that was left were their constituent atoms. It all took much less than a second. One moment they were there and the next moment six state-of-the-art fusion-powered cruisers were gone.

  15

  The generators were timed to create gravity waves that would cancel each other out after the ships were destroyed but the cancellation wasn't complete. What was left was spreading in all directions and in a few minutes the remnants encountered the Perseus.

  “Dag are you detecting the stress?”

  “Yes Walker it's the remains of the gravity waves. Whatever happened it's over.”

  “What do we do now Dag?”

  “We get back to that star system and survey the area where we left the ships. Then we open a link to Earth and let them know what has happened. And then we reestablish a link with Sigmund.”

  “But what about the gravity machine? I mean it's proven itself a danger now. Shouldn't we go ahead and destroy it?”

  “If we destroy it now we may never find out who is responsible for it Walker. We destroy this one and they build another somewhere hidden from us. What have we accomplished?”

  “I see.”

  Earth and New Adowa didn't take the news well. They demanded that Dag and Walker destroy the gravity machine immediately. When Dag explained his reason for not taking such action they called him a traitor and threatened to charge him with treason. Dag reminded them that he was a citizen of the Centauri Two habitat in the Centauri System not Earth or New Adowa. That infuriated them and they then demanded that Dag and Walker consider themselves under arrest. Dag cut the communication link.

  “Can't they just open the link themselves Dag?”

  “Possibly Walker but we will use the entanglement detector to warn us if they do and I have an idea how to close such a link if needed. Anyway, let's check on Sigmund. Hopefully he will be happy hearing from us.”

  Sigmund was happy to hear from Dag and Walker again. He explained that the treaty was concluded and that they now believed what the Trilon had been saying.

  “And I think Dag that there has to be some other entity involved. So you are probably correct in not destroying the gravity machine yet. We need to find out who is behind it.”

  Dag then explained about the arrest orders.

  “Well since I did not receive them directly I will consider myself not subject to them. Earth politics can stay on Earth as far as I'm concerned.”

  “Very good, let's get busy then.”

  “Dag, why don't you and Walker come here and we'll plan how to find those responsible for the destruction caused by the gravity wave generator.”

  “Very well I'll put the Perseus into orbit and Walker and I will link down.”

  The Trilon had offered Sigmund his own dwelling and that was where Walker and Dag were shown when they linked down from the Perseus after setting up a return link which would activate when they were ready to return to the asteroid. Until then Walker's Emmie would be used to maintain a communication link.

  Dag and Walker now understood why Sigmund had been so surprised by the size of the dwelling's inside.

  “It's more than an illusion Sigmund. They have some technology that we simply do not understand.”

  “I agree Dag. The longer I'm around the Trilons the more I'm impressed by their tech and the way they use it. Everything just seems in its place on this world. It's hard to explain it logically.”

  The three spent the next several days discussing among themselves and with the Trilons their next course of action. As Dag and Sigmund sat one morning talking over the situation Walker came up to them.

  “Dag you've got to see this.”

  Walker handed Dag his Emmie.

  “Your link with the Perseus is down. What happened Walker?”

  “I don't know but I can tell you what happened before that. You know the link we left up to monitor the gravity machine?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well just before it went down ...”

  “It went down?”

  “That's right. Just before it went down the energy readings went off the scale. Someone fired the gravity wave generators and I bet they destroyed the machine in doing so.”

  “You mean you think they destroyed the machine on purpose to get larger gravity waves than normal?”

  “Yes, exactly.”

  “And that wave is spreading outward at the speed of light.”

  “And if it's spreading at the speed of light it will be here in a little over two years, right Dag?”

  “Yes Sigmund I . . .”

  Dag stopped.

  “But if the wave was funneled into a link ...”

  “It could be here a lot sooner,” said Walker.

  “Walker you are sure the link to the Perseus is down?”

  “It went right after the other link.”

  “So what do we do now?” asked Sigmund.

