Journey to the Center of the Galaxy

Kevin inspected the right arm of his favorite leather jacket. The tear by the cuff had gotten worse during the maelstrom at McGuiles. It was now the only memento of planet Earth Kevin had. The man in the trench coat had blasted them through the solar system, and they were now floating pleasantly past the heliosphere, on the beginnings of interstellar space. The Oort Cloud (that surrounded the solar system Earth was in) was beginning to come into view.

"Um...," Kevin said.

The man in the trench coat made more calculations with his ships instruments. His facial tattoos lit up and rotated as he worked. They corresponded to everything he did.

"I'm sure you have a million questions right now Earth person," the man said.

"My name is Kevin," Kevin explained.

"Is that a traditional Earth name?"

"Is this a traditional spaceship?"

"I hope you know, taking the inhabitant of a class zero planet is incredibly rare. It's one in a hundred thousand. You should consider yourself incredibly lucky."

"It's already been an interesting week."

The man did another series of calculations. The two circular tattoos on his cheeks glowed and then rotated. The eye tattooed on his forehead seemed to expand forwards into space as it moved.

"What's your name?" Kevin asked.

"It's Sillan Octavion," he explained, not shifting his focus.

"What kind of name is that?"

"It's Lunerian. That's not something you would learn about on Earth. Even from the most questioning scientific authorities."

Sillan had mannerisms and speech patterns Kevin had never seen before.

"The Lunerians are some of the most well trained and advanced individuals in the galaxy. Which is why you will find us in almost every field throughout the Milky Way. Specifically, one of the men I trained with on Luneris, is now high up in the Federation. As a financial administrator."

"Every field?"

"Yes, every career field."

"I'm guessing The Federation is the governing body of the Milky Way Galaxy?" Kevin responded.

Sillan's space ship was blasting through space at an incredibly fast rate (utilizing the sub-light thrust engines built into it's rear). Still, the myriad of space rocks that composed the Oort Cloud looked very far away.

"Pshh...Fen El AnNO," Sillan said to himself.

"Maybe they used to be," he continued. "Anyone who thinks for himself, knows The Federation has become weak. Don't expect a lot of planetary citizens to tell you this, but The Federation is losing it's power. That's something I know because I'm Lunerian. These are rough times in the galaxy...maybe the whole universe."

"Where are you taking me?" Kevin asked plainly. "And why am I here?"

"I'm taking you to the center of the galaxy!" Sillan explained, as he finished another complex calculation on the ships computer. "So we can get that precious DNA of yours into the massive quantum computers of The Illawayan."

"The what?" Kevin asked, his gaze fixed permanently out of the ships control room window. His amazement and terror had shifted to mostly amazement, at this point. There was something inherently calming about looking at interstellar space. He felt like his view of the universe had shifted one level higher after leaving Earth.

"This! This is why I don't like going to back-water planets!" Sillan said to himself. "This entire journey is going to be one big question and answer exercise!"

"Well....," Kevin said. "What are they then?!"

"Agghhh! Come on! Del EL EL Cren!"

"I don't even know what that means man."

"They are the most advanced scientists in the entire galaxy. Maybe the whole universe. Who knows. They utilize the energy from the super massive black hole, at the center of the galaxy, to run their sub-atomic quantum computers. They can calculate and process anything. And I mean anything! You can even physically dive into their computers, and solve problems with the virtual interface."

"Cool man...," Kevin replied.

The Oort Cloud was getting much closer, and the beginnings of all manner of space debris, comets and other celestial objects could be seen.

"What's so important about my DNA!" Kevin insisted, starting to exit his trance.

"It's completely filled with very important information."

"I have information IN my DNA?!" Kevin replied. "When did that happen?"

Sillan laughed to himself.

"All DNA is information," Sillan insisted. "I think you knew that. Yours just happens to have a lot of extra stuff in there that someone needs to read. That's why you are class AAA security. Hence the incredibly unusual extraction of a being from a class zero planet. Your regular human DNA structure has a considerably large amount of digital information wrapped up in it."

"That sounds like a judgement when you say "class zero planet."

"Whatever you have encoded in there; is something neither you or I are even allowed to know. And we won't. At any point. I will be taking you straight to The Illawayan. They will do their extraction. And then it is straight back to Earth planet. Job complete."

"Wouldn't the extra info in my DNA...like, cause me to mutate?"

"Not with Illawayan technology. Although your probably suffer from some moderate sleep irregularities."

