Chapter 4: The Secret of Death

“What was it like to make love to Death?” Mavenella Osprey, the Alliance’s most popular galactic personality, asked as she sat across from Glow in the white and teal blue sitting room of Ruler’s House. Glow knew the brash question would arise but it still made her eyes roll.

“Really, Mrs. Osprey? Really?”

Three metallic gray drone cameras captured the interview from various angles. Mavenella popped a bubble of gum. Pieces of the gooey stuff splatted on her tanned cheeks. “Yes, really.” She tugged the gum slivers and flipped them away. “What was it like?”

Glow forced blinders over her memories of her wedding night and the nights since. What she and Death did behind closed doors was their business alone.

“Next question.” Glow dismissed with a flick of her fingers.

Mavenella gaped. “Ruler Lee! You can’t leave the galaxy in suspense. Billions of viewers had to wait three months for you to even give a public talk.”

“You’re all about to be disappointed,” Glow answered in a dry tone. “Now unless you give me specific questions relating to current affairs, I will leave this interview.” She slanted a look at her hostess. “If John Turner still held power...”

An uneasy expression crossed the hostess’s face. “Yes, yes, of course.” She tugged on the edges of her green dress. “How soon will Earth’s supply of gold be replenished?”

Glow settled back into the plush, light-blue sofa and clasped her fingers into a steeple. “We’ve received word from Conductor Ti’luku P’hita of the space train Legend. The shipment is on its way. The gold should be here in three months.”

“About the trains.” Mavenella crossed her famous legs. Glow was positive the cameras ate up the sight with a voracious appetite. “Let’s discuss that for a moment.”

The skin between her shoulder blades tightened. “Of course.”

“Earth has received censure from both civilians and high-ranking officials of the Alliance regarding the dark matter strand railway. According to Article 36 of the Galactic Space Transport Authority, all space locomotive craft are to be manufactured on this planet only. Per Article 36, Earth maintains all exclusivity for one hundred fifty years. Some perceive this as a gross attempt to garner an unfair advantage.”

I know. John wanted total control.

Glow smoothed the material of her bronze sheath dress, a wedding gift from an aligned planet whose main export consisted of textiles. “Let me answer that first with a thank you to Loiark for this gorgeous dress they’ve given as a gift for me.”

Mavenella gave an obligatory nod of agreement. “You look stunning, Ruler Lee.”

“Without the railways, I would not have received such generosity from the Loiarkians. We would have been ignorant of their special ability to create such wonderful materials for distribution to the galaxy at large.”

Make sure Earth is seen as the light to the rest of the galaxy, John’s voice echoed in her mind.

“Earth had long wondered if anyone else existed outside of our solar system. Then, in our typical fashion, we utilized dark matter in order to answer our own question. We found all of you.” Glow stressed the ‘we’, following John’s admonition while combating the slimy feeling inside.

“Ruler Lee, there’s not a citizen in the galactic community who doesn’t appreciate the monumental contribution Earth has made to the development of this Alliance. The question remains: why restrict the technology? Earth has made it a criminal offense to build and use non-locomotive space craft not designed to work on the rails. Further, unless approved, space ships cannot be used for inter-solar system and galactic travel.”

From the shrewd glint in the hostess’s eyes, she knew the woman thought she had her. “Earth? Choose your words with care, Mrs. Osprey. The Alliance determined these actions as criminal,” she stressed.

“Oh, come now!” Mavenella scoffed. “You’re the Chancellor of the High Assembly! Outlawing space ships is a vote away.”

The not-so-subtle implications were clear. But Glow’s training from the master manipulator had been thorough.

“Ships?” She made her eyes widen in supposed shock. “Do you propose we continue to use a mode of transportation which requires limited sources of fuel? Do we risk our sons and daughters to the possibility of being lost in space, never to be seen or heard from again? Yes, space ships and other non-locomotive spacecraft hav been made a criminal offense.

“Furthermore, Earth is leading in the development of this technology, not restricting. Multi-disciplinary divisions of every planet within the Alliance are involved and working with the GSTA.”

Could anyone tell how much rock flesh she’d shoved down their throats? Mavenella’s cynical lift of her eyebrow proved she wasn’t fooled by the political rhetoric. Which meant others wouldn’t be either.