by TJ Viola
Crystal moved closer to Danny and grabbed for his hand. “You harvested humans!”
The Yolan android stepped forward. “No human was ever harmed.”
“How long did you have them imprisoned as you used them as guinea pigs?” Danny asked, as he and Crystal backed away.
Back on Grillion, at the Thought-Time Machine, Zeiss instructed Yolan to explain everything about the program—to hold nothing back. He would then try to gain their support by revealing the complete annihilation of Earth by the Ammagans.
“The time frame varied from just days to several years—depending on the evolutionary complexity presented by the subject.”
Crystal let go of Danny’s hand and took an aggressive stance in front of Yolan. “How can you say no one was harmed—you kept them in captivity, experimented on them, interrupted their lives, which were changed forever. Others would think them nuts if they ever spoke of their experience.”
“No! You’re wrong. There was no physical or psychological impact. No lives were impacted.”
“That’s impossible,” Crystal shouted.
“If you let me explain, you will agree.”
Danny pulled Crystal back. “We’re listening.”
“We have the capability to fabricate additional androids that can reconfigure into the subjects. The subjects’ memories are transferred to the androids, and then they are placed into society. No one can tell the difference between the human subject and the substituted android.
“Your next logical question is how does the human subject function once they are placed back into their environment—memories of their experience here are erased and the memories obtained by the androids are transferred into the human brain. Life goes on as normal.”
“Is that what you plan on doing with us?” Danny asked.
“That depends on you. If you agree to help, we will enhance your mental and physical abilities—you will also remember all that has happened while you are here. If you decide not to help, you and Crystal will remember nothing.”
“You never answered my question; how is the future of your planet linked to the future of Earth?”
“The Ammagans are going to invade Earth and eliminate all life-forms—they then obtain a technology from Earth that they convert into the deadliest weapon ever devised in the Universe. We believe this weapon will be used to destroy our planet.”
Danny and Crystal looked at each other in disbelief. How could they, children, change the future?
Zeiss provided the answer.
“It is up to you both to prepare Earth for the Ammagan invasion. We can guide you and enhance your mental and physical ability. The rest is up to you.”
Chapter 15
Substitution
T he Zeiss and Yolan androids described the purpose of each alcove equipped with instrumentation used to gather information on harvested humans. There were no subjects currently under evaluation.
The first station was an electromagnetic thermal resonance scanner used for determining the thermal and electrical activity of an object throughout its entire structure, layer by layer. The apparatus consisted of five concentric metallic rings, mysteriously suspended in space seven feet above the ground. The four innermost rings were thin compared to the outer ring, which contained hundreds of crystalline-like stones embedded within its surface. The same structure, also hovering in space, was duplicated seven feet directly beneath the upper rings in a one-foot-deep well built into the floor.
Zeiss suggested that Danny step into the station so they could demonstrate its operation.
“No, thanks, not until I know what it will do to me.”
“Danny, it’s critical you and Crystal trust us so we can assure you both have the ability and skills needed to save your planet. This instrument will determine if you have health issues that may cause you to die or become incapacitated before you can complete your mission.”
“Why not use your fancy Thought-Time Machine to look into my future to see if it’s necessary. I’d rather not be one of your specimens.”
Yolan stepped into the conversation. “We are unable to look into your new future because it hasn’t happened. On Grillion we are operating in Earth’s past and you are generating a new future, because we changed your life the moment we contacted you. In your old future you died at a young age.”
“I’m not dead.”
“Only because we gave you the ability to control your aura, which you used to destroy the baseball bat before Tony struck your head,” Yolan replied. “This machine will examine you for any physical defects and repair them.”
“How? Tell me how.”
“If you have a heart defect it will repair it; cancer genes will be isolated; any and all life-threatening defects will be repaired or removed, nonsurgically. Unfortunately, there are some genes that can’t be isolated and would require a more complex procedure if identified.”
Satisfied, Danny stepped into the well of the machine. To his surprise rather than stepping down he was actually being suspended in space above the bottom concentric rings.
Zeiss activated the equipment by waving his hand over an instrument panel. The two innermost rings glowed, and Danny felt an oscillating sensation through the median of his body. After a few seconds, the bottom crystalline ring slowly rose while scanning his body with hundreds of individual light beams. Simultaneously, light beams also emanated from the top of the ring, and each beam of light entered a corresponding crystal in the upper outer ring.
Zeiss explained that the light impinging on his body was measuring his thermal and electrical activity from the center of his body out to the diameter of the second ring and that these data were being received by the upper ring, which was sending the information to the main computers for analysis. This process continued two more times, with the second and third concentric rings activated, and again with the third and fourth.
The entire process took less than ten minutes. As they walked to the next station, Danny glanced at his watch and realized it was getting late.
“We promised my parents we would return by five. We need to leave right away.”
Zeiss took Danny over to the control console and pointed to the results of his test.
