The Euclidian: When Worlds Collide (uncut) Read online

  Euclidian vessels were equipped with a sliding sub-skin that could fill holes that might occur in the hull. But if a dimensional hole passed through an entire vessel, cargo or vital systems could be lost.

  Once an object or subject was captured with the transporter beam, it was stored momentarily in an onboard caching unit. The probe then opened a portal into dimensional level seven and transmitted the cached transporter signal to a cluster of communications probes that relayed signals between endpoints. This enabled transportation across and between galaxies in a matter of minutes. From the perspective of a transported being, the transfer was instantaneous. The captive might see a flash of light, then experience a slight tingling sensation, and just appear at a distant location with no sense of being on another planet, unless there was a significant difference in gravity between the originating and destination planets. Atmospheres on planets with sentient life tended to support each other’s life forms, but when there was a problem with atmospheric makeup, living quarters were adapted to accommodate the captured guests. This technique was very helpful when cultivating spies because the Euclidians could fool the recruits into thinking they had never left their home planet.

  When visiting planets with a hostile environment, the Euclidians wore nostril implants that converted the atmosphere. As long as they inhaled through their nostrils they were safe breathing the air. Foreign microbes were rarely a problem for the Euclidians or other advanced species, although more primitive species were susceptible to getting sick from contact with foreign microbes. The Euclidians eventually learned cleansing techniques to keep live cargo from succumbing to diseases and pestilence carried by them or other species.

  The new extraction probes proved valuable during battles. Opening a dimensional portal in the middle of an enemy ship could wreak havoc on a ship’s infrastructure and instrumentation. Anyone in the vicinity of the hole would be immediately killed by the vacuum of space. Bridge officers could be transported to holding cells if there was a desire to keep the ship intact.

  Thirty years after suspending mining operations, the Euclidians ventured out into space again, this time with a greater set of goals. They would look for advanced civilizations, analyze the threats and opportunities, and take anything of use. They left behind probes to monitor any space vessels that might show up after their departure. Advanced civilizations tended to attract other advanced civilizations; that was the very reason the Euclidians were there in the first place.

  Sometimes a foreign species would show up during a mining operation. This would activate the Grizzly maneuver to immediately evacuate the planet being mined. The Euclidian vessels disappeared into dimensional space, leaving behind dimensional probes and beacons to track the ships.

  The Euclidians would not return to mine the planet until they had tracked the newcomers to their home planet and evaluated the species’ capabilities. The species would then be neutralized militarily and mined out of existence. The Euclidians could not take a chance on attempting to befriend a people after they had been spotted strip-mining the planet of a possible ally.

  The Euclidians occasionally found a planet of such esthetic splendor and little resource value that they left it intact. They would set up a base and use the planet as a vacation destination. Interaction with the indigenous population was kept to a minimum except to ensure they were not doing things that might make the planet less habitable. The Euclidians sometimes went as far as controlling population growth, to minimize the risk that the indigenes would prematurely deplete important resources.

  It was rare that they shared technology with new species, and the dimensional transportation mechanism was their most closely guarded secret. Sharing that technology with outsiders was a crime resulting in a swift public execution followed by punishment of the perpetrator’s family.

  Though the remote bases had synthetic food production devices, base personnel preferred to eat fresh food. If the occupied planet did not produce enough food to sustain its people and share with the Euclidians, base personnel were authorized to share technology or advanced farming methods in return for a portion of the expanded harvest.

  Aside from such insignificant displays of compassion, the Euclidians became more and more ruthless in their interactions with outsiders, and spent more time wiping out newly discovered civilizations than attempting to forge alliances.

  CHAPTER 6

  THE CEREBRAN

  Planet Cerebra was a large gaseous planet about the size of Uranus but without its rings. From space the planet looked like a swirling mass of gas incapable of supporting life. Underneath the 50,000 kilometers of cloud cover, however, lay a planet full of life. More than 80% of the vast surface was covered by a caustic mixture of ammonia, sulfur, and water teaming with exotic species. The few large lakes scattered across the planet were too toxic to support life, and most substances would be consumed by the extreme acidity of their waters.

  Cerebran lifeforms evolved in an extreme environment that species on most other planets would view as hostile. The atmosphere was so thick with poisonous gases that it blocked out most of the sunlight. The atmosphere and surface liquids contained very little oxygen, or even water for that matter. But still there was life in abundance.

  The species that derived from the mineral-rich waters on planet Cerebran were invertebrates that reproduced via mitosis. As the creatures evolved they reproduced via meiosis, by sharing genetic material through their cell walls. These creatures could have multiple offspring by combining their reproductive genetic material with their partner’s until it was depleted.

  Over time, thousands of species sprung up from the more complex multi-celled creatures that populated the Cerebran waters. Eventually one of these walked out of the acidic oceans to live on land. In the water, the Cerebran creatures absorbed nutrients from the water through their skin. On land, they got some of their nutrients from the thick atmosphere, but occasionally had to return to the water to obtain those nutrients that were missing from the atmosphere. Eventually the land creatures evolved to the point that they were able to get most of their nutrients from the atmosphere and supply missing elements from the abundant plant life and minerals in the soil and rocks.

