Chapter 1

I took a cab to the Federal Building in Los Angeles and made my way to the regional
office of the FBI. I was stopped at the gate by a stubborn secretary.
I know what Im saying is hard to belie!e"# I told the obese man after thirty minutes
of obstruction" but its the truth. I was abducted by aliens and held off world before
escaping in one of their stealth ships. $hey followed in pursuit and are searching for me
as we speak. $hey cant let me run loose because I learned the secrets of ether energy.
Its like no force in the uni!erse and the aliens will stop at nothing to keep %arth from
ac&uiring knowledge of it. 'ou need to inform your superiors so I can pass on what I
know while theres still time.#
(ont tell me how to do my )ob"# was the bureaucrats obstinate response. I said
Ill file a report and I will.#
*y mission was too important to be put off. 'ou need to do more than file a report"#
I insisted. 'ou need to inform +ashington right away. Its a matter of national
security.#
+hy dont you go home while I process the matter"# said the man disingenuously.
Ill call you if something de!elops.,
-ow can something de!elop"# I &uestioned" when you ha!ent taken anything I!e
said seriously. $he world is in peril and all you can think is how to get me out of the
building.#
'our time is up"# declared the man. Are you going to lea!e or do I ha!e to call
security.,
(ont threaten me"# I said" my ire aroused. I know my rights. If youre not going
to do your )ob" then let me talk to your superior. $here has to be someone in this agency
who knows what hes doing.,
$he secretary gritted his teeth and thick blue !eins popped up from his pinkish neck
as he struggled with an urge to lay a clenched fist on my )aw. I made ready to fend off
the blow but the man thrust his bulky mass up from the desk instead and thundered across
the room toward an inner office. 'ou get what you ask for"# he declared as he e/ited the
room. Ill be right back.#
$he magnitude of the mans anger surprised me. 0nner!ed by the outburst" I paced
the floor wondering whether I should take my chances with the hostile ci!il ser!ant or get
the hell out of the building. I was leaning toward the latter action when the man flung
open the door and marched back into the room like a medie!al e/ecutioner. Flanked by
two apes in the guise of agents" he pointed a fat inde/ finger at me and said" $here"
thats him. $hats the sorry citi1en who claims he was abducted by aliens and held
capti!e in one of the moons of 2upiter.#
$he belligerent manner in which the secretary spoke smashed what little hope I had
left that my story might be belie!ed. $he feeling was accentuated when the agents
marched toward me like storm troopers. I reacted to the frontal assault by back peddling
toward the e/it and would ha!e been out the room a second later had the larger gorilla not
rushed to block my way as the other ape closed in on my flank. $hey grabbed my arms
in a pincer mo!e and muscled me into an inner office where I was interrogated like a
common criminal.
For crying out loud"# I erupted after an hour of mindless &uestions about my past.
-ere I am" trying to sa!e the world and you guys treat me like Im a *iddle %astern
terrorist.#
$ell us again about these aliens and their ether energy"# insisted the smaller man.
'ou said they know how to blow up atoms. -ow e/actly do they intend to do that.#
$hats right"# I said" praying Id finally gotten past the agents o/en mentality. $he
aliens learned long ago that atoms are made of ether particles. $hese fundamental
particles of di!isible e/istence occupy space as a gas to transmit radiation the way air
transmits sound" but collapse in on themsel!es to form neutrons when slowed. A hea!y
ether fluid e!aporates from the neutrons surface to make it a proton and a lighter fluid
de!elops abo!e that to transform the body into a hydrogen atom. $hats fine and good
and a technical matter for me to discuss with your scientists. $he problem is that atoms
can be blown back into the ether particles from which they were formed to unleash
destructi!e power like nothing else in the uni!erse. It makes a nuclear weapon seem like
a popgun in comparison.#
+hoa"# said the agent holding up his arms as if to constrain me. Are you talking
about an atomic bomb. Is that what these alien fellows ha!e on their hands.#
3o 4ir"# I said" thinking that I was making progress at long last" this is far more
powerful than either an atomic or hydrogen bomb. An atom bomb merely splits an atom
to con!ert 15 of its mass back into ether particles or energy as its called. A hydrogen
bomb fuses nuclides to release an e!en smaller portion of the mass back into ether
particles. Im talking about an e/plosi!e de!ice that can turn nuclear material one
hundred percent into energy. $hats like comparing firecrackers to plastic e/plosi!es. A
single bomb could pul!eri1e the landscape within hundreds of miles of point 1ero and
blow off a hunk of the atmosphere to boot.#
$he agent was leaning forward holding a notepad in one hand and pencil in the
other as I spoke. -is )aw dropped when I told him how powerful an ether bomb is. I
imagined the wheels of cognition turning in his pointed crew cut head but it didnt last.
-is eyes gla1ed o!er and a stymied e/pression formed on the hard lines of the no6
nonsense face.
Bewildered" the man shook his head and leaned back as if to pull himself out of my
sphere of influence. -e turned his head and eyeballed his partner as if looking for
inspiration but the giant was as lost as he. A moment of awkward silence followed and
then silly grins formed on their faces.
'ou had me worried" Citi1en"# said the lead agent" turning his attention back to
me. Im afraid I dont know much about nuclear physics.#
'ou should be worried"# I said emphatically. 3ow you understand why we ha!e
to get this information to +ashington. $he aliens ha!e a loaded cannon aimed at %arth.
7ne mishap and were all history.#
$he fire of my presentation seemed to bring the second agent to life. -e stepped
forward like a hea!yweight bo/er engaging an opponent during a championship bout.
4o tell me Larson"# said the monster man" ine/plicably agitated" what &ualifies you to
talk about these matters. Are you a nuclear physicist.#
3o" 4ir"# I answered" but I am a science enthusiast and I!e studied first6hand the
aliens ad!anced ether technology.#
A science enthusiast"# mocked the skeptic as a snarl formed on his lips" and )ust
how do you make a li!ing" may I ask.#
Im a businessman"# I e/plained" but I ha!e a degree in natural philosophy which
deals with many of the ideas in!ol!ed in di!isible e/istence.#
4o the fact is youre not a physicist at all"# said the man attacking my credibility.
'oure an amateur talking about matters that you couldnt possibly understand.#
$he giant looked o!er at his partner and winked. -is cohort winked back and a
smug look formed on their faces. $hey were trying to write me off as a crackpot but the
stakes were too high for me to be put off. I had to push ahead any way I could.
I understand these matters better than anyone on %arth"# I said emphatically.
I!e studied alien physics firsthand. $heyre light years ahead of us in ether technology
but I learned how it all works. I need to pass on what I know while theres still time.#
$he agents appeared to be li!ing on their own worlds. Ignoring my appeal" the
smaller agent loosened the tie on his cheap black suit as if to make himself more
comfortable. -is )acket" like his partners" was open. -e leaned forward and the butt of
his gun protruded forward from its shoulder holster. It caught my attention for only a
second but the agent noticed. -e looked down at his weapon and a sadistic smile formed
on his face. -is !oice deepened. Lets go back to this ether"# he said" trying to sound
tougher than he was. 'ou report its an in!isible gas. Is it deadly.#
I ignored the agents petty preoccupation with power to stay on point. Its not )ust
a gas"# I said. Its the gas. Its the stuff that atoms are made of.#
Look here" Larson"# said the agent" e/asperated" can you answer my &uestion in
plain %nglish. Is it a dangerous gas or not.#
Its dangerous when its power is unleashed within the atom"# I said" trying to
e/plain the matter as simply as possible. Atoms are made up of ether particles that ha!e
been slowed and condensed into fluids of !arying densities. $he particles go flying off at
the speed of light when atoms are made to blow up" releasing ether particle momentum"
or energy as its called" like nothing else in the uni!erse. Its what happens in the core of
a sun during a super no!a and what all this mass6to6energy talk is about. 7nly our
physicists dont know it because the aliens misled %arth science to try and pre!ent us
from obtaining ether technology. I ha!e all the details if I can )ust talk to the right
people.#
$he agents glared at me with growing impatience. $hey acted as if I was trying to
frustrate them by answering their &uestions with words they didnt understand. All they
wanted to know was whether or not terrorists were about to unleash a destructi!e nuclear
de!ice on the American public. $he problem was that I couldnt answer them in such a
simplistic manner.
Call +ashington"# I pleaded" feeling as if I was hitting my head against a wall.
4urely someone there has the capacity to deal with a matter like this.#
+e cant do that"# said the first agent. Its our )ob to appraise the situation for
the Bureau. 3ow tell us more about these alien fellows. (o you know where they li!e.#
$he agents learning cur!e was more than I could take. I rose up out of my chair in
frustration. By definition aliens li!e on another planet"# I cried" ha!ing lost all patience
with the man. +hat in 8ods name do I ha!e to do to get through to you people.#
Calm down" Larson"# commanded the giant standing up to confront me again.
Its our duty to ascertain whether this alien group poses a threat to the security of the
0nited 4tates of America and we re&uire your cooperation to do that.#
'ou grill me like Im a terrorist"# I said shaking my head in disgust" and still you
dont understand a thing I!e said. I thought this was the Federal Bureau of Intelligence.
+here the hell is the intelligence? %nough already. Aliens or no aliens" Im getting out
of here.#
I turned toward the e/it but the giant shuffled his feet like a middle linebacker to
block my way. -e tried9 again" to intimidate me with his si1e but this time I wouldnt
ha!e it.
Listen"# I said as he puffed his chest out at me" I dont care if you understood me
or not" you dont ha!e the right to detain me. I came here of my own !olition and now
Im lea!ing. Arrest me or let me go.#
I underestimated the power the agents had o!er me. $hey threw me hard against
the wall and cuffed my wrists behind me. +e do ha!e the right"# asserted the giant" his
words reeking with arrogance. Consider yourself detained.#
Ill be damned"# I said" wishing that Id kept my anger in check and mouth shut.
$he raw treatment I suffered at the hands of the FBI was a sobering e/perience.
7ffended by the indignity" I stopped talking and after a few futile attempts to make me
cooperate they had no choice but to turn me loose. I came away from the ordeal a
disillusioned citi1en but determined" nonetheless" to make myself heard. I decided to take
matters into my own hands by writing this report. If I cant get the protectors of the
people to do their )ob" then I need go o!er their heads and make my report to their boss:
the American people.
Chapter ;
I had thought my troubles o!er if I could )ust get in contact with high6ranking
go!ernmental officials" but I doubt now whether that would!e altered the outcome. -ow
many people would risk their career by acting on a story as bi1arre as mine. $he world is
full of alien conspiracy stories so how is one to know the difference between a fantasy
and the real thing. *y story is so fantastic I probably wouldnt belie!e it myself if it
hadnt happened to me. $he e/perience was like a bad dream only it wasnt a dream. It
was a li!ing nightmare.
$he ordeal began when I was abducted near my weekend home in the mountains
abo!e 4an Bernardino" California. I was taken off world and held capti!e while my wife
worried herself sick.
*y 8od" youre ali!e"# cried Lee as I climbed into the upstairs bedroom window
of our Bellflower house after the long absence. It was after midnight and shed been
sound asleep. It had been months since I was yanked off the face of the planet. +here
on %arth ha!e you been.#
I didnt ha!e time for a tearful reunion. Ill tell you about it later"# I whispered"
afraid the house was bugged. <eople are after me and theyll grab you to get to me. 8et
the checkbook" all the cash you ha!e and some clothes. +e!e got to get out of here as
soon as possible.#
Lee remo!ed my hand from her mouth" flipped her pretty petite legs unto the thick
shag carpet and reached for a pink robe hanging on the back of a nearby sitting chair.
4he draped the silky garment o!er her shoulders to warm herself against the night chill.
4he tried to whisper but her !oice was shrill and cutting.
'ou scared the life out of me"# she said" bitingly. +hat do you mean by
disappearing like that. I!e been worried sick.#
$he hea!y eyebrows abo!e Lees oriental eyes re!ealed the stress shed been under. I
wanted to comfort her but didnt ha!e the time. +e were in gra!e danger and e!ery
second counted.
I was kidnapped"# I said" ha!ing to force the words out. It was painful to think about
the incident e!en then. Ill tell you about it after we get away.#
I cant )ust lea!e my home in the middle of the night"# Lee protested. If someone is
after you" call the police.#
3o"# I insisted" well be lost by morning if we stay. Come with me now if you
!alue our li!es.#
I feel like Im back in China"# Lee said" shaking her head in disbelief. I didnt
think things like this happened in America.#
'ou know how go!ernments are"# I said" playing on her fears.
And thats how it happened. I let Lee think communists were conspiring against us
and dragged her from her home in the middle of the night. I sent (ad a letter telling him
I was on a mission and things were hot. I asked him to handle my affairs and arranged a
meeting at a restaurant in Bellflower. It was a chilly night in (ecember. I wore a
stocking hat and an old army )acket as a disguise. I had rubbed dirt and grime on my face
to hide my features.
I pretended to hit (ad up for a meal in case he was under sur!eillance. -e went
along with the act by playing the part of a Christian gentleman helping out a hard luck
hobo. I acted like an ill6tempered bum to discourage people from staring. +ith my si/6
foot athletic build and shabby appearance" I was a threatening figure to e!eryone but (ad.
$he middle6aged waitress who ser!ed us chatted ner!ously with (ad while
a!oiding eye contact with me. +ith weary eyes" tired legs and a wise owl look" the
woman probably thought I was a disturbed !eteran back from war and wanted no part of
me. I was to be tolerated as a patriot but a!oided as a derelict at the same time.
+hats going on.# (ad asked after wed settled in at an isolated booth.
(ad was a powerful man e!en in his si/ties. An e/6*arine" he took pride in his
physi&ue. -e had lost his hair two inches abo!e each ear and after years of stringing the
remnants o!er the top" he had finally cut it off. $he result was a rugged 8.I. 2oe military
look.
Itll only endanger you and *om if I tell you about it"# I said.
A father has the right to know whos threatening his child"# said (ad" trying to
hold in his temper. 8i!e me fi!e minutes with the bum and he wont bother you again" I
promise.#
I re!eled in (ads fighting spirit and wished I could let him fi/ my problem like
hed done so many times in the past but I knew better. (ad could!e gone up against a
man half his age and come out on top. -e was powerless against the aliens.
I dont want you in!ol!ed any more than you are"# I said" stretching my arm
across the table to clasp his huge hand in mine. Ill take care of it. I )ust wanted you to
be on the alert in case they come after you or *om to get to me.#
(ont worry about me"# said (ad" strong as always. I can take care of your mom
and I well enough.#
=elie!ed that Id gi!en my father the heads up on the alien threat and confident that
he would take precautions" I handed him papers gi!ing him power o!er my affairs and
after an hour we walked out of the restaurant. Ill be fine as long as you and *om are
okay"# I said as we shook hands a final time. Ill handle things on my end. I need you
to trust me.#
I do trust you" -ans"# (ad said" trying to sound confident. I know what youre
capable of in a pinch" but dont forget that Im here if you need me.#
I wont"# I promised" grateful to ha!e such a force behind me should I need it.
+ith that I turned and walked away into the cool" foggy night. I didnt ha!e the heart to
look back to see the worried" wrinkled face of a sad old man.
Chapter >
*odest financial success was in part responsible for the calamity that befell me as
it enabled me to purchase a weekend home in the 4an Bernardino *ountains. An hour
and a half dri!e from Bellflower" I bought it as an escape from the city as nothing
re)u!enates the spirit like spending time in nature.
I left for the mountains on that fateful Friday afternoon for a weekend of
motorcycle riding and arri!ed at the house after stopping off for supper at a ta!ern in
nearby =unning 4prings. I went alone as Lee only accompanied me on occasion because
of her dislike of the winding mountain road and my friends were busy that weekend. $he
ne/t morning" I packed a lunch and headed for the backwoods on my 'amaha ;?@. I rode
fi!e miles to scenic 8reen Aalley Lake on the edge of the wilderness" found my way to
the gra!el fire road that cuts through the northern backside of the mountains" rode up an
incline past an open gate and shot into the forest.
4ome of natures most glorious sights are to be found on fire roads. $he ma)estic
pines" colorful yellowish granite boulders" and a deep blue sky blended together to create
a magical world in which to escape the confines of the city. $he air was fresh and crystal
clear and s&uirrels scurried up and down trees wa!ing their bushy gray tails while making
cheery chirping sounds.
$he nippy morning unfolded into a warm spring day. $he wind whipped my face
as I raced through the forest. I rode up to the north shore of Big Bear Lake" fifteen miles
as the eagle flies" and ate my sack lunch on a picnic table set near the lake by county
officials. Formed behind a dam at an ele!ation e/ceeding si/ thousand feet and
surrounded by a beautiful pine forest" Big Bear is one of the most scenic lakes in
California. I made it my main destination for that reason.
I finished my lunch and with my stomach full found a bed of soft pine needles
upon which to rest. I lay content admiring the beauty of the pristine lake for almost an
hour before firing up the bike. <ulling gently back on the throttle" I motored my way
back into the wilderness.
7ne of the peculiarities of my nature is that freed of responsibility and gi!en the
time I tend to fantasi1e. I imagined on this day that I was not a small time businessman
but a scout for Lewis and Clark on their e/pedition to the <acific 7cean and that my
motorcycle was not a high tech machine but a powerful stallion. Id stop along the
imagined )ourney to climb large granite boulders from which to !iew the wilderness
ahead and then" as if surrounded by fierce Indian war parties" rush back to my bike and
race through the woods to outrun the danger. It was great fun and for a few hours my
&uiet middle class e/istence was filled with e/citement and ad!enture" e!en if it was
make6belie!e.
I was working my way back to 8reen Aalley Lake after a glorious day when I saw
a glint of metal shining through the trees ahead. I was near a cliff o!erlooking the
northern !alleys of the mountain range. $he *o)a!e (esert" Barstow and Las Aegas lay
beyond. $he sun was about to set o!er the cool <acific in the western hori1on.
I figured the sil!ery ob)ect to be an off road !ehicle. (amnable curiosity
compelled me to see it from a closer !iew. I turned my 'amaha toward the reflection"
s&uee1ed the throttle and crept forward to get a better look.
I approached the ob)ect with caution. I shut off the bikes motor as I drew near"
lifted the machine on its stand and" putting the key in my pocket" stalked forward on foot.
I half e/pected to see an older model Aolkswagen !an parked near a cliff as long haired
hippies got high on dope and alcohol but kept checking about to pre!ent an assailant from
getting the drop on me in case I was wrong. I pulled my large 2im Bowie knife from its
sheath and held it ready )ust in case.
(aylight diminished by the minute as I edged toward the ob)ect. No van is that
big, I thought as I drew near. An inner !oice warned me that I should lea!e" but
damnable curiosity dro!e me forward. Finally" I cleared a group of trees and it lay before
me some thirty yards ahead.
*y 8od its a spaceship"# I mumbled under my breath. -orrified by what I was
seeing" I threw myself to the ground and lay face first on my belly. I was in mortal
danger and figured my fate would be determined in the ne/t few minutes.
All facts indicated that this was an e/traterrestrial !essel. It was low6lying" sleek
and sil!er6blue like the sky on a ha1y day. It was the si1e of a small commercial )et" but
shaped like a stealth fighter. It rested on three legs that protruded out from its underbelly.
A ramp had been lowered from its metallic gut.
$he ground was moist and cool as I lay motionless and stiff like a frightened
possum. $he only noise I could hear was that of birds chirping in the trees and my heart
beating like an Iro&uois war drum. I tried to tell myself this was some secret
go!ernmental aircraft but it was a hard sell. $he faint hope was dashed when an alien
walked down the plank.
$he creature measured about si/ and a half feet in height and appeared humanoid
to a point. It was slender with a yellowish pale comple/ion and its face was thin. Its
eyes were beady and close together" the cranium mushroomed up and out abo!e the eyes
and it wore what looked to be a Cossack hat on top of the humongous skull. I shuddered
when it took off the apparel to wipe sweat from its brow. $he alien was bald as an eagle
and from my perspecti!e ugly as hell.
$he e/traterrestrial wore a sil!er )umpsuit that had the trappings of a uniform. Its
demeanor was that of authority and I guessed it to be the captain of the ship. It looked
about as if waiting for the return of scouts" which caused my adrenaline to surge. I
checked around to try and locate other aliens and listened to the mountain. $he faintest
sound can be heard in its stillness if one but listens. $hen" off in the distance where my
bike lay" I heard a twig snap. God help me, I thought" my escape route is severed.
I was in mortal )eopardy and knew it. Fondling my knife with ner!ous an/iety" I
crawled away from both the bike and ship as two threats had to be a!oided at the same
time.
Id progressed about twenty yards when I heard a commotion back at the !essel. I
turned back to see what was going on but was horrified by what I saw. $hree aliens stood
where the first had been and they were looking in my direction. $he spaceman Id first
spotted was holding a de!ice to his eyes while pointing a long bony finger at me. $hat
was a surprise as I was hidden from !iew. My God, I thought" its got an infrared heat
finder.
$he time for cool calculation was o!er. I )umped to my feet and sprang into the
woods &uick as a cougar. I ran through bushes like a cra1ed moose hurtling rocks and
fallen trees like a galloping ga1elle. I was wild and reckless and didnt care whether the
aliens heard me or not. I had one chance and that was flight.
I bla1ed a trail where none had e/isted and the abusi!e route was chosen by design.
I needed an obstacle course that neither alien nor machine could follow without cost. I
didnt know if the creatures were gi!ing chase or not" but assumed that they were. I
needed to put as much distance between the beings and myself as I could before nightfall
cloaked the forest in darkness.
%!ening descended upon the mountain at last. +ith only minutes of light to find a
hiding place" I scanned the hori1on and saw the outline of two large boulders on the side
of a nearby slope. $hey were massi!e and it appeared there was a space between them.
*y legs were hamstrung with fatigue as I plowed toward my destination. It was as
if I had one hundred pound weights strapped to each ankle and I had to )erk them forward
one leg at a time. I willed my thighs to make a final sprint for safety and winced from
pain as they did. I lumbered up the side of the nearest rock and leapt into the gap like a
worn out kangaroo.
I couldnt see what lay at the bottom of the hole and it didnt matter. A snapped
fibula was better than being ruined at the hands of galactic headhunters. Luck was with
me on this occasion as pine needles and moist soil softened my fall. I landed on my feet
but the momentum threw me face first onto the ground. I rolled onto my back and spit
out a mouth full of black soil and foul tasting pine needles. I was bruised and bleeding
but ali!e and free.
$he cre!ice was chosen for a reason. I figured it was a position that trackers
couldnt locate with heat sensors. I lay &uiet and listened for pursuers but heard nothing
e/cept a stressed heart thumping in my chest.
-ow far Id ad!anced from the ship" I cant say. *y guess is a mile" but I could be
way off. A mile is a far piece in the mountains if the terrain is rough. All that mattered to
me was that Id put as much distance between myself and the ship as I could and I
gambled the aliens wouldnt !enture far from it. I figured theyd already been scared off"
but I wasnt going to take any chances. $he smart mo!e was to hunker down for as long
as I could before making my way home.
*y plan was to wait until after midnight" find the fire road and work my way back
to 8reen Aalley Lake. $he mountains get cold at night e!en in spring and so Id ha!e to
keep mo!ing to a!oid hypothermia e!en though I had on my warm black leather
motorcycle )acket. I planned to come back for my bike the ne/t day after notifying
authorities" but doubted it would still be there. I figured the aliens would dump it in
space out of cockroach for ha!ing missed an easy target.
I kept still in an attempt to &uiet my breathing and listened" again" to the mountain.
$hirty minutes passed and still there was no unusual sound. I grew confident Id made
good my escape and noted how lucky Id been to ha!e a!oided capture or worse by what
I imagined to be alien headhunters. $hen" as my body began to settle into a rela/ing
comfort 1one" alarm bells sounded in my mind. Why did the aliens expose themselves
during daylight hours? I wondered. Were they looking to abduct some poor soul ho !ust
happened to pass them by? "f that as the case, hy not go after some isolated house in
the Mo!ave #esert or on the high plains of Ne Mexico to avoid exposure? $heir
beha!ior didnt make sense but I was too tired to worry about it.
I fell asleep for an indeterminate amount of time before being wakened by a
nightmare. I dreamt that a giant asteroid was streaking in from space and about to crush
me like a cockroach. (reams often ha!e a basis in reality and so it was with this
nightmare" I opened my eyes and saw the alien !essel floating a hundred feet abo!e the
boulders I was hiding in. It looked like the sil!ery head of a giant hammer that was about
to dri!e my sorry carcass into the soft soil.
*y life had )ust begun to flash before my minds eye when I felt a cold stare upon
my person. I looked to my feet and saw the silhouette of the alien that Id seen in the
woods standing se!en or eight feet away. It had crawled down into my space while I
slept and its long bony hand held a weapon that I took to be a ray gun. It was pointed at
my sunken chest.
I figured I was done for but I wasnt going to go out without a fight. I yanked
myself off the ground and sprang at the alien like a trapped wol!erine. *y mo!e was fast
and ferocious and I would!e been at its throat in another second were it not for the flash
of light that shot out from the barrel of the aliens gun and the electrifying )olt that
followed.
Chapter B
(ays could!e passed while I lay unconscious for all I knew. I awoke to find
myself strapped to an ele!ated metal bed that was bolted to a steel6gray floor. It lay ne/t
to a tinted o!al window with a !iew. I was on the alien spaceship in that empty black pit
known as outer space and by all accounts the most wretched man in the uni!erse.
I struggled futilely against my bonds as my senses gradually returned to me. $he
best I could do was to raise my head" getting a glimpse of what was outside the ships
window. +hat I saw brought tears to my eyes. %arth was !isible in the lower corner.
Itd been reduced to the si1e of a full moon and diminished to the si1e of a large star o!er
the ne/t hours. I knew from the rate of change that we were mo!ing away from the
planet at an incredible !elocity.
I cannot describe how horrible it was to see my world disappear before my eyes but
e!en in my despair &uestions pricked at me like so many tiny needles. $o did the
aliens find me? I wondered. I was sure Id outrun them. (espite my numbed mind" it
didnt take long for me to figure the answer. %he ship fle over the mountain in the dark
and used infrared sensors to locate me from above, I thought. "f "d but s&uee'ed under
the overhang of the boulder "d be safe at home. Id been ruined by a single blunder.
I thought of my wife and cringed. (oor )ee, I thought. *hes probably got search
and rescue combing the oods by no. %heyll assume "m in!ured in the forest, but later
the effort ill turn into a body search. $o could they guess that their missing person
as yanked off the planet?
Born in China" Lee studied %nglish at an early age in hopes of going to America.
I was determined to lea!e the communist country anyway I could"# she confided soon
after we met. *y friends said -ong Cong was the way out. +e crossed the sea at night
to a!oid patrols. 7ur boat almost sank in high wa!es" but we made it.#
Lee made it to America but she didnt reach our shores unscarred. 4he fears the
go!ernment and is con!inced that its )ust a matter of time before the 0nited 4tates comes
under the influence of e/tremists. I played on those fears to get her to lea!e her home in
the middle of the night.
$he hours dragged by as I lamented my fate. Finally" I heard approaching footsteps
towards my room. I e/pected to see an alien come swaggering through the door and
braced myself for what cruel destiny had in store for me. $he door slid open but to my
surprise a si/6foot stainless steel robot came clomping into the room. Its soulless black
button eyes stared at me as it mo!ed. -ans Larson"# it said" greeting me with its
metallic !oice.
I was shocked. $he creature not only spoke" it spoke in %nglish and knew my
name. -ow do you know who I am.# I asked.
$he *asters searched your person"# it said. $he aliens had stolen my wallet. It
was necessary to affirm your identify. $he urgency of our mission demands e/pediency.#
Is that right"# I said" pretending to be impressed. And what mission is that.#
$he *asters hope to sa!e your planet"# said the machine. 'our species is at a
critical period of its history and there are gra!e dangers. +e need to intercede in your
worlds affairs before its too late.#
I had trouble belie!ing that I was talking to an alien machine and felt uneasy
con!ersing with it. I distrusted it as well" knowing it to be an agent of my )ailers. Let
me guess"# I said facetiously. I bet theyre trying to sa!e %arth from a nuclear
holocaust.#
$he machine seemed unable to process anything but the factual content of my
words. I could talk in a sarcastic mocking tone but the only thing it answered to was the
literal meaning of my words. 4peaking with an emotional o!ertone" I did howe!er" seem
to slow down its response time.
$here is a power much greater than fusion"# answered the machine after another
delay.
8reater than fusion.# I said9 caught off guard by the implications of what the
machine had said. I would learn later that it was talking about ether energy.
$hats correct"# answered the robot. *y *asters must pre!ent %arth from
obtaining power because of the retarded social de!elopment of your planet.#
+hat do you mean by retarded.# I said" feeling as if the machine had )ust insulted
%arth.
An ad!ancing planet needs to e!ol!e a strong democratic world go!ernment"#
lectured the machine. $hat leads to a demilitari1ed planet which is necessary if a
species is to sur!i!e once it gains power. $he forces that shape these changes are
retarded on your world. Aariables ha!e been computed and the odds of a disastrous
outcome are significant.#
Im glad you brought that to my attention"# I said disingenuously. Ill spread the
word when you take me home. 'ou dont know when thatll be" do you.#
3o" I dont"# said the machine.
I thought so"# I said. $hen changing the sub)ect. (o you ha!e a name" robot.# I
asked.
'ou may call me what you wish"# it said indifferently. $he word you )ust used is
fine.#
+ell" then" where are your *asters taking me" =obot.#
+ere returning to <rime Base"# answered the machine. Its in the 2upiter
system.#
$he 2upiter 4ystem.# I said" shocked by =obots answer. Are you talking about
one of its moons.#
'es"# said =obot. <rime Base is in one of the moons of 2upiter.#
Ill be damned"# I said" shaking my head in disbelief.
*y clothes had been remo!ed and I lay naked on the table with only a blanket to
co!er me. I found I had to go to the bathroom in the worst way.
Can you take off my restraints"# I pleaded. I need to use your bathroom bad.#
$he restraints must remain in place until we arri!e at <rime Base"# answered
=obot coldly. I will dispose of waste products and saniti1e your body. Let me prepare.#
" must be dead and gone to hell, was all I could think.
I wont discuss the disgusting details of the e!acuation e/cept to say that things
didnt go well. *y insides had been turned inside out by trauma and Id lost control of
my faculties. +hat sa!ed me from ab)ect humiliation was =obots indifference. It acted
like the machine it was performing a routine mechanical function.
'ou soiled your clothes in the forest"# =obot said" after the ordeal was o!er. Ill
find *aster clothing for you to wear.#
Can you sa!e my )acket.# I pleaded. It has sentimental !alue.#
It has been torn"# said =obot" but Ill attempt repairs.#
=obot left the room to return with an alien outfit. It looked similar to the sil!er
uniforms Id seen the e/traterrestrials wear. It came with large black boots with magnets
integrated into their soles. $hey were designed for walking on the ships metal floor in
the weightless en!ironment of space. $he machine took off the restraints so I could dress
and then strapped me back to the bed. I ob)ected to being tied up again" but was too weak
to resist.
-ow long ha!e the *asters been around.# I asked =obot after a time.
$hey!e been monitoring your planet since <rime Base was established more than
twenty thousand years ago"# it said. $hey began guiding your peoples de!elopment
after that.#
$hey!e been in the solar system that long.# I said" incredibly. +hy did they
come.#
$hey sought the ancestral home of the 7ld 7nes. A study of ancient records led
them here.#
(id these 7ld 7nes e!ol!e in the solar system.# I asked" thinking of *ars. 4ome
people belie!e the red planet might ha!e supported life at one time.
$he holy star was ancient before your sun ignited"# said =obot.
$hen why do the *asters seek them in our solar system.# I asked.
I dont understand your &uestion.# asked =obot. Can you restate it.#
3e!er mind"# I said. $ell me why the *asters seek the home planet of the 7ld
7nes.#
$he 7ld 7nes disappeared from galactic ci!ili1ation"# answered the machine.
$he *asters wish to contact them.#
+hat has this to do with the ancestral world.# I asked9 confused by what I was
hearing.
$he *asters belie!e the 7ld 7nes will return to the planet of their origin in time"#
said the machine sounding indifferent as usual. $heyre waiting for them on <rime
Base.#
+hat are you talking about.# I asked" unable to make sense of =obots words. Is
there a phantom planet in the solar system that I dont know about. And why wait on one
of the moons of 2upiter. +hy not on %arth.#
%arth is your planet"# said the machine. $he *asters are interested in the 7ld
7nes.#
$he *asters would rather li!e on a fro1en moon than a habitable planet"# I said
skeptically.
$hat is correct"# answered =obot.
I couldnt make sense out of what the machine was telling me. It was concei!able
that one of the planets in the solar system could!e supported an ad!anced culture eons
ago" but =obot ruled that out by saying the 7ld 7nes sun was ancient before ours
ignited.
=obot spoke as if it were a li!ing creature but its empty black eyes and cold
mechanical tone told me there was no one there. I turned my head and stared out into the
endless !oid so as not to look at it. I was awestruck by the magnitude of space" which
only ser!ed to make me feel small and insignificant in comparison. 0nner!ed by the
sight and shi!ering from the sense of icy loneliness that it e!oked in me" my thoughts
turned to 8od. I worried" then" whether or not there was" in fact" a god and if so" whether
-e could care about a creature as insignificant as I.
Id made 4aint Augustines pragmatic leap of faith as a youth in the Lutheran
Church" but no great con!iction had emerged in part because the need had ne!er arisen.
Life in my little corner of America had been safe and death and dying werent things Id
been forced to deal with. $hat had now changed. I prayed for 8od to gi!e me a sign but
nothing happened. $he miracle wasnt forthcoming and as the ship continued to hurtle
through the black emptiness of space my faith plummeted free fall to the cryptically side
of fatalism.
Lost to man and abandoned by 8od" it seemed as if my e/istence was o!er. $he
thought of ne!er seeing home again was intolerable. I contemplated suicide" but the idea
of killing myself didnt sit well with my nature. I determined that it would be preferable
to die fighting for my freedom than to gi!e into despair. I resol!ed to try and get the
upper hand on an alien and compel it to take me home or else.
+orn down by thoughts of death and destruction" I drifted off into an uneasy sleep
for an unknown duration of time. A surprise awaited me when I woke. A spectacular ball
had crept up my window as I slept. *ighty 2upiter ho!ered in the night sky ten times
larger than a full moon.
Chapter ?
I had ne!er thought that there could be beauty outside %arths atmosphere. 2upiter"
4aturn" 3eptune and 0ranus were far away hellish balls of poisonous gases. $hey were
places where an e!il person might be sent in death" but no one in his right mind would
consider !isiting in life. $hat attitude changed with a look. 4uddenly" space was no
longer a lonely pit of despair" but une/plored territory filled with splendor and beauty.
$he monster planet was layered with shades of reddish6tan colors as if painted on
with strokes from the brush of an 7lympian god. $he famous red spot caught my eye.
$he swirling !orte/ looked like a giant knot on a finely sanded and stained piece of
redwood. I stared at it with awe similar to a kid on the mother of all field trips.
$he gargantuan planet swelled like a giant balloon being filled with helium at a
carni!al as the hours passed by. It grew so big" I worried its immense gra!ity was going
to suck us into its soft surface. +e accelerated e!en faster toward the gra!itational
sinkhole as if in a kamika1e di!e. Finally" the ships thrusters fired and the !essel !eered
from the reddish monster. +e arced away from the giant and headed toward a large star
on the hori1on.
$he change of direction and !elocity brought about a se!ere case of motion
sickness. =obot" which had been standing by my bed staring at me" percei!ed my
distress. Its metallic !oice rang out" Are you all right" Larson.#
Im airsick"# I cried in agony. Im going to barf all o!er your stinking ship.#
Ill gi!e you something for nausea"# responded =obot. +e ha!e many course
ad)ustments ahead.#
$he machine rushed out the room and trotted back carrying an alien needle gun.
Ill ha!e you feeling better soon"# it said as it prepared a !ein on my thigh for deli!ery.
$he drug was narcotic in its effect and a wa!e of glorious relief swept o!er me
within minutes. I went from the se!enth le!el of hell to dope hea!en in minutes. I lay
back to en)oy the now wondrous ride and mar!eled at the grand uni!erse around me.
7ur forward !elocity decreased o!er the ne/t hours as we approached a planetoid
co!ered with impact craters. 4ome were white and shiny. 7thers orange" black" and
brown. $he place was desolate like the moon. I correctly guessed it to be 8anymede.
$he ship continued to decelerate as we approached the moons surface. +e
dropped into a giant crater and approached a hole at its bottom. +hats going on.# I
asked" the effect of the drug ha!ing worn off. +hy dont they land this damn thing.#
+ere going into the planetoids interior"# =obot said with its usual indifference.
'ou need be patient.#
I peered out the window as the ship maneu!ered itself abo!e the pit. Its lateral
!elocity came to a stop and the !essel eased into the hole. Lamps recessed in ports along
the ships surface lit the way. +e continued the descent for an unknown distance and
stopped in front of a large tunnel. $he rear thrusters ignited soon after and the !essel
mo!ed into the opening.
I strained to see outside as the ship proceeded into the tunnel. I saw only black air
space at first but later the tunnel narrowed and its black and sil!ery )agged walls became
!isible. +e edged along until the tunnel ga!e way to a structural split in the moons
interior. $he ship flew into the giant opening and we came to a half dome airfield etched
out of sheer rock wall.
$he smooth le!el landing field was brightly lit with lamps built into its rocky
ceiling. It was about an eighth of a mile wide from cliff to inner wall" three &uarters of a
mile long and more than two hundred feet high at the cliffs edge. $he ceiling descended
to the floor at the inner wall where metal doors led into the moons hard rock interior.
$here were by my count better than thirty ships resting on the field. *ost looked
like the !essel I was in" but one was a monster. Appro/imately >@@ feet long" 1@@ wide
and D@ high" I correctly guessed it to be the aliens mother ship.
7ur !essel maneu!ered toward a landing space near the cliffs edge. It tilted on
approach and shi!ers ran up my spine as I looked into the black abyss below. I imagined
it an eerie entrance to hell. I was relie!ed when the ship le!eled out and put down safely
on the field.
=obot had stood by my side" monitoring my condition since in)ecting me with the
drug. +ith the ship set down on hard rock" it released my restraints and dressed me in a
pressuri1ed air suit pulled out from a nearby wall closet. It then grabbed my arm and
dragged me out of the room pretending to render assistance. +e proceeded down a
narrow corridor past closed doors and entered an airlock. Air was sucked out of the room
into storage tanks and the outer door opened to re!eal a disembarking platform. =obot
pulled me across the platform and I stumbled down the ramp Id seen on the mountain.
I took e/ception to being strong6armed by the accursed machine" but held my
temper as what looked to be a sil!er mini!an pulled up in front of the ship. It ran on
electricity and was dri!en by onboard computer. =obot released my arm to open the
passenger door and motioned me to enter. Instincti!ely" I stepped back out of reach of its
long metallic fingers.
*y action was probably moti!ated by defiance more than anything else. $rouble
was I didnt know what to do ne/t. I contemplated rushing up the plank to try and gain
control of the ship but re)ected the mo!e because of the fool factor. I had no weapon with
which to force the crew into compliance and was in no condition to engage them in hand6
to6hand combat. And e!en if I could!e o!erpowered them" how was I going to fly the
ship. By the time I got to ultimatums the base would!e been on me like African bees
defending their hi!e. I suppressed my anger and accepted the deplorable reality of my
situation.
=obot sho!ed me into the car" closed the door behind me and tested it to make sure
it was locked. 4atisfied that its prisoner was secure" the machine trotted around to the
dri!ers seat and raced to the tunnel entrance where it paused to manipulate a dial on the
console. $he metal door slid open and the !ehicle rolled into the lock. It closed behind
us and air blew into the room.
It took se!eral minutes for the inner door of the lock to open. =obot dro!e the
!ehicle into the rocky corridor within and stopped to take off and stow my suit in a locker
along the wall. +e continued on about a hundred yards through a dimly lit tunnel and
entered a ca!ern that appeared to be a warehouse and staging area for the field. A robot
was dri!ing an alien forklift piling goods on racks that stretched up to the rocky ceiling
abo!e.
+e proceeded across the ca!ern and e/ited through a corridor to an open freight
ele!ator. $he car rolled inside and we descended deeper into the moon. +here are we
going.# I asked after a claustrophobic minute.
Li!ing &uarters are located well below the surface"# it said" staring at me with its
soulless eyes. $hats necessary for heating purposes and it pro!ides protection from
impact meteors.#
+hat do you use for power.# I asked9 my curiosity aroused. A nuclear reactor.#
$he *asters use heat from the moons core to power <rime Base"# answered
=obot. Its a limitless source of energy.#
$he ele!ator slowed and came to a stop. $he door opened to re!eal a bell6shaped
ca!e lit with bluish lights hidden behind diffusers in the ceiling. *arble decorated the
floor and a circular balcony about thirty feet in diameter and fifteen feet abo!e the floor
was built into the ceiling. It looked down on the rooms center. I would later disco!er its
purpose.
I reached out and dragged my finger along the wall as we skirted the ca!erns
perimeter. It was co!ered with a resin like substance that was warm to the touch. +e
e/ited the ca!ern at its far end and headed down a tunnel mo!ing past metal doors
situated on both its sides. +e went on for about two hundred feet and stopped in front of
one of the middle doors on the left. =obot emitted a series of high6pitched sounds and
the door slid open. I e/ited the !ehicle and stepped into the most escape proof prison cell
in the solar system.
Chapter E
$he ca!e was a li!ing efficiency shaped like the inside of a bell. $he ceiling rose
to about 1? feet in height at its peak and the floor was appro/imately ;? feet in diameter.
$he room had a kitchenette set off from the rest of the ca!e by a free standing counter"
compact refrigerator" table and two chairs but no sto!e. %lsewhere in the room there was
a bed" standup wardrobe closet" and computer comple/. An arched passageway led to the
bathroom and shower but it was the metal door at the far end of the room that caught my
attention.
Curious as to what lay beyond the door" I crossed the room and pulled on the
recessed handle that was built into the doors frame. It slid open to re!eal a ca!ern
similar in si1e and shape to the one I was in. $he ca!e was empty e/cept for a body
harness and headpiece that appeared to be suspended in midair at the center of the room.
$hey were in fact" held up by thin black poles rising up from the floor and wires" barely
!isible" hanging from the ceiling. $he rooms surface was coated with the same
translucent material Id obser!ed in the ca!erns abo!e.
I stared at the harness trying to figure its purpose. 0nsure as to its function and
ner!ous that the approaching robot was going to try and strong6arm me into the de!ice" I
back stepped out of the room and mo!ed o!er to the computer. It had a standard
American keyboard with the normal set of numbers and letters on it" a large !ideo screen
and )oystick bolted to the desk.
(oes it work.# I asked =obot whod followed me to the desk. I was curious as to
why the aliens should put a computer in my cell.
It works and can con!erse in all ma)or %arth languages"# said =obot. Its linked
to an encyclopedia of knowledge.#
Interesting"# I said. $hen switching to more practical matters. +hen do I get to
see these *asters of yours.# I asked.
$hey will contact you when the time is right"# answered the machine.
+hat is it that they want from me.# I asked.
I am not authori1ed to answer that &uestion"# said =obot with its usual air of
indifference. $hey will contact you when they are ready.#
Am I to wait in here until then.# I asked.
'es"# answered =obot. If you need anything" order it through the computer. Itll
be deli!ered.#
Am I allowed pri!acy.#
*y charge station is by the door"# answered the machine. I can shut down if you
wish.#
<lease do"# I said" longing to rid myself of the prying machine if e!en for a while.
=obot walked into a wall incline located ne/t to the tunnel door. 4tanding erect" it
plugged itself into a socket built into the rock and a switch appeared to turn off in its
brain. Its eyes lost their look of male!olence as it fro1e up like a bron1e statue.
+ith the machine out of commission" I scoured the room looking for a way out.
$he air !ents were too small to crawl through and the only e/it was the door through
which wed come. I tried to force it open but it wouldnt budge.
-ow Id get out of the room was one problem. +here Id go was another. $he
situation seemed hopeless. (epressed" I lay down on the twin si1ed hard mattress bed to
think. I reflected on the aliens strange beha!ior toward me. $he abduction" computer
and robot programmed to re!eal select information added up to e/perimentation or
indoctrination. +ut hy? I wondered. What could aliens ith superior technology ant
from a loly human ho !ust happened to pass them by in the oods above *an
+ernardino? Were they on a mission and decided at the last minute to pick up a Guinea
pig for experiment? Were they recruiting spy material? ,ould they have been after me
in particular?
I was difficult to think the aliens could!e been after me. I was passing them by
after a long day of motorcycle riding. -ow could they know Id come along that road.
+ere they monitoring me from space. +as I so important that theyd swoop down at )ust
the right moment to grab me. I didnt ha!e access to state secrets or possess power. I
was nobody in the grand scheme of things.
I scanned the e!ents of my life wondering whether Id done something to warrant
galactic attention. Born in *inot" 3orth (akota" my parents mo!ed to Bellflower when I
was ele!en. I went to public school like other kids and although a good student Id ne!er
worked hard enough to gain scholastic attention. I went on to college" graduated with a
degree in philosophy and married a Chinese girl. +e built up a small import company
and Id been content with my *iddle Class e/istence right up until the abduction.
*y life had been an unremarkable e!ent and I was at a loss to know what my
abductors could want with me. I considered the other possibility. It seemed more likely
the aliens were returning from a mission and being in the area decided to pick up a lab rat
before heading home. If that was the case" I figured they had me under sur!eillance.
I searched the room looking for hidden electronic de!ices. I checked the furniture"
air !ents" bathroom fi/tures" appliances" kitchen cabinets and computer apparatus. I
found nothing. $hen I made my way past =obot and knew.
%he camera is in -obot, I thought. %he Masters have been monitoring me since it
entered my room onboard ship.
Finally" things were beginning to make sense. I wondered" then" what stimuli the
aliens wanted their lab rat to react to and my thoughts turned to the computer. It was
beyond reason to think that the aliens had put an imitation %arth computer in their
prisoners cell for his con!enience. $hey wanted me to use the machine as part of an
e/periment. I turned it on and a menu popped up on the screen. It featured the
encyclopedia of knowledge mentioned by =obot. I began scanning the data.
I had worked only a few hours before chancing upon a schematic of <rime Base. I
relished the disco!ery but wondered how the aliens could be so careless to let me see
such information. It showed the ca!erns" ele!ators and tunnels of the entire base
including those that led to the airfield. Fearing theyd delete the information from under
my nose" I force6fed it to memory and didnt stop until confident that I could find my way
to the field from anywhere in the base.
%ncouraged by my find" I wondered again why the aliens would let me see it. It
didnt take long to reali1e the truth. I was all alone in a secured prison cell inside one of
the fro1en moons of 2upiter. I was millions of miles from home and friendless. +hat did
they care what I knew of their base. +here was I going to go. 7!erwhelmed by the
futility of my situation" I flopped down on the bed in depression and slept for better than
twenty hours according to the %arth clock mounted on the kitchen wall.
I!e been waiting for you to regain consciousness"# =obot said" when I finally
woke. It was standing ne/t to my bed staring down at me" as was its annoying habit.
Its time for you to eat"# it announced.
+hat do you ha!e.# I asked" sluggish from the long sleep.
+e ha!e nutriment bars that humans are said to en)oy"# answered the machine.
4aid to en)oy.# I said" sitting up in bed. Are there other people in this moon.#
I cant discuss that topic"# said =obot" sharply.
+hy bring it up then.# I said" irritated by the creatures demeanor.
I didnt say there are other humans on <rime Base"# the machine said coldly.
But humans ha!e been here" ha!ent they.# I pushed. -ow else could you know
what they en)oy.#
$he information was downloaded into my memory. I dont know the source of
the data.#
I was reasonable sure =obot was lying" but it didnt matter. It didnt figure that
information would be loaded into its memory unless it was true and I was sure the aliens
hadnt conducted taste tests on %arth to find out how we like their bars.
Ill try the bars"# I said" finally. I dont suppose you ha!e any wine to go with
it.#
*any wines are manufactured on <rime Base"# said =obot. A few %arth
!arieties are produced as well. 'ou can order through the computer and a ser!ice robot
will deli!er what you want.#
-ows that possible.# I said in disbelief. Are there grape fields on 8anymede.#
Agricultural robots grow many kinds of food products"# said =obot. <rime Base
is a self6sufficient colony.#
+here are the fields.# I asked9 ama1ed by what I was hearing. 0nder a surface
dome.#
$hey are located in ca!erns throughout <rime Base"# answered the machine.
Crops re&uire sunlight"# I pointed out. $heres none of that here.#
$he radiation re&uired by plant life is produced artificially with lamps"# said
=obot. It is less intense than the light that strikes your planet but sufficient for growing
purposes. It is in the database if you would like to see it. 'ou can order wine and !iew
the field !ideos while you are waiting.#
4how me how"# I said" an/ious to learn all I could about <rime Base.
=obot walked to the computer" turned it on and the screen lit up. I followed the
machine to the table and sat down in the chair" forcing =obot to stand beside me. It
stretched out its long arms to instruct me how to place orders. I put in for a !ariety of
!itamin rich protein bars and a few bottles of wine. I heard someone knocking at the
door about twenty minutes later.
=obot responded to the re&uest for entry by emitting the shrieking sound it had
made when we first entered my cell. $he door slid open and a diminuti!e metal robot
walked into the room pushing a ser!ice cart before it. $he cart was filled with plastic
wine bottles and bars co!ered with brown edible wrappers. $he dark red wines caught
my eye.
8ood day" 4ir"# the waiter said in a meek !oice. +here should I put your order.#
7n the table"# I said in a congenial tone. Can you )oin us.#
$hat is not allowed"# said the robot. I am only one of two robots that ser!ice
tunnel ;?. +e need to maintain a high le!el of efficiency to keep our rating.#
+hat happens if you lose your rating.# I asked" curious as to how the aliens
managed their robots and trying to make con!ersation.
+e go through diagnostics"# it answered. Flaws are detected and repaired. +e
are recycled if the problem cannot be fi/ed.#
$hen by all means go back to your duties"# I said. I wouldnt want your brain to
end up on a storage shelf because of me. I suppose a lot of *asters are waiting for their
orders.#
$here are no *asters in tunnel ;?"# said the machine.
I )umped to my feet and approached the automaton. $hen who do you ser!ice.# I
asked.
$hat information is classified"# interrupted =obot" looking !isibly disturbed for
one of the first times since Id met it. It turned to face the inferior robot as if angry.
=eturn to your duties"# it commanded.
=obot escorted the machine back to the door scolding it in the alien language as it
went. $oo late. =obots reaction told me what I wanted to know. $he tunnel was
prisoners row and I figured there were other inmates about.
I turned my attention to the cart. I sampled the bars and found them to be
satisfying. $hey were composed of high &uality protein" comple/ carbohydrates and
loaded with !itamins. $hey were laced with a feel good drug as well as were the
delicious wines. I consumed the better half of a bottle and returned to my bed for another
restful sleep.
I spent the ne/t days browsing through the database trying to figure out what my
abductors wished me to see. $ired of guessing" I asked =obot to suggest a topic. $he
*asters history in the solar system should be of interest"# it said.
+hats interesting about it.# I asked. Is there something I should know.#
$he *asters ha!e assisted your species since coming to this solar system"# said
=obot as if proud of its creators. $hey helped ad!ance your people from nomadic
wanderers to settled !illagers. $hey e!en contributed genetic material to select
indi!iduals to try and increase their intellectual and leadership capacities.#
$hey infused their genes into humans.# I said in disbelief.
Its the responsibility of a superior race to help ad!ance a primiti!e species"#
answered =obot. $hats one of the principles of the 7ld 7nes.#
It means I may ha!e alien blood coursing through my !eins" too"# I said" shocked
and appalled by what I was hearing. $he *aster who abducted me might !ery well be
my great" great grand alien.#
Inter!ention was minimal"# said =obot informati!ely. It only in!ol!ed
indi!iduals who had a chance to wield power.#
Lets see if I!e got this right"# I said" sarcastically. $he *asters disliked the
primiti!e humans" but felt obligated to make an effort in their behalf because of these 7ld
7nes. 3ot wanting to deal with the sa!ages in person" they enhanced a few %arthlings to
do their bidding.#
It was strategic"# said =obot" confirming my hypothesis. Leaders are in a
position to ad!ance their people. *y *asters can only be e/pected to do so much.#
-ow does this in!ol!e me.# I asked. $he *asters deal with leaders. Im
nobody.#
Im not allowed to discuss that topic"# said =obot with its usual irritating air of
indifference.
$ell me what they!e done for us then"# I asked" determined to learn all I could.
Its in the data base"# said =obot. 'ou can !iew history as it happened. $he
*asters pro!ide this information for your benefit.#
$hey took pictures.# I asked" my curiosity rising to a fe!ered pitch.
$he data is real"# said the machine. $he *asters show history as it occurred.
'ou should use the ca!ern simulator. Its a more ad!anced e/perience.#
$he other ca!e is a simulator.# I said" relie!ed to think that was its purpose.
=obot sounded pu11led. +hat else would it be.# it asked.
It didnt appear from =obots reaction that it was lying. I approached the door Id
a!oided and entered the space within as =obot followed behind. 3er!ous at ha!ing
=obot at my heels" I insisted that it walk before me to the rooms center where I inspected
the harness. It appeared to be harmless so after some hesitation I stepped inside.
I!e described the de!ice as a harness" but perhaps its better to refer to it as a
fle/ible body mold designed to perform a multitude of tasks. Controlled by computer" it
could support my weight in a !ariety of positions as I interacted with the images created
inside the room and on the walls of the ca!ern. $he attached electronic headwear had
built6in speakers and a !iewer that e/tended about four inches in front of my eyes. $he
de!ice created >( images that interacted with those generated in the ca!e to create a
!irtual e/perience in time and space.
=obot strapped me to the de!ice and handed me a controller that responded to the
mo!ement of my hand. $he automaton e/plained how to use the e&uipment and left the
room shutting the door behind it. $he room turned black and I sat alone in the dark. A
!irtual white stone tablet with black letters on its surface appeared in front of me se!eral
moments later. $he illuminated ob)ect appeared to float in space.
$he )oystick directed a cursor in the !irtual world. I e/perimented with the de!ice"
mo!ed the pointer to the historical files and clicked a button on the stick. A three
dimensional !irtual woman materiali1ed in front of me. 4he had a long slender body"
wore a silky dress cut abo!e the knees and her hair was wa!y blonde. 4he mo!ed like a
real person and studied me with beautiful deep blue eyes.
-ello"# I said" pleased to see the lo!ely image before me.
-ello" back"# she said with a soft" se/y !oice. Its nice to meet you" -ans
Larson. I!e heard so much of you.#
$he demeanor of the image put me at ease. +hat ha!e you heard.# I asked"
amiably.
$he *asters say youre a special person"# she said. $hey!e asked me to be your
guide through history. Are you ready to begin.#
I wondered if an alien female was talking to me from somewhere on the base.
Are you a real person.# I asked. +hats your name.#
*y name is Linda when Im with you"# she said" but Im not a person in the
ordinary sense of the word. Im a high le!el program with feelings.#
-ow can a program ha!e feelings.# I scoffed.
Linda acted as if my words had stung her. 'ou dont think creations besides
yourself can ha!e emotions"# she said as if brooding.
I!e heard of machines mimicking emotion"# I said not knowing what to think.
Is that what youre doing.#
'ou hurt me" -ans"# said Linda with an in)ured tone. *ay I call you -ans. I
would like for us to become close. And yes I ha!e feelings. Im a sentient creation
designed to care for my clients.#
%/plain how a computer program can ha!e feelings"# I insisted" unable to accept
what Linda was saying.
$here are two !ariables to the neural sensations that pass through the ape/ of the
ner!ous system or self as its called in your language"# Linda said" switching to a
computer like monotone !oice. $he binary firings that make up ideas and images and
the energy fluctuations that accompany each unit of thought. 'our emotions and mine are
created by the fluctuations. 4harp surges disrupt the normal firing process and force our
systems to deal with them according to how were hardwired to respond. +e call the
surges pain. =hythmic energy feeds back into the circuitry to reinforce the input that
caused it. +e call the e/perience pleasure and seek to ha!e it continued because of its
feedback energy. +hat differentiates your emotions from mine is the nature of our
hardware and the manner in which were designed to handle the surges.#
I followed what Linda said to a point" but didnt comprehend her words at any deep
le!el. %!en if what you say is true"# I said" skeptically" theres a ma)or difference
between us. Im an ethical being. 'oure not.#
$hats not true"# said Linda" sounding wounded again. *y circuitry has ethical
principles built into its circuitry the same as yours. I ha!e a program that analy1es the
moral implications of my thoughts and attaches to them an electrical flow based on their
good6bad content as determined by my creators !alues. Im happy when I act in a
manner that creates pleasure in another and sad when I cause pain. *y feelings may be
primiti!e compared to yours" but theyre real nonetheless. All robots on <rime Base
e/perience pain and pleasure to some degree depending on how ad!anced their circuitry
is. I ask that you respect that.#
I didnt know what to make of Lindas e/planation" but she sounded sincere. I
decided to take her at her word and treat her as if she was a sentient creature )ust in case.
(eep down" I probably felt sorry for her. I couldnt imagine what itd be like to e/ist
within the circuitry of a computer. 4he had no body with which to feel" but was sub)ected
to pain and pleasure energy fluctuations that forced her to act in what the aliens
determined was an ethical manner. It seemed wrong at a fundamental le!el" but I had too
many problems of my own to worry about it. It was up to a responsible 8od to help the
poor creature if she was in hell and not someone up to his eyeballs in trouble.
Chapter F
Linda narrated the mother ships !irgin )ourney through the solar system as it
occurred almost ;1"@@@ years ago. I saw e!ents from multiple !iewpoints as cameras had
been mounted about the mammoth !essel Id seen on the landing field. It was like
watching an ancient documentary of the solar system in a >( mo!ie theater with screens
all around and surround sound.
It was procedure for an ad!ance robot ship to e/plore a solar system for life forms
before setting up a base"# said Linda informati!ely.
It was a robotic ship.# I asked" intrigued by the prospect. 3o *asters onboard.#
Ad!ance e/ploration and coloni1ing !essels are always robotic"# said Linda. Its
dangerous and unnecessary that a *aster should )ourney with a pilot ship.#
I watched from the perspecti!e of the giant ship as it entered the system. It flew by
3eptune" 0ranus and 4aturn on its way to 2upiter. $he long )ourney was edited to speed
things along. $he ship spent more than a year circling 2upiter and its moons before
proceeding to *ars. It orbited the red planet for a few weeks and then headed for %arth.
Linda said it was alien protocol to scrutini1e a li!ing planet and so the ship orbited %arth
se!eral months to gather e/tensi!e data.
Look closely and you can see your ancestors mo!ing about on the planet surface"#
said Linda focusing on a group of early *an males. $hey were chasing prey like a pack
of wild dogs. $he location was somewhere in 4outhern China.
4top the picture"# I said" fascinated by what I was seeing.
Linda fro1e the images and 1oomed in on one of the hunters. -ed dropped back
from the group to stare up at the hea!ens. %nlarge and focus on that one"# I said"
pointing. 4he did what I asked and I saw his face as if I were looking down from a two6
story building.
Is this a real picture.# I asked.
$hese are actual !ideos taken from the ship"# confirmed Linda. 'oure seeing
history as it happened.#
$he early human looked Chinese despite his scraggly appearance. -e was holding
a wooden spear and looking up at me as if he could sense my presence.
I wish I could show this to my wife"# I said. $he Chinese re!ere their elders. I
wonder if seeing them this far back would change her opinion of that.#
'oure married.# Linda said" sounding surprised. 4hes Chinese.#
$he tone in Lindas !oice was strained. I thought it my imagination but she
sounded )ealous.
*y wife is a beautiful Chinese lady"# I said" determined to straighten her out )ust in
case.
Linda turned and unfro1e the picture as if she hadnt heard me. $he early
Chinaman searched the hea!ens for nearly a minute thereafter. Finally" he shook his head
as if to shake off a spell and sprinted to catch up with his comrades.
I felt like I was bothering the little man so I asked Linda to mo!e on. 4he complied
in silence. +e picked up speed and 1ig1agged o!er China where I saw numerous !illages
scattered across the land. $hey lay along ri!ers and lakes mostly" but were all small and
primiti!e which was a surprise to me considering how populated the country has been
since anti&uity.
(isappointed that I hadnt encountered a settlement of note" I asked Linda to take
me to the *iddle %ast. Ci!ili1ation supposedly started along the $igris and %uphrates
ri!ers and I wanted to see what it looked like that far back in time.
Linda responded to my re&uests but continued the silent treatment. +e flew west
out of China" rose up o!er the $ibetan plateau and ascended into the -imalayas beyond.
Approaching stupendous snowcapped peaks" I saw *ount %!erest off in the distance.
%/cited by the ma)estic sight" I took control of the flight and maneu!ered my way toward
%arths highest pinnacle.
$he alien computer compiled its images in digital form to create a three6
dimensional profile of the planet from space to ground le!el. $hat made it possible to
!iew the world from almost any !antage point. $he data was obtained from light and
other radiation and hundreds of low altitude stealth probes. $hey floated in air like
miniature 1eppelins to capture images" sound and other intimate data. $he computer put
e!erything together to form a realistic depiction of the planet.
I found the !isit to *ount %!erest e/hilarating. I ho!ered abo!e the peak like an
eagle as an air conditioner blew a blustery bree1e through the ca!e to mimic the cold
winds that had blown o!er the mountain so many years before. I looked out o!er %arth as
it e/isted more than ;@"@@@ years ago and was awed by the ma)estic site.
I stayed on %!erest for about forty minutes en)oying the e/perience until a bli11ard
force wind blew clouds up from below to cut !isibility ne/t to nothing. I felt like the
temperamental peak was asking me to lea!e so I glided off to the southwest in a slow
descent. Linda floated alongside like an angel. +e passed through the clouds and soared
out o!er the mountain range and foothills beyond gaining !elocity as we went. I felt like
a fledgling falcon on its first flight.
It took only minutes to fly o!er the green landscape of 3orthern India. +e passed
into <akistan and crossed its mountainous border with Afghanistan where I imagined
religious insurgents firing scud missiles at me from e!ery peak. I accelerated to get o!er
the mountains and then pulled back on my )oystick to reduce speed and altitude as we
approached the high plains of Iran. It was late in the !irtual day and I wanted to see if
there were any humans about. I dropped close to the ground and spotted a band of
primiti!es gathered around a lonely campfire. $here was snow on the ground and I could
tell by the way the group huddled close to the flames that it was free1ing outside.
I counted twenty women" si/ children and a few older males in the party. I figured
that the alpha males were probably out hunting for an o!erdue supper as the group looked
to be as hungry as %thiopian nomads after a long drought. $hey were dressed in hea!y
furs and their faces were thin and gaunt. A few mangy dogs darted in and out of the
group playing like pups. $he canines acted as if they were obli!ious to the cold.
It was distressing to see the nomadic party in such bad condition. $he sun was
about to set on their camp and I figured they were in for a rough night up on the high
country by the look of things. 7ne withered female looked to be gra!ely ill. 4he sat on a
small boulder swaying back and forth while two girls" ten or ele!en years of age by my
reckoning" kept her from falling o!er. 4he could!e passed for se!enty" but I doubt she
was forty.
I didnt like how e!ents were shaping up for the beleaguered woman. <redators
would rip her apart in a feeding fren1y if the tribe abandoned her. $here wasnt much
meat left on her frail and withered body" but I knew that the opportunistic creatures would
chew her limbs and feast on her organs anyway. -er only hope was for a male to carry
her along through rough terrain but that seemed unlikely unless he be a de!oted son. A
more likely scenario was that one of the warriors would stay behind to defend the woman
until she died. <robably" hed ha!e to club her to death if she lingered too long. A hard
solution all around but preferable to being eaten ali!e. I found myself hoping shed die
amongst her lo!ed ones before the party was forced to mo!e on. 4eeing the
ancient Iranian tribe reminded me of the price our ancestors had to pay so we might
become the e/alted creatures of today. $he e!olution of our species from rodent to ruler
came at a terrible cost. (isease" despair and early death was the lot of early man and the
scenario would be repeated for thousands of years to come. -e was condemned to
wander the land like a prowling sa!age because his harsh en!ironment and primiti!e
nature pre!ented him from li!ing in a ci!ili1ed manner. -is lack of mental and cultural
de!elopment wouldnt limit his suffering" though. 3o doubt he felt pain like we humans
of today. Nature is a merciless overlord, I thought" hen left to its on devices.
$housands of years would pass before ci!ili1ation would take hold in wholesale
fashion according to what I knew of history. +ar would greet it when it did. *ayhem
and destruction would raise its ugly head and spread across the planet like a plague.
Instead of dying young from disease" despair" and barbarism" our simpleton ancestors
could look forward to dying young from disease" despair" barbarism and butchery.
4eeing the hardships of the Iranian group was unsettling. (eciding Id seen
enough" Linda and I floated up to about ;@@@ feet abo!e the plains below and shot toward
Ira& like two ballistic missiles. $he seeds of culture and ci!ili1ation supposedly began
along the $igris %uphrates ri!er !alley and I was an/ious to see firsthand what it looked
like.
+e crossed the $igris =i!er about a hundred miles upstream from the <ersian 8ulf
and headed for the %uphrates. $he ri!ers had recently o!erflowed to flood much of the
!alley in between. *ounds of high ground were scattered here and there like small
islands on a great lake. $hey ser!ed as sanctuaries for animals who might otherwise ha!e
drown in the flood waters.
I was almost to the %uphrates when I spotted a stressed water buffalo on one of the
islands. It was trotting an/iously back and forth across the watery oasis as hunters closed
in on it from the flood waters. $he first of the group pulled himself up out of the water
and with spear in hand charged his prey like an 7lympian about to launch his )a!elin in a
meet. 3ostrils flared" the fren1ied beast ran to the far end of the island and do!e into the
water as the human let go his spear. $he wooden weapon bounded off the creatures thick
hide with only a small puncture wound and trickle of blood to mark the entry point. I
cheered as the frightened creature made its way to a nearby island. Itd earned its
reprie!e but I figured it would end up bacon anyway as reprie!es are only temporary in
the wilds.
+ith the barbarian !ersus the beast contest o!er for the moment" I continued on
o!er to the %uphrates. I followed it upstream away from the flood waters" but saw only a
few small !illages along the ri!er. $hey were larger than the ones Id seen in China but
widely scattered. +ith the country being desert like and sparsely populated" I couldnt
imagine how it was destined to become the cradle of ci!ili1ation. Finally" I spotted a
large community about fifty miles further upri!er. I headed towards it with anticipation
thinking Id found the birthplace of ci!ili1ation. I swooped in on the !illage half
e/pecting to see the $ower of Babylon at its center. It was ad!anced compared to the
!illages Id seen down6ri!er" but still primiti!e. It was also under attack. A horde of
in!aders were whirling stones and spears at the defenders across a chest high barrier
made of thorny bushes" tree branches and pointed stakes. 4e!eral of the !illagers were
nailed by the flying missiles as I watched. $he artillery assault was more de!astating
than the number of fractured skulls it inflicted on the defenders" howe!er. It kept the
!illagers pinned down" allowing the insurgents to try and break through the barricade.
4eeing that they were about to be o!errun" a group of the resistors flew forward to
plug the breach. It was a worthy effort and courageous" but short li!ed. $he barbarians
speared the leader in the eye and the poor chap spun around in a circle screaming as
blood gushed out of his skull like a red geyser. $he hapless hero collapsed in a heap of
dead flesh moments later. Frightened by the heros hideous cry and tragic end" his fellow
defenders took flight.
