"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 rocky cold water covered 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 small statured deep blue skinned and bald headed officer stepped behind the lectern asked us to settle down and be quiet and began to address us." I am Lt. Tentwor, I am as you can see a Blue and come from the Andromeda Galaxy, even though my species has its roots right here in this Galaxy. Some of you may know that the Blue started out on the same world as the Kermac, but while we are of the same species we are not the same race and Union members for almost exactly 500 years.
"I am an instructor on the academy for nine years now and I believe I might just have the best job in 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 to educate you. 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 and small images of beings and planets floated and swirled together into a representation of the Union Fleet Logo, the Galaxy inside a circle surrounded by many little stars and a triangular arrow shape before it, symbolizing the upward motion of a space ship lifting off. He pointed to the image behind him." Beings from all across the Union, from the most diverse backgrounds and civilizations are here to do their share to assure the safety of everyone else. Be assured you have earned my deepest respect for this decision. "He changed his stance and saluted us and said." Your journey will be a hard one and you might find conditions inhuman, unfair or impossible to endure, but it is done to prepare you for what lies ahead. 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 visualizes 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, with the exception of perhaps the Narth."
A deep voice from somewhere else in the auditorium said." I shall attempt then to assist you doing that, 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 became smaller 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 teaming with life. Life so it appears can manifest 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!"
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 often is a great shock. 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, spaceclaimed by other civilizations."
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 spherical blue field appeared inside the Upward Sector. The field was not a smooth sphere but bulged and dented all over.
"Most of Union space is in the Upward Quadrant."
Three blue dots appeared.
"The 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 th
e 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 still 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 until we could see then Magellan Clouds and Andromeda. The Blue Line connected both Galaxies."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 there. "
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, Lieutenant."
"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 Galactic Community 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. It is not really a war, and we have almost no diplomatic contact with the Nul and neither side really tries to advance into the other side's territory, but real 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 open war against 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 Galactic Council. We fought three all out galactic wars against the Kermac and their slave species, each time we won and during the last war the GC signed a Cease Fire and there have been no open hostilities, but tensions between our governments are always high. Then there is Free Space, 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 so it appears return every 5000 years and always with an incredible large armada of highly advanced space ships and it appears without any other purpose than to kill and destroy. Last time they returned they were met by our new Union and beaten for the very first time.
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 Thaan Pirate Clans and the regular criminal pirates raiding the fringes of our Union.
So you see 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 these dangers 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 Galactic Anthem.
There was a short lunch break and then instructions continued. Another being taught us about rank insignia and the various branches of the Union Military, a Non Corp officer looking exactly like the one sitting next to me, except his Uniform was black and after he had explained to us how to read Rank insignia I knew he was a Lieutenant." Our Union's executive branch 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 security to the Union 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. 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 and 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 a
gain sing the Anthem and repeat the Space Navy Song . After that he dismissed us for dinner.
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 research has dismissed this possibility and now the general consent is that Sarans and Terrans were seeded somehow by an 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 12,000 years the Sarans are ruled by a Dynasty of Queens and have a strong matriarchal ruling society. This led to a revolution about 5000 years ago and 200 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 hostilitiesand the formation of the Union. It was the Sarans who gave Earth the Technology to reach the stars in 2089.
The Saran Empire has and is a strong and mighty empire with thousands of star systems and is heavily involved in all aspects of the Union.
To this day ruled by the Female Queen Dynasty, the Saran queens have absolute power and are the sole law giving entity within the Saran Society. (All Sarans accept Union Law)
One of the most magnificent planets in the Union is Saran. A rich garden world with monuments and temples of explicit beauty and majesty.
The secret Order of the Queen of Sheba is an ancient and very secretive society of Earthers and Sarans looking back to the first Saran / Terran contact and it is said they know the entire story.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 239
