The Dreamer Chronicles Trilogy Boxed Set Vol I - III: A Sci-Fi Parallel Universe Adventure (The Dreamer Chronicles - Science Fiction For Kids And Adults)

by Robert Scanlon

  He listened and nodded a few times. “That is an excellent idea. I think I might even be able to pull it off. Wait.” He put his phone down on the bench and moved around the small room that once housed the rem-collider, stopping to pick up a cable here; a switch there, and to study several small LED arrays on another bench-top. He picked the phone back up. “Yes, it’s possible. It might look a little rough around the edges, but—”

  He nodded again. “I understand. Blanchard?—” He waited for a response. “There must be someone positioned at an extremely high level who is leaking information. Do you suspect anyone in particular? ... No, but that seems entirely possible. Yes, I will. Good idea. I’ll call you when I have it ready.”

  He hung up and sat back, deep in thought. He wouldn’t have much time, but it could work. A fake collider—authentic enough to fool the blackmailers and allow the release of the children. What he hadn’t told Blanchard was that he would agree to accompany the device to prove its authenticity. If they were dealing with the Consortium, then once they discovered they had been duped ... he shuddered. It wasn’t worth thinking about. But by then, the kids would be safe, and Blanchard might have fished out the person wielding the power. It had to be someone close to them—but who and how? Blanchard’s second idea—that the leak could well be someone on the committee—was insightful. By dropping some new information into the next committee meeting, information that would get the attention of the eyes and ears of anyone connected to the Consortium, they might shake out the intelligence they needed.

  He turned back around to his computer and typed a reply to the message.

  “I will have the device for you late tomorrow. You will not lay your hands on it until I have proof the children are safe—do you understand?”

  He stood up, stretched, and began pulling out items from around the room, including a large metallic box, the twin of the real collider’s enclosure.

  He had a long night ahead of him.

  ~ 22 ~

  Moon Zero

  Dr Ashley Green yawned. Her head had been spinning from trying to interpret the data they had been collecting and she’d been unable to sleep. In the end, she thought making a ridiculously early start at The Dish would be way more satisfying than continuing to toss and turn in the hope that sleep would arrive. She had arrived at the Observatory to find the latest printed summary from SSERVI waiting for her on her desk. Now she was sitting back in her chair, the summary in one hand, and a strong cup of coffee in the other. She sipped her coffee and read.

  ATTN: All Observatories.

  Thank you for your collaboration regarding our recent analysis of data involving the Earth’s moon and its orbital parameters. Please find attached the report derived from our studies so far. This report is not classified and may be freely distributed. Simultaneous to this correspondence with all Observatories, the Joint Chiefs of Staff will release a Press Release prior to a Press Conference later tonight.

  Following is an Executive Summary of our findings; now corroborated world-wide. Once again, we thank you for your assistance, which, as you will gather, is likely to be called on again in the near future as we rally together to solve a seemingly unsolvable problem.

  *** Executive Summary ***

  Significant changes to the moon’s orbit around the Earth have now been confirmed and plotted. The moon’s well-documented and gradual increase in orbital distance from the Earth has reversed. The orbit is now decreasing (approaching the Earth) at a rate of almost five thousand kilometres per day, but new data is showing an acceleration of the rate of approach.

  The reason the data regarding this acceleration is inconclusive is due to the recency of these changes: all analysis points to the changes commencing at a single point in time three months ago.

  NOTE: the calculations used to arrive at this data and the exact time elapsed at the production of this report are in the attached documentation. At the time of writing, the elapsed time was 7,889,223 seconds since Moon Zero.

  How this affects us:

  Tides: Currently the moon appears brighter to the naked eye, but by far the most damaging effect is to our tidal systems. Low-lying island-based communities and ocean-facing dwellings are already experiencing significant increases in tidal ranges and associated flooding at high tide. Local governments have already established predictive disaster areas and are working to minimise damage. More exposed communities will be evacuated.

