Читать книгу Identity - Jeff MDiv Sieniewicz - Страница 14

Having its Beacon back atop the Pole of Promise, the planet of Hiruaha was quickly returning to its version of normalcy. The cities had begun their regular activities again, with citizens returning to where they needed to be, feeling as they needed to feel. Their lives had purpose again now with its planet’s function restored. The cities of Prent, Kita, and Moran were all functioning as if The Beacon had never been taken. And if one were to listen very closely, they could even hear ships humming by Hiruaha once more.

The turnip mines were also in full gear again now that their purpose for operating had returned. The Hiruahian turnip was the main power source for The Beacon as well as the whole of Hiruaha. A Hiruahian turnip is much like a turnip here on Earth, besides a few chemical differences. Between those differences and the manner in which Hiruahians have learned to fuse those chemicals from their turnips, they have found a very reliable power source. The fact that in the lower recesses of Hiruaha these particular turnips have constantly been so plentiful over the years has created this dependability. All of which have been factors that have resulted in a large portion of the planet’s population working in some relation to this booming industry.

The other major occupation besides turnip mining for citizens of the planet consists mainly of scientific research and other intellectual endeavors. Excluding the smaller group of merchants, this divided the planet into two very distinct groups.

These two classes on the planet have always co-existed well, for the most part, even if there is and always has been an underlying resentment between the two. A resentment stemming from each side believing that their side is more essential to the success of Hiruaha than the other.

In fact, many spirited debates have arisen at local bars all around Hiruaha on the topic. The turnip miners contend that the planet would not run or be able to support their pride and joy, The Beacon, without them doing the actual work.

The academics counter that claim with one for the need of intellectual growth to occur on their planet if they are going to improve as a civilization. Also, that one day their society, their group in particular will find a more efficient way than turnips to fuel The Beacon as well as the rest of the Hiruaha. Furthermore, they believe that Hiruaha needs to start preparing for that impending day, and since they are the one’s with the larger intellectual capacity, they are the best prepared to navigate society down this perilous yet necessary path.

At this point the intellectuals usually would proceed to add the supporting fact that minor deposits from the turnips enter into the air everyday and that this could become a health issue one day, or could presently even be one. It could even become a climatic issue. In fact the intellectuals generally would go on to add any number of the one hundred and twenty one supporting arguments to their case. All the while totally unaware that the miners had moved to another part of the bar around argument point number two in attempt to better enjoy their drinks.

Very little has evolved from this brooding feud between the two classes, except for the occasional brawl among members of lesser status outside these same bars.

Meanwhile, the remaining members from each group did their best to accept that while they may not hold affectionate feelings for the other, they each contribute heavily to the successful operation of The Beacon of Light. Which had always been an object of great affection for any Hiruahian, no matter the class association, for it made Hiruaha the great planet that it is.

No matter which galactic map you pick up, The Beacon of Light is the most significant landmark anywhere in the Milan Galaxy, largely helping to form the structure of the Milanian SuperSpaceWay, or as it’s commonly known among travelers, the MSSW. In fact, Hiruaha’s Beacon isn’t only an integral part of the space way, it’s the most essential component.

The Beacon of Light’s great importance lies in its ability to send a specific type of light signal out into space. One capable of being received by technology outfitted in every ship worth its weight made in the last several centuries, provided that the ship is traveling anywhere within the MSSW and logged onto the MSSW’s grid.

The space way stretches out over most of the twenty five trillion cubic light years that make up the Milan Galaxy. Measuring approximately ten thousand light years in thickness, or height, and fifty thousand in both length and width, Milan is a fairly average sized galaxy, with three major arms: Sporan, Linus, and Pintar.

Hiruaha, not within or even near any of these arms, is definitely an outpost in many ways relative to the concentrated areas of the galaxy where much is happening. In population or popularity, Hiruaha is a relatively low-density area when it comes to power and culture, nowhere near the center of either. It is a rural outpost, plain and simple. They know it, Borus knows it, all of Milan that know of Hiruaha, which is plenty, know it.

Galactically speaking The Beacon is the one and only hurrah for Hiruaha. It is also what gives Hiruaha its notoriety, because when you need to navigate the Milan Galaxy, you need to know where one thing is first, Hiruaha. And that’s because of The Beacon.

