Krikos: The Vertical Horizon

  Krikos:

  The Vertical Horizon

  Rishabh Dubey ‘Kridious’

  Copyright © 2017 Rishabh Dubey

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 1977888887

  ISBN-13: 978-1977888884

  Author’s Preface

  I

  opened my eyes and saw walls all around. The symbolism of a restriction… of a limit. The stereotypes were formed. The Universalities were decided, yet it could never be known that the only thing universal is eternity. There is no known limit to thought. Therefore, one particular day… I didn’t just open my eyes. I woke up…. and I saw nothing. Because when you see ‘nothing’ … then only can you create ‘anything’. I didn’t go by the stereotypes. I didn’t follow the norms. Novelty is a direct aftermath of Idiosyncrasy. The idiosyncrasy of thought that is. The majesty and impeccability of this novelty can be compensated only by this Vertical Horizon of thought.

  Imagine yourself walking inside a vertical bicycle tyre tube. For you, the General horizon shall rise upwards. If two such tubes were attached perpendicularly and scaled to a hundred times larger than the Sun, with the radial hole inhabiting the Sun itself, then it forms the ‘Krikos’; And the horizon rising upwards will be the Vertical Horizon of Krikos.

  ‘Krikos: The Vertical Horizon’ is a science fiction novel comprising the various struggles of humanity in a futuristic idealistic environment. The basic interrogative is “When we have everything then would the urge to seek more die?” What when all that we have been working for, and moreover ‘living’ for, has been achieved? Man has always thrived on his strive to prove his self-importance. Will this make man succumb to the archaic irrationalities to generate this so-called ‘Purpose for Existence’?

  In this book, two stories run alternatively in parallel, chronologically a millennium apart from each other. The first, that is the ‘Diaries of Flex’, is the story of the creation of the Krikos along with the plethora of conundrums and secrets involved. The second story, that is ‘Into the Dimension’ is the current scenario of the Krikos which is drifting rapidly through the corners of the Milky Way and exploring its different ends a thousand years after the events of the ‘Diaries of Flex’.

  Can the anthropocentric man combat his basic urge to explore… his basic need to know more? The gravity of this query intensifies when man came across another intelligent organism.

  ‘Krikos: The Vertical Horizon’ contests many such queries and provides possible answers to all of them. But the answer doesn’t always mean a solution.

  -Rishabh Dubey ‘Kridious’

  Acknowledgements

  T

  he basic difference between triumph and defeat is that the former brings unaccountable joy and euphoria to the victor. And a Triumph can never be well celebrated and enjoyed if it was sought and fought for alone. Also… it is very difficult to create something unique just on your own. Therefore, I chose to take as much guidance and support as possible from the people close to me, so that not only can I accomplish my inherent desires, but also, I have a lot many to express and share the euphoria of achieving them. So, I look up to all of you mentioned below as my ultimate intimate counsellors.

  I owe my work to my dearest friend Yash Srivastava who was to be my co-writer but couldn’t be so because of various technicalities and constraints. Even so, he has already done a lot for this book like adding the ‘Krikos’ before the ‘Vertical Horizon’, and suggesting certain constructive changes to the plot. Being a science fiction reader himself, he has been the representative of my target audience and has thus aided a lot towards the advancement of a story on an interesting and legible track. My inspiration to pursue science fiction genre was of course also Yash, as well as the great science fiction author Isaac Asimov, the one Yash had (thankfully) forced me to read.

  I also owe something special friend from the beautiful country of Portugal, Miss. Daniela Silva, whose innocent consideration of me as a good ‘English Teacher’ kept me on my toes to build my vocabulary and knowledge. She indirectly and inadvertently always boosted my morale.

  My inspiration towards writing has always been and will always be my father, Dr Triveni Prasad Dubey. Although it is impossible for me to even touch his level of excellence, for it can never witness a tantamount in all dimensions of space, yet I have always tried my best to live up to his expectations. He will always be the glacier of all that I know and perceive.

  Again, I owe a lot to my friends Avijit Sachan and Pranshu Bhatnagar who gave me a few salient illuminating pieces of advice whenever my heart and mind required them.

  I am indebted to my mother, Mrs Rama Dubey, for almost everything from my very existence to this very book. Her undying support was itself testimony to the universality that it is because of her I am what I am and am going to be.

  All in all, this book couldn’t have been possible without any of you. So, an explicit and candid whole-hearted thank you from me. I owe you all something immensely greater than greatness. I owe you my thoughts and my dream.

  -Rishabh Dubey ‘Kridious’

  Krikos: Navigation Pane

  (Powered by the Genetrix)

  Author’s Preface

  Acknowledgements

  Krikos: Navigation Pane

  The Orion-Cygnus Timeline

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 1- What is the Krikos?

