The Rift Impact: The Evaran Chronicles II, #1

By Adair Hart

When everything appears hopeless, sometimes all you need is a cosmic helping hand.

 

Dylan Townsend didn't expect to spend his twenty-second birthday on an alien moon in the Andromeda galaxy along with Isaac Barret, and Dr. Kate Minter. They have no idea how they were transported from Earth to an alien world and then put in quarantine. They've lost hope of being rescued and have resigned themselves to spending the rest of their lives on the moon.

 

The Systral Empire, which captured the humans, has a bigger issue to deal with. A star entity orbits their sun and is growing, blocking out all sunlight. All attempts to remove it have failed. This would impact the moon the humans are on first. Another concern is that portals are opening on Varlon, their home world, and depositing strange aliens.

 

Enter Evaran and M, two cosmic beings who travel through space, time, and beyond to help those in need. They, along with the Systrals and humans, will have their hands full with all the problems and deeper threats that have yet to reveal themselves. And the Systral Empire's very existence is at stake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adair Hart
• Release date: Feb 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223126737

Book preview

Title

Copyright © 2024 Adair Hart

All rights are reserved to the author. No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing done by Miranda Miller of Editing Realm

Cover done by Tom Edwards

Proofread done by Alexa

Published by Quantum Edge Publishing

www.AdairHart.com

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Chapter One

M was the most advanced artificial intelligence on Earth, but at the moment, he was in NGC 6872, or the barred spiral galaxy known as Condor. It was 212 million light years away and approximately five times as wide as the Milky Way. They were also in the past in 6,431,032,402 BC.

He was in orb mode, which consisted of a sphere with four segmented arms, but his robot body that he could fly into was nearby, and that had a default humanoid light mode and heavy mode.

M was with Evaran, a powerful cosmic being who traveled through space and time to help those in need. Evaran had fair skin with a slight tan and black hair pushed up a bit in the front but layered on the sides. His blue eyes and chiseled chin stood out, and stubble ran along the edges of his face to his mouth and under his nose. M had calculated that most humans would find him attractive.

Evaran’s suit had several layers, with the first being a dark-blue-gray mesh. Light-gray armored pads with golden borders covered his chest and upper arms. White segmented armor strips wrapped around his forearms, collar, belt, and boots, while the shoulders had a solid pattern. His belt also contained various gadgets, such as a utility handle that used dimensional mechanics to shoot stun, heat, repulsion, and other types of beams as well as perform other feats.

They were on Evaran’s ship, the Torvatta, and had attached undetected to the bottom of a starship owned by the Tervad civilization. M had heard the Torvatta resembled a hockey puck. It issued summons that were essentially missions across space and time, and this one had led them here. Although the initial location was a planet, the problem was that a Tervad princess and her staff had been kidnapped and required rescue.

It took some effort to jump back and forth through time to observe the kidnapping, and when they had isolated the moment, they had placed a quantum beacon on the alien ship. When they hopped to the present, they opened a portal, the Torvatta’s way of traveling vast distances. Its stealth and scan profile modes made it undetectable.

It’s time to board the ship, said Evaran in a calm, controlled voice.

Acknowledged, said M.

The interior circular room was empty except for Evaran’s command chair and M’s workstation. A large hallway led off to multiple other rooms, and due to dimensional mechanics, the corridor would not have appeared on the outside of the Torvatta.

M flew into his nearby robot body, then followed Evaran to the hallway. M liked default mode since it allowed him to fly but at the cost of heavier protection. They entered a door that took them to the roof. The upper bound of the Torvatta’s shielding was about fifteen feet away and was flush against the ship.

Evaran pointed up. Proceed.

Breaching now, said M.

Slats on his upper arms opened, and two nanoswarms flew out and merged, then went up. Once they reached the shielding, a portion of it pulled back, allowing the nanobots to chew their way through into a docking bay. Once the hole was wide enough, Evaran used his dimensionally powered boots to fly through with M in tow.

The area was spacious and had smaller ships in two arrays locked down on the left side. The right was open and most likely used as a place to land before being moved around. In the back was a repair bay, and metallic panels covered large swaths of the floor, ceiling, and walls. A light-blue glow filled the air, and the sounds of work being done on various craft echoed out.

