Erica Olafson Adventures of the Tigershark Vol 7 Chapter 14 Kilkam
- 4 years ago
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“Circuit, are you there?”
“Yes, Captain but there are green vapor things in Engineering.These things affecting the injector spear blades of both Chandelier diverters. We can’t tap TransDim energies right now and I switched to secondary power.”
“Can we still lift off?”
“Not at the moment Captain. Most of my engineering crew is acting weird and two have pulled the auxiliary reactor down into maintenance cycle.
I need to contain them and get the reactors back up. We are on battery power now!”
“SHIP here. Intruder Alerts issued at Translocator stations. Intruder Alert on the Bridge. Crew members are affected in some way and do not respond to orders!”
“Activate all Intruder containment systems and flood all decks with Paralysator Rays.”
Har-Hi collapsed next to me.
“SHIP lift off into space with ArtiGrav. Even if it costs all energy.Alpha Order.”
Through the Airlock viewport of the I.S.T shaft I was still in I saw us gain altitude and a huge mass of green ghosts remaining behind.
“Who is still with me. Headcount now.”
SHIP responded. “Narth, Circuit, TheOther, Xon, Dusty, me and Suit. Everyone else is stunned, Captain.”
Xon contacted me seconds later.”We made it into space, Captain.”
I activated the I.S.T. manually and went to the Auxiliary Bridge. The small secondary bridge was designed to guide the ship if the main bridge was destroyed or otherwise unusable.
“SHIP transfer all Bridge functions here.”
Narth appeared out of thin air and said. “The Ghosts use massive internal Psionic suggestive attacks on the crew. Suggesting them to activate the TransDim engines while on the Planet.”
“That would destroy the ship and half that world,” I said.
“I thought we were psionically shielded?” Said TheOther as he arrived on the bridge.
Narth responded. “Only from the outside. Those ghosts use their powers slipping inside the bodies and thus gain control. They can’t affect anything material themselves, they need others to do it for them.” “How many Ghosts are on board?”
SHIP responded.” Unable to determine. As they do not register on my sensors other than visual.”
Suit said.”I am sorry for the delay but I had to reconfigure my sensors substantially to detect anything.”
“Go ahead.”
“These beings appear to exist on two planes of existence at once. Most of their essence is in another dimension, but a part is here. I believe I can establish communication via TransDim. It is how they communicate with each other.”
“Alright. See if you can, I need to talk to them.”
Suddenly a dozen green shapes appeared on the Auxiliary bridge coming through walls and the floor and approached me fast. Instinctively I backed up, but they were faster. It was not fear but anger that made me yell.”Back off!”
The approaching green vapors dispersed like cigar smoke. I was glad Suit did something to keep me free of those things. I was planning to thank it later.
A few heartbeats later the Seenian suit said. “They should be able to hear you. I added the data of the projections translation data.”
“I am Captain Olafson and you are violating and attacking us. I will find a way to destroy you if you do not cease all hostile activities at once.”
“They can communicate with us.” A multi-voice chorus responded at once.” We are heard.”
“You better believe it. I assume you are the Antoo. I will not repeat my warning. Cease hostilities now.”
“There is no greater service you could render us by destroying us. Some of us have already gone to blissful nothingness because of you. This is no threat but a reward and incentive to increase our efforts.”
But then there was a single voice. “It will still doom the ones on our planet to remain in their state. These strangers have knowledge and technology of the Upward way and we should cooperate and plead for mercy.”
The Chorus spoke.” This is true. You always have been the voice of warning and we did not listen, we will listen to you now and do as you suggest. Speak with them and let them help us.”
The single voice now addressed me.” You, Stranger Olafson. I am Ohtbeer and yes we are the Antoo. We made a terrible mistake. Please do not leave this world and let us suffer.
Let me tell you about our fate and if you then have it within you to help we will be most grateful. If not we will let you go unharmed and return to our world to wait for another eternity.”
“Alright, I am listening. But be assured I rather blow this ship into bits and deny you any access to anything that way before I let you force anything on us.”
“Our desperation knows no limits and was the cause for our actions. We were unable to communicate directly with any one of your plane of existence. Now that you found a way to communicate our hopes are high you might find a way to end our suffering.”
“I suggest you start talking. We have limited time as my ship needs its crew and energy.”
