The Curanian Dominance: The Linda Eccles Series - Volume Three

by Robert Woodard

  Series Order

  The Linda Eccles Series Order:

  - The Chance Encounter

  - The Search for Kracks

  - The Curanian Dominance

  Coming soon:

  - The Lasting Accord

  - The Benanan Remnant

  Other Books in publication by Robert Woodard:

  The Gibbons Series:

  - Sleeping Through the Nightmare

  - The Gibbons’ Seven

  - The Gibbons’ Migration

  - The Gibbons’ Battle for Cara

  Coming Soon:

  - The Jewelry Box Letter (Murder Mystery)

  - Remembrance (Murder Mystery)

  - The Awakening of Jenni (Sci-Fi)

  The Curanian Dominance

  The Linda Eccles Series – Volume Three

  By Robert Woodard

  Prelude

  In volume one, The Chance Encounter, Captain Linda Eccles, who commanded the setup ship Privateer, was preparing to return to the home port of Rapatine when she received orders that rerouted her into unknown space in search of a lost probe. While none too happy about the orders, she followed them. The space she entered belonged to a race called Kracks that did not trust her presence. The Kracks wanted to capture the ship while Linda just wanted back out of that section of space, and the ensuing battle cost the Kracks one lost ship, three damaged and the loss of a lot of Kracks’ lives. Linda ended up with a damaged ship, a dead executive officer, and after filing a protest with the Maritime Review Board, she lost her job and her command. Unknown to Linda, military ships from Rapatine returned to where the battle ensued and captured a Kracks buoy to send to earth for study.

  In volume two, The Search for Kracks, Chief Science Specialist Peggy Hopkins was assigned the duties of breaking into and learning all the Kracks’ buoy had to offer. When she did, it gave her bosses just what they needed to return to Kracks’ space to search for them in an attempt to set up diplomatic relations.

  Admiral Philip Litton had worked up a plan for how he wanted to approach the return and search for the Kracks. All he needed to complete his plan was an experienced captain he could trust to command the science ship that would tag along and be crucial to the success of the mission. Against her best judgment, Linda agreed to that command when approached with the offer.

  Once back in Kracks’ space, contact is made, and an agreement is struck to allow each side to learn about the other by sending representatives to each other’s locations. For the Humans, it was to position the science ship in orbit over the Kracks’ planet and send a science team down to explore. For the Kracks, it allowed them to send Overlords on to Rapatine to explore the space station and the planet.

  All was going well until the Curanians showed up over the Kracks planet—a humanoid, hostile race that drew its strength off the technological advances of others. If they couldn’t get a species to offer it up, they just pounded them into submission and took it, which was most of the time since communicating with another species would prove difficult. When they began to attack the Kracks, Philip brought his fleet to the rescue, and in an uncoordinated, but effective use of both ships, the Kracks and Humans drove the Curanians away. However, Philip suspected it was not a permanent solution, and the Curanians would be back.

  Supreme Kold, as wicked a Curanian leader as there ever was, built up a combined fleet in preparation for going back and taking what the Human ships had to offer. Meanwhile, Philip has in his possession what remains of two crews off Curanian scout ships damaged in the battle. What can he do with them, and can he use their knowledge to get an upper hand on the Curanians?

  Meanwhile, while studying the Kracks planet, Peggy and her team dug up a small, alien craft of superior design and technology that far surpassed anything human made. When she entered the ship, she found it still working, and it provided to her what looked like a solid chunk of the same mysterious material that made up the ship's design. She gladly took it back to Earth with her to study.

  The Kracks, in the meantime, have decided they have had enough with space. The Kracks Council has decided that they will forever remain on the surface of their planet where their reptilian strength and hunter instincts would better allow for them to fend off intruders. They want nothing more to do with the Humans, Curanians, or anyone else for that matter.

  Everything is now in play for The Curanian Dominance. What does it mean for the Kracks and the Humans? We are about to find out.

  Chapter One

  Peggy Hopkins, still glowing over her recent promotion to Manager, Science Specialist, stood off to one side watching the rest of the meeting attendees slowly file into the room. Several of them stopped off at the table where coffee, soft drinks and pastries awaited them. Taking it all in, she nervously hoped she wouldn’t screw up delivering her presentation.

  After spending weeks interacting with the alien device that she brought back from the Kracks planet, housed in a buried ship, she was ready to present her findings. Looking down at herself, she made sure her pantlegs were straight, and her blouse was properly tucked in. It had been a long time since Peggy wore something business like, and she felt uncomfortable in it.

  Eventually, everyone settled into a seat. While waiting for the meeting to start, she counted the heads and could see that twenty-two people were present. Many wore uniforms representing the upper echelon of Earth Space Defense. Others wore suits, and she suspected each of them represented key members of the Governments. They wore tailored clothing of such high quality and cost that it made Peggy feel like she was wearing rags.

