NEBULAR Collection 1 - The Triton Base: Episodes 1 - 5

by Thomas Rabenstein

  Herkales pulled his shield closer to his body. He knew the importance of this mission, but as her personal shield-bearer for many years, he could not help but place her safety first.

  »But we had almost defeated the Brotherhood. They lie before us in the dust! We found their center of conspiracy and surrounded it.«

  »Yes!« Vasina hissed bitterly. »Loor-Dor, the Dark Sun system! A trap we recognized too late! We never should have left the home systems of the five Houses undefended, but that’s a tactical error we cannot reverse.«

  Vasina had been against a preventive strike from the start, but was overruled by the Progonaut council.

  »Your Majesty!« Hellas interrupted. »The ice moon is in sensor range. We have detected over two thousand Deporter ships, assembling and preparing to leave the system soon.«

  »Rexas!« Vasina hissed, enraged. »Beings without honor! We gave the Rexas their freedom, defeated the Brotherhood’s agitator for them – and they betrayed us!«

  »We should’ve listened to you,« Herkales replied. »Those reptiles could never be trusted! No sooner did we free them, they allied themselves with the Brotherhood and became their Deporters!«

  »Only one ally among many, Herkales!« Vasina whispered. Then she gave orders, loud and determined.

  »Hellas, activate the tachyon tracker and follow the Rexas! Let’s see what the Brotherhood is up to.«

  The Atlantika took up speed and followed the enemy fleet like a shadow that slipped among the stars.

  A loud lieutenant

  The Hawk rendezvoused with the Blue Moon half way between Earth and the Moon. Arkroid, who completely relied on Scorge’s technology, refused to go back to his seat, despite the pilot’s advice. Although the Hawk decelerated quickly, there were no inertial force effects felt inside the spacecraft.

  »The Blue Moon is the first Pulsar-Class cruiser with significant offense capabilities,« the pilot announced via the intercom system. »The ship had almost been completed at the Moon Ship Yard when the high priority orders arrived … the paint was still wet. The cargo module was replaced with an armament module, containing two heavy laser batteries, mounted on extension platforms to increase their action radius. These guns can be aimed at different targets at the same time. Each laser beam develops temperatures which immediately vaporize every known metal. The energy source is a high capacity fusion cell. The integrated power plant could supply a large city with electricity for over a year.«

  Arkroid was speechless as the Blue Moon appeared on the Hawk’s display.

  »Two heavy space torpedo and cruise missile launchers are located beneath the platforms,« continued the pilot. »Both weapon systems possess pulsed quantum drives and are able to accelerate to sixty percent of the speed of light. The warheads employed are still standard issue for the time being, typically used against rogue asteroid or space junk.«

  »Dock immediately. I have to make an urgent call to Admiral Hayes via a secure communication link.«

  The Merinian looked worriedly at Atkins.

  »Make sure we get the best medical team for our injured passenger.«

  »That’s already been requested, Sir,« the pilot acknowledged while he banked the Hawk toward the Blue Moon with a sharp turn. Arkroid didn’t even need to hold on to the handlebars during this maneuver.

  Finally, there’s a more comfortable way of traveling through space, he thought as the small ship slowed to enter the Blue Moon’s hangar.

  After the outer hangar door had closed and the bay’s atmosphere had been restored, the pilot immediately unsealed and opened the Hawk’s outer hatch. The two doctors and Applos, who hadn’t left Atkins’ side, brought the gurney outside. Arkroid and the pilot exited the Hawk together. Arkroid had already tried unsuccessfully to contact Fleet HQ through his wrist communicator – which was either broken or unable to transmit far enough.

  »What’s your name, Captain?« Arkroid addressed the pilot.

  »Charles Mahoney, Sir.«

  »Well, Captain … I believe I owe you an apology. I didn’t intend to be rude to you during our launch. You didn’t do anything wrong; I was just too worried.«

  »No problem, Sir. I knew what was going on – no big deal. It comes with the job.«

  Touché, Arkroid thought.

  He shook the pilot’s hand and turned around.

