by Saxon Andrew
“About twenty-seconds.”
Gregor sighed and thought about it. Elena stared at him and he finally turned to her, “Elena, this is the first time you will be placed in real danger. If we’re detected, it could lead to our being attacked. You need to help me make this decision.”
“We’ve come out here to make a difference. It would be foolish not to do it.”
Gregor nodded, “Computer, is there anything you can do to reduce the possibility of your scan being detected?”
“The rear of this ship is pointed away from that probe. I can turn the Dragon Fly such that its main hull is blocking the scan’s emissions from going out of the ship. I can also reduce the power of the scan of the vessel’s interior close to our location, but I’ll have to go to full-power to scan the bridge; it’s more than three-miles from us.”
“How much time will you have to use full-power?”
“Eight-seconds.”
Gregor shook his head and said, “DO IT AND GET OUT OF HERE THE MOMENT YOU’RE DONE!!”
“Starting scan.”
“I’ll keep an eye on that probe and I’ll tell you if it starts transmitting a message.”
“Thank you, Torn.”
Gregor gripped the arms of his chair and saw Elena was also griping hers as well. “Going to full-power on the scan!”
Gregor waited and three-seconds later heard Torn, “It’s transmitting!”
The scan ended, the Dragon Fly exited the ship, and immediately entered subspace, where it went to gravity-boosters and flew at high speed toward the filament. Gregor looked up at the wall monitor and saw something blue on the long-range scanner moving through subspace toward them at an incredible speed. He saw that it would be on them before they reached the filament, “STOP THE SHIP!!” Gregor ordered.
The Dragon Fly came to an abrupt stop and turned to face the object roaring up on it. A giant warship came rushing up out of subspace, from beyond the edge of the filaments, and stopped two-miles away, directly in front of the Dragon Fly. It was initially blue in color, but immediately turned purple when it stopped, dropped its blue force field, and began scanning with powerful beams that were visible to the naked eye. Gregor started to yell for the computer to run but heard, “Stay where you are; they can’t see you.”
Elena knew that Torn was the voice she heard in her vision. The ship in front of them was the exact vessel from her vision and she felt her fear evaporate. The giant held position for a minute…and then left subspace. Gregor shouted, “GET US TO THE FILAMENT NOW!!” The Dragon Fly lept forward and entered the wispy-energy of the filament. “Hold position.”
The Dragon Fly hovered in the filament and they waited. Finally, the giant warship appeared in subspace. It remained unmoving in subspace as it made additional scans. It was fifty-percent larger than the Filament Maker’s ship and it glowed bright-blue from the force field around it. They could feel the vibrations from the force field inside the bridge, and Gregor was amazed by the power that was used to produce it. It had numerous blaster emplacements on its hull, as well as numerous missile ports scattered between them. The bright blue field around the Greng warship disappeared, revealing its hull was purple in color. After ten-minutes of making high powered scans, the bright blue force field appeared around it and it flew away at high-speed.
“Computer, did you get a scan of that ship?”
“Only a passive scan, Gregor.”
“What can you tell us?”
“I did get the frequency of the blue field that had to be their drive field. I was unable to see anything behind the force field after it went back up.”
“I hate to ask, but did you see anything, Torn.”
“The ships that attacked the community didn’t have the ports on its hull when they attacked.”
“You must know what that means?” the computer asked.
Torn turned bright white, “They’ve developed a weapon that could place the community at risk. You must go and warn them!”
“Do the filaments lead to their location?”
Gregor shook his head, “No, they do not. The community doesn’t choose to live near them.”
“We have no way to get to them and we must get back and start preparing to confront this new threat!”
“Gregor.”
“Yes, computer.”
“I might have a way to get to them.” Gregor was silent, as the computer continued, “The force field on the Dragon Fly has the capability to change the frequency to change its energy pattern.”
“Why would it have that?”
“In the event a possible attacker could attenuate its blasters to break through. I think I might be able to match the frequency of that blue field.”
“Computer, faster-than-light travel must be more complicated than a simple force field frequency?!”
“It is. You must have the mechanical mechanism to produce the frequency and the emitters to keep it intact around a vessel; our force field has both. If I can modify the frequency, it will stay intact around the Dragon Fly.”
“Why haven’t we found this frequency in the past?”
“Gregor, we only recently discovered a force field could actually be produced. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, believed a force field was scientifically impossible, until the Movement on Earth proved one could be made. Anyway, that blue colored frequency lies in the frequency range used to produce the force field around our ship.”
“It was hiding right in front of us,” Elena said softly.
“And we never used the force-fields on our ships except in dire circumstances when the Bellingham Coated hull was in jeopardy of overheating,” the computer added.
Gregor sighed, “Which is never.”
“Exactly!” the computer replied. “It could have been another thousand years before this frequency is accidently discovered. All it took was seeing it in operation and, voila, instant stardrive outside the filaments.”
