***Somewhere in the Multiverse***

***Seria***

I enter the Eithen’s laboratory, studying the sophisticated technology which is filling the place. There are machines and equipment all over the place, from the most basic stuff to bubbling tubes of which I can only guess the purpose. To the side, there are various cages with animals of all forms and sizes, a zoo of brilliant colours and unique properties. Even though the equipment is high-tech and most of it eludes my comprehension, it's quite clear that this laboratory's goal is genetic research.

“A nice work environment. It's actually been quite some time since I encountered technology of this level,” I compliment the creature who is playing tour-guide for me, ignoring the fact that the others of its kind are keeping a respectful distance.

The Eithen who is in charge of the negotiations – one of their thinker-class – turns on its three legs, moving the barrel-like torso so that it can inspect me with its multiple eyes. The creature clicks with its tentacle-like feeding appendages, it’s language being translated by a box-like device on top of what could be called the creature's head. “Thank you. It doesn’t happen often that we meet polite beings like you, who are interested in our unique arts of gene sequencing. In general, the other races tend to shun us, once they learn about the focus of our research.”

I wave my hand, hoping that the Eithen recognizes the gesture for what it is. “Don’t fret over it. Let’s just say that I expect you to be able to fulfil my requirements for a mutually beneficial trade.”

The Eithen folds all three of its main-arms against its torso; the meaning comparable to a human's bow.

“Though, it’s hard to understand why an extra-dimensional being like yourself would require our services, especially in such a strange manner. The other races would never pay us for something like a custom-designed virus. I am curious. Wouldn’t your race be quite capable of achieving your wishes on your own?” The creature continues onwards to an oval-shaped tube with a containment field around it. “It's quite the task to trust outsiders with a project of that scale. Aren't you afraid that this virus could be used against you and your own?”

“Do you know the term: outsourcing?” I ask. “And no. I am not sure what your government told you, but bodies are nothing more than clothing to people like me. We can discard them and acquire a new one, should there be a need. Deploying a highly effective virus against me might work in the short term, but only until my new body is strong enough to take revenge. One could say that I ordered an expensive dress from your government.”

There, that should be sufficiently close to the truth in order to not trip their lie detectors, while being vague enough at the same time to be worthless.

“You mean, like buying the workforce of another clan?” the Eithen asks. “And yes, they mentioned that you are an extra-dimensional traveller, and not necessarily what you seem to be.” The Eithen spreads two of its three arm-tendrils in a helpless gesture, trying to mimic my own body language. “I was just surprised about the scale of this project when it came up in my schedule. Apparently, you made the contract with my predecessor a decade ago. He retired four years ago.

“Imagine my surprise when the computers scheduled my timely appearance for this rather obscure project. As a project-supervisor, I am not much better than the average clergyman, because there is simply no way for me to know all the different projects which are running in this facility. Clearly, I know of the larger projects, and since this one required a sizeable percentage of our think-factory's resources, I was quite aware of the project's existence. Still, I was surprised to learn that the contractor who requested this project turned out to be an alien of unknown origins. You are not N'gath, Zar or Isea, or any race I have ever seen. Your body is similar to a Siltsch, but the proportions are all wrong.”

The Eithen uses its main-arm to snatch a tablet from on top of a monitor which apparently controls the containment field with my project inside it. “A virus which is capable of terraforming a planet, given that there is enough living bio-matter available. It should be able to use the genetics of several intelligent bipedal species and mold them into one race, preferably conserving their features within family units. Let me assure you that cramming all of these aspects into one was quite challenging. This wasn't an easy task, but after a decade of research, we are finally confident in our ability to deliver a satisfying result. But instead of a single virus, we designed several different ones, with the goal to work in tandem. Something that works on plants and mushrooms, as well as animals, is almost impossible to come up with. Rest assured, though, that we are able to deliver the desired result. May I ask what you intend to do with this virus? I hope that you are aware of the moral issues since this will require the genetic blueprints of the creatures you wish to use.”

Gods, the little guy isn't standing much higher than my chest, but he sure has a lot to say. These people are difficult. Why couldn't I just find some dimension with a race that would take my deal, give me goods, and say goodbye? Ciao, was nice to make business with you. Let's not see each other again, ever!

Despite my aversion to making small talk, I smile. “Certainly. I intend to create a world of my own, but I lack the knowledge of a bio-engineer.” I stop, trying to think of a satisfying explanation. “Think of me as naturally gifted in interdimensional travel and energy manipulation. I handle Life and Death in a more primordial manner than you are used to. From time to time I meddle with various fields of science, but I am not an expert in anything.”

