Miracle #03 16 июля 1999

Игры

Project of the Year - an amazing story to the game "Navigator".

    We bring to your attention the novel
the game "Navigator", which is still being written
since 1997 (due to all sorts of problems,
such as education and time wears
interest Spectrum'u). This novel,
or rather half of it is already advertised
in the long-dead magazine "Speccy" and we
feel the need to insert it into our
magazine (of course with permission).



    (C) Galvatron / Navy Syndicate DF / Triumph

    ---------------------------------------

       ***** ***** PROLOGUE


    Dazhe at the most reasonable estimates,
Milky Way, over a hundred billion stars,
and yet, at least as much the same
galaxies, inaccessible even to those who
travels faster than light.
Thus, for each living in
the end of XX century accounting for more than two
only a dozen stars in our own
galaxy. And how many more in other
galaxies and nebulae, ranging
to the edge of the universe, if
really there. It is not surprising: more than ninety-nine 
percent planets are not known either the Federation or 
Kvintanii nor Empire Konakli, although their ships tirelessly 
ply space. Even at territorii controlled by the Federation 
Treaty, the unknown far exceeds izvem this, and yet

Ships scouts in his research burst and the quest for new
horizons elude thousands of solar systems. In such 
circumstances, is quite easy get there, I had not seen anyone. 
Other case - to remain at the same time alive and return home 
safely. 


                                       Therefore rejoice, ye 
heavens, and 

                                       dwell in them! Grief

                                       living on the land and 
can                                        solution, because to 
you with                                        was the devil 
in the strong 

                                       rage, knowing that no set
                                       On left him no time!


                  REVELATION Gl.12 Article 12


    This began a warm summer night
2065. Armada black fighters -
invaders appeared in razverznuvshemsya
crater of hell. Within minutes, were
burned to the ground bases on satellites
Jupiter: Io and Galio. Then he fell colony
Mars and Earth. Alien Armada
nearer to the heart of human civilization:
white Venus. But morning came and the black
shadows disappeared without a trace.


              Chapter One.


    - I do not see anything funny in this
situation, Richard. - As always, a replica of Thunder was no 
harm or offense. Simple statement of fact with some

tinge of bewilderment and incomprehension. Android said so 
every time faced with the illogical behavior of people.



    - I know, Thunder, I know - "Richard said, stepping back so 
as not to interfere with android systematically iterate through 
strong fingers on the remote control buttons in the scientific 
- research tower. - But you because you do not mind if we 
humans allow ourselves to laugh sometimes, right? 


    - Of course, do not mind - answered
his companion, whose attention was almost entirely occupied by 
the analysis of data on the probe, fuzzy about five minutes 
ago. For all, including Sergeant Richard

Johnson became obvious that
probe hardly already appears - not five,
or five hundred parsecs from the interstellar
ship. - And this, according to the latter,
fits perfectly into the model and served
kind of the culmination of an erratic,
not otherwise, the behavior of forty-odd
probes.


    - In general, Richard - continued
Thunder on prezhdnemu not taking optical analyzers of devices - 
as you themselves pointed out, such displays of affection often 
have a therapeutic effect on the representatives of your race. 
AND unlikely to be logical if I'll refuse that can improve your

physical and mental state and thus lead to greater efficiency 
in performing their duties. 


    Looking over his shoulder at the screens Thunder
display, Richard smiled.

    - It may well that the robots do not laugh. You to a 
performance not to occupy. Not I'd like to see what happens

if you suddenly show a sense of humor. We
to Harold, though indeed the whole komanda,
find ourselves is not necessary to load.

    - Another example of human
humor, I suppose? Hard to believe,
that even you can kindly refer to the failure, but if I
will be allowed ...

    "Emeson" started, and for some
moment, the floor went from under my feet. Thunder
motionless as a rock, studying new
data that appeared on the screen.

    - Another shift in the tension
field, the captain, - he commented -
An increase of 27.16 percent.

    - 10 One unit of the Astronomical ago
Thunder, hypervelocity, a factor of 3 - without
fluctuations ordered Captain Garison. -
Stay in this direction.

    - There is a Sir, - said Richard, immediately comply with 
the order of Captain. 

