by T. R. Harris
“Isn’t this like the one the Klin built to reach the Sol-Kor universe?” Adam asked. “It sure looks like it.”
Panur moved along the control consoles, stopping now and then to call up data on the myriad of monitors before moving on. What technicians were there moved aside, both from courtesy, as well as obvious apprehension of the four-foot-tall grey alien. In a galaxy of strange creatures, Panur was in a league of his own.
Finally, he stopped and turned to the native scientist. “This array has been used recently. In fact, it has been used quite often, and within the last standard year.”
“I thought you said the array didn’t work?” Copernicus asked. He was also surveying the equipment, looking at it with a mechanic’s eye.
“That is true. What we meant is that the unit is not working as expected. We lost contact with the advance expedition a year ago. Since then we have continued to seek contact.”
“But you have linked with other universes, quite a few in fact,” Panur stated. There was a nervous tone in his voice.
“Is there a problem?” Adam asked.
“Potentially, if one goes about randomly opening portals.”
“Why is that?”
“I will explain later; it would take too long to give the subject its due. As to your other question, this array is similar yet different, and in a variety of subtle ways. It is in fact more advanced than the Klin array which brought me to your galaxy.”
“It’s newer, so that would make sense,” Copernicus said. “The Olypon have improved upon the old model.”
Panur grimaced. “That is the problem. It is not newer, at least not the design.” He looked to Sindus. “I will have to see the original plans. Are they available?
Sindus frowned. “I will have to get them released. As you can imagine, they are extremely valuable. The government keeps them safely locked away.”
“I thought you wanted me to help? I have extensive experience with trans-dimensional arrays, yet this one is a unique design, different from even the one the Klin built several years ago.”
“Different? In what way?” Adam asked, hoping Panur wouldn’t address the answer to him. He wouldn’t have a clue what the mutant told him, even if he did.
“I’m not sure, but the quality of the output signal is more refined than even those I have designed, yet using techniques that are…well, archaic in a way. Of course, I find this disturbing. This is an older model, yet more advanced.” He turned to Sindus. “You say this is from a Klin design, from the time before they left your world?”
Sindus looked uneasy.
“Is that not true?” Panur asked the native, reading his body language.
“It is not a simple answer.” He looked around at the room full of curious spectators, many of which were growing angrier by the moment. “Please join me at a location where we can discuss this matter at length.”
A few minutes later, the team—along with three Olypon—were gathered in a comfortable lounge area normally reserved for off-duty array techs. They were seated on couches and chairs, and after the obligatory blood testing, Sindus ordered refreshments all around.
“All right, Panur, what’s going on?” Adam asked, bypassing Sindus with his question. The mutant was uneasy…and it took a lot to make Panur squirm.
Panur looked Sindus in the eye; Lila was seated next to him and did the same. The native withered under the intense scrutiny of the mutants.
“I will need honest answers,” Panur began.
“Of course,” Sindus blurted. “Why do you doubt otherwise?”
“Because you have not been truthful with us to this point.”
Blood rushed from the native’s face. “I will answer the questions you set before me.”
“Good. Now, your people—the Olypon—did you alter the plans of the Klin?”
“No, we did not. All we did was follow the instructions.”
“If that’s the case, then why is this design radically different from the one the Klin built six standard years ago, and on a world thousands of light-years from here?”
“That I cannot answer.”
“That is why I must see the original plans. There is a discrepancy here I must solve.”
“What are you getting at, Panur?” Adam asked.
“I find if perplexing how something older can be more advanced? For an example, some of the computer language used is expressed in extreme basic terms. And just a cursory survey of the circuitry shows an overabundance, as if modern chip design and imprinting was not used. The array works, yet I find it difficult to understand why. The output and energy usage is more refined than even I have been able to achieve. That makes the operation of the device more advanced, even if the construction is not.”
“But you said it works,” Sherri added. “If so, then what are we doing here?”
Sindus shifted in his seat as all eyes turned to him. “It does not link with our team. As Panur has said, we have contacted many other universes, yet not the correct one.”
“The one with this new energy source?” Tidus asked.
“Yes, the one with our people trapped within.”
Panur focused his attention once more on the nervous native. “Now, Sindus, please tell us where you got the plans—the plans for this array.”
“It was all we could do!” he blurted.
“Do what?” Sherri asked.
“I will tell you, but we have done nothing wrong. After the Klin left, my people were at an extreme disadvantage. Our neighbors—the Kracori—were also gone, leaving us even more isolated within the Dysion Void. Olypon does not have normal trade with the outside, only with a few intrepid merchants who then charge us exorbitant fees for even the most basic alien technology. While the Klin were here, they taught us much, but we are not natural at such things, and without their continual guidance, we have suffered. Even at the time of the occupation, while the Kracori built weapons of war, Olypon responsibility fell to the building of the Klin Colony Ships, under the close watch of the Klin. Although they are huge projects, they are all the same. Our industry was designed for their construction and not much more. When the Klin left, they took their files and computers and even their specialized tools. We were desperate at that time, desperate for refined materials and advanced machinery. We have basic skills at repair and construction, and we are very good at following instructions. Yet I admit, we lack the imagination required for independent advancement. So, we turned to salvage as our solution.”
