Chapter Fifty-Five

Epilogue

Transfer Unit TRV4 stepped out of the gate and looked around at the city being constructed with a sense of expectation. A new universe awaited him, and there were organics here.

Real organics and not merely a bunch of recreations and holograms in museums.

It was the culmination of a lifetime of dreams, becoming a Transfer Unit to a new galaxy. Since his first activation, TRV4 had only a single goal. To see another world.

Moving into the control line, he patiently waited his turn, eyes locked on the sky above him. It was up there, he knew. It was out of sight even to his improved optics during the day, but it was there.

The Bly’s Rest.

It had been the talk of the city for days, weeks! Well, to be fair most of them talked of the return of a lost transfer unit. But all TRV4 heard was the station.

A station made by organics, filled with organics, and they worked side by side with a form of silicate life engineered and created by organics.

Truly, this was a time of wonders.

“Greetings, Transfer Unit!” The Security officer nodded. I am honored to meet someone such as you! Tell me, will you return to us in the future and tell us about the galaxy?”

It was an old question, one asked of every Transfer Unit since the first group set out into the world of crystal and glass. And he gave the expected answer with pride.

“Should I survive, I shall. May you find me changed beyond all expectation.”

The formalities done, he was let through and into the new universe.

Now, all he had to do was make his way out of the city and find a way up to the station itself.

“What do you mean closed?” TRV4 asked, frowning to visibly show his upset was serious.

“The port is closed until formal relations have stabilized.” The port control was unwilling to understand his urgency in the matter, it seemed.

“I am a Transfer Unit,” TRV4 offered.

“This changes nothing. All official traffic is halted.”

“Official traffic? Is there unofficial traffic?”

“How can I know? It is unofficial.”

“Have you considered looking out the window?” TRV4 muttered.

“I do not understand.”

“I know.” TRV4 sighed. “Might I initiate some unofficial traffic?”

“I… There is no rule against it.”

The Port Control sentiences were not known for their high intelligence. Indeed, it was considered preferable for them not to be. The last thing you wanted from the control sentience of a busy port was for it to become bored and inventive. Dull, unimaginative, and of limited intelligence, they had proven themselves over the centuries by strict adherence to the rules.

“Then I would like to initiate an unofficial flight to the Bly’s Rest,” TRV4 said happily.

“I have no craft available; all are marked for official use only.” Control replied dully.

“I wish to know levels of spare parts,” TRV said.

“I have over a hundred replacement parts for each individual ship component.” Control replied.

“I am a Transfer Unit; I am entitled to free spare parts for my transport at all Silicate facilities,” TRV4 told it.

“Acknowledged. What parts would you require?” Control asked.

“I would like one spare for every part of a standard Silicate Exo-planetal personal transport craft,” TRV4 replied. “I have broken my everything.”

“Where would you like the materials delivered?”

“I would like them delivered to the nearest open launch bay; thank you.”

“Acknowledged. You may repair your transport at Bay fifteen. Have a nice day.”

“Thank you, Control.”

The care and maintenance of the standard personal transport had been an expensive purchase for TRV4, but it was showing great dividends now. True, it did not actually include a step-by-step guide to building one from the parts, but he was able to infer much from the various instructions for replacing multiple parts.

He was flexible and a hard worker, so TRV4 had completed the ‘repair’ of his personal vehicle within only seventeen hours!

He contacted control, registered his vehicle, and initiated some unofficial traffic with a direct course trajectory to the Bly’s Rest.

The time had come to meet a new universe!

===<<<>>>===

Bryant carefully signed for the ship and looked at the astonished ship seller with a wide smile.

There were no rules against an Iron Badge owning a ship; he knew because he had checked carefully before coming here. The only reason none ever had was because the pay for the type of jobs they had available simply never allowed them to save enough to buy one.

At least until recently.

“You understand that this will require a crew to man it. It does not fly itself,” the silver badge said carefully. The man clearly had trouble accepting what was happening.

“Yes, I have a crew, thank you,” Bryant laughed.

He left the dealership with the access codes and command ID for his brand-new freighter with mixed feelings. So much had changed in the last couple of weeks, and he had very little chance to adjust to things.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

His crew, all Iron Badges, met him as he entered his current office.

“Well?”

“We have the ship,” Bryant nodded.

“And you are sure we will be allowed in?”

“I know she will allow us in,” Bryant shrugged. “We need only bring an offer of good trade.”

All eyes turned to the small pamphlet that lay in the center of the table.

Most Iron Badges had brought one, but most did not accept that anything inside was possible. It was just too different from what they were used to.

Still, they had brought it. And not just here, but across the Sagacity. To most, it was a novelty, but that was all. It was exclusive to their badge, so they had a copy.

To a select few, however, it was so much more. It was a revelation.

Too big of a revelation, as it happened.

The bronze and silver shopkeepers had complained about the unexpected competition, and the pamphlet was examined by a council of professors.

They had declared it ‘deleterious to society’ and banned the sale.

Iron Badges had not understood the pamphlet, perhaps, but they did understand something was being taken from them.

There had been riots.

Now, licenses were being sold to traders that are Sagacity-born. The licenses are only available to bronze rank and above.

In short, Bryant had made a lot of money very fast, but now they were moving to restrict the market.

He didn’t need Berenice to tell him it was time to move to new markets and better profits.

So he and a small group of Iron Badge traders who understood the pamphlets had spent money on hiring a crew.

The crew were all foreigners, which was good.

And they only had to deliver Bryant and his ship to the nearby Imperium. Not a big trip.

Still, they had acted in secret.

Even as they hurried onto their new ship, it was clear that had been a wise choice. Calls for information about ‘restricted trading’ came over the station speakers, but they had left the station before arrest warrants were issued.

