Evolution's Essence (12 page)

“
Rather than separate, we
change the entire Empire’s laws and abolish them. Since Solarian
deal in simplicity and humans eagerly try to adopt from us, we
scrap all the damn confusing laws they make and enforce just the
three hundred. Hunters already live faithfully by Terra’s. The
Marines can just be a sub-warrior class that protect the four
others of Wind, Fire, Water and Ice. Civilians go to Water.
Scientists join Fire and so on. To negate the unnatural advancement
you fear, Tammat, make Renee the queen and rather than presidents
of worlds who are nearly all women anyway, make them an elected
queen just as Solarian law number one eighty six promotes. With
Renee as queen of the city of Fire, any human born with the
Solarian therapy gets an exemption from other scientists if they
figure out how to reverse engineer the technology and let them
figure out what we’ve already discovered, Tammat.

“
Have a human or many elite
humans get full access to both of our types of technology and
mathematics. If a human the Empire trusts implicitly comes to
rationalize our worst fears and tells them the danger of misuse so
early in their overall role in this universe… then they will back
off some because it is one of their own and not an outsider like
us. Medical advances are a grey area in both of our laws, Tammat.
How about we give their best medics a few advances in that area and
see where it leads.

“
We isolate the people
selected and both of our people merely monitor so their blind study
can’t challenge our involvement. To keep telepaths from stealing
any advanced technologies, we throw up a telepathic blocker they
cannot bypass, not even with Drakes, and any meetings between the
test group and outsider be separated so any passing of notes are
impossible. And to prevent complaints we are manipulating the test
subjects via underhanded means, they are telepathically blocked at
all times and let the humans use their cameras to record all hours
of the day, even during mating and use of bathrooms.”

“
An interesting proposal.
Should the humans first adopt the three hundred laws openly, all
Arhivers will have a say in whether or not to use this idea of
humans seeing for themselves the practical dangers of both our
sides, but the only way to alleviate many dangers of a breach and
my people even consider bending the rules, the isolated group must
be implanted with a neural inhibitor. Should their weaker minds be
opened and information stolen they will die and their neural
tissues destroyed.”

“
If that’s the case” Johnny
the Emperor’s personal medic spoke. “I’d gladly sign a waver to
learn even if I’m killed if I lean anything damaging. As a Medic,
we all swear to save lives at the cost of our own if necessary. Any
one of us would not hesitate to inject an inhibitor and be
telepathically suppressed ourselves. If I could save a life, but
see a way that could be misused, I’ll let the person die. Simple as
that.”

“
So would any scientist give
up their freedom for the rest of their days to crack Creelin
technology let alone Solarian.” Siblia, the woman from before said
adamantly. “We all want our name in history like Captain Dorgen.
Any price will be a pittance to learn. And scientists are obligated
to the betterment of humanity both logically and ethically. If I
found something damaging, and I’ve discovered a fair share in eight
hundred years, I’ve kept my lips shut and sealed the
evidence.”

“
So the only way you
might
let us see for
ourselves the dangers of hastily advancing are with the conditions
of reforming the whole Empire in five systems, Terra, Fire and so
on… and that selected scientists and Medics get quarantined in a
neutral area forever?”

“
To even be considered, that
is correct. But forever isolating a sentient creature is
blasphemous. Even if they manage to learn, when they realize our
truth we will accept them into our society with no way to commune
with your people till you reach a level to join us in harmony and
any visitation will be monitored closely for breaches in security.
Should your Empire fully adopt our first creators who seeded the
known galaxies, it will be considered by all living Archivers and
voted on. Whether or not it’ll pass is unknown, but it will be your
only chance.”

“
A chance we won’t want to
pass up. I will speak with my advisors and let you know as soon as
a decision is made, but I know too how many would jump at this
chance. Even my critics want to have a crack at Creelin tech let
alone Solarian. The problem will be with law reform.” The black man
rubbed his chin.

