Jump Starting the Universe

by John David Buchanan

  Those who are the purveyors of legends say a being named Lieetien from the planet Elduarn, suffered greatly in sorrow because of the loss of her greatest friend, Shumbrie, and desired to know at any cost his fate. Shumbrie, in a fit of anger had acted rashly, disavowing any and all commitments to Elduarn and befriended the worst possible person, a Ragolian who pretended to share his concern about the future of Elduarn. The association only darkened Shumbrie’s mind, clouding it with ideas that were only dark, only bitter, only open to confrontation and always sinister. He fell deeper and deeper into despair, believing only the worst of every situation and

  no longer claiming those once dear to him as friends. Shumbrie draped his new contempt like a jacket around his shoulders for everyone to see and in so doing he became the perfect patsy. The Ragolian knew he was vulnerable; he knew Shumbrie had let his disagreement with the Elduarn fester and spoil his mind and he acted quickly, framing Shumbrie for an act he didn’t commit, although given the opportunity he may have willingly completed the deed, such was the state of his mind. Shumbrie, having fallen in despair so deep it was virtually inescapable defiantly paid the ultimate price for his dissention. Lieetien pleaded many times on his behalf - that his spirit be given access to The Place of Those Remembered - but once Shumbrie’s spirit made its journey to The Great Hall of Halls she had no way of knowing his fate. It’s not the purview of beings living physical, temporal lives to know the mysteries concealed in the Great Hall of Halls. But Lieetien was sure there must be some way of finding out Shumbrie’s fate, she would do anything to know what happened to him.

  Against the counsel of a very close and trusted friend, Lieetien consulted a Seeker. Very little is known about the Seekers; where they came from, how they obtained their powers and whether they act with or without permission from those greater than themselves. But most of all no one really knows if they are trustworthy. Lieetien was unfazed and words of caution and patience offered her no solace. She was so determined to know Shumbrie’s fate she enlisted the help of a Seeker to take her spirit into The Great Hall of Halls to seek out Shumbrie’s spirit, to know where it was held.

  Decayne the Seeker agreed to carry the spirit of Lieetien to The Great Hall of Halls and do her bidding. On the appointed day Lieetien’s spirit accompanied Decayne the Seeker and they entered the area where disclosure occurs. But in that place there were no clues to Shumbrie’s location. They searched The Hall of Those Remembered but to no avail; the spirit of Shumbrie was not there. Lieetien knew there was no reason to search The Hall of Virtues but she couldn’t resist because the alternative was too painful to consider. Decayne the Seeker transported her spirit to The Hall of Virtues. The light was soft and bright, intense but subtle, spectacular and stunning but most of all it muted all the pain and worry Lieetien felt. It was like a soothing salve on a throbbing wound. In that moment Lieetien came to her senses. She remembered the advice of her trusted friend on Elduarn and she decided to return to home, to the physical world.

  But Decayne the Seeker had other plans. He did not come here to help Lieetien, he used her, he needed her to get into The Hall of Halls. He had his own plan, to find and free the spirit of his brother Putrephe. Against her wishes, Decayne the Seeker transported Lieetien to The Place of All Consuming Fire. She was furious that he would defy her wishes and renege on their agreement. Their spirits struggled, whirling around the room and in an attempt to throw her off Decayne hurled them both against a wall and into a rack of phials. Spirit has no corporeal body, but it has tremendous power. The impact overturned the storage rack and all the crystalline phials fell to the floor and shattered into thousands of pieces. Lieetien shrieked in rage at what Decayne had done. The spirits of countless malicious beings drifted from their broken prisons and mixed together in the air becoming a vile and contemptibly dark amalgamation. In that very moment a swirling flash of brilliant blue white light gathered the amalgam, binding it so its components could not escape, and cast it from The Place of All Consuming Fire to the surface of a dark planet, a planet of shadows and heavy mist, an incubator that would someday give rise to the Shumbrans.

