Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

The distance from Quadrant 99 to Quadrant 1 (and the presidential palace and grounds) was considerably far. Kevin and Sillan continued onwards on their hover-bikes. The chaos at the DNA Records Office hadn't died down one bit. They made a quick exit.

As they merged onto the vast network of freeways (that led away from Quadrant 99) the chaos became distant. The world around them once again became calm and pleasant. Kevin could see the stars again. Planet Enlo had it's own constellations. They cruised down the vast network of glowing highway that linked its quadrants. Vast and imposing ziggurats could be seen everywhere. They all glowed in the night with dark auras.

"Why would my great-grandfather be at the presidential palace?" Kevin inquired.

Kevin's mind was already filled with a litany of complex theories.

"Maybe he works there," Sillan yelled to Kevin as they both merged behind a large hovering truck. "He could be a janitor...who knows!"

Sillan looked like he already knew the answer to the question. Kevin couldn't help but notice the tattoo on his right cheek rotated (a certain way) when Sillan wasn't being completely honest.

They rode for a long time down the freeways of Enlo. Every single quadrant of the gargantuan city/planet was linked together with a massive, complex freeway system. The freeways all took on a vivid neon glow as they got closer to Quadrant 1. Kevin noticed two giant steams of light; shooting out of Quadrant 1's center and reaching up to the fringes of the planets atmosphere. There appeared to be the beginnings of fireworks.

"Is there a festival?" Kevin asked.

"YES!" Sillan yelled back. "It's Enlo Day!"

"What the hell is Enlo Day!?" Kevin yelled back.

"It's the one holiday they have! Everyone will be distracted by the celebration!"

They finally reached the outer edge of Quadrant 1. It became readily apparent (to Kevin) that Quadrant 1 was the most affluent, important part of Enlo. It was impossible to see the entire city at once now. They drove between two massive ziggurats as the freeway merged into the city.

The ziggurats both glowed with a dark aura that lit up everything around them. Eventually they passed through and entered the heart of the city. There were layers and layers of buildings, with flying car traffic everywhere.

"Now what!?" Kevin yelled as a Pollix honked at him for driving too fast.

"Just keep riding!" Sillan yelled. "We will make it to the legislative complex soon! You have no idea how far you are from Earth now Kevin!"

And Sillan was right. For the first time ever (seen by eyes from Earth) Kevin saw the very heart of the Milky Way's political center. Every major system in the galaxy was represented here. Kevin laughed out loud, as he thought about people on Earth and their theories about "what was out there in the universe."

There were more skyscrapers than Ziggurats now. Kevin's range of vision had expanded considerably. The highway they were on became much newer and cleaner.

"That's the galactic congress!" Sillan yelled as he pointed north-east.

The Galactic Congress was even larger than the largest ziggurat Kevin had seen. It was a massive dome that stretched up to the fringes of the planets atmosphere. The first layer of the dome had an outer edge; and on that edge were many skyscrapers; enough to house the entirety of New York City, Earth.

Every subsequent, ascending layer of the dome had another ring with another layer of skyscrapers. Many ships were blasting in and out of every part of the dome and the cities around it. The dome was mostly white; with blueish parts where the white color was fading. Kevin felt himself sink deeper into the universe (as he looked at this white and blue color).

Fireworks began to launch from all parts of Quadrant 1; lighting up the night sky bright as day.

"We are not going there!" Sillan yelled.

"To The Presidential Palace then!" Kevin yelled.

Kevin took the initiative to speed (ahead of Sillan) when he noticed a giant, digital, hovering road-display that pointed the way to "The Presidential Palace of Enlo." They didn't have to ride much further.

They began to travel far away from the dome. It didn't look any less imposing, nor vanish from the skyline. The traffic began to thin out as they got close to the presidential grounds.

The entire area was strangely vacant. Everyone in Quadrant 1 must have been fully invested in celebrating Enlo Day. The fireworks (although grand) seemed far away now. They reached the main entrance to the presidential grounds.

"Are we gonna' need an I.D. scan?" Kevin asked as they slowed down their hover-bikes.

Sillan's facial tattoos rotated in a way that (Kevin now knew) meant he was interfacing with Spaceship Ksenia and/or the technology around him.

