[“But how could this have happened?”] wondered Adam suddenly. [“Just because we came back home, THAT is supposedly the catalyst that triggered all of this? How?”]
Thomas regarded his brother thoughtfully and laughed suddenly, recognizing something that for the moment eluded a noticeably frustrated Adam. “Don’t you see?” Thomas asked curiously, smiling triumphantly at his brother. “There was more to that ‘healing’ ritual that Jesus performed on you than we at first thought. In fact, I believe it’s why he ended up so weak and powerless; almost dying from the same desert exposure that previously was unable to even slow him down. When he healed you, a great deal of additional energy was transferred into you. Since he obviously couldn’t come to the future with us, you were used as a vessel – a battery of sorts – to store what was temporarily needed in order to properly heal and restore the Earth. It activated as soon as your feet touched the surface.” Thomas suddenly began hopping up and down triumphantly. “We’ve been given our miracle Adam! We’ve got our miracle!”
Adam remained perplexed. “Who? Who’s miracle is it?” he asked curiously. “You can’t tell me that Jesus just simply knew somehow exactly what we were going to need before we even had an opportunity to explain our situation to him. I was dead… that’s the first time we encountered him. So how could he have known that we would need a miracle of this scope?”
“He didn’t, but David did,” continued Thomas enthusiastically. “Wherever David is, he obviously couldn’t be here to help us so he used that silver watch as both a guide and conduit to guide us through a series of pre-planned steps. Not only is he linked to the watch, but he is obviously linked to Jesus too.”
“You mean I was supposed to die?” Adam put an uneasy hand to his throat and swallowed hard.
“Not necessarily. I’m guessing that there was going to be some kind of a transfer of power regardless of what happened to us. When you happened to get killed, the watch’s programming somehow recognized that it had a unique opportunity to use you as a storage vessel.” He grinned sheepishly. “I still think it’s an Artificial Intelligence of some sort… and an extremely advanced one, I might add.”
[“I hate to interrupt your little debate and discussion,”] Kaufield’s presence announced unexpectedly. [“However, I would look upon it as a favor if you two would finish up whatever it is you were planning on doing and get back to the shuttle, ASAP. Matters have changed significantly, first with the fall of the Brotherhood leadership and now with the unexpected transformation of Earth. I’m going to need both of you back on the job helping to analyze everything that has happened.”]
[“Give us ten minutes,”] decided Adam as the new morning light revealed a nearby pile of burnt and broken wood that had once been his parents’ home. The lawn looked neat green while the house was framed on its west side by large pine trees and a row of blooming, flowery bushes as though nothing bad had ever happened. [“That should be time enough for us to say goodbye to our loved ones.”]
Kaufield sensed Adam’s raw emotional state. Thomas’ wasn’t in much better shape. [“Scratch that last order,”] he replied, his sympathy obvious. [“Take as long as you need.”]
Together the two brothers walked toward a house that was broken and yet still filled with countless memories.
PROJECT EARTH
Pathfinder Series: Book Three
Chapter XII: When Darkness Becomes Light
Sol System, aboard the Lexington, present day…
President Kaufield began their last official staff meeting in the Sol system by introducing everyone to Valiana 001. “I have reviewed the databases from Earth’s computers and discovered that she and her late colleague Hobak have been working to undermine the Brotherhood of the Dragon for over a decade. A most remarkable effort, considering the danger involved has already been fatal for one of them.” The dark-haired, brown-eyed Caucasian woman was just standing there and staring at the floor, her cheeks flushed with shame. It was clear that she felt more than a little remorse regarding everything that had happened since the beginning of the war.
Finally she glanced up at him, anxiety tightening the muscles in her face. “I don’t expect any special treatment,” she told him. “All of us, all of the clones, were there at the inception. We voted unanimously to plunge the Earth into war, and it’s only through the creation of a complete miracle that some of the damage has now been undone.” She spoke hesitantly, her words tentative. “If you spare my life, I promise that my allies and I will continue to help you.”
“The miracle you speak of has reminded us once again of the importance of repentance and forgiveness,” spoke up Dr. Simmons. “You have already paid a stiff penalty in a number of ways, especially biologically.”
“How so?” Adam and Thomas had only recently returned from the surface and were not yet up to speed on everything that had taken place during the awesome energy surge. Other crew members all over the ship, however, were still eagerly discussing the phenomenal transformation of what had been Earth’s own version of the Wasteland.
Karen Simmons glanced at the brothers and smiled. “The same miracle that restored the plant and animal life on Earth and erased the radiation from the air and the poison from the water has affected the Brotherhood clones too. They have been stripped of their genetic enhancements… all of them are gone.”
“I’m just a regular human now,” shrugged Valiana, her mood still dark and grim. “My brothers and sisters as well; we deserve no less, when you take into account everything that has happened.”
“I don’t think what has happened to you was meant as a punishment, Valiana.” Walking over to where she stood shivering with fear, the President put an arm around her shoulders and offered her a chair. Then he poured her a cup of coffee as Thomas shoved a box of donuts across the table.
