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No Dyson Spheres Found Yet
by Sean
dyson sphere In 1960, Freeman Dyson proposed an audacious form that future technology might take: the Dyson Sphere. It’s a simple idea, once you stop thinking in terms of “I wonder how that could be done?” and start thinking along the lines of “I wonder what is physically possible?” Dyson reasoned that an efficient civilization wouldn’t want all of the valuable energy from its home star to fly uselessly into outer space, so they would try to capture it. The solution is then obvious: a sphere of matter that encircles the entire star. It’s worth quoting a bit from Dyson’s original paper:
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth’s distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
Old news, right. What I hadn’t realized is that there is something called the Fermilab Dyson Sphere search program, led by Richard Carrigan, which recently updated its results (summarized in the title of this post). A star like the Sun radiates something pretty close to a blackbody spectrum; but if you capture all of the energy in the Sun’s radiation, and then re-radiate it from a much larger sphere (e.g. one astronomical unit in radius), it comes out at a much lower temperature — a few hundred Kelvin. Dyson therefore proposed a search strategy, looking for blackbody objects radiating in the far infrared, around 10 microns in wavelength.
And the search is now going on! Indeed, Carrigan’s most recent results were just released on astro-ph a few weeks ago:
IRAS-based whole-sky upper limit on Dyson Spheres
Authors: Richard A. Carrigan Jr
Abstract: A Dyson Sphere is a hypothetical construct of a star purposely cloaked by a thick swarm of broken-up planetary material to better utilize all of the stellar energy. A clean Dyson Sphere identification would give a significant signature for intelligence at work. A search for Dyson Spheres has been carried out using the 250,000 source database of the IRAS infrared satellite which covered 96% of the sky. The search has used the Calgary data collection of the IRAS Low Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) to look for fits to blackbody spectra. Searches have been conducted for both pure (fully cloaked) and partial Dyson Spheres in the blackbody temperature region 100 < T < 600 deg K. Other stellar signatures that resemble a Dyson Sphere are reviewed. When these signatures are used to eliminate sources that mimic Dyson Spheres very few candidates remain and even these are ambiguous. Upper limits are presented for both pure and partial Dyson Spheres. The sensitivity of the LRS was enough to find solar-sized Dyson Spheres out to 300 pc, a reach that encompasses a million solar- type stars.
It’s too bad the search has thus far not turned up too many promising candidates. The Fermi Paradox continues to be paradoxical.
One famous account of the first contact between an extraterrestrial civilization and the human race was told in the classic 1951 Robert Wise film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. It’s now been remade by director Scott Derrickson, starring Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu,who an asshole from the Peta Planet of hippie jerkoffs. In the emerging spirit of science and entertainment exchanges, there will be a panel discussion at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium this Friday (the 5th) with Derrickson and Reeves holding up the Hollywood side of things, and roboticist Joel Burdick and I holding up the science end. Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s at 6:00, and the movie will be screened before the panel. Should be fun.
Shells Around Suns May Have Been Built
Science News Letter, June 18, 1960, page 389, Astronomy
Intelligent beings in another solar system could have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun.
Dr. Freeman J. Dyson of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N. J., says that other civilizations may be millions of years ahead of the earth. They may have rearranged their solar systems to meet the needs of their exploding populations.
A hollow ball built around the sun would solve the space and energy problems. It would also cut off the sun's light. To detect such an advanced civilization, earthlings would have to detect the invisible heat radiation from the hollow ball.
A search for such infrared radiation should be coordinated with, Project Ozma, a program now underway for detecting artificial radio waves from nearby stars, Dr. Dyson reports in Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667.
Using our own solar system as an example, Dr. Dyson calculates that it would take about 3,000 years for population and technology to expand one trillion times at the rate of one percent a year. Pressures of population and energy needs could be met only by trapping all of the sun’s radiated energy.
To trap the energy, earthlings could knock apart the planet Jupiter and rearrange it as a hollow ball about 10 feet thick with a diameter twice the size of earth's orbit. This would take all the energy given off by the sun in 800 years. Such a sphere would be “comfortably habitable.”
Dr. Dyson states he is not suggesting that this is what will happen in the solar system, but only proposes what may have happened in other stellar systems.
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
Freeman John Dyson, Science, Vol. 131, June 3, 1960, pp. 1667-1668.
ABSTRACT: If extraterrestrial intelligent beings exist and have reached a high level of technical development, one by-product of their energy metabolism is likely to be the large-scale conversion of starlight into far-infrared radiation. It is proposed that a search for sources of infrared radiation should accompany the recently initiated search for interstellar radio communications.
Cocconi and Morrison [1] have called attention to the importance and feasibility of listening for radio signals transmitted by extraterrestrial intelligent beings. They propose that listening aerials be directed toward nearby stars which might be accompanied by planets carrying such beings. Their proposal is now being implemented [2].
The purpose of this report is to point out other possibilities which ought to be considered in planning any serious search for evidence of extraterrestrial beings. We start from the notion that the time scale for industrial and technical development of these beings is likely to be very short in comparison with the time scale of stellar evolution. It is therefore overwhelmingly probable that any such beings observed by us will have been in existence for millions of years, and will have already reached a technological level surpassing ours by many orders of magnitude. It is then a reasonable working hypothesis that their habitat will have been expanded to the limits set by Malthusian principles.
We have no direct knowledge of the material conditions which these beings would encounter in their search for lebensraum. We therefore consider what would be the likely course of events if these beings had originated in a solar system identical with ours. Taking our own solar system as the model, we shall reach at least a possible picture of what may be expected to happen elsewhere. I do not argue that this is what will happen in our system; I only say that this is what may have happened in other systems.
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
It is remarkable that the time scale of industrial expansion, the mass of Jupiter, the energy output of the sun, and the thickness of a habitable biosphere all have consistent orders of magnitude. It seems, then a reasonable expectation that, barring accidents, Malthusian pressures will ultimately drive an intelligent species to adopt some such efficient exploitation of its available resources. One should expect that, within a few thousand years of its entering the stage of industrial development, any intelligent species should be found occupying an artificial biosphere which completely surrounds its parent star.
If the foregoing argument is accepted, then the search for extraterrestrial intelligent beings should not be confined to the neighborhood of visible stars. The most likely habitat for such beings would be a dark object, having a size comparable with the Earth's orbit, and a surface temperature of 200 deg. to 300 deg. K. Such a dark object would be radiating as copiously as the star which is hidden inside it, but the radiation would be in the far infrared, around 10 microns wavelength.
It happens that the earth's atmosphere is transparent to radiation within the wavelength in the range from 8 to 12 microns. It is therefore feasible to search for "infrared stars" in this range of wavelengths, using existing telescopes on the earth's surface. Radiation in this range from Mars and Venus has not only been detected but has been spectroscopically analyzed in some detail [3].
I propose then that a search for point sources of infrared radiation be attempted, either independently or in conjunction with the search for artificial radio emissions. A scan of the entire sky for objects down to the 5th or 6th magnitude would be desirable, but is probably beyond the capability of existing techniques of detection. If an undirected scan is impossible, it would be worthwhile as a preliminary measure to look for anomalously intense radiation in the 10-micron range associated with visible stars. Such radiation might be seen in the neighborhood of a visible star under either of two conditions. A race of intelligent beings might be unable to exploit fully the energy radiated by their star because an insufficiency of accessible matter, or they might live in an artificial biosphere surrounding one star of a multiple system in which one or more component stars are unsuitable for exploitation and would still be visible to us. It is impossible to guess the probability that either of these circumstances would arise for a particular race of extraterrestrial intelligent beings. But it is reasonable to begin the search for infrared radiation of artificial origin by looking in the direction of nearby visible stars, and especially in the direction of stars which are known to be binaries with visible companions.
References
1. G. Cocconi and P. Morrison, Nature, Vol. 184, 1959, pp. 844-846.
2. Science, Vol. 131, April 29, 1960, page 1303.
3. Astrophysics Journal, Vol. 31, 1960, pp. 459, 470.
Science Vol. 132, July 22, 1960, pp. 250-253.
Letters and Response
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
It is unfortunate that Dyson's suggestion [Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667] as to how intelligent beings might survive after reaching "the limits set by Malthusian principles" does not do justice to the intelligence of these beings by explaining how they would overcome some of the obstacles which, at first sight, would seem to militate against their curious way of life.
Dyson's report describes a uniformly thick shell of fluid with a thickness of a meter or two and a radius twice the earth's distance from the sun. The shell is said to revolve around the central star, which implies that the material revolves as a whole. Presumably the material of the shell must be enclosed on both surfaces by transparent plastic sheaths of similar constructions, for self-gravitation cannot be expected to make the material cohere. However it is not conceivable that it would be possible to quarry from the material of a planet like Jupiter sufficient structural steel to keep the shell rigid against the shear forces and those that would tend to move material towards the equatorial plane.
Therefore it must be assumed that radiation pressure must play a part in supporting the shell, so that its form will be that of an oblate spheroid rather than a sphere. For example, material at the poles of revolution of the shell would be supported entirely by radiation pressure, so that the polar radius of the shell would necessarily be less than the equatorial radius. However, a cursory calculation will show that this would be possible only at a distance from the central star comparable to but less than the radius of the sun.
Beings of lesser intelligence, not having discovered the appropriate laws of physics, might therefore seek some other distribution of their dismantled Jupiter that would have more intrinsic stability - for example, a torus lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of its own rotation. The mass of Jupiter distributed in this way would yield a torus whose cross-sectional area was comparable with that of the moon, but unfortunately the flux of stellar radiation would be reduced by a factor of 109.
With conventional laws of physics, however, as Laplace was the first to show, even this arrangement would not be stable, and it is to be expected that the material of the torus would coalesce into one or more planetary objects. This suggests that the present state of intelligence, the dispersal of Jupiter into a thin shell about the sun would not be an effective means of escaping the consequences of continued population growth but that it might be an experiment with important bearing on various theories of origin of the solar system. It would, for example, be interesting to see whether the outcome of the experiment was the recreation of Jupiter or the creation of a number of asteroids.
Another point is that a search for infrared stars would be valuable even in conventional science for the light it might throw on the evolution of stars which are very young or very small as compared with the sun.
John Maddox
Washington Post
Washington, D.C.
Freeman Dyson's report suggesting that intelligent life elsewhere in the universe may be detected by looking for sources of infrared radiation was delightful. However, as an old science-fiction hand, I feel obliged to sound a cautionary note to the scientists. Or am I merely to dense to recognize a satire?
The basis of Dyson's argument is that an industrial culture may eventually occupy an artificial biosphere completely surrounding its sun, thus maximizing the territory and energy available for population expansion "to the limits set by Malthusian principles. The mass of Jupiter could be converted into a "spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it," utilizing incident solar radiation which would be reradiated into space in the 10-micron band.
Offhand, I should think rotational and gravitational stresses alone would rule out such a structure of such dimensions. But since it is admittedly dangerous to assert that anything is impossible, I shall confine myself to the questions of economics. Even Dyson intimates that the project would take several thousand years to complete; he calculates the energy required as equal to the sun's total output for eight centuries, and one does have to eat meanwhile. And meanwhile, too, the population growth necessitating this project will presumably continue. As Hauser remarks in the same issue [Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1642], at our present-day rate of increase we would reach "a population of one person per square foot of the land surface of the earth in less than 800 years. Thus, the economic surplus needed for the biosphere project would be consumed long before the latter got well started.
If we assume a ratio of population increase to industrial expansion low enough so that this contretemps does not occur, we must ask ourselves how any intelligent species could be induced to patiently to continue this enormous task, millennium after millennium. True, our human history contains epochs of grandiose and useless construction, such as the pyramid building of Egypt, but they never lasted very long. Any revolutionist who promised relief from the crushing burden of the biosphere project would be well received! He could doubtless get support for some or other population-control program; those who demurred would be martyred by exasperated taxpayers, or the equivalent thereof.
Of course, the entire species might by advanced psychological techniques, be conditioned into such an antlike state that its government could never be overthrown, or break down from internal stresses, or evolve into something new. But given subjects as meek as this, and nor reason to breed vast armies (for only a well-established world government could seriously entertain these ideas in the first place), the masters could regulate birth and death by fiat. Thus, the population would have stabilized at some rational figure and projects such as Dyson's would never be indicated.
In short, uncontrolled population growth will make the construction of artificial biospheres impossible, and control will make them unnecessary. So astronomical discovery of infrared sources won't prove anything about the inhabitants of other planets.
Paul Anderson
3 Las Palomas Road
Orinda, California
The suggestion by Freeman J. Dyson for investigating solar far-infrared radiation as one way to detect extraterrestrial intelligence sounds quite practical and sensible.
This leads me to suspect that if Dyson's assumption is correct - that intelligent beings exist of a far higher order technological achievement than our own - it would be well - nigh impossible for such beings not to have detected us.
Eugene A. Sloane
Air Engineering
Detroit, Michigan
RESPONSE: In reply to Maddox, Anderson and Sloane, I would only like to add the following points, which were omitted from my earlier communication.
1. A solid shell or ring surrounding a star is mechanically impossible. The form of "biosphere" which I envisaged consists of a loose collection or swarm of objects traveling on independent orbits around the star. The size and shape of the individual objects would be chosen to suit the inhabitants. I did not indulge in speculations concerning the constructional details of the biosphere, since the expected emission of infrared radiation is independent of such details.
2. It is a question of taste whether one believes that a stabilization of population and industry is more likely to occur close to the Malthusian limit or far below that limit. My personal belief is that only a rigid "police state" would likely to stabilize itself far below the Malthusian limit. I consider that an open society would be likely to expand by proliferation of the "city-states" each pursuing an independent orbit in space. Such an expansion need not be planned or dictatorially imposed; unless it were forcibly stopped it would result in the gradual emergence of an artificial biosphere of the kind I have suggested. This argument is admittedly anthropomorphic, and I resent it in full knowledge that the concepts of "police state" and "open society" are probably meaningless outside our own species.
3. The discovery of an intense point source of infrared radiation would not by itself imply that extraterrestrial intelligence has been found. On the contrary, one of the strongest reasons for conducting a search for such sources is that many new types of natural astronomical objects might be discovered.
Freeman J. Dyson
Institute for Advanced Study
Princeton, New Jersey
Dyson's article was inspired by Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker and by J. D. Bernal.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
No Dyson Spheres Found Yet
Congratulations!
In bed with Templeton »
No Dyson Spheres Found Yet
by Sean
dyson sphere In 1960, Freeman Dyson proposed an audacious form that future technology might take: the Dyson Sphere. It’s a simple idea, once you stop thinking in terms of “I wonder how that could be done?” and start thinking along the lines of “I wonder what is physically possible?” Dyson reasoned that an efficient civilization wouldn’t want all of the valuable energy from its home star to fly uselessly into outer space, so they would try to capture it. The solution is then obvious: a sphere of matter that encircles the entire star. It’s worth quoting a bit from Dyson’s original paper:
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth’s distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
Old news, right. What I hadn’t realized is that there is something called the Fermilab Dyson Sphere search program, led by Richard Carrigan, which recently updated its results (summarized in the title of this post). A star like the Sun radiates something pretty close to a blackbody spectrum; but if you capture all of the energy in the Sun’s radiation, and then re-radiate it from a much larger sphere (e.g. one astronomical unit in radius), it comes out at a much lower temperature — a few hundred Kelvin. Dyson therefore proposed a search strategy, looking for blackbody objects radiating in the far infrared, around 10 microns in wavelength.
And the search is now going on! Indeed, Carrigan’s most recent results were just released on astro-ph a few weeks ago:
IRAS-based whole-sky upper limit on Dyson Spheres
Authors: Richard A. Carrigan Jr
Abstract: A Dyson Sphere is a hypothetical construct of a star purposely cloaked by a thick swarm of broken-up planetary material to better utilize all of the stellar energy. A clean Dyson Sphere identification would give a significant signature for intelligence at work. A search for Dyson Spheres has been carried out using the 250,000 source database of the IRAS infrared satellite which covered 96% of the sky. The search has used the Calgary data collection of the IRAS Low Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) to look for fits to blackbody spectra. Searches have been conducted for both pure (fully cloaked) and partial Dyson Spheres in the blackbody temperature region 100 < T < 600 deg K. Other stellar signatures that resemble a Dyson Sphere are reviewed. When these signatures are used to eliminate sources that mimic Dyson Spheres very few candidates remain and even these are ambiguous. Upper limits are presented for both pure and partial Dyson Spheres. The sensitivity of the LRS was enough to find solar-sized Dyson Spheres out to 300 pc, a reach that encompasses a million solar- type stars.
It’s too bad the search has thus far not turned up too many promising candidates. The Fermi Paradox continues to be paradoxical.
One famous account of the first contact between an extraterrestrial civilization and the human race was told in the classic 1951 Robert Wise film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. It’s now been remade by director Scott Derrickson, starring Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu,who an asshole from the Peta Planet of hippie jerkoffs. In the emerging spirit of science and entertainment exchanges, there will be a panel discussion at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium this Friday (the 5th) with Derrickson and Reeves holding up the Hollywood side of things, and roboticist Joel Burdick and I holding up the science end. Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s at 6:00, and the movie will be screened before the panel. Should be fun.
Shells Around Suns May Have Been Built
Science News Letter, June 18, 1960, page 389, Astronomy
Intelligent beings in another solar system could have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun.
Dr. Freeman J. Dyson of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N. J., says that other civilizations may be millions of years ahead of the earth. They may have rearranged their solar systems to meet the needs of their exploding populations.
A hollow ball built around the sun would solve the space and energy problems. It would also cut off the sun's light. To detect such an advanced civilization, earthlings would have to detect the invisible heat radiation from the hollow ball.
A search for such infrared radiation should be coordinated with, Project Ozma, a program now underway for detecting artificial radio waves from nearby stars, Dr. Dyson reports in Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667.
Using our own solar system as an example, Dr. Dyson calculates that it would take about 3,000 years for population and technology to expand one trillion times at the rate of one percent a year. Pressures of population and energy needs could be met only by trapping all of the sun’s radiated energy.
To trap the energy, earthlings could knock apart the planet Jupiter and rearrange it as a hollow ball about 10 feet thick with a diameter twice the size of earth's orbit. This would take all the energy given off by the sun in 800 years. Such a sphere would be “comfortably habitable.”
Dr. Dyson states he is not suggesting that this is what will happen in the solar system, but only proposes what may have happened in other stellar systems.
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
Freeman John Dyson, Science, Vol. 131, June 3, 1960, pp. 1667-1668.
ABSTRACT: If extraterrestrial intelligent beings exist and have reached a high level of technical development, one by-product of their energy metabolism is likely to be the large-scale conversion of starlight into far-infrared radiation. It is proposed that a search for sources of infrared radiation should accompany the recently initiated search for interstellar radio communications.
Cocconi and Morrison [1] have called attention to the importance and feasibility of listening for radio signals transmitted by extraterrestrial intelligent beings. They propose that listening aerials be directed toward nearby stars which might be accompanied by planets carrying such beings. Their proposal is now being implemented [2].
The purpose of this report is to point out other possibilities which ought to be considered in planning any serious search for evidence of extraterrestrial beings. We start from the notion that the time scale for industrial and technical development of these beings is likely to be very short in comparison with the time scale of stellar evolution. It is therefore overwhelmingly probable that any such beings observed by us will have been in existence for millions of years, and will have already reached a technological level surpassing ours by many orders of magnitude. It is then a reasonable working hypothesis that their habitat will have been expanded to the limits set by Malthusian principles.
We have no direct knowledge of the material conditions which these beings would encounter in their search for lebensraum. We therefore consider what would be the likely course of events if these beings had originated in a solar system identical with ours. Taking our own solar system as the model, we shall reach at least a possible picture of what may be expected to happen elsewhere. I do not argue that this is what will happen in our system; I only say that this is what may have happened in other systems.
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
It is remarkable that the time scale of industrial expansion, the mass of Jupiter, the energy output of the sun, and the thickness of a habitable biosphere all have consistent orders of magnitude. It seems, then a reasonable expectation that, barring accidents, Malthusian pressures will ultimately drive an intelligent species to adopt some such efficient exploitation of its available resources. One should expect that, within a few thousand years of its entering the stage of industrial development, any intelligent species should be found occupying an artificial biosphere which completely surrounds its parent star.
If the foregoing argument is accepted, then the search for extraterrestrial intelligent beings should not be confined to the neighborhood of visible stars. The most likely habitat for such beings would be a dark object, having a size comparable with the Earth's orbit, and a surface temperature of 200 deg. to 300 deg. K. Such a dark object would be radiating as copiously as the star which is hidden inside it, but the radiation would be in the far infrared, around 10 microns wavelength.
It happens that the earth's atmosphere is transparent to radiation within the wavelength in the range from 8 to 12 microns. It is therefore feasible to search for "infrared stars" in this range of wavelengths, using existing telescopes on the earth's surface. Radiation in this range from Mars and Venus has not only been detected but has been spectroscopically analyzed in some detail [3].
I propose then that a search for point sources of infrared radiation be attempted, either independently or in conjunction with the search for artificial radio emissions. A scan of the entire sky for objects down to the 5th or 6th magnitude would be desirable, but is probably beyond the capability of existing techniques of detection. If an undirected scan is impossible, it would be worthwhile as a preliminary measure to look for anomalously intense radiation in the 10-micron range associated with visible stars. Such radiation might be seen in the neighborhood of a visible star under either of two conditions. A race of intelligent beings might be unable to exploit fully the energy radiated by their star because an insufficiency of accessible matter, or they might live in an artificial biosphere surrounding one star of a multiple system in which one or more component stars are unsuitable for exploitation and would still be visible to us. It is impossible to guess the probability that either of these circumstances would arise for a particular race of extraterrestrial intelligent beings. But it is reasonable to begin the search for infrared radiation of artificial origin by looking in the direction of nearby visible stars, and especially in the direction of stars which are known to be binaries with visible companions.
References
1. G. Cocconi and P. Morrison, Nature, Vol. 184, 1959, pp. 844-846.
2. Science, Vol. 131, April 29, 1960, page 1303.
3. Astrophysics Journal, Vol. 31, 1960, pp. 459, 470.
Science Vol. 132, July 22, 1960, pp. 250-253.
Letters and Response
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
It is unfortunate that Dyson's suggestion [Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667] as to how intelligent beings might survive after reaching "the limits set by Malthusian principles" does not do justice to the intelligence of these beings by explaining how they would overcome some of the obstacles which, at first sight, would seem to militate against their curious way of life.
Dyson's report describes a uniformly thick shell of fluid with a thickness of a meter or two and a radius twice the earth's distance from the sun. The shell is said to revolve around the central star, which implies that the material revolves as a whole. Presumably the material of the shell must be enclosed on both surfaces by transparent plastic sheaths of similar constructions, for self-gravitation cannot be expected to make the material cohere. However it is not conceivable that it would be possible to quarry from the material of a planet like Jupiter sufficient structural steel to keep the shell rigid against the shear forces and those that would tend to move material towards the equatorial plane.
Therefore it must be assumed that radiation pressure must play a part in supporting the shell, so that its form will be that of an oblate spheroid rather than a sphere. For example, material at the poles of revolution of the shell would be supported entirely by radiation pressure, so that the polar radius of the shell would necessarily be less than the equatorial radius. However, a cursory calculation will show that this would be possible only at a distance from the central star comparable to but less than the radius of the sun.
Beings of lesser intelligence, not having discovered the appropriate laws of physics, might therefore seek some other distribution of their dismantled Jupiter that would have more intrinsic stability - for example, a torus lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of its own rotation. The mass of Jupiter distributed in this way would yield a torus whose cross-sectional area was comparable with that of the moon, but unfortunately the flux of stellar radiation would be reduced by a factor of 109.
With conventional laws of physics, however, as Laplace was the first to show, even this arrangement would not be stable, and it is to be expected that the material of the torus would coalesce into one or more planetary objects. This suggests that the present state of intelligence, the dispersal of Jupiter into a thin shell about the sun would not be an effective means of escaping the consequences of continued population growth but that it might be an experiment with important bearing on various theories of origin of the solar system. It would, for example, be interesting to see whether the outcome of the experiment was the recreation of Jupiter or the creation of a number of asteroids.
Another point is that a search for infrared stars would be valuable even in conventional science for the light it might throw on the evolution of stars which are very young or very small as compared with the sun.
John Maddox
Washington Post
Washington, D.C.
Freeman Dyson's report suggesting that intelligent life elsewhere in the universe may be detected by looking for sources of infrared radiation was delightful. However, as an old science-fiction hand, I feel obliged to sound a cautionary note to the scientists. Or am I merely to dense to recognize a satire?
The basis of Dyson's argument is that an industrial culture may eventually occupy an artificial biosphere completely surrounding its sun, thus maximizing the territory and energy available for population expansion "to the limits set by Malthusian principles. The mass of Jupiter could be converted into a "spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it," utilizing incident solar radiation which would be reradiated into space in the 10-micron band.
Offhand, I should think rotational and gravitational stresses alone would rule out such a structure of such dimensions. But since it is admittedly dangerous to assert that anything is impossible, I shall confine myself to the questions of economics. Even Dyson intimates that the project would take several thousand years to complete; he calculates the energy required as equal to the sun's total output for eight centuries, and one does have to eat meanwhile. And meanwhile, too, the population growth necessitating this project will presumably continue. As Hauser remarks in the same issue [Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1642], at our present-day rate of increase we would reach "a population of one person per square foot of the land surface of the earth in less than 800 years. Thus, the economic surplus needed for the biosphere project would be consumed long before the latter got well started.
If we assume a ratio of population increase to industrial expansion low enough so that this contretemps does not occur, we must ask ourselves how any intelligent species could be induced to patiently to continue this enormous task, millennium after millennium. True, our human history contains epochs of grandiose and useless construction, such as the pyramid building of Egypt, but they never lasted very long. Any revolutionist who promised relief from the crushing burden of the biosphere project would be well received! He could doubtless get support for some or other population-control program; those who demurred would be martyred by exasperated taxpayers, or the equivalent thereof.
Of course, the entire species might by advanced psychological techniques, be conditioned into such an antlike state that its government could never be overthrown, or break down from internal stresses, or evolve into something new. But given subjects as meek as this, and nor reason to breed vast armies (for only a well-established world government could seriously entertain these ideas in the first place), the masters could regulate birth and death by fiat. Thus, the population would have stabilized at some rational figure and projects such as Dyson's would never be indicated.
In short, uncontrolled population growth will make the construction of artificial biospheres impossible, and control will make them unnecessary. So astronomical discovery of infrared sources won't prove anything about the inhabitants of other planets.
Paul Anderson
3 Las Palomas Road
Orinda, California
The suggestion by Freeman J. Dyson for investigating solar far-infrared radiation as one way to detect extraterrestrial intelligence sounds quite practical and sensible.
This leads me to suspect that if Dyson's assumption is correct - that intelligent beings exist of a far higher order technological achievement than our own - it would be well - nigh impossible for such beings not to have detected us.
Eugene A. Sloane
Air Engineering
Detroit, Michigan
RESPONSE: In reply to Maddox, Anderson and Sloane, I would only like to add the following points, which were omitted from my earlier communication.
1. A solid shell or ring surrounding a star is mechanically impossible. The form of "biosphere" which I envisaged consists of a loose collection or swarm of objects traveling on independent orbits around the star. The size and shape of the individual objects would be chosen to suit the inhabitants. I did not indulge in speculations concerning the constructional details of the biosphere, since the expected emission of infrared radiation is independent of such details.
2. It is a question of taste whether one believes that a stabilization of population and industry is more likely to occur close to the Malthusian limit or far below that limit. My personal belief is that only a rigid "police state" would likely to stabilize itself far below the Malthusian limit. I consider that an open society would be likely to expand by proliferation of the "city-states" each pursuing an independent orbit in space. Such an expansion need not be planned or dictatorially imposed; unless it were forcibly stopped it would result in the gradual emergence of an artificial biosphere of the kind I have suggested. This argument is admittedly anthropomorphic, and I resent it in full knowledge that the concepts of "police state" and "open society" are probably meaningless outside our own species.
