Across Galaxies: Science Fiction

By Brian Carisi

Commander Martin Takener arrives with the starship NOVA GALACTICA and other units of the Earth fleet in the distant galaxy of Nyroo, the legendary ancestral home of the Nugrou species, to whose legacy humanity owes its technological progress. But the distant galaxy is now dominated by insectoid conquerors, the Qalaak. Surprisingly, Takener and his companions meet human settlers who made their way here from Earth long ago – Across Galaxies...

 

Brian Carisi (Alfred Bekker ) is a well-known author of fantasy novels, thrillers and books for young people. In addition to his major book successes, he has written numerous novels for suspense series such as Ren Dhark, Jerry Cotton, Cotton reloaded, Kommissar X, John Sinclair, and Jessica Bannister. He has also published under the names Neal Chadwick, Henry Rohmer, Conny Walden, Sidney Gardner, Jack Raymond, Jonas Herlin, Adrian Leschek, John Devlin, Brian Carisi, Robert Gruber, and Janet Farell.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BEKKERpublishing
• Release date: Mar 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215975251

Book preview

1

Centurion!

The sun was burning.

The Roman legionaries were at the end of their tether.

Somewhere where Egypt ended and Nubia began, they trudged through the desert.

Most of them were already close to delirium.

What had brought them to this point, to the very edge of the empire?

Some of the men had already taken off their breastplates to avoid being roasted alive in them.

The sun was merciless.

An enemy worse than all the barbarians that had been pursued to this point.

The procession was long and miserable. Not only legionaries were part of it, but also a troop of entourage. Women, merchants, whores, craftsmen, barbers and armpit hair removers...

They all had always made good money with the legionnaires.

But at that moment, most of them probably cursed their decision to have followed the troop of soldiers to this remote hell abandoned by all the gods.

But what happened then tore this troop of the wretched nevertheless still from the deadly lethargy.

Centurion! By the gods!

The legionaries paused, stopped, stood with their mouths open and looked to the sky.

A huge object lowered into the depths and landed in front of them.

The object had a metallic shimmer.

By the gods, what is that? someone shouted.

Escape from this overpowering ETWAS seemed to be completely pointless.

Which foreign gods could they have turned against themselves that this happened to them? This question haunted not a few of them in the head.

Then a door opened in the object.

Being rose out of him.

Human beings.

At least that's how it seemed at first.

The people who had come from heaven walked toward the legionaries and their retinue.

We'll take you with us, said one of the strangers. He spoke the best Latin.

At least that's how it seemed at first. The centurion grabbed his head. He had the feeling that his counterpart had spoken in his head. Had he really heard the stranger's words or were they thoughts coming from his own head?

What a telepathic transmission was, of course, the Centurion did not know - nor did any of the other Romans whom fate and the Emperor's command had sent to this remote region where they were now close to dying of thirst - with no prospect of anything changing.

We'll take you with us, the strangers now repeated as if from one mouth. And then they turned.

They showed their true form.

*

Millennia later...

Commander Martin Takener sipped his coffee. Together with some of the most important senior officers of NOVA GALACTICA, he sat in a plain conference room to discuss the events of the last day.

Takener's second-in-command, Don Ryder, had just given his impressions of yesterday's stay at the so-called Academy of New Rome in a succinct report.

So there we are flying millions of light years through space just to find some kind of second Rome, Hen Coolidge opined. The first officer of NOVA GALACTICA was known for his sarcastic remarks. On the maiden flight of the Orbis spacecraft, he had been AI master technician.  In the meantime, he held the post of first officer. He turned his head and looked at Takener with raised eyebrows. These Romans seem to have adapted the Nugrou technology quite passably ...

They are at least our equal in that regard, Don Ryder noted.

There's something to be said for the fact that they're actually pretty far ahead of us, noted Brad Cass, who was also present. The cyborg was 26 years old, but looked much older, mainly due to his bushy eyebrows. He wore his dark hair long. Cass was special in that his hormone levels did not change even in the most difficult dangerous situation. I took another look at the data that came in through our tracking systems. And they actually leave no doubt about it!

Don Ryder's blue eyes narrowed a little. Nevertheless, I think this pea senator's suggestion yesterday is over the top.

What are you talking about? inquired Hen Coolidge, who, after all, had not attended the ceremony at the academy.

This man suggested that we immediately equip a strong fleet to attack the Qalaak, Martin Takener replied instead of his friend. According to Repidus, by the way, there is no lack of either fleet or shipyard capacity.

But? asked Coolidge.

Takener finished his coffee.

There seems to be an acute photirite shortage here. Apparently, there is simply not enough of the metal to fuel a fleet. We can only speculate about the reasons for this so far.

In any case, Terra Nuova residents feel a strong connection to the Nugrou and their destiny, Coolidge noted.

The door to the conference room opened. Losig entered. Nugrou, who was actually an amoeba, had assumed his humanoid Jim Smith form.

A restrained smile slid across his face.

I apologize for my tardiness, said the shapeshifter, who had demonstrated his abilities in this regard only the night before, in front of the eyes of the academy presidents Repidus and Ataun. He took a seat and after a short pause added, Juanita had had a bad dream. The child was hard to calm down.

Losig's look seemed introverted.

It had to be a strange feeling for him to reach the home galaxy again after such a long time.

Anyway, as far as first contact with Terra Nuova representatives is concerned, I draw a positive conclusion all around, Takener then said aloud.

At that moment, Morris, the officer on duty on the radio Z, called in over intercom.

Commander, we're getting a message in from the Academy in New Rome. It's addressed to you personally.

Make a connection, Morris!

All right.

The faces of Repidus and Ataun, the presidents of the academy, appeared on a screen embedded in the wall.

The two exchanged a quick glance with each other.

Then Repidus took the floor.

We strongly request an informal discussion with you, Commander Takener.

Takener's eyes narrowed a bit. Don't mind if I do.

We would like to come aboard your spacecraft shortly.

A wrinkle appeared on Ryder's forehead. He exchanged a glance with Takener. The two men had known each other long enough to understand each other immediately and without a word. We should stay careful, Martin!, Ryder's look seemed to say.

Repidus took away any basis for this budding mistrust with his next remark. We will enter your ship without guards or entourage. Our sole purpose is to talk with you, Commander Takener. And of course we would appreciate it very much if your Nugrou companion would also be present at the parley.

Takener exchanged a quick glance with Losig. The Nugrou nodded slightly. The gestures common on Terra were completely familiar to him and had become second nature to him, as long as he had taken on human form.

Martin Takener turned to Repidus again.

That will be workable.

Ataun, the second Academy president, now spoke up. It may surprise you that we are making our request so urgent. But there is much to discuss. Our curiosity is almost boundless.

It's no different for us, Takener replied calmly. We'll be waiting for you at the airlock.

Ataun nodded. All right.

The connection was interrupted. Takener rose and scratched the back of his head thoughtfully.

Whatever they have to tell us, I'm convinced it will be interesting!, Losig was convinced.

2

Losig and Martin Takener awaited the Academy presidents at the NOVA GALACTICA lock.

Salve! greeted Repidus.

Welcome aboard the NOVA GALACTICA, Martin Takener replied. Over time, he became accustomed to speaking Latin. Even if this language had developed in many areas within the last two thousand years on Terra Nuova, an understanding with Takener's school Latin from the memory chip was possible without problems. For special cases there was of course still the translator. In addition, there was the possibility to communicate