Storm Ring

By Stephen J. Carter

Centrifugal winds and spinning tsunami-like waves ...

Woken from what should have been a short-haul hiberstasis, six travelers discover their starship convoy was attacked by unknown forces. Brought by ship’s computer to a little-known world, Nebura, they have to choose between returning to the last-known location of their convoy, or going onworld, issuing a beacon, and waiting for rescue. A simple plan ... what could possibly go wrong?

Except things aren’t looking so great onworld either – Nebura is succumbing to a virulent environmental stilling. Getting to the only safe place left on the planet means crossing the world-encircling, lightning-filled storm ring – the stuff nightmares are made of.

And given the presence of a megalomanical Siqdori leader with big plans and out for revenge, said ring of storms will be the least of their worries ...

'Storm Ring' is the first book in the 'Zero Point Light' SF series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephen J. Carter
• Release date: Jan 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311209672

Stephen J. Carter

I'm a Canadian living in beautiful Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. I'm a fan of SF, Horror, Fantasy, Historical fiction, DVD serials, and Asian transcendental writing. To date I've written eBooks in SF, Horror, and Writing Methodology. I'm fascinated by this morphing world of ePublishing. Imagine integrating multimedia in an eBook, i.e. period folk ballads as chapter breaks for a Historical novel. Music and visuals done right would enhance and deepen a reading. Ten years ago no one thought e-readers would ever be popular, and look at them now. We have the same resistance today to other emerging innovations. It's an excellent time to be active in this industry!

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Storm Ring

Zero Point Light 1

Copyright 2014 Stephen J. Carter

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Table of Contents

1 | Landfall

2 | Levrok’s Compound

3 | Rainer

4 | Flight

5 | Lightsphere

6 | Storm Ring

7 | Parting

8 | Watyra

9 | The Column

10 | Tulvar

Review

About the Author

Other Titles

Connect

Preview: New Siqdor

1 | Landfall

The convoy of three shuttles drifted along at factor 2 FTL. All three needed several months in a maintenance facility, and only one had any crew on board – the Arcturus-4.

The Arc-4 had entered the local star system several months earlier. It had become little more than a silent sentinel orbiting the planet below once every thirty-three hours. The ship’s life support systems were operating in stasis hibernation, barely enough to keep the bodies in its care alive. In fact atrophy had claimed much of each body’s systems, yet not irretrievably so. The six in stasis had a few weeks until they passed the point of no return.

The ship’s thousands of other internal systems were no less busy. The ship’s computer, Trinh, had decided it was time to wake her human cargo. Tentacles of phosphorescence writhed along the surface of the six pods, which technically were not material in constitution, nor did they have a stable, continuous shape. Each pod was an energy field with a body suspended inside. Each individual thus housed was not unlike each enveloping pod, a body not fully there, not quite possessing the integrity of matter. Waking up was more than reaching consciousness; each person in effect re-manifested into material form. Briefly intensifying its symbiosis with its human guest, the phosphorescence of the pod dilated and faded. The pod itself seemed to vanish into the body manifesting under its care. One of the six empty pallets was now replaced by an opaque, cocoon-like bubble.

When Mick’s increased metabolism breached stasis, his bubble receded. He stretched and awkwardly sat up. Reaching back he picked up a robe from an inset wall shelf. As he struggled to pull it on he glanced at the five remaining, empty pallets. A miniature electrical storm was visible through the screen of Turok’s bubble – his friend would join him soon. The others had not yet begun. He stood up unsteadily.

Good to have you back, Mick, the ship’s computer said.

Thanks, Trinh.

How do you feel?

I’ve felt better. He walked towards the holo-monitor. It’s good to be back.

Prepare yourself, Mick, Trinh said cryptically.

Why? he asked, as a projection of their region of space took form around him, the lights in the cabin simultaneously dimming. Mick looked at the sun on the event horizon, perspective adjusted for its proximity. He turned and looked into several points of the digital 3D compass. His brow creased in confusion.

Amplify, he said.

Three star clusters in two of the densest regions of deep space dissolved, then leapt nearer. Mick rubbed his eyes.

