Martha Masters turned her head



Chapter 2

Martha Masters turned her head and watched her son Roy as he climbed the stairs to his room. She wondered for a brief moment if she made the right decission to have a child. A mother was supposed to love her child and if anone asked she would of course say that she did love him, but was she really capable of such maternal feelings?

Her husband was in the process of cycling through the air lock to enter the Institute floater and she prepared to do the same, but had to wait until the cylce of the decontamination process with superheated steam was complete. The airlock was simply too small for both of them while wearing Armor suits. Roy had reached his room and was out of sight, but despite the exicting news about the Bolters her mind kept returning to her son. His ridiculous fantasies of being outside was certainly some sort of teenager rebellion. While he was no genius, his IQ was not much less than hers or Pauls and yet the boy wanted to join the military, what a disapointment! Well he would change his mind once he was away from Green Hell in a propper College.

Now it was her turn and she cycled through the airlock, entered the flier and there she took a seat right behind Evans inside the big armored floater. "Good afternoon," she greeted the man who looked like a Terran turtle with its head halfway retracted into its shell, because Dr. Mortimer Evans was a small thin man and even the smallest size of the Sci-Corps issue AEGIS Suit barely allowed him to gaze above the suit helmet initiator ring.

The man behind the controls of the floater tried to turn his head, whit little success and returned the greetings and said. "Good afternoon, you two." Then he cursed silently and added. "You two make it look so easy moving around in these blasted armor suits. If this planet wasn't so damn fascinating, I'd find myself another world to study."

Martha nodded at her husband, who had climbed ahead of her into the floater and taken the seat next to Evans and said. "We both are here on Green Hell for almost sixteen years now and we wear these suits almost every day, we should be used to them by now. You will get the hang of it eventually."

Evans pulled the CHOPER into a steep climb and smirked at her. "I am here now for almost two years now and should not be such a noob when it comes to these suits."

Paul, who always was a bit of a nerd said. "The All Environment Intelligent System, which we call the AEGIS, is basically civilian version of the Marine Corps Quasimodo Battle Suit without the weapons of course and it is the only thing that will keep you alive out there."

Dr. Evans was a brilliant researcher and like Martha, specializing in bio-electric and bio- energy life forms, leveled the skimmer of far above the clouds, where even on Green Hell was nothing alive or dangerous and set the controls for a destination halfway across the planet, rolled his eyes at that comment, because of Paul stating the obvious.

Martha smiled at her husband as he, oblivious to the finer nuances of human interaction pulled pulled the eyepiece of the Omni-Eye periscope over his eyes. The system would give him an unobstructed view of the outside world and with simple intuitive eye movements he would be able to focus on anything around them, while a host of data was displayed right into his retina if he blinked at the small symbols at the edge of his vision field. Then she said to Evans. "I am very excited to see the Lightning Bolters actually mate. It will be fascinating to see how these gas filled leather bags choose their mates, an aspect of this life from still a complete mystery."

Evans failing to pantomime what he had seen earlier, partially because if the suit and partially because there was just no way a human could find the right gestures to describe how two huge cloud sized organisms, mostly gas, membrane thin skin and a tiny cell center for brains and nerves would mate, so he gave up and said. "It's like two drunken balloons, capable of unleashing electrical discharges strong enough to make the battle shields of a Union Battle ship flicker dance in a violent storm."

Without taking his eyes of the eyepiece, Paul said. "Not the combined discharges of all Lightning Bolters would make the shields of a Union Battle ship flicker. Not that I am any expert in these systems, but I am given to understand they could absorb the energies of a solar prominence, and that exceeds the energy output of any known bio-electrical discharge capable life form by magnitudes."

Martha looking at the shield generator controls of the Floater and said. "I am sure Dr. Evans was expressing himself in a metaphorical fashion, but I hope the energy shield of this floater is up to the task."

While Evans nodded at her comment, Paul did lean back to look at his wife. "We have been hit by Bolter lightning discharges before and these fliers are designed to descent into atmospheres of extreme worlds. We have not measured any bolts stronger than 40,000 amperes and transfers 15 coulombs of electric charge and 500 megajoules of energy."

