ALIEN REALMS
LORD TEDRIC
E. E. ‘Doc’ Smith
Contents:-
CHAPTER 1 - Skandos and Tedric
CHAPTER 2 - The Commander of the Corps
CHAPTER 3 -Renegade Robot
Chapter 4 -Tavera
Chapter 5 - Among the Dynarx
Chapter 6 - Pal Galmain
Chapter 7 - Into the Bioman Sphere
Chapter 8 - Skirmish and Capture
Chapter 9 - A New Threat
Chapter 10 - Lady Alyc
Chapter 11 - The Trial
Chapter 12 - Sarpedion
CHAPTER 13 - Out of the Void
Chapter 14 - Judgment
Chapter 15 - The Adversary
Chapter 16 - Duel to the Death
Chapter 17 -
Tedric and Skandos
CHAPTER I
Skandos and Tedric
He wasn’t really here. Thousands of parsecs away, his body lay asleep in the warmth of a bed in a house on the planet known as Earth.
But he wasn’t in that body now.
He seemed to have a definite form - arms, legs, torso, skull - but he knew it was only a comforting illusion.
He floated in the thin air above the snowcapped peak of a mountain so tall that the clouds spread out below resembled distant, flickering memories.
He knew where he was: the planet Prime at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. The world where the Scientists dwelled.
The temperature of the air was surely far below the level necessary to freeze a man to death, but although he was a man, he was not cold. Only the body can freeze - not the spirit, not the soul, not a comforting illusion.
He looked beneath him at the second figure present on the mountaintop. ‘Greetings, Skandos,’ he said. (Although in actuality he said nothing: this was speech without sound or true words.)
‘Greetings, Lord Tedric,’ said the second figure, a frail, hunched man dressed in loose, flowing green robes. The exact reality of this man was difficult to determine. Although he did not appear to be affected by the cold, his feet penetrated the blanket of snow to ankle depth.
This second man was Skandos, the histro-physicist; he was many thousands of years old.
‘You sent for me, sir?’ said Lord Tedric. As he expressed this thought - and felt it instantly communicated to the other - he was also remembering on a secondary level the frank exhilaration of his recent trip to this planet: a voyage through the depths of N-space unencumbered by ship or suit or even body.
‘I hope your journey was an uneventful one/ said Skandos. Tedric smiled thinly. ’As uneventful as such a journey can be.’
Skandos nodded. ‘I would have come to you, but at my age such travel can be wearying. Then, too, I must consider my colleagues. A number feel that our conversations ought not to be conducted privately.’
Tedric understood what Skandos was telling him - that this conversation would be heard by all the Scientists. ’Is there any particular reason for that, sir?’
Skandos sighed. ‘You would have to ask them. For myself, all I can tell you is that a certain faction of Scientists objects to your presence here.’
‘My presence on Prime?’
‘Your presence in this universe.’
‘But I thought I was brought here by…’
‘By me,’ Skandos said softly. ’The responsibility, I have been informed, rests entirely on my shoulders. My colleagues are sometimes fearful. I cannot wholly blame them. Our adversaries are a powerful force. Some would rather run and hide than stand and fight.’
‘But not you, sir.’
‘No, Tedric, not me - but that means nothing. I could be mistaken. Among other names, I have sometimes been called Skandos the Impetuous. There is an element of truth to that charge. Unlike the facade we prefer to present, we Scientists are not wholly devoid of human frailties.’
‘I only hope I continue to merit your trust, sir.’
‘So far, Lord Tedric, you have. Your progress since you first entered this universe has been immense. For the first time in remembered history; our adversaries have tasted defeat. A mere skirmish, some might say, and not the whole war. Nonetheless, it was a triumph.’
‘You mean Fra Villion.’
‘I do.’
‘But Fra Viliion escaped. Moments before the destruction of the Iron Sphere, he managed to flee.’
‘Into the red cloud.’
Tedric nodded. Skandos wasn’t asking him - he knew. Tedric was not surprised to learn that the Scientist knew as much - if not more - about recent events as he.
