Zon was still convinced that they had ample time to carry on living on Planet Zero before anything disastrous would happen, and Zenith agreed with him. So they left Planet Pegasus to RIP, for the time being anyway.
CHAPTER 21
The Zelites continued to carry out the arduous job of rebuilding the damage that had been caused by the meteorites, asking for help from the Unos when it was necessary to re-establish links between the various universes. Many of these links had been damaged or destroyed and were important vital connections in inter-galaxy cooperation.
The heat from the meteorite disaster had also affected the old deserted South American Continent, so Zon sent out instructions for tests to be instigated on that long abandoned territory to see if it was still infested with those killer HIV and CJD viral infections. The very southernmost areas of land on that continent mainly appeared to have survived the intense heat, and what seemed to have actually happened was that the land had been transformed into a great, vast desert. All in all, there had not been such a disastrous catastrophe here as was the disintegration that had happened on the African Continent. It was surmised that, due to the fact that all the old major volcanoes in that area had long since been extinct, the damage had been limited.
The GM scientists had advised Zon that in their opinion the intense heat would most probably have killed all the viruses, and it appeared that the South American territory would most likely be habitable again now.
Probes were dispatched to investigate the atmosphere above that land, and it turned out that the oxygen levels there were apparently quite normal. Then probes were also sent on to the actual land itself. The news was quite good as far as the virus infections were concerned. These appeared to have been annihilated, but the soil samples retrieved turned out to be relatively poor. However, as Zon knew most of Planet Zero's inhabitants lived below ground now anyway, and if soil was required for subterranean crop growing, etc. this could easily be supplied from Europe as they already had factories cleaning and sterilizing the masses of surface soil that were no longer being used by them.
The Leaders decided that a contingent of GM scientists, together with their robots, should embark on a land-purifying exercise in South America. They were sent off in various teams to investigate the different areas of that huge continent and were told to inform Zon immediately if they encountered any difficulties, but their main brief was to report on the possible re-use of the land for human habitation.
When discussions had taken place with his brothers and the other major leaders, Zon stipulated that his trusted GM friend, Zenith, was to head the mission. After many meetings between himself and Zenith, Zon placed the assignment completely in Zenith's hands and assured his friend that he would be waiting at the other end of the computerized private visionfone, to which nobody but Zon and Zenith had access, whenever Zenith wished to contact him. Zon also told his friend that he completely and utterly trusted him and that the two of them were to keep findings absolutely confidential in this matter. Zenith was to report only to Zon and, in turn, Zon would not give any information to any of the other GM scientists without Zenith's specific agreement.
Zon knew that this was going to be one of the biggest decisions he had ever had to make in his life. He was aware that he was to trust a person who was not a pure Zelite, to give him confidential information that was possibly vital to the future life of any Zelites who might possibly wish to travel and live on the South American Continent.
He was going to have to ensure that only specifically selected exemplary Zelite males traveled to that continent. This was because, in order to have enough Zelites to populate such a vast area, he would have to agree to allow them to take partners from either the Outlanders, or from inhabitants of other planets that still procreated, so as to allow the Zelite population to increase in size. Although any offspring would not be a pure race of Zelites, due to the existing fact that all the female Zelites were infertile, Zon could visualize no other alternative than to allow this fraternization to take place.
On their final meeting, Zon took a step that would change the GM man's life completely: he took Zenith to a private room, away from the prying eyes of the other leaders and, gently pushing Zenith's arm on to a bench, produced a knife. Seeing the look of alarm on his friend's face, Zon smiled at him and said, “Zenith, my dear trusted friend, I want you to become my blood brother. This is a custom my mother and father taught me that the ancient indigenous tribes of the old America used to carry out when someone desperately wanted to prove their trust in another man. They would slit one another's veins and let their blood mingle freely. You know what this means? It will give you the right to become a Zelite, and my blood will give you the plasma required to grant you immortality, the same as myself. I want you to accept this gift, Zenith, making you my blood brother, as I instinctively know you will always love me as I love you.”
The GM man hesitated before saying anything to Zon, and then, hugging the mighty man, he picked up the knife and slit his own wrist before handing the weapon to Zon to do the same with his wrist.
Zon swiftly and adeptly cut his vein and, placing his arm across Zenith's wrist, pushed the two pulsing veins together until their blood mingled as one. Zon made his friend suck the blood from his vein just to ensure that Zenith would definitely swallow Zon's blood. He also produced a phial of blood, which he had prepared earlier, and injected Zenith with a large amount of the Leader's blood.
“You are now my full brother. I trust you in every way and I endow you with the gift of everlasting life, my dear Zenith.” The two men embraced one another and fell back on to the divan that was placed at the side of the room.
Without a word being said, both men knew what was to be the immediate outcome of this act of joining together. They both without hesitation felt the need to express their real closeness. The love the two men felt for one another was consummated in a wonderful and powerful way; first Zon taking the initiative and then Zenith, until finally they fell asleep in one another's arms, content in the knowledge that they were as close to one another as anyone could get.
