Resurrection

by Jeffrey Burger

  Watching from a third-person perspective, Jack felt a pang of panic, “I don’t like this, old man, what the hell is happening? Am I dead?”

  “Well, technically… yes…”

  “WHAT?!”

  “And no,” finished Voorlak, leaning in, passing Jack a snifter of brandy. “We’ve had this conversation before, but let me explain…”

  “Please do,” interrupted Jack, taking a nervous sip, eyeing the cloaked figure sitting across from him.

  “You’re a smart man Jack… and you have a habit of not letting things go... With enough time you would have put all the pieces together.”

  Steele raised an inquisitive eyebrow, “Go on…”

  “You’ve been seeing things in your dreams…” Voorlak tapped his own head and pointed at Jack, “have to blame it on that damned CABL system in your head. We can clear a biological mind, but that damn thing… well… we’ve never had to deal with one before.”

  “So these dreams… they’re not dreams are they,” Steele said flatly.

  “No, they’re memories. Not something we anticipated.”

  “You keep saying we - who’s we?”

  “And then of course, your abilities - we thought they’d be completely suppressed…”

  “Who’s we?” insisted Jack.

  “We didn’t expect you to recover your abilities,” continued Voorlak, ignoring the inquiry. “But then again, you’re fairly unique, and it became clear nearly immediately that you would not be an ordinary subject…”

  Steele shrugged, knowing flattery when it was being applied. Still, a compliment was a compliment. “I’d like to think I’m at least a little above the ordinary…”

  “An understatement,” mumbled the old man, his face in the snifter, retrieving a sip.

  Steele also knew misdirection when it was being used. “Wait,” he waved, “you didn’t answer my question. Who is we? And what abilities are we talking about?” he asked suspiciously.

  Voorlak held up an index finger to pause the string of questions, “When you were brought to the temple, you were near death, Jack. We did all we could, but your body was toxic past recovery, your organs had all but completely shut down and all we could do was make you comfortable… Sadly, this was a horrible aberration of your destiny however, and the Brethren elected to send you through Chrysalis so you could continue to exist in a viable form and fulfill the destiny you were created for. But because this was attempted before the timeline that was supposed to deliver you to us, you woke early, restless, and did not complete the transition…”

  “The garden…” he interjected, remembering.

  “Where you woke early from Chrysalis, yes,” acknowledged Voorlak.

  “Transition to what?”

  “A Guardian…”

  “Angel?” blurted Jack.

  “That is the layman’s view, yes,” nodded Voorlak.

  “And the abilities?”

  “Well,” waved Voorlak, turning his palm up, “everyone is different, but you already experienced psychokinetic projection.” Jack’s eyebrows arched in an unspoken question. “The ability to project ones’ self - like I’m doing now,” clarified the old man, “which is astral projection. With practice we can become solid and interact with our surroundings, physically and with our minds; this is the psychokinetic part. You’ve done it with your son, Colton, and your sister.”

  Jack’s eyes widened, “I thought I was dreaming those things…”

  “No, it was real. And it came quite naturally to you. Though since your resurrection, you were not supposed to have any abilities remaining - I feel we may have been greatly mistaken…”

  Steele reflected a look of shock, “Resurrection? WHAT?”

  “A true Guardian no longer holds a corporeal form - existing more on a fluid energy plane, commanding a solid form only for interaction with the living…” Before Jack could interject, Voorlak stayed him with a gesture, “When you realized this, your desire to return to your family was so great, you immediately requested to be returned to your human corporeal form, surrendering your Guardianship and declining to return to Chrysalis. The Brethren considered your plea and supporting arguments before voting nearly unanimously to return you, with the hopes your destiny would follow its intended path and return you eventually for future consideration…”

  With both hands, Jack ran his fingers through his hair, rubbing as if it helped clarify and sort the information in his head. “So, let me get this straight; I was alive, then I was dead, then I was an angel, then I went back to being alive again… sort of, because now I’m somehow part alive and part not? A crossbreed human-angel of some kind?”

