Shackleton's Folly (The Lost Wonder Book 1)

by Yunker, Todd

  The monitor went blank. Alec said, “Electra, if you saw anything you would like or need from the trade goods, feel free to take what you need.”

  Electra beamed back, “Oh, I have.”

  Alec said, “I was thinking of anything you find among the trade goods.”

  “Got it,” she said.

  Dancer picked up the data crystal and placed it in a receptacle on his body. It glowed faintly as the 1.2 Exabyte optical data crystal was accessed.

  Dancer stood as he pondered the problem. “I am accessing the data. One thing I can say about the Captain — he loved his star charts.”

  Alec was happy. “Start cross referencing it with the charts we have.”

  *

  The Quest had returned to the relative safety of FTL and put distance in the opposite direction from the freighter. It would be just a short jump, and then they would return to their original course toward the Frontier. If the Last Straw were stopped by anyone, they would point them in the wrong direction.

  Alec sat in his pilot’s chair. A holographic representation of the part of the galaxy they were in floated above the control panel. The artifact he had purchased from Dolk rested on the control panel in front of him. Alec reached out and turned the floating 3D map by grasping an imaginary tab at the bottom of the representation. He then picked up the artifact and looked at it closely. He ran his fingers across the surface, trying to get information from it.

  Alec returned to the 3D map, zoomed in on their position in space, and reviewed the course segments going to the coordinates O had sold him. They were now only a segment away from their destination. “Dancer, do you think we’ll be alright with adding only two jumps after the trade deal with the Last Straw?”

  Dancer looked up from his sketch pad. “We should be fine.”

  Electra came in from the galley with two coffee mugs. She handed one to Alec and looked at the galactic map.

  Alec asked, “Have you heard of the Eleven Wonders of the First Ones’ Empire?” He held up the artifact.

  “Wonders’?” said Electra.

  Dancer joined the conversation, “She wouldn’t know them the way we do. Her people have been out of touch with the rest of the galaxy since before the fall of the Empire. They became Wonders only thousands of cycles after the fall, when no one living could figure out how it was done on such a scale.”

  Electra sat at the engineering station.

  Alec thought about it. “A hobby of mine — finding the lost Eleven Wonders of the Universe, all part of the First Ones’ Empire.” He put his hand down on the artifact. He said thoughtfully, “It’s a reference issue. She would need a point of reference to make the connection. There was only one galactic empire about 8,000 standard cycles ago. Electra, from what you said, your people were moved to your new world by the Empire.”

  “Yes, I understand the Empire,” said Electra.

  “We refer to it as the First Ones’ Empire because they were the first and only ones so far to control much of the galaxy. Now whether this was a good thing or bad is debatable. A centralized government, a legal system, trade, and a formal method of resolving disputes between planets and star systems held up for a long time. I mean, there was peace in the galaxy for a long time.”

  Alec continued thoughtfully, “Then corruption and greed set in, rulers appeared, and the decay set in until what was left fractured into smaller kingdoms ruled by governors of the old Empire, despots, or generals. It’s so far removed in time from where we are today that it’s hard to see that it ever existed.” Alec sipped on his coffee.

  “How did the Empire expand?” asked Electra.

  “Excellent question.” He was overdoing it a bit. “Now that depends on which race you talk to. Some say it was done by war and conquest; others say ‘treaties of mutual need.’ Hard to tell now when so much time has passed. History is written by the winners, and, with the fall of the Empire, many smaller groups wanted to make the Empire a villain.” He looked at the galaxy hologram again. “Much of what was left behind in this part of the galaxy has been lost to time or scavengers. Do you have technology from the Empire?” asked Alec.

  “Yes — few, if any, know of our existence,” said Electra thoughtfully. “I know that, if we get back to my people, you will have any technology we have that you need at your disposal.”

  “That’s interesting. There might be some references that could help me find at least one of the Wonders. It’s on my bucket list.” He immediately realized she would not understand the reference. “It is a list of things you want to do before you die.”

  Electra was taken back. “You prepare for death like this? Are you dying?”

  He laughed. “It is a life goal. A list of things crazy or adventurous you want to do before you die.”

  She looked at him incredulously. “Alec, I have been with you only a short while, and I cannot imagine what you would need a bucket list for.”

  Alec put down the artifact and picked up his datapad. He pulled up his bucket list and reviewed it. “You are correct. My list tends to be more mundane items.” He put down the datapad and took up the artifact again.

  A silence came over them, and it was Electra who broke it. “When you take me home, my people could help you find these Lost Wonders.”

  Alec felt something and turned to Electra. She had a look on her face he could not understand. He would put his life on the line for her, but he had responsibilities to the survivors. He reached out and took her hand in his. “Your safety means everything to me, and I will move planets and stars to help you in any way I can. If you know your way home, then let’s set course right now.” Alec did not get a response. “If not, then I will continue following the trail of inscription pieces which I believe will provide us a map back to your home world.”

