THE GALAXYMBION ODYSSEY

Lishtoo-Shan-Garra studied his companion thoughtfully before saying anything further. After a brief pause Ula Longarchive stopped pacing around her office and sat down at her clean translucent desk. “You already know the reasoning behind Orion, my friend. Eighty cycles ago Galactic Standard Time we constructed the first space citadel for a unique purpose, which has continued to demonstrate its validity. There are slightly more than four hundred Orion Space Citadels per member planet, supporting a combined Galaxymbion population of almost ten billion. Eight of these OSCs are in stationary orbits around inhabitable planets, either for colony or research purposes. As you well know, the remainder are planet-bound, functioning as actual citadels. A mere eleven travel through interstellar space on exploratory journeys to remote sectors of our galaxy.

“However, time moves on, and Orions are … … not exactly in need of retirement. The concept just needs to evolve. Our galaxy is a different place today from eighty galactic cycles ago.”

“Prefect Engineer, do you speak of some new design or a revision of the old? I thought that your construction facility kept the Orion citadels refreshed with new technology.”

“Why not read my mind for yourself, Lishtoo-Shan-Garra? It would save time and give you the answers you seek more clearly than relying upon vibrating air, which is an inefficient medium for communication.”

“As you know, the Triumvirate does not use such techniques outside of necessity. Even though I am currently on sabbatical from the Triumvirate it would be inappropriate to walk the corridors of your mind for such a trivial reason. Please tell me your thoughts sonically, Ula Longarchive.”

“You always were horribly correct and old-fashioned.” She smiled broadly at her friend and he laughed, recalling an old joke between them. When they were cadets in the Interplanetary Defence Navy Ula Longarchive had been assigned to strip and service the main propulsion plate of a Seshori class interstellar cruiser. It was her commanding officer’s way of testing her soundness as an engineer. Such a task would normally take half a rev, nevertheless she was young and impatient and wished to establish her competency. She found a quick way to complete this. Lishtoo-Shan-Garra had ever since repeatedly urged her not to be so revolutionary, without much success.

Completing that task in only a tenth of a rev had earned her the captain’s respect. Her commanding officer did not see things the same way as the captain, and Ula’s remaining tour of duty on that cruiser had a rather tense overtone. It was noted on her record that in practice her engineering skill was outstanding whilst employing unorthodox approaches required approval from her commanding officer in future. Lishtoo teased her for several decades about this early slip in her career.

“Very well, you noble rascal. To put it bluntly Monzarl has been chosen to develop several new designs. The first is the successor to Orion; the Andromeda Super Citadel. Each planet is to have a fleet of one hundred, each with a crew of at least a hundred thousand plus two and a half million passengers. The combined Andromeda population manifest will be twenty-five billion.”

“Staggering. This is an evacuation fleet? Presumably such vast constructions must remain in permanent orbit? How long will construction take? Decorbs? Orbits?”

“Most of the Andromedas are for potential evacuation. Some will take specialist Event Squadrons to primitive worlds. Taking up orbital positions at those worlds’ poles they will discharge specifically adapted global learning spheres that will repair weak cerebral areas of the primitive species’ minds. As a result, whatever psychological faults those species suffer from will be healed, both genetically and intellectually. They will retain their memories, of course. All their barbaric nonsense; wars and other insane murder, criminality, cretinism, racism and other prejudices, debauchery and immorality, abuse of their environment – those will vanish. Andromedas are perfectly capable of orbital insertion and exodus. It will take around three decorbs to complete each ASC, though we are hoping to make that quicker with boosted construction crews. Don’t give me that ‘they can’t do it’ look. Technology and consciousness have moved on; we got Orions down to a third of a decorb. Yes, you didn’t know that, did you? You should have read my mind, as I advised.”

“Well, that is the first part of this project. Dare I try to guess what the next part might be, Ula?”

“It is certain that you are familiar with recent disturbances in events from several locations. The situation on Kolda-ra and the discovery on nearby Kytonia have only served to sharpen our galactic focus and double the urgency of finding answers. FOUNDER worlds cannot afford to let this condition escalate. Lishtoo, my dear old friend, we have been ordered to develop a number of Time Cruisers, right here in the Primary Dockyard. Even as we speak the Galaxymbion’s top engineers and temporal scientists are being drafted in for this project. We aim to have everything functional and ready for testing in roughly three to five decorbs.”

