Officers on the command deck watched the screen as a one-and-a-half-ton ground transport was lifted off the ground and pulled slowly upward.
“Captain, they’ve opened the rift wider,” said Officer Kulla. The force on that transport just exceeded 13,275N, and our instruments indicate the gravitational forces are starting to increase again.”
“Check your readings, Officer Kulla, that number seems low.”
“Captain, I think I can explain that,” interjected Officer Corrigan. “Korganra is full of voids. The planet is huge, but its mass is about one third of what you might expect for a planet 27,000 meters in diameter.”
“Captain, the gravitational force on that ground transport checks out, 13,275N” added Kulla.
“That’s not good at all. There’s no telling what kind of damage those shock waves caused in the subsurface, and if a series of voids collapse, the entire planet could become unstable. Korganra could fracture and split into pieces at any moment. Officer Kulla, run a stress-to-failure simulation based on Korganra’s geological profiles. If possible, I want an estimate of when it’s going to start breaking up.”
“Officer Chanan, send Erg Balor a brief communique apprising him of our concern and indicate we are relocating the Alpha fleet. I’m afraid this situation is on the verge of getting uglier very fast.”
“Officer Williams, move this fleet. Put it some place safe if you can. Preferably someplace away from that bloody rift. Officer Chanan, tell our stealth fighter team leaders and our gunner unit head I want a meeting in my conference room five minutes ago. Officer Williams, you have the com.”
Bert left the command deck and went straight to the Captain’s Conference Room. In a matter of minutes, five or less, everyone was assembled.
“By now, I’m sure the news of what’s happening on Korganra has been spread across the entire galaxy. We’ve calculating the expected failure of the planet and right now we’re in the middle of the projected time range. But I don’t think we have a lot of time before the planet breaks up. For the remainder of this mission, I want one member from each of your squads to help with the deep space monitoring team. While we’re busy looking after the Giants I don’t want any surprises.”
“Like what kind of surprises?” asked Arton.
“The Shumbrans?” guessed Gary.
“The Shumbrans,” said Bert. “They set up the Giants to be obliterated. Obviously, that didn’t work out so well, but they have other alliances that might come into play and I don’t want any of them showing up unannounced. We have a full plate right now, and someone may want to take advantage of our situation.”
Before he could continue, someone from the command deck buzzed the Captain’s Conference Room. “Captain Warrington, this is Officer Kulla on the com deck. Sorry to bother you, Sir, but minutes ago our scanners picked up a faint energy signal tracing through Korganra’s atmosphere. Before I buzzed you that signal was being generated from the planet’s surface. Captain, I can’t’ seem to fingerprint the source.”
“What class of signal is it?” asked Bert, “and tell me again, how long has it been there?”
“I’m not sure, Sir, the signal is weak and intermittent, and I’ve never seen the kind of readings our equipment is displaying. I’ve run it through every database and signal analyzer we have, and I get nothing. It doesn’t match any ship or piece of equipment I’m familiar with. All I can tell you is an unshielded energy source is spiriting around the Sote-kiliet. Who operates a spaceship with unshielded energy?”
The surprise on Arton’s face couldn’t have been more obvious to everyone at the table. “We may have found our lost boys,” he exclaimed.
“Explain,” said Bert.
“They ended up on my ship after they infiltrated the Numerian disambiguation warehouse. Mark’s friend has an old road rubber with an energy system that’s unshielded. We couldn’t shake the Numarian gunships with them on board, so we were going to jettison their transport. Mark’s friend, Wayne, absolutely refused to allow it, so four of them got in the transport and used a Jump Starter to disembark. Mark and Nita stayed behind on my fighter and accompanied me to Centoria. Captain, that could be Mark’s brother and friends down there.”
“Kulla, double check that scan, and try to lock in on its location. Gary, find Mark, and bring him to the com deck ASAP. Anything he can tell Officer Kulla about that transport might help fingerprint the signal and locate it.”
