Space Port

The space port is a dirty place. Rarely do any of the Tarre citizens see this. Even if they do purchase passage on one of the luxury liners for a cruise to the satellite resorts, they would never enter by the port pad. They would be shuttled over directly onto their ship. The space port is the type of place the Quorum does not let its citizens see or even know about.

On one end of the port there were the Tarre servicemen transports, the Tarre short-range enforcement vessels (T.S.R.V.), and med-ships. These vessels would be traveling at least as far as the trading outpost but even though Tarre personnel were trained not to ask questions, it would be better not to be seen or possibly recognized. It was easier to blend in and complete an assignment in secret among the populous who typically try not to notice what is going on around them anyway.

Next to the Tarre vessels were the luxury liners and carriers. These vessels would not be docking with any shipping satellites or stations where Wayt would be able to find transportation to Clari. Further down the port were the cargo carriers not controlled by the Quorum. All were very reputable, all keeping records in good order for the docking agents to review. Every passenger would be registered. Finally, on the far end of the port are the derelict-class, fast-burning shuttles and transports. These ships were designed for long-term space travel. Most of the captains of these ships made their homes on board and only landed when they needed to for transport jobs or restocking personal supplies.

This less than reputable part of the space port is infested with the most unsavory elements of society, typically running from the law or trading illegally with the other worlds. These criminals, thieves, and bounty hunters operate the black market cargo transports. They would most definitely dock with a station where Wayt could find transport to Clari or going to Clari directly.

Docking agents rarely patrolled these ports out of fear and those that do were rumored to be taking bribes. Manifests were rarely recorded and those that were, were rarely legitimate and never checked. These ports and these ships existed because the Quorum allowed it. They needed this criminal element for information on the other planets. Some were bribed for their information and some were coerced with threats of prison if they did not cooperate. Spies from and for all the planets used these ports either to land or to gain transportation. In all, the Quorum believes that this small, seedy, criminal infested port is more for the good of Ma’tris and so it exists. Wayt knew that here he would find a crew who would ask no questions, keep no records, and would be looking for a passenger who could pay in hard currency instead of credit. Mostly they would be looking for a passenger who would keep to himself and leave without questions once deposited at the designated port.

Wayt enjoyed walking through this part of the space port. He was never bothered by the riffraff and it gave him the rare opportunity to admire the construction of the space craft. It reminded him of the summer his father had taken him to work on one of the carriers and had shown him how the Hydroplasma engines worked. His memories of that last summer with his father were the reason he had such a fondness for those carriers now. Though to find a craft in good repair was rare, the construction was usually very sound but they often were missing one or more pieces of the ship’s external paneling. He admired the Effany the most. The Effany is a mid-bulk transport. The dome in the center making up only about a third of the central portion of this ship leaving the remainder to cargo which it is why smugglers and tradesmen use them. It had a standard Hydro-core and plasma conductor engine which started just under the dome and moving up and over the cargo hold and then extending out behind the ship. The Effany was able to launch from a vertical or horizontal position and land on any terrain. It was fast and maneuverable. Rather than being made to look like a block or an arrow with rockets attached, the Effany had sleek lines. It resembled a bird in flight with wings tucked under its own belly. Wayt checked the manifest of those ships first.

The SiVoyeor listed its destination only as "Sombre Alley." That was the kind of vague destination which captain's used when they had cargo to deliver that they did not want to report or destinations which would raise questions. Sombre Alley is the name for space between planets and space stations that fill it. These stations are used for trading and transporting cargo, unofficial government meetings, and are the home of many of the Matris citizens who did not want to live under Quorum or Faith-guided law.

Outside the cargo hold stood a member of the crew, possibly the captain himself. It was hard to tell under the dust and grim. He had obviously been working in the engine room and was out for some air before moving off to do whatever was next on his list of assignments in preparation for departure.

Without actually looking at the crew member, Wayt asked, "Is this ship stopping on Clari?"

The crewman spat in Wit's direction to show his displeasure at having to answer any questions, "What's it to you? You look'n for a transport? Try the carrier's or medical ships. I am sure they can get you to a station near Clari." With that he turned and stalked back into the hold.

Wayt followed quickly and quietly grabbed the fellow from behind, producing a knife for effect, and in a low voice scowled, "If I wanted to go to a station why would I be here looking for a transport to Clari. I will ask again, is this ship stopping on Clari?" Light glinted off the tip of the short blade Wayt held, an intimidating trick he had learned which often proved effective.

After a moment’s pause, the crewman chuckled, "How much have you got?"

