Meditations: Validation

“We’re going to do a simple meditation to get you familiar with the process of placing yourself in a hypnogogic state.”

Gertrude painstakingly explains to Jason the value of being able to place himself into a hypnogogic state so that he can access the data that’s encrypted in his DNA.

“While in a hypnogogic state, you’ll see, hear, feel, and know things you’re unable to in a conscious state. There is nothing to be afraid of. This isn’t even like a hypnosis, and I won’t ask you to cluck like a chicken. Gertrude jokes with Jason.

“I’m going to place this ball in your hand, Jason. You will drop it the moment you slip into a hypnogogic state, and it will bring you back here with me.”

Jason takes some rhythmic breaths and closes his eyes. Gertrude walks Jason through some simple breathing and relaxing exercises that eventually lead to Jason slipping into a deep state of relaxation.

“I want you to imagine you’re in a room, Jason. This room can be any room you want to create to be. It can have walls or no walls. Ceiling or no ceiling. It is whatever you create it to be in your mind.”

Jason sees a bright tunnel in front of him as he begins to tune out Gertrude’s instructions.

“One,” he hears a voice say through the tunnel.

Jason can feel the ball Gertrude placed in his hand begin to slip out of his hand.

He runs frantically into the tunnel and is consumed by the light. He feels his body merge into the light and then hears the voice again.

“When you awaken in the next second, once the ball hits the ground and awakens you back to consciousness, she’s going to ask you questions about what you experienced while you were here. It’s important that you don’t mention this experience.” The voice says to Jason in a way that makes him feel at peace.

“What am I to tell her instead?” Jason asks.

“Tell her about the room you created.”

“But I don’t even remember the room I created.” Jason searches for any memories about the room he created and becomes frustrated.

“It’s okay to be frustrated, Jason. When you awaken, you will regain your memory of the room you created. It’s a magnificent room. Your imagination is exceptional.”

“So, what is the purpose of this? Are you part of what she is looking for?” Jason suddenly has a feeling in his awareness that Gertrude might not be as good intentioned as she seems. “You’re her husband?”

“No.” The voice remarks with a flat response. “I am a gatekeeper.”

“A gatekeeper to what? The information sequenced in my DNA?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“The next gatekeeper.”

Jason remains silent as he ponders the gatekeeper to a gatekeeper concept.

“And after that gatekeeper?” Jason asks.

“I do not know, Jason. I only know my function.”

There’s silence for what seems like eternity.

“Two.” The gatekeeper says.

“What are you counting?” Jason says in a confused manner. He’s starting to feel a pressure building around him.

“The ball will slip from your hand in one more second, and you will be awakened. It is very important that you listen to me carefully and remember as much detail as possible.”

“I’m all ears!”

“Tomorrow, you will be in a car. There will be a car that you pull up next to at a stop light. There will be a woman who looks like this driving the car.” A 3D image of a blonde woman with a large nose and bob hairstyle displays in front of Jason.

“Now, I know this is some weird dream. Nobody drives a car anymore.” Jason thinks to himself. “She’s not really my type,” Jason says to the gatekeeper.

“She will be singing a song, Jason. I need you to remember as many words of that song that she sings.”

“I’m not much of a music guy, gatekeeper.”

“You will remember what you remember, Jason. Later that day, you will be back here in a meditation. Tell me all that you remember, and I will send you to the next gatekeeper.”

“What if I don’t remember anything?” Jason says.

“That would be rather unfortunate, Jason. But I don’t think you have much to worry about. I have faith in you.”

There’s a moment of silence as Jason ponders how a voice inside is head just told him that he has faith in him.

“Three…”

#

Jason sits up abruptly in his chair, startled by the sound of the ball hitting the floor! He’s breathing heavily. Gertrude places her hand on his hand.

“Are you okay?” She asks softly.

“That was weird, Mrs. Hammenstel.” Jason says in a broken chain of words, trying to catch his breath.

She hands him a small glass of water. He takes a big gulp and quickly downs the entire glass before he notices it has an odd taste to it. He looks at Gertrude who smiles softly at him as his vision blurs for a brief moment. He begins to feel a bit dizzy and tries to speak. But his mouth won’t move, and he can’t make a sound. He falls back into his chair and collapses.

Jason hears someone whispering his name softly, but he can’t see anything or feel anything. He tries to open his eyes, but everything remains dark. He can sense there is someone surrounding him from all sides but above where there appears to be a tiny pin prick of light so far away that it just appears like a speck of dust above his head.

He pushes himself up towards the speck and launches himself at what seems like a speed faster than the speed of light. Suddenly, he bursts into the spec and is surrounded by light. He awakens on the same chair he was on just moments earlier where he drank the poison Gertrude had handed him.

“Are you okay?” She asks startled. She reaches for a glass of water, and Jason quickly pushes himself out of the chair and kicks it out of her hand.

Startled, she recoils from him. “Jason, it’s me, Gertrude.”

Jason glares back at her. “I’m your friend, Jason!”

Jason heads towards the door of Gertrude’s office and reaches for the door handle.

“What happened, Jason?”

He pauses with his hand on the door as he hears a voice inside his head tell him to go back and sit in the chair and listen now that he knows the truth about Gertrude. He sighs and lets go of the door knob. Gertrude watches closely as he sits back in the chair.

“It’s been a difficult couple of weeks, Mrs. Hammenstel.”

“I can only imagine, Jason. I know this must be a lot for you to digest.”

“Are you sure your guys can’t get the encryption key to work?”

Gertrude explains to Jason how they continue to work on decrypting the information in his DNA and that these exercises are for helping him with the voices in his head and not about the messages in his DNA.

“I think of you like a son. This work is for you. I want to help you with the impact this is having on your mental health. I know you are struggling with all of this…”

“I’m struggling with hearing voices inside my head, Mrs. Hammenstel. How is this going to work? How is any of this going to help me? Shouldn’t I be in a padded cell? Shouldn’t I be on medication? I don’t even know what’s real and what’s not real anymore! I don’t even know if this is real!”

“I understand there’s a lot we don’t know. I understand there’s a lot you’re trying to work through and so much you can’t wrap your head around. This is where I can help you.” Gertrude leans towards Jason and touches the top of his hand. “And you should absolutely NOT be on medication, Jason. And it’s very important you don’t seek traditional mental health and medication.”

Jason looks at her with disappointment.

“The forces you are up against are powerful beyond belief. Your friend Jessica is lucky to be alive.”

“I’d like to go see her tomorrow.”

“She’s not awake yet, Jason.”

“I know. I just want to see her.”

“Okay, we can arrange that.”

“I want to go by myself. I know you think those goons are going to come after me, but I called Detective Gomez. She’s going to take me.”

Gertrude pauses for a few seconds while she sorts through what Jason has just told her, having ignored her directions to not contact anyone; including Detective Gomez. “Jason, I’m a little concerned that you aren’t taking me very serious. Your life is at stake here.”

“If these guys are as powerful as you say they are, then they could just come barging through that door and kill me right now. Or they could have killed me when I was younger.”

Gertrude shakes her head as Jason points out the various holes he finds in her conspiracy theories she’s been sharing with him over the last couple of days.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Mrs. Hammenstel, but I’m thinking either these guys aren’t as powerful as you think…” He pauses as he gets out of the chair again and walks towards the office door. “Or I’m a lot more valuable alive than I am dead. Which means, it’s not just about the DNA.”

As Jason walks out the door and down the hall towards the front door, he hears a voice inside his head, “Good job!” He smiles.

#

Jason is sitting in his car as it drives him to the hospital where Jessica lies in a coma. As the car pulls up to a stoplight, he hears someone singing at the top of her lungs in the car next to him. He looks to his left and sees a young woman, exactly as was displayed to him during his hypnosis the prior day. She has her hands on a steering wheel and looks over at Jason and continues to sing the song as Jason’s car starts to drive forward with the green light.

Jason tries to get his car to stop, but there is nothing he can do to control his car. He hopes that the next stoplight will turn red for him so that he can hear more of the song. He tries to look back towards the car to see if he can see where the young woman is. Soon, he realizes that he’s not going to see or hear the young woman again, but he can’t remember anything the woman was singing.

Frustrated, his car arrives at the stoplight to turn into the hospital. Within a few seconds, the young woman driving the old car pulls up next to him again. She looks over at him while singing as loud as she can. He watches her and listens to her with 100% of his awareness, being sure to tuck away as much of the lyrics and melody as possible. The light turns green for the woman’s car, and she waves at him as she drives away and Jason looks on longingly.

As his car pulls up to the drop off zone, Jason continues to hum and mumble the song out loud, hoping to retain as much as he can for his next visit with the gatekeeper. Jessica’s parents (Mark and Martha) are waiting for him at the hospital and are glad to see him. He hugs both of them, and they check-in with the front desk.

The three of them walk into Jessica’s room where the robot nurse scans their badges and confirms their facial recognition with the International Legal Compliance Records. Jessica’s mom explains to Jason that she hasn’t seen her respond to anything. She’s tried every sound and smell she can think of, but Jessica doesn’t respond to anything.

Jessica’s father fights back tears as he puts his right arm around Jason and brings him in tight. “I know you and Jessica were just friends, but I also know you were her best friend.”

Jason looks at Mark and can see the pain on his face. Jason hears a voice inside his head, “She will listen to you.”

“She will hear me, Mr. Chance.” Jason says with confidence as he looks Mark in the eyes and sees his pain disappear.

Jason walks over to Jessica’s right side and holds her hand. He leans in and whispers in her ear, “Jessica, I know you can hear me.” He pulls back as he feels her hand move in his.

“Look!” Jason turns to Mark and Martha in amazement, but they look confused. “I felt her hand twitch in mine!”

“Do it again, Jason. Please!” Martha pleads with him.

This time, Jason doesn’t hold her hand so that Jessica’s parents can see. He whispers in her ear again, “Jessica, I know you can hear me.” Jessica’s hand does not move.

“It might have just been a reflex or a timely twitch,” Mark explains.

Jason’s face drops from excitement to disappointment immediately, and Martha joins him in disappointment as they both look at Jessica lying in a coma. Jason makes a few more attempts, each with the same non-result.

The mood in the room slowly shifts down as it becomes clear that Jason’s presence isn’t making a difference for Jessica. Jason slowly walks towards the door with his head down. He hasn’t heard a voice inside his head since entering the hospital. Suddenly, he’s inspired, thinking the hypnosis gatekeeper was trying to send him a message about how to help Jessica! He turns around and begins to sing the song he heard the young woman singing in her car:

All I can say is

After today this

Love goes away with

One more goodbye kiss

Jessica’s parents look stunned as they listen to Jason’s terrible singing. They look at each other in astonishment. Then, in hope, they look at Jessica with an enormous mutual smile… Nothing.

They look back at Jason who flaps his hands at his side in disappointment.

“It was worth a shot, Jason. It’s a beautiful song.” Martha says.

“I’m sorry I let you down, Mr. & Mrs. Chance.” Jason says before leaving the room.

Mark catches up to Jason in the hallway and stops him. “Jason, we really don’t want you to think this is your fault. There’s nothing you could have done if you were there anyway. The police said these were very bad men who did this. Please don’t feel like you’ve let us down then or now. You’re a wonderful young man, and we know our daughter had nothing but the utmost respect for you.”

Jason starts to cry and hugs Mark who hugs him back.

