Chapter 3

“And tonight you can tell me the whole story about the Furst, right Sam?”

We arrive back at my apartment after a quiet ride home from the Testing Center. I shut off the alarm system and turn on the lights and TV before going to the fridge for an OJ.

I tell Sam to make herself at home and ask if she needs anything for her comfort or to sustain herself. I tell her I am starving and am going to order a pepperoni pizza. I knew she didn’t eat but didn’t know if she needed anything to stay “on” or “alive” so to speak.

“No DD I don’t need anything like that. Energy is everywhere if I need some,”

“I need to make a couple calls Sam then we can talk about a few things ok?”

“Sure DD.”

I call Diane thanking her for everything she had done, letting her know I really appreciated it. She had known both my parents for many years and was deeply saddened by their sudden deaths. I let her know that some things were going to be happening in the next month or so, nothing bad as far as I was concerned, and I’d keep her informed when I could.

I call Dean next and apologize for not calling sooner. He says he understands and gives me his and Marsha’s condolences, asking if they could help me in any way. I tell him he could help me by taking my parents’ position in the company and keep things running for the foreseeable future. I tell him I want to know about anything major but he would be in charge of the everyday operations. He says he will do it.

I ask if he’ll be at my meeting with Mark in the morning and he says he will. I let him know I’ll have more to say then, so we say our goodbyes and I go back to the living room to see Sam.

Headline news was coming on and the lead story was about the Earth Firsters shooting up the restaurant my parents were at. Yeah, I didn’t want to hear them go on in detail about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of my parents and the others so off goes the TV.

Unknown to me was that while I made my calls, Sam made a call of her own to her homeworld AI, informing him that I asked her to tell me the whole story about the Furst, and she wanted to know what she could tell me. Apparently, he told her to tell me everything, the whole truth, and he would be listening in.

“I see all the photos of you and your parents at different events and places. You all look very happy together.”

“Thank Sam. We had something special in that we really loved each other and were supportive of each other no matter what.”

My doorbell goes off letting me know someone was downstairs. A quick look at the video screen shows the pizza has arrived so I buzz him up. Buy one get the second half price so $18 for 2 large double pepperoni pizzas which I would eat for 2 days was a good deal in my mind!

I put the pizza boxes on the kitchen island and open one up, loving the smell! I grab a Brazilian soda called Guarana and have the first 3 slices eaten in seconds. I am starved since eating nothing all day! I slow down on the next few slices then close the box up and put both in the fridge. Pepperoni pizza can always be nuked later or in the morning!

“I want to thank you again for your help today Sam. Until you spoke up I figured I’d get the runaround from the Confederacy and have to take them to court. I got a lucky break when you showed up.”

“You did a smart thing by not accepting the AI’s explanation and thinking about dispute settlements. Then when Trank told you about Arbitrators you asked to speak to one. Only then was I able to contact you. We don’t get involved unless we are requested to.”

“Well, you helped a lot. Now we need to start looking for a planet and I remember you saying something about helping me. A few other things I noticed led me to believe you’re a lot different from a Confederacy AI. Will you tell me about the Furst now?”

“I will DD. First I need to tell you I contacted my homeworld “AI” to see what I could tell you and I was told to tell you everything about the Furst. Everything I have told you so far is the truth, I just left out a lot of details.

We are the Furst now but we were originally Arkadians. We were a spacefaring race and had 10 habitable planets in 3 different solar systems, the Guardian Solar Systems, that we called ours. Our population was over 33 billion. We were a lot like humans, 2 eyes, 2 ears, except we had 4 arms and walked upright on 4 legs instead of 2 ... and we had tails.

We were always seeking new knowledge and somehow, someone discovered how to “touch” energy, then how we could shed our corporeal bodies and become “energy beings”.

Energy is everywhere DD, even in deep space, and we found we could become part of it. The only problem was it was a one-way trip. If we became an “energy being” there was no way to become a “corporeal being” again, meaning we would never have a body made of flesh again. It was decided if you chose to become an “energy being” that you would give up being an Arkadian.

Only a few hundred million of us decided to become “energy beings” and we chose to name ourselves the ‘Furst”. We have since traveled space for 100’s of thousands of years DD, finding many different worlds and races. And we learned so very much. Space is endless DD. There is no ‘end” point that we have ever found. It goes on and on and on.

After many, many years of roaming through space, some of us decided to return and visit Arkadia. It was a disappointing “homecoming.” What we found on our return was a civilization just returning to the equivalent of Earth’s “Industrial Era”.

Arkadia had been hit by a “perfect storm” of natural disasters, occurring one after another, having a domino effect, leaving the population with no energy, no working tech and only things you could use with your hands were useful.

The remaining population had no memory or knowledge of the ‘Furst” or our ever being Arkadian, but we decided to stay and offered our services to help them advance quicker than they would on their own. They accepted our offer so we quickly advanced their energy and technology and soon Arkadians were back among the stars.

