NEBULAR Collection 6 - The Great Tremor: Episodes 27 - 30

by Thomas Rabenstein

  The Great Tremor

  Nebular Collection 6 (Episodes 27 - 30)

  Written by Thomas Rabenstein

  Issue: 2016-12-23

  URL: www.scifi-world.de

  © 2016 SciFi-World Medien Verlag

  Contributors

  Cover by Arndt Drechsler

  Michael Köckritz – Chief translator and coordinator (English)

  Preface

  Tensions remain high, even with the hasty retreat of the Circle Invaders from the solar system.

  The sudden appearance of the Techno-Center and panic from the cuckoo-gene may have given the Solar Union Fleet the upper-hand, but there are still many questions left unanswered. Will these aggressive opponents attack again? Can the Solar Union survive another attack? What can Earth do to thwart off an opponent capable of annihilating all of Humanity?

  Sensing the need for a strategy, Admiral Friedberg deploys the best men and women the Union has to offer, calling them … THE HOT

  27 - The HOT

  Written by Thomas Rabenstein

  Quote

  I recognize light reflections and patterns, see the play of shadows and hear the noises, but all of this is hidden behind a dense veil, surrounding my mind to protect it. Tones fall into a big bucket filled with cotton balls, they do not reach me. They drown in the endless ocean depths of feelings, disturbed by the storms of my thoughts. Touches scare me; they penetrate the thick coat, which covers my reality. This outside stimulation gives me hope, however, that I’m not alone in this vast universe of thoughts.

  Balkhanchi Batu-iin Obugtan, HOT Tactic-Master

  A possible trump?

  It took a while for Nok Daralamai to get used to the spherical robot. The Techno-Cleric was hovering in the middle of the command central observing the crew at work. After the surprising appearance of the robot civilization and their Dimensional Anchor, the blue gas planet acquired a new moon. Bachtar had taken the space of the moon Despina, which had been destroyed by the Circle people to obtain building materials for a Circle Fortress. Many Humans had lost their lives at that time, but also the Circle Fortress was destroyed – by the same beings who had erected it. The fear of a genetic bomb and the appearance of the Techno-Clerics had been deciding factors for the Circle people to leave Earth and abandon the Moxa Fortress.

  Daralamai tried not to think about it and glanced at the Techno-Cleric. She had attempted to communicate with the robot in a meaningful way, but every time she asked for the reasons why the robots had come to the solar system, the Techno-Cleric turned away. She frowned, it was virtually impossible to tell the front from the rear of this polished spherical machine. She only had an idea about which part was the front when the Techno-Cleric spoke to her directly, but then again who knew, if there weren’t hidden speakers at his back too?

  Nok sighed and cautiously walked toward the robot. Talking to the Techno-Cleric was somewhat difficult for her as he didn’t have anything on his body that could serve as a focal point, no face, no eyes and no protrusions on which her eyes could rest while speaking with him. There was only her slightly warped mirror image she could look at.

  »Your serial number is 40028, is that right?«

  The sphere seemed to pulsate faintly as a clearly modulated and warm voice replied, »It is not my serial number, it’s my name.«

  Nok noticed her frowning face on the sphere’s surface and stepped back. Then she smiled, hoping that the cleric was able to interpret it correctly. She knew that the Techno-Cleric was an artificial intelligence who could not be compared to a stupid machine.

  »Uh … forgive me, 40028. Our scientist scanned Bachtar, but our technology has its limits as you well know. You certainly understand that we want to take a closer look at a celestial object which suddenly appeared in our solar system. Are we still prohibited from landing on our new moon? A handful of scientists would suffice.«

  »Please, don’t regard Bachtar as a moon or a planetoid. It is the Dimensional Anchor for Techno-Center. I cannot keep you from landing on Bachtar, but I advise you to stay away from it. There could be an unforeseen dimensional transfer, which would relocate Bachtar to another continuum. I understand your quest for knowledge and I’d be happy to provide you with Bachtar’s astro-physical data if you like.«

  »That is very nice of you.«

  Nok smiled and displayed her pearl white teeth.

  »Maybe you can answer another question?«

  40028 was hovering up and down by a few centimeters, which Daralamai interpreted as some sort of an emotional reaction.

  »We noticed a discrepancy between Bachtar’s size and composition in comparison to its mass and gravity. Our scientists can’t explain why there are these deviances from the natural laws.«

  The Techno-Cleric shrunk slightly and then returned to his original size. It was as if he had taken a deep breath.

  »Bachtar’s effective gravity had been adjusted to the new circumstances and surrounding variables. It not only functions as a Dimensional Anchor but also stabilizes this delicate system around the gas planet. The destruction of Despina caused a situation where orbital deviations had a chaotic impact on the other Neptune moons. This problem is now corrected!«

  Nok Daralamai blushed and held her breath for a moment.

  »How can you, so quickly, assess these factors and find a solution in such a short time? This must have happened at the same time of the Dimensional Anchor’s transfer to our solar system. This is mindboggling.«

  »It’s just a matter of resources, technology and the understanding of cosmic natural laws. If you would have gone through the same stages of evolution than us, then you’d be able to do the same.«

  He speaks of himself and the other robots as if they were people.