When the morning came, they hugged one another briefly and made their farewells, both knowing full well that their love from now on would be stronger than even a natural sibling's love.
Zon knew he had to visit the Health Rooms to make sure his wrist would heal properly, and he was slightly embarrassed when the GM nurse asked him how the cut had occurred. He snapped at her, irritated, and told her to mind her own business, but to do her job and not ask questions. Immediately he felt sorry for his rudeness and, putting his arm around her shoulders, apologized, explaining that he had caught his wrist on a stupid piece of wire that had been left protruding from a machine he had been inspecting.
The nurse insisted that he should have a tetanus shot and adeptly bandaged the ‘bonding ceremony’ wound. He found it hard to hide the bandage, and when he returned to his living quarters his staff were very concerned, as any damage or injury to the Leader was a major event. They were obliged by Planet Zero Laws to make a written report regarding any such injury, and an investigation had to be carried out regarding the object that had caused the injury. Once again Zon had to lie. He surreptitiously made up a story about a piece of wire protruding from a machine that he had been inspecting. “But,” he added, “I am afraid that I could not possibly find it again as I myself corrected the faulty wire and I really think that I would not be able to distinguish which particular machine it was.”
Zon breathed a sigh of relief when the matter was quickly closed and forgotten.
CHAPTER 22
Zon had received loads of messages from Stef Brown asking him about the wedding. “Was she to arrange everything, or did he wish to be involved himself in the arrangements?”
Zon was not particularly interested in the marriage, so he acknowledged her communications by faxing a curt message to give her permission to arrange everything herself. Zon was beginning to feel a little irritated by St
ef's domineering attitude and guessed it was about time to show her who was the boss. After all, she was only from the inferior tribe, the Outlanders, and not a prestigious Zelite like himself.
Zon knew there was only one way to dominate a Witch Woman like Stef and he made up his mind that he was going to put an end to her bossy ways with him.
When the time finally came for Zon to attend his wedding, which Stef had arranged to be held at the Cultural Center in Santa Barbara, he had managed to thoroughly master the art of thought transmission and he willed Stef to join him on the night before the ceremony was to take place. It proved to be a great battle of wills as Stef was long experienced in this art. She also tried many voodoo chants and spells to try and rid herself of this commanding attitude that Zon was showing towards her, but in the end, Zon proved his superiority and she duly turned up at his Santa Barbara apartment on the eve of their wedding.
They greeted one another with some formality. The battle of wits between them had taken its toll. Instead of the usual hugging and kissing, they both stood their ground and faced one another with some hostility until Zon made the first move.
Stef's immediate reaction was one of relief because she thought that Zon was reaching into his jacket pocket for some delightful present to give her as a token of his regret at being so domineering, but she froze with shock when she realized that Zon had retrieved a Taser Stun Gun from his jacket and was aiming it at her. She had no time to duck or run as he had already fired the Taser and agonizingly stunned her. Stef let out a mortified yell of pain as she slumped semi-conscious to the floor. When Stef came to, Zon was standing over her and gave her a hand to help her regain her feet.
“Now let that be a lesson, Stef, if you are going to be my wife, you must do what I tell you and not argue all the time with me. It would not be correct for me to be seen as weak in front of my fellow Zelites!”
He assured her that he would treat her with respect just as long as she abided by his rules and did not attempt to boss him around. The chided woman did not say a word in response to start with, but, after a few seconds’ pause, she told Zon in a quiet voice that she had fallen in love with him and naturally she would obey him if that was what he wanted.
She then politely asked Zon if he would be at the Cultural Center in Santa Barbara, as arranged, at 11 o'clock the next morning and mentioned that she had booked their honeymoon in Ireland, as she had heard that most of Ireland was pretty free from pollution and was a peaceful and quiet place that had been retained as a Beauty and Rejuvenation Area for anyone needing to spend some time alone.
Zon stood up from his chair, put on his flowing cape and turning to Stef, asked her to explain to him what she meant by a honeymoon.
When Stef had detailed the custom of a honeymoon to Zon, he laughed derisively and said, “Woman, you must be content that I am marrying you. You will come back with me to my apartment, here in Santa Barbara, after the ceremony. We will live together here; I cannot possibly take time off just to satisfy your need for a honeymoon. That is not part and parcel of the arrangement! I have many pressing tasks to attend to and I am sure I can satisfy your needs just as well in my apartment as in some remote spot in Ireland.”
Stef cajoled and pleaded with him, but nothing would change Zon's mind. He knew he had to be on the spot when news came about the South American Zone. Eventually Stef accepted that there was not going to be a honeymoon for her and Zon. Crestfallen, she sadly said goodnight to Zon, gently reminding him once more that the ceremony was to start with his arrival at the Cultural Center at 11 o'clock the following morning.
CHAPTER 23
Zon received a transmission from Zenith informing him that the Robots had signaled information advising that it clearly appeared the South American Continent had been pretty well cleansed of germs and disease by the intense heat from the meteorites. He also confirmed that he himself was now going to visit the area to carry out further investigations.
