The Terran Cycle Boxset

by Philip C. Quaintrell

  He didn’t usually let mysteries bother him. Central Parliament had a problem and they paid him to take care of it. He didn’t ask too many questions and they gave him wide parameters to work in. But he wanted to know what the deal was with Kalian Gaines. There was no doubting the connection between them and the kid, Roland had seen the armoured attacker fly off the hover-car back at the Conclave. Had that been Kalian?

  He turned from the view to face the seated pilots. They both wore head-gear that encompassed their entire face with the exception of their jaw. The multicoloured helmets were connected to a chunky console behind them via a multitude of thick wires and tubes. Ilyseal had explained it to be a virtual simulator. This gave the pilots a virtual world, allowing them to see the ship and its course more intimately. They were in constant connection to the bridge crew and one another. The details beyond that bored the shit out of him but he was interested in the virtual simulator. Humans had a similar technology but the constructs within could not be physically touched. Ilyseal explained that the VS had a wide variety of usage within the Conclave. It was useful for teaching and training purposes but was also a large part of the entertainment industry. He had a few ideas for entertainment with it himself.

  Leaving the pilots to their job he walked back across the long bridge to Ilyseal who was occupying a floating podium. He noticed the attention the bridge crew gave him as he strode by. He had declined to relieve himself of the weapons he had strapped to each thigh. They were going into combat and he wanted to be ready at a moment’s notice. He chuckled to himself thinking about the Mass Imploder Devices he had taken from the Fathom’s armoury; Li’ara would kill him for that. MID’s were great for creating mass destruction within a contained environment, the best kind of destruction.

  Arriving at the base of the podium, Ilyseal lowered her platform to see Roland. The holograms vanished around her as she stepped off with her red tendrils flowing behind her.

  “Greetings of peace, Roland.”

  He still found it hard hearing that voice come out of that head. “So what’s the plan now, we just sit and wait?”

  “Our long-range scans have detected their passage through subspace. Prior to that, it appears a smaller portion of the ship broke away and is on course for Nova Prime.” Her long fingers danced across the surface of her bracer. “The main ship will be here before the day is over. My tacticians and analysts are running scenarios through several virtual simulators. At present, it is calculated that we will not survive the first sixteen minutes, regardless of our tactics.”

  So the ruse with extra Solarcite scars hadn’t worked and there was no foreseeable way they could win.

  “Can you show me these scenarios?” Roland pointed to the Observatory behind them.

  He had been sober for a few hours now and started to regret asking that question. He really wanted to get back to that bar and taste the rainbow of drinks it offered. Maybe if he had a drink he could think a little clearer?

  “A fresh perspective would be welcome, Roland.”

  Hold that thought...

  He followed her into the Observatory where she brought up the connected file to current ongoing scenarios. He could see that a hundred and sixty-two members of the crew had been assigned to the task. They each ran virtual scenarios in which the Valoran came up against the colossal ship using the knowledge they had gained from the past three encounters. He manipulated the holographic column, sifting through the different images; all of them ended with the Valoran being destroyed by a mass boarding party, being rammed by the immense ship itself or another supernova. They knew the hull of the giant ship could withstand a miniature supernova since it had rammed the Conclave security vessel and survived. They weren’t sure what other firepower it was capable of since they had only demonstrated three forms of attack. It didn’t matter though, that was clearly all they needed.

  “My kind has not fought in a war for several millennia I am afraid. Our tactics may be out of date but my primary concern is my crew’s lack of experience with space combat. From our observations, it was clear that humans have been in conflict for as long as you have inhabited your planet. Any advice you have will be most welcome, Roland.”

  It suddenly dawned on him that he was on a ship full of alien eggheads. How were they ever going to win against that ship? Fighting to him was like breathing now. But more than that, he was a survivor.

  He attempted to pull up the files holding the data on the attack at Century and the Conclave. To his frustration, he could only understand about half of the words on the circular panel. Seeing his hesitation, Ilyseal pressed something on her bracer.

  “Verbal command has been activated,” she explained. He nodded in thanks.

  “Show me all data relating to the attacks on Century and the Conclave.”

  He wasn’t sure of his reasoning yet but he had a feeling these two attacks might hold the key. The attack on Earth had been something they couldn’t contend with, so why even bother. The image changed to the recorded attack on Century and then split so half the column showed the attack on the Conclave. The encounter with both was brutal.

  “Do you have casualty reports yet?” He remembered the chaos and destruction Savrick’s people wrought inside Clave Tower.

  “Nine million dead, eleven million injured, forty-seven thousand in critical condition and beyond the help of a Medder. Our sensors only detected eight hundred and twelve attackers. It is still hard to fathom how so few could do so much.”

  Ilyseal’s head bowed in what he assumed was alien sadness. He didn’t care; they were just numbers to him. He was just trying to get the measure of them. Whenever they attacked they dealt in high enough casualty rates to be considered genocide.

