ZACHARY ZANE ZEX
By: Will Fry
Late 1980s

[Original title was spelled in the Shivan alphabet, 
developed by Will Fry.]

(This document contains spelling and grammar errors that 
have been included from the original handwritten document. 
These have been left in to show the development of the 
young writer. -Ed. Rick J. Anderson)


At the end of the robot wars, the human race was scattered 
throughout the universe, in almost every galaxy, save our 
own, which was controlled by the victorious robots. Most of 
the humans remaining continued to pledge their allegiance 
to the late Federation, but a growing number of Generals, 
officers, and statesmen, including Billy Connors IV, were 
acknowledging James Ex as their leader. After all, James Ex 
had organized the massive exodus of humans into the other 
galaxies, to flee the robots, and he was continuing to be a 
good leader.

He was elected mayor of the first post-exodus city, Jewel, 
built by Billy Connors IV. Connors had appointed Ex as 
assistant commander-in-chief of his private fleet, the 
largest remaining human fleet. Jewel's planet, Shiva VII, 
was brought under Ex's rule two years after the exodus. 
Within four years of that time, Ex had subjugated most of 
the humans in the star cluster.

Billy Connors IV died one year later (07 A.E.), leaving his 
possessions to James Ex II, Ex's adopted son. In 10 A.E., 
Ex I had federated his entire galaxy into an empire, and by 
15 A.E., it was totally secure. Being satisfied with his 
territory, he was content to reign until his death, in 55 
A.E., when Ex II took over. By 75 A.E., two more galaxy's 
had been added.

By the time of James Ex III, in 101 A.E., All known human 
populations were under the control of Ex III.

By the time of James Ex V, in 260 A.E., the official 
religion was Exian, the worship of James Ex I, and his 
descendants, the emporers. Christianity and Islam still 
persisted, but were being stamped out.

Since so much of the cultural things had not been recorded 
in the ships' computers, and libraries, as the (sic) were 
warships, a new culture arose, after a foothold was gained 
in the new galaxy. The most popular music in the third 
century A.E. was the rock 'n' roll, revived after a 
thousand years of non-popularity. The Cars, continued as a 
group, after changing to Christian Rock, but was opposed by 
the government.

As the Cars got more popular, along with other Christian 
Rock groups, the government lost power, gradually. In 470 
A.E., during the reign of James Ex IX, the official 
religion was changed to Christianity.

By 880 A.E., the Exes only reigned in title. The whole of 
the government of the empire had little power, and 
individual solar systems carried on their own government.

This continued, until James Ex XIII, in 1210 A.E., tried to 
gain power. He wanted to upgrade the moral standards of the 
universe by banning the harder rock. The Cars, still the 
most popular group after almost a thousand years, was hit 
the hardest. All their albums were banned, except their 
Christmas album (they had changed to secular rock in 720 
A.E.)

In their underground concerts, the Cars urged listeners to 
stand up for their music, and revolt. In 1212 A.E., A 
revolt occurred, and since the ANARCHAL MONARCHY government 
had so few forces, the revolution couldn't be stamped out. 
Riots in the street, acts of terrorism, and assasinations 
were usual events everyday, in every city for six years. In 
1218, the rebels finally broke through the defenses of Ex 
XIII's palace, and he was killed.

The Cars took over the government, but by 1220, the economy 
was so broken down, that it was uneconomical to use 
hyperspace, except on interplanetary jumps, so before long 
intergalactic travel had ceased. Because of the Cars 
personal beliefs, the school systems were abolished, so no 
one grew up intelligently.

Some people realized what was going on, so another revolt 
happened in 1223, but it only succeeded in killing the 
Cars. After that, revolt after revolt shook each planet in 
the universe, until 1280, when the last revolt died out.

At that time, each individual planet ruled itself, and had 
no affiliation with any other. By 1320, Almost all 
governments had outlawed space travel as "wasteful, sinful, 
and illogical." For some reasons, the school systems had 
never been reinstated, so education dropped away, except 
religious education. Over 70% of the planets were Christian 
planets by 1385, and were unusually peaceful.

During the Great Revolt (1212-1280), rock 'n' roll had been 
forgotten, and into the 1400's, still no one remembered it. 
Unfortunately, because of the lack of space travel, few 
people remembered other planets. The third Dark age had 
come upon the universe. 


In 2010 A.E., on the planet Bliss III, a young boy named 
Zachary Zane Zex became curious about the nature of the 
universe. He had found some space craft wrecks in the 
mountains near his home, where he lived with his 25 
brothers and sisters, children of his father's three wives.