What the– he said.

He walked closer to one of the brighter star systems. It can’t be.

What can’t be, Mick? Turok said as he walked slowly into the holofield, his robe flapping as he tied it.

Mick was shaking his head. You tell me.

The other hiberstasis crew members emerged from the alcove behind Turok, and stood outside the holofield. Carmen, who had changed into her ever-practical shorts and T-shirt, crossed to the wall monitor. Aleesha, immaculate in a tan sleeveless turtleneck, stood in the doorway. Bringing up the rear was Sorel, who stopped and leaned against the wall by the doorway.

They all watched, glancing nervously at each other, as Turok stood beside Mick near the projected star cluster. Turok shrugged and walked ahead into the cluster. He whistled. Mick, this isn’t where we’re supposed to be.

No, it’s a different quadrant.

How? Turok asked.

Explain, Trinh, Mick said.

Our present location, the ship’s computer said, is a distance of 93.6 quadrants from our pre-hiberstasis location.

Hey guys, don’t mind us, Giorgi said as he entered the holofield.

Carmen activated the wall monitor, and a 2D image of the planet appeared. Trinh, one question. Are we now looking at Ramses?

No, the computer answered.

Mick interrupted quietly, How long were we in hiberstasis?

185 days.

Six months? Come on, no way! Turok objected.

Tell us everything, Carmen asked, a touch of fear in her voice.

"After the incident on the Surprise, Trinh began, my new subroutine prime became – seek a habitable planet."

The room fell silent.

What incident? Mick asked.

"The Surprise came under attack. The six of you were already in hiberstasis for the excursion to Ramses. But after Ramses was impacted –"

The six survivors gave a collective gasp.

What do you mean ‘impacted’? Carmen repeated.

A force of unknown nature and origin, Trinh said, struck Ramses, instantly causing a global tsunami that flooded 80% of the planet’s exposed landmass.

Nothing survived? Carmen asked, in a barely audible voice.

"What about the Surprise, and the convoy?" Turok added.

Unknown. I’m sorry.

Trinh, this force, Mick said, "… you must have some … the fact you can identify it means you observed something."

No, Mick. I observed a disturbance in space-time which seemed to approach Ramses just prior to the impact. I infer this disturbance was the force I referred to.

They kept trying to take it in.

Turok spoke brusquely. Speculate from what you observed. Could this force have been a naturally-occurring event?

The computer hesitated a moment. Improbable.

So it was very likely a weapon of some sort, Turok said.

Yes, that’s plausible. If I speculate beyond given parameters, she added, "its behavior suggests it could be a life form."

Turok shook his head.

Let’s set that possibility aside for now, Mick said. Trinh, for an observer in the nearest inhabited system, how would this event appear?

It would appear as a natural disaster.

Like a large piece of space debris impacted the planet?

Yes, or a similar event.

Mick had walked out of the holofield and brought up a 2D file image of Ramses on the holoscreen. Was anything missing in this disturbance? Was anything absent that should have been there?

Charged ions, the computer answered. The disturbance was briefly empty of all ions.

An ion hole in space-time? Turok said.

Yes. I surmise that is what caused our current neutronics malfunction.

Turok groaned. We’ve lost neutronics?

Yes, it’s rapidly degrading.

Trinh tasked an image of the planet they now approached, a corner inset in the Ramses image.

The room fell silent.

I determined that this planet, Nebura, was the nearest. I brought us here.

Trinh, let me ask again, Carmen said, still shocked by the implied fate of their convoy. What are the … odds … that any of the convoy ships survived?

They were not in the immediate vicinity of Ramses. It’s possible they survived. They could almost feel the shrug behind her words. I must add, it disappeared from my sensors at the exact moment of impact. The probability of survival is low. I’m sorry, Carmen.

Sorel pushed away from the wall. So you were cruising along towards Ramses, and slam! he said, bringing his hands together in a loud clap. Then you brought us here. Brilliant!

That is an accurate summary, Sorel, Trinh replied, immune to sarcasm.

"So there’s nothing for us to return to."