“Salvage, what do you mean?” Sherri asked.
“Salvage of the extensive debris fields within the Dysion Void. As you know, a great battle took place here many standard years ago, during which hundreds of warships were destroyed. Remnants still populate the region. But our most fertile salvage grounds have been in the remains of the Klin Colony Ships that were destroyed during the battle. We estimate the number to be at least twelve of the stations, along with another three lost within the Barrier. For many years we have searched through the debris for refined metals and working electronics, computers and other components. When something as large as a Colony Ship disintegrates, it leaves huge sections still intact. And in the vacuum of space, they neither rust nor decay. We have found a wealth of valuable material within the debris field. And within the archives of these salvaged computers, we recovered information regarding the Klin’s trans-universe program, with many references dating back several thousand years.”
Adam recoiled. “What was that…did you say several thousand years?”
“That is true,” said the native. “Various references were made to an extensive program taking place at the time on their homeworld—”
“On Klinmon?”
“That is correct.”
Adam looked at Tidus. “No way. That would mean the Klin had TD portals operating before the time of the Reckoning, before the Juireans attacked.”
“I have heard nothing of this,” the Juirean said.
“Neither have I,” added Panur
pointedly. “This is rather revealing information, Sindus. I was under the impression the array the Klin built linking my universe with this one was their first. Now it turns out it may have only been the first…since the Reckoning.”
Adam turned to Sindus. “And your people found the plans for the array within the debris?”
“That is correct. One of our top scientists was assigned the responsibility of sorting the data from the Klin computers and from other record archives. Her name was Anolis Ves Por Nunn, and she began cataloging a vast array of information from the Klin on a myriad of subjects, most of which had never been revealed to us during the time the Klin were on Olypon. She was granted authorization over all salvage, inspecting each item for any hidden data which could be included in our growing source of advanced technology. And that is when she discovered the plans for the portal array. It was from those plans that we built this device.”
“Forgive me, Sindus,” Lila said, “but your planet is poor and without great natural resources. Why have you spent so much time and credits to build the array? What good did you think would come from it?”
“Of course, that was a consideration—the cost—and a subject which was vigorously debated within our governing councils. Yet the Klin recordings also spoke of revolutionary technologies and wonderous discoveries they had found in the new universes they explored, technologies which we decided could be converted into wealth for Olypon. If we could access them, we would have something to trade with the galaxy, something to give our people status such as others have achieved.”
“And you found these…discoveries?” Sherri asked.
“Yes! It was Anolis herself who made the first transit, and it was on her inaugural excursion that she discovered the dark energy material we have spoken of. She then set up a small colony to study this breakthrough technology. Yet before any significant exploitation could take place, the connection between the universes was lost. Anolis was on the other side at the time and remains there to this day.” The native looked at Panur. “Yes, we have attempted to reestablish contact, and do so even to this day, yet with no success.”
“Did you locate matching arrays in any of these universes you have contacted?” Panur asked.
“Matching arrays? I do not understand.”
“Then you have not. You would know if you had.” Panur looked around the room. “This explains a lot,” he said. “The battle in the Dysion Void took place before the Klin built their portal array. Since nearly all their Colony Ships were destroyed at the time, they may have lost most of the data regarding the ancient TD program and had to piece together what information they still had. What Sindus and his people have found are the original designs, or at least those dating back before the destruction of Klinmon. Hence the primitive technology used with extraordinary efficiency. The Klin program had to be very advanced at the time.”
“So why can’t they find this Anolis character?” Sherri asked. “As the saying goes: They have the technology.”
Panur smiled. It was a smile of confidence, not humor.
Adam frowned. “If you know, don’t keep it a secret.”
“Yes, reveal what you know,” Sindus said with unexpected ferocity.
Panur’s smile turned to a frown as he stared at the Olypon for a long moment.
“I will explain,” he said, a testiness in his voice. “Yet before I do, I must go back and answer Adam’s prior question, about why it is dangerous to open portals at random.” He took an artificial breath for effect, artificial since he didn’t need to breathe to live. He also wanted to let everyone in the room know that the mutant would not be rushed or pressured.
“Basically, all universes have one of two futures; either an ever-expanding destiny or a contracting one,” he began. “As most of you are aware, universes come into existence at a point which the Humans like to call the Big Bang, when all the matter and energy in the universe suddenly springs forth from a single point. Now I preface my comments with this: Even for me, what I’m about to say is theory. I have not actually witnessed a Big Bang; no living creature ever has. But that’s not to say Lila and I may not have the opportunity one day.”
