by Moulton, CD
*No. The delivery system isn't ready yet. I think they'll use that mountain because it's high enough to gather most of the energy of a storm and it isn't too far from the portal. Perhaps the road's there to transport their sphere once it's charged. I can't see any other purpose in it and it ends at a solid wall that certainly doesn't have anywhere a sphere could be moved through it very close.*
"Maybe the road's a buried cable. Once covered the ditch would look like a road."
[ It probably is. We could cut the cable if necessary. It would be too much of a problem to transport the sphere itself. Perhaps they intend to charge a sphere in the mountain, then transfer the charge to the three needed spheres near the portal. That would be the logical way. ]
"What's the purpose of all this?"
*You know where we derive all the power to run the ships except for entering IDmode from your original studies (Flight of the Maita).*
"Yeah. From interdimensional tension. Power's shifted back and forth through the interplanal shunt effect. The power spheres are held in two planes at once, both of which are power ... oh. They're going to make an automatic funneling tunnel diode out of two portals. It'll be self-sustaining once it's started. One the size they're building here could run a whole world with plenty left over.
"It won't work. The energy will reverse charge at the nexus if there's no inertial drag. You can't work the system on bodies at rest relative to one another."
[ What if your energy base is a TTH plane with three or four force interstices unbalanced? ]
"The charge would build on the end with the most dimensions through angular entrapment. It should work!"
*You don't know enough about the math to realize what will happen. Our adventurers don't either. They think they've found a neverending energy source free for the taking.*
"I can see it'll rapidly deplete the energy in this area of N space. It'll kill off the people of this planet in a short time. I agree this has to be stopped, but why not simply open the diode at the other nexus point? There won't be as much energy available, but there should still be more than enough. No one would be hurt, at least."
[ Didn't it even register on you that this would result in the accomplishment of zero? ]
"I don't see how," Z answered after a moment's pause to think.
*You don't have the math grid. Neither do they. They're willing to kill off this planet to have a lot of free energy, but they simply don't have the math, yet. They haven't had to build a TTH drive, yet.*
[ They can't in that plane. It wouldn't work. ]
"Wouldn't work? Why not?"
*Because the extra subdimesional stressed force angles – dimensions if you will – would make it impossible to make a moder. The entire plane IS an IDmoder! That's why the portal nexus points must be static for them to come here.*
"I don't need the math to know what happens if your moder dephases!" Z exclaimed. "Great humping Zulians! The omniverse itself would become one huge dephased moder!"
[ And would instantaneously implode to a real point. A point with no dimensions. ]
Omniverse in Peril!
The clamshell sat almost in exactly the same spot as it had before, a few meters out from the base of the Jornian ship. This time the port was standing open as Z and Thing approached. Froh and Nax came slowly down the ramp to stare at Thing. Froh was using one of his little sensor packs, but the shielding on the floater didn't allow any readings.
"This is the demon, Maybe, of whom you may have heard," Z introduced. "Maybe, this is Nax Plea and Froh Kim.
"I have spoken with the sorceress, Zaft. Your golem bird was there before me, but I expected that. That is the purpose of using golems. I had first thought that perhaps you used the Fromes, but know those beings would not aid such as Zaft so I became momentarily confused, but Zaft explained the golem, though I would deduce from her caller that it was not a Frome.
"I noted the energy fluctuations Kurk calls radio in the room with us there so may assume you had a device secreted to spy on her. "I did not inform her of it because had she the power she would detect it. She has little power.
"I could show you some interesting refinements where mechanical beings are concerned. It is totally unnecessary that Zaft wear the calling device if the machines are properly instructed when they are given the life-mimicking force. It becomes more and more clear you are not working here of your own free will. I can see this when you are afraid to leave the immediate area of this ship of space. You continually watch the ship and you seem to await orders as to how to act.
"I am somewhat puzzled as to what you are doing here with your overly large portal control configuration near the mountain or what is the purpose of the recruitment of the wizards, all of whom are working on simple power spells. It is fortunate they also have little power in the arts.
"I have studied your portal and can tell that what you are doing is very dangerous. The shunting of power in such a manner will open a portal to a demon world where we cannot live. Those demons could not live long here.
"The portal is too large to move most things – while it is known to be most dangerous to place material objects from one plane onto another even if this was made to move objects that are small enough to carry. Maybe and Kurk will tell you they may bring almost nothing with them from their plane. Living tissue moves much more safely and easily than nonlife.
"I must insist you not use that wizard's device. Perhaps if you will simply explain to me what it is you wish to accomplish I will relent and will not interfere. You will have to demonstrate that you know how to use these portals safely even in those cases I would allow their use at all."
"We take no orders from you, wizard!" Nax said with a sneer. "Your tricks can't stop us! We know what we're doing.
"What makes you think our demon bird was a golem?"
[ You have no choice at all where the orders are concerned. Boss can easily stop you. I can stop you while being no more than a student. You have no concept of what you are doing. I sense a great evil from that ship, Boss. Perhaps not evil, but it is very ... different. Your golem is rather obvious, otherworlders. Boss has experience with golems as you should know. ]
That was Thing's way of telling Z the other-planal being was inside the ship. The part about it being evil was meant to tell Z Thing's empathic ability found much that was very disturbing about the being – the reading was of an alien being so it may not be accurate.