  Into the Dimension: Episode 1- The Explorers

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 2- Time.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 2- Darkness Elite.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 3- Rainfall.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 3- Kridious.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 4- To see the unseen.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 4- The guest.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 5- The Stillites... and Flex.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 5- The Krydon.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 6- Eutopia Strata.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 6- Lost!

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 7- The Hexagon and the Iconoclasts.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 7- Annaeax.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 8- The translational duplicity.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 8- The Annaeaxian rebels.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 9- The Tears of Eternity.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 9- Sabotage.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 10- Change.

  Into the Dimension: Episode 10- the Revelations.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 11- The good ol ’days.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 11- Escape to the Darkness.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 12- The Holy war.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 12- Universe covered in smoke.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 13- The Star Eater.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 13- The Holy War.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 14- The Mirrors, the Shadows.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 14- Jumpers and the Hogs.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 15- The Technocrux and the Grid.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 15- The Dark Gladius.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 16- Eutopium I.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 16- Stillness Triumphs.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 17- Eutopium II.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 17- Infringium, The 14th district.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 18- Eutopium III.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 18- The Path to victory.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 19- Ceremenium.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 19- The Eutopium.

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 20- The End is the Change.

  Into The Dimension: Epis
ode 20- The end…. The Beginning...

  Diaries of Flex: Episode 21- Into The Dimension.

  Into The Dimension: Episode 21- Diaries of Flex

  Chronological References Tab

  The Galacta Cantos

  About the Author

  The Orion-Cygnus Timeline

  To be used for reference

  The Anno Domini ended in the year 2400 A.D. which marked the beginning of the Insignia Era (I.E.) or the Martial Era of Stability.

  The Insignia Era ended in the year 300 I.E. and marked the beginning of the Advent of Epilion (A.E.) or the Era of Explorations under Military Law.

  The Advent of Epilion ended in the year 640 A.E. and marked the beginning of the Eutopium Era (E.E.) or the Era of Capitalist Exploration.

  T

  he following document narrates the two most significant sagas of and about Krikos. One is a first-person Narrative by a Dr Rif’g Daniels, who lived during the early centuries of the Eutopium Era around 400 E.E.; while the other is a third person narrative of an era a thousand years after the death of Dr Daniels, the incidents entailed within it being a direct or indirect aftermath of the life of Dr Daniels. For the aid of the common reader, the events that led to those ages have been mentioned below. The timeline was given its concrete shape during the beginning years of the Eutopium Era when the first unmanned explorers had reached the constellations of Orion and Cygnus. Thenceforth it was christened as the Orion-Cygnus Timeline, or the time it took man to reach for these distant corners of the Milky Way.

  THE ANNO DOMINI

  2094 – Even after the Technology-Revolution, the environmental and resource-centric methods couldn’t decelerate the inevitable exhaustion. Hunger Crisis was witnessed across the Developing Countries. Governments fell apart. As the organizations struggled to battle the fuel crisis, new agendas started surfacing. The most important one was water.

  2115 - First civil strike occurred in parts of Bangladesh, U.A.E., and Iraq for water.

  2142- World population- 67.6 billion.

  Food costs escalated, scarcity of petroleum lead to mining expeditions sent out to unmapped localities and oceanic depths (by the relatively rich countries) to find petroleum for making plastics primarily.

  The Developed world invested in intense nuclear research and mega-nuclear projects to compensate for the loss due to fossil scarcity.

  The government of China fell - division into North and South China.

  India recorded maximum deaths due to food crisis - only the rich barely survived.

  Japanese government lost financial control over its states. Massive Civil breakout witnessed.

  Food storage in the world reached new heights. 104 animals, bird, insect, etc. species were eradicated and went extinct in the century.

  2152-2159 -Two nuclear accidents took place in the Western World.

  The State of Florida came down - declared uninhabitable - 16 million deaths reported.

  The first eastern alliance war took place with two major sides - Russia, Iran, Japan (Democratic strifists), Israel, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, etc. against China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iraq.

  2160 - Russia and alliance won with 1.45 billion deaths reported – The war was for water.

  Preferable and easier suicides and homicides occurring in the Eastern world.

  American government fell to the royalists – a drift in power towards the Great White North.

  Revolution in Russia - President assassinated. A Large outbreak of population in many Eastern countries fighting clearly for resources and habitable land. Those who occupied large lands were either killed, or their land was seized, or both. The city of Shanghai was captured by the Japanese for control of the Yangtze River.

  2163- Largest Nuclear Conflict of the world.

  China attacked Shanghai - first nuclear launch after 1945 - Shanghai destroyed. Deaths reported - 29.6 million.

