“I am Eerika Volden. I work with Senator Krico,” she said.
“Umm…Einar Akre, but you can call me Trai.”
“Really? You were nicknamed after a tree? That’s incredibly intellectual,” Eerika said sarcastically with a wrinkled brow and a slight frown.
He was taken back by her snobbish and rude demeanor and was no longer in awe of her appearance, “Okay, then call me Einar. The name was given to me by my faoer when I was a young one. Those things kind of stick, but I doubt that you can relate,” he briefly pondered the insult by the woman he had only just met and fired back, “you think a lot of yourself…don’t you princess? You normally insult people when you meet them? You know what, it doesn’t matter. So, tell me Madam Volden, how many servants did you have growing up? Ever get your pretty little hands dirty?”
“My rearing is no concern of yours—”
Einar laughed, “Did you really say ‘rearing?’”
“Why is that funny? Are you not familiar with that word? Is that not a word that barbarians use?” she asked with a very snarky tone.
“Not raised, upbringing, but rearing. Okay, what can I do for you princess? I’m sure it wasn’t my legend that sent you here. You knocked on my door for a reason,” Einar said with a hint of provocation.
“You are quite the legend, I’m sure. All across the galaxy they scream your name. But I am not sure it’s for what you think. Not sure I would be so bodacious about it…not really all that flattering from what I hear. So, legend, don’t mean to impose on your highly valued time with yourself, but I was walking past your door when I heard you speaking of Asger Ulven. Do you have any information that he may be here?” she asked.
He decided to ignore the comments, “Eavesdropping, aye? I didn’t realize the doors were so thin. Why would I tell you anything anyway? That is official SINSTER business, not meant for princesses,” Einar noted.
“Despite being almost overwhelmingly compelled by your legend, I can assure you, I have better things to do with my time than eavesdrop on anyone, much less a member of SINSTER. Yes, the doors…and walls on this transport are much thinner than you may think,” she completed the comment with a raise of her eyebrow.
Einar became a little uncertain of what she was referencing and considered her comment. He decided to continue with the sparring session and said, “I assume you heard and don’t agree with the ‘hyper-intellectuals’ comment?” Without uttering a word, she continued to stare at him and slowly nodded. “Well, what then? Are we going to play twenty questions?” he asked.
“We don’t need a vigilante in charge of the security of the senators representing the members of the free nations. Tensions are high enough. We came to dispose of peace and freedom…not violence. These men and women spend long periods of time away from their families…they hardly had the time to say hello to them before turning and traveling back. They risk their lives for the sake of living beings on planets that don’t even know any of us exist. Everyone is on edge already. Any talk of Ulven…will only make matters worse,” she said with a firm tone.
Einar’s eyes tightened just a bit and there was a slight turn of his head, “First of all, these people don’t give a…well I won’t say that word in front of a princess. But they don’t care about making sacrifices. They are prostitutes to their political ambition. All they care about is climbing the ladder…the next big thing. They are in love with power and the attention they get. Spending time away from their families…the capital, not much more than a bordello. What does the good Senator expect from you? I disagree with your assessment. Politicians are as corrupt and as flawed as anyone. In some cases, more so. I have no affinity for them!
“So, what is it that we do then? As members of SINSTER, our professional lives are spent darting from one star system to another trying to make sure that all little beauty queens such as yourself don’t have to so much as crack your perfectly manicured fingernails. We make the nations honor the Code. My life has been about fighting for those too weak to defend themselves. What risks have any of these politicians really taken? Soldiers take all the risks and suffer the real consequences of engagement. I have no love for politics or politicians. Getting back to your original question about Asger Ulven, I do not have any information that would lead him here and I am not hunting him. But he is a traitor and a deserter. He has formed an alliance with Bo Nen, Capetes, and Aldevi to fight against us. The winds of war are coming to Viennin from the east…who do you think is the great agitator? If I see him, he will return with us, or…this suite will be empty.” Einar paused for a second, “Rumor has it that he is supported by some of the members of the Huru Federation. Coincidentally, that has become more common for the members of the Baraza Zima,” he said looking coldly into her eyes, “to dismantle this council and to do away with the Code. Every day more and more nations are finding new deposits of telenium and need to mine it. They need, want and will do whatever it takes to get cheap labor. It doesn’t get much cheaper than a slave,” he said in a calm but firm tone noting the severity of his position.
