Welcome to the Journal of Now and Forever. This Journal is a collection of my Star Control and Star Control 2 fiction. Note: Some of this material is, by necessity, extrapolation from the slim information provided by canon sources.

New fiction is posted first at My Livejournal before it appears here. This story is in response to 15 Minute Ficlets' Challenge #86.

More than ever, Dina hated the role of Advisor. It had been fine, and sometimes even enjoyable, when she only had to worry about Androsynth problems. Now she had to determine how to squeeze a little more production out of tired, slightly nervous, increasingly frustrated Androsynth, without disturbing their Ur-Quan masters overmuch.

Spathi and Ilwrath ships had added themselves to the Hierarchy fleet stationed in the Vulpeculaes, and at least half of the Ur-Quan ships proper had left; gone somewhere else, possibly on new wars of conquest, Dina guessed, although she had no idea as to whether she was right. The Ur-Quan did what they wished and did not need to explain anything to anyone – not even, it turned out, longstanding slave species. You might ask, but asking might be interpreted as disobedience, if you got the wrong Ur-Quan, or even the right one on a bad day.

The Spathi captains had already told the spacers about their own experiences with the Ur-Quan, and word spread fast in the way that only ill news can. The Spathi, cowards to a being, had tried disobeying the Ur-Quan a few times, early in their slavery. After the third attempt to not show up as Battle Thralls, the Ur-Quan explained that any more disobedience would be met with annihilation of the Spathi race. Since then, the Spathi showed up, but the collective judgment of the spacers was that given half a chance, the Spathi would bolt. Not that the Ur-Quan seemed inclined to give them even a quarter chance, so to speak.

And all the Hierarchy species we've met hate and disparage each other, Dina thought. What about any supposedly good, noble or proud races? Did they choose the slave shield so they might wash their hands of any further conquests?

Her microcomputer beeped with an incoming message from Lord 419. That particular Ur-Quan was attached to the Androsynth conquest, or fleet, or both; the Guardians were still in drydock, undergoing retrofit, although it sounded like they would be operational again in another month. Dina opened and read the message, and sighed.

Rejected again. One hope the Androsynth had harbored was that the Ur-Quan would give them some technology to improve their numbers – in other words, reproductive research, Dina's old job. But every attempt, by herself or Jack or any Androsynth, had fallen on deaf ears. Apparently the Ur-Quan promise to protect the Battle Thralls extended only to outside threats, not biological problems.

Dina drummed her fingers on her desk. It could be, of course, that the Ur-Quan had no technology to give for this particular problem, but she found that hard to believe. After all, they used stabilized antimatter to power their ships and those of the Hierarchy – surely something like cloning had been discovered and perfected?

Well, there were the other slave species. In theory, all Hierarchy member species were equal, although none were the equal of the Ur-Quan in power or status. Maybe one of the alien species had discovered something during the years. It was worth a try.

Dina tapped out what she hoped were suitable messages for the Ilwrath, Spathi, Umgah and Thraddash, knowing that that last might take a while to reach the appropriate homeworld; while Ilwrath and Spathi predominated here, there were at least five Umgah ships, but no Thraddash had been brought near. I wonder why?

Different tones dominated each message. It had taken time for the Androsynth to learn that no matter how cowardly and pathetic the Spathi were, the only way to get them to do anything was to threaten them. The Ilwrath barely tolerated anyone else, and so messages to them had to be couched in flattery and strength. Thraddash missives read to Dina like those of blustering teenage boys, so she tried to copy the style. The Umgah liked jokes, although so far the jokes hadn't translated all that well. That was one technology the Ur-Quan had insisted on: translators in every ship, on Starbase, and at Skyhook. And the translators were frighteningly accurate everywhere else (perhaps the Umgah sense of humor was just too different from humans'?). Dina supposed they had to be, given how long they'd probably been in use.

She wondered, not for the first time, how the Ur-Quan had come to program Anglic into the translators. On a whim, guessing (rightly or wrongly) that it was a minor question, she posted a message to Lord 419's staff on that topic. The Ur-Quan had proven themselves willing to answer minor questions, as long as they didn't come too often.

Now, more waiting. Dina debated getting a cup of tea, as her microcomputer pinged with another message: this one from the manufactories, which meant, in all likelihood, a problem. She sighed again.

A little voice inside her head said: If the Hierarchy attacks Earth, we can get coffee and chocolate again. Wouldn't that be nice?

Dina angrily quashed that thought and turned her attention to the new message.

Comments? Email me: laridian at aol dot com