Phantom Regency

Sky Travel Allied Regency Constitution

Amendment 13

Preamble

In order that the future of our galaxy is secured and that the efficient gathering of raw materials be expedited, it is hereby decreed that an agency be commissioned for the sole and exclusive purpose of exploring and mining the uninhabited systems on the galactic rim (see chart 1:1). Said agency will be under the direct authority of the Grand Council of Worlds. The Intersystem Commerce Committee shall shape its policy. The agency will have at its disposal an as of yet to be determined portion of the Skyforce fleet, reporting to the Agency’s leadership as well as to the Sky Marshall. It shall exist solely for the good and progress of the citizens of the Regency. No person or entity shall profit from the actions of this agency. The said agency shall be heretofore known as the STARegency Exploratory Raw Planet Exploitation Non-profit Trading Authority, or SERPENT Authority.

Talon Vasloch strode through a spectacular garden toward Vlademor Palace. He had arrived on the harvest planet of Vernorr just that morning. It was the chief source of food for the Authority. Most of the land surface of this tame world was filled with vast farms and ranches. Dotted throughout the planet were various estates belonging to the directors and executives of the SERPENT Authority. Vlademor Palace happened to be the residence of the CEO himself.

Talon thought the welcome house was richly adorned to the point of nausea and the garden as well. He had no appreciation for beauty; otherwise he would indeed have been duly impressed with the most esteemed landscape in the galaxy. The path wound among flowers and trees perfectly balanced in shape and color. The color and variety increased as he neared the palace, which was now looming ahead. The garden was designed to instill an increasing sense of awe as one walked further, but the effect was lost on the captain.

He passed through a gate into the estate proper. Two great wings of the sprawling palace enclosed an immense stone-paved courtyard. In the middle was a huge pool of water, three hundred feet across and twice as long. It was lined with trees and the entire courtyard was dotted with planters and pots containing the most dazzling blooms yet. At the end nearest the house great steps led up to a huge covered patio.

That was where he was to meet President Baldarr Voldruss, the CEO of the entire Authority.

Well, here we go, he thought, walking around the edge of the pool. He thought he heard a soft splash in the water but saw nothing. He continued, feeling like a man going to his hanging. As he ascended the steps he heard another splash. Glancing back, he thought he saw what looked like the arched back of a giant snake breaking the surface.

“Captain Vasloch. So good to meet you,” said the CEO, who was awaiting him at the top of the stairs.

“Good to meet you as well, sir,” he replied, shaking his outstretched hand. Baldarr Voldruss was a large, but baby-faced man. His brown hair was streaked with gray, though he was only in his late thirties. He had droopy, watery eyes, which never quite focused on Talon’s own eyes.

“Come sit down,” Voldruss replied, gesturing to a chair. Talon eyed him thoughtfully, remembering that his father, old Abnarr Voldruss, had retired a couple of years ago. Although on paper the SERPENT Authority board of directors elected the CEO, the headship of the Authority had become strangely hereditary. With rare exception, the oldest son was groomed to replace his father.

Impeccably dressed servants glided in and set out drinks and food. The captain and the CEO settled into large comfortable chairs.

“So, how does the Dominator please you so far? The board and I are quite impressed with her first victory. Congratulations to you and your valiant crew.”

“Thank you, sir. She is the finest ship in the galaxy. I am grateful you saw the need to construct such a ship,” replied the captain, sipping a goblet of rich ale.

“Indeed. We felt that we had to put a greater measure of fear into the hearts of these pirates. Were you ever told that we had our eye on you from the moment the Dominator Project was first conceived?”

“No sir. I did not know. I am flattered.”

“Let me see. That was back in 528. We began to brainstorm ideas on dealing with large pirate nests after the Rexnar war. We wanted a ship that could tip the balance, even if we were outnumbered. Our special weapons division was put into overdrive as well.”

“Yes. My uncle headed that department,” said Captain Vasloch with a hint of family pride.