  The Central European countries fought the First War of Europe – reporting 27 million deaths - people in the world had become expendable. The Western alliances dashed - each one for itself. The Western world became alarmed about the situation in the East - the nuclear launch had terrified them.

  2179 - Sterilisation Act released in India, Pakistan, and Russia. Every citizen of and above the age of 17, on and before 31 December 2178 A.D. had to be sterilised. This was the marking point of another Great Civil Rise.

  2189 – Japanese Democratic Army (JDA) started classified projects of mass killings in Kyoto, targeting major Civil Speakers. The Democratic Martial State of Japan ordered the Law of – Shoot at Sight - for anyone who spoke with a risen voice or in criticism of the scenario. Kyoto civilisation ended at the hands of JDA - reporting 24.9 million deaths.

  Government offices and stations tripped all around the world.

  2202 - The division of India into North, South, East, Middle East and West India, with the greatest rebel activity ever recorded.

  Anarchism in India.

  Southern India turned to communism while the North to stuck to Democracy.

  The Shanti Indian Democratic Alliance (Northern SIDA) launched nuclear missiles on the South, Sri Lanka and parts of Assam - the basic rule was "Kill and Take".

  Land was made the priority and not resources. Largest number of deaths by suicide /homicide / famine /hunger/nuclear destruction. Army kills reported more than ever in the globe – 3.2 billion.

  2207 - World trade fell out. Western alliances refused any trade relations. Activists from Ukraine tried to carry out a Bombing mission in England which fell out due to Command failure.

  The Indo-civil war along with that particular incident added fuel to the inferno of the West – The Eastern Alliance was Declared Hostile.

  2215 - The West assumed the shield of ignorance under the natural law “enemy of my enemy, my friend”.

  While the Eastern heads were still unstable, the Indo-civil war ended with one Royalist party in the seat. Japan and Eastern China were declared Kill Zones. The official armies of all nations of the East took a seat together to hold the land against a common enemy - the West – The Third World War began in 2220 A.D. and continued till 2242 A.D. 319 Major and Minor Nuclear strikes- The world cried without hope and awaited the so-called- Judgment Day. The recorded destruction-

  West - Southern North-America turned to ashes - England and France bore heavy damage.

  East - Japan disappeared from world map as a country - Eastern and Southern China, Southern and Western Russia, as well as Northern India, completely destroyed and devoid of all Life Forms.

  World population 19.6 billion.

  Total reported deaths- 21.8 billion.

  Total missing- 41.6 Billion

  2216-2253 - A resting phase, with the East attempting to regain civility with many failed Ruling Orders.

  Farming was the most prestigious job in the world.

  Money became extinct in the world. "Take what you can” was the phenomenon prevalent.

  2309 - Twenty-two Governments took over the remaining world.

  The government of the West took over America - England - France and many more nations.

  The government of China separated.

  The government of Russia took over the old Soviet as well as some other parts of Europe.

  The Government of India took over Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, some parts of China and Tibet. Other small governments were formed in the world - the World seemed one step closer to the ‘unity’ state. But not "CLOSE ENOUGH".

  2340 - First suggested idea of settlement on the Moon by the West.

  The space mission Hope was organized to carry out the construction on the moon. The first attempt at making an extra-terrestrial terrain habitable. The primary objective was to install a base reactor to power an electromagnet to produce artificial metal-linked gravity on a small surface on the moon.

  The results acquired were good enou
gh, and proved as a boon for the world's morale and hope. This mission was followed by a Russian mission of the same purpose. Though, the latter failed, thereby undermining the hope created earlier.

  The situations restored - rebel clans started forming again. For the first time, the new world governments met (20 of them excluding China and few others) to unite against the common enemy of "urge”. The armies of the world collaborated to fight the common evil, and the first Unilateral Governance Council of the world was formulated and named as the "INSIGNIA" government. The primary objective of the Insignia was to attain self-sufficiency on Planet Earth.

  The very government gave the world a sense of revived hope. China met its interests by hostile methods - killing anyone handicapped or disabled or diseased. Insignia confronted China on the Eastern Command front (Indian front), and as a result, China lost with the first victory over fatality witnessed by humans.

  The year 2400 A.D. marked the beginning of the Insignia Era (I.E.).

  THE INSIGNIA ERA

  2402 A.D. or 2 I.E. - World lacked resources.

  18 new world nuclear generators were installed.

  Artificial food supplements were the demand of the market.

  Though this peace era held many promises - people just enjoyed it until the first half of the 25th century A.D. After that, people started ridiculing the fact that their lands and their old states had to pay taxes to Insignia.

  There were four world sectors now - Central Europe (the Residency zone) -Eastern sector or the Resource sector (all nuclear projects were in this sector, and also the farming activities were ten times higher here) - Western sector (Developer’s land) and the Southern sector (Technological and Stability sector).