Battleframe (The Mindwars Book 1)

by Michael Gilmour

  Frank cleared his throat and interrupted Mark’s contemplation. “Ever since Whizzbang was geno-tagged and we pushed his consciousness out of the game and into the real Alpha Three he and his squad have had a dramatic impact on the war effort. Think of it, the Terrarium’s been retaken, Free’s defence reorganised and six of them took out over one hundred Scourge single handed! We need these guys!”

  Tony added, “Sir, I get on really well with Whizzbang. When we met recently at a games conference in Melbourne, I made sure that we really appreciated him. After a few beers, he was like clay in my hands. Let me talk with him.”

  “Whizzbang didn’t drink the beer Tony,” Matt said flatly, “but we did make a positive impression.”

  Tony turned towards Matt with a puzzled expression and asked, “Really? He didn’t drink beer? He’s Australian isn’t he?”

  Mark slammed his hand onto the dark red timber tabletop, “That’s one of the reasons why he’s the best! He’s so sure of himself that he’s able to say no to a beer when his entire culture says ‘yes’! Frank is right, we need him in Alpha Three and we need him in actual. The trick is how do we convince him?”

  Matt said, “I think Frank’s right. We need to lay all the cards on the table and tell him the truth.”

  Mark gave a stressed laugh and mimicked an introduction, “Hi Russ, good to meet you and your team. I hope you enjoyed playing Scourge Wars. By the way, via the game we’ve now geno-tagged your genetic code so that we can drag your consciousness at any time into the real Alpha Three. I know that this puts you and your friends at a severe risk and that we didn’t ask for your permission but hey, we’re desperate. I hope that you don’t mind but would you like to take a little interstellar journey? You can trust us…”

  Frank reiterated to Mark, “Sir, we have to tell him the truth. They all have to know what the stakes are and why they’ve been fighting.”

  “The truth? Frank, we stole the man’s consciousness and put his son and friends at risk!”

  Tony had a little twinkle in his eye as he said, “I think we’re missing something really important here. Remember the last time we dragged him into Alpha Three. He and his friends knew they were being manipulated. That’s why they’re here. Despite what we did, they fought the Scourge like no one else can or ever has. That’s even with the time delay of sending their consciousness through subspace.”

  Matt continued from where Tony left off, “That’s right! The reason why they’re here is to find out what’s going on. They’re not trying to run away. Mark, these guys have been to hell and back already. They’ve been ripped out of their own world, fighting aliens, and they’re here because they’re curious!”

  “So what you three are suggesting is that we’re dealing with a group of people that aren’t afraid and just want answers to questions?”

  From three mouths came the loud reply, “Yes!”

  Mark looked a little bewildered as he said, “What are they made of? They’ve faced horrors and death and they’re just curious. We need these guys!”

  Russell paid the taxi driver while the others retrieved the bags from the trunk. There was not much to get out of the back, as they were all travelling with only carry-on luggage.

  “Where’d Kheldar and DG say they’d meet us?” Russell asked Mihaly.

  “Just inside the lobby.”

  Picking his bags up off the sidewalk Russell glanced over to see three people staring at him from the bus stop down the road. “Did you see those guys at the bus stop?” he asked Mihaly.

  “Yeah, it’s California. They’re probably just a bunch of weirdoes watching a few foreigners get out of a taxi.”

  Russell laughed. After all the stress and strain of the recent days, it was a good sound. “You’re probably right.”

  The four of them pulled and carried their luggage up the path towards the imposing black glass building of the Blue Sky Studios headquarters. Upon stepping through the sliding glass, doors Russell heard a voice in a strong American accent to his left say, “Well you guys took your sweet time getting here!”

  Smiling widely Russell walked up to his friend John and said, “So how are you going Kheldar?”

  Shaking Russell’s hand vigorously John replied, “I’m sure glad to see you guys.”

  “So am I,” DG said as he walked over to the group from the direction of the washrooms.

  Because they had been playing together for so long, introductions were almost unnecessary, although it was the first time Mihaly and their sons had actually met John and Mike.

  Laughing John said, “Pyro, I’ve got to say that you do a great party dance, particularly with...,” as he feigned mock forgetfulness, “…what was her name again?”

  Pyro’s face went red with embarrassment. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Kheldar?”

  “Hey!” John feigned being hurt, “I’m a married man. None of that for me thanks.” Getting a bit more serious he continued, “Russ, trust me when I say we were as surprised as you must have been, when we vanished from the battle and woke up in our beds.”

  Mike nodded in agreement. “The last thing I remember was dropping a few turrets down and poof I was in bed lying with the covers pulled up under my chin. It was crazy.”

  “Selfia, Acheron and Tiny arrived just in a nick of time to save us. If it wasn’t for them I think we would have each suffered at least an eport or more likely worse.”

  “Oh man, that’s not good.”

  “That’s one of the reasons why we’re here.” Russell lifted the bandage on his arm to show John and Mike his wound, “Each of us has had a physical reaction to the game. We need to know how and why this was done.” Dropping the bandage back into place he continued, “We also need to know how we were transported back to Alpha Three when we were asleep. Speaking of which how are you two going?”

