Moebius

by Joe Walters

Copyright (c)1989

September 19, 2138

Capt Holstid reporting in charge of the Gamma fleet. All system are at fully optional status. All twenty ships still at operational capability. We have entered a location where we believe to have a G2 star, slightly smaller than that of our own Earth. However we have been unable to find the source of the gravity which is still attracting us to the center of what should be a system. There is no star visible however. I have ordered us into an elliptical orbit, of the gravitational point. Commander Wilkins, my science officer believes that it may be a black hole. We will find out. CLOSE LOG.

September 23, 2138

Capt Holstid. We have still yet been unable to discover the Grav force which is attracting us here. No evidence of anything is in order except for radiation of a G2 level. It appears to be concentrated in one direction however. Time to turn-over, two-days. CLOSE LOG.

September 25, 2138

Capt Holstid reporting. We have just approached turnover and i am now inclined to believe that it is a bl... what the? Radiation just went off normal scales. Light shields automatically went on. Research systems on line. CLOSE LOG.

September 26, 2138

Capt Holstid. The sun of this system appears to be concealed by a half completed shell on one side. Reason unknown. We are investigating. CLOSE LOG.

NO FURTHER LOG ENTRIES

Received July 2, 2167

Luna A-1 Receiver, Sol System

• * *

Harris stepped onto the bridge. He sat down pulling out a stick of gum and relaxed. ``Time's like these are why I chose this life. No hassles, no troubles, nobody to bother me.''

``Intruder has entered our area,'' the wall spoke.

``No one except you, you crazy piece of machinery,'' Harris replied to the wall. ``Why can't you keep yourself off when I'm ... wait a second. What did you say?''

``Intruder has entered our area,'' the wall repeated, not stifled in the least.

``Identify.''

``Computing. Identified as the Seaward, Winward in command. Isn't that the person you had a slight confrontation with-''

``Yes, Nimrod, it is. Now shut up.'' Harris jumped into the pilot's couch and set for full burn in five seconds. He strapped himself down as the ACCESS came on line. ``Four, three, two... ''

A blast shook the ship. It lurched causing Harris to temporarily loose track of which way was up. It lay sideways in relation to what should have been, as the gravity disengaged. Harris floated against the straps holding him down. He touched a panel and a streak of fire lept out striking a vessel at close range. He tapped again- silence. He brought up the view to see what was left. Two cruisers still advanced. His attention was drawn to a console which was blinking slightly. Estimated Time of Repair: 3 minutes. They had even taken out Nimrod. Luckily he was able to repair himself, and then the ship, but that would take time.

Time was one luxury Harris McQuaide could no longer afford.

The edge of the world was outlined sharply against the world below. The land curved into infinity at an infinite distance. His eye was caught by the view as he felt his mind slipping into nothingness...

``Quite a view isn't it?'', a voice brought him back from the edge of chaos. He spun around to see a rather old looking human dressed in white robes befitting his station. He rose quickly only to be motioned to return to his seat. ``No respect necessary, my friend. You are here because I asked you, although I wish you weren't.'' The man moved around to a chair opposite him.

``What? Why was I asked here then if you do not wish me here?'' Malcorn asked, his voice rising slightly in anger.

The man motioned slightly. ``It is not that I do not like your presence, it is a matter of why you are here. I wish I did not have to send someone of your importance.''

Malcorn skipped the obvious question of where he was supposed to be going and asked another. ``Why? Is there some danger?''

The man nodded. ``Much danger in fact, but I am afraid you are the only one who can go, and therefore you are to be sent.''

``What am I to do, then?'' Malcorn inquired.

``You must journey to Shell, and find out something we have wondered since our birth here.''

Malcorn turned noticeably pale. He tried to speak, failed, and tried again. ``Shell. No one has been there in over a Millenia. Why should we send someone there now?''

``Because it is necessary. But first you should meet your companion in this journey.''

