The Final Sunset

by Trevor Herron

  Sections are held together by the most prevalent of forces in space; natural magnetism and contrived proton and electron ionised force fields. To fight these people with explosive, or concentrated light beam military weapons, or any other type of force emitting weapon would be tantamount to self-destruction.

  Any sudden release of energy in the mega tetra range and above would set off a chain reaction that would destroy all of the closest Galaxial planets and render many systems as far afield as three hundred thousand light years away totally useless for dwelling.

  The true power of their weapons lies not in the destruction they can cause but in their value as a deterrent to attack. All the same a weapon of that sort could still be capable of causing a mini big bang that could spawn species that we cannot even conceive of.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “They broadcast this information continuously in a binary language at audio frequency and telepathic voltage so that all who come in contact with them are warned. I know I picked it up in the laboratory this morning. To get back to physical descriptions it functions as a complete and natural entity would. One could say it is a mini universe fitted with the most modern pace maker, except it is a lot more robust than a medical pace maker but the system keeps on ticking.”

  “So do they use mental telepathy?”

  “They might but I don’t think they are advanced enough in neuro-technology, cerebral and cerebellum science. What study they’ve done in neuro-technology they’ve confined to psycho-kinetics and cerebral dynamics. They seem taken with the parlour tricks one can play with the mind rather than explore its real function.

  Getting back to the ship; it is divided into three distinct sections, the supply, drive, climate and protection section that incorporates the two planets and their satellites. Next there is the section that controls the drive fuel chemical balance and working fluids dispersement throughout the ship. Then there is the huge support section capable of manufacturing and repairing anything that goes wrong with any section internally, externally or structurally. They can repair anything atomic, mechanical, magnetic, quantum, electrical, hydraulic, electronic, nano or mega. Here resides the engineers and technicians with all their laboratories, workshops and manufacturing premises. I would love to spend time with them it would give me a good insight into their thinking.

  This Star Ship is more than a Star Ship; it is a quasi-solar system and no one, especially us, wants or needs neighbours of that calibre and raw power even if they are only passing through. Passing through that could take hundreds of time cycles and cause detrimental eclipses that would affect the climate, crops and general living conditions on our planet.

  Traditional warfare against them is out of the question for obvious reasons. In order for them to beat us they would have to use a weapon of mega mass destruction. It might mean they would wipe out a whole section of the five Galaxies but are they mature enough to withhold using such a weapon?”

  “What more do we know about them? Other than what you’ve already told us.”

  “They are devolved from apes; the capyrrhines. I know this sounds a bit far-fetched since apes unlike the simians have put most of their evolutionary energies into developing physical strength and agility and consequently remained at the beastial stage of evolution.

  They claim to be peaceful, and maybe they are, but being peaceful and being aggressive can depend on how one feels on awakening each day. What if they have a despotic ruler and he stubs his toe or changes his mind and wishes to increase his vast holdings to make an empire? Don’t discount such trivialities, after all we’re dealing with apes who have splayed nostrils that point at you like an accusation. Not very attractive at all.

  I don’t want to find out how peaceful a people they really are when we are hurtling toward a black hole as vapour at warp twenty.

  Suppose one of our planets, or satellites even one they have no interest in at the outset turns out to have some unique property critical to them.

  Their way of doing things will be bound to incorporate violence which is against our nature. I mean they’ve advanced extremely far in the physical sciences at the cost of the social sciences and those of the mind and emotions.”

  “From what you’ve already told us violence would be one sided. Would we be daring enough to engage in warfare when they could destroy themselves, us and half the known Galaxies?”

  “Of course we would; you don’t think we’ve progressed as far as we have in the ethereal sciences without learning a thing or two about controlling barbarians and savages.”

  ###

  The Governor’s office had small artefacts in glass cases going back to the Egyptian era and beyond tastefully arranged and set out. They were not there purely for their aesthetic value but they declared in microcosm a subdued history of this giant solar system from primeval to present. Archaeology was the Governor’s passionate hobby.

  It made him proud, it’s message to others in general was a declaration of his people’s achievements.

  The fluctuating sea levels of the past five hundred years had done him a favour. Artefacts previously concealed became exposed and new findings of undreamed of civilisations came to light.

  He was fiercely interested in relics that pointed to the existence of Atlantis and Mayan-like civilizations connecting South America, Africa and North America into a super continent in the mould of Godwana.

  The military had done him a favour by taking over responsibilities for some of his duties. It gave him a chance to get down to the rich New England search areas and diggings.

  ###

  There were five sub species of Simian or more correctly Platyrrhines, that made up the occupying species in this corner of the Five Galaxies. A representative of each was gathered in the boardroom. The words Baboon and simian were not appreciated, any more than Negro had been appreciated by the Afro-Americans of a previous time. They preferred to be referred to as Platyrrhines. A description that referred to the nostrils being close together and pointing downward and having a prehensile tail both features of beauty to their way of thinking.