  The spirit of Decayne the Seeker was imprisoned in a crystalline phial and placed on a storage rack in The Place of All Consuming Fire, where he would never be permitted to leave until the end of all things. The spirit of Lieetien was stored for a short time in The Hall of Returning since she was neither unfettered nor had she been disclosed. After much consideration Lieetien’s spirit was returned to her home planet Elduarn where she assumed her natural physical form. The story she relayed to her friends about what she saw and her struggle with Decayne the Seeker in The Place of All Consuming Fire is considered proof of the legend of The Hall of Halls. Her story is also considered the definitive answer to the fate of Shumbrie of Elduarn, who afterward was known as father of the Shumbrans.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  VENGEANCE IS MINE

  “Everything is ready Livingston. I’ve got a crew standing by in a parking lot at the wharf about six blocks from Pier 13 with a tractor trailer truck and forklift – that should hold the safe contents. I told them to look like they are waiting to pick up a shipment from Pier 7. The Perlucidians were reluctant to loan me one of their new weapons, reluctance may be an understatement, but they agreed to have one of their specialists accompany our crew in case he’s needed; they seemed to know more about what we were planning than they should have,” said Carter, waiting for a response from Livingston. When one wasn’t forthcoming he continued, “We only have one problem,” continued Carter, “we don’t have anything to cut through that safe.” Before Livingston could comment Carter continued, “I looked up its specifications, which was a complete waste of time, so I dialed up the Usilite Safe Corporation and spoke to one of their technical representatives. He was very careful to not tell me what I wanted to know, although he did explain emphatically the company’s policy on cutting open one of their safes – you can’t. He said if for some reason a safe owner can’t access the contents of his safe an engineer from Usilite will come to the safe’s location and make the cut for them. Then he asked if I was having trouble with my safe. I tried to dodge the question but he pressed the issue and asked where my safe was located. I know they keep detailed records on the locations of their safes so I couldn’t give him a bogus address and when I finally admitted I didn’t actually own a safe, he hung up. People are fairly uptight over at Usilite; it must be a high stress environment if you know what I mean.” Coming from a man that made his living doing the most dangerous jobs in the solar system that statement would have been funny if any normal people had been present to hear it. But Carter didn’t hang with many normal people, and if someone had happened upon their meeting and had overheard what was said they wouldn’t have been in a position to consider something was funny. Think - trussed, blindfolded, and stowed in a dark place. I get claustrophobic just mentioning it.

  Livingston waited until he was sure Carter was finished. He had learned from years of working with him that Carter was mind-numbingly detailed, and as they say, the devil is in the details.

  “Carter, I think I have an answer to the safe conundrum.”

  “I was hoping you would say that”, replied Carter, thinking he was going to have a chance to witness some new military technology.

  “Here’s the thing,” responded Livingston, “no one except you can be in the building when we open that safe, absolutely no one. So we don’t call the crew until the safe is breached.”

  “That’s the plan boss; no one enters that building except you and me until the deed is done.” With that Livingston and Carter left the building, communicated their status to the crew and climbed in a transport. “It doesn’t take long to get there,” said Carter, “but I’m going to take the long way and plan for our arrival on or about 14:30 IPT, that will give all the Shumbrans plenty of time to make their meeting.”

  “Let’s talk about our plan,” said Livingston.

  “Right,” replied
Carter, “we cased the building and their meeting will be on the first floor, in a large open area about 70 meters south of the safe.”

  “Are we sure of that,” asked Livingston.

  “One of my men stopped by very early this morning to take a peek through a roof hatch,” said Carter. “There are ten large tables on the ground floor and 80 chairs. I think we can count on 80 attendees and a few stragglers,” finished Carter. “That’s not going to be a problem is it boss?” he added.

  “No it won’t be a problem at all,” said Livingston, “in fact the more the better; I’d like to send a strong message, one even the Shumbrans can’t misunderstand.”

  “Livingston, I didn’t notice you bringing any special equipment for today’s little foray, are we good to go?” inquired Carter.

