The Omni continued, “If my son were here, I’m certain he would … although reluctantly to be sure, agree to unleash that swarm droid scourge upon the hybrids. Let’s finish this once and for all, Gunny.”
“Fine. We’d have to start manufacturing more of them … a lot more. Get the phase-synthesizer going. Also … if Jason returns or becomes reachable by comms before we pull the trigger … if he countermands your orders … then be ready for me to follow his lead. I’m perfectly prepared to face the consequences, whatever they might be.”
The Omni nodded. “This is war, my friend. It’s ugly and it’s desperate. Move Star Watch into position. And later … I know you’ll make the right decision. And Gunny?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Good luck.”
Chapter 52
Fringe of the Dacci Star System
150 feet below Endromoline’s surface
The Jumelle
__________________________
Jason checked on the status of Rizzo for the tenth time in the past few hours. Dira, busy getting Medical operational, entered from the adjacent hospital compartment, carrying an armful of medical equipment. Seeing Jason peering again into the MediPod’s small triangular-shaped observation window, she said, “I told you I’d let you know the minute there was a change.”
“I thought these things were capable of miracles. Maybe it’s defective. I want Rizzo moved to one of the others,” he said, gesturing to the next MediPod in the row.
“That’s just stupid, Jason. We’re not going to interrupt the process, undo the good that’s potentially taking place.”
He stared at the hovering anatomical representation, slowly rotating around—still no heartbeat showing on it. “So he’s dead? Rizzo’s fucking dead?”
“Don’t raise your voice at me, Jason. I’m not the enemy here! And no … he’s not officially dead. Not yet, anyway. He’s … well, he’s sort of in a no-man’s zone. His internal nanites haven’t stopped working yet. When they do, that will tell us he’s …”
“Dead.”
“Yes,” she said, compassion in her voice. “Did Traveler find you?” she asked, storing various medical devices into an open cabinet.
Jason looked up and shook his head.
“He’s lurking around here … like you. Why don’t you go find him? I’ll keep an eye on Rizzo.”
Jason left Medical and found Traveler, coming down the corridor toward him.
“Captain Reynolds,” came his deep baritone. “What is the condition of my friend Rizzo?”
“Same. Exactly the same.”
“I would like to return to my habitat … for a period of time.”
Jason shrugged. “That’s fine, Traveler. You don’t need permission to leave, you know that.”
The rhino-warrior stopped several paces in front of him. He looked uncomfortable as he shifted about on his huge feet.
It struck Jason that he wouldn’t know how to get there. Did this ship too have a zoo, like The Lilly once had? Jason assumed she did, although there were subtle differences between the space ships. He’d discovered several. “What do you say we do a little exploring … see if there’s a habitat zoo around here somewhere?”
Traveler stood tall, looking proud. “That would be good. We should go now.”
* * *
Like The Lilly of old, the zoo on the Jumelle was also located on Deck 3. What Jason found even more interesting was that the zoo seemed virtually identical to the one on her once-sister ship. Together, they walked the wide corridor, flanked on both sides by glowing, blue-tinted, habitat portal windows.
Jason silently reminisced on the first time he’d walked a very similar corridor, some years back on board The Lilly. He was with Perkins, a lieutenant at the time, who was explaining how the zoo used phase-shift technology. And that very little of the zoo’s compartment was actually on board the ship proper. The combined zoo enclosures were many square miles in circumference. Much like DeckPort technology, when someone entered the various habitats, they actually were stepping into a separate, albeit connected, piggybacked reality of the multiverse. On Prowess Class vessels, such as The Lilly, the zoo’s configuration maintained thirty or so habitat enclosures, which rotated around, like an immense carousel, until they were eventually replaced by new, completely different, sets of environments and alien species. There were multiple different sets, Perkins told him.
Jason and Traveler continued walking, passing a familiar-looking saber tooth tiger on the left. There used to be two and Jason wondered if its mate had died and how long the big cats lived. Further on—off to the right in the distance—was the aquatic habitat. There was no sign of the Drapple, a worm-like creature, who was so much more than that. A highly advanced being— their link to creating interchange wormholes.
