NEBULAR Collection 2 - The Expedition: NEBULAR Episodes 6 - 11

by Thomas Rabenstein

  Arkroid let that pass for a beat, then it hit him: Did he just say intergalactic?

  »You, however, are able to change to higher tracks and travel even faster, is that what I’m getting? How does this changing of tracks affect us onboard this ship?«

  Lai Pi was excited and didn’t seem to catch the implication. He seemed to understand at least the most basic principle of the matter if not the full gist of it, especially the technological aspects.

  »I travel within a tachyon field, shielded from outside influences and interferences, so the track changes are unnoticeable. However, this creates Gravo-mechanical shockwaves and by sensing those I can foretell the potential leaps in the normal continuum … Einstein continuum as you would call it. The waves are nothing less than transitional stray effects. I can measure them and tell if an object is shifting up or down the tracks.«

  Arkroid and Lai Pi just looked at each other. This was almost too much information to absorb.

  The Techno-Ferry maintained a course parallel to and at a constant distance from the Yax K’uk’Mo’.

  Arkroid was thinking about making a test flight at tachyon speed while the holo changed to a bright, glimmering, flowing and very strange looking pattern.

  »What happened?« Lai Pi asked worriedly. »Did something go wrong?«

  »I’d have told you if something unexpected occurred. Everything is fine!« the Techno-Ferry proclaimed. »We’re moving at tachyon speed, and just changed to the middle track. We will reach our destination in about twenty-five minutes.«

  »Unbelievable!« Arkroid said, face pale and astonished.

  »What’s the ship talking about? What destination?«

  »I was thinking about a test flight to the Vega System. It seems that my thoughts were understood and interpreted as a command. Like granting a wish!«

  »But, Toiber … it’s lightyears to the Vega System. The Techno-Ferry only needs twenty-five minutes?«

  »Well, we are on the middle track,« Arkroid joked. »Calm down, Pi. I know it sounds strange.«

  »That’s not strange, Toiber … it’s insane!«

  Alarm

  Vasina was standing before the airlock leading to the ship’s command level, fuming. This section had so far been off limits for her group. Scorge only let them roam freely through the Yax K’uk’Mo’s lower sections. Vasina, at that moment, didn’t give a damn about Scorge’s regulations. She had tried repeatedly to call him, but the Shwakan was ignoring her. She thumped her fists against the heavy airlock doors; maybe that would get his attention. The damp climate onboard the ship wasn’t helping her keep her calm. Vasina’s clothes were drenched, and she was so mad they might have been steaming.

  A life-sized holo suddenly appeared beside her.

  »This section is off-limits! It’s my private quarters!«

  Vasina threw her head back and stared at the holo dangerously.

  »You didn’t leave me any other choice! I’ve been trying to reach you for half an hour!«

  »I’m busy. If you’re looking for your friends, they left the ship about an hour ago.«

  »What?« Vasina yelled. Her anger had suddenly vanished. »What are they up to?«

  »They’re conducting a test flight in the small Techno-Cleric ship,« Scorge answered quickly. »They’ve just transferred to tachyon speed and disappeared from my scanners. Not even my tachyon scanners can detect them … they’re gone!«

  Vasina pushed her fists into her sides. She looked like an avenging angel with her golden shield on her back.

  »The Techno-Ferry? Arkroid and Lai Pi can’t fly that ship, let alone program a tachyon flight!«

  Scorge didn’t seem interested in further discussion and merely said, reserved, »I’m not aboard the Techno-Ferry. I can’t tell you how they did it. If there is nothing else I can do for you I am, as I said, busy?«

  Vasina took a deep breath.

  »Let me into your command central! I urgently need to talk to you in person … I have some vital questions.«

  »I don’t like to repeat myself. I can meet you in your cabin or the observation deck in about an hour. I can’t help you right now.«

  »I can’t wait. I need to talk to you NOW!«

  The holo disappeared. Scorge had simply interrupted the session with no warning. He probably wanted to show Vasina who was the boss onboard this ship.

  She kicked the airlock door, and almost pulled a muscle.

