Planet-H: The End of the Beginning

by J. T. Winterlord

  "This is a good sign, not that you need a laser sword, it's just a toy, but that you managed to be so much in communication with Kate, closed up in the Tasker, this is truly remarkable."

  "On the other hand, we are the same person," I replied, thinking that I really liked that sword.

  Sgrunff looked me straight in the eye and said,

  "The fact that you say such a thing is even more valuable than the previous stuff.

  You have really made some great strides, unfortunately there is still a lot of other work to do, but you are bringing into the light some fragments of skills that belong to you.

  Beware that they are only fragments; you don’t even remember what is your true potential, but you're well on your way and you are providing information that is vital to say the least.”

  I didn’t know what to say so I accepted the compliments in silence.

  Sven looked out and said that for today it would be better to go no further with the work on the circuits containing the pairs of doubt and confusion creator opposites.

  "We’ll continue another day, the upper diffuser fear circuit is slightly damaged maybe due to the laser sword!"

  He laughed, said goodbye and left us alone.

  Sgrunff said that we had done enough for one day, maybe even too much. We would have some updates the following day.

  He said cheerio and I went out. I wanted to spend the night again on the estate, but not before eating Serena’s preparation. All those events had certainly given me an appetite.

  KATE’S FIRST MISSION

  The new day began with a Kate intent on looking over the map of the three universes in the theory classroom.

  I kept looking at the‘Free zone’also called the‘Games zone.’

  Sgrunff came up beside me.

  "What attracts your attention so much Kate?”

  I told him that I did not recognize much of that area and asked him to shed some light on details that might be of some interest.

  Sgrunff began his short lesson.

  "Right, so I have never actually been in that area - never found it especially interesting.

  However, that is the part where there are entire planets transformed into huge games rooms. On some of them there are the installations of the game for Planet H. By now all have been converted into prisons by‘Externals.’Many of our friends are trapped inside their prison Taskers on those planets, the four Grekos. These are the ones we're going to liberate.”

  "What do you mean by‘liberate’Sgrunfio?"

  "We have a very ambitious plan Kate. We want to find a way to free our friends from those prisons and for this we need to gather all the information possible."

  I thought for a moment. Something was not quite right. I asked,

  "Who can give us that information?”

  Sgrunff looked at me smiling.

  "As I mentioned earlier Kate, that person is you. With the data that we are extrapolating from your analysis and your Tasker, before long we will be able to operate. We have already done something, we have begun to send out a weak signal within the Planet. The rest will come.”

  I was more and more intrigued.

  "’The rest’Sgrunfio?"

  "For what I am referring to it’s better if it becomes apparent from your recollections during the meetings. Once it’s found you should be able to transfer it to the memory of your character. Kate, believe me, this is the surest way for you to remember and to know things.

  Some things we can give you without any fear but for the others it’s better if you discover them a little at a time.”

  I nodded, although I was not so convinced.

  I stopped my questioning to listen to Sonia who had just entered.

  "We can start the meeting soon, are you with us Kate?"

  She didn’t need to repeat the question and I went to the Infirmary to‘park’my character.

  A while after I was on the bridge, a salute to the boys who were at work and I slipped into the adjoining room.

  The others were already present. After greetings Matt asked me if I had any news about my memories.

  I regarded the three splendid figures - Matt, Sonia and Valdes.

  Matt began.

  "Captain, first-class, race: Nordik."

  I passed to Sonia.

  "Captain, second class, race: Nordik."

  I finished with Valdes.

  "Captain, third class, race: Nordik.”

  I looked them over with admiration. I felt I had know them for ever.

  To Valdes I said lovingly,

  "Have you nothing to tell me about cartoons?”

  Valdes cleared his throat and with a tone of mock embarrassment whispered to me,

  "Um ... they guaranteed that they would put in a good word."

  They all smiled and the air filled with a special aura of magic. They saw that the memories were flowing between the two Kates and this filled everyone with hope.

  Sonia asked me if I remembered anything more about myself.

  "Your race? Anything….?”

  I stopped to think for a split second,

  "No, just vague memories, I'd say race uncertain.”

  She smiled at me. Sven advised not to force the memories, but to let them flow.

  "With the strength that you find in yourself you could disintegrate your Tasker ... by the way, tell them about the laser sword.”

  He said that more then anything just to test my capacity to remember events on the other side.

  “Yes, I remember creating a laser sword. It was exciting to have that toy in my hands.”

  “Good”said Matt,“this was unexpected but undoubtedly positive. You are managing to influence the behaviour dictated by your Tasker.”

  We heard a thump come up from Bridge Command. Sammy entered the room with an excited air.

  "We have located one!" He said in a euphoric tone.

  We all listened attentively.

  "The signal is weak but clear, we’re doing everything possible to trace its exact location and before long we’ll be able to extract it."

