-continued from yesterday-
Somewhat in panic I once again stumbled forward through the shrubs and fell and made noise again. To my surprise, I tripped the very same Sani Sabik alarm. I thought they had been defeated by the Jove attack team, but soon enough it dawned on me that I had not merely jumped in space, but also looped back in time.
As the Sabik team made its way up to arrest me, I realized that the attack had not yet happened but was about to. This time, I interpolated my captors, and told them without hesitation:
"I know who is going to attack you: an advanced race known as the Jove."
This definitely got their attention. I continued, feeling a bit stereotypical but unable to think of anything better, and said: "Bring me to your leader!"
They did. I had to reassure them that I was not a Jove myself; I told them I was an Amarrian explorer and even though I think they did not quite believe me, they believed that I was not a Jove either. They brought me to the science compound in stead of the holding cell. There, the officer in command told me that an alien force was in orbit around the planet, and had destroyed their defenses. They were expecting an invasion, barges were already descending from the alien fleet towards the surface.
I told them about the Jove, and how the Empire had already met them (even though that event was in their future, which I did not mention). I told them about the Jove's superior power. Their best chance was to use frequency modulation, and I explained it to them. I also told them that even with that, they did not really stand a chance against a Jove invasion force.
I helped them prepare best as I could, and though there was some distrust they mostly followed my suggestions. The science compound did not really lend itself to withstand a siege, but they made makeshift siege defenses as best as they could. Sabik armor plating, even back then, is quite strong.
During those preparations I was allowed in the central room of the compound, which was built around an ancient artefact which the Sabik had found, and have been investigating. The entire goal of this particular research station was to contain and study the artefact.
As soon as I saw it I recognized parts of the artefact: Talocan thermo-electric convertors. You can see them in space, generating artificial wormholes linking up to the ancient Talocan wormhole network. Here, five thermo-electric convertors were arranged around a central portal which definitely looks like a gate. Except, it is not a usual wormhole gate, which only requires two aligned convertors and does not work in planetary gravity wells.
Four of the converters were powered up, and Sabik scientists were in a hurry to start up the fifth one.
I am convinced that this amateur experiment with retrieved Talocan tech is what triggered the Jove response.
-to be continued-
