Philip went in for the next night of work at the normal time. He took the handover, and settled in, looking through the list of items for him to work on. Part of his brain wondered if he would get a phone call. It was left as a very loose suggestion between him and this mysterious woman Elena, and he was telling himself that if he didn’t get a call, then it was not to be. He would move on, continuing with his work.
He was busy for the first few hours, as there was always a long ‘to-do’ list, and he couldn’t help but notice himself looking at the time, as it approached his planned break time - and the anticipated time for the call from Elena.
And then the call came through. He could not assume that it was Elena, so he answered in the professional way he had 24 hours before. There was a silence at first, and then “Good morning, Philip. This is Elena.”
He smiled and laughed. “How delightful! You rang back! Excellent!” He had a huge smile on his face, and he hoped the excitement in his voice carried over the connection. “Elena - I am so pleased that you called again. How are you, after last night? Are you well?”
She chuckled. “Philip, I am well, thank you. I actually had one of the best nights sleep in some time. Are we both able to have a few minutes of clear communication? Are we both alone?”
“I’m fine here. I assume you are, too, otherwise you would not have called.”
“Correct.” There was a pause, then “Philip, I enjoyed last night. It was different for me to be able to have an open, honest conversation. But… But what are we doing Philip? Where is this leading?”
He sensed the shift in the tone, immediately. She was nervous - was she having second thoughts?
“Elena, that’s… an interesting point. Leading? Where might this lead? Truthfully, I have no idea. I can’t predict the future any more than you can. Where is it leading? I think that might be the wrong question to ask, at this stage. Look, Elena, I’m going to jump right in here. We hardly know each other, and last night was just an explore. For my part, I am delighted to be relaxed and in conversation with what sounds to me to be a responsible member of the Dominium. I really felt that we were at ease with each other, and my hope is that we can continue this with the conversations. Where that leads, over the next few days and weeks, I cannot guess. We have already mentioned my worry about messing up, if I ever meet anyone from your world. That is a real worry! I don’t know you well enough right now, but I must assume that you would be concerned about meeting people from Earth, and saying or doing something that might be embarrasing. I get that, and I agree that it should concern both of us, but it should not stop us talking. Us. Just you and me - ” he chuckled. “Like I said yesterday, ‘two old friends’ having a chat. I know that you and I are not yet ‘old friends’, but if we stop talking now, through nerves or whatever, then we will never find out if we actually can’t stand each other, or if we are going to truly grow to be ‘old friends’… or something else. Look, Elena, I don’t know. We are literally from different worlds, you and I. Could this be the start of a beautiful relationship? Could this grow into something absolutely amazing, for both of us? I am thrilled with the possibilities. I am fully prepared to try it - I really, really want to find out where this could lead.”
There was silence from the other end for a few seconds. Philip was beginning to suspect that Elena was someone who thought her responses through first, before airing anything. A very cautious person, he thought.
“Philip. Oh, Philip.” More silence. Give her time, he thought. Let her get her things in order.
Then “Philip! My favourite ‘old friend’.” Then laughter. “Sorry, my friend. I was thinking too much into this, and I really need to stop myself from doing that. Philip, you are correct in what you say - I’m sorry, but I think I have just experienced what you call ‘cold feet’. And if I really think about it, I am doing both of us an injustice. So, Philip Kingston, IT Wizard, First Class, if I hear you correctly, and thinking on what we spoke loosely about yesterday, you would be happy to continue with this.. well, I would call it unorthodox, at least - situation? You want me to explain the protocols that we have, what would be expected in terms of behaviour, and more. What that means is that I have to agree to all of this.”
The line went silent again for some seconds, and then she said “Philip, I do agree. It is as you say - if we do not continue, then we will never know where this might lead - and I feel that for us to skip out on that would be a shame. So, Philip, I agree. Oh, wait… I have already said that.”
They both burst out in laughter, each feeling that the initial ice had been broken. Everything from here on in was building - the initial doubts and anxieties were put behind them, and each was looking towards an interesting next few months.
It came to the end of the time, and Philip had to say “Elena, I am truly sorry, but I need to go. There is a mess of things that I really need to work through tonight.”
“I understand, Philip.” She chuckled. “Even though it is the middle of the night, you have a ‘day job’. That is fine.”
“I need to ask a big favour, Elena. I will not be able to take any calls for the rest of the week. We have some major releases scheduled for the last three months, and they absolutely have to happen in the next two nights. I am going to be very busy, and there will be another twenty people here over this time, to help cope with what is needed.”
“I can understand that, Philip. Are we good to continue next week?”
He went silent for just a few seconds. “Elena, I was hoping that we could continue over this weekend. I’m sorry, but I have no idea of your pressures or your schedules - do you have any time this weekend? Before you answer, let me tell you what my circumstances are. I have my apartment. It’s not much, but I call it home. I am single. I was last in a relationship four years ago, and she moved away for work, and I did not go. I haven’t spoken to her in all that time, but we parted on good terms. So it’s just me. After I end the work this week, I will be relaxing at home. If you have any free time, you are very welcome to call me - that’s day or night. I am flexible. I will be completely honest with you, we could probably cover more ground in a single weekend than we could during these ‘bitty’ calls during the week.”
There was laughter from the other end. “Philip, that is a wonderful idea. I have actually had words with people here, those who try their best to arrange my time, and I moved a couple of small meetings over this weekend to next week. What that means is that I am free for a lot of the time. I will still have people buzzing around me for some of it, but I have created some clear slots in my calendar.”
“Elena, you are planning ahead? Did you expect this?”
“No I didn’t, actually. I just felt that I needed a small break from things. The idea of calling you is surely a bonus.”
“Fantastic! This is working out better than I had hoped.” He looked at the clock. “Elena, I need to go. So we leave it until the weekend, and then you can call my private number. Like I say - any time, and we will talk for however long we are comfortable. We could build in lunch or supper… but potentially we could have a ‘working lunch’? That will be up to us, and how flexible we both want to be.” He stopped, and then continued in what he hoped was a warm voice. “I am looking forward to it, but right now I have to go, my ‘old friend’.”
