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  „Energy transformation” by Ceng   (for the email address see the author's page),   June 2005
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners. Earth: Final Conflict belongs to Tribune Entertainment Co., Lost Script Prod. Inc., Atlantis Films and VOX. Please don't publish this story without permission of the author.
 
Plot:  While Zo'or continues analyzing Ma'el's relict, a mysterious experiment is realized in a parallel world.
Setting:  forth season
Cast: Zo'or, Liam, Da'an, T'than, Mit'gai, Dr. Sarah Fince, Ben Bring, Paul Bring, Mitch Samsons
 

 

ENERGY TRANSFORMATION

Chapter 1

 

Dr. Sarah Fince smiled contentedly. Her project was a complete success. Its continuation had just been approved, something she had fought for a long time.
Suddenly, the door of her office opened and Mitch Samsons entered the room. Sarah jumped “Do you have to burst in here every time?” Mitch grinned “Well, I thought I should interrupt you. Or did you forget the last test run?”
“No, of course not. But it's not taking place until six.”
“Well, I suppose you should look at your watch.” Mitch replied. Conflicted Sarah did, what he wanted, and was startled. “05:30 P.M.?! But I haven't prepared anything... come on, quickly, we have to hurry!”
Sarah ran out of the room followed by a head shaking assistant.
One minute later she entered the lab, where great excitement already filled the room. Officially the continuation of the project was already granted, but it was also known that a miss could still mean the end of the project.
And Sarah hadn't checked through the complete test run yet and the media would show up immediately, because her breakthrough, meanwhile, was known to the public. So she quickly climbed down the ladder into a basement, from where the test was controlled. She began checking the settings, when she heard a voice calling.
“Doctor, I'm glad I finally found you. Come, reporters are here, and they all want to have an interview with you!” Sarah looked up. In front of her stood Paul Bring, the man responsible for the project. “I'm sorry, but I haven't finished my diagnostic tests yet.” she said firmly. Bring shook his head. “Nonsense! The test run has always worked smoothly. Come on now! This is more important.” Despite her doubts Sarah came up from the basement control room. He was the man in charge; she could not just oppose him. Besides, he was right. Until now she had never found a mistake in the sequence.
She came out, and immediately some reporters stormed towards her. “Dr. Fince, please explain your project to us!” Sarah smiled into the camera. “Of course. As most of you will know, in my project I transform great amounts of electric energy into viable organisms.” “Would you say that you are creating something here?”
“No, not really. By exposing the energy to the DNA of the to constructing living being, the respective being is generated. However, it's just created from the pattern, the characteristics of the existing energy. You have to imagine it as if you would slip a person over something like a foreign skin...” Sarah frantically thought about it, somehow she had never been good at explaining. Finally she made a fresh try. ” Well, imagine that the energy is a living being. Then the appearance of the animal would be the exact equivalent to the appearance of the energy being.”
“You mean a Taelon how he would look as a human?” she suddenly heard somebody ask. The reporters and Sarah turned around, confused. In front of them stood a seventeen-year-old boy, who watched them challenging. “Taelon?” one of the reporters asked. “Yes, of course, don't you know about 'Earth: Final Conflict'?” the boy replied. The reporters looked at each other, confused. Finally one said “Hm, I haven't ever heard of this. But it sounds like it must have something to do with a cult.” He had hardly said it, when Sarah was immediately surrounded by all the reporters present. “Is this true? Do you practice any cult rites in this experiment?” “How many sects are involved in this experiment?”
“Is it true that you intend to sacrifice animals?”
*Oh, great*, Sarah thought, *this is starting out just fantastic.*

 
* * *
 

The boy rolled his eyes and watched the scene. If he just had not said anything. Now Dr. Fince had to carry the blame for it, and his father would not be happy about it either. Of course, these reporters just had to catch everything immediately and make things even worse.
Just as he had expected, soon his father came running. “Ben, what did you do? These guys want to know why we want to sacrifice some humans.” “Sacrifice humans?!” Ben asked horrified, now the situation was really getting out of hand. “I just compared the energy accumulation with a taelon to show...” But his father interrupted him. “You did what?! I have told you for a thousand times to stop with this stupid science-fiction-nonsense. I'm the person in charge for this project. If suspicions of human sacrifice arise now, in this phase of testing...” He did not continue any further, because in that moment an upset engineer stormed towards him. “Mr. Bring, the test controls are causing problems. We had to increase the power supply, which blew one of the fuses and now half the control panel is a wall of lightening.” Bring seemed shocked. “But...but how could this happen?”
“We don't know, either. What shall we do now?” “No idea, you are the scientist. Just deactivate the power!” Bring screamed, upset, and the three of them ran to the control wall, which actually seemed to have short circuits everywhere.

