First Journeys Chapter 17a

Chapter 17: Auditorium

I felt I just went to bed as they woke us and gave us what I felt way too little time to get bathed and groomed.

But Neo Vikings were early risers and having warmed almost hot water for shower and hygiene was actually a new experience for me. Even though the shower stalls had privacy screens, seeing human girls with nothing more than a towel entering the hygiene cells was quite something.

“Cadet Olafson don’t just stand there and stare, there are others that need to use that cell!” One of the even here present Instructors barked. I nodded and was glad he wasn’t a telepath.

He added.”I am Olafson, almost all Instructors are.”

I cursed and felt the blood rush to my head. He no longer paid attention to me and reprimanded a gorgeous girl with copper colored skin and dark green hair.” The timer said eight minutes shower time, not eleven, get moving!”

After a breakfast conducted with the same formality as the dinner the day before we were assembled in a large room to receive our first instructions.

It was almost like being back in Basic School, only on a much bigger scale. The class room had room for at least 200 beings and it filled up to the last seat. The students tables were arranged in a half circle fashion on rows of tiers. My table neighbor was the Non Corp. He now like everyone else, a dark green uniform; his was completely sealed just like before complete with a tight fitting hood and that gold plated mirrored face plate.

Down below in the center of the room was a lectern and behind it a large field screen. It showed an animated image of the flag of the United Stars of the Galaxies: the stylized local group of galaxies on a dark blue oval field and four red and three white vertical stripes. I knew the four white stripes symbolized the three founding species Terrans, Saran and Pan Saran and the first member, the Ult. The five red stripes represented civilizations that have joined in the first decade of its existence namely the Quadi-Peds, Spindlar, Andorians, New Vril, Zulu Nations and the Bellebees. A repeating text message ordered us to find a seat and remain quiet until the instructor would come at 0700 hours. There were still eight minutes to go.

I was amazed by the diversity of beings in green uniforms around me. Even though humanoids were in the majority, there were no blocks. Humanoids and non humanoids shared tables.

The female computronic voice of the Non Corp said.” You are the human asking me about my name in the line before the Auto Dressers are you not?”

I nodded.”Yes that was me!”

“I am still learning to differentiate human shapes and facial features. You are human and you are a male, right?”

“Yes I am human and I am male. You are female I gather?”

“No I am not. My species has no gender. I wonder why everyone thinks I am female.”

“It is your voice, it sounds female.”

“Oh that would explain it. These containment suits come with the voice modulators built in. Since I am non corporal I don’t have ears and the concept of acoustics and sounds are very new to us as well.

“So you really live on the surface of a star?”

“My family used to, but we Non Corps occupy not just the surface of a star, besides it is very hard to define the word surface on a sun in the first place. It’s more like layers of many surfaces; we define regions in magnetic bubbles. While I came into existence on our star, my family moved to Bright Shine Station to be more integrated Union citizens as it is very important to us to do our share. I have not really lived on our Star for very long.”

“I wonder how it would be to live on a star.”

“We don’t so much live on the star as with the star. It is complicated to explain but there are several books written both by Non Corps and humans that are much better explaining it. I think there is even a Virtu Experience allowing corporal beings to experience it themselves, I am not exactly a scholar and could not put it in adequate terms, besides its not all that great I personally prefer to live on a station or a planet. I like having things you know. One can’t have anything on a star. There is nothing solid either and I love solid things, to actually lie down on a bed and realize the three dimensions in an orderly fashion is sheer bliss.”

I was fascinated by the Non-Corps Answers. “I think I will read those books, you recommended.” It was the first time I really considered to follow up and read a book on my own for sure.

“I am Three-four-five-two dash nine-nine-one, but you can call me Three-four. Where are you from?”

“Nice to meet you Three-four, I am Eric and I come from Nilfeheim. That is a cold water world in the old Xunx Expanse.”

“Oh a water world, I doubt there is anything more alien to me than water or liquids. I can watch a running water faucet for hours it never stops to amaze me! I bet you actually go swimming and have contact with the water, right?”

“Yes I do. Swimming and diving is second nature to me, but it is not as important anymore as it was to most of my kind.”