Martha knew her own data just as well, said. "I still think we need to proceed with caution, we have never been hit by more than one bolt at the time and now we are flying towards a mating ground with dozens of them in an agitated state."

Evans said. "I will keep us at maximum observing distance, just to be safe."

There were a few moments o silence in the flier. Martha was trying to focus her mind on the task ahead. She was a scientist and the Lighting Bolters of Green Hell had been the focus of her studies now for more than five years. She had made some great observations and written several papers about them. Papers that had been reviewed very positively by her peer and the Hive of Minds. Leading to the dream assignment of any field researcher, the Mission Command over a Sci-Corps explorer ship. If she was successful as Mission Commander, completing perhaps two or three missions; they just might ask her to take a seat in the hallowed halls of the Science Councils headquarter on Pluribus. Her grandfather, Professor Aaron Berezovsky had been the ninth person in her family to hold a chair in what became known as the Hive of Minds. Only the finest minds of all the civilizations that made up the Union were invited to this elite of intellect, science and wisdom. The Science Council was the governing body of the Science Corps and advised the Assembly in all matters of science and it was her innermost dream and ambition to one day be the tenth member of her family line.

She had been so submerged in her thoughts that she only now realized, Evans was saying something to her, so she looked up from her PDD. "I am sorry Dr. Evans, I was just going over some notes of mine and did not pay any attention."

The small man said with a dry voice. "I was pointing out that our sensors just registered a bolt of positive lightning with a magnitude of ten times the average discharge we have ever measured before, reaching 300 kilo ampere and almost two terawatt with intense channel ionization. The source appears to be the largest Lightning Bolter we ever encountered."

Martha signaled that she had heard him this time pulled the optics of her Omni View Periscope close. She heard Paul talk via the Comm Unit with Dr. Harrow back at the Institute asking for reassurance that the fliers shields would withstand such energies; then the optic sensors slaved to her eye movements focused on the grayish green humongous, floating gas bladders. She zoomed in and the little number floating just at the edge of her field of view told her that the distance to the closest Lightning Bolter was still almost 14 kilometers. She made a few measurements and calculated that the biggest one of the nine Bolters she counted had a volume of 2322 cubic-meters. That was indeed the biggest one she had seen so far, only as she focused closer she realized it was two of them, attached, clinging to each other, barely distinguishable as two beings. The excellent optics of the fliers scientific instruments allowed her to zoom even closer making out details. She now observed pale pinkish almost transparent tentacles of the left one sliding over the center section where the animal had its nerve and brain cluster. The movement of the tentacles appeared almost tender and caring. Despite these being totally alien lifeforms and her being a scientist, the woman in her emotionally equated what she saw with a loving caring embrace.

Martha blinked at her own thoughts and remembered that she was a native of the planet Phantas after all and like everyone of that world, gifted with Psionic powers and the ability to sense thoughts and emotions. Due to the harsh Psionic Privacy Laws of the Union she suppressed her natural gift and had learned to push the constant whisper of other minds far in the background of her consciousness; to a point where she almost forgot that she still was a telepath.

This time she focused and reached out, usually touching the mind of a non sentient life form was like trying to tune into an old fashioned radio signal without ever getting the frequency dialed in and the result was something like garbled static. Especially since she was a weak Telepath and never schooled or trained her Psionic talent, she had long quit trying. But now as she reached out she felt the scientific curiosity and excitement of her husband, the barely contained fear of Dr. Evans and then she felt the strong garbled in cohesive whisper of a million animal minds from the surface below, but she could distinctively feel emotions emanating from the two clinging Bolters. Those alien beings did feel strongly for each other.

While she made this visual and Psionic observations she spoke rapidly into her PDD dictating notes of her findings.

Paul had often seen his wife in this state and he knew to leave her alone until she had completed her observations.

Dr. Harrow had reassured him that the Flier was quite safe and should be able to absorb a barrage of lightning bolts without any serious consequences. Even though Dr. Evans had heard what the Institute leader said, Paul could see that the pilot of the flier wasn't totally convinced.