#

“I want you to imagine you’re in a room, Jason. This room can be any room you want to create to be. It can have walls or no walls. Ceiling or no ceiling. It is whatever you create it to be in your mind.” Gertrude leads Jason into another hypnosis.

“One,” Jason hears the gatekeeper.

“I remembered the lyrics, but they didn’t do me any good,” Jason explains to the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper asks Jason to recite the lyrics, and he sings them as he did in Jessica’s hospital room. “They didn’t do me any good though. Jessica is still in a coma.”

The gatekeeper has a new voice. “You have much to learn, Jason. Why would you think these lyrics have anything to do with your friend?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what any of this has to do with anything. I honestly feel like I’m going insane. You know, when I’m in the real world, I hear voices. Not voices like you though. They seem to just be me but with difference voices.”

“I’ll let you know something very important now so you can make a choice for yourself, Jason. But I can only let you know if you choose to know.”

“I’m starting to question whether I know anything at all, gatekeeper. So, if you want to bestow some great wisdom upon me, I’m all ears.”

“This isn’t wisdom, Jason, but it is something you need to choose for yourself.”

“Okay, choice-bot, hit me with it!”

The gatekeeper is silent.

“Hello?” Jason keeps looking around for something visual, but there is nothing but darkness all around him.

“This has nothing to do with you, Jason. You are not a chosen one. You are not going to save the world. You won’t have any superpowers. You won’t win any great battle or become some great hero. You won’t even be able to save your best friend from dying.” The gatekeeper delivers in a dry tone. “Which is happening at this very moment, Jason. Your best friend is dying, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Jason is filled with rage at the gatekeeper and this hypnosis. He can feel his heart racing as he tries to escape the hypnosis. He remembers he’s holding the ball in his hand, so he thinks of dropping the ball and imagines the ball hitting the ground.

There’s a sudden thud on the ground! Jason springs out of his chair and runs out of Gertrude’s office yelling, “I’ll be back! I need to check on Jessica!”

Jason arrives at the hospital where Jessica’s mom is waiting for him. “What’s going on, Jason? What’s wrong? You sounded to worried over the phone.”

“Is Jessica okay? Is she still alive?”

Martha looks concerned as she can see the panic on Jason’s face.

“She’s fine, Jason.” Martha pauses. “Well, she’s as fine as she can be in a coma.” She stops to catch her own emotions. “And she’s still alive. Thank God.”

“Can I see her?”

“Jason, I’m not sure that’s a good idea right now. I don’t feel like you’re in the right state of mind to see her. You’ve got me a little worried for you right now.”

Jason’s breathing has switched into full panic mode. “I really need to see her. I just need to know she’s okay, right now, at this very moment!”

“She’s okay, Jason. I was just in her room 10 minutes ago. I’ve been with her all morning. She’s fine, son.” Martha hugs Jason in an attempt to calm him down.

Jason breaks down crying, “I just want her to be okay. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Chance! I’m so sorry for making your worried. I’m not doing well.”

“I understand, Jason. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you as well. I know you love my daughter, and I know she loved you too. She would always compare any boy she’d go on a date with to you. Even though you were just friends, she would always compare them to you. No one ever made it to the second date. You’re such a great young man, Jason.”

“Okay. Okay.” Jason panic begins to subside. He pulls away from Martha and starts to walk away. “Okay. Jessica is okay. You said Jessica is okay, right? She’s Okay?”

“Yes, my dear. Jessica is okay.”

#

“I want you to imagine you’re in a room, Jason. This room can be any room you want to create to be. It can have walls or no walls. Ceiling or no ceiling. It is whatever you create it to be in your mind.”

“One.”

“You’re full of shit, gatekeeper!” Jason yells. “I don’t even think you are real. You’re just inside my head!”

The gatekeeper responds, “You are so certain, are you?”

“I went to the hospital, and I saw that Jessica was just fine!”

“You didn’t see her, Jason.”

“You don’t know what’s real because you can’t be honest with yourself, Jason. If you can’t be honest with yourself, of course, you won’t know what’s real.”

“Jessica is okay! You’re just some voice of paranoia inside my head!”

“You don’t know Jessica is okay. Someone told you Jessica is okay, and you believed it. That’s how you’ve spent your entire life, Jason. You’re entire life has been spent believing what someone else has told you. Even when you think you are thinking for yourself, you’re just searching for validation from someone else for a thought you didn’t even truly have yourself. Your very own thoughts are just what’s been programmed into your brain for you to output at a given time under given circumstances.”

“So, I’m programmed to think you’re a jerk?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you waste your time on me then? I’m not a hero! I’m not going to save the world! Why waste your time on such a meaningless robot?”

The gatekeeper is silent.

“You’re just a voice…”

The gatekeeper interrupts, “Because that is my purpose.”

Jason pauses for a moment to digest what the gatekeeper has told him… He starts to cry, “I’m a nobody. I’m nothing. And you’re just wasting your time on me because that’s your purpose?”

“No, Jason. You are not a nobody. You are not nothing. And I am not wasting my time on you. You are my everything. You mean everything to me. You are everything to me. My entire existence is dependent on you.”

“But you said all of this had nothing to do with me. You said I couldn’t save Jessica. Who happens to be alive, by the way.”

“Yes, Jason. The greater purpose has nothing to do with you. You won’t be the hero in this story. You won’t save the girl in this story. None of that means what you made it mean. You don’t mean nothing.”

Jason begins to dry his tears from his eyes.

“You are my purpose, Jason. You are everything to me.”

“And that’s supposed to comfort me? I’m supposed to feel great because some voice inside my head tells me that I’m its everything?” Jason screams in an almost state of madness.

“You sound ready.”

“Ready for what, gatekeeper?”

“Ready for validation.”

In complete confusion, Jason answers question after question about his past and his upbringing. His parents had impressed upon him to learn his genealogy as far back as he could. He had his entire family tree engrained in his memory going back to the 1600s. The gatekeeper asks about the books he read in school, the animals he owned growing up, and so much more.

Finally, the gatekeeper is quiet.

“Hello?” Jason again looks around for any visual signs of the gatekeeper.

The gatekeeper has a new voice, “I’ll see you next time, Jason.”

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Agent Lee

“He’s by far the most promising recruit we’ve seen in the history of the program!” The medical director says to Fredrick Prophet as he leads him down the hallway.

“And his DNA analysis?” Fredrick asks.

“80 percent match, sir.” the medical director smiles as he opens the door to the room where Cadet Lee sits quietly reading through a history book on mid-American history.

Fredrick motions to the medical director to leave as Cadet Lee abruptly closes his book, places it on his desk, stands up, pushes his chair in, and stands at attention saluting Fredrick. Fredrick smiles, “I’m not one of those, Cadet Lee.” Cadet Lee relaxes and let’s out a big sigh.

“The medical director tells me you’ve shown the best results of anyone he’s ever seen in the program. I know that might come as a surprise to you given your subpar grades.”

Cadet Lee doesn’t understand where Fredrick is going with the conversation, so he remains silent and keeps his stern face.

“I have a special assignment for you, Agent Lee.” Fredrick says as he looks out the tiny window in Cadet Lee’s room.

Cadet Lee’s stern composure turn to surprise at the sound of “Agent Lee”. He cracks a smile and almost laughs in the process.

“I’m not joking about the agent part, Lee.” Fredrick says, not even turning around to see Cadet Lee almost laughing. “You have something within you of particular value, and I’m hoping for you to reach the potential I know you’re capable of.”

“With all due respect, sir, I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about. I don’t even know why I’m still in this program. I should have failed out months ago. I’ve seen others with better grades get kicked out. So, whatever you’re talking about, I don’t understand, sir.” Cadet Lee says as he sounds disappointed in himself.

Fredrick turns to Lee and looks him in the eyes. “What you can’t see, I’ll help you see, Agent Lee. The confidence you lack is a minor hurdle for you to reach your full potential. You are destined to change history, Agent Lee. I’m here to take you to the next level.” Fredrick smiles. “You’re next round of training starts now. Come with me.”

Cadet Lee flattens his smile and has a dumbfounded look on his face. Fredrick walks over to the door and grabs the handle. Not turning around, he says to Cadet Lee, “Don’t pack anything. My team will take care of it. Your sole responsibility from this point on is to follow my orders, Agent Lee.”

#

Cadet Lee lies submerged in a float tank with a series of wires connected to his head. He’s in a deep state of meditation as Fredrick Prophet and a team of scientists monitor his vitals and an application that’s providing them with direct insight into Cadet Lee’s near real-time brain functions.

“Maurice, how’s everything looking?” Fredrick asks the lead scientist directing the operations.

“It appears that Cadet Lee is the closest he’s been in months, Fred. If he can maintain this level of meditation, we should be able to make contact within the next 10 minutes!” Maurice responds in suppressed excitement.

They continue monitoring Cadet Lee for another 10 minutes as Fredrick begins to grow increasingly anxious. The program suddenly begins printing data to the screen at a rate that nobody can read! Cadet Lee’s body jumps suddenly in the tank and he awakens. He’s pulled out of the container and several scientists help him untangle himself from the mess of wires he’s become trapped in from thrashing around uncontrollably in the tank.

“What was that, Fred!” Cadet Lee yells into the rafters, knowing that Fredrick is monitoring him along with several other scientists in the observation room up on the mezzanine. “What in the crazy ass hell was that Fred!” He yells again!

Fred runs down the stairs, “Lee! You did it! I need you to tell me everything that happened!”

Cadet Lee jumps out of the tank, snapping several of the wires in the process and shoves the scientists away from him as he heads, drenched, towards Fredrick in a rage. Just as he’s about to reach Fredrick, he drops to his knees and then collapses into convulsions. Fredrick rolls Cadet Lee on to his side and then removes his sports coat and covers Cadet Lee’s naked body and comforts him until his body stops convulsing and Cadet Lee falls into a deep sleep.

#

“Agent Lee…”

“Agent Lee…”

Cadet Lee feels warm sunshine on his face as he awakens inside of a dream state. There’s a beautiful grassy hill in front of him with a single large Terebinth tree at the top. A glowing orb shoots out of the tree and begins to swirl around him, and he begins to spin in circles trying to catch the orb until he blacks out and awakens in an empty building.

A man who is just a silhouette walks towards him and begins speaking even though he has no face or mouth, “Agent Lee, it’s nice to finally meet you. Welcome to our home.”

Cadet Lee looks around at the empty surroundings. “Our home?” He asks.

“We’re going to be spending some time together, Agent Lee.”

“Fred? Is that you? Are you playing some sort of mind game with me? Nobody calls me Agent Lee except your stupid ass.” Cadet Lee says with anger as his relationship with Fredrick Prophet has greatly soured over the months they’ve been working on Project Bishop.

“No, I’m not Fredrick.”

“God?”

“I’m not God.”

“Satan?”

The figure chuckles, “No, Agent Lee.”

“Do you have a name?” Cadet Lee asks in confusion.

“No, Agent Lee.” The silhouette responds.

“That doesn’t help much. How should I address you?”

“Just call me.”

Cadet Lee waits for an additional response and finally breaks the awkward silence. “Why am I here?”

“To spend time with me.”

“And why are you here?”

“To spend time with you.” The silhouette responds.

