Faster Than Light: Babel Among the Stars

2.

TheHeilmann Drive was broken. Or if it wasn’t broken, it never reallyworked right at all.

Intheory, the Heilmann Drive was a simple device. It operated byfolding three dimensional space into a two dimensional envelope. Astarship could then move across the folded space, immediately unfoldit, and leap across it to any point in the galaxy. The matter withinthe envelope was compressed and fused to provide the massive amountof energy required to power the drive.

Apparentlyit wasn’t that simple. The Heilmann Drive was doing somethingelse. It was wearing down the fabric of reality, causing it to warpand distort. Almost all of the pundits used the same metaphor todescribe what was happening: it was like stretching a rubber band toomany times. Reality itself was losing its elasticity.

Thisdanger wasn’t just theoretical. It was already happening. Thefirst news reports were accompanied with video taken on one of thespace stations near the largest trade route between Earth andGammaron. Everything aboard the station was slightly distorted andwarped. Everything seemed to curve and undulate. The air shimmeredas if it was somehow fragile. Light no longer traveled in a straightline, instead wavering and curving even in the vacuum of space. Timepassed slower in some rooms of the station and faster in others.

Whatdid this mean? No one knew. Not yet. It was too strange, tooinconceivable. No one understood how to measure the warping effect. It didn’t seem to affect anything except perception. It did notdamage the space station and it did not hurt its occupants. Matterwithin the warp remained the same as ever. It affected somethingbeyond matter, something deeper that puzzled even the most prominentphysicists in the PIR.

Mostimportantly, the warping effect was not unique to the trade routebetween Earth and Gammaron. Preliminary studies showed that similareffects appeared along all the major trade routes in the galaxy. Thereality of the situation was clear. The warps were caused by theHeilmann Drive. It was somehow damaging the fabric of space-time,wearing away at the foundations of the universe.

Ina matter of hours, the PIR halted all Heilmann Leaps across thewarped routes. They redirected starships through lesser-usedpathways. But this was only a temporary solution. Now a tripbetween Earth and Gammaron took two Heilmann Leaps instead of one. If the leaps were creating the warps, this would only exacerbate theproblem in the long term.

Noone knew what would happen if the warping continued. Could continueduse of the Heilmann drive wear down space-time to a breaking point? What would happen then? What would that even mean?

Therewas no way to know, and no one wanted to find out. When everyHeilmann Leap could mean the end of the galaxy, there was only onesolution. The leaps had to stop.

*

Sethsat alone at the bar, running his finger around the rim of his glass. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there or how many drinks hehad. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered any more. If he wasn’tabsolutely sure that the Republic doctors would pump his stomach, hewould have continued drinking until he passed out.

Everythingwas over. All of his dreams were dashed to pieces and he wasn’teven sure how it happened. He’d watched all the news reports. He’d heard all the theories. He’d listened to the scientists. They said that the fabric of reality was at risk.

Sethwasn’t worried about reality. Reality had a way of survivingagainst all odds. Instead, Seth feared the response to thesescientific findings. Already, the Republic had formed a commissionto explore the possibility of phasing out the Heilmann Drive. Thatdidn’t just mean the end of one particular piece of technology. That meant the end of faster-than-light travel altogether.

Everyplanet in the galaxy would be cut off. They would all becomeisolated and would have to become self-sufficient. The idea seemedridiculous to Seth. It was impossible. So many planets dependedupon interstellar trade that there was no way they could survivewithout it.

Butthe Republic was seriously considering it. And there was vast publicsupport for it. Everyone in the Republic was so afraid. They werecowards who preferred to run away from the problem of folding spacerather than fight it.

“What’sgot you down?” a woman asked.

Sethlooked behind him and found Willa Green, one of his classmates atRSIR. She was almost a foot taller than Seth and probably weighedtwice as much as him. Despite that, she was one of his moreattractive peers. People on Earth, in general, were over-fed andunder-motivated. Many of them made it worse by becoming insufferableslobs. At the very least, Willa made some effort to be presentablein public, brushing her wavy brown hair and keeping her black uniformclean.

