The Embryo of the Star

by Elberto V Badon

  “How would you feel if you were the next emperor of the Earth?" Mark asked.

  “Of course I’d be filled with immeasurable happiness,” the young guy replied, “but that dream shall take a long time. It needs some sweat and some extraordinary achievements before the people recognize my potential capability as a prospective leader.”

  “C'mon tell me, Karl, were you really serious when you delivered that extemporaneous speech during the oratorical contest?”

  “Yes Your Royal Highness . . . all those words had been flowing honestly from my innermost heart."

  “Then from now on don’t call me Your Royal Highness, but simply call me Mark, OK?"

  “Yes, it that’s what you want . . . but not in public; the usual greetings will still be used in addressing you, Mark.”

  People had started to trickle into the imperial hall to attend the enthronement of the new emperor of the Earth. The magistrates had kept glancing at the clock, leaving Mark Gouch only thirty minutes in which to appear. Emperor Bent Skovllunde was sitting beside the vacated imperial chair. The laser imperial saber was placed in the red-velvet-covered case. There was a joyful atmosphere, everybody smiling. Ornamental decor graced the surroundings. People were nicely dressed for this rare occasion. All the Earthling dignitaries were seated below the imperial chair. No foreign dignitaries had been invited on this rare occasion, unlike before, when many heads of the planets had come.

  The head of the magistrates announced that Mark Gouch had only five minutes to show, which was a welcome development for the colonel’s men.

  Suddenly, a little girl showed up and rushed toward the emperor. All eyes were trained toward this foreign-dressed little girl, who bent her knee and kissed the hand of the emperor.

  “Your Royal Highness, I have here a message from my lost hero," the little girl said. She then handed him the foot-long white scroll tied with a dog-tag.

  “Isn’t that the space fighter’s dog-tag?” the emperor asked.

  Professor Von Kalavich took the dog-tag and tried to decipher the inscription. “Your Royal Highness . . . this is the identification of Mark Gouch!”

  Everybody was stunned upon hearing the professor's declaration.

  “He is alive!" Mark Gouch’s supporters chorused.

  “Professor, please read the content of the scroll,” the emperor requested.

  “‘Your Excellency, Emperor Bent Skovllunde, members of the Privy Council, and my beloved people, I’m very happy that once and for all our planet has attained its most glorious moment. This would not have been possible without the collective efforts of everybody. Our daring rescue of our beloved planet was questioned by our uncooperative neighbors during the early period of the crisis. Now we can walk ten feet tall . . . they’ve envied our achievement. But what bothers me now is your proposition of electing me to the highest post of the land. Once again, I’m very thankful for your trust and confidence in my leadership in the reconstruction of our convalescent planet. It’s a very challenging job.

  Nevertheless, I regret to inform you that I decline your offer. However, it does not mean that I’ll not be active in the reconstruction of our planet. I’ll be around to contribute my share. At this moment, I’m preoccupied with assisting my alien friend in locating her ancestral home on our planet. Furthermore, I’ll ask a favor from you, that in lieu of myself for the emperorship, I nominate a young and energetic university scholar as the new emperor of the Earth . . . subject to your final approval, the nominee is . . . the young and brilliant orator Karl Vincent. May the supernatural being bless our planet and our beloved people. I love you all, Mark Gouch.’

  There was a great silence in the imperial court after the professor read the scroll. Then one of Colonel Krispov’s avid supporters became suspicious; he suspected that there was some orchestrated conspiracy going on.

  “Little girl, please tell the truth . . . who gave you that letter?” the supporter of the colonel asked.

  “My beloved hero himself . . . Mark Gouch. Not only did I see him, but some other young scouts saw him likewise. Mark left together with his beautiful alien friend who gave me this necklace.” The people were amazed by the beauty of the alleged alien jewelry. “They boarded a spaceship that looked like a giant kite with its long tail wagging in the wind. Mark's spaceship had an inscription that read: ‘I LOVE EARTH!’

  ’”

  The little girl’s testimony broke down the members of the expedition in tears and they proclaimed, “Mark is alive!” Their confirmation was enough to bring the imperial court into a deafening tumultuous uproar.