Malcorn barely noticed this statement as the man reached over to a console and pressed a switch. A man walked in dressed in the black robes, signifying his occupation.

``Seeker'', Malcorn barely whispered. The shocks of this were coming too fast for any reason.

The man sat down. ``I am Taaylor . I am pleased to meet you,'' he said, but did not say. The words came into Malcorn 's mind. ``A pleasure indeed.'' His mind touched Malcorn's as he looked over him mentally.

The older man sat down as well. ``Gentlemen, you leave at Day.''

Darsayae stepped into a dimly lit corridor. It was times like these that she hated her profession. Stepping into this world was like stepping into her own personal hell. The world of technology always held horrors for her, but the man she chased had to be brought to justice. Why he ran to this place she would never know. She spun around as a voice echoed from behind her.

``Go home, witch. You will never find me and even if you do you will not take me alive'', the voice laughed. ``Why don't you leave? I can tell how badly you wish to.''

``I cannot. You know of your crimes yet you mocked them? ``, she answered the voice. ``How can you live with yourself?''

``How can you live with yourself, witch, hunting down a man who seeks only to survive?'' the voice answered back.

``Survive at the expense of the others?''

``If that is necessary.''

She crept around the corner, swinging to the side of the wall, following the voice. ``Is it not bad enough that you have trespassed upon the ground of our forefathers. None have been here for years and now you disturb their peace.''

``You are wrong, of course. I have been here many times and have yet to find anything resembling spooks. I also have reason to doubt that there has been no one here in a long time. As a matter of fact, there are two here now, headed in your direction at this time... '' The voice died off as it faded in distance.

Malcorn and Taaylor walked the corridors. Taaylor rose his head slightly. Malcorn studied him curiously but continued walking. Looking towards the edge of the corridor

``What is it?''

``We are not alone'', came the thought back. ``And it is not necessary to speak.''

``If it's all the same to you, I'll keep talking'', he said in a horse whisper.

Taaylor nodded as he moved forward. There was no sense in angering his guide. Without this man, or someone else he would be blind as well as deaf.

They entered a room large enough to house several of the Haltar's race vehicles. A large console adorned the south wall with a large piece of glass resembling a screen. Malcorn walked over and checked over the equipment. It appeared to be fully operational. He flipped several switches as the board came to life. The keyboard was more advanced than the one he learned on, this one being a touch sensor, but the layout was the same. He hummed to himself as he worked.

``Duck!'' came the mental scream from Taaylor . The scream froze Malcorn in is tracks as he was hit from behind. He spun around and leapt into the air, his wings spreading from behind his back. A figure stepped out into the light. A light glimmered off of her metallic looking suit as she rose her hands. A mist flowed forth to envelope the creature which had struck him.

``Stop, he hit the... '' His scream came too late. Malcorn watched helplessly as the creature bounced off of the console and fell to the ground. He realized that the screen was actually a window as lights came on behind it. A large bay opened beyond to reveal the lights of centuries past, clicking on as they had centuries ago.

And a door, not opened in two and a half millenia creaked open to the vacuum of space.

Harris looked at the control console of his ship and saw the lights blinking all over the system. ``Nimrod Status.''

The computer squeaked, corrected, and tried again. ``Ship's or Tactical?''

``Both.''

``Ship's status: All systems malfunctioning. ACCESS travel has malfunctioned. Effective Time of Repair:12 minutes. Life support: functioning. Shields: inactive. Irreparable. Communications functional: not at optimum level. Tactical: Two FORWARD cruisers are still in pursuit. Suggestion: Get out of here immediately.''

``Very funny.'' Harris McQuaide looked at the screen and confirmed Nimrod's messages. He touched several consoles and brought them to life. ``Harris McQuaide, in command of the Infinite Possibilities. Come on Winward, give a guy a break!''

The comm panel chortled, but whether from Winward or static was impossible to tell. ``Your drive is shot, McQuaide. You can't escape. One more hit and you're gone. Give it up.''

