"Something is definitely happening here, Wilson. I can distinguish feelings of aggression all around. The feelings are so strong I feel oppressed by them. I cannot understand why these people are so upset."
"I thought you understood everything, Mr. Nor. Why is it you're incapable of dealing with the first problem you face? Perhaps you aren't as good as you think you are, eh?"
I was irritated by his lack concern over the fate of this colony. He kept examining me, a strange look in his eyes.
"What are you looking at, Nor? I'll bet you don't like the fact I can see things as they are. Admit it, nor, you're a failure. I can't help you either. This colony is doomed. We're all going to die. And for what? Why don't you do something instead just sitting there?"
"Mr Wilson, I believe I will do as you suggest. You've unwittingly shown ne what is going on. I will go out and attempt to verify if what I suspect is true. Meanwhile, it would be better for you if you relaxed here until I came back.
He stood up and left immediately. I was fuming. The nerve of that man, to tell me what to do. I felt like showing him a thing or two. And to claim I had helped him. It was ludicrous. How could I have helped him? I was not native to the colony. I was not affected like they were. He was bluffing and I would make him admit it when he came back empty-handed.
Dirmac Nor had been gone for hours. I was tired and upset and so, retired for the night. It must have been three or four in the morning when he returned. He woke me with a gentle shake of my shoulder. I felt very tense and barked at him:
"What do you mean, waking me up at this ungodly hour? Can't you see I'm in bed? Have you no..."
"Calm yourself, Mr. Wilson. I would appreciate it greatly if you would put this device over your ears."
I eyed him with suspicion.
"What are you trying to do to me?"
"Mr. Wilson, please take hold of yourself. You are behaving irrationally. This device is a sound filter. That is all."
I grumbled but finally acquiesced, installing the contraption. It looked somewhat like a pair of bulky headphones. Sounds became muted. Surprisingly, I felt myself relax.
"Feeling better, Wilson?"
"Indeed I do. I feel very relaxed. I also feel perplexed. Why in the Empire did I get so upset at you and how does a sound filter better my mood?"
"That, Sir, is a good question. And if you would sit with me for a meal, I'll provide you with the answer."
Chapter five
We were drinking an after-supper relaxant before Nor carried out his promise.
"The answer is both simple and complex. The damage is caused by sound. Low intensity subsonics are used to irritate and create tension in the colony's inhabitants.
"If this is true, the answer is very simple indeed. Why was it never noticed?"
"Because of its low intensity. You Homo Sapiens have the habit of getting over-involved in whatever situation you are in. For example, when you became irritated earlier, you never once rose above the irritation. You simply became irritated. You did not question the reason for your irritation and that was your undoing."
"I see."
"When you became more and more tense, I grew curious. You had no reason to be tense. So I examined you, hoping to notice what was affecting you."
"Did you find anything? "
"Yes. Your ears."
"My ears?"
"They were twitching. A very slight twitching and subsonics are known to cause vibrations. It all became clear. That's why the Empire investigators found no one. The system would be installed and the activists could leave, operating it remotely."
"That means we won't be able to catch them."
"I don't think that's quite true in this case, Mr. Wilson, because this is the last colony established by the Empire. I cannot believe these aggressors would destroy all three colonies without a reason. No such reason has been shown yet. I expect some of these activists will have remained on this colony, preparing a demonstration, a statement to be made against the Empire."
"Maybe they have done that already."
"Don't forget less than two months have passed since the production quota drop. There are still four months to go before the colony self-destructs. If we move with speed, I suspect we have a good chance to catch them in the act."
"How do you propose to locate them, Mr. Wilson?"
"These subsonics must be emitted by some apparatus. We should be able to locate them with an appropriate device. That was the reason for my earlier exit. I obtained such a device from a local contact. So perhaps it is time for a sortie."
"I'm ready to go, Mr. Nor. I have two destroyed colonies on my mind. They shall give me the courage I need."
"Let's be off, then."
Leaving the hotel, we visited a rental office, obtaining a private vehicle for the night. I was not so naive to think the aggressors would surrender without a fight, yet Dirmac Nor seemed unperturbed by the risks we were taking. I found myself trusting his instincts far more than I did mine.
His device did its job well. Within forty-five minutes, we found ourselves examining a three-story apartment building. Nor pointed at a large parabolic reflector on its roof. That size of reflector was not needed for any residential purpose.
"How do you propose to enter?"
"We shall wait for someone to leave. I will imitate his appearance and our foray will begin."
Our wait was short. A few minutes later, a man walked out, carrying a large box. He seemed worried.
I noticed he was wearing something over his ears.
"Look Dirmac. He's got a muting device on his head."
"Indeed. We are more than fortunate; the box he carries contains something crucially important to him. Look how worried he is. We can use that to our advantage. Come, it's time to enter."
"But what about me? You can disguise yourself, but I'll stand out in that place."
"Don't worry. I'll blanket you. It is easy to attract their attention onto myself. They won't even notice you. Simply stay out of their way and follow me."
