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

by Thomas Rabenstein

  He paused and, noting that he still had their rapt attention, went on. »Any planet orbiting the dwarf would have been vaporized. In a Nova, the outer shell of a sun is, after it has imploded and then collapsed, is repelled. What’s left is a white dwarf. When that happened, a huge plasma shock wave must have gone through the system accompanied by hard showers of radiation.«

  Arkroid swallowed hard. He had never spent any time thinking about novae and dwarves. All he knew was the stable condition of Earth’s sun at home – that was good enough for him. He had never looked into the life cycle of a star. At some future point in time the home sun would change to a red giant and swallow Earth, but that would still be another three billion years down the road …

  »The second component of the dual star system which you call Keid C also has some strange behaviors. The red dwarf is known for its unpredictable outbreaks. The three small, rocky planets orbiting Keid C are barren worlds without value, mere flying debris in space. It’s not clear if the planets were devastated by the nova or because of Keid C’s unpredictable behavior,« Scorge supplemented.

  »Wunderbar!« replied Arkroid, using a German expression.

  »This seems to be a cozy place. Are you sure, Scorge, that we’ll find the trade world here?«

  Vasina looked perplexedly at Arkroid.

  »What do you mean? Most places in the universe are dangerous and life threatening, didn’t you know that? Planets like Atlantika or Earth are rare.«

  Arkroid cleared his throat in embarrassment.

  »Well then, let’s hope that the red dwarf remains inactive as long as we’re in the neighborhood.«

  »Don’t you worry, my friends!« Scorge tried to calm his guests. »There’re no indications of an outbreak in the near future. My scanners would detect it in time anyway. Relax and enjoy the view.«

  The Yax K’uk’Mo’ had entered the Einstein continuum with about 70 percenmt sub-light speed and proceeded with its own inertial impulse from entering the tachyon trail.

  Theoretically it was still possible to re-enter the tachyon trail if necessary; but if they did, the ship would then exit the trail without much momentum, almost standing still. This was an unfortunate side effect that caused that maneuver not to be practiced very often. It was always an advantage to exit the tachyon trail with adequate speed to outmaneuver enemies or to escape. On the other hand, if the exit speed was too high a collision could occur, especially in uncharted galactic regions.

  Suddenly, the Yax K’uk’Mo’ began vibrating. Arkroid shuddered and Vasina looked irritated around the room. Even Lai Pi looked nervous. The ship shook more strongly while the display was filled with light-blue flames.

  »What’s going on?« Arkroid asked aloud.

  It took another minute until Scorge replied.

  »The dual star is enveloped by dust and gas particles, possibly left over from the nova explosion. The Yax K’uk’Mo’ had entered the region a bit too fast. The shields are holding, even though we cannot compensate fully for the friction. In other words, the particles are slowing us down. Don’t worry!« Scorge explained.

  Arkroid looked at Pi’s pale face and realized that Scorge had played down the seriousness of the event. Even a gas cloud could act like a brick wall, if their speed was too high. The vibrations lasted for another 20 minutes until they gradually subsided and the view improved. Vasina gave a sigh of relief after they had cleared the region.

  »We’ll approach the central star from a higher point and then fly to the third planet. We are about one light minute above the main plane of this system to avoid a large asteroid belt. Excuse me, but I need to report in and let the Myzellans know we’re here.«

  »At least he’s not flying full speed through the Asteroid belt,« Pi joked.

  »We would have had no problems with my old flagship Atlantika,« Vasina added spontaneously. »Our shields were strong enough to protect us from a frontal collision. My gunners would have vaporized any asteroid in our path anyway.«

  »Hmm … your old flag ship, the Atlantika? Did you know, we call the terrestrial ocean between the European, African and American continents the Atlantic?« Pi threw in.

  Vasina listened attentively.

  »… and according to the legends and mythologies there was also a Greek God named Atlas who carried the heavens on his shoulder. There seems to be a common word root, don’t you think?«

  »… and while we’re at it,« Arkroid butted in, »there‘s also the myth about a high culture – the Atlantans, Atlanters or Atlantanians, who lived on the island Atlantis and were far advanced for their times. Unfortunately, a devastating catastrophe occurred and they vanished.

