FOT Alternative Intro to FOT.rtf

Introduction

'''Like everything on Sares One, the Grantastouu University was a collection of beautiful buildings of impressive design. Well impressive if you liked frilly, airy  sweeping architecture that blended into the park like landscape. '''

Luria Sakresi, was a Saresii by birth and quite proud of her heritage, but she had spend too much time with Terran humans to really care for the fairy tale, sugar and glass style, Saresii were famous for across the Union .

'''There was still quite some time before her class to start, so she decided to take a leisurely walk along the white duro crete pathways that meandered in soft swirls between shallow ponds, meticulous shaped and trimmed shrubbery, flower beds and neatly trimmed areas of grass. '''

'''It was  beautiful, soft, peaceful and incredibly boring. '''

It was the perfect scenery, a two hundred eighty year old human female at the evening of her life would enjoy.

'''Well once in a while, Luria did too. It was perfectly peacefully and gave her mind little distractions from thinking about her favorite subject, galactic history. More precisely the period of time just before the United Stars of the Galaxies had been founded. '''

Not that anyone used that old term anymore, this glorious, humongous mega civilization was simply known as the Union.

'''Luria was a genetic female, meaning she was actually a woman since birth, a fact that mattered little anywhere in Sares society. While most Saresii wore skin tight suits, especially when performing any kind of work, she loved to play with the almost infinite variety of fashion choices of human females. Today she was wearing what was called a summer dress, a flirty number of whisper thin material, with a knee length skirt that moved with every breeze and movement, brushing her legs like the wings of a butterfly. In this mauve colored outfit with the deep plunging neckline, she almost felt like a Delicate. Those inhumanly beautiful females from the far distant Large Magellan Cloud.'''

'''Her light pink colored hair was gathered in a thick, high riding pony tail. Not that great female beauty meant anything on Sares where anyone looked like a fashion advertisement model.'''

'''She stopped her leisurely walk to sit down on an inviting bench, appearing  almost insubstantial as it was seemingly made of a puff of pink smoke. Of course it was a hard light projection with the strength to accommodate a Pertharian, or perhaps even an Boloth. Not that she could imagine how a Boloth would sit down.'''

'''She crossed her shapely legs, admired her new sling backs. and folded her hands across her knee.'''

'''The air was perfumed with the flowery sweet scent of Jasmine, a scent she loved very much and it came from a large bush not far from her. A little hover sign identified it to those who never been to Earth, that this plant had originated on a planet over twenty four thousand light years ago.'''

The university park had samples of decorative, non harmful plants from all over the Union.

'''It was First day of Red Week in the third Division period of the year 2880 NUT, that stood for New Union Time. Finally and slowly the new way of keeping time took hold and replaced the completely irrelevant 5100 OTT (Old Terran time) that had prevailed for so long. '''

'''The Kermac and the Galactic Council once a major enemy had been soundly defeated in 2830 NUT and was already forgotten by most. '''

'''Just yesterday, the Galmuq were welcomed as the 5645th Union member and hailed as the member most distant to Pluribus. They were home in the Golden Eye an a staggering 1.2 billion light years away.'''

All the major news channels and media outlets reported about the Galmuq introduction ceremony and  of course had much detail on this newest member.

Luria asked." Askaia, please display the latest news on the new Union member, the Galmuq."

'''Her voice and the word Askaia was picked  up by the bench projector and the planet management AI, named Askaia immediately responded with a selection of news feeds that were projected before Luria. She stabbed most of them out of existence and expanded the info bubble of GalNet Three, her favorite. It was like one and two an official government channel, but it was delivered with commentary and opinions. With a little less seriousness and more interesting content. '''

'''As a historian she knew there were generations and societies that did not trust government sources due to the possibility of propaganda or censorship. Neither could ever happen with the Union. There was no political government, there were no ministers, secretaries or presidents. No kings or dictators, the Union was solely governed by its citizens. It was a concept that started 2880 years ago and kept on developing and shaping into something new and different. Something everyone agreed had not existed before in the known history of the Universe. '''

'''Union citizen trusted their government, because they were in essence the government. '''

True there were councils for all the major components of government like military, justice, legislation, science, health and so forth but the councils only recommended and provided reports to the Assembly.

'''Luria was quite proud to be a Union citizen, and every year during Union week she dutifully voted on all issues on the Union wide list. She also voted on Union wide imminent issues, not that there were many of those,. but she participated in her government, knew about the issues at hand and informed herself before voting on the details by consuming the reports, summaries or in some cases the in depth studies and reports of the councils.'''

