Kuster~Laap’s head turned around, his ears twitching.
»We assume that we are about three hundred lightyears away from our destination, but we’re not absolutely certain. There is an undefined anomaly in this sector, causing our sensors to deliver mismatched data.«
Again strange noises came from hidden speakers. Paafnas screamed, he pointed at the walls, which suddenly became transparent.
»No! The ship is dissolving!«
Protector Ivanova
The woman was moving cautiously through the reception hall. Illuminated markers on the floor guided her way. She looked over her shoulders, but nobody was there to greet her. It seemed as if she was alone on this station. There were no guards, no formalities and no security checks of any kind.
She kept walking. A red, long cloak covered most of her slim body. A large, white hood covered her head, obscuring her face.
Although, there was no welcoming committee, she sensed that each and every step was monitored. She was breathing hard and turned her head from time to time searching for another soul.
Conceptor Crux is inside each neuronal computer interface, hub and control console, she thought grimly. He’s like a computer virus, scattered all over the station. I’m sure he has checked me over already.
She walked faster, trying to find a comm-terminal to communicate with the Conceptor. These terminals were distributed around the outer peripheral corridors.
She stopped briefly and looked outside through a large bubble window where an enormous cinder segment was catapulted from the sun’s surface. The segment broke up in many small pieces and rained back to the sun, some were hitting the station’s defense shield where they were absorbed upon contact.
»Isn’t it breathtaking and amazing how much force and potential even a dying star possesses?«
The woman turned around looking for the speaker. The words seemed to come from all directions. She squinted and slowly pulled the hood back before she said, »This is an impressive location for your station, Conceptor Crux. Nobody would expect to find the Crux Heart within the chromosphere of a dying star. Is it true that this is your life’s work? Was this your idea or the idea of the Genorantans?«
There was no answer.
»Conceptor Crux … why don’t you show yourself? I’m no danger to you. I expected more hospitality.«
Suddenly, the sounds of a gong made the corridor vibrate, shaking her from the inside out. At the same time, a swirling fog of energy appeared, forming an oversized Chiropter head with spread pointed ears. The station’s owner looked at the visitor considerately, then he opened his mouth and threw low frequency words at her.
She, however, didn’t flinch and endured the attack on her eardrums.
All bravado and parlor tricks!
»I assume that this was a greeting. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand a word,« she said flatly.
Crux laid his ears flat to his head before he said, »You came via the portal and you look like one of the Protectors …,« he scoffed, »You are certainly no danger to me or the Crux Heart otherwise you would’ve never been able to leave the portal!«
»I’m not here on a diplomatic mission,« she said utterly. »Slickness is not my forte. My time is too valuable, so let’s cut the crap. I’m a Protector Commander and have a demand to bring forward!«
The Conceptor’s ears whirled.
»This means that Kuster~Laap has arrived in the Retreat and the fleet is ready?«
The woman nodded, a gesture he seemed to understand.
»Why did you come alone then? Why didn’t you come with a battle ship to show your might? I would have liked to see a demonstration of your technical abilities.«
He’s testing me, she thought.
»I don’t understand your question. The fleet is ready. The combat units are safe behind the Dimensional Shield and on standby … exactly one million ships!«
»Then the Genorantan plan came to fruition and we’re prepared for the Great Tremor?«
His eyes seemed to impale her.
She knit her eyebrows.
»What do you think? Of course! I didn’t come here to talk about things which are expected of us,« she snipped.
The holographic projection increased in size filling the entire atrium.
»What do you want?«
Her eyes glared, mirroring the Chiropter’s projection.
»I came for the Jamal-Comb! We know that you have been guarding it for a long time. Guarding the key is our job, not yours.«
Crux was surprised over this demand.
»Where is Kuster~Laap? The Prophet of the Genorantans has not yet returned to me, why did you come alone?«
Her smile turned into an ugly grimace, but then she regained her self-control and replied sweet and overly friendly, »The Prophet is inspecting the fleet and is our guest. I’m sure he’ll return soon and confirm what I’m saying. Your reservations are unfounded, especially if you consider what lies before us and what my people need to do.«
»We will wait for him then!« Conceptor Crux decided.
The woman clenched her fists and bottled her rage.
»Is it not enough that you verified my DNA? You certainly examined me on my way to the station and upon my arrival … against my permission I might add!«
»That goes without saying. Normally, a genetic scan suffices, there are, however, discrepancies with your DNA. «
»We don’t have much time left …,« she started.
»… I’ll take as much time as I need!« he bellowed at her. »At one time it was customary that visitors introduce themselves before making demands! What is your name, Protector?«
She seemed to ponder for a moment.
»You can call me Protector Ivanova. Friends call me Maya.«
I’m working on it
Toiber Arkroid couldn’t explain why he could not achieve a mental contact with Nautilus.
If the ship disintegrates our personal protection shields won’t last long. He tried not to grimace.
The ship’s hull became more translucent, looking like frosted glass. The fluctuations were panicking the crew. Arkroid saw some distant stars through the hull walls already. Suddenly, the hull stabilized and the command central appeared normal again.