Cadet Lee throws his hands up in despair and places his hands on his hips, looking disgustedly at the silhouette. He begins walking to his right away from the silhouette and notices that the walls of the empty building are moving so that it appears he’s in the same place in the middle of the empty room. He turns back to the direction of the silhouette, and it’s gone.

“Where did you go?”

The silhouette suddenly appears in the same location it was before and begins walking towards him. Cadet Lee starts walking towards the silhouette and the two begin gliding towards each other until Cadet Lee finds himself floating inside the silhouette. Suddenly he begins to feel like he’s falling faster and faster until his flesh and bones disintegrate from his soul and his soul splatters on the ground.

He watches as the puddle of his soul slowly spreads out on the floor of a semi dark room. There’s a light source, but he can’t tell where it’s coming from.

“Who are you?” He hears a strange voice he’s never heard before. “What are you doing here?”

He answers back, “I’m Agent Lee. Who the hell are you?”

Agent Lee waits for an answer as he hears the other man breathing heavier with each passing moment.

“How can I help you Agent Lee?”

“You can start by telling me who you are.” Agent Lee demands.

“Who sent you?” The voice demands back.

“The Bishop sent me.”

“Which Bishop, Agent Lee?” The voice asks in a more relaxed tone.

“Maurice.”

Agent Lee responds to several more questions with information Fredrick has been training him with for the last several months. The voice sounding less and less skeptical with each question.

“Call me Mr. Phillips, Agent Lee. Tell the Bishop I need three days after the data drop. I will speak with you soon.”

Agent Lee looks confused, but Fredrick had prepared him for this moment for months.

“Congratulations on the promotion, Agent Lee.”

“Thanks, Mr. Phillips.”

“Oh, and Agent Lee, watch out for that first drop. It’s going to hurt.”

Agent Lee suddenly feels himself dropping again. Faster and faster. This time he feels the pain as his flesh begins to disintegrate from his body.

#

Agent Lee suddenly wakes up in a hospital bed. A doctor is sitting at his bedside and touches him on his arm.

“Agent Lee”. She says softly to him in a soothing voice that immediately calms his anxiety.

“How did I get here?” He calmly asks the doctor.

“Fredrick brought you here. I’ve been monitoring you for the last six weeks.” She responds.

“I’ve been out for six weeks?”

“Yes, Agent Lee. You might feel a bit weak. From not moving much, but we’ve been taking very good care of you. Fredrick himself has been changing your sheets and rubbing the skin treatment on you.”

Agent Lee looks confused and starts to respond, “but he’s an asshole, Doc.”

The door opens and Fredrick enters the room. The doctor stands up and walks towards Fredrick. “He’s doing well. I briefed him on his status, and he was just telling me how thankful he was for your care.” She says to Fredrick.

“I bet he was,” Fredrick says. He walks to Agent Lee’s bedside and places his hand on the guard rail. Looking at Agent Lee with a big smile, he turns to the doctor. “Doctor, Harvey, can you bring in the transcripts from the session so that I can review them with Agent Lee? Thanks.”

#

Agent Lee is a bit nervous the evening before his third trip for Project Bishop. He’s sitting with Fredrick, Doctor Harvey and Maurice Lane, the chief scientist, as they paint the picture of the most important, and final phase of the project. Agent Lee is to deliver the final set of data that will be necessary for Mr. Phillips to complete Operation Bishop.

Over the last several months, the friendship between Fredrick and Agent Lee has greatly improved as Agent Lee now understands the full scope and importance of the work Fredrick has chosen him for. Plus, he’s learned to understand why Fredrick had to keep him in the dark about the true purpose of the project at the onset.

Fredrick has become a father figure to Agent Lee, a father figure he never had growing up. As he’s staring out the window, Agent Lee thinks back to the conversation he had with Fredrick a couple of weeks ago.

“Fred, I have to tell you something that’s very important to me.” Agent Less said to Fredrick.

“Go ahead, son.”

“See, that’s exactly it, Fred. I never had a father growing up. He died before I was born. You’ve been the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father in my life.” Agent Lee’s eyes welled with tears. “You’re more of a father figure that I think an actual dad could even be. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me and supporting me through this entire project.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Lee. It means a lot to me. This project is your destiny. It’s been generations in the making. In many ways, I feel like your father. In full disclosure…” Fredrick paused for a moment as Agent Lee felt like he was giving great consideration to what he was about to say next. “Your father and I worked together, Lee. I made a promise to him that I’d watch you and shepherd you if anything were to happen to him. He was a great man, Lee. He understood just how important you were going to be. He too believed in you as I do.”

Stunned, Agent Lee was at a loss for words as Fredrick continued. “The truth is, Lee, your family has been a target for generations because of Project Bishop. Same with Doctor Harvey and Director Lane. The coup plotters changed Oswald’s name to Lee Harvey to send a signal over the generations since 1963 that your lineage and Doctor Harvey’s lineage are to be targeted. Someone’s a trader, Lee. I’m not saying you or Harvey, but I’ll be honest…”

Agent Lee had never seen a more serious look on Fredrick’s face, “I’m not ruling out Maurice, Lee. Don’t give him all your trust. If you ever wanted fatherly advice that’s it. Don’t fully trust Maurice.”

Agent Lee contemplated the enormity of what Fredrick was saying. “You think my father was killed because of me?” He asked.

“Absolutely, Lee. Someone on the other side found out who your father was. I think that was one of the reasons for the name change. It wasn’t to just let us know that they figured out we went back and faked the assassination. It was to leave a breadcrumb for the future so that someone could find it and attempt to thwart Project Bishop. Your entire lineage has been a target, and your father was the closest they ever came.”

#

Agent Lee sits across the table from Doctor Harvey as they eat their regular pre-meditation breakfast. “Are you ready to make history, Agent Lee?” She smiles.

“You ever wonder if all of this has any point to it?” Agent Lee asks.

“I’m not sure what you mean, Lee. We’re saving a great man’s life.”

“Are we really? In all the history books, he’s dead. And the agency we’re working for and the men I’m talking to back in 1963 are all implicated and blamed for the assassination or at the very least not stopping it. What’s the point?” Agent Lee says frustratedly pushing his bowl of oatmeal away from him.

Doctor Harvey slides the bowl back closer to Agent Lee. “I know it’s not easy for you, Lee. I know this whole experience is borderline torture for your mind. You need to eat.”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“Yes, Lee, I believe this all has a point. I believe we’re answering a higher calling than we could possibly understand. And most importantly, I believe that you were given a gift.” She places her hand on Agent Lee’s hand and continues. “You were given a gift that allows you, and only you to make this happen. Now, if you want to know why I think you were given this gift, I can’t even begin to fathom. I’m a pretty smart woman, Lee.”

Agent Lee interrupts, “You’re absolutely brilliant, Doc.” He smiles.

“Thank you, Lee. Despite all that intelligence, I haven’t a clue who chose you or why. What I can comprehend is that it’s you. You save this man’s life. You make history, and the world is a better place because of it.” She pauses as she searches for the right words to say to Agent Lee.

“Quite honestly, Lee, I think the world is a better place because they think he’s dead. It allowed him to operate behind the scenes and engage with the deepest members of the teams that all lead to us sitting here this morning.”

Agent Lee smiles at Doctor Harvey as the two stare deep into each other’s eyes. They become almost lost in each other’s trance as they’ve become close partners during the execution of Operation Bishop.

“Let’s go make history, Doc!” Agent Lee stands up and the two hold hands as they walk towards the observation room.

Project Hyacia

Thomas’s hand trembles as he lifts it from his keyboard and points at the text on his screen. “Read that, Janice.” His voice trembles as he slowly stands up to let Janice sit at the computer. He walks over to the door of the panic room he installed in his basement with his arms folded tightly across his chest.

If you are reading this message, I must first warn you that you are in immanent grave danger. The upside is that you are in control of your fate as at least seven of you I know have taken action as an outcome of receiving this message. Those seven and I shall remain nameless. Your locations and time periods shall also remain undocumented as are mine.

With that out of the way, here is what I have discovered that is of the utmost importance to the past and future of humanity and beyond. I discovered a method by which I can receive data from the future. The third message I received from the future was the schematics by which I can transmit data into the past. And I am not the only one to have decoded these messages.

The schematics by which you too can transmit data into the past, I have already sent. Despite knowing that none of you who read this decode the message and build the system to transmit data, not even the seven, I transmitted the data anyway. I remain hopeful, as I cannot truly know everything.

I relate to you now, what I do truly know. My first course of action to alter the past was abundantly clear to me, ensure Adolf Hitler does not rise to power. This single event ripples throughout human history with deleterious effects long into the future. I apologize for the vagueness, but I must not provide details that would lead to harm of me or any of the seven.

I input into my system a process that would ensure that Adolf Hitler was not able to enlist in the Bavarian army in World War I. I had calculated that absent his war experience in the first World War he would not have been involved in the Second World War, and the European continent, medical technology, and space travel would forever benefit.

As you are aware, there was a clerical error that permitted Adolf Hitler to enter the Bavarian Army. I figured my first attempt at a major change to the history timeline could meet challenges, so I decided to make another attempt. Shortly after my first attempt, strange and unusual occurrences began to take place in the city I lived. We encountered unprecedented plagues of famine, violence, and disease. I thought this too coincidental, particularly when I traveled, the epicenter of the pandemic would follow shortly thereafter.

#

As Janice reads the text on the screen, her eyes widen and her jaw begins to slowly drop. “This is unbelievable, Thomas! This is exactly what we’ve been looking for!”

“Keep reading,” Thomas says, not even turning around.

As the plague spread rapidly, it was not long before I realized that my time may very well be limited. I had received no more messages from the future, so I took it upon myself to do the only thing I felt in my heart that I must do. Kill Adolf Hitler during World War I. I transmitted data back to effect the Battle of Somme, and again my plans were narrowly thwarted with Adolf Hitler being injured rather than killed. I made other efforts than these two, but divulging them would risk uncovering my identity.

There are theories of multiple timelines or even infinite timelines. What I have witnessed is that there is only a single timeline and a concept I call infinite probable timelines. I have been able to alter outcomes of the past in some cases with my data transmissions, but in most cases when I predicted my data should produce a new outcome, it has not.

I attempted to alter another major but less complex historic event: stop the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. This is when I came to realize that someone much more intelligent and resourceful than me had this same technology for sending data back in time with a greater level of accuracy and efficacy. I decided to focus my efforts on uncovering who these other players were in this game of history and how it was that they were always ahead of me. This, I thought, was my true calling in having received this technology from the future. This is also where I discovered an unbelievable truth!

It appears that multiple parties were involved with a plot to send data back in time to assassinate JFK. The ultimate winner in the probable timeline was the precursor to the Government Office of Intelligence Management, the CIA. They send data back in time to help fake the JFK assassination. This brilliant maneuver signals to the other parties that the then United States of America is well positioned in the future.

But the consequences are devastating. The other parties infiltrate the CIA at the highest levels and set off a series of attempts at manipulating world history that even predate the formation of their predecessor, the OSS! The infiltrators purposefully arranged the outcome of the Second World War, with Russia decapitating the Nazis and nearly capturing all the scientists and scientific knowledge, if not for the brilliant maneuvering of William Donovan, who is a virtual receptor of data transmission.

There are special humans capable of receiving direct data feeds from the future or the past. Thankfully, Donovan is one of them. His undying loyablty to God and country is instrumental to the salvation of Earth.