  As to what they could do there wasn't much. If they couldn't get aboard the Perseus they were trapped.

  “What will happen when the wave arrives?”

  “Well if it's as large as I think it is it could essentially destroy the planet through a kind of stretching and squeezing effect.”

  “We should have left someone aboard the Perseus at all times.”

  “Obviously Sigmund.”

  “No Walker I'm serious. We're making too many rookie mistakes. And we're up against one clever adversary.”

  “Sigmund, Dag and I both know we made a big mistake. I don't see any reason in discussing it further unless you have something positive to suggest.”

  “Okay you two, enough finger-pointing. That's not going to get us back aboard the Perseus.”

  “No, but it makes me feel better,” said Sigmund.

  “We don't necessarily need to be aboard the Perseus to do something,” said Walker. “Like the simulation of the gravity wave machine we just need to know how the Perseus works. Which we do and so all we need to do now is contact it.”

  Dag tapped his head.

  “If we can amplify our radio transmitters and contact the Perseus we can run the asteroid as if we were aboard it. Right Walker?”

  “Yes Dag, just like being there.”

  “Now if I understand correctly, and correct me if I'm wrong Dag, when the Perseus receives the proper code for which it is always listening it can be operated remotely?”

  “That's right Walker, I put it in as a kind of last-minute safety measure.”

  “And I'm glad you did. So how do we amplify our transmitters?”

  They had taken an RF transmitter out of Walker's triage kit and along with some other components had modified it to transmit at higher power. Not much higher but enough to make contact with the Perseus when it passed overhead. And Dag had kept up with the orbital parameters to know when.

  Walker's reinstalled transmitter was being tested outside Sigmund's domicile.

  “Okay Walker boost the signal.”

  When he did they heard an awful screeching from nearby. A Trilon ran past them with his hands over his ears making the ear-splitting sound. Then another carried on as the first had done.

  “Quick Walker stop transmitting.”

  Immediately the Trilon that was fleeing stopped and looked back at them in trepidation.

  “What in the world happened?” asked Sigmund.

&n
bsp; “I don't know,” said Dag. “Could it be the Trlion can hear the signal?”

  Sigmund fetched his friend Laeoin. He explained to him what the three had witnessed.

  “You say used RF Sigmund?”

  “Yes Laeoin.”

  “Well we use RF to find Path and harmonize knowledge.”

  “I'm not sure I understand.”

  Laeoin jabbed his finger at his forehead several times.

  “Here. We have here the RF.”

  “So you think that Walker's RF signal was overloading, let's say, the Trilons we saw fleeing?”

  “I not sure but have seen before when working around machinery with much RF noise. Trilons become comatose at a certain level.”

  Sigmund looked at Dag.

  “We are sorry Laeoin,” said Dag. “Please tell those Trilons that we caused discomfort that it was an accident. Now that we know you are susceptible to such we will guard against it.”

  “Thank you Dr. Mach.”

  Laeoin then left with Sigmund who was very interested in how the Trilons used RF.

  “I've got an idea Walker. We'll use a shield so that when you use high power the RF will be targeted to an area above your head.”

  Walker thought it was embarrassing, it looked like one of those collars for dogs that are put around their neck to keep them from aggravating an injury. Sigmund thought it looked more like a lampshade.

  “Walker your lampshade is upside down.”

  “Funny Sigmund.”

  “No really you would look brighter if you wore it the other way.”

  “But not much brighter,” said Dag joining in.

  “Forget it,” said Walker as he started to pull the collar off his head.

  “No wait Walker don't do that. Let's try to raise the Perseus it should be overhead in a minute. Get ready to send the code.”

  At the altitude the Perseus was orbiting they would have only a few minutes of communication time each orbit. Walker would have to be quick if he was going to get the spin-two drive working and open a link into the asteroid.

  “Now Walker.”

  Walker focused on getting the information through to the Emmies commanding the Perseus.