Zon warned his friend to be extra vigilant and to take the utmost care when approaching the massive desert, as he feared some terrible danger could be lurking in that area. He begged Zenith to remain in constant touch with him and to return immediately if he struck any obstacles.
Zenith had feelings of great trepidation about the acts that he and the Great Leader had carried out and wondered if his blood would accept the new chromosomes that were now flowing through his veins. He had always felt a natural affinity with Zon, but now he had a great fear that their bonding might eventually cause a rift between the two of them.
In appearance, the GM man looked a little older than Zon, who, due to the system the Zelites had adopted for fixing and remaining at a chosen age of not more than 36 years (with the exception, of course, of the few elders who had been over that age when the discovery of the infinity genes were discovered). He himself had opted for the age of 32 years and was therefore still bodily a male of 32 years, whereas Zenith, being genetically modified, had not ceased to grow older and had actually reached the mature age of 40 natural years. However, Zenith's body was in biological terms younger than Zon's as he still had his own original cells and skin and did not have to be purified every so often like Zon.
He was fully aware that now, in actual fact, he probably had the power to overcome Zon because his brain had been modified to contain more information than any Zelite, even Zon, and his body was also probably as strong as Zon's. If the bonding had worked, then he would no doubt be equal to Zon in almost every way.
“In fact,” he thought, “I could even be superior to Zon now!”
Zenith was a very handsome man, just as good-looking as Zon, but in a more mature way with little flecks of gray color threading his dark hair. He had not had the sterilization operation like most GM people, and had actually been contemplating requesting reproductive activity with a female from the race of Outlanders. He knew he would have to obtain a special dispensation to be able to do this, and so far had put off the request, as he was sure that it would probably be turned down unless he could ask Zon direct. Now he was even more pessimistic about having a relationship with a female because he had become ‘connected’ with Zon. But in his current situation, thoughts of a sexual nature were far from his mind.
The situation was becoming exciting as Zenith stepped out of his protected vehicle and he felt a flutter of adrenalin when stepping onto this land where no man had stood for eons. Everything seemed normal, so, after taking a few samples of the sand, Zenith climbed back into his vehicle and ordered his robot to proceed deeper into the South American Continent. He instructed the robot to aim the vehicle towards the central point of the desert area.
When the robot indicated that they had arrived at the spot previously known as Cordoba in Argentina, all that Zenith could see was flat desert land. He descended from the vehicle again and, disconnecting his land buggy from the main vehicle, he set off to take more samples and photos of the area. He stepped onto the sandy land and was just about to scoop up some sample chippings when he received a message from Zon, asking how he was faring.
Zenith reported his findings to Zon as promised, and requested permission to carry on with his research into the rest of South America. He had become excited by the strange happenings on this Continent and desperately wanted to continue his exploration journey. However, Zon told him he had to come back immediately as he did not want his dear friend to endanger his life in any way, and he also badly needed to see how Zenith's blood was reacting to the mingling with his own.
The GM man, after obtaining as many samples and photographs as he quickly could, reluctantly instructed his robot to head back home and then settled down for the return journey.
CHAPTER 24
As planned, Zon turned up at the appointed time for the wedding and ran up the steps of the Cultural Center to look for Stef. He really wanted to get this irritating bit of hocus-pocus over as quickly as possible. It was only to mollify Stef that he had agreed to participate in the farce of it all.
Zon had left a message for his friend Zenith to attend the wedding at 11o'clock and knew that, although his friend had been made to cut short his South American investigations, Zenith would not let him down. Actually he had not heard from or seen Zenith yet since he had sent a message to his friend to return to Santa Barbara immediately, but Zon knew Zenith too well to worry.
Sure enough, as soon as Zon arrived at the door to the Cultural Center, there was his buddy, dressed in a stunning pale blue outfit, waiting patiently for him. The two friends embraced one another and Zenith whispered to Zon that he was not at all happy about this absurd ceremony, but if it pleased Zon to ‘play act’ then let them get on with it.
As planned by Stef, Zon gave Zenith two golden finger bands, which were to represent the linking of himself and Stef when they exchanged the two rings during the ceremony. Zon smiled to himself and thought, “How childish this outdated type of ritual is in my eyes as a modern Zelite. But what the heck, it wasn't really doing anyone any harm and if it would make Stef happy, then maybe she and her followers would be much more cooperative from now on.”
As the two men proceeded into this strange building, both of them were quite dumbfounded to see the beauty of the interior of the place. The Cultural Center had been built above ground but within a protective bubble, thus allowing the natural sunlight to filter through the stained-glass windows, filling the inside with wonderfully colored light. It had to be reached via an underground tunnel that, due to its very position, was slightly dim and when one finally emerged up into the Cultural Center per se, the effect was dramatic. The luminous daylight almost hurt the eyes at first, but people's eyes soon adjusted to the natural daylight and this made the effect even more spectacular.
Stef had arranged for flowers to be placed throughout the whole of the seating area. Also, at the main head of the building was a kind of platform, which Stef advised him, was called the altar. The altar was brimming with beautiful flower arrangements and the total effect was really quite amazing.
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