Read Trade World Saga 1: Manual Interpretation Online
Authors: Ken Pence
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Adventure, #Space Opera, #Fiction - Science Fiction, #Science Fiction - Adventure, #Young Adult Fiction, #Science Fiction, #Action & Adventure, #Fiction
Trade World Saga 1: Manual Interpretation
MANUAL INTERPRETATION
Trade World Saga
Ken R Pence
MANUAL INTERPRETATION
Copyright © 2010 by Ken R Pence
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.
Contents
RETT SAVED BY THE ALIEN - ANDREW 2
REVERSE ENGINEERING – NEW POWER 22
REVIEWING RETT’S Interrogation 71
RETT TORTURED ABOUT CONTAMINATION 112
GENERAL ALEXANDER COMPLICATES 159
THE EARTH REGULATORY FORCE 199
FOREWORD
The Technician was able to decipher the power supply but only after radiation burns from an intensely radioactive fission reactor. No one could believe the directed signal strength of the unit was as strong as it was and no amount of fine chipping could unravel the gray and tan blocks of ceramic-like material. One suddenly faced with microprocessors in epoxy blocks was not likely to understand much more by chipping them into bits.
One must understand that many planets near the galaxy's core obtained fusion power and inertia-reduction fields before there was any spaceflight. They certainly didn't start the move to space by using chemical reaction principles. Therefore, they were never concerned about how much something weighed or how little space a device would take so it could fit into a nosecone of a rocket. The Exploration Service had computers but nothing approaching the memory density, speed, or ability of any Earth computer. A common Mem-Dex was faster and had more memory storage than any computer on board the E. S. ship.
The officers and crew of the E. S. ship could not comprehend how Earth microelectronics worked, but they were willing to appreciate it for the advance in technology it was. A being may not understand how a piece of intricate jewelry is made but that doesn't lessen the fact that the being values the beauty of it.
RETT
SAVED BY THE ALIEN - ANDREW
Odd to die this way, Rett thought. It is interesting to know exactly how and why my bodily functions will cease...Ironic that my passing will not be noted by my colleagues...Those who knew of my trip would think the cause of my demise quite strange...Then again...most thought I would not return anyway... Few of those who aided me in building my ship could conceive of the need for constructing a vehicle for personal use…ships had always been built by groups…powerful groups…not by an individualist who wanted affiliation with no being.
It was a very pleasant day for a hike. With the sun beaming down on his broad shoulders, Andrew set a brisk pace through the rocky hills north of Tucson, Arizona, treading firmly on the weather worn path. Andrew always tried to get out of his dormitory and into the desert hills when he was troubled. The peaceful, near barren surroundings and his steady gait had always refreshed him but today was different. As he walked, he ran his hand through his shock of unruly black hair with a sense of frustration.
As the leader of his design group, Andrew was relegated with the job of naming their synthesist project. He had run a feasibility and resources program on the two projects he contemplated. The university synthesist committee had named both projects radical and beyond the capability of the group's financial allotment. With only this weekend left to decide the group project, Andrew had chosen solitude instead of companionship to aid his creativity.
Andrew was ready to start back to the University when he saw the body. From the hill, even at this distance, Andrew knew the person was in trouble, for its positioning was unnatural.
Rett struggled to upright himself again to no avail. Rett reflected on the cause of his predicament. He swiveled his eyes down the control module of his stressed space field belt. Again, he attempted to rip the belt from his middle, but he was unsuccessful.
When the control module had cracked, full power was thrown to the 'stressed space' field. This field forced him into a faster subjective time than his surroundings and nearly eliminated the effects of inertia on objects entering the field around his body. Oxygen would still slowly diffuse through the field though not fast enough to do me much good. Soon the carbon dioxide levels would rise too high for consciousness. Any objects or material dropped, thrown, or thrust quickly into the field would slow or stop. Objects could be slowly pushed through the field if one was patient however.
Now this protective field is to be my killer, Rett thought. Not only has this full strength field eliminated friction between me, and my surroundings. It is making me endure a slow death of exhaustion and asphyxiation. I cannot even walk back to my vehicle. Now I'm lying with my head lower than my feet. Friction is vital, Rett considered, when you want to stand and walk back to your ship.
