Keid, p.1
KEID, page 1
Praise For
KEID: A Lost Civilization
This is cutting edge, hard science fiction at its finest. A huge starship discovers a derelict Dyson Sphere containing a sun that is used for energy. The crew investigate and find several sapient species inside the sphere. They also learn that the star will soon erupt, destroying both the sphere and its inhabitants. Only they can save them! All this would be more than enough for a great speculative novel, but Williscroft also includes MBH and MERT Drives, portal technology, electronic uploads of humans and others, plus a great deal more, much of it derived directly from current physics research. The effect of this broadminded, far-sweeping approach is both realistic and daring. The reader feels that yes, this is what the universe is like and what man’s role in it will come to be.
— Professor John B. Roseman
Norfolk State University
Former Chairman of the Board
Horror Writers Association
Author of The Inspector of the Cross Series
Robert G. Williscroft’s Oort Chronicles continue with the fourth in the series, Keid: A Lost Civilization, and Braxton Thorpe is becoming a modern-day Odysseus as his interstellar voyage takes yet another turn. This time it is to the star Keid (also known as 40 Eridani) where Thorpe and his crew discover an under-construction Dyson Sphere.
Along with his usual action and intrigue, Williscroft’s trademark hard science attempts to answer the question I’ve yet to see anyone else in science fiction tackle: how do you build (and then maintain) a Dyson Sphere in the first place? The surprising answer reveals a threat to the starship Andromeda and its entire crew, and Thorpe’s team is pushed to the limits. Great fun, and a must-read for anyone following the Chronicles.
— Alastair Mayer, Author of the T-Space Series
KEID: A Lost Civilization
The Fourth Oort Chronicle
Copyright © 2024
by Robert G. Williscroft
All rights reserved
Fresh Ink Group
An Imprint of:
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Edition 1.0 2023
Cover design by Stephen Geez / FIG
Book design by Amit Dey / FIG
Associate publisher Beem Weeks / FIG
Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 and except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, no portion of this book’s content may be stored in any medium, transmitted in any form, used in whole or part, or sourced for derivative works such as videos, television, and motion pictures, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Cataloging-in-Publication Recommendations:
FIC028020 FICTION / Science Fiction / Hard Science Fiction
FIC002000 FICTION / Action & Adventure
FIC028010 FICTION / Science Fiction / Action & Adventure
Library of Congress Control Number: 2024901413
ISBN-13: 978-1-958922-68-2 Softcover
ISBN-13: 978-1-958922-69-9 Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-1-958922-70-5 Ebooks
Table Of Contents
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Author’s Note
Cast Of Characters
Spacecraft Roster
Prolog
Phoenix Starship Andromeda
PART ONE THE SPHERE
Chapter One
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Underway for Keid
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-A System
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Orbiting Vulcan
Chapter Two
Surface of Vulcan—Keid-A
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—In Orbit Around Vulcan, Keid-A
Surface of Vulcan—Keid-A
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—In Orbit Around Vulcan, Keid-A
Chapter Three
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Underway for Keid-B and C
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-B Space
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-B Space
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-B Space
Chapter Four
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Underway for Keid-C
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-C Space
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-C Space
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-B Space
Chapter Five
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Holding in Keid-C System
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Engineering Lab
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Research Labs
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Bridge
Chapter Six
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Holding in Keid-C System
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Near the Dyson Sphere
Phoenix Starship Alan Shepard—1,000 Km Above the Dyson Sphere
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Near the Dyson Sphere
Chapter Seven
Phoenix Starship Alan Shepard—Keid-C System Near the Sphere
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Medical Spaces
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid-C System on the Sphere
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Near the Dyson Sphere
Chapter Eight
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Sphere, Entering the Sphere
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Sphere, The Equatorial Band and Spokes
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Sphere, the Orbital Tubes
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Sphere, the Equatorial Drivers
Chapter Nine
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Inner Sphere
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—Keid Sphere —Open Gash
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Chapter Ten
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere—Engineering Spaces
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—The Bridge
PART TWO The Builders
Chapter Eleven
Keid Sphere—Somewhere on the Equatorial Band
Keid Sphere—Somewhere Else on the Equatorial Band
Keid Sphere—A Third Location on the Equatorial Band
Chapter Twelve
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Simian Region
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Feline Region
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Saurian Region
Chapter Thirteen
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Simian Region
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Feline Region
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Saurian Region
Chapter Fourteen
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Outside the Keid Sphere
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Random Flights
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Science Section
Chapter Fifteen
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—The Conference Room
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—The Science Section
Chapter Sixteen
Phoenix Starship Neil Armstrong—The Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band
Keid Sphere—Equatorial Band—Keid City
Keid Sphere—Keid City—Alien Computer
Chapter Seventeen
Keid Sphere—Keid City—Alien Matrix
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort Connection
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—Sheriff Bots
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—Scouts
Chapter Eighteen
Keid Sphere—Keid City
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Archives
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Vault
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Science Section
Chapter Nineteen
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort Story
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort Story Continues
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort Story Finale
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Science Section
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix
Chapter Twenty
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Bridge
Keid Sphere—Alien Matrix—The Oort
Keid Sphere—The Saurian Compound
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—The Landscape Side
Chapter Twenty-One
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Bio Labs
Keid Sphere—The Equatorial Band
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Oort Matrix
Keid Sphere
Epilog
Keid-C Space
Keid-C Space—One AU from Keid-C
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Excerpt From The Starchild Compact The Starchild Saga Vol 3
About The Author
Other Works By Robert G. Williscroft
Connect with Robert G. Williscroft
Glossary For Keid
Acknowledgments
Several people contributed to the creation of this book.