    Sitting in the commander's chair captain
staring intently into the front screen
review, where the constellation Sagittarius perekryvalo distant 
star cluster Center Shapley. While they watched, the stellar 
field almost imperceptible shudder, just

as happened recently with the ship.

    - Another shift of the field strength?
Or is it the result of our movement?

    - Yes, the "blame" our movement,
Captain, taking into account the irregularity near
anomalies. Field at the new level remains
stabilnym.

    - And our last probe, no signal?

    - No, Captain.

    - Perhaps the Fault in the
probe?

    - Hardly, Captain. Probes - it's just podprostranstvennye 
beacons with impulse engines. Given the simplicity their 
devices, the probability that What - or an important component 
of out of system, is less than one to one

and three of ten million.

    - Of course. What other explanation
can you offer?

    - It seems that the probe is simply beyond the scope of our 
discovery. 

    - Outside the sphere, Thunder? I made it clear
that the radius of reception of the probe is more than five 
thousand parsecs - Harold turned his chair and looked

on android.

    - Five thousand four hundred and eighty
if so be precise - said calmly
Thunder.

    - So you're saying that
This "gravitational anomaly" as you
calls it, moved the probe over
five thousand parsecs?

    - Obviously, the captain.

    - None of the previous probes
did not appear for more than a distance
five hundred parsecs from the ship.

    - Exactly the captain.

    - Here is how Thunder? Specify.

    - If you wish, Captain. As you
understand us by Dr. Ted Barnes
could not determine a logical model
behavior of the probes launched by both
called anomaly. Some of them
experienced nor any impact as
though for them there were no anomalies.
Others disappeared and then appeared in
ordinary space, retiring a little
more than one parsec. There were still some,
which re-emerged about
Five hundred parsecs and a completely different
direction. And because there is no logical
reasons to expect that the range of
signals somehow limited. Distance to
which are transported probes, no
correlated with the rate of occurrence.
More like the fact that this result
geometry of space itself and its
distortions of the so-called anomalies.
As for the distortion, they
appears to vary randomly,
and sometimes completely disappear. While these
phenomenon found in the center of the seven
tabulentnyh zones.

    - Perhaps the disappearance of the last
probe due to a change of the force field?

    - Of course, it is possible, Captain.
However, without additional information we
can neither confirm nor deny
this hypothesis.

    - Then another probe, Thunder ...?


           ******************


    Suddenly another tolchek not so
strong as the first, shook the ship.
Thunder at the same moment took testimony
devices and reported:

    - The field strength is reduced to zero, the captain.

    - It was gone? Scope tabulentnosti
over?

    - Exactly.

    Before looking at the screen
Harold could not help thinking.

    - Richard, moving back to the distance of the signal probe. 
Hypervelocity, a factor of 2, - his eyes on Screen Harold 
continued: - Thunder, is evidence that tabulentnost increases?


    - No, Captain.

    Finally, they were back at a distance of one hundred 
thousand kilometers from the anomaly. Thunder ran his fingers 
unerringly the auxiliary control panel

probes. As before, the next probe
launch a five thousand kilometers from
anomalies with the cargo carrier. And so on, in itself an 
anomaly, it take your own pulse. Passed

few minutes. Thunder raised his head.

    - The so-called anomaly has disappeared,
Captain.

    - What are the anomaly associated with
This area of ​​gravitational tabulentnosti disappeared 
simultaneously with the tabulentnostyu. Thunder is your 
opinion? 

    - It was logical to check out one of those
anomalies that we have visited, to see whether the limited 
extinction only one anomaly.


    - Lie down on a course leading to six
previously proven anomalies. In a low voice, 
podprostranstvennaya speed factor two.


    - Yes, Captain.

    Center Shapley slid into the front
screen to the side and disappeared. "Emeson"
turned around and headed to a new place
destination. After a few seconds before
they sparkled just scattered away
stars of Sagittarius, and further weak
Orion twinkled, a tiny portion of which
included an all-star Federation.

    Harold rose from captain
chair and went to turboliftu when
spaceship shuddered again. Compared
with the previous two, this was hardly tolchek
noticeable, so that the captain did not even lost
with a step.

    But after a second everything on the bridge
heard the shrill voice of excitement
Barnes:

    - Screen, sir! See.

