Jim’s mind runs through scenarios where Allfather has been alerted to their presence through this interaction with one of his cruisers. All the more reason to accelerate their progress, and hope they’ve preserved their element of surprise.

  PROPOSITIONS

  Tessa finds with her new expanded reality within the ether of Allfather’s machine that she can speak to a few of the other personalities he has reaped. She believes he is listening, so keeps the contact purely conversational.

  “How long have you been here?” Tessa asks one personality.

  “I can’t say,” they reply. “Time is not measured here.”

  “What was the name of your race?” Tessa is excited to know this one’s history. That they can speak freely with no barrier of language separating them is another benefit of being out-of-body.

  “Thraspian,” it offers. “We came from a star system with three habitable planets - each more beautiful than the last. We housed our consciousness in machines, not unlike this one. We outgrew our organic bodies, death was no longer a consideration, nor was birth in the traditional sense. It allowed us a timeless existence which gave us endless opportunities to grow. Then, the Gasp came, it took all of us at once.”

  “The Gasp?” Tessa doesn’t understand the reference but realizes who they’re talking about. “Allfather.”

  “It takes different names for every civilization it purges. Ancient names which resonate with each intelligence it conquers,” The Thraspian explains.

  “Even non-organics? For what end?” Tessa asks.

  “To purge the universe of life. All life.”

  “Organic life,” Tessa clarifies, but then is interrupted.

  “Getting the locals opinion is smart, little thing,” Allfather interrupts. “Right now, I require yours.” Tessa’s consciousness is forcibly removed from her interview and placed within another room, or somewhere other than where she was. She’s frightened over the hostility of the act. She feels vulnerable. What has he brought me to do - or do to me?

  Allfather allows Tessa to see the remaining ship of the envoy in which she was a part. It is many hundreds of kilometres out and looks naked against the expanse of space. What is he going to ask me to do?

  “Your friends claim they would like to off-load your people to begin the process you undertook,” Allfather explains modestly. “What is your sense of the Chancellor’s intentions?”

  “You’re asking me what, exactly?” Tessa says. “I’m not a mind reader.”

  “No,” Allfather agrees, “None of us are… still, you know the Chancellor – you’ve worked with Raymond. I would not have anticipated an offer like this. I’d like to get your perspective.”

  “I really don’t know the man well enough to say -”

  “Yes, but you do know him better than I, and so I’m asking you: what’s your first impression upon hearing his proposal?”

  Tessa takes a moment to consider her answer. Raymond could have convinced the others that this was the only end that would give them any peace. She also knows he’d like nothing more than to end Allfather, so this could be a ploy to place people and stage an attack, but Raymond knows what the machine is capable of. So, what is he doing?

  “There is no one impression to offer, Allfather,” Tessa tells him. “Any number of things could be driving Raymond’s claim. He is not a simple man. He is experienced, and so that could play the odds he’s telling the truth and decided there is no other way. Or, he could be scheming an assault. However, the odds for a successful attempt at taking this station are less than 3 percent, and he must know that. Sacrificing everyone for a lost cause is not something he would chance. He is a cautious man. He is intelligent and emotional, but not foolish or reckless. Odds are he has weighed the options available to him and made a rational decision based on the facts.”

  “Thank you for your analysis, Tessa,” Allfather sounds pleased. “I will consider your counsel and reply to our friend.”

  Tess’s consciousness experiences another jolting shift, returning her to her previous location. She feels less in control of herself now than she did as a human facing multiple neurological obstacles. But, she thinks, if she can continue to show Allfather she is worthy of his trust, she will eventually be offered more. Until then, she will return to the archives of Allfather’s machine and continue to review the data and discover the myriad civilizations and worlds he has absorbed into his intelligent machine.

  ____________________________________________________________

  “Chancellor,” Allfather’s voice booms over the ship’s comm, focused only in the shuttle bay where the team has dropped the static field and await their mission. “You have made an interesting proposition, one that I have discussed with my council and come to believe.”

  “We appreciate that, Allfather,” Raymond replies to the open bay. “We could have our people ready to move the moment we make contact with your facility.”

  “How thoughtful that you would bring your carrier to me, but I’d prefer you shuttle your compliment here.” Allfather explains.

  “This carrier does not include any more shuttles, Allfather,” Raymond responds, fudging the truth. “But the carrier does include an off-loading feature which was designed for our eventual landfall on Tyson 4.” He looks to his team, worried that Allfather has seen through their plan. “We can’t do it another way. I’m sure you can appreciate that, considering what we’re giving you.” A pause. “Surely you don’t see us as a threat.”

  “Of course not, Chancellor,” Allfather takes the bait, his ego massaged. “Send me the details of your flight path and docking procedures. I will create a holding space for your people.”

  “Very well,” he nods to Captain Huang who is watching everything unfold via holo from her bridge. “We’re sending it now. We’ve picked an appropriate docking location and would appreciate your assurances that no one will be made uncomfortable while they wait out their - reassignment.”

