Universe in Flames – Ultimate 10 Book Box Set: An Epic Space Opera Adventure

by Christian Kallias

  The President took a while to answer. “You mentioned war… We have done our best to try to avoid war on our own planet and, even with our best efforts, we are nowhere near a positive result. So what do you propose we do?”

  “I propose the people of Earth each raise their voices and help make this decision. Make them take a vote, everyone on your planet. If the vote is for us to leave, we will leave, however reluctantly, because we do not wish to see your wonderful planet destroyed or enslaved. We came here on a blind jump, not knowing where we would end up or what other species would be in the area. Perhaps our jump attracted the attention of other races as well. All we know for sure is that the Zarlacks will be back.”

  “The Zarlacks?”

  “That is the name of the foe that attacked you. We had information in our databases about them, though we thought they’d been extinct for a thousand years. We were wrong. Maybe they simply moved to this part of the universe instead.”

  “So you’d like the world to take a vote to see if we should fight these Zarlacks together?”

  The captain nodded. “Yes. I think the only way for this to work is if the people of Earth actually want us to be here. But they also have to be willing to change their ways, and be prepared to fight a battle on a scale they have never witnessed before.”

  “Changing ways is not one of our strengths.”

  “I’m sensing that, Mr. President, but it is my sincere hope that you will nonetheless try, for all our sakes.”

  “Would we keep our current sovereignty over our countries?”

  The captain and Chase shifted in their chairs. They were treading on dangerous ground now.

  “I won’t lie to you, Mr. President. The political and sociological state of the planet is flawed at best. Money must be abolished, fossil fuels must be replaced immediately, and while this will all take some time, the sooner we start, the better for the human race.”

  A look of utter shock radiated from the face of the President and echoed around the rest of the table. He tried a couple of times to say something, and almost stuttered, “Mo… Money? Abolished? Do you have any idea...?”

  Before he could finish his sentence, Captain Saroudis cut him off. “Yes, Mr. President. I know exactly what I’m asking. Money is the currency of species still in their utter infancy, with all due respect. We had a period where our own civilization was focused on the same goals as yours, and I won’t lie to you, it was a dark time in our past. But as soon as we abolished the monetary system, we evolved at a pace that was almost exponential. We cured illnesses, eliminated poverty, and focused on bettering ourselves. Material possessions don’t make a civilization great. They often prevent one from achieving its full potential. The sooner you release yourselves from these burdens—money, fame, and power—the sooner you will be in tune with what matters most and become a greater civilization.”

  “This is a lot to take, Captain. Quite a lot. And while I’m sure the people of Earth would relish making the decision themselves, I’m not sure...” his voice trailed off.

  “Mr. President,” the captain said, “I’ll be honest with you; there will be some chaos; there will be groups rebelling at first. We experienced this on our planets as well, but over time we prevailed. Because we know what to expect, we can help you minimize these effects.”

  “This seems like a science fiction proposition, but I hear what you’re saying. I should warn you though that humans doubt; humans don’t like to be told what to do.”

  At that point, Chase rolled his eyes and leaned forward. “That’s all well and good, sir…Mr. President, but your society is already telling the majority what to do. And yes, the people in power now won’t like it. They might even rebel. But since ninety-five percent of the planet are the little guys being told what to do, I believe they’ll relish the idea of being asked what THEY want for a change. Not to mention, until poverty, famine, war, and any other unproductive conflict stops, we won’t stand a chance of defeating the Zarlacks. How can you hope to save your own world if you’re still fighting amongst yourselves?”

  That last sentence was uttered with a little too much passion and Chase regretted its intensity almost as soon as he’d said it. He tempered himself immediately.

  “I apologize for my passion. But while this is all new for you, the fact of the matter is we just want to help. And in helping you, we also help ourselves. But we’re asking that the people of Earth decide, not the current people in places of power, Mr. President. As long as the human race functions that way, things won’t change fast enough to make even the slightest of difference. But like my captain explained earlier, we will gladly leave this planet if you’d rather fend for yourselves to protect a system that’s doomed to fail.”

  There was a long silence in the room, as everyone pondered the enormity, the absurdity, and the strange logic behind these words.

  After a couple of minutes of muted exchanges between the people in the room and on the monitor, Captain Saroudis got up and took something out of his pocket. Before Chase could see what it was, all the security goons in the room had raised their guns, shouting.

  “Keep your hands where we can see them, sir!”

  Chase shook his head in despair. Earth was not what he’d hoped it would be. Unless some sort of miracle happened, this wouldn’t end well.

  And then, something miraculous did happen.

  A warm light suddenly filtered throughout the room, shining and brightening the harsh colors and dim table. Chase glanced at the monitors in astonishment to see that the light seemed to be shining in different places at once, all over the planet in fact.

  Then, a sweet female voice resonated all over the world.

  “People of Earth. My name is Aphroditis, and I speak to everyone on the planet at this very moment. Things are about to change, but fear not, you are not alone. In the name of love, and as what you once called a deity, I have been chosen amongst the people of Olympia to reveal our presence to you now. Otherwise, your world will be destroyed very soon. After all, you are our children and we love you.”