  Nok nodded.

  »Certainly … certainly.«

  She glanced at the central display where Bachtar was presented in a red color.

  »We haven’t thanked you for your help against the Circle people. You came at the last second, so-to-speak. They probably would have destroyed this moon with their planet breaking weapon.«

  »We did not interfere. We only intervened so that Triton, also an important moon to the Neptune system, wasn’t destroyed. Bachtar materialized exactly where the former moon Despina used to be,« 40028 replied.

  Nok Daralamai knit her eyebrows. Everybody who knew her also knew that this meant trouble.

  »Are you telling me that you would’ve let them destroy Triton, if it hadn’t been so important to the transfer?« she said raising her voice.

  40028 didn’t reply.

  Huh … crunch that through your registers! You’re just a machine after all!

  Nok turned around and walked to the long-range scanner console. After a couple of steps, she heard 40028 say, »War is an evil undertaking by underdeveloped species and leads to pain and death! It conflicts with the Cosmic Moral!«

  She whirled around on her heels.

  »Do you expect us to sit idly by when the Circle people take over our solar system and kill our people?«

  40028 hovered toward her.

  »I’m not a judge or a prosecutor, but I can tell right from wrong!« she added quickly before turning around. »Did our probes find anything? Are there any energy scans or photometric data? It has not yet been proven that the Circle ships left the solar system. We stay on high alert! Report anything directly to me,« she addressed the scanner officer.

  Nok had spoken sternly to remind the crew that the danger was not over. She could not expect direct help from the Techno-Clerics, especially weapon related assistance. However, they migh
t be able to indirectly, passively, provide security to the solar system. Nok pondered for a moment then asked 40028, »Did you observe that the Circle ships left the system? Are they still lurking out there, waiting for an opportunity to attack us again?«

  »They’re still around. The four battle ships are hiding inside the Oort Cloud. The generals are probably discussing a new strategy.«

  Nok paled.

  »You knew that the Circle ships are still out there, and you didn’t say anything?« she responded angrily.

  »Don’t expect me to explain to you what you’ve caused! The Cuckoo-Gene will spread fast among them. Although, they didn’t die from the gene, they cannot return to their home-planets. They would infect their planets. You possess the key to activate the gene. This makes … you … the master over their future. Can you live with the consequences? Do you really expect that the generals are retreating, knowing what’s at stake for them and their people?«

  Nok looked at the Techno-Cleric. She slowly nodded, understanding what he had implied.

  »They fear for their people’s demise will lead them to attack again,« Nok acknowledged. »They’ve got nothing to lose!«

  »The Cuckoo-Gene drove the generals and their crews into isolation. They can’t return to their home-worlds. Perhaps, you’ve even strengthened their will to stick closer together and bury their hatchets.«

  Nok’s hands trembled. She had to sit down.

  »When they return, they’ll show no mercy,« she concluded.

  40028 hovered over to her.

  »Your thoughts have no logical conclusion,« he rebuked her mildly. »Why would they destroy everything in their path? They would destroy the knowledge how the gene was implanted. They would then not be able to disarm this time-bomb.«

  This is our trump. Perhaps negotiations are now possible. I need to talk to Friedberg. Maybe it’s not too late yet.

  Atilla Scott

  The Ocean was my life, the water and the creatures my element. When the time came to make a decision to either live on the continents, on the moon, on Mars or to relocate to an underwater city, I didn’t think long. Shortly after I had voiced my plans to resettle, I received several lucrative offers from underwater cities. I picked Atlantic City, a large underwater metropolis near the Azores. As many other continental dwellers, I had to go through the adaptation phases, which made me become a Merinian after only six months. The government subsidized the underwater settling projects. Doctors like me were especially wanted. I opened my own office and wished that I had done it much earlier. On my occasional visits to the surface world, I was recognized as a Merinian. My skin had turned into the typically bluish complexion, associated with all Merinians, due to the preferred diet of algae extracts. It didn’t take long before I was subjected to the stereo-typical rumors, existing among surface dwellers. Some of them, I had applied myself when I was still living among them. They sounded like: Do Merinians have gills? Can they swim in the ocean without breathing? Do they possess scales or is there skin growing between their fingers and toes?

  While other Merinian friends reacted angrily to these stereo-types, I began to examine these rumors and tried to find a way to make them fact, at least one or two of them.

  Maybe my profession as a medical doctor, enabled me to know much more about the Human metabolism, maybe it was also my love for the ocean that convinced me to start self-trials. I was convinced that I could stun the mocking people on the surface at one point in time and answer there stupid questions with something like: Yes, I can live under water without breathing!

  I focused my research on the most important Human organ – the skin.

  I was obsessed by the idea that a Human being could adequately absorb oxygen through the skin to live under water. I imagined absolute freedom! Of course, fantasies about fame and fortune also played a role. I realized after a while that medication alone would not yield what I was after. I had partial success, but I didn’t achieve my objective to create a self-sufficient Merinian. I was venturing on a thorny path, into a realm, which was not well covered by mainstream genetics. Certainly, there were scientists who’s fields of work were closely related or primarily connected to genetics, but there were only a few of them world wide. Consulting them was out of the question for me. I needed to do it myself!