She laughed. “’Old friend’… Good bye, Philip. I will call you at the weekend, you have my word.”
“I look forward to it.” and he ended the call.
So Philip continued with his week - he had been very busy for some months before the initial call, and knew that the window for the upgrades was very small. It had to go in during the next two days or it would be another three months until the next window showed. Philip was precise - he and the rest of the team had covered every possibility that they could, and the events of the next two nights went very smoothly. There were no isses raised, as this was being done by IT professionals - and Philip and the team were all very good at what they did.
That is not to say that there were not tense moments. A few times there were two-hour blocks where the systems were locked, and in each case, if anything went wrong then the whole thing had to be backed out - resetting the clock back to the start.
But all the many days of preparation showed to be worthwhile. So at the end of the week, at the end of the last day, Philip looked around the room at his colleagues. All of the upgrades were done, the new releases were tested and proved to be working.
“Great job, team.” he announced. “Absolutely brilliant job! I am now off to collapse for the weekend. Don’t call me unless the sky falls in” he joked.
He left, and went slowly home. All of the last two days hard work played through his mind as he marked the items in the long list off. When he got to his apartment he was smiling. He was extremely tired, and went straight to bed, feeling exhausted.
Saturday, 29 August 2026
Discovering the differences. Part 2
Elena woke up a few hours later, feeling more refreshed than she could remember when. She immediately had her entourage come in to her chambers, starting to detail the plans for the day.
“Here we go again” she thought. “No rest for the wicked”. When you are the Empress of the Dominium, there are always a hundred things to be doing, every single day. She dressed, all while things were happening around her. She had been doing this for years, and knew exactly what to expect. She remembered the phone call, and asked her assistant what the plan was for the weekend. Could she get some time to herself?
“Empress, there are two minor meetings, to establish trade priorities with concerned parties. Nothing essential.”
“Pamela, can you see if they can be relocated to slots during the week? I really feel that I need just a little time to myself, if the world will just let me.”
She raised one eyebrow - that’s interesting. The Empress didn’t go for time off at all, in all the time that Pamela had worked for her. She whizzed through some calendar entries, and suggested a couple of slots in the middle of the week.
“That would be great. Can you let the groups know? Politely, of course.”
“Empress, I am always polite.” she said, with a smile. “I have worked for you for 30 years, and make a point of being polite - even if I can’t stand the people I am being polite too!”
Elena turned to face her. “Pamela, you are wonderful. I would be lost without you.”
“I know you would, my Empress. That is why I am still here.”
They both smiled at each other, and then both laughed. They knew each other well enough to be relaxed, most of the time, but utterly professional when it was needed.
Philip knew nothing of this, and after he had finished his shift, and handed over to the day crew, he went back to his residence, and slept, with just a taste of that phone call going through his mind, a smile on his face, right before he fell asleep.
Once the day had started for each of them, they continued as normal. Elena had back-to-back conferences all day, with most groups within the Dominium all calling or screaming for attention. Her assistant, Pamela, was always by her side, and towards the end of the packed day, she voiced a thought to the Empress.
“Empress, I have watched you for years. I know you very well. Unless I am mis-reading you today, has something changed? It is nothing major, but there are tiny, tiny changes to the way that you have behaved today.” She looked directly at The Empress. “Am I wrong?”
Elena chuckled. “Really? I thought the day went very well, even though half of the meetings were as boring as they could be. Pamela, as far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong, but I hear you. I trust your opinion, and we have known each other long enough for you to be able to directly approach me. I expect you to. If I have been even slightly off, then it is probably because I have too much going round in my head. I might need to take some time out, and soon. Can you check the calendar and see if there is a way to clear a week for me to relax? Yes, I know, ‘relax’. I don’t do that, do I.” She chuckled again. “Pamela, between you and me, I think I’m getting old. Ha!”
“Old? You? That’s a good one.” She smiled. If the Empress wanted a holiday, then the Empress will have a holiday. “I will check the calender for the next few months, and see about creating a solid block that is clear. What you do with it is up to you, but sadly, the Empress is never going to have a holiday where she can just relax - ” She stopped, looking hard at Elena. ”- Unless you are going to be arranging something out of the ordinary…?” She continued slowly. “Magda Elena, what’s going on?”
Pamela had probably only used her first names twice in the last thirty years. She was sensing something new, something unpredictable going on, and she didn’t like surprises. Her responsibility to the Empress was absolute. She organised everything on a daily basis, and she could not afford to have unknowns. Elena heard the change in the tone. She was relaxed, and smiled at Pamela. “It is as I say. I have a lot of things going around my head, and I think I need to time to get away from all of this, even for a few days.” She came to Pamela, and put her hands on her shoulders. “You can relax. I have no plans to do something stupid, and I will always keep you up to date on anything I want to do. You have my promise on that.”
Pamela looked at the Empress for a few seconds, then shrugged. “OK. I’ll buy that - but don’t give me any extra stress! I can’t handle that.” She smiled, and they both relaxed, even though Elena knew that now her secret was coming apart. She knew that she could trust Pamela, absolutely, but it still meant that her possible conversations with Philip might have to be done with even more caution, and she would have to try to be her old self during the working day.
“Pamela, let me run something by you. We have known of Earth for only a few years, and yet little progress is being made in communication. Think on this for a while, because I have no shape to it. Would it be possible or practical for me to visit Earth in a full capacity, meet everyone that I need to meet, their President and more, and then have just a few days as a holiday, of sorts?
Pamela’s face was a picture. In all her years, this had never been mentioned, and yet she could see the merit in it. Direct action, rather than keep asking other people to do it.
