The Colony Ship Warren #1-7, page 130
part #0 of Colony Ship Warren #1-7 Series
Those grids slid along one conveyor while on another beltway, the consoles for the teleporter controls were assembled from parts that had just been fabricated in some other, more remote part of the factory. Many of those parts had been manufactured in hidden compartments—at least to Beth’s and Allen’s perceptions—where strict environmental factors were controlled. Things like pressures, temperature-controlled settings, and even some areas where gravity was null and vacuum was present. Those hidden locations were where the gases, liquids and solids were placed in exactingly stringent positions to create each part. Those diverse—and extremely intricate pieces—were then accurately zipped together by the rapidly moving factory’s robotic operations.
The blur of fabrication was too much for the human eye to follow, yet AI Lismer oversaw it all with meticulously careful attention to every detail.
The subatomic particles, circuits, dynamos, relays, neutrinotronics, electronics, quarkites, and the myriad of other components were precisely fitted, finished, and fine-tuned.
The consoles then gently were conveyed down the beltways to arrive on the reflective surface where finished products were distributed. However, these parts were not sent into the gravity conduits, but rather were lined up for presentation.
Four fusion packs were the last items to slide down the conveyors and they were set carefully at the end of the row of parts. They had been manufactured, tested, and confirmed in another part of the facility.
Two blue engineering automacubes rolled into the room. They were labeled, “BC-18-97” and “LC-19-06” and each looked sparklingly new. On the back of LC-19-06 was a spare manipulation arm for an engineering automacube. That replacement part was wrapped in clear materials.
“We are here to assist with final assembly,” BC-18-97 announced.
“Yes, some assembly is required by the end user,” LC-19-06 added. “Do you desire that we repair the damaged automacube first?”
“Yes, please,” Elsa eagerly stated.
The two engineering automacubes swiftly and efficiently replaced the entire manipulation arm on Zero. Both of them also scanned the WASP which was a nonstandard part of the automacube, but neither said anything.
“That is much better,” Elsa stated with some measure of confidence as the new appendage flexed and rotated about. “Zero, we can now assist in finishing the teleportation system.”
“Understood and willing to assist,” Zero replied in as cheery a tone as they had ever heard from a mechanical voice.
Beth stood up and nearly jumped with joy, “This is going to work. We finally are finding equipment which is working without malfunctions and without problems.”
8 An Attempt is Made
The engineering automacubes, BC-18-97 and LC-19-06 along with the physically revived Zero, hauled all the component parts of the teleportation system into the nearby storage room.
Racks, shelves, and cargo containers were stacked on the sides of the room, but the middle was a rectangular area which was open and about ten meters long and five meters wide. At the far end of the room were extra-large doors which were shut.
“This must be where they send out items which are too big for the gravity conduit system,” Allen observed. “And look at all the parts they already have made.” His eyes scanned the stacked items, all of which were neatly labeled. “Nothing says ‘eat me’ or ‘drink me’ and that is encouraging.”
“This time we are building the teleporter, and not leaving it to Monitor,” Beth added with glee. “This is going to work!”
LC-19-06 asked, “Who goes first?”
“You will listen and obey me. I will guide us through each step,” Elsa directed the automacubes to place the grid in the appropriate position.
Allen placed the fusion packs at each corner of the grid. He knew that the teleportation receiving pad could be powered by a single fusion pack, but by putting all four of them in a series it would allow for enough energy for a sending unit as well as a receiving unit.
“The grid is double what we needed for our first attempt,” Beth mused. “That makes sense, since we will be sending ourselves to the Eschaton. Two-way alternating modes on this teleporter, makes it a much different unit than we learned about for the recovery of a colony ship mission.” She wiped a tear from her eyes which surprised her.
“I feel it, too,” Allen stated as he looked at her. “Some of our friends are gone, off on those other colony ships. Maybe they can connect to us and we could take them with us?”
“That is a possibility,” Elsa spoke, “Allen and Beth, I am focused on making this work, but I am also aware that my cognitive abilities have been slipping. Therefore, the console here has an addition to its command-and-control features. If I make a mistake, that programmed review should serve as a failsafe so that no one is teleported in an unsafe manner. That will add several steps, but I conjecture it is necessary to secure safe operations.”
Beth picked up the console and set it into the place in the grid which was designed to hold it.
“This is easier than us cutting and shaping permalloy like we expected to do,” Beth commented as she snapped the connectors into place.”
Allen finished connecting the fusion packs, tested the circuits using the built-in gauges, and reviewed his findings. He smiled.
“Power levels right where we need them. It all just snaps together,” Allen said affirmingly. “Nicely done, Elsa.”
“AI Lismer’s facility did the actual construction. They followed my design which is a modified and enhanced version of what Brink and the others in Dome 17 invented and then developed. I am engaging the power, now. If I pick up sending signals, I will alert you. I conjecture a low possibility for the other adventurers to be sending a signal, but it is possible.”
“We are doing it!” Beth pulled a chair over and sat at the control and utilization console and looked at the three-dimensional displays which had just been projected into the air. The charts, readouts, and status displays all looked perfect.