  By means of certain enzymes, I was able to change the structure of my skin. It now functioned like a membrane. It became more oxygen-absorbent and smoother – it felt younger and more elastic!

  My first successful self-trial caused a tremor within the scientific world. I was underwater in the ocean for more than one hour without a breathing apparatus before I had to return to my habitat. Follow-up examinations revealed that my inner organs and my brain had received adequate supply of oxygen during my ocean excursion.

  This event, massively exploited by the media, polarized the communities. Some people called my ethics into question and tried to push my research into the realm of warlocks and witches. I was called a blasphemist by leaders of main world-religions who flatly rejected my research. It went so far that even fellow Merinian doctors and friends shunned me.

  It didn’t bother me much. I forged ahead and implanted flaps of skin between my fingers and toes to gain better acceleration under water. The result was that even more Merinians turned their back on me.

  I was labeled as the crazy doctor and Monster of Atlantic City as people became aware that I was a Hybrid. As of this time, I no longer hid the true color of my eyes, ignored the critique of others and their hatred and lived a private live. After a while nobody visited me anymore in my doctor’s office. This was a major low-point in my life, despite what I had achieved to become a self-sufficient Merinian. People rejected me.

  I was doubting my self-worth and played with the thoughts of suicide, just swim out into the ocean and never come back, die exhausted, become fodder for the sharks. These were troubled times, I felt let down. Then suddenly somebody from the surface reached out to me. He came all the way to visit me in Atlantic City! His name was Nexus Tor – a Hybrid like me! Although, we were very different, I looked up to him like a brother. He was fascinated by my skills and abilities and asked me to accompany him on a special mission.

  I left Atlantic City and became a member of the HOT. I never regretted this move and can now serve the Solar Union with my special gifts and abilities.

  My name is Atilla Scott, HOT-Mission-Specialist and the Tactic Master’s Guardian Angel!

  No IFF

  A target echo of an unknown ship suddenly appeared on the long-range radar display. The scanner operator on board the Blue Moon temporarily declared the ship hostile as there was no positive IFF response from the object. The ship had come out of Neptune’s radar dead zone and flew across the planet’s North Pole. Moments later, the scanner section’s neuronal computer, also called ADP (Automatic Data Processor) by the crew, identified the ship as a Pulsar-Class cruiser and produced a Sector Threat symbol above the target video.

  »How’s that possible?« Petrow shouted, squinting at the target echo. »Why did the satellites not alert us? We should’ve detected this ship hours ago!«

  »Commander!« the scanner officer addressed Petrow. »Course maneuvers and quick vector changes would suggest that the ship utilizes momentum dampers!«

  Petrow knit his eyebrows.

  »That means that the ship must be on an important mission. We don’t have too many dampers in the fleet. Not every Tom, Dick and Harry can obtain those devices. Leave orbit and fly toward the ship!« he commanded. »They’re a bit too cocky for my taste. They probably forget that we’re still under System Alert conditions. What are their objectives and why won’t they send their ID? Let’s move!«

  »We’ll leave Triton’s gravity field in thirty seconds!« Natasha Kushenko, the navigation officer announced.

  »Union cruiser Blue Moon to unknown Pulsar-Class cruiser … switch on your IFF! If we don’t see a response within thirty seconds, we’ll open fire!« Petrow addressed t
he unknown ship sternly. He was certain that the other ship had received his call.

  »Maybe their IFF-transponder isn’t working,« Kushenko speculated.

  »Their comm too?« Petrow replied sarcastically and signaled Anatoli Nemov to come over.

  »Moi Drug?« he asked him in Russian. »What do you think? How did they do that?«

  »You mean, how they tricked out our early warning system?«

  Nemov chuckled.

  Petrow kept his eyes on the screen.

  Nemov pondered, rubbing his chin.

  »Well … it really is a Pulsar-Cruiser,« he remarked. »Our ADP confirmed it. The hull, mass and energy signatures fit. If this is a Union ship then they also only cook with water. They tricked our satellites. They may have a new method to manipulate the satellites. They probably want to test us.«

  »Where is this technology supposed to come from, Anatoli? We have the best scanning and early warning equipment in this sector. If there would be new stuff, especially disguise technology, we would have it!«

  Nemov grinned into Petrow’s face as he said, »Do you really believe that these SISA and SEA secrecy guardians will let us know? What do we know what they’re currently concocting in their secret labs.«

  »Approaching Pulsar-Cruiser has not replied to our hails!« the comm-operator announced.

  »They’re heading right for Triton!«

  »I can see that, guys!« Petrow snipped. »Charge lasers! Lock on target!«

  Nemov frowned.

  »Do you really want to shoot at a Union ship?«

  »If they don’t identify themselves, I have no other choice. The ship may have been taken over by Moxantans … thought about that already? This could be a flying bomb!«

  Nemov paled, he just realized his lapsus.

  »We’ve seen so much stuff in recent months, we thought didn’t exist: tachyon portals, Globuster Matrix, a handful of extra-terrestrials … hmm, maybe you’re right,« Nemov admitted.