  »Then let the Trox take you, damnit! I thought you were interested in profits. I wanted to propose a deal!«

  Vasina yelled the last words, certain that Scorge was still watching her. She turned around and wiped the moisture from her face. The heat was intolerable, everywhere she turned a fine warm mist filled the air. As she stalked away from the airlock she heard a noise behind her. She turned quickly and saw that the airlock had opened. Scorge entered the corridor and moved toward her.

  »What kind of a deal?« he inquired, »did you find anything about your people in my data banks?«

  Vasina had trouble keeping her self-control.

  »No, I did not, and I’m not wasting any more time searching your archives. I want to see for myself! I will fill your cargo rooms with goods, if you help me.«

  Scorge was shaking excitedly. Vasina knew she had struck a sensitive chord with him. The mere thought about trading goods and reaping huge profits made his four hearts beat heavily.

  »I have an agreement with Arkroid and Lai Pi. I owe Humanity my support. We Shwakans don’t break contracts; we keep our promises.«

  »I don’t want you to break any contract, just expand it a little. I’m my people’s only heir, and it’s my responsibility to learn how they have fared in the last million years. All I’m asking is for you to bring me home, and I promise that you will become a very wealthy Shwakan.«

  »Follow me,« he said briefly and manipulated a contact on his belt to further open the airlock doors. It seemed that Scorge had just abandoned one of his principles. Vasina followed him silently into the command central. The view took her breath away for a moment.

  Scorge quickly crawled into the room, which Vasina guessed to be about twenty meters in height. The command central was in the Yax K’uk’Mo’s uppermost section and formed an almost quadratic layout. The metallic floor showed the usual grooves that assisted Scorge in his movements. The room was furnished with several circular basins, a few meters high and filled with soil from which gigantic mushrooms grew. The mushroom-tops grew into the central’s ceiling, forming a large organic roof. A bright, harsh light penetrated the room from gaps in the roof, forcing Vasina to close her eyes if she didn’t want to be blinded. Apparently the mushrooms needed such light for their growth and health.

  A mist of microscopic water droplets filled the air. Vasina felt that the humidity and temperature were even higher than in the outer corridors. Consoles and control devices that seemed partly organic filled the room alongside meter high holo displays that expanded between the mushroom stems. One of them showed a planet of the Epsilon Indi System. Fist-sized pollens fell from the mushroom heads at intervals; Scorge skillfully collected these with his tentacles and stored them inside his body. Vasina thought that these must be a part of Scorge’s diet.

  Scorge had taken a seat on a large cushion in the middle of the room, surrounded by a u-shaped console. Vasina decided that this was the command console through which he controlled all parts and sections of the ship.

  Vasina stepped closer cautiously, while looking at the ceiling. The mushrooms possessed snow-white, smooth-structured stems, supporting the bluish, five-meter-diameter heads with brownish gill-like lamellas at the underside. Vasina counted eight mushrooms. They lent the command central a really alien appearance.

  Several objects caught her eye, which Scorge had seemingly arranged deliberately around his command seat. They appeared to be sculptures or artifacts. Some of them glowed from within while others were illuminated by indirect lighting to create a more striking appearance. Scorge must hav
e collected them on distant worlds.

  Colorful, arm-thick energy conductors wound from the floor to the mushroom tops along the stems. Other energy conduits were connected to consoles and control banks, and seemed arbitrarily arranged about the room. At least Vasina could detect no pattern that made any sense to her.

  She took another deep breath. Like Arkroid and Lai Pi, she wore a small chip that protected her from microbes in the strange biosphere.

  »What is it, Vasina? Nothing to say? A couple of minutes ago you were trying to break through the airlock with your bare hands.«

  Scorge gurgled silently.

  Vasina pulled herself together and answered, »I admit I’m impressed. It’s nothing like I imagined it in here.«

  She turned and looked around one more time.