  Shipping: The increase in tidal ranges will also have a significant effect on shipping, it will also require all non-commercial and pleasure craft to report to their local coastal authorities. Smaller vessels will be prevented from undertaking ocean-going trips.

  Community anxiety: We expect this news to create significant anxiety across all populations. Confusion about the consequences of this change in orbit may cause escalation of panic and increase the prevalence of so-called conspiracy theories. We ask you to pay attention to erroneous comment wherever you encounter it in your region and counter inaccuracies with scientific facts. We expect two main misunderstandings may arise: One, that the Earth will flood, and two, that the moon will fall onto the Earth and bring about catastrophic change. Although changes in the tidal patterns will be regarded as a genuine natural disaster, and treated as such, the actual sea-level will not change. Equally the moon is incapable of colliding with the Earth. The increased gravitational pressure from its proximity to the Earth will result in its destruction, and not ours. However, we urge caution in public discussion of the latter, should it provoke further anxiety.

  For further information please see daily status reports issued to all key stakeholders.

  Regards,

  SSERVI [Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. Formerly NASA Lunar Science Institute]: Emergency Moon Tracking Committee

  ~~~

  The ship lurched again, the movement more violent than the last. Some of the children screamed, and Sarina held herself steady with one hand on the solid wall of the space they were in. “What was that?” She looked at Nathan.

  “We’re being buffeted by large waves, is my best guess. From what I could tell from the change in engine vibrations, the ship moved overnight, and we must be docked closer to the estuary. But what kind of crazy waves would make a solid freighter like this bounce around?”

  “Whatever it is, it’s not doing my stomach much good.” She looked over at Rona, who hung on to a railing to stop her wheelchair launching itself with every bump. Rona indicated the other kids with her head. Sarina nodded. A storm would not help, they were already scared. She wobbled over to Rona. “Nathan thinks it’s a storm, or some large waves hitting us. We’d better calm everyone down I think.” Another lurch, and she held her stomach. “Actually I think I need to sit down.” She got down on the floor beside Rona and held on to the same railing.

  “You look a bit green.” Rona peered at Sarina. “The trick is to relax—and normally to look at the horizon.” She looked around the dark, warehouse-sized enclosure Captain Ilia had opened up for them. “There’s nothing outside to see here, though.”

  One of the younger boys staggered over. He looked confused and frightened. “Miss Sarina? Can I ask a question?”

  Sarina forced a smile. “If it’s about the ship bumping around, it’s just some big waves from the tide, that’s all.”

  The boy shook his head. “No, Miss. Me and some of the others were trying to send a message in our dreams, like Professor Harrison was trying to teach us to do before we were taken here. We thought we could help you and Nathan.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll contact the Professor soon. But thanks for trying. We could use your help to keep everyone calm, though.”

  The boy still looked agitated, and fidgeted with his hands. “Sorry, Miss. I mean, yes, we can help calm the others down ... but that’s not what I meant. We all had the same feeling in our dreams: like we’re trapped, or stuck or something. Do you know why that is?”

  The ship jolted, sending her tummy
into spasms. Sarina held on tight and looked up at the boy, who had managed to remaining standing. “It’s just stress, and being cooped up here, that’s all. If you think about it, I expect Professor Harrison had you conduct your experiments in better conditions than this, didn’t he?”

  The boy looked doubtful. “I suppose so.”

  She gave him her best look of confidence. “Then how about you try again tonight. You must have only tested it during the day, anyway, is that right?”

  He nodded.

  “I thought so. Maybe when these waves settle down, you’ll feel better. And don’t try so hard, we’ll be off here as soon as we can sort things out with the Captain. Okay?” She smiled as best as she could, trying to override what her mouth really wanted to do.

  The boy smiled back. “Okay, Sarina. Thank you.” He wobbled off back to his friends, some of whom looked decidedly pale.