    Harold immediately turned
to the screen. Unpleasant chill ran down his spine. The 
familiar pattern of sector of the sky with the familiar outline 
of the Sagittarius disappeared. Instead of

She fills the screen, more vivid and
dense star field, dotted with tens of thousands of celestial 
bodies. Such Sky never seen again.



             Chapter Two.


    The old space rocket silently
sped through the darkness Wilderness
Outer Space, anyone or anything
not controlled. Engines of its long-
stalled, automation is out of order,
purpose is forgotten - it was a lifeless piece of metal, lost 
in boundless space, like millions of other celestial fragments 
that, when faced with a missile, left deep scars on its flat 
surface. 

    On one side of the rocket is still
see two images: a man and a woman.
Their bodies were naked, throw up his hands in
welcoming gesture. Behind them, as a product of them lasted 
many faces of mathematical and physical formulas and symbols. 
Launch certainly was launched earthlings back in the days when 
they sought contact with the ethereal forms life, endowed with 
reason. 

    "Irony of Fate" - thought the senior
Flar officer. - That's what we might encounter, and perhaps 
suffer an accident, patrolling, guarding the borders of the 
empire Rundakov. "- Standing on the bridge "Guardian of Death" 
it looked observed the movement of missiles, from time to

time giving the same order of steering Grouasu:

    - Do not fall behind! Do not fall behind! ...

    Flar already notified his captain
Torn about the appearance of missiles, heard on
Intercom his joyful exclamation, and with a contented smile 
waiting for him. He was on his way to the bridge. She served 
for a short time under the supervision of captain, but it's 
good to examine, at least, knew that he was not forgive me if 
it did not notify him, allow others to shoot the missile. 
Captain Thorne prefers to do it myself.


    Door to the bridge opened. Flar turned in his chair and saw 
Captain Thorn. Of all the commanders, to be awarded the master 
of the bridge "Guardian of death," Thorn was, if not

most respected, the most famous.
This ship, he received a reward for
heroism on the border with
Empire Konakli, in a brutal,
an unequal battle with the lone ship
three ships Konakli. Surrounded
three sides of the ship seemed to be
doomed. But three well-aimed arrows Thorne
First shots hurt, and then
destroyed by shooting them miserable
residues. If prior to the incident at the border
Thorn was considered the best shooter of the empire
Rundakov, it is now - the youngest
Captain in her. When he appeared Flar
arose from his post.

    - Captain Thorn, we see the goal! Old
launch of terrestrial origin. Without taking
view of the screen, the captain strongly
walked to his chair, sat down in it, and
settling himself comfortably, for some reason, he asked:

    - It's hard to get?

    - Very difficult to master - assured
it Flar.

    - So much the better - to satisfy said Thorne and 
expressively looked at it, which meant the order to action. She

responded understanding nod and stepped up to
his post.

    Captain Thorn was sitting at the captain's
console-equipped specifically for him: in contrast to standard 
remotes used on ships Rundakov this,

served not only the center of control of the ship and was the 
center of control over the weapon that was

stuffed ship.

    - Anigilyatory ready to fire? -
addressing Mregu shouted Thorne.

    - Ready, Commander! - Without much enthusiasm answered Mreg 
since as Thorne became the captain of the "Guardian"

He Mreg, the shooter with a great experience was
forced to carry out maintenance work and prepare for shooting 
infantry installations. And there was a time when he

Mreg was very good marksman on the ship, this leadership he 
held until until then a graduate of the Military Academy, 
Thorne. Mrega not bothered success of the new milksop an 
upstart, but after Thorne became the hero of the empire, and 
was appointed captain of the "Guardian of Death 'all hope of 
promotion the ladder collapsed into one

moment. As the new captain wanted
himself to serve as the shooter.

    After receiving an affirmative response to Thorne
picked up the paddles control anigilyatorami and slowly took 
aim. 

    The first beam of deadly energy
slipped by plating missiles cut
external antenna. A few moments after the first shot was 
followed by a second, third - they cut like a razor aileron 
trailing rocket. Enthusiastic cries of encouragement commands

were heard through the device silektornoy
communication, Thorn was going to shoot more, but
Suddenly his face changed, showing
complete indifference to what is happening, he
rose from the command chair and said: - Shoot debris
not the case for these men. I need
enemy who can shoot and confront me.