  “We are good to go,” came Livingston’s quick reply, “you are going to see something today you’ve never seen before Carter, it’s a shame we won’t be able to tell anyone about it. I should probably explain so you’ll be prepared.” Livingston told him everything; about his mother, about the incident in the alley, about his secret practice sessions in the woods and by the creek. He also told Carter about his daughter and what really happened at the museum.

  “You’re not pulling my leg are you?” said Carter, “because that’s some strange stuff. And if you’re not pulling my leg, dang Livingston, I can think of more than a few very tight jams we’ve been in where we could have used some of that lightning or whatever it is – Jensis 9 and the Quadrilian Plain among others.”

  “Don’t think I wasn’t tempted on both of those occasions,” said Livingston, “and several others, but if anyone had witnessed what you are going to see today, I would have ended up a lab rat in some lost and forsaken military research center, and that was not going to happen. I would never have seen Linda and Joules again.” They sat in silence for several minutes while Carter cruised the city.

  “It’s 13:45 IPT; I need some coffee, you want coffee?” asked Carter.

  “Coffee sounds great,” responded Livingston, “let’s have a sandwich to go with it. Pull into Ratseod’s and I’ll buy.”

  At 14:30 IPT Carter pulled the unmarked transport into the building parking lot. “They know we’re here,” said Carter pressing an ear bud with his hand, “our man on the roof of the next building witnessed the guard reporting in.”

  “Perfect, replied Livingston, “you know what to do.” Carter backed the transport out of the parking lot and cruised away from the building several blocks, made a right turn, a left turn and another left.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Ready,” came Livingston’s reply.

  Carter adjusted his mic, “We’re in position, I need clearance on cross streets 1, 2, 3, and 4.” “Cross traffic on 1, number 2 is clear, cross traffic on 3, number four is clear,” came the replies. “Update cross-street clearance,” requested Carter.

  “Number 1 is clear, number 2 is clear, number 3 is clear, number four is clear,” came the replies. “Here we go,” said Carter as he made a left turn onto Warf Street and stopped. He folded down the small cover plate of a controller box that had been temporarily mounted to the dashboard of the transport, looked at Livingston and said, “you’re going to like this,” as he pushed the small black button hidden beneath the cover and pushed the transport throttle to maximum. The sound of fuel being burned presaged the launch of a small rocket mounted beneath the transport. “The front cargo door GPS coordinates are programed in the rocket’s guidance module,” said Carter as he tore after the rocket. It exploded on impact blowing a massive hole in the doors just as Carter brought the transport to a stop near the property entrance, then he flew through the hole in the doors and landed. “Show time,” said Carter with a stern smile on his face.

  Ninety two Shumbrans were scrambling around the tables like ants on sugar. Carter and Livingston were behind the transport. “You did insure this thing didn’t you?” asked Livingston. “Yeah,” came Carter’s reply, “for a lot.”

  “Good.”

  Carter was watching the Shumbrans who were taken completely off guard by their sudden appearance. One had retrieved a weapon and discharged it at the transport, blasting a hole in the back fender. “Twenty five more Shumbrans just entered the back parking lot,” said Carter who glanced at Livingston. “You okay boss?” he asked. Livingston’s eyes were closed.

  The back door of the transport was blown off its hinges by the discharge from another Shumbran weapon and Livingston replied, “I’m fine.” He stood up and was immediately enshrouded in light that began to swirl like a gyroscope, then a beam of thick white light seared through the air like a bolt of lightning, but this time it didn’t hover in the air harmlessly, this time Livingston was blasting stones. The beam found a mark and blasted a Shumbran 10 meters from the table just before he discharged his weapon. The beam retracted slightly, split into three beams that knifed through the air to where three Shumbrans stood near each other with weapons drawn. One weapon discharged and blasted the side of the transport just before he and his companions were blasted from their feet. Again and again the beam split into three, four, or five beams of searing white light that split the air on their way to their targets. A Shumbran discharged his weapon at Livingston but the blast rebounded from the gyroscoping light field and blasted the adjacent staircase into rubble and dust.