“Of course, of course. I should have made the connection. He brought you to our attention and then you really caught our eye after the incident over Gendt. I simply must hear the story first hand. How in the galaxy did you defeat a battleship group with only one ship?” asked Voldruss, leaning closer.

“Well, we arrived in system at the zenith point, 8000 miles out or so. It was then we picked up transmissions that the new Regency battleship had been hijacked. No doubt you’ve heard the story of how the Entropy Terrorists infiltrated the academy over many years. They somehow got enough of their people planted on the ships to take over.”

Talon settled back in his chair and continued, “We headed in at full speed to investigate. My ship was the legendary Thunder Child, an older Tornado class cruiser. They had a brand-new battleship and two destroyers. We hadn’t even reached visual range when we encountered a spread of missiles. Did they really think I wouldn’t have my phantom field up already? Amateurs!

“At any rate, I knew I was outnumbered and was in for a fight. I sped in until we were almost in phantom range. I knew the new capital ships did not carry small craft so we dropped a flight of raiders. I ordered them to strafe the rear of the ships and take out as many sensors and defensive weapons as possible and then get out. Then I shifted into the phantom sky.

“I had heard that if you time a shift exactly, you can shift back in the opposite direction for a millisecond less and wind up just a few miles beyond your original point. So, we shifted, spun the ship around and shifted back. We got lucky and returned right on their tails. I unloaded on their nova engines right away so they couldn’t maneuver. Their return fire was too weak to harm us and now they couldn’t turn around. They had to surrender or get pounded into dust.”

“Amazing!” replied the CEO, “I am duly impressed.” His eyes narrowed. “Has anyone accused you of cowardice for attacking them from behind?”

“In my opinion, they were cowards for the surprise attack. I did what I had to do.”

President Voldruss studied him for another moment, and then said, “Well, enough about your glorious history. Let us proceed to why you are here. What do you know about the Liberty Initiative?”

“I learned about it at orientation when I joined the Armada. It’s a theoretical attack to wrest control of the Nexus from the Regency.”

“No,” replied the CEO, “It is not just a theory. The director-general always has attack plans in place. Whoever controls the Nexus controls the galaxy. If the Regency ever puts the future of the galaxy in danger, we have a right and obligation to intervene.”

“Sir, could such a situation take place? It seems that the Regent and the Grand Council of Worlds need each other. The council cannot maintain order and law without phantom cylinders and only the Regent can keep the Nexus operational. Besides, the SERPENT Authority is an extension of the Regency itself. Wouldn’t it be treason?”

“The line between rebellion and justice can be a fine one, young captain. The Regent must protect the future or be replaced,” replied Voldruss, rising. “Walk with me.”

He rose and ambled toward the stairs. His rich robe of state trailed behind him. Talon gulped down the last of his ale, then stood up and followed.

“Rikkar Vlademor, the current regent is a distant cousin of mine. Of course, you know that Maxxus Vlademor, his ancestor, was a director in the Authority when he learned the secret of phantom energy one hundred and eighty-nine years ago,” Voldruss said, slowly descending the steps.

“I didn’t know that sir. History books these days are unclear as to how it all happened. I think the prevalent attitude is that the current line has brought prosperity. The old Thaxian line of regents is now notorious for their religious control of society. No one cares that the Vlademors were usurpers.” He felt Voldruss bristle at that statement. He shifted topics. “Does the Regent still feel a kinship with the Authority?”

They had reached the edge of the pool now. The CEO stopped and folded his hands behind his back, striking a regal pose. “The Vlademors are Ventrillan truebloods as is the Voldruss family. Were you aware of that? Our ancestors were the great explorers of the northern islands on Galmar, the conquerors of the seas and the sea dragons. A significant percentage of those of Ventrillan blood joined the Authority in its infancy. To conquer and tame the great, unknown region was the draw. Many still follow the ancient Dragon Code.”