He then grew curious about the "great monument" in the 
middle of Bliss III's capitol city. For centuries, the 
mile-high solid metal structure had provided light for the 
city, but 3-Z found parts of it similar to the wrecks in 
the mts. At first, he concluded that the wrecks were 
remains of old cities, but then he found the Door.

There was an opening in the bottom of the 'great monument,' 
and he climbed in. It led to other doors, and finally to a 
ladder. He climbed the ladder for several hours before 
stopping at a hatch. Through the HATCH, he found halls, and 
more doors. In one of the rooms there were piles of Books, 
forbidden on Bliss III. He felt an impulse to destroy them, 
but read any way.

When he came out of the Door, he knew several things. The 
'great monument' was actually a space ship named 'Eternal 
Guardian.' There were people on other planets, and the 
'eternal guardian' could be used to get there. He also knew 
that if he told anyone, he would be branded as insane.

Two weeks later, he showed two of his brothers, Meek-Shek 
Zen and Florn Zen, the Door. The three went in, and spent 
two days exploring the SHIP. The hydroponics lab had 
overgrown, and plants had spread throughout the level. The 
deep freeze foods were still good, and the control room was 
in working order (though they had no idea how to use it.)

Meek-Shek Zen (M-S.Z.) and 3-Z proceeded to tell the other 
brothers and sisters, and finally their father and his 
three wives. Within a month, the family of twenty-nine had 
secretly and methodically moved their most important 
belongings into the 'Guardian,' to live there, and to try 
to figure out its workings.

The local authorities had seen the last Zens go in, but the 
Door was locked from the inside, and it was against the law 
for anyone, even the authorities to damage the 'Great 
Monument.' From time to time, one or two of the Zens would 
sneak out an night to visit one or two of their closest, 
trusted friends, and tell them about 3-Z's revelation. 
Twenty-four of the thirty-six Jelps were convinced, and 
moved in, as did fifty-one of the sixty-two Wheezhs.

They found handweapons in storerooms in the ship that they 
had never seen before. They also figured out, over a period 
of two months, what the controls did, by reading numerous 
volumes of the 'controls' guide. By January 2011, they were 
ready to leave for parts unknown.

3-Z sat in the pilot's seat, Florn occupied the 
radarman/copilot's chair, and M-S.Z. was strapped into the 
communication officer's couch. With the flip of a switch, 
his helmet mike was hooked into the ground level 
loudspeakers. He said, "This is the space ship 'Eternal 
Guardian.' Clear launch area" (he had memorized the words 
from the manual.) Launch in T-minus-2 minutes.

Their younger brother Bozh was in the engineering 
department, several hundred levels below (they had 
activated the elevator system.), and he reported, "All 
systems in engineering are ready. Grav generators are 
warmed up."

"T-minus 1 minutes," Meek-Shek said, in a monotone.

Whim Jelp, in the main passenger compartment, reported, 
"All personnel strapped in, and all cargo secure."

"T-minus 30 seconds... 25... 20... 15... 10... 5... 4... 
3... 2... 1... Blast off!"

At the last word, they expected from their reading, to be 
shoved down into their seats, but the one-gravity normal 
did not change. The ship barely vibrated as the nuclear 
reactors, assisted by the anti-gravs, pushed the 'Eternal 
Guardian' up off the surface of Bliss III, the boiling 
flames splashing on the ground below, burning the whole 
park away from the center of town.

Dozens of Blissians who had heard the loudspeaker's warning 
had been watching out their windows, and most fainted or 
collapsed when their main symbol of religion vanished into 
the deep blue sky.

The words "Orbit Achieved" flashed in green on 3-Z's 
screen. He had expected them. He entered "disengage orbit: 
proceed with mission," and the computer flashed "T-minus 3 
minutes-30 seconds," and began counting down.

Florn interrupted Zac's thoughts by saying, "Hey Zac! Look 
at this!" He was pointing at his screen, which was showing 
a TV camera's view of Bliss III. They stared for several 
seconds until Florn spoke again. "It's just like the books 
and preachers always said. I never believed it, though."

M-S.Z. called out, "T-minus 2 minutes."

The 'mission' that had been programmed into the computer 
was to go to the next planet in the system, Gor IV 
(Gorfor), the only other inhabited planet around their sun, 
according to their books. However, they had expected to 
approach slowly, or even visibly on the screen. What 
happened, though, when the orbit countdown got to zero, the 
picture on the TV screen just changed from Bliss III to 
Gorfor.