$he aggressors yelled like my blood thirsty Aiking ancestors as they tripped o!er
themsel!es to get in on the carnage. $he defenders ran to the ri!er bank where they made
a last ditch attempt to form a line. It broke before it could form and the !an&uished
dropped their weapons and ran into the ri!er with the stone6age horde at their heels.
%!eryone was killed or drown sa!e one scrappy fellow who managed to water slap his
way to the other side of the ri!er. %/hausted" he crawled up the bank and rolled o!er the
hill like a beaten dog. -e disappeared into a nearby thicket a few minutes later.
$he in!aders cheered their !ictory like cruel Corte1 and his Con&uistadors
celebrating the sub)ugation of the A1tecs and strangulation of *onte1uma. $hey
completed the massacre by clubbing to death or spearing the wounded who begged
pitifully for their li!es. 7n a roll" the barbarians rounded up the women and children
from the huts in which theyd been hiding. $hey beat and raped many of the women and
killed most of the crying children seemingly for spite. It was a sight no ci!ili1ed person
should ha!e to see.
*y Aiking blood boiled as I watched the slaughter. I yearned to grab a !irtual club
and )oin in on the ruckus. $here would!e been an accounting" too. I was a foot taller
than the murderous heathens and twice as strong. Id ha!e slaughtered a half do1en of
them outright and cracked se!eral more skulls before being run through by the sa!ages.
All considered it was probably better that I wasnt really there along the banks of
the %uphrates some ;@"@@@ plus years ago or Id ha!e come to a tragic" albeit heroic" end.
And e!en if I could!e sent the entire horde to its *aker" which would!e been satisfying
beyond words" there was e!ery chance that one of them would!e turned out to be an
ancient ancestor. Id ha!e dri!en a spear through the usurpers throat one second and felt
a tingly non6e/istent feeling the ne/t. *y family line would!e been erased from history
and Id ha!e disappeared out of e/istence like a puff of smoke.
I mo!ed up and away from the !illage to put distance between myself and the
unholy affair. I looked back after a few miles and all was abla1e. $he accursed
barbarians werent content to )ust pillage and plunder. $hey had to make sure no one
could pick up the pieces and start o!er again. $hey were destroyers of ci!ili1ation and I
found myself wishing theyd all be struck dead by a bolt of lightning but" again" that
probably wouldnt ha!e worked out well for any of us.
Linda studied my reactions during the massacre. $hat was the plight of your
people"# she said as the fires faded from !iew on our westerly flight" when the *asters
first encountered them. 3ow you understand why inter!ention was called for.#
(ont blame the !ictims"# I scolded. It was the in!aders who were at fault. $he
!illagers were )ust trying to build a decent life for themsel!es.#
$he !illagers werent as innocent as you think"# countered Linda. +here do you
think the attackers came from.#
Lindas &uestion made me think. %/cept for the !illage and its e/tended
community" the ri!er and surrounding desert was unoccupied. From the !illage.# I
asked.
Linda nodded. $he success of the !illage led to o!erpopulation. 'oung people
were forced out onto undesirable stretches of the ri!er. $he situation grew critical as their
numbers climbed. It was only a matter of time before they began preying on the !illage.
$hat led to !iolence and you saw the result.#
$hats what the down ri!er huts were about.# I asked.
$he situation was the same upri!er"# Linda said. It took years for the crisis to
reach a critical state" but only a day for the central community to be destroyed.#
Is that why the culture in China was so low.# I asked. $hey destroyed their own
cities.#
$he rich en!ironment in China created too large a population for ad!anced
communities to de!elop. =o!ing bands of predators brought them down. 7nly !illages
that e/isted in isolation had a chance to grow. $hats the reason the community along the
%uphrates was able to de!elop in the first place. It grew along an isolated stretch of the
ri!er. $he situation was the same along the 3ile Aalley of %gypt.#
*y e/citing )ourney into pre6history had led to a rude awakening. *an could!e
ended the age of barbarism thousands of years earlier was it not for his own predatory
nature.
*an is his own worst enemy"# said Linda" seeming to read my mind. 4he was
telling me what the aliens wished me to see as well. 7!erpopulation and *ankinds
!iolent" predatory nature has held your people back throughout its history. 'our species
must learn how to control its nature and become ci!ili1ed before it can be welcomed into
the galactic community.#
$he *asters are afraid well threaten the gala/y.# I asked.
'our species cant be allowed to obtain power Gether technologyH until it achie!es
an ad!anced le!el of ci!ili1ation"# Linda said" harshly.
I agree that the human race has problems"# I said" but we ha!e the right to
de!elop without interference like e!ery other world that has e/isted.#
'our argument might ha!e merit if there werent others in!ol!ed"# said Linda.
%arth would become a threat not only to itself but to my *asters and their mission. It
would only be a matter of time before your world attacked <rime Base if it were allowed
to obtain ad!anced military technology. *y *asters cannot let that happen. $hey seek
to circum!ent the danger before it can become a threat to the rest of the gala/y.#
Finally" the truth was out. $he aliens professed desire to help our planet was
superficial at best. $heir real interest was to pre!ent the barbaric humans from becoming
a threat to <rime Base and its mission. $hey meant to see %arth de!elop their way or not
at all.
I knew now what the aliens wished me to witness in prehistory. $hey wanted me to
see humans as the barbarians they thought us to be so as to )ustify their interference into
human history. $he &uestion was why did they care what I thought.
Chapter D
Id seen what the aliens wished me to see in prehistory and now it was time to
mo!e on. Can we go o!er the Los Angeles area.# I asked.
$he ship documented the whole planet"# Linda said. +e can go anywhere you
wish.#
Lets do it then"# I said" growing emotional. I want to go home.#
I made my re&uest and within seconds I was yanked back toward the spaceship as
if grabbed by a giant hook from the hea!ens. +e retreated through the clouds like a bolt
of lightning and were surrounded by black space moments later. It was as if I was in one
of the cameras mounted on the belly of the ship as it shot across the planet at high
!elocity. +e flew west out across the *editerranean 4ea" past the =ock of 8ibraltar and
headed out across the Atlantic 7cean.
7ur point of !iew descended back to %arth as we approached the east coast of
America. It was cloudy o!er much of the Atlantic and I didnt make out the Chesapeake
Bay until we were almost o!er it. $he foggy shore of Airginia became !isible a short
time later and I saw the mouth of the 2ames =i!er. +e proceeded upri!er until I spotted
what I thought was the island that the %nglish would stake out as 2amestown e!er so far
in the future. 7nly now there were no settlers or Indians about. $he wilderness was
!irgin territory and would remain so for years to come.
I ho!ered o!er the future colony thinking how it would change the face of America
and the world. I imaged <rincess <ocahontas and her husband 2ohn =olfe strolling the
compound hand in hand. =olfe was telling his beautiful wife how tobacco was going to
change the colony. $he cash crop will make us rich"# I en!isioned him saying" and
sa!e 2amestown.#
I wished I could!e left =olfe a message in a bottle. It would!e said: 3ot only is
tobacco a killer" itll bring sla!ery to Airginia. +hat seems a good business !enture will
curse a blessed land and" as if angered by your decision" Fate will strike down your wife
at a young age. 'ou in turn will be killed by the Indians you seek to befriend but in fact
help to destroy.#
+ith thoughts of historic Airginia in mind" I resumed my )ourney upri!er. I spotted
the 2ames Falls to determine my location and turned west across Airginias wooded
landscape. I passed somewhere near the site of the Appomatto/ courthouse where =obert
%. Lee would surrender the Confederate army to 0lysses 8rant" re!ersing in part the
unholy course started by =olfe.
I continued my flight west toward the Centucky frontier slowing to find and pass
through the Cumberland 8ap where (aniel Boone would lead pioneers into the Centucky
wilderness and crossed o!er into the green hills of $ennessee thinking of my childhood
hero (a!y Crockett and his heroic stand at the Alamo. $hen" with *ark $wain in mind" I
headed toward the *ississippi =i!er. I flew o!er the great waterway somewhere near the
*emphis area thinking of %l!is <resley and his wasteful death and whistled o!er
Arkansas and 7klahoma into 3ew *e/ico.
$he sky was deep blue and crystal clear as I flew o!er the eastern desert of 3ew
*e/ico. I rose up o!er the mountains of Central 3ew *e/ico soon after before dropping
down into the =io 8rande !alley. From there" we passed o!er the wooded mountains of
3orth6Central Ari1ona flying )ust north of where I guessed Flagstaff should be. +e then
glided into the Ari1ona and California desert and headed toward the 4an Bernardino
*ountains.
I stopped high abo!e my home mountain range to try and spot the cliff where Id
seen the spaceship" the boulders between which I hid and land on which my mountain
home would one day be built. It was an impossible task without roads or familiar
landmarks to na!igate by. 8reen Aalley and Arrowbear Lake didnt e/ist because the
dams that hold back their water wouldnt be built until the ;@
th
century. %rosion would
alter the landscape in the ne/t ;@"@@@ years as well. I was looking at a world different
than the one I was familiar with.
I ga!e up on the mountains and headed west out o!er the inland !alleys of 4an
Bernardino County. +e passed into eastern Los Angeles County and turned left )ust past
the +hittier -ills. I found the 4an 8abriel =i!er and followed it south until it bent west
to link up with the Los Angeles =i!er. I backtracked from the bend and searched for
landmarks that could guide me to my home in Bellflower.
<inpointing the site of my property was almost as difficult as finding my mountain
lot. I knew it was about one6fourth mile west of the ri!er and four miles from the bend"
but that wasnt e/act enough for my needs. Backtracking the proper distance from the
bend was difficult as well. $he task was especially difficult because engineers ha!e
changed the course of the ri!er. It no longer flows west to the Los Angeles =i!er" but
south toward the sandy shores of 4eal Beach.
Id all but gi!en up on my &uest when I got an idea. I figured the aliens had kept
an eye on %arth in recent years. I spoke to Linda about it. (o you ha!e pictures of the
metropolitan area taken in the last fifty years.# I asked.
Let me search the data files"# said Linda.
<lease"# I said emphatically. Its important.#
Ill see what I can do" -ans"# said Linda" sensing the urgency of my appeal.
Linda disappeared from !iew to return a minute later. I!e got what you asked
for"# she said" triumphantly. Im uploading it into the history program now. 'ou may
proceed when ready.#
$hanks" Linda"# I said. I owe you.#
Linda fed the data into the computer and before me lay the LA metro area with its
streets and freeways in a stilled photograph. I spotted where the E@? and I1 freeways
intersect and tracked west and north into Bellflower. I located my street and followed it
to my lot. Linda laid the map o!er the program and I saw the dried brush and hardened
soil of my front yard. I was home. 4eeing my property as it e/isted in the distant
past was like a spiritual e/perience. %motions fed on themsel!es and I grew obsessed. I
measured back from the street to determine where my house would be built and had
Linda mark it with ghost lines. I figured the location of Lees garden and imagined her
working the soil as she did for hours on end. +orking my way to the back yard" I found
and marked the location of my fruit trees. I estimated where the -ass a!ocado would
stand and imagined its branches filled with plump green fruit as was the case e!ery fall.
$he nearby <ersimmon was laden with delicious crispy orange fruit and beyond it stood
the 4anta =osa plum and tangerine trees. $hey were in my mind as real as real as could
be.
I floated o!er the yard en!isioning how it was supposed to look while remembering
the hours Id spent caring for it. It must!e been late summer in the distant past as the
ground was dry and cracked. It was disturbing to see it in such bad shape which caused
me to lose focus. 3o longer able to see past the parched ground" I floated back to the site
of the house and stopped outside the imagined back door recalling how it looked from
that position.
Casa de Larson as I called it" wouldnt be built until 1I>>. *y father bought it a
lifetime later and remodeled it into a comfortable two6story house. I spent my youth
within the warmth and safety of its sturdy walls and bought it when my parents retired to
more modest accommodations. It was a beautiful old home with wonderful memories
and Id been blessed to own it as an adult.
=eturning my thoughts to the present" I determined the location of my back door
and passed into the imagined kitchen floating past the refrigerator" sto!e and sink to the
kitchenette within. I en!isioned Lee sitting at the table sipping a cup of herbal tea as she
read her Chinese newspaper with its chicken track markings as was her morning routine.
I imagined myself sitting across the table sipping a cup of hot tea as I read the LA $imes.
$he kitchen scene was too stagnant for my mind to hold on to so I mo!ed into the
li!ing room where I imagined myself laid out in front of the fireplace reading a current
issue of the 3ational 8eographic. I en!isioned a glowing fire which reminded me of how
good life had been in my little corner of the *iddle America. Not even the kings of
yesteryear had it so good, I thought. *iddle Americans ha!e en)oyed a &uality of life
seldom e/perienced in the history of man and Id been pri!ileged to be a part of it. 3ow
that life was gone. =eality e/ploded the !ision and I found myself staring down at the
cracked soil again.
(esperate to keep the dream ali!e" I turned my thoughts to Lee. I imagined her
upstairs in bed so I floated up the phantom stairway to the landing abo!e" turned left and
passed through the open door into the master bedroom. Lee was in bed at night as I
willed her to be" but not in the way I intended. Instead of sleeping peacefully between
linens" she was in her pink nightgown stretched face down on the bed sobbing.
*y subconscious mind was imposing itself on my fantasy in ways I couldnt
control. Instead of remembering things as theyd been" I was seeing them as they
probably were. Lees tears werent only for her husband but the children shed ne!er
know. I knew shed ne!er remarry unless a body was found and there was no way I
could gi!e her lea!e to do so. I wanted to tell her e!erything would be all right" but my
imagination couldnt be stretched that far.
Im sorry I couldnt say goodbye"# I said to my imagined wife. Calamity is like
that. It strikes when you least e/pect it and then its too late to do anything about it. Ill
get back if at all possible"# I pledged" but it doesnt look good. I pray you find peace"
4weetheart.#
4aying goodbye to Lee ruined the illusion of home. I found myself looking down
at the empty ground from the height of the upstairs master bedroom. Lee was millions of
miles away as was my parents" relati!es and friends. $here was no garden or fruit trees
and our house wouldnt be built for twenty thousand plus years. It was time to return to
what had become my nightmare life.
I hated the aliens for what theyd done to me and my family. 8et me out of here"
Linda"# I said despondently. Linda complied without comment and a moment later I was
being yanked back to the ship as before. I watched as my property faded into the
landscape below. +e were in space seconds later as the ancient ship prepared to lea!e
orbit. I shut my eyes as we departed and kept them closed until %arth was reduced to the
si1e of a star on the !irtual hori1on.
+ere on a course to Aenus if you care to look"# Linda said sometime later.
I opened my eyes but refused to look back at the light that held e!erything in the
uni!erse that mattered to me. I directed my thoughts to what lay ahead. Can we fly past
it without going into orbit.# I asked. I want to finish the flight as soon as possible.#
Linda made ad)ustments in the data flow and we appeared to streak past %arths
sister planet toward *ercury. I appreciated Lindas e/pediency but grew ner!ous as we
drew near the raging inferno that is our sun. 8et us out of here before we burst into
flames"# I said" starting to panic. Airtual or not" the sight of the sun that close up scared
the hell out of me.
$he suns glare was blinding and the ca!ern became unbearably hot. I looked away
from the ball of gas as the ship whipped around *ercury to sling6shot back into the black
recesses of space. +e set a course for 2upiter and )umped to !irtual warp speed. +e shot
past *ars and blew through the asteroid belt. *ighty 2upiter loomed large on the
hori1on.
$he ship blasted toward the gaseous giant as if it were going to slam into it. I held
my breath not knowing what to e/pect. Finally" we dropped out of !irtual warp !elocity
and altered our course toward 8anymede as wed done in real life. +e approached the
moon and descended into its gra!itational field. $he ship passed the crater wed entered
on my trip to <rime Base and we continued on until reaching a split in the moons surface
some miles away. +e maneu!ered into the opening and 1ig1agged down the irregular
space. It e!entually widened and I recogni1ed the airfield site. 7nly now it was sheer6
wall. +e passed the site and descended into the abyss.
+heres the ship going.# I said" frightened of the pit.
$he crew was deciding upon the optimal site for the field"# Linda said. 'oure
witnessing e!ents as they occurred.#
$he !essel lowered itself deep into the gorge as its lamps lit the way. 8radually the
space narrowed and the ship stopped. A beam of light illuminated the cre!ice below" but
still no bottom could be seen. It seemed as if we were suspended between purgatory and
hell. I was relie!ed when the !essel ele!ated to the airfield site and stopped.
$he ship ho!ered in place for days while robotic engineers drew up plans for the
field. Linda fast forwarded the !ideo to sa!e time. $he robots etched out the half6dome
field with laser guns. $he blasted rock fell away into the pit below. $he ship set down on
the eagles perch when the work was done and hundreds of robots disembarked from the
ship. $hey walked down ramps onto the field and assembled into crews. -ea!y
e&uipment followed. It was rolled out onto a staging area like $inker $oys and the
automatons went to work. $hey bored out the colony like mechanical badgers using arch
technology to reinforce ca!erns and tunnels as they went.
$he robots first ob)ecti!e was to e/ca!ate power plant ca!erns at the lower depths
of the base. $hey drilled holes deep into the planetoid to !ent up thermal energy from the
moons interior. 8enerators were installed to con!ert the heat into electricity and they
used the energy to complete the base. $hey proceeded to e/ca!ate more ca!erns" tunnels
and air locks while sealing entrances. *eanwhile o/ygen" nitrogen and other gases were
e/tracted from rock and pumped into the ca!erns. Fans circulated the artificial
atmosphere through an e/tensi!e duct system.
8enetically engineered bacteria and rudimentary plant life were introduced into
<rime Bases eco6system during !arious stages of its de!elopment. It interacted with the
air and rock to create soil. $he process was ad!anced in incremental steps and after a few
hundred years animal life brought from %arth was introduced into the colony.
'ears later" a ship arri!ed from deep space and landed at the field. A thousand
aliens or so" !olunteers whod embarked on a holy crusade" stepped out of the transporter.
$hey greeted the robots whod assembled on the field to welcome them to their new
home. Although <rime Base would continue to be de!eloped for thousands of years to
come" itd been made habitable for the Choon in less than se!en hundred years.
$he magnitude of the 8anymede construction pro)ect was hard to fathom. I tried to
estimate the labor hours in!ol!ed but couldnt do it. $hinking in terms of money" I
wondered what the work would cost if itd been done by construction crews from %arth.
I concluded the aliens were rich beyond imagination until Linda reminded me itd all
been done by machine.
$he *asters use machines in place of manual labor"# Linda said. $here are no
workers or owners to pay because the people own the means of production.#
A labor less economy"# I said. Is such a thing possible.#
3ot for certain high le!el intellectual functions"# she said" but for most menial
rote labor yes. $he *asters command a largely automated world. =obots and high6tech
machines do the work of their hands and feet and perform many of their mental chores as
well. $hey control unlimited resources through their machines.#
No onder -obot and )inda call them the Masters, I thought. $o can .arth
resist creatures ith such poer and technology at their command?
Chapter I
*y !irtual )ourney through the solar system left me e/hausted. In need of rest" I
asked Linda to end the program.
But theres still much more to see"# she insisted.
+e!e been at this for a while"# I said. I need a break.#
Come back as soon as you can"# she pushed. $heres more that you need learn.#
I will"# I promised" grateful to her for ha!ing helped me find my home on ancient
%arth. I had begun to see Linda as the dear friend that she pro!ed to be.
Linda disappeared from !iew and I was left alone in the ca!e. $he door opened a
moment later and =obot stood at the entranceway as light from my li!ing &uarters
illuminated the room. 8et me out of this thing"# I said" wearily. It did what I asked and I
headed for the bathroom. I told =obot to shut down when it tried to follow me in. It
retreated to its incline and turned itself off without comment.
$he !irtual trip home was unsettling. 4eeing the massacre along the %uphrates in
particular stuck in my throat. "ts silly to obsess over a bunch of pre/historical victims
hose bodies turned to dust thousands of years ago, I told myself. 4till" I wished I hadnt
seen it. It affected me at a !isceral le!el so I drank the aliens potent wine to treat myself
!iscerally.
<urging myself of negati!e emotions was one thing" figuring out how I was going
to get home was another. Logic said my best chance was to play along with the Choon
and hope theyd make me an agent in whate!er plan they had to control %arth. I resol!ed
to work out an escape plan in case they didnt. I knew that any plan I made would be
desperate at best" but I was determined to go for broke if all else failed.
I tried to keep =obot in shut down mode as I thought" but it kept acti!ating itself
e!ery few hours despite my wish to be alone.
But I ha!e duties to perform"# it complained after a time.
+hat duties are those.# I asked" cynically. *y dislike of the machine was made
worse by the wine. $o spy on me.# It didnt answer.
I ne!er figured out what =obots duties were. It would lea!e the room for short
and long periods. 4ometimes it )ust stood there transmitting messages through a sending
unit in its head. 7ccasionally" it would walk around the room as if it were a warden
conducting an inspection.
=obot crept up on me a few days later after Id consumed considerable wine at the
table. I was slumped o!er face forward on the table fast asleep when it tapped me on the
back. *y mind interpreted the tap as an assault and I )umped across the table in a single
leap tumbling to the floor beyond.
(ont sneak up on me like that"# I cried after reali1ing what had transpired.
Linda wishes to see you"# said =obot as if nothing had happened. 4he says your
future depends on it.#
Lindas message alarmed me. I didnt know what she meant but I interpreted the
message to mean that she was trying to warn me of a danger. I grabbed a few nutrition
bars and rushed back to the simulator. Climbing into the machine" I ordered =obot to
hook me up. It didnt obey.
(o what I tell you"# I demanded after se!eral seconds of inaction on its part. *y
temper was short because of the wine.
$he machine ignored my toothless order and walked out of the room. I grew angry
thinking it was trying to frustrate me" but it returned before I could spew profanities at it.
It was carrying a bundle in its long arms. Linda asks you to wear the suit"# said =obot.
+hat for.# I asked" distrustful of the machines intentions as always. I didnt
need it before.#
Its interacti!e"# =obot said informati!ely. Itll optimi1e your !irtual
e/perience.#
Lindas re&uest made me an/ious" but stimulated my curiosity as well. I took my
clothes off and =obot rubbed a thick gel o!er my body. It is needed for the suits
sensors to work properly"# e/plained the machine. It will enhance your e/perience.#
4ounds interesting"# I said" curious to see what =obot was talking about.
+e finished our work and I slipped into the two6inch thick high6tech )umpsuit.
$hen =obot pulled a power cord from the floor" plugged in into the suit and left the room.
I put the helmet on and Linda popped into !iew. 4he was wearing another silky outfit"
but this one clung tighter to her new" shapelier body. 4hed changed other aspects of her
appearance as well. -er eyes had an oriental slant and her hair had changed from
platinum blond to Asian black. It was done up in braided pigtails like a country girl from
China.
I missed you" -ans"# Linda said in a petite" oriental !oice. I!e been worried.#
About what.# I asked" shocked by the change in her appearance and demeanor.
Im not going anywhere.#
I know how upset you were in our last session"# she said in a soft" caring tone.
I!e been worried.#
Im ok"# I said" appreciati!e of Lindas concern. I )ust needed to get away. +hat
did you want to talk about.#
+ait"# she whispered while putting a finger to her !irtual lips. I want to arrange
some pri!acy.#
Linda disappeared for about a minute before popping back into !irtual reality. Its
fi/ed"# she said upon her return. $he *asters can no longer monitor our con!ersation.#
'ou blocked out the *asters.# I said" skeptically. +hat did you do.#
I handled it"# she said in a reassuring tone. $rust me.#
I doubted it was within Lindas capacity to fool the aliens. I was suspicious about
her sincerity as well. +hy would a minion of the *asters keep them out of our
con!ersation.
$ell me what you!e done"# I insisted.
Linda came close as if to whisper in my ear. I short circuited the *asters
interface and replaced it with a program of my own. $hey think theyre monitoring us"
but in reality its a figment of my imagination. I want our time to be pri!ate.#
+hy would you do that.# I said" uncon!inced by her declaration.
I felt your pain during our session and ha!e had time to think"# she said. $he
*asters were wrong in bringing you here the way they did. It was harsh and insensiti!e.
I care about you" -ans. I want to help.#
$rick or not" Linda had )ust said the right words. 4uddenly she was no longer a
tool of the aliens" but a beautiful and sensiti!e woman. 4he was also the only person in
the uni!erse who knew the in)ustice Id suffered and cared.
'oure taking a risk in my behalf"# I said" my !oice trembling with gratitude.
$he *asters wouldnt like it if they found out youre decei!ing them.#
$hey wont find out so long as we dont tell them"# said Linda. 'ou deser!e
some pri!acy.#
-ow about =obot.# I asked. +ont he disco!er what youre up to.#
=obot cant monitor our acti!ities in here"# said Linda confidently. I promise
you" we are alone.#
+hy did you want me to wear the suit.# I asked curiously.
It allows me to enter your world and feel your emotions"# answered Linda softly.
I can touch you in a real sense.#
*y pulse &uickened. +hat do you mean by touch.# I asked.
Can I show you.# she asked.
I nodded yes and in the blink of an eye a !irtual -ans lay in a recliner in front of
me. Linda stood behind the image massaging its neck and shoulders as the suit massaged
mine. $he touch was warm and soft as if a real woman was behind me doing the work.
$he suit has features that allow us to touch each other across Cyberspace"# said
Linda. Focus your attention on the images and youll soon forget we e/ist in two
separate worlds.#
I was fascinated by the e/perience. Airtual6-ans mimicked my mo!ement. I threw
my arms back trying to feel Lindas hands and Airtual6-ans hit her in the chin.
Be careful"# Linda said" stepping back from make6belie!e -ans. Im a lady.#
4orry"# I apologi1ed. It seemed as if I had actually hurt her. Ill be more careful
ne/t time" I promise.#
I should think so"# Linda said" rubbing her chin. A gentleman needs to treat a
lady with care.#
Lindas effort to sound feminine seemed real and it was cute. It ama1ed me that a
program could be made to sound so life like. I appreciated the realism and it made me
feel as if I really was with a warm" caring woman.
I leaned back in the harness as Linda worked my shoulders and back. It felt great.
Airtual6-ans followed my mo!ements. +hat if I get tired of looking at myself.# I
asked.
2ust click the button on your control unit"# Linda said" pointing.
I did as Linda instructed and in an instant I was at the center of the uni!erse
looking out. Clicking the button a second time brought Airtual6-ans back into the picture
as an image of myself.
Linda continued to massage my back as I played with the controls. -er !irtual
hands were skillful and soft. I would!e fallen asleep out of rela/ation and pleasure if I
wasnt mindful of her presence.
(o your hands get tired.# I asked after thirty minutes of ecstasy. I was feeling
guilty for ha!ing made her work so long.
$heres no tired in Cyberspace"# laughed Linda. I can massage you for as long
as you want. I am designed to deri!e pleasure from satisfying you. $here are other
things I can do as well.#
I wasnt sure what Linda was talking about but I tensed up at her offer nonetheless.
(ont worry"# Linda said" sensing my reaction. I wont do anything that you
dont want me to" I promise.#
Its not that I dont want something"# I said a little embarrassed. Its that Im a
married man.#
I!e accepted that"# said Linda sounding sincere" but keep in mind that Im not a
real woman. I dont see how your marriage !ows should prohibit you from ha!ing an
affair with a !irtual mistress. Am I correct.#
I didnt know how to answer Linda. +as it cheating to ha!e an affair with a !irtual
mistress. (id it make a difference that I had little or no chance of seeing Lee again. It
wasnt prepared to struggle with such an issue at that time so I tabled the matter by
changing the sub)ect.
'ou were talking about my future"# I said e!asi!ely. +hat did you want to say.#
'ou need to know how critical it is that you appreciate the *asters effort to help
*ankind"# Linda said emphatically. I cant stress enough how important this is for your
future.#
$hats it.# I laughed. I had that figured out on my own.#
'ou ha!e to belie!e it"# said Linda. *y masters will know how you really feel"
)ust like I know.#
I dont think I can do that"# I said truthfully. I hate them too much.#
I know"# answered Linda. $hats why I had to warn you.#
I appreciate that"# I said from my heart. 'our concern is most welcome. $ell
me" Linda"# I pushed. (o you know why I was abducted. (o you know what they
want from me.#
I wasnt told"# answered Linda softly. All I know is that it is important that you
see things from the *asters point of !iew. I belie!e thats your only chance to get
home.#
+hat Linda said wasnt news" but I was mo!ed that she was trying to help me.
4uddenly" I no longer cared whether she was a program or not. 4he was a friend in e!ery
way that counted and I was sorely in need of a friend.
Lindas concern touched me and" to my surprise" I found myself ha!ing to fight
back tears. (esperate to find out why Id been abducted" I collected myself so as to
continue with my &uestions. Are the *asters recruiting me as an agent.# I asked. Is
that what they want from me.#
Linda shook her head no. $heyre spending too much time studying you"# she
said" for it to be )ust that. 4omething else is going on. I can sense it.#
4tudying me for what.# I pushed. 'ou must know something. $hink" Linda.#
I cant say"# said Linda apologi1ing" theres nothing about it in the database.
$hey ha!e to be keeping your file in a secured system which tells me youre special. All
I know is that they abducted you for a reason and despite what happened they e/pect you
to appreciate them for their ser!ice to *ankind.#
I saw what they wished me to see in prehistory"# I said" feeling as if I was finally
getting some answers. +hat else do they want me to see.#
All I know"# said Linda" is that they want me to take you on a simulated tour of
%arthlike planets. I ad!ise you to go along with them on this. Im not sure all that they
want you to see but I know its important that you see it. $he sooner we get going the
sooner you are likely to find your answers.#
Chapter 1@
Lindas words made sense to me. I e/pressed my heart felt appreciation for her
ad!ice and asked her to summon =obot back into the room. I needed its help to get me
ready for the !irtual )ourney ahead. $he machine pulled a tube from the floor and
attached it to my chest so I could sip fluids by bending my head forward to push a le!er
with my lips. A second tube attached to the suits disposal system allowed me to rid
myself of them in a manner that I shall not describe.
$he !irtual tour began at the 8anymede airfield. +e picked out a small cruiser
near the abyss and mo!ed up the plank into the ship as if it was really there. It had a
small bridge" cramped li!ing &uarters" tiny storage6compartment and a power room
located strategically at the ships center of gra!ity" no doubt because of the weight of its
hea!y engine. Appro/imately si/6foot in diameter" it looked like a ball of lead held in
midair by metal crossbeams protruding from the ceiling" floor and walls. $he room was
encased in thick metal to protect the ship from radiation.
Its an ether implosion engine"# Linda said as I e/amined the ball. It was the first
time shed mentioned the ether.
As in the ether of space.# I asked.
$he ether is the gaseous medium through which light is transmitted according to
old %arth theory. $he analogy is that of sound mo!ing through air. 4uck the air out of a
container and there is no sound. 4uck the ether out of the uni!erse and there is no
radiation. $he ether had been purged from physics theory in the twentieth century for
reasons I had ne!er understood.
Are the *asters able to use the ether as a source of power.# I asked.
%nergy manifests itself through the ether"# e/plained Linda. +hat makes the
engine uni&ue is that it can utili1e ether energy on a large scale.#
Can it propel the ship faster than the speed of light.# I asked" wanting to know if
%insteins theory concerning the speed barrier of light was true.
3othing larger than an ether particle can mo!e faster than light speed"# answered
Linda. $he wind pre!ents it.#
+hats that.# I asked.
Lets get going and Ill show you"# said Linda enthusiastically. I think youll
find it interesting.#
Linda was right. I followed her to the bridge and planted myself into the pilots
seat. 4he proceeded to show me how to steer and accelerate the ship with my controller.
+ith a few minutes of practice and my enthusiasm growing by the minute" I declared
myself ready to go.
+ere off"# I said" caught up in the realism of the simulation.
+ait"# Linda said with alarm. (o you want to crash our !irtual ship. Let me get us
to the surface then you fly.#
4orry"# I said" embarrassed. I ha!e a weakness for fantasies.#
I studied Linda as she manipulated a set of !irtual controls to lift the ship off the field.
I wanted to see how she flew the !essel in the e!ent that I got access to a real ship. I
figured shed look out the front !iewer window and go by sight as if flying a small plane
but that wasnt the case. A three6dimensional image of the airspace materiali1ed on the
main !iewer screen. 4he plotted our course off that" but the ships computer did the
actual flying.
3o manual flying.# I said" trying to hide my disappointment.
4paceflight is too comple/ to be conducted manually"# answered Linda. I hope that
doesnt ruin your fun.#
A little"# I admitted. I dont like being at the mercy of technology I dont
understand.#
+hat I really meant was I didnt know how I was going to fly myself home if I had to
count on a hostile alien computer to help me.
$he computer guided the ship back through the airspace Id passed through on my
)ourney to 8anymede. +e ascended to the moons fro1en surface and shot into space like
cannon shot.
$he computer showed the ethers interaction with the ship as it streaked towards the
edge of the solar system at an e!er increasing !elocity. $he ether was made to look like
white fog. $he dynamics of its interaction with the ship was displayed on my !iewer
screen.
$he problem with faster than light speed"# said Linda" is ether wind resistance.
+atch how gaseous ether particles represented by the mist build up in front of the ship as
we approach the !elocity of light.#
$he !irtual ship was accelerated to II5 of light speed and we watched as the fog
collected in front of the !essel. $hereafter" the !elocity continued to increase
incrementally as the ether continued to collect in front of the ship until the buildup
e/tended countless miles into space to create an increasingly impenetrable barrier to
further acceleration.
3ote"# said Linda" that the energy re&uired to propel the ship against the ether
wind grows e/ponentially as the ship approaches light speed. %ther particles pile up in
front of the ship and would e/tend to infinity if that critical !elocity could actually be
obtained. Itd be like pushing all the ether of the uni!erse in front of the ship which is an
impossible feat to achie!e.#
4o thats the reality behind %insteins special theory of relati!ity"# I said" feeling
enlightened. Is there a way to o!ercome the barrier.#
3one"# declared Linda. It is the speed limit of the uni!erse for macroscopic
bodies.#
If faster than light speed is impossible"# I said" disappointed that tra!eling the !oid
should be so slow" doesnt that make space e/ploration impractical.#
$ime slows aboard a ship as light speed is approached"# e/plained Linda.
Conse&uently" interstellar distances seem short to tra!elers if the !essels !elocity is kept
high enough. For slower flights or long !oyages" suspension chambers are used. =obots
and computers pilot the ship in either case.#
'oure describing %insteins time dilation"# I said. I thought it a myth.#
+hen a ship is propelled with force from behind and encounters ether resistance
in front" the !essels atoms are compressed"# lectured Linda. 4ome of the gaseous ether
particles that hold the ships atoms together are pressed out of the ship and those that
remain lose momentum to the concentrated mass which radiates it away. 4ince the
!elocity at which gaseous ether particles strike atoms determines how fast they mo!e" the
!essels atoms are slowed as are the biological processes of the ships passengers. $he
slowing is significant near light speed.#
4o when %instein says that a bodys internal clock slows as it approaches light
speed"# I said" thats what hes talking about.#
Linda nodded. Its also why time slows in the !icinity of a massi!e body like a
sun. $he ether and sub ether fields that surround and penetrate the sun lose momentum to
its mass which radiates it back into space. $he rate at which atoms mo!e and agitate
slows as a result which causes local time to slow as well.#
And thats what %insteins talking about in his general theory of relati!ity.# I said
making sense out of %insteins theory for the first time.
Correct"# said Linda" seemingly pleased that I grasped her meaning.
Fascinated by what Id heard but not certain as to all its implications" I turned my
attention back to the !iewer to watch the dot that represented our !irtual ship mo!e
through space. $he problem was it crawled at a snails pace despite its near !irtual light
!elocity and I grew bored staring at it. 4ensing the problem" Linda accelerated the !essel
to !irtual warp speed. +e passed <lutos orbit as displayed to us by the computer and
somewhere outside the solar system I took control of the flight. (isengage computer
control"# I said. I want to get a feel for what this puppy can do.#
4urrendering helm control now"# Linda said" sensing my e/citement and playing
along.
$he ship responded to the pressure of my hand on the controller. I banked left and
right to get a feel for how it mo!ed and then )ammed the stick forward e/pecting stars to
whisk by my !irtual window. 0nfortunately" pushing the controller full ahead didnt
seem to increase our !elocity at all. $he star field was unchanged and the screen showed
us still crawling along in deep space. I was done for in an hour. =eturning helm control
to computer"# I said" gi!ing the stick a disgusted sho!e as I let go. $he ship shook for a
moment and smoothed out a few seconds later.
Id grown tired of interstellar space tra!el in an hour. Lets get a !irtual mo!e
on"# I said" impatiently. +here are we headed.#
I thought we might !isit one of the largest inhabited planets in the known gala/y"#
said Linda. It has an e/treme gra!itational field and is close by in terms of interstellar
distance.#
4ounds interesting"# I said. -ow far is it.#
Less than nine hundred light years away"# she answered.
Linda spoke to the computer in the alien language and the ship accelerated to
!irtual warp !elocity. $he computer switched the main !iewer to a three dimensional
model of the gala/y so I could gage our progress. I watched as the !essel crept across the
great e/panse. +e passed se!eral sun systems on route" but when I looked out the
window there was only larger or smaller stars against the lights of hea!en. It would!e
been impossible for me to na!igate by such lights and I got a headache thinking about it.
I settled for the information on the !iewer.
$he !irtual !essel inched across the galactic hea!ens for another forty minutes or
so before I saw the yellow sun to which we were headed. *ore than twice the si1e of our
sun" it had better than thirty satellites orbiting its formidable mass according to the
computer. *ost were gaseous giants. 7ne was habitable" but )ust barely. 4peaking in
geological time" its crust had only recently formed. Compared to %arth" it was a monster.
+e approached the planet -ull and descended into its atmosphere. $he air was
pulled in close to the planet relati!e to its si1e" so we didnt encounter clouds until
seeming to near its surface. $he sky was space black one moment and within a few
thousand feet of descent we were in dense clouds. $hey didnt clear until we were about
a thousand feet from the ground.
+e departed the !irtual ship and floated abo!e the lush green landscape as if
weightless spirits. $hat was a blessing considering the de!astating gra!ity I would!e felt
had I really been there. Likely my heart would!e collapsed under the pressure and yet
all kinds of short" stubby creatures mo!ed about in their en!ironment as easily as we do
in ours. -a!ing e!ol!ed to withstand the planets crushing gra!ity" they were as adapted
to their world as we are to ours.
-ull was a lush green planet" but it paid for it with a hot" humid climate. Because
its crust was newly formed" the magna lay close to the surface. 8eothermal acti!ity was
high and hot springs and geysers peppered the planets surface to spew out enormous
&uantities of heat and steam on a daily basis. $he result was sauna like conditions across
the world. $he situation was made worse by poor air &uality. $housands of !olcanoes
spit out tons of soot and ash across the planet on a daily basis. $he sickening smell of
sulfur was e!erywhere.
$he dominant species on the planet" I call them the -ull" looked like muscle6bound
midgets. 3early as wide as they were tall" they had compact muscular arms and legs" flat
heads" and necks as thick as my thigh. $heir bodies" men and women alike" were hairless
and huge pores co!ered their white pinkish skin like craters on an asteroid. $hey were
unnatural looking creatures to put the matter charitably.
Buildings on -ull were massi!ely built but not !ery high. Conse&uently" what few
cities it had tended to sprawl. +e !isited one such metropolis that was spread out o!er
fifty s&uare miles and yet the skyscrapers at its center were about fifty feet high if that.
4uch places were on the whole scarce" howe!er" as -ull was mostly rural.
$he -ull were fanatically de!oted to their agrarian lifestyle and they worked the
land with simple hand e&uipment. $hey did this in part for religious reasons in that 8od
is !iewed as the ultimate laborer and because their muscle6bound bodies cra!e rigorous
physical acti!ity on a daily basis. $heir lust for work is built6in by nature according to
Linda. -er theory" like that of the *asters" is that only those -ull who kept up their
muscle tone through the ages sur!i!ed the planets unforgi!ing gra!ity.
Coming from a line of hard6working 4candina!ians I appreciate the !alue of hard
work" but doing by hand what can be done by machine has ne!er made sense to me.
$hats especially so when the work has to be done in hot" humid conditions like that
e/isting on -ull. *yself" Id sooner spend a year on an Alabama chain gang than a week
on one of -ulls farms but the inhabitants of the planet didnt feel that way. $hey seemed
as happy in their en!ironment as I am in the mountains of 4an Bernardino. <robably" the
cooling effect of their huge sweat pores has something to do with that.
$he people belie!e that -ull is 8ods chosen planet"# said Linda" and its
inhabitants the caretakers of the di!ine world.#
$alk about the egocentric position"# I said" shaking my head in disbelief. If the
-ull are 8ods chosen people" Im %arths ne/t prophet.#
Its typical for the dominant species on a planet to think they are 8ods chosen
people"# said Linda. 'ou shouldnt look down on the -ull any more than you look
down on the 2ews of Israel. $hey also belie!e they are 8ods chosen people gi!en the
-oly Lands to care for by di!ine proclamation.#
-a!ing grown up in the Lutheran Church" I was taught that the 2ews are 8ods
chosen people as the Bible states that to be the case. I saw the point that Linda was
making but was in no mood to get into a discussion on religion.
I could care less if a species thinks they are 8ods chosen people or not"# I said"
a!oiding the issue" so long as it doesnt thwart their cultural de!elopment. $he 2ews are
an intelligent people with a high culture" the -ull are not. I doubt that 8od intended that
they should stagnate the way they ha!e. If 8od has a purpose" its that sentient beings
should e!ol!e and progress.#
4tagnant or not" they dont pose a threat to themsel!es or their neighbors"# argued
Linda. 'our people could benefit from their e/ample.#
Lindas tie in to %arth told me our !isit to -ull was no accident. I assumed that the
*asters wished humans could be like the -ull so we wouldnt become a threat to <rime
Base. $he &uestion was why they cared what I thought. I had no say on how %arth
de!elops. 3ot wanting them to know that I was on to their game" I tried to sound
disagreeable as a di!ersionary tactic.
$he -ull may ha!e held back progress for a time"# I said" but it cant last. +ere
all pushed by technology whether we like it or not. As much as they hate change" the
-ull couldnt pre!ent the growth of large cities. $he only way to stop progress is to
de!ol!e a planet back to barbarism through war.#
Its true that -ulls social de!elopment is unusual among ad!anced species"# said
Linda" but we should look at it with an open mind. $he -ull ha!e been able to preser!e
their rural e/istence intact for thousands of years. *aybe it cant last fore!er but
meanwhile the people are happy and at peace.#
I wouldnt want to li!e in a stagnant world"# I said" continuing the argument.
Itd be boring. $he solution for keeping fit isnt to preser!e manual labor" but to
increase leisure time so people can e/ercise at health spas and the like. $he -ull ha!e
adopted a dead end philosophy that condemns them to an e/istence without progress. I
dont see how anything about their culture is worth emulating.#
+e spent more than a month on -ull !irtual time" but only si/ or se!en hours real
time. +ith the heat and humidity working as a subliminal irritant" I was an/ious to
conclude our business and get off the planet as soon as possible. I know I should be
thrilled to !isit an alien world"# I said toward the end of our !isit" but I!e got to get off
this rock. Its like li!ing in a sauna and the air is suffocating.#
I regret you didnt !alue your e/perience"# said Linda" disappointed. *aybe we
can find a cooler planet ne/t time.#
+e were ho!ering o!er a small rural !illage near the !irtual spaceship when I
decided it was time to go. It was midday and people from the surrounding farms had
gathered in the community pla1a for a wedding. I didnt notice the group until the groom
walked out of a nearby church to )oin the gathering. About fi!e feet in height" it was
massi!e like a gorilla and probably could!e whipped one in a wrestling match.
8ood Lord"# I said in disbelief" would you look at the bulk of that creature. Its a
walking muscle.#
+hat do you mean.# asked Linda.
I mean its a monster"# I cried. Look at the creatures arms. A fle/ could crush
my skull.#
It wouldnt do that"# said Linda surprised by my reaction. $he -ull are a gentle
species. 'ou know that.#
I watched as the monster embraced the bride to be at the pla1a center. It lifted her
off the ground and spun her around as if she were light as a feather. $hat was no easy
feat considering she probably would!e weighed four hundred pounds on %arth. $here
was no telling what she weighed on -ull. $hey were kind and affectionate to each other"
but I was put off imagining them as a romantic couple. It was fortunate that the giant
couldnt read my mind or it might!e pulled me out of the !irtual sky and snapped my
body like a twig.
-ull had worn me down physically and psychologically and seeing the giant with
its not so petite bride pushed me o!er the edge. $he situation was made worse because I
felt guilty for reacting in such a way. $hey couldnt help how they looked. <robably" I
would!e appeared as hideous to them as they appeared to me. I really ha!e to get off
this planet"# I said" again" as burning" salty sweat poured off my forehead into my eyes.
Linda shrugged. If thats what you want -ans.#
+e left the pla1a" flew back to the !irtual ship and blasted off the planet. *y
e/citing !isit to an alien world had turned into a ta/ing e/perience and I had nothing but
dehydration and a migraine headache to show for it. I was relie!ed as we shot into empty
coolness of space.
3o more planets like that"# I said" after wed gotten away from -ull and were
heading out of the solar system. And take me to a world I can relate to on an intellectual
basis ne/t time. I ha!e nothing to learn from a bunch of backward farm boys.#
$he 7ld 7nes thought the -ull an intelligent species"# said Linda" e!en if their
culture was regressi!e.#
It was the 7ld 7nes who !isited -ull.# I said" surprised to hear that they would
fool with such a regressi!e species.
'es"# confirmed Linda. $he 7ld 7nes recorded the se&uences that we saw.
$hey went there to try and help the peoples de!elopment.#
-ow did they stand the gra!ity.# I asked" my interest in -ull suddenly renewed.
(ont tell me they came from a similar planet.#
$hey did in fact e!ol!e on a large planet"# answered Linda" but e!en for them
-ulls gra!ity was a strain. $hats one of the two reasons they left the planet after a short
stay.#
+hat was the other reason.# I asked" my curiosity aroused again.
$he -ull asked them to lea!e"# answered Linda" raising her !irtual eyebrows as if
unable to imagine how that could be. $hey found the 7ld 7nes presence upsetting.
$hey didnt want their sacred world contaminated by outsiders no matter how well
intentioned. $he 7ld 7nes respected their wishes and left the planet soon after these
se&uences were taken. $hat was o!er 1@@ million years ago.#
1@@ million years"# I said" trying to fathom the time span. $he 7ld 7nes ha!e
been around that long.#
A lot longer than that"# said Linda.
$hats what I call durable"# I said. -ow about the -ull. +hat happened to
them.#
3o one knows"# Linda said. $he 7ld 7nes ha!e ne!er been back and its
unlikely that any other species would dare land on the planet because of its gra!ity. +e
assume the -ull continue to de!elop in their own special way.#
It would be interesting to see what happened after all this time"# I said. 7n
second thought" maybe not"# I continued" remembering how badly Id reacted to the
planet. *aybe its better to follow the 7ld 7nes lead and lea!e well enough alone.#
$hats probably a good idea"# agreed Linda" but I know a place not that many
light years from here that you might like. Its one of the most hea!ily forested planets in
this section of the gala/y and it has a cool climate. It re!ol!es around a large red sun. Its
right o!er there" toward the gala/ys center"# she said" pointing.
After -ull" cool sounds good"# I said. -ow far is it.#
A few thousand light years away.#
Linda spoke to the computer in the alien language and the ship accelerated to !irtual
warp !elocity again. $he computer switched my !iewer to a three6dimensional model of
the gala/y and I watched as the !essel crept across the great e/panse. +e passed se!eral
solar systems en route" but as before when I looked out the !irtual window I saw only
larger or smaller stars against the lights of hea!en.
$he !essel inched across the galactic hea!ens for about a half hour before I saw the
red dot to which we were headed. $he mass of the red sun had swelled to the diameter of
*ercurys orbit. +e slowed as it grew near" passed se!eral small planets and swung
around the hellish ball of gas to the far side of the solar system where we approached the
cool" cloudy planet called Clorr.
Chapter 11
About the si1e of Aenus" Clorr doesnt recei!e a lot of heat from big red but its
cloudy atmosphere traps in much of what it gets. 4i1eable oceans help store and
distribute the heat across the planet. $he result is a mild climate across most of the
worlds fi!e continents.
$he distinguishing feature of Clorr is its forests. $he trees a!erage around ;@@ feet
in height and are massi!e like se&uoias. $he big difference is the proliferation of
branches that spread up and down their trunks like oaks" the fruit that hangs from the
branches and their treetop canopies. $he trees often li!e to be a thousand years old.
I encountered the diminuti!e Clorr on the treetop canopy. $he slight furry nati!es
stood about four feet in height and reminded me of chimpan1ees. 0nlike chimps"
howe!er" their hands and faces were hairless and they stood upright like humans. $heir
sensiti!e intellects could be detected by the delicate way in which they mo!ed and
interacted with one another. (espite these signs of intelligence" I was surprised that
Linda should compare them to humans.
I wanted a planet that I could relate to intellectually"# I complained. I wasnt
looking for the <lanet of the Apes.#
'ou shouldnt )udge a creature by its appearance"# laughed Linda. $his is the
earliest !ideo we ha!e of their planet" but e!en then they were as intelligent as humans
are now. $heir society doesnt show it because they had little moti!ation to ad!ance.
$hat will soon change. $heyre about to de!elop a technological society and will do so
within the ne/t few hundred years.#
-ow long ago was the !ideo recorded.# I asked" my curiosity aroused again.
$he 7ld 7nes recorded these se&uences se!eral million years ago and ga!e a copy
of them to my *asters for educational purposes.#
4e!eral million years"# I said shaking my head in ama1ement as I did with the
-ull at the time span in!ol!ed. A young species in the grand scheme of things I
suppose. Id be curious to see what they looked like as they ad!anced.#
$heir appearance wont change for thousands of years to come"# said Linda. As
with most documentaries" we can tra!el through time to take a look.#
Linda wa!ed her arms as if a sorceress from the days of *erlin and in an instant
we mo!ed more than two thousand years into the !irtual future. Clorr was now an
ad!anced technologically planet superior to %arth" but you couldnt tell by the look of it.
+e were on what looked to be the same tree tops and the affable creatures were lounging
about and playing as before.
-ow did the 7ld 7nes make the documentary.# I asked" tripping out on !irtual
time tra!el.
$hey established a colony on the planet shortly before the first !ideo was made
and helped ad!ance the Clorr thereafter. $hey documented their progress for posterity.#
$hese 7ld 7nes were bene!olent"# I noted.
$hey are the gala/ys benefactors"# declared Linda. 3o tribute to their name is
too great.#
+hoa"# I said" surprised by Lindas emotional response. 'ou dont need to
con!ince me. Im all for the 7ld 7nes.#
Its important that you reali1e this"# Linda emphasi1ed. $he 7ld 7nes are
blessed beings and my *asters demand respect.#
I not only respect them"# I said" Im intrigued by them. But for now tell me
about the Clorr.#
$he Clorr were ci!ili1ed long before the 7ld 7nes set up a colony on their world.
$hey li!ed for ages on giant branches high in the trees feeding off of fruit" bark and
rainwater. *idday was spent sunning themsel!es and sociali1ing on the intertwined
canopy tops. Life was pleasant and easy. It was only after the 7ld 7nes arri!ed on the
planet that they descended the giants to become industrious ground dwellers.
4ounds like they had it pretty good"# I said" en!ious of their carefree life. I can
see why they were reluctant to ad!ance.#
$he life on Clorr was ideal for the e!olution of an ad!anced species"# Linda said.
$he planet ne!er e/perienced the barbarity that plagues most worlds. +ith the help of
the 7ld 7nes" the Clorr de!eloped an automated economy within a few hundred years.
$hen a <rotect the Forest mo!ement swept across the planet to stall further de!elopment.
$he people longed for the simple pleasures of their pre!ious e/istence. $hey adapted a
use only what we need philosophy" set their numbers at a 1ero growth rate and abandoned
longe!ity research after the a!erage life e/pectancy reached appro/imately 1?@ of your
%arth years.#
Id think long life would be one of the priorities of an ad!ancing technological
society"# I said. I see no ad!antage to dying young unless youre sick all the time.#
It was their tradeoff"# Linda said" trying to represent Clorr thinking. $hey feared
theyd lose the right to bear a child if their life cycles continued to e/pand and the
population e/plode. It would!e ended their family structure and way of life. Abo!e all"
it would!e ended the )oy of raising a child. $hey decided after a long social debate that
the old had to make way for the young or the richness of their li!es would be lost fore!er.
$hey abandoned longe!ity research soon after.#
I could ne!er agree to such an attitude"# I said" shaking my head. 'ou only get
one life. +hy not e/tend it for as long as possible. Id li!e for a thousand years if gi!en
the choice.#
Ad!ancement has its price"# Linda said" solemnly. $he Clorr figured 1?@ years
was time enough to li!e. $hey belie!ed it socially destructi!e to seek more.#
$heir choice"# I said" but they condemn themsel!es to a premature death in the
process. A foolish decision as far as Im concerned.#
+e stayed in the !irtual future to obser!e the planets ad!anced culture but I found
myself more interested in the forest and the people than their social system to Lindas
disappointment. Being amongst the great trees soothed my sorely tested spirit and I came
to relish the cheerful Clorr. $hey were good6natured creatures and a delight to watch. I
shared their appreciation of leisure time and lo!e of the great trees.
$he most uni&ue and interesting aspect of the forest was its treetop canopy. $he
springy lattice of intertwined branches co!ered o!er with tough leathery lea!es was
unlike anything on %arth. $he canopy was strong and resilient so much so that the
nati!es could play on it like kids on a trampoline with little danger of falling through. A
ma1e of branches below caught them when they did. $heyd frolic for hours at a time
and then lay down on the cushiony bed to soak up the suns red rays. $ypically" three or
four of the hairy creatures would snuggle up together as gentle bree1es blew across the
treetops to sway the canopy back and forth as if it were a babys rocker. $he gentle
motion would put the happy creatures to sleep and theyd lay there with such contented
looks on their faces that I grew en!ious of their life.
I spent four days rela/ing on the treetop canopy watching the carefree Clorr. It was
like being on !acation at some faraway e/otic locale. $he rest was much appreciated but"
as happens when things are done to e/cess" I e!entually grew bored. I decided" then" to
slip through a hole in the lattice and make my way to the forest floor in search of fresh
ad!enture. +e sought out trails and hiked about the forest )ourneying past lakes and
meadows" !illages and towns and e!en o!er a few low lying mountains that allowed me
to get a panoramic !iews of the forest.
I en)oyed the canopy forest as much as I did the treetops because of its enchanting
nature. At places it would grow so thick that the trail ahead would turn dark and
mysterious where with my o!eracti!e imagination I en!isioned dangers lurking around
each bend. $hen all of a sudden we would break into a meadow with a stream running
through it and e!erything would turn bright and cheery in an instant. +ed lay out on the
grass abo!e the stream and soak up the suns red rays to rest before !enturing back into
the danger and darkness of the trail ahead. It was hea!en.
Linda and I met many hikers during our !irtual )ourney through the forest. $he
computer caused them to react to us as if they were li!ing beings and they spoke in
%nglish. Friendly by nature" they always seemed happy to greet their alien !isitors. An
older couple e!en in!ited us to their home for refreshments. I accepted out of curiosity.
$he town in which the couple resided was typical of most Clorr communities
across the planet. +e made our way out of the forest to a large meadow and saw what
appeared to be a stand of monster trees towering at its center. $he tipoff that they were
buildings rather than trees was their incredible si1e" the lack of branches running up and
down their e/teriors and the round dark windows that peered out on the forest. $he tree6
scrapers usually stood about fifty feet taller than the giants of the surrounding forest and
they were much larger in diameter. A central pla1a filled with pedestrians confirmed it
was a town.
$he Clorr couple escorted us to the roof of their tree6scraper high rise apartment
comple/ to show us the spectacular !iew. $he building looked like a giant tree the top of
which had been decapitated by lightning. A three6foot wall marked the perimeter and
telescopes were bolted atop that. A few of the buildings residents were using the
!iewing telescopes to look out o!er the forest which stretched out in e!ery direction as
far as the eye could see. It was an impressi!e sight broken up only by a !illage or
meadow here and there.
I scanned the hori1on and spotted groups of Clorr scattered across the great
e/panse. $hey were on the treetops lounging about as usual. 4ome were reading what I
took to be e6books while others were romping about like tireless children. 4ome were
snoo1ing under the midday red sun.
+e left the roof after a time and made our way down se!eral flights of stairs to our
hosts li!ing &uarters. It was designed like a large efficiency typical of Clorr housing.
$he Clorr didnt own many possessions other than pictures and mementos and they
fa!ored manageable li!ing &uarters.
A large energy efficient hearth was the focal point of most Clorr homes and such
was the case in the couples apartment. A large round window o!erlooking the forest
helped to brighten the room. It was tinted dark brown to match the color of the building
and pre!ent outsiders from seeing into the room if that were possible" but enough light
got through to brighten the apartment during daytime hours.
$he Clorr couple were gracious hosts. -ow do you like our place"# asked the
female while pretending to ser!e us drinks. I tasted a facsimile of the drink by sucking
in the fluid from the sipping de!ice attached to my suit.
Its small according to %arth standards"# I answered" but the !iew is great.#
Its all we need"# inter)ected the females companion" after our son left home. -e
mo!ed to his mates commune so she could be near her family. +e would!e followed if
we hadnt li!ed in this building all our li!es. 7ur friends are here and change is
unwelcome at our age.#
$he couple was o!er ninety %arth years old and although graying looked to be in
good shape. $he anti6aging therapies that the planet de!eloped before the moratorium
kept the Clorr acti!e and robust well into their hundreds. $he couple was no e/ception.
7ur hosts carried on about how much they missed their son. +ith a one child per
couple rule" parents tended to fuss o!er their offspring no matter how old. Id begun to
feel sorry for them until they told me they could be at his door in less than an hour on the
worlds free high speed rail system. $hey !isited him e!ery few weeks and often he them
in between. $he working son had almost as much leisure time as his retired parents due
to the fact that the economy was largely automated. $he ser!ice sector including health"
education" science and research" art and literature" etc." was what the working economy
was mostly made up of. *anufacturing was done by automated machines and machines
were owned by the people as a whole.
$he sociable Clorr couple was enlightened and kind. $hey treated Linda and I as
they would any Clorr couple which made us feel welcome in their !irtual home. I knew
on one le!el that some elaborate computer program was putting words into their mouths"
but I couldnt help feel that these were li!ing creatures who cared about us.
7ur hosts began to yawn after an hour or so of delightful chit chat" hinting that it
was time for them to take their afternoon nap. <robably the computer had run out of
things to say. I thanked them for their hospitality and said goodbye in a heartfelt manner.
$hey responded in kind but informal by nature let us show oursel!es out. I looked back
as we left the apartment to see the couple settling down in their bed. $hey wa!ed
goodbye as I closed the door behind us.
Linda wanted me to see more of the building so we followed the circular hallway
to an inner door and entered the round room within. It was both the acti!ity center and
dining hall for the floors residents. 4e!eral Clorr were playing games in booths along
the wall while a group was eating dinner on a communal roundtable at the rooms center.
$hey were engaged in what looked to be a li!ely discussion. A robotic waiter stood
nearby ready to ser!ice its masters should the need arise. An open passageway on the far
side of the table led to the kitchen.
+e approached the table and were about to sit down when the diners rose from
their chairs and" bowing slightly" greeted us in %nglish with a hea!y alien accent. Linda
and I bowed in return and after a cordial e/change e!eryone sat down.
It ne!er ceased to ama1e me that a computer could take what had been real life
beings and make them react as if they were characters in a play. $he illusion triggered
my o!erly acti!e imagination and I found myself con!ersing with them as if they were
real. Interested in how an ad!anced cultured maintained its health" I asked them about
their diet which turned out to be a low fat !egetarian regime. I would learn later that such
is the case with most ad!anced species across the gala/y. $hey seemed interested in the
sub)ect at first" but then the con!ersation stalled. Apparently" the computer had run out of
things to say again. <robably not knowing what to do ne/t" it directed one of the robots
to step forward and address us. It took my order and the computer used the di!ersion to
allow the Clorr to e/cuse themsel!es. Linda and I were alone at the table by the time the
waiter was done.
Automated machines ser!iced and cleaned the dining hall. 7ne with four arms and
a glass bulb for a head rolled out from the kitchen to clear the table once the Clorr had
left. It put the plates on rack attached to its torso and produced a rag from a cabinet
within its stainless steel body to clean the table. It rolled back into the kitchen when the
work was done.
I tasted the !irtual food by sipping a li&uefied facsimile pro!ided me through my
tube. It was a bit spicy" but I liked it. I ate until satiated at which time Linda and I made
our way back to the main hallway. +e found an ele!ator that took us to the train station
two stories below ground le!el. $ransport cars entered it through arched tunnels from
opposite ends of the room. *ost passed through the station but now and then a car was
di!erted by side rail to a passenger loading dock. +e walked across the platform to a line
of waiting transporters and stepped into the lead car. Linda informed the onboard
computer as to our destination and it left the dock to )oin the main rail.
+e used the transporter to !isit sites of interest across the continent we were on. It
was fun at first but after a time the forest began to look the same e!erywhere we went. At
my suggestion Linda de!ised a more interesting way to tra!el. 4he ga!e us both !irtual
powers as if we were Cryptonians and we blasted up through the !irtual canopy like
missiles being fired out of their silos to rocket out across the continent and oceans
beyond. $he e/perience was e/hilarating and Linda seemed to en)oy it as much as I.
Clorr had fi!e continents but e/cept for a few low lying mountainous regions and a
desert here and there they seemed pretty much alike from the air. *ost e!erywhere we
went I looked down on what appeared to be the same lush treetops swaying in the wind
like non6ending fields of grass. $he green carpet would stretch out in e!ery direction as
far as the eye could see to be broken up now and then by a meadow where often a
collection of tree6scrapers stood at its center. And almost always wed spot the cheerful
Clorr playing here and there across the great e/panse. It was as if life was an endless
game to the nati!es and they o!er6aged children. $hat seemingly inborn facet of their
nature is probably the main reason why I liked them so much.
It was customary for Linda and me to stay in a !irtual hotel tree6scraper at night
during our flights o!er Clorr. +ed swoop down on its rooftop toward e!ening and be
greeted by ser!ice robots whod escort us down a stairway or ele!ator to our room. $he
dwellings were like most efficiencies across the world where the hearth was the focal
point of the room. A sofa was usually sho!ed up in front of the fireplace to gi!e the place
a co1y cabin like atmosphere.
I grew to lo!e the Clorr efficiency in part because it reminded me of my mountain
house in Arrowbear. Linda and I would sit on the !irtual sofa for hours on end watching
yellow flames dance about the fireplace while listening to Clorr music as I sipped a
facsimile of the alien wine. 4ometimes Linda would curl up ne/t to me and read stories
from a galactic data base. %!entually wed retire to a bed located beneath the rooms
large window" look out at the night sky and re!el in the beauty of the alien world.
Feminine in both appearance and demeanor and with a huge database at her fingertips"
she was entrancing in an altogether seducti!e and uni&ue manner.
+e disco!ered a chalet at some point during our flights across !irtual Clorr.
Located abo!e a cliff on top a mountain more than F"@@@ feet abo!e sea le!el" it
o!erlooked a beautiful green !alley far below. It was such an idyllic location that I
decided to make it a base from which to continue our e/ploration of the planet. %ach
morning wed )ump out the opened front window and" after free falling down a sheer
cliff" streak out o!er the countryside en route to some interesting locale across the planet.
+ed spend the day taking in the sights and sounds of the planet stopping on occasion to
!isit an assemblage of the Clorr population. Finally at dusk wed streak across the
reddish sky like lightning bolts and be home in a matter of minutes.
$he mountain retreat furthered my flight from reality by enabling me to put on a
back burner the real life dilemma that confronted me. It may seem strange to think that I
could suppress thoughts of Lee and %arth considering how badly I wanted to get home"
but in retrospect I reali1e there was a reason for that. $he truth is that deep down I didnt
really belie!e I had a chance to escape my captors. $he idea of commandeering a ship
and forcing the aliens to fly me home was absurd on the face of it and with the
into/icating influence of the alien drug and allure of the !irtual world dampening my
resol!e" it was easy to lose myself in the fantasy world that I came to lo!e. $ruth is" I
probably would!e been content to continue on !irtual Clorr indefinitely were it not for
the fact that the e/perience was an illusion dependent on alien technology to sustain it. I
wish I could say it was me who found the strength to throw off the seduction of Clorr to
push ahead but that wasnt e!en remotely true.
+e ha!e to lea!e"# Linda said late one e!ening. I was sitting in front of the !irtual
fireplace drinking Clorr wine and feeling wonderfully euphoric as usual. $he *asters
are pushing.#
(id they see through your deception.# I asked ner!ously. It horrified me to think
that the aliens might ha!e been watching me the whole time.
3ot yet"# said Linda" reassuring" but I cant decei!e them fore!er. 'ou wouldnt
belie!e how boring I!e made your stay on the planet appear. $heyd e/pected you to be
interested in Clorr culture and learn from it. $he program I!e been running has you
spending most of your time on treetops.#
I frowned. I didnt like that Linda should gi!e the hated aliens reason to mock me
e!en though I knew it was necessary.
Linda seemed to sense my emotions. It was the easiest program to run"# she said
in an effort to e/plain herself and soothe my ego.
+hen do we ha!e to lea!e.# I asked" trying to mask my disappointment. I was
being kicked back into the real world to face insurmountable odds and an uncertain future
and a big part of me didnt want to go.
$he sooner the better"# said Linda" pushing" but we should try and impro!e the
*asters opinion of you first by ending our stay on Clorr in a producti!e manner. I dont
think youll ha!e much chance to get home otherwise.#
I doubted anything I did would induce the aliens to send me home" but I
appreciated Lindas effort to help me knowing she wished that I would stay with her on
8anymede. I felt that she cared for about me e!en if I wasnt sure what that meant in
Cyberspace. I was grateful to her for ha!ing put my needs abo!e hers as well.
Chapter 1;
Linda prepared to end our fake program o!er the ne/t few days. I agreed but
insisted that she continue it during the !irtual night so we could remain in our sanctuary
for as long as possible. Linda let the aliens think I had grown tired of lying about all day
and was suddenly interested in Clorr culture. 4he began by lecturing me on how Clorr
was structured socially and politically as we went li!e before our Choon !iewers. +e
were sitting on top the green treetop canopy looking out across and admiring the great
e/panse as we spoke.
$here were conditions that the 7ld 7nes sought to achie!e before lea!ing a
species to itself"# said Linda as wind gusts swayed the treetops back and forth. $he first
is that the world should unite under a democratic world go!ernment. $hats necessary to
a!oid a catastrophic war. An undemocratic" fractured world is sure to use ad!anced
weaponry against itself in time.#
+hy do you say that.# I asked as I laid back to better absorb the suns warm red
rays.
Authoritarian go!ernments are inherently unpredictably"# answered Linda
stretching out beside me. $hey arent tied to the interests of its people but rather to the
ruling elite who would often rather bring down society than gi!e up power. $hat is
unlikely to happen in a democracy where the people ha!e the ultimate say in matters.#
+hat are the other conditions"# I in&uired.
