Kadjar Planet of Happiness

By Adiyar Zharmenov

It's year 25000 of the Terran Calendar, everyone is rich, humans, goblins, Orks, Ostarte, and others.
Poverty and crime are forgotten myths of the past. Imperiapolis is the Capital of Humanity. That's the place where Layla Bey has lived her entire life.
Right before Layla turns 15 her father get's a promotion. He is appointed an Envoy to the Kadjar. There in the world of riches, Layla finds a new life. She falls for a boy who does not know what girls are..

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 10, 2018
• ISBN: 9781387732777

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Kadjar Planet of Happiness

Kadjar Planet of Happiness

Adiyar Zharmenov

2018 ©

Acknowledgements.

The Idea of this book, has been in my head for several years. But, only in the last year of Hofstra University, when I took a science fiction class I started writing. Here I want to express my gratitude to my friend Adib Huq, who helped me a lot.

Also, I appreciate the support of Daniel Davidson, Veronica Picker, Lilly Marcel and off course my parents.

Father’s New Job

Layla’s POV:

On April 20th year 25000, my life has changed forever. That day my father came from work early. His pale face was shining with excitement, and so was his gray business suit. When I asked him why is, he smiling so widely, he replied that he got a promotion. He waltzed into the house, hugged mom, and took me into his arms.

-Dad what is your new job? - I asked him. I wanted to know if something will change after that.

-I am the new Imperial Envoy to Kadjar. –He proclaimed. -  We have to move there in 3 days. So, start packing. – He ordered me to pack my belongings. This moment changed everything.

Upon hearing that, I run into my room, and shut the door. My whole life had to start anew. Forget switching schools or moving to a different town. I was going to another planet! This does not happen every day, even in our age.

It’s not like we are moving to the middle of nowhere. We are moving to the largest and the wealthiest world of the Human Empire. I heard the parties there are wild, and they don’t give chores to children. They don’t give chores at all. They don’t know what chores are. Robots do housework for them. They come home from work and relax. We would be better off on Kadjar, then here on Terra.

On the flip side, I was going to miss Imperiapolis, with the Palace where God lives. My friends at school, all of whom shared my last name, are fun to have around. The calm sleepy streets of Bey neighborhood, where I know every stone and every person. I have been here in Bey neighborhood since the beginning of time. Everything is going to be different when I come back if I come back at all.

I stood up from my bed and walked to the window, I saw the Palace, and I saw the beach, and the sea. Below the mound on which Bey neighborhood stands lies the city center. Gemstone walls of the Imperial Palace sparkled in the Mediterranean sun, as I looked at the god’s home from above. It is a couple steps away from the beach, and the green water of the sea. The water turns blue far at the horizon.

I searched the Galactnet, to see if Nathanberg has the sea and off course it doesn’t. But, it is a beautiful city. It’s full of statues, monuments, and high rises. Maybe they have handsome boys there as well. The years of Kadjari lessons at school will finally payoff. It was a pain in the ass to learn the language which has no alphabet. But, that was not a waste of time, all of that will be useful.

On April 21st   dad met with God, to get his official appointment.  That’s just a formality, decision was made when dad’s boss met the emperor.  Then he told my dad about it.  So, all dad had to do was to enter the big room, bow before his holiness and get a blessing.   We, children had a harder job, going to school and telling everyone we won’t come back. 

The whole school was sad about us leaving.  People always cry when someone leaves the neighborhood, it usually means that you are no longer Bey, you get a different name and a different life. 

The teachers gave us farewell cookies and the students gave us candy.  Farewell cookies were the best cookies, because they wanted me to remember how sweet my home was.  This is also why I got a candy from every student in my class.  Everyone asked why we leave and where are we going.  They need to know, that your life will get better, you won’t be allowed to leave, if your life will get worse afterwards.  When I told Jenna that my dad was appointed envoy she hugged me and told me never to forget her.  Luana did the same.  The twins were my best friends since we were 3.   The entire lunch period was spent remembering how we run around the neighborhood playing with water guns.  We looked so cute in matching pink skirts and blue sandals.  When the bell rang, they hugged me and told me to get a boyfriend.