  Col. Cedric Krispov was quick to grab the limelight, saying, “My beloved people, I’m very grateful that one member of our intrepid expedition is alive. At the beginning of the course of our journey, we had a dogma that every soul of the Stargeon was expendable. It’s incredible indeed, that Mark Gouch survived in space, but I pity those who failed miserably. Moreover, I’m very happy that the quest for the emperorship . . . finally ended. My beloved people, you spoke as to whom you preferred and Mr. Mark Gouch has nominated a young university scholar to take his place. For the sake of our people’s unity and the success of the reconstruction of our planet . . . let’s welcome the new emperor of the Earth. . .. His Excellency Karl Vincent!”

  The imperial court once again reverberated with the Earthlings' cheers and hailed the colonel for his sportsmanlike decision.

  “Where's our new emperor?” someone asked.

  The ceremony was interrupted by a live broadcast from Mars. All eyes were focused on the giant screen that began to show a Martian newscaster.

  “Bismillah, oh rahman, oh rahiym [in the name of the God Who is kind and merciful], good day. This is a live broadcast from the Martian Revolutionary Emirates. Ladies and gentlemen, his Excellency, the newly crowned emir of Mars . . . Sheik Saud Kubinak, who adopted a new name Sheik Al Mukaires."

  “Good day, everybody, my earthling brothers. At last the time has finally come that both our people’s sufferings have finally ended. The success of our uprising wouldn’t be possible finally, without the full support of all the Earthling refugees and especially one of your fearless citizens who played a magnificent role together with his alien friends. The instant union of our forces crushed the hated forces of the tyrant Ammaron. Regarding the fate of the deposed emir, the revolutionary council has decided that the deposed emir shall be tried in accordance with the celebrated Nuremberg trials. All planets in the solar system are invited to send a representative judge . . . we don’t want our judges to participate in the verdict; we don’t want to be suspected as biased in judging the deposed emir.

  “I’m very happy to announce that at last Mars is free! In my capacity as the new emir of Mars, my first priority is to work for the immediate restoration of our bilateral relations and to revive all the treaties, accords, and other agreements suspended by Ammaron. In the near future we'll send our envoy to Earth and other planets in the IPO. Furthermore, all the sacred treasures and other wealth that the henchmen of the deposed emir hauled to Mars shall be returned to Earth, including the one that he used to fool my people. It shall be returned to its home in Saudi Arabia, the sacred Kaaba. On behalf of my people, may peace prevail in the solar system. Thank you very much.”

  The Earthlings welcomed the favorable developments of Mars with wild applause. They stopped when they heard the sounds of the trumpets.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the new emperor is coming!” the head of the magistrates announced.

  What the people witnessed next was a husky entering the main door biting the Crown Jewels of Great Britain, followed by youngsters wearing powdered wigs playing bugles and led by a ‘pretty young majorette. Two dozen young Royal Guards formed a column each facing each other. Then another young group appeared, pushing a buggy loaded with the stolen treasures, the most familiar the golden Ark of the Jews (the tabernacle). Next was the group lifting a rectangular box filled with dazzling pearls and precious gems bearing an inscription
: “Congratulations for the successful recovery of our ancestral planet, with love and care . . . from your peaceful brothers in Kuralus."

  The people were amazed to see the giant pearls measuring about two feet in diameter, big chunks of diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and other glittering precious stones that were rare on the Earth and existed in very small sizes. Then at last the young emperor appeared wearing a kingly suit.

  “Where did they get that wonderful costume?” Madame Ling wondered.

  On the other hand, Mark and Lady Khinna fled to Mount Palomar. They entered the old observatory station. Robotech was gracefully playing as a one-man band. The sensor alarmed Robotech, who was concentrating on a Mozart piece.

  “Mark, you’ve returned!” Robotech hugged his buddy. “You’ve changed a lot . . . you’re a man now."

  “Where’s Master?" Mark asked.

  “I’m sorry; the master has left,” Robotech replied. “He was fetched by winged men riding in a radiant spaceship, but he left a message for you."

  Robotech immediately played the computer’s memory base and on the screen a message appeared: I do hope that the present Earthling generation and the one to come shall take good care of his wonderful fragile planet. I’ll hope that man shall stop creating any destructive weapons. Congratulations!