Voit Masgur had paled, his voice cracking as he said, »What’s going on here?«
With strange background noises, Nautilus addressed the crew, »I’m terribly sorry for the inconveniences. I had no other choice but to restart all ship systems.«
Arkroid briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath of relief.
What happened? You scared us to death!
»This sector shows a very strange, but fascinating anomaly. Due to the dimensional overlap, a tachyon lens had established.«
»What’s that supposed to mean?« Herimos growled.
»This tachyon lens deflects each flight through the higher continuum; it focuses it. All exit points are exactly twelve point four eight million kilometers away from the focal point. It doesn’t matter from which coordinate I transfer into tachyon space. I tried to find a solution to this problem, but in the process we were caught in an infinite loop.«
»In other words: you were trying to calculate a new course, but got stuck?« Pi said.
»No,« Nautilus countered. »I wanted to find a solution to a navigational problem for which there is none. In the end, I had no other choice but to restart my systems. I had almost lost control over myself.«
»You were close to becoming insane?«
»You could probably say it like that, Pi. As you can see, I overcame this moment of weakness.«
»Lucky for us,« Maya Ivanova said sarcastically.
»There is, however, another problem we need to address immediately. My energy banks cannot recharge inside this anomaly as there is no energy flow from the higher continuum. Therefore, I need to reduce my body to conserve energy. I hope you agree with my decision.«
»Did I understand you correctly, we’re stuck in a space trap?�
� Vasina said.
»You can put it that way, however, it is not a real trap, but a phenomenon which results from the special temporal environment in this zone.«
»Nautilus, what happened to the ships before us?« Voit Masgur said.
Nautilus paused to gather information.
»I think that the ships had the same fate. They got trapped and couldn’t escape during an intermediate stop. This accident occurred many hundreds of years ago. The ship commanders tried to escape and it seems that they ran out of energy. I cannot detect any signs of life!«
How can you as an artificial intelligence have such emotions, Arkroid pondered. You seem sad.
Toiber, you seem to forget that I am always reading your neuronal net when you’re in the commander’s seat. I understand what you’re thinking, but the question you were asking yourself, I ask myself when I deal with Humans. I don’t have emotions; however, I can empathize with the Human condition and in so doing, appear to have them.
I’m sorry! I should’ve known.
Arkroid gnawed his lip.
»Are you implying that this tachyon lens is a long lasting effect?« Maya Ivanova said. »How does this fit with these short term phenomena we’ve observed.«
»You’re looking for a contradiction where there isn’t one. Even within an extremely chaotic environment as this one, there can be long lasting and stable conditions. Just think about Jupiter with its dark red eye, a planetary storm lasting for generations, hardly changing in size and color.«
Ivanova nodded.
»I understand but we don’t have thousands of years to escape from this trap.«
»I am working on a solution.«
»Is there an easy method to overcome this problem?« Voit Masgur said. »If we can’t leave this trap via the tachyon-trail, why not by conventional means?«
»You mean: speed of light?« Herimos gnarled. »If it be that easy, Nautilus would’ve done so already.«
»The dimensional lens reaches only into the higher continuum; essentially we could escape by conventional means. This would even be an energy saving method and not a problem, but for you it would be different because this zone has a diameter of thirty lightyears.«
»Almost thirty years,« Ivanova said. »Energy saving, but damn boring.«
»We’re trapped and can’t escape,« Pi murmured, rubbing his temples.
»I warned you!« Kuster~Laap said. »Scutum-Crux is a dangerous zone. We should have taken the tachyon portal.«
»I’m working on a solution,« Nautilus repeated.
Act fast
The visitor quarters were very comfortable and luxurious. The bathroom alone was as large as a suite. Maya Ivanova had just stepped out of the wet cell and was standing naked in front of a full-size mirror, looking at herself.
This Conceptor is probably watching me right now. There’s absolutely no privacy around here.
She took another step toward the mirror and looked at the fine scar in her face. She touched it with her right index finger and grimaced.
I could’ve been perfect, but he wanted me like this, like her.
The young woman caressed her beautiful body. Fine water droplets pearled from her breasts, arms and legs, forming a small puddle at her feet.
I don’t want to be ungrateful. He gave me hours of lust and enjoyment. He longs for me and adores me, like a true lover – only because, I am like her!
She twitched as she felt a faint pinch in her temples. A pain she hadn’t felt for quite some time. Then she heard a voice in her head, I can see you through your eyes … step closer to the mirror.
Maya Ivanova followed the command in her head and posed before the mirror.
Do you like what you see?
Of course my love.
The words in her mind didn’t sound loving. More like a statement. They still meant the universe to Maya Ivanova.
I want to be near you, my Lord.
First the mission! I want the Jamal-Comb! the voice in her head demanded coldly.
Yes, my Lord! She replied obediently, silently forming the words with her lips.
You need to be careful. Conceptor Crux may be capable of looking through you. In the end he’ll be making a fatal error due to his strange logical assessments and hand over the Jamal-Comb! After you received the device, you will leave immediately!
