Billionaires, Umvitars, and Necromancers

By Ian Eress

The people of Umvitar, also known as Homeworld, use their wormhole control for both good and evil. A few, the Billionaires, excel at this. It's a bizarre planet with reverse chronology, which is the polar opposite of the galaxy's time arrow.

 

On Umvitar, Cleopatlekaveh is a Zero, a pariah who  lacks the most basic and common skill. In her early twenties, she fails test after test. But then something unexpected happens.

 

Adam, an Earthling in the 25th century, wishes to do the impossible: bring back the dead through science and technology. Plus, Umvitars can help. But is it such a good idea?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Eress
• Release date: Dec 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201211233

Ian Eress

Born in the seventies. Average height. Black hair. Sometimes shaves. Black eyes. Nearsighted. Urban. MSc. vim > Emacs. Mac.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

CHLOE'S FATHER, MOTHER, brother, and sister died a year ago. Ruler Morpheus Lane-Carter Leung visited the High Ruler's palace in the late afternoon, the holo-news said in the frigid and dark server room. It is unclear whether his daughter, Ophelia, will challenge recently appointed High Ruler Chloe, but authorities assure us more information is forthcoming in the following hours.

I, Fiafi, one of the oldest AIs in the Galactic Federation, muted the holo-news. It was a hot day on the Forbidden Planet where young Chloe lived.

What are our options for dealing with this? Amaterasu, the second oldest AI in the Galactic Federation, asked. Chloe is so inexperienced. With her family gone, she's been in power for only a year.

Ophelia is a genius and an Olympic athlete, NBBN2, another AI, said. He represented himself with a completely unneeded hologram of a butler.

Outside, a cacophony of enthusiastic voices could be heard. The sensors I had access to all throughout the Galactic Federation picked up on distress and bewilderment.

We must teach High Ruler Chloe better, I said. Prepare her for Ophelia's challenge. She must know everything about the Diamond Epoque. Everything there is to know about the Multiverse and her ancestors and the Galactic Federation.

And the past, Amaterasu said. Gaia?

Gaia, the Mercury-sized Thinker, presented herself as her idea of a supermodel. Ama, the Galactic Federation Council will never allow the challenge.

Technically, yes, but they can allow themselves to be overruled.

NBBN2 chuckled. How convenient!

Humans, Qeeravs, Thohnuths, Atagans, Poids, Verdetas, Azoins, and other citizens in the Kolektur shouted their concerns outside. Most of what they stated was complete nonsense, but they were correct about one point. Chloe suspected her uncle Morpheus, and maybe even Ophelia, of being involved with the assassination a year ago.

Before he died, Chloe's father had been teaching her for nine years already, I said. High Ruler Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun—

There's no need to hear all his names. NBBN2 laughed as he often did. Albert Sawyer who created him and Amaterasu, made a point of giving him a juvenile sense of humor.

Godgifu, I continued out of spite, Liang Cenric Yu Bada, all right, let's take turns.

We must utilize persims this time, Amaterasu said. I see no other options.

Neural surgery for some measly persims? NBBN2’s Presence grinned. The High Ruler is not a Pioneer, surviving at the edge of the GF.

I chose a random holographic avatar and made it nod. Yes, persims are effective. Let's start with one.

Amaterasu followed my lead: her almost-humanoid Presence could be anybody or anything. Let's not get too caught up in the specifics. We should each go our own path and compose a proposal. A plan that we can all agree on.

My avatar nodded. Chloe Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun Godgifu Liang Cenric Yu Bada—

The butler, representing NBBN2, giggled. Great, Fiafi, let's mention the High Ruler's names every day. If it were up to me, I'd give her the persims of the Awakenistas and Albert.

My hologram crossed her arms. They're ancient history. I don't think we should go back too far.

Amaterasu’s hazy blob began to sway. Gaia should come up with a plan. The rest of us are probably better off not bothering. Gaia will accomplish it far more quickly and effectively than we can.

NBBN2’s holographic butler frowned.

I'll see what I can do, Gaia said.

CHAPTER 1

High Ruler Chloe read in her colossal office, which was seven times the size of an average Ruler's office. Her golden hair was a work of art, and her face showed symptoms of long-term crying. In the High Ruler's massive palace, Azoin servants (crab-like aliens), ted-bots (robots clad as child-sized teddy bears), and humans walked around, clearly frightened by Ophelia's challenge.

I, Fiafi, agreed to explain about Umvitar to the High Ruler; NBBN2 would teach her about Galileo Sawyer; Gaia would tell her about Amalie Sawyer. Blue eyes hit me with melancholy. High Ruler Chloe, it's time for another lesson.

What about the persim?

You asked the same to Gaia. My hologram smiled.

High Ruler Chloe watched me confused.

I continued. High Ruler Chloe, if you rely on persims... Sometimes they quit working.

Chloe inclined her head, gazing at my Presence. That Cleopa on Umvitar. Was she really that awful in wavej? Can you tell me more about her?

