“It’s still alive down there on the planet?” Tanner asked.
“That seems more than possible,” Acton said.
The four humans traded glances.
“What does any of that have to do with energy beings?” Tanner asked.
“Yes, that is the point now, isn’t it?” Acton said. “The evidence suggests the Web Mind constructed a transfer node, an interstellar transporter. It dug up the specs long ago on an old, formerly Phaze-controlled planet from the first invasion.”
“Wait,” Tanner said, “a transporter like one that reaches across space to move someone from A to B?”
“Across a vast gulf of space,” Acton said. “We Shands have long studied the ancient war between the Phazes and the Innoo Flaam. The energy beings did not originate in our galaxy. They originated far, far away.”
“How do you know that?” Tanner asked.
“I’m not going to delve into details,” Acton said. “It would take too long to relate and it isn’t germane to the point at hand. It is sufficient to say that in their eternal hunger, the Phazes came to our galaxy twenty thousand years ago.”
“What do you mean by eternal hunger?” Tanner asked
“The Phazes appear to be a devouring species,” Acton said. “They demolish life at a fantastic rate. Perhaps as bad, most weapons have little to no effect on them.”
“Hold it,” Tanner said, loud enough to cause the Lithians to snap their heads up.
“What now?” Acton asked.
“Our raider has a gun that can kill Phazes, right?” Tanner asked.
“It does.”
“And I carry a blaster than can kill them, too.”
“Indeed,” the Shand said.
“So we’re going down onto Planet Zero to kill Phazes?”
“If they have come over, and if they attack us,” Acton said.
“What do you mean ‘if’?”
“That is the tricky bit,” Acton said. “The transfer node doesn’t work as we would think it should. It doesn’t bring the Phaze over in once piece at one moment of time. Instead, it brings over photon and electrical particles year by year as each ‘piece’ travels the incredible distance.”
Acton continued, with a far-off expression, “A normal Phaze can travel through space, allowing it to go from planet to planet. They have proven that on more than one occasion. But they cannot travel across the depths of interstellar space between galaxies and survive. That is why they need a transfer node or interstellar transporter. They will never build spacecraft as we think of them, so—”
“What galaxy are they coming from?” Tanner asked, interrupting. “The Andromeda Galaxy?”
“No,” Acton said, “the Triangulum.”
Tanner frowned. “I’ve never heard of it.”
Ursa spoke up. “I have. It’s in our Local Galactic Group. The Andromeda Galaxy is nearer at two point five million light years. The Triangulum Galaxy is three million light years away.”
“Is that the only difference between them?” Tanner asked, bemused.
“No,” Ursa said. “The Triangulum is much smaller than the Andromeda Galaxy. The first has approximately 40 billion stars, while the Andromeda has one trillion.”
“That is all correct,” Acton said, impatiently. “Over time, this transporter has gathered several Phazes into our galaxy. The half-formed Phaze inhabits a cyborg in much the same way a caterpillar transforms in a cocoon. The crossing drains the Phaze as its energy body is stretched and separated making the journey. Somehow, possessing the mechanical construct protects the incubating Phase. The last particle to make the great journey is the intellect or soul of the Phaze. It also needs time to incubate in its host as it restores its energy body.
“That means if we had moved too soon, the final part of the Phaze would have remained in the Triangulum Galaxy. There, it could begin the process anew.” Acton nodded. “Yes, these Phazes would surely try to cross the great gulf again but in a new, perhaps hidden location over here.” Acton coughed gently. “We have reason to believe they have devoured all possible life in their galaxy. That is why they strain to come to ours and feed.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Ursa said. “I mean, I don’t see why photon-electrical creatures would or could feed off living beings such as ourselves. I’d think they’d eat something else.”
“It doesn’t matter what we think is true,” Acton said, “but what is true. The why and how is the province of others. I am telling you what is, not what should be.”
“Okay,” Tanner said. “You’re saying Phazes have come over.”