Wayt was prepared for this. Releasing the crewman, he pulled out of his coat pocket a bag, shook it to emphasize its volume, and withdrew one of the gems. It was a ruby the size of a man’s thumb. He tossed it to who he now was sure was the captain. "The rest when I am off your boat in Clari."

Without waiting for a response, Wayt put away his knife, picked up the only baggage he brought, and walked further into the hold of the SiVoyeor and straight to the passenger dome to claim a bed. It would take at least a week, assuming the captain would take the long way to avoid Quorum contact.

The captain inspected the gem and watched the stranger enter his ship. That was the second time today he had been taken in an effort to gain passage. He thought for a moment about tossing the impertinent man out on his ass and keeping the offered gem, but the promise of more kept his base impulse in check. He would get the remainder of the contents of that bag before landing, and if there was any argument from this unwelcome passenger, he would find himself floating in the cold between here and Clari.

Hall of records

The Tarre Hall of Records was an imposing building, housing archived records as far back as the origination of the Quorum. It is suggested that it carries deep within its vaults the names of the original settlers and families who arrived from a distant world which was destroyed by its own inhabitants and the original documents of government which are by now thousands of years old. Situated in the center of Nuarri, the building towered over the capital's neighboring buildings. From its upper floors one could see the uniform buildings stretching out like fingers from the capital’s center descending in height with each building until the last and farthest buildings were only a few hundred feet tall. Between those buildings were great gardens which had to be constantly cut back. All cities on Tarre were built this way. However, for as high as the Hall of Records reached up, is also reach down. It was known only by those of the elite class, agents, operatives, and a few politicians, but the records housed underground exceeded in number those which were located for the public to see, and those were the records Wayt needed access to.

Sublevels were more than libraries with counsels and docking stations for individual datapads. There were levels being used by scientist and physicians for medical testing, by agents for training, by inventors for the improvement of life on Tarre and inventors whose purpose was simply to develop weaponry. The Tarre Central Agency held some of its offices in one of the lowest levels along with several members of the council. There was also a level just for access to sensitive information only accessible by high level council members and operatives like Wayt.

Using the information console on sub-floor 93, Wayt swiped his c-tag and gained the access granted to him by the Tarre Central agency. The parameters of his search were at first wide, encompassing any information on Clari. The plant’s resources, trade items, political alliances, cultural and social structures, and of course, persons of noteworthiness were first located and loaded on his datapad. He then selected a narrower search from the personnel files of the Tarre politicians who unsuccessfully negotiated with the governing body on Clari.

Wayt found and loaded onto a crystal the most recent entry of Councilor Bachman from just last month. He moved to the larger console in the center of the room and placed the crystal in to the dock. Instantly, a holographic recording of a portly man in his late 70s was projected. "So this is Councilor Bachman." Stepping back, Wayt observed the councilor and what he had to report as though he were receiving the visual link himself.

"There is no governing body on Clari. This planet is run by a band of criminals who hold their position and power over the people of this planet. Those who disobey are shot. Those who are worth something are paying heavily for their own safety from this mob, and those who are poor simply hide. There are many places on this planet which can hide small groups of individuals. They farm or hunt for their survival, and they are rarely seen in town. The mines are rich with ibenium and the factories are equipped with sufficient materials to begin ore processing immediately; however, the workers will not cooperate. They will not accept Quorum control. They will not even discuss a price for trade."

Bachman pulled out a handkerchief and mopped his brow before continuing. "I was threatened. I was told to leave or not. It was up to me. They mean me harm.” He was almost pleading with the visual recorder for help. “That Mansfield actually held a pistol to my head and told me I had four hours to leave the planet or be hunted. I am not sure what he meant, but I do not want to find out.” He placed his now very damp handkerchief back into his pocket. “I am leaving within the hour on the first transport I found leaving this wild and forsaken planet. I am still not sure where I am going, but it cannot be any worse than here."

The image was losing its stability. Bachman's face, streaked with stains of sweat and dust, froze and restarted. This time he was looking over his shoulder when he spoke again. "I am afraid that it is not only the criminals who will not see the planet under Tarre protection. One of the local merchants who support the Quorum’s ideals, the tradesman Alrin, helped me to reach one of the outlying settlements and they were far from hospitable. They actually shut their door in my face. I was sent walking back to town." Facing the viewer again, he continued. "Alrin warned me that they did not like outsiders. I offered them credits, education for their children, farm equipment which they were badly in need of, and nothing prompted them to open the door for negotiation. I was not sure at first that they even heard me, but Alrin assured me that they had and that they would never listen. That is what he tried to tell me in the first place."

