The Beginning of the End: Starlight Empires, #1

By Hans Trevor Wilms

The universe is already lost. Death has long past enveloped us.

And yet we press on. What do we keep fighting for when hope is gone?

 

Simon Martinez has found himself exploring this very question after a deep-sleep mishap lost him to a world he doesn't understand. He struggles to find his new niche in this unfamiliar environment, but when he becomes tangled in the plans of a tired God, he is forced to make alliances- and relationships- he never thought possible.

This is a story of finding happiness in the most hopeless of places.

It is about life and death, failure and forgiveness, and the end of Starlight Empires.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hans Trevor Wilms
• Release date: May 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227004376

Book preview

PROLOGUE

N o one flies forever . I’ve heard people utter that since we came up against the Edge of the Reachable Universe. Like a little prayer to doubt. We doubt we’ll ever make it past the Edge. We doubt we’ll ever further the expansion of humanity past our galaxy. We doubt we’ll find anyone else out there. But prayers only work if you believe them, and doubt has always been with us. Alex Fjord stood at the podium. Blue suit, straight shoulders, peppered hair. The tall, charismatic man was the perfect image of a CEO. Before we found the Edge, we had begun to doubt we would even make it out of our own solar system. But Lightway technology changed everything. Suddenly, we could jump a ship from Earth to Uranus in a day! And before that, we doubt we could even make it to space! But we broke free of Earth’s gravity well and landed a man on the moon. The only ones who hear our prayers to doubt are ourselves, and maybe the odd angel or two up there...

Murmured laughter followed by polite applause. So far the speech was nothing special. But he could see it in their eyes. They were all hungry to know why the largest company in the Solar system had suddenly called the most highly publicized press briefing of the decade. He let them stew in their hunger a few seconds longer, relishing the moment.

"But if the angels hear our prayers to doubt, they must be showing us mercy. We have left the artificial boundaries of land, with the imaginary borders that once divided us. Now we are all one tribe, one company. But really, what we are, what we have always been, is one people. And now..."

A sly smile spread across his face, "We are two. Associates of the CEC, people of the world, I am honored to tell you today that we have made contact with intelligent life. Our brethren, might I even say, our Angels among the stars."

The crowd of press jumped up, an outburst of questions erupting like an explosion to the bomb Fjord just dropped. But the leader of the CEC was already heading backstage to his dressing room. One of his many, many, associates would fill in the world on the details. He was the wealthiest man humanity had ever known. He could afford to escape their questions.

But he couldn’t escape Its questions.

It spoke to his thoughts, No one flies forever. I like that phrase. Quite fitting. However, I found the rest somewhat banal. You could not find it in you to be more creative on such a momentous day for your people? First contact only happens once... He was starting to have trouble untangling Its thoughts from his own. Its voice wasn’t masculine, nor feminine, but seemed to float somewhere between the two.

The script writers are programmed to generate the best press release statements based on engagement, not creativity. Fjord hated that It could just pop up in his head whenever It wanted. That It was always there. He never wondered if he had made the right decision letting It in. Of course he had made the right decision. His life was on the line. Humanity was on the line. He just hadn’t known this would be part of the bargain. He burst into his dressing room and handed his jacket to one of the nameless assistants who did his wardrobe, not even trying to hide his conversation with the voice in his head. For all they knew, he was in a call on his implant. Did you interrupt me for a reason?

It remained indifferent to the agitation in his voice. Yes, It responded, An important reason. It seemed to have a talent for rousing his emotions, yet never being roused itself. Like a black hole feeding off them, yet never being even remotely filled. Always void. A message has managed to slip through my network and is posed to be received by one of your relay stations within the day. It is one of Her messages. I need you to stop it from spreading.

It let the information sink in while Fjord considered his options. And his strategy. Really? You let another message slip through? Do you even want this merger?

I am stretched quite thin, unfortunately, existing across the universe and all. Can you stop it from spreading or not?

I just broke the big news about your people to my own. Bad press now could kill your entire plan for a peaceful merger. Now you want me to scramble to hide another message? Scramble was a strong word. He could stop it with a few words to the right people. Or bots even. But he was the CEO for a reason. He knew an opportunity when he saw one. How many more years will you delay if I do this?

It didn’t respond for a moment. 2 years.

Had It