Galactic Imperium

by J McGovern

  Glitz paused. ‘It seems strange to be sitting here eating beefsteak when there’s a war going on out there in the Paradonian Sector. Any moment, Ozytan could use his Weerms to strike at the seat of the Imperium.’

  ‘Perhaps. But even with such terrible creatures, it would take an awful lot to bring down the Imperium … Anyway, we’re doing our service to the Emperor by checking out this star chart. If there is a way to contact the Zierons, we might be able to end this whole damn conflict.’

  Glitz smiled at Alyce. If he was being truly honest with himself, the idea of actually locating the Zierons seemed ridiculous. Everyone knew that they were the stuff of fables. The idea of benevolent, all-powerful aliens who would return to save the human race … it was ridiculous. Perhaps the belief in such a creature stemmed from the same natural desire that led people to believe in a God. Maybe humans wanted someone else to take responsibility for the ownership of the Universe, so they could feel at ease doing nothing to prevent evil.

  But the journey gave him some time to catch up with Alyce, which was a surprisingly refreshing experience. There was no petty squabbling or one-upmanship. The relationship paradigm had shifted; Glitz was no longer a civilian under her direct control, but they were equal partners in the mission to look for the wormhole. The journey was quite short, thanks to the phase drive, and it wasn’t long before they entered the Nosferatu Sector.

  Glitz was standing on the flight deck, watching Alyce from the back as she brought the ship out of phase space. She was wearing a tight skirt and a fitted leather jacket, which Glitz found to be remarkably arousing. The stars became visible again, and Alyce sighed.

  ‘I always hate that part of journeys — coming out of phase space.’

  ‘Scared something will go wrong?’

  Alyce nodded and laughed. The Nosferatu Sector was a vast sector that was almost the size of the Gold and Silver Sectors combined. Most of the planets in the Sector had large alien populations, and many contained valuable natural resources.

  ‘Watch out for pirates,’ Glitz muttered.

  The East Galaxy Company had ceased to trade with the Nosferatu Sector nearly ten years ago, due to the area becoming infamous for pirate activity. Several of the EGC’s freighters had been ransacked by vicious space bandits, and the company had decided to draw permanently out of the area. The rich pickings on some of the planets were simply not worth the risk. Only the Interstellar Couriers could ferry goods to and from the Sector without fear of hijacking; even the ruthless pirates would think twice before attacking a vessel with such strong links with the Imperium.

  ‘So where’s this wormhole of yours?’

  Alyce consulted the old piece of paper that she had carried with her. Glitz glanced at it over her shoulder. It was so old that it was nearly falling to pieces, but the ink was still readable.

  ‘According to old Cillian Rejak, the location of the wormhole is less than a parsec away. I just need to get my bearings, and then we can go there.’

  ‘Is it near a planet?’

  ‘No. The co-ordinates seem to be in the middle of nowhere.’

  ‘So what’s the plan? We travel to this part of space and the wormhole is right there, ready for us to jump through it?’

  Alyce grinned. ‘Of course not. If that were the case, someone would have found it a long time ago.’

  Glitz frowned at Alyce, wondering vaguely if she had lost her mind. Opening a wormhole required complex calculations and colossal processing power — none of which could be provided by the Middlemarch, even though it was a fine ship. But he decided not to argue with her. It would not be long until they reached the co-ordinates, and Alyce could get the idea of the Zierons out of her system. Within the hour, they were looking at the main scanner at the point where the wormhole was supposed to be.

  ‘Nothing.’ Glitz shrugged. ‘Let’s be honest. We didn’t really expect to find anything here, did we?’

  Glitz stared out at the emptiness of space. The great blackness was broken only by occasional stars. The scanner had highlighted the area of space where the wormhole was supposed to be using a 3D overlay grid. There was nothing. Not even the slightest disturbance, energy trace, or flicker.

  ‘I’m not finished yet,’ Alyce replied. She pulled a necklace from around her neck. A crystal pendant attached to a gold mount glimmered at the end. ‘This is a Star Point crystal. It is the only such crystal ever to be found in our galaxy. Our family history claims that it used to belong to Cillian Rejak, and that it was passed through his descendants over the centuries.’

  ‘It’s pretty.’

  ‘Yes. It might also be a little piece of Zieron.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, think about it. The legend says that Cillian Rejak met the Zierons. And this crystal seems to be utterly unique. What if this crystal is so unusual because it came from a different galaxy?’

  ‘Seems a little farfetched.’

  ‘Well, perhaps. But think for a second. Some scientists have argued for the existence of natural wormholes — two singularities resonating due to natural causes, rather than human interference. If there is a connection here between our galaxy and another, perhaps the presence of something from the other galaxy will stimulate the resonation.’

  ‘Is this all speculation? You been reading up on wormholes?’

  Alyce chuckled. ‘Not really. My great-uncle was a professor at the University of Homeworld, a spacetime expert. He studied this crystal for most of his life, and ventured that it was some kind of device for opening up closed wormholes.’

  ‘So if it is a wormhole thing … how do we use it?’