  He spent the next several hours poring over and slogging through every technical readout and scan of the giant ship. He found no weaknesses or pressure points along the hull, not even an airlock. He used his hands to constantly flick through the images and verbally change the shapes and sizes to get a better look. Eventually, he found himself constantly rubbing his eyes due to the dark room and bright holograms. He paced around the column, trying to recall every mission he had ever done.

  Impenetrable...

  Ilyseal offered her own opinions but the program never ran to fruition. It became clear to Roland that the Novaarians were useless. If he left it to them they would all be dead by the end of the day. Another hour rolled by as he inspected reports of the aftermath to the destruction of the Conclave security ship. The scans showed minimal damage to the matte black hull even after a miniature supernova had detonated on its nose. He knew there was no way they could punch their way through.

  What interested him was their form of transport. During their attacks, the giant ship opened circular ports across the hull. Through these, he saw the hundreds of armoured bodies shoot out across the expanse to their intended target. They were the weapons. Having seen the weird stuff Savrick could do, it was clear at this point that the invisible shielding around each of them was self-projected, keeping them from harm on impact. What interested him more was the fact that these ports didn’t close after they left. That must be how they re-enter the ship when they’re finished. He watched as the Trident was torn apart from the inside in what they now knew was the use of telekinesis and some form of electrical attack.

  He studied the attack on the Conclave and witnessed the same thing. The ports remained open after their departure. He spent another hour closely examining the diameters of the green holes. It appeared that more than one armoured invader departed the ship through a single port. He changed tack and brought up all the information on the Novaarian landing crafts. It was the only thing small enough to fit with his plan… if it could be called a plan.

  “So we have no idea where the other humans are being kept?” he asked.

  “Our scans cannot penetrate the surface,” Ilyseal replied.

  That was going to be problematic. Even if they breached the interior, they had no idea where
to start looking in the twenty-mile beast.

  “We’re going to need a team, the crazier the better.” He brought back the image of the ports.

  “A team for what?” Ilyseal tilted her head.

  “Magnify one of the ports.” The ship expanded as the image remained on the now gaping port. “If it follows any ship design then the hull is going to be the thickest part. If we can get through that, via one of these ports, then we can probably blow our way through any internal walls.” He scratched the stubble on his cheek.

  “That scenario has been completed. We know from its dimensions that we could fit one of our landing craft through it, but without more detailed scans we do not know where it would lead. The craft could be destroyed after entry by simple impact. It has been theorised that a short-range missile with a two hundred tetronic yield may breach the interior wall...”

  Roland had no idea what yield or missile type she was talking about but it sounded good. “So they arrive, big scary ship, they scan us to find any humans,” he pointed at himself while he ran through the scenario, “and then they fly over here to do what they do best. We then fly out and board them through one of the open ports.” He had the sudden urge to drink a beer.

  “What about the eight hundred armoured beings on board this ship?”

  Well shit...

  He forgot about the whole crew dying. He wasn’t used to dealing with such high collateral damage, except for that one time on Europa, Jupiter’s smallest moon. He pushed that thought away and focused on the problem. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on his past mistakes.

  “Even if they destroy this ship, how will we rescue your people and prevent the eight hundred from returning to their ship and killing all of us.” Ilyseal folded both of her arms.

  Roland had no idea. So far none of them had been killed in their attacks, their armour was too good. He stood leaning on the ringed console, staring at the replays of both attacks. The image on the right flared as the massive ship rammed into the security vessel rupturing its Starrillium. The image hypnotised him as he slid his hand across the hologram, removing the attack on Century. He ran the private scenario through his head trying to work out the logistics.

  “The Valoran is bigger than that security ship, right? I mean your star-engine thing is bigger?” He began to frantically shift the hologram studying the size of the blast.

  “The Valoran is three times the size of a Conclave Nebula-class vessel, but its armaments have a greater yield.”

  “Tell your pilots to move us away from Corvus. I don’t think the Trillik are gonna like what I’ve got in mind.” A roguish smile lit up Roland’s face.

  Nothing happened. His hand fit perfectly into The Wall but it had no effect. Frustratingly he continued to push his hand into the print thinking he hadn’t applied the right pressure. This didn’t make any sense; he had seen those things in the rock. This had to be the key. Li’ara came over looking uncomfortable in her new undersuit. It had built-in temperature controls, making the desert feel like she was still on the ship; but it was still new. Her new armour was a dull matte black that didn’t reflect any sunlight.

  “What’s wrong?” He could see the real concern on her face.

  Since his abilities had begun to escalate, she had become more attuned to him. He turned to see her green eyes looking into his own, her copper hair tucked behind her ears. Every day she seemed less the soldier Li’ara and more the woman Li’ara.

  “I saw...” Kalian couldn’t explain what he had seen, just thinking about it sounded insane.

  He thought about the robotic insects that looked as if they could fit thousands on a pinhead. They were lying dormant within the atomic structure of the rock itself. He recalled the way they felt when he reached out to them. Robotic seemed like a primitive word for what they were. They felt intelligent but not individually, more like they were part of a greater collective intelligence. They were just lying dormant beyond normal sight.

