Worlds Without End: The Mission (Book 1)

by Shaun F. Messick

  **********

  Underground Rebel Base ?

  Jake was exhausted. He had been training new Terrestrian pilots the entire day. Most of them had never flown before, let alone operated a mechanized vehicle. Nevertheless, he was amazed at their intuition and ability to fly. He was especially impressed with his younger brother, Bantyr. Bantyr had learned how to fly from their father, but he impressed Jake even more because of his instincts and ability to fly without depending on the computer system.

  Jake yawned and looked at the clock on the wall in his quarters. 12:30 a.m. He desperately wanted to crawl into bed, but he couldn't because his father would arrive shortly. Jake stretched his body onto his bed and decided that he would get a little shut-eye before his dad arrived.

  He was about to drift into a deep sleep when the buzzer at his door sounded. "Come in," he said as he quickly sat up and rubbed his eyes.

  Adrian walked through the door, and it slid shut behind him. "Oh ? sorry, Jake. I didn't mean to wake you."

  "No, Dad ? I just thought that I'd get a little sleep before you arrived."

  "It's okay. I can come back in the morning, and we can talk."

  Jake stood up and pulled the chair that was across the room closer to his bed. "No, Dad. Stay. Please. Since our last discussion, we haven't had a lot of time to talk."

  Adrian smiled. He walked to the chair, sat down, and leaned forward, smiling at Jake. "So how did the training go today?" he asked.

  "It went great. These Terrestrians are amazing, Dad. I haven't seen a group of people work so well together."

  "Yeah, they are amazing. How did Bantyr do?"

  "I think Bantyr takes after you. His instincts are amazing. When I tested each pilot's skills on manual control without the use of the computer, he was the best, hands down."

  Adrian smiled, obviously proud of his youngest son. "From the sounds of it ? he takes after you."

  Jake gave his father a questioning look. "How do you know?"

  "I talked with Skip about five hours ago just before he left for the temple ruins with his team. He told me about how you outran two Gnol ships when you got here. From what he told me, it sounds pretty impressive. Gnols are skilled pilots and very intelligent. I've only been in an aerial battle once with them, about five years ago. They destroyed my ship and wiped out my squadron of twenty ships. Only three of us pilots survived."

  "Wow," said Jake, feeling a little proud of his accomplishment. "How many Gnol ships were there?"

  "Four," Adrian said in a whisper.

  Jake was stunned. He didn't know what to say. If these Gnols were as skilled as his father said they were, then how was he able to out fly two of them?

  Adrian sat back in the chair. "So, are they battle ready?"

  "Who?"

  "Your squadron, of course."

  "Oh yeah. I don't think so. Even though they impressed me, I don't think they're ready for a mission, especially with what you just told me about the Gnols' ability to fly."

  "Well, you better have them ready in three days."

  Jake looked at his father and shook his head. "I don't know, Dad. What's in three days?"

  "In three days, I plan to have you lead an attack on the Gnol town of Ciminae."

  Jake stood, walked to his sink, and splashed cold water on his face. "I don't know, Dad. I just don't think they're ready. Besides, why are you in such a hurry to attack?"

  "Because the city of Ciminae is where the Gnols produce their war ships, battle cruisers, short range attack ships, and reconnaissance ships. If we can cripple their manufacturing, we can begin to plan for more offensives."

  Jake shook his head, trying to fight sleep.

  Adrian frowned a little. "I'll let you get some sleep, son. I'll talk to you in the morning." Adrian stood up and began to walk to the door, but Jake grabbed his arm.

  "Don't go."

  Adrian turned and looked at Jake. "You're exhausted and need some rest. It's okay. I'll talk with you in the morning."

  Jake, still holding his dad's arm, looked his father in the eyes. "You know, Dad, if I would have known that all you wanted to talk about was how my squadron was doing and what mission you have planned, I would have gone to sleep hours ago."

