Somewhere in the centre of Earth's galaxy, was a mega-ship which served as the Galactic Board Headquarters. This ship was so enormous that it had an orbit which kept it in position. Although not round shaped, the ship had the mass of a small planet. Due to the dimension this vessel was in, it could not be reached by direct approach via the third dimension. Colonies from the galactic network member planets lived on the mega-ship and served the Board, to keep peace throughout the galaxy. This vessel's form was not symmetrical.
Cities, industrial plants, security towers and other structures grew up from the core hull. The mega-ship resembled a star shape – but a rough one at that. Escorts accompanied visitors everywhere, having collected them upon first arrival at the reception zone in the main ship hull. From that location they got shown to the sleeping quarters. When the five tiarians arrived though, security guards stood waiting. The escorts helped them to materialise at a three dimensional level.
Each of the five got their own suite, furnished with bed, tables, chairs and sofas. Most of the furniture was of a light pink colour. Every room had one window which gave view over the cities. These suites served as prison cells too, and without a pass card exit from the room was impossible. Though they found the hosts to be most hospitable, with a continual supply of Earth fruit and refreshments being served.
Thorn hoped that the Board possessed the same sense of time as humans did. Jessica reckoned that they must have been in the cells on board the mega-ship now for seven days. She spent the time remembering the order of events before the migration and noting key points which she might use in her explanation if asked by the Board.
A few days later guards collected the five from the cells and escorted the accused through a labyrinth of long walkways, up into one of the colossal cities; whereupon an elevator took them up to a circular platform. The platform deck was an open space without furniture or perimeter wall. So it was not obvious at first that this platform may be used for the Galaxy Board trial. The five stood alone in the middle of the platform. Fortunate for them no wind accessed the platform, and the temperature stayed at a comfortable level.
Jessica told True “I hope we don't have to wait another week stuck in this place!”
But before True answered, huge lights came to life and shot beams towards the five on the platform. So bright was the light that eyes needed to be covered with cupped hands. Parts of the floor opened with no noise and a semi-circle shaped blue table and bank appeared up through platform. Each piece of furniture had sharp edges. Once surfaced, the furniture locked in place. As the five looked around themselves at the furniture, one-by-one a Board member appeared on the bank. These members represented various alien species, and the human tiarians took a strange interest in the different, somewhat frightening, faces of the Board members.
One member's head resembled a cow's, except that this face was flat and the nasal form more human. Another resembled a cockerel and even had a beak. Once the ten Board members had seated, five on each bank; the hearing begun. Board members wore turquoise robes and when one spoke so did the rest as one voice.
The voice announced “You three humans are to represent the human race at this hearing of the charges against your race. And together with you the pair of forest folk, are to answer for violating galactic transportation laws.”
The humans on trial looked at each other puzzled as none of them knew which charges against the human race.
The voice continued “We have been monitoring planet Earth ever since the World Administration split the human race by force. We know that corruption and personal greed controlled the dome network constructed by the World, with no respect for the rest of mankind. The human race has ruled planet Earth for the last few hundred thousand years – this did not happen by accident nor by the humans being a master race. Explain to us the reason for the split and why it was not possible to repair the damage done to mankind as one race?”
True addressed the Board “Well you have now met three humans who didn't agree with what had happened. Thousands of families got separated, and many people died because of the forced split of our race. The World Administration was such a powerful and large global network that a chance of defeat from anyone within or outside that network wasn't possible.”
Her brother Thorn added “I can imagine that the World Administration broke many old Earth, and galactic laws. But we're not aware of them, and so couldn't have prevented the intended actions. The recent circumstances which led to the collapse of the World Administration is to say at the least macabre and not of our known world. We and those aboard the mother-ship are Earth survivors and believe in many races existing together on one planet. We've joined the forest folk as one civilisation, existing together alongside nature itself.”
The Board listened as Jessica explained how life was within the dome network. And how the World Administration controlled everyone, which made any form of uproar; expression of opinion or resistance impossible.
The voice spoke in unison “Before the human race ruled planet Earth, many long wars between them and the reptilian race took place. It was our Board who intervened. The human race needed to evolve and still need to continue doing so before joining our galactic network is possible. An agreement reached by both the humans and reptilians, sealed in a contract drafted by us. In the contract it states that for one million years, the human race were to rule Earth above ground; and until that period expired the reptilian race were to live underground. A condition in the contract was that humans stay as one race.”
The voice continued “With the contract violated, the reptilian race no longer remained under oath. And we understand that the rise began during the last few days as a direct result. The Board will announce a punishment for the human race today.”
True snapped in anger at the Board members “You haven't received the correct information! The reptilians didn't rise because of our alleged breach of contract. The reptilians developed a wrist chip virus to trigger the collapse of the World Administration network empire. We saw when they raided the network domes and butchered hundreds of innocent humans, chopped into pieces and thrown in sacks.”
Silence swept the platform as the Board members discussed the case on a telepathic level. The voice said “Now we heard what you had to say, we now call the reptilian representative.”