  Don't forget to preach love and peace to your people.

  See you, Eli John

  Mark became depressed. “Eli John . . . Master . . . don’t worry; I'll Convey your messages to my people.” Mark wept. “Robotech . . . meet my friend Lady Khinna.”

  “Nice meeting you, My Lady.”

  The two shook hands and exchanged smiles.

  “Mark, shall we start in tracing the home of my parents?”

  “Do you have any address?" Robotech asked.

  “I’ve got their names, but I don’t have their address. What appeared on the frozen container was only their names,” Lady Khinna answered.

  “Lady Khinna, it’s very complicated. Imagine, we shall scan the names of all the couples on the Earth, of the 7 billion people. Maybe, sad to say, they perished during the horrible nuclear holocaust,” Robotech explained.

  “I’m very optimistic that they’re still around, waiting to be retrieved," Lady Khinna insisted.

  “It seems that you’ve got very strong mental vibrations,” Robotech said. “Perhaps the computer can help you with your problem.”

  Robotech then manipulated the computer and entered the question: “Do you have any records regarding the people of the Earth's marital or baptismal registration during the last part of the twentieth century and the twenty-first century?" The computer’s light blue screen flashed immediately with an affirmative response. “Yes.”

  “Where can we find their names?” Robotech entered the question. Lady Khinna’s and Mark’s eyes were nailed to the computer's liquid crystal screen.

  The computer flashed this information: “Genealogical Records microfilm negatives are preserved in the Granite Mountain Records Vault outside Salt Lake City, Utah. Lies at about 42 degrees’ latitude and 112 degrees’ longitude along Utah mountain range. Compiled by the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons."

  Lady Khinna jumped with joy and hoisted her fists. “You see, Mark, we have hope! Robotech found the track! What an amazing computer you have, Robo---"

  Lady Khinna thanked Robotech and she and Mark left at once, heading towards Utah. They brought along the compact portable wonder computer. They didn’t have a hard time locating the Granite Mountain Record Vault. They approached the solid gray granite where the catacombs had been carved, protected overhead by 675 feet of rock with an eighteen-inch-thick steel door.

  The duo entered the catacomb wearing their space masks to protect against the toxic gas. Inside they were greeted with this prophetic biblical inscription: “Before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will send you the Prophet Elijah. He will bring father and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country” (Malachi 4:5-6). Mark had started to believe that his lady friend possessed an extraordinary telepathic vision. He then activated the catacomb's computer and entered the names of Lady Khinna’s parents. Mark started to scan the couple’s names for both the twentieth and twenty-first century registration by starting with Argentina. But the response was negative; No such names in the registry book, and next was the United States of America, but still the response was negative, followed by Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bermuda, Canada . . . Denmark . . . England. until the registration of Scotland flashed the names of the girl’s parents. The birth registered was of a three-month-old boy named Christian Grahim.

  Father: Riggs Grahim Duke of Winchester, admiral of the British Royal Navy. Member of Parliament Born in Scotland Mother: Heither Belinger Scientist, inventor of the tremors micro-sensor (which gives an alarm one hour before the major jolts)

  Born in Manhattan, New York

  Address:

  62 Nursery Road, Ross-on-Wye . Herefordshire, England

  Lady Khinna embraced Mark and exclaimed, “You see what I’ve been dreaming is true!”

  The pair then made a rushed flight to Great Britain. The place indicated in the address was now covered with thick glaciers. After verifying the exact location of the home of the alleged parents of Lady Khinna on the map, the excited pair used the spaceship’s laser beam in melting the mountain of glacier. After they cleared the area, a classy villa appeared. They applied moderate heat to dry the wet structure. The two opened the door. In the large salon, the attention of the two was focused on the portrait of the alleged Lady Khinna’s parents hanging on the wall.

  “Supposedly they’re your parents, Lady Khinna,” Mark said. “This one is the certificate of merit of your father when he was still in the Royal Navy, and your mother has a recognition of her invention of the famous instrument that detected Earthquake, a tremor warning sensor . . . no doubt we're in the right place.”

  “Mark, what’s that cube over there?" Lady Khinna pointed to the sealed aluminum vault.