“Primordial?” the Eithen asks. “You mean the government's ridiculous request to transplant our civilisation into a less hostile part of the universe?” It looks down at the tablet. “Whoever made this ridiculous request was insane. As if anyone or anything could perform such a feat. I mean, our civilisation is restricted to our sole home-system, but there is the homeworld and three other colonized worlds, together with a whole bunch of space-stations further out in the belt. We are sitting on a population record of seventy-two billion citizens. Relocating our whole civilisation would be a racial effort which even the N'gath wouldn't be able to accomplish. Even if they suddenly decided to deploy their whole fleet, bomb two of our three planets into nuclear dust, and evacuate just the third. Normally, I would have thought that the government is screened for insanity.” The creature bobs up and down a few times, showing its inability to comprehend the information it was given.

“Yes, like souls 'n stuff. You have a concept of the energy fields of all living things?” I quickly fall silent and abandon that line of inquiry when the Eithen looks at me as if I am a newly spawned baby.

“Just don't worry about the details of the contract or my ability to deliver. It took me a few weeks to convince the officials from a decade ago to agree to develop this virus for me. It took them even longer to work out a contract that wouldn't be superseded by their successors a few years later. That's why I requested for this research to be undertaken as a semi-private project,” I grumble. “You have no idea how bothersome it is to negotiate with mortal beings. Now that I think of it, why don't you engineer your bodies to live forever? You certainly have the necessary technology at hand.”

The Eithen waves his tablet around. “Our star system is surrounded by aggressive species. There is no room to expand without risking a war that could mean our end. Since we are suffering from population pressure as it is, it would be stupid to lengthen our lifespans. It would slow down our random evolution, making us vulnerable to biological attacks from an outside enemy. As it is, we assure that each individual has a guaranteed lifespan and the opportunity to procreate. If we gave ourselves infinite lifespans, our numbers would quickly grow to a point at which this solar system's resources are incapable of supporting our numbers.”

It stops speaking and studies the tablet, then looks up to me. “If I may ask, how old are you?”

Normally, I would answer with something like: ‘You don’t ask a woman her age!’ But the Eithen have no concept of this basic courtesy. Hell, they don’t even have genders.

“I actually stopped counting at ten thousand,” I reply.

“Years!?” the Eithen squeaks.

“No. Lifetimes,” I clarify. “How often I changed to a different body, which people like me only do reluctantly, or through force. Actually, I am quite sure that I am older than this universe.”

The Eithen stays silent and suddenly finds its tablet to be very interesting.

I ignore him for the moment, thinking of their society and their communistic way of dealing with shortened lifespans. I am sure that if they were a little more aggressive, they could easily use their population to pressure and ultimately overrun their enemies. As it is, they are dooming their civilisation to stagnate. The least they could do would be to pay some of the other races to grant passage through their territory in order to launch a colonisation effort.

But what do I care? This is just one world out of many which are filled with mortals. Mortals in strange bodies, but still mortals. Just because their souls had the misfortune of landing inside strange and inconvenient bodies doesn’t make them any more or less valuable to the grand scheme of things.

I just chose them to do my bidding because their situation made them susceptible to striking a deal while assuring that they would pour sufficient effort into this project. If they manage to deliver, it's fine. If not, I just have to search the multiverse for another option. I have the time to wait.

“In any case, you have detailed explanations on the deployment of this virus?” I ask.

“Oh! Sure.” The Eithen pulls a transparent Data Crystal out of the tablet and hands it over... tentacles it over? I am not sure. His arms have so many segments that they seem like tentacles, but I know for a fact that there are bones inside, so they are definitely not tentacles. His arms are like those highly sophisticated robot-arms from modern factories. Actually, the Eithen may have even designed their bodies to be like this. They have the ability.

The Data Crystal is a clear tube which is about the size of my finger. It's standard technology, so I pocket it to read through the instructions later.

The Eithen gestures at it, apparently unsure whether I know what to do with the information storage device. “You are familiar with the technology?”

I nod. “Standard Data Crystal. Pretty common among the technological civilisations in the multiverse. Somehow, most of the thinking beings come up with similar solutions to a problem.”

“Multiverse?” it asks.

Ah, damn. Why do I keep spouting stuff which allows the Eithen to continue the conversation? “Yeah, like in universe, but with 'M', like more than one,” I reply. “How would I be able to watch a universe to come into existence and die, if not by watching the process from another universe? It would be pretty unpleasant to be present while the soap-bubble ‘pops’!”

