THE ENDLESS DARK OCEAN_A space epic that will change the history of the universe

by Boris Mosso

  BOOK ONE

  THE ENDLESS DARK OCEAN

  Boris Mosso

  Table the contents

  INTRODUCTION

  Chapter I - FAREWELL SPACIA

  1 - Tronius

  2 - The Scardian Messenger

  3 - Lena

  4 - Gander

  5 - Forced Separation

  6 - Trendar’s Spaceship

  7 - Renar

  8 - Waiting Anxiously

  9 - Bitter Farewells

  10 - Umbaga

  11 - The Espacian Fleet

  Chapter II - THE ENDLESS DARK OCEAN

  1 - Inside the Systemic Council’s Spaceship

  2 - Lusten De Kraun

  3 - The Crewmembers

  4 - The Mission

  5 - The Journey Begins

  6 - Trivian

  7 - Secrets

  8 - Dirva

  9 - Dirva and Gander

  10 - Lesir

  11 - The Blue Sun

  12 - Yearning

  13 - Delardia Lake

  14 - The Formal Dinner

  15 - Lenodon at Night

  16 - Iko

  17 - Estrader

  18 - Rastias in the Shadows

  19 - The Reprimand

  Chapter III - THE NEW REALITY

  1 - A Glimmer of Hope

  2 - Koner’s Squad

  3 - The Geometrical Defect

  AFTERWORD

  Acknowledgements:

  To Paola for her love and support.

  To Silvia Gallardo, for her never-ending love and essential help.

  To Juan Mosso, for believing in my dreams.

  To Cesar López Yauzá, my extraordinary publication consultant, for his excellent work.

  To Marco Torres, for his outstanding vision on the saga transposed into our web’s cover design.

  To A&C Desing&Arts, for the preparation of the cover.

  To the first readers: Vivian Friedmann, Marco Torres, Mauricio Fuentes and Marcelo Rojas, for their time and timely comments.

  To A C&M Sevilla. For their excellent job and compliance.

  To Marta Anton, for her diligence and concern with the details during the editing process

  To all those who gave me an encouraging word in difficult times.

  To my English language translator, Carla Grant Bucholz, for her sustained support for this project and for this saga’s fabulous translation

  To Octavio, my inseparable Adventure buddy, and Catalina, my universe’s Princess.

  “In the beginning of the end, the ancestral and powerful empires perished in the Astral Galaxy before the devastating invasion. Thus, battle after battle, their magnificent and proud Unified Astral fleets’ ashes, were ruthlessly swallowed by the total coldness from outer space.

  A glimmer of hope unexpectedly emerged from a faraway place and time”.

  INTRODUCTION

  The spacecraft seemed to float motionless in the impenetrable and dark space; however, there was the stylish bluish black hull from the Vector type lightweight spacecraft, having four hundred meters long, customized for deep space exploration, decreasing its standard movement by three percent from the speed of light. Behind it, millions of stars from the Astral Galaxy could be observed, from where it departed eleven years ago to a space exploration with ambitious scientific goals.

  It had deployed from Espacia’s planet greater moon called Baltar, which was part of the Solarian System. This solar system was located at some moderately close point to the edge of the great spiral galaxy two hundred and fifty thousand light years in diameter.

  The voyage route established by the experienced space navigators to begin the yearned return was absolutely outlined.

  Thus, the ion rotors already revolved in an impossible speed, at the same time the divided antimatter in the fractionators was about to connect to normal matter in the multiphase converters. In seconds, the quantum drives would collide trillions of fundamental micro particles, curving the space in front of them during a small-time frame, and ejecting them beyond the limits of space in a matter of a microsecond.

  Then everything stopped ten seconds before the scheduled jump, which was intended to reach one hundred light years across, in a blink of an eye. The maximum for any spacecraft from the space fleet, carrying these abilities.

  This maneuver was suspended after identifying the presence of a small metal body floating in the emptiness, at two million kilometers from the spacecraft.

  Over the panoramic platforms on the transparent screens, composed of metal subatomic alloys and graphite micro particles, connected likewise with synthesized refractory atoms, Captain Lancar waited very impatiently for the most defined images in the control holographic, which floated on the platform’s side and front area.

  The transparent surface almost surrounded the Vector’s broad navigation bridge completely. The space view was ubiquitous there.

  Beside the spacecraft’s Captain, was the distinguished scientist in charge of the expedition’s multidiscipline investigation team, who was the tall and thin Professor Prander, an experienced galactic anthropologist.

  The crew remained on levitating chairs spread out in different areas, while the navigators and pilots were leading the tridimensional screens’ controls and colorful settings. A myriad of images and figures ran through on them in two and three dimensions. All was lit delicately by indirect lights which suffused the room uniformly.

  Prander studied the tired faces of the crew members, with concealed calmness. Almost all of them wore dark blue uniforms; only three of the present ones standing at a distance from the controls, displayed different outfits. Two of them wore green uniforms, used by the Ground Operations’ forces and a third crew member of medium height, was fitted with the black typical uniform from the hybrid craft’s pilots, exhibiting the Officer squad leader’s ranks on her shoulders.

