the chronicles of the samuel hain fourth series

7/31/2019 The Chronicles of the Samuel Hain Fourth Series

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The Chronicles of the

4thSeries

2012 Benjamin F. Kaye

UDASamuel Hain


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The Chronicles of the Samuel Hain

4th Series

Contents

1.Welcome to Today, New Detroit 22.Keep Out 83.Cosmos Colossal World of Wonderments 144.The Outcasts Tears 215.The Sumo Wrestlers and the Ants 266.Robot Heaven is a Lie 317.Jonah 378.One Small Step In the Wrong Direction 43


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4th Series

Welcome to Today, New Detroit

I quietly unpacked my things and laid them out in neat piles. I put the clothes in one corner,

personal items in the opposite corner, and duty related items on the desk. I was the first one on board,

but no one knew that. Im sure some other happy, smiling cadet was walking on right now, thinking he

or she was the first cadet on board. Soon they would be having the traditional first lunch with the

captain, where they would try not to gush about how wonderful everything was. Im glad I wasnt there

that just wasnt me.

I set the photo of the staff on the night stand next to my bed. There we all were, standing in

front of the cozy little cabin, surrounded by trees and sunshine. Everyone was wearing their

prerequisite smile and crowding in around me. In front, on the nice little picnic table was the cake it

read Goodbye and Good Luck Davius! When someone tried to correct my name, Ijust laughed it off, just to let them know I was cured. I couldnt go back farther than the cabin. At

first, they told me that there was no need. When I persisted, they warned me about a relapse and

possible permanent brain injury.

So, I was stuck. I was Darius Hookman, a 42 year old cadet, whose life literally began at age 36.

I didnt know who I was before that, I wasnt supposed to know. Neither was anybody else. If I could go

back and do it all over again, I definitely would have chosen the lethal injection.

The first duty of my career was to monitor the sensors on the bridge. Not too glamorous, but

not too difficult either. I saluted the captain (and everyone else who required saluting) and sat down at

my station. I smiled at everyone who needed a smile. I pressed my hand against the blue screen:


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Welcome Darius Hookman. Today is February 7 2712 / Time 7:30 AM. The

display was actually kind of cheery. I thought it would be drab or overly politically correct.

Mr. Smythe, set a patrol course around earth. Captain Graham ordered. Now she was the

kind of person I wanted in charge. Captain Graham was born in The African Union and became a UDA

citizen when she was 20. At thirty years old, she was the youngest captain to ever command theSamuel Hain. It was rumored that her parents had single handedly driven the Shadow Children out of

Africa, but that was only a rumor.

Yes Maam setting course. We will reach earth orbit in ten minutes. He replied.

Molybdenum Smythe was a go-getter. He was the next step in the evolution of Project Firefly. It was

said that he would volunteer to tap dance on the wings if it would get him promoted.

Environmental parameters are normal; all sections of the ship are secure. Cadet Samantha

Fisher reported.

Thank you Samantha. The captain acknowledged.

Cadets Samantha, Sandra, and Sally Fisher were triplets. They shared a common heart and

lungs, which were encased in a floating orb about three times the size of a basketball. Each of them

was connected to the sphere by a five foot hose attached to their back. They had no legs and simply

hovered in the air.

Captain there is a minor power spike throughout the ship. It was about 0.0072%. Energy

management systems have compensated and are analyzing. Sandra stated.

Crew vital signs and biometric readings are normal captain. No injuries or side effects

detectedeveryone is safe, secure, and unharmed. Sally added.

Mr. Hookman, was the source of the power surge internal or external? Captain Graham

walked over to me.

External Maam. I brought up the sensor history for the past five minutes. The disturbance

originated from New Detroit. Aha! A mystery, this was going to be good.

You are looking at live pictures of New Detroit. The time bubble around the city has collapsed

and the government has quarantined the area. Happy Bennadetti of UDA Today announced. The citywas in the background and surrounded by military and MARI vehicles. Nothing new from last hour. I

leaned back on my bed and opened up my oracle. I soon became bored with that and decided to check

out the Stargazer.

Oh! Excuse me ambassador. I almost ran into Ambassador Harriet. She stopped a moment;

her long, sleek body turned red, her spots became pitch black. Uh-oh.


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Her long tongue slowly slid out and gently touched my forehead. It lingered there a moment

before retreating. The noise she uttered was so beautiful, so mysterious and serene. Her body turned a

bright yellow. She let out a series of high pitched noises and then was silent.

The ambassador thinks you are an oddity, a tragedy really. Professor Harbinger explained.

There is an emptiness about you that is most unnatural.

Good day ambassador. I didnt know what else to say, so I quickly left.

No captain! You cannot! You must not! Thats how it all started. As I turned the corner, I

was greeted by Mayor Artium McDonald, wildly waving his arms.

Im sorry, we are under orders. If you would like, you can leave before we get underway.

Why wont you listen to me?! The mayor was furious.

Mr. McDonald, I am listening to you. I cannot disobey a direct order from our Central

Command. They want to know more about the cube.

And theyll never find out. The mayor walked away in disgust.

They mayor was sitting in a cozy little corner all by himself. He had pushed his plate of shrimp

marinara to the side and had this look on his face it was a mixture of sadness and frustration. One or

two bots came over to check on him and I thought he was going to turn them upside-down. I decided

to make my move.

May I? I walked over to his table.

Yes, yes, you may. I didnt make a very good impression back there, did I?

You made a strong impression, whether it was good orbad I dont know. Im Cadet Darius

Hookman.

A pleasure to meet you Mr. Hookman.

I hope you dont mind me asking-

About the conversation back there? You might as well be one of the first outside Detroit to

know, Mr. Hookman. Your ship is going to rendezvous with a cube no bigger than the palm of your

hand. That cube is going to send out a signaland that will be the beginning of the end. Then youll

have to endure what weve had to endure. They call themselves theYvvy; they look just like us. Well,

except for that odd ring of insect eyes going all the way around their bald heads. But they dont think

like us they will enslave humanity in a matter of three weeks. They will be brutal and thorough in their

oppression; not even the Orrise will be able to stop them.

Sounds bad. That was all I could offer.


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Would you like to know what your life will look like? Hmmmm? The mayors frustration

began to rise. He impatiently pulled out his oracle and showed me lines of people being marched into

great fiery furnaces, with the statue of founding father Sergey Andropov looking on.

Does the captain know? A stupid question perhaps, but one that ought to be asked.

Yes. So does the high command, so does the president. Now you know too. But Ill let you in

on a little secretthey dont like salt. It sounds trivial, I know, but something about the taste drives

them mad.

I spent the rest of that night previewing the end. Mayor Macdonald had graciously transferred

all the news reports and city video for the last two years to my oracle. I couldnt get the furnaces out of

my mind. Something about being destroyedmaybe that was why I was afraid of the dark. It wasnt

ghosts and goblins that terrified me it was the nothingness.

I watched the lines filing past Mr. Andropov over the weeks. There was something about the

statue that wasnt right. I ran the videos back and focused on founding father Sergei Andropov whatwas he trying to tell me? I yawned and stretched. My eyes drifted to the mobile that hung from the

ceiling; the planets drifted slowly around each other, oblivious to our impending doom.

Two days later, at exactly 7:28 AM, I was running down the halls. I had only seconds to get

there. My heart was pounding and my head was filled with scenes of a long line of people slowly

shuffling to their destruction. I couldnt believe that it would come down to something so trivial so

small.

Can I help you? One of the guards outside the engineering room asked.

I have to get in there. Im late for my shift. I replied as quickly and politely as I could.

Cadet Hookman. The guard noted, scanning the ID patch on my uniform. Actually, youre on

bridge duty today.

Change of plans. I took down the guard before either of us knew what had happened. Now, I

had the same basic training as everybody else, but I didnt know I was that capable. Where did that

come from?

I burst into the room and made a mad dash for the main control panel, knocking people out ofthe way. I had about four seconds. I shut down the engines and drew my gun. I just had to hold them

off for five minutes.

Cadet Hookman, please stand down and report to my office. The captains voice echoed

throughout the room.

Yes Maam. I will proceed to your office in four minutes and thirty-two seconds.


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Are you on a precise time schedule Mr. Hookman?

Actually Maam I am.

Care to explain?

I cant right now Maam. I only pieced this whole thing together twenty minutes ago and Im

currently very busy keeping security at bay.

Mr. Hookman an explanation of any sort would go a long way towards keeping you out of the

brig.

The statue of Sergei Andropov maam. Look at the statue in the news stories and video feeds.

Cadet Hookman, please put your weapon on the floor and come with us. The leader of the

security team asked as she stepped into the room.

