A.R.: Beyond the Universe
Chapter 20 - The Ark

After Alex moved the Complex to the Ark, life onboard went about as usual for most people. They continued with their lives, going to work, doing research, run the farm or provide entertainment.

Even while doing their daily tasks, there is a hushed excitement throughout the Complex about living onboard an alien spacecraft. There are now daily escorted trips to the Ark, with many asking what life was like for the original builders of the Ark. That also gets Alex wondering just who the original builders of the Ark and the Complex were. With Dale and his crew of technicians, engineers, and scientists hard at work determining how to run and operate the Ark, Alex decides maybe it is finally time to see what he can find out about the original builders.

When he first came aboard (before bringing the Complex with him), he had run across some files that looked like they might help with information about the original builders. Before starting to go through them, he finds Dale to see if there is anyone who might be interested in helping with the research.

“Sure, I know someone,” Dale says. He picks up his PDA and makes a call.

“Kristen?”

A hologram of a young female appears. “Hi, Dale. What’s up?”

“Want to help do some research on the ones who originally built the Ark and the Complex?” Dale asks.

“Are you kidding? I’m in! Where do I go?”

“Meet me on the Complex, control room, Level 16.”

Three minutes later, Kristen arrives in the room. Alex is surprised to see that Kristen is a petite girl with short blonde hair and big, brown eyes. He is tempted to ask if he needs her parent’s permission to take her off the Complex to onboard the Ark.

“Hi, Kristen, this is Alex,” Dale says to her.

In a quiet, shy voice, she answers, “Hello, Mr. Rogers. I was wondering what you would be like in person. How can I help?”

“Alex, this is Kristen. She may be 16, but he already has a doctorate and three Master’s degrees, one of which is in languages. Other than me, she’s the only one who can read the original builders’ text. To be honest, she’s the one I go to if I have trouble doing a translation. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s a whiz at it. If anyone here can help, she can.”

“Hi, Kristen. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about who built the Ark. As it turns out, they were also the ones who built and installed the Complex on Earth. I found some files onboard the Ark, but we needed to get the Ark up and going before anyone could dive into doing the research on them. It’s going to be a couple more days before we get going anywhere, so I thought that a little time could be used to see if we can find out anything about them.”

“I already know a good deal about them, Mr. Rogers,” Kristen tells him.

A look of surprise shows on Alex’s face. He thought that he was the only one who knew anything about them.

“OK, Kristen. Let me know what you have, and we’ll see where we can go from there,” Alex tells her. “And, please, call me Alex.”

“The original builders were like us in height; general heights of everything we find confirm that. They had hands like ours because of the types of controls we have found embedded in the code of the system. They breathed an atmosphere like ours because there is an atmosphere generator onboard the Ark that has presets for this atmosphere. When you first arrived on the Ark, was there any atmosphere in it?” She asked him.

“No, it took me a little time to figure out the Ark even had an atmosphere generator onboard. I found the controls and turned it on,” he tells her.

“And did you have to make any adjustments to it after starting it?”

“I told it to match the atmosphere on Earth and showed it Earth’s location. After that, everything seemed to be automatic. I figured that the Collector had scanned the Earth’s atmosphere and set the controls to match.”

“Someone in the past had already preset these settings for the generator. In looking at the schematics for it, I found that it was preset to create this specific atmosphere. The Collector’s scanners simply confirmed what was needed and followed suit. I confirmed that when I started studying the schematics for this place.”

Alex looks at Dale. The look on Alex’s face tells Dale he is impressed with the girl’s information and that this young girl is already way ahead of the game.

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to know if there is someone who can help out. Think she’ll do?” Dale asks him.

“Sure, as long as she can slow down a little, so I can catch up,” Alex says with a grin. “Come on, young lady. We have some work to do.”

Alex and Kristen head to the main bridge of the Ark, where he shows her what he has found. He barely has time to start running the files on a monitor on the wall when Kristen asks him to show her how the monitors came to be in that configuration. Alex tells her that the system operates using thought-control and reconfigures the single monitor to a pair of monitors, showing twice the information.

“It automatically began to show monitors on a wall the moment that I started to think about them,” he tells her.

“Do you mind if I try something?” she asked him.

“Uh, not at all. I’m not sure…”

Without any warning, the monitors on the wall changes from two smaller monitors to four larger ones. There is a vast increase in speed as all four monitors start showing different information. Alex watches Kristen as she scans all four monitors, her eyes moving quickly from monitor to monitor.