‘And what course of action do you intend to take in response?* Skandos said.
’The only one I can. Equip a ship of my own and follow Viliion into the cloud.’
Skandos smiled with what appeared to be pride. ‘You are indeed a bold man, Lord Tedric. I must give you credit for th?t. There is, however, a specific reason why I summoned you here. I mentioned earlier that certain of my colleagues are rather timid souls compared to you or me. It is their considered opinion that the time is not yet ripe for a venture as precipitous as the one you presently contemplate. The mysteries of the red cloud are profound. Your powers are perhaps as yet insufficiently developed to grapple with them.’
‘Am I to understand, sir, that you are in agreement with this view?’
‘Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, I originally argued quite strongly in favour of an immediate assault upon the cloud.’ His lips twitched slightly - the start of another smile ‘I was overruled.’
’Then what can we do, sir?’
Skandos beckoned with a hand. ‘Come here. I will show you one possible alternative.’
Tedric descended until he stood beside the Scientist. His feet made no imprint upon the soft snow.
’Observe,’ said Skandos.
Tedric glanced past his shoulder. A circular instrument the size of a pocket compass rested in the palm of Skandos’s hand. The instrument’s face showed a view of a planet swinging freely in space. From what Tedric could see of the surface past a layer of cloud, it was a forbidding planet, lacking oceans and pitted with large craters.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
’Tavera. The headquarters planet of the black knights of the Biomen - the vemplar.’
‘Why do you show me this?’
‘Because Fra Viliion is there.’
’Then he has left the red cloud.’
‘It was merely a gateway - for him.’
‘And you think I should go to this planet - to Tavera - to confront Fra Viliion there?’
Skandos shrugged. Again, the hint of a smile played at his lips. ‘I can offer no opinion. It is an alternative - the possibility does exist. The final decision, however, is yours alone to make.’
‘I understand.’ The Scientists, he knew, preferred to avoid direct intervention in human affairs, largely in hope that their adversaries would agree to steer a’ similar course. ‘I’ll go,’ he said.
‘I rather expected you would.’ Skandos grew solemn, pocketing the instrument in the folds of his robes. ’The challenge, however, is not one to be taken lightly. So far, you have confronted our adversaries on the relatively friendly grounds of the Empire of Man. Among the Biomen, you will be an alien - and an unwelcome one at that.’
Tedric nodded thoughtfully. ‘You speak of this as a challenge. How exactly do you mean that?’
‘In my opinion, our adversaries are fully cognisant of my ability to discover Villion’s present whereabouts and inform you. I believe this is a deliberate attempt to lure you into pursuit.’
‘A trap?’
‘Yes.’
‘How?’
’That I cannot guess.’ A worried look spread across Skandos
’s wrinkled face. ‘I have made certain calculations. The odds against your achieving success are considerable, but if you were to win - to defeat Fra Viliion in his own realm - the significance of such a victory cannot be overestimated.’
‘And Fra Villion could undoubtedly tell us a great deal about the true nature of our adversaries. He must possess considerable first-hand information concerning them.*
’As much, one would suspect, as you possess concerning us, the Scientists.*
‘Still, whatever the odds, I intend to proceed to the Bioman Sphere at the earliest possible opportunity.’
Skandos nodded and, reaching out with both hands, clasped Tedric firmly by the wrist. Tedric, in spite of the insubstantial form of his body, could feel the old Scientist’s passionate strength. ‘I can only wish you good fortune, Tedric.’
’Thank you, Skandos. Thank you for everything. I sincerely hope your confidence will not have been misplaced.’
’That will not be a problem, Tedric. No matter what happens in the future, you have already served us well.’
Then Tedric was gone. In the flash of an instant, he rose past the sky. Prime, the planet, was a tiny glittering orb shining in the void.
Tedric soared through the vastness of interstellar space.