Most significantly, my wonderful wife, Jill, pored over each chapter with her discerning engineer’s eye. She kept my timeline honest and made sure that regular readers could understand fully the arcane details of the nuclear and quantum interactions that play a significant role in this tale. She also reviewed my celestial mechanics.
Prof. John B. Rosenman, bestselling science fiction and horror author who taught science fiction writing at Norfolk State University, reviewed the manuscript and made several suggestions that significantly improved the story.
Hard science fiction author Alastair Mayer reviewed the manuscript and offered his scientific, engineering, and editorial insight.
Others have contributed with their comments and observations, and I thank them. You know who you are.
It goes without saying that any remaining omissions, errors, and mistakes fall directly on my shoulders.
Robert G. Williscroft, PhD
Centennial, Colorado
January 2024
Dedication
For Jocara
Author’s Note
I have employed some non-standard language usage in this book. Because four sapient races play significant roles, their names are all capitalized: Human, Arcan, Asterian, and Oort.
The home planet for each race is capitalized: Earth, Arcan, Rogan, and Earth, respectively. The home star for each race is capitalized: Sol, Ran, Aster, and Sol, respectively. The home star system for Humans and Oort is the Solar System (capitalized).
Even though Arcans and Asterians use an indigenous system of weights and measurements, I employ the metric system throughout the book. Both the Asterians and Arcans have six-digit hands and feet, so they naturally count and compute in the duodecimal system. I use the decimal system throughout this book.
One might assume that the Arcans and Asterians would have indigenous names for their suns. I used the Human designation for Ran, and I created the name Aster for HD20367 in the constellation of Aries.
The science and engineering behind the Dyson Sphere, and the MBH and MERT Drives and portal technology is derived directly from current state-of-the-art physics research. Many of you reading this volume will likely see some form of MERT or warp bubble drive in your lifetime.
You saw it here first!
Robert G. Williscroft
Centennial, Colorado
January 2024
Cast Of Characters
MAIN CHARACTERS
(alphabetically by first name)
Thorpe—Captain of PS Andromeda
eThorpe—Uploaded version of Thorpe
Daphne O’Bryan, PhD—Andromeda Chief Scientist, companion to Kimberly eDaphne—Upload version of Daphne O’Bryan
Jocara Porovik—Ceffid astronaut
Kenred Zlaxiz—Amred astronaut
The Oort—The builders of the Dyson Sphere
SECONDARY CHARACTERS
(alphabetically by first name)
Bolaik Taclit—Asterian Engineering Group Leader
Brad Kominsky, PhD—Andromeda Senior Scientist eBrad—Upload version of Brad Kominsky
Braxton—The clone of Thorpe eBraxton—Upload version of Braxton
Dale Ryan, PhD—Andromeda research scientist eDale—Upload version of Dale Ryan
Forbis—Asterian engineering excursion member
Gelong—The personal pterosaur mount of Toby, the primitive saurian leader
Gregory Dobson—Andromeda Chief Medical Officer
Hobar—Toby’s mate
Jama—Toby’s and Hobar’s son
Jerad—Human engineering excursion member
Joe—Human engineering excursion member
Kidlit Mazop—Asterian Engineering Group Leader
Kimberly Deveraux—Andromeda Chief Information Officer, companion to Daphne eKim—Upload version of Kimberly Deveraux
Liaise—The Oort representative
Max—Daphne’s tabby cat eMax—Upload version of Max
Otiz—Asterian engineering excursion member
Sally Nguyen, PhD—Andromeda Senior Scientist eSally—Upload version of Sally Nguyen
Suma—The personal pterosaur mount of Toby’s son Jama
Toby—The primitive saurian leader
Ustrun Strozid—Roganian Andromeda Chief Engineer
Spacecraft Roster
PHOENIX SPACECRAFT
(alphabetically by ship)
PS Andromeda
PHOENIX M-CLASS STARSHIPS
PS Alan Bean
PS Alan Shepard
PS David Scott
PS Michael Collins
PS Neil Armstrong
Prolog
Phoenix Starship Andromeda
PS Andromeda—a half-kilometer thick circular disk five kilometers across with an elaborate cityscape on one surface and an upside-down pastoral landscape on the other, complete with mountains, meadows, and streams. Transparent domes cover both sides. An artificial mini black hole inside the central disk powers the craft.
