Prologue

The prologue is set in the year 4891. The Earth Council for Galactic Relations has just decided to exile ZedZed the 22nd, Professor at the Mars Institute of Technology. ZedZed is the 22nd clone of Sir Basil Zaharoff, an international arms dealer, very active on Earth during the period surrounding World War I.  ZedZed used to sit on the board of directors of the Bank of Monte Carlo, now heavily invested in galactic colonization.   

The council suspects that ZedZed the 22nd has just discovered a new source of energy, which can give a substantial military advantage to anyone possessing its secrets. It also believes that ZedZed has been involved in negotiations to rapidly make this power available to rival factions involved in deep space exploration. The articles of TRU-TH specify that this constitutes a criminal transgression.

The sentence is without appeal and ZedZed, together with his wife Stella, are to be exiled to the system of Alpha-Canopus in the Constellation of Argo Navis.

In the 49th century deep space exploration is based on a network of galactic portals, which can be programmed for one way or roundtrip travel. The idea is to prevent advance expeditions from returning on their own initiative in case they are faced with threatening emergencies or dangerous conditions. The decision to return can only be made by the Vortex controller: a cyber-entity in charge of the entire network. The Vortex controller takes its policy directives directly from the Council for Galactic Relations. These policies are enforced on the basis of Just-In Colonization Events, or JUST-I-C-E, received continuously by the Vortex controller.

The prologue opens as ZedZed and his wife Stella are being led to the departure hall where the galactic portal is housed. The dome of the hall displays a star map managed by an anonymous technician tasked with setting the destination coordinates. In the middle of the hall stand two coffin-like containers pulsing with a dark blue light. Uniformed guards conduct the couple to their respective coffins. Shortly thereafter a delegate of the ministry of Total Resource Utilization, pronounced TRU-TH, arrives to execute the formal sentence.

The coordinates are set and the delegate, with fist clenched, points his ring at the control panel which immediately comes to life. The hall is filled with pulsating beams of light striking the coffins in a pattern set by hypnotic musical variations. At the completion of the operation, the coffins disappear.

ACT I

Scene 1

Twenty years have passed since ZedZed and his wife were first sentenced to exile. Earth was able to prevail in its deep space exploration efforts and distant star systems within the Galaxy have been subjected to aggressive colonization campaigns. An independent group of colonists from Mars tried to challenge the Earth Council’s supremacy early on, but the network of portals used and the command and control tools available to them could not match Earth’s superior technology. The colonists were numerous, but more often than not ended up working for Earth controlled conglomerates. The basic rivalry, however, was still alive. No advanced civilization of non-human origin was ever encountered.

The first scene takes place in Wellor's chambers at the Council for Galactic Relations.

The Council has been assembled and is waiting for its leading members to address it. Councilmen Osman and Manos have arrived. Together with Wellor—the acting Lord of the Galactic Empire—they stand for the triadic principle of coercive tyranny. While Manos is a brash politician, always pursuing the path of confrontation, Osman, who pretends to oppose him, firmly argues for justice and the due process of law. In reality both are sycophants, eager to please the conglomerates bankrolling galactic colonization. Their opposition creates an illusive appearance of debate within the Council and helps sway its members in accordance with Wellor’s will.

At the beginning, the musical mood is dark, in a cold sort of way. The introduction is soon interrupted by the horns and timpani brought in to announce Wellor’s arrival. Wellor’s motif is played by double basses repeating a chromatic staccato progression:

In the opening dialogue, Wellor announces that the news is bad. The Empire has become complacent. The political relationship between Mars and Earth, with respect to galactic colonization, can best be understood by comparing it to the early days of the American colonies under British dominion. As in the earlier instance, the colonists from Mars are used to the point of abuse by their remote masters and resentment builds until open revolt becomes inevitable. The initial revolt, crushed by the Empire, is by now a distant memory, but it appears that a new uprising is imminent.

 Wellor is upset because no one on Earth seems to care. Even more upsetting is the realization that the Martians have been advised and guided by ZedZed, who was at one time very instrumental in setting Earth policy. It all feels too much like a replay of what ZedZed’s distant ancestor, Basil Zaharoff, used to do in the days of the British Empire, before and during World War I. He sold weapons to all sides, bought off politicians and promoted his own agenda at the expense of entire nations.

Manos’ reaction to Wellor’s tirade is immediate. A horn section in an ascending  harmonic minor scale enforces his evil tone:

Manos suggests that the Martians should be destroyed while there is still time. Osman counters the war-like talk with an appeal to reason. Why not bring ZedZed back from exile to find out exactly what he was up to in his dealings with the Martians? Wellor’s chromatic bass line returns as he becomes impatient with the ongoing argument. Augmented 4th on the bassoons are used to give Osman a chance to reply and finally the horn section crescendos on top of a syncopated bass line when Manos answers: “We should have killed him, not exiled him!” Osman’s basic motif comes from the basses and bassoons playing a slow descending minor scale that ends in  string tremolos:

The idea of bringing ZedZed back from exile appeals to Wellor. His son, Nautor, might as well lead the expedition to retrieve ZedZed. He would know how to motivate the right team for such an undertaking. With the means at their disposal, the team should succeed. The trio grows more enthusiastic about this particular option. Manos, whose inspirational slogans always fuel collective elation, immediately breaks into a new one. At last they decide to jointly present their call for action to the assembled Council.  

As their interaction unfolds, a new musical theme appears with the hope of finding ZedZed. It is the expedition theme.  The violins play the melody, repeated by the cellos, and subsequently taken over by the entire orchestra:

Manos’ subsequent toast

to TRU-TH and JUST-I-C-E is accompanied by the orchestra to the tune of a march to war and an inspirational male chorus.

 The scene closes with full orchestra and timpani rolls.