New Wolrds

By R J Murray

Octavius Bartholomew Fitzgerald is an inventor and genius with an edge. A message from the future with science and tech to create and empire. The originators have a specific result in mind when they send the probe back through time. Octavius has a different idea and works to end the possibility of a harsh regime controlled by Humans with all other species as servants or exterminated.
He collects people with similar thoughts and a wide variety of skills to begin building what he hopes will be a blessing to the galaxy rather than a curse. Together they find life can be less about planning and more about serendipity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R J Murray
• Release date: Apr 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005053642

R J Murray

R J Murray was born on a small farm in central Kentucky in the early fifties. Growing up in the country gave him a love of nature and a dislike of shovelling manure, as well as the certain knowledge that goats were smarter than dogs and cows were dumber than rocks.After moving to Florida with his family, he returned to Kentucky each summer with his siblings and first heard about organic gardening as a teenager. Manure finally had a purpose. Winters were spent attending school on Florida's east coast and he returned to Kentucky after graduating from High School in 1969, where he got a job flipping burgers while he attended the local branch of the University of Kentucky. His free time was spent reading Science Fiction from the Golden Age, hunting, fishing and gardening. Hobbies have included history, spelunking, geology, as well as many different home crafts such as cross stitch, leather work, making mail armour and baking. At age fifty-nine, he accepted a challenge from his wife. (With your wild imagination, it should be easy for you.)He wrote his first novel in fifty eight days, changed the title many times, and ended up with a manuscript of two thousand pages which eventually became the first books in the series, Tales of the Triad.

Book preview

THE IMPIRIUM

New Worlds

BY

R J MURRAY

DISCLAIMER

Any resemblance between the characters in this book, names, places or history is a wild coincidence as this is all imaginary. It came from the voices in my head, of which there are many. I think that these people could not exist in the real world because they are way too weird.

In addition, for those who thrill in finding errors, I have deliberately left several for you to find. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

1 Incoming

2 Well

3 How

4 Augments

5 More Augments

6 Governments

7 Future Stuff Only Different

8 Friend or Foe

9 Exploration

10 Anyone alive out there

11 Relationships

12 Diplomats

13 Home coming

14 New contacts

15 Occupation

16 Repairs

17 A new enemy

18 Solutions

19 Real Estate

20 The Silence of the Scolarian Cooperative

21 Success

22 Med Center One

23 Those Guys

24 Contact

25 The Next Steps

26 Expansion

27 Visitors

28 Hostiles

29 Answers

30 WAR

31 Occupation

32 Endurance

33You Wanna do WHAT?

34 The Price of Success

35 So How old are you?

36 The Crab Nebula War

37 War and Wedding

38 Aftermath

39 Clean Up

40 The Long Haul

41 Aftermath

1

Incoming

We have another message from the belt guy.

I was hoping he would go away. Alternatively, they would catch him. More updates on his marvelous works, his incredible technology or maybe his vast fleet of ships?

He has a fleet?

Okay, I made that up. Gary chuckled. He had to be careful with the thoughts he shared with the people at work. Most thought anyone who believed the monthly updates were at best, idiot. What does he say, so I don’t have to listen to him?

He will be in orbit in two weeks. He is coming here. He asked if everyone interested should have a clean pair of pants handy.

Huh?

He said they are going to shit themselves when the Empire arrives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gary lifted his beer as he saw his friends enter the tavern. The three waved and headed for the booth.

So, any good news today? Charlotte asked as she sat down.

Why yes, there is. The belt guy is coming to Earth, Be here in two weeks. He has taken up the name the media gave him, the Empire.

The two men sat, the chairs scrapping the floor and grinding peanut shells under the legs. You serious? I mean you’re not making this up? Horace asked, waving the server over.

Guy from metallurgy told me this morning. I watched the vid before I came here. He said he would be in orbit in two weeks. He’s bringing the Pegasus.

The others were silent as it sank in. It was real, just as they had hoped. For two and a half years, monthly updates had come to Earth, talking about and showing incredible tech, centuries ahead of anything on Earth. A massive complex slowly grew in the asteroid belt, a habitat dozens of kilometers in height and width. A complex with an opening fifteen kilometers wide, eating asteroids and refining the remains, Shipyards containing everything from sci-fi, freighters mining boats, space tugs and the Pegasus. A ship twenty kilometers in length, yet still fitting inside one of the docking bays on the habitat, Arcadia. It seemed impossible and most governments, space agencies and people thought it was just another you tuber gone over the top. Until now at least.

So, why is he coming here? Horace asked.

He is looking for a lot of immigrants. He says he is ready to permanently settle the belt and help establish colonies on Mars. You need to check out his new website. Gary showed them his phone with the address showing. The group started punching buttons and the reading through the site. They read for over an hour, barely nodding as the server brought their orders.

