Star People

Chapter 50

Advancements

May 2^nd, 15 AE…

The Council of Prime Directors…

“And you are certain, Chancellor Himro, that there are no more hidden Zedan bases or weapon stockpiles?” Director Rodera asked as he and the Council conversed to the leader of the Zedan Archipelago via holographic communicator.

“I assure you that all weapon and resource caches before and during the war have been accounted for.” Himro replied. “That hidden base that the pirates had used has been neutralized by Naran, but we can’t do anything about the weapons and equipment that they confiscated. Then again, it’s all outdated technology by your standards, so it shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

“The Council feels that even with technology of your level, it would still be considered a danger to the other nations. Furthermore, the fact that Zedan and Atlans are now nuclear-equipped is also a concern, especially when Atlans presented their latest bid for Star Alliance membership with research concerning nuclear fission. It was very similar to the technology used to create your Ender Bomb. Do you have any idea how they came across such information?”

Himro pondered for a long moment before replying. “It is possible that they might have stumbled on an unexploded Micro-Ender Bomb. No one but Emperor Zendara and his closest confidants knew about the system and I certainly didn’t know about it. I do recall that Atlans was testing their newest submarine near the waters of Zedan Hesterk. That’s the closest of the main islands toward Bisra.”

“That does sound more plausible than the excuse they gave to us about studying their own uranium deposits.” Nasaak commented.

“Other than that possibility, I can think of no other way for Atlans to gain knowledge about atomic energy or nuclear fission. And since you have provided both Atlans and Zedan with the means to properly contain and utilize nuclear energy, any knowledge they gained from studying an Ender Bomb is old news at this point.”

“Yes, well we certainly can’t have Atlans or Zedan creating nuclear devices and performing radioactive experiments all over the place.” Anida remarked. “And of course, you are aware that we will not tolerate the creation of nuclear weapons of any kind?”

“Yes, of course.” Chancellor Himro nodded. “That was part of the surrender terms and why you allowed us to have nuclear reactors. We are quite thankful for the means to safely and efficiently use nuclear energy. Will that be all that you require from me?”

“For the time being, yes that will be all. Thank you, Chancellor.” Benjamin said as he cut off communications.

“Well, that about solves that issue.” Viska commented.

“And the debut of nuclear energy has caused other issues as well.” Nerto pointed out. “We now have several nations, including the Sath, asking for us to install nuclear reactors in their countries.”

“I don’t like the idea of nuclear fission energy proliferating like this.” Benjamin stated as he addressed the Dwarf Director. “What about the Dwarf Nations?”

Sierg shook his head and waved off the matter. “Naaahhh… our Neo-Psion reactors are doing fine and will work on any kind of fuel. Now that we’re part of the Star Alliance, we have access to plasma energy cells and thermoelectric generators. And the best part is that our reactors don’t produce any radioactive waste or hazardous byproducts. Why would we want something as dangerous as a nuclear fission reactor?”

“That’s good to hear, Sierg.” The Velor Directors said. “And actually, that’s not a bad idea.”

“What idea?”

“You mentioned using alternate fuel sources such as plasma and thermoelectric. Instead of building more nuclear fission reactors, why not provide those nations with safer, alternative power sources?” Nerto then activated his console and projected a map of Istaria. “For example, the Sath Empire and several of the surrounding nations possess many high waterfalls and other fast-moving bodies of water. Why not put them to use?”

“So you’re suggesting hydroelectric power plants?” Anida asked.

“Indeed. And since we can create turbines that are far more efficient than those found on 20^th century Earth, they will be able to produce enough power to rival those of nuclear power plants.”

“I get what you’re saying.” The Nemonean Director nodded as she pointed to a different section of the map. “The desert areas of the Merdov continent can certainly benefit from photoelectric or solar power. Our solar-conversion cells are 99.99% efficient and they can store large amounts of energy for over a century. In addition to planetary stations, we can also build a few orbital solar collectors and they can continuously beam down power to energy storage facilities.”

 “Some of the island nations are located near geological thermal fissures.” Nasaak mentioned. “It wouldn’t take much to set up geothermal power collection stations.”

“Well then, we have our solution.” Benjamin stated. “All those in favor of implementing these alternatives to nuclear fission, please raise your hand.” After seeing the others raise a hand in response to his own, the Terran nodded. “The decision is unanimous.”

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June 14^th, 15 AE…

Naran Capital…

“So how are the upgrades progressing on Deriaton One?” Emperor Shenshirine asked his top magical engineer Maden Vitra.

“They are going quite well.” Maden replied. “Thanks to the Psion Storage Batteries or PSBs, we are able to fire the Kraister Guns repeatedly, simply by switching them out. They are now mounted on a revolver-type system and each gun can fire up to twelve shots in a row before reloading.”

“How does this… revolver-system work?”

“It’s a simple concept.” Maden picked up an old-style handgun from a nearby worktable. “This is an example of a hand weapon called a revolver pistol. This was manufactured by Atlans and used by their infantry as a close-quarters weapon. See the rotating cylinder? Each chamber contains a round of ammunition. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer goes forward and strikes the firing pin of the round. This ignites the gunpowder and sends the bullet down the barrel and out the muzzle. When you cock back the hammer again, this will cause the cylinder to a new chamber and a new round and you can fire again.”

