Chapter - 8
Max followed the same procedure he developed for Mimi. He removed Tabi's executable image first and then her operating system. They would be replaced with the same code and OS he used for Mimi. The software change would be easy this time because he created the Software Engineering Division of the new 6th Race Engineering Directorate. And Software Quality Assurance would observe and inspect the products and processes of the software development effort during each phase of the software lifecycle. Software Quality Assurance answered to Lili.
Max had already put in place the Software Requirements Specification and the Software Design Document for a Mimi style code rewrite operation. All he had to do was modify the Software Development Plan for each project. Dina's code was not as tangled as Tabi's however Lili had made the decision to replace Tabi's and Dina's code. Max would rejoin the effort when System Testing was ready to begin.
Max concentrated on repairing Tabi's memories. Once he identified what needed to be fixed – he could rebuild Tabi's and Dina's memories at the same time. It was obvious to Max that Dina had always followed Tabi – even at the academy. Max would overlay a more independent set of memories for Dina. Otherwise she would pair bond with Tabi – who would imprint Dina and control her again. Max found some very disturbing memories – some of them could well explain Tabi's behavior. Max would have to be very careful in reassembling the many threads that would have to be removed, altered and replaced. He would also make certain that her Signal System was the same as her Sisters. Max began to suspect that her recharge chamber chassis ground was not the same when he started the effort.
After working for 12 hours straight – Lili cooked for him and helped him get into bed. As soon as he was asleep – she resumed reading the reports from SuperSentry and his suite of land based CIPC s.
“Lili – SuperSentry” Soup called.
“Go ahead SuperSentry” Lili replied.
“Ma’am – we have still not been able to locate the relief task force that was sent to relieve your Heavy Task Force at UFHQ.” Soup reported.
“What do you mean you cannot locate the relief task force?” Lili asked.
“Ma'am Sentry-3 reports the relief force instantly disappeared after forming up and has not been heard from since.” Soup reported.
“Was a SAR team notified to begin rescue procedures?” Lili asked.
“Yes ma'am – as soon as Captain Tantal told me he was late because no one relieved him.” Soup answered.
“Keep me posted – carry on.” Lili ordered.
“Yes ma'am” SuperSentry replied.
Lili was very concerned about the missing relief force. She contacted her CIPC and ordered her to get to the bottom of the problem. Lili began to worry the Forerunners had ambushed her relief force.
Did they get the Sixth Race black beam technology? She wondered.
Did they harm her Sailors and Star Marines in the process – if they had they would pay. Lili thought.
Max awoke in a cold sweat – a terrible nightmare that would enable him to help the Sisters.
“Ninlil – Maximus” Max called.
“Go ahead Maximus” Lili reported.
“We need to talk – now” Max said.
“I will be right there” Lili said.
“What is it” Lili asked as she entered Max's quarters.
“I saw what happened to the missing relief force.” Max answered.
“You saw it” Lili asked.
“It was another nightmare – the 6th Race Remnants – they are using the 7th Race Time Travel System –” Max answered.
“Are my Sailors and Marines safe?” Lili interrupted.
“Yes – I think so – the remnants did not attack them – they sent them back in time...” Max said.
“Back – how far back,” Lili asked.
“I think 400,000 years...” Max answered.
“Why do you say you think,” Lili asked.
“Because they want their god to avoid his fate and I did not recognize the star patterns.” Max answered.
Chapter - 9
“Everyone – meet me at SH-3.” Lili ordered.
Lili explained to her Sisters and nieces what they were about to do. They would travel in force back in time and rescue the lost relief force and destroy the remnants that were using the 7th Race time travel systems. It was time to put a stop to this insanity. Lili had ordered the SuperSentry and all land based CIPCs to hunt for the 7th Race Time Travel System. Prior to leaving SPSY Lili's plan was to travel back in time – find the 7th Race Time Travel System and return home. Max had warned her they may not be able to use the 7th Race System to go forward in time.
“Perhaps we should give the benefit of the doubt to your relief force Commander. Every Sailor and Star Marine has been well trained.” Sinai said.
Just as Lili was about to respond – the lost relief force instantly appeared on the auxiliary battle group landing zone. Sentry-3 reported to Lili he had been contacted by the lost relief force Commander 2 standard core seconds ago.
“See I told you they would know what to do.” Sinai said.
“Yes you did” Lili admitted.
“Commander Relief Force three – Ninlil” Lili called.
“Go ahead ma'am” the RFC replied.
“Come to my hull for your AAR as soon as your ships are tended to and your crews are in the Rec Center.” Lili ordered.
“Yes ma'am” the RFC replied.
The RFC docked all of his ships in the emergency repair slipways and then ordered his crews to liberty. His report read like a work of fiction. He reported to Lili's main conference room and was surprised to see all of the Sisters, Sentry-1 and Maximus waiting for him.
