Force of Gravity

by T. R. Harris

  “Then I’m going to have to give them back.” Adam announced.

  The looks of concern on the faces of his team remained. They could point to several occasions where Panur’s brain cells had helped get them out of tight spots. None were anxious to give that up, even if it meant helping Panur. But the logic was inescapable. It was the only way.

  “That may not be possible,” Lila stated, sending another shockwave through the team. Before anyone could ask why, Lila continued. “When Panur first did the mind meld with you, he was fully functioning. Even then, he was not able to recover all his cells from the merging.”

  “He said it was his first time,” Adam said. “Maybe he didn’t see the danger and got a little careless.”

  “That is a possibility,” Lila said. “Yet it is a given that in his present condition he would be even less capable of retrieving his lost material, if he could even comprehend what the goal of the procedure would be. It could cause even more damage to his brain, and yours as well.”

  Adam was both relieved and depressed by Lila’s words. He could keep his mutant brain cells…but the galaxy would be overrun by the Klin. And then Robert McCarthy would take over Earth, using the Klin invincible black ships to enforce his will….

  “There could be another way,” Lila said into the nervous silence filling the room.

  “How?” Sherri asked.

  Lila looked at Adam. “Through your Gift…your brain-interface device.”

  “Explain,” Adam said.

  “I could supervise the procedure, by accessing your mind through your device. I could identify and then manipulate the cells to link with Panur’s brain.”

  “Link?” said Riyad. “Like through another merging? I thought you said Panur probably won’t know what he’s doing?”

  “It would be a small merging, accomplished by direct access to Adam’s mind, yet not a full integration.”

  “You mean surgical access?” Sherri asked. From the tone of her voice it was obvious she didn’t like the idea of cutting a hole in Adam’s skull.

  “I’m working this out as we speak, but yes. Since Panur’s body will instantly repair any cut we make in it, we will have to place a small section of Panur’s active brain directly into Adam’s for the transfer to take place. I will be in my father’s mind, moving the cells through the link.”

  “Can you do that?” Copernicus asked. “Can you find individual brain cells and put them back in Panur’s head?”

  “Theoretically, it is possible.”

  “Okay, then let’s do it!” Adam announced, growing impatient with all the back and forth. He stood up. “C’mon, we don’t have a lot of time. And the sooner Panur gets on the road to recovery, the sooner we can find a way to shut down the damn Klin.”

  “It is not as simple as that, father.”

  “Why not? You just said—”

  “I believe it can be done, but not here. We will need surgical facilities and adequate monitoring.”

  “Like at a hospital?” Sherri asked.

  “Yes.”

  Sherri looked at the other confused faces in the room. “Do we even know if they have hospitals on this stinking planet?”

  “They have to,” Riyad said. “Mining operations are notorious for causing injury. We just have to find one.”

  “All right then, sounds like a plan,” Adam said.

  “Hospitals don’t come cheap,” Sherri pointed out. “Do we have enough money to do this? It won’t be just another smash-and-grab operation. We’ll need cooperation. And I assume there’ll be some recovery time.”

  “Sherri is correct,” said Lila. “We should inventory the credits my father recovered from the gambling establishment.”

  “We were going to use those for the power mods,” Copernicus said. Then he shrugged. “But I suppose without Panur operating at one-hundred-percent, there’s no rush. We’ll just have to get more…somehow.”

  “I’ll see what I can find around here that passes as a hospital,” Sherri said. “Like Adam said, we don’t have a lot of time to waste. Besides, I’d like to be the one who drills a hole in his head. For a long time I’ve wondered if there’s anything inside. Now I get to find out.”

  11

  The six-mile long black starship known as VN-91 #17 entered the fringes of the star system after dropping out of its strange double blackhole gravity-well. It was detected immediately by several monitors placed along the outer perimeter, at a distance where most of the other black ships had made their appearance in a hundred other star systems. Word went out, not only to the primary world, but to Formil, Earth and all the worlds represented by the Advisory Council.

