Chapter 19: Auditorium

I felt as if I had just gone to bed as they woke us and gave us what I felt was way too little time to get bathed and groomed.

But Neo Vikings were early risers and having warm water for my shower and hygiene was actually a new experience for me. Even though the shower stalls had privacy screens, seeing Human girls with nothing more on than a towel entering the hygiene cells was quite something.

“Cadet Olafson, don’t just stand there and stare, there are others that need to use that cell!” One of the ever-present instructors barked. I nodded and was glad he wasn’t a telepath.

He added, “I am, Olafson. Almost all instructors are.”

I cursed and felt the blood rush to my head. He no longer paid attention to me and reprimanded a gorgeous girl with copper colored skin and dark green hair. “The timer said eight minutes shower time, not eleven, get moving!”

After a breakfast conducted with the same formality as the dinner the day before we were assembled in a large room to receive our first lecture.

It was almost like being back in basic school, only on a much bigger scale. The classroom had places for at least 200 beings and it filled up to the last seat. The students’ tables were arranged in a half circle on rows of tiers. My table neighbor was the non-Corp. He now wore a dark green uniform, like everyone else; his was completely sealed, with a tight-fitting hood and that gold-plated, mirrored face plate.

Down below in the center of the room was a lectern and behind it a large field screen. It showed an animated image of the flag of the United Stars of the Galaxies - the stylized local group of galaxies on a dark blue oval field plus five red and four white vertical stripes. I knew the four white stripes symbolized the three founding species Terrans, Saran and Pan Saran, and the first member to join, the Ult. The five red stripes represented civilizations that joined in the first decade of its existence, the Quadi-Peds, Spindlar, Andorians, New Vril and the Bellebees. A repeating text message ordered us to find a seat and remain quiet and that the instructor would arrive at 0700 hours. There were still eight minutes to go.

I was amazed by the diversity of beings in green uniforms around me. Even though humanoids were in the majority, there were no cliques. Humanoids and non-humanoids shared tables.

The female computronic voice of the non-Corp said, “You’re the Human who asked me about my name in line before the autodressers are you not?”

I nodded. “Yes, that was me!”

“I’m still learning to differentiate Human shapes and facial features. You are Human and you are a male, right?”

“Yes I’m Human and I’m male. You’re female I gather?”

“No I’m not. My species has no gender. I wonder why everyone thinks I’m female.”

“It’s your voice, it sounds female.”

“Oh that would explain it. These containment suits come with the voice modulators built in. Since I’m non-corporeal I don’t have ears and the concept of acoustics and sounds are new to us as well.”

“So you really live on the surface of a star?”

“My family used to, but we non-Corps occupy more than just the surface of a star, besides it’s hard to define the word surface on a sun in the first place. It’s more like layers of many surfaces; we define regions in magnetic bubbles. While I came into existence on our star, my family moved to Bright Shine Station to better integrate as Union citizens, as it’s important to us to do our part. I didn’t really live on our star for very long.”

“I wonder what it would be like to live on a star.”

“We don’t so much live on the star as with the star. It’s complicated to explain but there are several books written both by non-Corps and Humans that are much better at explaining it. I think there’s even a virtu experience allowing corporeal beings to experience it themselves. I’m not exactly a scholar and couldn’t put it in adequate terms, besides its not all that great. I personally prefer to live on a station or a planet. I like having things. One can’t have anything on a star. There’s nothing solid either and I love solid things; to actually lie down on a bed and realize the three dimensions in an orderly fashion is sheer bliss.”

I was fascinated by the non-Corp’s answers. “I think I’ll read those books you recommended.” It was the first time I really considered following up and reading a book on my own.

“I’m Three-four-five-two dash nine-nine-one, but you can call me Three-four. Where are you from?”

“Nice to meet you Three-four, I’m Eric and I come from Nilfeheim. That’s a cold water world in the old Xunx Expanse.”

“Oh a water world, I doubt there’s anything more alien to me than water or liquids. I can watch a running water faucet for hours it never ceases to amaze me! I bet you actually go swimming and have contact with the water, right?”

“Yes I do. Swimming and diving is second nature to me, but it’s not as important now as it was to most of my kind in the past.”

