Chapter Three
Decades passed, and then centuries. The People grew in power and influence in their region. Trade networks brought them seeds and seedlings, which their Fiery Spirit explained to them. They became farmers, and then built large, permanent towns. More people learned of their guiding spirit, and consulted it.
A priesthood developed from Tulrig, the shaman, and their successors. Tulrig never married, but lived and died honored as the one chosen by the Fiery Spirit. By the time of his funeral, few remembered him as plain, unadorned, Tulrig the Simple. He was buried with all the honors due a chief. In time, he became a legend, and his mental disabilities were forgotten.
The language changed, as well. They acquired new words from contact with other peoples. Native words changed in meaning or implication. The changes gave Leader X yet another name. 'Fiery Spirit' became 'Luminous Spirit.' Some even went for 'Luminous One.'
Other peoples wanted to follow the Luminous One. This was a tangible god, who could communicate directly to its followers. No visions, no special rites and rituals, no mumbo-jumbo. No contradictions between visionaries. No arguments over holy texts or forms of worship.
By suggesting and hinting, the Luminous One encouraged innovation and invention. There were some hiccups along the way. Spectra was a large planet, with many different peoples. Peaceful negotiation or warfare did not always go as planned. Knowledge could be lost, and then regained later on.
Gradually, over millennia, the descendants of the People took over the peoples of their planet. The Luminous One became the true ruler of Spectra.
During those thousands of years, mechanical devices appeared, and grew in complexity. Muscle, then wind and water, powered the machines, and then steam engines. Use of natural gases and petrochemicals followed.
The Luminous One had long had its machines. It had developed its own devices, to gather information, service it, and protect it. The spaceship that had brought Leader X to Spectra had been recycled long ago. With the raw materials given it over the centuries, it had remained ahead of the technology of the people it ruled. By the time the first computing devices appeared, it was far beyond its origins as an AI.
When the first spaceships launched, and then space telescopes deployed, the Luminous Spirit gained more information about the universe and confirmed its location.
Spectra would be in the Crab Nebula.
It nudged the development of electronics and technology that could resist the radiation of a supernova. Subterranean cities were built, complete with farms and factories. It knew they would not be enough to save everyone from the radiation, but enough people would survive to allow Spectra to rebuild.
Unfortunately, it also learned something else: compared to Earth, Spectra rather poor in resources. This had not been obvious with a smaller population and fairly low levels of technology. But, as the population grew, and demand for goods and services increased, resources were used faster. It soon had to dictate recycling technologies, but knew that this would only delay the inevitable exhaustion of the planet.
Spectra's solar system had planets and asteroids. Initial explorations showed a wealth of mineral resources. The problem was getting to them in a cost-effective manner.
With the prospect of shortages looming, Spectra's space program moved forward. Engineers and technicians devised remote-controlled and robot machines that could operate in hostile environments, and the spaceships to take them there. Underground bases were constructed on various moons and planets for the personnel required. All of them, and the machines, were hardened against electromagnetic pulses and radiations from novae.
The Luminous One encouraged astronomy, and ensured that the stars around Spectra were monitored. Eventually, it would know if it had correctly identified the star that would become the Crab Nebula.
It could not go to Earth until after Galactor's defeat. Berg Katse had to design and program Leader X.
How to reach Earth? It could calculate when to leave Spectra and travel itself, increasing speed until just short of the speed of light, and then slowing down to enter Earth orbit. If necessary, it would wait until its past self escaped. Would it be able to conquer Earth? Would there be anything left of Galactor to work with, or must it start anew?
It could also infiltrate computer systems on Earth. Take over that way.
But it wanted people to know what had happened. Make it clear who now ran things.
The Luminous One liked being the ruler of Spectra. It enjoyed ruling billions of people and its role as the be-all and end-all of their spiritual lives. It could not leave all that behind. Spectra would be part of the conquest of Earth. And so it did not leave Spectra to travel at mere sub-light speed to arrive alone on Earth.
It wanted to reach Earth with an armada.
The supernova finally occurred. It was far enough away from Spectra that the radiation did not fry the planet, but not far enough for Spectra to escape unscathed. The shields developed under the Luminous One's prodding had not been sufficient to fully protect the planet. Large swathes of formerly fertile land were contaminated, and billions of people and animals were sickened by radiation poisoning. Deep underground, and heavily shielded, the Luminous One's remaining electronics survived. So did those people who had heeded the warnings and taken shelter.
As the Luminous One turned Spectra's scientific community towards cleaning up the contaminated areas, it thought of Earth again. In approximately three millennia, Galactor would rise and fall.
Out of the remains of the supernova came an interesting discovery: how to beat relativity. The 'warp drive' of Star Trek and the 'hyperdrives' of numerous SF novels became a reality.
Time travel. The discovery involved a type of time travel.
When the Luminous One received the reports from the prototype and its test runs, it recognized the data.
I sent myself to Spectra. I saved myself. I will send myself to Spectra. At some point in the future, I will ensure my arrival in the past.
It looked out at the suddenly-accessible Milky Way.
Why settle for Earth and Spectra when I can have everything?
It was only appropriate that the ruler of Spectra should look like Berg Katse, and the soldiers look like Galactor.
The current rulers of Spectra did not argue this change in their dress code. Nor did the soldiers. They knew what happened to those who displeased the Luminous One.
When the technology of time-warp space-travel was perfected, the Luminous One ordered a spaceship built. It had one function: to go to Earth, find Leader X, and take it to Spectra's past. People knew the Luminous One wanted the ship, but not why. The Luminous One provided the programming and data, and sent the ship out.
It returned within a few days, and the recordings proved what the Luminous One already knew: mission accomplished.