Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

Sillan already knew who he would be talking to next. Horos Draco's security clearance would be to low for a full interrogation of a Lunerian. Lylan made an authoritative and quick entrance into the interrogation room. She made her way to the other side of the table (where Draco had been sitting). She sat down politely in front of Sillan and evened out a wrinkle in her blue Federation uniform. She had at least twice as many medals as Horos.

"How old are you?" Sillan insisted. "You look like your are twenty."

"I am twenty years old," she replied calmly.

Lylan was well aware of Sillan's life as a Lunerian; and knew he would try to steer the interrogation in his direction. Which she would not be allowing at any point.

"That would make you the youngest general in the history of The Federation," Sillan replied, looking amazed.

"It did," said Lylan.

"Which planet did you or-

Lylan made a gesture (with two fingers) towards the one way window/mirror.

"That's enough of that," she said.

Sillan looked back at her with a perplexed expression.

"Why is my Lunerian biological technology not working!?" Sillan insisted. "I'm not aware of any technology in possession of The Federation that could suppress them."

"Where in the name of Enlo did your companion go?!"

"So you are from Enlo then..."

"Don't change the subject!" She insisted, slamming one fist down on the table. "Where did he go!?"

"He was warped out of my piloting module utilizing a one-time/emergency worm-hole jump to a secure location."

"That is an emergency procedure you had on your ship!?"

"Correct...one among many I had prepared, based on the situation."

"So where is he exactly?"

"Based on the emergency protocol...and our location...he is somewhere near Enlo; at one of many safety outposts I have prepared throughout the galaxy. If I need to use them."

"Are all Lunerians like this?"

"Yes."

"You have a variety of outposts you have created for yourself; should you need to immediately do a short-range worm-hole jump?"

"Correct; except it was supposed to jump the entire piloting-module...and not just Kevin."

"He was physically sent through a worm-hole...without any protection!?"

"Correct," Sillan replied.

"Is it possible for anyone to survive that?"

"I don't know...I have heard some accounts of people having similar experiences; especially in the ultra-ancient; pre-colonized days of The Milky Way...when most star-systems were still isolated."

"So what are the chances he is still alive?" Lylan insisted.

Sillan took a quick moment to wonder if it was possible for Kevin to die that easily; what with the gravity of their mission and the UDF. If he was now still alive; he had just found himself in a section of an abandoned asteroid mine outside of Enlo's atmosphere. Sillan wondered if it might be better if The Federation thought Kevin was dead.

"I have no idea what the chances are," Sillan replied. "There are no experiments or current science to draw from."

"Hm..." Lylan said, rapping her black gloved fingers on the table. She leaned back in her chair in a pose that was agile and confrontational.

She and Sillan stared at each other for a moment.

"Well..." said Sillan. "What is The Federation going to do to me next?"

"You are already aware you will be facing an Exportation Tribunal," Lylan said. "Everyone knows the gravity of violating The Underdeveloped Planets Preservation Act."

"It's always been considered the most heinous crime," Sillan said. "But not as much so as the early days of The Galaxy. I've tried to tell you people, countless times, I didn't have a choice; I was protecting someone's life. So I don't see how I am at fault here."

"Hm..." Lylan said, continuing to rap her fingers on the table.

"I suppose you will be contacting Luneris?" She asked.

"I thought you would never ask," Sillan replied. "I was going to do that."

"You know you could be striped of your right to contact anyone from the outside..." Lylan said. "Based on the gravity of your crime."

"But?"

"But...I am going to give you your phone call."

"How do you think the galactic community will react to a Lunerian being exported?"

"Well...if you are referring to the deity like status of your race and planet; I'd assume it would become quite the controversy."

"Something is wrong here..." Sillan began to say.

Lylan rapped her fingers again. She looked at the glove she was wearing on her right hand and then tightened it's grip again.

