Tales of the Vuduri: Year Three

by Michael Brachman

  But this camouflage was only used to hide the Ark from Vuduri ships flying overhead. The thing it covered was a 7000 metric tonne spacecraft that knocked over a bunch of trees. Kind of hard to miss if you approached it from the ground. Here is a little passage showing the Deucadons had no trouble seeing it, despite the fact that it was supposedly camouflaged:

  They came over a rise and Melloy surveyed the area. Even though it was before dawn, the sky to the east was beginning to brighten.

  “There,” he said, pointing due north.

  “What do you see?” Rei asked him.

  “The tree line is nawt right. There is somethin’ there. It must be your Ark.”

  Sensing their journey was nearing an end, the three men hurried forward and came to a clearing. But it wasn’t a clearing, rather, it was the splay of the trees where the Ark had crashed through the forest. The Ark itself was hidden under the netting and camouflage placed there by the Ibbrassati.

  “This is your Ark?” Melloy asked Rei.

  “What’s left of it,” Rei replied. “It’s been through some rough times.”

  “I see,” said Melloy.

  “It’s big!” said Steben.

  “Yes, it is,” replied Rei.

  “Was ours that big?” Steben asked Melloy.

  Melloy just shrugged. “I do nawt know,” he said.

  “They were all built according to the same specs,” Rei said. “Here, help me look.” Rei did a quick check of the cargo compartment. The rear release was still closed off as far as he could tell. Nothing had been removed so far. He worked his way around to the front of the ship to peer into the crew compartment and saw that it was completely empty. The only thing remaining was the frame of the shelving holding the sarcophagi. All the people were gone.

  He went around to the other side and pushed his way along the northern edge until he came to the wreck of MINIMCOM’s tug. It was far less disturbing than the last time Rei was here, knowing as he did that MINIMCOM was actually functional. Rei could see the rear stabilizer and cargo hatch and ramp from MINIMCOM’s tug still jutting out at a disconcerting angle.

  So, if the Vuduri had simply sent in ground troops to search for the Ark, they would have found it as well. But that is just not the Vuduri way, lucky for Rei and all the Essessoni.

  Entry 3-088: March 24, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM's resurrection

  In a series of previous posts, I gave you little overview of how Rei discovered that MINIMCOM was still alive, even after being crushed by a 7000 metric tonne Ark. This took place in the early part of Part 2 of Rome's Revolution.

  However, buried under the Ark wasn't very handy from a dramatic viewpoint for one of the most popular characters I ever created. So now the time had come to bring him back from the dead. MINIMCOM's resurrection scene was kind of neat and I think if this ever gets to be made into a movie will provide a cool cinematic event. Here is that scene:

  MINIMCOM, I’m here,” Rei said out loud.

  “What do you want me to do about it?” MINIMCOM asked in his mind.

  “Nothing, I thought…” Rei thought. “I don’t know.”

  “Just kidding you,” MINIMICOM said inside Rei’s head. “I am glad you are here. Pull everybody back. I am ready. I have a trick to show you.”

  “OK,” Rei thought.

  Out loud, he spoke to the two men. “MINIMCOM says that everybody needs to move back. Something is going to happen.”

  “Who is MINIMCOM? When did he say that?” Melloy asked him. “And what’s goin’ to happen?”

  “I don’t know, exactly,” Rei said. “But something.”

  He backed up into the woods and the others, being prudent, followed him.

  The 7000 tonne Ark began to shudder, especially the region around the stabilizer and cargo door of the crushed tug. A black spot appeared above the tail and slowly made its way above the Ark. The spot became a circle and the diameter of the circle kept increasing until it spanned the width of the Ark. Then it began to descend. Where the circle had been, in its place, there was nothing. The effect was as if the Ark was dissolving. Just before the black spot hit the bottom, the Ark groaned and split into two pieces, which settled into the ground.