  The room filled with chatter as side conversations overflowed. Director of Science Development, Doctor Julian Nelson, Peggy’s boss, stood up and cleared his throat. In his loud, deep voice, he said, “All right, I think we can get started.” The noise in the room subsided until all were quietly listening and waiting. “What we are going to show you this morning is strictly confidential. When you see what our science specialist, Peggy Hopkins, is about to present, you will know why.

  “All of you know that my science team spent time on Kracks. What you do not know is that this team discovered a spaceship buried in a remote section of the planet. This ship wasn’t anything the Kracks could have built, and it’s far superior to anything we humans could put together. Unfortunately, time ran out for my team, and they had to leave before they could get answers. You all know about the Curanian problem, so I won’t bore you with it other than to say it cut our science exploration short. Now for the good news. Peggy came back with what she thought was a sample of the ship’s material, but boy was she wrong. It turned out to be an interfacing device for that alien ship. I will let her explain the rest. Peggy.” Julian held out his hand to her to take over.

  Peggy’s heart skipped a beat. While she was used to giving people one-on-one updates, she had never done it in a large group before. Looking around the rectangular table, she swallowed hard. “Good morning, everyone. I am Manager, Science Specialist Peggy Hopkins.” The words barely came out legible.

  No one offered her, the lowly peasant in the room, the courtesy of a response, and many looked like they would rather have been elsewhere. Clearing her throat, Peggy tried to tune out those around her and focus on what she had to say.

  “As Dr. Nelson stated, I have been working with an alien AI, or artificial intelligence, that links to the ship we discovered on Kracks. Quite by accident, the device managed to link to our computers, and with a speed that far rivals anything we could ever imagine, it managed to create a cross-walk connection between our language and that of its creat
ors. Through that connection, I have been able to learn much from it.”

  While Peggy talked, she made her way over to the wall where the controls for the imager resided. She swept her hand across the activate icon and retreated to the opposite side so the projection would be on her right and the table on her left. A virtual projection appeared on a smaller section of the podium where she could now highlight sections that would mimic on the much larger wall projection for the rest of the members in the room.

  “What I have on the screen here is the recorded interaction between myself and the alien device we are calling TR17. It is officially known as a TR17 Brontum Activator, Series 12. We also learned that Brontum in the class of the ship we found buried on Kracks. I’m going to let you read through the questions and answers, and I’ll make comments along the way where appropriate.”

  Peggy: what is the name that your creator uses to call their race?

  TR17: Kuracks.

  Peggy: Is the Kracks race a subspecies of Kuracks?

  TR17: Clarify.

  Peggy: The intelligent indigenous species on the planet where you were found are called Kracks. Were they called Kracks as a subspecies of those that resided on the ship?

  TR17: This unit has no knowledge of Kracks or references to subspecies.

  Peggy looked away from the screen, and said, “The similarities between Kuracks and Kracks are too close for coincidence. As you see here, the device did not contain any information to formulate a theory. I then tried to tackle it from a different angle to determine the purpose of the ship to see if it sheds any light on the oddity.

  Peggy: Am I correct that Brontum is the name of the ship?

  TR17: Name is not a correct terminology for the Kuracks ship. It is a reference to the classification of the ship’s design. Brontum represents the smallest of the Bront series.

  Peggy: What is the purpose of the Brontum?

  TR17: Brontum is a class of ship. It has many purposes.

  Peggy: What was the purpose of the Brontum upon arrival at the planet where you resided last?

  TR17: To carry the crew to planet VO12.

  Peggy: VO12 is the planet where we found the ship?

  TR17: Yes.

  Peggy: What was the purpose of the crew upon arrival to VO12?

  TR17: Clarify

  Peggy: When you landed the ship upon the surface what was the crew to do once they left the ship?

  TR17: This device does not carry information to provide the information you seek.

  Once again, Peggy turned to those at the table, and said, “It became apparent to me at this point that the TR17 device was not designed to interact beyond running the ship. Kind of like a child, its knowledge seemed limited to its surroundings. I continued anyway in hope of learning more about the crew.”

  Peggy: What happened to the crew?

  TR17: Unknown

  Peggy: Why was the ship buried?

  TR17: This device does not carry information to provide the information you seek.

  Peggy: Can the ship be made ready to fly again?

  TR17: Clarify.

  Peggy: If I wanted to fly the ship off VO12, what would I need to prepare to make that happen?

  TR17: Return this unit to the Brontum.

  Peggy: Clarify.

  TR17: Clarify.

  Peggy: If I returned you to the ship, you could fly it without any further preparation?

  TR17: Yes.

  Peggy: Clarify. Doesn’t the ship need fuel, power or some other form of propulsion preparation after being idle for so long?

  TR17: The Brontum is designed to fly without maintenance.

  Peggy: Clarify. Can it fly without the original crew taken to VO12?

  TR17: Yes. This unit requires a Command Sequence Order to perform execution of ship functions.

  Peggy: Clarify. Who can provide that Command Sequence Order?

  TR17: Clarify.

  Peggy: Can I return you to the ship and provide the command sequence order?