"Someone is trying to set a new precedent by arresting me..." Sillan continued. "It wouldn't make sense for The Federation to put this much effort into this; despite the historic level violation. And what an amazing coincidence it is that the Fanyen Treaty was repealed several days after the incident."

Lylan didn't say anything.

"Someone or something," Sillan said. "Is trying to rewrite the laws of The Galaxy...think about it. You saw what happened to planet Avax. When's the last time something like that has happened? It's been decades!"

"I don't think the actions of space-pirates are going to set a new precedent in the Galactic Congress. No matter how massive that destruction was; the law is quite secure on the actions of rogues and how they should be handled."

"Weren't you in the battle?!" Sillan insisted. "That was The Ishmaru; not space pirates!"

Lylan stared back at Sillan.

"Planet Avax's oceans were annihilated by a conglomeration of space-pirates from several different star systems," Lylan replied.

"Was...it...?" Sillan said out loud; thinking about the strange and unidentified space station that had vaporized Avax's oceans.

"No...!" He said.

"No what?" Lylan replied.

"That was not the work of space-pirates," Sillan replied. "The bulk of that battle was a clash between The Federation and The Ishmaru; but you knew that. We saw you right before the battle started! Didn't you enter it?"

"No it wasn't," said Lylan. "It was on the galactic news; there was footage captured from the battle. That space station didn't belong to The Federation or The Ishmaru."

"Was that really true..." Sillan wondered.

He thought about the space station some more. It was one of the most ominous things he had ever seen. He had never seen a station like that in all his seven-hundred and forty-two years of life. It didn't look like anything The Federation or The Ishmaru would have.

Sillan was really starting to miss his facial tattoos. How much of his own power did he have without them?

"Either way," said Lylan. "It was a terrible tragedy."

"How much do you know about why you are interrogating me right now?" Sillan asked.

"I know what I know..." Lylan replied.

"Hmm..." said Sillan.

"It's your legal right to be assessed before you are brought to trial; and you can select an attorney from our database; or have the effectiveness of one calculated for you. That would get interesting...I'm assuming you want that phone call to Luneris now?"

"This is going to cause serious tensions between The Federation and Luneris."

"Do you believe you have special privileges?" Lylan insisted. "Because you are Lunerian?"

"It's not like that..." Sillan replied. "You are looking at things superficially."

Lylan's single blue eye had that cold look again. Sillan thought about what Leafson Ableson had said about her.

"Yes..." Sillan said. "I need my phone call."

"That's fine," Lylan said. "We're moving you to your own private holding cell. Within a space-hour you can contact the Lunerian government."

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The interrogation did little for Sillan (to draw his own information and conclusions about what was really happening). He was doing his best to preserve; and tilt things in his own direction; but the cards were heavily stacked against him. He sat in the cell he had been transported to by three guards. It was a small room with a bed, toilet and table to dine at. He sat on the bed and then stared down at his waist. He started to miss Fyzak.

It had been a very long time since he had been without the weapon. He wondered where it was now. It was most likely being held in the armory of Lylan's ship; if not in an even more secure location. He wondered if The Federation should have a weapon that was imparted to him by the gods.

Within exactly an hour the digital lock to his cell suddenly opened and two security officers arrived. They began to transport him (to the part of the brig where he could make his phone call). He was ushered to the main holding area where the other prisoners were located. There were at least twelve other prisoners there.

Some looked like they were Federation soldiers who were being detained and/or punished. The rest of them looked like they were from different parts of the galaxy. One of the prisoners looked especially out of place.

Sillan wasn't even familiar with what race (or what part of the galaxy) he was from. He had green skin and red hair. Sillan waited a little longer. He was finally moved to a small room where he could make a phone call.

There was a video calling interface (with a built in quantum power source) that could be used to send video transmissions at an exceptional, intergalactic distance. Without his facial tattoos it was hard for Sillan to make a call manually; but after some frustration, he was able to put in a phone call to Alpha-Central; the administrative center for Luneris' home world. The phone rang for a long time.