So, do we qualify? Charlotte asked.

I think so, Gary said, but we won’t know for sure unless we sign up and get processed.

Where do we sign? the three asked quickly.

~~~~~~~~

We have an object on approach. The techs voice was showing consternation. Direct trajectory to Earth, impact in thirty seconds. Wait, uh, impact in sixty-five sec …two minutes, five. Object is decelerating!

How big? Lt. Johansson asked. He felt he already knew the answer. It had to be the Pegasus.

Unknown. Maybe five kilometers by three is all I can tell you. Still decelerating. Course change, possibly going into orbit.

Johansson picked up the phone.

Yes.

Colonel, we have an object that appears to be entering orbit.

Not impacting?

Negative Sir.

Interesting but not dangerous. Have you spoken with NASA?

Not as of yet Sir.

Why not?

The object is maneuvering. It appears to be a massive ship.

The line was silent for a moment, before the Colonel responded. You’re not going to tell me it’s that idiot belt guy are you?

No Sir. We don’t have any contact as of yet. The Colonel was well known for his belief that the ‘belt guy’ should be shot and/or arrested.

The tech interrupted. We have contact! Message incoming.

Make sure to record and get the Colonel a link.

Already done Lt.

A voice came over the speakers. "We are the Empire, according to the media. Also the belt guy and a few less savory titles. You can call me Sir, for now. I am aboard the Imperial heavy cruiser Pegasus entering Earth orbit, just as I promised. Those of you with clean pants available may take a moment to change. I’m sure this is being recorded by almost everyone so you won’t miss a thing.

"So, here’s the deal. I need people, a lot of people. I have set up a web site, which someone has tried to hack, block and take down unsuccessfully innumerable times. My requirements are listed on the site. I need to start with smaller numbers to make it easier to train everyone, but in time, I will need millions of families. I will gladly accept our wounded warriors, those military who have suffered irreparable damage in the course of their service.

"I also need agriculture types to facilitate the use of two point five million hectares of farmland I currently have available. I hope to feed the colonies Earth will place across the star system, with a little help from the Empire.

The planets will need to be colonized by Earth for several reasons. I don’t like planets. The Empire lives and works in space. Dead worlds impossible to colonize can be mined along with the asteroids, moons, and the gas giants. You can have your moon, Mars, and Venus, once we terraform it. That’s all for now. This is the ISS Pegasus, CAM-001, end transmission.

The dimensions have been confirmed by NASA. Twenty k by three by five, wedge shaped or arrowhead. Widest point is fifteen k from the bow; Stern is three k in width and two k in height. Unknown metal construction but ,

Go on.

Japan and Europe both think the hull is collapsed matter. Spectrographic analysis is similar to white dwarf stars.

2

Well

We all were accepted? Gary asked, surprised by the revelation.

Yeah. Now what? Charlotte asked.

We pack and close out our affaires on Earth, We aren’t coming back. You know that right. It was a rhetorical question, wasn’t it?

Yes, but you answer them so well Horace. Are we traveling together? Is the government going to be a problem? she asked.

Announcement early this morning. Anyone who has a security risk based on their work stays. The rest are free to go or stay as they wish. Anything the US classifies as controlled or secret. Gary answered.

Craig smiled. I guess my gambler of a brother is a good thing. I missed a top job because of his habits. Otherwise I would be stuck on Earth.

So, we get ready, head to the rendezvous points, and he brings the Pegasus into international waters to send out shuttles to pick everyone up. Atlantic first, then the Pacific. Pickup point closest to us is in the outer banks. I can be ready in three days. How about the rest of you? Gary asked.

Three days was good for each of them and they would rent a car to drive to the coast.

I wonder how many others will be there. Charlotte asked no one in particular.

~~~~~~~~~~

Several hundred people, families, couples and singles mingled on the short scruffy beach designated as pick site three.

Sissy Maguire asked a woman standing next to her. Why such a lousy beach? No sand, just rocks, scrubby things with thorns, no shade and it smells funky.

Charlotte smiled. That would mean there are no tourists to mingle with, so less confusion. I mean, seriously, would you come here on vacation?

Sissy giggled. No, I would not. I’m Sissy.

Charlotte. That your real name?

Yeah. Weird parents. Great, but weird. You with anyone? Friends, family?

Three friends. We grew up close. Come on over and I’ll introduce you.

Craig Howard, computer tech, Gary Sanders, mineralogist, Horace Ganger, Aerospace engineer. I teach high school math, geometry lately.

Sissy Maguire, farmer, three generations.

