Chapter Three
Endless grass. Whatever did it all mean?
Shaking. The grass was shaking. I was shaking!
With a start I reared up from the bed with my pistol armed and ready as my other hand gripped my would-be assailant about the neck.
“Itttt’s meee!!!” Randelon managed to choke out past the grip of my hand about his throat.
I let go and let the pistol fall to the bed. The room was dark. I must have been out for a while.
“Randelon how many times have I told you to knock before you enter?”
“Iiiiii diiid knock. Ittt’s importantt!”
In the dark gloom of the room I glanced over Randelon’s barely suppressed manic energy which seemed to be in ever abundant supply when he was excited about something. Coming to full awareness I said, “Tell me!” As some measure of his excitement wore off onto me in terms of general enthusiasm.
“Well, to start, it was as you said. The ship’s different to put it mildly.”
It was always like this with Randelon. Once he got on point about something to do with work his stutter went completely away as if it had never existed. Social interaction outside of work talk was when he came across to most as mentally challenged. I knew better though.
I listened on as Randelon rattled on about the many improvements and modifications over more contemporary vessel models and the such. To a large extent I was already aware of the jist of what he was telling me, but I’d found it best to just let Randelon tell his story to completion before interjecting comments or questions.
“……. and you know what then? I actually discovered in a subroot menu down a reverse back layering that the ship has a completely autonomous navigation control system that flies under the radar unsuspected by anyone not aware of the hidden protocol. It was a thing of luck even by my standards that I found it. I just couldn’t see why so much power was being diverted to a submenu protocol tasked as a third swing maintenance backup system, then when I found out the hidden guidance system and that it had a second masked locator beacon it all made sense.”
“What!!!” I exclaimed.
Randelon tried to pull back, but my hands suddenly gripped the front of his shirt and pulled him toward me as I savagely asked, “Are you telling me that ship has an active locator beacon?”
“Yes, but it’s not what you think!” Randelon squeaked out hurriedly.
I let go of him, “Explain.”
“Well it’s not a typical broadcast kind of beacon, instead it’s a receptor for an ultralow frequency modulator. If it has any discernible signal to be picked up by radar it would be a very weak one at best. It’s more of a navigational aid then a proximity sensor.”
“I don’t understand. Can you please dumb it down for me a little Randelon?”
Randelon sighed, “As best as I can tell it’s part of a redundancy program linked with the subset navigation system that seems to be triggered to go off if it senses no human occupation onboard.”
“You’re saying should the ship’s crew suddenly end up missing or dead which means there’s no life signature contacts being recorded, the ship then automatically sets a prescribed course and returns to a preset location?”
Randelon nodded his head vigorously and added, “It’s pretty ingenious if you ask me.”
“Yes it is.” I affirmed, as my mind ran with all the possibilities.
“Did you find any indication of how long that ship has been out of its original owners hands?”
“Yes actually. Just a little over two years, because that’s when the orderly maintenance schedules abruptly stopped and were rarely, make that practically never, run again. And before you ask the original builders were undoubtedly human. I found that out by analyzing the life-support systems and seeing what the specifications called for in terms of ideal support parameters for sustaining life. Do you know what this means Siringo?” Randelon finished with excitedly.
“Yes I think I do.”
Randelon went on as if I hadn’t spoken, “Such a ship of newer construction, but made to appear old on the outside speaks of intelligent culture and one that has the resources to build ships and not just any ships but advanced ships!”
I stood up and walked around the room as my own excitement level rose higher and higher.
“Can you backtrack through the code to see where the recovery location the ship will head for on autopilot is?”
“Not easily. The code is masterfully scrambled in order to prevent that from happening. If I had a few months I……”
I waved away his words with my hand. I didn’t have months.
“However I could engineer it so that the life-support sensors wouldn’t pick up on a body heat signature scan.”
I stopped pacing to give him a long stare. Decision made I said, “Do it, but don’t engage it until I say so. Get everything you might need to switch that sensor off-line, while I gather together a crew. I……”
The alarm in my room went off violently and I ran for the door shirtless and without my boots on. Randelon wasn’t far behind me as I made the short run from my quarters to the command-and-control center of the mothership.
Striding into the command center I was pleased to see all the late watch present and managing their stations with calmness. To say we’d had a lot of experience with emergency situations occurring over the years was to put it mildly, but just the same it was good to see training in action.
“Reptilians or Asteroid Corsairs?” I called out praying that it would be the latter and not the former.
“Neither Sir. In fact we’re not quite sure what’s going on Sir. We’re receiving an activation alert of the Honpallian Array. We…..we’ve never had an alert from it before. It links from from……”
“From the surface of Soluranami, our old homeworld.” I completed for the stammering officer of the watch as I turned to an unused corner of the control room.
