Dimensional Hazards

Dimensions. Most people think of them as those places that have the same people (mostly) but where different decisions are made. In theory there’s an infinite amount of these parallel dimensions as the scientists name them. Then there are Plain Dimensions. These are Dimensions which latch onto a Parallel Dimensions. If you can break into one, you will find a place where the laws of physics are twisted into a totally unrecognizable shape.
About 80 years ago, the scientists of my dimension figured out how to break the trans-dimensional barrier. Using Sardonyx to power dimension hopping portals, a group of about 100 scientists and soldiers were transported to a parallel dimension. We received one wave from them saying everything was fine. We never heard form them again. For 30 years out community shunned any research on dimensional travel.
It wasn’t until Dr. Hagnof Zelakin discovered 23 separate cracks in the dimensional boundary did the race for the new frontier begin again. There is a vacuum between dimensions called anti space. Within this anti space is a thread connecting dimensions with common things. These 23 cracks were too thin to be dimensional threads and were only connected to our dimension. Dr. Hagnof led a team of five scientists through the first crack before the government gave permission. And so Beta dimension, the first of the Plain dimensions, was discovered.
To this date nine of the dimensions have been explored and only seven of them have research bases. Alpha dimension is the label for the home dimension followed by Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, and Kappa.
Enough with the techno babel…

I joined the Ether-Corps at the young age of 11 in hopes of becoming a Dimension Hopper, a soldier who is both highly trained in the science and math field. At age 15 I graduated first in my class as a Lieutenant and was immediately shipped out to Beta dimension.
There I saved a drowning kitten like creature, painted a mural on my ceiling, caught up on sleep, and made the biggest scientific discovery on base, coffee doesn’t go bad in Beta dimension. After two years I was promoted to Captain and reassigned to Eta dimension. (Affectionately called hell)
The average temperature in hell is about 112 farenheight. There is sparse vegetation and even sparser water. Why they have a research base there beats me. There are no humans here unlike Gamma, Delta, and Theta. I was there for two weeks when a sentient sand creature struck. Neither bullets nor swords could take down the beast until I came up with the clever plan to spray the creature with the bases water supply. All that was left was a piled of mud and an empty water tank.
For three hours I was the least popular person on base, until a fresh run of water was made and I had orders to pack up and head to Alpha. Apparently a cranky scientist by the name of Benton Leo made a complaint to the Ether head committee along with the wave asking for more water.
The committee evaluated the case and decided reassignment was necessary. They handed me a packet called How to Survive in Theta D and stuck between pages 756 and 757 was a badge signifying Major and a note. 'Congratulations –DBL.'
There are no research bases in Theta D., only the remains of one. It stood for five years when a race of aliens from a nearby moon attacked. They resemble humans and could charm people to them. They would proceed to kill them, rape their dead bodies, and feast on their flesh, hopefully in that order. We called them the Sirens. Their technology was centuries ahead of ours. We didn’t withdraw and close the dimension barrier.
Sardonyx was a rare material on earth and at the rate of consumption we would have ran out fifteen years ago. Theta had as much Sardonyx as it did air.
I spent three years fighting against aliens and protecting miners. It wasn’t until I stepped in front of the sirens version of a grenade and nearly lost my leg that I was sent home. There was no promotion this time just two months leave after I had recovered before reassignment.
Before I was discharged from the hospital a mysterious benefactor sent me a card with a one way ticket to Thailand. ‘Relax and Enjoy Major Gallia Star. –DBL’

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Lantea a city of grandeur, whose bluish-green spires twist in an illusion of touching the sky, glowing silver walls never become barnacle incrusted after millennia of waves crashing against them. She lights up when her children are home and sings a gentle song that can be heard by only a few.
No-one has lived within her walls for decades. Her creators had died of a mysterious plaque and their bodies had become dust. Yes, a few had escaped but they had not come back. There were people close by. Approximately 153 miles away on the single continent occupying the planet, yet they were too primitive and had just mastered inventions such as fire and the wheel. It would be millennia before they harnessed the Power, let alone science.
Yet something had changed, the stale air occupying the city suddenly blew out and a soft song was sent across the sea.
Her children were coming home!

