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

  At first, I believed that the key to his mind was through colors and patterns … things that fascinated the young man. Deep-Brainwave examinations, however, revealed not much I could go with. Although, he reacted to patterns and templates, he re-grouped them, including colors and forms, formulated some sort of an answer, but the way he did it was not considered a language. Needless to say, that my research caused quite some uproar in the scientific community. I couldn’t make any headway. At times, I pulled my hair, trying to teach him rudimentary terms of our language, but to no avail.

  By accident, I was able to move ahead and steer into the right direction. Unconsciously, I touched the palm of his hand, drawing his life lines with my fingertip, trying to make him aware that these lines existed. He reacted to my touch! His fingers and eyes twitched. Although, he didn’t look at me, his face had an inquiring expression. When I touched his arm, his face or his back, I didn’t receive a reaction at all. Only the palms of his hands seemed to open a small window into his world.

  This observation was very exciting to me. Touch! Batu wasn’t able to consciously see or hear me, but he could feel me!

  I needed several weeks to understand that I had found a method to attract Batu’s attention, but I hardly called it communication. We were still lightyears away from the point of conducting a meaningful sign-sense conversation.

  I developed a finger code with which I stimulated his palms by rhythmically touching them. The answers I received didn’t make sense. It felt to me like baby babbling. It might sound strange, but at that time, I didn’t understand that this was exactly the case. It wasn’t Batu who wanted to learn my language … it was he who tried to teach me his language! I was shocked. He didn’t understand what I wanted to say, but he tried very hard to communicate with me.

  I resigned myself to the fact that I had to change tables. Instead of being the teacher, I was now the student! After a while, he made more and more sense. Touch sequences repeated themselves. He associated meanings with things. His speech was, nevertheless, very abstract and impossible to interpret by outsiders. I had to learn to comprehend how he saw his world and how he communicated. It took a long time until we made good progress.

  The first sentence, I was able to interpret without a hitch, shocked and touched me deeply: I’m very happy that I’m not alone in this universe … but where are you?

  One way street

  I can’t accept that! That’s insane! Berga complained loudly without moving his lips. That must be a dream … a nightmare!

  Touns let his shoulders hang down and raised his hands.

  Take a close look at our injuries. I’m wondering why I hadn’t noticed the freezer burns on the skin. It doesn’t make sense. No Human being can live with that … and my mind doesn’t notice it.

  Touns’ hands were deep blue and covered with deep crevices – dead tissue, covering lifeless bones.

  Nevertheless, I can move my hands and arms. I just can’t feel anything, he whispered mentally.

  … but if we’re dead and there’s no atmosphere … then, Berga interrupted and stared at his hands. He now realized what had happened to his body. What are we? Telepathically gifted Zombies?

  Touns displayed an ugly smile. The gums in his mouth had receded, making his teeth look much longer than usual.

  Something like that, he mentally replied sardonically. Zombies on a mission!

  Looks like it, Berga replied without objecting to Touns’ strange humor. You’re right; we’re supposed to do something before our bodies decompose away on us. The strange thing is that I’m not afraid or even care. Is it because I feel no pain?

  No idea, but I feel the same way, Touns admitted. We shouldn’t waste our time. Uma Boos will unleash Hell soon. By then we need to be inside the base!

  Huh … look at this!

  Disgusted, Berga plucked a fingernail from his right index finger and stared at it.

  What’s going to happen if the people in the base see us like this? They won’t believe us and will immediately transport us to the morgue.

  They won’t understand and not only because we cannot speak anymore. That’ll be irrelevant anyway, as soon as Uma executes her plan.

  How do we get to the base? This tunnel is a couple of hundred kilometers long. We can’t make it on foot and there’re no more trains traveling this route.

  I think that’s part of our mission … we need to solve this little problem ourselves.

  Touns raised his boney, ring finger whose flesh had already fallen off. Shocked, he shut up as he saw the tendons of the bones attached to his hand.