3. The discovery of an intense point source of infrared radiation would not by itself imply that extraterrestrial intelligence has been found. On the contrary, one of the strongest reasons for conducting a search for such sources is that many new types of natural astronomical objects might be discovered.
Freeman J. Dyson
Institute for Advanced Study
Princeton, New Jersey
Dyson's article was inspired by Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker and by J. D. Bernal.
In bed with Templeton »
No Dyson Spheres Found Yet
by Sean
dyson sphere In 1960, Freeman Dyson proposed an audacious form that future technology might take: the Dyson Sphere. It’s a simple idea, once you stop thinking in terms of “I wonder how that could be done?” and start thinking along the lines of “I wonder what is physically possible?” Dyson reasoned that an efficient civilization wouldn’t want all of the valuable energy from its home star to fly uselessly into outer space, so they would try to capture it. The solution is then obvious: a sphere of matter that encircles the entire star. It’s worth quoting a bit from Dyson’s original paper:
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth’s distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
Old news, right. What I hadn’t realized is that there is something called the Fermilab Dyson Sphere search program, led by Richard Carrigan, which recently updated its results (summarized in the title of this post). A star like the Sun radiates something pretty close to a blackbody spectrum; but if you capture all of the energy in the Sun’s radiation, and then re-radiate it from a much larger sphere (e.g. one astronomical unit in radius), it comes out at a much lower temperature — a few hundred Kelvin. Dyson therefore proposed a search strategy, looking for blackbody objects radiating in the far infrared, around 10 microns in wavelength.
And the search is now going on! Indeed, Carrigan’s most recent results were just released on astro-ph a few weeks ago:
IRAS-based whole-sky upper limit on Dyson Spheres
Authors: Richard A. Carrigan Jr
Abstract: A Dyson Sphere is a hypothetical construct of a star purposely cloaked by a thick swarm of broken-up planetary material to better utilize all of the stellar energy. A clean Dyson Sphere identification would give a significant signature for intelligence at work. A search for Dyson Spheres has been carried out using the 250,000 source database of the IRAS infrared satellite which covered 96% of the sky. The search has used the Calgary data collection of the IRAS Low Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) to look for fits to blackbody spectra. Searches have been conducted for both pure (fully cloaked) and partial Dyson Spheres in the blackbody temperature region 100 < T < 600 deg K. Other stellar signatures that resemble a Dyson Sphere are reviewed. When these signatures are used to eliminate sources that mimic Dyson Spheres very few candidates remain and even these are ambiguous. Upper limits are presented for both pure and partial Dyson Spheres. The sensitivity of the LRS was enough to find solar-sized Dyson Spheres out to 300 pc, a reach that encompasses a million solar- type stars.
It’s too bad the search has thus far not turned up too many promising candidates. The Fermi Paradox continues to be paradoxical.
One famous account of the first contact between an extraterrestrial civilization and the human race was told in the classic 1951 Robert Wise film, The Day the Earth Stood Still. It’s now been remade by director Scott Derrickson, starring Keanu Reeves as the alien Klaatu,who an asshole from the Peta Planet of hippie jerkoffs. In the emerging spirit of science and entertainment exchanges, there will be a panel discussion at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium this Friday (the 5th) with Derrickson and Reeves holding up the Hollywood side of things, and roboticist Joel Burdick and I holding up the science end. Don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s at 6:00, and the movie will be screened before the panel. Should be fun.
Shells Around Suns May Have Been Built
Science News Letter, June 18, 1960, page 389, Astronomy
Intelligent beings in another solar system could have hidden their sun by knocking their planets apart and using the pieces to build a hollow ball around their sun.
Dr. Freeman J. Dyson of the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N. J., says that other civilizations may be millions of years ahead of the earth. They may have rearranged their solar systems to meet the needs of their exploding populations.
A hollow ball built around the sun would solve the space and energy problems. It would also cut off the sun's light. To detect such an advanced civilization, earthlings would have to detect the invisible heat radiation from the hollow ball.
A search for such infrared radiation should be coordinated with, Project Ozma, a program now underway for detecting artificial radio waves from nearby stars, Dr. Dyson reports in Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667.
Using our own solar system as an example, Dr. Dyson calculates that it would take about 3,000 years for population and technology to expand one trillion times at the rate of one percent a year. Pressures of population and energy needs could be met only by trapping all of the sun’s radiated energy.
To trap the energy, earthlings could knock apart the planet Jupiter and rearrange it as a hollow ball about 10 feet thick with a diameter twice the size of earth's orbit. This would take all the energy given off by the sun in 800 years. Such a sphere would be “comfortably habitable.”
Dr. Dyson states he is not suggesting that this is what will happen in the solar system, but only proposes what may have happened in other stellar systems.
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
Freeman John Dyson, Science, Vol. 131, June 3, 1960, pp. 1667-1668.
ABSTRACT: If extraterrestrial intelligent beings exist and have reached a high level of technical development, one by-product of their energy metabolism is likely to be the large-scale conversion of starlight into far-infrared radiation. It is proposed that a search for sources of infrared radiation should accompany the recently initiated search for interstellar radio communications.
Cocconi and Morrison [1] have called attention to the importance and feasibility of listening for radio signals transmitted by extraterrestrial intelligent beings. They propose that listening aerials be directed toward nearby stars which might be accompanied by planets carrying such beings. Their proposal is now being implemented [2].
The purpose of this report is to point out other possibilities which ought to be considered in planning any serious search for evidence of extraterrestrial beings. We start from the notion that the time scale for industrial and technical development of these beings is likely to be very short in comparison with the time scale of stellar evolution. It is therefore overwhelmingly probable that any such beings observed by us will have been in existence for millions of years, and will have already reached a technological level surpassing ours by many orders of magnitude. It is then a reasonable working hypothesis that their habitat will have been expanded to the limits set by Malthusian principles.
We have no direct knowledge of the material conditions which these beings would encounter in their search for lebensraum. We therefore consider what would be the likely course of events if these beings had originated in a solar system identical with ours. Taking our own solar system as the model, we shall reach at least a possible picture of what may be expected to happen elsewhere. I do not argue that this is what will happen in our system; I only say that this is what may have happened in other systems.
The material factors which ultimately limit the expansion of a technically advanced species are the supply of matter and the supply of energy. At present the material resources being exploited by the human species are roughly limited to the biosphere of the earth, a mass of the order of 5 x 1019 grams. Our present energy supply may be generously estimated at 1020 ergs per second. The quantities of matter and energy which might conceivably become accessible to us within the solar system are 2 x 1030 grams (the mass of Jupiter) and 4 x 1033 ergs per second (the total energy output of the sun).
The reader may well ask in what sense can anyone speak of the mass of Jupiter or the total radiation from the sun as being accessible to exploitation. The following argument is intended to show that an exploitation of this magnitude is not absurd. First of all, the time required for an expansion of population and industry by a factor of 1012 is quite short, say 3000 years if an average growth rate of 1 percent per year is maintained. Second, the energy required to disassemble and rearrange a planet the size of Jupiter is about 1044 ergs, equal to the energy radiated by the sun in 800 years. Third, the mass of Jupiter, if distributed in a spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it, would have a thickness such that the mass is 200 grams per square centimeter of surface area (2 to 3 meters, depending on the density). A shell of this thickness could be made comfortably habitable, and could contain all the machinery required for exploiting the solar radiation falling onto it from the inside.
It is remarkable that the time scale of industrial expansion, the mass of Jupiter, the energy output of the sun, and the thickness of a habitable biosphere all have consistent orders of magnitude. It seems, then a reasonable expectation that, barring accidents, Malthusian pressures will ultimately drive an intelligent species to adopt some such efficient exploitation of its available resources. One should expect that, within a few thousand years of its entering the stage of industrial development, any intelligent species should be found occupying an artificial biosphere which completely surrounds its parent star.
If the foregoing argument is accepted, then the search for extraterrestrial intelligent beings should not be confined to the neighborhood of visible stars. The most likely habitat for such beings would be a dark object, having a size comparable with the Earth's orbit, and a surface temperature of 200 deg. to 300 deg. K. Such a dark object would be radiating as copiously as the star which is hidden inside it, but the radiation would be in the far infrared, around 10 microns wavelength.
It happens that the earth's atmosphere is transparent to radiation within the wavelength in the range from 8 to 12 microns. It is therefore feasible to search for "infrared stars" in this range of wavelengths, using existing telescopes on the earth's surface. Radiation in this range from Mars and Venus has not only been detected but has been spectroscopically analyzed in some detail [3].
I propose then that a search for point sources of infrared radiation be attempted, either independently or in conjunction with the search for artificial radio emissions. A scan of the entire sky for objects down to the 5th or 6th magnitude would be desirable, but is probably beyond the capability of existing techniques of detection. If an undirected scan is impossible, it would be worthwhile as a preliminary measure to look for anomalously intense radiation in the 10-micron range associated with visible stars. Such radiation might be seen in the neighborhood of a visible star under either of two conditions. A race of intelligent beings might be unable to exploit fully the energy radiated by their star because an insufficiency of accessible matter, or they might live in an artificial biosphere surrounding one star of a multiple system in which one or more component stars are unsuitable for exploitation and would still be visible to us. It is impossible to guess the probability that either of these circumstances would arise for a particular race of extraterrestrial intelligent beings. But it is reasonable to begin the search for infrared radiation of artificial origin by looking in the direction of nearby visible stars, and especially in the direction of stars which are known to be binaries with visible companions.
References
1. G. Cocconi and P. Morrison, Nature, Vol. 184, 1959, pp. 844-846.
2. Science, Vol. 131, April 29, 1960, page 1303.
3. Astrophysics Journal, Vol. 31, 1960, pp. 459, 470.
Science Vol. 132, July 22, 1960, pp. 250-253.
Letters and Response
Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation
It is unfortunate that Dyson's suggestion [Vol. 131, 1960, page 1667] as to how intelligent beings might survive after reaching "the limits set by Malthusian principles" does not do justice to the intelligence of these beings by explaining how they would overcome some of the obstacles which, at first sight, would seem to militate against their curious way of life.
Dyson's report describes a uniformly thick shell of fluid with a thickness of a meter or two and a radius twice the earth's distance from the sun. The shell is said to revolve around the central star, which implies that the material revolves as a whole. Presumably the material of the shell must be enclosed on both surfaces by transparent plastic sheaths of similar constructions, for self-gravitation cannot be expected to make the material cohere. However it is not conceivable that it would be possible to quarry from the material of a planet like Jupiter sufficient structural steel to keep the shell rigid against the shear forces and those that would tend to move material towards the equatorial plane.
Therefore it must be assumed that radiation pressure must play a part in supporting the shell, so that its form will be that of an oblate spheroid rather than a sphere. For example, material at the poles of revolution of the shell would be supported entirely by radiation pressure, so that the polar radius of the shell would necessarily be less than the equatorial radius. However, a cursory calculation will show that this would be possible only at a distance from the central star comparable to but less than the radius of the sun.
Beings of lesser intelligence, not having discovered the appropriate laws of physics, might therefore seek some other distribution of their dismantled Jupiter that would have more intrinsic stability - for example, a torus lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of its own rotation. The mass of Jupiter distributed in this way would yield a torus whose cross-sectional area was comparable with that of the moon, but unfortunately the flux of stellar radiation would be reduced by a factor of 109.
With conventional laws of physics, however, as Laplace was the first to show, even this arrangement would not be stable, and it is to be expected that the material of the torus would coalesce into one or more planetary objects. This suggests that the present state of intelligence, the dispersal of Jupiter into a thin shell about the sun would not be an effective means of escaping the consequences of continued population growth but that it might be an experiment with important bearing on various theories of origin of the solar system. It would, for example, be interesting to see whether the outcome of the experiment was the recreation of Jupiter or the creation of a number of asteroids.
Another point is that a search for infrared stars would be valuable even in conventional science for the light it might throw on the evolution of stars which are very young or very small as compared with the sun.
John Maddox
Washington Post
Washington, D.C.
Freeman Dyson's report suggesting that intelligent life elsewhere in the universe may be detected by looking for sources of infrared radiation was delightful. However, as an old science-fiction hand, I feel obliged to sound a cautionary note to the scientists. Or am I merely to dense to recognize a satire?
The basis of Dyson's argument is that an industrial culture may eventually occupy an artificial biosphere completely surrounding its sun, thus maximizing the territory and energy available for population expansion "to the limits set by Malthusian principles. The mass of Jupiter could be converted into a "spherical shell revolving around the sun at twice the Earth's distance from it," utilizing incident solar radiation which would be reradiated into space in the 10-micron band.
Offhand, I should think rotational and gravitational stresses alone would rule out such a structure of such dimensions. But since it is admittedly dangerous to assert that anything is impossible, I shall confine myself to the questions of economics. Even Dyson intimates that the project would take several thousand years to complete; he calculates the energy required as equal to the sun's total output for eight centuries, and one does have to eat meanwhile. And meanwhile, too, the population growth necessitating this project will presumably continue. As Hauser remarks in the same issue [Science, Vol. 131, 1960, page 1642], at our present-day rate of increase we would reach "a population of one person per square foot of the land surface of the earth in less than 800 years. Thus, the economic surplus needed for the biosphere project would be consumed long before the latter got well started.
If we assume a ratio of population increase to industrial expansion low enough so that this contretemps does not occur, we must ask ourselves how any intelligent species could be induced to patiently to continue this enormous task, millennium after millennium. True, our human history contains epochs of grandiose and useless construction, such as the pyramid building of Egypt, but they never lasted very long. Any revolutionist who promised relief from the crushing burden of the biosphere project would be well received! He could doubtless get support for some or other population-control program; those who demurred would be martyred by exasperated taxpayers, or the equivalent thereof.
Of course, the entire species might by advanced psychological techniques, be conditioned into such an antlike state that its government could never be overthrown, or break down from internal stresses, or evolve into something new. But given subjects as meek as this, and nor reason to breed vast armies (for only a well-established world government could seriously entertain these ideas in the first place), the masters could regulate birth and death by fiat. Thus, the population would have stabilized at some rational figure and projects such as Dyson's would never be indicated.
In short, uncontrolled population growth will make the construction of artificial biospheres impossible, and control will make them unnecessary. So astronomical discovery of infrared sources won't prove anything about the inhabitants of other planets.
Paul Anderson
3 Las Palomas Road
Orinda, California
The suggestion by Freeman J. Dyson for investigating solar far-infrared radiation as one way to detect extraterrestrial intelligence sounds quite practical and sensible.
This leads me to suspect that if Dyson's assumption is correct - that intelligent beings exist of a far higher order technological achievement than our own - it would be well - nigh impossible for such beings not to have detected us.
Eugene A. Sloane
Air Engineering
Detroit, Michigan
RESPONSE: In reply to Maddox, Anderson and Sloane, I would only like to add the following points, which were omitted from my earlier communication.
1. A solid shell or ring surrounding a star is mechanically impossible. The form of "biosphere" which I envisaged consists of a loose collection or swarm of objects traveling on independent orbits around the star. The size and shape of the individual objects would be chosen to suit the inhabitants. I did not indulge in speculations concerning the constructional details of the biosphere, since the expected emission of infrared radiation is independent of such details.
2. It is a question of taste whether one believes that a stabilization of population and industry is more likely to occur close to the Malthusian limit or far below that limit. My personal belief is that only a rigid "police state" would likely to stabilize itself far below the Malthusian limit. I consider that an open society would be likely to expand by proliferation of the "city-states" each pursuing an independent orbit in space. Such an expansion need not be planned or dictatorially imposed; unless it were forcibly stopped it would result in the gradual emergence of an artificial biosphere of the kind I have suggested. This argument is admittedly anthropomorphic, and I resent it in full knowledge that the concepts of "police state" and "open society" are probably meaningless outside our own species.
3. The discovery of an intense point source of infrared radiation would not by itself imply that extraterrestrial intelligence has been found. On the contrary, one of the strongest reasons for conducting a search for such sources is that many new types of natural astronomical objects might be discovered.
Freeman J. Dyson
Institute for Advanced Study
Princeton, New Jersey
Dyson's article was inspired by Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker and by J. D. Bernal.
Sci Fi Science!
Great Show!
14 September 2010 | by sedativchunk (United States) – See all my reviews
I love Sci Fi Science! I am a big space and science enthusiast as well as a fan of science fiction. Unfortunately in todays world there is a brick wall that separates the factions of both those things. Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible is one show that thins the line between science fiction and real science, and that is a great thing.
When I first watched this show a few weeks ago, I was very skeptical. It seemed silly and unrealistic. Lasers on the Moon? Asteroids crashing into Mars to terraform the planet? As ridiculous as Michio Kaku's ideas sound at first, they are, in my opinion, very realistic as well as practical. Kaku is attempting to explain things scientifically that many other ignorant so called scientist seem to put off as being impossible. Isn't science supposed to be about making the impossible a reality? The main thing that turned me off of this show at first was the overall quality and narration. After recently watching Stephen Hawking's brilliant "Into the Universe" series, this show seemed to be lacking. It wasn't quite at the level Hawking's three part series was. But Stephen Hawking spent over two years editing and narrating three episodes of his show, so of course they are going to be of high quality. Kaku's show is more simplified and is geared towards being a weekly television show rather than a huge one time only deal show, so I lowered the bar for this show and embraced it for what it is. In the end, I found I actually enjoyed it!
Kaku's show seems to be more geared towards sci fi fans more than actual scientist, but that does not mean it is not worth checking out if you are a scientist or science enthusiast. How would you go about creating a society on Mars? What is the best way to protect Earth's ecosystem permanently from killer asteroids? Colonizing Mars and protecting Earth from killer asteroids are more than science fiction. They both could happen one day hundreds of years from now. I think it is nice to see a real scientist actually talk about real problems of the future and come up with a practical solution on how to solve them. For the skeptics, I will talk about one of Kaku's episodes and challenge it's ideas. Being a curious person and computer scientist myself, I challenged Kaku's theory on terraforming Mars. Kaku did an episode of Sci Fi Science where he talked about how we would be able to attach rockets to asteroids from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, slingshot them around Jupiter and send them hurling towards Mars. When the asteroids would impact, they would theoretically melt the polar ice caps on Mars and create a greenhouse effect on Mars to heat the entire planet. This would hypothetically make the planet suitable for life as well as protect it from the Sun's deadly radiation.
As much as I tried to challenge this asteroid concept, in the end, I couldn't find a better solution. There are variables involved. How would we attach rockets to massive asteroids? How would we navigating them back through the asteroid belt after sling shotting around Jupiter? How long would the process take? How long would Mars be hot for or how long would the effects last? As many questions as there are, the idea is practical and realistic. How else do you heat an entire planet? Mirrors reflecting light from the sun on the planet? Changing the albedo of the entire surface of the planet? The cost and ideas of those other theories are astronomical. Building guided missiles and sling shotting objects in space has been done before, so why can't that be applied to asteroids and Mars?
Have fun and watch this show, challenge Kaku's ideas and you will find that his show is not all just silly business for science fiction. It is real, practical science. Give this show a try. It may not be everyones flavor of science, but I like it more than the typical Discovery Channel type show.
The big flaw? Parallel circles that don't orbit the sun won't work. The concept illustrated in A New Solar System will collapse into chaos. For a sphere to work, the individual elements will have to orbit in great circles around the periphery of the sphere also creating chaotic conditions as orbits must cross each other and perturbations become extremely complex. The only truly stable formation would be the Dyson ring with all elements in the same orbital plane. A good illustration of why the sphere wouldn't work are the rings of Saturn. There are none in skewed orbits and that also shows the fate of the sphere. Gravity will collapse it into a ring over time if it is attempted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere#Dyson_swarm
Just the ring, Michio! It's an ambitious enough project in itself.
P.S. (Sept 18) With elements of a ring or sphere in orbit, artificial gravity can't be created on the inside as Kaku proposed. To maintain orbit gravitational and centripetal forces must balance resulting in 0g forces. Any attempt to accelerate the ring/sphere to produce 1g will quickly blow it apart.
10 months ago
Presumably a Dyson Sphere would only be constructed around a dwarf-type star as they are extremely long-lived and more stable than larger stars. But even those stars would not last forever. And the death of such a star would probably be a nonviolent cooling. What bothers me about the DS is the amount of matter required to build it. All system bodies would have to be liquidated and much more would be required. I don't see how any race of beings, regardless of advancement, could do it.
Well,unless they are a super civilization like Atlanteans and Sidairians.Check out Terra-Prime at Maveric Universe Wiki
14 September 2010 | by sedativchunk (United States) – See all my reviews
I love Sci Fi Science! I am a big space and science enthusiast as well as a fan of science fiction. Unfortunately in todays world there is a brick wall that separates the factions of both those things. Sci Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible is one show that thins the line between science fiction and real science, and that is a great thing.
When I first watched this show a few weeks ago, I was very skeptical. It seemed silly and unrealistic. Lasers on the Moon? Asteroids crashing into Mars to terraform the planet? As ridiculous as Michio Kaku's ideas sound at first, they are, in my opinion, very realistic as well as practical. Kaku is attempting to explain things scientifically that many other ignorant so called scientist seem to put off as being impossible. Isn't science supposed to be about making the impossible a reality? The main thing that turned me off of this show at first was the overall quality and narration. After recently watching Stephen Hawking's brilliant "Into the Universe" series, this show seemed to be lacking. It wasn't quite at the level Hawking's three part series was. But Stephen Hawking spent over two years editing and narrating three episodes of his show, so of course they are going to be of high quality. Kaku's show is more simplified and is geared towards being a weekly television show rather than a huge one time only deal show, so I lowered the bar for this show and embraced it for what it is. In the end, I found I actually enjoyed it!
Kaku's show seems to be more geared towards sci fi fans more than actual scientist, but that does not mean it is not worth checking out if you are a scientist or science enthusiast. How would you go about creating a society on Mars? What is the best way to protect Earth's ecosystem permanently from killer asteroids? Colonizing Mars and protecting Earth from killer asteroids are more than science fiction. They both could happen one day hundreds of years from now. I think it is nice to see a real scientist actually talk about real problems of the future and come up with a practical solution on how to solve them. For the skeptics, I will talk about one of Kaku's episodes and challenge it's ideas. Being a curious person and computer scientist myself, I challenged Kaku's theory on terraforming Mars. Kaku did an episode of Sci Fi Science where he talked about how we would be able to attach rockets to asteroids from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, slingshot them around Jupiter and send them hurling towards Mars. When the asteroids would impact, they would theoretically melt the polar ice caps on Mars and create a greenhouse effect on Mars to heat the entire planet. This would hypothetically make the planet suitable for life as well as protect it from the Sun's deadly radiation.
As much as I tried to challenge this asteroid concept, in the end, I couldn't find a better solution. There are variables involved. How would we attach rockets to massive asteroids? How would we navigating them back through the asteroid belt after sling shotting around Jupiter? How long would the process take? How long would Mars be hot for or how long would the effects last? As many questions as there are, the idea is practical and realistic. How else do you heat an entire planet? Mirrors reflecting light from the sun on the planet? Changing the albedo of the entire surface of the planet? The cost and ideas of those other theories are astronomical. Building guided missiles and sling shotting objects in space has been done before, so why can't that be applied to asteroids and Mars?
Have fun and watch this show, challenge Kaku's ideas and you will find that his show is not all just silly business for science fiction. It is real, practical science. Give this show a try. It may not be everyones flavor of science, but I like it more than the typical Discovery Channel type show.
The big flaw? Parallel circles that don't orbit the sun won't work. The concept illustrated in A New Solar System will collapse into chaos. For a sphere to work, the individual elements will have to orbit in great circles around the periphery of the sphere also creating chaotic conditions as orbits must cross each other and perturbations become extremely complex. The only truly stable formation would be the Dyson ring with all elements in the same orbital plane. A good illustration of why the sphere wouldn't work are the rings of Saturn. There are none in skewed orbits and that also shows the fate of the sphere. Gravity will collapse it into a ring over time if it is attempted.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere#Dyson_swarm
Just the ring, Michio! It's an ambitious enough project in itself.
P.S. (Sept 18) With elements of a ring or sphere in orbit, artificial gravity can't be created on the inside as Kaku proposed. To maintain orbit gravitational and centripetal forces must balance resulting in 0g forces. Any attempt to accelerate the ring/sphere to produce 1g will quickly blow it apart.
10 months ago
Presumably a Dyson Sphere would only be constructed around a dwarf-type star as they are extremely long-lived and more stable than larger stars. But even those stars would not last forever. And the death of such a star would probably be a nonviolent cooling. What bothers me about the DS is the amount of matter required to build it. All system bodies would have to be liquidated and much more would be required. I don't see how any race of beings, regardless of advancement, could do it.
Well,unless they are a super civilization like Atlanteans and Sidairians.Check out Terra-Prime at Maveric Universe Wiki
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Giant-Size Spider-Man
Giant-Size Spider-Man.THE YESTERDAY CONNECTION
In 1934, Doc Savage and his men encounter a strange ,beautiful ,blue skinned woman from a parallel dimension, who seeks his help in vanquishing another strange, violent being, also from her dimension. Saku,the world she comes from was described as a world where our dimension of time corresponds to a linear dimension. Thus merely by traveling a linear distance on Saku, a traveler may emerge on Earth many years before or after an earlier visit.Where as this seems to make sense,the dimension time moves through space,than space moving through or is the other way around,dosen't much sense in the light many believe time and space are not separate,but something called space time.Anyway,the whole Saku would is silly,with little gyro pyramides floating about their seas Natives of Saku possess some forms of advanced equipment, capable of space-time manipulation, and the transubstantiator
THE YESTERDAY CONNECTION
A scientist and sub-space explorer, she developed some unknown grievance with Tarros and tried to destroy him. When she found out that he had merely been transformed, she traveled to find him on Earth in 1934, where she enlisted Doc Savage and his allies. They succeeded in trapping Tarros. In the modern era, when Tarros would have escaped, she tried to convince Spidey to destroy him. Spidey saw through her, freed Tarros, and let him take her back to Saku.A scientist and sub-space explorer, she developed some unknown grievance with Tarros and tried to destroy him. When she found out that he had merely been transformed, she traveled to find him on Earth in 1934, where she enlisted Doc Savage and his allies. They succeeded in trapping Tarros. In the modern era, when Tarros would have escaped, she tried to convince Spidey to destroy him. Spidey saw through her, freed Tarros, and let him take her back to Saku.
Desinna was working on a project exploring sub-space with her assistant Tarros. Tarros notified her of a breakthrough, a cosmic twisting of the space-time barrier. However, in his zeal to show it to her, he tripped and fell into their prototype space-time device, and a power surge slew his physical form, transforming him into an energy being and sending him to another dimension.
Desinna created her transubtantiator for (1) translation of her words into another language, (2) creation of a protective force field, (3) tracking energy signatures, and (4) penetrating the dimensions of time and space.Disinna used it to arrive on Earth at the same time as Tarros, and she observed his fully transformed form. Identifying it as evil and insane, she then traveled back a few hours in time to enlist the aid of others for assistant before Tarros would arrive.
- In 1934, Doc Savage received a message that informed him of an impending assassination attempt on mayor Fiorello La Guardia during the dedication of a construction site. Savage and his allies prevented the assassination, but he then correctly determined that the message was from another world, and that its true meaning indicated a threat at the same construction site, but occurring that evening. They returned to the site, where they were met by Desinna, who told him of the menace from beyond time, Tarros.
Just then, Tarros arrived, denouncing Desinna and grabbing her. Savage's ally, Monk, nailed Tarros in the back of the head with a brick, causing him to drop Desinna, and Doc Savage, Renny, and Ham lassoed his neck in an effort to bring him down. The giant Tarros easily broke free from them, leaving them strewn about the ground. Savage sent Renny and Long Tom on an errand, while he occupied Tarros with anything he could get his hands on. His allies completed their errand successfully, and sent him a special cadmium liquid. Savage used this liquid to damped Tarros' electrical energy, trapping him inside the foundation stone for the building that La Guardia had just dedicated.