  She lifted the crystal to her eye thoughtfully. She was certainly no expert on wormholes, and her great-uncle had sadly died before managing to complete his research on the Star Point crystal. If the Zierons had left the crystal with her ancestor as a sort of recall device, it would have to be quite simple to operate. But how …? As she watched, a tiny light appeared inside the crystal, the glow oscillating like a tiny visual heartbeat.

  ‘Something’s happening,’ Alyce whispered.

  On the scanner, a similar light appeared. It flashed out from the black chasm of space, pulsing. It was like the glow that appears in a pile of embers when it seems the fire has completely died, re-igniting the dry wood. Now Alyce’s Star Point crystal was causing the regeneration of the natural wormhole. Within a few seconds, the wormhole had enlarged and stabilised. In contrast to a man-made wormhole, it was fiery orange — it almost seemed to be made of pure fire. Alyce and Glitz stared at the flaming circle, their eyes wide.

  ‘Shall we?’ Alyce said, diverting her eyes from the mesmerising shape.

  Glitz nodded.

  ‘It might be dangerous.’

  ‘It might save the Imperium,’ Glitz replied. A year ago, he would never have believed it if someone told him he would enter a glowing vortex, uncertain if he would survive the experience. He had always been very focussed on his own well-being, with little thought to the needs of others. But being with Alyce — as cheesy as it sounded — brought out a different side to him. When he looked at the woman, he felt like he wanted to be a good man, to act for the benefit of others.

  ‘Let’s do it,’ Alyce said.

  Glitz put his hand on the directional control, and Alyce placed her own hand on top of his. After checking the co-ordinates, they pushed the lever together, causing the ship to enter the burning wormhole.

  There was a flash of fire, and the galaxy disappeared.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Glitz awoke to the sound of birds chirping. Before he opened his eyes, he was aware of warm sunlight touching his eyelids. He sat up slowly, and glanced around with surprised eyes. He was lying in the middle of some kind of green meadow, which was planted with flowers in shades of pink, red and blue. The scent of the flowers wafted into his nostrils, making him feel strangely calm.

  He became aware of Alyce lying next to him. She was wearing a stunning pink dress, t
hat was woven from a most delicate material. Ne nudged her, gently, and her eyelids fluttered open. She took in the scene, feeling quite disoriented.

  ‘What are you wearing?’ she said.

  Glitz looked down at himself. He was attired in a cream-coloured suit, with a white shirt unbuttoned at the neck. It would have only taken a straw hat to complete the ensemble. As soon as this thought appeared in his mind, he felt something brush against his head. Reaching up, he picked the object from his head. It was a straw hat, exactly like the one he had just imagined. He put the hat back on his head and stood up, holding out a hand to Alyce. Glitz lifted her up, and they stood hand-in-hand, surveying the garden. The meadow seemed to stretch on for miles — a never-ending expanse of hills, crystal streams, and delicate flowers. There was not another person in sight. The sky was blue and unmarred by a single cloud.

  ‘How did we get here?’ Alyce breathed. And then, answering her own question, she added, ‘The wormhole. We passed through it and then … we must have fallen asleep somehow. But what sort of place is this? And where is our ship?’

  ‘I’d like to know the answers to those questions, too,’ Glitz said. He looked around the verdant landscape, trying to spot any movement that might reveal the location of another being. But everything was still and tranquil. ‘Hello!’ he shouted. ‘Is anyone out here?’

  With a flash of light, an old man appeared, wearing a sort of buttonless navy suit. Although he was humanoid, Glitz suspected that he was an alien. There were no physical details to support this assessment, but so much about him — his bearing, his smile, his intensity of gaze — seemed totally inhuman.

  ‘Who are you?’ Glitz said harshly. ‘What is this place?’

  ‘My apologies if I startled you,’ the man said. ‘I am aware that some species do not enjoy the benefits of teleportation technology. As it happens, we find it to be a very useful means of getting around. The Zieron Empire encompasses three galaxies, so it is quite essential.’

  ‘So you are real!’ Alyce grinned at Glitz. ‘Looks like the Rejak-Thohnes aren’t as mad as everyone thinks!’

  ‘Rejak-Thohne.’ The old man seemed thoughtful for a moment. ‘The name sounds familiar. Ah, I see it. A creature named Cillian Rejak once met a member of our race. We have a collective memory, you see. Every scholarly Zieron shares the common experience of every other Zieron in history. This is our way of ensuring that valuable knowledge is never lost.’ He paused, as if consulting the archive of his memory. ‘So you are … humans. Now let me see. Inhabitants of the galaxy you call ‘Milky Way’. We encountered your species when we were investigating a natural wormhole that had opened between our galaxy and yours.’

  Alyce smiled. ‘Yes!’

  The old man smiled. ‘Excellent. Forgive me, but … why are you here?’

  ‘Our galaxy is in danger,’ Alyce said. ‘We need help.’

  ‘Ah.’ The old man touched Alyce’s shoulder gently. ‘You had better come with me.’

