Time Storm

By Philip R Benge

In the year 2494, time the last frontier had just been conquered, and the two most powerful megalomaniacs in the galaxy each want control of it.
An out of work twenty first century researcher is caught up in a time storm, where he first battles against the universe itself to survive. Finally released from its clutches he must do battle against the jungle, a tribe of Troglodytes, an army of androids and finally an old evil, the Heliots. All the answers for our hero are to be found in the aftermath of the time storm upon the lonely planet of Orion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Philip R Benge
• Release date: Nov 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301127610

Philip R Benge

Like most of the world, I had to work hard to pay my mortgage and all the other bills, which meant that I only had the time and the energy to write some short stories. I finally found the time and the energy to write some full length Science Fiction stories.

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Time Storm

A Story By

Philip R Benge

Smashwords Edition

***************

Published by

Philip R Benge on Smashwords

Time Storm

Copyright Philip R Benge 2012

Cover Art Copyright Philip R Benge 2012

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Time Storm

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One: Intruders

Chapter Two: Time Storm

Chapter Three: Interplanetary War

Chapter Four: Into the Netherworld

Chapter Five: On the Planet Orion

Chapter Six: The Time Machine

Chapter Seven: The Jungle

Chapter Eight: The Heliots

Chapter Nine: The Planet of Orion

Chapter Ten: We Have Company

Chapter Eleven: We Will Have to Investigate

Chapter Twelve: To the Rescue Again

Chapter Thirteen: The Journey to New Eden

Chapter Fourteen: Into the Underworld

Chapter Fifteen: New Eden

Chapter Sixteen: Mr Burrows` Bad Habits

Chapter Seventeen: Victory in Sight

Chapter Eighteen: The Final Battle

Chapter Nineteen: The Heroes Return

Other Books by the Author

Prologue

The time machine was made up of two separate units, first there was the part of the time machine that didn`t travel through time and space, and was composed of a bank of super computers and a recall device. Then there was the other part, the Time Platform, which was the part of the time machine that actually travelled through time and space. It was comprised of many things; there was yet another vast bank of super computers. Then there was the communication link, which was a large square device made of almost pure Crystillium. This device was filled with a myriad of pathways that flashed excitedly up and down their extent, sending messages at speeds well in excess of light to keep the Platform in direct contact with the Laboratory. Then there was the enormous device that made time travel possible, the Molecular converter, it was also constructed from Crystillium, that new amazing material developed here on Orion by Professor Jameson. The converter turned solids into atoms and back again, so matter was atoms when it travelled through time and space, and restored back to matter when the Platform arrived at its destination. Part of the Time Platform was the second part of the recall device, this included a glowing quivering of silver blue light that allowed the travellers to keep in contact with Orion through a sliver of energy. It was connected at one end to the recall device on the main part of the time machine, and at the other end to the recall device on the Time Platform. This sliver of energy travelled through time and space, and as long as it was connected at both ends, the time machine would transfer the travellers through time and space to where ever they wanted to go, provided the time machine was connected to its primary power source. The primary power source was a nuclear fusion reactor. The time machine needed the immense power of the reactor to punch through time and space, this mighty river of power accompanied the fragile sliver of energy through time and space until it reached its destination, when it was reduced to just a trickle.

Chapter One

Intruders

8am June 21st the Year 2494

The events that would soon become known to all of the people of the planet of Earth, as well as its entire collection of colony worlds, began on one of the least populated of the colony worlds of Earth. The planet of Orion, a planet on the edge of the galaxy and colonised by the Church of the Universe one hundred years ago.

The colony was led by the Bishop of Orion, John Sinclair, a tall man of slim build in his early forties. His light brown hair had mostly disappeared from his now balding head, and his grey eyes looked forever sad. He was dressed as always in a light grey suit, white shirt and a striped tie. The temple of the Church of the Universe was set upon a hill, a flight of stairs led down from it to finish at the town square. On the other three sides of the square were the houses of some of the colonists, mixed with these were a multitude of shops and offices. In the streets behind these were many more houses and also the small factory units that made up the remainder of New Eden, the only town on the planet Orion. From the centre of the square the temple building looked very grand, especially to the native population of Orion; but then even the town was very grand to the native farmers of Orion.

