by Aaron Dennis
“Alas, there have been no meetings here in many centuries. There are other such planets, but this is trivial at the moment. We Thewls are in the throes of a crisis,” the ambassador said.
O’Hara stirred in his large seat. It was not the ambassador’s voice that was earnest, but his words, somehow, seemed genuine, and again, his face changed; it had grown darker, grim.
“The Lokians,” the captain finally said.
“Yes, the Lokians,” the alien nodded. “This insect-like breed; over our long existence we have encountered them on numerous occasions. The first was long before my time. They landed on our home world just after we began space travel. Our Element-115 is a very valuable resource, and the Lokians coveted such treasures.
“They came in relatively small numbers, but we were a peaceful people. We had no real weapons at the time. They came unannounced and attacked us. Most of them didn’t use weapons, but their superior, physical attributes nearly destroyed us.
“Fortunately, we drove them back with our superior numbers. After that encounter, we suspended space travel for a time to fortify our defenses. We engineered weapons. They came a second time, centuries later—still before my time—but we were prepared, or so we thought.
“You see, we were not the only ones who had prepared. We were not the only ones who had advanced. The Lokians are a strange race. They do not cogitate as you or I. They do not adapt or acclimate as you or I. No, these Lokians harvest other races, their technology, mainly. When they attacked the second time, they had augmented themselves physically by using some form of robotic technology. They were stronger, faster, and nearly indestructible. We fought long and hard, but they could not be driven back,” the ambassador took a pause.
O’Hara didn’t note any facial expressions. Thewls conveyed emotions differently, it was something in their faces, a chemical reaction, he thought, that made their color change, and darker seemed to connote darker emotions, sadness, anger, perhaps.
“So, the Lokians are on your planet now?”
“No, no, if you’ll allow me to give you the history, it will all become clear,” the ambassador said.
“I apologize, Ambassador, this is all so overwhelming.”
“Certainly, but we would like to enlist the help of your people, and so it is only proper to explain the situation,” he calmly continued. “We were staring extinction in the face. Everything seemed lost. One night, another volley of ships penetrated our skies.
“These ships were radically different than those of the Lokians. These vessels weren’t alive, yet danced across the horizon. Some of them landed, others fired energy based weaponry at our enemies. Then, strange men clad in suits of light demolished our opposition.
“It took less than a day to turn the tide. Our benefactors were impressive. In a week, the Lokians were banished to space, and once the threat ended, our saviors left as mysteriously as they had appeared, yet a few stayed behind. Twelve of them remained and helped us advance our civilization beyond our dreams. They stayed until we were able to stand on our own again, and then, they, too, left.
“Since then, we’ve encountered the Lokians again. On occasion, we fight a small fleet in the expanse of space. Once, we followed them to a small colony and helped another space faring race secure victory. This brings us to the present state of affairs.
“As I have said, the Lokians harvest technology. They amassed around our sun over two hundred years ago. The interference from the sun kept them hidden from our scanners and satellites. The Lokians are now not only able to bring their ships close to a sun, but they have the technology to create and utilize subspace, compactor photons.”
The captain raised an eyebrow, asking, “What are they? These subspace, compactor photons.”
“They are not unlike your Bose-Einstein condensates. Essentially, they fired packets of light energy into our sun, except those energy packets do not excite the molecular structure of the sun as one expects. They have the opposite effect and create an energy vacuum in the space between the nucleus and electron energy levels.
“You see, there is a tiny space in between the two. Your scientists think electrons are particles with characteristics of waves or wavicles. What you fail to realize is that electrons are everywhere in that energy level at once, like an energetic membrane. The space between that membrane and the nucleus is not empty. It can’t be filled with air can it? Air is too big. It, too, is composed of atoms. That space between the nucleus and electron is a unique, resonating energy. Some of your ancient minds called it aether.
“Now, these compactor photons effectively destabilize the aether, causing atoms to implode. This starts a reaction, slowing down the movement of the molecules, causing a loss of heat, and finally, crystallization. Two hundred years ago, our temperatures began falling. There were fewer solar flares.
“We assumed it was a natural, climate cycle. The lack of heat and flares allowed our atmosphere to become too cold. Initially, we lost a few degrees over the years. In a decade we were twelve degrees cooler year round, causing crops to fail and trees to die. We then lost Carbon Dioxide, and the plant life was stifled. Then, we lost Oxygen. Finally, we started to freeze.
“After ten years, we attempted to contact other races we had met, but there were complications. Suddenly, our satellites veered into planets or asteroids. We lost all forms of normal communications and were forced to board ships. We began an Exodus into space…it took fifteen years to make our home inhospitable.
“As we left our home, we picked up frequencies, which we archived and studied. Eighty years ago, we landed on and colonized a small moon, but resources are short. We sent scouts back to our old home to gather intelligence and discovered what I have told you now, and ultimately decided to find the Yvlekesh, a race we saved from the Lokians on that colony I spoke of earlier, but that colony has also been destroyed. Our only hope is to find the men who saved us long ago, but we do not know who they are.