We ran across the street to the building entrance. I was again astounded by Dirmac Nor when he took on the appearance of the man we'd seen. He made himself look disheveled and seemed to have bruises on his face. He signaled me to be quiet and then crashed through the door. Several men ran down a flight of stairs, rapidly reaching Dirmac and surrounding him. None of them glanced at me.
"Jack, what's wrong? What happened? Where's the box?"
"They took it from me. They jumped on me and took it."
"They? Who's they?"
"I don't know. I didn't see anyone and then it was too late. They were gone. I think our cover's blown."
I grasped the purpose of Dirmac's ranting. He was pushing them into a course of action they were unprepared for. They helped Dirmac up the stairs. We reached a room and entered. It was difficult to prevent jostling the men in the small area. One of them grabbed a screen-phone, jabbing numbers. Looking over his shoulder, I committed it to memory. He spoke in clipped sentences. The man on the screen replied they were to wait. Dirmac nor spoke up.
"What's going on?"
"Relax, Jack. The Conclave isn't through yet. The Supervisor is on his way over. He'll know what to do."
The Conclave. We now had a name, and the Supervisor, whoever that might be, would soon be in our grasp. Again, our wait was short. A short, fat man entered and the others saluted him. He approached Dirmac.
"All right, Jack. Do you remember anything about what they looked like? I've heard rumors about an Empire investigation. Anything you can tell me will help."
A ripple flowed over Dirmac's face and he became the supervisor. A smile spread across his face, as gasps were uttered by everyone in the room. They stood frozen, uncomprehending.
"Gentlemen, you are under arrest by order of the Empress."
Chapter six
The security force had no problem gathering the Conclave group. I could not forget the look of consternation on the Supervisor's fac
e when Nor took on his appearance.
"You know, Dirmac, I understand much more about your neutrality now. I'm glad you've never chosen to imitate me."
"You need not worry about that, Mr. Wilson. However, do not believe for a moment our search for the Conclave is over. We may have saved the colony but we have only a handful of the Conclave to show for it."
"I don't know about that, Mr. Nor. The Empire security personnel are rather good at questioning."
"I have a feeling that..."
Dirmac nor was interrupted by a sergeant. It seemed the Conclave's supervisor wished to speak to Dirmac and no one else. We seated ourselves in the security flyer and waited in silence until our arrival at the Empire prison house. We were led to a small cubicle where the Supervisor was being detained.
"My name is Nor. You wish to speak to me?"
"Mr Nor! I do not understand your abilities and must congratulate you on our swift capture. However, you have changed nothing. The Conclave will survive such minor defeats and vanquish in the end because its cause is just. The Empire's greed and control is the cause of much pain and suffering for the benefit of few. This Empire, Sir, is at an end. We of the Conclave will bring about that end. That is all I have say."
The man started shaking violently and collapsed. I noticed his left hand had a small self-inflicted cut, caused by his nail. The man was dying, surely self-poisoned. I shouted for a doctor but to no avail, for, within seconds, he was dead. Nor looked at me.
"Such determination will cause the Empire much pain before the Conclave is brought to its knees, Mr. Wilson. Somehow the Supervisor hid his desire to kill himself. I perceived his intentions too late to act."
"Don't blame yourself, Nor. The man meant to die one way or another. You would never have stopped him."
"I must agree with you. He may be gone now, but his words remain and disturb me. We may have won a small battle but I fear a war still waits for us. What fate lies in store for the Empress Empire?"
Dirmac looked out of the window and remained bitterly silent for a long time.
The end
Write Your Own Neutral Story
I originally wrote this story as the first of a long series of stories following the exploits of Dirmac Nor. However, I never did and that's a shame because it could be a great series. Years ago, Isaac Asimov authorized the release of a series of books called 'robot city'. Each book was written by a new author and had to be based on the information provided in the previous books, much like the star trek series.
So I offer up the Neutral universe for all writers out there. Base yourself on the first story for knowledge and parameters. Use your knowledge of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Isaac Asimov's foundation series for style. No profanity, excessive bloodiness, or inappropriate sexual content. Keep it PG. If enough stories get written, I'll assemble the best into an e-book and publish it as a free book. I will review every story released and give it my honest rating. This is a volunteer effort only.
If you love Sherlock Holmes like I do (and Asimov, of course), take your hand at writing the next Dirmac Nor story. I saw a long story arc in which they were frozen in time, woken up to solve crucial universe-wide, or endangering, problems. They should have a mortal enemy, like good ole Moriarty, spruced up to space standards. Five to six thousand word story length should be good as a base. Edited work is a must. Remember, your stories have to be based on all info from the previous stories. That means two things:
1) The earlier your story, the more you can control its direction for the story arc
2) As a consequence, always be thorough and logical in your storylines. Don't make it hard for the next author to follow your story up.
Please contact me through my website if you have any question or to update me on a new release.
More Books by Matt Chatelain
The Caves of Etretat Series
Unknowingly manipulated to become the key in the final phase of a complex conspiracy spanning millennia, Paul Sirenne is led to discover hidden knowledge and gain fantastic new abilities, preparing him for an ultimate confrontation beyond the forces of good and evil.