“Kristen, may I ask what you just did?” Alex asks her.

“Your assumption that it works on the process of thought control is sort of correct. This system does not receive projected thoughts, it searches for them. That’s what it does. It scans for any thought patterns from inside the Ark or immediate surroundings and then determines what is needed. In my case, all I had to do was to think ‘four larger monitors showing original builder data in lieu of two’ and it gave me what I asked for. Neat system, huh?”

Alex stands there with his mouth wide open. He has never once run across someone with such intuitive intelligence. He can tell that this young girl will be a definite asset to the crew and decides to recommend that she be put in a position of higher authority in research.

With Kristen’s help, data on the original builders is quickly gathered and organized. They were a race of beings that followed a set of mathematical patterns to know when to install the defense grids in the required realities. Where they came from, the data does not show. But it does provide Alex and Kristen with information on their race and physical appearance, but not what happened to them or why they disappeared.

They referred to themselves as Newens. They were the race of beings that had indeed installed the system of defense units and created the Collectors. But they were also the ones who created everything in each reality: the suns, planets, and entire universes. The files almost read as if the Newens just seemed to show up all at once from nowhere. Where they came from, the records do not say.

The records begin when the Newens started filling the first space. There were no guesses, no tries or experiments. They knew exactly what to do, as if from experience. Perhaps someone or something was guiding them. The Newens would show up in an empty reality with their massive machines (larger than the collectors) and use the energy stored by the collectors to generate balls of energy the size of galaxies. These they would distribute according to mathematical patterns that were pre-established. Once a ball was in place, a beam of different energy was shot at it from a great distance, causing a chain reaction in the energy within the ball. This reaction caused the energy to change and begin expanding. An energy shield would surround the ball, prevented it from expanding any further. Pressure would build up inside the shield until it would fail, causing an explosion and sending blasts of energy to all points within a certain distance. The energy, once released, turned into various gasses and solids. Natural gravitational forces would form, beginning the process of solids and gasses merging together. The more things gathered, the greater the gravitational field became, pulling in more and more smaller matter.

By design, the gravitational fields, called heavy fields, formed and had gravity so strong that nothing could escape the field, including light. Having such a powerful gravitation field, it would continue to pull in more and more loose matter, increasing the amount and thereby increasing the already strong gravitational field within it. The more matter is pulled in, the greater the gravity. It would continue this process until it reached a critical point, where it could no longer hold any more matter. It then explodes, releasing its matter. This matter, being under such massive pressures of the heavy gravity, would change in molecular composition. Basic elements would be changed, creating more elements. When the matter and gases were released into the space of the reality, they would expand, being no longer under within such a strong gravity. This expanded matter and gas would be the beginning of a star or planet.

One by one, the balls of energy would expand and explode. The heavy fields would be the converter that collects, processes and refines the material, collecting and exploding over and over until the correct combination of basic elements came together to form life.

Depending on the combinations, life can be created in any number of forms, from life on a molecular level to something as large as a planet. By design, life forms always differ. Some, such as humans, are based on carbon elements. Others may be based on silicon, argon, or even energy itself.

After a ball of gas cools, it begins to contract and shrinks into a solid with its own gravity. This gravity pulls in matter and the process of growing a planet begins. Once a planet has reached sufficient structure, a defense unit is placed within the surface of the planet, waiting there protected, for the time if ever needed to fend off the Void.

The records give a history of the Newens until their disappearance, where the records seemingly just stop. There is nothing about what happened to them. They just seemed to vanish, all at once, without any warning or without a trace. Perhaps their job here was done and they moved on. As for the Ark and its contents, is the only evidence left of the Newens. Why this one was left behind cannot be determined. The records also do not go into any detail of the Void, instead referring to it as something that cannot be allowed to continue.

Alex and Kristen spend the next several days pouring over the remaining records, which include supplies, an inventory of placed defense and control units, and operating manuals for the Ark, which they pass onto Dale.

It is three weeks since the Complex moved to the Ark when Dale gives Alex and Sara a call.

Alex and Sara are on the bridge, trying to figure out what their next move is, when Sara’s PDA buzzes. She picks it up off the table and touches the oval in the corner. A holographic projection of Dale’s face appears.

“Hi, guys. If I am correct, I think we’re good to go. It’s time we get this bucket underway.”

“Great” Sara tells him. “Alex and I were just trying to figure out what we were going to do next once we were ready. Since the Ark is designed to move from one reality to the next, I suppose we need to see what it can do. So, how does it work? What do we need to do to get it going?”