The three brothers in the control room looked at each other 
in suprise, wondering if they were actually there. Florn's 
computer sensor checks confirmed that they were, indeed 
orbiting Gorfor. The sensors also told them that there were 
no major cities on the planet, just villages. And the 
largest concentration of human life-forms were out on a 
green plain, fighting a battle.

The screen flashed "Shuttle ready for descent."

Meek-Shek, the oldest of the three, said "Florn, you stay 
here, in comman. We'll take two Jelps and two Wheezhs with 
us to the surface." They called the four people they 
wanted, and rode the elevators to the hangar deck. On the 
way, the six picked up light armor from storage, and each 
got a lazer pistol and light saber.

They entered the shuttle, and as the massive hangar door 
slid back, the computer nudged the craft out, using anti-
grav. As soon as the shuttle was clear of the ship, the 
boosters cut in, and it sped down toward the atmosphere.

They stopped 20 yards above the battle, and looked at the 
humans below. They were all ugly, hairy, and lightly 
clothed. they sported long, curved swords, and were 
whacking away at each other with them. The 'barbarians' 
immediately stopped their fighting, when the shuttle parked 
above them. Several dropped their swords.

3-Z, with his spacesuit/armour, and carrying a light saber, 
opened the hatch, and rode a personal gravity field 
(provided by the suit's independent anti-grav unit) down to 
the ground. The ragged warriors pulled away from the spot 
where he landed, and looked with awe at his shiny, polished 
suit of armour, and his activated light saber, as he looked 
at them in equal suprise. He had expected neither green-
slimy aliens nor humans like himself, he had simply 
expected nothing at all.

Then, to his suprise, the men began falling to their knees, 
and bowing their heads. He assumed it was a form of 
greeting, so he repeated the maneuver. The men, in turn, 
fell on their faces, and lay flat out on the ground. Zac 
decided that this was silly, so he stodd up, and told the 
men, "Stand up."

They did, almost shaking with fear. He said, "Don't Be 
afraid," and they looked each other, and decided to take 
his word for it. Then he asked them, "Are you men 
Christians?"

They all nodded, vigorously, and shouted, "Yes!"

"They why are you fighting and killing each other?" He 
asked curiously, pointing at all the whacked up bodies, and 
blood stained grass.

They all dropped their remaining weapons and vowed, "We 
never fight no more!" They proceeded to make friends with 
their enemies.

Anyway, Zac and his five comrads soon found the warriors' 
villages, and they signed a peace treaty (or rather just 
made a covenant, since the Gorforians had no written 
language.) Within two months, the Blissians had visited the 
three hundred largest tribes on Gorfor, or at least 
representatives of some of the tribes, and had united all 
of the warring nations. They also educated twenty teachers 
in almost everything they knew, and sent them across the 
planet, to spread the word.

From March until July, they used mining equipment and 
factory machines in the 'Eternal Guardian' to build mining 
equipment and factory machines for the Gorforians, and 
taught enough people how to use them. They also spent a lot 
of time with general scientific education; such (as) 
chemistry, laws of motion, and astronomy (what little they 
knew).

In August, they decided to take their leave, and go to the 
next star system with an inhabited planet, that of the star 
Gleesh. According to the books and reports they had found 
in the storage banks of the "Guardian," the last reports 
from Gleesh spoke of high technologies than those of other 
systems. They were also noted to be even more warlike than 
various groups of barbarians. Because of this knowledge, 
they asked for volunteers from among the Gorforians, to 
join with them in an army, to help them when they went to 
Gleesh.

Seven hundred Gorforians volunteered for this army, in May, 
and by August, four hundred of them had been chosen, 
trained, and given quarters in the massive 'Guardian.'

During the seven-month stay in orbit around Gorfor, four of 
the Wheezh brothers had learned to fly the fighter-craft in 
the Guardians' massive hangar. Lenk Wheezh, the eldest of 
the four, was appointed leader of the fighter squadron, by 
Meek-Shek.

On August 22, 2011, they loaded everything up in the 
'Eternal Guardian', and hyperspaced to Gleesh. They arrived 
in orbit around Gleesh-3, the most populous of the system's 
planets. A space station in orbit around the planet sent a 
radio message to the 'Guardian': "Identify yourselves. You 
are not in a designated flight path."

Zachary answered, "This is Commander Zex of the 'Eternal 
Guardian.' We are on an exploring mission from Bliss III. 
Peace be to you, and your kind. May we, as fellow 
Christians, dock on your station?"

