Читать книгу To The Stars - Назар Валерьевич Валеев - Страница 15

The Armaon drifted in orbit around the gray-steel planet Rion, which had three small moons. Its local star, an orange dwarf, was slowly coming into view as the ship moved toward the planet’s sunlit side. Though not as bright as Earth’s sun, it looked striking and mysterious against the backdrop of multicolored gas clusters and drifting dust clouds.

After emerging from the wormhole, the ship’s energy reserves had only just begun to recover: during the jump, Arma had diverted all reserve generators to create an additional energy shield to protect the ship from possible hazardous radiation, leaving almost every other system on board practically without power. That was precisely what she was trying to explain to a rather displeased Maarv, who sat before a large round plate of food and, despite all her reasoning, refused to eat his not-quite-warm breakfast.

«How is anyone supposed to think strategically or be ready for whatever the hell comes next with this kind of food?» Maarv demanded, addressing the ceiling as he brandished a utensil in each hand.

Draam, meanwhile, was finishing his meal and kept eyeing Maarv’s side of the table with quiet curiosity.

«What’s new?» John and Kane asked almost in unison as they burst into the mess hall, unable to take their eyes off the vast view through the panoramic windows – a breathtaking expanse of colorful gas clouds that drifted across the horizon like soft, translucent watercolors.

«While Maarv was being capricious», Arma said dryly, «I ran a full planetary scan and discovered the following: Rion has no solid surfaces – no land at all. The entire planet is covered by water. Interestingly, each of its poles hosts massive hydroclimatic reactors, unlike anything I can find in my database. My scans also show cities on the ocean floor – enormous luminous domes, transparent and scattered across nearly the entire visible perimeter of the seabed.»

Draam squinted slyly and carefully reached for Maarv’s tray.

«You’re not going to eat that, are you?» he asked, sounding almost innocent.

Maarv waved a small kitchen knife in the air with theatrical menace.

«Keep those giant paws away from my breakfast! Or I’ll trim them for you!»

«I’ve heard plenty of interesting things about the Rionians», Maarv continued thoughtfully. «And I remember, back when I was studying galactic history, being struck by how extraordinary their story was. Their home system, Aquaria, was destroyed thousands of years ago in some kind of cataclysm, but they were ready for it. Long before that happened, they’d already colonized this very planet, Rion, which at the time was nothing more than a lifeless frozen desert. Its orbit lies too far from the star to stay warm enough for life to appear naturally.»

«So then», Maarv went on, swallowing a cold bite from his tray and grimacing pointedly, «over the course of just a few centuries, they managed to heat and melt this frozen world, increase its gravity, create an atmosphere, and eventually fill its oceans with life from other worlds. In that sense, they’re collectors unmatched in the entire galaxy. And by the ancient tradition of their people, they themselves settled on the ocean floor. They poured so much strength, time, and resources into turning this planet into their home that they began to call themselves after it – the Rionians.»

«Well…», John murmured in his hoarse voice, «to turn a dead planet into one’s home – that’s more than constructive. The sheer scale of it defies comprehension.»

«Moreover», Maarv continued, deftly spearing another cold piece of breakfast with his fork and inspecting it with visible skepticism before popping it into his mouth, «the Rionians are widely known as a kind of planetary reanimators.»

He gestured vaguely in the air with his fork, as if tracing invisible orbits.

«It was the scientific work of Rionian scholars that laid the foundation for our own research into climate restoration and ecological correction. Yet none of the races we know have ever advanced as far in that field as they have.»

He leaned forward slightly, his tone warming with genuine enthusiasm.

«It was thanks to the Rionians’ studies in planetary climatology that I was able to calculate the climate point of no return for the Blue Planet – and that, as you know, became the very reason for our contact!»

On the screen appeared the image of a greenish being – unmistakably humanoid, with smooth, glossy skin of a delicate jade hue, lightly mottled with dark brown spots. Its broad forehead was slightly raised, giving the head a subtly elongated, oval shape. Expressive, slanted eyes with dark violet lids and large, gleaming pupils watched the crew intently. On either side of its neck were slits resembling gills, and given the Rionians’ evident affinity for aquatic environments, it was easy to infer that they were amphibious – as indeed they were. In its ears, which lay close against the head, several small rings glinted faintly.

«Please state the purpose of your visit», the Rionian said dryly and formally in Galacton, «as well as the number of crew members and the name of your vessel.»

«Scientific research cruiser Armaon of the Vriinian Space Fleet», Maarv replied not quite by the book. «There are four of us, and we request permission to land. Our purpose is to help our friends from the Blue Planet save their world from the Genomode and become full members of the Galactic Union. For that, we need the fragment of the Ticket located on your planet, since your people are represented in the High Council.»

The Rionian tilted his head slightly, the smooth greenish skin along his neck shifting as the gill slits flexed once, like a slow breath. His expression softened, and a faint ripple of amusement passed over his large eyes.

«Well now, how interesting!» he said, his voice deep but fluid, carrying a soft resonance, as if it echoed through water. «You’ve come quite a long way.» He blinked slowly, as though turning something over in his mind, then added almost apologetically, «Forgive my lack of courtesy – these last few days, you are not the first visitors we’ve received. Now things begin to make sense.»