When originally deciding where the key Beacon would be placed during construction of the MSSW grid, Hiruaha had only one thing going for it. It was the closest to the middle of the Milan Galaxy. Being twenty five thousand light years in from the outer edges of all sides, and five thousand from top and bottom alike, Hiruaha was ironically central in location.

Directions such as side-to-side and top to bottom are of course totally meaningless on their own, and nowhere is this more evident than in space where reference points are incredibly difficult to come by.

Although, if you were to look at the Milan Galaxy in such a way that it appears fifty thousand light years wide and long, and ten thousand thick, you would find Hiruaha directly in the central region, as well as even precisely in the middle of that region.

What is the importance in this? Well there isn’t any, unless you happen to be one of the fifty million ships traveling along the MSSW at any given moment in time. If so, then Hiruaha is the center grid point that aligns all other grid point locations for you to check for safety and direction. When you navigate through space in the Milan Galaxy, Hiruaha is your reference point in a medium that desperately needs one. And with the help of the MSSW grid, navigation is made possible.

The grid monitors every ship’s location and current flight path on the speedway. Hiruaha is one of two thousand grid points, all of which are beacons of their own that mark the outline of the speedway with the signal they emit.

Hiruaha’s Beacon, however, is extremely special. It is not just a beacon; it is The Beacon, because being in the middle it is the designated central beacon that funnels every other signal of every other beacon through it. Therefore once stolen, its recovery was of the greatest importance, not only for Hiruaha, but also for the entire Milan Galaxy.

Consisting of Cynar, Hiruaha’s Beacon was also the only one capable of attracting each uniquely coded signal from each and every other beacon and redirecting it back out to the others. In doing so, creating the grid.

Every ship accesses the grid when traveling through the galaxy. It allows traffic to flow at an incredibly high speed, and for the most part without incident throughout the incredible expanse of the galaxy. Hiruaha therefore is the center of the MSSW grid, literally and figuratively, with its remarkable Beacon being the key to it all.

Maintaining this Beacon is the key function of the planet of Hiruaha and its sole honor. It has always been a source of great pride for every single Hiruahian, as it solidifies their place in the galaxy.

Every Hiruahian learns at a young age that The Beacon of Light represents their place and purpose in the universe. The Great Creator had given them this right to guide, to lead, and it was theirs to keep.

Upon further inspection, however, a case could be made that one other individual in particular had played a major role in giving them this honor. The Director of Inter-Solar System Planning, who held office in Borus, was this individual, as she was the one responsible for all the minor and major traffic ways in the galaxy. Everyone knew, however, that there was truly only one major traffic way in the Milan Galaxy, the MSSW. This was her primary responsibility. There was no other space way in the Milan Galaxy as large, as well used, or as important as the Milanian SuperSpaceWay.

The Director had final say for locations of every beacon on the MSSW grid and there were a number of reasons for choosing Hiruaha as the location of this all-important Beacon.

The fact Hiruaha was in the middle of the galaxy was definitely one reason. It was also the location of the particular natural phenomena that created the Cynar, which gave this Beacon its ability to operate, and that was a very good omen indeed. The location of Hiruaha had been designated by fate itself, and the Director was not going to be one to argue with fate.

Additionally, it goes without saying that the fact the Director’s ship collection, kept at her off-season home, was merely minutes away from Hiruaha on this proposed MSSW route had no bearing whatsoever on this particular ruling in administrative history. Even if making such a selection would save her thousands of crowdumplers in tolls along the way, and also much time that could better be spent vacationing than traveling. Both were mere coincidences after fate got involved.

Regardless of the reasons, Hiruaha had long ago been chosen to be the grid point, and thus ever since has been the center and most vital mark of the whole grid.

Hiruaha was thus put on the map, both literally and figuratively, even if it was not the downtown of culture, power, or population, because from then on it was definitely known as the only downtown as far as location was concerned.

And now that it has its Beacon back, Hiruaha is once again “the home to all things perfectly luminous,” the planet’s motto ever since The Beacon’s creation. A motto prominently displayed on a massive billboard located on the first moon of Hiruaha, lit by The Beacon itself, making it clearly visible to all ships passing nearby.