It was much too early to be awake. The sky, viewed from my bedroom window, was a sheet of inky black pricked with shards of starlight, untouched by Lyscus' effulgent rays. I glanced to the table beside my bed on which my alarm clock perched, and instantly let out a groan; 12 sectons to 4:00am. Well, I suppose being omnipotent has its downsides… I thought, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Felix?" I croaked. There was a pop and a crunching noise, like the sound you make when you crack your knuckles, and in front of me stood Felix, all black and white scaled with wide eyes and droopy ears. His back was oddly crooked, making it look like he was in a permanent bowing position. He was covered by a grimy, ragged brown cloak.

"I am at your command, Lord Aves," he replied coldly. I snorted -- he was just like all the rest of his species; snide, conniving, and mockingly polite. But what else could you expect from Casalids? I supposed that, if my home had been destroyed and I had been forced into the role of my conqueror's servant, I would act similarly. Regardless, I turned to Felix and requested a tall glass of mentha. I was quite fond of the calming, minty, green spice laced drink. Once again there was a soft pop, and Felix was gone.

As I waited for my refreshment, I hopped to my clawed feet and trotted over to my closet. It was filled with numerous outfits, all colored dark green and black. I sifted through the collection idly, delving for something presentable. I finally picked out a fine, black leather coat, a thin, verdant shirt and my best dress pants. Felix returned just as the coat was slipped onto my blue skinned arms.

"How do I look?" I asked, staring into the mirror over my dresser, turning to see myself from various angles.

"Like the lord of a grand empire, your omnipotence," he drawled back robotically, handing me my beverage. I took a thoughtful sip.

"Good. I am attending a meeting with the Wracu Empire this afternoon, and they are very particular about their appearances. Pompous creatures, really. But, they do have many spice mines, and I daresay Samoid is rather lacking in purple spice. Spode above, I can't remember the last time I had a mauve pudding…" I babbled on, not caring that Felix's eyes were glazed over with obvious boredom.

"Is there anything else you need me for, sir?" he interrupted rudely. I gave him an offended glare, but said nothing, and waved him away dismissively. He was no fun to talk to, and I was about to leave anyway.

I weaved through the many rooms of my lovely mansion as swiftly as I could, stopping only to snag a quick breakfast of loxiflora buds, and it was precisely 4:00 when I walked out into the streets of a sleeping Camitar City. Yes, Camitar city; a magnificent place, essential to the spice industry (it supplied all the corporate bigwigs with their coveted Galinger Spiceminers), as well as Samoid's bustling capital. It also happened to be my hometown, the first city my ancestors built hundreds of years ago, where I was hatched and raised and now ruled with a gentle hand. I wished to linger there in the moonlit roads, picking out stars like Davintal and Polcoadra from their many counterparts, but I needed to get to my ship. I was already running late.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Ah, Aves, it is an honor to meet you at last."

The owner of the voice that greeted me as I strutted out of my ship belonged to Ulaumis the Great, a high-ranking alien that commanded the Wracu Empire. I could tell he was a sly fellow from the moment I met him; his mind was on only spice and sporebucks, of that I was sure.

"I return the gesture," I replied smoothly.

"Come then, let us fly to Saphodis. The Grand Council is waiting for us there, and they do not like to be kept waiting," he tittered, then hastily added, "Even by one as magnificent as you."

We were transported by shiny white and gold terracrawlers to a sleek looking air craft, and I was escorted inside by Ulaumis, Admiral Kiph and Captain Artemis. Kiph was a rather young, for an Admiral, but looked even more slippery than his superior. Artemis, on the other hand, seemed a bit more trustworthy. It mattered little, though; they were but trivial characters, in the grand scheme of things.

I sat down with a sigh on one of the plush white sofas, and began scanning the spherical interior of the Wracu air craft. Everything was colored pearl and gold, luxuriously decorated with all sorts of expensive artwork. A yellow geode hung from the ceiling, pulsing with light, giving the whole room a glittery look. It was far too glib for my tastes, and I felt somewhat out of place in my simple outfit. The three Wracu that I was seated beside fitted in much better. They had a milky base coat, decorated with silvery rosettes and brass stripes. Upon their thin frames they draped silks that matched their skin, and from every limb hung assortments of metallic bangles. Their vanity was almost disgusting.