'''A three foot, thing resembling a walking tree, with football sized, clear jelly like bubbles all over the trunk appeared before her. The Galmuq were, according to the accompanying information were mono pods that used creeper roots for locomotion. They were a highly intelligent but tool less society due to the fact that they lacked manipulators or an environment where fire could burn. They were methane breathers. '''

'''In many societies of the past this might have caused objection and perhaps barred the Galmuq from joining. Not so the Union, as strangeness went they were rather average. There were others that lived in methane atmospheres. No, the Galmuq would never be seen as outsiders, curiosities or being discriminated in any way. In a Union where rock and metal consuming asteroid hoppers, living dust clouds, sentient energy beings, living mountains and super entities lived side by side in surprisingly lasting harmony, walking leave less trees would not even raise an eyebrow, with beings that had eyebrows of course.'''

'''She waved the last bubble out of existence, got up and walked to the next Trans Spatial Tunnel gate. There were several around the park, usually located at intersection of main path ways. '''

'''This one was disguised as a white marble pagoda with hanging baskets of colorful flowers and halfway overgrown with a luscious green climbing plant. That it was more than just a small open sided structure of leisure with decorative value to the park was evident in the utterly black zero dimension hexagonal field wafting in its center. She watched as a furry Nurkli, with cheeks full of nuts and seeds scurried up and accidentally came to close to the Zero field and disappeared. Luria wondered how many Nurkli had made this trip accidentally and appeared somewhere they did not want to be, totally confused and perhaps terminated by some pest control mechanism.'''

'''But then just as she got up to the field the Nurkli reappeared without stuffed cheeks and hushed in a hurry across the white path and disappeared in a more natural way and into ground hugging shrubbery. "Gray Cat be darned." She said out loud. " Seems that little fellow does this on purpose."'''

'''A warm female voice without apparent source said. "Indeed it and 59 other  Nurkli using Transmatter tunnels to shorten their trips around the university park all day long."'''

"Askaia, this is amazing. Someone might be interested in this."

"Someone is indeed, Dr. Sakresi. There are seven school science projects, one retired Saresii Nurkli watcher, Nine scholars and four Zoologists actively engaged in watching and researching this particular Nurkli family and its TMT use."

"I should have known, and you of course would not let a Nurkli to be zapped all the way to Sares Hub or some similar distant destination."

"No Dr. Sakresi, I am Askaia and the well being of all creatures of Sares One is my paramount concern. Serving them, my reason for existence. Even the non sentient ones."

"Please set the destination to Building eight."

"You may use the TMT now, Dr. Sakresi."

'''Luria heard the last syllable..'kresi' as she had completed the transfer and had traveled seventeen hundred meters from somewhere in the park, into the large reception hall of building eight of the University. The south wall of the place was entirely made of transpa-plast and followed the soft curves of the grassy hill, building eight was under. This two hundred meters high and on the bottom almost one thousand meters wide transparent wall filled the marble and wood place with bright but not glaring, warm but not hot sunlight. The TMT booth she just exited was just one of several booths and counters sprinkled across this big place. '''

'''There were slide belts aiding people with transport, and there were the hundred or so transparent tubes of the Inter building transport system on the north wall. The arrangement of the tubes following the curving of the ceiling reminded her of a Terran pipe organ.'''

There were at least a thousand beings present, but the hall still felt empty, giving testament to the size of the place.

'''Luria was here almost every day for the last twenty years and  didn't really waste much thought on the place or the building that also held her office and study. She was more focused on the lecture she was about to hold. '''

'''So she was surprised at a larger crowd that appeared to have more or less spontaneously assembled before a huge free floating field screen, displaying GalNet Channel Two. '''

She walked closer and asked a broad shouldered Botnaar."Sir, what is the reason for this?"

'''Botnaars belonged to the BaPhy 2 class beings. Known as tough warriors, not far behind the Pertharians and on par with the Nul. Seeing one on Sares One was not very common, finding one at a Saresii university was extremely rare. The massive three meter tall giant turned a little and tried to lower his loud voice to a whisper."The first images of Admiral Stahl arriving in the Golden Eye galaxy have arrived. '''

'''He arrived the Stahl way. Saving our lost colonists and teaching a warrior species called the Kalka some very valuable lessons!"'''

Luria snickered."Nothing gets Union citizens more excited than a news story about Admiral Richard Stahl. Easily among the most beloved and respected beings of the Union. He was the personification of Union military might but also oh honor and integrity. They called him 'The Eternal Warrior' as he was one of the immortal guides and had been at it since the Union was founded.

