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Universe War (Mission Activated) The Chase Begins
There had, surprisingly and fortunately, been no casualties among the extraterrestrials gathered in the security hall. It seemed that the commander's soldiers had been good enough shots to avoid collateral damage, and the weapons the Pearls had used only incapacitated. The converter had been completely unharmed, and a quick check revealed that it had slept through the whole ordeal. Within a few moments, Eliza and General Okto-Bar were back in the control room. Both of them placed their hands on the ID screen."Status on Major Jasper. Level Five. Emergency," Eliza stated, keeping her voice calm and cool."Accepted," answered Okto-Bar.Eliza called up a map of the space station on the screen and typed in the code. A red light appeared on the map. It looked like Jasper was deep in the heart of the technological section of the station. He was right in the middle of a major intersection."Jasper? I've got you on visual," she said."Okay, but I've lost track of them. Try to locate the comma
Universe War (Mission Activated) The Chase: Pursuing Commander Filitt's Ship
Puzzled, Eliza glanced at her map. She turned the dial. The map spun. She gasped, horrified, as she realized that eighty-one became eighteen.“Alex? You are on eighty-one?”“Affirmative, Sergeant.”“Sorry, my mistake,” said Eliza. “It’s number eighteen!”“Great!” came Jasper’s voice. “See? I trust you more than I trust myself, and look where it gets me!”Eliza felt her cheeks grow hot. “Alex? Pick him up! On eighteen!”She waited, biting her bottom lip. It felt like hours, but it was only about ten seconds before she heard a breathless, irritated Jasper gasp, “Thanks, Alex! Bring on the beach!”Eliza allowed herself a relieved smile.Jasper switched his suit to normal mode and clambered into the cockpit. Energy returned to him in the form of adrenaline as the ship filled his screen and he realized that this was definitely the right place. The vessel docked in bay eighteen-not-eighty-one looked exactly like the sort of ships the pale, beautiful Pearls would build. It was huge, and its
Universe War (Mission Activated) Chasing Shadows: The Search for Jasper in Enemy Territory
Oktobar frowned. "That's odd. It looks like they're not trying to escape into open space—they're heading right back..." His voice trailed off. The two red dots were approaching the radioactive area at the heart of the station."You're near the dead zone," warned Eliza. "Reel them in before I lose you!"Jasper, frenzied, shot back, "I'm working on it!"Eliza kept her eyes glued to the map, watching with increasing agitation as the red dots that signified Commander Filitt and Jasper drew closer together even as they edged toward the zone that was bombarded with radiation."Jasper?" she said. "I'm going to lose you in ten seconds.""I can't slow them down!" Jasper snapped."Five seconds...""Oh, shit!" Jasper shouted.Then, silence.The red dots had disappeared off the map. Eliza's heart contracted. "Jasper? Jasper, do you read me?"There was no answer. No sign of life.Eliza whirled to Oktobar. "I need a Sky Jet!""Sergeant Eliza, you can't go after him." Oktobar's voice was harsh."Why
Universe War (Mission Activated) In pursuit of lost secrets.