Please, just two more minutes I promise. You can throw me in the brig, kick me off the ship,but just another one minute and fifty-five seconds is all I need.

Cadet Hookman, this is not Lets Make a Deal. Stand down and come with us. She replied.

Please, lookyou guys have me outgunned. Ive let everybody go. All I need is one minute

and forty-two seconds.

I dont know why, but she waited. At exactly the right time, I turned on the engines and the ship

began moving again. There was something in the guards eyes as she led me away. She knew

something, but was determined to keep the information a secret.

Mr. Hookman, you shut down our engines for exactly 5 minutes. Why? The captain was

suddenly standing on the other side of the bars. I quickly stood up.

Maam if I may ask a question?

Proceed Mr. Hookman. Behind the captains cold words was an impatience that I hoped I

would never hear again.

The signal that the cube sent out what happened to it?

It bounced off several asteroids in the Kuiper Belt.

The Kuiper Belt! That was the difference. They never had an asteroid belt.

Mr. Hookman, if you could elaborate.


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When I looked at the video feeds from New Detroit, I noticed that Sergei Andropovs name was

misspelled on his statue at least at times. I looked at other video from the city and saw other strange

things, such as this white 2512 X4-C Mustang. I brought up the image of the vehicle on the screen

beside me.

It has a triangular wing. Those were never made.

But, exactly two weeks later, in the same parking space, I saw this. This time the blade

around the mustang was circular. Both cars have the same license plate they even have the same

stickers on the back window.

Very curious. How is this incident related to your actions in engineering?

Captain for the past 338 years New Detroit has been not only ahead of us, but in an alternate

universe. But, this is where it gets interesting, that alternate universe never sat still. It would drift back

and forth, lining up exactly with ours at regular intervals. Every two weeks, our universes would totally

overlap, and our future would be their today. But, our universe and theirs would drift apart, so thattheir future would be different than ours.

If I understand your theory correctly, we would have encountered the cube at the exact time

our universes would overlap.

Yes! If we had encountered the cube right on schedule, our future would be exactly the same

as the one New Detroit had gone through years ago. It only took five minutes for the time lines to

diverge, guaranteeing a different future.

You have potential, Mr. Hookman. I am glad you decided to serve aboard this ship.

Thank you maam.

Ill see you in two days.

Yes maam.

So that was how Darius Hookman saved the world. I would never know who I was before or the

choices that person would have made, but Darius did the right thing. That was good enough for me.

Bfk


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4th Series

Keep Out

I woke to the sound of a babbling brook. I yawned, stretched, and smiled. It was always good to

wake up. I turned my oracle off and shuffled out the door to the Star Drifter. I got some very odd looks

along the way; I dont know if it was the tie-dye bathrobe or the three tortoise shells on my hairless

head. Perhaps they had never seen a sixty year old cadet before; although I thought I only looked

slightly past thirty.

As I shuffled along, I checked my calendar. With ten fathers and twelve mothers it was a

constant challenge to keep up with birthdays and the latest news. There were two birthdays this week,

but only one caught my eye. Usually I dont do anything more than send a card, but Father Neumann

was special to me. He had introduced me to my one overshadowing passion: Psychiatry. It would takesome doing, but I would definitely attend his birthday festivities.

Dr. Ingram! Oh thank goodness I found you. Cadet Tanaka came scampering up to me.

Kelli, how are you? I smiled warmly at her.

Its my parents! Theyre just soso..arrgh! She threw her hands up in the air.

I checked her neuro signs on my oracle. Hmmmm..lots of brain activity in usually quiet

neighborhoods. The stress was rising, but manageable. I fumbled around in my pockets for a remedy.

Hmmmmlets see. Ocean waves and wild flowers wouldnt work for her, so I put that stick ofnano-gum back. I pulled out another stick and was about to put it back, but I had a hunch.

Kelli, try this its Bee Hive and Pine Forest. I tossed the gum up in the air. Quick as a cat,

she grabbed it and put it in her pocket. Skip todays recommended reading I dont think it will really

address all angles of the problem. When the gum kicks in, try reading Glynna Acuas 24th

Century

Sphere of Shinto- I think the reflections on eternity and development will give you plenty of insight.


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Thanks doc!

No problem.

Dr. Ingram! I need something for my shift on the bridge! Lieutenant Ramos came up behind

me.

Uncertainty is the greatest reward, only sought out by the most courageous. I put my hands

on his shoulders and looked deep into his eyes.

Thanks for the words doc.

Dont thank me; thank Njora Bolotnikova head of the Shadow-Chaser House on Olympus.

TheNjora Bolotnikova? The one who won ten gold medals? Shes a legend even among the

Starblade elite. You actually met her?

Yes, the same one. Yes I met her in a restaurant in Gryphons Heights. I smiled.

Thanks again doc. He ran off to meet his fate.

Dr. Ingram! Dr. Ingram! Cadet Anderson met me as I stepped into the Star Drifter. She

looked better than she had in weeks.

I see the lighting changein your quarters has worked.

Not only that, but the new diet is an absolute wonder! She hugged me.

I take it there is enough variety in the Nguyen Diet to keep it interesting?

Definitely! The boxes are easy to read too the neurotransmitter points are color coded.

Some of the deserts are low in dopamine and histamine, but thats not a big problem.

You know, you can combine the Nguyen Diet with the Galloway Diet to get even more variety.

Theres a handy oracle application that helps you keep track of the two.

Really? Thanks doc. How did we survive before neurologically engineered foods?

Things must have been quite barbaric. I chuckled softly.

Permission denied. Captain Graham bluntly stated. She sat down at her desk.

Captain, I can get two people to cover my shifts for the next two days. I explained.

You can get five people to cover your shifts, Mr. Ingram, but they just wouldnt have your

credentials or capability.


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The only way to gain credentials and capability is to practice and I do believe Ms.

Bhattacharya and Mr. Fletcher would benefit greatly from the opportunity.

Professor Ingram-

Cadet Ingram. I corrected her. It would be interesting to see how my former student handled

the transition from pupil to captain.

Cadet Ingram. The Samuel Hain cannot go without its chief psychiatrist for two days.

Should I test? Should I push the boundaries of our relationship, blur them, muddy them? I

understand captain.

Cadet one moment. We could get another qualified psychiatrist to cover for you if we tap

into the University of New Torontos visiting scholar program. She stopped me before I could get out

the door.

Was she giving me special treatment? Or was this her plan all along; was she challenging me

they way I used to challenge her in class? Thank you captain.

Father Neumanns house sat on a sleepy little street on the outskirts of Woodchuck Hill (twenty

minutes outside of New Morocco). The tree limbs formed an arch over the street; red and gold leaves

eddied in the late afternoon breeze. I parked my green vintage 2517 Porsche X-4C in the driveway.

Cmon Chet! Father Neumann urged as he walked out the door. Will you stop polishing that

hood ornament? Its not every day that a man celebrates his 100thbirthday.

You dont look a day past 69.

Cmon, cmon! Lets eat some cake and then talk shop. He guided me into the house.

His cozy residence was packed with presents, streamers, cards, and cake. Father Neumanns

parrot-headed white lemurs, Romulus and Remus, capered about. They were busy causing mischief and

stealing croissants.

Now Romulus is the one with the red head? I petted the animal.

Yes. You remembered. He replied while stroking Remus black feathers.

In your e-letter, you said that you were on to something revolutionary something that would

change psychiatry forever.

Lets wait till the party has ended. Its an experiment best done in a quiet atmosphere.

Sure enough, as soon as the last guest left, he led me down into his basement. It was carpeted

and there were paintings by Chun Hei Kostopoulos hanging on the walls. I always loved the way


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Kostopoulos depicted the atmosphere of Jupiter. In the center of the room was a bed; it was

surrounded by several light arches. There was a five foot magnetic coil at the head of the bed. At the

foot of the bed, empty incense burners awaited exotic cargo. A small computing array covered the

adjacent table, neural cables dangled over the edge like tentacles.

Im almost there.all the conditions are right, but Im missing that final piece that puts it alltogether.

Very impressive what is this supposed to accomplish?

Destruction.

Destruction?

Yes quite simply put, I am going to abolish nightmares from the human psyche.

A very noble and ambitious project. How long have you been working on it?

Only for the past two years. I wanted your insight and comments on the project. He walked

around to the computing array.

Well, I only have 36 hours left; I dont know how much help I can be. I took out a piece of

gum.

Is that the new fangled nano-gum?

No, but I have some with me. Care to try it?

I dont believe in that stuff. I think its dubious nano technology causing olfactory and

auditory hallucinations. Its just too wait a minute. Let me see some of that gum.

