Tales of the Vuduri: Year Three

by Michael Brachman

  “I have computed the ratio of transformation from one type to the other and as long as the rate of change stays constant, they will hit the star long before either side establishes a final victory.”

  “Which means Lawlidon beat the next one?” Keller said. “Too easy. Why didn’t that thing try and get away?”

  “I believe it is what you would call a diversion,” Rome said.

  “You mean he’s sacrificing himself so the last one can get away?” Rei asked.

  “Yes,” replied Rome sadly.

  “Now what?” Keller said. “What about the last one?”

  “The Vuduri fleet is on its way,” MINIMCOM said as if in reply.

  “Show us,” Rome said.

  That's all until tomorrow!

  Entry 3-221: August 4, 2015

 

  The battle for the stars, part 1

  Yesterday, we saw that the Protector (known as Bridadira in Vuduri) named Lawlidon was successful in stopping two of the three hunter-killers known as the Cecetira. But the third one slipped by. It would only take one to destroy a planet.

  The Vuduri armada had launched and was in position to take on the deadly entity. Today we begin a three-part description of that battle. Interestingly, back when Rome's Revolution was still the three-part novel known as VIRUS 5, the final portion was named exactly, that, Battle For the Stars or Pedelhe Bere Es Asdrales in Vuduri.

  The Vuduri convoy was organized into three waves, divided up by the weaponry they kept on board. The leading wave was made up of ships outfitted with the PPT throwers since those weapons had the longest reach. They used their MIDAR screens and as the Cecetira came within range, wordlessly they began the attack. The miniature PPT tunnels were invisible but their effect was not. With surgical precision, hairline cracks appeared in the diamond-shaped Cecetira. Shredding the being into tinier and tinier fragments, its bulk slowed its approach and then came to a halt.

  The mass that had been the Cecetira expanded until it was just a cloud-like layer of material.

  “They did it!” Keller exclaimed.

  “Nei sa drede meos ta,” said Fridone.

  “That was too easy,” Rei said.

  “Yes, too easy,” Rome said. “Look,” she said, pointing.

  The gas cloud that had been the Cecetira stopped drifting. The cloud swirled around tornadicly but never coalesced into anything the PPT throwers could strike against. The cloud darted forward and swept past the PPT throwers, pushing them aside with a shockwave that could not be seen. The Vuduri ships tumbled out of control and the Cecetira pressed on.

  The cloud approached the next wave of ships which fired their electrostatic charge disrupters simultaneously, striking the heart of the cloud. The remains of the Cecetira exploded outward but even as it was expanding, each little cloudlet coalesced into a tiny ball. As far as the eye could see, there were hundreds of balls and the Vuduri ships fired their lightning bolts over and over but every time they struck a portion of the Cecetira, it split into other, smaller pellets and moved on.

  The Vuduri ships tried valiantly but the granularity of the enemy made the weapons essentially useless. Every time a bolt hit one pellet, the material that made it up simply scattered to join others like beads of mercury. The mass of Cecetira pellets swept past toward Deucado. The second armada turned about to continue their pursuit of the Cecetira. However, one ship did not. Clearly, it headed away from the rest.

  Who was on that ship? None other than Sussen, the spy. Now, even if they win, they lose because she will go to Earth and rat them out. That sucks.

  Tomorrow, Part 2.

  Entry 3-222: August 5, 2015

 

  The battle for the stars, part 2

  The Protector (known as Bridadira in Vuduri) named Lawlidon was successful in stopping two of the three hunter-killers known as the Cecetira. But the third one slipped by. It would only take one to destroy a planet. This section came at the end of the original long-form version of Rome's Revolution, back when it was called VIRUS 5.

  Yesterday, we saw the Vuduri armada use what weaponry they had to try and stop the invader but the Cecetira was too malleable to be slowed down or stopped.

  Today, I will show you the third and final wave and their attempt to save their planet:

  “Where is that one going?” Rei asked.

  “Perhaps to help the others?” Rome speculated.

  “Wrong way,” Keller interjected. “That ship is headed away from where the others were located.”