“Whatdo you think has me down? The end of human progress.”

Willasat down at the bar next to him. “You’re overreacting.”

Seth’seyes went wide. “No! No, I’m not! The Republic has spent thelast millennium keeping us from our potential and now they’vefigured out how to actually shove us back into the dark ages. Bravo!” Seth clapped his hands together and began to applaud.

“Careful,”Willa said. “I might have to report language like that.” Shewas one of the first people Seth successfully enlightened about thesecret riders to PIR funding bills.

“Goright ahead,” Seth replied. “I don’t care anymore. The PIRhas plenty of documentation on me and my opinions. It’s only amatter of time before I’m blamed for the next terrorist attack.”

Willaleaned closer to him, lowering her voice to a whisper. “You knowthey don’t really do that, right? They’re not the monsters youthink they are.”

“They’regoing to take the stars away from us,” Seth said, his voiceslurring as he almost tripped over the words. “Don’t defendthem.”

“Youshould take a break,” Willa told him. She grabbed his glass andpulled it away just as he was about to take another drink. “Besides,I have something better for you. This will really get your mind offof this whole Heilmann Drive mess.”

Shereached into her purse and pulled out a small plastic bag. Inside,were two brown colored gelatin capsules. Willa held them up to thelight and Seth could see the intricate circuitry inside.

Thepills weren’t drugs. They were tiny digestible electronic devicescalled Gnostins. Once swallowed, they began sending electricalpulses through the nervous system that stimulated the visual,auditory, and pleasure centers of the brain. They could betailor-made to create specific lifelike hallucinations that lastedfor approximately one hour, until the capsules were broken down inthe stomach.

“Idon’t take those,” Seth said, waving them away. “That’s notthe kind of escape I’m looking for.” Then he grabbed his glassaway from her and took another sip.

Willacrossed her arms. “Oh, but you’re fine drinking yourself into arims-damned stupor.”

Sethheld up his glass. “This is real. This isn’t just in my head.” He sighed. “Who am I kidding? You wouldn’t understand. You’rejust like all the others. You’re just like everyone.”

“What’sthat supposed to mean?”

“Lost,”Seth said. “You’re lost adrift among the stars. Everyone is. We don’t know where we’re going. We don’t even know where wewere. But don’t worry. Someday, I’ll show you the way. I’llshow everyone...”

Willalaughed. “Oh, and how are you going to do that?”

Suddenly,Seth looked up with an intensity he rarely showed to anyone. Hisslurring voice became focused and crystal clear. He pursed his lipsand replied:

“I’mgoing to bring down the Republic.”

Asilence fell across the bar. Willa stared at Seth, waiting as if sheexpected him to tell her it was just a joke. But it wasn’t a joke. Seth meant every word. It was something he’d thought about foryears, though it was the first time he’d been willing to say italoud.

ThePIR was broken. They did nothing but hold people back. They werethe reason no one ever developed a better faster-than-light engine. They were the reason no one ever explored the universe beyond thegalactic rim. They were the reason that everyone on Earth was abloated caricature of humanity.

“You...You can’t be serious.”

Sethsmiled. “Why do you think I enrolled in RSIR?” he asked her.

Heknew this was something everyone wondered about him. Typically, RSIRrecruits were incredibly patriotic. They were dedicated to spreadingthe values of the Republic across the galaxy. Not Seth. He justwanted the power that came with being a diplomat. In particular,diplomats were allowed to travel to any planet in the galaxy.

Therewere dozens of worlds out there that suffered because of theRepublic’s monopoly on space travel. They could be united. Theycould be motivated. All it would take is the right person... Sethwas sure he was that person.

“I’mnot comfortable talking about this,” Willa said immediately. “You’re my friend, Seth, so I’m going to pretend that none ofthis happened. But if you ever--”

Sethheld up his hand. “Don’t worry. It’s all meaningless now. The RSIR, my dreams, everything... They’ve decided thatfaster-than-light travel is unsafe. If we’re smart, we’ll allstart looking for new jobs.”