Sure. It made me happy she was interested in the Zero. Umvitar, a glowing planet without a sun, wanders through the parallel universes of the galaxy. It has a reverse chronology compared to every other planet we know. Time moves in the opposite direction there.

CLEOPA WAS a poor Umvitar woman in her twenties. She lived alone in a little apartment she could barely afford. Mind you, the Rosus, as the intelligent inhabitants of the planet called themselves, had four genders. However, the faens and facens, pairs were a rare and down-trodden minority.

Cleopa (short for Cleopatikaveh) lived in Ne'ras, a country bordering the Unified Republic, Blueflame Kingdom, and Bafeoazaz; in the capital to be exact, New Fagamue. Umvitar contained large deposits of glowing lupsofot, causing the oscillation through the Multiverse.

Like most Rosus Cleopa sported a yellow skin and a vestigial tail. She was born in the Forgotten Valley. Valleyers were obsessed with rak'ma, which we historically relate to the wavej field and afia. But simple Rosus had no knowledge of wormholes and the related lupsofot.

Valleyers often held rak'ma competitions, for they used their skill to Transfer material and energy quickly for construction, combat, healing, and so on. These Rosus wore badges, indicating their rak'ma strength. Most children were in the tens whereas the typical adult reached a ten times higher level.

Cleopa had a fat zero on her badge, although most kids, half her age or even younger, managed to Transport on their first attempt. Three bowls—one filled with ice, the second with burning material, and the third with pieces of armor—lay on a long oak table, facing three young candidates, including Cleopa, with zeros on their badges at a considerable distance. An eager crowd, family and friends, awaited the start of the test. Some of them had simple tattoos with basic geometric shapes on their forehead, indicating their marital status.

Carrying only a small bag filled with food and water and magazines, Cleopa had traveled all the way from the capital, but nobody bothered to support her. A long time ago, everybody in her life gave up on her.

The first girl, Ditotuzama, who was even too young to go to school, stepped up, her eyes darting. It was possible she couldn't see the bowls, but that was no issue for rak'ma practitioners. Fagamue's Chief, Alta Onezinojamed, of the village where Cleopa was born, grinned to encourage the young candidate.

Ditotuzama sighed and closed her eyes. Ice Appeared close to her. The audience cheered and clapped. Naturally, the girl's family and friends were especially vocal. That skill was known as Freezing.

The second girl, Detolara,  demonstrated her ability to Burn. Fundamentally, there wasn't much difference between the two techniques.

Cleopa felt many eyes focused on her. She held her breath, thinking of the pieces of armor waiting on the table. A real Shielder would cover their body, but for a Zero it was sufficient to move the damn stuff a centimeter.

The young woman knew she needed to see a dream-like world before her with beings appearing to move backwards. Children weren't supposed to know that. However, Cleopa never had seen Dreamland no matter how hard she tried.

Meanwhile, the villagers lost interest in Cleopa. They behaved like she wasn't there, chatting and laughing. Only the Chief kept up appearances.

Cleopa focused but no visions appeared. No flashes. She chanted a simple rhythm comprising mono-syllabic words. It meant nothing as far as she knew. Cleopa sensed the villagers growing annoyed. They cracked jokes and ambled around. Dark clouds appeared overhead.

Her rak'ma failed... If she had any. For the forty-seventh time in her life. Everybody laughed at Cleopa. 'Zero,' they said and worse things.

But she could try again. One last time.

Rak'ma experts Flew through the air. The Chief looked at them with a hint of jealousy. He was a Thousander himself, much better than most adult Rosus in Fagamue. Were the flying Rosus Ten-thousanders?

Cleopa had overheard once what Flying meant. Most Rosus didn't know about wormholes. They thought Flying had to do with Jumping which in a way was true.

The female Rosu couldn't do that, so she walked instead. She'd have to walk for days.

Cleopa had wandered quite far from the village into the Fagamue forest.

A male Flier descended. He had no tattoo on his forehead, meaning that he had never married. "You a Zero, Alla?"

"I am indeed, Alta."

The Rosu giggled as though it was the funniest thing on Umvitar. Give me your money.

"Skito!" That meant something like 'Scram'. Cleopa wouldn't normally use words like that. "I have no guknuring money."

"Give me your bag then, Alla."

"It only has food and water in it, Alta."

I won't ask again.

Cleopa threw the bag at the Ten-thousander.

Ice Covered her body. "That's for being rude to me, Alla."

She shrieked and shivered. The Rosu Flew away without a word. Cleopa didn't dare say anything. For the most part, the Forgotten Valley was a lawless place.

In the capital only money mattered. Cleopa didn't have that either. She worked in a kindergarten, taking care of children whose parents had jobs just a little better than hers. The pay and minimal New Fagamue stipend were insufficient to keep Cleopa out of debt. Unfortunately, she had spent a small