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Sillan knew who he needed to reach. The secretary for the person in question emerged (on the other side of the massive-distance video-call). She was exceptionally tall; even when sitting behind her desk, and had a third eye between her two regular eyes. She had the facial tattoos that were usually seen on Lunerian women (who worked professional careers). She was surprised to see a video call coming from the detention block of a Federation ship.

"Hello!?" She said, looking surprised. One of her facial tattoos rotated.

"Good evening," Sillan said calmly.

He could now be seen wearing a red Federation prisoner uniform.

"How are you today?" Sillan asked politely.

"I am fine..." she said, still looking confused.

"This is Sillan Octavion," Sillan explained. "I am trying to reach Mus Vendall."

"Oh yes!" She said, realizing something and looking somber. "We were contacted here about your arrest! Are you doing well?"

"I am at where I am at," Sillan said. "Can you please patch me through to Mus Vendall."

"Yes!" She replied. "He is in his office right now!"

Her facial tattoos rotated, she did a few inputs, and the video call switched to Mus' office. The face of a senior Lunerian popped up on screen. He had the intricate, elaborate facial tattoos that all senior Lunerians had. He had grey hair, with baldness in the front section. He appeared elderly, but also youthful at the same time. He had a very surprised look on his face as Sillan came in on the other end.

"Sillan Octavion!" He said. "Where the Fen Ell are you calling me from!? You appear to be on the brig of a Federation transport!"

"I am!" Sillan replied.

"Because?"

"I was arrested by The Federation for violating the Underdeveloped Planets Act. You didn't know that already?"

"We were contacted," Mus replied. "I'm amazed they caught you; is what I'm saying."

Sillan was amazed they had caught him himself.

"I need you to get me out of here?" Sillan replied. "This is ridiculous; and my companion is in serious danger!"

"Your extract from Old Casadasius!?" Mus replied, leaning in to the screen. "I told you working for The Vend was a bad idea Sillan. That's quite the downgrade from being a divine envoy."

Mus was right. Sillan knew that.

"I did what I had to!" Sillan replied. "He would have died. Not to mention nothing that has happened since then has made sense. I'm in a ridiculous position."

Mus' facial tattoos rotated empathetically.

"We are in a bind ourselves Sillan," Mus replied. "No doubt we don't want to leave you in some miserable Federation brig; but...well...our hands are tied right now."

"Your...hands...are tied!?" Sillan replied. "What was my crime here?!"

Mus looked very frustrated.

"It's not like we can just send someone to pick you up Sillan," Mus explained. "We would be breaking the law ourselves."

"So what the Fenn Ell am I supposed to do!?" Sillan asked. "Just wait around on this stupid ship?"

"What is the status of Spaceship Ksenia?" Mus insisted.

"It's in at least three different places," Sillan explained, sounding like he was talking about the death of a friend.

"Hmm..." Mus said. "And The Radnarand?"

"Hard to say," Sillan replied, looking embarrassed. "It's at wherever Savanartha is now."

"That's what you get for dating an android Sillan."

"Whatever old man," Sillan replied. "I get why she did what she did."

"Hmm..." Mus said.

They both looked at each other for a long moment. Someone rapped on the other end of the sealed door (to the room Sillan was in); then seemed to just walk away quietly (while mumbling something).

"Things are getting Fenn crazy in The Galaxy right now," Mus replied. "I'm sure you heard about planet Avax?"

Sillan almost wanted to laugh.

"I did..." he replied.

"The Ishmaru are expanding and becoming totalitarian," Mus continued. "They seem to be in possession of new technologies that have come out of nowhere. I don't even know what they were using; but it almost seems superior to ours."

Sillan wanted to laugh again.

"What was the nature of your extraction of the Old Casadasius resident?"

Sillan really wondered what he should say to Mus at this moment. He thought long and hard (as he stared at an image that was being projected from countless light-years away). Should he tell him everything? Mus was his superior after all.