"There isn't a thing you can do to us," Froh replied, also with the sneer. "That ship isn't a magic carpet, it's a metal machine. Machines can't be hurt by your magic!"
"As your ... what did Kurk call it? ... heat laser couldn't be affected?" Z asked.
[ Perhaps we should remove some of their great power we are not able to stop? Would that then convince them that to challenge Boss is not a wise choice? ]
Z smiled, then concentrated. Thing would add its abilities. They would soon know if their spell would work. If TR could make it work – as it had – they should be able to do something.
They did something. The lights coming from inside the ship suddenly went out. There was a crash and a lot of scrabbling around from the interior, voices in several empire languages were shouting at the same time, soon there were dull flashes followed by a long ululating wail, then silence.
Froh and Nax looked very frightened. There was some mumbling and argument about starting the backup generators, then swearing in Jornian and Maitan about not even having power left to use the automatic starter. Even the hundred year emergency torches wouldn't light!
After a couple of minutes there was the roar of an alcohol motor starting, then some light, then the moan of servos as they moved the rods on the fission generators, then full lights. Froh and Nax suddenly ran back inside demanding in Jornian what happened to Nrkll and Krll. There was a lot of running and shouting, then sounds of something heavy being drug and rolled. The lights dimmed, which would register on the clamshell sensors as a tremendous use of energy.
"THAT spell worked better than we hoped!" Z said. "We really depleted the sphere!"
*Yo! To absolute zero!* Maita agreed through the speakers on Thing's floater. *There's no reading at all for a few seconds. None of the standbys have anything left in them, either. TR said old Lordrum had so drained Dale's ship that even the hundred year emergency light system wouldn't come on. I think we might have done great damage to the otherplaner in there. I didn't intend that.*
[ No. They have no emotions whatever about us or about the peoples of Tlorg, only for themselves. They must know the energy drain they plan from here may well kill the entire planet. They didn't die, but they were in terrible fear they would. They're either in stasis or have been returned to their plane. ]
"They went home," Z said. "That was moder drain that took the entire output of the generators, I'd say."
*I agree. There's a chamber inside the ship that's mostly a variable stasis chamber. I'm sure it doesn't have.... It's just partial so they can stay here for hours instead of minutes. I'm watching now. There's quite a lot of activity around that chamber. The lights didn't dim so the energy was from the other end this time. So that's what they look like!*
"What?" Z asked.
*Lots of spikes. About the size of Kurk. Can't describe the color or the true outline. I'll be quiet. The spy floater I can sneak out with Froh and Nax, who are on their way. I'll withdraw from conversation now. Keep them off balance, but be careful. They may attack in some way.*
[ The otherplaners are somewhat fearful and are very curious. They aren't planning to kill us or to harm us at this point. I think we're safe for the moment. They'll fear to attack us. ]
"They've seen an enormous use of power from our magic so they'll try to recruit us," Z agreed. "I'm curious, too! I want to know how much energy we can ground with that spell. I want to know what the nineteeners are like. I want to know how they grabbed that ship. I want to know what methods of communication they're using and I want to know a thousand other things!"
[ The nineteeners? Really? I will want a good many questions answered, too. ]
"How did you do that!?" Nax cried when he and Froh came trotting up to Z and Thing. "I don't care what Got says that was no coincidence!"
"We merely put the energy in the round place beneath the center of your ship of space into the ground where energy belongs," Z replied calmly. "That is an easy thing and is enough, I think, to show you your machines are not so invincible as you would like to believe?"
"Can you take energy back from the ground?" Froh asked. "Can you put energy back into the sphere?"
[ The place on the ship is not a natural place for energy. It is far easier to move a thing from a not-natural place to a natural place than it is to do the opposite. That fact should be rather obvious to you. ]
"But CAN you?" Nax asked.
"I wouldn't know," Z answered disinterestedly. "I've never tried. I can see no purpose to such labors."
There was a short burst of digital noise from a small radio on Froh's belt. The noise was run through a translator machine, that printed the information on a small screen. Froh read it, then said, "We would like for you to come into our ship. There is a demon there who has heard much of the famous Boss and who would like to meet you. He may have some spells to trade with you."
"I think not if he can't counter the grounding spell," Z replied. "Perhaps we will come to meet this demon of yours. I will admit to some small curiosity."
*
Kurk headed for the mines while Ehrak went toward the power storage facility. This thing was a hell of a lot more serious than a couple of wizards having a feud. If Maita was right, and he most likely was, this could mean the end of the omniverse itself.
Crazy! But Kurk wasn't in the least worried about it. The fact was, should they all suddenly cease to exist – so what? It wouldn't really be like death in one way and would be exactly like it in others. If one died he might still have made some small locally important changes by his existence, but if this nonexistence came about nothing that had ever happened anywhere would have made any difference whatever. It was a strange thing to contemplate. The omniverse has no meaning!
Everybody died at some time. There was no such thing as true immortality. The part of the universe one occupied would eventually run out of energy so it and everything in it would die. “Entropy” they called it on Hades.