She concentrated hard for a few seconds, then slowly voiced “Empress. That is so radical. I love the idea! We have all spent too long expecting other people to make things work, when you stepping directly in… It’s brilliant! I will get on it immediately.”
“I have no time frame. If it takes you two or three months to arrange, then so be it. I do feel that we have wasted so much time. These things need to be resolved, and if takes me to meet the right people from Earth, then let’s make it happen.”
Pamela thought hard for a moment. “Empress, this will take a few days. I need to make enquiries, and see who it is that we should meet.” She looked at the Empress. “I say ‘we’. I assume that I am coming with you, on this voyage of discovery?”
“Absolutely! I would be lost without you.”
“Yes, you definitely would. Give me a week, and I will update you with what I find.”
“Excellent! Thank you, Pamela.”
“Here we go again” she thought. “No rest for the wicked”. When you are the Empress of the Dominium, there are always a hundred things to be doing, every single day. She dressed, all while things were happening around her. She had been doing this for years, and knew exactly what to expect. She remembered the phone call, and asked her assistant what the plan was for the weekend. Could she get some time to herself?
“Empress, there are two minor meetings, to establish trade priorities with concerned parties. Nothing essential.”
“Pamela, can you see if they can be relocated to slots during the week? I really feel that I need just a little time to myself, if the world will just let me.”
She raised one eyebrow - that’s interesting. The Empress didn’t go for time off at all, in all the time that Pamela had worked for her. She whizzed through some calendar entries, and suggested a couple of slots in the middle of the week.
“That would be great. Can you let the groups know? Politely, of course.”
“Empress, I am always polite.” she said, with a smile. “I have worked for you for 30 years, and make a point of being polite - even if I can’t stand the people I am being polite too!”
Elena turned to face her. “Pamela, you are wonderful. I would be lost without you.”
“I know you would, my Empress. That is why I am still here.”
They both smiled at each other, and then both laughed. They knew each other well enough to be relaxed, most of the time, but utterly professional when it was needed.
Philip knew nothing of this, and after he had finished his shift, and handed over to the day crew, he went back to his residence, and slept, with just a taste of that phone call going through his mind, a smile on his face, right before he fell asleep.
Once the day had started for each of them, they continued as normal. Elena had back-to-back conferences all day, with most groups within the Dominium all calling or screaming for attention. Her assistant, Pamela, was always by her side, and towards the end of the packed day, she voiced a thought to the Empress.
“Empress, I have watched you for years. I know you very well. Unless I am mis-reading you today, has something changed? It is nothing major, but there are tiny, tiny changes to the way that you have behaved today.” She looked directly at The Empress. “Am I wrong?”
Elena chuckled. “Really? I thought the day went very well, even though half of the meetings were as boring as they could be. Pamela, as far as I am concerned, there is nothing wrong, but I hear you. I trust your opinion, and we have known each other long enough for you to be able to directly approach me. I expect you to. If I have been even slightly off, then it is probably because I have too much going round in my head. I might need to take some time out, and soon. Can you check the calendar and see if there is a way to clear a week for me to relax? Yes, I know, ‘relax’. I don’t do that, do I.” She chuckled again. “Pamela, between you and me, I think I’m getting old. Ha!”
“Old? You? That’s a good one.” She smiled. If the Empress wanted a holiday, then the Empress will have a holiday. “I will check the calender for the next few months, and see about creating a solid block that is clear. What you do with it is up to you, but sadly, the Empress is never going to have a holiday where she can just relax - ” She stopped, looking hard at Elena. ”- Unless you are going to be arranging something out of the ordinary…?” She continued slowly. “Magda Elena, what’s going on?”
Pamela had probably only used her first names twice in the last thirty years. She was sensing something new, something unpredictable going on, and she didn’t like surprises. Her responsibility to the Empress was absolute. She organised everything on a daily basis, and she could not afford to have unknowns. Elena heard the change in the tone. She was relaxed, and smiled at Pamela. “It is as I say. I have a lot of things going around my head, and I think I need to time to get away from all of this, even for a few days.” She came to Pamela, and put her hands on her shoulders. “You can relax. I have no plans to do something stupid, and I will always keep you up to date on anything I want to do. You have my promise on that.”
Pamela looked at the Empress for a few seconds, then shrugged. “OK. I’ll buy that - but don’t give me any extra stress! I can’t handle that.” She smiled, and they both relaxed, even though Elena knew that now her secret was coming apart. She knew that she could trust Pamela, absolutely, but it still meant that her possible conversations with Philip might have to be done with even more caution, and she would have to try to be her old self during the working day.
“Pamela, let me run something by you. We have known of Earth for only a few years, and yet little progress is being made in communication. Think on this for a while, because I have no shape to it. Would it be possible or practical for me to visit Earth in a full capacity, meet everyone that I need to meet, their President and more, and then have just a few days as a holiday, of sorts?
Pamela’s face was a picture. In all her years, this had never been mentioned, and yet she could see the merit in it. Direct action, rather than keep asking other people to do it.
She concentrated hard for a few seconds, then slowly voiced “Empress. That is so radical. I love the idea! We have all spent too long expecting other people to make things work, when you stepping directly in… It’s brilliant! I will get on it immediately.”
“I have no time frame. If it takes you two or three months to arrange, then so be it. I do feel that we have wasted so much time. These things need to be resolved, and if takes me to meet the right people from Earth, then let’s make it happen.”
Pamela thought hard for a moment. “Empress, this will take a few days. I need to make enquiries, and see who it is that we should meet.” She looked at the Empress. “I say ‘we’. I assume that I am coming with you, on this voyage of discovery?”
“Absolutely! I would be lost without you.”
“Yes, you definitely would. Give me a week, and I will update you with what I find.”
“Excellent! Thank you, Pamela.”
Friday, 28 August 2026
Discovering the differences. Part 1
The general premise here is that there are two Galactic societies - Earth and the Dominion. The Earth Federation has only been in existence for 200 years, since they found out how to create Faster Than Light engines. It covers a very small globe of space, based around the Solar System as the core. The Dominium has been around for thousands of years, and covers vast areas of space.