  Male or female they all dressed in the long dark robes and pointed head gear that put the governor in mind of the Druids of Ancient Gaul and Britain. Did they have the powers that the Druids were purported to have had?

  Males were easy to spot they had larger buttocks than the females who were inclined to a finer delicacy in size making the species quite attractive overall.

  Zill said softly out the corner of his mouth to Haronah, “They’re inclined to racism,” he said softly, “And sexism.”

  “Yes, I caught the thought,” she replied.

  When the PA system came on it brought in a translating option automatically.

  “Ladies and gentlemen; welcome to star-ship Solaria. You have been invited here so that we can explain why we are here and what we intend doing.”

  Master Zill and Haronah looked at each other. So, they intend telling us what they are going to do with what belongs to us? How thoughtful, Haronah transmitted telepathically in a sarcastic tone to Master Zill.

  A look of annoyance crossed nearly every one’s face but they were diplomatic enough to say nothing.

  “First of all, I want to impress upon all present that we are a peaceful people.”

  “A peaceful people yet you presume to tell us you have intentions where you don’t even have rights?” Haronah was indignant.

  “An unfortunate choice of word, but allow me to continue. I’m sure it will clarify itself as we proceed. Please don’t take this as a threat but we will defend ourselves if attacked and we have some very nasty defensive weapons which even we don’t wish to deploy.

  But we’re not here to promote war but rather to create peace and understanding.

  Right; having said that let us adjourn to the leisure room where we have a delightful repast set out for y
our enjoyment and where I can introduce you to some of our personnel you will find yourselves working with in the near future. One other thing; I would like you all to be our guests for a week or so while we give you a tour of the ship.

  This is not compulsory neither is it a prerequisite to anything other an approach to friendship. We would hope that you avail yourselves of this opportunity as we would like to be open and honest in our dealings with you. We want you to see that we have no ulterior motives whatsoever.”

  ###

  Haronah was the first to accept the hospitality of the Solarians and a tour of the ship. Others followed suit but for the third or fourth time since before the meeting the Governor felt a strange uncomfortable buzz in his head and ears.

  One of the delegates addressed him, “I’m sorry you’ll have to repeat that question; I seem to be suffering a little tinnitus in my ears at the moment.”

  “That’s OK I think I have the answer to my question.”

  ###

  “Thank you very much, we have enjoyed our stay. We found it very enlightening. A marvellous creation. Now it is time for us to go back to our own planets and confer among ourselves.”

  “Of course, of course. We will be hoping for a favourable decision, naturally.”

  False bon homie, toothy smiles and overly vigorous handshakes abounded.

  ###

  Major Ashanti, newly appointed adjutant to the Lt General Ferreira in turn a newly appointed advisor to the Governor addressed the staff officers, “I am not advocating overthrowing the governor. We are not a rebel rousing riff-raff and there is no need for that. I mean elections are easier to manage if we want him removed from office. Besides which we don’t want any one getting the idea that there is a division in our ranks.”

  “I just don’t think he is the right person for this job,” opined a Lt Colonel.

  “Just who do you, think is the right person for the job?” asked a brigadier.

  “I’d be a liar if I named anyone other than myself.”

  “Why you? Why not any one of us in this room right at this moment?”

  Good God,” voice spoke up, “The first generation had enough trouble with ambitious people; are we reverting to that?””

  The colonel ignored the interruption.

  “The army by temperament and training are not negotiators, unless it is terms of surrender and we haven’t reached that stage yet. My CV will tell you that I came from industry and advanced rapidly from second Lieutenant to lieutenant colonel in two years.

  At the time I was in industry I was a negotiator for completion and delivery dates and we were locked in fierce competition with other disciplines all trying to gain times and dates suitable to themselves. I don’t know how you feel about it but I’m not prepared to accept a place at the bottom of the garden when a better situation about where Giclac 3 is situated would be the ideal position for us and that will take top class negotiation.”

  “In the first place if you succeeded in negotiating what you’ve just proposed it would change the juxtaposition of the whole system and create havoc.”

  “Not at all, there are two systems that do not connect to Bar-na-dos suns and they’re two small worlds occupied by a species barely out of the stone age plus I don’t think there’s more than fifty or sixty thousands of them.

  Our offer would be to assimilate them onto the farmlands of Canada, Russia and Argentina. They’ll have a better life than they have now and we’ll be free to utilise their planets and stars”

  “You paint a rosy picture on how the current residents will live on our planet but a very poor picture for us. How do you think a system such as ours can survive with stars of less than one thousandth of the specific heat of our current star?”

  “We have the ability, we can create a new star or increase the capacity of the current one, with controlled big bangs if magnetic insurgence is unsuccessful.”

