Nanomachine War series Box Set

by Don Viecelli

  Just then Captain Tills appeared on deck. She looked tired from working through the night. She and Doug took turns on watch, one always on duty.

  “Good morning, Doug. My shift is over and I’m going to sleep in a few minutes. I just wanted to tell you the workers are done with the repairs. It’s a good thing we found those miners. They know how to repair things quickly.”

  “Thanks, Captain. I’ve got things now. Get some sleep. When you return, we can decide what to do next.” Shirley knew what Doug meant. They couldn’t stay here much longer.

  Doug turned to Di after Captain Tills left the Bridge. “You said you had something to show me once I returned. What is it?”

  Di held up a hand to speak. “Shonya, you have control of the ship. Let me know if you need anything while we are gone.”

  “As you command, Vice Leader Di.”

  “Are you sure we should leave the Bridge unattended?” Doug was still not convinced the AI could be fully trusted.

  “Shonya will do as commanded, Doug. I inputted the proper procedures to follow. Nothing will happen during the short time we are gone.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the Regeneration Center on Level 12,” Di commented as he walked to the elevator.

  Doug followed without another word. This should be interesting, he thought to himself as he stepped inside the elevator. Di had told him what must be done before Doug went to sleep last night. Maybe that had something to do with the dream that woke him up this morning? Then again, maybe not. He could not remember what the dream was about, which was not unusual for him.

  The Regeneration Center was on Level 12, the same deck where the Passenger Minds were stored. To get to it you had to walk through the center isle with dark colored quantum computer bays stacked to the top of the ceiling on either side. The room was cool and dimly lit with only glowing LED lights on each panel. This is spooky, thought Doug, wondering why he thought of that old uncommon word. What was really weird, though, was each green LED represented one out of a billion minds digitally stored inside quantum computer drives waiting to be downloaded into a new body. How was that even possible?

  Di led Doug to a large, glass enclosed room that was filled with what looked like cryosleep chambers, but slightly different. There were hundreds of them in rows with just enough room to walk between them. They were regeneration chambers. Plastic tubes ran to each chamber, which was filled with a light blue, cloudy liquid. The room was humid and warm, unlike the computer room. Doug knew this was where the bodies were regenerated.

  Di went to a computer screen and clicked on some command icons. The machine made a humming noise and the sound of running water could be heard in the distance. The top hatch on one of the closest chambers opened. Doug saw a naked Qumru male body lying inside. He looked to be a mature alien with similar features to the android in size and build. Doug could see the alien was alive; he was breathing.

  “This is Tumil, He a prominent scientists from Qum. He is one of the people I am tasked to save.” Di opened up a display screen that showed a picture of the alien and his personal file. The text was translated into English for Doug to read.

  Doug briefly read the text. He was filled with questions. “What is happening here?”

  “I chose forty Passenger Minds to be downloaded into new bodies. The Qumru call this process “Onutu”.They are the ones who can help us the most. Some are leading scientists who worked on a solution to the Yoyka nanomachines. They were infected before they could complete their project and had to be uploaded to the machines. Other members will help operate this starship so we can return home.”

  “Return home? What about us—Earth?” Doug asked in astonishment.

  “I will return you and your people to Earth before I go to Holtu, my home world.”

  “But we need the preventative nanite solution to save my people,” Doug protested.

  “I will see that you have all the equipment and knowledge you need to make the solution on your planet, but we don’t have much time. The Yoyka could arrive at any time. I must get my people away from here.”

  There was no point in arguing the matter here, Doug reasoned. He would talk to the others and see what else they could do. In the meantime, he needed to talk to this Qumru scientist, Tumil, and see what the options were. Maybe he could convince Di and his android friends to stay and help him save Earth from the Yoyka. They could become allies in this new war. Doug knew Earth could not save itself by fighting alone. They would need more time to build up defenses and their own military forces. Doug knew without a doubt that this could be Earth’s last war if they did not succeed.

  Chapter 39

  Tumil

  Di walked over to the regeneration chamber that held Tumil. The LED lights on the side of the chamber were all green. The body stirred and Tumil’s eyes opened. He lay there waiting for his mind and body to merge into a new being. It did not take long.

  Tumil sat up and looked at Di and was not surprised to see him. “I have returned,” he said in his native language. “Tell me. Where are we? How many of us were saved?”

  “We are orbiting a small planet in another solar system. There are one billion minds stored on board. The starship was taken over by infected Qumru crewmembers. I had to disable the starship to save you. We will be leaving shortly to go to Holtu. First, I must drop off these humans on their planet Earth.” Di looked at Doug.

  Doug understood what Di and Tumil said from the translator device in his ear. He spoke to Tumil. “It’s good to meet you. My name is Doug Martin.”

  Di handed Tumil another translator device to use. Tumil said, “Help me get out of this tank. I need to get to work.”

  Di opened the side of the chamber and helped Tumil stand up. He put a robe over his shoulders and they walked to a side room where there were more uniforms to put on.

  Doug was amazed at what he saw. He watched as Tumil put on clothes. “How long does it take to grow a new body?”

