Abductees

by Alan Brickett

  Automated log update.

  Analysis of the Devourer sample complete.

  Data package containing all files to date and complete biological makeup and history for Devourer species included in data drop.

  Data drop sent. Registered profile of drone entering wormhole correlates to successful departure to drop off location for timeline pickup.

  As of this update, the objective timeline is irrevocably changed.

  Devourer mind is going on the offensive and projections indicate that the local Domum security forces will require assistance within six hours.

  Primary mission status still within success parameters.

  Secondary mission also within success parameters.

  Tertiary mission coincides with expected parameters, and objectives are intact.

  No change to quantum structure detected.

  No change to temporal structure detected.

  Mission parameters indicate the mission should continue.

  Interaction and monitoring continue.

  **

  Power generation is based on a reasonably simple principle in that electricity must flow through the system in question.

  It might be circuits, it can be the generation of sparks for a combustion engine in a car or just to turn on a light by a resistor generating heat and photons when electricity moves through it.

  Of course in the later centuries, the technology was more complicated, smaller and provided less resistance but the principle was the same for any species. Electrons needed to move to give off current and then provided energy.

  Through science and quantum physics the exact nature of electrons, photons and other subatomic and sub-subatomic particles showed that power generation was simpler than previously thought.

  What was more complicated was how to get these particles to move.

  Aside from a full explanation of the more in-depth sciences, the best analogy is to think of power as moving electrons. A power plant spins electromagnets to generate current, a battery runs current when connected when the free electrons find an outlet.

  So, mankind needed to find a way to move more power with less complexity and without created dangerous waste as a byproduct.

  Since most power worked best with fields of force rather than impacting atomic particles scientific research into energy had a big focus on that capacity. The consensus was that anything which could move a particle by waves or forces was cleaner and more controllable than the alternatives.

  Since quantum physics knew of faster than light particles in the later centuries and had proven the existence of many of them, part of the research turned to whether they could generate the required forces.

  Neutrinos and tachyons had no conceivable mass in our frame of reference, to simplify they couldn’t affect Newtonian rules. One force attracting or repulsing another because mass follows rules of size and density.

  The exception was a Graviton.

  As a particle with a measurable mass in a sub-light state, the human living reality, the Graviton was a faster than light particle which could generate a waveform and by consequence generate power.

  The only reason a Graviton didn’t tear apart every other mass in the universe was that it traveled so fast outside of standard frames of reference that it didn’t stop long enough to be of significant effect.

  Some theories had dark matter and black holes as a consequence of Gravitons converging, diverging or somehow being pulled into our real space frame of reference.

  Those theories were of concern and very hard to prove, but still a potential problem.

  What if humans managed to capture a Graviton, if it were near to a solar system, then all the plans would suddenly orbit around the subatomic particle, very suddenly and uncontrollably.

  Also tearing them apart in the process, or causing collisions. Either way, complete destruction would be an actual result. So deep space testing was needed, carefully calculated to provide enough distance for the 12th power possibility of a star’s mass in opposition or attraction to other nearby stars.

  Nearby was relative, stars had an effect in light years.

  This dilemma was also the problem with how to capture a Graviton.

  Neutrinos and other faster than light particles were caught by dense liquids or solids if only briefly to be measured. Other particles were captured or generated in super-powered magnetic accelerator and decelerator constructions.

  It became clear after experimentation that massive magnetic fields were required to slow down and capture a Graviton, both to bring it into real space and contain the gravitational effect by countering it with an equal and opposite wave.

  The sheer power requirements were off the scale, humans couldn’t create that kind of energy. Chicken and the egg, the Graviton could be used to catch another Graviton and control it in the correct spin and orbits.

  But you had to catch one to catch another.

  The prevalent theory at the time was that massive amounts of mass would be able to do the job. Of course, the measure of that mass equated to several stars, and they had to be close together. Now how do you capture and bring together such massive things as stars.

  You need to be able to affect them, pull them through space and hold them in a stable pattern.

  It was far beyond the resources of humans to do that with stellar objects of that size.

  Then came the brilliant option developed by scientists in a breakthrough event alongside engineering. They might be able to catch a star, containing it was difficult because of the size, how to put enough technology around the orbit of a star. Then moving that star in coordinating all the technology in orbit.

  But a Neutron Star was only miles in length, a high gravitational and electromagnetic field created by the collapse of super dense energies.

  By comparison to the size of a star of any other kind, the Neutron star was tiny. Like comparing an apple to an atom. Perhaps even more of a fraction, but the technology was capable of trapping and moving the smaller stellar entities.

  It took years and the correct placement of thirty-two neutron stars before even one attempt could be made to create a bubble net to catch a Graviton and hold it in place. They succeeded though, the first Graviton was caught and studied in the bubble for months before any other steps were considered.

