Intervention: A Science Fiction Adventure

by J. W. Huemme

  Two days later, Sanar visited the monument site to see how the work was coming along and to be sure it was being done as Ra had instructed.

  As Sanar approached the work site, he was in awe of the size of the base where the monument was to be erected. Even though he drew the plans that were being followed to the letter, it was still an awesome sight to actually see everything firsthand. From a distance, he saw what looked like a small city of dwellings for the workers being erected, many already finished and being occupied. The roadway on which the large stone blocks would be transported was already cleared and laid out; some of the liquid rock had already been poured into place. He had never seen so much work done in such a short time. The appearance of Ra had an amazing effect on the workers, and understandably so. Thousands were working together as never before, moving almost as one. Truly an amazing site, Sanar thought as he arrived at the tent of the group leader overseeing the work of the base.

  “It seems the time I spent coming here was wasted,” Sanar began. “You have done more than I thought possible. At this pace, we shall live to see the monument completed. Ra must be pleased.”

  “Thank you, Sanar. The work could never have come so far without the methods Ra has shown us through you. I hope you will tell Ra of our progress,” the group leader responded.

  “I do not speak to Ra, my friend; Ra speaks to me. Although I’m sure Ra sees what all of us are doing all of the time,” Sanar answered. “I will leave you to your work now. I would not want Ra to see me keeping you from your task. Besides, I must be in the temple so Ra should not have to wait to speak to me.”

  Several months went by before Sanar heard from Ra again. These were long and frustrating months. Although the time that passed between visions from Ra was frustrating for Sanar, he nevertheless waited patiently in his private chambers every day for the moment when Ra would favor him with a new vision. The daily reports brought to him by his aides were always full of good news. On one such day, Sanar’s aide reported that the first of the stone blocks was nearing the monument site on the now completed road. Sanar feared that soon he would receive word that the workers did not know what to do next, as Ra’s instructions thus far were almost complete.

  As Sanar waited nervously in his private chambers, fearing his aide would bring news that the work had stalled because they needed further instruction, which he could not give because of the long absence from Ra. Suddenly, his chamber grew bright with a supernatural light.

  Images came to his mind; he quickly drew them on the crude parchment. “As you wish, so shall it be,” he spoke out loud. As the bright light faded, there was a knock at the door of his private chamber.

  “Enter,” Sanar replied, his voice and body weakened from his experience.

  “Are you all right?” the aide asked upon seeing Sanar’s ashen face.

  “Yes,” Sanar replied. “Summon the group leaders from the monument site immediately.” As the aide left, Sanar sat back in his seat to rest and regain his strength.

  Sanar awoke to the sound of the knock at the door. “One moment,” Sanar said automatically as he struggled to gather his wits from the state of rest he had found. “You may enter.” Sanar began to make a copy of his notes for the others. “Please, sit while I make you a copy of the vision Ra has just given me. You may place your previous drawings on the table there,” Sanar said as he motioned to a large table in the corner. Quickly, but carefully, he proceeded to produce a perfect copy for the group leaders to take with them to the monument site. “Here, this will show you where you are to place the stone blocks for the first level of the monument. The placement of the blocks must be exactly as I have illustrated; there can be no error.”

  “It shall be as you say, Sanar,” one of the group leaders responded.

  “It is not I who say, but Ra who says,” Sanar replied. The group leader’s eyes grew large and fear took over his face as he was reminded where the instructions originated. “Relax, I’m sure Ra can see the fine work you are doing, and I am sure he is pleased. Think for a moment, if he were not pleased, would he not let you know?”

  “Thank you, Sanar. You’re right of course. I will return now to the monument site and start placing the stone blocks at once.”

  The next day when Sanar went to his private chambers, he quickly noticed the old drawings left on the table by the group leaders the day before were gone. He looked everywhere, but they were nowhere to be found. He went out to question the guards.

  “Did anyone enter my private chambers since yesterday?”

  “No one but you has passed through these doors since you left last night. I have been on duty since before you left last night and have not left my post. I swear to you, no one has passed through these doors.”

  Sanar went back into his private chamber and began examining the corners, the seams between the stone blocks—anywhere a secret entrance might be hidden. After searching for a while, the chamber began to grow bright once again. Sanar sat quickly at the writing table, but, no images came to him. Then the voice of Ra himself spoke to him.

  “Sanar, do not question your guards. I removed the old parchments, as I will all of the previous drawings once they are no longer needed. I want you to go to the work sites and make sure the work is being done as I have instructed.”

  Except for this exception, Ra spoke to him only when it became necessary to keep the work on the monument from coming to a halt. When there was plenty to do, he felt sure he would not have any visions. He still received reports from his aides every day telling him of the progress on the monument. So, as Ra had instructed, Sanar arranged to visit the quarry and the monument work sites.