“
We did it before, Husband,
we can do it again. You like saying how we adapt. It would be a
great show of faith to both of them our money is good. We won’t be
able to stop money because last time the economy collapsed and we
almost didn’t recover. You reinstated the credits system so we keep
it. If we split our people by five, Water would be key. Scientists
can barely manage money on average and Hunters will all ally with a
city like this one. Our scouts rarely visit and don’t make much
money anyway because they spend it on Booster Oil and repairs. We
can do it. More importantly, we cannot afford to silence the
critics who want you replaced as leader. If our chosen testers are
without a doubt genuine in regards to dangers of advanced tech to
even
them
, with the
level of protection Oliver spoke of, we will need to trust their
judgment just as the overall Empire trusts you to lead our
people.”

“
I like it.” Vanishing Claw
chuckled. “And I know the Creelin well enough that they are honor
bound to consider this only because Oliver’s words carry weight.”
Tammat nodded once. “Good enough for me. I rather like Solarian
laws for warriors, especially about a Warrior’s Pride. Wouldn’t
mind getting one of those felines over a Neo-companion. Besides the
laws are easy to abide by and so are the punishments.”

“
Prides are always made in
groups, but the Liger cubs currently are promised to another. As
soon as they get collared they do the test of pain and be bred with
frozen strains to expand the genetic gene pool to negate
inbreeding.” Oliver went back to working. “But if you want a Pride,
the females are willing to birth after every collaring.”

“
What is the test of
pain?”

“
You want to feel what I did
when I took them as mine?” another piece was set.

“
It’ll give me an idea and
I’m no stranger to pain.”

“
Better put your feet down.
Trust me, you’ve felt nothing.” As soon as the chair returned to
all fours Oliver met Nova’s eyes and a moment later the king feline
stared hard at the oldest Hunter alive who sucked in a breath and
went rigid. His light tan shot flush with blood and the muscles in
his neck went taught. His own veins could be seen pulsing. Even
Talon knew a telepathic attack, but never to this extent. Oliver
mentally pulled Nova’s focus back and stopped it.

Vanishing Claw gasped and beat his head
against the table till it bled over and over again. It was so
shocking no one had ever then the man hurt himself. After breaking
the skin, the nanites clotted and eventually he gasped again and
again before asking without lifting his head and fingers pulled at
the brown hair. “What kind of pain was that? I’ve never felt the
like.”

“
You only lasted five
seconds, Elder. Olly endured for eight long hours with these teeth
imbedded in his torso.” Renee reached past Rose and lifted the lip
flap of Nova to show off the enormous and thick fangs. “You cannot
show fear or even smell like it. Had Olly so much as moved, Nova
and the others would have eaten him as a light snack.”

“
If you still want a Pride,
you must undergo months of pain training where you will never know
a moment of comfort. You will also be required to do daily tasks
till the pain threshold doesn’t allow a Pride king or queen to
sense weakness and you are devoured for being unprepared.”
Archiver Tammat added, trying to save the man from
nightmares that would be much worse now.

“
Who would volunteer for
that?”

Tammat answered another
scientist.
“With the rescue of the
last
twelve in existence…
as you call them Ligers, more than a thousand are undergoing the
pain trials with Oliver’s promise to one of our game wardens. More
will be subject to endless pain for a Pride of their own and to
breed back their entire species within three years. With the
promise we
can
breed them back, Oliver proves his generosity. Though none of
you believe it right away…”
Tammat touched
the golden wrap Cultio behind his back and the segments fell free,
but attached to an antenna he brought around was a thick golden
ring.
“so too am I among those taking on
pain. I can barely walk and think appropriately, but the warden
promised I would receive the first birthing. Having her as kin
helps, but to show you the level of pain I’m using…
here.”

The device was removed, closed and passed to
Elder Scythe sitting next to him.