The Torvatta had already connected to the cruiser’s systems, so M knew where they had to go. He activated heavy mode, where nanobots swarmed out of portholes on his body and formed thicker armor. His shielding output also increased, and he ratcheted up his density control, which would prevent him from being knocked back.

The Tervads’ response was immediate. They resembled stick-like humanoid figures with four arms and a bulbous head, and they stood about nine feet tall on average. The ones in the bay wore metallic armor and wielded energy-based weapons. Small, spherical, flying drones approached.

Evaran spawned a square five-by-five energy shield on his left forearm and reflected beams back at the attackers, which caused them to crumple.

M blasted a few drones with stun shots from his forearm blasters and knocked them out.

Heavier units charged in. Their armor was almost twice as thick as the other Tervads’, and their right arm was a cannon.

Although M moved slower, he marched toward them, shrugging off their attacks until he could reach one. He grabbed it and shocked it with a discharge from his hands, causing the unit to fall. Others tried to melee him, but they couldn’t break his shielding or knock him away.

While M caused a distraction, Evaran zipped over and extended the utility handle from his belt into a staff where each end crackled with blue electricity. He moved far faster than the Tervads, and every moment he stopped, an enemy was tossed or stunned. In short order, the defense had been defeated.

Evaran and M hustled through the various corridors, which had a similar aesthetic to the docking bay. An ambient blue light illuminated the relatively clean paneled hallways. Display screens also allowed for interaction.

When they reached the secured room, the two guards out front were easily dispatched.

Evaran pulled a credit-card-size device, known as a universal interface card, or UIC, from his belt and placed it a few inches away from the door console. An unstable blue light formed between the UIC and the console, then stabilized a moment later. He then interacted with his augmented reality interface, or ARI, which resembled half of a bubble-like sphere that went from his waist to his head that only he could see.

The sealed door whooshed open.

M inspected the nine Tervads who had backed away. Although there were beds on the sides and a side area for a bathroom, the center part of the room was mostly clear.

Evaran extended a hand, palm up. Don’t fear us. We’re here to rescue you.

One of the Tervads stepped forward. I’m Princess Cranna. What are you, and how is it we’re able to communicate?

We are unique and also use an advanced translator, said Evaran. We can discuss this more in detail later, but we need to leave now.

She walked up to them and peered outside, then indicated for the rest of her group to follow. Let’s move.

M liked how she had quickly assessed the situation and made a decision. Evaran had a ten-foot, circular cosmic aura that caused others to view him as trustworthy. Princess Cranna must have felt that, but the downed guards and a promise of rescue were also probably a big motivator to escape as well.

The group dashed back to the bay.

M had taken the rear, while Evaran took point. Princess Cranna and her staff had discussed what Evaran and M were, and although M could not determine what the expression on their faces meant, some were universal, and they seemed relieved. He had the Torvatta form a ladder for them to climb down, and once on board, everyone was ushered to the command room.

M reverted to default mode and took his seat at his workstation.

The Torvatta detached and flew a bit away before opening a portal to Princess Cranna’s home world.

I have a lot of questions, she said.

Evaran nodded. I suspect you do, and we can now discuss them in safety. We’re headed to your father’s residence.

M tilted his head as the staff shrieked, which he interpreted as signs of joy. Is everything okay?

We were celebrating, said Princess Cranna.

M raised a hand.

She stared at it.

You tap my hand. It’s called a high five and is meant as a celebratory gesture.

She complied. A very strange custom. I guess our celebration must seem odd to you.

I liked it, said M, smiling.

The Tervad staff high-fived one another.

Although Evaran and M had been on their way to have lunch with Lord Vygon, an old friend on Earth, this summons had popped up with some urgency. M was not clear why it had a high priority, but if the Torvatta wanted them there, that’s where they would go.

Scene Break

The past several days had been interesting to M, and he had interacted with Princess Cranna’s court and Tervad society. However, after he and Evaran had left, they jumped through time to see what significance the summons had.

