“You don't smell human and to them that is a very good thing. There are ten islands in the Tanimbar archipelago and whenever they had problems with people the punishment was always the same. If a couple fought and troubled their neighbors, they were each moved to a separate island. These people don’t allow negativity. They find it intolerable.”
“According to the Dutchman they’re cannibals, how could they not be negative?” Chase asked.
“They have no other protein source. The trees are their grandparents and so are the fish. You eat a fish and you’re in big trouble. But the real reason for cannibalism is their belief that they are eating the souls of the dead friends and enemies and by doing so their souls become stronger and because they believe that they are ‘all one,’ by eating each other every ancestor is still alive in them. They are a very happy people. To us they appear as savages, and in many ways they are, but then again so are all humans, we three are of quite a different order as we're not of this earth.”
All three of them walked up the stairs to Beneizen’s house. A young woman came forward and offered them tall drinks on a tray. The young woman says, “Welcome.”
“Her name is Wakabi, she takes care of me,” says Beneizen.
“Glad to meet you,” says Ally.
The woman bows and goes into the kitchen area. A wall instantly appears around the kitchen complete with a door and windows. Beneizen says, “She is quite shy. She was a gift from the chief; she is one of his daughters. If I had refused they would have tried to kill me, and I’ve grown very fond of her. She just loves me, and I have done nothing to deserve it, quite extraordinary; one of humanity’s most redeeming qualities.”
Beneizen shows them to a table near the edge of the great room.
“Your house is very beautiful,” Ally says.
“Thank you, but you have come a very long way and endured a great deal, not just to see my house. You are not going to be able to stay here long,” Beneizen says.
“We just got here, why must we leave quickly?” Ally asks.
“Because you have work to do,” replies Beneizen. Chase asks, “What do you mean we’re not of this earth and we're your children?”
Beneizen replies, “I am from a race of people that guard the entire cosmos, we are called Sentinels. We police it, we evolved specifically to keep cosmic order and maintain the necessary balances. It's a critical job. I am a scientist and a world creator in my world. It is a major event for new Sentinels to be born. You two are important to us. You were created to appear like the terrestrial Guards, but you're made from a different material, a different level of vibrations and function under a different order of laws.
We Sentinels are always created in pairs. Each emanates a vibration essential to the relationship. The combination of your two essences allows for a unique reconciliation. You must learn to trust each other implicitly. Barring accidents you may both live for millions of years and with age you will slowly develop your own places in the Cosmos,” Beneizen said quietly.
“Sam is dead,” Ally says.
“No, he’s alive,” Beneizen says.
“I saw him shot!” Chase says.
“You just thought he died, he didn't. He's fine and dealing with Charles as we speak. You can go there if you wish. You can appear there right now. You're not made only of the matter from this universe but finer matter from a higher order that gives you unique abilities in this universe and others. Think of it this way. A fish does not know about land. It lives in the sea. It lives under a certain order of laws. When man appears in the sea he is under more laws and lives accordingly with a tank of air and so on. Mankind can only be aware within the confines of their governing laws. You are from a higher level of laws, fewer laws. Being under fewer laws you can perceive and act on a much finer level than a human” replies Beneizen. Ally asks, "Then what are we made of and why did you bring us here and why were we created?" You are probably wondering why I would bring you such a distance; certainly not to see my house although that is not entirely true. This house is an abode that could be seen on our home planet - a Kalactin house and this island has similarities to our home planet and I wanted you to experience it – it’s a fitting place for your transformation, but I have much to tell you. Beneizen indicates for the three of them to move into the middle of the room where they sit crossed legged in a small circle.
Beneizen’s extends his arm and from his palm a white light emanates and forms a ball which he tosses into the air and instantly a model of their universe appears in front of them. It’s slowly moving in a spiral as he says, "Everything in the universe is in balance with everything else and everything has a materiality, a certain density of matter. From the densest to the finest, everything must be in order. If anything goes out of order we are called in to return it to lawful balance.”
“I brought you to this island because I wanted you to see balance among humans. These islanders live in balance with their environment. These people are very similar to ancient people on our planet. Their planet, earth loves them and they love the earth. You may not understand or even agree with their beliefs and behavior, but they are literally in balance with their environment. The human body is an extraordinary instrument. It can be an accumulator of very fine energies, a vessel for higher forces. A man who follows a true way of self-consciousness or enlightenment and lives life with a conscience will slowly accumulate finer and finer energies. He will then come closer and closer to a direct connection with what humans call ‘God.’”
“Why did you make us?” Chase asks.
Beneizen pauses and says slowly, "I didn't really make you; you are the offspring of Tamalin my lifemate and myself born shortly before she died. As I said, Kalactins are born in pairs, and stay together for life. I brought you here because we were assigned here; I kept Tamalin’s death a secret from our people. I was distraught and ashamed. They would never have allowed my coming here if they would have known. I was arrogant - a terrible transgression for someone as old as myself, but I thought I knew how to fix everything. I felt I needed to keep you both hidden so I changed you both into Guards. If I failed you two were to bring back order to this planet or stronger action will have to be taken. We try and make our changes invisible to the inhabitants, but we have not been doing a very good job. The Sentinels of the Cosmos wanted to give the humans of earth a fresh a start. You see they have always been very close to me. Very few planets in the cosmos can support organic life and the health and wellbeing of such planets is taken very seriously. When the results required by the cosmos from a planet are threatened, in this case by the inability of the human beings to follow their natural path of evolution, we have to get involved in a more active manner.”