Allen pulled another chair over and sat where he could view the proximity array and compiler projections. They too were exactly as expected.
The equipment was functioning flawlessly.
Elsa spoke, “I am now tuning the teleportation pad for detection of any signals from Dome 17 personnel. If there are teleportation systems operational, I should be able to detect them. I have located the transmission beam which originated at Dome 17 and carries the Copernicus Message. It has odd fluctuations which I cannot explain. It is possible I am only picking up remnant transmissions from that beam. Possibly only reverberating echoes of a signal that no longer is being sent, but left residuals.”
“Forget that,” Allen snapped. “You need to find Brink, and he and the other survivors are not back in Dome 17, they went to that Colony Ship Eschaton. Look for those signals, or for signals from other adventurer teams.”
“I know what to look for. I am doing what is needed,” Elsa replied tersely. “I am picking up a moderately strong signal from an unexpected direction. It is neither a sending or receiving signal, but a mixture. That is unexpected. I conjecture its origin may be the Colony Ship Zubalamo, as it is roughly along that ship’s projected trajectory.”
“Zubalamo? That is a weird name, but I thought the refugees went to the Eschaton,” Beth asked. “Or did I hear it wrong?”
“The Colony Ship Zubalamo was one of the seven generational ships sent from Earth. That entire project was overseen by a company called Rebane Space Construction. They took over from the previous contractor, Tom Woolery who had planned a mission which has been described—somewhat inaccurately by historians—as leapfrogging from star to star. Tom Woolery was brilliant, but Earth lacked the technology at that time to follow his proposed expedition. The records of exactly which route was proposed are conflicting and at times contradictory, as are many things from that turbulent era. Here is my best amalgamation of those records and the solar stepping stones, in what I consider to be their mostly likely proposed order, the Alpha Centauri multi-star system, the Luhman 16 binary system, Groombridge 34, Wise 0855-0714, Wise 0350-5658, Gliese 1061 (sometimes known as Toolfa’s binary system), Ross 154, Bernard’s Star (LP 944-020), 82 Eridani, Wise 0359-5401, the Terravor binary system (whose name remains mysterious and the location is uncertain), and then completing the mission at the P Eridani, binary system. This proposed mission would have resulted in a journey of roughly twenty-nine light years from Earth. At the time, Tom Woolery’s proposal was for all the colony ships to follow that route and assist each other as a fleet. At that time, the route had thirty-four known exoplanets, eleven of which were inside their star’s habitable zones. Obviously, that is using the old names for the solar systems because the current nomenclature, used since Gretchen Westerhuis replotted and charted the observable universe, had not yet been implemented. I can repeat the list using the proper names and—”
Beth interrupted, “Elsa, focus. What about that signal and is it a colony ship? Is it our friends?” Her words had barely concealed irritation.
“Uncertain. The sling launch to the Zubalamo was scheduled to be the sixth one and the crew was Ian and Mabel with AI Nikki,” Elsa reported. “I know nothing more about that expedition.”
“Should we contact that?” Allen mused.
“Perhaps as a backup,” Elsa snapped back. “I need Brink! Do not distract me again with trivialities. My best conjecture is that the Eschaton is where the refugees went. That is what was in the Copernicus Message. I have no evidence for what became of the team which went to the Colony Ship Zubalamo. I have recorded that beam—signal—for possible reference later. I am still scanning for any other teleportation beams.”
Beams? Is Elsa changing terms? What if the people on the Eschaton just shut down their teleporter after the Dome was evacuated? Beth wondered, but refused to speak out her fears. Elsa needs this to work, as she is getting much more unstable and ill-tempered.
There was an awkward silence. The room felt strange and ominous.
“I have located the Colony Ship Eschaton,” Elsa reported. “The beam is steady, but marginally connectible as it is a weak signal. I am attempting to link the faster-than-light radio now.”
Allen stepped over and placed a hand on Beth’s shoulder. She grasped his hand in anticipation.
“This is artificial intelligence system Mercury using experimental equipment. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?” a strange mechanical voice announced.
“This is Elsa from Dome 17. I need to speak to Brink immediately. Are you on the Colony Ship Eschaton?” Elsa audibly spoke.
“Affirmative. This is the Colony Ship Eschaton,” AI Mercury replied. “Captain Tamar has been summoned, and I am linking to her now. Video transmission cannot be established. We only have audio connections. Please standby.”
Beth hugged Allen fiercely with joy.
“Do you have teleportation sending and receiving abilities?” AI Mercury asked. “Are you open to receive or send or both?”
“Yes, both. Shall I begin those connections now?” Elsa answered.
“You have approval from Captain Tamar. Proceed,” AI Mercury stated.
“Initiating teleportation sending pad,” Elsa announced. “Receiving pad with be at your end.”
“That is acceptable,” AI Mercury stated flatly. “Proceed. Awaiting your connection.”
There was a tingly sensation in the air as the fusion packs poured energy into the teleportation device. The permalloy grid on the floor trembled ever so slightly and made a faint humming noise.
“We actually did it!” Allen enthused. “We found the Eschaton and our equipment is working. Out of the rabbit hole we go!”
“So far,” Beth nodded and affirmed cautiously.
