Resolution: Book of the Guardian, #4

By Ben Winston

Putting an end to the long hostilities between the two empires has been a long time goal for the Guardians. However, the reality of achieving that goal is not easy. While the Guardians might be ready to forgive and forget, they quickly discover it’s not that easy for the people that live near the front lines. Hate, Vengeance and Revenge are far more difficult enemies that the Tammerain ever were. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Space Publications, LLC.
• Release date: Aug 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781386583288

Ben Winston

Ben Winston (1965 - ?) was born in Iowa and grew up in Minnesota on the family dairy farm. Upon reaching adulthood, he joined the United States Army as a communications technician. Before getting out of the military, he decided to go to school for computer electronics. Shortly after getting out of the military, and after getting a new job with an over-seas company, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. A month after beginning the new job, he was laid off due to budget over-runs on the project he was hired for. Upon returning to the United States, he had difficulty maintaining employment because of the chronic illness. He began writing as a form of stress release, from being home bound and not being able to work, and found he liked writing erotica. Ben wrote a trilogy called the Talosian Chronicles (Currently in rewrite to remove the graphic sex and finalized his vision of the story). The first book, Star Dancer, won awards and was nominated for many others by the online communities where it was posted. Ben Winston returned to school for literature, after completion, he began writing professionally. Being an avid fan of science fiction he focused on this genre. He was, and still is, influenced and inspired by Gene Roddenberry, Anne McCaffery, David Weber, Isaac Asimov, and Ray Bradbury. Some of his favorite movies and TV shows are; Battlestar Galactica (both versions), Andromeda, Star Trek, Firefly, Star Wars, and many of the B-rated movies that were actually box-office bombs.

Book preview

The Guardian – Part Four

Chapter 44 Moon Day (Thirty-Fourth Day)

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Sir, are you sure about this? Tami asked.

Tami, do you see any warships around? John asked.

Well no, but... the pilot replied.

Trust me, we'll be fine, John said. We have their transit timing down, we know where it drops out, plot the course and just jump in front of a freighter.

Chloe piped in. Course plotted, Tami. Any time you're ready.

She signaled the rest of the crew about the transit, and put the ship in the lane in front of a huge freighter. You know that the transit point will defeat our stealth, right?

Yep, but by the time they figure it out, we'll already be on the other side, away from the exit, and once again safely wrapped up in our cloak, John replied. It'll take them about a week to figure out what happened, and by then, it'll be impossible for them to track us.

Once again shaking her head in wonder at the audacity of Guardians, Tami flew the ship into the transit point.

Transit complete. Welcome to the Beta Quadrant. Re-establishing course, full speed to next jump point, Tami replied.

Resetting stealth systems, no hostile contacts present. Location confirmed. Its official boys and girls, we are now further out than any human has ever gone, Chloe said at the same time as Tami reported transit complete.

An alarm on Chloe's console began chiming. It shut down as soon as she accessed the sensors. John, there is another Promethean artifact in the closest system. She paused. Sort of, it's almost one light year out from the primary, at solar north. Should we check it out?

How heavily guarded is it? John asked.

Chloe shook her head. It isn't. However, it did begin powering up right after we detected it.

Is it a coincidence, or is it reacting to our presence? John asked rhetorically.

You know how I feel about coincidence, John. I'd bet my shirt that the Prometheans know we're coming for a visit! Chloe said.

Maybe, let’s give it a look over while we're here. We might not get another chance. Be sure to record all sensor readings, and prepare another message drone, John ordered.

Altering course, distance to artifact one point two lights. How close do you want to get, Boss? Tami asked.

John was looking at the image now up on the main screen. Well, since they aren't guarding it, let's take a good look. Maybe we can learn something we didn't know.

Tami nodded. Plotting a short jump, stand by, she paused for a moment. Ready.

Let's do it, John ordered.

Jumping! Tami replied, and jumped the ship. The trip was so short that there was barely any time spent in transition before they were almost on top of the structure.

It's much smaller than the Tammerain Capitol Artifact. Data streams are far less as well. Power levels are still climbing, but aren't dangerous yet, Chloe replied.

Sir, a guide beam has locked onto us, Tami replied.

A what? John asked.

A guide beam. A very weak tractor beam used to guide ships to a specific point. The artifact is emitting one for us, even though we are still fully stealthed, Tami explained.

Can you tell where it wants us to move? John asked.

It's not a landing guide. It wants us to move to a point alongside it, Tami replied.

The Prometheans were not a hostile or war-like race. It's doubtful that they are trying to harm us. John paused in thought. Follow it.

Yes Sir, Tami said and directed the ship to follow the guide.

John, we've done a lot of crazy shit over the centuries, but this one is right up there at the top, Chloe replied. We have no idea...

Another alarm sounded on her console and she asked for information. John! It's a transit...

Before Chloe could finish, the Promethean transit point had moved them.

