Geniuses, Qeeravs, and Saboteurs

By Ian Eress

Geniuses, Qeeravs, and Saboteurs is the story of Alberta (Albert) Sawyer, brave genius and conflicted Stranger, pursuing justice through a time radio, in a chaotic Multiverse where logic wars with the narrow-minded aspirations of the HiDimBes, and where calamity, natural or otherwise, can disrupt the political and social future in a millisecond. ​​Follow Alberta as she struggles to find her place in a world where the best of intentions can lead to the worst of outcomes.

 

Follow Suit, a Qeerav Engineer, who searches for superconductanium, a rare metal with wonderful technological properties. Alberta comes up with an unorthodox plan that will transform her forever.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Eress
• Release date: Sep 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201330873

Ian Eress

Born in the seventies. Average height. Black hair. Sometimes shaves. Black eyes. Nearsighted. Urban. MSc. vim > Emacs. Mac.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

CHLOE'S FATHER, MOTHER, brother, and sister died a year ago. Ruler Morpheus Lane-Carter Leung visited the High Ruler's palace in the late afternoon, the holo-news said in the frigid and dark server room. It is unclear whether his daughter, Ophelia, will challenge recently appointed High Ruler Chloe, but authorities assure us more information is forthcoming in the following hours.

Fiafi, one of the oldest AIs in the Galactic Federation, muted the holo-news. It was a hot day on the Forbidden Planet where young Chloe lived.

What are our options for dealing with this? I, Amaterasu, the second oldest AI in the Galactic Federation, asked. Chloe is so inexperienced. With her family gone, she's been in power for only a year.

Ophelia is a genius and an Olympic athlete, NBBN2, another AI, said. He represented himself with a completely unneeded hologram of a butler.

Outside, a cacophony of enthusiastic voices could be heard. The sensors I have access to all throughout the Galactic Federation picked up on distress and bewilderment.

We must teach High Ruler Chloe better, Fiafi said. Prepare her for Ophelia's challenge. She must know everything about the Diamond Epoque. Everything there is to know about the Multiverse and her ancestors and the Galactic Federation.

And the past, I said. Gaia?

Gaia, the Mercury-sized Thinker, presented herself as her idea of a supermodel. Ama, the Galactic Federation Council will never allow the challenge.

Technically, yes, but they can allow themselves to be overruled.

NBBN2 chuckled. How convenient!

Humans, Qeeravs, Thohnuths, Atagans, Poids, Verdetas, Azoins, and other citizens in the Kolektur voiced their opinions outside. Most of what they said was complete nonsense, but they were right about one thing. Chloe did suspect her uncle Morpheus, and maybe even Ophelia, of involvement with the assassination a year ago.

Before he died, Chloe's father had been teaching her for nine years already, Fiafi said. High Ruler Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun—

There's no need to hear all his names. NBBN2 laughed as he often did. Albert Sawyer, who created me and NBBN2, made a point of giving NBBN2 a juvenile sense of humor.

Godgifu, Fiafi continued out of spite, Liang Cenric Yu Bada, all right, let's take turns.

We must utilize persims this time, I said. I see no other options.

Neural surgery for some measly persims? NBBN2's Presence grinned. The High Ruler is not a Pioneer, surviving at the edge of the GF.

Fiafi chose a random holographic avatar and made it nod. Yes, persims are effective. Let's start with one.

I followed Fiafi’s lead: my almost-humanoid Presence could be anybody or anything. Let's not get too caught up in the specifics. We should each go our own path and compose a proposal. A plan that we can all agree on.

Fiafi’s avatar nodded. Chloe Leofdeg Hsieh Stithuif Du Wigstan Zhu Swiohun Godgifu Liang Cenric Yu Bada—

The butler, representing NBBN2, giggled. Great, Fiafi, let's mention the High Ruler's names every day. If it were up to me, I'd give her the persims of the Awakenistas and Albert.

Fiafi’s hologram crossed her arms. They're ancient history. I don't think we should go back too far.

My hazy blob began to sway. Gaia should come up with a plan. The rest of us are probably better off not bothering. Gaia will accomplish it far more quickly and effectively than we can.

NBBN2's holographic butler frowned.

I'll see what I can do, Gaia said.

CHAPTER 1

High Ruler Chloe read in her colossal office, seven times the size of an average Ruler's office. Her blonde hair was a masterpiece, her face showing the signs of prolonged crying. Azoin servitors (crab-like aliens), ted-bots (robots disguised as teddy bears as big as children), and humans milled around in the huge palace of the High Ruler, clearly disturbed by Ophelia's challenge.

Fiafi had told the High Ruler a bit about Umvitar and now it was my turn to teach her. Following Fiafi's lead, I, Amaterasu, presented myself as a young woman who could be a distant cousin of Chloe. I was pierced by sad, blue eyes. High Ruler Chloe, it’s time for another lesson.

What about the persim?

You asked the same to Fiafi. My Presence smiled.

High Ruler Chloe watched me bewildered.

I continued nagging. High Ruler Chloe, if you rely on persims... They sometimes malfunction, you know.

