Uana stretched her arms and let her body undulate limply, helping her relax. She then regained her composure and stiffened to adopt a more serious attitude. Smoothing the tentacles on her head, she responded with a discreet sign to the technician who was signaling her to get ready and turned her gaze to the main camera, a smile on her face.

On another gel seat, today’s guest clasped his long, slender fingers together in a pose that suggested deep thought. He was an avian creature of an unusual species, with a small beak but four thin eyes that were endowed with a certain charisma. His body was covered in white and gray feathers. His arms were also provided with them, since they were in fact wings, but one could doubt from their span that his species was capable of flight.

“Welcome to our show ‘Understanding the Universe’! I am Uana Gemme. Today, we are dealing with a subject that is a little more familiar to our listeners, a very serious subject: terrorism. To help us explore the subject, we will interview our guest of the day, Director Soyoto of the Department of Psycho-Studies at the Universal University. He is notably the author of a brilliant thesis on the terrorist phenomenon in contemporary society, which you can find in the links in the appendix, next to that of his official biography. Director Soyoto, I welcome you to our Holovision set.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Gemme. I must say that it is an honor for me to meet the presenter of one of the most watched shows across the universe. The rebroadcast of your interviews is often used to help integrate primitive species into the vast and mysterious universe that their members discover. I heard a rumor that you would soon be given more screen time and more varied shows, including an interview with the famous singer Yoyo Glimour… Of course, these are rumors, but if your superiors have not recognized your qualities, I would ask myself some questions.”

The Glapouine felt both embarrassed and flattered, the reflection of her skin changing to a luminous purple despite the opacifying cream. If there were no rumors to that effect before, they were now sure to appear and put pressure on her superiors to help develop her career. Regaining her composure as much as possible, but remaining a little purple, she continued:

“This is very flattering, but now it’s time to get to the heart of the matter. Terrorism. The universal administered dictionary defines this mode of action as the use of violence and terror to impose an opinion or silence opposing opinions. Concretely, this phenomenon is characterized by destruction, hostage-taking, targeted or indiscriminate murders and the dissemination of false information. Universal history and the local histories of different nations are full of acts of this nature, yet in recent years, terrorism of a universal nature seems to be multiplying. What could you… uh, tell us about the subject?”

“Well, you have defined the subject well. The terrorism that we could call ‘universal’ is not so much a novelty as a phenomenon that is being organized and amplified. However, it should be remembered that the actors of the ‘terro-sphere’, a neologism that I knowingly use in my thesis, are not of a unified nature. It is appropriate to put aside local particularities to more clearly identify the different categories of universal terrorism.”

“And what are these different categories, briefly first of all?”

“To begin, there is what I would call the ‘anti-administration’, the ‘Nomad movement’, then the ‘Hogloo terrorism’ and finally the ‘neo-terrorists’ like those calling themselves the Azar clan.”

The birdman fell silent and it took a few Tiks for Uana to realize that he was letting her speak.

“Yes, so... so four categories. Let's start with what you call ‘anti-administration’: do you mean by that all those committing terrorist acts with the aim of destroying the Administration?”

“No, otherwise I would have included the others categories. What I call ‘anti-administration’, and some of them call themselves like this, are the multiple terrorist groups that could be described as... let's say... ‘moderate’, although this term should be taken with a grain of salt due to the crimes committed. The anti-administration is a disparate group comprising many movements of opposing natures. However, they often end up cooperating in ignoble compromises, particularly because of their lack of means. The spectrum of these criminals ranges from pro-administrative movements but with another vision of how it should function, to shameless criminals who want to plunge our universe into bloody chaos, like what the ‘anti-globalists’ accomplished in their time.”

“Yes, the infamous fourth Tanaé, the dark age during which interstellar civilizations, dismembered, were slowly reborn from their ashes in a distressing barbarism.”

“Absolutely. Fortunately, even among terrorist movements, such extremists are rare. Even other terrorists do not hesitate to denounce such vile characters to the authorities, unless they take it upon themselves to eliminate them.”

“When you speak of ‘moderates’, are you referring to movements like the ‘Rebels’ in the Homs Nations?”

