A Paradox in Retrograde

by Faherty, John

  James puzzled over this question for a moment before he responded. "It is not for me to judge the validity of what is found here. That honor goes to you. I have mapped no changes within the matrix. Besides, would it not then also alter my memories?"

  "James, I don't pretend to know the answers to such questions. However you are part of this machine aren't you? Perhaps these shards are all you need. Or perhaps it doesn't matter at all."

  "Very well, I will tell you what I know. Things here are not at all what they may seem. My self, this crystal room, the ancient artifacts, even the great tower of Breideblic itself are not products of this world. You may discover that the most disturbing part of this may yet to come. There is reason to believe that the very cells of your body may be the living legacy of an extraterrestrial event. In a degraded strand of code I learned of a venture set in motion eons ago from a world far off from this solar system. Its implications put simply, are staggering."

  Xora's eyes widened to catch the fading light as in the air before her appeared, a representation of a family of stars, floating as if in motion. Glowing there within the light emitting crystal, his avatar pointed up toward the image of the swirling cluster. There in the corner of the image, his virtual index finger touched onto a cluster of middle aged stars. There the view exploded to a ghostly image of a cloud shrouded planet.

  "Long ago in the system of this far off star, a technological civilization had risen. Over many millennia, this civilization had grown technologically mature, free of strife and disease. However In the fullness of time, there came a day when signs were becoming evident that their star was nearing the end of its life. For generations the inhabitants of this system in successive waves had moved outward away from its expanding star. In the end backed up to the furthest edge of their system, there was no place left for them to escape to. On a razors edge those survivors to their last outposts would cling precariously. They knew however if they were to survive they would need to take a great leap of faith. For centuries learned men have looked out onto the vast expanses of space in wonder. However, in all that time their questions have produced few answers. And these answers in turn drew only more questions. According to what I have learned, there have been others like us who have looked up at that same sky. In the end their conclusions were the same. To truly possess knowledge one must often venture beyond the bounds of safety and witness it firsthand. It was their experience that to face willingly the unknown requires either a fearless heart or desperate necessity. It was the latter that forced these reluctant travelers from the lands of their birth.

  Their scientists fore saw a time when their life giving star would end its life in a cataclysmic explosion. To this end they would endeavor to avoid. As this time drew ever nearer, plans were set in motion to escape the coming holocaust by means of a great arc. In their last best hope they searched the heavens for the tell tale flicker against the backdrop of a star. For there at a great distance their scientists had seen the slight dimming light of our parent sun. There in its wake they found nine planets, four of which resided within the habitable zone. Against all odds, it would be on one of these worlds that they would make their new home. To complete such an under taking would require a monumental array of resources unparalleled in scope and conception. In a great flurry of activity over a period of twenty years, the construction of the orbiting ship went on unceasingly. As it grew nearer to its completion the great mass of the ship could be easily seen from the planet's surface. Several hundred thousand volunteers were recruited to sleep for untold millennia as the ship awaited arrival at their new home. The ship was stocked with all conceivable provisions that would be needed upon their arrival.

  The primary ships thrusters were powered by a nuclear plasma ion drive. This rocket type though initially slow, had the benefit advantage of an increasing velocity over time. It was time that they had in abundance. It was theorized that this drive could approach a velocity that equaled ten percent of the speed of light. At this rate they would reach their new home well within their technology's design parameters. There were also a few experimental tools that would be employed that were to be used under the right conditions. Among these was a device that created a spatial displacement field. Its job was to create a slip stream along the leading edge of the craft through which the craft would counteract the mass increasing drag that accompanied speeds on this scale. With tools such as these they hoped they could perhaps trim their journey, by many hundreds of years.

  As the imminent catastrophe unfolded the ship was made ready. To those about to be left behind were bid tearful goodbyes; for upon it's leaving their fates were sealed. For the first time the engines fired. Slowly the ship turned, climbing out of its high orbit. Once safely beyond the gravitational influenceof the planet, the ships main drives were initiated. They watched as their lonely world disappeared into the darkness. Over many months the ships acceleration increased to near its target speed. Preparations were then made for the slip stream device to be activated. After many hours of calculations, the Captain after checking the system gauges one final time. He made the decision and the activation sequence was initiated. An invisible field of energy strung in bands running aft to stern glowed, forming a halo about the ship. Before them the shape of space around them seemed to compress as the ship fell into an invisible hole in the universe. Unfettered by the mass effects of gravitation the slipstream propelled the ship to unfathomable velocities. The light of the background stars stretched into a kaleidoscope of streaming spectral lines. The captain was unsure of the wisdom in allowing the ships computer to take control for the remainder of the journey. He however had little choice in the mater, for their destination was indeed very far away. So with reluctance the captain entered his sleep chamber and wished the computer good night.