  Mike answered, “I haven’t slept a wink in the last twenty-four hours. It’s the wonders of energy drinks combined with coffee and then more energy drinks.”

  “You’re telling me DG. I haven’t had a wink in over two days,” John replied.

  Bosk whispered conspiratorially, “I hate to break up the reunion but there’s someone coming over towards us.”

  A slim young woman twenty-two years old with long blond hair in high heels walked directly up to them from the other end of the lobby. She was stunning in her navy blue skirt and matching jacket.

  John leaned across to whisper in James’ ear, “Put your tongue back in your mouth.”

  Alex gave a little snigger and John said, “You too, Elzetro.”

  Standing before them the young woman put out her hand and in a friendly welcoming voice said, “Hello, you must be Russell and Mihaly. My name’s Crystal.” Turning to the others, she greeted each of them by name, shook their hands, and then continued speaking as if everything was completely normal, “Mark and the others have been expecting you and are waiting in the boardroom. If you would like to follow me please.”

  Picking up their belongings Russell and the others looked at each other questioningly. Then they shrugged their shoulders and followed Crystal to the elevators.

  Russell asked, “Crystal, how long have you been working at Blue Sky?”

  Crystal replied in her clear eloquent voice, “Ever since I first arrived.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  The elevator arrived and Crystal pushed the fourth floor button and pressed her pass-key against a metal plate as they all squeezed in. “Arrived from where? I can detect an odd accent. What country are you from?”

  Crystal gave a little laugh and replied, “You could say that.”

  Russell looked questioningly across at Mihaly, who’s face mirrored his own question.

  The elevator gave a momentary whirring of its motors and a few moments later the doors slid open revealing a hive of activity. Technicians and engineers were running this way and that while others were staring at control screens filled with numbers and gauges. In the centre of the chaos was a
room-sized black box with what looked like hoses and wire sprouting in complete disorder out of it. Every now and then, a jet of steam would suddenly burst with a hiss from an overhead pipe dousing the box in a cloud of white vapour.

  “This way please,” Crystal instructed formally.

  Russell and the others mutely followed Crystal to the right and through a door into a more conventional modern office area. They passed about thirty cubicles equipped with desks, chairs and computers before coming to a door marked with a sign that read, “Boardroom.”

  Crystal turned and said sweetly but firmly, “Here you are gentlemen. Please go on in and if there is anything that I can get for you, don’t hesitate to ask. Anyone will know how to reach me.”

  Before Russell could say anything Crystal walked off in her very formal manner and disappeared behind a grey office partition down the narrow hallway from where they had just come.

  Russell turned the handle on the boardroom door and gave it a gentle shove while he and the others juggled in with their luggage. At the far end of the large boardroom table, four smiling faces beamed up at them.

  Tony jumped out of his seat with a broad smile on his face. “Hey Russ! It’s great to see you again. It’s been a while since the games conference in Melbourne my friend.” As he reached for Russell’s luggage he continued, “Here, let me help you with that.”

  “Thanks Tony, it’s been a long flight.”

  After they had all taken their seats and the introductions were completed, Russell could not help stifling a yawn. The long journey, combined with the high backed, black leather chairs made things just a little too comfortable.

  Tony continued the friendly banter. “Russ, I’m really sorry about the email reply. It’s company policy not to allow anyone to our offices.”

  Russell let out a sigh. He hated jetlag. It had been a long day and it was only the morning. “Don’t worry about it Tony. We’re all here now.”

  Mark sized up the men opposite him and then asked Russell, “Tired?”

  Russell nodded. “Although we slept on the plane it’s never proper rest and before that, well, that’s a subject for our discussions.”

  “So how can we help you?” Mark asked. “You guys seem to have travelled a long way to talk with us face to face.”

  Russell gripped the armrests of his chair a little tighter before saying, “You can start by telling us who you really are. Not your cover stories but your real stories.”

  Mark arced one eyebrow up at the accusation. He was not used to accusations about anything and it set his teeth a little on edge. Staring straight at Russell he said, “So who do you think we are?”

  Before Russell could answer James interrupted, “I know who you are.” This time it was Russell’s turn to be a little surprised. James continued, “You’re from the Concord. My guess is you’re at least at the Commander level to be running an outfit like this. The question I have is why get us involved.”

  At that point Alex jumped in, “I think we were meant to see that machine out there when we came in. There is one thing I have learned from playing Scourge Wars and that’s, power systems. Until the last few days I used to think it was all in my imagination but coming in here I saw the real thing with my own eyes.”

  Both Russell and Mihaly smiled as their sons verbalised what they were all thinking. Russell said, “You let us see that device and you’re planning on telling us everything aren’t you.”

  Frank looked across at Mark, “I told you these guys were smart.”

  Mark wrapped his fingers on the table a few times in deep thought and finally he seemed to come to a decision. “My name is Commander Mark Anders of the Concord Research Division Blue Sky and you’re right young man.” Indicating James, “These gentlemen report to me.” Smiling now at Alex, “I was wondering what you’d make of the one and only interstellar TransWarp.”

  Alex laughed aloud and said, “I knew it! I can spot Concord technology a mile away!”

