by Jerry Ahern
“Even though the map’s authenticity was unquestioned, it was not until 1949, that a combined British and Swedish expedition conducted intensive seismic measurements of the South Pole through the ice cap. According to Colonel Harold Olmayer, Commander of 8th Technical Investigation Squadron, US Armed Force Strategic Command, ‘The geographical details of the bottom part of the map—the shore of Antarctica—correspond with the results of the seismic measurements. We cannot correlate this data with the supposed level of geography in 1513.’”
“It was made in the early 16th century, and on the map’s margin Piri Reis had acknowledged he was not responsible for the cartography; it was based on earlier sources. Some of these ‘earlier sources’ could be dated to the 4th century B.C., one of these sources had belonged to Alexander the Great. Lastly, Philippe Boiche, a member of the French Academy of Science published his map of Antarctica in 1737. Boiche’s precise picture of Antarctica was, again, of the time when the continent was free of ice and showed topography that our civilization had no idea of until 1958. Additionally the French academician showed in the middle of the South Pole, a body of water dividing it into two sub-continents. This is where Trans-Antarctic Mountains are now marked. According to an investigation associated with the International Geophysical Year (1958), Antarctica was determined to be an archipelago of large islands covered with 1.5 kilometers of ice.”
“Medieval maps showed Antarctica with a precision that for 16th century cartographers was very high and even surprising. It has been determined that the data, with a determination of the longitude of a relief within one minute, surpassed the technical possibilities even of the late Middle Ages. That level of precision was not reached by mankind until late in the 18th century, while in some cases, the 20th.”
“In late 1959 a historian and professor from New Hampshire, Charles H. Hapgood, discovered a map created by Orontheus Phynius in the Washington Congressional Library. The map, dated 1531, showed Antarctica with mountains and rivers and without glaciers. The Phynius map, made 18 years after the Piri Reis map, showed an ice cap around the South Pole within the limits of the 80th and the 75th parallels; and two hundred years later, the academician Boiche depicted Antarctica with glaciers. The conclusion is obvious: the spreading of glaciers on the southern continent. Admiral Bird’s 1949 expedition bore holes into the Ross Sea in three spots, where Orontheus Phynius had marked riverbeds. Fine-grained layers of sand were found, obviously brought to the sea with rivers, whose sources were situated in temperate latitudes free of glaciers.”
“Let me state that the maps of Reis, Phynius, and Mercator show Antarctica at the times when ancient Egyptian and Shumer civilizations were newborns. Herodotus claimed ancient Egyptians tracked stars more than 10,000 years ago. It is a fact that land nations rarely produced astronomers. The fact that ancient Egyptians were interested in astronomy may indicate that they inherited some knowledge from an unknown civilization of navigators.”
“At least one source claimed the Piri Reis map’s data belongs to 4000 year B. C., a time, according to most historians, that all existing nations were at a very low level of development.”
“My position is that between the 5th and 10th millenniums B. C., there was a civilization on Earth that possessed great knowledge in the field of navigation, cartography, and astronomy, which was no less advanced than that of the 18th century. This civilization preceded our civilization, and it was not an extraterrestrial one. Its age could be several thousand years, while its location was probably on the northern shore of the most southern continent, or archipelago Antarctica. Later, this civilization may have resettled to the north-east of Africa.”
“With the climatic and geological changes Earth has undergone, including large-scale floods, which were regular and caused long-term local deluges, it is probable these disasters have destroyed most of the civilization’s cultural objects. Possibly, some fragments could be found in the future under the thickness of ice. It can also be assumed that the survivors of Antarctica kept and handed down knowledge to the ancient Egyptians.”
“Therefore, if there will ever be an extensive exploration of Antarctica, mankind will most likely be surprised with the results. If we accept that Atlantis is Antarctica indeed, then we must get rid of most of the descriptions Plato provides. The island obviously didn’t sink, it just moved. Or, if you wish, it didn’t move during the ice-age, but long before, and while it was still where it is now, it was inhabited by Atlanteans.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Michael Rourke had been expecting the call from his father, “Okay, Dad. Let me hear it.”
“Michael,” Rourke said. “Can you meet me at Mid-Wake? There are some things I have to show you and some people you have to meet. I don’t want to upset you, but this is important.”
“Dad, I figured this was coming. I’m already on the plane and we should arrive in about three hours. Meet me at the gate.”
“Will do, Son. Thanks.”
Six hours later, Michael had seen it all. Dr. Fred Williams of the Mid-Wake Research Institute, Jose Zima, the senior research analyst, Dr. William A. Sloan, the Geologic Anthropologist and the Astrophysicist, Dr. Daniel Gregg, along with select members of their staffs had given a cogent and compelling presentation.
The Medical Examiner, Dr. Ellen Barker described how, the now third, Captain Dodd had died. “We believe his death was triggered by the tattoo. I’m not sure how, but it appears it happened. We’re still trying to discover the exact manner of his death. Witnesses said, that he rubbed that area of his chest just an instant before he expired. We have found some tissue degradation but that is all. Captain Dodd should not be dead but he is and I don’t know why or how he died.”
