»Sacrificial-Suns,« Paafnas whispered nervously. »Heralds of the chaos!«
»The appearance of the alien star cluster had caused local shock waves which disturbed the hydrostatic balance of some stars. More than twenty novae and supernovae have been observed. Two solar systems were affected directly,« Nautilus added to the discussion. »A Krolakan reconnaissance fleet observed that some Sacrificial-Suns were also affected. It seems that the invaders are accepting collateral damages. The parasite galaxy will also suffer certain consequences and pay a great toll. The Great Tremor is not only occurring on this side of the dimensional divide. It’s a result of an interaction between both galaxies.«
»This seems to be the last test,« Pi threw in. »The aggressors are probably fine-tuning the entrance portal. These small star clusters are being sacrificed on purpose.«
»Why would they do that?« Maya asked. »If our information is correct then this is not the first time this happened. They must have gathered some experience in the meantime.«
Temple Master of the Cysans
»You’re probably talking about the two dimensional tunnels and the Kokradian galaxy? This remote star nebular is, however, not like the Milky Way. Those perforations, which occurred at that time, were governed by different laws of physics,« the Temple Master explained. »There’re several differences that need to be considered when viewed from the invader’s perspectives in regards to the equalization. Provided that the materialization is a controlled process then it is a highly complex undertaking. Slight deviations could possibly cause failure.«
»The different amounts of sun masses as well as the dwarf galaxies which are in the Milky Way neighborhood also need to be part of the equation, not to talk about the different gravitational fields,« Kuster~Laap threw in excitedly. »The transfer is not just a path through different dimensions, the equalization of the time lines also needs to be achieved. If the parasite galaxy is to fully manifest itself inside our standard universe then the conditions need to be the same.«
»In other words: there’s something like a precise game plan?« Maya asked.
»I’m certain,« Kuster~Laap acknowledged. »Nood and Naad see it the same way.«
»Let’s explain it in easier terms,« Pi tried a different approach. »The parasite galaxy is like a bullet train that races toward a railway station. In order for the train to stop at the platform, it needs to implement the braking sequence at the right time otherwise the train will overshoot the station …«
»… and the passengers cannot get off the train at the station,« Arkroid finished Pi’s sentence with a grin.
»I don’t understand,« Paafnas said and licked over his eyeballs.
»Must be something only Humans understand,« Herimos growled.
»Okay, let me try this: if the astrophysical standard of our Milky Way is slightly modified at the sector of penetration, moments before the Great Tremor, then the parasite galaxy will pass us … whoosh?« Maya explained herself.
»Humans probably have difficulties understanding the interactions between the dimensions within our multidimensional universe,« Kuster~Laap said, »but when they …«
»Roight,« Pi mocked with an Australian accent, »I really have problems with that!«
»I got it,« Herimos growled. »It’s not that difficult, really. If the parasite galaxy misses our standard continuum then it moves toward a lower energy level. Something that can’t be reversed that easily. The invaders may need another million years to correct the drift. Maybe they can’t compensate for it at all and the parasite galaxy vanished into the dimensional abyss, for lack of a better term.«
»If it tumbles all the way to Hell, then so be it. That’s where it belongs!« Paafnas remarked.
Herimos growled in agreement.
Vasina opened a pocket and took out a bag. The glow of the Jamal-Combs penetrated the bag and was strong enough to almost blind Toiber. He needed to close his sensitive eyes as soon as Vasina removed the combs. Toiber shielded his eyes with his hands. Immediately, the team members were mesmerized by the combs’ glow and presence.
»They’re glowing stronger than ever before,« Vasina whispered. »Maybe they’re reacting to the Cysans, their mental energy around us.«
»These keys are unbelievably beautiful,« the Temple Master said in awe. He looked at the cold glow. The thirty centimeter in diameter iris of his only eye showed the reflection of the light in the colors of the rainbow. »I see the history of our galaxy before my eye. The past and the future are amalgamating to form our destination. The combs are talking to me; they tell me things about our future. They’re revealing our fate. Don’t you hear it?«
Arkroid squinted into the glow and listened.
If the combs are transmitting a mental message, then it must be for the Cysans only, he concluded, because he didn’t hear anything.
»We’ll start in thirty minutes,« he commanded. »Let’s get the last key and end this game!«
Alarm for all outer sectors
Sirens! Space Alert! Again!
Nok Daralamai jumped from her seat, tightened her kimono belt and quickly arranged her long hair with two sticks. She didn’t bother changing into her uniform – a quick glance in the mirror.
I look like a geisha. Why is there always an alarm during my resting period?
She opened the heavy door to her suite and saw Nuri Jawa in the corridor, waiting for her.
Nuri looked at her and said, »You look great in that outfit.«
»How do you always manage to be that quick?« Nok commented, noticing Nuri’s spotless, tight-fitting uniform. »You’ll need to tell me someday.«
Nok signaled the guards in front of her door and swiftly walked toward the express elevator.
»I sleep in my uniform,« Nuri replied with a shrug.
»Code: Alpha-Three-Theta,« Nuri said as she entered the elevator cabin together with Nuri. The code word instructed the cabin to stop inside the command central without interruption or stopping for other passengers.
