He’s pale and helplessly, unable to control his body, thought Fosset concerned and full of compassion. The parasite in his body is in control and speaks through him. How is Sparks ever going to recover from this?
»The ship appeared through a ring of fire,« the Frigonan stammered through Sparks battered body. »It opened a portal from a higher dimension, and suddenly stood in front of our formation, bigger and stronger than any single one of our battleships.«
Fosset held his breath and listened to the Frigonan’s words attentively while also looking at the central display from time to time.
»Our weapons caused a lot of damage, but not enough. We are able to wipe out entire worlds, but this opponent possessed technology which was far superior to ours.«
Welf Rouven nervously opened the upper button of his shirt collar and seemed pondering.
»What do you want to say, Welf?« Fosset addressed him directly.
»Commander, we’re not a battleship, not even a research vessel of the Union Fleet,« he said insecurely. »Don’t you think that this thing is a number too big for us?«
I can understand his doubts, considering this lost position we’re in now. Why did Arkroid give me all these hints and directed us to fly here? If we were just simply sent here to face this unknown opponent, then Arkroid sent us to our inevitable deaths. If he can really see into the future, why would he do something like that? thought Fosset intently.
»What else can you tell us about this alien ship?« he calmly asked the Frigonan.
Sparks stumbled. Chambers jumped over and supported him.
»We need to bring Sparks and the Frigonan to the cooler, immediately,« Dorothea insisted. »Otherwise, I can no longer guarantee for the health of that man.«
»It must be a fusion of technology and biology,« the Frigonan groaned exhausted. »We saw a ship, with eight tentacles and a trunk that resembled a sea being of your planet. My body is thinking of an octopus. Then, we received the mental emissions of a being that declared itself as the Guardian of the Continuum. The strange thoughts were so hostile and angry, accusatory and unforgiving that we immediately used our entire attack force to destroy the ship. However, the opponent was quicker and also fired on our ships. Almost simultaneously with the almost complete destruction of the octopus ship our Circle ships flared up and we were thrown, together with the action body, into space. Before we were frozen in space, we saw the fragment of the octopus ship disappear in an aura of light. For us, it looked as if there was still life on board this fragment and that the arm tried to escape to its dimension.«
Sparks collapsed with a groan and fell into Chambers’ arms.
DaDiva didn’t wait for Fosset’s orders and immediately called for help from her department. Her piercing look left Fosset unimpressed. He just nodded and dismissed the doctor with her helpers, hurrying from the command central.
»A ship like an octopus,« murmured Fosset.
»With tentacles and a streamlined body,« added Rouven, waiting for Fosset’s further orders.
Instead of giving the Navigator the command to leave this space sector, Fosset waved Kokrint to come over.
»You keep amazing me, Kokrint! That with your spines. You’ve really surprised me.«
»Me too,« grumbled Chambers.« He seemed undecided.
»Do the Zerbites know these kinds of ships, or perhaps the GCC?« Fosset asked. »Such striking structures must have already been noticed in the past. Who are we dealing with?«
»I’ve flown on many ships, but never encountered this type,« Kokrint admitted.
»Have you heard the term Guardian of the Continuum before? Sounds very martial to my ears,« Fosset asked. But, Kokrint had no answer.
»We go closer!« Fosset commanded, nodding at Welf.
We can only claim this fragment for us and evaluate it when we get on board. Something tells me that Arkroid would proceed in the same way, even if he didn’t explicitly mention it in his message, thought Fosset.
Via intercom, he contacted Dorothea, who should’ve arrived at the cooler in the meantime, and commanded, »Keep the Frigonan inside the cooler. Let him relax and recover until we’ve found a way to separate the two, thus keeping Sparks alive.«
»I will cooperate,« sounded the Frigonan’s weak voice over the intercom.
»24 degrees Centigrade,« praised Welf Rouven and opened another button of his shirt. »I can fly like that.«
»If the Frigonan has spoken the truth, then there’s only one parasite left who hangs out somewhere in the ship. I’m sure the Frigonan will give up soon and surrender. I’d recommend that the crew continues to be cautious and to move only in groups around the ship,« suggested Chambers.