A deep blue skinned, small in stature and bald headed officer stepped behind the lectern asked us to settle down and be quiet. It took a few moments and then he begun. “I am Lt.Commander Tentwor, I am of the Blue and come from a world located in the the Andromeda Galaxy. Some of you may know a little more about ancient pre Union history and know about the fact that we originated in this galaxy and are closely relagted to the Golden and the Kermac. But while we originated from the same world and while we are of the same species we are not the same race and Union members for almost exactly 500 years.

“I am one of your instructors on this academy for nine years now and I believe I might just have the best job in all our galaxies.” He made a gesture that incorporated the class room. “It is a special privilege to be one of the first to welcome you and doing my part in your education.

“I see two hundred beings before me and all of you have managed to pass the first hurdles, tests and obstacles. You can be proud of yourselves. For everyone here 1000 Applicants have not met the requirements to become officers, most of them will still have a chance to serve as enlisted but you passed the first tests, for this I am issuing you all the Plebes Dot.”

He paused as the cadets around me looked at their ribbon displays and a small rectangular icon appeared a green field with a red dot. Three-Four asked.”Do I get it too?”

“Yes it’s there!”

Tentwor raised his voice a little. “Now that you all had a chance to see that your ribbon display actually works and you all got your first citation. Let me continue.”

Behind him the display on the screen changed. Images of thousands of beings and planets floated in rapid succession together; swirled and morphed into a representation of the Union Fleet emblem of a stylized universe with three swords and an upwards pointing chevron representing a star ship at lift off. He pointed to the image behind him. “Individuals from all across the Union, from the most diverse backgrounds and civilizations are before and around me and decided to do their share protecting and defending our great community. Doing so ensures the safety, the liberties and freedoms of everyone else. Be assured you have earned my deepest respect for this decision alone.”

He changed his stance and saluted us and said. “But the journey you have just begun will be hard one and there will be many times you find conditions inhuman, unfair or impossible to endure. Rest assured none is done in disrespect or should be taken personal. It is but it is done to prepare you for what lies ahead. Once you leave this academy. Those that graduate will be officers and responsible for the lives and saefty of others. As hard and demanding your training and education might appear to you, consider that millions have done it before you.”

The auditorium’s lights dimmed and a top view of our galaxy appeared in all its magnificent glory before us, the bright glowing center from where the spiral arms reached into space.

We only heard his voice as the Instructor continued talking. “This is our Galaxy, a SBbc type Barred Spiral Arm. It has a diameter of 100,000 light years and is almost exactly 1000 light years thick. According to our latest data it contains 390 billion stars. Not counting the globular clusters that technically belong to this galaxy as well. It brings to mind just how small the Union with all its planets and members is, compared to the galaxy and the Universe and perhaps it shows best why we need a fleet that protects our space and our way of life.”

His voice paused for a moment and then he continued. “Those are numbers that help us to understand but I doubt that any of you and including me can really fathom what those numbers represent.”

A deep voice from somewhere else in the auditorium said.”One must correct you, Lieutenant Commander...”

The Blue officer smirked.”No one with the exception of the Narth.”

“I shall attempt to assist you in gaining such comprehension, Sir.”

The instructor’s voice sighed.” Your offer is duly noted Cadet Narth, but right now I need to continue this class.”

While I wondered who this Cadet was. Lt. Tentwor resumed his lecture and the image of the Galaxy fell back and other Galaxies came into view. “Our Galaxy is, as you all know part of what is known the local group, thirty two galaxies with its gravitational center located pretty much exactly between our Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy and as you can easily attest by simply looking around this very auditorium these Galaxies are also teaming with life. Life so it appears manifests in the most unusual places. Ranging from the depths of oceans, to deep space and the very surface of stars and when life becomes sentient and is capable of starting a civilization they often leave their place of origin behind and start to explore and expand.”

My Non-Corp friend sighed. “He’s talking about us, but without the help of the Union we could have never left our star. How can you build a civilization when you can have nothing solid?”

“I can imagine!”

“I am going to be a good cadet and a good officer and perhaps we find another civilization like ours and then we can help them too.”

The Instructor said louder.” A good Cadet also keeps comments for itself until I am done.”