Moments later, the cabin stopped and the two women advanced into the command central. Nok looked around to obtain a first impression of the crew’s activities.
At first, her presence wasn’t noticed as she entered the room, then the OIC turned around and saw her. Before he saluted, he yelled into the room, »Commander on the Bridge!«
Seconds later, the commotion calmed down.
Commander on the bridge! Nok chuckled inwardly. This is not the bridge. Old habits die hard.
Captain Henderson, the OIC, had just recently been transferred from the cruiser Wyoming to Triton Base. He still adhered to age-old Navy traditions as still practiced on board Union Fleet cruisers.
The OIC hadn’t had the time for a complete report yet. Nok took a deep breath and looked at the red symbols on the tactical displays as she calmly said, »What’s going on here?«
The OIC was perspiring heavily and seemed disoriented.
He came over to Nok and Nuri while the section chief quickly arranged some document foils and handed them over to one of the watch officers and said, »We observed several phenomena which startled us. We detected data fluctuations of Bachtar. The planetoid’s gravitational data are all over the place. That can’t be natural. As a matter of fact, that’s dangerous to the Neptune System, considering that Bachtar is the place holder for Despina. «
»What else?« she replied.
»The solar defense shield and the Globuster Matrix! We’re detecting elevated photometric data. The scientists suspect that the shield is changing its structure. This occurred at the same time we noticed the changes on Bachtar.«
Nok squinted.
»What’s the Techno-Cleric saying about that?« she inquired.
»Nothing so far,« Henderson replied nervously.
Nok pointed at the tactical display.
»Why did the Dragon leave her orbit? I didn’t release the HOT yet. Who ordered that?«
»Nexus Tor, Ma’am. He mentioned his special status. He sa
id that you would understand after listening to my third report. «
»I’m waiting, Captain,« she demanded.
Henderson quickly glanced at the holo foil in his hand.
»The outer satellite surveillance system issued the alarm. According to the data received, more than ten thousand unknown objects have left tachyon space outside the defense shield. Every minute, more objects are arriving. «
Nok looked startled, her eyelids began twitching.
She cleared her throat and said, »Has that been confirmed yet by other sources?«
»Yes, Ma’am. Several outer sector long-range scanner posts reported it. The Kuiper-Belt listening post Makemake sent pictures. We’re dealing with a large amount of spaceships, a large fleet.«
Nok rubbed the tip of her nose then she said calmly, »I need a tachyon comm-connection with Admiral Friedberg. Alarm for all outer sectors!«
There are no ghosts
Ramir was inside India’s large media center. The big building was ancient and had been kept to its original design, built for eternity. The foundation was made of basalt-like blocks. The rooms inside the center were enormous, housing a huge library, renowned all over the galaxy. The well-lit central reading room was flanked by old warrior statues of the Progonaut past. It seemed as if these grim-looking statues were guarding this place while students were brooding over their reading materials.
Five, huge, fine-cut diamonds were installed in the marble-like ceiling, each stone representing one of the Progonaut tribes. Each of them measured about one meter in diameter. These diamonds had been formed inside a high pressure atmosphere of a gas planet. It must have been difficult to harvest these marvels.
Late afternoons, when the sunlight entered the room through the bowed windows at a specific angle, the diamonds would refract the light in the spectrum of the rainbow.
Although, more than fifty chots were inside the room, it was quiet almost like inside a temple. The students were disciplined and concentrated on their work. Some of them were multitasking several subjects at the same time.
A small display lit up beside Ramir’s main terminal showing Skinna’s face. She put her finger on her lips and superimposed a text message. I don’t want to disturb you, but when are you coming home?
Ramir smiled, briefly looked over his shoulder and activated his mental scanner on his left temple. She could now read what he was thinking.
I’m researching our past. Did you know that there are no records of our Progonaut origin? Who were the Old-Progonauts who settled on the five main planets? Where did they come from?
Skinna puckered and replied via the same method, Aren’t you suppose to study spaceship design and faster-than-light propulsion systems? You better get back to it or you’ll fail your exams. You’re not a historian or archeologist.
Ramir frowned.
Why do you think like that? I told you that I’m ready for the exams. There’re questions that are more important to me right now, he thought.
Questions again, she scolded him.
Ramir moved the display by a touch so that the student beside him couldn’t read what he was texting.
Yes, I have a lot of questions. Why hasn’t the ruler of India not been seen in public in recent years? Why are there only a few old Progonauts? They disappear at a certain age before they become wise. Where are they? Do you know any of the students who did not pass the exams of the mentors and are still living in Kalmot?
Skinna pondered for a moment.
I don’t know what’s going on with the ruler; he doesn’t need to justify his actions. He has a lot of work to do. The old and experienced citizens are where they are needed most – where you want to be – in space in the colonies of our people. I don’t know any former student who still lives in Kalmot, but I know why.
Ramir looked surprised.
Really? Tell me the reason.
Because all of them passed the exams. It’s that easy, she replied quickly. I hope you honor our family name.