The point of First Contact was only 15 years ago, and it passed with no great event - no war was declared, nobody died. The Dominium leader, the Empress, is an intensely private person, and very little about her is known by any Earth agencies. The Earth President, on the other hand, is a very public figure. The two have never met, and it has been left to the assortment of ambassadors and political eorganisations to deal with the day-to-day workings of both territories.
The two groups have established a loose set of liaisons. Various people are assigned to talk to each other, across the divide. But it fails. Time after time, talks start and then just fizzle. Nobody can get to grips with what is being proposed, and nobody is capable of creating solutions. Thousands of people, from both sides, spend every hour of every day trying to get relations moving, but they fail, every time. This cycle is repeated, year after year, frustrating both sides.
During the the time that the two groups had been identified to each other, technology had changed quite a bit. So many people had so many ideas, and the exchange between the parties was extraordinary. One major discovery was using controlled black holes, in laboratory conditions. It was found that two tiny black holes could be ‘connectd’ and that communication between people could be sent from one, to arrive at the other in a microsecond. It had been discovered by chance and nobody really knew how it worked - only that it did. It meant that a phone call could be had between people who were literally tens of light years apart. The time lag was virtually impossible to notice.
In spite of all of this happening, trillions of people across all of the planets continued with their day to day events - they lived and died, went to work, got the kids to school, and much, much more.
So Philip Kingston is sat at his desk, headset on, working through the list of computer systems calls that have been recently raised.
There are software issues, in a number of different components, in different systems.
There are hardware issues, where people say 'My computer isn't working.' and other really helpful descriptions.
Philip has been doing this role for enough years to spot the clients that are taking him for a ride, and those that are good to work with, but don't have a clue about what is happening. They are all users, and Philip has seen them all, which is why he has made his reputation as being truly reliable.
He investigates, and he fixes. His office is part of the buildings that house the Ambassador Group for the Earth planets. He has been in this role for 10 years, and he enjoys it. He is left alone, and he is very good at what he does.
The fact that he has been working the night shift suited him down to the ground. He is a friendly enough person, but he likes the night time because it's quiet. He is good with his own company. There are no ambassadors or their staff around, and he can comfortably focus on the work.
He clocks in at midnight, takes a brief handover, reads through the outstanding issues raised, and proceeds to systematically work through them. He rarely gets any phone calls or emails overnight, as everyone else is asleep.
So it came as a small surprise when the phone for the Centre rang. As Philip was just starting his break, he wondered who it could be, at this crazy time, but he answered it.
"Good morning. This is IT Support. My name is Philip Kingston. How may I help you?"
He waited, but there was silence on the phone.
"Hello" he said, in a gentle tone. Maybe the person was scared...?
Eventually, a soft female voice said "Philip. Hello." and then went silent again.
Philip sensed something was up. He stopped what he was doing, and focused on the call. Was it someone nervous, frightened...?
"Hi, this is Philip. If you are nervous about the call, don't be. Relax, and take it easy, and start at the beginning. Breathe slowly. Do you have a computing problem, and if so just walk it through to me."
There was silence, and he said "If it makes you any happier, can I take a name, and where you are calling from?"
More silence, and slowly "My name is..." and there was a definite pause, as if she couldn't decide what to say. "Elena."
Another pause, then "I know this is going to sound...odd, but can I tell you where I am from a little later?"
By now, Philip was paying complete attention. He began to realise that this was not a regular call. She sounded confused, possible scared, definitely stressed, so he continued with the phone call. "Elena, my name is Philip. I don't know why you are calling me, if it's not an IT-related issue, but you now have my attention. I want you to know that whatever you might say to me tonight is between just you and me. Nobody else needs to get involved. I am currently on my break for the next few minutes, and I am alone. That means you can talk to me freely, and be sure that nobody is overhearing. Where are you, at the moment - are you alone?"
Another slight pause, then "Yes, I am alone. Thank you Philip, for your kind words. I am sorry to be bothering you at such a crazy time where you are."
"Elena, please don't apologise. It is nice to hear another voice, even if it is a crazy time." He chuckled, and smiled, even though he knew Elena couldn't see him.
Another slight pause, then "Philip, I didn't know who to call, so I rang the Ambassador's number, just to see who might be there."
"Oh dear" he smiled. "I am afraid they are all out. Elena, I am no politican, or ambassador, or even part of the complex security services. I don't know what they do, and to be honest I don't want to. I am a computer technician. I fix things that are broken, or arrange upgrades. Being here overnight is great for me because there is nobody to interrupt me - and before you jump in with another apology, I don't mean you. Like I said, it's nice to sometimes hear another voice."
"Now Elena - what is worrying you? I can tell a little from your voice, you sound stressed, so start small and tell me why you called. Oh, and before you start, remember what I said. Anything that you say to me stays between you and me. Nobody else needs to be involved."
He heard a silence on the call, and began to wonder if he had said too much.
Eventually - "Philip, are you serious? About the call being just you and me? I'm sorry, but there are so many things going on in my world, right now, and I'm... I'm really confused. Most of the time I don't know who I can really trust."
"Elena, it's probably difficult for you, but try to relax, even a little bit. I am someone who prides themselves on honesty. Trust is earned - it develops over time. What you see with me is what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. I have no time for lies, or liers, so I suppose that first of all, I need to know that this isn't some kind of silly joke on your part. You sound tight, wound up, and I don't think even a Grade A actress could create the tension that I am hearing, if it wasn't true, so tell me, Elena, are you and I good? Are we going to be honest with each other, and after that are we going to be secure? Nothing in our conversations will be plastered on Page 1 of any news outlet?"
There was a brief silence, and then laughter. She was laughing!
