In the maw of infinity (STAR-DUST 16) E-Book

Jens F. Simon

• Herausgeber: epubli
• Kategorie: Abenteuer, Thriller, Horror
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 84

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Tablets of Fate, seven small tablets that were supposedly used to exercise control over the visible and invisible matter of the universe, are fused to Sigurd's body. They are also the ones who intervene for the second time when Sigurd finds himself in a hopeless situation. The magical construct implodes and immediately erases the existence of the Living Program. The energies released in the process, which still have an element of magic, trigger a massive battle with the natural laws of the standard universe. Not only does Magister Wohlhorendoff lose his life, but the entire hemisphere is destroyed when a black hole forms in the same place. Sigurd and Alethea's spirits are torn from their bodies. While they believe themselves to be in a virtual reality, Sigurd's body is drawn to the event horizon of the black hole and rematerializes in nowhere.

Leseprobe

STAR-DUST

Under the spell of nanites

Volume 16

In the maw of infinity

© 2025 Jens F. Simon

Illustration: S. Verlag JG

Publisher: S. Verlag JG, 35767 Breitscheid,

All rights reserved

Distributed by: epubli a service of neopubli GmbH, Berlin

ISBN: 978-3-819030-14-7

The work, including its parts, is protected by copyright. Any exploitation without the consent of the publisher and the author is prohibited and will be prosecuted under criminal and civil law. This applies to electronic or other reproduction, translation, distribution and making available to the public.

We are less than a speck of dust in the infinite tides of life. Our path seems clear before us, then things happen that we can neither influence nor control. Like a withered leaf in the wind, we experience the present and wonder where life will take us.

Virtual realities surround us as soon as we are born. Every human being has his very own view of things. Reality is a subjective experience of things. Imagine that one day you wake up in a foreign body, see a completely new world with foreign eyes. Are you reborn? What has happened? "Only a dream", you think, but this "dream" does not end. You have no choice but to accept the new realities, even if you think that this reality is no longer your reality.

Table of content

In nowhere

Cogito ergo sum

The strange body

Déjà-vu

Place of cognition

Multiplicity desirable

The people of illusions

Consolidation

In nowhere

The artificially created black hole was only the size of a pin. Nevertheless, it had a mass equivalent to almost ten solar masses.

The strong gravity emanating from it curved the space within a radius of half a kilometer.

The entire mass of the black hole was concentrated in a single point with infinitely high density and infinitely strong gravitational field.

Saviier, specialist and gravo-designer of royal blood, had managed to make this so-called singularity hold itself together by itself. The size of the event horizon occupied such a small volume that the artificially produced black hole was stable.

The experimental setup in the basement vault of his castle had cost him almost a whole season and now he was reaping the success.

Saviier still stood spellbound behind the ten-meter-long and five-meter-high molded energy disk.

It separated the observation room from the laboratory room and served as a protective shield. He could not see the tiny black hole with the naked eye, but the curvature of space around the black hole also changed the atmosphere.

The air first flickered a dark crimson and then changed to a plain gray black.

As it did so, powerful, brightly glowing streaks passed through the entire mass of air moving toward the event horizon.

Two of his scientists, who were also present, were talking quietly, their eyes being directed again and again to the roughly hewn castle walls made of massive rock.

Saviier had also noticed that the masonry had begun to change its appearance.

It had taken on a strange appearance, and if you looked closely, you could see undulating movements on the individual stones.

However, the measuring instruments set up in front of him in abundance only showed changes in the energy structure within the laboratory.

"The energy consumption is constant. The amount of energy dropped again after initialization and reached a very low level."

WEbtab, the older of the two scientists present, was copying a larger amount of data from the central shaft of the experimental setup into his personal body module.

He wore the module not as an upper arm bracelet, as was usually the case among his peers, but as an artificial finger limb.

It looked a bit strange when he pushed the fingertip into the contact opening, making a most thoughtful face.

"It has indeed come to pass what you prophesied, honored Saviier. The initialization required the most energy. Once established, the black hole requires only a minimal energy input. It's almost as if it wants to exist on its own!"

URgbei, the younger scientist, was usually rather cautious with his predictions.

This time, however, without meaning to, he hit the nail on the head. Of course, no perpe̱tuum mo̱bile had been set in motion.

The law of conservation of energy applied here just as it did in other parts of this galaxy, indeed in all existing galaxies in the universe.

Nevertheless, Saviier found, it was quite astonishing how little energy the black hole, once formed, required for its constant existence.

With a jerk, he withdrew from further sight of the artificial entity and turned to WEbtab.

"See to it that the energy supply is no longer interrupted and focus the specioscopes to the outside of the laboratory. I want to know if the strange wave structure noticeable on the masonry of the castle is dangerous or if it is merely a visual phenomenon."  

Saviier was a little unsure about this, but he did not see any real danger in the phenomenon.

His mind was already on the upcoming conference audience at the royal palace.

King Šamšī-Rohh II had summoned him to finally hear a report of his success.

