~ Child Of The Stars ~

by

R. L. Hennessy

Between the stars, Diana, in her spare time, scrutinized the manuscript recovered from the derelict ship, devoting special attention to the illustrations contained within the data file. She also continued to analyze the images from the Almac-2 book, and in her mind replayed and reviewed the series of events that led up to the plight of her people, the plight of all the civilizations in this sector, and the reason for the mission itself. Diana let recent events, the historical findings, and her thoughts slowly simmer like the vegetable stew she loved so much as a young child—all food for thought.

Diana was in her quarters reviewing the Dark-Age illustrations that had captivated her so. She took another sip of her beloved orange drink and was about to make a mental note when Eos contacted her—directly through her QP of course.

::Diana.::

::Yes.::

::We are entering the Lakomiya Alpha and Lakomiya Beta star system. Professor Baron has sent a welcoming message. We have not received a reply at this time. Arrival is estimated at fifteen standard hours.::

::Understood.::

The great ship entered the Lakomiya system from “above” the planetary orbital plain and so did not encounter the system’s three massive outer gas giants.

A double planetary system—as the Lakomiya Alpha and Lakomiya Beta system was—with both planets of near equal size and located in the “life-affirming” zone of “not too close or too far” from the system’s sun, was rare indeed. Even more rare was the fact that when the first humans arrived, both of these planets were in the early stages of developing viable life-bearing eco-systems. Two planets for the price of one, as the Lakomiyans were fond of saying.

Professor Baron called the team leaders together. Once again they gathered to discuss their impending arrival strategy.

“I just received a message from the President of Lakomiya welcoming us, heralding our arrival, and offering her planet’s complete cooperation,” Professor Barron announced.

The Professor added, “The President also mentioned that they have information of a far distant planet that should be of interest in our search for virginal, unmodified human genetic material and DNA.”

“Are they experiencing the same genetic problems that have plagued our population?” Doctor Hitchens asked.

“Yes. But President Bishamon mentioned that they have arrived at some type of compromise solution that allows for continued population sustainability.”

“Is President—what was her name?” K-Ti asked.

“Bishamon,” the Professor replied.

“Yes. Is President Bishamon the president of Lakomiya Alpha or Beta?”

“In her message she specifically stated that she is the elected president of both worlds. They consider Lakomiya “A” and “B” as one nation—even though it’s two worlds.”

“Do we have landing permission and coordinates?” K-Ti asked.

“Yes. Both planets employ space elevators. We are instructed to dock and use Lakomiya A’s elevator. President Bishamon’s message stated that Lakomiya A is the location of the Lakomiya Nation’s capital city and National Court. That’s where we’ll be meeting.”

“This time we don’t give any information away until we get usable information first,” K-Ti stated emphatically.

“Agreed. And one of us should stay behind—as a precaution. Doctor Hitchens, would you mind remaining onboard until we assess the situation?” the Professor asked.

“No—not at all.”

“Eos is sending us images of the two planets as we approach. I’ll put them up on the view screen.”

The images of Lakomiya Alpha showed a beautiful world with pristine oceans, continents with primitive but widespread plant life, vast areas of moderate temperatures, and an atmosphere with above-average oxygen content. Animal life was also primitive but appeared to be unaltered by human intervention or activity. It was a picture of a world that except for the capital city and its support facilities appeared almost untouched.

The images of Lakomiya Beta were much different. Eos’s cameras showed a world that had all the earmarks of extensive human exploitation. There were indications of widespread pollution, mining scars, tainted oceans, overused land, and pollution treatment facilities that could not keep up. Lakomiya Beta also supported a much larger human population. Vast areas of plant and animal eco-systems appeared modified, eliminated, replaced, or domesticated for human consumption.

“Interesting,” K-Ti stated. “They might consider themselves one nation, and these worlds might have been similar when humans arrived, but they look like different worlds now.”

“We are not here to judge. We are here to get the information we need. And, if possible, build an alliance with these people. Of course, if asked, we will offer any assistance that we can. But only if asked. Then we are on our way,” the Professor stated.