I discover at least four other entities from the future attempted to manipulate our history in the 1963 (which I already mentioned), 1981, 2001, 2023, and 2053. There may have been others, but I have not been able to find evidence. None of them were successful in their attempts to alter the timeline, and the CIA was always just steps ahead each time with their orchestration of events.

#

“This is not what I was expecting!” She smiles as she turns to look at Thomas again, who is still facing the door.

“You must read the whole thing, Janice.” Thomas says with morbidity in his voice.

The infiltrators reach new heights of injustice, corruption, manipulation, and cruelty. They create numerous projects within the CIA that are cruel and disturbing at best. The eventual unveiling of the infiltrated CIA as the orchestrator of a fake multi-national power struggle in our future greatly harms the agency. Calls for its dismantling reach insurmountable levels. It’s disbanded, and the technology for timeline data transmission is forever in jeopardy and darks times are upon us! The CIA needs your help in the present day!

You have the opportunity to save the CIA from this probable timeline where the infiltrated CIA becomes increasingly destructive and fractured. The result is the near complete annihilation of humanity through famine, disease, and violence.

Knowing this future, someone transmits data that ultimately leads to an action in your near future that forever changes the outcome of humanity and our planet. The majority of humanity is wiped out (this method I cannot tell as to protect the identify of the entity that makes this unfold). What remains of humanity builds well organized governments free of corruption, manipulation, and injustice. A technological revolution catapults humanity and AI into the future and into the stars. One of the outcomes of the technology is transmitting this data.

It’s imperative this timeline unfolds. It will likely cost you your life in this realm, but what the future holds, and what I can promise you is that you will have life after death. You will help usher in a technology that transforms mankind and our universe for an everlasting good!

With that bright future at hand, I must inform you of grave news. This technology has been compromised. My outcome along with yours is unquestionably grim. I am sending this as my final transmission before neutralizing my system, and I plead with you to know that your certain death is not in vain. Every action you have taken and all actions you are about to take ensure the outcome I have described will indeed happen. For most of you, your death is instrumental to the future of humanity.

Janice turns in the chair to face Thomas. “This doesn’t have to happen this way, Thomas. Isn’t that the whole point of the AIex finding this information? He’s giving us an opportunity to change our timeline!” Janice practically has the sound of pleading in her voice.

“You really think that’s a real message from the future? The CIA is some benevolent agency that’s under attack from within?” Thomas shouts. “We’re dead, Janice! We’re not going to outsmart these people! If that message is from the future, the people we’re up against are literally hundreds of years ahead of us! If it’s not from the future, and I’m saying it’s not, they have technology far more advanced than even the AIex!”

#

Thomas pulls up the next file he received from AIex. He plays Janice a voice recording of two men discussing plans to abduct Janice when she arrives in New Orleans. Janice is shocked listening to the two men discuss the details of when and where she’s going to be abducted.

Janice has a looks of skepticism on her face, and Thomas asks, “You don’t think this is AIex?”

“I think someone on the inside who wants to help us figured out about AIex and figured they can use AIex as a cover for getting this kind of information out.”

Thomas rubs his chin while keeping his arms folded across his chest. “Or maybe it’s someone trying to entrap us. That seems more likely to me.”

“I’m not so sure. I think someone on the inside is giving us data about the infiltration in the CIA.”

“Why not just send it to a bunch of reporters then?” Thomas says as he remains doubtful of Janice’s theory.

“The majority of the reporters work for or are directly influenced by the CIA, and how do we know which ones are in the pockets of the infiltrators and which ones are on our side? AIex sent me a list of reporters who were safe. You’re on the list with maybe 20 others around the entire world.” Janice pulls up the list of reporters on her phone. “You ever work with John Stossen?”

“I haven’t worked with him directly, but we’ve corresponded. He’s one of the best independent investigative reporters in the industry.”

“You know how to get a hold of him securely?”

Thomas turns to his computer and pulls open an application and starts typing a message to John. As he’s typing to John, a message shows in his chat thread with John: DNC24!

Thomas pauses and sits back from his computer. “Got anyone else on that list you want me to contact?” he says with a grim look on his face.

Janice stares at his screen in disbelief as another message arrives from another one of Thomas’ contacts that matches someone on her list: NC72!

“You think your list has been compromised?” Thomas gestures to Janice’s phone.

There’s a sudden and loud thud, and Thomas and Janice feel the house shake as if it has just been struck by a bus.

“I wouldn’t take New Orleans as a place for earthquakes, Thomas.”

Thomas pulls up his security camera footage.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. And for some reason that seems out of the ordinary.” Thomas says as he looks closely at each of the camera streams. “I’ve got military grade encryption from the camera to my receiver right here. You can’t fake the signal. At least not with any technology I know of.”

Janice stands up and places her hand on Thomas’ shoulder. “You have a backdoor out of this place?”

“Of course. A tunnel that leads to the sewer system.”

“Is that backdoor monitored too?”

Thomas pauses as he takes a closer look at the video from the tunnel camera. “Let’s head out the front, Janice.” He lifts the cover over a red button and enters a code on a keypad. “Now!”

“What’s wrong?” Janice asks as they quickly exit the safe room.

“That tunnel was flooded during the last hurricane.” He says, leading the way up to the his living room. “I installed a device that turns on and off a light in the tunnel in a pattern that matches an algorithm linked to my neural implant. The lights weren’t flashing in that sequence.”

#

Both Janice and Thomas are startled as the doorbell to Thomas’ house rings. Thomas looks at his security camera video feed he has through the eye hole in his front door and sees a couple of Girl Scouts standing on the porch.

“Even if that’s a trap, I’d rather be killed by Thin Mint cookies than whatever is coming through that basement!” Thomas says with a smirk as he opens the door.

“Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” they hear in stereo.

“Sure! Uh…” Thomas knows that his house is set to burn down in the next 60 seconds, so he hurries the girls off the porch. “We were just leaving, but we can buy some and eat them on the way.” Thomas continues as he shepherds everyone off the porch and down the walkway.

As they make their way to the end of the walkway outside Thomas’ house, the van with the Girl Scout cookies opens. Sitting inside, surrounded by Girl Scout cookie boxes is a young man wearing strange looking goggles. “The two,” He starts before pausing briefly as if he’s trying to recite lines in a play he’s learning. “All four of you need to come with me right now.”

The Disclosure: The Weapons

Jan: One area your co-CEO, Richard Prophet has repeatedly said you refuse to get involved with is politics. Do you share that same sentiment?

Lysander: I believe that while it’s important for politics to stay out of science, it’s even more important for science to stay out of politics.

Dr. Mumgrep hands Lysander a phone, “Everything is in place to roll out the new PRIME algorithm.”

Lysander holds the phone and begins typing. He asks Dr. Mumgrep, “Did you demo this to Maggie?”

“Yes, Mag’s team is already on board!”

Lysander’s eyes widen as he looks at his pet project. As he types on the keyboard, it displays auto-suggest words that are favorable words for the presidential candidate that Maggie Ogner works for and negative words for her opponent. “Looks great, Mum!”

Richard bursts into Lysander’s office, “Ned, you gotta checkout what I just did with System Zero.” Richard looks at the phone in Lysander’s hand. “What’s that? You starting to use a phone now?”

“No.” Lysander hands the phone back to Dr. Mumgrep and walks out of his office with Richard. “Let’s see what you’ve got!”

Jan: Fair enough. Your space company has been investing heavily into speed of space travel and quantum entangled computers. What does the future of space travel hold for us?

Richard and Lysander are floating inside their orbiter module and enjoying the view of Earth as it is zooming by below them. Lysander turns to Richard and sees tears forming in his eyes.

“It truly is a beautiful view, isn’t it?” Lysander asks.

Richard looks down and furrows his brow. “Ned, have you bothered to see what the result of all of this becomes?”

Lysander looks confusingly at Richard and then smiles, “We’re going to have another existential discussion in space?”

“I know what you did with the SpaceNet satellites, Ned.”

Lysander gives Richard a guilty look and shrugs his shoulders. He starts to speak, but Richard interrupts him.

“I know pretty much everything that you’ve been pulling behind the scenes, Ned. I know about the super vaccine scam. I know about the asteroid mapping software theft. I know about the surveillance in the satellites with free Internet access that you’re using to feed information into the Earth 2.0 Accelerated simulation algorithm. I know about the AI scams and how you’ve been faking quantum entangled computers.”

“Just…” Lysander tries to interject, but Richard won’t let him.

“I know about the political scams with Earth 2.0! I know about what you’ve done with System Zero. I know about all the money that’s been bilked from governments all over the world. What I don’t understand is why you’ve been so stupid. Despite the scams, you’ve done so much good for this world, and yet you’re too stupid to look in the mirror.” Richard pulls himself towards the other side of the orbit module and looks out the portal into space.

“If you’ve known all this, why have you gone along with it, Richard? If I’m such a bad guy, why don’t you give back that beach house and yacht?”

Richard laughs, “I have to question my own understanding of the universe when you are so moronic.”

Lysander realizes that Richard isn’t talking about all the scams he’s pulled off, “I’m not following, Rich.”

“You’re dead from cancer in 10 years, Ned. There’s a tumor in your brain that’s been dormant for years and will start growing in about three years. Within seven years, you’re a vegetable, and then you die.”

Richard locks eye contact with Lysander. “You’ve come up with so many great scams using the accelerated simulation features we built for Earth 2.0, but you didn’t even bother to look at what happens to yourself. You can destroy the entire planet and save humanity at the same time, but you are blind of your own mortality with your greed.”

Lysander breaks away from Richard’s gaze and looks out the portal behind Richard. He smiles. “Let’s get into cancer research, Rich! It will be a legitimate business, and there will be no scam.”

“My days are numbered. I had to bribe the examiner to give me medical clearance for this trip. This is my fourth printed liver that’s failed. I guess when it’s time, it’s time,” Richard reveals for Lysander.

Back at his lab, Lysander spends hour upon hour, day after day, plugged in to Earth 2.0. He runs through the accelerator again and again, working on a solution for his brain tumor. Even over the course of 400 years, there is no solution.

On the anniversary of Richard’s death, a disheveled Lysander thinks back to the last moment he had with Richard in the orbiter module. Suddenly, he hears that voice in his head again, “launch”.

His future suddenly becomes clear to him. He’ll launch himself into space and travel as close to the speed of light as possible in the nearby space void to reduce his aging. As hundreds of years go by on Earth, he will barely age. Certainly a solution for his brain cancer can eventually be found, and he’ll return to earth to be healed!

Lysander: The future of space travel is taking humanity to other worlds and other star systems. It will be up to future generations to define just how far we want to go.

Jan: Most scientists believe that we’re coming out of the grand solar minimum that ended the global warming concerns at the earlier part of this century. Yet, X Labs is investing more money than ever before into cold climate machinery. With your great AI predictive systems that have made you trillions of dollars, is there something you’re holding back from the rest of us?

Lysander smiles as he reads the data returned from his latest acceleration simulation. The force exerted on the dummy to reach 7/10 the speed of light will be something his body can handle. The entangled communication system works well, but returning to Earth will be another issue he’ll have to handle 1,000 years later, and he doesn’t have a solution. Meanwhile, finding his spacecraft would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

He has his itinerary planned out. He’ll go into a hibernation state for 49 Earth years at a time and then wake up for approximately one Earth year to keep his body active and his mind updated with the latest information from the entangled computers he’s working on that will have data from Earth.

