“Bardek, I have a new mission for you. Your government contacted me about negotiation of a
Mabjana seed order.”

“Jserex, it’s been a while since your last visit. I assume you need to know the usual type of
information?”

“Ya, normal cut, two percent.”

“You know they really don’t like you since the last negotiation. They must be desperate to
contact you.”

“Why would they be mad at me?” Jserex laughed.

Of course Jserex knew why, during his last dealing with this world, the Reverien government
traders thought they had him in a trap and tried to offer a price that would have cost him a loss. Later,
after the trade had settled and products delivered, the Reverien traders found out Jserex had ended up
with a small profit.

The Reverien government traders had found out about a secret deal Jserex was bartering for on
the same material. It wasn’t the money, they happened to be obsessed with not wanting the Iuja to
make a profit. They secretly paid a fee to get the competitor to back out so they were able to force
Jserex to take their offer at a price slightly below cost.

The fake was Jserex’s setup. In the end even with Bardek’s commission he came out ahead at a
percentage profit; a deal which kept his Iuja trader rankings at the top. Allowing the Reverien’s to find
out about the fake setup, Jserex was careful to make sure they never found out about Bardek’s
involvement in any way.

“Look Bardek, I just need to know why they are desperate and what their trading reserves are. I
don’t want to cheat them, but my job is to make a profit and that’s something they just don’t seem to
like.”

“How long before you plan to arrive? I have some digging to do.”

“You tell me when you’ve got the information. Then I will set my schedule.”

Bardek contacted his long time friend in the trading department and asked her out to dinner to
catch up on past times. She always had a special spot for him and despite the protests about having no
time, agreed.

The dinner tasted delicious, but she was as beautiful as always. The talk covered some of the
various shady experiences he had engaged in since their last tryst. While she lived a life as the steady
desk bound, home early, hard worker; Bardek was anything but that type of person; but he was honest
and caring and he cared deeply for her. He continued to be the one vice she allowed herself and she

just couldn’t resist.

After dinner, they walked until a slight mist began at which point, he took her to his place where
their night preceded as usual for their meetings.

In the morning, he took her to breakfast before dropping her off at the government trade
commission where she worked. As she left to go inside, they promised to meet for dinner after work.
Bardek hated to use her this way, but it was his job. Each time his need for information caused
him to compromise her, he promised it would come to an end and he would settle down with her. He
promised himself each time, a promise he intended to keep, but not just yet.

Winex stepped into Bardek’s transport after work. She was the amazing woman that he loved
with a glow that set his heart on fire. But he had a job to do and had to control his feelings for the
moment. Later that evening as she fell into a deep sleep, Bardek slipped out of bed and retrieved the
small recorder he had placed in her bag the night before. With care not to wake her, he quickly scanned
it for the key information he was looking for.

Luck had been good to him, today had been the organizational meeting on trading approach, of
which she held the assistant trader position. She always supported the major deals that needed to be
made. With the information he needed, he contacted Jserex and completed his part of the action.
Jserex came from the ancient Iuja race that had brought to the civilizations around the galaxy,
much of the technology being used. Never having much surface above the water on their planet, they
developed as creatures of the water. The Iuja had by nature of being water based creatures, dealt with
many water based planets. They had long ago developed special suits allowing them to survive in the
driest of conditions. With a self enclosed water atmosphere, they were provided extra protection
against radiation. The Iuja had gown as a trading society; they had run into “competing” trading
societies forcing them to develop both weapons and defenses. With development of weapons and
defenses, the ancient race had added significant armor to their suits.

While the Iuja race was ancient, they focused more upon advancing tools of trading,
colonization and weapons/defense then pure science. Their science had given them ships capable of
transiting across the galaxy in single jumps; advanced communications along with encryption and
decryption; weapons; manufacturing and languages. Their larger ships carried DNA to support new
colonies along with supporting transport of goods once deals were set.

Jserex’s with his capability to control a situation had become the head deal maker for the Iuja.

This planet called Udal maintained a presence known for its lack of proper dealing within the Iuja trader
group. They were known to insult traders and only make deals grudgingly; not the type of people Jserex
enjoyed dealing with.

With the groundwork information from Bradek, he informed Reverien government he would be
there shortly. When he finished his meal, he swam to the control room and with a few adjustments,
activated the jump engines. The ship disappeared from its orbit around his home planet and appeared
around the Udal planet across the galaxy.

After asking for permission to transmit down, Jserex entered his environmental suit and with a
quick check by the computer, activated the beam down. The jump placed him at the entrance to the
Reverien government trading offices.

The meeting lasted four hours and despite their pleadings of not having the reasonable price
originally offered by Jserex, eventually they agreed to a price that Jserex considered fair. The last
Mabjana seed available in the galaxy would be delivered to their planet the next day once funds were
sent to the intermediary.

The transaction would obviously take time before the Udal deal would be considered closed.
Jserex had a quota to achieve and there was no way he might let this one deal block him. Jserex
reviewed the communications since he had been planet side to see if anything important he needed to

follow up on.