"That explains that."

"Why do I have important information in my DNA? Am I special?"

"No. Not at all. What do you know about your great-grandfather?"

"All I know is he was a terrible parent."

"How tragic..."

The massive array of celestial objects in the Oort Cloud were beginning to take on very defined forms.

"Your great-grandfather was not from Earth," Sillan continued. "And he had the information that's going to be extracted written into his own DNA. Hence the extraction from you."

"Are you saying this information is still in my DNA because I am his genetic descendant?"

"Exactly, NOA En Fen EL!"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means you possess admirable qualities...for the inhabitant of a back water planet."

"You're being like planet...ist," Kevin stated.

"No time for Earth logic," Sillan said, doing more calculations.

"How did you know my great-grandfather had the DNA information if it's class AAA security?"

"It was covered in the Mission Information Packet; although in a very censored format. I do my own research...being a Lunerian. We are separate from much of the galaxies population. We both live in the galaxy and not within it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I have a job title in this galaxy; but I am also free."

"So who was my great-grandfather then?"

"Fen FAL me," Sillan explained. "He must have been quite the individual if he had Illawayan DNA Information Encoding. You either have to be incredibly special or incredibly rich to have such a thing done."

"Who is after this information?" Kevin insisted.

"We are not allowed to know! I'm just doing the job I was commissioned to do! As an Lunerian, I've found solace and financial security in doing jobs for The Vend."

"Who or what is The Vend?" Kevin asked.

"I told you this is turning into an endless question and answer session!"

"Who are The Vend!?"

"They are the agency that commissioned me for this job."

"Is it free-lance work?"

"They were originally a highly respected trust of collected interstellar interests."

"Do they suck now?"

"Do you see how these questions could go on forever?" Sillan asked.

Kevin continued to gaze at interstellar space and didn't say anything. Sillan laughed to himself.

"The Vend are a special interest group that was formed about two hundred years ago. They were originally people with very good intentions and became quite influential. You can see their effect on the galaxy almost everywhere you go."

"What do they do?" Kevin insisted.

"They used to do everything. Architectural projects, funding for cities, things that are completely confidential, protecting the peace, helping less-fortunate people throughout the galaxy. They have also been considerably influential in advancing scientific research; especially with faster-than-light travel and worm hole mapping. They've even researched the Bolan-Crec. We have a considerably more expansive worm hole map of the galaxy...and the outer regions, than we did two hundred years ago. Thanks to them."

"They sound great," Kevin said.

"They used to be. Just like everything else in the galaxy; they have been corrupted. They are basically just a courier service now, at best. Who knows who's really pulling their strings now. Especially with AAA security. Don't expect, at any point, to know why we are doing what we are doing. We won't be finding out."

"The whole galaxy is corrupted?" Kevin asked, growing concerned.

"This concludes our Q and A session Earth resident. Why don't you try and relax on Spaceship Ksenia here."

"That's the name of the ship?"

"Yes."

"Why have I been feeling radiation blasting me for the last four days? Was it the aliens from McGuiles?"

"That was me actually...trying to get your coordinates from outside planet Earth. Sorry about that. Tracking one person from the outer atmosphere of a planet is not easy to do. Luckily I'm Lunerian."

"Who are the Bolan-Crec?"

"Look, Earth resident! Think about how big the galaxy is! Think about how big the universe is!! WHO KNOWS!! You have just done something unprecedented, and left behind your little blue and green world. Do you know how much information there is in the universe? IN JUST THIS GALAXY?! You could keep asking me questions for the next 32,477 years! I did a calculation! That's the actual number. So...why don't you just sit back and enjoy the view from Spaceship Ksenia? It's not like you have a choice anyway."

Kevin didn't reply to that.

"Perfect," Sillan said. "Excellent attitude!"

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Sillan pressed a large button next to the digital, holographic controls he used to pilot Spaceship Ksenia, when it was in manual mode. It appeared to be the last step. He let out a satisfied sigh. His facial tattoos resonated in a manner that reflected his satisfaction.

"Nothing like being a Lunerian," he said to himself, as he walked out of the control room and into the hallway of Spaceship Ksenia.

Sillan walked down the long hall. He passed a variety of rooms and the ships living quarters. The interior of the ship was entirely white; except for the color coded doors and lines on the floor; which indicated which room of the ship you were walking too.