  Prander stopped watching the intrigued faces from the crew for an instant, to focus with all his might on the mysterious metal object, which little by little revealed its shape on the large main holographic.

  Thrilled, he remembered the years exploring scores of motionless worlds of different sizes and types, unveiling its ancestral secrets with the primary purpose of finding life, above all others.

  They hunted comets and caught asteroids, reaching the ends of their own galaxy and then in the huge darkness abysm between it and the Lumina galaxy called the endless dark ocean, from unmemorable times.

  The exhausted spacecraft’s crew was calm for the first time in a long time yet anxious, being a few seconds away from beginning the long and yearned return home; they would follow as planned, a direct route to travel a little more than seven years, traveling at full quantum impellers capacity from the powerful Vector.

  But now, at the end of this huge and unexpected voyage, the most exciting thing from the entire venture was happening. An object, classified as a geometric anomaly emerged, such tiny spot on the holographic created in the Vector’s astronomic observatory. The undetermined size capsule was detected moving in an astounding two percent light speed. In addition, it was thousands of light years from any system that would have some minimal possibility to hold intelligent life.

  The mysterious discovery triggered maximum warnings in the navigation controls. Prander assumed that, at the most in a minute, all the scientists would arrive to the control bridge. They were, after all, the most enthusiasts with the discovery.

  Suddenly, one of the navigation’s and external traffic control Officers broke the silence, addr
essing Captain Lancar with a mixture of respect and fear.

  ―Captain, the body is moving at a constant speed and without any propulsion system.

  Prander let out a phrase loudly.

  ―Inertial movement.

  Captain Lancar gave the anthropologist an inquisitive gaze, while the navigation and external traffic control Officers continued their tasks. Everybody else present observed, waiting for the first clear image of the mysterious object drifting through space.

  Prander could not contain himself, addressing Captain Lancar directly:

  ―Maybe some spacecraft from another existing civilization in our galaxy, moved around this area at some point.

  ―It could be, Prander, but remember that we crossed half of the way between both quite some time ago.

  We are currently a million and a half light years from the Astral, taking us eleven years to arrive here. In that time, we created an elaborate network of focal points in the path of above space leaps. We hope that this route is moderately repeatable for our return. I don’t know if others have reached so far; we understand they haven’t. Hopefully we’ll also be able to return …

  Prander understood that the captain’s answer was longer than necessary and a bit confusing also. Expressions and similar tones in the Captain’s voice and in other Officers have been heard for a couple of years up until today. He didn’t look like in the beginning either. He looked worn out and his face showed a several days old beard, which used to disappear and grow in an uncontrolled way again; sometimes for weeks.

  Likewise, the crew constantly demonstrated evidences of indifference towards the basic standards of the space fleet and he grew increasingly concerned. It was known that the extended time in space, especially medium size and under spacecrafts, caused psychological disorders and different kinds of disturbances. The shorter and longer time spent on board of the spacecrafts, created confusion and pathologies of greater psychological disorders and disturbances. Due to this, after thousands of treks and explorations inside the Astral, a series of remedial measures were implemented into the fleet which, however, after eleven years of the exhausting trip, were not resulting as expected. Prander sensed that if they returned to Espacia alive, the experience of this journey would modify several procedures for future lengthy deep space incursions. With the passing of years, he found out that the further away from the parent galaxy, the conduct disorders and depression in the crew, increased.

  ―We should be the first ones from getting so far away from the Astral. Although we can’t rule out other inhabitants from the galaxy; we are far from knowing each other. More than one species could have been here without us knowing it… Everyone keeps secrets. You can’t underestimate anybody in the Astral.

  ―Indeed, remember that having underestimated the Scardians and its allies, we were almost wiped out by those bastards six hundred years ago. Flight Officer; reduce the speed for the approach.

  ―Immediately.

  Prander moved closer to the holographic while the mysterious image grew larger, sharpening his sight in an anxious attempt to examine the lines from the small metal object more precisely.

  ―It could also come from some inhabited planet from the millions of systems in the clouds of clusters of ultra-dense stars which you have just mentioned; not withstanding of finding ourselves thousands or light years from any of them.

  ―The radiation is extreme in those clusters and it’s not a good friend of livelihood…

  Captain Lancar, turning his body ninety degrees, gave an icy gaze to the robotics’ lead Officer. Without waiting for any additional signal, she approached and waited.

  ―In any case, I have the impression that it won’t be our job to unravel those questions… Ladia, are the robotics ready?

  ―Yes, they are Captain. I have Dran in the hangars with a patrol ready to take off.

  ―Navigator, distance to the capsule?

  ―One hundred kilometers, sir.

  ―Ladia, dispatch the robotics. Navigator, even out the capsule’s route and speed. From now on we’ll remain at a constant distance.

