"Who can tell me why it is called that way and what does the name mean?"
It was Yngve who answered, so he was back from the nurse's office already." It means out of many, one! Sir."
"Ah you are back. It surprised me not that you know it, but I hoped for someone else answering. Mr. Bergeson can you tell me how this name was chosen and why?"
Alvar Bergeson was a quiet guy who sat just behind me cleared his throat and said meekly." No, Sir I can't recall this fact at the moment. I think I must have had a faulty Cerebral Upload."
"No it was not part of your upload package for this quarter. It was part of the research assignment I gave to you all before Union Week last month."
"Ah yes Sir, I recall."
"After the Union was formed by the four original member civilizations. It was decided to put a new government system and a new government for all onto a new place. They found the Pluribius System, back then not claimed by anyone and in almost equal distance to Saran, Spor, Ulta and Terra. A naming contest was held among all Union Citizens and after elimination process the name Pluribus was chosen. It is form an old Earth language called Latin and means what Yngve said." We are many individuals, many civilizations, many cultures but we are together in one goal and one future."
The planet rushed up on us and our invisible space ship slowed down as it descended into the atmosphere.
It was always an incredible beautiful experience for me to see a garden world from space. It was so incredibly big when it was approached and yet compared to space a mere speck. The thin blue layer of the atmosphere and clouds it all was a feast of colors that suggested hospitality and life.
Mr. Walters's voice explained as the world turned beneath us, towards the main continent. "Pluribus Unum has as you might have noticed 3 continents, huge land masses that unlike your ice continents that form during Longnight never melt. Pluribus Unum is a Planet of many extremes. While it is a classified as a Garden world now, it didn't start out that way. It is the most populated planet in the Union and more than 40 Billion individuals live and work here, with an additional 40 billion commuting almost daily. Every Corporation has either their headquarters here or a major branch office. Every bank including the Federal Union Bank has offices here. More than 4500 Member Civilizations maintain so called Culture Pavilions, while all 4995 Member Civilizations have Representative Offices with support staff here. Every occupied world is represented. I believe Eric's Grandfather is the representative of Nilfeheim.
"Not to mention Courts, Federal Associations, Churches and temples."
He paused as we plunged towards the surface. Walters's gruff voice was replaced by a melodic female voice." Welcome future Citizens to Pluribus Unum. I am Utchat, the Giga Computronic of this world and its voice."
The voice stopped but a melodic harmony vibrated on then it said." As you dive past the Thermosphere into the Mesosphere you will notice the first spires and tops of the tallest Arcologies. Walters's voice interrupted." One moment Utchat, this class is form a Culture Type 191 P environment. "
His tone changed as he addressed us." Arcologies are hyper structures. Complete Cities, enormous habitats of extreme high population density. Providing habitation, recreation and in some cases work all in one place." He then signaled the Computronic to continue.
The female voice seamlessly continued." The tallest Arcology is Schwartz Industries Sky Needle III with 190 kilometers height. Most of the others that become visible now reach heights of up to 85 kilometers.
The second tallest of Enroe Industries becoming visible now, is open for visitors and can be accessed via Pluribus Unum Virtual Tours.
Walters said." We are here to see the Assembly today and watch a session."
"Very good choice."
The visual images were almost incomprehensible. I saw it all. I knew what I was seeing but I could barely process it. There were countless flyers, in all shapes and sizes buildings upon buildings and between the buildings canyons many kilometers deep, with bridges and arcs connecting some of them. But it all was dwarfed by a huge white hemisphere in the back and as our virtual flight speeded up and we rushed towards it kept on growing, everything else around it, buildings, green parks, reduced to miniature size.
"This is the Sphere of assembly. " The Computronic Voice explained." Of course not all representatives are here all the time and some choose to use holographic Avatars, but by custom and not by any rule, most are here in person and here every weekday. The Assembly is always in session around the clock and every day of the year, except during Union Week celebrations."
We passed through the wall and emerged inside a complete sphere. The dome shaped structure we saw from the outside was only half of the entire structure. The inner walls of the sphere were dotted with small alcoves. Each alcove had a desk and several seats. Humanoids and Non Humanoids alike occupied these alcoves. Our floating class room descended further into the middle of the immense sphere. "As you can see many thousand seats are still dark, those are reserved for future members. When the assembly was constructed it was decided to build it with future expansion of the Union in mind. A section of the sphere changed color high lighting twenty alcoves and the Voice said." The seats that I have colorized for you are representatives of the Andromeda Galaxy for example. Who can tell me the first Civilization that joined the Union that was not of this Galaxy?"
I heard Yngve's voice almost immediately answering." It was the Pertharians."
The Computronic managed to sound impressed. "Very good and correct indeed. A Knowledge Citation Star has been awarded to you."
A single seat was highlighted next." These are the representatives of the Attikan Commonwealth, a mega civilization almost as big as the Union with over 350 independent civilizations. One of their last cvilization, was admitted as full member only yesterday. These civilization joining us from the Large Magellanic Cloud. Making it the third galaxy where the Union has members."
Our class room zoomed close to an alcove near the top of the sphere." This is the alcove of your planet. Here your representative adds your voice to this mega culture."
A man in expensive looking traditional Neo Viking dress, with long fur brimmed leather coat and silver beard and hair expertly braided sat there, talking friendly to a non-humanoid being. I suddenly felt a deep pride coming over me. This was my grandfather, Eric Ragnarsson; I had seen him only once as a child while mother was still alive. He looked very stately, and seemed at ease talking to being that looked almost like a very shaggy Fangsnapper.
I wanted to say something to him to let him know I saw him. The Voice said. "I am sorry Future Citizen, but this is a Virtual Experience, there is no interaction with the projected environment or individuals possible."
"How do they all come to any form of conclusion to a problem?" Someone in the class asked.
Walters responded instead of the Voice." Good Question Mr. Lindholm and this is the most important part of Union School. Any citizen can bring any problem,proposal or request before the Assembly by contacting the Office of Proposals, his representative or the citizen can, if no other answer or solution has been satisfactory, request to be heard before the Assembly.
The issue will be heard,discussed by anyone who has an oppinion and then the issue is put to a vote, and every representative and any Union Citizen listening can cast a vote. Whatever is decided becomes the law right there and then. Of course most issues are solved by the Citizen Office and every problem, proposal or request is first analyzed by the Office of Proposals and is then sent to the Councils. There are seven Major councils: Science, Political, Foreign Affairs, Military and Intelligence, Health and Medical, Social, Arts and Culture and finally Trade and Finance.
Each Council gives a recommendation and the proposal or problem is posted on GalNet were every citizen can read about them and leave a comment or opinion. For big issues and major proposals it is advertised in the so called List of Issues and on Voting day that every citizen makes his decision.
This is part of the duties a citizen has. A Union Citizen enjoys tremendous benefits and has fundamental rights, but also duties."
He paused only to take a breath and continued:" Representatives can add their opinions and comments why a proposal would be good or bad for the society they represent . Finally a Computronic analysis is made considering all opinions, recommendations and the Issue complete with the analysis is put up for a vote."
He took another breath."While it sounds complicated is the best system that could be found to give every Citizen a say.
Lindholm grunted." As if the opinion of a single citizen would make a difference!"
Walters responded." It does and it can. If that citizen's opinion to an issue is a valid point not only does the Computronic recognize that and raise a flag for that Citizens representative, but it also sends the issue back I the analysis cycle to view the issue with the new aspect included. Besides there is a population of approximately one Centillion sentient beings classified as legal Citizens, the chances that more than one has the same opinion about any given issue is quite high and it is usually never just one citizen who objects or suggests something, but every citizen counts and your opinion and your ideas are as important. As a matter of fact, to the Union there is nothing more important."