“Time Cruisers? Are we certain we need such things, and how can we prevent unfortunate accidents? This is rash, dubious, even contrary to Galaxymbion charter. How can our Triumvirates sanction such an alarming affront to chronological preservation directives? Whose desperate idea was this?”

“Anavar has commissioned this Monzarl Project. Initially we are to blueprint these concepts, draw up all specifics and logistics, then test each technical component. The Triumvirate will give their decision within half a decorb. And yes, my friend, if the situation is as it seems, we definitely need the jewel in this project’s crown; Kulnidaro.”

“Kulnidaro, eh? What an apt name. If my memory is correct that is an ancient Kraan word for ‘time killer’. Why would the Triumvirate keep this even from me?”

“They know your views on Temporal Science; would you have acceded to direct such a project had they told you in advance?”

“Of course not! Well, maybe. If they had told me why and their reasoning was sound. That rascal Anavar has set me up. Super-citadels are one thing; Time Cruisers running round the galaxy are quite irresponsible in my current view. I will request rule of voluntary exclusion.”

“Good luck with that one, Lishtoo. This is now a galactic code Uranium 10 and Return to Elvakay protocols apply to every member planet.”

“Since when? That is a matter for all Triumvirates in open session, with inner and outer Sanctums and every planetary Corpus, to decide. I should have been consulted and summoned for such a significant session.”

“You are not currently a serving Third of any Triumvirate, my friend, and have no role within any Sanctum, Corpus or Congress. The galactic lockdown was announced this morning, and the open session verdict was unanimous.”

Lishtoo-Shan-Garra slumped slightly in his chair. “No rule of voluntary exclusion. I’m not an engineer, Ula. I do not belong here directing a multi-part project delivering the next generation of space citadels, and simultaneously a ridiculous idea like Time Cruisers.”

“You have one of the finest minds in the galaxy, Lishtoo. Besides you will have me at your side running all the day-to-day technical stuff. Veloriss-Tanvil-Sar and Sarthena of Attel will actually oversee Andromeda SC design, testing and construction, whilst temporal expert Faria Salddari will spearhead Kulnidaro and the other cruisers. What have you got to worry about?”

Lishtoo looked up at Ula with an exasperated expression. “A galaxy gone mental, that’s what, Prefect Engineer. How can I direct a project of this magnitude and nature when I do not even approve of it?”

“Only Kulnidaro and the other cruisers upset you. The rain may comb a dull sky, yet the sky is the hair that made the comb.”

“Ancient allegorical poetry is not much comfort, Miss Longarchive. I suppose the urgency is such that we begin this madness first thing tomorrow?”

“Urgency is such that we begin this madness as soon as Veloriss and Sarthena arrive, later today. Faria will be here after a meeting with the Triumvirate, so temporarily at least, Kulnidaro is all yours.”

“The ecstasy of it; my wildest dreams come true.”

Ula Longarchive smiled, then handed Lishtoo his data card. He pressed his thumb to its green panel and let it complete a full bio-scan. ‘Orders confirmed, authority transferred’ appeared on the little screen. “Now it is official, Lishtoo old friend. Congratulations and welcome to Primary dockyard, Monzarl Orbital, timed at perchron 14.9 on the tenth rev of Penta, local time, orbital 30117. I will now show you to your office and your living quarters. Don’t be crabby with all our technicians and administrators just because you would rather be elsewhere.”

“Me crabby? I’m never crabby!”

2745/1992

Mirek had been in Iloa four orbits now, marooned in a time past, yet having found happiness. Both he and Aramek had graduated with distinction and were now living together on the outskirts of the citadel. Mirek was a pilot for a freight distribution service, whilst Aramek worked in the local Congress. The Planetary Protectorate were aware of Mirek’s strange co-existence with their own time’s citizenry. His anomalous presence had been documented and studied and investigated without yielding any solutions.