  Voorlak stared into his brandy snifter for a moment, mulling it over, “Missing some nuances, of course, but that sums it up pretty well.”

  Jack scrubbed his beard with the palm of his hand and rolled his eyes, “That’s a whole lot of fucked up…” He ventured a quick glance in the old man’s direction, “Sorry, I’m probably not supposed to use language like that as an angel, huh…”

  Voorlak combined a shake of his head and a shrug, “Far be it for me to correct your language, my boy - you own it, your chosen vernacular is a part of you and your character.”

  A chilling energy ran through his body and Jack stiffened, sucking air, “Whoa…”

  “Yes, indeed,” agreed Voorlak.

  As his pulse and breathing quickened, Steele’s peripheral vision registered Andrea bent over his nude form, the sheet which had covered him, rumpled in a heap on the floor. Glistening with oil, she worked the inside of his thighs towards his groin, pausing there and moving up over his stomach to his chest. She returned to her starting point and repeated. “What the hell is she doing?” frowned Jack, rising from his seat.

  “Releasing tension and improving circulation,” replied Voorlak. “Looks like it’s working…” he chuckled. “She appears very skilled - it’s obvious she enjoys her work…”

  “Hey, stop that!” shouted Jack, gesturing at her.

  “Sit down, sit down,” urged Voorlak with a wave. “She can’t see or hear you. Let the woman finish her work.”

  Jack dropped himself back to his seat, thumbing his temples, “But that’s… ugh… I don’t want… that’s embarrassing…”

  Voorlak shook his head, “I would never have expected such a Provincial view out of you, my friend…”

  “Steele tried not to watch but the distraction was just too great, “I… if you’re saying I’m old-fashioned, I can live with that. I’m not a prude, I’m mortified - there’s a difference.”

  “You do realize it has health benefits,” said Voorlak matter-of-factly. “The body, human or otherwise, is not designed for celibacy. It needs to be exercised in all manners - that includes occasional release. For physical as well as mental reasons.”

  Steele shifted to turn away, still seeing it in his peripheral, not sure if the waves of tightness in his stomach was a result of the visual, or if he was still connected to his physical body. “Can we stop talking about that, please? It’s bad enough I had to see that, but with you here…”

  Voorlak waved it off, “It’s not like you’ve been caught with a drug-addled woman of questionable character in a house of ill-repute, in some dirty, forsaken, red-light district. You are under the clinical care of someone who is nearly a doctor.” He held up his hand, “Just a moment…”

  “I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop watching…” frowned Jack.

  “I believe this distraction is about to come to its conclusion…”

  Steele palmed his face in embarrassment, “Oh dear God…”

  “And there we have it,” gestured the old man. “Wonderful… I imagine you must be feeling relieved now…”

  “Stop. Just stop…” mumbled Jack through his hands.

  ■ ■ ■

  Andrea relaxed on a sofa in the corner of her quarters, reading, as her Captain slept on the padded massage table, wrapped in a sheet, side bolsters keeping him fro
m rolling off if he shifted position. Several times he spoke in his sleep as if he was in a conversation, though it was nothing she could understand. More than once as she worked his muscles, her fingers seemed to slip into him, through him, as if he wasn’t truly solid, wasn’t truly there on that plane of existence… She sensed a connection to something deeper, something ancient, something so overwhelming it nearly caused her to stop. But she was compelled to continue, curious as to where that connection led or what it might mean. She felt nothing threatening, more convinced than ever the crew’s scuttlebutt about the Captain being a Guardian Angel.

  While she had studied many religions and understood a great deal about them - their differences and various similarities, she never identified with any of them. Primarily because it had never been a part of her life. She had always left her mind open, believing that there were powers far greater than man and his creations, though it was well beyond her ability to define.

  Andrea glanced up over at the form stirring on the massage table; whether he was man, ghost, God or Angel, she was committed to his service… and it went well beyond the contract.

