The Elixir of Fools: An Emissary Novel

The Elixir Of Fools: An Emissary Novel

By

Larry M. Rosen

Cover Page

Copyright Page

Copyright © 2017 by Larry M. Rosen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

This Book Is

PUBLISHED BY LULU

(www.lulu.com)

First Edition: May 2017

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, businesses, companies, other organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

ISBN 978-1-365-95197-8

The author and publisher do not have any control over, and do not assume any responsibility for, third-party websites or their content.

Novels By Larry M. Rosen

The Haley And Willi Novels

Joker In The Deck

The Light In The Garden

A Shadow That Passes Away

Seal, Trumpet, And Vial

Cultural Landscapes

The Maxine Kordell Novels

I, Of Limited Mercy

The Nora Kelly Novels

Maranatha

The Emissary Novels

The Elixir Of Fools

Other Novels

Women Don’t Like Me

Acknowledgments

I’d like to acknowledge the work of several contemporary scientists who had a profound influence on this novel, although each might disagree with some of the views expressed by the characters they inspired— Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, Director Of The Hayden Planetarium, and author; Sam Harris, neuroscientist and author; and Stephen Hawking, theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author.

I’d also like to thank Larry Klapper for his early suggestions regarding the novel’s balance with regard to religious fundamentalism, social and political issues, and science fiction. Likewise, I want to thank Stephanie Klapper for engaging in a dialectic with me about feminism, which helped me consider new perspectives that the Emissary and BC could support or oppose.

A special thanks to my daughter, Samantha, who provided review and comment on draft versions. And as she did for my earlier novels, Sam provided invaluable critiques and suggestions about the dust cover and book layout.

Dedication

To the intellectually honest men and women of science, who pursue new ideas, even in the face of skepticism, outright disbelief, scoffing, and persecution. They take us on a path that eases the burdens and ills of life, and will soon lead us to the stars. Their work—though I wish it were not so—has been and remains under attack by religious fundamentalism, whether the fanatics who ended the golden age of science and mathematics in the Arab world; the Inquisitors who persecuted Galileo and other prominent scientists in a failed attempt to deny the heliocentric structure of the solar system; the zealots who wish to contest the theory of evolution, merely because it refutes the mythology they axiomatically embrace, as presented in the Book Of Genesis; or the poseurs who attempt to insert the pseudoscience of Intelligent Design into the science classroom.

Author’s Note

The following fictional characters are solely the author’s creation—Bob Sheathe, Marion Patterson, Joseph and Bay Oster, Brack Moab, Hattie Hamdor, Sidney Cain, Mark Hollibee, Fred Shrillton, John Tanner, Enoch Hodder, Patricia Alexandro, Addison Mitchell, Mason Reeder, Missy Rigel, Mary Amble, Carla Gretch, Francis Connell, Liam Panderty, Timotheo Noland, Tandy Nelson, William Clement Smithers, Jeff Carney, Peter Brown, Noel Grassley, Francis Collingsworth, Cam Harrison, Stephen Falconer, Burhan Marid al-Saghdadi, and Pope Sudamer. Although these characters are all pure fiction, some of their personal traits and history were inspired by, respectively, CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, the Houston Lakewood Church’s Joel and Victoria Osteen, President Barack Obama, former Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, American Baptist minister Al Sharpton, former Speaker Of The House John Boehner, former Attorney General Eric Holder, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, former Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, former Head of The White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Rogers, former Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, former Fox News Network personality Gretchen Carlson, MSNBC Network personality Lawrence O’Donnell, Fox News Network personality Sean Hannity, Archbishop Of New York Timothy Dolan, President Of the National Organization for Women (NOW) Terry O’Neill, DC Shiloh Baptist Church Senior Minister Wallace Charles Smith, FBI Director James Comey, former Georgia Congressman Paul Broun, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, NIH Director Francis Collins, neuroscientist Sam Harris, theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and Pope Francis. In some instances, their words are portions of direct quotes attributed to their real life counterparts by various Internet sources. In other instances, some of their words are the author’s paraphrases of reported quotes. In most instances, the words spoken by these characters are entirely the author’s invention.

The conversation among The Emissary, BC, and Tandy Nelson (President of MEOW) about the four waves of feminism, draws heavily from The Three Waves of Feminism: Now a Fourth? by Martha Rampton, a professor of history, and Director of the Center for Gender Equity at Pacific University.