Using a gauntlet didn’t reveal pain, but as
soon as he touched it to a cheek he jerked it back and said “Stars!
I felt on fire… and not the pleasant kind.” Others looked to find
the Archiver noticeably looking much better, his constant white
eyes also turning soft blue. Relief. He passed it down to another
Elder who cursed colorfully.

The large ring was passed around and even the
imperial couple tried it, shooing the agents off and no one enjoyed
it.

The Archiver had it returned and his eyes
returned to white as soon as he touched it, clipped it on and
reapplied the golden wrap, looking like a curved spike.

Three more hours were spent asking questions.
Johnny got permission to do a neural scan while Oliver read
something at full speed and was shocked speechless, but seconded
the results disclosed via transmission to Coleson from Jake Dorgen.
Amanda Lockwell finally asked heated questions, but Oliver remained
calm and working. Renee was her usual self, despite trying he best
to remain cordial and sophisticated. Second opinions proved all
data on Oliver was even more accurate than what the scientists were
trying to disprove.

“
That is plenty for today,
Everyone.” The Emperor stood, staring at the table. “We need a
break for the evening. Let us stroll through the city and retire. I
wonder what tomorrow might bring.”

“
A field test, so bring your
best pilot by tomorrow around eight hundred hours.” Renee grinned,
glad it was over.

“
Why?”

“
Because I and my wife
designed a revolutionary technology. Oliver saved us from the
danger, but we have a product that was designed from Star-sabers
that will make all current fighters obsolete on the battlefield.”
Stephanie spoke confidently, sipping on a glass of wine. “The idea
was made from understanding how Star-sabers were made.”

The man looked down at his own blade before
smiling. “Quite a boast. Better deliver, Mrs. Menann. We’ll see you
for this tantalizing unveiling. Until tomorrow. I’ve got a city to
see and an argument to listen to about adopting the three hundred
laws.” He offered an arm his beloved took and was escorted out.
Davan stayed as the group of men, women and androids left the
room.

Amanda Lockwell extended a hand to Oliver.
“Thank you for the interview.”

“
Take that hand back woman
before I break it.” Renee tried to soften the promise by showing
pearly whites. “You can shake mine, but don’t forget what happens
to women. It’s not as bad as when I’m pregnant, but he’s
my
male and therefore
mine. Motherhood still makes me imaging breaking you in
half.”

“
My apologies. Then I thank
you instead.” Amanda was hesitant, but Renee took it gently and
they parted.

“
I must depart as well. I
thank you for a most pleasant stay.”
Archiver Tammat was able to clasp Oliver’s wrist without
upsetting Renee.

The room quickly cleared out. Ligers took
their cubs out again and Oliver and Renee spent time with their
daughter. Sparky and Rose left on a date outside too.

Chapter 4

A muggy predawn didn’t hinder Oliver’s
natural night vision that could pierce the dark veil in even the
most minimal light. So it was the same with the twelve additional
points of view he saw through. A sturdy tree limb twenty meters
from the ground held up his crouching bulk in the strong, six times
standard gravity based on Earth Standard. Decaying leaves cloyingly
helped mask the nutrient rich soil sparingly littered with animal
scat. Sharp eyes and an even sharper nose picked up everything when
it isn’t burnt by his own child’s bodily functions. The wind
shifted, bringing the mouthwatering scent of Beasts to an empty
stomach. They had been drawn to the area due to his daughter, but
being careful made the creatures find it difficult to hunt her.

Three kilometers from the site of the
Ripper’s handiwork let him feel close enough that instincts didn’t
force him back home fast to keep his family safe. So he waited
patiently and watched.

It was again training time for the Liger
youth. Nova began to withdraw his dominating telepathy on his
daughter, the leader of this second generation and also showing
signs of being larger than the males. Part of their creation to
always know who was in charge. Ligers were created on the principal
shown by the black Keptl queens and thanks to Creelin knowledge
proved that was primarily what they were made to combat.