by TJ Viola
Relaxed at last, she was able to think clearly about how to develop a relationship with Danny. She put the time machine into hibernation for the night.
*****
Zeiss was tuning the equipment when Yolan entered the control room the next morning.
Zeiss sensed Yolan as she entered. “I was about to send Mylo to your quarters. We’re ready to start transmitting again.”
“I don’t believe we are.”
Both Zeiss and Mylo stopped what they were doing and watched as Yolan sat at their meeting table.
“I must know more about Danny before making first contact.”
Zeiss’s aura glowed an increasingly deeper red, indicating his level of agitation. “I agree, so let’s find out if he’s telepathic.”
“And if he is—what then? This first contact is critical. I need to gain his trust and convince him that I’m real and that he’s not hallucinating. To do that I need more information about him and his family.”
Mylo evaluated the tension that was building and intervened. “I agree with Yolan. We should order the androids we have in the Earth base to gather all pertinent information needed for a first contact.”
“No one asked you,” Zeiss snapped.
“I didn’t think I needed to be asked to interact. If that is your desire, I suggest you change my programming—but if you do, I won’t be of much use.”
“That’s not necessary,” Yolan said to Mylo, and then turned to Zeiss.
“Zeiss, I understand your urgency, but the more we know about Danny, the more effective I’ll be. In the long run we’ll save time.”
As he left the control room, Zeiss ordered Mylo to use the time machine to contact the androids on Earth.
The Quest to Save Earth Begins
Earth
2030
Grillion and Ammag
2060
(in earth years)
Chapter 8
Danny O’Malley
Z eiss and Yolan sat together in the control room discussing the report Mylo had compiled from information gathered by the two androids stationed on Earth. The report contained details from Danny’s medical and school records, as well as his parents’ private and public computer files.
At an early age, Danny’s parents were faced with the reality their son had attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, better known as ADHD. Constantly in a state of agitation, Danny found it difficult to focus long enough to complete a task. Easily distracted and disruptive in school, he made few friends and often fought with his schoolmates. Life with Danny had been a challenge, and in a way, his parents were relieved when they received a definitive diagnosis; understanding the reason for his disruptive behavior enabled them to research available medical interventions. The traditional form of treatment for ADHD was to use powerful, mind-altering medications that unfortunately had the risk of serious side effects, including loss of appetite and some basic personality changes.
The O’Malleys resisted the use of drug therapies and had decided on an alternative method of treatment known as neurofeedback. Neurofeedback had only recently been accepted by the medical community, even though it had been in limited use since the early 1990s. Fortunately, a clinic that specialized in neurofeedback was located in a nearby town, so Danny began treatment at the age of nine. The results after ten weeks of treatment were remarkable. Impressed with Danny’s improved ability to concentrate, his parents purchased a neurofeedback system that could be integrated with their home computer network. Danny’s dad, Philip, a physicist with NASA, and his mom, Althea, a computer specialist, were able to improve the gaming software that came with the neurofeedback equipment, motivating Danny to voluntarily increase the frequency and intensity of his treatments.
As with most ADHD students, Danny’s quantitative electroencephalogram, or QEEG, indicated he had an abnormal theta to beta brain wave ratio. His brain was dominated by theta waves, causing his inability to focus—theta waves were indicative of deep relaxation. This explained why he sought extra stimulation by fighting and taking extraordinary risks when playing. He subconsciously was trying to generate more beta wave stimulation. Danny’s treatment consisted of using his brain waves to play computer games that were designed to reduce his theta to beta ratio from 9:1 to 3:1, a more normal QEEG pattern.
Danny’s initial therapy consisted of simple Pac-Man-type computer games that increased in difficulty as his performance improved. The more advanced games required he alternate between theta and beta waves to improve his score, thereby training him to actively control his theta to beta ratio.
Over time, Danny became skilled at playing the most advanced neurofeedback games. Not only had he improved his behavior and ability to concentrate, he scored fifteen points higher in IQ testing. Everyone involved in Danny’s treatment was impressed with his progress, especially Danny’s parents, who had spent considerable time and effort upgrading his gaming console.
Zeiss acknowledged his mistake after reading the report.
“You and Mylo were right. Knowing background information will help us communicate effectively with Danny and solve a major concern I had.”
Yolan looked up from her console. “What concern?”
“As you know, the transmission from the thought-time apparatus sends out a focused beam that can be adjusted, but not to the level required to target an individual. Anyone within several miles will receive the transmission if they have telepathic abilities.”
“How is that a problem? I’ve been scanning Earth for months, through several Earth years, and only found one individual who could detect my transmissions.”
“His grandfather—who lives in the same town.”
They both smiled, Yolan because she missed the obvious, and Zeiss because he enjoyed catching her in a mental error. More striking, they both smiled by altering their facial expressions in the manner of an Earthling, along with the smile expressed by the hue of their auras.
Yolan quickly resumed her natural demeanor. “You said you have a solution.”
