HADRON Resurgent Read online

  The two technicians pored over screens of data.

  The tech on the left was the first to turn. “Sire, it appears the final plate was not properly seamed. The detector shows a status of ‘passed.’ However, a recheck of the detector shows that it failed twenty-two minutes into the process. We’ve never had a failure of one of those units. And it failed to an ‘on’ or ‘passed’ condition.”

  Jasper scowled. “Have the team work up a detector for the detector. We can’t afford accidents like this.”

  Mace said, “At least it was only a shuttle. That we can replace.”

  Jasper shook his head. “No … we had seven techs, scientists, and engineers on that ship that were monitoring a slew of equipment. I just lost seven of my best people.”

  Mace frowned. “Sorry. Thought this was an automated test.”

  One of the techs turned. “Your Highness, the data we received regarding the failed plate came from the onboard instruments. Without the sacrifice just made, we wouldn’t know what happened.”

  Jasper stared at the tech for several seconds. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Have another shuttle brought around and plated. Call me when it’s ready.”

  Jasper put his hand on Mace and Johnny’s shoulders. “Come on. I’ll take you down on the planet while they work this out. I have a palace down there that I never use. And I can show off the blue city of Yentis, the crown jewel of Divinia.”

  The king’s shuttle met them in a nearby bay. As they walked aboard, Johnny nodded in approval.

  Jasper said, “I take it you like?”

  “Can’t say I disapprove. And look, you’ve got your own throne to sit on. That’s nicer than the one on the Revelation.”

  Jasper waved it off. “Opulence left over from one of the prior Quartet rulers. I wanted the one on the Revelation to reflect that I was one of the people.”

  Mace asked, “Where are the Quartet now?”

  “Executed—but not by me. That was done by one of my admirals when I first took over. He’s no longer with us, either.”

  Johnny winced. “Now you’re sounding like Stark.”

  Jasper shook his head. “Nope. He was given a fair trial and picked his own punishment. He had a beef with one of the ruling families, which is unusual because the Targarians aren’t people who hold grudges. Not much, anyway.”

  As the king’s shuttle dropped though the atmosphere, Jasper pressed a button on his arm pad. The floor of the shuttle cabin turned transparent. White hot flames flickered along the shuttle’s surfaces as the ship cut into the thick air. After popping through a set of high clouds, the blue city of Yentis came into view.

  Johnny nodded. “Now that’s blue.”

  As they slowed and cruised over the city, the sea of blue from above turned into bubble-shaped buildings, one after another. Spheres were the predominantly favorite architecture of the Targarians. High speed trains zipped through the globe-like buildings, moving from one point in the city to another.

  Mace pointed. “The large bubbles over there. What are they?”

  Jasper replied, “Manufacturing. Look out that way. The long thin rows of bubbles are agriculture.”

  Johnny pointed to the north. “Let me guess. The elevated domes are the palace?”

  Jasper shook his head. “Nope. Entertainment and shopping. My people like their shows.”

  Mace asked, “They have any sports?”

  “Nope,” Jasper replied. “They don’t seem to be competitive with one another, and I guess sports stems from competition. So no sports.”

  Jasper pointed at a single innocuous looking bubble as they approached. “That’s the palace.”

  Johnny chuckled. “Not very grand, is it?”

  “The Quartet families had big complexes. Those were in other cities and have been converted to attractions for the people to visit. Gives them a glimpse of the opulent lives the Quartet families lived. I picked this building because it was available, and I like the blue city.”

  The shuttle dropped and slid into a docking bay. Mace and Johnny followed Jasper off, down a short hall and into a well furnished room.

  Jasper spread out his arms. “This is my place. I have a library over here stocked with several thousand books from back home. I like to read when I get the chance. And over here I have a large screen TV with several thousand movies. The Targarians were kind enough to get a TV working for me again. I don’t watch much. Never did before. But they find it fascinating. In fact, those movies and a number of other ones are being broadcast all over this planet all day long. I’ve had more than one come up to me trying to speak English. It seems to be all the rage with the youths.”