“Anyone want the honor of starting the Ark’s reality generator?” Dale asks.

“The what?” Alex asks.

“The reality generator. That’s the thing that allows the Ark to move from reality to reality. But before we get moving, I suggest we take a little time to do two things first. One, let’s get in some practice with the big cannons. I suspect we’re going to need to how to use them and what to expect from them. I don’t want to get caught getting zapped into a situation where we won’t be ready to defend ourselves if we need to. No way of knowing what we’ll run into or how soon. Two, I vote for a big send-off party to let everyone cut loose a little and relax. No telling after we get moving what’s out there, how soon we’ll go up against the Void, or what we’ll find. It’ll also give our people a chance to unwind and say goodbye to those they left behind, if they want to.

“Speaking of the Void, we found the thing on the Ark that can detect it. It’s a much bigger, more complicated version of the scanner we have on the Complex. We already have readings of at least three AR’s that are under attack. Apparently, the Void can go after multiple realities at the same time.”

This is news to Alex. He had always wondered if the Void could attack more than one reality at the same time. What scared him more was the thought that there might be more than one Void doing the attacking. That might explain why he detected a more powerful Void in his last battle with it.

“OK, testing out the cannons sounds good to me. Be down in a minute. I want to see how they work,” Alex responds.

He checks with the Ark’s system to find out where the cannon controls are located. There are controls for each cannon. Dale just happens to be at the controls for a cannon located closest to the bridge. He gets the location and heads down there.

As Alex walks into the control room for the cannons, he finds Dale and two of his team members standing in front of a small consol.

“OK. What buttons do we get to push?” Alex asks him.

“Sorry, no buttons, just thoughts.”

“I used the smaller cannons to slice and dice ice crystals for water and a planet for the soil. But they were operated at a larger control station, and it used manual controls” Alex tells him.

“True” says Dale. “However, it looks like the big guns need to have more accuracy in speed and power input when being used. The only way to do that is by thought. Everything happens too fast to do it manually.”

“Good. If we do come up against the Void, I’m going to be too busy setting up a defense system to protect the barrier until it solidifies. You and your people will have to know the cannons, how they work, what they are capable of doing, and which cannon or setting is required to stop the Void in its tracks, like I saw it do earlier.”

“We’ve already got that one figured out. The information was in a file we found. We just think ‘defense cannon’ and ‘Void’ and the Ark does the rest. It configures the system for us and determines which cannon or cannons will be needed, power settings, output, targeting, etc.”

“Can we see a demonstration?” Alex asks.

“Sure thing” Dale replies, as a targeting monitor appears on the wall in front of him. The images move quickly as the system tries to find what Dale is looking for. “We need to find a target. Let’s see…we need to find something at a distance…something that won’t be needed…ah…found it. There’s a small sun all by its little ’ol lonesome, supporting no life or planets whatsoever. That’ll do.”

Alex, Dale and the technicians watch as a large monitor appears, showing a magnified image of the small sun. They watch as the targeting monitor selects and configures a medium-sized cannon to match its target, selecting the power settings and the type of energy that will be needed as a weapon. The system pauses, waiting for the command to fire.

“Ready?” dale asks.

“Fire away” Alex says.

They watch as the energy builds up inside the cannon and then it releases it towards the small star. It takes only moments for the beam of energy to reach its target, a distance of almost one light year. The energy beam, easily as thick as large city, hits the sun with such force that it moves the sun out of its position. The sun’s light begins to fade and then grow bright, before it explodes, having received sufficient energy to overload it.

It takes less than 10 seconds for the system to target, fire and destroy the sun.

“Will that do for a test?” Dale asks.

“I think it’ll do. Now, let’s see what we can do to let our people relax a little before we head out,” Alex declares.

It is a grand party. All residents who wished to attend meet outside the Complex on the floor of the huge hangar bay. The party grounds cover an area of about 5 square miles and include every type of music, game, and entertainment anyone could imagine. Food and drink are abundant. The techs used the system to reconfigure the floor into various stages, rides, and stands. It starts when Sara takes the big center stage and introduces the Complex’s favorite singer and her band, Lucas and the James Gang. The band starts with a slow beat and Lucas, a tall blonde whose heart matches her beauty, joins in with a mellow, sultry voice of light jazz. As the music tempo begins to pick up, so does the party. Thanks to the Ark’s ability to manipulate matter, there is even a circus set up for the kids, with all the rides, including candied apples and cotton candy. Animals have been brought down for petting zoos and rides. The party lasts for 3 full days. By the end, most admit they are now anxious to get going. They want to see what is out there.

