SODIUM:6 Defiance (3 page)

I motioned for one of the scientists to bring forward our one case of MREs. The MREs were a standard safety precaution in case there was a malfunction with a suit. There was enough for the Ambassador and his aid for 30 days. Kurg again winced as the first food container was laid before him. He felt it was not a food presentation fit for someone of his rank. I apologized that we could not offer better accommodations.

Twenty-four days later we approached the Gidden homeworld of Meyer. We were stopped at half a light year distance until such time as the Ambassador's codes could be verified. We were then escorted to a station by two sleek tubular war-craft.

I asked the Ambassador about the ships and was told they were merely a precaution. A pair of light ships were sent as escort to any new vessel entering the system. We landed in a space-dock and put all systems on standby. The Ambassador asked that we be his guests for a few days to which I answered that we would. Once off the ship I again set the shield to max as we stepped away. Several deck hands jumped backwards in surprise as the Saxon vanished.

The Ambassador was greeted by two of his staffers and his first request was that a feast be brought to his council room. We were invited in and seated at a grand table. Minutes later a number of servants brought in dish after dish of what was considered Gidden delicacy. Several bowls contained what looked like the equivalent of fish eyes while several more were full of small slimy wiggly creatures. The Ambassador wasted no time in grabbing a handful of the wigglers and popping them into his wide mouth.

He gestured for us to dig in and I thanked him and then gestured towards the food packs on our belts. He let out a hardy laugh and then continued to fill the void between his jaws. When a female servant brought in a new dish he reached out with his long thin right arm and gave her a goose as she passed. She smacked his hand with a scowl and then left the room.

He then turned back to me and asked if the females on our planet were as delightful. I gestured towards the seven that were seated at his table and said that I was sure we all believed we were delightful. He hesitated for a moment before coming to the realization that human females were the ones with bumps on their chests. He then looked me up and down as he consumed another handful of wigglers.

After the meal we were given a brief tour of the station which included a display about the Gidden home world. The holo-screen was of a much higher resolution than ours making the presentation look as though it was actually right there in front of us. The current display had the capital building with a broad terrace where countless Gidden and other beings were moving about with their business.

I didn't realize the display was interactive until I reached my hand towards it and the tiny simulated beings began to flee from it. I quickly apologized to which Kurg again laughed. He later stated that he enjoyed showing off the display to newcomers as many of them had the same reaction.

After three days on the station as Earth's Ambassador the command came in for us to return to Alnitak so that further information could be gathered about the Frekkin invaders. Why were they there? Had they followed us? And were they aware of where we currently were?

Before leaving I asked the Ambassador if they had any bio-scanners available on the station. I was concerned that perhaps I was carrying some type of device in my body that had been used by the Frekkin to detect our location at Alnitak. He asked an aid and I was escorted to a medical lab on the floor below where we were staying.

I reluctantly removed my BGS and after a thorough scan the Gidden doctor pulled up an image of my foot. There, located up under the skin in the arch of my right foot was a tiny bio-transmitter. The signal was so low level that the doctor had only decided to rescan the area after an anomalous signal was detected. A deep scan revealed an unusual organization of cells that in their current configuration emitted the low signal. The doctor remarked that it was some impressive bio-engineering.

I asked if it could be removed and he said he would be delighted to do so if I was to leave it for his study. I agreed and the micro-surgery was conducted. I remained in his office for another deep scan before putting my BGS suit back on.

Hershen was checked immediately after and two such bio-devices were found. One implanted at the base of his skull and the other in the small of his back. After the cellular transmitters had been removed the doctor bid us good-day as we left the lab.

In my final talk with Kurg I reminded him that if the Frekkin knew where I was on-board the Blake Adventure, they probably now knew where I was on his station. He let out a sigh and then assured me that he would be notifying the proper defensive authorities. Also, the stations scanners would be modified to detect the bio-signal should it be brought on-board by any other visitors. The Mundari would not let the incident go without a thorough investigation and evaluations of how to best protect themselves from it.