  Di said, “Twenty-four of your hours for a grown adult. Less time for a child. It is easier to grow a new biological body than create an android like me. I, however, can live longer and do not have biological needs. We were created to do what the Qumru people could not do.”

  “You mean fight their battles?”

  “Not just that. We are capable of surviving inhospitable conditions in outer space and on planets without a viable atmosphere. We are also explorers tasked with discovering new worlds for the Qumru to colonize. That was our original mission until we ran into unfriendly aliens.”

  “What happened then?” Doug wondered.

  “We found the Yoyka two hundred years ago. They were invading all known solar systems near us. We tried to prevent discovery, but failed. They attacked Qum three of your months ago. Now they are coming here. You will have no chance to defeat them alone.”

  “I know this, Di. That is why we need your help.”

  “That won’t be up to me. Perhaps, Tumil can help you now.”

  Tumil listened to the conversation without saying a word. He was sitting looking at his hands and feet. This apparently was the first time he downloaded his consciousness into a new body. He looked at Doug and Di to speak.

  “How many humans have been infected so far?”

  “There are thirteen hundred infected on Mars. We have over ten billion people on Earth that need protection from the Yoyka nanomachines,” Doug said.

  Di translated the numbers into Qumru so Tumil understood. Doug suspected the translator device did this as well.

  “I am sorry we brought this upon you,” Tumil said. He knew what would happen as soon as Di mentioned the Qumru crewmembers were infected and the starship had to stop in this solar system.

  “You have control of this starship? Where is the infected crew?” Tumil wanted clarification.

  “The humans helped me take control of the starship. The infected crew has been put back into cryosleep with the hope we can save them. The Yoyka are expected he
re any time. We must leave this orbit soon,” Di explained.

  Tumil stood up, a bit unsteady at first. He held onto Di and said, “How many more of us have you bought back?”

  “I regenerated forty bodies including yours; other scientists on your team, more crewmembers, medical people and First Chair Cleota.” Di held Tumil’s arm.

  “She will not be pleased,” Tumil said without explaining why.

  “Her leadership is required now, Tumil. She is the only ruling member of Qum we could save from the Yoyka,” Di said simply.

  Di looked at Doug and said, “Please escort Tumil to the research lab on Level 11. I will join you after I wake up the medical team I need to finish the regeneration process here. Tumil will help you understand the quantum computer machines needed to make more of the preventive nanite solution.”

  Doug looked at Tumil. He was standing on his own now and seemed to be fully aware of his surroundings. He was slightly taller than Doug, but had a thinner body with slender waist, arms and legs. His skin was much lighter green than the other Qumru crewmembers Doug noticed and assumed that skin tones on the Qumru people probably varied in different colors as do human skin colors. “Are you able to walk now, Tumil?”

  “I am fine, human. This new body seems stronger than my last one. There is no fat on this body.” Tumil seemed to smile with his thin lips, but Doug wasn’t sure if he was interpreting the facial expression correctly.

  “Please, you can call me Doug. Follow me.”

  Doug led the way back through the quantum computer bay to the elevator at the end of the long isle. They spoke as they walked. “How did you get here, on this starship, if I may ask?”

  “The Yoyka infection was spreading too fast for my people to stop it. A decision was made at the top levels of our government to save as many of us as they could by uploading our minds to a starship like this we had in service. It had been sent by our military leaders on Holtu, one of our home worlds.”

  “So you know Vice Leader Di?”

  “Yes, he was sent to help save as many of us he could from the Yoyka. It appears he was successful.”

  They reached the elevator, went up to Level 11 and walked to the section where the research lab was located. Doug knew the place since Jan had shown him where the quantum computer equipment was located. She was there now with several other people she knew from the MCDC on Mars.

  Jan looked up and saw Doug walking towards her with another Qumru person she had not seen before. “Hello, Doug. Who is this?” She stood up to face them.

  “This is Tumil. I don’t know how to say this other than Tumil’s mind was just downloaded into his new body in the Regeneration Center. Vice Leader Di is regenerating forty Qumru people to help us. Tumil is the leading scientist on Qumru who developed the nanite solution that prevents us from becoming infected by the Yoyka nanomachines.” Doug took a few minutes to explain everything he knew about Tumil. He handed translator earplugs to Jan and Doctor Mun.

  “I’m so glad to meet you, Tumil. Can you help us make more of your nano-agent solution?”

  Tumil must have noticed something on Janice’s face, for he looked unmistakably sympathetic. It must be a universal expression somehow, Doug thought.

  “I was told what is happening to your people. I will do everything in my power to stop this.” Tumil actually bowed before her.

  Jan could have hugged him, but held back. Neither of them knew the Qumru customs yet. She simply turned around and asked Mun to come over to meet Tumil.

  “Tumil, this is Doctor Chang-Woo Mun. He, Doug and I have been injected with your solution. It worked on us. We are trying in learn how these quantum computer machines work so we can develop more of your solution to protect more people. Can you show us what needs to be done?”

  Tumil looked at both of them and nodded his head. “These machines are very powerful. I will show you how they work. But what is more important than the nanite solution you seek is the final antidote we were working on before we had to leave Qum.”