  “It's a safe vault. . .. It’s strange because this kind of safe box is too big; you could find this kind of vault only in banks during their time. Maybe they stored lots of treasures inside this vault.”

  “Shall we open it, Mark?"

  “Yes, why not?”

  The lock assembly melted at once when Mark fired a laser beam. The door opened, and the excited pair was shocked when they saw a family frozen inside the glass cylinders with a girl about twelve years old standing on the right and a boy about five standing on the left.

  “Isn’t that you, Lady Khinna?” Mark pointed at the young girl.

  “Does she looks like me?" Lady Khinna wondered.

  "Yes, she is your sister!” Mark cried. “You’ve a facial resemblance. Your nose, eyes, and lips are almost the same . . . she's your replica, Lady Khinna."

  Tears were streaming from the eyes of Lady Khinna as she hugged the cubicles of her loved ones. “Mom . . . Dad . . . Sister, Brother . . . we're reunited!” Shed tears of joy were continuously streaming from her eyes. “Don’t worry Mom, Dad, Sister, and Brother. I’ll do all I can; you’ll experience life once again.”

  The two then loaded the cubicles in the spaceship.

  “I’m very thankful to you, Mark, for the success of our quest. Now, I believe that sometimes dreams are a transfiguration of reality,” Lady Khinna said. “The next step is the revival of their life . . . but it’s no longer my department; we’ve a bunch of medical experts back home.”

  “What's your next plan now?” Mark asked.

  “Of course, I’ll hurry home . . .because I want to fulfill the next stage of my life . . . that is, I’m a recipient of an embryo; they shall conduct artificial insemination on me, and I look forward for that rare opportunity. On our planet, it’s fulfillment for every woman who manages it, because only the few make it. The government is very strict with birth. There’s a regulatory body responsible for it, when you have a new baby. You k
now, it’s a feast day on our planet . . . once an infant comes out from its mother’s womb.”

  “It’s a pity that you don’t know the word love," Mark stressed. “Are you willing to take the burden if I donate to you my embryo?”

  “Why not?” Lady Khinna quickly answered. “Then you'll undergo a rigid medical examination... things like that.”

  “There’s no need to use those sophisticated instruments, Mark emphasized. “We’ll start from basics, like what the first couple did in the garden of Eden.”

  “But how?” Lady Khinna wondered. “Are there side effects for that method? Maybe it’s a crude way of producing a baby, huh?”

  “Oh, poor girl,” Mark said, “your ultra-advanced civilization has deprived you of your basic human rights .... they’ve suppressed the real meaning of love.” Mark shook his head.

  “Mark, whatever you have in your mind . . . you can do it. I'm willing to accept any method of bearing a baby from you. I trust your capability."

  “No, it isn’t that simple. Lady Khinna,” Mark said. “It should be accompanied by love . . . otherwise everything shall become a failure.”

  “Yes, I could stay here for few more days before I could grasp the meaning of what you’re trying to elaborate," Lady Khinna said.

  “We shall first ask the blessing of the elders in Sargasso.”

  “You mean there’ll be a ceremonial affair?” Lady Khinna asked. “Like we did on our planet?”

  “Exactly, Lady Khinna.”

  “How wonderful, Mark!”

  The two spaceships then cruised the sky of the European continent heading eastward.

  “Lady Khinna, that meandering river once flowed under the famous ‘fallen’ London Bridge. Ahead is Paris. In that towering glacier is supposed to be the site of the Eiffel Tower; what you've seen are the dilapidated steel structures covered with glaciers,” Mark disclosed. “It’s very fascinating, Mark. Maybe this was one of the most advanced continents in the past.”

  “Yes, it was. Economically it was very rich,” Mark said. “That one there was the site of the Holy See . . . the Vatican, a city within a city . . . down there is Beirut .... and the next is the Biblical land . . . on the northeast is the greater Arabia, the home of the Islamic faith . . . and next is India, one of the most populous countries in the past . . . there, next, was the home of more than one billion people, the People’s Republic of China. They once had a very rich culture . . . they’re famous for pottery and silks. They constructed that long Great Wall by manual labor to defend against the attacks of the Mongols from the north. That one there was the gleaming city of Hong Kong. We shall head northeast . . . I’ll show you the remains of the Japanese empire, the economic conqueror of the world.”