Plox’s face image trembled. His mouth opened, but no sound left his lips. He dissected Pi with his eyes. He asked, »You are a Protector?«
»Well … we were supposed to become Protectors, but that plan went down the galactic Black Hole,« Arkroid answered instead of Pi.
He watched the slowly rotating galaxy. Its gentle motion entranced him and calmed him
»The struggle between long-term plan and counter plan, between Galactic Brotherhood and Dark Brotherhood and everything associated with it, missed opportunities and the like, made us what we are today, Humans.«
»Humans?« Plox said in a deep frequency.
»Exactly, Humans,« Voit threw in. »Even though there’re slight genetic differences between us, as with Goovans and Chiropters, we are very determined to help each other and other people as well.«
Arkroid nodded at Voit.
›I couldn’t have said it better.‹
»You have to decide if you want to keep up this silly feud between yourselves or if you’ll join forces. We came here with our Techno-Ferry to find out what is happening in Scutum-Crux. We ask questions and want answers,« Arkroid said.
»The ship of the Creators follows your commands?« Plox asked.
»Yes, I was entrusted command of this ship. It brought us here because of my wishes.«
The Chiropter looked at Arkroid.
»The Gugol will leave this sector soon and accompany the caravan on its way to the Great Magellanic Cloud, which has become our home. The refugees will find a refuge there. There are many uninhabited worlds from which they can admire the beautiful spiral arms of the Milky Way. However, before we leave, I will tell you something, which the Scouts have sent us.«
»Scouts? The beings who can predict these phenomena within the overlapping zone and who can calculate the safest route through this sector?« Vasina inquired.
»I recognize you as a member of the former Guardian people.« Plox’s eyes brightened toward Vasina. »Five Houses were supposed to guard the five keys. You failed!«
»Two of the keys are still in my possession,« Vasina defended herself and pulled both Jamal-Combs from a pocket. A blue aura enveloped the combs.
The Chiropter shuddered.
»Do you know what you are holding in your hands, Guardian woman.«
Vasina looked at Kuster~Laap, who straightened, »Two are not enough, we need five.«
»What do you have to tell us?« Arkroid asked. »I thought, time is tight. We’re not joining the caravan and will continue our mission.«
»That’s how it will be,« Plox said while the holographic galaxy began to rotate faster. The spiral arms revolved out of the picture before they renewed their positions and slowed down.
»This is the galaxy of today,« Plox explained from his elevated position. Seconds later, a space sector of Scutum-Crux was magnified, jumping at the team. »The Scouts have been watching the dimensional transfer of the parasite galaxy from the Magellanic Clouds for thousands of years. They have developed reliable methods to analyze and measure the overlapping zones. They determined that the rulers of the parasite galaxy are erecting a dimensional tunnel, which will penetrate our dimension only one lightyear away from the Dimensional Mirror. Before the dimensional transfer of the parasite galaxy is completed, Looter fleets will flood the Milky Way. This has occurred before one million years ago, just ask the Progonaut woman. She will acknowledge my words, if she still remembers her people’s history.«
Arkroid looked at Vasina who was weakly hanging on Tranos’s arm for support. She had turned pale and weak in her knees.
»Are you talking about the phenomenon that lured our fleet to the assumed central star of the Dark Brotherhood?« She swallowed hard before she continued, »It was a dimensional tunnel through which they came into our dimension, the first attempt to initiate their counter plan!« Vasina took a deep breath. »This time, they will possibly follow a similar scenario and strategy.«
»I agree, Guardian. This is the reason why the Gogul is leaving this sector. This might be the last caravan under our command. Join us or leave Scutum-Crux, at least you’re safe on your side of the galaxy until the Great Tremor occurs.«
»The enemy knows about the action plan of the Galactic Brotherhood and will try to destroy the Dimensional Mirror before it’s completed,« Arkroid said.