  Johnny pointed. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”

  Jasper nodded. “Yep. It’s a replica of the cave. Goes back about half a kilometer too. I gave them an image of the mapped-out sections of it and I’m told they have plans to build it. So it shouldn’t be long before I have my own Organ Cave right here on Divinia.”

  “Where’s the gift shop?” asked Johnny.

  Jasper gestured behind him. “Through those doors over there. And it’s an exact replica, too. When they finish the cave, I’ll open the palace to the people and daily tours will be given. If things settle down, I might even come back here to lead them. I’d get a kick out of seeing all those dopey-looking Targarian kids coming through here. Those fish-eyes would be twisting and turning in every direction.”

  Jasper laughed. “Cracks me up just thinking about it.”

  Johnny took a deep breath and let it out. “Well, I’ve gotta hand it to ya. You’re running an empire and the people seem to love you. All in a galaxy that’s gone mad.”

  Jasper nodded. “Whenever you have somebody who has something that somebody else wants, or wants to control, you’re gonna have wars. These people aren’t warriors, but they’re willing to fight for what they have. You know I also control the Bellia, the Antees and the Pojatta. I’ve made them all equal to the Targarians, but I did it without taking anything away from anyone. So they are all cool with it.”

  Mace added, “He’s right. You’ve managed something remarkable here.”

  Jasper waved. “It was easy once I figured out the Targarians were givers. I have mixed crews working on modernizing the infrastructure on all colonies, and that seems to make them all happy with each other. Like I said, the Targarians are givers, and they worship power. The position of the other three has improved under my reign, so they are all happy as well. And thanks for that new order of domain reflectors. That will allow us to finish out the defense of this planet and get started on the next.”

  Jasper grinned. “Only seventeen to go.”

  Mace and Johnny followed Jasper through another set of doors into a modest dining hall. Samples of local foods that had been tested for human compatibility were brought out in a steady stream from a kitchen.

  Jasper pointed to a table. “Take a seat over there and I’ll get us some drinks.”

  Johnny sat. “All this is crazy. What can’t the old buzzard do?”

  Mace shook his head. “I have to admit, just about everything I’ve seen from him has been unexpected. From a crotchety, old, retired tour guide to the ruler of an eighteen colony empire. At least someone has seen a positive out of all this.”

  Johnny said, “Other than the obvious loss of your mom, you’ve come out of this pretty good.”

  Mace laughed. “How you figure? I might command a small group of patriots, but I own nothing. I don’t own any property. Got no bank account and no wealth whatsoever.”

  Johnny crossed his arms. “You’ve got an extended family that would die for you. You eat every day. And you get to hang out with me. I’d say you have it pretty good, too.”

  Jasper returned with three drams and a bottle marked “Bourbon.” The glasses were filled and the bottle set aside.

  Jasper raised his glass. “To Humans who invented this stuff… and to my Targarians, who have meticulously replicated it.”
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  Mace took a sip, swishing it gently in his mouth before swallowing. “Mmm, that’s good.”

  Johnny looked at it for several seconds and then winced as he poured it down his throat all at once. “Burns.”

  Jasper shook his head. “You know, you even drink like an ape-man.”

  Johnny rubbed his watering eyes. “Not my fault. I’m a beer guy.”

  After a long slow sip, Jasper pointed at the foods on the table. “Have at it. It’s all good.”

  Johnny pointed at a dish. “I think that one is still moving.”

  Jasper reached over, taking the slimy slender tendril in his hand. “Just dip it in the malga butter and let it slide down. It’s called a myope.”

  He placed one end of the tendril in his mouth and slurped it in like a spaghetti noodle, to Johnny’s look of disgust.

  Mace picked up something that looked like a small pickled egg. “What’s this?”

  Jasper gestured for him to try it. “Go on, it’s kind of salty. That’s a gangrit testicle. They call it metoopid.”

  As Mace returned the item to its dish, Johnny chuckled. “I’d have to call that… youtoopid if you think I’m gonna try it.”

