by Saxon Andrew
Michael paused and allowed his instructions to sink in. “We are going to be out in open space and one of the Legends’ new battleships will be moving toward the cluster while we are on station. It is commanded by a being that is telepathic and it will hear your thoughts if they aren’t blocked. I know this poses a hardship but this mission is too critical to the Alliance to allow a simple mistake to allow the enemy to know about our presence. Any medical emergency will be handled under a thought blocker field before anyone is removed from their armor. I thank all of you in advance for your following these instructions and be aware that until otherwise notified, the fleet will be under communications silence. Thank you.”
Michael contacted Jay and Josey, “It appears that Jan’s computer could hear the thoughts of that ship when we couldn’t. That ship must be using some kind of thought blocker that Langley was not affected by. Jan sent a full diagnostic of Langley’s systems and we’ve compared it to his last Fleet servicing. The only difference Nudge, Budge, Amanda, and Trevor could find was his processors must have suffered a small electrical surge that slightly changed the frequency his processors use to communicate. I noticed that Langley’s voice was louder than normal when I was on her ship and I believe that frequency change is what caused it. I am sending both of you the current frequency that Langley is using and I want you to have your computers duplicate it. You will deactivate your computer’s thought broadcasting system for the duration of the mission or until I order otherwise. Any questions so far.”
“No Sir.”
“One more thing Jay. Have you noticed whether or not you have become telepathic?”
“I am hearing random thoughts, Sir.”
“That will probably get more regular over time but it is critically important that you and I stay in our armor. That telepath will hear us if we don’t.”
“Yes Sir.”
“I’ve sent you a copy of the download Jan sent to Fleet Operations. If you have any questions, you need to ask them before we skip out.”
Michael’s image disappeared from Jay and Josey’s displays and Josey said, “Now that is an organized brain!”
Jay nodded, “I must say that I really didn’t think much of the Commander before I went to see him but he has changed that. I’m really glad he’s in charge.”
“Why?”
“Because you and I would have gone charging out to find Jan and screamed bloody murder at the top of our voices. He did the right thing.”
Josey nodded, “I sensed he wanted to go out screaming with us but managed to keep his cool.”
“You’re right. His thoughts were the random ones I heard and he was worried sick about her.”
“Do you think there’s something there?”
“I don’t know. I really think he would feel the same about us. This is different from what I’ve grown accustomed to, Josey.”
“What do you mean?”
“I really do want to protect him now. You know the download Jan sent is top secret and he didn’t keep it from us. I’m willing to bet that Admiral Greenwall hasn’t seen it. He’s including us in his decision-making. I don’t deserve it but I respect him for doing it.”
Josey smiled, “Ditto. Let’s take a look at the download and see if there’s anything we need to worry about.” Jay nodded and ended the call.
• • •
“Budge.”
“Yeah.”
“You know that Piper says his hull is three feet thick and all of it is the white coating.”
“I’ve heard that, Nudge, but nothing I’ve tried has made that material coat our hulls thicker than a few molecules.”
“I’ve been thinking about that lately and with the new Legend Battleships having disruptors the size of those used on their planets, I’m concerned about our ships surviving more than one or two hits.”
“Piper can take a lot more than that.”
“I’ve been wondering how they do it.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“There must be something that would attract that stuff.”
“I’ve not found anything.”
“Well, consider this. That liquid is only found on planets that are almost inside the event horizon of a black hole, right?”
“Yes, go on.”
“But I never saw waves on that planet where we coated our ships. Why is that?” Budge stared at him and after a moment, he shook his head. “I’ve looked at the recording of that planet and that liquid doesn’t even have low or high tides in the strongest known gravity in the universe. Matter of fact, the surface is flatter than a…”
“Don’t say it!”
“Why?”
“I know what you’re thinking and half the women in here will slap you silly if you do.”
“But it’s true. The gravity from the black hole should have some effect on it.”
“What are you thinking, Nudge?”
“Have we ever measured the depth of that liquid?”
“There’s no way we could do it. That liquid can’t be penetrated by any scanner that we have.”
“What if there isn’t a planet under it?”
“What?”
“What if there’s nothing there but the liquid.”
Budge started shaking his head, “It wouldn’t hold together without something for it to float on.” Budge stared at Nudge and lowered his eyes, “What are you thinking?”
“Budge, for every positive atom, science says there should be an antimatter atom to balance it in the universe. What if that principle works on more than just positive and negative atoms?” Budge started shaking his head and Nudge held up his hand, “Before you go all scientific on me, consider this. What if that liquid is repelled by high gravity? The gravity from the black hole pulls it but it resists the pull and becomes a denser liquid. That’s why there’s no waves. It is pulled in tight by the heavy g-forces acting on it from the black hole.”