Heart murmur/defective valve, life expectancy ten years—defect repaired
Cancer gene detected—isolated
Zeiss and Yolan looked at each other and Zeiss nodded.
“It’s very important,” Yolan said, “that you both stay for a few days, so we can explain everything in more detail and develop plans on how to proceed.”
Crystal recoiled. “That’s not possible! Our parents would report us missing and a search party sent to find us. We’ll try to come back tomorrow.”
“There is a way we can get you both home to meet your deadline and have you remain with us,” Zeiss said.
“How?” Crystal asked.
Zeiss and Yolan’s images transformed back into the likenesses of Danny and Crystal, and Rolo (Danny) continued the conversation.
“As Zeiss and Yolan explained, we can substitute for you. However, to be successful we would need your mannerisms, your personalities, your intelligence, but most of all, your memories.”
“And that is one of the applications for this next station,” Bounce said, pointing to the mind-body synthesizer.
Danny and Crystal stared in disbelief. The equipment looked like a modern version of the ancient Iron Maiden torture chamber. It resembled an open casket standing upright, but instead of being lined with spikes, each side contained thousands of thin needle-like probes. Bounce (Crystal) demonstrated that the probes were harmless as she pushed her hand against the inside cover and the shape of her hand emerged from the casket’s outside surface.
Bounce explained that the synthesizer had many useful functions but was mainly used to measure physical responses to various mental stimulations, to store memories for posterity, and to rapidly download new information for instant learning and adaptation.
“With this equipment,” Bounce continued, “we can analyze your mannerisms, copy the essence of your intelligence, and then transfer all this information into our electromechanical polymer memory cells, creating your exact duplicate.”
At first, both Danny and Crystal were hesitant to enter the caskets, but in the end, their natural curiosity won over. They wanted to know more.
“Danny, this is too weird.”
“Listen, Crystal, I’ve been dealing with a lot of weird things lately and if I need to enter this contraption to find out why, I will!”
“Okay, but I have a feeling that Zeiss and Yolan aren’t being totally honest with us.”
Danny and Crystal needed to enter the caskets without clothes, so they requested some type of screen around each station. When this was done, they disrobed in private and entered their individual caskets, which automatically closed. It was painless, as promised. In fact, it was very invigorating. After ten minutes the caskets opened; they dressed and rejoined Rolo and Bounce.
Both Rolo and Bounce adjusted their polymer fibers to eliminate their clothing and slowly walked to the platform and entered the caskets. Both Danny and Crystal were embarrassed by the androids’ lack of modesty, especially since they were looking at each other’s double.
“So much for modesty,” Crystal said as she turned away from Danny to hide her blushing face.
“I’m afraid the loss of our privacy is the least of our problems if what we heard today is true,” Danny said.
When the androids exited the machine, they had to be reminded to reenergize their clothing. They apologized and explained that receiving so much new information was always overwhelming.
It was getting close to the curfew Danny’s parents had set so they all agreed Rolo and Bounce should leave immediately to take Danny and Crystal’s place and to make the switch back at the end of their vacation, during the planned camping outing with Danny’s parents. As Rolo and Bounce were passing through the entrance, Danny suddenly realized they were alone.
“Wait!” he shouted.
But it was too late. As they returned back to the control room, two new androids emerged from the surface of one wall in the form of Yolan and Zeiss.
“How many androids are there?” Danny asked, as he took hold of Crystal’s hand and gently squeezed.
“The base is equipped with six androids, but only two are required at any given time. The rest are for emergency situations,” Zeiss responded.
“The androids we have today are far superior and without the defects these earlier models have,” Yolan added.
Danny and Crystal both asked the same question.
“What defects?”
“Don’t worry; their defects won’t interfere with their current assignment. There may be one issue.”
“Tell us!” Crystal insisted.
“They don’t recognize social inhibitions, so they may act a little crude at times. They will say and do whatever they think and feel, without any sense of constraint.”
Danny and Crystal understood what this might mean since they both had strong feelings for each other, thinking they might have a lot of explaining to do when they rejoined Danny’s parents.
Chapter 16
Danny and Crystal Accept the Burden
A s the tour of the facility continued, Danny and Crystal experienced each station’s equipment, which included a genome analysis system, a teleportation station, a learning center, and a capacity enhancer. Crystal found the capacity enhancer to be intriguing, since it activated underutilized portions of the brain, potentially increasing the brain’s capacity utilization up to 95 percent.
After the tour, they sat around an acrylic, conference-like table with Danny and Crystal sitting next to each other opposite the androids.
Zeiss broke the uncomfortable silence. “Earlier you asked two important questions: How are our two worlds connected, and how is it possible for you to save both from destruction? I’m afraid the answers will be a great burden to you both—to explain we must reveal Earth’s future. This is necessary to eliminate doubts you may harbor and to have you both make it your life’s mission to save our civilizations.”