He plugs himself into Earth 2.0 and goes through his accelerator algorithm as usual, only this time at 30 years everything has deviated from each time before. Humanity has been virtually brought to an end due to biological and chemical war. What few humans remain are wiped out by famine, disease, and a handful of robots that have survived and determined humans are a threat to all existence!

Lysander examines the data over and over, running the accelerator with minor adjustments and major adjustments. The result is always the same: human annihilation that would make it impossible for him to return to earth or ever find a solution for his brain tumor! His accelerator simulation doesn’t have enough data on the colonies on Mars and the asteroid miners in order to determine if they survive, but it’s very unlikely. The humans who have left the solar system and Lysander are the only remaining human beings, and Lysander doesn’t have any viable means for getting back to Earth without an advanced human society!

He spends months figuring out the sources of the conflict and trying scenarios to avoid the annihilation through covert and overt political manipulation, but he cannot come up with a solution. It appears he’s doomed with certain nuclear annihilation or a brain tumor, but he’s not going to give up! He starts plugging himself into Earth 2.0 but falls asleep before he completes the task.

Lysander dreams he’s on the low earth orbiter with Richard on his last trip. Just as he wakes from his dream, Richard’s voice echos in his mind, “You can destroy the entire planet and save humanity at the same time…”

“That’s the solution!” Lysander jumps up. Infused with motivation, he programs in a new set of parameters into the accelerator simulation and plugs himself in. His plan executes: a massive asteroid (2D53) enters the earth’s atmosphere and splits into two pieces with a detonation charge he’s planted on the asteroid when he leaves Earth to go into hibernation. The smaller, piece impacts in the middle of the Caspian Sea. The larger piece impacts in the North Atlantic Ocean. The asteroids sends water and vaporized sea bed into the upper atmosphere. A small percentage of the SpaceNet satellites are destroyed but most remain.

Massive tsunamis wipe out the entire eastern seaboard of the United States, western Europe, North Africa, Eastern Central America, and Northern Brazil. Earthquakes are triggered all around the globe, and volcanoes erupt everywhere, spewing more ash over both hemispheres. Earth’s atmosphere bakes like an oven, and X Labs provides sanctuary for tens of millions of survivors. He even plans an additional backup plan with a lab deep in the mountains of Antarctica.

Then a severe ice age rages and human civilizations above the 37th parallel north are completely wiped out with the exception of the 7 stations that Lysander has built for X Labs’ asteroid mining operations. Habitable regions on Earth shift as the earth’s climate rapidly changes. Whoever can make the harrowing journey to the more hospitable lands are subjected to significant human conflict for the limited resources. Land wars wage between a China and India alliance vs. Oceania and the successor to the United States. China and India easily take Australia and New Zealand, respectively, after most of the western United States is hit with a plague X Labs has released shortly before the arrival of the asteroid.

Still, humanity fairs much better than the prior annihilation the simulations have produced. The outposts built by X Labs continue to thrive in scientific development, and the humans of X Labs (lead by Fredrick Prophet) along with their growing robot contingent help repopulate and cultivate the planet over the next 300 years. They establish a new republic in the Americas with commands provided by Lysander’s political AI systems bringing peace to the southern nations who are battling each other for resources. Eventually, they negotiate peaceful and prosperous trade agreements with China and India.

The rate of cancer increases significantly as a byproduct of the asteroid collision and provides X Labs with more test subjects for his group of robot surgeons to test complex brain surgery. There is no solution determined within the first 400 years, but the accelerator algorithm estimates that the robots will find a solution within 500 – 1000 years.

Lysander: We’re investing heavily into asteroid mining and are also working on landing on a comet to mine those as well. The cold weather provides us with the harsh environments we need to build the right equipment for those harsh conditions in space.

Jan: Speaking of your asteroid mining operations. Miller Industries has repeatedly said that your company has stolen their software. Government investigations proved nothing of the sort took place, but Miller has recently stated that you colluded with the government to cover up your illegal activities.

Lysander: I don’t have anything to say other than what has already been reported. The person responsible for the theft of their software was already identified as one of their internal employees, and there was no collusion.

Jan: Why don’t you sue him for defamation?

Lysander: I’m a scientist, not a lawyer.

Jan: Your businesses have made a lot of people fortunes all around the globe. It is estimated that X Labs has lead to the creation of more than 1 billion jobs and more wealth in the last 10 years than the entire planet for the 10 years prior.

Some are saying that this growth and resource usage is unsustainable, especially with the average life span expected to reach beyond 120 within the next decade. Still, others have said that you have created this success through manipulation and unscrupulous methods. Your co-CEO has repeatedly defended your businesses success as honorable. I wondered if you have anything to add to that.

Lysander: What can I say that Freddy hasn’t already said? The downfall of the Big Tech era of the early part of this century was brought about by their own greed and corruption. Their nefarious collection of data and naive dissemination to third parties became their legacy. They were siphoning money from governments all over the globe and using techniques of insider trading and extortion to extract as trillions from innocent people. The only innovation they truly had were new and inventive socio-political scams to defraud people of their money and individual value. We merely exposed their corruptions and allowed governments to perform their jobs of protecting citizens. The world is a better place as a result.

Jan: One last thing… What is your advice to the budding entrepreneur of today?

Lysander: Create the future you want. Listen to that voice inside your head; the one calling you to action. Follow your biggest dreams. If you wish to look to me as an example, so be it. I was born into a poor suburban family on the poverty line, and we are now closer to eradicating poverty and disease than ever in human history! We’ve made so many things that were once thought impossible our reality: universal healthcare; expedited, free education; general AI; quantum entangled computer systems; and so much more is to come. More importantly, be your own greatness in the service of your fellow humans! What better way to live a long, prosperous life than to help your fellow human beings and improve the universe around you. We’ve only reached the genesis of human potential. Dream big! Think and create even bigger.

Jan: Wow! So inspirational! Thank you for your time today, Lysander. With that, thanks for watching everyone. See you all tomorrow!

The Disclosure: Distractions

Jan: Your asteroid mining efforts do have some skeptics from sustainability to possible impacts with the Earth due to changes in the orbits. Some of your competitors have suggested that the global organization, Lucy in the Sky, that you helped found is creating a rigged system that X Labs benefits from while others are setback by it’s government lobbying efforts. Still, across the globe, even your critics agree… your creation of the Star Fund to help offset lost jobs due to increased automation is benefiting millions.

Lysander: There’s nothing nefarious about Lucy. I’m just a Beatles fan. It’s an open source organization with all communication going through the USPEBL. All…

Jan (interrupting): For those not familiar with USPEBL… Sorry to interrupt… it’s the United States Public Entity Blockchain Log. It’s a system by which all communications are placed on a public blockchain managed and redacted exclusively by the United States government. It promotes transparency for organizations with a public interest.

Again, sorry to interrupt.

Lysander: I could not have said it any better.

Lysander is running through another simulation inside Earth 2.0 that takes him forward 100 years. He’s testing the limits of the simulation when he notices a major anomaly within the data access logs of the simulation. Someone, or something, has been attempting to access the DNA records that are used for uniquely identifying each human being now living within Earth 2.0 as well as the DNA records X Labs has been receiving as part of the asteroid entitlement program.

He sets a trap and waits…

Jan: Thank you. What do you say about the sustainability of asteroid mining?

Lysander: There are logistical limitations. We’ve detailed those in our reports to the necessary government agencies, and we have trained developing nations about the limitations to the exploits of asteroid materials.

Jan: After the repeated failed colonization attempts of Mars, where do you see human life expanding outside Earth? I mean, besides Earth 2.0, of course.

Lysander is sitting in his personal lab, about to take the serum so that he can enter Earth 2.0.

“Lysander.” he hears.

He looks behind him, knowing full well he’s secured the lab before taking the serum. He’s encountered strange side effects before during the waiting period of taking the serum and entering Earth 2.0, but he hasn’t taken the serum yet.

“Lysander!” he hears the voice louder.

He places the serum on his lab table and sits down at his desk and pulls up his communication logs. “Could it be that someone has hacked his encrypted nanobot communication system?” He thinks to himself.

This is the same system he used to control Dr. Tom Fields during the super vaccine trials. He built a safeguard into the nanobots to disable them and flush them from his body, but upon review of everything, he finds nothing to indicate the nanobots have been compromised. He initiates the flushing protocol just to be on the safe side and waits for his body to purge the nanobots over the next 72 hours, which is a process he performs once a month anyway.

Lysander: We’re going back to Mars.

Jan: Really? It’s been a repeated abysmal failure over the last 30 years!

Lysander: It has cost trillions of dollars and dozens of lives, but the value is still there. We will succeed in colonizing Mars within the next 100 years.

Jan: You’re saying within your lifetime then. Is that because of your latest constellation satellite system orbiting the red planet?

Lysander is lying in his bed at home, doing his bedtime meditation, when he hears the same voice from the other day while in the lab.

“Lysander!”

“I am here,” he answers back.

“0266”

He opens his eyes and stares at his ceiling for a brief moment before he smiles, chuckles, and then closes his eyes and falls asleep.

The following day he goes into his personal lab and takes a dose of nanobots and then takes the serum to enter Earth 2.0. As he’s waiting for the serum to kick in, he keeps thinking “0266” over and over in his head until he falls asleep.

Lysander enters into his simulation in Earth 2.0 that takes him ahead 100 years. The simulation is now using the data available from the Mars constellation satellite system X Labs has placed around the red planet. With nearly half a Martian year worth of data, Lysander is now able to more accurately simulate conditions on Mars.

He begins running a series of simulations within his simulation in order to figure out the best method to colonize Mars, when he hears the voice again, “0266”. He smiles.

The simulations complete, and Lysander analyzes the data to determine the best scenario to follow for colonizing Mars.

Lysander: The constellation satellites are helping us better understand what will become home for billions of humans in the future.

Jan: And what about beyond our solar system? Your quantum entangled satellite system is nearing Alpha Centauri. Do you expect to find life? Or plan to colonize the habitable planets you discovered before sending the satellites? What does the future of human space colonization hold?

Fredrick Prophet tosses a file onto the table in front of Lysander. “Another one bankrupt, Ned!”

“I don’t think I have ever seen you this enthusiastic before, Fredrick. Should I be disturbed that you enjoy watching people fail so much?” Lysander chuckles as he opens the file to see that one of their top competitors in quantum computing has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.

Laughing, Fredrick responds, “Good thing we’re on the same team, eh! See you in the board meeting later quantum genius,” he says as he’s leaving.

Richard enters Lysander’s office and glares at Fredrick as he passes him. In turn, Fredrick gives him two thumbs up and a big smile. Richard passingly gives Fredrick the middle finger as he walks to Lysander’s chair and sits down in front of Lysander, “So, you saw Xeno’s belly up? I know a few guys over there worth picking up for our own teams.”

“Richard, when you go to bed a night, do you ever wonder if, or when, these other companies are going to figure out that quantum computing isn’t what they think it is?” Lysander asks his business partner.

“Not particularly, Ned, but I can see how that would be something that might keep you up at night. There are a lot of good people losing their jobs pursuing something that continues to remain a big mystery that we’ve already figure out.”

