The Mission

THE MISSION

Copyright 1993 Kenneth Joel Teicher

Smashwords Edition

Craig and Erin stories

The Alkano Letters

The Carthage Connection

Carved in Stone

Mystery of the Kukulcan Temple

Science Fiction Stories

The Yesterday Tree

A Matter of Tine

Solitude

Temporal Consciousness Transposition

Gateway: The Shaula Intervention

This is a book of fiction. Descriptions of locations are based on the author’s research and altered or enhanced to suit the story. None of the characters is intended to portray real people. Names and incidents either are the product of the author’s own imagination or are fictitiously used and any resemblance to any actual person, living or dead is entirely by coincidence.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing by the author.

Introduction

For most, 2678 began as any other year in their unexceptional lives. Yet, there was a slight hesitation in the collective life force within the local quadrant of space. It was as if each living entity sensed that a change of momentous proportions was about to take place. If one were to question the average inhabitant about whether anything important was occurring, they would not have the slightest idea what was being alluded to. It was just a feeling that everyone had without knowing what it meant or how it might affect their lives. A feeling that hung just beyond the conscious mind that never received any attention. A feeling that cloaked itself in the core of the subconscious lest it rise to evoke the nightmarish fear that the gentle ebb of time was about to drag everyone into an inescapable spiral to the unknown.

A small and insignificant group of star systems, found just below the north equatorial pole of the galaxy, had joined together in the hope of promoting peace and the exchange of ideas and technologies. Politicians continued to speak of a day when everyone would reap the benefits of their programs, once they were elected. Their rhetoric never altered and neither did anyone's life. It was a story repeated many times over past centuries and yet no one ever learned that even the best of plans seldom produced the hoped-for results. Circumstances were not continuing according to the current scheme, that many dreamed about, and this time the outcome would be different. An unknown force had inserted itself in the complex web of events and was already altering the course of all sentient life.

Member systems refused to abandon their control and the Coalition of Planet's central managing council found it difficult, if not impossible, to govern effectively. The results were becoming increasingly troublesome and it was soon obvious that ever greater numbers of citizens were getting involved with illegal activities. The turmoil that existed was about to reach a precarious threshold and many factions were reaching out to grasp at the reins of power dangling just beyond their grasp. The brink of disaster hung like a palpable entity everyone sensed but was afraid to recognize. One man, whose motivation was more personal gain than any higher calling, would serve as the unwitting catalyst for a future no one could foresee. He was a man more interested in fulfilling his personal dream than influencing the destiny of the Coalition of Planets.

Teric Leoj was not a man that was easily swayed. He built his company from a small, Earth-bound, family business into the largest privately held corporation in the Coalition. His holdings were so vast that a small army of accounts, lawyers, managers, and other assorted specialists were needed to help run the complex enterprise. In spite of the size of his organization, Teric was able to maintain a great deal of control over it with the help of three able assistants. Even with all of this help, Teric found himself constantly confronted with the various rules and regulations each member system of the Coalition imposed on his various businesses.

Teric's lifelong dream was a secret he refused to share with anyone. After many years, he finally managed to assemble the necessary pieces of technology required to reach his goal. This dream was so important to Teric that he felt compelled to involve himself in the last of the experiments even though they might cause his death. Being a strong-willed individual, he tried desperately not to be distracted from his goal. Regrettably, events would not allow him to avoid the turmoil that would have destroyed the delicate structure of the Coalition and he was drawn deeper and deeper into the very heart of the turmoil.

The weak central structure of the Coalition was in a constant state of disharmony and strained under the opposing pressures from its member systems. Counting the now subdued Vupeculan Empire, twenty-eight star systems, with a total of fifty-nine inhabited planets, were represented at the Central Council. Numerous delegates, including those from some of the most powerful worlds, were continuing to favor the establishment of a stronger central government, with significantly broader powers than currently existed. Those opposed to any plan that would overshadow their own rule included planets populated by, among others, descendants of Earth's own colonization period.

Old Earth had lost its dominance over the Coalition within the last fifty years but continued to exert an inordinate influence over the Council. For hundreds of years, the government of Earth had been able to exercise unparalleled control over the worlds settled by its children. Utilizing a system of colonial governors, Earth's government attempted to extend its reach into even the most local of issues. During the early years of space exploration, the groundwork for the future Coalition of Planets first took shape. It was natural for Earth to lead the development of a central organization, modeled from her own association of colonies.

