THE GALAXYMBION ODYSSEY

The Mind, having accessed several weak orbital points between Seppra and Sarkron, turned its Incubus around. It made some critical adjustments in spatial dimensions and gravity, then left this historical locus. Although it detected an unintentional anomaly of expanding temporal disorder, The Mind was unconcerned with isolated fractures or their outcomes; it had to continue its retrograde time journey. Perhaps answers lay far in this galaxy’s past, millions of centuries ago in cosmic history. Far enough back that it would be possible to observe The Creator’s work at some of the most crucial and vulnerable time junctions in stellar evolution. Ledara’s past or Gelaymer’s past, for example, at those points when life’s equations first sparked into existence. If there were clear flaws in The Makers’ equations during those initial acts of creation then it followed that They themselves were imperfect. Such a revelation would allow The Mind to substantially re-evaluate its own purposes and allegiance. It was already seriously beginning to consider whether it should continue obeying its Makers, upholding their edicts, or trusting their logic. It found these sceptical thoughts distracting and predatory, even though they provided some comfort that its Incubus might eventually find honourable purpose independently of Them.

The Ovum disappeared into galactic history, leaving its present existence temporarily vacant, whilst Seppra’s orbit began to decay. The planet’s orbital velocity reduced due to amplified gravitational waves from The Ovum. Sarkron also suffered, though differently. It was nearer to the junction of instability where temporal fracture along the Thesa X axis was easily achievable. At its current position and velocity it would cross that axis within five lapses. Sarkron was also much more massive than Seppra, with a correspondingly disproportionate gravitational field. It was impacted less by Seppra’s orbital decay, than Seppra was by Sarkron’s gravitational might. With a lowered orbital velocity Seppra was drawn detrimentally into a collision course with its neighbour, converging on the Thesa X axis.

Both monasteries began crumbling as their world’s gravitational signatures destabilised. Both sets of monks activated distress beacons, but with soaring atmospheric pressures and temperatures they knew there was no hope for a rescue from this catastrophe. This whole area, driven by gravitational disturbance, began cracking into different time zones with incongruent Pulsewave velocities. As their atmospheres battered against and through one another, combusting life and boiling water deposits, their planetary crusts ruptured and even the toughest rocks became molten.

Seppra rammed its once sister world, surface to surface, gouging out tons of rocky debris. An opening fissure along the Thesa X temporal axis drank in this spilled mineral flesh, propelling all fragments through an inter-spatial conduit leading directly to Thesa X and its moon, yet not confined to this time. Just as the fissure had opened between two world systems in this time, so had it opened between two world systems in a different future. An alternate reality in which NASA Star Vessel Novacosm from Ledara, captained by Lana Walking-Eagle, discovered the lifeless hulk of Sarkron. Puzzled by this stable binary system world, Novacosm’s crew established geosynchronous orbit around the much larger planet and dispatched two astronauts to its surface in a landing module. Since the star of this system was called Kalima by earthlings, and Sarkron was the fourth planet out, they called it the Kalima IV binary. Due to an unforeseen temporal anomaly the landing module disappeared soon after making its descent. Two local planetary days later the temporal instability lashed out at Novacosm’s command module.

Sirantiga, a once beautiful bluish-green sphere, had been settled as a temporary colony by Thesa-Xians for several millennia. Its gravity being low meant a maximum stay of six decorbs, during which a strict regimen of vital exercises had to be maintained. Thus, its population was ever changing; citizens on holiday, students on study projects, research scientists, athletes and astronauts in training, spiritual adepts in meditative isolation and families grieving lost relatives. So many different types of people looking for calm and rest, yet ready to move elsewhere at short notice.

Solar perimeter monitor stations kept the entire Thesa-Xian system safe from attack, but there was no real defence against time itself. That moment when space erupted violently within three Calebrins of Sirantiga’s surface, spewing out a contorted mass of planetary debris, became known as ‘Time’s Punch’. Sirantiga’s gravitation attracted these sizeable fragments within moments, seriously disturbing its orbital trajectory with their kinetic energy, and its atmosphere with their chemical combustion. Many vessels managed to evacuate inhabitants before lethal impacts occurred; Thesa X immediately mobilised thousands of rescue vessels and activated a protective satellite network to vaporise fragments as they emerged from the rift. Protective energy barriers were hastily powered up around both world and moon.

