NEBULAR Collection 6 - The Great Tremor: Episodes 27 - 30 Read online

  »We threw the probe out of the ship,« Klori’Tar rejoiced. Verzimut did it! He’s the best robot in the universe!«

  Klori’Tar hugged the robot and petted him.

  »He should’ve a waited a bit. Maybe Morgotradon would’ve given us more information while in a state of self-overestimation,« Kuster~Laap criticized.

  »Verzimut didn’t destroy the probe. He transferred it into tachyon space. There, the polarization has no meaning. While he was gloating and threatening us, the probe constantly scanned us and the ship. He had already obtained way too much information. It was high time to act. Verzimut also modified the portal’s security features.«

  Arkroid nodded slowly.

  »The robot acted correctly,« Arkroid acknowledged. »Although, Morgotradon obtained his information from a degenerated Kokradian, he still doesn’t have the information required to split the alternative time lines and select the right one. His intrusion, if I might say so, only served to gain a clearer picture of the future.«

  »There are differences how the Future-thinkers perceive their predictions,« Pi remarked. »Remember what Boiltos said on Kug. He knew that we were coming to Kug, but he didn’t know how many and who of us and …«

  »… he also didn’t exactly know if we were friend or foe,« Arkroid finished Pi’s sentence.

  Morgotradon is struggling with this temporal blur until the real future becomes his present.

  »Hmm … he then had the opportunity to complete his puzzle,« Paafnas whispered and climbed on Herimos’ shoulders. »He took the moment of surprise to his advantage to even his shortfalls. Now he knows everything about us and can adjust his plans accordingly.«

  Toiber Arkroid pondered for a moment then he said with a smile, waiving his index finger, »No … he doesn’t know everything!«

  Don’t give up

  »There’s no other ship in this solar system. My Cobalt Hunter would’ve found it. Morgotradon must’ve located us via the tachyon portal. He broke through my defenses after several attempts.«

  Klori’Tar had finished the analysis concerning the attack on his ship. He was certain that the new security measures would stand up to another attempt by Morgotradon.

  »Where’s the Techno-Ferry,« Pi asked and earned some uncertain looks. »I assume that Nautilus retreated from the immediate vicinity of the sun as the constant collision with anti-matter particles is draining the ship’s energy supplies.«

  »The ship is probably waiting outside the system,« Herimos suggested. »Nautilus knows the safe sectors by now.«

  »We need the ship close to us,« Arkroid demanded. »When Klori’Tar’s anti-pol weapon is used and the experiments is successful then we don’t have much time out there. The sun’s emissions are very dangerous. Nautilus has to transfer us inside to protect us from the sun’s anti-matter emissions.«

  »You’re still convinced that your insane idea will work?« Klori’Tar asked.

  Arkroid nodded.

  »We have no other choice. This links to the murky part of the future. No Future-thinker can imagine this action. Morgotradon knows what happened to his star base. The energy field around his probe proved that. He’s, however, not expecting us to find a quick way out of our bad situation.«

  »Verzimut analyzed the probe thoroughly. We could try to modify our defense shields,« Klori’Tar suggested. »Verzimut can do that for us and build a special generator …«

  »… we don’t have time for these types of experiments,« Arkroid interrupted with a wave of his hand. I don’t want to rely on an energy shield for the rest of my life. No more hugs and kisses from the wife and children! I can’t live like that! He pondered for a moment before he continued, »Morgotradon needed a long time to modify the probe. If the energy shield had been practical and safe enough then he certainly would’ve attacked us on Kug already. No, I don’t see any other way.«

  Arkroid lowered his eyes for a moment before he looked up to Klori’Tar again.

  »Tell Verzimut to do his best to modify the anti-pol weapon so that it can fully penetrate and transform the target object. I’ll be the first one to undergo this procedure. If the experiment works then the others will follow suit, including you, Klori’Tar.«

  »I didn’t think that you’re a bunch of people with death wishes, when I met you the first time,« Klori’Tar croaked.

  He looked at Verzimut, who, a moment later, shot a bundle of his strings into a dark maintenance shaft and disappeared, by quickly pulling himself along.