“Move us out of the filament and we’ll see what happens.”
“NOT YET!!”
“Why not, Torn?”
“That ship dropped a probe and it’s waiting to see if anything shows up.”
Gregor’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward, “I’ve been trying to come up with a way to get you off my ship. But now…I’m truly thankful you’re here.”
“There’s something else.”
“What is that?”
“While the computer was scanning the Filament Ship, I went inside it and looked around.”
“And?” Gregor prodded.”
“I found a message cube sent to the ship before it was destroyed. Some of the Filament Makers may have survived.”
Gregor rolled his eyes and fell back in his chair, “Will wonders never cease!”
“What did the message say?” Elena asked.
“Before we get into that, Computer, turn back toward where we picked up Torn and get out of here. We’ll look at the message when we’re far enough away from that probe.”
The Dragon Fly turned and headed back at half-gravity boost toward the 440-filament. Five-days later, it went to dark energy thrusters and blew through the filament.
Chapter Fourteen
On the way back to where Gen-L landed on the hull, Gregor turned to Torn, “I believe we’re far enough away to hear that message.”
“I brought the message cube back with me to examine and I’m going to play it in the form it was sent.”
“How was it sent?” the computer inquired.
“It was holographic.”
Suddenly, they saw an image appear. The Filament Maker was lean and deep bronze in color. It was bipedal with two-arms and two legs. Its green eyes were wide on its oval shaped face and its mouth was small and circular. It was wearing armor and had its helmet in one of its hands. “I don’t have long. We’ve lost most of our ships and six are fleeing to a planet just off a filament. We’re going to evacuate the ships and send them away in hopes of luring this evil away. I’ve marked the loc
ation on the attached map and I pray you manage to escape.”
The message ended, and Gregor looked at Torn, “Do you have the location?”
“I do.”
“Will you give it to me?”
“If you will try to go and warn my community.” Gregor’s eyes narrowed and Torn quickly continued, “If you aren’t able to do it, so be it, and I’ll take you to where they went.”
Gregor’s eyes softened, and he nodded, “Computer, when we arrive at the closest point to Torn’s community, exit the filament and see if you can produce the stardrive field.”
“Thank you, Gregor,” Torn said softly.
“Do you think they’ll listen to you, if you’re now an outcast?”
“I have to make the effort!”
Elena smiled, “We’ll do what we can to help you.”
• • •
Four days passed, and the computer moved the Dragon Fly out of the filament. The force field was activated, and it began changing color. It went through hundreds of colors and the computer said in an exasperated voice, “I can’t get it right.”
“Computer, start changing the frequency and I’ll tell you when you’re getting close to the exact frequency.”
“Thanks, Torn!” The colors began changing and Torn said, “Stop! You’ve passed it! Now, reduce the frequency one hertz at a time.” The force field’s color changed from aqua, to a light blue, and then Torn said, “STOP. Increase it one hertz.” The force field didn’t even appear to change color but Torn announced, “That’s it. Compare that frequency with the one from the Greng’s ship.”
“They’re identical. But we’re not moving any faster.”
“Uhhh…computer, have you used any thrust?” Elena asked.
A moment later, the filament disappeared far behind the Dragon Fly. “I can be such a dunce. It works.”
“Where do we need to go, Torn?” Gregor asked.
“Computer, turn the ship slightly to the left.” The ship began turning slightly and Torn yelled, “STOP! Go to full thrusters.” The Dragon Fly lept ahead at an incredible speed and Torn said softly, “We’ll arrive in three-days.”
• • •
Gregor and Elena were napping in their chairs, when they felt the Dragon Fly suddenly slow. They both woke up and saw empty space ahead of them on the main monitor, “Why are you slowing down, Computer?”
“I can see Torn’s community directly ahead.”
“I don’t see anything.”
“Elena, everything is made of the same energy as Torn.”
“Show it on the monitor!” Gregor ordered. Suddenly, the entire space ahead of them was filled with brilliant light. Gregor glanced at Elena, as she softly said, “I didn’t expect anything like this. This is amazing.
“They have made me an outcast and have removed my pattern from the community. They cannot hear me.”
“Cannot or will not?” Gregor asked.
“They cannot.”
“Is that so?” the computer asked.
“I’m afraid it is, computer.”
“Well, let’s see if they can hear me!”
“COMPUTER!!”
“Relax, Gregor. You know how amiable I am.”
Gregor snorted loudly, and Elena laughed out-loud.
• • •
“Uhhh…are any of you able to hear me?”
They suddenly heard an amplified thought, “You are trespassing in our space and we ask you to immediately leave.”
“But I’ve come a very long way to deliver an important message.”
There was a pause and then, they heard, “Message. What message?”
“That your civilization is obviously populated by incredibly stupid beings!”
Gregor’s eyes flew open, and then he heard, “Exactly what are you implying?”