In the back ground someone could be seen standing in the distance with some type of weapon in hand aimed directly as Bachman's back. The image was shadowed and vague. No real features could be made out, but one thing was clear. This was Bachman's murderer. Bachman was fumbling with the recorders console when the shot was fired. Bachman lurched forward onto the camera hiding the shooter from view. As he slid down, smearing the lens with blood, the only thing remaining to be seen was a tranquil ship yard. The locals' and the ships crews' did not even seem to notice that there was a dead body lying not 15 feet from them.

Rewinding the recording to the image of the shooter, Wayt using the image enhancers to enlarge the assailant and clear up the image as much as could be done. The image showed a tall man, not more than thirty, too young to be truly hardened and working independently.

"Now, who are you?" Wayt accessed the computer core and cross-referenced the image in an identification search. As the computer searched, Wayt took note of the shooter's uniform. He was wearing an old militia uniform. Not his obviously, probably his grandfathers, maybe even his great-grandfathers. A pistol rig hung low on his thigh and he was carrying a bull-pop configuration rifle called a Bull. The Bull was a medium-range rifle designed for no more than 1000 meters, with the barrel making up more than half the length of the rifle, and the magazine housing positioned behind the pistol grip and trigger. This rifle was unique in that it uses a lever delayed blowback action, and it was new. The Tarre Hall of Records has reported that weapons were not being reproduced or developed on the other worlds of Ma’tris. This will need to be investigated and reported on.

The computer had no other image on file to match the shooter. His features were not unusual. His brown hair and long features were prominent in this quadrant of Clari. The only distinguishing feature on this man, aside from the weapon, was a fairly fresh scar on his left cheek which ran from behind the ear to his nose. The recording was not clear enough to determine if the scar was from a burn or cut, but it was apparently still healing.

Wayt focused the image on the uniform that the shooter was wearing. There were no identifying patches; however, there was a patch of material on the left shoulder that was darker then the sleeve. The shape was identical to Clari's 1st regimental patch.

The 1st regiment was commissioned militia only. To become a member you had to be born on the planet and buy your way in. The positions were few and expensive. The rank held by the officer was determined heavily on the amount of credit spent to buy the commission. That created an ownership in the militia, and that ownership could be passed down from parent to child. On rare occasions, an officer would sell their own commission outright. This usually only happened because they themselves were destitute and in need of currency or they had no heir to pass the position to. Being that this shooter's uniform was old and tired, Wayt presumed that the he inherited his commission, if he was even part of that military at all. If he had bought it, he would have had to purchase his own uniform.

The Quorum recently stopped using weapons similar to these over a hundred years ago before the settlement of Clari or Mondi. They had since developed the P-233. Developed by Tarre scientist and based on the same technology as the space craft’s engines using Hydroplasmic pulses in short burst. When used, they would level anything in front of it for 6000 to 10,000 meters. These weapons were distributed only by the Tarre Council by a private consortium. Wayt was thinking that it might be worth checking on the consortium and see if they were developing weapons for Clari. This would be indirect violation of the Quorum mandate. However, this was not his assignment. He would report his suspicions to the council on his next report.

After loading the image of the shooter onto his datapad, Wayt decided it was time to get off planet and begin his assignment. He would need a few things from his residence, first, and then he would make his way to the space port to find transport off the planet surface or possible to Clari directly. It would not take long. With enough credits or the right currency to barter with, Wayt was sure he would find a ship to take on a passenger and ask no questions about his business.

Anonymity

Wayt understood his orders. By any means he was to secure the Quorum control. Those who could be brought to behave and accept control would survive. Those who could not would be eliminated. He would start with those in power. The people would follow their leaders so any who were opposed to Quorum control would be the first to disappear.

Before he could begin, he needed information. His first destination would then be to the Hall of Records. It did not matter that it was the middle of the night, he would have access. The fact that it was night was all the better. He could gain access and get the information he needed without any observers. His clearance allowed him access into any government building at any time and without any questions. He knew that there would be no record of his entry or of what he looked at. Not a trace of his activities would be reported to the Tarre tracing unit. Wayt was removed from all records, no certificate of birth existed, no identity number, no school records, no records or credit or transaction, and no record of activity or movement. It was as though he was never born. He was a shadow. Because of this and the special c-tag he carried, no Quorum controlled system would record his entry, exit, movement, or activities as it would civilian or serviceman. Anonymity has its benefits.