A cold shiver went over Maya Ivanova’s back.
Your plan will work, my Lord. I won’t disappoint you.
A cold laughter resounded in her head, but she didn’t notice.
Do you remember what the Jamal-Comb looks like? the voice inquired threateningly. Can you identify it?
Yes, my Lord. It is the same object as the one inside our bedroom suite. I looked at it many times when we made love.
It’s not the same! It’s not a piece of jewelry, the voice in her head scolded her. Bring me what I want and I’ll reward you royally. Don’t forget: Without the Jamal-Comb there will be no return for you. You need this key to return via the Crux portal. The Jamal-Comb will affect the tachyon aura still adhering to you. The receiving portal is already set up. If you try to return without the key you will end up inside the dwarf star!
Maya Ivanova grimaced. Not returning to him was not an option for her.
You’re a brave girl, the voice caressed her, which she readily absorbed like a dry sponge.
What’s going to happen to this station and Conceptor Crux, after we have the key?
Don’t worry about it. The Conceptor’s days are numbered. Soon, a fleet will arrive, destroying the Crux Heart. Act fast and come back quickly!
More energy
»Are you absolutely sure that your plan is going to work?« Arkroid said.
»The data received from my previous attempts point to this conclusion,« Nautilus replied.
»You have reliable prognostic data? Really? I didn’t know that you could understand and calculate the structure of this dimensional lens,« Ivanova said.
»I won’t comment on this any further!« Nautilus sounded offended.
»We should look into the suggestion,« Herimos said. »An escape route via the normal and center trail is useless. We need to change onto the highest trail or highest plain to overcome the focal-effect of the lens.«
»The highest plain…,« Arkroid pondered aloud. » Vasina, does Progonaut science have an explanation at hand for this highest trail?«
Vasina looked over to Tranos and slowly shook her head.
»Only in theory, Toiber, but we were not able to make use of the highest plain, also called highest potential plain. Flying on the highest trail was never attempted, not even in experiments.«
»How about you, Kuster~Laap? What are Nood and Naad, your silent companions saying?«
Kuster~Laap turned his head toward Arkroid by one hundred fifty degrees.
»Nood and Naad are not mute. They’re actually very talkative; we were just discussing our problem. We think that Nautilus is correct. As we don’t use spaceships anymore, we cannot provide you with answers. To escape via the higher order tachyon trail, however, might be possible.«
Lai Pi knit his eyebrows and said, » Kuster~Laap, this is the first productive thing, I’ve heard from you so far.«
Kuster~Laap slanted his head; it was obvious that he hadn’t understood Pi’s ironic comment.
»We only have one try. My energy reserves will last just for one jump. If we don’t make it then we’ll be stranded here for quite some time.«
»This phenomenon will disappear at some point in time.«
»Exactly, Tranos, but we can’t wait that long,« Herimos growled.
»That’s out of the question,« Arkroid determined and issued his command via mental bridge to Nautilus.
Prepare for the escape to the Expotential Trail, Nautilus!
Now, the higher order trail or higher dimensional trail has finally been named, Nautilus replied happily.
I’m jumping … now! Nautilus announced to Arkroid only.
Awaiting the ma
neuver, Arkroid closed his eyes.
This is strange! It feels as if the mind is disconnecting from my body!
I cannot see what you see, Toiber. My sensors do not provide me with such impressions.
Tell me what you see, Arkroid inquired while he thought seeing a structure before his mind’s eye – a shimmering bubble, enveloping the entire space sector. That’s impossible! How can I see the dimensional lens with my own eyes?
Then the picture shattered into millions of fragments and faded away.
As Arkroid opened his eyes again, he looked at curious faces around him and was holding his breath for a moment.
»What happened? Was it successful?« Pi asked irritated.
»No! It didn’t work!« Nautilus announced.
Moments later all lights were dimmed and all the displays, together with the holos, deactivated.
»I’m sorry, but I need to conserve energy since I cannot shrink the hull any further without affecting the life-support system.«
Arkroid and Pi briefly exchanged glances.
»We weren’t on the expotential trail for long enough, returning much too early to the normal continuum. There was just not enough energy available. This anomaly prevents me from recharging my energy banks via the tachyon continuum.«
That’s what we need … more energy! Arkroid thought helplessly.
Conceptor Crux is concerned
Maya Ivanova jerked as the door gong to her suite opened.
There’re living beings in this station after all, she thought, quickly slipping into her uniform.
The mental connection to her superior was interrupted.
I won’t disappoint you, my Lord.
As she released the airlock door, a tall Chiropter stood before her, wearing an oversized, white coat with silver symbols on his chest. Somehow, the coat didn’t seem to fit at all. She took a step back and looked at the Chiropter.
»Who are you?«
»I am Kolper~Triad,« the Chiropter replied, watching Maya Ivanova attentively. »So, that’s what a Protector looks like. I certainly know your DNA profile, but it’s always better to have a personal encounter than a holographic projection to look at.«
NEBULAR Collection 5 - Panic in the Galaxy: Episodes 22 - 26 Page 7
