Darkworld: Earth

32.

Diego, like billions of other souls, watched the Captain’s announcement.

Then he watched the reactions. He sat in the bridge with Eolai, who was occupied elsewhere, as he watched several of the intergalactic news feeds discussing the matter of the confirmed darkworld that had managed to contact the Yonohoans.

Many of them were confused or amused that a person with a military rank would assume command of a Toormonda. While Toormonda had a few very light defensive weapons to keep their occupants from being defenseless, they paled compared to what even a one-man civilian vessel would possess. They had trouble imagining any human society which would prefer a vehicle which was meant for children over a vessel that was meant to defend its homeworld.

Others pointed out that the confirmed details of the Earthling’s mission were in precise alignment with the purpose of Toormondas, and that the Yonohoans had once again shown particularly cunning political acumen by giving a gift which was both welcome to its recipient and amusing to the universe at large.

Speculation was rampant over the origin of the Earthlings. Unfortunately for the spectators, the location of Earth, so far as they were concerned, was completely unknown. The joint government of the Yonohoans had simply stated that one of their star systems had received visitors from a Darkworld and were attempting to establish a relationship with the eccentric human society.

This was unheard of for centuries, maybe unprecedented. Not that a Darkworld would contact one of its neighbors, but that it happened to the Yonohoans.

Diego was still getting a sense on how the universe viewed the Yonohoans. Some of the commentators seemed hostile towards his hosts, while most of them seemed to find them amusing. The ones that seemed hostile said things like “this is just another grab at attention for a society which is increasingly becoming irrelevant. This is the death rattles of their civilization. Once the Last Son of Eodar has passed from this universe, many of their alliances will fall apart, and they will no longer be able to flaunt their historical power over those civilized people who wish to move on to a peaceful universe that no longer remembers the sins of its past.”

Some of the commentators spectated that this was a prank that was being pulled by the Yonohoan. An escalation of their practice of Korjakala, which was viewed with either amusement or hostility depending on the speaker. While the official government had never gotten in the practice before, it did fit with the public understanding of the Yonohoan sense of humor and their traditions to test the response of the universe to such an event in this manner.

Diego sighed. He couldn’t believe that both he and the captain were now famous on an intergalactic level.

“Do you think she knows that that broadcast was sent out by your government to the news organizations throughout the universe?” Diego asked Eolai.

Eolai paused his examinations of various datasets and turned to his brother. “We did not send it to anyone, Diego. She requested that the Toormonda send it to the news networks covering The Seeker of New Discoveries . The ship sent that message directly to the recipients in according to its directives. Do you believe that was an error?”

Diego sighed. “She probably thought that she was only making an announcement to the people on planet Totola, Eolai. We should probably explain to her the scope of her actions before she makes that mistake a second time.”

“As you say,” Eolai agreed, spinning his hands to dismiss the holograms before him.

“I am contacting Captain Moon for you,” Bob said in Diego’s ear, and a moment later a hologram appeared in the center of the room of the good captain.

“Hello Diego. Eolai. I guess you heard the news. Is this connection secure?”

“It is, Captain,” Eolai answered.

“You’re probably very surprised, but it’s the right call. My exposure is graded at level two. Anders is only at level one. If anyone is going to reveal the location of Earth, it should be someone whose judgment isn’t potentially impaired by a medical condition,” she said.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” Diego said. “We’ll figure out a treatment for it.”

“I hope that you are right. But my military career is effectively over. I knew that one way or another the Seeker would be my final command,” she said.

“We all knew that it would be the crowning moment of our lives,” Diego agreed. “I wasn’t calling to question your decision, however. Captain, you’re famous. Really, really famous. I just watched a talk show discussing you that was broadcast from half a billion light years away.”

Captain Moon’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Captain, I haven’t really had the opportunity to explain this properly yet. But the universe is a lot more filled with life than we realize. And more importantly, it’s all interconnected. Not universally, but there are allies who are in contact with allies who are in contact with allies,” Diego explained. “And humans are everywhere. And right now, they’re all talking about us.”

Captain Moon was silent. “ Keeper didn’t just send my statement to the Yonohoan news agencies, did it?”

“No, Captain. It sent it to every reputable news organization that’s covering this diplomatic event. Bob, how many news organizations are covering us at the moment?” Diego asked. “Exactly.”

“Nine hundred million forty six thousand three hundred and eight, exactly,” Bob answered. “Make that nine, another has just started a segment announcing that the Last Son of Eodar has named a brother.”

“Oh,” she said. “Why haven’t you reported this yet, Sergeant?” she inquired.