Part way through the list of messages, Jserex heard a call over communications.

“Emergency, Transmissions are being lost from the outer part of quadrant 143. Whatever it is
appears to be moving faster than light.”

Jserex pulled up the display of the galaxy and asked the computer to map missing locations
based on subspace failures to respond. The map was starkly clear once presented; a large pattern
appeared spreading across the galaxy. The front of the disturbance appeared clearly a wave front of a
massive size, much, much larger than the galaxy and would soon be approaching the galaxies black hole.
Not being a star scientist, Jserex had no idea of what might be happening, but whatever caused
this destruction, it wasn’t good. What knowledge he had of star gravity effects, he knew once the black
hole disappeared, the galaxy could not exist.

Luckily the Udal planet’s system provided a position at maximum range from the fast moving
front. However, while he had a short time, a decision on what to do required immediate action. Jserex
immediately communicated with some of the other Iuja ships he knew to be relatively nearby, after a
momentary discussion, they all decided they had to try leave the galaxy and leave it now.
The sister galaxy appeared relatively close by and with a little luck their engines might make the
crossing. No one had tried it, but now they had little choice. The Iuja decided to meet up at the closest
point of crossing and jump from there.

Jserex’s ship design provided luxury travel for one or a few. By design it had no need to be
large, but provided an presentation of power for those cases where he needed it. While not large
enough to take a massive group, he did not want to leave his friend that had taken risks for him.
“Bradek respond immediately please!”

“Jserex, what has you so excited?”

“You may not be willing to believe me, but sensors show a massive energy wall flashing through
our galaxy. Nothing will stop this and your planet is going to die in a matter of hours. We have to leave
now if we have a hope of surviving.”

Bradek heard the fear in his voice, the first time he sensed his friend being afraid. “Do you have
two suits? I have someone I cannot leave.”

“Yes, but you only have minutes.”

Bradek could not explain this to Winex, he must act and explain later. He rushed into the close
by trader offices and when he had reached her, just spoke the quick words. “I love you, do you trust
me?”

Winex looked from the accountant she had been talking too, at Bradek and could see the fear in
his eyes, “Yes, yes, I trust you.”

“Jserex transport us now.”

Jserex had already activated a clearing of one the rooms in his ship and when Bradek said the
word transport, he had the computer activate the transport of the two bodies in the vicinity of Bradek’s
signal.

Over the ship’s intercom came Bradek’s voice. “We are good to go.”

Jserex activated the planned jump to the far most location in the galaxy.

At the coordinates of the agreed too meeting place, Jserex arrived to find a dozen ships of his
configuration one of the newer larger transport ships and two of the older smaller transport ships. After
quick discussions, the decision was made to abandon the older ships; they probably had little chance of
making the jump.

The crews of the older ships transported to the newer transport ship. After giving them a short
time to transport over everything possible, all agreed it was time to leave.

 

All ships had charged their main energy systems and even their reserves to maximum. With a
quick word of encouragement passed between ships, they all engaged.

Upon arrival, the ships appeared scattered in the void; the differences of their main energy
systems were observable by the scattered distribution. All ships reported in, but the group found itself
still outside the boundary of their neighbor galaxy. Using their reserves they were able to form up into a
small group.

Within the group of survivors, a few advanced engineers and scientists existed. The group
organized as they began to use the available sensors and computers to look for a solution to the
problem of reaching the new galaxy.

Jserex put on his suit and jumped into the small room where Bradek and Winex sat wondering.
Winex immediately recognized Jserex and suddenly some things made sense. Winex turned to Bradex
with a growing anger, “Do you love me or are you just using me?”

Jserex turned on a video display and showed the subspace map of the galaxy. Stars were quickly
blinking out of existence with the line of destruction moving forward. Jserex explained the situation to
both of them.

Finally Jserex spoke to Winex “You can discuss Bradex’s working for me later, but just be aware
that of all the people on your planet, he chose to save you.”

A moment later, two suits appeared in the room. “Here are suits so you can roam the ship.
Bradex will explain the rest to you. Personally of all the people I have met on your world, I am happy to
have saved you two. Now please excuse me, we still have problems to overcome.”

Jserex left the room to return to the control room.

After a few hours, the engineers and scientists reported a workable option and proceeded to lay
out the plan. "We don't have a large gravitational field capable of recharging our engines, but if we
combine reserves, we have a chance." After presenting the plan, all agreed and they were soon ready to
execute.

Work completed with the large ship re-powered from reserves of the other ships; two small
ships loaded in the hold of the large transport ship and the rest being empty of their reserves were left
in the void between the galaxies. With a hope on each Iuja's breath and Bradex holding Winex, the ship
engaged.

With the quick blink, the large ship appeared just outside a star system on the outer edge of the
target galaxy. With non-reserve energy the ship found a planet with some water. The planet had few
resources to offer, but it provided a break for all, both with a normal atmosphere and some water.
With subspace sensors, Yffer the ship leader looked back towards their home galaxy. With a
feeling of sadness settling through the small group, all that the sensors showed a few remaining stars
against a massive field of energy. Their home galaxy vanished and the massive destructive force
continued to move forward. The wall of destruction stretched in all directions as far as their sensors
could measure.