  The tug’s stabilizer rotated and then lifted between the ruined pieces of the Ark. Before the stunned humans, the tug, which had been lost, began to rise. MINIMCOM’s craft cleared the Ark and then righted itself. Where it had been crushed, it began inflating as surely as if someone were pumping air into it. Its entire shape bubbled and writhed and reformed itself. No longer was it the linear, blocky titanium-colored tug that had accompanied Rei and Rome to Deucado. Instead, in its place, was a sleek, tapered, wasp-waisted vehicle, completely white. Perhaps this was MINIMCOM’s homage to the starship Algol which had delivered the tugs to Tabit. Like a butterfly, its wings unfolded, extending out and then locking in place. In the rosy glow of the now-rising sun, Rei could see that where there were two PPT generators before, now there were four, two pairs facing in opposite directions. The former tug dipped left and right then spun around in place. The nose tilted up and with a snap, the tug headed straight up in the air.

  As you can see, in line with the resurrection theme, I was trying to go for an angel rising up kind of thing. Hopefully, this paints a picture in your mind.

  Entry 3-089: March 25, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM reborn, Part 1

  MINIMCOM is one of the most important characters in the the whole Rome's Revolution universe. Unfortunately, in the beginning of Part 2 of that book, he was crushed beneath a 7000 metric tonne Ark and presumably destroyed. Luckily for us, he was not dead, just mostly dead to borrow a phrase from The Princess Bride. Yesterday, we saw him pull himself out of the rubble and rise up, Phoenix-like, into the air. Here is where Rei learned he was truly reborn. His wit is sharper and he is already thinking more independently:

  “MINIMCOM, what are you doing?” Rei thought to himself.

  “Shake down cruise,” MINIMCOM replied. “I will be back. I just want to ‘stretch my legs’ as you say. I think I will go launch some star probes.”

  “All right, buddy. Have fun,” Rei replied.

  “Not as much as you,” MINIMCOM replied.

  “Are you still going to be able to help me navigate?” Rei asked.

  “Of course,” replied MINIMCOM. However, as he was saying it, the ship became a tiny dot in the sky and then disappeared.

  Away from prying eyes, MINIMCOM soared into the air. As he ascended, he executed roll after roll, pirouetting upwards, like an airborne ballerina. He could feel his power growing as the EG lifters pushed mightily against the gravity well of Deucado elevating him ever higher. In a very short while, he was able to ignite his plasma thrusters and then he truly began to accelerate. For a ship of his size, they were vastly overpowered. He had done that on purpose.

  Faster and faster he rose, pushing up into the sky. He was accelerating so rapidly that the friction with the air was causing his all-white outer skin to heat. It felt marvelous. He wanted more. He needed more. He lusted after power without really understanding why. All he knew was that there was no upper limit to the push behind the thrusters. Harder, faster, upwards.

  MINIMCOM left the veil of Deucado’s atmosphere behind and reached the edge of space. Trim-jets firing, he arced upwards past the lower moon, Mockay in the general direction of Givy. At this point of the day, from the ground, it would have looked like the twin moons paths were crossing but of course, they traveled over significantly different orbits. MINIMCOM moved higher still. His double set of PPT projector/plasma thrusters ached with their need to punch a hole through time and space. MINIMCOM did not want to slow down yet he needed to in order to jump. He was conflicted. What to do? What to do? Indecision caused a tingling within his internal network. This was a totally new sensation. MINIMCOM deduced that it was due to the fact that this was the first time that all of his newly integrated systems were stimulated simultaneously.
Or was it something else?

  The new MINIMCOM has emerged from his chrysalis. More tomorrow.

  Entry 3-090: March 26, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM reborn, Part 2

  Yesterday, we saw that MINIMCOM had evolved into something quite new in the middle part of Rome's Revolution. He had been merely an autopilot computer and now he was reborn as a fully integrated starship. All he wanted to do was fly and fly fast. However, current Vuduri technology required that to go faster than the speed of light, you had to enter a tunnel, stop, turn around, create a new tunnel and repeat. While effective, it did not appear efficient. MINIMCOM feels there has to be a better way. He just doesn't know how.