Movement caught Jason’s eyes on the left and he came to a halt. “Go ahead, Traveler. Your habitat is up there at the end … HAB 17 … the same as it was on The Lilly. Ricket has configured all the security codes to match.” Jason waited for Traveler to reach the end of the corridor, enter the code, and step out of view, before bringing his attention to the habitat on his left—HAB 4. The foursome was there—Mollie and Boomer and Drom and Jarial. They hadn’t noticed him in the corridor. Mollie was laughing at something Drom said, while Boomer was in the process of throwing a stick. Then Jason spotted the drog, Alice, playfully circling them, and wanting Boomer to hurry up and throw the stick. The six-legged creature, which closely resembled an awkward black Labrador, had aged over the years. There was a lot of graying around her muzzle—but that didn’t seem to slow her down any. A sweet animal—loyal to a fault—but not one you’d ever want to be on the bad side of.
Jason stepped up to the access panel and entered the passcode. The semi-transparent window disappeared. Alice instantly lost interest in the stick and ran over to Jason. Standing up on her hind legs, Alice barked for him to scratch behind her ears—then, licking his fingers, she wiggled uncontrollably, wagging her tail.
Jason lowered himself to his haunches, giving Alice all the attention she seemed to crave.
“We were looking for Raja,” Mollie said. “The guys have never seen an elephant.”
“I’m sure she’s around here somewhere. Listen … we need to talk about what happened; your unauthorized venture into the multiverse.”
Boomer and Mollie exchanged a quick glance.
“You are my daughters, so that buys you a little leeway. What do you think would happen if someone else absconded with the Omni’s personal yacht and embarked on an unapproved mission into a multiverse realm?”
The girls watched Alice, now chewing on the dropped stick, while the two boys looked around nervously.
Boomer said, “It was a now-or-never thing, Dad. You would have done the same thing. But I’m sorry about the Mercedes … it’s pretty much beat to shit now.”
Though Mollie and Drom laughed at her comment, Jarial didn’t seem to see humor in it.
Jason closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, feigning irritation, but his girls knew him well and laughed out loud.
“What makes you think he’s here? That Rom Dasticon has come to our realm?” Jason asked.
Boomer said, “We told you he spoke to us … when we were locked inside that barn we told you about.”
Mollie said, “He was mostly interested in Boomer. He knew exactly who she was and that you both were the reason for there being so much trouble. Also, something about his two protégés—Lord Vikor and Lord Zintar Shakrim.”
“Zintar is … was … my father,” Jarial said.
Jason noted his tone was defensive. Jason wondered if Jarial would be prepared to play for the home team—if and when the time came. Why he was here at all seemed questionable, though he seemed to care about the girls, especially Boomer. For now, he’d be allowed to hang around with them, though Jason intended to keep a sharp eye on him.
“Anyway,” Boomer continued, “The more I think about it … we were a
llowed to escape. It was too easy. We had served our purpose … opening the gateway … that Glist tunnel.”
“So you think he’s here to use the same type mastery he used in other multiverse realms? We still have time to deal with him, I’m assuming. We do have a Sahhrain fleet quickly approaching the Sol System,” Jason added.
Both girls shook their heads. “No, Dad, I think his first order of business is you. He hates you for what you’ve done over the years to thwart his progress,” Mollie said.
“That’s why he’s here? Me?” Jason asked.
Drom said, “Also, to add this to his collection of multiverse realms. It’s how he increases his powers; how he seems to stay young … immortal. We talked about this. There must be some new kind of power he’ll derive from being here.”
“Powers?” Jason repeated, looking unconvinced. Glancing at Boomer, her expression read I know something that you don’t know. “What? What’s with the face, Boomer?”
She peered at the other three and shrugged. “It’s not any big deal. I’ve been practicing something since I’ve been back. Discovered I could do it …”
“For God’s sakes, Boomer, stop yammering on and on about it and just show him!” Mollie shouted.
“It’s stupid, it serves no real purpose …”
All three cried out in unison, “Show him!”