  Sanar went first to the quarry site to see the large stone blocks being cut from the ground. As he neared the quarry site, Sanar saw the small city of dwellings were now completed and being used to their fullest potential as the workers labored and rotated around the clock in shifts. They even worked at night by torch light. As he drew nearer, Sanar saw thousands of men working all different phases of the operation. The surveyors were where the next blocks were to be cut from the solid rock. At least two, perhaps three hundred blocks were being worked on. Each block was labored over by a team of about twenty-five stone cutters. Runners brought fresh cutting tools to replace the worn or broken ones. Women brought food to the men where they worked. Only one man from each team would stop to eat at one time so the work could continue uninterrupted. There were also women who circulated continuously, each with two jugs of water hanging from both ends of a wooden pole carried across their shoulders to offer the workers relief from the relentless dry heat of the high desert sun.

  Sanar went to the tent of a group leader. “The work seems to be going very well,” Samar said to announce his presence. “The progress you have made is truly amazing.”

  “Thank you Sanar,” the group leader responded. “As you know, we’ve been working nonstop since Ra appeared and spoke to us that day so many months ago. Have you more news from Ra?” the group leader asked.

  “No, I have come to travel with one of the stone blocks to the monument site to see if there is anything that might make things go more smoothly. I noticed the workers were loading a block onto one of the sleds as I arrived. I will journey with that block to the monument site.”

  The group leader turned to one of his assistants. “Have a seat placed on top of the block about to be moved for Sanar and accompany him to the monument site.”

  Like a giant team of horses the nearly five hundred workers tugged steadily at their ropes, keeping the wooden sled moving slowly forward as Sanar sat on top of his perch on the stone block. Another hundred or so men were taking the wooden poles from behind the sled and quickly carrying them up in front and placing them in the sled’s path to keep them rolling. On top of the stone block in front of him were two more men pouring oil onto the wooden poles so they would roll as easily as possible.

  The men worked much harder than usual because of Sanar’s presence. He was a
lmost god-like to them now, having been named by Ra himself, and second only to the Pharaoh in their world. It was not an effort spawned from fear, but rather from pride.

  Sanar noticed how well the sled rolled on the wooden poles over the stone road Ra had told him how to make. Suddenly, one of the workers in front of him slipped and fell under one of the sled’s rails. He was instantly crushed. The workers did not stop the sled, but instead kept pulling as another worker climbed up onto the sled to take his place. This bothered Sanar to see a man crushed so. What kind of god must Ra be to allow good and faithful men to die in order to build a monument to him? he thought. Sanar could not bring himself to turn around to look at what was left of the man after the sled had passed over him.

  Sanar turned to the group leader’s aide accompanying him and asked, “Does this sort of thing happen often?”

  “No, it is quite rare, but the men are working harder trying to impress you. He was just careless I suppose; it’s sad, but it happens.”

  As they drew near the river Nile, Sanar could see a barge sailing away from where the large stone blocks were loaded onto the vessels. Another barge was being tied to the loading dock and a long and heavy wooden ramp was lowered across the side of the barge for the stone block to slide into its resting place for the voyage to the monument site. Once the sled was pulled alongside the loading ramp, Sanar, followed by the others on top of the block, found a safer vantage point to watch the loading of the block onto the boat for the next phase of its journey. Before boarding the barge, Sanar made a point of telling the workers who had pulled the sled that not only was he pleased, but he was sure Ra was also pleased with the work they were doing. He told them to remember this as they pulled each stone block. Sanar’s words were quite sincere, and the workers knew it.

  The gentle breeze of the river felt good on Sanar’s face and brought some relief from the heat of the afternoon sun as they slowly sailed along. He felt a little unsettled by the food and drink that were brought aboard especially for him. Although he was used to this treatment at the temple, here he only watched as others labored in the hot sun, and so after a small portion for himself, he ordered the remaining food and drink to be given to the workers on the barge. They thanked him relatedly, but Sanar silenced them by saying, “It takes far more nourishment for you to do the work you are doing than it takes for me to watch you doing it.”

  The sun was getting low on the horizon by the time the vessel reached the point where the stone block was to be unloaded. The block was pulled atop another wooden sled. This was truly a magical sight from Sanar’s viewpoint, for in addition to all the workers it took on the first part of the journey, now there were an additional fifty or so men carrying torches to light the way for the rest of the workers.

  This part of the journey would not take nearly as long as the first. The distance from the river to the monument site was only about one-third the distance of that from the quarry to the river. Sanar could already see the torches burning in the night from the monument site as they left the river. In less than two hours, they had arrived at the monument site and Sanar found himself in the group leader’s tent enjoying the food and drink that had arrived before him in anticipation of his arrival.

  By the time he finished with his refreshments, the stone block had been removed from the wooden sled and was almost ready to be placed where it was to rest for thousands of years to come. Sanar watched the workers place the block into its resting place, only to see it removed again when a small and very thin twig was able to be placed between the stone block and the previously placed block it was to rest up against. Quickly the stone workers of the group went to work, removing just the slightest amount of the stone, and trying it again, and again, until it fit so well that one could not see where one stone ended and the next stone began.

  “If you wish, I will arrange transport back to the temple for you Sanar,” the group leader stated.

  “No, that won’t be necessary. I’ve been sitting all day watching others work. I think I might enjoy the walk on such a clear night. A small escort will do just fine.” Sanar responded.