Pope Sudamer’s statements about why he chose to live at Casa San Marta are based on a letter Pope Francis wrote to Father Enrique Martinez, a priest at the Church of the Annunciation in La Rioja.

The fictitious meeting among Pope Sudamer, Sam, and BC contains dialogue based on quotes or paraphrase of quotes attributed to Pope Francis by various Internet sources.

The meeting among Ephraim Baptist Church Senior Minister William Clement Smithers, Sam, and BC is solely the author’s creation, and uses or paraphrases several points of view and Internet quotes attributed to DC Shiloh Baptist Church Senior Minister Wallace Charles Smith. The patterns of African American views on a host of issues are based on the 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, and Francis Collingsworth uses or paraphrases several Internet quotes attributed to NIH Director Francis Collins, but most of the conversation reflects the author’s imagination.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, and Liam Panderty is solely the author’s creation. Portions of Panderty’s dialogue use or paraphrase quotes attributed to Fox News Network’s Sean Hannity by various Internet sources.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, Francis Connell, and Fred Shrillton is solely the author’s creation. Portions of Connell’s and Shrillton’s dialogue use or paraphrase quotes attributed to MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell and Al Sharpton by various Internet sources.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, and Marion Patterson is solely the author’s creation. Portions of Patterson’s dialogue use or paraphrase quotes attributed to religious broadcaster Pat Robertson by various Internet sources.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, and Carla Gretch is solely the author’s creation. Portions of Gretch’s dialogue use or paraphrase quotes attributed to former Fox News Network personality Gretchen Carlson by various Internet sources.

The meeting among The Emissary, BC, and Mary Amble is solely the author’s creation. Portions of Amble’s dialogue use or paraphrase quotes attributed to former Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann by various Internet sources.

Preamble

Elixir

A substance believed to prolong life indefinitely

Fools

Those who believe in ridiculous things,

or behave in a ridiculous way

Some Wisdom From Carl Sagan

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

You can't convince a believer of anything;

for their belief is not based on evidence,

it's based on a deep seated need to believe.

One of the saddest lessons of history is this. If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It is simply too painful to acknowledge—even to ourselves—that we've been so credulous.

In many cultures, it is customary to answer that God created the universe out of nothing. But this is mere temporizing. If we wish courageously to pursue the question, we must, of course, ask next where God comes from? And if we decide this to be unanswerable, why not save a step, and conclude that the universe has always existed?

If you want to save your child from polio, you can pray or you can inoculate. … Try science.

Some Wisdom From Isaac Newton

If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.

I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.

Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things.

A man may imagine things that are false, but he can only understand things that are true, for if the things be false, the apprehension of them is not understanding.

To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.

Errors are not in the art but in the artificers.

PROLOGUE

3 Billion Years Ago

Middle Archaean Eon

The atmosphere of the planet largely consisted of methane, ammonia, and other gases. Life on the relatively young planet was limited solely to bacteria, its environment not yet conducive to more sophisticated forms of life.

The great starship signaled its probes to return after their sensor data had been uploaded to temporary storage supporting one of the main computers, which would later process these data for permanent storage in a vast archive.

Disappointing. Although they were able to make a few changes that would speed up the planet’s development, they had arrived far too early, their hope the experiment might immediately begin outweighing the likelihood the laboratory wasn’t ready. So the ship began its journey back to an Intergalactic Portal outside the planet’s home spiral galaxy, its inhabitants reluctantly accepting the fact that more than another two billion years would need to elapse before they could profit by a return. Of course, they had time. They always had time.

*     *     *     *     *

65 Million Years Ago

End Of The Cretaceous Period

Mesozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The Tyrannosaurus Rex had been chewing on the carcass of its recent kill for quite some time, and was beginning to grow drowsy. Just a few more bites, then its reptilian brain would direct it back to its lair, where the mammoth predator would take a long nap.

A loud noise from above startled the creature, and the T-Rex immediately became angry, falsely believing the sound indicated a flying predator swooping down to seize a chunk of the remaining carcass. Looking skyward, the T-Rex roared at the shiny object moving rapidly at about 5,000 feet above the nearby tall trees.

A moment later, the T-Rex heard another sound, coming from behind. The great beast turned its head, saw a moving wave of yellow and red hurtling towards it, bellowed at the intruder, briefly felt a sudden increase in temperature, then its small brain ceased to exist.