"Oh Philip, I wish you and I were in the same room. We would probably talk for hours, I’m sure. I'm sorry about the giggles, but where I am from, the people that I have to deal with are not known for relaxing or laughing. It's a tense world that I exist in, and it's nice to be comfortable, even if you are a gazillion miles away."
She stopped, realising that she had said too much.
"Philip, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. About the distance, I mean."
"Elena, what is it going to take for you to stop apologising?" he laughed. "You are too serious. It may be difficult for you to do it, but try to breath slow, and easy. And always remember that this is just you and me. Take a breath, and relax. Please. Now, as to the distance…” he paused. “Hmmm. OK, here's what I am going to do. And we take it slow, OK? Really slow. I want to ask you some questions - and you do not have to answer any of them. And then you ask me some questions. Like I say - we take this really slow. And Elena - if you don't like the question, please do not hang up the call. We have been talking for only a few minutes. I don't know you, and you don't know me. But - let's keep talking, OK?"
There was a quiet "OK." from her.
He was guessing now, but asked "Good. Right. Question one." Here he paused. "Are you from the Dominium?"
There was a definite sharp intake of breath from the other end of the call. It went desperately quiet, and Philip hoped that she was sensible enough to stay on the line.
After what seemed like a long time, there was a quiet “Yes.” followed by “Is that a problem? Please don’t make it a problem…”
“Elena, I wasn’t going to make anything a problem tonight. It’s just you and me. If you like, we are just two old friends, just catching up. I really need you to focus on what we are talking about right now. I am from Earth - but I suppose that you already knew that. You are telling me that you are Dominium. OK. Elena, I am no expert on this - I read and hear things, and know that Earth and the Dominium are having issues on the communication front, but we are not at war. I do not want to start a war with the Dominium, and I really hope that you do not either!”
“Elena, are we good? Are you and I good? We need to both acknowledge this. That you and I are good, and that we are happy to be talking with each other.”
”Oh Philip!” She paused. “You are funny. The idea that we are ‘two old friends…’. That is a lovely idea. If only we could make it so.”
She sounded desperately sad at that last part, and Philip had to wonder what was actually going on in her world.
“Elena, I will make a deal with you. We both know next to nothing about each other, but I would be delighted if we could at least try something new, something different. From my part it won’t amount to much because I am here five nights, each week. I don’t know your world at all so you will have to guide me.” He paused again, wondering if he was fishing too much, too hard. “What would you say if I asked you to ring me up at the same time, each night, while I am on my break at work? We don’t have to expect too much in the first few calls. I know next to nothing of the Dominium, the politics, the power-playing that goes on. I know of nobody important - other than your leader. I think her title is Empress. Do I have that right?”
There was a giggle, and Elena said “Yes, you have that right. That is the title.”
“Good. I see a whole lot of questions from me - if I was ever to meet anyone from the Dominium, how should I behave? What are the protocols? How do I address the various levels of people, for instance? Do I bow, and how far, or do I shake hands, or is there something else that I need to be doing? Do your people hate being stared at - is everyone supposed to avert their gaze? Elena, there are thousands of things that I would trip up on. I say that, because we sometimes have people from the Dominium visiting, and I keep well away, but if I was to meet someone, how am I supposed to handle it? I have no idea! I have a dread of doing something stupid, through ignorance, upsetting everyone, and starting some intergalactic war! That is not a good idea.”
There was a loud laugh from the other end. “Philip. Oh Philip. Such wise words. From what I know of things here, there is very little chance of any terrible wars starting, but you are correct that some people here might get upset. We have too many that are sensitive individuals, and yes, we have power plays all the time. I find it quite boring, most of the time.”
He ventured “Without wanting to know too much, is it a part of your world? Dealing with the politics, the daily grind of treaties and trade routes and more?”
Almost reluctantly she came back with “Yes, I have a daily involvement with that sort of thing. I can’t tell you specifics, but it is the world I live in, day to day.”
“Excellent. Now listen, Elena, and tell me if this could work. If you continue to call me, we can literally take this very slow. You can tell me one point of interest at a time, or we can just talk about the weather where you are, and we will compare notes on the weather where I am. It’s all up for grabs. We make it up as we go along. If we have more conversations, would you be willing to talk me through some of it? Some of the things I could get away with, and the things I absolutely must not do?”
“Like what?”
“Oh I don’t know. Let me think… Say… say you and I met, sometime in the future. It’s some formal party, with Ambassadors all around, political things being talked about. My common sense says I cannot meet you and give you a hug, or a kiss, when we meet for the first time. For all I know a dozen guards would jump on top of me - if I don’t get shot first. Here on Earth, we usually reserve hugs and kisses for close family, or some very close friends. I have two sisters, and a brother, and I always give them all hugs and kisses, but I have known them all my life. There are no people closer to me. The kisses tend to be on the cheeks, not the intimate lip-to-lip kind - that’s for married couples, or people who are not related, but are very close - but the message is clear. These are people very close to me, part of my immediate group. Ha! Imagine if I were to meet your Empress, and did that! ‘Ah, Empress. I am very pleased to meet you’, and then I jump in with hugs and kisses! I doubt I would get out alive. So - all of that, and more.”
She was laughing now. All Philip could hear was full laughter, and it didn’t seem to want to stop. After a few seconds, he tentatively voiced “Elena, are you alright?”
She managed to slow the laughing, a little. “Oh Philip, thank you. That was the best news I have heard in a long time.”
“News? Sorry - what news?”
“That we are going to continue these coversations, a little bit at a time, become your ‘old friend’, and I am going to bring you up to speed on what to do, how to say things, and more importantly, what NOT to do.” She paused. “And perhaps, most important of all, I am going to tell you how to survive. You have made me laugh Philip. I haven’t laughed in a long time - not like that. Thank you. Seriously - that was brilliant!”
