I nodded. “Something like that. I’m not entirely sure of everything.”
“Have you seen this before?”
“No.”
“Press the button,” the General invited. Randolph stood back leaning against the curved wall. I pressed the button.
I immediately saw myself with Marta in the Great Hall on Adora. We were accepting the homage of the Heads of the Clans. The Clan Heads, both male and female, came forward one at a time. They approached the Throne, a curiously carved chair of blond wood. Then taking Marta’s left hand they placed their foreheads on the back of her hand. She acknowledged them in a musical language. “They have a monarchy?”
“Did. This is on Adora. A planet they ruined with eugenics. Even now it is recovering.”
“Then?”
“They left, and a few came here. The Monarchy did not exist after Adora,” I said.
“Came to Earth?”
“Briefly. There were three factions. The ones circling above us left to create new worlds without eugenics. Two of the factions that stayed destroyed each other. Their history is lost in time.”
The scene changed to Earth and my leave taking. The great oval table. Akenton, Mator, and the others. Carson pointed to Akenton. “Who is that?”
“A long deceased personality who headed a movement to use eugenics to improve Mother Nature. At that time his ethics left something to be desired,” I said.
“Look at his body. What’s going on there? Never seen such animal power.”
“These people could mold their bodies to any desired configuration, and live for literally many hundreds of years. A special Sound Language that allowed that. They had an enormous amount of knowledge we can only guess at. It was used to create eugenics on a molecular level. They also used it to war.”
“War?” Derek said.
“True. They had the ability to tune in, dial in to another person’s personal frequency and attack it using this Sound Language,” I said.
Carson gave me that cold impersonal stare. “Like you did with the attack on us. You called it a sound shield. Also in healing the bullet wound to yourself and melting the rifles. And stunning the Gunnery Sergeant.”
“Yes. That’s part of it. In their case,” I pointed to the screen, “they had factions that destroyed each other, using the Sound Language. The bald guy, Akenton, was the last one standing.”
“You sound like you knew him,” Derek said.
“Quite well. He was my older brother in that life. The Head of our Clan. Not someone you’d want to know. He would do literally anything to accomplish his ends.”
“You sound like he’s still alive.”
“He is. But he’s changed, matured, and gone on. No Sound Language now.”
“So how do we know another Akenton, as you call him, wouldn’t be up there waiting to come here?” Carson jerked a thumb toward the spacecraft above.
“Because I led them to establish a new federation of planets based on ethics. We experienced the awful nature of eugenics in ways you can’t imagine and don’t want to imagine. We finally stopped the eugenics experiment, but the damage was done. Finally Adora created a fury of nature which made the planet uninhabitable, and drove us off. The planet is still recovering.”
Derek said, “You make it sound like the planet is a conscious Entity.”
“It is. As is the Earth.”
“Back to this Akenton and the Sound Language,” Carson said. “How do we know another Akenton won’t be coming down with them?”
“No guarantees, General. But study these scenes and ... ”
“I will, but they may be clever PR.”
“I don’t think so. My memories say they have gone beyond the personal disasters of Adora, and used them as a stepping-stone for better things.”
“Eugenics.” Carson sat back. “They practiced this on what?”
“People, animals, plants, anything you can imagine and other things you can’t. It was quite horrific. Eventually they were outlawed and went underground. They used it on themselves and created what we’d think of as a race of supermen and women. But they could never live beyond one hundred fifty years. Their bodies would break down.”
“So why didn’t Akenton give them the Sound Language?” Carson frowned, watching the sweeping panorama of wildlife before him.
I snorted. “That was the source of his power, he wasn’t about to share it. The Sound Language was only for a handful of scientist-priests, maybe thirty-five men and women at one time. It was lost as the two factions destroyed themselves. The third faction kept the knowledge alive, but in a highly limited fashion. They used it with great care. You have to realize that everything is alive and conscious. If you intend to manipulate them, you’d better do it with their permission. That’s how we used the Sound Language. Within those constraints. Without the spiritual problems of hate, the seven deadly sins, need to control, the great varieties of dishonesty. I think that is what we can expect.”
“If there is a problem?” Carson said.
“I will know. Those that have the Sound Language have a special way of carrying themselves. I will deal with them if need be.”
“As you did with our sniper?” Carson tapped his fingers on the console.
“I was careful to keep him alive. I take it he is healthy.”
“Was,” Derek said, eyes cold.
“Was?” I asked.
“Murder is murder whether it is attempted, arranged for, or committed. Gunny and Hensley paid the price.”
“People back in Western Command might take exception to what you did,” I said.
“General Jensen didn’t think so,” Carson said.
“And Ren?”
“We couldn’t prove anything against him. Victoria is completely healthy. Now he’s as thick as thieves with Nick Ryan. Become his devoted disciple.”
“Watch the man. He’s a master manipulator. He means no good with the aliens and us. And you. The man lands on his feet. Nick will be putty in his hands.” Gawd, is there no end to the mischief Ren can get into with a little help from his Entity? What was he planning to do?