*     *     *     *     *

Some 5,000 Years Ago

Atlantic Ocean And Coastlines

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The asteroid on a collision course with Earth, moving at 38,000 miles per hour, was two thirds of a mile in diameter. An alien interplanetary surveillance craft in orbit detected the object long before its arrival, then began calculating the precise time of the impending collision, the location of the crash site, and alternative solutions to preventing the impact, or neutralizing its effects.

The asteroid splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean, creating 400 foot high tsunami waves spreading outward from the impact point, heading towards, among other destinations, coastal areas. Suddenly, an enormous beam of red light appeared in the skies, began breaking into separate red beams, then the beams aligned along the exterior of the tsunami waves. The waves seemed to tremble momentarily, their forward motion ceased, then their mass succumbed to gravity as each wave plummeted back into the Atlantic.

Soon afterwards, an enormous alien oceanic exploratory vessel, shaped like a box, descended, then its instrumentation began making measurements. As it moved along a coastline, it periodically detected groups of various species of herd animals that had become terrified by the crash, wandered into the sea, and were struggling to make it back to shore. The alien ship used a tractor beam to drag the animals to safety inside its vast interior, found an appropriate section of shoreline, then released the animals.

Hebrews, who had gathered along the shoreline to witness the aftermath of the asteroid crash, referred to the alien vessel as a great wooden ark, but differed as to whether its shape was box-like or circular. Some, witnessing a large number of herd animals being disgorged from the vessel, thought the ark might have served as a sanctuary to protect these creatures from the oceanic turbulence.

*     *     *     *     *

Some 3,500 Years Ago

In And Around The Red Sea

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The Red Sea, an inlet of the Indian Ocean situated between Africa and Asia, is about 190 miles wide at its maximum width, about 1,200 miles long, and has an average depth of 1, 640 feet, although its maximum depth grows to 8,200 feet. Its shoreline is frequently shallow.

The Hebrews fleeing Egypt were camped near the Red Sea. Moses had just completed a meeting with Joshua and Aaron, after they’d learned that a large Egyptian army, led by Thutmose III—Pharaoh himself—was rapidly approaching from their rear. Feeling trapped, and worried about the fate of his people, Moses decided to take a walk alone, and commune with God about their destiny.

Deliver us from the Egyptians, oh, Lord, Moses said, into the dusk surrounding him, as he lifted his wooden staff above his head. Let your power flow through my staff, so it can smite our oppressors.

So let it be written, so let it be done, a voice speaking in Hebrew immediately responded.

Frightened, Moses looked around, trying to see the source of the words. Near him, aligned vertically in the air, some ten feet above the ground, was a long thin metallic object, about the size of his staff.

Let this new rod be your staff for now, the voice said, changing its appearance into a replica of the staff Moses held aloft. You may keep your wooden staff, and use it in the future for symbolic purposes.

Moses lowered his wooden staff, placed it in his left hand, then was startled as the new staff glided into the palm of his right hand.

Are you God? Moses asked, his voice trembling.

Let me answer by saying that I do God’s work, the new staff replied.

How may I serve God? Moses asked, dropping to his knees. Will God deliver my people?

Certainly. God has watched over the Hebrew people for some time, noting they have a cultural and biological advantage to excel in discovering the workings of His plan for the world.

So God will protect us from the Egyptians?

Yes.

Will God send His armies to smite Pharaoh?

Not exactly. God wants us to arrange a trap for Pharaoh’s army, then destroy them. This will allow the Hebrew people to continue their journey to what God believes is an intellectually focused future.

What do you wish me to do?

Stand by the Red Sea, tell your people to trust in God, then hold your new staff above your head.

What do I say or do then?

Nothing. All will be in God’s hands. Now rise, and rejoin your people.

Some time later, Moses reassured his people that God intended to grant them His protection. Moses lifted his new staff, and pointed it towards the Red Sea. An enormous beam of red light appeared in the skies, began breaking into separate red beams, then the beams plunged into the Red Sea. As far as the eye could tell, the waters parted. The Hebrews walked through the safe zone created for them, then Moses turned towards the parted Red Sea, again holding his new staff above his head.

Looking into the safe zone, Moses saw Egyptian chariots moving rapidly towards him. Moses pointed the new staff in their direction, the red beams dissipated, then the waters crashed down on the Egyptians, drowning all of them.

It is finished, the new staff said, to Moses. Retrieve your old staff, and hold it above your head whenever your people are filled with doubt or fear. They will recall the power you demonstrated today.

Will you continue to protect us? Moses asked.

"Yes, although my definition of us is broader than the Hebrews."

I do not understand.

I know.