They found nothing after a lengthy investigation.

It was possible they missed something, and given the number of variables, that was likely the case. What was important was the Torvatta wanted them there, and if there had been more to do, it would not have cleared the summons.

It was now January 5, 2014, 11:00 a.m. in New York City, and M was seated at a circular table in a private room in an upscale restaurant. He preferred to use his orb mode, but when interacting with humans in public, he used his robot body in default mode. He had projected a holo shell that made him appear as a mid-twenties male with blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes.

Evaran sat next to him, and his holo-projection consisted of blue khakis, brown boots, and a white polo shirt. He had also brought a half-length dark-gray trench coat, which was not projected and was folded over a chair.

After thirty minutes, a strong, pale-skinned man in a black suit joined them. M knew him as Lord Vygon, an ancient vampire lord and one of the strongest nonhumans on the planet.

Although nonhumans kept up a masquerade, there were hundreds of thousands of them, and they managed Earth via an organization known as the Earth Ward. Nonhumans had exotic energies in them but none as powerful as the cosmic energy in Evaran and M. In this case, Lord Vygon had Daedrould exotic energy, which was what made him a vampire, but the ancient vampire strain was one of dozens.

Lord Vygon guffawed. It’s good to see you two…in any form.

Evaran stood and forearm shook with him, while M extended a high five.

And, of course, some things never change, said Lord Vygon, slapping M’s hand. So…I guess we’d better select something to eat before your next summons.

Everyone sat.

Evaran eyed him. And I suppose you know when that is.

Of course, said Lord Vygon. This meeting is out of sync, as expected. You just wrapped up saving Princess Cranna. Tervads, if I recall.

M analyzed his comment. You’ve met our future selves in your past.

Bingo! Not that it’s unusual for you two, as you both know. This is our first meeting, well, with your new forms obviously, and I have to say, I like them. And, yes, as you’re already aware, I know what summons you did and will do to an extent, but I can only comment on them after they’re done.

Although V, M’s previous incarnation, had died, M still had all of V’s memories from a visual and audio perspective. V’s cosmic energy orb had reacted to everything, which M did not have, but he did possess an algorithm that would let him simulate what it may have been. When V had re-formed, his AI component had been destroyed and his cosmic energy recycled, and as M, he had a new AI component and a fresh orb of cosmic energy.

I’m glad you like our new forms, said M.

Lord Vygon chuckled. It’s so odd to hear you use contractions, but I do like it. I also know that you’ve updated your cadence again since you re-formed. It’s more professorial and mainly what I know. He glanced at Evaran. And you. You can show some emotion now. You have an interesting road ahead of you.

And you’re mysterious as always, said Evaran. Nonetheless, it’s good to see you. We still haven’t met everyone in these new forms except for Dalton Kingston and Evot.

Yeah, we talked, said Lord Vygon.

I figured. Although we’ve only been gone for a while, we’d be interested in hearing about the current state of things.

Over the next hour, M recorded everything as Lord Vygon ate and went over what the Earth Ward was up to and events across the planet. It amazed M that Earth was as advanced as it was despite the multitudes of human and nonhuman factions. At some point, the nonhuman masquerade would fall, and his analysis showed it would cause utter chaos. Humans tended to not like things that were different, and nonhumans were the extreme version of that.

"The Torvatta has issued another summons, said M. He scrutinized Lord Vygon. This is the one you mentioned."

Lord Vygon grinned. Maybe. It’ll be more involved than your last one.

Where’s it to? asked Evaran. Or rather, when?

It’s in the Andromeda galaxy in AD 12,209, said M. It’s relatively close to the Bilaxian Empire we checked on from a previous trip.

I see. Evaran studied Lord Vygon. And you won’t tell us anything about it.

Of course not. I honor your rules regardless of which version you are.

Evaran dipped his head. It’s appreciated. However, I don’t believe your suggestion to meet at this specific point for lunch was coincidental.

You caught me, said Lord Vygon. "I knew to schedule this a long time ago. This is an…interesting point in your personal timeline. It’s between your Tervad summons, which was a good showcase of what you do at a lower level, versus your next one, which is, well, a bit more involved. Good luck."