  Alarms rang and people panicked, rushing to meeting rooms and comm centers to get more information. If the reports were true, this was catastrophic news.

  The Advisory Council was made up of thirteen individuals representing the major industrial and military worlds of the galaxy. It was formed in response to the Klin threat and included members from both the Expansion and the Orion-Cygnus Union, as well as two independent worlds positioned out near the edge of the galaxy. Already, two of the worlds had been overrun by the Klin robots: Silea and Bannokfore, yet their representatives still sat on the Council. There was also a planning and strategy sub-committee under the main Council, comprised of various industrial interests, including the weapons manufactures of Xan-fi and Maris-Kliss.

  The members who were currently on Formil at the time entered the huge conference room in the Trimen O’lac Building and took assigned seats. Three of the main Council members were off-planet, but soon their huge faces were projected from screens mounted on the walls. From detection to the meeting being called to order only eighteen minutes had passed, thanks in part to the instantaneous nature of Continuous Wormhole communications.

  The Juirean Overlord Zaxis fe Rendor took control of the meeting, although the Formilian First Corusant U’lac Vison was the titular head of the Council. Yet with the Juirean homeworld under attack, no one protested.

  “This is a major escalation of the Klin plans,” the Juirean bellowed. “Is this the same ship from the Pyrum system that disappeared six days ago?” he asked a tech seated at a console lining the walls of the huge chamber.

  “Markings are no indicator, my Lord, yet the transit time based on observation of other Klin VN-91s would indicate so. It would take six days at full drive to reach Juir from Pyrum-3.”

  “There must be others headed for the remaining Core Worlds!” proclaimed the Usanean representative Boad lon Forn. “We are still supplying our worlds with nuclear defenses. Efforts must be increased immediately.”

  “Juir has been stockpiling nuclear devices for several months, using our own resources,” said the Overlord. “We will not surrender the planet without a staunch defense.

  Several of the alien faces around the table displayed overt anger rather than fear. Chief among them was the Human ambassador, Ashton Hill. He spoke next.

  “There must be a reason why the Klin have broken protocol,” he said.

  “Yes!” cried the Usanean. “It is because of Adam Cain. Reports of the arrival of the mutants Panur and Lila Bol have forced them to deviate from their plan. It was as we suspected, ambassador. Your renegade bloodkin has just set in motion a series of events which could lead to the collapse of the Expansion, along with your minor Union of planets. Yet because your world exists at the opposite end of the galaxy from the Klin front, you probably feel you have time to secure your own defenses ahead of others.”

  “As far as I know, there are no effective defenses against the Klin ships,” Hill countered. “We can flood our systems with deadly radiation all we want and all it does is delay the Klin attacks.”

  “Perhaps they will offer Juir the chance to surrender, to become a manufacturing world,” said the Rosten representative, Sli Porten.

  The Overlord snorted. “This is Juir we are speaking of. There will be no accommodation for my species. The Klin despise us. The same will ho
ld true for Earth. No, the truth is none of our worlds will be spared. The Klin have other viable options without having to spare the Core Worlds. It is only through our destruction that the Klin will succeed in their plan to not only subdue the galaxy, but also humiliate all who have ruled before.”

  “My Lord!” interrupted the tech. “Update from Juir.”

  Ashton saw the Juirean inhale sharply. Although it was far too early for the Klin to have delivered their deadly cargo of killer robots to the planet, the Overlord was already preparing for the worst.

  “The Klin vessel has stopped. It is holding position near the planet Klixen.”

  Klixen was an outer planet in the system, a gas giant similar to Neptune within the Solar System.

  “We shall consolidate our defenses at that point!” roared the Juirean. “I must contact my people.” He began to pull away from the table when the tech spoke again.

  “There is a communication coming through from the ship. It is being routed to Formil.”