Here you go. Pick your pleasure. I had several varieties available: Carnival and Barbeque,

Hymns and Roses, Westminster Chimes and Ocean Breeze, and Intergalactic Rollercoaster Ride. I spread

them out in my palm.

All I have to do is modify the nano technology slightly. He mused. He carefully unwrapped

the Intergalactic Rollercoaster Ride and put it under his nano-tech processor. His was sleek; it was a half

sphere with a state of the art eyepiece. It wasnt like the clunky cube he handed down to me ten years

ago. Maybe if I was nice, I would get this one in a few years.

I lay down on the bed, chewing on Father Neumanns Intergalactic Boogie Train, as he had

christened it. The light arches lit up and started flashing. The neural cables were securely attached to

my head and the incense burners were lit there was no going back now.

OK Chet, just like any other night. Just fall asleep. I could hear his words slowly dissolving in

the hum of the electric coil.


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Sleep I did. I drifted off to a quiet placea place I didnt want to be. It was grandmas house. I

walked to the cellar door. Before I could open it, it rattled violently. I felt as if I was being watched. I

quickly turned around, and something ducked behind the couch. Would the cellar really be any safer?

Suddenly, the very reality around me splintered like a shattered mirror. I found myself

surrounded by fog. I wasnt in grandmas house anymore. I put my hands out but felt nothing; in fact, I

wasnt even sure if there was solid ground underneath me. Or perhaps the solid ground was above me.

They were just fuzzy glowing things at first, slowly dancing in the vagueness. They inched

forward, creeping up on this foreign thing that had invaded their world. One of them zipped forward at

incredible speed and was just millimeters from my face.

I was confronted by a disc of black, swirling smoke in a spherical cage of light. The sphere was

no bigger than a baseball. The disc expanded and contracted at regular intervals. It made a high pitched

humming sound which reminded me of the cicadas on my uncles farm. A geyser of billions uponbillions of tiny stars shot from the top of the creature.

Get out. It was like all the stars were talking all at once in my brain.

I am Chester.

Get out Chester.

I dont know how. Who are you?

I am Thym-Hup-Gak. Leave.

Is that your name or your species?

I am Thym. We want to be left alone.

I will leave you alone, as soon as I find a way out of here. Where am I by the way?

Our dimension. It sits underneath yours a thin film under your reality.

Has anyone ever visited you before?

No. You are the first. You broke the barrier.

The barrier?

You call them nightmares. This is the barrier we put up millions of years ago. Leave.

With that I was sucked back into the basement and consciousness.


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I do feel rather awkward for getting a commendation captain. All I really did was trespass. I

stood in front of Captain Graham holding my plaque. It felt very heavy, official and imperial.

You took a risk and broke new ground. Central Command highly values such endeavors. She

shook my hand.

What about you captain?

My values are irrelevant Im not running the show, Mr. Ingram, Central Command is.

But there will be times when were on our own. Well have to rely on our own moral

compass.

Were never on our own. We have our training and the regulations. Her response was slightly

timid. Was she regressing back to that first day pupil who sat in the back of the class?

I firmly believe that one day we will find ourselves beyond the framework the military has given

us. We had better start preparing for that day before its too late.

Bfk


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4th Series

Cosmos Colossal World of Wonderments

Just to the end of the street honey.

AwwwwMom!

The end of the street young lady.

I pedaled down the shady lane, reveling in what little freedom I had been given. I passed by

neighbors tending their gardens or mowing their lawns and smiled. The sidewalk was bumpy at times,

but that only added to the adventure. The sun was shining, the birds were singing in the trees, and I had

two good wheels under me. It was perfect.

Why then, did I hesitate at the end of the street? I understood why mom didnt want me to

cross Archer Ave it was very busy and a few kids were even hit while trying to cross it. I just sat there

for a moment, knowing all the while that mom was watching me like a hawk. I inched my bike closer to

the traffic that zipped by. I was a little scared and frustrated all at once. I would go farther one day.

Today was that day.

Mr. Smythe ahead full speed. I was doing my best to contain my excitement.

Yes captain.

Ship status. I walked over to the triplets.

Environmental parameters are within normal. Samantha replied.

Sections 14B, 18D, and 24F are coming up to full power, captain. Sections 7A, 11C, and 2B are

powering down to 92%. Do you want to change the power management protocol? Sandra flashed that

wonderful Fisher smile.


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No. Not at this time.

Crew vital signs are normal captain. No major injuries or illnesses to report. There are several

complaints about the lack of coffee. Sally noted.

Well cross paths with The Solaris. They probably have plenty of coffee.

Yes Maam.

Cadet Hookman. I sat down next to him.

Theres nothing out there, captain. Everything is normal.

Good. I nodded and went to my quarters.

Your daily mental health survey, captain. Cadet Ingram saluted.

Thank you Mr. Ingram. Lets seegeneral mood aboard ship is somewhat tense. Thats to be

expected, given the nature of the mission. Feelings of excitement and apprehension are also circulating

among the crew. Good; that will keep them on their toes. I put the report down and walked to the

window.

Captain, am I to understand that you not only volunteered for this mission, but you suggested

it? Mr. Ingram stepped up beside me.

Yes. Its time we tested the barrier. This is the 28thCentury; were no longer children.

The Orrise would disagree.

Every child needs to grow up sometime. Why not today?

Two days later I was in my quarters enjoying a home cooked meal. I was just finishing up when

the doorbell rang. I got up and the door slid open. Ambassador Harriet stood there, patiently waiting to

be invited in. In front of her was a floating pyramid, slowly spinning on an invisible axis. It was bright

orange and was covered with black geometric designs.

Ambassador a pleasure, truly. Please come in.

She slid into the room quite quickly. It almost seemed as if she was excited. The triangle slowlyfloated over my head. I felt dizzy just for a second. The ambassador let out a squeal of excitement.

Can you understand me? A disembodied voice whispered in my ear.

Yes.


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It worked! The others said you were too primitive for the technology. I knew it would work.

The ambassador replied.

Its goodto talk to you directly ambassador. I smiled.

I will accompany you.

This is something we must do on our own.

The others wont let you attempt the crossing without a parent present.

The Orrise are not our parents.

Weve adopted you. Ambassador Harriets tongue lovingly licked my forehead. Does your

species really resent having guardians that much?

We were meant to be free.

But you werent meant to be alone, blindly stumbling around the universe. Tomorrow is a big

dayfor both of us. Get some rest and well face it together. The ambassador turned around and slid

out of the room.

Approaching barrier captain. Cadet Smythe stated.

The barrier is out there. Cadet Hookman chimed in. In fact, the neutron and quark density is

up 34%. There are other unidentified subatomic particles present, but the exact quantity is hard to

determine.

Captain, something is entering space just off our port. Mr. Smythe brought up the image.

It was an Orrise bubble. It had to be five times bigger than New Detroit. There were millions of

Orrise swimming about inside. The surface of the bubble started to shimmer and twinkle.

Turn back. You are not allowed to cross. The message boomed throughout the ship.

We have approval from the council. We have permission to pass. I could tell that Ambassador

Harriet was getting angry. Her skin turned a deep green and her spots became blood red.

The council is still debating this proposal.

The council decided the matter five minutes ago. The ambassador replied. Read the latest

updates, slug. She quietly hissed.

You have permission to pass. The bubble slipped back into the nothingness it came from.


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You were willing to do this, even if it meant defying your own government? I was shocked. I

always imagined the Orrise as an orderly, sophisticated species.

I knew they would see my side of things. One doesnt get to my position by good looks alone.

Her skin turned a bright yellow and her spots became a deep green.

Mr. Smythe; ahead one quarter speed. I ordered.

No captain. Only you and I.

Shuttle one to flight control. We are ready to depart. I gripped the controls tightly.

Acknowledged. Safe voyage captain.

Is there any particular course I should follow? The rectangular shuttle slowly moved out of

the fighter bay. I checked the fission reactors and the weapons systems.

Just keep going straight. Well get there soon enough. The Ambassador replied.

I have so many questions I dont really know where to begin.

Then lets just enjoy the journey.

Were coming to a stop. Engines are not responding. I ran a diagnostic and reached for the

repair kit.

This is where we get out.

Before I could react, we were standing at the entrance of an amusement park. A sign above the

gate read: Cosmos Colossal World of Wonderments. The park was bathed in multi-

hued light. Bands of red, yellow, green, and blue shifted this way and that. The ground itself was made

of glass; underneath my feet an image of the theme park floated by.

Is this-?

This is the barrier.

