by Moulton, CD
He had really enjoyed it. It was something few would ever experience in this or in any universe. It may be routine for Maita, Thing and Z, but it was tremendously exciting to Ehrak! Ehrak didn't believe that any of them would hold it against him that he would want to return to Zeena and to a normal life after this. He WAS much too civilized, after all! If it had just been the planned vacation on an evolving world it might be different. He might want to continue on, but it WASN'T a normal vacation by any comparative he could mention.
Maybe Maita would allow Tlorg into the empire as Z wanted. He could then visit sometime in the future. He would certainly like to bring his children here to meet a Pluton and to have a few centimeters scared from their growth, though children didn't seem to find the Plutons frightening.
Ehrak of Zeena would like to meet other Plutons. He liked the ugly Fromes, too, and the one Targ he had met. The difference of these beings was of a very different kind than the differences of the various otherworlders he had met in the empire or even of the Tlorgians, who were not unlike Z in physical ways. It wasn't an explainable difference. One sensed it more than one saw it.
This was a good world with good people – that would remain unspoiled. Maita would see to that.
Z had noticed something about the Prlnth and had acted on whatever it was. Thing would know beyond question what it was, most probably. One couldn't have any secrets from an empath and Z and Thing were always touching. Maita was in constant contact with Thing, but Ehrak wasn't so sure Maita knew what was happening. Maita didn't really understand organics such as Z.
It would be up to Maita to do whatever they would eventually have to do to put an end to the threat from Prlnth, though. That was another thing Ehrak was very damned glad wouldn't fall on his shoulders! Responsibility of that kind was demanding too much!
Kurk wouldn't mind in the least if he had the resources to handle it in his fashion. He would simply blow Prlnth out of existence. It might be a bit brutal and was definitely against every principle of the crew, but there were times when such tactics were called for. Ehrak got the feeling from Thing it would reluctantly agree to that, but that there was something ... some reason it couldn't be done that way. Something other than a moral thing.
Ehrak was beginning to drowse into a half-sleep state when a floater came to tell him to go to the rendezvous point. Something had happened. He was instantly alert and on the move.
When he reached the floater he found he was first, though Thing came in a bit later, then Kurk and Z together. They climbed aboard for the trip to Teeme. Even Maita noticed the smug look on Z's face when it announced the Prlnth was gone.
Just as Ehrak thought. Z had a plan.
*
Thing finished the math very quickly – in a relative sense – and reported it to Maita. Maita would call the others back, they would go to Teeme, they would discuss it from every angle and they would act on it. Now there was a need to rest, but first a quick dip in the deepest nearby part of the ocean. Thing, being from a very high-density planet, enjoyed the pressures at several kilometers depth. Its breathing membranes were as effective in water as in air and it could be greatly relaxed by spending time at a great depth. It figured the time that would be taken by the others to reach the clamshell and managed to arrive not too long after Ehrak and not too long before Kurk and Z. It curled up close between Z and Kurk in the floater and noted empathically the deep friendship that had grown between them and the heightened excitement they felt at Maita's announcement the Prlnth was gone.
Thing knew Maita had decided to request that Tlorg join the empire. They always discussed such major things together. It also knew the bonding between Z and Kurk was good, though Z was already sure it would only lead to pain. He didn't know Kurk wanted to become a traveler with them or that Maita planned that even if Tlorg wasn't a part of the empire Kurk would be asked.
Z tended to become very fond of some people, then was always hurt when they elected to live out normal lifespans and to die natural deaths. He tried to distance himself from others as a result, but his nature wouldn't allow it. He was a gregarious sort if a shy one. He had loved one woman who bore him a son (he knew nothing about), but who left long before his need was filled. The great difference in culture between the Terran and the Maitan woman whose stock was the same as Z's (Earth is a lost Maitan colony. How could they breed if they weren't of the same stock?) denied his knowing she loved him as strongly as he loved her, but many things were very different in their different ways of looking at such things. She bore his child which to her was the ultimate expression of love.
Hopefully he would someday learn that death wasn't a sad thing, it was a natural thing. Z and Thing were the "oddballs out" in that they could tolerate this quasi-immortality Maita had given them. It was a normal thing for the machines to go on forever so Maita could understand both points of view.
Yes, Kurk would opt for the extended life with them. Thing could feel the suitability of that for him. This would bring it to three organics to balance the three machines in the immediate crew. It could be argued that Tab and TR were separate beings and that T6 and Kit were also individuals, but that didn't matter. This was a good match to be added. It was a warmth that only an empath could ever experience to be touching these two who were fated for sharing an adventurous life. It was warmer yet for the fact Thing was included in that warmth.
It was too bad Ehrak hadn't worked out, but he would have been only a temporary member as his ancestor, Tom, had been, leaving after a few years to raise a family. He would be a loyal true friend always, but he wouldn't ever be a part of the crew. He knew that and wanted it that way. Thing knew that Ehrak had never intended to get as involved as he had, but knew there were no regrets, either. There had been something Ehrak needed to prove, had believed it could never be proved, yet found the opportunity here to have that proof. He would return to Zeena a more complete person and a hero in both his own and others' eyes.