“Absolutely not. I understand why this comparison seems obvious, but even if it is only a step to take, this phenomenon is different. Certainly, some like the New New Rebellion, the N.N.R., have taken this step leading from a semi-legal status to that of criminals threatening universal peace. You see, the Homs are a very widespread species and have certain social customs... quite... violent, let's say. Their society tends to resolve its problems by arms rather than by dialogue and the slightest injustice, or impression of injustice, can lead to an armed revolt. These nevertheless have legal frameworks, increasingly strict moreover, including in particular their official declaration to the Administration. If their mode of action includes armed assault and political assassination, most of these rebellions increasingly adopt a more peaceful mode of action, via political representation. The capture of Homeria by the administered forces has also brought about a real separation between two types of rebellions: those who adapt to a more peaceful era, and the diehards who are ready to betray the whole of civilization to impose their political ideas.

“Indeed, there is a lot of talk about this story of the capture of Homeria. It’s one of the oldest historical capitals of the Hom Nations, with even a separate status, since it’s the seat of the Council of Elders and the Assembly of Homtests. This event has sparked much debate on the Network and seems to have radicalized some rebellions, now of a terrorist nature.”

“The capture of Homeria was carried out following the refusal of some of the leaders to apply the administrative measures intended to punish hate speech. The other leaders then called for help from the administrative forces to prevent their planet from remaining a place of refuge and multiplication for lies and terrorist ideologies.”

The Glapouine exchanged a look with the avian, surprised that he could say this with a stoic face. They were both informed enough to know that these leaders had only called the administered forces after they had invaded the planet, and only out of opportunism in order to maintain their power.

“We… Well… What more can you tell us about what these terrorists that you define as ‘anti-administration’ are and want?”

“As I said: they have no unified goal. Some, all in all, are good guys with a bit of credibility who really think they are working to fight against injustice. These ones will probably not go as far as the blind murder of civilians… or at least not before having been fooled for a long time by the lies of their organization. Others are just bandits trying to take advantage of these violent movements to enrich themselves or give free rein to a penchant for violence. In all cases, it is a question of trying to force society to change by force, without respect for its democratic functioning. The current multiplication of this type of movement is mainly due to the insidious action of the most extremist, who slowly undermine the confidence of the population. Some even deliberately provoke crises in order to be able to then accuse the Administration. If all these people truly wanted the common good, they would become civil servants in the administration and try to improve it in an honest way... Or they could join the army and fight against the Zcarbbs and terrorist movements.”

“So, let's move on to the next group: the... ‘Nomadic Movement’, is that it?”

“A fashion movement, I would say. Initially, it is a Hom phenomenon: a retrograde tendency to imagine an idealized past. In this case, it is the legendary nomadic past of their species, long before they encountered habitable planets or other civilizations... apart from the Hogloos, of course. Hom’s legends speak of a time when they would have sailed across the stars aboard old Tadlomas ships, this mythical people who would have once led both the Homs and the Hogloos, before the revolt of the former. Based on this idealization of their legends, the ‘Nomads’ rejected universal civilization and went to live on spaceships, sailing on the outskirts of galaxies, far from the Network.”

“So far, is it a crime?”

“I think that the laws against cults could already apply to some of the nomadic leaders. Intergalactic spaces are also theoretically a common property of the nations of the nearest galaxies and, therefore, subject to administrative laws. The refusal of nomads to pay taxes or to accept the presence of administrative agents is legally a crime. However, the Administration never insisted and let them do it... That's where the ‘real’ crime began.”

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“By ‘real crime’, you probably mean the multiple attacks and pillages?”

“Exactly. The hostile nature of deep space, of space without stars, makes it a completely uninhabitable place. There are indeed a few stray celestial bodies, difficult to detect, but it is impossible to find the resources necessary for an advanced civilization... Or even a primitive one, for that matter. Most, if not all, nomadic groups then raided civilian populations in order to steal what they needed to perpetuate their way of life. That's when they became terrorists. Note also that this movement has not been exclusively Hom for a long time: people from everywhere, often wanted criminals, have joined these groups.”

“Yes, I have often heard that terrorist groups were hiding among the nomads. If we know where they are, why haven't they been... neutralized?”