Spaceship Ksenia had been assembled from at least three other space ships. Sillan was an expert at ship construction and operation. The outer frame (and most of the ship) was a cheaply purchased, decommissioned Alentian cruiser. Alentian cruisers were easily and affordably purchased. There were an abundance of them in the galaxy. The planet Alent had mass produced them during a civil war that had happened between them, and Alent's only moon (named Sifress). After a short (but intense) war, a Federation treaty was signed between Alent and Sifress. Sillan guessed there were at least seven thousand Alentian cruisers flying around every part of the galaxy.

The rest of Spaceship Ksenia was retro-fitted with the best parts Sillan could find. He always felt amused anytime he had to quickly escape from bad aliens, space criminals and anyone else nefarious. People assumed the usually slow moving Alentian Cruisers were an easy target. Sillan would laugh to himself as he quickly blasted away, using the excellent additional parts he had used for the retro-fit.

Sillan reached the very back of the ship, which was where his video call and relaxation room was located. The video phone started to ring the second he sat down. He already knew who it was. He let it ring a long time before he answered.

"Sillan!" Jenen Trius said, with what could be classified as a happy demeanor.

Jenen dusted off the shoulder of his plain, brown tweed suit.

Sillan already knew Jenen's pleasant demeanor was a put on that would last a couple more seconds. There was no way that the catastrophe at Kevin's Earth establishment hadn't reached Jenen already.

"What did I do wrong Jenen?" Sillan asked.

"Well...Sillan...,"

"Yes?"

"We here at The Vend, couldn't help but notice, there is some unusual information, being spread on the primitive communication systems on Old Casadisius."

"That's unusual...," Sillan replied, picturing himself before a Federation Exportation Tribunal.

Jenen gazed down from the video screen, looking at his own computer. He looked like he was scrolling through a long list of bad things. Sillan couldn't help but be reminded of his first teacher on planet Luneris.

"It looks like...," Jenen said, beginning to furrow his brow.

"Yeah?" Sillan asked.

"There is a considerable amount of material on the Old Casadasius' cyber media known as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and umm...something called Snap...Chat."

"What the Fen FAL are those?"

"Don't change the subject."

"Uh...."

Jenen furrowed his brow and then brought up an image to Sillan's display screen. There was a young woman wearing a black tank top and faded jeans, holding up an Earth gesture with her right hand, and sticking out her tongue. Sillan's uncloaked spaceship could be seen fully visible in the background, on the roof top of McGuiles. There was some writing layered over the image which said "Crazy Night attt McGuile's OMG!!! No Way!!! Also, Courtney is a b@#$!"

"That's not me," Sillan replied.

Jenen stared blankly back at him.

"That's clearly your souped up Alentian cruiser Sillan."

"Um...."

"I might not be able to get you out of this Sillan. Even if you are Lunerian. The Federation is getting more extreme by the day. I will do what I can, but this...this is a historic level violation. We haven't seen one in at least one hundred years. I...I can't make any promises."

"Don't you want to know what happened?"

"I'm listening..."

"The Earth resident, his name is Kevin by the way. He was preemptively processed and attacked by two lower Kal-Vant aliens."

"That's weird."

"They had already gotten to him before I even tracked his precise location. They beat me there by three nights."

"Were they after the DNA encoded information?"

"They were. And they tried to extract it. I don't know how much success they had. Anything less than an Illawayan extraction is bound to fail. I'm not sure what they hoped to achieve. They also tried to reset his consciousnesses and memory."

"That's extreme."

"Here's the thing...it didn't work."

"Does the Old Casadisius resident have a special background?"

"Not at all. He's just an Earth citizen."

"What about the Illawayan DNA code? Maybe it strengthened him in some fashion. Or gave him some abilities?"

"That's a myth. The DNA code is completely isolated from the hosts own DNA. It's wrapped up alongside it in a more sub-atomic realm; it can't affect the host."

"Well...I guess you will find out either way. Please, just get him to the Illawayan. It shouldn't take you more than three space days with your mastery of worm hole jumps."

"I told you. I have Bolan-Crec technology."

"That gets funnier every time I hear it."

"I' going to need to be paid in regular currency."

"I can only pay you in Leafson Ableson Credits. And I am not able to tell you why."

"There is a lot about this job that doesn't smell right."

"Please just finish the job Sillan. Don't forget about your perfect record. You wouldn't want to lose your perfect record. I will try to protect you from the consequences of what happened on Old Casadisius. You might have to suffer some larger repercussions; hopefully just in terms of reputation. I will pull as many strings as I can."

