Ship Log - Verse Date: 4216.70

Our Verse jump from Verse 23 was a long 16 days. We emerge from the tunneling abyss, no docking station in sight. What a relief. I was getting tired of going back to those previous jumps sites. It seems like every one of them have indeed turned away from the mission, and are creating their own civilizations and cultural ways of life. Hard to blame them really, they were there for thousands of years. The time concept is still foreign to me though, I'm curious to see Lieutenant Lector's report on the matter. Seems like there is some difference in the rate of time passage between them.

Verse 6004, is massive. Twice the size of Verse One. Which means it had been expanding for a longer time given that the rate of expansion is the same as Verse One. The red light shift was slowing, preparing to revert to a blue light shift, which means a big bang reversal is in the cards for this place. No worries though, it will take the same amount of time for the Verse to collapse in on itself, as it did to expand, several billion years. We will all be long dead by then. Much like the Xaxon's, but hopefully in a less gruesome manner. I still feel bad about that one.

The nearby planets gleaming balls of burning lava as this solar system's star had burned out at some point and was now a pulsating quasar. At the helm today, myself and the flight crew, Captain Selta out sick. While I did enjoy her faultful humorous company, I am glad to finally have command of the Infinitum all to myself. Even if it's just acting command. Captain Mallick, all but retired by this point, is off planning the rest of his life in his study.

"Take us further into the sector John. I want to explore the next star system. Perhaps, we will find something interesting there."

"Which direction Lieutenant, there are several systems in this sector. There's a large Andromeda-like galaxy at our aft, a bright blinding light from the galaxy at our forward, and many others. Would you like me to keep going sir?"

While it was interesting to hear about them, "No, just pick one at random. Your choice. Engage light speed at your ready."

We jump to lightspeed in a matter of seconds, and within a few minutes we arrive at the galaxy John had chosen. Gliding through the expanse of kaleidoscopic visions in this star system we come upon a small solar system of only three planets. The smallest we have ever recorded containing life.

After scanning the solar system I can see life on the second planet from the young protostar at its center. Flying through the debri-filled solar system, the young bright star early in its developmental stages. Somehow, it seems a few planets have emerged teaming with life forms. Humanoid displaying in the reports from our scanners.

"John, get us close to the planet, and begin main orbiting protocols. Let's take a stance. This might be an emerging civilization. Can't be too careful, we'll have to conduct a planet study."

"I sir. Preparing orbital stance. We will complete the planet study in about 20 minutes sir. Just enough time for a bathroom break or a small coffee."

He's right, for once. This might be a good time to take a break. We had often met new civilizations whom we thought were ready to be among the stars. It didn't always end well. Stories of some were made into comic book strips or Dilbert cartoons because of their hilarious calamity. Most likey, our run-in with the Xaxon's would become one fairly soon when our ship log is discovered by an open communication request from the citizens of Verse One.

Since we could not consistently reach previous Verse's, we couldn't effectively include them in the voting process of Bluith voting across the multiverse because, well, communication is impossible.

——— Time break

Sipping my coffee in the chow hall, I see Lieutenant Lector sitting at a table munching on a salad. I go up to him and sit down at the metal table with him. My steaming coffee cup on the table. He looks at me.

"Lieutenant, I've noticed a time difference in each previous verse we've visited. Any idea what's going on there?"

"We've been studying the anomaly but we haven't quite got an answer. I can say we think there are some interdimensional levels at play which may explain it."

"Like what?"

"Are you familiar with something called Infinity Theory Lieutenant?"

I had heard of it a few times in my ancient history classes. But we didn't go much further into it.

"A little. Someone wrote a paper theorizing the idea in college from ancient earth, but it was never much more than that."

"Exactly, basically it's made up of three distinct levels: inner space, outer space, and the human level."

He goes on to describe that inner space is like the atoms and smaller objects of the world, while outer space is the solar system galaxies and universe. But you can extend both these even further for an infinite number of times. Similar to what you see when putting two mirrors facing each other.