Paul forgot about Evans and his concerned face as he also returned to watch and record the mating of the Lightning Bolters, several more started to form tightly unions in mid air and begin the tentacle caressing. To Paul the Lightning Bolters always looked somewhat like Terran Jelly fish. Specifically the Pacific Sea Nettle, except that the Lightning Bolters caps were proportionally much bigger than the cap of a jelly fish.

As a kid at Ribenna Colony he loved to go to the big Sea Aquarium in Town, where they kept a big collection of Terran Sea life and these visits were the reason he decided to become a biologist.

Bolters normally drifted with the winds across the skies of Green Hell, and compared to the abundance of other lifeforms they were comparably rare; Martha estimated that there were only about 20,000 – 30,000 Lightning Bolters on all Green Hell. But they could control their altitude by making areas of their skin more transparent or more opaque and thus controlling the temperature of their internal gases making themselves more or less buoyant. To change direction they could use their tentacles and spin them in a whipping motion, as they did right now to get close to each other.

Not all was harmony, sex and love as it became apparent. Two of the cloud like beings changed not only the transparency of their skin but managed to change the color from the usual pale green to a mustard yellow hue. The way they moved their tentacles it was clear there was some rivalry going on. Suddenly sun bright bolts of bright white energy emitted from them both.

While the bolt of the slightly smaller one singed and burned half a dozen tentacles of the bigger one, the electrical discharge of the bigger one had struck true at the nerve center of the smaller.

The reason why Bolters were not as abundant became quite apparent. A violent explosion and a fast expanding fire ball completely obliterated the smaller one. Bolters bio-electrogenesis abilities allowed them to produce Hydrogen from water, as a lifting gas, but also as it was apparent made them quite vulnerable.

The other Bolters took little notice of the fiery demise of one of their kind and continued with their aerial dance and embracing.

While he was making sure the events were recorded by the floaters equipment, he too was thinking about what the future would hold for them. He loved Martha and he knew of her ambition and goals. She wanted to climb proverbial Olympus and reach the Parthenon of science gods to take her place among them. He would support her in this quest as much as he could and Paul knew she would eventually reach that goal. He would be proud of her as he was proud of her already, being chosen to lead a Science expedition was quite an honor. However he had no such goals. While he was her research assistant he also was an accomplished Micro biologist and he would have been perfectly happy, staying on Green Hell. There were as many exciting discoveries to be made on the Micro biological level. Was it not bacteria and small insects that was the food the Bolters filtered out of the air? The Epulopiscium stomperoni, a huge bacterium he had found in the digestive tract of the massive Stompers; was so big it could be seen with the unaided eye and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

He much rather would spend the rest of his professional career right here than eventually ending up at Pluribus, perhaps as a lecturer or teacher while his wife sat in an Ivory tower, making policies and deciding where to spend funds and what to research, rather than actually researching anything herself.

As he was thinking about that, he remembered that their family was not just Martha, but that there was his son Roy.

While he was a little disappointed at his sons mental and academic development, it appeared that he still had Childhood fantasies and believed them to be true and his grades at Basic School were mediocre, he silently and deep down agreed with Roy's objections. No one had asked Roy and if truth to be told, Martha had not really asked Paul for his wishes or opinion in the matter of leaving Green Hell and going on an expedition lasting years.

It would mean very little contact to Roy, once the Explorer ship went past the Downward Horizon into Open and unexplored space, TransDim communication was no longer possible. While he made his decision, to support his wife's goals; was it really fair to leave their son more or less on his own?

Maybe it was their fault, not paying more attention to Roy that he sought refuge in ridiculous fantasies of being outside and voicing his wish to become a soldier?

He could not completely suppress the sigh that made its way past his lips.

Mortimer Jenkins nervously nibbled at his lower lip, wishing they could return to the safety of Ant Hill, the only town on this world, well protected by strong Ultronit walls and powerful force fields. It seemed a good idea to accept the invitation of the Science Corps to come to Green Hell, back then when his doctorate was still fresh and he was just one of many fellow researchers, at the Neugruber Bio Sciences Institute on Venus. It was after all his work on the electroplaxes cells used by the Shocker Frogs of Ulta for electrogenesis that made him aware of Dr. Martha Masters brilliant work on the largest known life form using electric organs; the Lightning Bolters of Green Hell. He mentioned his interest to his Professor and a while later he received an invitation to join the research team on Green Hell. The offer was great; double the salary, free Luxury apartment at Ant Hill, the potential of working with Dr. Masters and making a valuable contribution to science.