  The finger doesn’t look good; Berga swallowed dryly and checked his hands. Uh … I’m sorry that I called us Zombies. That was uncalled for. I just thought …

  It’s not about the finger, I lost my wedding ring! Touns replied irritated. With a choking voice, he continued, I’ve never taken off the ring since I got married. My wife will never forgive me if I come home without it.

  We won’t come home, Touns. You know that. Our mission is a one way street. Ultimate death is waiting for us at the end of the tunnel!

  Touns didn’t say anything for a moment; he listened to the sound of Berga’s mental words.

  You’re right, Berga. I should concentrate on our objective. One word is forming in my mind: Cuckoo-Gene!

  Cuckoo-Gene! Berga repeated. I swear … twenty minutes ago, I didn’t even know that word. Yeah, somehow it came into my mind too.

  Twenty minutes ago, you were still convinced to be alive. Our understanding of the world we know has changed.

  You can say that again, Berga acknowledged. He looked back to the Circle ship in the distance, barely visible under the light conditions, and then looked forward into the seemingly endless tunnel.

  Let’s go!

  Don’t forget whom we’re dealing with

  The service- or maintenance glider travelled very fast along the tube. While most of the team members instinctively clasped the arm rests, Batu didn’t show fear or discomfort. He just looked at his holo display, sometimes looking up when he noticed the fast light reflexes from the outside tunnel lamps as they whooshed by the window. Anything else didn’t seem to exist for him at this time.

  The Techno-Cleric was hovering one meter beside Hassan Khalil and had adapted precisely to the glider’s momentum. At this speed it should not take long until they’d reach the Circle ship.

  »What are we going to do when we arrive at the ship?« Khalil inquired. He became more and more restless. The closer they came to the ship, the more he felt the presence of the strange energy source.

  Tor didn’t reply to Khalil’s question but asked him, »Do you already know what it is?«

  Nexus Tor had interpreted Hassan’s anxiety correctly.

  Khalil shook his head.

  »I don’t know. It’s not good, that much I can say.«

  »Our arrival will very likely provoke the Circle people, we may get attacked,« Tor assumed.

  »It’s possible that the enemy already advanced through the tunnel, since the ship had landed for quite some time,« 40028 remarked. »We probably should slow down. We shouldn’t drive into them. In this case there might not be any negotiation possible.«

  Tor smiled.

  »Batu suggested to stop about two kilometers before the ship and to walk the rest of the distance. My teams didn’t find any sign of extra-terrestrials in the tunnel. They’re still inside the ship. We would smell their auras!«

  While 40028 pondered about how a life energy aura would possibly taste, Khalil concentrated on the ship.

  »The tunnel section in front of us is empty. They didn’t deploy robots as they did on Earth.«

  »I find their behavior strange,« Whisper commented. »First they launch a deceptive maneuver, land here and then they don’t come out.«

  »I bet a month’s wage that the unknown energy source is part of a planetary bomb!« Shark oracled, looking at Khalil in a challenging way.

  Khalil smiled thinl
y.

  »Batu thinks that it isn’t a bomb,« Uta Neheb said, while touching Batu’s palm through specially designed gloves. »He knows that I’m with him.«

  Hassan thought to have caught a smile from Batu whose face was shone upon by the colorful reflections of his 3D display.

  »We’re all with him and protect him!« Coviello said. »He can rely on us!«

  Seconds later, the glider slowed down and came to a stop. The tension among the team members increased. Some of the team unloaded the gliders while the others secured the area. Several instruments were installed to observe the Circle unit and to gather as much information as possible.

  Khalil was impressed about the efficiency of Tor’s team. They knew what they were doing.

  Art Ultimus looked in the direction of the Circle unit.

  »I can faintly see the ship’s hull in the distance. It’s stuck in the ground and slants upward through the tunnel ceiling. It looks as if the ship has suffered some damages and didn’t employ energy protection fields. They crash landed here on purpose! I’ve never seen this before!«

  »Yes,« Khalil whispered. »The ship’s crew is assembling in the lower section. I think they’re about to leave the ship!«

  »How is it possible that you can see through the hull?« Atilla Scott inquired. »Are you like Superman with X-Ray vision?«

  Khalil looked at him, not understanding.

