THE GALAXYMBION ODYSSEY

“There is an interesting legend amongst our Kolda-rian friends, particularly their historians, so I understand. An arcane, wild dream which they believed in until around twenty thousand orbits ago. Something to do with their world’s evolution, if my memory is correct. What can you tell me about it, KX?”

The sentient eighth-gen ship-com thought about this for a few millipulses, hardly noticeable to bioforms, before activity sparkled across its lumigraph in synch with its crisp speech.

“You refer to the Suntear legend, Ambassador.”

“That sounds familiar, old friend. Are you going to provide some information or must I kick it out of you, you scrapheap of insolent micro-circuitry?” Ambassador Uexin growled as he leant forward, parking his elbows on the grey padded console of the KX workstation.

“I have no information on that legend, other than its existence, Sir.”

“Osh! You are saying you can tell me nothing about the Suntear legend?”

“Correct, Ambassador; there is only one reference to this topic in my database, and it contains no sub-content.”

Uexin’s face crinkled with mock anger. “Fine; then might I make a few suggestions?”

“As you wish, Ambassador.”

Ambassador Uexin Artima Gurss shifted slightly in his comfortably padded console chair, its central chrome mount creaking slightly. “Must get that oiled,” he muttered to himself. “This is a remarkable narrative,” Uexin stated, picking up his train of thought again. “The Alarni’i knew there were fifteen worlds in this solar system; that was not a lucky guess, so something must be written down about it, somewhere. Are you suggesting, KX, that the subject has been classified under planetary seal by the Kolda-rian government?”

“I am suggesting nothing, sir. This information is simply unavailable to me, at the current time.”

“Thank you, KX, for trying. I suggest that you access the Kolda-ra Central Archives and request all information relating to Suntear. Update yourself accordingly and transmit the data to my personal Library. Subject to local approval, of course.”

“A pleasure, Ambassador. Establishing link to KCA and requesting data import now. Curious, Ambassador. There is no response. Can I assist you with something else, perhaps?”

“Not at this time, KX. I see that we are entering the Kolta-Rai star system.” Ambassador Uexin pushed the intriguing legend aside, vacated his chair and strolled forward onto the observation platform, a jutting meta-carbon peninsula that pointed its steel grey finger at a sea of domed plastiglass. The peninsula had no visible means of support but was quite safe and fitted with sturdy chrome railings that were more than adequate for their task. This old Carina-Class starcruiser was composed of shell-matrixed material thousands of times stronger than conventional matter; an excellent practical gift from the Galaxymbion to Octaladon following first contact.

In deep thought, hands gripping the cool chrome, the Ambassador peered into some middle distance that hardly seemed alien anymore. Starcruiser Aurora penetrated Kolta-Rai’s inner planetary circle, the destination world now clearly visible ahead and growing quickly. Twenty-seven orbits ago a young political idealist and artist called Uexin had met the Kolda-rian explorers who visited his world for the first time. Having completed his studies, he had resolved to one day witness personally the magnificent yellow veins and crimson striations of Kolda-ra’s upper atmosphere. Now, as representative of his home world, Octaladon, he was finally here seeing for himself what had only before existed for him in pictures provided by those explorers.

“A magnificent, beautiful planet”, Uexin whispered to the disc now dwarfing his perspective as the starcruiser approached more slowly.

A slim young woman joined him on the peninsula, careful not to disturb his thoughts yet interested in his acknowledgment of her arrival. He glanced sideways and blinked at her. “This is not your usual haunt, Syhe Alderhin. What brings you here?”

“Ambassador, our captain requires your usual protocols prior to atmospheric insertion. We have received no word from the Kolda-rian authorities as yet.” She seemed uncomfortable standing on the peninsula, her head bowed and eyes avoiding contact with Uexin or the planet beyond the observation dome. The Ambassador was aware of her apparent discomfort and ushered her back to the safety of the deck.

“You should try to find a cure for your vertigo, Syhe. Perhaps a Kolda-rian healer could help you.”

“That will be most kind; I understand they are gifted in many ways.” She looked happier at his suggestion, the Ambassador noticed.

“Syhe, you Glanes worry too much; Kolda-rians are of a FOUNDER world. They are nice people.”

“I understand that extremely well, Sir, yet this mission weighs heavily on you.”

“As it does on Regent Torgrath and The World President of Earth. Speaking of our noble colleague, where is Lana Walking-Eagle?”