He was under orders not to journey to Tirian, where his infant self was now two orbits old. Similarly, he could not make contact with his parents and other relatives, older friends like Krissmin Vorn, or leave Kolda-ra. Aramek had helped him adjust to this unreal existence, and now they were about to have a son. Under normal circumstances boys would take a first name from their father’s or maternal grandfather’s lines and the second name from their mother’s or paternal grandmother’s lines. It was important in this curious circumstance to conceal Mirek Taro as the father; naturally the boy would have the surname Skane. But Aramek suggested that Mirek create a suitable first name, and somewhere from the back of his memory he conjured up Rilmuta. Aramek loved it. Under Galaxymbion law the pregnancy made Mirek and Aramek automatically married.

The boy was born healthy and strong, and early psi tests showed an aptitude for command, travel and interacting with off-worlders. Although Mirek retained some obscure, foggy imagination of an alternate life in the future, he was extremely happy with Aramek Skane and Rilmuta. Naturally the time displacement was often difficult for him, though such was the self-discipline of all Kolda-rians that he bore this stoically. Aramek was a constant presence; supportive and loving, gentle and thoughtful about his predicament. The Iloan Congress and science Triumvirate had also helped; sub-molecular imaging had proven in 2741 that Mirek was indeed from twenty-nine orbits in the future. The authorities had checked his genetic code with that of the Jen Taro and Mirek Olara living currently in Tirian; he was definitely their son and his code was consistent with that registered for young Mirek Taro born in 2743. A senior temporal physicist, Faria Salddari, had explained to him that her research teams would continue to investigate his case until they had an answer and could find a way to send him ‘home’. For now all that mattered to him was staying here with his family.

There was also the curious fact of his parents apparently having lived in the past, nearly twenty-three millennia ago, and having a son named Mirek Taro. Their current versions knew nothing of this peculiarity since the mystery was contained by Galaxymbion High Council edict. Theories abounded amongst scientists yet they had no proof of exactly what had happened. It didn’t help that there were no genetic records from before five millennia ago so the mystery of his parents’ presence in the nineteenth millennia BG (before Galaxymbion) was harder to accept. Triumvirates across all eighty-nine senior worlds took this event extremely seriously and applied their time, skills and intelligence to understanding not only the mechanics of such a time shift but also its cause and meaning. Their conclusions remained known only to themselves – two hundred and sixty-seven unique individuals. Such conclusions to marvel at; in time it would be necessary to reveal all to the inner and outer Sanctums and ultimately the Corpus on all eighty-nine main Galaxymbion worlds. Nexus planets would have to become more involved also.

2770/2019

Tarosa Salddari and his wife had been on Albascade for three revs now. It was customary to allow off-world visitors four revs upon arrival in which to settle and adapt to their surroundings fully, yet the Triumvirate of Albascade had insisted that matters were so urgent only three revs could be granted. Tarosa and Faria were now seated in the Long Hallway of the Triangulus, awaiting their interviews and surprised to find they were not the only representatives from Kolda-ra. Emrikan Lantt and Imari Taro were also present, and even more strangely Coroma Arlon, Viceroy of Tirian Citadel. There was another dignified lady, dressed in the ceremonial robes of a Prefect – her sash held in place by a brooch bearing the Tirian state symbol. Tarosa did not recognise her. Of course, none of them could speak to each other, even telepathically; there was no protocol for anyone except Firsts, Seconds and Thirds of the resident Triumvirate, or their ushers, to have communication in the hallways and passages outside of the inner chambers or research hubs. So, they sat in silence, wondering why each other had been summoned.

Tarosa had been informed by the chancellor of the gates that he would be interviewed first – nearly a whole perchron had passed already and still there was no sign of an usher. He did not mind silence; it was the hard slabs of wood provided as seating for interviewees that became uncomfortable after thirty lapses. He looked at Faria, so serene and beautiful, and smiled. She returned the gesture, and he felt a little better. The Long Hallway was also rather cold, with a high vaulted ceiling and apparently no heating system installed. The Albas-ri were an austere species though normally very considerate to visitors who found their planetary climate too cold and damp. Tarosa wondered why they should consider interviewees less favourably than other visitors.

“Viceroy Salddari. Please follow me; the Triumvirate invite your presence.” An usher, not of the Albas-ri, whispered. Probably a Zordaci or Meedan from the individual’s build. Tarosa gave his wife a parting glance, arose and followed the squat, insectomorph usher to a large unmarked wooden door. “Enter.” It gestured with a spare claw and opened the door for Tarosa, then closed it almost silently behind him from outside.