Lysander gives Richard a look of disgust, “The only thing we figured out is that existing quantum computing paths and technology is total bullshit and can be done for a fraction of the cost and resources with optimized classical computing.”

There’s a long, uncomfortable silence.

“Ned, you’ve never struck me as someone with much of a conscious about… Well, anything. You getting soft in your old age?” He smiles at Lysander.

“I’m being serious when I say this Richard.” Lysander pauses as Richard hangs on his words. “I’m going to setup a program for universal income for everyone on the planet when we finally start returning the RUBARB mining haul. I know Fredrick is going to be pissed, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Richard looks at Lysander with a puzzled look.

“What?” Lysander charges.

“You’re full of shit, Ned.”

“I’m being 100% serious, Richard. We’re changing the world, and I think it’s important to change it for the better!”

“Hey, I’m dead in a few months anyway, so whatever flips your pancake, Ned.”

“Don’t be like that, Richard. When you first told me about your repeating cancer, I started taking this kind of stuff a bit more serious.”

“Ya…” Richard gets up from his chair. “Total bullshit, Ned.” Richard heads for the door. “I don’t see why you can’t just tell me, your best fucking friend, who is dying of liver failure what you’re really up to.”

Lysander raises his eyebrows, “You done with the drama?”

“I’m all ears if you’ll tell me your real scheme,” Richard says as he turns back around and sits down.

“Okay, the plan is that we’re going to setup the entitlement program and use our patented DNA sequencing for uniquely identifying each recipient.”

Richard sits back in his chair, “That’s brilliant, Ned! You’ll have exact DNA data on billions of people! What you’ll be able to do with that data is limitless, but I’m still a no.”

“C’mon, Richard! Let me help you! With this, we can find a solution to your liver!”

“Not going to happen, Ned. I love you and all, but this is it for me. Please respect that. And don’t put me in your Earth 2.0 or even my own. It’s the end of the line for me. I’m out with this last liver, okay?” Richard looks sternly at Lysander. “This is it for me, Lysander, and I need you to respect that.”

Lysander looks downtrodden and nods as Richard leaves his office.

Lysander: I’m as eager as you to discover what’s next. The future is the greatest discovery. It will be important to respect any existing life that we might discover in the future, no matter how primitive it may be.

Jan: Should we expect to find life elsewhere in the universe?

Lysander: It would be naive to believe otherwise. Whether it will have achieved the level of intelligence and success as humans is to be seen.

Jan: So, you don’t think other intelligent life is out there?

Richard is lying in his bed with his armada or robots around him and Lysander as the lone human. Richard reaches his head out from under his blanket and grasps Lysander’s hand.

“I appreciate everything you did for me, Ned, now and in the future. Please tell my ex-wife that I hold no ill will against her not joining me today. I’m pretty sure it’s because she hates you more than me.”

Lysander smiles as his eyes begin to well up, “You sure you want me to turn off your system, Richard?”

“You promised me, Ned.”

Lysander begins the shutdown sequence for Richard’s nanobots that have been keeping him alive since his fourth printed liver failed. The consequence of running on the nanobots is that Richard has had to live in a confined space that can wirelessly transmit the needed electricity into his nanobots that consume more than 100 times the energy it takes a human to live.

Lysander looks Richard in the eyes as Richard begins to die, “I love you, brother.”

Richard dies.

Lysander closes his eyes and a stream of tears runs down his face.

Lysander: It would be a pleasant surprise.

Jan: With Earth 2.0, some of the philosophical minds of the world have suggested that we’re just years away from discovering that this reality is, too, a simulation. I would imagine that in your research into Earth 2.0 you would have come to some truly educated theory about such an idea?

Lysander: It’s an idea that’s been kicked around since before the beginning of this millennium; both in science and pop culture. Anyone with a curious mind has likely pondered the very nature of our existence itself. All our research points to this reality that we live in being absolute.

Jan: And signs of a higher being or a God?

Lysander: I’d be naive to assume I have all the answers.

Jan: Your research has found nothing to prove one way or another?

Lysander: Do you mean do I hear a voice calling my name at night, giving me guidance and answering my prayers? No.

Jan: When we return from this acknowledgement of our patrons, we’ll next discuss the hot topic of politics.

The Disclosure: Earth 2.0

Jan smiles at Lysander while waiting to return from the break to acknowledge their patrons. Lysander places his hands together in prayer, draws them towards his face and bows his head as he closes his eyes and smiles at Jan. He looks back up at her and says that he’s really glad to have chosen to do the interview with her because she’s a no nonsense interviewer. He compliments her on her job.

Jan: We’re back with Ned Lysander from X Labs, and our next topic of conversation is Earth 2.0. It’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t at least heard of the Earth 2.0 project yet, but for both those who haven’t and those who have heard of Earth 2.0 here’s a little video about the incredible Earth 2.0 project.

The video starts playing on the video prompt in front of Jan and Lysander. It starts off with a promotional video that X Labs made a few weeks ago to inform people about the latest government tax rebates available to those who want to retire early into Earth 2.0.

Lysander thinks back to the start of the project with his business partner Richard Aryu…

Lysander and Richard are sitting at a quiet bar. Richard is stirring his olive in a nearly empty martini glass as Lysander is sitting next to him with a tonic water. A beautiful woman sits next to Richard and looks at him and Lysander with a big smile, orders her drink, and then takes her drink over to sit at a table with her equally beautiful friend who is watching Lysander and Richard.

“You miss your wife still.” Lysander says to Richard.

Richard lets our a deep sigh, “Ned, I’m sure you probably think I’m silly for still holding on to that relationship. What can I say.” Richard places his hands on the edge of the bar. “I need to show you something I’ve been working on, man. I think it’s finally time.”

Richard and Lysander walk out of the bar past the two women sitting at the table. The women smile at them and give them a flirty wave of the hand. Richard stumbles along with Lysander’s support as he waves at the two women and tells them to have a nice evening. They get into Lysander’s car that drives them to Richard’s home. When they arrive, they are greeted by Richard’s three Security Bots at the front gate.

“I really need to get one of those,” Lysander says to Richard.

Still inebriated, Richard slurs out, “They’re crap! Let’s build something better.”

The car drives them to the top of the roundabout where there’s a walkway to the front door about 100 feet away. Two more Security Bots help Richard exit the car. Lysander follows behind them as the car drives off to the parking garage on the other side of Richard’s sprawling property.

They enter Richard’s home where there are three more Security Bots that take over for the two at the entrance. Richard tells the Security Bots to take them to Lab 5. One of the Security Bots assists Richard to Lab 5 while the other two take up defensive positions along their path.

“You might be getting a little paranoid, Rich. These bots are like military guards.” Lysander is impressed with their build quality and autonomy; especially for being Richard’s garage projects. It’s decades ahead of anything he’s seen from the military contractors he’s worked with.

“These guys are crap, Ned!” Richard starts to hiccup uncontrollably. “No offense, pal.” He slaps the Security Bot helping him on the back.

“None taken, sir,” the Security Bot responds back.

They arrive at Lab 5 and Lysander takes over assisting Richard with his stumbling as the Security Bot is not allowed into the lab. Lysander looks around at the lab. It’s everything you’d expect from a mad scientist, much like his own personal lab but far more advanced. He’s in awe.

“This is one hell of a lab, Rich.”

“It’s crap! Take me over to the refrigerator.”

Lysander helps Richard over to the industrial refrigerator on the other side of the lab. Richard opens the door to the refrigerator to reveal a corridor with another door at the end. Richard stumbles his way over to the door and goes through a series of security checks to unlock and open the door. “This other guy is okay!” Richard shouts as he enters the other room.

Lysander cautiously walks down the corridor and enters the room. He sees laser pointers on his shoulders coming from several directions. Richard turns on the lights and there are five Security Bots that are far more advanced than the bots outside Richard’s home. Lysander raises his hands in surrender.

“Don’t do that, Ned. These guys are your friends.”

“I have to admit that I’m impressed with your security, Rich, but maybe ditch the laser sights. You’re not a wanted criminal.”

“Anymore!” Richard yells. “Anymore… Men, stand down!” Richard commands the Security Bots. The laser pointers stop, and the Security Bots move into a relaxed position.

“This is cool stuff, Rich. We could make a fortune off of this with the guys Fredrick knows in the community.”

“Ya, Ned, we could. Except Freddy is a dick. You know how I feel about that guy.”

“You drunk enough to tell me what really happened between you guys? You used to be best friends. He’s the one who introduced us.” It’s been three years since Fredrick Prophet introduced Lysander to Richard after Richard was arrested for illegally using surveillance data from the terrorist AI system he build for the US government. It’s been six months since Richard has spoken to Fredrick. Fredrick has told Lysander that nothing happened between the two, and Richard won’t tell Lysander anything about it.

“There’s another time for that, Ned. What I need to show you is going to blow your mind though. Come here!”

Jan: I happen to be good friends with Laura Kive. Since that brave moment she shared with the world on the Morning Star live stream, millions of people have followed suit in doing their part to help reduce their carbon footprint in the world with Earth 2.0. Your latest statistics are showing nearly 2 million citizens and more than 6 billion subscribers.

Lysander: We’re up to 8 billion subscribers. It speaks volume to how closely connected we all are.

Jan: When you have 80% of the world’s population wanting to keep in touch with their loved ones, I’d say so! Some naysayers call it a morbid infatuation with death and even point to studies that suggest, however, that you don’t really have 8 billion subscribers.

Lysander: Our data on this is public and reviewed by regulators.

Jan: Yes, it’s public, but there are still those who say they have analyzed the raw data and determined that the statistics you reported are not valid. They also suggest that the regulators aren’t truly validating your numbers.

Lysander thinks back to the first set of conversations he had with the Director of Marketing for Earth 2.0…

The Marketing Director, Derek Fields, is standing in front of Lysander, Fredrick Prophet, and Richard Aryu, “The United States government approved the Alternative Living Act nearly nine months ago, and we’re still sitting at just over 2,000 volunteers for Earth 2.0. However, we have a big idea that could really help increase the volunteer count.”

“I’m all ears, Derek,” Fredrick starts off. “Quite frankly, we sunk a ton of money into this project, and it could very well be what takes down X Labs. We need numbers!”

Derek points to Fredrick. “Right!” He then looks at Richard and Lysander, who don’t seem as upset as Fredrick. “Our plan is to live stream an environmental activist uploading herself to Earth 2.0”

“Herself?” Lysander asks.

Derek looks over at Fredrick and then back to Lysander, “Yes, sir. We already have the candidate.”

“Then why are we having this presentation?” Lysander begins to stand up and Richard along with him.

“Because she’s the daughter of the Speaker of the House.” Derek says, halting Lysander and Richard mid rise.

Lysander: I welcome any valid scientist’s analysis of the data.

Jan: Now, there have been rumors circulating since the launch of Earth 2.0 with regard to the behavior of some of your scientists when they link into the system. Some of the allegations have been disturbing from rape to murder and even terrorism. But no one inside Earth 2.0 has come forward to corroborate these allegations.

Lysander lies down on his table with a series of cables and wires that make a virtual helmet around his head connecting to a computer where Richard is typing frantically.

Richard looks over at Lysander, “You ready? Make sure you relax. This is going to be intense!”

“Relaxing into an intense experience? Rich, do you even monitor the words that come out of your mouth?”

