I wanted to warn you: I just decided to change the path this story was following. As a result the last six chapters were drastically rewritten and even for most of them trashcanned! The change begins with "Galactic Surprise" and it will go on from there with the Sikorans and other intrusive aliens still lurking in the background but no longer being major players.
The story will be from now on and for quite a long time only earthbound. My prefered d'Arcy will have to wait before conquering the Galaxy!
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Interludes 52 Galactic Surprise
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October 1817 to February 1818
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Director Puuc Yanssi The(**)eek couldn't help but let his beak feathers inflate.
He just got the official nomination and he had just been elevated to the lofty and agreeable title of Director. Not Deputy Director, which was what he really thought deserving, but Director! In the privacy of his own quarters he could show, even if it was only to himself, that he was as proud as Sikoran bureaucrats were able to come.
The High Council had clearly not only accepted his decisions but endorsed them.
And, luckily for him, no higher ranking bureaucrat had been interested in becoming a permanent resident of a backwater solar system peopled with preindies.
He rattled his beak greedily.
He had hoped that his decision to transfer the head quarter of his bureau to Solar System Hai-Gwanb-Thet seventy two would have the result that no one at Sikoran HQ deemed himself fit to replace him.
For months, and probably years, he and his staff would have to live in precarious orbital lodgings that promised to be Spartan, uncomfortable and military.
Which was quite fine with him since it had the double advantage to repel other bureaucrats of his bureau and to satisfy his allies from the navy.
And he was ready to live one or two decades on an uncomfortable orbit habitat when it meant having a Director's pay that he could invest and let grow into a hefty wealth while his whole expenses were paid by the Bureau and/or the Galactic Council…
All in all this little planet and its violent and dangerous race had been a great help for his career and his family's wealth.
And being the second youngest Director in his bureau ever, did bode very well for his coming career.
The Sikoran who had beaten him for the title had ended CEO of the Sikoran Interbureau Council which was the third most coveted post in the Sikoran Universe.
Puuc Yanssi The(*)eek had not been that ambitious but Puuc Yanssi The(**)eek clearly thought about it.
His dreams of climbing to the top of Sikoran bureaucracy were interrupted by the chime of his phone.
He took the call.
"The machine is ready to be placed, Director," announced the Navy enlisted who had been placed by the fleet admiral at his sole disposal. "The shuttle can be launched as soon as you whish it…"
Puuc Yanssi The(**)eek made no effort to hide his satisfaction.
"Perfect… You'll… !"
He was interrupted by the shrill beep of an incoming Galactic Call.
An important Galactic Call.
He took it without hesitation.
"Have you already entered into the first contact procedure?"
The Sikoran who was asking was well known throughout the Sikoran realms. High Administrator Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush had been Chairman of the Board of High Directors for years and was, for insiders and High ranking bureaucrats the most important Sikoran of the Galaxy.
Director Puuc Yanssi The(**)eek was feeling quite humbled by his being face to face with the bird who could do and undo careers with a clap of his beak.
"Not yet, Shiiraan," answered Puuc while having problems to master his feathers. "We were on the brink of sending a shuttle with the first contact module."
"Cancel everything we won't enter a first contact procedure any time soon."
Puuc, who knew better than to protest, couldn't help but show his disappointment.
And his little break of protocol earned him a joyous clap of his opposite's beak.
"It is only postponed, Puuc, and we have no intention to stop the procedure that will, finally, offer a seat in the Council to these 'Erthers' and as such we will support financially and politically every other step you've launched within this race's system. It will stay the Navy Head Quarter of the whole quadrant and you are confirmed on site to be the Administrator of all non military assets. You have just gotten a new priority…"
"A new priority, Sir?"
Abidi made the beak clap of confirmation.
"Indeed Puuc, a new priority: you're charged with supervising Operation Soaring Event Race Survey –OSERS for the insiders- and you'll have the dubious privilege to see quite a lot of new settlers arrive in your system…"
Puuc who was –a little- worried by the High Administrator's last words couldn't help but show his surprise.