  The light was surreal but, instead of making everyone panic, it had an impossibly soothing effect. It was something no one could understand, being pure and untarnished love. That, combined with the voice that seemed to be coming from within, held the room breathless.

  “We left this world a long time ago; the human race rebelled against our guidance back then and we preferred not to interfere with your development anymore. The people that came to your rescue today are your ancestors. Most of them decided to follow us to the farthest reaches of the universe when we left. With our continued guidance, they evolved faster than the people of Earth. A point came when we decided to let them continue this evolution on their own and, in time, they also forgot about us. But there is a darkness looming in the universe, a force of pure evil that hasn’t been felt for thousands of years. Only if our children unite will there be a chance for survival, for peace, love and universal prosperity.

  “We would like to ask you to choose your future; it will be like taking a vote and the vote is simple. You can either continue to fight amongst yourselves and doom your hopes for the world of tomorrow, or you can start to love all that is life. Love yourselves, love your neighbors, and love the gifts you’ve received at birth over countless generations.

  “We realize now that we left you too early. Despite your rebellion, we should have stayed a little longer and provided much needed guidance. It is clear now that a select group of people used this to their advantage and the needs of the few have surpassed the needs of the many. Because of this, many sufferings have happened on planet Earth. We cry for the people of Earth; you deserved better than this. But as the darkness approaches, like many other worlds, you must now decide if you want to change for the better, or let the darkness consume you like it tried to do earlier today.”

  As Aphroditis spoke, the range of reactions around the room and on monitors around the world was astonishing. There were tears runn
ing down people’s faces. Some were kneeling and joining their hands in prayer; some were staring dumbly up at the heavens; and others were trying in vain to block the words with hands pressed firmly over their ears.

  “I will ask you all now to decide if you want to change and better yourselves as a species; if you are willing to let go of your old and decadent ways. Or decide if you’d rather continue upon your current path. You are all free to choose for yourselves. You must know by now that we don’t interfere in your everyday lives; sometimes the ones who still believe in us in one form or another wonder why we let people die, children starve... We have not chosen this fate for you; we have let you make your own. Long ago, we gave you the gift of freedom, and we will never take it away from you. So today, we let you decide. Hold your answer in your minds and hearts and we will know what your decision is.”

  The next few minutes were absolutely silent. Chase imagined that not a sound could be heard on the rest of the planet; maybe on their ships as well. People’s faces held a mixture of serenity and panic, as the centuries without communication with the gods had caused a great divide between those who believed and those who didn’t.

  “You have chosen.”

  The people in the room looked around in shock as Aphroditis spoke again.

  “More than ninety percent of you have chosen to better yourselves and are ready for the biggest change in the history of your civilization. We are very proud of you, our children.

  “From now on, Earth will no longer be a multitude of countries with a multitude of beliefs; you will all unite this day. Today, the Earth Alliance is born. Welcome the new members that have saved you on this dire day. Let them guide you and help you toward a new life, a new path, a new beginning. There will be tough times ahead. There will be much pain and suffering as darkness has been allowed to roam the universe for too long, long enough to become a force that will not let itself be stopped easily.

  “Every few thousand years, the forces of light and darkness wage an epic war that threatens to destroy the very fabric of the universe. There will be casualties. Such is the gift of freedom and non-interference we’ve bestowed amongst the countless civilizations we’ve cared for. But know this: You are not alone in the universe. As you have witnessed today, there are other species—some aligned with light, and some allied with darkness. The union of peoples and civilizations makes them stronger. You will face darkness but you will also encounter light in this journey. The universe is at a tipping point, and only your courage, determination and, most importantly, your love, will prevail.

  “There is still a percentage of you who do not wish this change and, if they so please, they can leave Earth. Red glowing portals will appear near everyone who wishes things would stay the same. They will be transported to another world similar to the way Earth has been functioning in the last few centuries... You can go there or you can stay. The choice, as always, is yours. Once you step into the portals, your mind will be changed on the fly, your identities will be rewritten so you will never know you came from Earth, and you will feel at home on your new world with the right set of memories. You will not remember you were once an inhabitant of planet Earth.

  “From this day on, we will not interfere anymore. You now have to make the changes required for your fight against the dark forces of evil of your own free will and of your own volition. We have guided your ancestors toward you so they could help you grow faster and avoid a terrible loss of life today as well as tomorrow. But it was their choice as well. They proposed exactly what we just proposed to you; we simply helped them make their point by addressing each and every one of you simultaneously.

  “Rejoice as you are entering a new age, an age where you’ll use technology to better yourselves in the most amazing of ways. Now that the shackles of your existence have been broken, you will be amazed by all you can achieve and you will come to know what it is to experience true freedom. Freedom of the mind and of the soul. Whatever your dreams are, you will be given the chance to realize them. People with an affinity for leadership will be leaders in the coming war; people with an affinity to fight will be soldiers and fight for life, for freedom, and for love. People who have an affinity for art will create to their hearts content and realize their life’s purpose without having to think about material issues interfering with their muses. You will no longer be hungry; you will no longer be sick; you will age more slowly now that a huge burden has been lifted from your hearts and souls.

