Dark Matter by Ahmed S. W

Author:Ahmed, S. W. [Ahmed, S. W.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction, American, Dark Matter (Astronomy), General
ISBN: 9780981526300
Publisher: Brane Science Fiction
Published: 2008-03-04T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

It took a total of 15 days for Marc, Sibular and Zorina to finish assembling the ship. Not that it was much of a ship by anyone’s definition, but its makers weren’t worried about looks, sophistication or comfort. Their primary goal was to build something big enough to hold the three of them and fast enough to help them escape from the Volonan Empire. The Aftaran border was much closer to Volo-Gaviera than the Mendoken border, so their plan was to head in the direction of the Aftaran Dominion. Sibular was confident that, given the good relationship between the Aftar and the Mendoken, they would find easy passage to the MendokenRepublic once they reached the Dominion.

After much initial reluctance, Zorina had agreed to accompany Marc and Sibular all the way to the Republic. As afraid as she was of traveling into the heart of what she considered enemy territory, she had eventually been persuaded that her presence and testimony would make it much easier for Marc and Sibular to convince the Mendoken government that the Volonan Empire was not behind the consar attacks on their worlds. Sibular had also given her his word that if she helped put an end to this war, then the Mendoken government would undoubtedly protect her and grant her asylum.

The three of them now stood in front of their completed ship. Overall, it was no larger than an average sized helicopter. In appearance, it was more like a random collection of different shapes and colors, with a central transparent hump that housed the cockpit, two wings of unequal length and width, and three uncovered kilasic engines mounted just behind the hump.

“She’s definitely no looker,” Zorina observed.

Marc couldn’t agree more. If this ship were to enter a competition for aesthetic value, it would surely come dead last. He also wasn’t feeling particularly confident about its reliability or safety. Forget consar travel – that wasn’t even an option for this vessel. Not only were the necessary materials and precise measuring instruments for consar technology not available in this scrapyard, a contraption coupled together so loosely would never be able to withstand the tremendous multidimensional forces during consar entry and exit. The ship’s occupants would literally be pulled apart, atom by atom. But even with its conventional kilasic engines, he wasn’t convinced the ship would hold together during takeoff, let alone fly through space.

“You’re, uh, absolutely sure it won’t be easier to stop this war by just telling the Volonan authorities what we know, right?” he asked Zorina.

She looked surprised. “By reconnecting to the Grid? Are you nuts, young human? I’ll be back in prison and you’ll be dead before we get anywhere near any imperial authorities to tell them anything. That’s what I’m absolutely sure of.”

The course of action was therefore clear. Sibular climbed into the cockpit first, and Zorina followed.

Marc felt his heart rate jump as he climbed on board after them. “This could very well be the last flight I ever take,” he thought.

It

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