“Yes,”
“And they’re streaking around the planet down there as energy beings?”
“They might soon enough after their incubation period in the various cyborgs they’ve entered,” Acton said.
Tanner shook his head. “What the heck? Can Phazes possess people like demons?”
“If you’re referring to supernatural beings,” Acton said, “the answer is no. In some fashion we don’t understand yet, a Phaze can lodge itself in certain kinds of machines, such as a cyborg, and these machines can serve as incubation hosts as the Phaze gains coherence and power.”
“I think I’m beginning to see,” Ursa said. “A transporting Phaze goes through life-cycles as it were. Before it can freely dart about as an energy being, it gathers its power while residing in a cyborg-like machine.”
“That is correct,” Acton said.
“So…how long is the host phase of their existence here within a cyborg?” Ursa said.
“A year, ten years or one hundred years,” Acton said. “It depends on which school of Shand thought is accurate regarding ancient Innoo Flaam text.”
Ursa laughed bleakly.
“How do the Phazes combine with the cyborgs?” Tanner asked. “I mean, how does the entire process work?”
“This is a fundamental question,” Acton said. “It is my belief the Phazes use the cyborgs as tools. Once they ‘hatch,’ as it were, we think the Phazes will wield the cyborg mass as if they were the machine-men’s gods. This new cyborg menace will be much worse than the old, as the Phazes will be behind them instead of the arrogant and eventually pompous Web Minds.”
“Oh,” Ursa said. “Yes, I understand. Before, the cyborgs had a built-in weakness with the pompous Web Minds. This time…”
“This time,” Acton said, “there will be no known weaknesses. This time, an alien intelligence will direct the cyborgs in the most ruthless assault upon life that this galaxy has ever faced.”
Ursa turned to Tanner. “We have to go down. We have to kill the Phazes or destroy the transfer node.”
Tanner rubbed his jaw. His dream was beginning to seem more like a possibility every moment. He said as much.
Acton frowned, looking troubled.
“Do I have a Phaze in my blaster?” Tanner asked.
“No,” Acton said. “But you do have a link of some kind to them. It is one of the processes allowing the gun its power. In effect, the blaster senses the Phazes and the Phazes in turn sense the gun.”
“Great,” Tanner said. “That means they know we’re coming.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” Acton said.
“What about in your room,” Tanner said. “You have something there that affects our moods.”
“True,” Acton said.
“Is it a living thing?”
“No, but it is another ancient device the Innoo Flaam invented. I will take it down with us when we go.”
“Are there any working cyborgs down there?” Tanner asked.
“That is an unknown,” Acton said. “You’re talking about activated cyborgs. Certainly, there are scads of them waiting in storage. Still, I would suspect functional cyborgs are on the planet. The Web Mind could also be down there, perhaps having become insane with rage or maybe infested with a Phaze for all I know.”
“This is sounding worse by the second,” Tanner said.
“This is a terrib
le mission,” Acton agreed. “It is why I came.”
“I have a question,” Greco asked. “What weapon do we get for our troubles? What is on the planet that will help Centurion Tanner and the tribune to free Remus from the Coalition? Is it a secret cyborg vessel?”
Tanner, Marcus, Ursa and Greco all watched the Shand closely.
“I have already given you a secret vessel,” Acton said. “This is an unusual raider. There isn’t a spaceship in the Backus Cluster like it.”
“That doesn’t answer the question,” Greco said.
“I know,” Acton said. “There is something on the planet that will aid you against the Coalition.”
“What?” Greco asked, “A cyborg ship?”
“No,” Acton said, “a nullifier. It is yours if we survive.”
“What is a nullifier?” Greco asked.
Acton smiled. “First, help me in my task. Then, I will surrender my claim to the nullifier. On this, I give you my solemn word as a Shand.”
None of the four said a word. Finally, however, Tanner stirred.
