On Mars, a contingent of Tuathan natives were helping with the reconstruction but it would not be the large colony envisioned by the Consortium. Conor landed and noted that they were not happy to be there. They all expressed their intention to settle on Earth. The Consortium employees were in a state of confusion, having lost all sense of direction. Their newly elected leaders had been voted for democratically. The new leadership was intent on re-establishing a smaller, self-sufficient colony. However, they knew that it really couldn’t be done without access to either Earth’s or Tuath’s resources. Many just wanted to live in the embassy until the serum was made available. A few were still opting for the treatment. Conor found the last choice an abhorrent situation and wondered if he could do anything to stop the practise. At least there would be plenty of space in the newly built colony once it was finished. Work was proceeding quickly as the motivation for most of the workers was to finish and leave. Lough had offered rehabilitation programmes for those wishing to go to live in the embassy. The three tube ships had been returned and were now parked in orbit under Tuathan control. They would eventually be returned to Martian control. The Consortium as an entity no longer existed and was not spoken of.
Conor left Mars feeling depressed and headed to New Tuath on Earth. It had been a long time since he had walked on Earth under the bright blue sky. It felt wonderful and he disembarked from the ship and could not resist the impulse to run and jump around in the slightly different gravity. He realised this was his true home. He was born here, half Tuathan yes but even they rightly saw this planet as their origin. New Tuath was now a fully fledged Tuathan city, it was an architectural attempt to bring the best of Tuathan culture back to Earth. Conor admitted it had succeeded. He told this to Hawk and praised his rapid rebuilding and expansion, then after presenting his credentials from the elders he requested to be shown the research facility for the serum. Hawk showed him around and answered his questions, but Conor felt the truth was just out of reach in this place. “Please, I wish to ask you something personal. You understand that much of the destruction and bloodshed of recent times was brought about as the result of a decision made here?”
Hawk’s body language became defensive. Conor’s empathetic skills went into a new level.
“Yes. It was regrettable to say the least.” Hawk looked miserable.
“Were the trials delayed, or I should say are they still being forcibly delayed? I want your opinion. No facts, figures or data just speculate.”
“It could be done quicker.” Hawk wanted it off his conscience. The destruction had shocked him.
“So it appears the Consortium had some grounds for their reaction?”
“Yes and no, their barbarism forced the need for some delays.” Hawk went on to explain the rationale used by Lough and initially accepted by himself. “Lough’s intentions were honourable, as were mine. Time is still an important factor even today.”
Conor left New Tuath with a heavy heart also. How does a Tuathan justify killing even if they do not pull the trigger? Is there a ultimate justification, is it the end justifying the means yet again? No, not good enough! These were his thoughts as he transported down to Galway. His impression was that this city was something different. It wasn’t strictly Tuathan; it had been influenced and inspired by Earth’s natural environment and human, not necessarily Tuathan, history. It was beautiful because it was hopeful and hinted at a new beginning.
Lough was prepared for Conor’s condemnation. He knew Conor had the ear of the elders but refused to fall on his sword. “Let history judge me. I will accept that, no individual has the right.”
Conor felt he would not like to be Lough. He wished him well and could find no fault in him other then the ability to act expediently. This is still not good enough, he told himself. It was if the natives infected the Tuathans, blurred their sense of right and wrong just by their mere existence. He felt that Tuathan integrity was possibly more vulnerable than he had realised. Tuathans would not be safe until the natives had changed in some fundamental way.
He looked down on Galway and saw the future. He saw it could not succeed without Earthmen walking the streets with Tuathans. The disc ship took him over the barely recognisable ruins of cities and sadly the bunkers which had become the subject of recent debate. Some felt they should not all be destroyed but a few preserved as monuments to the failures of mankind. A reminder of what price had been paid.
When they landed at the embassy, disc ships were unloading people from Mars. It was crowded. Tuathans were busy helping construct temporary accommodation. The existing buildings were packed with refugees no longer willing to live on Mars. The people looked dejected and hopeless, looking out on a landscape that was denied to them. Some of them would not even live long enough to ever dig their toes in the soil of Earth again. Some were injured with missing limbs. Conor recognised these unfortunates as his people also and that condemning them to possibly another fifteen years of exile was not allowable, and he would not allow it. Conor walked to a grassy mound, falling into a deep meditative state. Aware of where he was and what he was doing, but also aware of a force growing within him. He felt he was looking into himself and seeing the organism that held his essence as a thing apart from his real self. He could control his organs, his nervous system, his blood, his genes and every atom of his being. He later was told by the Friend this state was known as self-possession. He became aware of an amber glow next to him and that he also was glowing. It was the Friend but, this time, he was coalescing into a half-breed male like Conor.
People in the embassy had noticed the two figures glowing their amber colours into the evening twilight and came in their environ suits to look. Many had heard tales of the Friend and came to see if it was true, there really was an alien. As they drew closer, they saw the Friend reach out and touch Conor on his head, then produce a syringe which it handed to him. Conor slowly drew blood from his veins and walked to a woman in an environ suit. He pulled off her glove and injected his blood into her arm. She remained perfectly still and calm and just stared into Conor’s face. He then told her to remain calm, walk slowly back to the embassy and, before entering, she was to take off her helmet and take some breaths so that those inside could see her. She did not question this instruction but breathed in deeply as soon as she had taken off the helmet. She showed no fear or anxiety.
A line was forming. They walked calmly out of the embassy and up the small hill they came, quietly; some were crying when they removed their helmets. The box of syringes that had been produced by the Friend were now used up. Conor told them he needed to rest now but he would share his blood with a few every day. They in turn could do the same for their fellows. The Plague was over. The cure was found. No one questioned him, they calmly accepted his gift of life and went away grateful and with humility.
“They know something has changed, don’t they Friend?”
“Yes, changed forever,” replied the Friend.
“Will they forget the lessons and return once more to murder one another and lose this paradise now it is in their grasp?”
The Friend smiled at Conor. “Not this time. You are the catalyst, the evolutionary altruistic secret agent. Now peace is literally in their blood. You represent an evolutionary leap, Conor.I/we rejoice for we have a friend now. The meek have at last inherited the Earth.”
The Beginning.
MEEK Page 48