  “Sir you would consign most of us to hell with ideas like that. No sir General Ferreira is the man for the job. Let us vote. A show of hands will be sufficient.”

  ###

  “What happens if Giclac 3 finds the insertion of an inert gas planet unacceptable?”

  Ashanti smiled a tight little smile, “I have often queried the army’s powers of negotiation but I’ve never queried their powers of persuasion.”

  “What’s the difference?”

  “Oh you’ll know the difference when you come face to face with it,” and the hall rippled with laughter.

  ###

  On Giclac 3 the Giclacians held a meeting of their own.

  “Commander Zill what do you make of that tour?”

  “I think it better you ask Haronah she’s our resident expert on things like that.”

  “Do you want a technical evaluation or an evaluation of intent?” Haronah asked the questioner.

  “Whichever way you see fit.”

  “Well as a technological exercise they managed what they set out to do and that was to impress us with their advanced skills. I for one was in awe of what they’ve achieved. It is no mean feat to move planets around and even grow gas planets as they have done and then turn a solar system, even half of one into a star ship to move millions of people out of harm’s way boggles the mind.

  Their people are their greatest asset; everything they make, manufacture or design is for the benefit of even the lowliest among them. They defend their people with the fiercest aggression; any species with that attitude is very dangerous. They permanently challenge any one to harm one of them.

  That is a basic insecurity, a drive to protect their conceived territory not only to remove interlopers but to eliminate them entirely. Surrender is not a word in their vocabulary and they will literally fight to the last man.”

  “Violence has never been an option for us,” said Master Zill, “We will have to revert to all but forgotten methods we have not used for centuries. We need to know to what extent we can enter their minds to gather what they are thinking but that will only extend the conflict which will break out sooner or later into a war of attrition.”

  “And what will those methods we have not used for centuries be?” Asked Haronah?”

  “Something I doubt you have even heard spoken of is called the Elysium Effect. Call the High Druid. I’ll need to speak to him.”

  “Yes Master Zill.”

  ###

  “Ah master Zill is referring to the Art of Hallucination,” The Druid was tall and thin, gaunt would have been a better word, the hood over his head hid his face and left the robe looking empty, all he needed to complete the picture was a scythe for him to be the epitome of the grim reaper.

  “I will need a collaborator, Haronah will be the perfect one and about a year to set it up again. Can you delay them that long?”

  “Certainly; a little friendship will go a long way.”

  ###

  “Well Haronah do you have any ideas?”

  “Yes Master Zill, any number of them.

  “Good; keep them to yourself; I don’t want to know.”

  “Yes Master Zill.”

  ###

  The governor woke feeling thoroughly miserable. Despite the controlled temperatures on the ship he was freezing. Every joint in her body ached and his nose continually dripped.

  A humanoid showed Ashanti into the Governor’s ornate bed room.

  “You’re not feeling too well so double three X informs me.”

  “God, I’m feeling terrible. A little like death warmed up.”

  “I’ll call a physician.”

  “Don’t worry I should get over it in a day or two.”

  “Don’t worry, the Governor gets ill and I’m not to worry.”

  “It’s probably nothing more than a common cold caught at the New England digs.”

  “That does it. Who knows
what germs are lurking in a place like that. Lie back I’ll get the doctor now. Any way the last thing we want is an epidemic on board.”

  Robots could be so damned pushy thought the Governor.

  ###

  By midday they had their epidemic, half the population was down with it. The General declared a state of emergency. The army were roped in to scrub danger areas. They were the only organisation with sufficient filter masks to allow large numbers of people to carry out sanitisation. There was no logical pattern to its spread and the medicos couldn’t isolate a bacteria or virus that was causing the illness.

  It was six weeks before the number of cases decreased sufficiently for exhausted medicos to believe they were getting ahead.

  The Platyrrhines gave help with physical nursing, cleaning and laundry but they had no vaccine or antidote.

  “You will probably have to build up some form of immunity against our germs, it will only take several thousand time equivalents. It took us about 100,000 and then we had to go through many epidemics.

  We’ve cancelled the meeting on Trade Agreements until enough of you are feeling better. Hang in there we’ll see if we can make some sort of serum to help you in the meantime get all the rest you can.”

  The Governor was the guinea pig for the serum, “It’s only right I should be the first. I’m supposed to lead from the front, not so?”

  There were those who hoped for an adverse effect but they were not doctors. Soon after taking it an improvement was noticed. For six more months travel was restricted to cut down the spread of the disease. The Solarians were grateful to the Platarrhines for their assistance but lost time toward carrying out their plans would have to be caught up.

  “Governor we can consider having an antidote. We’ve tested it on several hundred volunteers, yourself included and after a few modifications and retrials we can consider it perfected.”

  “Try it on me next. I just can’t seem to shake the damned sickness off. If the latest version works on me, we can go public.”