  In time Humans captured more of the particles, then built containment practices and technology to capture more. Progress grew at the usual exponential rate until mankind had power generation far beyond that of anything which had come before.

  The effects of that much gravitational force from such a small particle meant that the usage of this new branch of science became smaller in functional capacity to apply but more extensive in possibilities. Star flight changed, the multiple layers of the universe opened up so much that researches had enough raw material to study for centuries.

  By comparison to the competitive uses of Gravitons, there were relatively few captured and placed into use. The demand increased way beyond the expected practical applications, so priorities were decided in the relatively peaceful times before the refugees running from the Tempest entered the Milky Way.

  * *

  “Oh good!” Lekiso heard Meriam say, and she nodded slowly to herself.

  The galaxies, stark against the pitch-black backdrop of the room they floated in, showed the encroaching stain seeping into the Milky Way while the computer continued to detail the horror.

  “The Tempest did come, and many of the refugees continued their headlong flight to pass through our galaxy, stopping only to warn the resident species to flee along with them. At the height of their galactic citizenship, they had fought the Tempest and lost. At a terrible cost, they had bought time and waged a war of attrition, but inevitably, inexorably, they had been beaten back and driven out.

  “It was only when the first clash occurred between humans and the Tempest that hope was lit among the species of the Milky Way and the remnants of galaxy NGC 1569. In that first encou
nter, humans defeated the forces of the Tempest. The powers of Gravitonics that mankind commanded proved effective against even the might of that most formidable foe.

  “Harnessing the force of effect of hundreds of suns per individual human, and with the technology built from that unique understanding, mankind defeated the Tempest. But not without losses and not without learning hard lessons in the process. Then the war for the Milky Way began in earnest. Mankind fought the Tempest at every turn, displaying the traits of courage and nobility in the face of oppression that was such hallmarks of the species.”

  The display showed galaxy NGC 1569 covered in an ominous red tone that seeped further into the Milky Way representation. Spikes of the coloring indicating the invasion of the Tempest stabbed into the highlighted areas of various other species as well as mankind.

  SAI continued its retelling.

  “But inevitably, the facts remained: the Tempest could be fought on equal or better footing by humans and their technology, but their numbers would always win out in the end. The Tempest had an entire galaxy to draw on for resources, while the Milky Way was still new and fledgling by comparison. They didn’t have a unified galactic organization; at the time the refugees arrived, there was a scattering of alliances and groups.

  “Yes, humans had the technology and know how to make war with the Tempest, but sharing that knowledge took time, and building up resources even more so. Eventually, it became obvious to the humans that this war was not going to be easily won. If it could be won, it would be at great cost to the Milky Way galaxy and to mankind as well.”

  At this point in the narration, the Milky Way showed a spreading stain of Tempest coloring. Some of the other species were diminished into much smaller territories or wiped out altogether. And the area around Sol, the birthplace of humans, had been beaten back in several places. The red markers on the map were a lurid color when combined with the territories of mankind as if to mock the conflict being described.

  “Mankind had their best minds working on the problem. Among the various weapons of mass destruction and ultimate weapons, there were also those who thought of other options.”

  SAI allowed a moment’s pause for everything to sink in, and then it continued the narration.

  “Among these options presented to the leaders of mankind, several were considered to be useful by civilians and military alike. One of these was the notion that being better informed would help everyone be better equipped. Coupled with a desire to see if a difference to the war could be made, the Vector program was started.

  “This vessel and the abduction of you five is the culmination of rigorous foresight and considerable thought on the part of that program. Some side information may be useful to you now that I have explained the basis for why this program was started and how you all relate. If I may continue?”

  The five of them thought that perhaps it was another pause, but the display stayed frozen around them, and SAI didn’t say anything further.

  “Uh, so, you’re not done yet?”

  “No, Marc. I have much more information to provide, and we have little time to do so.”

  Connor sat up straighter. “Why don’t we have a lot of time? Can you explain that first?”

  “Certainly, Connor. In the current objective timeline, the species you now know as the Devourer is in jeopardy. My analysis of the sample you collected, the data you procured from Domum medical systems, and the observations I have made from the Puzzle Box systems indicates a high probability that the Devourer aboard this space station will be destroyed.”

  The image around them changed to show the Enone Hub as a half-rendered schematic and layers of floors. The detail was impressive: the docking arcs above and below the main superstructure were shown, along with the magnetic carriage platform and the first few hoops spanning out around them in open space.

  Lekiso realized that the display was real-time. Moving inside the hub were representations of different alien species on every level, on ships, and even in the park. When she looked there, she could also see the movement of another shade of icons representing the Devourer forms moving through the tunnels and caverns at greater depths than they had been able to scan.

  Their scanning abilities were being limited when they left the Vector.