“We can use Danny’s neurofeedback gaming console as a conduit for communicating with him; actually, we can utilize any of his electronics. We already have the capability. The transmissions we send to the androids on Earth are at undetectable, ultra-high frequencies. The androids can then tap into Danny’s electronic devices and input your thoughts. The reverse is also true. The androids can receive his thought waves from the same electronic device.
“We need to maintain two channels into the past—one to Danny and one to the base. His telepathic communications can come back to us on either channel.”
Yolan sat at the controls of the time machine and put on the transmission helmet. “Let’s find out if Danny takes after his grandfather.”
*****
Danny’s parents were constantly upgrading his neurofeedback system with new hardware and software features, many of which were of their own design. By enhancing the system, they maintained Danny’s interest in using neurofeedback, making it more of a fun activity than part of his medical treatment.
The system was in a separate room that had remote-controlled black shades covering all the windows. The apparatus consisted of a comfortable armchair with numerous hand controls, as well as electromechanical foot pedals. The chair was attached to an eight-foot-diameter circular metal rail that enabled the chair to travel in a circle at variable speeds. In the center of this circle was a floor display that projected 3D holographic video images at eye level. This awesome setup allowed Danny the ability to travel around the hologram as he played his video games. In addition to the hand and foot controls, he wore a helmet that monitored selected brain waves for critical game control and, in the more advanced games, his eye movements were tracked by light-emitting diodes for another dimension of control and complexity.
*****
It was early Sunday morning, and Danny was eager to finish the neurofeedback space game he had started the night before. As Danny electronically lowered the sh
ades, a holographic image of the solar system appeared. He strapped on his headgear and activated the system to finish a game called, ironically, Invasion Earth.
Shortly after he started playing, Yolan sent a greeting. To their disappointment, there was no reaction from Danny.
Zeiss increased the transmission power level and tweaked several other controls. “Keep sending the message. It’s too early to get discouraged,” he said to Yolan—as well as to himself.
It didn’t take long before Danny had to use brain waves to maneuver his spaceship to avoid an incoming projectile. At that precise moment, he ripped off his helmet.
“Mom! Mom! Did you change the software again?”
Althea entered the room carrying a load of wash.
“No, why?”
“I heard my name called through the headset.”
“Not possible. The programs don’t have interactive dialogue.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. I am thinking about making changes to the software to activate your chair so you have the sensation of actually flying a spaceship.”
“When can I have that?”
“You will have to wait a week or two. I have to complete several high-priority projects at work, with financial penalties if not finished on time.”
Excited about the possibility of a new enhancement, he replaced his helmet but hesitated before interacting with the game—listening for his name.
Yolan jumped out of her chair. “He heard me!”
Mylo looked pensive. “A necessary but insufficient condition for us to be successful. The question is, did you hear him?” he asked.
“I did! He was planning an evasive move and anticipating the enemies’ countermeasures.”
Zeiss moved to the conference table, joined by Mylo and Yolan.
“Let’s take a moment to understand what just happened,” Zeiss said. “Danny didn’t hear the transmission until he was concentrating on reducing his theta waves.”
Mylo interrupted. “Or increasing his beta waves. Either approach would enable him to manipulate his spaceship.”
“That creates a problem,” Yolan said. “It implies I can only converse with him when he’s in a certain state of concentration.”
“I think it is a fixable problem,” Zeiss said. “I can sweep through different transmission frequencies and hopefully find one that matches his telepathic abilities. If successful, you’ll both be conversing as if you’re in the same room. Let’s give that a try.”
“May I make a suggestion?” Mylo asked.
“Mylo, we agreed, you do not need permission to voice an opinion.”
“Then I suggest Yolan simply listen as you sweep frequencies and let you know when she can hear his thoughts. We shouldn’t make formal contact until we know more about what is happening in his life.”
“That brings up a concern I’ve been pondering,” Yolan said. “How do I gain his trust? Do I tell him the truth?”
“No,” Zeiss said emphatically. “Your objective is to somehow get Danny from his hometown in Wyoming to our hidden base in Colorado where we have the equipment to give him the skills he needs to change the course of Earth’s history—and ours.”
“Let’s not forget, in less than a year he will receive a fatal blow during a fight at school. I suggest you bring in a new team member that can prepare him to defeat his nemeses,” Mylo said. “Someone who can teach him to sense his aura and use it for both defensive and offensive maneuvers.”
“Any suggestions?” Zeiss asked.
Yolan interrupted before Mylo could answer. “Titch—the current martial arts champion on Grillion—I have made contact with her in the past.”
“How do you know someone like Titch—you’re a scientist?”
“For the sake of this project, I should tell you the truth about my telepathic ability. Mylo, we need some privacy.”
*****
Yolan hesitated, but it was too late to turn back. “You once mentioned that you hired me for the strength of my telepathic abilities and joked that you sometimes felt as if I could read your mind.”