Beneizen continues, “Tamalin and I seeded this planet with organic life eons ago and our ruling order were satisfied with the outcome. A species that could vibrate a very fine energy for this universe was desperately needed and was evolving according to plan but when the planet accidently lost one of its two moons to a collision with an asteroid that event created a great imbalance which has never been restored. As a result of that imbalance the humans on earth became a very strange species and are not transforming the finer energies the universe needs from this solar system. Unfortunately up to now, I have failed in my mission to correct this. Perhaps because I lost my mate I became too close to the subject and was unwilling or unable to do what was necessary.
When I returned to this earth and discovered the result of this galactic accident I realized that we needed to find a way to blend in and create balancing conditions naturally. We try to ‘nudge’ planets back into order without creating additional conditions that are disruptive and produce unintended consequences. Still, several religions were unintentionally created that way. It is a shame that the imbalance in the psyches of humans as they have evolved after the loss of the second moon caused them to manifest in ways that are opposed to what is needed and what is natural.”
“I suffered these ques
tions for the longest time. Over all of earth’s recorded and even unrecorded history I sought out and consulted many learned men and scientists and took posts in various agencies and efforts mounted by different leaders around the world in a continuing effort to understand the right path and the influences needed. Then in this century I met Sam who was much more balanced than most human beings and was also looking for a way to bring order to this world. We both agreed that a race of android Guards run by a committee would be the best solution available at that time. I provided the knowledge but I was very naive. The human condition is quite unique in that they actually seek imbalance rather than balance.”
“I needed a project that would justify my actions. I was missing my mate and the function of our interaction, so making Sam my partner was natural for my species. But because he was human he was not completely suitable. Humans all lack the ability to carry out aims objectively. There was a story I once heard from a Sufi master that has always haunted me because it speaks to this strangeness:
There was once a scorpion that was trying to cross a river. He approached a turtle sitting quietly on the river bank and asked him if he could carry him across the river. The turtle replied, ‘Why would I do that for a mortal enemy. If I take you across the river you will sting me and I will die.’ The scorpion replied ‘That would be stupid of me, if I stung you in the middle of the river you would die but I would drown too.’ The turtle thought for a moment and responded, ‘OK, that makes sense, I'll take you.’ So the scorpion got on the back of the turtle and they started across the river. Right in the middle of the river the scorpion stung the turtle and just as he was dying he screamed, ‘Why, Why, You've killed us both?’ and the scorpion replied ‘I couldn't help myself. It's my nature.’"
“I’ve tried bringing selected humans up to a level of full consciousness from time to time, but the forces against that were too strong; then, a couple of decades ago I got involved with the American government’s space program at NASA. They were trying to solve the problems of intergalactic space travel. Human beings are not fit for space travel. They don’t live very long and their genetic make-up is very dependent on a narrow band of requirements. Sam and I working together developed many robots, androids and genetic hybrids, but they were all too limited in what they could do to successfully fit the requirements. So, we decided to work on improving humans as they are, and Guards are one of the results of that work.”
“When NASA funding was cut we were approached by Charles Dean and his lovely wife Doris to start EOJ. It was Doris’s idea, she wanted to save the planet and Charles had acquired the wealth and a position of power sufficient to help her carry out her plans. It was great for Sam and I, we loved our work and had all the funding required to finance our explorations. I was also naive in thinking that a committee of humans could run EOJ objectively by giving everyone equal power. Being a scientist on our own world the temptation for exploration even on my part was overwhelming. Over the years Sam and I worked tirelessly with the committee to bring an objective outlook. We needed everyone on the committee to be equally awake and working towards a common aim; the aim for man's balance with himself, his environment, and the universe. But that is not possible here on earth. Doris was my best student. She became nearly fully conscious and was able to steer EOJ towards these aims. Tragically Doris became ill and died, and Charles never forgave Sam or I for allowing her to die even though she insisted on being allowed that end," Beneizen answers.
“But you haven’t answered my question, why did you make us different from other Guards?” Chase asks. “You're not Guards and never were. You’re Sentinels of the Cosmos. You are my biological children. I kept you secret as Guards but now it's time you assumed your natural inner order.”
The model of their universe disappears and Beneizen literally expands himself to include both Chase and Ally and when he retracts this atmosphere of his presence the three of them are back in their natural forms; tall, slender, all white with a tail and dark black eyes. Chase and Ally are stunned at their new appearance!
Beneizen explains, "This is our natural form. And I have restored your memories of and your connection to your natural powers. You are now part of the collective. All Kalactins know of your birth. It will take time for you to understand what you are capable of. I'm sorry I hid you from yourselves for such a long time, but I was hoping for another outcome and to be able to carry out what Doris really wanted to do. I loved her. By earth standards you two are the modern version of Samurai warriors. You are objective justice, you are programmed to teach, rule, and keep life forms from destroying themselves and their planets, their solar systems, and threatening other systems as well, you are assigned to save the earth from itself,” Beneizen adds.