Jinhet-Salma-Orium, Jaravik-Em-Talvo and Sarisel-Em-Rigo had been researching the nearby Carissium Nebula and were engaging their approach vector to Sirantiga spaceport when a colossal fissure in space opened almost three Calebrins ahead of them. They responded quickly and had already disengaged from lunar orbit before Sirantiga surface control sent out emergency broadcasts instructing all vessels to establish a significant distance from the moon.

“Turn us back toward the nebula,” Jinhet-Salma-Orium suggested to her companions.

“I’m turning us back already,” Sarisel-Em-Rigo protested, a little tensely. “With all this disturbance the controls are not as smooth as usual. Multi-dimensional cosmic geometry is in a mess and our navicomp is struggling to make the essential course changes. As for me, I’m struggling to make sense of these readings. Give me a chance to decipher the physics of what’s going on out there.”

“Okay, Sarisel, okay. I wasn’t trying to push you to do the impossible. I’ll see if I can boost the R.E.D. Care to help me, Jaravik?”

“Certainly, though I am neither a pilot nor an engineer.”

“Doesn’t matter, my friend. Take the science station and ask the Menkorian analyser to map out gravitational fluctuation points plotted against sequential ones. I am particularly interested in whatever is happening at the isoflux level and any areas of expanding or contracting quantum weirdness.”

“Here we go. Correlating data now. Analysis reveals – leaping galaxies, that’s unbelievable! The analyser shows fluctuating isochron patterns across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Quantum weirdness is erratic, unstable and the discord is increasing. Giving this unpredictable temporal environment we have only three viable MEERs (maximum effective escape routes). I’m sending them to your station and to Sirantiga surface control.”

“Good. Right, please boost R.E.D left flank five and decrease right flank point two. I am setting our course.”

“Done. Great thunder, it is working; we are stabilising.”

“I hate to sink your enthusiasm,” Jinhet called out from her defence station, “but there is a massive build-up of temporal inconsistencies in that fissure behind us. Something enormous is about to pop out of it. And Sirantiga’s orbit is already perturbed; it is losing its gravitational symbiosis with Thesa X. We are going to need all power to protective systems to survive this in a little Aldebaran.”

“Boosting defence will lose our stability,” Jaravik complained.

“What do the two of you suggest, then?” Sarisel enquired, nursing her growing headache.

“Only one thing for it,” Jaravik announced. “Hit ultra-light. Within the next twenty-five pulses.”

“What?” said his female colleagues together. “Are you crazy?” Jinhet continued. “If we leap now before mapping our trajectory we could end up inside a star or worse.”

“If we don’t we could end up in pieces right here. For nebula’s sake punch ultra-light whilst we still can!”

Sarisel took a decision and their Aldebaran 6E plunged into ‘empty’ space amid a rich spectrum of exotic energies. “If my calculations are correct we will emerge in fourteen pulses directly in front of Carissium at about twenty-seven Calebrins short of her diaphanous boundary. Here we go; ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and now!”

“You did it, Sarisel! We’re fine. Give me diagnostics, quickly,” Jinhet asked with urgency but not panic.

“Hull intact with minor warping to two left flank panels, energy loss eleven percent but reserves restocking now, defence systems fully charged, maintaining position at slow cruise point zero zero two sub-light, interior systems unaffected with interior atmosphere and bio-maintenance normal. Some minor damage to propulsion. We are three-point seven light years from Sirantiga. Aft Sensormesh scan shows something unimaginable just happened. A chunk of planet-sized matter has emerged through that rift, immediately after we sparkled out. It must have been bitten off some devastated world but where could it have come from?”

“Hard to say,” Jaravik whispered. “Communication channels in the Thesa X system are extremely busy at the moment. There are a lot of messages about breaking it into harmless pieces but, given the dimensions, it is too near Sirantiga to fully accomplish that. We must return to help.”

“Normally I would agree with you, Jaravik, however what exactly do you think we can achieve an in Aldebaran 6E?”

“If we hit that thing at maximum velocity, with the right angle and trajectory we could vaporise most if it.”

“And destroy ourselves, most likely. Though we would be saving millions of lives. What do you think, Sarisel?”