CHAPTER 2
The Commander of the Corps
His name was Phillip Nolan and he was the latest in a proud line of Nolan sons and daughters who had served the Empire of Man since its inception. This latest Nolan currently held the title of Commander of the Imperial Corps of the One Hundred. Next to the Emperor himself, Nolan was the most powerful and respected individual among the many billions who resided within the boundaries of the ancient star empire. In spite of this, right now, as he sat in the cool comfort of his office in New Melbourne on Earth, working late into the night, Nolan could not help but curse the workings of fate that had brought him to this place at this time.
The sad fact was that Phillip Nolan was bored to the brink of death.
He was still a young man. In his twenties. The unchecked energies of youth surged through his veins. And yet what did his present existence amount to? Life in a chair. Imprisoned by four walls. Locked behind a broad desk carved from natural wood. Papers piled in front of him so high that he had to sit up stiff and straight in his chair to peer over the top of them. Reports to be read. Memoranda to be initialed. Orders to be signed. ‘No!’ he felt like screaming. This wasn’t a life suited for a man of his years and character - a man of action. Give it to somebody else, somebody old, he thought bitterly. Give it to a man who has already seen the universe and decided it’s time to retire to one snug corner. Give it to anyone, he thought, but not to me. I’m tired. I’m bored. I can’t scrawl my name one more time.
It was at times such as these that Nolan almost regretted the crucial role he had played in the rebellion which had overthrown Emperor Matthew Carey and restored Emperor Randow to his rightful throne.
In gratitude for his deeds, Randow had rewarded Nolan with his present appointment.
I’ll give it back, he thought bitterly. The first thing tomorrow morning, I’ll visit the palace and tell Randow I’m finished. I’ll start over as a lieutenant on some far-flung planet where the only piece of paper that exists is the arrest warrant I’ll be carrying for some notorious space pirate.
Yet, even as he dreamed, Nolan knew full well that it never could be. The authority of the Empire was still far from secure. Randow, though a good and decent man, was not a strong ruler. The authority he exercised relied heavily upon the traditional loyalties of his subjects. Without the support of the Imperial Corps, Randow might well hesitate to impose his will and thus allow the Empire to sink back into the chaos that had gripped it during the long years following the Wykzi war.
So it’s my duty to go on, Nolan thought coldly. It’s that - and only that - which keeps me glued to this chair I’ve come to despise. Duty and loyalty. The one makes me scribble my initials and the other makes me sign my name.
The vidiphone on one corner of the desk was flickering. For a long moment, Nolan stared coldly at the instrument, willing it to silence. When nothing happened and the vidiphone kept flickering, he finally reached out and punched the receiver.
The comely face of his personal secretary, a young, blonde lieutenant fresh from the Academy, smiled tentatively back at him. Nolan was surprised. He’d assumed the girl had gone home long ago. He realised he wasn’t the only one whose life was sometimes controlled by unwished-for duties.
He struggled not to snap at the girl. ’Yes, Lieutenant, I’m still here. What can I do for you?’
‘I’m sorry to disturb you, sir,’ she said quickly, ‘but there’s an officer out here who insists on seeing you.’
Nolan frowned. That was all he needed. ‘Who is it now?’ he said, his irritation returning full force. ‘Not another damned pup lieutenant complaining about his duty assignment. If it is, you can tell him from me that we’re not running an entertainment service here and that he can take his assignment and…
‘It’s not a lieutenant,’ the secretary said, interrupting gently. ‘It’s a Colonel Tedric.’
’Tedric!’ Nolan felt a joyful smile steal across his face. ‘What does he want?’
‘He says it’s personal, sir. I told him to come back in the morning but…
‘No, no, no,’ Nolan said hastily. ‘Send him right in. I’ve always time to see Tedric.’
Switching off the vidiphone, Nolan came eagerly to his feet and crossed the wide room. He held open the door, waiting impatiently for Tedric to make his way from the anteroom into the corridor. If there was any man in the Empire whom Nolan genuinely envied, it had to be Tedric. Tedric, too, had served during the rebellion, but Tedric had* been too smart to accept any appointments afterwards. He had retained his freedom. And Nolan envied him that more than anything.