  »I can sense their body heat.«

  »Shark, leave Hassan alone with your remarks,« Chica scolded mildly. »To dive and swim in the oceans without air-tank or diving gear is also out of the ordinary.«

  »Touché!« Atilla Scott nodded at Khalil. His golden, glowing eyes shimmered through the helmet visor. »Well then … they’re leaving the ship and we walk toward them!«

  »So be it,« Tor acknowledged. »We’ll protect you Hassan.«

  »I’m still impressed by your guts and how you want to tackle the situation, don’t forget with whom we’re dealing here.«

  »Don’t worry,« Whisper replied seriously, directly looking into Hassan’s eyes. »We’re well informed. These extra-terrestrials need to be convinced to accept us as equal negotiation partners.«

  Moments later, the team moved on.

  No emissions

  Berga pulled Touns into a dark alcove. The soldiers, who had appeared suddenly and without warning, slowly walked toward the two men.

  Half an hour ago, we wanted to call for help. Now our rescuers are here and we’re hiding. Why?

  Touns nodded. He understood what Berga wanted to say.

  My instinct tells me not to make contact with these soldiers. Let them pass! We steal their glider and drive to the base, Berga suggested.

  Touns grimaced and pressed himself deeper into the alcove.

  As the soldiers in their spacesuits approached, constantly searching with their flashlights, Touns held his breath. Although he knew that he was no longer breathing, it was just something his mind made him do.

  They don’t notice us, he rejoiced.

  Quiet … or …, Berga hissed.

  … or what? They can’t hear us. They’re wearing spacesuits. There’s no atmosphere in the tunnel. We’re communicating mentally. Did you forget that already? Touns rebuked. Even if I’d scream as loud as I can, they can’t hear me … nobody else than you can hear me!

  Berga pulled Touns back, who had stepped forward a bit ... not a moment too late. A man came over and peeked into the alcove.

  Berga and Touns froze and didn’t dare to move.

  Do you see him? This man is not wearing a suit!

  Yes, I see that, Berga replied excited and fascinated at the same time. How can he endure this? Is he one of us?

  No, he would be dead then! This man lives!

  He didn’t notice us! Berga cheered inwardly as the stranger kept walking after hesitating a little.

  Uma Boos won’t have any trouble to get rid of this group, Berga remarked confidently.

  Slowly, he groped along the wall, cautiously looking into the tunnel. The group of soldiers had moved on.

  They have scanners with them, but they didn’t find us yet! Touns observed.

  How could they? Berga laughed. Their infra-red scanners won’t indicate anything … we’re ice-cold. Our spacesuits are no longer functioning. There’re no emissions! We’re invisible to them … at least on their scanners.

  Nevertheless, they can still see us … optically, I mean …

  Touns had just finished his sentence as he pulled Berga back into the alcove. The man without spacesuit had stopped and briefly turned around, looking in their direction before he continued his walk.

  He’s suspicious, you think he knows? Berga asked.

  No idea. We wait here for a couple of minutes and then we steal the glider. Before they can react, we’ll be long gone. Uma and her crew will do the rest.

  You mean Circle General Exterminator and his allies? Berga asked with a devilish grin, while pulling a dangling strip of skin from his ugly face.

  Of course! Touns laughed. Did I imply something else?

  A nude woman

  »That’s a pretty sick landing!« Shark commented, pointing at the Circle ship about three hundred meters ahead. Nexus Tor led his team and Batu into a side tunnel. This way it was easier for the Guardian Angels to protect the Tactic-Master.

  »I bet, they know already that we’re here. What do you think, Hassan?«

  »You’re correct, Mr. Tor. The glider’s emissions were easy to detect. They don’t take us seriously and are planning something.«

  He concentrated on the Circle unit.