  Turning to his aide, the group leader instructed, “Arrange an escort for Sanar for his return to the temple.”

  Sanar felt good about what he had seen that day. The work was going well, the workers had accomplished much more than he could have hoped, and all of the instructions Ra had given to him in his visions were wondrously being achieved by the workers. It had been a truly good day, and he felt very contented with all he had seen. However, he was glad to see the temple drawing nearer knowing the comforts of his wife and his quarters awaited him.

  As the servants brought food and drink, Sanar told Nefree, “It was amazing to see so many things working together so well. Using all of the things Ra has told me through the visions, the work progressed as smoothly as the water flows in the river. I wish I knew of words that would describe to you the things I have seen today. It was truly amazing.” He stopped to eat some of the food that had been placed in front of him.

  “I’m so proud of you, Sanar. I always knew you would become Khufu’s chief architect, but in my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined all of this. I will never forget the way I felt when Ra named you as chief architect himself.” Turning to the servants, Nefree said, “Leave us now. I wish to be alone with my husband.”

  * * *

  It was a little over five weeks later as Sanar sat in his private chambers, when Ra visited him again with another vision. It had been nearly a year since work on the monument had begun, and the first level of the large stone blocks was nearly complete. This time, the visions were more elaborate and lasted much longer than all the previous ones combined. By the time the visions stopped, and the bright light faded, Sanar was completely exhausted and fell fast asleep. When he awoke several hours later, he was amazed to see just how much he had drawn. The illustrations contained the overall plans for the inner workings of the monument, as well as all of the details for the next twenty-two levels of stone blocks. There were many parchments and it took nearly an hour to review and make sense of all he had drawn. It was going to take some time to make the necessary copies for the group leaders and Khufu, but feeling somewhat rested, he began at once.

  Before starting, he decided to first summon one of his aides. "I have just received more visions from Ra and must make copies for the group leaders and for Khufu.”

  “Shall I summon them for you?” the aide responded.

  “No, not yet. The visions were great and many; it will take some time to make the necessary copies. I don’t want to be disturbed until I have finished. I will require nothing. Please tell the guards as you leave.”

  The sun was peeking over the horizon when Sanar emerged from his private chambers. “Guard, summon my aides.” With that he turned and disappeared into his chambers; the guards closed his doors behind him. A few moments later, several aides entered the chambers and stood awaiting his instructions. “Bring all of the group leaders here at once, and bring me food and drink that I may regain my strength while I await your return. Now go.” The aides quickly disappeared.

  Two returned a few minutes later bringing Sanar the food and drink he had requested. “Will you need anything else?” one of the aides asked.

  “No, not until the group leaders arrive.”

  With that the aides left Sanar to find his strength through nourishment. Sanar was quite hungry and ate a full meal. As he lay back to wait, he once again drifted off into slumber.

  The knock at the door to his chamber quickly pulled Sanar back into the world of his chambers. “Enter,” he mustered.

  The group leaders gathered on both sides of Sanar as he sat at his drawing table; they paid very close attention as Sanar explained each of the drawings on each of the parchments for nearly two hours.

  Sanar taught them about a strange new way of arranging the stone blocks to create a large open chamber without the weight of the blocks above crashing in. “I cannot begi
n to tell you how important it is that the blocks be placed exactly the way I have drawn them here. If they are just slightly misplaced, the smallest amount, the entire structure will collapse. I would not want to be the one to blame in the eyes of Ra were that to happen. You all have much work to do, so I won’t keep you any longer,” Sanar said as he sent the group leaders back to their respective work sites.

  Later that evening, one of Khufu’s aides came to Sanar’s quarters. Sanar and Nefree had just finished taking their evening meal and were talking about the work on the monument when the aide arrived.

  “Sanar, Khufu summons you to speak with him in his private chambers,” the aide said.

  “I shall come at once,” Sanar replied. “Forgive me, Nefree; we will finish our conversation when I return. I should not be too long with Khufu.”

  Khufu sat looking through the parchments from Sanar’s most recent visions and appeared puzzled as Sanar entered his private chambers. “Come, sit with me, Sanar,” Khufu said as he saw Sanar. “I am puzzled as I look through these new drawings from your latest vision from Ra.”

  “Yes, Khufu. What is it that puzzles you?” Sanar asked.

  Khufu thought silently for a moment. Choosing his words carefully he said, “I am sure the drawings you have made from the visions you received from Ra are exactly what were shown. I also have no doubts in your ability to draw these visions just as you have seen them. Yet, I am not convinced I am seeing what is before my eyes as I look at these drawings. It appears to be a large chamber, a very large chamber, with no entry or exit. There are no sliding stone blocks to reveal a hidden passage and no less than five stone blocks between this chamber and the nearest chamber. No words or symbols are to be inscribed to glorify Ra or even to mention his name. Can this be? I do not understand.”

  Sanar looked surprised at hearing Khufu’s words. “I do not know why Ra wants this chamber to be built as the drawing shows, nor do I know what the purpose of such a chamber would be. Perhaps Ra does not need doors to enter places. I don’t know why—I just draw what I am shown.”