The chamber itself was large and circular with a high domed ceiling, no discernible technology and austere stone chairs and table, also on a rather grand scale. The stone looked even more cold and uncomfortable than the wooden benches had been. Two standing figures in hooded cloaks had only their backs visible.

“You do not have to sit, if you prefer not to, Viceroy Salddari.” The figure on the left turned slowly and pulled down its cloak hood. “I am Anavar of the Albas-ri. My fellow Second is Kendras Arion from Belvandara.”

The other figure turned and lowered its hood. Both stood silently for a moment, as if considering what to do with their guest. “You find this room too cold and damp. So, it shall be warmer,” Kendras Arion said softly. “Do you have a preference for psychic or non-psychic communication?”

“Non-psychic, please, though I understand you may wish to check what I say. I am compliant, and only mildly telepathic.”

“Of course, Viceroy. There is no need to be nervous or uncomfortable; as you now feel, the room is becoming warmer and drier. We will not keep you longer than necessary, nor will we invade your thoughts without requesting permission.”

The Viceroy shifted uneasily on his feet. Protocol demanded that anyone remain silent in the presence of a Triumvirate, speaking only when invited to do so by the Triangulus. It was strange why…

“There are only two of us,” Anavar anticipated his thought. “Our associate Third is away on matters of some urgency. If you are ready, Viceroy.”

“I am.”

“We have absorbed the information in your reports. Concerning the disappearance of Mirek Taro on Kytonia, what is your own personal belief outside of those reports?”

“Excellence Arion, I have complete faith in the truth as presented to me by Emrikan Lantt, Imari Taro and the other Aldebaran crew present on Kytonia when this occurred. The assassin Syhe Alderhin attacked Mirek and would have probably killed him if not for the intervention of a glowsnake called Waon. Both Waon and Mirek were injured. In order to save their lives the glowsnakes had to surround both of them with healing energy. Waon emerged from that energy; Mirek vanished. When our crew asked where Mirek was, Weethis - representative of the glowsnakes - simply said ‘where he is supposed to be’. A follow-up crew journeyed to Kytonia and asked similar questions. They were given the same answer.”

“If I were to inform you, Viceroy, that we know the exact whereabouts of Mirek Taro, and have now known this for twenty-nine Kolda-rian orbits, would that surprise you?”

“Certainly, Second. I do not understand how your excellency could know this, and for longer than his age.”

“There is no need for formality. Call me Kendras, and my associate Anavar. It states in your report that Mirek is listed as ‘missing in action’. Why did your pilot Emrikan Lantt confine his search to Kytonia, and why did you not look for Mirek on Kolda-ra?”

“He disappeared on Kytonia, Kendras Arion.”

“That is only where he disappeared from, not where he disappeared to. You wonder how we have known of his location for twenty-nine of your orbits. This is because his re-appearance happened that long ago, in your Iloa Citadel. There was a certain amount of excitement over that event; only specific experts had any details and eventually your own Triumvirate had to seal the records and leave the matter to the fading of history. We have been in close contact with Kolda-ra’s Triumvirate throughout these twenty-nine orbits, and they have agreed that the archive must now be released given our current situation.”

“Regarding the matter of Syhe Alderhin, Viceroy Salddari,” Anavar took up. “A Glane assassin with technology from nearly five centuries forward, visits our time intent on killing Ambassador Gurss. She is able to camouflage herself as Octaladonian and infiltrate the Ambassador’s support staff in a relatively short time. She successfully inveigles her way onto the Ambassador’s mission to Kolda-ra to petition for annexation, gets passed all your security scans, even smuggles an escape vessel onto Kolda-ra’s surface. Hoping to stir up trouble and sabotage the petition she no doubt also wanted to jeopardise Kolda-ra’s position as a FOUNDER planet. Please don’t fret, Tarosa Salddari; I can sense all your thoughts. We are not going to remove your FOUNDER status, nor are you here to be punished, reprimanded or removed from office. You are here because now certain matters must leave the confines of Triumvirates. The inner and outer Sanctums of all FOUNDER worlds are in open session as we speak. Eventually the Corpus of all Galaxymbion member worlds will become fully aware of this situation, and then the Congress of each world.”

