Author's note. Finally managed to write something. I've been busy lately. Well, a few more chapters and then the big ending of the second book. Not much left.
Reviews:
G: I'm not sure what adding to a story with millions of years old races, parallel universes, beings made of pure energy that live in another planes of existence in it can be construed as far-fetched. Can you be more specific?
Some of my colleagues have lost interest in finishing their stories. Life goes on, and priorities change. There's not much that can be done about that. My story on the other hand, won't need a lifetime to be written. Two thirds have already been written, which means another year and the story will end. Not such an eternity after all ;)
No magical tech in the story, all tech is pretty much well-known, if not from the SG universe, then from some other series or even real theories we already have right now. And I think that after 50 million years the Ancients SHOULD be almost all knowing. If it takes more than 50 million years, we are screwed!
The Tollans are alive! Well, one ship made it, and that's it, and haven't really spent much time on them, have I? I also think I didn't go against canon one ship full of Tollans. The BSG universe is a different matter, and that is also the reason why I wrote a different story. If somebody doesn't like such crossover, he or she simply has to skip the spin-off and the main story barely mentions the colonials. I think that this is actually the best way, in which who likes crossovers has the chance to read another story, and those who don't, still have the ability to read the main story without bothering about Cylons and Colonials, as if they don't exist.
What you said about the Lanteans is the exact reason why I went with two distinct races.
From my story, in which I mention Oma, Aenea and Liam as old friends, it is easy to know that she's very old, and an Ancient. Ida is a problem. It is certainly in the local cluster and from the time it takes the Asgard to reach the Milky Way it is definitely closer than Pegasus. How much, well, anyone's guess is as good as mine. and just dumping a number like a million light years doesn't help much.
kgnmike: A few chapters will be dedicated to their progress and how things are settling down, all before the final two chapters of the second book.
Thanks to my beta, and hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well.
Furling Galaxy – Cydonia
Soren stared at the holo-map floating in front of him. It was depicting a large region of the Furling galaxy. It was showing the progress they'd made in the last six months against the Sanarians, the warlike race bent on dominating other races through fear and intimidation.
The alliance the Edenians, the N'Gati and other races had formed in this foreign galaxy had managed to push the Sanarians back, systematically taking outpost after outpost from them. The Sanarians had to retreat hundreds of light years, since unable to supply their ships that far from their territory. It was working, and Soren could almost predict how much longer it would have taken to push the Sanarians all the way back to their home world.
At least, that would have been the prediction if he weren't intent into dissolving their alliance.
Their Alliance had been founded on a false pretense - he had known that for a very long time - and the only piece missing had been proof. Proof he had obtained a few days ago, when they had finally found the N'Gati ship responsible for the destruction of one of their ships. It had taken a long time to track the ship down, but once found, it had only been a matter of quickly disabling it by firing a small swarm of very deadly drones intent on severing the ship's main power conduits. After that, it had been easy to beam an assault team on board and take control over it.
The captain of the N'Gati warship had been taken into an interrogation room where, in less than a day, had spilled the whole truth on what had really happened to their ship and people. The captain had 'confessed' how he'd been ordered to broadcast a distress signal in order to lure the Edenian ship and how, once the ship had arrived in order to provide aid to the unfortunate N'Gati ship, the captain had fired at it before it could have raised its shields. It had all been a ruse in which the Sanarians had been blamed for the ship's destruction in order for the Edenians to join the proposed Alliance and begin fighting the ruthless Sanarians.
The N'Gati had fooled them, and Soren had been foolish enough to join the alliance before making sure there was any truth to their story on how their ship had been destroyed. And now he needed to face the N'Gati, accuse them of having openly attacked one of their ships, ask them for all involved to be brought to justice, and of course to dissolve their alliance, since he could not in good conscience remain allied to such people. What they had done together up to this point in the war against the Sanarians would certainly be hampered and possibly the Sanarians would be able to regain some ground, as Soren was certain the dissipation of their alliance would cause chaos in their rows.
Soren was also angry at the lack of progress concerning the real reason they were in this distant galaxy, which was to find the Furling, or rather their legacy as it was becoming more and more apparent that the Furling were not here anymore and hadn't been for a very long time. They were stuck, waiting to hear from back home if they had found the beacon that was supposedly the key in locating the Furling Legacy. Until they received word from back home, they didn't have anything better to do than to play war against the local alien races, which was far from how Soren wanted to spend his time or what he even cared for, at all. In truth, what Soren wanted was to find the Legacy, pack their bags, and with all due haste speed towards back home.