Boomer smiled and took a breath. She stared at Alice for a moment and Jason noticed a small furrow appear in her brow. Looking back and forth, from the drog to Boomer, he couldn’t see anything happening, but then he caught it—it wasn’t Alice she was intently concentrating on, it was the stick. Now, wet with saliva, the stick rose slowly in the air, suspended within what looked like a soap bubble. As it rose higher and higher—rainbows of color danced upon its shimmering surface. But once the bubble encasing the stick reached chest level—it suddenly popped, and the stick dropped to the ground. Alice grabbed it up with her teeth and ran into the nearby jungle.
“I’m still working on it. I told you … it’s a pretty useless ability.”
“Probably so, but it does show me something quite profound. One can bring the physics of one particular realm into another realm. What you just accomplished, Boomer, is not supported by the physics of this realm. At least, I don’t think it is.”
Mollie said, “Yeah, but the rest of us don’t have the ability to make bubbles appear at will.”
Boomer said, “I think you do, but it’s my Kahill Callan training that gives me more proficiency. It has to be. It’s the only thing Dasticon and I have in common. It allows me to concentrate at a much higher level.”
“Anyway, as cool as that is, Boomer, let’s get back to Dasticon,” said Jason. “We have to assume he’s here now. You think he’s coming for me … for us? Could he have followed you here? Maybe waited for you at the tunnel’s exiting point, back on the Harpaign moon?”
Jason watched as all four stared back at him blank-faced, not answering. He knew Mollie and Boomer’s facial expressions quite well. He didn’t need them to answer. Rom Dasticon could have set up an easy escape for them from that other realm, while he made his own way before them, keeping out of sight as they exited from the Glist tunnel on Almand-CM5. He then followed them here to Endromoline. But, Jason wondered, was that even possible? They’d phase-shifted multiple times. How could he follow a vessel that had phase-shifted thousands of miles in the blink of an eye? But then, Rom Dasticon had thousands of years to acquire all sorts of powers. Powers derived from the countless numbers of other realms, each possessing its own unique physics properties.
Drom and Jarial, suddenly conscious of their surroundings, looked warily around them, as if they were no longer alone here in this jungle-like habitat.
“No … I don’t think he’s here. How could he be?” Boomer asked, but sounding unconvinced herself.
“Hold on. I’m being hailed,” Jason said, turning away. “Go for Captain. What’s up, Billy?”
“We have a problem. Actually it’s not all bad … but it’s a problem just the same.”
Chapter 53
Fringe of the Dacci Star System
150 feet below Endromoline’s surface
The Jumelle
__________________________
Jason arrived on Deck 6, the four teenagers in tow. Exiting there via the DeckPort marked a major deviation from her former sister ship. The Lilly’s top level was Deck 4B, whereas the Jumelle had a Deck 6 and a Deck 7, both positioned toward the vessel’s stern section. Hearing raised voices ahead, he followed in their direction.
Jason was quickly joined by Boomer, catching up with him. He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into himself, “Hey … it’s really good to see you again, Boomer,” he said. “I’ve missed you these past few years. More than I thought I would.”
She looked back at him and he saw Boomer shared his sentiment.
“Anyway … I look forward to hearing about your time on Harpaign … your adventures.”
She nodded but looked somber. “Much of what I thought was true … was real … was nothing more than a deception. I don’t regret my time there. Hell, Dad, did you know I’m considered a Goldwon? It’s a sort of lord. I guess I’m rather famous with the Dacci.”
“Oh, I heard, and I’m very proud of you, Boomer. Your mother is too. But you’ve always been destined for greatness, kiddo.” He offered her a toothy grin.
“Maybe it’s a family thing … a mother who was president, and a father who almost single-handedly defeated the Craing and became the U.S. Fleet Omni.”
Mollie joined them. “What are you talking about … are you talking about me?”
“Not everything is about you, Mollie,” Boomer said, rolling her eyes.
Jason put an arm around Mollie too and also gave her a one-armed hug. “It’s great to have you both back with me again.”