``I wouldn't give you the pleasure'', Harris McQuaide shot back. He glanced at the panel. ETR: 9 minutes. Keep stalling. ``What guarantee would I have that you'd let me live. Regulations or no you'd love to get rid of me for the episode outside of Bantor IV. I remember the headlines on the news: `Winward, fleet commander of FORWARD, was defeated by Harris McQuaide, a loner originating from Earth. Their race in the single person ships between Bantor VII and IV ended in a firey explosion which destroyed Winward's ship. The commander ejected and was later picked up by the victor, Harris, and hauled back to the finish line on the outside of his vessel.' '' Harris smiled as the memory came back to him.

``Shut up,'' Winward spoke back. ``You cheated, and don't say you didn't.''

``Oh yeah, I cheated, Just enough to counter your cheat of putting unstable fuel in the opponents vehicles. I just used it to my advantage.'' Harris sat back to glance at the clock. ETR: 7 minutes. ``You still haven't answered my question: What guarantee?''

``You have my word.'' Winward replied.

``Which is about as good as a swim suit on Pluto,'' Harris said under his breath. ``Let's put it this way, Winward, I think I'd have a better chance trying to outrun you, and don't think I can't.''

``I don't think, I know. You are a dead ship, but I'll give you five minutes to choose Harris. Five minutes.'' The comm went dead. ETR 6 minutes.

``I've cut it close before. At least he doesn't know about you my friend.'' He glanced at the system adorning his wall.

The wall replied. ``Estimate 3% chance of survival in this affair if you insist on staying here. Nice knowing you Harris.''

``Sarcastic Machine.''

He activated the comm panel again. ``Harris to Seaward. Prepare to receive my vessel. You win Winward.''

``Preparing to receive.''

Nimrod rattled off. ``ETA at enemy vessel 3 minutes. ETR 3.5 minutes. This might work after all.''

``Thank you.''

``You're welcome.''

The ship moved into position for docking. Harris touched several panels and powered up his engines. He watched the repair status light. The amber light appeared to laugh at him. He counted to himself.

``Laugh at this Winward.'' The light went green, and he punched the panel. The ship shot off in an arc away from the vessel and rotated, fired, rotated again, and was gone.

Ten seconds later he re-emerged into Einstein space. ``Nimrod, time until they track us?''

``Impossible to tell, unknown status of their drive systems at time of ACCESS. ACCESS is down again.''

Harris McQuaide got up to walk to the rear of the vessel. He pulled off an access hatch, and began working on several controls, murmuring to himself about crazy machines.

The ship lurched and came to a sudden stop. ``Warning: collision imminent with structure.''

``A little late aren't you?''

``Maybe.''

Harris McQuaide suppressed a comment he wanted to make. He recalled the last time he directed an insult at it, something to the point of ``Drop dead''. It tried to interpret it as an order and nearly got them both killed. He walked up to the control room and stared outside the bridge window. ``There's nothing out here'', Harris McQuaide mused quietly.

``That nothing is off our mass scale'', Nimrod replied casually.

Harris McQuaide opened his mouth but nothing came out. He closed it again as he looked at the view screen. He touched several panels and brought up a view of it. The digital readout showed a sphere shaped object.

``Width?'' Harris asked quietly.

``One AU in radius, 186 million miles in diameter.'' Nimrod replied.

Harris McQuaide touched several panels and swung around the ship. He could not see any stars in the area, absolutely nothing. He brought the ship around again and starting flying above this structured he had collided with.

A square of the darkness opened. Light beamed through the opening.

``Who do you think you are being here?'' Malcorn said from ten feet above the floor. His question was addressed at the woman who now stood over her prey. She turned around to face him.

``What do you think I'm doing here?'' she shot back.

``Her name is Darsayae , sorceress of the Align. She was chasing this being known as Cy and apparently has apprehended him, ``Taaylor replied. She looked at him and then recognized him for what he was.