A science complex was set two hundred feet to the rear of the temple building, but hidden from it by a screen of tall conifers; here there was a Laboratory, a fusion reactor and a barracks that housed a squad of Space Marines, these buildings made up a second town square.

The start of the scientist`s day was always early, but it was also an early start for Sergeant Henry Miles and Corporal Thomas Rankins of the Space Marine Corps. They had been away from the complex overnight, and were now returning after much too much celebrating. Sergeant Miles was what was termed a lifer, he had enlisted in the marines at the age of eighteen, married at twenty-two, divorced at twenty-eight, fortunately they hadn`t had any children, although Miles thought that this had been one of the reasons that Trudy had left him. That and the time a space marine spent away from home, giving all the local men ample opportunity to steal a marine`s wife away from him. Now at the age of forty he could envisage no other life outside of the Corps. He was still fit, of heavy build that was all muscle and, for his age, quick in action when the need arose. His hazel eyes took in everything and everybody, usually, except for the times that he had a bad hangover due to the night before. He had shaved his sparse head of hair after giving up trying to coax it to grow, but this was usually hidden by his Marine Corps black beret.

Corporal Rankins had only just arrived on Orion, having been transferred there as a replacement. He had just drifted into the corps, and now here he was, a young man of twenty-five years, still single, having had little opportunity yet to form any lasting relationship outside of the corps, and looking to be yet another lifer. He was as tall as Miles but not so heavily built, but he was just as fit and almost as strong. His grey eyes were decidedly redder today, and his short brown hair a little untidy, but this was due to a night filled with wild and wonderful partying. He enjoyed the life of a space marine and as yet yearned for nothing else. Women he had had, money, not for long, but as long as he had action, he didn`t care. Here on Orion, he found things a mite quiet for his taste, but this would soon change, even if he did not know it yet.

They had been visiting the small village of Togo, a small native village near to the complex. The village supplied the members of the complex and the township with fresh food, labour and of course many of their beverages. In turn, the villagers derived a lucrative income from the marines, scientists and colonists. The two marines were now returning down the quiet country lane that was one of the many routes that connected the village to the town; a stranger would almost certainly be oblivious to it. It ran between a thick hedge of a shrub on one side, much like the Rhododendron back on Earth, and a steep hill on the other side. Yesterday, they had accepted an offer from the local chief to try out the first of this year`s batch of the local firewater. This morning, with bad headaches they were hurrying back to the complex so as not to be late for duty.

Tom, I think that we should forgo next year`s party, their liquor is way too strong for a mere human. Sergeant Miles said. His hangover was the worst he had had since way back.

Maybe you are just getting a little too old for such pleasures Henry; maybe it is time for you to take up gardening. Tom said laughing at his older friend.

All as usual was quiet as they walked up the side of the barracks building and through its doors, they didn`t see the intruders watching them enter into the barracks building from the trees.

All would have gone well for the watchers had it not been for the Togo celebrations. The arrival of the first group of four androids had not been delayed, for they had been hidden from the two marines by the Laboratory building, but the other three groups all had to wait for the two returning marines to enter the barracks so that they could continue with their part in the attack. The final three groups of androids, now some ten seconds late, sprinted across the open areas of the science complex.

The first group of six headed for the fusion reactor building, two more groups of four converged on the barracks come guard house of the space marines, while a further group of four waited some two hundred yards away in the surrounding fields with a group of technicians, all waiting for it to become silent.

Inside the main building of the science complex, the leader of the team of scientists, Richard Jameson, heard what sounded like the high-pitched whistling sound of weapon`s fire coming from outside of the building.

With a look of puzzlement mixed with quite a lot of concern, Jameson moved over towards the intercom set on the wall to contact the two guards at the entrance to the Laboratory, which was the main building of the science complex.

Stay where you are everyone, I will find out just what is happening upstairs, it`s probably nothing anyway. Jameson said quietly to his fellow scientists.