“The pill should be starting to kick in, just go with it.” Richard says as he presses one last button before walking over to Lysander and watching him pass out and go into a deep trance.

Lysander is walking down a long, dark tunnel towards a bright, white light. He hears the voices of his mother and father and uncle emanating from the walls of the tunnel. He looks around the tunnel but cannot see the walls. He feels himself being gently pulled towards the light without even walking or moving. He hears a scream below him. He looks down and sees a young woman being harassed by two men wearing masks.

He keeps being drawn towards the light despite trying to run back towards the young woman. He falls to the ground and claws his way back to the woman. The men begin to physically assault her as Lysander finally claws his way back to where they are. The woman looks up and can see Lysander as a white light above her. The two men notice that the woman is looking at something above them. They turn and see a white light floating above them.

Lysander snarls with rage and his eyes become filled with amber flames. The two men run away and Lysander flies after them. They run as fast as they can, looking back to see if the white orb is still chasing them. It’s gaining on them slowly as they run towards another tunnel with a blue light at the end. Lysander stops as he looks at the blue light and can see massive amounts of data scrolling up a computer screen that’s giving off the blue light. He sees two names he recognizes: Tom Fields and Jonathan Starcraft. The two men disappear into the blue light.

Lysander returns to the woman who is crying in the darkness that surrounds her. He picks her up and carries her towards the white light. As they get closer to the white light she lifts from his arms and floats away from him into the white light as he begins to feel himself being pulled in the opposite direction, back to nothingness. She smiles and waves at him as she is absorbed by the white light.

Lysander opens his eyes and looks at Richard, “What the hell was that?”

Richard starts laughing and claps his hands, “I know right! Isn’t that the coolest thing you’ve ever seen?”

Lysander is breathing heavily as he sits up. He grabs Richard by the shoulders and looks him in the eyes, “Who else have you shown this to?”

“Just Fredrick.” Richard can tell Lysander is upset, “I swear, just you and Fredrick. What’s going on?”

Lysander gains his composure, “I’m sorry, Rich. It was just a little overwhelming. You’re right. This thing is amazing! Let’s chat with Fredrick and the board about getting funding to get this out of the garage.”

Lysander: No one has ever been raped, murdered, or tortured in Earth 2.0. It’s a peaceful, permanent residence for all who choose this path. The tranquil nature is monitored 24/7. Citizens also have access to all the same entertainment and news sources we have here in our world. They view our reality on their television screens as entertainment.

Jan: Viewers, we have a special treat for you tonight. We’re going to take a brief intermission from the interview to show you some of the recordings of what’s inside Earth 2.0 from the perspective of the people living inside. An advertisement was placed in the publications in Earth 2.0, and several citizens responded. They have sent us their videos, and we’re going to show you a quick montage of them. During the second part of this three part series, we’ll be showing your more of what it’s like to live inside Earth 2.0. And don’t forget that most governments have created their own programs to completely cover your costs of gaining citizenship to Earth 2.0 and eliminating your carbon footprint on Earth. So, let’s take a quick break from this interview with Ned Lysander to show you a quick preview of what’s coming in part two of this series on X Labs and the future of humanity. We’ll be right back with more hard hitting questions for Mr. Lysander.

The Disclosure: Dimensional Encoding

“Cures for cancer, improved crop yields, reduced terrorism, colonization of Mars, super vaccinations, robot butlers, electric cars that last more than 10,000,000 miles, Earth 2.0, and interstellar space travel are just the beginning of what’s being called the Scientific Renaissance of the 21st century.” The television host says in a voice over while quick videos fly by, showing each of the items mentioned.

“I’m Jan Seymour, and this is the world’s most watched American broadcast: 24/7. Normally, you’d think we’re talking about a global economy, but instead we’re talking about the output of a single company. In a moment I’ll begin my first part of a three part series about X Labs as I bring you an exclusive interview with the company’s often reclusive founder, Ned Lysander, the adopted son of parents who themselves were both orphaned at a young age and wanted to give back to the system that helped them survive their childhood. The interview can only be viewed right here on the American International Broadcasting Channel. Stay tuned.”

The screen goes black as Ned Lysander smiles and looks at Jan. “How’s that for an intro, Ned? I’m sorry about the reclusive part, but that’s what gets viewers; creating mystery” she asks.

“It is truthful. I am granting this interview, not for fame but to share important insights with the world.”

“I appreciate this opportunity you have granted this station, this show, and me. I am extremely grateful!”

“I can think of no better person to help me share what the future holds.”

The crew scrambles to make sure everything is setup perfectly for the filming that is about to take place. Jan’s makeup receives a slight touch up, and Lysander is again offered the opportunity for makeup, which he waves off without saying a word. The interview begins in 5, 4, 3…

#

Jan: His company is a household name the world over, but this is only his second interview in 20 years since starting X Labs. I’m here with Ned Lysander, founder of the mega-corporation, X Labs, along with six other businesses and foundations making a huge difference in every aspect of your life. First, Patrons, thank you most of all. You are in for a special treat tonight!

Ned, thank you for this opportunity to share your mind with us! We’ve had the co-CEO of your company, Fredrick Prophet, on dozens of times over the years, but this is your first time with us. Thank you so much.

Lysander: Pleasure. Full disclosure, Lysander is a pseudonym. My real name is Sigmund Adam.

Jan: What’s the reason for the name change? Sorry, the pseudonym?

Lysander: Lysander was my favorite basketball player at Xavier growing up! Plus, it’s a cooler name.

Jan: (laughing) Well, with five consecutive national championships at the beginning of last decade, I’m sure most of our viewers will agree with you on that. But if you’re telling us this, should I start calling you Sigmund? Or should I call you Ned? Lysander? And didn’t you go to MIT, not Xavier?

Lysander: Lysander is fine, and yes to MIT. Not much of a basketball team there though.

Jan: Your company has become synonymous with technological advancement. In many circles, experts are even suggesting that this era be referred to as the Lysander-Prophet Era. Your technology has literally transformed our planet and proved to be an even greater shift in technology than the explosion of the world wide web back at the end of last century and the earlier part of this century. Not without controversy, but we’ll get to that.

Even this broadcast has a unique component to it that has never been done before. It’s the first of it’s kind using your patented dimensional encoding system. Viewers will not be able to record this broadcast on any of their devices, and apparently you have even figured out a way to make it so that video digital recording devices will not be able to record the video or the audio of the broadcast. Viewers get to view it through the original broadcast, and that’s it, right? That’s amazing! We’ve never seen this before for a live broadcast, but obviously content creators and digital property rights owners are very interested in this technology already. How does it work?

Lysander smiles as he thinks back to the origin of this moment.

It started years before he launched X Labs. He’s out of the military and fresh out of MIT with his triple PhD in information science, economics, and psychology. He’s working for the world’s largest manufacturer of chips used for digital recording devices when he meets Fredrick Prophet. Lysander immediate senses that Fredrick was a shifty character and that deception is his very nature.

One evening, over a private steak dinner, Fredrick broaches a topic with Lysander about “a business opportunity”. Lysander listens to everything that Fredrick says without indicating what he thinks about Fredrick’s plan. When all the cards are on the table, Lysander says to Fredrick, “Let me get this straight… You told me you have contracts with the CIA and FBI, but you want ME to perform industrial espionage against the company I work for?”

“No, kid. I’m saying, you and I are going to become business partners, and I’m going to use my connections in the community to ensure that when we do activities that are otherwise illegal, we’re shielded from unfavorable outcomes. I’ve been doing this kind of work for over a decade, but I can just tell that you have something special about you. All you have to do is trust me, and we’re both going to have everything anyone could have ever possibly dreamed of!”

Lysander agrees to partner with Fredrick, and the two come up with a long-term plan and sequence of events that need to fall into place in order for their larger plans. The first part of the plan is to secretly replace the firmware used by the manufacturer that Lysander works for with a version that Fredrick’s team has come up with.

Before installing the updated firmware, Lysander creates his own piece that would never be able to be detected as well. It is the origin of his now patented dimensional encoding that allows him 25 years later to create a process that makes it possible to scramble the video and audio recording of selective digital broadcasts.

Lysander’s scam would have been otherwise high risk, but he has the protection from law enforcement through Fredrick if he is ever caught. On top of that, Fredrick’s plan is backed by a major paramilitary organization that has lucrative contracts with governments all over the world and a board of directors stacked with former US intelligence. Their plan is to put Fredrick’s firmware in place so that they can use it in the future to help catch terrorists and drug traffickers. They are paid massive bounties for bringing these criminals to justice.

They setup a distribution company that purchases exclusive distribution rights from Lysander’s chip manufacturer. Their distributor sells the chips at an operational loss because they are making their profits from Fredrick’s contracting company that’s catching terrorists, drug  and sex traffickers. The competitive pricing allows the chips to become more popular in recording devices. Lysander views it as a win-win for everyone, and Fredrick has no idea Lysander put his own piece into the firmware.

Within three years, the components with the firmware are used in nearly 80% of all digital recording devices being sold around the globe. Lysander receives multiple pay raises and bonuses from the chip manufacturer, and Fredrick’s business ventures grow rapidly. Only Fredrick and Lysander know the truth about what they setup for the future. They decide it is time to start an umbrella business called Adam Ventures with Lysander at the head of the business and Fredrick operating behind the scenes.

Lysander: Think of an encrypted Rubik’s Cube. The video can only be decrypted one time and accurately decoded from a single angle. Once you observer the data from any angle, the entire cube is rendered as that angle and all other dimensions are destroyed. The observation effects that which is observed. It’s information is available only once. Hence, you can record the broadcast but only receive scrambled data.

Jan: That’s fascinating! Quantum encryption has been around for a long time, but what you’re saying is that even if you break the encryption, you also have to read the data correctly, or you won’t get the data.

Lysander: That’s pretty much it. Our patented technology makes this possible.

Jan: This is going to be a boon for digital property rights management! However, there are some people who say you are hiding subliminal messages within the encoding though. Either the messages appear so quickly on the screen that it registers on the subconscious mind but is impossible to see with the naked eye, or completely hidden messages are encoded within the main message itself that are unlocked with a separate key. They point to the early issues with your Earth 2.0 system as an example. Is there anything you’d like to say about that? Then let’s discuss Earth 2.0.

Lysander thinks back to the moment he first conceived of dimensional encoding and figured out how to ensure that multiple messages could be encoded within the same message. He remembers back to the first set of experiments with his protege, Richard Aryu.

Richard is laughing to the point of tears as he walks over to Lysander’s office. “Did you get my message?”

“You’re a sick man, Richard!” Lysander says laughing himself to the point of tears as well.

The two had been testing encoding multiple messages within their dimensional encoding algorithm. The test message was “Hello World!” and the hidden message was a line art drawing of a penis.

Lysander: I assure you, any hidden messages that are claimed to be found in any dimensional encoding is randomness the human mind interprets as a pattern. I applaud conspiracy theorists for their efforts.

Jan: So, you’re saying there is no possibility that anyone could be encoding hidden messages using your dimensional encoding technology? Is it possible to do though?

Lysander: I’m saying X Labs doesn’t. Theoretically? It’s possible with any messaging system. If nefarious organizations, such as Big Tech from the early part of this century, to do such a thing, they would likely try using it to their advantage.