He was fed up with this galaxy, and the backstabbing races it contained.
He turned briskly, as he heard the door of the conference room open. He watched as individuals of various races began pouring in. There were so many different races, all those who have joined their alliance in order to fight the Sanarians, and all have been duped by the seemingly benevolent appearance of the N'Gati. At least he hoped the other races didn't know about the ruse, about how the N'Gati had, without any remorse, decided to blow up an entire ship full of people simply because at the time it suited their agenda. He hoped that was the case because, if they had known, his problems would certainly become much bigger.
The various ambassadors quietly took their seats, all slightly concerned. He had urgently asked for this meeting, without giving any explanation on why they needed to have one so quickly, only days after they had the last one. It was understandable that they were showing some concern. It would also be interesting to see their reaction, once they were told the whole truth.
All participants had taken their place, intently scrutinizing him while waiting for him to begin. "I am certain all of you have the same question in mind right now, and that's the reason for us being here today. Well, the reason we are here is because I recently came across some concerning information, information I felt important to be shared with you, all of you." Soren paused, watching the gathered ambassadors, and especially the N'Gati representative. Thus far, there was no sign he knew what this was concerning. There was also a chance he didn't know what his own people had done. He would have to watch him closely for signs. "As you are all aware, the Edenians have joined this Alliance after one of our warships had been destroyed by the Senarians and the N'Gati asked us to fight together against this menace that afflicts this region of space." There was still no change in the N'Gati's expression. "I'm here now to tell you that we have been fooled, and that the Sanarians didn't attack and destroy one of our ships. The N'Gati did that, and blamed it on the Sanarians in order to embroil us into this war."
And here it was, the reaction in the ambassador's face. It was subtle, a short-lived sign of recognition, and then quickly changed into one of puzzlement. He'd been quick, but still not quick enough. He clearly saw it, and he was now almost a hundred percent certain the ambassador knew what his people had done. On the other hand, the other ambassadors were showing no sign they knew what the N'Gati had done. They were all appearing clueless, glancing at each other as if not understanding what he was saying.
The N'Gati finally spoke. "I…I do not understand. This is an outrageous accusation, yes. We… we are a peaceful race, never to use force if not for defending ourselves. The Senarian destroyed your ship, they did. You accuse us of doing such an atrocity simply because one of our ships was there."
Good. Hang yourself, he thought with amusement. "So, you would never do such an atrocity to further your agenda against the Sanarians?"
"Certainly not! N'Gati are peaceful. We would never—"
The door opened, and another N'Gati, with two Guardians flanking it, entered the conference room. It was the captain of the N'Gati ship responsible for the atrocities the ambassador was vehemently swearing the N'Gati would never do. Soren kept his gaze on the ambassador, immediately noticing fear in him, the instant he must have understood who the N'Gati who had just entered the room was.
"Ambassador, are you certain you don't want to revise your last statement?"
The ambassador clearly felt cornered and angry. By now, he must have realized there was no way out of this by simply denying any involvement. He began fiddling with his hands, rubbing them against each other and apparently thinking hard on how to reply. He suddenly stopped moving them, raising his gaze directly at Soren. "What are your demands?"
"For all involved in making the decision to destroy our ship to be brought here and be judged, and if found guilty to face punishment, as well as steep reparations for the destroyed ship and the families of those who died."
The ambassador was blinking, and Soren could almost imagine the train of thought in his head. Those involved in the whole affair were no less than their leaders, which meant that what he was asking was a lot, with or without reparation. "What if we cannot deliver what you ask?"
"War."
The Ambassador's eyes flew wide, as the single word burned into his mind. It took him a good half a minute to recover, all that time fidgeting with his hand while thinking hard. Soren was under the impression that fidgeting with their hands is directly connected to their thought process. "And what about the war against the Sanarians?"
"The Edenians are, as of this moment, withdrawing from any alliance that has the N'Gati as one of its members." Soren quickly glanced at the other ambassadors in order to gauge their reaction to this revelation, a revelation with grave consequences for their war against the Sanarians. He noticed many of them displaying fear, while others anger. Anger towards whom, he didn't know. They would now have to decide if the alliance would keep the N'Gati as one of its members or the Edenians, but it couldn't be both.
Not anymore.
"I will have to contact my people. I cannot make the decision alone in matters such as these," the N'Gati ambassador replied.
"Of course. I will await your reply. You have five days to inform us of your decision," Soren said, turning towards the rest of the people in the room, gazing for a few moments at each of them. "And for you, ambassadors, is to decide if you want the Edenians to remain in this alliance or the N'Gati, but I cannot in good conscience be part of an alliance with a member who has deliberately destroyed one of our ships, with its entire crew killed, only as a mean to further their interest."