“Right, it is no longer a matter of honor, many don’t care about that anymore. It is no longer a worthy cause to fight for these underdeveloped nations and people. They have nothing to offer in return except the natural resources of their planets and free labor. This council and this Code are denying them that. I get what you are saying, but we are not here to start a war. We can still seek out a peaceful resolution. If you see Ulven, please do not pursue him. Innocent beings will die and it will possibly escalate tensions,” she said with a sincere tone.
Einar could unequivocally see the fear in her eyes, “If there is to be war…then let there be war. I’d rather it happen now then years from now when I am too old to fight!”
“Lady Volden,” the voice of a young man in a similar uniform called from the hallway.
Eerika turned and walked to the door and retrieved a document. While standing in the doorway, she read it. Einar noted the countenance on her face and realized that the document contained unfavorable news. “We have just received word of an ongoing situation. There is an incident on Earth and the Tisht appear to be responsible. Hundreds of Earth people are dead or have disappeared. Honoré Borghild—”
“The son of the smuggler Dag Borghild of Capetes?” Einar asked.
“Yes. He is there and sent word to SINSTER headquarters. They used telenium detonations under a place called the Caribbean Sea to fake a natural disaster. They used a tidal wave as a cover to take the Earth people,” Eerika said.
“A week ago, he contacted Director Eirar and tried to warn him. He had retrieved some telenium deposits from the sea floor and he believed their intent was to take earth people. We just couldn’t put any stock in the word of a smuggler, or former smuggler now it would seem. He said that he had engaged several of the Tisht ships that were about to attack military vessels on Earth. I’m not really sure what to make of that either,” Einar said unaffected by the news. “This…attack happens on the eve of this meeting. What does that tell you? They no longer care about the Code or this council. The precepts of ‘survival of the fittest’ may once again govern us all.” Einar felt the Vandely’s momentum stop as the ship began to hover over the docking area just out of Aigi’s gravitational pull, “This should be an interesting meeting.”
“Before we go…please, we need this to be a peaceful meeting. It seems like everywhere you look the universe is on the brink of war,” she looked deep into his eyes, pleading for cooperation.
He simply nodded in agreement and escorted Eerika out of the door. At the end of the long hall in front of three sets of eight-foot-wide doors hewn out of a grainy hardwood the locals called Tonga, they met up with the rest of the members from Viennin who seemed unsettled and anxious about the meeting. Whispers of Asger Ulven faintly echoed the halls sweeping back and forth between the members present in the wing of the Jamhuri Federation.
By the time the Viennin delegation reached the meeting chamber, me
mbers were already yelling at each other through the twenty-foot-high transparent panels that separated them. It was almost comical to watch as one would wait and listen to an interpretation of what was being said to them before reacting. Initially, the walls were constructed just over seven feet but that had proven to be too easy for angry members to throw food, beverages, books, and other items over. Representatives of the Kuna Federation from the nations of Pamir, Giobi, Yeze, and Tavoy were the worst violators, having on occasion thrown dead, rotting, animal carcasses into the Jamhuri and Huru sections. After several violent meetings, the often targeted Jamhuri replaced the transparent walls with higher, thicker and stronger glass. While the change had proven to be effective in stopping the flying projectiles from hitting the members, it did not discourage their attempts. The barrage often left sections of the glass soiled with little to no transparency and debris piled up at its base.