"So," said Ulaumis, "How was the travel to Edrah all the way from Samoid?"

"Alright, I suppose. Fairly boring, although a small gang of ruffians from the Blisspar Empire tried to sell us back-alley Hectawing eggs." This roused a couple of chuckles from my hosts.

"I suppose I should contact Empress Novi about it, but it's such a long way to any system in the Blisspar Empire."

"Mmm, yes, although I must say, her recipe for Ellemberry tart is worth the trip," commented Kiph. I gave him a little smile, and then proceeded to stare blankly out the window.

Below us I could see the green seas and yellowed land of Edrah flying past, peppered with the occasional lavender spice geyser or busy terracrawler. And then, on the horizon, I caught a glimpse the elegant white spires of Saphodis. The vehicle gradually slowed, then dipped toward the ground, and I felt a light thump vibrate through my skeleton as we landed. My companions and I stood simultaneously once the door opened, and Ulaumis lead us out into the hot and humid air of southern Edrah. Everything smelled exotic and fruity, and it was so moist my shirt clung to my skin. I hastily removed my leather jacket.

"My lord," crooned Ulaumis, "I present to you Saphodis, the jewel of Edrah and the pride of the Wracu Empire." He stretched out a willowy arm and gestured toward the towering buildings and great cream walls. Soon I would be inside those walls, isolated from my own Empire, faced with five of the coldest Wracu I would ever meet.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I found Saphodis quite intriguing. It had many winding roads, all filled with market stalls and busy Wracu. It smelled strongly of spice and fruit and cooking meat, as those were the many commodities being sold that day. Everything was very bright and shiny, illuminated by Kimedia's strikingly brilliant arcs of brass light. Samoid's own star, Lyscus, was a somewhat dull luminary, and I had become used to its beautiful, faint light. Kimedia was just too harsh and hot and blinding. Ulaumis, Kiph and Artemis were, of course, unaffected.

I was happy, though, that we were being transported by bubblecar. It allowed me to observe the city without being hindered by a large crowd such as the one I was so avidly watching. To every side I saw chefs bartering for the best cut of a slaughtered dabbit, mothers holding their childrens' hands as they purchased fruit, business men sipping sour yellow spice drinks as the read the news, and various other things that my two eyes could not keep track of. It must already be noon here, I thought, realizing that it couldn't be the early morning. Sometimes it was hard to remember all the different time zones, especially in such a gigantic universe.

Artemis leaned close to me.

"That's the town hall, there," he whispered, pointing to a large white building with decorative columns and glittery gold banners. "The Grand Council will probably already be there, waiting for us to arrive."

I nodded, my fingers tapping anxiously on my leg. I was the highest ranking alien on the whole planet, but the planet itself was not mine. Here, I had to abide by the rules of Ulaumis and his dratted Grand Council. I had earned the respect of all in the galaxy, but my position was little more than useless here. His Greatness knew this, too, and his smugness washed over me like a wave of needles. I wondered if I request mentha, to calm my frantic nerves

"Ulau-" I started, but closed my mouth at the bubblecar came to a smooth stop at the grand, yellow-painted wooden doors of the town hall. Once again I was graciously escorted through doors and halls, furtive eyes stealing glances at me from behind cult-like masks and sheets of paper. I was a stranger, an intruder; that much was obvious. And it didn't help that my companions, the only three I knew on this yellow and green rock, were made to wait outside the building.

It didn't take long for me to be lead into a high-ceilinged room, with wide windows and a platform rose from the marble floor. Five maize and white chairs hovered behind a desk upon that raised platform, each one filled by a narrow eyed, statue-still and hunched over Wracu. Oddly enough, they were all wearing cloaks black as empty space, as opposed to the usual airy and brightly colored outfits of Saphodis. They looked like statues.

One spoke; the sound was similar to wind whistling through hollow wood, or rustling parchment. "You are Aves, son of Sirius, the Omnipotent ruler of all Fuera?" he (He? She? It? I couldn't really tell, but I assumed from the slight timbre in its voice that it was male) asked, although I could tell he already knew the answer.

"Yes." It was a simple reply, but I wasn't quite sure what else I could have said.

He raised a suspicious eye at me, and the council members on either sides of him followed suit. "Then you are here to establish a trade route with the mighty Wracu Empire."