Before he had even reached the intercom four armed figures burst into the room from the corridor that led to the stairs, that in due course led up to the entrance of the building. The four figures were androids clad in heavy duty black body armour and matching helmets, the colour contrasting with the white overalls worn by all of the scientists. The androids were over six feet tall and heavily built, but they were certainly not the giants of Marvel comics, as they had been built to operate in areas meant for men and women. This meant that they were be able to walk through a doorway without stooping or turning sideways, or damaging any of the expensive and sensitive equipment in the Time room, as the main part of the Laboratory was designated. They looked like normal soldiers or police officers when kitted out with body armour, and each of them held an evil looking Mazeren Marine plasma weapon. All that Jameson could see of their faces were their black eyes, he saw these staring straight at him, and he also saw their large powerful hand weapons, one of which was pointed directly towards him.

That the scientists managed to stay relatively calm, despite the shock of the androids` sudden appearance, said a lot for them, as they were certainly not used to such things happening in their well-ordered lives.

What the hell are you doing here? Jameson protested loudly.

Stop all work immediately and leave this room now. The leading android ordered, ignoring Jameson`s question.

Johansson and Rogers, two of the scientists in the Time room, tried to resist but the androids were far stronger than they were. The androids simply pushed them towards the other scientists in the room, and then herded them en masse out of the Time room and into a large walk-in store room, that was the only other room that led off the corridor. The time machine had just been turned on and was now about to be left to its own devices, and Jameson, who was the only person still in the Time room protested loudly

What the hell do you think you are doing, we can`t leave the time machine turned on and running without adequate supervision, at least allow me to turn it off.

When the androids ignored his protests, he moved towards the controls of the machine anyway.

Oh, come on at least allow me to turn it off for you, before you turf me out of my own Laboratory.

His warnings about the dangers of leaving the machine unattended, and his offer to help, brought a swift answer from the android in command of this group, a swift use of his armoured fist against Jameson`s chin, knocking Jameson down to the floor. He was then dragged unceremoniously to the store room and thrown in amongst the scientists, who had been waiting to see if Jameson could bring some sense to this nightmare, obviously he couldn`t.

Keep quiet and do nothing and you will all live to see another day. The android`s metallic voice rang out in the confines of the crowded store room, making the men cower back and away from the monsters before them.

The door to the room was then locked, leaving a room of dazed scientists along with an even more dazed Jameson locked inside. The androids, their first part of their mission now accomplished, stood and awaited the technicians who would arrive when the whole science complex was completely safe and secure.

Colonel Charles Bragg, the commanding officer of the squad of space marines, was at that moment inside of the nuclear fusion reactor building, it was there to provide the immense amount of power that the time machine required when operating. He was a tough veteran space marine; of fifty years of age, just six feet tall with an athletic looking build, he had fair hair, and light blue eyes. With him was his junior officer Lieutenant Parnell, fresh out of WestPoint. With the two officers were four troopers. Bragg had only been passing by, and he was now about to walk out of the reactor building and over to the Laboratory to oversee today`s test of the time machine. What he saw stopped him in his tracks, for he saw the first group of androids as they surprised the two marines on guard duty at the Time building, as the Laboratory had been named by the scientists. He didn`t have time to prevent them from being killed by the energy weapons of the four androids, but he did have plenty of time to see and react to a further group of androids who appeared before the reactor building. This group delayed as they were, were caught short of the reactor building by ten vital seconds, which meant that when they reached the area in front of the reactor building, they were seen by Colonel Bragg, who now ran back into the main room of the fusion reactor to warn his men of the impending trouble.

Our two men guarding the science complex have just been killed by a squad of androids, and there are six more mean looking androids coming towards the reactor building, set your weapons on their highest setting and blast them the minute they arrive here. Colonel Bragg ordered his men.

The androids were more than a little surprised to see that the marines were ready for them, and they didn`t have time to adapt their plan of campaign. Luckily, Colonel Bragg and his marines, had just been equipped by Richard Jameson with a newly upgraded Colt Plasma energy weapon, one that part of his science team had developed in their spare time, when not working on the time machine experiment.