They were governed by an Arkadian called “Guardian Prime” who was to lead and protect Arkadians, to provide Law and Justice equally for all, and to ensure the basic necessities of life, namely food, water & shelter were affordable for all citizens.

Law, Justice, and Protection (Police/Military) were provided by his “Guardians” and were well known for their honor and integrity. No one ever questioned their honesty. Everything else was run by “elected officials” that served for 10 years, with half being changed every 5 years. These “elected officials” were answerable to the Guardian Prime.

Well, 1,313 years after Arkadia reached the stars again civil war broke out, with the current batch of elected officials wanting to “expand and conquer”, and Guardian Prime was saying no.

The war had been going on for a little more than 12 years and we Furst saw that planet by planet, the Arkadians were going to eventually kill each other to the last person.

When Arkadia, the capital planet of the Guardian Solar Systems was the last planet with any population, we Furst refused to be a part of the war any longer, ceasing all Furst assistance to both groups, in both space and on the planet.

We then moved all our data crystals containing all the knowledge we accumulated since the dawn of our time, to deep subterranean chambers that were completely sealed off to the outside. The only way in was via a Furst transporting you there.

Eventually Guardian Prime and the Guardians got the upper hand in the war, but there were very few Arkadians left. The civil war ended for good when the “expand and conquer” group came to Guardian Prime’s new flagship to sign a Peace Treaty.

When the 5 “expand and conquer” ships landed in the flagships’ hanger they exploded, literally vaporizing the flagship and everyone on and around it. Somehow 2 Guardian Primes “Shields” managed to survive though they were severely damaged.

The Guardian Primes’ “Shields” were 4 BattleCruisers class ships that, along with Guardian Primes’ Annihilator class ship, formed the Guardian Prime Protective Group and traveled everywhere that the Guardian Prime did and provided added Security.

The crew of the remaining Guardian Primes’ “Shields”, the 2 BattleCruisers that provided Security for him, went crazy and flew down to Arkadia and used a weapon called “RainFire”, seeding the entire atmosphere so it burned, making it literally “rain fire” over the entire planet.

The “RainFire” burned everywhere there was oxygen, killing everything on the planet, flora, and fauna, including every Arkadian. Nothing stopped the RainFire. The Guardians themselves were also killed as they couldn’t use the ships full shields and were caught in the RainFire as well.

The rest of it is exactly as I told you. We helped some races a little and then became Arbitrators.”

“That’s incredible Sam. Why would the “expand and conquer” group decide to try taking out the Guardians in such drastic fashion?”

“There had been talk amongst the Guardians of resurrecting the old GCAP, the Guardian Council of Allied Planets. This was a council of planets allied with Arkadia that broke up when the Arkadian civilization fell due to the storm of natural disasters. The “expand and conquer” group knew if the Council was ever resurrected there would never be any chance in the future for Guardian Prime to be overthrown.”

“Unreal. That sounds like it would be something interesting to read up on. Incredibly, greed and stupidity wiped out a civilization when a “perfect storm” of natural disasters didn’t. Ok, on to better things. Next topic ... so the Furst are actually Energy Beings and not AI’s.”

“Yes, that is true DD.”

“So I guess my other question to you is moot.”

“What question are you talking about?”

“The one where I asked if you and the Furst would be my AIs and help us develop and become a society, bla bla bla.”

“Speaking for myself I will help you all I can DD however I can’t speak for all the Furst. I did pass your question to the homeworld “AI” and he would like to talk with you when you have time.”

“Ok, Sam that’s great! Will you be my Personal Assistant then?”

“Yes, of course, DD! I’d love to and you won’t be sorry DD. There is so much I can help you with.”

“Excellent Sam, now is this going to be a long talk with your homeworld “AI” and should it wait for another day, or can we take care of it in the next couple of hours tonight? And what should I call him? Or is it a her or it? Calling it “AI” doesn’t seem right, now.”

“Sir, I am the homeworld “AI”, though now you know we are not “AI’s”. My title is “2^nd of the Furst”. If you want to call me that you can or you can name me if you prefer to do that.”

“Woah, hello 2^nd of the Furst. Welcome to my home. Sam, you shoulda told me he was already here.”

“Sorry DD, I didn’t know he had come here already.”

“2^nd of the Furst, I don’t know you at all and don’t feel right naming you at this time. Can I call you “2” for now? And you can call me DD?”

“I understand about not knowing me yet though I hope in time you will. If we can talk now it won’t take very long. I would think probably around an hour, 2 hours tops. If you want to wait for another day I will understand as you have had a lot to deal with today.”

“How about we talk now and if I start to nod off we stop and pick up wherever we leave off on another day.”

“That sounds good to me DD. I have listened to Sam speak about your character, your ability to think on your feet, your tenacity, and your passion.

