The LEXX series and all related characters belong to Salter Street Films. Elements of this story were inspired by the excellent Darrow Files on the WordWrights: Lexxplorations website.
The Boundaries of Science
- by Ardeth Silvereni
- Prologue -
Brizon walked to the wide window of his lab, and surveyed the many bright lights of the Cluster gleaming in the darkness. From up here, in the primary towers of the Bioscholar division, the view was quite breathtaking. Airborne transporters ferried workers from building to building, and searchlights pierced the night sky. Billions of people, on a relatively small planetoid, all functioning in unison, like a perfectly engineered machine, or a colony of insects.
Colony of insects. That description struck Brizon as faintly amusing. The human species had defeated the Insects millennia ago, yet eventually came to imitate them mindlessly. He doubted there was a single creative thought left in the minds of those below him. Creativity and inventiveness - these qualities were all too rare, and they were the only things that held any value for him. Clearly the Divine Order also valued such things, as the Bioscholars were allowed ample room to live and work, while menial guards had sleeping compartments the size of boxes. Space on the Cluster was a commodity, and allocated according to an individual's usefulness. Brizon, the Supreme Bio-Vizier, was very useful. He allowed himself a small smile as he gazed towards the main docking bay, far to the left of his vision.
The smile faded. Within days, the planet-killing warship - the Foreshadow - would be returning, and His Divine Shadow would resume his distant interest in Brizon's experiments. His Shadow's hold over the Cluster never waned during his absences, but his scrutiny was easier to ignore. The latest Parablood tests were proceeding well, but it would be a while before Brizon would officially declare the results. He would not rush science for anyone.
The large viewscreen in the laboratory beeped twice, distracting Brizon from his thoughts, then flickered into life with a crackle of static electricity. "Supreme Bio-Vizier, come in..." a shaky voice ventured from it. "Supreme Bio-Vizier - "
"I'm here, fool." Brizon slid into the chair in front of the screen, and casually adjusted the picture by twisting a dial on the control panel. The boy on the other side of the communication was a recent graduate from the chemical sciences division, and new to Brizon's staff. He was understandably nervous to be speaking to the famous Bio-Vizier - a mistake in relaying his message could cost him his career.
"Supreme Bio-Vizier..." The graduate swallowed and slowed his voice in an attempt to sound vaguely professional. "Our sub-department received word from the Foreshadow five minutes ago. They meant to contact you, and will be redirected to your viewscreen within seconds."
"Then I suggest you leave my viewscreen, so I can receive their call," Brizon commented dryly. The graduate broke the connection with a quick, pitiful apology. Speak of the devil... Brizon thought cynically. What had the Foreshadow's mediocre scientists found this time? An interesting rock, perhaps? The screen beeped again, and Brizon sat up straight, purging the sarcasm from his expression as the new image formed.
"I worship His Shadow." He said briskly, with the customary gesture. "What can I do for you, Foreshadow?"
"I... I worship His Shadow." The warship's communications officer was unprepared for the swift response, and he took a few moments to compose himself. "Supreme Bio-Vizier, we are contacting you according to His Divine Shadow's orders. Expect a cargo transport to arrive within the next seventy-two hours. The cargo must be preserved until His Shadow returns to the Cluster."
"And what is this cargo?" Brizon inquired.
"Frozen organic material, Supreme Bio-Vizier."
"I assume that the Foreshadow will be delayed, seeing as you are sending me this cargo now?" Brizon looked directly at the officer. He appeared a little flustered, as if unsure how much information he was allowed to share. "Well...?" Brizon pressed.
"The Foreshadow has sustained damage... minor damage to the Control Pod." The officer corrected himself. It will be repaired in a few hours, but we have orders to take a longer route back to the Cluster."
That was interesting. Damaged ships usually opted for shorter routes, but Brizon had better sense than to ask why a long route was needed in this case. That would be openly questioning His Divine Shadow's motivations - a dangerous, and unnecessary path to tread. By virtue of his post, he had access to most military files, and with simple code manipulations his security clearance was unparalleled. It was easy to follow the Foreshadow's journey whenever he wished.
"I understand." Brizon gave the officer a curt nod of acknowledgement. "May His Shadow fall upon you."
"May His Shadow fall upon you," the officer echoed, and signed off.
Brizon immediately opened a remote link to the Foreshadow's onboard records. After a glance, he sat back in his chair, feeling distinctly unsatisfied. He would have to sate his curiosity later - the inefficient captain hadn't yet entered the return co-ordinate sequences. It was too soon to learn the warship's intended path home, and that little bit of elusive knowledge frustrated Brizon greatly. He usually placated an unreasonable craving for information by returning to his personal experiments, but it was late, and he was only mortal, after all. He wanted something simpler to lighten his mood. He would settle for seeing where the warship had been. Deftly, his nimble fingers tapped the keypad in front of him, bringing up the Foreshadow's log. The viewscreen scrolled a list of co-ordinates, then stopped as the most recent destinations were displayed at the top.
X axis 9-5.0273, Y axis 27.17150
X axis 9-2.7992, Y axis 32.63551
X axis 9-6.4571, Y axis 38.44752
X axis 8-6.3422, Y axis 29.32003
X axis 8-3.9523, Y axis 33.01060
X axis 8-1.2288, Y axis 35.56742
X axis 8-1.0216, Y axis 37.75232
The Bio-Vizier gazed thoughtfully at the data. The organic cargo he was awaiting must have been collected recently. It would be a game to guess its nature and place of origin before it arrived. X axis 8-6.3422, Y axis 29.32003? That was familiar. Corodell Eight, if he recalled correctly. A fairly advanced planet, but a tedious one ruled by a jaded inbred monarchy. He would not miss it.
One by one, he identified the Foreshadow's targets. Half a dozen dull planets, entirely forgettable, entirely useless.
Brizon finally looked at the top record in the log, the location of the last planet to be destroyed by the warship's weapon. He recognized those co-ordinates too, but his recollection was hazy. He did not like the associated sense of unease that was beginning to creep over him. That made little sense, unless the planet was worth something to him...
"Computer?" Brizon asked, his voice sounding unnaturally loud in the cavernous open space of the lab. The organic-looking, dark metal surfaces did not dampen it in the slightest, and he was privately pleased by the effect. "Computer, which planet is located at co-ordinates X axis 9-5.0273, Y axis 27.17150?"
"Goo... Good Evening, Supreme Bio-Vizier," the tinny voice stuttered. "The planet at co-ordinates... X axis... 9-5.0273... Y axis... 27.17150 is... Brunnis 2."
"Only mortal..." Brizon muttered darkly. He stared blankly at the screen for a while, then severed the remote link with a heavy sigh.