The receiving station for the Honpallian Array had been located here all these years completely vacant of life as the homeworld it linked to was far gone in terms of ever being linked to again. Now however it was brightly lit up with flashing icons and lights.
The lights of the display glowed brightly through the dust of countless years of neglect. I was ashamed to have to ask, but I simply didn’t know much about the system or how it worked, “How does it work?”
“We’re looking that up now, Sir. Fridan have you got it yet?”
“Yes, I’ve read through its operational procedure. It works much like our ship to ship personnel transporter only it’s long-distance and requires a lot of power to make a successful matter transfer bridge.”
“How much power?” I asked.
“All we have Sir and then I’m not sure if it’s enough.” Fridan responded with.
I glanced to Randelon and reading my mind he scurried away presumably to find me the extra power I might need.
“Sir you’re not possibly thinking about engaging the portal are you?” The on-duty officer inquired worriedly.
Looking to her I saw that the sentiment on her face was largely echoed by the rest of the on-duty staff. Stepping further into the room I leaned back against a console and crossing my arms across my bare chest I said, “Let me see if I can put it in perspective for you. Presently we are on a course headed towards the inner area of the galaxy. In five days’ time we will pull free of these asteroid fields. When that happens we will be visible on every long range scanner of both friend and foe, mostly foe I might add. Why are we doing that? Well because of several factors namely we don’t have enough food, spare parts, energy, morale and so on to keep living as we have done for years on end. So to offset all that we have out of the blue a situation wherein we are contacted through a system only operable upon the surface of our former homeworld. I’m not going to pass up what could be the very news we have fought and survived so long for.”
“But what if it’s a trick? What if it’s the reptilians’ are playing a head game with us?”
“It’s a risk we’re just going to have to take. I’m sorry, but as you know there’s no easy way of surviving the odds we’re faced with. We’ve never had much of a chance, but for the first time in, since ever I guess, things are looking up. Now all of you to your stations and go ahead and alert other primary staff members in case this does blowback on us negatively.”
Those within the room turned away to their assorted tasks even as Randolen popped back into the control center.
Fridan looked at his screen readout as an alert beeped, “We have 20% more power than before.” He breathed out mystified, as his eyes switched to Randolen in silent question. Randolen remained silent as to how he had acquired the extra power.
It wasn’t that Randolen wasn’t the type to share notes, but it was simply often too complex for the minds of most to comprehend exactly what it was that Randolen did to make things work better for him than they appeared to do for anybody else. As a matter of principle he had long since given up trying to explain the complexities of what he did to keep the fleet functioning at high-capacity.
“Do we have enough power to make the transfer?” I asked.
Fridan nodded his head, “Just enough, that is if nothing goes wrong.”
Chuckling I said, “I’m sure that nothing could possibly go wrong. Why that system is the most unused piece of apparatus on this old bucket that there could be. It’s a miracle we didn’t part it out years ago in order to repair other systems. Well now I think it’s time that we push the button or whatever it is you do and let’s see the sparks fly!” I said rubbing my hands together with barely suppressed excitement.
People were looking at me strangely, but hey, so what. I was having my first run of good luck in years and I wasn’t going to deny myself from enjoying every last second of it. I’d probably be dead anyway in about five days, but then again maybe not.
Immediately upon giving the order the flagship began to shudder and the lights started flickering.
“Sir?” The officer of the watch called out frantically.
“We’ll ride it out.” I said gripping a hold of the railing behind me. The shuddering got worse and then the lights went out. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
At least the shuddering had stopped. Someone was coughing and then there was a voice in a language not my own. I pulled my pistol and leveled it off in the darkness toward the source of the voice.
“Get some lights on in here now!!!”
I no sooner spoke then the lights snapped back on. There before me not twenty feet away stood a man of average height and features, but who was dressed quite differently than us.
He stared down the barrel of my gun, which was only one of several that were pointed at him. He coughed again and I watched a bead of sweat roll down his face.
I lowered my weapon slightly and seeming to break free of his trance he held up a little black book and rifled through it busily. He seemed to read something and then looking up at me he said, “I’ve come in search of remnants of Soluranami. Are you of that people?”
He pronounced the words poorly, but they were at least recognizable enough to decipher what he’d said. Nodding I said, “We are and who might you be?”
Pointing to himself he said, “My name is Edgar and I’m at your service.”
“Okay Edgar, why are you here and how did you come from the surface of Soluranami?”
Edgar glanced at his book and then with a pained look said, “Repeat please.”
I did so patiently and nodding he said, “Your homeworld has been restored by remnants of your people.”
Exclamations of excitement broke out all around the control room. All the power sticks had long since been lowered, as the man before us was clearly not a threat.
Though I felt elation at his words there was something about his demeanor that said all was not well. Holding up a hand I silenced the jibber jabber taking place all around the command center and then posed the question, “Why have you come?” Once more to our unexpected visitor from the other end of the galaxy.