  Adrian returned to his chair and asked, "What do you mean?"

  Jake sighed. "I mean, we didn't quite finish the discussion we had before. ? You know ? about you being a prophet or something like that on this world?"

  Adrian smiled at his son. "Ah yes, we didn't ? did we?"

  Jake shook his head.

  Adrian continued. "I didn't want to finish because I wanted what I told you before to sink in a little. I know from what you told me about your life that you lost your faith. Sometimes people who lose their belief need to be brought back into the fold slowly. If you put too much pressure on them, then you may just lose them forever.

  "The Gospel is very simple. Yet, at the same time, it can be very confusing if your heart isn't in the right place."

  Jake listened intently to his father. With everything he had experienced since crash landing on Terrest, he was beginning to understand. "I think I am beginning to understand, Dad. After you left my room the other night, I began studying the scriptures. I found a lot of references to other worlds and how God has created many worlds. I even prayed about it."

  "And?" questioned Adrian.

  Jake let a small smile spread across his face. He knew his father wanted so badly for him to regain his faith. "Well, I know that the scriptures are true. And ? I think I am beginning to build a testimony again. But ?"

  "But what, son?" Adrian said as he scooted his chair a little closer to Jake.

  Jake looked down at the floor, searching for the words. When he looked back at his father, tears were streaming down his face. "But ? Well ? why would the Lord take you away from me when I was only five? I mean ? I have been so angry at him for years."

  Adrian placed his hands on Jake's hand. "I know, son. I can't imagine the pain you must have gone through all of those years, not knowing what had happened to me."

  Jake looked down and nodded.

  Adrian sighed and said, "Jake, we never know what the Lord has in store for us. I mean ? look at where I am now. I never would have imagined being the military and spiritual leader of our brothers and sisters on another world."

  Jake allowed himself a small laugh. "Yeah, and who would have thought that I would be here too?"

  Adrian smiled and placed his left hand on his son's right shoulder. "Jake, I want you to know that not a day went by that I didn't think about you. My heart was broken. I missed you terribly. The guilt I felt every day for leaving you to go on the Mars mission was, at times, unbearable. The only way I made it through each day was knowing that we would one day be reunited."

  More tears streamed down Jake's face. He needed to hear his father say these words. Yes, it was true he was mad at God for his father's disappearance, but he was also bitter with his dad for leaving.

  His father continued. "Jake ? please don't be angry with God for leading me to Terrest and away from you. Be grateful because He has led you safely here to be reunited with me, your new family, and new friends."

  Suddenly, it hit Jake like a lightning bolt. He had never thought of it in that way before. He had been so concerned about his own feelings that he failed to realize the great blessing the Lord had provided him with. He had a family again and new friends. And what intrigued him the most was Celeste. Why did he feel such a connection when, in his own mind, he couldn't possibly fathom being with a woman from another planet, especially one with so many abilities and powers.

  Jake didn't realize he was smiling when he opened his mouth and was about to speak.

  Adrian beat him to it. "You're thinking about Celeste, aren't you?"

  "How did you know?"

  "Son, ever since you met Celeste, anyone can tell that she is all you think about."

  Jake tried to hide the shy smile that spread across his face, but he
couldn't. "Um ? I ? don't know what to think. She is so beautiful. I've had girlfriends, but never have I had a woman on my mind so much. But ?"

  Jake stopped, stood up, and began to pace around his room.

  "But what, son?" Adrian asked.

  Jake stopped pacing and looked at his father. "But how can I be with a Gnol? How do the Gnols fit into the picture of other worlds that God has created? Aren't God's children on Earth and other worlds created in his image?"

  Adrian nodded. "Yes, we are. But don't you think God would have the same if not more of the abilities as the Gnols?"

  "So, you're telling me the Gnols are gods," Jake said.

  "No, I'm not saying that. ? Son, sit down."

  Jake sat on his bed, and Adrian stood. He turned and looked at his son.