I see.

M high-fived Lord Vygon after he did a forearm shake with Evaran. Then Lord Vygon left.

It appears we have a heavier summons to attend to. Let’s go, said Evaran.

They exited the restaurant and went to a side alley.

M surveyed their surroundings and verified it was clear of people. Twenty feet above them was the Torvatta. It hovered ninety degrees clockwise so the front faced down, which allowed it to fit in the smaller space. It was also stealthed and in scan profile one. M and Evaran flew up, and once they crossed the shielding, they righted themselves and walked in on a blue ramp.

Evaran reverted to his normal advanced suit, then sat in the command seat with his trench coat to the side.

M seated himself at the workstation to the right of Evaran’s chair.

The Torvatta shot up, and after twenty minutes, they reached low Earth orbit.

M did not need to interact with anything physically to control where they needed to go. He could do so with his direct connection to the Torvatta, and he opened a portal, which it flew through.

A check on some metrics indicated they were now at the summons location, but they still had to travel to AD 12,209. M invoked the time travel aspect of the Torvatta, which would cause it to exit the timeline, then reinsert itself at the right coordinates. Everything outside faded to pure darkness, and a moment later, it eased back in.

M had the Torvatta pulse a scan that went out ten light-years to get an analysis of what was out there. The immediate view showed they were above a planet with two moons. The star of this system had a small clump of an oil-like substance orbiting close that absorbed the sun’s radiation.

Evaran rubbed his chin. Intriguing. That entity around the star has Bornian exotic energy.

We’ve only encountered that once before, said M.

Correct. There’s also an advanced civilization on this planet. Connect to one of their satellites so we can see what we’re dealing with.

Acknowledged.

The Torvatta flew over to a large satellite and emitted a beam. Holographic data screens popped up in the front of the interior as the information flowed in.

M processed all of it with ease, as could Evaran. There were some alien AIs at play, and those were areas that were not accessible, so most of what they were seeing was public. If needed, M could breach more systems, but he required a justification to do so.

M analyzed the images of the alien race that belonged to the civilization on the planet. They resembled seven-foot humanoid crows with plantigrade legs that ended in a bony calf area with clawed feet. They also had black fur, clawed hands, and two odd purple tentacles on their upper back. Their large blue beak stood out, as did their four eyes, with two where a human’s would be and the others on the sides. This would give them superior vision.

These aliens call themselves the Systrals. They look like crow shifters.

I concur, said Evaran. This civilization is not unknown to us. They meet the Bilaxian Empire a century from now, and they both mention my name as common ground. The Bilaxians know us and our contributions to them, but the Systrals do not. I suspect this summons is where they learn of us. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of data to sift through, and I’d like to do a deeper scan on that entity near the sun. The summons didn’t say why we’re needed here, so let’s take some time to analyze all this information before doing anything.

Acknowledged.

Chapter Two

Dylan Townsend did not expect to spend his twenty-second birthday on an alien moon. His current location was not as odd as how he had come to be there. Six months earlier, he had been on a bus traveling to Chicago. A portal had opened and closed on the highway but not before swallowing several vehicles, including his. They had been stopped in the new environment they had emerged into by weird flying ships that emitted beams.

He ran his fair-skinned hand through his slightly puffed-up black hair. The chaos when aliens had exited the ships and begun rounding up everyone was something he still had nightmares about. The aliens resembled humanoid crows without wings. Instead, they had two purple tentacles on their backs, big blue beaks, clawed hands and feet, and advanced power suits. They had somehow detected that humans needed breathing machines, so they had passed out devices that wrapped around the mouth and nose.

After that, it was a trip to where he was now. Although forty-two humans had been rounded up, he had been grouped with three others. Oleg Koval was a middle-aged, fair-skinned man with an Eastern European accent and tattoo sleeves on his arms, but he was the unofficial leader of the group. He was fearless and built like a truck, and in a small dome of weird aliens of all types, he didn’t back down from anything. He was a big brother to Dylan, and Oleg’s profession as a mixed martial artist gave him unique skills that worked well in this place.

