Slow down! Or he would be headed for a big disappointment. Maybe the beacon had been dropped too many times. He should have just left it alone. What was he expecting, Tom to come back from Two Stars, half way across the galaxy, because a kid on Earth was bored?
But then the communicator had changed color slightly again. This could only mean one thing, he convinced himself. There was a ship in orbit, and it was trying to contact him!
Calvan walked downstairs and strolled to the door as casually as he could “I’m going down the beach for a walk Mom,” he said.
As he walked down the path, his eyes scanned the sky. Even if there was a ship up there, he couldn’t possibly see it, but the sky looked deep blue, massive, and full of possibilities. He was feeling excited.
He was in the privacy of the cave now, and it was time to find out the truth. Calvan’s finger pressed hard down on the ‘SEND’ button.
“Hey Calvan, you took your time.” It was Tom’s voice.
Calvan nearly jumped for joy. There was Tom waiting to talk to him directly. The two friends exchanged greetings and Tom explained his visit.
“We’re in orbit in a battle cruiser; the biggest we have. It’s fitted-out with the most powerful weapons, because we need to be ready for anything,” he told Calvan. “Amber, my cousin is here too. She’s part of the team. The Elders have given permission for you to join too. Come on up, and we’ll catch up. I’ll collect you on the beach tomorrow evening, then we can explain everything.”
Calvan wanted to shout with excitement but managed to say in a matter of fact voice. “OK looking forward to it.” This was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
He was old enough to take care of himself now, and there would be a simple note explaining that he was taking a short vacation, before college started again. Calvan smiled to himself as he imagined telling Mom and Dad the real facts. “Just interrupting my summer break this year. A shuttlecraft is taking me up into orbit, and I will be joining my friends from Two Stars on their battle cruiser. The Elders from their planet have decided that I can join the team.”
His father would laugh, and suggest that he become a writer, or much worse they may take him to be examined by a doctor; a shrink he had heard them called.
Next evening Calvan was waiting on the beach for the shuttlecraft. Suddenly the beacon alerted him that a link was open. It was Tom. “Hi Calvan, I’m about ten miles above you, and cloaked, from just about everything you guys have on Earth. I don’t want to be playing hide and seek with a fighter plane. They sometimes scramble one, to take a look at UFOs,”
Calvan looked around to make sure that it was all clear, and used the beacon to send the ‘ready’ signal. He stared up at the sky, thinking that he would catch a sight of Tom’s ship. Suddenly, right next to where he was standing the air began to crackle, and started to shimmer with an electric blue glow. He jumped sideways. A small craft had materialized in the center of the glow, and sat firmly on the beach. A hatched opened in the side, and there was Tom with one outstretched arm, ready to pull him aboard.
Calvin grinned. “That was impressive, you must be getting even better at this stuff,” he said leaping through the hatch, and into the craft.
They exchanged greetings, with the usual ‘how you been’ stuff, as the craft lifted. This was an experience that Calvan would never take for granted, and he watched with wonder through a porthole, as the landscape receded, and they headed for space.
Finally Tom announced they were in orbit, and then he saw the huge bulk of the battle cruiser. Their shuttlecraft edged towards it, and then drew alongside. It seemed that Tom had nothing to do, and the journey had been automatic.
“Who’s steering this thing?” Calvan asked
“I’m not controlling the craft. The main ship has been in control, since I walked into it and descended,” Tom explained to Calvan.
The craft docked perfectly, without even a bump. The hatch opened into a short tube, and a small indicator above the opening glowed green. They walked across to the cruiser. It was that simple.
Tom smiled, as he watched Calvan stare in amazement and said, “This is a new ship, we have all the latest stuff, and some of it even surprised me until I got used to it.”
Tom seemed relaxed now, and relieved that he was back onboard. Was it because they were now within the ships missile-shield? Calvan had wondered, remembering Tom’s remarks from two years ago. “There was a risk of missile attack, when in near - earth orbit.”