"What is OSERS exactly, Sir?"
"The new brainchild of the Board of Scientific Integrity…" came the immediate –and more or less unhappy- answer. "Ybra Unta(*)Yk Tann(**)Sour has jumped me this morning while we were both arriving at the Seat of the Boards. I believe he had spent at least half an hour waiting for me in the lobby…"
Which was quite unheard of for an Administrator of such elevated rank.
"Had he been informed about the Soaring Event?" dared to ask Puuc.
"Not officially but, as it is legally demanded, the news has been published in the Galactic Council Journal…"
Normally nobody ever reads the Galactic Council Journal…
Abidi couldn't help but clap his beak, half in amusement, half in anger…
"So it seems that there is a Sikoran who reads the Galactic Council Journal!"
"Could have been the Siraat at the Scientific Integrity Board, Sir. It is rumored that the Siraat read everything to compile as much information as possible."
Abidi clapped his beak in approval.
"Could really be, indeed. The Siraat are a weird people, wouldn't amaze me in the least!"
He made a rude gesture and forced himself to come back to the reason of his call.
"Be that as it may, the SIB wants us to stop the first contact procedure to give them the possibility to study the scientific progress a Soaring Event Race could achieve without outside interference. As you know it is the first time ever we have known a Soaring Event Race before they produced said Soaring Event and my dear brother wants to have the possibility to see and record how a Soaring Event Race –as always he uses an acronym to speak of them, it this case it's SER- does manage scientific progress." Abidi sighed. "He has already looked at your scientific reports and it seems that the SIB is convinced that they have –at last- found a race that should be able to follow new and innovative ways to move along the path of progress."
"But what about the right for a Soaring Event Race who has reached orbit to become member of the Council?" dared Puuc.
The High Administrator glanced at him with more than a little surprise and for a second Puuc was intimately convinced that he had just thrown his career over board.
"They brushed it away over technicalities…" came finally the answer. "As they translate what had happened the right to become member is only born when a race brings deliberately a manned spaceship into orbit. As long as it hasn't happened the granted membership is postponed. It seems that the Galactic Council has accepted the SIB's interpretation."
"Technically it is a legally very tenable position," agreed Puuc. "Some members of my crew had those same scruples."
"Nothing to do with scruples," laughed Abadi, "they are covering behind the non intervention rule that orders us not to interfere with a local population whose tech-level is beneath ours to get a chance at studying a very innovative race while it is on its own."
Puuc could only clap his beak in agreement.
"Which is also a tenable argument. These humans are indeed very innovative. I've looked in the galactic data base, no known race has ever progressed as speedily as our wards."
It was Abadi's turn to clap in agreement.
"And that's exactly why they just decided that they would transplant a great deal of their main researchers to the Earthers' solar system. I fear you'll soon see a lot of high ranking scientists turn up in your vicinity and don't doubt that they will have looots of weird and urgent demands. Since having a Scientific Space Station of the most modern build will probably be the first and least of their demands, I have already given instructions that four "Thorton 7" scientific modules are to be shipped in your direction at the same time as half a hundred space station modules."
"Half a hundred, Sir? That will be one of the biggest stations ever build from scratch…"
"I know Puuc, I know, but as it looks like this yours project looks like the crowning of the SIB's mission. They will probably move a great deal of their business where you work now." Abidi sighed once more which was a great mark of trust –or tiredness- and Puuc was rather elated by the man's apparent coolness. "And since they will probably arrive in less than a year's time I have also dispatched a whole army of Ashinari builders to do the work within the said delay."
The coolness disappeared to give place to a voidy coldness. He looked Puuc into the eyes and the Director felt his innards shrivel.
"In order to get their agreement I promised them land charters, Puuc. Your reports announced that we do have an adequate colony world in the system, are we still in agreement?"