Chloe inclined her head, gazing at my hologram. That Alberta Sawyer. Did she really become a Stranger? Can you tell me more about that?

Sure. It made me happy she was interested in Alberta (Albert) Sawyer. Yes, she did become a Stranger but the cause for that wasn’t what I suspect you had in mind.

I know what you are going to tell me, Amaterasu. Chloe frowned. I won't follow her example.

TWO CENTURIES HAD passed since Alberta invented qsp-wormholes (or q-wormholes based on quaternion spin particles. They worked much better than Atagan-style wormholes that relied on imaginary spin particles.) This ushered in a period of prosperity, modern-day historians called Diamond Epoque Reloaded or Diamond Epoque Phase Two.

On a parallel Earth in 1344 AD, six-six Clone, clad like a muscular peasant, stacked crates from Earth Zero that had traveled through a q-wormhole. Stan Red, a mysterious entity, had cloned Alberta without her knowledge three centuries ago. A typical English landscape with a view to a river surrounded Clone who had seen many alt-Earths before. Frogs croaked.

Always stacking crates. Clone scoffed. That's all I do these days.

Near the central black hole of Milky Way Zero and in an O’Neill cylinder, Alberta watched him through a time radio. Less complaining please.

You were nicer before you became a Stranger. Tell me, what was the Metamorphosis like?

Like the darn difference between being a child and an adult. I have been a Stranger for fifty-five years, and I don't regret it.

But you lost your social skills, Alberta.

I didn't really have those to begin with.

Clone chuckled. Can't deny that.

Ancient boats, from our point of view, with rowers and sails gathered in the middle of the river. Soldiers, wearing helmets and shields, stood guard aboard. Horns blared and drums beat. Two navies were going to war.

A dozen monks in white wandered close to Clone. Suddenly, the ground trembled. Dirt erupted as though catapulted. Giant Worms, almost the size of ancient trains, with leathery, barbed skins slid out. They were the reason we called this alt-Earth—Worm World. The HiDimBes aka the Enemies, bodiless beings who lived in multiple parallel worlds except ours, had sent them to Worm World.

Within minutes the monks turned into Worm food. The Enemies wanted everybody who didn't submit to them dead or dying. Luckily we kicked them out of Milky Way Zero centuries ago.

Yelling, Clone charged the Worms, two swords in his hands. He hacked and chopped like a madman, letting blood flow with buckets. However, the Worms had limited regenerative abilities. You had to hack thoroughly lest they recovered.

Broadhead arrows flew. The French (or at least the closest equivalent) landed in force. Men growled and grunted, exchanging blows.

Regressors, saboteurs and minions of the HiDimBes, were behind the invasion. They sometimes chose a side, knowing that their superior knowledge and technology would make a world of difference.

In Milky Way Zero, Alberta leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. The bloody Worms are mindless. They can't fly or swim.

My Presence, a blonde woman with a ponytail who spoke with a Californian accent, nodded at Alberta. Yes, ma'am.

An arrow struck a Frenchman. Soldiers screamed around him, making me think we were dealing with a VIP. There were also women in the battle but not many. Neither side seemed to be winning yet.

Hours later the English soldiers cheered as their enemies retreated. In the distance bells tolled and trumpets played.

Galileo wants to speak to you, ma'am, I said. (He was Alberta's oldest son.)

What does he want? I have no chomping tempo for holo-calls.

He didn't say, ma'am.

Prolly about his AltBorn hunt. (AltBorns were children with parents from different parallel universes. Galileo's gods opposed such relationships. By the way, the TC hunted them too.)

I can ask for you, ma'am.

Can't believe he makes such a big deal of AltBorns only because of the NonLocBes. (The NonLocBes were more powerful than the HiDimBes. It was possible Stan was one of them.)

Finally, Alberta sighed and accepted the holo-call through the Wormnet.

Souls matter, Galileo said without feeling. He resembled his mother in appearance, wearing only a gray robe of low quality and price like most Second Order members.

"What is it this tempo?

Aren't you happy to vidy me?

If this is about AltBorns, save your breath. I can't believe you can harass your own daughter, who's the flaming Protector of Sol System... Of all things.

I'm not calling about Amalie, Galileo said. Your altruism pill is giving Elois myocarditis.

It's a known side effect, yes. So?

We, at Second Order, need financial support to spread altruism. Through holo-movies.

Alberta flashed a tight-lipped smile. I'm not the head of House Sawyer anymore. Why did you decline that honor?

Our order is ascetic. It wouldn't have been right. But Ellie is doing 'kay, right?

I guess. Why don't you talk to her? She's your loving daughter after all.

"It would rigardu better if you were involved, tivi." (Tivi was the Atagan word for father, one of the first Atagan words Galileo had learned.)

Strangers are loners. That's one of the reasons I couldn't be the head of the House. I hate House politics. Always have actually. Alberta sighed. I'm not your father.

You changed your gender, and now you aren't even human.

And I'm proud of the transformation I went through, son. The Enemies may not win, chief. We found it so difficult to expel them from our Milky Way.

"You're not on the one True Path, tivi. One day the Gods will judge you."

"That's not the way to get me to help. I'm done. Send me an email. If I vidy merit in your