Once again, someone buzzed the Captain’s Conference room. “Captain Warrington, this is Officer Williams. Sorry to interrupt, Sir, but the fleet is ready to relocate. We go on your command.”
“Send every ship but Alpha One, Williams. We may have one more thing to do before we go. And send Commander Luden temporary orders placing him in charge of the fleet until we rendezvous with the new phalanx.”
**********************************
Wayne’s Nomad had dropped out of the Jump onto a barren plain. All around them, sand was rising into the air, forming gigantic dust devils that reached up into the sky. It was a horribly drab planet. The rift hovering in the sky made it worse, and the air was saturated with dust making everything hazy. To the left of the car were loose sand dunes and barren hillsides that looked like an invisible wet-vac was casually siphoning away their existence.
“Don’t get out,” said Blackie. “There’s too much sand and dust in the air, that’ll cause silicosis.”
“This doesn’t feel good,” said Wayne. “This planet isn’t as far along in the harvesting process as Zeptimian-9 was, but it won’t take long to catch up.”
Amelia had a calculator in her hand and was punching numbers frantically. “Once those medium size boulders start to float – assuming a mass equivalent to those on Earth,” she pointed at pile of boulders outside the passenger side window, “we have about fifteen minutes before those larger boulders start to float; if the rate of gravitational increase is consistent with what we witnessed on Zeptimian-9. Twelve minutes after that those two-ton boulders will go up. Ten more minutes and that giant boulder will go.”
“How long until we’re affected, Amelia? asked Joules.
“We’re five minutes after the two-ton boulder. If I punched in the numbers correctly.”
“Of course you did it correctly, Amelia, that’s your forte',” said Wayne. “We have about thirty-two minutes, give or take a minute or so, to decide what we want to do – wait for Anonoi or use the Jump Starter again.”
“Any chance we could have a snack while we’re discussing this. I’m starving,” said Blackie.
“Spoken like a true 'Mark’s brother'.”
Blackie grabbed the emergency supply bag and handed snacks and water to each of them as they discussed their options.
“Every time we Jump, we make it much harder for Anonoi to find us. Remember, he warned us it would be hard to detect our Jump Starter’s particulate emissions in the Sote-kiliet because of the Harvesters.”
“It’s hard to sit here and do nothing, knowing in thirty minutes, time is up,” said Joules. “But what Blackie said makes sense. I’m for waiting until the last possible moment. Let’s give Anonoi all the time we can.”
In the end, they all agreed to stay put. Before long, they watched rocks from the pile drift into the sky one by one. Like clockwork the rocks and medium boulders followed suit.
“I’m getting the Jump Starter,” said Amelia as the largest boulder pulled away from the ground. “When I feel the Nomad start to move, I’ll press the button.”
“Let’s not wait any longer,” said Joules. “We cut it too close last time.”
They all agreed once more, and without hesitation Amelia depressed the red button on the front of the Jump Starter. Nothing happened.
“It’s not working.”
“Try it again, Amelia.”
“I pushed it again. It’s not working.”
“What could be wrong with it?” asked Wayne.
“It can’t calculate a safe jump. It won’t
initiate until an acceptable destination is plotted. I may have been wrong. The engineers at Jump Starter Corporation may have updated the software to prevent jumping to an endangered planet in the Sote-kiliet. If all the planets around us are being harvested, the Jump Starter has nothing to plot.”
“If they updated the software we’re toast,” said Wayne.
“I tried again,” said Amelia. “Nothing.”
Another boulder floated away from the ground and afterward the Nomad shifted slightly in the sand.
“Well, what is meant to be is meant to be. Let’s go for a drive,” said Wayne, and he started the Nomad and began driving across the plain along the edge of the barren hills.
“I love this car,” said Amelia. The calm appearance on her face suggested nothing would ever scare her again. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a cave.”
All around them, boulders were floating off the ground and the sand beneath them sped toward the rift. They had driven half a mile when the Nomad’s tires started spinning rapidly and the tachometer showed the engine was revved to 6,000 rpms. Wayne realized what was happening and took his foot off the accelerator pedal.