"The fourth planet will be terra-formed and with breathable air within the year, Sir. And in less than three years the tectonic activity will be reduced to sustainable building levels. It will still be energetic but nothing strong enough to destroy well conceived buildings or to uproot trees."
For a –way too long- time Puuc opposite didn't say a word. Finally his eyes lost their coldness to hint at a small degree of satisfaction.
"They'll have to deal with the reality. They are Ashinari Builders, after all, they have the best reputation in their field and they should be able to build sturdy enough buildings to resist a little earthquake or two, let's not doubt their abilities…"
He looked Puuc one more in the eyes.
"You've got your new instructions?"
"Indeed, Sir. First contact is postponed at least until the natives have sent a manned spaceship into orbit and we begin immediately to prepare the arrival of half a hundred station modules." He stopped talking to think it through. "Sir, I still have a dozen heavy haulers in-system I could commandeer them to the construction site in order to speed up the construction rate. It would be costly but it would double the construction rate…"
"Good idea indeed: speed is of the essence, here."
He looked at his side and by his movements Puuc concluded that somebody was speaking with him.
"Indeed, as my secretary just hinted at, don't hesitate to commandeer half a dozen modules to host our offices. No reason you should have less comfort than the SIB's scientists." His eyes and I want to be regularly informed." He stopped a few seconds before adding two last words. "Of everything…"
Puuc got also this last message.
"I will take measures to have access to everything that happens within the system, Sir. You'll get daily a complete report."
"Once a week will be enough Puuc," said he with an amused clap of his beak. "I have other duties, you know…" He made a –rather friendly- gesture. "We stay in touch…"
Puuc looked for long minutes at the –now empty- space in front of him.
His great plan to be the Godfather of the next Soaring Event Race has visibly backfired and he wouldn't get what he wanted but the fact that Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush had been made aware of his existence was more than an adequate compensation! If he took every precaution not to make any blunder, his career had just taken a new boost.
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Fleet Admiral Shanti Ashina Twee(**)kek sighed when he heard the news.
Because it was when all was said, bad news.
"Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush, himself?"
"Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush, himself!" agreed Puuc. "And he called directly, I never even saw his secretary."
"This is not good," said the Fleet Admiral. "This system will soon be crawling with pestering scientists and unbearable petty bureaucrats."
"I agree," said Puuc. "But I fear there's nothing to do about it. The SIB has clearly taken over and we remain only because they don't have the clout to push us out."
The Fleet Admiral agreed with a clap.
"You are right, we're stuck with them. But that doesn't mean that we are without means of our own." He opened his datapad and made a research. After a few seconds he pushed it over towards Puuc. "Look at the features…"
Puuc looked and was more than surprised to see the amount of credits showing before his eyes.
"By the Central Black Hole of the Galaxy… Those are huge amounts!"
"Indeed and I looked it up they don't appear in any government budget line!"
Puuc looked at the old officer.
"What can we conclude?"
"Probably that our initial endeavor was seen with benevolence by the powers that are and that they were in agreement with what we were going to do."
"Which is clearly no longer the case…" sighed Puuc.
"Not sure about that," protested the Fleet Admiral. "We will have to wait to see if these sums stay with us. If they do, it will be the clear sign that we are not, finally on our own. It could be that some people at some unknown level of our hierarchy are still interested in seeing us grooming these Humans into loyal partners."
Puuc couldn't help but let his head feathers fluff out. It was bad manners but just now he was overwhelmed with what these discoveries were implying.
Who was behind their financial means and what did they want?
He looked at the old soldier while bringing his feathers under control.
"What happens now?"
"Nothing happens…" answered the Fleet Admiral with a shrug. "These sums have been clearly included in this mission's budget and since I have not the least idea where they came from I'm unable to give them back. So in my opinion, if they don't disappear, the only way they can be dispatched is through legal payments having our explicit agreement."
"You have ideas how to spend such an amount of money?"
