Scrapyard Ship 3 Space Vengeance by Mark Wayne McGinnis Page A

is only one small aspect of the interchange. Constantly moving, it spreads itself across the multiverse, having the ability to keep a foot in multiple-time references and phased-dimensional realities at once.”
    “ You talk about it as if it’s a being. So it’s not technology based?” Jason asked.
    Granger smiled at this. “You’ll find that the lines differentiating things technologically- developed and things that are organically produced become more and more blurred with advanced cultures. To be honest, we don’t know what this interchange truly is. We do know that it doesn’t eat and drink or sleep like typical organic beings. We do know it builds relationships and provides access to wormhole travel to those with whom it has connections.”
    “ What does that even mean? Like to its friends?”
    Granger smiled. “For hundreds of years now my people have moved about the universe through the aid of the interchange. Most definitely ours is a symbiotic, friendship-based relationship.”
    “ How does that work? What does the interchange get in return?”
    “ When the time comes, when you wish to build your own relationship with it, that will be made apparent. But as part of our agreement, it is not something I am free to discuss.”
    “ Seriously? I find this all a bit hard to believe …” Jason said.
    Granger did not reply and simply nodded his head.
    “ Okay, so how do you contact it when you want to utilize the wormhole capability?”
    “ A simple request. One that is formatted specifically with the desired in-and-out point coordinates, along with other crucial information. The request is sent through something similar to—but much more efficient than—your FTL-type communications. In this case, it’s instantaneous. Just one of the locations, among many, where this information can be directed to is here, deep within Earth’s crust.”
    “ I guess that explains why the three Caldurian ships, the ones appropriated by the Craing to form the Emperor’s Guard, were scouring our planet. Seems they already knew much of this.”
    “ They were wasting their time. The interchange is quite particular about who will be allowed access. The Craing have proven to be brutal and selfish. Not unlike governments on your own planet.”
    “ So we are to be denied access to—”
    “ No, Captain. Although you have exhibited a higher degree of violence than the interchange, as well as the Caldurians, would prefer, the simple fact that you yourself have withheld certain technologies from your government speaks volumes,” Granger said. “So, with the Caldurians acting as a go-between, I have little doubt you’ll be granted access to the interchange.”
    Ah, so there it is, Jason thought. Granger, and the Caldurians, would be acting as a go-between, which really meant they could maintain control.
    Granger continued, “One more thing, Jason. You are under the assumption that the Craing Loop has been destroyed. That the Craing worlds will no longer be sending their fleet of warships to these sectors of the universe.”
    Stunned, Jason didn’t respond.
    “ I’m sorry, but you are mistaken. In less than three of your months, the Craing will again have the capability to travel to the far reaches of the universe. Even without access to the interchange.”
    “ No. That’s not possible. I witnessed it myself; those sub-stations on Halimar were totally destroyed.”
    “ What you didn’t know was that their science had already progressed to the point that soon they would no longer need those archaic planetary sub-stations. In fact, the Craing had already started tests on a significantly smaller, more powerful, and far more accurate space-based laser platform system. Your actions merely accelerated the testing and production of their new Loop program.”
    Feeling defeated, Jason’s shoulders sank. So many had died in that mission across HAB 12 and onto Halimar. Was there truly no way to stop the Craing?
    “ And what of