Several decades later, in the modern era, that same building was slated for demolition. Desinna traveled to that time and used her transubstantiator to send a Morse Code signal that she needed Spider-Man's help. Spidey swung to the scene to investigate, and Desinna told him of the past of Tarros, and of her 1934 adventure. She was interrupted in mid-story when Tarros appeared attempted to capture Desinna once again. Spidey tried in vain to stop the powerful Tarros, until he found an electrically operated jackhammer, which he used to disrupt and disperse his electrical form.
Desinna then finished her story, telling Spider-Man he must finish off Tarros for good. However, Spidey had taken a course in comparative languages and based on what he could understand, combined with Tarros tone when talking to Desinna, he had grown suspicious of Desinna's story. He correctly figured that Tarros was, in fact, the victim. Spidey shattered the foundation stone, freeing Tarros once again. Tarros then transported Desinna back to Saku, to face the music for her crimes, and he thanked Spidey for his help.
Doc succeeds in sealing the creature into the cornerstone of a building under construction, but has a weird feeling that the case is somehow unfinished. In 1974, the building is about to be demolished. The other-dimensional woman seeks Spider-Man's assistance in preventing the creature's escape. Instead, Spidey senses something wrong and demolishes the cornerstone with a jackhammer, freeing the creature. It turns out that the woman had tricked Doc into unjustly imprisoning the creature, and Spidey was able to right an ancient wrong.
Of course, even the chance to learn more about Doc Savage can't blind me to all flaws and there is one quibble. I'm not sure about the fact that, unlike Doc Savage, Spidey sorts out the situation because, unlike Savage, he lives in a time when men know that women aren't always trustworthy. Really? Has he never read any of those hard-boiled detective novels that were so big in Savage's time?
I'm not sure about the fact that, unlike Doc Savage, Spidey sorts out the situation because, unlike Savage, he lives in a time when men know that women aren't always trustworthy. Really? Has he never read any of those hard-boiled detective novels that were so big in Savage's time?Often guys like Sam Spade and Phillip Marlow meet dames who are untrustworthy.The whole Spider-Man and Doc Savage crossover really dosen't work,as does much of the story.The only really neat is Disinna and Saku transubtantiator.It looks allot like the later on Goa'uld Hand Device.
In 1934, Doc Savage and his men encounter a strange ,beautiful ,blue skinned woman from a parallel dimension, who seeks his help in vanquishing another strange, violent being, also from her dimension. Saku,the world she comes from was described as a world where our dimension of time corresponds to a linear dimension. Thus merely by traveling a linear distance on Saku, a traveler may emerge on Earth many years before or after an earlier visit.Where as this seems to make sense,the dimension time moves through space,than space moving through or is the other way around,dosen't much sense in the light many believe time and space are not separate,but something called space time.Anyway,the whole Saku would is silly,with little gyro pyramides floating about their seas Natives of Saku possess some forms of advanced equipment, capable of space-time manipulation, and the transubstantiator
THE YESTERDAY CONNECTION
A scientist and sub-space explorer, she developed some unknown grievance with Tarros and tried to destroy him. When she found out that he had merely been transformed, she traveled to find him on Earth in 1934, where she enlisted Doc Savage and his allies. They succeeded in trapping Tarros. In the modern era, when Tarros would have escaped, she tried to convince Spidey to destroy him. Spidey saw through her, freed Tarros, and let him take her back to Saku.A scientist and sub-space explorer, she developed some unknown grievance with Tarros and tried to destroy him. When she found out that he had merely been transformed, she traveled to find him on Earth in 1934, where she enlisted Doc Savage and his allies. They succeeded in trapping Tarros. In the modern era, when Tarros would have escaped, she tried to convince Spidey to destroy him. Spidey saw through her, freed Tarros, and let him take her back to Saku.
Desinna was working on a project exploring sub-space with her assistant Tarros. Tarros notified her of a breakthrough, a cosmic twisting of the space-time barrier. However, in his zeal to show it to her, he tripped and fell into their prototype space-time device, and a power surge slew his physical form, transforming him into an energy being and sending him to another dimension.
Desinna created her transubtantiator for (1) translation of her words into another language, (2) creation of a protective force field, (3) tracking energy signatures, and (4) penetrating the dimensions of time and space.Disinna used it to arrive on Earth at the same time as Tarros, and she observed his fully transformed form. Identifying it as evil and insane, she then traveled back a few hours in time to enlist the aid of others for assistant before Tarros would arrive.
- In 1934, Doc Savage received a message that informed him of an impending assassination attempt on mayor Fiorello La Guardia during the dedication of a construction site. Savage and his allies prevented the assassination, but he then correctly determined that the message was from another world, and that its true meaning indicated a threat at the same construction site, but occurring that evening. They returned to the site, where they were met by Desinna, who told him of the menace from beyond time, Tarros.
Just then, Tarros arrived, denouncing Desinna and grabbing her. Savage's ally, Monk, nailed Tarros in the back of the head with a brick, causing him to drop Desinna, and Doc Savage, Renny, and Ham lassoed his neck in an effort to bring him down. The giant Tarros easily broke free from them, leaving them strewn about the ground. Savage sent Renny and Long Tom on an errand, while he occupied Tarros with anything he could get his hands on. His allies completed their errand successfully, and sent him a special cadmium liquid. Savage used this liquid to damped Tarros' electrical energy, trapping him inside the foundation stone for the building that La Guardia had just dedicated.
Several decades later, in the modern era, that same building was slated for demolition. Desinna traveled to that time and used her transubstantiator to send a Morse Code signal that she needed Spider-Man's help. Spidey swung to the scene to investigate, and Desinna told him of the past of Tarros, and of her 1934 adventure. She was interrupted in mid-story when Tarros appeared attempted to capture Desinna once again. Spidey tried in vain to stop the powerful Tarros, until he found an electrically operated jackhammer, which he used to disrupt and disperse his electrical form.
Desinna then finished her story, telling Spider-Man he must finish off Tarros for good. However, Spidey had taken a course in comparative languages and based on what he could understand, combined with Tarros tone when talking to Desinna, he had grown suspicious of Desinna's story. He correctly figured that Tarros was, in fact, the victim. Spidey shattered the foundation stone, freeing Tarros once again. Tarros then transported Desinna back to Saku, to face the music for her crimes, and he thanked Spidey for his help.
Doc succeeds in sealing the creature into the cornerstone of a building under construction, but has a weird feeling that the case is somehow unfinished. In 1974, the building is about to be demolished. The other-dimensional woman seeks Spider-Man's assistance in preventing the creature's escape. Instead, Spidey senses something wrong and demolishes the cornerstone with a jackhammer, freeing the creature. It turns out that the woman had tricked Doc into unjustly imprisoning the creature, and Spidey was able to right an ancient wrong.
Of course, even the chance to learn more about Doc Savage can't blind me to all flaws and there is one quibble. I'm not sure about the fact that, unlike Doc Savage, Spidey sorts out the situation because, unlike Savage, he lives in a time when men know that women aren't always trustworthy. Really? Has he never read any of those hard-boiled detective novels that were so big in Savage's time?
I'm not sure about the fact that, unlike Doc Savage, Spidey sorts out the situation because, unlike Savage, he lives in a time when men know that women aren't always trustworthy. Really? Has he never read any of those hard-boiled detective novels that were so big in Savage's time?Often guys like Sam Spade and Phillip Marlow meet dames who are untrustworthy.The whole Spider-Man and Doc Savage crossover really dosen't work,as does much of the story.The only really neat is Disinna and Saku transubtantiator.It looks allot like the later on Goa'uld Hand Device.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Prince Toreus Rhann and the Thuvian Rangers-
Prince Toreus Rhann and the Thuvian Rangers-
a Tale of Terra Prime
Chronicles of Pangaea and the Book of Thuvia.
By Carl E. Thompson & Joseph Gilbert. Thompson
== Prologue ==
The book starts with an excerpt from Book of the Great Sphere, a widely accepted and quoted history of Terra Prime and constituent plates. This should mention that Terra Prime is a Dyson Sphere created by the Atlantean Time Sorcerers and the Sidairian Cosmic Engineers. In addition, it should mention the great plate of Pangea and the Rhann family. In addition, we need to introduce the Guild and allude to the conflict that led to its formation.Also maybe talk Terra-Prime a bit.
This is a tale of Prince Toreus Rhann. The First Son of Thuvia, also sometimes known as Toreus the Slayer by his enemies and Prince Toreus, Lord of Lions, by friends, companions, and allies. Not to be confused with Toreus Rhann I, his esteemed father. Much has been said about that worthy elsewhere in the Chronicles of Pangaea and the Book of Thuvia.
If you want to know of his noble family then look elsewhere. They will tell you how Toreus Rhann I united the nations of Pangea and became the Emperor Toreus Rhann I. Or how his ancient ancestors, the Starkillers—principally Captain Toreus Starkiller-- beat back the Trongoroth invasion and restored Pangaea as the Jewel of the Sphere of Terra Prime. The scholars all know of the Great deeds of his Great grandfather Ulyseas Rhann-as did his father Odyseus Rhann,who sailed the Seven Seas of Great Pangaea to fight the enemies –the Khaiton ,the Drakhoneans and the Arkhon of Northern and Central Pangaea ,during the First and Second Great Pangeaen Wars and how that Thuvian Ranger helped bring back the apart of the Golden Ages of the Ancient Pangeans.They also know the heroic tales of many of Princely members of the Imperial House of Rhann and Khonn,to which the current Royal Family bloodlines extend from the man legend,turned hologod,known as First Lord Thrull Khonn-once exile of Thuvia,turned Thuvian Ranger and Messianic savior of the Great Pangean World.
If you want to know of his noble family then look elsewhere. They will tell you how Toreus Rhann I united the nations of Pangaea and became the Emperor Toreus Rhann I. Or how his ancient ancestors, the Starkillers—principally Captain Toreus Starkiller-- beat back the Trongoroth invasion and restored Pangaea as the Jewel of the Sphere of Terra Prime. The scholars all know of the Great deeds of his Great grandfather Ulyseas Rhann-as did his father Odysseus Rhann,the sailed the Seven Seas of Great Pangaea to fight the enemies –the Khaiton ,the Drakhoneans and the Archon of Northern and Central Pangaea ,during the First and Second Great Pangeaen Wars and how that Thuvian Ranger helped bring back the apart of the Golden Ages of the Ancient Pangaeans
But any schoolchild knows of the Shattered Empires of Pangaea, and the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm. Stories of the ancient Dragon Wars, the Emperor Thrull Khan and the return of the Golden Age of Pangaea.
'Arcadia' in the Second War for Terra Prime. Long before he was named Sarkhon's Knight and led his Ranger Legions in that same struggle for the freedom of the Sphere.
== Chapter 1: The Fountain ==
The chapter begins with a quote from the Thuvian Chronicles on Prince Toreus II Rhann.
Toreus Rhann is on a space bus that is taking him to Arcadia. He is dressed in a business suit and wearing a protomask that makes him appear as if he were an older man and not himself. As he sits in the shuttle liner’s couch, he confers with his Guider gem and which briefs on his mission.He see scattered all about like a cactus,those strange metallic octopus like creatures,called Lockers-using long,tentacle like arms to anchor themselved into the ground,feeding off the earth nutrience.They neither interfere with the events about,but simply observe and record,for massive data,stored on memory ships of their own design.Arenjun Sarkhon and father,the Emperor once they only gather like during times of great crisis and great importance.No one knows true origin,but legend they existed before the Trangaroth and Metrone Menace,and after the time of the Mystrann,in the old Universe,that existed before the many were discovered by the Elder Gods.Interstellar Legends say they a failed Mystrann Spy Program that got out of hand and went rogue to search the multiverse for thruth on their own of greater thing evil pursuets.
The shuttle docks at the Fountain Station and Toreus disembarks.Various other ships circle past-Capavean Air Ships from Capavean Empire-a world plait near Arcadia,Heavy Jovian Bunk Cargo Haulers,
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus Rhann,the First—of Pangea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a cafe and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus Rhann intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovian mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel. A pack of TyRhaineans were tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation home-world, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. From a fight were up above the Jovians,dressed Drackonean Wolf Fur capes,their tradition blue and red sytho lether combat vest,over long tunics,high Casparian buccaneers boots,which held a Tauron Stun baton,in leather hoslers upon the right hid and blaster upon the opposite left.The Tykhainean were mostly blond or platinum blond,which some claim kind ship the Atlantean House of Sarkhon,but none could prove such a link to that,because many of them arrogant and stupid to do so,hoping impress others with supposed Atlantean ancestry.Behind was three Darkhoneans-more hulking humanoids,but these more wolf like in facial features,larged headed,tall,and also dressed dark Darkhonean leather.There also a Darkhonean Warriors covered their chests-the middle wearing a strange Wolfhead badge upon the upon area,with two crossed sabers behind it-the traditional weapon of all Imperial Darkhonean Warriors. Two hulking' Gholemoidians,their orange siliton covered a similar massive frame as the Jovians,was covered by leather combat vests ,Gholemoidian Combat Sashes that was connected a Great Gholemoidean Sword in back.Prince Toreus found it strange to all different warrior cast walking together,From Arenjun Sarkhon told him in studies long ago,Jovians and Gholemoidians shared a similar slave history before they both settles on Terra-Prime with the near by Jovian World Plate '.The Tyraineans and Darkhoneans were not honorable warriors,but simply pirates,butchers and bullies.And the Thuvian Prince hated most was bullies.
A mission to rescue the family of the Baron Nathanial Taylor, a cousin three times removed of Prince Toreus.
Accused of treason by the evil King Radu, Prince Nathanial was under arrest. His family, the Baroness Lois and his heirs, Nathan and Leo have gone into hiding.
Toreus volunteered his services to Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn, his father’s chief military agent, whose son, Kothar Junior, is running this secret mission to rescue to Baron’s family. Even though Toreus would like nothing better than to bust his way into the Tower of Arcadia City and rescue Nathaniel, the mission calls for him to secure the two baronets and the Baroness only. Even though his father is the emperor, he must keep his involvement in this action secret from Chancellor XXXXXX, who opposes Pangean involvement in all military adventures.
A Cold Plasma Shield in forearm guards shields Toreus. His only offensive armaments are a Short fighting knife and a small pistol. He will get the rest of his gear—including Shakorja, his lion and Ulysses, his falcon, when he reaches the ground. The Pangean Secret Service has sent them ahead in a pre-positioning module.
He steps into what looks like an elevator and whisks to the surface where he emerges in what seems like a riot.
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus Rhann,the First—of Pangea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a cafe and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus Rhann intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovian mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel. A pack of TyRhaineans were tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation home-world, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. From a fight were up above the Jovians,dressed Drackonean Wolf Fur capes,their tradition blue and red sytho lether combat vest,over long tunics,high Casparian buccaneers boots,which held a Tauron Stun baton,in leather hoslers upon the right hid and blaster upon the opposite left.The Tykhainean were mostly blond or platinum blond,which some claim kind ship the Atlantean House of Sarkhon,but none could prove such a link to that,because many of them arrogant and stupid to do so,hoping impress others with supposed Atlantean ancestry.Behind was three Darkhoneans-more hulking humanoids,but these more wolf like in facial features,larged headed,tall,and also dressed dark Darkhonean leather.There also a Darkhonean Warriors covered their chests-the middle wearing a strange Wolfhead badge upon the upon area,with two crossed sabers behind it-the traditional weapon of all Imperial Darkhonean Warriors. Two hulking' Gholemoidians,their orange siliton covered a similar massive frame as the Jovians,was covered by leather combat vests ,Gholemoidian Combat Sashes that was connected a Great Gholemoidean Sword in back.Prince Toreus found it strange to all different warrior cast walking together,From Arenjun Sarkhon told him in studies long ago,Jovians and Gholemoidians shared a similar slave history before they both settles on Terra-Prime with the near by Jovian World Plate '.The Tyraineans and Darkhoneans were not honorable warriors,but simply pirates,butchers and bullies.And the Thuvian Prince hated most was bullies
In the Twine capitol cities of the Pangean Empire, Kharzhadharr and Zharithon-named after the two warriors who founded the cities-,Kharzhadharr and Zharithon Khonn, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom.Two Capronean Lions one male and the other female sit upon either side of him,in front of glowing green and yellow holo orbs,contain misty swirles like of planets. By his left side is wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann.Next to her is the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.Emperor Toreus Rhann,sits back and begins to wonder if the Great Sphere of Terra-Prime is cursed by the gods-those Elder civilizations,that have been waging their own titanic Temporal Cold for untold eons across time and space.And Terra-Prime thus in time,the Great hope of infinate Terran civilaztion across many worldline,to achieve the status that the Atlanteans and Lords of Light shared-a huge confedetation of world plates,working in harmony across this vast dysonsphere,was drawn into the gods Temporal Cold War.
And after many wars across this world and great many civilization fallen-especially Pangea,after it's Cataclysm with asteroid Daedalus,the Guild was formed.It was supposed to keep the peace among many worlds here,but in time things only got worse.And was his distant ancestor Lord Thrull Khonn and others to step forthe and change for the better.Thrull Khonn-now a holo god,in holo space,altered the ruin of Pangea and transformed into toward the better world that is now.And Toreus Starkiller,another distant ancestor,fought back with other heroes,the Great Trongaroth/ Metrone Infestation-evil inhuman bug like creatures-intelligent,but also greedy,stupid and uncaring,raping the land and enslaving the people for their selfish needs and wants.Cassandra Rhann,informs him that freedom and change is ever a hard victory-often brought on alot of blood sled and war.He should know this,being he first fought a city-this city to regain his right to the throne and rescue her from it's dark,dungeons,placed by an evil Dark Warlord Ghenus Rhadmere, who userped his title and throne.With the Emperor rubs Sharkhara's fluffy neck-saying I guess she's right old freind.That we allowed to marry me and raise a fine family together.Shakhara says,he allowed you ?The elder Silver Lion could tell what to do as olderest son the First Prince Toreus is now..
== Chapter 2: The Imperial Court ==
In the Twine capitol cities of the Pangean Empire, Kharzhadharr and Zharithon-named after the two warriors who founded the cities-,Kharzhadharr and Zharithon Khonn, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom.Two Capronean Lions one male and the other female sit upon either side of him,in front of glowing green and yellow holo orbs,contain misty swirles like of planets. By his left side is wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann.Next to her is
the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.Emperor Toreus Rhann,sits back and begins to wonder if the Great Sphere of Terra-Prime is cursed by the gods-those Elder civilizations,that have been waging their own titanic Temporal Cold for untold eons across time and space.And Terra-Prime thus in time,the Great hope of infinate Terran civilaztion across many worldline,to achieve the status that the Atlanteans and Lords of Light shared-a huge confedetation of world plates,working in harmony across this vast dysonsphere,was drawn into the gods Temporal Cold War.
And after many wars across this world and great many civilization fallen-especially Pangea,after it's Cataclysm with asteroid Daedalus,the Guild was formed.It was supposed to keep the peace among many worlds here,but in time things only got worse.And was his distant ancestor Lord Thrull Khonn and others to step forthe and change for the better.Thrull Khonn-now a holo god,in holo space,altered the ruin of Pangea and transformed into toward the better world that is now.And Toreus Starkiller,another distant ancestor,fought back with other heroes,the Great Trongaroth/ Metrone Infestation-evil inhuman bug like creatures-intelligent,but also greedy,stupid and uncaring,raping the land and enslaving the people for their selfish needs and wants.Cassandra Rhann,informs him that freedom and change is ever a hard victory-often brought on alot of blood sled and war.He should know this,being he first fought a city-this city to regain his right to the throne and rescue her from it's dark,dungeons,placed by an evil Dark Warlord Ghenus Rhadmere, who userped his title and throne.With the Emperor rubs Sharkhara's fluffy neck-saying I guess she's right old freind.That we allowed to marry me and raise a fine family together.Shakhara says,he allowed you ?The elder Silver Lion could tell what to do as olderest son the First Prince Toreus is now..
As the Emperor Toreus Rhann leaves the Court the Chancellor tries to button hole him and discuss the bill that he plans to put before the House of Princes--One of the two houses of the Pangean Parliament-- to prevent the use of Pangean military forces off-plate for any operation that is not directly involved in the defense of the realm. The Emperor rudely tries to put him off because he is in a hurry to discuss his illegal operation in Arcadia with Kothar Khonn II. he tells the Chancellor that he will discuss the bill with him at the earliest opportunity but does not tell him that he intends to veto any such bill.
Emperor Toreus enters the War Room where Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn awaits him. With him are David Greystone-descendant to the legendary original General David Greystone-who fought in the Great Trongaroth Wars many centuries ago, the head of the Pangean Secret Service and XXXXXX, the head of the Imperial Security Service as well as General XXXXX, the Chief of Pangean Special Forces—himself a Thuvian Ranger—and Arenjun Sarkhon, the Ronan Time Sorcerer. The ancient temporal wizard was holding his Burmese Atlantean Cat-Hecate in his arms-a Time Sorcerers familiar -guide and spy, to help on their many missions through time and space. Sitting next the Emperor's seat, was his lovely wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann-not only his love, the mother of his four children, two sons Prince Toreus and Theaseus Rhann, plus the two daughters Princess Andromeda and Castria Rhann. This is the Emperor’s Privy Council, the closest advisors to the ruler of Pangaea.
Empiror Toreus Rhann asks his Temporal Advisor to open the meeting.The rogue Chronomancer stands and brings forth his Time Sorcerer Cosmic Staff in his left hand toward the Great Circulal Holographic Round Table..He begins to consentrait and the crystal ball tip begins to glow as closes his eyes to consentrait on his so called mystical activety.His green Guider Gem Headband begins to glow,as telepathic and telepresence abilities forcus on the task at hand.With right other hand the sorcerer,begins to draw mystical holgraphic ruins in the air in front of his.Arenjun Sarkhon then close his eyes and utter a so called Mystical Spell.He utters I open my mind to Holospace,to see into the Great Book of Time..A light issues forthe from the table and transformes into a representation of the Great Temporal Grimoire-a kind of dark brown,computer lap top like book.It opens and Arenjun Sarkhon makes a few ruinic gesters-unlocking ancient Atlantean computer codes,to safeguard this data bases knowledge from enemy eyes.The Temporal Wizard command it,by way his Guider Gem.to
Doctor Arenjun Sarkhon
Kothar Khonn calls on the Secret Service chief to brief the Emperor on the operation’s progress.
Here there is an account of the events leading up to the arrest of Baron Nathanial Taylor and the Emperor’s decision to send in Special Forces to intervene.
The Emperor is concerned that his son Toreus has volunteered to participate in the action and he is not pleased. Kothar tires to assuage his anger and assure the Emperor that everything will be okay—even though Kothar himself is not sure of this. His own son convinced him that it would be all right. However, Kothar feels that the young Prince is too reckless and inexperienced for the subtleties of covert operations.
Nonetheless, the elder Toreus has strong misgivings about his son’s direct involvement in the covert action to rescue the Taylor family.
Despite his reservations, the Emperor signs off on the continuation of the mission. He feels that he can do nothing less due to his debt of honor to the Taylor clan.
Chapter 3: Unrest
Prince Toreus is in the middle of a riot that began when Arcadian Police—mostly Kai’Vhan Mercenaries utilized force to break up a student demonstration at the Fountain Station. Toreus fights his way free of the crowd using his wrist shields. He focuses his violence on the cops preferring to avoid any injury to the civilians. Near the edge of the riot, a cab pulls up to him and opens its door. It is driven by Arnie Vincenzo, part of the Vincenzo family who work as special operatives for the Sarkhon family of Atlantean Time Sorcerers and often run cab or other transport companies here and across the sphere,plus other places in time and space.Venchenzo Yellow Cab Transportation was notorious all over Temporal space and a useful over for a Temporal Wizards spy network,that included the Doomwatchers,the Temporal Guard,the Time Stalkers and other such organizations.Arnie is wearing a Thuvian Rangers style,wide baret,flopped downward over the side back of his head.A Mister Brick Botton,is present over the Old Temporal Rangers insignia.[This less like the Green Barets and more Howie Chaykins Grey Mouser.].
Toreus Rhann rushes to the open cab door and jumps in. as they race away Arnie Vincenzo introduces himself to the Thuvian Prince.Colonel Kothar Khonn sent him to watch out for him.Arnie smoking a cigar,spots a Kai’Vhan moving toward and whips out a mall rifle,hitting the alian zombie mercenary in the chest,before it deflector shiend body armor could active,protecting from harm.The Kai’Vhan,already corpse mask,with palid chalky white skin and dark rings around the eyes freezes and drops his own rifle and tumbles over like a sack of weat.
Chapter 4: Shakorja and Ulysses
Arnie Vincenzo drops Toreus off at a cargo depot not far from the space fountain.
The Prince enters the depot using a passcard and goes to a cargo module whose number he has memorized earlier. Using another passcard, he enters the module. Inside is a Mobile Special Forces center of the Pangaean Special Forces. Here there are weapons, small vehicles and a communications center. In addition, there is a stasis chamber containing a Thuvian saber cat and a Highlands Hawk. The saber cat is Shakorja and the hawk is Ulysses—friends of Toreus and key parts of his combat ensemble.
Toreus sends a confirmation message to the Mission Support Site aboard an orbiting spacecraft. The MSS acknowledges the message.
Toreus free the cat and bird from the stasis field. He greets both of them. The animals are augmented and are able to talk to Toreus via his Guider Gem—a device that links into the semi-mystic realm of holo-space which will fulfill a heavy role in our stories.
Toreus feeds himself and the animals. Shakorja complains about the canned rations since he prefers raw meat in his diet.
After the meal, Toreus Rhann suits up for his mission.
Chapter 5: Scarlet Shadow
The Mission Support Site is located aboard the starship Scarlet Shadow. The Shadow belongs to Thuvian Ranger Captain Colin O’Brien and his wife, Rachel,The ship co-owned and shared with the mysterious Time Sorcerer renegade known as Doctor Zacheriah Sarkhon and own Ivhanna-Sarkhons family left the Dysonsphere of Atlantis-Prime,some untold time ago and father . She is the ship's captain. The Shadow is in stationary orbit high above the Arcadia Plate. Rachel O’Brien receives the message from Toreus and forwards it to her husband Colin, who is already on the plate with his Special Ops team.
The couple has a bickering but loving relationship not unlike that of the Cramdens in the old Honeymooners series. Colin tends to be a little more reckless and a braggart. He has never met Prince Toreus though they both have served in the renowned Thuvian Rangers. Colin has certain misconceptions about the Prince, however.
Rachel informs her husband that Toreus heads for the meeting and that Colin and his Commandoes should be ready to help if needed.
Chapter 6: Recon
The rumble of war continued for fourth straight day as the conquering forces of Baron Radu Wallace closed on the capital city and the forces of Nathan Taylor withdrew. Classes had been canceled at 'Arcadia' University'. Most of the able-bodied Arcadian students had gone off to fight on either side in this most uncivil of civil wars. Thuvian Rangers, were sent in secretly, to back up the Arcadian Army, on an unofficial basis, since the Thuvian government, did not an official presence-unless provoked into action. The other mercenaries such as the Tyrhainean Commandoes or Kellon Royal Mercenaries had other opinions. They governments, mostly militaristic based, did care about the suttalities of politics. The Wallace, gutless cur, that they are, would fight their own fight, but employed an off world alien, mercenary force, known as the Ki’Vhan-near brainless beings, dressed in red battle armor, from head to toe. Only there gloves in boots with of a chalky, blue and whitish color, as was their emotionless facemask. Red eyes, surrounded by dark rings blankly would stair back at the enemy, showing no emotion. The Ki’Vhan, we were told could produced by the thousands, some foot soldiers armed only standard weapons and others Special Forces more advanced equipment.