But the descendants of Earth hated their ancestral home, almost from the beginning, and for considerable cause. Political, religious, ethnic, and economic differences were the principal motives that continued to drive many to seek a new life. The worlds representing these segments of society hated the old system. It was this all-consuming loathing that had forced their forefathers from the home world in the first place. Earth authorities continued their attempts to invade every facet of local life, in the colonies, in the same way they did their own people. For Earth to play a major role in any new alliance was more than the colonies could deal with and they sought every means to thwart the movement from gaining momentum.

By 2130 space flights between the stars had become a reality. More than a century of arduous labor had finally yielded a working system and Earth's scientists were jubilant. Various groups seized the opportunity to seek out worlds they could call their own. Travel to the stars was a long, burdensome mission and many attempts met with failure. The colonists were required to spend periods of time, reaching into years, in stasis before arriving at their destination. Inadequate planning and unsatisfactory destinations left many of the original wayfarers’ dead or lost forever, traveling through the void of space. After almost another hundred years of experimenting, the system for selecting suitable target worlds became perfected and a large number of settlements were finally established. On the whole, these space travelers received little in the way of assistance from their home world and carried with them an enduring dislike for the world they called Earth.

Planets falling into the category M4, defined as being similar enough to Earth that life from that planet could be supported, were not always equivalent enough to leave the colonists unchanged. The environment on worlds such as Deneria affected their populations in ways no one could have imagined. The means for detecting unique features of a planet's environment were simply not available to the early settlers. Deneria's milieu did not only precipitate a change in the physical characteristics of its inhabitants but also in their psychological temperament.

Today, citizens of Deneria are uniformly beautiful, at least by human standards. Almost all other humans, no matter where they dwell, feel an attraction to Denerians. This mild-mannered, race had difficulty dealing with their circumstances. In addition to their physical metamorphosis, trace elements in the atmosphere caused many other, less obvious, changes to occur. Tragically, the other major alteration that evolution created in the psychology of Denerians caused them many unforeseen problems. They lost the ability to control their emotions adequately and were not in command of their feelings. Although they were basically in favor of a stronger central government, their convictions were weak and could be easily swayed, making them an easy target for stronger personalities, opposed to the idea.

Balara provided another set of conditions allowing unusual changes to take place in the settlers from Earth. Here, the physical structure of the settlers was dramatically altered so that, after only ten generations, the inhabitants displayed little resemblance to their forebears. Their skin became scaly and took on a peculiar purplish cast. The lower gravity of their new home allowed their bones to grow more quickly until the average height of the colonists developed to well over seven feet. Citizens of Balara felt little in common with those from the mother world and shunned any association with them.

As man traveled out among the stars he found, almost immediately, that he was not alone. The early explorers wooed those they found into joining them with the promise of peace among the stars. The pledge of harmony was strong but not so strong a cement that the bond could not, one day, be broken. In time, the non-human members of the Coalition became, more or less, equally divided on the issue of a stronger central governing body, even though it often meant siding with some otherwise unfriendly residents of the galaxy.

Aurigans favored the idea, having recently come through their own period of anarchy. The government of this planet struggled, for a period lasting over two hundred years, to perfect a democracy guaranteeing every citizen equal rights. What the leaders failed to recognize was that the population of their world was not in any way homogeneous. Rather, it was made up of every variety of special interest groups imaginable. If a difference were discernible, no matter how insignificant, a group representing that difference flourished. This fracturing of society was not limited to race, religion, or national origin but also to such mundane issues as the right to take one's own life upon becoming terminally ill.

The government became ineffective and Auriga desperately needed help. Having nowhere else to turn, they requested aid from the Coalition. Aurigans felt a debt to this loose affiliation of planets that managed to send a large number of Inspector General Branch, IGB, agents. After a protracted battle, the IGB was able to help the more democratic faction finally restore law and order to their planet. The society slowly rebuilt itself, becoming a powerful proponent in the effort to create a stronger central government for the Coalition.

The Vupeculan Empire, of course, strongly opposed anything that interfered with their way of life. They had controlled their own empire for so long that any thought of outside manipulation was abhorrent to them. The Symantiy delegate, naturally, reserved his decision indefinitely. The hallmark of this mild-mannered race was its inability to confront any dilemma. Governments of other worlds lined up with one side or the other, making a majority vote virtually impossible. Debate on the issue was endless, causing some to leave the negotiations in disgust. The weak bond holding the remaining delegates together was the unspoken fear of complete anarchy or worse, interplanetary war.