“So...” Michael began, “we now have confirmed that there is an extra-terrestrial threat; one we don’t fully understand. Additionally, you’re telling me that archeological evidence proves an advanced civilization, possibly what legend calls Atlantis did in fact exist and they are scheduled to return to Earth. Any idea of exactly when?”
“No,” Zima said. “It could be at any time.”
Michael stood and began pacing, he mumbled under his breath, “The press is gonna love it.” Turning back to the table, “You people are absolutely sure about this... these conclusions?” They all nodded. “Okay, wait here. I have to make a call,” Michael left the room. Ten minutes later, he returned. “Alright, here’s what is going to happen. Load up all of your data, get whatever support equipment you’ll need and whomever else you believe is relevant to this presentation. We’re going to Pearl for a meeting with the President, the National Security people and whomever else the President deems necessary. Let’s go folks, our transport is revving up as we speak.”
The meeting with President Hooks began the next morning in his Ready Room. It had taken about three hours the night before, late the night before, to set up all of the equipment. They were joined by the Vice-President, National Security advisors, and members of the national scientific community and, surprisingly senior members of the Representative election committee.
Michael Rourke began the meeting with the introduction of the Mid-Wake research scientist and his father, who needed no introduction. “Mr. President, Gentlemen, here is the crux of the situation. What we know is this, there has now been a second encounter with an unknown force. In each we have encountered a Captain Dodd clone; I doubt it will be the last.”
“Since the Fight in the Forest, these Mid-Wake research personnel have been in an around-the-clock process of evaluating materials from the Fight in the Forest and the initial encounter against my father and stepmother that occurred during the recovery of some interesting artifacts from an ancient shipwreck and determining the relationship between the two events and the authenticity of the artifacts.”
For the next three hours there were alternating presentations and question and answers sessions as everyone tried to “get up to speed.” John Rourke finally took the podium. “You have heard wha
t we know. Now, let me explain what we think this all means. The cloned humans based on the original Eden Project personnel are being used to carry out reconnaissance, gaining access to and knowledge of Earth’s defensive capabilities for selective attacks aimed at destroying infrastructure, both physical and political.”
“The immediate goal of the aliens seems to be altering the Earth’s atmosphere. Possibly radically increasing methane and thus depleting oxygen to the point where irreparable brain damage is incurred, thus having control of all-but mindless slaves to mine and otherwise rape the planet; leaving the new base the aliens will establish secure against rebellion. They want to reduce the oxygen levels, to between 18% and 6%. Below that percentage, death would result. It appears that those atmospheric changes can be accomplished by increasing microbial populations and releasing already existing methane into the atmosphere through global wildfires. We believe that when the aliens all-but wiped out our proto human ancestors, they didn’t care about what they could take from the planet, merely wanted to destroy a potential rival. In the intervening millennia, apparently the aliens have come to realize they need what can be plundered from Earth and all-but mindless humans to provide it.”
A phone buzzed at a side desk and was answered by a Naval Commander. He wrote a message and walked up to the President’s side, handed him the message and whispered something in the President’s ear. President Hooks rose and stood for a moment before advising the crowd, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m going to suspend this meeting for a while. Senior military officers report to the War Room immediately. I would ask the rest of you to remain here. I don’t know how long this will take, please standby in here and await my return. Dr, Rourke, I would ask that you and your son accompany me.”
The President turned and left the Ready Room with John and Michael close behind. The senior officers issued instructions to their subordinates and followed quickly; everyone else sat stunned and uneasy.
Inside the War Room, the President assumed his position as members of his most senior staff filtered in. When the last arrived, the President nodded and the door was sealed. Powerful communication and sensory equipment whirred into life and an Army Brigadier General began speaking. “Sir, our long range sensors began picking up interference approximately fifteen minutes ago. At first we suspected solar interference but we soon discovered that was not the cause. We redirected several of our surveillance satellites and found this...” The General activated a switch and a large screen monitor came to life.
“What is that?” the President asked.
“Sir, we are not sure. At first, we thought rogue asteroids. We were wrong. These objects still too far out of range to identify are apparently traveling together; it appears they are in a formation. Additionally, the entire body of objects has made several course corrections since first discovered, something an inanimate object cannot do. We have no idea where they came from, only where they are headed.”
The President said cautiously, “And where exactly would that be General?”
“Here Sir, they are headed to Earth.”
It took another several hours before the “blips” were much more than that. Once long range camera range was achieved it still took time before the objects were close enough to make out details. By that time, the President had ordered the equipment to be connected so the Mid-Wake research personnel could view the scene playing out in space thousands of miles above their heads; John Rourke and Michael had gone back upstairs to the Ready Room.
By then it was known that a cluster of thirty-seven independent objects had appeared out of deep space and were traveling together as a unit. Though not physically connected, course deviations were made simultaneously by each of the objects. There was speculation upon speculation about what the objects were, what all this meant and who the occupants were. Was this, the seemingly most comfortable and realistic theory, the start of the invasion from the alien UFOs? Was this, The Others returning to reclaim Earth as theirs? The call and warnings went out to New Germany, the Russians and the Chinese, the military was on full alert but there was little constructive to do; except to wait.