He straightened a little, one hand touching the side of a translucent console. «Please transmit your coordinates for portal synchronization, and allow me to come aboard. Since this concerns the Genomode, it will be far simpler and faster that way – unless, of course, you wish to spend a few days on our hospitable world… which, I suspect, you don’t have the time for.»

A small, knowing smile crossed his face. «Our fragment of the Ticket will be at your full disposal. Allow me only a few moments to make the necessary preparations.»

A few hours later, the Rionian – now in full combat gear – was already aboard the Armaon, strolling with evident pleasure through the ship’s cozy mess hall. He was solidly built, about the same size as Maarv, though far more flexible in his movements. His armor was light, designed not to hinder motion, and there was a quiet strength and resolve in his gait.

«My name is Tarion», he introduced himself to the friends, who in turn told him their names.

«You see», he began once they had all made themselves comfortable in the mess hall, «the particular conditions of our world keep the number of visitors to the bare minimum we actually need. Unlike the open planetary spaceports and all kinds of interstellar trade stations, we don’t have suspicious types wandering around here», he said with a smile, then continued.

«So, when a few days ago a mercenary ship from Tiavr arrived, demanding that we hand over a Vriinian vessel with humans on board – the same guests we had apparently offered our hospitality to not long before – we found it rather amusing. A bit later, however, they came back with several heavy bomber ships and started threatening us with open aggression.»

«Some of our leaders, for all their humanism, are not known for their patience or for any particular affection toward those vicious Tiavrans, who are admitted even to the shadiest worlds only with caution. So they were eliminated very quickly.»

He smiled again, a touch of guilt in his expression, and gave a small shrug. «After all, they were warned!»

«I like your way of dealing with things», Draam said sincerely. «Those mercenaries, and probably a few others, have been on our tail ever since some of our brilliant leaders decided to unleash the Genomode on the Blue Planet. Since then, we’ve had to save each other’s skins more than once, and I still hope we can fix this mess somehow.»

«Yeah… the Genomode is no blessing», Tarion said, his tone turning thoughtful. «A long time ago, our scientists created the Genovirus – it was designed to suppress pathogenic bacteria and all kinds of mutations on planets of concern.»

«Oh, really?!» he exclaimed, staring at the stunned faces of his friends. «You mean you didn’t know? For countless millennia that mechanism worked flawlessly – it did exactly what it was meant to, until some mad genius accidentally modified it in such a way that it wiped out the populations of several inhabited worlds in his system. And of course, there were those who managed to get hold of samples of that dreadful virus – some to make a profit, others to use it later as a weapon of terror. Since then, we’ve been burdened with the Genomode – its unauthorized use is strictly forbidden, and even when permitted, it’s applied only in the first and only phase.»

«Well, since you were the ones who created it», Kane said, «you probably know how to neutralize it, right?»

«Unfortunately, it’s not that simple», Tarion said with a faint, rueful smile. «Only one race has ever managed to do it – the Lirians. The blasted antidote formula is so intricate that only they can reproduce it properly. Even then, it remains active for only a short time before it loses its properties. Still, we feel a measure of responsibility. After all, your people’s troubles are partly our fault. That’s why, with your permission, I’ll accompany you and speak on your behalf before the Galactic Council – as a representative of my world.»

Maarv glanced at his companions. Judging by their faces, everyone seemed content with this turn of events. Wise Tarion, who carried himself with warmth and quiet resolve, had already made a good impression.

«And one more thing», the Rionian added with open irony. «Given recent events – and my considerable importance – we’ll be escorted to Ilion by two of our heavy unmanned cruisers. One can’t be too careful…»

«Quite a serious people you’ve got there», John remarked, watching with the others through the viewport as the strange escort ships drew closer. “If everyone leaving your planet travels with that kind of protection, I’d hate to see your customs department.»

«That’s true», Tarion replied with a smile. «There aren’t many of us left, and our ways, as you rightly noted, are not exactly gentle. Still, there’s something important we must finish.» He leaned forward slightly. «You mentioned a fragment of the Ticket you recovered on Omera?»

«It’s in the lab», Maarv answered curtly, the hurt still audible in his voice as he recalled his many failed attempts. «I’ve tried to determine its structure and composition, but nothing works. It’s harder than anything I’ve ever seen – it resists every kind of analysis and refuses to react with any known substance!»

Tarion chuckled and gave Maarv a friendly pat on the shoulder. «I know the feeling», he said.

Then, drawing a slow, full breath, he went on, «That piece was created long ago – forged from a kind of biometal, each particle of which possesses its own energy field. Only the most ancient races mastered such technologies. As for us, we’ve only managed how to activate these artifacts, not how to create them.»

He took out a small device, no larger than his palm, and synchronized it with the lab systems connected to the Ticket analyzer. Then he launched a program that began generating endless virtual schematics, constantly shifting and unfolding into new configurations, filling the compartment with a weave of colorful lines and intricate luminous patterns.

«This device inputs a virtual genetic cipher that activates artifacts like this one», Tarion explained, pointing at the Ticket which was already changing before their eyes. It had transformed into something resembling an elongated plate, slightly larger than a playing card, obsidian-black and a little wider, its surface covered in strange perforated inscriptions. Through the fine lattice of symbols radiated a deep blue glow from a mysterious mineral that filled its hollow core.