  “Muodi asdrenhi,” Fridone said.

  “Yeah,” Rei echoed. “Too strange.”

  The Vuduri ships continued their pursuit, following the mass that had been the Cecetira, firing their weapons continuously but it was clear this particular weapon had lost its effectiveness.

  hird wave of Vuduri ships, those carrying the magnetic pulse cannons, charged up and fired their weapons. Based upon their reaction, there must have been some type of magnetic material in the underlying elemental structure because the cloud of pellets stopped moving. The pulse cannons fired again and again, pulverizing the cloud into tinier elements.

  Suddenly, the area of space in front of the cloud shimmered and the cloud was gone.

  “What happened?” Rei asked.

  “The cloud has teleported,” MINIMCOM replied.

  “Where?” Rome asked.

  “To me,” MINIMCOM replied.

  The projected image split. On the left, the wasp-waisted spaceship that was MINIMCOM was shown firing his plasma thrusters. On the right, the cloud that had jumped toward MINIMCOM was rapidly coalescing into the compact diamond shape it had utilized when it first arrived. The more tightly the entity became packed, the brighter the glow. The star probe camera panned back and where there had been two images, now there was one. MINIMCOM became a tiny dot compared to the space station-sized bulk that was the Cecetira, clearly in pursuit of MINIMCOM.

  bservers could tell that the two entities were moving because the star field serving as background was moving. But MINIMCOM’s plasma thrusters were powerful enough to increase the gap between the two ever so slightly. As the gap widened, it appeared MINIMCOM was growing.

  “What are you doing?” Rei asked MINIMCOM.

  “What I must,” replied the spaceship computer. “I am applying the gas law. Trading density for volume.”

  As they watched, they could see the basic linear shape of the space tug’s body was swelling into a spheroid. Larger and larger it grew. The only link to MINIMCOM’s previous form were the plasma jets.

  Tomorrow, MINIMCOM to the rescue!

  Entry 3-223: August 6, 2015

 

  The battle for the stars, part 3

  The Protector (known as Bridadira in Vuduri) named Lawlidon was successful in stopping two of the three hunter-killers known as the Cecetira. But the third one slipped by. It would only take one to destroy a planet. This section came at the end of the original long-form version of Rome's Revolution, back when it was called VIRUS 5.

  Yesterday, we saw the final wave of the Vuduri armada failed to stop the invader. Their only hope, now, was MINIMCOM using his unique skill set to put an end to the threat:

  “What are you trying to accomplish?” Rei questioned.

  “You will see shortly,” replied MINIMCOM. “It is time for this being to ‘meet his maker’ so to speak.”

  MINIMCOM continued to grow. A split appeared where the cargo door and ramp had been that widened until MINIMCOM became a miniature replica of a Stareater. Triangular-shaped ridges began to form along the edges, almost like teeth. Somewhere in the back of Rei’s mind, he thought to himself this was yet another one of MINIMCOM’s jokes but why he would pick now to fool around was beyond Rei’s sensibilities.

  This incomprehensible process continued until MINIMCOM had swelled to beyond the size of the Cecetira. Then the plasma thrusters reversed and MINICOM appeared to be flying right at the Cecetira. The creature flew through the opening created in the
cargo section of MINIMCOM and the back edges, the “jaws” slammed shut, swallowing the Cecetira whole. The thing tore through MINIMCOM and his middle and front became swollen and distended. The back end of the shuttle began to inflate even further, like a clown’s balloon.

  “MINIMCOM, are you all right?” Rome asked in her mind.

  “Still functional but I am a little busy right now,” replied the spaceship through its speaker as its bloated rear began to glow. The bucking and jarring continued. There was an explosion and a hole appeared on MINIMCOM’s side and bright hot gasses started expelling from within.

  mages stopped. The projector was still operating but nothing but a dark blue glow appeared on the wall.

  “MINIMCOM!” shouted Rome, but there was no answer.

  The four adults in the room looked around at each other but no one spoke. Rei sat down on the bed and reached out to hold Rome’s hand. She clutched it tightly in the silence and dim light.