  “Alex, well done but shhhhh,” whispered his father.

  John leaned across to Mike and said, “Man are we in for it now.”

  Mike replied under his breath, “I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.”

  Commander Anders assumed his authority like an old, well-loved coat, “Yes, we’re not of this world but our genetic code is almost the same as yours. Some of our best scientists have even suggested that we have similar ancestry. After being on Earth for the past few years I do know we have very similar values as you.”

  For someone who was addressing the first alien any Earthling had encountered Russell spoke with a very calm voice, “So let me ask you your question. Why are we here?”

  The Commander looked back at Russell and tilted his head in acknowledgement of the mild riposte. “Now that’s a long story but…,” he checked his watch, “I think we have time for a little history lesson.”

  “About one hundred years ago a young engineering student on our home world of Kaladon IV discovered a new substance that he later named tellurite. Tellurite became a foundation stone for a myriad of future technologies. To put it in context, tellurite is as important as the invention of the wheel or writing. It was an amazing moment in our history and it completely transformed Concord society. You know tellurite from the Scourge Wars but this was the real thing.

  The Concord saw explosive technological growth and wonders became commonplace. About twenty years after the discovery, a culmination of multiple scientific breakthroughs allowed us to build the Byron, our first tellurite powered interstellar vessel and named after the scientist Byron Blake who discovered tellurite.

  It was a golden age for the Concord. We constructed greater numbers of exploration vessels, planted colonies, and eliminated many of the ailments that currently afflict your own planet. We revelled in our youthful pride. Frap! Even the stars weren’t beyond our grasp!

  In all, we’d managed to colonise around forty-three worlds and not once did we encounter another sentient being. That all changed around thirty-five of your years ago, when the exploration vessel, Kerwin, headed into uncharted space and was never heard from again. In all our years of voyaging it was the first time that a vessel had vanished. The leadership at that time put it down to ‘lost – unknown cause’ and we continued on our merry way.

  Several years later, the Albion, encountered a ship in the beta quadrant that was completely alien to us. The crew immediately sent a subspace signal back to Kaladon to fully document and record the first contact. Think of it as a video being sent back of the first time we’d met another space faring race.”

  Mark took a moment to look forlornly at his empty coffee mug. He continued the story while he got up from his seat and poured a glass of water from the pitcher on a side table by the door.

  “The Albion broadcast welcoming messages on all frequencies and the response was silence until the ship was within a couple of kilometres. We later knew that the strange ship was closing within range so that it couldn’t miss. The rest is history. The Scourge vessel opened its gun ports and blew the Albion out of the ether. There was nothing left of her or the crew other than the subspace signal of the first firing salvo tearing the ship apart.”

  Russell looked at the three other Concord men and he could see the impact Mark’s story had on them. Staring at the table Matt mumbled, “My father was Captain of the Albion. It was his first command. I remember him kissing my mother and I goodbye the morning he set off for his six-week tour. He was so excited and told me that one day I would captain my own ship.”

  Mark resumed his seat and continued his tale, “We’ve been fighting ever since that first encounter. We retrofitted our vessels with defensive and offensive capabilities as quickly as possible. Despite our best efforts, slowly but surely we lost one colony after another. Procyon, Religus and Sendranon fell in quick succession. My younger brother died at the battle of Althanus. He managed to save his crew but at the cost of his own life. Everyone around this table has lost someone in the w
ar.

  We only have a handful of worlds left and we’re desperately short of tellurite. Without tellurite, the war will be over and the slaughter would begin. It was only by chance that we stumbled upon Alpha Three. You see, the planet is rich in tellurite and rare minerals that would potentially give us the resources to drive the Scourge back.

  The Scourge Wars game roughly reflected our own history and as you’re aware our first warship from Alpha Three was the Dreadlight. According to the game, during its maiden voyage it crashed back into Alpha Three and brought with it the accursed Barrier. What you don’t know is the Dreadlight was attacked as it was just leaving the atmosphere where its shielding and manoeuvring capabilities were compromised.

  The Scourge had managed to find Alpha Three and as well as downing the Dreadlight they were the ones that brought the Barrier to prevent us from getting access to the bulk of the tellurite reserves. What they didn’t expect was that Concord researchers would develop a means to push back the Barrier with modified repulsor beams. We then sent in pilots to secure the beachhead at Freehold.”

  Russell settled further back in his chair. “Mark, is the Barrier really as deadly as it is in the game?”

  Mark ignored Russell’s lack of not addressing him by his rank and replied, “Yes, nothing human survives in the Barrier. It’s an energy field that appears to mess with the chemistry of the brain and cause death within about ten seconds.”

  Russell nodded thoughtfully and was about to ask another question when Mike leaned forward and asked one of his own. “So how did you find Earth?”

  “Mike, you need to appreciate that we are fighting for the survival of our entire species. The only reason we were out this far on the edge of the galaxy was that we were trying to find a world safe from the war. It was only by coincidence that the same ship that discovered Alpha Three also discovered Earth in the very next system it surveyed. We’re currently only four point three light years away from Alpha Three. In fact, I believe that Alpha Three is in what you call the Alpha Centauri system.”