Orders

After 7 years the memory of that meeting was still seared in his mind as though he had just passed through the chamber door. It was so clear that it came to mind every time he was called to receive a new assignment. When he exited the darkened chamber, as was expected, he found no one waiting. Not a living soul between the door and the transportation pad he had been ordered to use. The walk from one door to the next seemed to have taken a life time and in a way it did. It took away life as he knew it and gave him a life no one knew about.

He went from being a service man whose life included a name, a home, and few friends who were also servicemen, to being no one and having a new life of secrecy and seclusion. After his initial training and several missions of a sensitive nature, his identity had been wiped clean. His c-tag which has held his likeness and identity had been replaced with one that was blank except for an access code which allowed him entry into any building, access to any and all data recorded in the Tarre Tracing unit, and even access to some more secure information in the Tarre Hall of Records. He was a shadow.

From that first day of his new life, it was always the same. A message with nothing more than a time and date was delivered via datalink. He would enter the chamber, stand in the circle of light, receive instructions that were as brief as his entrance to this position, and then there would be no one. No secretary, no guard, not even a sweeper. Just enter by one door and leave by another. He had never received anything in writing nor had he ever received any transmission of data, and he had never seen the man issuing the orders. This anonymity was important. These orders must never be traced. The Quorum could never be held responsible for the atrocities which were necessary for the continued peace in Tarre and enlightenment of its citizens.

Wayt knew that he had forfeited any chance to be a part of the life and the dream of Ma’tris peace in the universe. He had given up his friends and his family. He did not regret this. He believed to his core that his role in that peace was profound, and that his sacrifice was necessary to the ideals of this civilized and enlightened culture. He knew that some vile acts were needed to remove those with influence and those persons whose acts were creating waves of dissent and working against the peace the Quorum promised. Because of this belief and his desire to serve in the interest of Tarre peace, he had been promoted many times and now held the title of operative. He was a true shadow of the Quorum.

As he made his way silently to the transportation pad, he reflected on his orders. They were vague, but that was not what was unusual. Tonight, when he entered the chamber, he was told simply and with no explanation, “You are to secure Quorum control of Clari.”

Wayt had, of course, heard rumors that the Quorum wanted control over the other planets in Ma’tris. Trade with these rogue planets tended to be difficult, necessary, and costly. The inhabitants lived on the edge of existence. They lived a barbaric lifestyle, which was appalling to the citizens of Tarre. It was not uncommon for men, women, or children to be left uneducated or sold as property, for feuds to end in bloodshed, and for pirates and raiding parties to be left unchecked.

Dealing with the people of these planets was never easy. Their ideals were very different from those of Tarre. Sacrifice and public service were unfamiliar ideals to these savages. They lived in conditions that would kill most. Clari with its arid desserts and Mondi with its ice covered lands. How they did not starve was a mystery, but they survived. They carved out their lives, and lived by their own laws. This independence made trade expensive and sometimes deadly.

The Quorum had tried in the past to bring the other planets into the fold with no success. Negotiations were usually brief, and the politicians returned without any success, if they returned at all. The Tarre’s desire to bring enlightenment to these worlds was often met with violence. Now it seems the Quorum will meet that violence with some of its own in hopes of bringing a peaceful union to the system planets and its people.

The benefits to these planets were clear. A better life and enlightenment awaited the people of these words, as well as fair trade, prosperity, and many comforts. There would be opportunities for public service for their children and education for all. They would gain representation in the council and political and economic fulfillment of their planet’s needs. There was no cost for this harmony. They would simply be unified under one governing body, the Quorum.

We have been watching you

“We have been watching you, Captian.”, a voice in the dark recesses of the council chamber echoed. “Your career in public service is to be commended.”

A man in no uniform that could identified, stood proud. He was not sure at first why he was called to this secret meeting, but he had heard tales, rumors, of these types of meetings. Those in service who were called here were never seen again. They simply disappeared, and no one ever asked about them again. Asking those questions usually ended badly.

Wayt, as he was called by his friends, was not concerned about disappearing; he was energized by this idea. To be called, to become a shadow, to disappear was not a bad thing in his mind. It was the reward almost any agent would die for and every man in service aspired to. To become an agent, an operative, a shadow of the Quorum, and a maker of peace, was the dream Wayt held most dear. As he stood in the silence, the idea that this was the reason he was summoned in the middle of the night was becoming a certainty. He was loyal to the Quorum and always expressed a desire to serve in any way that would further peace for the Ma’tris realm and spread the civilization to the other planets, even if that meant that he would never be able to claim that peace himself.