11
Later that evening Judith and I walked with Charles to the spacecraft. In the cool twilight we entered the vacant craft. Charles sat and turned to the console, pushing the last button no one could work. The screen sprang to life. “They know you are here with Mator,” Judith said. “But look.”
The scenes followed Akenton and the eugenic carnage he and his people had unleashed. The pain and anguish of the Beings abused sliced into our reality. Charles winced, made a face and turned away. I swallowed and tightened my stomach. The full memory of our secret war with Akenton roared back to me. Locating the secret and elaborate laboratories, and the merciless raids destroying, and killing all involved. The public executions, and trying to repair the awful damage done.
Then forced off Adora, as the planet rebelled against the horrific damage. It wasn’t just the people, animals, fish, birds and plants, but the mineral kingdom also suffered. We’d managed to repair much of the damage done, but the planet refused to host us any longer. The planetary alliance we were part of invited us to leave, refusing help or sanctuary.
The fragile peace lasted until we arrived at Earth. By then Queen Marta had died in a spacecraft accident, and Akenton and his faction tried to start their eugenic experiments again. The final war took place. Mator refused to leave with me, but kept the best fighters. Finally after everyone was dead, Akenton ambushed Mator, killing him. Then in dreams all the ruined life-forms he’d ever manipulated haunted him, pouring out their pain and anguish. He lived everything he’d done to every life form he’d brutally manipulated or had manipulated.
Watching Charles sitting there reliving the disasters, I realized that walking in someone else’s shoes might not be the best way to grow, but better through your own hard won experience. He certainly had, and now carried a formidable compassion and understanding free of the petty personal problems that oft
en plague and dilute true greatness. We, meet people like that sometimes, but need to remember their natural innocence is something entirely different than what you think it is. A maturity bought and born from the hardest of experience.
Then the focus changed to follow Akenton and Mator as they forged an alliance helping other life-forms fulfill their potentials. This proved to be a celebration of love and caring. Amazing, in coupling knowledge with possibilities bringing these lifeforms to fruition. For nothing is ever finished in the truest sense. Choices and probabilities are endless. Then the screen went dark. As we sat there we became aware of Mary - Mator - had been there for most of the presentation. Judith cleared her throat. “They wanted you to know they are aware of the rest of the story.”
“Now Judith and you are the focus,” Mary said.
“Indeed. Indeed,” Charles said. “We will be there to help. There is more to this than meets the eye.”
“They feel a need to complete something from the past,” Mary said.
“From the war?” Judith said.
“For the Earth. Offering compensation,” Charles said.
“And we are part of that,” I agreed.
The disk shaped spacecraft with the information consoles vanished during the night. We heard shouting at the end of breakfast, and went outside. A large disk broke away from one of the mother ships. This one was much larger, measuring nearly fifty feet across. The whole community turned out to watch the green craft settle next to the airplane barn.
A single door opened, and two men and a woman came out. Sky blue tunics and darker blue pants served as a type of uniform. The leader, a tall light skinned man, looked about fifty with short graying hair. A second man, maybe five feet six inches, with oriental features, and brown wavy hair, smiled confidently. The woman, I’d seen somewhere before. Tall, thin with piercing lavender eyes and black curly hair, she had the Sound Language. And bore watching.
“Severin,” I said, and opened my palms up.
The older man laughed, opening his palms, then coming forward to greet me with a hug. “Kodus, now Jamie, thank you for the welcome,” He said in perfect English. He gestured to the other man. “Dabir.”
Dabir opened his palms and bowed slightly. His eyes darted around and settled on Judith. He lowered his gaze, and said something in the lilting language of Adora.
“He recognizes you,” I said to Judith. She gave him a forced smile.
Dabir walked forward, knelt on one knee before Judith, and taking her left hand, placed it briefly on his forehead and then restored it to her side. He stepped back.
“That wasn’t necessary,” Judith said to Dabir in the Adora language. “Those times are over.”
“Of course, my Queen,” he replied.
“Judith,” she corrected lightly. He bowed.
“Astera,” I said to the tall woman.
She smiled, showing her palms and said in English, “Jamie. We have waited many years for this time.”
“Indeed,” I said feeling an intense need for more information. “Our chemical and pharmaceutical industry have the smell of eugenics about them.”
“In a modest crude - very crude way compared to Adora. Yes,” Severin agreed, “some of the scientists and officers of these companies have a history from Adora. They have no real memories from that civilization, only the essence memories of an intense desire to alter genetics in ways that influence the Earth and Its Beings. Hopefully, it won’t go beyond that.”
“They’ve killed and maimed thousands of people and other Beings here,” I said.
“But that is ending,” Astera said, “as the Earth people gain the upper hand. That is one of reasons we are here. We’ve developed methods that can literally alter the nature of an artificial chemical compound with light and sound.”
“To stop the nightmare of Adora from happening here in this time. You know the eugenics faction has reincarnated here,” I said. “They think they’ve found fertile ground to carry on their experiments again.”
“True, Jamie. But we have the tools to stop them. You are part of that. We do have an edge in that they don’t have the Sound Language. Nor do they have the sophistication of our science on Adora or the Four Planet Federation,” Dabir said.