The new staff morphed into a metallic rod, then shot upwards.

*     *     *     *     *

Some 2,000 Years Ago

East Of Jerusalem

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The three men, close friends for years, decided to stroll together, and discuss the Roman Empire, local politics, and theology. Their talk was interrupted by an unfamiliar sound coming from the East. Turning, they were startled to see a shiny object moving rapidly in the sky.

Later, all three men believed what they had seen to be a star, perhaps a Heavenly sign that the hoped for child would soon be born. Excited, they traveled to Jerusalem to seek out the King of Judea, and learn the birthplace of the newborn certain to be the prophesized Messiah.

*     *     *     *     *

Galilee

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

Mary loved her young child, the son she was raising with her husband Joseph, although he was not the child’s biological father. The boy was named Yeshua.

On a bright Spring morning, Yeshua was about to go outside to play, when Mary stopped him to ask a question.

You are still only a boy, Yeshie, but have you ever thought about what you will do when you are older?

Certainly, mother. I will become a Good Shepherd.

But we do not raise sheep.

I know that mother, Yeshua replied, cryptically, then he ran outside.

Mary smiled broadly as she watched her beloved son running in the bright sunlight. Then her expression became dismay, as a bright light suddenly descended from the sky, then enveloped her boy. It would be several months until her grief ended, when Yeshua abruptly reappeared at her doorstep. He was carrying a wooden staff.

*     *     *     *     *

A Wedding In Cana

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

It was the third day of a seven day wedding celebration for a close family friend. Mary, who was involved in planning and organizing the wedding, became agitated when she realized the gala was running out of wine. Such a catastrophe would reflect poorly on Mary and the family friends, making them seemingly impoverished or thoughtless hosts.

Yeshie, we will all be shamed if something is not done. Please help me. I know you have the power.

I have never displayed my power publically, mother. I had hoped my first public display would be more important than replenishing a supply of wine.

Please Yeshie. Family honor is at stake.

Yeshua kissed his mother, smiled, pointed the wooden staff towards the spot where the dwindling supply of wine was located, then a light engulfed the wine, replacing it with a dozen new large kegs. When the guests sampled the wine, Mary was pleased to hear each proclaim that it was the finest wine they’d ever tasted.

Soon afterwards, Yeshua used his staff to, among other miracles, revive a man in a coma, heal a leper, neutralize a dangerous storm, restore an ear, repair the optic nerves of two blind men, create food to feed large numbers of the hungry, perform a blood transfusion, and repair the injured spine of a paralyzed man.

*     *     *     *     *

Golgotha, Outside Jerusalem

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

Golgotha is an Aramaic word meaning the skull. Its location is outside of and near the City of Jerusalem. In Latin, the site is called Calvary. Death by crucifixion was often performed here, since Jewish law forbid funerals or executions inside Jerusalem. A well-travelled road was close by, and on it, passersby mocked three men nailed to crosses.

At three in the afternoon, the crucified man in the center of the trio, known as Jesus Of Nazareth, managed to cry out, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?, which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

I have not forsaken you, a voice intoned, coming from a wooden staff aligned horizontally atop the horizontal section of the cross, although Jesus was unable to see it.

Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise, Jesus said, to the two other men crucified next to him.

A grey light not visible to those watching the crucifixion engulfed Jesus, his body was transported elsewhere, and an already dead replica was substituted on the cross. A soldier standing below launched a spear at the corpse, piercing its side, bringing forth a flow of blood and water.

It is finished, a voice from the wooden staff said, then the staff vanished.

*     *     *     *     *

1564

Pisa, Duchy Of Florence, Italy

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The expectant woman was named Giulia Ammannati. Her husband, Vincenzo Galilei, was a composer, music theorist, and lutenist. The child Giulia was about to bear would centuries later be called the Father of Modern Science.

Her son would be accused by the following statement of the Inquisition—You have rendered yourself vehemently suspect of heresy, namely of having held and believed a doctrine which is false and contrary to the Sacred and Divine Scriptures, that the Sun is the center of the world and does not move from east to west, and that the Earth moves and is not the center of the world; and that one may hold and defend as probable an opinion after it has been declared and defined contrary to Holy Scripture.

He was forced to recant his heliocentric theory of the solar system, and spent the last years of his life under house arrest.

*     *     *     *     *

1943 - 1944

Brooklyn, New York

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

It was late June, 1943, a week before the second anniversary of her marriage. The thirty year old woman couldn’t believe her good fortune. She was pregnant, after over a year of futilely trying to conceive. Her family physician had happily confirmed that earlier in the day, and she had just informed her spouse.