"That's unusual," Sillan said as he parked and stepped off his hover-bike.

"Yes?" Kevin asked, doing the same.

"I thought it would be easy to get in here," Sillan explained. "Since this is two-hundred years ago...but the front entrance isn't locked."

Kevin saw what Sillan was talking about. The presidential palace was different from what he had imagined. It was giant, dark and imposing. It was almost like a castle; but not in the sense of the medieval castles of Earth. It glowed with technology and darkness. It was stacked with ascending layers. The first one was the largest layer; with each ascending layer being smaller; creating a pyramid like structure. There was a main entrance to the palace; which jutted out in front. This building looked like it was from somewhere else in the universe entirely.

"So that's where the president lives!" Sillan announced.

There was a massive, concrete looking wall that surrounded the entire palace grounds. It stood fifty feet high. In front of Kevin and Sillan was a gate that was usually composed of solid energy; which would make it impossible for any living thing to pass through. As they looked on, however, it became obvious that this gate was completely inactive.

Some more fireworks exploded in the vast distance.

Kevin and Sillan gave each other a knowing look, looked at the open gate, and then back at the rest of the city. They silently got back on their hover-bikes and continued to drive into the presidential grounds. It didn't take long to make it to the main entrance. They parked their hover-bikes again. Kevin took a moment to look at the dark aura of the front of the palace.

"Where did it say the DNA scan was done exactly?" Kevin asked.

"The exploding computer indicated the scan took place by off-world Illawayan, in the presidential residence, of the presidential palace."

"Okay..." Kevin said.

This was the third time Kevin's conceptualization of the universe would be drastically challenged; and the same thing was about to happen to Sillan. They were able to walk right in the front door of the palace. It was wide open.

"There is no one in here..." Kevin observed.

The inside of the palace was lavishly decorated with marble and many fine things. The rest of it had the advanced (minus two-hundred years) technology of the rest of the planet. As they walked deeper into the heart of the palace, it became obvious the entire place was completely deserted.

"People sure love Enlo Day..." Kevin said.

"This is so weird..." Sillan said. "I have no idea what is happening right now...or what is about to happen."

Sillan pulled Fyzak out of it's holster on his belt. Kevin did the same with Earth Hammer. It didn't take long for them to navigate the palace. The presidential residence was located in the upper right, third layer. Once again the door was wide open.

They cautiously made their way up the marble stairs that led to the third layer. They finally reached the door they were looking for. This door was closed.

Sillan and Kevin both looked at each other, ready to open a door that would lead them to something beyond their imaginations. They both felt a sense of panic.

Whatever they were about to find out; Kevin, from Earth, and Sillan, a Lunerian, had no frame of reference. Whatever threshold they were about to cross, they might as well have been the first people to do so. They both clutched their space-weapons nervously and slowly opened the lavish, marble door that led to the president of the galaxies home.

There was a man in a chair, waiting for them.

"What the Fen-ELL...what!!!" Sillan protested, feeling the very cosmos was punching him in the face.

Kevin looked at the man. He appeared to be in his seventies. He had distinguished grey hair and was wearing a blue Federation uniform that looked like an older version (than the ones he had seen two-hundred years in the future). He was sitting very comfortably in a very presidential looking chair. He looked exactly like the man Kevin had seen on the unit of currency.

"Right on time..." said Leafson Ableson.

"Kevin..." Sillan said quietly, in awe. "Your great grand-father...is Leafson Ableson..."

"You won't be needing your weapons," Leafson explained. "Please relax."

Leafson Ableson stretched out his hand, and two very nice looking chair appeared out of nowhere.

"What the Fen ELL technology?!" Sillan replied, looking amazed.

"You are using Milky Way logic Sillan," Leafson said with a kind and disarming smile. "That's not exactly technology."

Kevin and Sillan both looked at each other and then slowly walked to the chairs. They sat down slowly and cautiously.

"Where did everyone go?" Kevin asked.

"I made sure the palace was wide-open for the both of you. Everyone is out there enjoying Enlo Day; without a care in the world."

"I have about a billion questions for you!" Sillan said.