A blue-skinned, short, bald-headed officer stepped behind the lectern and asked us to settle down and be quiet. It took a few moments and then he began. “I’m Lt. Commander Tentwor, I’m of the Blue and come from a world located in the the Andromeda galaxy. Some of you may know a little more about ancient pre-Union history and know that we originated in this galaxy and are closely related to the Golden and the Kermac. But while we originated from the same world and are of the same species, we’re not the same race. And, we’ve been Union members for almost 500 years.

“I’m one of your instructors and have been on the Academy’s faculty for nine years, and I believe I might just have the best job in all our galaxies.” He made a gesture that incorporated the class room. “It’s a special privilege to be one of the first to welcome you and do my part in advancing your education.

“I see two hundred beings before me and all of you have managed to pass the first hurdles, tests and obstacles. You can be proud of yourselves. For each of you here, 1,000 applicants didn’t meet the requirements to become officers. Most of them will still have a chance to serve as enlisted personnel. You passed the first hurdle; for this I’m issuing you all the Plebe’s Dot.”

He paused as the cadets around me looked at their ribbon displays and a small rectangular icon appeared a green field with a red dot. Three-Four asked. “Do I get it too?”

“Yes, it’s there!”

Tentwor raised his voice a little. “Now that you’ve all had a chance to see that your ribbon display actually works and you all got your first citation, let me continue.”

Behind him, the display on the screen changed. Images of thousands of beings and planets floated together in rapid succession; swirled and morphed into a representation of the Union Fleet emblem of a stylized universe with three swords and an upwards pointing chevron, representing a Star Ship at lift off. He pointed to the image behind him. “Individuals from all across the Union, from the most diverse backgrounds and civilizations, are in front of and around me and have decided to do their share protecting and defending our great community. Doing so ensures the safety, the liberties and freedoms of everyone else. Be assured you have earned my deepest respect for this decision alone.”

He changed his stance, saluted us and said, “But the journey you have just begun will be hard one and there will be many times you’ll find conditions inhospitable, unfair or seemingly impossible to endure. Rest assured, none of this is done in disrespect or should be taken personally. It’s done to prepare you for what lies ahead. Once you leave this academy. Those that graduate will be officers and responsible for the lives and safety of others. As hard and demanding as your training and education might appear to you, consider that millions have done it before you.”

The auditorium’s lights dimmed and a top view of our galaxy appeared in all its magnificent glory before us, the bright glowing center from where the spiral arms reached into space.

We only heard his voice, as the instructor continued talking. “This is our galaxy, an SBbc type Barred Spiral Arm. It has a diameter of 100,000 light years and is almost exactly 1,000 light years thick. According to our latest data it contains 390 billion stars, not counting the globular clusters that technically belong to this galaxy as well. It brings to mind just how small the Union with all its planets and members is, compared to the galaxy and the universe, and perhaps it shows best why we need a fleet that protects our space and our way of life.”

His voice paused for a moment and then he continued. “Those are numbers that help us to understand, but I doubt that any of us, and that includes me, can really fathom what those numbers represent.”

A deep voice from somewhere else in the auditorium said, “One must correct you, Lieutenant Commander...”

The Blue officer smirked. “No one, with the exception of the Narth.”

“I shall attempt to assist you in gaining such comprehension, Sir.”

The instructor’s voice sighed. “Your offer is duly noted Cadet Narth, but right now I need to continue this class.”

While I wondered who this cadet was, Lt. Commander Tentwor resumed his lecture, and the image of the galaxy fell back and other galaxies came into view. “Our galaxy, as you all know, is part of what is known as the local group, thirty-two galaxies, with its gravitational center located pretty much exactly between our galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy. As you can easily attest by simply looking around this auditorium, these Galaxies are also teeming with life. Life manifests in the most unusual places. Ranging from the depths of oceans, to deep space and the surface of stars. And when life becomes sentient and is capable of starting a civilization they often leave their place of origin behind and start to explore and expand.”

My non-Corp friend sighed. “He’s talking about us, but without the help of the Union we could have never left our star. How can you build a civilization when you can have nothing solid?”

“I can’t imagine!”

“I’m going to be a good cadet and a good officer and we’ll try to find another civilization like ours and then we can help them too.”

The instructor said louder, “A good cadet also keeps comments for itself until I’m done.”