  "Jake, I had those same questions when the Gnols first attacked Terrest. I asked the Lord so many times how the Gnols fit into God's plan. After all, the Gnols have abilities, powers, and strength so much greater than any of God's other children. So, logically, I wondered if the Gnols were even his children at all.

  "I think I asked each day for nearly a year after the initial attacks. Yet, there was no answer. Finally, one day I knelt down to pray. Before I even got the words out of my mouth, a vision was opened up to me."

  Jake felt his mouth drop. His mind was finding it hard to believe that his own dad would be a prophet of God on another world. He knew his father's weaknesses and he had always imagined a prophet being perfect.

  Adrian continued. "The vision took me to another world thousands of years ago. An angel was with me. In fact, the angel revealed to me that these people were so righteous and willing to obey the Lord's commandments that the Lord could not withhold any blessing from them, including God Himself walking and talking amongst them."

  Jake's face quickly turned from a look of shock to a look of confusion. "Wa ? Wait a minute. God lived with the Gnols ? but ? how can that be? Most Gnols seem to be evil."

  Adrian quickly opened the scriptures he had brought in with him. "Here it is," he said as he gave the scriptures to Jake. "Read Moses, chapter 1, verse 11."

  Jake looked at the verse and commenced to read:

  "But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him."

  After reading the verse, Jake looked up with a look that told Adrian his son was more confused than ever.

  Adrian smiled and said, "Think about it. Since the Gnols were in God's presence, they had to be changed."

  "You mean transfigured," replied Jake.

  "Yes, transfigured. The angel showed me that the Gnols were changed. Their bodies were changed with more strength to withstand the presence of the Lord. Their minds were open to one another, and they could move objects just by pure thought."

  Jake shook his head. "Well then, if the Gnols were blessed by God, how come they are here on Terrest and have killed and enslaved most of the Terrestrian people?"

  Adrian sat next to his son. "The angel also revealed to me that the Gnols eventually forgot about the Lord. They had become so prideful and arrogant in their abilities that they began to use them against each other. Rather than the Lord taking their abilities away, they became a curse.

  "After a few generations, the Gnols lost most of the technology they had created and began to live in warlike tribes. The Gnol people weren't able to advance because they could read each other's thoughts and use those thoughts against each other. Eventually, the Lord withdrew his presence and allowed nature to destroy Gnolom. But somehow the Gnols were able to escape their dying world."

  Jake was captivated. "Did the angel reveal how the Gnols were able to develop the technology again to leave Gnolom?"

  Adrian shook his head. "The angel did not reveal that information to me. I asked, but he said that I needed to discover that on my own. Once I did, that information would help us defeat the Gnols and lead some of them back to believing in the true and living God once more."

  Jake smiled at his dad. He could see the mantle his father carried and the burden that went with it. "So, have you discovered that information yet?"

  Adrian shook his head in frustration. "No, not yet. But ?" Adrian paused as he sat next to his son.

  "But what, Dad?"

  Adrian sighed. "I don't know, Jake. For some reason, I feel responsible for the Gnols being here."

  "Dad, how could you possibly be responsible for them being here? You had no idea that the Gnols even existed when you first arrived on Terrest."

  "I know. It's just-"

  Adrian's communicator beeped before he could finish his sentence. He reached down, pulled the communicator from his belt, and flipped it open. "This is General Palmer."

  "Adrian, this is Sean. We have an emergency."

  "What is it, Sean?"

  "Do you remember those emergency distress beacons I gave to Celeste and her agents to use if they were ever in danger?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, Celeste's beacon has been activated about five miles southeast of the base."

  "Five miles southeast? I thought she was in Chast?"

  "Me too, but that's where her signal is originating from."

  "Okay, Sean. Contact Doc and have him meet me and Jake in the hangar."

  "You got it."

  Adrian flipped his communicator shut, looked at Jake, and the two ran out of the room together.