"Let's try and narrow it down," said Leafson.

"What is in Kevin's DNA?!" Sillan asked.

"It's a solution, designed to save this universe. That's the real reason both of you are here."

"You are from beyond this galaxy," said Sillan. "I always suspected."

"That is correct, Sillan!" Leafson said, leaning back into his chair. "You can always trust a Lunerian! That is why you were selected for this mission."

The words "you can always trust a Lunerian" rang out in Kevin's mind.

"Because of the gravity of current matters," Leafson continued. "It was necessary for me to take on a physical form within this galaxy; and play the role of galactic president...for some time."

"Why am I here?" Kevin asked.

"It's your DNA; for one thing. You know that part. But there is also a reason beyond that. That is something you can only understand within Kevin."

"What's the true nature of the situation?" Sillan asked, still looking perplexed and amazed.

"The Vend is some sort of cult!" Kevin insisted. "Or...what we thought was The Vend...and we've been attacked by space demons, and The Federation has been attacked; if they are not corrupt themselves...and-

"I think you mean, will be..." Leafson said, laughing. "You are still two-hundred years in the past. That's a funny thing to forget."

"So wha-

"I'll take it back to the beginning," Leafson explained.

Kevin and Sillan both stared back at Leafson without saying anything.

"The core of the matter has everything to do with your home planet, Earth, Kevin." Leafson explained. "Particular to it's exact location in the galaxy. It's a very unique place. The people there aren't supposed to know if there is a greater universe beyond them...filled with life. That is how it is supposed to be. You leaving your world was a one in a hundred-thousand event."

"I noticed..." Kevin said.

"Eighty-thousand years ago...gave or take...it became dangerously apparent that something had to be fixed on your planet; or the entire universe would be put into jeopardy. Hence the construction of 'New Casadasius."

"Which was destroyed!" Sillan said.

"Yes..." Leafson replied. "By those stupid Anunnaki. This whole thing could have been fixed. But, in their arrogance, they ended up destroying New Casadasius. That was forty-seven cycles of Earth Civilization ago. The people on Old Casadasius have never been allowed to know about New Casadasius and it's destruction...but there are still clues floating around your solar system."

"So we have to fix Earth or the universe will blow up?" Kevin insisted.

"No..." replied Leafson. "The universe won't blow up; it will break"

"The universe will break!?" Sillan replied.

"Correct...a fundamental violation of the cosmic order will occur; very soon, and the entirety of reality will go on indefinitely...in a broken state."

"What's that like?" Kevin asked.

"Not good.." said Sillan, looking horrified.

"It will be an unimaginable, endless nightmare for all living beings in existence," Leafson explained.

"WHAT IS IN MY DNA!" Kevin yelled.

"I've been building up to it!" Leafson said.

They both started back at Leafson again.

"That splintered faction that convinced you they were The Vend, Sillan...

"How did I fall for that!" Sillan replied.

"They are actually a cult that formed some five-thousand years ago..."

Kevin started to realize something at this moment.

"Their goal is to end the universe entirely...to cause it to dissipate into nothingness...forever; in order to spare all living things from the endless nightmare of a broken universe. They believe nothing else is possible. They actually consider it a sin to see it any other way; as if they worship the void; and they are willing to erase themselves to prove it."

"What of the Ishmaru then?" Sillan asked. "How do they fit in? Why are they starting war with The Federation in two-hundred years?"

"They want to claim planet Earth as their own," Leafson explained. "Which will cause this calamity to happen."

"So where do we fit in?" Sillan asked.

"That was what I was getting too..." Leafson said. "I think what you both really want to figure out is who the good guys are here."

"Who are they!" Kevin insisted.

"The UDF...or "Universe Defense Force" is the most secret among secrets in the galaxy. It's members are many, and yet they are also so few compared to how many beings there are in this Milky Way...and the even greater universe far beyond it."

Kevin and Sillan continued to stare back at Leafson.

"I'm not going to lie," said Leafson "We don't actually know if our plan will work...but we are the good guys here; whether people will ever know or not. If...you want to...if you choose to; you will know that you are on the right side. For a being...from...uh...where I come from...at my level...it's all about long-term plans and getting the right people--in the right place--at the right time. This is a plan that has been playing out for eighty-thousand years now."

