Once-Other

by Lawrence M. Nysschens

  BOOKS BY LAWRENCE M. NYSSCHENS:

  Once-Other

  A Candle’s Worth of Life

  * * *

  Once-Other heads directly towards

  A New Political Civilization

  here on Earth and likely for

  the first time within the confines of

  This Universe.

  Build it together.

  Travel it forever.

  Keep alive a keen mind.

  Anything less…

  …and tomorrow belongs to the enemy.

  * * *

  Once-Other

  A Novel

  By

  Lawrence M. Nysschens

  Smashwords Edition

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system, or database, or transmitted, in any form, or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher.

  Cover artwork by Robyn Leigh Nysschens

  Cover artwork Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Lawrence Martin Nysschens

  Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016 Lawrence Martin Nysschens

  ePub ISBN:978-0-9909886-2-5

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  Of Human Rights

  CHAPTER 2

  Of the planet Here-Born

  CHAPTER 3

  Of Once-Other by Once-Other

  CHAPTER 4

  Of the first casualty of war

  CHAPTER 5

  Of differences

  CHAPTER 6

  Of a prior arrest and conviction

  CHAPTER 7

  Of jail time, economic value and a new taxation system

  CHAPTER 8

  Of Poip, Pre-owneds Galore and a strange EB tourist

  CHAPTER 9

  Of possible illness, a new economic system, hidden thoughts

  CHAPTER 10

  Of Neatness, fingers and cacti

  CHAPTER 11

  Of symptoms, Happiness Entitlements, Poip and Toip

  CHAPTER 12

  Of sand, colored glass, Water Criers and sand-snails

  CHAPTER 13

  Of the power of wallets and government assistance

  CHAPTER 14

  Of boycotts and Here-Born’s vanished beauty

  CHAPTER 15

  Of Fraggers and reflexes

  CHAPTER 16

  Of A collect-n-grind’s dangers

  CHAPTER 17

  Of speed and consequences

  CHAPTER 18

  Of a southern lady

  CHAPTER 19

  Of traditions, CO2 captures, the inflation falsehood

  CHAPTER 20

  Of Maggie, the Lady and Mister Conqueror

  CHAPTER 21

  Of third-eye cameras and a popped shoulder joint

  CHAPTER 22

  Of home and Deidre’s weapons

  CHAPTER 23

  Of danger and confession

  CHAPTER 24

  Of vehicle maintenance, regulations and happiness

  CHAPTER 25

  Of real-time legislation

  CHAPTER 26

  Of hidden enemies

  CHAPTER 27

  Of buying and selling

  CHAPTER 28

  Of unexpected and lame excuses

  CHAPTER 29

  Of SandMasters and one-two-three

  CHAPTER 30

  Of Peter’s manifestations and Once-Other’s condition

  CHAPTER 31

  Of Water Criers, what is and what is not dangerous

  CHAPTER 32

  Of drinking water and sting-claws

  CHAPTER 33

  Of Crier milk and poison old and new

  CHAPTER 34

  Of no comfortable a seat and visitors

  CHAPTER 35

  Of our monitoring ensures your happiness

  CHAPTER 36

  Of Once-Other’s second Moment in Time and Deidre’s concerns

  CHAPTER 37

  Of a Moment in Time and promises made

  CHAPTER 38

  Of Karrell’s Moment in Time

  CHAPTER 39

  Of Deidre’s Moment in Time

  CHAPTER 40

  Of Franciscoa’s choice

  CHAPTER 41

  Of a Desert Driver

  CHAPTER 42

  Of sales techniques and a pre-owned arm

  CHAPTER 43

  Of Preservatives and Bondo-stick-on

  CHAPTER 44

  Of equal means equal and Divide and Rule

  CHAPTER 45

  Of what and why Treason is

  CHAPTER 46

  Of Peter Wernt’s hidden hand

  CHAPTER 47

  Of Once-Other’s personal baggage

  CHAPTER 48

  Of relationships, Water Criers, Arzerns and Roanark Braers

  CHAPTER 49

  Of gasoline stops and escape options

  CHAPTER 50

  Of a severed arm and revelations

  CHAPTER 51

  Of reliance on old skills, realizations and Neatness

  CHAPTER 52

  Of the assignment of Rights and internal conflicts

  CHAPTER 53

  Of a sip of death, a touch of hope, a sandstorm

  CHAPTER 54

  Of sand covers all

  CHAPTER 55

  Of tire repairs and Argumentative Computers

  CHAPTER 56

  Of a final three of too many one-two-three, Altogether

  CHAPTER 57

  Of struggle, orientation and internal repairs

  CHAPTER 58

  Of fever and voices

  CHAPTER 59

  Of a painful descent

  CHAPTER 60

  Of promises made

  CHAPTER 61

  Of artistic universes

  CHAPTER 62

  Of a visit with pre-owned and death

  CHAPTER 63

  Of betrayals and revelations

  CHAPTER 64

  Of votes tallied and decisions made

  CHAPTER 65

  Of Property ownership and A Property’s Rights

  CHAPTER 66

  Of Peter Wernt

  CHAPTER 67

  Of All being equal

  CHAPTER 68

  Of Earth-Born’s simple and fair tax and economic system

  CHAPTER 69

  Of duties and change

  CHAPTER 70

  Of history, lies and being enslaved by ideas alone

  CHAPTER 71

  Of differences resolved

  CHAPTER 72

  Of crimes and lies

  CHAPTER 73

  Of oceans and a simple idea

  CHAPTER 74

  Of Breathable Air, hidden agendas and old plans

  CHAPTER 75

  Of the conqueror’s minions, their use, their deaths

  CHAPTER 76

  Of two different conquests begun

  CHAPTER 77

  Of a battle fought and won

  CHAPTER 78