“Because, precisely, we do not know where they are. It is impossible to locate anything in deep space, except by luck. Galaxies are riddled with sensors and beacons, ensuring that we can find what we are looking for if we do not skimp on the means. But, for infinite space...”

“So, let's move on to Hogloo terrorism. This point, I think, is already more familiar to all our listeners, or to anyone who has learned the History of the Universe.”

“To put it simply, the Hogloos are a warrior nation that defends its borders by preemptively destroying anything that could approach them. We know that they are divided into a warrior caste, which we know well, and a mysterious civilian caste that inhabits planets to which we do not have access. We know that the Hogloo philosophy forbids them from interacting with the civilian planets that they say they ‘defend’, but the isolation to which they subject them from the rest of the universe is a Crime against People, as frequently denounced by the Universal Court of Peoples Rights. The progressive weakening of the Hogloos allows us to hope that one day soon, these unfortunate civilians will have access to the vast universe like all citizens.”

“I know that laws have been passed to that effect, but the Hogloos have simply announced that they will not make any remarks, which means that they will continue to kill anyone who enters their territory. Is this Hogloo terrorism?”

“No. Technically, yes, but the issue of their terrorist acts concerns their acts of terrorism in our country. We have technically been at war since... even before the Administration, in fact, since there has never been a peace signed with the Hogloos. These are only temporary treaties of non-aggression or ceasefires. The Hogloos move freely in our territories, frequently commit murders, but are rarely worried due to the military difficulty of apprehending one. Some are pursued but are content to return to their territory, commonly referred to as the ‘H’ sector. The Hogloos are guilty of countless war crimes, assassinations, threats, invasions... Despite their recent weakening, they retain a certain strength that prevents the definitive pacification of their territory. The only positive point: their civil war during the Titanic War allowed us to liberate their vassal states, known as the ‘K’ sector.”

“It seems that many terrorist groups operate in this sector.”

“Unfortunately, many nations have been under the Hogloo yoke for so long that they are intoxicated by their propaganda and social model. Many hypocritically apply the new administrative instructions. For example, the prohibition of slavery is understood by some of them as the obligation to kill prisoners of war, without taking into account the fact that it is a war crime, therefore something also prohibited. I consider that these terrorist groups are part of ‘Hogloo terrorism’, since they do it in the hope of forcing their nations to return to Hogloo domination.”

“How would you summarize this type of terrorism? In a few words?”

“The Hogloos try to impose their ideas on us through terror while preventing our values from penetrating their territory. They dream of retaking the territories they once conquered and destroying the Administration so that nothing stands in the way of their nations. In a sense, the existence of the Zcarbbs is also a hindrance to their ambitions: if they destroyed us, they would be confronted head-on by this other enemy. Located on the other side of the universe from each other, these two groups hate each other... or at least the Hogloos hate the Zcarbbs, whom they see as a worse threat than the one they see in us.”

“That's not a few words...”

“Yes, it is sometimes difficult to summarize. In short, the Hogloos are an enemy nation with whom we have cordial relations on the surface, but they are secretly busy trying to destroy us. Some of the murders and destruction caused by the Hogloos could possibly be the work of some sort of internal terrorist group within their people, but the Hogloos fiercely deny their existence and claim to have committed these acts themselves. For diplomatic reasons, I am forbidden from confirming or denying the existence of such a group. In any case, if it existed, we do not know why they do not want to acknowledge its existence. Perhaps something related to the transgression of Hogloo values and their honor? Because indeed, what distinguished Hogloo terrorism from others until now was their particular sense of honor that imposes known rules on their activities.”

“Let's move on to your last category: the ‘neo-terrorists’. Why differentiate them from the others? What is their particularity?”

“The total absence of conscience. These people would be ready to destroy the universe if it meant crushing the Administration. Fortunately, they are few in number. The ‘anti-globalists’, for example, are often only small groups of frustrated people who rarely take action. They dream of a world that they think is better without interstellar communications, but we saw what that led to during the fourth Tanaé. On the other hand, in the midst of these most extremist movements, one group stands out for its deviousness and its means.”

“The Azar clan, right?”