“Yes Sir! Sorry Sir!” Three-Four managed to make his Computer voice sound apologetic.

Tentwor smiled and continued. “A civilization that leaves its cradle and discovers faster than light technology ascents, it raises so to speak from their planetary cradle, their gravity well and step on the galactic stage.

“Once a civilization has ascended sooner or later they will find out they are not the only ones who have done the exact same thing. Meeting another civilization in most cases is the single most profound event in any species history.It changes everything. The notion to be the crown of evolution is shattered. Some cultures are older and travel space much longer than others and the civilization that had just stepped on the Galactic Stage suddenly find out that space as boundless and endless it seemed to them, has borders and restricted areas, space claimed by other civilizations. Not all first contact meetings are benevolent, many are quiet violent. A tech level three explorer leaving the confines of its solar system running into a tech level four pirate will never return to its home world, instead a horde of savage pirates descends to pillage, steal and kill.

The view once more centered on our Spiral Arm Galaxy and four lines appeared, dividing the image vertically and the other horizontally through the center. “Our Galaxy we often refer to as M-0 has four quadrants. On the upper left is Upward, below left Coreward. On the right upper side is Spinward and below right Downward.

A large elognated assymetric blue field appeared inside the Upward Sector.

He pointed to it. “Most of our space is in the Upward Quadrant.”

Three tiny bright blue dots appeared, more or less in the center of that blue field

“These dots that you see now in the Upward section of the Orion Arm represent the locations of Earth, Saran and Pan Saran, the three civilizations that came together and founded the United Stars of the Galaxy.”

More and more dots appeared and in an increasing speed.

“Since then we added 5,019 civilizations spread over 800,000 Star systems and about five million planets. As you can see a blue sphere has appeared Coreward. This is the Klack Empire that has joined the Union a little over two hundred years ago. Beyond the Klack that tiny bulge there is the Archa Expanse.

“All that space in Coreward below the Klack is unexplored space. As you can see most of Downward is unexplored.” The Image focused now on the upper right quarter. “Up there in Spinward that is where we are right now and we are still close to Upward space. You may notice the red and blue striped area blinking all around us. That was former Galactic Council space, claimed by the Nogoll and until lately protected by the Big Four Treaty. The Nogoll have attacked one of our new members, the Elly up here and declared war upon the Union shortly thereafter. All this are sub sequent consequences of the Dai Than Invasion in the Prometheus Five Nebula area, which is down here.”

The magnification increased and focused on an area of space about 100 light years above the marked position of Arsenal.

A spotlight focused on the Blue and the instructor pointed into the darkened room. My eyes able to see in much darker condition under water saw a cadet standing with his hand up.

The Instructor said.” Cadet Kolmin you have a question?”

“Yes Sir, I do. I am among the first Elly joining the Union Academy. Should I not go and volunteer and fight? There are perhaps humans dying right now defending my home worlds!”

“Your concern is understandable, and you are doing your part right now becoming an officer. Yes there will be casualties and they must be replaced. You doing your part that we always have soldiers, space men, marines and Officers to defend the Union and its members.”

The Instructor made the screen focus on that area and the magnification increased until the Elly star systems became visible and identified by text next to the stars. “I dialed up the actual tactical chart for you, Cadet. As you can see there is no fighting anywhere near Elly worlds anymore and military action concentrates on the last three Nogoll systems.”

The chart returned to Galaxy view and the Instructor said.” Meet me after this instructions and I will make an exception and let you call home to make sure your families are all right!”

The Elly thanked the Officer and sat back down.

The Blue looked down at his lectern.”Now where was I? “A red dot wandered across the Galaxy representation to a thin blue line emerging on the outer rim of Spinward. The magnification reduced once again until we could see then Magellan Clouds and Andromeda. The Blue Line connected M-0 with the larger Andromeda Galaxy. “This line, Cadets, represents the Bridge connecting this Galaxy with M31.A string of space stations allowing traffic and connection to Andromeda. Seventeen civilizations have joined our Union in our mostly unexplored sister galaxy. Over there you see the Large Magellan Cloud and almost half is blue, because the entire Attikan Commonwealth and all their members became Union in 4500 and full integration was reported in 4800

The Image focused on the second spiral galaxy and in it a small blue area.