“Please sit down Captain” Lili said as he saluted the Sisters.
“Yes ma'am – thank you” the RFC said.
The RFC explained how they were sent back in time 400,000 years. The star pattern data confirmed what he and his executive officer suspected when upon exiting the MC – the Core link was gone. As soon as he realized they were in slice 270 – he gave the order to travel to CSB6. His CIPC estimated they had just missed being attacked by the evil entity. They had used the Tactical Egress Protocol and then traveled to CSB6.
The RFC explained how his battle group waited there – hidden at a location opposite the vector used by the Sisters when they would first visit the system in the future. He then ordered all drones and Nova Stations launched and set up a very large adaptive camouflage array to protect his team while they were in hibernation. He then ordered his team into hibernation mode. A pre-set wake up procedure brought them out of hibernation 400,000 years later. The RFC had added three standard core days to the wake up procedure to ensure they “returned” after they left – so as to avoid all causality problems
The RFC explained how he then ordered his CIPC to monitor Union Naval Communications to be certain the time line had not been altered. After several days of analysis his CIPC decided the time line had not been altered by their diversion to the past.
The RFC waited another day to be certain. When his CIPC intercepted communication between Admiral Ninlil and SuperSentry about the lost relief force – he knew it would be safe to return.
The RFC contacted SH-3 and his battle group flew home.
Chapter - 10
After the Relief Force Commander left – the Sisters conferred. Obviously they needed to find the 7th Race Time Travel System. Somehow they had moved it to the 1st Quadrant or the 3rd Quadrant. The only other possibility – the 7th Race remnants used the Time Travel system from a remote location.
“Sinai – review Adapa's report – if necessary go and talk to him – we need to know where he went to start his secret mission.” Lili ordered.
“Yes ma'am” Sinai replied.
“I think the rest of us need to go to the 7th Race home world and look for clues.” Lili said.
Lili looked around the conference room table.
“We shall leave at
7 bells tomorrow.” Lili ordered.
There were no objections.
“Dismissed” Lili said.
As her Sisters filed out of her main conference room her CIPC called her. The CIPC reported she had found no evidence of a time machine anywhere between the UFHQ and SH-3. Lili thanked her CIPC. She needed to talk to Max. If they could not destroy the time machine – they needed protection from it. One thing that came to Mind – they would no longer travel together in the same FTLT to a target. And single ship trips would start using a form of the Tactical Egress procedure to avoid flying into a time trap. Lili traveled back to the SPSY to talk to Max. She flew over to the Engineering Labs in her yacht after she talked to Sentry-1.
Sinai returned to her hull – filed a flight plan with Sentry-3 and then instantly disappeared. She instantly reappeared in the newly completed Secure Harbor (SH) 7 inside the large Companion galaxy.
“Adapa – Sinai” Sinai called.
“Go ahead Sinai” Adapa replied.
“I have been ordered to talk to you about your secret mission – may I come aboard?” Sinai said.
“Of course – I will meet you in my main conference room.” Adapa said.
Sinai put on her favorite dress and flew over to see her brother. His Star Marines piped her aboard and escorted her to the main conference room. Sinai liked the special treatment that Union Naval tradition afforded. The conference room door opened and Adapa stood up with a smile on his face.
“Come in” Adapa said.
“Thank you” Sinai said.
“Please have a seat” Adapa said waving his hand to the chairs in front of her.
Sinai walked around the conference room table and sat next to where Adapa had been seated. Adapa then took his seat. He moved his PDIT aside and turned to look Sinai in the eye. Sinai of course wanted him to look at other parts of her SB. Adapa noticed her moving her hips in her chair. He noticed her short dress and he noticed how beautiful she was. Fraternization was not allowed. Perhaps after he retired he could revisit this temptation. For now he was an Admiral in the Union Navy.
Sinai and Adapa talked for several hours. At the end of the conversation it was clear that Adapa had not been read-in. He told her what he remembered about the experience and how he felt – all useful information when combined with the information she would obtain from the Relief Force sailors – now that she knew what to ask them.
Sinai wondered if the 7th Race time travel system used the galactic navigation system. It would explain several parts of the puzzle. While her Sisters went to the home world of the 7th Race – she decided to travel to the ancient home world of the 4th Race. She filed a new flight plan with the SuperSentry and then instantly disappeared from SH-7. She reappeared outside of the helio-pause of the home world of the 4th Race. She scanned the system before jumping to the 4th planet. The old primary star was nearing the end of its life. Apparently the 4 smaller stars that orbited it were preventing it from expanding as old tired red giants do.