Her husband—home again, after sustaining an injury during Army basic training—was less ebullient. He’d never wanted children, and secretly hoped a pregnancy was not in their future. Still, a child would make his wife happy, and he could live with that, provided it didn’t occupy too much of his time, or become overly expensive.

In January, 1944, she delivered a baby boy. After a good deal of handwringing and consultation with various family members, the couple decided to name him Sam.

*     *     *     *     *

2015

Chantilly, Virginia

Cenozoic Era, Phanerozoic Eon

The enormous spacecraft came through the Intergalactic Portal located in intergalactic space, not too distant, in relative terms, from the center of the spiral Milky Way galaxy. The Emissary—an English translation of the name given to the being—entered an interstellar vehicle, which subsequently made its way to a nearby Interstellar Portal, activated it, then emerged at a location beyond Pluto. The Emissary entered a small interplanetary space vehicle, which soon, under complete computer control, began speeding towards Earth.

The vehicle’s exterior architecture approximated a dodecahedron, with ten foot long spires spaced along its surface. Viewed from a distance as it streaked through Earth’s atmosphere, it appeared to onlookers to be a shooting star, although its frequently changing trajectory indicated otherwise to trained observers.

The vehicle approached the North American continent from the east, passed over New York City, then Philadelphia, then Wilmington, then Baltimore, then the District Of Columbia, ensuring it would be seen with the naked eye by many of the East Coast’s inhabitants. Finally, the craft descended on a vacant ball field in Eleanor Lawrence Park, located in Chantilly, a city in Fairfax County, Virginia. It was 9:00 am on Monday in mid-May, a pleasant, sunny day. Temperatures were in the low 80’s, with only a hint of wind.

Upon landing, the vehicle immediately began transmitting a message in English, in a range of radio frequencies certain to be received by the local technology.

The Emissary donned the garb he’d planned to wear, reviewed his opening comments, then prepared himself for what, in merely a few hours, would come next.

DAY ONE

BROADCAST MESSAGE

Bob Sheathe—host of the Sunday morning interview show, Meet The Nation, where political leaders and people in the news answered questions and gave their opinions—was nervous, a sensation he hadn’t felt in years. First contact with an alien civilization. And they asked that I alone conduct the interview.

The alien craft had repeatedly broadcast a brief English message over a one hour time period. I have come in peace, wish you no harm, and offer the friendship of a distant civilization. I ask that Bob Sheathe alone conduct an interview with me at noon today, Eastern Standard Time, when I will exit my craft and greet you. I selected Mister Sheathe because he is the last of a breed of seasoned and honorable journalists, one who would not sensationalize our meeting. I also ask that you limit your questioners to Mister Sheathe to avoid what otherwise would likely become a tabloid circus. I also ask that Mister Sheathe be positioned sixty feet from my craft, and that additional reporters who attend are positioned no closer than 150 feet beyond my craft. Should police, military, or intelligence personnel attend, please deploy yourselves as you wish, but no closer than 150 feet beyond my craft. Weapons are welcome. I support Second Amendment rights. I will see you soon.

*     *     *     *     *

The helicopter carrying Bob Sheathe and a broadcast crew landed on an adjacent ball field, ninety minutes before the meeting was to begin. An hour later, everything had been set up and successfully tested, along with ample backup equipment.

Sheathe was sitting at a small table, reviewing questions he planned to ask. A long bench had been placed opposite Sheathe’s chair, since the size and shape of the alien visitor was unknown. It was also possible the alien could not sit down, or might choose not to do so. That would have to be played by ear.

As Sheathe was finalizing his questions, a man Sheathe knew to be a White House advisor approached.

President Moab would like to join you during the interview, the adviser said.

That’s not what the alien visitor requested, Sheathe replied. I think it best we strictly follow instructions.

Brack Moab is a transformative President, the advisor said. His unique gifts will ensure the alien is properly received, and demonstrate that we are a diverse people.

Not a chance, Sheathe said, then looked down at his questions.

But …

I’m not interested in creating a photo op for the President, Sheathe snapped, startling the advisor. This may be the single most important event in human history, and I’m not going to risk sullying it to boost the approval rating of a floundering chief executive.

You have bosses we can talk to, the now enraged advisor shouted.

That’s your right and your call. Now get out of here. I’ve got to get ready.