General Okto-Bar had been a man of battle, but had found his true calling at Alpha Station. He had found a fascination and an odd sort of peace in managing the goings-on of the vast station, and he had done so ably for the last four years. He had grown fond of the aliens who, like him, called this place "home," and had made friendships among their number that would last a lifetime. The thought of peril to them, to his fellow humans, to this station that for centuries had stood as a beacon of harmonious interaction and interspecies goodwill and cooperation—it was unacceptable.He had anticipated, with good reason, that if he continued to smoothly manage the day-to-day troubles of so enormous a collection of beings, he would be rewarded with a promotion to commander of the place he loved. But Commander Arun Filitt had always been a more immediately arresting figure, and when it was time for Filitt's superiors to give him something to do, Filitt had been given the command of Alpha Statio
Universe War (Mission Activated) Prologue
The stars were not eternal, but they were ancient, nearly beyond reckoning. Much had their judgeless gazes witnessed in the system ruled by Sol, especially the activity clustered around the third planet from that star. By that world’s calendar, in the year 1975, something momentous occurred above it. From separate places on this planet, known to its inhabitants as "Earth," a pair of nations had launched what would later be deemed "primitive" space vessels. For the first time in Earth's history, two ships would be joined together, and the inhabitants could move freely between them.The momentous "handshake in space," both a literal one and a figurative one, occurred between astronaut Brigadier General Thomas Stafford of the Apollo and Alexey Leonov of the Soyuz. There were smiles and joy and a sense of connection, and the two men became and stayed steadfast friends through the decades that unfurled.What happened in 1998 at Alpha Space Station in orbit around the blue-green world was n
Universe War (Mission Activated) A Peaceful Dawn Shattered: The Invasion of Lïho-Minaa's World
The living light above her waved its glowing filaments gently; in this, it was like all things in the world, in tune with the stars, seasons, sun, and sea. She responded to the gradually increasing illumination by opening her impossibly blue eyes, blinking peacefully, slowly awake, welcoming the new day with the same tranquility with which she had welcomed slumber the evening before.Her soft, still-drowsy gaze took in the warm pink and coral hues of her bedchamber. Light spilled down the curving staircase, and the shiny surfaces of the enormous shell's walls and ceiling picked up the gleam and suffused the room with rosy brightness.Her skin caught the light, too; a white that was so much more than a stark, single color. It was decorated with images that changed shape as her moods did: art of the spirit.Pale and celestial-seeming as moonlight, her smooth, soft skin held every color of the rainbow blended into a pearlescent, ever-shifting, subtle glow.She was Lïho-Minaa, and she was
Universe War (Mission Activated) The Tragedy on Mül
The village was a layered collection of shells, their graceful, sloping forms clustered companionably together around spiral steps and open plaza areas. The royal palace, home to Emperor Haban-Limaï and his family, was a collection of shells adorned with exquisite carvings and metalwork. It sat in a place of honor, at the highest point of the village, overlooking the shore and the ocean. In front of it was the largest plaza in the village. Once, it had been the site of performances, both oratory and musical; it had showcased dancing and art, and had been a place for pleasant gatherings.Now, it was crowded with frightened people, their eyes gazing skyward, round and terror-filled, as pieces of something that had once been huge and was now broken and alien and dangerous slammed down everywhere they looked. The emperor was a calm individual, who had led his people wisely and with care. All eyes turned to him, hoping against hope that he would somehow be able to stop whatever was happeni
Universe War (Mission Activated) The Last Wave
Was there time, even now? It would be but the work of a few seconds—But her death, the death of the world, was approaching with vicious speed. A gargantuan fireball was on his daughter’s heels, a cruel yellow-orange wave of incineration. If he opened the hatch now—if he let her in, saved her life—he would put everyone else inside at risk if he could not get the door closed in time. The fireball would scamper greedily through the faintest crack, and then everyone on board would join the burned, motionless shapes of the vessel’s original crew.She saw it in his eyes, and hers flew open wider. She struck the portal window with her small fists. All he could do was look with profound grief at her, his first-born, the embodiment of all the goodness he saw daily in the world.After a few seconds, the pounding slowed, stopped. Tears poured down her face, but there was no longer terror in her expression. Only understanding, and sorrow.Oh, my little girl…Shaking, she pressed her forehead to
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- Universe War (Mission Activated)
In pursuit of lost secrets.