“When did you become aware the eugenics faction decided to return to Earth?” I asked.
“We were alerted by Adora,” Severin said. “As you know Planets like Adora and Earth are conscious Entities in communication with each other. About the time of World War I, as you call it in Earth history, the eugenics faction saw an opportunity in the birth of the chemical industry. They began to reincarnate, and organize the industry. The Nazis were heavily involved with developing herbicides as biological weapons like Agent Orange. These were given to your chemical industry after World War II by your American government. The agricultural and pharmaceutical companies came along later with altering plant and animal genetics. All under the control of the eugenics faction who also integrated themselves into positions of power.”
Astera perched on a picnic table as we settled under the arbor at the Arms Shack. “You led the way in organizing this effort to stop them, Jamie. I want to say Kodus as you are very much an extension of that life. This is going to lead to challenges you haven’t considered, but will as more of Kodus’ memories come forward.”
Dabir sat and leaned back against the table. “Your Earth is forcing and encouraging its guests to focus on keeping things natural. Thus the rise of your green faction, and efforts at natural ecology with respect for all life. Entities are being recruited by Earth to reincarnate to counteract the eugenics faction. These Entities are sending their personalities all over the Earth in every sector of society. We have even infiltrated the eugenics industries to take control and alter their direction to a more Earth friendly approach.”
“Are any of these personalities aware of their Entities, their programming, and why they are here?” I asked.
“No. Not like you, your community or us,” Severin said. “They wouldn’t believe it if you told them.” He laughed.
Betty Oberman arrived with mugs of tea and cookies which the aliens accepted gracefully. They actually ate the cookies with interest and gusto. “We trade honey, food, specia;lty work and information with the soldiers at the fort for grains, oatmeal, and other foodstuffs,” Betty explained.
The three aliens exchanged glances. “You have a good life here,” Severin said taking a sip of tea.
Astera sat concentrating on the cookie she held. “You just changed the honey content of this cookie.”
“Indeed,” I said, as we looked at each other. “You’re a member of The Thera.”
Astera stood. “Walk with me, Jamie.” I aimed us down Fremont Boulevard. “I am not your enemy. Kodus made many enemies during the war to wipe out eugenics. Many died on both sides. It was a war without quarter or mercy. Eventually Kodus won the upper hand, destroying the movement in every way with the help of Mator, his Chief of Security. But he could not touch Akenton or his closest associates. It was a political thing.”
We stopped at the stone bench sheltered by the pine tree. “Yes, I am a member of The Thera as you are,” Astera said. “The scientist-priests who control the Sound Language. Though all your memories are not in place, you are our elected leader of The Thera and sit on our council of the Four Planet Federation. The three of us are part of the planetary council also.”
“It sounds like I should get Kodus’ memories in a hurry considering his history.” I felt the cuff remembering Judith’s living stone. “A lot of unfinished business from that life.”
“There were three more lives immediately after the Kodus life from your Entity that went into building the Four Planet Federation. These memories should be available to you. Eugenics never reared its head again,” Astera said, her intent gaze studied me.
“But it is Kodus’ life that my life and this drama is coded on.”
“True. There are unresolved issues.”
“Lik
e revenge, hate and envy among other things. All the spiritual problems. Damn.” I said. We walked back in silence. I thought of Ren - Locus and their Entity, bent on experiencing all the negatives. Of Hensley and his nightmare scenario grown from his intense belief in good and evil. Of the Gunny whose blind obedience had brought them both to a hangman’s noose. And the sudden unfolding of new abilities and memories in myself until I was in many ways a new personality. So closely coded on a personality from the past that I didn’t know where I began and when he left off. There, too, was Judith from the Entity of the Queen of Adora. Whom I loved and found myself enchanted by. Laith, whose depth and role I could speculate on but not really understand. And now the aliens whom I found I was very much a part of. All of this, the fabric of a new world, growing out of the experiences and disasters of the past. How to put it all together in a way that could heal some wounds, and hopefully open new and positive realities. But a dread lived within me, and I knew the only place I could go for answers was a door in the corridor of dreams that held a terror I’d always avoided.
I thanked Astera for her counsel. Our meeting had lasted for several hours. They would share their technologies to make our everyday life immeasurably easier. We agreed to meet tomorrow, and invite General Carson to attend. After they were gone, we met in the Dining Hall to discuss the event. But I was preoccupied with my dread, and mainly watched the excitement.
After lunch I took a mule and headed for the fort to see Carson. Not something I should have done considering the nasty secondhand information that had gotten around about my new abilities and activities. As I led my mule through the Main Gate, Staff Sergeant Josh White swallowed, cleared his throat, “Mister ... ”
“Crap, Josh. You know my name. How many years have we known each other?”
“Is it true you can kill with your mind at a distance?”
“I have never done that. No, I’m not a killer. God Almighty, Josh, what type of crap have you been hearing?”
“This Ren fella, that’s all he talks about, Jamie. How you knocked him out of his body and he lived and you started up his body again.”
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