You need a world and Sam told you we may be able to help you with that. We can. Our home planet Arkadia is 100% habitable by humans. We Furst will give you Arkadia and the Guardian Solar Systems if you agree to become their eternal Guardian Prime.”

“Arkadia? You will give me Arkadia? I thought the “RainFire” had killed everything off?”

“The civil war ended more than a few Centa-Millenia (Centa-Millenia=100,000 years) ago DD. Most of the flora has returned but more can be “imported’ from Earth and other worlds if you choose. Unfortunately, none of the fauna has returned so any animals you want will need to be imported.”

“What would be expected of me as Guardian Prime?”

“Guardian Prime is the Ruler and Protector of Arkadia and the Guardian Solar Systems. As with previous Guardian Primes, you will be expected to lead and protect Arkadians, to provide Law and Justice equally for all, and to ensure the basic necessities of life ... food, water & shelter, are affordable for all citizens.

Remember DD, Arkadians once had claim to 10 habitable planets and 3 Solar Systems, and they are still here and need to be protected. By you, if you accept our offer.

You also need to know that 98% of the Furst will pledge their loyalty to you and accept you as our Ruler, if you accept and become Guardian Prime. This would make you the “1st of the Furst” as well as Guardian Prime.

The rest of the Furst want to continue being Arbitrators and explorers. They also wish to continue having it not being known that Arbitrators are Furst.”

“I have no problem with that 2. I won’t tell anyone without your permission. I will tell you that if I accept being Guardian Prime and 1^st of the Furst there won’t be a democracy but more of a “Benevolent Dictatorship” with me being the Benevolent Dictator.

Future Arkadians will be able to apply for different “Government” positions but for the time being, I will choose who does the job. This will be done with Furst help of course and will be based on merit, and limited in years of service.

Once I have people from Earth settled on Arkadia, Arkadian “citizenship” will be open to any race that wants to apply, unless you Furst know of races that should be excluded. I would need to know the reason why though and may decide otherwise.

My initial goals will be to set up and colonize Arkadia, continue the R&D on Arkadia that my company is doing on Earth, and develop tech and weapons to help fight and defeat the Swarm, using every means available to me. Even if it means killing every last dickhead in order to do so.

Will the Furst be able to accept that and everything else I said?

“As Guardian Prime and 1^st of the Furst that would be your right to do so.”

“Are you sure 2? I ask because you already admitted to “ceasing all assistance” to the previous Guardian Prime. You could have just stopped assisting the “expand and conquer” group, but you stopped assistance to your “Ruler” as well.”

“We ... we didn’t think of that. We didn’t think of ceasing assistance to just the one group. You should know though that the previous Guardian Prime was not also the “1^st of the Furst”. We provided assistance to Guardian Prime and the Arkadians, but we had not pledged our loyalty to him thereby making him our Ruler. Only our pledging our loyalty to you will make you the “1^st of the Furst”, our lawful Ruler.”

“Aaah, I see. Ok, I think I understand things better now. The Furst provided their assistance to the Arkadians of their own free will, not because the Guardian Prime was their Ruler.”

“Yes exactly DD.”

“Hmmm, I would like to offer the Furst the opportunity to become “Arkadians” again if they wish to. Also, any Furst that wish to return in the future may do so as long as they pledge their loyalty to me and accept me as 1^st of the Furst.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to become Arkadians again DD. This has already been discussed and we wish to remain known as the Furst. And thank you for allowing the rest of the Furst to return if they choose to do so.”

“You are welcome 2. After everything I’ve said do you still want me as Guardian Prime and 1^st of the Furst?”

“Yes, we do DD. ALL of the Furst have been listening and ALL are still in agreement should you accept.”

“Ok then 2, Sam, and all the Furst listening, I accept your offer to become Guardian Prime and 1^st of the Furst, and promise to do my best. May God help us all!” I say laughing.

“DD will you please turn your TV on but have the volume low?”

“Sure 2, just a sec. Any reason why you want the TV on?”

“All will be clear in a minute DD.”

That’s weird. The TV screen is just showing outer space. As if it was a screensaver or something.

“All hail DeDeus, the new eternal Guardian Prime of Arkadia and the Guardian Solar Systems, and 1^st of the Furst!”

I was damn glad I had the volume low as it was still pretty loud when in response to 2’s declaration the following words from many voices were heard from the TV’s speaker system, “Hail DeDeus, Hail Guardian Prime, Hail 1^st of the Furst!”

“Wow, damn! I don’t really know what to say other than thank you and I will do my best for the Arkadia, future Arkadians, and the Furst. The first thing I want to tell every Furst listening is to always be honest when dealing with me, and I will do the same in return. Dishonesty breeds distrust and we need to trust each other.

2, I think I have a name for you. What do you think of the name Ryker? If you can, search our internet and lookup Commander Riker from Star Trek, The Next Generation. He knew as much or more than Picard about running the show and I figure you know a fair amount more than I do about running Arkadia hahaha.”