  “There will be a small amount of time for things to transition from the way they currently are, but these changes will seem fast. You have the right to be afraid, but these winds of change will make you reach a new state of thought, a new state of being, where everyone does what they want in their life by choice, not because they’re forced to. Nobody has the right to force you into a position you do not wish, and soon you will experience what it is to be free of all your pains and suffering. Your ancestors have the knowledge to cure any diseases you suffered until now, but even now, those of you with seemingly incurable illnesses must feel inside that you will get better. Life isn’t there to get you anymore; you are free and you are love. You have all been reborn.”

  The warm light started to recede but it stayed present in everyone’s heart long after fading away. The sheer magnitude of what had just happened was so overpowering that the entire planet fell silent, reflecting upon the words that came from the sky, from within, from beyond...

  12

  Earth rallied faster than anyone would have thought possible and, before he knew it, Chase was walking back into yet another briefing room. On one side of the table were seated Captain Saroudis, Medical Chief Talon Avlar, Wing Commander Daniel Tharraleos, and Technological Advisor Yanis Tixichos. On the other side sat the people of Earth: Navy Commander Sarah Kepler, Technological Advisor Boralis, General Adams, and some other scientists whose names Chase didn’t know. As soon as Chase was seated, Captain Saroudis rose and started the meeting.

  “It’s been four weeks since we arrived on Earth, and we’re happy to report that you’ve achieved what is being recognized as the fastest technological and philosophical change in the history of this planet. Frontiers have been abolished, war has ceased, there is no longer any famine. We’ve cranked up the production of helper bots to create new living quarters and bring basic facilities like water and electricity to the regions of the globe that needed it the most. We’ve also relocated the people who are gravely ill into newly built medical centers, more of which are being constructed day after day. Each continent already has at least five of these centers, where the sick, hungry, and dying have been admitted in order of priority and are being treated as we speak. There are still some fatalities due to the speed at which the planet’s infrastructure had to be repurposed, but with each and every day these decrease in numbers. We project that in the next two months, all types of illnesses will be eradicated on Earth. For more on this—Medical Chief Talon Avlar, if you’d please give us a detailed report on the advancements that have been made in terms of health and the medical field in general.”

  Chief Avlar was a tall, thin man, with blond hair. His eyes were light blue, and his voice was overly soothing. All in all, he looked and acted like the perfect doctor. He got up from the table and clicked a remote to display a map of the planet on a screen.

  “Thank you, Captain. Indeed, the progress we’ve made in just a few weeks has already changed much for Earth. The creation of the health centers and their strategic positioning has permitted us to treat a huge amount of sick people in a small amount of time. The region that needed it the most was, without a doubt, the continent of Africa. Hundreds of thousands of children were saved and we believe that except for a few isolated cases where the indigenous population rejects technology or are simply afraid to come forward, we should have the region stabilized very quickly.”

  As his speech came to a close, a doctor from Earth got up with tears in his eyes. “If I may, Chief Avlar?”

  �
�Absolutely, Doctor Schmidt, by all means.”

  Doctor Schmidt had a similar doctoral presence, but was in his sixties. He had the gray hair that usually accompanied such an age, and a thick beard that took over half of his face despite being well kept. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his white, medical coat.

  “I just wanted to say how truly amazing the past few weeks have been for the medical community of Earth, to see the crisis of hunger and poverty in Africa resolved so quickly. In my wildest dreams, I never thought we would manage to do so much good in Africa in my lifetime, let alone in four weeks. Every doctor and every humanitarian on Earth is so grateful for what you have helped us achieve; I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

  Avlar smiled. “Thank you, Doctor Schmidt, we’re glad to help. And the help from the medical community on Earth has played a vital role in identifying priorities as well as streamlining and deploying our new facilities on your planet. Without your expertise and the passion from the community, we wouldn’t have managed to achieve such fast results.”

  Doctor Schmidt smiled and nodded, wiping tears as he sat back down at the table.

  “Please continue,” said Captain Saroudis, gesturing toward the chief.

  Avlar ran a hand distractedly though his hair and glanced down at his notes before continuing the briefing. He briefly explained how the most virulent diseases like cancer, diabetes or AIDS had been beaten with the help of the regen tanks brought by the Alliance. The tanks were not only made to cure physical damage, but they analyzed living DNA. When a discrepancy was found inside the body, it meant that some sort of illness had started attacking the healthy tissue. The regen tanks then rebuilt those tissues with unaffected cells with the same DNA and a person was back to a state of perfect health. If enough regen tanks were built for the population of Earth, Medical Chief Avlar predicted that most humans could easily live to be one hundred and forty years old, maybe even more with the use of augmentation implants.