He chuckled. “Elena, it was my pleasure.” He looked at the clock. “Look, Elena, I am sorry, but I think I need to go. I actually have some work to do for the next few hours. I have absolutely enjoyed this conversation. Really - I have. It has been what we call a ‘breath of fresh air’. Now, I have a serious question for you. Are you likely to ring me again, same time tomorrow? I suppose if that works for you. I have no idea of your schedules and other pressures. Is this a convenient time for you? I don’t want to put you under any pressure. If it doesn’t work, and you really, really want to continue these chats, then I could give you my private phone, and we could catch up over the weekend? But that’s up to you.”
“Philip, if it is alright with you, then I will try the same time tomorrow. I have a little flexibility in my schedules, so that should work. Perhaps if I could take your phone number, I could let you know if there is a complication. Sometimes I get called out at stupid times, during the day and during the night too.”
He gave his number, and finished by saying “Elena, it has been a pleasure. I mean that, truly. Thank you for the very pleasant distraction, and I look forward to finding out how things work in your world. Nice and slow, nice and easy. If this works, I see us in conversations for some time, but one day at a time. Good night, Elena, and thank you.”
“Good night, Philip. And thank you, too.”
He ended the call, and Philip started to wonder ‘What the hell am I doing?’ with a smile across his face.
Across space, Elena was wondering the same thing, but she got ready for bed, and lay down to sleep, with a smile on her face, for the first time in many years.
The point of First Contact was only 15 years ago, and it passed with no great event - no war was declared, nobody died. The Dominium leader, the Empress, is an intensely private person, and very little about her is known by any Earth agencies. The Earth President, on the other hand, is a very public figure. The two have never met, and it has been left to the assortment of ambassadors and political eorganisations to deal with the day-to-day workings of both territories.
The two groups have established a loose set of liaisons. Various people are assigned to talk to each other, across the divide. But it fails. Time after time, talks start and then just fizzle. Nobody can get to grips with what is being proposed, and nobody is capable of creating solutions. Thousands of people, from both sides, spend every hour of every day trying to get relations moving, but they fail, every time. This cycle is repeated, year after year, frustrating both sides.
During the the time that the two groups had been identified to each other, technology had changed quite a bit. So many people had so many ideas, and the exchange between the parties was extraordinary. One major discovery was using controlled black holes, in laboratory conditions. It was found that two tiny black holes could be ‘connectd’ and that communication between people could be sent from one, to arrive at the other in a microsecond. It had been discovered by chance and nobody really knew how it worked - only that it did. It meant that a phone call could be had between people who were literally tens of light years apart. The time lag was virtually impossible to notice.
In spite of all of this happening, trillions of people across all of the planets continued with their day to day events - they lived and died, went to work, got the kids to school, and much, much more.
So Philip Kingston is sat at his desk, headset on, working through the list of computer systems calls that have been recently raised.
There are software issues, in a number of different components, in different systems.
There are hardware issues, where people say 'My computer isn't working.' and other really helpful descriptions.
Philip has been doing this role for enough years to spot the clients that are taking him for a ride, and those that are good to work with, but don't have a clue about what is happening. They are all users, and Philip has seen them all, which is why he has made his reputation as being truly reliable.
He investigates, and he fixes. His office is part of the buildings that house the Ambassador Group for the Earth planets. He has been in this role for 10 years, and he enjoys it. He is left alone, and he is very good at what he does.
The fact that he has been working the night shift suited him down to the ground. He is a friendly enough person, but he likes the night time because it's quiet. He is good with his own company. There are no ambassadors or their staff around, and he can comfortably focus on the work.
He clocks in at midnight, takes a brief handover, reads through the outstanding issues raised, and proceeds to systematically work through them. He rarely gets any phone calls or emails overnight, as everyone else is asleep.
So it came as a small surprise when the phone for the Centre rang. As Philip was just starting his break, he wondered who it could be, at this crazy time, but he answered it.
"Good morning. This is IT Support. My name is Philip Kingston. How may I help you?"
He waited, but there was silence on the phone.
"Hello" he said, in a gentle tone. Maybe the person was scared...?
Eventually, a soft female voice said "Philip. Hello." and then went silent again.
Philip sensed something was up. He stopped what he was doing, and focused on the call. Was it someone nervous, frightened...?
"Hi, this is Philip. If you are nervous about the call, don't be. Relax, and take it easy, and start at the beginning. Breathe slowly. Do you have a computing problem, and if so just walk it through to me."
There was silence, and he said "If it makes you any happier, can I take a name, and where you are calling from?"
More silence, and slowly "My name is..." and there was a definite pause, as if she couldn't decide what to say. "Elena."
Another pause, then "I know this is going to sound...odd, but can I tell you where I am from a little later?"
By now, Philip was paying complete attention. He began to realise that this was not a regular call. She sounded confused, possible scared, definitely stressed, so he continued with the phone call. "Elena, my name is Philip. I don't know why you are calling me, if it's not an IT-related issue, but you now have my attention. I want you to know that whatever you might say to me tonight is between just you and me. Nobody else needs to get involved. I am currently on my break for the next few minutes, and I am alone. That means you can talk to me freely, and be sure that nobody is overhearing. Where are you, at the moment - are you alone?"
Another slight pause, then "Yes, I am alone. Thank you Philip, for your kind words. I am sorry to be bothering you at such a crazy time where you are."
"Elena, please don't apologise. It is nice to hear another voice, even if it is a crazy time." He chuckled, and smiled, even though he knew Elena couldn't see him.
Another slight pause, then "Philip, I didn't know who to call, so I rang the Ambassador's number, just to see who might be there."
"Oh dear" he smiled. "I am afraid they are all out. Elena, I am no politican, or ambassador, or even part of the complex security services. I don't know what they do, and to be honest I don't want to. I am a computer technician. I fix things that are broken, or arrange upgrades. Being here overnight is great for me because there is nobody to interrupt me - and before you jump in with another apology, I don't mean you. Like I said, it's nice to sometimes hear another voice."