  ―At your service. The fighters will be there in a minute.

  ―Put me through to Dran.

  ―He’s listening.

  The robotic spacecrafts’ second lead Officer’s oval and unexpressive face stuck out spreading in three dimensions halfway from the bridge, two meters high. In an alternate manner, Dran switched his attention between the Captain and Ladia, his direct fighter’s spacecrafts unit’s senior Officer.

  ―Dran, activate three robotics. Rapid approach, but cautiously. Two are drawing closer and you wait alongside the third one at a safe distance and on standby.

  ―Understood, Captain Lancar.

  On the opposite side of the massive size of the four hundred meters spacecraft, four vertical fighters of three meters high and two meters long equipped for exploration and reconnaissance, took off, which immediately disappeared into the space’s darkness at high speed. Dran was in one of them, providing mental commands to his small attack spacecrafts.

  A thin and medium height man entered therein, his deep and bright gray eyes stood out on a pale and elongated face. It was the youngest scientist from the expedition and a genetics specialist. Prander saw him as soon as he emerged from under the high access bridge threshold.

  He had liked him ever since the beginning of the journey, and with the passing of months and years, he had come to admire this young and talented geneticist’s modest but unshakable character.

  Unlike the other passengers and spaceship’s crew, Trivian didn’t seem to feel any negative effect at all due to the long stay on board, and on the contrary, he maintained great courage, mental clarity and determination in the most complex and desperate moments of the attack; which earned him the respect from all the crew, including Captain Lancer

  ―Trivian, you arrive just in time, where are the others?

  ―They’re on their way Mr. Prander.

  ―What is it Captain?

  ―We are about to find out. Officer, I need the holographic with the information from the robotics now, with everything displayed.

  ―Yes Sir. The robotics are installed in the surroundings. Here are the holographic images. The first specific readings also appear.

  It’s defined as: a small metal object containing non-classified inert matter inside an internal chamber, without a crew nor biological entity; inertial movement.

  No activity whatsoever is registered; it’s about technology without power. Nothing works and neither active nor potential radiation is detected; primary metal alloys; technology level, primitive. It’s an inert body, Captain, there’s no danger, hold on…

  The officer seemed skeptical before the information sent by Dran’s robotics now, appearing in a dizzying way in the tri-dimensional bright cubes around his seat. He looked repeatedly and nervously, at Captain Lancar, but not deciding to explain what was exposed on the scanner. Suddenly, a small and fuzzy area inside the capsule was dyed in a fluorescent green.

  ―What on earth is that?

  ―Captain, it’s very strange. By approaching the capsule, the robotics have detected a signal… it’s almost imperceptible.

  ―Dammit, I’m also looking at it!

  The amazed crew studied the readings time after time waiting for the error to be corrected, but it didn’t happen. Lancar scratched his head and looked at Prander sideways, trying to find an explanation. The navigation nervous Officer’s voice repeated what everyone already understood.

  ―It presents a trace of organic components, but it’s so weak that it’s barely noticeable at a distance. That can’t be…

  ―Captain, we must recover and tow the capsule to the spaceship!

  Lancar answered, obviously annoyed at the enthusiastic participation of young Trivian.

  ―Wait a moment Trivian! Remember the safety protocols for these events. They remain valid, even if we were in the furthest damned universe’s nook and they’re even more demandi
ng if there’s a biological trace present.

  Old Prander glanced sideways at Trivian, giving him a subtle and fearsome reproach look. The geneticist had been rude given the state of things in the Vector long before this incident.

  ―Dran, do you hear me?

  ―Yes Captain.

  ―Send the robotics to scan one hundred meters from the object. If you see something strange or threatening, throw a thermal missile at it and get out of there. Did you understand?

  ―Very well.

  Prander and Trivian looked at each other terrified. The thermal missile that the small robotic spacecrafts transported could vaporize any trace of a metal object of those dimensions and even more without a power shield. Despite being the ones with lower power carried in one of the fleet’s spacecraft.

  Two robotics approached spinning around the small device, at the same time its scanning lasers navigated exhaustively around each square millimeter, reading in all matter and energy frequencies. The two-dimensional screens showed a continuous amount of information, overflowing the stressed-out control bridge analysts. The ones that couldn’t stop at any specific point in that moment.

  The miniscule instrument’s sounds could barely be heard in the den.

  The ten crewmembers and the two scientists there remained without blinking, while two planetary engineers came in, a particle physicist and an archeological astronomer; who immediately directed their gaze at the central image. Traces of organic elements are confirmed.

  ―Have a robotic link it and drag it to the hangars; quarantine procedure.

  ―Very well, Captain. Officer Dran, you heard, capture the object and bring it to the spacecraft.

  ―Yes, Officer Ladia.

  ―Captain, the systems are analyzing the information gathered by the robotics’ sensors again, but automatically. Something strange is happening. Quarantine protocols have been activated… without our intervention.

  ―Please explain.