Two of Bragg`s marines, the Rossini twins, went down almost immediately due to the fact that they had both rushed forward firing at the androids and taking out two of the androids in the process, before succumbing to the fire from the other androids. Bragg and the remaining marines were also lucky to be partly sheltered behind two of the room`s bulkheads, but they mainly survived intact because of the brave diversion caused by the Rossini twins.

Now though the androids began to fire upon the rest of the marines, and a powerful bolt of energy zipped by Bragg`s head while he took a moment to notice his fallen comrades, something he quickly realised he could not afford to do. Luckily the blast hadn`t hit him, although the sound of it made him duck as it zipped by him to blast away a section of the metal panelling above a bank of dials. Bragg took aim and fired at the nearest android, his shot destroying the android in a crackling of blue and white electrical parts, sparks of electricity ran up and down the android’s body as it fell to the ground with a crash and lay crackling, but unmoving before him. Lieutenant Parnell got off shot after shot that finally took out the android at the other side, as he ducked away from bolts of energy aimed at him from another of the androids. Then he too fell to the floor wounded from a shot from yet another of the androids, but saved from the full force of the shot by the fact that the plasma blast from the android`s weapon had to come through a sign made of clear aluminium to reach him. Troopers Peterson and Ryan both fired their weapons at the same target to see it explode into a thousand pieces before Peterson was also heavily stunned from a ricochet that had been aimed at Bragg, but missed him when Ryan had pushed him aside. The remaining android was hit by fire from Bragg and Ryan, Ryan swearing angrily at the android for dropping Peterson.

Take care of our two dead marines and also our two wounded comrades, Ryan and I need to look into the safety of our people in the rest of the complex. Bragg ordered the technicians in the reactor room.

Bragg and Ryan left a fusion reactor room badly scorched by the weapons` fire that had caused at least one circuit to be damaged, if the electrical sparks coming out of the wall were anything to go by, and a small fire in the unit that had taken a blast that had been aimed at Bragg. The last thing that Bragg saw on leaving was two of the technicians moving over to the bank of controls and dials with the first look of panic beginning to overtake them.

From across the yard, sounds of battle floated across the open area as the other two squads of androids surprised the marines in their barracks. Unfortunately, for the androids, their unfortunate delay had meant that the space marines had heard the sounds of energy weapons being fired, the sounds coming from outside of the Time building, and so most of the element of surprise was lost and the marines had just enough time to arm themselves.

Marines are tough and there is no one tougher than Sergeant Miles is, but unfortunately not knowing what was exactly happening caused him to make a fatal error. Hearing the sound of the weapons` fire, he immediately collected his own weapon and moved towards the door.

Set them on stun everyone until we know what is happening out there.

For himself and six other troopers this meant that their fire against the heavily armoured androids that rushed into the barracks building was almost useless, the body armour of the androids soaked up the energy bolts with little to show for it. Sergeant Miles and his comrades fell to the floor dead, some cried out as they died while others never even got the chance to realise that they were dying. Corporal Rankins however was behind Sergeant Miles and so was not amongst the first troopers to meet the androids’ ferocious attack.

Change your weapons` settings to maximum men; stun is useless against these machines. Rankins ordered his remaining marines as he adjusted the settings on his own Colt Plasma energy weapon and re-joined the battle.

A blast of weapon`s fire tore by Corporal Rankin`s head to blast a hole in the wall behind him as he ducked down and swore loudly. Rankins fired at one of the androids directly in front of him, a gaping hole appearing in the android`s body, sparks of energy flying out undirected now by the mass of destroyed conduits within its severely damaged body, another bolt of energy from Rankins’ weapon finally finishing this android off and caused it to crash to the floor. A trooper to Rankins` right fell screaming to the floor, he was followed by another on his left before Rankins took out another of the androids to his right. Unfortunately for Corporal Rankins, the androids in turn were finally able to take out the tough Corporal, he fell to the floor after a fusillade of shots left him dead at his comrades` feet, joining the bodies of eight more of his comrades. Private John Cassidy, a tall bronzed Canadian with startling green eyes, then took over the depleted command and rallied the remaining marines.