“As you know our name and communicate in our language we are certain you found our message we left behind and know some of our history. We were an old and inward-looking species. We abandoned space exploration long before the Seenian Queen fought her own son.
Our scientists believed they found a way to escape all violence and all corporeal needs of this plane by opening a gate into the Upward Plane and transfer our very essence into a new dimension.
A benevolent and wise traveler told us about the mystical Narth who managed to do so. It became an obsession of ours because there we would be free and develop into a new society unbound by death and all the limitations of this plane.
Narth listening in shook his head and spoke quietly in my mind.”What foolishness blinded a whole society. The needs change, they are not eliminated and death is present in all spheres of the Omniverse.”
The voice originating apparently originating from a pale green vapor hovering by the access door.
The Seenians were defeated by their own hand little remained of a once proud and powerful star empire. The remaining survivors went many ways. Some gathered in ships to leave this galaxy, others tried to cling on pieces of the old empire and revive it to past glories under various beings claiming leadership rights.”
“You are members of the Celtest alliance?” I asked.
“No, we refused to join. We are non-violent and we did not want to choose a side, but we knew the Seenians for a long time.”
“Your society had contact with them, so I gather.”
“Yes, Olafson and when the son of the last queen, Imperius Morgal the Cruel got hold of a cosmic weapon he slew his own mother and destroyed what was Seenian. The weapon twisted his mind and he destroyed much of his own followers, planets and military might before whatever found consumed him.”
“How do the Antoo ghosts fit in all of this?”
“As I told you, a group of surviving Seenians decided to leave this Galaxy. Before they left, however, they placed a considerable stash of Seenian tech and scientific knowledge in a Cache and gave it to us. Among these things was a weapon that used transdimensional technology. While we had no use for weapons, our scientists developed the Upward gate.
Our research concluded that we had to make this transfer to a non-corporeal/entity without our bodies, and send only our essence.
After many thousand years of research, our scientists claimed they found a way to dematerialize our brains and with this breakthrough we were ready to leave. All wanted t leave, except me. I was one of the scientists and warned of the untested technology developed on theories alone
I was not ready to give up my corporeal existence on the shouted and for true declared theories that long ceased to be science but religion.
I argued that even if the transfer would go exactly as planned, we did not know what would await us in the Upper Plane. Could there not be others already and perhaps not welcoming us?
But my objections were dismissed as heresy and I was silenced by robbing me of a public platform. The idea of becoming a new species all mind and nobody became a religion to us.
The few voices of critique fell silent, either intimidated or right out squashed.
I was exiled and excluded from it all.
They build the machine and made the journey, only it did not work as planned. The transfer only moved some of our essences into Upper Space, a part remained on this plane. Now we are stuck between two dimensions and cannot act in either. The state causes us much pain, pain you cannot get used to because there is nobody that could adjust. Nothing physical was able to affect us and death could no longer find us. Since I was in exile and far away when they changed the matter of our brains. More of me remained on this side.
After many thousand years I managed to develop weak telekinetic abilities. Able to affect matter, but on a very small scale only. the passage of time is the greatest pain if you cannot sleep or rest if your mind cannot go insane because it cannot alter its state. Can you imagine how it is not to rest, not to read play or work, not to do anything but be during a time it takes our world to circle its sun five hundred thousand times?”
Suit’s audio link was loud enough for everyone to hear. Dusty said as silently as he could. “I can. I drifted through deep space for even much longer believing I was all alone.”
The voice did not hear Dusty’s comment and continued. “The Seenians created this cache to be used by their daughters to rise again and be wiser stewards of the technological advances.
I was able to activate a Seenian device and establish a communications link to other surviving Seenian installations. One such installation was apparently created to direct seekers to this inheritance, I was able to alter the original message to direct whoever found that installation to this planet, but even after many centuries no one seemed to find their way to this message giver. I used the communication device again and found one such Seenian depot under the control of a young and growing society.
It took me many hundred years to learn to control this device. Seenian technology was and is very much alien to me.
Without hands or real eyes, it is hard to learn, but I managed to instruct an active robot at that far away base to construct a Hypno suggestive device. This time I did not have to wait too long. A living being found this device, and I suggested great treasure and rewards await if to come here.
I suggested that he bring along many others, in the hope we could occupy their bodies and either affect our death or resume research with physical hands and eyes to end our state of misery.