A dim glow emanated from the grid as energy smoothly flowed from the fusion packs. That glow was a warm golden color and followed each and every side of the little hexagons which made up the grid.
“Step one completed and functional,” Elsa reported.
“Now, we fine tune in the FTL pseudomagnetronics to be able to make a direct connection,” Beth stated as she adjusted the console. The blue display which floated in the air before her interacted with her hands as she made those adjustments.
“The initiation tests on the FTA transceiver are excellent,” Allen announced as he looked over Beth’s shoulder. “Just what is needed.”
Elsa continued, “I have locked in on the beam from the Eschaton. Synchronization and final field generator oscillation being processed. The final calibrations will be completed momentarily. Systems are optimal. Backup overview confirms operations.”
Several lights flashed on Beth’s display, “FTL carrier wave linked with proper feedback.”
Snap!
A surprisingly loud sound came from the teleporter grid while small blue-colored crackles danced across the hexes. Nearly immediately afterward, a perfectly round sphere, about the size of someone’s palm appeared. It hovered just above the middle of the grid.
“Hurrah! We are linking to something called, Artificial Intelligence Mercury on the Colony Ship Eschaton!” Beth exclaimed as the readings on her display confirmed a teleportation connection.
“We still have the FTL radio link, right?” Allen asked.
“That is correct, Allen,” Elsa announced. “I will now enlarge the orifice so that we can obtain visual observations as well as audio.”
“I confirm your connection,” AI Mercury stated. “Operational success has been achieved.”
The white sphere grew in brilliance, expanded—to Allen’s mind like a bubble being inflated—and was almost too bright to look at directly. After growing to about the size of a human head, the sphere’s luminosity changed and paled until it looked more like a ring of white with something else in the center of that ring.
Allen stepped to the side a few paces, but the illusion of a ring continued.
“Does that look like a ring, or tunnel from over there?” Beth asked as she stared into the weirdness which was hovering over the teleportation gird.
“Yes, a hole outlined in white. But I cannot make out anything inside. It is murky and strange,” Allen replied.
“I am matching waves, particles, and sleptons to enhance the connection,” Elsa stated. “The system on the Eschaton is not exactly as expected.”
“What?” Allen wondered out loud. “How is it different?”
“I did not say it was different. I said it is not exactly as expected,” Elsa chided.
“We are here to assist with any assembly,” BC-18-97 and LC-19-06 said in unison. The engineering automacubes were parked to the side of the storage area. “How can we be of service?”
“Not now! Hold your positions, and await further instructions,” Elsa commanded.
Beth stared into the teleportation orifice. Whatever was there, as it seemed she could look through the ring, was still somewhat out of focus, but some kind of room with mechanical equipment was visible beyond the ring.
“Another rabbit hole?” Allen muttered as he too looked at it.
It was like looking down a deep tunnel or a long tube and seeing out the other side. Allen remembered as a child taking tubes and putting them up to one eye and peering down them. This felt eerily similar. The main difference here was that the periphery was the white glow, instead of the dark shadowy part he recalled from looking down tubes as a child. There was a black lip around it, but a lighter part at the center.
“Alter your tachyon alignments to the positive by point zero-one-seven on your pseudo-bosonic factors,” AI Mercury instructed.
“Making adjustment, now,” Elsa replied.
The ring of glowing white light, with the appearance of a tunnel inside of it, quivered and undulated for a few breath-stealing moments. The manifestation then twirled about in a swift motion and flattened into a vertical doorway-shape.
Air pressure changed suddenly and some gusts of air rushed about the room, tousling Beth’s short hair.
“Rechecked. Rechecked. Affirmed. Complete connection made. Sending may commence,” Elsa announced. “I can now go to find Brink.”
“Permission to come aboard granted,” AI Mercury stated.
Elsa’s automacube rolled toward the teleportation portal which was obviously open.
The hair stood up on Allen’s neck and his arms were covered with goose pimples.
“Elsa, wait! How do we know what is over there?” Allen argued. “I can only see some kind of workstation or machine shop, or something. Where is Brink? Where are the people?”
“Allen, we made the connection,” Beth enthused. “That is the colony ship where our friends are waiting. Come on! We can escape from the Warren.”
Beth was stepping right after the automacube which was just about to reach the portal location.
That teleportation portal was still outlined in white, but now could only be seen from one direction. From where Allen stood, he could not see directly through the portal, and only saw things at an angle.
Rushing over to Beth, Allen reached out his hand, “Beth, we should run some tests. What is over there?”
Beth deployed her full RAM suit, “This is the best protection we have and a chance to leave. We should take it. Elsa needs our support.”
Allen yelped, “Monitor knew all about our teleporter. How do we even know that is that other colony ship?”
Elsa, housed in Zero the modified automacube, entered the portal and like a wink, was gone. The two humans standing next to each other could see that Zero had arrived safely on the other side of the portal, but it seemed as if it had not traveled through it, but rather had just touched the portal and then been shifted to the other side.
“Teleportation successful for that automacube,” AI Mercury stated. “Are there other beings who wish to translate to this location?”
“Translate?” Allen asked. “What does that mean?”