“That is my fault, Captain Moon. Previously, I wished to preserve my brother’s perspective of the universe, and so I was restricting his access to our news networks as though he were a young child,” Eolai explained. “He was seeing only very limited local news available to him upon his requests. Since he has picked up the burden of a man, I felt that it was extremely inappropriate to attempt to preserve his innocence any longer, and so I have lifted those restrictions.”

“I see,” the captain said. “I regret that this information was withheld from us, Eolai.”

“We have tried to explain to you that the universe is filled with life and humans who are fascinated by Darkworlds and Darkworlders. That your accomplishments were of great important and note,” Eolai said. “I am sorry that there was a failure in understanding of our efforts to communicate this to you.”

Captain Moon sighed. “No, you’re right. It’s our fault. We’re still naive, and I didn’t understand the scope of things when you explained them. I apologize if I sounded accusatory.”

“No offense was taken,” Eolai assured her.

“Okay, so what does this change?” she asked. “I mean, it changes our perspective, but how does that change our course?”

“My suggestion remains to attempt to secure an alliance and protectorate status from the Yonohoan for the planet Earth, Captain,” Diego said. “I am serious when I said that they have connections and alliances everywhere. Even the people who don’t like them, who celebrate that the Last Son of Eodar is alive only because that means that he will die at some point, respect their political weight.”

“I have to ask. Will becoming the protectorate of the Yonohoah cause Earth to gain many enemies?” Captain Moon asked.

“Yes and no,” Eolai said. “The Yonohoah do have enemies who are restrained by our alliances. However, they will not trouble Earth. Not unless they wish to incur the wrath of humanity for picking upon a Darkworld that is just coming into the light. There is a difference between an empire consuming one of its dim-worlds and a powerful and mighty empire stooping down to taunt and challenge a small child that is thousands of lightyears outside of its borders.”

“I’ve seen the maps, captain. Yonohoan space isn’t that big compared to the empires around it. But if you look at the ones who have sworn mutual defense pacts with them, then the closest sixty galaxies suddenly change color. There would be billions of worlds who are obliged to send help to Earth if she were attacked,” Diego explained.

“Is this true, Eolai?” Captain Moon asked.

“You are aboard the Toormonda, are you not?” Eolai asked. “It is a ship that is meant to teach. Ask for it to explain your place in the universe and see what it says.”

“I see. Thank you for the information and the advice, Eolai. Is there any other universe-shaking revelations that you have to share with me right now?” she asked.

“No. But I do have to brag that you might be famous, but I’m more famous than you. The Brother of the Last Son of Eodar is the number one topic of discussion according to Bob,” Diego said.

“Goodbye, Diego,” Captain Moon said, sounding slightly amused/annoyed.

Diego returned his attention to the info-tainment network that he’d been watching earlier. A giant squid which communicated by rapidly changing color and moving its tentacles – it’s words being translated by technology for the sake of its non-squid audience – was actively denouncing the Yonohoans for their ‘obvious and blatant trickery.’

A blue creature, a quadruped with arms in the middle of its body and a face that had its eyes below its mouth, responded by saying that it found the human alliances amusing and that it looked forward to see how the power would shift as Yonohoans responded to a Darkworld that had come to them seeking friendship. It pointed out that “It is easy to be a friend to the Yonohoah, so they should have no trouble securing the power of their vast alliances. But I am very curious to see how this will shake the foundation of those alliances, and the foundations which are built upon the foundation of the Yonohoah.”

“So, Eolai, here’s a question for you. What happens when we both die?” Diego asked.

“Are you asking if the Yonohoans believe in an afterlife?” Eolai inquired.

“Not at the moment. I’m asking about how that will affect the politics of the universe,” Diego clarified.

“There are many provisions in many old treaties which mention the duration of their provision as ‘until the last child of Eodar dies,’” Eolai admitted. “That I have named you Brother is a very shaking event for the universe. One which will be examined very closely by certain people. Some will argue that if I die before you do, then those provisions are void. Others will argue that both of us must pass from this universe before they fail.”

“And when that happens?” Diego pressed.

“Then many obsolete laws will no longer be in force, and some that are not obsolete will need to be renegotiated and rewritten,” Eolai admitted. “I hope that there will be no bloodshed because of my death, but I cannot be certain.”

“So that puts the pressure on you to stay alive as long as possible,” Diego said.

“Indeed it does. I have promised the Topokans that I shall allow them to use whatever means they deem necessary to extend my life, provided that those means are legal by the laws of the Yonohoah,” Eolai explained.

“How old are you?” Diego asked.

“I was born two hundred and eight years ago, and I have been alive for twenty-eight years,” Eolai said. He smiled. “The rest of the time has been spent in stasis.”

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