"What about the captain?" the N'Gati asked, glancing at the captured N'Gati captain.
"He, his crew and the ship will remain here. His guilt in following immoral orders and as the main actor in this incident has already been established. We still need to ascertain how many of the crew knew about their mission to ambush our ship and had willingly participated. Those found as willing participants will as well face punishment. The rest will be freed. Also, your captured ship is forfeited, and will not be returned to you."
"I understand. I will take my leave now," the N'Gati ambassador replied, slowly raising from his seat and moving out of the conference room.
Soren watched as the N'Gati left the room, turning at the other ambassadors. They were already talking among themselves, some fearfully, while others spitting harsh words in clear sign of anger. Soren watched them without saying anything. He thought that, if they had something to ask they would, no need for him to stop their discussion. The discussion abruptly ended, with all ambassadors getting on their feet giving him a small nod and moving out of the room, without uttering even a single word. He really didn't know what that meant, if they were inclined to toss the N'Gati out, as he thought they should, or if they were more inclined to toss the Edenians. He hoped the former would be their final decision because, if it wasn't, and the N'Gati decided not to deliver the guilty ones, there was a good chance they would face all of them in a war.
He really hoped those races made the smart decision, for they didn't know what the Edenians were really capable of.
Pegasus Galaxy - Babylon One
"He actually succeeded?" Woolsey said, plastered by the revelation. "Frankly, I thought he would have blown up another system. This time, with him in it."
"It came as a surprise to most people, myself included," Weir added. "Well, at least now we have a viable way to produce ZPMs. Even with four ENI reactors, it took more than five years to charge one. On the other hand, now we can expect to have one every six months if we connect five Arcturus together."
"That's definite progress. Do you know the production schedule for the Arcturus?" Woolsey asked. It was a revolutionary discovery, one that couldn't be easily beaten, and one they needed to start using as soon as possible.
"Well, it is going to take some time. With all the safety measures, the Arcturus are pretty cumbersome and not that easy to build. The EPDMs are actually more difficult to produce than a ZPM is, but we already have Tollana's, Terra Nova's and Asura's production facilities hard at work on building us the first batch. As far as I know, those planets will get five Arcturus each first, then one batch will go to Atlantis and one to Borealis, but we still need to think about where to install them. The two cities just got the ENIs installed and I don't see the need to take them out, especially since they work perfectly in hyperspace, and the Arcturus generators don't. We'll have to figure out something. Plus, it isn't such a priority since the cities don't actually need them; most of the time the cities just float idly, with even one ENI providing enough power for its everyday needs. So, it is not really a must have ASAP thing," Weir said, realizing she was spending too much time with the military types, or at least with one of them.
"The last phase I think is to start building space stations dedicated to charging ZPMs and then place them somewhere in the middle of nowhere, but there are still some security concerns about leaving space stations with dangerous technology floating in space."
"That's an understandable concern. What about upgrading our ships with the Arcturus?" Woolsey asked.
"There are problems there too. The biggest is that the reactor doesn't work in hyperspace, which is a limitation nobody likes. The second is that, to put the Arcturus onboard any of our current ships, we would need to take something out. Probably one or even two of the currently installed reactors, and the ships use those during hyper-travel."
"Which means, by installing the Arcturus, the ships would actually become slower during travel, or they would need to rely on a ZPM for the necessary power," Woolsey ended the thought.
"Exactly, and only the largest ships have ZPMs. Jack also mentioned that it is a weakness to have ships that need to power their main reactor after exciting hyperspace. They could be ambushed before the Arcturus can be brought online, which is a clear weakness. And last, it is questionable if we even need it."
"What do you mean?"
"Jack returned from his little trip with Liam, the one in which they found a treasure trove of goodies. Among those, it appears the Alterran Argos has spent the last couple of million years making antimatter, which can be easily used on ships, both as an energy source and for antimatter based weapons."
"That's a good idea, but isn't antimatter dangerous to have on ships, or on planets for that matter? And don't antimatter weapons, like those installed on Liam's ship and on our dreadnought class ship, need to be big?"
"It is dangerous. It is very dangerous, and because of it, Liam is thinking about a special way of storing antimatter. With Rodney's invention of the EPDM for his Arcturus reactor, in order to collect the harmful exotic particles, he actually created the perfect storage device, capable of holding mater in a subspace pocket universe. Hence, Liam is thinking of making some sort of ZPM holding antimatter inside, but he still needs to modify Rodney's EPDM to allow particles to travel both ways; EPDMs currently allow only particles to be collected from our universe and be put into the pocket universe, not the other way around. It is also a good security measure so that the exotic particles can never return in our universe.