Fosset nodded thoughtfully and looked at the central display and the transmissions of the outside cameras, so far, the only ability to make out something inside the undefined space.
The Arm of the Demon grew slowly with almost overwhelming proportions. Within minutes, after another approach maneuver, the structure filled the entire central display.
»Look at that! Isn’t that fascinating?« said Fossett awestruck and looked around. »And we’re the first people who discovered it!«
»I’d call it horrifying,« Gamze Acun refuted with a trembling voice. »Did you already forget the destruction of the four Circle ships? Can you imagine what the crew of this wrecked ship could do to us? In comparison to the Circle ships, we’ve got nothing to offer. Well, provided that there’s somebody still alive over there.«
Welf Rouven changed the optical transmission to maximum magnification and mumbled, »We have here only a torn-off part of the ship …«
Gamze Acun cleared her throat and looked at Rouven with narrowed eyes.
»All right,« conceded the Navigator. »We’ve got a damn big ship fragment before us, which, in some areas, seems intact and is protected by an energy field on the damaged site. Assuming that the fight with the Circle battleships was more than six years ago, and this octopus arm still has energy, then it makes me kind of nervous.«
»I want to get closer!« Fosset commanded again and nodded at Welf Rouven. »Let’s ready our Hawk.«
»You want to fly over there?« Gamze said surprised. »Are you out of your mind?«
Fosset didn’t like her the harsh criticism, but instead of openly reprimanding her, he said »What do you think? We fly all the way to the Oort Cloud, make an incredible discovery and don’t take a look at what we found? A command central team with a little more enthusiasm would be desirable.«
»But wouldn’t it be more appropriate to inform the Union Fleet about this discovery?« asked Welf Rouven sternly. »After all, this ship and these ominous Guardians of the Continuum could grow into a problem for Humanity. Just look at this ship fragment!«
»We are Privateers,« Fosset answered calmly. »If we fly out there in the future and explore other solar systems, then we cannot hope for the support of the Union Fleet and have to overcome any challenges ourselves.«
»It’s certainly interesting to look at this wreck,« Kokrint conceded surprisingly. »Maybe, we can actually learn something about the alien technology and utilize it.«
»I was counting on you, that you can’t resist the temptation,« Fosset was happy, while looking inquiringly at Gamze and Welf.
»Kokrint, it is one thing to pep up the technology on board this ship, but something entirely different on the other ship. It will probably significantly exceed your horizon. How do you want to do it? We fly over, look for an open airlock, board the ship and unscrew a few aggregates? I think this plan is nonsense and also dangerous,« growled Welf Rouven and exchanged a quick glance with Gamze. »But we cannot let you, Commander, run into your demise, together with our vegetarian friend. Someone has to take care of you.«
»Calm down please,« Fosset replied confidently. »We take our hand weapons along! A doctor will also come with us in case of an emergency.«
»Dorothea will certainly be glad to hear this,« Gamze commented sarcastically.
»I’d like to come too,« Chambers exclaimed to everyone’s surprise.
»A cook on a reconnaissance mission! I see you Humans set the right priorities,« exulted Kokrint. »The team must be adequately catered for!«
Chambers was beaming all over his face and nodded at Fosset.
»I don’t want to be responsible for the meals, but fly the Hawk when it’s acceptable.«
»The auxiliary? You?« asked Gamze stunned.
»I wasn’t always a chef,« Chambers said with a wink.
Fosset nodded satisfied.
»Then, we have our team together. So what’s missing?«
»Jabba-Jabba!« said Kokrint aloud with a wailing voice, which caused the others to laugh out loud.