  »I’ve never seen a command central like yours in my entire life,« she said softly. »Are these plants from your home-world?«

  »Golden eyes or no, you are and always will be a biped. You’re related to these Humans, no doubt about it. Your thinking is as constrained as theirs. Shwakans call this room Refuge, not Command Central. All Shwakan ships have a room like this, each individually furnished and outfitted. I do control all ship functions from here, but this room is more, it is my personal refuge, my domicile and place for self-finding and recovery. You are the first alien being ever allowed inside this room.«

  »I’m honored,« Vasina replied truthfully. »Can we go back to my proposal, then?« Vasina picked up, but Scorge interrupted.

  »I know what you want, Vasina. But your home-world is located at the center of the galaxy, the one place we Shwakans stay away from. You mentioned that your home-system is isolated by a shield of antimatter mines that attack any ship automatically. Your enclave is more than a million years old. What do you expect to find there? Then this unknown mysterious force which, in your era, defeated even the Progonauts. What if they’re still around?«

  Vasina’s face became hard.

  »The Dark Brotherhood defeated my people, but they never achieved their final objective! They weren’t able to penetrate the mine field and had to turn back. Even with Dark Brotherhood carrier ships still in the system, we might find Progonaut survivors. They may have found refuge on some of the many moons or in neighboring solar systems. I have to believe that somebody made it, maybe the former battleship crews who were scattered all over the sector.«

  »You still have hope, Vasina, even after a million years. That’s noble, but it’s wishful thinking. Nobody will remember you, let alone acknowledge your leadership. Maybe the Dark Brotherhood was able to isolate or neutralize the mine fields! Your flagship pursued the Deporters, right? You don’t know how the siege ended, because you got stranded on Earth. You told me the enemy’s technology was more advanced than yours; then it’s likely they were able to eliminate the mine field threat.«

  Vasina clenched her fists.

  »It wasn’t just a simple mine field, it was the most complex defense mechanism ever developed! The Dark Brotherhood charges aren’t only my enemies – they threaten the entire galaxy! Didn’t you understand what happened on Techno-Center? They …«

  Vasina’s hot words were suddenly interrupted by the sound of klaxons. Scorge twitched heavily.

  She kept quiet and listened to the different tones. It sounded like a general ship alert to her.

  »What is that?« she asked.

  »I’m not sure. I’m checking it out right now.«

  Scorge’s tentacles quickly slid over some sensor pads.

  »A sensor set off the alarm. The ship’s hull integrity has been breached!«

  Moontaap

  Vega, a hot, giant star in the Lyra Constellation, was about twenty-five light years away from Earth and about 200 to 300 million years old. Compared to Arkroid’s home-system a relatively young star. One of the brightest in the northern night sky, it had been observed by generations of Humans over the centuries.

  »Why Vega?« Lai Pi interrupted Arkroid’s thoughts.

  »It was the first system that came to mind. There are many stories about this star, plus it’s a very interesting object for study. They’ve wondered for a long time whether there are any planets in this system or not. I thought we’d answer that question once and for all and let them know.«

  Lai Pi grinned.

  »Yeah, you just go tell them: ‘Uh … ya … by the way, we just made a small trip to Vega, here’s what we found out. Wasn’t a big deal with our new super-spaceship, you know. We were sort of in the neighborhood, the Epsilon Indi System.’ They’ll freak!«

  Arkroid allowed himself a smile.

  »Their jaws’ll go slack, that’s for sure. But wait till they see the Techno-Ferry for the first time. The rest is nothing.«

  »I just hope we can rendezvous with the Yax K’uk’Mo’ on our way back, because my cosmonautical knowledge is less than useful. Scorge and Vasina are probably scratching their heads over where we are now, or whatever Scorge does.«

  Lai Pi was right. The same question was worrying Arkroid.

  »There is no problem returning to the point of departure,« the Techno-Ferry interrupted. I have memorized the Yax K’uk’Mo’s flight vectors and their parameters. I can find the ship anytime.«

  »See, Pi, no need to worry. This ship is unbelievable.«

  Arkroid leaned back in his seat.

  »I was joking, but seriously, can you imagine when we return with the Techno-Ferry to our solar system? The Union Fleet Brass and the government will stand on their heads! They’ll want to tear the ship apart, down to the last screw.«

  Arkroid frowned.