    He calmly turned to the panel and
pressed the activator phaser. Red beam
Conquering space, crashed into the surface of the rocket, 
tearing it apart. The missile broke the bloody color and

also instantly turn into space dust.

    - I need a real opponent! -
Thorn repeated.


          Chapter Three.


    For a few hours of space shuttle people was not known where 
it is not known how many are away from home. Burnt inconclusive 
scan surrounding area, most

crew members gathered in the mess - the company.

    - Captain, I do not see Thunder and
Tina Chan - referring to Harold, said Barnes.

    - Tina installs new devices
scan, which gave us before
thus his flight, the technical characteristics they are several 
times greater than our older scanners, they invented a 
completely recently, and we presented the experimental

model, I hope they will help determine
our location.

    - Well, Thunder, helping her?

    - Yes, that is, by the way, Ted may well be so that we get 
here in result of time travel?


    - What do you mean?

    - Well, you remember you said that time and
the space of one and the same?!

    - Time - space, of course.

    - I've never understood this well - said Harold.

    - Why? It's so obvious.

    - Can you explain to me?

    - Sure.

    - On - normal?

    - You mean - without any physical terms?

    - Yes.

    - Well, I'll try. - Ted frowned
but Harold knew that he was glad he
loves to lecture. Ted paused,
Then he said: - well, let's see how
better start. You know the hypothesis that
gravity - it is geometry?

    - No.

    - Bending time and space?

    - No, absolutely.

    - A theory of relativity?

    - Sorry - said Harold.

    - Nothing, - said Ted. He took
fruktovnitsu round the table and poured
fruit on the table.

    - For example, assume that table space, a bare space.

    - Well, - said Harold.

    Ted began to stir the fruit:

    - This orange - the sun. And this -
planets, which revolve around
in their orbits. This solar system.
Sun - he pointed to the orange -
too big and has a great attraction.

    - Exactly.

    Ted handed Harold berry.

    - It's a spaceship. I want
that you sent him into the solar system, so it was close to
sun.

    Harold Berry rode in the direction of
to orange.

    - You see, your berry rolls right
a flat table.

    - Right.

    - But what actually happens to your ship when he goes to
sun?

    - The sun it will attract.

    - Yes. And with your vehicle do not
happened. Mean error is
a flat table. Space can not be
like a flat table.

    Ted picked up the empty fruktovnitsu and dropped back 
orange. 

    - Now hold your ship by
sun.
Harold sent a berry in a vase. Berry
whirled in a spiral inside it, until
not plopped on an orange.

    - Well, - said Ted - ship
fell in the sun, which occurs in
reality.

    - What if I am going to ask the necessary speed - said 
Harold, it will pass. He will be able to descend and ascend 
with On the other hand vases.


    - It's true - endorsed Ted - It's like
life. If the speed of the spacecraft is large enough, he can 
avoid the impact of the gravitational field sun. Our experience 
shows that the ship passing by the Sun behaves as if

he falls into the curved region of space around the sun, there 
is space curved like a round vase.


    - Aha ...

    - Imagine that, in fact table is made of soft rubber, and
Planet pressing on the rubber left in it
cavity, these cavities make the passing vehicle to descend into 
the interior depression and thus closer to

planet. Original space is curved - and
curvature depends on the strength of gravity,
and therefore space is curved by gravity.

    - Well, let them.

    - And this means that we can represent gravity as a 
curvature of space. Sun has an attraction, because the sun 
bends space around itself. Now - continued Ted, - When you run 
your grape a vase, you notice that it is not

just sliding downward spiral, but
spinning faster?

    - Yes.

    - And when the object is moving faster
time for such an object goes faster.
Einstein proved it in the early
the last century. Namely, that in speaking
of curved space, you say
a time warp. The deeper the bowl,
the slower time passes.

    - Well ... - Harold handed.

    Ted picked up a vase:

    - Now, if you do it all on
level mathematics, one finds that
rounded vase - is not the time or
space, but a combination of both, their union, and all objects 
moving at her, moving in space - time conditions. We are not 
used think so, but this is what happens in

reality.

    - Really?