“Here we go,” he said. The worry in his voice was unmistakable and no sooner then had he spoken the Nomad floated into the air. Wayne reached down and shifted the car’s transmission into neutral. “No sense in turning the transmission. The rebuild cost isn’t bad, but a tranny overhaul is no fun,” he said with a forced smile on his face.
Sand, rocks and boulders and every other kind of debris that was less heavy than the Nomad, pummeled the car on their way toward the rift. When they reached a height of 1,000 feet, the sides of the car looked like it had been in a bad hail storm.
*************************************
“Captain Warrington, that unshielded energy source is on the move,” said Officer Kulla.
“Put that area on the screen, then pinpoint the coordinates of that source. Magnify it, and let’s see what we’re dealing with.”
“I’ve got them. We fingerprinted their combustion engine with a twelve-volt, unshielded energy source. Captain, they’ve left the planet’s surface.”
“That Nomad doesn’t fly,” said Mark. “They’re headed into that rift if we don’t do something.”
Bert picked up a handset and made an announcement on the ship’s system. “Attention crew, the Alpha One is going to attempt a rescue in the atmosphere above Korganra. Every department is now on high alert. Attention Flight Commander Arton, stage your craft for immediate take-off.
“We lost them!” exclaimed Kulla. “We lost the signal.”
“They couldn’t have made it to the rift that fast,” said Corrigan. “Something happened onboard that transport.”
“Wayne turned off the engine.”
Officer Kulla was shocked, “He turned off the propulsion system? Mark, why would he do that?”
“The Nomad was designed for driving on the ground only. I don’t have time to explain how they’ve been jetting around the universe in spite of that fact. Wayne probably turned off the engine to save gasoline.”
“They’ve reached an estimated altitude of one mile,” noted Kulla.
“Captain, we can’t maneuver in close without a stronger signal,” said Officer Chanan. “We could fly right through them before we ever knew they were there. We need to put a Fighter in the air, pronto.”
Activity in Alpha One’s staging area centered around one spaceship. Arton had foreseen the possibility his Stealth Fighter might be needed and it was already prepped and staffed with the smallest crew possible. Mark saw Arton walking across the staging deck to his fighter and when he boarded, Mark climbed the airstair right behind him.
“You sure you want to do this?” asked Arton. “There’s a good chance we’re flying into serious trouble.”
“I was on Numeria, remember? I’m not afraid of danger and besides, that’s my brother out there.”
“Right you are mate. Welcome aboard.”
Arton reached for the door and noticed someone in a gunner’s suit streaking across the staging area floor. They stopped at the bottom of the airstair.
“Hey, Arton, you’re going to need a bloody navigator” yelled Gary as loud as he could. “Hank told me he can hack into the navigation system on the Alpha One, then patch me in once I boot-up and login. You can’t beat that kind of support! Permission to come aboard, Captain.”
Arton’s response was short and to the point. “Climb in, and close this ruddy door behind you, or we’ll have the entire crew in here.”
The ship’s communication system was being hailed and Arton picked up the handset as Gary closed and locked the hatch.
“I see Captain, we’ll go immediately.” He put the handset down and yelled, “Listen up, we are cleared for takeoff. Our target is at an elevation of three miles. Alpha One will trail us at a safe distance. We are on visual detection only, so keep your eyes open.”
Arton settled into the cockpit, taxied his Fighter to the launch bay and was airborne in less than one minute.
“Gary, are you linked into the Alpha?”
“I am, and I’m looking for any evidence of a signal. Nothing yet. I’m plotting the last known location and we can scan from there.”
Mark stood outside the open cockpit door as Arton pushed the ship toward the Nomad’s last known coordinates.
“We are being sucked off course every time we make a pass,” said Gary. Let’s try starting closer to the rift and working away from it toward the last coordinates. We might have better control over our drift.”
A flight tech in the rear of the fighter squelched the address system and excitedly announced a sighting. “Port side, 340 degrees by positive forty-five degrees.”