  I knew what he was talking about, but I did not remember perfectly.

  A delicate mental touch from Matt clarified the ideas.

  A Tasker located in the‘Free zone’belonged to one of our trapped friends and could now be recovered.

  Matt had Bones called and asked Sven for some information. Everything was taking place at a lightning speed.

  "Bones, is it advisable to leave it in Planet or take it on the Nemesis?" Matt asked the Medical Officer.

  Bones told him that it would be better to have it on board, because he had more opportunity to intervene.

  "Even Sven might find it useful to have the Tasker to hand," he concluded.

  "Well, Sonia and Valdes, what do you say to do a little tour with Kate?" Matt said to his two friends.

  Sonia nodded and with Valdes headed for the bridge. She motioned for me to follow them.

  We took a tour of the ship. I remembered the Nemesis since I had helped to create it.

  I knew we were heading toward the Infirmary and more precisely towards the pirate extension of Planet H; once at the Infirmary the two asked me to look closely at the walls in front of me.

  They wanted to place special attention to the fact that the extension created by Sven was neither visible nor accessible. It was something that I had not taken into account, but I quickly understood.

  If I wanted to get into Planet I would have to have an Olog.

  We went away in the direction of the hangar where he Silver Thunder was located. I caressed it with my eyes and ran my hand over the plate near the door. The stairway descended at our feet. I climbed up to sit in the pilot’s seat.

  I felt that this panoramic tour was done to facilitate the memories of the other Kate.

  I touched the helm which had the appearance of the steering wheel of the car I used in the game - the only difference was in the fact that the top section was missing. It was only two-thirds of the
steering wheel, but otherwise very similar.

  We didn’t talk and I felt no emotions, just a peace and endless security.

  The slight buzz that I felt in the center of my forehead created some difficulty for me in remembering.

  I knew what the mission was that we had to accomplish, or rather the missions, but at that time I did not understand why we could not simply destroy the planets where our friends were being held captive. I knew all too well that none of them could die, only the treacherous games they were forced to play.

  We were in constant mental contact and it was Sonia who spoke.

  “If we destroy one of the‘Prison Planets’we would have the unpleasant task of finding ourselves with a few million beings, both Externals and races of the Confederation, in a terrible state of confusion. So one might envisage a job that would be even longer and harder than we have undertaken.”

  I had already figured out what he was about to say thanks to the telepathic transmission that I adopted. I knew that the words were used for the other Kate.

  I thanked her feeling lucky to have friends like that. I knew that whatever happened they would have done the impossible for me and I for them.

  There was no moral code of ethics, there was something much higher. We followed a real and proper code of honor. The ethics and morals were left to Externals because they needed them.

  We went back to the command bridge to develop strategy.

  Everything was already prepared. Matt filled me in on a few details,

  "You will use the Tasker - try to settle in and look outside, Sven might find it very useful."

  I did as I was told then I went to the infirmary and I sat in the Tasker. Shortly after I woke up as Planet Kate.

  Valdes was waiting for me and took me to a room from which you could see the outside through a huge picture window.

  I paused to admire the view outside - it was not unlike that of the video game, the major difference was the darkness.

  It wasn’t all wrapped up in a dark space but it was indeed all enveloped in a soft bluish luminescence, perhaps too weak to distinguish the colour.

  I could see planets that sped past nearby at an impressive speed and shortly after I got the impression that the ship had stopped. I was enchanted.

  "It’s a great show, shall we go for a walk outside?' I asked Valdes.

  "Good idea," he said "but maybe another time."

  I smiled at him and asked, "Where are we?"

  "We are on the border between the Confederation and the Free Zone."

  He took my arm and led me to the command bridge.

  I was as curious as a young child. I remembered many things now, but I still continued to ask,

  "What’s that? ... and that other thing?"

  I was interrupted by Sammy who made me aware of the fact that his team was ready to intervene.

  Matt glanced at Bones and they nodded, so he turned to Sammy.

  "We’ll be your team this time.”

  Sammy was evidently satisfied and went to the hangar.

  The team consisted of me, Valdes, Sonia, Matt, Bones and Sven.

  We walked into the hangar and I saw again the Silver Thunder, opened my mouth in amazement and said to Valdes,

  "Can I ask Sammy if he’ll let me drive?"

  The boys smiled and Sonia said,

  "Just like Irina, the same ..!"

  I laughed and sent a mental kiss to my little sister.

  We made ourselves comfortable inside, Bones and Sven took their places in a room full of equipment that I had not noticed during my first visit.

  Sammy was in the pilot's seat and he motioned for me to sit down at the co-pilot’s station.

  "Maybe I'll get to drive," I thought satisfied. My three friends sat behind us

  Valdes summarised the situation.

  "Sven leaves first. Prepare the tools to deactivate the Tasker and Sammy, you cover his back. Hide if you find anyone in attendance, if necessary freeze them but it may be sufficient to use the mental deterrent. Use radio communications in order not to create interference and when you're ready I, Matt and Bones will arrive with the false Tasker.

