creepy stories, These Fantastic Worlds, sf and fantasy, podcast, jakejackson451

Micro-fiction 053 – Stewards and Avatars (Post-Apocalypse series)

The fate of humankind is subject to a parley amid the bitter hundred year war across space. Tasked by the Intergalactic Council Titan attempts to find a resolution.

Stewards and Avatars

The three vast armies of the human factions, the Northern, Eastern and Central had fought each other to a standstill across every planet in their sector and every mote of space in between. During the one hundred year duration each faction had been close to a victory, grinding out the war of attrition, taking advantage of errors and exhaustion of the opposing parties, gaining, then stealing each other’s technology, creating panic across the worlds of The Seven Galactic Colonies. No-one seemed to remember why the wars had started, and an increase in alien mercenaries on all sides removed the principle differences between the three, and finally, on a slim plateau on Titan avatars of the leaders gathered to seek, once more, a resolution.

Each avatar, garbed in the hues of their faction, orange for Northern, purple for Eastern and green for Central, was accompanied by their retinue, hundreds of holographic officials, their shifting forms phasing erratically in the bleak landscape. The sun, a distant pinprick, caught at the phasing lights and cast their reflections like shattered glass across the cold-cloud methane lakes from which the plateau arose.

The avatars sat on simple floating disks, close enough to see the hatred in each other’s eyes. Their attention though was diverted by the arrival of a fourth figure, who they had expected to be an avatar, but was a native of Titan, a creature of gas and light that shimmered in concert with the avatars and their companions, but pulsed with the rhythm of the cold-cloud seas, rather than breaking against them.

“I am Titan,” the creature spoke with a barely defined mouth, “as are all my people. We are one and the same, there is no distinction between us, so do not be alarmed if my form changes during your time here, it is merely the fugitive nature of my people, taking their turn to perform this essential task, but speaking as one. Is this acceptable to you?” The creature’s face assumed a restful pose, its vague features rippling imperceptibly.

The avatars each nodded curtly, the protocol had been previously agreed.

“So,” Titan resumed, “you have gathered here, in virtual form due to the unfortunate circumstances of the last parley––” the avatars quickly interrupted.

“Butchers.”

“Treachery.”

“Our Mother was dismembered by your ancestors.” The Leader of the Central faction snarled.

“––and we’ve agreed to discuss only the principles of a future, not dwell on the past. You will know that I am here as mediator and that Titan has been chosen by the Galactic Council to assist in resolving the conflict that continues between the human colonies.”

“Are you really qualified to perform such a task?” The Eastern sector Avatar spat his question. “How many of such disputes have you mediated.”

“Ah,” Titan smiled, “there are no other such disputes across the Galactic systems. A conflict such as yours, that has lasted so long, between peoples of their own kind, has not occurred for thousands of years.”

“Is that supposed to be significant?” The Northern Sector Avatar queried sarcastically.

“I don’t think it has much bearing on the conflict. You humans are uniquely able to loathe each other. Most other species the Council has encountered seem unwilling to destroy their own kind.”

“You mean they’re too simple to want what they don’t have?” The Eastern Sector Avatar shrugged.

“I mean they are not subject to the many causes of division between themselves, in the way that humans are.”

“Are you accusing us of war-mongering?” The Central sector avatar waved her hands angrily, “we merely defend our way of life.”

“Ah,” Titan looked at the three avatars, “but your way of life is more personal, more tribal, than most other species in the universe.”

“How so?”

“Other species are more transparent in the desire for survival and their promotion of the Will to grow.”

“But that’s what this is all about,” The Eastern Sector Avatar responded, “that’s what we’ve been fighting for, almost a hundred years now, for our land, our people, our resources.”

“But you want our planets, our resources!” The Central Sector Avatar leaned forward.

“Because you attacked our colonies.”

“No, no, you attacked ours.”

“I don’t think this is productive,” Titan raised a wispy hand and spoke gently. “I merely mention the difference between humankind and the other species of the universe, who, for reasons no-one understands are able to keep the peace amongst themselves and steward their planets for the generations to come.”

“Are you saying it’s better to attack other species?” The northern sector avatar frowned.

“Not better, more logical perhaps. But that is also rare.”

“Well, we’ve all done that!” Each Avatar laughed, noting the rare moment of unity.

“So is this some sort of intergalactic therapy session about the inadequacies of humans?” The Northern sector avatar stared at Titan.

“Of course not, The Council isn’t concerned with the reasons, it just needs the conflict to stop.”

“Well if it was that easy, it would have happened decades ago.”

“That’s true,” Titan continued, “the Council is relatively new and wonders at the lack of action by the previous Council, on which I understand humans were represented.”

“Yes, complete waste of time, we withdrew from that fifty years ago, too much talking, not enough action.”

“So you’re don’t regret leaving the Council?” Titan wondered aloud.

“Not at all,” all three avatars again seemed to achieve a rare unity.

“So you wouldn’t consider sending ambassadors once more?”

“I don’t think any of us want that, we have other matters to deal with, invaders on our borders, cities to resource.” The Eastern Sector Avatar seemed weary.

“Well, that’s why we’re here, to resolve a dispute that should have been dealt with using the mechanism of the InterGalactic Council. The destruction of the planets, of which you are now the stewards, including your original planet Earth, now devastated, must stop so that future generations, of either humans, or other species may find futures and lives, rather than the diminished planetary regions laid waste by the weapons and technologies of your war.”

“Are you serious?” The avatars looked at each other.

“Are you trying to tell us what to do?”

“Have you not wondered why there has been no interference before now?” Titan looked at the three avatars. “I see your crowds of advisers gathered behind you are as exhausted and weary as you.”

“Of course, we’ve been fighting each other for so long.”

“Indeed, and now you are, how shall I put this delicately,”Titan paused, “weak.”

“What are you talking about, this is a farce.” The Northern Sector Avatar stood up, “Wait, what’s ––“ his eyes shifted to the Central and Eastern Avatars who also stood up and looked behind them. The hologramic horde of advisors and security personnel began to flicker out rapidly, one by one

“It has been decided,” Titan resumed, “while you have gathered here your colonies have been surrounded by forces of the Council. Humanity has been judged too dangerous to itself and its planets. It no longer functions as wardens for its own house, tending and nurturing the universe for those that follow. By the end of this sentence, humankind will no longer exist to destroy its own people, and the lands on which it lives.

The three avatars, the last representatives of a species that once sprawled across great regions of the cosmos, shocked, shuddered and fluttered out one by one. All evidence of human life had now reached the…

[end]

Part of a new series of micro-fiction stories, released as These Fantastic Worlds SF & Fantasy Fiction Podcast on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and Stitcher  and more. Also on this blog, These Fantastic Worlds.

Text, image, audio © 2020 Jake Jackson, thesefantasticworlds.com. Thanks to Frances Bodiam and Elise Wells,  Logic ProX, Sound Studio, the Twisted Wave Recorder App, and Scrivener.

More Tales, More Audio

There are many other great stories in this series, including:

Some background on the science behind Hunter and Bain’s adventures: Concepts of Time

And a carousel of 10 audio stories from the podcast with information about submissions.

Here’s a related post, 5 Steps to the SF and Fantasy Podcasts.