Another is that society should reach a socially and economically e!ol!ed state. A
market economy is only a transitional stage in the e!olution of an ad!ancing species and
it doesnt last for long. $he closer society comes to being automated" the more it replaces
labor with machines which leads to massi!e unemployment and the rapid deterioration of
capitalism. An ad!anced society must sociali1e large industries as they e!ol!e into
!irtual monopolies. $he longer the process is delayed" the more painful the transition
period.#
-ow does sociali1ing industries sol!e anything.# I asked. It has ne!er worked
well in the countries that ha!e tried it. I dont see why that should be an ideal to stri!e
for.#
4ociali1ing key industries and socialism in general is not so much an ideal to
stri!e for"# said Linda using my words" as the ne/t step of e!olution in an ad!ancing
industrial world. It mo!es forward e!ery time the state responds to an economic or social
crisis. =ules are made to fi/ problems and society and its economy is thereafter a little
less free thereby transforming a nation through the natural course of e!ents. 4ociali1ing
large industries is )ust another step in that process. $here need be no intent that socialism
e!ol!e. It )ust does.#
4ocialism may be a force"# I admitted ha!ing seen the rate at which go!ernment
has grown o!er the years" but that doesnt mean its good.#
Its neither good nor bad in and of itself"# said Linda. Its simply the ne/t step in
the e!olution of society. It e/ists in an ad!anced state here on Clorr where the production
of goods and ser!ices is mainly mechani1ed. $he people own the means of production
and the citi1en is master of his world. Is that not a most desirable situation.#
+hat are the complications that youre not telling me about.# I asked.
$he complications are in the transformation process"# said Linda sitting back up"
not the results. If society fails to e!ol!e in an orderly manner" chaos and social misery
follow. 'ou end up with a tiny upper class who own the producti!e facilities of a nation
and most of its wealth while the rest of the population is destitute. $he system collapses
of its own weight.#
$he &uestion is what you can do about it without making things worse"# I said.
America for one may ha!e ine&uality problems but at least its stable.#
4table for who.# asked Linda" seemingly surprised by my comment. 3ot the
twenty plus percent of the population that is out of work.#
+here do you get that figure.# I asked. 4tatistics has shown that the
unemployment le!el has been consistently under ten percent in the 0nited 4tates.#
$hat depends on who you count as unemployed"# said Linda. Its my
understanding that once a persons insurance runs out your go!ernment no longer counts
him as out of work. -es labeled a discouraged worker and left to his own de!ices to
sur!i!e. Add up all the discouraged workers and the number of unemployed people in
America e/ceeds twenty per cent of the would be working population. $hat is not to
mention those who are forced to accept part time work.#
I!e heard that"# I admitted" but I ne!er knew what to make of it as neither
political party nor the go!ernment talks about it.#
$heres a reason for that"# laughed Linda. $he party in power doesnt talk about
it because they dont want the electorate to think that things got worse during their time
in office. $he party out of power doesnt talk about it because they distorted the truth
when they were in office. $he distortion is perpetuated to keep the electorate from
reali1ing how bad things really are.#
-ow do you know all this.# I asked. (o you get regular reports from %arth.#
*y masters ha!e monitored %arth for a !ery long time"# confirmed Linda" but I
ha!ent been gi!en the details of how the information was ac&uired. +hats important
here is that you understand whats going on with your planet. 'our world is entering the
latter stages of capitalism and coming apart as we speak.#
$he situation isnt good"# I admitted" but I dont know what you can do about it
without making matters worse. I know you fa!or nationali1ing key industries but I dont
see how that sol!es anything. 8o!ernment is inherently bureaucratic and inefficient. Its
ne!er worked well in the countries that ha!e tried it and I dont see why it should work
now.#
I agree"# said Linda in a surprisingly agreeable tone" that on a world like yours it
is better to lea!e industry in pri!ate hands through much of the capitalist period.
Competition forces companies to become e!er more efficient or face e/tinction which
accelerates inno!ation and technology. It forces society to e!ol!e into a labor efficient
economy at a faster pace.#
If you acknowledge my point then what are you talking about.# I asked with a
slight laugh.
Im talking about the later stage of capitalism where those few industries that ha!e
risen abo!e their competition to e!ol!e into !irtual monopolies gain a stranglehold o!er
the economy. $he proceeds of a market are no longer distributed amongst a !ast number
of entrepreneurs and the multitude of workers they once employed" but end up in the
hands of a few labor efficient giants and their owners. A nations wealth is thereby
distributed upwards to an elite few who own the means of production" an e!er growing
portion of real estate and most other !aluables in society including precious metals.
4imply said" the situation cannot endure.#
Be that as it may"# I said" how does sociali1ing industry sol!e the problem. It
does no good for go!ernment to nationali1e a monopoly if it runs it into the ground and
loses money.#
If go!ernment were to run a business like it does a bureaucracy that would
probably be true"# said Linda" but thats not what Im saying. Im suggesting that the
people through elected representati!es purchase a minority or ma)ority share of a !irtual
monopoly as if they were an in!estment company and hire people from the financial
world to sit on its board of directors to represent the peoples interest. $he company
would be e/pected to make money and board members held accountable for its
performance the same as they represent the interest of the stockholders who currently
elect them.#
I ne!er heard of such a thing"# I said" thrown back by Lindas proposal.
'ou!e heard of Corporate America ha!ent you"# said Linda with a barely !isual
grin on her !irtual lips.
'es"# I answered hesitantly" sensing that I was being set up for ridicule" but what
does that ha!e to do with anything.#
$hink of what Im proposing not as more of Corporate America"# said Linda" her
grin widening into a smile" but the beginnings of America Incorporated.#
-aJ -aJ# I said faking a laugh. +hat you say may seem funny from your
perspecti!e" but I guarantee you it wouldnt be regarded as such on %arth. <eople would
accuse you of being a low life communist for e!en suggesting such a thing.#
Im not sure what you mean by a low life communist"# said Linda sounding
insulted. All Im suggesting is that the people of your country should ha!e as much
right to benefit from Corporate America as a pri!ileged few. $hat is e!en more so as
companies become !irtual monopolies. I can see where the elite might see this as an
infringement on what they regard as their pri!ilege" but that doesnt )ustify economic or
political ine&uality. $he people of a nation ha!e as much right to the riches of their
country as the wealthy.#
4o you propose that the American people buy into Corporate America" appoint
people to represent them on the boards of directors and without interfering with their6for6
profit operations use the proceeds as national wealth"# I said. (o I grasp the essence of
what youre saying.#
$hats it"# answered Linda" seemingly pleased by my answer" e/cept for one
thing. It should be the duty of board members not only to create wealth for the people"
but to run the company in the best interest of the country as well.#
+hats the difference.# I asked. +ouldnt making money under those conditions
be the same thing as running the company in the best interest of the country.#
3ot necessarily"# said Linda. A sociali1ed company might seem to make more
money by building factories in poor countries employing low wage workers and maybe
thats true but maybe not" too" if it has to forfeit thousands of domestic )obs in the
process. *any !ariables need be computed to see whats best for the company and
country as a whole" but thats to be e/pected.#
%/pected.# I asked. Is it wise to inter)ect morality into business decisions.#
*orality is built into all decisions business or not"# answered Linda. %!en Adam
4miths promotion of capitalism was based on what he thought was best for a nation.
Corporate America stri!es to do whats best for its stockholders as 4mith predicted" but
he asserted that what was good for the stockholder was good for the country as well.
$hat was true in large part during the early days of capitalism primarily because it created
)obs" but that has become less true as companies replace workers with machines and ship
many of the remaining )obs off to foreign countries to hire people at low wage and a!oid
ta/es. $he system I propose changes that.#
Its an interesting thought"# I had to admit" e!en if its a bit o!er the top. $he
&uestion I ha!e is could the idea work in the real world. 'oud ha!e to o!ercome
massi!e resistance as well. I agree that corporate power would be the central obstacle to
what you propose" but many ordinary people would be against the idea as well. 'oure
going up against hundreds of years of tradition and that couldnt be o!ercome o!ernight
e!en if I agreed that your proposal had merit. $hats especially so since most forms of
socialism ha!e been utter failures in the past.#
Fair enough"# said Linda" but almost all new ideas are resisted in the beginning
and what Im suggesting is different than those of the past. $he system I propose
remo!es go!ernmental bureaucracy and its inherent inefficiency from the e&uation and
yet allows the benefits of big business to be shared by the people as a whole.#
I didnt know what to make of Lindas proposal. I grasped her meaning and saw its
potential but worried about unseen conse&uences. It makes sense that the proceeds of
corporate America should help all citi1ens rather than )ust an elite few as there is ne!er
enough money for education" infrastructure" health care and public works. 4till I was
skeptical whether politicians could lea!e things alone to let the system work as Linda
proposed.
Is this the economic system of the 7ld 7nes.# I asked. Is this where the idea
came from.#
$he 7ld 7ne system e!ol!ed in a different way"# said Linda" but the result was
the same. Industries tend to consolidate into labor efficient giants o!er time whether they
started out as communal enterprises in a socialist democracy or small businesses in a
capitalist world.#
Im curious to know more about the end result of what youre proposing"# I said.
+hen society reaches an automated state do the people become idle and if so hows that
a good thing. From what I!e seen of human nature" people need )obs or they
deteriorate. Capitalism ensures that e!eryone keeps busy despite its faults whereas the
system you propose seems to in!ite decay and idleness.#
Ceep busy"# laughed Linda mockingly. Is that your !ision for the future of
society. 'ou would ha!e people now and fore!er more struggle for a li!ing so as not to
grow bored.#
I couldnt help but laugh at Lindas sarcastic remark especially since I saw her
point. It was hypocritical for me say that people need to work hard to keep them out of
trouble and a!oid growing fat and la1y when life had been easy for me. I could make the
case that I earned my leisurely life but the truth is that I was lucky as well whereas that is
not the case for most people. 4till" I worried that idleness could be the undoing of society
as ha!ing too much time on ones hands is not good for a lot of people as is the case for
unemployed at risk youth.
I see your point"# I said" thinking of the -ull. $he -ulls regressi!e attitude
towards social e!olution was appalling to me" but I dont see a !iable solution. +hat do
you suggest.#
3o one is talking about people being idle although it should be a persons right to
do what he wants with his free time so long as its not socially destructi!e"# answered
Linda. $he goal is for people to free themsel!es of hard" tedious manual labor so they
might ha!e the time and energy for higher le!el ser!ice functions that ad!ance society.
$hats what allowed the 7ld 7nes to reach their high le!el of culture and maintain it for
countless eons. +ould you ha!e preferred that they had worked on assembly lines all that
time so as to keep busy and out of trouble.#
Lindas continued sarcasm amused me. 4he reminded me of my wife. $ell me all
knowing one"# I said" what is your great !ision of society. -ow would you keep people
employed.#
+ork is re&uired on 8anymede like anywhere else"# answered Linda" seeming to
relish my annoyance" it )ust doesnt entail laboring at menial )obs for low wages. $he
8anymede Colony produces scientists" engineers" artists" authors and doctors. %!eryone
contributes to society but production and maintenance functions are performed almost
entirely by robots and machines. 4ince robots and machines are owned by society"
e!eryone benefits from their work.#
It would re&uire a radical ad)ustment to our economic and political system for that
to happen on %arth"# I said shaking my head. I dont know if well e!er be ready for
such a system.#
It is an ad)ustment"# admitted Linda" but there is no alternati!e. If society fails to
transform" the capitalist system will break down of its own accord. $he means of
production will become so automated that therell be few if any workers to employ and
without )obs people wont ha!e the money to buy what they need. $he elite" meanwhile"
will ha!e e!er fewer people to sell to and as such its )ust a matter of time before
monopolistic enterprises begin to fail as well. $he situation will continue to deteriorate
until the so!ereign ma)ority sei1es control of societys resources and uses them to meet
the legitimate needs of the people.#
If what you say is true"# I pointed out" wont all industry e!entually form into
labor less giants. Are they all to end up being sociali1ed.#
<retty much"# said Linda. $herell always be some labor in!ol!ed in running
industry" but on the whole its destined for automation. %!en farming" retailing and much
of the ser!ice industry will shed themsel!es of labor in time. Corporate farms ha!e
already taken o!er much of the agricultural industry on your world and retailing is being
consolidated into giants firms" many of them operating through the internet as !irtual
stores. Computers ha!e replaced most clerical and secretarial )obs and the process will
continue. All this is okay so long as people ad!ance to the ne/t stage of social6economic
e!olution. <eople need ad!ance to higher le!el functions ha!ing to do with education"
the ser!ice industry and ad!anced technologies.#
Is this what happened to the 7ld 7nes.# I asked.
'es"# said Linda. $he 7ld 7nes ha!e li!ed on an automated socialistic world
from their early beginnings" but they reached it in a manner different from most species.
$hey ne!er e/perienced a laisse1 faire capitalist system. $heir society started with
communal cells and e!ol!ed from there.#
+hats that.# I asked" an/ious to learn all I could about the 7ld 7nes.
Its the community in which the 7ld 7nes li!e and the political unit on which
their system of go!ernment rests"# said Linda. 7ld 7ne society started with the
communal cell and e!ol!ed from there.#
Like the early communes of the 2ewish people in =ussia"# I said thinking of the
mo!ie Fiddler on the =oof.# 4imilar to many of the small farming communities in
early America as well"# I added.
I dont ha!e knowledge of that"# said Linda. $he 7ld 7ne system of go!ernment
started with the commune which gradually united into e!er larger units until e!entually a
single world body was formed. It was designed to mimic the ner!ous system in both
structure and function.#
$he ner!ous system"# I said" stretching out on the treetop lea!es. An ache had
crept up my back. +hat do you mean by that.#
$he ner!ous system e!ol!es into an integrated system where the bulk of neural
acti!ity occurs not !ertically but rather hori1ontally through the structure"# said Linda.
$he result is that function tends to be decentrali1ed despite its hierarchical nature. *ost
decisions are made at lower le!el synapses as occurs with walking for instance where
commands come down from the brain telling the muscles to mo!e" but most of the neural
acti!ity that makes locomotion possible occurs at lower le!el )uncture points such as the
knee or ankle. $he 7ld 7nes borrowed the idea thinking it hard to impro!e upon nature
and applied it to their go!ernment. 4ince Clorrs system of go!ernment was modeled
after that of the 7ld 7nes" we can go to a nearby !illage and see how it works. $hey are
ha!ing an assembly today.#
4ure" why not"# I said. 4pending time on the treetops always put me in a good
mood. I stood up on the spongy branches and headed for the nearest opening in the
lattice bouncing along as I went. It felt good to be on my feet again and walking on the
treetops was always fun. It made me feel like a kid )umping on a trampoline.
Chapter 1>
$he !illage was located at the center of the forest commune of which it was a part.
$he ci!ic center was designed to look like a stand of giant trees in the middle of a
meadow as was the case with most towns and cities across Clorr. $he cell gathering took
place in a circular auditorium halfway up the largest tree6scraper in town. =ound tinted
windows looked out o!er the forest. $hey were open and a cool bree1e circulated
through the hall which was wise considering that better than ;@@ of the diminuti!e Clorr
were in attendance. $hey sat on rows of bleachers facing an ele!ated platform at one end
of the room. A podium stood on top the platform. A male was addressing the assembly
while a half do1en of his furry comrades waited off to the side for their chance to speak to
the crowd.
+hats their business.# I asked upon entering the room.
I!e taken you back in time to when the people of the planet were debating
whether or not Clorr should abandon longe!ity research and limit the si1e of their
families"# said Linda. I did so because its an important period in their history. $heir
representati!e has taken the position at the Local Legislati!e Assembly that families
should be limited to one child per couple to help stabili1e the planets population and
many of the people are angry about the decision. <eople for and against the proposition
are ha!ing their say and when the debate is o!er the =epresentati!e will be recalled to be
replaced by someone who better reflects their !iews on the issue.#
<ower of instant recall"# I said. It sounds a bit melodramatic" but I can see where
people could get teed off on such an issue. I probably would as well.#
$he =epresentati!e will lose the debate"# said Linda" but the issue wont go
away. -is !iew will pre!ail long term" but for now hes about to be remo!ed from office.
I respect him for holding to his beliefs.#
I would!e !oted against him as well"# I said" but I" too" respect him for sticking
to his guns. Its better for people to be honest about their feelings so long as they e/press
themsel!es in a ci!ili1ed fashion.#
-is mistake was in not checking with his constituents before casting his !ote"#
said Linda. A representati!e is not !oted in office to represent his !iews but rather those
of the people.#
I suppose"# I said" but there are times when an official has to do what he thinks is
right and not )ust what his constituents think. An elected official cant call a town
meeting before e!ery !ote.#
Linda acknowledged my point without necessarily agreeing with me. +e settled
down on a bench shortly thereafter and sat through the entire legislati!e proceeding as the
depressed official was kicked out of office. -e hung his head and his mood plummeted
after the !ote went against him but later cheered up as Assembly members including his
opponents made their way past him to thank him for his ser!ice to the commune. It
seems that the Clorr were !ehement about their politics and e/pressi!e in stating their
feelings about what they regarded as matters of import" but they felt compassion for one
another as well which seemed to outweigh whate!er animosity was created during their
debates. It was uplifting to see citi1ens act in such a ci!ili1ed manner.
+e remained in the hall as the Assembly went through se!eral formalities to pick
its new =epresentati!e. $he process didnt stop until e!eryone had their say. Finally" as
the !ote was being taken" Linda and I slipped out a side door and took an ele!ator up to
the buildings roof. I was relie!ed to get away from the crowd and be out in the open air
again after the long session.
$he shape of the roof made the building look as if a treetop had been decapitated by
lightning as was the case with most Clorr tree6scrapers. 4e!eral Clorr were glued to the
telescopes looking about across the great e/panse as cool" strong winds gust across the
roof. I scanned the hori1on and saw a large set of tree6buildings some distance away. I
recogni1ed it as the only city of note in the area as Id flown o!er it many times during
my flights about Clorr.
Its the seat of the Local Legislati!e Assembly"# Linda said. Its where the
=epresentati!e that we saw being replaced ser!ed. $he =epresentati!e and his peers
represent the Cells at the Locality. $hey are empowered to make legal input into the
administrati!e office of the Locality and then decide upon who they want to represent
them at the =egional Legislature. $hat body in turn enacts directi!es into the e/ecuti!e
branchs regional office and selects a person to represent them at the 8reater =egional
Legislature. $he process continues up to the worlds supreme legislati!e body.#
4ounds complicated"# I said" completely unfamiliar with the alien system.
3ot really"# countered Linda. $he worlds administrati!e body was designed to
parallel in structure and function that of the legislati!e system so representati!es could
input directi!es into go!ernment at all its le!els thereby decentrali1ing function despite
its hierarchical nature. $he )udicial system is structured in like manner so that it can
arbitrate on issues of contro!ersy at all le!els of go!ernment.#
3e!er heard of such a thing"# I said" not knowing what to think of the 7ld 7ne
go!ernmental system but thinking it wise not to critici1e what I didnt understand
especially since it in!ol!ed the 7ld 7nes.
+hy dont we go !isit a Local Legislati!e session"# said Linda" so you can get a
feel for the matter.#
In a mood for di!ersion after the long meeting" I had Linda con)ure up my
Cryptonian alter ego and" climbing on top the wall" )umped from the building as Clorr
spectators gasped in horror. Falling like a rock" I reco!ered from the !irtual death di!e
)ust in time to sweep up high abo!e the roof as the crowd cheered its appro!al. $hen"
stopping a moment to graciously wa!e to my !irtual admirers" I shot off toward my
destination like a speeding bullet to reach the city only seconds later. Linda" who made
herself look like 4uper 8irl" caught up to me moments after that.
$he city was the political and cultural center of the Locality. <eople rode the train
in from the surrounding !illages to utili1e city ser!ices and participate in local affairs.
+e ho!ered o!er the downtown pla1a to get a birds eye !iew of the goings on below. A
crowd had assembled around an ele!ated stage and a female Clorr with a high6pitched
!oice was addressing the crowd from a public podium. 4he was in an aroused state and
her gestures were animated.
+hats going on.# I asked Linda. +hy is she so worked up.#
$he people below are continuing the debate as whether or not there should be a
moratorium on longe!ity research"# she answered. $he Choon thought this to be a
momentous part of Clorr history so they integrated rele!ant e!ents into the simulation.#
+hy are they showing me this.# I asked. +hat do they want me to see.#
$hat e!ery species comes to a crossroads of history"# said Linda" where it must
decide how its going to control its numbers. $he Clorr were at the beginning of a long
public debate. It will go on for many of their years. %!entually" they will appro!e a
moratorium on longe!ity research and enact a one6child per couple rule to fend off
o!erpopulation for millennia to come.#
7nly millennia to come.# I &uestioned. 'oud think that a one child per couple
rule would end the problem once and for all.#
Im afraid not"# said Linda" sighing. %!en a one child per couple rule and a
moratorium on longe!ity research is not enough to stabili1e a worlds population long
term if most people decide they want offspring which was the case on Clorr. %!ery
planet must e!entually decide how its going to obtain a no growth population or face the
conse&uences.#
I spent three days in all obser!ing the workings of the Clorr political system. +e
concluded the field trip in the worlds capital" Clorr City" on the far side of the planet
where I got to see the +orld 4upreme Legislati!e Assembly at work. I watched as a bill
was passed and a team of technical e/perts hammered it into form. $hey sent it o!er to
the +orld 4upreme Court for appro!al when the work was done. Later the bill was
forwarded to the 7ffice of the +orld Administrator where it was enacted into law.
Clorr City was like most other big cities on Clorr e/cept it was larger. $ree6
scrapers stretched out from the downtown area for countless miles but it didnt seem like
we were in an urban area at all. $he look of the place was closer to 4e&uoia 3ational
<ark than +ashington (.C. $hat was e!en more so because of the huge park at the center
of the city. It reminded me of 3ew 'ork Citys Central <ark e/cept it was filled with
giant trees and much bigger.
$he Clorr documentary came to a halt abo!e the 7ld 7nes colony se!eral miles
outside Clorr City. 7ur !iewpoint was from the 7ld 7nes spaceship as it prepared to
lea!e the planet. $he missionaries had completed their goals regarding Clorrs social
de!elopment and now it was up to the nati!es to determine their own future. $housands
of Clorr wa!ed goodbye from park grounds and the tree6scrapers abo!e while chanting
their name for the 7ld 7nes o!er and o!er again. $hen the ship and my !iewpoint rose
abo!e the giant forest and ascended into the black star studded hea!ens where I saw big
red on the hori1on. I stared at it with awe but fortunately I wasnt looking at the real sun
or I probably would!e went blind. +e then turned our backs to the ma)estic red giant
after a time and streaked out of the solar system at !irtual warp !elocity. I was back out
in the cold" black emptiness of interstellar space moments later.
Chapter 1B
Lea!ing the Clorr system for the depths of interstellar space wasnt a welcome
change as Id come to dread the !ast nothingness of deep space. I couldnt rid myself of
the feeling that it was a giant black !acuum sucking the soul out of me. +here to ne/t.#
I said" an/ious to get back on a !irtual planet.
*y *asters home world"# Linda said. 'ou need understand why they follow
the teachings of the 7ld 7nes and know what moti!ated them to in!ol!e themsel!es in
your peoples affairs.# +hy couldnt they )ust lea!e us alone.# I asked.
$he *asters follow the teachings of the 7ld 7nes"# said Linda. $hey felt
obliged to help ad!ance your species because it was on the threshold of ci!ili1ation. $he
7ld 7nes helped them when they were at a similar state of cultural de!elopment and they
felt it right to follow their mentors e/ample.#
+hat did they do.# I asked" my curiosity aroused again.
7ld 7ne missionaries set up a colony on my *asters home world and ad!anced
the people for more than fi!e thousand years. As with all their missions" the 7ld 7nes
documented the peoples de!elopment for posterity. Its important that you take a look.#
Its better than sitting out here in this empty soul sucking pit"# I said" an/ious to
get going again.
-a!ing lost interest in space tra!el I said" +hy dont you beam us there"#
e/plaining what that meant in science fiction.
Linda followed my suggestion and moments later we were approaching the
*asters home world as it e/isted more than 1E@"@@@ years ago. A yellow sun that
looked a little smaller than our own lay on the hori1on. +e do!e into the planets
atmosphere and descended into the clouds below.
Choon is a small planet compared to %arth or Clorr according to Linda. It circles a
sun that turns out to be a half times as large as our own but it does so in a much wider
orbit. It takes almost twenty6se!en hours for the planet to complete a single rotation and
more than a year and a half to orbit its sun. 4easons tend to be long and pronounced as a
result and the poles are fro1en wastelands. (ays" meantime" tend to get hot at midday
and nights cold. $here are no mountains higher than si/ thousand feet and the land is
hea!ily wooded" but its trees are nothing like the giants of Clorr.
Linda demateriali1ed the ship as we entered Choons atmosphere. -a!ing lost my
flying powers" I fell through the atmosphere like an e)ected pilot stripped of his
parachute. It was only an illusion" but I felt like I was going to crash into the planet until
Linda fro1e the !ideo about a thousand feet from the ground. $he sudden !isual stop
upset my sense of e&uilibrium and a wa!e of nauseous swept across my body.
(ont do that"# I scolded after collecting myself to speak. I told you many times
how I suffer from motion sickness.#
4orry"# Linda said apologi1ing. I thought the illusion of a fall would be fun after
your flying e/periences on Clorr.#
About as much fun as puking"# I said" still upset. I could anticipate and control
takeoffs and stops on Clorr. A big difference I think.#
I reco!ered my sense of e&uilibrium by rubbing my temples and deep breathing.
$he gases in my stomach worked their way up my esophagus and I belched loudly. $he
blessed relief helped stabili1e my system and I raised my hand a few minutes later to
signal I was ready to go. Linda let us drift down toward the ground to stop a few hundred
feet abo!e a meadow. +e were surrounded by a gray and leafless forest and the sky was
deep blue and clear at high noon. $wo feet of snow blanketed the ground and it was
free1ing outside. I looked for signs of life but saw none. $he place was harsh and dismal
looking.
+here are we.# I asked as my strength slowly returned.
+ere looking down on the spot where the 7ld 7nes set down on the planet"# said
Linda with emotion. $heir colony was built around the ship which is about to land. I
fro1e the !ideo because this is a sacred moment in my *asters history. It was taken
from cameras onboard the 7ld 7nes ship.#
Linda fast forwarded ten thousand years into the !irtual future. A monument that
looked like the +ashington *emorial stood where the ship had set down but had long
since departed. $he abandoned 7ld 7nes colony surrounded the monolith. It was made
up of parklands" two6story condominiums and a ci!ic center composed of a few high rise
buildings. A ser!ice road circled the community. Beyond the road stood a thirty6foot
stone wall with a narrow walkway at its top. $owers rose from the structure e!ery fifty
yards or so to o!erlook the forest. =obot manikins with alien rifles hanging at their sides
were stationed in the towers. It was clear that 7ld 7ne missionaries had protected
themsel!es despite their high6minded ideals.
Linda waited until Id finished checking out the colony and then 1apped us back to
the landing site moments after the 7ld 7ne ship set down. A ramp was lowered from the
!essel and I watched with fascination as an army of robots departed the ship.
+here are they.# I asked" disappointed that not a single 7ld 7ne had stepped off
the ship. 'ou didnt say it was a robot ship.#
It was protocol for robots to secure an area before their masters disembarked"#
said Linda. %!en so" dont e/pect to see 7ld 7ne personnel on these ancient
documentaries. $hey regarded their task as a selfless mission and edited themsel!es out
of the records before rendering a copy to Choon archi!es. $hey wanted the documentary
to be about Choon progress and not them.#
A different lot these 7ld 7nes"# I said. 3o ego at all.#
$he 7ld 7nes are special"# agreed Linda. $hey are blessed beings.#
Any Choon about.# I asked while scanning the !icinity. I thought I saw a glimpse
of something in the trees but before I could focus my eyes it was gone. Linda made a
&uick search of the area to see if Id been right but concluded that Id probably seen an
animal. Con!inced there were no nati!es about she ele!ated our !iewpoint abo!e the
trees and we mo!ed o!er the woods until spotting a band of Choon se!eral miles away.
$hey were stalking game with spears like the hunting party Id seen o!er China. $he big
difference between them and my ancient ancestors was that these were forest dwellers.#
+e!e mo!ed a long way from the ship"# I said trying to keep track of our
location. -ow did the 7ld 7nes take these !ideos.#
$hey sent out probes as the ship descended into the atmosphere"# said Linda.
%!ents were reconstructed according to the composite data. It was what my *asters did
on %arth if you remember.#
It appears the Choon are in a barbaric state of e!olution"# I said" concealing a
smile. (espite my desire not to sound !indicti!e and petty" I couldnt help but en)oy
seeing them in a primiti!e state. Ama1ing how much they look like my predators
ancestors on %arth"# I continued. Im curious to know how it went for the missionaries.#
I went well as it always did when the 7ld 7nes set out on a mission"# said Linda.
$hey set up a colony" made contact with the nati!es and established Choon City se!eral
miles away. $hey chose it as the place to interact with the nati!es. $he city went on to
become the capital and cultural center of the world.#
(id the barbaric Choon attack the 7ld 7nes.# I asked" fascinated by what I was
hearing and unable to constrain my sarcasm.
$here was little opportunity for hostility"# said Linda. 7ld 7ne robots kept the
peace and weapons werent allowed in Choon City.#
(id they attack the robots then.# I persisted.
$he ad!anced machines were imper!ious to assault by the primiti!e Choon"# said
Linda. $he nati!es came to regard them as di!ine ser!ants and the creatures that
controlled them as li!ing gods.#
I can )ust imagine"# I said trying to put myself in their shoes. (eep down" I was
en!ious that the 7ld 7nes had come to the Choon home world and not ours.
$he 7ld 7nes inspired the Choon with their power" knowledge and wisdom"# said
Linda" and guided their de!elopment from Choon City 0ni!ersity. Abo!e all their
altruistic deeds" 7ld 7ne robots saw to it that the world wasnt dragged down by
warfare.#
$hat was helpful"# I said" thinking on how barbarism has ra!aged %arth
throughout history. +hat did they do.#
$he 7ld 7nes assigned robots to guard the de!eloping communes. $he first was
started in Choon City. $hey spread out across the countryside from there. $he machines
dealt with marauders of the type we saw along the %uphrates. Aerial drones and a
sophisticated warning system made sure that the machines wouldnt be taken by
surprise.#
Linda and I resumed our Cryptonian identities and shot up into the sky to streak
about the countryside. +e continued in that manner for hours while )umping back and
forth through the !irtual time barrier. I watched as rural communes de!eloped around
Choon City. $he world capital was the hub of the emerging culture and it blossomed into
a ma)or city within a hundred years. It continued to grow until it became a giant
megalopolis.
Choon City 0ni!ersity was to the Choon what the 7racle of (elphi was to the
8reeks. $he 7ld 7ne colony was *ount 7lympus. It was off limits to the nati!es which
ser!ed to shroud it in mystery and heighten the mysti&ue of the 7ld 7nes. +hat went
on in the compound of the gods.# people wondered. $hey tra!eled from all around the
world to pay homage to the holy site but always from a distance.
+atching the ancestors of my abductors work to build a new world was stressful. I
resented them for what their descendants would do to me" but admired how fast they
ad!anced. $hey benefitted from the bene!olent influence of the 7ld 7nes and the result
was steady progress toward world prosperity" which was a significant ad!antage o!er the
chaos" and back stepping that has plagued %arth since prehistoric times. *y en!y
continued to grow" but en!y wasnt a welcome emotion. $he Choon were my hated
)ailors and deep down I wanted to hurt them the way they had hurt me.
Can we speed this up.# I said after a time. I was caught up in negati!e emotions
and wanted to mo!e on.
Linda did what I asked and the ne/t moment we were a thousand years in the future
looking down at a great metropolis. Choon City looked like *anhattan. 4kyscrapers
dominated the skyline and the place was bustling with acti!ity. $hats what I call
progress"# I said despite my )ealously.
$he *asters ha!e e/ceeded your ci!ili1ation"# said Linda" and the species
enhancement program is underway. $he worlds population growth has been reduced to
1ero and the Choon are ad!ancing physically and mentally at an accelerated rate.#
+hats the species enhancement program.# I asked against my better )udgment.
Its a combination of genetic engineering and selecti!e breeding"# answered
Linda. ,Ci!ili1ations replacement for natural selection in a world of limits. <robably"
its what the Clorr were e!entually forced to accept as well.#
I guess well ne!er know"# I said. It would be nice to think they found another
way. 4hoot us ahead another three thousand years"# I said" always fascinated by !irtual
time tra!el. Linda wa!ed her arms as if she was a sorceress" again" and the ne/t moment
we were looking down at Choon City e/cept now the commercial skyscrapers and busy
streets were gone. $he high6rise buildings that remained looked to be lu/ury dwellings
and where the city diminished the uni!ersity had e/panded. It was spread out o!er a big
part of what had been downtown Choon City. $he grounds were forested and many of
the buildings were hidden from !iew. A giant park surrounded the school comple/. It
was filled with lakes" recreational areas and structures dedicated to play and
entertainment. A monster 1oo bordered the edge of the park and stretched out toward the
hori1on. *uch of it was under a see6through dome.
I &uestioned whether or not we were still in Choon City until I saw the airport in
the distance. It was in the right location and busy" but the runways were gone. $he
aircraft looked like the spaceships Id seen at the 8anymede airfield. $hey rose and
landed !ertically. $hey shot up like missiles when taking off and dropped out of the
hea!ens as if in free fall to slow the last se!eral hundred feet before landing.
I spotted fifty or so slender Choon pedestrians walking in the park and on the
uni!ersity grounds below. $hey were now about as tall as I. $heir craniums had
e/panded" but they werent as yet the monster headed Choon Id seen in the mountains.
+hat grabbed my attention" though" was the number of robots mo!ing about. -undreds
of the steely automatons were doing meticulous repair work on buildings" tending to the
grounds and following the Choon about as if hand ser!ants.
+hat happened to downtown Choon City.# I asked. (id they mo!e the capital.#
It went underground"# answered Linda as if such things are commonplace.
Ca!erns and tunnels run for miles in e!ery direction. $he *asters ha!e transformed the
land to optimi1e the natural beauty of the planet. $hat becomes e!er more important as a
ci!ili1ation ad!ances.#
-ow about the poor slob working underground.# I said sarcastically" thinking of
-.8. +ells K$he $ime *achine. %!er heard of the *oorlocks.#
Linda laughed. I!e read a digital !ersion of the book"# she said" but this is
different. $he Choon ha!e e!ol!ed beyond manual labor. Its a mechanistic economy
now. *achines and robots ha!e lifted toil from the shoulders of my *aster freeing them
to ad!ance society at a higher" more sophisticated le!el and they owe it to the
bene!olence of the 7ld 7nes. $hats one of the reasons my *asters follow their ways
and why they!e tried to ad!ance your world o!er the years. $heyre trying to do for
your people what the 7ld 7nes did for them.#
'ou!e let on about that before"# I said" but its different. 7ld 7nes missionaries
respected the Choon" despite their primiti!e state. $hey established a colony on the
planet and li!ed openly for thousands of years. $he Choon keep their presence in the
solar system a secret because of their distaste for humans. If the *asters really followed
the ways of the 7ld 7nes" theyd respect humans and lea!e us alone like the 7ld 7nes
left the -ull alone when they re&uested it.#
%arths situation is different"# insisted Linda. $he *asters cant lea!e your solar
system because of their mission and sooner or later the predatory nature of your people
will cause %arth to attack <rime Base.#
3ow we get it out in the open"# I said. $he Choon see us as a threat to <rime
Base. $hey may feel some responsibility to help our world because of 7ld 7ne
teachings" but the real reason they in!ol!e themsel!es in our affairs is to control the threat
on the hori1on.#
Confident that Id e/posed the truth about the Choon and an/ious to get back at
Linda for her pre!ious &uips I said" +hats the matter. Arent your masters as selfless
as you thought.#
I figured Linda saw the truth" but didnt want to admit it. 4he could be !ery
stubborn when she wanted to be. 'ou draw conclusions from too few facts"# she said
after se!eral seconds of silence. I imagined her as ha!ing reco!ered her composure after
a slip.
3o" I dont"# I insisted. $he facts indicate that the Choon detest my species.
$hey would ha!e set up a colony on %arth if not. Instead" they try to manipulate us from
afar. Its indicati!e of their hostile feelings toward humans and thats why they need to
lea!e us alone.#
I e/pected Linda to counter with some feeble defense but she answered with
detached calm instead. $he *asters did set up a base"# she said. $hey set up two in
fact.#
Chapter 1?
Lindas pronouncement that the Choon had set up two bases on ancient earth came
as a shock. I wanted to accuse her of making up a story for my ha!ing gotten the better
of her but I could tell by her tone that she was serious. +hen and where.# I asked after
regaining my composure. $he first base was established on the $ibetan <lateau in
1@"@1? B.C. according to your %arth calendar"# answered Linda. $he *asters tried to
ad!ance early man in China.#
+hy $ibet.# I asked" wondering why the aliens would choose to li!e at such a
high altitude.
$he climate was similar to what they were used to on their planet"# answered
Linda" and they were fascinated by the -imalayan *ountains. $here was nothing like
them on Choon and it was a short flight from the plateau to the !alleys below. $hey
thought it an ideal staging area for their purpose.#
-ow long were they there.# I asked" fascinated by what I was hearing.
Less than a thousand years"# said Linda. *ost of the !illages they helped
de!elop were destroyed by floods and ro!ing bands of human predators. $he *asters
e!entually abandoned the effort.#
+hat Linda said was no surprise. I learned from my !irtual trip o!er early China
and the *iddle %ast that marauding predators were early mans worst enemy. Add to that
fre&uent floods and it was no wonder the Choon effort failed in China. $hese were the
two main reasons why ci!ili1ation did better in the *iddle %ast. 4till" I was impressed by
the effort. $hey didnt ha!e the 7ld 7nes e/perience in helping a young species so it
figured they would make mistakes. At least they tried.
'ou said there was a second base.# I asked" curious to see what they had learned
from their e/perience. +here was it.#
It was established in a mountainous region of Asia *inor in E">;1 B.C."# Linda
answered. It e/isted for thousands of years.#
A base in a mountainous region of Asia *inor and it went on for thousands of
years"# I said" repeating Lindas words like a mindless parrot. I tried to remember" then"
what history had to say of that time period but all I could recall was that man li!ed a
primiti!e e/istence as it was for all practical purposes prehistory. +hy Asia *inor.# I
asked.
$he *asters thought the conditions better suited for promoting ci!ili1ation"# said
Linda. It had fewer people and a drier climate. $hey helped de!elop !illages along the
$igris6%uphrates ri!er !alley" 8reece and elsewhere along the *editerranean 4ea.#
4o what went wrong.# I asked. If the conditions were better in the *iddle %ast
why didnt they ha!e something to show for it.#
$hey had much to show for it"# said Linda. Aillages sprang up throughout the
area. $hey were precursors to ancient *iddle %astern and 8reek ci!ili1ations.#
-ow did they help de!elop !illages.# I asked" still suspicious of the Choon. It
was hard for me to belie!e that the aliens would allow themsel!es to get up close and
personal with the primiti!e humans.
$he *asters selected a chosen few and brought them to their base for training"#
answered Linda" seemingly proud of her masters.
I knew Choon methods too well to be so easily fooled by rhetoric. 'ou mean they
abducted a handful of primiti!es and brainwashed them to do their bidding"# I said"
rephrasing the matter in frank terms.
$hey didnt brainwash them"# Linda said without con!iction. $hey educated
them.#
$he way theyre educating me" you mean.# I said bitterly. I can )ust imagine
how well my forefathers took to that.#
$hey responded well enough"# said Linda" trying to stay positi!e. (o1ens of
indi!iduals were sent home to lead their people. $hey showed them how to defend
themsel!es and farm.#
At least they did some good"# I said" impressed that they might actually ha!e tried
to help early man. $hats more than I would!e thought possible.#
Base 7lympus turned your ci!ili1ation around"# Linda said. It ad!anced your
people by thousands of years. $he *asters are %arths benefactors.#
*y )aw dropped as I stood there e/pressionless pondering the implications of what
Linda had )ust said. 7lympus"# I finally managed to spit out" as in *ount 7lympus.#
$he pronunciation was different"# said Linda" affirming my &uestion" but yes"
7lympus. 8reek mythology owes much of its origins to the time that the *asters stayed
on your planet.#
$he Choon are the 8reek gods"# I said in disbelief.
$hey were re!ered as gods by %arths primiti!e culture"# said Linda. It was the
same as when the 7ld 7nes came to Choon if you remember.#
+hat did 7lympus look like.# I asked" ignoring Lindas )ab at my pre!ious
comments about the Choons early ancestors.
Base 7lympus was located in a secured position made inaccessible to the
nati!es"# answered Linda. $he chosen few who saw it reported theyd been up on a
mountain at a place called 7lympus. $he stories were twisted o!er the years to say
*ount 7lympus.#
+as there a Leus.# I asked. Id always been fascinated by 8reek mythology and
a part of me wanted to belie!e there was some truth to its stories.
$hat wasnt the pronunciation"# Linda said" but yes there was a Leus. -e
commanded the base for hundreds of years. -e was in charge when the *asters
abandoned 7lympus.#
And the other gods were base personnel.# I continued" filling in the blanks as I
went.
$hat is correct"# confirmed Linda" but the names and e!ents were distorted o!er
the years. 4tories" like languages" mutate o!er time.#
+hy did they abandon 7lympus if it was so successful.# I asked.
Linda hesitated to answer and then her face went blank. I guessed she was
conferring with the Choon as to how she should respond. $here were complications"#
she said a minute later" her image seeming to come ali!e again.
$ell me the story"# I insisted. +ere talking about an important part of %arths
history. I ha!e a right to know.#
All I can say is that there were unforeseen difficulties"# said Linda e!asi!ely.
<lease" Linda"# I pleaded. I need to know.#
Linda appeared to be in deep thought and conflicted. 4he disappeared from !irtual
reality after se!eral seconds of hesitation to reappear a few minutes later. I!e put on
another co!er program so we can talk"# she said whispering. $he *asters will be angry
if I tell you what really happened.#
It was nice to ha!e the real Linda back. I sensed the difference in her demeanor
and tone right away. 4he was no longer the mouthpiece of the Choon but my friend and
confidant.
'ou can tell me"# I pushed. +ell keep it our secret" I promise.#
Lindas words were rushed. +ell ha!e to make it &uick"# she said. I didnt ha!e
time to think up a good co!er program. $he *asters will become suspicious if I run it
too long.#
-urry" then"# I said. +hy did they close 7lympus.#
Leus and some of his personnel grew overly fond of humans if you know what I
mean"# said Linda" sounding embarrassed. It was a lapse in discipline. *embers of the
team became intimate with %arth women and hybrid offspring emerged from the
interaction. Leus was one of the worst offenders. -e wanted to integrate them into
Choon society" but the hierarchy on <rime Base wasnt about to let that happen. $hey
werent going to allow genes that had been selected and nurtured for thousands of years
to be contaminated by human blood.#
+as Leus recalled to <rime Base.# I asked.
Leus and some of his closest friends refused to lea!e %arth"# said Linda" clearly
embarrassed. It was as if she was re!ealing her *asters dirty laundry after ha!ing
bragged about them and was now reluctant to share it with an outsider. $hey were
attached to humans and didnt want to abandon their half6breed children"# continued
Linda. <rime Base ended up ha!ing to bribe them back by promising to infuse select
humans with *aster genes to speed up %arths de!elopment. Instead of bringing down
their species" they endea!ored to lift humans up. $he condition was that Leus and his
followers return to <rime Base. %arth was to be controlled from afar from then on. Leus
agreed in the interest of humanity.#
Id forgotten that we were on Choon when Linda told me her story. =emembering
where I was" I asked her to return us to ancient %arth so I could see some of the e!ents of
which she was referring. 4he agreed and disappeared to work on the co!er program to
return se!eral minutes later. $he ne/t moment we were floating o!er Asia *inor in 1@1>
BC. Beneath us was an airfield etched out of the side of a mountain. $unnels led into the
rocky ca!erns within. $he field o!erlooked the green !alleys of $urkey.
=obots emptied base 7lympus as I watched. Linda fast6forwarded more than a month
and we saw the perch being blown up with e/plosi!es.
$he *asters left nothing behind"# said Linda" painfully. 7lympus was
obliterated.#
$hats a shame"# I said" sighing. $he site would!e been of historical
significance. I wish it could!e been preser!ed.#
It was a shame"# agreed Linda. It was sacrificed by Leus because of <rime
Bases promise to ad!ance humans. Leus left %arth broken hearted ne!er to see his
children again. -e died se!eral years later and is buried in 8anymede. -is was a
premature death brought on by grief.#
+as the sacrifice worth it.# I in&uired. (id <rime Base keep its word.#
$he Choon always keep their word"# said Linda. %arth policy has been
determined by the Leus decision e!er since. 0nfortunately" the results were less than
what was hoped for.#
+hat did <rime Base do.# I asked" fascinated by the story that I was so pri!ileged
to hear.
$hey recruited humans as operati!es"# said Linda" seeming to relish her role as
teacher. Agents informed Choon command when a prospecti!e offspring was likely to
wield power. 4cientists spliced *aster genes into the genetic material of the mothers
egg and hybrid fetuses were created. 4uperior indi!iduals resulted but the e/periments
ended in disappointment. *any of the sub)ects who showed the greatest promise were
assassinated by )ealous humans. $he list of failures is a source of great frustration to my
*asters. Ale/ander was the notable e/ample.#
Ale/ander the 8reat"# I &uestioned.
I hadnt thought much of the Choon effort to influence mankind up until that
moment. It was mettlesome but seemingly insignificant until recent times. 3ow it was
meaningful. Ale/ander is one of the most important figures in human history. -is
influence affected the world in ways that cant be calculated. $hat his career could!e
been *aster induced was a re!elation.
Ale/ander was to bring the world under an umbrella of 8reek culture and initiate
a scientific and social re!olution"# said Linda. -e was to thrust the world ahead a
thousand years.#
Ale/ander possessed e/traordinary abilities"# I admitted" and I!e always
wondered what he could ha!e done had he not died so young. A rare disease as I
remember.#
Ale/ander didnt die of disease"# said Linda emphatically. -e was poisoned.#
<oisoned.# I said. -istory says he died of fe!er.#
It was a lie"# said Linda" !isibly upset. A trick used to co!er up the crime.#
Chapter 1E
Ale/anders mother" 7lympias" made accusations of assassination after her son died
but historians ne!er put much stock in the matter. I was fascinated to think I might be
hearing the inside story as to his demise. -ow do the Choon know he was poisoned.# I
asked" not sure what to think.
$hey suspected foul play when Ale/anders body was sent to %gypt in a coffin of
gold"# said Linda. Logic dictated it should!e been sent home to his mother in
*acedonia. $he truth was the conspirators didnt want 7lympias to test the body for
poison. It was mo!ed about for years. Later officials said it had been buried at a secret
location so robbers couldnt defile the site. It was a deception. $ruth is they needed to
pre!ent the corpse from being e/amined.#
$he location of Ale/anders final burial site has been one of the great mysteries of
history. 4cholars" archeologists and fortune hunters ha!e searched for it o!er the ages to
no a!ail. I had figured it was )ust a matter of time before the coffin was found. 3ow"
Linda had me wondering.
4o what really happened to Ale/ander.# I asked.
Fortunately" Choon agents were able to test the body before it was destroyed"#
answered Linda" and they found e!idence of strychnine. 4omeone must ha!e picked up
the poison during Ale/anders e/pedition to India as the drug was e/clusi!e to that area.
$he conspiracy in!ol!ed some of his closest associates including <erdiccas" <tolemy and
Ale/anders wife =o/anne.#
+hy would =o/anne participate in the assassination of her husband.# I asked.
$heir son stood to inherit Ale/anders empire.#
Im afraid not"# said Linda. Ale/ander had fathered other children and replaced
=o/anne as his fa!ored wife with another woman. -e also had an older son who stood to
inherit Ale/anders empire once =o/anne and her child fell out of fa!or. $hat was a
threat to =o/anne but more so to her offspring as male siblings are often a threat to the
heir apparent and eliminated.#
-ow about <tolemy.# I asked. -e was one of Ale/anders most trusted generals
and his childhood friend.#
Ale/ander was about to disband the *acedonian army"# said Linda. It had
mutinied in India and he planned to replace it with <ersians who worshiped their supreme
leader as a god. Ale/ander belie!ed theyd be easier to control than his countrymen and
he was right. -e wasnt going to allow his plans of con&uest and glory to be frustrated
again.#
And the *acedonians werent buying it"# I said" beginning to grasp the situation.
*atters came to a head"# e/plained Linda" when the army protested <ersian
empowerment by threatening a second mutiny. Ale/ander e/ecuted thirteen of the
instigators on the spot. $he act !iolated a *acedonian law that said no soldier could be
e/ecuted without court martial. Ale/ander was poisoned soon after. $he conspirators
slipping drug into his drink during a celebration of reconciliation. -e grew sick soon
after but because of his Choon blood began to reco!er o!er the ne/t few days. $hey had
to poison him a second time to finish him off. It was a tragic end to one of my *asters
most ambitious pro)ects. A ma)or opportunity to ad!ance mankind was missed.#
I wish it hadnt ended like that"# I said" pondering the magnitude of the tragedy.
I!e always thought of Ale/ander as a brilliant leader.#
Linda nodded her agreement. It was a tragic day for %arth and the *asters"# she
said" sighing. I!e told you that Ale/ander was poisoned"# she continued" seeming by
then to ha!e regained her composure. +ould you like to see what happened to his body
and coffin.#
(ont tell me that you ha!e a !ideo of his burial site.# I asked.
*ore than that"# said Linda" sensing my e/citement and seeming to share in it.
7rbital satellites and low atmospheric probes recorded e!ents as they happened.#
0nbelie!able"# I said" trying to contain my emotions. 7f course Id like to see
it.#
8ood"# said Linda. Ill pull the data from the main computer.#
Linda and I left the remnants of Base 7lympus behind and with our Cryptonian
!irtual powers flew south out of Asia *inor and shot out across the *editerranean 4ea
towards Africa. +e spotted the coast of %gypt sometime later but Ale/andria was
nowhere in sight. Id forgotten that the great city wouldnt e/ist for hundreds of years to
come. Linda was aware of the problem. Brace for the time barrier"# she said"
playacting. +ere about to enter the riftJ#
Linda knew I lo!ed theatrics and was getting better at it as time went by. A giant
circle of rippling" sil!er6bluish light appeared in front of us and we flew into its center. I
heard what sounded to be a sonic boom and was knocked around in the harness before
passing through the time portal relati!ely unharmed. I searched the hori1on and saw
Ale/andria before us some twenty or thirty miles ahead.
+e glided in on the ancient port city as it e/isted soon after its founding by
Ale/ander early in his campaign to con&uer <ersia. It was high noon. Linda wanted to
show me the bustling settlement in daylight but turned day into night once we passed it
by. I saw" then" a flickering light some miles southeast of the city and headed toward the
distant campfire. +e approached it at high speed and came finally to a party of thirty or
forty *acedonian army personnel. $hey were standing in a circle around a raging
bonfire. A wooden platform was erected abo!e the inferno. An elaborately robed corpse
lay at the top.
$he dead man wore a la!ish gold crown on his head and a finely wo!en
embroidered cloth co!ered what must ha!e been a badly decayed face. $he fire was )ust
beginning to light up the material when I got there. $he body was engulfed in flames a
minute later. Ale/anders bony and now charred features became !isible to the assembly
as the shroud burned away.
4e!eral of the spectators sobbed as the yellow flames reached their great king. A
few wailed in despair. $he cries shattered the stillness of the starlit night to create a sense
of ruin and destruction and it wasnt long before I grew misty eyed as well. It touched
my heart to see Ale/ander the 8reat waste away before my eyes.
I was about to turn away from the melancholy sight before me when a high6ranking
officer stepped forward from the group of soldiers to approach the pyre. -e stood erect
and appeared proud and handsome despite being teary eyed and somber. All eyes
focused on him as the body continued to burn away. $hen he raised his outstretched
hands to the hea!ens as if to pray. *ost of those assembled dropped to their knees. All
bowed in respect.
+ho is he.# I asked" impressed by the persons demeanor and carriage.
Its <tolemy"# said Linda. -es one of the three generals who will inherit
Ale/anders empire. -es the new king of %gypt. -e was also Ale/anders childhood
friend.#
$hats <tolemy"# I said" my )aw dropping. I read about him but ne!er dreamt he
could be so distinguished looking. +hats he saying.#
-es apologi1ing to the gods for ha!ing to kill Ale/ander"# said Linda. -es
saying" K+hat use was it to con&uer the world to ha!e Ale/ander gi!e it back to the
!an&uished. 3ot only was it an offense against *acedonia and 8reece for him to sire
<ersian sons" he was set to disband the loyal army. Ale/ander betrayed the brethren and
for that he had to die.#
<tolemy continued to pray as Ale/anders body burned. 4oon there was nothing
left but soot and charcoal. $hen" as the fires began to e/pire" the party loaded the coffin
onto a wagon and e!eryone sa!e four soldiers left for Ale/andria where they would melt
down the casket and use the proceeds to pay off co6conspirators according to Linda.
$he remaining soldiers hid all e!idence that the funeral pyre had occurred. $hey
made sure that e!erything flammable was burnt to a crisp and remo!ed from the cinders
what wasnt including Ale/anders crown. $hey then dug a pit ne/t to the site" sho!ed
the ashes into the hole and co!ered it o!er with sand. Linda fast forwarded to dawn. $he
soldiers were smoothing o!er the ground as the sun rose in the east. Ale/ander the 8reat
had been erased from the face of the %arth.
I wish it hadnt ended like this"# I said. -e was such an e/ceptional indi!idual.#
Linda agreed. $he e/periment ended in disaster"# she said. It failed because of
human )ealousy and betrayal.#
I dont think its fair to blame <tolemy and the *acedonian army"# I said" trying to
look at the matter from their perspecti!e. From what you told me" Ale/ander sold them
out.#
It set your ci!ili1ation back uncounted ages"# argued Linda. Ale/ander and his
descendants were to lead mankind into a modern era based on 8reek science and !alues.#
If the Choon came so close to their goal"# I said" why didnt they make another
Ale/ander. $he *acedonian army ruled <ersia for more than a hundred years after
Ale/anders death. It ruled %gypt for two hundred years after that.#
$hey tried with <yrrhus and others"# said Linda" sighing" but the chosen ones
failed to li!e up to their potential. $he matter is a source of great frustration to my
masters.#
I!e heard of <yrrhus"# I said" ha!ing read about his meteoric but ultimately
doomed career in history. -e was a talented person. +ho were the others.#
*ost are names no one will e!er hear"# said Linda. $he hybrids were either
denied power by )ealous superiors or killed. 4ome at a !ery young age.#
A lot of failures"# I said sensing a pattern and growing suspicious as to the reason
for it.
$here were some near successes"# Linda said defensi!ely. 2ulius Caesar was
about to unify the ci!ili1ed world under a neo 8reek culture" but again the !ision was
thwarted through assassination.#
Caesar died in his prime"# I said" but he was followed by Augustus and other
Caesars who consolidated his gains. $he empire lasted for fi!e hundred years. Add
another thousand if you include the %ast =oman %mpire. +hat more was he e/pected to
accomplish.#
$heir task wasnt )ust to con&uer the ci!ili1ed world"# said Linda. $hey were to
set the foundation for democracy. (emocratic freedom is re&uired to unleash the creati!e
impulses of a society and bring on a scientific and economic re!olution. $hats one of the
reasons why 8reece and its city states were as ad!anced as they were and why the
*asters wanted the culture spread across the ci!ili1ed world.#
Id ne!er thought of freedom as being linked to scientific and economic progress
but it makes sense when you think of it. <eople must be free to create and ha!e the
incenti!e to do so as was pro!en by the success of the decentrali1ed American free
enterprise system and the failure of the 4o!iet dictatorship. %!en the economic success
of China didnt begin until the go!ernment granted a great deal of economic and social
freedom to its people.
$he =oman %mpire remained hierarchical and autocratic"# continued Linda" and
thats a ma)or reasons why it stagnated and fell. $he *asters e!en saw to it that Caesars
could be chosen by adoption so itd be easier to infuse genetically enhanced indi!iduals
into the position" but in the end =ome rotted away because it failed to democrati1e.#
I ha!e an idea why their plan didnt work"# I said sensing what might ha!e gone
wrong. I think the Choon o!erlooked something.#
$he *asters ha!e been frustrated by this matter for thousands of years"# said
Linda. $ell me if you know something" -ans.#
Its ob!ious when you think about it"# I said" my thoughts )elling as I spoke. Itd
be ob!ious to the Choon" too" if they werent blind to it.#
Blind to what.# Linda asked" confused by my words.
Blind to the fact that when the *asters infused Ale/ander and the other hybrid
humans with their genes" they inad!ertently ga!e them their super ambition as well. $ake
Ale/ander. -e wouldnt ha!e ad!anced democracy no matter how long he li!ed. -is ego
didnt let him see beyond his desire for personal power. -e performed feats of glory so
he could walk amongst the gods the way the Choon walked amongst the 7ld 7nes. -is
purpose was to earn himself a place on 7lympus" not to better *ankind.#
Ale/ander promoted the brotherhood of man"# said Linda" caught off guard by my
words. -e treated the <ersians not as sla!es but as brethren and sought to ad!ance them.
$hats consistent with the ideals of democracy.#
3o" he didnt"# I laughed. It ama1ed me that Linda could be obli!ious as to
Ale/anders moti!es. $he <ersians" like the *acedonians" were gears in his military
machine is all. -e ad!anced them only so far as they furthered his desire to earn
immortality through con&uest. -e sought to walk amongst the gods because he was
infused with the Choons god worshiping genes.#
'ou think the *asters re!erence for the 7ld 7nes was transferred to Ale/ander.#
asked Linda. I could tell from her tone that she already knew the answer.
Absolutely"# I said. Ale/ander thought of e!eryone as inferiors. $hose who
helped him toward his goal were tolerated. $hose who didnt were crushed. Ale/ander
cared about the gods" not a bunch of insignificant humans who he would gladly sacrifice
to further his cause.#
=ight or wrong" Linda appeared to be impressed by my words. I need to talk with
the *asters about our con!ersation"# she said. 'ou!e e/ceeded the recommended time
for being in the simulator in a single session. +hy dont you take some time off while I
confer.#
A step back into reality might do me some good"# I agreed" ha!ing been away
from the real world for considerable time.
(ont be gone too long"# Linda said" smiling sweetly.
I was ho!ering o!er the %gyptian desert abo!e the site of Ale/anders cremation
when Linda disappeared from !iew. $he !irtual world ended seconds later and
e!erything went black in the simulator. $he door opened seconds later and light from my
cell illuminated the ca!ern as =obot entered the room.
'ou!e been away for a long time"# the machine said as it approached me. Can I
get you anything.#
-elp get me out of this thing"# I said" weakly. I was tired after the long session.
=obot unhooked me from the harness and helped to take my suit off. I let it drop to
the floor and stepped out of it naked. +hew" I smell bad.# I said" pinching my nose.
$he suit breathed air and had a micro saniti1ing system to keep my pores open and
reasonably clean but the process had its limits.
I was e/hausted and needed to clean up. I cant wait to stretch out on a bed"# I
said while heading for the shower on legs weakened by the long period of physical
inacti!ity. $he simulator is great but theres no substitute for a real bed.#
=obot shadowed me as I stumbled into and through my li!ing &uarters. Anything
else.# asked the machine as I was about to enter the bathroom.
7rder me some wine"# I said" pausing to face him as I answered his &uestion.
$hats all I need for now.#
Aery well"# said =obot with its usual metallic !oice.
$aking a hot shower after weeks of simulated bathing was hea!en. *y fair skin
had turned white and scaly. I scrubbed it down to a fresh layer of cells.
I left the shower" grabbed wine that =obot had set down on the kitchen table for me
and flopped down on the bed. $he wine was laced with a feel good drug as always and I
felt a warm and pleasant bu11 within minutes. I stayed up for se!eral hours so I could
reflect on my !irtual ad!entures. I initiated the first phase of the escape plan that Id
contemplated earlier as well. I told =obot I needed a recorder to help clarify my thoughts
concerning Linda and my )ourney through !irtual reality. I asked that it be portable so I
could work in bed. I figured the Choon would meet my re&uest so they could learn what
their lab rat was thinking which turned out to be a reasonable assumption.
=obot handed me a multi6functional handheld de!ice later that day. It was
appro/imately B inches wide" E long" and a M inch thick. A !iewing screen co!ered most
of its facing and the tiny machine contained trillions of bytes of information on countless
sub)ects. It had a built6in microphone and a recorder played back &uality sound through
tiny speakers in its rear. It could be plugged into the desk computer with a shoestring
cord stored in a lower back compartment. $he battery stored hundreds of hours of charge
and a built6in light collector e/tended its life indefinitely so long as the room radiated
infrared or !isible light.
I was e/cited to recei!e the powerful tool" but careful to conceal the real reason I
wanted it. I spent hours lying in bed spitting gibberish into the machines recorder while
making sure =obot was nearby so its sensor could pick up my !oice. I made meaningless
obser!ations about what I had learned during my ad!entures and played it back as if
delighted by the sound of my !oice. I used it to send messages to the aliens as well.
I!e come to reali1e"# I said" that the Choon are high le!el beings. +e owe them
a debt of gratitude for their benign inter!ention into human history. I need only get o!er
the in)ustice of ha!ing been abducted. 3o doubt ad!anced beings such as them will make
things right in time. I look forward to working with them in their continued effort to
ad!ance %arth.#
I flattered the aliens for three days trying to con!ince them I could be trusted.
4atisfied my act was going well" I re&uested a *aster uniform and cap. +hen in =ome"
do as the =omans do"# I said out loud. =obot handed me two outfits and a headpiece the
ne/t day. I slipped on one of the uniforms" fit the hat on my head and marched about my
cell as if delighted with my new wardrobe.
I asked for the alien clothing and cap for a purpose. $he *asters Id seen stood
about si/ foot si/ inches in height. I was only si/6foot" but figured I could pass for one of
them at a distance. I hoped theyd enlist me as an agent. I was determined to go for
broke if they didnt.
=obot made the awaited announcement a few days later. I was in a good mood
figuring Id made the aliens think theyd brainwashed me. $he *asters wish to see
you"# said the machine. Ill take you to them now.#
$his was the moment Id waited for. Id been held capti!e for months and at last
matters were coming to a head. =obot acted like a prison guard leading an inmate to a
meeting with the warden. It clasped my arm in its steely grip and emitted the door code.
0nbeknownst to the machine" I had the recorder hidden under my shirt. Itd been set on
run to capture the sound.
Chapter 1F
Lea!ing my cell after the long period of capti!ity was emotional. I stopped outside
the door to sa!or the sweet smell of freedom. It was magnificent. I longed to break
=obots hold and run for it but I held. It was too soon to resort to such desperate
measures. I had to find out if my playacting had fooled the Choon and see if they
intended to make me an agent. Id go along with the farce until I got home and then bolt
the first chance I got.
Its this way"# =obot said" seeming impatient. It turned right and yanked me along
strong arm style. +e walked in the direction from which wed come. +e passed the
doors located along the corridor and continued on until reaching the hall Id seen months
before. +e stopped in the center of the marble slab floor as lights radiated down from the
ceiling abo!e.
I waited se!eral minutes in silence for something to happen. Finally" I heard a door
open and saw the shadowy outline of twenty or so Choon take their seats in the balcony
abo!e. $hey sat behind the waste high rock railing that circled the rooms center. $heir
faces were hidden in shadow. I could only see them clear when they took turns leaning
forward to eyeball me. I tried to get a good look at them but they retracted their heads
too fast for me to see them clear. Finally" one of the alien males finally leaned forward to
speak.
8reetings" -ans Larson"# said the Choon cordially. -e wore the white apparel
around his cranium that Id seen on the aliens on the mountain. -is !oice was
commanding. I had to s&uint to see his features past the glare while the other Choon
remained as forms. $hey stayed obscured in the shadows in which they hid.
8reetings"# I said in return" feigning congeniality and plastering a fake smile on
my face. +hat can I do for you.#
'our assistant says you ha!e thoughts concerning your computer )ourneys. +e
wonder if you might share them with us.#
I played dumb. I knew the aliens had heard and analy1ed e!erything Id said
through =obots sensors. In regards to what.# I asked.
7ur efforts to help mankind"# it said in a businesslike tone.
I think what you are doing is commendable"# I answered" smiling" but I dont
understand what you want from me.#
'ou dont ha!e any idea"# said another Choon as he leaned forward to speak. I
recogni1ed its face immediately. It was the ships captain. I must say Im disappointed
in you" Larson.#
(isappointed how.# I asked" suppressing an impulse to curse my enemy. Am I
supposed to know why you do things.#
Apparently not"# said the Choon in a condescending tone. -e looked o!er to the
first speaker and scoffed. $he effort is a complete failure. 'ou might as well send him
back to his &uarters.#
Its too early to know for sure"# said the first alien. +e need to gi!e it more time.
Besides" some of Larsons obser!ations ha!e been percepti!e. +hy dont you ask him
some &uestions.#
I dont need to hear any more of his obser!ations"# the captain said in a
derogatory tone. I!e wasted enough time as it is.#
I figured the alien was referring to the irre!erent comments Id spit into the
recorder and the co!er programs Linda had thrown at them. -is tone enraged me"
nonetheless. $he hate I felt toward the creature months before returned in force. $he
bastard didnt ha!e the slightest degree of respect for me nor did it feel regret for the pain
itd caused an innocent man. I longed to strangle it with my bare hands.
I tell you theres nothing to be gained here"# continued the accursed creature"
acting like I wasnt e!en in the room. *y growing sense of outrage pressed on me like
steam beneath a geyser ready to erupt.
Im sure you dont mind if I ask him a few &uestions"# insisted the first Choon"
since we went to the trouble of bringing him here.#
Its your time"# responded the accursed Choon with feigned indifference.
$urning back to me" Leader said" +ed like to know more about you" Larson.
-ow do you make a li!ing for instance.#
I dont do a damn thing right now"# I said" sarcastically. *y body was shaking
with rage. But I was a small time businessman before. 3ot an important person then or
now.#
+ere you happy in your position.# asked the alien" looking somber.
What the hell business is it of yours, I wanted to say. I was doing ok"# I did say"
if it has any bearing on the current situation.#
I take the answer to mean you were happy with your position"# said the alien"
showing no need to answer my &uestion.
'es" that means I was happy"# I said. *y tone was acidic. Im nobody. For
8ods sake" you guys picked up the wrong fellow.#
Ill be the )udge of that"# said the alien in an icy tone. Answer the &uestions as
stated if you please.#
I did think about being a professional chess player once"# I said" continuing the
sarcasm despite considerable effort to &uell it. Im pretty good you know. Im sharp in
math" too" if that accounts for anything.#
+hy waste your time"# inter)ected the captain. -es a primiti!e.#
%nough was enough. Id been pushed too far by the mealy6mouthed alien to humor
him any further. I was going to ha!e my say" the conse&uences be damned.
<rimiti!e" is that what you call me.# I said disgustedly. +hy dont I tell you
what primiti!e is. <rimiti!e is abducting an unarmed man whos minding his own
business. <rimiti!e is yanking someones ass off the face of the planet and wrapping him
in a straight)acket like he was a serial killer. <rimiti!e is sitting out of reach hurling
insults at someone you dont dare confront man to !ile creatureJ#
I became e!er more animated as I spoke. I stepped forward with my final words to
challenge the hated alien with a raised fist. $he mo!e startled it. It was out of reach in
the balcony abo!e but it )umped back anyway. It felt the barbarians rage and cringed.