“Yes Sir! Sorry Sir!” Three-Four managed to make his computer voice sound apologetic.

Tentwor smiled and continued, “A civilization that leaves its cradle and discovers faster-than-light technology ascends, it rises so to speak from its planetary cradle, its gravity well, and steps onto the galactic stage.

“Once a civilization has ascended, sooner or later they will find out they aren’t the only ones who have done the exact same thing. In most cases, meeting another civilization is the single most profound event in any species’ history. It changes everything. The false notion of being at the apex of evolution is shattered. Some cultures are older and have travelled space for much longer than others, and the civilization that has just stepped onto the galactic stage suddenly finds out that space isn’t as boundless and endless as it seemed to them. It has borders and restricted areas, space claimed by other civilizations. Not all first contact meetings are benevolent, many are quiet violent. Tech Level 3 explorers leaving the confines of their solar system and running into a Tech Level 4 pirate will never return to their home world. Instead, a horde of savage pirates descends on them to pillage, steal and kill.”

The view once more centered on our spiral-arm galaxy and four lines appeared, dividing the image vertically and horizontally through the center. “Our galaxy, which we often refer to as M-0, has four quadrants. On the upper left is Upward, below left Coreward. On the right upper side is Spinward and below right Downward.

A large elongated asymmetric blue field appeared inside the Upward Sector. He pointed to it. “Most of our space is in the Upward Quadrant.”

Three tiny bright blue dots appeared, more or less in the center of that blue field.

“These dots, in the Upward section of the Orion Arm, represent the locations of Terra, Saran and Pan Saran, the three civilizations that came together and founded the United Stars of the galaxy.”

More and more dots appeared and in an increasing speed.

“Since then we’ve added 5,019 civilizations spread over 800,000 star systems and about five million planets. As you can see, a blue sphere has appeared Coreward. This is the Klack Empire, which joined the Union a little over two hundred years ago. Beyond the Klack, that tiny bulge there is the Archa Expanse.

“All that space in Coreward below the Klack is unexplored space. As you can see most of Downward is unexplored.” The image focused on the upper right quarter. “Up there in Spinward, that’s where we are right now and we’re also close to Upward space. You may notice the red and blue striped area blinking all around us. That was former Galactic Council space, claimed by the Nogoll and until lately protected by the Big Four Treaty. The Nogoll recently attacked one of our new members, the Elly up here, and declared war upon the Union shortly thereafter. All these are subsequent consequences of the Dai Than invasion in the Prometheus Five nebula area, which is down here.”

The magnification increased and focused on an area of space about 100 light years above the marked position of Arsenal. A spotlight focused on the Blue and the instructor pointed into the darkened room. My eyes able to see in much darker condition under water saw a cadet standing with his hand up.

The instructor said, “Cadet Kolmin, you have a question?”

“Yes Sir, I do. I’m among the first Ellies now joining the Union Academy. Should I not go back and volunteer to fight? There may be Humans and other beings dying right now defending my home worlds!”

“Your concern is understandable, and you’re doing your part right now by becoming an officer. Yes there will be casualties and they must be replaced. You’re doing your part to ensure we always have soldiers, space men, Marines and Officers to defend the Union and its members.”

The instructor made the screen focus on that area and the magnification increased until the Elly star systems became visible and identified by text next to the stars. “I dialed up the actual tactical chart for you, Cadet. As you can see there’s no fighting anywhere near any Elly worlds anymore and military action is concentrated on the last three Nogoll systems.”

The chart returned to galaxy view and the instructor said, “Meet me after this lecture and I’ll make an exception and let you call home to make sure your family is alright!” The Elly thanked the officer and sat back down.

The Blue looked down at his lectern. “Now, where was I?” A red dot wandered across the galaxy representation to a thin blue line emerging on the outer rim of Spinward. The magnification reduced once again until we could see the Magellanic Clouds and Andromeda. The Blue Line connected M-0 with the larger Andromeda galaxy. “This line, Cadets, represents the bridge connecting this galaxy with M31. A string of space stations allow traffic and connection to Andromeda. Seventeen civilizations have joined our Union from our mostly unexplored sister galaxy. Over there you see the Large Magellanic Cloud and almost half is blue, because the entire Attikan Commonwealth and all their members became Union members in 4500 and full integration was reported in 4800.”