"Yes."

"Very well. Present us your case, and then we shall deliberate."

I took a large breath of air, then began. I started with the introduction I had rehearsed every morning for days before, explaining how the Fuera race began from a mere comet, spawning into a pool of primordial ooze from only ice and motes of microscopic dust. I went on to tell them how easily the earliest of Fuera had advanced, grown bigger, developed legs and hands and soon intelligence. It only took a few billion years for them to construct a civilization, a tribe, a band of curious half-beasts that wanted to know why Lyscus rose and set each day, or why sweet-smelling powder erupted from the bowels of the planet Samoid. Once they used their knowledge to sway the other tribes, they became smarter still, mining the substance and living in a golden age of wealth and peace and breakthroughs in technology. Soon enough they had figured out how to use energy from stars to power ships, allowing space travel. But with that amazing ability came countless dangers.

"When my species was young, they battled through carnivorous beast, hungers, and rival tribes. Now, as we explore the universe, even more perils have risen from the deepest shadows. Plagues, pirates, the Grox-" I saw one or two of the council visably shudder "-yes, the Grox; they threaten to destroy peace and order in beautiful solar systems such as these. So I ask you this, Grand Council. Why shun each other when we can, instead, help those who need it? A trade route would not only put more sporebucks in our wallets, but allow us to connect regularly with each other, despite being so many parasecs apart. Is this not a beneficiary negotiation? Please, accept my offer. It will be better for both Empires if you do."

There. I had put myself out there for the Grand Council to examine, to debate over, to pry into with their narrowed eyes. Somehow the speech I had made had boosted my confidence, and I was now standing up, shoulders back, head straight and optics locked on the center Wracu, who was, quite obviously, the head of the council. There was a sharp, cold silence like the edge of a blade, and then the middle spoke once more.

"We shall think about what you have said, Lord of Fuera," he said in that whispery voice of his. "And then you shall know our answer."

With that, the Council stood as one, and floated like black ghosts through a doorway at the back of the room. I stood, blinking, a bit affronted by their coldness. A slender, obviously female Wracu came up beside me, and silently motioned for me to come with her. I followed.

Ulaumis, Kiph and Artemis greeted me as I was herded into some sort of ornately decorated parlor. The girl vanished like a wisp of smoke as I took a seat, and Ulaumis offered me a glass of champagne. I accepted, and found it too sweet. The glass was empty quite quickly, however.

"How did it go, your omnipotence?" inquired Kiph curiously.

"I have no idea, Admiral; they are like stone!" I laughed, then took a swig of champagne. (My glass had been hastily filled.)

"Yes, they are a rather high-and-mighty lot," agreed Artemis, who was taking miniscule sips from his own goblet. "But they do keep this Empire up and running."

"Then to the Council," Ulaumis purred. "and may their royal bunched-up panties never come undone!' We all laughed, clinked our glasses, and drank deeply. My fingers were beginning to tingle, but I could not have cared less. I was beginning to feel more comfortable in Saphodis, with its thick air and inviting atmosphere. It was so very different from my own home, the calm, serene Samoid, but not at all unpleasant. We drank and laughed and joked about the Council for what seemed like hours, until the same woman who had brought me to this room appeared once again.

"The Grand Council has come to a decision, Lord Aves," she murmured, not meeting my eyes. "They agree, and will be sending their ships to your planet shortly."

We all looked at each other for a moment, silent, letting the feeling sink in, then Ulaumis, Kiph and Artemis let out loud cheers for me in their tipsy euphoria. I cheered with them, slapping Ulaumis on the back heartily. The girl looked unnerved, and left the room as swiftly as she could.

"Congratulations, your Omnipotence," burbled the three in unison. I smiled back, drained my glass once more, and laughed again beside them. I was happy here.

There was a sound. A moan, a shriek, a gasp for breath; I jolted up in surprise, looking around in confusion. A Fuera had just walked in, his clothes torn, and a large gash on his arm that was bleeding heavily all over the smooth, tiled floor. What was left of his uniform was pinned with blood-spattered stars and badges- four of each, to be exact. It was Commander Seraketh, dirtied, bruised and obviously terrified.

"Aves," he whispered, tone gravelly and uneven. "Pirates are attacking Camitar."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .