The Time Free Zone. Gregory J. McKenzie

new mischief for all flesh species.

       Going to an alternative universe would make not the slightest bit of difference. Impotence is not something this higher being could accept. It would spend eternity having this unique exclusion eating away at its confidence. Lurking outside its understanding was the even more severe punishment that waited to finally break into the arrogance of this spirit.

       But not willing to meekly accepted its punishment the evil spirit began to ponder on ways around its exclusion. Then it saw a devious way to breach the time extinction barriers without directly flouting its ban. It would make use of the inferior flesh species that occupied one of alternate universes.

       As a superior spiritual being it was able to manipulate all flesh species. With little effort it got into the space research computers at Galaxy Central. There it manipulated the prime directive of the quantum survey ship. Finally it manipulated the Galaxy Central Astrophysics Research administration to finally fund an investigation into the causes of the ultra dark zone uniqueness in their galaxy.

       Only the most highly intelligent scientist would have an ego big enough to lead such an impossible research project. The most intelligent individual in the galaxy had built his own quantum computer ship. He used it now apparently to ferry him around the galaxy. Called the Professor because his home planet name was unpronounceable to most species he accepted the leadership post. After meeting at Galaxy Central with the whole project team the Professor set off at near light speed to get started on this new project. The remaining project astrophysicists had to find space on other research ships in this project fleet. These were left behind were left to follow more sedately in the Professor's space trail.

       Given the many species that now made up the administrative community at Galaxy Central the problem of pronouncing names was resolved by only ever using titles. Even the universal translator programs had great difficult getting the pronunciation nuisances right. Many insults were avoided by falling back on standard titles. The major role titles of Professor, Governor, High-Administrator, Inspector-General, Marshall and Admiral were followed. Added to this were specific titles like Researcher, Investigator, Commodore, Captain, Navigator, Pilot, Science Officer, Prosecutor, Judge and so on. Everyone was given a unique binary number to facilitate administrative clarity. These flesh species were paid and notified using these binary numbers.

       Over time a hierarchy unique to this galaxy evolved. The whole command structure was called Galaxy Central. This was a complex political, legal and military control bureaucracy. Military titles started at Captain but moved up to encompass Commodore then Admiral. Non-military titles used former military ranks to specific civilian power. So The Inspector-General was in charge of all law investigations. This person sent out Investigators who were meant to find evidence of wrong doing. The perpetrators would be arrested but charged back at Galaxy Central by a host of Prosecutors. Then Judges would determine guilt.

       At this time/space light period at Galaxy Central the new assignments were being handed out to Investigators. Apart from the powerful Galaxy Central politicians, some of the most influential officials were the Investigators. These law officers would be sent to solar systems when there was big trouble with various criminal matters. Their rank entitled them to military protection, so they would be transported on a galaxy space warship. The marines on that ship would be under their direct control.

       All solar system governments that were part of the Galaxy Central administration alliance had vowed to cooperate with all Investigations authorized by Galaxy Central. Often these Investigators would find that after detailed evidence was collected, they even had to arrest officials from a solar system. Such accused individuals would be removed to Galaxy Central detention facilities for processing by the Prosecutors. Only then would formal charges be laid against such influential individuals.

       Trials were held in large court cubicles inside the second most secure building at Galaxy Central. Those convicted of serious crimes would be sent to the only prison planet in the galaxy. This planet had been deserted by most of its population after centuries of mining had rendered its soil infertile and its natural water undrinkable.

       The few stubborn remnants of this once prosperous planet welcome its takeover by Galaxy Central. Then the underground maximum security prison was built below the vast polar region of this almost dead planet. After this Galaxy Central built a medium security facility above ground in the vast desert regions of that planet. Finally they built a minimum security prison farm on the equatorial belt of this planet. This was the only inhabitable part of the planet but even here the soil and water were toxic to most species. Life outside these three artificially supported areas was deadly.

       Back at Galaxy Central not everyone was happy with their new assignment. At the time of this one light period a senior Investigator looked at his assignment with total incomprehension. As was his right, he went to the Galaxy Central Inspector-General's office to clarify his mission. Opening up with a bit of flattery the Investigator asked,

       "Is there some mistake with my latest assignment? It says in my latest vid that I am to be placed on a research ship. Then it says I am to facilitate some intellectual with a vital research project work. But my question is where is the case I am supposed to be investigating?"

       Looking at this still young Investigator with cold eyes, a much older being said via the translator,

       "You have ascertained your mission perfectly. The Director of Space Research asked the Inspector-General to for the secondment of his best investigation officer to this vital research project. The Inspector-General picked you! Why he did that I cannot possibly imagine. But he insisted on choosing you personally. You are to watch these scientist very carefully. They are all law breakers in my opinion. Any transgression of galaxy law however minor you are to report to the personal assistant of the Inspector-General. For someone as young as you this is a great honor. Now get out of my office. Report at once to the Galaxy Central Scientific Research building. Dismissed."

       There was a very strict code of obedience and discipline inside the Investigator-General's office. This was the most powerful section of Galaxy Central Law Department. But like all bureaucracies it did have its time servers. This older being was at the end of his career and felt it bitterly. Taking out his resentment on junior staff members was his coping mechanism. So the Investigator knew that he had to meekly accept this curt dismissal.

       Leaving this unsatisfactory meeting, the Investigator made preparations for this unwanted mission. He was not happy about "wasting" time on this soft research project. If he had only known the outcome of this unusual mission he probably would have called in sick instead of boarding the research ship. Fate was to play tricks on the Investigator's life stream. It was about to change radically.

      Chapter 1

       The galaxy class ship that was to transport the Investigator was waiting at Galaxy Central Space Terminal. This was located on one of the moons of this overcrowded planet. Access by shuttle from the surface of the central planet this was a relatively short trip. In Orbit around the Galaxy Research facility base were all the scientific ships. These were somewhat bigger than the military ship but much slower. Herding such a fleet of 'bulky space junk', as they were referred to by the captain of the galaxy class ship, was going to make it a tedious journey. Military ships loved to travel at the limits of their engines potential. Scientists take a much more sedate attitude to space travel.

       The Investigator was also used to quick trips to other solar systems. This was going to be a slow trip to the nothingness of space. Examining a space drone imaging video of their destination he became certain that his superiors had gone insane. As far as he could see there was nothing there to examine. Yet his preflight brief was headed

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