  Nathan joined them. “Do you think I should ask the Captain for some buckets?”

  Rona nodded, held her finger up to her lips, and tipped her head to indicate Sarina, who tried to smile at Nathan. She slumped and put her head in one hand, and hung on white-knuckled with the other.

  Nathan nodded. “Enough said. Leave it to me.” He danced over to the stairs, synchronising his movements with each roll of the ship, then skipped up the steps to the door, where he commenced banging.

  “I hate him,” Sarina said. She quickly brought her hand up to her mouth, but the sick feeling subsided again as the freighter’s yawing and pitching settled.

  By the time Nathan returned, along with another man, both carrying handfuls of empty buckets, the waves buffeting the ship and the waves of nausea had abated, but her stomach was still queasy. With Tim’s help, Nathan distributed the buckets around the others, most of whom were now on makeshift mattresses and piles of canvas and trying to take advantage of the lull in momentum. Some of them looked quite green. He rejoined Sarina and Rona, a strange look in his eyes. She didn’t often see Nathan look lost, but something was bugging him.

  He set a bucket down next to Sarina.

  “Thanks,” she said. “I think. Something up? Everything okay with our Kapitan?”

  Nathan sucked in his lip, and let it out with a popping sound. “It was weird. Like he had dismissed everything we’d told him about knowing where the collider is. But I don’t think he has. Something else has got his attention. And his men’s. There had to have been twenty massive Russian guys on the bridge.”

  “You went up to the bridge? Did you see anything of use to us?” Rona leaned in and spoke softly. “Try to remember what you saw—anything at all. You never know what might be useful to help us escape, or get a message out.”

  Nathan shook his head slowly. “I dunno. Like I say, they were all fussing over some printout. A few of them kept going outside and looking up at the sky.”

  “Is it raining? You know, the storm? Maybe that’s what they were looking at? What were they talking about anyway?” Sarina said.

  Nathan shot her a withering look. “Duh. I don’t speak Russian, so how?—” His eyes lit up and he grinned. “Genius. You, not me. What were they saying? A load of Russian of course, but one word kept being repeated.” He stood there, still grinning away and looking at them both.

  Rona threw up her hands. “Please, Nathan! Spit it out, the suspense is killing me.”

  The ship lurched heavily, rolling from side to side. Sarina’s stomach heaved along with it, and she clutched her tummy with one hand and put her hand over her mouth. A few of the younger kids cried out and looked over at them for reassurance. Sarina felt a tug on her sleeve and looked around to see Nancy, pale-faced, a multicoloured stain down the front of her shirt. The sharp smell of sea-sickness drifted across and she felt something rising in her throat. She swallowed and tried to ignore it.

  Nathan shoved the bucket across to her with his foot. “Loo-NA. It must be Russian for the moon. That must be why so many of them kept peering up at it. Wait—” He rubbed his cheek. “It was bright outside, come to think of it. I did catch a glimpse of the moon when we crossed one of the gantries to the bridge. I didn’t think much of it at the time—I thought maybe it was an optical illusion, you know when the moon is near the horizon and it looks huge—”

  He stopped, as if remembering something. “Maybe it’s in one of those supermoon phases, where it actually is closer to the Earth. It did look huge. And bright. I bet the reason they’re all nattering away is that there’s something happening with the moon and the tides. It’s not a storm we’re in. It’s buffeting from the tidal change. But it must be a big one.” He still looked puzzled. The freighter lurched yet again, causing Nathan to lose his footing, and he grabbed hold of the railing and Rona’s wheelchair to steady himself.

  Despite her stomach heaving and rolling in time with the ship’s pitching and yawing, Sarina managed to ask a question. With difficulty. “So ... what ... do you ... think ... is happening?”

  Nathan wrinkled his brow and looked around. “There’s something going on with the moon?”

  The ship rolled and she staggered, both hands now clutched to her stomach. “Not very helpful, Nathan.” She turned to the bucket and vomited.

  ~ 23 ~

  Trickery

  Makthryg flinched as the man slammed his hands on the bars. “Tell me what trickery you are planning, or I will put you at the mercy of the townsmen, who will not be so generous with their treatment.”