  As the ship came near the predetermined rendezvous point chosen many centuries before, the slip stream drive disengaged automatically. The ship again regained its mass in relation to the space around as it dropped below maximum speed for the first time in a very long while. With the main engines now reengaged the long breaking procedure was initiated. The retro rockets fired periodically over the course of a decade or more until the day this millennium star ship, having navigated across the emptiness of interstellar space, ended its journey within the system of Sol. Captured there within the tidal forces of Jupiter, the mighty ship's automatic systems came alive. One by one, a sleeping crew of several hundred thousand survivors was reawakened for the first time in more than ten thousand years.

  It was by no accident that this life raft found itself here. For the

  Earth was by far the finest specimen of a planet their scientists had observed. It was here they set about to reintroduce the Eden that they had long ago left behind. From there they sent groups of scout ships to explore the far flung planets and moons that populated the system. It was there on those lonely worlds that what raw materials they needed they hoped would be found. Three of these explorer ships never did again return. It is from these lost souls it was believed that the inhabitants of Nibaru evolved.

  As for the human race, though its stock evolved directly from that of the native anthropoid apes, it genome had been infused with that of alien origin. Thus Modern Man was born. In the beginning man had been created as a labor force for the fledgling planet. In time it is believed that many of modern man’s more sophisticated adaptations were in fact derived from this alien race's own genetic stock. This is the reason your appearance is so divergent from the other forms that populate your world."

  "What ever became of these aliens? Where have they gone?" Without knowing the facts, James answered this question as best he could. "It is a simple supposition to declare these creatures extinct. However that simply may not be the case. It is conceivable that both the human race and the species on Nibaru are derived from the same stock, genetically adapted to live in their quite different environments. So it is possible that at least some genetic material of alien origin may continue
to survive within you to this day. Of the actual fate of these creatures, my data base is mute. I suspect they as like all creature before them finally ran out of luck."

  Xora seemed frustrated. Though she had learned much she was lost on how Ananda fit into all of this. So she asked him. "Who were the guardians of which Samantha had spoken? James again dug deep into his data base as his avatar stood there quietly. After a short delay he again began to speak. "Yes the guardians, though their origin is unclear they seemed to be a kind of biological fail safe. They were designed to maintain the biological integrity of these host worlds to ensure indefinitely a balance. It would seem the human race has evolved in parallel with these creatures’ cyclical appearance."

  Of all that she had heard within this room this to her was the most disturbing. She tried to fathom what he had said but was struck by one word in particular. "Did you say designed? Are you trying to say that Ananda is some kind of automaton? He is nothing if not flesh and blood."

  "That he is, nonetheless he was designed and built to survive and to complete his task." Her eyes heavy with sadness, unleashed a torrent of tears that rolled down her face. She was beginning to see him as he truly was. For this she was not quite ready to learn. James looked on unmoved as she ran from the from the crystal room in an inconsolable state.

  She longed to be alone within the solace of her private residence. And toward that end, in a fog of confusion she ran.Oblivious to her surroundings she made her way past the familiar mile posts that marked the rocky path. After some time of this her shoes were worn raged by the sharp stones that studded the road. It would be her penance, she mused for so easily letting down her defenses. It was embarrassing for a lady of her age and station to be as absorbed in such trivial matters as infatuation. She reached her hill top estate just as the evening sun reached for the horizon. It was then she recognized her sadness had turned to anger. There she thought she could mourn loss of love in private. She knew however this mourning would do little good, for forces beyond her control were now converging. She passed through the fluttering curtains into the cool of a seaside overlook. With the cool afternoon wind blowing off the sea she sat there for a good while contemplating her actions and her culpability. She had betrayed the confidence of her friends and countrymen for a fantasy. She swore to herself if she were given another chance she would act differently.

  Just as these thoughts crossed before her mind they were jarred suddenly from her attention. There from the forest around her a persistent humming noise began to resonate. She stepped back out through the curtains into the open air. There hanging heavily among the tree tops was the air ship moving gracelessly through the cloud shrouded air. In an instant it had passed overhead and was descending fast toward the citadel. She watched transfixed as the great bulk of the airship grew small in silhouette against the backdrop of Breideblic. "They've made it! I've got to warn them" she exclaimed. Filled with purpose she now abandoned her melancholy for action. She ran to her closet to change into something appropriate to her new mood.

  From below the fully laden air ship seemed to be falling like a stone down toward the citadel. Landaus was alarmed by their rate of decent and so advised the captain to make a straight shot at the citadel. The captain realizing he might not now make it to the air field, made the decision to attempt what he would ordinarily consider a rather daring maneuver.

  "Alright men, we're going to try something a little risky. I fear we may have no other alternative. We're falling faster than I can compensate for. There is only one spot that can accommodate an emergency landing of this ship that without major risk to life and limb. It right there smack in the middle of theroyal court yard. We’ll have to snake our way past some of the high spires but we've threaded the needle before. Alright boys, take to your emergency stations."