“Just the day before yesterday, the Arlboro Hegemony applied for membership at Pluribus Unum. I am sure some of you heard the news on GalNet. The Arlboro are as advanced as we are and add their space to ours. The Arlboro globular cluster contains many million stars and over 20,000 stars systems of it are settled or claimed by the Arlboro that are as of today officially Union Territory. I believe there are several Arlboro Cadets already among us.

A voice in the dark confirmed that.” There are 700 of us here at Arsenal, Sir.”

“This is what I meant when I said that I have the best job in the Galaxy. It is always a pleasure and a special honor to greet new members. I am certain we will learn a great deal from each other in the years and decades to come, as it takes time to fully integrate a new member into the Union.”

On the projected image of our Galaxy spheres of other colors appeared and the Instructor returned to the subject.” There have been empires and galaxy spawning cultures and civilizations before the Union in this Galaxy, and some rose to great power and spanned the entire spiral. We know of quite a few but we are certain there have been many more. The oldest Star in our Galaxy is a little over 17 billion years old and during that time till today many civilizations have risen and fallen. However our Union differs from all those we know about, as we are not an Empire, not a kingdom but a Union. Not ruled or dominated by one culture but jointly occupied by all united under common rules, goals and laws that apply equally to all. Of course in terms of Galactic civilizations we are still at the very beginning. Three thousand standard years is not a very long time by any standard measuring the progress of civilizations, but we are not new at it anymore and we begin to mature. The Union is strong but as you can see even 400,000 star systems are next to nothing to a volume of 390 billion stars. The Union has friends out there as well as enemies. We had to fight several big and violent wars and there have been a large number of smaller conflicts.

The Shiss, the Nul-Nul and the association of sentient species we know as the Galactic Council, now openly ruled by the Kermac are currently our biggest adversaries, even though we currently enjoy a period of peace, there are reports of fights and battles along the Nul border almost daily. While it is not open and all out war, and we have almost no diplomatic contact with the Nul. While neither side really tries to advance into the other side’s territory, full war could break out at any moment. The Shiss are in open war against the Nul for over a thousand years. The Shiss are also hostile to us, but during our last fight with the Shiss we won much ground and the Shiss lost much of their original might and influence in this part of the Galaxy, partly due to their long war against the Nul.

Our most dangerous known adversary is the aforementioned Galactic Council. We fought three all out wars against the Kermac and their associated Thralls, each time we came out on top. During the last war an armistice was reached and agreed upon and there have been no open hostilities, but tensions between our governments are always high.

Then there is Freespace, a huge area of our galaxy protected by treaties signed by the big four: Union, Shiss, Nul and GC. Free space is home to thousands of independent planets and small empires that are not associated to any of the Big Four.

The largest portion of the Galaxy remains unexplored and chances are high other civilizations live there as well.

Since the Union exists the Galaxy has been attacked twice by Civilizations not native to ours. The Y’All and the Piostla.”

Images of the four armed Y’All and the plantlike Piostla and their ships appeared replacing the projection of the Spiral Galaxy

“The Y’All have returned several times in 5000 standard year intervals for at least three times and always with an incredible large armada of highly advanced space ships. No contact could be established and these relentless Y’All invaders seemingly had no other motivation appears without any other purpose than to kill and destroy. They did not occupy what they conquered. Last time they returned they were met by our new Union and not only alted but the entire armada destroyed for the very first time in known history.

“The Piostla caused much havoc and death during their invasion but we managed to beat them as well and chase them back from wherever they came from. Since it happened before it is quite possible that it will happen again. To all this add the space roaming Dai Than pirate tribes and the regular criminal pirates and independents raiding the fringes of our Union.

All this makes it clear the Universe is a dangerous place and dangerous to even a strong Union like ours. It is our job to prepare you to face these dangers. As future officers you will lead others to face strong enemies, known adversaries and the great unknown, to protect Union citizens and interests and uphold the law.”

The lights came on and the holo images faded away.

After his lecture we learned to recite the Fleet song and the Union anthem.

There was a short lunch break and then instructions continued.