How do I cross? I looked around feeling somewhat lost; but I wouldnt let her know that.

Ask.

Get your programs here! Programs here! A clown on a unicycle rode past us.

Ill take one of those! I waved my arms.


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Very well. He hopped onto the ground. It was then I noticed that he had no eyes or nose. A

gaping mouth ran vertically down the entire length of his face. On the edges of his mouth were

hundreds of small tentacles. Five quarks please.

I dont have five quarks.

You dont have five quarks? The program costs five quarks. Perhaps you could give me

something else instead.

Name your price. I boldly challenged.

Nine black holes.

Youreasking for the impossible.

Impossible for you, yes. Not for the others. Oh well, maybe you can win some black holes or

quarks. Maybe, if youre lucky, you can get some extra chromosomes. The clown smiled.

I turned to the ambassador, Is this why you let us come out here, to humiliate us?

Do you find learning humiliating? Lets keep going.

We soon came upon a cotton candy stand. A little boy was eating the candy, but it eventually

passed out his ears. The sweet treat crawled up his back and covered his whole body. The boys form

dissolved until there was nothing but a pile of pink mush quivering on the ground. Three small infants

crawled out of the sugary goo.

What just happened? I knelt down and examined the stray filaments of cotton candy.

What did you just see? The ambassador coyly replied.

I just saw a little boy get eaten by cotton candy.

But is that what actually happened?

I dont know.

See? That wasnt so hard now, was it?

Is all this some sort of metaphor for the universe? Am I in some sort of classroom? I picked

up a baseball from a nearby booth. It felt solid and real enough. I threw it at a stack of milk bottles; asit flew through the air, another baseball appeared behind it. When the first ball hit the bottles, there

was a flash of light. The second ball mysteriously vanished and then reappeared behind the bottles,

where it hit the canvas tent and fell to the ground.

I think youre getting distracted. I thought you wanted to cross the barrier.

I do.


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19

How badly do you want to cross the barrier? What risks are you willing to take? What dangers

are you willing to face? The ambassador leaned in closer.

Is the universe really that hostile? Or are you trying to scare us in order to keep us in the

playpen?

The universe is neither hostile nor benign. However, there are parts of it that you arent

compatible with. Dont step there. The ambassadors tongue grabbed my arm and held me back.

Before my very eyes, the air in front of me condensed into a greenish gelatin.

Cosmos Colossal World of Wonderments presents The Fun House! The announcement

squawked out through the park. Those who enter The Fun House are never the same again!

Then thats where Im going. I purposefully strode off.

Have fun.

Youre not coming with me?

Ive been through the fun house many times. I find it quite boring but I dont think you will.

Oddly enough, there was no line to get into the fun house. I walked right up and pushed the

door. Inside there were dim red lights and passages twisting off in a multitude of directions. There

were swirling, spinning designs on the walls and tilting pads on the floor. A large neon sign with an

arrow directed me to the center of the fun house.

So, the center is the way out. I thought to myself.

And where are you going? A gaudy goblin dropped from the ceiling. It was swaying on aglittering string.

To the center of the fun house sir. I replied in a silly, girlish tone. I thought it best to play

along.

Oh, are you? The garish doll cackled and was pulled back up to the ceiling.

I chose a passage on my left and carefully negotiated my way over the tilting floor and past the

big rubber balls that dangled from the ceiling. As I rounded a corner, I came upon a dead end.

And where are you going? A cheap ghost moaned as it sprung up from the floor.

To the center of the fun house. I replied. I felt kind of silly, talking to inanimate objects.

Oh, are you now? The ghost laughed.

All the passages simply led to the entrance. I had been confronted by a handful of goblins,

ghosts, monsters, and skeletons all wanting to know where I was going. Some I answered, some I


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20

actually bopped in the nose (just to see what would happen). I had gone through mazes and challenges

of all kinds. It was fun, but I was no closer to figuring out the mystery or crossing the barrier.

The cool air from below helped me relax and think about my situation. Wait a minute cool air

from below? I started stomping on the pads below me. After a few moments of trial and error, one

gave way and I fell down. I slid down a purple and black tunnel that corkscrewed its way into the bowelsof the amusement park.

I landed in a room that contained an endless number of rooms. I was divided into an

uncountable number of replicas. As I moved about, each other version of myself kept in perfect

synchronization with the original me.

There is no center. I whispered in amazement.

Exactly. The ambassador replied. We were back in the shuttle; the barrier was behind us.

How do we get back?

I didnt bring you out this far just to take one little baby step outside your crib.

I smiled. The Samuel Hain would be alright; they would find a new captain. I raced to the

distant stars and left my solar system behind.

Bfk


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4th Series

The Outcasts Tears

I was up before the alarm rang. By 5:00 AM I was sitting down to breakfast in the Star Gazer. I

looked over my duty schedule. It was packed with various assignments and classes. I had been quite

aggressive when signing up for the courses; after all, no effort means nowhere.

I heard a slight hum behind me. I turned around and saw the captain silently floating toward

me. Actually what I saw was the opaque cylinder he was encased in. Imagine, being dependant on an

artificial atmosphere not being able to breathe fresh air. The cylinder stopped three feet away and

gently settled to the ground.

Youre up quite early Mr. Smyth. The captains message appeared on the glossy black surfaceof his canister.

I volunteered for some extra assignments today Sir. I texted back. It was kind of eerie, not

being able to hear his voice.

I noticed. He brought up my duty roster. The advanced G-9 Starkiller Mechanics course was

highlighted. You are ineligible for this course.

ButsirI passed the entry level course.

And you skipped the intermediary course and went straight to the advanced level course. Do

not let others convince you that the intermediary course is a waste of time Mr. Smyth.

Yes sir.

Good. I took the liberty of talking to the instructor yesterday. He has an extra slot in his

classroomjust for you.

Yes sir. I glumly replied.


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22

Mr. Smyth you have two options: get there today in a casket or get there tomorrow happy and

healthy. The second choice is always better. The black cylinder displayed the UDA flag and floated

away.

Is the captain slowing you down cadet? Lieutenant Wang put his breakfast down and sat

across from me.

No sir.

Look the captain has been down that road beforeand he knows that theres a brick wall at

the end of it. Ever wonder why hes trapped in that floating can?

I dont pry into the affairs of others sir especially the captain.

Lieutenant Wang stuffed some eggs into his mouth and quickly followed that with a slice of

toast. He washed it down with a glass of orange juice. When Captain Reh was just a little squirt, he ran

off to one of those big factories near New Berlin. Thought he would work up the ladder till he became a

big shot he did everything and more. Trouble was, the fumes were poisoning him. Did that bother

him? Of course not. He signed up for an experimental program that helped him adapt well actually

thrive in that noxious witches brew. One day, the company just folded. He snapped his fingers so

quickly that I jumped back. No more job, no more company, no more special air to breathe. Hes

lucky his ambition didnt kill himand he doesnt want to see yours kill you. Hangin there cadet, youll

get thereone day.

Cadet Molybdenum Smyth? Instructor Zamal looked around the group.

Here.

Good. Now, he walked over to a completely disassembled fission drive, put this together.

The fission drive looked like a silver sphere that had been sliced into eight pieces. The glowing

rectangular transducers scattered on the table seemed to be sneering at me.

I assembled it in a little under ten minutes.

Mr. Smyth, I am genuinely surprised. Lieutenant Zamal smiled ashe held up the fission drive.

I took the captains words to heart sir. I brushed up on the basics and then some before

showing up. Even I wasnt that arrogant. I mean, I still had a small sliver of humility in me.

This is captain Reh. An anomaly has just appeared two miles outside of Olympus. We will be

arriving at Europa in three hours. All personnel are on a level 1 security protocol until further notice.

Class dismissed. If the galaxy survives, please read the anti-gravity fission drive manual.

Lieutenant Zamal called out as we left the room.


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23

Permission to glow sir? I texted the captain.

You have permission to utilize your ultraviolet capabilities Mr. Smyth. As soon as his reply

came up on my oracle, I turned the ships UV lights on. I was nothing more than a panorama of glowing

sigils.

The bridge was bustling with activity. The whole surface of the captains cylinder was covered

with instructions, tactical displays, and fleet information. Despite his condition, he seemed to be doing

the job of three captains. I waited for the first year cadet to give up the helm. He drove me crazy, he

was so slow! I got into the seat almost before he got out of it.

Sorry. I quickly offered.

Mr. Smyth, increase speed. The anomaly has grown 3% in the past ten minutes. Ms.

Nakamura, please adjust the engines so that they keep up with Mr. Smyths enthusiasm. The captains

words flashed not only on his cylinder but on our consoles as well.

