3792 NC. Earth’s burgeoning populations are approaching social critical mass. Earth, in the fourth millennium, is the center of the Congress of Planets, a vast collection of star systems, casually referred to as Earth’s Empire. An alien being appears in Earth space with a gigantic ship of a design humans have never seen before. Once cleared at Jupiter Perimeter, the ship is allowed to land on Earth. 

Starport Manager Cliff Robles, de facto Earth Ambassador for all its star systems, meets Drognelf, self-proclaimed Ambassador to Cowgres. He looks like a perfectly formed human with correct dimensions, except that he is three feet tall. Drognelf persuades Robles that he has come from the area of the Dark Nebula in Ophiuchus, over 900 light years distant, well beyond the sphere of influence of the Congress of Planets. Drognelf says he has made the journey in two months galactic time. Earth starships would have taken years to make the same journey. 

The alien invites a delegation of humans to accompany him back to his home planet to meet Inverness, its ruler, and to agree on a separation of territories before the two empire’s clash. He offers to make the science of his world’s perfected hyperdrive available to Earth, if Earth is willing to deal with Inverness on her ground. 

Enticed by the vision of a super hyperdrive and with the blessing of the all-powerful Earth Regent, Robles sends Dutch Thorson, Sensitive and elite member of Earthforce, Security arm of the Congress of Planets, with twelve humans and three cyborgs to Cowgres. 

After the “diplomatic delegation” leaves, Earth discovers that the alien’s starship has tampered with the world computer system, introducing subtle changes in its ability to produce accurate information, especially in the sciences. 

Wickham Gray, Chief of Intelligence, is put on temporary assignment under the aegis of Starport Manager Robles. He discovers the corruption and informs Robles that the benevolent alien is a sham. In concert with Robles and Chief of Science Manfred Rufert, they begin a crash initiative to discover the starship’s secrets on Earth. Gray is sent to Titan, largest satellite of Saturn and home to the largest spaceship construction facilities Earth possesses, to oversee construction of a starship to mirror the oddly shaped one in which the alien arrived. If successful, they will attempt rescue of the sixteen extremely valuable humans Robles has sent to Cowgres. 

Starship construction begins. Gray meets Thorga Rue, Facilities Manager of Titan City. In the beautiful brunette he finds a kindred spirit. Their interaction works a change in the hard driving Intelligence man. 

Separately the Regent conducts his own agenda, using models that project the most probable futures for the Congress of Planets. He becomes aware of a new depth in Gray he’s never seen before and begins to include Gray in his future plans.

The Regent knows two things that no other human in Earth’s empire knows. They are secrets that could bring down the Regency and throw the empire into chaos. The Empire is his reason for existence. He can’t let that happen. He works his plan quietly.

Science finds its answers and the starship is built. Science under Rufert had also discovered a hitherto unknown principle while learning answers to the hyperdrive problem and a new weapon is developed which makes its journey in the Earth’s duplicate of Inverness’ Starship. 

The Earthforce delegation arrives at Cowgres, meets with Inverness and tours the planet with her blessing. On their return to a village created by Inverness for their use they find an angry alien. She has discovered Earth’s secretly built ship and now shows the humans her real intentions 

She attacks the delegation and kills and feeds on all but Dutch, who uses his Sensitives shield to ward off Inverness awesome power. At that moment the Earth starship is only light days from her star system. Inverness senses the new starship and attacks. A tremendous battle ensues and Earth’s starship is crippled and nearly destroyed. Earth’s Captain Buff Forgion uses the new weapon in the last instant of his ship’s life and Inverness near triumph is turned to victory for Earth. 

Within I Wish I May you will find terror, love, adventure, intrigue, goodness and evil, along with lessons in life. The tale is built on plausible science. It is a hopeful and glorious tale in which humanity does indeed slip the surly bonds of Earth and spread its seed into the waiting heavens. 

The outline of a story is only that, an outline. It is a place to come to, to be certain a story is going in the right direction. Much within a novel does not find its way into an outline, so little is given away by reading it. Yet, an outline gives a glimpse into the working mind of the author, and may entice you to want more. Much more awaits you within “I Wish I May, A Tale of the Fourth Millennium.”