“We’re coming around, keep your eyes on them.”
Arton banked his ship hard and pointed it away from the rift. The vessel shuddered violently and the engines screamed like they were running open throttle but tethered in-place.
“We probably don’t have much time, Gary,” said Arton. “Maybe two more passes before we’re inside the event horizon. I’m coming around again.”
Gary cued his headset and called the techs in the aft end of the ship. “Open the rear cargo doors and boot the baster net cannon, the big one with 10,000 feet of tow line. Set the net’s blast aperture for wide open. Stay on the line with me. When we make the next pass, target the transport and when I say fire, let it rip. But not until I tell you. You got that? Ok.”
“At the speed I’m flying the baster net may crush that transport,” said Arton.
“But maybe not. When we make the next pass, throttle back and let the rift stabilize your forward progress. We only have 10,000 feet to work with, so as soon as your flight speed hits zero, we shoot the net. With any luck we’ll snag them and get out of here.”
“Does this have a prayer of working?” asked Arton as he turned the ship to make the pass.
“I trained those guys back there,” said Gary. They’ve been certified on baster cannons. If you put us in position, they’ll make the shot.”
“Someone give me a sighting.”
“Starboard, 25 degrees, positive 55,” came the immediate reply.
“Here we go,” said Arton as he guided the Stealth Fighter to those coordinates.
“There,” yelled Gary, pointing out the front windscreen.
“We have to buzz them if we have any chance of lining up for a shot,” said Arton.
They blew past the Nomad so close it shook it side to side. Arton grabbed the throttle and eased it back.
“One thousand feet past,” said Gary.
Arton pulled back again on the throttle.
“Two thousand feet.”
“Come on baby, slow down,” whispered Arton as he pulled back on the throttle again and the ship’s airspeed plummeted.
“Thirty-five hundred feet; How’s the airspeed?” asked Gary.
“Thirteen knots.” The ship shuddered under the tremendous strain
.
“Close enough” Gary cued his headset, “Kevin, fire the cannon.”
“Net away.”
A moment later Kevin was back on the com. “We have a fish, Sir.”
“We’ve got them, Arton, get us out of here.”
Arton eased the throttle forward but they didn’t gain any air speed. He eased it forward again, with no change.
“What’s our position,” he yelled.
Gary checked the nav system screen, then made several key strokes. “We drifted backward during the shot. We’re right outside the event horizon.”
That puts the Nomad three thousand five hundred feet beyond the limit. Arton pushed the throttle to maximum. Air speed went to five knots then stopped and fell to zero.
“Check our position.”
“We’re drifting backward, Arton.”
The Fighter shuddered violently again, and an overhead panel in the pass-through crashed to the floor.
“I’ve given it everything, we don’t’ have any more throttle to give.
“It’s alright Arton.” Mark was standing right behind them. “We can’t win this one. We’ll either be sucked into the rift, or this ship will come apart at the seams.” Mark hesitated for a moment, to collect himself. “We need to cut the tow line before we all die.”
“I’ll give the order,” said Arton.
Gary turned his head sideways to look at his longtime friend. “Arton, don’t bother, we’re inside the event horizon.”
*************************************
“What is that?” Wayne pointed at a gray mass materializing inside the baster net.
“Oh my,” screamed Joules, “that’s Anonoi.”
He moved so fast they didn’t see him leave the edge of the net. And just as quickly, Anonoi became a dark gray mass over the hood of the car. Then, quicker than before, he condensed into a black mass, and again into a smaller, more dense mass, and again into a small mass of impenetrable blackness. Then, he was ready.
“I’m going to watch,” yelled Amelia.
“Me too,” said Joules.
A violent twitch shocked the Nomad as Anonoi attempted to shift time and space inside the event horizon. It appeared as if they hadn’t moved, and the chaotic scene outside the Nomad hadn’t changed. All around them, bits and chunks of every substance imaginable were being sucked into the rift.
Jump Starting the Universe Book Bundle Page 92