  “What has happened, mother?” Aason asked directly to his mother in her mind.

  “I do not know, baby,” Rome replied.

  “Even if MINIMCOM won,” Keller said quietly. “Even if Lawlidon won. It’s clear to me that they can only handle a couple of those things at a time. If they ever come as a larger group, we’ve got no chance. We’ve got to get out of here.”

  “Rome,” Rei said. “Ask the Overmind if he has enough ships to abandon this planet.”

  “Overmind,” Rome called out in her mind, addressing the Overmind for the first time since the battle began. “Do you have enough ships to transport all the people off this planet?”

  “No,” The Overmind answered apologetically. “The most we could take would be several hundred people at a time. There are more than ten thousand here now not even including Rei’s people. No, we do not have the capacity.”

  “No,” Rome said to Rei sadly. “The Overmind said they do not have enough ships. Not for the Vuduri. Not for your people.”

  “How many can we save?” asked Keller.

  Tomorrow, the final reality. And MINIMCOM dies. So sad.

  Entry 3-224: August 7, 2015

 

  MINIMCOM dies, again

  The Protector (known as Bridadira in Vuduri) named Lawlidon was successful in stopping two of the three hunter-killers known as the Cecetira. But the third one slipped by. It would only take one to destroy a planet. This section came at the end of the original long-form version of Rome's Revolution, back when it was called VIRUS 5.

  Yesterday, we saw the Vuduri armada failed completely and it was only MINIMCOM's quick thinking that saved the planet. But the fact is, the humans on Deucado realized they could never win if even five or 10 Cecetira showed up next time:

  “Shouldn’t we try and save as many as we can?” Rei said. “Ask him.”

  “I know you heard them through my ears,” Rome thought. “Well?”

  “Rome, you both must understand, even if we did have a way to save these people, there is nowhere to go. The Overmind of Earth that is my progenitor has decreed that the mandasurte must remain on this planet under all circumstances.”

  “Even if it is just to die?” Rome asked.

  “You already know the answer to that,” the Overmind replied sadly.

  “The Overmind says they cannot leave anyway,” Rome said to Rei and Keller and her father. “There is a quarantine on this planet for all mandasurte and that would include the Essessoni.”

  “Why?” asked Keller. “You never explained that.”

  “Because there is a part of the Overmind of Earth that wants all mandasurte transported to this planet to remain imprisoned here.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question,” Keller said.

  “I haven’t had the time to explain any of this to you, sir,” Rei said. “But there is some sort of backlash going on, on Earth.”

  “The Overmind fears the mandasurte are a danger to its existence,” Rome said. “This is the only way it can know to purify itself and Earth.”

  “Purify?” said Keller. “That sounds a lot like ethnic cleansing to me.”

  “It is,” Rei said. “But that’s the way it is.”

  “Ilher a far!” said Fridone, pointing at the wall. “Omegans!”

  “Images?” Rei said. The group turned back to the projected wall and saw a black globe, spinning in place. Approaching from the far edge was a twisted version of the lambda shape of Lawlidon. The closer object on the right began morphing back into the wasp-waisted form of MINIMCOM.

  “MINIMCOM, you did it,” Rei shouted. “Good for you!”

  “Bzz, brr, ,” responded MINIMCOM. It was not an answer, just a series of noises. The point of view panned back farther and farther until the full bulk of Lawlidon could be seen. The tiny speck that was the remains of MINIMCOM was dwarfed by the titanic bulk of the all-black Protector. Without warning, MINIMCOM fired his over-powered plasma thrusters full-bore. The plume of flame was bright, brighter than Rei had ever seen. It was so bright that Rei had to hold his arm up to shield his eyes from the light. MINIMCOM accelerated forward at an incredible rate, heading straight for Lawlidon. Seconds later, MINIMCOM crashed directly into Lawlidon’s parabolic reflector causing a tremendous explosion.

  “Omigod! MINIMCOM!” Rei shouted in anguish, seeing only a cloud of vapor billowing out the site of the blast.