The 'Caves of Etretat' series is a four book, epic adventure which follows Sirenne as he learns the answer to the primordial question: why are we here? Inextricably woven into actual history and intrinsically based on ancient esoteric principles, the series gradually reveals an alternate perspective on the nature of reality, explaining the why and the how of our existence through Sirenne's personal evolution.
Delve deeper into the mysteries of Paul Sirenne's story in all four books of the Caves of Etretat series:
Book One: the Caves of Etretat
In the first novel of the series, Paul Sirenne uncovers a lost family secret, leading him on a historical treasure chase, shortly after his father is found brutally murdered. Assisted by three friends via the internet and hunted by a serial killer, he ends up in touristic Etretat, France, on the trail of a hundred year old mystery, hidden in Maurice Leblanc's book 'the hollow needle'. Falling in love with Leblanc's great-granddaughter and running at a breakneck pace, he deals with puzzles, theories, codes and historical mysteries, leading him to believe that Leblanc held a secret war against Adolf Hitler for the control of an incredible complex of caves hidden next to Etretat.
Book Two: The Four Books of Etretat
In the second novel, Sirenne discovers the real reason for the hidden war: the secret of immortality. Becoming an immortal himself, Sirenne learns of the abbey, a thousand-year old organization dedicated to chasing the oldest immortal on earth, known as the Greyman. The abbey has given Sirenne control of the caves and its secrets, apparently preparing him for a confrontation with the Greyman. Unfortunately, the serial killer who killed Sirenne's father, Weissmuller, has discovered this knowledge before Sirenne. Now an immortal and constantly dogging Sirenne's steps, Weissmuller seems to be playing a game of his own.
Book Three: The One Book of Etretat
In the third novel, the world is in chaos. Countless disasters are occurring everywhere and a pandemic disease is killing all children in the womb. People and countries, desperate for a solution, are demanding Sirenne's immortality cure. Sirenne knows it's not the true answer and is desperately trying to solve the clues laid out by Maurice Leblanc and the abbey, looking for the one book. Changed by his immortality, he develops new senses which give him an increasingly different perspective on everything he sees. At the same time, all events seem to be converging on him. Weissmuller, the immortal serial killer is circling closer and closer.
Book Four: The Greyman
In the fourth and final novel of the series, Sirenne learns that he has been selected to lead the abbey to the other, the only being strong enough to defeat the Greyman. Sirenne has mastered electromagnetic flight and the ability to manifest objects and manipulate matter. Weissmuller has revealed himself and an uneasy alliance has been made. The world is falling apart and people are dying by the millions as Sirenne continues trying to understand what is really going on. The unstoppable Greyman is drawing near and an ultimate confrontation seems inevitable. Everything rests on Sirenne's final decision. Will he be able to accept the real answers behind everything?
What reviewers say about the Caves of Etretat:
"I didn't want it to end-filled with mystery, intrigue, treasures, conspiracies, and fascinating characters. What appears to begin with a murder, turns into something much deeper and entangled with events that took place decades prior. I found myself lost in the maze of events and ingenuity of the people who are destined to unravel the mysteries. Five stars. - A.C, a reader.
"one statement in the story says it all. True destiny is foisted on the average man, despite what he wants. This story is so believable that it will change the way you look at history. This is the first of a series of four books, and if they are all as riveting as this one, you will not be able to put any of them d
own. It is an outstanding mystery, with every page an attention grabber. I recommend it highly to anyone who loves mystery suspense stories, but make sure you set aside plenty of time to read, because you won't want to set this one down. I can't wait for the next book!" 5/5 flowers - It's Raining Books- Book review blog site
"While this book is not your average crime/mystery, it was an amazing book. It will keep the reader guessing and turning the page.
I do not know how the author was able to capture the feelings behind the words but reading this book carried me through to the crime scene and over to Europe with Paul, the main character. The author wrote this book with feeling like, it was something he has experienced. Whether that is true or not, I do not know. However it is there all the same.
It carries the reader into the past to learn about ancient codes and mysteries. The hollow needle is referenced in the book, with accurate descriptions. If you like a serial crime novel then this is the book for you. I honestly had a hard time putting this book down and going back to sleep at night. I highly recommend this book.
This is the first in a four-book series. I cannot wait to start the second book."
The bunnies and I give this book four out of five stars - Bunny's Reviews blog site
"Looking for a good mystery? Paul, a bookstore owner, has it rough right from the get-go. His parents are murdered and etched into their skin are the mysterious letters H.N.. Paul isn't one to take things lying down and his parents' murders hit him hard. When he stumbles upon some family secrets, he decides to try to solve the crime
Paul's character was nice. He wasn't particularly forceful or weak, the reader will probably like how much he seems to care for his family. Paul will impress the reader with his ability to discover clues and uncover long-held secrets. The other characters were interesting enough, they were all generally nice to meet (except the antagonist, of course!). What was great about this book was that the antagonist, someone the reader may or may not guess, wasn't really likable at all.. .the reader will probably not feel too much sympathy.