13:00 IST, Eleventh day, Eighth month, 3078 PV | Alpha Centauri System / Clak battleship / Officer's lounge
"Reviewing the data we currently have, we have locations of the representatives for four species; the Itokin, Arkan, Pota, and Velz.
However, given the fact that we seem to be very short on resources and knowledge, it would make sense to meet with those that have the most knowledge available. I propose we first visit Itokin."
"Sounds logical, I'm not the best with this long term planning stuff, so I trust your opinions. Just tell me who we need to seduce or fight against and it'll be done."
"Well, to be fair, I am technically the admiral of this ship. So I suppose it makes sense if I manage most of our travel itinerary."
I say this, a perfectly logical statement. However, I am currently in a position that any well respected admiral would not be caught dead in. I am reclining very lazily on a very gaudy couch.
On the seat across from me sits Ray, she is in a much more respectable sitting position. She looks very magnificent in her new Captain's outfit. The outfit is, of course, silver. However, it has a large purple and silver crescent moon emblem on the chest.
I have a similar outfit, but in purple. Now, I kinda forgot to mention what is up with the crescent moon thing. Well, in short, it is a meaningful symbol to the both of us. We have chosen it as a representation of our alliance. We plan to eventually have it painted on the outside of our allied fleet ships to show our presence.
Now that we have confirmed our plans going forward, I make my way onto the bridge in order to set our destination. While I technically could initiate it from anywhere on the ship, doing it from the bridge feels more cool. Of course, feeling cool is more important than efficiency.
I run into Beck on the bridge, she is sitting synced into the ship on her fancy pilots chair. In similar fashion, I take a seat in my own chair, specially assigned for the Admiral. Ray enters the bridge shortly after and takes her own seat to my right, with Beck to my left.
I sync into the ship and give a shipwide announcement. "Attention all persons on board this ship.
Our next destination has been decided. We shall be heading to the Itokin system known as Kalvax within the milky way galaxy. We shall be unmooring and heading to the edge of the system within a few minutes.
Estimated time to hyperspace acceleration is twenty minutes. Please ensure all things are secured and the crew is ready for acceleration. We are expected to be in hyperspace for about two days.
By the way, I would love feedback on my speech skills, please submit a one page report by the time we reach our destination."
I can hear an audible sigh from the crew on the bridge in my last sentence. Oh well, I said I would work them hard, improving my social skills is very important. Now that I have warned the crew, I input the coordinates contained within the Itokin orb. We begin the unmooring process and begin accelerating towards the edge of the solar system.
By the way, hyperspace drives will refuse to engage while within significant gravitational influence. This is because the space-folding would interfere with the nearby star system and create a stellar disaster. This means that we must exit the star system before accelerating into hyperspace.
I watch through the high-quality cameras as we start to move away from the IEC Megastation. Which has been the only alien place we have known thus far. We are in a quite large, highly advanced alien spaceship. About to embark on a voyage drastically further than any human craft has ever reached.
For reference, Alpha Centauri is around four lightyears away from Sol. Kalvax is about twenty thousand lightyears away. Even with a ship travelling at four million times lightspeed, it will take us two days of transit time. The universe sure is a place of inconceivable scale.
The visibility of the trinary stars slowly fades as we move farther away. Within mere minutes they become small dots.
Cal:"Attention dear passengers, The Clak has now exited the Alpha Centauri system. Hyperspace drives are now engaging, estimated charge time is nine minutes."
Oh yeah, another thing that I've learned about hyperspace drives. Larger hyperspace drives actually take time to charge up. This time is unnoticeable on cruiser scale drives. But for the massive one aboard this battleship, it takes nearly ten minutes.
As the drive charges up, I start to feel that strange sense of vertigo, even before we accelerate. I also look out in front of the ship. It appears as though there is some kind of vortex forming and space looks very funny around it.
As the charge up time passes, the vortex gradually surrounds the battleship. I suppose this is also a quirk of hyperspace drives that is only noticeable as they get larger. After all, it's not as if we are simply moving faster. The drives are folding spacetime several times over in order for us to effectively travel that fast.
This is where hyperspace has gotten its name from. Rather than simply being a convenient term, it is theorized to actually be a strange hyperdimension. Still connected and existing in the normal plane of reality however.
When people say accelerate to hyperspace, it is more like we are encasing ourselves in a bubble of folded spacetime. This concept has fascinated me even further. I can't wait to learn even more.
"Attention passengers, hyperspace drive charging will complete in thirty seconds. Please brace yourself as the effects may cause significantly disorientation to those unused to the experience."
Taking Cal's warning, both Ray and I tightly grip our seats.
Thirty seconds later, it happens. It feels as though my entire body is being stretched and folded over upon itself. My mind feels as though it is both infinitely expanding and a singularity. This feeling only lasts a few moments, but it is immensely disorienting.
It takes Ray and I nearly fifteen minutes to come back to our full faculties. Beck seems to have been only minorly convinced, owed to her training at the pilots academy.
I suppose this is what the vertigo we felt on the cruisers truly is. They were merely a small folding, paltry in comparison to what this ship is capable of.
After both Ray and I are fully functioning again, I make another ship announcement.
"Attention Crew, this is Admiral Kovon. We have successfully entered hyperspace and are now traveling towards the Kalvax system.