In the space of time it took him to develop and complete this thought, Wayt had not said a word, had not moved a muscle or allowed any emotion to be visible on his features. He just stood erect, shoulders back and his chin high in the center of an illuminated circle of light that did not reach the corners of the room. He held his anxiety in check. He wanted those who watched him with trained eyes to deem him ready.

The voice in the darkness lingered in silence as though reconsidering the offer which was about to be made. It is an offer which would surrender this serviceman into a life of secrecy and death. The outcome was already known; this serviceman would accept the offer. It would never be made otherwise.

“Agent Gil Wayt, you are to be transferred to the Central Tarre Agency and will begin training at once. You will report directly to the Ma’tris station Alpha for transportation and orders. From this night forward you do not exist in Tarre.” The light dimmed in the center of the room, while another light brightened revealing the door. His immediate obedience to the unspoken order was expected. Without a salute, Wayt turned and left the chamber as expected of a loyal and dedicated agent. It was then that he realized that he was no longer a serviceman. He was an agent of the Quorum, an operative, and sometimes an assassin. If he survived his training and was able to prove himself, he would be a Shadow. He never questioned the briefness of this unusual meeting. He also was only partially mindful of the fact that the door he was leaving through was not the same as the one he entered.

Humanities' future history

In the not too distant future, it could be sooner than you think, a war will breakout. This is not divine providence, no foreshadowing of things to come. I am not using a crystal ball and no time traveler has come to call. This is just the history as I know it. A time when children’s laughter will be replaced with sirens warning of an attack, when travel will be made impossible because of the lack of resources due to government appropriations, and when trade will become impossible leaving many to starve who have no idea how to produce their own foods. Economy will die and so will millions who are not even holding a gun. All the while the militaries of this world will reign terror on the civilians they believe they are fighting for.

After decades of fighting and many leaders dead, the reasons the war was started will become remote and forgotten. The fight will be just a fight. The new leaders and generals will have known no peace in their lives. They will have only known war and the desire to continue it. Each country left standing on this world will have lost its culture, constitutions, ideals, religions, and cities. Farming resources will become the last ground to protect and that will become military run. The world will be left with only military and wanderers.

Wanderers will be those who took to ground or ran to the hills in the beginning of the war. These few will create a civilization of survivors who know a little of farming, animal husbandry, eating off the land. They will create camps and colonies in the mountains and caves. They will create tribes in the plains and deserts. They will be the forefathers of humanities future. It will be these survivors who being to repopulate the areas of the world where the military is not raging war and dropping bombs.

It is in this time several decades possibly a century or more from now, when one of the military powers will do it. They will unleash what they believe to be the weapon that will end the war. With the loss of reason due to generations of war, this weapon will have more devastating effect than any weapon used to that time. The power behind this weapon will have been gleaned from the nuclear war heads which lay in dust and had never been used by previous generations who were aware of the after affects and finality these weapons would bring. This weapon will lay waste the plains, hills, farms, and even the lakes and oceans. This global killer will destroy all things standing leaving dust and desert. The air will become un-breathable and there will be nowhere to run.

What would be the rebirth of new generations will be destroyed. But a few will survive. A few always survive; a few military, a few wanderers. The military will continue to do as it has always done and the wanderers will do again what they have always done. This time however, instead of going to ground they will go to space.



The wanderers would have already spent generations learning how to grow crops with no earth to plant them in and recycled air and water to feed them. They would have learned how to keep flocks and herds alive in the caves using filters to breath. They would have already been planning for the day when they would have to make the greatest move of all human history and take the greatest risk for their survive. They may not be large in numbers but they were not small either and their planning would be a global joint effort with some of the other wandering tribes who also had skills and assets of their own. It was believed that moving the human race to space was the only way to keep it from its own extinction.

With the final bombs fall on the last of the known military bases, the wanderers made their final preparations to move to space. Ships which had been prepped and waiting for this day were loaded with the livestock, machinery, and crops. The tribes of the earth who had wandered the surface in search of a habitable corner, all launched together and left the military that remained behind to continue the war they could not finish.

Living in space brought many trials and much advancement in technology. Once the shipped united to create one large ship in the shape of a large ring, the massive ship was put into motion. The ship was named the Itinerant. It circulated on its own perimeter creating an artificial gravity and it moved forward out of the galaxy. Had anyone been there to see this massive ship from a far, it would have looked like a halo around an absent moon. The reason for leaving was not in hopes of find a planet to inhabit, though that was in the backs of every wanderer’s mind. The reason was simply to wander and explore. This is all they knew.