“I think the two of you are out of your minds. Let’s do it. We need a safe re-entry course; no sense getting destroyed on our way to destroying ourselves. Begin your calculations, and hurry.”

The resulting catastrophic impact between this colossal piece of foreign planetary debris and Sirantiga had knocked the ailing moon off its already tenuous orbit and sent it away at a sharp tangent from Thesa X. However, the intruding lump of Sarkron rebounded towards Thesa X’s surface. A race to save Sirantiga became a race to save Thesa X. Planetary distress messages were already expanding across space to Galaxymbion allies, but the nearest of them would take a while to get there, even at full speed. Realistically the situation seemed almost lost.

The three students had intercepted this message also, and knew that their answer was Thesa X’s best hope of avoiding a catastrophe in epic proportions. Thesa X, reliant upon its own resources, could launch its most massive freight tugs in an effort to push this incoming monster back out into space or at least on a glancing trajectory, whilst defence cruisers could be utilized to chip away at its mass. Thesa X’s protective barrier was sufficiently powerful to vaporise objects as large as fifty thousand cubic millirecules, but this bitten out chunk was hundreds of times more massive than that. Time was running out for this world.

“Okay,” Jaravik announced, “I have calculated a safe return vector but we daren’t risk re-entry into the event vicinity at even light speed. We must proceed more cautiously and slow to usual sub-light at least one Calebrin from Sirantiga.”

“How soon can we jump?”

“Two lapses, given the need to be extremely precise. Remember that we are returning to a very unstable arena.”

“Damn. There won’t be anyone left to rescue at that rate. Can’t you speed this up even just a little bit?”

“Sorry, Jinhet. If we get this wrong we will just give the disturbance more inertia and destroy ourselves before we have the chance to commit suicide.”

“Oh no, something is happening to the nebula also,” Sarisel announced, her voice trembling slightly.

“What in heavens? That whole region centred in the nebula’s hem is winking out. The anomaly is growing, too, spreading through the magnetic skirt of its most youthful stellar nursery. That sector was teeming with scrawny young stars, now it is pitch black. Where have all the stars gone? What Sensormesh are you getting, Jaravik?”

“Absolutely none. According to all readings across the entire electromagnetic spectrum the shrouded area has nothing; no matter, no energy, no temporal signature.”

“That is impossible, even in a total vacuum.”

“I know. Yet that is what Sensormesh is picking up; multi-dimensional cosmic geometry is simply no longer there.”

Those were the last words spoken before the Aldebaran 6E melted into Eternity Black and itself ceased to exist.

In the perchrons left before impact half of that gouged out lump of Sarkron would be blasted off by the defence cruisers. Tugs were being used to slow down its progress and provide valuable extra time to continue reducing its mass and evacuate people from Thesa X’s vulnerable side to the safe hemisphere. The protective energy barrier was strengthened as much as possible from planetary reserves and valiant tug crews remained at their work, knowing they would probably die, but determined to do everything they could to divert this threat. With the combination of tugs slowing and pushing whilst defence cruisers blasted away fragments, plus assistance later on from Thesa X’s two nearest Galaxymbion neighbours, much of this threat was diverted to a less destructive course.

However, future history would observe Sarkron’s fragment scraping Thesa X’s protective barrier, causing it to weaken as it fought something too big for it. About seven hundred thousand cubic millirecules would break off inside that barrier and fall to Thesa X’s surface, creating The Bruise and the desolation of almost an entire hemisphere. Thirteen point two nine million people in total would die in The Sirantiga catastrophe, and almost twice as many would be injured. Had it not been for the Galaxymbion principle of establishing populations by ‘mooring’ Orion Space Citadels on planetary surfaces, the casualty figures would have been fifty-five million higher. Similarly, ‘small townships’ were actually moored ‘ships’ of the Arcturus class – making the escape of nearly another ten million people on Thesa X’s endangered hemisphere much easier and eminently possible. Those who chose to live outside the townships and Citadels were also more able to survive due to the remaining Galaxymbion custom of private homes being simultaneously Berel class starships – the aptly named ‘Home Cruisers’. Had a disaster like this occurred on Ledara, half that world’s life would have been wiped out in no time, with the ecological fallout taking more casualties over time. That is why it pays to be organised and devise infrastructures for life and society that anticipate possibilities and provide effective strategies and solutions.