  He felt the proverbial light bulb come on in his head.

  “They’re the lock! They’re the lock! And... I’m the key.”

  He turned back to The Wall ignoring the puzzled and concerned looks of his companions. This rock, or whatever it is, was designed so that only someone like him could unlock its secrets. He didn’t know why but he knew how. Those mechanical bugs were asleep waiting to be activated, and he had a pretty good idea how to wake them up.

  He felt for the tingle in his spine and pushed it into his fingertips. He prevented it from leaving his hands and instead concentrated on releasing it in a small burst similar to the sensation he felt when he knocked out electronics. He felt the pulse pass into the rock and leave him with the feeling of pins and needles.

  The rock began to literally hum with activity. Namek jumped down with feline grace as the flat side of The Wall formed a ridge down the centre. It looked like the collapsing of bedrock in an earthquake as the line carved ten feet down the middle. The handprint was split, along with the alien hieroglyphs. He felt Li’ara tug on his jacket, pulling him to a safer distance with Telarrek and Namek. All of the touchpads on their bracers and Li’ara’s armour cut out preventing further scans, probably his fault.

  Unlike doors on the Valoran, the rock face first split and then descended into the ground. Nobody spoke as the rock’s contents were instantly highlighted by interior spotlights. It was a small cube-shaped room much like a Translift.

  “This is not possible.” Telarrek slowly approached the open room. “We have been scanning and testing this rock for millennia. This should not be...”

  Telarrek turned back to Kalian for some explanation, but he had none that would make any sense. The only thing left to them was to keep going. With every second Savrick would be drawing closer.

  Kalian shrugged off Li’ara’s protective hand and made for the open room. Li’ara sighed before walking after him, coming to the same conclusion that they were too close to stop now. Behind Kalian they all filed into the cube. The rocky doors rose back out of the ground sealing them in, Kalian felt like something profound should be said, but everyone seemed a little too overwhelmed to speak.

  “Now what?” As Li’ara finished her question the cube opened back up, but not to the desert.

  The way forward was pitch-black and cold. He again felt Li’ara’s hand on his chest ready to push him out of any danger. Both Telarrek and Namek pulled an orb off their belt and squeezed it in their large hands. The pale spheres immediately came to life as they poured out phosphorus light in every direction. At the same time, they threw both orbs into the darkness where they continued to float, exposing a long corridor.

  “What is this place?” Telarrek pondered out loud.

  Kalian exited the cube with his personal protector by his side. The orbs reacted to their movement by always staying a few metres ahead. The corridor was no taller than the cube but any detail or colour was washed out by the phosphorus. Reaching out it felt smooth to Kalian, he didn’t know why but he expected it to feel like a rock. Looking back he noticed both Novaarians had their staffs pointed forward with the cylindrical extensions visible, obviously some kind of energy weapon, now.

  After a couple of minutes, they arrived at an arcing T-junction. To the right was more darkness as the extending corridor continued on. The left corridor, however, began to light up from spotlights in the ceiling. The sudden change in light startled all of them as they covered their eyes from the offending light. Once again Kalian felt no need as his eyes adjusted instantly. In that same moment, Li’ara was now pointing her weapon down that same corridor. He had forgotten how quick on the draw she was. They could see now the corridor was a polished white with a slight blue tint.

  “I guess we go this way.”

  He led the group towards a wide circular door at the end. It reminded him of the docking hatch on the side of the massive missile. Like that one, this had no touch panel or any interactive equipment. He even looked for a doorknob despite the fact they hadn’t been used for c
enturies. He decided to just push it and took a step forward. The door reacted to his proximity with a sharp hiss. At the same time, Li’ara dragged him back and levelled her gun along with the Novaarians. They froze at the extraordinary sight of the now translucent doorway. They couldn’t see clearly into the next room as the material of the door had become something between gas and jelly.

  “What the hell is that?” Li’ara sounded a little stressed.

  “I have never seen technology like this.” Telarrek moved forward and pierced the portal with his staff.

  It moved straight through and back with no visible sign that it had touched anything besides air. Kalian thought of those miniature machines that apparently made up this entire complex. He felt their potential when he had reached out. Could this be them?

  Kalian took advantage of their conversation and moved past Li’ara and straight through the peculiar substance.

  “Kalian!” Li’ara ran through after him shortly followed by the others. On the other side, she caught him by the arm, like a mother grabbing a disobedient child. “I think I remember having a discussion in which you agreed to do what I said and when I said it. I can’t protect you if...”

  Standing in front of them was a human man in long white and grey robes.

  “I think we’re past that now...” Kalian replied.

  The Valoran had remained in a state of emergency since Roland and Ilyseal had left the Observatory. The monolithic corridors had been lit up in blue and yellow alarms with Novaarians running in different directions, which Ilyseal had explained was part of the plan he had proposed. Once leaving the Observatory, she led Roland to the domed chamber where over a hundred Novaarians were now running the new simulation. Many came up to them and protested against this new plan, but Ilyseal had agreed with him.