That was it. He was very afraid, yet acted in spite of his fear. He knew he wasn't lacking in natural courage and he lived up to his own standards. He could feel he had as much worth as his famous ancestor and would never again need to use Tom for a crutch. In short, he had often doubted his own worth, but now had something that could never be taken away: Self respect.
It was good to not have self doubts. Thing had none. Kurk never had that problem. He was a much simpler person in some ways, but was tremendously complicated in others. He would never cease to be a fascinating study – something Maita sensed from the first.
Z, on the other tentacle, was more a medium-complex type of personality that was familiar and warm. They shared a deep affection that was more than either of them. Maita was part of that as was TR/Tab and T6/Kit and as Kurk would soon be. Life was nice when it was warm from the inside.
Thing was exhausted from the mental strain it had labored under. It went to sleep.
*
Kurk watched Z and was amused. The Terran avoided touching, was a bit formal and tried to keep a distance, but it wasn't his nature to be that way.
They climbed around, Z getting excited by certain plants and birds and soon got to the point where it was natural for them to stand close together, touching, as they examined a rare plant. Kurk could easily lift Z to the lower limbs of the trees upon which the plants that were his main interest grew.
They sat, touching, to rest on a log. It was strange that this being acted in such a manner. There was much to be learned about and from him. They were becoming friends in spite of Z's reticence. Kurk could only too well understand how a person would learn to mistrust friendship. He had been betrayed by friends – or those he thought were friends – more than a few times. It was one of the reasons he so liked Tlorg. People here didn't betray friends.
That wasn't the problem with Z, though. It was something else. Something it might take years to learn.
Ehrak had very quickly become a true friend, though that friendship wasn't of the same kind as
what was developing here. It was a real friendship, but this was more ... bonding. That was the word. He was bonding with Z, but would never do so with Ehrak. He had bonded quickly with Thing, but the little guy was an empath so that was to be expected. He felt protective of Thing from the very first.
Had he begun a bonding process with Maita? Could there be a bonding with a person one never saw? Could there be a bonding with a machine?
That TR ship was fascinating and had certainly become a friend. Kurk felt right at home among these.
Kurk knew at that moment he was going to meet his Zulian and much more. He was destined to travel among the stars with Emperor Maita and crew. They somehow belonged together.
Were these kinds of adventures commonplace to these people? Did they spend all their time in these dangerous situations?
Well, no. They had never faced extinction of the omniverse before, though they admitted to having fought for an empire, worlds, individuals, races, principles. They had faced no such dangers on their first trip to Tlorg.
Kurk, whenever he decided he knew a thing, became comfortable with that thing very quickly. If it was bad he became resigned and determined to make as good a thing as possible out of it. If, like this, it was good, he rejoiced in it. He never tried to deny things as they were or as they were to be. He knew at once these people would never simply destroy this world in that other plane to guarantee safety here. There was probably a lot he didn't understand about the decision, but he knew it would be fruitless to push for it.
Somehow Z, Thing and Maita had to all agree on everything they did or they wouldn't do it. That was a feeling he got. Now he would also be included in that process. That was also a feeling he got. That could be worrisome because he didn't think like they did.
Of course, they didn't always think alike, either. Kurk was sure no one understood why Z wanted to stage that farce of the demon fights at the Jornian ship, but the evidence was that Z could solve problems with such strange methods so everyone agreed. It seemed to have worked pretty well, note that the Prlnth were totally stymied here.
They were having some leisure time now to study plants and explore caves. Maybe was in a tree working on some complicated planal math because of what was learned in that seemingly purposeless performance (He still thought of Thing as Maybe, in most cases).
A floater came to tell them the math was done and it was time to move so they would head back to the clamshell, then to Teeme. That was so Maita could be close. Maybe Kurk would now meet the emperor of the galaxy face-to-face?
As they boarded the floater Maita announced the Prlnth was gone from Tlorg and the Jornian ship would soon also leave, whereupon Z got a very smug look on his face. It would seem he was now fully exonerated for his earlier actions.
Kurk was glad. He felt a bit more confidence in the strange ways of these people he had grown to like so much.
Thing wriggled down between Kurk and Z in the floater and was soon fast asleep. Z explained that Thing had been working mentally since three days before when it climbed into the tree. Non-stop. It was mentally exhausted. Ehrak was lost in his own thoughts, as Z soon became. So did Kurk.
*
Z grinned his relief as he got into the floater. He had been right!
He came to another decision while climbing around out there, too: He was going to see that Kurk was taken in as a member of the crew if only for awhile, though he was sure the big demon would be around permanently once he got in.
Thing was exhausted. It curled between Z and Kurk and was almost immediately asleep. Z explained how Thing worked out a problem, then they were all silent for the rest of the trip. Z took Thing from the floater without waking it and went inside the castle. Maita said they should all rest so they would be fresh for what Z called the "bull session" they would have in the morning. It was a few minutes before midnight in Teeme. Z took Thing to Maita and into the pilot's dome, put it in the chair while he used the showers, then climbed into the chair to sleep with Thing on his lap. That chair was the most comfortable place he'd ever found. The two often slept there when they were on their adventures.