    - Well, imagine you are holding the ball. You can throw it 
to me straight kick and the ball will be at me through one

second. And you can throw a cast hinged, in this case, the ball 
will describe in the air the arc and hit me in five seconds.


    - Let.

    - Now imagine that you need
throw the ball a direct blow, but it should
flew five seconds. And throw a padlock
throw, but that he flew a second.

    - It's impossible! - Protested
Harold.

    Correctly - nodded Ted - There are
well-defined relationships that establish the ratio of the 
trajectory the ball when its progress in time and space. - 
Look, - Ted again put orange in a vase. - It is the center of 
gravity. He touched two fingers to opposite sides of an orange. 
- It's throwing people and people receiving the ball. Now try 
to roll the berries from one finger to another, and you will see

that you have to adjust to
curvature of the vase. You can send your ball
a light blow, and he will roll close to the
orange, and you can swipe at
him and he will fly over the edge of the vase, before the fall, 
on the other side. But in Either way, you will not be able to do

with the ball all you want,
because it moves inside a circular
vase. The same happens with the ball in
ordinary life - he moves inside
curved space - time.

    - Looks like - said Harold, - I understood. Well, how does 
this relate to time travel. 

    - We tend to think that the gravitational field of our home 
planet, is very strong - when we fall, it hurts

strikes us - but in reality it
very weak. It almost does not exist.
And so the time - the space around
planets are not so twisted.
Time - space is much stronger
curved around the sun. And in other
parts of the universe, it is very strongly curved, why are 
formed Shifting funnel, and can occur at any time distortion. 
In fact, if we take black hole ...


    Ted suddenly fell silent.

    - Well, Ted? That there is a black hole?

    - Oh, Lord God - just said
Ted. He grabbed the paper and quickly began to cover her scrawl.

    - ... No, no. Start the rotation ...
The velocity of the guarantees ... will assign
aside .. And if ... do they have so much energy?

    He paused, making calculations and something
muttering to himself.

    - What about the black hole? - Asked
Harold. But it is no longer heard.

    Clicked the speaker and the voice of Tina Chang
said: - Captain Greeson have important
message is likely to climb the bridge.

    Harold rose from his chair and headed for the exit.


    *******************************


    As soon as Harold out of turbolifta as
he met Tina Chan:

    - Captain Greeson, I established a new
scanners and see what they show -
Her voice trembling, in the intonation could be heard
notes of confusion and surprise.

    Harold turned to the main screen
and what he saw there, it seemed to him
first rough cluster of asteroids,
Then a giant black monster, and only
last thought was right: it is
was a warship of aliens
looking closer to the surface of the outer
ship, he saw docked to the
belly fighters, the same fighter
invaders who broke a month ago
in his native solar system and
brought death to many colonies of people.
Making out these fighters Harold
relieved, because
these fighters, and been the target of his
expedition. His team was assembled from
the best specialists Vsegalakticheskih
Armed Forces with a single task:
explore the place of occurrence of these
deadly cars and learn the reason for their
appearance and disappearance. But
together with a sense of relief has come and
another sense: the sense of danger
blended with the unknown.

    Drove away the dark thoughts Harold decided
act:

    - It is necessary to explore the ship, we
go there to transport three-boats, first approaching
Boat with combat landing, consisting of: H,
Richard and Thunder, we are clearing the site
for the landing boats with research
equipment. The research team will: Ted Barnes - as a physicist, 
Tina Chan - electronics, Jane .... - Physician-biologist. Take 
all protective suits and full combat kit. Questions?


    - No, Captain.

    - Give to the fees for three minutes, all
gather at the main gateway.


            Chapter Four.


    "Guardian of Death" gently floated into
boundless space.
Like a shark ohotyascheyasya for prey
"Guardian" ready at any moment to throw himself into the 
attack, looked through his weapons surrounding space. 

    Captain Thorn was sitting at his commander's control when 
the screen flashed and external communication it appeared 
Admiral Space Fleet Rundakov. Thorn rose

from his chair and came to the screen
prepared to talk with the admiral.

    - Captain Thorn in what condition
is your vehicle.

    - Status of the B1435, full alert - Having reported Thorne.

    - Well, you have a task,
Thorne. You are ready to listen to him?

    - Yes, Admiral, I'm listening.