  One of the large screens on the wall suddenly flashed to life, displaying an oversize image of a huge, silver-skinned face. The blue eyes sparkled from the light of side illumination, as those in the room could see the creature was sitting in an office with a view of a distant mountain range through a wide window on his left.

  “I am Pleabaen Cosnin Oblinus, the leader of the Klin. I ask that you initiate a reciprocal link so I may gaze upon the faces of my enemy as we speak.”

  The tech was watching the Juirean, waiting for the word. When Zaxis nodded, the Formilian technician turned back to his controls. The reaction by the Klin was immediate.

  “So many of you, and you sit in a dim room which only adds to the drama unfolding.”

  “What do you want?” the Overlord asked, dispensing with title or even a trace of decorum.

  The Klin smiled. His bright white teeth were bared, causing the Juirean to flinch. “Please calm yourself Overlord Zaxis. I mean you no challenge or disrespect. And yes, I know your name; I know all your names. You see, my intelligence network is much more engrained on your worlds than yours is on mine. But let us not bicker. I come to you today with great news. I bring an offer of peace.”

  Murmurs filled the conference room, as creatures spoke to one another and to themselves. Peace was a word they longed for, but coming as unexpected as it had, they were all trying to come to grips with its meaning.

  “Are you proposing Juir to be the object of your conquest, and after that you will stop your aggression,” ask the weaselly Usanean. Zaxis sent him a deadly snarl.

  “We will not surrender Juir as a bribe for peace,” the Overlord yelled. “We seek peace, but not at the expense of my homeworld.”

  “Yet you were not born on Juir,” Cosnin said, retaining his smile. “You were born on the breeding world of Salin, whose facilities were destroyed by the Kracori almost twenty standard years ago. In fact, no Juireans can claim the planet as their homeworld, not for the last thousand years.”

  “That is immaterial. We are all Juireans and shall remain forever linked to our namesake.”

  “Unless you are dead,” deadpanned the Klin leader.

  The Overlord pressed his thin lips together and fought the trembling anger building inside.

  “We Klin have felt that same anger, that same helplessness, for four thousand years, Overlord Zaxis, and all thanks to your distant ancestors. It is not a pleasant feeling, is it? But let me get back to subject of this link. I do come offering you peace, and this peace does not involve sacrificing any more of your planets to the Klin advance. In fact, we are willing to stop our war efforts and retire to the territory already gained, to become neighbors of the Expansion and the Union, rather than their enemy. Does that sound like something you would wish to discuss?”

  The room exploded with dozens of overlapping conversations. Whether any were attempting to answer the Klin’s question was uncertain. Yet when Zaxis and Hill both called for order, the room eventually quieted down.

  “There must be conditions attached to your offer,” said the Human representative.

  “Indeed there are, Ambassador Hill. First, the VN-91 in the Juirean system is to proceed into orbit around the planet unmolested—”

  “No! We will not—”

  “Please, my Lord,” Ashton cried out. “Let him at least state his terms.”

  “Thank you, Ambassador Hill,” said Cosnin. He continued. “In addition, VN-91s are being sent to all the Core planets, where they will remain on station until all conditions are met.”

  Here it comes, Hill thought. The end of the galaxy as we know it.

  “And what are these conditions,” asked the Formilian U’lac.

  Cosnin smiled. “They are quite simple and straightforward. Surrender to me…Adam Cain and his team of outlaws—”

  The room erupted again, with thunderous nods of agreement. “And one other thing!” Cosnin yelled above the din. “Also bring me the mutants Panur and Lila Bol.”

  The room fell quiet in an instant, before erupting again. It was one thing to deliver the Humans and their assorted alien comrades—including the Formilian Speaker Arieel Bol. But the mutants? That was a whole other matter.

  “How…how do you propose we do that?” yelled a voice in the room.

  “There are ways, I’m sure you know. Chemical freezing is one. Blasting the ship they are on and casting them into the cold of space will have the same effect. Once they are inert, they can be more easily managed. See, not such an unreasonable request.”