“I don’t understand, Anavar. Did you not invite me to your Triangulus to give testimony and to defend my world from blame or accusation?”

“We invited you to our Triangulus to involve you more fully. On the surface you have been dealing with an inexplicable terrorist attack by a sub-species that should never have been able to bring terrorism to a Galaxymbion FOUNDER planet. The situation is complicated by the strangeness of its chronological element and the apparent resurrection of your species’ ability to exist in both a corporeal and a Niva form that has been dormant for some twenty-three of your millennia. Your pilot Mirek is mysteriously relocated to Kolda-ra’s recent past, by mysterious temporal beings of a world previously thought by your scientists to be uninhabited. Furthermore, Ambassador Gurss seems to have communicated with a Kolda-rian who does not exist. Except that Rilmuta Skane does exist. He is the son of Mirek Taro and Aramek Skane, and you will now find not only a complete and valid record of his existence in your citizenry archive; you will find him.”

“What Anavar has told you signals a sequential catastrophe. Did you not see this yourself? You examined the flight record of Aurora; you know the time indicated in a reflection of a chronometer. A time not yet happened.”

“We have our suspicions and theories about the causes.”

“Yes, you have concluded erroneously that in the future the Glanes have developed time travel, causing one of your mysteries, that the glowsnakes of Kytonia either disintegrated or hid Mirek Taro for some unknown purpose thus causing the second mystery, and that the Ambassador’s pleasant exchange with Rilmuta Skane documented on Aurora’s computer was somehow fabricated by Syhe Alderhin to aid her infiltration onto the Kolda-rian surface. Given the incongruities we have outlined to you, compared with the incongruities in your report’s conclusions, which do you believe to be most likely?”

“Yours, now that you have explained it, Anavar. How do we proceed, in the light of these revelations?”

“How, indeed? Before you go, there is something else we must discuss with you. Neither Imari Taro nor Aramek Skane are yet fully aware of the changes in their respective histories. Nor is your wife. Their memories will alter gradually.”

“I don’t see how Faria can be affected. Did Mirek Taro have a child with her as well?”

“No,” Kendras Arion said emphatically. “Imari only knows that her husband has vanished and that their child, a girl yet to be born, will miss her father. This altered history will come as a shock to her, especially as she will receive no new memories from the past. Aramek Skane will start to regain memories of altered events between 2741 and 2750, when she was a student in Iloa Citadel, and of course complete time memories of her son Rilmuta. She will be disorientated at first, quite naturally. Your wife was the consultant temporal physicist who investigated Mirek’s case in the past, so she will also start remembering events that previously were unknown to her. You will begin to recall your wife’s many journeys to Iloa around that time. We can assist with these adjustments, if you require telepathic healing.”

“I am sufficiently calm, Kendras Arion and Anavar. Please tell me why Aramek Skane and Mirek Taro are no longer together; you said she will remember altered events only between 2741 and 2750.”

“Yes. In 2750 Mirek vanishes from Iloa. We have not yet ascertained his exact ensuing location, though we believe we know where and when he may have gone. Anything we have revealed to you in this room cannot be discussed with Aramek Skane, Imari Taro, Emrikan Lantt, Viceroy Coroma Arlon or indeed your wife, until we have spoken to all of them. Thank you for answering our summons and for journeying to Albascade to share your thoughts. You may return home, unless you have questions. We will contact you if we require your further counsel. Travel peacefully, Viceroy Salddari.”

“Thank you for your invitation and talking directly with me.”

The usher had returned to show Tarosa out, through a different door. Tarosa found himself in another Long Hallway, although this one was empty. The usher indicated for him to sit and quietly informed him that the chancellor of the gates would collect him momentarily. “I am a Zordaci, by the way. Meedans are taller with more hair and a penchant for wearing anything orange,” this curious being added. After that it disappeared back the way it had come, though not through the Triumvirate’s chamber. Since there was nothing to do except wait Tarosa parked himself on another uncomfortable wooden bench and tried to process everything he had been told by Anavar and Kendras Arion.