Well rounded group we’ve got here. Should be interesting what the Imperial tech does with our respective talents. Shuttle should be here .. Gary was interrupted by a sonic boom over the water.

Gonna get complaints about that. Nobody likes getting their fillings loosened like that. Sissy remarked. There it is! she pointed.

A metallic glint in the sky quickly grew into a sleek shuttle."

People moved closer to the water’s edge and talked quietly as the shuttle grew near.

No wings. No doors either.

No exhaust fumes either.

Like my brother, no visible means of support.

It landed silently hanging over the water with the bow hanging over the strip of land. The front of the ship shimmered and an opening grew in the hull with a short ramp leading into the ship.

Okay, I am impressed.

Slowly the crowd moved forward into the unknown. When the last person entered the shuttle, the hull closed and the ship lifted into the sky.

~~~~~~~~

The crowed was large, but the space was much larger than they needed. Chairs, comfortable chairs with drink holders lined up in rows near a small stage. Refreshments were on tables around the perimeter and people were eyeing them but not partaking. A speaker came to life with a short ping. Grab something to eat and drink and find a seat. Toilet facilities are along the bulkhead both port for women and starboard for men. If you don’t know port and starboard, just look at the signs. I’ll be with you as soon as we reach orbit, about five minutes. Relax and enjoy.

Anyone in a wheelchair, don’t worry. You get the front row. Also, just because they’re in a chair doesn’t mean they’re helpless. Ask if they need anything, but don’t push. Unless that is what they asked for, they push them.

The speaker clicked off with the same soft ping and people started looking around for wheel chairs. Most were embarrassed to realize they were standing next to one or more but hadn’t seen them.

The kids had noticed though. One group of a dozen surrounded two people, a man in a wheel chair and a young girl on crutches. He was missing both legs. She was missing one.

What happened to you?

Land mine. Nasty, but I was lucky. Two other guys died on the spot.

Oh. What about her?

Ask her. Said the marine.

Land mine. She said. My mother saved me. My brother died.

Conversations shifted around the room as they mingled. No one noticed when a tall figure in a uniform entered and mounted the stage,

Charlotte nudged Gary and nodded to the stage when she did notice.

The man was tall, his hair short and dark. His eyes were brown and laugh lines radiated from them. The uniform was charcoal gray, boots to hat. He wore an insignia on his shoulder, a galaxy surrounded by a crown.

"I have several things to say before we get to the question and answer stuff. So get comfortable if you can. First, welcome aboard. This is ISS Pegasus, CAM-001. That means she is a heavy cruiser. We can get into weapons in space later.

"Secondly. We are not planet living people. We leave planets to the groundhogs, the Earthers. We are Spacers, meaning we live and work in space. Of course, we can’t breathe vacuum so we live on habitats and ships. To my mind, planets are dirty, violent, disease ridden pestholes best left to those who like that sort of thing. Space is clean, pristine and sterile.

"Thirdly, we have a purpose. We are here to protect humanity, even from themselves. They need to get off that planet and spread out across the star system. Living on one planet and nowhere else is a single point of failure. Anything goes wrong and we have no more people, except us. That is not going to happen. We will get colonies going across space. We will terraform Venus. We will build habitats around the planets and we will build farms in space to feed them.

3 How

So, time for questions.

A hand went up. Sir, Lance Corporal James Hendricks. How can we do these things? You want me to shoot someone or blow shit up, I’m your man. I kinda like blowing shit up. You don’t seem to have too many enemies up here.

Actually, I have a need to blow things up, in a sense. However, you military types are here for a different reason. Space requires discipline. So many of the astronauts were and still are military, partially for that very reason. Chain of command must be observed on ships and on new worlds, which we will be opening up. You people will be ships crews and boots on the ground.

How about wheels on the ground? My feet are somewhere in the Middle East.

Called me on that one did you? How about you get them back? Would you be willing to join the imperial military if I gave you back your legs and, you know, any other bits and pieces you people may have misplaced.

Stunned silence filled the vast chamber.

Uh, we just met so I’m not sure how to say this, but, you are definitely a man that is full of something, probably some animal byproduct. Gary responded.

Cute. Possibly true. However, I have tech that exists nowhere else. When we are done here, I will need a few volunteers to demonstrate what I can do. Many of you have degrees in various tech, but you are going back to school to learn my tech. This stuff is centuries ahead of anything you have seen.

"Where did it come from? Garry asked.

Me.

Several people snickered.

Follow me.

~~~~~~~

Welcome to the sick bay, one of many. The units along the walls are auto-docs. I need a volunteer Lance Corporal.

Voluntold Sir. I’m willing if it will get me back to full form.

"Roll your butt over here then and let’s get started. I would tell