"Not the whole amount…" said the Fleet Admiral. "But I have a few very precise ideas about a few features that would be very welcome in and around my main Fleet base." He clapped joyously his beak. "It seems that, for once, I will be able to get everything a Quadrant Fleet Admiral could wish to build a really strong and efficient forward base." He looked at his fellow Director. "And believe me I'm going to use it as soon as possible… I don't know how long it will last in our account but as long as I have access I will spend like never before."
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"God I hate these Sikorans each day a little more…" grumbled Rawoni, the Touflit's political officer. "Of course they couldn't just go on with their project and had to postpone everything!"
"If one thinks about this whole mess," whispered Orioka, "what is happening now is clearly what we should have predicted. Kiripacci's Free Evolution Law and the noninterference rule are two of the most important rules of the Galactic Council and it is perhaps the only ones they do enforce steadily. The moment the Galactic Council's been informed about the real tech-level of the humans it was clear that they would stop the whole first contact endeavor. Technically the Humans having not yet reach the orbit they cannot be considered as ripe for the membership…"
"That's all very interesting but this changes everything for us…" protested Taklia. "We are stuck here for probably a century more."
"I'd say half a century, no more," said Orioka. "Now that the Humans know the truth about the Galaxy and what is happening in their system around them they will put even more energy and means into science and technology. I'm quite sure that they will launch their first space ship much sooner that even the most optimistic SIB scientist expects. We will not be stuck here for a lot more years, believe me."
"Notwithstanding" said Jourya, " that with the amount of different spaceships in orbit we will have a lot more opportunities to get access to a computer and to a working Spacecom. And if I can slip into a comnet there's nothing I can't order!"
"And how will we have it delivered?" shouted Rawoni. "We don't have an address, remember?"
"I remember very well," shouted Jourya back. "But if we don't try we won't get out of this deathtrap…"
"Stop it," ordered Orioka. "As I said we have only a few more years to wait, a century at most and I'm sure that it will be a lot less. No need to fight each other while we have to wait. We are all on edge and in this state we are just unable to think straight. Go back into electronic stasis, all of you! I'll awake Touran and join you in a few minutes. Next time you'll come out of stasis this planet will have a working spaceport and lively trade routes."
"I don't give a damn, Touran! It's not important if what we do shatters the SIB's experiment. We have the perfect means to give the humans every insight they need. And I want you to use them as freely and as often as necessary! I want them in space as soon as possible and to do that you and your assistant will monitor their progress and feed to their researchers the answers to their needs. I don't want them to be original; I want them to be efficient. Use their Terumel sentient-quantumflesh implants to feed them all the information they need to jump every obstacle they encounter. I want them in space and I want them in space as soon as possible."
"We don't know if the SIB has ways to detect sub-quantum emissions, boss. We could, by using the Terumel comm system signal our presence to every one present in this system. And you know what it would cost us as a race if we are exposed."
"They are not yet operational. Use our machine as long as you believe it safe. As soon as you believe that there is a risk to be exposed stop interfering and begin survey the quantum range the machine uses. You should very soon have proof that the SIB scientists don't use sub quantum comm and if it is confirmed that they don't have a receiver, you go on feeding the humans with new tech and new science. We have perhaps one technological advantage; I really intend to use it as much as possible."
"Does Rawoni agree?"
"I don't know and once more I don't give a damn. He is perhaps our political officer but we've been stuck here for centuries. All his superiors are dead for a very long time and his standing orders are probably no longer the standard Tatwan stellar policy. So no he doesn't agree because he doesn't know. Any other question?"
"No captain, no more questions, I have my orders and I will follow them even if I believe we do a disservice to the Humans by feeding them standard answers. I'm sure they would have found original ways to climb the technological ladder."
"As already said twice, I don't give a damn! Do what you have been told and get us the conditions to get out of here."