  An armed group of soldiers of the new Strategic Space Defense Force were waiting in front of the Hawk. As the men recognized Arkroid as a superior officer, they immediately came to order.

  »TE-ENN HUTT!« the squad leader, a second lieutenant, commanded.

  The lieutenant approached Arkroid, stopped before him, and reported, at the top of his lungs, »WELCOMING PARTY REPORTING, SIR! LIEUTENANT O’TOOLE AT YOUR SERVICE!«

  Welcoming party, my ass! Arkroid thought. This “lieut-nick”is lying through his teeth. I bet a hundred credits his orders weren’t “meet and greet”, more like “beat and arrest”!

  Arkroid nodded, then quickly inspected the commandos and their equipment. They wore bright blue helmets, evidently from old UN surplus stock – except now the Solar Union symbol gleamed from them. Armed with heavy duty hand weapons, the troops wore recently developed combat suits, designed for space engagements.

  »Who’s in charge of this ship?«

  »FIRST OFFICER, MAJOR DRAGONIS, SIR. HE’S IN THE COMMAND CENTRAL, SIR, THE …,« the lieutenant replied quickly and as loudly as before.

  »… put a sock in it, Lieutenant, I’m not deaf!« Arkroid interrupted.

  »… the designated commander hadn’t arrived at Moon Base when the Blue Moon’s launch was ordered,« the lieutenant continued at a less deafening volume.

  Arkroid looked around.

  »Now listen up, Lieutenant O’Toole. We’re carrying eleven, very important, devices which need to be transferred immediately to the research center on the Moon. One silver cube is to remain onboard. You are personally responsible for making sure it is put in a locked room near the drive section.«

  Confused, the officer looked at the Hawk’s pilot.

  »That’s alright,« Chuck Mahoney acknowledged. »I’ll initiate the required self-test and personally fly the items to the Moon immediately.«

  »WELCOMING PARTY AT EASE! MOVE OUT, ON THE DOUBLE! WE’VE GOT A JOB TO DO!« the lieutenant commanded his squad.

  Arkroid shook his head, his ears still ringing from the lieutenant’s shouts, and hurried to the command central. Now he was escorted by Captain Jim Tanners, the commander’s executive officer, who had arrived in the hangar just moments ago.

  The extent of change from a scientific research craft to a military character was immediately evident as he hurried through the ship. The battle cruiser now contained only a few scientific installations. Ammo containers, weapons, and other military equipment had replaced scientific apparatus and labs everywhere aboard.

  The command central crew looked up expectantly as the doors slid to the side. Major Alfons Dragonis hurried toward Arkroid and reported stiffly.

  »Honored to have you aboard the Blue Moon, Sir. Unfortunately, we had to take off in a hurry but we should achieve one hundred percent combat readiness in …«

  Arkroid interrupted the first officer with a slicing motion of his hand.

  »I’m well aware of the situation. I’m taking temporary command of the Blue Moon. Get me an immediate connection to Admiral Hayes, please.«

  Dragonis shook his head with regret.

  »We have comm-loss to HQ. It started fifteen minutes ago. The Stinger is blocking communication with Earth.«

  Arkroid looked at the first officer in disbelief.

  »What do you mean, blocking communication?«

  »We’ve tried on all available channels, Sir. No joy. We can’t even reach any of the relay satellites or receive signals from space surveillance. With long range scans, we can see that the weather situation over the South Pole is worsening. The hurricane is now covering the entire Antarctic continent.«

  Arkro
id looked the major in the eyes, surprised.

  »What can you tell me about the orbital station?«

  »We’ve observed the breakup. Parts have fallen into the Atlantic Ocean without causing any damage. Most of the fragments burned up when they entered the atmosphere. Still, the station itself is a serious loss for the Union.«

  The major softened his voice and added, »Shortly before the radio connection was lost, new and much stronger gravimetric effects were reported. And there’s still more …«

  Arkroid steeled himself for the worst, as Dragonis continued.

  »The Antarctica base has received strange signals from the Norwegian researcher Pilvi Leukonen. He managed to transfer some data before we experienced the radio blackout. The scientists were concerned about two particular sets of his biometric data. They were so different, so far off the norm that they could only be interpreted as …«

  »… he’s been taken over by the Soulwalker!« Arkroid completed.