  The Cerebran humanoids were small creatures no more than 40 centimeters high. They had a soft skeletal frame that gave their bodies form. They didn’t have ears, noses, or mouths, though they did have well-placed gristle and grooves on their faces to give them character. They had large solid-black eyes that permitted them to see around their world.

  Since Cerebran creatures didn’t have mouths, they didn’t speak but communicated using mental telepathy. Early Cerebran organisms only had primitive thoughts that they could relay to each other. This ability was used to communicate danger, food discoveries, or a desire to mate. More advanced creatures had a superior mental vocabulary that expanded along with their reasoning ability, although the humanoids were the only beings on the planet capable of complex telepathic communication and mental abilities.

  In due course the humanoids began to organize formal units, first tribes and later villages. They created tools from vegetation, stones, and eventually metal, with which they built shared dwellings. The idea of individual houses never quite caught on. Since Cerebrans didn’t sleep, collect items, or form traditional family bonds, they didn’t have much use for houses.

  Due to the thick atmosphere, the surface was rather dark most of the time. Glowing minerals were used to illuminate gathering areas and paths. In darkness, the Cerebrans could recognize each other by their metaphysical signature or the aura that emanated from their bodies. Auras were also used to identify different types of life forms, and individuals who shared the same ancestry had similar auras. Even with their eyes closed, Cerebrans could recognize the creatures near them.

  Somewhat unique to the Cerebran humanoids was their ability to communicate with lower life forms, even if only at a rudimentary level. An Earthling could speak or yell at a worm all she wanted, but the w
orm would just ignore her. Cerebrans, on the other hand, could inform worm-like creatures of the location of food or others of their kind. They could force a flock of flying creatures to veer one way or another. As a rule, though, the Cerebrans rarely engaged in those types of activities except for educational purposes or if there was danger to the animals.

  The ability to communicate with animals led to the ability to understand an animal’s state of being. Cerebrans could even improve an animal’s health by focusing healing energy on it. If an animal was seriously injured it might take multiple Cerebrans to heal it. As they gave off healing energy, their energy was depleted and they weakened. The color of a Cerebran’s skin changed with the individual’s level of energy or health, a helpful trait when caring for each other.

  Cerebran mental acuity did not give them the ability to communicate with inanimate objects, but they could affect an object’s vibration. This caused some objects to give off sounds, which became the first form of generated music. Although the Cerebrans couldn’t hear the music, they could feel it in ways that hearing beings could not. The vibration of an object, and the subsequent music that it made, depended on the particular Cerebran that created the vibration. Some Cerebrans were unable to make music, while others had advanced abilities like remote telepathy, telekinesis, healing, heat generation, and the ability to feel things at a distance.

  Telekinesis permitted a person to make the air swirl or whistle or pop like a kid’s cap gun. Liquids could be made to gurgle, swish, or splash. The direction of small streams could be changed.

  The Cerebrans made roads, bridges, and fountains from a cement-like substance. For long distance travel they built simple carts with rubber wheels, propelled by telekinesis. They built boats to carry cargo between islands, although these weren’t needed for passenger traffic. Cerebrans could propel themselves through liquid faster than a boat could carry them.

  Because crystals made the most musical sounds, they were often used for celebrations and ceremonies. One particular type of crystal was thought to contain mystical powers because it glowed when stimulated by the right person. These were called shaman stones. Somehow the frequency of these stones could sync with a Cerebran’s psychic energy, causing the stone to reflect energy back to the Cerebran, which would amplify the person’s energy with amazing results.

  With shaman stones, whatever the Cerebran was attempting telekinetically was intensified to a degree depending on the size and makeup of the stone and the ability of the individual. For example, a Cerebran that could slightly levitate a small rock could use a shaman stone to lift a boulder high into the air. The growth of plant life could be accelerated, communication with friends at great distances was possible, and some Cerebrans could even induce astral projection. This particular feat required sitting or lying down in a meditative state. The person concentrated on a place they would like to be and in an instant would be there. This talent was so rare that a Cerebran who could activate a shaman stone traditionally became a shaman, hence the name.

  The Cerebrans spent most of their days in deep meditation looking for ways to expand their consciousness. While they could easily communicate with those in close proximity, communicating with those farther away was more difficult, but possible with the use of shaman stones. To do this, the shamans concentrated their power by gathering in a meditation circle with their stones. They eventually learned to communicate with other meditation circles across the planet.

  Within a meditation circle, shamans could sense the presence of the thousands of creatures, great and small, all around them. They could hear the collective thoughts of the Cerebran humanoids across their islands. No thoughts were hidden from them.

  It took a tremendous effort to block out all the voices around them and focus on a solitary creature – random thoughts distracted them from their focus. For that reason the Cerebrans didn’t daydream. And because they didn’t sleep, they spent their days communing with nature, looking for ways to improve their environment, and examining the breadths and depths of their planet.