  Vasina looked after the robot pondering, and then she said, »The Jamal-Combs are pretty useless to Morgotradon at the moment. Provided your plan works, Toiber, how do we find Morgotradon? He has a vague idea where we are, but how do we find his location?«

  »We make use of the probe’s tachyon aura,« Kuster~Laap butted in. »The link should still be recorded in this ship’s portal. This way we can determine from which portal the probe was sent.«

  Arkroid smiled audaciously. »Exactly!«

  »It could also be part of his plan to lure us into a trap,« Paafnas warned while licking over his huge eyeballs, »by leaving a trail for us to follow. He knows that a tachyon aura can be traced.«

  »Hmm … I see another futuristic murkiness, Toiber, eh?« Herimos winked.

  Arkroid nodded determined and activated his comm-device with which he wanted to contact the Techno-Ferry.

  »Nautilus … can you read me?«

  Nautilus answered promptly. The comm-link was heavily distorted and scrambled, but the ship was at least audible.

  »I’m maintaining a position shielded from Kug’s radiation and am using my anti-detection technology as best as possible as you commanded. I’m waiting for your orders, Toiber.«

  Lai Pi grinned and shook his head.

  »You pre-arranged that?« he asked Arkroid.

  »Nautilus was always close by, did you doubt that?« Arkroid replied. »The rest lies with us!«

  »I just hope that the weapon array of our good friend over there,« Herimos nodded at Klori’Tar, »is as flexible as he wants us to believe. He can now demonstrate how a deadly weapon can be used for something good.«

  »Verzimut is already working on the necessary modifications. I can’t give you any guarantees, however. This is the first time that something like this was ever tried,« Klori’Tar remarked nervously.

  Arkroid nodded.

  »In case I won’t make it, Pi will take over the lead. Nautilus will respect his status. If the experiment fails then you need to rely on Klori’Tar’s alternative. Just promise me one thing: Don’t give up!«

  All team members, including Kuster~Laap, his bodyguards and Klori’Tar agreed, except the replication, who displayed a devilish grin. Everybody knew what she was hoping for.

  You’re a brave humanoid

  It’s difficult to explain weightlessness to somebody who has never experienced it, Arkroid thought. Inside the ship, I have solid flooring underneath my feet, a reference which suggests to me what’s up and down. Out here, this reference is missing. I have the impression of falling into an abyss …

  The galaxy was spinning and turning before Arkroid’s eyes. However, it was Toiber Arkroid who was spinning and tumbling around his axis, caused by a clumsy jump into space from one of the Cobalt Hunter’s airlocks.

  I could’ve done that better, Arkroid cursed himself. They’re probably laughing about me right now.

  He was trying to suppress his nausea as the picture changed rapidly before his eyes: Cobalt Hunter, then Nautilus, the planet Kug, some stars and over again …

  Man … I’m … spinning … really fast … I need to … find a farther away focal point or I’m … going to throw up!

  »How are you doing out there? Are you trying to drill a new hole into the universe?« he heard Maya’s voice via the comm-link.

  »It’s better than it looks,« he pretended, swallowing hard to keep his energy bar, make-shift breakfast down, which he had twenty minutes prior. »The view’s stunning! But I thi
nk, I’m going to hurl any moment.«

  »Stabilize yourself and focus on a solid point in the distance,« Maya replied with a chuckle. »Why don’t you use your stabilizer fields from your suit or are you obsessed with Marygorounds?«

  Arkroid huffed and finally activated the stabilizer fields. His rotation became less and suddenly stopped altogether. He could clearly see the Messy-Unit in front of him. It seemed as if someone from the crew waved at him from one of the many observation bubbles.

  I’m imagining things, he scolded himself. You’re safe inside the ship while I’m out here in the void.

  »That’s better, Toiber,« Pi announced. »Klori’Tar will pull back a little bit to maneuver the ship to a more suitable position. We need to consider the optimal weapon’s range and keep a safe distance from you.«

  Arkroid frowned.