“The Dragon Code sir?” asked Talon.

“It is a listing of virtues and ideals gleaned from the Ventrillan’s interactions with the sea and its creatures.” He reached into his pocket and held out a small device. He pushed a button and Talon could hear a soft high-pitched whine, just at the range of human hearing. It was grating but not painful.

The water stirred. Talon looked over the pool and saw a wake developing and heading their way. The back of a serpent-like creature broke the surface a few dozen feet away. Suddenly the water exploded in front of them. A sea serpent’s head rose out of the pool and towered above them. It was sharp-nosed and yellow eyed. There was a ridge of fin along the back of its neck. It blew out a snort of air from its nose. Its head swayed on its long neck, a dozen feet above the water. Talon backed away a few steps without realizing he had done so.

“Magnificent, is it not?” The CEO said over his shoulder. “This is a genuine sea dragon from the Deep Sea of Galmar. She is almost eighty feet long. So strong, so powerful, so proud,” he intoned. He released the button on his device and the serpent coiled around and dove into the water.

Talon exhaled sharply. He had been unconsciously holding his breath. The sea dragon was not totally unlike the creature he had seen in the director-general’s office. Not the same, but of the same ancestry perhaps. He was terrified.

Baldarr Voldruss turned to face him. “Are you quite impressed?”

“Y-yes, sir,” Talon said, slowly recovering his wits. “How could I not be?”

“The ancient sea dragons were the symbol of strength for the sea-farers of old. We continue that mission, to explore and exploit the unknown for the common good. It is no accident that the acronym for the Authority is SERPENT.

“And you, captain. The Vasloch’s are an old Ventrillan family, one of The Five. Many of the ancient military tribunes held that surname. It was Haakan Vasloch who ordered the surprise attack on Aralia that started the Final War. And if I am not mistaken, you were born in the core worlds.”

“Yes, on Yoshun, the capital of the Regency. My parents did not put a great premium on their ancestry, not many do these days.”

“That is true, but in a way nationalism is growing. There are home planets for Ventrillan and Panzarian truebloods now. The Dominions have a growing sense of identity and independence, though for now they remain part of the Regency. The Evantha Dominion, in particular, has long sought to stand in solidarity. Their military is most impressive and they lie on our border. If the Regency collapses, they will indeed be a force to be reckoned with,” the CEO said in a concerned tone.

Talon remembered Axton’s claim of planning an attack on the Evanthans. The thought was disturbing. “You speak as if the Regency is already past the point of no return. Surely the Authority is best served by a peaceful, growing galaxy,” he said.

“I apologize for my pessimistic mentality. All of our recent board meetings have revolved around this most weighty subject. Let us speak instead of your future. I received the director-general’s full report. He recommends you for a new and vital mission. The Dominator is to be reassigned as my personal flagship. I will be visiting all the governors in the coming months. General Dernholm feels that my safety is best served by you and your gallant crew. Captain Torkul will be assigned to the Deathbringer, the newest Dominator class ship, to continue the fight against pirates. How does that suit you?”

“As you wish sir,” Talon replied, “If you don’t mind my asking, what is the nature of the meetings with the governors?”

“The future of the galaxy hangs in the balance, young captain. All the systems must be on board with the new initiatives. We will go to Anvarr first for the annual Authority Board meeting, and then see all the system governors. After that I will pay the Regent himself a visit. As you know, since the Phantom Commerce Act of 529, I report to him directly, not the bureaucracy. I want you to see the Nexus and Freedom Fortress first hand. If all our fears come to pass and we activate the Liberty Initiative, you will spearhead the attack.”

“I see sir.” Talon had great doubts about all he had heard. It must have shown on his face.

“Is that quite acceptable to you, captain?” Voldruss challenged.

“I will do as ordered sir. And I will do what is best for the galaxy.” He responded. They both understood that those wouldn’t necessarily be one and the same.