HUMANITY’S CURSE

The craft suddenly rotated some 90 degrees, then an opening began to form directly opposite to where Bob Sheathe was seated. A few seconds later, the opening was complete, and the space around the craft appeared slightly warped to onlookers.

For a maddening minute nothing happened, then a humanoid figure appeared, and slowly glided on air towards Sheathe. The figure was dressed in what seemed to be black Docker slacks, a red jersey, running shoes, and a black helmet with an opaque visor. The humanoid, once near Sheathe, touched his feet to the ground, walked over to the reporter, raised his right arm in what appeared to be a sign of greeting, then reached out to take and shake Sheathe’s hand. Slowly, perhaps dramatically, the black clad figure removed his helmet.

So whom were you expecting? the humanoid said, smiling broadly. Michael Rennie?

For a moment, Bob Sheathe was speechless, then he began smiling, too.

You look just like us, Sheathe finally said.

"That’s because I am one of you. I’ve lived on this planet for 72 years. By now, various people of my acquaintance are saying, I always knew there was something weird about that guy."

Sheathe laughed, then looked totally flummoxed.

Why don’t I sit down, then you can ask me questions. By the way, it’s nice to meet you, Bob. I’ve been an admirer for years. You’re about all that’s left of real journalism on the planet. Oh, please call me Sam. I’ve gone by that name my entire life.

Nice to meet you, too, Sam. So, who are you? Where are you from?

I was born and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Many folks think everyone from Brooklyn is from outer space. After all, we do have our own alien language.

Sheathe laughed, then again asked, Where are you really from?

Brooklyn, Bob. But I think what you actually meant to ask is, from where does my craft come? That will take a bit of time to explain.

We have plenty of time, Sheathe noted.

Actually, we don’t, Bob. Or more precisely, the human race doesn’t. That’s why I’ve revealed myself. So why don’t I give you an overview—sort of the big picture—then you can ask me whatever you’d like. Is that acceptable to you?

It is.

I was sent here by a highly evolved, technologically advanced, and ancient alien civilization. They refer to me as The Emissary, at least that’s as close a translation as I can come up with for what the alien word actually means. I’m sort of an envoy, messenger, and agent, all rolled up into one.

A long time ago—billions of years actually—an experiment in evolution began. Humanity is the outcome of that experiment. The experiment’s designers recently completed an evaluation of results thus far, and wish to pass on these results to the experiment’s subjects. The designers will then decide whether to continue the experiment as is, modify its design, or end the exercise. So that’s the big picture, Bob. Now, please feel free to ask questions.

Where is this alien civilization located?

In another galaxy. They’ve not told me where.

Are they humanoid?

I don’t know. I’ve never seen them.

What is the purpose of their experiment?

"They wish to test the following hypothesis—science as an organizing principle is compatible with species survivability and longevity."

Could you explain that hypothesis?

The aliens were once great intergalactic explorers, charting planets on which sentient life evolved, and noting the births and deaths of these civilizations. After a long time, the aliens were no longer satisfied to merely observe and fill notebooks with data, so to speak. They wished to become proactive, to foster not only sentient life, but sentient life that was both worthy of existence and capable of sustaining itself. They had seen various civilizations go through time periods primarily dominated by religious, economic, and/or political philosophies. These civilizations seldom endured for long, as they seemed unable to overcome their tendency towards tribalism and conflict. Where they encountered a science focused civilization, they found a lack of organizing principles to move that society towards common and productive goals. Scientists often wanted to be left alone to do their own thing.

So the aliens began an experiment on a planet they believed might host a life form—with some external assistance—that would evolve in a manner that balanced scientific curiosity and the societal organizing tendencies of politics. This planet was, of course, Earth.

How have the aliens intervened to tweak our development? Sheathe asked.

Sixty five million years ago, it was the aliens who caused the extinction level event that ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Without their assistance, the fragile life form known as humanity would never have taken root. Once the giant reptiles and a few other intimidating creatures were removed, evolution was able to run its course, thanks to the aliens’ early artificial selection.

"You realize you’ve just refuted Creationism as told in the Book Of Genesis in the Bible," Sheathe noted.

"Not entirely. The extinction level event was only part of the experiment, sort of disinfecting the goldfish bowl, if you will. The aliens then intervened several other times. Some of these interventions I call makeovers. The first makeover is noted, albeit rather fancifully, in the New Testament. The aliens wanted humanity to evolve on a strong moral foundation. Unfortunately, two thousand years ago that wasn’t happening very well. So they