As I and my siblings exited the school and walked home, everyone wished us good luck in our new home, and told us never to forget about our Terran roots.  We promised everyone that we will remain Terrans at heart.  I will always remember yellow sandstone apartment buildings lined up along curving streets, gray concrete sidewalks, and narrow black parkways. 

With that in mind I started to pack my things. I summoned the bag from the ceiling, and it fell into my hands. It was an orange backpack, my parents got me when I started school. There I put my dresses, and pants, and shoes, and socks. The backpack created a compartment for each item category. It also grew in size, as I added more items. That came in handy, as I packed my collection of spelling bee trophies and water pistols. Memories of a happy childhood. When I was done, I closed the bag, and up it flew. I exited the room and it followed me. I turned around and ordered: 

-Go back to the ceiling. – Bag went back to its proper place. It had to stay in the room, we were not leaving yet.

I walked down the hallway to Rosa’s bedroom, when Malik called me:

- Layla! Can you help me?

Sure, I can. - I turned to the left and entered his room. It’s a total mess as usual. Toys were scattered on the floor, bed linens were in total disarray, and rainbow blanket was on his shoulders. My younger brother is trying to decide. His dark hair covered his narrow forehead, and his eyes were jumping from his right hand to his left.

- Layla, do I take the Guard soldier or the Imperial Destroyer? - Malik looked at me expectantly.

- Well, you better take all your toys because we are not coming back here for ten years. - I told him the truth.

- Ten Years! That means we will finish school while we are there. - He was so shocked, his eyes doubled in size.

- Yeah. And I will go to college there as well. - I told to myself aloud.

- So, do I take everything I have here? - Malik turned his head and looked all around his little room.

- Leave just your bed and your table. - I confirmed his decision.

- Ok. - He put his hair away from his face, untied his blanket from his neck and summoned his yellow backpack from the ceiling.

After that we put his entire room into his bag. When we were done, everything but furniture was inside giant floating yellow ball. After that I went one room down the hallway.

My older sister, had her stuff organized into two piles one on the floor and one on her bed. She was staring at her volleyball, full of thought. Her pitch-black braids were going down the sides of her head.

I walked in and told her: 

- Why don’t you take everything? - I proposed a simple solution.

- I don’t want my new room to be as full as this one. - She replied still staring at the ball.

- You will get bigger room in the new house. Envoys always get nice big houses. - I tried convincing Rosa to put all her belongings into the bag.

- I don’t need half of my things anyway. - Rosa turned to me - Will there be a big yard? - She asked me. She couldn’t live locked inside.

- Of course, there will be. - Malik has entered the room, in red shirt and blue pants. He assured her we will have space for sport and games.

-Than I am packing all the balls with me. - Rosa’s smile heated up the air - And also running shoes. - She put the volleyball into her green back pack.

- You do you. - I let her decide on her own. She always lets me do that.

Rosa quickly put everything from her bed into the bag. I collected her linens, and Malik carried the refuge to the periphery donation bin. The room was left as empty as it was when we moved in. Parquet floor, bed standing against the wall, a wardrobe opposite to the bed, a table with a chair in front of the window. That’s how we got our rooms and that’s how we are supposed to leave them.

In the evening we signed out of the apartment, our bags hovering over their heads. Dad returned his fully furnished apartment to the neighborhood. A moving van stood in front of the building. After a prayer, we boarded it and flew away forever.

At the spaceport, we were joined by father’s friend from work, Leff Josef. He was a big muscular guy, in green shirt, and gray pants. Leff told us he will be Envoy’s assistant and will stay with us in our house. I looked at dad, and dad told me that each envoy should have a personal assistant available at all times. I looked at Leff, he smiled. Looks like we could get along. I asked him: 

- Leff do you have a family?

- No, Layla, I lived alone before. - Leff answered sincerely.

- Ok. - I paused - Why are you, dad’s assistant? - I wanted to know, how envoys get assistants, I didn’t want to live with a couch potato when I grew up and got this job.

- Mubarak chose me himself. - Leff remained calm. He can’t be annoyed with petty questions.

- Ok that makes sense. - I was relieved to know, I had freedom of choice. I stood there imagining a lineup of guys in black suits right in front of me.

