Part of me thought about climbing down and setting up on one of the thick limbs below but I just couldn’t shake what was an intense curiosity at this point. I had to see what was on the other end of this ladder. At this thought, I looked up, just hoping to see something through the clouds and tree foliage and there was something. It looked like a house; similar in looks---at least from the bottom, to the BALLASTAH that Miles and I stayed at. The ladder would lead me directly to a door at the bottom of this house; specifically, a small wooden door that was presently closed.
Excited at my new discovery; I ignored the soreness in my shoulders and thighs and the pace with which I was climbing picked up so that my foot had clumsily slipped a few times off a rung. At least get to the door Baxter--- thinking about the long fall that I had already survived in the transporter. I finally reached the door and gave a firm knocked on it, despite being completely exhausted.
When no one answered; I banged on it saying, “Please, let me in; I’ve come a very long way to get here, Please!”
I looked down and said in an undertone, “A very long way.”
I hadn’t noticed it initially but there was a thin covering on the door that soon slid open and revealed a peak out hole whereby finally two solid white eyeballs appeared. I locked eyes with the stranger on the other side of that door who was looking down on me.
I heard a voice from the other side of that door say in a mostly gurgled tone, “You have come a long way; I’d say a very long way William Baxter.”
The peep hole shut, “Wait, how do you know my name?”
A few seconds passed and the entire door opened. Warm air hit my face as an amber glow illuminated the night sky.
I didn’t initially see the stranger but his voice cut the silence when he called out, “Please come in quickly.”
I climbed into the dwelling and saw the stranger for the first time; sitting in an enormous, thickly wooden high-back chair. Next to the stranger was a chocolate Labrador; which stuck me to appear bizarre on this alien planet. The dog’s mouth was open; breathing heavy and tongue unassumingly out like a red welcome mat. I slowly pulled my legs in.
I perceived the gurgle sound in his voice was getting better when the stranger said; “The dog won’t bite. She is actually the only dog in the LOMMETRUS galaxy---a friendly Earth creature; and was a must have during my recent visit to your planet. Please; sit down and make yourself comfortable.”
The individual appeared as something different than anyone I’d seen here on ALVERON. He was medium height and had a slight build with thinning white hair and effervescent white eyes. His skin was brown and gritty, like sand paper but also seemed to have a sparkling quality to it. I noticed his hands that looked out of place with his slender body as they looked strong and meaty. The Labrador pressed her nose under the stranger’s hand, initiating a petting movement from her master. He wore a black cloak that shimmered and strangely reflected light from the fire next to him.
He spoke again to me, this time with a clearest tone yet, “I have not opened that door for a stranger in a thousand years.”
This astonished me for an instant.
I then answered back, “Mister; you’re the stranger---you know my name but I don’t know yours. How did you or rather how do you know me?”
The stranger smiled, “That’s correct William, I haven’t introduced myself to you; my name is CHANAH. You must forgive me; I haven’t seen or talked to very many life forms; other than my trees and my dog MAXIE of course”---his head now turning toward the dog---“in many, many decades.”
“You are hungry---yes? Please stay for some supper. I can prepare for you some of my delicious SORPOMPEAU stew.”
I was a bit overwhelmed but managed to find my manners in this confusion and say, “Thank You, CHANAH---is it? Thank you---that sounds great.”
CHANAH sprang up and went to his kitchen where I heard sounds of clinging or the noisy evidence that busy fingers were at work in a kitchen and then soon a sweet aroma followed. I replayed the last several hours of my day. Within minutes, CHANAH appeared with a modest looking bowl and spoon.
My stomach responded with a growl and CHANAH chimed teasingly, “You better get this down quickly.”
I received the bowl and tentatively ate the first spoonful. Automatically I grinned and then the sound of a spoon clicking against the bowl as I ate with gusto would precede my request for more SORPOMPEAU. I did this with some embarrassment after two more bowls but CHANAH seemed delighted at this sight.
When my belly was full, the host exclaimed, “Humans ability to enjoy the simple pleasures in life have always fascinated me.”
I was now a little embarrassed at how hurriedly I inhaled my supper. CHANAH gave me a pat on my back.