Another officer taught us about rank insignia a Non Corp officer looking exactly like the one sitting next to me, except its Uniform was black and after it had explained to us how to read Rank insignia I could identify the insignia and knew it was a Lieutenant.

It also gave us a somewhat shorter lecture on all the Union military branches.

The voice coming out of his box sounded male. “Our Union’s Asembly is in charge of the Union Military. There is the Union Fleet, the branch you are now serving. We are the ones with the space ships and the black uniforms. The United Stars Marine Corps is an independent branch but closely associated with us. They do the planetary assaults, provide internal and external security at many Union installations and can be found wherever the Navy needs guards. The Union Army is in charge of defending planets with planetary defense forts. It is the Army that provides the security and defense of Pluribus Unum. Part of the Army is the PSI Corps, a special task force using Psionics. The Space Force is the smallest of the branches and maintains the Assembly Authorized Arsenal. Weapons able to destroy entire planets. The Space Force keeps these highly classified weapon systems in ready order on secret bases all across Union Space.

And finally a completely separate branch is the SCI-Corps, it answers to the Science Council of our Government and is in charge of the Explorer Fleet, the Medical Branch and all government research. We work closely together with all branches and you will often find Fleet personnel aboard Exploration and Science Vessels. Medical and science personnel aboard our vessels are technically Sci-Corps even though we train Science and Med officers’ right here at the Academy.”

The Non Corp had us again sing the Anthem and repeat the Space Navy Song. After that he dismissed us for dinner.

Interlude 16: Princess Elfiatra

GalNet Entry: Saran

>>> The Saran are one of the founding civilizations of the United Stars of the Galaxy. Sarans are human and share much DNA similarities with Terrans. Initially it was believed that Terra was a lost Saran Colony, but most scholars familiar with the subject have dismissed this possibility, the general consent is that Sarans and Terrans were seeded by the same ancient civilization.

Sarans and Terrans share a long history together. The first Saran visitors to Earth arrived during the time the ancient Egyptians rose to be a dominant early pre industrial civilization. Due to war and other factors neither the Saran nor the Terrans have detailed records of those first meetings, nor is it clear what cultural elements of the Egyptians and the Sarans originated on Earth or Saran side. However the Saran civilization appears to Terrans very much like the Ancient Egyptians. The Saran still worship gods like Ra, Seth, Toth, Isis and Osiris. The Saran practice mummification to this day and have a ruling society of Pharaohs and priests. Over the last twelve thousand years the Sarans are ruled by a Dynasty of Queens and have a strong matriarchal ruling society. This led to a revolution about five thousand years ago and two hundred Saran Colonies split and formed the Pan Saran Empire. The Saran and the Pan Saran fought each other in a long and bitter war until the Ascent of Earth. Both Saran and Pan Saran considered Earth a friend and ally and this lead to the cessation of hostilities and the formation of the Union. It was the Sarans who gave Earth the Technology to reach the stars in 2089, OTT. To this day, the Empire is ruled by the female Queen Dynasty. The Saran queens have absolute power and are the sole law giving entity within the Saran Society, but all Sarans also accept Union law... <<<

“Sekhet Nefertiti Elfiatra the Precious, Princess to the Saran Empire, second daughter to her Majesty the Queen Cleotrix the second. Commandrix of the Saran Honor Legion, Holder of the sacred ankh. High priestess of Ra” The bald headed man with the strong mascara around his eyes said, adjusting his Kalima-Cat fur robe as he always did when he was annoyed. “These are your titles, young Princess and you better start acting like it!”

The beautiful black haired girl lounging on the upholstered couch in an almost completely transparent white dress extended one of her lissome tanned arms and with her long fingers carefully selected one of the honey glazed orange slices and nibbles a tiny corner of the fruit slice then threw the rest towards the man. “Must you be so boring Amun? I know who I am and Sekhet means all powerful, does it not? I fancy your head on a platter might amuse me for a little longer than your endless lectures.”

He sighed. “Yes your grace that is what it means and you can indeed order the guards to cut my head. It would of raise the of anger your mother and she could punish you and give you yet another instructor.”

Her soft voice had suddenly a steely edge. “You still won’t be around to see my punishment, Amun. Hidden threats don’t sit well with me. You are but a slave and a man. Remember your stand.”

