by T. R. Harris
“What I have here is a dark matter generator. The cubes are oriented in such a way that a negatively charged particle along one face is aligned with a positively charged particle in the other cube. As they draw closer, the particles attract, drawing in energy from the surrounding ether. The dark matter does not radiate energy, instead it consolidates it. The electric field surrounding the wires in the light absorbs this energy and helps power the effect. To further explain, if I allowed the two cubes to come in contact with each other, the amount of energy that could be siphoned off would be enough to power this entire station indefinitely. And only nine such cubes, in a particular arrangement, could power a planet.”
Jym snapped his mouth closed, having let it fall open during Volic’s speech. “If this true, then you are to be congratulated. You have found an unlimited source of energy and in compact form. Your technology is beyond revolutionary.”
“Your enthusiasm should be tempered, Mr. Jym. As you know, such a discovery will cause numerous industries to collapse and economies to fail.”
“That has happened with all great inventions,” Kaylor stated, joining the conversation. “Eventually societies adapt to the new economy.”
Jym waved him off. “I am still in awe of your achievement. How did you do it?”
The aliens looked at each other again, this time with tiny frowns on their dark foreheads. “That is the issue,” Volic said. “We did not develop this technology…we found it.” Before the others could react, Volic looked Adam in the eye. “In the Zaniff asteroid field within the Cadonic system.”
Adam’s stomach turned to knots.
“Is that not where the Aris service module was found?” Jym asked Adam, much to his chagrin. Knowledge of the Aris was not universally known, and now Jym had just blurted it out in front of the Gracilians.
Volic noticed Adam’s reaction.
“Please, Mr. Adam, have no distress. We have known of the Aris for some time. Since the first artifact was found, there has been a veritable rush to the asteroid field in search of other remains. Most have been pieces of buildings or furniture, along with a several modules, including two more of the metallic orbs. All these objects are highly prized by both researchers and collectors alike. We have also deciphered some of the language of the ancients, knowing they were called Aris and that they went extinct three billion years ago.”
Adam begged to differ with the alien; he knew better about the date of their so-called extinction. But he kept quiet.
“It was the Aris who developed this technology?” Kaylor asked.
“Yes, Mr. Kaylor. We found within the remains of their shattered homeworld direct evidence that the Aris had learned to harness dark matter to power their society. The ancient beings had evolved to such a point that they survived on pure energy, and dark matter was the source.”
“You said direct evidence,” Adam said. “What evidence?”
Volic laughed. “Even before this great discovery, the evidence was right before our eyes—and yours, too, Mr. Adam.”
“What do you mean?”
“You recall the original artifact, the metallic orb found in a three-billion-year-old section of wall upon the asteroid? You should—you and your associate Riyad Tarazi stole it from us.”
“We were forced to…to save our friends Kaylor and Jym.”
“That is beside the point. What I wish to say is that we had a chance to study the orb before you took it. Do you know the purpose of the device?”
“It was a personal service module for the Aris, providing them with energy, which they took in directly.”
Volic was impressed. “That is correct, yet I wonder how you know the details?”
Adam debated telling the alien that the orb possessed an advanced form of artificial intelligence…and that it could speak. It also had a name: Zee. He decided to remain quiet and let the Gracilians reveal what they knew. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Regardless, within the orb we found a pair of wafers and studied the energy signature they produced. This data was retained, and when we compared it to the containment cubes we found, we detected the same signature. Did you ever wonder how the artifact produced the energy it did? It was through the use of dark matter particles within the unit. So, you, Mr. Adam, once held a dark matter generator in your hands and did not even know it. And where is this orb now, may I ask?
Adam nodded. “My daughter has it.”
Volic and the other Gracilian widen their brow-less eyes. “Ah yes, your mutant offspring Lila, the product of an interspecies union between you and the Formilian Arieel Bol. Does she not absorb energy directly as a means of survival?”
“That’s right.” Lila was well-known throughout the galaxy, having ruled it for a period a few years back.
“And this orb supplies her with this energy, just as it did the ancient Aris?”
“Sometimes.”
“Interesting….” Volic continued with his story. “Recently, searchers within the asteroid field found a new device, an object four kol square by two in thickness.” Adam knew a kol was about a foot in Juirean measurement. “We acquired the unit, which was encrusted in ancient lava from the moment the Aris world was destroyed. It was brought to our research facility and freed of the encasing stone. Along its outer shell we found holders for sixty of the containment cubes. It was further discovered that as a cube was removed, another would take its place within a few standard days.”
“A dark matter collector?” Jym asked.
“Yes, and still functioning after three billion years.”
“So, you not only have some of these cubes, but you have the means to create more. Incredible,” Jym said. “So, when does this new energy technology become available?”
The alien turned serious. “That is a more complicated subject, Mr. Jym; however, unknown to us, knowledge of our discovery filtered to other parties. We received an unsolicited offer to purchase the unit from the Maris-Kliss organization.”