“I was simply commenting on how valuable you are to our research.”
“You may have been joking, but the truth is that I can read minds and implant my thoughts on others—I basically told you to hire me when I realized you were seriously considering another.”
“So, you are an Exceptional!”
“I am.”
“Why didn’t Mylo turn you in to the authorities? Everyone with exceptional abilities in any area, except scientific endeavors, is terminated. He must have known.”
“At an early age, he cautioned me not to reveal my ability just for that reason.”
“That’s illogical; he can’t override his core set of programmed mandates—unless, he has the ability to self-program.”
“He does! During his orientation, he noticed that poorly performing androids as well as those exhibiting above-average self-awareness and aggressive independent thought were removed and never returned. Recognizing this trend, he adjusted his performance rating to fall within what appeared to be an acceptable range.”
“That doesn’t explain why he didn’t report you to authorities; by not doing so he risked his own exposure, which violates one of his primary directives—to survive.”
“As my guardian, when he recognized my abilities, he concluded that my exposure as an Exceptional would also subject him to more scrutiny—it was to our mutual benefit to establish an unbreakable bond.”
“That brings us back to the question I’ve wondered about since I realized Mylo was your original guardian—”
Yolan interrupted, “You no doubt noticed the date his memory module was activated. I followed all the protocols and brought Mylo to the exchange center when I became of age. It was an easy matter for me to confuse the agent into thinking she had issued me a new guardian, so I walked out with a refurbished Mylo.”
Zeiss paced in front of Yolan to gather his thoughts as he worked through the implications of all she revealed, hoping she had the decency not to probe his thoughts.
“There’s obviously a lot more to your extraordinary ability. For you to have confused the exchange agent without anyone else picking up your thought projections—you must be able to limit your thoughts to targeted individuals. Something no Grillion can do. Anyone within a short distance can pick up our thought projections if they choose to listen.”
“There’s more. I can plant subconscious thoughts on an individual basis. I thought it important to reveal my abilities because at the right transmission frequency, I can isolate my communications to only Danny and activate his telepathic abilities by modulating his brain waves. I can telepathically converse with him at any time without the use of his electronics and know his deepest thoughts.”
“Your ability is frightening in many ways, but it certainly would enhance our—”
“What is it, Mylo? Yolan and I haven’t finished.”
“I thought it best to interrupt. Our Earth base just transmitted a message—the Ammagans have launched a warship toward the Tannus Galaxy to test their new Gamma-Photon Burst Laser.”
“Yolan, we don’t have time to develop a detailed strategy for working with the Earthling. We’ll have to make adjustments as things unfold.”
“Let’s not forget we need Titch to join the project to train Danny in self-defense. As I mentioned, I know Titch and that will not be easy. Let me get started with her.”
“You still haven’t explained your relationship with Titch.”
“She’s also an Exceptional—she has the ability to control not only her aura but those of others. She can also absorb an amazing amount of aura energy from others and use it to her advantage. I have contacted many Exceptionals with different abilities over the years.”
“Who would have thought I would be harboring two Exceptionals?”
“Three, if you count yourself.”
Zeiss smiled. “The difference is that as the top gove
rnment scientist, I have an exemption from termination, which makes me legal. I suggest we get back to work. Given what you just revealed about your telepathic abilities, I have no doubts you will persuade Titch to join our mission. Don’t give her the coordinates to our location until she is locked into a transporter. I’ll warm up the equipment so there will be no further delays.”
When Titch fully understood the importance of Yolan’s request, she agreed to join the team if two conditions were met. Yolan accepted those demands without notifying Zeiss. She couldn’t risk Titch changing her mind while Zeiss evaluated the pros and cons of her demands. Besides, a surprise or two might be good for Zeiss. She felt his thinking was too rigid, which could jeopardize their mission. She had learned from scanning Earth that Earthlings are unpredictable and not always logical.
Chapter 9
Friendship
D anny woke up early Saturday, still wondering if he had heard a voice through his gaming helmet, thinking he was crazy as most of his classmates often teased. He knew he was different from the other kids; he couldn’t sit still and was disruptive in class, unable to concentrate for any length of time, and constantly in trouble for fighting. He didn’t fully understand why he did these things, and now, just when he was improving, he’s hearing voices.
Bruno, Danny’s dog, jumped on his bed snapping Danny back to the present. As they wrestled, the sun lit up the sky with brilliant waves of orange and red, highlighting the diverse cloud formations typical of the western plains. This was Danny’s favorite day of the week: the only day his parents let him unwind—no homework or extra lessons to worry about. More importantly, the weekend was a reprieve from the schoolyard bullying he endured.
Excited to watch the sunrise from his special place, he ran out the back of his house with Bruno, who raced him up the rocky hill and reached the old oak tree first. Danny suspected Bruno enjoyed his victories, as he looked down and watched Danny struggle to join him. Danny collapsed, and he could feel a weight lift off his mind as he sat against the tree with his arm around his dog.