  Jasper grabbed one, popping it in his mouth and chewing with his mouth open as a further disgusted Johnny looked on.

  Jasper swallowed and said, “I lied. It’s exactly what it looks like, a pickled egg. Try one.”

  Johnny shook his head. “After that story, I’m not willing to risk it. What’s this over here?”

  Jasper grinned. “Oh, those are good. That’s a valata. Kind of sweet like our plum.”

  Johnny took a small bite, testing first to make sure it was indeed a fruit. “Hmm. Pretty good. What’s this long yellow one?”

  Jasper nodded approval. “That’s the private parts of a riander.”

  Johnny moved his hand back as Jasper laughed. “I’m just having fun with ya. That’s daado. It’s a vegetable. Kind of a cross between a string bean and a yellow squash. I prefer the blue one just down from you, the bongia. It has a bit of a pineapple flavor to it, though maybe a little tangier.”

  Johnny sampled the two vegetables with a suspicious eye.

  Mace picked up something on a bone, sniffing it. “What animal is this from?”

  “Ooh. That’s a zerot rib. Has a baked-on dranga sauce. Very tasty.”

  Mace asked, “What’s a zerot?”

  Jasper answered with a straight face as Johnny sampled the bongia. “If I had to say, I’d say it was akin to our Dachshund.”

  Johnny dropped his bongia as he looked away.

  Jasper laughed. “Tretcher, you are too easy to toy with. That’s a bradack. I’d describe it as the Targarian version of a pig. And the bacon from that little beast is excellent.”

  Johnny pushed the small plate in front of him away. “I think I’ve lost my appetite.”

  Jasper waved his hand. “Oh come on, I was just having some fun with you. All of the stuff on this table is normal food. Except that tendril. I had trouble with that one at first. Now I just mostly taste the malga butter.”

  Johnny replied, “It all looks great, but I think I’ll stick with the nutrient bars.”

  Jasper scowled. “Suit yourself. If you wanted to know, this is what’s in those nutrient bars. Including that tendril.”

  Johnny said, “Why do you torture me? What have I done to you.”

  Jasper nodded. “Fine, then. I’ll shut up.”

  With the nutritional festivities at an end, Jasper took Mace and Johnny on a quick tour of the city. A high-speed train took them to a natural wonder that had been covered over with a large dome. The Fountains of Urana were said to have healing properties. Thousands of liters of water gushed from the ground in a constant stream, fed by an ancient underground river that came from the nearby Gastion Mountains.

  The Targarians, as with most Galactic Union members, rarely got sick. Centuries of genetic selection at birth had seen to it. The fountains were from a bygone era in the Targarian culture. And the Targarians loved their history.

  Next was a forty-meter stone image of the first emperor of Divinia, Targas the Magnificent, the leader from whom the Targarians drew their name. He was the first to unite all the previously-warring tribes under one banner. The later years of his reign saw the first of the Targarian industrial revolution. It was the beginnings of their current existence. Emperors had ruled until the families of the Quartet had taken power. Shortly after, the first Targarians made their way into space.

  The third stop was to a theater, where a play was being acted out. Johnny and Mace watched in fascination as the Targarian actors, dressed as Humans, performed a reenactment of an assault on Redalt IV.

  Jasper whispered as they watched: “The people love this one. It has been running four shows a day for four months and continues to be sold out. The little flounders love their Humans. See that one with the silver bar on his shoulder? That’s Gomeric Thonsi, the premier actor on all of Divinia. He’s playing Stark.”

  Johnny chuckled. “Brother. Who would deify that knothead?”

  Jasper scowled. “My people would. They view it as a great victory.”

  Johnny held up his hand. “Didn’t mean to insult your minions.”

  As the actors portraying Humans on stage declared victory, a comm came in from the Revelation. The next shuttle was ready for a test. As Jasper stood to leave, the crowd in the theater turned and began to applaud, including the actors on the stage. Jasper waved and bowed before walking behind a curtain and into an outer hall.