Carmen whirled around. Is that all you can say!

Deal with it, Sorel said under his breath.

Look, Mick said. The people on Ramses. It could be they had time to get off world safely. We don’t know.

Turok nodded. Let’s not jump the gun.

And we don’t know what’s happened to the convoy, Mick continued. Until we know different, let’s not assume the worst.

When we left the mother ship, Trinh interrupted, I attached two additional shuttles, Arcturus-5 and 6.

Why attach two more shuttles? Giorgi asked, puzzled.

It increased our energy supply by 130%, the computer said.

Well, that’s good news, Mick said. How much do we have?

At our current rate of consumption, it will be exhausted in 3.4 months.

Turok groaned.

It is one reason I woke you, Trinh said.

Mick walked to the holo-array and touched the pad. The holofield dissolved and the lights came back up. Turok sat in one of the chairs by the elevator.

Trinh outlined their options. "You can return to the Surprise’s last known location. Or –touch down on this planet, establish a base, and determine a way to secure a rescue. The data is incomplete, but Nebura is definitely G-class, habitable. It appears to have been settled almost three centuries ago."

But not by the Alliance, Mick added.

No.

Not much of a choice, Giorgi said.

Mick considered the planet on the monitor. We have a decision to make. There’s enough fuel to get back.

A one-way trip? Sorel said. I vote we take our chances here.

Carmen shook her head. I vote we turn back. The others may need our help.

Mick turned to Aleesha and Giorgi.

Aleesha shrugged. "The Surprise should be doing the rescuing, not us. I vote we sit tight here on this world. And wait."

Giorgi? Mick asked.

Frankly, I look at that landfall, he said, "and it’s a total blank to me. I vote we turn back. The Surprise is probably looking for us. We’ll likely meet them on the way back."

Turok spoke up. Well, I can’t wait to get off this bucket! I vote we set up base.

They all looked at Mick.

He was still looking at the planet. Turning away from the monitor, he faced the others. Our first priority has to be our survival. I vote we establish a base on this planet.

_______________

Fine-tuning their orbital heading and uncoupling but not separating the two piggybacking shuttles had taken most of that day. Some of that time had been spent drawing up and revising a list of gear to take. They all knew this could very well turn out to be an extended stay on the planet. The other shuttles were shells, their energy stores depleted.

Arc-4 pulled away from the other shuttles to begin its descent to the greenish-blue surface below. The two drogued shuttles receded smoothly, and continued on their programmed orbit of Nebura against the infinite backdrop of deep space.

Trinh inserted the ship at the correct angle to the planet’s atmosphere, and the Arc-4 rode the turbulence as the exosphere’s density grew. A long thirty seconds later they were through. The ship’s artificial gravity disengaged as the planet’s pull increased. The ship leveled off at an altitude of thirty miles. They were searching Nebura’s temperate regions for a relatively flat plateau, preferably one on the outskirts of a heavily-populated or built-up area, and if possible, near a large body of water linked to the surface water system – the oceans – that skirt the globe, much like Earth.

Mick turned off the opacity of selected panels out on the forward bulkhead. Although such real-space windows, which showed their progress above the planet, were technically inferior to the virtual viewing monitors, Mick preferred them. Land soon appeared on the horizon. The silence stretched out again as Trinh cruised lower, soon reaching an altitude of ten miles. As the Arc-4 swung over the coast they could more clearly make out Nebura’s landscape.

Correct me if I’m wrong, Turok said conversationally. But isn’t that a city?

Sure looks like it, Carmen agreed, which makes no sense at all.

No surface comm systems down there? Turok asked.

Nope, nada, Carmen replied. I tried the full spectrum. Nothing.

Maybe their power grid is down, Mick suggested.

Even so, I should have got something. There was nothing on any bandwidth, not a whisper.

A city equals people, Sorel said. And people equal communications links. You must have jimmied it somehow.

Carmen addressed the computer. Trinh, can you detect electronic activity anywhere on world?

Negative, Carmen.

Carmen gave Sorel a level stare. He shrugged and returned his attention to the window.