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"The first space station modules have been delivered," announced the Fleet Admiral. "The haulers are already towing them toward C1 where the Space Station will be built." He sighed. "I still don't understand why they have sent modules. A few asteroids and a bucket full of nanites would have done a speedier job."
"Speedier, perhaps," agreed Puuc. "But they would have been a lot less comfortable. Those modules are the best and most lavish living quarters that this Galactic Arm can provide. Our SIB scientist will be able to live in comfort and with every conceivable amenity. If you want I could keep a pair of modules for your staff and yourself. I'm sure your wife would love to live in such an environment."
"No thanks, I prefer staying with my men aboard an armored military space station. It's perhaps not as lavish but a lot more secure."
"Not to speak that it will be a lot more discreet," clapped Puuc. "You know that, to follow my orders, I will have to bug everything that is built in this system."
"You'll try and I'll do what is in my power to unbug everything military!"
"You'll try…"
"I'll succeed…"
"We'll see…"
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Meltop Kyle looked at his new orders and couldn't help but shake his head.
The SIB was moving within this system and Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush had commandeered a whole Ashinari construction crew to build the system's infrastructure.
Which was, for the Ashinari Race, a very good idea.
"Pull me through to Ashina Head Quarter," said Meltop to his comm tech. "Maximum encryption and scramble. I don't want the Sikorans to have even the slightest whip of what I'm going to talk about with my boss."
"Maximum encryption and four levels of electronic scrambling. Even if they use their best tech, they won't decipher it within the next century. Over that I can't guarantee…"
"Should be enough, let's do it…"
A few seconds later the greying features of Kapiak Talwo, Meltop Kyle's direct Boss appeared before him.
"Hello Meltop," said he. "How's the new SER?"
"Interesting in more than one respect. To such an extent that the SIB itself has taken its survey into its hands. We have them coming and they will probably move quite a lot of their assets towards Solar System Hai-Gwanb-Thet seventy two where they believe to have found the Graal of new technological advancement. Abidi Unta(*)Ush Awil(**)Noush himself has ordered half a hundred Space Station modules to be delivered with four "Thorton 7" scientific modules as a special gift for his brother."
Kapiak moved his ears to show that he already knew.
"The order has arrived yesterday and since we now know why they have been ordered we will be prepping the Thorton 7 with everything an elite science crew will need. They will have top of the line scientific equipment."
Which will also mean that said modules will be bugged like never before. Ashinari operators will soon be able to analyze everything that happens aboard the new space station.
"Do you intend to send a system wide tech-crew?"
"Not as long as you are there, Meltop. The Tekron 7 has everything we need for the time being. Be sure that within the SIB crew that will be chosen to man the Hai-Gwanb-Thet seventy two station we will have operators and the next Station Chief. Meanwhile you're in charge as long as the Tekron 7 is needed there. How long do you believe you'll need to finish your current mission?"
"It could be done within three months but I will probably be able to drag our stay for a year more. The Director on site just asked if we could shorten the tectonic stabilization phase of the fourth planet's terraforming endeavor. If I have your agreement, I could answer that, with a Tekron 7's steady presence in orbit, we are able to calm down the whole planet…"
"Which will be a lie, won't it?"
"Not really… We do have the means to calm the tectonic tremors on the planet but it will only be provisory. Within a century or so there will be new fracture lines and what we haven't let calm down today will happen then. In quite a lot shorter time. Nothing traumatic if the work crews have built buildings with Anti-tectonic five buffers but it's gonna get bumpy…"
"Be truthful and describe to your Director on site the exact consequences of what you are going to do. If he knows and doesn't use strong enough buffers, the consequences will be on him, not on you. But as I see the global picture they won't be stingy. It seems that the Hai-Gwanb-Thet seventy two System has been lavishly provided for. There is money to be made in this forlorn place of the Galactic Arm." He grinned at his favorite operator. "Lots of opportunities…"
"I'll see if I can get my hands on some of those credits… There are never enough funds in our type of business."