The meeting had yet to begin when Senator Krico from Viennin entered. He shook his head as he passed through the entry and realized that the wall in front of the Viennin delegation facing the Kuna Federation was already soiled by consumables. A thick green and black sludge coated most of the section and was slowly sliding down the glass toward the floor. He walked down the center aisle to the front row and the location of his seat where he served a two-year term as president over the Universal Council. “Can we at least call the meeting to some resemblance of order?” Krico demanded.
“It stinks that only elected members or those who have registered to testify are allowed in there anymore. Over five thousand nations are represented here and most of them don’t like each other. This whole thing is more of a call to failure. They can’t get anything done. Since you can’t go in there, where do you go during the meeting?” Einar asked while looking past the door into the circus that was the Baraza Zima.
“There is a little Coopian shop down near the Huru section. My niece loves their artwork. I usually go by and get her something, then to the lounge, or back to the office,” Eerika said.
The meeting arena was outlined by a grand hallway paved with white marble tile flooring and twenty-four-inch-wide columns that reached thirty feet supporting the arched ceiling. Statues of the great historical leaders of the council and large fountains were placed a hundred feet apart throughout. Over each statue, a domed glass roof that was a sharper radius than the ceilings had been constructed and provided natural lighting. Small shops, restaurants, and bathrooms were built on the outer wall to suit the extremely diverse needs of the many different beings and bodily features of the members.
The golden glow of the morning sun was nearly blinding after weeks of relying on the artificial light of the transport. The gold coated trim and dental work reflected bright laser-like beams into all areas of the hallway. They turned from the entry of the arena and entered the common area, “Coopio is a lush and tropical planet, very scenic. Easily one of the top five places to see. Have you ever been there?” Einar asked.
“No, it’s a little too far for me,” she said turning to look at him.
“I’m not a fan of long-distance travel either.”
“Really, by your rant this morning, I couldn’t tell,” she gave a girlish chuckle indicating that she was joking.
“The older I get the less I like it,” Einar noted as he panned the area observing the beings moving back and forth across the hallway.
“You are here hunting Ulven—”
“Not specifically. I’m just looking around to prove myself wrong. My instincts tell me that something is just not right. Perhaps I am just a little paranoid. I’m just getting all these red flags that tell me we shouldn't be here.”
Eerika stopped in front of the shop, paused for a second, then walked in. She expected Einar to enter with her, but he seemed drawn to the common area and continued to look around the hallway. She simply waved at him and began to look around as if it were her first time in the store, despite being there a little over two weeks prior.
Einar looked left and scanned the hallway before turning back toward the Huru section of the Council building. From his vantage point, it seemed to be business as usual. Beings from hundreds of planets passed from shop to shop and the clatter from the numerous languages filled the hall. Two guards were posted at the entry of the hallway and Einar moved to cross into the Huru section. He was surprised when the guards didn’t move to stop him but wasn’t sure why he had expected them to. They stood like mindless statues facing forward. Walking among the crowd he realized that the chatter did not seem organic. The majority of those in the section were briskly heading for the exits and toward the parking areas. No one looked at Einar and simply walked past him. While surveying the area, he inadvertently stepped into the path of a male Reiahanian merchant. Reiahanians were short but stout and strong. The flow of his purple cloak trailed behind him and seemed to be slightly exaggerated since there was no wind current in the building. Einar looked at the hard soles on the shoes and was not able to hear any sounds as they met with the marble flooring. Instinctively he attempted to move out of the way but wasn’t fast enough. His arm passed through the merchant as if he were a ghost.
“A hologram?” he whispered to himself.
He stood and observed the pedestrian traffic closely and pulled a coin from his pocket. Einar tossed it at a man from Kereh as he passed by and there was no resistance. The coin passed through where the tall man’s midsection should have been and clinked as it fell onto the marble tile. He quickly moved back to the guards and walked over to one. The Tisht guard did not look at him or acknowledge him.
Einar walked over to the entry that led into the arena from the rear of the Huru Federation. Some members were slowly leaving the chamber and heading for the Huru office chambers. From his perspective, the seating area still looked full and was noisy with chatter. He wondered about the holographic images in the common area.