Amun touched his throat in an involuntary gesture, realizing how thin the ice was he was walking. He crouched before her, his head touching the gleaming marble floor.”I am but a servant. Your will and judgement is paramount.”

“That is mlore like it. I had enough instructions for today. I desire a bath and then some leisure time in the garden. This is not up for discussion either, now leave!”

Amun was relieved, past the curtains he threw his hands in the air and left the luxurious quarters of the princess.

She waited till he was gone and then waved at one of her hand maidens. “Quick, tell me if he is truly gone!”

“Yes your highness he has left.”

She actually felt sorry for the head eunuch, who really tried hard to make a proper princess of the realm out of her, but she had other plans for her life.

She rushed over to her personal Auto Dresser and said. “Terran Civilian Female, clothing sequence two.”

The machine removed the frivolous dress and her jewelry and replaced it with a pair of black skin tight leather pants, which were so en vogue on Terra right now and a screaming hot pink T-shirt with the logo and image of Mystery child, the teen mega star. She was removing beautiful helmet like page cut and replaced it with a wild red curled wig and like every Terran she had to have sun glasses. The one she chose where huge, hiding much of her pretty face.

She knew almost every secret passage in this monster of a Palace and after opening a secret door in a seemingly solid column she disappeared, leaving her poor hand maiden behind, dressed as the Princess.

The labyrinth of passages and corridors finally led her to a little used garden and from there it was just a few hundred meters to a small gate that led out into the City.

She had to leave. Her mother would never approve of her choice. But Elfirata certainly did not want to head another royal reception, be present at another revealing of a great art piece, opening of some official building, witness an execution or a public flogging.

As the second daughter she was not in line for the Throne and she thanked the Gods for this.

Her sister would make a great queen, in maybe a hundred years from now when Mother finally died or stepped down. As the second daughter she was doomed to lead a sheltered and boring life, perhaps choosing two or three husbands, having kids and attend any state function not important enough for the Queen or the first princess to be present but important enough for one member of the royal family to be present.

That was her fate and that was what Amun tried to prepare her for.

She almost made it, but then a cloaked person blocked her way through the gate and she hissed.” Step aside, at once!”

The person in the hooded cloak said.” Elfi, Elfi what are you doing and where are you going dressed like this?”

There was only one person who addressed her this way and all color left her face.”Mother?”

A light came on above the gate and the person removed the cloak and it was the Queen herself. Only now did she notice the almost invisible completely black dressed shadowy shapes of the queen’s personal guard, the mysterious women of the ancient order of Seth’s Shadow. Warriors dedicated to the safety of the Queen for almost 12,000 years. It was a well kept secret, that her mother the queen was one of the very few queens to be a Shadow herself.

“Yes Elfi! Do you think you could book a Space bus passage and sneak out without me knowing? Your safety is as important as mine and the Shadows have told me everything.”

The princess felt angry and helpless and knew she had lost. She would be punished and tomorrow she would once again listen to Amun and then attend some state function.

“I will try again, Mother. Now speak my punishment and I shall bear it.”

“I want you to explain it to me and right here what this is all about? Forget that I am the queen and tell me as your mother. I do love you and I want to know why my daughter, dressed up like a Terran prostitute buys a Space Bus ticket and sneaks out at night fall.”

Elfi removed her wig and the sunglasses.”Alright I tell you, not that it will make a difference. You haven’t listened to me in ages.”

“I am listening now!”

“I do not want to be a princess. Cleo my sister is your oldest and there are three more after me for all the state functions and to guarantee the dynasty. I want to follow my dreams.”

“What dreams could you have that you could not pursue as Princess of the realm Your wishes are law if I make it so!’

“I want to prove that I don’t need laws to fulfill my wishes, mother. I am signed up for the Union academy and I want to be a face among many, raise to challenges and problems out of my own merit not due to rank and high birth. I am not ashamed being your daughter or a princess but I want to proof to myself that I can do things with my own hands, with my own mind.”

“The Shadows have told me about your Virtu Choices and the calls to the Recruiting Office. I needed to hear it from you, Elfi. Have you any idea what awaits you? Do you know the Shadows cannot protect you there and you could be in danger every day?”