Come on space marines, let`s finish this here and now and avenge our fallen marines.

The appearance of Colonel Bragg and Trooper Ryan at the androids’ rear took the androids by surprise, and now they in turn fell to the floor blackened and smoking from another fusillade of energy bolts and this without any of the remaining marines being hit. Even so there were only eleven troopers left standing after the team of eight androids was finally brought down by the heavy weapons` fire from the space marines. The inside of the barracks building was left blackened from the powerful energy bolts that had been poured in to it; the beds and other personal equipment were mostly in ruins or on fire, little went untouched by the attack.

Colonel Bragg, after delegating two of his depleted team of marines to put out the fires and to care for their fallen comrades, led the balance of nine marines over to the Laboratory, now the marines were wearing their full body armour to protect their bodies from the worst effects of any further weapons` fire. They were soon through the door at the entrance to the Laboratory and progressing slowly down the stairs when powerful energy bolts flashed out from the Time room, heavily stunning a further two of Bragg`s marines who might have been dead if the shots had not been ricochet`s from off the corridor wall before reaching them. Ryan narrowly escaped death when an energy bolt whizzed by his body to blast into a unit in the corridor. Bragg returned fire against the two androids guarding the doors, his fire taking out one of the androids and Trooper Ryan accounting for the second one. Bragg then led the charge down the stairs that led into the Time room.

Inside the Time room the remaining two androids fired at the marines as they burst through its doors. Luckily for the other marines, the two androids both chose to fire at Cassidy. It was Cassidy that lost the battle for the androids, with his immense powerful frame combined with his extra strong body armour that he had purchased himself from Clarkson`s of London. He had been scornful of the body armour supplied by the Corps and thought that Clarkson`s, the leading manufacturer back on Earth, made better quality armour. His new body armour was able to soak up the power of the Mazeren energy weapons aimed at him by the remaining androids before he fell to the floor, heavily stunned from taking so many energy bolts. Bragg and Ryan now had time to aim their weapons and they fired together. Ryan destroyed the android closest to him and Bragg took out the last android. Unfortunately, this android fell back into one of the vast bank of computers that controlled the time machine. The dead android exploded against the valuable machine sending sparks of electricity everywhere, they filled this area of the room and made the marines hastily duck once more for cover. The dead body of the android was now a burning twisted piece of machinery, and Bragg could no longer see where the android`s body finished, and the damaged computer started, as the two merged and crackled together.

The leader of the final group of androids waiting with the technicians aborted his part of the attack; he decided to return to the sleek spacecraft that had brought the androids to Orion.

Chapter Two

Time Storm

Colonel Bragg soon located the scientists, and finding that the key to the door was still in the lock released them from the store room.

I think that the attack is over Jameson, but shut the facility down now, and please keep your team under cover here in the Laboratory until you are told by me that it is safe to come out. Bragg said to the scientist.

Jameson called his team together, but he didn`t need to stress the urgency of the situation, or the need to shut down the facility immediately, for smoke from the Laboratory quickly filled the corridor where the scientists stood. There was so much smoke that it was causing many of them to choke, and it seemed that they would not be able to work, however, Rogers managed to turn the air conditioning unit on full and it blew most of the smoke away. Their joy at being released unharmed turned to panic as the smoke slowly cleared and the crackle of electricity from the Time room reached their ears. It was the sparking amid an electrical fire over by the main computer, that and the smell of its burning electrical components now filling the corridor with its acrid smell that caused their panic. Added to this, the Laboratory`s alarm system was screaming out its own message of mayhem. Bragg as unfazed as ever snapped at Jameson and his team as he sought to bring the scientist`s quickly out of their various states of shock.

Jameson, get your men working on the damage, and then complaining about the noise that the alarm was making, and turn that bloody alarm off.

Bragg`s commanding voice had the effect of snapping Jameson and his team out of their temporarily dazed state, and back into action. The scientist delayed no longer and rushed into the Time room en masse, they soon saw the extent of the damage caused during the brief exchange of weapons` fire amongst their valuable, but delicate instruments and computers.