"Now Elena - what is worrying you? I can tell a little from your voice, you sound stressed, so start small and tell me why you called. Oh, and before you start, remember what I said. Anything that you say to me stays between you and me. Nobody else needs to be involved."
He heard a silence on the call, and began to wonder if he had said too much.
Eventually - "Philip, are you serious? About the call being just you and me? I'm sorry, but there are so many things going on in my world, right now, and I'm... I'm really confused. Most of the time I don't know who I can really trust."
"Elena, it's probably difficult for you, but try to relax, even a little bit. I am someone who prides themselves on honesty. Trust is earned - it develops over time. What you see with me is what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. I have no time for lies, or liers, so I suppose that first of all, I need to know that this isn't some kind of silly joke on your part. You sound tight, wound up, and I don't think even a Grade A actress could create the tension that I am hearing, if it wasn't true, so tell me, Elena, are you and I good? Are we going to be honest with each other, and after that are we going to be secure? Nothing in our conversations will be plastered on Page 1 of any news outlet?"
There was a brief silence, and then laughter. She was laughing!
"Oh Philip, I wish you and I were in the same room. We would probably talk for hours, I’m sure. I'm sorry about the giggles, but where I am from, the people that I have to deal with are not known for relaxing or laughing. It's a tense world that I exist in, and it's nice to be comfortable, even if you are a gazillion miles away."
She stopped, realising that she had said too much.
"Philip, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. About the distance, I mean."
"Elena, what is it going to take for you to stop apologising?" he laughed. "You are too serious. It may be difficult for you to do it, but try to breath slow, and easy. And always remember that this is just you and me. Take a breath, and relax. Please. Now, as to the distance…” he paused. “Hmmm. OK, here's what I am going to do. And we take it slow, OK? Really slow. I want to ask you some questions - and you do not have to answer any of them. And then you ask me some questions. Like I say - we take this really slow. And Elena - if you don't like the question, please do not hang up the call. We have been talking for only a few minutes. I don't know you, and you don't know me. But - let's keep talking, OK?"
There was a quiet "OK." from her.
He was guessing now, but asked "Good. Right. Question one." Here he paused. "Are you from the Dominium?"
There was a definite sharp intake of breath from the other end of the call. It went desperately quiet, and Philip hoped that she was sensible enough to stay on the line.
After what seemed like a long time, there was a quiet “Yes.” followed by “Is that a problem? Please don’t make it a problem…”
“Elena, I wasn’t going to make anything a problem tonight. It’s just you and me. If you like, we are just two old friends, just catching up. I really need you to focus on what we are talking about right now. I am from Earth - but I suppose that you already knew that. You are telling me that you are Dominium. OK. Elena, I am no expert on this - I read and hear things, and know that Earth and the Dominium are having issues on the communication front, but we are not at war. I do not want to start a war with the Dominium, and I really hope that you do not either!”
“Elena, are we good? Are you and I good? We need to both acknowledge this. That you and I are good, and that we are happy to be talking with each other.”
”Oh Philip!” She paused. “You are funny. The idea that we are ‘two old friends…’. That is a lovely idea. If only we could make it so.”
She sounded desperately sad at that last part, and Philip had to wonder what was actually going on in her world.
“Elena, I will make a deal with you. We both know next to nothing about each other, but I would be delighted if we could at least try something new, something different. From my part it won’t amount to much because I am here five nights, each week. I don’t know your world at all so you will have to guide me.” He paused again, wondering if he was fishing too much, too hard. “What would you say if I asked you to ring me up at the same time, each night, while I am on my break at work? We don’t have to expect too much in the first few calls. I know next to nothing of the Dominium, the politics, the power-playing that goes on. I know of nobody important - other than your leader. I think her title is Empress. Do I have that right?”
There was a giggle, and Elena said “Yes, you have that right. That is the title.”
“Good. I see a whole lot of questions from me - if I was ever to meet anyone from the Dominium, how should I behave? What are the protocols? How do I address the various levels of people, for instance? Do I bow, and how far, or do I shake hands, or is there something else that I need to be doing? Do your people hate being stared at - is everyone supposed to avert their gaze? Elena, there are thousands of things that I would trip up on. I say that, because we sometimes have people from the Dominium visiting, and I keep well away, but if I was to meet someone, how am I supposed to handle it? I have no idea! I have a dread of doing something stupid, through ignorance, upsetting everyone, and starting some intergalactic war! That is not a good idea.”
There was a loud laugh from the other end. “Philip. Oh Philip. Such wise words. From what I know of things here, there is very little chance of any terrible wars starting, but you are correct that some people here might get upset. We have too many that are sensitive individuals, and yes, we have power plays all the time. I find it quite boring, most of the time.”
He ventured “Without wanting to know too much, is it a part of your world? Dealing with the politics, the daily grind of treaties and trade routes and more?”
Almost reluctantly she came back with “Yes, I have a daily involvement with that sort of thing. I can’t tell you specifics, but it is the world I live in, day to day.”
“Excellent. Now listen, Elena, and tell me if this could work. If you continue to call me, we can literally take this very slow. You can tell me one point of interest at a time, or we can just talk about the weather where you are, and we will compare notes on the weather where I am. It’s all up for grabs. We make it up as we go along. If we have more conversations, would you be willing to talk me through some of it? Some of the things I could get away with, and the things I absolutely must not do?”
“Like what?”
“Oh I don’t know. Let me think… Say… say you and I met, sometime in the future. It’s some formal party, with Ambassadors all around, political things being talked about. My common sense says I cannot meet you and give you a hug, or a kiss, when we meet for the first time. For all I know a dozen guards would jump on top of me - if I don’t get shot first. Here on Earth, we usually reserve hugs and kisses for close family, or some very close friends. I have two sisters, and a brother, and I always give them all hugs and kisses, but I have known them all my life. There are no people closer to me. The kisses tend to be on the cheeks, not the intimate lip-to-lip kind - that’s for married couples, or people who are not related, but are very close - but the message is clear. These are people very close to me, part of my immediate group. Ha! Imagine if I were to meet your Empress, and did that! ‘Ah, Empress. I am very pleased to meet you’, and then I jump in with hugs and kisses! I doubt I would get out alive. So - all of that, and more.”