- Now we need to get on the spaceship. - My father’s voice brought me to reality.

We went through the wrist scanners and the shopping district. Then we waited at the gate for half an hour. We sat in cushioned armchairs and looked at the flying saucers standing on the tarmac. While we waited I asked dad if we have to change our last name. He assured me we will still be Beys.

- So, is there a Bey neighborhood as well? - I didn’t understand how one could move without changing his last name.

- No. But Kadjari last names don’t change when they move around. Unless, they come to Terra. - Father explained to me that last name does not only depend on where you live. Different rules apply on different worlds.

- Oh, I see. New planet, new rules for everything. - I told him what I learned. I tried to come to terms with moving away from home.

- Exactly. - Father proved that I correct. That meant that I can’t live in Nathanberg the same way as in Imperiapolis.

- Will they tell us what those rules are? - Malik asked dad, he was very worried about fitting in. As was everyone. He looked at father waiting for an answer.

- They will at our first day at school. - The answer came from Rosa. She is most confident child in this family. She always knew how to reassure us when we were troubled. I and Malik turned our attention to her, and she smiled, with her eyes closed. She tried to visualize her new room, I would do that if I was her.

- Will we make new friends there? - Malik was insecure. We have never been far from home.

- Why not? We are lovable people. - Rosa stood up and got to Malik in a single step. She put Malik’s hands into her own.

- Are we mom? - I needed reassurance. It is important to know that you are a good person, and other people love you.

- Of course, we are. - Mom put her firm warm hand around my shoulders, and my head rested on her arm. I almost fell asleep, but soon we had to go.

Long narrow lamp above the window flashed green. The door behind my back went inside the wall. We stood up and went into the gate.   The flying saucer turned out to be spacious, with rows of seats going from the edge to the center.   We sat down in the fifth row. Our bags attached themselves to the ceiling I put on a movie, and my new life has started.

Mubarak’s POV:

Until the 20th of April, 25000, I have never thought of leaving my home planet. That day, I was told to leave the Holy Terra. I was appointed the Envoy to Kadjar.  My life would never be the same.

That day, I didn’t do any work. Patrich Dylan, the speaker of the Imperial Council, called me into his office as soon as I walked into the building.

-          Why did you want to see me? – I asked him.

-          I have very special news to tell you. - Patrich smiled.

-          Do I get a corner office? - I asked him.

-          No. What you get is much, much better. – Patrich acted mysterious.

-          What could be better than a corner office? - I wondered.

-          Leaving this boring planet! You have been selected as the empire’s new envoy to Kadjar. – Patrich gave his great announcement. Wow! That’s an amazing promotion. I would get a big house, and a personal assistant. I would be a rich man, on the most prosperous world of the empire.

-          How did I earn this promotion? -  I asked him. Patrich is not the one giving out unearned rewards. There had to be a good reason for his action.

-          You have been the best assistant, I ever had. Also, you had a lot of experience assisting Kadjar representative Diana Duran.  Two decades of working with him, gave you good understanding of Kadjari language and customs. Throughout your career, you have been diligent, pedantic, and punctual. You are the person we need on Kadjar. -Patrich explained his decree. - Now you can go to the Chancellor. – Patrich was done with me.

For people coming from Kadjar and Leji, Terra looks like austere, impoverished place. Outside Imperiapolis, nobody wears jewelry, and you don’t see posh, luxurious buildings. The emperor uses the old world of Terra, as an example of how people imagined good life, before we got the thermonuclear energy, and matter generators. In the past, all people wanted was ample healthy food, some rest time, and disease-free environment. They did not think of anything more.

Basically, the whole planet, outside Imperiapolis was one giant museum, where 4 billion people live. While Imperiapolis is the administrative capital, city of the Emperor and his servants. That’s where most envoys are recruited, and that’s where the Imperial Council meets, across the square from Emperor’s palace gates.

I have met with the Chancellor near the gates of the Palace. The Chancellor confirmed my appointment and provided me with a mission. Chancellor Diva Rokos, wanted me to investigate the Alpher Juice trade on Kadjar. She wanted to know whether it is reasonable to legalize the drug all across the Imperial territory.