  Of all citizen’s personal choice

  CHAPTER 79

  Of entitlements and more

  CHAPTER 80

  Of the defense of Rights and a weapon to hand

  CHAPTER 81

  Of the Slave Master’s sales pitch and new rights

  CHAPTER 82

  Of stepping up and taken down

  CHAPTER 83

  Of Rights forever

  Chains and Dreams

  GLOSSARY

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you to those good individuals who read my manuscript and provided me with their invaluable fee
dback. I am grateful for the time you gave and the views you expressed.

  I still smile as I recall almost all of us had a similar conversation:

  Reader: “Do you make good on what’s in Chapter One?”

  Me: “That’s for you to decide.”

  Reader: “But is the new stuff promised…in your book?”

  Me: “Yes!”

  That this book exists I am indebted to George Erskine of Fife, Scotland. Across these many years, his words of encouragement kept me going.

  While working on Once-Other, I used The People’s Guide to the United States Constitution, Revised Edition by Dave Kluge as a reference book.

  In it, Dave provides the meanings of those words that make our US Constitution what it is. This allows anyone to understand our Founding Documents or gain a deeper knowledge of it. His book guided me down the road upon which I have dared to venture. A path that includes further Rights and Freedom and these safeguarded.

  I recommend one read it, whether a US Citizen or not.

  You will be amazed and educated no matter where you may live.

  As I have often heard said. “How can one grasp what one doesn’t have or come to realize one has lost something—if you didn’t understand it in the first place?”

  Thank you all.

  Lawrence Martin Nysschens.

  January 2015

  For the many who have asked...Nysschens...is pronounced Nations.

  CHAPTER 1

  Of Human Rights

  24th July 4008 EB*

  We the People of Here-Born, adopt the full and original Constitution and Bill of Rights of those United States of America, a Republic. We thank them for the document they left behind—we consider it a treasure.

  With the benefit of history, other technology, and our own requirements, we have added new ideas and clarified all we can as best we can. This we have done in defense against those amongst Mankind who insist upon enslaving their fellows.

  We the People of Here-Born condemn all forms of slavery whether physical, mental, financial or spiritual. We hope all of Mankind understands these are inalienable Rights, are God-given and may only be removed by God—and by God alone.

  Live by Neatness alone fellow citizens.

  *See Glossary

  CHAPTER 2

  Of The Planet, Here-Born

  She was once a mistress of the Sun, the beauty of a galaxy.

  With each day’s awakening, she would wink at Brother Sun but his countenance never altered. Nevertheless, she held her smile day long as the delicate mists of her lakes, oceans and seas surrendered to him.

  When day too faded, she exhaled and her breath whispered along grassy plains over mountains and through forests. Wildlife bleated their pleasure while feasting upon its scent of bush-figs and honey.

  Year-round rainbows of flowers circled her north to south and east to west. Their radiance shone warmer than sunlight, their beauty surpassed by her perfume alone.

  The Sun named her his Great Desire.

  But she never matched his passion leaving his desire unquenched. And the Sun being a wanton one, became demanding, overbearing...threatening. Nevertheless, she held her ground.

  But daily, as she slipped from his grasp his anger rose. Enraged and driven by frustration he roused the molten rock from deep within her and thrust it out across her delicate landscape.

  Time stood watch as the lava solidified.

  Later, tiny winged pods escaped through cracks and floated upwards to darken the sky. Rain soon came and heavy with water they burst. Their seed scattered far and wide to settle on shores, mountains and seas, and there they multiplied.

  But the Sun never content became dissatisfied even with the seed he had given her and set to pondering on it.

  And so, after time played another hand new seed arrived—seed from beyond the Sun. They too fell like rain but rain like no other. Leaping hills of orange and red and black erupted and her oceans and lakes vanished leaving bitter salt in their wake.

  She fought the violence with sighs and clouds of perfume.

  But the attack multiplied ripping her open as unto death.

  In desperation, she gathered her flowers, trees and all living things and buried them deep within her. There she solidified her outer beauty fearing Brother Sun’s anger would rain down far crueler.

  Those parts of her unable to solidify turned into a black and sticky liquid that gave forth an odor with no ties to her delicate perfume.

  And she was all but done.

  In a final act, she inhaled the clouds that surrounded her, those mists that once were her lakes, seas, and oceans. With this done so too was her beauty for not a whisper of it remained.

