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Tsv-08-100 LSTX-2000: Lost in Space and Time Chapter One: A Temporal Displacement Chapter Two: An Exitor and an EM Egg Chapter Three: Under Cloak and at the Edge Chapter Four: Shanghaied by Martian Slavers Chapter Five: The Ntzeon Effect Chapter Six: Lost Survivors in Space Chapter Seven: Stealth About Midnight Chapter Eight: Back Through Time Chapter Nine: Zeta 4 Chapter Ten: The Ntzeon Plant Chapter Eleven:	LSTX-2000: Lost in Space and Time Chapter 9: Zeta 4 Querzo realized that the shuttlecraft may have been detected the first time, so he made a recorded message in the craft while it was in a synchronous orbit, and departed it with his spacesuit fully operational and capable of withstanding both the vacuum of space and the entry within the planetary atmosphere. The wound which had been healed had also left a small hole in the suit, but he was able to make repairs before leaving the Enterprise. He knew what he was doing was best, but he couldn’t reveal the powers of the Tranquan technology to them, because it was from the future of their own time. They knew all about such laws of temporal nature, and would ultimately understand, but only if he succeeded. So he created a static field around the shuttle, opened the rear door, secured his helmet and jetpak, took 2 steps, and shot through the static field into space. The Enterprise was just around the curve of the planet, as he left the craft with his own shields fully charged, and dove into the atmosphere. His target was one of the 3 major seas in the northern hemisphere, about 1,000 km from the EM field anomaly. Getting down was the first part, getting to the anomaly would come later. If he was detected this time, his mass would probably pass him off as a meteoroid and he’d be easily forgotten. The atmosphere of Zeta 4 was somewhat thinner than what most humans from Earth were used to, but on the other hand, it was the kind of arid atmosphere that Martians were accustomed to. His shields were singed by sparks of fire as he took the dive through 60 km and the nitrogen-oxide reaction made the shields opaque and vision blurred. He was ready for this, and directed his eyes down below his nose, to the right and left, to study the depth-sensors and topography of the land below. He was drifting slightly to the west of the target, made an adjustment upon his helmet fin and tucked his head under a bit. Seconds later, the big blue patch that represented the sea became centered within the screen, and he called for the target. A small, red circle occurred at the center of the screen, in the midst of the great sea of water. The shields continued to singe, the nitrogen continued to react, the shields became a thick hazy ellipsoid of steam vapors, as he plunged through the final 10 km of atmosphere, and penetrated the sea with a tremendous burst of relief. His speed of descent and angle of incidence sent him down, down, and down, for 40 to 50 meters before he slowed enough to regain control and turn upward. As he did so he was overcome by the experience and floated up in elation and euphoria, for several minutes, before recalling the importance of his mission. He checked his chin-console, called upon life-support stats. He was low on energy, due to the drainage of the shields, but otherwise, everything was normal. He adjusted his heading and gave the jets another kick. Seconds later, he shot out of the deeps and into the air, and flew eastward at Mach 1. He reached the mountains where the EM field anomaly was located just 20 minutes later, and landed at the top of a peak a safe distance away and zeroed in on it. He checked his chronometer and got ready to move. He counted the seconds to the minute, triggered the invisible mode of the suit, and activated the jets. He soared straight for the anomaly at 500 kph just as the probe from the Enterprise shot into it. Within a minute, he had landed safely at the base of the mountain beside the waterfall where the secret cavern was, beside the small glacial lake. The Martians were there, inside the cavern, busy preparing the Ntzeon plant for activation, Querzo spied them from the shadows, still in the invisible node, and saw what he had seen before. The 2 Martians were there, the one known as Xik was near their temporal-transverser, preparing it for departure, while the one known as Exo was at the console near the hub of the plant, preparing the reaction. He activated his audio-sensors and listened in. Exo walked to the transverser and spoke to Xik. ‘What did you do with the Earthlings?” Exo said. “I dropped them off at Hexnot,” Xik admitted. “I figure the mines can always use a few more strong backs.” “Did you secure the Ulterium and the Draunets?” “Yes,” he said, and laughed, “I’ve also managed to get a case of Tranquan clones, still in stasis, of course.” “Really?” Exo said with interest, “A nice little bonus. We can start our new colony off proper.” Querzo cursed beneath his breath at that, and then quickly became quiet. “What was that sensor-alert?” Xik said, “Oh, there are still some children playing with their toys in orbit. They sent another probe in. I do not know why they bother!” “Well,” Xik concluded, “Our trans is all set, how’s the reactor?” “She’s ready,” Exo said. “Come, we’ll toast to the event.” They both walked to the far side of the plant to a lounging area set aside, Exo fetched a flask of some thing, probably Martian or Tranquan vitriol; Querzo knew the time was right, and made his move. He ran through the shields into the cavern, still in the invisible mode, and pointed his ray gun at Exo and Xik. The security alarm sounded, Xik suddenly became very agile, and Exo set the flask aside and took cover. Querzo stopped in the middle of the cavern just 2 meters from the Martian transverser, aimed, and fired. Xik was hit as he moved away from the lounge area in to the shadows. Querzo moved to the cover of the transverser just as Exo fired directly into the area he had just been. When Querzo looked out from the other side of the transverser, seconds later, Exo was gone. He heard something in the shadows, checked the infrared, and saw Exo’s form, just as it stood up erect and placed something over his head. Querzo aimed and fired, but Exo stepped away and suddenly disappeared from the sensors. He detected something in motion, as it moved to the other side of the reactor, but then it was lost again. Exo obviously had secured his helmet and his own invisible mode. Under these circumstances, the only time they could detect one another, was when they were in motion. Infrared was blocked by the nitrogen-oxide included within the shields. He detected another motion, from the other side of the reactor leading around to the cavern’s entrance, Querzo realized what the Martian renegade and General was doing. The transverser was ready to go, and he could probably activate the reactor by remote. “No you don’t,” Querzo said to himself, and moved around to the right, front corner of the ship. The entrance was wide open. This was his chance; he had to get inside before Exo. He quickly snuck around and started up the ramp. Just as he did so, the invisible force of Exo rammed into him and sent him flying backwards against the doorway. He regained his balance, brought his gun up to fire, but Exo knocked it from his hands, and lunged a fist into his gut. The impact caused him to bend forward a bit, but he grabbed onto Exo as he fell and held on. The Martian was pulled down with Querzo as he lost balance and tumbled down the ramp. The 2 of them fought on the dirt of the cavern floor for a few minutes, and then Exo managed to get free. Querzo located his gun on the floor, dove for it, picked it up, and fired a stream of rays into the doorway. Exo let out a bit of a sudden groan as the rays caught him, and his body fell down, into unconsciousness. Querzo regained his feet, went up the ramp, and located Exo’s body, still invisible, just inside the doorway. He located the unit on the Martians wrist and deactivated the invisible phase, then dragged the unconscious renegade down the ramp to the cavern floor. He found Xik, also still unconscious, and took his weapons from him, then dragged him out to where Exo was. He went to the Ntzeon reactor, and implemented shutdown procedures. Ten minutes later, the plant was powerless, and the EM field was discontinued. He called the Enterprise to let them in on the good news. 5 minutes later, a small party joined him in the cavern. “Where are our crew members?’ Crusher said. “I’m afraid they’ve been displaced, in time and space,” Querzo said. “But I think I can help you recover them.” [Back] [Next]
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