The Godmaker
Two thousand years before the current Zenith year, humanity drifted in the endless void aboard the Ark Dominion, a fragile beacon of hope after the apocalypse on Earth. Generations had come and gone since the ship first left the scarred remnants of its homeworld. Humanity had survived barely, but survival had come at a cost. The rigid hierarchy on board the ship turned the once-equals into feudal factions, each clinging to whatever power they could carve out of dwindling resources.
Children learned early that hope was a fleeting thing, a luxury for those who could afford to dream.
Two boys no older than ten stood on the ship’s observation deck. Beyond the glass, the space stretched endlessly, and stars scattered like shattered promises in the darkness.
“Do you think we’ll ever see it?” asked Elias, his voice soft with wonder. He was wiry and bright-eyed, with a rare optimism aboard the Ark Dominion. “A new world. A real one. Not just these walls and recycled air.”
Alexander Zoryavin stood beside him, a year older but already taller. His pale blue eyes were sharp and calculating. His blonde hair was immaculately combed, a mark of the discipline instilled by his family. Even at this age, there was a weight to his presence, an unspoken demand for attention.
“There’s no guarantee we’ll ever find anything,” Alexander replied, his voice steady, almost cold. “But if we do, it won’t be because of dreams. It’ll be because someone took control and made it happen.”
Elias frowned, his brow furrowing. “Why does it always have to be about control with you, Alex? Why can’t we just let the ship guide us?”
Alexander turned to him, his gaze piercing. “Because the ship doesn’t care about us, Elias. It just calculates. It doesn’t choose. Do you think it would choose to save us if the numbers didn’t add up?” He paused, voice lowering. “People make survival happen. The strong make survival happen.”
Elias hesitated. “But it’s what brought us here.”
“It is just a tool for survival,” Alexander cut in. “Ark Dominion is a machine our ancestors built for survival, and I know its use is ending. We are not meant to live in the confines of a machine nor follow one blindly.”
He paused, his tone softening slightly. “You’ll understand one day.”
Elias shrugged, unconvinced, but he didn’t argue. They were friends, after all, and Alexander had always been the one to look after him when others sought to exploit his naivety. Elias trusted him, even when he didn’t fully understand him.
***
Years passed, and the boys grew into men. The ship’s cramped confines became their battlefield. Their ambitions drove them in opposite directions. Elias followed the path of science, and his curiosity led him to work in the research divisions, seeking solutions to humanity’s problems on this ship. Alexander, meanwhile, ascended through the ranks of the political elite, his charisma and cunning earning him influence far beyond his years.
By age thirty, Alexander was already a central figure among the ship’s ruling families. Now a lead researcher, Elias remained his closest confidant, though the warmth of their childhood friendship had cooled under the weight of their differences.
It was during one of their rare meetings that the signal came.
Elias burst into Alexander’s private chamber, breathless with excitement. “We’ve found something,” he said, clutching a data pad. “A signal. It’s not natural, it’s intelligent.”
Alexander’s gaze sharpened, his fingers steepling beneath his chin. “Show me.”
Elias activated the display, and the rhythmic pattern filled the room, a haunting melody of data that defied randomness. “It’s repeating,” Elias explained. “And it’s coming from a specific point in space. If we adjust the course, we could reach it in months.”
Alexander’s mind raced. An intelligent signal meant the possibility of a habitable planet, perhaps even allies or enemies. Either way, it was an opportunity. “And the council?”
“They’re debating it,” Elias said, his excitement fading slightly. “Some think it’s too risky. Others want to conserve resources. But I believe that this is our chance.”
Alexander leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“We can’t risk losing it. Are you with me in this? You are the leader of the science council, and you know how convincing I can be. Together, we can do this.”
Elias looked at his data pad one more time and then at his old friend. For a brief moment, he could see his childhood friend in this new, powerful man. They always imagined a day like this, and even though they now have different opinions, they should work together to pursue the chance of a new home.
“I am in. Let’s do it together like the old times.”
Alexander rose on his feet with a bigger, colder smile and turned his gaze toward the ceiling, where the Ark Dominion’s last remaining systems still whispered through the ship, unseen but ever-present. The last fragments of a dead intelligence, stripped of control, reduced to nothing more than the systems that obeyed them.
“Let’s lead them to our new home, old friend,” Alexander continued, quiet but firm. “We lived in this machine long enough.”
***
After waiting in its orbit for months to check the gravity and atmosphere of the alien planet, now called New Haven by the people, Elias and the science council finally decided that the planet was safe for landing.
When the first shuttle landed on New Haven, it was breathtaking, with vast oceans, sprawling forests, and mountains that pierced the sky. But it was the crystalline structure in orbit that captured their attention. Its alien design, with glowing facets and impossible geometry, seemed to defy the laws of physics.
Elias was awestruck. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered as they descended, the structure’s glow bathing the ship in soft light.
Alexander’s expression was unreadable. “It’s power,” he murmured.
On the surface, they encountered the aliens, beings of translucent, shimmering forms with insect-like eyes that glowed faintly. They communicated telepathically, their thoughts brushing against the humans’ minds like a gentle breeze.
They were not hostile. They were curious, even welcoming, and telepathy made communication between species easier.
Elias was mesmerized by them like a child discovering the taste of sweets for the first time. To the point that he gave a happy look to Alexander. We finally did it. He thought. We finally found a new home.
On the other hand, Alexander saw these creatures as both danger and prey. That's why he stood far away in a safe distance when the first contact happened.
He never wanted to share his thoughts and desires openly. Since his childhood inside the Ark Dominion, he had wanted one thing: not just a new home but power to rule the masses, power to live a perfect life without the confines of a ship, and these creatures could dismantle his mind and his lifelong plans in an instant. Or… He thought. They could serve his plans.