They sat in a small conference room, and a pretty girl walked in to join them.
“This is my cousin Amber, she will be joining us on this mission. In fact a lot of it is her idea” Tom said proudly. Then he explained: The Zaarks were on the offensive again.
“We are honorable people,” Tom declared, “and expected them to behave the same. Some hope! They have a new mother ship, more dangerous than ever, and are back in Earth orbit; still obsessed with getting their hands on the fire crystal.” Tom shook his head. Amber had nodded. “We should have removed it all from the cave, or destroyed their ship when it was possible,” he said.
“Or maybe both,” Amber added.
“So that’s the problem,” Tom declared. “Their excuse is they would use it for peaceful purposes. What a joke!”
“Why not just warn the Zaarks off?” Calvan asked.
“Off course, we’ve tried that,” Amber said. “They got here before us unfortunately, and now they know we can’t attack them. The battle that would follow would destroy Earth.”
“Please, don’t let that happen!” Calvan said. He was looking concerned and alarmed now.
She grasped his hand reassuringly, “Don’t worry, we would never allow that to happen,”
“So what will you do?” Calvan asked red-faced with embarrassment.
“If we don’t give them the fire crystal, they’ve threatened to burn the surface of your planet bare. They’ve got powerful beam weapons, and no living creature would survive” Tom said with a deadpan expression.
Calvan was shocked. “ Would they really do that?”
Tom answered. “Imagine a really spoiled kid who wants a toy. He likes it, and must have it. It’s his whole focus in life at the moment, but he’s told NO.”
“So what has that to do with anything?” Calvan asked.
“Well imagine the Zaark leader is that kid - throwing an uncontrollable fit of temper, but instead of throwing his toys out of the cot he wants to nuke your planet.”
“Because he can’t have what’s he sees as an entitlement.” Amber agreed, and then added. “Yes they are capable of it, and have no conscience at all.”
“Sit down,” Tom said gently to Calvan. “As always we have a plan, or I should say Amber has.” He looked at her, as if passing the baton.
Amber explained. “We’re going to lure them away from this sector - far away in fact, to a very hot and lively place called the Galactic Hub”
“Where’s that?” Calvan asked.
Amber waved a finger and an image appeared on the wall-screen. It was the Milky Way Galaxy.
“This is where we all live,” Amber said. “Here’s where we are now,” she explained “and here’s where they will be going.”
Two arrows had appeared on the image. One was pointing at a bright yellow dot, towards the rim of the galaxy, and the other right into the bright dense center.
“We’ll drop them into the center.” Amber declared.
“How would you do that?” Calvan asked in amazement.
Amber explained. “The fire crystal is down there.” She gestured as the image changed to the white blue globe of Earth. “ We can move the crystal up to the mother ship, but that would provoke an all out battle in local space, and I’ve already said what that would result in.”
“So, what’s your plan?” Calvan asked. Obviously, this was leading up to an explanation.
Amber answered, “I plan to drop the Zaarks, and their mother ship into the supermassive black hole that forms
the center of the galaxy. It’s the hub, and everything else revolves around it, just like a wheel.
“You see, Amber has planned a vanishing trick,” Tom added.
“Good plan,” Calvan said, not really taking much of this in. Amber had made it seem so matter of fact, and simple. “Will they be crushed to nothing?”
“No, just the opposite, they won’t feel a thing. From where they’re standing, it will be a journey into the spinning edge of the hole, and they revolve slowly around and out from the other side,” she explained.
“Except for them the ‘other side’ is infinity,” Tom added. “They’ll reappear in a space that seems normal, and probably think they can find us again. Some hopes! They’ll be in an entirely different universe, and there will be no return – ever,” he added, to make his point. “The Zaarks may even go back into the spin, thinking they will get back here.”
“That will never happen though.” Amber was speaking now. “There are so many possible alternative universes, and once they spin around the hole they’ll emerge again in any one of them.”
This was interesting. “How many universes are there?” Calvan asked.