“I want to know more soon,” the centurion said. “But I’ve heard enough to give you my answer regarding my help.”
“Yes?” Acton said.
“I’m in,” Tanner said.
“So am I,” Marcus said.
“I’m reluctant,” Ursa said, “but I shall fight with the others.”
Greco sighed. “I’m not much of a soldier, but whatever I can do, I will do it.”
“Excellent,” Acton said. “Then it is time to begin planning for the insertion. We have a few more days until we reach orbit. Once we do, we should act at once.”
-45-
Tanner and Acton worked in tandem in the control room. When the centurion became too tired, Greco spelled him. Over the next three days, the trio worked the Dark Star into an exceedingly gentle orbit around Planet Zero.
A feather couldn’t have done it lighter. They had to ease into this. Otherwise, Old Federation or hidden cyborg sensors might detect them. There were more than just orbital warheads up here with the ship, but lasers systems that looked like missiles.
“The Old Federation people were cunning,” Greco said. “I wouldn’t have suspected that.”
“They feared that they hadn’t done enough,” Acton said. “If we Shands are right, they didn’t. The Phazes will be able to deactivate all of the orbital missiles and lasers given enough time.”
“Could they make it past the mines, turrets and laser platforms in the outer system?” Greco asked.
“Not fast and while keeping the cyborgs intact,” Acton said. “But it is possible.”
The two continued the orbital parking procedure. During it, Tanner returned to the control room. A sleepy-eyed Greco nodded in greeting before departing.
“This is historic,” Acton said. “This is the softest, gentlest, sneakiest insertion in galactic history.”
Tanner eyed the Shand. He couldn’t remember the last time Acton had slept. So he asked, “Have you rested lately?”
“I am fine.”
“Shands don’t need sleep?”
“That is an old wife’s tale. We need sleep like every biological organism does.”
A flare of light on Tanner’s screen switched his interest. He adjusted the scope. “Look,” he said. “The Coalition fleet is separating. The Doom Star has increased gravities.” He studied the screen. “Six G’s acceleration—they’re moving fast.”
Acton examined the readings. Finally, he shook himself. “They will arrive sooner than I had expected.”
“You think the Doom Star can smash through the defensive equipment at speed?”
“Possibly,” Acton said. “Yet, we can’t worry about that now. You and I and my Lithians have an engagement on the planet.”
“What happened to your idea of taking Lacy, your cyborg key?”
“She has degenerated beyond my repair, I’m afraid. I have tried, but…” He shrugged.
Tanner glanced at the scope, frowning at the image. “Can a Doom Star defeat all the proximity mines, the lasers and moon turrets?”
“If the Coalition people have figured out how to control the Doom Star,” Acton said, “maybe they have override codes for those items, as well.”
“Oh,” Tanner said. “Yeah. That’s bad. Maybe we can sabotage them, eh? Maybe we can figure out how to activate the proximity mines at least.”
“If I have enough time later,” Acton said, “that is a possibility. First, we must find and destroy the Phazes.”
“And the Web Mind,” Tanner added.
“That is secondary.”
“Not to the people of Remus. My world will be among the first to feel the new cyborg wrath. Isn’t that true?”
“That does seem like a logical deduction.”
Tanner blew out his breath. “How much longer until we insert?”
“That depends. We must pinpoint the Phazes and the location of the interstellar transporter. I don’t know how long that will take.”
“Can you do it from up here?”
“I believe so,” Acton said. He took out the slate and began to tap.
***
It took three orbital passes around Planet Zero. Finally, Acton straightened, lowering the slate. “I have it. I believe this is the critical location.”
“Where’s that?” Tanner asked.
In lieu of answering, the Shand put away the slate and began to type on a panel. Soon, he zoomed in on a mountain range. At the bottom of a granite peak was a large hole in the ground. High-level magnification showed tracks leading into the hole.
“It’s just like my dream,” Tanner whispered.