Generations lead the way for new generations to exist and survive in space. The scientist continued to experiment and develop new ways to improve their ship, to expand without the need for more metal or plastic materials to protect them from space. They found ways to use crops and other vegetation to creating a biologic filtering system which would produce breathable air. They mad discoveries in technology which made life in space comfortable. They also discovered new power sources using plasma and water. This was the most exciting discovery because the byproduct produced nothing but water and air and was such a powerful energy source that it could propel the ship faster than ever thought possible and be used in handheld weapons for defense. The later was kept secret from the leaders and travelers.

These generation lead to more generations and the population began to stretch the bounds of the world they had created to live in. The ship was already 3 times it original size and would stretch no more. It was at this time that the wanderers started seeking out a planet to inhabit. The datalink showed many galaxies and solar systems that they had passed and had records of many worlds, though none were thought to be livable. They then turned their attention ahead. The great search began.



Engineers created small ships out of pieces of the larger ones. Then a group was created and trained for exploration and evaluation of living planets and possible dangers that may exist. These agents were sworn into service for the greater good. These few were prepared to keep up their search even to the end of their lives knowing that they may not find their way back, that they would forever be removed from the society of their race. These few were honored and celebrated and many wanted to be in the service.

After several hundred more years and many generations again passing in to history, a message came. Ma’tris had found a planet. In fact he had found three planets in one system.

One planet was lush and rotated in a pattern similar to the records they had of the planet their ancestors left. The size was adequate to not only inhabit but to grow on. It has oceans of drinkable water, mountains, ice, and some life did already exist there. The life was vegetative mostly, but Ma’tris had found some animal and water life. The animal life was primitive, no true intelligence. The climate was temperate, somewhat warm in places for a human who has spent his whole life in a spaceship, but there were much colder areas also.

This system had two other planets which are inhabitable as well. The closest was also inhabitable but would need some terraforming. There was a breathable atmosphere and some vegetation, but very little life. There were oceans, lakes, and rivers, but not all of it was drinkable.

The last of the three planets which would support human life was much colder. There was plenty of all that the first and most ideal planet had, but it was much colder and ice covered in many areas, leaving a smaller area to begin the human settlement. The tribe of space traveling humans would settle on the first of the three planets for its size and resources which were indeed more than they ever thought they would find.

Because Ma’tris had found this system of planets, it was named by him. He honored his family by calling the system Ma’tris. His honored his grandmother who died before arriving and was the first human buried on any planet in over a hundred generations by naming the first planet after her, Tarre. He honored his mother by naming the second planet Clari, after her. And he named the third planet with its harsh climate after his dad, Mundi. This was his privilege for his years of service and his profound discovery.

His position of service would be well remembered and it would be his honored duty to continue his service by leaving Ma’tris and seeking out those others in service who search the stars and bring them to their new home. He would do this even unto his death, but he would not come home with them.



Life and humanity flourished on Tarre. They did not want for food; they were well trained in farming and animal husbandry. They spread out and created towns and cities. New generations were born and many more after that. Those new generations spread out even farther until the human race again dominated a planet. They developed subcultures and trade between regions and cities. The laws that ruled the wanderers in space were the foundation for the constitution developed to help rule on Tarre.

The council of elders established on the Itinerant which brought them from the dead planet became the ruling force on Tarre and was called the Quorum. The Quorum was charged with deciding on legal issues and helping to maintain the human ideals. They were the architects of the cities, they were the mediators of trade, and they were the creators of the culture on Tarre. So powerful was the Quorum that many thought of it as a parent. The Quorum grew so intimate in the knowledge of each person that it had to create a way of housing and tracking that data. Datapads and c-tags were created to track movement, trade, purchases, and even education. Marriages needed the Quorum blessing, a practice adopted from the space traveling days when the elders had to make sure that children would not be produced from parents who may be more closely related then is genetically ideal. Homes were assigned by the Quorum based on the production and participation of the citizen. Moving from one city to the next was rare and only approved if the population was diminished and needed revitalizing.

The Quorum also continued to select men and woman to a life of service. It was still an honored position and a position very few citizens knew anything about. What was known was that the Quorum began recruited young, they began each year or so to select from a younger and younger group. After still more generations, it was expected that by the age of nine you would either be selected or released to be a free citizen. The honor that the accompanied this position was forgotten. Once selected to service that person would never be seen again. Parents and children alike feared selection and small groups began to become dissatisfied with life on Tarre.