“Aren’t we too insignificant to even imagine that anything we could do would have any effect on the universe? How do you know that humanity’s purpose is not to move from planet to planet and consume the natural resources?” Ally asks.
Beneizen again pauses and then says even more firmly,” Listen carefully to what I have to say: “What you say may be true, but this planet itself is alive and deserves to have its own fate. As long as this imbalance continues in humans your job must be to restore the balance or find another solution. However, this universe is dependent on all its solar systems and the Cosmos is dependent on your universe and so on; the dominant organic life-form of any planet determines that planet’s fate. Your job in a few words is to actualize the will of the Cosmos. However, everything is food for something else. There are other universes and they could prey on this one. Humanity could be viewed as a food source, a natural resource, another universe could view humanity as its leader and so on, but in this universe humanity is designed to help bring balance and is to be used as such. You are a pair, you will see as time goes on how really dependent you are on each other. Objective love can be the property of the both of you, but you will have to earn it like everyone else.”
Chase and Ally sit silently for a moment, looking at each other and then back at Beneizen.
Ally thinks for a minute and then asks, "Can I have children?"
"Look at your new form, and now return that form back to human form," Beneizen says.
"How do I do that? Ally asks.
"Try!" replies Beneizen. Ally slowly tries to disengage from her natural form. She begins to take various shapes. Chase stares in alarm, but slowly her human form begins to appear. Beneizen takes a spear and goes to stab Ally with it. She puts out her hand and dissolves the spear.
He continues, "Always remember, you are not of this earth, you come from another order, another level, but you are both children in our eyes. As I told you, it is very rare for us to create new offspring. You will grow up here on earth; this is your home now. Like all children you will be watched carefully by your elders.”
"I have so many questions," Chase says.
"That is as it has to be, and you need to stay in front of all questions, answers are easy, staying in front of the questions is difficult," Beneizen replies and continues, "You will have to struggle with your humanity just like everyone else on earth and that is because you live here under a specific set of laws. You have all the weaknesses and strengths of the human condition as well as your other powers. By overcoming these human weaknesses you will learn what you should teach to each and every individual human so they can find their own path to inner balance,” Beneizen says.
"And if we don't then what happens, the Charles solution?" asks Chase.
"Remember, the problem isn't the quantity of people; it's the quality of the people. The poorer the qualities of the energy that they emanate, the more people are needed. Better quality people, better energy and you need fewer of them. But stay in front of the problem as I suggested," replies Beneizen.
Chase and Ally spend the day with their father. The warm, perfumed breezes pass through the house. The sounds of the native horns and drums could be heard in the distance, a feast was being prepared. Time seeme
d to stand still for Chase and Ally, who had been starving their whole lives for the nourishment they were receiving from their father that day. At the end of the day it brought them an inner peace they had never known before.
"I now see why you brought us to this island,” Chase says, “the people here do live in balance with each other and nature. They are essential in nature." "I did bring you here to see this, but I also wanted you to see something else!" Beneizen replies.
"You wanted us to see they have very little formal learning. They die young and believe in things that are not true through fear and ignorance," Ally says. "That’s also true," Beneizen says.
"Some societies have great knowledge but their society has a low level of being," Chase says. Beneizen replies solemnly, "You two must now begin your own journey. I have tried to warn you. I was not successful in doing what I’m asking you to do. I may have even done great harm here by not asking for help! I thought I could handle the problem myself and I was wrong. I too was seduced by the imbalanced nature of this planet. I have great remorse for that. By the way, you don't have to go back on a boat or plane. You can disappear and re-appear wherever you want."
“Aren’t you worried that Charles will find you?” Ally asked.
“No, Charles should worry that I will find him,” Beneizen said and continued, ‘To start, you must go back to Washington, stop Charles, and save New York City from the planned virus attack. I will always be with you. I struggled alone but now the three of us will work as a team. I broke one of our sacred codes when I did not ‘work with others similar to myself.’"
“Maybe the human race was not meant to survive,” said Ally.
Beneizen says, “Maybe not, but they were given a possibility, and I believe we must make every effort to help them actualize that possibility. If not for that purpose then why were they given it in the first place? But time is running out.”
“I agree, one really does get the feeling that there is a wager between God and the devil to see if humanity can complete itself and become responsible members of the universe or become a viral cancer that the universe has to cure or die from,” comments Chase. Later, at the tribal feast the three of them were given a place of honor at the table with the tribal elders. Ally and Chase were reeling with the changes that were occurring within themselves. Everything became more and more vivid. Beneizen watched them and wondered what they were experiencing. He had been through this himself eons before and he knew from personal experience how it worked, but the process was still mysterious even to him. They sat in the village’s great long house listening to the six part harmonies of the women singing and watching the men dancing to the hypnotic rhythms.
Sentinels of the Cosmos Trilogy Page 22