"And you are right. We already have antimatter weapons and they need to be big, but the current antiproton beams need to create antimatter before being used, which slows down the firing process considerably and the weapon must be bigger because of it. If Liam succeeds in making the, let's call it an antimatter-ZPM, the weapon only needs to accelerate already existing positrons, without the need to create them first. The previous weapon will still be more powerful, since it creates the heavier anti-protons while the antimatter Argos is making are positrons or anti-electrons if you will, but the firing sequence should be drastically shortened, and such weapons could be smaller, possibly even capable of being installed on our battleships instead of the Heavy Asgard Plasma Beams. Maybe we keep two HAPBs and change the rest with Positron Beams, I'm not sure. Sam says the Asgard Beams are still the fastest firing weapon we have that can deliver such tremendous amounts of energy. The Asgard did a really good job with those."
"That sounds great, although I'm not an expert, hence have no idea what's the gain between having a positron beam or a plasma beam."
"I'm not an expert either, and what I'm telling you now is just what Sam explained to me yesterday. However, from how I understand it the difference is massive, since antimatter - positrons or anti-protons it doesn't matter - reacts with whatever matter it touches, with very explosive results. So, if shields fail, a ship's armor serves more as additional fuel than as protection, and that is exactly what we need against the Vargas and their energy dispersive armor. I'm just not sure we will have the time to implement the changes before they show up, and that's not all that our scientists have to work on right now. As I said before, Jack returned with a treasure trove of new theories and our scientists are working on testing those too, especially those that haven't been fully tested by Argos."
"Haven't been fully tested? Why haven't they?"
"I'm not sure. Sam told me something about theories that were too dangerous to be put to test inside the pocket universe. What that means, I didn't ask; I dreaded the answer too much," Weir said, turning abruptly as she heard the door open. "Oh, Larrin, you made it."
Larrin walked in front of Woolsey's table, next to where Weir was sitting. "I did Elizabeth. If I didn't have to take the ship, as you asked me to, I would have come here much sooner."
"It is no matter Larrin. It isn't a time sensitive matter, and I'll explain why you needed to come with your ship shortly," Weir replied. "Please, take a seat."
Larrin blinked, puzzled, before taking a seat on the chair next to Weir. "Okay. Why do I have the ominous feeling that I won't like the reason for me being here?"
"You can put your mind at ease, Larrin. It is nothing ominous; on the contrary."
"Okay, go on."
"Let me first ask you something. How is your unification with the Rivans proceeding?" Weir asked.
Larin narrowed her eyes, not understanding what was going on here. "Fine, I guess. To tell you the truth, I haven't seen much of a difference after we signed our agreement. Business is as usual."
"So, there are no troubles on the horizon with the Rivans? No animosity or second thoughts?"
"No, not at all. I told you the last time we saw each other. The Travelers and the Rivans are getting along just fine," Larrin answered, again blinking in puzzlement.
Weir nodded pensively, not looking anywhere specifically. "What about the Lathirans and the People of Senthal? How are relations with them?"
Larrin looked at Weir for a long moment, before sighing. "They aren't. After we signed the unification treaty with the Rivans, the Lathirans and the People of Senthal backed out. There are rumors the Lathirans are now looking to make an alliance with the Genii; heard nothing about the People of Senthal though. Will you please tell me what's this all about or are you going to keep me wondering?"
"What do you think about this space station?" Weir asked, as if she didn't hear anything of what Larrin had told her.
Larrin looked frustrated. "It's fine, great, a marvel of technology. What does that have…"
"Would you like to have it?"
There was silence in the room, for a long time.
"What?" Larrin asked.
"I asked you if you'd like to have it."
"Sure, of course, why not?" Larrin said, not getting anything of what was going on.
"Good, then it is yours."
"What?"
Weir smiled. "Let me explain then. Recently, we the Terrans have started discussing what our reasons for being in the Pegasus galaxy were now that the Wraith threat is gone, and have found out that there are none. This is not our galaxy and we have no reason for spreading in this region of space, not when there is our own galaxy with billions of stars to do it. Furthermore, during our talks we understood that we could not form alliances with any of the races in the Pegasus galaxy because it would never be an alliance between equals, and we also realized that races, not only in Pegasus but everywhere else as well, need to be left alone to progress on their own accord and their own timetable. In truth, any kind of alliance we try to make in this galaxy would only serve to create ill feelings between us and with whomever we are allied with, and possibly even between them and other races we aren't allied with. We could actually be responsible for new hostilities springing between races in this galaxy and that's the last thing we want. Also, less advanced races would ally with us only if they see a clear gain, like getting some technology we are probably not willing to share with them. We firmly believe that races must progress on their own, without us hovering over them."