“Most recently, we picked up your transmissions, and so we find ourselves here today. I’m afraid it won’t be long before the Lokians come for you, too. We would like to help you with our skills and knowledge, and ask only that you help us in return,” the ambassador then grew silent.
The chilly winds of Eon cut through the captain and his crew. The Thewls seemed fine, though. The moronic thought that their bodies were better insulated than Human bodies made O’Hara angry; he wanted to think about what the ambassador had just said, and not biology. After a minor struggle, he brought thoughts to order.
“So, if I understand this correctly, you’ve been drifting through space because the Lokians destroyed your home world.”
“Correct.”
“But the Lokians didn’t take control of your world; you said they aren’t there now.”
“You are right.”
“Then, where are the Lokians?”
“They could be anywhere at this point. All we know is that they have no home base of operations. They likely landed on our world, took the resources and technology then moved on. They either attacked the Yvlekesh before us or shortly after,” the ambassador explained.
“So, now you’ve colonized a small moon and are in search of the people who helped you during that second invasion,” the captain asked in a leading fashion.
“Again, that is correct,” the ambassador responded.
“I don’t think I understand…what could these people do for you now? If your sun is destroyed then there is no hope for your world, is there? Also...I fail to understand how you were helped by a race of people, who then stayed with you for a while, and not know who they are or from where they came,” O’Hara argued.
He was certain his logic wasn’t failing him, and though he intended no offense, he needed to know exactly what was at stake. He thought for sure Weh was omitting something of importance.
“Yes,” the ambassador said after a moment’s pause. “It is difficult to explain. You see, according to our records, the people who helped us
never spoke. They simply appeared, fought, and then taught us, showed us new technology. They never used words. They were able to communicate directly into our minds.
“They had no names for themselves, or us, or what they showed us. They had no words for where they came from or where they went. Everything was just concepts, whole blocks of knowledge and ideas, and then, they simply vanished.”
O’Hara was shocked to hear about silent and direct knowledge. “I see, not sure I understand, but I’m on board. My other question...you said you travel space and time, what does that mean?”
“Ah,” the ambassador paused again before responding, “Yes, your people call it String Theory or Quantum Loop, and before you say more, they are the same concepts, but viewed from different angles.”
“Wait, what?”
The ambassador’s face grew lighter, almost pink when he said, “Take something like a rubber band and hold it out before you while it is held in its round shape. No matter how round, how large, or stretched it is, it is round, and if you slowly turn it until you see only one side of it, it appears to resemble a line segment, no? Look at it this way.” O’Hara’s mouth involuntarily gaped a little while the ambassador explained what he thought was theoretical physics. “The universe is a conglomerate of parallel membranes of reality. These people who helped us we have dubbed the travelers, a simple but all-encompassing term.
“They gave us the ability to essentially pin two membranes of reality together with a burst of energy. On occasion, two or more membranes touch anyway whenever their frequencies are waxing and waning at certain intervals. Our technology, which we call wave coalescence, allows us to briefly form a bridge between space, time, and reality.
“What we do is bring two points together. If two peaks in an oscillation are brought together then one can jump a great distance. This is not a simple or easy matter, but we can do it when required.”
“So, you don’t move faster you cut the distance,” the captain exclaimed. The ambassador nodded. “Can the Lokians do it, too?”
“Lokians have different methods, ones we cannot even hope to conceive. They are not susceptible to the same, environmental forces as you and I, and lack the same self-preservation. We believe their technology allows them to generate a tremendous amount of energy, piercing those same membranes. They navigate by some unknown methods.
“You see, their ships are not like yours or ours. Their ships are great, big, living Lokians, spliced with unknown technology. For all intents and purposes, their ships are inter-dimensional beings used for transport,” the ambassador elucidated.
That took the cake. O’Hara’s head was swimming. He felt infinitesimal, useless. What could I do? How can we help anyone in this situation?
“What…what can we do to stop them?”
“I have but a single request, Captain; I would like to use some of your charts and way stations to search for our benefactors. You see, we have reasons to believe that your people know who they are.”
O’Hara grew skeptical. While trying to make sense of the cryptic statement, his eyes darted around. It didn’t sound like the ambassador was accusing them of squelching Intel, but he seemed confident in his assertion.
“How is that possible?!”
The alien began another explanation, “As I said, we are over four, million, years old. We have been traveling in space for much of that time. Of the few, space faring races we’ve met, we have found similarities. The Lokians are the oldest that we know. The travelers possibly older, but we can’t be sure. The Yvlekesh began traveling through space twenty or so thousand years ago, and they have been in existence for roughly one and a half, million years. You Humans are the only anomaly.
“There have been many variations of your kind over the past six, million years. There was a time when your planet did not harbor intelligent life at all. Your planet was crawling with large beasts you call dinosaurs. Suddenly, those great beasts vanished, time passed, and then there were primitive apes. Just as suddenly, those primitive apes exhibited non-primitive, behavioral patterns. Then, they learned cognitive thinking.