"Don't be too greedy, my friend, earning money is not our main mission!"
"Indeed but let's not forget that our front is a commercial one and my front's main mission is to earn money! My demands won't amaze them at all!"
"As said, don't take the risk to be sent away within the next year, we need you there until my crews have arrived."
"I will be reasonable, I promise!"
"I don't doubt it for a moment, Meltop, I don't doubt it for a moment!"
I
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Deep under the surface of Mars millennia old computers were computing all the data the spy nanites he had sent out have been collecting.
He was quite surprised that, considering the time he had spent in electronical stasis the science and the tech had not evolved more speedily.
But it was perhaps normal since everything he knew from this Galactic Arm was clearly no longer accurate.
He had been rather surprised that none of his buddies had answered his various calls. If he could believe the last received data package he had more than a thousand neighbors within a thousand parsecs range.
And, as he could testify, they had been built to last! Why hadn't they answered? Could it be that he was the only one who had survived? And who would be the culprit who had destroyed them?
He would have to send probes to the nearest systems where Imperial Wards had been installed. At least he would be able to understand what had really occurred these last millennia.
He awoke two of his automatic factories and launched the construction of half a dozen explorer probes. He decided to build the heavily stealthed model. He had no wish to draw the attention of anyone within this system. He had no doubt that he would prevail in case of a confrontation but as of now he was not ready to be detected. Better to stay hidden until he had data about what happened to the other Imperial Wards.
Meanwhile he had to look at what was happening within the system.
First let's have a look at Goubrah.
The terraforming endeavor was still in action even if a lot of the features that would characterize the planet were already in place. There would be more water than in the past. More than three fourth of the planet's surface would be submerged. It would clearly be a different planet.
But he had the means to ensure that it wasn't a totally different planet.
He looked at his data base and was quite satisfied to notice that most of the stasis fields in his hangars were still operational. He had everything to recreate the original Goubrah ecosphere.
He had even quite a few mindprints of former inhabitants, but that peculiar step would have to wait. He wasn't going to start a war if he has the least chance to avoid it.
He was clearly in need of better information about what had occurred all those millennia in the past.
He looked at the results of his various planetary probes and was more than satisfied to see that, for now, none of the alien-launched ecopacks had been triggered. He decided to take no risk with his planet's ecosphere and took the decision to recover all two thousand eight ecopacks within one of his airtight hangars. He reprogrammed some of his robots to change the content of said ecopacks to reintroduce the original Goubrah ecosphere. There would be a few very amazed techs but he couldn't let them introduce all these dangerous alien seeds. He had been charged with this planet's safety and he was not very happy with what he had found when he awoke. Since what happened to the planet was only due to passing of time he was quite sure that he was not responsible. After all it was the imperial programmers' fault that he was shut down after only a century of no inbound com-traffic. Now that he was again up, he would do what was necessary to preserve what was salvageable.
If to get it he had just to play with some ecopacks' content, he would do it without a hesitation.
Even if it would trigger a lot of unwanted attention. But he couldn't let them seed his planet with an alien mix that would be so much more difficult to extract.
Better to have them wonder about how the content of the placed ecospheres had been mixed up than to see his nanites destroying and replacing their initial ecosystem.
It wasn't perfect but it was the best he could do.
That being done he began to look at what his near space probes had sent him in the last hours.
Lots of alien spaceships.
Small alien space ships.
Working at what looked at least as three different Space Stations.
Nothing that presented the least risk for him should he been forced into high gear defense.
But for now they were unaware of his existence and he would do everything in his power to stay just that: unknown and invisible.
Two of his probes had been able to get near enough of alien space ships to send out a few trillions nanites. Which were, just now, busy assessing the level of the alien tech and, if he could judge from what has happened till now probably also busy copying the alien computers' data files.
Soon he would have a clear idea why these aliens where in a system that had been placed under Imperial Wardship.
I
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