“That confirms it, then. I doubt the hole will lead directly to the transporter, but that is the beginning trail.”
“The hole doesn’t make sense,” Tanner said. “Why didn’t the Old Federation people go down the holes back in the day and destroy everything they found?”
“I doubt the holes were there then. They are a more recent phenomenon.”
“I don’t understand. Wouldn’t their sudden appearance have sent a few missiles raining down on them?”
“Not if the holes appeared during a natural disaster, for instance. The orbital AIs first had to calculate the holes as a cyborg directed phenomenon.”
“That seems like a kind of obvious deduction to me,” Tanner said. “Big hole with tracks—the cyborgs did it. Launch the nukes.”
“On the face of it, you’re right. You must take into account, however, that the cyborgs are exceedingly clever concerning computer systems and artificial intelligences. It’s possible the Web Mind developed viruses over the centuries, inserting them into orbital AIs one at a time. Eventually, the AIs became—”
“Stupid enough to ignore obvious evidence,” Tanner finished. “Okay. I suppose that’s possible. It makes sense after a fashion. I guess it’s another thing we don’t know for sure. But I just had a thought. Why not do the same thing but in reverse. We’ll take over a few missiles and order them to slam into the hole? Let the nuclear explosions take care of the problem for us.”
Acton tapped his chin. “Let me put into a perspective you can understand. That would be like trying to drown out a gopher infestation with a water hose. It seems like it should work but never does. The gophers always know how to block the water or have dug much farther than the small amount of water can reach. The same would likely be true here. That would have two disadvantages. One, the cyborgs would know someone is coming. Two, mere nuclear warheads aren’t going to destroy any Phazes. It takes a different kind of force to do that.”
Tanner appeared mulish but finally replied, “So what you’re telling me is that we’re going down into the depths of Planet Zero?”
“That is correct. Are you ready?”
Tanner laughed. “How does one get ready for that? To tell you the truth, I’m terrified.”
“That is the proper response, as this is a terrifying mission. But we have the tools, Ce
nturion. Perhaps if you focus on this it will help: if you succeed, you will gain the resources you need to finally free Remus.”
Tanner eyed the Shand. “You’d better not be lying to me.”
“I wouldn’t have said if it wasn’t true.” Acton checked his slate. “You have an hour to get ready. Then, you and I are heading down.”
“How are we going to do it?”
“Thankfully, I have a gravity sled. We shall use it. One hour, Centurion, and then the four of us shall head downstairs to the planet.”
***
One hour and twenty minutes later, Tanner waited in the airlock. He’d shaken hands with Marcus and Greco and had hugged Ursa. He wore an armored spacesuit, listening to the harsh sound of his own breathing. It had been several years since he’d done something like this. He hadn’t missed it in the slightest.
One problem with doing this was that there would be no verbal communications until they touched down on the planetary surface. The two of them wouldn’t communicate with those in the Dark Star, either. They wouldn’t give the orbital sensors any transmissions to pick up and lock onto.
Thus, the outer hatch’s opening caught Tanner by surprise. He squawked as it slid up, the noise reverberating in his helmet.
Take it easy. You can do this. You used to be a space-strike specialist, remember?
He eased to the edge of the hatch. The darkness of the outer void greeted him. He looked around until he saw the stars of the Milky Way Galaxy. He didn’t like the galactic rim, its bleakness. He sure didn’t want to go down onto the last planet.
“No one ever asks a centurion what he wants. He gets his orders and then he follows them.”
Tanner wasn’t sure why saying that comforted him, but it did. He spied the contraption then, and it didn’t look like a sled. It was a disc with a central upright control in the middle. Radiating out from the control unit were bars fanning to the edge of the disc. They looked like nothing more than playground bars he used to grab as his friends spun a merry-go-round faster and faster.
The lean being in a spacesuit had to be Lord Acton. The other two were the Lithians, giants in spacesuits with mirrored visors. How did the Shand keep them under control out here?
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