  ■ ■ ■

  For reasons they didn’t divulge, even to Voorlak, the Brotherhood had decided it was best to remove the memory block they had imposed upon Jack. Perhaps they thought it would be more productive than struggling to make sense of piecemeal fragments. Or maybe they figured he’d collect and assemble all the pieces eventually anyway… In the end, the most surprising revelation was that Voorlak had been in Jack’s life long before he arrived in space…

  They had met several times throughout Jack’s life on Earth, each one a test of character, integrity, compassion, goodwill and honesty. He had been chosen, observed and protected. And reflecting back on those meetings which were now free for him to mentally examine, he was able to see familiarities in those encounters, though each one was different and unique. Had it been revealed at some other time in his life, it might have bothered him… now, it was just a relief to be able to fill in all the gaps in his memory and know the whole story. It really didn’t put him in a better place psychologically, but at least he knew how he’d gotten there - and that was enough to offer some measure of closure. The part that would take some getting used to was not that he was less human - but in almost every way, he was considerably more than he used to be - with abilities he’d only briefly touched upon, not knowing their limitations or even how to control them. He was careful to consider Voorlak’s warning; “No matter what I tell you, you are going to be you and I do not intend to hinder your decisions or reactions… just know this; you are less-mortal, not immortal…”

  Hmm… good to know.

  “How are you feeling, Captain?”

  Steele propped himself up on one elbow, locking eyes with Andrea, curled up in a cozy corner with some reading material. “Rested, relaxed,” he replied politely, having decided to forgo any mention of what he witnessed from his third-person perspective. “Thank you for that. How about you?”

  “I am well…”

  Steele picked up on a micro-expression that flashed across her face, “What?”

  “I… I…” she stumbled, unsure of how to broach what she’d experienced.

  “What happened?”

  She took a deep breath, “There were several times when…” she touched her face in an effort to relieve the tension, “when you were more… I don’t know - more liquid energy than solid. My fingers disappeared into your muscles. Without any apparent harm… I could actually see your muscles…”

  Steele sat up, wrapped the sheet around his waist and slid off the table, “I’m sorry if that frightened you, I don’t have control over that. Yet.” He sat next to her on the sofa, “But what happened here tonight you can never discuss with anyone.”

  “They were right, weren’t they? You are a Guardian Angel…” she whispered.

  He inhaled deeply, holding it for a moment, fearing the utterance of the words might change something, “Yes. I am…” he exhaled. “But that doesn’t change anything. I’m new at this, and I’m not ready to discuss this with anyone else right now.” He touched her hand, “Can I trust you to keep this between us for now? Until I find the right time and place for this discus…” Andrea drew a rapid breath and snatched her hand out from underneath his, her eyes wide. “Wha?” Steele glanced down, realizing his hand radiated a soft subtle glow.

  “Your hand passed into mine… it tingles - like thousands of electric needles. It travelled straight up my arm.”

  “Steele’s eyebrows arched, “Did it cause you pain?”

  Andrea’s eyes searched her thoughts, “No. Not pain… It just… surprised me.” She slid her hand back under his. “It’s soft, almost relaxing. It could be painful at a more intense level. It’s very similar to what I felt earlier during your massage.”

  Mesmerized, Steele watched his hand melt into hers, feeling the bones and muscles of her hand, the blood coursing through her veins, the sensors in her fingertips, all images in his mind - playing like a live digital recording. “Fascinating,” he whispered, describing to her what he felt and saw.

  Andrea bounced to her feet, “Stand up,” she motioned excitedly, “stand up!”

  Jack rose slowly, not understanding what had so suddenly transpired, “Okaaay,” he said slowly, “now what...?”

  She stretched out her arms, “Hug me.”

  “Huh, what?”