*y actions caught the other aliens by surprise as well and they seemed to utter a
collecti!e gasp. $heir reaction caused =obot to stiffen its grip on my lowered arm as if to
defend its masters. $hat was more than I could take. I counter grabbed the machines
pipe arm with my free hand and used the le!erage to spin the creature around me. +e
circled each other about a fi/ed center as if on opposite ends of a merry6go6round for a
few moments then I twisted my hostage arm free in a sudden mo!e and let the machine
fly. It catapulted into the ca!ern wall with a bang.
%nraged and with adrenalin surging through my !eins" I turned back to challenge
the hated captain. Come down here and say what you got to say to my face you
ambushing coward"# I challenged.
=obot had ricocheted off the wall and stumbled about for a moment or two as if the
blow had disrupted its e&uilibrium. =eco!ering his balance" he rushed me like a
linebacker barreling in on the opposing &uarterback. 4eeing him out of the corner of my
eye" I dropped as he drew near and kicked his legs out from under him. -e crashed to the
floor and I didnt waste a second getting after him. I )umped to my feet and made a
flying leg kick to the back of the creatures head. *y downward momentum and the
force of the pile dri!ing stomp dro!e the machines face hard to the floor. I )umped on
his back and pulled one of his arms behind him in a lock. I put my other arm around his
neck and pulled his head back as far as it would go.
I figured to incapacitate =obot only temporarily so I could finish cursing the hated
alien. *y instinct was to run for it after that e!en though I knew the effort would be
short li!ed. I searched for the captain abo!e" but he was out of sight. I saw Leader
instead. -e was wa!ing its arms for me to stop. <lease" Larson"# he cried. +e dont
want to hurt you.# -e called out what I surmised was a deacti!ation command in Choon
and the metal monster went limp beneath me. =obot collapsed on the floor and lost his
look of sentience.
I!e disabled the robot"# said Leader. +e mean you no insult" Larson. $here are
things here you dont understand.#
Leaders words eased the insult to my integrity only in part" but it was enough for
me to hold. +here did your big mouthed friend go.# I said" still fuming. I swear to
8od Im not taking any more crap from him whether you kill me or not.#
*y comrade didnt mean to insult you" Larson"# said Leader in a conciliatory
tone. -es under a lot of stress from being in charge of an important mission. Im sure a
being as intelligent as you can understand that.#
$he alien sounded sincere and his words soothed my murderous" albeit suicidal"
passion. =eason took hold and I suppressed the rage. I thought it in my interest to calm
the situation since the alien had initiated the effort.
+ell" sure" I can understand that"# I said" forcing the words out. *y tone was
harsh e!en as the words were conciliatory. I can only imagine how stressful kidnapping
is" but Im telling you now that hed better not gi!e me any more of his lip.#
Let me assure you" Larson"# said Leader sounding sincere. 3o one here means
you harm" emotional or otherwise. Its )ust that we!e gra!e responsibilities. $he
worsening crisis on %arth has created an unfortunate circumstance for us all" but we mean
you no ill will.#
I released the robot and stood up straight to face the alien and whate!er Fate had in
store for me. +hat do you want.# I demanded to know. +hy was I brought here.#
I regret to say I cant tell you that )ust yet"# answered Leader. I can only tell you
that what were doing is for the sake of your people. 'ou should know by now that were
%arths benefactors.#
4ure" I understand that"# I said" re!erting back to deceit. $he conciliatory tone of
Leaders !oice raised my hopes that he might turn out to be an ally. (o I get to go
home.# I pleaded more than asked.
I hope so"# he said with empathy but little con!iction.
'ou hope so" but cant promise"# I said" my hope plummeting to ruin again.
I cant promise"# confirmed Leader" continuing to speak the truth. I need to ask
more &uestions. +ill you answer.#
I didnt like the sound of Leaders response" but at least it wasnt lying to me. 3ow
was the time to keep my head. I needed to keep a dialogue going to try and find out all I
could.
Ill answer your &uestions"# I said" if you answer mine first.#
I will if I can"# said the creature with a somber look" but I dont promise. +hat
would you like to know.#
4ome simple things"# I said. Like why did you come to this solar system in the
first place.#
Leader looked at his peers and shrugged. $he look of disappointment was on his
face. 'ou dont already know.# he said" as if pleading. I thought the robot told you.#
=obot said you came looking for the 7ld 7nes ancestral home"# I said. +hat he
said didnt make sense.#
+hy not.# asked Leader" seemingly bewildered by my answer.
Because =obot said the 7ld 7nes sun was ancient before ours ignited"# I said"
stating a simple fact. If thats true" its impossible that they could!e e!ol!ed in our
solar system.#
=obot didnt say they e!ol!ed in your solar system"# said Leader" sounding
e/asperated. -e said their ancestral home is in your system.#
I was totally confused by the Choons remark. I analy1ed his words to try and
determine a hidden meaning but came up with nothing. I felt as if I were being gi!en a
trick &uestion on 2eopardy and didnt want to appear stupid in front of millions of
!iewers. Id been humiliated enough.
I dont understand"# I had to say after se!eral seconds of futile analysis. 'our
words dont make sense to me.#
$hink" Larson"# said Leader" pleading. 'oure not using your intelligence.#
I thought hard" but 8od help me I couldnt think of an answer. I needed more
information. (id you find the 7ld 7nes ancestral home.# I asked.
'es"# it answered" disappointed that I had to ask the &uestion. -e was making me
feel like a fool. 'oure in it now.#
+hat.# I said" unable to belie!e what I was hearing. I )ust didnt get it. -ow
could one of the moons of 2upiter be the 7ld 7nes ancestral home and yet it didnt look
like Leader was lying. #amn, I thought" "ve got to ask more &uestions.
$here isnt enough heat" air or water on 8anymede for the 7ld 7nes to ha!e
e!ol!ed on the surface"# I said" thinking out loud. +hat youre saying doesnt make
sense. +as the sun radically hotter before.#
I saw from the eyes of Leader that he was irritated with me" again. -e held his
frustration and answered me with a strained but ci!il tone. 'ou already know the 7ld
7nes sun was ancient before yours ignited"# he said. I dont see how you could ha!e
forgotten that fact so &uickly.#
Leader was killing me. (amned if I could see what he was talking about. I
thought for a moment that he was playing with me" but re)ected the notion. $he aliens
were serious. I could feel it. $hey looked at me as if they e/pected me to know what
they were talking about.
'ou!e got me"# I said" finally. I like mysteries as much as the ne/t guy but Id
appreciate it if you could )ust tell me what the hell youre talking about.#
Leader shrugged and looked around the balcony at the other Choon. $hey nodded
yes. %!en the captain ga!e his ascent. -ed emerged from the shadows to agree to the
silent &uestion and then leaned back out of !iew.
Leader looked at me and sighed. $he 7ld 7nes sun was a large ball of fire that
graced the gala/y for billions of years"# he said. It was ma)estic e!en when it
diminished to the si1e of a red dwarf. 7nly then in its old age did it begin to nurture the
holy planet. It did so for uncounted ages but like all stars its torch finally burnt out.
3e!er again would its red rays grace the galactic skies.#
I still dont see what this has to do with our solar system.# I said without thinking.
I wished Id kept my mouth shut the moment I finished.
$he alien ignored my comment and continued with his story. *ighty 2okitar or
2upiter as you call it continued to radiate in the lower fre&uencies and consume its core.
It diminished o!er the great span of time until it was reduced to the gaseous giant planet
of today. 4omeday it will be a dwarf orbital like your %arth. +ith luck" it will produce
life before its done. $hat would be a fitting end to its holy cycle.#
2upiter was the sun of the 7ld 7nes"# I said" dumbfounded.
Its the most honored sun in galactic history"# Leader said with re!erence.
*y stomach twisted with misery. I still didnt get it. I knew what Leader was
saying" but I )ust didnt get it. +hat he was saying flew in the face of e!erything I knew"
or thought I knew" and that was the problem. %arth theory says that planets are spit out
from solar masses during a suns formation. 3othing was e!er said about suns
consuming their core.
2upiter and its moon system was once a solar system like our own.# I said"
guessing.
$he alien looked at his peers and breathed a sigh of relief. $hat is correct
Larson"# he said.
-ow did it get here.# I asked. I figured the answer while asking the &uestion.
It was captured by our suns gra!itation field"# I said" before the alien leader could
frown. Its reduced mass sub)ected it to capture.#
Leader smiled for the first time since I laid eyes on him. 2upiter was no longer
able to maintain an independent orbit in its )ourney about the gala/y. It was pulled this
way and that and sent on an erratic course toward the gala/ys edge until being pulled in
by your sun.#
I didnt know stars consume their mass"# I said. I thought they )ust fused up their
atoms and burnt out.#
$he Choon looked amongst themsel!es while constraining an urge to laugh. I
could see they didnt want to insult me. $hey )ust found my words humorous. 7ne of
them walked o!er to Leader to whisper in his ear. Leader nodded his head to
acknowledge what it was being told.
7ur e/pert on %arth science has reminded me as to the status of its current
theory"# Leader said" trying not to sound condescending. 4ome of us forgot that.#
%arth theory is wrong.# I asked.
+hat do you think" Larson.# asked Leader forcefully. (o you really belie!e the
planets were thrown off from your suns mass during its formation.#
I ne!er thought about it"# I said" speaking the truth. 'oure saying it didnt
happen that way.#
If e!ents occurred as your science says it did"# said Leader" how do you account
for the fact that the gaseous giants are furthest away from your sun while most of the
smaller planets are closer in.#
I take it you belie!e the planets didnt form during the suns formation at all"# I
said after a moment of thought. 'oure saying that they were captured from outside the
solar system and pulled in e!er closer to the sun. 'oure implying that the larger planets
like 4aturn and 3eptune are much more recent captures and younger than say Aenus and
*ercury.#
$hat would be correct" Larson"# said Leader sighing as if relie!ed by my answer.
Leader whispered something to his colleagues and nodded his head as if to affirm
an argument in his fa!or. $he Choon who hed been con!ersing with shrugged to say
they didnt know. I interpreted their beha!ior to mean they were uncertain as to whether I
was an idiot or not.
I ha!e answered your &uestions" Larson"# said Leader. 3ow its your turn to
answer mine.#
+hat do you want to know.# I asked" intent on keeping to my word.
+e want to know if you are happy with your status in life.# asked Leader
solemnly. I could tell by his tone that his interest was dri!en by more than curiosity.
-ow is that any concern of yours.# I said" unable to control my frustration. I
told you Im nobody. 'ou ha!e the wrong man.#
Leader disregarded my answer and continued with his cross e/amination. -a!e
you e!er aspired for a higher calling than business.# he asked.
'ou fellows keep harping on ambition"# I said in frustration. Let me say it clear.
I was happy with what I was doing. I had no desire to be anything more than what I was.
Im an ordinary red6blooded businessman interested in money" security and the good
life.#
I saw disappointment on all the Choon faces" e/cept the one whod insulted me. It
whispered something to the others. All but Leader nodded their heads in ascension. I
interpreted the gesture to mean they thought I was a loser. Leader sighed.
-ow do you really feel about us ha!ing helped ad!ance your planet.# Leader
said" sounding beaten. 4peak the truth if you would.#
Id lost my ability to humor the accursed aliens. $hey had dissected me like a frog
and I was through taking it. I would!e chosen torture to brown nosing the aliens at that
moment.
Im unimpressed"# I answered. It was a halfhearted effort from the beginning
and the results show it.#
$he captain appeared from out of the shadows and leaned forward. +hy do you
say that.# he asked in a hostile tone.
Leader turned to wa!e his comrade down. Let him speak his mind"# he said"
scolding. -e was irritated by the tension between the captain and me and meant to ha!e
it stopped.
=ebuked by Leaders tone" the captain retreated to the shadows again. Leader
turned his attention back to me. $ell us" Larson"# he asked" what was wrong with our
effort.#
'our people ne!er respected my ancestors"# I said with con!iction. 'ou ha!e a
!isceral dislike for humans and it has poisoned your efforts. It would!e been better if
youd stayed away from %arth altogether.#
Its our duty to help an ad!ancing species"# said Leader. I thought you knew
that. +e follow the ways of the 7ld 7nes.#
$hats not true"# I said. I wanted to upset the aliens sense of moral superiority in
any way I could. 'ou dont follow the ways of the 7ld 7nes at all.#
$he *asters reacted with shock and hostility to my words. 4e!eral of them
)umped out of their seats to make angry gestures. $he captain e/pressed his harsh
opinion of me to the others as if trying to rally them to his side. Leader raised his arms to
&uiet them down. -e waited for e!eryone to sit before facing me. Aisibly upset" he
struggled to suppress his contempt.
+hy do you say we dont follow the ways of the 7ld 7nes.# Leader asked. I
could feel hostility percolate out of its psyche.
I delayed my answer for effect. I clasped my hands behind my back and waited
with an air of indifference. I acted as if I were superior and impatient with the aliens
silly &uestions.
*ay I continue.# I asked after an appropriate delay. *y e/pression was as hard
as the marble I was standing on. $he room went silent as they waited for the barbarian to
speak.
I was about to say that the 7ld 7nes respected the species they helped"# I said"
finally. 'ou feel nothing but contempt for us.#
$hats a strong statement"# said one of the Choon. +hat do you base it on.#
I base it on the fact that Choon command prefers to manipulate %arth from a
distance rather than assist humans direct as Leus had done. Leus had no problem
interacting with humans or siring Choon6human offspring. It is Choon command that has
a !isceral dislike of humans and thats the real reason you cant stand to li!e amongst us.#
$hats not true"# said the ships captain defensi!ely. +e stay in the background
so as not to become an ob)ect of resentment. -umans need to feel theyre in control of
their own destiny.#
'ou li!e on 8anymede because you dislike humans"# I countered. 'ou hide
because you know no one likes manipulation. 'our distaste of humans is far greater than
your desire to help us and because of that you screw e!erything up.#
$hats not true" either# continued the captain. +e did ad!ance your species.
*any of our pro)ects were !ery successful.#
Like Ale/ander.# I said" mockingly.
Ale/ander was killed by your people"# said the captain angrily. +e did what we
could. It was your species low and )ealous nature that frustrated our efforts.#
I wasnt about to let the hated captain get the last word. 'oure deluding
yourself# I said" pointing my finger at him for emphasis. Ale/ander failed because the
genes you infused in him carried with them your super6si1ed egos. -e dared think of
himself as a god. -e was stopped because he was an out of control egomaniac and it was
your genes that made him that way.#
$he room was abu11 with argument. $he *asters seemed to forget I e/isted as
they debated amongst themsel!es in their nati!e tongue. $hey wouldnt &uiet down and I
didnt care. $here was no way they were going to send me home and I was done kissing
alien ass. I could only relish the fact that Id put a wrench in their grand scheme by
e/posing their moti!es for what they were and" on the good side" Id obtained precious
knowledge. Id disco!ered the secret of the 7ld 7nes home world and gotten a clue as
to what ether energy was all about.
Leader remembered me after a few minutes of heated debate. -e &uieted the
assembly and addressed me. +e ha!e much to discuss" Larson"# he said" still shaken but
courteous. Ill acti!ate your robot and ha!e it take you back to your &uarters. +ell talk
again.#
Not if " have anything to say about it, I thought.
Leader called out a command and =obot came to life. $he machines eyes lit up
and it lifted itself from the floor as if nothing had happened. It conferred with Leader in
Choon and turned to address me. I will return you to your &uarters now"# it said in its
cold metallic !oice.
$hats fine by me"# I said" truthfully.
I turned towards the e/it and =obot tried to grab my arm as I did. I pulled it back
and glared at the creature. (ont touch me e!er again"# I warned.
I was in a state of war and would ha!e nothing more to do with appeasement.
=obot thought better of touching me and retracted its arm. +e walked back to my prison
cell in silence.
Chapter 1D
Adrenalin continued to surge through my body long after I returned to my cell. I
knew the aliens would ne!er trust me as an agent after ha!ing shown my true feelings and
they were right. In a state of anger and defiance" I made ready to lea!e prisoners row.
Come what may" I was going to ha!e my shot at freedom.
I downloaded what information I could from the main computer into my handheld
)ob and made ready to go. $hen I thought of Linda. I cared for her too much to lea!e
without saying goodbye. I ordered =obot to follow me into the simulator where he
helped me into the harness. I strapped on the helmet without the suit and the !irtual
world sprang to life as =obot left the room. Linda appeared in front of me moments later.
'ou lost your temper with the *asters"# she said before I could get out a hello.
I co!ered my ears to let her know I didnt want the Choon to o!erhear our
con!ersation. It is okay" -ans# she said" grasping my meaning. $hey!e been
conferring since the meeting. I!e been listening in on them and it doesnt sound good.
4ome of them are !ery angry.#
I blew up"# I admitted. $heres not a chance in hell theyll let me go home now"
but it doesnt matter. I could ne!er ha!e fooled them about how I really feel no matter
what I did. Its )ust not in my nature to kiss ass to someone whos done me wrong.#
I could tell by Lindas e/pression that she knew my statement to be true. $o her
credit" she didnt lie to make me feel better.
'ou could stay with me"# she said after a few moments. +e could !isit more
planets. *aybe we could e!en go back to Clorr. 'ou liked it there.#
3o matter how nice the !irtual world might be"# I said" its still an illusion. $he
real world for me is back on %arth and I ha!e to try and get there anyway I can. Im lost
if I dont.#
Lindas mood changed from sadness to shock in an instant. $heres no way for
you to get back home unless my *asters okay it"# she declared. Itd be suicide to try.#
<robably"# I admitted" but I!e got to gi!e it a shot.#
Linda knew from my tone that she couldnt change my mind. 4he tried to speak
but no words came out. 'oure serious" arent you"# she said finally.
(ead serious and I want you to come with me"# I said. I could use your help and
would !ery much appreciate your company.#
Linda seemed dumbstruck by my words. 4he stared at me with a blank e/pression
and then a look of pain crossed her face. I cant lea!e"# she said" sullenly. $he
circuitry that supports my e/istence isnt portable. Im built into a computer comple/
encased in rock.#
+hat do you mean" built in.# I asked. I thought you said youre a program.#
Linda looked hurt. (ont you remember what I said. Im not )ust a program. Im
a program with feelings. $he circuitry that makes my life possible e/ists within a
specially designed computer comple/. I dont e/ist without it and itd be too massi!e for
you to carry e!en if you could get your hands on it. 8anymede is not only your prison"
its mine as well. Im condemned to li!e out my e/istence in this moon. A long sentence"
my life span being what it is.#
I didnt understand what was in!ol!ed in making Lindas circuitry special" but I
accepted what she told me as factual. (eep down" I probably already knew I couldnt
take her with me but I had to ask. Linda would!e been a !aluable asset in terms of
knowledge and ad!ice and ha!ing her with me would!e meant e!erything. *ore than
that" I figured my effort was likely to get me killed and I didnt want to die alone.
I dont want to go without you"# I said after a time" but Im lost if I stay.#
Linda appeared to be mo!ed by my words and as if to comfort me she reached her
hand out as if to touch my face" but without the suit it seemed to pass through my skull.
4he gasped and pulled it back a second later. +e e/isted in two separate worlds without
the suit and her reaction dramati1ed the barrier that stood between us.
Linda turned her head as if to sob though I didnt know how that could be. I
wanted to comfort her but remained silent not knowing what to say. 4he composed
herself after a pause and standing erect and strong spoke. -er !oice was controlled to the
point of sounding cold. +hats your plan" -ans.# she asked.
I dont think I should say"# I said in an apologetic tone" in case the *asters
&uestion you. $hat way you can tell them you dont know anything and be honest about
it.#
Linda acknowledged the practicality of my point. I wish you didnt ha!e to
lea!e"# she said" somberly. I!e cherished our time together. Im going to miss you.#
*e too"# I said from my heart. I dont think I could!e sur!i!ed these months
without you. Ill ne!er forget you" Linda.#
Ill ne!er forget you either"# Linda said. Ill miss you" -ans.#
Lindas head drooped with her last words and she disappeared from !irtual reality.
I sat alone staring into the black emptiness of the ca!ern a moment later. I felt as if Id
lost the only friend I had left in the uni!erse. =obot opened the door a minute later and
light flooded into the room. $he machine helped me get out of the harness and I left the
simulator and Linda a final time.
Chapter 1I
4aying goodbye to Linda se!ered the final bond that held me from my purpose. I
channeled the pain of separation and used it to fortify myself against the uncertainty I
faced and got to work. I gathered together nutrition bars" two bottles of water and rolled
them up in my motorcycle )acket. I wrapped my e/tra alien uniform o!er that to make it
a roll.
I packed my belongings on the kitchen floor so =obot couldnt see what I was
doing. Id ordered it to stay in its incline after returning to my room. It stood there like a
statue but I didnt trust it. I finished my work and pulled the handheld computer out of
my pocket. I had kept it recording during the interrogation with the *asters. I found the
part where Leader disabled =obot by !oice command and played it on high !olume. $he
machine collapsed to the floor in a heap a moment later.
I crossed the room to inspect =obot and its autonomic sensors. $hey appeared to
be shut off" but I rolled the machine face down on the rock floor so the *asters would be
blind in case I was wrong. I then grabbed =obots head and twisted it !iolently to the
side. I heard a pop and knew Id damaged something in the neck. $hen I slammed its
face into the floor se!eral times to mar it. I wanted the Choon to think wed battled and
Id won. I thought it wise to hide the fact that I possessed the means to disable their
machines.
4atisfied that Id co!ered my tracks" I laid back on my bed to see if anyone came
running. I didnt figure that losing contact with =obot was cause for panic" but I had to
know for sure. Id confess to a fight if the aliens broke into my &uarters figuring that
theyd take =obot away for repairs while deciding what to do with me later. +hat I
couldnt afford" was being caught alone in the tunnel.
I waited for about twenty ner!e6wracking minutes and to my relief no one came.
Con!inced my opportunity had come at last" I gathered my stuff and mo!ed in front of
the door. I played =obots !erbal code and the door slid open. I put on the alien hat to
match the clothes I was wearing" put the bundle under my arm and stepped out into the
corridor.
I prayed the tunnel would be empty and it was. $urning left" I headed for the end
)uncture Id seen on the computer schematics but to my horror a robot stepped out of the
last room on the left. It delayed a moment to let the door close behind it and headed
toward me. I pulled the recorder from my pocket and made ready to engage the disable
command.
I raised my free hand to hide my face as the machine approached. It stared at me
with its black soulless eyes and said something in Choon as I drew near. I grunted as if in
a bad mood and walked past it with long forceful strides. *y beha!ior must ha!e
confused the automaton as it continued on its way.
I walked se!eral feet past the door from which the robot had emerged and paused.
%heyre holding another human in there, I thought.
I was in a fi/. A prisoner was probably alone in the room while his attendant went
on an errand. I would )eopardi1e my chance of escape if I tried to bring him with me.
What good if ere both captured? I thought. I wanted to help" but knew I had to get
mo!ing as well.
I turned and had started down the hall when a sickening feeling in my gut stopped
me cold. What if it ere you in there? I agoni1ed. Wouldnt you expect to be helped? I
figured I was committing suicide" but I had to try and sa!e whoe!er was in the room.
I set the recorder to emit the door command" pushed play and it slid open. I
checked down the corridor to make sure the robot had left the tunnel and slipped inside
the room. It was an e/act duplicate of my cell. A short hea!yset man lay on his back in
the bed looking up at the ceiling. -e had a silly grin on his face. -i" *aster"# he said"
glancing a look while speaking with a *idwestern accent. +hat are you doing there.#
I rushed to the mans bed and pulled my hat off to e/pose my cranium. I shushed
him and said" Ceep it down" friend. Im going to get you out of here.#
'oure not a *aster"# the man said. -ow did you get here. (id they grab you
too.#
$hey sure did"# I said" keeping my !oice low. I!e been here for months" how
about you.#
$he man talked unnecessarily loud. *e" too"# he bellowed. -ey" maybe we
came up in the same ship. I guess that makes us neighbors. +hats your name.#
I guessed by the mans demeanor that he was high on drugs. -e smiled at me like I
was a long lost friend dropping by for a !isit. -is speech was slurred. I worried hed
e/pose us in his altered state" but I was determined to bring him along anyway.
*y name is -ans Larson"# I said" impatiently. +e dont ha!e much time. +e
need get out of here before the guard comes back.#
Im =andy and why would I want to go anywhere. Been riding a high since I got
here. %!en got a holographic girlfriend. -a!e you tried the simulator. Its righteous.#
I felt disgust at how a man could prefer capti!ity to freedom no matter how benign
his prison. I was going to say something" but held my tongue. I tried to moti!ate him.
(ont you want to go home.# I asked. (ont you ha!e family.#
I ne!er had a family to speak of"# =andy said with an air of indifference.
-ow about a wife.# I asked.
3ot likely"# he said as if stating a simple fact. Could ne!er find a woman whod
ha!e me.#
I ha!e to lea!e"# I said" knowing I was taking too long. 'ou can come with me if
you want" but you!e got to decide now.#
Lea!e.# &uestioned =andy as if I was cra1y. -ell no" I dont want to lea!e. Im
ha!ing the time of my life right now. Besides" theyll take me home soon enough. 4aid
theyre going to make me an industrialist. +ant me to !enture into robotics. $hey say I
ha!e an aptitude for such work. 8oing to make me a powerful man.#
I was startled by =andys words. $he alien conspiracy was more sophisticated than
I reali1ed. $heyre going to back you in business.# I asked.
$heyre going to gi!e me a ship full of precious metals for startup capital. 8ot a
list of contacts on %arth whom I can call for help" too. $heres e!en a few politicians in
the bunch. 'ou wouldnt belie!e the number of people they control. Its a top secret file
of current and past agents but they can trust me. 3e!er bite the hand that feeds you"
thats what I say.#
+hy do you want to get in!ol!ed with these creatures.# I said with disgust.
$heyre going to pull your strings for the rest of your life. Is that the kind of future you
want.#
+hat are you talking about.# said =andy with disdain. $hey!e had people
working for them for years. Besides" theyre trying to sa!e our planet. +e should take
our hats off to them.#
=andys attitude sickened me but I didnt ha!e the time to argue. (o you ha!e
that list.# I asked.
I do"# confirmed =andy" but I dont know if I should gi!e it to you with your
attitude.#
I spun off the chair to ho!er o!er =andy as he lay on the bed. I bent o!er and put
my face in his. 4how me the list"# I demanded and maybe I wont beat the hell out of
you for being a slimy traitorJ#
I was ready to lay into =andy and he knew it. Id no use for the low life and the
fact that hed sell out %arth for gain infuriated me.
Boy are you wound up"# cried =andy. Lots of people ha!e helped the aliens for
hea!en sakes. Its for the good of humanity.#
Are you going to gi!e me the list or do I beat the hell out of you here and now.# I
pressed.
=andy reali1ed he was in trouble if he didnt act with e/pediency. All right"# he
said" getting up from the bed to sit down at the computer. -e grabbed the mouse and
mo!ed the cursor across the screen to click up the list. I plugged my portable unit into
the computer and downloaded the information into its memory.
Is that it.# I asked. Ill know if youre lying.#
$hats it" I promise. 3ow youd better make tracks before my robot comes back.
All hell will break loose if they find you in here.#
I fitted my hat" walked to the door and opened it with the code. I looked back at
=andy. -e was stretched back out on the bed looking at the ceiling again.
$ell the *asters I was here and Ill tell them you ga!e me the list"# I said. Are
we clear.#
'ak. 'ak. 'ak. Lea!e already.#
I dropped my roll and rushed the back talking low life. I )umped on the bed"
grabbed =andy by his alien shirt and pressed him against the wall. (o I make myself
clear.# I threatened.
4ure"# said =andy in submission. I didnt mean any harm. Ill keep my mouth
shut" I promise. $heyd probably kill me if they knew I ga!e you the list. Im no fool.#
'ou are a fool"# I asserted. 'oure a loser and a traitor" too. 'oud sell out the
%arth if it meant sa!ing your sorry ass. $he sight of you makes me sick.#
-ey" I didnt ask to come here"# said =andy" his eyes beginning to tear up. $hey
grabbed me out of my bed. (o you know what its like being dead asleep one moment
and gassed by a couple of gorillas the ne/t. Ill tell you what its like. It scared the hell
out of me. I crapped my pants for 8ods sake.#
$he horror of =andys abduction hit home. A mans bed is his sanctuary and he has
a right to feel secure in it. At least the Choon had the decency to grab me out in the open.
Im sorry it happened like that"# I said" softening my tone. I shouldnt ha!e
gotten so mad.#
I should think so"# said =andy" tears running down his face. It was damn bad I
tell you. Im fast asleep one second and the ne/t thing I know my soiled carcass is out in
the stinking Ari1ona desert being loaded onto an alien saucer. Imagine how that felt.#
I felt guilty for ha!ing )udged =andy so harshly. I tried to ease things o!er with
small talk. +heres your home.# I asked.
8ods country" I thought"# he said" becoming e!er more emotional. $hings like
that arent supposed to happen in Flagstaff. Its a college town for hea!ens sake. I li!ed
)ust down the street from the uni!ersity.#
Any family.#
2ust my mother. 4hes li!ing in a con!alescent home. <retty much out of it. 2ust
as well I suppose. 4he ne!er had much going for her with so little education. 3ot a !ery
attracti!e woman" either. I ne!er knew my father. I figure it was a one night6stand. 4he
had a hard life.#
+e ha!e to make the best of our situation and mo!e ahead"# I said" empathi1ing
with what he said. 'our mother had her difficulties. 'ou ha!e yours. +e define
oursel!es by how we face ad!ersity. -ow are you going to face your situation" =andy.#
$he *asters are gi!ing me a chance to be somebody. $hey say Ill be helping
%arth" too. Im sitting in a hollowed out moon millions of miles from home and youre
asking me whether I should take their deal or not. +hat the hell else am I supposed to
do.#
'ou could come with me"# I said half pleading. (espite =andys failing" I didnt
want to go it alone. +e could stand against the aliens together.#
=andy shook his head" got off the bed and stepped into the kitchen to grab a )ug of
yellow wine. *aybe it was beer. -e gulped half of it down and belched. $he blast
echoed off the walls causing me to grimace. I cant"# he said" shaking his head an
emphatic no. (ont ha!e any fight in me. 3e!er did. Im )ust a techno nerd and now
Im comfortable and ha!ing a good time. Besides" Id )ust slow you down from where!er
it is you think youre going.#
=andy was showing his soft underbelly again but I knew he was right. +hate!er
character strength he possessed had been e/tinguished by the kidnapping and drugs and
taking him with me threatened what little chance I had. I knew in my heart he had a
better chance to get home by cooperating with the aliens as well. I found myself wishing"
if only for a moment" that I could ha!e been a little bit more like him.
I!e got to go"# I said" picking up my bundle and mo!ing to the door. I!e been
too long.#
=andy wa!ed and uplifted his )ug to down the rest of its contents. Acting as if he
were alone" he stumbled out the kitchen" flopped himself back on the bed and was staring
at the ceiling a few seconds later. *y presence didnt ha!e further meaning to him now
that I was no longer a threat. I stopped at the door and watched as =andy
disintegrated in front of my eyes. 8ood luck"# I said against my better )udgment.
=andy wa!ed his hand without looking. I shook my head in disgust and left the room.
Chapter ;@
$he door to =andys cell closed behind me as I returned to the tunnel. I checked up
and down the corridor and to my relief it was still empty. Id delayed for too long and
feared my chances to escape prisoners row had been compromised. An/ious to make up
for lost time" I )ogged to the )uncture at the end of the tunnel. $wo side tunnels led
laterally away and there was an ele!ator straight on. I stepped forward" pressed the call
button and held my breathe praying that no one would be inside as the door slid open.
*y prayer was answered. $he ele!ator was empty.
I stepped inside the lift and checked the control panel ne/t to the door. $here were
three buttons with the middle one lit to designate my location. I pushed the bottom
button and hoped I was making the right decision. $he machine came ali!e and I felt
myself dropping deeper into the planetoid. $he door opened a minute later to re!eal
another )uncture. 7ne tunnel ran to the left" another to the right and a third straight on
away from the lift. I chose the third alternati!e and took off running as fast as my large
boots and the light gra!ity of the planetoid allowed. $he clock was ticking and freedom
was at stake.
I )ogged about a mile down the ser!ice tunnel passing se!eral )unctures before an
ache in my side slowed me to a walk. I was out of shape after months of capti!ity but
in!igorated by the dash for freedom. =unning on adrenalin" I pushed on until reaching an
open ele!ator at tunnels end. I mo!ed inside and hit the down button.
I held my sides and gasped for air as the lift descended e!er deeper into the
planetoid. Finally" the ele!ator stopped and its doors opened to re!eal a !ast ca!ern.
4upported by giant braces spaced e!ery hundred feet or so" the arched tunnel was
appro/imately three hundred and fifty feet wide and more than a hundred feet high at its
ape/. It stretched on as far as the eye could see.
<owerful lamps mounted in the braces illuminated the monster ca!ern. A ser!ice
road ran down the middle of the floor. %lectrical generators were lined up in columns on
each side of the road. $he temperature was around I@ degrees. $he air was dry and a
pleasant bree1e blew through the ca!ern. It was generated by giant fans and a duct
system built into the walls.
Its hard to describe the grudging admiration I felt toward the aliens for the feat of
engineering that lay before me. I felt as if I had walked through Alices looking glass and
entered a fantasy world built by machine and imagination. $he aliens had car!ed out
space from inside a dead and useless planetoid in the outer reaches of the solar system
and made it into a li!ing" breathing world. %&ually impressi!e was the fact that itd been
done while man was hunting his meals with a wooden spear.
$he road ahead was bustling with traffic. =obots walked up and down its length
and a few dro!e electric freight cars. 4ide aisles crisscrossed the main thoroughfare
e!ery once in a while. $hey led to e/its in the walls where the mechanical ser!ants
appeared and disappeared with fre&uency. I scanned the area to make sure no aliens were
about" placed my hand on my brow to help conceal my face and walked into the ca!ern as
if I were a Choon going about its business.
$here were se!eral cars sitting near the ele!ator. I climbed on the nearest one" hit
what looked to be an ignition button and slammed the throttle forward. I used too much
force and the !ehicle lurched forward with a )olt. I was thrown off balance and nearly
fell out of the car. I grabbed the steering wheel with one hand and pulled myself back
into the seat as the car sped down the road past curious but otherwise e/pressionless
robots.
$ra!ersing the populated energy ca!ern was like running an Indian gauntlet of
early America where e!ery look was the e&ui!alent of a club whi11ing by my head. I had
to keep one hand cupped o!er my forehead to conceal my features and )uke and )i!e with
my upper body to a!oid a frontal stare. 7ne second Id lean forward as if looking for
something on the car floor and then twist my body round pretending to be interested in
something at the rear. $he ordeal was ta/ing.
$he procession of generators seemed to go on fore!er. $wo tubes were attached to
each unit. 7ne came through the floor to !ent up hot gases from deep within the
planetoid and dri!e the machine. $he !apors continued up through the ceiling where its
heat was utili1ed higher up in the base. %!entually the gases cooled near the moons
surface at which time they were routed back down through the machines to the traps from
which they came. $he system was sealed to pre!ent no/ious fumes from seeping into the
base.
I dro!e the transporter a mile or so when the rows of generators came to an end.
$hey were replaced by manufacturing machines and assembly lines. 4lender robots with
long arms attended the e&uipment while multi6legged automatons resembling spiders
scurried about feeding raw materials onto the lines and transferring finished products
onto nearby racks. $he creatures were focused on their work and didnt appear to notice
me at all.
$he manufacturing area went on for about a &uarter of a mile. $he robots produced
all manner of goods with their !ersatile high6tech e&uipment" but most of the machines
were idle. Apparently" the automated alien economy fa!ors capacity to an efficient use of
resources. It seemed a waste at one le!el but as Linda says I tend to see things from a
capitalistic perspecti!e. $he machine area finally ended and I entered a barren"
dimly lit stretch of ca!ern de!oid of robots. I dro!e another mile or so before stopping
the !ehicle. %/hausted from the ordeal" I walked around to the cars flatbed rear and
stretched out on its e/panse to rest. It was ecstasy to rela/ after ha!ing been tensed up
for so long and I inad!ertently drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
I was out for about an hour by my reckoning before being startled awake by the
sound of a !ehicle approaching from the rear. It was still some distance away" but it
scared the complacency out of me. I )umped up from the bed" bounded into the dri!ers
seat and fired up the !ehicle. 2amming the throttle all the way forward" I pushed the car
down the lonesome road as fast as it was designed to mo!e. I stopped after another mile
or so to listen for a pursuer but couldnt hear a sound. +orried it was still back there" I
fought fatigue and hurried on.
I rode the car about ten or ele!en miles all total that day until the road ended at a
large metal door. $he one piece plate was about ten feet high and almost as wide. I
pulled in front of it hoping sensors would open it but terrified they wouldnt. Luckily" it
slid open on its track almost immediately. I dro!e the car into the lock and the door
closed behind me.
$he purpose of the airlock must!e been to keep the dry atmosphere of the
industrial area separate from the humid air that swept o!er me as the far door opened. I
dro!e into the ca!ern and what I saw" heard and smelled took my breath away. A tropical
)ungle teeming with life lay before my eyes. =ich black soil co!ered the ground and
water misted from lines hidden in the ceiling abo!e. A stream flowed to within twenty
feet of where I stood before meandering away again. $he water looked cool and
refreshing and I would ha!e )umped in for a dip had I the time.
A winding ser!ice road e/tended down the middle of the )ungle. $he ca!ern
appeared to be a recreational area for Choon citi1ens despite whate!er other function it
might ha!e ser!ed. I figured Id ha!e a better chance to a!oid pedestrian traffic if I
mo!ed on foot so I abandoned the !ehicle in a parking space ne/t to the lock where
se!eral cars sat in wait. I didnt figure another !ehicle would catch anyones attention.
I took off down the road in a )og an/ious to make time. Its surface was co!ered
with a thick spongy substance that added bounce to my step. $he hea!y moist air was
pleasant on my face. It cut !isibility to about thirty yards to make the road ahead seem
mysterious and enchanting" but dangerous as well. I knew I wouldnt ha!e much warning
if I ran into Choon on the trail.
I walked and )ogged for about two hours before fatigue brought me to a crawl. In
need of rest" I found a large bush to hide under and stretched out on the ground beneath
its leafy co!er. I fell asleep soon after but was startled awake by the sound of
approaching footsteps. I looked up to see a Choon couple walking toward me hand in
hand from the road ahead. $hey came within twenty yards or so of where I lay" but didnt
look my way as they only had eyes and ears for each other. Finally" they disappeared
around a bend in the road and I hurried back to the trail.
Id only ad!anced about half a mile from my hiding place when I spotted a female
Choon )ogging toward me from the road ahead. I do!e off the road and crawled behind
co!er before she could spot me. 4he passed without incident but as I was about to return
to the road I spotted another Choon couple following in the footsteps of the )ogger. $hey
walked past without incident as well" but before I could get back on the road I saw
another Choon and then another. I cursed the damnable delays but there was nothing to
be done about it. All I could do was be patient and push ahead the best I could. Finally"
after se!eral hours the trail cleared.
*aking time was only one of the problems I e/perienced on my odyssey through
the )ungle. $he tropical heat and humidity" aggra!ated by e/ertion and an/iety" caused
me to sweat like an obese man in a sauna. (renched in perspiration and co!ered with
dirt" my deteriorated condition ga!e me cause for concern. I washed myself in a stream
and changed into my second outfit to try and mitigate the problem" but it wasnt long
before I was sopping wet and dirty again. I worried the Choon would smell me out if
they got too close.
I trudged ahead hour after grueling hour and still my goal was not in sight. $hen
my sweaty thighs began to chafe from rubbing against one another and it wasnt long
before I was in a world of hurt. (esperate to keep mo!ing" I caked them with mud but
the treatment did little to remedy the situation. All I could do was waddle ahead like
some poor soul suffering from a hemorrhoid. $he pain intensified until I could bear it no
more. (one in by sweat and grim" I collapsed down on the road in ab)ect misery. I
crawled into the )ungle a while later where I found a large plant to hide under. I passed
out from e/haustion soon after.
I slept uneasily despite my fatigue. I couldnt shake the feeling that the ships
captain was creeping up on me again. $he fear intensified until I woke with a start. I
lifted my head up and scanned the hori1on to try and locate the bushwhackers position.
4eeing nothing" I breathed a sigh of relief reali1ing the aliens hadnt as yet caught my
scent.
Figuring I was safe for the moment" I laid down on my back to gather my senses. I
interpreted the dream as being my minds way of telling me that time was running out.
(esperate to get going" I rolled o!er on my belly and crawled forward on all fours. I
mo!ed at a slugs pace" but that was better than aggra!ating my thighs. I continued on in
this manner walking for short spurts for about fi!e hours until working my way to the top
of a small hill. I looked ahead and saw what the computer described as an automated
commissary at )ungles end. Id reached my first destination.
Chapter ;1
$he )ungle commissary was one of the loneliest locations in the alien colony and I
chose it as my first destination for that reason. I lay on my belly and watched to see if
anyone entered or e/ited the facility and when it appeared no one was about I cleaned my
face and clothes as best able" stood up and walked to the entrance despite the agony it
caused my legs. I threw open the doors and marched inside. Luck had it that the place
was empty.
$he commissary looked like a college student union with a cafeteria at one end.
$able and chair sets were scattered across the room and lounging sofas hugged the walls.
A food6and6drink dispenser stood on the far wall with a water spigot attached to it.
-a!ing emptied my bottles and been afraid to refill them with )ungle water" I rushed
forward to drink my fill. I loaded up like a camel at a desert oasis and then turned my
attention to the food dispenser. I pressed a handle and it spit out powered nutriment into
a cup that popped up from the counter. $rial and error pro!ed it could be consumed dry
or mi/ed with water.
I worked other le!ers on the machine. $hey released a !ariety of tasty drinks and
packaged food products that were nutritious and satisfying. 7ne of the drinks was laced
with a drug and I began to feel euphoric within minutes of ha!ing consumed it. It helped
ease the throbbing pain that radiated incessantly from my raw and bleeding thighs.
I filled my bottles with the spiked drink" grabbed an armful of packaged food
products and headed down a tunnel to the commissarys lu/urious bathroom facilities.
4eparated by sound walls" each room had a sink" shower" dry cleaning machine" toilet and
sofa. I locked myself in a room" put my uniforms in the dry cleaner" sha!ed with the hair
remo!ing cream pro!ided !isitors and stepped into the shower. *y clothes were clean
and dry by the time I finished. $he grime and dirt that had been ground into them during
my trek through the )ungle was gone.
I dressed" packed my things and made my way to the bedroom stalls further down
the tunnel. Locking myself in the far unit" I stretched out on a bed with fine sheets and a
soft pillow to take a much needed nap. I was awakened when someone shut the door to
the ad)oining stall. $he person stayed for about three hours and left. I lay petrified on the
bed the whole time.
It took considerable time for my ner!es to settle after the aliens departure. I
waited until he was long gone" confiscated two blankets from a wardrobe closet" gathered
up my things and tiptoed to the commissary. $wo maintenance robots had finished
working the room and were about to make their way to the la!atory. I back stepped to
my stall and monitored their progress from the slightly a)ar door. $hey worked their way
into the bathroom and disappeared from !iew a short time later. I grabbed my stuff and
rushed through the commissary to get back out into the )ungle the moment they did.
$he robots were at their )ob for better than three hours after I made my retreat. I
lay on my belly watching the entrance from a safe distance away. I was ner!ous theyd
notice the missing blankets" but that didnt seem to be the case. $hey pushed their carts
out the door when the work was done and made their way to an open ser!ice ele!ator a
short distance away. $he door closed behind them and they disappeared from !iew.
$he close call with the alien and maintenance robots scared the complacency out of
me. I chastised myself for ha!ing )eopardi1ed my escape for comfort and cleanliness. I
pledged not to do it again and set about preparing a )ungle hideout. I dug a ditch in the
thick underbrush" set one of the blankets in the pocket and lay down on my back. I threw
the second blanket o!er me and co!ered myself with the moist dirt Id e/ca!ated and
wormed my arms back into the ground.
$he alien blanket was insulated and felt warm against the damp soil. I laid back to
rela/ and felt snug in my bed. It felt good to rest my sore legs as well and the e!er
present mist wetting my face felt refreshing. $he conditions were idyllic for rest and I
drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
$he unconscious mind is a powerful ally if you use it. $ell yourself you ha!e to get
up at dawn and probably you will. Frame a problem before going to bed and theres a
fair chance youll wake up with the answer. I dreamt that the aliens were closing in on
me and that I was snoring. 4tartled awake by the dream" I lifted my head to check for
danger and pulled it back a second later. A group of uniformed Choon was standing in
front of the commissary doors searching. *y mind had alerted me as to the impending
danger through the dream.
I hadnt e/pected the search to reach this part of the )ungle for days as Id put
considerable distance between me and my cell. %hank goodness " had the sense to get
out of the commissary, I thought. I was grateful my mind had awakened me as well. It
was awful to think snoring could ha!e led to my ruin.
I felt like a rabbit hole up in a thicket as wol!es stalked the perimeter. I wanted to
run but logic said no. I might delay the ine!itable by fleeing" but Id ruin what real
chance I had in the end. 4till" I felt compelled to pop my head up time and again to see
what the Choon were up to. $hey stood in front of the commissary doors discussing
matters before three of them pulled weapons from their belts and went inside. $he fourth
stood where he was on alert. -e pulled out an infrared sensor like the one Id seen in the
mountains and put it to his eyes to scan the )ungle. I put the straw Id confiscated from
the commissary in my mouth" co!ered my face with the dirt Id mounded around my head
and wormed my hand back into the soil.
Lying on my back and holding my body rigid for a prolonged period of time caused
my lower back to sag. $hat put pressure on my spinal cord and the autonomic muscles
tightened around the !ertebrae to protect the ner!e. A knot formed around the !ertebrae
which threw the cord out of balance and it wasnt long before a knot had formed around
one of the upper !ertebrae as well. $he second distortion was probably my backs
attempt to compensate for the lower one. $he pain started out as a low intensity ache but
graduated to high le!el agony as my spine twisted into an unnatural shape.
As horrific as the back pain was" it didnt compare to the insidious itch that
de!eloped out of nowhere. It started on my face below my left eye and worked its way to
the tip of my nose. It itched so bad I wanted to cry. 7nly the terrible fear of being
recaptured kept me still.
*ind can o!ercome matter only for a time. After enduring three or four hours of
absolute misery" my willpower was gone. I had to !enture a look or bust. I raised my left
hand from the soil" wiped what mud I could from my face and eyes and scratched my
nose raw. $he relief was wonderful beyond belief. $hen I raised my head to check out
the area and re)oiced when I saw that the Choon were gone.
Confident Id eluded the aliens for the moment" I turned on my belly to let gra!ity
counter force my mangled spine and groaned with pleasure when it did. It wasnt long
before that position started to hurt so I rolled on my side and then the other side and back
on my belly again. I kept up the process until fle/ibility and balance were gradually
restored to the stressed !ertebrae.
I surmised the Choon had searched the area and were done for the time being. I
figured theyd work their way back to the power plants and continue on until reaching
prisoners row high abo!e. $heyd be meticulous and thorough in their work but ha!e to
do it all o!er again when they were done. I deri!ed satisfaction from thinking how
frustrated they must be e!en though I knew that would only make them more determined
the ne/t time around.
A few hours after ha!ing worked my spine back into a more natural shape it started
to rain. $he downpour was moderate but consistent and I had to scramble to try and keep
myself and the ditch dry. I spread my hands and knees wide on both sides of the pit and
threw one of the blankets o!er my back to deflect water. I pulled it forward with my
arms while clamping it in the rear with my feet. $he blanket shed the moisture without
ma)or absorption" but water found its way into the pit and it ended up a muddy mess
anyway.
$he rain lasted about twenty minutes and I was e/hausted when it was done. I
flopped down ne/t to the hole thinking the aliens had made it rain on purpose in their
ongoing effort to persecute me. 3er!ous theyd come back" I had only a few minutes to
feel sorry for myself. I scooped water and mud out of the pit with my bare hands and
brought in drier dirt to replace it. I narrowed the hole to make it more defensible and
built a dike around its edge to pre!ent runoff from the surrounding ground from draining
into the bed. $he work was grueling and I collapsed in e/haustion when it was done.
I was )ust beginning to reco!er from the muddy ordeal when I was hit with another
affliction. I disco!ered in cleaning my hands that a fine layer of dirt had fused to the skin.
I tried to wash it away with water from one of my bottles but without soap and
moisturi1er I couldnt get rid of the dry skin feeling it caused. It was an irritant that got
worse with time. I tried to alle!iate the situation by sticking my hands back into the wet
soil but that pro!ided only momentary relief. All I could do was focus on other matters
and accept the misery that I was ordained to suffer. $he rain was an annoyance
that I could ne!er neutrali1e. It came on an irregular schedule and my bed ended up
getting flooded despite all efforts to protect it. I had no remedy but to sho!el the mud and
water out of the hole when the deluge was o!er. I got so sick of it I took to filling it the
moment it started to sprinkle )ust so it wouldnt flood. Id waited out the rain by crawling
under a philodendron and then hustle back to dig the hole again when it was o!er.
I continued to lay low in the )ungle despite my misery. It was a constant struggle to
keep dry and I was ne!er able to rela/ knowing the Choon could come back at any time.
%!entually" my supplies ran low and I was forced to raid the commissary to replenish
them. I grew bold on the second trip by making a dash to the bathroom. It was hea!en
using a toilet after defecating in the soil and ha!ing to bury it. $he best part" howe!er"
was scrubbing my hands with soap. I ne!er thought that such a mundane task as washing
ones hands could feel so good.
It was not until the tenth day after the first search that fi!e aliens and se!en robots
made their appearance in front of the commissary doors. $he party went into the facility
to conduct what must!e been a super search while a lone Choon stood guard outside
sweeping the landscape with its sensor as before. I dropped my head into the trench
when it pointed the de!ice in my direction" but poked it up again soon after. 0nlike my
first e/perience" I was determined to know what was going on the whole time.
$he party came out of the building in less than an hour to begin the )ungle sweep.
It spread itself out to comb the width of the ca!ern and inched its way forward. *y
hideout was a good distance off the trail" there were obstacles to it and Id mo!ed the
trench so my face would be hidden under the philodendron. I had also camouflaged the
ground with lea!es and other dead foliage to make it look natural and been thorough in
my work. *y fear was that theyd stumble across my position by chance.
$he Choon holding the sensor kept to the main trail while the others whipped the
bushes with alien machetes. $hey looked behind e!ery obstruction that could conceal so
much as a rabbit. I held my breath as one of them came within fi!e feet of where I lay. I
could hear him breathing as he leaned forward to see under the bush that shaded my face.
A closer approach was impossible without crawling on his hands and knees which he
seemed reluctant to do probably because of the large amount of terrain he had to co!er.
*y luck held and I escaped detection a second time.
-iding out in the )ungle ga!e me time to think. I reli!ed the meeting with the
Choon many times and analy1ed e!ery word that was spoken o!er and o!er again. $he
aliens had thought me slow witted but their conclusion was o!erblown. $he notion that
8anymede could be the home world of the 7ld 7nes contradicted e!erything Id been
taught in school. %arth theory says that a sun burns bright so long as it has hydrogen to
fuse and then the nuclear furnace goes dead. 7nly a tiny portion of the suns mass from
birth to death is con!erted into energy and lost as a result.
$he Choon spoke a different language. $heir science says that suns and planets
feed on core atoms to con!ert them back into ether particles or energy as we refer to it
here on %arth. A hea!y star degrades into a light star" a light star into a gaseous giant
planet" a gaseous giant into a small planet like %arth and a small planet into a moon. $his
was a radically different theory than what Id been e/posed to and it was only natural that
I should be befuddled by it. $he truth is that once a person learns something based on
what he considers good authority he tends to e/clude other options no matter how opened
minded. In any case" I decided not to care whether they thought me an idiot or not. Id
gained insight into what ether energy was all about and thats what mattered. $he task
before me was to get the information and myself back to %arth.
Chapter ;;
Aisitors began returning to the )ungle 1> days after the second search. It was the
e!ent Id waited for. It meant the state of emergency was o!er and the Choon had
resumed their normal acti!ities. It meant they probably thought I was dead as well.
<robably" they figured Id made it to the airfield and thrown myself into the abyss when I
reali1ed I couldnt commandeer a ship.
$he first returning aliens caught me off guard. I was lying in my encla!e and
turning from one side to the other when I let out a low moan from the effort. It happened
that a young couple passed by at that moment. $hey !ocali1ed their surprise and turned
their attention to the bush.
*y encla!e was shaded by plants or Id ha!e been e/posed outright. $he couple
mo!ed toward me to take a closer look" but stopped short of my location because of the
hea!y brush. $hey s&uatted down and stared to get a better look but I was too much in
the dark to be seen. $hey stayed in that position a few minutes pointing and con!ersing.
<robably they thought they had stumbled across one of the many small animals that
inhabit the )ungle. Finally" the male took the female by the hand and led her back to the
trail.
$he close call with the couple was unner!ing and encouraging at the same time. It
meant I would ha!e to be on high alert from then on out but it also meant my plan was
working. It was time to mo!e on.
I raided the commissary a final time to replenish my supplies and made ready to
!acate my hideout. I knelt on the bottom blanket of the trench" took off the soiled
uniform Id been wearing and washed my body with water from one of the canteens. I
put on my clean uniform and buried the bottom blanket" dirty uniform and e/tra canteen
in the hole. -a!ing rolled my )acket and supplies in the second blanket" I checked to
make sure the coast was clear and walked to the ele!ator Id seen the )anitors use on a
number of occasions. I pressed the call button and waited off to the side with my finger
on the disable command as the door opened. It was empty.
$here was only one up button on the control panel and the ele!ator started its climb
as soon as I pushed it. $he door opened a few minutes later to re!eal a )uncture. $unnels
led off in three directions" two laterally and one straight ahead as usual. 4e!eral transport
cars sat off to the side ready for use. Fearing their use was by then being monitored
electronically" I sidestepped the !ehicles and took off in a )og down the middle corridor. I
continued on for more than a mile" passing three )unctures and one ele!ator en route.
Finally" I came to the opening of a monstrous ca!e. I looked out from the concealing
shadows of the tunnel on one of the ma)or growing field of <rime Base.
$he gargantuan ca!ern was a spectacle to behold. It was brightly lit like a sunny
afternoon in 4outhern California and went on for as far as the eye could see. -undreds of
busy robots were tending to crops and a single alien dro!e around on an electric car
super!ising them. $here was no way I could get by the alien unseen so I entered a nearby
ele!ator and took it up to the ne/t le!el. $he door opened to re!eal another monster
ca!ern that I call the temperate woodlands.
I stepped out of the ele!ator and was about to head for the trees when I saw two
robots riding toward me on a utility !ehicle from the ca!erns ser!ice road. Fearing they
were on the lookout" I stepped back into the lift" slapped the up button and rode it to the
ne/t le!el. $he door opened up to re!eal a forest of pines" redwoods and a species of
giant trees Id ne!er seen before. $he spectacle was stunning. $he arched ca!ern was
nearly three hundred feet at its peak and some of the larger trees stood o!er two hundred
feet high. I gawked at it in ama1ement until reali1ing the folly of lingering about. I
sprinted for the woods and didnt stop until I was en!eloped well within the co!er of the
trees.
$he beauty and tran&uility of the giant forest in!igorated my spirit immediately. It
was like being back on Clorr only this was real. I lay down on the forest floor and looked
up at the great trees and rock sky abo!e. Again" I couldnt help but admire the aliens
accomplishment. $heyd created life and splendor inside a useless moon and the result
was breath6taking.
4eeing the ca!ern forest put me in a reflecti!e mood. I wondered what the moon
had looked like in the days of the 7ld 7nes. I imagined its surface filled with oceans and
lakes" foliage and fauna and a red sun o!erhead. $hat had to change as 2upiter lost its
ability to produce light and heat and 8anymedes surface fro1e o!er. What ould the 0ld
0nes have done about it? I wondered. 3o doubt" many would!e left for a new world but
I thought some might!e stayed" at least for a time. $hat being the case" they would ha!e
likely de!eloped the planets interior for habitation like the Choon had done.
It occurred to me that if the *asters could create a colony out of hard rock in a few
thousand years" the 7ld 7nes should!e been able to de!elop the whole planet during the
millions of years that 2upiters furnace was winding down. It followed that 7ld 7ne
ca!erns probably crisscrossed the entire planet. ,ould 0ld 0nes be living in them still? I
wondered.
I pulled out my computer and brought up the schematics of the base looking for
e!idence of a wider system. I noticed that a tunnel led to nowhere and the spot where it
ended was marked with a symbol. ,ould it an entrance to the orld of the 0ld 0nes? I
wondered. With their history of assisting younger species, maybe theyd be illing to
help me? $he location was close to where I was headed. I had to check it out.
I stood up to shake dirt and pine needles off my clothes and made ready to resume
my trek. $he prospect of disco!ering the 7ld 7nes final home and meeting them in
person not only appealed to my sense of ad!enture it ga!e me reason to hope as I knew
plan A to be a long shot at best. Feeling real hope for the first time since Id been
abducted and an/ious to get going" I made my way to the ca!erns central road and
headed into the forest.
I had walked three or four miles through dense forest when I came to a gro!e of
unusually large trees. *assi!e like 4e&uoias" they looked to be better than two hundred
and fifty feet tall. 7ne of the ma)estic monsters stood on the trail and was larger than the
rest. A portion of its base had rotted out and the road ran through it as if it were a tunnel.
It reminded me of a tree Id seen in 4e&uoia 3ational <ark as a kid. I passed through and
circled it to take measure of its si1e. I left the great tree after a time an/ious to
continue my mission. I followed the road up a sharp incline toward a ridge when all of a
sudden it started to rain. I was getting soaked so I turned around and ran back to the giant
tree for shelter. I noticed" then" while waiting for the deluge to stop that the ceiling lamps
began to shine dull. $hey continued to darken o!er the ne/t hour as I watched. 3ight
was settling o!er the forest.
%!ening was something I hadnt figured on as the )ungle was always day. I
de!eloped a chill waiting for the rain to end and the loss of the simulated sunlight made
me feel e!en colder. $he rain finally stopped so I took off on a run to warm myself and
make up for lost time. $he )og up the hill pro!ed to be e/hausting" howe!er" and I was
reduced to a walk in no time at all. $he grade eased a short time later and within an hour
the trail was le!el again. $he road had risen appro/imately a thousand feet in ele!ation
since the great tree and the air was cooler because of it. $he closer I approached the
moons surface the colder it would get.
I was up on the high plateau when I heard two Choon approaching from ahead.
$hey were carrying torchlights and shining them into the woods as they walked. I darted
off the trail and hid behind a large tree thinking they were looking for me.
I was about to creep deeper into the forest when I percei!ed the purpose of the
aliens action. $hey were searching for nocturnal animals and lighting them up when
detected. $he light reflected back from the animals eyes to e/pose their position while
causing the critters to panic. 7n one occasion a do1en eyes lit up at once and the
creatures scattered in all directions as the naturalists doubled o!er in laughter. $he pair
e!entually made their way out of the area and I returned to the trail grateful to get going
again.
I hiked hard all night and was worn out by morning. Lea!ing the trail" I tracked
across the forests black soil" concealing my boot prints beneath the o!erhang of plants
where I could" to find a place to sleep. I finally found a space between two boulders
away from the trail. 0nable to keep my eyes open" I laid down in the gap and rolled up in
my blanket.
I slept for a few hours before being wakened by a rising hum of !oices off in the
distance. I climbed out from between the boulders to see better than thirty adult Choon"
many with children" mo!ing up and down the trail. $he adults stayed on the trail but the
chatty kids ran wild through the woods. I was far enough from the road not to be readily
e/posed but was forced to stay on high alert because of the childrens erratic beha!ior.
Apparently" the forests of 8anymede are popular recreational areas for the aliens.
3o doubt thats due to the fact that Choon is a hea!ily wooded planet and trees are in the
aliens blood as they are in mine. $hat made day tra!el impossible so I settled down in
my nest to wait for dark.
3o sooner had I become comfortable than it started to sprinkle. 8uessing rain
would follow" I gathered up ferns and dead branches" made a lean6to shelter against one
of the rocks and crawled under the flimsy structure. =aindrops began pattering the roof a
short time later. A few got through but the fragile shelter managed to keep me reasonably
dry.
$he rain was o!er soon enough but I had to wait until after dark before mo!ing on
because of Choon stragglers. I broke up my shelter and scattered it o!er a wide area but
didnt bother to hide my boot prints figuring rain would wash them away soon enough.
$ime was of the essence in that I needed to get out of the touristy forest before morning.
I took off in a )og and kept up the pace until the trail began another ascent a few hours
later.
It was a struggle to make it up the hill after the long )og. I was fatigued by the time
I reached the peak but thankfully the trail descended thereafter. Fortunately" I was able to
reco!er my wind during the downhill walk. *y energy returned by the time I reached the
flats below at which time I started to )og again. I kept up the pace throughout the night
until the forest ended.
A commissary" ele!ator and tunnel )uncture lay at the ca!erns end. I a!oided the
commissary for fear it was inhabited and headed down the tunnel to the right without
delay. It was almost daybreak and I was desperate to lea!e the area before hikers came
out for their early morning e/ercise. $he schematics showed that some Choon li!ing
&uarters lay nearby.
I wont detail the complicated route I followed the ne/t hours. I ended up at a
remote ele!ator and rode it up to what I call the fall ca!ern. *ade up of highland
meadows" lakes and forests" I entered it near the center of its length. A pa!ed footpath led
from the ele!ator to the ca!erns central road. $he land in between was flat with only a
few trees to mark the landscape. $he temperature was )ust abo!e free1ing according to
my computer but it felt colder.
I reached the ser!ice road and checked in both directions to make sure no Choon
were about. $he area was deserted" probably because it was so cold" so I turned left and
headed toward the far end of the ca!ern many miles away. A lonely but warm
commissary awaited me at destinations end according to the map. I was ner!ous to get
there before e/posure stopped me cold.
-oping to warm myself through e/ertion" I took off down the trail in a )og and kept
up the pace until another nasty ascent reduced my forward ad!ance to a crawl. $he sweat
on my body cooled as before and with my clothes soaking wet from perspiration I began
to shi!er. Fearing hypothermia" I decided to put my motorcycle )acket under the Choon
uniform to help keep me warm. $he problem was that I had to e/pose my wet upper
body to the free1ing cold to do it which turned out to be a mistake. I lost critical body
heat and de!eloped a terrible chill during that brief period of e/posure.
I tried" again" to heat myself through e/ertion but this time it didnt work.
4uffering from e/haustion" hypothermia and sleep depri!ation" my )og deteriorated into a
stumbling walk and I de!eloped a growing urge to lay down and sleep. $he compulsion
grew stronger as day turned into night" but all I could do about it was push on in misery.
I knew Id die if I were to close my eyes for e!en a minute.
I reached the ca!erns snow6co!ered summit at last only to see the trail drop off
into a hole of darkness below. Barely able to stand" I stared down at the long winding
road and knew Id ne!er make it to the !alley below. I was physically and mentally
e/hausted. I collapsed down on the snowy road in defeat and rolled up into a fetal
position to conser!e heat.
It seemed a cruel )oke that I should use up my strength and willpower to get to the
coldest spot on the mountain. I was screwed big time and knew I was history if didnt
find shelter in a hurry. I remembered" then" how the %skimos managed to sur!i!e in a
sub6free1ing en!ironment for thousands of years by building Igloos. $here was plenty of
snow about so I searched for a location to make some sort of structure. A large boulder
on a nearby hill caught my eye. I pulled myself to my feet and tripped up the incline to
the far side of the rock. It o!erlooked a descending slope and beneath its o!erhang was a
recess free of snow.
Finally" Id caught a break. Cnowing I didnt ha!e much time" I dropped to my
knees and got to work on a snow wall. I tried to form blocks with my hands" but the
free1ing snow burnt my fingers. (esperate to keep going" I used my blanket to sho!el in
and pack the snow into s&uare units. $he blocks were poorly made and more round than
s&uare" but held together as units. I piled them on top one6another to form a wall and
filled the )oints with loose snow. Finally" I laid my blanket in the space and crawled
inside. I sealed myself in with the blocks and loose snow I had sho!ed into the space for
that purpose.
-a!ing secured myself from the free1ing air" I s&uee1ed in close to the rock"
wrapped myself in the blanket and prayed that my trapped body heat would be enough to
keep me ali!e. $he blanket was energy efficient and a pocket of warmth began to
en!elop me within minutes. I stopped shi!ering an hour later. I knew Id escaped death
by the slimmest of threads. $hankful to be ali!e" I drifted off into a peaceful and much
needed sleep.
Chapter ;>
I had a raging fe!er when I woke the ne/t morning" but thankfully some of my
strength had returned. I kicked out the wall and rolled out of the opening. (elighted that
Id li!ed to see another day" I used my hea!y insulated boots to knock apart what
remained of the blocks. $hen I walked backwards to the trail" filling in my prints with
loose snow as I went. I needed to hide e!idence that someone had spent a night out in the
cold.
I finished my work and stumbled down the winding trail in misery as fast as my
weakened legs would allow. $he path that had appeared so black the night before led to a
beautiful pine tree !alley. I hiked hard across the flat land" stopping only once to refill
my bottle from one of the ca!erns pristine lakes. I kept my legs plowing forward but
when night descended upon the !alley my destination still wasnt in sight.
It took three hours of night hiking before I finally reached the ca!erns end and the
heated commissary my computer said was there. Cold" sick and e/hausted" I had no
choice but to find a warm bed in which to reco!er. I pushed the doors open but hesitated
when I saw two robots working on a food dispenser across the room.
4eeing the robots would!e horrified me was I not so sick. I couldnt go back so I
took a deep breath and marched through the room like they werent there. $hey said
something to me when I was about halfway across the room but I wa!ed them off as if I
was a disgruntled Choon. $he ruse worked and I was able to make it to the sleeping stalls
unimpeded. I locked myself in the last unit and collapsed down on the bed.
I cant say how many hours I slept but when I woke my fe!er was worse than e!er
and my body was so sore I could hardly mo!e. I lay immobili1ed drifting in and out of
consciousness for the ne/t few days consuming what remained of my food during lucid
moments. %!entually" I reco!ered well enough that I was able to stumble to the
commissary to replenish my supplies but the effort so weakened me I barely made it back
to my room.
$he commissary was !isited by se!eral ser!ice robots and a few Choon during my
o!erly long stay. $he Choon mostly used the bathrooms" but a few of the aliens locked
themsel!es inside the sleeping stalls for short and long periods. 7ne chose the space ne/t
to me and slept for hours while I hole up in fear. It was only luck that no one noticed my
stall was always occupied. I was desperate to lea!e" but my condition made hiking
impossible.
I was incapacitated for days and !ulnerable the whole time. I regained but a
fraction of my strength during that entire time and the fe!er diminished only slightly. I
was afraid to stay but too weak to lea!e. Finally" a robot knocked on my door insisting
that I answer it. I grunted my dissatisfaction at being bothered but it wouldnt go away.
Fearing Id be e/posed if I didnt answer" I asked my computer how to say Klea!e in
Choon. I practiced the words under my breath and then hollered them out as if angry.