``A Tech and a Seeker. An interesting combination, and almost impossible. They are not of close company.''

``We are here to seek answers to questions given to us by the Council. However, we are not able to give these answers to you.''

``I don't really care. I have what I came for. What do you plan on doing about that hole out there?''

Malcorn had to admit he had not even thought about it. He berated himself as he landed. Such a hole could have destroyed the world if the ancient technology had not prevented it in some way. He landed and walked across to the console. Amazing the old technology. In fact if he didn't know any better he would say something was approaching the hole. Of course he couldn't be right about...

A shadow eclipsed the stars beyond. A large black object glided smoothly into the gap. The scars on it's hull indicated it had been in a battle of some sort. Several relays clicked over as the vessel cleared the door and it slid shut automatically. It floated gently into a small bay as a docking arm extended.

``I believe this answers all our questions,'' Taaylor thought, but the rest of the group heard.

Harris looked across the small bay his ship landed in. ``Nimrod, where are we?'', he asked of the blank control panel.

``We are aboard the Infinite Possibilities in a bay of unknown origin. There appears to be some source of power in the area, accounting for the lights. ``

``Thanks a lot. I could have figured that out myself.''

``Will you allow me to continue?''

``Sorry'', Harris threw to him sarcastically.

``Apology accepted. There are four life forms at 23 degrees, behind that large shield of translucent titanium, a substance designed during...

``All right I get the picture'', Harris cut him off impatiently. He strolled over to his locker and swung the door outward, and removed his wrist rifle. Strapping it on his wrist he started walking to the door. ``Nimrod, I-''

``Air sample breathable, gravity slightly stronger than that of earth. No noxious substances or compounds which would endanger your life form,'' the wall rattled off. ``Would you like me to accompany you?''

Harris sighed. ``I guess it couldn't hurt.''

Harris walked towards the door and flipped a switch for the airlock to open. The door opened to receive a breath of slightly stale air. He stepped out, slipping to one side as he waited. A door within the airlock opened.

A two foot orb floated out of the door, hovering about three feet above the ground. It slipped aside of Harris and began moving forward. Harris looked skyward (wherever that happen to be here) and fell in behind the orb.

Malcorn and Taaylor sat in anticipation as Darsayae stared at the object within the lock. Malcorn noticed the pale look which had crossed her face. Amazing that such a person could look so pale.

Suddenly she stood up and walked towards the doorway. Upon reaching the hall, she turned right, heading for the hatch of the long arm. Malcorn and Taaylor were too stunned to say anything so they just waited.

Harris looked out at the stark hallway. The shallow light from the nearby panels gave little or no light for one to see by. Nimrod lit up the front of his globe, a small spotlight. It scanned across the panels in the hall and stopped on a young woman in the center of the hall. Harris sucked in his breath. The woman outstretched her hands towards Harris . She made a motion and Harris felt his body grow heavy. His knees buckled as the ground came up to give him its greeting.

Darsayae looked at the spherical object next to the limp body of the strange man. It seemed to look directly back at her. ``What are you?''

``I am Nimrod,'' The sphere said in a normal tone. ``Function: Control of drive and control systems of the Infinite Possibilities. Basis of function: Octal Pattern Recognition memory core.''

Darsayae stared at it, blinking as if it would go away. It remained there as Taaylor and Malcorn stepped into the corridor silently, the old man leaning on the younger. Malcorn looked at Darsayae. ``What did you do to him?''

``She placed him in a form of suspended animation similar to sleep, however slightly deeper, his respiration has been slowed to 8 breaths per minute which...``

``I didn't ask you,'' Malcorn shot back, then stopped, realizing he was talking to a machine. ``Do you always answered what you haven't been asked?''