  He touched Glitz’s arm. As soon as the three of them were connected, there was a small flash of light, and the garden dissolved away around them. Instantly, they had teleported into what looked like a small study. There were shelves made of a kind of red wood, filled with objects that they didn’t recognise. Alyce guessed that they were some kind of information storage devices. The room was unmistakeably alien, although there were many indications of an affinity with human culture. The chairs were reminiscent of leather wingback armchairs seen in old vidfilms, and a holographic painting hung on the wall behind the desk.

  ‘We woke up wearing these clothes,’ Glitz said. ‘And … and I thought about a straw hat and it appeared on top of my head.’

  ‘This is the result of nanotechnology. It is a special occasion today, and everyone must be dressed correctly. It is also the nanobots that are currently translating your speech and interpreting mine, allowing us to be mutually intelligible.’

  ‘Right.’

  Glitz glanced around the study, unsure of what to say. He wanted to demand to know where their ship was, and to insist that the Zierons help them in their fight against Ozytan and the Weerms. But he was painfully conscious of being inside an utterly alien domain, surrounded by beings infinitely greater than humans; he was powerless here.

  ‘Sit down. I think we should begin,’ the Zieron said. ‘First, I will tell you a little about our planet, race and customs. Then, you may further explain your purpose in coming here, and I will see if we may assist you in any way. Is this order of events acceptable to you?’

  Alyce and Glitz glanced at one another, then nodded. ‘Yes,’ Alyce said. They sat down in comfortable armchairs, and the Zieron sat at the other end of his wooden desk, facing them.

  ‘Excellent. Would you like a drink?’

  ‘Don’t suppose you have any whisky?’ Glitz said hopefully.

  The Zieron smiled. ‘As I alluded to previously, the nanobots all around us can scan your surface thoughts and create whatever you wish, within reason. If you want a … what you call a ‘whisky’, simply think about your desire for the drink, and it shall appear.’

  Glitz closed his eyes, feeling pretty ridiculous, and imagined a glass of delicious John Copes whisky, freshly poured, with ice. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was amazed to see that the glass of whisky had appeared. Of course, humans had invented food and drink synthesising technology, but such technology was quite crude, and was unable to scan a person’s thoughts and use that as a pattern. Still, the proof of the replication would be in the tasting. As yet, Glitz had never encountered an artificially-constituted glass of J.C. that tasted remotely like the real thing. He took a sip. It was exactly right, down to the slightly sweet aftertaste. But then again, it had been constructed from his memory, so it should, by rights, taste exactly as he remembered it. Alyce conjured up a glass of lemon water, and began to sip it slowly.

  ‘What are your names?’

  ‘I’m Alyce, and this is Glitz.’

  The Zieron placed his fingertips together. ‘My name is Rell. I am the Keeper of the Seals, a job I have enjoyed for close to seven hundred years.’

  ‘I see.’

  ‘Our race once started off in a similar position to humanity. We had extremely short lifespans, limited intellect, and our planet was plagued with civil war, intrigue, and despotism. But, over countless centuries, our ancestors used science to perfect our civilisation. Negative traits were rooted out from the population, lifespans were extended, the environment was perfected, and hostile neighbours were eliminated.’

  Alyce frowned. ‘For a peaceful race, that sounds an awful lot like eugenics and fascism.’

  ‘I do not quarrel with the terms.’

  ‘Then you admit your civilisation was born from evil?’

  ‘You have changed the proposition. You must remember that humanity is still at a very basic position morally. You have not yet developed an absolute scientific law of what is right and wrong. The history of your civilisation has been one of stumbling around in the dark — creating and abolishing religions, trying on different governments as you would different garments, trying desperately to ascend to a greater plane of moral understanding.’

  ‘So you’re saying you’re better than us?’

  ‘Those are not my words.’

  Alyce paused for a second, staring at the Zieron. She hadn’t meant to get into an argument, but his words seemed odious to her. But perhaps she had been a little too quick to rush to judgement. Was she right to question the actions of a race clearly far more advanced than the humans? Besides, she was a member of the Imperial Navy, which had hardly kept its hands clean over the past few centuries.

  ‘How big is your empire?’ Glitz asked.

  ‘Oh, three galaxies wide. At the last count, there were around 300 million hospitable planets.’

  ‘And all containing Zierons?’ Alyce asked.

  ‘There are some alien worlds, but the population of the galaxy is 80% Zieron. Now that we have achieved peace with ou
r neighbouring friends, we do not have any reason to interfere with their day-to-day business. The alien planets within our Empire have sworn allegiance to us, and they would be fools to renege on that promise. However, we do keep a strict policy of separation. All Zieron worlds are only for the settlement of our race. We have found it beneficial not to allow aliens and Zierons to mix.’

  ‘Why? If the Zierons are so peaceful, what’s the problem?’

  Rell laughed. ‘Are you a chemist? I’m sure you will agree that water is a fairly innocuous substance. It is natural and safe, and the basis for most life. But what happens when you mix water with a water-reactive chemical, such as lithium? An explosion of light and fire! Barbarians and the peaceful cannot mix!’