"If docking is attempted, you will be destroyed. We request 
that you disengage, orbit, and take your leave. We want to 
Christians here on POTPAG (Planet Of The PAGans.)

"You have 30 minutes to leave."

Zac looked at Meek-Shek, who said quietly, "Let's fight. 
They can't beat this ship. It has more power than any 
other, even if it is a thousand years old. That stations 
probably older, anyway."

Zac said, into the mic, "We have no choice." He pushed a 
red button on his panel, marked "RED ALERT," and a buzzer 
sounded through the ship. The 400 Gorforians donned their 
space suit/armour, and boarded an armed troop carrier, 
piloted by Help Jelp. The four fighters slipped out of the 
hangar, and roared toward the station. All of the manned 
and automatic turret hatches on the exterior of the 
'Guardian' open, and activated. All of the extra people in 
the three families were sent to turrets, to man them. The 
missile launchers, and space torpedo racks waited in 
readiness.

Lenk Wheezh fired the first shot. A lazer blast from his 
fighters canon was absorbed by the stations force field, 
but right after, it was bombarded with blasts from every 
turrent on the 'Guardian.' Fighters started pouring out of 
the station, until forty of them circled the giant space 
ship. Zac activated the force fields, and set them to max 
power. Auxiliary reactors and generators deep within the 
ship began purring, then roaring, as energy that had been 
stored for generations was at last being used to protect 
the ship.

Meek-Shek fired off a salvo of missiles, towards the space 
station, and their blast, along with the lazers, penetrated 
the force shield, and ripped a large hole in the station. 
An explosion also rocked through the 'Guardian,' as one of 
the station's missiles rammed into the energy field around 
it, and it penetrated.

Even with the small amount of knowledge they possessed, the 
Blissians prevailed, because they were using one of the 
best vessils from the preevius erra; thay had bin lukky 
eenuff to have had their planit colonized by the men of the 
'Eternal Guardian.' After the stayshun (station) 
surrendered, the Blissians boarded, and made prisoners of 
all the remayneeng min. They took all uv (of) the 
stayshun's fiters (fighters), and split thim between the 
stayshun and the 'Guardeyan.'

Uv the 400 troops on Help Jelp's troop carrier, 100-
Gorforians were left at the stayshun, with two of Help 
Jelp's bruthers and one of hiz sisters in cummand. Thay 
began repairing the stayshun with the supplys on bord the 
'Guardeyan,' and abord the stayshun itselff. They naymd 
(named) the place 'Stayshun-1', and thin left for POTPAG 
(Gleesh-3).

Lenk Wheezh was teaching some of the 300 Gorforians to fli 
(fly) the fiters, and suprisingly, sum of thim showed a hi 
(high) aptitude for it, and lurned quickly.

One week later, on August 29, 2001, After either destroying 
or capturing every ship that attempted to land or take off 
uv POTPAG, they descended towards the largest city. Thu 
(the) computers abord Stayshun-1 had given thim mor (more) 
information than thay needed to successfully attack most uf 
thu sitees (cities) on the planet.

Help Jelp piloted his troop ship down, along with an excort 
of fortee (40) fiters, and at attak croozer (cruiser) they 
had captured to attak and capture sitees and peepl (people) 
until October. Many uf thu pagans wurr (were) converted to 
Christianity, and joined the Blissians. Thu King uv thu 
planit wuz also converted, and promised to rool (rule) for 
the Blissians.

He mayd (made) treaties with thu other Christian planits in 
thu system that he had been fighting for so long, and all 
three inhabited planits (Gleesh-3, -4, and -6) made a 
treaty with Zachary Zane Zex (How did he become 
commander?), since he had captured so many ships. Thay 
promised to give him and hiz forces supplys as long as he 
protected them from each other. He left trusted peepl in 
charge uv his forces in the Gleesh system, sent a few ships 
back to Bliss and Gorfor (with Meek-Shek), and then took 
the remayning forsez to the next system, Beta-4.

Lenk Wheezh was his fighter squadron commander, Help Jelp 
was put in charge of ship repair, and upkeep, his younger 
bruther Tinner Zex was put in charge uv food produkshun 
abord ship (the farms had been put back in order), and his 
older sister Gloria was put in charge uv medical supplys 
and the ship's hospital.

In November of 2011, thu 'Guardeyan' mayd thu hyperspays 
jump to Beta-4. The peepl thair had more teknolujee than 
the people uv Bliss III, but nowhere neer the sheer power 
uv thu 'Guardeyan' or thu borrowed ships from POTCHRIS 
(Planet of the PAGANS, converted to CHRIStianity), and they 
were not war-liyk, so thay eezilee surrendered to Zachary's 
forces, even without a battle, at the furst siyt (sight).