Toreus rides his spike (smart bike) to an alley not far from the meeting bar. The bar, called Makean’s Den, is one of the few places open during the curfew imposed by the government because it is a Fountain port watering hole for mercenaries, bounty hunters, privateers and spacer gangs.
The Prince dispatches Ulysseas to scout from the air and sees that there are at least two vehicles that may be police surveillance units. Otherwise, there seems to be no signs of trouble. He instructs the hawk to continue surveillance and warn him of any changes via the Guider link.The Guider talking in a coldly monotone voice,answer,referring to the Prince only as warrior.
He instructs the cat to watch from the alley’s street end and processed to the bar using a holo-cloak to disguise his military gear.
Chapter 7: The Den
Toreus enters the Den and looks around.
The MacKhain’s Den, was nearly empty-save a few drunken moron’s too stupid to leave the city. There was the Zhankhearian Barkeep-Frackeer Moosekall ,with dark, jet black hair and long goatee whose notice, he hoped to not be noticed by the cities new rulers and his wife Danalla a fat red head, once an exotic dancers, in her youth, worked here’s ago, when she was shapely and then pleasant to look at-whose family would side with Wallaces-if only to keep their business going on. And situated somewhere in the middle of the tavern floor, was two idiots-Tyrhainean Mercenaries- of the Vanarian province, who came to learn the art of was from Arcadians. Tyrhaineans -tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation homeworld, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. These were two local, idiots-Kragg O’Malley and his idiot brother Karg O’Malley. These two Tyrhaineans were always in here, doing this kind of thing, every night. They exchange students, like himself, situated here, to learn the arts of wars, but learned more the art of drinking instead-something their idiot of parents, refused to dischourage. like his own mother and father did almost since the young princes birth.'
Prince Toreus sat in the tavern,awaiting his secret contact-Captain Khotharr Khann-First Son of his father’s old friend General Khotharr Khann,Senior-son of the Original Khotharr Khonn of his Grandfathers era-the Imperial Reign of Ulyseas Rhann,the First.The youthful First Son of Thuvia looked about his table,boldly spying upon the other patrons of the darken tavern. Captain Khotharr Khann,like his father General Khotharr Khann,Junior and Grant Father,was only partially of Thuvian ancestry.The blood of the Kalladon nation-a race of genetically enhanced super warrior,from the Terran Federations homeworld of Old Earth flows in his veins on Old General Kotharr Khann,Senior.The Imperial Kalladon,defeated on the Terran homeworld by their opposite numbers-the Alpha Omega Warriors,sometime in the early 21 st Century,caused many to flee for distant space to colonize other suitable worlds and conquore other far regions of deep space.Also,the Imperial House of Khonn,claimed to have the blood of renegade Imperial Delkhoneans-another race of genetically enhanced super soldiers,enhased with cybernetic parts and encased in fierce,silvery battle armor,also flowed through Kotharr Khanns blood.'
The joint is crowded with people, mostly bounty hunters here to collect the bounty on the Taylor family. At the bar, he spies two Jovians—big, hulking characters.One male and the other female sitting next to him. These he recognizes as the hired bodyguards of Colonel Kotharr Khonn.A small,strangely dresses ashiadic fellows was sitting across Kotharr Khonn.He wonder who he was-an Khaitan Warrior or Drackhonean maybe.Then he rememnered that the Jovian Mercenaries,Colonel Kotharr Khonn had hired was traveling an Okhairhann Time Sorcerer –who was said to be the true Yellow Skinned-the Children of the Celestrials,are small,slant eyed,humanoids.
In one corner of the room there are a group of Thulians—Neanderthals from a continent on the Pangaen Plate. Two of them are playing a game of choke. Two Thulians grasp each other’s necks and squeeze until one passes out. The others take bets on who will pass out first. Toreus frowns on the game considering it something that only morons do for entertainment.Sitting around them the two Thulian was three TyRhaineans and three Darkhoneans.The TyRhaineans were standind,arms crossed,with hard stowic looks on their faces,while seated Darkhoneans were loud and bousterous-cheering on the game.
His eyes scan past a group of spacers at on table and he catches the eye of a red haired, green-eyed female warrior. He smiles at her and she returns the smile, quickly averting her gaze. Toreus reminds himself that he is not here for romantic entanglements and conies to scan fro his contact.
In the far corner, he sees Kothar Khonn at a table with some other men.
Toreus heads for the table. Kothar Khonn looks up and nods to him, not wanting to address him by name. The Thuvian Prince sits down.
Kothar introduced the other man at the table. He is Joss Carpenter, the heads of House Taylor Security bearing the ancient title of Master of Assassins. Toreus is concerned that they are in the same place as Carpenter. The police want the MoA. Joss assures him that his contacts in the police will inform them of any possible raid. Toreus is not convinced.
Kothar and Joss inform him of the mission goals.
The Baron Nathaniel, held in the Royal Prison at the edge of town, cannot be freed without a large military operation. The Baron’s family is in hiding in a temple to the anti-spin ward side of town. This consists of the Baroness Lois Chandler Taylor and her two sons, Nathan, 14 and Lemonades (Leo) aged 10. They are the heirs to the family titles and it is their father’s wishes that they be taken out of Arcadia and into hiding. That way if Nathaniel is killed the Taylor family will not be wiped out and the sons and wife will be able to carry on the mission of freeing their homeland from the grasp of the evil King Radu Wallace.
Toreus’ job will be to retrieve the family and get them out of Arcadia
They discuss details of the mission.
It is at this point that Ulysseas and Shakorja inform Toreus that there are Kai’Vhan police assembling outside the bar. Toreus receives a hawk eye view of the mercenary cops. It is clear that they are planning to raid the mercenary bar and that there could be only one reason for that. They want to get their hands on the conspirators.
In one of these dens merriment thundered to the low smoke-stainedroof, where rascals gathered in every stage of strange alien armor and non native military uniform--furtive space mercenaries hiding from the local interstellar law enforcers,like the Terran Federation Rangers or trapped upon the Sphere-hoping to gain possible passage offworld to other distant lands, leering drunken soldiers-drummed out of some military service from cowardice or some other such nonsense,that would one kicked out of the military, quick-fingered gunslingers,looking for new fortunes and new challenges to prove themselves,swaggering bravoes with their wenches, strident-voiced women clad intawdry finery. Native rogues were the dominant element--dark-haired,dark-eyed Arcadians,pistols at their side and daggers tucked in their web belts and bravery,if not brains in theirhearts.
Sitting opposite him,was another alien looking mercenary known by the name of Barrack Nhorr-he was known to many to be a strange humanoid ,covered by a' durable, orange silicon-based body armored hide.They were known ' as Gholemoidians ,that grants him protection against nearly all forms of physical harm and gives him a rock-like appearance.He wore a similar costume as the Jovian,a Combat Utility Military Style vest,but one more suited to his huge,rocky statur,complete with strange Ruinic Symbols,of Gholemoidian designs,that crisscrossed,like huge red rock scratches in his leather like apparell.He wore a huge,Gholemoidian Broadsword upon his back and two,huge pistols,fit for his two great rocky five fingered hands.His cold,baby blue eyes,twinkled back at Young Thuvian Prince as he staired at him.'
The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron. The carapace and plastron are joined together on the turtle's sides by bony structures called bridges. The inner layer of a turtle's shell is made up of about 60 bones that includes portions of the backbone and the ribs, meaning the turtle cannot crawl out of its shell. In most turtles, the outer layer of the shell is covered by horny scales called scutes that are part of its outer skin, or epidermis. Scutes are made up of a fibrous protein called keratin that also makes up the scales of other reptiles. These scutes overlap the seams between the shell bones and add strength to the shell. Some Gholemoidians do not have horny scutes.'
He wore a similar costume as the Jovian,a Combat Utility Military Style vest,but one more suited to his huge,rocky statur,complete with strange Ruinic Symbols,of Gholemoidian designs,that crisscrossed,like huge red rock scratches in his leather like apparell.He wore a huge,Gholemoidian Broadsword upon his back and two,huge pistols,fit for his two great rocky five fingered hands.'
In In oxygen-rich atmospheres, 'Barrack Nhorr' also possesses vast superhuman strength almost comparable to his huge companion Janus Rockaway.'
This mineral state also grants him an extremely prolonged lifespan.Since his species is somewhat based on an ancient turdle like humanoid species,Barrack Nhorr ,as many Gholemoideans are thought to have exceptional night vision due to the unusually large number of rod cells in their retinas.They have color vision with a wealth of cone subtypes with sensitivities ranging from the near Ultraviolet (UV A) to Red.'
When fighting as a gladiator,with Janus Rockaway,in the Great Lhankmearian Arenas, he mostly relied on his physical power and extremely durable form, rather than actual fighting skills. He is, however, an experienced military strategist and consummate pragmatist, constantly assessing his environment so he can tell what actions are necessary for his continued survival.Bharrack Nhorr,often will insult or talk to his appoinent,hoping confused him or her with insults and wise cracks or boasts of his strenth and fighting skill,hoping make an enemy become sloppy and make mistakes in combat situations.'
He is capable of surviving impacts of great strength and force without sustaining injury, as his body is covered with an orange, flexible, rock-like hide. He is also able to withstand gunfire from high caliber weapons as well as armor piercing rounds. The highly advanced musculature generates fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him superhuman levels of stamina.'
Aside from his physical attributes, ' Barrack Nhorr' 's senses can withstand greater levels of sensory stimulation than an ordinary human, with the exception of his sense of touch. His lungs possess greater efficiency and volume than those of an ordinary human,since his species originated from an aquatic animial,such as a turdle.As a result, ' Barrack Nhorr' is capable of holding his breath for much greater periods of time.'
Both Janus Rockaway and Barrack Nhorr,were two oddest of companions-a huge,hulking humanoid and his rocky Golem like companion.Both two of the fierest warriors.'
‘’Fight you cowards’’a dark,gravely voiced broke through the other load tavern patrons merrymaking. [In thinking a big,loud mouth like Galron or Khorr].He stamp violently shock his big,brass mug,filled Apollo Cafe Throvian coffee.'
‘’More-more-fight like men.not children you Terran spawned dogs.’’the Darkhonean shouted,lifting a cup of Darkhonean Wine,to encourage the two Thuleans still chocking each other.I have fifhty Drakharr credits upon Juggass Tharns head,that he’d beat his twine brother Drunkuss Tharn in a fair choking fight.’’ Janus Rockaway and Barrack Nhorr both glaced over into the Darkhoneans direction,giving a sallure look of disguist and hopefully loud mouthed badluck,brought on by the ancient Lords of Light and Darkness-a eons old interstellar slang term for the many good and bad super beings fighting the Great Titantic Temporal Cold Wars of the Multiverse.
Behind the the Jovian Primative and Gholemoidean,was a tall,dark haired warrior,who stood almost as tall as Prince Toreus himself.He had cold steeling blue eyes and dark black hair,and was obviously of the same ancestry as the Thuvian Prince himself,but shared some ancestral traits of the Kalladon and Delkhon blood.Beside him was two figures-the bald ,oreintal looking Time Sorcerer Chairen Kharr-a rare Half Delkhonean and half Shaintainean Temporal Wizard,who was currently travelling Janus Rockaway and company.He claims to be able to trace his liniage back to the ancient Chinesse Empirors of the Shun Dynasty,upon Old Earth and the ancient Delkhonean Empirors of the Kharr Dynasty,upon the Delkhonean homeworld. Chairen Kharr ,claimed to be one of partial Atlantean blood-being they of one of many Elder Races-who eons ago controllled and conquored the infinate realms of temporal space,by way star gate technology plus cosmic and quantum temporal forces,to control matter and energy,to be used in many ways similar to those fictional and fantasy mystic wizards,to the Legion gained their name.The legion,it was said,were the true Guardians of peace and justice,throughout the infinate cosmos and infinate multiverse beyond.Beside was Lady Janisca Gravestone-a Jovian Primative female warrior.The Thuvian Prince once heard,that no man can resist them-that the men are royal them for life and not only fight,but make love like animals.[in other Green Orion Slave Girls,pussy the Hulk.]
The tall Thuvian approached Prince Toreus Rhann,stiding across the beer and wine stained floor,with confidence of a stalking Lords of Lions himself would do,in a similar situation. This Thuvian was as much out of place in that den as a gray wolf among mangy rats of the gutters. His Thuvian shirt and combat vest could not conceal the hard, rangy lines of his powerful frame, the broad heavy shoulders, the massive chest, lean waist and heavy arms.The Thuvian Rangers eyes blue and smoldering; a shock of tousled black hair crowned his broad forehead. From his girdle hung a sword in a worn leather scabbard,with a pistol holster to the other side-stun twine billyclubs,hung behind the blade and a knife from one boot strapped to right shine and another smaller stun baton from the other left shine.He looked down at the seat First Son of Thuvia and silvery Capronean Lion companion.Prince Toreus looked meeting the older Thuvian with the same intense stair.He kicked a wooden seat out from under the large Kharaidian Oak table.
Toreus starts a fight with the Thulian chokers in order to cause a diversion. The diversion blooms into a full-scale bar riot as the police storm in the door.
Kothar and Joss dodge out a side door and are stopped by police blocking that exit. Vincenzo tosses a stun bomb at the cops and the two officers escape in Vincenzo’s car.
Toreus shield battles the Kai’Vhan. However, he is cut off from any exit.
Chapter 8: Escape
The red headed female warrior, whose name is Antilus Sojat, taps Toreus on the shoulder and leads him to a secret exit. The exit leads down to the underground of the plate.
Among the fleeing people are the two Jovians, some mercenaries and spacers and one of the Thulians—Paulo Torsi.
Toreus tries to find out Antila’s name but she is unwilling to tell him. They will meet again and eventually become lovers but for now she thinks that he is just a common warriors looking to get lucky and she’s not having nay of that.
Antila separates from Toreus, the Jovians and Paulo.
Chapter 9: Escape
Toreus and his companions wander through the Arcadian Underground, the upper infrastructure of the plate on which Arcadia is built. The Trongoroth and Plate Dwellers should be referred to here though a more detailed explanation of them will follow in the Chapter entitled Underworld (Chapter 19).
The Prince tries to put the images of the woman out of his mind, realizing that they will only distract him from the mission ahead. He also tries to ignore the annoying attentions of Paulo, who has a man crush on him.
He decides that he needs the help of Shakorja and contacts the beast via his Guider. The Guider calls up an ancient map of Arcadia City’s underground and the Prince instructs the cat to wait fro him at a nearby entrance. Toreus and his companions move off in that direction.
Chapter 10: Radu
King Radu Wallace of Arcadia is in his private office chamber with some of his henchmen. They are a motley crew.
Among them are his nephews Duke James Wallace (a tall thin, quiet man who carries a Tionka—a type of ape-like alien pet that produces an addictive venom.) and Prince Wesley Wallace (who wears his blond hair in dreadlocks, a style he learned on the far off Arcadian colony of Earth 3261. He is the heir designate to the throne because of the elder James’ lack of authority and courage). Also there are Sir Marc Hadron Phasier (a virt addict who wears a virt helmet that paints a virtual world of his own liking around him), Sir Leslie Tolbert (a loud mouthed moron and child molester.) and the James Irby, the Earl of Saratoga (who originated from Earth 3261 and is renowned for his meanness and sadism in dealing with the enemies of the Wallaces. He is the House Wallace Master of Assassins).
Saratoga outlines all of his forces efforts, so far, in the search fro the Taylor family. He has place a guard force on all exits from Arcadia and has put the Arcadian Army and Space Navy on alert to back up the Kai’Vhan mercenaries if the need arises.
Radu is concerned about the lack of progress in the search for the Taylor family. He does not feel that he can complete his bid to take over complete control of Arcadia until this rebel family is in prison of killed.
He is also concerned about the ultimatum that he has sent to the Emperor of Pangaea warning the Pangaea not too interfere in internal affairs of Arcadia. From long experience, he knows that the Emperor holds him in low contempt and it is only by the intercession of the Chancellor that he has managed to keep Pangaean troops off his front doorstep.
As is his habit Radu takes his worries out on his subordinates, all of whom are inveterate cowards and ring kissers. Radu demands that they increase their efforts to locate and arrest the Taylor family and that the guards on all exits from Arcadia are doubled.
Chapter 11: Alley Fighting
Now emerged from the underground Toreus makes his way down an alley headed toward where Shakorja awaits him with his spike. He has Ulysses scanning above and it appears as if the coast is clear. However, his combat honed senses nag him that this might not be so.
Kai’Vhan mercs with stealth costumes jump him. Toreus and the Saber cat go into battle mode, the Prince firing up his shield and drawing his knife. The big cat does not unnerve or frighten the drugged up cyborg Kai’Vhan. The animal’s claws claim several victims. Toreus fights the Vhan troops and breaks free to mount his spike.
Chapter 12: Colin
Before Toreus can exit the alley on his spike, he finds his way blocked by armed humans also riding spikes. He draws to a stop but the new soldiers raise their weapons and fire at the Vhan that are chasing the Prince.
These soldiers are the Rangers of Colin O’Brien’s team. They have raced to aid Toreus. Together they escape the Vhan ambush and head off to a rendezvous point under an overpass in the city.
Chapter 13: The Taylors
Duchess Lois Taylor and her two sons, Nathan and Leo, are hiding in a temple of the Arcadian Universal Church. With them is Father Philip Cho, the pastor of the church and an old friend of Duke Nathaniel Taylor.
Father Phil is concerned with the constant police canvassing of the neighborhood around the church. The long-standing custom of Church as Sanctuary in Arcadia will soon be broken by the eager off-worlders that King Radu has hired to supplement his police force. Already the police have placed a sniper lookout in the church tower.
The family is concealed in a hideaway in the basement of the church. There Lois prepares herself to fight off any incursions, as she is a Sister of the Holy Magdalene and a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. She trains her son Nathan in combat as a supplement to his hyper-mentation training. Young Leo watches the sparring with his robo-bear, Tim. Most well to do Arcadian children have such bears that serve as both governess and bodyguard. Tim, however, is no ordinary robo. He has been augmented with Atlantean and Mechan devices by Leo’s father, Nathaniel.
Chapter 14: The Garage
Toreus, Colin’s crew, Kothar and Joss gather in an old garage that has been turned into a mission hide site.
Toreus sends Ulysseas to scout the area around the temple from the air. They spot the sniper nest in the bell tower and realize that it can watch all the approaches to the temple and kill anyone approaching.
The Prince has Ulysses scout out an approach to the temple that will give them the most cover from the sniper.
The team assembles and moves off toward their target mounted on spikes.
Chapter 15: Assault
Toreus, Colin and members of the team move through the alleys toward the church. Along the way, they take out Kai'Vhan police officers and enter the church.
Toreus moves up the tower to the balcony and dispatches the sniper and his scout with his bare hands. Then he rejoins Colin on the ground floor and together they move toward the Taylors’ hide.
Toreus enters the hide and is jumped…
It is Lois who has attacked the Prince. She battles him using techniques of hand-to-hand favored by her sisterhood. She moves too fast for even the hulking prince to get a blow in.
Toreus activates his shields and throws her off. It is then that father Phil enters and recognizes the Prince, introducing him to the Duchess and her two sons.
Toreus contacts Colin’s Rangers and they knock out the power, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. It is then that the Rangers and their charges leave the church and board the vehicles that are now waiting in front of the church.
Father Phil waves good-bye to the Duchess and her sons as they move away into the night.
Chapter 16: The Bridge
The team comes to a bridge that leads across the Arcadopolis River to the part of town from which the Space Fountain arises. They discover that the bridge is heavily guarded by units of the Arcadian Army and is mined. Apparently, the entire town has been alerted and heavy military and police units are surrounding the approach to the Fountain.
Toreus and Colin must decide whether to fight their way through or find another route out of Arcadia.
They decided that they must get to the space fountain and that the bridge is the only way.
They decide that half the team will cross the river on hover-mode positioning themselves behind the guard to draw their fire. The rest will cross the bridge under that cover. The family will be with this element.
The second section attacks the rear of the Arcadian unit guarding the bridge. Toreus, the Taylors and the first section charge across. They receive heavy fire. Toreus’ spike is hit and crippled. He abandons the vehicle and retrieves its AI brain, the only part of the vehicle that is irreplaceable. He jumps astride Colin’s spike and they charge forward to the other side of the bridge where the second section has already killed off most of the Arcadian troops.
The two sections regroup and head off toward the Fountain before the enemy can regroup.
Chapter 17: The Prisoner
Marc Hadron Phasier goes to visit the imprisoned Duke Nathaniel to taunt him about his wife and children. The Duke refuses to let the little man get his goat.
While Phasier is visiting the prisoner, the news that the family has been sighted in the city reaches him. He rushes away leaving the Duke with a little smile.
Chapter 18: No Easy Way Out
The team funds their way to the Fountain blocked by heavy military and police units. There is no easy way off the Arcadia plate. They hide in a storm drain and discuss alternative plans.
They decide that taking the underground might be the best choice and strike off toward the Fountain.
Chapter 19: The Underworld
Toreus and the team move through the underground labyrinth under Arcadopolis. Much of the complex has been abandoned since the long ago war with the Trongoroth—an insect like alien invader that once infests Terra Prime. The lower levels of the underground—those closest to space—still show unprepared signs of the devastation in places. There are rumors—perhaps urban legends—that Trongoroth have been seen in the lower levels of the Sphere. There is even a plate that is totally a Trongoroth eco-system. Terra Prime is a work in progress and is yet unfinished since the Sidairian builders have refused to do so under the Guild Treaty that they do not aggress with.
Also living in the underground are the Plate Dwellers, a species of humanoids, cultured by the Trongoroth genetic engineers, who live and work in the underground and maintain the systems of the Sphere in the absence of the Sidairian builders.
Colin suggests that they might go down to the outer shell of the plate and wait there for the Scarlet Shadow to pick them up. Toreus points out that it will take too long for the starship to make its way from the inner side of the plate to the outer. Their enemies might find them long before that.
It is then that they encounter a group of plate dwellers.
Chapter 20: Master of Assassins
Joss Carpenter is at one of his safe houses. He is concerned with the whereabouts of the rescue mission. Kothar has returned to the mission support site on a neighboring plate. Joss is still in touch with him via the grimoire—the holo-space unit that Carpenter possesses and holds in trust for the Taylor family.
Carpenter checks with, Niel, the codename for an informant that he has cultivated in the Arcadian Federal Police. He tells Joss that the fugitives are thought to have entered the underground. Carpenter gets in touch with his friends among the plate dwellers and has assistant Sgt Arnie Vincenzo, take him to a meeting with them.
Chapter 21: Plate Dwellers
Toreus and h is team run into a group of plate dwellers. The Plate Dwellers are humanoid beings whose genome has been altered by the Trongoroth.The Underworlders,dress in Old Surplus Time Stalker Jumpsuites,modified with all sorts of begged,barrowed,brought and stolen items.Skull cap searh light fixed a headband over their forhead,like ancient physicians used to in old days.The Platedwellers face was a series of tattooed scars,to show designation of clan and level of achievement. The live in the underground of all the plate of Terra Prime and perform maintenance tasks that the Sidairian refuse to do in light of the Guild Treaty. They also repair damage caused by roaming rogue Metrone spiders,who burrow into darken sub shuttle tunnels and passageway to live and next a new offspring.
The PDs take the group to one of their dwellings and feed them. The main stay of PD food is based heavily on mushrooms and other fungoids that are grown in the Underground. The plate dweller leader, , informs them that his people are in contact with Lord Carpenter and that he is on his way to help them.
Chapter 22: The Genesis Bunker
Joss Carpenter enters the underground near the center of Arcadopolis, in a place that known as the location of the ancient Atlantean Genesis Bunker.
The GB is an ancient installation and there is at least one on every plate of Terra Prime. It is unlocked by a key that is entrusted only to Atlantean Time Sorcerers and their familiars. The Bunker is a repository of vital knowledge and machinery in case of a catastrophe and contains access to World Wells that allow the Sorcerers to access their network of wormholes directly.
Once Carpenter is underground, he sees that the GB has been opened and that trucks loaded with Kai’Vhan are coming through from one of the other Earths. It is clear that the Kai’Vhan mercenaries have hijacked the Genesis Bunker and are suing the World Well to send their troops into Arcadia.
Carpenter heads off to find Toreus and the Taylor family.
Chapter 23: Intervention
Emperor Toreus meets with his Privy Council again. He is concerned with the developments in Arcadia that have been reported to him by the agents of his personal intelligence service—the Talon. Things are not getting nay better and the policies of his plate that tie his hands are not helping.
He assigns Kothar Khonn to do something about the situation behind the Chancellor’s back.
Chapter 24: The Underground War
Joss Carpenter and Toreus have joined forces. They have decided to go to the Genesis Bunker and with the help of armed Plate Dwellers take it away from the Kai’Vhan. Joss also believes that he can use the Well of Worlds to help the Taylor family escape to a worldline of sanctuary.
Colin is not so sure of the situation. The Plate Dwellers are not professional soldiers and the Kai’Vhan are nothing but. He would much rather move up to the base of the Fountain and try to fight their way up to the station. Colin points out that the Fountain is 10,000 kilometers long and that they might have to fight every meter of its length. Colin finally agrees that the Bunker is a better choice.
Chapter 25: Dark Knights
Kothar Khonn Jr. and his commandoes prepare to raid the prison and rescue Duke Nathanial. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon. They are headed toward the prison in an airship.
All of the troops aboard are from the Thuvian Rangers Dark Knights Commando Group. All are highly trained Special Forces operatives. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon.
The plan involves Imperial intelligence agents disrupting the power of the area around the prison as the Commandoes move in and head for the Duke’s cell, neutralizing all resistance that they encounter. Timing will be important. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible and get the airship—that is holographically disguised as a cloud—away as quickly as possible. Once it is clear of Arcadopolis airspace, it will uncloak and will—disguised as a commercial airship—head for a jump gate on the edge of the Arcadia plate.
Kothar Khonn Jr. is concerned that if this mission goes awry then he will be responsible for defaming the Emperor and starting a war between Arcadia and Pangaea. He discusses his concerns with Arenjun Sarkhon, who is with him in the airship and will participate in the raid.
Arenjun Sarkhon knows that the Chancellor will use an elicit military action on the part of the Emperor as an excuse to make the role of the throne in ruling Pangaea smaller and increase the power of the Parliament. Not that that, in his estimation, would be a bad thing but not in the hands of the current Chancellor XXXXX and his ilk. Arenjun sees himself as the lone protector of Terra Prime from the Guild and its allies. He knows that the Chancellor is a stanch supporter of the Guild and a good friend of the current Guild President XXXX Shaitanis. He does not trust the Guild for this reason, among many others, and does not wish to be responsible for turning the Empire over to their hands.
He says a prayer to the Gods and prepares himself for the coming action.
Chapter 26: Armageddon
The Plate Dwellers explode a mine under a Kai’Vhan convoy in a tunnel that leads away from the Genesis Bunker. The little people attack the vehicles and a furious firefight ensues.
Toreus and his commandoes assault the open bunker and mange to kill the guards. Once inside they close the door trapping them in the Bunker and keeping the Vhan on the outside.
Lord Tolbert is inside and he makes an attempt on the life of Lady Lois. She turns his attack aside and Toreus breaks the man’s neck with his bare ands. Tolbert craps himself as he falls dead to the floor.
Kothar’s force hits the prison.
They fight their way to the Duke’s cell.
Arenjun Sarkhon’s detachment makes its way down into the bowls of the prison freeing inmates and fomenting a riot. They will continue down and exfiltrate via the underground where they will make their way to the outer skin of the plate. There they will be picked up by a starship that is owned by a privateer mate and freind of Arenjun Sarkhon’.Captain Carter Tauran and Commander Goliath Khonn-the Imperial Delkhonean Warrior,were legendary getting into and out of the most difficult situations.He’d need and amazing ship-a refitted Tramp Freighter,turned warship known as the Gypsie Queen II-apart of much larger Gypsie Queen-Mothership and also smaller vessel-the Gypsie Queen III and IV-two Pursuet class star ships,that outrun anything,in and out of deep space. group..