"Um..." Sillan said.

"Yes?"

"It was an extraction designed to transport him to The Illawayan."

"The Illawayan!"

"Yes," Sillan explained. "For extraction of DNA Encoded Information."

"Commissioned by who?"

"Leafson Ableson..."

Mus stared back at Sillan (as Mus' facial tattoos rotated in a deeply perplexed fashion). Although Mus was almost entirely certain Sillan was making a very strange joke; something about this exact moment was going to stay with Mus for a very long time.

"Very funny Sillan," Mus said. "You have never stopped being a Ksenia."

"Yes..." Sillan said.

"So?"

"There were some serious inconsistences with the source of the mission...and we ran into one problem after another."

"Where is he now?"

"It's...confidential...." Sillan replied. "But he is somewhere in the outer-reaches of Enlo's atmosphere."

"In one of your little outposts!?"

"Correct."

"You really think they want to export you?" Mus asked. "As far as I knew the incident on Old Casadasius blew over after several months."

"It did..." Sillan replied.

Sillan started to think about Voltson Jepps seeding and colonizing Earth. Should he warn Mus?

"Did you explain to them that you had no choice?" Mus asked.

"You need to keep your eye on Voltson Jepps!" Sillan stated abruptly.

"Okay...?" Mus replied. "We have been carefully and secretly monitoring The Ishmaru; ever since they became so ambitious about their asteroid mining. What about Voltson Jepps specifically?"

"Keep your eye on planet Ear-I mean...Old Casadasius in the next several space-months!"

"Do you have some sort of special information Sillan?"

Sillan thought long and hard about the consequences of many different actions and possibilities.

"I have to go now..." Sillan said into the video call.

"You ha-

Sillan hit the holographic button on to end the call. The surprised and confused face of Mus Vendall quickly faded away from the screen.

"You can let me out now!" Sillan yelled to the door of the room he was in.

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Sillan was back in the main brig area. There was just one other prisoner there now. They both sat in a cafeteria with metal chairs and tables bolted to the floor. Sillan stood watching the entrance door to the room. The other prisoner (the one with green skin and red hair) sat at a table, holding his head and staring at the floor. Sillan hadn't felt this kind of boredom or restriction for a very long time.

Although it would have been wise to give Mus Vendall as much information as possible; Sillan had decided to end the call and come up with a new course of action. The other prisoner continued to stare at the floor. Sillan wondered what part of the galaxy this man could even be from. He had seen beings with red hair, and green skin, but never both.

"Where do you hail from sir...?" Sillan thought about asking.

Sillan decided to hold back on getting to know the man. Trying to strike up a conversation (at this time) would be a needless distraction for both of them.

The absence of any other prisoners in the brig was strange. Sillan had seen many more of them before he made his phone call. Sillan guessed this was a new Federation ship (based on the new technology of the rail guns that had routed Spaceship Ksenia). Lylan's ship was exceptionally large, and was probably one of the largest Federation ships currently in use. Aside from their main command ships.

The destruction of Spaceship Ksenia had left Sillan somewhere between disbelief and amazement. He never thought the day would actually come.

Not to mention; his other spaceship could be somewhere, anywhere, in The Galaxy. He understood why Savanartha had done what she had done by stealing The Radnarand. Whether she had actually gone against the gods in the process; was a philosophical conundrum that had haunted Sillan for a very long time.

"What the hell are you thinking about!?" The green skinned, red haired prisoner insisted from across the shiny metal tables.

Sillan didn't say anything in response. He was still perplexed as to where in the galaxy this person could have come from.

"One of those guys huh!?" The prisoner replied.

He gave Sillan a look that was somewhere between confrontation and mutual respect. He was wearing the same red prisoner uniform as Sillan.

"Fair enough..." He replied, as he walked off and away from the cafeteria.