  »First of all, I have the distinct impression there is not one single screw onboard this ship and secondly, we’ll tell them hands off! Our scientists would never understand the technology anyway. It’s not an object; it’s a ship with a conscience, a sentient being. We have to keep reminding ourselves not to use this ship for any end that would go against the Cosmic Moral Code. I also have a distinct feeling it would just fly away if we did.«

  »That’s not going to be an easy task,« Lai Pi murmured.

  »What do you mean, Pi?« Arkroid asked, having heard Pi’s mutely spoken words.

  »Well, we both know how far the Creators have advanced in a technological and moral sense. How do we know if we’ll be able to act appropriately, to distinguish between right and wrong, according to their morals? We’re still Humans and no galactic philosophers.«

  »Good point, Pi. We have to think twice about anything we want the ship to do. Only you and I have been invited to fly this ship, and that makes it our responsibility. Not the government’s, not the Fleet’s – it’s ours. If we let anyone make decisions for us and it goes bad, it’s you and I who will have failed.«

  »We will leave the middle track and move to the common track in two minutes,« the Techno-Ferry announced.

  »Are we close to our destination?« asked Pi.

  »I’m receiving weak signals on the tachyon comm-band, originating in the Vega System. I will establish a dimensional camouflage shield before we shift to the Einstein continuum. Do you want me to decode the signals?«

  »The dimensional camouflage shield is a good idea,« Arkroid butted in. »We’ll take a passive approach, observe the system and record everything that looks important to us. Yes, if you can decode the signals, please go ahead.«

  »It is done, Toiber Arkroid.«

  Lai Pi and Arkroid gaped at each other.

  »We will now enter the Einstein continuum.«

  The ship commented on its actions as it felt necessary to keep the two men informed.

  »Establish a forward holo!« Arkroid demanded. He regretted his tone immediately. He wasn’t giving orders to a crew.

  The display appeared as soon as Arkroid had finished his words. It showed a bright star in its center. Simultaneously, slight tremors went through the ship.

  »The Vega System possesses a wide dust ring. I’m altering my hull structure to reduce the friction.« />
  Both men stared fascinated at the holo and couldn’t believe their ears.

  »Can you explain that a bit further, please,« Lai Pi inquired excitedly.

  »I’m not a static structure – I adapt to the surrounding environment quickly and efficiently. If I’m flying through open space my hull is either a sphere or a drop-like shape. Those require the least energy. When the particle density increases, in solar systems or nebulae, I alter my hull to a more streamlined shape.«

  Arkroid nodded. He had guessed that would be the case, but he asked specifically, »Are you able to change the hull structure and the interior as you wish?«

  »Exactly!« acknowledged the Techno-Ferry. »Your section is not affected by the exterior changes. I would change your environment only in an extreme emergency. My hull now resembles an arrow head to offer the least resistance to the dust particles in this sector.«

  »What else can you do?« Lai Pi asked with staring eyes.

  »That would take a long time to list, but in brief I can replicate anything I want inside my body, including technical devices and special equipment made to order. Of course, some components are not replicable. My conscience center for one, although under attack I can relocate my conscience to a less vulnerable section.«

  Arkroid closed his eyes and tried to digest everything he had just heard.

  »I have many more questions, but I’ll save them for later. It would probably take the equivalent of a semester of college to understand it all. Right now I’m more interested in the decoded signals from Vega. You have a clear text?«

  »The message is as follows: ‘This is the owner of the Pux Man’Du’. To all honorable galactic traders. Do not enter the dust sector surrounding this star. Do not believe the Sirens of Moontaap, it’s a trap! Leave this system as fast as you can. Heed me or you will never return home to experience another Day of the Shwakans again!’«

  »Day of the Shwakans?« Arkroid asked.

  »The message is coming from a Shwakan trade ship. It is an automatic message and very weak. Calculating the duration of the transmission intervals places its origin about 14,875 years ago. The transmitter’s power is mostly depleted with time, thus the weak transmission. The code is the same as used by the Yax K’uk’Mo’.«