// Here's the third approach to our feature story, science- //
// fictional in theme (evening the tally to two science-fiction, //
// two fantasy.) This one has the sweep of ages and galaxies.// //
THE BLACK CHALICE
by E. Schreibt
Starting in approximately 101 G. E. the Grand Assembly of the First Stellar
Hold earmarked an appropriation to be used... "for a systematic survey of the
known Universe to compile a catalog of all phenomena as an aid to exploration,
colonization, and any other purpose deemed fitting by this Assembly." A
committee was appointed to administer the fund, and to establish the basic
format of the program. The firtst major goal was the determination of the
exact center of the Universe for use in establishing a frame of reference for
subsequent work.
On 7 Green 114 G.E. the newly commissioned and fully equipped fleet of survey
ships departed from Ailentrac, the space port of Consil II. In deep space the
ships formed into sweep formation, calibrated and correlated their search
detectors, and shaped their first orbit into unmapped space. Trip duration was
to be approximately fifty cycles. The first five sweeps produced the
anticipated results, correlations placed determination of center within a
tolerance of one thousandth of a parsec.
The ships then deployed in a microsweep of the indicated central area. The
exact date of the discovery has been lost, but records show that the survey was
entering into the fiftieth cycle of the expedition. At the geometric center of
the Universe, they discovered an occult formation. Little more is known today
about the nature and internal structure that was known then. The little party
warily approached a small spheriod which appeared to be covered with a dull,
black surface, reflective to any radiation the explorers were able to transmit.
The object emitted no radiation on any known frequency; and it registered no
discernable sign of awareness to the approach of the explorers.
After a reconnaisance period including visual and radio-observation and
spectrographic analysis of reflected radiation, a physical landing was
attempted and completed without incident. The surface showed no indication of
having any sort of opening, and frustrated all attempts at physical analysis.
Quite accidentally, one of the explorers noticed that it was possible to see
into the center of the object using something to block the starlight.
In the center of the formation those men discovered a multitude of dim
pinpoints of light arranged in a pattern which suggested an ornate drinking
cup, and from which the Black Chalice derived its name. The discovery added
increased intensity to the men's struggle to gain entrance. Supplies were
running short, and as yet they had learned nothing about the strange formation.
Apparently in desperation, they attempted to blast an opening with a small
fission device.
The mirror surface defeated them; the reflected explosion destroyed all the
equipment in a line-of-sight relation with it. The remains of the party
returned home and submitted their report.
*******
In 152 G.E. the Third Tactical Squadron of the Stellar Hold made contact with
the Black Chalice. Following orders the fleet went on Full Battle Alert, and
completed an Enclosure around their quarry. After an interval, an assault
party was set down and they established a beachhead.
Once again tests were made; all without conclusive results. The only
conclusion they indicated was that the barrier had no physical existence; but
at the same time, there was no way of refuting its reality. More attempts were
made to gain entry, but this time men were more respectful of the reflective
qualities of the barrier.
Presently they exhausted their resources and contented themselves with
maintaining the quarantine of the Enclosure. This was the state of affairs
until 178 G.E. when a change in government was followed by a tax refund which
resulted in a cut in the defense budget. The Third Tactical Squadron was one
of the units demobilized. The menace of a quarter of a century earlier had
proved to be no menace at all. The Black Chalice had simply become the center
of the Universe. The decommissioning of the fleet did not even rate coverage
from the news media.
*******
The Black Chalice was unvisited almost entirely during the ensuing millenium.
Occasionally, a scientific expedition would come to test a theory upon the
brooding formation; but they always left almost as quickly as they came; no
richer in knowledge; poorer, however, in theories. Once in a great while, a
man came to satisfy his own curiosity, or in a search for inspiration, much as
the mythical "Quest of the Holi Crale". The Black Chalice received them all,
by way of taking no notice of their existence; and when they left, it left a
mark, a dark enigma, upon their minds.
*******
In approximately 1703 G. E., Favot I, known in history books as the Bloody,
consolidated his empire. As peace and order returned, people began to derive
some of the benefits for which they were so heavily paying. Under the aegis of
the Imperial Fleet, travel became safer, repair and refueling points more
available and dependable. The human race became more mobile than ever before.
*******
Cranic Jizdimir, a commoner, but a shrewd businessman, is the man who sold the
Black Chalice. A baffling scientific entity suddenly became the "exotic,
mysterious, unknown center of the Kosmos". A massive publicity campaign
followed. A Black Chalice Lines, Ltd. opened up under Imperial Patent and
offered a "complete range of tours to suit all incomes." A small company began
to manufacture "Explorer Kits" containing whole series of tests to perform with
guaranteed negative results.
The first voyage left on 34 Orange 1923 G. E. and arrived on 16 Blue of the
same Cycle. By this time the surface of the formation was covered with little
bits of abandoned equipment which had failed to prove some theory or other.
Here Naquin Rivkne, a 7th grade Techneer, met the fate that made his name known
to every literate being.
Rivkne was one of the first men of the Star Voyager, flagship of the Black
Chalice Lines. In the light, but definite gravity, it was difficult to keep a
steady footing on the mirror surface with the junk strewn all around. Rivkne
slipped and fell, accomplshing accidentally what other men had not been able to
do after thousands of years of sporadic effort. For when Rivkne fell he did
not land on the surface, but fell on thru it.
It was definitely not simply the falling that did it, tho the posture of the
body and the attitude of it in relation to the surface was vital. It also
required the correct sequence of thoughts, emotions, impresssions in shadings
too fine to be denoted by this crude linguistic tool. No one has been able to
duplicate exactly the circumstances; few have really wanted to try. There is
as yet no way to get back out. But, hi-freq retrans communication thru the
surface from the inside out is possible.
Rivkne was able to retrans what he experienced in the formation before he
starved to death. After he gave up his futile efforts to escape, he began to
explore his prison. The spheroid was not empty, but full of a substance
without form. He could sense that something was there, but he could not
physically experience it. Movement was possible by some sort of mental effort;
he was not clear as to the manner in which this was possible. It may have been
a problem in communciation.
Finally he moved toward the array of lights in the center of the formation. He
could not touch them; they were protected by some sort of shield. At the base
of the Chalice he found something which is not detectable from the outside. He
described it as a "pushbutton in the middle of nothing." Over the button was
some sort of symbol which he could not adequately describe.
A human being is a curious monkey, and he will probably be until the end.
Rivkne pushed the button. Nothing happened. He played with it until he got
tired of it, then drifted back to watch the rescue attempts which were still
progresssing. Rivkne could not be saved.
Just before his end, he returned to the center. It was assumed by this time
that he was delerious, for he started to rave and babble that the lights in the
Chalice were moving, coming together, and that he had ended the Universe. He
stopped retransing shortly after that, and he died.
The rescue team thought Rivkne had been delirious when he said the Chalice was
changing shape. time proved them wrong. Soon the change could be seen from
the surface by the rescue workers. The lights were moving very slowly, but
they were accelerating and they would form a single light in the center.
This is the end. Reports coming in from the astronomical outposts on the
Imperial frontiers all indicate the same thing. Star traces are changing.
Stars with red doppler effects thru all recorded history have changed. There
are no longer red effects anywhere; the Universe is no longer expanding. It is
moving at a slow but accelerating rate back toward its center.
We are doomed. I am writing this account in hopes that it may survive and
serve as a warning sometime in the future. I will place it in a tidurmag
projectile and fire it outward in the possibility it may escape the confusion.
Take warning!
[pp. 2 - 8, THE NO-EYED MONSTER #2, Spring 1965]
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