Finally, the cluster of objects had gathered in a geo-synchronous orbit approximately two hundred miles above the surface of Earth, directly above—or directly below depending on your perspective—the continent of Antarctica. As the satellite feeds were received in the War Room they were reviewed by the national security advisors and the military before they were transmitted to the Ready Room where the scientists, John and Michael Rourke were cloistered.
Stopped as they now were, images were coming in from high resolution cameras capable of reading a license plate at the 200 mile distance. Moving the satellites that housed the cameras was taking longer than anyone wanted; the consensus was to stop the satellites at a distance of 150 miles from the object cluster. The General said, “We want to get close enough to see but not close enough to get anybody excited.” The two closest satellites were now within range and had been sending pictures for about the last ten minutes, still little more than points of reflected light in the dark void of space. Then an amazing thing happened. The closet satellite, Pegasus 310, shut down its camera and started moving closer to the cluster. The General hollered, “Stop that satellite! Stop moving it!”
“I’m not moving it Sir,” answered on the technicians. “It appears to be moving itself.” Pegasus finally stopped its movement and the high-resolution camera came back on. There was now a clear image. “Hell, the General said, that looks a lot like the shuttles from the Eden Project.”
Up in the Ready Room, the large screen also showed the image. Jose Zima and Dr. William A. Sloan, the Geologic Anthropologist looked at each other. Zima said, “You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking are you?”
Sloan said, nodded, “That’s what it looks like to me.” He and Zima were punching information into their laptops. “Here you go,” Zima finished first. “Dr. Rourke could you come here for a minute?”
Rourke walked over trying to keep his eye on the image on the big screen at the same time. “What is it Jose?”
“During the early and mid-twentieth century several unusual gold ornaments thought to be pre-Columbian, from around 500-800 CE were discovered in Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Venezuela. It was difficult to determine their exact age since gold is hard to date. When they were first found, it was thought they were zoomorphic—representing animals. However, there was also speculation they were something else; some Archaeologists interpreted them as model airplanes but... Looking at them I was never to come up with one animal that looked like them. Here’s a picture of one.”
The image on Zima’s laptop bore a remarkable resemblance to the image on the big screen. It too was golden in color with delta shaped main wings and a set of small wings necessary for directional powered flight changes in an atmosphere. The body was wide and marked by designs and a tall “tail fin” was mounted on the rear. While not an exact model of the other, they were too obviously similar for coincidence.
“Are they representations of a bird, or an airplane? Is it a plane...well it certainly looks like it to me. It has always reminded me of a shuttle craft, like those from the old Eden Project. When they were discovered there was much debate; were these creations of religious followers who only served their gods without knowing what they are actually doing. Look it has wings, a stabilizing tail, some kind of landing gear, what else do you need? Similar artifacts have been discovered in Egypt in a 3000 year old temple at Abydos a few hundred miles from Cairo, hieroglyphs were found that look remarkably like an aircraft. Now, tear your eyes away from the screen and take a look at this, John.”
“John, do you remember me saying I found some of the symbols from the titanium sheets in several other extinct languages including some in the original Mayan? One of those images we call the Feathered-Serpent, or Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl is always represented as the guardian of treasure. We know there were priests of Quetzalcoatl who took his nam
e; they existed for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. He is also known as the son of Citinatonali, creator of heaven and earth and mankind; ‘The Very Old One’ and as the god of the morning star, Venus. The Mayan calendar was developed on the Venus cycle of appearance. We know the Maya adepts were astronomers and the round towers were their observatories. In one of our Codex there are computations involving about 34,000 years, and 405 revolutions of the moon are set down. These writing were supposed to be the joint production of Quetzalcoatl and two very old gods.”
“Quetzalcoatl’s reign was considered the golden age of the Toltecs. Corn was plentiful and cotton grew in natural colors, not needing to be dyed, this blissful wondrous time could not and did not last. When Quetzalcoatl left it marked the end of the Toltecs and the rise of the warlike Aztecs. During that time there was an increased practice of human sacrifice, which Quetzalcoatl disapproved of, wanting sacrifices to be in the form of fruit or flowers or treasured possessions; not humans.”
Punching new instructions into the laptop, Zima continued, “This report printed in THEOSOPHY, Vol. 16, No. 2, December, 1927 shows, ‘There was also a famous Toltecan king who bore the biblical appellation of Balam Aca n; the first name being preeminently Chaldean. Besides the striking similarity between the language of the Aztecs and Hebrew, many of the figures on the bas-reliefs of Palenque and the idols in terra cotta exhumed in Santa Cruz del Quiche, have head-gear similar to the phylacteries worn by the Pharisees of old and even by the Jews of Poland and Russia today. The seven-terraced pyramid at Papantlan has three stairways leading to the top, the steps of which are decorated with hieroglyphical sculptures and 318 small niches. 318 is the Gnostic number of Christ and the famous number of the servants of Abraham.’”
“Call it Atlantis or Quetzalcoatl; we have just witnessed the return of The Others.”