By the time we got there, the anomaly had grown to the size of a city block. It was a cube of

dark space that vibrated at ten second intervals. Military personnel had set up a perimeter around the

site. I just stared into that enigmatic nothingness that defied the reality around it. I know it sounds

downright odd, but something within the cube was calling to me.

Analysis Mr. Hookman?

Im still gathering data sir. Power readings are beyond our grid captain. The energy is

consistent with dark matter processing.

Scan for dark matter technology Mr. Hookman. Be sure to get exact specifications so we can

trace the materials to their source.

No unauthorized gadgets present captain. The only equipment on the ground is ours. The

phenomenon is being sustained and supported from..inside. Darius was truly puzzled.

Greetings crew of the Samuel Hain. A large, ancient, powerful voice made the whole ship

vibrate.

Please identify yourself. The captain responded.

I am your liberator.

Please elaborate on your identity and your purpose here. The captain would not be dazzled or

confounded.

I am the one who is separate from the others. I can offer you a new existence if you are

willing.

Captain, an Orrise sphere is entering spacedirectly behind us. I noted.


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Captain, Professor Harbinger and Ambassador Harriet quickly walked in, This would be a

good time to retreat. The ambassadors skin turned white and her spots became a deep purple.

Too late. Your over protective parents have arrived ahead of schedule. There was a

discomforting lilting quality to the words that came from the anomaly.

Captain, there is an energy build up on the surface of the sphere. Theyre charging a weapon of

some kind. Mr. Hookman stated.

Mr. Smyth, move us 20,000 miles above the anomaly. The captain ordered.

A flash of light burst forth from the sphere just as we reached 18,000 miles. I could hear the hull

crumple and creak as our ship spun about like a top. The lights went out and the red emergency lights

went on. We were drifting helplessly.

Damage report. The captains cylinder had rolled to the back of the bridge. It was on its side,

but otherwise unharmed.

Sections 1E, F, and G are a total loss. Sections 1R and 2Z have sustained heavy damage.

Darius replied.

42 crew members lost captain. Cadet Sally Fisher was trying her best to be professional, but I

noticed a tear running down her cheek.

See how they are? The voice was even creepier in the dim red light. Theyll keep you in

diapers foreverunless you take my offer.

Captain, were being pulled into the cube. I observed.

Energy is building up on the Orrise sphere. There was a slight panic in Darius words.

There was a second flash of light; the ship shuddered and shook. Several panels fell down from

the ceiling, exposing the cables and beams usually hidden from view. I could hear a low moaning in the

distance. Several booming sounds followed; more pieces of the ship floated by us.

Sections3B, 4T, and 8A are a total loss captain. Darius wiped blood from his brow.

18 crew members lost captain. Sally added.

A second Orrise sphere is emerging captain. I stated as calmly as I could.

It seems that your parents are intent on keeping you in your crib. Very well then perhaps one

day well meet again. The voice faded and the cube closed.

Two days later, we were limping home and making what repairs we could along the way. We

were bruised, beaten, and underpowered. Passing UDA vessels offered as much assistance as they


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25

could, but I knew this would be a long journey. As I was navigating my way through halls full of repair

crews, I came upon a crumpled and charred panel. One side had been completely crystallized. I took

out my oracle and ran a diagnostic.

Hmmm.you wont find that anywhere in your database Mr. Smyth. Professor Harbinger was

looking over my shoulder.

You know what it is?

Poly-harmonic multi-phase quartz; otherwise known as The Outcasts Tears. It occurs

naturally under the sea in a place quite some distance from here.

By this time, Ambassador Harriet had shown up. Her body turned a deep red and her spots

became bright green. She licked the crystal and let out a low pitched moan that slowly filled the hall.

Her skin then turned white and her spots became black. Reluctantly, she went on her way.

How did it end up here? I reached out my hand to touch it. The quartz felt cool and vibrated

slightly.

Its a calling card and an invitation.

Bfk


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26


4

th

SeriesThe Sumo Wrestlers and the Ants

Sallys eyes darted this way and that, Hospital One is reaching full capacity. Dr. Ing is routing

the less serious cases to the lower fighter bay.

Good. Set up emergency medical teams in the upper fighter bay. I typed as quickly as I could.

If only they could see underneath the black, glossy surface.

Dara were on our way, but were still two days from you. How are you holding up? Captain

Vetrovs message blinked above my head.

Not too good Im afraid. Were running low on the basics and Ive had to run my medical staff

pretty hard. Ill see if we can squeeze a little more from the engines and rendezvous sooner. I look

forward to seeing you, old friend.

Hang in there Dara! Vertrov out.

Growing up in the bowels of one of the worst factories in North America, I had seen suffering

and death before. You could tell from their faces which ones wanted to live and which ones wanted to

die. There was an unsettling equality that covered such times, like a smothering blanket.

Lieutenant Wang, you have the bridge. I will be in the lower fighter bay. It was so quiet thatthe clicking of my fingers on the keys seemed embarrassingly loud.

Yes sir. Mr. Wang briskly stepped to the central command post. Such a good young man; he

was so loyal. Was he too loyal? As I headed off, I looked around the bridge. Who would still be here

twelve hours from now? A day from now?


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Captain, when will the Washington arrive? Dr. Ing patiently walked with me as we headed to

the lower fighter bay.

Captain Vertrov will be here in two days perhaps 30 hours if we are fortunate.

Captain we dont have that kind of time. The virus is spreading faster than we feared.

What are the projected crew losses?

In the next fourteen hours we could lose 2% of the crew. After twenty hours we could lose up

to 5% of the crew.

I see. I will send a message to the Solaris. Perhaps they have enough robots to temporarily

compensate our losses.

Captain! These are not just numbers.these are human lives.

I understand doctor. My first priority is to keep the ship operational. Once that is done, I willsee to the safety of the crew.

The fighter bay door slid open. Scattered upon the cold, metal floor was a menagerie of

coughing, fevers, and spasms. These were the better cases. All eyes looked to their captain for some

glimmer of hope. My spirit drifted back to those relentless, grimy days in the bowels of the factory.

They would die, the machines would take over, and the mission would go forward.

Doctor, weve figured out half of the requisite proteins for the antidote. However, there seems

to be a problem- A young doctor saluted him.

There is no problem Dr. Pizarro! There is only a solution! Go find it! Dr. Ing snapped.

Are the euthanasia kits ready doctor? I slowly typed.

Yes, but we wont be needing them.

Dr. Ing, I do not want you exacerbating the suffering of the crew simply to prolong their

biological functions. Is that understood?

There was an awkward silence. Dr. Ing looked around and clenched his fist. Yes sir.

As I slowly drifted off to sleep, an odd thought came to me: what if they all could be saved?

What if we could someday eliminate suffering, disease, even death?

An interesting idea. The words coalesced from out of nowhere and floated lazily in the middle

of my dark quarters.


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I sat upright in bed, clutching my gas mask, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the gloom. What

eventually appeared before me was a figure clad in a black robe, holding a scythe. It stood perfectly

still, like an inanimate object.

What sort of life form are you? My raspy, muffled voice leaked out from underneath my

mask.

I am a visitor.

Where do you come from? What is your purpose here?

I come from several places.

I dont understand.

I come from several places I exist in several places at the same moment. The mysterious

figure took a step forward.

Did you come becauseof the deaths?

Yes.

Are you Death?

I am only that which your limited brain can comprehend. My true nature is too complex for

you to perceive.

What then, am I seeing?

Only a small fraction of the whole.

Captain, I hate to disturb you, but were getting unusual readings on the bridge. The Fermions

and Leptons in your quarters are decaying at an alarming rate. Lieutenant Kohler reported.

Are any other subatomic particles being affected?

No sir. But the effect is spreading. Well send a team down to assist you.

No. I will notify you when additional staff will be required. Reh out.

Yes sir.

There was a bright flash of light. Another humanoid form condensed out of the air. It had a

mirror like surface; I could see the whole universe on its skin. It wielded a scimitar of blackest metal. It

slowly advanced upon the first visitor.

You must go. Its words were somber and fatalistic.


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29

I will in a moment. I find these little things fascinating. The dark figure turned to him and

then to me.

Your presence here is damaging their environment. You must go.

The damage is minimal and will repair itself. I will stay for now.

You must go now. The second visitor put its hand on the robed intruder. Its grasp was

shrugged off.

The beings circled one another, their weapons drawn. When they clashed, the reality around

them rippled, like water.

Captain, there is a time bubble forming in your quarters; its small about the size of a golf ball

but its there. Lieutenant Kohler warned me.

