»… which the other Circle people accepted,« Uma Boos acknowledged friendly. To Touns she said, »You hold the oldest claims to this solar system and its secrets, including the Dimensional Shield. We’ve analyzed your mentality and understand you better now.«
»Yes, much better,« the Quadranans quickly added, speaking with a mutual voice.
Touns laughed out loud and looked at Berga.
»If we really landed on Triton and you really want to demonstrate good will, then let us contact our base!« Berga demanded. »Let us go and we will tell our commander that you treated us well.«
»This would probably help the mutual understanding,« General Exterminator snarled.
»I’m certain that your … female … commander will see it this way,« Uma Boos whispered with a smile while pointing behind the two men. At this moment the airlock doors opened.
»Old, abandoned sectors exist behind the airlock. You can still use the tunnel that lead to your base,« Uma Boos explained or was it a Frigonan, using Uma’s voice box.
Berga looked through the airlock doors and saw familiar surroundings.
»The old tube system! This is Triton!«
»Are you sure?« Touns asked nervously.
»Go! We won’t hold you back,« General Mindbreaker invited them to leave the ship.
Touns hesitated for a moment then took Berga by the arm and pulled him along.
They walked through a transparent barrier field, passed the airlock and were outside. They looked around. The ship was stuck in the rock, drilled deep into the former tube station.
»This is insane!« Berga shouted. »It’s several hundred kilometers to the base. Our suits are damaged and don’t function anymore. We need days to reach the base on foot. We’ll be dead before we even get close!«
Touns cautiously turned around toward the Circle ship. The airlock was closed again. They were on their own.
»I can’t believe this! Something doesn’t add up, don’t you see that?« Touns raged.
»Maybe they really want to negotiate and are sending us as mediators,« Berga assumed, but Touns just shook his head.
»I don’t trust these bastards. They may’ve changed their strategy, but not their mentalities and attitudes. We need to be careful so we can get out of this situation alive. There’s something else which bothers me.«
»What would that be?«
Touns frowned.
»Our suits are not working. Although, there’s atmospheric pressure in the tube system, the temperature must be below zero Degrees Centigrade. It’s like inside the ship … but … I can’t feel the cold!«
Berga looked very surprised. They both were no longer susceptible to the cold!
»Heavens … what’s going on?«
Nothing has changed
Team Bravo had made preparations for the Tactic-Master’s arrival. An emergency access shaft had been cleared from debris for the team to access the tube system.
Nexus Tor pointed to the North where a huge crater wall served as an orientation aid.
»The former SETI antenna array was located almost exactly at the Northpole, right behind this crater wall,« he explained. »The installation was destroyed during the Globuster invasion. Parts of the underground installation are still intact, however.«
Art Ultimus followed Tor’s stretched-out arm and looked at the terrain before him. He saw nothing else than small and large rocks as well as smaller craters. The Frigonan ship had landed behind the horizon.
While Eagle relied on his eyes, Hassan Khalil used his senses. He was able to see things without actually looking at a distinctive direction. He concentrated while energies were flowing into his mind, enhancing his abilities. He found the ship, stuck in the surface rock. He felt the heat coming from the propulsion system as well as energy emissions from machines. He was even able to detect rudimentary energy from the circular shockwave, caused during the ship’s impact. He saw small glowing dots moving around inside the ship. The steel-like hull was for him like a transparent envelope.
He breathed faster as he detected a very high and potent energy source. The energy was contained, only marginal quant amounts escaped. He twitched as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Nexus Tor looked at him.
»What is it? What do you see,« he asked Khalil.
Hassan needed a couple of seconds before he responded, pointing to the North, »Something doesn’t fit! The Circle ship has something on board. I can’t identify it, but it seems dangerous!«
»Can you detect the ship and the object?« Whisper asked astounded.
»I can see the bio-electric fields of everyone on board the ship. I sense the energy flows through their field conductors without problems. They brought something. We need to warn the base,« Hassan replied calmly.
»Is it a weapon?« Tor inquired. »Maybe a planetary bomb?«
»No idea, but it’s certainly not a peace offering!«
Nexus Tor nodded and signaled the Guardian Angels. The specialists entered Hassan’s information into the mobile neuronal computers inside their backpacks. The highly efficient computers converted the information and transmitted the data in form of 3D patterns to Batu’s tablet. Seconds later, the Tactic-Master reacted.
Batu began to moan and gestured with his arms while the bi-directional interface transferred his interpretations to the computers.
»Change of plans!« Atilla Scott a.k.a. Shark announced aloud. »Batu changed priorities! Examine the unknown object! Instead of occupying the tunnel system and wait for the enemy, he wants us to use the tunnels and advance toward the ship!«
Nexus Tor reacted immediately. He ordered two teams to stay put and waved the Team Bravo leader to him.
»We use the tunnel!« he commanded.
Khalil was impressed how fast Tor adjusted to the new situation.
»Uh … what was that again? I mean, the part where you compared your actions with a game of Chess?« Hassan wondered.
»Nothing has changed with our general mission parameters, we’re just positioning our pawns and rooks differently,« Tor chuckled.