“I believe she is changing into something more comfortable and appropriate for a state visit.”

“Of course. We all want to impress the Kolda-rians, though I am sure they would admit our three worlds to the Galaxymbion based only on our qualifications, not our clothing. Pragmatic they are, never dogmatic.”

“Indeed, Sir. Our people have found them always kind, open and polite. We have learnt so much from their incredible philosophy, and benefitted from their nobility, courage and magnanimity. However, all three Regents are concerned that Gelaymer has not proven itself to be worthy of Galaxymbion membership.”

“I believe President Lana Walking-Eagle and President Tiakra Tarss share your Regents' concerns about domestic suitability for Galaxymbion ascension. I am more optimistic.”

Syhe looked thoughtful about this remark, but a little sad. “Your optimism does credit to us all, but I believe you are a hopeless dreamer, Sir.” She held out an interface pad, pressing it into Uexin’s left hand, then turned and walked away, smiling.

“Poor sceptic,” Uexin muttered when she had vanished into the elevator. He thumbed the pad on and keyed in his protocols to authorise atmospheric insertion. After that he activated his personal cypher for planetary communication and was rewarded in a few pulses with a response.

“Greetings, friend Kolda-rian. I am Ambassador Uexin Artima Gurss from Octaladon, requesting port approval for atmospheric insertion. We are here on a diplomatic mission and our ship-com is transmitting authentication codes right now. Please proceed with your scans and confirm.”

The impressive, young, pale blue-skinned alien on the screen image smiled but appeared to be standing in a valley in the open. “Starcruiser Aurora, Ambassador Uexin Artima Gurss, I am Rilmuta Skane. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Kolda-Ra for your inaugural visit. Please instruct your crew to disengage all flight controls and power to permit automated entry; we will guide your vessel to its landing site.”

“That is a little irregular, Rilmuta Skane. How can we be certain that your systems will maintain Aurora’s safety? We cannot even see your Orbital Control Station.”

“Galaxymbion systems do not fail, Ambassador. The Membership you seek is based on trust. Will you trust us?”

“Acknowledged, Rilmuta Skane, and I apologise for my hesitation and doubts. Your planetary infrastructure appears to be very different from our own; we were expecting a vast and beautiful city with amazing technology and an impressive Orbital Control system. Instead we perceive an unblemished wilderness. I have keyed in the command code for my crew; all power and systems will be released for your control shortly. If you don’t mind, I wish to ask some questions to satisfy my curiosity. Why were we not halted for scanning by Solar Perimeter Control? Where are your Orbital Control Stations? Did you scan us entering your system or have your outer defenses failed?”

“We have no need of Perimeter or Orbital Control outposts or scanning stations, Ambassador Gurss. The Galaxymbion has no need of any permanent technology structures or devices; we have evolved beyond such requirements. Be assured, however, that we have tracked your journey since you left Octaladon.”

“Impressive, Representative Skane. Is that your correct title or rank?”

“Galaxymbion citizens are capable of all titles and ranks, therefore we use none. For today I am your host and you may think of me as Coordinator. I will personally guide Aurora to safe landing.”

A little perplexed, Gurss said rather mildly “please disengage your containment barrier. When we have landed I wish to ask you about The Suntear Legend. Aurora’s computer contains nothing in its database. An oversight by our programming officer, no doubt. Incidentally we were unable to establish contact with your Central Archive, Coordinator Skane.”

“We do not have a containment barrier, Ambassador, or anything you might perceive as a Central Archive,” the Kolda-rian said gently, smiling as if talking to a rather backward child that he loved. “When Aurora has landed and you have settled in I will be pleased to discuss the Suntear Legend with you at a convenient time. Enjoy your landing.”

Starcruiser Aurora glided slowly forward through the rim of an ever-straightening planetary disc; a vibrant emerald star winked softly at a new day’s first yawn. The Ambassador had desired a longitudinal flight path from north to south, perpendicular to Kolda-ra’s horizon at the knife-edge of night and day, and the Kolda-rians appear to have read his mind. He could now gaze dreamily at both polar aurorae, their wispy tendrils and sparks in cold relief against dark continents, even darker seas and clouds of deepest vermillion. Night’s blackest blade sliced downward in retreat from a hazy dawn mixture of colours, and Uexin had to shield his eyes from the intruding march of sunlight.