"Yeah whatever," Sillan said.

Jenen was about to say something else (that looked important); but Sillan had already switched off the video display. Sillan stood up and gazed around his relaxation room. He was in a good place in terms of decorating it, and it was starting to look the way he hoped it would. However, he was getting "a little too comfortable" with the Alentian cruiser, in his own opinion. The last thing he wanted to do was get attached to his "back up ship," when the real one would be returned to him in the near future.

He started to worry about Kevin all alone in Spaceship Ksenia's control room.

"He's probably still in a state of shock and disbelief...," Sillan mused.

"Taking a resident from a level zero technology planet...FEn EL ENEN!"

"This mission has already started out as a giant mess..."

"They are going to export me..."

"No point in worrying now..."

"Maybe I could take Kevin to the Manufactured Solar System Regions...I could take him to the Johnny Hero Pleasure City? That would cheer him up..."

"No...no time for that. What am I thinking...that's a terrible place."

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Sillan found Kevin sitting in the second control room chair, near Sillan's pilot chair. Kevin was gazing up through the large, nano-fortified, indestructible polyhedron window. He was watching the myriad objects that formed the Oort Cloud come into full view. They ship had merged with the Oort Cloud's edges now, and a full array of space objects were visible. The endless, dark blue glow of interstellar space could be seen radiating in Kevin's eyes.

The Lunerian word for a level zero technology planet citizen experiencing this was "Han EN ALLL."

"Should we be worried about any of these things hitting us?" Kevin asked, referring to a group of passing comets.

"Those things are actually thousands of miles away," Sillan explained. "Stuff just looks close because of how incredibly fast we, and the rest of the universe, is moving. The likelihood of anything having the correct trajectory to actually collide with us is astronomically low. And, any other small space objects we pass through will be instantly dissolved by the ships shield."

Kevin didn't say anything; he continued to resonate with the greater universe he had just been thrust into.

Sillan went to the ships main control panel to double check, and smooth out any last calculations, before their next wormhole jump.

"We are going to make a worm hole jump soon," Sillan said. "And after that we will utilize light speed travel before we reach the second jump. And after that we will reach the Illawayan."

"What is up with your facial tattoos?" Kevin asked.

"El ENA! They are Lunerian. You know it's rude to ask about them."

"And....?" Kevin asked, rotating away from space and facing Sillan.

Sillan could have sworn Kevin looked like a pilot for a moment.

"They are Lunerian DNA Integrated Nano-technology. I was fortified with them while I was in gestation. They began to emerge when I was about thirty seven years old."

"How old are you now?"

"I am seven hundred and fifty two years old. Wait...no. I am seven hundred and fifty three."

"That's amazing."

"Yes, things are different once you leave your little planet's atmosphere."

"What do they do?"

"Just about anything you would want. They help my brain process things at an exceptional rate. I can also see just about any spectrum of light and radiation. There are some psychic benefits as well. It's actually quite mystical sometimes. To be honest, DNA Integrated Nano-Technology is as misunderstood as it is advanced. A lot of people have lost their lives trying to become geniuses by upgrading themselves with it. Besides Lunerians and the scientists of The Illawayan; there aren't a lot of people who can utilize it properly and safely."

"Can't we just light speed travel all the way to the center of the galaxy?" Kevin asked.

"This is turning into another Q and A Se-

Sillan was immediately interrupted by Spaceship Ksenia shaking violently.

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Kevin went flying out of his chair and onto the cold, nano-carbon floor of the control room. The ship continued to shake violently as it wobbled through space. A series of piercing alarms went off for a moment, and then subsided. The ships onboard A.I system started notifying both of them to what was happening.

"We appear to be under attack," the A.I. calmly notified Sillan and Kevin.

The A.I. on screen had a digital representation that reminded Kevin of the computer graphics of early 1990's Earth.

"Who is attacking us!" Sillan yelled. "No one is scheduled to be in this region of space!"

The A.I. did not need to answer; as Sillan's video display was suddenly accosted by an invasive and unwanted message.

"Hello Sillan!" Said a nefarious looking man with red hair.

Kevin guessed the man was about twenty three; but who knew what that meant in the greater galaxy.

"I don't have time for this Galawan!" Sillan insisted. "Please take the next wormhole away from us."

"It's time to pay for your crimes Sillan!!!" The man with red hair insisted, with a terrifying look of conviction. "For real this time!"