She was laughing now. All Philip could hear was full laughter, and it didn’t seem to want to stop. After a few seconds, he tentatively voiced “Elena, are you alright?”
She managed to slow the laughing, a little. “Oh Philip, thank you. That was the best news I have heard in a long time.”
“News? Sorry - what news?”
“That we are going to continue these coversations, a little bit at a time, become your ‘old friend’, and I am going to bring you up to speed on what to do, how to say things, and more importantly, what NOT to do.” She paused. “And perhaps, most important of all, I am going to tell you how to survive. You have made me laugh Philip. I haven’t laughed in a long time - not like that. Thank you. Seriously - that was brilliant!”
He chuckled. “Elena, it was my pleasure.” He looked at the clock. “Look, Elena, I am sorry, but I think I need to go. I actually have some work to do for the next few hours. I have absolutely enjoyed this conversation. Really - I have. It has been what we call a ‘breath of fresh air’. Now, I have a serious question for you. Are you likely to ring me again, same time tomorrow? I suppose if that works for you. I have no idea of your schedules and other pressures. Is this a convenient time for you? I don’t want to put you under any pressure. If it doesn’t work, and you really, really want to continue these chats, then I could give you my private phone, and we could catch up over the weekend? But that’s up to you.”
“Philip, if it is alright with you, then I will try the same time tomorrow. I have a little flexibility in my schedules, so that should work. Perhaps if I could take your phone number, I could let you know if there is a complication. Sometimes I get called out at stupid times, during the day and during the night too.”
He gave his number, and finished by saying “Elena, it has been a pleasure. I mean that, truly. Thank you for the very pleasant distraction, and I look forward to finding out how things work in your world. Nice and slow, nice and easy. If this works, I see us in conversations for some time, but one day at a time. Good night, Elena, and thank you.”
“Good night, Philip. And thank you, too.”
He ended the call, and Philip started to wonder ‘What the hell am I doing?’ with a smile across his face.
Across space, Elena was wondering the same thing, but she got ready for bed, and lay down to sleep, with a smile on her face, for the first time in many years.
August 2026 - what a ride!
I have had two years of medical troubles, only being actually diagnosed with Prostate Cancer one year ago. It all started when I could not pee. I tried, but it was quickly painful, so a trip to A&E was called for. They faffed around for a few months (catheter in, catheter out... repeat) until the middle of 2025 when someone suggested I have a PSA test.
At which point I say "What's a PSA test?"
Anyway, it came back positive - 64 - and I was lined up for a biopsy (great fun!) and that confirmed my stage 4.
You have to understand that I have a 50+ year history of very little medical intervention - I have been a healthy person! Then we start the meds - currently Abiraterone and Prednisolone (notice how quickly I rattle them off, now that I have been using them for 10-11 months?)
My energy levels have... dropped. I won't say plummedted, as I still manage to get around, but I am operating at 60-70% of where I was before this all started.
This looks to be the 'new me'.
Along this concerning, worrying - and more - journey, I have researched a lot, found the few sites that I feel comfortable to return to (keep it simple - or you will get lost down so many rabbit holes you will never find your way back). I have spoken to a lot of people who have the same condition, some worse than me, some not so much. Some are very experienced in this situation and actually give mini lectures, or talks. Many, like me, are caught up in the 'WTH is going on' situation, and continue to seek sound advice.
We are all in the club-that-nobody-wants-to-join. Having said that, I have 'met' some of the best people. People who have been dealing with this for years, but STILL manage to somehow keep going (the alternative - you just don't want to think about that...) so we all meet up online, discuss what is happening, who is having problems, does anyone have any solutions - and more.
There is no magic bullet, no pill that will make your troubles go away over a weekend. We are all facing it, one day at a time. That is all we can do, for the moment.
That said... the medical advances, even in the last 5-10 years, are astonishing. Who knows what is just around the corner|/
So, we keep going. Those that can, continue to live their lives, instead of just survivng.
I'm still trying to work out what camp I am in...
That's a joke, folks!
At which point I say "What's a PSA test?"
Anyway, it came back positive - 64 - and I was lined up for a biopsy (great fun!) and that confirmed my stage 4.
You have to understand that I have a 50+ year history of very little medical intervention - I have been a healthy person! Then we start the meds - currently Abiraterone and Prednisolone (notice how quickly I rattle them off, now that I have been using them for 10-11 months?)
My energy levels have... dropped. I won't say plummedted, as I still manage to get around, but I am operating at 60-70% of where I was before this all started.
This looks to be the 'new me'.
Along this concerning, worrying - and more - journey, I have researched a lot, found the few sites that I feel comfortable to return to (keep it simple - or you will get lost down so many rabbit holes you will never find your way back). I have spoken to a lot of people who have the same condition, some worse than me, some not so much. Some are very experienced in this situation and actually give mini lectures, or talks. Many, like me, are caught up in the 'WTH is going on' situation, and continue to seek sound advice.
We are all in the club-that-nobody-wants-to-join. Having said that, I have 'met' some of the best people. People who have been dealing with this for years, but STILL manage to somehow keep going (the alternative - you just don't want to think about that...) so we all meet up online, discuss what is happening, who is having problems, does anyone have any solutions - and more.
There is no magic bullet, no pill that will make your troubles go away over a weekend. We are all facing it, one day at a time. That is all we can do, for the moment.
That said... the medical advances, even in the last 5-10 years, are astonishing. Who knows what is just around the corner|/
So, we keep going. Those that can, continue to live their lives, instead of just survivng.
I'm still trying to work out what camp I am in...
That's a joke, folks!
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