  Shelters on Cerebra were formed from the local vegetation and minerals. Each village had about 2000 inhabitants. At the center of each village was a large assembly hall for ceremonies and public gatherings. Together they celebrated births, deaths, shaman pronouncements, and each planetary New Year.

  There were five hundred of these communities scattered across forty-seven islands, which accounted for the planet’s nearly one million humanoid inhabitants. The villages were located to provide for maximum coverage of the planet surface. Each villager was assigned to a group of three others and the four together were responsible for a particular land area. These groups were typically but not necessarily a family unit. Each civil unit was responsible for sixteen square miles, for a total of four million square miles under their care. The units carried out all sorts of tasks such as cleanup of dead vegetation and animals, removal of rocks from paths and meetings areas, trimming of foliage, recording of changes to the environment, and healing of sick vegetation and animals.

  Once every forty-seven days the village shamans gathered for a ceremony, with the entire village attending. They sat in their meditation circle surrounding a large shaman sphere, and used their shaman stones to mentally connect with the sphere. After connecting they announced themselves one by one by stating, “I am here.” Once all were connected, the shamans expanded the glow from around the central sphere to engulf the assembly, at which point the assembly would mentally state, “We are here.” Within the sphere’s glow, everyone saw what the shamans saw. It was a wondrous experience for all involved.

  The Cerebrans did not live long lives, only about thirty Earth years. But they lived full lives that focused on the improvement of their race. Never needing to stop to eat or sleep or rid their body of waste, they lived fuller lives than most humans on Earth who lived three times as long.

  CHAPTER 7

  PICO

  Pico was born on the seventh island of Cerebra to kind parents. His mother was an artist and his father was a mason. His father used explosive liquids to break boulders loose from mountains, then used a large saw to cut stone blocks from them. His mother chiseled designs into the stones.

  Pico’s parents were very successful at their craft, but did not accumulate wealth for their efforts. The Cerebrans had no money. They traded goods and services within a sophisticated barter system. Even intangible items or metaphysical services such as healing, astral projection, or a connection with a person on a distant part of the planet could be bartered.

  Pico spent many days accompanying his parents as they worked. He helped them collect stones in a wagon, and often played with the stones. He could levitate them, juggle them, and sometimes make them vibrate and play music. He occasionally ran across one that he could make glow. His parents quickly learned that he had a special gift.

  When Pico came of age his parents took him to where the shamans lived in an enclave at the center of the island. The shamans tested Pico’s psychic abilities and were astonished. They spent the next hour explaining how the island shaman was chosen from among the village shamans, and the shamans’ duties. They described their ceremonies, their communications with shamans from other islands, their healing, infrastructure construction, and planetary research.

  Pico found the research process most interesting. The shamans combined their psychic energy to investigate the depths of the oceans, the richness of the planet’s atmosphere, and the vastness of space around the planet. Cerebra had three moons, each larger than Earth’s. It took a great deal of energy for the shamans to peer beyond their atmosphere, so investigating the moons took time. They spent only an hour every third day surveying the moons, and the rest of the time surveying the planet and communing with its inhabitants.

  Pico had a thirst for knowledge of the world around him, and he jumped at the offer of an apprenticeship to become a shaman. He hoped he would be able to participate in their research work, not knowing that an apprenticeship m
eant starting at the beginning.

  Pico spent many hours learning about different shaman stones, shaman powers, how shamans worked together, and the history of the planet. Once he had the foundation down, they started teaching him the basics of each shaman power. To solidify his understanding of this foundation and prepare him for public speaking, he was required to teach what he had learned to young Cerebrans in each village of the island. Initially, he hated it. He was shy by nature and hadn’t wanted to become a shaman so he could teach people. On the contrary, he wanted to learn all he could. But after Pico had taught a couple of sessions, he noticed that the kids were leaving the sessions excited. He saw himself in those kids and eventually warmed up to the job, even looking forward to the next set of kids.

  Pico spent seven days in each of the island’s seventeen villages. Pico was sad when his tour was over, but happy to get back to the shamans enclave to learn more. His teaching tour had helped perfect his knowledge of shamanic basics, and now he wanted to practice the techniques he had taught to others.

  Pico was assigned to a Shaman Nene to guide his training. She began by having him practice connecting with different shaman stones. She led him to a room that contained dozens of stones, each slightly different than the others. Some were easy to connect with, while others took a lot of effort. Shaman Nene admonished him when he tried to use the connection to exercise his powers: he was there to merely connect with the stones.

  Part of the reason Pico was asked to perform the connection exercise was to select a shaman stone for his own. There were so many that Pico didn’t know where to start. After connecting with each of the stones he didn’t feel anything special for any of them. After a while he became bored and started levitating the stones up and down one at a time, then two at a time, then three at a time. What if I could levitate them all at once? he thought. That would show the shamans that I am worthy to be among them.