All agreed.

Now in orbit around Lakomiya Alpha, Eos’s high-resolution cameras were capturing images of the capital city—the one and only city on the planet. The images were stunning.

The setting itself was fairytale-like. The city sat on the edge of a lush, green plateau. A pristine, effervescent river ran through and split the city into two sections. The river then tumbled from the plateau in a two-hundred-meter-high cascading waterfall. On one side of the city, a slightly higher but equally lush plateau also sported a waterfall. This second waterfall was visible from just about every vantage point in the city. The mist from the two falls insured that on every sunny day there was a rainbow, or more correctly a mist-bow (as citizens in the know correctly called it) that arched over the capital. Also on those sunny days, one could look out from atop one of the tall, gem-like buildings and see the snowcapped peaks of a mountain range in the distance. The mountain glaciers and their yearly snowmelt were the source of the river and its two falls.

From the city’s edge, one could look down into the canyon below and see the now larger but slower moving river continue its journey out from between the high canyon walls and onto a vast savanna that ran to the horizon.

The beauty of the city matched its lush surroundings. Neither Diana nor anyone else from the Eos had ever seen or imagined anything like it. Huge crystal buildings rose from the plateau. Like massive, towering, gemstones of rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, the structures with their facets gleaming in the sunlight resembled an ornately decorated royal crown. This sight alone proclaimed the city’s wealth and power to all who were privileged to enter.

No force field or dome was needed to protect the citizens, as the climate was as near to perfect as the city was beautiful. Nor would the citizens desire anything that would diminish in the least the masterpiece they had created. There were of course agriculture and support facilities that surrounded the city but these functional necessities were architecturally camouflaged and blended unseen into the landscape. There were no scars or ugly distractions in the slightest that would divert one’s attention from the city’s overwhelming splendor. The exquisiteness of which was so overpowering that when first encountered it literally took one’s breath away—or so Lakomiya legend declared.

From the rear of the city, the massive, amethyst-purple, gem-like base of the towering space elevator rose up to greet the fair-weather clouds above. From there, silver magnetic rails connected with the orbiting space station that was located far outside the planet’s atmosphere.

The station supported a fleet of interplanetary vessels that was used to ferry people and goods between the two worlds of Lakomiya Alpha and Beta. The station also housed what appeared to be a large antimatter-class starship that was in the beginning stages of construction.

Eos eased into port. Professor Baron, Diana, and K-Ti disembarked and were instantly greeted with much fanfare and pageantry. A small delegation of elegant-looking and smartly uniformed young women welcomed the visiting space travelers to one of the wonders of the universe—or as the Lakomiyans liked to imagine—the wonder of the universe. With arrogant assurance, they knew their metropolitan masterpiece would surely top any list of planetary cities—if such a list existed.

After moving through an extensive security checkpoint station, the delegation from the Eos rode the elevator down from the station to the planet’s surface. Then, moving through another intricate security checkpoint at the elevator’s base, Professor Baron, Diana, and K-Ti found they were the guests of honor in what amounted to a welcoming parade. The city’s citizens lined both sides of the main avenue from the base of the elevator all the way to the capital building—a distance of at least a kilometer, Diana estimated.

Each citizen along the route held a device that shot a kaleidoscope of colored lights into the sky as the transport carrying the interplanetary visitors passed them by. This tidal wave of multicolored light followed the delegation and the visitors as they traveled along the avenue.

The welcoming display coupled with the splendor of the city was almost beyond words. Diana felt as if she were nearing stimuli overload. The surrounding beauty was so powerful, so intense, that on occasion she had to look away or close her eyes to get some relief.

The transport stopped in front of a gleaming six-story, emerald-cut, diamond-like crystalline structure. A garden of exquisitely manicured, exotic flowers and ferns framed the entry. Hovering robots were quietly trimming and pruning the floral displays. The radiating aromatic bouquet was a perfect complement to the garden’s visual beauty.