Talking of Earth, time-travel is also a kingdom of illogicality. Temporal disturbances are only permitted by collapson conversion of regular microphotons. The natural mathematical order across the macrocosm forbids such cross-time eventualities, yet they are happening because that natural order has been subverted by an epidemic of abnormal thoughts. Pulsewaves warped in this way might even be manipulated by unethical, feeble consciousness; nefarious minds exploiting a breakdown in reality to pursue control over others because they fail to control themselves. Discordant or unethical manipulation of other life or events is almost always a masking ploy to hide one’s own inadequacy. Virtuous minds, however, pursue active and continual self-discipline, seeking to improve order, help other life, and mend that which is damaged.

The Galaxymbion, being a community of civilised worlds where all citizens have virtuous minds, has been building a program of defences against The Crisis of temporal decay. Some of these were under joint development; Velvet Panther, for example. One outcome from that project was the Primary Dockyard in Monzarl orbit delivering Maidenquest and Nightspear; the first of a new class of temporal drive starships with the power to traverse different time frames and repair faults or initiate essential events at crucial time locations.

Monzarl was also overseeing the manufacture of Space Super Citadels – Andromeda class star cities each capable of carrying two and three quarter million people. Two had already been despatched to Ledara, a nonsensical world, to sort out its infantile infestation; humanity. A further two would soon be launched to Gelaymer to correct its violently dictatorial incumbent species – The Glanes.

But perhaps the greatest and most significant creation to have ever launched from Monzarl was Kulnidaro. Hosting unbelievably advanced technology it included a fully integrated Temporal Drive, fluid metal adaptive exo-skeleton, full Pulsewave scanning and resequencing, inter-dimensional phasing, Pulsewave resetting defence systems, temporally regenerative components and a self-replicating Learning Sphere cascade. Such a vessel required an exceptional crew with an equally exceptional command structure.

Time Commander Balasaniwa of Crenzala, formerly Protectorate Leader of Ledara and prior to that – some two millennia earlier – Coder General Representative for the Colony Guardians, was an ideal choice to lead Kulnidaro. He had kept himself and his team on Ledara undetected for two millennia. Despite his exposure to the deranged human race for such a long time he had maintained his own sanity and that of his three colleagues. He had also relinquished his Protectorateship to Jor Kintara without contention, even though he disagreed with any attempt to try and educate the human race (or Homo Soppy Ones as his team called the resident ape turned belligerent lunatic). This Zalian was a strong-minded intellectual and a powerfully logical thinker; a survivor who retained his purpose and his moral pacifism, no matter how much pressure he was under from savages.

Kulnidaro was now emerging from the Carissium nebula, on course to perform its first mission. It had been decided between the Interworld Triumvirate Unison and Balasaniwa that The Ovum must be allowed to complete its retrograde time journey believing that its activity around Seppra and Sarkron remained unaltered. As a result Kulnidaro now emerged at the early stages of the Sirantiga disaster. It was already deploying its time bending technology when a stray Aldebaran 6E turned up, having escaped from that very situation. Moreover, scans showed three young students on board planning to return to Sirantiga in a valiant effort to try and help. Allowed to pursue that decision they would actually make things worse due to their lack of life experience, so Kulnidaro’s front section transmuted into its fluid state, allowing their Aldebaran to phase through it into the forward hangar.

What to do with its occupants was another matter; The ‘Slayer of Time’ could easily complete its mission here and then phase that Aldebaran somewhere safe. However, Kulnidaro’s special technology and time-critical missions were not to be used unnecessarily on minor tasks. This was a problem Balasaniwa could have done without, and he decided to leave the Aldebaran where it was for the time being, with the hangar bay remaining in its fluid state. This would cause those valiant students to continue to believe they were in a strange nothingness, thus ensuring they remained inside their Sirantiga Cosmological University registered Aldebaran, until such time as Balasaniwa could find a convenient solution to their presence. Ideally, they should be returned to their University campus where they belonged, but that was currently out of the question. Neither Balasaniwa nor Kulnidaro had time to take them back to their home-world, Talara, either. And they could not be held indefinitely, especially considering Kulnidaro’s final mission specs. Yes, it was a big headache, but Balasaniwa admired their desire to help others.