“Welcome to our group,” Thomas emphasized. “You’re here because we believe you have changed and trust you to assist us in making things right.”
“Don’t forget the infamous nature of the entity that has granted us this astonishing miracle,” said Kaufield with a reassuring smile. “Yes your modified genetics have been reversed, but your people’s injuries were also healed along with the rest of Earth’s refugees,” he continued. “Even the people who are still fighting to undermine our Brotherhood takeover were cured. Everyone living on Earth, in some form or another, was paying a colossal price for living on such a devastated world. The fact that your people were healed along with our own citizens tells me that compassion and understanding has been offered to all of us. Trust me, the fledgling Tranquility government is fully capable of handling the redemption process for those of you who will renounce your ways and atone for your sins.”
“Not all of us deserve such treatment,” snapped Valiana apprehensively. “Many of those who you are working to capture have committed atrocities unworthy of the human race.”
“Those people, unfortunately, have already decided their fate,” pointed out Noah. His elderly features crinkled as he flashed a reassuring smile at her. “We have a planet waiting for them in the Proteus galaxy that will… refocus… their priorities on life’s more important issues.” His eyes shifted next to Kaufield. “But then, speaking of planets, we have so much more to talk about, especially where Earth is concerned.”
“Yes. No kidding Noah. Just what in the blazes happened down there?” asked Adam curiously. “I realize that my body was used as some sort of battery to release an unknown energy, but it all felt like… it felt like…” He looked to Thomas.
“Renewal,” said Thomas. “What we witnessed down there and up here from orbit was a stunning renewal… an almost total recreation of Earth’s biological ecosystems. I only had a few minutes prior to this meeting, but the video recordings of that white energy wave clearly show it eventually passed over the entire planet. Those who died in the initial war and after are still lost to us. There are also plenty of bomb craters and debris fields to be cleaned up, but overall we couldn’t
have hoped for more.”
“Agreed,” said Dr. Simmons. “Already there is already more meat, fresh fruit and vegetables to be found in what used to be the continental United States than existed yesterday on the entire planet. We witnessed a truly astonishing transformation, and I don’t know what else to say about what took place. There’s nothing currently in our known science that could have accomplished so much in so little time.”
“Nor our science,” added Noah wryly. “We produce similar results, granted, but it takes us quite a bit of time and patience. New suns and their orbiting worlds need to be created and then seeded with life, a process that takes us decades, sometimes centuries, depending upon how creative we wish to get.” He chuckled and regarded both Thomas and Adam thoughtfully. “I have to thank all of you, though. Taking part in this has been… spiritually… revitalizing for me. My people have been wondering just who or what interfered with Earth’s development for several millennia now. Now we know that much of what is written in your Holy Bible is in fact true. The only way things would have been better is if I could have gone with you and spoke with this Jesus of Nazareth personally.”
Adam threw up his hands, his expression puzzled. “We still don’t know who it was who actually ended up helping us,” he observed. “All we have are suspicions… that an unknown alien entity named David is linked somehow to Jesus the Christ.”
“Isn’t that enough?” wondered Thomas, studying his brother intently. “You’ve said many times that the silver watch David gave you, while you were in the Wasteland, is proof enough of God’s existence. Isn’t that what made a believer out of you?”
“David was an old man with a lot of vague comments and ideas,” replied Adam with frustration. “He flat out dared me to ask him if he was the Intelligent Designer. When I finally gave in and did just that, he told me ‘you don’t get to know that… yet’.” He shook his head and poured himself another steaming cup of coffee. “Things don’t get any more enigmatic than that!”
The President looked next to Dr. Karen Simmons. “What more can I add?” she asked him, waving her hands helplessly in a manner remarkably similar to Adam’s. “The rebirth of life on Earth is almost total. Forests, prairies, wooded areas, jungles and rivers, it’s all back the way it was except for the blast damage and debris. Every patient I’ve examined is completely healed.” She paused for emphasis, reaching up to brush a lock of graying hair out of her eyes. “Completely healed… it’s not just the radiation and other combat damage that’s been reversed. All other maladies and long-term problems people were suffering from are gone too… even mental retardation and those who were missing limbs. The restoration is absolutely off-the-charts incredible to behold. It’s almost as if someone had a ‘before’ template and used it to restore everything.” She chuckled lightly. “Yes the clones are no longer enhanced, but all previously permanent tissue damage has been completely healed.”
“We’re reopening the portals to the Proteus galaxy immediately after this meeting,” pointed out Noah. “Already your government on Tranquility is receiving requests from millions of people who want to return to Earth and begin the rebuilding process. News of this has already spread back home, I’m afraid.”
Valiana exhaled sharply. “The worst of my people will disguise themselves and try to sneak through your portals,” she warned him. “They’re going to have no other place to hide, unfortunately.”
Noah pointed at his wrinkled features in response. “They can change the color of their hair, grow beards, and perhaps even alter the color of their eyes. But they will not be able to beat our facial recognition capability,” he told her. “And even if they could, missing genetic enhancements or no, we can tell who they are.” He turned toward Dr. Simmons. “Correct?”