The image focused on the second spiral galaxy and in it a small blue area.”Just the day before yesterday, the Arlboro Hegemony applied for membership at Pluribus Unum. I’m sure some of you heard the news on GalNet. The Arlboro are as advanced as we are and are adding their space to ours. The Arlboro globular cluster contains many million stars and over 20,000 star systems of it that are settled or claimed by the Arlboro are, as of today, officially Union Territory. I believe there are several Arlboro cadets already among us.”

A voice in the dark confirmed that. “There are 700 of us here at Arsenal, Sir.”

“This is what I meant when I said that I have the best job in the galaxy. It’s always a pleasure and a special honor to greet new members. I’m certain we’ll learn a great deal from each other in the years and decades to come, as it takes time to fully integrate a new member into the Union.”

Spheres of other colors appeared on the projected image of our galaxy and the instructor returned to the subject. “There were empires and galaxy-spanning cultures and civilizations in this galaxy before the Union, and some rose to great power and spanned the entire spiral. We know of quite a few but we’re certain there have been many more. The oldest star in our galaxy is a little over 17 billion years old and during that time many civilizations have risen and fallen.

“However, our Union differs from all those we know about as we’re not an empire or a kingdom but a Union of equals. Not ruled or dominated by one culture but jointly occupied by all, united under common rules, goals and laws that apply equally to all. In terms of galactic civilizations we’re still at the beginning. Three thousand standard years isn’t a long time by any standard of measuring the progress of civilizations, but we’re not new at it anymore and we’re beginning to mature. The Union is strong, but as you can see, even 400,000 star systems are next to nothing compared to a volume of 390 billion stars. The Union has friends out there as well as enemies. We’ve had to fight several big and violent wars and there have been a large number of smaller conflicts.

“The Shiss, the Nul-Nul and the association of sentient species we know as the Galactic Council, now openly ruled by the Kermac, are currently our biggest adversaries. Even though we currently enjoy a period of peace, there are reports of fights and battles along the Nul border almost daily. While it’s not open, all-out war, we have almost no diplomatic contact with the Nul. While neither side really tries to advance into the other side’s territory, full war could break out at any moment. The Shiss have been in open war against the Nul for over a thousand years. The Shiss are also hostile to us, but during our last fight with the Shiss we won much ground and the Shiss lost much of their original might and influence in their part of the galaxy, partly due to their long war against the Nul.

“Our most dangerous known adversary is the aforementioned Galactic Council. We fought three all-out wars against the Kermac and their associated thralls; each time we came out on top. During the last war an armistice was reached and agreed upon and there have been no open hostilities since, but tensions between our governments are always high.

“Then there’s Free Space, a huge area of our galaxy protected by treaties signed by the big four: Union, Shiss, Nul and GC. Free Space is home to thousands of independent planets and small empires that aren’t associated with any of the Big Four.

“The largest portion of the galaxy remains unexplored and chances are high other civilizations live there as well.

“Since the Union was founded the galaxy has been attacked twice by civilizations not native to ours - the Y’All and the Piostla.” Images of the four-armed Y’All and the plantlike Piostla and their ships appeared, replacing the projection of the Spiral galaxy.

“The Y’All have invaded this area at least three times, in 5000 standard year intervals, and always with a large armada of highly advanced space ships. No contact could be established with them and, it appears, these relentless Y’All invaders had no other motivation than to kill and destroy. They didn’t occupy what they conquered. The last time they returned they were met by our new Union and weren’t only halted but had their entire armada destroyed for the first time in known history.

“The Piostla caused much havoc and death during their invasion but we managed to beat them as well and chased them back to wherever they came from. It’s quite possible that it will happen again. To all this add the space-roaming Dai Than pirate tribes and the regular criminal pirates and independents raiding the fringes of our Union.

“All this makes it clear the universe is a dangerous place and dangerous to even a strong Union like ours. It’s our job to prepare you to face these dangers. As future officers you’ll lead others to face strong enemies, known adversaries and the great unknown, to protect Union citizens and interests and uphold the law.”

The lights came on and the holo-images faded away. After his lecture we learned to recite the Fleet song and refreshed on the Union anthem.

There was a short lunch break and then instruction continued.

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