"Uh-huh, but… it does sound strange this coming from you, since you are the one who, as far as I know, progressed the most not on your own accord, but directly through help from others."
"It's true, and I'm fully aware of how hypocritical what I'm telling you must sound to you. I'm also certain that Liam, the Asgard and the Nox would have never helped us progress so quickly if there hasn't been a need for it. And with need I mean the wars against the Wraith, Ori, and many others."
"I agree with you. It sounds hypocritical. In less than ten years, you've become equal partners in your little alliance of four."
"Umm… yes and no."
"Huh? What does yes and no mean?"
"Larrin, the truth is that we are not equals with the Nox, Alterrans or Asgard. From how Jack explained it to me, this was more a subterfuge for our own public that Liam, Daniel and Jack came up with because they knew our public would be more receptive to an alliance than to the standard model the Alterrans have always used and that's of a Master and Apprentice. And it worked. Our public was ecstatic, but in reality, our model is that of a master and an apprentice."
"What? Are you telling me the Nox, Alterrans – the few there are in the lower plane – and the Asgard are your masters? I don't buy it."
"It is true, but not masters in the sense you think. They are not our masters in the sense that they are our rulers. They are masters in the sense of them being our guides, those with the wisdom, which they have been from the very beginning. Liam was the one who gave us the model for our Terran Alliance, with the formation of our Council and the rules we'd need to follow. Furthermore, he, the Asgard and the Nox were always there when we needed them to guide us, but never to force us or to rule over us. Look at what they did on Heliopolis and the program they instilled, the one in which all Terrans have to spend two months with the Guardians, two with the Asgard and two with the Nox and the other way around. They are not doing it for them, they are doing it for us so we would learn from them, exactly what a master and apprentice model is. You see, to them a piece of paper saying that we are all part of the Second Great Alliance doesn't mean much, because their actions speak differently and to them are much more important. They are the ones with the wisdom, and we are the apprentice that needs to learn. As the Nox would say, we are still very young."
"Huh, so… not equals in your alliance?"
"No, but we are getting there. It isn't strange at all that the one proposing the Genesis Project is Liam. Let's say that he's the one who's fast tracking us to become equal partners in the alliance, but we are not there yet, just as the Asgard weren't in the beginning. We still haven't united our home planet, or solved many of the problems that are still afflicting it."
"Okay, in a way it makes sense, but what exactly does this have to do with you giving the Travelers this station?"
"We believe we have no place in this galaxy, much less telling native races what to do, what's right and what isn't. We think that that role should fall to somebody else. To be more specific, we think that someone should be you."
"Us? Does that mean you are leaving the Pegasus galaxy for good, leaving us alone?"
"Not exactly. We are still keeping Asura, but we will not venture further into this galaxy or colonize other planets, and we will stop any interaction with other races in it. For all intent and purposes, it will be as if we are not even here. That is, except in your case."
"Our case?"
"Yes. We would still like to keep contact with you and guide you if guidance is needed. Let's just say that our door is always open to you if you need us, but for everything else, you'll be the ones in charge to watch over the humans in the Pegasus galaxy."
"But what if there's trouble? What if the Wraith reappear or some other enemy?"
"As I said, we are here if you need us, and the Vanir are here as well. They are tasked with safeguarding the Pegasus galaxy if an enemy rises again, but from what we are seeing right now, I think the Pegasus galaxy will have a long period without any major conflicts."
Larrin was pensive. "And what are we to do with this space station? Are we to keep it open as a place for races to meet or what?"
"That's up to you, Larrin. We do not want to be your masters in that sense. We will not tell you what you should or shouldn't do, even when you are about to make a mistake. After all, making mistakes is one of the only two possible ways of learning, isn't it? However, if you need a second opinion on a matter, or support with something, our door is always open. You only need to ask.
"We also think that the Travelers can become a beacon of light for this galaxy, the same as the Lanteans were placed by the Alterrans as such, and a beacon much better received by the other races living here than we would ever be. We are strangers from another galaxy, and there would always be those who would not accept us, no matter what we do."
Larrin fell silent while looking around the room as if inspecting the station. "It is a beautiful station."