"What does the president do then?" Asked another student
"The Office of the president function was represent us, but the Assembly is developing and I predict there won't be such an office for very much longer. The president represents old ideas of government with elected leaders. This why are political parties are a thing of the past."
Our class room slowly moved to the center and we could now hear a high pitched voice speaking and an insectoid beings image was projected in midair, a moving text band identified the being as the representative of the Klack Empire." Fellow Citizens and those assembled here. Her majesty the queen supreme Nt'gtar thk the 745th has asked me to address docket issue five and the continuous Shiss attacks on trade ships running the Corridor and she suggests not only an increase of Fleet patrols but the installation of six trade lane forts along the corridor."
While the Klack spoke a visual representation of the galaxy appeared behind him. All the major species neutral, enemies as well as Union territory were represented in color. Most of the Union was in the upper left quarter of the Galaxy, this quarter was called the upward sector. The Klack Empire enveloped a huge are in the lower left quarter called the Core Ward Sector. There were the Shiss and Nul spheres of influence in between and much unclaimed space. A very long but narrow strip connected the Klack Empire with Union space, known as the Corridor; an enormous amount of space ship traffic went through that Corridor. Neither the Shiss nor the Nul liked the idea that the powerful Klack were Union members now. While the Shiss officially accepted the Corridor they claimed to have no control over private Shiss raiders that kept attacking trade ships.
All this information was transferred via text directly to my retina as I looked at the image.
The representative of a world that was close to the Corridor demanded that war was to be declared against the Shiss and their menace removed once and for all.
While we were there, the Klack proposal was approved and the Union fleet was tasked to increased fleet patrols along the corridor and the planet representative was happy after it was decided that a special Corridor Patrol fleet was to be created and head quartered in the same system.
Walter declared that having a fleet base in the system would not only mean security but a tremendous economical boot for said system.
The images faded and our classroom returned to its normal boring self.
Walters pocketed his PDD and said." I want you to write about what you think would be an important Nilfeheim issue that should be addressed by the Assembly and then we will role play an assembly session tomorrow. After the break you are to upload sections 4 and 5 of the History Knowledge. Do not upload more than these and don't let me catch anyone forgetting to do it! I will be here to check!"
He sternly looked at each of us and then nodded." Dismissed for lunch break!"
We had two school yards. One was outside and the other one underground and inside, used during Longnight and it was here were the Cafeteria was.
I glanced over the menu." Lobscouse again! "I complained to Yngve who stood in line behind me." Not that I mind it, but she puts way to little fish and way to much beetroot on it."
"Do you realize that she is doing you a favor? At least in a sense of value. The fish are local silver-flicks and you can buy a full kilo for less than a credit. The beetroot comes from New Holland 70 light years away."
"I still don't like it."
"Well you helped me out big time this morning so I am buying lunch. Take what you want."
While I had no money at all, father did not find it necessary to give me an allowance Yngve's father was quite wealthy and Yngve always several hundred Credits to spend on his strip.
Quite happy I accepted his invitation and selected Pizza from the Serve-Matic and Sparkle Bright Soda."
The Cafeteria's viewports were actually underwater and for the most part you did not see anything but the same greenish water and the occasional fish.
I just had finished half my pizza when a collective awe made me look. A huge Tyranno Fin made swam past the view ports.
Everyone tried to give their expert opinion on the sex and size of the fish.
Mr. Walters and another teacher I didn't know by name stood almost next to us and he said." I am teaching Neo Vikings now for almost eight years on this planet and I never seen a Tyranno Fin in the water like that. The other teacher said." I was just transferred here and I am stunned by the size of that thing."
"I think it is what they locally call a Six Double. Meaning it is 2 times 16 meters long and about 90-100 tons. This is not a mammal like the Terran whale but a fish, very fast and very aggressive."
"Is there a man in the water?" The new teacher asked and as he pointed it out we saw it, there was a swimmer in the water and he was unarmed.