Saviier had already tried several times to find out why King Šamšī-Rohh II showed such great interest in his research. A high official of the state apparatus had told him under the seal of secrecy that his highness had certain hopes that Saviier's research on artificial black holes also offered new possibilities in the military field.

Therefore, Saviier was almost sure that King Šamšī-Rohh II would approach him about it.

The secret invaders from the stars were putting more and more pressure on him. Although he had negotiated a truce with the highly superior aliens in terms of weaponry, it was about to be overturned again.

At the same time, discontent among the population was growing steadily.

It was more than obvious that since the Secret Invaders had appeared from the stars and forced the state to pay compulsory taxes by military force, thus slowly bleeding it dry, the economic and cultural decline could no longer be stopped.

The autopilot of his personal hover informed him that he had to take a detour to the royal palace, because the direct way was blocked by a just taking place protest meeting against the occupants of the stars.

Such demonstrations could be observed for weeks almost everywhere on the continent of AKKATTA.

The people of AKKATTA once lived in economic prosperity under King Šamšī-Rohh I.

Then the unimaginable had occurred. Sinister forces from beyond the stars had descended upon their planet ANUN'HA.

On AKKATTA, the second continent next to ENMERKAR, the home of the 'Old Family of Krsutner', the first battles took place.

The people of AKKATTA fought against the invaders for their independence and in the end even for their survival.

That was a long time ago, almost a whole AKKATTA lifetime.

Saviier was sure that the unknown, still nameless invaders, were watching what was happening on ANUN'HA closely.

They were no longer physically present on ANUN'HA, but there were certainly native spies.

In addition, there were certainly enough spy drones in nanotechnology monitoring both continents.

AKKATTA was still able to make the required compulsory payments. However, it remained to be seen how much longer. The call of the people against the state power, and thus against king Šamš¬-Rohh II, as well as against the standstill contract closed by it, became daily louder.

Likewise, the people were no longer willing to be led by the leash by the invaders, who had not appeared in public for more than a generation.

In addition, the adolescent, young Akkattarier did not know them at all. They had not even seen them themselves and the knowledge of their existence was only passed on and confirmed by historical traditions.

Saviier himself had once listened to a conversation between his two closest associates, WEbtab and URgbei, about the invaders from the stars.

WEbtab as well as URgbei had denied the existence of the invaders and talked about a possible conspiracy of high and highest government circles.

This conversation was very typical of the current situation within Akkatta society.

Likewise, more and more conspiracy theories were emerging and forcing discontent within all strata of the population. 

Saviier stayed out of it all. He was the only one who cared about pushing his project forward.

Success proved him right. In the meantime, his people hoverer had reached the palace.

As he disembarked on the well-screened landing field, he heard in the distance the subliminal din of demonstrators, punctuated in places by loud thunder and the hiss of ray guns.

A guardsman from the king's personal bodyguard escorted him through the palace to the rooms where the conference audience was to be held. Somewhat surprised, he noted that it was a relatively small room.

He made out only two people sitting at a small, round table, facing him as he came through the door.

The guardsman stopped behind him and closed the door again immediately after he entered.

Only now did Saviier recognize King Šamšī-Rohh II in one of the people at the table. Contrary to his usual habit, he was not wearing a ceremonial robe, but simple street clothes.

Even Saviier's own robe stood out clearly in quality from the king's clothing, which at first embarrassed him.

"Come on now, I don't have all day. By the way, this is Captain Hagar-Rott. He is an experienced strategist of my forces and is very familiar in dealing with the Secret Invaders. He is also responsible for the two-and-a-half-year delivery of the compulsory levies. Now, sit down at last and don't stare at me in astonishment. This is a secret conference, of course, what do you think!"

Saviier had not ventured from the spot and now, after the king's repeated request, strode toward the still vacant chair. Captain Hagar-Rott looked frankly toward him.

He was immediately sympathetic to the Gravo designer.

"Let us spare ourselves the round of introductions and get straight to the essential point of this meeting. Saviier, please tell us about your research findings and, of course, their successes."

"Your Highness, with respect, I have been working for more than ten planetary orbits on the artificial creation of a black hole in order to make it usable as a transport medium. So by no means is it a weapon!"

He tried to dampen the king's expectations from the start.

"Please let the evaluation of their work be my business. I know the reports you have published well enough. Just tell us how far the experiments have progressed!"

Saviier looked from King Šamšī-Rohh II to Captain Hagar-Rott, who sat perfectly relaxed in his armchair and just brought a crystal goblet filled with Saw wine to his mouth with relish.

He gave the impression that none of this was any of his business.

Saviier was a bit irritated and was about to elaborate a bit more when his personal body module kicked in. Someone was trying to reach him with an 'urgent call'.

"Excuse me," Saviier, startled, just barely got past his lips as contact was already made via the sensor chip that sat just under the skin of his right ear.

He heard WEbtab's excited voice as his gaze lingered on the dark red-looking upper arm bracelet.