  »Atlantis,« Vasina repeated Arkroid’s words slowly, »yes, I have heard of your legends before. This was the name I had given Earth after we landed here. It seems these mythologies are somehow connected to my people. The descendants of the deported Progonauts would have expanded their realms, mixed with other cultures over time. That would explain a common word stem.«

  »Legend has it that there was a war between the Greeks and the Atlanters,« Pi tried to explain, but Scorge interrupted him.

  »We‘re receiving a beacon from Achdoom, the sixth and most outer planet! We can proceed toward Coip-Pertyl. A system pilot will join us in a moment to guide us through the debris region to Coip-Pertyl.«

  »A system pilot?« Pi asked surprised.

  »Now it’s getting really interesting.« Arkroid winked at Vasina.

  Approaching Lottruun

  The ship passed Achdoom, a 4,100 Kilometer diameter ice planet located in a large asteroid ring. The planet’s surface was scarred and littered with impact craters. Scorge mentioned a small station, run by the Guild, that pilots for arriving ships. Even though the Yax K’uk’Mo’ employed high-tech scanners, Scorge relied on the advice of the system pilots. They knew this region.

  Arkroid observed the flight maneuvers with mounting excitement. He discovered a couple of asteroids larger than 1,500 meters in diameter.

  They crossed the orbit of the fifth planet, a gas giant with high reaching ammonia clouds. The diameter was 61,000 kilometers, with 39 times the mass of Earth. The displays showed also three big moons and twenty smaller ones. It appeared that the planet had caught the trabants from the nearby asteroid belt.

  Coip-Pertyl was a water world. The blue-green shimmering moon stuck out like a diamond in the rough from the surrounding scene, especially against the almost white planetary disk of Coptr-Zafyr, the third planet. The Myzellans called the gas giant Coptr-Zafyr, which in their language meant Mirror in the Sky.

  As a Merinian Arkroid immediately took a liking to Coip-Pertyl, the water world. This world had an almost mystical attraction to anyone used to water and oceans. Arkroid could not make out any landmasses on their approach, but he assumed that there had to be some islands scattered over the moon’s surface.

  The moon’s atmosphere was clear; it didn’t obstruct the view from out of space. Only a few cloud bursts spiraled toward the upper layers of the atmosphere.

  »A beautiful world,« Arkroid whispered. He was impressed by the view. The moon always faced the planet with the same side, according to the scanners onboard the Yax K’uk’Mo’.

  »It’s too bad it has to be located in an unstable system. The Myzellans need to think about that. Where are they going to live when this system dies?« Scorge remarked.

  »Explain, please,« Lai Pi said.

  »The gas giant shares its orbit with the former fourth planet which leads the two, separated by 60 degrees, but at the same solar distance. This works fine for a while, but eventually the former fourth planet will be pushed from its current position and catapulted away, out of the system … unless it collides with the gas giant or plunges into the sun. That would be the end of Coip-Pertyl. Either way, the push from its orbit will alter the gravitational constants in the system, and cause havoc on Coip-Pertyl.«

  »How was it possible for the fourth planet to get into its current position?
« Arkroid inquired.

  »Well … the original orbit could have been shifted by the nova explosion,« Pi speculated aloud.

  »That’s probably the best explanation for this unusual configuration,« Scorge said.

  The closer they came to the water world, the more target echoes appeared on the displays. Each dot represented a ship on its way to or from the moon. The traffic was heavy.

  »Where exactly are the market places, Scorge?« Arkroid inquired with interest, eyes glued to the screens and displays. »I assume they’re located under water. Where are all the spaceships landing otherwise?«

  »The moon itself is taboo for us; we’re not landing there!« Scorge answered hastily. The Keid system belongs to the Myzellans. They don’t allow visitors on their moon. Everybody who comes here for business has to respect this.«

  »But then … uh … how?« Arkroid asked, perplexed, but then he saw it himself.