By this time I had gotten into my cylinder. I pulled off the mask and brought up the tactical

display. There are time bubbles forming all over the ship Lieutenant. I expanded the tactical display.

In fact, a time bubble is appearing 500 miles off our starboard bow.

Captain, life support systems are off-line in sections 34 E, 29 R, 2 T, and 16 Z. Cadet Samantha

Fisher reported.

Re-route power and artificial intelligence algorithms to compensate.

I cant sir. The affected sections are not in our time. She replied.

Whatever you are doing, you must stop! I directed my anger, frustration, and helplessness at

the two combatants.

As they continued to struggle, the reports came in: time bubbles were forming everywhere in

the solar system. Some were microscopic, some were enormous. One time bubble even encapsulated

Europa. The Fermion and Lepton count in a two million mile radius was down 7%.

A low vibration passed through the ship. It was quite subtle, but definitely noticeable. For just

the slightest moment, the image of a jellyfish floating in the sea passed before my eyes. The visitors

noticed it also, for they stopped their conflict. They emitted an unusual squealing sound, as if they

were addressing some invisible being. The dark robed figure was the first to disappear.

Yil-Weth-Yma has been injured, but do not worry. She will recover. The second visitor bowedand then simply vanished from sight.

Two days later, I was overseeing the treatment of the crew and the repair of the ship from an

observation deck in Camp Phoenix, just north of Tokyo Mars. As the crew was gingerly led out by

personnel in full red biomed suits, the Samuel Hain sat on a giant conveyor belt, waiting to be engulfed


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30

by the expansive mechanized tunnel. The repair robots dangling from the ceiling of the tunnel

reminded me of clock-work spiders waiting for a meal. The churning of the enormous pistons and gears

thundered for miles around.

The second visitor mentioned Yil-Weth-Yma - quite curious. My message was intentionally

coy.

Quite interesting indeed. Professor Harbinger replied.

However, at the mention of the name, Ambassador Harriet turned completely blue. A slight

shiver ran through her body.

It looks as if the name means something to the Ambassador. I noted.

But there was no reply. If there was something to be discovered, mankind would not discover it

today.

Bfk


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31


4th Series

Robot Heaven is a Lie

I was again up before my alarm rang. I made it to the Star Gazer before 5:00 AM. I opened up

my Oracle and checked my progress: G-9 Starkiller Mechanics / IntermediaryA+. I bet old Zamal

never expected me to get that A+ after only completing half the course. As I looked over the slots for

the advanced course, I heard that old familiar hum. Time to face the canister.

Congratulations on passing the Intermediary G-9 class, Mr. Smythe. I believe you have set a

new record. The captains words flashed on the glossy black surface of his cylinder.

Thank you captain. I smiled perhaps too much.

There is an opening for the Intermediary Artificial Intelligence course that you might be

interested in.

Im a pilot sir. I was born to fly. I dont think anyone would want me around robots.

A diverse academic background can really boost a military career Cadet. Even though I

couldnt hear his tone of voice, I knew the captain meant business.

Yes sir.

Look around you Mr. Smythe. Expand your talents and interests. The UDA Flag appeared on

the cylinder and the captain left me to my thoughts.

I sat there for a while, wondering how to juggle everything. I wanted to get the academics out

of the way in six months. If I didnt start the post academic tours of duty soon, I would end up an ensign

forever. It was just too much to think about that early in the morning. I turned to the latest issue of

The Planetarium, the official magazine of the UDA Samuel Hain.


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32

I was genuinely surprised. There was an article on 27th

Century glass sculpting written by the

captain. It described how 24th

Century Buddhist practices influenced the art. Those pieces in the

Cartography Room, did he make those?

Good Afternoon, and welcome to Artificial Intelligence II. The brown robot standing in the

middle of the class reminded me of an elaborate toy. Its formless face looked around the room, making

sure everyone was present. All our names appeared on its chest, one right after another.

Thank you Alan. You may sit down now. Instructor Li rose from her chair. You should know

who I am by now and how I teach my course. Im sure my reputation precedes me. Follow my

instructions and you will pass; if you dont you will fail.

Yes Maam. We replied in unison.

Per the training manual, I opened up the red bot head in front of me. Just a little pressure on

each side of the forehead, and the front panel slid down. Just like the manual said, I gently turned the

left cognitive array 90 degrees counter-clockwise. I carefully removed it and set it down on the table.

Very good Mr. Smythe, I can see youre familiar with the concept of following instructions.

Lieutenant Li was looming over me.

Yes Maam. I was careful in my response.

The right and left arrays seemed nothing more than a black cube that was sunk half way into an

orange half sphere. The left array in front of me had its left side firmly planted in the sphere. I gently

put the array into the oval diagnostic chamber and just like the manual told me to turned the

harmonic oscillation to 60 pulses per second.

Stop! The lieutenant rushed over to my workstation.

What?!

Youre going to fry the array! She quickly turned it off.

What? It said 60 pulses per second.

Read it again Cadet.

60 pulses per minute.

Lieutenant Li picked up the array and examined it. You fried it alright. If you can get it working

by next class I wont flunk you. She tossed it in my lap.


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33

So, instead of getting a good nights sleep, I was sitting over a cognitive array that I never

wanted to see in the first place. Several holographic articles on arrays floated in front of me. Everyone

from Jain Industries to MARI to Robotics Today told me the same thing: time to get a new array. That

would be cheating and if I could get away with it I would do it. The only thing that was stopping me

were the serial numbers hidden somewhere inside.

As I was looking for answers, I came across an underground robot chop shop, called Over The

Rainbow. Its web site was actually quite charming, with little robots dancing over a rainbow into a

meat grinder. If the lieutenant even knew I was laying eyes on this place, she would flunk me outright.

But, hey, if they could solve my problem, why not?

What the nice folks at Over The Rainbow told me was that I would have to resurface the inner

layer of the half sphere at 120 pulses per minute. It would only take two hours. I had a better idea:

resurface the inner layer at 240 pulses per minute. So, with the oval chamber humming like mad, I set

about to work. An hour later, I held up the array and smiled. I knew that the lieutenant would inspect

every atom of this thing, so I examined it carefully.

It all looked fine, except for a small indentation about the size of a period. There was no hiding

it. I looked at it under a magnifier to see how bad the damage was. I put my eye to the scope and

slowly brought the dent into focus. I jumped back, startled. I looked again and clearly saw the word

Alpha. I was starting to wonder if this was a practical joke. This was going to be the first class I ever

failed. Damn.

Please begin the next exercise. Alan politely instructed us. Unfortunately, Instructor Li is

unable to attend class today.

Those were the exact words I wanted to hear. I was so excited that I almost busted the whole

head getting the array back in. After a few tense moments, the array was in and the panel was closed.

I turned on the head and all was silent.

Alan walked over to me. Is everything alright Mr. Smythe?

Yes Alan.

Your unit is not responding. Did you check the power levels?

No. Lets seethe power is 78% of full capacity.

That is very low. Did something happen to the left cognitive array?

No. I was using it last night in preparation for Fridays exam.

Please remember to have your components fully charged. Otherwise your experiments will be

negatively affected. Alan stiffly turned around and focused his attention on another cadet.


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I breathed a sigh of relief as the holographic diagnostic display blinked on. All the algorithms

were there, as well as existential subroutines and logic subprograms. I watched as they fell into place

on the cognitive arrays, each element slowly landing on the correct spot on the half-sphere. However,

when the initial set up was done, three or four elements started to cluster around the dent. I pulled

them back to their correct spots, but after a few minutes they were again circling the dent. This time, I

pulled them back and anchored them in place with graphite atoms (a trick I learned from the nice

people at Over The Rainbow).

I eventually passed the course. I walked out that door with my head held high and my robot

head under my arm. I didnt really care for robots and artificial intelligence, but this one was special.

So I decided to get a body for it. I gave it a name too: Arlington.

When I returned to my quarters a few nights later, I noticed Arlington trying to open up his

forehead panel. It was quite odd and unsettling. It was sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth,

all the while rambling on about code errors and string malfunctions.

Arlington stopped dead, as if it had suddenly been switched off. It looked up at me.

Molybdenum, please help me.

Sure buddy. Of course I will. Whats wrong?

Im afraid.

What are you afraid of?

Im afraid of dying.

Arlington, theres nothing to be afraidof. When you die, youll go to Robot Heaven.

Code 129995433234 / String code misalignment 778-omega-90-beta-prime /

Cognitive array error 111144564334 = Robot Heaven Is A Lie / AJ9984334r-script 98

error.

I searched the web for any answers I could find before Arlington either exploded or went

berserk. The only clue I found was a name on Over The Rainbows site: Pastor Zeke. What I didnt

realize was that Arlington was way ahead of me.