Maybe there are no active comm systems, Giorgi said, because nobody’s left alive.

Speculation is good, but that’s morbid, Aleesha said.

The landscape rolled majestically by beneath them.

They all watched as Trinh banked Arc-4 in a slow turn, bringing them in over the coast towards a river’s estuary north of the city. A plateau appeared as they descended through low-lying clouds.

Anyone mind if I pilot her down? Mick asked the others.

Take us in, Mick, Turok said.

______________

The Arc-4 sat perched in the rough center of the plateau, a shelf that leveled off half-way up a gently sloping hill. Mick had brought them in without incident.

They were all standing at the port hatch, small backpacks slung on their backs.

Everyone ready? Mick asked.

They all nodded. Is this world ready for us? Turok said.

Do it, Mick, Carmen said.

The hatch irised open, and they stepped into the airlock. The outer hatch opened after the inner one closed, and they walked out into the midday glare. Mick stepped out and paused, letting the others walk ahead. He looked affectionately at the exterior of the shuttle. He thoughtfully palmed the hatchway icon’s default code. As he walked away the ship settled back, its portals went opaque, and its unfettered exterior evanesced behind an energy field. The Arc-4 looked like an elongated egg resting on the stubble grass of the plateau.

Turok had quickly covered the twenty yards to the crest overlooking the plateau’s northern slope. The city was to the south, on the other side of the hill. Turok called from the crest. Mick turned and strode towards the others. They faced out over the land that fell gently away to the ocean. Mick followed their gaze, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Do you see it? Turok asked after a moment.

See what?

Just keep looking.

Mick glanced at the others, then turned back to the horizon. Looks peaceful, he said.

Yeah, you could say that, Sorel said.

Mick shrugged. What am I looking for?

The ocean, Mick, Turok said.

Mick’s eyes scanned the coast, then stopped. What –

What do you make of it?

"It’s like looking at one big holofield – on pause."

Turok nodded. No wind. He tilted his head. No sound, no taste. No nothing.

And no waves, Carmen added.

The ocean was like a sheet of tinted glass extending as far as the eye could see. They exhaled slowly at the strangeness of it.

So much for this being a normal G-class planet, Giorgi complained.

Carmen knelt down and ran her hand across the surface of the grass. She pulled out a clump, exposing the soil. Mick leaned down beside her. Taking up a handful of the soil he held it a few inches from his face. Carmen dipped her finger in the soil in Mick’s hand, then inclined her head slightly and tasted it.

Seems normal enough, Carmen said.

So the water is probably okay, Turok added.

But obviously it’s not, Aleesha said impatiently, still looking at the horizon over the ocean.

Mick shrugged. It’s like this world’s climate metabolism has somehow slowed down.

Or this could just be a season here, Turok said. A weird time of the year when everything kicks back …

Rolling her eyes Carmen dusted off her hands and stood. Well, I’m stumped.

Turok could be right. Maybe this is how it’s always been here, Giorgi said.

Sorel stretched his arms back. I don’t see how any of it matters now.

Listen, Turok said suddenly, cocking his head to one side.

What sounded like maser fire suddenly echoed from the other side of the hill. The sound had a metallic, shallow quality in the late afternoon stillness.

We have company, Turok said quietly.

Come on, Mick said, breaking into a jog back towards where the Arc-4 sat perched in the grass.

Turok pulled up alongside Mick. The others followed.

The plateau didn’t extend around the south side of the hill, but the slope wasn’t steep, so they crossed the hillside’s southern incline on a diagonal, running hunched over. A deep bass growling came from the street below them, a sound like feral dogs cornering their prey. The six observers ducked into a hollow behind a scree on the lower bank of the hillside and lay on the ground. They could just see over the rim.

The commotion came from an area of tall buildings about half a mile away in what appeared to be the city’s central district. In the courtyard of the nearest building about twenty people were standing in a rough circle. Ten dogs roamed about five yards outside the circle, leaping up, threatening, but as yet not attacking. Suddenly one dog came at them fast – impossibly fast – springing forward, forelegs outstretched. Three of the people shot at the same instant, and a hole appeared in the