“If I drew a ‘1’ and started putting small zeros behind it, then they would stretch further than here to Two Stars, and the number would still be nowhere big enough. That’s how many universes,” Amber explained.
“Wow, this all sounds great, fantastic in fact.” Calvan said, and then paused, frowning. “Look I may as well come straight out with it. I know you are the Space People, but how are you going to get the Zaarks to agree with all this.”
“Well,” Amber said smiling now, “we certainly don’t intend to send them an invitation to the party, or even ask their permission. We’ll use a lure – it’s called ‘Tom and Calvan’. That’s if you want to join us. It’s your choice, and there’s no pressure.”
Calvan sighed slowly and said, “I knew there would be a snag in all this”
“Were going to attempt to deceive the Zaarks into thinking we’re ferrying the crystal out from Earth, to this ship. You and Tom will fly down to the cave and appear to be picking it up, for return to us up here in the cruiser.” Amber said.
Tom added, “it will be like throwing a bone to a dog. They’ll make a grab for us, and we’ll move out further from Earth, and then jump into hyperspace. They’ll think we’re running from them, and will give chase of course.”
Amber took up the plot. “Then you drop out into normal space at a rendezvous point, close to the Hub, and I will be waiting with my team.” She hesitated. “We’ll have something a bit special laid on for their benefit.”
“So they’re in their mother ship, and you – we- he corrected are in a shuttlecraft. Excuse me Tom if this sounds a bit negative, but won’t they destroy our ship?” Calvan asked.
“Of course not, at least not until they get what they think will be onboard - the fire crystal,” Tom replied.
Amber spoke again. “I’ve planned a magic trick, just for their benefit. You could say it will be a pushover.”
Tom and Amber both laughed at this, as if sharing a joke’.
“Are you with us,” Amber asked?
Calvin didn’t even have to think about it. “IN,” he said.
Now they’d got that over with, Amber started to fill in the details for Calvan’s benefit. “On Two Stars a prototype anti-gravity beam had been developed for mining purposes. It makes a force to push masses of raw material off the ground and into orbit, ready to be scooped up by a nearby transport freighter.”
“In other words it’s meant for mining.” Tom added.
“But we intend to use it for another purpose,” Amber said. “It will become a beam weapon, and we’ll place it at the rendezvous point, waiting for you to arrive with the Zaarks in tow.”
Now came the hard bit; the part that Tom and Calvan would play in this drama. When they had drawn the Zaarks to the anti-gravity beam, it would be aimed for their mother ship, and turned on at full power. The Zaarks ship was to be nudged into the black hole, by the force of the beam.
“It doesn’t take a lot,” Amber said. “One hard push with the beam should do the job. Once they start to fall in, nothing can stop them.”
Tom yawned. “Lets call it a day for now. I’ll show you around some of the ship, and then we can get some rest,” he said to Calvan.
After such an exciting day Calvan fell into a deep sleep and dreamed: The Zaark’s ship was chasing Tom and Calvan’s small craft. Both ships were both in hyperdrive now, and as Tom dropped out into normal space the Zaarks followed.
Then Calvan saw the edge of the black hole. It glowed with hard radiation. The ship's computer had control, and placed them into a tight orbit way outside of the event horizon; the point of no return.
There in the same orbit was a gigantic rig, held together by struts. This was the beam weapon that Amber had told him about. It looked impressive, but at the same time seemed to be hastily put together, and temporary. In fact it was falling apart, and large bits had started to drift out into space.
The Zaarks saw it too. Instead of being warned-off and jumping back into hyperspace, they fired their fusion motor and dodged sideways in one quick leap.
Tom was staring out of a porthole. “Those creatures are sloppy, but their reactions seem good” he said grudgingly.
“It makes them a tough enemy to beat I guess,” Calvan said.