The uprising that was eminent could not have been controlled without a civil war. The Quorum had enough service agents trained to use all the weapons it had created to mount a military attack to subdue the groups of rebels or it could have sent just a few specially trained assassins to eliminate the trouble makers, but they knew that public opinion was waning. Any attack on the Quorum’s part could push those who sympathize with the rebels to their side dividing further the society the Quorum created. However, the Quorum knew that dissatisfaction was like a virus. People, who would never be disposed to feel it, would catch it like a cold and then spread it on to the next person. The spread of this rebellious disease had to be stopped. That is when negotiation began.



When this group of usurps demanded the ability to build ships and travel the stars to Clari or Mundi, the Quorum considered the advantages of allowing this group to leave. With the rebels off Tarre, the Quorum could again gain peaceful control of its cities. They would colonize, terraform, establish new trade, and perhaps find something useful to further promote the Quorum. If these bands of usurps were allowed to go with the blessing of the Quorum, it could be promoted as the Quorum’s idea for explanation. The propaganda would promote the move and invite others to join. They would imply that the expansion to the outer planets was the idea of the Quorum. They could then make suggestions and offer assistance in setting up camps and deliver supplies at regular intervals. The even made plans to establish trade facilities so that they could sell their surplus goods back to Tarre. The Quorum was now in full agreement of the proposed exodus. The Quorum was confident that it could preserve some control over these citizens and that their departure would not only solidify control on Tarre but also provide new income and territory to develop for the betterment of Tarre.

An agreement was reached between the Quorum and the rebel leaders and the planning began. It was proposed that to better help the rebels in their preparations for leaving, they should be moved to a location which would provide them the space to build ships and gather supplies. It would be remote enough that they would not be hindered by the cities design and would not intrude on the day-to-day workings of the citizens of Tarre who did not wish to leave. This suited the rebels. The Quorum offered labors and scientist to assist in the construction of the ships and temporary buildings they would need for storage and shelter before the move and after they arrive on Clari. These labors were citizens who wished to journey with the rebels and start fresh on a new planet. The rebels agreed to the numbers, though they were ignorant of the fact that these laborers were in fact the rare criminal element kept isolated from the cities and general population who were offered the opportunity to leave. The Quorum offered material and supplies and only asked that for every ship they made to transport their group, they may one for Tarre that they may be able to bring those promised supplies. All this the rebels agreed to.

While the rebels prepared, so did the Quorum. The Quorum’s half truths were celebrated. The Tarre citizens were proud of their government and of the brave citizens who were to venture to Clari to build begin colonization of that harsh planet. Most citizens wonder who would want to leave and if the people departing were not those citizens who were brought into service. Merchants began to get excited of the possibility of new materials for trade and began to save credits to be able to purchase then first. Building designers began making plans for small rule buildings in the hopes of being named on some of the first buildings on this yet to be populated planet. All citizens were excited; none remembered this exodus came about because a few rebels were dissatisfied.



The rebels took with them to the new world all that they could carry on the ships that they built. They brought plants and hydroponic equipment, they brought herds and flocks, and they brought tools and building materials. The brought all those who wanted to start a new life away from Quorum control. They also brought those people the quorum had sent; the unsavory, unlawful, derelict, and spies.

They settled and populated the plant Clari. They built towns and elected councils, developed agriculture and trade, and they also discovered the planet’s resources. Deep mines of ibinium were found in almost all ocean-side mountains. Scientist on Clari discovered the dense properties and usefulness in the construction of shields for ships, armor, and transport vehicles. They were amazed that a sheet of this material as thick as a man’s arm and as wide and long as the gathering table could be easily picked up by even the smallest child. Ibinium was found to be pliable in its raw state and unbreakable once heated and formed. They also discovered the explosive nature of ibinium.

The population on Clari grew quickly spreading out over the entire livable surface. Counsels created their own laws and constitutions. Though the laws differed in some ways, they all were founded on a basic premise of freedom from Quorum control. The Clari citizens were united in this idea and were careful in their trade with Tarre. No Tarre official or Quorum agent was welcome on Clari and any attempt to establish governmental or trade representative building ended in arsine or outright explosion.

The Clari people maintained their independence and even expanded their colony to Mundi. These two planets developed a culture of freedom and exploration. They developed their own class structure. The counsel was largely made up of the wealthy. There were independent farmers whose worth was not great in currency, but who never wanted for anything. There was also those whose fortunes were not great and whose lack of success in farming, trade, or mining reduced this lot to working for scraps from the wealthy. The Book of Faith emerged from the remnants of a bible which had been passed down hundreds of generations, and with this a religion and religious class was born.