It’s curious but CHANAH was keen on making me feel comfortable in this new place. He threw a blanket around me as I was eating and gave me something to drink that sent a warm feeling to my stomach. It wasn’t long before I felt completely at ease with my gracious host. We began to talk.
“Thank you for letting me into your home and giving me something to eat and drink. I’m not sure I’ve had a better meal in my life---really.”
CHANAH’s hand waved at this and with a warm grin said, “William, it has been my pleasure to have you here.”
I nodded and repeated the question I’d wanted to know since I got here, “How do you know my name CHANAH?”
CHANAH sat back, as if to ponder this question before proceeding and then started; “William; you will have to excuse me as I carry on from the beginning. Tens of thousands of years ago, my ancestors received a gift from what they simply called; the great BEING, who was more powerful than anyone of that day could possibly fathom. Now this gift was a special covenant; a rare agreement between this great BEING and some other life form. This covenant or gift came with a supernatural power to see all things but also a great responsibility. In your language William, my ancestors became known by the plain people of simpler days as the ‘the majestic shepherds.’”
While I was familiar with the term; or at least, understood the symbolism---this confused me so I asked CHANAH, “The grand shepherds; what does that mean? Like real shepherds tending a flock of sheep in a pasture somewhere?”
CHANAH made a motion with his hand and materializing from the vacant space between him and me; suddenly, an image of my parents appeared. The image was clear; like watching television or movie projection---except without a screen. They were sitting at their breakfast table; dad was engrossed in the business section of their daily newspaper and drinking a cup of coffee. The old man studied the commodities report on agriculture and livestock religiously. Mom was also drinking a cup of coffee but was doing one of her puzzles in the paper.
“You see William, like my ancestors before me, I can see everything. I can watch everybody. I am also guardian of this great power---a watcher of all life and I’ve been watching you for some time now. I was; in fact, told to watch you, I wasn’t sure why but did so because the BEING instructed me to. I am now certain of the BEING’s reason for watching you William but you are far from home; in a land you don’t belong in.”
CHANAH paused at this, “It is through no fault of yours or Miles for that matter; that you have arrived here in the LOMMETRUS GALAXY.”
CHANAH was speaking slower at this point, pausing as if contemplating on the right word usage for this explanation. “I…I tried to prevent the….council’s attempt in bringing you here. It was….;” CHANAH paused a long moment and I almost spoke when he finished what he was trying to say; “me in that lit office on the seventeenth floor; on that final day before Miles snatched you away. I thought if I could protect you from the council’s plan then you’d be safe.”
I was still watching the image of my parents as CHANAH spoke; longing to speak with them immediately, wishing at that moment I was with them instead of here on ALVERON. The eerie experience that day didn’t match up with the kind and seemingly gentl
e CHANAH. I couldn’t think of anything to say or ask except, “Can you send me back to Earth CHANAH?”
CHANAH shook his head. “Now that you are here William, I will not be allowed to help you with that. It has been decided---this is a journey you will have to take.”
The image of my parents disappeared.
“Your path is set William and unfortunately by no decision or decisions from you but the careless actions of others in this world. You will be at the very least, an integral bystander to important events this world and maybe your world observes. The decisions are now in your hands and those choices will determine which path you end up on at the end of this journey.”
CHANAH’s cryptic language only produced more questions in my mind but I didn’t ask them. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to ask first when something new that CHANAH presented caught my attention. CHANAH went on, “You are not the only human in the LOMMETRUS GALAXY; there is another, the one the council is really after.”
“Who is he or…she;” leaning forward and astonished at this new revelation.
CHANAH looked at me and leaned forward as well, “Sonya Meyers; and she was brought here; albeit through deception, to save you.”
I couldn’t believe my ears as that name left CHANAH’s mouth. Why would Sonya Meyers rescue me? What on Earth could motivate her to do such a dangerous thing? I laughed, unsure how to handle this piece of information. We are just coworkers; I mean, she’s kind of been a mentor to me and I’d consider her one of my few friends at work but this went way above and beyond; I paused at this astonishing thought to examine it more.
“You said CHANAH; that the council is really after her--- why was I involved in all of this then?”
CHANAH looked into the distance with a saddened expression---perhaps at an image that was not revealed to me---and he spoke, “There is a lot that you don’t know about Sonya Meyers. She has suffered great tragedy in her life, something that no parent… it should not have happened;” CHANAH paused at this.