  Sven will make the exchange and in the meantime we will pick up the tasker with the prisoner.

  When you're done, come back on board and we’ll leave on the Nemesis.”

  The participants in the mission all nodded. I felt enveloped by a sphere of energy - it was Valdes. I had the impression that it was done to not feel any unpleasant sensations in my body.

  The Silver Thunder gently lifted under the expert guidance of Sammy and moved forward so fast it mademe dizzy. Now I understood the reason for that ball of energy.

  I would have been splattered across the passenger seat otherwise.

  I could not realize the incredible speed at which we were moving. In only a few minutes we were at the destination and Sammy‘parked’in the sky above Grekos I, at an altitude of about two kilometres. He activated‘Invisible mode.’

  Sven was ready, he and Sammy left only a bright halo when they were projected inside a huge structure that had been referred to as our‘objective.’

  "How did they do that?" I asked the boys, astonished. It was Sonia who explained.

  "Don’t think of teleportation, this is something else entirely. We can reach those places just with the power of thought."

  My eyes widened and I said,

  "Nothing less?”I found it hard to believe, but I had just seen it happen.

  Meanwhile, Sven was connecting a bypass to the Tasker to be taken. As soon as he had finished he alerted Matt.

  Bones and Valdes were already near the Tasker-bait in the room next door to the cockpit. Matt joined them and in a split second they disappeared.

  They reappeared a few seconds later with the recovered Tasker. Bones was already connecting when Matt yelled,

  "Three o'clock and nine o'clock! - evasive manoeuvre Kate! Quick!”

  I threw myself at the controls, gaining around twenty thousand metres of altitude, then veered back down towards our original position.

  A ray of light had opened up a gash in the bow of the Silver, but this was auto-repaired almost immediately.

  Valdes had once more begun to protect me with a ball of energy.

  I saw Matt aim at the ship to the right which exploded into a million pieces and then imploded quickly leaving no trace. Sonia did the same with the ship on the left.

  I found myself skilfully manoeuvering Silver. I didn’t imagine myself capable of it and I watched myself, admiring.

  I suddenly pointed forwards and said,

  "There."

  I focussed on a small spaceship in front of us, saw it flicker then I felt the warm mental hand of Sonia who was aiding me. The ship exploded, at first quickly and then it seemed that the fragments were moving in slow motion to end up in a dull implosion.

  Sammy and Sven returned from their mission. We had recovered the Tasker and Sammy set course towards Nemesis.

  I was exhausted. Bones approached me with a small damp cloth and pointed at my nose, saying,

  "There’s a risk of destroying your character if you don’t moderate your strength."

  I wiped at a drop of blood that dripped from my nose.

  Valdes continued to maintain that pleasing protective sphere around me and touched me mentally very gently.

  I relaxed on the co-pilot's seat, eyes half-closed with exhaustion, but to my amazement I didn’t faint.

  We went back to the Nemesis. Sven and Bones immediately took the Tasker to the Infirmary and Matt requested a meeting as soon as they had finished.

  A few minutes later we were all sat around the table. Sammy and Sgrunff were also present.

  Matt asked about the recovered Tasker. Bones assured us that after checking it appeared everything was in order. Sven had connected it in the next room, positioned alongside Kate’s Tasker.

  Then Sven was asked,

  "How did they do?"

  Sven explained that h
aving available a number of prisoners of the Confederation races, they had most probably developed a tool to capture the wavelengths used to create our ships and thus were able to locate us when we entered the Free Zone.

  "Solution?" asked Valdes.

  Sven went on,

  "We need to change the wavelength used for the creation of the Nemesis and Silver. We should vary the mental energy with which they were made."

  "What do you advise?" asked Sonia this time.

  Sven was thoughtful a moment and then asked,

  "Are you able to reorganize the structure of our vessels using a higher wavelength? The highest and thinnest possible? "

  Valdes looked at Matt and Sonia and replied,

  "Sure, but all four of us must do it.”

  I was listening but I didn’t understand any of it. Matt turned to me to reassure me but did not say a word.

  Then he asked Sven,

  “Can you create a by-pass for Kate’s Tasker to give her a chance to break away completely for a few minutes?”

  Sven asked for a couple of hours and he could do it.

  Matt stood on the bridge while I and the others headed to the Infirmary. Bones mademe swallow another concoction telling me that I needed to feed myself.

  "I'd prefer a steak!" I said but I swallowed the liquid.

  We went into the room where months previously I had admired the view. I asked,

  "Are we running any risks?"

  Valdes replied.

  "No, Kate, here we are within the Confederation, we aren’t in any danger.”

  I regarded my friends and asked,

  "But are there any protections? ... or energy shields or ships ready to defeat any attack?"