The Eithen have no neck, but I can’t shake the feeling that the creature just swallowed uncomfortably.

“Sorry. I still can't believe the report from the archives.” The Eithen points at the Data Crystal. “This has the detailed user manual for the virus and all our research data, should you want to modify it at some point. What it comes down to, is that you have to release this on a planet with a decent amount of dead or living bio-matter. Which means plenty of water, carbon, and some other elements. Preferably including enough living micro-organisms and every genetic sequence you want to have on your custom-designed world. Then you just have to lean back and watch. The mutagenic abilities of the virus will weaken and completely decay over time, so you should release any animal you want on the planet within a one-year time-frame to guarantee that the virus includes it into the planet's ecosystem.”

“So, put everything I want on the planet's surface, smash the tube, and wait. That's simple enough for even me to understand.” I nod.

“You should probably avoid exposing yourself to the virus,” the Eithen adds, his voice indicating that he still isn't sure of what to think of me. “It's quite volatile during the first few weeks,” he adds helpfully, like a parent for the first time giving a knife to his or her child, adding the hopeful instruction not to cut yourself.

“Don't worry.” I point at myself. “Confirmed multi-dimensional being, remember? If the stuff gives me the sniffles, I'll just discard this body. In any case, I think you more than fulfilled your side of the deal. But maybe you should consider using the virus on yourselves, those bodies of yours look quite uncomfortable. I once tried a non-humanoid body, and it was horrible. Seriously horrible. Like putting on my panties backward.”

“Panties?”

Before the Eithen can continue, I release my aura, stretching my awareness out over time and space, touching the network of pathways and becoming one with everything in the area. Slowly, I allow my energies, my essence, to permeate the whole network. Instead of just using the pathways to slip from one place to another, I enter the Eternal Planes within the network while staying in place. A place where time, space, and dimensions have no meaning. Pouring more and more of myself into the network, I take complete control, tightening my ethereal grip until I am everything within and beyond their solar system.

Once I am sure that I have a firm hold, I yank everything with me across space, time and dimensions, switching it out with another plane of existence.

Assured that I succeeded, I slowly disentangle myself from the network. When I return my awareness to my own body, I realize that all the Eithen in the room, and probably on the whole moon and beyond, are on the floor and trembling.

“Hey?” I nudge the creature with my foot. “You should be okay. It was just a little aura pressure. I fulfilled my side of the deal. Should we go outside and take a look?”

“Y- y- y- y- es!” The Eithen's communication device stammers, seeming a little bit broken.

It takes a few more seconds, but eventually, the Eithen and its clansmen get back to their feet. Silently, I follow their slightly disoriented bodies out of the research complex, and onto a busy street with numerous people of its kind, all pointing at the night sky, where a previously non-existent nebular is spanning the firmament.

My contact is lost for words until he points at the nebular and then at some of the stars. “I don't understand. This is the Prad-Nebula, but it shouldn't be this bright! In fact, it shouldn't be visible to the bare eye. Yet, these are clearly familiar star constellations! What did you do?”

“I shifted this whole solar system into another dimension and exchanged it with the one that was previously here in this one. Makes the whole process easier if I stick to the 'Preservation of Mass' thing. Bending the laws of physics is exhausting, so if I shift as much mass back as I brought here, there isn't so much of a strain. This is essentially a younger version of your old universe, just that it started developing later. That has the added benefit that your competition hasn't yet evolved in this universe. You have the entire place to yourselves, at least this galaxy. I think you have neighbours three galaxies over, but it's unlikely for you to ever meet them.” I smile.

The Eithen looks at me. “W- w- why?”

“Oh, it's just that most technology-based civilisations wipe themselves out at one point or the other. There are several evolutionary bottlenecks which could be called technological singularities. You already avoided a few of them, but the better you get at technology, the easier it gets to trip at one point or the other. If you aren’t immortal beings of energy with an infinite amount of attempts at learning, you will have an accident that ruins your day sooner or later. Sorry, nothing against you guys, just a rule of thumb.”

I click my tongue, chiding myself that I already invested too much time into these mortals. “Yeah, well, I’ll just take what I am owed and leave. Have a nice life then, I guess. It’s unlikely that I’ll come around to take a look at what became of you within your lifetime.” Maybe I’ll take a look in a million years and try to puzzle out what happened to them by studying fossils… or something like that.