  As the ship came around the moon, a gigantic space platform came into view. At the same time, the system pilot left the Yax K’uk’Mo’ and flew toward the platform, then returned to open space for another assignment. Pi and Arkroid looked at each other. Like a necklace, more platforms appeared on the displays, neatly arranged in an orbit around Coip-Pertyl. The smaller platforms all looked different from each other and seemed to have each been built by different species. If this wasn’t impressive enough, Pi pointed out very fine connecting lines between the moon’s oceans and the platforms on the displays – almost like a spider web

  »What’s that?« Arkroid was surprised. »It almost looks as if the platforms are tied to the moon. That’s amazing!«

  Vasina came closer to the display.

  »I think they’re planetary lifts, nano-composites, connecting the moon with the space platforms. That’s nothing out of the ordinary; it was already practiced by my people. I assume they’re conduits for energy conductors, or elevators. They probably transport goods as well.«

  »Is that possible?« Arkroid asked in astonishment.

  »Of course.«

  »Not really. That’s not surprising,« Pi interrupted. »Even on Earth, we were working on a similar method. We intended to launch satellites into space like that to save energy. Unfortunately, we never went beyond the preliminary planning stages.«

  »Seems that the Myzellans did, though,« Arkroid answered dryly.

  »It’s quite an achievement, though, considering that Coip-Pertyl, although it’s a moon, is much bigger than Earth. According to the scanners it has a diameter of 17,300 kilometers, and one-point-six times the gravity of Earth. The materials they used must have an extraordinary strength.«

  »No doubt!« remarked Scorge via the intercom. »They’re lifts, yes. They’re also used for transporting goods, but they mainly serve to transport the Myzellans from the moon to the platforms. You have to understand that the Myzellans have a relatively high technological level, but do not conduct space flight.«

  »Then how did they build the space platforms? I don’t think that these planetary elevator systems would be enough,« Arkroid intervened.

  »Typical Humans! You always doubt and ask too many questions!« Scorge raged. »Can’t you just accept a simple explanation?«

  Lai Pi frowned.

  »The platforms were built under the supervision of the Guild. The Myzellans offered their services and resources, but they remain sovereign over their world. In exchange they receive goods and services from the Guild. By the way, we have just been hailed and received orders to dock at the Lottruun station, an oxygen atmosphere platform, suitable for class two beings, which includes Humans, Progonauts and Shwakans,« Scorge explained.

  »Lottruun,« mumbled Arkroid. »Sounds interesting. We’ll meet beings who live under similar conditions to us? Why the classification and segregation?«

  »Experience has shown that beings who live under the same conditions usually also have the same needs. Trade between like peoples is more likely than with beings of entirely different origin. This does, however, not mean that trade among other species doesn’t occur.«

  Scorge hastily interrupted the intercom link while Arkroid and Pi watched the Yax K’uk’Mo’s approach to the assigned platform.

  »That must be Lottruun ahead,« Arkroid speculated. »I can’t wait to see what it’s like!«

  »Probably mostly traders, cut throats and shysters,« Pi grinned.

  »Say what?« Vasina asked warily. Her worried expression betrayed that the universal translator device must have used the wrong terms.

  »Uh … don’t worry, Vasina,« Arkroid calmed her, »Pi meant that we’ll meet a lot of interesting people there.«

  Information gatherers

  The Yax K’uk’Mo’ docked at the platform and extended its semi-organic tunnel to connect to the space station. Arkroid hesitated at first. He still wasn’t used to the tunnel. It felt as if he was walking through the intestines of a huge living being. Pi, however, seemed to have adjusted, even to the fine, moving hairs, covering the walls inside the tunnel.

  Before they stepped into the tunnel, Arkroid glanced over to the space station. Lottruun seemed much larger than the Yax K’uk’Mo’, with a diameter of about 2,000 meters. The conical superstructure extended to about 800 meters in height. It was an impressive object. Arkroid imagined an immense shopping center and he couldn’t wait to see if he was right or totally off target. As soon as they arrived on Lottruun, it was borne home yet again that Human values and expectations did not apply galaxy-wide.

  Scorge moved ahead and passed through several energy shields, which posed no real hindrance. All new arrivals were thoroughly checked and processed. The reception hall reminded him of a gigantic operating room. The walls were a sterile white, with recessed illumination that blinded the group with bright white light. Arkroid closed his eyes.