“Why would a weapons manufacturer want an energy generator?” Adam asked.
“It is simple. We believe that if a single pair of dark matter particles was to be placed in a thread-shaped containment holder not more than half an inch apart, it would serve as a constantly charging battery for one of MKs ubiquitous energy weapons.”
“A permanent power source providing an unlimited number of flash bolts.” Adam concluded.
“Precisely, Mr. Adam.”
“I can see why they’d be interested. The offer must have been substantial.”
“Shocking and beyond comprehension.”
“So, what did you do? Did you sell it to them?”
“No, we did not.”
Adam grinned. “Not enough credits?”
Volic’s face turned to stone. “We do not care for credits, Mr. Adam. We are Gracilians; we exist only to search for answers to the mysteries of the galaxy. We rejected the offer.”
“Why?” Kaylor asked. “This is incredible technology, not only as batteries for flash weapons, but so much more. You have to release it to the galaxy.”
Volic calmed down. “I am afraid you do not have all the facts, Mr. Kaylor. There is more you do not know.”
“Then please tell us.”
Yeah, please do, Adam thought. This was taking way too long to get to the point—and his ten thousand credits.
Volic removed one of the cubes from it holder and slid the apparatus to his mute associate. The other Gracilian placed the second cube safely into the satchel.
“The material used in the containment cubes is made of an unknown substance, produced within the dark matter collector—a device we call the DMC. Your translator will convert our words to use your own initials. The particles are placed within at a safe distance from one another. And safe is the operable word. Do you know what would happen if the particles were allowed to meet?”
“I would imagine some sort of annihilation event,” Jym offered.
Volic absolutely beamed at the small
bear-like being. “Indeed, Mr. Jym! That is the same term we use: an annihilation event.”
“How big of an event?” Adam asked, now worried that the aliens had brought a potential bomb aboard his ship.
Volic held up the cube, looking at it with dreamy eyes. “If these particles came together, half this station would disappear.”
“Disappear…not explode?” Jym asked.
“What would be created is a unique version of a singularity, similar as those created in gravity drives. It would be short-lived, and once the particles have merged, the fabric of the surrounding space would return to normal, once the void is filled.”
“Explain,” Adam demanded, shaking his head.
Volic stretched out a thin grin, looking at Adam as if he was a child who just asked a stupid question. “You are aware how gravity drives work, are you not Mr. Adam?”
“Of course, I am. But that wasn’t the question.”
Volic nodded. “Of course, it wasn’t. What happens during the annihilation event is a volume of space in the shape of a sphere is removed, to where we can only speculate. Into this void, surrounding space is drawn in. Even though only a small section of the station would be initially affected, half of it would crash into the center of the void. This, of course, would destroy the structural integrity of the rest of the station, causing even more damage. It would have a catastrophic event.”
Volic set the cube back on the table, a little too heavily for Adam’s liking. The damn thing was a bomb.
“Fortunately, the containment material is very durable, yet it can be breached. We discovered this while experimenting with a cube at one of our facilities. From that incident we extrapolated the exponential effects of multiple cubes being involved in a critical mass event. As I mentioned earlier, nine arranged cubes could power a planet. But if only one cube was breached, it would set off a chain reaction annihilation event that would destroy the planet. As you ponder that, imagine trillions of flash weapons and the possibility of a breach occurring. That, Mr. Adam, is why we did not sell the technology to Maris-Kliss.”
Jym was looking away at a wall in the room, his eyes wide and intense. He turned back to the Gracilians. “You mentioned the collector—the DMC—had holders for sixty of these cubes, and that the device is producing even more?”
“That is correct. All holders are filled or will be within two days of cubes being removed.”
“What if a cube on the DMC ruptured? What kind of annihilation event would that create?”
Volic turned somber and serious. “An event such as that would produce a singularity large enough to impact a tenth of the galaxy. In addition, the supermassive black hole at the galactic core would be drawn in and the combined gravitational influence of both would disrupt the balance of forces operating in this region of the universe. Over time, the galaxy as we know it would cease to exist.”
“All from a machine about the size of a large suitcase?” Adam asked, stunned, yet still not convinced.
“That is correct. That is why we moved our research operations to a location outside the plane of the galaxy. We also keep the elements separated and manage the cubes within the DMC.”
“So, you must have hundreds of these cubes?”
“Ninety-eight, to be exact, including these two, Mr. Adam,” Volic said. “However, that is no longer the case. For you see, the DMC has been stolen from the research station, and along with it a fair supply of the cubes.”
Adam recoiled from the news. It was now clear why the aliens had come to him. The deadly Aris device has been stolen and the Gracilians want him to get it back.
“I want a million credits, half upfront and non-refundable.”
Adam grimaced when Jym literally fell off his chair. Way to keep your poker face, Jym, he thought.