Kurg walked with me as my team made its way back to our ship. Once we were aboard I retrieved two small comm devices from our cargo. They each contained a QE link; one was linked directly to Earth while the other linked to the Saxon. I stepped out of the Saxon and handed the devices to the Ambassador. I told him that with the one he would be able to continue discussions with the AMP and with the other he could talk directly to me.

As I turned once again to board the Ambassador spoke. He wanted to thank me again for his rescue and to say that my actions and my word had earned his trust. Should I be in need of anything, I only need call upon him. I thanked him and responded as I stepped aboard the Saxon, if I felt in need I would be holding him to his word.

As we pushed our ship through light speed I reflected on the events that had just transpired. We had been attacked and narrowly escaped, we made a friend in the Mundari ambassador by enacting his rescue and we had discovered the reason for our release from the Frekkin... we had been tagged. The journey back to Alnitak was quiet.

When we arrived back at the Blake Adventure there was no sign of the Frekkin or Por Hollis. They had left the system. In my discussions with Kurg he revealed that the planets in the Alnitak system had at one time been claimed by several Mundari corporations, but the governments of the Mundari systems had laid no claims. Outer worlds were free to be used for any purpose until such time as the Mundari deemed them of value to the Effort.

The Alnitak claims had been abandoned with the disappearance of the Jessians and the lawsuits that had ensued. I took the statement from the Ambassador to mean the planets were open to conquest. They would be flagged and claimed for the AMP by the placement of a transmitter broadcasting a signal for all to hear.

Mining colonies dotted the heavens surrounding the Mundari systems and the odd worlds, such as DaCuban, were used for adventure and entertainment. There were only a few species who managed to conquer faster than light travel so interactions between empires had been few and far between. It seemed most species were content with staying to themselves and their already established systems.

At DaCuban, we bypassed the station and instead went planet-side. Its atmosphere was similar to Earth's with 20% oxygen and its gravity pulled downward at a constant 1.08 G. There were four major continents and numerous islands. The cloud formations, green forests and snow tipped mountains told of weather patterns to rival those of Earth. Except for a walled cluster of building that had been constructed on one of the continents the remainder of the world was pristine.

We set the Saxon down inside the walled area and stepped out to explore. Our BGS helmets retracted into a pouch on our shoulders allowing us to breath in the warm moist air. The buildings were in a state of near collapse. They had once been the point of activity on the planet where adventure seekers landed before heading out into the wilds. Now they sat crumbling after 3,200 years of weathering with no maintenance. The 37 degree Celsius temperature and high humidity gave the jungle location a tropical climate. The BGS regulated our body temperatures but the exposed skin on our faces, necks and hands told of the heat that surrounded us.

A row of statues depicting strange creatures lined a lane that headed towards a gate. On the other side was the planet DaCuban with all the thrills it had to offer. Our scientists spread out with a multitude of electronic devices to analyze and log everything they encountered. This left Hershen and I without responsibility.

After passing the localized command over to the designated third in defensive command, Hershen and I flipped our BGS shields to full and fired our BHDs. We were soon gliding over the heavily forested landscape outside the high walls of the compound.

The forests were a dark green and numerous small flying creatures could be seen swooping in and out of the branches or fluttering about. We came across a small raging river that twisted, turned and splashed around giant boulders as it made its way down towards the ocean.

As we continued, the thick forests turned into savannahs where the local animal life was abundant. Large hairy buffalo-like creatures moved about in herds. Other predatory animals could be seen moving about in the tall grass surrounding those herds. We stopped to observe the circle of life as a pod of raptors crept ever closer to a smaller herd.

The attack was savage but well planned. Three beasts were separated from the rest and the raptors then corralled them into an area of thick brush where they then pounced. Several dozen of the small raptors were soon feasting.

We continued our tour into the DaCuban uplands and were soon flying over a gigantic lake. We flew low over the crystal clear waters where we could see schools of fish swimming near the surface with a flock of birds circling overhead. I found it interesting that life on a planet so distant from Earth could have evolved in such a similar way. I then thought about Hershen and how his race had many human-like qualities. It was a small galaxy.