By far, the most tense moment was when they exited Transit Space—Bryant still nursing a headache after looking at the sensor data for a split second—and were immediately challenged by an automated control.

“This system is closed. Depart immediately!”

“This is Trader Bryant. I am here to visit Imperium citizen Berenice?” He answered the comm while his crew panicked. The terrible power of Imperium ships was well known.

None of them wanted to know what their defenses would do to the freighter.

“Hold position.”

Bryant nodded to his hired Captain, but the man was sweating buckets and had already complied.

Ten minutes passed in terrifying silence before a familiar face appeared.

“Bryant? What are you doing here?” Berenice smiled out of the screen, and Bryant breathed a sigh of relief.

“The Sagacity has passed anti-trade laws against us,” Bryant said. “I need a new place to trade from. I could think of no better place than this one.”

“Hmm,” Berenice seemed hesitant.

“I also have a substantial amount of creds to deliver to you. The pamphlet did well!”

“How substantial?” Berenice asked with a feral grin.

“I brought this ship with my share,” Bryant grinned back.

“Well, then, come on in!” Berenice laughed.

System control gave them access to continue, and everyone remembered how to breathe again.

===<<<>>>===

Nellie didn’t ask much. Not really.

Nanite tech meant she only needed to sleep for a couple of hours every other day or so… so why did she always have to wake up to some disaster or other?

Okay, so it wasn’t always, but there should be a break at some point.

Right?

“What?” Nellie asked muzzily as she punched the open control on the door.

“Good morning, Ma’am!” Cheape said brightly. “I am sorry to bother you, but I don’t think this can wait, and none of the others are available.”

“Salem?” Nellie asked.

“In the newly acquired system with Pilot Baz, Captain Dar, and Security Chief Remy, Ma’am,” Cheape said apologetically.

“Lucy?” Nellie tried.

“Is the incredibly naked woman in your bed, I am assuming,” Cheape blushed slightly. “Those silicate bodies sure look much more organic than I expected, Ma’am.”

Nellie grunted and stepped forward a bit to cover Lucy’s modesty a little.

“Crush? What about Crush?” Nellie asked.

“He and the Taking Liberties crew are currently escorting in a merchant freighter that arrived unexpectedly, Ma’am.” Cheape nodded. “And before you ask, Paren is still in her Hive ship with Leah and Robot down on the planet known as Home.”

“Fine, what is the disaster?” Nellie asked.

“There is no disaster, Ma’am,” Cheape said brightly. “However, I do have three items that need your attention immediately.”

“Go on,” Nellie sighed.

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Cheape nodded. “A silicate lifeform identifying itself as Transfer Unit TRV4 has arrived on the station and requested a tour and to join the Imperium?”

“They have?” Nellie frowned. “Alone?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Cheape smiled. “He is very chatty. Ma’am, and I believe he is what we would term an explorer. He was quite clear that this was an unofficial request and that he did not represent the Silicate people in any way. He seems… excited?”

“Okay,” Nellie shrugged. “He can have a tour, I suppose. We just need to find someone to show him around.”

“I’ll do that, Ma’am,” Cheape said a little too quickly, making herself blush and Nellie smile.

“Next,” Cheape hurried on, “An ambassadorial envoy has arrived from the neighboring Maiusarian system. Her name is Viria, and she is here to apply for the system to join the Imperium?”

“She’s what?” Nellie groaned.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Cheape nodded. “I am somewhat familiar with her, as she was the stationmaster during my time there with the Imperial Line. She is a complete snake but seems to have a genuine request from her government.”

“Damnit!” Nellie swore. “Anything else?”

“We have connected the communications relay satellite to the other general galaxy-wide system and received a contact from Imperial Line headquarters requesting information regarding the remains of someone called Carter.” Cheape sighed. “I looked the name up in station records and could only find one Carter, Ma’am, and they are not dead.”

“They have the Gaul to ask us about that little bastard?” Nellie growled. Today was going to need to start with the biggest cup of HyperDrive in history.

“They indicated they were the individual’s Aunt, Ma’am,” Cheape said.

“Fine, let them know the walking grease spot is in the sectors,” Nellie said with a sigh.

“Will do, Ma’am, sorry to bother you.” Cheape nodded and waited.

“Yes?” Nellie asked.

“The envoy will be docking in about fifteen minutes, Ma’am,” Cheape said brightly.

“That’s fine,” Nellie grumbled and stretched. “We can get a HyperDrive on the way there.”

“Certainly, Ma’am,” Cheape said in that same bright tone, “But perhaps you would care to put on some clothes?”

Nellie looked down at her completely naked body and sighed.

“It was very early, Cheape.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Cheape nodded politely.

===<<<>>>===

Managing Shareholder Monsoon stared at the slip of information in her hand in disbelief.

Her nephew was alive and apparently had left the system before the disastrous end of the conflict he started. What is more he had gone through a jump point connection to the Sectors, of all places.

That was only the third known connection between civilized space and the Sectors, and the other two were already held by competitors.

“Computer, send a message,” Monsoon said decisively.

Ready to record a message

“Queen Bonne Chance, I am Managing Shareholder Monsoon of the Imperial Line. You have caused almost as much trouble for us as we have for you, so I shall be brief and to the point. I want my idiot nephew back, and you have the most accessible access to his trail.

I propose a deal. I will ensure the Line offers apologies and heavy compensation for our ill-advised efforts against you and takes formal responsibility for the conflict. In exchange, you will send a team to retrieve that idiot Carter and return him to civilized space.

With humility, Monsoon.”

Recorded.

Monsoon typed in the delivery address herself before pushing the ‘send’ command.

She could only hope that someone was willing to go and get Carter before he caused even more trouble.

The story continues in Book Five:

Boundary Violations.