  A hush fell across the room, as each member of the Council contemplated the words of the Klin. Lila Bol was a pariah to the beings in the chamber. After Adam Cain had successfully attacked Juir and broken their hold over the galaxy, leadership shifted to Formil when Lila stepped in and assumed control of the Expansion—and by extension, the Union—having tired of all the bickering and inefficiency of the current management. Many in the room had their authority stripped from them, as none could figure a way to oppose the powerful mutant. And then when peace and prosperity began to spread across the galaxy, they thought their days in power were gone forever. The mutant would live on long past their lifespans, providing tranquility and continuity of leadership for millennia to come.

  But then she was taken from Formil by powerful forces still unknown to this day.

  The Nuorean threat soon followed, and now the Klin. Crisis was not something to be squandered, and wartime leaders were the closest thing to dictators on their respective worlds. This was power none of them was willing to relinquish, and especially not to the Formilian mutant—not again.

  Now the Klin were offering peace in exchange for the mutants. For Hill and the others it was a no-brainer. And when you considered the added bonus of getting rid of the troublesome Adam Cain and his team, everyone in the room was ready to sign on the dotted line within seconds of Cosnin detailing his offer.

  “I can tell from the looks on your faces that you find my proposal…interesting.”

  “How much time do we have?” asked the Formilian U’lac. There was no discussion among the members if this was a good idea or not, and no vote was ever recorded. The sentiment was unanimous.

  “My ships shall remain in orbit around your worlds until you meet the terms. Yet I would suggest an expeditious effort on your part. We Klin are patient, but we have our limits.”

  After the link was broken, Hill caught the eye of the Juirean Overlord. Their two races were the most-hated by the Klin. From the alien’s expression, Zaxis shared Ashton’s concerns.

  He was wondering if the Klin would keep their word after the deed was done? The silver-skinned aliens were in the power seat under no pressure to make this offer, not unless they truly feared the mutants. Adam Cain had sought them out to devise not only a defense against their ships and robots, but also way to defeat them. For Cosnin to make such an overture meant he had to believe that could happen.

  For now, there was nothing Ashton Hill or the others could do. They ha
d to accept the offer, and allow the black ships to take up orbits around all the major worlds in the galaxy, Earth included. That would put the Klin in a position to wipe out all organized resistance in one fell swoop and complete their conquest of the Milky Way, if that was their ultimate goal with this peace gambit.

  Ashton had to find out what the Klin were really up to. And for that he had a source he could utilize.

  The search for Adam Cain and the mutants would be unlike any before it. This was not a blanket bounty hunt, but rather a military operation designed to not only capture Adam Cain, but also to subdue two of the most powerful beings to ever exist. Civilians would be hard pressed to do that. But they could come in handy in locating them.

  The word was sent out across the galaxy: Find Adam Cain, his team and the mutants. The very survival of the galaxy depended on it.

  Ambassador Ashton Hill returned to his office in the Trimen O’lac Building moments after the unexpected meeting with the Klin leader. His thoughts were conflicted. Peace was the wish of the galaxy, yet it did screw up things for the Advisory Council. The primary goal of the Council was to stay in power. It was as simple as that. The Klin’s peace overture could jeopardize that.

  But there was so much more. By moving their black ships to orbits around the Core Worlds, the Klin would be in position to destroy the foundational civilizations of the galaxy even if all the peace terms were met. Would the aliens do such a thing? Of course they would! Hill thought. Hell, he would if he were in their position.

  He had to find out for sure if that was the eventual intention of the aliens.

  He asked his assistant to establish a B-1 priority CW link. Hill would enter the final destination. He was not to be disturbed until further notice.

  B-1 was the highest level of secure link possible. As a representative of a major galactic power, such comm links were common for those of his level. But this link wasn’t directed at Earth, but rather to an obscure planet near the edge of the galaxy.