Prelude

The United Stars of the Galaxy, commonly referred to simply as the Union is a multicultural society that started out, about three thousand years ago. It started with three human societies. The Sarans who acted and looked just like the ancient Egyptians that built the Pyramids; their rebellious sons that adopted ancient Rome as their role model and the humans of Earth, now commonly known as Terrans came together, united under common laws and goals in the year 2220.

The very next day the young Union received its first member, the amphibious non-human Ult.

Now 2804 standard years later, in the year 5024 (Old Terran Time), there are almost 5000 member societies, with representatives gathering in the majestic and impressive building known as the Assembly Sphere on the Unions central planet, Pluribus Unum.

Representatives and members from as far as the M32 galaxy met here either in person or telepresence via the marvelous Avatar technology to discuss all those issues and problems a huge mega society might have.

Individuals of the smallest Union species were no bigger than a corn of rice, while the biggest one, a sentient galactic nebula measured several light minutes across. There were beings that lived inside stars with no physical body at all; others looking like giant pizzas crawling over the super dense metallic helium of a Jovian supergiant. The truly gigantic Bandrupo and the small fuzzy Holdians, the Petharians coming from a planet where liquid magma was as common as water on a garden world, the beautiful Delicates from the distant Large Magellan cloud were just a few examples of the diversity of this mega society.

Only recently the mighty Nul, a former enemy had been welcomed into the Union. The representatives of several Downward societies had traveled to Pluribus to apply for membership.

Most surprisingly perhaps the request from the grumpy and xenophobic Yotenen, who expressed their thankfulness for Union intervention preventing the Kermac from retaliating.

All this was watched by the official Kermac observer and on a field screen while he was sitting in the company of several other Kermac inside the Kermac enclave on N’Ger. Union GalNet services had just recently been extended to this independent planet, due to the Golden who maintained a Trading post on N’Ger.

The GalNet terminal used by the Kermac was Union technology and rented from the Golden.

Neuachfunf, the lead wizard of this compound looked over to the long-range telepath, reclined in his sender seat, and wondered how much the overstrained talent was able to send to Kermac Prime. Then he returned his attention to the crisp, real-time transmission from the far distant Union government planet.

“The Yotenen, the Dawn, and now the representative of the Porsthir. With the Xandrao and the Golden down there, these cursed Union cretins gaining a substantial foothold in that region of the galaxy.

“He complained to no one in particular. I wonder how they did that, decades after decades they paid no attention to this region, while we prepared to expand this way. We lost those we wanted to assimilate for our needs and with the Union now active down there it will not be as easy to gain others.”

“It might have to do with the doomed project of High Wizard Seibsibac, who had been rewarded for his efforts by being tossed out of the High Wizard’s tower on Kermac Prime and if the reports are correct, by the hand of the Supreme Grand Wizard himself.

“One of the other Kermac said, also watching what was happening in the Assembly Dome.

Neuachfunf touched his artificial beard in an unconscious habit.

“It is known to very few and one must be careful, even mentioning Wizard Seibsibac is now considered subversive. Did he not set out to find that Celtest depot?”

“It is not Celtest, it is Seenian. The GalNet files have been updated on this subject. He might have set out to find it, but the Union has somehow managed to find what thousands have tried to find in vain before.”

“How do you come to this conclusion, Einsweifier?”

“Because of that!” The Kermac pointed on the screen. An unseen commentator spoke with unveiled awe and pride in his voice.

“ ... spatial Fleet is proud to announce the latest additions to our fleet. Nine Devastator class ships have been received from the hangars of the recently revealed USS Dominator.”

The Kermac said.

“Where do you think these monster ships come from, Stahl revealed just the other day?”

“Did he say hangars? There is a ship big enough to put nine Devastator ships in hangars?”

“Indeed he did. These ships alone are enough to wipe out all our fleets and none of our analysts can really wrap their minds around the dimensions and potential capabilities of the USS Dominator. According to our intelligence, they gave it under the direct command of the Eternal Warrior.”

“What word from the Grand Wizard?”

“All the Galactic Council is to be very careful not to agitate until the Call is answered.”

Almost 75,000 light-years are distant in the Spinward sector and on the surface of Carabis Green, the third planet in an only recently surveyed star system. Paula sat at the main table of the habitat module; Paula Curiosity was very proud of her very old Martian name. Her ancestors were among the very first colonists that came to the fourth planet of the Sol system.

Mars had been the very first planet humans colonized, true Luna came first, but Earth’s moon wasn’t a planet.