I’ll call you when I’m done here, Ramir ended the conversation abruptly. He was a bit angry about her lack of support, but didn’t really blame her either. She only wants what’s best for me. Her expectations also reflect into the future.
Ramir concentrated on his task and entered a new query into the terminal: I want to know the destination of the Khalimar.
It just took seconds for the library main frame to answer: No data available.
Ramir frowned.
The data bank is updated continually. I saw the ship take off!
He tried it again: I want the ship’s data and crew logs.
No data available.
Now, he changed his approach to an easier query: I need to know the name of the ship yard and the name of the chief designer of the Khalimar.
No data available.
»Is there a problem?« a voice whispered behind him.
One of the mentors, here in the library? Ramir thought electrified.
Startled, he answered, »My Lord, I was asking for some data, but have no access. I suspect a system error.«
Ramir didn’t dare to turn around. He felt a cold breath at his neck. The mentor was standing right behind him.
»There has not been a system error for over five hundred thousand years, my young Chot. If you can’t get the right answer then you probably applied the wrong method.«
Ramir straightened in his seat. He felt stupid. To sit there awestruck because a mentor was talking to him would only make him look awkward in the eyes of the other students. He decided to look the mentor in the face, but there was nobody as he turned around.
Even stranger was that none of the other students paid attention to him, they were brooding over their instructions.
I heard that voice and felt his breath! he thought angrily.
Quickly, he took his data tablet and got up and went to the exit.
The library suddenly seemed very strange and eerie. The Progonaut warrior statues no longer seemed to want to tell their history, rather they looked like they were ready to grab him. They didn’t look like guardians anymore but like monstrous demons who wanted to tear his heart out.
Ramir took a deep breath as he stepped outside. Slowly and pondering he walked down the hundred steps toward the Place of Knowledge. Everywhere, he saw students, sitting on the steps, exchanging opinions. Ramir never did this. He was different; he had always been a loner.
He arrived at the bottom of the stairs where couples were strolling across the Place of Knowledge. Some people were sitting at the large fountain and dipped their feet into the water.
Suddenly, he stopped and held his breath. Among the students and other visitors, a tall and strong humanoid was standing. The stranger had a Progonaut stature but was certainly not born on this planet. The stranger, Ramir categorized him as a male due to his strong built, looked at him. It seemed as if the stranger had picked him out of the crowd.
Ramir felt cold and wiped over his eyes. The situation was weird. He blinked and suddenly the man was gone.
I’m overworked, I hear voices and see ghosts in broad daylight, he thought while trying to find the stranger amongst the people. There are no ghosts! I may be tired, but I’m not a fool and have a sound mind.
He couldn’t find the stranger; he must have disappeared between all those people.
Ramir realized something else: There were no extraindian people on the planet … not for a long time. Why is that? he thought confused and hurried home. He wanted to talk to Skinna about his discovery and find out what she was thinking.
The countdown has started
»Admiral,« Nok addressed Friedberg calmly, hiding her emotions. She had gone back to her cabin to establish a private comm-link to Earth. »The alien fleet is flying into the Kuiper Belt and approaches Neptune. The ships are gathering just before the solar defense shield and then continue with sub-light speed into our sector. It seems that Neptune is their destination. We don’t know who they are and what they want.«
»We’re not prepared for such a massive invasion,« Nok continued. »We can’t throw anything at them, in case that fleet has hostile intensions. I hope that this is not a large Circle Fleet. The Dragon has left the Triton orbit without my orders and is approaching the alien fleet. Nexus Tor must have lost his mind!«
»Nexus Tor knows what he’s doing,« Friedberg replied, nodding at her. »You should trust his actions. He has very capable people on board his ship. The Dragon is probably trying to find out what’s going on. You can count on Nexus Tor. I trust him. Remain calm. I’m fully aware how critical the situation looks. You and your people are at the forefront. Make an assessment and act in the best interest of the Solar Union and Humanity. We cannot afford to make mistakes.«
»It’s not my intension to send the Triton Hawks or the Blue Moon into a battle they can’t win. It would be senseless to begin a conflict out here, but we have to make sure that the alien fleet knows who the boss in this solar system is. I want to be prepared when these twenty thousand ships arrive in the Neptune System.«
»What’s the Techno-Clerics’ position? Would they defend Triton? They did it before,« Friedberg inquired.
Nok seemed uncertain.
»We’ve detected strange fluctuations in Bachtar’s gravity field. Maybe, the Techno-Clerics are preparing to transfer their world. I don’t believe that they would help us. Combat is not part of their nature.«
»What’s causing the fluctuations in the solar defense shield?« Friedberg asked.
»We can’t explain it,« Nok admitted. »Our scientists still don’t understand the energy structure of the Globuster Matrix. One thing is clear, however, that the field’s consistency has changed. It seems to be denser, according to the Trox who are assisting our scientists as best they can.«
»Maybe all of these phenomena are connected. My advisors think that the Great Tremor is going to occur very soon. Since Toiber Arkroid and his team haven’t returned yet, we need to assume the worst.
NEBULAR Collection 6 - The Great Tremor: Episodes 27 - 30 Page 21