Now they came and we found that one ship is different from the others. Upward technology, your ship is full of it. Its ver engines tap into the other plane. Your weapons are much like the Seenian weapon we used as a base for our Upward Gate technology.
This is our story and now we are at your mercy.”
Narth spoke first.”You made several critical errors, the most important one you overlooked time. Even at an altered stated your minds still carry the time of this plane. Your very concept of time is linear with one reference point as past and one as future. Time has omnidirectional in hyperspace and yet different definitions in other universes. Another grave error is the attempt to open the gate from this plane.
What Union science calls transdimensional technology is utilizing the veil between Dimensional alternative realities. It is a true void nothing can or does exist there, except pure energy.”
“You know all this?”
“Certainly, I am Narth.”
“The ones the Seenians said were successful. We no longer care if we reach the other side or die in either. But we must find a way to end our current state.”
“There is a way to send the rest that is here to the other side. For this, we must have full access to all our ship. I will only assist if my Captain orders it so. I further issue this warning. I completed my assessment and Narth is very capable of adding to your pain. Know this, Narth is part of this crew and your actions are a clear declaration of hostilities.”
Narth’s eyes glowed brighter and he said with a much deeper voice.”Let me demonstrate.”
One of the greenish vapors started to wave and flicker and we all could hear an agonized scream.
“Have mercy, Narth. Have mercy! We can’t close our eyes to the horrors you sent into our minds.”
“Then do what our Captain demands.”
“Please return to our world’s surface so we can leave your vessel and we will hope for your help.”
I doubt my eyes would have stayed dry, even in a sandstorm on Alvor’s Cove when I saw her. There she was, the USS Tigershark. Repaired, refurbished and upgraded. Now I knew why the destroyer was shaped the way it was. It did not fit inside, but it docked right at the Tigershark’s belly. The biggest visible changes were the docking clamps for the Destroyer and the changes to the landing gear. Circuit had used mechanical arms and special tractor guide beams to dock the Apparition. To my...
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The Stellaris scientist-led us through several connecting tube tunnels and stopped at another airlock module. Space is limited, unfortunately, and we can’t accommodate Nul or ... is that a Y’All?” I put a firm tone in my voice.”Is there a problem with that?” “Oh no, I voted for their admission. I just noticed the Ensign rank insignia and wondered how it managed to get to be an officer that fast.” “He joined the Union as an individual ahead of his kind. This is Ensign TheOther, a valued...
The thing didn’t move. Narth said. “I am holding it. It is strong but not unmanageable. “SHIP called. “The asteroid has revealed previously unknown weaponry. It is taxing our shields to almost 20 percent. ““Are you in danger?” “Oh, no captain. That tech is quite advanced, and I think it is Orlan but Mao took those weapons out with kilo loads. I was just reporting. “I dialed my TKU to 10 and said. “It’s going to get mighty hot in here. Narth your shields are on, right?” “No, captain. I...
The woman that stepped through a shimmering portal of dark red light, had dark grey skin, long white hair and wore a skimpy outfit which was an odd combination of bikini, medieval armor, and wispy veils. Her eyes had no pupils but glowed in the same dark red light as the now dissipating portal. Stahl suddenly remembered Sunday school and stopped himself to actually make the sign of the cross. However, he was never really intimidated, by anyone. The Eternal Warrior got up, like the old...
The words of the Pale Ones almost seemed to linger as a hushed silence took hold of the assembled Dai. It appeared everyone was waiting for the Cam’s response. Completely out of character for a usual stern and serious Dai Than, Elf-Na grinned. It was an evil smile no doubt. “And I intend to do just that, but not in the arena. The Arena is sacred and for Dai Than only. You question my word calling that traitorous Hi tribe, Okthi and reject it. I reject his declaration that this Union female,...
Lia and her crew of outcasts, dropped out of Quasi-space at a star system eighteen light-years from the trans-spatial gate. According to her admittingly outdated information, this was the homeworld of the Farnok. They were hailed almost immediately and after a few moments, Squack language communications were established, confirming the fact, that this was not the first trans-galactic contact. The being appearing on the viewer was covered with short brown fur and had general similarities...