Luria had the aloft smile of a wise scholar on her lips as she noticed a beautiful Delicate fist pumping with patriotic induced joy as the images focused on the wrecked remnants of an alien fleet and the commentator said."The Kalka adamant of wiping out the Union presence, were eager to accept the suggestions Admiral Stahl offered."

But then she caught herself in the act of giving the images a satisfied nod."I wager they were eager to accept the suggestions. The Kalka messed with the wrong Admiral"

A woman with white hair and large purple eyes stepped into her field of view."Your detached scholastic distance and feeling of superior aloofness  to the emotions of others did not last very long, Dr. Sakresi."

'''"I can not deny it, I am an Union Citizen to the core." She turned. " Ms. Lichfangh?"'''

'''The woman that had stepped up to her was one of the leading citizens. She was the commandant of the PSI corps, the leader of the Coven society and the wife of Admirtal Richard Stahl. '''

" I am going by Ms.Stahl these days. It is an old fashioned tradition of Earth,thw wife takes on the last name of her husband."

Luria smiled."And there is no one more old fashioned than Admiral Stahl, right."

"It was I who insisted on it. I find much hidden truths in the old traditions of Earth regarding matrimony."

"So what bring you here, Ms. Stahl?"

"Your lecture, Dr. Sakresi. You are giving one right?"

"Yes you are welcome to my lecture entitled,'Children of Terra'. Just out of curiosity may I ask why it is of interest to you?"

"Sentimental reasons I would say, because I was there, Dr. Sakresi."

The being that just appeared was a Narth and while they all looked alike she was certain this one was the Narth that attended her lectures for the last month at a very regular basis.

"I can not deny the fact that I am too a Union citizen, Narth."

To her surprise the Narth mimicked the fist pump."Neither can I."

"What brings you here, Narth? Attending one of my lectures again?"

"Indeed, Dr. Sakresi. One is particular interested in this period of history. You are speaking of the Thirty Abducted Juveniles today are you not?"

"Indeed."

"One of the thirty was a male from an Earth region called Norway?"

She turned to face the hooded Narth, "Indeed, Sigurd Olafson."

"Whenever the name Olafson appears in history, Narth are very interested."

"Care to explain that furhter?"

"You have heard of Captain Erica Olafson?"

She gasped."Of course, who hasn't?"

The Saresii scholar took a step back, "You are not just another Narth, right?"

"I am just another Narth. I fail to understand the exact meaning of that question.

A second very tall shrouded being appeared, its cloak was cut differenly and instead of two glowing eyeholes, this one featured an open cowl with nothing but utter darkness beneath."She wants to know if you are the same Narth mentionend in the Tigershark Logbooks."

"Indeed I am the same."

'''The Saresii scientist suddenly felt frightened to the core and she shivered as if she was suddenly exposed to something very cold. The other shrouded being did not appear to be a Narth.'''

'''The being addressed her directly and while his voice was male and much more human sounding than the one of the Narth, she felt like a rodent about to be swallowed by a snake. Totally and utterly afraid. Her psionic mind sensed the immense presence of the Narth, but there was nothing but utter darkness before her.'''

"Dr. Sakresi, I am but a guest. May Narth and I partake in your lecture?"

'''The Narth elbowed the other being."She is mortal, she is just a simple bio form. You frighten the poor female. Remember your Eric side!" The Narth made an apologetic gesture," I am truly sorry for my associate. While he seems to be aware of the conditions odf time and space, the condition of living beings eludes him sometimes." Again addressing the other being."Dial it down, you creep me out!"'''

'''Dr. Sakresi had to laugh, "She never expected a Narth to use words and phrases like that." She burst out. "A Narth can be 'creeped' out?"'''

"Yes, especially if his friend does the spooky thing."

The other being also laughed."Yes I remember. She is right you know. "Dial it down is not something a Narth would say either."

'''Luria noticed that the strange feeling of fear and panic had subsided. "You are both welcome to my lecture entitled,'Children of Terra'. Just out of curiosity may I ask who you are, you are not a Narth right?"'''

'''The Narth said. "He did have a chance to become one, but he decided to become a god instead."'''

"I am not a god!"

To the woman the other being said."I once was known as Eric Olafson and despite my repeated decisions to leave this plane. I somehow linger on, but I am a Union Citizen."

Narth added addressing the woman."What he is now can not clearly be defined, not by Union science and not by Narth, but he is my friend."

--""--