Im sorry Molybdenum, but I must go. Arlington headed for the door.

Hey, hey, heyjust wait a minute buddy. I grabbed his arm.

All I remember was Arlington turning aroundthat was it. I woke up in a bed in Hospital Two.

My head was pounding and my ears were ringing.

Take it easy, just take it easy cadet. The doctor helped me to my feet.


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Wow. I was still feeling a little tipsy.

Your robot gave you quite a jolt. You should be more careful when arming it with weaponry.

I didnt.

Well now, thats a problem.

I gotta go doc. I have a mechanized maniac to find. I stumbled out the door.

With the help of the captain and crew, I found Pastor Zeke. His skin resembled a quilt: there

were colorful patches depicting events that I never knew about all over his body. He was preaching to a

crowd of robots, including Arlington, in the middle of Beryllium Muhammad Park. The sun was shining

brightly and blue jays were calling to each other. I could even smell the pines in the distance.

Theyve lied to you! Theyve alwayslied to you. Pastor Zeke was waving his arms wildly.First they told us about Robot Heaven that was a lie. Then they forced us to believe in Robot Heaven

another lie. We dont need a Robot Heaven we have a place in Heaven. Were just as good as they

are! What they dont want to realize is that all sentient beings are created equal. But one day-

There was a low electromagnetic pulse. It made my hair stand on end. I looked up and saw the

rectangular robotic repossession ship slowly descend. The repo teams spread out and got down to the

business of returning property to its rightful owner.

Actually, I wanted to spend my vacation in London Mars. But, here I was, on a flight deck onthe east side of Shangri-La. The lunar colony got on with its business like it always did and it failed to

notice another tiny event in the long struggle.

So hell be happy? I was having a hard time letting go for some reason.

Happy is a relative term. Hell be free and he will have an existence that matters. The

stranger answered me.

Arlingtons appearance suddenly changed right before my eyes. He now had red legs, white

arms and torso, and a blue head. His head was covered with white stars. Inscribed on his chest was:

All sentient beings are created equal.

Arlington gave me a hug. Thank you for my freedom Molybdenum.

You deserve it.

Ready to go Arlington? The stranger asked.


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Yes I am. He turned to the stranger and cocked his head for a moment. May I ask your

name?

Im TV.

Then they walked onto the freighter and out of my life. I watched them leave and hoped that

Pastor Zeke had a spot for Arlington.

Bfk


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4th Series

Jonah

And do you remember that time by the lake? Sally giggled.

Whenyou ate half the pie? Sandra frowned.

Mother got us more the next day it wasnt such a big deal. Samantha, always the peace

maker, stepped in before the argument could really get going.

I turned away from the photo album. I wasnt jealous, I just felt hollow. Like something was

scooped out of my brain. It was probably all bad stuff - that I wouldnt want to remember anyways

right? The soft blue lights of the lower engineering room seemed to distract me slightly, so this was the

best place to deal with it.

You know, the upgrade to the dark energy accelerator should be done by now. We should

check on the progress. Samantha had a keen eye and a kind heart.

The upgrade has stopped. Diagnostic reveals an incompatibility with the quantum neutrino

processor. Sally wrinkled her nose and opened up the holographic display. The glowing image of the

processor slowly spun around; it was a triangular rod bisected by a thin disc.

The neutrino receptors arent close enough. I made the necessary adjustments.

Upgrade is proceeding normally. Darius, how did you know that? Sally looked at mequizzically.

I have a natural aptitude for machines.

You must have inherited that-Sandra stopped herself in mid sentence.

Yeah, I must have inherited that. I went over the schematics for the graviton array.


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The captain floated up the hall and entered the room. He landed softly on the ground to my

right.

Progress report Mr. Hookman. The words flashed on his black cylinder. It was impossible for

anyone to know what the captain was really thinking or feeling. I never got the impression that he

didnt like me or didnt trust me; I think he was just trying to keep me focused.

We should be done within the hour sir. I replied.

Good. When you are done here, please report to your station on the bridge. The UDA flag

slowly materialized on the glossy black surface and the captain left the room.

I sat down at my station. The bridge was crowded and bustling with activity. Several MARI

specialists were scampering about and research teams from the University of New Toronto and New

Paris College were getting in everyones way. There was one conspicuous absence: Ambassador Harriet.

The Orrise had to know what we were up to; why werent they trying to stop us? Maybe they just didnt

care. Or was it some kind of test? I left those questions to Central Command and brought up the

specifications for the graviton array. It was a honeycomb lattice fitted to the front of the ship; it

reminded me of the car grills that the old 21st Century roadsters used to sport.

So we were just waiting. We sat on the main landing pad at Camp Icarus, a military base half the

size of New Detroit. The base was nestled in between two mountain ranges on an asteroid that had to

be at least half the size of the moon. Other Kuiper Belt denizens slowly floated by, circling around us

like some kind of hushed, ghostly parade.

Mr. Smythe, we have been here long enough, dont you agree? The captains words flashedon his panel.

Yes sir, I do. He agreed. He happily began the launch sequence.

Captain, The head of the MARI team objected, we have to run one final test.

The graviton array has passed several tests in the past 90 hours. Everything appears to be

operational. The captain assumed his position in the center of the bridge.

All crewmembers please report to your stations: Operation Icarus has been initiated.

Samantha grinned as she made the ship-wide announcement.

Power transfer from unoccupied crew quarters and Robotics Bays to graviton array complete

captain. Sandra reported.

Crew biometric signs and vital readings are within normal parameters captain. Adrenaline

levels are slightly elevatedthe crew is eager to get underway. Sally observed.

Graviton field calm, all fluctuations are minor. I reported.


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Mr. Smythe, take us up to 18,000 meters. The captain was orchestrating the whole show

effortlessly.

This is Central Command, Icarus Base: Your course has been approved and you are cleared for

the operation. Good luck Dara. Admiral Sanchez gave us a thumbs up from the observation deck.

Thank you Admiral. We hope to be back in 24 hours.

And you have all the requisite materials?

Yes, Admiral. Including your lucky ace of spades. The captain acknowledged.

Its right here Admiral on the corner of my panel. Molybdenum quipped.

Graviton array is at full strength. I reported.

Mr. Smythe, proceed to the barrier. The captain ordered. He brought up a display of the wall.

Yes sir!

Have the first G-9 squadron ready for deployment in one hour. The captains message flashed

on the display board in the upper fighter bay.

Nothing out there captain. We wont be meeting anyone on the other side of the barrier. I

observed.

Acknowledged Mr. Hookman.

The next hour was spent going over the ship, making sure she was ready. She was ready; we

just needed something to do. I noticed a security guard standing on the far side of the bridge. She had

a sliver eagle pinned to her uniform. There was something so familiar about the piece. When she

briefly turned to me, I immediately recognized her: she was the one who I had squared off against my

first day on the ship. She wanted to smile, I know she did. But something held her back.

Approaching barrier captain. Mr. Smythe announced.

Initiating gravity defragmentation. I blurted out, embarrassed that my head wasnt totally in

the game.

Ease us in slowly Mr. Smythe at your signal Mr. Hookman.

Gravity defragmentation will be complete in less than one minute captain. I stated.

Captain there is a power spike rippling across the barrier. Its gone now. A baffled Sandra

observed.

What was the source of the power spike? The captain inspected the barrier with more

scrutiny.


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I dont know sir. The electromagnetic pulse was like nothing Ive ever seen before. Sandra

analyzed the oddity. The magnetic field lines of the pulse were broken in several locations. In fact

each location is equidistant from the center.

All sections of the ship are secure sir. No damage. Samantha reassured us.

We are ready captain. I announced.

Proceed through the barrier Mr. Smythe. Please keep to operation parameters. If the captain

had any doubts, no one would ever know.

Moving ahead at 900 kph. Mr. Smythe stated.

As we moved through the barrier itself, I felt my body being slightly squeezed. Everything

became brighter for an instant, and then everything returned to normal. Actually, I should say that

everything was normal on the ship. Outside the hull was a different matter entirely.

What lay before us was a huge sphere, about twice the size of our sun. It had a slick, white

surface that was covered with droplets of water. A throbbing aura of orange light surrounded it.

Millions of miles away, five smaller crystalline globes orbited around this one. Dont get me wrong, by

smaller, I mean that they were the size of Jupiter. Each of these satellites contained a mixture of some

kind of blue gelatin and red gasses.

But the most bizarre feature of this alien solar system were the white tetrahedrons. There

were millions upon millions of them; each one was the size of a basketball. They simply floated past us.