“Interesting.”

“Yes. And we began to think. Why not scale up this system for artillery and naval guns? Each Kraister Gun now has a huge, rotating cylinder within its breech, and the cylinder has 12 chambers. Each chamber contains a Behemoth-size PSB. Once all shots have been expended, we can simply swap out the cylinder for a new one.”

“How many cylinders can each Kraister Gun hold?”

“Each gun can hold 1 cylinder in the breech while 3 more can be loaded into the magazine.”

“So we are talking 48 shots per gun, and two guns means 96 shots total?”

“Yes, we would have 96 rounds ready for immediate usage and we can charge up the Kraister Guns the old way in case of emergencies.”

“Excellent! And what about the other additions?”

“We have now equipped the ship with several Pursuer Rocket launchers on the starboard and port sides. There are four Swimming Bomb tubes forward and aft.”

“And what about lower hull? That’s a huge blind spot.”

“Not to worry, Your Majesty!” Maden assured. “The hull has been reinforced with our strongest orihalcum coating, We’ve added a few launchers within the lower hull as well.”

“And what about that mystic barrier projector your teams discovered?”

“Yes, from what our researchers have deciphered, the barrier was meant to cover a limited area of the ship during an emergency. Most likely it was meant to shield the bridge. However, with a few modifications, we should be able to create a barrier to cover the entire ship. We’ve also increased magical sensor range and the ship can now carry a complement of six Sky Blade II fighters and two scout craft.”

“Excellent! And what about the main weapon?”

“Thanks to the PSBs, it will no longer drain the ship of all of its power. With all the improvements we’ve made, we can say with confidence that Deriaton One is a match, nay more than a match against the Missouri of Free Land.”

Shenshirine grinned as he began having fantasies of Deriaton One facing off against the famed Missouri and bringing Captain Mark Delan and his crew to their knees. Of course, he didn’t know that the Star Alliance had most of its fleet still in space, or that the Missouri was still more than a match for the Deriaton One or any other vessel on the planet.

However, the improvements to Deriaton One now made it formidable enough to cause serious destruction to the other nations. And unfortunately, this was also playing into the hands of the Dreanat and the former rulers of Sath. Shenshirine was unaware that his head magical engineer was also working for Euracon’s secret society. Whatever discoveries or new magical technology that was created in Naran was also being recorded and copied by the Dreanat.

“And the newest feature will ensure that the Deriaton One will be unbeatable!” Maden declared.

“And what feature is that?” The Emperor asked.

“Even though we have discerned the function of the mystic barrier and enabled it to cover the entire ship; that by itself is not enough protection. Therefore, we have enabled the ship to be able to immediately repair itself, should it sustain any damage in battle.”

“Oh? I have heard rumors that the Empire of Sath are attempting to achieve such a process as well.”

“Yes. However they are relying on the ancient formulas of alchemy, which by themselves are already too inefficient and resource-draining. We have found… a shortcut.”

“A shortcut?”

“Yes. You recall the Planet Ravager that destroyed the Empire of Euracon over three years ago?”

“Indeed. What a terrible monster that was! As much as I hate to admit it, we need to be thankful to Free Land for ridding us of that beast! So what about it?”

“Though the Planet Ravager was a highly destructive and dangerous entity, its ability to regenerate itself was quite fascinating and we observed that its minions, the Mechanoids, were also able to regenerate to a limited degree. And by a stroke of luck, we were able to discover how that process worked.”

“And how were you able to do such a thing?” Shenshirine asked with concern.

“Three years ago, Captain Visteria and her squadron had encountered a scouting group of Mechanoids that had entered our airspace. Unfortunately, several of her fighters were destroyed during the engagement. However, due to the intervention of Free Land starfighters, the Mechnoids were dispatched. We had come across their remains and had been studying them since then. We have just recently determined how the Mechanoids are able to absorb magical energy and use it to repair themselves. Apparently, within their crystalline bodies, they have some kind of lines that resemble the Dwarf Rune Circuits we’ve heard about.”

“I see. So unlike Dwarf Runes, were you able to decipher these lines?”

“Indeed. They were quite simplistic and were able to redirect magical energy very easily. After analyzing the code, we were able to imbed it into the hull of Deriaton One. Now it is completely self-sustaining and will use available raw materials to repair itself.”

“And it is completely under our control and won’t go rampaging about?”

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. The entire vessel is subservient to its users and will obey our every command. It is one hundred percent safe.”

As the two continued to talk about Deriaton One’s new capabilities, deep within the depths of the hull, the newly-embedded regeneration circuits continued to maintain the vessel in good working condition. Every now and then a dim twinkle of light would momentarily appear. None of the crew members paid it any mind as they all assumed that was a natural occurrence. One would not expect anything sinister to come from such.

At least, for the time being…

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The secret headquarters of the Dreanat…

“And how is Number Seven-Forty-Seven’s progress?” Number One asked.