Clari was not without its criminal element. This group was made up of the men and woman the Quorum had sent and those unfortunates who could not carve out a life and found theft a better source of credit. The laws did address this and when caught, the criminal was treated harshly, but the crime still existed and thrived. It was this group who began to smuggle goods from Tarre to Clari and back. Many of this element found life in space more preferable. It even became organized. Leaders emerged and took control of the types and amount of smuggling. These leaders even positioned themselves on counsels in the interest of Clari freedom. It is because of these councilmen that stations were built in space for trading black-market items and for keeping a closer eye on Tarre.

In the years that followed the rebels’ exodus from Tarre, a feeling of apprehension had developed. The Quorum is now frustrated by its lack of control of its citizens and wants control of the resource discovered on Clari. The settlers of Clari and Mundi frightened by the possibility of falling under Quorum control yet again, know that the key to keeping independence is keeping control of the ibinium. Spies, intrigue, and political volleying fuel the hostilities and it is only a matter of time before the struggle erupts into a war that could destroy all worlds.

In the beginning...

Twelve children sat quietly at their stations awaiting the next lesson. This is not out of the ordinary for on any given day these children would be at their stations receiving the education prescribed by the instructors. However, today is the exception to the ordinary because today they are being reviewed and decisions on their futures are being made by the group of representatives who show up each year. Some of these children will be allowed to continue their general education and lead peaceful lives as citizens. These children will never know violence, famine, illness, or want. Their children will be sent to the best schools and most of them would be given the choices that all parents want for their child. Some children, however, will never have a choice. They will never know that they were not given a choice. The parents of those select children will be told what an honor it is for their child to have been chosen for public service. They may be told this, but they knew it meant that their child would never be the same and may never be seen again.
Sitting quietly in class was one such child. He was being examined closely. His test scores and personality definitions were exactly what they were looking for. The child did not seem any different than any of the other children to his instructors. In fact to the instructors, no child seems more likely to be selected than any other. This was the reason a team of investigators was selected for this job rather than leaving it up to the school or the instructors.
This child was 9 years old and played skeef just like the rest of the boys. He had begun to become interested in the girls in the class, but was still too shy to have any real contact. He was starting to dream of his future. However; unlike the other children in the class room, he was beginning to think about being selected. He was not really sure he wanted this, but he was not thinking much about his other options. No one knew of this, not even his friends. As far as his instructors and family were concerned, he was just like the other boys dreaming of the future his parent’s wanted for him; a future where he would peacefully perform the same service as his father as a citizen of Tarre. If his parents had their wish, he would work on space carriers. He had even spent his summer on one such carrier with his father learning about the hydroplasmic engines. This was fun for him as an adventure would be, but it was not what he wanted to do.
His parents were very clear in their distaste of the possibility of public service for him. On the one occasion when he brought the subject up with his parents, they became anxious, actively checking windows and doors, and proceeded in whispering voices to tell him that it was not safe to say such things. They told him that public service changed you, took you away from your family, and you would never be allowed back into the society when the term of service was completed if they offered a term with a definite end and if he lived that long. From that time forward, he never mentioned it again, but he never stopped thinking about it.
On this day he was being examined for just such a life. The investigators were even going so far as to decide in what form of public service he would serve. In whispered voices they were chattering excitedly. They believed they may have found one, the one in a thousand who would suit the Quorum’s purpose. That purpose being one of the most well kept secrets. So well kept, that most in public service did not even know about it.
Of course, he would need training to prepare for this future. His first stop would be to the academy. He would need some conditioning to ensure his cooperation and desire to server in the capacity chosen for him. Then there would a period of time when he would actually put some of his training to use in a visible-to-society manner to keep appearances and questions at bay. Then after this training, when his prime and ready, he would disappear and no one would remember he ever existed. This future would essentially whip clean the existence of this child, his past, present, and any future he may have had. If selected now, his training would start immediately, he would not been here tomorrow.
After some more excited whispers, there was silence. The men standing in the corner of the room like the 5 pillars of Palnith, tall, formidable, unshaken, and fearsome, commanded attention. Everyone feared the entrance to Palnith, the depths of that cavern have not been reached and many who have entered have never returned. The similarity to the vision in front of them and the reputation of Palnith was not lost on the entire class and everyone knew why they were there. Many of the children sat nervously, fearing to their small depths that they were being reviewed, evaluated, or selected. With some sigh of relief from both the class and the instructor, only one of the pillars lifted his long shroud covered arm and pointed to the boy. “Gil Wayt.”