“That is the point mother. I don’t know what awaits me. The Shadows do not need to protect me. I want to do that myself and as officer in the Union Fleet I am doing my share to protect you and them and Sares and the realm and everything. I am not running away to join the circus, mother.”

The queen nodded. “It seems the spirit of your Great grandmother has resurfaced in you. She just had to marry that Terran marine and join the Fleet. Go then my daughter, but don’t go like this without hugging and kissing your mother who will most likely be afraid every day from now on hoping you are safe.”

Elfi could not believe it at first then she hugged her mother and said. “I will call as often as I can.”

“Just don’t volunteer for the Marines again, my daughter!”

“I tried.”

“I know.”

“They said I would have the talents for a good communications officer.”

“That doesn’t sound so dangerous.”

“It won’t be Mother!”

“I suppose you don’t want me to have the Royal Ark take you to your Academy, right?”

“No I really would like to travel incognito and on a space bus and be treated as any other cadet.”

Interlude 17: Richard Stahl

Richard only wore swimming trunks and a Hawaii shirt and relaxed in a wooden chair underneath a colorful umbrella and held glass in his hand. The twin suns of Para Para shone warmly on the powdery white sand of Heaven’s Shore. Tourists bathing in the azure blue lagoon or playing in the sand did not pay any attention to him. No one here knew who he was. The Devi was still in dock on Arsenal IV and he actually started to enjoy his vacation. It was the first he had taken in at least a hundred years. At first he didn’t think he was the sun bathing, beach sitting type but he had taken Harris advice and tried it and he had to admit it grew on him.

A shadow fell on him that wasn’t from the umbrella. At first he thought it was one of the Hotels stewards perhaps telling him it was time for dinner or asking him if he needed another drink. He blinked turned and a beautiful woman stood there. He knew the tall, very beautiful exotic silver haired woman who smiled at him from beneath large sun glasses.

Alyica laughed.”You are the only person in the Universe who has his beer served with a cocktail umbrella.”

Richard touched the controls of the chair and put in an upright position. Alyica wore a tight fitting black bathing suit and he remembered that he was, despite his immortality and great age still a man. “Well it’s what they do with all the drinks here. I had a hard time telling them I do not want any mix drinks with fruits. It took seven orders before I got one without any fruits sticking on the glass!”

Then he got up, remembering his manners and said.”What gives me the honor of your visit?”

A robot brought another chair and Alyica said. “It is nice to see you take it easy for a chance. I am here on vacation as well, more or less and I wanted to talk to you so I thought this is as good as any place without disturbing your vacation too much.”

“I actually enjoy it, can you believe that? This is a wonderful world and until you showed up I started to relax.” He sat back down.

Alyica sat down as well, crossed her legs and leaned back. “Yes it is, I come to Para Para quite often and I must say you are very handsome for an old geezer of 3000 years. There are quite a few ladies on this beach who would love to get to know you better.”

“It doesn’t take super psionics like yours to guess what the guys over there think about you.” He smirked at her. “So why are you here? Don’t tell me you just happened to be in the neighborhood. Is it official business?”

The PSI Corps general shook her head.” No it is not official business and I really was just in the neighborhood.” She leaned forward to look at him. “It took you about a thousand years to trust me and not call me the wicked witch of the Coven, even though you are the only man in the Universe I respect.”

The immortal general actually blushed a little. “Well it isn’t easy for a simple Pre astro marine to accept the existence of magic and witches.”

“It isn’t magic, Richard and you know that and there is nothing simple about you. My offer still stands and I take you to Coven and initiate you.”

“I thought of psionics as magic, Aly for the longest time. When I grew up my world didn’t believe in life on other planets and I love you Aly but I am not going to that creepy place of yours and chant and dance around cauldrons. I managed all these years without psionics and magic and I hope I can manage for the rest of my life.”

Alyica sighed.”It isn’t magic. It is a higher, and something different than psionics. We are manipulating nether dimensional energies. Isah Drives, Trans Dim Shields and Translocator Cannons, psionics all works by utilizing more than the simple three dimensions of this relam. You don’t call that magic.”

Richard put his hand on hers for a moment.”Sweetie to me it’s magic when a girl that isn’t a girl or human for that matter can do the things you do.”