  Mace said, “They do love their king.”

  A short ride had them back on a shuttle and up to the Targarian flagship. Minutes later, a micro-wormhole was opened, and a gatrellium coated shuttle successfully slipped through.

  Mace, Johnny, and Jasper looked over the results.

  Johnny said, “I don’t see anything that looks out of whack. No changes at all on the inside of the ship. Vitals on your crew look good. No stray signals of any kind. I’d say it’s time to plate the Rogers.”

  Mace replied, “I think a few more tests might be in order. Such as, will that plating hold up under fire?”

  Jasper said, “Let’s check it out. Captain, have our crew removed from the shuttle. We’re gonna use it for some target practice. Before they leave, have them enable all sensors and pass the feeds for those to here.”

  A low-power cannon pulse was fired and logged. With no evidence of damage, the power was increased and another plasma round sent out. The fourth shot went out at 50 percent of full strength.

  Mace said, “Remarkable. The dampener field was overwhelmed but the hull shows no evidence of a strike.”

  Jasper said, “Captain, I want this next shot at full power.”

  The captain bowed and turned to carry out the order of his king. The high-power plasma round penetrated the dampener field just as the previous had. And again, no evidence of a strike was recorded on the ship’s hull sensors.

  “Remarkable,” said Johnny.

  Mace replied, “That plating absorbs the plasma like it was never even there. Give it a shot from the microwave cannon.”

  Jasper said, “Captain, hit her with the microwave.”

  The captain complied. A full burst from the United Front weapon again left no evidence of damage.

  Jasper waved over his captain. “Send in the science team. I want to know what’s happening here.”

  The science officer in charge came and knelt before Jasper. “Sire, the gatrellium is absorbing and dispersing the received energy charges across its entirety. The plating energizes more with each hit, making it ever more effective.”

  Johnny raised a hand. “I have a question. Could we pre-charge the plating? Maybe energize it before going into battle?”

  The scientist nodded. “That should be possible.”

  Jasper smiled. “Mr. Galki, have your team work up a design that allows a pre-charge. Gentlemen, if this works, I think a rework of the Rogers is in or
der. We just may have found our equalizer for use against the Karthians.”

  Pre-charge testing was successful, and the Rogers was brought to the Divinia repair docks for a retrofit. Testing on the shuttle continued, with results only further confirming what they had witnessed. Gatrellium as a hull plating offered not only remarkable protection against energy weapons, but the ability to slip through a wormhole that only used a thousandth as much of their precious gatrellium as before. The outlook for the Human species was markedly improved.

  Chapter 13

  *

  The plating of the Rogers took nearly a month. Joints were checked and triple-checked for a complete bond and seal. During that month, four new deliveries of domain reflectors arrived at the area outside WarStation 56. With the infusion of monies from the diamonds of Cancri, the Knuttin Corporation was now back on solid footing.

  Leonis Kontin was talking of a new colony on Canto, this time in cooperation with the Humans. It would be a colony for trade between the United Front worlds and the Humans and their allies. Microwave cannons would surround the planet, providing a deterrent to invasion. A small fleet of older UF dreadnoughts would patrol the space surrounding the colony. It was hoped to be used as a model for eventual Human - UF cooperation.

  Frado Knuttin remained in recovery, having almost succumbed to his injuries on several occasions. Complex, last minute operations had saved his life. He had proven himself to be a fighter.

  Mace stood on a platform overlooking the Rogers as it emerged from the repair dock.

  Jasper stood beside him. “I do like that color blue.”

  Mace nodded. “I didn’t notice it to be that shade on the shuttle.”

  Jasper replied, “Sodium was added to the gatrellium compound at the last minute. My scientists say it could add as much as 20 percent to the charge dissipation abilities of that hull. And with that micro-wormhole generator you can now jump wherever you want. Instead of your gatrellium tank on the Gerty giving you the resources needed to make a dozen or so jumps, you can now make several thousand on that same tank. Of course, you won’t be able to take non-coated ships with you. Neither can anyone else follow you, though.”