General Okto-Bar had been a man of battle, but had found his true calling at Alpha Station. He had found a fascination and an odd sort of peace in managing the goings-on of the vast station, and he had done so ably for the last four years. He had grown fond of the aliens who, like him, called this place "home," and had made friendships among their number that would last a lifetime. The thought of peril to them, to his fellow humans, to this station that for centuries had stood as a beacon of harmonious interaction and interspecies goodwill and cooperation—it was unacceptable.He had anticipated, with good reason, that if he continued to smoothly manage the day-to-day troubles of so enormous a collection of beings, he would be rewarded with a promotion to commander of the place he loved. But Commander Arun Filitt had always been a more immediately arresting figure, and when it was time for Filitt's superiors to give him something to do, Filitt had been given the command of Alpha Statio
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
Chasing Shadows: The Search for Jasper in Enemy Territory
Oktobar frowned. "That's odd. It looks like they're not trying to escape into open space—they're heading right back..." His voice trailed off. The two red dots were approaching the radioactive area at the heart of the station."You're near the dead zone," warned Eliza. "Reel them in before I lose you!"Jasper, frenzied, shot back, "I'm working on it!"Eliza kept her eyes glued to the map, watching with increasing agitation as the red dots that signified Commander Filitt and Jasper drew closer together even as they edged toward the zone that was bombarded with radiation."Jasper?" she said. "I'm going to lose you in ten seconds.""I can't slow them down!" Jasper snapped."Five seconds...""Oh, shit!" Jasper shouted.Then, silence.The red dots had disappeared off the map. Eliza's heart contracted. "Jasper? Jasper, do you read me?"There was no answer. No sign of life.Eliza whirled to Oktobar. "I need a Sky Jet!""Sergeant Eliza, you can't go after him." Oktobar's voice was harsh."Why
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Chase: Pursuing Commander Filitt's Ship
Puzzled, Eliza glanced at her map. She turned the dial. The map spun. She gasped, horrified, as she realized that eighty-one became eighteen.“Alex? You are on eighty-one?”“Affirmative, Sergeant.”“Sorry, my mistake,” said Eliza. “It’s number eighteen!”“Great!” came Jasper’s voice. “See? I trust you more than I trust myself, and look where it gets me!”Eliza felt her cheeks grow hot. “Alex? Pick him up! On eighteen!”She waited, biting her bottom lip. It felt like hours, but it was only about ten seconds before she heard a breathless, irritated Jasper gasp, “Thanks, Alex! Bring on the beach!”Eliza allowed herself a relieved smile.Jasper switched his suit to normal mode and clambered into the cockpit. Energy returned to him in the form of adrenaline as the ship filled his screen and he realized that this was definitely the right place. The vessel docked in bay eighteen-not-eighty-one looked exactly like the sort of ships the pale, beautiful Pearls would build. It was huge, and its
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Chase Begins
There had, surprisingly and fortunately, been no casualties among the extraterrestrials gathered in the security hall. It seemed that the commander's soldiers had been good enough shots to avoid collateral damage, and the weapons the Pearls had used only incapacitated. The converter had been completely unharmed, and a quick check revealed that it had slept through the whole ordeal. Within a few moments, Eliza and General Okto-Bar were back in the control room. Both of them placed their hands on the ID screen."Status on Major Jasper. Level Five. Emergency," Eliza stated, keeping her voice calm and cool."Accepted," answered Okto-Bar.Eliza called up a map of the space station on the screen and typed in the code. A red light appeared on the map. It looked like Jasper was deep in the heart of the technological section of the station. He was right in the middle of a major intersection."Jasper? I've got you on visual," she said."Okay, but I've lost track of them. Try to locate the comma
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Attack of the Pearls: A Major's Battle for Survival
Jasper's gaze darted from the screen to the crowd and back again. The red warning light was flickering faster now, and the adrenaline was kicking in.“Eliza? Dammit, I need to know the attackers’ identity! Who is it?”“I’m sorry, Major, but I cannot read their DNA,” Eliza replied.“What?” exclaimed Jasper. That simply couldn’t be. The Intruder XB982 was programmed with the DNA of every known sentient life form. Eliza couldn’t possibly—The far wall of the reception hall exploded. Cries of terror went up as several of the guests were knocked off their feet. Jasper stared, stunned at what he was seeing.A dozen slender, gray-robed figures suddenly poured into the hall. Beneath their hoods, their blue-eyed, bone-white—pearl-white, Jasper realized—faces were set in expressions of determination. They lifted something that looked like gracefully fashioned glass or ceramic vases, except instead of being carried upright, they were held so the opening faced forward. In their bulbous lower part