So, on the other side of that will be the multiverse and multiple multiverses, and at some point a whole new level of being where higher demensional being could exist. Sort of how humans exist in a higher dimension from amoebas which could be extended further into the atomic level similarly.

By the time he is done, I'm as confused as you may be now. The only thing I understood was the mirror thing. But he sums it up further by saying,

"Time is based on the dimension you're located in, and every dimension can travel at a different speed of time, and some can even go back in time if we entered a gateway at just the right time. Another possibility is that we could end up in a higher dimension and a different time speed there too. Which makes sense given the time anomaly experienced by black holes. So we're working on a method to control these and hopefully we can control the jumps with that."

"I look forward to it."

I figured it's about time for John to have finished the scan of the planet surface, so I head back to the command deck.

——- Time Break

On the command deck, no one is there. I look around, but not a soul, I don't hear a single thing. On the display deck, I see a dissipating blue and yellow oval shape of particles floating in mid air.

"Lieutenant, come in, we are in here." The voice of our flight team echoes from the portal.

I must say, I'm in no hurry to jump in there given that it could be anything, but the sound of John and the flight team is inviting and pleasant. They don't sound in distress at all, but that's just the sort of thing you might expect a dangerous civilization to do.

My choice, wait. My wits about me this time, I turn toward the command deck door. Heading to find someone in the ship with some expertise on the matter. A portologist would be sufficient. Do we even have those here?

However, just as I reach the door a second portal opens right in front of me two inches from my face. The cloud of particles move toward me, sucking me into the rainbow lit spinning tunnel. I emerge the other side, in a pit with John and the flight crew. I can see a walkway just ahead, up the hill just behind a locked old rusty gait.

"What happened John? Why did you call me here?"

"I didn't." He says.

I look around at the sandy clay walls around us. A clear sign of an underdeveloped species. But how did they manage to make that portal? It was light years away from us in development.

The gate itself an old rusty piece of junk, strong enough to keep us locked inside.

"Hello, somebody, let us outta here." I scream up the steep ramp.

John and the crew join in. "Hello?" "Help us, we're stuck down here." "Let us outta here" Another one cried.

No one responds. Just a shadowy figure stepping out in the middle of the top of the ramp way, the silhouette of a human holding an object that made its shape like a soldier carrying a gun.

He stands there a moment clearly looking in our direction, and then makes his way back out of sight. Checking on the commotion to make sure nothing is needed on his part to quell the disturbance.

"Now what do we do lieutenant?" John asks.

As if I am the end all be all of ideas. I was only as good as my team which at this point won't be enough. However, I give as clear thoughts to the situation as I can, and once again my hands in my pockets feeling the device Lieutenant Lector had given me.

Pulling it from my pocket, I aim it toward the weak gate, press the blue button, and light comes from its end as it disappears into another rainbow light filled portal. The old rusty gate, still standing.

What can I do, the crew counting on me to solve this problem, but there is nothing I can do.

"We have no choice, but to wait." I say to the crew members.

All of them aghast at the very obvious situation where their leader couldn't help them. Still they follow my orders without question. I learn something you couldnt be taught about being a leader, it had to be leaned. A captain's persuasion carries weight, but can have far reaching consequences. Being a lieutenant and always focusing on being a captain, I had forgotten to see this important point. People will follow you to their graves if you command them on most occasions in extreme desperation.

This meant I was not just responsible for my own life, but the life of these people. It's a strange feeling to have, but it gives me more appreciation for being a captain. Responsibility is something most men would run from in this situation, but for me I am revived with a new sense of drive from that point forward. I know without a doubt I should be a captain.

"One of you must die." A godlike voice announced from above us. "Send out your best fighter."

Everyone looks at me, and suddenly I take back everything I had just thought about being a leader. Suddenly, I don't want it anymore. Death! I don't want to die.

As a captain I should delegate.

"John you go, it's been nice knowing ya bud, but someone has to go while I finish studying our possible routes."

John stands there, arms crossed just staring me down with cold eyes. The rest of the crew behind him, and all on his side in the matter.

"You're the acting captain, and it's your responsibility being the one with the best combat skills."