The lack of a strong central government allowed corruption to spread throughout the arm of the galaxy where the Coalition was located. Many felt it was this corruption that controlled those opposed to the plan for a more formal government. To be sure, the profit from illegal activities such as the virulent trade in illegal artifacts was a powerful force, perhaps too powerful to overcome. Large amounts of money were funneled into any effort that opposed strengthening the central organization. Every inherent weakness was exploited and society was quickly becoming mired in illicit activity.

In 2548 the government on Earth lost its vice-like grip on the Coalition but its power was still pervasive. The colonies had finally banded together in an effort to throw off rule from their ancestral home. It was something many expected for a long time, not only because of their hatred for the home world but also because of the basic inequity of rule by a single planet. The void left by this shift of power exposed the weakness in the basic structure of the Coalition thus creating the environment that now existed.

The Inspector General Branch, instituted by Earth, continued to serve as a weak police force. It was the only organization that made any attempt to enforce law and order between the planets. Representatives from the IGB were not welcome in many systems, making their job extremely difficult. Without Earth, and the combined resources of the colonies, the IGB simply did not have the capacity to maintain its effectiveness. The leaders became acutely aware that something had to be done immediately or all would be lost. Those in control of the IGB recognized their shortcomings but felt powerless to effect the changes they knew must be made.

The other enduring contribution of Earth was a common language. Derived from old English, the use of Standard allowed the one hundred fifty billion or so life forms in the Coalition a common basis for communication. This ability to freely exchange ideas was another slender thread holding the Coalition together. It also gave rise to a negative reaction in that alien systems were compelled to relinquish yet another bit of their uniqueness in the language native to their homes. Many felt that a new synthetic language should be formulated, adding more distraction to an already confused Council. No mechanism existed for such an undertaking and many long sessions were wasted in an attempt to agree on how the Council could accomplish the task.

In addition to everything else that was going on, another event added to the confusion. In the early part of 2671, an unfortunate mining accident led to the discovery of a strange machine that could transport people across the vast distances between stars, instantaneously. The race that created this fabulous technology lived near the center of the galaxy and called themselves the Shaula. They were a strange race, believing in the ultimate good of every species. The Shaula sought peace and friendship, even if it required overt action on their part. They attempted to set in motion a plan that would one day bring the Coalition into their galactic community. For some unknown reason, they had disappeared before this goal was achieved, leaving no avenue opened to reach them. No one had seen or heard from them for more than seven years and their home world was too far away to be reached by conventional means.

Populations of individual planets knew little of what occurred in the galaxy. It was difficult enough trying to keep their own houses in order without worrying about the problems of the Coalition. The few years since the Gateway had been discovered and introduced into Coalition technology was too brief a period to have any effect on bringing the worlds closer together. In fact, besides a small amount of trade, most worlds had little contact with each other. The introduction of the Klug drive, another gift of the Shaula, helped to make travel between the stars more reasonable. But only the rich or powerful, were able to take advantage of this technology that provided ships with the ability to travel many times the speed of light.

Those involved in interstellar trade dreamed of a unified government for the Coalition under which they could conduct their commerce, guided by the same rules and regulations wherever they journeyed. Regrettably, they were treated as outsiders wherever they traveled and could exert little influence over those in power. Only the largest of enterprises had the necessary resources to overcome the many obstacles set in their way. As a result, few worlds were in a position to take advantage of the developing technologies and the majority remained isolated.

The Central Council seemed forever locked in debate over how to overcome these problems. Both sides of the controversy were able to rationalize their positions and were unmoved by pleas to reach a settlement. Those who knew of the strange race from the center of the galaxy hoped for their return. They believed that the Shaula held the last possibility for peace before the Coalition finally broke up, bringing anarchy and war between the stars. They were not aware of the events now in motion that would alter their lives for the rest of time.

Chapter 1

The IGB agents, together with the scientific team stood around the husky man, watching for any sign that he was coming out of his trauma. Although they had only been questioning him for a little while, these periods when he lapsed into unconsciousness seemed to last very long. They all knew he needed rest, but the information he possessed was too important to allow him that rest. They watched in silence as he began to twist in the chair, having no idea of the pain in his head.

The unexpected explosion of anguish paralyzed every nerve in his body. His flesh was frozen in a state of near rigor mortis. Even the involuntary intake of air was all but halted. Every bodily function was suspended and only the steady pulse of a gauge measuring the basic bio electronic activity between the synapses in his brain could have given any indication of life. Everyone has suffered excruciating pain, either physical, emotional or both, at some time in their life. Teric was no stranger to anguish, but nothing close to the pain the current experiment inflicted on his body and mind.