“Talk about the fraying of the Council and how the new generations who were raised to think scientifically have returned to being barbarians believing that survival of the fittest should be the law of the universe. That is until they are targeted by something stronger and they themselves become the target of domination or conquest. When their lands are pillaged and their citizens are taken as slaves, then the Code becomes relevant again,” said Senator Krico attempting to talk over the chatter.
A tall female Tisht stood to speak and he recognized her as Ningal of the Erim of Tilhar. In her husband’s death, she now assumed his seat in the Huru Federation. As she moved, the color and texture of her skin changed to match her clothes, textiles or anything she came in contact with. She stood tall in a blue and green gown that fell to the floor. She raised her face to meet that of Senator Krico, the elected official she intended to address. She spoke, then the delayed interpretations into various languages were broadcast, “Might I remind you that hundreds of years ago it was Seti-Kiliema, of Viennin, that first reached Earth and tricked the earth vermin into worshiping him as a god. It was he that first took the Earth people…and beings from other planets by the tens of thousands and sold them. For nearly a hundred years Viennin sold slaves and grew to be wealthy because of it. Certainly, that was centuries ago. Feeling, I guess, remorseful about the evils perpetrated by its predecessors, your nation fought and defended the need for the Universal Code. And to your credit here we are today as the fine nation of Viennin and, we,” Ningal raised her hands in a sweeping motion, “fight for the downtrodden.
“As you know, the great Tilhar was murdered and our transports were destroyed and one of our slaves was stolen. Images captured at the scene reveal that one of the individuals responsible, who just happens to have many of the same physical attributes as the men of your nation, was tracked to Auslet and the SINSTER headquarters. We are told that you now have what belongs to us. For hundreds of years, we have all come to believe that you were committed to the cause of liberty and freedom of the lesser beings. We have come to realize that for you, the Baraza Zima is a façade. I
t is nothing more than a way for your nation to gain a competitive advantage. You use the council and the authority it gives you to scour the universe confiscating property that is rightfully owned by independent nations and keep it for your own. Does this not make you a nation of thieves? Returning to the ways of old…perhaps? You use the law to take from us what is ours and commit murder as you did to the great Tilhar. Viennin uses the law to rape the free nations of this assembly.”
Senator Krico stood to face the accusations. The members of the Kuna Federation stood and shouted insults at him as he tried to speak. Various items pelted the glass wall adding to the chaos and noise. “This is an outrage!” he declared pointing his index finger toward Ningal. “Lies, nothing but lies! The nations of Isfahan have violated the Code! As we speak your nation has attacked Earth, a planet that is under the protection of this Code! Sanctions have been violated by the nation of Ansbo, who have resumed the false imprisonment, and trafficking of the people of Earth. All operations on Earth will immediately cease and ALL who have been taken will be returned. As a penalty, any and all trade will immediately cease until the nations of Isfahan and Ansbo are in compliance with the codes that govern our great societies. Furthermore, any and all nations that do not adhere to these sanctions will be penalized in accordance with the law. We recommend that the Baraza Zima, member nations sever trade and freeze the assets of any nation, company, business or organizations taking part and giving support to the violation of the inter-galactic laws established by this council in regard to the ban on trafficking humans from the planet of Earth. Additionally, all humans will be returned home as free and independent citizens of the intergalactic community.”
As if a dam holding a large body of water at bay had suddenly ruptured, the members of the Huru Federation began to exit the chamber. Less than fifteen minutes after the meeting had begun it was apparent that one side believed that the meeting was over. Ningal of the Erim of Tilhar stood motionless attempting to stare down the Senator through the green, black, and brown sludge on the wall. As the members of the Huru Federation flooded the Grand Hall, the chatter and grumblings in the chamber dissipated. When the noise settled down enough, ensuring that she would be heard clearly, Ningal spoke. The taunting words were repeated by her interpreter, “This is where the Code ends!”
Universal Code Page 17