“The tragedy has given her a special inspiration to save you. The ALVERON’S are aware of Sonya’s past by way of information revealed through their own; albeit, somewhat limited watcher’ and knew Sonya would respond to the method of you being kidnapped by aliens. The plan was working to perfection until you and Miles had your transporter accident.”
“What is it they want Sonya to do?”
CHANAH’s eyes came alive as he said, “Wait a minute William, I’m getting to that.”
I sat back in my chair as CHANAH continued, “Nearly two centuries ago, the LOMMETRUS galaxy was peaceful and it had been this way for many centuries. All twelve of the planets played a role in this peaceful existence. There were no major or minor planets as they all lived as absolute equals. In fact, it was quite a common thing to see intermarriage between an ALVERON or STONIAN and a NOBIAN or WEGOAN. Strategy often came into play among the leaders as these marriages made trading among the planets easier. It was just good business to marry off a daughter or son to an equal trading partner from another planet. This was the way for thousands of centuries and was spectacular to watch because these were such peaceful times,” CHANAH said this with a warm expression on his face.
CHANAH went on, “As I mentioned before, this was so until nearly two hundred years ago, until a scientist from ALVERON made a fantastic discovery. He built a machine that could manipulate weather. His intentions were good as he built the great machine to help farmers produce better crops during dry seasons and this did; in fact, benefit the farmers and the many people in the galaxy. The scientist really had no evil motives for the machine he built and proudly handed it over to the ALVERON leaders to share with the rest of the galaxy. It just so happened at the time of the weather machine discovery that a WEGOAN male and the daughter of an ALVERON leader were arranged for marriage. Unbeknown to the WEGOAN male’s father and to the ALVERON leader, the WEGOAN son had secretly eloped with a NOBI woman. The son was too afraid to tell his father this and the wedding plans were made for him to marry the ALVERON girl. The ALVERON daughter and her father were humiliated when the WEGOAN son just didn’t show up for the wedding. The daughter was devastated by this as word travelled through the galaxy about what had happened. The WEGOAN son settled with his new NOBI bride on her native planet for a time; hoping that the angry ALVERON leader would forget him. You see, the WEGOAN son kept running away from this conflict until it built up into something greater than he or anyone could have imagined. The ALVERON leader never forgot, even after his daughter married a STONIAN and lived happily on STONIA. The anger built in the ALVERON leader as the years went on. What also increased was his role as a leader. His influence had become great and he became the most important decision maker on the newly formed ALVERON council. One night, several months after his STONIAN son-in-law had passed away from his battle with the DRICKONSION illness, his daughter wept in his arms, recalling all the bad things that had happened to her in this life. She listed, of course, the embarrassing moment in front of all her friends and family, something she carried with her as well. The father tried to console her but his anger swelled up inside him, remembering that day vividly but this memory was also slightly skewed by the years of hatred for the WEGOAN boy. Anyway, this final blow; the death of her husband, it overwhelmed her. The next morning she was found dead--- next to a dozen scattered SCHOENCOTH pills meant for use in small dosages to rest but deadly when overdosed. The ALVERON grieved with anger burning inside at this point.”
I was astonished at this final detail CHANAH had shared. I began to realize that these aliens weren’t strangers to the similar tragedies that occurred on my planet. Personal grief, disappointment, embarrassment and anger were human words but feelings that could exist billions of miles from Earth.