"I told you Galawan! I didn't do anything to your people. The Ishmaru are responsible for what happened. Please stop harassing me!"

Kevin could tell "stop harassing me" had hit a serious nerve with the assailant. His rage only seemed to be strengthened.

Sillan slapped his hand on his head in frustration.

"When does it end with this guy!" Sillan protested to himself. "En ELL Wann!"

"Who is this dude?" Kevin asked. "He looks weird. Does he dye his hair?"

"He is a deeply misguided individual," Sillan explained, rotating around to talk to Kevin. "He thinks I killed all his...uh...masters. It's a ridic-

Another blast from Galawan's weapons collided with Spaceship Ksenia's powerful shield. Galawan laughed in an overly optimistic triumph.

"What the Van DELLL are you using for lasers?" Sillan asked. "It looks like you are shooting us with old stellx crystals?"

"Yeah why are your lasers brown dude!" Kevin added.

"I WON'T BE MOCKED!!!" Galawan yelled back through his end of the pirate video call. "You will pay for my suffering."

"He'll pay for...your suffering?" Kevin replied.

"Look Galawan," Sillan tried to reason. "I am under direct employ of The Vend right now. Based on article 147.2 of Galactic Law, and the Fanyen Treaty, you are now committing direct treason against The Federation. Stop attacking us, or face serious legal repercussions."

"Pshh!" Galawan said from the other end of the call. "The Federation will be dust any day now."

"Why did he just say that?" Kevin asked.

Sillan walked slowly over to the other side of the control room; next to another control panel Kevin hadn't noticed before. He continued to try to reason with Galawan. Kevin could tell Sillan was trying to distract him.

"Galawan, if you want to, you can come onboard Spaceship Ksenia...and we can just work this out an-

"Psshhh!! Spaceship Ksenia! That's what you are calling that Alentian slop job? What happened to The Radnarand...Sillan? Did you lose favor with the gods?"

"What is he talking about?!" Kevin asked.

"I could destroy you right now!" Galawan insisted. "I've upgraded my ship with unregistered hyper lasers as well. You'd be surprised what you can buy on the outer edges of the Manufactured Solar Systems."

Sillan didn't respond and continued to operate his instruments off screen from the video call.

"Prepare to die!" Galawan continued.

"Sillan?!" Kevin asked. "What are we supposed to do?"

Galawan let out a series of deranged and menacing laughs as he continued to brag about his ships power.

"I've named my ship 'Thantalogos," Galawan said. "As a testament to my quest for your destruction."

"That's not the right word for that," Kevin said.

Sillan continued to not speak, and operated the out of view control panel. He looked like he felt truly sorry for Galawan. Kevin watched as the lasers mounted under Galawan's ship began to charge up what looked like a powerful blast.

"Sillan!" Kevin yelled.

In a fit of adrenaline and desperation, Kevin tightened his leather jacket close to his chest, and then started hitting random buttons on Spaceship Ksenia's control panel.

"Don't to that!!!" Sillan yelled.

"Prepare to become one with the void of space!" Galawan yelled. His deranged face came in vividly clear through the video call.

Kevin hit the controls randomly three more times before he stopped. Spaceship Ksenia's systems became activated on a variety of random channels. A large, laser guided, carbon nano-tube net was fired from the rear exterior of the ship. Which, amazingly, landed on Thantalogos and obstructed Galawan's view. A series of flares were also launched, causing them to spin wildly around the two space ships, and then explode like fireworks in the vacuum of space. Half of Sillan's food supply, his emergency rations, and a collection of magazines from The Federation's home world "Planet Enlo," were also jettisoned. Although his spaceship was now confined to a giant net, Galawan continued to laugh with presumed victory.

"HaHA HA HA HA!" Galawan gloated. "How ridiculous."

"I have Bolan-Crec technology!" Sillan stated. "You can't stop me!"

"That joke gets funnier every time!"

"Good bye."

Sillan laughed to himself. His facial tattoos resonated as he did his final series of calculations.

"Until next time, Galawan," he said to himself.

Kevin turned ninety degrees to Sillan, his heart was pounding. He was intensely embarrassed and also confused by what had just happened. A vivid and profound warping and shifting of space, brought on by worm-hole travel, had gone in to effect. Kevin watched in amazement as the very fabric of existence curved into a seemingly endless tunnel. They immediately went beyond the Oort Cloud and into the greater universe.