``It's a habit of his, I'm afraid,'' the man on the ground said as he rolled over. ``Lady, what the blazes did you throw at me? The last time I felt like this was when I had a bit too much Vodka back on the good old Mud-ball. Fun at the time, but not much fun afterwards.'' She raised her hands again to which he raised his arm, showing the rifle. ``Uh, uh. Lady, I wouldn't do that if I were you. This thing may not be as pretty in optical effects, but it's as effective.'' He rolled over and got to his feet. She moved again to which he moved in response.

Side stepping, he grabbed her arm and threw her slightly sideways into the doorway. She grabbed the jam and swung around landing on her feet. She spun around to see the device on Harris's arm glow and she slumped to the ground. Harris turned around to eye the other two. ``I have no objections to talking to friends, but answering orders is not in my rule book, Got it?''

They both nodded slightly, when Malcorn suddenly looked up. ``How do you speak our language so well?''

``Language, what are you talking about?'' It then occurred to him, although he never met this race before, the language was as if he knew it, because he did.

It was his own.

`` `In the years of the great, we wished to know what we were set to do, what life would we lead in this world, and so we set out, and found this, this that we call our home. And that which we shall and can never leave.' '' Taaylor recited from his ancient religion text. They had moved into the control room and brought Darsayae with them. She was still out cold from the blast. Cy had been tied up, but was sitting in a chair just slightly out of reach. Harris had a cup of coffee next to him, sitting atop Nimrod's slightly curved head. He made a splendid coffee table. Taaylor and Malcorn were slightly opposite, enjoying the fresh food from McQuaide's ship. Harris sipped his coffee.

``So what's it mean?'' Harris asked?

Taaylor shrugged. ``It is believed that we did not come from this world, but were brought here from somewhere else. We discovered this world and completed it, using the technology of whoever started it. We then sealed ourselves within this world so as not to have their problems or intervention. We began to wonder whether or not there was anybody still out there so we came here. You appear to have answered our questions. ``

``What about the people who were here before you?'' Harris asked after taking another drink.

``They were powerful but small in numbers. Our people defeated them after discovering this place.'' Taaylor scanned the mind of Harris to see how much he was believing. He could tell Harris was taking most of it in.

``Do you know where your people came from, how long they've been here?'' Harris asked his curiosity aroused.

``This was approximately 2000 revolution of Mitar ago.'' Taaylor sense the next question forming in Harris's mind. ``Mitar is a silver point at the equator of the sphere. We measure our year by it.''

``Nimrod, compute time necessary for it to revolve a complete circuit and compare to earth year.''

``One circuit of the sphere would be 1.36 Earth Standard years. Total equals approximately 2270 earth years ago.''

Harris leaned back in his chair and sighed. ``Compare to Earth history. Any similar events?''

Nimrod sat for a moment. ``3007.23 Earth years ago a colonization fleet was headed for Sidra Major 78 light years from Earth. They were lost approximately 29 light years from Earth.''

Harris looked puzzled. ``Any other data?''

``Classified.''

``Classified? In other words you don't have it because it wasn't given to you because of its status.''

``Yes.''

``During that time, ACCESS, Faster than light travel, didn't exist. They would have been using ramscoop generators.''

``Yes. Relative travel was the mode of the period.''

Harris sat back, leaving all this settle in. ``That means that these people are descendants of the people of that mission.''

``87.94% probability.''

``And if that's true, FORWARD would try to take control of it if they found out about it, these people being an old colony of earth. they're almost a galactic empire now, with several races under control. With the technology they would possess from this structure... ''

``They could not be opposed,'' Nimrod finished. ``That is against my design to allow that to happen.''

``We have to get out of here.'' He paused to figure out what to do next.

``It looks like I have a problem, gents. My ship needs some work bad, and I can't make it anywhere else. This place maybe just the place for me to stick around, at least until I get this thing fixed and rested.'' Harris sat back with his coffee as Nimrod went over to examine Darsayae . After a quick scan he lowered himself down and sat practically on top of her.