It was still not understood why Sonya and I were involved in all this so I listened more as CHANAH spoke, “The ALVERON leader searched for the WEGOAN man that rejected his daughter all those years ago. He found him on WOCO; he was a farmer you see, a plain farmer that moved his family from NOBI to create a better life. He was becoming quite successful at this trade too as farmers from WOCO appreciate the planet’s richly mineral laden soil. WOCO is the leading exporter of crops for the entire galaxy because of this. The WEGOAN had matured and always felt bad for being such a coward all those years ago but never made any effort to apologize to the ALVERON man and his daughter---thinking that time had probably healed the whole situation and he was all but a distant memory to both of them. Meanwhile, the ALVERON man began to exert his influence on other council members. He would argue, ‘Why should ALVERON be forced to pay these outrageous prices for the crops that the insignificant planet WOCO charges? Why don’t we exercise some of our own power to create a more competitive advantage in pricing? Maybe the other planets would follow as they become fearful of ALVERON’s scientific power to influence. It’s time ALVERON took its place at the front of the line. We are different, not like the rest of these planets that toil with physical means to earn a living. We are smarter; superior to a planet like WOCO.’ Another council member would ask; ‘What is it that you have in mind?’ The ALVERON leader had the group’s full attention at this point and he charted out the most evil plan that the galaxy would ever know. ‘Eliminate them with the weather machine,’ the ALVERON exclaimed. This idea was well received among the council members. They would start with the WOCO planet, creating horrific winds and hail storms that easily destroyed villages and they specifically targeted the WEGOAN farmer and his family. Once the ALVERON’s revenge was handed out toward the farmer though; this really became a secondary motive as his power to change things intoxicated the ALVERON leader. In fact, the entire council fell under this spell and soon proceeded to use the weather machine on other planets; including WEGOAN and NOBI. The ALVERON planet had officially declared war on the other planets, save for a few powerful alliances formed between STONIA, EPHIA and VECILOI. These three planets and ALVERON soon became known as the major plane
ts; they were now the ones in charge while the other eight served as slave planets in the galaxy. ”
I now saw why Miles wasn’t comfortable talking about the minor planets in the space ship. Was Miles ashamed at the past and present actions of his home planet? Did he lie to me about his government and their intentions for me or was he too; left out of the loop. I couldn’t imagine Miles betraying me; after all, we are friends, right. CHANAH explained some of the horrific means of control the ALVERONS used by way of technological advances that the other planets never developed.
“Additionally William, there had been an underground brotherhood of ALVERONS, STONIANS, EPHIANS and VECILOIS that soon manifested themselves into leadership positions when the chance arrived to influence how their planets received the new slave labor from the minor planets. ALVERON received most of the benefits; meaning, the majority of the minor planets but the other three were equally given an entire planet to have their dirty work done for them. ALVERON gladly shared their control technology with the other three. Now ALVERON had five minor planets or slave colonies they controlled; NOBI, WEGOAN, WOCO, NACINN and ODEPHIS; STONIA has CLEVIA; VECILOI has RIMEAUS and EPHIA has OCKTORON. Now, fast forward a century to present day; the ALVERONS cleverly devised a plan to lure Sonya here by having Miles bring you to ALVERON; whereby, creating a reason that Sonya would leave with another alien to save you. It is an ALVERON woman that is bringing Sonya here, you see. Once the council had Sonya, they were going to use you as motivation to get Sonya to participate in their evil scheme.”
The motivation part still puzzled me but I continued to listen.
“In plain words; ‘we will kill William if you don’t do as we say,’” CHANAH said.
I wished at that moment Miles had been with me to discuss these things with CHANAH. Then my mind shifted as I became curious on why the ALVERON’S chose Sonya.
“What do the ALVERONS want Sonya to do?”
CHANAH pulled a piece of GLYSTIN from his pocket and asked; “William, how much do you know, I mean really know about this metal?”
I had to confess to CHANAH that I didn’t know much if anything about it other than my admiration for its beauty. CHANAH shook his head and continued; “Would you like to know about the metal---why it seems to have a life quality to it that is unmatched by any metal?”
I was drawn to what seemed like CHANAH being mysterious about his own question. I nodded my head and said; “Yes, please tell me.”
“The metal, William, is in fact an alien bacterium which is congealed by the FLASCHIN process. It was believed that this FLASCHIN process couldn’t be reversed. I fear the ALVERON council has found a way to reverse the process, making GLYSTIN a dangerous weapon against any planet that chooses to buy or trade for the GLYSTIN metal.”
The evil plan by the ALVERONS was beginning to take shape in my mind; “So if the ALVERONS have someone with the reputation of a Sonya Meyers to sell this; metal or alien bacteria, to the people of Earth---then they could conceivably use this reverse FLASCHIN method to control the planet once enough of it is used by humans.”
CHANAH spoke; “You see William, your Earth could indeed be a test case for the rest of the planets in other galaxies.”
The LOMMETRUS Chronicles: Book One: The Abduction of William Baxter Page 8