  “MINIMCOM!” Rome screamed, but their friend, the spaceship that was once a computer, was gone.

  Is he really dead? And if so, why kill him at all, let alone again? Tomorrow.

  Entry 3-225: August 8, 2015

 

  Why keep killing him?

  Yesterday MINIMCOM apparently died. Again. Why?

  It turns out, MINIMCOM was not even in my original drafts of Rome's Revolution. He was just a bit character that I patterned after the smart aleck-y bomb in Dark Star. If you've never seen that movie, you should. It was written by Dan O'Bannon as a comedy. It didn't see huge success and the plot was later recycled as a horror movie in space called Alien with Sigourney Weaver. You've probably heard of that one. Still to this day, Dolittle's attempt to teach Bomb #20 phenomenology is one of the funniest scenes I have ever watched. The bomb's voice has been echoing in my head for 30 years and it popped out as MINIMCOM.

  Maybe that was the driving force but for whatever reason, MIMIMCOM just kind of grew organically out of the natural progression of the story. He went from being a throwaway character, computer really, to one of the most beloved characters in the Rome's Revolution universe all on his own. By sheer strength of personality, I think. So why did I have him crushed beneath the Ark in Part 2?. And why in the section that I have been describing over the past few days?

  The answer is simple: drama. Everybody cries when a beloved character dies. This was one of the primary design principles behind J. R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones. He purposefully created a world populated by characters that were identifiable and even likeable, just so he could kill them off.

  In real life, things just don't stop. Life goes on. In fiction, the only way to truly end a story line is to kill off a character. So poor MINIMCOM has been the sacrificial lamb (or maybe cat? 9 lives?) to serve this dramatic purpose. One of the major, emotional peaks of The Ark Lords was when MINIMCOM seemingly died, sacrificing himself for the good of all humanity but mainly for his beloved Rome and Rei.

  Don't worry, he always get resurrected at exactly a crucial moment. That's one of the other reasons for killing him off, so he can come back from the dead! And rest assured he'll survive yesterday's apparent suicide. I'll give that to you in a few days.

  But first, we're going to take a little detour and go to Hawaii!

  Entry 3-226: August 9, 2015

 

  Hello to Hawaii

  My wife and I spent our honeymoon in Hawaii. It was the biggest trip of my life both in length as well as expense. We visited Oahu for two days, the Big Island of Hawaii for three days and Maui for four days.

  Let me just say, H
awaii is everything that everyone tells you it is. I would go back in a minute. It truly is paradise on Earth. It is also very expensive! But the views, the vistas, the flowers, the smells, the ocean, the forests, all are staggeringly gorgeous.

  As a writer, you write best about what you know. The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Hawaii had such a strong effect on me that I found a hundred different ways to weave it into the Rome's Revolution novels. Over the next few days, I will give you some specific examples. Here is a map of Hawaii:

  As I have been writing my novels, I always think (or dream, really) about making the books into movies. I carefully crafted the original long-form version called VIRUS 5 so that each book could be shot in Hawaii. Even after I crushed the three novels into one long book, I still think each part would make its own movie so I refuse to let go of that fantasy.

  My wife and I joke about how depressing it would be to have to move to Hawaii for two years to shoot the three movies back-to-back with the same cast. So sad. Forced to live in Hawaii for two long years. Ha ha.

  Anyway, tomorrow, I will review our trip to Oahu and what elements from there made into the Rome's Revolution novels.

  Entry 3-227: August 10, 2015

 

  Oahu

  Our trip to Hawaii for our honeymoon had a profound effect on me and the scenes and sights contained within Rome's Revolution. This is a summary of what we saw and how it made it into the novels.

  Our first stop on our trip to Hawaii was the island of Oahu. Oahu is the home of Honolulu, Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor. Here is a picture of Diamond Head, as seen from the beach in Honolulu.

  Honolulu itself did not impress me all that much. It is a big city and didn't seem all that different from any other big city. If you were walking down the street and you didn't know you were in Hawaii, you wouldn't know you were in Hawaii.