Isaac Barret was a data architect from Chicago. He was dark-skinned and had short curly hair, and he was the polar opposite of Oleg in terms of personality and build. Isaac spoke in a calculated manner, and he often made comments on anything he observed. Of the four, he was the least fazed by everything going on and had accepted their situation fast. He was rational, pragmatic, and the most objective person Dylan had ever met. He learned something every time Isaac analyzed something.

Dr. Kate Minter, with her black hair and fair skin, had a perky personality even with the current situation being what it was. Although she had been scared initially like most of the other humans, she had quickly switched to research mode.

Communication with their captors was impossible outside of hand movements and drawings, but she had tried hard to understand. She had adjusted well over the last six months and had even started a relationship with Oleg despite his having a wife and kid. Oleg and Kate had already given up on ever leaving.

Dylan liked all three of them, and they had formed a strong bond. The housing unit they lived in was single story and had six side rooms that joined to a common one. Each of their living quarters was decently sized and had beds as well as a bathroom, which had a hole in the ground next to a small area where sonic waves cleaned them. There was a pipe that shot down water, but it was inconvenient to use.

The common room had basic couches, chairs, and tables, and there was a screen on the wall, although Dylan never understood what was on it. It didn’t have shows or anything but instead showed statistics in some weird language. The aliens who had sent them to the housing unit had someone come out every week to try to communicate. Kate and Isaac usually worked with the liaison, and Dylan watched them a few times.

However, it was 8:00 a.m. per his watch and time to go to the central dispensary to pick up breakfast. The dome he was in had breathable air. He had seen others in the distance and figured they probably had different environments.

Dylan walked into the common area.

There’s the birthday boy, said Oleg, tousling Dylan’s hair.

Twenty-two, said Isaac, squeezing Dylan’s arm. I just wish we could celebrate it in a better place.

Kate hugged Dylan. Happy birthday!

He chortled. Thanks, guys. And, yeah, it sucks to be on this moon, but we make do with what we have, right?

He’s growing so fast, said Oleg.

Dylan laughed. It was a moment of respite from the crushing feeling of where he was at. His mom had died when he was at college, and he had to drop out. His estranged dad was not in his life, and his grandma was in assisted living. Dylan had been on his own for the first time since his mom had been his only support. He had gone to settle some affairs in the small town near Champaign, Illinois, then stepped on that fateful bus to return to Chicago.

You think they got a birthday cake at the dispensary? he asked.

Let’s find out, said Oleg, slapping him on the back.

They exited and began their journey.

Dylan wrinkled his nose. It always smelled like someone was cooking bacon. When he had first arrived, it made him hungry, but now it just aggravated him. The wide street they were on had their unit next to others in a row, and across from that was a metallic-and-stone wall in a checkered pattern.

As they started off, he spotted two aliens. They resembled humanoid jaguars but stood only three feet tall. He knew them well, as they had attacked Isaac and Kate when they went to the food dispensary on a previous trip. They had rushed back, and Oleg had stepped out and kicked one alien down the street, then tossed the other like a football.

The two aliens paused, then ran away.

Oleg smirked. They know not to bother us.

Kate intertwined her arm with his. Our protector.

Damn right.

Dylan felt safe with Oleg around. There were other denizens who had learned not to mess with him. It was one reason their group had done so well. It was odd that there had initially been forty-two humans who came over, yet he had not seen any. Maybe they were in the other domes or, on a darker note, had fallen prey to others or even the security forces. He was not sure he would ever find out.

After winding through various streets, they reached the sustenance dispensary.

Dylan found it odd that an advanced society couldn’t have food and drinks brought to the housing units. Instead, everyone came to a circular building that had stalls with robots that served the group after scanning them.

He was being generous in calling what was served food since it was a pink sludge that tasted awful. It varied, though, and sometimes they got something sweet. One thing he did like was the pure water, and they could come at any time to get what they needed even if it sucked.