"That it is, and we believe it will be of great help to you, but, Larrin, do you also understand what all this entails for the Travelers and consequently the Rivans. Being the beacon for this galaxy is a burden. You'll be the ones who'll need to make the hard decisions, you'll be the ones towards whom other races will have sometimes reasonable and sometimes unreasonable demands, and you'll have to be the ones who most of the time will have to say no to them. Do not think for a second that other races won't come to you asking for everything you have, and getting angry with you when you refuse to give it to them. It will be a burden, in which you'll have to judge when you are to help others, and when other races need to help themselves."
Larrin sighed. "I think this is way above my expertise, and the right to decide by myself."
"I disagree, Larrin. You were the one who united the Travelers and helped your people come to the decision to settle on Riva, and you were also a key figure in the talks with the Rivans in your unification process. If I'm not mistaken, you're exactly the person to talk to first about this. I understand that you'll need to talk to your people and that you can't give me an answer right now, and that's all right. We don't have to conclude our talks today."
"That's actually a relief," Larrin replied. "So, why did I need to come here by ship?"
"Because we have some equipment we want to give you. We know you're trying to build a new city for the Rivans and the Travelers, and that you need heavy construction equipment and materials. We have a lot of leftovers from when we dag out Borealis and helped the people there build their new city."
"A bribery, I see," Larrin said, smiling.
"Take it as you will," Weir replied, smiling as well. "Just take it."
Andromeda Galaxy – Eden Prime
Liam walked into a conference room, sided by Aenea and Adria. Inside, already seated, the Doci, Tomin and ambassador Galen - whom Liam had detailed as liaison between him and the Priors - were already having a heated discussion.
"Lorax is only one of the worlds that do not have any intention of joining the new Prior's Order," Tomin retorted to the Doci, to what exactly, Liam hadn't heard, hence didn't know. "You must remember what the priors did to the people on that planet seven years ago."
"The priors were sent by the Ori," the Doci replied. "They only followed their will. Will that no one questioned at the time."
"I understand, Doci, but it does not matter who sent them. What the people on Lorax remember is dozens of priors coming on the planet and burning alive hundreds of people, all those who had questioned the teachings of Origin. And now that the truth has been revealed, the people there remember only how the priors had executed their friends and loved ones." Tomin explained. "And Lorax is only one planet. Other planets have similar stories to tell."
Liam watched the deflated posture of the Doci, not having anything to say to that. It was the truth, the priors had been the Ori's whip for a very long time, dispatching of those that had showed even the smallest doubt in the Ori or in their teachings. There simply wasn't a world in the entire Ori galaxy that didn't foster a certain degree of resentment against the priors. The Ori were responsible, but the people in the Ori galaxy only ever saw priors performing unspeakable atrocities.
"I understand Tomin, but we can only help the humans in our galaxy if they let us," the Doci replied, but he sounded defeated.
Liam approached the table on the opposite side, quickly greeting each of the man already there. "Doci, Tomin, Galen, I see you have already touched one of the points why we are here today."
"This discussion is old, Ancestor Liam. It is simply a reiteration of what we have been discussing for the past several months," Galen replied. "No progress has been made in regard to the human population in the Ori galaxy."
"I gathered that much from the reports you sent me. It seems to me that the situation has been steadily worsening in these last few months instead of stabilizing," Liam replied, thoughtfully looking at a nondescript point on the table.
"I'm afraid it has," Tomin replied. "Anarchy is ruling on many of the planets in the Ori galaxy. They are lost, they need leadership, but they do not want to have anything to do with the priors, or with Origin."
Liam sighed, understanding perfectly how the people in the Ori galaxy felt. After the demise of the Ori, the priors had decided not the renounce the teachings of Origin, rather deciding to interpret portions of the Holy Book in different ways. There was nothing wrong with keeping the teachings of Origin alive. The book wasn't evil, as most people in the Ori galaxy now thought of it, and there was no need to discard it in its entirety either. However, Liam was of the opinion that the priors had done a grave mistake. They had essentially remained a theocratic government that humans in their galaxy loathed, and would never accept. If they had chosen a different model, maybe the people would at least recognize their will to change, and maybe even decide to put aside their resentment against them. Not much of a chance, but at least a possibility would have existed. "I do not believe you'll be able to unite the galaxy, Doci."