  “You want to learn more, don’t you?” She waved him closer, “Hug me. Hug me…” She ignored his apprehension and took control, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him flat against her body, inhaling sharply on first contact, as the sensation raced through her entire frame, arching her back. “By the Gods…” she breathed, exhaling as it washed over her, flowed through her, filling her from head to toe, touching every nerve in her body. Pure light and energy washing her mind blank, there were no thoughts, no words to explain or describe the euphoria, a feeling of weightlessness, an explosion of colors. With what little control she had, she clung as tightly as she could and buried her face in his chest as his embrace enveloped her. It was like being able to breathe underwater. “Squeeze me tight, please don’t let go… Don’t let go… tighter… tighter…” Convulsions and muscles spasms wracking her body, exhausted her in record time. Her energy and stamina spent, her body went limp, “Don’t let me go, don’t let me go…” she panted, pleading breathlessly into his ear, barely able to form the words.

  Cradling her as her grip failed and her legs buckled, Steele eased Andrea down to the sofa, laying her on her side as she curled into a fetal position, literally vibrating, clutching a pillow to her body. He sank to the floor in front of her, stroking her damp hair, having ended the flow of energy. “It’s over,” he said softly. “Are you alright?” She managed a nod as her body gradually unclenched, her muscles relaxing, the waves of sensation ebbing away. She managed a weak smile, staring into his eyes. “What happened?” he asked. “In less than a minute, your heartrate skyrocketed…”

  With a trembling hand she reached out and touched his face, “You have wings…” she sighed, “and they are magnificent…”

  Jack raised an eyebrow and looked back over his shoulder, “No, no wings. You must have been hallucinating…”

  Andrea took a deep breath, extending her legs, “I know what I saw.”

  “Is that what raised your heartrate? You were frightened?”

  She chuckled, shaking her head, brushing a loose lock of hair out of her face, “You really don’t get it?”

  His eyes narrowed, “Get… what?” he asked slowly.

  Her eyes blinked slowly, lazily, as the corners of her mouth curled up in a contented smile, “What makes a woman’s head swim and her knees weak?” She watched the blank look wash across his face, “You’re overthinking this, it’s simply physical…”

  Jacks eyebrows arched in instant comprehension, “Ooooo…”

  Andrea’s smile didn’t waver “Ooooo indeed…”

&
nbsp; “That was not…”

  “Believe me, I’m not complaining,” she waved lazily. “Not at all.” Andrea rolled on her back and stretched seductively like a cat, “I may be a biodroid, but I’m a woman - a woman with needs. And by the Gods, I needed that.”

  “You used me,” he objected, displeasure creeping into his tone.

  “I did not,” she pouted with fake indignation. “We conducted an impromptu experiment. Experiments often have unpredictable results. I learned it had a harmless and unintended consequence - albeit highly pleasurable and gratifying…” She rolled her head to the side, locking eyes with him, “Most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on… So, what did you learn...?”

  ■ ■ ■

  Thankfully, the galley was deserted - not that he was being anti-social, Jack just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. Of which there were many. So many. It would be nice if there was some type of instruction manual for this type of thing… what the hell do I do now? Despite everything, the answer was the same as it had always been… get home. He’d been reaching out; Lisa, Fritz, Colton, Alité, but he was uncertain of the results. He got the sense that while he couldn’t see Fritz or his surroundings, that he was still alive. He seemed to have the best luck with Colton, surprised at how much he had grown. Steele hadn’t considered that being a Guardian Angel would require practice - but there it was. Maybe it only required practice because he wasn’t a full Guardian? Again, that instruction manual would really come in handy…

  Whether it was the massage, or the expenditure of energy required for Andrea’s experiment, he was ravenous, like he had skipped a couple of meals. Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and juice. He didn’t feel like he could eat more than usual, just that the need was so insistent. He was half-heartedly considering a second helping when he felt the main engines change pitch, the vibration in the deck reducing frequency, dropping to a low hum. We’re slowing down… why are we slowing down? He paused a beat waiting for an announcement over the comm, but none came. What the hell… He couldn’t define how he could tell, but he had the sense the ship was altering course as well. How was that possible?