To think the omniverse was really that delicate a thing! It was wild! To think a planet like Tlorg could be the place where the destruction of the omniverse took place was even wilder. Kurk loved Tlorg, its people, the other peoples from other planes found here and these otherworlders.
There were the mines being worked ahead. He could probably stop them from producing anything, but there was little point in doing so. If Maybe was right the portal was finished and in place.
Maita said the silver production must stop because that was what was used to move the large amounts of energy. Every angle would have to be covered. If one thing wasn't accomplished it wouldn't make any overall difference that way. It was worth saving the omniverse if they could. Kurk wouldn't like to know that so many billions of people on so many billions of worlds in so many billions of galaxies had struggled and hurt for nothing. The Plutons didn't fool themselves into believing life or the universe or any natural thing was obligated to be fair, but Kurk hated waste in any form. To end it now would be a terrible, truly unthinkable waste. Maita and the empire, which Thing and Ehrak had spoken so much of – the Zulians.
How Kurk wanted that one thing, to meet a Zulian! He simply couldn't make himself believe that a race could be that truly wonderful. Neither could he believe Thing or Ehrak made up any of the things they told him about those people or the Acnians or the Feach. He was sure none of it was false or an exaggeration.
Well, it would be academic if the otherplaners weren't stopped here and now. All-in-all Kurk had no least regrets. Regardless of the eventual outcome he had lived an exciting and rewarding life on two worlds in two planes, which was a good fortune denied to nine hundred ninety nine point nine nine nine people out of a thousand!
*
Ehrak was scared. Terrified. Zeenans never allowed such emotions to show, but he fully well knew Thing would know through its empathy. That these idiot beings from some other plane could destroy the entire omniverse was totally unthinkable! It wasn't fair that any such thing was even possible! How could the omniverse be so delicately balanced?
It couldn't be! There was some mistake in the math!
Zeena, like so vastly many other worlds, had struggled through the millennia, had evolved and grown to be a respected force in the galaxy. It couldn't suddenly cease to be! All of that pain and work COULDN'T be for nothing! IT WAS NOT FAIR!
Well, if Ehrak, first son of Milah and Cord of Tenslo, Zeena, had anything to do with it there would be no total destruction of anything but those storage areas and that portal! No Zeenan was going to sit by doing nothing when there was a threat of even small dimensions, much less a thing that could make all life everywhere meaningless! Certainly, Ehrak would not deny his heritage! He would DO something! He would live up to the expectations of someone descended from Tom, who had proven for all time and for all peoples that the Zeenan race MATTERED!
Maita was certain they could avert a catastrophe. Thing was positive, also, which was reassuring. Thing was known as one of the finest minds in the galaxy while Maita knew the planes better than any being or machine in the galaxy.
If Z and Thing could handle the sphere on that Jornian ship the immediate danger was past. They would have time to ensure their success. If he could only know they were successful he would relax.
Meanwhile there was a power storage facility inside
of that mountain and probably some cables beneath the road there. The passive sensor on the floater showed there were, indeed, cables under the soil. Ehrak sent a boring machine down to dig to the cables and to set loose some interesting little engineered biological micro-agents along the entire length of the transmitting line. Those microbes would produce an enzyme in the soil that would eat the insulation off of the cable in a short time, making it useless. When Ehrak was sure the dispensing of the lifeform was going along well he began to carefully search the side of the mountain for a way into the primary storage area. He found a small cave. It wouldn't allow him to pass so he went on.
If only Maita would send a message to him that Thing and Z had been able to ground enough of that ship's power to give them time. While there would be nuclear backups that sphere could contain a tenday's production of the secondaries. If they must recharge there was a tenday. That was plenty of time!
There was another larger cave near a small stream where a machine was carrying some kind of electronic parts inside so there would be surveillance. Ehrak came as close as possible, turned on all the secondary passive sensors and waited. There was a set of small floaters released, probably by Maita, directly. They were dispersed for several minutes, then returned one at the time to input the information they'd found. The machines were automatic. There were scanner floaters in various places, but nothing overly sophisticated.
Ehrak sent floaters to neutralize the spy sensors, then went down to the machines laboring below. He videoscanned the parts, then went inside the cave on foot, leaving his floater by the entrance.
He had to return for the lights as the machines could work as well in the dark as outside. They were on infra-red so the visible light he used wouldn't be detected by them.
It was more than a kilometer inside where Ehrak came to a fork in the tunnel. There were metal tracks into both parts so he decided to enter left so he would know to exit right. A half kilometer later he found another fork, took the left again and was soon in a little cul de sac with a finished power sphere hooked to input lines coming from a drill hole above. He placed a small cutting charge a half meter above the sphere on input and output circuits, injected the biological agents to produce the destructive enzymes and went back along the tunnel to the fork. He located one more sphere in that branch, repeated the process of disabling it, went to the first fork and along it to find one completed sphere and one about a third constructed. The worker servos clustered around the unfinished sphere so he left them at work. One sphere wouldn't do them any good. Thing said two or even three were needed to start the portal. It would then self-sustain according to the theory and the spheres would never be needed again.