“Yes, but not exactly. Some members of the Azar clan are not found guilty of terrorist activities, and perhaps they do not even support the criminal actions of the other members. Some people think they are all accomplices, but that remains to be proven... and they won't hesitate to use a defamation lawsuit if you don't watch your words about the Azar clan. So, to talk about the terrorist movement calling itself the ‘Azar clan’, I will first talk about the Azar clan itself.”

“It seems that originally, it was a scientific group.”

“That is indeed the case. A traditional clan of Homs whose origins perhaps date back to the time of the ancient kingdoms of their people. They specialized in mental sciences and notably contributed to the greatest advances in this field. Interested in the study of the chaotiuns, they bought, thanks to the considerable funds of their clan, the colonization rights of a galaxy located at the time in the extension zone of the Administration. There are ongoing investigations into the possibility that their ancestors embezzled research money to buy this galaxy, and other investigations into a possible massacre of primitive peoples and undeclared colonists there. In any case, their studies of chaos energy have caused significant mutations in their species. Many workers have lost even their normal form and intellectual abilities to become chaotiuns, merging into the mass of these parasites that have settled in increasing numbers in this galaxy...”

“Excuse me, but could you define Chaos energy for our listeners?”

“Sorry, but I'm not an expert on the subject. It's a kind of mental capacity who... generate physical manifestation... probably linked to the ‘T’ energy? It often causes improbable mutations and a weakening of the capacities of concentration and reasoning.”

“Excuse me for the interruption: I'll let you continue.”

“You're welcome, I was saying that the nobility of the Azar clan, although also undergoing certain mutations: the growth of a tail, a frequent appearance of horns, the discoloration of their skin to a gray tint, to name the most frequent... So, this nobility managed to maintain an intellectuality superior to the mass of chaotiuns under their control. They began to rule the galaxy they occupied as absolute monarchs and engaged in many illegal experiments. The Administration finally reacted and, after some failed negotiations, sent the military to free this galaxy from the tyranny of the Azars and bring the chaotiuns under control: anyone knows what havoc these ‘social parasites’, as they are officially defined, can cause without a control collar.”

“So, they went from bloodthirsty tyrants to terrorists?”

“That's right. Many members of the nobility, even the majority, unable to bear losing their power, went underground. Their movement quickly became more and more violent and more and more insane. They commit targeted assassinations on important officials, or not important. They launch attacks on crowds or entire planets. They even lead the hordes of chaotiuns of the ‘Black Banner’ to plunder the least protected planets and use their powers to flee before being apprehended. Of all the categories of terrorists, they are the most dangerous and the most relentless.”

“Thank you very much for all these explanations. One last question: what is the outlook for the future in relation to all these threats? Do you think they will ever cease?”

“Well, I think that gradually, the most moderate terrorist movements will abandon their disloyal methods to fit into the democratic framework and try to impose their vision through the ballot box and no longer by force. The others will surely become more and more radicalized, but will end up being destroyed thanks to the constant increase in security within the administered territory. The nomads themselves will end up surrendering when they find themselves deprived of the possibility of massacring and pillaging innocent civilians, and they will begin to waste away in the floating cemeteries that are their wrecks. The Hogloos will probably end up integrating into the Administration and stop their vain determination to defend outdated traditions. Finally, concerning the Azar clan... We can hope that those who are not terrorists will be the only ones still free in a few centuries... or maybe years. So far, their unjust war has only resulted in deaths without advancing their tyrannical cause and we can think that some of their members will eventually tire of it. In conclusion, I see a future gradually freed from terrorism... But peace can only be total if we finally succeed in neutralizing the Zcarbb threat which, although being a form of direct aggression and not terrorism, is also one of the causes of its multiplication by the instability they create by their acts against universal peace.”

“Thank you very much Director Soyoto. Let us hope that the future will be as bright as you imagine and that these dark times will soon be behind us. Do not hesitate to share your opinions and questions in the comments on the holo-forum. The Transparency Act requires me to inform you that you will be held legally responsible for the content of your exchanges and that they may be collected by the various Institutions in order to guarantee our safety. It was Uana Gemme, for the show ‘Understanding the Universe’ with our special guest, Director Soyoto…”

The cameras adjust to give an illusion of distance as the music for the show’s end credits plays.