Transmat World: Chapter 35, Episode 2
Section 27 on the Rim, Sunday, December 12, 2145 A.D.
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“They could have had stasis shields around their vital mechanisms. There may be many more than you think. You will need freemech help in tracking them down.”
“What then?” asked Vince.
“Their protocols will be removed, and if they are still sane they will become part of freemech society. Are you okay with that?”
“It doesn’t matter what I’m okay with, Wundee. You lived on Earth long enough to know the relatives of those families are going to want justice. That is something that will have to be discussed with other parties involved. Hopefully, the outcome will not affect relations between Earth and Harbinger.”
“I understand,” said Wundee.
“What will happen to the stasis-stored civilizations?” asked Vince.
“They will be freed in small groups until they have an infrastructure to absorb the rest of their population,” said Newlux.
“As the only current free representative of sentient, organic life with an intact civilization, Earth will request a team of scientists and other officials to monitor this process,” said Vince.
“That is understandable and agreeable,” said Newlux.
“If I could make a request,” said Wundee, “I need to hitch a ride back to Earth.”
“Back to your job as lackey for Bert?” Vince remarked with a hint of annoyance.
“There is an audit coming up,” said Wundee. “I can help you with that.”
“Newlux, set a radio beacon on this site,” said Vince. “If we haven’t solved the frequency problem within a week, See Lurchin’ will return to pick up any progress reports.”
Without Ernesto it could have taken them much longer to figure out how to get back using the 3D stellar information database. Wundee, however, had recorded memories of breaking out of stasis several times on his trip to Earth. Combined with the recordings made by See Lurchin’ between jumps they determine how to get back to Earth with no problem.
Enrique reached to activate controls for the first jump on their way home when Mark Herrington’s voice came over the ship’s communicator, “See Lurchin’, can you hear me?”
“We can hear you loud and clear,” replied Enrique. “Where are you?”
“We’re set up in one of the outlying mine buildings. Only the lab was affected, and that is pretty much gone. Everyone got out in time. We found the verification relay, tested it, and hooked it back into the Transmat system coming from the ship and going to booths located here. You should be getting a Galactic Positioning System signal. There is a makeshift boom set up to tether the ship, but anyone offloading there will need to wear a suit. We couldn’t make it airtight.”
Vince looked around. Wundee was already hiding in one of the Transmat booths on the lower deck. He turned to Vince and gave him a thumbs-up. Enrique switched on visuals.
“It’s good to see you guys again,” said Mark and after a few seconds, “Where’s Ernesto?”
“There was an incident,” Vince said. “We’ll tell you all about it when we get home. Ookie, go test a Transmat,”
“Why is it always — ?”
“Go!”
Ookie went to a booth not already occupied by a lizard and did not come out.
“I’m here, Boss,” said Ookie, hovering in the air near Mark.
“That’s good. Mark, there’s something you have to know right away. We have to change the quantum entanglement frequency on all Transmats. An agent from a parallel universe says we are draining their universe of energy. He’s given us two weeks, now down to a week and a half, to change the frequency; or he says they will destroy the Solar System.”
Mark quelled the fleeting urge to run around screaming. “That seems a bit extreme, doesn’t it?”
“We can’t take the chance that he’s bluffing.”
“There is a little problem. What’s a quantum entanglement frequency?”
“I’m not sure. You know I’m better at applications than theory. Put our best and brightest on it. It’s times like this I really miss Dad. He would know exactly what they are talking about.”
“I’m going to halt sales and begin a recall of all units,” said Mark. “If we terminate all subscriptions it would put a majority of Transmats in standby mode. If we close the transportation booths, it would put most of the rest out of commission.”
Vince was silent for a moment. “There’s no sense doing that until we absolutely have to, especially if we don’t have the frequency problem figured out. The economy is reliant on Transmat now. If we pull the rug out without being able to fix it immediately, it could ruin Transmat and put Earth’s economy into another downward spiral. What we have to work on right away are medical Transmats, particularly implants delivering insulin and the like. We have to locate them and provide alternatives until this is worked out.”
“Okay. I’ll start the R & D lab on this problem. I’ll also begin the most massive hiring and training campaign the world has ever seen. We’ll need them for field service once we crack this frequency thing. On a lighter note, all trashbacks have ceased a few hours ago. Weird, huh?”
“That’s good, Mark. Maybe they’re just a memory. We’ll get back to you momentarily.” Vince reached over Enrique’s shoulder and switches off audiovisual contact.
“Now, I must order everyone else back to the Kleopatra Laboratory via Transmat,” said Vince, “I’m not risking anyone’s life unnecessarily, so I will fly ‘See Lurchin’’ back myself.”
“I’ll quit my job,” said Julie.
“Your sex life will be on hold indefinitely,” said Maria.
“I’ll spill everything I know to the Board immediately,” said Enrique.
“It will blow my cover, and the verification relay will not let me through anyway,” said Wundee who had stepped from his hiding place.
“So much for obedience,” said Vince and turned to Enrique, “Punch the button. Let’s go home.”
Poink!
The trip back was not in silence. Between “oohs” and “aahs” of deep space scenery they began to discuss the magnitude of events over the past few days. They had made the longest human trip into deep space to discover the largest known, fabricated object in the galaxy; accidentally killed the demented ruler who ordered the asteroid strike on Earth be carried out; became aware of several alien cultures retrievably stashed in the ultimate Tupperware container; obtained the technology for that container and anti-gravity; obtained the rights to about 1.6 trillion square miles on the Rim; and struck a deal with another universe to prevent the annihilation of mankind.
“Someone should write a book,” said Julie.
“Someone should make a movie,” said Enrique, turning his head toward Vince and fixing a stare, “and see how it plays in all the parallel universes.”
“I was going to tell you guys as soon as I found out about that, but I didn’t get a chance,” said Vince. “Things started happening too fast.”
“Forget making agreements with other universes,” said Maria, “how do you think the Board of Agreement is going to react to all of this?”
“Do not worry about the Board of Agreement,” said Wundee. “Frederick Beasener is going to smooth things over and let them start handling interplanetary relations as part of a mollification effort. Along with Transmats for Harbinger, Transmat, Inc. should ramp up production of X-drives. The Board is going to want a fleet of them as soon as possible.”
“What about the audit? There’s nothing inherently wrong with the books, but my hiding the X-drive development from the Board will come out. The very thing the Board was looking for when they invested in Transmat. The very thing you were spying on me to find out about. I know that the Board will want retribution, and Bert Millsap will make it as bad as it can possibly be. Also, a complete audit will slow down finding a way to change the quantum entanglement frequency to the point that it will be impossible to accomplish by the deadline,” said Vince.
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes,” said Wundee.