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The Thauran now known as Red Dragon cursed at the Situation and cursed his Sensor Operator.”You said you detected the Silver Streak in Orbit. Where is it?” “I swear to you it was there one second and now it’s gone. I think she went over the Pole. Adjusting for magnetic interference now.” “What a worthless idiot are you? Is she there or not?” “No Captain I cannot detect her ship anywhere in the system, maybe our Sensors were damaged.” “Of course your sensors are damaged. She can’t simply...
I had been in deep space before and knew how cold space was. Yet standing here on that frozen plane with these bizarre tooth or needle-shaped rock formations, with a bright star just over the horizon giving it all a bluish shine, made it look colder than anything I had seen before and I came off a very cold world myself. Not that I felt any of it, I wore a disguised Atas battle suit, made to look like a piece of undefinable alien hardware and I also wore Tyron Suit. While he assured me I...
Har-Hi had finished his report and waited for Stahl’s response. There was none, at least not right away. The Old Admiral was staring at the Dai and then wiped his mouth. “You guys found the source of the Y’All?” “Yes, Sir we are quite confident that the Crucible is indeed that source. Along with my verbal report, I have transmitted all data we were able to gather. “While we are all confident, our Captain will succeed in destroying this source. She felt that this was a number too big for...
Deep in the bowels of Quarva, Meeze reached a rock chamber, no outsider had seen since the Mara had left so long ago, There was very little light, the faint lumination that came from dim glowing mushrooms did little to reveal more than vague shadows. Meeze had little need for light, his species was well adapted to dark places and lightless crevices. There in the darkness, something big lingered, then moved and shifted. A malleable, mass oozing with stringy goo shifted its position and a...
We didn’t have to fight the Merrimac destroyer. The mercenaries immediately signaled surrender. They all were Union citizens, and according to Hans, checking the files. They did have a notice to appear issued, but were still citizens and not yet charged with anything. The ship was bristling with illegal mil-tech, but it was registered to Nick Harlequin and not to any of the surrendering mercenaries. They also reported the demise of Chucky Harlequin and wanted to know if there was any bounty...
I knew I should have paid more attention to the Laurin Oghr, especially since I knew about the Bunthik subculture. The only excuse I had was the fact that I was drunk, but then this was no excuse because I should not have left my guard down like that in an environment that was less than familiar to me. I should have suspected the presence of more than one spy. If the situation was as serious as I believed it was, the opposing actors namely this Cam Elf-Na would not give up easily. All this...
The USS Braddock swung into orbit around one of the most mysterious worlds in the entire Universe, Narth Prime. She was the first Non-Narth vessel ever to do that in over a thousand years. Captain Mike Anderson was very aware of that. No active scanning was done. He gave strict orders not to activate any probing rays or scanners other than the passive ones needed for spaceship operations. The planet was as unusual as its inhabitants and reputation. It had no visible surface features from...
Hans due to his size and strength was often seen as a bruiser with tremendous strength but little else. This was not the case since he was with the Olafson gang. He was asked about his opinion about other things. The woman across him was about as opposite as a being could be to a Saturnian, she was a Delicate. While Brana was certainly not a member of the original gang, she like the rest became like family. She had just stepped into his security office and without any hesitation floated...
A muscular being covered with a brown shroud came running our way. It had a nonhuman snout sticking out from under his hood. What was exposed of him was covered with a short gray fur. In his right, he held an elegant looking weapon. It appeared to be an energy beamer of sort, he had fired it twice into the direction he was coming from. Now he turned and with it his weapon and he aimed at me. Lucky for me I was close, unfortunate for him, I had already drawn the Dai blade. I moved fast into...
After I was reunited with my friends and my ship we left Karthanian space and returned to the space dock of Fantlemo Brthail. The Karthanian engineer had returned with us. He told us, that with the First Engineer active, the old Guildmasters would be swept away; and he realized that he no longer wanted to be a Guild leader. He rather returned to Itheamh and helped rebuild it and run his space dock. In order to maintain our cover, he reverted to his alter ego of Fantlemo Brthail and only...
The incident with the dust cloud was now over six weeks ago. Down here in completely unexplored space, it really hit home how big our galaxy really was. Back home in the Upward sector with Hyper Highways and Space trains; with known planets and systems and of course with everyone connected to GalNet space did not feel as empty and vast. We had crossed the gap and now steadily went further down the Coreward sector. Our sensors picked up some space traffic now and then, but in general, this...