  The transport was taking a beating; the front fender was blown halfway off and all the windshields were blown out. Another hit and the passenger side rear door was ripped from its hinges and tossed across the room like a well thrown Frisbee. Livingston positioned himself between the tables and the transport in an effort to shield Carter from stray particle beam fire. Several Shumbrans behind an overturned table positioned a long cylindrical weapon and aimed it at Livingston. Carter saw them before Livingston and blasted the table with a stun beam. The concussion caused the weapon to fire, sending a rocket into the second level where it exploded against the south wall, raining metal and debris all over the area where the staircase had been. Two more Shumbrans with one of the long cylindrical weapons had hidden behind a metal panel about 20 meters south of the tables. They suddenly presented their weapon and quickly fired at Livingston; it was a direct hit. The rocket exploded with incredible force and fire completely engulfed the gyroscoping light field blocking it from view.

  “Livingston,” yelled Carter who saw what happened through a blast hole near his head and the opening on the opposite side of the car where the passenger rear door was missing. He returned fire immediately, sending stun beams at the Shumbrans and knocking one to the ground. Then he picked off two more that were trying to work their way forward on the left side of the room. The rocket that hit Livingston must have included a combustible component in addition to an explosive; there was fire upon fire but it didn’t last long and as it thinned a beam of searing white hot light burst from the light field around Livingston and ravaged the Shumbrans. It split into nine beams then ten with each beam finding its mark. Carter picked off two more Shumbrans inching their way forward with another cylindrical weapon; down they went hard and didn’t move. Then Livingston advanced like he intended to exterminate every Shumbran in the building.

  Carter left the transport and positioned himself behind Livingston, to use him as a shield and to prevent an attack from Shumbrans who might enter the cargo doors behind them. While a beam of light was finding a lone target ten Shumbrans ran forward thinking they could overpower Livingston and knock him off his feet. Ten separate beams of light instantaneously burst from the field around Livingston and leveled the attackers. The downed Shumbran count was at ninety one.

  The last Shumbran exited the back of the building and made his way hastily to the transport where 25 unsuspecting Shumbrans had been waiting for the signal to enter the building. In a rush the fleeing Shumbran explained what was happening inside the building. The driver started his transport and left the facility as fast as he could, clipping the gate on his way out of
the front exit. Carter had noticed the Shumbran leaving the building and looked out the rear cargo door just in time to see them depart the property. Livingston joined him momentarily.

  “Should we track them?” asked Carter.

  “Do you think they can hide from you?” came Livingston’s reply.

  “No they can’t hide,” said Carter, “and I think we have other things to do; I’ll notify the transport team to get ready.”

  Carter and Livingston walked back to the middle of the building. It was in shambles. Chunks of tables and chairs were strewn about the floor with metal debris everywhere. Ninety one Shumbrans were mixed in with the other debris. “You’re sure about the Shumbrans boss?” asked Carter.

  “I’m pretty sure; now let’s tackle this safe.” Within microseconds Livingston was surrounded by a glow of such intensity that his sharp features had become indistinct and flickers of hot white light swarmed around him and once again formed a gyroscoping light shield spinning at incredible speed. A beam of searing white light advanced from the shield and hung in the air like a lightning bolt that had been frozen in midair. Livingston glanced at Carter who could barely see him through the shroud of light.

  Carter tapped his watch and yelled, “Get on with it boss, we’re a little behind schedule.” There was no mistaking the enormous energy in that beam of light, it sounded like the combined dissonant wail of a million angry souls. Livingston let the beam advance until it was just shy of the safe’s door, then it advanced through the Usilite steel like it was cardboard. Livingston used the beam to slice all the way around the end of the safe. When the last bit of steel was cut it fell to floor with such massive force it cracked the concrete slab. “Any chance you could teach me how to do that?” asked Carter.