999 OCTILLION SOULS, May 13, 2024
I FLIGHT
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TRANSLATOR'S NOTE:The following information is derived from Information Seed 40 and received by the Gravitational Wave Observatory. I and AI performed a frequency analysis on it. IE edited certain parts to make them more 'readable'. (He might have overdone it.) Please feel free to comment.5
Carrying her red bag full of nascent life, Legume clutched Charlotte's hand, her grip a desperate shield against the throng flooding the spaceport. Both of them wore face masks. Charlotte was munching on synthetic blue cheese. The air thrummed with speech, the metallic tang of recycled air and sanitizer thick in the Legume’s throat. Legume scanned the crowd with large and extremely round eyes (typical of hobbits). Around Legume and Charlotte were the usual holograms of the Grand Emperor and St. Trillian. And holographic propaganda posters with slogans like THE GRAND EMPIRE IS THE GREATEST EMPIRE and PRAISE THE GRAND EMPIRE.
The spaceport was a kaleidoscope of face-masked beings. Business travelers in sleek, tailored suits glided past, their faces etched with the weary cynicism of those perpetually in transit. A gaggle of wide-eyed children, their laughter echoing off the vaulted ceiling, chased a holographic butterfly. Small, green-skinned Qeeravs and hyena-faced Lemivios strolled amongst the dwarves and occasional hobbit, keeping to themselves. The Bears, some of them from Andromeda, glared at everybody.
cosmos_boss: kids on social media are scared. stocks are worthless now. Is IS40 friendly?
IE: we don’t even know if they’re still alive
cosmos_boss: we must tell the public white lies then. calm the children
prof_sparky: we’re working on it
cosmos_boss: good. let me know if I can help
”Number fifteen has been delayed till the end of the shift,” the PA announced.
“Dam Andromeda,” a dwarf behind Legume mumbled.
luo_ji: what does Andromeda have to do with anything?
translator: it’s merging with the Milky Way
uk_gwo5: not for billions of years, mate
translator: IS40 speaks of a Big Merger, a crash
Black-uniformed soldiers paired with adolescent telepaths, their faces grim beneath mirrored visors, marched in rigid formations, their polished armor gleaming under the harsh artificial lights. The TPs wore belts with different colors, ranging from white to black. (The darker the color, the stronger the telepath with black being the strongest and white the weakest.) Legume instinctively pulled Charlotte closer, the ragged edges of her worn cloak brushing against the girl's threadbare tunic.
ru_mikhail: fascists!
cap_mal: but those uniforms must be lovely
IE: I can’t confirm that
"Holy galaxy! Stay close, C," Legume said, her voice a low rumble.
Charlotte, her face a perfect mirror of Legume's strong features nodded. Her large, round eyes darted around, taking in the spectacle. “TPs know we runnin’?”
“Mda. Neh… Not yet.”
“Kill us?” Charlotte asked, close to tears.
“Not only us.”
hatmaker_H: is that supposed to be our future?
translator: probably not
Legume needed to find passage, a smuggler willing to turn a blind eye to their fugitive status. Her gaze swept across the departure holograms, a dizzying array of destinations flashing by: gleaming habitats near the red dwarf, bustling trade habitats, and quiet research outposts.
“ ‘scendant Aero,” Charlotte whispered. “Stardust Sovereign.” (A sleek, luxurious liner) “Star Interceptor.” (High-performance scout.) “Atlas Explorer.” (Utilitarian, modular freighter.)
cosmos_boss: nice brands. I’m going to use them.
IE: AI was being creative. We don’t know the exact names
cosmos_boss: perfect
Suddenly, a guttural voice rasped. "Passage? Discreet, one-way. Nine hundrid creds."
Legume's heart hammered against her ribs. A hulking figure loomed beside her, a Gluda male with mottled blue skin and piercing yellow eyes. He reeked of stale sweat and a strange, acrid spice. Legume debated the offer, her mind a whirlwind. Where would she get the money? Could she hack a credomat?
builder_7: IS40 can’t just throw in alien species whenever they want
IE: the galaxy is mind-bogglingly huge
otavio_br: and many aliens are human-like
builder_7: maybe also bear-like
Across the hall, a group of soldiers paused, their visors swiveling towards Legume. Panic tightened Legume's throat. This was it. This was her chance. With a silent prayer to St. Trillian, Legume met the Gluda's gaze. "Where to?" she asked.
“Half of the creds first!”
cosmos_boss: this guy knows business
gwo_fr_5: a shameless capitalist. not you, the alien
“No deal!” Legume said.
Legume and Charlotte hurried through the bustling spaceport, the holographic warnings glinting above them like ghostly apparitions. These were three-dimensional projections, pulsating with a soft, sickly green light.
One such projection depicted a towering humanoid figure, its lungs glowing a feverish red. It coughed violently, a digital splatter erupting from its holographic form and morphing into menacing, spiky shapes. A stark red border flashed around the image, accompanied by a booming voice in several languages. "Viral Outbreak: Aethel-7. Symptoms include high fever, respiratory distress, and luminescent lesions."
us_gwo: they must have many epidemics in crowded Dyson swarms
translator: that seems indeed to be the case
Another holographic poster glowed beside it, showing a series of steps. A hand, rendered in sickly green, cleaned itself with a blue light. Below, text scrolled in various languages: "PREVENT THE SPREAD: WASH YOUR HANDS."
luo_ji: why not use nanobots
de_tech_G: nanobots are fictional magic
IE: you’re entitled to your opinion
A third poster featured a holographic doctor, a digital face etched with concern. It pointed towards a holographic medical facility, its doors glowing welcoming blue. "SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IF SYMPTOMS APPEAR. EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES."
Legume, ever vigilant, noticed soldiers paired with telepaths patrolling the hall, their helmets equipped with built-in scanners. Every cough, every sneeze, was scrutinized by the watchful machines.
cosmos_boss: we need scanners like that
translator: can’t help you. we have nothing on these gadgets
Charlotte, wide-eyed and clutching her mother's hand, gazed up at the holographic warnings.
Legume squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, C. We be safe. Stay close, keep yer mask on."