Dressed in the silver uniform of a corpsman, Tedric came striding down the corridor, one arm extended in front of him. Nolan stepped forward to meet his friend, and the two men shook hands, ignoring the difference in their ranks. Tedric was a huge mountain of a man with blond hair and grey eyes. He and Nolan had known each other since both were cadets at the Corps Academy cm Nexus.
Nolan guided Tedric into his office and shut the door softly. ‘Well,’ he said, turning, ‘and where have you been hiding these past few months? It took a lot of nerve on your part to go running off, leaving me here drowning in paperwork.’
Tedric grinned. ‘I’ve been busy myself, Phillip.’
‘Not on Corps business, you haven’t,’ Nolan said, in mock accusation. ‘I agree that you had a stretch of leave coining after your last assignment, but I was beginning to seriously wonder if I’d have to have you rounded up and brought back in chains. Where have you been, anyway?’
’At Lady Alyc Carey’s estate. As you know, she purchased a large ranch in Old North America. I’ve been helping her fix it up.’
‘What do you mean, as I know? Nobody told me about it.’
‘I believe Lady Alyc personally called and invited you to spend a week with us.’
*Oh, that?’ Nolan frowned. ‘Well, I was too busy. See that desk. The only thing that could pry me free from this place would be a fire. Who’s at this ranch, anyway - just you and Alyc?’
‘And her subwoman, Kisha. Surely, you remember her.’
‘I remember. A veritable tiger. Does she still like to daw people?’
’Only when She’s agitated. And Yod Cartwright has been with us, too. He was the young man who was with me on the Iron Sphere. I’ve recommended him for an Academy appointment - he’s decided to be a corpsman rather than a pirate-but nothing’s come through. Perhaps you could…’ ‘Help?’ Nolan laughed. ‘I never thought I’d hear you asking for political favours, Tedric.’
‘It’s not for me - it’s for Yod.’
‘I know that. I meant nothing personal. Allow me to have my laugh. I get damned few of them in this place.’ He went over and s
at behind his desk. Without regard for the consequences, he swung his legs and dropped his boot heels casually on the crowded top. ‘But that still doesn’t let you off the hook. If you want my opinion, it’s high time I put you back to work.’
‘I quite agree, Phillip. In fact, that’s largely why I’m here.’
‘I had a feeling.’ Nolan nodded solemnly. ‘So you still want to make a run at the red cloud, do you?’
Tedric shook his head. ‘No, not the cloud. I have another objective in mind. It may interest you to know that Fra Villion has reappeared in the Bioman Sphere.’
‘It’s interesting but not surprising. What of it?’ In spite of the casualness of his tone, Nolan had a good idea what was coming next.
‘I’d like your permission to go in search of him.’
Nolan swivelled in his chair, letting his heels slide off the edge of the desk. He came to his feet and crossed the room. One entire wall was a broad window overlooking the skyline of the continent-sized city below. Everywhere Nolan looked, he saw bright lights burning and flickering like a’ man-made galaxy of a hundred billion stars. ‘Look,’ he said, turning away from the window at last and finding Tedric close behind him, ‘are you really sure this is necessary? If Villion has gone home, it seems to me we ought to call it a victory for us.’
‘I wish it were as simple as that, Phillip.’
‘What makes you so sure it isn’t?’
‘Because Fra Villion came within a breath of destroying the Earth and the Empire of Man along with it. If we pretend to forget that and begin to ignore him now, the circumstances must work in his favour. When he decides to move again, we will be as unprepared as we were the first time.’
In spite of himself, Nolan found himself nodding. He remembered the events Tedric had mentioned and knew that he was right. When Fra Villion had first appeared in the Empire, he had been dismissed as a simple pirate. It was only with the advent of the Iron Sphere, a ship the size of a planetoid, and the development of the matter-scrambler, a weapon capable of destroying a planet, that his real motive - the destruction of the Earth - had been learned.
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