Legion's Riddle Trilogy Box Set
Page 66
Vito nodded. “Yes," he affirmed. "Take us back to Ameda, Paw. I’m good with Kyle."
Pawdell pushed the T-bar forward banking Raptor into a wide turn around the Mastodon. When they cleared, Pawdell leaned into the T-bar a second time. In a flash they were out of sight with no trace left behind.
Kyle sat in his chair silent. His eyes were wide open. He turned to his co-pilot and spoke, “That’s our competition.”
The other raised an eyebrow. “Noted,” he replied. “Let’s thank our Amedan guest and bid him leave. Then, we can concentrate on getting through their processing without rancor.”
Kyle nodded. “We can do that.”
The other rolled his eyes. “Tell those jokers behind us to be on their best behavior. And make sure the equipment gets a full check and a double check. I want things to come off without a hitch. You tell those guys to get it there when I give the word. I don’t want this thing coming back on us.”
“Alright, boss,” said Kyle. “Leave things to me. We will get it there. First, we play nice with their processing ship.”
Devin turned from the screen. “That went well,” he said. “I would like to have seen their faces when Pawdell blasted away with Raptor.”
The banquet hall erupted in cheers and applause.
Murmurings came from the military table.
Marco turned to the Emperor. “It’s a soldier’s prerogative to complain.”
Legion nodded, “I know,” he said. “They are suspicious about something else. They are wondering how Lao got past their defenses.”
“Yes,” replied Marco, I was curious about that myself. We can’t hold him without the support of the Amedans.”
Legion shook his head. “They won’t hold back one of their own. If only for scientific curiosity, they will act as one.” he replied. “They insist their citizens be autonomous. They will not bottle themselves up for outsiders. This is their planet. And, they make the rules. They have every right to hold their sovereign posture. Lao lost his post as High Council for unbecoming conduct. To the Amedans, that's enough.”
“No, no,” replied Marco, “I agree. Many cultures say: Let the Buyer Beware.”
Legion nodded, “That’s right, and it goes both ways. The Amedans can say, if you come to festival and get injured while competing, tough luck. You are on your own. That, as you know, would not happen here because Amedans practice goodwill in everything.”
Marco rejoined. “We say while serving our guests, Primum non nocere,”
“First do no harm,” I like that,” said Legion. “Lawyers a thousand years ago would argue that.”
“Like reasonable and prudent action?” Marco replied.
“Reasonable and prudent,” repeated Legion agitated. He pointed a long finger at Marco. “Yes, Admiral,” he retorted. “Here is something for your military officers. During Times of Battle, Decisive Action must take place. Conduct Unbecoming is the charge against those who fail. What do you think of that?”
Marco sat dumbfounded at Legion’s rebuke. “I don’t know,” he said.
“Legion stuck his finger back into Marco’s face. “You would get hanged scurrying around the battle field without your wits. Buck up soldier. Stop your egg sucking. You’re an Admiral. My Boy, My Boy; he has lost his senses?”
Marco fell silent by Legion’s assault.
“Tilly!” sang Legion holding up his empty glass, “More potato juice.”
Tildanfin scurried over. He leaned over the table. “I believe you’re drunk, Sire.”
“Nonsense, boy,” said Legion acting tipsy. “I’m as sober as a tree,” said Legion dead serious. “That’s it, as a tree,” he reaffirmed.
“What kind of tree, Sire?”
“What difference does it make,” snapped Legion.
“Would that be a real tree or a make believe tree, Sire,” said Tildanfin holding his ground.
Legion baulked. “Oh for goodness sakes, my boy, a real damned honest to goodness tree. Tilly, I’m trying to make a point here.”
“Oh, very good, Sire,” conceded Tildanfin. “I’ll bring you some more potato juice then.”
“No, Tilly. You know what I like, remember, Vodka with a splash of lime? Okay, off you go now.” Tildanfin departed then Legion waved his empty glass bellowing like a lusty drunken troll. “Tilly, I need more potato juice.”
King Devin, watching the uproar, took center stage.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Guests and dignitaries of galaxies near and far, and everyone else, welcome. Welcome to the Grand Ball. To our hosts above in the Arches of the Castle; to each and every one of you, welcome.” Devin lifted his glass to the glowing blue orbs in the ceiling. He announced, “To our Amedan hosts, everyone.”
The Arches flashed with multicolored neon. Ribbons of blue flashed from one end of the banquet hall to the other. The ribbons burst into sparklers dropping like confetti on the heads of the guests.
Oohs and aahs sang out from the guests. Uproarious laughter erupted as the confetti faded and disappeared in midair.
Devin took a bow for the Amedan magic. He brought up his hands to the Amedan hive. The audience gave a resounding applause.
Devin nodded, encouraging the participants with uplifted hands and a wide grin. At length, he quieted the crowd with folded hands.
Oh, thank you," he said. "And to the Amedans, thank you. Well, here we are again. How you all doing? I tell you I’m okay. Well, I’m okay, now. But I have to tell you, a few days ago, I was a mess. Yeah, you know what I‘m talking about. We all have friends who come over and tell us all about the trouble they are having with their relationships. Do you have any friends like that?
Well, my friend came over, a good friend. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to help, but shit. I mean, after a while I wanted to stick my head in nearest trash can. You see, sometimes, these people go on and on. And, that’s when I lose it. I had no choice. I had to stop him midsentence and say: 'It sounds to me like you have a better relationship with your toilet then you do with your wife’. He thought about that. So I said, 'At least you can flush your toilet.'