  What for or for whom do I do all this? he asked himself while the ship moved away from him. Am I doing this to save the Earth and the galaxy from Morgotradon and his charges? No … I want to return home and hug my wife and my little daughter. It would drive me insane, knowing that I could never come home again.

  Arkroid had the impression that the Messy-Unit was moving away faster than required, almost like being catapulted away.

  Wow, that thing is fast! he thought amazed.

  The ship had shrunk to a small dot in the distance, only Nautilus had remained at a safe distance from Arkroid. The Techno-Ferry’s defense shields were glowing brightly against the black backdrop of space.

  Arkroid closed his eyes. He felt like a convict in front of the executioner. He knew that the polarized energy field from the weapon was invisible for Human senses.

  I won’t even see it coming! he thought in waiting.

  »Verzimut did his best to modify the weapon system. You can still change your mind, Toiber Arkroid,« Klori’Tar announced. It seemed, however, that Klori’Tar didn’t expect a response from him.

  A moment of silence.

  »Tell me one thing before you activate the weapon, Klori’Tar. This weapon with its unbelievable flexibility and so forth …«

  »What do you want to know?« Klori’Tar croaked.

  »It’s Verzimut, right? He’s in control of the system and constantly tweaks the ship.«

  Arkroid was breathing heavier, but didn’t get a direct answer.

  »You’re a brave humanoid,« Klori’Tar just replied respectfully. »I believe now that you are a Protector! Ready yourself! The anti-pol weapon fires in: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 …«

  Suddenly, a strong electrocution-like jolt went through Arkroid’s body. Flames enveloped his defense shield. The brightness blinded him. He screamed aloud. The last thing he noticed before he fell unconscious was a strong, overpowering jerk …

  Merinians don’t follow conventional thoughts

  That’s how the end looks! Arkroid thought perplexed. Death comes with a bright light! It’s quick with a short pain, not leaving me time to think. It electrifies my body, suppressing all resistance. Death is final. There’s no room for discussion …

  You’re not dead! a clear voice entered Arkroid’s mind. We’ll fix that. You broke your hip, an injury which can be repaired in a jiffy nowadays.

  What happened, Arkroid inquired in pain.

  Why did you follow the urge to impress your fiancé? Why did you use this difficult ski run down the steepest slope? Every child knows that Merinians cannot compete in this field with surface born people due to their different way of life and bone density. You would’ve needed extended training and exercise beforehand. You should’ve picked water ski or cliff diving. I think you’re one of these stubborn, know-it-all Merinians who won’t listen to good advice, Mr. Arkroid!

  Arkroid moaned and squinted into the bright light. He was lying in a hospital bed. On a table beside the bed stood a tall water glass with a bright glowing sea anemone.

  That figures, other people get flowers, but Merinians don’t follow conventional thought and always do things differently, the voice in Arkroid’s head mocked. You’ll be up and running … uh … swimming again in no time ...

  Wait a second, Arkroid thought irritated. Something doesn’t rhyme here. This happened many years ago, ten years to be exact! This … this is the same hospital bed from which I wanted to propose to my – then – girlfriend.

  Relax, take time out. As soon as you’re back together we’ll talk about everything, the mental voice said.

  Relax? I can’t lie here in bed, Arkroid thought alarmed. I need to get out of this dream!

  You’re not dreaming, the voice rebutted. This is Nautilus; you’re on board the ship, Toiber. I allowed myself to use this scene of your memory to pull you out of your neuronal shock.

  »Welcome on board, Toiber,« Nautilus greeted him verbally. »The experiment was successful and you survived the re-polarization well. You were briefly unconscious due to the neuronal shock. I needed to implant a positive thought into your mind to awake you.«

  Arkroid coughed a couple of times before he replied, »Of everything else in my memory, you had to pick the skiing accident when I broke my hip. What would you’ve picked in case of reciting a bad memory?«

  »According to what I sensed, this was one of the most memorable things in your life, Toiber,« Nautilus defended himself.

  »It’s all good, Nautilus,« Arkroid smiled. »You’re right. My wife proposed to me at my bed side. Do you understand? She proposed … not me as it should’ve been. I was more or less immobilized in bed and couldn’t move a limb.«

  »I don’t know all your rituals,« Nautilus admitted, »but when you awoke you murmured something that would explain this situation.«

  Arkroid supported himself on his elbows then he wiped his hand over his hair and face.