  “We cannot allow this to happen. My mission priorities have been updated within the parameters for significant event exclusion and inclusion of compatible variables that can change the war effort. The Devourer species must survive, and our best chance to allow that to happen and conduct further analysis is with the Devourer currently present on the Puzzle Box.”

  The display was lit with various blue icons. Many of them congregated on one level of the Enone Hub, while others formed corridors to the magnetic carriage platform. An image and biological scan of a Domum appeared off to one side, big enough for all five of them to see. Next to that appeared the equipment loadout of a typical Domum in battle gear.

  “Woah, okay, so we need to rescue the Devourer? I thought it was the cause of all of this,” Connor said.

  “Incorrect. The Tempest species is not the Devourer species. In the subjective future, the Devourer is extinct. This outcome has been analyzed and categorically affirmed. The Tempest, their agents, or other species must have completely destroyed the Devourer species sometime between now and the exodus of refugees from NGC 1569.”

  “Uh, wait a minute, there. You’re trying to say that an entire genocide happened to an entire species during the middle of the war? I’m not a history expert, but in war, there are always atrocities. Wouldn’t this just be one of them?”

  “You are correct, Marc. However, in these circumstances, you will need to trust in the information I have brought from the future. Considering the Devourer species’ sheer capacity for survival, it is highly unlikely that simple acts of wartime atrocity would have led to its extinction. The hypothesis stands that either the Devourer left on their own or they were forced out. Being driven from the galaxy could have been due to genocide or a systematic purge.

  “Since they did not travel with the refugees, and since the refugees’ ships’ databanks did contain records, albeit limited, of the Devourer lifeform, it would be correct to surmise that the Devourer was driven out or wiped out. It would also fall in line with the threat posed by the Devourer and the data on Tempest behavior known to me that the Tempest is the cause of the Devourer eradication, possibly even earlier in the timeline, as none of the other races would track it.”

  “Why? Why would the Tempest go out of their way to destroy this species particularly?” Ormond was the one who asked this time.

  The display changed again: the Enone Hub and Domum biology disappeared to be replaced with three-dimensional renderings of various Devourer forms. Their internal organs and nervous systems showed up in different colors, with galaxy NGC 1569 showing below them. Markers were drawn out showing the planets with Devourer residence.

  “I am making some suppositions within the allowance I have to do so, but my analysis indicates that the Devourer is the epitome of biological life. The Tempest destroy all biological life. They are anathema to all carbon-based living creatures. The war effort was largely a losing one because the Tempest did not take territory the way humans would understand it. The Tempest would eradicate all life on every planet capable of supporting it, in many cases reducing the planets to lifeless husks or shattering them outright.”

  “Oh wow,” Meriam exclaimed.

  “Indeed. My rationale is that the Tempest specifically destroyed all traces of the Devourer because it could survive and propagate in environments much more extreme than the rest of galactic life. The Devourer would have expanded the parameters for required destruction and, hence, effort on the part of the Tempest. Therefore, a focused effort on this single species is within the tolerable norm for the Tempest. I have also created a theory that the Devourer may, in some way, be a threat to the Tempest.”

  “Ah, Jeez.” Ormond was shaking his head
in disbelief. “This is a lot to take in.”

  “You are correct, Ormond, and for that, I apologize. But as I have stated, we have little time. The Domum protocols are clear. I also updated my database for the local time and location objective copies to be sure. They will destroy the Devourer in the park and mine tunnels as well as the ship currently docked to Enone Hub to prevent an outbreak.”

  “This will effectively destroy the best chance of retaining a living Devourer hive mind and associated forms. Your next actions must be with the goal of protecting the Devourer in the starship.”

  * *

  He had thought that it was a lot to take in before.

  It felt like his brain was going to spin right out of his skull. Ormond was used to having to process complex scenarios, or he had been, but the training stuck. The thing was, this was all getting to be too much, aliens and intergalactic wars, all kinds of major considerations added to time travel.

  No, he really wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but one thing was sure: he needed to break it down and decide on a course of action. For that, he needed to know what kind of options he had. He looked up at the ceiling, relative to the alignment of the images floating around them, and asked, “So, you want us to just get up and go back out there into whatever life-threatening situation there is? Without any explanation from you at all?”

  SAI’s tone was sympathetic. “It would be preferable that action be taken immediately, although it is also within my understanding that you would not have the answers you seek as yet. I will remind you, however, that the explanation was started.”

  “You understand? I thought you were a computer?”

  Now the others were back to paying attention, brought back from where their thoughts had all been following similar lines.

  “I am, although a very complex and sophisticated one running on technology generations ahead of your understanding at this time. Suffice it to say that my programming includes ethical, moral, and thorough emotional context subroutines. So, although I do not get emotional, my capacity to understand and reason within those facets is vast,” SAI intoned.