Incorrect assessment
»Are you sure you can fly the Hawk?« Welf Rouven asked uncertainly and checked his equipment. »As a navigator, I possess a pilot license for small spaceships and can give you a hand if need be.«
»Very good to know,« thanked Chambers friendly while he started the self-test of the neuronal computer. His flexible spacesuit helmet, which was folded up behind his neck, unfolded and extended itself over his head. Lightly touching the sensor pads located on the neck, he locked the helmet airtight and activated the life support system. A microcomputer was housed underneath his chest pads which connected the helmet comm-system with the Hawk. Small holographic displays flared up on the inside of the transparent helmet and showed the status of the auxiliary ship. Chamber’s voice sounded over the intercom, »I’m okay guys, and was longing to fly a Hawk again. This Hawk is an older model. The Nova-Hawks are an entirely different set of filleting knives so-to-speak. You should all follow my example and close your spacesuits. I know we could rely on the protection fields, but on a mission like this, I recommend to put on the spacesuits.«
Welf raised an eyebrow and glanced at the palm-sized emblem that was embroidered on Chamber’s left upper arm.
»Two crossed silver wooden spoons on a light blue background?« asked Rouven interested. »What’s up with that?«
»Badge of honor of the Union Fleet Chef’s Corps!« Chambers replied proudly.
Dorothea, slightly annoyed over her assignment to this mission, answered, »Then we can hope for caviar and sandwiches while we fly into our demise.«
Fosset frowned.
»I don’t expect that our lives are in danger. It’s going to be a walk in the park.«
Kokrint’s skin turned to light green. Nobody was able to say if this was a sign of fear, nausea or relief.
»That’s why we carry weapons, right?« Gamze responded sarcastically.
»I’d like to know the logic behind it, especially yours,« Dorothea asked bitingly. »Don’t get me wrong, Commander, but we fly after all, to an unknown shipwreck, located in an equally unknown space sector which is probably classified as extremely dangerous. As the ship doctor, I have to assess if you still have all your marbles together.«
»What if he just lost the bag for the marbles?« Kokrint asked.
Fosset didn’t reply to Kokrint’s attempt to make a joke and just stared into space. He was pondering while Chambers started the engines.
»All systems go!« reported Chambers. »We will open the hangar gates in a moment, but leave the defense shield activated. We’ll penetrate the shield from the inside. It’ll shake a bit.«
»Why that?« Welf wanted to know. »This is unusual and could damage the Hawk.«
»I want to prevent this blue stuff out there from getting into the ship. We can’t even analyze it yet. Imagine, what would happen if this stuff is real plasma.«
Welf swallowed hard.
»You’re right, Chambers. Considering these circumstances …«
»… then he’s doing the right thing,« Fosset praised and also closed his spacesuit.
Almost at the same time, the hangar gates opened, revealing the outside space. A ghostly whirl flowed around the Pulsar cruiser, filling the hangar with blue light. The unknown medium went through this space sector like a storm. Gamze peered through a small porthole and whispered, »This looks like the solar wind, perhaps there’re particle streams that follow certain magnetic fields.«
»Do you want us to take substance samples?« Chambers asked. »We attached a particle condenser to the Hawk. Theoretically, you can collect a few molecules of this gas to analyze them in more detail later.«
»Why not. Try it,« Gamze Acun acknowledged.
Slowly, the Hawk lifted from its parking spot and drifted toward the open hangar gates. When it pierced the external field, a sharp deceleration could be felt by the small crew as well as some violent, jerking movements that went through the small spaceship. The inertia forces were mostly absorbed by the dampers and could not penetrate at full strength.
»No danger to the Hawk!« Chambers calmed the team. He flew the small spaceship like an old pro and reached free space a few seconds later. The cruiser quickly fell back behind the Hawk while Chambers steered the ship into the blue medium.
»Communication to the Solar Pride has been lost,« Chambers reported quietly while a massive structure came in sight. Chambers was speechless for a few seconds before he confessed, »To see the Arm of the Demon on the holo-display is one thing, but to see it floating in full size before us, is an entirely different experience.«
The structures of the ship fragment didn’t seem technical, such as the ship designs of the Solar Union, but rather had an organic appearance. The more the Hawk approached the large object, the more believed Chambers to have the body part of an octopus-like creature in front of him. Structures such as windows, airlocks, or hangar gates were missing altogether. The hull looked porous, uneven, covered by deep furrows and cracks.