As we reached the end of the lake, it was being fed by an enormous waterfall. The water fell nearly a thousand meters off a high plateau. Several micro-bursts later we reached the crest and were drifting over the plateau. Life on the plateau had a distinctly different look to it. The animals were larger in scale and lizard-like in appearance. The plateau had a number of craggy rocky outcroppings that were covered with thousands of the five meter long creatures sunning themselves. The daytime temperatures at the higher elevations held at 20 degrees Celsius. The large animals moved about slowly.

We next reached the high country where patches of snow still covered the ground in the shade. As we climbed higher in altitude the temperatures continued to drop and the dark green vegetation gave way to the pristine white snowdrifts. We set down on the second highest of three mountain peaks and looked back down at the sprawling continent below. The air was clear with visibility out to nearly 500 kilometers. The highlands sloped down to the plateaus which then abruptly dropped off down to the savannahs and sprawling jungles before finally meeting up with the ocean. It was a breathtaking sight of natural beauty.

After a brief stay we headed toward the tallest peak to circle around it before heading back. We moved in close as we drifted and I discussed the scenery with Hershen. I told him he should set descriptions of the place in his head so that he could use them in his storytelling back home. He said that on the surface that sounded like a wonderful idea but in reality I was the only one who ever heard his stories, and since I had been there... well the descriptions were already known.

As we drifted close to the back side of the highest mountain peak I took notice of a strange formation in the rocks. It was a small area of only several hundred meters but the formation was made of definite geometric shapes. They were heavily weathered and were not something that nature had created. We circled in and landed on a flat snow covered surface that was about 50 meters square.

Several large fallen boulders covered what would have been the center of a back wall. We set out suits to minimum and then used our gravity pulse guns to push the rocks away. Two large stone doors now stood before us, each seven meters in height.

Intricate carvings could be seen on the weathered stone as we stepped closer. They were symbols of different species of beings. There were four rows on each door with each row having three different symbols. The center symbol on the third row of the right door had a remarkably human resemblance. A six-eyed Kurtz figure stood one positions to the right; to the left stood a Waffen. On the row above was a Nickarian with a Gidden and a Jessian on either side. The three symbols at the top of the right door had been obscured by weathering as were the three on top of the left door.

As we gazed upon the left door we spotted a Frekkin that was accompanied by a Borten and a Por Hollis. We took note that the archway surrounding the doors had a number of smaller symbols on it. I called to our science team with the order for them to come immediately. As we waited I did a scan with my BGS computer which placed an age estimate on the doors of nearly 70,000 years.

When the team arrived they were stunned by our discovery. Over our links to AMP Command back on Earth we heard of a large scientific expedition being put in the works. We were to stay and to study what we could, without disturbing the site further, until the full team arrived.

As we turned back to the doors I wondered of the significance of the twelve symbols on each massive door. The archway had symbols of 36 other species. As I scanned in each of the smaller symbols I grabbed Hershen's attention when I came to one that was a Barhoo. Their squid-like appearance and four cartoonish eyes were unmistakable.

When I completed the scan I stepped back and Hershen made a remark as he gestured towards the doors. He saw 12 species on the right who in his mind were representative of the good in the galaxy and the twelve on the left represented evil. He guessed the 36 encompassing the archway were lesser species or perhaps only pawns in whatever game was laid out before us.

His observations were astute and his interpretation convincing. As our science team landed and approached the doors, I asked Hershen to repeat to them what he had just said. The others fell silent as they gazed upon the ancient doors. Harris then got immediately to work, decoding the other symbols that adorned the walls surrounding the site.

As the science team quietly discussed our findings I ordered the Saxon to our location. Minutes later it was hovering in front of me just above the flat surface area. When I turned back to the team, excluding Harris, they were all staring at the doors. Harris called out that the carvings were also on the surface floor.

We each powered up our gravity guns with the setting on low and gently pushed the snow and ice out from the rock wall and over the edge of the surface; it fell for a thousand meters. The surface was adorned with the same symbols from the door with several differences. Each of the beings depicted on the surface were lying prostrate towards the door. It was as if each was bowing before the almighty.