We don’t breathe
»Do you know the tunnel system?« Touns asked.
»I rode this express-line to the former IRS a couple of times,« Berga replied. »Are you trying to make useless conversation to pass the time?«
Touns shook his head, grinning.
»Not at all, I’m just try to get my bearing.«
Berga shrugged.
»There’re two tunnels or tubes used for the traffic between the base and the IRS. Down here we can find energy couplers for the magnetic super conductors, maintenance shafts, emergency airlocks and anything else you can think of. We’re lucky that the illumination system still works.«
»Hmm … that means that we should be able to find emergency communication too?«
Berga raised his index finger.
»I bet, we will find some of them since at Triton Base safety and security is number one!«
»Well, then why don’t we look for one,« Touns encouraged Berga and walked faster. »Maybe we can alert the base.«
»Lucky, also, that the air pressure inside the tube remained intact. Isn’t that strange? What do you think? The Circle ship crashed into the tunnel, like drilling into a pipe. The pressure should have been lost!«
Berga calmed Touns’ concerns, »The ship probably sealed the tunnel as it crashed into it, you know? Like a needle that’s pushed into a vein.«
Touns pondered for a moment, and then shook his head.
»We’re walking through a partially destroyed sector which cannot be compared to a vein. Either the Circle unit caused the air pressure to remain stable or they prevented the still remaining pressure from leaking into space.«
Touns wiped with his blistery hand over his forehead. He couldn’t feel his own temperature!
»Something isn’t right. Do you really think that the Globusters left the tunnel system alone while completely destroying the IRS? They busted bunker sections, installed
much deeper inside the crust … but left the tube intact?«
»What are you trying to say, Touns?« Berga asked nervously while looking for an emergency terminal. »Obviously it didn’t happen that way. We’re still alive, that’s proof enough!«
Berga stopped for a moment.
»It’s our lucky day! Over there’s a terminal!«
Both men looked at each other relieved and ran toward the terminal.
»Think before you talk to the base,« Touns warned. »They may not know that a Circle ship landed.«
Berga cleared some dust and dirt from the terminal while Touns watched how the dust particles fell to the ground, almost as fast as they were cleaned off.
»Huh … a Circle ship crash lands on Triton and nobody noticed it? Are you kidding me? They have more scanners in this sector and on this moon than anywhere else,« Berga replied sarcastically.
Touns frowned.
»Did you see that?«
»What?«
»Why does the dirt fall to the ground that fast?« Touns inquired a bit louder than usual.
»It always does that, don’t it?« Berga laughed.
The terminal ready indicator glowed.
»Dust, Berga … dust, damnit!«
Berga ignored him and activated the terminal. He spoke into an ancient looking microphone.
»Hello Base! Two spacefarers in distress! We’re in need of urgent help. A Circle ship landed at the Northpole. We were shot down while patrolling the sector with our Hawk. We were brought back to Triton on board the alien ship. Can you hear us? We need help!«
Berga listened but there was no reply.
»Is the terminal defect?« Touns asked. He had crouched down and let the dust and sand run through his fingers, like a farmer testing the soil.
»The terminal shows a ready state, they must hear us!«
Berga repeated his message. He looked at the terminal.
»This comm-terminal is connected to the base neuronal computer. They must’ve heard us!« He was convinced.
»Forget it! They can’t hear us!«
Berga quickly turned around and stared at Touns.
»I’m getting pissed off the way you’re acting, Touns!« he hissed.
»They can’t hear us, because you didn’t say a word!« Touns revealed. »We can’t hear anything because there’s no medium which would carry the sound! This terminal possesses an interface for people in spacesuits!«
Berga paled and looked at Touns with surprised eyes. He looked at Touns’ lips but his lips where tight!
Exactly, Berga! he heard the words but didn’t see Touns’ lips moving. The dirty terminal gave me the idea. If we had an atmosphere then the dust would’ve settled much slower. We were talking to each other, moving our lips as usual … but there was no actual sound. No word left our lips!
That’s absurd! How can I hear you then, right now? Are you making jokes again?
Touns touched his right temple with his index finger.
Something is happening in our heads! I wish it were a bad joke, believe me.
Berga looked around.
If there’s no pressure … uh … I mean … if these are space conditions … and we can’t breathe …
Berga placed his hand on his chest. It didn’t move!
Heavens, you’re right. I’m not breathing!
We’re not breathing and we can’t feel the ice-cold space environment. I have only one explanation, Touns said without lip movement.
What? Tell me!
We’re already dead!
It’s becoming serious
The Tunnel was running straight without curves. Its end wasn’t visible. After about one kilometer, the continuation of the tunnel vanished in the distance under the diffuse light conditions. The tubes had a circular diameter and were constructed of concrete, installed side-by-side. The abandoned transportation tunnels felt eerie and cold. Four high-speed trains had traveled along the tubes before the Globusters destroyed the main terminal at the antenna array.
The HOT had requisitioned two former service gliders which had served for maintenance purposes. While Team Bravo loaded the gliders, Hassan Khalil looked around.