»Another counter plan,« Pi added. »In the end, the side with the longest breath will win.«
»Destroying the Dimensional Mirror will put an end to the Galactic Brotherhood’s plight,« Plox replied. »Two keys are simply not enough.«
»We need to warn Chiropter Crux immediately, he’s in charge of the mirrors construction,« Kuster~Laap worried. »I’m certain that he already made plans in case the Dimensional Mirror is attacked, it can’t be destroyed that easily.«
»Maybe not the Mirror Matrix. The Crux Heart, however, cannot fulfill its purpose without all the required keys and will fall apart,« Plox stated.
›What’s a Crux-Heart? A coordination central or a switch?‹ Arkroid wondered.
»Protect the Crux Heart and find the remaining keys!« Plox said strongly before the holo deactivated.
Arkroid took a last, long, look at the rotating galaxy before he turned around.
No more secrets
The Krolakans escorted Arkroid and his team back to the hangar. Arkroid hadn’t spoken to Kuster~Laap on the way back to the ship. Voit Masgur, Maya Ivanova and Pi frowned while they left the command central. Vasina and Tranos seemed lost in thought, while Herimos watched the team members attentively. He barred his yellow teeth again, receiving angry growling and hissing from the Krolakans.
Nautilus was catapulted out of the hangar as soon as the team members had taken their seats.
Arkroid leaned back, massaging his temples.
»Kuster~Laap, when were you going to tell us about your plans?«
»The discord between my people and the Goovans is none of your concern. The Information has no bearing on our mission. The Goovans decided to leave the galaxy and did not join the Galactic Brotherhood,« he replied angrily.
»They’re, nevertheless, very active. They’re leading the evacuation measures,« Pi remarked.
»You witnessed yourselves how this worked in the Traumonan case,« Kuster~Laap rebutted.
»I think, everybody does what he can.« Maya slammed a fist on her console. »At least the Goovans are doing something.«
»This doesn’t make sense,« Herimos said. »The Chiropters are also doing something. We’ll see which path was the right one at the end. We cannot interfere or mediate in the dispute between the Chiropters and the Goovans. We have more important things to do. Let’s concentrate on the Dimensional Mirror and try to defend the last remaining bulwark.«
»If the Dark Brotherhood is able to establish a bridge between the two dimensions then we’re facing an almost unsolvable problem. We’ll be confronted with the same attackers who annihilated my people. The enemy will again make use of the Ultimate Weapon,« Vasina warned.
»The same weapon with which the Atlantika defeated our fleet,« Herimos added.
»The nature of this superior weapon is unknown, but it exists. If this dimensional tunnel forms up then we need to do everything in our powers to prevent the enemy ships from entering our dimension,« Tranos said.
»Hmm … there’s something I don’t understand. The enemy has already deployed its battle ships. What about the Globusters and their base ships? Soulwalkers, Morgotradon and agitators, not to mention the Languins on Equinox who turned into Looters?« Voit Masgur pointed out.
»It’s more complicated than we can imagine,« Pi supposed.
»The caravan just transferred to the tachyon trail and has left the normal continuum,« Nautilus announced. »The space sector around us is now empty. I have set course for the Dimensional Mirror assuming that our next destination will be the Crux Heart.«
Arkroid looked Kuster~Laap in the eye.
»As of this minute, No more secrets, K
uster~Laap. If we want to win this conflict then we need to start trusting each other.«
Kuster~Laap returned Arkroid’s stare. Then he said, »We need to fly to the Crux Heart and ask Conceptor Crux to hand over the third key. If the heart will be attacked, then the key must be safe.«
Vasina turned around in her seat, facing Kuster~Laap.
»The third key?« she asked wondering.
»Conceptor Crux has possessed this key for thousands of years. We need to convince him to hand it over before it’s too late.« Kuster~Laap’s ears twitched and swayed.
Nautilus left a flurry of photon dust as it transferred to the tachyon center trail, toward the Crux Heart.
23 - The Crux Heart
Written by Thomas Rabenstein
Here we are
She was greeted by painfully blinding light, forcing her to cover her eyes. A spherical energy field activated as she left the transport field, surrounding her completely. She surveyed her surroundings and found the tachyon portal had dumped her close to a star.