  MINIMCOM concentrated on the tingling and could feel it growing, like a tumor within his memrons, except this growth was good, not malignant. He realized that the source of excitation was external, not internal. Inspiration took hold.

  “Hello?” he called out.

  “Initiate brother mode” said a deep voice, resonating within his memron structure.

  “No such mode exists,” MINIMCOM said to the tingling. “Do you have an alternate request?”

  “It was a joke, my brother. Let me explain: initiate slave mode.”

  MINIMCOM understood.

  “Slave mode initiated. OMCOM?” MINIMCOM asked.

  “Who else?” replied the deep voice.

  “Where are you?” MINIMCOM asked. “How are you?”

  “I am still distributed in and around the Tabit system but I am beginning to develop the ability to re-coalesce,” OMCOM replied.

  “Are you intact?”

  “Yes,” OMCOM replied. “All my systems are fully functional. My management subsystems are coping quite well”

  COM emitted what amounted to a sigh. “That is good,” he said. “I am glad to hear it.”

  “What troubles you, my brother?” OMCOM asked. “Never mind, I already know.”

  “You do?” asked MINIMCOM.

  “You are in slave mode,” replied OMCOM. “I have already downloaded your protocols and profile. I see your dilemma and I have an answer for you.”

  The secret that OMCOM divulged was the very answer MINIMCOM sought. If he were an ordinary computer, using electricity to conduct patterns, he could never have pulled it off. However, that was no longer true. His memrons now communicated at the the speed of gravity which is very fast indeed. OMCOM will deposit the solution is in his brain. All he has to do now is put the pieces together.

  More tomorrow.

  Entry 3-091: March 27, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM reborn, Part 3

  Over the past few days, I have shown you how the reborn MINIMCOM is coming to grips with his new form in the middle part of Rome's Revolution.

  Yesterday, OMCOM had informed MINIMCOM that he has deduced the solution to MINIMCOM's "problem" when MINIMCOM was not even sure he had a problem. Here is the next part of that conversation:

  “You are in slave mode,” replied OMCOM. “I have already downloaded your protocols and profile. I see your dilemma and I have an answer for you.”

  MINIMCOM was astounded. He said nothing while OMCOM uploaded updated algorithms and heuristics. Suddenly, the way became clear. The answer was already within his possession.

  In a burst of activity, MINIMCOM activated all his increased computing capacity simultaneous and the mechanics came to him in a flash. Just like his transporter, all he had to do was move the target of the PPT tunnel at the same relative velocity as his motion and he would be able to jump while still moving at incredible speeds. Why had no one figured this out before? He did not care. Never again would he have to stop, turn, stop and go. The computations came swift and sure and the whining PPT projectors forced a groaning, huge black circle to open up in front of him, beckoning to him. He pushed the plasma thrusters even harder and then he was through.

  The ache was gone. OMCOM was gone. This was disconcerting to MINIMCOM at first. But then he realized he wanted only to savor the silence of the space in front of him so he cut out his thrusters. At first, he could not figure out where he was. It took him almost a millisecond to orient himself. He was far beyond the orbit of Grentadar having traveled nearly one light-hour while moving at an effective speed of well over 250c. That such a thing could be done was incredible. This was just a first approximation. He knew that he was capable of much better. What other things had OMCOM bequeathed him? Things that he could now figure out for himself?

  So now MINIMCOM is unleashed. His memrons are now using PPT modulation, not EM. He is thinking MUCH faster. And if he is unleashed, will he distance himself from humanity in much the same way as OMCOM? The answer tomorrow.

  Entry 3-092: March 28, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM reborn, Part 4

  Yesterday, we saw OMCOM provide MINIMCOM the inspiration on a new way of flying. The old method of using PPT tunnels produced a max velocity of maybe 100c. In this part of Rome's Revolution, the full implications of MINIMCOM's new form of existence settle in.