“Oh no, all of the test equipment will blow!” one of the engineers cried desperately. “Then just shut down the energy supply now!” Bring ordered. “We would do that, but the switch for the power supply also is at the control wall.” one of the engineers informed him. Bring was slowly getting angry. “There has to be another way to shut down the power supply, it just can't be...”
“Hey, that switch there is positioned completely wrong!” a voice next to him interrupted him. It was Ben, about whom he had completely forgotten. “What is that supposed to mean? And anyway, you don't have a clue about any of this! Leave this place immediately and let the engineers handle it!” Bring snapped at his son. “But..” Ben began, but was interrupted by Sarah, who came running towards them, visibly worried. She threw one look at the equipment and then shouted, “Who positioned that switch?!”
“Dennis was responsible for that.” one of the engineers said meekly. “Very well, and where is he?” The engineers looked at each other and finally one said, “I think he called in sick for today.” “What?! Do you really mean to tell me nobody positioned that switch at all?!” Sarah shouted, horrified. “Can't you just correct the mistake?” Bring interfered. Sarah looked at him. “Earlier on it would've been possible, but now the devices have already been activated. We have to evacuate the building immediately!” “But what about the test? We can't just abort right now.” Bring said desperately. “WHAT?! Are you completely insane?! We have to get out of here immediately!” Sarah shouted, horrified, and pressed the alarm button. Then she ran back to the reporters. “All of you, leave the building immediately! The test equipment has had a fatal malfunction!” she screamed at them. The reporters did not think about it for long and ran towards the exit.

Ben had just stood there the whole time; when Sarah began chasing the people out of the lab, he decided to help her. So he ran to the other side of the room, where some confused engineers were still standing around. “Hey, we have to get out of here immediately! Don't you hear the alarm?” he shouted at them. The engineers looked at him as if to decide if they should take orders from a boy, but they finally decided to flee. Ben looked around. Where was his father? He had been standing next to the control wall a moment ago. He looked around for awhile before he finally recognized his father pushing toward the exit with the reporters and other scientists. But where was Dr. Fince? He ran through the now empty lab when he heard something. “Sarah!” he called when he saw her sitting on the ground in the small cubbyhole. “What happened?” he asked. “Someone ran me down and then I fell into this cubbyhole.”, she replied. Ben immediately jumped down and helped her climb up the ladder out of the basement control room. Then they ran to the exit as fast as they could, while in the background the equipment seemed to overload completely. Finally they ran out into the open and took themselves out to a safe distance. They turned around again, just in time to see how suddenly the whole lab complex exploded.

 
* * *
 

Zo'or waited impatiently. Once again, it was time to examine the artifact of Ma'el. Even though to date all attempts to do so had failed, because Major Kincaid obviously had too inferior an intellect, Zo'or was determined to keep on trying. Sometime, Kincaid had to learn to control the functions of Ma'el's relict. The young man usually did not seem less mentally gifted for a human. So Zo'or had continued to order regular work with the artifact, though Da'an constantly told him he had to give the humans more time.
Anyway, the Major seemed to be considerably late today. Because Zo'or had just come from a discussion with Da'an and T'than, which as usual had been anything else than positive for him, he was not in best mood anyway. So the delay soon got too much for him and he decided to call the Major personally; everything else would just have cost more time. He opened a data stream and dialled Major Kincaid's global number. It took some time before the face of the Major appeared. “Major Kincaid! Where are you? You should have been here half an hour ago.” Zo'or barked at him. But Kincaid did not seem to understand. “What?” he asked, confused. “Zo'or?”
“Major Kincaid, you do remember our meeting for today? What happened to you?” Zo'or asked ,visibly unnerved.
Suddenly, it seemed to dawn on Kincaid. “What?! It's already half past eight! Forgive me, Zo'or. I'll be there in ten minutes!” he answered, horrified, and interrupted the link. Zo'or, confused, looked at the data stream and then deactivated it.

 
* * *
 

Liam hurriedly closed his global. This could not be true; he had actually overslept the meeting with Zo'or. But why did the leader of the synod call him personally? Usually someone from the head office did that. Well, anyway he had to hurry now if he was not to annoy Zo'or any further. So he dressed as fast as possible and headed out of the flat towards the next portal. Luckily, on his way he did not meet anyone who stopped him, so he took the shortest way via portal to the mother ship. There he hurried to go to Zo'or when Da'an crossed his path. “Liam, where are you going? Are you not having a meeting with Zo'or today?” Da'an asked curiously. “Yes, excuse me Da'an, I have to hurry.” Liam said, and kept running. Da'an, confused, gazed after his protector, but did not say anything.
Liam turned around the next corner, only to find himself standing in front of T'than. “What is the meaning of your behaviour?” the war minister wanted to know. “Excuse me T'than, I didn't actually plan to sprint through the mother ship, but I'm in a hurry at the moment.” Liam said apologetically, then dodged T'than and continued on his way.
It was not very far from there, just around two corners and he would be there. And probably nobody else would cross his way now, he thought, when he ran around the next corner and knocked somebody down in the process. “Sha'bra! Major Kincaid, what are you up to?” Liam heard the fallen person ask. “Oh, I'm really sorry, Mit'gai. I didn't see you.” Liam said guiltily, and pulled the taelon back onto his feet.
Slowly things were really getting embarrassing. First he had overslept the meeting with Zo'or, then just left Da'an and T'than standing in the corridor and now he had even knocked down Mit'gai. He apologized once more to Mit'gai and ran into the room, where Zo'or was awaiting him.