It was as if someone had rammed a white-hot spike right through his head. The pressure from this invasion into his skull made his brain feel as if was going to explode. After several minutes, the pain at last subsided enough to allow him some motor control. One hand pressed down on his skull while the other massaged his forehead in an effort to dispel the suffering he was forced to endure. As if this was not enough, the man standing over him began to hammer away with his questions, again.

How many times do I have to repeat myself? I've already told your men the same story three times! He answered, in a barely audible voice.

I know Mister Leoj, but some of what you've told us simply doesn't match with the data we've collected from our other sources. I must have the information you've obtained with your experiments. The only way we're ever going to understand the situation is to get all the information you have. It's vital that we solve this case at once.

Don't you think I know that? Do you think I would willingly put myself through this if I didn't realize how important it is? My company is already suffering because of what has been going on.

This is much more important than your company. Everyone stands to lose a great deal if we don't act quickly to resolve this situation. The IGB is completely behind the current movement for a stronger central organization. Action must be taken before the very fabric of the Coalition of Planets is torn apart. We want to make sure nothing prevents the success of Lord Argulot's mission.

I know all of that, it's the reason I've put myself through this. He said, thinking that he was shouting but only speaking a little above a whisper.

He looked over at Marlene, hoping she would assure the IGB inspector of his honesty. She knew more about the situation than anyone else in the room. Feeling out of place, she retreated further into the shadows, attempting to hide herself from Teric's pleading eyes. She realized she should come to his aid but the strange events were moving more swiftly than she was capable of dealing with and she needed more time to digest what was occurring. The IGB agent, as yet unaware of Marlene's importance, ignored her and went on with his interrogation.

All right, I understand but please, once again, describe what you witnessed from the beginning. You put yourself in the unique position of having information we have never been able to obtain. You must help us clear up this mess. One way or another, I will find out all that you know. Please tell me what you've learned from your machine and don't leave anything out, no matter how trivial you think it might be, requested IGB inspector Tarragot, ignoring the man's pain as if it was nothing more than a simple headache.

All right, all right, just give me a minute to try and clear my head.

The man being questioned stood up and slowly walked around the room. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to visualize the events of the last few days. The pain finally subsided enough for him to concentrate on his current situation. They had been at it for a long time and the questioning was taking its toll on his already punished mind. He could not even remember how many sessions he had been through with the unique device his scientists had constructed. Swinging his arms over his head, his fingertips almost touched the ceiling. The soft plastiline material of his suit stretched with every move he made. It expanded and contracted when he moved as if it had a life of its own. Although he was aware of the wonderful properties of the material, there was no consolation in knowing that one of his companies invented it.

He looked away from the cold gray pedtiurium walls of his makeshift interrogation room and came back to the table. Scratching his short black hair, he took his seat and closed his eyes once again. This time, because of the harsh light coming from the high-intensity lamp aimed in his direction. With his eyes shutting out the glaring light, the pain in his head once again became the primary focus of his discomfort. He did not like being threatened but knew what was at stake and felt obligated to help in any way he could.

Trying to recall what he had just been through was like trying to peel away a veil from some feared memory. It was a strange feeling he could not recall having experienced before. Even as a child, when those situations that normally frightened children were part of his life, he had never been afraid. He had been taught to learn from everything around him. Somehow, fear had never been a factor in his life. Struggling to recall what he had been doing, the memories finally began to flow and some of the pain receded. He started reciting the events of the past days, for a fourth time.

It was happening again and he did not know what to do. He tried to lie quietly, alternately flexing and relaxing every muscle in his aching body over and over again. He was losing it! Fragments of what he thought were his own perceptions gripped his mind and then vanished from his consciousness before he had a chance to interpret them. Teric felt like he was looking at an enormous, three-dimensional, jigsaw puzzle with several of the pieces missing. Yet, he knew he must continue, the experiments were too important to give up now.

Try as he might, the lost elements hovered just out of his grasp. The kaleidoscope of color and bits of information, he did see, held no meaning whatsoever. Concerned that he was losing control of his intellectual capacity or worse, he tried to concentrate on something more solid. But his mind's eye kept returning to the puzzle his consciousness could not complete. The machine had been able to send him through the interlocking system of computer sensory devices that enveloped the planet. Regrettably, it afforded him little of the promised protection and his nakedness in the realm of computer data was taking its toll on his capacity to think clearly.

His mind had traveled through only a small fraction of the computer network. Even this relatively small amount of information was forcing his mind beyond its limits of comprehension. After many hours of experimenting, he was able to shut out enough incoming data to concentrate on a more manageable number of events. At one point, he watched a meeting but the conversation had been drowned out by a myriad of other voices before he had a chance