Version 2006 - Ch 69



I stood once more on the grassy plane underneath my ship and looked at the Casing of a one ton Translocator Cannon. A seemingly endless crowd of ghosts stood in a circle just outside the shield perimeter. Except one much more solid ghost who was with us. I pointed at the casing and then looked at Narth and Cirruit." So explain that to me once again. My mind isn't really grasping all that Multi Dimensional stuff!" Cirruit padded the slick hull of the open casing." The Ghost get in there, we go to Quasi Space and fire this bomb with a Translocator Cannon and the Anntoo are home, or better said across the Void of TransDim." "Sounds all good and I am glad to see you so optimistic, but I see two problems. One, how do you want to fit 3 Billion Anntoo in one little case and two, is it not strictly and by all rules forbidden to fire a Translocator cannon while in Quasi Space? I remember that warning in Tactical Class quite clearly." Narth said." Each Anntoo has less substance and mass than an atom and therefore very little volume. They all fit in there with room to spare. The reason you can't fire a TL cannon in Quasi space is that the cannon needs exact targeting coordinates so the bomb can be send there. Without target you can't transfer anything and the antimatter explosion will occur right there. Targeting information would change so fast you could not keep it on target. But we do not need coordinates. The Cannon will open a conduit to the next higher plane once triggered and thus transfer the Anntoo there." "Well let's do it!" Cirruit said." According to Narth there is one problem though." "And this problem is we won't be around to see them go into Valhalla because we are blown to bits in Quasi Space and if lucky join them?" "No nothing like that, Captain. This one Ghost is different and has much more mass and substance. Narth thinks he would not make it." "Great! Now he who didn't want all that in the first place has to remain behind and stay miserable. If I ever came across an unfair situation then this is it. We are not leaving here till he can go too." Then I said." Or do you think we can take him to Narth and they can figure out a way?" " I am certain Narth Supreme would find a solution yes!" "Looks like we getting our very own haunted ship. Complete with walking suits, Dust monsters and a Ghost!" The Anntoo ghost spoke." I managed it for such a long time, another year or decade waiting makes no difference. If I had a choice I still would rather remain here in the Universe I know. My opinion hasn't changed, however I am tired more than I can express and want to sleep and end this existence." "Get your people in the Casing and get started. I think our mission has officially ended. The Celtest Depot was all the time in the Orion Arm and not here. We go and collect our Pirate friends and fly home!" The Ghost said." This is not entirely so, Captain. The Celtest left much behind and it is all here. Our world is yours now. We stored it all underground and well shielded." "Odin's beard. We did find it after all!" At first I found it disturbingly fascinating to see the green vapors disappear into the container then I looked around seeing the crowd thinning fast and moments later only one remained. I sighed." I am sorry you can't go. I still don't like this one bit. I have a good mind sending them with that casing into the next sun or something. " The Ghost said." Then you would indeed have found a way to make their suffering worse. they could not die but still feel their essence whirled around for as long as that sun burns." "I keep my word of course, but I don't have to like it. If those who caused the situation get rewarded and the one who didn't and saved their asses gets punished." ________________________________________ Muhammad said." We are in quasi space Captain, going trans light as ordered." "SHIP are they ready?" Narth's voice came on." We are in the Main gun turret. Casing is loaded we are ready." "Mao ready?" "I am a bit nervous firing in Quasi space but I am ready!" "Fire!" I waited for something to happen. Nothing did. The stations electronic sounds chirped as always. The ship hummed barely audible as it always did when in Quasi space. "Did you fire?" "Yes Captain. Cannon shows discharged." Narths voice spoke." It is completed. Ghost wants to talk to you!" "Put it on!" "Captain Olafson. The part of mine that is still in the other space can now feel them. They are free of pain and complete . The Anntoo wanted to convey through me their deepest thanks and say they will never forget your names and make it their mission to repay your kindness in some fashion!" "If you can, tell them they should not forget your name and make sure they atone for what they did." To Gatu the Nul sitting on OPS for Narth I said." Mr. Gatu get those scanners going and find me those Pirate ships." "Aye Captain! They are already out of Sensor range but I know their last heading." Suit still with me said." Cirruit and I have worked on improving ship sensors. They are ready we just have not tested them, but the compensation programs are in place to integrate them into existing soft and hardware." "Sounds good. What do you need to get your improvements active?" "Your permission, Captain!" "Granted!" Gatu said." I got them now! The range of our sensor has just increased from five light years to one hundred! But I also have many alien contacts as well. One is several hundred ships. It looks they fighting with our old friends!" "SHIP get me into Battle Mode!" The Command chair moved and the Tactical View dome lowered around me. I always loved this technology. it gave me a complete spherical view unobstructed of all space around us. Weapon ranges, scanner data and distances instantly available via finger flicks over the Intuitive-control under my hand. I immediately saw the improvements Suit and Cirruit made. The sphere had even more detail and I could see distant star systems and get detailed information about planets and energy signatures like never before. I also saw the many alien ships. In this 100 light year radius was much more traffic then we knew and this part of space was not as dead as I believed. Immediately I found the three Pirate ships. their signatures well known. An single line armada of 241 ships was attacked by the Pirates! The scanners also gave me the reason. The armada was Tech level 3 at best. just primitive magnetic shield technology, fighting back with missiles way to slow to be any threat and way too weak to even scratch the shields of the pirates." Even from this distance I saw the Red Dragon and the Akulook engaged in Boarding action of the largest lead ship .The Crimson Curse not far behind. The Alien ships were all cylindrical with a cone shaped bow and had huge crude looking engine blocks. Probably took them hours to gain Threshold speed and hours to decelerate." Krabbel lay in a course. Muhammad get us there and if we go a little faster than we should be able to that will be fine!" "Gladly, Captain!" As we closed in an hour later I said." Har-Hi sound Battle Stations!" Elfi's symbol blinked in my view." Captain we are being hailed by the Red Dragon!" "I am really looking forward to that conversation!" "You have more lives than a Cat, Velvet! When I saw your ship overwhelmed by those green cursed things. I thought you're done for!" "Aren't we going to find that Depot of yours?" "We still are. We just need to go on! But we found these ugly Aliens. Ships full of Iridium. They are helpless against our weapons! There is plenty for all and if we never find that depot this made the trip worthwhile!" "What do you mean never find the depot?" "I explain later. I sure would like to know why your rust bucket of ship. Can be that fast!" I cut him off." Narth can you make sense of him?" "Yes, the hypnotic suggestions planted by Ghost never went past flying to Peppermint. he still believes the Depot is somewhere out here but he no longer knows where. He thinks he went to the wrong planet to trigger his own block. He is now without direction and feels lost. Not sure where to go next. The aliens gave him a welcome distraction." Then he said." Those Aliens were exiled from their own world due to a disease. A very contagious disease with a deadly end. They are flying to a more advanced race with their ships loaded with treasures and valuables in the hopes the other culture can help them." "I think that is as far as we need to take this charade." I switched the Command Chair auto dresser and dialed for Union Uniform and then said." Har Hi switch of the Janus Device. Mao go for full Battle shields and Elfi hail me those friends of ours!" ________________________________________