Such colourful harmonies and blurs of brightness with dullness, withdrawing wines and clarets of night’s shroud on one side and advancing green-yellow swirls of day on the other, pleased Gurss immensely. He saluted the terminator as his personal cruiser descended through billowing marbled, nebulous oceans of a clean sky. He decided to contact his captain for an update on their scheduled landing. The ship-com finally bleeped.

“Greetings, your eminence. I assume you require an assessment of our descent trajectory and arrival time?” Gurss nodded at the image on his interface pad. “Aurora is on final approach and should be planetside in approximately ten lapses. Our hosts are virtuosically maintaining our trajectory and flight attitude as if they somehow knew your preferences. I never told them, but I understand they are telepathic and empathic. Obviously, those stories were no exaggeration. Just one thing puzzles me, Ambassador. Our trajectory will deliver us to a smooth plateau in a valley somewhere in what they call the Tirian Province. We scanned the area before they took over our controls, and – well, Sir – the whole valley basin is a natural wilderness. No citadel, no buildings, no roads. Just empty countryside.”

“I thought we were supposed to touchdown at their main spaceport in this region. They can’t have got that wrong, surely? Did you manage to scan the whole planet, and if so are this Tirian Citadel and its spaceport somewhere nearby?”

“We have monitored all parts of the planetary surface continually prior to them taking over our controls and descent procedures, your eminence. However, our sensory systems located no signs of surface habitation or technology anywhere.”

“That is most strange; must all be underground and shielded from sensors. Keep me posted if sensors detect anything, Captain.”

“Certainly, Ambassador. Do you require periodical assessments if our descent continues unaltered?”

“No; I will be in my personal suite if you need to contact me.” The Ambassador disappeared into an elevator, feeling exhausted from traveling, and thus thinking dreamily about a quiet retirement on some paradise planet like Kolda-ra. He enjoyed learning about other worlds and interesting parts of the galaxy but felt too old for long journeys. ‘No surface buildings or technology’, he mused.

Touchdown was smooth and uneventful but the Ambassador had noticed something curious from his office plastiglass screen. He shrugged for a moment, unsure of his eyes’ honesty. He distinctly saw the form of Rilmuta Skane, standing alone in natural surroundings, with his arms outstretched toward Aurora. To Gurss it seemed as though the young Kolda-rian was landing Aurora telekinetically.

As soon as they had touched down Syhe began flaring and twitching her nostrils as if she had caught a delicious scent of some sort. She had explained to Gurss that she had also seen Rilmuta with outstretched arms, as if guiding Aurora down himself, and was just nervous. The Glane Triumvirate - Regent Atreth, Regent Torgrath and Regent Kajindi - joined her and Gurss at the top of Aurora’s descent ramp, catching the drift of the Ambassador’s conversation.

“We noticed also, friend Gurss. Apparently, they can lift a starship with their minds and guide it as if a feather. Aha, here is our human comrade. President Walking-Eagle, I trust your rest was refreshing,” Regent Kajindi uttered.

“Indeed, Regent Kajindi, and thank you. Greetings, Syhe, Torgrath, Atreth, Gurss. That was a smooth landing, Ambassador. Your crew are exceptionally well trained.”

“My crew were not to blame, President. Aurora was guided in somehow by our hosts, though there is no evidence of Surface, Orbital or Solar stations.” He smiled and she returned the mannerism, understanding exactly what he meant.

“My native people maintain many traditions,” she began. “We enjoy union with nature; it would appear our Kolda-rian hosts share that characteristic.”

“You are of the Sioux and Cherokee,” Regent Atreth stated casually. “I have read much about Earth and know of your people’s history. You believe in a continuous communion with nature, similar to the Buddhists of your world. Your United New World charter was the primary philosophical foundation of Earth’s culture and merged with the Eastern Buddhist Assembly’s incorporated moral statutes during the Renaissance. I was never quite sure when in your history your two viewpoints combined with The Jesustra Peace Movement of Europe.”

These preoccupations were interrupted by their host, Rilmuta Skane, who was speaking firstly in Octaladonian, then Glane and finally Earth Planetary English. It was a fantastic sign of respect for the representative of a FOUNDER planet to communicate to visitors from junior worlds in their own tongues, when polite convention was for visitors to use a host world’s language.