``Get up, miss. This is no time to be sleeping, or rather pretending to be asleep.'' He floated back up and drifted over towards Harris. She sat up suddenly and raised her hands to bring them together. The energy which shot forth glanced off of Nimrod and struck a nearby wall, burning the metal. The orb turned around. ``My dear, doing that may endanger yourself. I would restrain from it in the future.'' He then floated over to become a coffee table again. Darsayae looked at Harris, expecting to see him smiling at her failure. Instead she saw him regarding her intently. It was not mockery but instead, it seemed, in respect.

She twisted to her feet and walked over towards the group. It seemed to her that they had done well in her absence. She sat down and picked up one of the cookies which were in front of her. After a bite she said, ``You want to stay here, that's fine. When can we leave?''

``Leave?'' Harris retorted. ``I didn't know you were staying! You may leave now if you wish or a week from now, which is when I expect everything to be done. Either way it doesn't matter to me.''

``Then we're not prisoners?'' Darsaye asked.

Malcorn looked at her. ``No, Harris has been informing us of the world he came from and we have been comparing it to ours. They are a strange people, but we are the same in many ways.''

Darsayae looked at Harris and saw him finish his cup of coffee as he got up. He then turned down a side corridor towards the way she had come in. She got up to follow. Malcorn tried to get up as well but Taalor held his arm, shaking his head. Malcorn sighed and sat down. Women. One of these days he might understand them... might.

Darsayae caught up to Harris before he reached the entrance and fell into step behind him. When he came to the entrance he looked at it, puzzled, then turned to her and motioned. Without a word she stepped forward and opened the door. The light from a sun beyond beamed inward as Harris had his breath catch in his throat.

Beyond there was nothing, a vast expanse of space between him and anything. Several objects floated nearby as the ground he stood on rotated. The motion was slight but still felt to such an old space hand. He shook his head and brought his sight to one of the nearby objects. Several thousand strips rotated in the nothing, turning slowly back in upon itself. The ground he stood on was at a ninety degree angle to the rest of the ground. One strip floated close by. He studied that, trying to steady his dead nerves. It seemed to him he was standing on a wall of a pit dug into the ground. The land curved upwards until it was lost in the sun beyond.

Harris leaned back against the wall taking a deep breath. Nimrod floated into the area and looked outward. ``Nimrod, analysis.''

``Analyzing. It appears the sun of this system is encased in a sphere. Colloquial reference: Dyson Sphere. A design created by Freeman Dyson during the late 1960's of earth. Built to collect the total solar output of the sun and convert it into energy for use. The strips in the area appear to be coated with vegetation and soil.''

Darsayae nodded. ``Our homes. The strip itself is bent upon itself making it one sided.''

``A Moebius strip,'' Nimrod continued. ``The strip's bend would occlude sunlight, giving a day-night cycle.''

Harris motioned her to close the door. She did so and then turned to look at him. He drew a breath and then headed back to the bay of the Infinite. Darsayae and Nimrod followed slowly behind, one wondering what had overcome Harris, the other what technology it took to build such a structure.

``Damn. Where is he?'' Winward asked of a man scanning a nearby panel. ``He couldn't have gotten too far.''

``We have his course and time, we can be there in several minutes, assuming he hasn't improved his drive since the last time we met, `` the man stated clearly.

Winward turned around and shouted some orders. He then turned back to the panel. ``This time he's not getting away.''

The fleet lept into space, the derelict left behind to fend for itself.

``Nimrod, initiate all repair systems. I want to get out of here,'' Harris said to the globe. The globe moved to comply with his commands, resuming it's normal position in the airlock. Darsayae moved in behind him as he sat down on the bridge.

``What came over you back there?'' she asked carefully.

Harris looked at her as if he had forgotten she was there. He smiled. ``So much for your fear of technology, huh?'' She seemed startled that he knew, but he continued. ``Guess it was fear, fear that something like this could exist.'' His voice trailed off at the end as his mind remembered the sight his eyes had seen but his mind had refused to believe.