When the Dark Knights enter the VIP ward where Duke Nathaniel is held Lord Saratoga flees and Kothar gets into a fight with Phasier.
The Dark Knights evacuate the Duke to the roof and into the waiting airship. Kothar is separated from his force as he combats Phasier.
Kothar manages to kill Phasier and then follows his troops to the roof. When he arrives, the airship is gone and Wallace troops close in on him.
Toreus, Joss and the Taylors are trapped inside the Bunker. The Wallaces are trying to cut their way in using graser cannon. However, the ancient Atlantean material with which the bunker is made soaks up the energy and drains it off into the GB’s power system.
Toreus has taken the Key sword from Lord Tolbert and he uses it to open a time space portal in the Well of Worlds. Joss and the Taylors will use it to escape to one of the alternate Earths where they can go into hiding amongst its population of humans.
Joss urges Toreus to come with them. However, the Prince refuses. He cannot abandon Terra Prime while there is work to be done. He and Shakorja will stay behind in the bunker and try to find another way out.
Chapter 27: The Long Future
Kothar is lifted off the roof by a spider line from the airship. Arcadian troops fire at the ship and are mowed down by the gunners on board the ship. As the airship withdraws Arcadian robot fighters pursue them.
The captain of the airship throws a jump point in front of the ship and it heads through it to another plate—a friendly plate. The hole closes before the enemy can pursue them.
Arenjun and his crew have made it to the skin and use jump points to board Carter Tauran's ship. They head away for the Time Sorcerer’s Space Castle.
Colin and his men make it to the top of the fountain and board the Shadow. As his ship casts off Colin wonders how his friend Toreus is doing.
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The airship arrives at a camp in Jurassica. There Kothar is greeted by his father who has flown there to prepare an Arcadian Resistance base that will be turned over to the command of Duke Nathaniel.
The Duke takes command of the Arcadian Rebel Alliance. He looks forward to a future in which Arcadia is free and he can be reunited with his family.
Toreus and Shakorja are alone in the cavern of the Genesis Bunker. The Prince thinks back on his adventures in the last few days and considers taking the Well as a means of escape. This is the end of this novel and sets the setting for the beginning of its sequel—Tentative Title: Toreus Rhann and the Stalkers of Time.
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Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
mavericstud9
So now enter into the wonderous and fantastic multi reality that is the Maveric Universe,oh seeker of the unusual and beyond the realm of places undreamed of.Where Great Wizards of Time and Space do battle Great Warriors of Time and Space,over a fantastic eons old Temporal Cold Wars,throughout all the infinite cosmic heavens of space.Great Titanic worlds known as Dysonsphere deside the fate of every universe,A titanic fight of good and evil,with the the untold sentient being caught in the middle.
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I'm one of the first lovers of Cristina Jane Small...
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Prince Toreus Rhann and the Thuvian Rangers
a Tale of Terra Prime
By Carl E. Thompson & Joseph Gilbert. Thompson
Prolog:
The book starts with an excerpt from Book of the Great Sphere, a widely accepted and quoted history of Terra Prime and constituent plates. This should mention that Terra Prime is a Dysons Sphere created by the Atlantean Time Sorcerers and the Sidairian Cosmic Engineers. In addition, it should mention the great plate of Pangaea and the Rhann family. In addition, we need to introduce the Guild and allude to the conflict that led to its formation.
Chapter 1: The Fountain
The chapter begins with a quote from the Thuvian Chronicles on Prince Toreus II Rhann-the so called Lord of Lions,First Son of Thuvia.Warlord of Thuvia-who will one sit the Royal Emerald Throne of Thuvia
Toreus Rhann is on a space bus that is taking him to Arcadia. He is dressed in a business suit and wearing a protomask that makes him appear as if he were an older man and not himself. As he sits in the shuttle liner’s couch, he confers with his Guider gem and which briefs on his mission. The shuttle docks at the Fountain Station and Toreus disembarks.
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus—of Pangaea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a café and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovians mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel.
A mission to rescue the family of the Baron Nathanial Taylor, a cousin three times removed of Prince Toreus.
Accused of treason by the evil King Radu, Prince Nathanial was under arrest. His family, the Baroness Lois and his heirs, Nathan and Leo have gone into hiding.
Toreus volunteered his services to Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn, his father’s chief military agent, whose son, Kothar Junior, is running this secret mission to rescue to Baron’s family. Even though Toreus would like nothing better than to bust his way into the Tower of Arcadia City and rescue Nathaniel, the mission calls for him to secure the two baronets and the Baroness only. Even though his father is the emperor, he must keep his involvement in this action secret from Chancellor XXXXXX, who opposes Pangean involvement in all military adventures.
A Cold Plasma Shield in forearm guards shields Toreus. His only offensive armaments are a Short fighting knife and a small pistol. He will get the rest of his gear—including Shakorja, his lion and Ulysseas,named after the Thuvian Princes Great Grandfather Ulyseas Rhann his falcon, when he reaches the ground. The Pangean Secret Service has sent them ahead in a pre-positioning module.
He steps into what looks like an elevator and whisks to the surface where he emerges in what seems like a riot.
Chapter 2: The Imperial Court
In the capitol city of the Pangean Empire, the Twine Cities of Kharzhandorr and Zharithan, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom. By his side is the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.
As the Emperor Toreus Rhann leaves the Court the Chancellor tries to button hole him and discuss the bill that he plans to put before the House of Princes--One of the two houses of the Pangean Parliament-- to prevent the use of Pangean military forces off-plate for any operation that is not directly involved in the defense of the realm. The Emperor rudely tries to put him off because he is in a hurry to discuss his illegal operation in Arcadia with Kothar Khonn II. he tells the Chancellor that he will discuss the bill with him at the earliest opportunity but does not tell him that he intends to veto any such bill.
Emperor Toreus enters the War Room where Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn awaits him. With him are David Greystone-descendant to the legendary original General David Greystone-who fought in the Great Trongaroth Wars many centuries ago, the head of the Pangean Secret Service and XXXXXX, the head of the Imperial Security Service as well as General XXXXX, the Chief of Pangean Special Forces—himself a Thuvian Ranger—and Arenjun Sarkhon, the Ronan Time Sorcerer. The ancient temporal wizard was holding his Burmese Atlantean Cat-Hecate in his arms-a Time Sorcerers familiar -guide and spy, to help on their many missions through time and space. Sitting next the Emperor's seat, was his lovely wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann-not only his love, the mother of his four children, two sons Prince Toreus and Theaseus Rhann, plus the two daughters Princess Andromeda and Castria Rhann. This is the Emperor’s Privy Council, the closest advisors to the ruler of Pangaea.
Kothar calls on the Secret Service chief to brief the Emperor on the operation’s progress.
Here there is an account of the events leading up to the arrest of Baron Nathanial Taylor and the Emperor’s decision to send in Special Forces to intervene.
The Emperor is concerned that his son Toreus has volunteered to participate in the action and he is not pleased. Kothar tires to assuage his anger and assure the Emperor that everything will be okay—even though Kothar himself is not sure of this. His own son convinced him that it would be all right. However, Kothar feels that the young Prince is too reckless and inexperienced for the subtleties of covert operations.
Nonetheless, the elder Toreus has strong misgivings about his son’s direct involvement in the covert action to rescue the Taylor family.
Despite his reservations, the Emperor signs off on the continuation of the mission. He feels that he can do nothing less due to his debt of honor to the Taylor clan.
Chapter 3: Unrest
Prince Toreus is in the middle of a riot that began when Arcadian Police—mostly Kai’Vhan Mercenaries utilized force to break up a student demonstration at the Fountain Station. Toreus fights his way free of the crowd using his wrist shields. He focuses his violence on the cops preferring to avoid any injury to the civilians. Near the edge of the riot, a cab pulls up to him and opens its door. It is driven by Arnie Vincenzo, part of the Vincenzo family who work as special operatives for the Sarkhon family of Atlantean Time Sorcerers and often run cab or other transport companies here and across the sphere,plus other places in time and space.Venchenzo Yellow Cab Transportation was notorious all over Temporal space and a useful over for a Temporal Wizards spy network,that included the Doomwatchers,the Temporal Guard,the Time Stalkers and other such organizations.Arnie Venchenzo,has the Doomwatchers for time and they work in hand in hand with.
Toreus Rhann rushes to the open cab door and jumps in. as they race away Arnie Vincenzo introduces himself to the Thuvian Prince.Colonel Kothar Khonn sent him to watch out for him.Arnie smoking a cigar,spots a Kai’Vhan moving toward and whips out a mall rifle,hitting the alian zombie mercenary in the chest,before it deflector shiend body armor could active,protecting from harm.The Kai’Vhan,already corpse mask,with palid chalky white skin and dark rings around the eyes freezes and drops his own rifle and tumbles over like a sack of weat. Chapter 4: Shakorja and Ulysses
Arnie Vincenzo drops Toreus off at a cargo depot not far from the space fountain.
The Prince enters the depot using a passcard and goes to a cargo module whose number he has memorized earlier. Using another passcard, he enters the module. Inside is a Mobile Special Forces center of the Pangaean Special Forces. Here there are weapons, small vehicles and a communications center. In addition, there is a stasis chamber containing a Thuvian saber cat and a Highlands Hawk. The saber cat is Shakorja and the hawk is Ulysseas—friends of Toreus and key parts of his combat ensemble.
Toreus sends a confirmation message to the Mission Support Site aboard an orbiting spacecraft. The MSS acknowledges the message.
Toreus free the cat and bird from the stasis field. He greets both of them. The animals are augmented and are able to talk to Toreus via his Guider Gem—a device that links into the semi-mystic realm of holo-space which will fulfill a heavy role in our stories.
Toreus feeds himself and the animals. Shakorja complains about the canned rations since he prefers raw meat in his diet.
After the meal, Toreus Rhann suits up for his mission.
Chapter 5: Scarlet Shadow
The Mission Support Site is located aboard the starship Scarlet Shadow. The Shadow belongs to Thuvian Ranger Captain Colin O’Brien and his wife, Rachel,The ship co-owned and shared with the mysterious Time Sorcerer renegade known as Doctor Zacheriah Sarkhon and own Ivhanna-Sarkhons family left the Dysonsphere of Atlantis-Prime,some untold time ago and father . She is the ship's captain. The Shadow is in stationary orbit high above the Arcadia Plate. Rachel O’Brien receives the message from Toreus and forwards it to her husband Colin, who is already on the plate with his Special Ops team. The couple has a bickering but loving relationship not unlike that of the Cramdens in the old Honeymooners series. Colin tends to be a little more reckless and a braggart. He has never met Prince Toreus though they both have served in the renowned Thuvian Rangers. Colin has certain misconceptions about the Prince, however.
Rachel informs her husband that Toreus heads for the meeting and that Colin and his Commandoes should be ready to help if needed.
Chapter 6: Recon
Toreus rides his spike (smart bike) Ebony to an alley not far from the meeting bar.The Spike is more just a simple hover bike,but sentient artificially intelligent robot-a cross between a paragravity motorbike and robot horse,able to think in limited ways for itself,but always under the command of it’s rider.A perfect tool for a warrior and armed secret weapons and other devices,in combat and evasion situation.Ebony wines in strange earie echo horse nay as the Thuvian Prince turns a corner,passing hover cars and trucks. The bar, called Makean’s Den, is one of the few places open during the curfew imposed by the government because it is a Fountain port watering hole for mercenaries, bounty hunters, privateers and spacer gangs.
The Prince dispatches Ulysses to scout from the air and sees that there are at least two vehicles that may be police surveillance units. Otherwise, there seems to be no signs of trouble. He instructs the hawk to continue surveillance and warn him of any changes via the Guider link.
He instructs the cat to watch from the alley’s street end and processed to the bar using a holo-cloak to disguise his military gear.
Chapter 7: The Den
Toreus enters the Den and looks around.
The joint is crowded with people, mostly bounty hunters here to collect the bounty on the Taylor family. At the bar, he spies two Jovians—big, hulking characters. These he recognizes as the hired bodyguards of Colonel Kothar Khonn.
In one corner of the room there are a group of Thulians—Neanderthals from a continent on the Pangaen Plate. Two of them are playing a game of choke. Two Thulians grasp each other’s necks and squeeze until one passes out. The others take bets on who will pass out first. Toreus frowns on the game considering it something that only morons do for entertainment.
His eyes scan past a group of spacers at on table and he catches the eye of a red haired, green-eyed female warrior. He smiles at her and she returns the smile, quickly averting her gaze. Toreus reminds himself that he is not here for romantic entanglements and conies to scan fro his contact.
In the far corner, he sees Kothar at a table with some other men.
Toreus heads for the table. Kothar looks up and nods to him, not wanting to address him by name. The Thuvian Prince sits down.
Kothar introduced the other man at the table. He is Joss Carpenter, the heads of House Taylor Security bearing the ancient title of Master of Assassins. Toreus is concerned that they are in the same place as Carpenter. The police want the MoA. Joss assures him that his contacts in the police will inform them of any possible raid. Toreus is not convinced.
Kothar and Joss inform him of the mission goals.
The Baron Nathaniel, held in the Royal Prison at the edge of town, cannot be freed without a large military operation. The Baron’s family is in hiding in a temple to the anti-spin ward side of town. This consists of the Baroness Lois Chandler Taylor and her two sons, Nathan, 14 and Lemonades (Leo) aged 10. They are the heirs to the family titles and it is their father’s wishes that they be taken out of Arcadia and into hiding. That way if Nathaniel is killed the Taylor family will not be wiped out and the sons and wife will be able to carry on the mission of freeing their homeland from the grasp of the evil King Radu Wallace.
Toreus’ job will be to retrieve the family and get them out of Arcadia
They discuss details of the mission.
\It is at this point that Ulysses and Shakorja inform Toreus that there are Kai’Vhan police assembling outside the bar. Toreus receives a hawk eye view of the mercenary cops. It is clear that they are planning to raid the mercenary bar and that there could be only one reason for that. They want to get their hands on the conspirators.
Toreus starts a fight with the Thulian chokers in order to cause a diversion. The diversion blooms into a full-scale bar riot as the police storm in the door.
Kothar and Joss dodge out a side door and are stopped by police blocking that exit. Vincenzo tosses a stun bomb at the cops and the two officers escape in Vincenzo’s car.
Toreus shield battles the Kai’Vhan. However, he is cut off from any exit.
Chapter 8: Escape
The red headed female warrior, whose name is Princess Antilus Sojat of the Northern Pangean kingdom of Lemuria, taps Toreus on the shoulder and leads him to a secret exit. The exit leads down to the underground of the plate.
Among the fleeing people are the two Jovians, some mercenaries and spacers and one of the Thulians—Paulo Torsi.
Toreus tries to find out Antila’s name but she is unwilling to tell him. They will meet again and eventually become lovers but for now she thinks that he is just a common warriors looking to get lucky and she’s not having nay of that.
Antilus Sojat separates from Toreus, the Jovians and Paulo.
Chapter 9: Escape
Toreus and his companions wander through the Arcadian Underground, the upper infrastructure of the plate on which Arcadia is built. The Trongoroth and Plate Dwellers should be referred to here though a more detailed explanation of them will follow in the Chapter entitled Underworld (Chapter 19).
The Prince tries to put the images of the woman out of his mind, realizing that they will only distract him from the mission ahead. He also tries to ignore the annoying attentions of Paulo, who has a man crush on him.
He decides that he needs the help of Shakorja and contacts the beast via his Guider. The Guider calls up an ancient map of Arcadia City’s underground and the Prince instructs the cat to wait fro him at a nearby entrance. Toreus and his companions move off in that direction.
Chapter 10: Radu
King Radu Wallace of Arcadia is in his private office chamber with some of his henchmen. They are a motley crew.
Among them are his nephews Duke James Wallace (a tall thin, quiet man who carries a Tionka—a type of ape-like alien pet that produces an addictive venom.) and Prince Wesley Wallace (who wears his blond hair in dreadlocks, a style he learned on the far off Arcadian colony of Earth 3261. He is the heir designate to the throne because of the elder James’ lack of authority and courage). Also there are Sir Marc Hadron Phasier (a virt addict who wears a virt helmet that paints a virtual world of his own liking around him), Sir Leslie Tolbert (a loud mouthed moron and child molester.) and the James Irby, the Earl of Saratoga (who originated from Earth 3261 and is renowned for his meanness and sadism in dealing with the enemies of the Wallaces. He is the House Wallace Master of Assassins).
Saratoga outlines all of his forces efforts, so far, in the search fro the Taylor family. He has place a guard force on all exits from Arcadia and has put the Arcadian Army and Space Navy on alert to back up the Kai’Vhan mercenaries if the need arises.
Radu is concerned about the lack of progress in the search for the Taylor family. He does not feel that he can complete his bid to take over complete control of Arcadia until this rebel family is in prison of killed.
He is also concerned about the ultimatum that he has sent to the Emperor of Pangaea warning the Pangaea not too interfere in internal affairs of Arcadia. From long experience, he knows that the Emperor holds him in low contempt and it is only by the intercession of the Chancellor that he has managed to keep Pangaean troops off his front doorstep.
As is his habit Radu takes his worries out on his subordinates, all of whom are inveterate cowards and ring kissers. Radu demands that they increase their efforts to locate and arrest the Taylor family and that the guards on all exits from Arcadia are doubled.
Chapter 11: Alley Fighting
Now emerged from the underground Toreus makes his way down an alley headed toward where Shakorja awaits him with his spike. He has Ulysses scanning above and it appears as if the coast is clear. However, his combat honed senses nag him that this might not be so.
Kai’Vhan mercs with stealth costumes jump him. Toreus and the Saber cat go into battle mode, the Prince firing up his shield and drawing his knife. The big cat does not unnerve or frighten the drugged up cyborg Kai’Vhan. The animal’s claws claim several victims. Toreus fights the Vhan troops and breaks free to mount his spike.
Chapter 12: Colin
Before Toreus can exit the alley on his spike, he finds his way blocked by armed humans also riding spikes. He draws to a stop but the new soldiers raise their weapons and fire at the Vhan that are chasing the Prince.
These soldiers are the Rangers of Colin O’Brien’s team. They have raced to aid Toreus. Together they escape the Vhan ambush and head off to a rendezvous point under an overpass in the city.
Chapter 13: The Taylors
Duchess Lois Taylor and her two sons, Nathan and Leo, are hiding in a temple of the Arcadian Universal Church. With them is Father Philip Cho, the pastor of the church and an old friend of Duke Nathaniel Taylor.
Father Phil is concerned with the constant police canvassing of the neighborhood around the church. The long-standing custom of Church as Sanctuary in Arcadia will soon be broken by the eager off-worlders that King Radu has hired to supplement his police force. Already the police have placed a sniper lookout in the church tower.
The family is concealed in a hideaway in the basement of the church. There Lois prepares herself to fight off any incursions, as she is a Sister of the Holy Magdalene and a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. She trains her son Nathan in combat as a supplement to his hyper-mentation training. Young Leo watches the sparring with his robo-bear, Tim. Most well to do Arcadian children have such bears that serve as both governess and bodyguard. Tim, however, is no ordinary robo. He has been augmented with Atlantean and Mechan devices by Leo’s father,
Chapter 14: The Garage
Toreus, Colin’s crew, Kothar and Joss gather in an old garage that has been turned into a mission hide site.
Toreus sends Ulysses to scout the area around the temple from the air. They spot the sniper nest in the bell tower and realize that it can watch all the approaches to the temple and kill anyone approaching.
The Prince has Ulysses scout out an approach to the temple that will give them the most cover from the sniper.
The team assembles and moves off toward their target mounted on spikes.
Chapter 15: Assault
Toreus, Colin and members of the team move through the alleys toward the church. Along the way, they take out Kai'Vhan police officers and enter the church.
Toreus moves up the tower to the balcony and dispatches the sniper and his scout with his bare hands. Then he rejoins Colin on the ground floor and together they move toward the Taylors’ hide.
Toreus enters the hide and is jumped…
It is Lois who has attacked the Prince. She battles him using techniques of hand-to-hand favored by her sisterhood. She moves too fast for even the hulking prince to get a blow in.
Toreus activates his shields and throws her off. It is then that father Phil enters and recognizes the Prince, introducing him to the Duchess and her two sons.
Toreus contacts Colin’s Rangers and they knock out the power, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. It is then that the Rangers and their charges leave the church and board the vehicles that are now waiting in front of the church.
Father Phil waves good-bye to the Duchess and her sons as they move away into the night
.Chapter 16: The Bridge
The team comes to a bridge that leads across the Arcadopolis River to the part of town from which the Space Fountain arises. They discover that the bridge is heavily guarded by units of the Arcadian Army and is mined. Apparently, the entire town has been alerted and heavy military and police units are surrounding the approach to the Fountain.
Toreus and Colin must decide whether to fight their way through or find another route out of Arcadia.
They decided that they must get to the space fountain and that the bridge is the only way.
They decide that half the team will cross the river on hover-mode positioning themselves behind the guard to draw their fire. The rest will cross the bridge under that cover. The family will be with this element.
The second section attacks the rear of the Arcadian unit guarding the bridge. Toreus, the Taylors and the first section charge across. They receive heavy fire. Toreus’ spike is hit and crippled. He abandons the vehicle and retrieves its AI brain, the only part of the vehicle that is irreplaceable. He jumps astride Colin’s spike and they charge forward to the other side of the bridge where the second section has already killed off most of the Arcadian troops.
The two sections regroup and head off toward the Fountain before the enemy can regroup.
Chapter 17: The Prisoner
Marc Hadron Phasier goes to visit the imprisoned Duke Nathaniel to taunt him about his wife and children. The Duke refuses to let the little man get his goat.
While Phasier is visiting the prisoner, the news that the family has been sighted in the city reaches him. He rushes away leaving the Duke with a little smile.
Chapter 18: No Easy Way Out
The team funds their way to the Fountain blocked by heavy military and police units. There is no easy way off the Arcadia plate. They hide in a storm drain and discuss alternative plans.
They decide that taking the underground might be the best choice and strike off toward the Fountain.
Chapter 19: The Underworld
Toreus and the team move through the underground labyrinth under Arcadopolis. Much of the complex has been abandoned since the long ago war with the Trongoroth—an insect like alien invader that once infests Terra Prime. The lower levels of the underground—those closest to space—still show unprepared signs of the devastation in places. There are rumors—perhaps urban legends—that Trongoroth have been seen in the lower levels of the Sphere. There is even a plate that is totally a Trongoroth eco-system. Terra Prime is a work in progress and is yet unfinished since the Sidairian builders have refused to do so under the Guild Treaty that they do not aggress with.
Also living in the underground are the Plate Dwellers, a species of humanoids, cultured by the Trongoroth genetic engineers, who live and work in the underground and maintain the systems of the Sphere in the absence of the Sidairian builders.
Colin suggests that they might go down to the outer shell of the plate and wait there for the Scarlet Shadow to pick them up. Toreus points out that it will take too long for the starship to make its way from the inner side of the plate to the outer. Their enemies might find them long before that.
It is then that they encounter a group of plate dwellers.
Chapter 20: Master of Assassins
Joss Carpenter is at one of his safe houses. He is concerned with the whereabouts of the rescue mission. Kothar has returned to the mission support site on a neighboring plate. Joss is still in touch with him via the grimoire—the holo-space unit that Carpenter possesses and holds in trust for the Taylor family.
Carpenter checks with, Niel, the codename for an informant that he has cultivated in the Arcadian Federal Police. He tells Joss that the fugitives are thought to have entered the underground. Carpenter gets in touch with his friends among the plate dwellers and has Arnie Vincenzo, take him to a meeting with them.
Chapter 21: Plate Dwellers
Toreus and h is team run into a group of plate dwellers. The Plate Dwellers are humanoid beings whose genome has been altered by the Trongoroth. The live in the underground of all the plate of Terra Prime and perform maintenance tasks that the Sidairian refuse to do in light of the Guild Treaty.
The PDs take the group to one of their dwellings and feed them. The main stay of PD food is based heavily on mushrooms and other fungoids that are grown in the Underground. The plate dweller leader, XXXX, informs them that his people are in contact with Lord Carpenter and that he is on his way to help them.
Chapter 22: The Genesis Bunker
Joss Carpenter enters the underground near the center of Arcadopolis, in a place that known as the location of the ancient Atlantean Genesis Bunker.
The GB is an ancient installation and there is at least one on every plate of Terra Prime. It is unlocked by a key that is entrusted only to Atlantean Time Sorcerers and their familiars. The Bunker is a repository of vital knowledge and machinery in case of a catastrophe and contains access to World Wells that allow the Sorcerers to access their network of wormholes directly.
Once Carpenter is underground, he sees that the GB has been opened and that trucks loaded with Kai’Vhan are coming through from one of the other Earths. It is clear that the Kai’Vhan mercenaries have hijacked the Genesis Bunker and are suing the World Well to send their troops into Arcadia.
Chapter 23: Intervention
Emperor Toreus meets with his Privy Council again. He is concerned with the developments in Arcadia that have been reported to him by the agents of his personal intelligence service—the Talon. Things are not getting nay better and the policies of his plate that tie his hands are not helping.
He assigns Kothar Khonn to do something about the situation behind the Chancellor’s back.
Chapter 24: The Underground War
Joss Carpenter and Toreus have joined forces. They have decided to go to the Genesis Bunker and with the help of armed Plate Dwellers take it away from the Kai’Vhan. Joss also believes that he can use the Well of Worlds to help the Taylor family escape to a worldline of sanctuary.
Colin is not so sure of the situation. The Plate Dwellers are not professional soldiers and the Kai’Vhan are nothing but. He would much rather move up to the base of the Fountain and try to fight their way up to the station. Colin points out that the Fountain is 10,000 kilometers long and that they might have to fight every meter of its length. Colin finally agrees that the Bunker is a better choice.
Chapter 25: Dark Knights
Kothar Khonn Jr. and his commandoes prepare to raid the prison and rescue Duke Nathanial. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon. They are headed toward the prison in an airship.
All of the troops aboard are from the Thuvian Rangers Dark Knights Commando Group. All are highly trained Special Forces operatives. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon.
The plan involves Imperial intelligence agents disrupting the power of the area around the prison as the Commandoes move in and head for the Duke’s cell, neutralizing all resistance that they encounter. Timing will be important. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible and get the airship—that is holographically disguised as a cloud—away as quickly as possible. Once it is clear of Arcadopolis airspace, it will uncloak and will—disguised as a commercial airship—head for a jump gate on the edge of the Arcadia plate.
Kothar Khonn Jr. is concerned that if this mission goes awry then he will be responsible for defaming the Emperor and starting a war between Arcadia and Pangaea. He discusses his concerns with Arenjun Sarkhon, who is with him in the airship and will participate in the raid.
Arenjun knows that the Chancellor will use an elicit military action on the part of the Emperor as an excuse to make the role of the throne in ruling Pangaea smaller and increase the power of the Parliament. Not that that, in his estimation, would be a bad thing but not in the hands of the current Chancellor XXXXX and his ilk. Arenjun sees himself as the lone protector of Terra Prime from the Guild and its allies. He knows that the Chancellor is a stanch supporter of the Guild and a good friend of the current Guild President XXXX Satanis. He does not trust the Guild for this reason, among many others, and does not wish to be responsible for turning the Empire over to their hands.
He says a prayer to the Gods and prepares himself for the coming action.
Chapter 26: Armageddon
The Plate Dwellers explode a mine under a Kai’Vhan convoy in a tunnel that leads away from the Genesis Bunker. The little people attack the vehicles and a furious firefight ensues.
Toreus and his commandoes assault the open bunker and mange to kill the guards. Once inside they close the door trapping them in the Bunker and keeping the Vhan on the outside.
Lord Tolbert is inside and he makes an attempt on the life of Lady Lois. She turns his attack aside and Toreus breaks the man’s neck with his bare ands. Tolbert craps himself as he falls dead to the floor.