In moments like this, to close to these floating monsters and removed from the deadly conditions of this hellish world only by a few centimeters of Dura-Steel and weak shields of a vulnerable flier; he wondered if he made the right decision, coming here.

He cursed his boss, Dr. Harrow who insisted on actual hands on observation instead of sending probes or robots.

Despite all better judgment he steered the floater closer to the mating Bolters following Martha Masters impatient hand signals. "Dr. Masters don't you think we are close enough?"

She did not take her eyes of the optic interface and said. "We need to be under thousand meters for our Cyber-Nose sensors. I want to get a molecular scan of the air and see if there are any pheromones or scents aiding them in finding each other, or if it is purely electro location.

While Mortimer could not argue the scientific reason behind her request, he argued that the Bolters could also easily locate them at that distance and that they were much more agitated than usual was obvious.

He could not wait till they would leave Green Hell. He envied her for her academic success and seeing the woman's star rise to such prominence within the science community was a thorn in his side. He was firmly convinced, that as long as she was here, her shadow kept obscuring his work and his chances of recognition.

Recognition meant offers, especially offers from commercial operating corporations. The SII Bio Research foundation for example, had a dream lab facility at Harper's Junction. A planet only an orbit removed. But they have so far ignored his efforts to get hired there.

Dr. Harrow was quite correct, the armored flier was indeed designed to dive into the atmospheres of extreme planets. Able to withstand great temperature ranges, corrosive atmospheres and crushing gravitation, these fliers were used by the Explorer division of the Science Corps all over the Galaxy.

CHOPERS had a well earned reputation for being reliable, dependable and tough. However this particular Chrysler Hover Operations Platform for Exploration, Research and Science was not operated by a pilot with experience or the actual training necessary. Mortimer considered the mandatory training an insult on his intellect. These tests and the training was for uneducated and stupid techs and brutish soldiers, not for a man who held two PhD's. When he came to Green Hell, he was told it was the job of the most junior member of the Science Team to fly the Institutes vehicle and be at the beck and call to shuttle the other members around whenever they decided they needed a flight. He had flown fliers on Venus, Earth and even on Titan and felt he didn't need any additional training or instructions and so he simply lied and claimed he already received CHOPERS training, prior to coming to Green Hell.

For almost two years now he had been proven right and after 23 months without any accident he felt he was a good pilot.

Like most persons using a modern flier he was oblivious to the fact, that most flying was done by the on-board Computronic. All the minute adjustments to the Arti Grav lift generators, the automatic correction to the propulsion turbines, keeping the flier perfectly stable regardless of wind and weather were done for him, making the task of flying so easy a child could do it. The fliers shields were effective simple electromagnetic deflectors and not real battle shields.

It happened all very fast. Helen detected a hint of intelligence in the thought patterns of the Bolters. Not true sentient thought, but more like the mind of a smart dog and one of the minds out there was focused on them. The large Bolter flailed with his remaining tentacles waving an intricate pattern in the air. It was a signal, a signal to all the others and every Bolter reacted!

They all unleashed their electrical discharges at the slowly closing flier. This sudden onslaught, overwhelmed the shields and the electromagnetic energies were strong enough to disable the on board computronic, even the combined lightning bolts of the beasts did not kill the scientists inside but it send the flier with screaming, uncontrolled engines towards the planet's surface.

A trained pilot perhaps would have been able to divert the disaster, by cutting power to the thrusters and increase the lift energies to the Arti Grav, but Mortimer was neither a trained pilot nor a person who reacted well to crisis situations.

Mortimer simply screamed on the top of his lungs and then the armored Science institute flier crashed through the canopy of the Jungle trees, cutting through a Tantalus Oak, and moments later impacted with the ground.