Andromeda is on the second leg of an open-ended voyage from the star Aster, pointed at the constellation Eridanus to investigate the Cosmic Microwave Background Cold Spot, six to ten billion lightyears distant, stopping along the way when things look interesting.
First stop: The star Ran—Epsilon Eridani.
Second stop: The star Keid—40 Eridani.
PART ONE
THE SPHERE
Chapter One
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Underway for Keid
Thorpe sat at the Bridge control console deep inside Andromeda’s central disk. A large holoscreen surrounding the Bridge presented him outside views from the massive vessel and presented data to individual operators around the Bridge. To his left sat Kenred Zlaxiz and Jocara Porovik, the saurian astronauts from the planet Arcan around the star Ran—their immediate departure point. Daphne O’Bryan, Andromeda’s Chief Scientist, sat to his right as his First Officer. The spacious Bridge had sufficient room for a group of senior crew members who had nothing better to do.
Andromeda was an FTL (Faster Than Light) ship powered by MERT portals—a Casimir field that contained a stable wormhole.
“Listen up, everybody,” Thorpe said as the background chatter died away. “Our destination is the triple-star system Keid, also known as Forty Eridani, just six lightyears distant. Those of you who are classic American film buffs will recognize this star as the sun of the planet Vulcan in the classic Star Trek television series. That’s right, Spock’s home planet. Back in the early twenty-first century on Earth, astronomers actually thought they had discovered an Earth-like planet around Keid-A. After the excitement died down, it turned out they were wrong. We’re gonna find out what’s really there.”
Thorpe turned to Kenred with a grin. “This is a bit different from your circum-Lodan capsule.”
“That’s an understatement. The difference between our two-person capsule and this huge starship is almost beyond description.” Kenred turned to Jocara, his female fellow astronaut on the first trip around their moon, Lodan. “Could you have imagined this two years ago?”
Blinking eyes wide open, the Arcan equivalent of a Human grin, she shook her head in amazement, and then turned to Thorpe. “Are you really going to let us do the honors?” Jocara asked, her scales rippling dark blue with excitement.
“You two are the only true astronauts in our entire ten thousand crew,” Thorpe answered. “Oh, we’ve got fighter pilots, marines, scientists, bureaucrats, tabby cats, and even guys like me, but we have only two astronauts.”
Kenred looked at Jocara, eyes wide open and blinking. “You do it, Girl! Be the first Arcan to pilot a starship between stars!”
“Mother,” she said, addressing the ship’s resident AI, “transit to the star Keid-A, jump interval six picoseconds, specific destination, the outer edge of Keid’s life zone.” Jocara gave the order in the Amred language in which Mother, Andromeda’s central processor, was fluent. Her scales slowly returned to their normal light green.
Phoenix Starship Andromeda—Keid-A System
There was no indication of anything except the holoscreen turned a uniform speckled gray. One minute and eight seconds later, Jocara blinked as a blazing orange star with an apparent width wider than Ran as seen from Arcan filled the holoscreen center. A bright white star and a less bright reddish-orange star appeared close together off to the right. Even though she knew Andromeda was an FTL ship, and the MERT portal technology had been explained to her, it was still hard to believe that they had traveled six lightyears in just over a minute! Her scales rippled from the blue of excitement to lavender, showing her pure joy at the experience.