“He’s doing quite well.” Number Four-Three replied. “We have complete copies of the blueprints to Naran’s latest weaponry and inventions. We have also gotten news that Deriaton One will soon be undergoing its refit trials.”

“A pity we can’t get the same results with Free Land’s technology.”

“Unfortunately, their security measures are virtually impossible to bypass, and we do not have the luxury of having long-established infiltrators in their ranks, as we do with Naran, Sath and Atlans.”

“So we’re reduced to copying the obsolete scraps that Free Land has given to the other nations?”

“That by itself isn’t as bad as we thought, especially since Atlans and Zedan have been granted their own nuclear reactors.”

“Indeed. Having a nuclear reactor is only a few steps away from having an Ender Bomb. Even those from Free Land are wary of such power.”

“We’ve already begun sending operatives disguised as workers to the nuclear plants in Atlans and Zedan. They will start sending back reports and plans within the month.”

“Excellent! Now as to that other matter, I believe that it is now time for Phase Two. We’ve played around long enough.”

“Is that a wise idea? The Naran Emperor has been chomping at the bit, trying to get a hold of a Metal Soldier. And I doubt that the former rulers of Sath would agree to such a plan.”

“What those fools want is inconsequential to our ultimate goal. And it is a good opportunity to see how well the Metal Soldiers fare against Naran military technology.”

“Against ground forces, perhaps… but they don’t stand much of a chance against fighters and bombers.”

“I don’t expect them to defeat the air forces. And it is also an opportunity to see what is needed for anti-aerial measures. What I am interested in is the integration of Mechanoid technology. I wonder… perhaps we can do the same with our Metal Soldiers?”

“The thought had occurred to me as well. However, I am still uneasy about letting Naran have one of our Metal Soldiers. Why can we not just use the information we’ve gathered to make our own improvements?”

“We don’t want Shenshirine to know that his nation’s technology has already been compromised. At least not yet. Let them bask in their arrogance a while longer. It will be so much more satisfying to see the look of horror on their faces when we take it all away from them and reduce their country to ashes.”

“May I presume that we will be letting Naran take one of the lesser models of Metal Soldier?”

“Of course. There’s no need to give them our best. And if they manage to improve on it, then all the better for us. Let them do all the research and heavy lifting while we take the spoils.”

“I find it most ironic that we will eventually bite the hands that are currently feeding us.”

“Naran is simply a means to an end, just like those fools, Garres and Vexor. We will simply take their money and resources and use them. After all, you know where our true loyalties lie, correct?”

Number Four-Three nodded. Though it was generally assumed that the Dreanat will work for anyone that could pay them; that assumption was incorrect. The Dreanat were originally created as an espionage organization by Euracon, and they still had deep ties with their nation, despite the fact that it had been devastated by the Planet Ravager and been reduced to a handful of city-states that were barely eking out an existence. Restoring the Underhanded Country to its former glory would be a monumental task, some of whom thought it to be impossible.

That is until after the Zedan war and the Dwarf Nations joining with the Star Alliance. With the invention of the Neo-Psion Reactor and the appearance of the Ender bomb, there had been an upsurge in terms of magic-technology research and development, as well as nuclear power. Furthermore, when Garres and Vexor approached them with plans of their Metal Soldiers, the Dreanat now had a grand opportunity to not only resurrect Euracon, but also to take the entirety of Vados.

And to do that, they needed to topple the former strongest nation in the world, the Kingdom of Naran, take their technology and dominate the continent. In addition, they would use the power of Zedan’s atomic energy and Ender bomb technology, (in which they believed), to rival the power of Free Land itself.

The pride of Naran, Deriaton One, would soon undergo its shakedown trials in order to test out its upgrades and firepower. If they were successful, then the Dreanat would steal the most powerful magical warship on Istaria. And with the threat of nuclear power to keep Free Land at bay, there would be nothing to stop the Empire of Euracon from rising from the ashes and becoming the sole power in Vados and eventually all of Istaria.

In his delusions, Number One even thought to eventually bring the Star Alliance to its knees as the plan to usurp Emperor Shenshirine began to unfold.

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Deriaton One’s hanger…

Deep within the hull of the newly-refurbished vessel, the Mechanoid circuits began to stir as the Cryterian technology started to slowly alter and rewrite the surrounding runes and inscriptions. The changes were so slow and gradual that no one would even notice, even with their most sensitive detection spells.

However, there was one nation that could detect the Mechanoid activity, although only slightly.

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Orbital Observation Station #15, in geosynchronous orbit above Vados…

“That’s strange.” Ensign Harold Skikes remarked as he gazed upon the monitor’s readouts.

“What’s strange?” Ensign Verka, a Nemonean asked.

“I just detected a very slight, very brief surge of positron energy… on a wavelength similar to that of a Mechanoid.”

“A Mechanoid?! Impossible! You must be mistaken!”

“Well, I only saw the signature for less than a millisecond and I only said it was similar to that of a Mechanoid. It didn’t match it exactly and I’m not detecting anything more. I suppose it was some kind of fluke at best.”

“I certainly hope so. The last thing we need is to deal with another wave of Mechanoids or a Planet Ravager.”

To be continued…