Slave Empire - The Crystal Ship Read Free

world.”
    “ No. Their home world was the first planet, Ivandar, but about
two million years ago, the sun began to expand. The first planet
became too hot, so I moved them to the third planet. But the sun
continued to expand, against my predictions, so I was forced to
move them to the fifth planet as it thawed out. Again, my
predictions were in error, and the fifth planet grew too hot and
unstable, so I brought them here to Farlaw. We are safe here. The
sun has stopped expanding, and stabilised for a while. In another
thousand years, I predict that it will go supernova, but we’ll be
gone by then.”
    “ So their entire civilisation is still on the first
planet?”
    “ Yes. When they lived on Ivandar, this was an ice world; now
it is the only one cool enough.”
    “ Why did all the ships that came into Quadrant Forty-Four
disappear?” Rayne enquired.
    “ I could not allow them to find the Sharvan. Such an advanced
species would be perceived as a threat, and others would have been
sent to destroy them. I had to protect my masters. It is my
purpose.”
    “ So you killed them? But you said you were
unarmed.”
    “ I am. I took them into the first dimension, which you call
the transfer Net, and their ships were destroyed. I regret the
necessity for my actions.”
    “ But the Envoy’s ship uses the transfer Net just as you
do.”
    “ Precisely,” Endrix agreed. “Hence, I am powerless to prevent
the Envoy from destroying the Atlanteans.”

 
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Rayne sat down
on the pristine floor, facing the glowing sphere. “Why do you call
the transfer Net the first dimension? What does that mean?”
    “ There are three dimensions that my masters found, this one,
which they called the second dimension, and the two on either side
of it, the first and third. The first, as you know, is filled with
unlimited energy, but contains no space, time or matter. This one
is filled with those three things, and the third is nothingness, a
true void in which even energy cannot exist.
    “ There is a flow between them. Energy flows from the first
into this one, where it is transformed into matter and time, then
it is sucked into the third dimension, where it vanishes. There are
several theories about its eventual reappearance; one says that it
returns to the first dimension, and begins the cycle again, while
the other says that it is stored in the third dimension, and when
the balance tips, there will be another vast explosion to restore
it.”
    “ The big bang,” Rayne muttered. “Okay, this is fascinating,
but not really what I came here to find out. You told me to get a
ship from the Shrike, and I have. So what happens now?”
    “ We wait for the Envoy.”
    “ And you have no idea of how I’m supposed to stop
it?”
    “ No.”
    “ And if I lose, what will happen?” she asked.
    “ Chaos. The Atlanteans will try to fight the Crystal Ship, but
will be destroyed. The Envoy will return to his universe with the
news of fresh territory for his people, and others will come. None
of the races currently occupying this universe can fight the
Envoys, and many planets will be wiped out.
    “ Perhaps I will be forced to awaken my masters to counter the
threat, but this is not something I wish to do. The Sharvan
encountered the Envoys several million years ago. Their culture is
equally advanced, but utterly alien. The Sharvan chose not to
confront the Envoys, from which I deduce that the threat is real to
them as well. Since only six Sharvan remain, perhaps even they
cannot stop the Envoys, and this universe will be stripped of its
life.”
    Rayne stared
at the floor, overwhelmed by the enormous responsibility that was
being placed upon her. If Atlan fell, the Envoys would invade, and
only she could stop this happening. It seemed ridiculous,
laughable, that one insignificant human girl should be able to
avert such a mammoth disaster. How could she? What was she supposed
to do?
    Somehow, she
must avert this first attack, then