Budge closed his mouth and looked out of the window. Nudge recognized that expression, Budge was thinking hard. “If what you’re saying has any truth to it that would account for why there are no waves. The liquid would push against the gravity and it would flatten it.”
Nudge nodded and said, “So what would that mean if you wanted the liquid to adhere to itself?”
Budge continued to stare out the window and said, “Instead of using gravity to pull it, you use gravity to push against it.”
“Which would…”
“Make it move toward the push.” Budge looked at his twin, “It just can’t be that simple, Nudge.”
“It would be easy to confirm. Just take a ship out and reverse the polarity on the gravity compensator. Instead of just reducing gravity, have it go to a positive condition pushing against the inside of the hull. The gravity field would extend beyond the hull pushing against that liquid if the ship was submerged in it.”
“How do you control how much would cover the hull?”
“Raise or lower the power of the push.”
Budge thought again and shook his head, “What will happen when you shut down the gravity compensator?”
“You know that liquid instantly hardens once it’s removed from the surface. It should stay on the hull.”
Budge stared at him. Then he said, “I have a ship.”
“You need to install another compensator.”
“Why.”
“Because once you leave the liquid…” Nudge stopped. He saw Budge smiling and he said, “The black hole will push it away, not pull it in.” Budge nodded. “The only reason the ships would be pulled in without the compensator is because the coating is so thin there’s not enough of it to overcome the attraction of the rest of the ship to the black hole.” Nudge said, “Are you agreeing with me?”
“Your theory explains a lot. I want to see if you’re right.”
“Well, lead the way and let’s go.”
Budge looked at his assistant, “I’m going to be gone for several days. Take care of the shop.”
>
“But SIR!”
Budge was already walking toward the door and he looked at Nudge, “I thought you retired?”
Nudge sighed, “I have but sometimes I just…”
“Go crazy doing nothing.”
“Yeah.”
“That’s why I’m still here. I don’t have someone like Eve to fill the day.”
“You need to find someone.”
“I’ve failed miserably at that. I’ve decided that I’m going to have to wait for someone to find me like Eve found you.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Somehow, I think you’re right.”
Chapter Ten
Michael saw Fifth Fleet’s last squadron move into place and pushed the fleet’s general frequency on his panel, “We’ll be skipping out in five minutes. Once we arrive, I want all ships to spread with at least a light year separation between all ships. Be prepared to skip into combat formation instantly if we’re needed. I know all of you have worked hard preparing for this and I know you’ll do an outstanding job.”
He ended the call and saw Josey appear on his display, “Sir, I’ve been meaning to apologize for a while and have just never done it.”
“Apologize for what?”
“For kissing you on the stage. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Josey and for your information that was my very first kiss.”
“WHAT!?”
“Remember, Admiral Greenwall kept every female away from me as I was growing up. So thank you; it’s another item checked off the list.”
“I know you’d have preferred it to be under different circumstances.”
“What’s wrong with a beautiful woman kissing me? You just surprised me and that’s why my face was so red. By the way, you’re a pretty good kisser.”
Josey smiled and then laughed, “Thank you, Sir.”
“I want the two of you to stay close. We’ll skip in a long way behind the fleet and listen for that Monster Battleship that’s moving toward the Bullet Cluster. I’m hoping Jan finishes scouting before it arrives but if it detects any of us, I suspect we’ll have to take it out, if we can.”
“I’ll let Jay know and we’ll be ready.”
“Alright. Lock your skip drives to Angelo’s panel and we’ll skip out together.”
Michael watched the countdown and didn’t verbally count it off. He smiled when all fifty thousand ships in Fifth Fleet disappeared together. Katy really had done an excellent job of training her pilots. He hit the skip button and the three ships disappeared together.
• • •
“Langley, just what are we going to do?”
“I think we should skip in to the middle of the cluster in intergalactic space and see if I can hear anything telepathically.”
“According to my data on the Bullet Cluster, there were two galaxies that were merging three billion years ago. That merger should be complete now. Try to move so that giant galaxy is closer than the others.”
“You think that’s where the Legends are located?”
“If they weren’t originally, they should have moved to that merged galaxy. Let’s try that one first.”
“I’m shutting down all external systems as well as lowering the power on the reactor. I’ll be using compressed air to move us around.”
“I’ve already moved into my armor and turned the environmental system off. If we’re detected, get out fast.”
“We do need to see how they’ve set up their defenses before we leave.”
“We’ll see how it goes but I don’t think we can stand up to one of those monsters if they open fire with those disruptors.”