Kothar’s force hits the prison.
They fight their way to the Duke’s cell.
Arenjun’s detachment makes its way down into the bowls of the prison freeing inmates and fomenting a riot. They will continue down and exfiltrate via the underground where they will make their way to the outer skin of the plate. There they will be picked up by a starship that is owned by a privateer mate of Arenjun’s—Carter Tauran.
When the Dark Knights enter the VIP ward where Duke Nathaniel is held Lord Saratoga flees and Kothar gets into a fight with Phasier.
The Dark Knights evacuate the Duke to the roof and into the waiting airship. Kothar is separated from his force as he combats Phasier.
Kothar manages to kill Phasier and then follows his troops to the roof. When he arrives, the airship is gone and Wallace troops close in on him.
Toreus, Joss and the Taylors are trapped inside the Bunker. The Wallaces are trying to cut their way in using graser cannon. However, the ancient Atlantean material with which the bunker is made soaks up the energy and drains it off into the GB’s power system.
Toreus has taken the Key sword from Lord Tolbert and he uses it to open a time space portal in the Well of Worlds. Joss and the Taylors will use it to escape to one of the alternate Earths where they can go into hiding amongst its population of humans.
Joss urges Toreus to come with them. However, the Prince refuses. He cannot abandon Terra Prime while there is work to be done. He and Shakorja will stay behind in the bunker and try to find another way out.
Chapter 27: The Long Future
Kothar is lifted off the roof by a spider line from the airship. Arcadian troops fire at the ship and are mowed down by the gunners on board the ship. As the airship withdraws Arcadian robot fighters pursue them.
The captain of the airship throws a jump point in front of the ship and it heads through it to another plate—a friendly plate. The hole closes before the enemy can pursue them.
Arenjun and his crew have made it to the skin and use jump points to board Carter Tauran's ship. They head away for the Time Sorcerer’s Space Castle.
Colin and his men make it to the top of the fountain and board the Shadow. As his ship casts off Colin wonders how his friend Toreus is doing.
The airship arrives at a camp in Jurassica. There Kothar is greeted by his father who has flown there to prepare an Arcadian Resistance base that will be turned over to the command of Duke Nathaniel.
The Duke takes command of the Arcadian Rebel Alliance. He looks forward to a future in which Arcadia is free and he can be reunited with his family.
•
Toreus and Shakorja are alone in the cavern of the Genesis Bunker. The Prince thinks back on his adventures in the last few days and considers taking the Well as a means of escape. This is the end of this novel and sets the setting for the beginning of its sequel—Tentative Title: Toreus Rhann and the Stalkers of Time.
1. --Sincerely yours-Upward Onward Maveric MAVERIC LIONS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 23:07, January 5, 2010 (UTC)
a Tale of Terra Prime
Chronicles of Pangaea and the Book of Thuvia.
By Carl E. Thompson & Joseph Gilbert. Thompson
== Prologue ==
The book starts with an excerpt from Book of the Great Sphere, a widely accepted and quoted history of Terra Prime and constituent plates. This should mention that Terra Prime is a Dyson Sphere created by the Atlantean Time Sorcerers and the Sidairian Cosmic Engineers. In addition, it should mention the great plate of Pangea and the Rhann family. In addition, we need to introduce the Guild and allude to the conflict that led to its formation.Also maybe talk Terra-Prime a bit.
This is a tale of Prince Toreus Rhann. The First Son of Thuvia, also sometimes known as Toreus the Slayer by his enemies and Prince Toreus, Lord of Lions, by friends, companions, and allies. Not to be confused with Toreus Rhann I, his esteemed father. Much has been said about that worthy elsewhere in the Chronicles of Pangaea and the Book of Thuvia.
If you want to know of his noble family then look elsewhere. They will tell you how Toreus Rhann I united the nations of Pangea and became the Emperor Toreus Rhann I. Or how his ancient ancestors, the Starkillers—principally Captain Toreus Starkiller-- beat back the Trongoroth invasion and restored Pangaea as the Jewel of the Sphere of Terra Prime. The scholars all know of the Great deeds of his Great grandfather Ulyseas Rhann-as did his father Odyseus Rhann,who sailed the Seven Seas of Great Pangaea to fight the enemies –the Khaiton ,the Drakhoneans and the Arkhon of Northern and Central Pangaea ,during the First and Second Great Pangeaen Wars and how that Thuvian Ranger helped bring back the apart of the Golden Ages of the Ancient Pangeans.They also know the heroic tales of many of Princely members of the Imperial House of Rhann and Khonn,to which the current Royal Family bloodlines extend from the man legend,turned hologod,known as First Lord Thrull Khonn-once exile of Thuvia,turned Thuvian Ranger and Messianic savior of the Great Pangean World.
If you want to know of his noble family then look elsewhere. They will tell you how Toreus Rhann I united the nations of Pangaea and became the Emperor Toreus Rhann I. Or how his ancient ancestors, the Starkillers—principally Captain Toreus Starkiller-- beat back the Trongoroth invasion and restored Pangaea as the Jewel of the Sphere of Terra Prime. The scholars all know of the Great deeds of his Great grandfather Ulyseas Rhann-as did his father Odysseus Rhann,the sailed the Seven Seas of Great Pangaea to fight the enemies –the Khaiton ,the Drakhoneans and the Archon of Northern and Central Pangaea ,during the First and Second Great Pangeaen Wars and how that Thuvian Ranger helped bring back the apart of the Golden Ages of the Ancient Pangaeans
But any schoolchild knows of the Shattered Empires of Pangaea, and the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm. Stories of the ancient Dragon Wars, the Emperor Thrull Khan and the return of the Golden Age of Pangaea.
'Arcadia' in the Second War for Terra Prime. Long before he was named Sarkhon's Knight and led his Ranger Legions in that same struggle for the freedom of the Sphere.
== Chapter 1: The Fountain ==
The chapter begins with a quote from the Thuvian Chronicles on Prince Toreus II Rhann.
Toreus Rhann is on a space bus that is taking him to Arcadia. He is dressed in a business suit and wearing a protomask that makes him appear as if he were an older man and not himself. As he sits in the shuttle liner’s couch, he confers with his Guider gem and which briefs on his mission.He see scattered all about like a cactus,those strange metallic octopus like creatures,called Lockers-using long,tentacle like arms to anchor themselved into the ground,feeding off the earth nutrience.They neither interfere with the events about,but simply observe and record,for massive data,stored on memory ships of their own design.Arenjun Sarkhon and father,the Emperor once they only gather like during times of great crisis and great importance.No one knows true origin,but legend they existed before the Trangaroth and Metrone Menace,and after the time of the Mystrann,in the old Universe,that existed before the many were discovered by the Elder Gods.Interstellar Legends say they a failed Mystrann Spy Program that got out of hand and went rogue to search the multiverse for thruth on their own of greater thing evil pursuets.
The shuttle docks at the Fountain Station and Toreus disembarks.Various other ships circle past-Capavean Air Ships from Capavean Empire-a world plait near Arcadia,Heavy Jovian Bunk Cargo Haulers,
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus Rhann,the First—of Pangea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a cafe and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus Rhann intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovian mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel. A pack of TyRhaineans were tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation home-world, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. From a fight were up above the Jovians,dressed Drackonean Wolf Fur capes,their tradition blue and red sytho lether combat vest,over long tunics,high Casparian buccaneers boots,which held a Tauron Stun baton,in leather hoslers upon the right hid and blaster upon the opposite left.The Tykhainean were mostly blond or platinum blond,which some claim kind ship the Atlantean House of Sarkhon,but none could prove such a link to that,because many of them arrogant and stupid to do so,hoping impress others with supposed Atlantean ancestry.Behind was three Darkhoneans-more hulking humanoids,but these more wolf like in facial features,larged headed,tall,and also dressed dark Darkhonean leather.There also a Darkhonean Warriors covered their chests-the middle wearing a strange Wolfhead badge upon the upon area,with two crossed sabers behind it-the traditional weapon of all Imperial Darkhonean Warriors. Two hulking' Gholemoidians,their orange siliton covered a similar massive frame as the Jovians,was covered by leather combat vests ,Gholemoidian Combat Sashes that was connected a Great Gholemoidean Sword in back.Prince Toreus found it strange to all different warrior cast walking together,From Arenjun Sarkhon told him in studies long ago,Jovians and Gholemoidians shared a similar slave history before they both settles on Terra-Prime with the near by Jovian World Plate '.The Tyraineans and Darkhoneans were not honorable warriors,but simply pirates,butchers and bullies.And the Thuvian Prince hated most was bullies.
A mission to rescue the family of the Baron Nathanial Taylor, a cousin three times removed of Prince Toreus.
Accused of treason by the evil King Radu, Prince Nathanial was under arrest. His family, the Baroness Lois and his heirs, Nathan and Leo have gone into hiding.
Toreus volunteered his services to Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn, his father’s chief military agent, whose son, Kothar Junior, is running this secret mission to rescue to Baron’s family. Even though Toreus would like nothing better than to bust his way into the Tower of Arcadia City and rescue Nathaniel, the mission calls for him to secure the two baronets and the Baroness only. Even though his father is the emperor, he must keep his involvement in this action secret from Chancellor XXXXXX, who opposes Pangean involvement in all military adventures.
A Cold Plasma Shield in forearm guards shields Toreus. His only offensive armaments are a Short fighting knife and a small pistol. He will get the rest of his gear—including Shakorja, his lion and Ulysses, his falcon, when he reaches the ground. The Pangean Secret Service has sent them ahead in a pre-positioning module.
He steps into what looks like an elevator and whisks to the surface where he emerges in what seems like a riot.
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus Rhann,the First—of Pangea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a cafe and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus Rhann intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovian mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel. A pack of TyRhaineans were tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation home-world, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. From a fight were up above the Jovians,dressed Drackonean Wolf Fur capes,their tradition blue and red sytho lether combat vest,over long tunics,high Casparian buccaneers boots,which held a Tauron Stun baton,in leather hoslers upon the right hid and blaster upon the opposite left.The Tykhainean were mostly blond or platinum blond,which some claim kind ship the Atlantean House of Sarkhon,but none could prove such a link to that,because many of them arrogant and stupid to do so,hoping impress others with supposed Atlantean ancestry.Behind was three Darkhoneans-more hulking humanoids,but these more wolf like in facial features,larged headed,tall,and also dressed dark Darkhonean leather.There also a Darkhonean Warriors covered their chests-the middle wearing a strange Wolfhead badge upon the upon area,with two crossed sabers behind it-the traditional weapon of all Imperial Darkhonean Warriors. Two hulking' Gholemoidians,their orange siliton covered a similar massive frame as the Jovians,was covered by leather combat vests ,Gholemoidian Combat Sashes that was connected a Great Gholemoidean Sword in back.Prince Toreus found it strange to all different warrior cast walking together,From Arenjun Sarkhon told him in studies long ago,Jovians and Gholemoidians shared a similar slave history before they both settles on Terra-Prime with the near by Jovian World Plate '.The Tyraineans and Darkhoneans were not honorable warriors,but simply pirates,butchers and bullies.And the Thuvian Prince hated most was bullies
In the Twine capitol cities of the Pangean Empire, Kharzhadharr and Zharithon-named after the two warriors who founded the cities-,Kharzhadharr and Zharithon Khonn, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom.Two Capronean Lions one male and the other female sit upon either side of him,in front of glowing green and yellow holo orbs,contain misty swirles like of planets. By his left side is wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann.Next to her is the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.Emperor Toreus Rhann,sits back and begins to wonder if the Great Sphere of Terra-Prime is cursed by the gods-those Elder civilizations,that have been waging their own titanic Temporal Cold for untold eons across time and space.And Terra-Prime thus in time,the Great hope of infinate Terran civilaztion across many worldline,to achieve the status that the Atlanteans and Lords of Light shared-a huge confedetation of world plates,working in harmony across this vast dysonsphere,was drawn into the gods Temporal Cold War.
And after many wars across this world and great many civilization fallen-especially Pangea,after it's Cataclysm with asteroid Daedalus,the Guild was formed.It was supposed to keep the peace among many worlds here,but in time things only got worse.And was his distant ancestor Lord Thrull Khonn and others to step forthe and change for the better.Thrull Khonn-now a holo god,in holo space,altered the ruin of Pangea and transformed into toward the better world that is now.And Toreus Starkiller,another distant ancestor,fought back with other heroes,the Great Trongaroth/ Metrone Infestation-evil inhuman bug like creatures-intelligent,but also greedy,stupid and uncaring,raping the land and enslaving the people for their selfish needs and wants.Cassandra Rhann,informs him that freedom and change is ever a hard victory-often brought on alot of blood sled and war.He should know this,being he first fought a city-this city to regain his right to the throne and rescue her from it's dark,dungeons,placed by an evil Dark Warlord Ghenus Rhadmere, who userped his title and throne.With the Emperor rubs Sharkhara's fluffy neck-saying I guess she's right old freind.That we allowed to marry me and raise a fine family together.Shakhara says,he allowed you ?The elder Silver Lion could tell what to do as olderest son the First Prince Toreus is now..
== Chapter 2: The Imperial Court ==
In the Twine capitol cities of the Pangean Empire, Kharzhadharr and Zharithon-named after the two warriors who founded the cities-,Kharzhadharr and Zharithon Khonn, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom.Two Capronean Lions one male and the other female sit upon either side of him,in front of glowing green and yellow holo orbs,contain misty swirles like of planets. By his left side is wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann.Next to her is
the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.Emperor Toreus Rhann,sits back and begins to wonder if the Great Sphere of Terra-Prime is cursed by the gods-those Elder civilizations,that have been waging their own titanic Temporal Cold for untold eons across time and space.And Terra-Prime thus in time,the Great hope of infinate Terran civilaztion across many worldline,to achieve the status that the Atlanteans and Lords of Light shared-a huge confedetation of world plates,working in harmony across this vast dysonsphere,was drawn into the gods Temporal Cold War.
And after many wars across this world and great many civilization fallen-especially Pangea,after it's Cataclysm with asteroid Daedalus,the Guild was formed.It was supposed to keep the peace among many worlds here,but in time things only got worse.And was his distant ancestor Lord Thrull Khonn and others to step forthe and change for the better.Thrull Khonn-now a holo god,in holo space,altered the ruin of Pangea and transformed into toward the better world that is now.And Toreus Starkiller,another distant ancestor,fought back with other heroes,the Great Trongaroth/ Metrone Infestation-evil inhuman bug like creatures-intelligent,but also greedy,stupid and uncaring,raping the land and enslaving the people for their selfish needs and wants.Cassandra Rhann,informs him that freedom and change is ever a hard victory-often brought on alot of blood sled and war.He should know this,being he first fought a city-this city to regain his right to the throne and rescue her from it's dark,dungeons,placed by an evil Dark Warlord Ghenus Rhadmere, who userped his title and throne.With the Emperor rubs Sharkhara's fluffy neck-saying I guess she's right old freind.That we allowed to marry me and raise a fine family together.Shakhara says,he allowed you ?The elder Silver Lion could tell what to do as olderest son the First Prince Toreus is now..
As the Emperor Toreus Rhann leaves the Court the Chancellor tries to button hole him and discuss the bill that he plans to put before the House of Princes--One of the two houses of the Pangean Parliament-- to prevent the use of Pangean military forces off-plate for any operation that is not directly involved in the defense of the realm. The Emperor rudely tries to put him off because he is in a hurry to discuss his illegal operation in Arcadia with Kothar Khonn II. he tells the Chancellor that he will discuss the bill with him at the earliest opportunity but does not tell him that he intends to veto any such bill.
Emperor Toreus enters the War Room where Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn awaits him. With him are David Greystone-descendant to the legendary original General David Greystone-who fought in the Great Trongaroth Wars many centuries ago, the head of the Pangean Secret Service and XXXXXX, the head of the Imperial Security Service as well as General XXXXX, the Chief of Pangean Special Forces—himself a Thuvian Ranger—and Arenjun Sarkhon, the Ronan Time Sorcerer. The ancient temporal wizard was holding his Burmese Atlantean Cat-Hecate in his arms-a Time Sorcerers familiar -guide and spy, to help on their many missions through time and space. Sitting next the Emperor's seat, was his lovely wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann-not only his love, the mother of his four children, two sons Prince Toreus and Theaseus Rhann, plus the two daughters Princess Andromeda and Castria Rhann. This is the Emperor’s Privy Council, the closest advisors to the ruler of Pangaea.
Empiror Toreus Rhann asks his Temporal Advisor to open the meeting.The rogue Chronomancer stands and brings forth his Time Sorcerer Cosmic Staff in his left hand toward the Great Circulal Holographic Round Table..He begins to consentrait and the crystal ball tip begins to glow as closes his eyes to consentrait on his so called mystical activety.His green Guider Gem Headband begins to glow,as telepathic and telepresence abilities forcus on the task at hand.With right other hand the sorcerer,begins to draw mystical holgraphic ruins in the air in front of his.Arenjun Sarkhon then close his eyes and utter a so called Mystical Spell.He utters I open my mind to Holospace,to see into the Great Book of Time..A light issues forthe from the table and transformes into a representation of the Great Temporal Grimoire-a kind of dark brown,computer lap top like book.It opens and Arenjun Sarkhon makes a few ruinic gesters-unlocking ancient Atlantean computer codes,to safeguard this data bases knowledge from enemy eyes.The Temporal Wizard command it,by way his Guider Gem.to
Doctor Arenjun Sarkhon
Kothar Khonn calls on the Secret Service chief to brief the Emperor on the operation’s progress.
Here there is an account of the events leading up to the arrest of Baron Nathanial Taylor and the Emperor’s decision to send in Special Forces to intervene.
The Emperor is concerned that his son Toreus has volunteered to participate in the action and he is not pleased. Kothar tires to assuage his anger and assure the Emperor that everything will be okay—even though Kothar himself is not sure of this. His own son convinced him that it would be all right. However, Kothar feels that the young Prince is too reckless and inexperienced for the subtleties of covert operations.
Nonetheless, the elder Toreus has strong misgivings about his son’s direct involvement in the covert action to rescue the Taylor family.
Despite his reservations, the Emperor signs off on the continuation of the mission. He feels that he can do nothing less due to his debt of honor to the Taylor clan.
Chapter 3: Unrest
Prince Toreus is in the middle of a riot that began when Arcadian Police—mostly Kai’Vhan Mercenaries utilized force to break up a student demonstration at the Fountain Station. Toreus fights his way free of the crowd using his wrist shields. He focuses his violence on the cops preferring to avoid any injury to the civilians. Near the edge of the riot, a cab pulls up to him and opens its door. It is driven by Arnie Vincenzo, part of the Vincenzo family who work as special operatives for the Sarkhon family of Atlantean Time Sorcerers and often run cab or other transport companies here and across the sphere,plus other places in time and space.Venchenzo Yellow Cab Transportation was notorious all over Temporal space and a useful over for a Temporal Wizards spy network,that included the Doomwatchers,the Temporal Guard,the Time Stalkers and other such organizations.Arnie is wearing a Thuvian Rangers style,wide baret,flopped downward over the side back of his head.A Mister Brick Botton,is present over the Old Temporal Rangers insignia.[This less like the Green Barets and more Howie Chaykins Grey Mouser.].
Toreus Rhann rushes to the open cab door and jumps in. as they race away Arnie Vincenzo introduces himself to the Thuvian Prince.Colonel Kothar Khonn sent him to watch out for him.Arnie smoking a cigar,spots a Kai’Vhan moving toward and whips out a mall rifle,hitting the alian zombie mercenary in the chest,before it deflector shiend body armor could active,protecting from harm.The Kai’Vhan,already corpse mask,with palid chalky white skin and dark rings around the eyes freezes and drops his own rifle and tumbles over like a sack of weat.
Chapter 4: Shakorja and Ulysses
Arnie Vincenzo drops Toreus off at a cargo depot not far from the space fountain.
The Prince enters the depot using a passcard and goes to a cargo module whose number he has memorized earlier. Using another passcard, he enters the module. Inside is a Mobile Special Forces center of the Pangaean Special Forces. Here there are weapons, small vehicles and a communications center. In addition, there is a stasis chamber containing a Thuvian saber cat and a Highlands Hawk. The saber cat is Shakorja and the hawk is Ulysses—friends of Toreus and key parts of his combat ensemble.
Toreus sends a confirmation message to the Mission Support Site aboard an orbiting spacecraft. The MSS acknowledges the message.
Toreus free the cat and bird from the stasis field. He greets both of them. The animals are augmented and are able to talk to Toreus via his Guider Gem—a device that links into the semi-mystic realm of holo-space which will fulfill a heavy role in our stories.
Toreus feeds himself and the animals. Shakorja complains about the canned rations since he prefers raw meat in his diet.
After the meal, Toreus Rhann suits up for his mission.
Chapter 5: Scarlet Shadow
The Mission Support Site is located aboard the starship Scarlet Shadow. The Shadow belongs to Thuvian Ranger Captain Colin O’Brien and his wife, Rachel,The ship co-owned and shared with the mysterious Time Sorcerer renegade known as Doctor Zacheriah Sarkhon and own Ivhanna-Sarkhons family left the Dysonsphere of Atlantis-Prime,some untold time ago and father . She is the ship's captain. The Shadow is in stationary orbit high above the Arcadia Plate. Rachel O’Brien receives the message from Toreus and forwards it to her husband Colin, who is already on the plate with his Special Ops team.
The couple has a bickering but loving relationship not unlike that of the Cramdens in the old Honeymooners series. Colin tends to be a little more reckless and a braggart. He has never met Prince Toreus though they both have served in the renowned Thuvian Rangers. Colin has certain misconceptions about the Prince, however.
Rachel informs her husband that Toreus heads for the meeting and that Colin and his Commandoes should be ready to help if needed.
Chapter 6: Recon
The rumble of war continued for fourth straight day as the conquering forces of Baron Radu Wallace closed on the capital city and the forces of Nathan Taylor withdrew. Classes had been canceled at 'Arcadia' University'. Most of the able-bodied Arcadian students had gone off to fight on either side in this most uncivil of civil wars. Thuvian Rangers, were sent in secretly, to back up the Arcadian Army, on an unofficial basis, since the Thuvian government, did not an official presence-unless provoked into action. The other mercenaries such as the Tyrhainean Commandoes or Kellon Royal Mercenaries had other opinions. They governments, mostly militaristic based, did care about the suttalities of politics. The Wallace, gutless cur, that they are, would fight their own fight, but employed an off world alien, mercenary force, known as the Ki’Vhan-near brainless beings, dressed in red battle armor, from head to toe. Only there gloves in boots with of a chalky, blue and whitish color, as was their emotionless facemask. Red eyes, surrounded by dark rings blankly would stair back at the enemy, showing no emotion. The Ki’Vhan, we were told could produced by the thousands, some foot soldiers armed only standard weapons and others Special Forces more advanced equipment.
Toreus rides his spike (smart bike) to an alley not far from the meeting bar. The bar, called Makean’s Den, is one of the few places open during the curfew imposed by the government because it is a Fountain port watering hole for mercenaries, bounty hunters, privateers and spacer gangs.
The Prince dispatches Ulysseas to scout from the air and sees that there are at least two vehicles that may be police surveillance units. Otherwise, there seems to be no signs of trouble. He instructs the hawk to continue surveillance and warn him of any changes via the Guider link.The Guider talking in a coldly monotone voice,answer,referring to the Prince only as warrior.
He instructs the cat to watch from the alley’s street end and processed to the bar using a holo-cloak to disguise his military gear.
Chapter 7: The Den
Toreus enters the Den and looks around.
The MacKhain’s Den, was nearly empty-save a few drunken moron’s too stupid to leave the city. There was the Zhankhearian Barkeep-Frackeer Moosekall ,with dark, jet black hair and long goatee whose notice, he hoped to not be noticed by the cities new rulers and his wife Danalla a fat red head, once an exotic dancers, in her youth, worked here’s ago, when she was shapely and then pleasant to look at-whose family would side with Wallaces-if only to keep their business going on. And situated somewhere in the middle of the tavern floor, was two idiots-Tyrhainean Mercenaries- of the Vanarian province, who came to learn the art of was from Arcadians. Tyrhaineans -tall, Super warrior-some say, have the blood of the Kalladon of the ancient Terran Federation homeworld, who hail from various parts of Pangaea and other parts of the sphere, brave warrior, but often too stupid to know, when it was time to flee. These were two local, idiots-Kragg O’Malley and his idiot brother Karg O’Malley. These two Tyrhaineans were always in here, doing this kind of thing, every night. They exchange students, like himself, situated here, to learn the arts of wars, but learned more the art of drinking instead-something their idiot of parents, refused to dischourage. like his own mother and father did almost since the young princes birth.'
Prince Toreus sat in the tavern,awaiting his secret contact-Captain Khotharr Khann-First Son of his father’s old friend General Khotharr Khann,Senior-son of the Original Khotharr Khonn of his Grandfathers era-the Imperial Reign of Ulyseas Rhann,the First.The youthful First Son of Thuvia looked about his table,boldly spying upon the other patrons of the darken tavern. Captain Khotharr Khann,like his father General Khotharr Khann,Junior and Grant Father,was only partially of Thuvian ancestry.The blood of the Kalladon nation-a race of genetically enhanced super warrior,from the Terran Federations homeworld of Old Earth flows in his veins on Old General Kotharr Khann,Senior.The Imperial Kalladon,defeated on the Terran homeworld by their opposite numbers-the Alpha Omega Warriors,sometime in the early 21 st Century,caused many to flee for distant space to colonize other suitable worlds and conquore other far regions of deep space.Also,the Imperial House of Khonn,claimed to have the blood of renegade Imperial Delkhoneans-another race of genetically enhanced super soldiers,enhased with cybernetic parts and encased in fierce,silvery battle armor,also flowed through Kotharr Khanns blood.'
The joint is crowded with people, mostly bounty hunters here to collect the bounty on the Taylor family. At the bar, he spies two Jovians—big, hulking characters.One male and the other female sitting next to him. These he recognizes as the hired bodyguards of Colonel Kotharr Khonn.A small,strangely dresses ashiadic fellows was sitting across Kotharr Khonn.He wonder who he was-an Khaitan Warrior or Drackhonean maybe.Then he rememnered that the Jovian Mercenaries,Colonel Kotharr Khonn had hired was traveling an Okhairhann Time Sorcerer –who was said to be the true Yellow Skinned-the Children of the Celestrials,are small,slant eyed,humanoids.
In one corner of the room there are a group of Thulians—Neanderthals from a continent on the Pangaen Plate. Two of them are playing a game of choke. Two Thulians grasp each other’s necks and squeeze until one passes out. The others take bets on who will pass out first. Toreus frowns on the game considering it something that only morons do for entertainment.Sitting around them the two Thulian was three TyRhaineans and three Darkhoneans.The TyRhaineans were standind,arms crossed,with hard stowic looks on their faces,while seated Darkhoneans were loud and bousterous-cheering on the game.
His eyes scan past a group of spacers at on table and he catches the eye of a red haired, green-eyed female warrior. He smiles at her and she returns the smile, quickly averting her gaze. Toreus reminds himself that he is not here for romantic entanglements and conies to scan fro his contact.
In the far corner, he sees Kothar Khonn at a table with some other men.
Toreus heads for the table. Kothar Khonn looks up and nods to him, not wanting to address him by name. The Thuvian Prince sits down.
Kothar introduced the other man at the table. He is Joss Carpenter, the heads of House Taylor Security bearing the ancient title of Master of Assassins. Toreus is concerned that they are in the same place as Carpenter. The police want the MoA. Joss assures him that his contacts in the police will inform them of any possible raid. Toreus is not convinced.
Kothar and Joss inform him of the mission goals.