The city’s greeting party escorted the visiting delegation from the transport to the building’s imposing entrance. Before entering the building, the escorting party turned and fully bowed to the crowd that had gathered along the garden pathways, while Professor Baron, Diana, and K-Ti acknowledged the crowd with a more restrained, slight bow of their heads. The crowd responded with polite applause as the three visitors were escorted into the building.

Prismatic rainbow light illuminated the room’s walls. The room’s interior furnishings were all as translucent and faceted as the city’s architecture. Diana thought that the gem-like furnishings would be cold, hard, and uncomfortable—as one might expect. But she would soon learn that the furnishings were as comfortable as any she had used. How this was accomplished was never disclosed.

A tall, slender woman entered the room. Her handsomeness, her beauty, her composure matched that of every citizen that Diana had seen. It was becoming apparent that the citizens of this city all exhibited a kind of symbiotic beauty that matched that of their magnificent surroundings.

The woman had tanned skin and a perfectly proportioned face that complemented her toned, perfectly proportioned body. Her blonde hair, cascading down her shoulders, resembled the falling water that fell from the cliffs outside the city—free flowing, beautiful, and hypnotizing. The woman wore a gown that, as she moved, reflected the full spectrum of primary colors in varying levels of intensity. She approached. She bowed.

“Welcome. I am President Bishamon.”

Professor Baron, Diana, and K-Ti returned the bow.

“Please be seated. It is required of me to tell you that we are being imaged and monitored by our World Court and by the Captains of our various industries and institutions.”

“We understand,” the Professor replied.

“We sympathize with the genetic distress that appears to have manifested itself on your world. From time to time, we’ve obtained second-hand communications indicating that this problem has become the primary issue of concern throughout this section and probably throughout most of the galaxy. Is that your understanding as well?”

“Yes, it is.”

“We encountered the same genetic difficulties many centuries ago. Our solution allows us to maintain a stable population while still enjoying the benefits of QP technology.”

“Please elaborate,” K-Ti requested.

“Unfortunately, the populations on Lakomiya Alpha and on Lakomiya Beta would not be able to supply you with the genetic purity that you are seeking. The reason is that, in the past, both populations experienced the genetic disintegration associated with QP technology. But we have formed a political solution that has served us well and would surely do the same for your world.”

“I don’t understand,” K-Ti said. “If your population, here on Lakomiya Alpha, still employs QP technology and the use of that technology still continues to modify your genetic code, then how have you solved the problem?”

“Because, while the citizens here on Lakomiya Alpha still employ QP technology, we’ve banned its use on Lakomiya Beta. The QP ban on Lakomiya Beta has halted the genetic disintegration that was taking place within our population, as it is happening on your world. The QP ban has not cured the disintegration, but it has, at least, stabilized it.”

“And the population here on Lakomiya Alpha?” K-Ti asked.

“We allow all here on Lakomiya Alpha to enjoy the benefits, the privileges, and the responsibilities that come with QP technology. But our population here does not reproduce—our genes are never selected for cloning. We replace our population by selecting citizens from Lakomiya Beta.”

“And how are they...”

“...selected?” President Bishamon finished K-Ti’s question. She continued, “If, after a yearly population assessment, Lakomiya Alpha requires a population increase, we select young women from Lakomiya Beta with the highest intelligence, aptitude, and personality test scores. At around age twelve, these ‘chosen ones’ are requested to join us here on Lakomiya Alpha.”

“And they get impregnated with QP technology?” K-Ti asked.

“Yes, they do. But they also get an extensive personal education that’s focused on leadership, innovative reasoning, and governing skills. Our best and brightest are here.”

“So, the government is located here, the industrial ‘captains’ are located here, and the world court is also located here on Lakomiya Alpha,” Professor Baron interjected.

“Yes. All main industrial, governmental, and social regulators are located here, and all regulations are initiated here on Lakomiya Alpha”

“And you and the other leaders were freely elected?” K-Ti inquired.

“Yes.” There was a slight pause. “Well, of course, only the citizens of Lakomiya Alpha have the intelligence and education to be given voting privileges. We can’t allow citizens who don’t meet the highest educational and intelligence standards to determine the destination of our nation. I’m sure you see the logic.”