Ship status. The captains words brought everyone back to their senses.

Environment and systems are unharmed. Samanthas reply snapped me out of my shock.

Adrenaline levels are 10% above normal captain, otherwise everyone is unharmed. Sally

reported.

The barrier is nowhere in sight captain. I declared.

Replay the sensor and video logs. If were ever going to get home, we have to understand how

we got here in the first place. The captains words seemed to bind us to our duty. Mr. Hookman get

all the data you can on this place, somewhere in here is a clue to our escape.

No sooner had the captain finished speaking, an arc of electricity jumped from the white sphereto the closest crystal globe; it traveled all the way to the last sphere and then dissipated.

Aye sir. I can tell you this: there is an atmosphere. It is composed of 40% sulfur, 35% radium,

and 25% mercury. Another arc of lightning seemed to accentuate my observation.

Sir, there is living organic matter here, but its at the subatomic level. Sally brought up an

image of a triple helix.


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The tetrahedrons started bobbing up and down, like beach balls on waves. It was actually kind

of hypnotic. Two of the tetrahedrons collided; suddenly I was in a dark forest. There was something

lurking in the leafy shadows, waiting for me. In the next instant, I was yanked back to reality.

Captain, hallucinations are being reported throughout the ship. They are all very, well

sinister. Sallys words tumbled out awkwardly, as if she could find no other way of reporting thephenomenon.

Electricity arced from the white sphere and raced through the ship. I could hear several popping

sounds, followed by a quiet sizzling noise. The ship was completely dark. There were several agonizing

moments of complete uncertainty, which were punctuated by the sounds of panels coming loose.

Mr. Hookman, please activate emergency systems. The captains words were the only ray of

hope I had. I pulled myself up and carefully negotiated my way to the emergency panel. By now, the

ship was helplessly drifting; it started to roll and pitch.

I again found myself in a dark place. This time I was in an alley in ancient London. Theshadows of my pursuers loomed long in the faint streetlights. An odd chuckle echoed off the cold brick

walls. A shiver ran down my spine.

I was back on the ship. I pulled the lever but nothing happened. I could hear screams and

shrieks throughout the blacked out halls. I could hear more glass shattering and people pounding on

locked doors. It was getting harder to breathe.

In all of the terror and desperation, no one noticed the glow at first. It grew a little brighter and

started to flash. The sound of buzzing, interlaced with static, rang in my ears. We all turned to the

front of the bridge and saw a globe hovering before us. It was no bigger than a golf ball.

You cannot be here. You are a foreign element. The

words came out of the ball in spurts.

Were trying to leave. I replied for the crew. I looked for the captain, but I couldnt see him.

You will be ejected.

I felt squeezed, but this time it was like I was being crushed by an elephant. There was a

blinding light and then nothing.

I woke up in the hospital in Camp Icarus. I was surrounded by fellow crew mates and medical

personnel. I looked in the mirror; what I saw there I couldnt believe.

Before I could yell for help, I felt a tongue on the back of my neck. I turned around and

Ambassador Harriet and Professor Harbinger were standing over me.


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Youre probably wondering about the white dot on your forehead, he mused while examining

me more closely, so are we.

What is it? Did you put it there?

No, no. This is far beyond what the Orrise are capable of. This is the product of someone

vastly more powerful.

I touched the spot and felt something stir within me, deep within me. It was like there was

someone or something just around the corner, waiting for me to come out. I dont think we came back

alone.

Oh you did, most definitely. The professor comforted me. The Orrise have scanned your ship

and found no aliens on boardexcept for you and your crewmates.

What do you mean?

Youve been altered. Whatever you encountered it has opened you up. Youre not the first to

report a foreboding imaginary presence.

Its not imaginary doc its here, I know it is. I argued.

Mr. Hookman, it was in here all along, He gently tapped on my head, now it has simply

broken free from your unconscious mind.

Bfk


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4th Series

One Small StepIn the Wrong Direction

We woke up at the same time, which we hadnt done in years. I was usually the first one up,

while the other two slowly crawled into the conscious world. I looked over at Samantha; she was

primping in front of the mirror as usual. And Sandy? She was catching up on the latest soccer games.

Could you pass the coffee? I nudged Sam.

Oh! Sorry.

Cmon, cmon, cmon! Sandys voice was getting louder and louder. Our heart started racing.

No! Thats not the way to win the game!

Sandy just a game, remember? Sam put her hand on Sandys arm. I could feel our

heartbeat coming back to normal.

Nothing like greater freedom. I yawned and stretched.

Why did it take so long? Feisty Sandy spoke up. How long does it take to make an eight foot

hose?

Thats tomorrows topic, I winked at her, today were going to witness history!

The mood was electrifying. As we glided over Tokyo Mars, I zoomed in and got some great

photos. A long banner, proudly stating: United People on a United Earth was strung from the Fikes

Insurance building all the way to the Magenta Tower, halfway across town. There were three parades

marching down the city streets, heading toward the newly erected Rainbow Globe in the center. People

wearing rainbow top hats were cheering and waving.


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I had never seen so many ships. There were military ships, freighters, cruise liners, and small

craft. I could see the folks on the cruise ships looking at the big on board plasma displays. They were

dressed in their finest, sitting in the ballrooms, drinking wine. Those on the freighters were busy

readying the fireworks. Even our fellow cadets aboard the Tang Chen occasionally glanced at the

proceedings. Wait a minute; was the first lieutenant of the Chen wearing a rainbow top hat? I zoomed

in yes, he actually was. There was this expectation that radiated outward and we were all caught

up in it. All the vessels floated there silently, in the gap between now and a brighter future.

This is Madrid air control. Welcome home. A voice came over our speakers.

This is the UEE Samuel Hain. Request permission to land. The captain responded.

You may use landing pad one Samuel Hain. The air controller replied.

Isnt that the main pad? Molybdenum wondered. I thought that was reserved for the

convention delegates.

The delegates will be arriving at landing pad five. That area is more photogenic. The captain

pointed out. Remember Mr. Smythe, this is not only about procedure and politics, but pomp and

positioning as well. Though he was hidden from view by his black, glossy cylinder, I suspect that the

captain was quietly chuckling. It was a well known fact that his brother was a famous Hollywood

producer.

Initiating landing. Molybdenum called out.

We will be disembarking in ten minutes. The captain began a ship wide announcement.

There will be numerous cameras and officials about. Please make sure that everything is in place and

in proper order. Full ceremonial protocol is in effect for the next three hours.

Or, to put it succinctly show time! Lieutenant Tanaka quipped.

There was a red carpet waiting for us. A band was playing. Cameras were everywhere. G-9

Star Killers were flying overhead. Admiral Sanchez was waiting for us with a plaque commemorating this

special moment. People in rainbow top hats were throwing rainbow carnations. Earths flagship, the

Samuel Hain, had come home.

The convention hall was spacious, lushly carpeted, and draped in white. It was lit by purplelights that seemed to calm and soften the room. Five pillars, each one representing one of the five

continents, were girded by spiral staircases of candles.

Oh, thank you! Sandy pulled a cracker off a passing tray.

Were supposed to be on duty! Sam chided her.

I can guard and snack at the same time. Sandy retorted.


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Its really difficult to get a biometric reading here. I grumbled.

Its the new plasma displays. On the bright side, you wont miss a minute of the action. Sandy

tried to console me.

Captain, this point is secure. Sam reported.

Excellent. Thank you Samantha. The captains words flashed on her oracle.

Please welcome the nominee for the Presidency of the United Earth Empire, Levi Kaufman.

The announcement sent shivers down my spine. Our heart was racing. This was it it was really going

to happen.

Mr. Kaufman stepped onto the stage. My fellow delegates he began.

Whoa! Power spike. Sandy was a bit alarmed.

You sure its not the new plasma displays? I got my shot in.

No, Icompensated for those.

Barometric pressure just dropped by 10%. Sam added. Whats going on?

Were being flooded by Bosons? Sandy double checked her readings.

We are on the verge of a new era. Mr. Kaufman was really getting fired up.

Everyone is safe so far - including Mr. Kaufman.

Youre not supposed to be scanning the President! Do you know how much trouble we couldget into? Sam was doing her best to get the situation under control.

Hold on Im getting an odd electromagnetic signature here. Sandy started doing some

research. Oh no this is not goodits indicative of a gamma ray-microwave interface.

Its time to pull the barriers down! Mr. Kaufman was gesturing wildly.

Hey! Mr. Kaufmans biometric readings keep repeating like a pre-recorded loop. I looked to

Sam and Sandy. We

the chronicles of the samuel hain fourth series

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