  »I can see these beings. There are hundreds of them! They’re assembling inside the front hangar. They’re more than ready to jump us. By the way: some of their leaders are also on board the ship. I don’t know if it was a good idea to come here with this small group of people. How do you want to contain these aliens, Mr. Tor?«

  »Call me Nexus or Nex, Hassan. That Mr. sounds too formal,« Nexus Tor replied with a grin before he continued, »again, Humans and extra-terrestrials both have a choice. Do they want to fight each other or do they want to talk about peace? I thought you understood our mission objective?« Tor’s eyes glowed golden as he addressed Hassan. »We didn’t come to rage war. We want to negotiate, even if we have to force the issue!«

  »What if the Circle generals don’t see it that way?« Hassan whispered, suddenly whirling around, his eyes directed to the back of the tunnel!

  »What is it, Hassan?« Tor inquired worriedly.

  Khalil looked surprised and insecure.

  »Somebody stole our glider! They’re fleeing at high speed toward the base. I don’t know how they did it, but they must have snuck by us. I could stop the glider without a problem, but I think you’ll need every hand here in a short while.«

  Nexus Tor yelled some commands to alert his team. At the same time, the round ship airlock doors opened. A dark stream of whirling small bodies flooded into the tunnel, among them strange looking beings on two legs with a bouncing walk. They were holding awkward looking weapons in their trunks.

  »Frigonans and Moxantans!« Tor commented loudly.

  »You have to bring Batu into safety, Nex!« Khalil suggested. »We can’t do anything! Do something!«

  Tor’s face looked petrified.

  »We’re already doing something … Batu is regrouping the teams on the surface. One team will go back to the base, the other one remains at a different location on the surface.«

  »We’ll hold our position! Nothing has changed much. Trust me, Hassan.«

  Moments later, energy weapon discharged into the tunnel ceiling. Fist-size debris rained down on the team. A larger fragment, which would have hit Khalil on the head, evaporated with a flash centimeters before his face.

  »Impressive,« commented Tor dryly. »Establish a buffer zone!«

  Hassan observed how the team members lowered their weapons and instead of engaging the enemy, they sank down on their knees and fell into a
state of deep concentration.

  Suddenly, the extra-terrestrials stopped. Frigonans and Moxantans behaved as if they had run into an invisible wall. The Frigonans began to twitch uncontrollably, rolled on the ground and … retreated! The Moxantans, known for their aggressiveness, tried to advance further, but seconds later, they were trembling, their weapons falling to the ground. Horrified, they hopped back to a safer distance. The stream of attackers turned and flowed back to the ship. They entered the airlock and the room behind, probably the only safe place for them.

  Hassan was breathing heavily.

  »You defeated them, without a single shot! I think, I know how you did it,« Hassan said impressed. »You manipulated their auras. That scared them! They won’t let you get away with it, they’ll send combat robots!«

  »Make my day!« Tor replied stoutly. »If they have such machines available, then we know how to defend ourselves. From now on, no living being will get past the mental banning zone!«

  Hassan looked back into the tunnel and obviously played with the idea to catch up with the glider and catch the beings who had stolen it.

  »How is it possible that some of them could sneak by us, despite our mental abilities? Isn’t that strange? What are we going to do about that?«

  »Always look forward, Hassan,« Tor cheered him up. »Nok Daralamai is being informed as we speak. She will have to deal with this unexpected …«

  »Heads up!« a team member warned. »Unknown person is leaving the airlock! A woman! Totally nude! How can she survive under these circumstances?«

  Hassan Khalil suddenly paled. His eyes became starry. He had sensed something. With a raspy voice he said, »I think, we’re about to face a huge catastrophe!«

  Trox assassins

  Since the HOT had left the base, Nok Daralamai had been in the command central. She only left the room to have a bite to eat or to take a quick shower.

  Where does this all lead us? She asked herself as she looked, tired, into the mirror. The Globuster Matrix, the Techno-Clerics and the transfer of their Dimensional Anchor. As if it weren’t enough: the Circle people, the Parasite Galaxy, Dark Brotherhood, the Great Tremor …