He grinned at Lila. “But that is another story. Now back to the Big Bang. As matter and energy expand outward, it does so in a less-than-homogenous manner of thick and thin regions, mostly determined by concentrations of dark matter and dark energy which create deformations within the fabric of space. Within these dents, matter accumulates to form nebulae, and later stars and galaxies, followed by clusters of such. In the early universe—and until this day—black holes form from the death of the more massive stars, and from their gravitational influence, galaxies begin to form. In the first scenario—the ever-expanding universe—matter is distributed in such a way that no single gravity source can grow large enough to influence much beyond its local area. As the universe continues to expand, these influences grow even weaker. As time passes, stars continue to burn out, and with matter so dispersed by this time, the remnants of these stars fail to reform to create new ones. Eventually, all the stars burn out and the universe goes dark. This becomes a dead universe.”
“Question, Professor Panur?” Sherri asked, raising her hand.
“Yes?”
“Will this be on the mid-term?”
Panur got the joke. He grinned—sort of. “Most assuredly, Ms. Valentine, so be sure to take copious notes. Now please, do not interrupt again. I am just now coming to the best part.”
Sherri smiled coyishly.
“Continuing: In the alternate future—the contracting one—matter exists in such proximity within the early universe that galaxies form close to one another. As mentioned before, at the core of each galaxy is a supermassive black hole, providing the energy and form for the structure. In spiral and bar galaxies, the rotational motion prevents most of the stars from cycling into the center, where they could be consumed by an ever-growing singularity. Yet in non-rotational galaxies, the stars tend to be drawn inward in greater numbers, feeding the black hole until it becomes a monster. It soon transitions from a million-stellar-mass singularity, to a billion-mass event, and then finally to a galaxy-mass black hole. The gravitational influence of such an object is enough to draw in other galaxies, until the singularity is measured in the million-galaxy range and more. This is a true snow-ball effect on a universal scale, which eventually attracts all mass and energy and returns it to its original point of origin.
“Explaining further, universes come into existence in one of two ways, through natural processes or artificially—”
“Artificially?” Adam asked. “How can a universe be artificially created?”
“I am about to explain,” Panur said impatiently. “Most universes are created through a process of leakage between other dimensions. According to my theory, this happens most often when two of these contracted universes come in close proximity to one another. Although universes are separated by only the width of a hydrogen atom, it still takes incredible energy to breach the barrier between them. Yet two intense concentrations of universe-size gravity sources can do this. At some point, the pair of dimensions in essence trade material and issue forth mirror Big Bang events. Yet—and this is important—in the case of artificial creation, someone with a TD portal inadvertently penetrates one of these contracted universes, and as result, releases all the pressure from one universe into another.”
Adam’s mouth fell open, along with everyone else in the room. “That…that can happen?”
“In theory. Consider a balloon full of water. Now take a needle and make a tiny puncture in the bottom. Instantly, the material of the balloon is ripped apart and all the contents pour out. It’s the same principle.”
“So, you’re saying the Olypon could have done that to our universe by haphazardly connecting with alternate dimensions? In that case, couldn’t that happen with any TD portal?”
“That is a possibility, unless you know what to look for. I do.”
“And w
hat is that?”
“Pressure differentials. I am able to test the pressure between dimensions before opening a portal. Too much pressure and it may not be safe. Even extremely low pressure, such as would be found in a dead universe, could be equally dangerous, causing a portion of our dimension to pour into another to equalize the pressure. But relax, Adam, there is a wide range of acceptable pressures, and out of the twenty-five universes I have personally tested, only two have been questionable.”
Panur looked again at Sindus. “Yet as for our Olypon friends, they have been recklessly linking with dozens of universes in an attempt to reconnect with the first. It is possibly from your recent decrease in contact attempts that this universe still exists.”
Panur was studying the native’s reaction to his seminar. It was having an effect. Sindus sat pale and weak in his chair, contrary to his earlier arrogant demeanor. “Then we…we must stop all attempts.”
“That won’t be necessary; I know how to test relative pressures. And I also know how to reconnect with your lost colony.”
Sindus’s eyes grew wide. “How! You must tell me.”
“Yeah, Panur,” Adam said, smiling, “please do.”
“It is rather simple. Every link between dimensions occurs at a particular frequency. Also, individual portals create tiny imperfections in the space-time continuum within both, and these imperfections tend to match up. That is why when a connection is initially made, there is a tendency to always meet up with that same universe and in approximately the same region. Yet as you have attempted to reconnect with the original universe, you changed the frequency. Before you lost the link, the wavelength was static, a product of the original construction. But then in your desperation, you began to tweak the settings.”
“Tweak?”
“Adjust,” Panur explained. “From the data I’ve seen, you have scrambled the settings to such a degree that it would be virtually impossible to find the original frequency.”
“Then…then the mission is hopeless.”