“Chemra skodin, trintala za Kolda-ra, Bekra Uexin Gurss bo Octaladon.” He smiled at the Ambassador and turned to Atreth, Kajindi and Torgrath. “Hhablaar palahkrantorrg, zharvalkree Kolda-ra, Neeshvekhh Atreth pa Torgrath pa Kajindi dra Gelaymer.” He performed a standard Glane arm salute. Presently he looked at Earth’s administrative mentor. “Eternal greetings and welcome to Kolda-ra, President Walking-Eagle of Earth.”

“With your indulgence, Rilmuta Skane, I speak for all five of us when I thank you for your hospitality. Our worlds are honoured to participate in your Galaxymbion community and we are honoured that you greet us in our own tongues. To honour you in return, our gracious Kolda-rian hosts, we will now speak in your language for the entirety of our visit. As representatives of our three governments we bring you some gifts from our cultures. We had expected an official welcoming committee and reception at your central spaceport, but perhaps you could relay our greetings and gifts to your leaders in due course? You have some ground transport or flying device to take us to Tirian Citadel?”

Rilmuta looked moderately amused, as a serene master might look upon the idle antics or utterances of a small child that burbled silly things without thought. “Ambassador, Regents, President. I am your welcoming committee and our society has no leaders. With regard to Tirian Citadel it is already here, all around us, and transport is immediately available whenever it is required. Please follow me, there is no need for transport at present.”

The five visitors exchanged glances; Gurss looked at Lana, Lana looked at Atreth, Atreth looked at Torgrath and Kajindi who in turn looked at Gurss. They followed their ‘welcoming committee’, rather puzzled and confused. Perhaps they were even a little apprehensive and beginning to doubt their host’s sanity.

Rilmuta must have sensed that. “There is no cause for alarm, my friends. The Citadel only exists when we need it to. The same is true of transportation systems. Behold!”

With a wave of his arm the streets and buildings of a beautiful and amazingly futuristic city phased into existence all around them as they walked. It stopped them in their tracks, making them motionless with awe. Rilmuta stopped walking also and turned to face them. A peach hued ball of glowing fuzziness around a metre in diameter descended from the sky, transforming seamlessly into a woman of extremely elegant appearance next to Rilmuta.

“Allow me to introduce my mother, Aramek Skane; Prefect emeritus of Tirian Citadel.” Another glowing cloud-sphere, this one blue in shade, fell graciously and became a man of striking appearance. “And this is my father, Mirek Taro, of The Triumvirate.”

“Pleased to meet you both,” Ambassador Gurss mumbled. He looked back to where Aurora had landed. His starship was still there but now appeared to be properly moored on its own personal landing site, complete with maintenance vehicles and ground staff. His assistants Chedsarin and Kareebin were already disembarking with their human and Glane counterparts, joining Syhe Alderhin on the smooth landing surface. “How? We detected none of this.”

“Let us not weigh ourselves down with insignificant scientific details, Ambassador,” Aramek said with a charming graciousness. “You have had a long journey and are undoubtedly tired. We can reconvene tomorrow. We will show you to your accommodations where you can relax and refresh yourselves. Rilmuta will collect you tomorrow and bring you to the city centre for our first conference.”

“Will everything remain solid overnight?” Glane Regent Kajindi enquired.

“It will,” Mirek reassured him. “The Citadel and all within it is quite solid, for as long as it is required. We will deconstruct it when you return to your worlds or are elsewhere on Kolda-ra. In the meantime, enjoy your visit here and call upon us if you require anything. Your accommodation is just ahead. We would like to show you how everything works; the technology is probably unfamiliar. If you please.”

The small group walked in the indicated direction to a plastiglass door that retracted on sensing their approach. Inside the vast single-story torus shaped building they found luxury of a level not even imaginable to them.

“Everything is thought activated,” Aramek advised. “This area is a food preparation facility. Apparatus can be voice activated if you prefer, or you may use physical controls if that is more to your liking. This accommodation torus is quite self-sufficient and amply spaced to provide comfortable living conditions for all your assistants and senior members of your crew. If necessary, neutral modules within the torus can alter their function as you wish, converting to relaxation or dining areas as required. That is also either by thought or voice command but can be touch activated from this central panel.

“There are secluded individual relaxation and sleeping chambers for fifty people, as well as individual hygiene areas for personal maintenance and laundry. Robot valets can also be summoned to assist you, using any of these polycom panels. You can contact any citizens anywhere in The Galaxymbion or your own Galactic Friendship Confederation from these polycom cubes or panels, all of which are quite independent. Each relaxation area has an entertainment audioscreen where you can choose from a vast range of visual and musical creativity from the cultural output of every civilised planet in this galaxy.”