  They process so many different beings through here simultaneously, that the lighting is probably set at a mid-range softness to accommodate everybody, he thought with tearing eyes.

  Arkroid, Pi and Vasina followed the Shwakan, who swiftly moved ahead, eager to leave the reception center. They moved toward a pale-yellowish energy barrier, seemingly the last hurdle before they could enter the trading sections.

  »Does everyone carry a decon chip?« a clear voice came from the universal translators.

  Arkroid, Pi and Vasina had received chips from Scorge. They not only protected them from all kinds of viruses and bacteria, but also emitted an invisible aura that kept them safe in the different environments.

  »Ye … yes!« Arkroid stuttered surprised.

  »Then, welcome to Lottruun! Proceed. We wish you great business success!«

  Now Arkroid saw who had been talking to him. An unknown being was standing against the white wall of the reception hall, barely visible. Only when it began to move could Arkroid make out its shape. It blended well into the background. The being resembled a gigantic manta, hanging vertically on the wall and holding on to the smooth wall surface with no obvious means of support.

  »Is that a Myzellan?« Arkroid whispered to Scorge.

  »No Toiber, this being is one of the Tampians. They were involved in the construction of this trade platform. Some of them work here for the Guild.«

  Arkroid looked perplexed. He was unreasonably angry that he didn’t know anything about other galactic species. Humanity was blatantly ignorant! Even Vasina’s knowledge was hopelessly outdated. Only Scorge could shed some light of things. Scorge knew that, but he wasn’t willing to give up the knowledge so easily. The Shwakan’s experience was invaluable to Arkroid, his small crew and Humanity. Another reason why Arkroid didn’t want to leave the Yax K’uk’Mo’ too soon.

  »How does he do that?« Pi whispered to Scorge without looking at the Tampian.

  Scorge stopped for a moment.

  »What do you mean?«

  »How can he move around and stick to the wall?«

  Scorge reacted with some cheerful gurgling.

  »It’s a she, a female like al
l Tampians,« Scorge replied, amused. »Male Tampians look very different and are dumb as Benastian gelucks.« Scorge didn’t bother to explain what that was and continued, »They’re beings of instinct, and die shortly after mating. Tampians can adhere to almost any surface by means of electromagnetic fields that they generate through an internal organ. When they move they do it in a wave-like, flying motion, as if they were under water – Enough of that! Let’s go to the Information center, where we still need to answer some questions before we can enter Lottruun.«

  Arkroid looked skeptically toward the yellow energy field before them.

  »What kind of questions?« Arkroid asked.

  Scorge stopped again.

  »Didn’t I tell you that the Myzellans are information gatherers?«

  Arkroid shook his head.

  »In return for their hospitality, they get to ask visitors all kinds of questions. Everything we tell them will be meticulously recorded.

  Lai Pi and Arkroid just looked at each other.

  »Everything we say?«

  »Yupp … everything!« replied Scorge and disappeared behind the energy field.

  Pi wanted to follow Scorge, but Arkroid held him back by his sleeve.

  »Wait a second, Pi. Whatever Scorge means by that, we need to be very careful about what we say to the Myzellans. Don’t give any information that can be used against us. Remember, we’re vulnerable, especially in our solar system. The Globuster Matrix still exists; many civilizations in our galactic neighborhood don’t yet know we exist. We have to keep it that way … remember the Rexas!«

  Lai Pi nodded silently; he knew what was at stake. Vasina also signaled that she had understood and stepped, together with Arkroid and Pi, through the energy field. The room they entered was even stranger than the reception hall …

  Watery abodes

  The big room was covered with small colorful tiles which formed large structures with alien signs and symbols on the walls. There was no furniture, only a faintly glowing energy field at the other end of the big dome-like room. The energy field seemed to be the same type Arkroid and the crew had just passed before they entered this room. The pale-yellow colored energy fields seemed to function as barriers, sealing one room from the other. It wasn’t difficult to pass through them, but they produced a slight ticklish sensation on the skin. Arkroid assumed that the energy fields maintained local ecospheres. They could probably be re-enforced, though, to prevent intruders from entering rooms if necessary.