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Doghan Daguis' Intel and the Intruders
Three squat aliens, all about four feet tall, stood in front of Eliza. Their stubby, four-fingered hands were in the air, and their small, beady eyes were wide as they stared down the lengths of their elongated, trunklike muzzles at Eliza. They were brown and wrinkled and stooped, with sparse hair sticking up here and there.Eliza had drawn her weapon, startled at having someone come up behind her, but now she lowered it, and they lowered their arms.“Nice to see you again,” one of them said. He had a smudge of blue around his eyes.“Agent Eliza,” the second chimed in. This one, too, had markings around his eyes, except his were burgundy-colored.The third Doghan Daguis, whose markings were yellow, completed the sentence. “As resplendent as ever.”“What the hell are you doing here?” Eliza snapped.“We go where work calls—”“—We can speak over five thousand languages—”“—which can come in handy—”“—at a party like this,” the first finished. The second one added, “Need our services?”El
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
Security Council Meeting: The Commander's Address and Questions from Alien Dignitaries
"Stay on backup," Jasper ordered Eliza."Yes, sir," she replied.The two were twenty feet behind Commander Filitt as he entered, but on Jasper's command, Eliza dropped back into the corridor while the major continued to follow the commander into the ceremonial hall. A crowd of extraterrestrial dignitaries who comprised the membership of the station's Security Council stepped forward to shake the commander's hand as he entered. Filitt was the picture of calm military decorum as he looked each of them in the eye—or what passed for it— and firmly shook whatever appendage was proffered.As the commander made his way to the podium, Jasper and Okto-Bar followed. Gravely, not a hair out of place, Filitt lightly jogged up the steps and stepped behind the podium, taking a moment to look out at the sea of alien faces turned up to him. Okto-Bar stood off to the side, while Jasper took up a position beside and slightly behind the man he was guarding. He busied himself with scanning the crowd, ale
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Interrogation and a Dream Come True
Commander Filitt walked through the station briskly, but he was not heading to his meeting with the Security Council. Not yet, anyway. There was something he needed to follow up on.The area was secured, but his clearance permitted him entry. He ascended in a small lift that was tight quarters for him and two KTRONs. At least he was not forced to make small talk. In so many respects, robots were superior to living beings, even humans, he mused.He emerged from the lift and went down another corridor, which was dark save for blue lighting along the floor. The corridor ended at the door of a single room. Filitt keyed in his code and the door slid open. The two K-TRONs waited outside for their commander as he entered.A K-TRON captain was stationed just inside the room, perfectly motionless, carrying his weapon untiringly. The room, like the corridor outside, was dimly lit, and the figure at the end of it was swathed in shadow. Its stats were monitored on a screen. It sat slumped in a ch
- Universe War (Mission Activated)
The Red Zone: A Deadly Threat to Alpha Station
General Noïntan Okto-Bar awaited them in the Alpha Space Station control room. The room was familiar to Jasper and Eliza. This was the nerve center of the station, and nearly every square inch of space except for the floor was covered with screens. Monitors of a variety of colors set against a black background displayed everything from the temperature of any given locale on the station to the number of inhabitants, from the chemical makeup of gases and liquids in the various districts to which doors were locked. From here, systems could be monitored and overridden if necessary. Life or death decisions were made by dozens of expertly trained technicians every second.It was dizzying to look upon, even for spatio-temporal agents like the two who now entered. But they were used to the technology on display inside. What bothered them was what else was on conspicuous display this time: troops.Jasper and Eliza exchanged glances. Something was definitely afoot.Jasper was really starting to
