Species are known that live and thrive on planets with non-standard environments. The ice sloths of Pluto, or the Firems of Salzimor, for example. Even in open space, creatures like the Gwalior move about freely without spaceships. Yet none of these are known to be sentient. Is there something unique about liquid water and air that gives rise to sentience? Or are we DNA-based creatures simply incapable of communicating with those alien forms that thrive where we cannot go except in shielded crates?
Masino From-Red-Cliff, Casuran Exobiologist
Daved Breggs dropped his x-craft out of sniper-space, decelerating towards the Otana System, whose claim to fame in the Milky Way Galaxy was the planet Casura. The rest of the system was scattered with small rocky asteroids; the inner ones hot enough to melt lead, the outer ones so cold your skis froze to the ice.
A fine layer of mist surrounded the planet, stretching out for thousands of miles; so far in fact, that a double rainbow encompassed the entire planet, formed as the light of the star Otana filtered through the mist interspersed between two opposing moons.
Casura was in the “green zone,” a narrow band around each star where the majority of sentient species in the Milky Way could live. It had a decent mix of oxygen and nitrogen in its atmosphere and was thus designated “standard.” It amazed Daved that the requirements for Sheeple, Xenonites, humans, Casurans, and countless others in the Milky Way were so similar. Perhaps the respiration equation was simply the most efficient engine possible? Daved wasn’t sure. Sometimes he wished he’d studied more biology during training.
Even the music of the planet, which he’d been picking up on his eyepod the last few weeks, seemed familiar, with alternating themes in major and minor soaring above an alien percussion that beat out an approximate 4/4 time on every song. If the language were a little smoother and the drums a little lower, it might have been a Hake chant streaming from the Site of the Seven Scrolls.
Markers for air traffic lanes and posted speed limits hovered in the air, guiding Daved to a public parking lot where he docked his x-craft. Stepping out, he heard a rush of activity and was startled to see a huge crowd advancing. A tall Casuran greeted him.
“Welcome to Casura! I see you’ve arrived safely… we trust your trip was enjoyable?” The alien resembled an upright praying mantis with truncated arms and green lacy wings encompassing it like a gown.
“Um, yes,” replied Daved. “I am Daved Breggs, Ciri of the Xenonite Republic… I stopped here to see your planet on my way out the galaxy. I didn’t realize I was expected.”
“Yes, yes… the Xenonites have told us about your noble quest, and we heard from the Elnor settlement that you’d passed through last month and were heading our way. We wish you the best of luck… we are the last open planet you will find this direction.”
An ‘open planet’ was one in which the denizens both knew of and were peaceful towards alien visitors. Of the closed planets, most either did not have the technology to cross the depths of space all the way to another star, or had nothing of interest to attract visitors. The other closed planets had openly declared war on any alien species that came within a light year of their planet, fearing invasions or disease.
“Ah,” said Daved. “Speaking of Elnor, I picked up some absolutely delicious Corne Chups there. I don’t suppose I could trade a pile of fresh cut lumber for some more?”
“No need to give up your supplies,” thrummed the Casuran. “We will see that you are well outfitted before you leave. You are the first Sheepel to visit Casura. We welcome you, and hope you find your stay enjoyable. Your people are welcome to visit at any time.”
Daved felt the underlying message. The Sheeple, like the Xenonites, were welcome to visit. But not to stay. Even the open planets held a certain fear of other species, ever worried that another species may take too much interest in their planet and resources.
“I thank you for your kindness. I would be honored to have someone show me around. I need a couple days to stretch before I get back in that x-craft.”
“We have chosen two who will give you a tour and answer any questions you have. The Xenonites have salted our ears with a hint of your mission, and we are interested to hear more.”
Two Casurans stepped forward. They were dressed in simple brown garments, and greeted Daved with a smile.
“I am Masino,” said one.
“And I am Sami,” added the other. “We are xenobiologists at the research institute in Red Cliff. It has been some time since we’ve had visitors, and never have I seen someone with your features! You have much to see, and I understand your time is short, so come!”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
A day later, Masino and Sami were standing with their arms crossed, their faces betraying their disbelief.
“A reason for it all?” Masino shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. There’s too much. It is like trying to predict the weather – acquiring more information doesn’t make the problem easier to solve. It merely increases the degree of the equation.”
“If there is a reason for it all,” said Sami, “I do not think you will find it at the End of the Galaxy, or even in the next. I think you will find it in your heart.”
The three were standing below the great Carvings of Noh, their faces red from the sandy winds that scoured through the pass.
“Who carved those?” inquired Daved, changing the subject.
“No one knows,” answered Sami. “They’ve stood here at least five millennia, judging from the erosion. Presumably, they depicted the ancient Casurans, but well – you see what’s left. The only writing found was a single word in a secluded cave: Rimilthia – but what this means, we do not know.”
“The features are missing, but they’re still magnificent. I can’t imagine how long they took to carve. The engine was invented, what? Did you say fifteen hundred years ago?”
“Yes, the modern age came late for us… but only compared to some! I assume you stopped by Gabbledom on your way over?” Masino smiled. “God save us when they invent the machine.”