    - In the next sector appeared to you
boat people. They went through gipervorota open to the cruiser 
"invaders." We could not just close the gate

since they were discovered by
cruiser. Now people are sent to
cruiser.

    - But, perhaps it was not included
reflective shield? - Interrupted the admiral Thorne.

    - The shield was included but they have
technology scanning and detection
ships - nevedimok. So your assignment:
destroy the ship people and the whole team.
And consider, on a cruiser is a navigator, people should not 
possess it - the screen extinguished.


    For a split second Thorne stopped in
pensive, and then turned to the steering and said:

    - Hyperspace in sector E6546G9809.

    Then he turned to the arrow Mregu:

    - Prepare weapon for firing,
fry them immediately after the release of hyperspace. - Thorn 
confidently stepped up to Arms control panel.



       *************************


    The boat gently
moored at
landing site
cruiser. The doors slowly raz'ehalis in
different directions and
first of them jumped out Richard Johnson.
He kuvyrknulsya, expecting shots, and
hid behind standing at the very boat
metal panel. Cold space hangar answered him with silence,
it seemed that the aliens hiding and
waiting for the right moment to attack.
From the boat ran Thunder and Harold. All
three quick rushes went to
the expected gateway. Suddenly, Richard
stopped, showing the rest of one
of fighters. Carefully looking closer Harold saw a creature in 
the black suit, sitting on the ladder leading into a fighter. 
Thunder aim, ready to shoot if the creature moves. Harold went 
to the sitting merits. Richard, meanwhile obbezhal

fighter, and went to the rear. Harold
stopped, raised his blaster and catching
being at gunpoint, made a sign to Richard
he jumped out from behind a fighter, cracked
butt of his blaster on the suit
alien. The suit is not designed
for this load scattered in different
side.

    - Captain, the creature is dead, and already
seen long ago - "Richard said.

    Harold dropped a blaster and approached
Essentially, the alien was really dead. Harold carefully 
examined it: an alien face resembled

for men, but only the absence of
auricles and absolute white
integument has said that it is not
people. When you have finished viewing the alien
Harold climbed the ladder to the fighter. After climbing to the 
top surface, Harold rose to his full height, examined a huge 
hangar. In the hangar stood about thirty aircraft, something - 
where were the dead bodies aliens, some sitting in the fighters 
when they found death, others lying on the floor, they were all 
in black suits, some clutching the hands of

objects remotely similar to private
Weapons of people.

    Including built-in suit
transmitter Harold said:

    - Study the boat, you can
dock, everything is calm -
After a pause he added: - in a coffin.

    Descending from the fighter Harold
went to the gateway, Richard and Thunder
followed. When they came to
Gateway, the panel moved the entrance,
inviting to enter.

    - Automation, still working or are
We met someone - said Harold.

    - This contradicts the logic
Sir, if they were waiting for us that would meet
at the entrance. And why should view with
corpses - Thunder said.

    - In any case, do not lose our vigilance. Come on - has 
ordered Harold stepped in gateway. The door closed and earned 
pumps fill the gateway oxygen. 

    - Captain, my sensors indicate
that here is pumped pure oxygen
hence these creatures breathe just like you,
oxygen! - Thunder suggested, unlike the people he did not need 
oxygen, and when he wore a suit, he did not wore a helmet.


    - Well, Well, we will be easier, test for the presence of 
impurities - answered Harold.


    The second airlock door opened.

    Behind the door was wide corridor,
stretching into the distance. Corridor shone cold
light along it on the wall appeared
drawn at the same distance
black and silver symbols. Harold and his
team stepped into the hallway. Door Lock

            closed behind them.

            All around was quiet and

            nothing is talked about

            danger. People do not toro
            pyas walked along the corridor.

            They walked a few minutes,

            a corridor all stretched and

            stretched, with no side of
            branching. Suddenly Ga
            rold stopped and
            back to the wall.

    - I have an idea - he said, and
touched his hand to one of the characters
appeared on the walls.