  He felt a brief surge of relief. If the Soulwalker had found a new host, perhaps Sammy Atkins was safe. He was immediately washed with guilt. What was he thinking? Leukonen was a Human being too.

  »Exactly,« the officer affirmed, impressed that Arkroid had reasoned so quickly. »His metabolic functions accelerated rapidly. Body temperature and pulse rate increased, blood pressure shot through the roof. A Soulwalker’s victims must be under extreme physical stress during a takeover.«

  Arkroid was exasperated.

  »It wasn’t necessary to sacrifice this man like a lamb!«

  Arkroid glanced at Earth’s image on the large command display. The blue planet looked peaceful from this distance. There was no hint of the present threat. Then he gave his first order as the new and temporary commander of the battleship.

  With his installation as Chief of the Department of Extraterrestrial Affairs, Toiber Arkroid, was issued official powers which even surpassed those of Admiral Hayes. Arkroid was aware that this situation didn’t sit well with the brass and made sure to use his powers with discretion. He wasn’t just a ‘bloody’ civilian but had climbed the military hierarchy ladder to Second Commander before he had left for civil endeavors, not knowing at that time that he’d become the ‘Boss’.

  »Turn the ship on a tangential course over Antarctica! Use the fastest approach vector!« He paused and his eyes grew hard. »It’s time to show our uninvited guest what we think of his activities.«

  Mindcatchers

  The blue planet looks so much like a rare jewel. A very beautiful world, Vasina thought, viewing the first remote scans. The Atlantika was still running under stealth shield and had left the tachyon track near the fifth planet of an remote system. The flagship had assumed an orbit around the gas giant, which resembled Patos in composition. Its size hid them from enemy scanners and its emissions would baffle tracking sensors. Atlantika’s scanners had quickly identified the single inhabitable planet in this solar system – the third world, circling the yellow star at a suitable distance.

  Her silent musings were interrupted by alarms sounding throughout the ship, announcing that the main control computer had locked onto the enemy coordinates. Ship class symbols appeared on the holographic map that constantly updated the virtual view of the system.

  »Deporter fleet over the third planet!« the scanner officer announced.

  »Number three is an oxygen world! Conditions favorable for Progonauts,« a voice from the science section said simultaneously.

  »One at a time!« Vasina quieted the excited reports. »I want to know where we are. What space sector is this?«

  Picking up a holographic data sheet, Hellas stepped to Vasina’s throne, bowed and reported.

  »We’ve pursued the enemy convoy into an unexplored side arm of our galaxy. Atlantika and most other Progonaut worlds are twenty-four thousand lightyears from our present position in the direction of the galactic center. This system doesn’t appear on our star maps. All we know is what the scanners tell us: a small yellow sun with nine planets.«

  Vasina watched and pondered over the ever-increasing array of new markers on the holographic map.

  »What are the Deporters doing on the third world?«

  Herkales approached his queen and pointed at the swarming objects.

  »They fly to the planet, hold orbit for a few hours, then retreat. Why don’t we send a probe?«

  »Commander, any objections to using a probe?« Vasina asked Hellas, who only shook his head lightly.

  »Then do it. I want to know what’s happening on that planet.«

  A Progonaut, shorter than most, in the uniform of a scanner specialist, scuttled excitedly closer, bowed deeply and handed Herkales a message. He was too nervous to dare to address his queen directly. The shield-bearer took the report and skimmed over the text. He was visibly shaken when he passed the note to Vasina.

  »Mindcatcher ships? The beasts’ fleet is at the edges of this system. What does it mean?« she asked.

  Nobody on board the Atlantika answered her.

  The Mindcatchers are part of the Dark Brotherhood’s conspiracy, Vasina repeated the thought in shock.

  »Battle Stations!« she ordered, but the command was unnecessary. Her crew had been prepared for some time.