The Thauran behind the altar thundered with a deep voice.”What is this?” “Itz ze Meeze, stoopiz. Meeze goez now, whenz the Meeze comz backz. Ze girlz Soburz iz bettzer reazy zo goez.” Men drew weapons, none appeared to be of Union origin and aimed it at the Wheeze. One of them said.”I never have seen a creature like that, and I can not identify the hardware it is wearing but it speaks a very garbled version of Union standard.” “Pffz youze triez to doez ze speakiz witz a ringmouz, noz...
I returned to the table where Har-Hi was talking with the former pirate captains and a former Union fleet petty officer, who had dealt with the Worm and now paid the price. “We need to get back to the ship, right away. “Har-Hi didn’t lose a second and got up, tossed a few Iridium coins on the table and was ready to follow me. Lemakr, the Togar said. “What about us, Black Velvet?” “I have all the crew I need and I am in a hurry, figure it out. “I was torn between showing them some sort of...
The disguised Tigershark dropped out of Quasi-Space and as it has become our routine just beyond the utmost Elfi said. “Looks like they had contact with our galaxy before. Communication is now possible. They respond to Squack.” I got up, Har-Hi held my mask. “You should wear it, it is part of your Black Velvet trademark and flair of mystery.” “You think I have that? I mean a flair?” “In spades, Captain and I begin to learn to like this Do suit, complete with mask. It gives me that...
He had been here once before, time of other realms had no meaning here. The ground he stood on, was a polished hard surface of highly reflective properties and stretched into every direction and into infinity. The universe with all its clusters and superstrings reflected in it from the infinite sky above this surface. This was the Plane of Eternity, a place beyond the Omniverse itself. Lumis remembered when he was brought here the first time. Then, he did not listen to the name of Lumis....
This situation reminded me of my first visit to Sin 4. I did not know where I was, brought here against my will. Abducted, stripped of everything I owned. I was once again bare feet, had several blisters and burn wounds. My hair was a mess, at least In didn’t have to go pee. Darn it thinking about it, made realize I actually did. I was still running across that landing field, not knowing where I was going, but I knew I still stuck out like a sore thumb, being the only pin skinned human. The...
I was sitting on the main diagnostic table of our sickbay. Cateria had taken me out of a regen tank just moments ago and was now examining me. “What did you do, Captain? Fight a blast furnace” I could not find the emotions to smile, Tyron’s demise was heavy on my mind. “What I faced was certainly hot enough to melt metal. “Har-Hi was standing outside the privacy bubble and said. “Whatever you guys did, worked the run-away Orlan equipment is inactive and we can no longer detect any random...
The USS Gromsmaro was not a supply transporter and not a unit of the Science Council. She was a full sized, late model Union battleship under the command of Captain Bronbohr, a four meters tall Vvolti. Bronbohr was not the most liked commanding officer in the Union fleet, but there was hardly one more correct or fair. His ship and crew were among the top ten vessels in the entire spatial navy in terms of response to alert times, simulated battle honors, efficiency ratings and so forth. The...
The news of Eric Olafson being on trial had reached Nilfeheim. First noticed by Lars Igvarhein the owner and operator of Nilfeheim Radio. That Eric had become Erica was not widely known, but his legend had grown. Isegrim, Siegfrieda, Exa, and Elenna had traveled to Hogun’s Tavern. The place was packed to standing room only. Hogun had his GalNet terminal active on GalNet One and the system displayed the proceedings on the largest field screen setting possible. Aunt Freydis was assisted by...
The latest development transmitted in the tightly packed guest room of Hogun’s Tavern was greeted with cheers and raised tankards. Gunnar Peerson said. “I guess we only hear now, what a hero our Eric Olafson really is.” “It is the strong arm of an Olafson and the sharp mind of a Ragnarsson paired with the virtues of a true Norse that is at the core of Isegrim’s firstborn that enables such deeds.” Proclaimed another. Isegrim shouted. “Mighty brother Hogun, open barrels and let your kitchen...
Rex Schwartz, now fully aware of his ancient dual personality, known as Invictus Rex had, of course, witnessed the approach and the initial attack of the Tomradi. He was confident, that the latest TransDim shields would hold against anything these aliens could throw at them from surface weapons. The appearance of these huge disc-shaped battleships however caused great concern. He brought along a sizeable army of Seenian Sentmacs. Cloned humans that had been altered to be the perfect...