Just in front of each surface symbol was a metallic ring with a clear stone in the center. We spent hours discussing what it might be before turning our discussions back towards the doors. We had been given orders to not disturb the site until the full science team arrived. It was an order that would require our patience for 62 days. I looked at Hershen and remarked that I was never one to be patient.

We each put our gravity guns at a setting higher than before and took aim at the massive doors. To our surprise the air surrounding the doors rippled as some type of field prevented our pulses from interacting. We turned our settings higher and again our attempts at moving the large stones were repelled.

I set my pulse level to maximum and felt a hand grab my shoulder. It was Hershen and he said that he felt this was unwise. I remarked that wise would not open the door, I turned back and fired. The pulse was again repelled but this time a pulse of equal magnitude was returned.

I was knocked hard backwards, sliding across the flat surface area and then over the edge. As I regained my senses I was looking down at the ground below that was fast approaching. With only a second to spare, I fully activated my suit and swooped out away from a rocky death as my BHD pulled me to safety. Seconds later I had returned to the surface and was standing next to Hershen. I asked him to remind me again in the future of what was not wise if I tried to do something similar. He nodded his head in agreement.

We spent most of the day talking about the symbols and what they could mean. Someone, or something, had been aware of our existence long before any of our species were advanced enough to move out into space. I wondered about how the technology of others might have evolved in those 70,000 years. For Man, travel to the stars, had only taken a few thousand years since we had first begun to write. Hershen could not comment on the Kurtz as they had no history beyond that which the Frekkin had given them, nearly 4,000 years of Frekkin rule had wiped it away.

As we continued to ponder, the DaCuban night descended as the twin suns moved over the horizon. It would be thirteen hours before we again saw their light. But the DaCuban night was not dark as the third star in the system shined brightly in the night sky. Alnitak c was in an orbit that brought light to the world on which we stood. In another 500 years it would be just another small twinkle in the night sky.

When the suns set the temperatures dropped to 40 degrees below zero. With our helmets deployed our BGS suits kept us toasty and warm. We sat in a large circle kicking around ideas as to what we could do next. As the discussions continued I stood and walked over to the prostrate human symbol on the surface.

As I looked at the pictograph a thought entered my head. I knelt down beside the symbol and then stretched out my arms just as it depicted. Nothing happened. In curiosity Hershen soon joined me. He wanted to know what it was that I was attempting to do.

I tried several more times but nothing came of my efforts. Hershen then suggested that I should once again begin the gesture, and this time I should situate myself directly over the symbol. My hands should be outstretched to the ring before me. Again I tried the gesture but nothing happened.

We continued our attempts as the science team watched-on from their circle. Giggles could soon be heard after each attempt. I reached out to the clear stone in the center of the ring and then moved my gloved fingers across it. As I did so the second time I could feel something pushing back on my hand as if to push it away from the stone.

I stared at it for several seconds and then pulled the glove off my left hand. The frigid air quickly took hold as the pain of the cold shot through the nerves in my hand. I placed it squarely down on the stone and was dismayed when nothing happened. When I tried to withdraw it I realized that it had become frozen to the bitter cold stone. I could feel the cold spreading through my fingers as they began to freeze solid. In less than minute I would lose my entire hand.

A strange light then appeared below my fingers. A faint red glow soon warmed them and my hand was released from the stone. The red glow remained as I quickly put on my glove. I looked over at Hershen and then back at the stone as the red glow faded. I repeated the process with the same result.

Hershen then stepped over to the Kurtz symbol. He knelt down before its ring and then removed both gloves from his hands. He then stretched out, again in a prostrate position. When he brought both hands down on the stone before him the warm red glow appeared. This time however, he did not remove his hands.

As he lay bowed towards the great door the warm red light of the stone continued to grow in intensity. Soon after it began to pulsate with bright white flashes and following shortly after bright lights appeared around the seams of the great doors.

In less than a minute the great doors began to slide backwards into the mountain. When they reached a position nearly five meters deep they came to a stop. Hershen continued to lie with his hands on the stone. The bright lights surrounding the stone then began to fade. As the light on his stone faded Hershen could feel the cold returning to them. He sat back up and put on his gloves.