``So something can get at you,'' Darsayae stated. ``Makes me think you're more normal than you appear to be.''

He smiled again. ``Me? I'm as normal as the next guy, just a little crazier. After all, I spend all my life in space. It is my home.''

``You must have seen a lot.''

``A lot that I would have missed, and would have been more the sorry for if I hadn't seen,'' he said nodding. ``But I do have to get out of here I'm afraid.''

Her expression changed to worry. ``Why? Couldn't you just stay here?''

He shook his head. ``Afraid not, not with Winward on my tail. Where do you think I got the scars on this ship from?''

``What did you do that he's after you?''

``Well, it's kind of a long story. What it basically comes down to is we were on opposite sides and his side lost. He's one to hold a grudge.''

She looked at him awhile and was startled to here a beep on the comm panel. ``Status: Systems are coming on line. Main Drive repaired. ACCESS repaired. Life support fully functional. Ships have entered system.''

This time Harris didn't ignore him. ``Model and identification.''

``Seaward and escort ship. Time to this point: 15 minutes.''

Harris grew worried, Darsayae could tell that much. ``Stupid power hungry fool,'' he spat. ``Winward won't you ever give up?''

Darsayae looked at him intently. ``What do you plan to do?''

``Get out of here, ASAP.''

She did not recognize the abbreviation, but understood the intent. She got up to leave and was astonished to see Harris following her. ``Maintain repair status. I'll be back. Be ready to leave.''

``I'll be here,'' the panel answered.

Harris followed Darsayae back to the control room, where he said his good-byes. Cy still looked miffed at being captured but maintained his position. Darsayae then followed him to the airlock, as did Taalor and Malcorn.

``Wait a couple of minutes and then open the doors. I'll be out of here so fast it'll be funny.'' He turned to Darsayae. ``Guess this is good-bye, huh?''

Darsayae reached up and kissed him, not gently as he tried to enter the airlock. He turned back to the group thinking the same thing Malcorn was: Women!

He entered the ship as the door slid shut.

``Nimrod, bring all systems up.'' The bay door slid open again, taking the Infinite out with it as the air which had been pumped in escaped. He activated the drive and headed away as it closed.

``There he is, sir,'' the man at the console spoke. ``He just left a large spherical object in the middle of this system.''

Winward missed this comment as he saw Harris in his sights. ``Fire when ready, gunner.''

Harris checked the tactical console and smiled as he brought his hand down upon the ACCESS switch. A sound stopped him. He spun around to see Darsayae standing behind him. ``What are you doing here?''

``To see the things you have seen,'' she stated simply.

A blast shook the ship, then another. He spun around to see the Seaward pulling directly in front of him. He touched a panel causing the ship to head back towards the sphere.

``What are you doing?'' Darsayae asked.

``Taking you back!''

``Not on your life.''

Harris paused. If he went back, Winward would find out about the sphere and its technology. That would definitely be a problem. But to keep Darsayae aboard ship? Damn. His hand touched the ACCESS panel and the ship vanished, Harris hoping history wouldn't repeat itself.

Winward turned to the console. ``Gone, sir. We weren't ready to track him.''

Winward looked like he would explode but calmed down as his eyes settled on the tactical. That sphere still was on the scanner.

``Let's see what we have here.'' Winward smiled as thoughts of conquest crossed his mind.

Joe Walters is currently a Senior/Sophomore in Penn State's 2/4 year Computer Science program. Neither he nor the University has yet to figure out how this works, but both maintain the idea. He has several dangerous hobbies, including skydiving and free rock climbing, which help his friends maintain the idea that he is crazy. He is also a determined Roll player and Sci-Fi reader. The works of Niven, Hickman and Weis have been the basis for his inspiration.

He can be reached at JAW107@PSUVM.BITNET