After many abortive attempts at constructive movement, it is plain that I am doomed, Rett thought. It is similar to trying to climb out of a vertical hole with feet and hands unable to touch the walls. I can think of no way to turn off my unit and the power supply will long outlast me. I built this belt well in that respect at least.
For one of this planet's rotations on its axis, I will
relatively
spend two rotations. My body energy will be spent well before this world turns far on that axis. It is anticlimactic to face a death where I will die
relatively
of asphyxiation, Rett noted.
With time passing very tediously for Rett, he thought of his trip and his race, the Tros.
Only a short time ago I was enjoying my solitude and my work with occasional colleagues who would drop by for mating or assistance with my research. Only a short time ago I was enjoying the thick, blowing atmosphere and the warmth of my home planet. Only a short time ago I developed this mobile stressed space field generator; now I only have a short time left because of it. It is a pity to die without the comforts of my own habitat.
We, the Tros, had gone into space early in our technological development, thus proving our superiority. With the discovery of the 'stressed space' field, we could reduce inertial effects (gravity) and alter the nature of space. Through we didn't understand the field’s operational parameters at first since we had obtained it from the inferior race that had first visited our planet openly, we could produce and control such a field. When aliens from the galactic confederation also introduced cold fusion for a power source and the stressed space field, we were able to leave the bounds of our home planet without delay. That other race had acted like they understood that power generation and had said they had had it for many years, they were short lived and most were inferior in intellect to the Tros. As we adapted this new technology and allowed it spread throughout our culture, splinter groups that disagreed with the government would simply take into space.
Taking to space instead of facing problems on the surface was not as bad as it seems. Many of the amateur attempts failed, but that only purified the race by eliminating the incompetent. The professional or wealthy splinter groups could then go into space. Solitude and long periods in confinement did not bother the Tros like it did other inferior races…we thrive on sacrifice so we may concentrate. That is the crux of it. We thrive on achieving perfection and other inferior races just do something and then never improve it. We want to put our own stomp on procedures and devices to make them more Tros friendly. We need no labels. If a being doesn’t recognize what a device is and how it is used we would not want that being touching our equipment. Other inferior races tend to label their devices…how crude and ignorant.
Now with almost unlimited power and the elimination of inertial effects (gravity) it was possible to build crude, airtight ships that could travel between stars. The stressed space fields protected us from radiation that some found out about early in testing…a self-correcting error…I am such a wit. Stuck here and I can still make humor. Rett continued his reflection. When you weren't concerned about power, you could almost aim where you pleased with visual line-of-sight directional equipment. Celestial navigation came natural to Tros. Inferior races used complicated calculations and unbelievable redundancy in equipment and calculations. We would travel to a new star in the time it took inferiors to ‘calculate the parameters’ of a journey. These inferior races tried to stock their ships with unending varieties of sustenance to ‘keep it interesting’ while traveling… I just found out about this neurotic trait. Stick some food on board and get going… if you don’t have enough you will never do it again… that is the Tros philosophy.
There were many voyages before my ancestors landed on the planet I now call home, Rett thought. This trip may have been foolish for me though… Foolish to risk all on a trip outside all regular trade and passenger routes, simply to test a portable version of a stressed space-field generator. No Tros had ever designed and built a device so compact and efficient as mine, Rett thought with pride. It must have been faulty materials that caused my control unit to break. Now I lie under an alien sky and watch the sun and stars pass over me. I feel as if I am dead already because I am so tired and alone.
Rett smelled the native approaching well before he could swivel his eyes into focus. Even with this planet's thin atmosphere and allowing for the distortion caused by the field, smell was still Rett's best source of information. The atmosphere stung his eyes causing his protective eye membranes to slide over his eyes, further obscuring his vision...too much sulfite and oxygen he surmised. Now a native came to insult Rett by seeing his awkward death.
Andrew did not know that thirty minutes had passed for Rett in the fifteen minutes it took him to traverse the rocky slope down to the 'man'.
"Are you hurt? Can I help?" Andrew called as he approached within earshot. Obviously, the man was hurt or he couldn't talk since he made no attempt to respond.
The native is making primitive jabbering because I see the mouth moving, Rett thought. Even though sound was unrecognizable through the field, Rett could see the native raise and lower its arms. As the native moved closer, Rett could see the native opening and closing its mouth more as it made its ponderously slow way toward him. Rett felt uneasy at the uninvited approach of the native.