  TR17: Command Sequence Order must be generated by command-level experienced crewmember. Peggy Hopkins lacks command level knowledge.

  Peggy: How do you know that?

  TR17: Based on a review of your security file upon uplink.

  Peggy: Would a human who has training and experience in commanding a ship be able to generate the Command Sequence Order?

  TR17: Yes.

  The last question Peggy asked was still hidden below the bottom of the screen. She paused to let those in the room absorb what they had just read. Letting her eyes scan around the table, she could see that there was no longer bored looks or disinterest. She captured the attention of everyone.

  “This is unbelievable. Are you telling me that we can put a person aboard that ship and fly it?” The question was asked by an Admiral Peggy hadn’t met before.

  “That’s what it’s telling us,” Peggy said.

  “Good God, we could fly that thing back here and really study it,” the Admiral blurted out. “From the report that I’ve read on that ship just before coming in here, it is so superior to anything we have that it would be like comparing the capabilities of cavemen to a Roman Legion. I say we get a person back to Kracks and get it.”

  The Admiral sported so many medals on his uniform that Peggy wondered what kept him from tumbling forward from the weight. She was about to go on when she was interrupted again.

  “You’re forgetting that we don’t have any rights to that ship. It belongs to the Kracks,” a business-suited member of the group said.

  “Hell, the Kracks would probably try to eat it,” the Admiral responded.

  “It still doesn’t give us a right to take it without permission,” the Suit countered.

  “We could always request access to the ship. The Kracks could probably care less what we did with it,” another Suit offered.

  “Hell, they don’t even know it’s there, why point it out to them?” the Admiral asked.

  “Because it is the right thing to do. We sure wouldn’t want someone coming to Earth and just start hauling away whatever they felt like,” Julian said, chiming into the conversation.

  Peggy watched the bantering going back and forth. There were clear sides in the debate. The military folks seemed all for going and taking it, and the political folks were all for diplomacy. As for Peggy, she figured they should offer to study the ship and share what they learned with the Kracks. It seemed like win-win to her.

  The steam seemed to run out of the arguments. When calm returned to the table, Peggy quickly said, “There is one more thing of which I believe you should be made aware. Let me scroll the screen up so you can see the last question.”

  Peggy: Could the Command Sequence Order be requested to return the ship back to its place of origin?

  TR17: Yes.

  The debate started up again. The military brass arguing that exposing themselves to such a superior race could be dangerous. The non-military side countered that an alliance with such a highly intelligent being could excel humankind to new wonders.

  Peggy tuned out the discussions and thought over the concerns that had hounded her ever since she learned the ship could be directed back to their home planet with a human crew aboard. Would that much technological advancement create more problems than they would resolve? The human race did not have a good track record in that regards. Too many people still envision every new find as a way to create a powerful kind of weapon. Until that stupidity stopped, humans were probably better keeping things simple. Then again, it wasn’t her call. No one made her a dictator to make such policies and enforce them.

  The meeting participants seemed to have disregarded Peggy in the discussion now, so she made herself busy by shutting off the imager. She looked at Julian, who jerked his head, indicating she could leave. She did her part. Whatever happened next apparently didn’t require any of her input, and that was fine with her.

  Chapter Two

  Linda Eccles sat in her room of her parent’s home while
staring out at the rain. With her mission aboard the science ship, Auspicious, over, she had decided not to renew her contract with the Shipping Guild, and instead, officially retired. Getting up, she stepped forward to look out her window.

  Staring down at her brand-new hover-car, dripping wet from the rain, she smiled at how uncomfortable she had been driving it. Give her a mighty ship, busy bridge and a star to guide her by, any day. The rules of the road applied again, and that had been the frustrating part. There were no stop signs, turn signals, and hunting for parking spots in space. There sure was here on the surface of good old Earth, along with a bunch of hurried, angry drivers. If she could have afforded it, she would have purchased a shuttle to keep off the roads, but that was slightly beyond her means. Being retired now required her to monitor her spending habits a little more carefully.

  She refused to sponge off her parents, though. She told them she would pay rent for the room while contributing to buying groceries and helping with cooking, cleaning and whatever else needed doing. Linda thought she would enjoy the slower pace, but now she wasn’t so sure.

  Visibility out her window was limited with the low cloud cover. She knew that on a sunny day the shuttles’ comings and goings from the Boeing Space Terminal south of Seattle were visible. Shaking her head, she had forgotten how much it rained in Washington. She grew up with it as a child, and it seemed a normal part of her life, but after being away from it for so long it seemed more depressing. Linda supposed she would adjust, eventually. Looking up at the dark cloud cover, she smiled over how she used to tell people she came from the land of perpetual grey. Linda realized her analogy had not been all that far off.

  Her thoughts turned to Boeing and how it became the builder of spaceships and shuttles as a natural transition from building airplanes. They still held government contracts, too, or so she understood from what her father had mentioned. The Shipping Guild owned 51% of the company's stock now, and Boeing regained its title as the largest employer in Washington. For all she knew, they may even be the largest employer on the West Coast.