“That’s what I mean. Your species is incredibly dumb. You perpetrate a wrong on one of your citizens and refuse to correct it.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“Is it not true that you have made Tor-N an outcast?”
“His punishment was deserved.”
“Did you give him an opportunity to defend himself?”
“This is none of your affair and the matter has been settled.”
“Well, before I leave, I think you should hear a little recording I made a while back.”
The recording continued, “You sound angry.” Her statement was greeted with silence and she asked, “Are you?”
“More than you can guess.”
“Is it something we did?”
“No, of course not. What could you possibly do to make me angry?”
“Then who did?”
“My parents think they know everything!”
“What did they do to make you this mad?”
“They tried to link me with a male that is not my choice. I refused to do it and left.”
“Do parents decide who their children will link with, as you call it?”
“I’m not a child! I’m an adult now!!”
Gregor started to speak, and Elena shook her head, “I don’t think she wants to hear a male’s opinion about this.”
“You’re right about that!” the voice replied.
“Couldn’t you just continue to move away and not stay on our ship?”
“I could, but I don’t choose to do it.”
“You’re causing us some real problems,” Elena replied.
“What do I care about your problems? I’m done communicating with you.”
• • •
The loud thought interrupted, “What does this have to do with Tor-N. Gen-L was impolite and did not follow our standards in dealing with alien species, but you’ve not shown us anything that comes close to our acting improperly.”
“Oh, I’m not done,” the computer replied. “The best is yet to come.”
• • •
“…Gregor, if this being refuses to leave, perhaps we should call it a day and use the failsafe to head back. It would be too dangerous to continue without our stealth systems.”
“Do you want to take this twit back with us if we do that, Computer?”
“Oh, heaven’s no!”
“WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TWIT?!”
“They’re calling you a twit because of your bad manners.”
Gregor and Elena’s heads went back at the sound of a different voice, as they heard the first being yell, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”
“It’s obvious I came here looking for you, Gen-L. You’ve caused me some problems in the community.”
“What do I care about your problems? You’re the reason I fled the community!”
“But every female believes you left because you found fault in me and none of them will speak to me. You must come back and tell them I had nothing to do with your leaving.”
“But you did!”
“No, I didn’t. It was your parents that negotiated you being linked with me; I had no part in the negotiations.”
“It doesn’t matter; I will never link with you!”
“Gen-L, you’re making a mockery of the community’s customs.”
“I’m an adult and I don’t care one whit about customs.”
“What is so wrong with me?”
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“But you just said it does!”
“I will not go back to the community with you; my parents would force me to go through the link and I won’t do it!”
“You’ve already linked with another.”
“Shut-up!”
“That’s why you fled.”
“He’s twice the person you are!”
“My life in the community is ruined, if you don’t go back and straighten this out.”
“I could care less about your life. I will not have my life ruined by being forced to link with the likes of you.”
“I’m beginning to feel thankful you chose not to do it. Would you consider doing this; I’ll remain here and allow you to g
o back alone to straighten this out.”
“I will not trust you to do that.”
“All you need do is examine my matrix and you’ll see I’m being honest. I promise not to come back until the linking time has passed.”
“If I sense you coming, I will flee again, Tor-N!”
“I’ll keep my promise. Just make the community understand it wasn’t me that caused you to run.”
“I’m leaving now! Don’t follow me!”
• • •
The computer ended the recording, and everyone on the Dragon Fly waited in silence for what would happen. The first one to speak was Gen-L yelling, “THAT IS ALL LIES!! NONE OF IT IS TRUE!”
“Gen-L, were you forced to say those things.”
“I DIDN’T SAY THEM!!”
Gregor heard a loud mental sigh, “Your pattern cannot be copied. You did say those things and denying it gives proof that you also deliberately gave false testimony to the Council. You swore Tor-N rejected you in rejecting our customs; it’s clear it was you in violation.”
“TOR-N MANUFACTURED THIS!!”
The being thought, “Tor-N, are you still on that alien vessel?”
“Yes, Councilor. I gave my word I would remain here until the Time of Linking has passed. I would not dishonor my ancestors by failing to keep my promise.”
“YOU SAID YOU WOULD NOT COME HERE!!” Gen-L screamed.
“No, I didn’t; I promised to stay on that ship. I didn’t choose to come here. The ones on this ship felt the community should be warned about the danger facing it. I couldn’t leave their vessel and break my promise. I was forced to come with them.”
“Tor-N, why did you not come back and defend yourself?”
“You heard what happened, Councilor. She refused to come with me and you know you wouldn’t have accepted my word alone. I hoped she would tell the truth and clear things up.”
“They accepted her word!” the Computer interjected into the conversation.
• • •
“WILL YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!!” Gregor said harshly.”
“Alright. Just trying to help a brother out.”
Elena giggled, as Gregor rolled his eyes and chuckled.
• • •
“That alien is right, we did. And he’s also right that we acted inappropriately. We have removed your banishment and you may rejoin the community.”