The five looked towards where the sounds of clumsy, dragging, footsteps came. Jessica, Thorn and True couldn't believe what they saw, as the reptilian entered and now stood one metre away from them.
The reptilian announced “Larsst, at the Board'ss sservicce.”
Before the Board continued the questioning, Thorn interrupted and pointing a forefinger at Larsst said “You! You! What an audacity – murderer!”
Looking at the Board members, True continued “He was at the dome attack, giving orders. He had spoken with us too and mentioned the virus. You should arrest him now.”
Now even louder, the voice spoke the command “Silence!”
Larsst sniggered to himself and allowed his forked tongue to glide along his scaled lips and collect the saliva, which drooled as soon the human scent reached his nostrils.
The voice addressed the reptilian “The Board thanks Larsst for offering help in this matter and appear as a witness. Please start with your account of events.”
Larsst took a confident step forward and began with “It musst be undersstood that I wass approached by the human World Adminisstration. They wanted wrisst chipss producced in large quantitiess. It wass humanss who deccided to ssplit the entire racce. That iss when the contract wass breached. The reptilian sspecciess found oursselvess within our galactic rightss to risse and take back the ssurfacce of the planet. Remaining underground for thoussandss of yearss, we were at a large dissadvantage againsst the humanss. We could not evolve our technology at the sspeed they did. Sso the viruss wass developed as a weapon to enable uss to make a tactical military move and improve our chancces of succcesss.”
Larsst now looked at the five on trial and continued “For killing humanss, I am ssorry. But you musst undersstand that we are a hunter sspecciess and we eat human flessh. For uss thiss iss natural and not 'Murder' which you ssay. It iss nothing perssonal - do you humanss murder what iss sserved on disshess for you to eat?”
The voice asked Larsst “Do you agree that the human race have sacrificed enough for the breach of contract?”
Larsst gave his reply “Our racce gained from the humanss' breach of contract ass we had a chancce to risse above ground. Yess I agree with them. It might be an adequate conssequencce if they are permitted to continue with the migration. To have them ssign another contract today that sstatess that the human racce iss not to return to planet Earth for one million yearss. The ssame previouss contract to which our sspecciess adhered; and remained underground.”
“Thank you. We will now retire to reach a verdict.” The voice confirmed.
With that the Board member figures disappeared. To discuss the case, they retired to a location unknown to those on trial or Larsst. During the Board's absence, silence ruled at first until the elder spoke to Mulrog, and he translated for the other three.
“The elder said that he noticed that you recognised the reptilian and asks how you came to know him?” Said Mulrog.
Thorn explained to Mulrog how he had rescued Jessica and True from the elevator capsules. How they fought through the attacking reptilians and escaped from the dome. He mentioned how Larsst had been present, commanding his soldiers and had spoken to them mentioning the virus. But apart from that occasion, they had had no dealings with him. Mulrog translated for the elder. Those on trial and Larsst too received refreshments. For the elder and Mulrog a variety of plants and fruit. For the humans cooked meats and salad, and for Larsst a dish of organs – the species of the involuntary donors were not be disclosed. But judging from how Larsst devoured the blood- soaked snack, with so much lust; they knew that his menu content was of human origin.
Suddenly the Board members re-appeared, taking to the seats once again. Out of respect Larsst and the tiarians gave the Board their full attention.
The Board members now looked upon the tiarians and spoke together as the voice “The Board has now reached a verdict which we will now announce.”
After five minutes of silence the voice continued “The Board finds the whole human race on Earth guilty of being in breach of contract. We have considered the evidence, from the humans' side and of the reptilians. Those on board the tiarian mother-ship may continue the migration to the planet Mars. Effective from now, the reptilians have legitimate entitlement to live on the Earth's surface. But for them the same rule counts as for the humans before - they have to live as one race”.
Should the reptilian race split or breach the contract in any other form; the human race may be freed from the one million year ban. Those migrating and generations of offspring, are to stay on Mars. Those humans still on Earth are to live underground. Reptilians are to enforce this contract condition. If you tiarians on Mars ascend as a race, in awareness and consciousness, and qualify for galactic network membership; you may appeal against this rule.”
A square hole appeared in the floor and a column elevated up through it. On top of the twenty centimetre wide square column was a paper contract, pot of black ink and a grey feather quill. Those on trial had reached an agreement and Thorn approached the column. But only after long hesitation did he sign the contract – one which only one person had ever signed before, one million years ago.
Within seconds after Thorn placed ink on paper, the five found themselves back on the mother-ship. The escorts ensured that the five materialised without bodily damage and disappeared afterwards. The migration now set forth. Time could be spared later to share with the other tiarians news of the trial and verdict, once the migration was complete. But first the journey was to continue. Without further delay, the tiarians on board manned the pre-arranged positions, established the raised energy vibration; and concentrated on the propulsion of the mother-ship. The rest of the journey through the vortex tunnel passed without incident.