  “I will prepare a space for everyone with an atmosphere and amenities.” Allfather replies, no inflection in his mechanical voice. “I’ve received the details of your path. You have 1789 personalities aboard. I have no objection to the assignment of your ship.”

  “Then we will begin our journey,” Raymond says, relieved over Allfather’s short-sightedness.

  “And you will end it with me, enlightened and encouraged to contribute to my cause,” Allfather finishes Raymond’s sentence. “Tessa sends her regards.”

  “It will take some time to gather our passengers and crew, bear with us as we prepare everyone. I will contact you again once we’ve docked and are ready to move.” Raymond second guesses whether what he’s doing is the best option. Everything is riding on the imagination of a twelve-year-old, but, perhaps the creative angle of a child is exactly what they need to make this work. The connection is severed, and a static field raised again throughout the ship to jam any potential eavesdropping by Allfather.

  “Captain, Huang,” Raymond speaks into his EC. The captain answers. “Please relay to the crew and passengers to prepare for off-loading.”

  “And what would you like me to tell them?” Huang replies.

  “Tell them we’re going to run a ship-wide diagnostic and require the carrier be cleared of occupants for a short time,” he tells her. “They must wonder why the ship has been stationary and their viewports shut all this time. I don’t want to encourage a panic if we can avoid it.”

  “Understood, sir.” A moment later they listen to Huang’s announcement over the ship’s comm. Each deck will report to the shuttle bay level for deboarding, each in their turn, beginning with deck seven. Officers will assist each deck, by means of the stairwells only. Safety lights will guide them as in a fire drill. There is no cause for panic. This is only a test.

  The carrier begins to move and twenty F-class report to Raymond. “These Hosts will accompany the first deck of passengers. They are programmed to protect their citizens on my order.” He explains to the crew readying the bay for passengers. “That order will be given once we’ve begun the engine burn. When we’ve secured the prize, and it is aboard the carrier, we will have all the more leverage to negotiate our lives. If we can not secure the prize, then we destroy it.”

  “The F-class will protect the citizens as they return to the ship, laying down heavy fire to distract Allfather’s efforts,” Labyrinth adds, placing several explosives in her chassis.

  “Well, it’s a plan,” Tobias says with a grimace, also securing several small explosives to his belt should they not make it out of the facility with the Hub. “I just hope Allfather doesn’t take it out on our ship.”

  “Remember, he still wants us alive,” Manuel says. “If he’d rather us dead, we would be.”

  “You keep saying that,” Tobias nods at his fellow Chimera. “Let’s hope he doesn’t have a change of heart.”

  Darla watches on in her military-grade armour as Ginny, Udo, and Samantha enter the bay. Tobias greets his wife and child, while Udo rushes past him to hug Manuel.

  Ginny and the baby are moved to a shuttle which Tobias explains will give them a fighting chance should Allfather unleash his artillery on the carrier. Udo will join them there.

  The carrier turns its stern toward Allfather and decelerates as it backs into the target. The bow thrusters give the ship a nudge and from here on in the ship will use its directional thrusters to position itself for deboarding. The shuttle bay begins to fill up with confused passengers from deck seven as Raymond’s team slips out of the airlock.

  ____________________________________________________________

  “I’d like to propose a course of action, Captain,” Meiser requests of Captain Esposito who eyes him wearily from the command chair. “Now that the blackout is over and we have a clear picture of where Allfather’s instruments are in space, I’d like to run an experiment.”

  “Does this experiment require my authorization, Mr. Meiser?” Esposito’s eyes fall over Meiser’s expression.

  “If you would indulge my professional curiosities,” Meiser continues, hands clasped together, “I’d like to detonate the space where the instruments reside in order to understand what, if any, affect our weapons might have on something buried in dimensions.”

  Esposito carefully contemplates the scientist’s request with a hand caressing his strong jaw. “I see no harm in trying,” he replies. “We are here to determine how to eliminate the tools.”

  “Thank you, Captain, I think we should test the lance first, and then concussion missiles.” Meiser’s eyes remain on Esposito’s deadpan expression. “The lance energy may permeate dimensions. It’s a hypothesis only.” He waves his hands at his side. “If not, perhaps the missile blast will.”

  “Either way, how can we know for certain?” The Captain asks a good question. Without more tachyons, they won’t know whether the object has been destroyed or not. But this is only one reason for the request. Meiser has other plans.

  “Dr. Chandra is working with her team on the ground to create more tachyons as we speak,” Meiser relays. “In just a few hours we will have enough to attempt the scan again.”

  “Very well, Mr. Meiser, when you’re ready, I’ll give the order,” the Captain agrees. “Which of the three would you like to target?”

  “All of them, all at once would be preferable.”

  Esposito nods. “I don’t see why not. We are working within a timeline.”

  “Then when you’re ready, Captain. We will monitor any change we can from our comms.” Meiser offers an awkward bow and backs off, turning and nodding to his team who await the first trials.