“Well you aren’t exactly human anymore either and I might not fit the exact description of woman or girl, but I am and always was all female and I am still dreaming that you might one day change your mind and ask me the question. Who knows I might even say yes!”

“I am too old to start a family and I am married to my career and the Devi.” He looked dreamingly across the water. “I really like you and you know that, but I am old fashioned and I would want to wear the pants in the house and not be afraid the woman turns me into a frog or something.”

She took his retracting hand and put it back on hers. “You know I would not want it any other way, than you being in charge. You are an immortal and my life span is not measured in years or decades either. I take my position as general of the PSI corps as serious as you do yours. However there is no career left for both of us. You could theoretically become Admiral of the Fleet, but that would not be you and old Mc Elligott is a way better administrator than you.” She paused for a moment and then said. “There are storm clouds on the horizon and neither of us can consider retirement just yet.”

His face grew harder and he said.” This is the real reason you came, isn’t it? There is something going on?”

“It is not imminent or clear to me at this point, but the Rule that has been broken will be reset in this Universe.”

“Alyica, for the last millennia you are trying to tell me about these mystical things. Despite all my psionic shielding I know you can read my mind. You know I do not understand these things and I don’t like to believe in predictions and predetermined events in the future.”

“Richard I never read your mind unless you would ask me, like during that night in the Alps at your old house. I can’t predict the future as it is fluid and shaped by our actions and decisions in the now, but there are certain mile stones on the road of time, that mark cosmic events that will happen. This, our Universe is only one of many. This time is only one of many time streams. Every time you go into Quasi Space you remove yourself from this Universe and this time. Due to the Isah field you are taking your own time with you but you are completely gone from this reality.

“I know you accept physical laws as a given. All these multi verses, these different time streams and dimensions can only exist because all follows physical mathematical laws. Some of them are simply not discovered or understood by humans and most of them are not understood or discovered by anyone, but they still exist.”

“Yes I am learning that all my life. I thought nothing could move faster than light, yet I made a career out of traveling all across this galaxy. I never believed someone could read my mind, move objects with the force of will or live 3000 years, but I must believe that I can do something about it, that what we do has a purpose.”

“I am sure it has or the guardian would not have picked you to be the warrior. I am not human as you so meanly pointed out, and I can feel and sense things and conditions., but I don’t know what the Rule is, but it has to do with the Y’All and those who sent them. The Coven believes that the Y’All have been sent to search for something and they haven’t found it the last times they were here. They have been called again and something or someone is coming to search again.”

Stahl’s hand cramped around the arm rest, “It cost us a lot of lives and sorrow the last time they came. How long do you think we have?”

She shrugged.” I can’t say, but it took the Y’All about sixty or seventy years to respond to the last call. So I think we have about that much time.”

“Do you know who keeps calling them and how?”

“Yes this is why I actually came by the way. The First among the Saresii send us an intelligence report. It is is the Kermac Grand Wizard making that call. Cherubim had the TSI follow up on this and we got informed that the Grand Wizard of the Kermac are on a long journey to make that call. Currently we don’t know how the Call is made, or where. The Grand Wizard has executed many to guard that secret.”

“I should have known and kept going. We would fight the Kermac and the Nul now but that is a known enemy and not the Y’All or something worse and unknown.”

“This time you are not alone. It also appears the Narth know something is coming, and that is the real reason why they are more active and the Hidden Coven is considering revealing itself and asking for membership. Till now you are still the only one knowing about us.”

“I would still be in exile and the Union a forgotten memory if it wasn’t for you showing me where to find the Devastator and how to make her accept me.”

“If it wasn’t for you Richard, I still be the horrible monster you said I was and not the woman I am now. You don’t believe in predestination but I think some force meant that we meet each other and learning about the meaning of love, Richard getting to know you made it all worthwhile!”

He got up. “I would love to know what I have to do to prepare ourselves, but guess I do it as always and play by ear. Now it is my turn to predict something. I see a pretty silver haired monster having dinner with an Old Geezer and perhaps even a dance after that?”

“If it takes bad news for you to invite me to dinner and a dance, old Geezer, I find bad news every day!”