  »What did I say?« he inquired.

  »Well … you said: Merinians don’t follow conventional thoughts and traditions.«

  »Huh, huh!« Arkroid laughed out loud before he commanded, »Please, contact the Messy Unit and tell the others about our successful experiment.«

  »Already done, Toiber!« Nautilus acknowledged.

  »If possible, please, recreate the sea anemone with the glass and make it a 3D projection on one of the walls here in the command central. I’d really like that.«

  »As you wish, Toiber!«

  Seconds later an oversized, flat 3D picture appeared on the wall. It seemed to Toiber Arkroid much more realistic than the one he’s seen beside his bed ten years ago.

  That’s a good idea

  »It worked … it really worked!« Klori’Tar croaked excited via the comm-link. »I thought that nothing was left of you, just a cloud of high energy photons!«

  Arkroid grimaced.

  »I was lucky,« he replied. »The transformation wasn’t that easy, though. Nautilus recorded everything. Besides neurological complications, the person to be transformed needs to be brought to safety immediately. My defense shield had broken down just before Nautilus rescued me. There were some strong matter-anti-matter reactions, which you possibly recorded, due to the increasing anti-matter particle wind from the star. We hadn’t noticed it, but we were gradually charged up to higher anti-matter potentials. Verzimut needs to assess that! I wouldn’t have made it, if it weren’t for the ship’s strong traction field.

  »Verzimut made the adjustments already,« Pi advised. »This is the least of our problems, considering.«

  »What’s worse than being annihilated?« Arkroid mocked.

  »Well … matter and anti-matter exists because of exact opposite interactions between weak and strong nuclear forces, if you get my drift,« Pi explained. »It is not enough to make a minus to a plus or vice versa. The particle charges, rotation as well as the quark colors must be exact for the nuclear forces to interact or react accordingly.«

  Arkroid swallowed hard.

  »If not, then what?« he replied with a rough voice.

  »Your body’s atoms wouldn’t be stable and disperse due to the push-pull actions of the protons,« anoth
er voice explained with a gurgle. Klori’Tar seemed to like these sorts of mind games. »No worries, Verzimut considered it, otherwise you couldn’t discuss this issue anymore.«

  »I feel much safer already,« Pi remarked sarcastically.

  »Who’s next?« Klori’Tar inquired.

  Herimos replied almost instantly, »We’re next!«

  »We?« the replication objected bitterly.

  »Of course! You’re coming with me!« Herimos insisted with a growl. »If you make it, then Maya doesn’t need to fear for her safety.«

  The replication kept ranting and complaining.

  »We’ll do it together!« Maya cut the replication’s outburst short.

  Arkroid couldn’t see the replication’s astonished face as he was only connected to the Messy-Unit by means of an audio link, but he had a vivid imagination.

  »Huh … you can’t impress me with this move, sister!« the replication hissed.

  »May I suggest something?« Nautilus interjected. »I’d advise to anesthetize each person before the transfer, this might limit the effects of the neuronal shock.«

  »That’s a good idea!« Klori’Tar agreed. »If there are any complications, then you won’t feel it anymore, hee, hee …«

  Arkroid briefly closed his eyes. Sometimes, Klori’Tar displayed a strange humor. He cleared his throat and said, »I think that’s a great idea!«

  I remain aboard the ship

  The replication looked astounded as she woke up inside Nautilus’ command central. Moments later, however, her eyes were cold and hard again. Herimos was standing beside her and checked her ties. Her hateful glances were answered by him with a deep growl. She tore at her tie-ups, but gave it up after a while.

  »I hope that your pelt lice didn’t transform so they can suck your blood with their anti-matter teeth!« she hissed at him.

  »It’s obvious that only her atoms were transformed. Her character hasn’t changed a bit!« Pi noticed. »We should talk to Verzimut if he can change that.«

  Maya, who had awoken at the same time as her replication, supported herself on her elbows and seemed to ponder.