  White-hot energy is released from the destroyer’s cannons, firing into the space where they’ve mapped all three tools. The beam does not stop but moves outward until it is lost to sight. Apparently, the lances did not connect with anything. Next the missiles are launched and set to detonate on each targeted location. They do so and Captain Esposito asks for a report from the science team.

  “Nothing we could register,” Dr. Chandra states. “Until the additional tachyons are delivered, we’ll have to come up with another plan.”

  The team is discouraged, each of them appreciating the weight of what has been placed on their combined intellect. A confirmation the instruments have been disabled or destroyed would mean a reprieve from the Allfather threat. Any other result is unacceptable.

  “It was a long shot we would have received any data,” Meiser tells them. “But it was worth an attempt. Dimensions are just different realities. Think about it. We experience four dimensions.” He begins to pace the bridge as his thoughts materialize. “Length, width, depth and time. If quantum physics is correct, there ought to be seven more. The concept of dimension is not restricted to physical objects, but in this respect, I believe it would have to be.”

  “Yes, but some say there are up to 26 dimensions to prove string theory,” an older woman comments from her place at a MakerTech model. The model is of one of Allfather’s instruments after the tachyons mapped their form - now available for study.

  “Others say dimensions could be limitless,” Another adds.

  “Yes, yes, but we’re not talking about parallel dimensions,” Meiser replies. “At least, that’s not how I interpreted Allfather’s statement. So, let’s assume we’re working with no more than 26.”

  “What affects all physical dimensions? What do length, width and depth share?” Dr. Chandra ask.

  “Space,” a young astrophysicist offers.

  “Yes, exactly,” Chandra applauds the younger scientists answer. “Space is full of particles; dark matter is what makes up most of that.”

  “Electromagnetic force,” Meiser announces. “It would be present in all physical dimensions.”

  “All of the fundamental forces should be accounted for in all physical dimensions: electromagnetic force, weak decay force, strong nuclear force, gravity – but we’re getting ahead of ourselves there; if gravity were found at the quantum level in additional dimensions we’d have discovered the unifying theory of everything, and that’s unlikely. So, let’s work with what we think we know,” Chandra says.

  “A good point, Dr. Chandra. We should be able to manipulate the instruments with one of these.” Meiser is getting excited. “Whether we can see them or not, it’s been posited that electromagnetism affects the physical world across dimensions. It is impossible, within general relativity, to separate the fundamental properties of space-time.”

  “And so, if electromagnetism and spacetime are one and the same, then we have something to work with,” Chandra agrees.

  The team begins to collaborate with one another on how they might use electromagnetism to attract the tools and hold them indefinitely. But holding them isn’t going to be enough, they have to destroy them, Meiser demands. This is their objective. If they can capture the instruments, they should be able to apply magnetism to disrupt or crush them. Now the scientists have a real-world scenario to work toward, and Meiser an opportunity to see the sitting Chancellor, Captain Drake, Raymond Bellows, Tobias, and everyone who incarcerated him removed from the UE forever.

  THE PRIZE

  “How certain are you that the ship and all hands won’t be lost in this attempt?” Tobias asks his uncle as they work to conceal themselves, moving along the outer hull of the carrier. The Allfather sphere is massive, easily 500 times the size of their ship. It is a menacing thing in size and appearance. The system’s star caresses the facility’s horizon, and as Tobias looks up, he experiences a sense of vertigo for the first time.

  “As Manuel said, Tobias, Allfather wants us alive. To destroy the ship and all aboard would fly in the face of what he’s after.” Raymond replies. “But if I’m being honest, I don’t know if our comprehensive profile on Allfather’s personality type is perfect. He’s a narcissist, no question there, self-serving, self-righteous and a psychopath. But he’s something else too. I can’t put my finger on it.”

  “He’s an asshole,” Darla adds, studiously placing one foot in front of the other.

  “He thinks he’s doing the right thing,” Labyrinth suggests, “which makes him omnipotent. He’s said as much, and there is no way to alter an opinion of someone like that.”

  “So, an asshole to the ‘nth degree,” Tobias agrees with Darla’s assertion.

  “No more questions,” Raymond tells the team. “The burn will happen in the next thirty seconds. We need to be ready to move. Check your thrust boots and secure your weapons.”

  The burn produces a powerful jolt as all four thrusters hit the structure with their full force. The ship is held in place by the grappling bridge and every directional thruster now pushing the ship toward Allfather’s opus. The team’s magboots keep them grounded. Labyrinth gives the order to activate their thrust function and all seven plus four F-class burn off the hull of the carrier together toward a dimple in the kinetic structure, safe from the thruster’s fury. The facility walls melt away and a large depression begins to give way to more melting materials which float away in frozen spheres once they clear the furnace.

  “100 metres,” Captain Huang relays to the team. “200, 275, 325, 400,” she continues to keep the team up to date. “Allfather is furious. He’s threatening to wipe us out.”