These last words seemed to echo inside Danny’s head as he tried to comprehend their meaning. He looked at Crystal and slowly turned back to face Zeiss and Yolan.
“I believe I speak for both of us. If we’re the only ones who can save our planet, we’ll accept any burden.”
Zeiss nodded and continued.
“Actually, Earthlings are on the cusp of an evolutionary change, so you may not be alone in your ability to communicate telepathically, but we don’t have the time to find others who are as uniquely positioned as you.”
“How am I uniquely positioned?”
“You live in the most advanced society on Earth, and your father is a recognized expert in space exploration. He has access to capabilities that may prove useful in the future. You also have the necessary life span to prepare Earth for an alien invasion.”
“Couldn’t we simply train others by using all this advanced equipment?”
“That is an excellent suggestion, and one that we have dismissed. We have concluded that you have a unique brain structure, which, when combined with your neurofeedback training, has enabled your telepathic abilities.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Danny, we have analyzed both your brains today, and over the centuries many thousands. Your corpus callosum is remarkably thicker, stronger, and more energized than normal for your species. This enables both hemispheres of your brain to work in tandem at blistering speeds and your brain waves to be emitted at much higher frequencies than normal.”
Danny was finally resigned to the fact that he and Crystal would be alone in this quest. “We’re ready to see the future.”
In the center of the table, a two-foot square hologram appeared, flashing very clear images of major cities around the world. Yolan explained that in the year 2060, a world war would erupt that will destroy most of Earth’s civilization within ten days. As she spoke, the holographic images changed, showing the worldwide devastation.
“Unknown to the Earthlings, the war was initiated by the Ammagans, who made it appear that the major nuclear powers were attacking each other. It wasn’t until the Ammagans landed that the world leaders realized what had actually happened. By then it was too late to coordinate any significant resistance. Consequently, the Ammagans annihilated all remaining life using their radiation rays and advanced weaponry.”
Crystal sat in a daze as Danny found the fortitude to continue to ask questions. “Why did they attack?”
“The Ammagans needed uranium to survive since their natural sources were nearly depleted. As it turned out, Earth had the richest deposits detected by their space probes.”
“Why is your planet in danger?” Crystal asked.
“As I mentioned, our planet and Earth are identical in every way—we also have huge deposits of uranium. We believe in our future the Ammagans will discover this fact and launch an invasion.”
Zeiss continued, “The Ammagans’ initial intent was survival; however, once they understood your laser and particle beam technologies, they developed a new weapon that gave them military supremacy over the entire Universe. A once peaceful civilization, pushed to the brink of extinction, will become the nemeses of all creation.”
Both Danny and Crystal were still confused. How was it possible for them to prevent any of this? Zeiss answered Danny telepathically.
“If Earth wins the war against the Ammagans in 2060, the future will change—your future and ours.”
“How do you know the future will change for the better?”
“We don’t. Therefore, in order to minimize negative effects, we have decided not to give you the technology needed to defeat the Ammagans. Instead, we will enhance your ability to develop and deploy the technology—hopefully in time. The rest is up to you and Crystal.”
*****
Rolo and Bou
nce enjoyed taking on human form, since Earthlings had freedoms not experienced on Grillion and, compared to real humans, they had far superior mental and physical abilities. Once outside the base, they raced to the hovercycles with the speed and agility of a pair of cheetahs.
They rode at top speeds between trees, over and around obstacles, cutting straight through the national forest, racing to be first to Beaver Meadows. As they crossed over the wooden bridge, they noticed the same little girl walking her dog that Danny and Crystal had terrified while learning how to control their hovercycles.
“Let’s play Flatten the Dog!” Rolo shouted.
The little girl ran in a panic, but her beagle broke loose from his leash and chased after the hovercycles. It was clear that Rolo and Bounce never intended to “flatten the dog”—they were just playing a game of cat and mouse. Soon, several more dogs joined in the fun as three other hovercycles came floating down from various cabins toward the commotion. There was a lot of yelping, barking, screaming, and laughter, but not all the adults watching thought the spectacle was funny.
Rolo and Bounce finally broke off and headed for the cabin for their first encounter with Danny’s parents.
As they entered, Danny shouted, “Mom, Dad, we’re back.”
“We’re in the kitchen,” his dad responded, about to take a meat cleaver to three large trout.
“Whoa! Dad, you’re not gutting a cow. Let me show you how to clean a fish.”
Danny skillfully filleted the fish in a few minutes, while his parents looked on in disbelief.
“Where did you learn to prepare a fish?” his dad asked.
Danny had to think fast. “From Crystal’s dad. He enjoys fishing.”
“He never mentioned fishing.”
“Oh, yes,” Crystal said, “he’s a great fisherman.” She changed the subject. “Let’s start cooking.”
“We’re having trouble with this old stove,” Danny’s mom said.