»There’s no atmosphere inside the tubes and it’s bloody cold down here.«
»The temperature is, nevertheless, far above absolute zero. The all-surrounding rock is much warmer than on the surface. There never was an atmosphere inside the tubes,« Nexus Tor explained. »They employed super-conducting coils, which were able to create extremely strong magnetic fields. The trains were propelled by means of magnetic cushions. Air would’ve slowed down the cabs. It would’ve been a waste of oxygen.«
»Regardless, you’re expecting the Circle people to advance via this tunnel system?« Khalil questioned.
»See it this way, Mr. Khalil, if they can manipulate the Earth’s magnetic field then they very likely have the technology to produce spacesuits … right?« Eagle threw in with a shrug.
»The tubes are a direct connection to the base! Why haste across the moon’s surface, risking detection?« Chica added.
»The base-commander should’ve demolished the tubes,« Nino Coviello cursed. »I don’t like it here!«
»Why, are you claustrophobic? I can’t believe it!« Chica laughed out loud while rearranging the computer pack on her back. The equipment was heavy, but the weight didn’t seem to bother her. »Uh, no, nobody in the team has these deficiencies or Tor would’ve never selected you, right?«
»Correct!« Nexus Tor acknowledged and distributed the team members amongst the gliders.
Hassan gave Batu a strange look.
»Why did Batu insist for me to take part in this mission?« he asked Tor.
Tor smiled behind his visor.
»If I knew all his thoughts then many of my questions would’ve already been answered.«
Tor chuckled for a moment.
»He knows your abilities and thinks that your presence is important,« Uta Neheb replied. »You’ve made a discovery which already impacted our mission.«
»Well … true, and exactly that scares me,« Hassan answered hesitantly, glancing at Batu. »I see more than ordinary people, but I can’t see what’s going on in the head of this young man. This … this strange energy source inside the Circle ship … I think I know the signature. This strange matrix reminds me of something, I’ve encountered before.«
»You possess super powers and can’t remember?« Shark asked not meaning to be sarcastic.
The color patterns on Batu’s display changed again. He stared at the patterns with wide open eyes and moaned mutedly.
»He’s excited,« Uta whispered worried and signaled calming codes into Batu’s hand.
»He suggests that we get going!« Tor reminded the team. »We’re supposed to advance on that ship, but not closer than one kilometer.«
Both gliders drove off and swooshed through the tunnel.
It was becoming serious!
Uta Neheb
My name is Uta Neheb, HOT comm-specialist. My roots are in Africa, the continent which is considered the cradle of Humanity. My place of birth is Oyo in the Congo province, now belonging, as all the other former African nations, to the Union Canton Africa.
My expertise is communication. They say that I’m a language genius, but that’s not true. I won’t be called upon if an interpreter is needed for a conference. We have neuronal computers for that, which translate the different terrestrial dialects in real time. I’m called when there are seemingly unbridgeable communication problems which need new means to be overcome. It doesn’t matter to me if I need to solve interface problems between artificial intelligences, computers and Humans or if we need to break grounds and lay the foundations to communicate with alien cultures.
So far, the greatest challenge of my life was Balkhanchi Batu-iin Obugtan, a boy from Erdene Zuu, a Mongolian monastery. The monks had protected the boy for many years. His unknown mother had dropped him off at the monastery when Batu was eight. She had given up and could no
longer care for him. The monks took him in and considered him special. In their eyes, he was a monk who applied extra-ordinary discipline, who always meditated, who never seemed to give up. Batu didn’t talk, Batu didn’t laugh. His glances where always veiled and he seemed far away. If the Monks hadn’t cared for him, Batu would’ve starved to death.
One day the monks made a strange discovery. As part of a meditation exercise, Batu raked a field of small rocks and pebbles. Suddenly, he stopped and stared at the raking patterns as his face displayed emotions for the first time in his life.
This was an indicator to the monks that Batu had achieved a state of exceptional spiritual depth. Soon, he was well-regarded by everyone. People streamed to the monastery to rake the pebble bed while the monks interpreted Batu’s emotions, making predictions and forecasts which were affecting the seekers’ lives. The monastery became rich! People brought presents and expected to find answers.
A Chinese medical doctor, who arrived at the monastery, more or less by accident, recognized Batu’s condition and diagnosed him with Asperger-Syndrome. Regardless of Batu’s cult status, he attested the young man to be handicapped while being highly gifted. Batu was autistic!
To enter Batu’s world, a communication specialist was needed who was able to understand him. I flew to Erdene Zuu and spent month after month with him, much to the anger of the monks, who considered my presence as a spiritual disturbance. It was, however, not very difficult for me, to convince the monks that Batu needed someone who could communicate with him inside his secluded world.
A couple of months later, Nexus Tor became aware of Batu, whose reactions to colors and patterns riddled the scientists. While they tried to decode his autistic gift, I was busy developing a language with which I could reach him. The question was: how do you communicate with someone who never learned a language, whose brain doesn’t understand the meaning of words and who’s living in his own world. I wanted to understand what was going on in his head, how he ticked, what bothered him and how he expressed himself. I had to find a way to break through this autistic barrier.
NEBULAR Collection 6 - The Great Tremor: Episodes 27 - 30 Page 6