Sillan was left to his own devices again. It was just him and the oppressive sheen of the metallic, bolted down tables and chairs. Despite his life of freedom and adventure, Sillan was still haunted by a sense of restlessness (that followed him wherever he went). He started to worry about Kevin again. What had happened to him was extremely dangerous and out of the ordinary; and yet, he knew (deep down) Kevin was still alive.

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It was dinner time now. Sillan sat with all the other prisoners. They seemed to reemerge from nowhere; as if they were all ghosts. They were all male.

Most of them were the same human race as those of Enlo, Old Casadasius (and many other planets). One was a Pollix and another looked like he might be from Ren. The remaining prisoner was the mysterious, green skinned and red haired alien.

They all sat across from each other quietly, slowly eating the standardized food served on Federation ships. They were being served the same meal the rest of the officers and crew on the ship were eating. Sillan was relived by this; as he always thought the food served to prisoners must be substandard.

"Crazy those space-pirates were able to do that," said the prisoner who was a Pollix. "I know technology is becoming less restricted; but how the hell were some space pirates-

"It wasn't some space pirates," the prisoner who looked like he was from Ren interjected. "It was four different systems all teamed up."

Sillan stared back at both of them blankly.

"Right, well..." said the Pollix. "I've never heard of anyone just vaporizing an entire planets oceans...kind of a brilliant move in a way."

Sillan didn't know what to say to that.

"So which systems were they from anyway?" Asked one of the prisoners with a human appearance.

"Maybe they were from the Kongol system?" Sillan suggested. "Or from the Verax system?"

"But space pirates don't usually team up like that?" Said the Pollix.

"They have," said another prisoner with a human appearance.

"Yeah, but not at that level," said another prisoner. "They don't like to share more profits than they have too...well, if you can call them profits...so it didn't really make sense for space-pirates--from four isolated systems--to all gang up on one planet; especially on Avax! Why the hell would space-pirates want to take out a Vend headquarters?"

"Since everybody knows space-pirates run about a third of The Vend!" Added the Pollix.

Sillan started to think about how much of The Vend he was actually in contact with; due to the deceptions of Jenen Trius. It would be a long time before he would be able to sort it all out.

"It doesn't make sense from any perspective..." the prisoner with green skin and red hair interjected, finally breaking his long silence. "Think about it; they didn't destroy the planet entirely...they just made it uninhabitable! What would space-pirates get out of that? There were no credits to steal? No technology to take? No weapons to plunder?"

"What if they landed afterwards and robbed the planet?" Sillan added. "They could take their fill from an almost entirely vacated world."

"That still doesn't make sense!" Said the red haired prisoner.

"How so?" Sillan inquired, testing the prisoner.

"It just doesn't make sense. Space-pirates wouldn't take the time to form such an organized assault; we all saw it on The Galactic News. And they want people to know when they strike; that's how they thrive and compete with the other conglomerations of space-pirates. It's about clout over who can plunder and cause the most destruction; not some kind of organized...long-term plan!"

"There's a logic to it," said Sillan.

"The whole event would logically cause war between The Federation and The Ishmaru..." continued the red-haired prisoner. "So the footage on The Galactic News was obviously edited, down-played....or just false."

Sillan was slowly becoming fascinated by the red haired prisoner.

"How the hell would The Federation and The Ishmaru not know they were fighting an entire battle at that scale!"

"Yes..." said Sillan.

"So someone...or something..."said the red haired prisoner. "Is pulling strings at a galactic level."

It was quickly becoming obvious to Sillan that this man knew space-miles more than he was saying. Did he want Sillan to pick up on that?

"So what's happening then?" Sillan insisted.

All the other prisoners leaned in to listen as well.

"Obviously something drastic is happening to the entire galaxy...if not the greater universe itself..." The red-haired prisoner continued to explain, now talking directly to Sillan.

"My guess..." he continued. "Is that there is some grand and profound destruction awaiting all of us. And it's only going to get harder and harder to tell the heroes from the villains!"