“You have thought of everything, it seems,” Regent Atreth commented. “Will we be able to contact our home-worlds quite easily, I mean without assistance?”

“Of course. These panels will connect you to any other inhabited world or transport vessel without any time delay.”

“Prefect Skane, we thank you for such cordiality,” Ambassador Gurss said, “however, we are naturally anxious to understand our schedule of diplomatic meetings whilst here. Will we begin full negotiations for annexation immediately at tomorrow’s first meeting or will we have to journey to Albascade? Are you authorised by the Galaxymbion to speak for the whole? The Kalmek Accords do permit this, I believe.”

The Prefect bowed her head and indicated for the Ambassador and his staff to sit on the nearby padded loungers. “As you wish, diplomacy will begin tomorrow in earnest.” Prefect Skane took a place opposite the four visitors. “Whilst we are merely one world of many, Ambassador Gurss, our galactic society dispensed with hierarchy when The Kalmek Accords were proliferated. Any one planet, government or individual can speak for our wider community, so the matter of your annexation can be accommodated here immediately upon agreement of The Triumvirate. If your case is strong enough, naturally.”

“Prefect Skane,” the Ambassador began, quite alarmed. “You are telling me that Galaxymbion society is truly egalitarian. That is quite remarkable but hardly scientific. Would your philosophers agree with your political position?”

“Egalitarianism has always been the ultimate conclusion of civilisation, Ambassador Gurss; it is our only rational foundation for living and striving forward.”

Gurss turned pale for a moment, almost forgetting he was sitting in an accommodation torus on an alien world. He studied the delegation support staff, who had just arrived and had heard part of the exchange, to gauge their reactions. Syhe looked bewildered, a truly feminine representative of her species. Kareebin seemed amused, on the point of openly laughing in Aramek Skane’s face. Chedsarin alone apparently gave any credence to the Prefect’s words. The human President’s people looked on quietly, but with rather surprised expressions.

“I apologise for our assistants, Aramek Skane. Syhe is a child and Kareebin a cynic. Only The President, Regents, I and Chedsarin have open minds. Your words reassure me that my experience will not be hallucination. What I don’t understand is why the Galaxymbion trusts everybody so openly.”

“Well, it’s perfectly logical when you think about it,” Kareebin announced genially. “Galaxymbion worlds have achieved a level of professional citizenship through millennia of continual self-refinement by every single citizen.”

“Ambassador, it would please me if you and your associates retire for the night, as they certainly must be exhausted. A quiet night to each of you; your guides whilst here will be my son, Rilmuta, and Emrikan Lantt. Rilmuta will collect you tomorrow morning and will contact you first to advise when he will arrive.” The Prefect left the torus graciously with her son and husband, whereupon the three of them metamorphosed into their nebulous spherical forms and floated away gently.

Gurss sank back into his chair, speechless, looking at everyone else as if the Kolda-rians had claimed that snow was hot. Kareebin stared at a wall thoughtfully.

“Anyone understand what just happened?” Syhe Alderhin asked to nobody in particular.

Regent Torgrath unhooked his velvet cloak’s heavy bronze chain and threw the purple robe over a nearby couch. “I would say that our Kolda-rian hosts are both more and less than we previously believed. They seem to have impressive control over matter and energy, not to mention far-reaching psionic abilities.”

“Enough telekinetic force to guide Aurora down to their surface from orbit, then create or hide a massive citadel at will. Plus, that neat traveling trick when they arrive and depart as spherical nebulae.”

“I said not to mention their psionic abilities, Ambassador.”

“Difficult to ignore. What do you think, Chedsarin?”

“I think I am hungry and after eating will go to sleep. Anyone willing to form a raiding expedition into the food preparation facility?”

“I’m in,” Syhe Alderhin chimed.

“Count me in too,” Kareebin added.

“I’ll join you also,” Regent Torgrath of Gelaymer announced. “That was a long journey, so I hope they have something to tempt Glane palates. Will you sign up to our cause, Ambassador, Madame President, fellow Regents?”

“I am interested only in two things,” Gurss responded. “A bath and a good night’s sleep. And I wish to remain slim into my old age. What about you, Lana?”

“A long walk and some Rachmaninov for me. Enjoy your meal, everyone, and you your bath, Ambassador. I will try not to wake you up when I get back.”