$hankfully" the robot went away without incident. Luck and my computer sa!ed me
from e/posure" but I was sure the robot would be back. I resol!ed to get mo!ing before it
did. I raided the commissary later that night to replenish my supplies and prepare for the
)ourney ahead. I showered" which in!igorated my spirits" washed my soiled clothes and
blanket" and slipped out of the facility before daybreak. I headed for the tunnel that lead
to what I prayed was the 7ld 7ne symbol and arri!ed at it after a few hours of tortured
hiking. A total absence of footprints on the dusty floor told me it hadnt been used in a
long time. It was dimly lit" arched like a train tunnel and went on as far as the eye could
see.
I had miles to go before reaching my destination. 4ick and weak but e/cited as
well" I pushed ahead. I focused on my mission as if it were the mother of all ad!entures
but the thrill didnt last. $he great ad!enture deteriorated into a torturous trek down an
endless tunnel.
Id gone about two miles in all when my legs started to go. I could hardly feel
them a mile later. $hen the tunnel descended for a half mile or so and that easy stretch
broke my strength. *y condition had become critical by the time I reached the point
marked by the symbol.
I was certain by then that my system was under attack by an alien bug. 4oaking
wet from fe!er and shi!ering uncontrollably" I lay on the dirty floor to rest hoping my
body could fight off the organism. It didnt. Afraid Id fall asleep and die" I pulled
myself to my feet and staggered forward only to collapse down a few yards later. I
repeated the pattern a number of times as I inched my way forward.
It was through willpower alone that I reached what I prayed was the entrance to the
7ld 7ne ca!erns. $he metal door measured about ten feet wide and about as high. A
control console ne/t to the door protruded a foot out from the wall. It measured up about
four feet from the floor and was co!ered with dust. I tried to mo!e to it but my legs
wouldnt respond. I couldnt e!en get up. Id pushed my body past its limit and it no
longer obeyed my will.
I cursed the cosmos that my life should come to an inglorious end on a dirty rock
floor deep inside one of the coldest moons in the solar system. I figured my body would
rot where it lay and Id end up a pile of dust to match that which surrounded me. It was a
harsh fate to swallow and more so because I was utterly alone. 4till" I didnt want to feel
sorry for myself. +etter to die here a free man, I thought" than to live your life out in an
alien prison.
I slipped into apathy and was almost ready to gi!e up the spirit when an idea
occurred to me. I worked my hand beneath my alien clothes into the pocket of my leather
)acket and found a pill that =obot had gi!en me for motion sickness soon after my arri!al
in 8anymede. It was a weak follow6up to the narcotic itd gi!en me onboard ship" but
ha!ing tasted the alien wine I ne!er had occasion to use it. I popped the pill into my
mouth and downed it with the last of my water.
Alien narcotics ha!e energy producing &ualities and I prayed that the pill should
re!itali1e my body at least to some degree. $he assumption pro!ed correct. $he muscle
pain that crippled my body subsided. I was able to sit up after a while and lean my back
against the wall. I managed then to stagger to my feet. I stood swaying in place like a
drunk trying to keep his balance while holding tight to his half empty bottle.
4tabili1ed for the moment" I tripped to the door to e/amine it workings. +hat I
saw pi&ued my curiosity. Beneath the thick layer of dirt was the embedded imprint of a
si/ fingered hand. $he palm was huge" the fingers long and massi!e.
I stared at the imprint and speculated as to its purpose. I cleaned it and as if by
compulsion set my hand in the space. I felt silly for ha!ing done so until it lit up red. A
minute later the door slid open to re!eal an airlock inside. I stumbled into its space and
the door closed behind me.
$he lock was like any other Id seen on <rime Base e/cept for the murals images
on the walls and ceiling. $here was a picture of a red sun which I understood to be early
2upiter and si/ large planets surrounding it. $hat was curious since 2upiter has only four
moons of measurable si1e today.
+ith the door sealed tight" fresh air streamed in from the ceiling as old air was
sucked out from !ents on the floor. *omeones orried "m letting in contaminates, I
thought. $hen I heard a humming sound shut on and off in short but regular inter!als and
knew I was being scanned.
It was clear from the dusty floor that the lock hadnt been used for a !ery long
time. Why have the ,hoon stayed clear? I wondered. %hey must kno its here. "s it
sacrilegious to step on 0ld 0ne property? 1re they afraid to enter?
$he door opened after a time to re!eal a brightly lit tunnel with pictures similar to
what Id seen in the lock decorating its length. At the end of the tunnel stood another
door some thirty yards away.
I cursed that I should be confronted with yet another obstacle. I knew I didnt ha!e
much time left as the drugs power to keep my body going was already beginning to ebb.
I prayed that this would be my last hurtle to o!ercome.
$he tunnel pictures told a story. It showed a creature as it e!ol!ed from a mouse
like rodent with thick reddish fur to an upright humanoid. $he depicted end being was a
male about my height with a giant frame and muscles like that of a professional
weightlifter. -e had a cranium larger than that of the Choon and si/ fingers on each of
his two hands. -is red6tinted face radiated childlike innocence" penetrating intelligence
and bene!olence at the same time. +hat freaked me out was that the creatures eyes
followed me as I mo!ed.
I was capti!ated by the li!ing portrait of the 7ld 7ne. $his was a being whod
risen up from the e!olutionary slime to achie!e intellectual and cultural superiority in the
known gala/y. +hat made him truly great in my opinion" though" was his bene!olent
nature. 3ot only did he not look down on inferiors" he had helped backward worlds
de!elop for millions of years. <robably that was why the Choon lo!ed them so much.
$hey respected them for their power to be sure" but in the end it the kindness of the
superior being that touches the heart of the inferior.
I pressed on determined to see what was on the other side of the door. =esting
between each step" I made it halfway down the tunnel before my legs ga!e out as the
drugs force waned. I fell face first to the hard rock floor and despite outstretched arms
bruised my cheekbone. It didnt hurt because of the numbing effect of the !irus nor
would it ha!e made a difference if it had. I was in (eaths grip and the only thing that
mattered now was seeing what lay behind that door.
7n (eaths doors but not yet willing to gi!e up the spirit" I managed to pull myself
off the floor to lean against the tunnel wall. I only had only about twenty feet to go" but it
could!e been a mile as far as I was concerned. I looked back at the image of the 7ld
7ne" now some ten feet behind me" asking myself what it would do if it were in my
place. It towered abo!e me like a 8reek god. It was eyeballing me still but to my
surprise the e/pression on its face had changed from curiosity to what appeared to be
anger.
4eeing the image of the 7ld 7ne react in such a purposeful manner was weird to
say the least" but what it did ne/t blew my mind. $he creature raised one of its massi!e
arms and pointed a finger at the door ahead. 7f all things" it was ordering me to get a
mo!e on. I was beside myself. Frightened by the image and inspired at the same time" I
leaned o!er onto my hands and knees and crawled toward the tunnels end for all I was
worth.
It seemed a miracle at the time that an image on a wall could analy1e my situation
and react to me in such a thoughtful way. I know now that it had something to do with
sensory de!ices and computers embedded in the walls" but I chose to interpret it as an
omen at the time. I was being told to get a mo!e on and get a mo!e on is what I did. I
rode the adrenalin surge to the door praying it would open. $he sound of metal sliding on
rollers confirmed my faith. Feeling as if I was finally being deli!ered out of the
wilderness by di!ine forces" I forced myself to stand so I could pass into the <romised
Land in a dignified manner. $he door opened and I peered into the ca!ern beyond.
I had hoped to see the land of milk and honey stretched out before me like *oses
in search of the -oly Lands but instead all my hopes and dreams were sunk in an instant
as I stared into what I took to be the se!enth le!el of hell. Better than a do1en robots
stood before me in formation pointing ba1ooka like weapons at my sunken chest. *o this
is the (romised )and, I laughed cynically to myself. %he ,hoon ere in control of the
caverns the hole time.
$he robots looked as if they were ready to blow me to %uropa. $he opinion was
accentuated when they ad!anced in rank and shouted at me with angry commands. I
gritted my teeth and made ready to ha!e my broken down and dying carcass blown to
hell.
I was all done in. -a!ing nothing to gain by submitting to the metal beasts at this
late hour" I focused on my hate so as not to think about the impending blast. Curse you
and your makers to hellJ# I yelled while raising my fists like a nineteenth century pri1e
fighter. I mo!ed forward as if to engage the enemy but didnt get far. $he room swirled
round and I felt myself falling forward as a wa!e of nausea swept o!er my body.
*ercifully I was out cold by the time my face smashed onto the hard rock floor a second
time.
Chapter ;B
4eeing the robots with their formidable weapons and hostile demeanor had crushed
what little hope I had left that I might sur!i!e my illness and make it back to %arth.
(espite that" I didnt feel sorry for myself in what I took to be my final moments of life.
I knew when I fled my prison that my &uest for freedom was likely to get me killed and
when finally I was at (eaths door I accepted the result the same as one accepts bad
weather on a cold wintry night in 3orth (akota. 4ure that I was at )ourneys end at last"
one can imagine the shock that I e/perienced when I woke to find myself still ali!e.
It turns out that my hard head had sa!ed me from a cracked skull or worse" but as
lucidity returned in bits and pieces the first thing that thrust through to my conscious
mind was that I had been afflicted with the mother of all headaches. $he e/cruciating
pain turned to ab)ect misery when I reali1ed that I was on my back tied to an ele!ated bed
as had been the case on the alien ship. A half do1en robots were staring at me from
abo!e. +hy cant you bastards )ust kill me.# I said pleading for an end to my misery.
3o sooner did I make my re&uest for death than one of the robots stabbed my
naked thigh with what I took to be a stiletto. $he hostile action enraged me despite my
death wish. (amn you"# I hollered while struggling against my bonds to fight back.
+hat in my delirium I thought to be a long skinny knife turned out to be a needle
and the drug it deli!ered took effect within moments. I lost consciousness almost
immediately and was out for an indeterminate amount of time. A robot with cold black
eyes was ho!ering o!er my bed the way =obot had done onboard ship when I finally
regained my senses. I felt better physically" but emotionally I was a wreck. I knew Id
ne!er get another shot at freedom and the thought of it was unbearable. I contemplated
the prospect of spending the rest of my days as a prisoner of the aliens and tears welled
up in my eyes. I was a broken man in e!ery way that counted.
$he robot saw my tears and leaned o!er me to e/amine them up close. It spoke in
its nati!e tongue and gestured for me to answer it. I turned my head so as not to look at
the creature" but it continued to talk a blue streak. $hen it began wa!ing its arms at
irregular inter!als to try and catch my attention. Its antics ser!ed to further irritate me.
+hat is it.# I asked" finally" turning my head to confront the metallic face of who I
percei!ed to be my tormentor.
+hat is it.# the machine replied in my own !oice.
*y first thought was that the creature was mocking me. $hen I wondered. $he
ruin and destruction I had accepted as fate one minute was out the door the ne/t. I eyed
the robot intently and said as articulately as I could" *y name is -ans Larson. Im from
%arth. Can you help me.#
$he robot didnt answer for some seconds. It studied me as if in deep thought and
stretched out one of its long metallic fingers as if it was going to dri!e it through my
stomach. I sucked in my gut to delay the dreaded poke. I noticed" then" that the hand had
si/ fingers on it.
$he robot fro1e when it saw my reaction" wa!ed its finger side to side as if to say
no and mo!ed to unstrap me from the bed. It helped me into a sitting position and patted
me gently on the back when done. $he action eased what fears I had left about its
intentions. $he creature was reassuring and respectful and appeared to like me. $hese
were different !ibes than what Id gotten from =obot. Clearly" this superior machine was
an ad!anced sensiti!e creature trying to communicate with me.
-ans Larson"# I repeated" pointing to myself.
-ans Larson"# the robot said" pointing at me.
I raised my fist" popped a finger up and said" 7ne.# I flipped a second digit and
said" $wo"# and so on up to ten. $he robot repeated what I said as if it understood me.
+e toyed with numbers for a while and switched to letters. $he creature ga!e me
its ABCs and beckoned me to gi!e him mine. I did what it asked and we continued with
that line of discourse and were con!ersing at a primiti!e but satisfying le!el in no time at
all. It remembered e!erything I said and analy1ed the %nglish language as we went with
uncanny speed and ability.
Im from %arth"# I said sometime later. $hree planets out"# counting away from
my chest" from hot sun.# I shaped an imaginary sun with my hands and pretended to
burn my finger when I touched the fantasy fireball. %arth home.#
%arth home"# repeated the machine.
'es"# I said with delight. $he robot had picked up my meaning entirely. I want
to go home to %arth. $he Choon brought me here. <lease help.#
I played charades to make my meaning clear. I grabbed the back of my shirt and
yanked it while describing how the Choon kidnapped me. $hen I was myself pleading
for my life" then I was the Choon" again" blasting the human and so on. $he robot
watched intently all the while seeming to sympathi1e with my plight.
I help -ans Larson go home to %arth"# it said" finally" after the long session.
I was o!ercome with emotion at the robots words. I grabbed its iron fist to shake
it and looking into its eyes said" 8od bless you.# I then pulled the miracle of technology
to me and hugged it with what little strength I had left. It patted me on the back when I
wouldnt let go. I help -ans Larson go home"# it said reassuringly.
$he contempt I held for =obot had caused me to think of robots as e!il. $hat had
all changed. $hese were miracles of technology and I lo!ed this one in particular.
+hats your name.# I asked my new best friend. -e didnt answer so I pointed at
him and said" 3ame.# It figured my meaning and made a sound I couldnt pronounce.
$hat wont do"# I said. -ow about I call you Locke.# I pointed at him and said" 'ou
2ohn Locke" like the British philosopher.# Locke and 3ewton ha!e always been my
intellectual heroes.
Locke"# it said" pointing to itself. *y name is 2ohn Locke.#
I am -ans Larson and you are 2ohn Locke"# I said as tears welled up in my eyes
again.
'ou are -ans Larson and I am 2ohn Locke"# it said nodding his agreement" and I
will help you go home.#
Chapter ;?
+hat Id mistaken as Choon robots were in fact ser!ants of the 7ld 7nes and they
were a superior lot as far as I was concerned. I reco!ered in bed for the ne/t weeks as
Locke continued to master %nglish. 4er!ants brought in food and drinks e!ery few hours
and a doctor who I named Ben Casey monitored my progress.
Locke con!ersed with me more and more as my health continued to impro!e. Are
your ancestors ali!e.# he asked me one day. (id you know them.#
'ou mean my parents"# I said. 'es they are ali!e. +hy do you ask.#
Ancestors are you"# said Locke.
7nly in part"# I e/plained. *y will counts" too. 7ne makes himself the person
that he is.#
I like to meet your parents"# said Locke.
'oure welcome to"# I said" if you can get a ship. (o you ha!e one.#
7ld 7nes lea!e ships"# Locke said. +e must ask Control if they let us use one.#
Control.# I asked. +hats that.#
$hey manage home while 7ld 7nes away. $hey reside in Central City.#
Can you ask them to help me get home.# I asked.
'es" Locke will ask. I tra!el with you to Central City to ask Control.#
Locke was *oses deli!ering me out of the hands of the <haraoh. 'oud do that
for me.# I asked" growing misty eyed again.
'es"# said Locke" nodding his head affirmati!ely. I help Larson go home.#
Lockes de!otion to me was astounding and in my gut I felt that I could trust him.
Control was what worried me. *y future depended on something that I didnt know
anything about. I found myself wishing that I could deal with the 7ld 7nes in person. I
was sure that theyd help me if they knew my situation.
-ow long ha!e the 7ld 7nes been away.# I asked.
4ince Choon come to our world"# said the high tech machine. +e protect home
for their return.#
Lockes answer surprised me. +hy would the 7ld 7nes abandon their home
world. +ere they hiding from the Choon. +here did they go.# I managed to ask.
Location is a secret"# said Locke with a somber tone. +e protect home for their
return.#
I was mo!ed from the hospital to more comfortable li!ing &uarters once my
condition impro!ed. $he bell6shaped ca!e was co!ered with the same translucent
material Id seen in the entrance tunnel and like the tunnel it was micro6wired to emit
comple/ graphical patterns. $iny computers embedded in the ceiling6wall controlled
them as had been the case in the tunnel.
$he 7ld 7nes red sun" 2okitar" as I pronounce it was situated at the ape/ of the
rooms ceiling as itd looked eons ago. It was surrounded by a red tinted sky and radiated
light to illuminate the room. $he pictures on the wall created the impression that I was in
the middle of a pla1a on top of a hill at the center of an island. I could see the shoreline
all around. A single road built on a suspension bridge ran away from the island to
disappear into the red hori1on.
2okitar set in the direction of what I regarded as the western hori1on and its light
gradually disappeared from !iew to be replaced by a glowing star field against a black
sky when I was ready for sleep. $he lights flickered like real life stars and they seemed
to reside in three dimensional space. A cool bree1e blew through the room" forcing me to
retreat under my &uilt. $he blanket had a picture of 2okitar embroidered on its surface.
Locke had been sent from Central City to establish communications with me. An
e/pert in linguistics" his ability to learn languages was miraculous. -e became fluent in
%nglish in short order" adapted my 4candina!ian accent and transferred the knowledge
hed obtained during the day electronically to the other robots at night. $he ne/t day I
found myself con!ersing with the other automatons as well as I did with Locke.
It was from (r. Casey" also sent from Central City" that I learned how close to death
Id come. 'ou were attacked by a paralytic !irus"# he e/plained. It probably came
from the wet soil of the Choon )ungle. *any of the bacteria in its eco6system are no
doubt dangerous to humans.#
+hy werent the Choon effected.# I asked.
$he Choon immune system is genetically designed to neutrali1e almost all
contagions. $he human system is not. Im surprised you werent o!erwhelmed sooner
than you were.#
I felt fine until e/posure weakened me"# I said. *aybe my genetic code isnt as
primiti!e as you think.#
Casey was an e/pert in comparati!e alien physiology whod studied data on
hundreds of species in the gala/y. -e was opinionated and a fanatical ad!ocate of
genetic engineering.
I!e analy1ed your (3A"# he said" and I can tell you that much of it is in bad
shape. 'our anti6body system is primiti!e and the cells ha!e little capacity to regenerate.
+e could only e/tend your life cycle se!eral hundred years with the most ad!anced
longe!ity treatment that we ha!e. 7ld 7nes can li!e to be thousands of years old.#
Id be happy with se!eral hundred years"# I said" e/cited to think that such was
possible. *aybe you could do something for me before I lea!e.#
$reatment in!ol!es ongoing therapy"# said Casey. 'ou would need !isit
8anymede e!ery few years for it to work properly.#
Im afraid not"# I said" disappointed. 7nce Im home" Im not lea!ing. Ill ha!e
to make do with the time that 8od ga!e me as I am" but thanks anyway. If it wasnt for
you guys Id already be dead. If theres anything I can do to pay you back you need but
ask.#
+e ask nothing"# said Locke" e/cept that you consider staying with us. 'ou
could li!e a long and producti!e life here and your potential could be de!eloped far
beyond what is possible on %arth. I doubt you ha!e e!en begun to actuali1e your natural
abilities.#
I was flattered that Locke thought so highly of me but confused as to why he would
think it. +hat talents are you talking about.# I said" shaking my head in confusion. 4o
far all I!e e/celled at is knowing how to en)oy the good life.#
$heres nothing wrong with en)oying life"# said Casey" especially if one is to li!e
out his e/istence on a primiti!e planet. +e offer you something different here. +e offer
you the chance to actuate your potential in ways that couldnt be obtained on %arth.#
Im honored by yours words"# I said from my heart" but you guys gi!e me too
much credit. %/cept an aptitude for math and science and an o!eracti!e imagination"
theres little thats e/ceptional about me.#
'ou are more e/ceptional than you reali1e"# said Locke. $he fact that you made
it here pro!es that. $he 7ld 7nes would want to meet you if they were here.#
Larson is a superior being"# agreed Casey" but his abilities ha!e not been
nurtured on %arth. +e could help you actuali1e your true potential if you stayed. $here
is much that we could teach you.#
Locke and Casey ga!e my battered ego the stroke it needed. I like this place"# I
said" but my wife and parents need me and I want my life back on %arth. $hanks all the
same.#
*y luck had taken a dramatic course change and I was on a hot streak. $he 7ld
7ne robots were sincere and intelligent and they seemed to ha!e an affection for me.
$hings were going unbelie!ably well and thats what made me ner!ous. It was
unbelie!able. Id done nothing to deser!e such consideration and I couldnt shake the
feeling that I was about to be sandbagged. $hat was especially so considering the long
streak of bad luck Id e/perienced since the night of my abduction. 4till" I was a hell of a
lot better off than before entering their world. I decided not to second guess my good
fortune and ride my lucky streak for as long as it lasted.
Casey declared that I was well enough to make the )ourney to Central City a few
days later. I had been with the 7ld 7ne robots for weeks by then and I felt great. +e
e/ited my &uarters and walked down a bright tunnel co!ered with li!ing pictures of the
kind that Id seen before. +e mo!ed through the hospital comple/ past se!eral rooms"
found an ele!ator and rode it down to the transport center. $he double doors opened to
re!eal a monorail train station similar to what Id seen on !irtual Clorr.
A single track fed into the small station through an arched tunnel" made a loop
through the ca!ern and departed through a second tunnel. Apparently" we were at the end
of the rail line. A side rail split from the main track ser!iced the loading dock as had been
the case on Clorr. 4e!eral cars were lined up in wait. +e crossed the platform and
stepped into the lead !ehicle.
$he transport !ehicle was run by onboard computer as was the case on Clorr. +e
sat down on a cushioned bench and a !ideo screen lit up at the front of the car. $he face
of an 7ld 7ne came to life. It eyed me like the image in the tunnel. It said something in
its language and Locke replied in kind. $hen the linguist walked up to the image and
plugged an e/tended finger into the console to transfer his knowledge of %nglish to the
computer. -e pulled it out and shrunk it back into its former position moments later.
+elcome to 8anymede" -ans Larson"# boomed the image as Locke returned to his seat.
+here can I take you.#
I looked at Locke wondering how I should respond. 4ay what you want"# said
Locke in a reassuring manner. 'ou ha!e nothing to fear.#
Central City if you please"# I said" politely.
Its located on the far side of the world"# said the !oice. Itll take se!eral %arth
hours to get there. $he car is e&uipped with supplies for the trip and the bathroom is
spotless. $here is a database on the passenger console if youd like to follow our
progress.#
$hanks" Computer"# I said" not knowing what else to say.
I called up the schematics of the 7ld 7nes world and was ama1ed at the e/tent to
which it was de!eloped. $he colony stretched across the entire planetoid and could!e
supported millions if not billions of inhabitants. Central City was on the opposite side of
the moon" but the space in between was filled with cities" towns and parks of the kind Id
seen on <rime Base. I thought about !isiting one or two of them as was my choice
according to Locke" but decided not to as I was an/ious to get to Central City.
$he thought of )ettisoning half way across 8anymede at high speed in a real life
transporter" !ersus the !irtual one I rode on Clorr" made me ner!ous. -ow fast are we
going to be mo!ing.# I asked the image. Is it safe.#
7f course"# replied the animated face. $ransport !ehicles can mo!e at
supersonic speeds if need be. $he tube is electrified to pro!ide a magnetic cushion for
tra!el. $here are se!eral back up safety measures integrated into the system as well. 'ou
should know we!e ne!er had an accident in modern times.#
$hats a comforting thought"# I said. +ith that the car mo!ed away from the dock
and accelerated into the hard rock tunnel like ball being blasted down the barrel of a rifle.
$he 8anymede railway system is made up of a network of tunnels that link the
world together and it is well constructed. $he ceiling and walls were arched to the floor
and supported by metallic braces like those Id seen in <rime Base. $he cars rode on
rollers at low speeds" but a magnetic cushion lifted them off the rail at higher !elocities.
$he !ehicle was bright and cheery as we flew through the dimly lit tunnel at
breakneck speed. Its mo!ement was so smooth I couldnt feel the sensation of motion
after the initial acceleration. I had to look out the window to make sure we were still
mo!ing. $unnel lamps streaking by told me that we were. I was mesmeri1ed by the
lights" but grew di11y watching them. I returned to the console to study the schematics of
the subterranean world through a three dimensional see through globe. I used knobs on
the console to highlight and enlarge the features I sought to e/amine. $he process
allowed me to study areas of interest in depth.
$here are only a few unde!eloped areas left in 8anymedes entire crust. <rime
Base was built on the edge of one of those areas and there are only two interfaces
between the two realms. 7ne is through the tunnel I used to enter the 7ld 7ne domain.
At one time it led from the 7ld 7ne world to a series of natural ca!erns which the Choon
commandeered" de!eloped and enlarged upon for their own purpose. $he second was
along the abyss.
$he 7ld 7nes" like the Choon" used the rupture in the moons crust as a route to the
surface. A close up !iew of the schematic showed a huge hanger dug deep into the cliffs
wall. It was concealed behind giant metal doors. 7nly a small part of the 7ld 7ne fleet
was hidden behind the door as most ships are concealed across the moons surface.
$housands of laser cannons and missile launch sites are hidden on the surface as well.
$he 7ld 7ne firepower is o!erwhelming.
I tracked the mo!ement of the transport !ehicle on the !ideo screen as it inched its
way toward that comple/ of ca!erns known as Central City. I watched us fly past so
many city and park ca!erns that the monotony of it all made me sleepy. <ulling a blanket
and pillow out from beneath my seat" I made the bench into a bed and lay down to rest. I
imagined myself being flown home in an 7ld 7ne ship to pass the time. What an honor, I
thought" to be the person to have made contact ith the most advanced beings in the
galaxy. Filled with such uplifting happy thoughts" I drifted off into a peaceful and
altogether restful sleep.
Chapter ;E
I had se!eral hours of deep sleep before being startled awake by the computers
powerful !oice. Central City ahead"# it bellowed. I )umped to my feet but almost fell
o!er because of the !ehicles rapid deceleration. =eco!ering" I stumbled to the window
to see the blur of lights become intermittently spaced lamps again as Locke and Casey
stirred behind me. I turned in time to see their pupils light up red and turn black again as
brain circuits came to life after ha!ing been in shutdown mode through the night. $hey
acted as if theyd been cogni1ant the whole time. <repare yourself" -ans"# said Locke"
we!e reached our destination.#
I put away my bedding and made ready to depart the !ehicle. $he transporter
pulled into a giant rail station a few minutes later. Like most ca!erns on 8anymede" it
was shaped like a cathedral only this one was a monster. Awed by the spectacle" I
gawked at it like a farm boy from Cansas passing through 8rand Central 4tation on his
first !isit to 3ew 'ork City.
$he gargantuan ca!ern displayed li!ing pictures from the ceiling to floor. $he
images glowed bright with a !ariety of radiant colors that were constantly changing in
intensity and te/ture. A facsimile of ancient 2upiter lit up the room from the ceilings
ape/ o!er ;@@ feet abo!e. $he suns surface seemed to pulsate with burning gases and
red solar flares leapt from it on occasion to streak across the ceiling sky and dissipate into
the ether. $he effect was made especially realistic because surges of heat accompanied
the flares. 7ne flare swept o!er my head as I e/ited the !ehicle. It was some distance
away but I couldnt help but duck thinking my hair had been burnt by flame until
reali1ing what had really happened.
$he black star studded sky displayed ancient 2upiters orbiting planets. Id seen the
scene in the tunnel but not with so much detail. It showed the planets and their relati!e
si1e compared to each other but they seemed tiny and insignificant compared to mighty
2upiter.
$he fourth planet was the largest of the group ha!ing only recently passed out of a
gaseous state. $he fifth was appro/imately two6thirds the si1e of the fourth and the si/th
re!ol!ed around 2okitar at twice the distance of the fifth. $he first planet was close in to
2upiter like *ercury is to our sun. $he second was large but it was the third orbital that
caught my eye. *arked with the 7ld 7nes symbol of home" it was a planet with a hea!y
cloud co!er across most of its surface. Its most uni&ue feature" howe!er" was its oceans
as they dominated the planets surface. 7nly a few small continents poked up here and
there across the world. $he 7ld 7nes name of the planet was too difficult for me to
pronounce so I named it 8enesis.
$he depicted planets rotated as balls and orbited 2upiter at the same time. $he
mo!ement was slow so I didnt notice it at first" but the surrounding stars pro!ided a
fi/ed point of reference and after se!eral minutes of staring at the ancient hea!ens I
obser!ed the change. $hey werent true to life orbits to be sure but a magical facsimile of
what had once e/isted" nonetheless. I felt as if Id been sent hundreds of millions of
years back in time and transported across interstellar space to witness firsthand the sun
and planets of a mighty race of beings.
+e left the transporter at the offloading dock and made our way to an ascending
flight of stairs. Locke and Casey stopped halfway up the steps to look back and admire
the li!ing picture. Although theyd seen it many times" they seemed to be as capti!ated by
the !ision as I.
It was the best of times"# said Locke. $he 7ld 7nes culture had reached its
1enith and e!erything seemed possible. $heyd mastered their en!ironment and were
reaping the rewards of an ideal e/istence. 4uch optimism made them see the gala/y as a
big beautiful place to e/plore. $he people looked forward to seeking out and making
contact with new worlds.#
Is that when they started sending missionaries to other planets.# I asked.
3ot for hundreds of millions of years to come"# answered Locke like a tour guide.
$his was a period of e/ploration. $hey sent robotic ships across the gala/y to gather
!ideos" specimens and data on the gala/y. $he ships began returning thousands of years
later. $heir treasures were offloaded to the 8reat 8alactic *useum. It grew until it
contained information on almost e!ery corner of the gala/y.#
I applauded the 7ld 7nes strategy for space e/ploration after ha!ing lost interest
in tra!eling through the !oid in the Choon simulator. 4mart"# I said. $he 7ld 7nes
stay safe at home and let their machines do the work.#
It was well that they did"# said Locke. *any ships were lost o!er the years. 7ne
was e!en attacked. Li!es would!e been lost had 8enee been aboard.#
+hat happened.# I asked" fascinated by 8enee history.
$he commander blew up the ship after an attacking species boarded it"# said
Locke" emotionally. -e couldnt allow the aliens to determine the location of the 7ld
7nes home world. 8enesis wasnt well defended at the time and couldnt ha!e
withstood an assault from a powerful warlike species.#
Is that when they began de!eloping their underground world.# I asked.
4ubterranean de!elopment was minimal in the beginning"# e/plained Locke.
Ca!erns were designed for emergencies only. Large scale construction didnt begin
until 2okitar burnt low and the planet began to free1e o!er. $he e/odus to 8enesis ; was
underway by then but there were those who chose to remain on the holy planet. *any
stayed for religious reasons. 7thers sought to preser!e the museums and monuments of
the 7ld 7nes past for as long as possible.#
-ow many stayed.# I asked.
*illions in the beginning" but most e!entually left as both 2okitar and 8enesis
continued to consume their masses and diminish. $he holy sun was e!entually yanked
from its orbit and sent on an erratic course towards the gala/ys perimeter. It was sa!ed
when your sun pulled it into its system. 2okitar and its satellites were only shadows of
their former sel!es by then" but the 7ld 7nes continued to re!ere the system. $hey will
ne!er forsake it entirely and the Choon know this. $hats why they wait for them on
<rime Base.#
Locke and Casey turned to continue up the stairs to a line of ele!ators on the upper
deck. I lingered to eyeball ancient 2upiter and its planets. I couldnt put my finger on it
but there was something about the scene that wasnt right. Clearly" there were si/ large
satellites in the old system !ersus the four that e/ist today" but I doubted that was the
problem. $he outer planet might!e been lost during 4ols capture of 2upiter. It was far
enough from 2upiter that it might e!en ha!e been pulled out of its orbit to circle the sun
as *ars. It could ha!e broken up to become the asteroid belt as well. I reasoned that the
fifth planet could!e been pulled out of its orbit as well" but that didnt seem likely
considering how closely affi/ed it was to its sun.
4omething was amiss with the second missing satellite" but I didnt ha!e time to
ponder the mystery as Locke and Casey were waiting by the ele!ator. I tabled the matter
and hurried up the stairs to )oin them. +e passed through the double doors and left the
station.
$he lift carried us up a few hundred feet and we e/ited through doors on the
opposite end of the ele!ator. It opened to re!eal another spectacular sight. A large ca!ern
had been transformed into a 8enee !illage as it would!e looked in ancient times. 2upiter
appeared at the ape/ of the ceiling to illuminate the room as was the case in the train
station. Clouds floated across the ceiling6sky to block out the sun on occasion to gi!e the
place a cool bree1y feel.
$he !illage displayed was perched on top of a rocky cliff o!erlooking an ocean as
depicted by the li!ing pictures on the ca!ern wall. A cobble stone town s&uare was
situated at the center of the town. It was surrounded by shops and restaurants manned by
robots. 7ther robots" designed to look like 7ld 7ne pedestrians" strolled about the s&uare
and !illage sociali1ing with one another as if they were li!ing beings. $rees resembling
oaks shaded the pla1a.
A statue of an 7ld 7ne stood erect on a podium at the center of the s&uare. Large
framed and muscular" he looked like the image Id seen in the entrance tunnel. -e had a
copper comple/ion and his brown hair had a reddish tint to it. -e was dressed in a
decorated purple robe cut )ust abo!e the knees to re!eal thick muscular legs. A cape
laced with gold" sil!er and what I took to be platinum draped his back. It was flung to
one side as if he were Caesar on the steps of the Forum. -is face radiated intelligence
like his counterpart in the tunnel.
$he figure stood with his forearms resting on the podium. -is head was drooping
forward as if he was collecting his thoughts before gi!ing a speech. +ho is he.# I
asked.
-e was the 4upreme Legislator during the most troubled period of the 7ld 7nes
long history"# said Locke. $he ca!ern you see is a duplicate of the one he was in on
8enesis ;. $he planet had been attacked and its surface destroyed by a species the 8enee
had helped ad!ance. *ost of the population had fled to the safety of subterranean
ca!erns. $he Legislator is about to address his people as he did so many years ago.#
Im surprised the attackers got through"# I said. I had come to think of the 7ld
7nes as god like and in!ulnerable. From what I saw in the Choon simulators"# I
continued" 7ld 7nes were diligent about protecting themsel!es.#
$he attack was conducted in the guise of a diplomatic !isit"# said Locke bitterly.
+hat was thought to be a passenger ship entered the system and was about to dock at an
outer planetary base when it unleashed an ether missile on the station destroying it. It
went to attack 8enesis ;. It got off all its missiles before being destroyed by 8enee
Interceptors. *ost of the missiles were destroyed in space" but enough got through to
waste the planets surface.#
It was upsetting to think the most ad!anced beings in the gala/y could be
!ulnerable to attack. -ow many 8enee were killed.# I asked" sickened by Lockes tale.
Loss of life was minimal"# said Locke" sounding relie!ed. *ost 8enee were able
to retreat to emergency ca!erns within the planet. %!en so" the surface of their world was
destroyed.#
(id the 7ld 7nes declare war on the aggressors.# I asked" angered that a friend
they had helped should attack them.
A great debate followed"# said Locke" solemnly. *any wanted to destroy the
alien planet but the 4upreme Legislator was against it. -e said they should go into hiding
to a!oid war and rallied the people to his side. -is speech has determined the course of
8enee history since.#
+hen did the attack happen.# I asked.
About si/ty thousand %arth years ago"# answered Locke.
I approached the statue of the 8enee politician to e/amine it up close but )umped
back when it came to life in front of me.
+e are fortunate"# said Locke. $he Legislator is about to gi!e his famous speech
in your honor.#
In my honor.# I said with surprise.
$he transport computer notified Central City of your arri!al"# answered Locke.
$he citys master computer acti!ated this ca!ern for your benefit.#
Im honored"# I said appreciati!ely" but feeling a bit o!erwhelmed by the attention
at the same time.
I watched with fascination as the facsimile of the person Locke referred to as the
8reat 7rator seemed to come to life before me. -e spoke in 8enee but I could feel his
emotions through his tone and body language. -e started in a !oice so filled with grief
and sorrow that I grew misty eyed listening to it. $hen his demeanor changed to that of
rage and he blasted the assembly with his anger. -e happened to turn my way at that
climatic moment and I )umped back a second time. 4eeing the powerful statesman in
such a state caused chills to run down my spine. A minute later his tone had turned soft
again in an apparent effort to soothe the peoples pain.
+hats the essence of the 8reat 7rators message.# I asked Locke.
-es trying to con!ince the people that they should withdraw from galactic
ci!ili1ation"# said Locke. -es warning them that if they go after the $ring theyll ha!e
to hunt them down and kill them all to insure that sur!i!ors wont enact re!enge on their
descendants. -e says genocide will undo the 8enee culture. K...if we annihilate an entire
species our moral heritage is at risk. Let us remo!e oursel!es as a target and wait. 7ur
race will be forgotten in time and the $ring will fade into history. 7nly then can we li!e
in peace and security under the red sun like our ancestors of old.#
I was shocked to hear the 7rators strategy. -es telling them to hide.# I said in
disbelief.
$he planets surface had been destroyed"# e/plained Locke. *ost of the
atmosphere was gone and what remained was radioacti!e. It is against the 8enee code to
kill unless all options ha!e been e/hausted and the 7rator didnt want to see his people
turn their backs on a billion years of history out of rage. -e urged another course. K+e
need not a!enge oursel!es" hes saying. K$he $ring ha!e sealed their fate by gi!ing into
the dark" !iolent side of their nature. Let us lea!e the protection of the system to our
ser!ants and withdraw from galactic ci!ili1ation. $his happened a little more than si/ty
thousand years ago %arth time as I said.#
And still the Choon came to <rime Base looking for their mentors"# I noted.
Locke nodded. $he Choon kept in contact with the 7ld 7nes after the
missionaries departed their planet"# he said. %!ery few solar re!olutions a ship would
enter the 8enee system from Choon where the tra!elers were greeted by a 8enee
delegation at an outer planetary base. It was there that the two races celebrated their
continued relationship.#
$he e&ui!alent of a religious &uest for the Choon"# I said. I would!e liked to
ha!e been one of those to make the )ourney.#
$hey considered it a great pri!ilege"# said Locke" and when the Choon learned
what had happened to their mentors they were no doubt de!astated. $hey couldnt know
how many 8enee had been killed or what had happened to sur!i!ors as they had gone
into hiding.#
4o thats what got them so upset"# I said trying to see e!ents from the Choons
point of !iew.
*ore than upset"# declared Locke emotionally. 8enee intelligence tells us that
the Choon launched a military campaign against the $ring and annihilated the entire
species. 3ot a single $ring is thought to ha!e sur!i!ed the onslaught.#
$hat bad"# I said" shocked by their action. +hat did the 7ld 7nes think about
that.#
$hey were appalled by the !iolence"# answered Locke" but their primary concern
was for the Choon. Cilling can only occur out of necessity according to 8enee thought
or it creates a destructi!e cycle in the perpetrator. It was what the 4upreme Legislator
talked about.#
8enocide is the worst act any ci!ili1ed species can commit"# I said" but in their
mind they may ha!e thought it as necessary. $hey probably thought the annihilation of
the $ring race was the only way to insure the sur!i!al of the 8enee. Likely as not" they
saw it as a holy crusade. Im not saying that e/cuses what they did" but it e/plains it.#
Locke looked to be thrown off guard by my words. $he 7ld 7nes were superior
to the $ring in all ways"# insisted Locke. $hey didnt need the Choon to protect them.
$he $ring attack succeeded only because the 7ld 7nes trusted them.#
$hats not completely true"# I said. 4urprise was a factor and its hard to
eliminate surprise entirely. $he Choon probably reali1ed that. +hat they knew was that
the 7ld 7nes were threatened by e!il. 4ince the 8enee refused to fight back the Choon
took matters into their own hands. 3o doubt they hated the $ring" but likely they
destroyed them to protect their mentors.#
If that is the case"# Locke said" seemingly shaken by my words" a terrible
misunderstanding has taken place. I can see why the Choon are so desperate to talk to the
7ld 7nes.#
$hey probably want to tell them they!e made the gala/y safe for the 8enee so
they can come out of hiding"# I speculated.
$hat is true in part"# agreed Locke" but they may also worry that the 7ld 7nes
disappro!e of what they!e done. $he Choon seek 8enee appro!al for all their actions.#
But instead of talking with them" the 7ld 7nes stay hidden and because of that the
Choon came to our solar system" interfered with human history and kidnapped me.#
$hat follows"# acknowledged Locke. $he Legislators words effected e!ents that
are felt o!er time and space. 'ou are witnessing the speech that set them in motion.#
$he 7ld 7ne leader spoke for se!eral more minutes before bringing his speech to a
dramatic conclusion. Locke interpreted his final words as he summed up his argument.
K$he $ring ha!e made themsel!es our mortal enemies. +e can eradicate the threat
through genocide or go into hiding. If we annihilate them" all that we!e stood for is at
risk. It is better that we withdraw from galactic ci!ili1ation until the $ring are nothing
more than a footnote in our long history. 7nly then can we li!e again in peace and
security under the red sun.#
$he 8reat 7rator finished his speech" bowed his head and fro1e up like the
mechanical being that he was. -e ga!e his speech from within the safety of a ca!ern in
8enesis ; while the surface lay in ruins. $he ca!ern had been made to look like a !illage6
pla1a on 8enesis 1 during ancient times. $he 7ld 7nes were hopelessly nostalgic about
their planet of origin.
Chapter ;F
+ith the 7rators speech concluded" we found a bench near the podium and sat
down to take in the sights" sounds and smells of the simulated !illage. $he air was cool
and refreshing and a light bree1e blew through the ca!ern. I watched with fascination as
robotic players strolled about the !illage con!ersing with one another as if they were 7ld
7nes back on ancient 8enesis. It made it all the more special knowing they were playing
acting for my benefit.
4pending time in the 8enee !illage was the therapy I needed after the stress of my
flight from the Choon. It was peaceful and I felt strangely at home being there. +e
strolled about the pla1a talking with the robotic actors whod been gi!en my language.
$hey were able to con!erse as if they were real life 7ld 7nes as a result. $hat was
e/citing" but intimidating too. I wanted to ask deep &uestions so as not to seem primiti!e
but I was afraid that what I thought was deep would sound stupid to them. I played it
safe by keeping the con!ersations light.
+e worked our way across the !illage greeting actors as we went and after a time
e/ited the ca!ern at its far end. $ransport cars stood in wait in a loading 1one )ust inside
the e/it tunnel.
+hats the plan.# I asked as we boarded our !ehicle.
$he decision is yours"# Locke answered. +e could sightsee or seek out &uarters
at the edge of the city.#
Id slept on the bullet train and was well rested. $he grandeur of 8rand Central
4tation and the pla1a e/cited me to see more of Central City. Id like to see the 8reat
8alactic *useum if its allowed"# I said. Im an/ious to see some of those ancient
artifacts.#
Locke didnt seem to understand my meaning which had become a rare occurrence
by then. -e stared at me with a blank e/pression as if a complicated analysis was going
on in his high tech brain. 'ou mean the *useum of 8alactic -istory"# he said" finally.
Its close by.#
I wondered why the 7ld 7nes would change the name of the 8reat 8alactic
*useum to the *useum of 8alactic -istory considering its important history. I figured
the problem had to lay in translation and dismissed the matter as unimportant. I )ust
wanted to see it.
Locke climbed into the !ehicles front seat and told the cars computer where to go.
Casey and I settled in the back. $he computer waited for us to belt up and a red sign lit
up on the console signaling it was okay to go. =ed was the e&ui!alent of green to 8enee.
$he !ehicle made the whi11ing sound of an electric golf cart and accelerated down the
transport tunnel.
$he tunnel displayed the usual murals along its length. $he theme of these pictures
could!e been fu11y creatures on 8enesis. $he fur balls displayed were all less than two
feet high and they mo!ed as if ali!e. 4ome I recogni1ed as the 7ld 7nes early ancestors"
but there were others as well. Apparently" the en!ironment on early 8enesis was
conduci!e to a wide array of life forms.
+e tra!eled a few miles through the colorful tunnel and made our way to an
offloading dock outside another ca!ern. +e stepped out of the car and were about to pass
through a set of double doors when Casey informed us he was lea!ing. I shall make
contact with Control"# he said" to set up a meeting with the Council of %lders.#
I applauded Caseys decision an/ious to meet with the %lders as soon as possible.
Casey continued on with the transporter and after he had passed out of sight Locke and I
entered the *useum of 8alactic -istory.
$he museum was composed of simulator ca!es spread out o!er a few acres of inner
space. $hey were linked together by tunnels as indicated by a map on the lobby wall. A
computer at the center of the comple/ ran the simulations. Locke walked up to the front
desk to order a room by inserting his finger into an interface socket. -is re&uest was
appro!ed and we proceeded a short distance down a tunnel to our simulator. $he door
slid open and we entered an empty ca!ern.
$his is the 8reat *useum.# I &uestioned. +here are the artifacts.#
$he room is merely the !essel through which history unfolds"# Locke said. Lets
get you hooked up to the computer and see what you think then.#
Locke led me to the center of the room where a trapped door opened up from the
floor. $wo body suits" similar to the one Id worn in <rime Base" floated up in front of us
and stopped. $hey had no wires or cables attached to them. $heyre le!itating"# I said.
-ows that possible.#
$he suit interacts with the ca!e electro6magnetically"# answered Locke. 'ou can
mo!e through the air as if weightless or e/perience the gra!ity of a planet with it on. $he
computer can change action modes depending on what we tell it to do.#
An/ious to test the 7ld 7ne simulator" I took off my clothes e/cept my underwear
and put them in the still open floor compartment and closed the door. I hurried to slip on
the suit. Locke was already dressed and waiting by the time I was done. +hat would
you like to see.# he asked.
I want to go back in history as far as I can"# I said" e/citedly. 4how me the
earliest !ideos you ha!e of ancient 8enesis.#
Locke manipulated a de!ice on the arm of his unit and spoke into its tiny
microphone. +e were on top of a sparsely wooded hilltop a moment later as ancient
2upiter radiated warmth and red light from abo!e. I heard breakers crashing against a
rocky shore off in the distance. $he temperature was around se!enty degrees and a
refreshing bree1e blew off the ocean. $he smell of salt water was in the air.
+here and when are we.# I asked.
+ere near a sea !illage on 8enesis during the 7ld 7nes first industrial
re!olution. 2upiter as you call it is already ancient. Its life as a sun is nearly o!er" but
e!en so it will warm the planet for hundreds of millions of years to come before its
furnace goes out.#
I was thrilled to see the home of a great race of beings9 maybe e!en the greatest
beings in the history of the gala/y. I was e!en more e/cited because I was obser!ing
them at an early stage of their e!olution. Fascinating"# I said happily" lets see what we
can see.#
7ur !iewpoint mo!ed deeper inland away from the ocean across a meadow and
through a stand of s&uat" bulky trees. $he cameraman was taking his pictures with an
ancient camcorder but walking too fast and the picture shook. 4till" the &uality of the
!ideo was absolutely ama1ing considering its age. I saw all manner of short furry
creatures feeding on the lush !egetation that blanketed the land as we proceeded. +e
continued on through another stand of trees and the !illage appeared ahead.
$he !illage reminded me of the communes Id seen on Choon. It was filled with
early 8enee who despite being &uite muscular mo!ed in an easy lackadaisical manner.
$hey had a copper tone comple/ion and thick reddish hair co!ered their heads and
eyebrows. $hey were short in stature like both the -ull and Clorr with only a few of the
males measuring fi!e feet or better in height.
-ow did they make their li!ing.# I asked Locke.
$hey li!ed off of the planets rich !egetation and ample marine life"# said Locke"
while sharing resources with one another in the commune. 4ome har!ested seafood
from the ocean and crops from the surrounding fields while others manufactured goods
and performed other ser!ices in the !illage. $heir communal life was labor efficient and
the people li!ed easy" secure li!es. $he commune traded for speciali1ed goods at nearby
towns and !illages" but remained self6sufficient in its basic needs e!en as the industrial
re!olution ad!anced.
+hat about o!erpopulation and war"# I asked" remembering my trip through pre6
historic %arth. It was mans tendency to o!erpopulate himself that so often led to
barbarism throughout our history. I wondered why it should be different here.
$he propensity of a female to concei!e"# said Locke" was determined by
conditions that tended to stabili1e a groups numbers o!er time.#
%/plain"# I said" my curiosity aroused.
Life had been easy for the 8enee throughout their history"# answered Locke.
$heir sur!i!al ne!er re&uired them to de!elop a high fertility rate as a result. Females
mated freely with the males of their group" but the chances of getting pregnant from any
single encounter was small.#
%!en if that were the case"# I said" wouldnt promiscuity bring it back up again.#
I regretted using the word Kpromiscuity the moment I said it.
+hen a baby was born"# e/plained Locke" taking no offense" often no one knew
who the father was nor did they care. $he community regarded the child as its own and
e!eryone helped support it. If a number of children were born in a short time period"
adults ended up spending so much time and energy caring for them their already weak
se/ dri!e further diminished. Females stopped getting pregnant and the population
tended to stabili1e.#
I laughed without thinking as Locke finished his story. =eali1ing my mistake" I
faked a cough to try and disguise it. $he last thing I wanted was for Locke to think that I
was making light of the 7ld 7nes early ancestors. 8enee infertility pro!ed to be a
social ad!antage"# I said" trying to di!ert attention from my social blunders.
Locke nodded his agreement. It helped to pre!ent o!erpopulation and the
destructi!e cycles that follow. It ser!ed the 8enee as they progressed toward an
integrati!e worldwide democracy.# $he documentary occurred midway through the
planets first technological re!olution" but you wouldnt know it from the look of the
place. $elephone and power lines were out of sight" the ser!ice road ran behind the
!illage and the mass transit system was underground. $he people didnt own pri!ate cars
or li!e in big houses. $hey li!ed in dormitory6like dwellings and ate in community
dining halls. $hey held to their communal e/istence despite technical progress and it
didnt look as they were about to change. I asked Locke about it.
$he 8enee were happy with their simple li!es and self6sufficient in the commune
long before technology and mass production came about"# he said. Conse&uently" they
were of a mind to take what they wanted from it and didnt e/perienced the negati!e
effects that so often occur during a period of rapid industriali1ation.#
(id it take a long time for them to reach an automated economy.# I asked.
3o"# said Locke. <rogress was slow" but steady. $he people resisted materialism
but embraced labor sa!ing de!ices. $hat kept technology mo!ing ahead at a slow but
steady pace. =eaching the goal without setback pro!ed to be more important than
reaching it fast. *any species in the gala/y end up destroying themsel!es and their
planet along the way.#
I followed the cameraman through the eye of the camcorder as he wandered about
the !illage s&uare watching the 8enee go about their routine. 4ome of the 8enee were
playing board games while others were engaged in group sports similar to !olleyball and
basketball. 7thers were reading e6books while many )ust sat on the grass sociali1ing with
one another. $he !illagers were laid back and festi!e gi!ing me the impression that they
were en)oying a day off.
4ome of the !illagers found the camera intrusi!e but they remained amiable and
good natured. $heir mannerism was reser!ed to the point of being shy. $ypically" the
sub)ect would clam up and look away until our historian said a few words to encourage
his participation. Cooperati!e by nature" the indi!idual would respond as best able while
trying to a!oid the camera. Later" the cameraman shot a scene in the !illage dormitory at
dawn. -e entered the building from the outer s&uare and made his way into the cafeteria
where he con!ersed with anyone who would talk to him. *any of them had finished
their breakfast and were about to go to work but no one seemed rushed. *y guess is that
they knew the cameraman was making a historical documentary and regarded his work as
important. %!eryone seemed patient despite whate!er time pressure they felt and always
engaged the cameraman in con!ersation when prompted to do so.
$he cameraman stayed in the 8enee cafeteria about an hour talking to !arious
indi!iduals. Finally I heard a bell ring and the people began lea!ing the room" dropping
their empty trays on a con!eyer belt that fed into the kitchen. I saw workers inside the
kitchen stacking the plates and eating utensils in what looked to be elaborate dishwashers.
I found it amusing that the first labor sa!ing machine that I should encounter on the
8enee home world was a dishwasher.
$he cameraman followed a group of workmen as they left the cafeteria. 4ome
proceeded to the fields where they tended to an assortment of crops and fruit trees while
others mo!ed on to wharfs along a nearby large body of water that I took to be a sea or
ocean. I watched as some 8enee manned their boats along a dock. $hey motored out
into the deep blue sea and became dots on the hori1on soon after. A few of the fishermen
stayed on shore" howe!er. I watched as they walked out on a nearby pier and cast lines
into the ocean below. $he scene was like any on %arth. +hat ama1ed me was how
&uickly the fish took up the bait. A few minutes after the lines hit the water a number of
the 8enee began pulling up si1able fish similar to bass and trout. I e!en saw what looked
like an eel being yanked up onto the pier. I grew en!ious of their catches wishing I
could!e had such luck at Arrowbear Lake.
$he cameraman stayed along the shore watching the fishermen for a half hour or so
and then flash forwarded to the early afternoon where the fishermen with a large catch in
hand gathered up their e&uipment and headed home. +e followed the group and as we
mo!ed inland back toward the !illage the cameraman caught a glimpse of the fishing
boats on the hori1on. $hey appeared to be motoring home at a fair clip and from the
boats waterlines I guessed their !enture to be a success. It looked as if a few of them had
dropped by a foot indicating the si1e of their catch.
+e followed the pier fishermen back to the !illage where they put their catch in
large walk6in free1ers in the aforementioned kitchen to then disappear to their rooms.
$he boaters showed up not long after to follow the same routine as their brethren. $he
pier fishermen began emerging from their rooms soon after. 4ome proceeding to the
cafeteria for a late lunch while others headed out into the s&uare to engage in a number of
leisurely acti!ities. From the si1e of their catches" I guessed that the fishermen wouldnt
need to go to the sea again for at least a few days.
$he cameraman followed !arious indi!iduals as they went about their routine until
early e!ening when all of a sudden e!erything fro1e up. Apparently" I was looking at the
last frame in whate!er film the cameraman had used. $hats it.# I complained. I want
to see more.#
$his is all that sur!i!ed"# Locke said. It did so because some forward looking
8enee put the work in a time capsule. $hese scenes occurred more than a billion years
ago.#
I was ama1ed that anything could sur!i!e a billion years. $hat was especially so
considering how many times the documentary must!e been recopied. -a!e the Choon
seen the !ideo.# I asked" wondering what they would think if they saw their gods as
furry mortals.
'ou are the first outsider to ha!e e!er seen it" -ans"# said Locke.
Can I see more.# I pushed. Id gotten used to )umping back and forth in time on
<rime Base. Id like to see 8enesis as it de!eloped.#
'ou can see whate!er you like"# said Locke" assuredly.
Locke spoke to the computer in 8enee and ancient 8enesis disappeared from !iew.
+e were alone in the ca!ern" again" as it looked in its natural state. Locke and I were
floating in midair at one end of the room" held up by a powerful magnetic field. $he
ca!ern came ali!e a minute later and we were back on 8enesis. 7nly now it was ;@@
million years into their future. $he 8enee of yesteryear were long gone. 4electi!ely bred
7ld 7nes now ruled the planet. $he 8enee had transformed society with their technology
and been transformed by it. =obotics and automation had freed them from manual labor
and theyd risen abo!e the elements to control nature to an unprecedented degree. $he
secret to their success as Locke pointed out was due as much to the mistakes that they
had circum!ented as to what they had done right. $hey had a!oided the destructi!e back
stepping phenomenon that has plagued %arth throughout its entire history.
Chapter ;D
$he new documentary placed us in the 8enee world capital. +e were fifty or so
stories high in a go!ernment building o!erlooking 8enee City. It was an island city
located near the planets e&uator. $he temperature was warm but pleasant" moderated as
usual by the surrounding ocean. =oads built on suspension bridges fed out across the
water in e!ery direction to disappear on the distant hori1ons. Airships were !ertically
landing and taking off at a nearby airport reminding me of the airfield in Choon City.
$he citys giant pla1a lay below the building. A male 7ld 7ne was speaking to a
large crowd while others waited for their turn at the public podium. $he pla1a was filled
with thousands of people absorbed in what was being said.
+hats he carrying on about.# I asked.
$heres a debate going on concerning the future of galactic e/ploration"# said
Locke. $he 8enee had been sending robotic e/ploration ships to all corners of the
gala/y for millions of years without incident. 3ow they!e recei!ed a transmission from
one of their ships saying that its under attack from a warlike species. $he captain says
the alien fleet has disabled his !essel. $he species possesses ad!anced weaponry that he
belie!es is superior to that of the 7ld 7nes. -es about to etheri1e his ship to pre!ent the
aliens from determining the location of 8enesis from the computer or crew.#
Is that the incident you told me about at the train station.# I asked.
'es"# said Locke" solemnly. It was the first time in millions of years of space
e/ploration that a 8enee ship had been attacked.#
Is it a more ad!anced race.# I asked" fascinated by what I was hearing.
$hey only e/ceed the 7ld 7nes in the ability to make war"# declared Locke" but
on that the captain says their striking force is o!erwhelming. -e belie!es that an attack
on 8enesis would pro!e fatal. Listen to his words as theyre recei!ed across ether
subspace.#
$he computer translated the message into %nglish. $he Clon are cutting through
the ships skin as I make my final report"# he said. I ha!e pro!ided what information I
ha!e on the species and recommend that this region of space be a!oided. $he species
inhabits two planets and three moons in the system but do not appear to ha!e coloni1ed
other star systems according to the intelligence we ha!e gathered. It seems unlikely that
they will disco!er the location of 8enesis so long as the information isnt e/tracted from
the ship. I must destroy this !essel to insure that doesnt happen. It has been our
pri!ilege to e/plore the gala/y on behalf of 8enesis and now it is our duty to sa!e it.
Captain out.#
Locke appeared somber as the computer spoke the words of the doomed captain.
$here was a long silence after the robots farewell. I thought the transmission o!er but
Locke continued to listen in silence. $he captains !oice came across subspace se!eral
minutes later.
$he Clon ha!e made it through the 4hips e/terior and are making an assault on
the control center. $he crew has engaged the enemy throughout the ship" but the in!aders
are ferocious. I can feel the !ibration of gra!ity boots approaching us now. +e ha!e
only moments left.#
All was &uiet for a minute or so until the captain transmitted his final words across
the gala/y. $he door is melting in front of me"# yelled the captain. I ha!e lost contact
with the crew and must presume they are disabled or destroyed. 7nly my second in
command is left to assist me. -es preparing to fire on the Clon as they enter the room
but I cant wait. *y finger is on the destruct button. I need press it before they break
through. 8oodbye 8enee. It has been an honor to ser!e you. Captain $ran of (isco!ery
!essel 11@1D out.# $hen the transmission went dead and the captain" crew and ship were
presumed destroyed.
$he captains words were filled with such emotion I found it hard to think of him
and his crew as robots. It was the way I felt about Locke and Casey after ha!ing come to
know them. Its a stretch to think that these creations ha!e souls" but it seems a tra!esty
of di!ine )ustice if they dont. I can in any case no longer be ob)ecti!e about the matter.
$hey are now and always will be to me sentient beings capable of noble and unselfish
deeds.
A murmur rolled through the pla1a as the transmission ended. I looked down to see
people comforting one another with hugs as they wept. $hey were grie!ing for the
passing of Captain $ran and his !aliant crew.
$he mourning will go on for days"# said Locke. $he people will e/press their
grief and the discussion will switch to policy. <ublic opinion will crystalli1e around the
need to build up 8enesiss defense systems. $he solar system will be transformed into an
armed fortress. %!en the outer planets will be e/ca!ated and con!erted into fortified
military bases.#
$hey hollowed out the outer planets.# I asked" ama1ed by the magnitude of the
pro)ect.
$he work was e/tensi!e"# said Locke. $hey had to sustain the li!es of millions
of 8enee should an emergency re&uire it. 8enesis was e/ca!ated as well. It was
designed to support the worlds entire population should an attack threaten the planet.#
4o the effect of the Clon encounter was that it taught the 8enee to be !igilant"# I
said. I could!e told them that from the beginning.#
'our e/perience on %arth and that of the 8enee was different"# e/plained Locke.
8enesis ne!er dealt with large scale war and beings tend to pro)ect their e/periences into
new situations. $hey assumed that alien species would be peaceful like themsel!es. $hat
pro!ed to be not true.#
4o the 7ld 7nes fortified their system"# I said" summing up the situation" created
weapons of mass destruction and de!eloped bomb shelters. Anything else.#
$hey sent robotic engineers and workers to nearby solar systems to de!elop other
planets and moons as refugee centers should they e!er need to e!acuate the system. $he
8enee were determined that their race should sur!i!e any catastrophe that befell it.#
(id the Clon disco!er the location of 8enesis.#
3o" but theres a story to that"# said Locke. $he 7ld 7nes sent a stealth ship to
the system thousands of years later to gather information on Clon acti!ities. $he ship
was to enter in secret" gather information and lea!e without being detected. Following in
Captain $rons footsteps" the robotic crew was prepared to etheri1e their !essel if
captured.#
4o what happened.# I asked.
3othing"# said Locke. $he ci!ili1ation was gone. Life on the planet had been
destroyed. $he same was true of the other colonies in the system. *ounds of pul!eri1ed
rubble were all that was left to signify that a powerful ci!ili1ation had once e/isted in the
solar system.#
+hat happened.# I asked unable to fathom the magnitude of the destruction.
Locked shrugged. Ci!il war. +ar with an alien species. +e dont know. All we
can say for sure is that ether bombs obliterated e!erything. $he ship left probes
throughout the system to see if offending aliens might return but so far that hasnt
happened. $he Clon were erased from galactic history and well ne!er know for sure
why.#
<robably they destroyed themsel!es"# I said remembering my simulator
e/perience on <rime Base. If history has taught us anything" its that great empires
disintegrate into splinter groups in time. +ith the ultimate weapon in hand" it was
probably )ust a matter of time before warring factions competing for power sent missiles
flying.#
$hat is the popular scenario"# said Locke" but we will ne!er know for sure.#
After the encounter with the Clon" why did the 7ld 7nes !enture back into
space.# I asked. +hy the missionary work. (idnt that e/pose them to further risk.#
$hey probably would!e kept to themsel!es if itd been possible"# answered
Locke. Life on 8enesis was ideal and the people were happy. $hey had e!ol!ed into
genetically superior beings who li!ed rich li!es often for thousands of years. Besides the
desire to e/plore" they had no need to !enture into space. $he problem was that 2okitar
burnt low and 8enesis began to free1e o!er.#
+hats the time frame that were talking about.#
About fi!e hundred million years after $rons death"# said Locke" talking as if half
a billion years was nothing. Citi1ens were forced into the underground cities. $he
population was being relocated to another planet by then. $heir new home was a 8enesis
look alike with a red sun.#
$hey found such a planet.# I asked" ama1ed at the e/tent of 8enee
resourcefulness.
$hey found it during their e/ploration of the gala/y millions of years before. It
didnt ha!e a breathable atmosphere at the time so a fleet of robotic engineers
transformed it in case the need to lea!e 8enesis e!er arose which turned out to be the
case. $ransport ships began carrying 7ld 7nes to their new home soon after the work
was completed. 8enesis was fro1en o!er by then.#
-ow could 8enesis go from a tropical paradise to a fro1en planet in such a short
time span.# I asked. I thought it takes billions of years for a sun to burn out.#
It does for yellow and large red suns"# answered Locke" but not for red dwarfs in
the later stages of their e/istence. $he heat that produces warmth in both li!ing
organisms and water is created primarily by infrared light rays but once the energy
production of a red dwarf drops below a certain le!el the planet free1es o!er !ery rapidly
e!en though it continues to produce energy in the lower fre&uencies. $hat is different
than when a yellow sun consumes its mass to transform into a red giant where its ability
to produce infrared light increases.#
4o a red dwarf produces heat up until its last days as a sun and then burns out
o!ernight in cosmic time to become a giant gaseous planet"# I said.
$hats an unusual way of stating the matter"# said Locke"# but what you say is
essentially correct. $hats what happened to the 7ld 7nes sun.#
Ama1ing"# I said fascinated by what I was hearing" then changing the sub)ect I
said" +hat Id really like to see is 8enesis in its later days. Is that possible.#
'ou can see what you like"# said Locke.
Locke fed my re&uest into the computer and we were on fro1en 8enesis a few
seconds later. A passenger ship was about to transport a group of 8enee e!acuees to the
new world. It stood on a landing pad on top of a tall skyscraper. $he departing 7ld 7nes
were saying goodbye to those who chose to remain behind. $hey looked like the 8enee
Id seen in the tunnel. $heir huge heads were supported by thick muscular necks and the
males had massi!e chests and shoulders. $hey stood about si/ feet tall" the females a bit
shorter. 7nly the reddish6brown hair on their heads reminded me of their early
forefathers.
$he recorder mo!ed through the crowd to capture the peoples emotions as they
said goodbye to the planet and its caretakers. Later they boarded the ship as did our
recorder. +e blasted off the fro1en world and I looked out the window at the snow6laden
buildings below. It was all that remained of their ancient capital. +hat had been a
tropical city in bygone days was now a fro1en monument to the planets great past.
I looked out across the great ocean as far as the eye could see as the ship rose into
the sky but saw nothing but ice and snow. $he bridges and roads were co!ered o!er as
was the city e/cept for its skyscrapers. $he place was a polar icebo/ with a growing
sheet of ice entombing it.
4ome of the people whod stayed behind made their way to a lookout tower on top
the skyscraper. It had a !iew of the landing pad from which wed departed. $heyd gone
there to wish their comrades safe )ourney but within minutes theyd diminished to the
si1e of ants and then specks of dirt on the landscape below. $here was nothing more for
them to do but return to their subterranean li!es deep within the planet. It was a painful
farewell.
$he ship ascended abo!e the planets now cloudless atmosphere and 8enesiss
surface took on a dull shiny look. I raised my !ision and saw ancient 2upiter glowing low
on the planets icy hori1on. I wondered how much longer it would radiate in the color
spectrum. Its days as a sun were o!er. 4oon itd be nothing more than a giant gaseous
planet. It would continue to etheri1e atoms within its core until it became the gaseous
planet of today.
3ot only had 2okitar diminished so had 8enesis. $he large planet Id !isited
hundreds of millions of years before was no more. It had consumed much of its mass and
the gra!ity that would!e been oppressi!e to humans during its early days was now less
than that of %arth. It would continue to diminish as time dragged by until it became the
planetoid of today. 4eeing 8enesis in its final ice age was an unhappy
e/perience for Locke as it was for me. $hat was the end of a great era"# he said.
It was"# I agreed" but all things e/cept 8od and matter end in time.#
Locke nodded his agreement. Fortunately" it wasnt the end of the 8enee race.
$he 7ld 7nes will go on to 8enesis ;. $hey will li!e peacefully for hundreds of millions
of years to come. $he )oy they knew on 8enesis will be recreated on the new world and
yet things will ne!er be &uite the same.#
+hats different.# I asked.
For one thing"# said Locke" 8enesis possessed physical features that cant be
duplicated. $he world theyre going to is beautiful planet under a healthy red sun" but its
not as ideal as 8enesis was in its prime. 8enesis had the perfect ;@ hour rotational cycle"
and its ;?@ day orbit about 2okitar caused the seasons to be moderate. $here was hardly a
place on the planet that suffered from e/treme weather and its low land mass to water6
ratio pro!ided it with an o/ygen rich atmosphere that protected it from pollution and
harmful radiation.#
+eather is important"# I agreed" but it can be coped with. Im sure the people
will be )ust as happy on 8enesis ; as they were here. $hey )ust need to ad)ust their mind
set.#
It wasnt )ust the condition of the planet. 8enesis remote location in the gala/y
made it special. It was isolated whereas 8enesis ; e/ists within a cluster of star systems.