He looked up and scrunched his face at the hovering cylinders that served as security forces. They had segmented arms near the top, and their bottom had a thicker portion that allowed them to hover. The shape reminded him of a garbage can but with a wider base and narrower top. Two thick rings packed with portholes that could shoot what he thought were lasers stood out. He had only seen them use the beam once, and it had vaporized two fighting aliens.

It was a busy time, as there were others around. He grimaced at the aliens next to him. They resembled humanoid cockroaches, but they had four arms with large spikes jutting out from the forearms. They stood around seven feet tall, and their chattering noises made his arm hairs stand on end. He had never seen them before at the dispensary. Perhaps they were new.

Oleg extended an arm toward a robot behind a counter. As the birthday boy, you go first and get some delicious food.

Dylan smirked as he stepped forward.

A beam washed over him. The robot placed a bowl of pink sludge in a sealed container with a small window on top in front of him.

As he reached for it, one of the bug-like aliens pushed him out of the way and snatched his container.

Oleg wasted no time in grabbing it back and inserted himself between Dylan and the alien.

It hissed at Oleg, and he shoved it back, causing it to fall.

Dylan gulped when it stood back up and a long, segmented appendage ending in a scorpion-like stinger extended from its back and vibrated as it hovered overhead.

What’re you gonna do with that, tough guy? asked Oleg, standing defiantly.

The alien seized Oleg, and its appendage lurched forward and pierced Oleg’s upper-right arm.

Kate shrieked.

Oleg spun away and gripped the pulsating stinger, then broke it. He stumbled, then fell to the ground.

Everything moved in slow motion as Dylan ran to help Oleg, who had gone limp. The alien had also crumpled as a strange liquid poured out of its severed appendage like a fire hose. A quick check of Oleg’s faint pulse showed he was still alive.

Help! said Dylan.

Kate rushed in and held Oleg’s hand.

A shrill alarm filled the air as one of the security cylinders dropped to a few feet off the ground. It scanned Oleg and the alien and then tilted its weapon ports at each.

No! said Dylan, putting himself between Oleg and the robot.

Get him back! said Isaac.

They dragged Oleg away.

The robot emitted two loud chirps, which caused everyone to move away, then fired a beam that vaporized the alien.

Let’s go! said Isaac.

The robot began to fly over, training its weapon ports on Oleg.

Dylan focused on the immediate and carried Oleg’s legs like a wheelbarrow as Kate and Isaac got his shoulders. It was an awkward walk, but the alternative was Oleg being vaporized. Kate and Isaac were calm, although their faces were like stone. It had not registered fully that Oleg had almost been killed, but the main thing was to get away from the security robot.

The situation was bad, but that summed up his experience so far in this hellhole.

Scene Break

Isaac assisted Dylan and Kate in laying Oleg on a couch in the central room of their housing unit. Oleg seemed to have stabilized, and Dylan had used his shirt to act as a bandage over the wound, which he now kept tight. Kate had utilized another part of Dylan’s shirt as a wet rag and wiped Oleg’s face. Isaac had no idea what was going on with Oleg, but at least for the moment, he was unconscious but appeared to be okay.

I should see what I can get at the general dispensary, said Isaac.

Are you crazy? asked Kate. Those robots are still out there.

Isaac sighed. I know, but they were targeting Oleg, not us, and it was at the food and drink dispensary, not the general supply one. But there may be something there that can help. If anything, I think I can at least get some rags, but I thought I saw pills of some type.

Dylan grimaced. How do you know they’re safe? It could be lethal to us.

I know, I know, but we can’t just sit here doing nothing.

Kate hugged him. Go, but be careful.

Dylan drooped, then nodded.

Isaac tapped his back and headed out. He shared their doubts, and although he had combed through the various items at the general dispensary, he had discarded most of it since it was not filtered by species. There were many strange devices, from specialized chairs to unusual crystals. He had seen a large number of pills, but he couldn’t read what they did or what they were even called. He still had to try to find something, anything, that might help.

After hustling for ten minutes, he stopped at an intersection. The two small jaguar-like aliens who had chased him and Kate long ago were across the street and stared at him. He had no time for them, so he kept going.

They started to follow him.

Isaac was sure he could fight them if he had to, but he also figured he would take