Chapter 17

Professor Laurson /// Alliance Earthtown Unniversity

Professor Laurson couldn't believe spring break was already over. Mentally he felt exhausted, his class had a myriad of mediocre students, two problems and one possible savant, so he had been doing loops in his head of whether or not to curve his grades. Having given midterms before spring break, he spent the first weekend grading them in the hopes of getting the rest of the week to forget about the college. That turned out to be a pipe dream however.

The two problems hadn't just flunked, it was almost illiterate on both accounts. One was a human student so that was surprising, the other was a Peritian, a quadrapedal creature from a super dense gas giant, to say as a general term most Peritians were barely able to form cohesive sentences wasn’t even an exaggeration. Laurson felt bad, this student Pi’ik really wanted to learn, the problem was he was fighting evolution, that and the fact the human student Roger Tiles also failed meant that even if he did curve he couldn't just *pass* Pi’ik. Rubbing his temples he needed to find a way to give Pi’ik a fighting chance in class, but before that he needed to buy time from having to pass out grades. For that there was no better maneuver than a film.

As Pr. Laurson walked along the hall, he thumbed the thumb drive with todays “course” downloaded on it, sure it was mostly a PR stunt, but considering it was a PAANN film it was at least part of the larger Imperial education, and considering he was teaching Anthropology it worked. Stopping before his classroom he glanced in, looks like everyone except Roger was in his class already as he stepped inside.

“Alright class, everyone quiet down, so first and foremost, i know no one likes class on monday after vacation, so i'm going to be merciful and show you all a film today, and before anyone asks im still grading your midterms.” he turned and looked towards the class checking if they had any questions, no one raised their hands.

“Alright, so im going to hit play if you have any questions feel free to approach me during the film and we can talk.”

He plugged the thumb drive into his terminal and waited for the video player to pop up, clicking the play button, he took a seat and opened up articles on Peritian learning strategies.

The film starts rolling with some partially upbeat non copyrighted music playing as the tile screen and the Alliance PAANN legal warning flowing past screen.

The narrator, a claming voice with an almost melodic beat to his readings began. The Empire as we know it today was not always the illuminated beacon of civility and culture. At one point in its history long before it came into existence as the first space faring civilization, it was a tumultuous water locked planet bound by an endless ocean, and tide shifting maelstroms.

The film showed artist interpreted pictures of the primordial tidal world the Djiktions called home, and then slowly zoomed in to their proto forms, whirling tentacled creatures that vaguely resembles an octopus and an eel at the same time.

“These proto Enlightment Imperials were as most deathworlders exceptionally violent, having to constantly fight not only for limited resources but also against the merely limitless predators from the deep. To help combat their natural shortcoming along with sentience, they developed a unique 6th foundational sense. What we humans long considered the realm of fantasy or fringe sci-fi, Biotic based super powers, including telepathy, telekensis, elctrokenisis, and divination, along with many more. These evolutionary game changing abilities allowed these once disadvantaged forms to make a substantial change in not only their environment, but also their ability to establish themselves amongst the endless storm.”

This was all of course only an opening setup towards the great story of the Imperials rise to become the beacon of all sentient civilizations. Or at least this would be the films narrative, whether or not it was true was lost to time and censorship. Laurson seemed to be making a little headway on his searches as he started noticing a pattern, the Peritians excelled at short memorization, being able to do exceedingly complex tasks, they just couldn't retain the information long. Its probably what made them such excellent physical laborers, teach them some trade and they'll know it for not even a full day, makes them very malleable. So if retention was the issue, maybe a quiz at the end of class every day to ensure that Pi’ik could stand on his own… it would work or atleast Laurson thought it would, the problem is would she have the required knowledge base for higher learning… Laurson resolved to keep reading maybe there would be something more helpful. His attention partially returned to the video for a moment as it covered the brutal unification war under the Smith Tiam Pjion Thwuen, which caused almost irreparable damage to their planet.

“After the near calamitous war for unification under the banner of he Smith Tiam Pjion Thwuen the Imperials rose towards the stars en mass, and what they discovered was tens of thousands of bright potential sentients practically begging to be rescued from their squalor. And thus finishing their unification, they began attempting to unify not only themselves but all the stars with the bright shining hope “

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The film continued explaining the technological advancements as well as the pioneering exploration of the Djikitons Golden age. Laurson in contrast was having very little luck in terms of long term retention, it seemed like anything outside of cybernetic enhancement was futile. Deciding to take a moment to look at the film as the sudden drumline playing broke his attention.