“At one point, your Neanderthal man overlapped your modern man. Modern man was more intelligent, he was able to trap, he was able to invent. He out performed Neanderthal, who was relegated to obscurity.
“There are signs that some species of men cross bred, giving birth to modern men, yet this is not evolution…perhaps adaptation. Your planet still has apes and they never cross breed with similar species, nor do they give birth to more advanced versions. There is no deformity, no genetic mutation responsible for making that single member of a species more efficient, and there certainly is no genetic mutation responsible for creating an entirely new species.
“Does coelacanth not still exist on your Earth, or the lungfish? It is a strange concept for you, I’m certain, but the truth is more likely that the travelers found your planet and cleansed it of the great beasts, the dinosaurs. Perhaps, they even settled it for a time, and when they felt it necessary, they created your modern man and played with its genetic makeup until they reached a desired result.
“Did you know that some of your religions coincide with this theory, and so does your oldest civilization. Your ancient, Sumerian canisters almost prove it. They even spoke of men clad in light, who traveled the skies.”
The ambassador’s color brightened before returning to its neutral pallor. The captain was simply breathless. Ambassador Weh continued after the dramatic pause.
“The data your scientists provided and the methods they used to communicate convinced us that a trip to Earth may reveal where our travelers have gone. We will do our best to help all of your people. We will help you colonize, we will help you travel through space, we will help to defend you from the Lokians should they target you, and I sincerely believe they will.
“I am here to provide a story and an explanation. I, on behalf of my people, would like the permission of your people, but you have to understand, should I fail to acquire that permission, we will still visit your colonies and go to Earth to find what we need. Our continued existence requires this extreme measure.
“Please, help us and benefit. Allow us to be your benefactors. Allow us to show you from where you came.” With that, the ambassador stood and said one, final thing, “Please, speak to your superiors and do my cause justice. Contact us soon. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Just like that, he and his entourage walked back to their vehicle as the remaining Thewls gathered the chairs and tables. They left as quickly and dramatically as they came, leaving O’Hara to imagine the travelers.
“Admiral? Did you copy?” O’Hara asked.
“I did, Captain, I did. Have the Phoenix return to the colony, and we’ll set up a debriefing. Get some rest. We’ll discuss this at 05:00 tomorrow. Out.”
That was the first time O’Hara had ever heard age or concern in the admiral’s voice. After the crew boarded, they avoided eye contact. Something big was going down whether they were part of it or not. Fortunately for them, they didn’t have to make a decision. Whatever the admiral decided was all that mattered.
It took some time to return to the colony. Most of Phoenix Crew fell asleep from mental exhaustion. Day was feeling the effects herself, and she hadn’t even been there in person. She took a shower to calm down.
The warm water fell on her face and cascaded down her trim body. She hung her head and let the flow massage her neck. Looking at her feet, she turned to introspection. What a strange turn of events. Not too long ago, I was in training. Then, the beacon mission on Eon, which I didn’t even play a part in; still, I felt the thrill. Now, aliens from another planet need our help to research our planet because they think we were engineered by yet another, more advanced race of aliens. I don’t think I’m ready for this….
While Day showered, Zak snoozed, and Becker and Imes found their own way to forget about aliens, Swain and Martinez went to conference room B for a little privacy.
> “I told you, man! I! Told! You!” Swain was laughing and pointing firmly at Martinez. “Aliens, and we are going to help them. Yes we are. My, my.”
Both men were laughing. “Ah-ight, ah-ight, man. You need to bring that shit down a notch, Swain. Yer’ freakin’ me out.” Martinez was enjoying himself and Swain’s display, but he was a little worried as he spoke. “I mean, what if the admiral don’t wanna’ cooperate? Then, these guys just go to Earth? I mean, none of us can stop ‘em, right? When they land on Earth, it ain’t no peaceful banner, ya’ heard? So...I’m sayin’, maybe we should try to persuade the admiral to let us help, right?”
Swain looked at Martinez in disbelief. Marty rubbed his nose, his sign of concern.
“I’m sure it won’t be an issue. The admiral had us come this far. Besides, doesn’t it seem like O’Hara always ends up caught in the middle of something bigger than himself?”
“Like when he got promoted and took over Phoenix Crew?”
“And then found alien beacons,” Swain added.
“And just like that, bam! We got aliens landin’ on our, I mean, on this planet,” Martinez cheered. “You right, you right. Lay’s gonna’ want us in the thick of this shit.”
The two men sat in the small room and tossed ideas back and forth. Each, imaginary scenario became wilder than the last. By the end, they laughed their brains out and decided to call it a night.
Chapter Six
The spec ops team was sound asleep in crew quarters while the ship hauled their butts ten, thousand miles to the colony. Day and a skeleton crew of deckhands remained awake. They milled about the bridge while she sat at the helm, rubbing her eyes.
****
O’Hara awoke with a deep inhalation. His comm. unit had dinged, demanding all of his attention. He rolled out of his bed and placed his feet on the cold ground, flashes of Thewls playing behind his eyes. The comm. on the nightstand read 04:37.