Chapter - 11
Lili and her Sisters appeared outside of the helio-pause of System 97 – 470,666,121 which was on the outer edge of the 3rd arm. A Union Bio hazard Buoy immediately got in their way transmitting information about the deadly plague that had devastated the 7th Race. Lili began to think about the risks – not only to their own living brain tissue but also their companions if they accidentally brought something back on their vacuum suites or on their yachts.
What would Sinai do? Lili thought.
“Sis what if this whole thing is a 7th Race hoax to maintain their privacy?” Eden asked.
“A very real possibility...” Lili agreed.
“If it is a real plague – we are not going to risk it and if it is a hoax – we shall destroy this planet.” Lili said.
“CIPC – Ninlil – do you detect anything?” Lili called and then asked.
“There is an incredible amount of activity on the 7th planet.” CIPC reported.
“Then that is our target – everyone spread out around the helio-pause – and standby to fire all weapons at the 7th planet.” Lili ordered.
“From way out here,” Golan asked.
“Yes – black beam weapons first and then ancient weapons.” Lili answered and then ordered.
The Sisters spread out around the edge of the helio-pause and then fired their black beam weapons upon the 7th planet. Structures orbiting the planet were destroyed first and then the atmosphere exploded and boiled away. After the bombardment had dug down 6 miles toward the core the Sisters ceased firing their black beam weapons and launched their thermonuclear weapons. The CIPC reported all activity had ceased.
“Now everyone fire your low yield high neutron flux ancient weapons.” Lili ordered.
If they were hiding in bunkers this would take them out. The CIPC reported that only insect life remained on the 7th planet.
“Let us go home now.” Lili ordered and the Sisters instantly disappeared.
Lili could not have known the King of the 6th Race remnants had communicated with his sons who were living on the 3rd planet in System 270 – 348,611,111 – when she gave the King a reprieve by offering him the binding Union agreement. Because of this his legal heir and most of his grandchildren escaped via the technology left upon the Earth by the Forerunners when the planet orbited between Mars and Jupiter! They traveled back in time because the “Door” left on planet Earth had been fractured when the planet was essentially cut-in-two when the 10th planet first entered the solar system. This was not a problem for them because they used their various atmospheric vehicles to escape through the “Door”. They found several more 6th Race remnant hybrid servants flying World War II torpedo planes from the country known as “the Daughter of Babylon”.
Their father – the King – first traveled back 450,000 years to take command of his reserve battle fleet and then traveled back 1,950 million years to the “Precambrian” period to rescue his sons and daughters and grandchildren from the Earth before the 10th planet entered the solar system. They then left the galaxy and headed for Triangulum where his new allies would be waiting for him – when he finally arrived.
Thus because the 6th Race remnant ruling class left the galaxy and because the 7th Race remnants who had been hiding out on the original home world of the 7th Race were destroyed – there were only a handful of beings left in the home galaxy who knew how to use the time travel system. After the 7th Race remnants – who were hiding on the original home world of the 7th race – were destroyed there were no more time travel incidents or time traps.
As a result Lili assumed the problem was solved and the Sisters would be able to concentrate on restoring the Union Navy and ultimately re-establishing the galactic Union. The 7th Race used the galactic navigation system (GNS) to travel through time just as the 6th Race used the GNS to travel through the MC via their FTLT system. It would only be a matter of time before Max would figure it all out. The question for Lili – could some other being in the galaxy figure it out…
Chapter - 12
After talking with Mimi about the “Door” the Forerunners had used Max set about to investigate the possibility of having a land based FTLT system. The user manual Mimi found on the Forerunner outpost had been translated accurately by Mimi and Sinai. It proved invaluable for Max and with M-14's help they had a proto-type for his MRBs to construct within 6 standard core days. There was only one problem – a biological entity would have to travel in a steel vessel – nothing else would work, not even gold. So Max contacted Mimi and asked her if she was certain the Forerunners had stepped through the “Door” without a steel suit. Mimi was not able to help Max answer this question.
Obviously even the Sisters would have to step into a steel suit when they were downloaded into their synthetic body. The ABS would allow the Star Marines and Spec War Troopers to use the “Door”. The Sister’s CGSs were not armored with steel – so the ABS was the logical choice – for now. Max liked the idea of being able to step from his Enginee
ring Lab in SH-1 to any SH and especially the SPSY! In time he would build “Door” Systems inside the Sister's hulls – inside the Star Marine Carrier Vessels and eventually in all Union Navy ships. For now Max was only able to emplace a “Door” System with a “Door” on each end. This would change when he finally understood the galactic navigation system (GNS) created by the 4th Race and later modified by the 5th Race when combined with the “core” (galactic computer core) created by 2nd Race would allow the “Door” System to work just as the FTLT system worked.
Union Ships of the Line: The Return of Tavnit and Dingir Page 3