“Correct,” she stated confidently with a wide smile.
“All of the friends and families that we lost are still gone,” commented Mary Fredericks calmly. “I must confess that I would have liked to have had them restored as well.” She turned toward her husband with a frustrated look on her face. “I really wish that our time travel effort would have been allowed to proceed… with the way things worked out we still have to deal with the tragic loss of so many innocent people.”
Glen nodded in agreement. “I keep wondering why we were so sharply elbowed into this outcome,” he mused thoughtfully. “Knowing that Noah’s people have already used time travel to the recent past in order to avoid catastrophic situations, it’s kind of perplexing that we weren’t permitted to do the same thing.”
“I think I know why,” declared Adam suddenly. “Noah has described those missions of theirs to avert massive loss of life in terms of months or occasionally a year or two.” He paused thoughtfully, mulling over the situation. “It took us years to get settled on Tranquility in the Proteus galaxy and help all of the refugees who willingly chose to come through the portals from Earth and join us. Then it took at least a decade before we were comfortable enough to begin experimenting with implant technology and run the Wasteland mission.”
“So?” Glen didn’t see his point.
“You obviously haven’t had a point in your life where you were near death,” said Thomas with a slow smile. “That’s very fortunate for you, but it means you haven’t glimpsed what lies beyond.”
“Almost six billion people lost their lives in that nuclear war and its immediate aftermath,” pointed out Adam bluntly. “And it’s taken us almost sixteen years to get to a position where we could safely go back and attempt a correction.” He looked around the room, studying their faces one by one. “It’s just a gut instinct, but I believe that those six billion souls have been peacefully at rest for almost two decades now and whoever it is that interfered with our time travel mission wants them to remain that way.”
“It makes as much sense as any explanation I can think of,” nodded Kaufield. “The ongoing loss also remains a grim reminder to us all of what happens when we allow our leaders to look the other way and avoid solving our world’s violent conflicts while they’re still reasonably small.” He looked next to the Admiral.
“We have nearly two dozen CAS-equipped, invisible warships that have moved into the Sol system,” said James Henry confidently. “The Brotherhood fleet has noticed those patrols and is slowly but surely lining up to surrender. There are a few stubborn ship commanders out there, but when they start to see parts of their ships sliced off with our laser systems, the reality of the situation begins to dawn on them.” He sighed heavily. “Retaking the entire planet will be a much more difficult, time consuming process. We’re still working to provide adequate security to the residents of Tranquility, so pulling so many of our troops back to Earth will strain our forces a bit. No matter… we’ll handle it.”
“I can assist too,” spoke up Valiana. “I’ll provide you with a list of trustworthy allies you can work with.”
“That would be appreciated, madam.”
“Yes, and now that it is clear that the remaining Brotherhood leadership is also on board with your plans, my people will not object to adding some of our own troops to assist you,” promised Noah. “They can do more than simply guard the portals now that your planetary government speaks with one unified voice.”
Admiral Henry nodded gratefully while President Kaufield looked at his friend with gratitude. “You told us at the very beginning that we would have to solve our own problems,” he said, remembering.
“But with help,” replied Noah with a wink. “You are no longer a new friend that we know very little about. Your people are a valued asset in our community and an ally.”
Holding up a brown clipboard with several sheets of paper attached to it, Kaufield smiled at the small group of people. “Before I let everyone go for the evening, there’s just one more thing,” he decided, shifting his gaze toward Adam. “I received a final, detailed report summarizing what you witnessed in the Wasteland and your time in the past early this morning. You wrote: ‘After repeated encounters with u
nknown entities that regularly make use of unexplained abilities clearly transcending traditional science as we know it, my conclusion is that God is some sort of omnipotent, super-powered alien who is probably older than our known universe. His kid, I’m not so sure about’.”
Shrugging indifferently, Adam smiled wryly. “That is my professional assessment,” he declared. “Sir.”
“Do you believe that David created this universe?” Kaufield prodded subtly.
“It is my opinion, but scientifically I find that to be a colossal unknown at this time, Mr. President.”
“And what do you think?” Kaufield turned to regard Thomas with more than a little amusement.
“Obviously I don’t know for certain either,” the youthful scientist admitted with mild frustration. “Whatever we would choose to call these abilities… magic, divine power, perhaps some kind of a new science we don’t yet understand…” He looked down at his own notes and regarded them thoughtfully. “Does it really matter? All of it has been directed toward teaching us about compassion, forgiveness, and the need to live with a moral center that keeps us grounded so that we can continue to evolve as a species. Look at history… every time a society has grown more and more narcissistic and its citizens less self-reliant, it eventually collapses.”
“According to the Old Testament, God was a pretty angry, vengeful being,” stated Adam candidly.
“Perhaps working with humans was new to him,” suggested Mary. “If you look at the entire Bible, it’s a record of a God that grew more and more merciful as time progressed. And as we matured as a race, things got better and better, culminating in the sending of his own Son to form the final, lasting Covenant that promised to save all the Gentiles if only they repented and chose to ask Him for forgiveness.”
The Pathfinder Trilogy Page 105