 
* * *
 

Zo'or was still waiting. Slowly he was getting to the end of his patience. How could this human dare to be that disrespectful with him? His global call with Kincaid had been nearly half an hour ago. He was about to contact him again, to let the Major know, what he thought of his behaviour, when the data stream opened. It was Da'an. “Zo'or, did you forget the conversation with the president for today? You are already expected.” he asked. “No, of course I did not forget. But speaking of delays... Have you seen your protector today? You know, he was supposed to meet with me today.” Zo'or retorted, annoyed. “Yes, I saw him indeed. He met me ten minutes ago on the mother ship, but he seemed to be on his way to you.” Da'an replied, looking slightly amused. “Well, in actuality he has not arrived. What do you think...” Zo'or wanted to say, but Da'an interrupted him. “We do not have time now. This conversation with the president is more important at the moment.”
“Yes, I know, Da'an. I will be there in a moment.” Zo'or said, although he hated it to admit Da'an was right. Da'an nodded and closed the data stream.
Zo'or now would have to go to the bridge, but the explorations of Ma'el's relic were incredibly important. On the other hand, if he had refused to talk to the president, he would probably have gotten in trouble with the whole synod.
Zo'or was about to leave the room, when something big hit him and pulled him to the ground.

“Oh no! Zo'or, I'm really sorry! I honestly didn't mean to...” began the being now half lying on top of Zo'or. Although Zo'or was completely confused, he was quickly able to recognize his 'attacker'. “MAJOR!! What is all that nonsense?! I have been waiting for you for one hour and then you come in and attack me!” Zo'or was quickly getting worked up. “No, Zo'or. I honestly didn't want to attack you. I just came in running and saw you too late.” Liam apologized. “Very well, Kincaid. Would you please get off of me now?” Zo'or asked, annoyed. “Of course.” Liam said, blushing red, and began to lift himself. At that very moment, T'than came around the corner. “Zo'or? What is going on here? What are you doing with this human on the floor? Should you not be having a conversation with the president?” T'than asked slightly amused, while he looked first at the fallen Zo'or and then at the now standing Liam, who stood next to him with a crimson red face. Zo'or began to stand up now, too and Liam wanted to help him, but was shot a despised look by Zo'or, so he left Zo'or in peace. *Why does this human have such a red face? Is this not a sign from humans for one of their primitive emotions?* Zo'or wondered. Then he addressed T'than. “Don't you have more important things to do than spy on me?”
“Of course I have, Zo'or.” T'than retorted, turned around proudly, and went away. Zo'or addressed Liam. “Major Kincaid, kindly tell me, why you are so late today?” he asked sternly. “Well, I'm truly sorry Zo'or. I overslept. It won't happen again.” Liam apologized yet again. *Overslept?!* Zo'or thought, *What is that supposed to mean?* But then he decided not to concern himself with the primitive matters of the humans and said: “However, Major. I do not have time for you any longer. Come here tomorrow at eight o'clock - and be punctual this time.” “Of course, Zo'or.” Liam agreed. Zo'or turned around and went away without saying another word.

 
* * *
 

Ben ran up the steps and opened the door. He now stood in a laboratory and walked directly towards Dr. Sarah Fince, who was checking some equipment. “Hello!” she greeted him. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to ask, if I could help.” he answered. Since the lab had exploded, she had been removed from the position of project director. She now assisted the new leader of the project. Because of her special knowledge of the subject she had not been removed from the project completely, but she always enjoyed Ben's visits. The two had known each other for quite a long time and she had become a kind of a substitute mother for him.
“Yes, of course.” she said smiling. “You can help Mitch there with the settings.” “Sure.” Ben said and joined Mitch to help him. By now he already knew half the experiment and could indeed help the scientists.

Ben and Sarah left the lab. Because both of them did not live far away, they walked home. They went across the parking lot and entered the street. Before them lay a park, which was shrouded in deep mist. When they came nearer, they could recognize a soft electrical flicker. Both immediately stopped. “Did I just imagine that?” Ben asked, unsure. But Sarah seemed to have recognized it as well. “No. In this case we weren't both hallucinating, there really was something there.
“Strange, I haven't ever heard of such a phenomenon.” Ben noted. Although he was quite sure that there could be nothing dangerous here, the glowing frightened him. Sarah , though, seemed to be curious. Well, she was still a scientist. “Better not get too close”, he cautioned her. But Sarah single-mindedly moved towards the glowing part of the fog. Instinctively Ben followed her, but he was still nervous about this whole thing. Sarah cautiously stretched her hand towards the fog. Now the situation was really getting too dangerous for Ben; he grabbed her arm, but in that moment she touched the glowing arc. Suddenly, they were pulled off their feet by some invisible force. Hitting the ground, they lost consciousness.

 

End of chapter 1

 

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