“We need help! And alliance of dark forces has been formed against us and I fear that there’s not much time left to us if something doesn’t radically change. What information we have been able to glean about the enemy’s plans seems to allude to the fact that they intend to destroy the planet entirely this time.”
“Who is ‘they’?” I clarified.
“Hybrids of human and animal and some other reptile like beings.”
Everyone’s jibber jabber of excitement of a moment ago was long since gone. It was as if everyone had been given the ultimate present only to then have it stolen out from their hands by the giver and smashed to pieces before them.
“Do you know how they plan on destroying the planet?” I asked.
“Bombardment from space until they manage to penetrate the core of the planet. Once that happens the chain reactions will likely do the rest.”
Nodding I said, “They’ll steer asteroids into colliding with the surface too.”
The stranger turned his head to the side, “How do you know that?”
Grimly I said, “Because I’ve seen it done before when a world’s defenses promised to put up too much of a resistance. Our world won’t be the first such victim. Out here in the Far Quarter there were once seventeen free worlds. Now they’re all blown apart because they refused to submit to demon overlords. Tell me what it is you think we can do to help?”
The man shrugged worriedly and looking around said, “You won’t help us?”
Looking down with a sigh I then glanced back up to say, “We are in need of help ourselves. What you ask of us is impossible. Although we would all gladly die in defense of our world we would most likely be picked off long before we reached our homeworld. As it is anyway at top speed it would still take us several years of uninterrupted travel to get there. I’m sorry. As it is, I doubt that we even have the power supply to send you back.”
Edgar gloomily nodded and stepping to the side sat down on a bench, “It was a wild hope anyway.”
He put his head in his hands and became silent. I stared at him a moment longer before I stared at Randolen piercingly.
He shifted uncomfortably and then as he often did he read what I was thinking.
“Ohhhh n-n-n-oooo! N-o-o-o-o! He repeated stutteringly as he shook his head negatively back-and-forth.
“Randolen it’s not a request. It’s an order.”
Still shaking his head he quivered out, “Ssshhooulldd never tolddd youuu my my my idea-ah!”
Slowly I approached him and put my hands on his thin shoulders. He was still muttering and shaking his head no. He wouldn’t meet my gaze and even now tears were falling fast down his sunken in cheeks.
In desperation he whined, “I I I kill everyboddyyy!!!”
Stooping down I looked him in the face and forcefully said, “No you won’t! Randolen it’s the only way and I believe that with you and our people working together we can do it, but it’s going to take faith. Admittedly my faith walk has been pretty shaky as of late, but never did I think to receive such news of our planet’s survival as we just have. That is a miracle even as it’s a miracle that we have managed to survive all these years given what we’ve been up against and had to work with. God has been faithful even as I have been weak, but I don’t have to linger on in that state of weakness. I’m asking for another miracle and I’m believing it is going to be granted to us. We will make it back to our home and together we will walk on the ground of our common ancestry. We will Randolen and genius that you are, you are going to play a major role in this effort and be remembered for years to come because of it!”
Randolen stared at me teary-eyed, but I saw the subtle firming of his chin as he asked, “The people? We-we will need extra shipppsss.”
“I know. Can Sam rewire the sensors to not read body signatures in the new ship?”
He nodded and patting him on the back I turned to look at the room of gawking onlookers.
“Okay everyone here’s the deal. I have to leave to procure us more ships and while I’m gone everyone and I mean everyone is going to listen and do to the very best of their ability whatever and everything this man says to do. If you don’t I swear I’ll blow your head off myself. Got it?”
No one spoke and putting my arm around Randolen’s shaking shoulders I began to pray out loud, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I forgot just who you are Jesus. Please help this man do the impossible even as You have reminded me that the impossible is nothing for You to manage time and time again. Help me find the help that we need. Help us survive, but what’s more than that I pray that you would help us to overcome and be free once more to walk on a world of Your creation and view from afar the far reaches of space where we have been forced to roam endlessly these many long years. I ask these things with all my heart even as I believe that You will grant them and let them come to pass for yet I have faith that You are a God that answers prayers.”
I let go of Randolen and without another glance to the others I headed from the room. Gesturing behind me to the newcomer I said, “You’re with me Edgar.”
The man hurriedly stood up and came up along beside me and Briandy, who had appeared from somewhere else. I didn’t miss the speculative look that Briandy gave the newcomer across my front as I walked between the two.
I didn’t know the man, but I liked what I could sense about him. He suddenly asked, “How is it that you know the Creator’s Son and what He did for all mankind that you can call Him by name without ever having been on Earth?”
“Is that where you are from?” I asked with real interest.
He nodded.
“Well Edgar the Creator’s plan for all creation has forever been written in the stars. The problem nowadays is that there are few who yet know how to read what is there to be seen, but regardless of that, creation continues to testify of the truth. One has only to look.”