Am I right? I had to distract him from his folly. Saying anything is better than letting someone drone on and on then to have him dump on your head.
The best thing is to take it out and beat it. It doesn’t matter whose wrong or right, just beat it. Does that sound like fun? That’s what I always say. If it’s something you can’t do anything about anyway, what do you do? That's right, 'Beat it'. Enjoy the moment Ladies and Gentlemen, and put a few licks in for that special someone.
Tonight we have a special group that is out of this world. Now! Maestro, if you please, lead us to the first dance for this evening. Take it away.”
The curtain opened. Kyle and His Misfits were on stage with synthesized guitars striking a hard shuffling scale. The players picked up with a rhythm that moved the crowd to their feet. Tears ran down Mariah’s face. Cybil turned to Marco. “This group is famous in our galaxy.”
Marco turned and smiled. Not daring to tarnish the glow in Cybil’s eyes, he gave a thumb up.
Grantham turned to Legion and pointed a long finger in his face, “You big faker,” he said with a whimsical eye. “This is all of your doing. Take a look around. There isn’t a dry eye in the house. I love this, you old fart.”
“I worried I couldn’t get these guys over here,” said Legion sounding as sober as a tree. “The wormhole collapsed and I had to find a Black-hole with polarity coming back this way.”
"Congratulations, Your Majesty," said Grantham.
As the first song faded, Kyle stepped forward. “We would like to play our latest release for you here on Ameda. ‘Hope of Deliverance,’ Ladies and Gentlemen and all you other cool cats,” Kyle waved at Cybil.”
Kyle strummed a cord on his Stratocaster. The drummer rolled the tom-tom. Right on cue the band began to sing.
I will always be, hoping, hoping
You will always be . . . holding,
&n
bsp; Holding my heart, in your hand
I will understand . . .
I will understand, someday, one day,
You will understand . . . always,
Always . . . from now until then
When it will be right, I don’t know,
What it will be like, I don’t know,
We live in hope of deliverance,
From the darkness that surround us . . .
Hope of deliverance
Hope of deliverance
Hope of deliverance
From the darkness that surrounds us . . .
And I wouldn’t mind, knowing, knowing
That you wouldn’t mind, going,
Going . . . along with my plan
When it will be right, I don’t know,
What it will be like, I don’t know,
We live in hope of deliverance,
From the darkness that surrounds us . . .
Hope of deliverance
Hope of deliverance
Hope of deliverance
From the darkness that surrounds us . . .
Hope of deliverance
Hope of deliverance (I will understand)
Hope of deliverance (I will understand)
Hope of Deliverance
Written and Performed by: Paul McCartney
Released December 28, 1992
Legion was grinning from ear to ear.
Grantham leaned over. “You knew about this, ‘Hope of deliverance’?”
Legion twisted up his face and nodded. “They are going to sit with us during intermission,” he replied.
“Nice,” said Grantham, “And your invitation to bring them to the Milky Way?”
“To infiltrate,” replied Legion. “Our galaxy is dysfunctional. Theirs has overcome many obstacles, such as, their collective evolution. They knew war was coming, and made the sacrifice. They knew this war would have no survivors.
They sacrifice their new galaxy to help ours. The ideology of our galaxy, left on its own, would have caused total annihilation. By sacrificing their new home galaxy, they can do well in ours. They will make their enemies their allies. We are the enemy of this universe.”
“War is coming?” asked Grantham confused.
“No, dear friend, let me explain,” replied Legion, waving Vito to their table.”
Grantham turned to see the crew of Raptor. They were entering the banquet hall.
Vito took a seat. Balrug and Jimmy the Whip sat beside him. “Are you explaining the Riddle?” said Vito.
It was during intermission, a time of signing autographs and giving accolades.
At length, Kyle sauntered over to hear Vito speak.
Vito began:
“What is everyone’s?
And what is no one’s
And has the power to generate a universe?”
“This is the riddle Legion likes to tell new recruits,” he continued. “What he does not tell is the riddle and the answer is one and the same. The Riddle is a host of advanced beings. And they look like you, me; anybody.”
“Weird,” said Jimmy.
“Advanced-species humor, I guess,” whispered Balrug. The thing to remember is; together, they are in league to generate a new universe.
Jimmy nodded in agreement. “The Riddle held to their primary directive, plain and simple,” he said.
Turning up empty palms Balrug replied, “What’s that?”
"The Elite with a belief," said Jimmy the Whip. “They are thinking they understand the mysteries of Black-holes better than the Amedans.”
“A massive Black-hole is an endless curve of recombining matter,” chimed Legion. “Traveling through a Black-hole is impossible. Traveling on the outer barrier is not only possible but intuitive. Here is where spacetime becomes isolated from the universe.
Learn to read the holograph of the accretion disk. Then determine your mission. You will find passage to a new galaxy. You will reach your destination within one orbit of Ameda’s moon.
That is how the fabric of events will unfold,” continued Legion. “This will come to pass in the Thirty–Fourth Century, in the Corsi Star System, on the outer edge of the Milky Way Galaxy.”
End of Part One
COMING SOON 2020
Part Two
LEGION’S RIDDLE
BLACKHHOLE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kenneth R. Sanford is an American author and speaker. Formerly, Chief Scientist for a Silicon Valley based firm, he has completed two tours at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, has finalized eight years of independent research in the Astrophysics Physics Department at Stanford University, School of Humanities. He served as a military contractor for the United States Department of Defense and the Department of Energy for over seventeen years. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area where he has lived for more than fifty years.
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