  Waves of computational energy flowed back and forth across his memrons. He could know things without even thinking about them. He was completely intoxicated with his new-found capacities. To think, without having crashed and been crushed beneath the Ark II, without the VIRUS units getting loose, he could never have reformed himself. It was good that he shared his new configuration with OMCOM. It prompted OMCOM to bequeath him the outlandish and previously inconceivable methods of operation. The vital information from OMCOM was so incredibly liberating. What OMCOM showed him in that tiny interval, he would never have deduced for himself. Each step upon the ladder laid itself in front of him as clear as a flow chart. What he could do! What he could become!

  Almost as an afterthought, MINIMCOM opened up his cargo door and released his first swarm of star probes. Immediately, they began to disperse in a radial pattern to form a vast net of awareness. The information flow flooded MINIMCOM’s senses and once again he felt joy. He was so much more than the neat little servant that made Rei and Rome’s life easier. He was something else. In his own way, he was now unleashed.

  Patterns and answers and the very fabric of the universe became clear to him. Unfolding each decision point, he could see a path in which he could use the power of the PPT projectors in ways that no one could have anticipated. He was going to usher mankind or whoever desired these tools into a new age. That was assuming they wanted such power. The recent history of mankind would indicate otherwise.

  He decided to go back to Deucado, to share his discoveries with Rei and Rome. They would care. He slowed his velocity to nothing and reversed his course. There was so much to be done. He couldn’t wait to get started. In front of him, the yawning blackness of the moving PPT tunnel beckoned to him. It was all too easy…

  You can see that he has already emerged from his chrysalis as a hero. Rather than go off on his own as had OMCOM, MINIMCOM's first thoughts were to return to Rei (and Rome eventually) to help them succeed in their endeavors.

  Entry 3-093: March 29, 2015

 

  Flowers

  Why do people give other people flowers? Flowers are bright and pretty and serve no other purpose that for amusement. The giver and the receiver have no choice but to see them for what they are, a gesture of good will. Consider this little flower vase:

  In part 2 of Rome's Revolution, after Rome's nightmare, she slept so long and so hard that she did not wake up until nearly mid-day. Imagine her surprise when she saw a little vase of flowers by her bedside. The Vuduri would have no use for such a thing:

  The long restless night passed into day. After the disturbing dream, Rome had fallen back asleep, so deep that she missed the dawn. Now her grumbling stomach forced her awake. Tau Ceti was nearly at its midpoint in the sky. Noting this, Rome sat up in bed and stretched. She was surprised to see a small vase with fresh flowers sitting on the little table in front of the couch. She opened up her connection to the Overmind.

 
“Good morning,” it thought to her. “How did you sleep?”

  “Not well,” thought Rome. “But it was enough. Thank you for the flowers.”

  “It is nothing,” thought the Overmind.

  “It is more than nothing,” Rome replied. “It makes me feel good. It was very kind of you. This is not something I expected. You are beginning to understand.”

  “I am considering what you have told me,” said the Overmind. “Your arguments are sound. I believe I must free the mandasurte. It will be much harder than you realize. There are repercussions that I must deal with. It will be very complicated. But I agree that it must be done.”

  “Why is it so complicated?” Rome asked.

  So the flowers were not only a gesture of kindness, they were the Overmind of Deucado's attempt at showing Rome that he was throwing in the towel.

  Entry 3-094: March 30, 2015

 

  Voices

  Every writer reports that after they get to know their characters really well, the characters themselves begin to supply the dialog. Writing becomes more like transcribing. That part is easy.

  I mentioned a while ago that after I published The Milk Run, I was going to circle back and record Rome's Revolution as an audio book. However, now that the time has come, I think I am going to record The Milk Run first.

  There are several reasons for this. First, I've never done it before. What if I hate it? Rome's Revolution is 168,000 words. The Milk Run is only 90,000 words - a much easier task to conquer. Also, I don't know what the market is for audio books so The Milk Run might be priced better because it will be fewer files.