The Doci raised his gaze, looking intently at him. "We cannot hope to help the humans in the Ori galaxy if they are not willing to speak to us. The galaxy is in chaos. Except for a few worlds that have joined Celestis, the rest is leaderless, and on those worlds, the onset of anarchy is clearly visible even now. If this is to continue any further, I fear grave consequences will befall those worlds. Famine and even wars are almost a certainty if nothing is done to achieve some form of stability, no matter how feeble."
Liam understood the Doci concern, and even more so, he understood the Doci was trying to help because of the gilt he was feeling. He was pushing it, wanting to atone for his sins at all cost and not realizing that he was doing even more damage that way. "I understand your wish to help, but you're not correct when you state that you can't help them if they are not willing to join you."
"I do not understand."
"Doci, your wish to atone for the sins the priors have committed under the ruling of the Ori is blinding you to the solution that is standing right in front of you. The solution is to let them free, and not to try to enslave them, again."
"I am not trying to enslave them!"
"You aren't? And how would you call trying to impose your ruling over them - the ruling of a theocratic system people in your galaxy loath and that is led by people they despise."
"We only followed the Ori. We were blind to the truth, the same as the rest of the people in the Ori galaxy were on who the Ori really were!"
"I'm not disagreeing with you. It is true that you were blind to the truth, all of you. However, that doesn't change the reality of your situation. Whatever has led you to this point, you are at this point. A point in which most humans in the Ori galaxy do not want to have anything to do with Origin, a theocratic system, or having priors as their leaders. Why force the issue then?"
"Because there is anarchy on many worlds. How can we help them if they will not listen to us?"
"That… is their choice. Do not try to force the issue, just tell them that you're prepared to help them, unconditionally. Tell them you are prepared to accept their requests of what they need, without asking for anything in return or imposing your leadership," Liam said, turning to face Tomin. "Tomin, from what Galen told me, you've been well accepted on many worlds, as the first who saw who the Ori really were. They trust you. Do you think they would also follow you?"
Tomin was clearly taken aback. "Follow me? I don't understand."
"I know you have been the intermediary between many worlds in your galaxy and the priors, as the one trying to bridge the gap that formed, but do you think they would follow you as the person in charge of creating a new type of government, one that has nothing to do with Origin or the priors."
"What kind of government?" Tomin asked.
"There are many types of government, but at this stage I think a sort of monarchy would be best. You could choose the most influential people on each of the worlds and give them a title, like lords. You let them have a certain degree of autonomy on their planets, but you also put them inside a sort of parliament where they will have a voice on the future laws that all will have to follow, on all worlds that are willing to join you. In time, you can also create a House of Commons in your parliament where even people without a title have a voice."
"And I put myself as what? As their king?" Tomin replied.
"Actually, more as an emperor, but yes, you get the picture. You limit your power by giving some to the parliament, both the Lords and the House of Commons, but I wouldn't give them too much of it in the beginning, only after things settle down. In the beginning, you'll need a lot of authority, exclusively kept in your hands.
"Tomin, if you're willing to take the responsibility, I will give you all the support I can." The people in the Ori galaxy almost revered Liam, as the person who had freed them from the Ori oppression. If he were to support Tomin, Tomin would almost certainly be chosen as their leader.
Tomin was pensive, for a long time. "But I know nothing about being a ruler?"
"Oh, you'll learn fast, and it is not that difficult. Try to be just and fair to your people, and always try to do what's best for them, as I already know you will, and you'll do just fine. Besides, if you decide to do it, you won't be alone in this endeavor. We may be galaxies apart, but if you need help or guidance, you can always ask, and Ambassador Galen is not going to leave the Ori galaxy any time soon."
"Couldn't the people decide who will be their leader every few years, like I saw on Earth?"
"Nah! That would be stupid. The people in your galaxy are not ready for democracy. Changing leader every few years would be catastrophic for the stability of those worlds because you'll need a lot of power in your hands if you want to bring stability to so many planets, and it certainly won't happen overnight. It will take many years, possibly even decades to achieve it, and a sudden change in leadership could undermine everything that has been accomplished."
"But what if worlds decide not to join Tomin or us?" the Doci asked. "What if they decide they want to be on their own?"
"Then they have decided to remain on their own, with all the positive and negative connotations such decision entails. In the end, the only thing you can do is give people options and let them decide on their own what the best one for them is. Maybe they'll make a mistake, some certainly will, but it is their mistake to make. You keep your door open, ready to help them if help is needed and warranted. The rest, it is up to them. Also, both of you, do not try to bring all worlds into your fold. Start small, stabilize few planets, those the most open to the idea first, and only then add more that are willing to join you. I firmly believe this to be the best course of action. What you'll choose is completely up to you. I'm just giving you options," Liam concluded, again turning to face the Doci. "Doci, from what Galen tells me, you're still not open to the idea of Adria returning. Is it true?"