“Alex.” It is Dale is calling. “If it’s OK with you and Sara, I’d like for Kristen to oversee the Ark research. She seems to be perfectly suited for the job. She can find out just anything we’ll need to know about it and quickly if we need it.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll let Sara know,” Alex says. They are on the bridge, waiting for the moment the command can be given to get under way. “Are we ready to get going?” he asks the staff, who are seated in dozens of stations scattered throughout the bridge. “I’ve got to admit, I’m really curious about what it’s going to feel like going from one reality to another.”

“I thought that’s what you Traveler’s do--go from reality to reality” Dale says, his image still being projected from Alex’s PDA.

“Yes,” answers Alex, “but we never did it ourselves. We never did the move from reality to reality; we always woke up in the next reality. But this time is going to be different. This time I’ll arrive there wide awake, armed and set to go. If the other Travelers in the next reality are already awake and assembled, we can make a difference and help them set up the barrier in record time. With using the Ark’s type of energy to hold and hurt the Void, it’ll leave even sooner. If not, we’ll already know what to do to get things started.”

Alex’s PDA buzzes. It’s Sara calling. “Alex, are we ready to get going? I’m on my way up.”

“You bet. This time, you make the announcement that we’re getting ready to travel to another reality. You’re used to the things; I’m still getting over the last one I had to make earlier.”

“OK, chicken, I’ll do it.”

Sara enters the bridge and looks at Alex. He motions to a large chair centered in the bridge. She smiles and starts walking to the chair. As she does, a round of applause rings out from the staff on the bridge and spreads throughout the Ark. Sara stands there, smiling, as she looks at each face now smiling back at her. She sees numerous monitors showing the people in various parts of the Ark and the Complex, all clapping and cheering. They all know how hard Sara’s decision was to leave the Earth and are having no problems showing their admiration for their leader.

Sara takes her seat and nods to the communication officer on the bridge.

“Ready, Sara” he informs her.

She waits for the applause to stop and then her expression becomes more serious as she steadies herself and looks directly at the camera.

“Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen. I have the announcement that we’ve all been waiting for. We are about to make history. We have left our home world of Earth and have started settling into the Ark. We have made all the preparations and have tested system after system on the Ark. We are about to embark on a voyage that will take us not to other planets or galaxies, but to other realities. We have no idea what to expect, except the unexpected. There are no guarantees of what we will find or see there. But we know this: we have a duty to ourselves and to everything that we hold dear. We are going on this quest to stop something that may well destroy us all. But we have to try. It is in our nature. And I, we (she looks at Alex), firmly believe we have the tools to succeed. We have the tools and the will power to stop this thing once and for all. Unless anyone can think of a reason for not going forward with this, I will start the counter at five minutes. You will have the next four minutes to place your objections or concerns. When it gets to one, the command will be given to go. Unless I hear something concrete from anyone as to why we should not go, we go forward. The five-minute countdown commences now.”

Sara reaches over and touches the screen on the arm of her chair. An alarm sounds throughout the Complex, announcing to everyone that the countdown has started. For the first 3 minutes, the timer sounds every 30 seconds. For the next minute, it changes to every 20 seconds. For the last minute, the timer sounds every ten seconds, until it reaches to 20 seconds. From there until it gets to one, it sounds every second.

There are no messages from anyone. The only thing she hears is the countdown.

Five…four…three…two…one. Sara taps the pad on the arm of her chair to engage the reality drive and waits to a reaction. Nothing. 10, 15, 20 seconds pass by. With a look of determination on her face, she calls dale to see what is happening.

“Dale, we’re waiting. Got anything down there?”

“Got me, Sara,” Dale responds. We did as the manual says, so it should be working. Maybe that’s why it was left behind. Wait a minute…I see something. Okay…the system had to build up a charge, like a large capacitor before it can operate.”

“How long before we can go?” Sara asks him.

“I’d say…about…now.”

Sara turns to look at Alex. He is glowing again. She looks at Kate, who is also glowing. That’s when she notices that everything and everyone are glowing and getting brighter. Soon, she has to shield her eyes from the harsh light. A feeling comes to her of being stretched from the inside out, a very strange but not painful feeling. Then, for a moment, she almost feels like she is floating in space. Then all goes black and silent, as if everything suddenly comes to a stop, including time.

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