Suddenly three missiles launched from the Zaarks ship. They seemed to waver at first, weaving their way through space. Two headed for the rig but then the other one found Tom’s ship, and locked on. Immediately alarms started sounding in the ship, as it detected a missile-lock. These were fusion-torpedoes, and this one was heading towards them in a straight line now. It was too late to jump into hyperspace, and they could only watch, as the threat grew closer. There were no defenses for this situation. The torpedo was so close that he could actually see the warhead now.
Tom said. “This will be painless, sorry for getting you into this Calvan.” He shook hands; they wouldn’t feel a thing.
Why wasn’t he moving? He nudged Tom, but it was if he had turned to stone. “DO SOMETHING,” Calvan shouted. He woke suddenly in a cold sweat and sat bolt upright, shaking badly. It was early morning, and this had been a bad dream.
16 Decoy
A shuttlecraft with Tom and Calvan onboard was sent down to Earth. As Amber had explained this was no ordinary craft, and had been fitted with a hyperdrive so that it could jump into hyperspace once the Zaarks started to chase them. They landed below the mountain, and finally managed to find their way up to the cave.
“Well this looks familiar” Tom remarked, “lets go inside and see the eagles.”
“But the computer, and the eagles were collected and taken up, last time we were here,” Calvan said.
“Yes you could say this is version two,” Tom answered. “It’s a bit more simple that the original one, and doesn’t have the power. It’s just temporary.”
Now they had to explain the whole thing. Tom was impatient – they needed to get on with the job. “No,” he said once again to both of the eagles, “don’t worry, the fire crystal is staying here for now. We will just be taking some rocks, its part of the plan.”
Calvan added his bit. “Our idea is to make the Zaarks think we have the crystal, so that they will chase us,” he said slowly.
So both the eagles asked together, “It’s really just a clever deception, so you can lure them to the beam weapon then?”
“Well done, you’ve got the idea,” Tom answered patiently.
The made several trips down the mountain carrying some rocks, and made a show of loading them into their small craft, in case the Zaarks were watching this. It was exhausting work.
Finally they were ready “Don’t forget to come back for us,” both eagles reminded them.
They lifted into earth orbit, and made an obvious show of avoiding the Zaarks. This of course would not work –and was not intended t
o
“The Zaarks will detect us and approach. Then I’ll jump the ship into hyperspace.” Tom said
“And because they think we have the crystal, they’ll give chase,” Calvan added.
Calvan had been given the job of tracking the Zaarks ship. “They’re already moving” he informed Tom.
They both peered out of a porthole. There was the Zaark ship in the distance.
“It’s drawing closer,” Calvan reported.
Now for the hard bit,” Tom said. “Lets head for the hub, and introduce those critters to our friends.”
“I suppose you could say take them to the ‘travel agents’” Calvan said, getting into the spirit of things.
Tom liked to have the last word, and replied; “if we can pull this of, then we’ll book them a very long holiday - at a mystery destination.”
The navigation had been set, and all was planned. Tom didn’t have much work to do. He keyed a code into the pad, and told Calvan to strap into his seat. Both boys counted off the seconds.
Then they entered hyperspace. Calvan felt sick, and made the mistake of glancing out into the darkness. The blur was hypnotic. Tom reached across, and quickly closed the shutter.
“I should have mentioned, don’t look out,” he said “That’s something even I never do. It will make you throw up.”
Then there was a sudden jarring shock, and then they were back into normal space. Calvan didn’t even try to imagine how far he was from home – now they were headed for the Galactic Hub.
As they grew closer to the hub it was possible to make out its center; a black disk. Calvin tried to imagine a description for it. ‘Negative space’, was his best try. A blazing orb of stars that served to make it look even darker surrounded the hole. Then they saw the faint violet haze around the disc; the point where light bent-back on itself, and warped back into the hole.
Tom pointed, “The edge of the disk is known as the event horizon. It’s the point of no return, where the wormholes start. No one knows where they finish, unless they take the trip through one. That’s what the Zaarks will do, if they could pull this off.”
The Fire Crystal Page 6