The Emperor requested the investigation, after the representative of VaiJong proposed removal of all restrictions on mind altering substances. His Holiness had the man kicked out from the council. However, he decided Alpher Juice could be given a chance. My assignment was to collect information, analyze it, and provide the Imperial Council with a report. Imperial Council should be provided with knowledge. Ignorance leads to mistakes, and mistakes lead to suffering.

Chancellor Rokos had me dismissed.

On April 20th 25000, I came from work early. I have danced my way from the Imperial Council to the apartment building. I entered my apartment and filled it with joy. When Layla asked me why I was smiling so widely, I replied that I got a promotion.

-Dad what is your new job?  -  Layla asked me. She wanted to know if something will change after that.

-I am the new Imperial Envoy to Kadjar. –I proclaimed. -  We have to move there in 3 days.  So, start packing. – I ordered her to pack her belongings. This moment changed everything.

I went to the kitchen and met my wife. She and Rosa were planning our weekend.

-          All our plans are cancelled. - I told them, as I walked into the room.

-          Why is that? – Aisha raised her eyebrows.

-          Because we are moving. - I placed myself between my wife and daughter. – I got a promotion. My new job is on another planet.

-          Why is that? - Rosa asked.

-          Because, I am the new Envoy to Kadjar.

-          Should we go collect our things? - Aisha and Rosa asked in unison.

-          You should start that immediately. – I recommended them to start early, so they don’t forget anything.

The next morning, I had to get the confirmation from the Emperor. Without it, nothing can get done.

I walked into the palace, and I had an audience with God and his council. My wrist chip was scanned at the entrance gates. And there are cameras everywhere.

I walked through the garden for few minutes and then I saw the Palace. It is a familiar sight, but still, it is magnificent. Its roof is made of solar panels, on the edges of the roof there are statues of first 700 heroes of the Empire. Last time I checked the total list was 867,432 entries long, 152 were alive. The walls were built out emerald and ruby.  All the windows are stained glass; they can be opened if one actually wants to look outside.

I walked up the stairs to 4 meters tall Mahogany entrance doors.  My wrist was scanned before I entered. A robot guided me to the throne hall.  I passed past the Hall of Accounting, the Hall of War, the Imperial Archives, The Prognosis hall, the Hall of Intergalactic Communications, and the hall of Religion. On the other side of the corridor are Hall of Ecosystems, Hall of Humanity, Hall of Space Travel, Hall of Time, and Hall of Truth. Each door is adorned by the imperial emblem. Behind those doors, there are servants of god diligently doing their job, under 24-hour surveillance, one little mistake, or being a minute late, and they are fed to animals of the Emperor’s zoo. Emperor knows everything about them, when they sleep, where they go, and what they do at any moment. They gave up all freedom, to work in this government which helps him control his 2 trillion subjects.

Finally, I got to the Throne Hall.  There the all-powerful ruler of humanity sat on the diamond throne. On the ceiling was a star map, showing current location of every inhabited world. On the walls of the hall frescos were painted by his mind. The eastern wall depicted the production of wrist chips. The western wall displayed the logo of Nadzima. Two hands were holding a pine tree. Behind Emperors back, hung the Red Dragon flag. Bright red fire breathing dragon surrounded by white emptiness. That’s how Kadjari men see the universe, them and nothing else.

I have crossed the hall and stopped 2 meters away from the throne. I did nine bows and emperor addressed me.

-          Greetings, loyal servant. - Emperor looked me in the eyes.

-          Greetings, mighty ruler of worlds. – I stared back at his face.

Emperor stood up from the throne. He gave me his portrait. While I held the painting, he touched my wrist.

-          I hereby, declare you, my new envoy to Kadjar. – His Holiness confirmed my appointment.

-          Thank you, your Holiness. Everything you want will be accomplished- I expressed my endless gratitude.

-          Your appointment is over. You must go collect your belongings. - Emperor dismissed me. I had to leave Terra, that same day.

I am a Terran and that works to my advantage. That is because, of how special this planet is to the Empire. Holy Terra is the birthplace of humanity,