Truth is, I wasn't good at combat, only good at ancient history. I was only good enough to pass the combat test, and had never gone back to train anymore after that. Clearly, that won't matter here. The crew has made up their minds on it.

"Fine." I wipe the sand off my uniform, dust flying in the air as I do. I walk over to the gate entrance and announce my tribute.

"Alright, open the gate, I'll do it." Hell to it, I say. What's the worst that can happen? I've seen some terrible things, so who knows. Either way, I've survived them all already, haven't I.

Waiting for the gate to open, I am taken into another rainbow-like tunnel and transported to the center of a gladiator type arena. Before me sat kings and queens of this planet and thousands of humanoid beings cheering in the stands all around me.

"You have been chosen as tribute to the beast. Accept your fate, and stand a chance, or..." Lifting a hand towards the guillotine next to them "no chance at all. The choice is yours."

Not much of a choice, if you ask me.

"I'll take the beast."

Couldn't be too bad Probably just call him the beast for hype or something. The three men dressed in blue gowns standing next to the kings and queens lift up their golden trumpets with blue banners hanging down. They begin playing a loud melody signaling the start of the fight. By a coincidence, it was also the sound that told the guards at the beast entrance to open that gate.

The beast comes running out, and it's a tiny little mouse. I was relieved. I started to laugh.

"This is your beast?" I ask them.

They look confused.

"No, that's just a mouse. That's the beast." Pointing up above my head and behind me.

A large shadow cast before me as I turn around looking before me at the large crocodile's leathery feet. They are as big as the cage I had just been freed from.

My eyes trace the scaly creature's legs, knees, and finally his body a puggy fello, and then his snarling head with ogeresk ears, and crooked teeth. My head now fully extended backwards just to see the height of it. The leg of a previous eaten person hanging from his tooth like a piece of chicken from a regular sized human dinner. He spits it out clear across the field. He looks down at me, and with a big roaring gargoylian voice says, "hmmm lunchtime."

"Ahhhhh, holy shit." I piss my pants running the opposite direction toward the kings and queens. One of them dressed and shrouded in gold favors. Looks to be the leader and I beg him.

"Please don't do this. I am an explorer, not a fighter. We are here to study your people, and help you."

"We don't need your help, you need ours from the sight of it." Then he waves the fight to go on.

Not sure what to do, but I keep running the opposite direction. The beast right behind me. I feel a large scaly hand wrap itself around me, and lift me up from the ground. Squeezing me to feel how plump I am as if it matters for taste. Didn't seem to change his mind. As he turns me toward his mouth, and tosses me inside.

His tongue rolling me around. I miss his chomping teeth best I can. He bit my shoe, and it's ripped from my foot. Just barely missed my toes. Now with my left foot exposed I could feel the slimy goo of liquid on his tongue. I slip and fall diving straight down its throat.

His ribbed esophagus beating me from side to side on my way down. The light from the sun shines through red organic hues as I squeeze past the lower esophageal sphincter, and into his stomach I go. Falling through mid air of this massive stomach is like an auditorium back at the academy.

Looking down I see a raft or something approaching. When I hit, it's with a soft blow. Something breaks my fall. I lift myself up, and see two other people from this planet standing before me. One of them limping, apparently the owner of that foot we just saw. The other an older man with a gray beard, and a gown just like the one those kings were wearing. There is surely a story here.

"Hello fellas, fancy seeing you here." I extend my hand for a shake, and give a big welcoming teeth displaying smile. No one could resist a welcome as such. Well, no one in our position.

"My name is King Tholamin the fourth, this is my trusty king's guard Sir Jacob. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." The old man says. Sir Jacob stands at what could best be described as half attention to give me courtesy of some kind.

"So what brings you good people here?"

I say jokingly, to try to break the tension. The turbulence from the movement of the beast out sound only by the cheers from the crowd. Whom in reality were cheering themselves because they are just glad to not be in here with us.

My only thought at this point is, how long can we last down here, who will be coming down that shoot next, and what happens when we end up going out the back end.