    Hidden doors swung open, revealing
large oval room. Paul seemed
like a glass that was both transparent and not transparent. 
Tall, incredibly thin columns of some luminous material and 
clearly defined with arbitrary intervals, stretching to the 
ceiling, flooding room a pale golden light. No

furniture was not observed, the walls were
absolutely empty, nor any signs in
corridor, the only thing that was evident on
absolutely flat wall, it was
imprint chetyrehpaloy brush, sunken
into the wall. People come to this fingerprint.

    - Perhaps this checkpoint. He
certainly something to read with your hands, it is
something navrode access code - said
Thunder.

    - Yes, try to go here too dangerous - said Harold. - Go 
back! 



    Harold and his company, Richard
Thunder and returned to the hangar space
cruiser almost at the moment
research team has been planting
and re-activation of equipment.

    - Captain Grisson, "spiders" are ready to
ventured out - Having reported
Tina Chan.

    - Well, then submit them to explore the corridor to the end 
and let him check up hidden room. - Harold giving

Order looked at robots - intelligence: apparently they are 
really consistent with his nickname, which they received 
because of manipulators using which they moved. These robots 
are not were autonomous, they managed to

through a single console, which had
small screen is to display information
about the parameters of investigated objects, and
screen is a little more, to display images which have seen an 
optical analyzer robotic scouts. 

    Activating robots marched boldly
towards the gateway, looking after them, Harold
thought: "These little monsters can
save our lives, disarm traps
which certainly is on the ship.

    All crew members are busy running robots have not noticed 
how the space around their mother ship has faltered, forming a 
funnel. From this crater left spaceship and headed for the 
shuttle at which people came.


    - Look, - said Ted Barnes.
This ship wants to destroy our shuttle!
All eyes on his home
ship. Once the principal terms
the crew abandoned it, the management carried out the 
autopilot, which just held ship at the same level with the 
cruiser. Alien ship like knowing that he

neither of which is not threatened, turned and
toward the space shuttle people.

       Of alien spacecraft is separated
       elk two fiery ball that

       dissecting a space cut into

       to earthlings ship. Fireballs

       completely engulfed the ship,

       transforming it into a single fire

       tangle. This tangle prosuschest
       Vova few moments: bright

       flushing it completely dissolved
       rilsya in the dark sky.

       From the ship, there is not something,

       as if it never happened.


              Chapter Five.


    - Excellent people killed, and now
left to go back and get a reward for
salvation of the empire Rundakov - said
Commander rundakov, Thorne was clearly pleased with
completed a mission to destroy
shuttle people. - Scan Cruiser
udostovertes that people do not run away there,
before we arrived.

    His last order was more likely
formality, as the killer makes control shot and Thorn wanted to 
make sure the death of an enemy. 

    - Captain, I have a nasty message - said the scan has 
finished Flar. - Scanners show six sources of vitality, people 
had To board the cruiser.


    - What do these creatures managed to escape from
me? Well, it soon they will envy
who died at the Chatelet. - Thorn was strongly
excited, just like a little
child light up when a new
toys. - Prepare podprostranstvenny boat, go with me: Senior
Flar officer, the shooter and the team Mreg
battle droids.


    *******************************


    - See, now they are going
for us! - Jane's voice was anxious, in
there were audible notes of desperation.

    Separated from the alien craft
small aircraft and flown
toward the cruiser.

    - Study Group, immediately go inside, try to find the 
control center cruiser Thunder will accompany them - a bit

thought Captain Harold added: for
Remove your entry spacesuits without them
You will become harder to zapelengovat.

    - Captain, what about you?

    - Richard and I shall try to detain them here.

    The three men quickly ran and android
Gateway to the cruiser. The commander of the expedition
Greeson and Air Force Staff Sergeant Johnson
hid behind one of the fighters
standing in the hangar and waited
approximation of the enemy.

    Aircraft aliens quickly approached the cruiser, with full
speed flying into a hangar, he has sharply braked and stopped a 
few meters above the floor was gradually lowered. From it came 
a few creatures, such as those whose corpses examined people 
About fighters. These creatures were absolutely identical black 
suits, The only difference was the golden belt from

three of them, and one that belt
was thicker than the other two.

    - Probably the commander, - whispered Harold, - it must be 
destroyed first. 

    Richard threw up his blaster and began taking aim.

    - Wait, let's see what they would do - stop him Harold.

    Alien with a wide gold belt, and said something to one of 
the prime soldiers, and he quickly ran to the side

gateway.