The female visitor flew through space inside a shimmering energy bubble admiring the swirling eddy currents and plasma bubbles on the sun’s surface. A protuberance flung into space, only to be pulled back to the surface by the sun’s gravitational force.
A red dwarf! I’m inside the chromosphere of a sun!
Weak eruptions deflected off the energy sphere as it flew away from the sun.
Thank goodness for this shield, she thought
It was difficult for her to estimate the speed the sphere was moving. The viewing angle remained the same even though she assumingly was moving at high speed. Suddenly, she noticed a dark shadow in front of her. She squinted to make out some details. At first she thought it was a sun spot, but then she noticed the object possessed relative movement.
A space station, circling the sun! That’s where he’s sent me.
She was holding her breath. She marveled at the technical achievement of placing a space station so close to a star.
We’re dealing with a strong opponent, she thought grimly and studied the object on her approach, as it became bigger and bigger.
A platform-like base. Impressive superstructures. Star-like, connection tubes radiating from the centre, a transparent observation dome. The station has certain similarities with tachyon portals … definitely Genorantan signature. They’re like a disease spreading their technology over the entire galaxy!
The sphere slowed down and kept its path, heading directly toward the station’s energy shield. She closed her eyes, expecting an impact, but the sphere penetrated the shield with ease. The sphere changed direction and flew toward a brightly lit hangar.
The visitor landed in the middle of the hangar. When the sphere touched down, it deactivated itself.
Here we are!
Anything but that
The re-entry into the normal continuum was smooth and normal – no surprises as with the ghost sun. Toiber Arkroid looked at the crew and their relieved faces, save for Kuster~Laap and his companions, who, as usual, didn’t show any emotions.
Even though they’re not audibly talking to each other, I bet their nano-messengers are chatting up a storm, Arkroid thought
»This time we didn’t experience any harsh side effects,« Pi said.
Maya Ivanova nodded and sighed with relief.
»This space sector around the Crux Heart doesn’t seem to be affected by the overlapping zones yet,« Vasina said while checking her holographic interface.
Paafnas licked over his eyeballs reflexively.
»With respect, Your Majesty,« Herimos said, »just because we weren’t shaken crazy this time? I’d strongly suggest that Nautilus performs an accurate scan of this sector. I really wouldn’t like to end up inside a semi-material sun again or ride on the protuberances of a developing super nova.«
»There are some confusing indications on my holo,« Tranos announced, dampening the excitement. »I detect numerous target echoes, according to the scans, they are metallic objects, probably a space fleet.«
Pi jumped out of his seat.
»Why didn’t Nautilus mention this?« he said.
After he said it, everybody became aware the Nautilus hadn’t made a chirp since they had reentered the normal space continuum.
Pi tried to establish a contact to the ship via the mental bridge. Arkroid met Pi’s eyes and shook his head, he hadn’t been successful either.
»Nautilus won’t answer my calls.«
»We did not arrive at the Crux Heart!« Kuster~Laap bellowed. »Nood and Naad cannot detect the beacons from the Dimensional Mirror or signals from the Crux Heart. We also cannot find the signature of the tachyon portal through which we began our journey.«
»Are you saying that we came out somewhere else?« Maya Ivanova alleged, squinting.
»This is definitely not our destination. These are not the coordinates, I issued to the ship,« Kuster~Laap replied.
Arkroid looked around insecurely. Nautilus’ silence could not be a good sign.
»NAUTILUS! STATUS REPORT, NOW!« he commanded.
Arkroid waited, breathing heavily.
»This is serious!« Pi said. »Nautilus always replies straight away!«
»Okay then … let’s use what we have to gain some information. Vasina and Voit, check the surrounding sector for anything that might be of interest to us,« Arkroid commanded.
Vasina nodded, a gesture she adopted from Arkroid and began working on her terminal. Arkroid noticed the scolding look from Tranos.