The Baron Nathaniel, held in the Royal Prison at the edge of town, cannot be freed without a large military operation. The Baron’s family is in hiding in a temple to the anti-spin ward side of town. This consists of the Baroness Lois Chandler Taylor and her two sons, Nathan, 14 and Lemonades (Leo) aged 10. They are the heirs to the family titles and it is their father’s wishes that they be taken out of Arcadia and into hiding. That way if Nathaniel is killed the Taylor family will not be wiped out and the sons and wife will be able to carry on the mission of freeing their homeland from the grasp of the evil King Radu Wallace.
Toreus’ job will be to retrieve the family and get them out of Arcadia
They discuss details of the mission.
It is at this point that Ulysseas and Shakorja inform Toreus that there are Kai’Vhan police assembling outside the bar. Toreus receives a hawk eye view of the mercenary cops. It is clear that they are planning to raid the mercenary bar and that there could be only one reason for that. They want to get their hands on the conspirators.
In one of these dens merriment thundered to the low smoke-stainedroof, where rascals gathered in every stage of strange alien armor and non native military uniform--furtive space mercenaries hiding from the local interstellar law enforcers,like the Terran Federation Rangers or trapped upon the Sphere-hoping to gain possible passage offworld to other distant lands, leering drunken soldiers-drummed out of some military service from cowardice or some other such nonsense,that would one kicked out of the military, quick-fingered gunslingers,looking for new fortunes and new challenges to prove themselves,swaggering bravoes with their wenches, strident-voiced women clad intawdry finery. Native rogues were the dominant element--dark-haired,dark-eyed Arcadians,pistols at their side and daggers tucked in their web belts and bravery,if not brains in theirhearts.
Sitting opposite him,was another alien looking mercenary known by the name of Barrack Nhorr-he was known to many to be a strange humanoid ,covered by a' durable, orange silicon-based body armored hide.They were known ' as Gholemoidians ,that grants him protection against nearly all forms of physical harm and gives him a rock-like appearance.He wore a similar costume as the Jovian,a Combat Utility Military Style vest,but one more suited to his huge,rocky statur,complete with strange Ruinic Symbols,of Gholemoidian designs,that crisscrossed,like huge red rock scratches in his leather like apparell.He wore a huge,Gholemoidian Broadsword upon his back and two,huge pistols,fit for his two great rocky five fingered hands.His cold,baby blue eyes,twinkled back at Young Thuvian Prince as he staired at him.'
The upper shell of the turtle is called the carapace. The lower shell that encases the belly is called the plastron. The carapace and plastron are joined together on the turtle's sides by bony structures called bridges. The inner layer of a turtle's shell is made up of about 60 bones that includes portions of the backbone and the ribs, meaning the turtle cannot crawl out of its shell. In most turtles, the outer layer of the shell is covered by horny scales called scutes that are part of its outer skin, or epidermis. Scutes are made up of a fibrous protein called keratin that also makes up the scales of other reptiles. These scutes overlap the seams between the shell bones and add strength to the shell. Some Gholemoidians do not have horny scutes.'
He wore a similar costume as the Jovian,a Combat Utility Military Style vest,but one more suited to his huge,rocky statur,complete with strange Ruinic Symbols,of Gholemoidian designs,that crisscrossed,like huge red rock scratches in his leather like apparell.He wore a huge,Gholemoidian Broadsword upon his back and two,huge pistols,fit for his two great rocky five fingered hands.'
In In oxygen-rich atmospheres, 'Barrack Nhorr' also possesses vast superhuman strength almost comparable to his huge companion Janus Rockaway.'
This mineral state also grants him an extremely prolonged lifespan.Since his species is somewhat based on an ancient turdle like humanoid species,Barrack Nhorr ,as many Gholemoideans are thought to have exceptional night vision due to the unusually large number of rod cells in their retinas.They have color vision with a wealth of cone subtypes with sensitivities ranging from the near Ultraviolet (UV A) to Red.'
When fighting as a gladiator,with Janus Rockaway,in the Great Lhankmearian Arenas, he mostly relied on his physical power and extremely durable form, rather than actual fighting skills. He is, however, an experienced military strategist and consummate pragmatist, constantly assessing his environment so he can tell what actions are necessary for his continued survival.Bharrack Nhorr,often will insult or talk to his appoinent,hoping confused him or her with insults and wise cracks or boasts of his strenth and fighting skill,hoping make an enemy become sloppy and make mistakes in combat situations.'
He is capable of surviving impacts of great strength and force without sustaining injury, as his body is covered with an orange, flexible, rock-like hide. He is also able to withstand gunfire from high caliber weapons as well as armor piercing rounds. The highly advanced musculature generates fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him superhuman levels of stamina.'
Aside from his physical attributes, ' Barrack Nhorr' 's senses can withstand greater levels of sensory stimulation than an ordinary human, with the exception of his sense of touch. His lungs possess greater efficiency and volume than those of an ordinary human,since his species originated from an aquatic animial,such as a turdle.As a result, ' Barrack Nhorr' is capable of holding his breath for much greater periods of time.'
Both Janus Rockaway and Barrack Nhorr,were two oddest of companions-a huge,hulking humanoid and his rocky Golem like companion.Both two of the fierest warriors.'
‘’Fight you cowards’’a dark,gravely voiced broke through the other load tavern patrons merrymaking. [In thinking a big,loud mouth like Galron or Khorr].He stamp violently shock his big,brass mug,filled Apollo Cafe Throvian coffee.'
‘’More-more-fight like men.not children you Terran spawned dogs.’’the Darkhonean shouted,lifting a cup of Darkhonean Wine,to encourage the two Thuleans still chocking each other.I have fifhty Drakharr credits upon Juggass Tharns head,that he’d beat his twine brother Drunkuss Tharn in a fair choking fight.’’ Janus Rockaway and Barrack Nhorr both glaced over into the Darkhoneans direction,giving a sallure look of disguist and hopefully loud mouthed badluck,brought on by the ancient Lords of Light and Darkness-a eons old interstellar slang term for the many good and bad super beings fighting the Great Titantic Temporal Cold Wars of the Multiverse.
Behind the the Jovian Primative and Gholemoidean,was a tall,dark haired warrior,who stood almost as tall as Prince Toreus himself.He had cold steeling blue eyes and dark black hair,and was obviously of the same ancestry as the Thuvian Prince himself,but shared some ancestral traits of the Kalladon and Delkhon blood.Beside him was two figures-the bald ,oreintal looking Time Sorcerer Chairen Kharr-a rare Half Delkhonean and half Shaintainean Temporal Wizard,who was currently travelling Janus Rockaway and company.He claims to be able to trace his liniage back to the ancient Chinesse Empirors of the Shun Dynasty,upon Old Earth and the ancient Delkhonean Empirors of the Kharr Dynasty,upon the Delkhonean homeworld. Chairen Kharr ,claimed to be one of partial Atlantean blood-being they of one of many Elder Races-who eons ago controllled and conquored the infinate realms of temporal space,by way star gate technology plus cosmic and quantum temporal forces,to control matter and energy,to be used in many ways similar to those fictional and fantasy mystic wizards,to the Legion gained their name.The legion,it was said,were the true Guardians of peace and justice,throughout the infinate cosmos and infinate multiverse beyond.Beside was Lady Janisca Gravestone-a Jovian Primative female warrior.The Thuvian Prince once heard,that no man can resist them-that the men are royal them for life and not only fight,but make love like animals.[in other Green Orion Slave Girls,pussy the Hulk.]
The tall Thuvian approached Prince Toreus Rhann,stiding across the beer and wine stained floor,with confidence of a stalking Lords of Lions himself would do,in a similar situation. This Thuvian was as much out of place in that den as a gray wolf among mangy rats of the gutters. His Thuvian shirt and combat vest could not conceal the hard, rangy lines of his powerful frame, the broad heavy shoulders, the massive chest, lean waist and heavy arms.The Thuvian Rangers eyes blue and smoldering; a shock of tousled black hair crowned his broad forehead. From his girdle hung a sword in a worn leather scabbard,with a pistol holster to the other side-stun twine billyclubs,hung behind the blade and a knife from one boot strapped to right shine and another smaller stun baton from the other left shine.He looked down at the seat First Son of Thuvia and silvery Capronean Lion companion.Prince Toreus looked meeting the older Thuvian with the same intense stair.He kicked a wooden seat out from under the large Kharaidian Oak table.
Toreus starts a fight with the Thulian chokers in order to cause a diversion. The diversion blooms into a full-scale bar riot as the police storm in the door.
Kothar and Joss dodge out a side door and are stopped by police blocking that exit. Vincenzo tosses a stun bomb at the cops and the two officers escape in Vincenzo’s car.
Toreus shield battles the Kai’Vhan. However, he is cut off from any exit.
Chapter 8: Escape
The red headed female warrior, whose name is Antilus Sojat, taps Toreus on the shoulder and leads him to a secret exit. The exit leads down to the underground of the plate.
Among the fleeing people are the two Jovians, some mercenaries and spacers and one of the Thulians—Paulo Torsi.
Toreus tries to find out Antila’s name but she is unwilling to tell him. They will meet again and eventually become lovers but for now she thinks that he is just a common warriors looking to get lucky and she’s not having nay of that.
Antila separates from Toreus, the Jovians and Paulo.
Chapter 9: Escape
Toreus and his companions wander through the Arcadian Underground, the upper infrastructure of the plate on which Arcadia is built. The Trongoroth and Plate Dwellers should be referred to here though a more detailed explanation of them will follow in the Chapter entitled Underworld (Chapter 19).
The Prince tries to put the images of the woman out of his mind, realizing that they will only distract him from the mission ahead. He also tries to ignore the annoying attentions of Paulo, who has a man crush on him.
He decides that he needs the help of Shakorja and contacts the beast via his Guider. The Guider calls up an ancient map of Arcadia City’s underground and the Prince instructs the cat to wait fro him at a nearby entrance. Toreus and his companions move off in that direction.
Chapter 10: Radu
King Radu Wallace of Arcadia is in his private office chamber with some of his henchmen. They are a motley crew.
Among them are his nephews Duke James Wallace (a tall thin, quiet man who carries a Tionka—a type of ape-like alien pet that produces an addictive venom.) and Prince Wesley Wallace (who wears his blond hair in dreadlocks, a style he learned on the far off Arcadian colony of Earth 3261. He is the heir designate to the throne because of the elder James’ lack of authority and courage). Also there are Sir Marc Hadron Phasier (a virt addict who wears a virt helmet that paints a virtual world of his own liking around him), Sir Leslie Tolbert (a loud mouthed moron and child molester.) and the James Irby, the Earl of Saratoga (who originated from Earth 3261 and is renowned for his meanness and sadism in dealing with the enemies of the Wallaces. He is the House Wallace Master of Assassins).
Saratoga outlines all of his forces efforts, so far, in the search fro the Taylor family. He has place a guard force on all exits from Arcadia and has put the Arcadian Army and Space Navy on alert to back up the Kai’Vhan mercenaries if the need arises.
Radu is concerned about the lack of progress in the search for the Taylor family. He does not feel that he can complete his bid to take over complete control of Arcadia until this rebel family is in prison of killed.
He is also concerned about the ultimatum that he has sent to the Emperor of Pangaea warning the Pangaea not too interfere in internal affairs of Arcadia. From long experience, he knows that the Emperor holds him in low contempt and it is only by the intercession of the Chancellor that he has managed to keep Pangaean troops off his front doorstep.
As is his habit Radu takes his worries out on his subordinates, all of whom are inveterate cowards and ring kissers. Radu demands that they increase their efforts to locate and arrest the Taylor family and that the guards on all exits from Arcadia are doubled.
Chapter 11: Alley Fighting
Now emerged from the underground Toreus makes his way down an alley headed toward where Shakorja awaits him with his spike. He has Ulysses scanning above and it appears as if the coast is clear. However, his combat honed senses nag him that this might not be so.
Kai’Vhan mercs with stealth costumes jump him. Toreus and the Saber cat go into battle mode, the Prince firing up his shield and drawing his knife. The big cat does not unnerve or frighten the drugged up cyborg Kai’Vhan. The animal’s claws claim several victims. Toreus fights the Vhan troops and breaks free to mount his spike.
Chapter 12: Colin
Before Toreus can exit the alley on his spike, he finds his way blocked by armed humans also riding spikes. He draws to a stop but the new soldiers raise their weapons and fire at the Vhan that are chasing the Prince.
These soldiers are the Rangers of Colin O’Brien’s team. They have raced to aid Toreus. Together they escape the Vhan ambush and head off to a rendezvous point under an overpass in the city.
Chapter 13: The Taylors
Duchess Lois Taylor and her two sons, Nathan and Leo, are hiding in a temple of the Arcadian Universal Church. With them is Father Philip Cho, the pastor of the church and an old friend of Duke Nathaniel Taylor.
Father Phil is concerned with the constant police canvassing of the neighborhood around the church. The long-standing custom of Church as Sanctuary in Arcadia will soon be broken by the eager off-worlders that King Radu has hired to supplement his police force. Already the police have placed a sniper lookout in the church tower.
The family is concealed in a hideaway in the basement of the church. There Lois prepares herself to fight off any incursions, as she is a Sister of the Holy Magdalene and a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. She trains her son Nathan in combat as a supplement to his hyper-mentation training. Young Leo watches the sparring with his robo-bear, Tim. Most well to do Arcadian children have such bears that serve as both governess and bodyguard. Tim, however, is no ordinary robo. He has been augmented with Atlantean and Mechan devices by Leo’s father, Nathaniel.
Chapter 14: The Garage
Toreus, Colin’s crew, Kothar and Joss gather in an old garage that has been turned into a mission hide site.
Toreus sends Ulysseas to scout the area around the temple from the air. They spot the sniper nest in the bell tower and realize that it can watch all the approaches to the temple and kill anyone approaching.
The Prince has Ulysses scout out an approach to the temple that will give them the most cover from the sniper.
The team assembles and moves off toward their target mounted on spikes.
Chapter 15: Assault
Toreus, Colin and members of the team move through the alleys toward the church. Along the way, they take out Kai'Vhan police officers and enter the church.
Toreus moves up the tower to the balcony and dispatches the sniper and his scout with his bare hands. Then he rejoins Colin on the ground floor and together they move toward the Taylors’ hide.
Toreus enters the hide and is jumped…
It is Lois who has attacked the Prince. She battles him using techniques of hand-to-hand favored by her sisterhood. She moves too fast for even the hulking prince to get a blow in.
Toreus activates his shields and throws her off. It is then that father Phil enters and recognizes the Prince, introducing him to the Duchess and her two sons.
Toreus contacts Colin’s Rangers and they knock out the power, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. It is then that the Rangers and their charges leave the church and board the vehicles that are now waiting in front of the church.
Father Phil waves good-bye to the Duchess and her sons as they move away into the night.
Chapter 16: The Bridge
The team comes to a bridge that leads across the Arcadopolis River to the part of town from which the Space Fountain arises. They discover that the bridge is heavily guarded by units of the Arcadian Army and is mined. Apparently, the entire town has been alerted and heavy military and police units are surrounding the approach to the Fountain.
Toreus and Colin must decide whether to fight their way through or find another route out of Arcadia.
They decided that they must get to the space fountain and that the bridge is the only way.
They decide that half the team will cross the river on hover-mode positioning themselves behind the guard to draw their fire. The rest will cross the bridge under that cover. The family will be with this element.
The second section attacks the rear of the Arcadian unit guarding the bridge. Toreus, the Taylors and the first section charge across. They receive heavy fire. Toreus’ spike is hit and crippled. He abandons the vehicle and retrieves its AI brain, the only part of the vehicle that is irreplaceable. He jumps astride Colin’s spike and they charge forward to the other side of the bridge where the second section has already killed off most of the Arcadian troops.
The two sections regroup and head off toward the Fountain before the enemy can regroup.
Chapter 17: The Prisoner
Marc Hadron Phasier goes to visit the imprisoned Duke Nathaniel to taunt him about his wife and children. The Duke refuses to let the little man get his goat.
While Phasier is visiting the prisoner, the news that the family has been sighted in the city reaches him. He rushes away leaving the Duke with a little smile.
Chapter 18: No Easy Way Out
The team funds their way to the Fountain blocked by heavy military and police units. There is no easy way off the Arcadia plate. They hide in a storm drain and discuss alternative plans.
They decide that taking the underground might be the best choice and strike off toward the Fountain.
Chapter 19: The Underworld
Toreus and the team move through the underground labyrinth under Arcadopolis. Much of the complex has been abandoned since the long ago war with the Trongoroth—an insect like alien invader that once infests Terra Prime. The lower levels of the underground—those closest to space—still show unprepared signs of the devastation in places. There are rumors—perhaps urban legends—that Trongoroth have been seen in the lower levels of the Sphere. There is even a plate that is totally a Trongoroth eco-system. Terra Prime is a work in progress and is yet unfinished since the Sidairian builders have refused to do so under the Guild Treaty that they do not aggress with.
Also living in the underground are the Plate Dwellers, a species of humanoids, cultured by the Trongoroth genetic engineers, who live and work in the underground and maintain the systems of the Sphere in the absence of the Sidairian builders.
Colin suggests that they might go down to the outer shell of the plate and wait there for the Scarlet Shadow to pick them up. Toreus points out that it will take too long for the starship to make its way from the inner side of the plate to the outer. Their enemies might find them long before that.
It is then that they encounter a group of plate dwellers.
Chapter 20: Master of Assassins
Joss Carpenter is at one of his safe houses. He is concerned with the whereabouts of the rescue mission. Kothar has returned to the mission support site on a neighboring plate. Joss is still in touch with him via the grimoire—the holo-space unit that Carpenter possesses and holds in trust for the Taylor family.
Carpenter checks with, Niel, the codename for an informant that he has cultivated in the Arcadian Federal Police. He tells Joss that the fugitives are thought to have entered the underground. Carpenter gets in touch with his friends among the plate dwellers and has assistant Sgt Arnie Vincenzo, take him to a meeting with them.
Chapter 21: Plate Dwellers
Toreus and h is team run into a group of plate dwellers. The Plate Dwellers are humanoid beings whose genome has been altered by the Trongoroth.The Underworlders,dress in Old Surplus Time Stalker Jumpsuites,modified with all sorts of begged,barrowed,brought and stolen items.Skull cap searh light fixed a headband over their forhead,like ancient physicians used to in old days.The Platedwellers face was a series of tattooed scars,to show designation of clan and level of achievement. The live in the underground of all the plate of Terra Prime and perform maintenance tasks that the Sidairian refuse to do in light of the Guild Treaty. They also repair damage caused by roaming rogue Metrone spiders,who burrow into darken sub shuttle tunnels and passageway to live and next a new offspring.
The PDs take the group to one of their dwellings and feed them. The main stay of PD food is based heavily on mushrooms and other fungoids that are grown in the Underground. The plate dweller leader, , informs them that his people are in contact with Lord Carpenter and that he is on his way to help them.
Chapter 22: The Genesis Bunker
Joss Carpenter enters the underground near the center of Arcadopolis, in a place that known as the location of the ancient Atlantean Genesis Bunker.
The GB is an ancient installation and there is at least one on every plate of Terra Prime. It is unlocked by a key that is entrusted only to Atlantean Time Sorcerers and their familiars. The Bunker is a repository of vital knowledge and machinery in case of a catastrophe and contains access to World Wells that allow the Sorcerers to access their network of wormholes directly.
Once Carpenter is underground, he sees that the GB has been opened and that trucks loaded with Kai’Vhan are coming through from one of the other Earths. It is clear that the Kai’Vhan mercenaries have hijacked the Genesis Bunker and are suing the World Well to send their troops into Arcadia.
Carpenter heads off to find Toreus and the Taylor family.
Chapter 23: Intervention
Emperor Toreus meets with his Privy Council again. He is concerned with the developments in Arcadia that have been reported to him by the agents of his personal intelligence service—the Talon. Things are not getting nay better and the policies of his plate that tie his hands are not helping.
He assigns Kothar Khonn to do something about the situation behind the Chancellor’s back.
Chapter 24: The Underground War
Joss Carpenter and Toreus have joined forces. They have decided to go to the Genesis Bunker and with the help of armed Plate Dwellers take it away from the Kai’Vhan. Joss also believes that he can use the Well of Worlds to help the Taylor family escape to a worldline of sanctuary.
Colin is not so sure of the situation. The Plate Dwellers are not professional soldiers and the Kai’Vhan are nothing but. He would much rather move up to the base of the Fountain and try to fight their way up to the station. Colin points out that the Fountain is 10,000 kilometers long and that they might have to fight every meter of its length. Colin finally agrees that the Bunker is a better choice.
Chapter 25: Dark Knights
Kothar Khonn Jr. and his commandoes prepare to raid the prison and rescue Duke Nathanial. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon. They are headed toward the prison in an airship.
All of the troops aboard are from the Thuvian Rangers Dark Knights Commando Group. All are highly trained Special Forces operatives. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon.
The plan involves Imperial intelligence agents disrupting the power of the area around the prison as the Commandoes move in and head for the Duke’s cell, neutralizing all resistance that they encounter. Timing will be important. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible and get the airship—that is holographically disguised as a cloud—away as quickly as possible. Once it is clear of Arcadopolis airspace, it will uncloak and will—disguised as a commercial airship—head for a jump gate on the edge of the Arcadia plate.
Kothar Khonn Jr. is concerned that if this mission goes awry then he will be responsible for defaming the Emperor and starting a war between Arcadia and Pangaea. He discusses his concerns with Arenjun Sarkhon, who is with him in the airship and will participate in the raid.
Arenjun Sarkhon knows that the Chancellor will use an elicit military action on the part of the Emperor as an excuse to make the role of the throne in ruling Pangaea smaller and increase the power of the Parliament. Not that that, in his estimation, would be a bad thing but not in the hands of the current Chancellor XXXXX and his ilk. Arenjun sees himself as the lone protector of Terra Prime from the Guild and its allies. He knows that the Chancellor is a stanch supporter of the Guild and a good friend of the current Guild President XXXX Shaitanis. He does not trust the Guild for this reason, among many others, and does not wish to be responsible for turning the Empire over to their hands.
He says a prayer to the Gods and prepares himself for the coming action.
Chapter 26: Armageddon
The Plate Dwellers explode a mine under a Kai’Vhan convoy in a tunnel that leads away from the Genesis Bunker. The little people attack the vehicles and a furious firefight ensues.
Toreus and his commandoes assault the open bunker and mange to kill the guards. Once inside they close the door trapping them in the Bunker and keeping the Vhan on the outside.
Lord Tolbert is inside and he makes an attempt on the life of Lady Lois. She turns his attack aside and Toreus breaks the man’s neck with his bare ands. Tolbert craps himself as he falls dead to the floor.
Kothar’s force hits the prison.
They fight their way to the Duke’s cell.
Arenjun Sarkhon’s detachment makes its way down into the bowls of the prison freeing inmates and fomenting a riot. They will continue down and exfiltrate via the underground where they will make their way to the outer skin of the plate. There they will be picked up by a starship that is owned by a privateer mate and freind of Arenjun Sarkhon’.Captain Carter Tauran and Commander Goliath Khonn-the Imperial Delkhonean Warrior,were legendary getting into and out of the most difficult situations.He’d need and amazing ship-a refitted Tramp Freighter,turned warship known as the Gypsie Queen II-apart of much larger Gypsie Queen-Mothership and also smaller vessel-the Gypsie Queen III and IV-two Pursuet class star ships,that outrun anything,in and out of deep space. group..
When the Dark Knights enter the VIP ward where Duke Nathaniel is held Lord Saratoga flees and Kothar gets into a fight with Phasier.
The Dark Knights evacuate the Duke to the roof and into the waiting airship. Kothar is separated from his force as he combats Phasier.
Kothar manages to kill Phasier and then follows his troops to the roof. When he arrives, the airship is gone and Wallace troops close in on him.
Toreus, Joss and the Taylors are trapped inside the Bunker. The Wallaces are trying to cut their way in using graser cannon. However, the ancient Atlantean material with which the bunker is made soaks up the energy and drains it off into the GB’s power system.
Toreus has taken the Key sword from Lord Tolbert and he uses it to open a time space portal in the Well of Worlds. Joss and the Taylors will use it to escape to one of the alternate Earths where they can go into hiding amongst its population of humans.
Joss urges Toreus to come with them. However, the Prince refuses. He cannot abandon Terra Prime while there is work to be done. He and Shakorja will stay behind in the bunker and try to find another way out.
Chapter 27: The Long Future
Kothar is lifted off the roof by a spider line from the airship. Arcadian troops fire at the ship and are mowed down by the gunners on board the ship. As the airship withdraws Arcadian robot fighters pursue them.
The captain of the airship throws a jump point in front of the ship and it heads through it to another plate—a friendly plate. The hole closes before the enemy can pursue them.
Arenjun and his crew have made it to the skin and use jump points to board Carter Tauran's ship. They head away for the Time Sorcerer’s Space Castle.
Colin and his men make it to the top of the fountain and board the Shadow. As his ship casts off Colin wonders how his friend Toreus is doing.
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The airship arrives at a camp in Jurassica. There Kothar is greeted by his father who has flown there to prepare an Arcadian Resistance base that will be turned over to the command of Duke Nathaniel.
The Duke takes command of the Arcadian Rebel Alliance. He looks forward to a future in which Arcadia is free and he can be reunited with his family.
Toreus and Shakorja are alone in the cavern of the Genesis Bunker. The Prince thinks back on his adventures in the last few days and considers taking the Well as a means of escape. This is the end of this novel and sets the setting for the beginning of its sequel—Tentative Title: Toreus Rhann and the Stalkers of Time.
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Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
Joseph Thompson
J2__2T*
mavericstud9
So now enter into the wonderous and fantastic multi reality that is the Maveric Universe,oh seeker of the unusual and beyond the realm of places undreamed of.Where Great Wizards of Time and Space do battle Great Warriors of Time and Space,over a fantastic eons old Temporal Cold Wars,throughout all the infinite cosmic heavens of space.Great Titanic worlds known as Dysonsphere deside the fate of every universe,A titanic fight of good and evil,with the the untold sentient being caught in the middle.
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I'm one of the first lovers of Cristina Jane Small...
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Prince Toreus Rhann and the Thuvian Rangers
a Tale of Terra Prime
By Carl E. Thompson & Joseph Gilbert. Thompson
Prolog:
The book starts with an excerpt from Book of the Great Sphere, a widely accepted and quoted history of Terra Prime and constituent plates. This should mention that Terra Prime is a Dysons Sphere created by the Atlantean Time Sorcerers and the Sidairian Cosmic Engineers. In addition, it should mention the great plate of Pangaea and the Rhann family. In addition, we need to introduce the Guild and allude to the conflict that led to its formation.
Chapter 1: The Fountain
The chapter begins with a quote from the Thuvian Chronicles on Prince Toreus II Rhann-the so called Lord of Lions,First Son of Thuvia.Warlord of Thuvia-who will one sit the Royal Emerald Throne of Thuvia
Toreus Rhann is on a space bus that is taking him to Arcadia. He is dressed in a business suit and wearing a protomask that makes him appear as if he were an older man and not himself. As he sits in the shuttle liner’s couch, he confers with his Guider gem and which briefs on his mission. The shuttle docks at the Fountain Station and Toreus disembarks.
Prince Toreus Rhann is on the space fountain station waiting to enter a jump point down to Arcadia City, capital of the Arcadian Plate. . His father is the Emperor—also named Toreus—of Pangaea.
While waiting in the crowded station for his jump point to be available, Toreus Rhann, Junior sits in a café and sips an Akaia beer (a local brew from the Easternmost province of Arcadia plate.) at an Apollo’s Café while looking out a window at Arcadia, which is a typical plate as far as structure goes. He can see the dome that covers the plate and maintains its atmosphere and the city far below. The fountain runs up from the center of the plate to space. Cargo is shuttled up and down the center of the shaft via a magnetic fountain. Elevator cars run along the outside of the fountain. Since they take time, tourists and honeymooners are the only people who use them. Toreus intends to take a jump point—a quantum entanglement transport—that will whisk him quickly to the surface, where his mission will begin.