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He scanned the data from the latest anti space frequency wave. As usual, 23 cracks appeared on a black sheet. The nine explored dimensions were a blue color followed by 13 red lines. Any red line meant the barrier between Alpha and that dimension was too unstable.
Something seemed off about this data burst. Slowly scanning each line he stopped on Xi, the 14 crack. It wasn’t a hazy red but a bright emerald green. Brushing away a lock of blond hair, he pressed a button a one-eared headset. “Perry” he said “get Dr. Reon Gorran on the line.”
“Of course Doctor” Replied the voice of his secretary.
“Department of Inter-dimensional Travel, Dr. Gorran speaking.” Said a light feminine voice.
“Hello Reon, this is Dr. Benton Leo, how would you like to head up an expedition to Xi dimension?”

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“Incompetent fools!!!!” yelled a voice down the hall. I pitied whoever was at the hands of that voice. Meanwhile, General Fredrick Georgian continued lecturing me as we headed toward a briefing room in a complex labyrinth of concrete walls and pipes.
I had been catching up on some well deserved down time in Thailand when the General had found me.
“There is a new expedition. This place has never been explored and it’s not guarantied that you will return home,” was all he said.
“I’m in.”
I was whisked away to Canada, more specifically the Fort Hansfield bunker and research base. As we exited a jeep the General proceeded to inform me of the expedition to Xi dimension and the dangers I might face. Now back to the present.
I stopped the General half way down the hall. “Sir, why did you pick me to be in charge of the military on this expedition? At least half the military is more qualified to lead than I, I’m only a major.”
General Fredrick stopper and leveled his haunted gaze with mine. His voice was hollow.” I think you know why Major Star.”
We continued walking in silence until we reached a door. Quincidentally it was the door the voice had come from. The General opened the door and stepped aside. I walked into the broom cupboard turned briefing room. A tall woman smiled and beckoned me in. She had hazel eyes and wore civilian clothing along with the other three people in the room. Her blond hair was in a half pony tail while she played with a loose strand. I tugged my reddish brown regulation hair sub-consciously while observing the other woman in the room. She too had blond hair but it was darker than the tall woman’s. This woman was shorter than me by a head but had bright green eyes that almost rivaled mine….almost. Lastly, a man who was seemingly oblivious to my entrance, instead shouting curses and the occasional instruction to someone over a headset. The man continued the trend of blonde hair, his reaching down to his shoulders and sky blue eyes. He was slightly pudgy but not overweight.
I was roused out of my musing’s by the click of a door closing. The General apparently wouldn’t be joining this conversation. The man stopped talking over the headset with a glare from the tall woman who had begun to speak.
“Major Star?” she waited for the nod of my head, “I’m Dr. Reon Gorran, the leader and diplomat of the Xi expedition. The woman to my left is Dr. Heather Dream, our Chief Medical Officer, and too my right is …” Dr. Gorran was cut off by the man.
“Dr. Benton Leo, dimension expert, astrophysics, and smartest man in this dimension and unchallenged in 9 others, soon to be 10.” Dr. Leo said in a pompous voice.
‘In other words asshole’ I thought to myself but instead said “You’re the one who had me pulled out of Eta. I saved everyone’s butt on the base and you complain about no water for a few hours.”
“I was doing you a favor. No-one deserves to be stuck in that hell-hole.” He waved it off.
“So what were you doing there?” I gave him one of my most charming grins while grabbing a chair. Facing Dr. Gorran and Dream, “So the General said we might not be able to come back to Earth. Is it true?”
“Yes. We sent a robot scout ahead.” Reon explained. “Information and images could be sent through. The ‘Earth’ in Xi is habitable. It took allot of power to receive the information but when we tried to send the robot home it was like hitting a brick wall. We have been sending supplies over the past week to distribute power. It would take at least 5 Sardonyx generators just to jump over the people on the expedition.”
“When do we leave?” I asked.