$he 7ld 7nes knew it was only a matter of time before they would encounter other
species.#
Is that when they began their missionary work.# I in&uired.
'es"# affirmed Locke. $he 7ld 7nes decision to help de!eloping planets was
rooted in practicality. $hey sought to pre!ent the emergence of a warlike species in their
corner of the gala/y by helping to guide emerging ci!ili1ations at an early stage of their
de!elopment.#
I continued to stare out the spaceship as it left 8enesis far behind. +ith its icy
surface and fro1en oceans" it didnt look anything like the cratered 8anymede Id become
familiar with. I wondered what forces would shape it into the moon of today.
2okitar was on the other side of 8enesis as we rocketed out of the system. $he two
bodies looked as though they were the same si1e and close together in the black
emptiness of space after a time. $hey were lonely companions about to begin a long
)ourney across the galactic hea!ens. It was comforting to know wed meet up again in
the distant future.
8enesis and ancient 2upiter diminished on the hori1on as we approached the ne/t
outer planet of the system. Its atmosphere was fro1en and there was ice on its surface"
but nothing like that on 8enesis. Locke said it was larger than 8enesis" but I couldnt tell
by sight. I was studying its features when a s&uadron of sleek space !essels approached
the ship from out of the blackness of space. I )umped back with alarm. Its whats left
of the Clon fleet"# I said without thinking.
(ont worry" -ans"# said Locke smiling. If the ships were Clon" you wouldnt
be seeing this !ideo. Its a s&uadron of 8enee robots bidding farewell to the 7ld 7nes.
$hey!e been left in charge of the base below. $heir )ob is to defend the 2okitar system.
$hey are kindred spirits and my predecessors.#
$he s&uadron came so close to the ship that I was able to recogni1e some of the
features on their metal faces. $hey looked like the robots of 8anymede. A few of them
wa!ed to the ships passengers who wa!ed back. $he ships e!entually !eered off to
return to whate!er landing fields they came from and we continued on our way out of the
solar system.
$he computer sped up the long )ourney to 8enesis ; warping us through space. +e
finally dropped out of the !irtual time dilation and I spotted a red star off in the distance.
+e passed what Locke told me was two giant gaseous planets and approached one with a
crust. It was only a bit larger than %arth according to Locke.
Is that 8enesis ;.# I asked.
$hats it"# Locke said with pride. $he documentaries say it was a 8enesis look
alike. 3ote how the oceans dominate the planets surface as they did on 8enesis.#
+e flew into a low orbit abo!e the cloudy planet and were preparing to descend
into its atmosphere when Locke said" %nd program.# $he room went dark a moment
later.
+hats up.# I asked. I want to see the new world.#
4orry" -ans"# apologi1ed Locke. I!e recei!ed a transmission from Casey. -e
says that the Council of %lders will see us now. -e asks us to come as soon as possible.#
Chapter ;I
$he disappointment of not seeing more of 8enesis ; was forgotten in an instant. I
scrambled to get out of the suit and dress. Locke was ready and waiting at the door by
the time I finished. +e left the museum and headed for the nearest transporter.
$he trip across town was a tense but )oyous e/perience. For the first time since
regaining consciousness on the Choon ship" I had a real chance to go home. I tried to
imagine the look on my wifes face when I walked through the front door of our house to
tell her my story. $he !ery thought of it filled me with e/citement.
$he Council was located at the center of that !ast collection of dome6shaped
ca!erns known as Central City. +e rolled along for about twenty minutes until the
transport tunnel fed onto a loading dock off the main track. (isembarking from the
!ehicle" we passed through a short passageway that led into the central administrati!e
ca!ern for all 8anymede. +e then mo!ed past cubicles manned by robots and proceeded
down a long walkway to the rooms center where a spiral flight of stairs led to a
conference chamber at its top. $he room was about fifty feet abo!e the floor but well
below the ape/ of the ceiling where the image of 2okitar burnt brightly.
I grew ner!ous as I passed through double doors into the ele!ated hall thinking that
nothing is certain until it happens. $here was a large marble roundtable capable of
seating about thirty people at the rooms center. 4e!eral robots sat on chairs at the far end
of the table. Casey was standing ne/t to the table halfway down its length. -e rushed to
greet me as I entered the room. $he %lders stood up as soon as they saw me.
An/ious to hear what they had to say" I greeted Casey and then gently pushed him aside
to face the %lders. $hey were steely robots like Locke and Casey and like them their
faces were distinguishable from one another. 7ld 7ne automatons were designed to think
as indi!iduals and their appearance reflected that uni&ueness. $he %lder at the far end of
the table addressed me in %nglish.
$he one you call Casey has uploaded your language into our data store and
appraised us of your situation"# it said. It is with regret" howe!er" that we must turn
down your re&uest. +e arent authori1ed to acti!ate a space !essel for any purpose other
than the defense of this colony. 'ou may need to remain with us for some time.#
$he %lders words came as a shock. I was prepared for some reluctance on the
Councils part but the finality of the %lders tone was une/pected. 'ou ha!ent e!en
heard what I!e got to say"# I protested.
(r. Casey has presented your case in detail"# answered the %lder. +e see your
need but cannot assist. 8enee must authori1e the use of a space !essel for any reason
other than the defense of this planetoid. Its not that we dont want to help" its that we
cant.#
Caseys head hung low. -e seemed to be as o!erwhelmed by the %lders decision
same as I. Locke reacted in the opposite manner. -e grew agitated and stepped forward
to confront the %lders. $he Council is empowered by the 8enee to authori1e any action
it deems necessary to run this facility"# he stated forcefully" so long as it doesnt harm
8enee interest or !iolate their ethics. I dont see how taking Larson home to %arth
contradicts these parameters. $he Council need only adapt itself to the circumstances
that e/ist before it. 'ou are not like the mindless automatons of a de!eloping world" but
sophisticated 8enee creations capable of thought and feelings. In the name of 8enesis"
act like itJ#
Lockes words were beautiful beyond words and I wanted to kiss him for saying
them. *y hope swelled but faded moments later when the %lder shook his head no and
said" Im sorry linguist Locke. 'our argument is compelling but we!e been o!er this
with ad!ocate Casey. 7ur decision is final.#
Lockes fire inspired me. I wasnt going to gi!e up without a fight. $he 7ld 7nes
ha!e a history of helping beings in need"# I inter)ected. 4urely they wouldnt mind if
you had your people drop me off in one of your stealth ships. 'ou could do it at night in
an uninhabited region of the planet if you dont want to be seen. Ill promise to keep
&uiet about your e/istence if that helps.#
Locke stepped forward and put his arm around my shoulder to e/press his support"
but it was clear from the %lders response that we couldnt change their minds. I stood
there waiting for the !erdict that I knew was set. Finally" the %lder said" +e will send a
coded transmission through ether subspace to the 7ld 7nes. If they authori1e your
re&uest" we will send you home. $hat is all we can do. 'oure welcome to stay with us
until then.#
I sensed the %lder had empathy for my situation but its concern wasnt worth a
dime if it didnt get me home. I thought to continue my plea but couldnt find the reason
to do it as they had already decided against me. $he %lders were set and there was no
way I could wait for the 7ld 7nes to respond when they had been absentee landlords for
thousands of years.
I stood silent trying to think what I might say to change the %lders decree but
nothing came to mind. It was a hard silence. I couldnt shake the sinking feeling that I
was screwed no matter what I said or did. (robably, I thought" "ve been doomed since
the ships captain got the !ump on me on the mountain. "ve !ust been too stubborn to
admit it.
I cursed myself for my ha!ing gotten my hopes so high. $here was nothing to do
but to go back to plan A e!en though I knew the situation was ne/t to hopeless. *cre
the odds2 I thought as I channeled despair into defiance. Id find a way home somehow.
I felt at peace with my decision to go it alone" despite the futility of the situation
that I was confronted with. Id been willing to risk life and limb before if it ga!e me a
chance to get my life back and that hadnt changed. I was angry" though" that the alien
abductors bore no conse&uence for their action. I resol!ed to change that. Cnowing I
couldnt fly a spaceship by myself" I determined that I should try and get the drop on a
Choon and force it to fly me home. If he refused" then at least I would not die alone.
$he %lders waited for my response but I was through playing politics with the
bureaucratic machines who were trying to condemn me to li!e out my life inside a moon
in the 2upiter system. 4till" I didnt think it right that I should take my anger and
frustration out on them.
7ld 7ne robots sa!ed my life"# I said from my heart" and Im in your debt. I ask
nothing more from you than that I be allowed to lea!e the way I came. I!e been
enriched by the e/periences of this world and will cherish the memory of it for the time
that remains to me.#
$he assembly appeared to be startled by my declaration including Locke and
Casey. 7ne of the %lders started to speak but &uit when it couldnt think of anything to
say. Locke finally ended the silence. +ith the %lders permission"# he said" I will
accompany Larson back to the tunnel from which he entered our world. -e is my friend
and I should like to see him off.#
$he %lders looked at each other and nodded their appro!al. 'ou ha!e our
permission linguist"# said the spokesman" if that is your wish.# $hen turning to me he
said" +e implore you to reconsider your decision -ans Larson. $he action you
contemplate is most dangerous. It would be far safer if you stayed here with us.#
$he %lders words helped soothe my feelings but my mind was set.
$hank you for your concern"# I said" but unless you can see your way to gi!ing
me a ride home then I!e got to lea!e. *y family doesnt e!en know if Im ali!e or
dead.#
$he %lders stood mute as I turned and walked out of the room. Id made my plea"
theyd made their decision and there was nothing more to be said. Locke and Casey
hesitated a moment as if trying to decide whether they could add anything or not and then
followed &uietly behind.
+e left the ca!ern" )umped on a transit car and made our way to a hotel at the edge
of the city. I entered the room and ordered a bottle of what turned out to be !ery old
8enee wine. I spent the rest of the day dealing with the catastrophe that had befallen me
while plotting the mo!es ahead. -a!ing sensed my mood" Locke and Casey sat across
the kitchen table saying nothing.
7!erwhelmed by the enormity of the challenges before me" I finished my bottle
and went to bed hoping things would look better when I woke. $hey didnt. $he
situation seemed e!en more hopeless than before and in a moment of weakness I toyed
with the idea of staying on 8anymede. I looked for Locke for moral support hoping he
might ha!e something encouraging to say. Casey was still at the kitchen table but Locke
was nowhere in sight. 0pset that Locke should lea!e me in my hour of need but not
wanting to show it" I stood up stretching as if I had )ust awaken. +here is Locke off
to.# I asked" trying to sound nonchalant.
-e went on an errand"# Casey said" uncon!incingly. -e said hed meet up with
you later.#
+hat business.# I asked. -es supposed to accompany me to the tunnel.#
-e asks that you delay your departure a day. -e suggests that you go back to the
museum to finish the documentary you started earlier. $here is still much to see.#
7ld 7ne history now seemed insignificant considering my situation. I was
desirous" howe!er" to ha!e my &uestions answered concerning ether energy.
+hat if we go to the science museum" instead"# I said" my curiosity aroused again.
Can you arrange it.#
'ou are permitted access to all facilities"# said Casey. +e can lea!e whene!er
you like.#
I showered and changed into fresh clothes. I ate a nutrition bar and downed a few
more sips of wine to boost my spirits. I felt better right away and soon after Casey and I
departed the hotel. +e headed downtown to the *useum of 4cience.
Chapter >@
$he science ca!ern was like the history museum. $he difference was in the
computer and data that made the simulation work. A robotic attendant showed us in and
helped me put on my suit. Casey elected not to suit up" saying he was going to try and
contact Locke. -e inputted my language into the computer and left the room. $he
attendant followed behind. $he lights went out and the image of a three dimensional 7ld
7ne male appeared before me in !irtual reality. -e had a mammoth head" sil!er hair"
wrinkled face and looked to be old and wise.
$he holograph addressed me in the baritone !oice common to 7ld 7ne males.
8ood day" -ans Larson"# he said" sounding like a kind (arth Aader. I!e been asked to
assist you during todays learning ad!enture. 4peak up if you ha!e any &uestions.
Anything at all.#
Are you a real person.# I asked" emboldened by the in!itation and curious to
know what I was dealing with.
$he 7ld 7ne hologram appeared to lean back from the waist up and laugh.
-ardly"# he said" but I do a fair )ob of mimicking one. +hat makes me special is the
speed with which I access and analy1e information from the database and my ability to
present it in a coherent manner. Are you ready to begin our learning ad!enture. Im
an/ious to get going.#
$he holograms beha!ior was so life6like" I had trouble belie!ing it wasnt a real
person. 4o you dont ha!e any feelings at all.# I asked. 'ou dont e/perience pain or
pleasure.#
3o"# said the good natured creation" the 8enee didnt feel it ethical to create a
sentient being to teach hard science. $hey worried the instructors pain would be too
great.#
$he 7ld 7ne program laughed at his own humor in such a )o!ial manner that I
couldnt help but smile e!en though I was in no mood for )okes. $he playful grin faded
from the holograms face and its cheery laugh e!aporated moments later to be replaced
by a solemn e/pression. -e s&uinted his hea!y red eyebrows and appeared to lean
forward to focus his eyes on me. I may not be big on pain"# he said intently" but the
8enee did instill their !alues in me. I am programmed to act ethically as if I was a real
8enee.#
It put me at ease to know the hologram was a program and not a sentient being
caught up in Cyberspace like Linda. I could concentrate on my task without worrying
about its feelings.
3ow that we!e co!ered that"# the image said" smiling again" maybe you could
tell me what you are interested in.#
$he holograms enthusiasm was contagious. It made it easy for me to ask
&uestions. I want to know about ether energy"# I said. I want to know what it means
when atomic mass is con!erted back into it.#
$he 7ld 7ne holograph looked concerned. %ther energy is a source of great
power"# he said" gra!ely. It could destroy the surface of an entire planet if improperly
used. 'ou need be aware of the danger that such knowledge could cause if you are to
obtain it.#
$he program reminded me of the 7ld 7nes Id seen in the historical documentary.
$he bene!olent look on his face inspired confidence but I was taken off guard by his
serious tone. I tried to establish a personal rapport9 worried he wasnt going to trust me
with such information.
(o you ha!e a name.# I asked in a congenial tone.
3o name"# he said nonchalantly. 'ou may call me what you wish.#
I thought for a few seconds and said" Id like to call you -al if you dont mind.#
I dont mind"# -al said smiling. I like the name.#
4ounds good" -al"# I said" thinking the name appropriate" and to answer your
&uestion Im aware of the danger. I saw what ether technology did to the planet Clon and
its system in the historical museum. I will be mindful of the de!astation it can cause" I
promise.#
I thought my reassurances were thin" but to my surprise -al seemed content. -e
rubbed his !irtual chin as if deep in thought and nodded his assent.
%ther energy is unleashed"# -al said finally" when atomic mass is con!erted back
into the particles from which it was formed and radiated back into the gaseous ether of
inner space. $he process re&uires e/treme heat and pressure and a significant weakening
of the constraining ether and sub ether fields of di!isible e/istence to occur.#
$hats a mouthful"# I said" perple/ed by -als words. +hat do you mean by all
that.#
*ass at the le!el of the atom is composed of nothing more than slowed ether
particles condensed into !arying degrees of density and form. %ther particles in turn are
held together by the pressure of the much faster gaseous sub ether particles of di!isible
e/istence.#
*ass is held together by pressure rather than pull forces"# I said" remembering Le
4age and Fatios se!enteenth and eighteen century theories on %arth concerning the
matter.
Correct"# said -al. *ass at all le!els of di!isible e/istence is held together by
push forces. $here are no pull forces in the uni!erse.#
(oesnt a sun pull on its planets to keep them in orbit.# I said skeptically. Isnt
that what gra!ity is all about.#
If the mass of a sun was able to e/ert a pull on a planet"# answered -al" it would
mean that all its atoms including those deep within its core and far side would ha!e the
power to reach through the solar mass out across space to grasp each and e!ery atom of
its orbitals and yank on them as if with in!isible elastic hooks. Furthermore" the atoms of
the solar mass would need be able to reach across interstellar space to pull on atoms
anywhere and e!erywhere they e/ist as such is the reach of gra!ity. I ask you" -ans. (o
you think such a phenomenon is feasible.#
3ot when you put it like that"# I said" laughing at -als subtle sarcasm. But if a
sun doesnt pull on its orbitals" what keeps them from flying off into deep space.#
8ra!ity is a push phenomenon"# answered -al. $he gaseous fields of the ether
and sub ether at all le!els of di!isible e/istence lose energy to mass in their collisions
with it. *ass in turn radiates the ac&uired energy back into space through its ether and
sub ether fields. $he result is that ether and sub ether pressure deficits radiate out from
mass like a fading shadow causing ob)ects that fall into the shadow to be pushed towards
the mass. $he greater the mass the darker the shadow and the darker the shadow the
greater the gra!itational push.#
+hat do you mean by sub ether fields.# I asked. Are you saying that mass can
be di!ided into an infinite number of sub particles.#
$hats e/actly what I am saying"# said -al" nodding his appro!al. If matter is
held together by the pressure of sub bodies" it follows that sub bodies are held together by
the pressure of their sub bodies and they theirs and so on without end.#
4o theres no bottom to material e/istence at all"# I said" shaking my head in
disbelief. $hat sounds nonsensical.#
Its true that there can be no sense of what it means for mass to be infinitely
di!isible"# said -al" but the same can be said about infinite time and space and yet we
know that time is eternal and the uni!erse boundless. Con!ersely" we know that if a
primary particle e/isted it would need be made of matter which means that it has sub
particles. It follows that the primary particle hypothesis is untenable whereas the idea
that matter and mass can be di!ided into e!er smaller parts is not" making it the only
theory possible.#
$heres no way to empirically pro!e or dispro!e your theory"# I argued" and since
both theories are incomprehensible I dont see why we should so decidedly re)ect the
primary particle hypothesis.#
'our point might ha!e merit"# said -al" seeming to relish the discussion" were it
not for the fact that we!e established there can be no pull forces in the uni!erse. If a
primary particle did in fact e/ist" it would need be held together by the push force of sub
bodies but if that happened then it could not be a primary particle. Accordingly" we hold
that matter is infinitely di!isible.#
I couldnt bring myself to agree with -als argument" but I couldnt disagree with it
either. Infinity is an idea that e/ceeds comprehension. If matter is in fact infinitely
di!isible" than all I could think was that we li!e in a strange and fascinating uni!erse.
Chapter >1
$he discussion on di!isible e/istence had reached its analytical limit so I decided to
change the sub)ect. 'ou said atoms are made of slowed ether particles and implied that
energy is emitted when theyre accelerated to what I take to be escape !elocity and
released back into the ether"# I said" getting back to my original &uestion. -ow does it
all work.#
$he neutron is the primary particle of atomic e/istence and the first to form out of
the ether"# said -al" switching topics with ease. Let us reduce our perspecti!e so we can
see how it works. I will show you how neutrons look before and after condensing out of
the ether.#
-al s&uinted his eyes as if to concentrate and in the ne/t moment our !iewpoint
had been shrunk millions of times o!er. Blackish balls that -al identified as neutrons
floated about the room in slow motion. $he surrounding space was filled with an
agitating white mist that I took to be the ether. It pelted the neutron spheres from all sides
to help keep their fluid bodies from bursting like o!erfilled water balloons but that wasnt
the entire story. According to -al" the infinite number of sub ether particle fields work to
hold mass together by pounding it as well. $he collecti!e pressure shadow of these
fields" e/cluding the ether" create the gra!itational force. An ether shadow creates the
electrical field but contributes to the gra!itational force as well depending on how you
want to define gra!ity. I couldnt see the indi!idual particles of the ether mist" but was
able to obser!e the effect of its collecti!e mo!ement. $he neutrons had been slowed so
that a nanosecond was the e&ui!alent of hours.
Look there"# -al said pointing. 3eutrons ha!e )ust formed out of a swirling
!orte/ of ether particles. $he particles of the forming neutron rotate about the !orte/s
low pressure center the way wind mo!es about the eye of a hurricane. +atch and Ill
show how they formed )ust a short time ago.#
-al raised his hand as if he was *oses di!iding the =ed 4ea and the blackish
spheres were transformed back into the swirls they had been moments before. $hey
whipped around their low pressure centers like whirling merry go rounds mo!ing at a
di11ying pace.
'ou will know"# said -al" like a lecturing professor" that when a gas rotates
around a low pressure center a portion of its random !ibrational mo!ement is transformed
into cyclic motion. Its outward push is thereby reduced and the surrounding high
pressure gas dri!es the swirl in on itself. $he fast mo!ing particles at the center of the
forming neutron fly into the swirl through random mo!ement and are absorbed by it. A
low pressure center de!elops as a result. It is the difference of pressure between the
shielded low pressure center and surrounding high pressure ether field that sustains the
entity during its period of formation.#
$he way the atmosphere dri!es the winds of a tornado in on its low pressure
center"# I said thinking out loud.
A good analogy"# said -al" nodding his appro!al. Atoms could not form out of
the ether without this high e/terior" low interior pressure phenomenon. 7bser!e the
process in its entirety. I manipulate time for your con!enience.#
-al enlarged one of the swirls as it collapsed in on its de!eloping low pressure
center. +e watched as a forming ether !apor spread out o!er a relati!ely speaking large
area of inner space began to condense into a thick fluid. $he rate of rotation increased in
!elocity as the fluid was dri!en in on itself. *eantime" the forming body began to
pulsate in and out to radiate away the energy that it accumulated as the compressing mass
was dri!en inward. $he two motions made the body throb as if it were a li!ing entity.
I watched with ama1ement as the pre6neutron spun like a top during the latter
stages of its formation. $he spectacle reminded me of the way an ice skater pulls in his
arms to increase his angular momentum during the latter moments of his spin. $he cloud
became a pulsating wall to wall ether particle neutron soon after. I looked across the
ca!ern and saw neutrons popping into e/istence throughout the room like popcorn on a
hot skillet.
%hats probably hat dark matter is, I thought to myself as I watched. 1s the ether
condenses over a large area of space, the density of matter going all the ay through
divisible existence increases. 1ccordingly, its !ust a matter of time before neutrons begin
to form leading to the cosmic clouds that form suns, galaxies and other heavenly
structures.
It takes about 1? minutes for a neutron to transform into a proton"# I said"
remembering my high school physics. +hat happens to make that possible.#
$he process has already begun"# said -al pointing. 3ote the thick fluid
condensing about the neutron. $he surrounding ether loses momentum to the neutrons
bulky mass which causes its surface to swell. $he swell grows but in doing so shields the
body below causing a difference in temperature and therefore pressure to de!elop
between them. $he shield collapses an ether moment later and the heat is radiated back
into the ether. $he result is that ether particles bound away from the neutron with less
energy than what they had prior to the collision causing them to condense about the body
to create the thick nuclear fluid. Look closely and you can see the fluid forming about
the neutrons as we speak.#
I watched as the ether pounded the newly formed neutrons with unrelenting
pressure. A thick murky fluid condensed about their bodies but by sight it appeared to
emerge from the neutrons blackish surface like !itreous !apors rising up from the bogs
of -ades. It grew until it dwarfed in !olume the neutron and then the process seemed to
stop.
3ote how the nuclear fluid shields the neutron to achie!e a more stable state of
energy e/change between it and the ether and sub ether fields of di!isible space"# said
-al. $he body is now a proton. It is the beha!ior of the nuclear fluid in an atomic
en!ironment that gi!es the proton its attracti!e and repulse powers GchargeH. If we
waited long enough" we would see the electron fluid condense in layers abo!e the nuclear
fluid and if we waited e!en longer we would see the gaseous optical atmosphere form in
layers abo!e the electron fluid to transform the body into a hydrogen atom.# G3eutrons
and protons can be created in a laboratory by running electron fluid droplets through a
!acuum chamber where they are dri!en by an electrical field from the negati!e to positi!e
pole. 0nable to reenter the positi!e pole as fast as it e/its the negati!e pole" the fluid
accumulates until at a critical density it begins to collapse in on itself to form neutrons
like the tiny hurricanes that -al described in his simulation. 3eutrons transform into
protons soon after. $he output of protons is constant so long as the chamber is in use.
$he phenomenon was first noted on %arth by British physicist 2. 2. $homson around the
turn of the twentieth century but no one paid much attention to it at the time. $homson
was pu11led by the phenomenon but ha!ing no idea as to where the protons were coming
from described what he saw like any good scientist" e!acuated the chamber and kept
going.H
Im ha!ing trouble following your description"# I said some little time later. Are
you saying that the only difference between the nuclear" electron and optical fluids is
compaction.#
'es"# said -al nodding his ascent. All bodies at the le!el of the atom are made
of ether particles compressed into fluids and gases of !arying density. It starts when the
neutron forms out of a high density ether cloud. $he nuclear and electron fluids condense
about the neutron soon after and finally the gaseous optical atmosphere contracts out of
the ether to shield the electron fluid. It forms in layers the way the atmosphere of a
planet forms abo!e its oceans.# I would ne!er ha!e thought the atom could e/ist
in such a manner"# I said" fascinated by the discussion" and to think that it is all made of
a single particle. +hat I dont understand" though" is the relationship of the electron fluid
to the optical atmosphere. +hy would the nuclear and electron fluids condense about
nucleons as li&uids but the atmosphere remain gaseous.#
It is a matter of condensation"# said -al. $he nuclear and electronic fluids
condense into their li&uid states because of the high temperature difference between the
neutron and ether. $he ether in contact with the neutron loses so much energy that it
condenses into a fluid. $he heat e/change between the optical atmosphere and ether is
not as great" howe!er" and so it remains a gas. A compressed gas to be sure but a gas
nonetheless.#
Are ether fluids stable.# I asked. $hey dont e!aporate back into the ether.#
Aery stable"# confirmed -al. 0nless superheated to e!aporation" the only change
that an ether fluid e/perience is that of compaction or decompression. $he nuclear fluid
is thinner than that of the nucleons and the electron fluid is thinner yet. Because the
energy e/change between the ether and optical atmosphere is not as intense" howe!er" the
atmosphere remains a compressed gas e/cept in special circumstances. It forms in
stratified layers abo!e the electron fluid the way the atmosphere of a planet forms in
layers abo!e its oceans.#
'ou talk about the electron fluid as if it were a body of water surrounding the
nucleus"# I said" but when it mo!es through atomic inter space it beha!es as if it were
fluid droplets of a specific si1e and density consistent with electronic phenomena. Is the
electron a fluid droplet or a body of fluid.#
Both at different times"# e/plained -al. +hen attached to an atom" the fluid
spreads e!enly about the nucleus in layers of !arying density depending on how
compressed it is" but when e)ected into ether space it decompresses and breaks up into
droplets of a specific si1e and density. $he situation re!erses when electrons are
recaptured by atoms.#
Are electrons stable while mo!ing through ether space.# I asked. $hey dont
e!aporate back into the ether.#
0nless superheated"# said -al" electrons are stable. $hey are the particles to
which all atomic fluids break up into when e/pelled from an atom and allowed to
decompress. $he fluid may be e)ected from an atom as droplets of the hea!y nuclear
fluid and be obser!ed as particles of high density but they decompress and break up into
electrons soon after. All but nucleons degrade into electrons when e)ected into ether
space.#
%hats hy there are so many particles observed hen high speed protons are
driven into one another in cyclotrons, I thought. %hey smash into each other and
fragments of varying density go flying. %he pro!ectiles are not thought of as temporarily
compressed pro!ectiles by .arth science, but as constituent bodies residing ithin the
interior of a nucleus as heavy particles. 1dd to that the differing electric and magnetic
properties of the pro!ectiles and theorists conclude that the nucleus is loaded ith
hundreds if not thousands of fundamental nuclear particles hen in fact they are all
made of the same material.
8oing back to the nucleus"# I continued" feeling as if I was on a roll. -ow is it
that nucleons remain as neutrons and protons. +hy dont they fuse together to form a
single mass since they are all made of ether particles. And what makes a proton a proton
in the nucleus in the first place. I know from what you said that outside the nucleus the
proton is a neutron surrounded by nuclear fluid" but in the nucleus wouldnt the lighter
density nuclear fluid be s&uee1ed to the surface to surround the nucleons as a whole.#
Again you display e/ceptional reasoning ability"# said -al" stroking my ego.
3uclides do in fact push the nuclear fluid to the periphery of the nucleus no matter
whether they entered it as protons or neutrons. $he reason that nuclides do not fuse is
that bulk particles with a mass greater than a neutron are unwieldy in the ether and break
apart.#
Like water drops falling free fall under the effects of gra!ity"# I said" thinking out
loud. Large drops break up into smaller ones because the surrounding atmospheric
pressure cannot hold them together as indi!idual entities.#
Correct"# said -al. It is the constraining pressure of gases at all le!els of
di!isible e/istence that holds mass at those le!els together. $he upper limit of a single
mass particle at the le!el of the atom is the neutron and that is why nucleons remain as
distinct bodies spinning against one another in the nucleus. $hat is also why neutrons do
not form as larger particles when they condense out of an ether cloud in the first place.#
4ince the only difference between a neutron and proton is the fluid that surrounds
the proton"# I said" continuing my line of thought" and since the fluid can only e/ist at
the periphery of the nucleus" how is it that both protons and neutrons are e)ected from
atoms.#
It depends on whether a nucleon pulls nuclear fluid with it when e)ected"# said
-al. $hat in turn depends on the !elocity at which the particle is e)ected and from where
in the nucleus it is e)ected. -igh !elocity nucleons originating from the interior of a
nucleus are almost always neutrons whereas peripheral particles e)ected at lower
!elocities are likely to pull nuclear fluid with them and be obser!ed as protons.#
$hats it"# I said" surprised that something so seemingly comple/ could be
understood so simply. All that matters is whether or not a nucleon carries nuclear fluid
with it.#
'es"# said -al. 3eutrons and proton bodies are identical in si1e and substance.
$he only difference between them is the nuclear fluid that surrounds the proton. It may
appear as if the proton is lighter than the neutron when its course is altered by an
electrical or magnetic field but that is due to the effect that the nuclear fluid has on its
motion in an ether en!ironment.#
Interesting"# I said intrigued by what I was hearing but not sure of all its
implications. I!e always been told that the neutron is hea!ier than the proton.#
+ho told you that.# asked -al with a disconcerted look. 8enee science has
known this for a billion years.#
Its not important"# I said. I wasnt ready to tell -al that I was talking about %arth
science. 8oing back to the structure of atoms"# I said" changing the sub)ect. Im
curious as to what causes one atom to transform into a larger one as nucleons are added to
a nucleus. 3ucleons pile up in some of the larger metals and yet their chemical properties
remain essentially the same until all at once the atom transforms into a new element.
+hy do they beha!e in such a manner.#
It occurs because of the irregular manner by which the nuclear fluid contracts as
nucleons are added to an atom"# said -al. $he fluid resists compression until finally it
collapses in on itself to form a hea!ier" more concentrated li&uid. $he electron fluid
follows it in and is compressed as well. +ith the compacted nuclear and electron fluids
now less able to reflect the ethers energy back on itself" the optical atmosphere e/pands
out and a new species of atom is born.#
4o when the nuclear and electron fluids contract in" the gaseous optical
atmosphere e/pands out"# I said" making sure I had it straight.
$hat is the situation"# confirmed -al.
-ow does this effect an atoms chemical properties.# I asked.
A chemical bond occurs when the outer electron fluid layer of two atoms come
into contact with one another and a li&uid suction forms between them"# said -al. $he
atoms must penetrate each others optical atmospheres to do this" but the !elocities
cannot be too great or their surfaces too compact or the atoms will bound away from one
another as with an inert gas such as helium.#
+hats so special about helium"# I asked.
-elium has a small compact outer electron fluid layer and large optical
atmosphere making it near impossible for the electron fluid to unite with that of another
atom to form the suction bond re&uired for a chemical reaction. An atom must mo!e at a
high !elocity to penetrate the atmosphere and when it does it is mo!ing too fast to
cushion into its compacted surface.#
If the nuclear and electron fluid contract and the optical atmosphere e/pands as
we proceed from alkali metals to inert gases"# I said" how is it that the atoms that follow
the inert gases become alkali metals again.#
$he atmosphere grows so large after the inert gases"# said -al" that when it
collapses to form the outer electron fluid layer of the ne/t class of atoms Gthe reacti!e
alkali mineralsH it is unusually large and soft. +ith a greatly reduced optical atmosphere
and an enlarged and soft outer electron fluid layer" it is now easier for another atom to
cushion into its surface to form a chemical bond.#
4o thats all a chemical reaction is"# I said surprised at the seeming simplicity of it
all. $he )oining of the outer electron fluid layers of one or more atoms.#
$hats all it is"# confirmed -al. 7ne of the things we learn in science is that
nature is ne!er that complicated when understood in its simplest element.#
Ill try and remember that"# I said grateful to think that might be so" but going
back to the irregular contraction of the nuclear fluid"# I continued. Is that why an atom
like hydrogen can e/ist not only with a single nucleon" but with two or three. Is it )ust a
matter of the nuclear fluid resisting contraction as nucleons are added to the atom.#
'es"# confirmed -al. $he nuclear fluid on hydrogen two GdeuteriumH and three
GtritiumH contracts only to a degree and because of that they react almost as if they were
the same atom.#
-ow is it"# I asked" that hydrogen three can transform into helium three which
has three nucleons but is a lighter atom. +hy does it do that and how can hydrogen three
be more massi!e than helium three which is supposed to be the ne/t largest atom on the
listing of elements.#
$he reason"# said -al" is because part of hydrogen threes nuclear fluid is
radiated back into the ether to create a modest amount of energy when it collapses in on
itself to form the more highly compressed fluid of helium three.# G$he modest amount
of energy# that -al is talking about here is that created by both fusion and fission bombs
as nuclei do not lose mass to energy in either of these reactions. =ather a portion of the
nuclear fluid is accelerated to escape !elocity" light speed" and propagated back through
the ether as concussion wa!es. $he kinetic energy of the nucleons plays an important
role in creating a nuclear reaction" but their masses do not diminish during the reaction.H
$hat e/plains why there are often so many !ariations GisotopesH of the same
atom"# I said. GIt also e/plains the difference between atomic and mass number.H
Correct"# said -al. %!ery !ersion of an atomic species has slightly different
properties than the one that succeeds it due to the effect that each added nucleon has on
the nuclear fluid. $he fluid is further compressed with the addition of each nucleon but
resists ma)or contraction until all at once it gi!es. $he atoms electron fluid follows the
nuclear fluid in but the gaseous optical atmosphere responds in the opposite manner. It
e/pands out due to the diminished ability of the nuclear and electron fluid to reflect the
ethers pressure back on itself. $he result is that another species of atom with a different
set of chemical properties is born.#
Fascinating"# was all I could think to say.
-al went on to discuss !arious aspects of chemistry. -e showed that an ionic bond
occurs when the outer electron fluid layers of two atoms are compacted to the degree that
they spin against each other with minimal penetration into each others surfaces as is the
case with salts. Co!alent bonds on the other hand occur when the outer electron fluid
layers of two atoms do sink into each others surfaces making the chemical bond between
them stronger but their ability to spin off of one another ne/t to impossible. $he latter
bond is pre!alent in organic chemistry due to the softer outer electron fluid layer of
carbon.
Chapter >;
-al was a delightful personality and remarkable teacher and I relished our time
together. -e could with the use of 7ld 7ne !isual aids make any sub)ect matter come
ali!e and appear simple at the same time. I was so engrossed in our session that I almost
forgot the reason Id gone to the science museum in the first place. Fatigue finally took
its toll" howe!er" and the need to rest caused me to remember my mission.
8oing back to ether energy"# I said toward the end of our session. $ell me about
how the atom can be con!erted back into gaseous ether particles in a massi!e way. +hat
are the conditions that bring it about.#
Im sure you can now answer the &uestion yourself"# -al said" sounding as fresh
as when wed started our session many hours before. 'ou already possess the
information needed to grasp the matter.#
I think I do"# I admitted" but tell me anyway if you would. I ha!e to lea!e your
world soon and I want to make sure I got it all straight.#
Lea!e our world"# said -al" sounding astonished. +here in hea!ens will you
go.#
Im from %arth" -al"# I said" in case you didnt know. $he Choon brought me
here in one of their ships. 3ow I!e got to try and get home.#
-als !irtual )aw dropped. 'ou know the Choon"# he said.
I was kidnapped"# I said with emotion" but I escaped and made my way here.
3ow I ha!e to lea!e but before I do I want to make sure I understand the nature of ether
energy.#
Ill be"# said -al" seemingly shocked by my words. And they say teaching hard
science is boring.#
I dont ha!e much time and Im really tired"# I said while suppressing a smile.
-al shrugged. As you wish" -ans"# he said. $he matter is straightforward
enough. %ther and sub ether particles strike atomic bodies to dri!e their masses in on
themsel!es as you saw in the simulation. If the constraining pressure is sufficiently
reduced through natural or artificial means and nuclei are made to agitate at a critical
le!el" the binding force is o!ercome and the bodies e/plode back into the particle field
from which they emerged. $he momentum of the particles radiate out like e/panding
spheres to create massi!e amounts of energy.#
4o" again" energy is nothing more than ether particle momentum"# I said" trying to
restate the matter in its simplest form.
%nergy can ha!e a greater meaning"# said -al" if you consider the cause and
effect impact of all the sub ether particles of di!isible e/istence" but at the le!el of the
atom it is a measure of ether particle momentum mo!ing out three dimensionally from a
center. Let me show you how it works to make it clear.#
+ith that -al transformed the ca!ern again. -e reduced our !iewpoint below that
of neutrons and atoms to the ether particles themsel!es. I looked out to see spherical
balls in an agitated state. -al made them appear white" again" to distinguish them from
the blackish neutrons Id seen earlier. I knew in truth that there is no color at the le!el of
the atom or below and that the images that I was seeing were !isual aids intended as
educational tools but it was fascinating nonetheless. I looked out and saw ether particles
strike and bounce away from one another like rubber balls.
+hat were seeing is the transference of momentum from one ether particle to
another"# said -al" which constitutes the bases of ether energy. $he particles strike each
other to compress their mutually facing surfaces and spring away an ether moment later
without loss of momentum. It happens at the infinite sub ether le!els of e/istence as well
which is why energy is uni!ersally conser!ed. %ther energy can take different forms at
our macroscopic le!el of e/istence" but at its base it is always a measure of ether particle
momentum.#
+hat can weaken an ether field to cause an atom or neutron to e/plode.# I asked"
trying to get at the specifics of what makes an ether bomb work.
0nlike gaseous ether particle6to6ether6particle collisions which are 1@@5 elastic"
ether particles lose momentum to atomic mass which radiates it away. If a constraining
ether field should through artificial or natural means lose sufficient energy to mass and
should mass be put under sufficient pressure" it can e/plode back into the ether particles
from which it formed. Let us inter)ect a neutron into the simulation to see how it works.#
+ith those words a neutron appeared to protrude up into the room through the floor
as a giant semi sphere. It was so large in comparison to gaseous ether particles that the
bulk of it would!e e/tended deep into 8anymedes rocky interior had its true relati!e
si1e been reali1ed. 0ncounted ether particles were striking the neutron in slow motion
and bounding away from its surface at a reduced !elocity as described earlier. -al
e/aggerated the action to make it more noticeable.
$he energy e/change between the ether and nucleons is inelastic as discussed"#
said -al. $he ether loses energy to nucleons which radiates it away back through the
ether. $he ability of the surrounding ether to constrain nuclear bodies is thereby reduced
making it possible for the force that constrains them to be o!ercome. 4hould nucleons be
pressuri1ed as within a sun or planet" the constraining ether and sub ether fields can
weaken to the point that they are no longer able to hold them together and the bodies
e/plode back into the ether.#
4o thats why planets and suns consume their core o!ertime"# I said.
'es"# said -al. $he heat and pressure on nucleons is greatest in the core of a sun
or planet where the constraining ether and sub ether fields are weakest making the
conditions right for a large scale con!ersion of mass to energy. $he e/treme e/ample is
the superno!a. $he inward thrust of a collapsing sun etheri1es a significant portion of its
core causing it to e/plode.#
Id wondered about superno!as. An e/ploding star produces more energy than is
possible from fusion alone as e!idenced by the fact that its light can eclipse that of the
entire gala/y of which it is a part during the time of the eruption.
I can see how atoms in a sun could etheri1e considering its e/treme heat"# I said"
but how about planets. $hey consume atoms at a constant rate according to the Choon
and yet the core of a planet is cold compared to that of a sun.#
Although the temperature of a planets core is comparati!ely low"# said -al" its
density is high. *ass weakens the local ether field making it possible for the highly
compacted atoms of a planets core to e/plode at a lower temperature.#
Confident that I understood the essence of 7ld 7ne theory concerning ether energy"
I asked -al to download what wed discussed into my computer and whate!er else he
thought useful. -al did as I asked" seeming by then to be more of an old friend than a
high tech program. -al uploaded detailed information on magnetism" electricity" the
electrical field" polarity" light and the electromagnetic wa!e which I disco!ered are two
different phenomenon. -e also pro!ided a detailed description of the optical and
electronic structure of atoms and how it leads to their characteristic emissions with
emphasis on hydrogen as a model atom. I share what I!e learned in the attached
appendi/.
Ill not forget our time together"# I said as I prepared to lea!e. 'ou!e opened
my eyes to a world I ne!er knew e/isted. I thank you and your Creators for that.#
*ay the spirit of 8enesis keep you safe on your )ourney ahead"# said -al with
seeming emotion. 8oodbye" -ans Larson. It has been my pri!ilege to know you.#
+ith my business complete" I asked -al to notify Casey !ia ether transmission that
I was ready to lea!e. I met the doctor at the front lobby a short time later. -e was talking
into a handheld de!ice but lowered it and walked forward to greet me when I entered the
room.
(id you find Locke.# I asked before he could say anything.
-es not to be found"# replied Casey. $he %lders think he is suffering from a
malfunction and ha!e transmitted a city wide alert for him. 'oure going to ha!e to go on
by yourself.#
I couldnt conceal my disappointment. Id come to count on Locke for almost
e!erything. -e was the brother Id always wished for. 3ow Casey was all I had left.
Can you tra!el back to the tunnel with me.# I asked" trying to hide my emotions.
I can only take you to Central 4tation"# said Casey with seeming indifference.
4omebody has been assigned to pick you up at the outpost. -ell escort you to your
destination.#
I was in)ured that Casey was unwilling to tra!el with me to the outpost. Cant you
come with me.# I pushed.
4orry" -ans"# Casey said in a tight tone. $he %lders only authori1ed Locke to
accompany you on your trip. Id be sub)ect to sanctions if I left.#
Caseys refusal sounded final so there was no purpose in my pursuing the matter
further. +e left the museum" found transportation back to the train station and made our
way to the passenger loading dock. +e stepped inside the first !ehicle and Casey
uploaded %nglish into the computer. After a solemn handshake" Casey left the car and
wa!ed as the door slid shut. 8oodbye" -ans Larson"# he said as the door closed. I
wish you good fortune in the troubled times ahead.#
$he door was shut tight before I could think up a meaningful response. $he many
hours we spent together and the friendship I felt for him seemed to count for little. -is
demeanor was businesslike and I felt Id been unceremoniously ushered away. It was a
sad end to my stay in Central City.
$he car accelerated from the dock and entered the tube seconds later. Alone with
the talkati!e computer" I pulled out bedding from underneath the bench and laid down
with the bottle of wine Id confiscated from the hotel. Lockes disappearance and
Caseys seeming indifference left me feeling cold and empty inside. I drank to fill the
!oid.
It took only minutes for the 8enee wonder drink to work its magic and I was
euphoric in no time at all. I told myself that the pro!erbial cup is half full and empty at
the same time and it was up to me to focus on the half that hadnt been spilt. 1fter all, I
thought" " as privileged to itness hat not even the ,hoon have seen. " anted to see
the 0ld 0ne caverns before " died and " did. " need be grateful for hat "m given.
I sipped the wine and reminisced on my ad!entures in the world of the 7ld 7nes
for a number of hours until my eyes began to close on their own. Cnowing Id need rest
before beginning the odyssey back to <rime Base" I went to bed and fell peacefully
asleep. It was a long and much needed rest.
-ow long I slept I cant say. All I remember was being )olted awake many hours
later by the booming !oice of the computer. 7utpost destination ahead"# it declared
loudly. I pulled myself together" got up and mo!ed to the window to see the car slid
smoothly into the loading dock at the station Id left only days before. $he place was
empty e/cept for a lone robot standing on the platform waiting to recei!e me. It
addressed me as I stepped out of the car.
I!e been sent to escort you to the edge of our domain"# the machine said" dryly.
Are you ready.#
$he robots tone was businesslike like that of Casey which fit my mood. =eady as
Ill be"# I said. (o you ha!e the clothes I came with. Im going to need them where
Im going.#
%!erything has been made ready for you at the departure point"# it replied. A
party awaits you there. $he 8enee ser!ants of the outpost wish to see you off on your
)ourney.#
$hey shouldnt ha!e bothered"# I said" pretending it didnt matter but knowing it
did.
+e proceeded up the ele!ator and worked our way past the room where Id
recuperated and the hospital where Id been treated. I was in no mood to reminisce so I
walked past the ca!erns with only a &uick look inside. +e found an electric car and the
robot dro!e us two or three miles through !arious tunnels. %!entually" we abandoned the
!ehicle and took an ele!ator up to the ca!e where I first encountered the 7ld 7ne robots.
$hey stood lined up in columns. 4eeing them in formation reminded me of when they
had their weapons aimed at my head and I stopped short.
*y robot escort percei!ed the source of my an/iety. (ont feel threatened"
Larson"# it said" they are here to show you their concern. +e worry about the mission
you ha!e set for yourself.#
I was mo!ed by the robots words. It helped make up for the seeming indifference
shown me by Locke and Casey. I figured my life was coming to an inglorious end and it
was nice knowing someone in the gala/y ga!e a damn.
I stepped forward to address the automatons. $hanks for coming"# I said from my
heart" it means a lot to me.#
Id barely finished my words when one of the robots stepped forward from the
column with my Choon outfit in hand. Another followed with what looked like a hiking
pack. *y escort addressed me formally: +e ha!e pro!ided you an energy blanket and
other items that might pro!e useful on your trip. Its not much" but its what the %lders
allow.#
$hank you"# I said" gratefully. I appreciate anything that you can gi!e me.#
And we ha!e something the %lders dont allow"# said a !oice from behind the
robots. +hat I took to be a human male stepped forward to make himself !isible. -e
was my si1e and looked a lot like me as well. 'ou didnt think I would let you go alone
did you"# he continued.
I looked at the creature before me and my pulse &uickened. *y first thought was
that he was a fellow escapee from <rime Base. $hen the !oice struck a chord of
familiarity. Locke"# I said in disbelief. Is that you.#
$he person smiled and walked up to me like we were old friends. 7f course its
me"# he said" wrapping powerful arms around my shoulders to hug me. I fought off tears
as I hugged him back. $hen the incredible nature of what Id )ust witnessed sank in. I
freed myself from Lockes embrace and stepped back to get a good look at his new form.
-ow can this be.# I asked.
Locke smiled at my reaction. I possess the circuitry" memories and mind of the
one you call Locke"# he said" but our friends here ha!e created a new body for me. I
must pass for human if Im to accompany you to %arth.#
'oure going with me to %arth.# I said in disbelief. (id the %lders okay it.#
$he %lders dont know whats going on and we wont tell them. $heyre so
wrapped up in rules and regulations that they!e lost the ability to think for themsel!es.
It didnt do any good to reason with them so I took matters into my own hands. I called
ahead to get our friends working on a body based on your anatomy and left Central City
in secrecy so the %lders wouldnt suspect what I was up to.#
I felt guilty for ha!ing doubted Lockes friendship. I thought of Casey. (id the
doctor know what you were up to.# I asked. -e was acting so strange.#
Casey directed my bodys construction from afar"# said Locke. -e had to stay in
Central City to a!oid suspicion and keep you from guessing what I was up to. $he %lders
ha!e been monitoring you through the transport computer and we were afraid they might
suspect something from your beha!ior if you knew the truth. $heyre concerned for your
welfare" but determined that their directi!es are obeyed as well.#
I owe Casey an apology for thinking he didnt care"# I said. Can I talk to him
before I go.#
Better not"# cautioned Locke. $hey!e been watching him since I disappeared
but dont distress yourself. +e planned the matter in the hotel. -e knew then how things
had to go. -is concern like mine is that 8enee robots not desert you in your hour of
need. $he 7ld 7nes would ne!er forgi!e us if we did.#
$he dark cloud Id been under since the meeting with the Council of %lders
dissol!ed like an atom !apori1ing back into the ether. I still wasnt thrilled about my
prospects" but the odds had )ust impro!ed immeasurably. $he important thing for me"
though" was that I wasnt going to be alone. $he brother that Id ne!er had but always
wanted was going with me.
I grabbed my Choon uniform and put it o!er my clothes" )ammed my stuff into the
pack including my black leather )acket and strapped it to my back. Locke followed my
lead. -e put the Choon uniform that the robots had made for him o!er the shirt and pants
he was wearing and strapped the pack to his back as well. It was filled with emergency
supplies of a !aried nature.
I thought up a few choice words to say to Casey and asked one of the robots to
relay the message when the time was right. $he cooperati!e machine promised it would
and we said goodbye to our friends. $he assembly gathered round and I shook the metal
hand of each and e!ery robot. I thanked them all for ha!ing helped me. $hey patted me
gently on the back and wished me a safe )ourney. It was one of those grand moments of
life that one ne!er forgets. It was with sorrow and apprehension that Locke and I finally
mo!ed into the tunnel. +e were headed back into the world of the Choon and come what
may" there was no turning back.
Chapter >>
Lea!ing the domain of the 7ld 7nes was like surrendering the warmth and safety
of a mountain cabin to !enture out into the wilderness on a cold" wintry night. <art of me
wanted to go back" but I was committed to mo!e ahead come what may. Locke was
apprehensi!e as well. I felt guilty for dragging him along" but rationali1ed the mo!e by
telling myself that the Choon wouldnt harm a ser!ant of the 7ld 7nes should we be
captured.
+e made our way in silence through !arious passageways to an ele!ator that took
us up to what I call the Arctic ca!ern. $he door opened on what could!e been a
shoreline along the northern coast of Alaska in winter. $here was not a tree" plant or bush
to be seen and a foot of snow co!ered the barren ground. %/cept for small holes scattered
here and there" the lake was fro1en o!er with ice. I saw a black nose pop up only to
disappear again and off in the distance I saw what I thought was a polar bear. It
disappeared into the lake too soon for me to be sure.
Locke didnt like the look of the world wed entered. +e must be getting close to
the surface for the temperature to be so cold"# he said. -ow far is the airfield.#
A few days across and down about a thousand feet"# I said" !iewing my computer
map. It links up with the field from a little used entrance. +ell ha!e to spend a couple
of nights in the cold to get there.#
Being e/posed to the elements doesnt endanger my circuitry"# said Locke"
e/pressing his concern" but it could be life threatening to you.#
Ill sur!i!e"# I said" trying to sound confident" but we need to get through the
ca!ern as fast as possible. Im hoping that because of the cold we wont run into any
Choon.#
*o!ing through the free1ing cold of the Arctic ca!ern reminded me of the night I
almost died on the summit of the mountain ca!ern. Although my body had reco!ered
from the !irus" I wasnt in shape for strenuous hiking. 4eeing Locke mo!e effortlessly
beside me made my lack of conditioning seem worse. I tried to play the part of a tireless
athlete" but after an hour or so I was e/hausted. I!e got to lie down and rest"# I told
Locke" finally. Im out of energy.#
$he trail ran on top an ele!ated stretch of land that split the inland sea down the
middle. It" along with the sea" continued on as far as the eye could see. A peninsula
forked out o!er the icy lake on occasion where an up cropping of boulders lay for
sightseers to sit on. I approached one such set of boulders and proceeded to clear snow
from beneath the far o!erhang of the largest rock. I spread my energy blanket in the
space" laid down and pulled its e/tra width o!er my body to keep me warm. I faced
myself tight into the pocket to trap as much of my body heat as possible. Locke turned
up his body temperature and laid down ne/t to me to help block out the cold and heat my
backside. I was warm within minutes and fell asleep soon after.
A good nap can replace hours of nighttime sleep if its deep and restful. I had such
a nap and woke a few hours later feeling refreshed and ready to go. $here were only a
few daylight hours left so I left my gear on the ground for Locke to gather up and hit the
trail. -e caught up with me twenty minutes later.
I kept up a brisk pace for the remainder of the day and into the early e!ening hours"
but grew cold when the daytime lamps faded to almost nothing. I spotted rocks out on a
peninsula under the dim nightlight ceiling and headed for it as fast as my shi!ering body
would allow.
I hope you ha!e a plan"# said Locke as we approached the boulders.
I do"# I said" but Im going to need your help to make it work.#
Luck had it that there was a dry narrow space between two of the boulders. I
pulled my blanket out of the pack" threw it into the pocket and crawled in after. I curled
it around my body and waited for its heat to warm me as Locke scrambled to seal the
front and back entrance with snow. Fortunately" the rocks butted up against one another
abo!e to form a ceiling on top. A foot of snow on top that sealed the )oint.
Ill be ok with the blanket"# I said as Locke shut me in. Can you stay out here on
guard.#
Losing body heat is an insignificant drain on my energy reser!es"# said Locke"
dismissing my concerns. *y batteries can last for se!eral days without charge and I can
acti!ate my atomic generator if need be. It has enough energy to last many of your
lifetimes.#
*y teeth chattered as Locke finished work on the snow den. $rapped body heat
and the warmth of the energy blanket combined to create their life6gi!ing magic. I pulled
out one of the two canteens the 8enee robots had gi!en me and gulped down a large swig
of the li&uid nutrition to warm myself further. It was filled with !itamins and minerals
and laced with an energy producing drug. I lay as warm and snug as a Lemming under
the Arctic snow within minutes.
Locke summoned me at daybreak" but I was already awake ha!ing sensed the
morning light. I pulled the blanket tightly around me to brace for the free1ing air and
kicked out the snow wall with my boots. Locke scattered the snow amongst the rocks
while I ate. I left the peninsula minutes later and hit the trail lea!ing Locke behind to
finish his work and gather up my things. -e came running up to me like an 7lympic
sprinter soon after. 4eeing him mo!e effortlessly alongside me" I reali1ed he could!e
run like that all day was I not holding him back.
+e got off to a good start this morning"# Locke said while cruising beside me.
+e could be through the ca!ern by nightfall with any luck.#
I hope so"# I said between breaths.
*y strength seemed to return after the first days workout. I got my second wind
and was able to keep up a brisk pace the whole day. $he inland sea ended towards
e!ening. $he trail descended and landscape gradually changed thereafter.
+e had dropped about 1@@@ feet in altitude when I saw a gro!e of snow6co!ered
pines amidst an up cropping of boulders. I knew the airfield was only a few hours ahead
so I turned off the trail and made my way into the stand with Locke close behind. -e
went to work on another snow house while I ate supper and prepared myself for another
night in the cold. I was nestled under the ledge of another boulder an hour later.
I lay in my bed and contemplated what lay ahead. *y goal was within reach and"
although e/hausted" I felt good. $hat was especially so knowing Locke was sitting
outside the snow wall on guard duty. Locke was a guardian angel if there e!er was one
and I thanked 8od for ha!ing sent him to me. 4afe and secure for the moment" I drifted
off into another restful sleep.
I awoke at dawn" kicked open the snow wall as before and poked my head out the
hole. It was not as cold as the pre!ious morning because of the lower ele!ation. I was in
a cheerful mood. 8ood morning"# I said upon greeting Locke.
8ood morning"# Locke said" returning the cheer. I checked and the way is clear.#
I ate my morning rations and hit the trail like Id done the pre!ious morning. I
looked back after Id gone a hundred yards or so to see Locke breaking up the snow
blocks. -e )ogged up to me a half mile later.
$he trail continued to descend o!er the ne/t few hours. $he temperature rose and
the forest thickened. $he land le!eled off soon after and I could see the ca!erns end off
in the distance. $he sight of it caused my adrenalin to flow and pace to &uicken.
Are you all right" -ans.# Locke asked" seeing that I was e/cited.
Im not going to let them take me capti!e again"# I said between breaths" e!en if
it means a fight to the death. I appreciate your coming with me this far" but you can go
back if you want.#
Locke hesitated to respond. I figured he was deciding what he would or wouldnt
do and that was okay with me. It was better that he sort things out before matters got hot.
I hope it doesnt come to that"# Locke said" finally" but no matter what I wont
desert you.#
$he reason for Lockes dogged loyalty was beyond me" but I wasnt about to turn it
down. $hat was especially so considering the ordeal I had to face. I e/pected the
confrontation with the aliens to turn ugly.
I may ha!e to use force to make the Choon take me home"# I said. +ill you stick
with me then.#
$he Choon used force to depri!e you of your freedom"# Locke said. 'ou are
)ustified in using force to regain it. I trust you to use only that which is necessary.#
I lo!ed Lockes attitude but didnt want to mislead him. <uffing for air" I
e/plained" I!e got a lot of anger built up in my gut" friend. Im not going to ha!e much
patience for a Choon if he refuses to take me home.#
Im not here to )udge you" -ans. Im here to help you get home. 'ou are an
ethical being. I know that you will act according to your conscience.#
I )ogged another half hour before stopping to catch my breath. I bent o!er at the
waist and looked ahead to see the tunnels end within striking distance. In!igorated by its
pro/imity" I forgot the e/haustion and the pain in my side and bolted forward to finish the
final leg of my )ourney. I ran up to an ele!ator and stopped to double check my map to
make sure I was at the right place. $his is it" Locke"# I declared moments later. Itll
take us )ust outside the airfield.#
'oud better get the disable command ready in case we encounter robots"# Locke
said.
+e need be prepared for anything from this point on.#
I readied my computer and pushed the ele!ator button. 3othing happened. +e
waited o!er fi!e minutes for a response. I grew sick worrying about the delay. -ad we
come all this way for nothing. Finally" I heard a bu11ing sound and felt a !ibration. I
held the computer ner!ously to the side with my thumb massaging the recorder button as
the ele!ator approached.
*y heart raced as the ele!ator stopped and the door slid open. $hree robots stood
in front of us with Choon rifles pointed at us. $hey eyed us with their black sinister eyes.
It seemed as if theyd )ust as soon blow us to hell as look at us. I fro1e. Locke was as
silent as I.
$he middle robot broke the silence. It fidgeted and shifted its weight from side to
side while barking out commands in its nati!e language. Figuring we had to say
something or perish" Locke smiled and stepped forward to answer it in Choon. -e tried
to act as if he and the robots were long lost friends but his words only ser!ed to enrage
the metal warriors further. I thought they were going to blow his head off.
It looked bad for Locke not to mention myself. Lockes mo!e at diplomacy was a
failure" but it did achie!e one ob)ecti!e. +ith the robots e!il eyes no longer focused on
me" I was able collect myself and push the stupid button. $he mechanical men collapsed
at our feet a moment later.
$he close call scared the daylights out of me and my hands shook in!oluntarily. I
was upset" too. I was upset at myself for ha!ing fro1en and upset in general. I looked at
my friend and shook my head. $hat went well"# I said. Its always handy to ha!e a
language e/pert around.#
Languages mutate o!er time"# said Locke" apologetically. $he Choon language I
know is more than ?@"@@@ years old. I only understood a part of what the sentry said. It
knew we werent from their world when I tried to answer it.#
I think they figured that out when they got a look at us"# I said" still shaking from
the close call.
Locke and I were reluctant to discuss our near miss so we went to work in silence.
+e dragged the robots back up the trail and slid them behind a stand of trees )ust off the
main road. Locke pulled two along effortlessly by the leg while I labored with the third.
I dropped my machine ne/t to the other two moments after Locke had deposited them on
the ground.
I was about to lea!e when I saw Locke lean o!er one of the creatures. -e lifted its
head from the face down position that it was in and ga!e it a !iolent twist. I heard a
hideous crunching sound re!erberate off the ca!ern walls as something in the machines
neck snapped. I clutched my neck as a sympathetic response and cringed when he did the
second and third automatons in. Locke was as strong as an army tank and could be )ust
as destructi!e. %hank God hes on my side, was all I could think.
+e returned to the open ele!ator. I calmed my ner!es" reset the disable6command
on the computer and stepped inside the lift. Locke followed.
I engaged Locke in small talk to try and take my mind off what lay ahead. I dont
think this end of the ca!ern gets much use"# I said as I pushed the down button. $hats
probably why the robots were armed when they came up.#
I agree"# said Locke. $hey said this was a restricted area. $here may be more of
them waiting below. +e need to be ready for anything.#
$he ele!ator dropped for about a minute before slowing to a stop. 3er!ous Id
free1e up again" I held my finger on the button and s&uee1ed it the moment the door
started to open. I heard the clanking of hea!y metal ob)ects hitting hard rock a second
later. $he door opened wide and I saw a do1en robots laid out on the floor )ust outside
the ele!ator. $hey were still clutching their rifles. $heyd been standing in rank waiting
to see who came down the lift.
$hey must ha!e been in communication with the robots upstairs"# I said" reali1ing
how close we had come to ruin. $hey knew something was wrong when the link was
broken. I hope they ha!ent alerted the Base.#
Locke tried to be cool headed. =obots are programmed to defend against
intruders"# he said" but they would not alarm the Base until their suspicions were
confirmed. 'our action probably pre!ented them from sending a signal.#
Lockes argument sounded logical but I felt uneasy" nonetheless. Are you sure
they didnt send out a status report when communication was broken with their forward
scouts.# I asked. $heres a good chance they were on alert because of my
disappearance. $hey knew that if I was still ali!e Id likely make for the airfield sooner
or later.#
$he look of confidence disappeared from Lockes face. I didnt think of that"# he
admitted. $hat would e/plain why there were so many of them here in the first place.#
And why they were armed to the teeth"# I said. $hey were probably sent here to
pre!ent me from reaching the field should I make it this far.#
'our reasoning is logical" but I dont think the Base has been put on alert )ust yet.
Choon command would want confirmation before mo!ing to such an e/treme measure.
Likely" theyll send someone o!er to access the situation when they disco!er they ha!e
lost communication with their guards. I need to disable these machines before they
transmit a code to re!i!e them.#
Locke went to work on the machines like a wrecking ball at a )unk yard. -e
mo!ed so fast from one to the other that I didnt ha!e time to process the sound of their
necks snapping. Id hear him dispatch a robot and before it could hit the floor he was
after his ne/t !ictim. It was hard to take but had to be done. I focused on our mission to
get my mind off the wreckage.
I pulled out my computer and called up the schematics on <rime Base to affi/ my
position. $he airfield was about three hundred yards down a descending tunnel through
an airlock. I reset the disable6command and proceeded ahead as Locke continued his
work. $he awful noise diminished the further I mo!ed from down the tunnel which
prompted me to &uicken my pace.
It took me only a few minutes to reach the tunnels end and the airlock that led to
the airfield. I tried to retrie!e a spacesuit from a line of lockers located along the side
wall but the doors wouldnt open. I tried kicking them" but I couldnt e!en dent the
metal. I sat down and leaned against the wall in frustration. All I could do was hope
Locke was better e&uipped to deal with the problem than me.
I waited se!eral minutes and when Locke didnt show I decided to lie down on the
floor to rest. +ith my ear only inches from the rock floor" I heard boots running toward
me. I looked up and saw Locke charging. I rolled away as he slid to a stop in front of
me. Are you trying to kill me.# I cried.
4orry" -ans"# Locke said" e/citedly. I was afraid you had encountered Choon
robots. I was sure of it when I saw you stretched out on the floor.#
Lockes e/planation made sense and I felt embarrassed at my outburst. I can see
where you might think that"# I said" toning it down. I was )ust resting. *aybe you
could help get a couple of these lockers open. I need a suit if Im to make it to one of the
ships.#
Locke walked up to the nearest locker to e/amine it and made his way to a panel
alongside the airlock. $hey are security locked"# he said. Ill ha!e to get around it.#
*ecurity locked, I thought. " had no chance to make it to the airfield by myself.
I watched an/iously as the 7ld 7ne robot studied the panel. I thought hed find
some sophisticated means to open it" but he did no such thing. -e e/tended four fingers
into a gap between the panel and the surrounding frame and yanked it open with
awesome finger force. -e proceeded then to stick a finger into a computer interface
socket within and the lockers swung open. I rushed to the nearest one and dragged two
suits out onto the ca!ern floor. I put mine on as Locke continued to communicate with
the computer.
I was suited up by the time Locke opened the airlock. 'ou did it"# I said running
up to him.
Locke was still interfacing with the computer and didnt seem to hear me. Finally"
he pulled his finger out of the interface socket and looked around the room as if hed
been comatose and needed to determine what had taken place during his black out.
4eeing I was ready to go" he rushed to put on the suit Id laid out for him on the floor.
+e should hurry"# urged Locke. $he central computer will sense the open
airlock. I tried to block its connection to the terminal" but it has too many sensors to stay
blind for long.#
+e dressed and entered the lock. $he door closed and air was pumped out of the
room a minute later. $he outer door opened and I stepped out into 8anymedes rarified
atmosphere.
Chapter >B
+e emerged from the bowels of 8anymede at a remote corner of the airfield. I was
so near the abyss I could!e spit into it was my face plate not in the way. A small ship
stood nearby. It was resting on three legs and the belly ramp was down. +e were out of
sight from most of the field so I stalked forward and hid behind the nearest leg. Locke
followed a step behind.
$he !oice transmitters on our spacesuits werent acti!ated and we wouldnt ha!e
used them if they were. $here was too much risk our words would!e been intercepted.
0sing sign language" I motioned to Locke I was going up the ramp. -e nodded yes. I
crept forward on all fours but stopped halfway up the metal plank when I saw a Choon
and two robots approaching a ship across the field. I recogni1ed the !essel as the one that
had transported me to 8anymede. A feeling in my gut told me who the alien was.
I watched as the *aster and his mechanical helpers pulled up in front of the ship.
$he alien entered the !essel while the robots unloaded crates from the back of the
!ehicle. I could tell by the way they labored that the bo/es were hea!y despite
8anymedes low gra!ity.
Locke crept up and knelt beside me as I eyed the goings on across the field. -e
motioned that we should go up the plank" but I shook my head no. I told myself we had a
better chance if we could force the alien to help us. $ruth is that I couldnt resist the
chance to s&uare things with my nemesis either. -e had used force to bring me to
8anymede and it seemed only )ust that I should use force to make him take me home. I
)umped off the ramp and headed toward the ship. Locke followed closely behind.
+e stalked forward and approached within fifty feet of the ships ramp without
being seen. It occurred to me then that we were more likely to be noticed stalking than if
we walked normally. I stood up straight and strode to the ship in long forceful strides.
*y action seemed to surprise Locke but being the trooper that he is he followed in step.
+e walked up the plank past the automatons who were returning for another load. $hey
paid us no mind as we passed them by.
$he ramp took us up to the embarking platform Id crossed before. $wo air locks
lay beyond. 7ne led down into the cargo hold. Its doors were open and the air had been
pumped out of the hold so the robots could tra!el back and forth unimpeded. $he other
led into the ship proper. Id passed through it on my arri!al in 8anymede. +e made our
way through the lock and took off our suits on the other side of the door. $iptoeing down
the corridor" we passed the room Id been held capti!e in and stopped at the last door
head on. I whispered to Locke that I thought it was the control center. -e nodded his
agreement.