Chapter 12: Tyrannos
Annar came screaming on top of his lungs down the stairs." My brother! Sigvard has thrown my brother into the ocean and uses Tyranno Scent!"
Form the green depths another gigantic shadow appeared, a second Tyranno, bigger than the first!
Like everyone else I rushed to the top across the school yard and climbing the shoulder high Duro-crete wall and then crawling up the piled-up tumble of boulders that closed the open end of the "C" against the sea.
There on a big rock stood Sigvard holding a Slayer harpoon in the right, laughing and yelling against the stiff breeze." This is ancient tradition! This is how we deal with traitors and cowards!"
Mr. Walters was the first teacher that reached the top. Sigvard lowered the Slayer harpoon. "I am dealing with you Off Worlder! The way we should deal with all space scum that pollute our ways."
"All this was going on while Gunnar was in the water with at least two Tyrannos!"
I never liked Gunnar but that was no way to die, without having a chance. I simply had to do something! Sigvard was about to shoot. He would not miss and the explosive tipped two-meter-long harpoon would certainly kill the teacher.
I grabbed a rock and rushed as fast as I could across the rugged terrain to cover the 20 meters that covered us and threw as hard as I could.
Sigvard fired the spear gun before the rock hit him against the upper arm. I was close now, I didn't want to look back, and I could hear the explosive crack as the harpoon hit the same time I reached Sigvard. He was taller and much stronger than me, but he held the huge 2-meter-long slayer weapon and instead of dropping it to fight me. He worked the reload mechanism to rotate the second barrel into the firing position. Not to give him any chance I kicked him as hard as I could between the legs. His eyes bulged like a Silver flicker fish on land and his hand dropped from the rotating lever. I had to remain on the offensive and not give him any chance to retaliat
e and as he bent forward I rammed my knee under his chin, his head snapped back and he fell hard on the ground.
The Slayer harpoon rattled as it dropped to the ground. Gunnar was probably long dead. Like all Neo Vikings Gunnar and I had gills and could breathe underwater. It was part of the genetic tailoring the settlers of this world received as it was deemed a valuable trait on a water planet. I did not know what possessed me other than I hated unfair situations and Gunnar's situation was as unfair as could be, being unarmed in the water with at least two Tyrannos. I grabbed the slayer and jumped.
I hit the water about twelve meters below, even though it was now the first year of Shortsummer the water was very cold, but I was used to it. My gills opened and cold water rushed inside me. After breathing air for so long it was always an exhilarating and intense moment to switch to water breathing. It was an act of will to stop breathing with nose and mouth and use the gills but we all learned to do this from very early on. I loved to dive as much as I could since being underwater I could forget the upside world. Along with the gills we Neo Vikings had a second Eyelid that allowed us to see well under water. However, I neither saw the Tyranno fins nor Gunnar, I struggled with my west, it was not easy to unstrap under water while keeping the big slayer harpoon, but I managed. I swam as fast as I could, wishing I had my fins. We had seen Gunnar from the Cafeteria Viewports.
I cannot explain what it was that warned me, but the sudden feeling of something huge made me turn as fast to the right and towards the rocks as possible. My heart made a double take and fear cramped around my throat like an invisible hand as the pointed nose and the huge maw of a Tyranno shot past me, not further than an arm length!
The rush of his propelling tail-fin send me into a tumble and away from the rocks. Then I saw Gunnar, his hands were tied, but he was almost by the rocks. If he could make it, he'd be safe, but the Tyranno was already turning. I completed the reload on the slayer and swam holding the weapon ready and aimed before me. While the Slayer harpoon had been used and made for exact that purpose: to hunt and kill a Tyranno. My only chance to do that was to hit the fish at the mark, a yellowish spot behind his eyes on each side of its head, where the spear could penetrate deep enough to do lethal damage with its explosive charge. Hitting the Tyranno anywhere else would only annoy the beast.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 163