Reaching the location Billy had directed him to, the corridor’s virtual hatchway was twice as wide as any of the others and was taller too. Jason entered, stopping suddenly in his tracks. Mollie, close behind, walked right into him. “Geez, Dad! Next time, how about giving some warning when you stop dead like that, okay?”
But Jason wasn’t listening. His attention focused instead on the hold area sprawled out before him. It was virtually identical to those found on The Lilly.
Bristol was arguing, going at it, with Billy’s Shark, Hayes, near one of the towering racks of spare equipment parts. Around the multi-level compartment were several catwalks above—providing access to a myriad of an assortment of items which Jason had no clue what they were. Jason saw Billy raise his palms, and say, “Hey, let’s put a sock in it. Whose fault it was is not important.”
“Since when do you let morons become Sharks?” Bristol asked, glaring up then at the far larger, imposing-looking, Hayes.
“What’s the problem?” Jason asked, approaching the group. He also noticed Ricket, standing farther ahead—past a stack of tall containers—doing something at the far bulkhead. There was a long, older-looking console there that was distinctly different and wasn’t Caldurian technology.
Billy said, “Apparently Hayes, responsible for clearing this section of the ship, failed to report back that your obelisk was even here.”
“It’s the flippin’ reason we’re here!” Bristol yelled. “What’s it been … five hours wasted?”
“My job was to clear the area; ensure there were no hostiles—”
“You couldn’t even do that right,” Bristol said, gesturing over his shoulder with his chin. “That shit nearly killed three of us, including the captain’s wife. Good job clearing the compartment, dickwad!”
“Enough!” Jason barked. Looking over to Billy, he queried, “What is he talking about?”
“There’s more of that same fungus from hell in here … Void-Feculence. It’s all over this bulkhead here … climbing on the back of that tall container, too. It’s a dangerous mess. Problem is, using any kind of plasma fire could damage the obelisk. Rick
et thinks Boomer would be the best person to help us out with this,” Billy added.
Jason looked at Boomer then back at Billy, his brows raised questioningly.
Billy held up a rounded—triangular shaped—metallic object.
Boomer reached for it. “An enhancement shield! Where …?”
Billy said, “Ricket had its design parameters stored up in that gargantuan-sized noggin. There is a phase-synthesizer on board, similar to the one we had on The Lilly. He had the shield manufactured an hour ago.”
Drom said, “I’d like to get one of those.”
“So would I,” Jarial added. “Feel sort of naked without a shield on my arm.”
Billy signaled to Tops, standing guard over the Void-Feculence. Pulling a pack off his back, Tops retrieved from it two additional shields. He handed one to Drom and one to Jarial. He looked at Mollie, and asked, “Um … you want one too?”
Boomer said, “She doesn’t know how to use one.”
“I do too! Maybe not like you, but I’ve gotten pretty handy with it.”
“I can attest to that,” Billy said. “On Harpaign … near the Glist City … she was pretty bad ass.”
Tops pulled another shield from his pack and handed it to her. Mollie made a face at Boomer before taking the shield from him.
Jason said, “Careful around that feculence stuff … it can pull you in before you know it.”
Bristol, he noticed, was now beside Ricket at the long console. Jason turned to look at the Morian Obelisk. It certainly was beautiful. Mounted to the bulkhead—it was at least eight feet tall. Smooth and other-worldly, it was a cloudy white—and opalescent. He felt his heart rate quicken. He suspected this was the key to so many things. A way to traverse the multiverse in different ways from their current Zip Farm technology. A technology no one had been able to utilize effectively.
“Uh huh … just as I suspected,” Bristol said … smugly. “That slab of rock there is tied into a few of the other ship systems … including our ability to call up an interchange wormhole. If you ask me, I’d say your Drapple friend does far more than allow access to interchange wormholes … with this thing he can do the same with multiverse realms. This is how the Caldurians moved about the multiverse in the old days. Before there were Zip Farms and way stations that allowed movement of hundreds of ships at once.”
Glory for Sea and Space (Star Watch Book 4) Page 29