“This prosperous golden age of rapid expansion was sadly curtailed quite cruelly and immediately by beings who by all recognizable variables were living embodiments of Nightmares. Whirling masses of cybernetics overlaying a once insectoid type of alien species, the Hwangbue these new challengers living out amongst the starless void ancient technology of an unknown source fueling the newly ignited war machine of the Hwangbue as both the Imperial Authority led by Emperor Etr’iox Tuline Thwuen and the Hwangbue went to war. These Menacing invaders…”

Turning his attention back to his terminal he looked at the teachers forum to see if anyone else had been seeing the results he had with Pi’ik and lo and behold looks like a number of his colleagues were having similar issues. Maybe a bandaid was the best he could do, but still it didn't make him feel right. He looked up and waved at Pi’ik to have her come up and talk to him, he was barely paying attention as the screen flashed with images of pre war worlds that were the first battlefields, as the film explained the opening act of what turned out to be a galaxy wide cold war.

“The first initial battles took place across many of the fringe planets, and these invaders did not know mercy. The first few planets attempted to communicate with these new arrivals to the galaxy, but these invaders never said a word. Even as they reigned death.They didn't loot, or conquer, merely purged every planet they approached, bombing from orbit, dumping toxic chemicals from orbit, everywhere they found life. Such horror shocked the emperor and he began to rally all his subjects to assault these heretical defiliers…”

Pi’ik awkwardly took a seat, her four legs struggling to get comfortable with a back on a chair. She looked down probably figuring she was in trouble. “First off Pi’ik, i realized i failed you as your teacher. Im sorry”

Pi’ik looked up confused “how did you fail me? Didn't i take the test, or was that dream?”

Her English was almost good enough for the average high school student, which really was a testament to how hard she worked to get here.

“I know you work Hard Pi’ik, which is why i failed you, i tried getting you to show you how hard you work by human means but thats not right, not for you.”

“Allllright…” she seemed both confused and concerned.

“I have an idea, but i need your permission… to balance out your test score, i want to start giving you quizzes at the end of each class, to test what you learned in class that day.”

Her answer was interrupted as a cacophony could be heard from the film as the sounds of battleships laying waste against each other could be heard.

“For generations these two apocalyptic forces would clash, with every engagement ending a draw or in a Pyrrhic victory for one side or the other. The death tolls crossing billions lost, all the while the Dark Gods of the Hwangbue whispering across the Imperial Space tempting those who could hear with eternal servitude in their mindless dark army. Promising power, and a sense of happiness beyond anything any of the imperials had ever thought could be possible. Despite many knowing the trap offered by such dark whispers, some of the lesser civilized races would fall to such temptations.”

Pi’ik seemed uncomfortable and didn't want to turn away from the screen so Lauson waited for a moment as the film acknowledged the species who felt prey the most often and the empire's response. It was excessive.

“It was through these turncoats however that a critical piece of information was discovered as torturing those who were in the midst of succumbing to the whispering voices of the dark. These unfortunate savages revealed the enemy's primary subjugation fleet was on route and would be making an en mass egress via wormhole into the Imperial Forward holding planet the Planet Golden Chorus Hanging Amidst a Storm. With the intent to counter this attack the Imperial War Guilds came up with a new strategy that was at the time considered Heretical in nature. This plan would be known for generations to come as the Empire's great sin.”

Pi’ik looking back at a dark stain from her species past just exploited on the screen was probably an uncomfortable experience. “Can I pass, if I take the quizzes?” she asked.

“Absolutely Pi’ik, and i'm not sure what we're going to do moving forward but i promise i'll work with you to make sure I don't fail you again.” Laurson said earnestly.

She seemed to perk up at that getting a little back of the rigidity of her species stance again. He was glad, she really did deserve to graduate. At this point he let her go back to her seat, so she could focus on the film, looking up the Narrator was getting to the explanation of the end of the first Crusade.

“4 separate planetoids would be launched into the oncoming fleets literally causing world ending damage then the desperate Imperial armies, forced forward after the shockwaves subdued, to finish off what remained of the fleet. The battle to this day is considered legendary, many low born were raised to a high born status for their heroics that day. By the time the battle finished both sides had suffered such unbelievable losses, that it would be another 3 centuries before either side was even close to returning to full strength. The empire seeing its only real victory constructed the greatest galactic wonder ever built a huge defense network with every type of jamming, and impeding technologies they could find manned by billions of its citizens. This defensive posture around the Hwangbue’s home nebula would forever be known as the nightmare line….”

Laursons alarm went off letting him know his 45 min class was over, as he paused the video. “Alright class make sure you read chapter 37 and do the end of chapter questions for next time. Pi’ik hold up for a minute” he said, motioning for her to take her new end of class quiz.