We are expected to arrive at 18:00 IST on the thirteenth day of the eleventh month.
Please perform post-hyperspace maintenance and ensure that the hyperspace drive stays in tip-top shape.
Don't forget that a report about my speech quality is due before we arrive. In good news, I am ordering a feast to be prepared for tonight to celebrate our first voyage as a crew."
At my last words this time, there are cheers from those amongst the bridge crew. Ray also looks at me with happiness and mumbles under her breath (but thanks to the augmentation kit I can hear it), "Oh great, delicious food. I haven't given control of this ship to a complete monster."
"Hmm, so delicious food is the way to win you over. I shall keep that in mind should you ever be upset in the future."
"Oi, don't think you can manipulate me with food. I'm not that weak willed. Although I could surely go for a good bowl of algae ramen. I haven't had any since leaving Mars."
"I'll talk to the chef, maybe they can work some Potaian cooking magic to make something similar."
"My saviour. No wait, you can't just manipulate me with food. I just told you this."
"Well, whatever you say Mrs. Genius prodigy with an appetite."
"You can't just keep expanding my nickname. It will eventually grow too long."
"Well then how about Mrs. GPA who doesn't like long nicknames so I have used an acronym to shorten it? That should work."
"Cant you just call me glutton or smarty pants like a normal person would?"
"Well, it's pretty sure half the reason you tolerate my worthless piece of trash is because I'm not normal."
"Well, if you're just going to insult yourself, I'll stick with Mrs. Genius prodigy with an appetite instead."
"Sure, if that's what you desire most. I suppose I should take some cooking lessons, it can't hurt if that's your weak spot."
"You're impossible. Wouldn't it be more efficient to just ensure that I'm not upset in the first place?"
"Well, one way to do that would be to constantly feed you a stream of delicious food, no?"
"*Sigh*, I guess I can't win against you in this one. Fine, if you can find me a decent substitute for algae ramen, I'll concede that I have a weakness for food."
"Alright, I'll get right on that."
With her permission to initiate my plan for peace, I leave the bridge and head for the kitchen. I then meet with the chef and he says that he should be able to work something out. I am also given a couple cooking tips, which I can't wait to use.
After my trip to the mess hall, I head to the observation deck near the top of the ship. It is a large area with a transparent skydome (the walls too). Of course, it is not really the exterior (for armor and safety reasons), but a projection of what would be seen. Oh, and there is an olympic size swimming pool. I think its actual function is as a water cistern, but it was opened up and turned into a cozy place to relax.
As I walk around the outside of the pool, I look up at the brilliant 'sky'. It is filled with a glittering assortment of stars. It is far more beautiful than any such thing I have seen before. I watch as the stars pass us by, countless stars that could form complex constellations never seen by humanity.
While it is easy to say, space is big. It's unimaginably massive. Or there are trillions of stars in billions of galaxies. These simple words are far too insignificant to capture such a beautiful sight.
The most talented painters in human history would probably have immense difficulty painting this scene. A lone boy, barely an adult even. In a formal Admiral's uniform. Standing next to a large pool that is reflecting stars from all directions. Stars that are so numerous that it is beautiful just to think about.
As he stares up at the sky, a strange loneliness is seen in his eyes. Almost as if he is imagining how much space truly separates us all, even if we are but a mere click away by a communicator. The countless lives that could be living on worlds that orbit those stars. The inconceivable discoveries are just waiting to be unearthed.
Each star contains immense potential, and yet there are so many. And they are so far apart that they can barely be seen by the other. Even though they are screaming their presence from nuclear-fusion fueled furnaces.
I sit down on the edge of the pool. I retract my boots and let my feet sploosh around in the star-filled water. I reflect on all of my time spent in this universe. From my early days in elementary school where I met Ray. To my more recent days as a worthless NEET. I even explore my current present, as the Admiral of this massive vessel that carries fourteen souls aboard it.
It is with these images in my head that I look up to the sky. I think this moment is when I gain a bit of insight of what it means to be a genius. To be surrounded by all these stars, yet still feel alone. Isolated, yet likely shining far brighter than any other.
With capabilities and size far surpassing those of my neighbors. Myself as a large star would clear a massive area around me where nothing but the few closest to me could reside. As well as a few insects that only seek me temporarily and occasionally for my great power out of self-interest.
I suppose one of the components of being a genius must include some degree of loneliness. In order to become great, you will naturally create distance between you and the greater portion of people.
As I continue my journeys, I hope I can explore this word further, genius. What does it truly mean? Why is it something we can instinctively recognize yet fail to define? What is it that truly makes geniuses any more special or different than others? Perhaps it is a question that only the universe itself can answer.
Well, guess what. I'll just have to explore the universe and uncover this mystery for myself. So, bring it on universe, I'm ready for your challenge and I will meet you head on.
End of Chapter 11
A/N: why hello there dear reader. It is the author of this fiction once again here to ramble about stuff you probably don't care much about. I hope you're enjoying the story up to this point. I can promise that there are some very interesting developments to come, so stay tuned.
As always, if you're enjoying it, leaving a like/comment/favourite/review/or just a fun joke is much appreciated. Until next time, dear reader.
Cathrix