...point! Chloe finished. Fuck!

Relax Chloe, we're still alive, John replied. Tami? Any idea where we are?

Not yet, but I think you guys better check out our destination! Tami said, bringing up an image on the main viewer.

What the hell... John said.

It's massive! Chloe exclaimed. Computer says it's almost three light months across!

Tami... where are we? John asked.

I don't know Sir, the computer is still trying to find a point of reference, Tami replied.

Tami, an artificial transit point can only move us two hundred lights, you should still be able to lock onto the point of origin, Chloe said reasonably.

With respect Ma'am, I don't have an exact location, but I can tell you we are in the Gamma Quadrant based on the location of other known galaxies, we are roughly the Galactic opposite of home, Tami replied, fearfully.

What? Chloe almost yelled. Tami cringed and tried to duck down.

Chloe! John said sternly. Calm down! He turned to Tami. Please keep working on our location and try to plot a best case route back, for now, that's your priority.

Yes, Sir, Tami said meekly.

John sighed. Chloe, we have a mystery to solve. I suggest we work on that, or do I need to override you? As commander, John had the ability to override the controllers of all the Marines assigned to him, including the other Guardians.

Yes Sir, Chloe said, far more calmly than she had been. I apologize, Tami. It was the shock of learning that. I didn't mean to frighten you.

John nodded to her, Better. Do you need a break, or can you keep going?

I'm good, John. Like I said, it was just a shock is all, the woman replied. She was still clearly upset, but John could see she was controlling it. He activated his comm implant. "Carl, Alice, report to the bridge. Everyone else, gear up but don't seal up." Meaning that he wanted everyone ready for combat, but at the moment the threat was unclear.

Sir, Corporal Wanda Gregory might be helpful; she has been studying anthropology and exobiology, Tami suggested.

John nodded and called the woman to the bridge as well.

That's a fucking Dyson Sphere! Chloe said. As impossible as it sounds, that's what these readings are telling me.

What's a Dyson Sphere? John asked.

Who first theorized them has been lost to history, but basically, the theory was a hypothetical construct that would serve to capture the energy output of a star. A solid one like this was deemed to be too unlikely to be feasible; other uses could be to maximize the available living space for a race. In twenty-three ninety-one, scientists proved that the creation of a shell type sphere like this one was not possible; radiation from the star would completely sterilize the inner surface since it would be impossible to maintain the type of shielding needed to protect it, Chloe explained.

I don't think these folks attended the same universities as we did, Tami replied as the door opened to admit the armored forms of Alice, Carl and another, curious-looking, Marine.

Thanks for coming guys, John said. He quickly filled them in on the situation, but when he got to the theory Chloe had about the Dyson Sphere, Wanda shook her head. No way, it'd cook everything inside; like an oven.

It would seem we have plenty of time to analyze it. We're not going anywhere anytime soon, John said. Tami, can you get us closer?

Yes Sir, how close do you want? Tami asked.

High orbit, say two hundred thousand klicks, John replied. Be subtle, we don't want to piss them off.

Adjusting course for orbital insertion, Tami said. We'll arrive in two hours at present speed, sir.

Sounds good, Tami, thanks, John replied, and turned back to the astonished trio with a grin. Well? You three need an invitation?

Chapter 45

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It took almost an hour for Chloe to convince Wanda that the artifact was a shell-type Dyson sphere. What amazed the young woman, as well as Chloe the most was that the 'shell' read as a relatively thin eight thousand klicks thick.

Well, at least in this area it's that thin, Wanda said. It might be thicker in other areas."

Have you noticed there doesn't seem to be much detritus, and there are no impact craters at all? Chloe said. This thing almost looks brand new.

John chuckled when Carl turned to Alice and asked. "Detritus? Why can't she just say dirt like the rest of the galaxy?"

She's in scientist mode, Alice replied. It's like our combat mode, but instead of getting all bad-ass, she gets all snooty and snobbish. It looks like young Wanda got the same program.

Chloe rolled her eyes and looked at Wanda. Don't mind them, they just feel cheated that the only function modes they got were Combat Mode and Rabbit Mode!

Rabbit Mode, Ma'am? Wanda asked. Wasn't a rabbit a small fur and meat producing animal from old Earth?

Chloe nodded. Yep, but they were also noted for one other thing; they bred like a virus. I swear, it's a damn good thing we can't get pregnant, or half the ship would be filled with those two's off-spring! 

Everyone laughed, including Carl and Alice, because it was well known that the couple liked to spend a lot of time together in their in their cabin.

Alice shrugged. Hey, everyone's got to have a hobby!

After everyone calmed down, Wanda replied to Chloe's earlier observation. Surface gravity and magnetics seem to be non-existent, which has to be an artificial function; this much mass should be generating gravity, and all the machinery down there would produce at least some magnetism. She looked at Chloe.