Willafurrowed her brow. “What are you trying to say? Do you reallythink they’ll ban the Heilmann Drive? That’s ridiculous.”

“Idon’t think they’ll do it. I know they will. It’s only amatter of time now.” He took one more drink, then decided thatmaybe it was time to stop. “After all, I’ve seen it before.”

*

WhenSeth Garland was five years old, his father lost his job. This was arather remarkable occurrence in the People’s Interstellar Republic. Most occupations were funded at least partially by the governmentand this gave employees far-reaching protection from termination. Areliable, punctual hard worker was never laid off, even if his jobhad become redundant.

JamesGarland, however, had the misfortune of being in the wrong professionat the wrong time. He was a licensed Sensory Stimulation Specialist,commonly referred to as a “stimmer”, who owned his own businessin the outskirts of New Incorporated Shanghai.

Stimmerswere artists and craftsmen who dealt in personalized dreams andmemories. They used advanced neural interfaces to create life-likeexperiences as an escape from the doldrums of modern life. James’sspecialty was tranquil recreations of pre-industrial Earth. Clientswould come into his office, take a mild tranquilizer, and he wouldtake them on a peaceful journey through life before the existence ofthe steam engine.

Veryfew stimmers were as skilled as James Garland. He considered himselfa master artist, a painter and musician who composed in the fragilemedium of fleeting neural impulses. He took great pride in his work,often describing the bucolic scenes he created over dinner. It boredSeth at the time, but he always listened patiently because he knew itmade his father happy.

Oneday, something changed. James didn’t come home happy. Instead, hewas worried. PIR security agents visited him at his storefront andasked him several questions about stimming. They wanted to know ifit could be used to implant memories into clients, or to brainwashthem into particular actions.

Accordingto James, dozens of other stimmers received similar visits from thePIR that day. None of them knew why the Republic was suddenly sointerested in their niche business. They’d never cared aboutstimming before. It was harmless.

Exceptthe PIR didn’t think it was harmless. A week after their visit toJames’s storefront, the High Council passed the Brain Integrity Actof 4173, banning Sensory Stimulation.

Theyclaimed that the Brain Integrity Act was a direct response to arecent freighter crash that killed fifty-one Republic citizens. Thecaptain of the freighter in question was a habitual client ofstimmers. One of his stimmers was apparently a well-known opponentof the PIR government who admitted, after interrogation, to plantingthe idea to destroy the freighter in his head.

Republicscientists recommended that anyone who wanted to experience tailoreddreams should use Gnostin pills instead. Gnostins employed similartechnology and created a similar effect. However, because they weremanufactured by the PIR, there was no danger that they could betampered with.

Ofcourse, Gnostins were mass-produced while stimmers worked on the flyto manipulate the neural pathways of their clients. It wasn’t thesame. Even Seth, who was only a child, knew that much. Stimming hadexisted for centuries. It was an art, a part of human culture, thatthe Republic had destroyed with one single vote.

JamesGarland was devastated. It wasn’t because he was out of work. Hisskills were still in demand and he was quickly offered a jobdesigning Gnostins. But that wasn’t what he wanted to do. He’dspent his life learning how to manipulate the gossamer connectionswithin the human mind. That was his art. That was his life. Andthey took it away from him.

TheGarland family considered moving to another world, but the Republicacted quickly to outlaw stimming everywhere they could reach. Theythreatened to discontinue the trade routes to any planet that stilllicensed stimmers. Before long, stimming was essentially bannedeverywhere in the galaxy. Meanwhile, far more abhorrent acts werestill allowed on the backwater planets without as much as a sterngaze from the PIR.

Seth’sfather fell into a deep depression. He didn’t make any efforts tofind another job. He didn’t want another job. Stimming was theonly thing he’d ever done, and he’d done it all his life. Soon,he began disappearing for days at a time. He never told his familywhere he went or what he was doing. Seth tried to ask him, but Jamestold him that it was for the best that he remain quiet.