"How does the location of Earth fit into all of this?!" Kevin insisted.

"There are many angles to view this problem from," Leafson explained. "From a spiritual perspective; Earth is the place on God's back that he just can't reach."

"In ages...ages past," Leafson continued. "Old Casadasius was created as a living computer that could be used to reset the cosmos to it's original state; if need be."

"What the f@#$" Sillan said.

"This was billons of years ago...and everyone involved; some very powerful and profound beings; all agreed the formation of Old Casadasius...or just Casadasius, at the time; was a great idea. There was a great calamity facing not just our galaxy, or our universe; but layers of universes."

"F@#$..." Sillan said.

"The plan succeeded and the universe was spared. Old Casadasius continued to remain a living computer; billions of years went by; and eventually everyone forgot the original purpose of the planets existence. The beings on Earth continued to exist; generation after generation after generation; until everyone just assumed it was another planet in the universe; save for Earth's special existence as a closed off world."

"The program is still within the planet..." Sillan concluded. "The program for resetting the universe to it's original state..."

"It is," Leafson replied. "But it is no longer functional as a means of resetting...anyone who tried to use it now; or whoever is stupid enough to use it...without knowing what it is; will end up breaking the fabric of reality."

"The Ishmaru..." Kevin said.

"Exactly!" Leafson said. "You are just like your great-grandfather to be so perceptive!"

"What does Voltson Jepps want?" Sillan insisted.

"What he wants to do is take control of planet Earth; in his ongoing and senseless quest to rule the entire Milky Way. What he thinks he is doing is taking control of a planet, so he can hold every government in the galaxy hostage; but what he will end up doing is re-activating the cosmic/reset program and break reality in the process."

"So my DNA is..." Kevin said.

"Yes?!" Leafson said, leaning forward and looking like he was waiting for Kevin to realize something.

"My DNA...that I'll get from you...it's able to fix the cosmic/reset program within Earths original computer existence."

"Nailed it!" Said Leafson.

"Have you tried reasoning with Voltson Jepps?" Sillan asked.

"That is impossible..." said Leafson. "You should know...the current Voltson Jepps..is actually the seventeenth Voltson Jepps. He exists in a long line of cloned dictators...one after another; and they have only gotten worse as the centuries have gone by. There is nothing left to reason with now. He is evil."

"So we just fly to The Illawayan, get the DNA Information un-encoded...fix Earth and then BAM! We're good?!" Kevin asked.

Leafson started to laugh a hard and profound laugh. It took him a long time to finish laughing. Kevin and Sillan both started back with a mixture of awe and terror.

"This plan has been in the works for eighty-thousand years," said Leafson. "Two attempts to fix Earth; both considered possible by the parties involved; have already failed terribly. I'm going to tell you both the truth-

"This is all riding on the two of us," Sillan interrupted. "It has to be this way..."

"Yes..." said Leafson humbly. "And to be honest...we have no idea if it can even work."

"So the UDF..." said Sillan.

"Yes," said Leafson. "They are your life line. I have arranged, over a very long period of time; for the right people to be in the right place, at the right time. Some are from your galaxy; some are from far beyond...even beyond your imagination Sillan."

"Many of the members you will not meet; they might be helping you without you ever realizing it. Some you will meet. That bolan-crec technology you have been researching and utilizing was no accident...when the time comes...especially for you Kevin....you will realize what it really is and what it is really does."

"Who in the UDF can we know about?!" Kevin asked.

"Well...so far it's just me," said Leafson with a smile. "There are many powerful beings involved, supporting you. You should know...there are already many wars and political events throughout the galaxy that are linked to the UDF; and in effect, you two."

"Can you be more specific?!" Sillan insisted.

"The Aeonid!" Leafson said with a wink to Sillan.

"No...no....NO...WHAT!?" Sillan said. "They are real?"

"Who are The Aeonid?" Kevin asked.

"They are a band of immortal warriors that have the appearance of adolescent children," Sillan explained.

"Whaaat..." Kevin said, looking hard at Sillan.