“Fascinating.” Edgar breathed out.
“Very.” Briandy commented, only her comment had nothing to do with the conversation at hand. I felt pity for this newcomer once from Earth, the first world, the birthplace of all humankind. It was clear that my sister had her sights set for exotic game.
“Tell me Edgar are you a believing man in the Creator and His Son?”
“I’ve always thought so, but truly I didn’t know God until a few years back, when I journeyed off world with one of your people. His faith has redefined for me what my relationship with God should look like and I’m gladly changed from who I used to be. You remind me a lot of my friend.”
I glanced to the side at him. I liked the man. Glancing over to Briandy I found her watching me raptly and I nodded my consent.
Her face split apart into a huge grin as I said, “Take him on ahead to the new ship and see to his needs dear sister.”
“Aye aye Captain!” She said perhaps sounding the most enthusiastic I’d ever heard her in response to an order of mine.
Poor Edgar. I watched her hustle him off and shook my head at the incongruity of it all. Her mind was full of romance and the excitement of possible love, while the world around was threatened by death on all sides. Truly love is blind.
Stepping into my quarters I threw some fresh clothes on and snapped on my extra gun. Myst looked at me steadily from the bed. All of a sudden she jumped down and hurrying to the door she turned her head from it to look at me expectantly.
“Why not? You’ll just get lost if you stay here. This place isn’t going to be home to us much longer as it is.” I scooped her up in my arms and hurried on to the newly acquired ship as I continued to live and breathe on a prayer that I wasn’t making the worst mistake of a man in over five generations of my family.
*****
Randolen looked away from the departed form of his captain and only true friend in the galaxy to the sea of expectant faces before him. He knew that most of them thought of him as someone with some screws loose and admittedly he felt like that right now, but as Siringo had encouraged him many times he knew that he was not crazy.
He possessed a sound mind given to him by his Creator and so tamping down all the whispered accusations of delinquency and self-doubts he spoke aloud without the barest hint of his usual stammer, “We have to get across the galaxy very quickly. The only way to do that is to deconstruct this mothership we’ve all called home for far too long and make a matter energy bridge gate.”
A hand raised. It was Fridan.
“Yes?”
“How do we manage to power such a gate as to allow entire ships to pass through?”
“By engaging a thermal nuclear fission of the aft engines energy cores set in juxtaposition to the forward engines which will be set in an inverted motion which will in turn drive the power outlet of the fission in the aft into making the gate sustainable for the duration of the time we need to transverse the entire galaxy within approximately three or four days give or take a few. The trick will be in keeping the balance of energy transfer stable, which is why we’ll need to create a hull of enforced tricanite steel that will enclose the fission event, which will occur in a vacuum while simultaneously being cooled by liquid nitrogen being sprayed against the hall as it heats up. All this is of course just how we will control the flow of energy. The actual energy for the event will be provided by absorbing and harnessing the free energy present within each cubic foot of space around us.”
The room filled with technicians, officers, and engineers stared at the man, who many of them had often made fun of behind his back, as if seeing an entirely different individual.
The officer of the watch asked, “Has anything like this been done before?”
“No. It requires an entirely new science that hasn’t been taught to any of you, as to my knowledge I am the only one who knows it, at least as far as I’m aware. I’ll do my best to convey the mechanics of it to you, but in general you’re going to have to take everything I tell you on faith that it will work, whether you understand it or not. Now first things first. People need to be evacuated to the outlying ships of the squadron. Make sure all portable generators are dispersed throughout the fleet in order to bolster the life-support systems. Military people I need you to see to that as well as the formation of demolition crews both interior and some suited up for exterior work. We will use the fighters and their laser functions to carve off what we need of the mothership’s structure to construct the matter bridge gate. Get to it. Engineers I need you to see to the conversion of two of our bombers into magnetized grapplers in order to arrange the pieces of the gate together into a circular synchronicity. You also need to formulate a powerful electronic magnetic array that will arch across the hull of the fission chamber in order to hold the gate together and give the proper alignment to fit even the biggest of our support craft. Can you head that up Thangi?”
A baldheaded engineer swallowed before commenting, “I can try.”
“That’s all we can all do. I offer no guarantees that this will work, but if we all try then none of us has anything to be ashamed of, if these truly are our last days of life. Now get to it. Technicians you’re with me. We’ll need the laser apparatus from one of the fighters made portable to be better able to cut through the aft engine housing to free them up for realignment within the steel hull of the matter bridge which we will have to smelt from scratch.”
On and on seemingly the least of all those in terms of widely held esteem, on board the mothership Tartran, listed off orders, which as a group of listeners the rest of the crew followed to the full completion of as they began to rip apart and salvage parts of the ship they had called home for almost two centuries.