"Sadly, it is," The Doci replied. "On a rational level, we all agree that she was used by the Ori the same as we were, maybe even in a worse way. However, as you stated, we are at a certain precarious point, and we can't change that. And if she's to return now, that act would possibly alienate many if not all worlds that are presently willing to join us. She's Ori, and people will never forget that. If we force her return, people will riot, of that I'm certain."
Liam turned to face Adria. He saw the sadness in her face. The priors at least have the chance to atone for their sins. She didn't, and Liam knew she wanted to. "I agree the time is not right. The situation is precarious as it is, without adding more ill feelings towards the priors. Adria, it appears you'll have to stay with us for the time being."
Adria nodded sadly and without saying anything.
"Are we such a bad company that you want to leave us so badly?" Liam said, smiling.
A short-lived, thin smile formed on Adria's lips. "No, of course not."
"Good! I was worried for a moment we were being bad hosts. Besides, you and I - and a certain black hole - still have some business that needs attending, do we not?"
"Hey! You won't monopolize her, Husband. I have plans for the two of us - plans that don't involve any black holes, or even the necessity of you being present. Is that understood?"
"Of course, Dear, I would never. When are the two of you planning to leave for Earth?"
"Vala is taking some Leave Time in three days. We will depart then, which means you have three days to conclude your mutual business."
"Hmm, three days. Not sure if we will be able to…" Liam stopped, noticing Aenea's glare. "Yes, of course. Three days will be more than enough." Liam turned to face the Doci again. "What do you think of my proposal, Doci?"
"Your proposal is sound, but I believe many worlds will decide to remain on their own, not joining the priors, nor the empire Tomin is supposed to build," the Doci replied somberly.
"I agree," Tomin interjected. "There's also the question of the lack of advanced technology. Without the priors, the humans in our galaxy do not possess any advanced knowledge."
"It will be a process, Tomin," Liam replied promptly. "The humans in the Ori galaxy don't know what electricity is, much less about knowledge needed to travel the stars. One of the most important things in creating a thriving empire will be to build a good educational system. You'll need to build schools, universities, research institutes. We can easily provide you with the materials your people will have to study, as well as people who will teach you so that you can progress at a much faster pace than what it would be the case if left on your own devices, but it will still be a process that will last for generations. There is no quick way to learn knowledge races have spent centuries learning. It won't take that long, but it won't be done in a week, a month or even a year. Also, all this is only secondary to your real goals. What's the most urgent is to stabilize the situation, get rid of anarchy and for people to have food and as a comfortable life as currently possible. Everything else comes afterwards and is much less important.
"The priors have the same problem. The knowledge the Ori gave them is… umm… selective at best. They will need to learn new things as well, everything the Ori kept hidden from them."
All present in the room, quickly turned as they heard somebody enter the room. It was a guardian, and from his expression, Liam knew nothing good would come out of his mouth. "Ancestor Liam, our sensors have detected a ship entering the system."
"What kind of ship?"
"It is the Vargas, Ancestor. It is the ship that came through the anomaly. There is no danger – the ship remained in system for only a few minutes before leaving - but while here, it actively scanned the whole system."
"Can our hyperspace sensors track it?"
"No, Ancestor, the ship must be employing a stealth system because, the moment after it had entered hyperspace, we lost its hyper-footprint."
"Thank you. Please send a message to the ships guarding the anomaly to be ready if the Vargas' ship comes their way. They are to stop it from entering the anomaly at all cost."
"It will be done, Ancestor," the Guardian replied, quickly exiting the room.
Liam remained thoughtful for a moment, before turning to face the Doci and Tomin. "Forgive me, but I'm afraid we will have to cut short this meeting. I have some urgent matters that necessitate my full attention."
"We understand," the Doci replied. "Also, if you need our help in facing this new threat, you only need to ask and our forces are at your disposal. We still have a great debt in grave need to be repaid towards you."
"Thank you, Doci. If the need arises, and I'm afraid it will, I'll ask." Liam made a small nod, before turning and speeding out of the room with all due haste. The Vargas had found their home system before their search for the rogue Vargas ship had succeeded in locating it. What they now needed to do was to stop the ship from leaving the Andromeda galaxy through the anomaly. If the ship were to slip through the anomaly, an attack to their home system would soon follow, in forces and just like in the dream he'd had years ago.
That needed to be prevented, at all cost.
Please leave a review, they're always appreciated.