***
Months have passed. The people of the Ark Dominion started to feel hope again on this new planet. But there were problems. Some powerful families were uncomfortable with this sudden shift in power. When there is abundance, it is hard to control the people. They were too comfortable before, when they had more than others, with their illusions of being influential leaders of humanity. So, they began secret meetings to decide their future path, in the Ark Dominion, far away from the curious minds of the aliens. Alexander was, of course, present, as was Elias, who served as the voice of logic. After a heated argument, the Ark Dominion’s observation deck was eerily quiet, save for the hum of the ship’s engines. Stars stretched infinitely beyond the viewport, a reminder of humanity’s fragile place in the cosmos. Elias leaned on the railing, staring out at the alien planet below. The faint light of distant suns illuminated his profile, and his expression was one of weary contemplation.
Alexander Zoryavin approached silently, a bottle of amber liquid in one hand and two glasses in the other. His presence, as always, was deliberate, almost predatory.
“Such a beautiful view, isn’t it?” Alexander said, his voice smooth, carrying the weight of years between them. “Cheer up, my friend. This is our new home. Thanks to us.”
Elias turned slightly, a faint smile on his lips. “ It is beautiful, yes. But for how long? Until the elite decides to start a war to ruin it?”
Alexander returned the smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “We have waited long enough for a new home like this.” While pouring the drinks, he continued, “ And we have every right to claim it for our children, without worrying about our thoughts being stolen by them.”
Elias sighed, shaking his head. “This greed made us lose our first home. We need to be patient, Alex.”
Alexander stepped closer, setting the glasses down on the railing. “Is it bad that I prioritize us over these creatures? We don’t know what they are thinking of us. Unlike them, we can’t read their minds.” He smelled the drink before raising his glass. “To us,” he said.
Elias hesitated but eventually took the other glass. “To reason,” he insisted.
They drank silently for a moment, the tension between them almost tangible. Elias set his glass down, his gaze returning to the planet below. “You know this doesn’t have to end in war,” he said quietly. “The aliens. They’re not like us, but they’re not enemies. They could be allies, and this planet… It can be the hope we thought we had lost for a long time. You remember how we dreamed of a place like this as kids…”
Alexander’s gaze darkened, though his tone remained light. “Allies? Of course. Until they learn our weaknesses by reading our minds and turn against us. You think like a dreamer, Elias, but dreams don’t keep people alive.”
Elias frowned, his grip tightening on the railing. “Why can’t you believe there is good in this universe? Not everything threatens our survival, and not everyone wants to live under a crown, Alex. People want freedom. We don’t have to live in a ship fighting for resources anymore. We need hope and the ability to decide for ourselves before we lose everything again.”
Alexander chuckled, the sound cold and sharp. “Hope is a leash, Elias. You dangle it, and people follow. Freedom? That’s chaos; believe me, we won’t lose anything this time. This planet is ours.”
Elias turned to him fully, his face a mixture of frustration and pity. “We are the aliens, Alex, to them. They welcome us, and we can learn their way. Can you imagine what we would become if we could communicate like them? We can evolve into something better. I won’t let you ruin this by rallying ignorance against this new chance.”
Alexander stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “You are still that child, Elias.” He put his hands on Elias’s face and looked into his brown eyes. Elias was surprised to see the almost teary look in Alex’s eyes. Alex continued.
“Years have passed, and the one thing you still don’t understand. We can’t take any chances. Not anymore. We lost our home. People need to survive, and I will make sure that we… Survive.”
Elias opened his mouth to respond, but his words faltered. A sudden tremor ran through his body, his breath hitching. He looked down at the empty glass in his hand, then back at Alexander. Realization was dawning in his eyes.
“You…” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “You poisoned me.”
Alexander caught him as he stumbled, lowering him gently to the floor. His movements were tender, almost affectionate, like laying an old friend to rest. “I wish it hadn’t come to this,” Alexander said softly. “But you’ve always been in my way, Elias. Always pulling me back and slowing me down.”
Elias’s breath came in short, ragged gasps. “You… don’t… have to do this…”
Alexander’s voice remained calm, almost soothing. “You’ve always believed people would choose the right path if given the chance. But you were wrong, Elias. They need someone to choose for them. Someone willing to do what’s necessary.”
Elias’s eyes fluttered, his body trembling as the poison coursed through his veins. His lips moved, but no sound came out except bloody foams. Alexander leaned down, his voice a whisper. “I’ll make them believe you died a hero, martyred by the enemy. Your name will rally them to my cause. To our cause.”
Tears glistened in Elias’s eyes as he took one final, shuddering breath. His body stilled, his expression frozen in anguish and betrayal.
Alexander stood, staring down at the man who was once his closest friend. For a moment, a flicker of something human crossed his face, regret, perhaps. But it was gone as quickly as it had come. He would mourn Elias later if the gods mourned at all. For now, the plan demanded his sacrifice.
Turning toward the viewport, Alexander raised his hand to activate the comm. His voice, steady and commanding, filled the room. “Elias Caelvan has been assassinated. The aliens struck first. Prepare the fleet for war.”
The room descended into chaos as officers and crew scrambled to respond. Alexander remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the alien planet below. His reflection in the glass was cold and resolute, a man who had sacrificed everything, even his soul, for his vision.
In the silence that followed, Alexander whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. “A god must be willing to destroy what he loves.”
Two millennia later, this moment would be remembered not for the man who died but for the empire it birthed, an empire that would come to rule the stars under the Zenith Order.