"He is telling the truth," Leafson said to Kevin.

Some fireworks exploded in the vast distance. They could be seen through the marble lined glass windows.

"There are two loose factors here that you two need to be especially aware of," Leafson continued.

"Yes?!" They both insisted.

"One is that Galawan figure," said Leafson.

"He's hopeless!" Sillan said. "He thinks I blew up planet Chenvast! He won't listen to reason, not one drop."

"He will," said Leafson, looking at Kevin. "There is a reason he is involved in this. And if you truly show him the kindness he has never known; he can change. By the way...I always thought Chenvast was a stupid name for a planet..."

"Who's the other loose factor?" Sillan asked.

"Kevin's crush..." Leafson said laughing. "Lylan Affee."

"Does she understand about The Federation?" Kevin asked.

"She does and does not..." Leafson explained. "She is very bold and driven."

"What about her?" Kevin insisted.

"She is a coin that is currently sitting on it's edge; which is to say, she can either get better or worse."

"Better or worse?" Kevin asked.

"She will either do the right thing; based on the current state of The Federation...well...the state in two-hundred years...or she will become a worse person. It remains uncertain and unknown."

"Okay," said Sillan, leaning back in the mysterious chair and looking like his head was swimming. "So we go back to our present time; get to the Illawayan; extract the DNA information...and then...how do we interface with the ENTIRE planet Earth?!"

"Shouldn't be too hard," Leafson said while winking at Kevin. "The outer continental plates of the planet and the various inner layers are all still fully organic; but it's digital structure becomes more real as you approach the core. The planet still exists as both a living entity and a cosmic computer."

"So we need to get the information in my DNA back to the planet to...to what...!?" Kevin insisted. "To install it!?"

"You are both really going to need to change your frame of reference about everything...if you are going to understand how this works...and that's not something that can happen over night...even for you Sillan."

"And you are both forgetting something obvious..." Leafson continued.

"Yes!?" They both asked in unison.

"You haven't decided if you want to join the UDF or not! It's a choice!"

Kevin thought hard about it. It was either this or Jacks house.

Sillan looked like he was thinking about a lot of things too.

"So?!" Leafson insisted eagerly.

"Where did you come from?" Sillan asked.

"Like I said Sillan," Leafson said. "You are going to have your frame of reference. I guess you could say...if you two are from the Milky Way; then I am from the universe."

Kevin really thought about the trials ahead and what they could mean.

There was no doubting that something profound had now been thrust upon both Sillan and himself. Only a coward would run from this; or someone with no desire to find out (what the universe was really about).

No doubt it would be a terrible sin to run from this destiny; now that everything was at stake. Could two people really be this important; what about the rest of the UDF? He thought about how far he had already come.

"I'm in!" Kevin said.

Sillan looked at Kevin, then Leafson and then at another wave of fireworks that shone in the far, far distance.

"FEN!" Sillan said. "I'm in! Sign me up for The UDF!"

"Ha! GOOD!" Said Leafson. "An Earthling and a Lunerian! What a fascinating combination!"

Kevin and Sillan looked at each other. Now not knowing what expect at all.

"So what is our next step?" Kevin asked.

"You need to make it to the center of the galaxy, and The Illawayan. I think you knew that. Once you make it to Merkahbah; their main processing planet; they will be able to safely extract the digital-code for resetting planet Earth. Once the planet is solved; Earth will no longer exist in a way where the universe can be harmed."

"And you?" Sillan asked Leafson.

"Yes!" Said Leafson. "Once you two are safely back two-hundred years from now, I will do what I must as well."

"Right," said Kevin.

"I will disappear from the public eye...no doubt generating all sorts of rumors and theories about what happened to me...I will travel to planet Earth; with my DNA information, go to the region known as Italy; meet Kevin's great-grandmother...I hear she is quite lovely. I'll start a normal Earth family and pass on my DNA until Kevin is born and the whole process begins."

"This is crazy!" Sillan said.

"Yes," said Leafson. "You would be surprised how much the next two-hundred years of Earth history are going to be shaped by what we are doing. But, people will believe whatever they are going to believe...it's always like that...for anyone and everyone."