In the morning he awakened Thing, who said it was reasonably well-rested, then they went to the dining hall of the castle. Fale was there as were the golems so everyone would have to stay in character. Maita warned Thing to use its floater.
They ate a substantial meal, visited for awhile, then Fale and the golems left to finish the work with the courts. Thing got off of its floater to sit astride Kurk's shoulder.
*It would seem Z was successful in his plans to free the farmer's family. He also learned a great deal about interplanal movements of that ship, which led to a new look at some math, which may or may not lead to a solution to this mess. Z can now explain what he wanted to do with that farce we staged.*
"I wanted to confuse the Prlnth," Z replied. "I decided we were going about it in the wrong direction trying to understand the psychology of a truly alien lifeform. Why not make IT try to understand US?
"You see, I didn't need Thing's empathy to know the thing was afraid when we drained that power sphere. We all heard that wail from the ship and that was pure terror. We almost killed the thing with something it couldn't begin to understand. Why not build on that fear?
"I went back with the plan of doing a few small things to throw it off balance, but found it had taken the farmer and his children as hostages and that made my childish temper get the best of me. I determined that once those people were safe I was going to make life so much hell for that thing it would be forced to leave.
"When I cooled down I saw the problem would still be there. All this time it kept nagging at me that Thing and Maita were both amazed there was still any omniverse to worry about. The Jornian ship had been transferred from spot 'A' to spot 'B' through TTH nineteen. If that amount of N mass had been carried into TTH nineteen a couple of very important things would have happened. Either or: Either there would no longer be any omniverse or Prlnth would have no use for the big portal. They would already have one operational that was bigger than the one they planned. It was obvious at that point there was a point not yet plotted on our graph. The black holes, Earth, Tlorg, that spot not far from here – and Prlnth had to have at least one other point. The one that ship came through! It couldn't be in a complex plane, either. I know power sphere construction and use. I studied every facet of it. It uses TTH nine, which holds no matter as we know it, only energy at various angles. The Prlnth had obviously studied power spheres, had even built some under those mountains. The ship, being matter, couldn't do much in TTH nine – BUT THE POWER SPHERE THAT IS PART OF THAT SHIP COULD!
"All the Prlnth did was to move the magnetic and gravitic fields already in TTH nine to Tlorg. The ship came automatically with it. The ship had no structural dimensions at the time. It was inside of the sphere where the distortion fields protected it. The omniverse is a point and the point is as much inside of the sphere as anywhere else."
He picked up a glass of wine.
"This glass is inside of the omniverse. We know that from direct observation. We know the omniverse is a point so there is no escaping the fact the omniverse is inside of the glass at the same time."
[ That's old theory, Z. It's true, but it doesn't have any practical applic.... Oh! Nrkll found a practical application! ]
*Thing, we do it all the time. It's how we can cross the interstices to the plane we want. We produce a small bit of the plane we want inside of the moder and swing the ship around it. The ship goes inside of its own moder. That’s why an out of phase moder is so devastating. That's why no ship is ever heard from again if it dephases. Your ship blends with the plane you're in. If it's not compatible ... that was the worst weapon of the Pweetoos. The nova machine. Dephase inside of a star's mass and throw the dimensionals around at random. Nothing is left. That's what would happen to the entire omniverse if that portal were ever opened and allowed to start transferring energy from N space with several different stress planal an
gles from that at its destination.*
[ I meant there was no practical application before this time for the theory's use in this plane. That ship never left N space! It was swung into a point IN N SPACE, then that point itself was moved! ]
"Exactly. I think maybe that's how the transmats work. Shall we not get bogged down in theory now?"
*Just one little thing, then you can finish. What would have happened to anything between here and the point where that ship was grabbed while it was being moved?*
[ It would have its structural integrity collapsed by the unstressed.... Whuhhhhhhh! Whoa! ]
*If it had been of any size, yes. Proceed, Z. That isn't how the transmats work.*
"Damn it! Not until you tell us what would've happened to anything in the way!"
[ What happens when structure is removed from an object and force remains? ]
"It would have created a black hole? Here?" Ehrak said.
[ A black hole, a small one, heading right for Tlorg! ]
"That would have solved everybodys' problems in a picosecond!" Kurk agreed. "A black hole here would have removed the chance of ANYONE ever opening a portal. The angles would be wrong. There wouldn't BE a Tlorg, either.
"See? I listen to what you're saying!"
"Is that right, Thing?" Z asked.
[ Essentially. ]
"We have to be certain they never open another portal here no matter what size!" Z declared. "Where was I?
"I wanted to scare Nrkll and I did. I wanted to confuse it so much it would decide not to try this again. I wanted it to think we had all this power to play with it, but that we were insane. I wanted it to think we were much too dangerous to it for it to come here. Ever. I think we can probably do something to ensure that it doesn't come back."