  Fire at will

  »BATTLE STATIONS!«

  The order resounded over the speakers throughout the Blue Moon’s corridors and quarters. Simultaneously the battle cruiser began moving. Arkroid had explained the operation of the inertial compensators to the command central crew, but they were still astonished at its effects. No acceleration force was felt anywhere in the ship, even when the Blue Moon performed a tight turn-around maneuver.

  Arkroid leaned back, satisfied.

  »The Hawk departed for the Moon before the cruiser started. Look at the levels of acceleration it’s reached. It’s unbelievable!« a scanner operator announced.

  Arkroid just nodded and looked at the command central’s main display with strained eyes.

  »Standby on weapons, Major Draconis! I also want to know how far the radio shield extends into space. The Quaoar mission reported that communication is possible inside the shield.«

  The first officer relayed his instructions to the weapons control station.

  »What target?« one of the weapons control officers wanted to know.

  Arkroid frowned, then laughed briefly. He had a hell of a lot of options to consider.

  Should we retaliate for the orbital station and fire on the Stinger? What if we damage the damn thing and set off an uncontrolled chain reaction? Or destroy it and lose its secrets? What about Leukonen, inside the Stinger, under the Globuster Lord’s control? What’s my next move?

  »Arkroid … Sir?« Dragonis asked. »What are your orders?«

  The Merinian squinted and rubbed the base of his nose.

  »Fire on the Stinger with both laser cannons! As we cross the South Pole region, fire our weapons and retreat quickly.«

  Dragonis swallowed hard.

  »What if it hits us like it did to the orbital station?«

  Arkroid shook his head.

  »The station was a sitting duck in geostationary orbit. It had no weapons that could reach Earth. We can defend ourselves. Now, show me what your new ship can do, Major!«

  Dragonis pressed his lips together and Arkroid read the doubt in the officer’s expression.

  Humanity had unlearned the art of war after generations of peaceful coexistence. Well, we’re just going to have to learn it again! he thought.

  When the Blue Moon reached a distance of 600 kilometers from Earth, radio signals were suddenly received again.

  »Told you so,« Arkroid whispered, and had the messages transferred to his console. All of the messages were equally disturbing. They described, in gruesome detail, the effects which the continuing earthquakes had on the cities. Shocking numbers of deaths were reported.

  As soon as the Stinger was in effective range, Dragonis ordered the laser energy cells to full charge and issu
ed the “FIRE AT WILL” order. Moments later, both cannons discharged with a deep roar. The high energy laser beams were not visible in the vacuum of space, so nothing changed on the screens.

  As soon as they entered Earth’s atmosphere; however, impossibly bright, blue bundles of flames ignited the paths of the beams, blinding to the naked eye. The Blue Moon’s target acquisition and tracking radar directed the beams of both lasers and they converged perfectly on the Stinger!

  Silent screams of terror

  His body was trembling. Burning pain traveled through all his limbs. Then Leukonen’s mind took a blow as if from a stunning fist and was forced into submission. He stood up like a puppet and went to one of the consoles. The Soulwalker was back!

  Leukonen, enraged by the mental rape, found his feelings, even his presence, utterly ignored. It took all his strength to form a mental scream and direct it at the Soulwalker.

  What are you making me do, you bastard? Why do you have to steal my body? What’s wrong with your own?

  The answer came like thunder raging through his mind, almost burying his personality, and allowing no resistance.

  Your people still fail to understand who gives the orders here! Touch my body with your primitive weapons … huh? You need another lesson!

  Leukonen could only watch his fingers with despair as they touched virtual contact surfaces, entering a slew of commands.

  Why wasn’t I able to do that when you left me alone? he asked, not expecting an explanation.

  However, the Globuster Lord replied. He was apparently amused.

  It requires my mental signature, of course! Did you think I’d let a lower life form like you tamper with my body?

  The scientist’s tortured spirit submitted itself to the inevitable.

  What happens now? he thought fearfully.

  You’re about to select my next target for me, was the answer.

  Leukonen’s spirit convulsed.

  No! he told himself. Don’t think! Don’t think!

  Evil laughter filled his mind.

  Trondheim, YES! Do you want me to destroy the city of your birth?