The Gracilians didn’t react to the statement, except to say: “Agreed.”
Now it was Adam’s turn to fight off a near-fainting spell. Damn, I could’ve asked for more!
“And we will provide you with a Gracilian prototype vessel for the search. It is not as fast as the trans-dimensional starship you are used to, but it does possess advanced technology, making it the fastest vessel using conventional gravity drive in the galaxy.”
Adam looked at his two alien friends, unable now to contain his excitement. This would be enough money to get the Colony Ship to Earth. From there he could still do his bounty hunting business while being closer to his homeworld and the ongoing efforts to put his life back together.
“So, who took the collector?”
“Agents hired by Maris-Kliss after we refused to sell the DMC.”
“An inside job?”
Volic frowned. “Inside job?”
“Yeah, someone working at the research facility.”
Volic’s face lit up with understanding. “Yes, an inside job! I shall explain. The accumulation of cubes at our research station affects the surrounding fabric of space. As a result, the positioning engines, as well as internal gravity, have been affected on a continual basis. To remedy this annoyance, we hired a permanent technician and his assistant to maintain the systems. It was this pair who absconded with the device, intending to provide it to Maris-Kliss.”
“Has the exchange taken place?”
“Not as of yet. As mentioned, gravity is affected by so many cubes. Only recently we have developed an effective screening process that negates most of the gravity damping effect. Fortunately, the thieves did not take that with them. There is a possibility both the gravity drive of their stolen starship, as well as wormhole communications, have been affected. We are monitoring events, and as of now, the transfer has not taken place.”
Adam was worried. His team used CW links to locate their subjects. If CW was down aboard the thieves’ starship, they couldn’t make any calls that could be traced.
“I’ll need the location of the research station. The thieves will have to get to a planet where they can use a land-based CW facility. How much time has elapsed since the theft?”
“Six standard days.”
Adam flinched. “How long would it take to get back in the galaxy from your station, assuming a functioning gravity drive?”
“At least ten days.”
“Good; we still have time.”
Adam smiled at the dark-skinned aliens across the table from him. “I assume you have the credits with you—the ten thousand plus the advance. Why don’t we take care of that part of the transaction right now?”
Adam and his team watched as the Gracilians counted out stacks of light green Juirean credit chips. “You wouldn’t happen to have anything smaller, would you?” Adam asked. “There are not a lot of places that can break a twenty-five thousand credit chip.”
The answer was no, and Adam didn’t press the issue. They had about ninety thousand credits in smaller denominations aboard the Colony Ship. That would get the operation underway.
Once the money part of the transaction was consummated, Volic looked at Adam and frowned. “Do you not wish to know the identities of the thieves?”
He’d completely forgotten to ask for more details, too wrapped in the aura of a half-a-million credit advance.
“Yes, of course. Sorry. We’ll also need photos or videos of them. I assume you have those?”
“We do…and so do you, Mr. Adam.”
It was Adam’s turn to frown. Why would he have pictures of the dark matter thieves?”
“Who are they?
“Copernicus Smith and Sherri Valentine.”
Adam didn’t speak for several seconds, staring at the aliens as a series of thoughts fumbled around in his head.
“No shit?” he finally said.
“Pardon me?” Volic said, both confused and offended by the statement.
“It means did I hear you right?”
“Yes, you did. Mr. Copernicus was the technician we hired to tend to the gravity drives. Miss Sherri came with him. Maris-Kliss was able to make contact and gave them the assignment for
an undisclosed amount of credits. We do not believe they came to the station with the express purpose of stealing the DMC. It was more an opportunity event which both parties took advantage of.”
“Do they know how dangerous these cubes are?”
“We do not believe so. We have informed MK, yet they seem unconcerned. After your friends stole a starship from the facility and left, we have attempted contact to let them know. Yet their communication links are not operating.”
Adam was floored by the news. Sherri and Copernicus, two of his closest friends—at least Sherri was—now possessed the most dangerous device in the galaxy…and they didn’t even know it. He smirked, an expression that confused the Gracilians.
Sherri and Coop may have stolen the device without realizing the danger, but here Adam was about to rush headlong after them to recover it. By all rights, he should be bolting away in the opposite direction as fast as he could. That would be the smart move. But that wasn’t what he did…ever.
The Gracilians provided details on the location of the research facility and then they left the Klin Colony Ship, leaving one of their starships in the landing bay. Adam and his team went right to work.
“Jym, program the computer to search for images of Sherri and Copernicus. Kaylor, get a new power module for the Davion and then be ready to back me up should I need it. I’m not worried about Sherri or Coop making a fuss, not after they learn the truth about what they have. What I am worried about is what MK will do, and anyone else who gets wind of the collector—the DMC. I’ll take the Gracilian ship to the Frontier. They say I can make it there in seven days, which is pretty damn fast. I’ll keep trying to raise Sherri on the CW just in case I can break through.”