  Electra felt a wave of doubt wash over her. She knew the return of the pieces of the inscription he had was her primary mission, but she couldn’t tell him that. Electra had sworn an oath of secrecy. It was part of her mission briefing how big a piece of the material they were looking for. They had never dreamt it had been cut into smaller pieces. They currently had only one of the inscription pieces, and, from what Electra had seen of the two Alec had before Wolfgang Gray and the Koty had stolen one, there was a third piece, just as Alec had said. She would, of course, have to retrieve the one stolen by Gray. Electra could not return home with only one piece of the three. Her heart was heavy keeping this information from Alec. He had been more than generous to her, and, now that they had crossed that line and become more intimate than she had done with any other lover, she feared what would happen to them when it came out.

  “The inscription pieces it is,” she replied with a little melancholy in her voice and reached out to run her free hand through his hair, winking at him. How did she feel about him? It was something she could not explain to herself. She appraised her actions — the flirting, the way she maintained her silence coming aboard ship. In her soul searching, she caught a glimpse of the datapad. It was turned away from her, so she spun it around. The display was still filled with Alec’s bucket list. Her heart fluttered and then raced with anticipation as she read and reread the top item: “Be with Electra.”

  She knew now that she loved him, for no simple statement could have such a profound effect on her if she did not. But she had a duty to fulfill, and, for the moment, a warm and tender moment, they had the same mission — whether Alec knew it or not.

  Alec smiled back and put down the artifact. He turned to Dancer. “Was there anything useful in the data we bought?”

  Dancer ignored the exchange. “A lot of navigational charts. The Captain has stripped the mineralogical data from the charts, but that is what we are looking for.” Dancer’s hands and digits flew in a blur across the controls he accessed. “There,” he stated.

  The holographic display of the Galaxy shimmered as the new data was imported into the image. “I have given the new data a blue hue to distinguish it from our existing data. I
f we are happy with the import, we can remove the artificial color and see truly what’s what,” said Dancer. A huge section of the galaxy near their destination overlaid with suns was repositioned, updates to planetary systems were made, and nebulae were updated or simply added. The repositioning and movement of stars seemed very accurate and well worth the expense.

  Dancer adjusted the size of the holographic display to make it easier to see the extra detail they now had. The region of known space was highlighted with a red shift added to the natural color of stars, planets, and nebulae. The new section of space highlighted in blues extended into the next arm of the galaxy. The Frontier.

  Alec expanded the map to give them a better view of the section of the galaxy they were in. “Impressive. From the data we have been collecting and O’s coordinates, where are we heading?”

  Dancer pointed to a section of the newly highlighted space. The display zoomed in on it. Dancer said, “I’m not absolutely sure. I analyzed the information purchased from O. It was not exactly in line with this new data. I would have to assume that O’s data would be more suspect, judging by the accuracy found in the rest of the data provided us by the Last Straw. They do not have any reason to manipulate something like this.”

  Dancer looked closer at the display. “It’s a long shot, but I think this is where we will find the piece we are looking for.” The display zoomed in again on a trinary star system.

  Electra jumped to her feet. “I know that trinary star system. It was where my ship was captured.”

  Dancer changed the display to enlarge the trinary star system at the edge of the highlighted region of space.

  Electra looked incredulously to Alec. “My crew’s mission was to find and return technology taken from my home world. We know some went to that star system,” she said as she pointed to the display.

  The enormity of the revelation stunned Alec. “Really?”

  Electra looked at each of them. “Alec, the inscription you are looking for is not what you think it is.”

  Fate had intervened. Alec had to know the truth.

  Dancer accessed the database. “The data has a feature that can be best translated as ‘Heavenly Snowflake.’”

  Electra asked, “This inscription piece you have — may I see it again?”

  Alec nodded to Dancer. “Dancer, would you please show her the piece we have?”

  Dancer turned and opened his back compartment. As he unwrapped the piece, a corner popped out.

  Electra reverently touched the inscription piece that stuck out of its cover. “This is the stolen property we were searching the galaxy for.”

  “What?” exclaimed Alec. He stood up and took the inscription piece from the wrap. He held it up for her. Alec said, “This is not a map to a world, then?”

  “It is not.” She cradled the piece in her hands so she could hold it along with Alec. Electra said, “You have me now as a guide. Alec, we have the future of all of our peoples in our hands.”

  “When were you going to tell me? You saw the inscription pieces together in the galley.”

  “Alec, dear sweet Alec,” she said as she reached toward him, but he pulled back a little.

  “Anything else you would like to share?”

  “No, nothing. I told you I was on a mission to find what you call inscription pieces. I was sworn to secrecy — no one outside my world was to know.” She looked at him imploringly. “You wanted to find pieces of the inscription, and so did I. The reasons were the same — to save our people.

  “I was in search of Rovers and found you. It became obvious very quickly you were not one of them. I had to learn who you were.” She reached out to him; this time, she was able to take his hand. “You are a good man, Alec. You became my great hope in completing my mission — our mission — in saving our people.”

  Alec thought about it — from her perspective. Alec was an unknown to her, and she had been searching for a band of renegades who had caused some calamity and could justify not telling him everything about her mission.