    - We'll see where it was sent -
Harold and ordered two of them, bending
not to be noticed, ran for
this warrior. Soldiers entered the gateway, and
then ran into the hallway. People who followed him. The inner 
airlock door opened at a time when the alien went into one of 
the hidden doors. When Harold and Richard ran to the door

and looked into the familiar, oval
room, the alien was not there. They
entered the room and carefully examined,
any changes they have not noticed, there was no
even traces of foot alien.
Harold disappointed, walked to the door. But at the same moment 
raz'ehalas wall opening the entrance to another room He came 
out of an unsuspecting alien. Seeing the people, he grabbed

their weapons, but it was too late. Richard immediately reacted 
to the opening of doors, has kept him at gunpoint. A shot rang 
out, bunch of plasma escaping from the barrel plazmometov, 
crossed the space separating the opponents and hit the helmet 
alien. The helmet cracked, emitting hlyupayushy sound. Burst 
out from a hole green mass, which was in rashlestyvatsya

different directions, splashing the floor and walls.
ET fell to the floor. Of the terrible
wounds on his head slow trickle
flowed thick zhizheobrazny thread
remotely resembling a human
brain.

    - Oh, it hurts maybe? - Smile
Richard: - Well, now he will not run away.

    Harold netoropyas approached the dead body of an unknown 
substance. Being lying on his stomach stretched in different 
directions their own hands, in his left hand he clutched 
weapons, and in another: a little box. 

    - It certainly was for the subject - said Harold bent over
corpse. The captain reached down and picked up a box in his 
hands. On the front side device, he saw a number of small keys. 
His studies interrupted Richard: 

    - Commander, look! - Richard stood
at the entrance to the room from which came
alien. Harold went to him. Going to the hole in the wall of 
Harold peered inside. What he saw

struck him to the depths: a huge,
lit room with several large
screens, which were over a number of different manipulators, 
various levers and buttons. He stepped into inside. One of the 
screens, as if catching the presence of a living creature, and 
blinked including steel showing some

image of the image was something familiar, but most of these 
characters were similar to the creation of the patient mind of 
man. Finally finished demonstration of any Labuda, screen is 
off, and then blushed and gave a picture of the surrounding 
space cruiser. 

    - We have found that searched, Richard -
Harold said: - This control cabin, caused all the rest!

    While Richard was associated with other
team members, Harold went to
control panels.


      -----====*********====----

    - Captain Thorn, droids, which you
sent for the navigator, destroyed - in
Flar voice had no tone of pity,
or regret, just a surprise.

    - Well, these creatures have made a mistake,
standing in my way, now they will die
fast!

    Thorn clicking, withdrew his blaster with
fuse and confidently went to
gateway.


     *****************************


    The door opened and the secret room
in administering cutting included three men and
android.

    - Captain how did you manage to find it!
Jones was obviously surprised and excited.

    - Now is not the time to tell stories, we need to get out 
of here, and how soon as possible: aliens must have already

noticed the absence of his friend and
will come here any minute - this
phrase Harold said without looking up from
panel, the appointment which he did not
known.

    At that moment the door outer halls
opened and appeared on the threshold an alien with a wide gold 
belt, in which Harold, yet at the first examining, suggested 
the commander of the aliens. ET threw his blaster and

fired in the direction of cutting: bright red,
thin like a needle beam across the room
and caused a massive explosion of one of the panels.
The panel exploded showering beings are in the wheelhouse of 
the set pieces. Richard rushed to the door separating the 
wheelhouse and a large hall and started the mechanism

closing the door. Door nearly closed,
protecting people from shooting aliens
when another bunch of plasma burst into
cabin, and found his victim, he could hardly
touching the breast of Richard to leave a
deadly reminder. Richard More
Live collapsed on the floor. Jane ran to her
him on the move by activating the device matching fabrics. 
Regenerator stopped bleeding almost instantly, covering the 
wound with a thin film of living tissue. 

    - Twelve hours must repeat the splice and then have a chance
heal the wound ... - Jane was thrilled, she saved the life, but 
death still hung over Richard, as above all team members. 
Aliens opened fire on the door trying to break in and finish, 
zagnanyh into the trap of people ... 


                ________