  Chapter 9

  There aboard the descending airship the crew facing head on the impending collision, knew their mission and their very lives were on the line. Pretending to ignore the evident danger, for them the seconds seemed to pass like hours. Despite the latent anxiety of the crew, the steely nerved captain, trusting their skills, gave the order and they obeyed. With all his might the helmsmen struggled to control the shuddering wheel as the lumbering ship kissed the tops of the passing buildings. Hurdle after hurdle the crew skillfully averted. To do so they ran full throttle. Countering the steep angles and downward momentum, the motors screamed and groaned. As their target rushed toward them, the crewmen held their breath awaiting the captain's next order. With great restraint he held off giving the order to trim the rudder and cut the motors until the very last possible moment. He shouted out the order, "All engines stop! Turn hard to starboard rudder!" With the order stated the crew leapt into a frenzy of controlled action. On cue the ship responded gracefully but he could not be sure if it was enough. Over the intercom the voice of the captain boomed, "General order, brace for impact!" Those within responded. For fear, the shaken passengers held fast onto anything fastened down tight. Landaus held on tightly onto Ibsen. This was more to calm his son's fears than to protect him, for he knew if they came in too fast it would make no mater, all would be lost.

  Plummeting now toward the earth in a controlled free-fall there could be no second chances. Though they were moving quickly the ship seemed to lumber heavily along on what remained of air between them and the hard ground. This last minute delay designed to soften the blow did little to serve the shattered nerves of the passengers. Coming in hard the gondola at last hit the ground with a sudden and powerful shock. Those within were pried loose from their moorings. For an agonizing instant the people and cargo were thrown around like leafs of paper. With a bone jarring thud it all came to an instant stop.

  The billowing cloth that had so elegantly held the airship aloft now laid about the ground torn and ragged. The gondola that held within its precious cargo had however survived mostly unscathed, albeit on its side. Dazed, but for the most part mostly unbroken the survivors of the airship crash slowly emerged from the twisted wreckage. Having survived by the skill of the crew, their spirits were high. The celebration however did not last long as the work of securing the injured and the artifacts took immediate precedent.

  Several hours had passed since the airship had returned with wreckage of the alien ship tied to its belly. Despite the danger and miscalculations, its passengers who had landed relatively unscathed into the safety of Breideblic were now set to new tasks. By this time, Xora had returned to the citadel and observed as the majority of the captured materials had been carefully off loaded and brought into the great hall for inspection. She was familiar with many of the faces she saw there. As she watched them she sensed that there was an unspoken urgency to their task, and that time was of the essence. It was with little wonder then that the services of some of Baldur's finest minds had been called upon to help. There then the work of building from these scraps a weapon that they had been promised would have the ability to strike back at the heart of their enemies, had begun. However, there was much frustration for theyhad not been given a specific plan. The best they could do was to organize these parts as best they could. This was made all the more difficult by the fact that there had not been time enough to absorb what was happening. Despite Ananda's grand plans, most among those who had assembled there were possessed by a range of concealed emotions. As might be expected, many had hoped firstly to make some kind of sense to it all. However most were possessed firstly of an anxiety born of uncertainty.

  None of this escaped Xora's keen eye. She thought then to seek out Landaus. From across the room she spied him in an office otherwise distracted. He stood peering out through a window into the darkened sky. She crossed the room toward him yet as she commenced to speak he seemed strangely preoccupied. "Landaus what are we to make out of all of this?"

  He turned to her and said "Lady Xora, how are you?" Upon closer inspection she noted how he had managed to acquire a number of minor injuries since she had last seen him. Shepulled
the door closed behind her and said, "Never mind that, you need to see a doctor."

  He responded briskly, "There's no time for that right now. We have a major crisis on our hands."

  "You're telling me, have you been out there with your experts, they don't have a clue of how to proceed." Though Landaus had sensed this growing mood, he felt powerless to move forward without Ananda's guidance. "I am confident that Ananda should soon return for he has promised us a means to defend ourselves. We will wait for Ananda's return. It was he after all, who knew this enemy better than all the rest. It was also he that had so easily rallied these men to action. So too then, it was Ananda who was now responsible to lead them. For these reasons I will hold in check this anger and frustration for precious hours have already been wasted. And it is certainly no time to go off joy riding." Again he stole his gaze back toward the window. He scanned the darkened horizon for a sign of the other ship. "Blasted Ananda, where are you?"

  Xora walked toward him resting her hand on his shoulder she spoke. "Landaus you are correct to have misgivings about Ananda. There are some things you should know about theone you have invested so much faith in. Until you do understand the men are your responsibility. There is no other military unit in all of Baldur. You, as the commander of the guard need to step forward. "He looked up at her and nodded in agreement. Just then a knock came upon the door, interrupting their conversation.

  By now word had gotten out to the general populace. Looking for answers, some began to congregate before the shuttered doors of the citadel. Though they probably could not guess as to the bizarre details, it was obvious that something unusual was afoot. There before the citadel gates, a crowd of citizens began to form. From above the gate one of the trusted guards took note of the situation and thought it might be wise to report it back to the sergeant. A moment later a knock came upon the makeshift office where Landaus waited. "Come in." The sergeant came in and saluted in his usual manner, awaiting his superior's instructions. "At ease sergeant, what can I do for you?"