“Lana Walking-Eagle takes a long walk. Your name sounds a bit like Quelae names; picturesque and metaphorical,” Regent Atreth commented. “When you are outside walking around perhaps you could metaphorically take some readings of the surrounding area. I am eager to know if my bed and food are actually made of real matter.”

The President smiled warmly as she left, saying “I never go anywhere without my Pulsewave scanner.”

Somewhere in Kolda-ra’s atmosphere two nebulous ergoforms floated, surveying the topography below them.

Do you sense whether our physion guests comprehend their surroundings even partially?

That we are of time, or that they are not?

Either

No, at least not fully. Recall how our people once were still chained to matter and space, before The Solution. Time was abstract to us, rather than our natural element.

Yes, they have risen to secondlife now. How long will it take them to make the jump to thirdlife, in this Novacosm?

Give them time, Rilmuta, and they will transcend as we did. Within two of their centuries based on their current formation within reality. Their departure from their limitations will proceed quite smoothly.

Before The Solution some of us possessed glimpses of Thirdlife, even whilst existing only partially as Temporans. The Ambassador and his friends have not yet begun to metamorphose or pattern-shift their thoughts fully. During our meeting they were full of disbelief, doubting their own senses as we created the Citadel for them. They remain bound by their physical experiences.

This is true; though the Novacosm is a different reality they are unaware of conditions previously. Time and energy, matter and space are more fluid here; their complete interchangeability makes evolution rational and entropy only a self-diagnostic cure for aberrations in the design. Existence is now a fully self-regulating eventuality and physions cannot sense any changes in the Macrocosm. It is impossible for them to remember how existence was, whilst they remain defined only by themselves.

I am curious concerning our Galaxymbion’s total transcendence of its previous form; a corporeal union of separately evolved civilisations. We attained thirdlife whilst less organised species have risen into our previous arena, yet our elevation was complete.

Without The Creators bringing disarray to existence, eventuality unfolds according to reality’s logic; the harmonious interaction of Pulsewaves. Order and meaning fully integrated with all existence. Nothing impure exists and nothing chaotic can exist. Relieved from these burdens advanced life and thought expand to fullest cosmic potential. Our physion friends will transcend to The Galaxymbion Web soon enough, when they transcend the limitations of secondlife.

And what will we become, mother?

The Harmonic Universe itself.

It is difficult to imagine; our power to roam all of time and space is already limitless. We have all of everywhere and everywhen to know and understand, love and care for. What more can there be?

To actually become all of everywhere and everywhen.

Isn’t that what firstlives used to blindly call God, before The Solution?

Yes and no, Rilmuta. Try not to worry about our next phase. The universe creates itself; it always has and it always will. In the same way that primitive species try to perceive God so a vacuum tries to understand matter, or non-existence tries to understand life. That is why they continually entered into lethal conflicts among themselves; they never understood the infinity of universal spirit – the harmony and unity of reality. Life cannot achieve ultimate refinement at such a primitive level; it must evolve beyond that, beginning with refining its thinking. For us, now in thirdlife, our next step to actually become reality will be a similar leap.

Then they lived outside true existence, in a state of abject self-delusion. It is unsurprising that some primitive species bizarrely reached the insane conclusion they were God-like and charmed with special significance. How much suffering they caused in that demented ignorance, folly and iniquity.

Well, now only truth and reality can be seen by all consciousness. This, and only this – the universe itself – can ever be God. We will merge with it soon, since our love of virtue is complete. It is a perfect circle.

Yes, a perfect circle of transcendence from inanimate substance to animate, animate to thought, thought to virtue and virtue to being. It is the final cadence.

We are at the stone, Rilmuta. We should look at it and remember. It is the final cadence, not us.

Two clouds descended and resumed physical form. There on a hill they stood still and looked at the mind-stone from Kytonia. The plain granite boulder understood what was required and revealed its message;

In memory of Imari Taro, Mar Tox Tolviss and the valiant crew of Canmark Rarnimdi, Balasaniwa and the valiant crew of Kulnidaro, Telhyra-En-Rarm and the valiant crew of Maidenquest, Nimbledream and the valiant crew of Nightspear, Weethis and The Brethren, The Ovum, Kalmek, Princess Sebria and the valiant crew of Omnipotence, Margon Rozzerian and Anavar of Albascade. Your ultimate sacrifices during The Crisis ensured that all other life would continue and find meaning within a stable cosmos. You were The Solution and, deep within the fifth dimension, your memory and wondrous legacy remain forever.