After a while, all three ships had reenergized from the gravity energy field and they made a
decision to move on. They knew they had time to allow them to reorganize, but not to morn. Their
galaxy had held more than a trillion lives and only their roughly hundred now existed.
They were no longer traders, but with the sudden shift of events were now explorers, looking
for a home. The surviving scientists and engineers began computations for gaining additional energy
resources to support longer jumps.

Moving across the new galaxy, they found only young races with marginal technologies, none
that would benefit their needs and besides, eventually the destruction would reach this galaxy as well.
They moved on, constantly on a course away from the deadly galaxy destroying energy field.
With the ship appearing outside a system that looked like life might be found, sensors identified
a blue planet radiating electromagnetic signals. A closer look showed the planet had orbiting satellites
and even a occupied orbiting space station. While no major weapons systems appeared in orbit, old
nuclear devices appeared in large numbers positioned on the surface around the planet. Battles could
be observed in various locations as flying machines, ground machines battled. The planet was not at
peace, so they moved on.

Upon reaching the farthest edge of the galaxy, the question everyone thought about…where
next? Peering onto the next level of galaxies, the closest had collided with another galaxy in the recent
galactic past, leaving the systems in disarray. The distance was further than their previous jump.
Computing the needed energy resources, they were coming up short compared to what it would take to
jump the void.

The scientists had been working the problem since the previous jump and had come to the
conclusion they needed to try to reconfigure their energy collection system. In place of their gravity
based collection system, they reached deeper into the quantum foam to pull energy from the foam
itself. The design was unique for them, but well within their science and a relatively simple change in
design. The reason they had not changed in the past became a simple case of what worked was good
enough, till now.

After a few jumps around the galaxy to test their new design, they moved to the jump off point,
recharged their systems and launched towards the next galaxy. After reaching a two thirds way point,
now came their true test of the new collectors. The engineers made a few adjustments and with a sigh
of relief, the new collection worked, recharging their energy storage.

After a few hours of recharging their energy storage system, the ship made the next jump,
reaching a star with a large gas giant planet on the outer edges of the galaxy. A moon around the gas
giant contained an ocean with acceptable conditions and the ring material would provide any necessary
building materials. While understanding that again not a final stop, they decided to rest for a while
before continuing.

Settling into the ocean, the small group of refugees discussed their condition with full
knowledge that their new life consisted of traveling the universe. They moved forward to escape the
deadly destruction left behind, perhaps finding a place to establish a new settlement, but constantly on
the move.

Jserex and Yaffer both commented to the weary troupes "If we are to continue traveling, we
need a much larger ship."

The engineers and scientists were now busy designing a new ship that would be over three
times the size of their current ship and provide all the same abilities. They were cannibalizing their ship
to build the newer version. Robots were now involved in building additional robots. The new robots in
turn started the process of collecting new materials and starting to shape the basic structures needed.
Bradex and Winex were given a much larger area to live in till the ship was ready. As the only
non-Iuja surviving from the home galaxy, extra care was afforded to help them through their grief since
it fell harder on them. Work was assigned by Yaffer to the couple to insure they became integrated as
part of the small community.

Quickly the new ship took form and the engine design testing began. With the successful tests
on the new engines; the community focus brought a sense of hope.

 

As the new ship was near finishing, the Iuja sensors spotted an expected visitor. The robot was
moving from star to star as it traveled towards the system where they existed. As the Iuja sensors
reached out with a powerful search of the galaxy, they spotted a ship through its unique multidimensional

effects only a few stars away. It appeared to be communicating with the robot.
The Iuja would later learn, the robot had been launched by a race called The Old Ones from the
galaxy jump ship NQ1 upon reaching the outer bounds of galaxy ADQ25. The ship had a simple mission
as it launched into a galaxy; investigate a list of star coordinates; survey the planetary systems; locate
and report on any life forms found.

When the robot jumped to its third star coordinate, it identified the star as a yellow star with
seven planets orbiting. Two of the planets possibly supported life, with a moon located around a third
large gas giant. The moon was large enough to support life. The robot measured no electromagnetic
signals of advanced life from any of the possible planets or moon options.

The robot sensors focused on the first planet, simple vegetation observed, but no major
structures. The same survey occurred on the other two options and again no sense of structures
observed. The next test dealt with looking for complex quantum level wave patterns. This sensor
system design contained the same unit that identified the Watcher pattern centuries ago, but included
an additional ability to track and detect advanced life forms.

Again, no success was uncovered on the first two planets. The unit began to change its focus to
the moon around the gas giant. The robot stopped its work and sent a message with the data collection
already performed, no life forms had been detected. The robot moved on to the next star system.
Deep in the oceans on the moon of the gas giant, a computer registered the robots progress as
it transported to the next star on its journey. The computer sent a message to the communications
network indicating detection had been stopped and the unit had moved on.

What would happen next and their discovery of the Old Ones, would be a new great adventure.