“I saw the herds of Doxx roaming the northern plains. But the equatorial cities were in ruins. Do you know who used to live in them?”
Masino gave Daved a strange look. “There are no Doxx on the northern plains. The Doxx built the cities.”
Daved’s eyes widened. “How could they build cities? Are they sentient?”
“Are ants sentient? Are burreas? What animal does not build itself a home? But tell me of the cities… what do you mean they were in ruins?”
“Charred and tumbled, like an earthquake and fire hit them.”
“Did you find any other life on the planet?”
“None. I think the Doxx are starving.”
Masino gave Sami a troubled look, but whatever they were thinking, they did not share with Daved.
“If the Doxx built cities, does it mean they might one day build spacecraft?” asked Daved, aghast at the possibility.
“The Doxx will die. You saw this yourself. They were ranchers, tending animals… I think sheep is the closest word. But if the cities and sheep are gone, the Doxx will not last.”
“Do you have any idea what destroyed their cities?”
The Casurans shrugged, but Daved sensed that there was something withheld. He tried to learn more, but Sami changed the subject.
“There are many other carvings than these. The tallest are in the Equatorial Cliffs. On your way out, you should fly by Scerza.”
Masino added, “These are like dwarves in comparison.”
“I can’t imagine it,” breathed Daved. Cast into the shiny marble cliffs, the carvings were a sight to behold, elaborate depictions of trees and animals, cities and towers, fading and eroding yet so immense as to never lose their splendor. “But I don’t think I’ll have time. It’s taking forever to get out of Xenonite territory. Even in an x-craft travel is slow, and there are so many planets to see on the way.”
Sami frowned. “What will you do about the Vorians? They control the sectors beyond us, all the way to the unmapped Dipakk. Do you think they’ll let you through? Or will you go around?”
“That would take forever. Even with the Xenonite life extension drugs, I can’t spare that much time! No, I will have to cut straight through and hope for the best. I can’t imagine they would notice or care about one little explorer. With any luck, I won’t even be noticed.”
“Daved, I don’t know what the Xenonites told you, but trust me… the Dictator is not one to mess with. His regime is beyond control, and every attempt we’ve made to interact with them expanded our cemeteries.”
“Do you think I should contact them and get permission to fly through?”
“Absolutely! Or else go home. Even the Xenonites avoid Vorian space in the rare moments they come this way. After Alexander was lost, they gave up. Your only hope is to pray that the Dictator will consider you unimportant. But if he catches you sneaking through without permission…” She nodded towards a gray, dusky valley that stretched to the horizon. “Those unfortunate few don’t even get bodies for their gravestones. Who knows what happened to ‘em.”
“You mentioned Alexander. Could you tell me more about him? It would be good to have a non-Xenonite perspective.”
“Of course. As you know, Alexander was the last great Vorian spy for the Xenonites. Since Casura is so close to the Vorians, he stopped here often. For years he worked to ensure that the Dictator wasn’t getting any fancy ideas about taking over these outer planets. I can still remember when the situation went haywire on Lexon. All but us seem to have forgotten that terrible day; the day a species was destroyed. Lexon used to be an independent planet, just like ours, you know. But they didn’t have space travel, so the Ciri left them alone, save for checking up every once in a while to make sure no one would be surprised when they jumped into the modern age.
“Then one day, without warning, the Vorian forces appeared in full over that innocent world. The Lexonites were in absolute terror as the Dictator’s ships dropped from the sky and burned their cities. It was during the fall of Lexon that Alexander was captured and never heard from again. It was a terrible blow to the Xenonites, and to my understanding, they haven’t sent a single Ciri to Vorian space since.”
“But, they have thousands of ships – I wonder why they couldn’t do anything,” Daved mused.
Sami’s wings vibrated anxiously. “I’m telling you, the Dictator is too powerful, and the Xenonites know it. I don’t know what kind of super weapons they’ve got hidden in that system, but its defenses are unbeatable.” A puzzled look crossed her face. “And if the Xenonites know… they sure haven’t told us.”
Daved realized that something was bugging him.
“The cities of Gabbledom: their destruction sounds much like that of Lexon.”
Sami and Masino both nodded.
“But Gabbledom is even more interior than Casura. Would the Vorians really skip a planet as they expand outward?”
“Did you see any sign of the Vorians around Gabbledom?” asked Masino.
“No, I haven’t seen a single Vorian ship to date.”
“Then they are not yet expanding outward. Whatever drove them to attack the Doxx, it was not for the land. The Xenonites still control this region, and there is no way the Vorians could expect to hold a planet this side of the Zull-Hew Sector.”
“Then why would they raze Gabbledom and disappear?”
Sami shrugged. “If one could understand the mind of a Vorian, it would simplify life a thousand-fold. That is why the help of Alexander is so dearly missed. And why we must live every day as if it is our last.”
The eyepod was a remarkable contraption which Daved had acquired while on Condar and never gone without since. Made using the eye pod of a native fish, the small device collects music from across the galaxy which has spilled onto com-link channels, thus allowing it to play back nearly any song to the listener on demand.