Laterthat year, James Garland was arrested for violating the provisions ofthe Brain Integrity Act. He’d been performing sensory stimulationsin an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Incorporated NewShanghai. Because the BIA was amended into the Republic GalacticSecurity Edicts, the minimum punishment was ten years imprisonment. James was sent to the PIR incarceration center on Gammaron two weeksbefore Seth’s seventh birthday. Seth never saw him again.

*

“Thishas nothing to do with my father!” Seth yelled. Ten weeks after hedrunkenly proclaimed he would overthrow the Republic, he was finallysitting in one of their jails. But it wasn’t armed rebellion thatput him here. It was a dumb publicity stunt. And now he wasface-to-face with a commissar who dared to suggest that everything hebelieved in was caused by some minor childhood trauma.

PhaerAbsalom leaned in towards the energy field that separated the twomen. He held a tablet in his calloused hands, tapping it against hisoutstretched leg. “I’m just trying to understand how you couldhate the Republic so much. Don’t you realize how good you haveit?”

Sethgrimaced as he realized there was no way he could get to his feet. “In two months, I’m going to be stuck on Earth. You’re goingto be stuck on Earth. Everyone will be trapped just like us, onplanets across the galaxy. And just because a few bureaucrats arescared. That’s why I hate the Republic.”

Absalomshook his head. “Many people are angry about the SpatialPreservation Act. That is entirely understandable. This is astrange and frightening time for everyone. The galaxy is changing,and not for the better. But this is something that has to happen. Do not be angry with the Republic. They didn’t choose this.”

“Ofcourse they did!” Seth exclaimed.

“Iam not surprised you think that,” Absalom replied. “But that iswhy I think that your hate goes well beyond the Spatial PreservationAct.” He sighed and put the tablet down on the ground next to hischair. “I want to understand, Mr. Garland. By Aesu, I want tounderstand.”

Sethlaughed. His headache was starting to go away. He was getting hisstrength back. He almost felt good. Granted, he was trapped in ajail cell. But he always figured he’d end up in a Republic jaileventually. He was almost relieved to get it over with.

“You’llnever understand,” Seth said. “Just like I’ll ever understandwhy you love the Republic. We live in two different worlds, you andI.”

Absalomconsidered this for a moment. He looked around, as if he was makingsure that he was alone with Seth. Then he slowly stood up andgrabbed the back of his chair. He pushed it closer to the energyfield, sat back down, and spoke in a low voice:

“Ido not accept that,” he said. “You are a smart man. Top of yourclass at RSIR, right? Then I believe I can make youunderstand why I love the Republic.”

Sethdidn’t want to hear it. He’d heard so many speeches by so manypoliticians that he was sick of the inane rhetoric. Unfortunately,there was no way he could reach his ears to cover them. “I guess Idon’t have a choice, do I?”

Thecommissar shook his head and quickly began his story. “As you mayhave guessed when you heard my name, I was born on the planetVangelia,” he said.

Sethhad not figured as much, since there was very little immigrationbetween Vangelia and other worlds, but now it made sense. When achild was disowned by his father on Vangelia, he was forced to takethe surname ‘Absalom’. This let everyone know that he had beendisgraced in the eyes of his family and the church.

Vangeliawas one of the earliest settled worlds in the galaxy, establishedless than a decade after the invention of the Heilmann Drive. Whenhumanity spread to the stars, it began a grand age of science andreason on Earth. The mainstream religions of the time quickly fellinto disfavor among the public, who saw their tenants as outdated inthe face of an entire galaxy of habitable worlds.

Severalreligious groups chose to leave Earth rather than face discriminationand ridicule. They found planets where they could be alone andpractice their faith in peace. These far-off worlds became a newpromised land, the true homes of religions long established on Earth.

Anumber of fundementalist Christian churches selected Vangelia astheir new home. Millions of people traveled to Vangelia to start anew society where they could truly devote themselves to God. Withina few years, the planet was entirely self-sufficient. It was one ofthe most successful early colonies and many other planetarydevelopments would be patterned after it.