  “You mean you found a way to remove or deactivate the Yoyka nanomachines?” Doug asked incredulously.

  “We were close and just needed more time to develop and test it. The Yoyka masters learned about our work and came to find us. We had to leave our planet or die.”

  Doug looked at Jan and Mun with understanding. Now the Yoyka was coming for them. If they suspected who was on this starship and what they knew, then the Yoyka would stop at nothing to capture or kill them all.

  Before they went any further, Doug asked Tumil a simple question. “Do you need any food or rest before you begin to help us?”

  “It seems I rested long enough. This body is not hungry yet. I could use some water to drink and then we shall begin.”

  All they needed now was time. Doug was almost certain that was something they would not get enough of.

  Chapter 40

  Rahta

  Rahta was getting impatient. Star travel was still too slow as far as he was concerned. He had admonished his chief scientists to find methods to go much faster. As it were, his spaceship could only travel around 333.3 light years per oy (equal to one Martian day) or 10,000 light years in a month in hyperspace. The scientists blamed the rate of travel on their hydrogen fusion engines, which did not produce enough power to accelerate faster. They wanted to convert the engines to zero-point energy (ZPE) power, which could produce constant acceleration from an inexhaustible fuel supply: quantum particles. They had tried antimatter engines, but they kept blowing up their spaceships with unstable containment fields.

  Rahta on his Imperial Dreadnought, Yoykan Malee, had left Qum 19 days ago. In eleven days they would exit hyperspace in a new solar system where the Qumru starship was orbiting a small planet humans called Mars. Rahta was intent on capturing the starship and the Passenger Minds on it. Because Rahta had learned the solar system had enough resources and humans with sufficient technology, he would subdue not only Mars but the human’s home world called Earth. He knew Earth is filled with over 10 billion humans. Since Earth was a blue planet with plenty of water and natural resources, Rahta was ready to commit to its capture. It would not take long to infect a whole planet with his nanomachines.

  Rahta called High Commander Anahta to his quarters. It was time to make final plans.

  Anahta entered Rahta’s room and bowed. “What can I do for you, Imperial Leader?”

  “Take a seat, Anahta. Let’s share a drink. I have one on our finest labels—Firebold. It will make your tongue burn!” He showed the bottle to Anahta. It was rare and very expensive alcoholic liquor made on Yoykan.

  Anahta was surprised at the offer. Rahta was not known to mingle and drink with his officers. There must be an ulterior motive to this gesture he thought silently. “What is the special occasion?”

  Rahta half-filled two glasses with the strong liquid and they both took a sip.

  “We are getting closer to our destination. I wish to get your thoughts on what you think I should do with this newly discovered race of Humans.”

  “We both read the information sent by First Leader Utor, Imperial Leader. The human race is a recent spacefaring people. Their technology is barely advanced.”

  “And yet they managed to drive Utor off his starship and take control!” Rahta pointed out forcefully.

  “They had help from a Holtu android soldier, Imperial Leader. We now know how the starship was forced out of hyperspace and who is responsible.” Anahta took another sip of his drink. It tasted good and burned all the way down his throat.

  “The Qumru surprise me, High Commander Anahta. We did not know about the android soldiers the Qumru have on another home world. This situation must be rectified.”

  “How so, Imperial Leader?”

  “We must find this second Holtu home world and destroy it. These android soldiers are not affected by our nanomachines. They could become dangerous.”

  “I agree with that assessment, Imperial Leader. But we only just found out abou
t Holtu’s location from First Leader Utor. It has a large Qumru population with many android soldiers as well. We must plan carefully how to deal with Holtu soon.”

  “Once we reach the place called Mars, we must take control immediately. I need to decide how to handle the humans on Earth.

  “Regarding Holtu, I issued orders to send one of our warships to investigate the strength of these android soldiers and the Qumru people on the planet. We will end the Holtu threat once and for all.”

  Rahta finished his drink with a satisfied look on his face. “Where is First Leader Utor now?”

  “He escaped on a spacecraft with three other Qumru crewmembers. He is on Mars waiting for our arrival.”

  “What is the situation on the planet?”

  “Utor’s last message said the human population on Mars is now infected with our nanomachines. Some uninfected humans escaped to the starship with the Holtu android’s help. Utor awaits further instructions from the quantum transmission link.”

  “So the android soldier and some humans are on board the Qumru starship. They will try to flee before we get there,” Rahta said with assurance.

  “Only if the starship damage is repaired before we arrive, Imperial Leader. Utor says this is possible. Even so, where will it go? I believe it will continue its journey to Holtu where we will find it.”

  Rahta finished his drink and set the glass down on his desk. He thought for a moment before announcing with a smirk. “I have decided what I plan to do about the humans on their planet Earth. Prepare our troops for landing on Mars when we arrive. I want a complete report on the mineral content of that planet and what the humans can produce for our empire.”

  “ Certainly, Imperial Leader. What do you plan to do about the starship if it is still there?”

  “We must prevent it from leaving the solar system, even if we have to destroy it. We cannot afford to let them use their knowledge of our nanomachines against us.”