“You’re the boss. Here we go.” Jan left the main viewport’s armor down and watched the distant specks of light grow larger instantly. She got the impression that there was no distance between them and the giant galactic cluster.
• • •
Jan looked at the giant galaxy and saw a massive fifty thousand light year trail of stars that swung out from the galaxy at a thirty-degree angle. The tidal forces from the merger of the two giants swung more than a hundred millions stars out beyond the galaxy’s edge. It was incredibly beautiful. Jan put her faceplate on the console, “Langley?”
“You were right.”
“About what?”
“You know how in the Pandora Cluster every Legend pretty much has their own galaxy to rule?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not the case here. I am hearing the thoughts of millions of Legends and that is quite overwhelming. There are thousands of galaxies in this cluster but I can’t hear any of the others with the commotion coming out of that giant one.”
“WHO ARE YOU?”
Jan hear the loud thought and then heard Langley say, “We are travelers who have come to see what happens when two galaxies merge.”
“This is forbidden space. You will leave immediately!”
“Forgive us for intruding on your domain. I must say that your galaxy is one of the most beautiful we have ever seen. I know you must be proud of it.”
“I am. You may take pictures but then you must leave and not return!”
“Thank you for your gift.” Langley ran a quick scan and then got out fast. They headed directly away from the line they came in on and Langley stopped at the distant edge of the bullet cluster. Jan kept her head on the console, “What in two hells was that?”
“I don’t really know how to describe it, Jan. That…entity…thing…whatever it is…”
“Isn’t one being?”
“You heard that?”
“I heard the trillions of thoughts that made it.”
“That thing is something that is created by all the Legends’ personas in that galaxy. It saw us, even in the barrier. I suspect it will see any of us that approach it from now on.”
“Do you think that thing could harm us?”
“Can a Sentinel harm us? It’s something very much like them only…larger.”
“Langley, I heard it through my thought blocker.”
“With as much power as it used to broadcast, you could have heard it through the hull. The problem with that galaxy being infested with so many Legends, there’s no way for me to nail down where the Monster Ships are being built; the mental background noise overwhelms everything.”
Jan shook her head and sighed, “There’s only one way to do it.”
“I’m afraid you’re right.”
“How much longer before it arrives here?”
“At least eight or nine weeks. However, as I think about it, we probably won’t be able to use it.”
“Why not?”
“If we try to move into the cluster with that ship, that thing will detect us long before that Monster Ship moves into the cluster. It was nice the first time but I suspect that if it sees us again…”
“It will not be so forgiving.”
“Exactly.”
“Then we have to find that ship before it arrives.”
“What?”
“We have to find it and you are going to have to find the mind of the navigator and take the coordinates out of it of the galaxy that ship is headed toward.”
“And if it’s that giant galaxy?”
Jan shook her head, “Let’s cross that road if we have to. Do you think you can find it?”
“There’s an awfully huge volume of space it could be in. I don’t know?”
“Well, think about it for a moment. Once that ship turns and heads this way, it won’t be changing course anymore, will it?”
“That would be a waste of time. Any ship following it would see where it was headed.”
“So, once it starts this way, it’s going to be pretty much taking a direct path here. Didn’t you say you had figured out the pattern that ship was flying?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And you determined that it was going to come here. Where was it going to make that course change to do that?”
“Gi
ve me a few moments. I need to look back at what I stored.” Jan lifted her faceplate off the console and put her glove in its place. She looked out of the viewport and could still see the bright light millions of light years away. There was no way to determine where that ship was headed from this far out.”
She felt the panel vibrate and she put her faceplate down, “I’ve got the general line of approach. I will move to the middle of the possible courses it could be taking and listen for it.”
“Let’s try to meet it when it’s still about six weeks out.”
“There will be a problem with this.”
“What is that?”
“Focusing on one individual on that ship may allow that telepath to detect it. Just listening to the thoughts as a whole is different.”
“If you find the right one, it might be a good thing to be seen.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the navigator will have to look at their panel and release the ship from autopilot. It will have to see the coordinates of its destination.”
“You’re assuming they build their panels like ours.”
“All the way back to jet airliners on Earth to our most modern warships, the computer always has the coordinates entered. They will have those coordinates visible if for no other reason than a safety precaution.”
“I hope you’re right. If that ship detects us, it will attack.”
“We can always run.”
“Not before we have those coordinates. That will give them time to get in the range of those huge disruptors.”
“Can you think of another way to do this?”
“No.”
“Then we’ll stick to the plan as long as possible. I’ll focus on the force field if that ship starts our way and if it starts failing, I’ll skip out.”
“And if that ship has a device that disrupts the barrier?”
“Then it will get very, very interesting, my friend.”