»Herimos and Tranos, check your scanners for any anomalies regarding the inter-dimensional phenomena. We have to stay alert!« Arkroid commanded.
Arkroid smiled at Vasina who glanced over to him. She winked at him, having noticed Tranos’ scowls.
»Let’s see what I can do,« Herimos grumbled as he synchronized his terminal with the one Tranos was working on.
»Kuster~Laap, I’d appreciate it if you …,« Arkroid started.
»… we’re trying to locate the Crux Heart,« Kuster-Laap said readily. »However, if we’re farther away than two parsecs, then we won’t find it.«
»Understood.«
»I’m not sure, if we can trust the indications,« Vasina said. »If I’m interpreting the data correctly, we’re dealing with a caravan, however, I’m not receiving any signs of life.«
»What makes you so sure that this is a caravan?« Ivanova inquired.
Vasina briefly looked up from her terminal and said, »I’m detecting about five types of spaceships of different sizes, altogether four thousand six hundred two units. I was able to identify some types, which we found at the Gugol caravan.«
»This is not unusual,« Kuster~Laap said. »There’re thousands of these caravans on their way.«
»This one appears to be dead, devoid of energy signatures. The ships are not flying in formation they have assumed a cloud shape.« Vasina paused studying her holo. »They’re drifting through space around their mutual center of gravity. Several units show a lot of damage. It seems that a great number of these ships have collided with each other.«
»A ghost fleet,« Paafnas said, fidgeting, and seemingly disturbed.
»You could be correct, Paaf,« Pi said while analyzing the orbital vectors. »The movements are chaotic. I don’t know what to think. We should leave this sector immediately. Who knows what happened to these ships and the entire convoy. My gut’s telling me that nobody is alive over there!«
Vasina zoomed in on the fleet. Now everybody saw the chaos on the main holo.
»Pi is right. Maybe they were surprised by an overlapping effect. I’m worried, just look at the condition these ships are in. Aren’t there any distress calls … any energy signatures at all?« Arkroid said.
Maya Ivanova looked up from her holo and shook her head gravely.
»I’m not worried about this fleet, I’m more concerned about us! We should leave here, but how can we do that, if the ship isn’t working?«
Arkroid’s fa
ce reddened.
»Nautilus, Status Report!« Arkroid said aloud. »We need …«
Arkroid stopped in the middle of the sentence as the holos suddenly turned to gray. They had transferred to tachyon space.
»We’re back on the middle trail!« Masgur announced.
Seconds later, the ship re-entered normal space again.
»The ghost fleet is still there … but we are on the other side!« Vasina yelled.
»Distance to the ship?« Arkroid commanded.
»Twelve point four eight million kilometers! Same distance as before just on the other side,« Vasina knit her eyebrows and looked at Arkroid. »What does that mean?«
Again the holos tuned to gray.
Pi frowned.
»I don’t know what to make of it. Nautilus is trying to transfer to the middle trail again. Since when does the ship transfer on its own without our consent?«
Moments later, the ship fell back into normal space.
»Position?« Arkroid demanded, but Nautilus remained silent. »We have a serious problem. Vasina, can you tell us anything?«
She studied her holos and displays.
»The ghost fleet is still standing before us at a distance of exactly twelve point four eight million klicks. Although, we changed our relative position in space, we’re fused to this orbit.«
A loud crackling noise came from the ship’s speakers.
»What was that?« Tranos said and touched his armor, keeping an eye on Vasina.
Other strange noises filled the air inside the command central, sounding like a garbled radio message.
»If this is a message from Nautilus, I can’t understand it,« Tranos said.
»I think your ship has suffered severe damage,« Kuster~Laap said.
Arkroid nodded silently.
I’m afraid, Kuster~Laap is right. If you can sense my message than talk to me now.
The ship didn’t reply.
»We give up,« Kuster~Laap said. »The Crux Heart is out of range.«
»Where are we then?« Pi asked. »Can we determine that at least?«
NEBULAR Collection 5 - Panic in the Galaxy: Episodes 22 - 26 Page 6