  Makthryg tried to stand tall, but the effort was too much. He held out his hands in a show of defeat. “I will tell you again. I do not know how he escaped. Believe me, I have nothing to gain. Look at me”—he stood back unsteadily—“your Orange Witch crippled me.” He hadn’t told them about Valkrog’s discorporation, nor that he could still detect where his creation was heading. He hadn’t withheld the information for any real reasons of trickery, but to keep it up his sleeve, for he had no doubt: there was something wrong with the world. Something significant, and far worse than bad storms.

  Whether it was a sixth sense that brought him to his conclusion, or a vestige of his remaining power, he recognised that Valkrog was right.

  The device was somewhere in their world.

  But where Valkrog was intent on pursuing the machine to save himself, Makthryg suspected the device was at the root of their problems.

  And Valkrog might be part of the solution.

  But how to persuade the townsmen to set him free?

  The man—who Makthryg knew was called Andreas—stared back at him through the bars, breathing heavily. Makthryg could see he was trying to bring his anger under control. Now might be his chance to play the only cards he had left to him. “If you would hear me out?”

  “What benefit would that be to us? More trickery?” The man was still angry, but Makthryg saw the tension in his face lessen.

  “The storms and winds are worsening, are they not?” Makthryg waited.

  Andreas turned to the grim-faced boy behind him. “Paolo? What is the news today?”

  The boy spoke, keeping an eye on Makthryg. “He is right. The patterns are becoming more frequent, and stronger each time. The people are afraid, and spend most of their time in the new underground shelters. But I do not see how his guess makes any difference to us. Nor why I should believe anything he says.” The boy glared at him through the bars.

  Andreas fixed his gaze on Makthryg. “Your point, sorcerer?”

  Makthryg shifted and looked at the three of them. Then the one who had not yet spoken—Tomas was his name—had more curiosity than the others. Perhaps he could be turned. He cleared his throat and one-by-one looked them all in the eye. “I do not know how Valkrog escaped, this is true.” He spoke the truth, though if pressed, he had a good idea Valkrog had discovered his discorporation had allowed him to slip past the iron bars. What worried him more was where the creature was heading. “But I have a limited mind-connection with him—and no, I do not know what he is thinking,” he added, noticing the narrowing eyes of the
boy, “but I have a sense of where he is heading.”

  “And, don’t tell me. You would take us there, and into his trap.”

  Their leader was becoming angry again. He would have to be persuasive to win them over.

  “This world is dying.” His words fell into a cavernous silence.

  “Speak. And take us to your point quickly, or we are done with your stories.”

  The man Tomas had accepted the gravity in his tone. Good. “There is a device present in our world, the one which your witch and her scientist were supposed to have disposed of. I do not know the magic it uses, but it is poison to our world. I suspect it is the source of the storms, but this is only the beginning. I ...” he faltered, aware how odd what he was about to say would appear to the two men and the boy. “I cannot tell you how I know this, because I do not know myself. The device must be returned to its own world for the threat to be avoided—”

  “What does this have to do with that creature and your so-called connection to him?” Andreas levelled his gaze at him.

  “If this machine is used incorrectly, tampered with—or destroyed—then I believe we are doomed.”

  “We?”

  Makthryg nodded. “This world and all who live in it. I sense the device has immense negative power. We must locate it and find a way to send it back intact to where it came from, or it will be the end of us.”

  Andreas frowned. “Will the poison from this device affect us?”

  “Possibly. But we still have time to make contact with the other world and ask for their assistance. But I say again: if it is used—”

  The boy sneered. “He seeks to trick us, I am sure. He wants us to lead him to his ugly bird-man and this device, where he will attempt to use it to take power. And he still avoids answering your question about his creature and this connection.” He turned to go, and pulled on Andreas’s arm. “We are wasting our time. The creature is gone, and we must defend ourselves from him should he return.”