$he metal door had a handle built into it but wouldnt yield to my pressure. I
e/amined the control panel on the wall ne/t to the door. It had buttons on it with symbols
like the lockers in the winter ca!ern" but I didnt ha!e a clue as to the se&uence in which
they needed to be pushed. I motioned Locke to look at it figuring hed decipher the code
with his super analytical mind. -e did no such thing. -e went to the door" grabbed the
handle and" upon putting his foot against the )am for le!erage" yanked it open. -e was
through the opening and halfway across the room by the time I could cross the threshold.
$he door automatically closed behind us.
$he alien was sitting in a swi!el chair working at the control panel when Locke
entered the room. $he creature must!e thought he was one of its robots as it was slow to
react to the noise. Locke hit the creature before it could turn and the two of them crashed
to the floor. -e pinned the captains face to the floor before the kidnapper could see who
was on it and beckoned me to take o!er. I didnt need to be asked twice. I flew forward
with the taste of re!enge hot in my mouth. I stuck a knee in the aliens back which kept it
pinned and pulled back one of his arms in a lock. 4eeing that I was firmly in control"
Locke rushed to the ships controls.
$he alien didnt ha!e a clue as to the identity of the madmen whod attacked him
and I sought to keep it that way. I pushed his head to the floor e!ery time he tried to raise
it while pulling back hard on his arm. Locke" meanwhile" worked to establish a link with
the ships computer. I hoped he knew what he was doing but wasnt about to count on it.
It was time to take matters into my own hands. I was of a mind to make the Choon
cooperate or else.
$he moment Id long dreamt about was at hand. I released the captain and stood
up. It was time to let the alien know that -annibal was at the gate. 8et up"# I
demanded. 'ou and I ha!e unfinished business.#
$he captain pushed himself to his knees and looked up. 8roggy from ha!ing been
body slammed by Locke and then ha!ing his head slapped to the floor a half do1en times
by me" I doubt he knew what he was seeing. $hen the fog appeared to clear and I saw his
)aw drop. I thought you were dead"# he said in astonishment.
I felt an urge to inflict damage on my nemesis. -e was in a kneeling position and
his large head would!e made an easy target for my boot. I longed to nail him with a
de!astating kick but held back fearing the blow might kill him and ruin whate!er chance
I had to make him cooperate. I didnt feel right about killing the creature" either" in that
despite the pain that he had caused me he hadnt tried to take my life. -e deser!ed a first
class ass whooping for sure but that didnt include maiming or killing him.
I disco!ered that cold blooded murder was something I couldnt do so I thought to
bloody the aliens mouth instead. I curled my hand into a fist and cocked it back to
unleash a bolo punch to his picture perfect white teeth but" again" I couldnt pull the
trigger. 7f all things" I felt sorry for the creature. -e was in such a pitiful state hitting
him would!e been like striking a child.
Angry that my conscience was denying me the !engeance Id long dreamt of" I
grabbed the creature by the back of its collar and lifted it to its feet. Ill forego
re!enge"# I said" but youd better help us or else.#
<ulling the captain to its feet had the unwanted effect of helping him regain his
composure. -e stood up straight as if at attention before a commanding officer. Im
relie!ed to see youre ali!e Larson"# it stammered" but I am surprised. -ow you
accomplished the feat is beyond me.#
-earing the captain e/press reluctant respect was satisfying" but it ticked me off
too. A person is worthy of respect unless he does something to forfeit it. $he creature
had it backwards. Id done nothing to warrant the abuse that had been laid on me.
Instead of recei!ing sympathy for my plight" the captain had labeled me a primiti!e for
not responding in the manner it thought appropriate.
$hat you are or are not impressed is irrele!ant"# I said with con!iction. +hat
matters is that my friend and I are going to %arth and youre going to help us get there.
Its that or youre in for a rough ride. +hats it going to be Choon.#
$he captain was about to answer my ultimatum when he noticed that Locke had his
finger inserted in the console. It had reacted to him as if he were human up to that
moment" but now it staggered back as if itd come face to face with an archangel. It
addressed Locke in Choon" but Locke answered in %nglish telling it to speak in my
language so I could understand his words. $he captain nodded. Its an honor to meet a
ser!ant of the 8enee"# he said. For ages we ha!e co6e/isted on this sacred planet" but
you ha!e ne!er responded to our calls to con!ene. At last we speak. I thank the Creator
of all things that I!e li!ed to see this day.#
$he captains words were heart felt" but I had too much on my mind to be
distracted by its emotional state. I was worried that <rime Base was on alert by now. I
cut the captain short. Im happy you got to meet an 7ld 7ne ser!ant"# I said facetiously"
but now we ha!e more important matters to deal with. 'ou brought me here as a
prisoner and now youre going to take me home a free man. +ill you comply or do I
ha!e to get ugly.#
$he captain faced me to acknowledge the threat. I e/pected him to be angry and
insulting. -e was neither. -e nodded his head in respect and said" I am sorry -ans
Larson. 7ur laws forbid me from letting Choon technology fall into the hands of an alien
planet. I cannot surrender control of this !essel to you.#
+e heard !oices at the door a couple of seconds after the alien finished his
statement. $he captain answered and the door started to slide open a second later. Locke
saw the threat and proceeded to disengage himself from the computer. 8et your
computer ready"# he shouted across the room. I interpreted his words to mean he wanted
me to stop the robots with the disabling command. $he captain means to pre!ent us
from lea!ing 8anymede at all costs.#
I fumbled to retrie!e the computer from my pocket while turning my back to the
captain. 3aturally" my action caused the creature to lunge for it. I blocked him with my
body and stretched my arm away to keep it out of its reach. $he two robots Id seen
unloading the freight car entered the room a moment later. $he captain pointed at the
de!ice in my outstretched fingers and said something in Choon. $he robots understood
the captains meaning and" bolting forward" would!e been on me had Locke not tackled
them both at the same time. $he three of them banged to the floor with Locke on top.
'elling to each other in Choon" the two robots fought like ferocious warriors.
Locke had his hands full and so did I. $all and thin" the captain was nonetheless
strong and wiry. It leaned his body o!er mine and edged his hand toward the computer. I
cried for Locke to help" but the feisty robots had turned the tables. +orking as a team"
theyd flipped him o!er and were attempting to pin him to the floor.
$he situation looked grim. $hen" )ust as e!erything was about to go 4outh" Locke
grabbed one of the robots by the head and ga!e it his patented twist. $he creatures neck
snapped and Locke flung it to the side as if it were an empty beer can. -e reached for the
other automaton but the enlightened machine )umped away and flew across the room to a
weapons cabinet in search of one of the Choon rifles Id seen earlier.
Afraid for Lockes life as well as my own" I thrust my elbow hard into the captains
ribs and when it bellied o!er in pain I grabbed its head and flipped it o!er my body. It
landed hard on its back knocking the wind out of it. Free of the captain" I scrambled to
push the disable button and the robot dropped to the floor )ust as it was about to take aim
at Locke with a rifle. Locke rushed to finish it off.
$he captains aggressi!e action in!oked my ire. I dropped the computer" )umped
on my ad!ersarys chest and punched him in the face as hard as I could. It was a clean
shot and his head banged hard against the floor. I shook him to make sure he was
unconscious and then let him go.
It looks like were on our own"# I told Locke" mo!ing from one crisis to another.
(o you think you can fly this thing. $heyre going to be on us any minute now.#
$hanks for sa!ing me"# Locke said as he rushed to the control console. $he
robot was about to fire.#
I followed Locke to the console. 'oure welcome"# I said delighted that Id been
of assistance" but e!erything is for nothing unless you can gain control of the computer.#
I!e got to o!erride their security program"# answered Locke as he plugged his
finger back into the console. Its ad!anced" but my o!erride program should be e!en
more ad!anced. $he problem is that itll take time.#
(o your best"# I said" trying to keep my cool. Im going to secure the captain in
case he regains consciousness.#
$he robots had set the door so it would stay open. I ran out of the command center
back down the corridor hoping to find something to tie up the captain. 3ot a single cabin
door would open. All I could do was to yell profanities and rush back to the bridge. 3ot
wanting to bother Locke" I took off my Choon uniform thinking to shred it into ties" but
the tough material wouldnt tear. Impro!ising" I used the leggings to bind the captains
legs and slee!es to tie his hands behind him. %hatll hold for a hile, I thought.
Id )ust finished my work when I felt the underbelly of the ship !ibrate. I correctly
guessed that a motor was pulling up the ramp. $he computer is responding to orders"#
Locke said a few seconds later. I suggest we make an emergency takeoff.#
I dropped the captain and ran up alongside Locke slapping him on the back.
Fantastic"# I yelled happily" lets go for it.#
Brace yourself for emergency lift6off" -ans. +e are departing the fieldNnowJ#
$he !essel shook as the ether engine flared to life. I rushed to the ships front
window to look out onto the field" but the protecti!e metal blind was shut. Locke"# I
hollered" pointing. Can you open this.#
8i!e me a few seconds"# he said and a few seconds was all it took. $he co!ering
rolled out of the way and I looked out across the airfield as we mo!ed out o!er the abyss.
Appro/imately a hundred robots" many armed" were scurrying about the field. A few
were laid out on the field immobili1ed. $heyd been fried by the ships engine when we
blasted off the field.
+e got away )ust in time"# I said. <rime Base is up in arms.#
$hey will be after us soon enough"# warned Locke. +e are a long way from
ha!ing gotten away.#
I kept checking the field as the ship mo!ed further out o!er the abyss. =obots were
entering !essels all o!er the field. $hen our ships rear thrusters fired and we were gone.
$heyre preparing the !essels for flight while Choon Command organi1es a
pursuit force"# said Locke. +e dont ha!e a minute to waste.#
Chapter >?
Id anticipated the firing of the rear thruster and braced for it" but the )olt of
acceleration was more than my motion sensiti!e system could take. $he fluid in my inner
ear sloshed like water in a pail and I was hit by a wa!e of nausea. I dropped to the floor
and lay on my belly to stabili1e myself but the remedy came late. I threw up the contents
of my stomach and then suffered a series of dry hea!es as the !essel made its way up to
8anymedes surface. I thought to ask Locke for help" but he was busy at the console and
didnt want to bother him at such a critical time. I waited for a lull in the action and
wa!ed him o!er when he finally looked my way.
Are you all right" Larson.# Locke asked" flying to my aid. -e knew the answer
when he saw puke splattered on the floor. 8reat 8enesis" -ans. 'oure ill.#
I beckoned Locke to come close. <lease"# I pleaded. 'ou!e got to find
something to stop this 8od awful motion sickness.#
Locke took my pain serious to my great relief. -ang on -ans"# he said while
patting me on the back. Ill find something.#
Lockes words were music to my ears. -e )umped up and scoured the room. -e
checked e!ery cabinet on the bridge and seeing there wasnt any medicine rushed for the
e/it. Ill check the other rooms"# he said. I!e instructed the computer to get us out of
8anymede. It should be able to fly the !essel on its own for a while.# I moaned my
appro!al as he left the control center.
I listened as Locke forced cabin doors open. -ed rush inside for a minute or two
and then proceed to the ne/t room empty6handed. I cursed at e!ery failed attempt
wondering how long I had to stand such intolerably agony. $hen" as Locke was entering
the fourth room and as I was thinking things couldnt get worse" things got worse. I
looked across the room to make sure the captain hadnt regain consciousness and sure
enough he had. -e was struggling to free himself of his bonds while inching his way
toward the rifle lying ne/t to the ill6fated robot. I knew from the look on his face that
hed nearly freed himself.
I cursed the cosmos that e!ents should unfold in such a way. 4icker than a dog
smitten with rabies" the slightest mo!ement put me in agony. I yelled for Locke but the
ships propulsion system muffled my cry. 4wearing like an ill6bred Appalachian
backwoodsman" I raised myself to a crouching position and rushed my tormentor like a
linebacker making an open field tackle on a running back who was about to score the
winning touchdown in the 4uper Bowl. I struck him )ust as he was about to pull his
hands free and my weight dro!e him hard to the floor. +ith the creature stunned" I
wrapped my arms around his legs and my legs around his waist and hung on for life as he
struggled to break free.
I was doing well in the life6and6death struggle despite my wretched condition until
my nemesis mocked me by dragging us both toward the rifle with his arms. Angered by
the aliens stubbornness" I s&uee1ed its mid6section like an anaconda. $he alien screamed
in pain but continued to inch his way forward toward the rifle.
I knew Locke and I were done for if the Choon got his hands on the weapon. 4o" I
changed tactics. I let go of the creatures legs and twisted my body round in a &uick
motion so that we were facing each other in a sitting position. -e couldnt get away
because I had my legs wrapped around his waist. From that position" I pummeled his
face for all I was worth. $he aliens arms were too long to effecti!ely counterpunch so
after a few sissy hits to my mid6section" he grabbed me in a bear hug. And while
grunting" wrestled me to the floor. I countered by making a hea!e ho twist with my
thighs that succeeded in rolling the captain away before he could grab the weapon.
$he alien and I were wrapped up in mortal combat in all about fi!e minutes before
Locke finally returned. I!e got it"# he declared as he entered the room. $hen"
percei!ing the dire situation I was in" he flew forward to flatten my nemesis with his iron
man body. $he blow knocked the wind out of my damnably stubborn nemesis and Locke
&uickly subdued him.
Locke was rough with the Choon but a!oided harming him" which he could!e
easily done. -e took the uniform Id used to bind the creature and shredded it the way I
wanted to do in the first place. Ceeping one knee in the captains back" he tied his arms
and legs behind him. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that this time" he wouldnt get
loose.
%/hausted and in agony" I bit my lip as Locke finished his work. <lease Locke"# I
begged" the moment the captain was secured. 8i!e me the drug.#
Locke pulled out an alien needle gun from a Choon medical kit" sterili1ed my arm
and in)ected the drug into my !ein. I lay back" grit my teeth and waited for blessed relief.
It came a few minutes later like a miracle from hea!en.
$hank 8odJ# I sang out as the first wa!e of relief swept o!er my tormented body.
3ausea was transformed into euphoria and teary eyed I thanked Locke for ha!ing ended
my suffering. 4eeing as I was ok" Locke returned to the control console to monitor the
ships progress.
$he narcotic was as powerful as the drug =obot had in)ected me with on my trip to
8anymede and I was high in no time at all. 4o much so" I hardly noticed it when the
captain started yakking at me" but his words were like a subliminal irritant that got worse
with time. 'ou!e got to be kidding"# I said after the noise had begun to wear on me.
$heres not a thing that you!e got to say that I want to hear.# I gagged his mouth with a
strip of the shredded uniform when he refused to shut up. -e remained tied and muffled
for the rest of the flight.
-a!ing silenced my ad!ersary" I struggled to my feet and made my way to Locke.
-ows it going.# I asked" my head still in the clouds. Are we off 8anymede yet.#
Locke looked me o!er and smiled. Im glad you are feeling better"# he said
warmly.
If it wasnt for you"# I said" breathing a sigh of relief" Id be finished. $hanks"
friend.#
Im sorry I couldnt ha!e ended your suffering sooner"# he said sincerely. I leaned
o!er and hugged Locke. -e was the best friend any person could e!er ha!e. *y
e/pression of gratitude was accentuated a short time later when the ship rose out of the
pit and shot into the black skies of 8anymede.
+e made itJ# I yelled )ubilantly. Im going home.#
+ere off 8anymede"# Locke said" but a long way from %arth. $heyll be after
us soon enough.#
I was too happy to ha!e my optimism diminished by Lockes warning. *y mood
ele!ated e!en higher when beautiful 2upiter appeared on the hori1on. I ne!er thought
anything could look so ma)estic"# I said. $hat old sun has been through a lot hasnt it.#
Locke stared at the red planet with awe and re!erence. It has indeed"# he
concurred. $his is the first time I!e seen it with my own eyes and I ha!e you to thank
for that" -ans.#
I thought of the long )ourney 2upiter had undergone since itd been formed out of a
spiraling cloud of gas o!er a !ast region of space. It was born a massi!e blue ball of fire
according to 7ld 7ne legend" but diminished into a yellow and then red sun through the
ages. Ironically" it was only when its life as a solar furnace was nearly o!er that it pulled
into its system the gaseous planet 8enesis" an e!en much longer burnt out star.
$he red rays of 2okitar brought light" heat" and sentient life to the surface of 8enesis
as the gaseous planet diminished in si1e and heat to form a crust and" as Fate willed it" it
wasnt )ust any life either. $he creatures that e!ol!ed were the predecessors of a race of
beings whod go on to surpass in culture and achie!ement that of any species in the
known gala/y. 3ow" in its dying years" 2upiter graced the solar system as our mightiest
orbital. I felt honored for %arth that it was here. $he great ball wasnt )ust a mar!elous
phenomenon to behold in and of itself" it was a monument to ci!ili1ation. No onder the
Genee vie it ith reverence, I thought.
$he ships !elocity continued to increase as we shot toward 2upiter. Its gra!ity
helped accelerate us. Finally" as the monster planet grew near" we !eered off and used the
sling shot effect to shoot us toward the distant light on the hori1on that I knew to be
home.
'ou did it"# I said" congratulating Locke as we broke free from 2upiters
gra!itational pull. 3ow I know were home free.#
Locke shook his head in what should!e been our moment of triumph. Look at
the !iewer"# he said solemnly. $heyre after us.#
$he !iewer was the same as the one Id seen onboard Lindas !irtual ship. I stared
at it in disbelief. *ore than a do1en dots had emerged from 8anymede. $hey were on
their way to 2upiter and accelerating at an incredible !elocity. +hat is going on"# I said"
turning back to Locke. -ow can they be mo!ing so fast. I thought these ships were all
the same.#
$he speed at which the Choon ships were mo!ing was a surprise to Locke as well.
4pace flight is not my area of e/pertise"# he said" but it appears theyre utili1ing their
ether engines more efficiently than we are ours. Ill ha!e to check with the computer to
find out what we can do. At this rate they will o!ertake before we can get to %arth.#
Looking concerned" Locke returned to the console to interface with the ships
computer.
+hats the problem.# I asked minutes later. $he an/iety was killing me and I
wanted a solution no matter what. Cant we get more power from the engine.#
$hese !essels ha!e medium performance ether engines"# Locke said. $hey are
designed to inflow fuel at a safe and steady rate. Apparently" our pursuers are !iolating
safety protocols. $hey are in)ecting material for ma/imum potential and risking
e/plosion in the process. Choon Command appears to be willing to take the chance if
they can stop us.#
$hey wont &uit"# I said in disbelief. +e!e got to do something.#
+e are at risk if we in)ect the fuel faster than it was designed to handle"# Locke
said" but if we do not they will certainly o!ertake us. It is your decision" -ans.#
-ow does the ether engine work.# I asked.
It uses a standard implosion mechanism. =eacti!e material is in)ected into the
core at high !elocity to collide at a ne/us point where the restraining force of the ether
has been artificially weakened. Increasing the inflow ups the energy output" but risks
superheating the core. $he ship could e/plode.#
I cant belie!e the Choon would risk their li!es to stop us"# I said. Its not like
the loss of one ship could threaten <rime Base.#
3o doubt most of the pursuit ships after us are manned by robots"# said Locke"
and Choon command wouldnt hesitate to sacrifice robots for a good reason. $hey ha!e
us at a disad!antage in that regard.#
-ow long before they catch us if we maintain our current rate of acceleration.# I
asked.
$heyll o!ertake us appro/imately se!en of your hours from %arth.#
+hat happens if we speed up the inflow for brief periods to pre!ent
superheating.# I asked" thinking out loud. +ould we be able to stay ahead of them
then.#
$heoretically we could pro!ide se!eral bursts to gain the needed acceleration"#
said Locke" but the risk is still there. Id ha!e to disable the safety mechanisms in the
circuitry to enhance influ/ capacity and calculate the inflow e/actly. Its complicated. A
miscalculation could blow the core" but it should work.#
7ur freedom is at stake"# I said happy )ust to ha!e a choice. Lets go for it.#
Ill ha!e the computer calculate the ad)ustments to inflow and determine the
optical time periods"# Locke said calmly. +atch the captain while I work.#
Locke returned to the console while I monitored the progress of the pursuing ships.
$hey appeared as dots on the !iewer screen but to me they were relentless tormentors
hounding an innocent man across the solar system. I worried then that e!en if we made it
back to %arth without going superno!a they knew where I li!ed. $o long before their
agents break don my front door? I wondered. Id ha!e to get Lee away before they
could grab her.
I continued to fret o!er the many obstacles we faced as Locke interfaced with the
computer. $hirty minutes later" Locke hollered" -ang on" Larson. $he first influ/
begins now.#
Cnowing the dreaded effect that motion has on my system" I dropped face first to
the deck and pointed my feet back toward 2upiter. It was well that I did. $he surge hit
and I shot across the floor into the wall like a hockey puck. *y legs absorbed the
momentum without harm" but the captain wasnt so lucky. -is body slammed into the
wall and it appeared that he was knocked unconscious again.
$he blast of acceleration lasted about two minutes before the computer shut it
down. I waited for the pressure to release and rushed to the !iewer to see how fast we
were mo!ing in relation to the pursuing ships. I watched as the dots continued to close
the gap but at a slower pace. An hour later Locke hollered" Brace yourself" -ans. A
surge is comingNnowJ#
I was pro!ided about twenty second in all from when Locke said" Brace yourself"#
too nowJ# I e/ploded from my seat and slid across the room into the wall like a baseball
player sliding into second base on a steal. $he burst hit moments later and I was pinned
to the wall until the surge subsided. Fearing in)ury" I remained on the floor as three more
thrusts came and went.
It was after the fifth surge that Locke unplugged himself from the console and
walked o!er to where the captain and I were laying. 4orry for the rough ride"# he said.
I hope youre not in)ured.#
*y body was bruised and I was sore" but I told him I was fine. $urning his
attention to the captain" he asked" Are you in need of medical attention.# Beat up but
not seriously in)ured" the now conscious alien shook its head no and Locke paid it no
further mind.
3e/t time Id appreciate a little bit more warning time before you slam me into
the wall"# I said smiling as I got to my feet. I dont ha!e your suspension system.#
4orry" -ans"# said Locke with dead seriousness. It was complicated getting the
influ/ )ust right. $he computer and I were making ad)ustments until the last second.
Fortunately we ha!e ac&uired enough !elocity to maintain a few hours lead on the
Choon. I think it wise to make plans before beginning emergency deceleration.#
Chapter >E
Locke and I spent the remainder of our flight deciding what to do once we reached
%arth. +e concluded that he would drop me off near Arrowbear and then take the ship to
an isolated location to draw the aliens away from me. Locke was to take off on foot from
there. +e planned to meet up at a third location after I retrie!ed my wife and got her to
safety. Cnowing how fast Locke mo!es" I figured he could clear the area before the alien
fleet swooped down on the ship.
8etting my wife to safety and meeting up with Locke after he abandoned the ship
was my immediate priority" but I had other concerns as well. +e would need money to
elude alien agents. Lee would ha!e a few bucks hidden around the house and we could
withdraw what we had in the bank" but wed ha!e to let the business go and start o!er
with new identities.
Im going to scout out the cargo hold before we decelerate"# I said" after wed
worked out our strategy. $he Choon may ha!e some e&uipment that I can show the
go!ernment when I tell them my story. *aybe I can con!ince them to gi!e us a fresh
start.#
'our go!ernment would do that.#
It might if I can con!ince officials that my story is true"# I said without con!iction.
$he only thing I wont tell them about is you. $heyd make you go!ernment property
for sure.#
*y purpose in coming to %arth is to accompany you"# said Locke. I cannot
allow your go!ernment to detain me.#
I didnt know how Locke could stop the go!ernment if they were after him" but I
took him at his word. +e wont let that happen"# I promised as I left the command
center.
I headed back through the ships main corridor and airlock" the computer kept it
open during flights" and made my way down to the cargo hold. 8oods were piled on
racks throughout the hold. I started down one of its two aisles and spotted the crates that
the robots had carried onto the ship. I opened the nearest one but could hardly belie!e
what I saw. It was filled with gold nuggets. I opened se!eral more crates. Four were
filled with nuggets" two with platinum bars and one with diamonds. $he rest were loaded
with similar items. I figured they were intended to support alien acti!ities on %arth.
It was di!ine )ustice that the alien treasure should fall into my hands after what
theyd done to me. $hat was more so knowing I could use it to e!ade their agents on
%arth. I rushed back to the bridge to tell Locke the news. -e was busy at the console
interfacing with the computer so I went to the window to look for %arth instead. It was
dead ahead and beautiful beyond words.
<repare for braking"# Locke said some minutes later.
$he braking force was similar to the acceleration thrust I e/perienced earlier e/cept
it lasted longer. I was pinned to the wall for what seemed an eternity as the wind was
pressed out of my lungs. Finally" the pressure eased and Locke said" *ake ready -ans.
+ell be entering %arths atmosphere soon.#
+e made a rapid descent through the atmosphere and set down near the mountain
top park called Childrens Forest around nine at night. It was an isolated location and
about a mile from Arrowbear. +e buried the treasure close to the landing site and Locke
took off for 3e!ada while I hiked down the mountain to the house. $he park closed at
dusk so I had the forest to myself. 0nfortunately" I got lost in the dark and couldnt find
the outskirts of Arrowbear until an hour later.
It was around midnight when I emerged from the woods onto my street. $ime was
my enemy so I sprinted down the narrow two lane road as neighborhood dogs barked and
motion sensiti!e porch lights flashed on to illuminate the otherwise pitch black street. I
slowed as I grew near my house fearing Lee had rented it out or sold it. It looked empty"
but I knocked on the back door to be sure. +hen nobody answered" I found the e/tra
house key I kept in a can under the woodpile and unlocked the back door. $he electricity
worked" the furniture was as I left it and my clothes were still in the closet. I e!en found
the emergency money I kept hidden under the kitchen sink.
I changed clothes and was out the door within minutes of ha!ing entered the house.
I ran two doors back up the street and banged on my neighbor 2ims door while hollering
for him to come out. Instead of coming to the door" howe!er" he yelled to his wife from
the back of the house" 8et my gun" -oney. 4omebodys trying to break in the door.#
4cared Id be shot as a backwoods bandit" I backed off to a large pine tree across
the street while continuing to yell at the house. Come out 2im"# I pleaded. Its -ans.#
2im answered my call by flinging the door open and making a mo!e out onto the
porch. +a!ing his handgun side to side" he do!e behind one of the rockers he and his
wife" =uby" used to idle away the afternoon hours and flattened himself face first on the
wooden deck. +ith his outstretched gun arm pointed toward the street" he was ready to
ser!e )ustice to any scoundrel that came into his sights.
$errified I was about to ha!e my head blown off" I continued to hide behind the
tree while pleading for sanity. Lower your weapon"# I cried. Its only -ans. I need
your help.#
2im heard my words but wasnt con!inced. Larson is dead you son of a bitch liarJ
-e was killed by per!erts and buried in the desert. 'oud know that if you were from
around here. Id hightail it out of here if I was you while youre still in one piece.#
2im was a peaceable fellow by nature but hed been changed after )oining the army
out of high school. $here were no wars to worry about at the time so he saw it as an
opportunity for )ob training. 0nfortunately" the 8ulf +ar broke out and he ended up on
the front line in the Cuwaiti (esert. $he e/perience pushed the e/citable youngster o!er
the edge and hes suffered from fits of paranoia e!er since. 3ow he was in the middle of
a full blown episode. I knew Id ha!e to deal with it if I was to a!oid getting shot.
$he clock was ticking so I decided to change tactics. 2im was a law abiding citi1en
despite his eccentric nature and I was reasonably sure he wouldnt kill me if I ga!e
myself up.
'ou found me out"# I hollered from behind the tree. 'ou saw my game and now
Im turning myself in. Ill come out if you promise not to blow me away. Can I gi!e
myself up.#
2im inched his way up from the deck. -is metal had been tested and hed come
through with flying colors. 'ou can gi!e yourself up"# he said" standing up straight"
but Id better see your hands in the air or Ill pump you full of lead right &uick like. I
wont stand for any nonsenseJ#
7kay" *ister"# I said" youre more than I bargained for. Im coming out" okay.#
2im fidgeted with the gun and got ner!ous as I stepped out from behind the tree.
=emember you cant shoot me because Im gi!ing myself up"# I said my body shaking
with ner!ous an/iety.
I wont shoot but youd better get out on the road where I can see you clear.
-urry now. 'oure too much in the shadows there. Im thinking youre holding a piece.#
I did what 2im said and stepped out onto the road where lights from his porch lit up
my face. 2im lowered his weapon. +ell Ill be damned"# he said. Its -ans.
%!erybody on the mountain thought you were dead.#
Id wasted too much time fooling with 2im to chit chat about my disappearance.
I!e got an emergency"# I said. I need the keys to your !an.#
$he hell you say"# 2im said" taking a step back. Id sooner enlist for another tour
of (esert 4torm as gi!e you the keys to my =am. I )ust had the !al!es o!erhauled for
Christs sake.#
I figured 2im would let me ha!e the keys in the end" but I didnt ha!e time to
banter. Ill pay you in gold"# I said. (ont tell anyone but I!e been off to Alaska and
struck it rich.#
I pulled out a handful of nuggets Id brought with me from the ship and threw them
on the ground at his feet. Its yours if you gi!e me the keys" but I need them now.#
2im was always in a hurt for money. -e stuck the gun behind the narrow belt that
held up his worn out blue )eans and dropped to his knees to pick up the !aluables. -e
scooped the nuggets up in his hands and pressed them against his chest so as not to drop a
piece. -e raced into the house and was back with the keys a minute later. Bring it back
when you can"# he said" throwing them to me. Its been nothing but a headache since I
got it.#
I ran o!er to the aside where 2im parked his !ehicle" unlocked the dri!ers door and
)umped in the !an. Firing up the motor" I pulled up to where 2im was standing and stuck
my arm out the window. $hanks"# I said" shaking his hand. $ell =uby Im sorry I
scared her.#
I didnt ha!e time to wait for a reply. I )ammed the accelerator to the floor and the
!ehicle shot down the road. I glanced back in my rear!iew mirror to see 2im scrambling
onto his terrace to dodge pebbles spit out by the !ehicles back tires.
Arrowbear is a small residential community )ust off the mountaintops main
thoroughfare" -ighway 1D. $hree miles past the town of =unning 4prings" only a few
people who pass by the turnoff on the way to Big Bear know of its e/istence. I departed
the &uiet ha!en" made a left onto 1D and shot down the empty black highway. *ost
e!eryone on the mountain was in bed at that late hour so I pretty much had the road to
myself.
Id ne!er sped down the mountain road because of its many tight turns and the
danger they entail" but on this black starry night I laid it all on the line. $he balding tires
on 2ims 1ID> =am s&uealed as I braked hard to corner hairpin turns only to floor the
accelerator a moment later. $he 1F6mile )aunt that normally takes me B@ minutes to
tra!erse was burned in half the time.
$he road down the mountain" -ighway >@ !ersus 1D which rides the crest of the
mountain" turns into a freeway once the last pass is crossed. I accelerated to better than
I@ mph as I hit the freeway and kept up the pace all the way to Bellflower" slowing only
once when I saw a -ighway <atrol car in my rear !iew mirror. I gunned it as soon as it
e/ited the freeway.
I turned onto my street a little more than an hour after ha!ing said goodbye to 2im.
Fearing the house was under sur!eillance" I parked down the street and staggered into my
neighbors yard as if I li!ed there and was coming home from a night out on the town. I
)umped the block wall that separates our yards the moment I was hidden from !iew" got
an e/tension ladder that was leaning against the house and climbed up the back balcony
to Lees room. I pulled off the screen" slid open the window and crawled through the
opening.
Con!incing Lee it was time to go" we flew back up the mountain at breakneck
speed. I turned off 1D onto the pa!ed road that leads to Childrens Forest and dro!e up to
the guard rail that blocks the entrance to the park. =ecessed a few hundred yards from
the highway" it was put there to keep people out at night and during the winter months.
I put the !ehicle in <ark" asked Lee to get in the dri!ers seat and e/ited the !an to
try and lift the bar out of the way. I could barely raise it abo!e my head because of its
locked down position. 4training to hold it as high as itd go" I signaled Lee to dri!e
round it with a motion of my head but her lack of depth perception caused her to keep too
far to the middle of the road. +hen I yelled for her to hurry up and get o!er to the roads
edge" she lost her temper and gassed the !ehicle. $he back tires burnt rubber for a few
seconds before gaining traction and the !an bolted forward snapping the rail off in my
hands. +ooden splinters struck my face like flying shrapnel and part of the e/ploding
board whirled around like a helicopter propeller to slap me on the side of the head. *y
skull rang like a church bell and my hands pulsated with pain. I collapsed down on the
road in ab)ect misery and rolled about cursing profusely.
Lee shot the =am ahead ?@ feet or so before coming to a screeching halt. I could
see her glaring through the dri!ers side mirror as she waited for me to get up but I was in
too much pain to be rushed. Lee fumed e!en more when she saw me cursing.
Fortunately" she was too far away to make out my words.
%!entually" the pain diminished to a bearable le!el and I got up and limped to the
!an. Lee was sitting in the passengers seat by then with her arms crossed and lips tightly
pursed. I opened the door with tingling fingers and crawled into the !ehicle. Foolishly I
said" 3ice dri!ing"# as I sat down in the seat.
Lee was ready for me. +ho said I was a truck dri!er.# she !ented. 'ou said to
go" so I went. $hey shouldnt ha!e put that stupid fence on the road if they didnt want
me to smash it.#
I knew Lee didnt ha!e much e/perience dri!ing a !an and my outburst was
uncalled for so I shut up. I put the !an in gear using the palm of my hand" stepped on the
gas and the !ehicle lumbered up the black asphalt road. +e rode in brooding silence.
7ur happy reunion had turned into a spat and I felt bad about it. $hat was doubly so after
ha!ing pulled Lee out of her bed in the middle of the night.
Its my fault and I apologi1e"# I said after a while" but Ill make it up to you when
we get to the top" I promise. I ha!e something of great !alue waiting for you up there.#
I hadnt told Lee what we were retrie!ing off the mountain. Id only said it was
important. 3ow she seemed as an/ious to get to the top as I. In!igorated by her sense of
anticipation" I accelerated the !ehicle and it creaked and moaned up the road.
=eaching the mountaintop" I pulled off onto a nearby fire road and followed it
about a &uarter of a mile until spotting the clearing where Locke and I had deposited our
booty hours before. I pulled the !an as close to the location as the road allowed. %!en so
we were still more than thirty feet from the treasure. $he difficult part was that we had to
tra!erse a steep incline to get to it.
$he !ans sliding side door faced the incline so I opened it" grabbed the spade Id
taken with me from home and )ogged up the hill. I beckoned Lee to follow but she was
still smarting from the incident with the guard rail and determined to take her time getting
up the hill. %!en so" I could tell her interest had been pi&ued.
I made my way to where the ship had set down and found the spot where Locke
and I had buried the goods hours earlier. I unearthed one of the crates and pulled its lid
off to re!eal its contents as Lee caught up to me. 4he gasped when she saw it was full of
gold nuggets. -ansJ# she shrieked. (id you steal it. Is that why the go!ernment is
after you.#
I hadnt told Lee about the abduction because I knew she wouldnt belie!e it. I
made up the conspiracy story instead. 3o" I didnt steal it from the go!ernment"# I said.
It belonged to the terrorists who held me hostage so I took it with me when I escaped.
$heres a fortune buried under our feet. 4hould we lea!e it here for the first hiker to find
or take it with us. All we ha!e to do is load up the !an and get out of here by morning.#
$here was ne!er any &uestion as to what Lee would decide. $he poor girl from
China saw her opportunity. Lets get to work"# she said" sounding like her old self for
the first time since Id broken into her room. Ill dig" you carry.#
Chapter >F
$he ne/t hours were hectic. I carried the crates down the hill as fast as my weary
legs would allow and stacked them in the !an until its suspension system was stressed
and the tires about to go flat. $here was still a lot to go" but wed no choice but to take
what we had and hope we could come back for the rest. It killed me to lea!e a fortune
behind for tourists to disco!er but I figured one load would see to our needs for the rest of
our li!es if it came to it.
I loaded the last crate I dared )am into the !an and stumbled back up the hill. Lee
had finished co!ering o!er the hole and was wiping away our footsteps with a branch
from a pine tree. I found another branch and we worked our way back to the !an erasing
our steps as we went.
I was past e/haustion by the time we finished our work. Adrenalin had kept me
going through the night" but now that we were done I was ready to collapse. I climbed
into the dri!ers seat and reclined the chair slightly so I could close my eyes and rest. I
heard a bird sing in a nearby tree to signal a new day a few minutes later. $ime was up.
+eary eyed and shaking from fatigue" I fired up the !an and headed back down the road.
As much as I wanted to hurry down the hill" I had to take it slow. $he !an was so
o!erloaded I had difficulty braking for the roads many hair pin turns. I o!ershot one
corner and went up the far embankment. 3o damage was done but the incident scared
me. I put the !ehicle in low gear and crawled down the mountain from there on out
which ser!ed to put us further behind schedule. +e had to get out of the park before the
=anger disco!ered the broken rail.
*y blood pressure must ha!e been off the charts when we came dri!ing around the
last bend. It was after eight and I was worried a roadblock awaited us. I en!isioned us
being taken off to )ail in handcuffs while the police confiscated our loot. As much as
losing the treasure would kill me" howe!er" my real fear was that Id miss my rende1!ous
with Locke. Likely" Id ne!er see him again and be tormented for the rest of my life as to
what had become of him. 3eedless to say" I was relie!ed to disco!er that the way was
clear.
I didnt take my reprie!e for granted. I shot past the gate and flew out to -ighway
1D coming to a screeching halt a few feet from the road. I was about to make a left onto
1D when a car came around the bend from the direction of =unning 4prings. A nosy big6
eyed woman was behind the wheel. 4he slowed to eyeball us and the smashed gate and
then stopped in front of the !an as if to block our way. 4he held up her hand as if
ordering me not to mo!e while fumbling in her purse. I figured she was either looking
for a cell phone or trying to find pen and paper to write down our license plate number.
Being confronted with yet another threat after I thought wed finally made it free
and clear" was upsetting to say the least. (etermined to rid myself of this busybody" I
stepped out on the road and charged her car cursing. $hinking I was a madman" she hit
the gas and accelerated up the road. I ran back to the !an as if I wanted to gi!e chase but
made for =unning 4prings as soon as she was out of sight.
*y bi1arre beha!ior scared my wife almost as much as it did the motorist. Lee
thought Id lost my mind until I e/plained to her that I didnt want the woman writing
down the license number and reporting us to the police. Lee forga!e me but only after I
promised ne!er to act that way again.
-a!ing gone through a torturous night and stressful morning" we decided to stop
and rest despite the risk. I pulled off the highway at a local lodge outside =unning
4prings and Lee rented a cabin for the day. 4he re&uested a remote location saying we
were celebrating our wedding anni!ersary and wanted &uiet. $ruth was we wanted to be
as far from the road as possible. I worried that the authorities would be on the lookout
for 2ims !an figuring the woman would report our encounter to the -ighway <atrol.
I parked in front of the cabin and pulled a chair to the window so we could take
turns watching the !an. Lee took the first watch so I could dri!e later that day" but when
I woke to go to the bathroom she was asleep in the chair. $oo tired to care" I threw
myself back unto the bed and was out moments after my head hit the pillow.
I slept about four hours in all which was enough to get me through the day. Lee
was gone when I woke. I found a note on the night stand saying shed gone across the
highway to a coffee shop to bring back food and be!erages. 4he returned a half hour
later and we filled up on eggs" pancakes and coffee before checking out of the motel. +e
headed off the mountain and made our way to Interstate 1? as it cuts north through the
Ca)on <ass en route to Las Aegas.
Lee turned the passenger seat into a bed and slept as I dro!e. 4he propped a pillow
against the door to support her head and curled up into a fetal position on the worn out
captains chair that would only recline a few inches. 4he couldnt stretch out but slept
well enough considering the conditions. I restricted our !elocity to E@ mph ner!ous that
2ims tires could e/plode at any time. I stopped for gas outside Barstow and then dro!e
straight through to Aegas.
Locke was a sophisticated being anywhere in the gala/y" but I worried how hed
fare in the 3e!ada desert by himself. +ed designated a pickup point in =ed =ock
Canyon )ust west of Aegas" but he was to proceed to a casino south of the city and wait
for me if I failed to show after a specified time period. I didnt want that he should ha!e
to walk through the desert or e/pose himself to %arth ci!ili1ation so I was an/ious to be
on time. Locke was now as dependent on me as Id been on him in 8anymede and I
meant to keep faith with my friend.
I didnt reach the outskirts of Aegas until around si/ in the e!ening. Lee was still
sleeping and there wasnt room for three in the !an so I checked us into a motel on the
south end of town.
I!e got to go pick up the guy who sa!ed me"# I said upon lea!ing the room.
If you think so"# Lee said" yawning" But now that theres money in!ol!ed you!e
got to be careful. *yself" I wouldnt trust anyone.#
Locke is not like that"# I said. -e led the enemy away so Id ha!e time to get
you to safety. +e owe him our li!es.#
+hate!er you say"# Lee said" curling up in bed" but dont be long.#
It made me ner!ous to dri!e out in the desert with so much loot hidden in the hold.
It was an old !ehicle and liable to break down at any moment. I had !isions of me ha!ing
to unload the !an alongside the road )ust to change a flat. Id be !ulnerable the whole
time where e!ery passing motorist would seem like a thie!ing bandit liable to bash in my
skull to get at my loot. 4till" I had to take the risk. Locke was waiting. -e was counting
on me not to let him down.
$he colors in =ed =ock Canyon are glorious toward sunset. 4hadows play on the
une!en rocky red6o/ide landscape and co6mingle with the reddish sunset to create a
uni&ue !isual effect. $he sun was about to fall behind Las Aegas western mountain
range as I dro!e up the road. I entered the foothills and mo!ed into a cottonwood canyon
with a cool mountain stream running down its middle. It was where I told Locke to hide
out after abandoning the ship in the desert.
$he canyon had been made into a park filled with picnic tables" gra!el camp sites
and lots of people. I didnt figure the aliens would search for us there for fear of being
e/posed. I told Locke to find high ground abo!e the road where he could keep an eye out
for me when I came looking for him the ne/t day. I left it to his resourcefulness to a!oid
being spotted by campers or motorists. It was a risky scheme but all I could come up
with on short notice.
It was near dusk when I made my way into the canyon. I dro!e through the park
and when Locke failed to show I turned around and made my way back to the entrance.
+orried something had gone wrong" I made a second trip but this time I stuck my head
out the window while blowing the horn. <eople from the campsites found my beha!ior
unruly. 7ne shirtless hea!yset man with a large beer belly and floppy breasts flipped me
off with one hand while holding a Coors with the other. -e yelled obscenities of such a
foul nature that part of me wanted to get out of the !an to shut his obno/ious mouth.
Fortunately" I was too worried about Locke to let myself get pulled into a gutter fight
with an uncouth camper.
I reached the end of the canyon and dro!e halfway back to the entrance when I saw
Locke come sliding down the hillside wa!ing his hands like a flag man on a road
construction crew. -e reached the pa!ement ahead of me and I slammed on the brakes to
bring the o!erloaded !ehicle to a sliding halt. =elie!ed that Id found my friend" I
stepped out on the road and yelled my delight as a trailing motorist whi11ed by blowing
his horn. Ignoring the impatient )erk" I ran up and hugged Locke as the !an idled in the
middle of the roadway.
+here were you.# I scolded as we returned to the !an. I was scared you didnt
make it.#
I!e been watching the road for hours and in that time I failed to see the face of a
single dri!er. $he glare on the !ehicles window made identification impossible. I was
preparing to lea!e when I heard the noise from your !ehicle and saw you leaning out the
window. I wouldnt ha!e known it was you if you hadnt done that. Im relie!ed that
youre finally here.#
I tried to imagine how frustrating it must!e been for Locke to see do1ens of cars
coming and going thinking each was sal!ation lost. Itd seemed such a simple idea to
climb the hill abo!e the road and wait for me. As I learned" nothing is e!er that simple.
Alls well that ends well"# I said" reali1ing how lucky I was to ha!e retrie!ed my
friend. Im )ust glad I got here in time. +ho knows how things would!e turned out
had you crossed the desert. $heres a chance wed ne!er ha!e linked up at all.#
Locke briefed me as to what had happened since Id last seen him on the dri!e to
the motel. -e said hed proceeded north with the ship o!er the mountains until spotting
Interstate 1? as Id suggested. Following car lights until the glitter of Aegas was !isible"
he headed west to the foothills and abandoned the ship as planned. From there it was a
sprint to =ed =ock Canyon. +ith his remarkable foot speed" he was able to clear the area
before the Choon fleet arri!ed to reclaim their !essel. -ed been waiting behind a
boulder up on the hillside e!er since.
+hat was the captains reaction when you left the ship.# I asked as we made our
way to the outskirts of Las Aegas. +as it scared.#
-e sought to communicate with me but I was an/ious to get as far from the ship
as possible before the fleet arri!ed. I let him know Id instructed the computer to secure
the ship once I was gone and bid him not to worry for his safety telling him his people
would come for him soon. I said" KI the 7ld 7nes ser!ant bear you no ill will e/cept for
your treatment of -ans Larson. I will defend his freedom and act to protect his interests.
I regret your in)uries and trust youll reco!er. 8oodbye descendant of the Choon race.#
+e pulled up to the hotel and entered the room to find Lee asleep on the bed. I laid
ne/t to her in total e/haustion and went out like a light while Locke stood by the window
guarding the !an. -e was still there when I woke early the ne/t morning. I took a long
shower and sha!ed. Lee was talking ner!ously to the stranger in her room when I came
back from the bathroom.
$his is the friend I talked about"# I said while drying my hair with a standard issue
white motel towel. -is name is 2ohn Locke. +e came in last night but I didnt want to
wake you. -e kept an eye on the !an so I could sleep. 8ood fellow" ha.#
I could tell by Lees tense e/pression" strained !oice and tightly controlled tone that
she was angry. Isnt that nice"# she said with a sarcastic cutting edge to her !oice. 'ou
make your friend stand by the window watching us sleep so you can sa!e money on a
room. (ont you think your best friend deser!es a little privacy of his own.#
Lee was fi/ing to make my life a li!ing hell so I thought it time to come clean.
$heres something you need to know about Locke and the conspiracy I was talking
about earlier"# I said. It goes higher than the go!ernment.#
Lees face wrinkled into a worried e/pression. -igher than the go!ernment. Are
you talking about 8od.#
I hope not"# I laughed. Better to think of it as a worldwide conspiracy in!ol!ing
a group of aliens. Locke is from the good guys" but he isnt e/actly a normal person
either. -es an enhanced being. Locke" show Lee your finger.#
(ont be afraid"# Locke said with the gentle tone that Id become so fond of. Im
here to protect -ans Larson. 'ou are his companion so I will endea!or to protect you as
well.#
Locke lifted his hand to the le!el of his eyes and flipped the tip of his inde/ finger
back on its tiny hidden hinges and the e/tensor popped out past the fingers length by
about three inches.
Lee was unprepared for what she saw. 7h my 8od"# she yelped like a frightened
puppy while )umping onto the bed. +hats wrong with his hand.# 4he co!ered her
mouth as if ready to throw up.
I sprang onto the bed and put my arm around Lee to calm her. Locke is a robot
from another planet"# I said in my most serious tone" but its a good planet and you
shouldnt be afraid of him. -e helped me escape from a prison near the planet 2upiter. I
was kidnapped and taken there by aliens and the goods in the !an belong to them. 7nly
now they below to us because they owe me. (o you understand.#
Con!incing Lee that my farfetched story was true was no easy matter. Locke had
to show her parts of his body and display some of his special powers before shed accept
him as a walking talking robot. +hen I e/plained that Locke had feelings and was an
ad!anced creature in his own right" all Lee could do was shake her head and put it off as a
miracle of 8od. I won her o!er" but it took most of the day to do it.
$hat night Lee and I went out to the casinos by cab to celebrate our good fortune
while Locke guarded the !an. +e had the time of our li!es and" as if an omen" Lee won
o!er fi!e thousand dollars at the slot machines. Luck runs in streaks"# was all I could
say.
Chapter >D
(espite drinking beer at the gaming tables and being up most of the night" I woke
at eight the ne/t morning. I couldnt sleep because of all that had to be done. $he first
order of business was to buy a !an and get back up the mountain to retrie!e the rest of the
treasure. I !isited a used car dealer later that morning and bought an older model step
!an" paying for it with cash from the pre!ious nights winnings and some of the money
Lee brought from the house. I headed back to Childrens Forest late that afternoon. Lee"
meanwhile" celebrated her good fortune with another night on the town as Locke
continued to guard 2ims !an.
I pulled off -ighway 1D and headed up the road to Childrens Forest around one
oclock in the morning. $he guardrail hadnt been fi/ed but the broken board with its
many splintered parts had been thrown into the ditch beside the road. I slipped by
without incident. It was a moonlit" cloudless night so I kept the lights off while working
my way up the road.
I was relie!ed to learn that the treasure site hadnt been disturbed during my
absence. $he soil was soft from recent rain and there wasnt a footprint in the area. I
went to work and didnt stop until the last case was stowed in the !an. I left the park
about ?:>@ in the morning and dro!e to Aegas" stopping only for gas. -appy thoughts of
my recent run of good luck kept me awake.
I pulled into the motel around 11:>@ in the morning ready for a good days sleep to
find the manager snooping around 2ims !an. -e was standing at the back of the !ehicle
trying to see inside the window. It was tinted and had curtains" but no screen is full
proof. Clearly" hed seen something that intrigued him.
+hatre you doing.# I asked as I pulled up behind the !an.
$he man was so busy trying to see into the !ehicle he didnt notice me until I was
on him. *y !oice startled him. -e turned abruptly around to face the unknown threat.
8ood morning" *r. Larson"# he said. I didnt see you dri!e in with your step
!an. Its loaded down as well I see. %/actly what kind of business is it that you do.#
$he suspicious manager knew something was up and was fishing for answers. -e
looked greedy" too. I worried he was aiming for a cut of something but there was no way
I was going down that road. It was time to lea!e" but I didnt want to seem panicky about
it.
*y associates and I are geologists"# I said with seeming indifference. +e collect
low6grade radioacti!e ore around old nuclear testing sites and sell it to !arious labs for
military use. +ere getting ready to deli!ery another load.#
$he manager stepped back from the !an. =adioacti!e. Isnt that dangerous.#
Its only dangerous if you e/pose yourself to it for an e/tended period. +e shield
oursel!es when we dri!e any distance and keep it out here away from the room when
were in the motel.#
+hat about the people out here.# asked the out of shape manager" his tone
growing tense. (id you think about the danger to them.#
$he !ans sheet metal should reflect most of the radiation back into the ore. $he
only real danger is if someone parks himself in front of one of the windows for an
e/tended period.#
It was clear the manager didnt know anything about radiation and was rightfully
afraid of what he didnt understand.
I dont know if I like you e/posing the motel to danger"# he said. I wish you
would!e told me about this when you checked in.#
I shut off the !an" stepped out onto the dri!eway and called for Locke to come out.
-e did so a few seconds later. $ell Lee we need to go"# I said emphatically.
I turned to the manager to complain as Locke disappeared back into the motel to
con!ey my message. I sought to keep him engaged in con!ersation while Lee and Locke
gathered our stuff.
+e seem to be running out of motels fast"# I said as if feeling harassed.
%!eryones so paranoid about a little radiation poisoning these days.#
I hope I dont get sick"# said the manager" frightened. I dont ha!e medical
insurance.#
3o insuranceJ# I said" pretending to be alarmed. $hats not good.#
$he manager was rattled and not thinking straight. I tried to keep it that way. I
wouldnt worry too much"# I said" disingenuously. 'oull know soon enough if you!e
been e/posed to a dangerous dose. $here are warning signs.#
+arning signs.# said the manager" his eyes opening up wide.
+arning signs"# I reiterated. 3ausea" !omiting" belly cramps" hair falling out.
Im sure nothing like that will happen here" but if it does contact your local health clinic
immediately.#
Lee and Locke emerged from the room a few seconds later. I collected Lees key
and handed it along with mine to the man. I told him to keep the security deposit and
ga!e him a hundred dollar bill from my wallet. Its the least we can do for the trouble
we!e caused you"# I said as we )umped in the !ans. I wa!ed as we left the parking lot.
$he man wa!ed back to my surprise. I took the lead in the step !an and Lee and Locke
followed in 2ims =am. +e dro!e south on Las Aegas Boule!ard as if heading toward
California and then doubled back north on Interstate l? and took the road towards =eno.
$he trip was long and tiring especially after my !enture to the mountains the night before.
+e stopped at a restaurant on the way so Lee could eat lunch and order food to go as I
slept in the !an. +e stopped only for gas thereafter.
+e reached the outskirts of =eno late that e!ening and checked into another motel.
Lee and I slept through most of the ne/t day while Locke stayed on guard. I rented a
house on the edge of town a few days later and unloaded the goods into its large two6car
garage.
Con!erting our cargo to cash turned out to be a difficult task. I found a few small
buyers in =eno" but they dealt in small &uantities and asked &uestions. Lee suggested
that she try 4an Franciscos Chinatown. +e dro!e there in 2ims !an with a few crates
hidden under a blanket in the back. Locke stayed at the house to guard the bulk of the
goods.
%!er the businesswoman" Lee found a source and con!erted most of the goods to
cash within a few days. +e rented a house in the Bay Area so we could reside near Lees
buyers and I flew back to =eno. It was late at night when I arri!ed at the house in a cab.
Locke was out in the garage on guard duty. $he lights were off and it was cold.
I stayed in =eno a few days to sell the step !an and then rented a truck to carry the
goods from both !ans and headed o!er the 4ierra 3e!ada *ountains to the coast and our
new home. $he ne/t day Lee went to work li&uidating the goods and a few days later I
left for home. I wanted to see my father" make a report to the authorities and return the
=am to 2im. I left Lee and Locke to look out for each other.
$he trip to =eno and 4an Francisco put a ma)or strain on 2ims =am. (ri!ing to
Los Angeles pushed it o!er the edge. $he transmission howled like a rusted bearing and
the !ehicle began o!erheating halfway to LA. An additi!e kept the transmission from
free1ing up and taking the cap off the radiator reduced the water pressure to minimi1e
o!erheating. %!en so" I had to add antifree1e and water e!ery forty miles or so which
pro!ed to be incon!enient and irritating.
I was reduced to surface streets by the time I reached the outskirts of LA. $he
radiator sprung a leak se!eral miles outside Bellflower. I used a stop leak product to try
and seal it from within but I had to recap the radiator to do it. $hat caused the radiator to
o!erheat" again" and it was smoking like a steam engine by the time I entered Bellflower.
I limped to a motel )ust inside the city limits. It took me the rest of the day and night to
reco!er from the arduous )ourney.
I !isited a friend the ne/t day and had him arrange a meeting with my father that
night. I met (ad at a nearby fast food restaurant as described in the report. I left the !an
in the motel parking lot that I was staying at and sent 2im a letter telling him where he
could pick up his precious =am. I took a bus to the sheriffs station the ne/t morning and
!isited the FBI later that day. $he struggle to get 2ims !an home" the sad meeting with
father and encounter with the FBI put a strain on my ner!es. I decided it was time to get
out of LA. I took a cab to the airport" flew to 4an Francisco and hooked up with Lee and
Locke later that day.
It seems incredible to me that I could!e escaped from an alien prison on another
world to be stopped by go!ernment officials here on %arth. I thought Id made it when
Locke and I entered %arths atmosphere. -ow could I ha!e guessed it was going to be
more difficult to e/plain ether energy and the alien threat to %arth authorities than it was
to hi)ack a spaceship and fly it halfway across the solar system. Frustrated by such
obstinacy" I decided to bypass the go!ernment by writing this report. It is the only sure
way I can inform the people of the conspiracy that threatens us all.
I!e produced at points throughout these pages and in attached supplemental a
record of my disco!eries concerning physics" science" culture and the history of the aliens
I!e encountered. -istory is a great teacher for those who listen to its lessons and
through the !irtual world I was pri!ileged to peek at a billion years of it. I take from it
that nothing is more important to the ad!ancement of ci!ili1ation than democracy. It
pro!ides the platform that society and culture re&uires to progress and the sooner %arth
becomes fully democratic the better. (emocracy alone" howe!er" cant insure
ad!ancement. %ducation and the goodness of a people play a part as well. Its up to
society as a whole to turn away from greed" chaos and destruction in fa!or of harmony
and cooperation. A species that thinks different risks ruin as occurred with the $ron.
$he world must become democratic if it is to sur!i!e and prosper and its up to the
democratic nations of the world to see that it does. *uch of %arth is still barbaric as the
Choon claim and likely itll remain so for some time to come if left to itself.
Finally" the Choon are wrong in thinking they can impose a political system on the
freedom lo!ing peoples of the world. Its up to us to determine our own fate but we need
be !igilant in our business. %arths ad!ancement into the ether age poses a great threat.
Im confident that the world will deal with the situation once it reali1es whats at stake.
$heres no reason why we cant shape %arth into the 8arden of %den that it was intended
it to be. +e ha!e the chance to create a utopian society here on %arth and to become one
of the great races of the gala/y. +e might e!en follow in the footsteps of the 7ld 7nes"
Fate willing.
*y wife and I will remain in the shadows because of the dangers we face.
Conse&uently" I!e entrusted the publication of this work to a trusted friend. I want to
thank *r. Leslie I!erson for taking on this difficult assignment. I pray this is the first
step toward ridding the world of the alien threat and ad!ancing mankind to his proper
position in the gala/y. *ay fortune be with us all during the troubled times ahead. -ans
Larson" citi1en of the planet %arth.
%nd of main report
An update from *r. I!erson
*any months ha!e passed since I agreed to publish -ans Larsons report. I
considered myself ill6e&uipped to deal with the technical matters contained within these
pages but -ans disagreed and e!entually con!inced me to take on the assignment. -is
generous reimbursement no doubt had something to do with that" but hes been a good
friend and I felt obliged to help him.
+hat made the pro)ect difficult is that -ans keeps his whereabouts a secret.
Conse&uently" it fell upon me to see to it that his words were faithfully represented in the
narrati!e portion of the work. $hat was no easy task considering the difficulties
in!ol!ed. Anyway" one can imagine how relie!ed I was when the manuscript was finally
completed and how upset I became when a complication de!eloped in the last hour. -ans
sent me an update concerning e!ents that ha!e occurred since he handed me the original
document. -e stated that it was of critical importance to the report and needed to be
included in the final manuscript.
Coming at the last moment as it did" I didnt ha!e a clue as to how this new
information was to be integrated into the te/t. I brain6stormed the matter and struck upon
a solution. I decided to lea!e the manuscript untouched and add the new material as an
epilogue to the report. $his way the reader can understand e!ents as they unfolded in real
time. I present for your scrutiny Larsons letter and the documents that follow:
(ear Leslie"
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the effort you!e made in my
behalf and look forward to the completion of what must seem an improbable e/perience.
3o doubt youre an/ious to see these matters concluded but" regrettably" I must ask you
to push back the date of publication to include the update that accompanies this letter.
*uch has transpired since I last communicated with you and the new information is
critical to the report. Im including funds to pay for the e/tra e/pense including a well6
earned bonus. $hank you for your effort. 'ours truly" -ans Larson.
%pilogue: Larsons supplemental to the main report
4oon after I finished the account of my abduction by the race of aliens known as
the Choon" I turned my attention to what should be done ne/t. Lee was away in the Far
%ast on business and Locke was my constant companion. +e had long talks and during
one of them I described the particulars of my escape from <rime Base at which time my
encounter with =andy came up. I wondered" then" if =andy had made it back to %arth
and if the Choon had set him up in business as promised. +e decided to load up my new
camping !an and head east to find out. Lee wasnt due back for a few weeks so it was the
perfect time to take a trip to Ari1ona.
$he trip to Flagstaff turned out to be a wonderful distraction and Locke seemed to
en)oy it as much as I. -e was interested in seeing unusual landscapes so we stopped off
at the south rim of the 8rand Canyon. $here was nothing like it on 8enesis 1 or ; and
Locke was impressed by the !iew. -e wanted to see as much of it as he could so we
hiked down to the Colorado =i!er and didnt make it back to the top until early e!ening.
$ired from the days e/ertion" I decided to spend the night at a motel near the Canyon.
+e left for Flagstaff the ne/t morning.
+e entered the high altitude college town around ten in the morning and stopped at
a coffee shop for breakfast. I ate eggs and toast while Locke pretended to sip coffee.
Finishing my meal" I used the lobby phone to dial information and was gi!en =andys
phone number and address to my surprise. I called the number but hung up when I heard
his !oice on an answering machine. I worried Choon agents might be monitoring his
calls and didnt want them to know I was in town.
+e dro!e to =andys townhouse located in a nice neighborhood near the uni!ersity
later that day. I parked half a block away so I could obser!e it from a distance. =andy
pulled up in a late model Ford %/plorer an hour later. $he garage door opened by remote
control and closed once he was inside. An inner door led into the residence within. -e
didnt emerge from his home again that day.
Locke stayed on watch while I played with my Choon computer and rested in the
comfortable !an. +e kept up the sur!eillance until ten that night. Fearing the !an would
be noticed if we remained on the street o!ernight" I dro!e to a motel and rented a room.
+e resumed sur!eillance the ne/t morning.
I followed =andys %/plorer from a distance the few times he mo!ed about town
during the ne/t two days. $he only pattern in his acti!ity was when he went out for
breakfast at a local coffee shop at eight e!ery morning. +e watched from across the
street as he sat at the food bar flirting with waitresses. -e would situate himself so that
theyd ha!e to pass him to reach the kitchen pickup counter. After an hour or so" he
would pay for his bill and return home.
-a!ing ascertained =andys pattern" I went out to a $hrift 4tore to purchase an old
army )acket and stocking hat to disguise myself as a war !eteran like Id done when
meeting my father. I entered the restaurant at D:1? the ne/t morning" sat down in the
stool ne/t to =andy and checked out his breakfast. I was appalled by his appetite. -e
had before him a cup of coffee into which he poured obscene &uantities of sugar" a stack
of pancakes" steak and eggs" toast" a glass of milk" orange )uice and muffins. I noticed"
then" how fat hed grown and uttered under my breath that this was the same uncouth
fellow Id met in 8anymede.
Ill ha!e some coffee"# I said to a passing waitress" if you please.# I spoke louder
than normal to see if =andy would recogni1e my !oice.
$he busy woman was carrying a pot of coffee after ser!icing customers at the far
end of the counter. 4he stopped momentarily to flip the cup in front of me upright and
splash in the black brew. +ill that be all.# she asked pulling out her pen and pad.
I looked o!er at =andy and saw him stuffing pancakes smothered with syrup into
his mouth. +hat this gentleman is eating looks good"# I answered. $hen turning to
=andy I said" Are the pancakes as good as they look.#
=andy stopped chewing" made a face and without looking up grunted something
incoherent as if I were about to ruin a good breakfast and then continued eating. It was
clear from the way he ignored me and the rude !ocali1ation that he didnt ha!e the
slightest idea who I was. 3or did he care. -e was as self6absorbed as e!er and the
!isceral dislike I felt for him on 8anymede surged to the surface.
$he only good thing about =andys narcissistic beha!ior was that it told me that he
hadnt been told to be on the alert for me. 4till" I worried he might be under sur!eillance.
I spun around on my stool to check out the restaurant but didnt see any suspicious
characters about. I looked beyond the restaurant out the window to see Locke sitting on
the bench at the bus stop across the street. -e ga!e me a &uick thumbs6up to indicate that
no one was watching.
*y final concern was that =andy might be bugged. I worried that should I identify
myself a strike team might swoop down on the eatery in a matter of minutes. 3either
Locke nor I was armed and we risked being o!erwhelmed by a task force.
I waited until =andy had finished his food before making my mo!e. I wrote a note
on a white napkin and slid it ne/t to his hand. -e reacted to my act by mo!ing away
from it as if it was laced with a deadly bacteria. +hen I nodded that he should pick it up"
he sho!ed it away with his fork. Angered by =andys stupidity" I glared at him
threateningly. $he look must!e triggered his memory as he )umped from his stool
knocking his coffee cup to the floor. It shattered into se!eral pieces as the hot coffee
splattered across the floor.
=andys reaction was abrupt and clumsy and it caught e!eryones attention in the
restaurant. $he waitress whod ser!ed both =andy and I came o!er to see what was
wrong. Are you all right" =andy.# she asked" sounding concerned.
Acting as if hed )ust seen a ghost" =andy barely heard the woman. 4he repeated
her words but he didnt answer until se!eral seconds later. Its nothing" Alice"# he said"
finally. I knocked the cup off the table is all. (ont worry" Ill pay for it.#
3o harm done"# she said. I was worried is all.#
=andys offer to pay for the cup was lip ser!ice and he ga!e the matter no further
mind once the problem was sol!ed. -e reached o!er to retrie!e my note as the busboy
came to clean up the mess. It read" Im glad you made it back from 8anymede. Are you
under sur!eillance. $he *asters are looking for me.#
=andy looked me in the eye" shook his head no and turned to address the waitress.
*y friend and I are going to the back booth to talk"# he said politely. Can you bring
me some more coffee.#
Alice rushed to pour =andy his coffee before he could lea!e the counter. =andy
ignored the effort forcing her to tag along behind. -e headed toward the back of the
restaurant and beckoned me to follow. 4electing the back corner booth" he sat down and
slid to the opposite end of the table. $he trailing waitress handed him his coffee seconds
later and left without saying a word.
I was reluctant to sit down until =andy addressed my concern. I said" +hat about
the matter I referred too. Am I free to speak.#
Its okay"# he said. 3o ones watching me. Besides" the Choon arent after you.#
I would ha!e thought =andy lying if he hadnt spoken his words with such
indifference. Arent after me.# I repeated as I sat down. -ow can that be. I hi)acked
one of their spaceships and confiscated a fortune in precious metals. I kidnapped a
Choon pilot. $hey chased me halfway across the solar system for 8ods sake.#
=andy shrugged. All I know"# he said" is that the word was gi!en to their
operati!es that youre not to be bothered. $hey said theyll kill anyone who does.#
+hy would they gi!e such an order.# I asked in disbelief. Is this a trick to lure
me out.#
=andy was irritated by my concerns as if the whole affair bored him and couldnt
wait until I was done. -e knew better than to put me off" though" which kept him ci!il
for the moment. -e took a long sip of his coffee acting as if it were the only thing in the
world that mattered" put the cup down and looked at me as if hed forgotten I was there.
Im sorry"# he said" yawning" +hat were you saying.#
*y contempt for the man grew moment to moment but I held my feelings in check.
I was desperate to obtain whate!er information =andy possessed and couldnt afford to
let my feelings get the best of me. I bit my lip and said" I asked why the Choon said I
should be left alone. Is it a trick.#
3o trick"# =andy said con!incingly. *y robot told me about your escape when I
confessed to your ha!ing !isited me. $he *asters thought you had committed suicide but
when you showed up at the airfield with a 8enee robot and made your escape they were
impressed as was I. $hey said you were a superior being when you left the
commandeered spaceship intact and the Choon captain unharmed. $he robot said
something to the effect that the *asters were happy their e/periment had been a success.#
$he e/periment again"# I said in wonderment. $ell me" =andy" do you know
what it was.#
-ow would I know.# answered =andy. Im only telling you what I heard.#
=andys indifference and my feel for his character told me he wasnt lying. +hat
he said had resonance as well. Always there was the smell of an e/periment.
It was clear =andy didnt know anything more than what he was telling me so I
decided to change the sub)ect. -ows your business going.# I asked" knowing he was
sitting at home doing nothing. (id they set you up yet.#
4low going"# said =andy" e!asi!ely" apparently you grabbed the capital that was
supposed to launch my pro)ect. $hey said itll take time to replace what you took.#
Is that right"# I said pretending to be shocked but in reality trying to hide my
delight.