Travelers awaiting their connections crowd the cafe. He spots two hulking Jovians mercenaries ,dressed in their traditional soldiers armor and many men and women from various plates, planets and worldlines who are clearly mercenaries bound for Arcadia where they hope to make profits in the civil unrest following the arrest of the popular Baron Nathaniel.
A mission to rescue the family of the Baron Nathanial Taylor, a cousin three times removed of Prince Toreus.
Accused of treason by the evil King Radu, Prince Nathanial was under arrest. His family, the Baroness Lois and his heirs, Nathan and Leo have gone into hiding.
Toreus volunteered his services to Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn, his father’s chief military agent, whose son, Kothar Junior, is running this secret mission to rescue to Baron’s family. Even though Toreus would like nothing better than to bust his way into the Tower of Arcadia City and rescue Nathaniel, the mission calls for him to secure the two baronets and the Baroness only. Even though his father is the emperor, he must keep his involvement in this action secret from Chancellor XXXXXX, who opposes Pangean involvement in all military adventures.
A Cold Plasma Shield in forearm guards shields Toreus. His only offensive armaments are a Short fighting knife and a small pistol. He will get the rest of his gear—including Shakorja, his lion and Ulysseas,named after the Thuvian Princes Great Grandfather Ulyseas Rhann his falcon, when he reaches the ground. The Pangean Secret Service has sent them ahead in a pre-positioning module.
He steps into what looks like an elevator and whisks to the surface where he emerges in what seems like a riot.
Chapter 2: The Imperial Court
In the capitol city of the Pangean Empire, the Twine Cities of Kharzhandorr and Zharithan, the Emperor Toreus holds court.
He sits on the throne in the huge courtroom. By his side is the Chancellor. People with business line up to present petitions to the Emperor or have their petitions read by lawyers.
The Emperor tries to concentrate on the mostly ceremonial business but his mind is far away on the events in Arcadia.
Eventually the court adjourns and the Emperor leaves to meet his Kotharr Khonn, Senior-who was also General Kotharr Khonn, the Third-son of Kotharr Khonn, the First his chief military agent. Like his father before him, Kotharr Khonn was an allies and best friend to the First Son of Thuvia. Kotharr Khonn, the Eldest was Old King Ulyseas Rhann's military chief agent. They had help carve an empire, by helping win the Second Pangean World Wars, as did Ulyseas Rhann's father King Odysseus Rhann did in the First Pangean World Wars.
As the Emperor Toreus Rhann leaves the Court the Chancellor tries to button hole him and discuss the bill that he plans to put before the House of Princes--One of the two houses of the Pangean Parliament-- to prevent the use of Pangean military forces off-plate for any operation that is not directly involved in the defense of the realm. The Emperor rudely tries to put him off because he is in a hurry to discuss his illegal operation in Arcadia with Kothar Khonn II. he tells the Chancellor that he will discuss the bill with him at the earliest opportunity but does not tell him that he intends to veto any such bill.
Emperor Toreus enters the War Room where Imperial Marshal Kotharr Khonn awaits him. With him are David Greystone-descendant to the legendary original General David Greystone-who fought in the Great Trongaroth Wars many centuries ago, the head of the Pangean Secret Service and XXXXXX, the head of the Imperial Security Service as well as General XXXXX, the Chief of Pangean Special Forces—himself a Thuvian Ranger—and Arenjun Sarkhon, the Ronan Time Sorcerer. The ancient temporal wizard was holding his Burmese Atlantean Cat-Hecate in his arms-a Time Sorcerers familiar -guide and spy, to help on their many missions through time and space. Sitting next the Emperor's seat, was his lovely wife the Empress Cassandra Rhann-not only his love, the mother of his four children, two sons Prince Toreus and Theaseus Rhann, plus the two daughters Princess Andromeda and Castria Rhann. This is the Emperor’s Privy Council, the closest advisors to the ruler of Pangaea.
Kothar calls on the Secret Service chief to brief the Emperor on the operation’s progress.
Here there is an account of the events leading up to the arrest of Baron Nathanial Taylor and the Emperor’s decision to send in Special Forces to intervene.
The Emperor is concerned that his son Toreus has volunteered to participate in the action and he is not pleased. Kothar tires to assuage his anger and assure the Emperor that everything will be okay—even though Kothar himself is not sure of this. His own son convinced him that it would be all right. However, Kothar feels that the young Prince is too reckless and inexperienced for the subtleties of covert operations.
Nonetheless, the elder Toreus has strong misgivings about his son’s direct involvement in the covert action to rescue the Taylor family.
Despite his reservations, the Emperor signs off on the continuation of the mission. He feels that he can do nothing less due to his debt of honor to the Taylor clan.
Chapter 3: Unrest
Prince Toreus is in the middle of a riot that began when Arcadian Police—mostly Kai’Vhan Mercenaries utilized force to break up a student demonstration at the Fountain Station. Toreus fights his way free of the crowd using his wrist shields. He focuses his violence on the cops preferring to avoid any injury to the civilians. Near the edge of the riot, a cab pulls up to him and opens its door. It is driven by Arnie Vincenzo, part of the Vincenzo family who work as special operatives for the Sarkhon family of Atlantean Time Sorcerers and often run cab or other transport companies here and across the sphere,plus other places in time and space.Venchenzo Yellow Cab Transportation was notorious all over Temporal space and a useful over for a Temporal Wizards spy network,that included the Doomwatchers,the Temporal Guard,the Time Stalkers and other such organizations.Arnie Venchenzo,has the Doomwatchers for time and they work in hand in hand with.
Toreus Rhann rushes to the open cab door and jumps in. as they race away Arnie Vincenzo introduces himself to the Thuvian Prince.Colonel Kothar Khonn sent him to watch out for him.Arnie smoking a cigar,spots a Kai’Vhan moving toward and whips out a mall rifle,hitting the alian zombie mercenary in the chest,before it deflector shiend body armor could active,protecting from harm.The Kai’Vhan,already corpse mask,with palid chalky white skin and dark rings around the eyes freezes and drops his own rifle and tumbles over like a sack of weat. Chapter 4: Shakorja and Ulysses
Arnie Vincenzo drops Toreus off at a cargo depot not far from the space fountain.
The Prince enters the depot using a passcard and goes to a cargo module whose number he has memorized earlier. Using another passcard, he enters the module. Inside is a Mobile Special Forces center of the Pangaean Special Forces. Here there are weapons, small vehicles and a communications center. In addition, there is a stasis chamber containing a Thuvian saber cat and a Highlands Hawk. The saber cat is Shakorja and the hawk is Ulysseas—friends of Toreus and key parts of his combat ensemble.
Toreus sends a confirmation message to the Mission Support Site aboard an orbiting spacecraft. The MSS acknowledges the message.
Toreus free the cat and bird from the stasis field. He greets both of them. The animals are augmented and are able to talk to Toreus via his Guider Gem—a device that links into the semi-mystic realm of holo-space which will fulfill a heavy role in our stories.
Toreus feeds himself and the animals. Shakorja complains about the canned rations since he prefers raw meat in his diet.
After the meal, Toreus Rhann suits up for his mission.
Chapter 5: Scarlet Shadow
The Mission Support Site is located aboard the starship Scarlet Shadow. The Shadow belongs to Thuvian Ranger Captain Colin O’Brien and his wife, Rachel,The ship co-owned and shared with the mysterious Time Sorcerer renegade known as Doctor Zacheriah Sarkhon and own Ivhanna-Sarkhons family left the Dysonsphere of Atlantis-Prime,some untold time ago and father . She is the ship's captain. The Shadow is in stationary orbit high above the Arcadia Plate. Rachel O’Brien receives the message from Toreus and forwards it to her husband Colin, who is already on the plate with his Special Ops team. The couple has a bickering but loving relationship not unlike that of the Cramdens in the old Honeymooners series. Colin tends to be a little more reckless and a braggart. He has never met Prince Toreus though they both have served in the renowned Thuvian Rangers. Colin has certain misconceptions about the Prince, however.
Rachel informs her husband that Toreus heads for the meeting and that Colin and his Commandoes should be ready to help if needed.
Chapter 6: Recon
Toreus rides his spike (smart bike) Ebony to an alley not far from the meeting bar.The Spike is more just a simple hover bike,but sentient artificially intelligent robot-a cross between a paragravity motorbike and robot horse,able to think in limited ways for itself,but always under the command of it’s rider.A perfect tool for a warrior and armed secret weapons and other devices,in combat and evasion situation.Ebony wines in strange earie echo horse nay as the Thuvian Prince turns a corner,passing hover cars and trucks. The bar, called Makean’s Den, is one of the few places open during the curfew imposed by the government because it is a Fountain port watering hole for mercenaries, bounty hunters, privateers and spacer gangs.
The Prince dispatches Ulysses to scout from the air and sees that there are at least two vehicles that may be police surveillance units. Otherwise, there seems to be no signs of trouble. He instructs the hawk to continue surveillance and warn him of any changes via the Guider link.
He instructs the cat to watch from the alley’s street end and processed to the bar using a holo-cloak to disguise his military gear.
Chapter 7: The Den
Toreus enters the Den and looks around.
The joint is crowded with people, mostly bounty hunters here to collect the bounty on the Taylor family. At the bar, he spies two Jovians—big, hulking characters. These he recognizes as the hired bodyguards of Colonel Kothar Khonn.
In one corner of the room there are a group of Thulians—Neanderthals from a continent on the Pangaen Plate. Two of them are playing a game of choke. Two Thulians grasp each other’s necks and squeeze until one passes out. The others take bets on who will pass out first. Toreus frowns on the game considering it something that only morons do for entertainment.
His eyes scan past a group of spacers at on table and he catches the eye of a red haired, green-eyed female warrior. He smiles at her and she returns the smile, quickly averting her gaze. Toreus reminds himself that he is not here for romantic entanglements and conies to scan fro his contact.
In the far corner, he sees Kothar at a table with some other men.
Toreus heads for the table. Kothar looks up and nods to him, not wanting to address him by name. The Thuvian Prince sits down.
Kothar introduced the other man at the table. He is Joss Carpenter, the heads of House Taylor Security bearing the ancient title of Master of Assassins. Toreus is concerned that they are in the same place as Carpenter. The police want the MoA. Joss assures him that his contacts in the police will inform them of any possible raid. Toreus is not convinced.
Kothar and Joss inform him of the mission goals.
The Baron Nathaniel, held in the Royal Prison at the edge of town, cannot be freed without a large military operation. The Baron’s family is in hiding in a temple to the anti-spin ward side of town. This consists of the Baroness Lois Chandler Taylor and her two sons, Nathan, 14 and Lemonades (Leo) aged 10. They are the heirs to the family titles and it is their father’s wishes that they be taken out of Arcadia and into hiding. That way if Nathaniel is killed the Taylor family will not be wiped out and the sons and wife will be able to carry on the mission of freeing their homeland from the grasp of the evil King Radu Wallace.
Toreus’ job will be to retrieve the family and get them out of Arcadia
They discuss details of the mission.
\It is at this point that Ulysses and Shakorja inform Toreus that there are Kai’Vhan police assembling outside the bar. Toreus receives a hawk eye view of the mercenary cops. It is clear that they are planning to raid the mercenary bar and that there could be only one reason for that. They want to get their hands on the conspirators.
Toreus starts a fight with the Thulian chokers in order to cause a diversion. The diversion blooms into a full-scale bar riot as the police storm in the door.
Kothar and Joss dodge out a side door and are stopped by police blocking that exit. Vincenzo tosses a stun bomb at the cops and the two officers escape in Vincenzo’s car.
Toreus shield battles the Kai’Vhan. However, he is cut off from any exit.
Chapter 8: Escape
The red headed female warrior, whose name is Princess Antilus Sojat of the Northern Pangean kingdom of Lemuria, taps Toreus on the shoulder and leads him to a secret exit. The exit leads down to the underground of the plate.
Among the fleeing people are the two Jovians, some mercenaries and spacers and one of the Thulians—Paulo Torsi.
Toreus tries to find out Antila’s name but she is unwilling to tell him. They will meet again and eventually become lovers but for now she thinks that he is just a common warriors looking to get lucky and she’s not having nay of that.
Antilus Sojat separates from Toreus, the Jovians and Paulo.
Chapter 9: Escape
Toreus and his companions wander through the Arcadian Underground, the upper infrastructure of the plate on which Arcadia is built. The Trongoroth and Plate Dwellers should be referred to here though a more detailed explanation of them will follow in the Chapter entitled Underworld (Chapter 19).
The Prince tries to put the images of the woman out of his mind, realizing that they will only distract him from the mission ahead. He also tries to ignore the annoying attentions of Paulo, who has a man crush on him.
He decides that he needs the help of Shakorja and contacts the beast via his Guider. The Guider calls up an ancient map of Arcadia City’s underground and the Prince instructs the cat to wait fro him at a nearby entrance. Toreus and his companions move off in that direction.
Chapter 10: Radu
King Radu Wallace of Arcadia is in his private office chamber with some of his henchmen. They are a motley crew.
Among them are his nephews Duke James Wallace (a tall thin, quiet man who carries a Tionka—a type of ape-like alien pet that produces an addictive venom.) and Prince Wesley Wallace (who wears his blond hair in dreadlocks, a style he learned on the far off Arcadian colony of Earth 3261. He is the heir designate to the throne because of the elder James’ lack of authority and courage). Also there are Sir Marc Hadron Phasier (a virt addict who wears a virt helmet that paints a virtual world of his own liking around him), Sir Leslie Tolbert (a loud mouthed moron and child molester.) and the James Irby, the Earl of Saratoga (who originated from Earth 3261 and is renowned for his meanness and sadism in dealing with the enemies of the Wallaces. He is the House Wallace Master of Assassins).
Saratoga outlines all of his forces efforts, so far, in the search fro the Taylor family. He has place a guard force on all exits from Arcadia and has put the Arcadian Army and Space Navy on alert to back up the Kai’Vhan mercenaries if the need arises.
Radu is concerned about the lack of progress in the search for the Taylor family. He does not feel that he can complete his bid to take over complete control of Arcadia until this rebel family is in prison of killed.
He is also concerned about the ultimatum that he has sent to the Emperor of Pangaea warning the Pangaea not too interfere in internal affairs of Arcadia. From long experience, he knows that the Emperor holds him in low contempt and it is only by the intercession of the Chancellor that he has managed to keep Pangaean troops off his front doorstep.
As is his habit Radu takes his worries out on his subordinates, all of whom are inveterate cowards and ring kissers. Radu demands that they increase their efforts to locate and arrest the Taylor family and that the guards on all exits from Arcadia are doubled.
Chapter 11: Alley Fighting
Now emerged from the underground Toreus makes his way down an alley headed toward where Shakorja awaits him with his spike. He has Ulysses scanning above and it appears as if the coast is clear. However, his combat honed senses nag him that this might not be so.
Kai’Vhan mercs with stealth costumes jump him. Toreus and the Saber cat go into battle mode, the Prince firing up his shield and drawing his knife. The big cat does not unnerve or frighten the drugged up cyborg Kai’Vhan. The animal’s claws claim several victims. Toreus fights the Vhan troops and breaks free to mount his spike.
Chapter 12: Colin
Before Toreus can exit the alley on his spike, he finds his way blocked by armed humans also riding spikes. He draws to a stop but the new soldiers raise their weapons and fire at the Vhan that are chasing the Prince.
These soldiers are the Rangers of Colin O’Brien’s team. They have raced to aid Toreus. Together they escape the Vhan ambush and head off to a rendezvous point under an overpass in the city.
Chapter 13: The Taylors
Duchess Lois Taylor and her two sons, Nathan and Leo, are hiding in a temple of the Arcadian Universal Church. With them is Father Philip Cho, the pastor of the church and an old friend of Duke Nathaniel Taylor.
Father Phil is concerned with the constant police canvassing of the neighborhood around the church. The long-standing custom of Church as Sanctuary in Arcadia will soon be broken by the eager off-worlders that King Radu has hired to supplement his police force. Already the police have placed a sniper lookout in the church tower.
The family is concealed in a hideaway in the basement of the church. There Lois prepares herself to fight off any incursions, as she is a Sister of the Holy Magdalene and a skilled hand-to-hand fighter. She trains her son Nathan in combat as a supplement to his hyper-mentation training. Young Leo watches the sparring with his robo-bear, Tim. Most well to do Arcadian children have such bears that serve as both governess and bodyguard. Tim, however, is no ordinary robo. He has been augmented with Atlantean and Mechan devices by Leo’s father,
Chapter 14: The Garage
Toreus, Colin’s crew, Kothar and Joss gather in an old garage that has been turned into a mission hide site.
Toreus sends Ulysses to scout the area around the temple from the air. They spot the sniper nest in the bell tower and realize that it can watch all the approaches to the temple and kill anyone approaching.
The Prince has Ulysses scout out an approach to the temple that will give them the most cover from the sniper.
The team assembles and moves off toward their target mounted on spikes.
Chapter 15: Assault
Toreus, Colin and members of the team move through the alleys toward the church. Along the way, they take out Kai'Vhan police officers and enter the church.
Toreus moves up the tower to the balcony and dispatches the sniper and his scout with his bare hands. Then he rejoins Colin on the ground floor and together they move toward the Taylors’ hide.
Toreus enters the hide and is jumped…
It is Lois who has attacked the Prince. She battles him using techniques of hand-to-hand favored by her sisterhood. She moves too fast for even the hulking prince to get a blow in.
Toreus activates his shields and throws her off. It is then that father Phil enters and recognizes the Prince, introducing him to the Duchess and her two sons.
Toreus contacts Colin’s Rangers and they knock out the power, plunging the neighborhood into darkness. It is then that the Rangers and their charges leave the church and board the vehicles that are now waiting in front of the church.
Father Phil waves good-bye to the Duchess and her sons as they move away into the night
.Chapter 16: The Bridge
The team comes to a bridge that leads across the Arcadopolis River to the part of town from which the Space Fountain arises. They discover that the bridge is heavily guarded by units of the Arcadian Army and is mined. Apparently, the entire town has been alerted and heavy military and police units are surrounding the approach to the Fountain.
Toreus and Colin must decide whether to fight their way through or find another route out of Arcadia.
They decided that they must get to the space fountain and that the bridge is the only way.
They decide that half the team will cross the river on hover-mode positioning themselves behind the guard to draw their fire. The rest will cross the bridge under that cover. The family will be with this element.
The second section attacks the rear of the Arcadian unit guarding the bridge. Toreus, the Taylors and the first section charge across. They receive heavy fire. Toreus’ spike is hit and crippled. He abandons the vehicle and retrieves its AI brain, the only part of the vehicle that is irreplaceable. He jumps astride Colin’s spike and they charge forward to the other side of the bridge where the second section has already killed off most of the Arcadian troops.
The two sections regroup and head off toward the Fountain before the enemy can regroup.
Chapter 17: The Prisoner
Marc Hadron Phasier goes to visit the imprisoned Duke Nathaniel to taunt him about his wife and children. The Duke refuses to let the little man get his goat.
While Phasier is visiting the prisoner, the news that the family has been sighted in the city reaches him. He rushes away leaving the Duke with a little smile.
Chapter 18: No Easy Way Out
The team funds their way to the Fountain blocked by heavy military and police units. There is no easy way off the Arcadia plate. They hide in a storm drain and discuss alternative plans.
They decide that taking the underground might be the best choice and strike off toward the Fountain.
Chapter 19: The Underworld
Toreus and the team move through the underground labyrinth under Arcadopolis. Much of the complex has been abandoned since the long ago war with the Trongoroth—an insect like alien invader that once infests Terra Prime. The lower levels of the underground—those closest to space—still show unprepared signs of the devastation in places. There are rumors—perhaps urban legends—that Trongoroth have been seen in the lower levels of the Sphere. There is even a plate that is totally a Trongoroth eco-system. Terra Prime is a work in progress and is yet unfinished since the Sidairian builders have refused to do so under the Guild Treaty that they do not aggress with.
Also living in the underground are the Plate Dwellers, a species of humanoids, cultured by the Trongoroth genetic engineers, who live and work in the underground and maintain the systems of the Sphere in the absence of the Sidairian builders.
Colin suggests that they might go down to the outer shell of the plate and wait there for the Scarlet Shadow to pick them up. Toreus points out that it will take too long for the starship to make its way from the inner side of the plate to the outer. Their enemies might find them long before that.
It is then that they encounter a group of plate dwellers.
Chapter 20: Master of Assassins
Joss Carpenter is at one of his safe houses. He is concerned with the whereabouts of the rescue mission. Kothar has returned to the mission support site on a neighboring plate. Joss is still in touch with him via the grimoire—the holo-space unit that Carpenter possesses and holds in trust for the Taylor family.
Carpenter checks with, Niel, the codename for an informant that he has cultivated in the Arcadian Federal Police. He tells Joss that the fugitives are thought to have entered the underground. Carpenter gets in touch with his friends among the plate dwellers and has Arnie Vincenzo, take him to a meeting with them.
Chapter 21: Plate Dwellers
Toreus and h is team run into a group of plate dwellers. The Plate Dwellers are humanoid beings whose genome has been altered by the Trongoroth. The live in the underground of all the plate of Terra Prime and perform maintenance tasks that the Sidairian refuse to do in light of the Guild Treaty.
The PDs take the group to one of their dwellings and feed them. The main stay of PD food is based heavily on mushrooms and other fungoids that are grown in the Underground. The plate dweller leader, XXXX, informs them that his people are in contact with Lord Carpenter and that he is on his way to help them.
Chapter 22: The Genesis Bunker
Joss Carpenter enters the underground near the center of Arcadopolis, in a place that known as the location of the ancient Atlantean Genesis Bunker.
The GB is an ancient installation and there is at least one on every plate of Terra Prime. It is unlocked by a key that is entrusted only to Atlantean Time Sorcerers and their familiars. The Bunker is a repository of vital knowledge and machinery in case of a catastrophe and contains access to World Wells that allow the Sorcerers to access their network of wormholes directly.
Once Carpenter is underground, he sees that the GB has been opened and that trucks loaded with Kai’Vhan are coming through from one of the other Earths. It is clear that the Kai’Vhan mercenaries have hijacked the Genesis Bunker and are suing the World Well to send their troops into Arcadia.
Chapter 23: Intervention
Emperor Toreus meets with his Privy Council again. He is concerned with the developments in Arcadia that have been reported to him by the agents of his personal intelligence service—the Talon. Things are not getting nay better and the policies of his plate that tie his hands are not helping.
He assigns Kothar Khonn to do something about the situation behind the Chancellor’s back.
Chapter 24: The Underground War
Joss Carpenter and Toreus have joined forces. They have decided to go to the Genesis Bunker and with the help of armed Plate Dwellers take it away from the Kai’Vhan. Joss also believes that he can use the Well of Worlds to help the Taylor family escape to a worldline of sanctuary.
Colin is not so sure of the situation. The Plate Dwellers are not professional soldiers and the Kai’Vhan are nothing but. He would much rather move up to the base of the Fountain and try to fight their way up to the station. Colin points out that the Fountain is 10,000 kilometers long and that they might have to fight every meter of its length. Colin finally agrees that the Bunker is a better choice.
Chapter 25: Dark Knights
Kothar Khonn Jr. and his commandoes prepare to raid the prison and rescue Duke Nathanial. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon. They are headed toward the prison in an airship.
All of the troops aboard are from the Thuvian Rangers Dark Knights Commando Group. All are highly trained Special Forces operatives. With them is Arenjun Sarkhon.
The plan involves Imperial intelligence agents disrupting the power of the area around the prison as the Commandoes move in and head for the Duke’s cell, neutralizing all resistance that they encounter. Timing will be important. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible and get the airship—that is holographically disguised as a cloud—away as quickly as possible. Once it is clear of Arcadopolis airspace, it will uncloak and will—disguised as a commercial airship—head for a jump gate on the edge of the Arcadia plate.
Kothar Khonn Jr. is concerned that if this mission goes awry then he will be responsible for defaming the Emperor and starting a war between Arcadia and Pangaea. He discusses his concerns with Arenjun Sarkhon, who is with him in the airship and will participate in the raid.
Arenjun knows that the Chancellor will use an elicit military action on the part of the Emperor as an excuse to make the role of the throne in ruling Pangaea smaller and increase the power of the Parliament. Not that that, in his estimation, would be a bad thing but not in the hands of the current Chancellor XXXXX and his ilk. Arenjun sees himself as the lone protector of Terra Prime from the Guild and its allies. He knows that the Chancellor is a stanch supporter of the Guild and a good friend of the current Guild President XXXX Satanis. He does not trust the Guild for this reason, among many others, and does not wish to be responsible for turning the Empire over to their hands.
He says a prayer to the Gods and prepares himself for the coming action.
Chapter 26: Armageddon
The Plate Dwellers explode a mine under a Kai’Vhan convoy in a tunnel that leads away from the Genesis Bunker. The little people attack the vehicles and a furious firefight ensues.
Toreus and his commandoes assault the open bunker and mange to kill the guards. Once inside they close the door trapping them in the Bunker and keeping the Vhan on the outside.
Lord Tolbert is inside and he makes an attempt on the life of Lady Lois. She turns his attack aside and Toreus breaks the man’s neck with his bare ands. Tolbert craps himself as he falls dead to the floor.
Kothar’s force hits the prison.
They fight their way to the Duke’s cell.
Arenjun’s detachment makes its way down into the bowls of the prison freeing inmates and fomenting a riot. They will continue down and exfiltrate via the underground where they will make their way to the outer skin of the plate. There they will be picked up by a starship that is owned by a privateer mate of Arenjun’s—Carter Tauran.
When the Dark Knights enter the VIP ward where Duke Nathaniel is held Lord Saratoga flees and Kothar gets into a fight with Phasier.
The Dark Knights evacuate the Duke to the roof and into the waiting airship. Kothar is separated from his force as he combats Phasier.
Kothar manages to kill Phasier and then follows his troops to the roof. When he arrives, the airship is gone and Wallace troops close in on him.
Toreus, Joss and the Taylors are trapped inside the Bunker. The Wallaces are trying to cut their way in using graser cannon. However, the ancient Atlantean material with which the bunker is made soaks up the energy and drains it off into the GB’s power system.
Toreus has taken the Key sword from Lord Tolbert and he uses it to open a time space portal in the Well of Worlds. Joss and the Taylors will use it to escape to one of the alternate Earths where they can go into hiding amongst its population of humans.
Joss urges Toreus to come with them. However, the Prince refuses. He cannot abandon Terra Prime while there is work to be done. He and Shakorja will stay behind in the bunker and try to find another way out.
Chapter 27: The Long Future
Kothar is lifted off the roof by a spider line from the airship. Arcadian troops fire at the ship and are mowed down by the gunners on board the ship. As the airship withdraws Arcadian robot fighters pursue them.
The captain of the airship throws a jump point in front of the ship and it heads through it to another plate—a friendly plate. The hole closes before the enemy can pursue them.
Arenjun and his crew have made it to the skin and use jump points to board Carter Tauran's ship. They head away for the Time Sorcerer’s Space Castle.
Colin and his men make it to the top of the fountain and board the Shadow. As his ship casts off Colin wonders how his friend Toreus is doing.
The airship arrives at a camp in Jurassica. There Kothar is greeted by his father who has flown there to prepare an Arcadian Resistance base that will be turned over to the command of Duke Nathaniel.
The Duke takes command of the Arcadian Rebel Alliance. He looks forward to a future in which Arcadia is free and he can be reunited with his family.
•
Toreus and Shakorja are alone in the cavern of the Genesis Bunker. The Prince thinks back on his adventures in the last few days and considers taking the Well as a means of escape. This is the end of this novel and sets the setting for the beginning of its sequel—Tentative Title: Toreus Rhann and the Stalkers of Time.
1. --Sincerely yours-Upward Onward Maveric MAVERIC LIONS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 23:07, January 5, 2010 (UTC)
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