»Holy scallops!« exclaimed Chambers, who piloted the Hawk with a slight thrust on a stable flight path. »This is something, I’ve never seen! The blue medium offers no resistance to our defense field or even interacts with it. It looks stormy outside, but the Hawk penetrates the medium as if it would fly through a ghostly veil.«
Kokrint growled uneasily.
»It’s not good to summon the ghosts or spirits.«
Fosset watched the rear display and saw the Solar Pride slowly disappearing into the blue mist. For the first time he sounded a little uncertain, »I hope we don’t lose the orientation and find back to our ship.«
»The Hawk’s navigation system is active. Each flight movement, even the short firing of a correction thruster, is recorded and can be traced back. We find the way by instructing the navigation computer to execute the same commands in reverse. Outside the Hawk, there are very few orientation points, not considering this … uh … monster wreck.«
Chambers flew the Hawk very cautiously and banked left before the towering wall to continue the flight parallel to the wreck. His objective was to reach the torn section of the arm.
»You still owe me an answer,« insisted Dorothea. »What makes you so sure that this is not a suicide mission?«
She won’t let it go until I explain myself, Fosset realized and nodded at the doctor. »All right then.«
All heads jerked around and looked at Fosset expectantly.
»Arkroid is trying to help Humanity with his hints. There is an important reason why he does that. I’m firmly convinced of it. I know the man personally,« Fosset explained. »I did a lot of thinking about his actions and believe that, from his point of view, there’re different paths into a possible future. He wants to achieve or ensure that a definite timeline and future arrives. It’s important for us to be here and to discover this wreck. He didn’t send us here to perish in the shipwreck or get lost in this undefined space. That would make no sense. Arkroid is not a man who sends people to their deaths. I know, this sounds crazy, but I feel like the character of a novel, who was informed about the happy ending before the story began. If Arkroid did everything right, then nothing will happen to us, and we don’t need to worry.«
»I don’t know Arkroid personally and don’t know w
hat he did to you, but if I develop and assess your theory further, then it might as well end badly for us,« Welf Rouven answered thoughtfully.
»Please, explain,« Gamze Acun asked nervously.
»Well, maybe it’s important for the salvation of Humanity, that we sacrifice ourselves here and now. Certainly, Arkroid would justify this sacrifice in the service of the greater good. Ultimately, we cannot know what will happen since the future is hidden from us. I don’t want to trouble anyone on board, but I don’t see all these visions of the future through rose-colored glasses. History is full of martyrs who sacrificed themselves so that others may live. There may be for us no happy ending and Arkroid will bring us only the lesser evil, which fate has in store for us anyway.«
Embarrassed silence filled the cockpit. Fosset suddenly seemed very insecure.
»Well, how does this fictional character feel now?« Dorothea asked with a trembling voice but received no answer. »Then we can only hope that you’re right with your assessment.« She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, then she whispered softly, »What a nightmare.«
Resistance is futile
It was as if someone wanted to open the Hawk like a tin can. Suddenly, in a bright flicker, a large part of the hull of the starboard side disappeared, exposing the interior of the vessel to outer space. The atmosphere escaped abruptly and tore everything with it, which was not secured. Chambers, looking at the flight controls, noticed that at the same time, that the power, the propulsion system, and defense fields had failed. The Hawk was no longer maneuverable from one second to the other.
Dark shadows whizzed quickly around the Hawk.
»There’s something out there!« Gamze shouted a loud warning.
Before she could make a defensive movement, long, flexible tentacles forcibly embraced the young woman at the hips and jerked her out into space through the just established opening.
»Gamze! Damn it!« shouted Welf Rouven in panic. »I hate it when I’m right!«
He drew his gun and fired several shots through the hole in the hull.
NEBULAR Collection 7 - Guardians of the Continuum: Episodes 31 - 34 Page 21