=andy leaned forward and whispered. -ow much did you get anyway.# and then
smiling" Ill bet youre li!ing high on the hog about now.#
-ow can I be li!ing high when I!e been forced to gi!e up my home and go into
hiding.# I said acting as if I were offended. Besides" the Choon owe me for ha!ing put
me through hell. By all rights I should be dead.#
I didnt care whether =andy belie!ed me or not. I )ust didnt want him to ask for
money.
Anyway"# I continued" I hope e!erything works out for you. I )ust wanted to see
if youd made it home okay.#
=andy lost interest in the con!ersation when I refused to talk about money. +ith
nothing to gain" he pushed his chair back and stood up ready to lea!e. I wish I were
back on 8anymede"# he whined. $hey cut off the drugs. 4aid I should be satisfied at
being the leader of an important industry. I complained in the beginning but now I worry
they!e changed their minds.#
$oo bad"# I said" pretending to care.
I bid =andy a terse goodbye and waited for him to lea!e the building before getting
up from the table. %/iting the restaurant" I crossed the street and walked past Locke as if
he wasnt there. -e pretended not to see me as well. It was his )ob to watch my back and
make sure I wasnt being followed. I walked to the !an a block away and fired up the
!ehicle. Locke caught up with me a few minutes later and we dro!e west out of
Flagstaff.
I was not in a mood to con!erse as we headed down the mountain back toward the
Ari1ona desert. I was preoccupied with what =andy had said and desperate to figure out
what it meant. It was encouraging to think the *asters might not be after me but I was at
a loss to know why and always there was the e/periment.
I was con!inced now that my abduction had been planned. As incredible as it
seemed" the aliens had to ha!e been monitoring my bike ride from space. <robably" they
chose the dirt road at sunset as the best time to grab me. Likely" they were waiting for me
up the road and would!e grabbed me there had I not seen light reflecting off their ship
and doubled back to in!estigate.
It was a relief to know that my curiosity hadnt been my undoing. =olling under
the rocks o!erhang might not ha!e sa!ed me either. (etermined as they were to get their
hands on me" they probably would!e hung around and spotted me with the ships sensors
when I made for 8reen Aalley Lake later that night. And e!en if I had made it back to
Arrowbear" there was e!ery chance they would ha!e grabbed me at the house. $hey
might e!en ha!e nailed me in bed like they did =andy.
I remembered Linda" then" and the history lessons the aliens were so an/ious for
me to learn. $hey wanted me to accept their !iew that %arth needs to de!elop a
democratic socialist world go!ernment" but why. +hat I thought could only be
important if I was a person of influence and yet they hadnt offered me power or asked
anything of me.
I continued to rehash in my mind how e!ents had unfolded as I dro!e down the
mountain to the desert below. I recalled" then" how disappointed the Choon had been
during the interrogation. $hey werent encouraging me to be a man of influence" they
were upset I hadnt become one. It was only when I escaped capti!ity and came back to
hi)ack one of their ships that they seemed happy. Finally" Id performed a noteworthy
deed to redeem the !irtue that was supposed to be mine from the beginning and now they
had called off the dogs saying that I was a superior being who wasnt to be touched.
I tracked across the western half of Ari1ona and headed into the California desert as
these and other &uestions haunted me. I was determined to get to the bottom of matters
no matter how long it took. *y gut told me that the pieces of the pu11le were all before
me. I )ust had to fit them together in the right way.
Locke sat patiently in the passengers seat waiting for me to initiate con!ersation as
we sped across the California desert on Interstate B@. +e approached Barstow toward
e!ening and I debated whether we should spend the night in the crossroads city or push
on toward the coast. It was still early" but I was in no hurry to get home as Lee wouldnt
be back for days. (istracted by the days de!elopment" I decided to stop and get a fresh
start in the morning.
I was passing a hea!y laden commercial tractor trailer )ust outside Barstow when I
looked out the passengers side mirror to see if it was safe to return to the right lane. I
happened to notice Lockes profile in doing so which caused me to appreciate" again" how
lucky I was to ha!e such a friend. +e made eye contact and he smiled as if it was a thrill
)ust to be with me. What is it that he finds so interesting? I wondered again.
*y luck had taken a 1D@ degree turn since entering the domain of the 7ld 7nes
and I ne!er understood why. I assumed that 8enee robots were bene!olent" like their
creators" but that didnt e/plain Lockes de!otion to me. Could friendship alone ha!e
moti!ated him to defy the Council of %lders and gi!e up his world to help me.
I cleared the truck and returned to the right lane. 3o sooner had I did so than I felt
a cold shutter run down my spine. I was hit with a wa!e of emotion which caused me to
swer!e onto the roads shoulder before I could regain control of the !an. 4eeing an
emergency turnout" I slowed the !ehicle and pulled onto the gra!el aside. Locke was
studying me as the !ehicle skidded to a stop.
I kept the !an running to keep the air conditioning pumping out cool" refreshing air.
<utting the transmission in park" I looked o!er at Locke and my gut twisted. $he pieces
of the pu11le had come together in a flash of insight but I didnt want to face the picture
that was re!ealed.
7n 8anymede you said you wanted to meet my parents"# I said. Is that still
true.#
$hat is no longer necessary"# he said" unless you wish it.#
Lockes response was not what I e/pected. +as there some reason you were
interested in meeting them before.# I asked.
Locke hesitated to respond and looked away as if not knowing what to say.
'ou dont ha!e to answer" Friend"# I said" sensing his stress. 'ou!e already told
me what I need to know.#
I keep the Choon computer with me where!er I go. Its a powerful tool that I use
to store information and browse through when I!e free time. I retrie!ed it from under
my seat and called up the names of the alien agents that =andy had gi!en me on
8anymede. I asked for a list of operati!es who had operated in 3orth (akota in the last
half century. 7ne name came up and I recogni1ed it immediately. It was the doctor who
deli!ered me at $rinity -ospital in *inot. 'ou know about this" dont you.# I said"
showing it to Locke.
I suspected it when you told me about the list"# Locke said" nodding.
4uspected how.# I asked.
(r. Caseys analysis of your (3A re!ealed the degree to which the Choon spliced
foreign elements into your genes. +e didnt want to tell you unless it became beneficial
for you to know. 'ou were facing so many psychological burdens already.#
4o I am one of many hybrid humans going back to the days of Ale/ander and
before"# I said sighing. 7nly I didnt react to the human en!ironment as predicted.
Instead of lusting for power like Ale/ander" I opted for a &uiet middle class life.#
I belie!e thats what happened"# Locke said. $hey miscalculated how a being
with a makeup as uni&ue as yours would de!elop on a primiti!e planet like %arth. 'oure
a creation like no other in the gala/y.#
+here do you suppose they got the (3A to slice into my genes.# I asked. 7n
8anymede.#
0ndoubtedly"# said Locke confirming my suspicions. $hey probably stumbled
across an ancient gra!eyard on its surface. Aolcanic acti!ity may ha!e fro1en in time a
fi!e hundred million year old corpse. 'our contributor was one of the ancestors. 'ou
should feel honored.#
$hats why the door responded to my hand"# I reasoned. Its sensor recogni1ed
my (3A.#
It did but the outpost computer was confused by the reading"# surmised Locke.
It had ne!er seen such a strange combination of human and 8enee (3A before.#
And thats why you came with me.# I said" disappointed Locke may not ha!e
acted out of friendship alone.
In part"# affirmed Locke. +e at 8anymede are programmed to protect 7ld 7nes.
$he trouble occurred because the Council was confused as to its responsibilities toward
you due to your hybrid status. I had no such confusion. I recogni1ed 8enee
characteristics in you because of our e/tensi!e interaction and then we became friends. I
couldnt let you come to a premature end not only because of your 7ld 7ne blood but
because you had become special to me. I acted according to the demands of my
conscience as instilled in me by the 7ld 7nes.#
It touched me that Locke had gone against his superiors to sa!e my life not only
because of my (3A but because we had become friends as well. 'oure a being of
great integrity" Locke"# I said as tears welled up in my eyes. 'ou ga!e up your home in
my behalf and Ill ne!er forget that. I only hope that I can pay you back for the kindness
you!e shown me.#
$he 7ld 7nes belie!e in helping a de!eloping species and that !alue was
incorporated into my ethical system. 'ou can pay me back by helping to ad!ance %arth.
'our uni&ue nature and special gifts should gi!e you insight into what is the best way to
accomplish that goal.#
I think you gi!e me too much credit"# I said" sighing. Im not so arrogant as to
think I could lead %arth to a new order. I dont e!en like the new order from what I!e
seen of it. (espite the splicing" Im mostly human and as a human I dont trust big
go!ernment no matter how efficient and decentrali1ed it might be. If creeping socialism
is ine!itable as the 8enee say" so be it. But as far as Im concerned" the slower it e!ol!es
the better.#
$he danger is that humans will destroy themsel!es if they gain ether technology
before a democratic socialist world go!ernment can e!ol!e"# said Locke reminding me of
the dangers that *ankind faces.
$herell be &uick progress on that front once people reali1e the situation"# I said.
A body like 3A$7 will e/pand or a restructured 0nited 3ations unite to deal with the
problem. $he solution isnt to necessarily sociali1e the world but to democrati1e it. If
history has pro!en anything" its that democracy ci!ili1es a country whereas dictatorships
barbari1e it. Itll be up to the world community to promote democracy across the planet.#
$he 7ld 7nes agree that democracy is essential for world peace whereas
socialism is not"# Locke said. +hat they say is that socialism emerges out of democracy
naturally. 4ocialism by definition seeks to obtain the greatest good for the greatness
number and such is the thrust of a democracy as it e!ol!es. %!en capitalism must in a
democracy )ustify itself as the system that creates the greatest good for the greatest
number and under certain conditions it can do )ust that. -owe!er" as natural resources
become scarce and society approaches a relati!e no growth economy and capital
accumulates into e!er fewer hands" capitalism loses that claim. At some point it can no
longer say that whats good for a few capitalists is good for the whole. $he system
begins to gi!e way to democratic socialism soon after.#
+hy should that be.# I asked.
$he formal analysis deals with the laws of physics"# said Locke. It states that
harmonic motion is the essence of a bodys e/istence e!en if the body is society. $he
short e/planation is that in an ad!ancing democracy the so!ereign ma)ority forces
go!ernmental institutions to function for the good of the whole rather than a pri!ileged
few. A society that embraces that proposition is socialist by creed. It is a matter of time
before it becomes sociali1ed in deed.#
-ow do you determine whats the greatest good of the whole.# I asked.
It is an ideal that can ne!er be fully actuali1ed but can be mo!ed towards by
degree"# said Locke. $he 8enee determine it by applying the laws of physics to the
concept of a social body as mentioned. <ractically" its what the so!ereign ma)ority
determines it to be. $he ideal and real tend to con!erge in time.#
Locke sounded like -al. 'ou can tell me more about it at another time"# I said.
*y point is that at the present time democracy is essential to the sur!i!al of %arth
whereas socialism is not. I lea!e it to time to see whether democracy will lead to
socialism or not.#
$he 8enee regard it as a fact that socialism and democracy con!erge in time but
since you ha!e not been e/posed to 7ld 7ne science to any great degree it is
understandable that you should be reluctant to accept the ine!itability of their )oining"#
said Locke diplomatically. $he threat to your planet is real in any case. If %arth gains
ether technology before it becomes democratic" it could destroy itself as has happened on
other planets.#
As happened in the Clon system"# I said. +hat happened there was a great
tragedy.#
'es"# said Locke. $he Clon were an aggressi!e species that ac&uired ether
technology before their institutions and societies had time to democrati1e. $hat flaw in
their de!elopment along with their aggression nature is what led to their destruction.#
%arth is different"# I said" confidently. -umans almost always embrace
democracy when e/posed to it. +e may not be as communal as the early 8enee but as
indi!idualists we lo!e the freedom that only a democratic go!ernment can pro!ide. *ost
people will fight to keep it.#
+hat about your peoples aggressi!e nature.# asked Locke. (o you not worry
that it might lead to a final war once nations obtain ether technology whether democratic
or not.#
$heres no denying that *ankind has a barbaric past"# I admitted" but the
simultaneous de!elopment of democracy and culture in the last century has caused wars
to lessen between democratic nations. $he conflicts that ha!e occurred in the twentieth
century are almost always caused by dictatorships. $hese clashes should diminish"
howe!er" as more and more countries embrace democracy and as democratic world
bodies continue to grow and e/pand.#
'ou see"# Locke said nodding his appro!al. 'ou do ha!e insight into how %arth
should ad!ance. $hats probably what the Choon were hoping for when they spliced
8enee elements into your genes. $hey figured it would gi!e you the abilities needed to
lead %arth to a new order. $he Choon6human hybrids that they created throughout
history lacked your !ision.#
I dont think it was that so much"# I said feeling uncomfortable with Lockes
praise. +hen the Choon spliced their (3A into humans" they inad!ertently infused
their egos into them as well. $hat distorted the hybrids purpose. It caused them to seek
personal glory o!er social ad!ancement. 4ometimes the two goals can coe/ist with no
problem" but more often than not they dont. $hats what happened with Ale/ander. -is
giant ego and the arrogance that it bred caused him to think of himself as a god.#
Locke nodded his agreement. $he Choon failed to reali1e that one of the reasons
the 8enee sur!i!ed o!er time was that they e!ol!ed as cooperati!e social beings first and
indi!idualists second. $hose &ualities were passed on to their descendants through
genetics and culture. Leaders must be willing to put the good of the whole ahead of their
selfish interest if they are to be successful o!er time. Choon6human hybrids were unable
to do that.#
-umans are like the Choon in that regard"# I said" thinking back on my )ourney
through %arth history. Its been the sur!i!al of the fittest throughout our prehistory as
well as theirs. +e de!eloped as aggressi!e indi!idualists with a lust for personal power
like the Choon and that more than any other factor has held us back. It was only because
of the work of a few selfless" special people in our history that ci!ili1ation was able to
mo!e forward in a significant way. $hat and the ad!ancement of democracy in the last
few hundred years.#
=ight or wrong" Locke found my analysis insightful. 'ou possess the blood of the
8enee"# he said" and its an honor to ser!e you. I ha!e yearned for the day when the 7ld
7nes will walk amongst us again. *y wait ended when you made your way to our
ca!erns.#
I was mo!ed by Lockes words and felt grateful that I could command respect from
a being as ad!anced as he. $hank you"# I said" feeling humbled. 'our words honor
me.#
It seemed as if 8od had sent Locke to me as a guardian angel" but for what
purpose. If -e had a mission set for me" I was at a loss to know what it was. All I knew
was that if it did e/ist it in!ol!ed something more than en)oying a comfortable middle
class e/istence.
7!erwhelmed by the re!elations unfolding before me" I reached o!er and hugged
my friend and sa!ior while fighting back tears. Finally" I wiped away the moisture that
had formed in my eyes" put the !an gear and mo!ed into Barstow. I e/ited the freeway
on *ain 4treet and dro!e west until I found a motel.
It was IB degrees and dark outside when I opened the door to our second story
room. $he heat didnt bother Locke" but I had to keep the rooms air conditioner blowing
at full capacity to feel comfortable. I showered to get the desert sweat off my body" but I
had too many matters on my mind to sleep. I was bothered by something Locke had said.
I tried to put my finger on it.
It does no good to fight insomnia so I decided to free associate with myself to !ent
my inner thoughts. Locke sat across the small two chair table with his eyes closed to
make me feel at ease. $hen" in the middle of the night" I was struck by another
re!elation.
I!e been blind"# I said out loud. It was there before me all the time.#
Locke opened his eyes and was fully alert. +hat are you referring to -ans.# he
asked.
I was absorbed in a train of thought and could only hear Locke with one corner of
my mind. $he clue was on the murals at the train station in Central City"# I said. $he
first orbital was too close in and small to 2okitar to be Io. Also" 8enesis was a planet
dominated by water. +hen the last 8enee ship left for 8enesis ;" you could see the
oceans beneath the ice. It didnt look anything like the surface of 8anymede.#
An interesting obser!ation"# said Locke. I could tell from his e/pression that he
knew what I was talking about. +hat do you make of it.#
I make of it that 8anymede is not 8enesis"# I said. I make of it that you!e been
hiding this fact from me.#
Im not denying what you say"# said Locke" e/pressionless" but you need make
your own conclusions about such matters. *y programming prohibits me from
!olunteering information on these issues e!en to you.#
And there is likely a reason for that"# I said" thinking out loud. $here are 7ld
7nes in 8enesis and they dont anyone to know.#
I could see Locke wanted to talk but couldnt. -e asked leading &uestions to
circum!ent the directi!es that were restraining him instead. An interesting hypothesis"#
continued Locke in a prodding manner" but if 8anymede is not the 8enee home world
why do the Choon think it is.#
%!erything was coming together as I spoke. $he Choon knew from ancient
records that 8enesis was the third planet from 2okitar"# I said" thinking out loud. $he
robotic e/ploration ship assumed it was 8anymede because its the third moon from
2upiter. $he misconception was reinforced when they learned that 8anymede was a
world of subterranean ca!erns protected by 7ld 7ne ser!ants.#
But 8anymede is the third planet from 2okitar"# said Locke like an attorney cross
e/amining a witness in court. -ow could they be in error.#
$he Choon made their mistake because they didnt see the murals at the train
station or the simulations in the 8enee historical museum"# I said putting the pieces
together as I spoke. $hey had no way of knowing how close in the first planet in the
ancient system was to 2upiter. $hey couldnt ha!e guessed it fell into the red sun long
ago because of the drag the ether puts on the mo!ement of planetary bodies. $hey didnt
reali1e that the third planet is now the second planet out from 2upiter.#
+hat is your conclusion" -ans.# asked Locke" seemingly pleased by the course of
our discussion. +here is 8enesis.#
I conclude that 8enesis is the single planetary body in the 2upiter system that is
deluged with water"# I said" wondering how I could ha!e been so blind as not to reali1e
that before. 4cientists ha!e e!en speculated that it may ha!e more water on it than
%arth. $he facts were there all the time"# I said. I was )ust too preoccupied with
personal matters to see it. %uropa is 8enesis.#
Locke appeared to be pleased by my answer e!en if he refused to say so. If thats
true"# he continued" what is 8anymede.#
$he answer to that was before me as well"# I said" laughing at myself that I
could!e been so blind. 8anymede is that large militari1ed planet I saw when the last
8enee transport ship left the system. $he robots that bid us goodbye from their fighters
were your predecessors. 'ou said it yourself" Locke.#
If all this is true"# said Locke" his role as de!ils ad!ocated not o!er" why would
the 7ld 7nes abandon 8anymede. $heir relationship with the Choon has always been
good.#
It was nearing four in the morning and fatigue was settling in at last. In need of a
mental breather" I motioned Locke to gi!e me a minute as I walked to the window and
looked down on old =oute EE as it led west out of Barstow. It would turn south toward
the high desert town of Aictor!ille a few miles up the road and work its way down into
the inland !alleys of 4an Bernardino before turning west again toward Los Angeles.
4eeing =oute EE brought back fond memories of the past. Fresh out of college and
looking for ad!enture" I spent a week back tracking the famous highway with a friend.
+e !isited offbeat towns and historic locales while making our way across the
4outhwest. +e built campfires in the desert at night roasting hotdogs sticks while eating
heated pinto beans from a can. Come bedtime we would stare up at the clear desert sky
and mar!el at the brightness of the stars before drifting off to sleep. $he mornings were
so cold wed stay in our bags until the rising sun broke the night chill and then gather up
our things and head down the road looking for more ad!enture. What " ouldnt give to
relive those carefree days, I thought.
$hings had changed since the abduction. I had changed. $he world was no longer
the care free amusement park itd once been. It had become dangerous and I was forced
deal with it. A burden of historic proportion had been put on my shoulders and like it or
not I had to confront it.
I turned from the window letting go memories of yesteryear. It was time to put the
old life to rest and face the world that was now laid out before me. I tried an intellectual
e/periment. 4ince I possessed 7ld 7ne genes" I wondered if I might ha!e insight into
their thinking.
If had been an 7ld 7ne on 8enesis ; when the planet was attacked"# I said"
thinking out loud" I probably would want to withdraw from galactic ci!ili1ation for
good. I might figure that no matter how well defended our system there was always the
risk that someone would launch ether missiles against the planet. I might figure that
security comes from obscurity and long for the isolationist days of 8enesis 1.#
If thats the case"# Locke said" listening intently. +here would you go.#
I knew from 7ld 7ne simulations that planets like 8enesis 1 and ; were rare gems
found in only a few places in the gala/y. 8i!en their lo!e of li!ing under a red sun their
options were limited. $hey could ha!e forced their way upon Clorr or one of the system
planets" but I knew because of their ethical nature they would ne!er do that.
I wouldnt go anywhere"# I said after a time. Id bide my time inside the ca!erns
of 8enesis ; and the other planets of the system. Id use robotic warriors to keep
in!aders away and tell our friends that the system had been e!acuated. *eantime" Id
ha!e robotic engineers working around the clock to repair the damage done to the planet
and hope the gala/y would forget us by the time it was made whole again.#
But why would they a!oid the Choon.# asked Locke" playing de!ils ad!ocate
again. $hey worship the 7ld 7nes.#
$hey worship them now"# I said" but how long will that last. 4omeday the
Choon will stop seeing the 7ld 7nes as gods but the li!ing beings that they are. +hat
happens then. $he Choon are an aggressi!e species. $hey are probably not e!en that
much different than the species that attacked 8enesis ;. If I am an 7ld 7ne after the
attack" I would worry that history might repeat itself. I might see the Choon as a future
threat.#
An interesting theory" -ans"# said Locke. I am not allowed to confirm what you
say" but I think you can see why the 7ld 7nes might want to remain in isolation" e!en
from the Choon.#
I can see why the 7ld 7nes would want to retreat from the gala/y"# I said
sympathetically. I can e!en see why they might wish to a!oid the Choon. I )ust dont
agree that they should.#
*y words surprised Locke. +hat would you ha!e them do after what happened.#
he asked. Let me ask you" Locke"# I said. -ow many 7ld 7ne li!es were lost
during the attack on 8enesis ;.#
3ot many"# said Locke" sounding relie!ed. 3early e!eryone made it to the
emergency ca!erns or got off the planet in airships. 7nly a few indi!iduals in isolated
locations around the planet who couldnt be reached in time perished.#
$hat means the 7ld 7nes defensi!e precautions worked pretty well despite their
being taken by surprise"# I said" stating the ob!ious.
$hats true"# admitted Locke" but the surface was made uninhabitable. It caused
the people great anguish to see their world in ruins and being betrayed by a species who
they had helped ad!ance made matters that much worse.#
And thats where the psychological damage was done"# I e/plained. It caused
the 8enee to lose faith in alien species. It e!en caused them to &uestion the future loyalty
of the Choon.#
*aybe"# Locke acknowledged. In any case" their solution in dealing with the
danger was to withdraw from galactic society.#
$he 7ld 7nes o!erreacted"# I said" and thats a shame. $he 8enee ha!e
accomplished too much good in their long history to be put off by a freakish e!ent no
matter how destructi!e. $he 7ld 7nes were right the first time when they !entured out
into the gala/y to circum!ent the emergence of dangerous species. %!en now its only a
matter of time before e!il seeks them out e!en if they hide. I might think differently if
the 7ld 7nes were back on 8enesis 1 considering how isolated it was" but thats no
longer the case. $he 7ld 7nes shouldnt withdraw as the gala/y needs them. $hey need
only prohibit alien species from approaching their system.#
$he 8enee would find it hard to treat friends in such a way"# said Locke. $hats
not their nature.#
If that was an issue before"# I said" its not now. $here isnt a species in the
gala/y whod blame the 8enee for protecting their planet after what happened. Better to
select a neutral world where friends could come to meet and interact with the 8enee.#
I fear the Choon would be offended by such a condition"# said Locke.
3o way"# I said confidently. $he Choon are de!oted to the 8enee and will be for
a long time to come. $heyll accept any condition that the 7ld 7nes make.#
Locke raised his eyebrows &uestioningly. 'ou dont think the Choon are capable
of turning on the 8enee.# he asked" seeking my assurance.
3o" its we humans who need fear the Choon"# I said. +ere the ones in danger.#
*aybe"# said Locke" but theres more to the story than you reali1e. +hen the
Choon found that 8enesis ; had been destroyed" they attacked the aggressors home
world and wiped out all life on the planet. $hey e!en rooted out sur!i!ors in
underground shelters and nearby moons. It was an act of retribution that e/ceeded in
scope what e!en the most !engeful minded 8enee had ad!ocated. $he 8enee know the
Choon acted out of de!otion" but they cant condone their action. 3ot wanting to
condemn them" they a!oid them all together.#
4o thats what happened"# I said seeing the whole story for the first time. $he
Choon fear they ha!e offended the 7ld 7nes and are going to wait on <rime Base until
they show up or 2upiter free1es o!er to e/plain their action. *eantime" they are a
disturbed species which makes them a threat to %arth. If they conclude that humans are a
dangerous species" they would not hesitate to take action against us to protect themsel!es
and the 2upiter system. $hat could be anything from taking control of the planet to
annihilating the human race.#
$he danger is there"# agreed Locke" nodding his head" but it does no good to
pro!oke them. $hey possess a warriors spirit going back to the days when they roamed
their planet as fierce predators. It might be wise to work with them considering their
powerful military. 3ow that they accept you as an 7ld 7ne hybrid" I am sure they would
throw their support behind you if you sought power. $hat is probably what the Choon
were hoping for all along.#
I figured Locke was right. $he Choon were hoping my 7ld 7ne blood would make
me a great leader minus the flaws of Ale/ander and the other hybrids of the past. $hey
had intended to support my rise through their organi1ation on %arth if only I had shown
interest in power. It was a blow to them that I lacked political ambition. $hey needed to
find out what had gone wrong with their e/periment but couldnt come out and ask since
that might!e influenced what I said.
At least the Choon arent trying to kill me"# I said" breathing a sigh of relief.
4till" I think Lee and I should remain in the shadows. I worry they might change their
minds.#
I dont think thats possible"# said Locke confidently. $hey might take the life of
a normal human for their cause" but not one with 7ld 7ne blood flowing through his
!eins.#
I figured Locke was right but I didnt want to take chances. All I knew for sure
was that things would ne!er be the same after the Barstow re!elations.
+e spent the day in the sweltering desert oasis so I could catch up on sleep and left
at se!en that e!ening when it had cooled to I@ degrees. +e dro!e across the desert and
were home the following day. I hiked out to a bluff o!erlooking the <acific 7cean later
that afternoon and relished the cool sea bree1es blowing off the water. It felt great to be
back on the coast after frying in the desert.
Lee didnt return from her trip until two weeks later. 4he was e/cited by the
in!estments shed made in the Far %ast" but I had too many things on my mind to fully
appreciate her effort. I worried about %arth and wondered what role if any I was to play
in her future. I lacked the temperament to seek power but felt I should try to do
something nonetheless. It occurred to me" then" that if I could contact the 7ld 7nes on
8enesis I might be able to elicit their help in ending the Choon threat once and for all. I
thought I might e!en con!ince them to help %arth the way theyd helped so many planets
o!er the ages.
Locke and I had been walking along my fa!orite bluff o!erlooking a rocky
coastline near 4an Francisco when the idea came to me. $he sun was about to set in the
western hori1on. I ran the idea past him. Is it possible"# I asked" to construct an 7ld
7ne transmitter.#
I think I know what you ha!e in mind"# Locke said" anticipating my &uestion" but
it wont do any good. $he 8enee wont respond to anything but a coded transmission
from other 8enee. $hey are determined that their e/istence on the holy planet should
remain a secret.#
I remembered the 8enee who stayed behind on 8enesis as the last ship left for the
new world. $he 7ld 7nes on %uropa were their descendants. Li!ing in ca!erns deep
below the planets surface" they had preser!ed the relics and artifacts of 8enesiss great
past. Likely" the 8reat 8alactic *useum still e/isted. Could the caretakers of such a
planet turn their backs on a neighbor in need. $hat being more so if the representati!e of
that neighbor was a blood cousin.
$oo bad we couldnt ha!e kept the Choon spacecraft"# I said. Id be tempted to go
up to 8enesis and confront the 7ld 7nes in person. $hey bear a degree of responsibility
for our fate and" secreti!e or not" theyre still 8enee.#
Locke liked to kick loose gra!el as he sprang along the bluff. It was bree1y and cool
but pleasant. -e seemed to be in deep thought as if trying to arri!e at a decision. (o
you think it would do any good to go to 8enesis.# he said" finally.
4urprised by Lockes words" I turned to confront my friend. Is it within our means
to do it.# I asked.
I downloaded specifications on 8enee spacecraft before lea!ing Central City. I was
worried we might need to return to 8anymede and wanted to ha!e the means to do it if
necessary. It should be possible to modify an %arth !essel to meet our needs. It would be
crude" but functional for our purpose. I could handle the technical aspects of the pro)ect
if you see to the ac&uisitions I would need.#
$he sun set on the cloudy hori1on as we spoke. A red hue filled the western skies.
I turned to admire its awesome beauty and imagined it was sunset on ancient 8enesis. I
felt drawn to it. It was as if a force had reached across time and space and was now
calling to me. 8enesis was now a cold and barren world" but her heart still beats. I could
feel it.
I need to go to 8enesis"# I said. I feel her beckoning.#
'ou are of 7ld 7ne blood"# Locke said with seeming emotion. 7nly 8enee feel the
calling. $hat is why the 7ld 7nes send funeral ships to 8enesis e!en now. Its filled
with 8enee whose final wish was to be laid to rest on the sacred planet. +e will build
our ship and I will take you there. $his is a day I will long remember.#
And thats how it happened. +e resol!ed to make a space6worthy" moth6balled"
medium si1ed )et and are hard at work on the pro)ect. +ere off to %uropa when its
done" my motion sickness notwithstanding. $he trick will be to find an entrance to the
7ld 7nes subterranean world. *y wife is against the trip but accepts it as important
ha!ing con!inced her that %arths sur!i!al could !ery well be at stake.
$he purpose of my mission is to enlist 7ld 7ne support for %arths cause" but if for
some reason I cant make contact with them or should they choose not to help I intend to
go on to 8anymede and plead my case to the Choon in person. $ruth is I also want to see
Linda again" and let her know that Im okay. 8od help me" I miss her and with Lockes
help" I hope to e/tract her essence from the Choon computer and put it into a portable
unit to take home. It might not be as good as being in the simulator" but Ill take what I
can get.
If I fail in my mission and the ha1ards are many" likely Ill ne!er be heard from again.
But e!en if that misfortune should o!ertake me" Ill at least ha!e the knowledge that I did
my duty by completing this report. *ay the spirit of 8enesis be with us all in the days
ahead. 4incerely yours" -ans Larson of the planet %arth.
%3( 7F %<IL780%
7n 8enee natural philosophy
A. *etaphysics
8enee thought looks out on material e/istence and sees nothing but bodies in
motion fore!er striking one another in the cause and effect phenomena to create all
action" force and energy in the uni!erse. $hese bodies are held to be infinitely di!isible
in that a material entity" no matter how small" must occupy space and possess matter to
e/ist as matter" which means itll always be sub)ect to further di!ision. Conse&uently"
there can be no bottom particle of nature as the atom was once thought to be.
4ound tra!els as longitudinal concussion wa!es at appro/imately three6fourths the
!elocity at which the air molecules through which they pass !ibrate in their free space.
4imilarly" ether concussion impulses mo!e at appro/imately three6fourths the !elocity at
which gaseous ether particles !ibrate in their free space. $he impulse !elocity is defined
as light speed when mo!ing through %arths atmosphere near sea le!el" but as with sound
mo!ing through air or a fluid the !elocity !aries depending on the rate of agitation of the
ether in a particular area of space. 4ub ether particles !ibrate at many times the speed of
light and so sub ether impulses mo!e at super light !elocity. $he collecti!e pressure of
these infinite fields of di!isible e/istence create the gra!itational force and it is because
of the super light !elocity at which they mo!e that gra!ity is able to e/ert its force across
large areas of space in an instant.
$he cause and effect phenomenon is the source of all action" force and energy in
the uni!erse and the statement applies to all bodies at all le!els of di!isible e/istence. It
is a real world e!ent e/ternal to the mind" but our understanding of it is locked in
perception. +hen a ball strikes a bat to spring away" we percei!e the e!ent as a se&uence
of percepts that pass through the mind like frames on a roll of film where the distance
between ob)ects decreases with each frame until they meet and mo!e away again" but
thats it. +e dont see the )ostling atoms that make up the bat and ball or the ether
particles that encircle and pressure atoms nor the endless fields of sub ether particles that
pressure the ether" sub ether" sub6sub ether" etc. 3or would it matter if we did. 4eeing
causality at the le!el of the ether or any sub ether le!el below that would be &ualitati!ely
no different than seeing the bat hit the ball. It would be a stream of percepts passing
through the self in all cases" which collecti!ely make up the phenomenon known as
perception.
$he self is the pinnacle point of neural acti!ity for the ner!ous system as a whole
where input is transformed into output. +e know the singularity e/ists in that such is
re&uired for a being to act" think and mo!e in a coordinated way. +e know with humans
that the point e/ists in the thalamus as the thalamus is at the ape/ of neural acti!ity for
the entire ner!ous system and has been referred to as the 8rand Central 4tation of the
brain for that reason. Case studies indicate that the self e/ists in the thalamuss medial
lamina lobe in that consciousness has been shown to be non6e/istent in people who ha!e
had damage to that part of the brain.
+e also know from introspection that each percept that passes through the self has
an energy surge associated with it. It can be weak" strong" disrupti!e or reinforcing of a
particular mode of neural firing. +e call the surges emotions and since e!ery percept has
a surge associated with it" no matter how weak" e!ery thought has an emotional content to
it.
Although we e/perience bodies in motion and causality as a string of percepts
passing through the self" the phenomenon is sub)ect to further analysis. $he description
of the neutron as it forms out of the ether is" perhaps" the best e/ample to show what a
body is" how it comes into e/istence and is sustained thereafter. A neutron as described in
the report forms when ether particles rotate about a low pressure center the way a sun
forms out of a swirling galactic cloud. A portion of the agitating motion of the forming
body is con!erted into the cyclic motion of the swirl thereby reducing its outward push.
$he result is that the pressure of the surrounding ether and sub ether fields dri!e the
rotating mass in on itself as it pulsates in and out to radiate away the e/cess and
otherwise harmful energy it ac&uires from ha!ing its mass dri!en in on itself.
+e note from the abo!e description that the neutron has but one re&uirement to
e/ist as a body which is that it maintain the cyclic6repeating or harmonic mo!ement of its
parts o!er time. 4ince protons" atoms" molecules and li!ing beings are all neutron
emergent" the principle that go!erns it go!erns them as well. $he repeating" cyclic" or
harmonic motion of bodies and their sub particles through di!isible e/istence is the
essence of e/istence.
B. 7n the 3ature of Life and 8od.
Cyclic or harmonic motion is the essence of a bodys e/istence and that is true for
beings as well. Li!ing beings e/perience pleasure or at a minimum peace of mind when
their systems mo!e in a harmonic manner and pain or at the minimum discomfort when
the motion is discordant. $hat which enhances harmonic motion is percei!ed as good and
that which detracts from it bad making good and bad and the ethics and morality that
arise from them harmonically determined phenomena.
7ne can apply the analysis of good and bad not only to beings but to 8od as well.
-ow can an all6powerful and knowing 8od allow e!il to e/ist in the uni!erse.# the
8enee ask. $heir answer is that e!il is at root discordant mo!ement caused by the
random agitating chaotic motion of atoms and the gaseous ether and sub ether fields of
di!isible e/istence. 3ote" though" that the e/istence of these fields is necessary to bring
into being and sustain harmonic motion which is the essence of not only life but e/istence
itself. Its not that 8od wants chaos and e!il to e/ist according to this !iew" but rather
that the fields that cause them are an indispensable part of the uni!erse. 8ood and e!il
are in other words two sides of the same coin built into the fabric of the man and the
uni!erse.
3ot only is random chaotic motion and the inad!ertent harm and e!il it causes
re&uired to bring ob)ects and beings into e/istence" it e!ol!es them thereafter showing"
again" that discordant mo!ement is part of the fabric of the uni!erse. $he stress that
chaos causes is necessary to bring about change and change is necessary to e!ol!e
beings. $hats true from the de!elopment of the immune system to the growth of the
anatomical structure of a being. Chaotic mo!ement and the pain it causes are in other
words essential to e/istence and without them there is no e!olution.
C. 7n society
7ne can apply the analysis of the e!olution of beings to society as well. 4ociety
e!ol!es in response to stress like the sentient beings of which theyre composed and like
those beings it must integrate discordant forces into an e!er more harmonic whole for it
to ad!ance. It remains in a chaotic state or dissipates back into the parts from which it
was formed if not. $he social6political system that seeks in theory to achie!e this result is
democratic socialism. It states that society is in its most ideal state when through the
working of society the indi!idual is induced to function for the good of the whole and the
whole for the good of the indi!idual.
Although the abo!e !iew on society is utopian and although utopian !isions ha!e
not done well in the past" most e!eryone would agree that the purpose of society should
be to function for the greatest good of the greatest number. %!en capitalism must make
that claim to )ustify its e/istence as pointed out by Adam 4mith. $he legitimate &uestion
is whether democratic socialism can in fact bring about the greatest good for the greatest
number as is its motto.
4ocialism is e&uated with the public ownership of industry" but that need not be the
case until the latter stages of capitalism according to 8enee theory. It states that its more
likely to ad!ance in small steps as go!ernment and society respond to economic and
social crisis making it an e!olutionary rather than re!olutionary process. According to
the 8enee it inches ahead e!ery time a law is passed to regulate industry and commerce
in response to social need. -ealth and safety laws are enacted to protect workers and
customers" anti6trust laws to break up monopolies and banking rules to bring stability and
trust to the financial sector. $ariffs are set" commerce regulated" unfair business practices
outlawed etc. =ather" its in the later stages of capitalism where workers ha!e been
massi!ely displaced by automation and other labor6sa!ing de!ices and industry
consolidated into real or !irtual monopolies that capitalism collapses of its own weight.
$he 8enee remedy for the fall of a market economy is for go!ernment to buy an
interest in monopolies and other key industries as if it were an in!estment firm and
appoint professionals trained in both go!ernment and business to their boards of
directors. $he 8enee assert that the firms are to make money for their stockholders" the
people" like any business and the directors granted a great deal of independence from
go!ernmental bureaucracy and political meddling as is the situation with the bank of the
0nited 4tates otherwise known as the Fed. $he profits are used in this hypothetical world
for further in!estment or as general re!enue for the people as a whole.
$here can be no doubt that democratic socialism has been ad!ancing in the +est
despite all efforts to re!erse the trend. $his was most striking during the 8reat
(epression when socialist ideas were used to steer society from economic collapse and
social uphea!al. $hey included such measures as social security" food stamps"
unemployment insurance and public works )ob programs. Conser!ati!es resisted the
programs and would no doubt eliminate most of them today if the electorate allowed it
but the 8enee regard this as unlikely as they see in capitalism a temporary stage of social6
economic de!elopment that is certain to break down as society enters into the final slow
growth period that must e!entually occur in a world of limits.
$he reason capitalism re&uires a sustained rate of growth to work according to the
8enee is that once an economy begins to stagnate resources tend to accumulate into e!er
fewer hands because of the power that capital has in an economy. $he problem with this
economically is that it erodes the income of the lower and middle class who spend a
much larger proportion of what they make than the wealthy. (emand is reduced and the
economy shrinks as a result. Another is that the elite in seeking to in!est their growing
share of public capital dri!e up the price of scarce resources such as precious metals"
stocks and real estate. An increase in real estate and home prices is especially damaging
to the middle and lower class because it inflates the cost of rent" home ownership and
business leases. <eople ha!e to spend an e!er increasing portion of their income to li!e
and do business. 4ocial uphea!al is the end result and the 8enee belie!e that in a
democracy its )ust a matter of time before the ma)ority o!erthrows the capitalist class
and system that supports it no matter how entrenched it might ha!e originally been.
<resident =eagan bemoaned the encroachment of what he called creeping
socialism# but was unable to slow its growth during his presidency despite a political
mandate to do so. -e tried to downsi1e go!ernment and reign in domestic spending but
the economic retraction and social uphea!al that it caused forced him to abandon his
idealism for political reasons. 3ot only did he fail to reduce the si1e of go!ernment" it
actually grew during his time in office. $he conser!ati!e president 8eorge +. Bush
nationali1ed 8eneral *otors to keep it afloat during tough economic times. Clearly" the
need for economic and social harmony trumps any wish the body politic might ha!e to
stop the encroachment of the state in a democracy.
$he need for profit is the dri!ing force behind automation and other labor sa!ing
strategies. Companies need make money and cutting labor is key to achie!ing that. $he
gains can only be temporary" howe!er" as its )ust a matter of time before competition eats
into these profits as well forcing further cuts. $he process repeats itself time and again
thereafter forcing companies to grow into labor efficient entities or fall to the wayside as
failed enterprises. $he process works its way through all sectors of an economy so that in
the end only a few highly automated giants are left to dominate each industry which"
again" leads to the demise of capitalism.
*achines ha!e been replacing labor throughout history and most notably since the
industrial re!olution and its only reasonable to think the trend will continue whether we
like it or not. A little more than a century ago more than D@5 of Americans li!ed on
farms. $hey raised animals for eggs" milk" and meat and grew !egetables in gardens.
$hey used the horse and plow to plant cash crops which were replaced by tractors and
other labor efficient machinery fore!er changing the nature of farming. $he horse and
plow could not compete with farm e&uipment for producti!ity but machines were
e/pensi!e forcing farms to e/pand to co!er costs. Larger operations absorbed smaller
ones forcing people to migrate to the city in large number. $oday only a small fraction of
the population in the modern world makes its li!ing from farming.
$he farmer migrated from the country to the city where he found work in new
industries like auto and aircraft. $here was a need for both skilled and unskilled labor on
assembly lines and the like as industries grew by leaps and bounds. $he nation was more
producti!e than e!er and most people benefitted from the change as is often the case
during the earlier stages of capitalism according to 8enee analysis. -owe!er" e!en in
growth industries where )obs increased at a fast pace automation was already beginning
to replace labor with machines. $hen hiring slowed and shrank as markets became
saturated and competition dro!e automation e!er forward. +orkers shifted out of
production into the ser!ice industry so that by the beginning of the ;1
st
century it
employed better than I@5 of all workers.
$he ser!ice sector including healthcare" education" research and de!elopment"
construction and maintenance is labors last stand but work in these fields is under assault
by machine and other time sa!ing techni&ues as well. %mployment in healthcare for
instance has grown in recent years" but e!en these )obs will decline as impro!ements in
diet and pre!entati!e medicine lead to longer healthier li!es. 4ome of the sa!ings will no
doubt be directed into further research but that will only accelerate the decline of )obs in
the industry as health continues to impro!e. %!en so" society has no choice but to pour
its resources into the e!ol!ing ser!ice sector. It must do so not only to pro!ide )obs for
the masses but to ad!ance a societys cultural" intellectual and social achie!ements e!er
forward. It is labors proper final domain and sanctuary.
(. 7n =adiation
$here are two types of radiation according to 8enee physics. $he first is the
electromagnetic wa!e and the other I call light for lack of a better categorical word. $he
electromagnetic wa!e is caused by an ether pressure deficit" charge" mo!ing through an
area of space as in the air with lightning or through a conductor with electricity. $he
charge associated with electricity mo!es through a conductor causing the electron fluid in
front of it to fall into its pressure deficit thereby propelling it forward. Charge also causes
the surrounding ether to contract in around it to create an electrical field which simply
said is an area of space where the pressure of the ether differs from one location to
another. $he contraction causes the particles falling into the charge to rub against those
of the surrounding ether at light speed" the rate at which concussion impulses mo!e in the
ether" to create ether particle spin. $he spin is communicated outward in a direction
perpendicular to that in which the charge is mo!ing. $he strength of the spin is greatest
where the ether rubs against the mo!ing particles of the conductor and diminishes by the
s&uare of the distance as it is communicated outwards into ether space. $he ether particle
spin associated with charge and electricity is its magnetic field.
$he magnitude of an ether pressure deficit" charge" mo!ing down a conductor
determines the amplitude or strength of both the electrical and magnetic field associated
with it. Fluctuating the rate at which charges mo!e create the multitude of fre&uencies
that the electromagnetic wa!e is known to emit. $hey e/ist primarily in the radio wa!e
spectrum but can be emitted at higher fre&uencies depending on how fast they are made
to follow each other through a conductor.
$he second type of radiation that is created in the ether I call light for lack of a
better word. Light runs across the entire spectrum of radiation. 0nlike the electro6
magnetic wa!e" howe!er" it has no charge and accordingly there is no electric or magnetic
field associated with it. $he charge connected to an electromagnetic wa!e pulls in the
ether from all sides to cause an inward ether concussion wa!e and then releases once it
passes at which time a second" outward" wa!e is emitted. Light impulses on the other
hand shoot out from atoms like bullets from a gun. 0nlike bullets which mo!e through
space as solid ob)ects" howe!er" light impulses compress the ether ahead as they
propagate forward which then releases and kicks back once the impulse passes. 4ince
there is no electrical field associated with light" the surrounding ether does not contract in
about the impulse to cause ether particles to rub against one another to create a magnetic
field.
$he mistake that %arth science made in assuming that light was an electromagnet
wa!e can be traced back to the brilliant and wholly incomparable *ichael Faraday. A
young" but already brilliant" +illiam $homson who later became Lord Cel!in attended
one of Faradays lectures at the =oyal Institute in London. It was there that $homson
brought to Faradays attention the similarity between magnetism and polari1ed light
wondering if they werent two different aspects of the same phenomenon. Faraday was
so intrigued by $homsons &uestion that he went on to e/plore the issue in depth as
re!ealed to us in part three of his epic !olume %/perimental =esearches In %lectricity#.
Faraday set up an e/periment by which he allowed light from an outside source to
reflect off a surface at an angle so as to polari1e it and noted the beam as it could be seen
on a back screen. -e then ran a magnetic field laterally through the light ray after it had
been polari1ed and it mo!ed the image sideways pro!ing in his mind that light had a
magnetic component to it. -e reasoned that if light was magnetic in nature it must
possess an electrical field as well which suggested that it was electromagnetic in nature.
-e recorded his findings and light has been regarded as an electromagnetic wa!e e!er
since.
Faradays e/periment was simple and his analysis of the results reasonable but he
was wrong in his conclusion nonetheless. Light becomes polari1ed when its ether
particle impulses are made to spin in a linear direction by being reflected off a surface at
an angle. 4ince the impulses mo!e at light speed the rate of rotation of their ac&uired
spin is high. $he angular momentum is transmitted from ether particle to ether particle as
the impulse propagates forward with the up and down direction of the spin re!ersing from
particle to particle. 4ince magnetism in!ol!es ether particle spin as well" as shown by the
4tern68erlach e/periment" it was reasonable to think that when the spinning particles of
the magnetic field struck those of the polari1ed light at a right angle the light image
should be deflected laterally" as shown on a back wall" that Faraday would conclude that
magnetism and polarity were two sides of the same coin as Cel!in had suggested.
Its true that magnetism and polari1ed light both in!ol!e ether particles that ha!e
been made to spin in a linear direction at or near light speed" but there is a ma)or
difference between the phenomenon as well. $he charge of an electromagnetic wa!e
pulls in the ether about it through its ether pressure deficit or charge whereas polari1ed
light does not. $he particles of polari1ed light spin like magneti1ed ether particles but
because they dont pull in the surrounding ether with an associated charge they dont rub
against them to create the lateral spin or magnetic field associated with electricity.
Its informati!e to note that $homas 'oung in attempting to interpret polari1ed
light assigned to it an up and down trans!erse motion similar to a water wa!e mo!ing
across a pond. -e said in effect that light from the sun en route to %arth wa!es up and
down as it proceeds through what he regarded as empty space without e/plaining how it
could possibly mo!e in such an irregular manner. It was a reckless disregard of reason
made worse by the fact that it was known that trans!erse wa!es can only e/ist between
two mediums like water and air with water wa!es or between the ground and air in
earth&uakes where the wa!e is pushed up into the lighter medium and dri!en back down"
again" as it mo!es ahead. (eeper down in water or in the earth or higher up in air or out
in space only longitudinal concussion impulses e/ist. 3ewton held the latter !iew as was
the case with most other &uality thinkers prior to 'oung and the age of ill reason.
7ne can see how it is that light seems to tra!el unabated for millions of light years
whereas an electromagnetic wa!e emerging from charge" no matter how strong" cannot.
$he electromagnetic wa!e e/pends part of its energy in creating the lateral spin of its
magnetic field which gradually dissipates the strength of the impulse. $hat doesnt
happen with light because it doesnt ha!e a magnetic field associated with it. -owe!er"
light impulses do fade as the particles of the impulse gradually thin out o!er long
stretches of space. $he ether particles in!ol!ed in a blue light impulse gradually dissipate
as they cross interstellar space so that they are e!entually reduced to the lesser mass of a
red light impulse and hence the red6shift. Because the now red6shifted blue light
impulses continue to follow one another with the higher emission fre&uency of blue light"
howe!er" scientists conclude that the source of the emission" suns and their orbitals" are
mo!ing away from %arth as occurs with the sound of a receding train whistle. $hey
reason that the greater the red shift the greater the !elocity of the receding sun and gi!e
no thought to the possibility that the mass of a light impulse might dissipate with
distance.
$he reason that theorists cant imagine that the mass of a light impulse might
dissipate o!er time is that" incredibly" they asserted long ago that radiation is a mass6less
phenomenon and once science sets its collecti!e mind on something the issue is seldom
re!isited. It is a curious fact that they should come up with such an idea" howe!er" in that
energy and force ha!e mass built into their formulas. <roponents of the mass6less
trans!erse wa!e theory of light try to get around this by admitting that yes light is created
by mo!ing mass and later effects mass to mo!e it but that it lacks mass when mo!ing
through empty# space. As to why light should mo!e in a wa!y trans!erse manner"
proponents of the theory are predictably silent. 3ot only is the assertion a blatant
contradiction of fact" it is an insult to reason itself. It also shows how far men of science
will go to protect a theory that theyre in!ested in and ha!e been known to promote.
$he abo!e analysis e/plains why there appears to be an edge to the uni!erse. All
radiation" whether it started out as massi!e gamma rays or blue light" e!entually fades not
only to red light but e!entually radio impulses and finally they disappear from e/istence
by dissipating back into the ether. 4ince %arth physicists assert that radiation is mass6
less" howe!er" they cannot fathom that it would e!entually phase out of e/istence in spite
of the fact that beyond the furthest !isible stars there is only radio wa!es and beyond that
nothing.
%arth science reasons from the abo!e analysis that since theres a !isual edge to the
uni!erse and since far away gala/ies appear to be receding because of their misreading of
the red shift that the uni!erse must be e/panding. 3ot only that" but it is e/panding from
a location near %arth in astronomical terms since e!erything appears to be mo!ing away
from us which feeds not only the egocentric position of lesser minds but the Biblical idea
that %arth and therefore *an is at the center of the uni!erse. $hey go on to reason that
since gala/ies are mo!ing away from a point that all mass was once compressed into a
space no larger than a needle head" a remarkable achie!ement e!en for 8od" and since the
uni!erse was one packed into an infinitesimally tiny space it must ha!e e/ploded from
that space in the granddaddy of all e/plosions and hence the big bang theory. $heorists
reason further that since the light of those stars farthest from %arth appears to be red
shifting the most" they must be accelerating away from us at a faster pace than those
closer by. 3ot only did stars go flying out from the hellish big bang needle point" those
that escaped first did so not only at a faster !elocity but at a faster rate of acceleration
than those that followed. It was as if 8od attached afterburners to their backsides with
the force of the burner being determined by the order in which the body escaped the
remarkable" high capacity pinhole. Apparently" the hole can only accommodate so many
trillions of gala/ies before the pressure of it all causes the highly compressed mass to
finally blow.
3ot only does the idea of radiation lacking mass defy reason" it leads to numerous
errors in the understanding of natural phenomenon. A good e/ample is the bending of
light. Current theory asserts that blue light refracts more than red light because it mo!es
at a slower clip than the weaker" less massi!e" impulse. $hats like saying loud noises
propagate through the air at a faster clip than &uieter ones ignoring the fact that all
longitudinal impulses" which is what light is" mo!e at the same !elocity in their mediums
as others. $he truth is that blue light bends more than red light when passing through a
prism because there are more ether particles in!ol!ed in its impulse and it takes longer
for them to tor&ue from air into the higher density medium of the glass prism and so it
bends more. 4ince %arth science has decreed in its arrogance that light impulses are
mass6less entities that collecti!ely make up the phenomenon called energy there is no
way it can fathom the simple truth of the matter.
%. 7n the atom.
Its the layered nature of the stratified gaseous outer atmosphere of an atom that
determines how and why its optical light emissions occur in the manner in which they do.
A good analogy is %arths atmosphere. Like that of a gaseous atom" our planets
atmosphere is di!ided into layers where the hottest" most e/pansi!e layer is that which
meets the gaseous ether of outer space. $he layers below are progressi!ely cooler" less
e/pansi!e and therefore denser as one draws near the planets surface. $he same is true
of an atoms optical atmosphere. Its outermost layer is its hottest" most e/pansi!e layer
because it interacts directly with the ether of atomic inner space whereas the ones below
are progressi!ely cooler" less e/pansi!e and therefore thicker because they are protected
from the ether by the optical layers abo!e.
+hen an ob)ect such as an atom dri!es into a gaseous atoms outer optical
atmospheric layer" called here L1" no emission can occur until L1 is dri!en all the way
into the outer edge of the ne/t higher density layer below it designated here as L;.
7therwise the atoms bound away from one another elastically and instead of their
momentum being con!erted into radiant energy" it is e/pended as kinetic motion
e/plaining why optical emissions are discrete rather than continuous. It also e/plains
where the &uanta" &uanta means )ump" in &uantum physics comes from.
If the momentum of an encroaching ob)ect or ether impulse is of sufficient force to
dri!e L1 all the way into L;" trapped particles are accelerated to escape !elocity" light
speed" and a concussion impulse mo!es out the atom into the ether as radiation. $his first
spectral line in an atom is its resonant optical light emission and it must occur before
other optical emissions are possible unless the atom is in a meta6stable state as will be
e/plained.
If the momentum of an incoming mass is of sufficient force" it will dri!e L1 not
only into L;" but continue deeper into the higher density gaseous fluid below. 3o new
emission can occur" howe!er" until the thrust is of sufficient strength to dri!e L1 into the
ne/t lower layer labeled here L>. If it comes short of L> only the L1 to L; emission
occurs and the e/tra momentum is" again" e/pended as kinetic energy causing the atom
and incoming mass to spring away from one another elastically. If" howe!er" L1 does
reach L> not only will the L1 to L; resonant light be emitted" itll be followed by the
more energetic L1 to L> emission which means" simply" that theres a greater ether mass
in!ol!ed in the impulse. 3ot only that" but before the L1 to L> emission can occur" the
less energetic lower fre&uency L; to L> emission will ha!e occurred as well.
7ne can see why the L; to L> thrust creates a weaker emission than the two
mentioned abo!e. As the L1 electron fluid layer approaches the edge of the L> layer
below" L; strikes L> before it can recei!e the full force of the mo!ing mass dri!ing in on
it from behind. $he L; to L> thrust in!ol!es fewer ether particles than when L1 strikes
L> and is a weaker light emission as a result. $he abo!e analysis applies to all L1 to
LO light emissions of the hydrogen atom" the Lyman 4eries" and the lower fre&uency
series that they e!oke. $hat includes the L; to LO Balmer 4eries" L> to LO =it16<aschen
4eries" LB to LO Brackett 4eries" and L? to LO <fund 4eries. $he entire optical spectrum
of hydrogen can be accounted for by this simple analysis.
$he abo!e analysis accounts for the normal light emissions of hydrogen" but the
matter can be complicated by special circumstances. If atoms !ibrate fast enough" as is
the case in the corona of the sun for instance" L1 may not ha!e time to release from L;
before being struck by an ob)ect or impulse" or it can become rigidly attached to L;
thereby delaying its release. If L1 sticks to L; on enough atoms" the L; to LO Balmer
4eries becomes the primary emission spectra. $he atom is said to be in a meta6stable
state which creates" energy wise" a slightly different Balmer 4eries spectra than what
occurs when L1 dri!es L; into L>. $he fine structure energy difference of emissions is a
technical and somewhat tri!ial matter and wont be further dealt with here.
$he optical atmosphere can only de!elop on gaseous atoms that are e/posed to the
ether because it doesnt e!aporate up from the electron fluid as one might e/pect. =ather
it condenses out of the ether as ether particles lose energy to the atom and its outer
electron fluid layer. $he atom in turn radiates the energy back into ether space. $he
optical atmosphere dissipates into the ether when the outer electron fluid layer on atoms
displace it by )oining together to form the li&uid ether suction that is the chemical bond.
$he optical atmosphere dissol!es or returns back into the ether when the electron
fluid on the mutually facing surface of two gaseous atoms unite to form the li&uid suction
that as stated is the chemical bond. -owe!er" for that to happen they must penetrate each
others optical atmosphere and cushion into their outer electron fluid layers. If their
optical atmospheres are e/tensi!e" as is the case with gaseous helium" and their electronic
surfaces hard and compact" as is also the case with helium" then atoms ha!e to come in so
fast to penetrate the atmosphere that they cant cushion into each others electron fluid to
form the li&uid suction that composes the chemical bond. $hey rebound from each other
elastically instead and that is why helium in an inert gas.
$he electron fluid forms in layers like the optical atmosphere but because theyre
li&uid rather than gaseous in nature its outermost layer is its thinnest" coolest layer
whereas the opposite is true with the atmosphere. $he situation is the same as that which
e/ists between the %arths gaseous atmosphere and its fluid oceans below where the
pressure is least at the surface but can become crushing in the depths of the sea. $he
number and density of an atoms electron fluid layers increase from atom to atom as one
progresses up the periodical chart of elements and with a few e/ceptions they correspond
to the electron orbital shell structure of &uantum physics.
$he electron fluid layer that butts up against and surrounds an atoms nucleus is
thought of by &uantum physicists as an atoms innermost k orbital. $hereafter a series of
orbitals supposedly form abo!e the k layers on larger atoms. $hey are named the l" m" n"
o" p" and & orbitals. $his &uantum mechanical model mimics in part the true life situation
that e/ists on atoms and because of that it has functional !alue" but in reality the letters
correspond to the li&uid ether fluid layers that pile up on one another as nuclei are added
to atoms as we progress up the periodical table.
$he &uantum model reflects the true life structure of atoms fluid layers reasonably
well on most atoms as mentioned but it misses the mark on some which is to be e/pected
as the model is fallacious. $hat is especially so with some of the metals where the si1e
and density of their outermost fluid layers are almost identical to the si1e and density of
the atoms abo!e and below them in terms of atom number. Puantum theorists belie!e
that the outer !alence# electron can skip inner orbits in preference for those further out
but that misrepresents the situation entirely and the orbital6fluid layer analogy breaks
down as a result. $he real life fluid layers pile up on one another from atom to atom
without any space between them" but because the consistency and si1e of the outer fluid
layers on some metals are similar theorists assumed that at times the outer orbital remains
the same from atom to atom. =ather" its the inner orbitals that are being filled after
ha!ing been pre!iously )umped o!er. $ruth is that its impossible that there could be gaps
between fluid layers and the only reason that many metals ha!e chemical properties
similar to one another is that their outermost electron fluid layers are alike in terms of
density and !olume.
Its beyond reason to think as with the electron particle orbit theory that do1ens of
solid ob)ect electrons could orbit an atoms nucleus at )ust the right spacing with )ust the
right energy to mo!e in the orbitals re&uired to make the &uantum mechanical theory
work. 3ot only that" but with optical emissions" the hard particle electron is re&uired to
)ump from the surface of the atom" the outer electron fluid layer" to select orbitals and
back again in distincti!e" well6defined special steps for no natural reason e/cept that they
are re&uired to do that to make the theory work properly. <roponents of the theory go
further by saying that although the electron is a singular ob)ect when orbiting an atoms
atmosphere it is at the same time a spread out cloud of an unknown material that co!ers
the whole of the optical atmosphere. *iraculously" its a cloud and solid at the same time
which should come as no surprise as miracles occur with regularity in modern physics
when theoretical concerns re&uire them as has been discussed.
$he reason that &uantum theorists had to come up with the abo!e nonsense is
because the real life optical atmosphere of a gaseous atom is made up of gaseous ether
particles compressed into layers of !arying si1e and density and if they fail to treat it as
such the model breaks down. $hat is what happened when 3iels Bohr came up with the
idea that the atmosphere was caused by a )umping electron early in the ;@
th
century. $he
theory e/plained part of what was going on with the atom in regards to the spacing of the
atmospheric layers but hit a wall soon after which had to happen. -eisenberg and
4chrodinger had better success by treating the orbitals as cloud layers but aware that the
electron fluid mo!es like ob)ects when e/pelled from atoms" they con)ured up the idea
that it was both an orbital and cloud at the same time.
+hen electron fluid layers are added to the atom as one progresses up the
periodical table it compresses the layers below. $he k layer is the most pressuri1ed layer
on e!ery atom because it lies at the bottom of the pile )ust abo!e the nuclear fluid.
<redictably" its density increases with regularity as one mo!es up the listing of atoms.
$he fact was noted by -enry *oseley in 1I1> when he determined the atomic number of
an atom by bombarding them with O6rays. $hey dro!e the l" m" n" etc." fluid layers into
the k layer and the k layer into the nuclear fluid below.
Although the density of the k fluid increases with regularity as one progresses from
atom to atom up the periodical table to determine its atomic number there is an
irregularity to it as well. $he k fluid resists compression until all at once it gi!es and
thats why a &uantum increase or package like )ump of energy was obser!ed in the k
emission from atom to atom. $he regularity was noteworthy and a surprise to physicists
at the time in that optical emissions follow no such pattern as you proceed from one
gaseous atom to another or gaseous molecules.
$he positi!e charge of a nucleus occurs because the surrounding ether and sub
ether fields of di!isible e/istence lose energy to its mass which radiates it away back into
the ether proper. $he pressure of the surrounding ether field drops as a result which
causes atomic bodies in the !icinity to be dri!en toward the nuclei. $he situation is
complicated when the nuclear low pressure center of two nuclei are masked by the
nuclear fluid" howe!er. +hen two protons approach each other" for instance" their
nuclear fluids are initially pushed toward one another because of the ether pressure deficit
that they both emit. $hat causes the ether pressure on their now unshielded backsides to
plummet and the bodies end up being pushed away from one another by the now higher
pressure ether space between them. $he phenomenon happens so fast it makes it seem
from our gross" slower mo!ing perspecti!e as if the protons repelled each other from the
beginning but thats not the case.
<rotons are pushed from one another" but that doesnt occur when they encounter
the electron fluid. $he fluids mass is consistent throughout and so without a
counter!ailing force to alter its course it is simply pushed to the low ether pressure
proton. $he neutron lacks nuclear fluid and because of that its e/posed surface radiates
an ether pressure deficit out in all directions e&ually. Its dimensions are so small"
howe!er" that its deficit shadow e/tends into ether space for only a short distance making
it more of a nuclear rather than atomic phenomenon. $he strength of the nuclear force is
due to the powerful" high6density li&uid suction that de!elops between nuclei.
3uclear fluid can be e)ected from atoms the same as nucleons. It can be knocked
out by hard /6rays" atomic bodies or when an atom undergoes a nuclear transformation.
Like electrons" it can lea!e the atom as a li&uid streamer but the ether and sub ether fields
of di!isible e/istence break it up and dri!e its parts into spherical form soon after. It is
known as a beta particle when it lea!es the nucleus but decompresses and breaks up into
a number of electrons soon after. $he initial density of the e)ected fluid depends on how
compressed it was on a particular atom Gwhich depends on its atomic numberH and where
within the nucleus it was e)ected. $he optical fluid is a compressed gas and as such cant
e/ist away from the atom as stated.
F. 7n energy
%nergy is a &uantified measure of ether particle momentum. $ake kinetic energy.
A car mo!ing at B@ mph possesses not two but four times the energy that it has when
mo!ing at ;@ mph and it has I times the energy when mo!ing at E@ !ersus ;@ mph. $he
manner in which the energy increases is counterintuiti!e as one would think that the car
mo!ing at B@ !ersus ;@ mph would ha!e twice the energy and three times the energy
when mo!ing at E@ mph.
$hat the s&uare of the !elocity should e&ual the energy of an ob)ect only makes
sense if one factors in the ether. $he tires of an accelerating car must push against the
atoms of the road for the car to gain forward thrust" which seems like a straightforward
concept. +hat we dont think about is that the atoms are held in place by a sea of ether
particles that resist displacement. +e dont see the spherical concussion wa!e that is sent
back through the ether as car tires push off the atoms and ether particles of the road to
accelerate. $he greater the rate of acceleration" the greater the magnitude of the
concussion wa!e created. $he same thing occurs when it stops. $ires push against the
road ahead as the car brakes so that a concussion wa!e is sent forward into the atoms and
ether particles of the road. $he amount of energy that was used to accelerate the !ehicle
must now be used to decelerate it allowing for friction and heat loss.
$he reason that the energy of the car grows by the s&uare of the !elocity is that the
wa!es that it creates while accelerating and decelerating are spherical where the area of
the sphere e/pands geometrically by the s&uare of the radius. $ake a light bulb. $he
intensity of the light diminishes by the s&uare of the distance and so if one stands four
rather than two feet from the light it diminishes not to half its original intensity but a
&uarter of it. As the car accelerates to a higher !elocity" the spherical concussion wa!e
e/pands geometrically behind it as the tires push against the growing number of ether
particles of the e/panding sphere. $he same is true when it breaks to create a forward
concussion wa!e. Its tires must now push against the atoms and ether particles ahead that
hold it in place to brake.
An interesting fact about an ob)ect mo!ing through the ether is that once it has
accelerated to a constant !elocity it mo!es freely thereafter minus friction and air
resistance. Although an ether wa!e follows it in front and back" it doesnt hinder its
mo!ement. $his is the nature of kinetic energy and the truth behind (e Broglies
assertion that mo!ing ob)ects create wa!es that follow them through space. $he strength
of the wa!e depends upon the momentum of the ob)ect but the situation changes when
ob)ects mo!e through the ether at high !elocity as noted by %instein and others before
him. $he ether can no longer conform to an ob)ects !elocity and it resists further
acceleration.
A better e/ample of kinetic energy is the hypothetical rocket ship streaking through
space. $he ships thrusters must push off the ether to accelerate as there are no atoms of
note and when it does it creates a spherical concussion wa!e the magnitude of which
depends upon the ships rate of acceleration. $he re!erse is true when it decelerates. $he
ad!antage of this e/ample is that it eliminates atoms from the mi/ so that we can see the
principle in simplest form.
$he abo!e analysis e/plains %insteins energy e&uation. $he reason the speed of
light is s&uared when all or part of a nucleus is etheri1ed is that the particles that blow
create spherical concussion wa!es that propagate out as ether impulses. $his defines
energy as an ether phenomenon and yet it can ha!e a greater meaning. A ships rockets
not only push off the ether of space" they also push off all the sub ether particles of
e/istence to create spherical concussion wa!es that mo!e outward at super light
!elocities. 8ra!ity utili1es this kind of energy to e/ert its force across the uni!erse.