The Blissians proseedid to load their ships full of supplyz 
from thu two planits uv the Beta-4 systim, Heebl and Earth 
XIX. Thay also spent until Febuary of 2012 enlisting 
Heeblians and Earthlings into their forces, thin trayning 
thim.

Zac led his forces from system to system, gaining power as 
he went. At each systim, thay trained the inhabitants, and 
gayv thim hyperspays generaters. This brot about wiyd-spred 
travil, and a growth uv the economee. Zac alwayz left a 
traynd (trained) person in charj of a systim, along with 
several ships. That person wuz always frum anuther solar 
systim, so thay wouldn't conspire to rebellion.

After travilling for eight years, in Jan., 2020, he arrived 
in orbit around Bliss III, along with several duzin (dozen, 
12), uther ships. Thay descended on thu capitol sitee, and 
surrounded it. Thin, followed by 120 armoured troops, all 
armed hevilly, Zac and some of his staff marched up the 
road to the council hall, where most of the planit's 
leeders stayd.

The primitive weapons of the Blissian police bounced off uv 
Zac's men's armour, and so they surrendered. Thay were also 
very shokked to see among Zac's troops aliens, humans from 
uther planits.

Within months, a heavily armed, extravagantly furnished 
palace was set up. Zac brought in captured treasures from 
some planits, and loyal guards from uther planits.

Science wuz rebirthed, and manee uv the old teknolojees 
were brot bak into yoos (use). Ships began being bilt, 
houzez becaym computerized, and Zac's forsez continyood to 
spread out thru thu galaxee. By 2031, when Zac was 35, hiz 
galaxee had bin reunited, and he wuz the emporer.

Sumwun pruposed that there kould be liyf in uther galaxees, 
since thay were much liyk our own. So, in 2033, Zac, then 
37, took the 'Guardyan' to the nearest galaxee, and found 
uther humans. By the tiym Zac wuz 118, in 2114, all playsez 
that orijanallee bin colunized by humans were reunited, 
with Zacharcy Zane Zex as the great emporer and hero.

In 2119, whin Zac was 123, the new 'scientists' had 
discovered something extreemlee important: the galaxee had 
bin plunderd uv its minerals several centurees beforr, and 
there wern't manee lefft. He ishyood (issued) a dikree, 
stayting that everywun would be required to resikal 
(recycle) everything thay yoozd (used).

Zac had marryd in 2040, to the yung Empress of Shiva II, 
and in 2060, they had a child naymd Zachary Zane Zex II. In 
2121, Zac died (at 125), and Zac II took over, at age 61. 
The impiyr soon realized that something besides recycling 
had to take plays, or the expanding populayshun would have 
no place to go. Zac II kput hiz scientists to work, to find 
some way to survive.

In the mad rush to gain minerals, unrecykuld things were 
sold at expensive prices, planets fought among each other, 
and asteroid belts were looted, as the redevelped industry 
consumed more and more.

In 2125, a small civil war broke out, and Zac's other son, 
Vleej Zex, the cummander uv the space navy, took the 
'Guardyan' to quelch it. By 2135, many companyz were going 
broke, because of the lack of minerals. In 2136, another 
civil war broke out, and the universe split into two, 
almost equal sections. They hardlee had enough supplyz to 
start a war, so thay just stayd separate.

In 2141, scientists in Zac II's part of thu universe 
developed the Genesis theory. It wuz proovd, and by 2143, 
the masheen wuz built. They used it to conquer the uther 
half uv the universe, then to depolloot the sitees, then to 
empty out the dumps. Thu Genesis machine could make or 
destroy nay kind uv matter, even organic matter, but it 
could not create life.

By Zac II's 100th B-day, in 2160, every home had a masheen, 
and the troubles from 2119-2143 were forgottin. Somehow, a 
small group of 46 criminals escaped from a prison asteroid 
in the Tau Ceti system. In 2161, the 'Guardyan' wuz stolin. 
The criminals freed prisoners all over the galaxee, and 
ravaged the spacelanes.


[Obviously, many of the words (wurdz) in the latter half of 
this story were misspelled on purpose, as Will attempted to 
spell words as they sound. The fallacies and 
inconsistencies of the English language were always an 
irritant to Will (Wil), and he constantly called for its 
correction, but no one was listening.]