  Alec turned to her and searched her eyes. “You are my great hope, too.” He said to Dancer, “Full speed, Dancer. Let the Quest do what she was built for — burn space.” His feelings were hurt, but he couldn’t blame her for holding back some information. “Together?”

  Electra took the inscription from him. “Yes, we were — correction, are — on the same mission, and, together, we will succeed.” She sat down and marveled at the ancient message and touched the surface of the material.

  Dancer said with deliberate exactness, “Trinary star system ahead of schedule.”

  The Quest adjusted for the new coordinates and then blurred as the space yacht leapt into FTL with speeds greater than ordinary craft. Her designers knew space-hull design was not as important as her power plant, but they were artists. They wanted both speed and form to exude from their creation. The Quest commanded respect from anyone who saw her. She had an aerodynamic hull for planetary-atmosphere entry at speed. The owners of this yacht would not have to slow themselves down just to land. They could break Mach five and touch down in a vertical profile on a lawn if needed. The interior had been divested of some of the luxurious materials and accessories before Alec had purchased the ship, but she was a work in progress.

  Alec had made sure that her engines and shields were in order and upgraded where needed to be superior in speed to anything out there. The rest of the ship’s interior was a little Spartan, but how many ships of this size included a water shower? The prior owner had used the shower area for additional cargo space, but not Alec. He saw the ship for the thoroughbred she was under the layers of paint and dirt. Alec had stripped her hull down to the metal frame. He rebuilt her all the way to her skin, which he then had coated in a metallic mirror-like material that reflected energy beams of all types in directions other than where they came from. The sensor profile would be minimal. He also made a statement. When he came to town, he wanted people to know someone had arrived.

  Electra was in the pilot’s seat and stared out the front port. Alec monitored the ship’s systems at the engineer’s console, but it was not really needed. The Quest was in top form and crossed great distances in next to no time.

  Electra mused, “Thousands of cycles ago, traders from the Empire came to our planet. It was before the dawn of civilization on our world.”

  “You mean Earth,” said Alec.

  Dancer came in with a tray of sandwiches and drinks. Dancer asked, “Traders?”

  Alec took one of the sandwiches.

  Electra was reminded, “Earth? Yes, Earth then. Well, they set up a trading post. They mingled, even married the inhabitants.” Electra took one of the drinks and a sandwich. “Thank you for lunch, Dancer.”

  “My pleasure,” replied Dancer as he set the tray down on the counter closest to Alec.

  Alec reached over and picked up a sandwich and drink. “Humanoid, then?” he asked.

  Electra looked over at Alec, “Yes. They were close enough in biology that they could pass as human but were not able to genetically mix with humans.”

  *

  Dancer watched the two try to put things behind them. He was glad his friend had recovered quickly from the surprise she had given them. Dancer could see that, if they could be themselves with one another, they would be good for one another.

  *

  The Quest dropped out of FTL on the edge of the trinary star system. The smaller, interloping star was feeding on the nearest of the two larger stars. It had been a binary system with five worlds — two rocky and three gaseous — until the nomadic smaller star had come too close to the system. A gravitational battle ensued, and the planets lost out. Their orbital paths were so disrupted by the smaller star, they were consumed by one of the original binary stars or hurtled out into interstellar space. The planets had become casualties of the star’s dominance of near space.

  The Quest had to change course again, and, in a great arc, they followed a new course to search the on
e place in the system where an object could be left in a stable position for extended periods of time. The gravitational tidal forced the binary stars to one side and the interloper star to the other. This one point in space was where gravity was negated, leaving anything there alone for eons at a time. Eventually, the star’s own life would change and throw off the give and take, but not for the foreseeable future.

  This was the point of balance in the space between the three stars. The Quest came upon a structure as big as a gas giant planet — it was not a planet but a machine. The Quest hung back, scanning and gathering information about the device.

  Periodically, great beams of energy erupted from different parts of the structure in a single beam or many smaller ones, reaching distances of several hundred thousand kilometers.

  *

  Dancer took readings from his sensors. He checked them against his earlier readings and gave his opinion. Dancer stated, “It’s obviously artificial and nearly the size of your Jupiter, Alec. It’s at a stationary L-point between the stars.”

  One of the great beams of energy blasted past the hull of the Quest.

  “It’s like a snowflake falling from the sky, the crystalline form stretching outward,” Dancer remarked. “Now scale it up to the diameter of 139,741 kilometers. Instead of frozen water, it is made of selenite crystals, in all four varieties, on a scale not found in nature.” Dancer keyed in commands that backed the Quest further away from the device. “I have been taking readings of the energy beams. Unfortunately, they seem to be totally random shots from the ‘Heavenly Snowflake.’”

  Alec had the data they had collected up on the monitor. “I can see the ‘Heavenly’ part of this. Get too close, and you’re vaporized — gone to heaven.”

  Electra agreed. “This is where we failed. We spent months studying this structure. We tried to find a pattern in the energy blasts and failed. Then we tried sending in a team. The builders were thinking big in their defenses, so we went small, but it became quickly evident that this, too, was impractical. It is the size of a gas giant, and we were looking for a piece of the inscription about the same size as the one Dancer has on him. I ask: Where do you start looking?”