  Across her now stark face, dark brown scars hardened rendering homage to a Sun’s wantonness.

  And new winds blew.

  Winds carrying sand, the thick smell of dust, burning radiation and deadly carbon dioxide destined to choke all future life.

  The Sun smug in the heavens claimed this act as his own vengeance. With his glare now firm upon her, he set to burning and baking her until she could no longer support life.

  Soon all who knew her pronounced her dead. Thus, she remained barren, burnt and lifeless. After eons had passed, strangers came to her. Strangers seeking freedom and bringing hope. Some say she sighed as their first boot set imprint upon sand.

  It was in the year of 3776 EB.

  CHAPTER 3

  Of Once-Other By Once-Other

  3rd October 4296 EB

  288 years have passed since 4008 EB when our First War of Independence was won.

  My name is Once-Other. Before though, I had an other name which I now keep secret. I changed from the original one when I replaced my arms and head with pre-owned body parts.

  Now, my reason for swapping out body parts was to ensure no one could identify me as a Here-Born Campaigner, by appearance alone. We Campaigners operate on the frontlines of this our war of self-defense that EB has yet to declare. It follows we are vulnerable and open to capture or assassination.

  We refer to this as our Second War of Independence.

  It flared alive when Earth-Born recently invaded Here-Born a second time, but in a covert and underhanded fashion. We’ve offered Earth-Born several warnings and appeals to end both their invasion and continued attrition upon our Rights.

  In response they began to hunt down Here-Born Campaigners for no reason other than our extermination. They ought to pay attention to the last of our warnings for we have been kind enough to provide them with many such.

  Now, the subject of pre-owned body parts has forever been trying upon the logic of EB tourists. Most are deeply offended at the sight of pre-owneds on display and for sale. But for us switching out arms or other appendages has become an everyday occurrence.

  Despite EB’s having trouble with this segment of our lives; pre-owneds were originally created by their own EB scientists. This occurred way back when our ancestors first emigrated from Earth-Born to Here-Born.

  On board ship during the trip to Here-Born, EB engineers secretly conducted experiments in the regrowth of human limbs. Unfortunately, upon arrival every ship crashed. Chemical concoctions still brewing leaked into the atmosphere and from there into sand and finally from sand into other sand.

  Our ancestors dearly wished to hang the EB scientists and genetic engineers on discovery of the tests and their nefarious purpose—to make all people more equal. Then again and at that time, our Founders did not realize that said concoctions would wrought a physical change upon us as none before in all of human history.

  Instead, it was the experiments on the regrowth of human limbs the crashes revealed that our ancestors so despised, one-two-three and altogether. Furthermore, there were no handy trees about, and those ancestors soon discovered nothing much grew on Here-Born, whatsoever.

  After the crash landings and with footprints barely impressed upon sand, a child was born. With the child comforted in her mother’s arms, our Founders
gazed about this barren world and named it Here-Born in honor of the newborn. We have since come to refer to Earth and its population as Earth-Born or EB for short.

  Now. If ever you accuse us of being Earth-Born, it is a low down insult! This is due to Neatness—a code of conduct important to us. So! Beware if you tend to verbally abuse others for the Here-Born group called Desert Drivers will become a trifle physical when so insulted. Please keep this advice in mind when traveling here from abroad.

  As for Once-Other here and alive this very morning; I stare into the mirror as I do every day and examine my clothes.

  I am a flashy dresser with a taste for single colors from head to toe. In being as well somewhat otherwise in mind and humor, I do mix-n-match on occasion just to watch faces twitch in surprise and the surprised express disbelief.

  Such like quirky humor has caused people I know to insist I’m descended of the ancient Vikings. I instead, reckon they speak to the dark red of my new hair, the width of my new chest and the Nordic cut of my new cheekbones. My lack of height they wave aside as reward enough for generations of cross-cultural matrimony.

  Now these same friends are quite confident my soft voice matured as wine long encased in a barrel of soured marriage. I figure they take advantage of unfortunate circumstances altogether—and enough said of that.

  At this time, as our Second War of Independence takes shape, danger dogs me every hour of each day due, as mentioned, to my being a Here-Born Campaigner. The threat of imminent arrest and imprisonment by EB’s authorities hangs continuously over me causing me to do something new.

  That Authorities from Earth-Born now search for us Here-Born campaigners, I am recording all the events of my part in this our Campaign, starting today. Events I hope I will live through.

  This morning, duty again calls me to rejoin the search for a missing campaigner. But first, I stare out at the desertscape and consider Here-Born.

  Her face is scarred by one-third a sea of rock and awash in two-thirds an ocean of sand—and nothing else. Despite these traits, our ancestors chose Here-Born for themselves and all future generations.

  In their final analysis, it came down to her apparent lack of commercial value, distance from Earth-Born and so terrible a climate only fools and those seeking refuge from oppression would live with her.

  These we are—and are said to be.

  To our ancestor’s surprise, they discovered gold and oil in large quantities though some decades later. The engineers present mused on how often it transpires that he, who flees something, often becomes the inevitable recipient of what he fears.