Almosttwo thousand years later, the insular nature of Vangelian society andtheir fervent orthodox devotion had warped their society into aterrifying theocracy. Its brand of Christianity no longer resembledthe peaceful religion still practiced on Earth. Vangelia was one ofthe few worlds where women still did not have equal protection underthe law. Children were considered the property of their parents. Heresy against clerical doctrine—which changed with each incomingclass of priests and ministers—was punishable by death.

“I’msorry about your planet,” Seth said. “But I don’t see whatthis has to do with the Republic.”

Absalomjust continued as if he didn’t even hear Seth. “When I wassixteen, my younger sister was married to one of the church elders. She was only eleven at the time. My parents were promised that wewould all transcend to a higher level of heaven in exchange for herhand.”

Sethcocked an eyebrow. “A higher level of heaven? There are levels ofheaven?” In all his time at RSIR, he’d yet to take a class onVangelian society. He didn’t quite understand what they believedand only had mainstream Christianity to compare it to.

“Thiswill go faster if you do not ask any questions about Vangelianreligion. I doubt I could even give you a good answer.”

“Fairenough.”

Apained look flashed across Absalom’s face as he went on. “Mysister was terrified. She didn’t know what any of this meant. We... They didn’t explain these things very well on Vangelia. Itwas the husband’s job to...” He trailed off. “That’s notimportant. I knew what would happen. I knew why she was so scared. And I decided that I couldn’t let them go through with it.

“Ihelped my sister escape before the wedding. And in exchanged, I wasdisowned and made an Absalom: a prodigal son. My father personallypunished me. He crushed my left leg between two grindstones.” Thecommissar let out a heavy sigh. “I would say it is a miracle thatI can still walk, but I do not believe in miracles.”

Sethgave him a skeptical look. “What does this have to do with theRepublic?”

“Myparents were just going to let me die. My leg was so badly mangled Iprobably should have bled to death.” Absalom looked up, his eyesburning deep in his brow. “But I didn’t. I crawled out of theirhouse at night. I begged and bribed my way to a spaceport and whenthe next ship came, I dragged my dying body to the commander and Iasked for asylum. The Republic took me in. They fixed me up. Theykept me alive and they gave me a chance to serve them. That is why Ilove the Republic.”

Nomatter how hard he tried to resist it, Seth was moved by thecommissar’s story. He’d been wrong. He could understandwhy Absalom was so loyal to the PIR. There was only one thing thatbugged Seth, that stood out like a sore thumb:

“Whenthis is all over, everyone who is born on Vangelia will be stuck onVangelia,” Seth said. “Forever. No one will be able to escapelike you did.”

Absalomgritted his teeth together. “Don’t you think I know that?” hegrowled. “Those people, those poor souls... They have every rightin the world to be mad at me. We are forcing them to make asacrifice for all of mankind. But you, Seth Garland? You will spendthe rest of your life in paradise. You will always have enough food,a comfortable home, clean air and water. You will never be tortured. You will be able to live where you want, love who you want, and havewhatever job you want.”

“That’sa lie,” Seth replied. “I want to travel the galaxy.”

Thecommissar’s leg twitched. He clenched his hands into fists andlooked down at the ground. Seth could tell he was holding back agreat deal of anger. He took a deep breath and started to stand up.

“Yourso-called problems make a mockery of true tragedy,” he said. Hepushed his chair into the wall with a flick of his wrist. Itclattered against the metal bulkhead and fell over. “Republicregulations state that I have two days to decide whether to chargeyou with disrupting the public assembly. I hope that you appreciatethat I am going to wait until I’ve cooled down.” The commissarhobbled towards the door leading to the hall. Then he looked back atSeth. “Take this time to consider the depths of your selfishness. Maybe by the end of the day you will realize that living a perfectlycomfortable existence, free of strife, is a sacrifice you can makefor the human race.”