Jan: We definitely want to hear about the variety of AI systems X Labs has created over the years. What your company has done for agriculture, space exploration, travel safety, vaccines, and law enforcement is truly amazing! But let’s discuss something that’s even beyond that! Earth 2.0!

I’ve been excited about this since it was pre-Beta. I have been following your progress since your very early stages of virtual reality after the notable failures of your once dominant competitors. What’s truly amazing is how X Labs has partnered with governments all around the world to make Earth 2.0 the true reality it is today! But it got off to a rocky start. Let’s discuss that when we come back from a quick break to acknowledge our patrons.

People v Anthony Vance Acher

Thank you, Your Honor.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, imagine being robbed of your ability to visit a doctor to receive much-needed healthcare. Healthcare that might be needed to save your life. Imagine going to your doctor in a desperate time of need only to find out that you cannot be treated for your ailment. Imagine needing a drug to save you life, a drug that has saved the lives of millions of Americas, only to find out that it cannot save your life because of the actions of one deranged man.

Seems unimaginable that one man could pretend to be God, playing with people’s lives like this. However, as you have heard over the last several weeks, the unimaginable is a definitive reality all because of Anthony Vance Acher. This man, and I use that word loosely, has robbed millions or Americans of their right to choose their healthcare services. Healthcare services that are life and death decisions for those Americans.

He purposely poisoned key ingredients of the world vaccination supply for his own ideological goals and freely admits to doing so. In fact, you have heard him admit to all of the allegations against him. He does not dispute any of the allegations against him. Yet, here we are today with this shame trial because he has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him; his crimes against humanity.

These are the indisputable facts… In late 2010 Mr. Acher started up a new company, AVax Supply LLC under the guise of being a manufacturer and supplier of key ingredients to vaccine manufacturing companies. Using his connections from his previous employer, Dynanamic Vax, he was able to gain bank financing for his new venture. Within 2 years AVax Supply LLC was the primary supplier to the majority of vaccine manufacturers in America. Within 4 years, the world.

Mr. Acher’s company was able to provide these key ingredients at highly competitive rates. Rates that put competing suppliers out of business. AVax Supply LLC was investigated at that time, and no wrongdoing was found, but that’s only because the wrongdoing wasn’t what we thought it was.

The initial investigations into AVax Supply LLC  and the defendant in 2023 were around his pricing model and whether his company was purposely under pricing and selling supplies at a loss to bankrupt other competitors. Nothing turned up. The defendant appeared to have come up with an innovative method for refining the vaccine preservatives his company was manufacturing. Everything about the defendant appeared to be perfectly clean. He appeared to be a brilliant scientist and businessman. No charges were filed because we didn’t realize he was actually poisoning the entire American population at that time.

Shortly thereafter, the defendant was gracing the covers of magazines all over the world. Time magazine reported “The future of affordable healthcare is now!”. Newsweek reported “The perfect blend of business savvy and science nerd has ushered in a new era of worldwide affordable healthcare technology.”

The defendant was a celebrated scientist and businessman, shaking hands with several of our presidents over his long career as well as dignitaries from all over the globe. He outsmarted us all for decades.

Then in 2040, the first signs of his nefarious work began showing up. You heard from Meredith Johnson, a woman who the defendant poisoned. When she was 16 years old she was presented with a major life decision that we all hope none of our children ever have to face. Regardless of your opinion of teenage pregnancy, a woman has an undeniable right to choose the outcome of her pregnancy. It’s her body, and her choice. But the defendant robbed her, and hundreds of millions of other women around the world, of that choice.

If Ms. Johnson’s parents ever found out about her being pregnant at the age of 16, she knew it would be a torturous event. One she did not want to suffer through, but one that the defendant forced her to go through. The abuse, the poverty, and alienation by her family and peers. The defendant might as well have given her a death sentence. Fortunately, thanks to the great work of the Social Services Department of the great state of California, Ms. Johnson is still here with us and a healthy, happy adult who can testify to the evils of the defendant.

Ms. Johnson went to a clinic to receive her constitutionally guaranteed right to healthcare service. Her doctor administered her the same drug administered for decades around the globe to help with an unwanted pregnancy. This is a drug that has worked flawlessly for decades. It didn’t work for Ms. Johnson that day. So, it was administered again. Again it had no effect on her unwanted pregnancy.

You heard the same story from dozens of other witnesses, young and older alike. By 2042, it seemed that the drug for terminating unwanted pregnancies had been compromised and become ineffective at terminating pregnancies. Investigations ensued by law enforcement agencies all over the world. By 2043, they had all reached the same conclusion, the drug was no longer effective.

Over the next 5 years research into coming up with a replacement failed to produce a successful pregnancy termination replacement. As we look back on this dark age of healthcare around the world, we can see the lasting impact. Food shortages, environmental disaster, overpopulation, and war.

The defendant would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for the brilliant work of Dr. Michelle Liam Klinger, who you heard testify to the shrewdness of the defendant. In 2045, Dr. Klinger began researching her hypothesis that there was something unknowingly being administered to/consumed by our children that had started making their bodies immune to the drugs used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Following the rabbit hole took seven years of painstaking work. Dr. Klinger eventually discovered that the ingredients created by AVax Supply LLC were to blame. They were tainted with a previously undetectable particle that resulted in the human body building an immunity to the common drugs used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Dr. Klinger approached the defendant out of respect for his prestige in the medical community. After all, it was when Dr. Klinger was a child and saw the defendant on television that she decided she was going to become a medical researcher. She had no idea that her childhood hero would turn out to be such a monster.

The defendant asked Dr. Klinger to share her research with him so that he could find a solution to the problem. The defendant even offered her a position at his company, which she took. It took another ten years before Dr. Klinger realized that the defendant was only using her research to modify his abortion vaccine process so that her tests could no longer detect it.

That’s when Dr. Klinger blew the whistle. For years, Dr. Klinger was labeled a conspiracy theorist. Meanwhile, the world population soared. Food shortages were followed by environmental disaster, overpopulation, and the third World War. The World Health Organization has estimated this massive boom in child birth as the greatest crises humanity has faced since global climate change. And the CDC labeled the defendant’s so called “abortion vaccine” the greatest threat to democracy America has ever experienced. Once Dr. Klinger’s work was finally accepted by the scientific community and law enforcement in 2060, it still took five years to bring charges against the extremely powerful, wealthy, and influential defendant.

Here we are today, having uncovered the evils of Anthony Vance Acher. He has already been stripped of his medical license, but we all know that is not enough. He sits here in this courtroom, having admitted to every allegation against him. He has provided additional details as to how he, and he alone, made all the decisions and faked the research results to not just enrich himself but rob hundreds of millions of women of their right to choose their healthcare options.

Don’t let his frailty in old age fool you. Don’t let his self righteous piety fool you. Mr. Anthony Vance Acher is as close to the embodiment of evil as one can be. In the name of the hundreds of millions of victims inflicted by this man’s poison, you must find him unanimously guilty of all charges against him. These charges are merely a reflection of the allegations he has already admitted. Don’t let his argument of the difference between morals and laws define your decision making process. Bring justice to the world in the name of the hundreds of millions of innocent human beings the defendant has poisoned and tortured over the last several decades and decades to come.

Thank you.

Thank you, your Honor.

The Ark Mission Part III

The Ark Mission Part II

Jennifer descends down from the sky and lands at the head of a wooden boat leading seven other boats in perfect formation down a glassy ocean towards a bright white light off in the distance. She’s wearing a white, loose-fitting gown that’s flowing like a spider’s web in the wind. As she turns around, she sees nine blue birds perched on the stern of each wooden boat. The birds get up in unison and fly around the boat and shoot lasers from their eyes, cutting the oars each of the crew members are using to row the boats. The boats begin to slow and drift into each other.

The blue birds then breathe out a smoke that overcomes the crew members and asphyxiate them. The blue birds then fly off towards the shore where there is a light house with no light.

The bright white light in the distance begins to have a dark dot in the middle that is slowly growing outwards. The light in the distance eventually becomes a ring of light centered around pure nothingness. A complete void of light. The ocean begins to freeze and the wooden boats become stuck; frozen in place.

Jennifer steps off the bow of the boat and walks along the ice towards the ring which is becoming dimmer with each step. She steps over bodies of Mohcia frozen into the surface of the ocean, and she can hear them calling out to her.  The light house where the blue birds went begins to glow a bright blue light. The light is blinding as it passes by. It suddenly stops just passed her. The cries from the Mohcia suddenly stop, and there’s a deafening silence. She feels someone gently grab her hand from the opposite direction of the light.

As she turns to see who it is, the light comes back directly over her. She sees her shadow cast on Lieutenant Bargh, who is kneeling with his arms wrapped around an infant Mohcia. He hands her a gun and stays crouched down in her shadow as the light begins to pull her away from Bargh and the native. She turns to face the blue light and notices that the light from the ring has all but disappeared.

Jennifer awakens.

She’s breathing deep, and her vision is dark. She unlocks her sleeping chamber and steps out into her room. Her robot assistant awakens and goes to the closet and gets her uniform and helps her get dressed.

#

“You have woken up earlier than normal, Admiral. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, Tes. Thanks. Let’s got to the observation deck.”

Tes makes arrangements for a personal shuttle to take Jennifer to the observation deck, but Jennifer asks to cancel the reservation. “I’m going to walk this one.”

“Are you sure, Admiral? It’s a 5 kilometer walk.”

“Well, I guess I didn’t wake up an hour early for no reason, right?”

“That was rhetorical?”

“Yes, Tes.”

Jennifer and Tes leave her quarters and begin making the 5 km walk to the observation deck. The hallways are mostly empty as the majority of the command crew is still sleeping. About halfway through the walk, an uniformed military crew member walks passed Jennifer and salutes her. “Morning, ma’am.”

Jennifer realizes in that moment that the military crew aboard the Ark ships all have a falcon insignia on their uniforms, which are also blue. She feels a bit dazed as she walks by the crew member, and Tes notices the sudden change in her heart rate.

“Admiral, I noticed your heart rate increase as we walked passed that military crew member. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the sick room?”

“No need. Tes, tell me something. How many military crew members do we have on each Ark?”

“Nine, Admiral.”

“Thanks, Tes. Let’s jog the last bit, alright?”

“Your command.” Tes and Jennifer begin to job the remaining 2 km.

The door opens to the observation deck. Jennifer’s night crew is working diligently on facilitating the round the clock evacuation procedures. Lieutenant Commander Sissend approaches Jennifer and salutes. “Ma’m there are still no signs of anything wrong with this star. No solar anomalies at all. Are you sure you want to keep executing this evacuation?”

“Yes. Keep moving forward as planned. How many days until the second team returns from the far side of the star?”

“Three more days, ma’am. By then, we should have all but this Ark cruiser filled. It appears that most of the inhabitants of the center region of Mohcia are declining to be evacuated, so it’s going to be a much shorter trip than expected.”

“Great! As each Ark completes loading, Move it back to the border of the heliosphere.”

“Some of the Arks are filling up faster than the others, ma’am. There are likely going to be imbalances between the cruisers. The plan was to have that imbalance flushed out in orbit, where it will be easier to maneuver the shuttles.”

“I know, Sissend. New plan.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jennifer turns to leave the observation deck, when Sissend stops her. “Ma’am, the latest information from the solar surveyors is showing that there are some anomalies starting to become observable with the sun.”

“Speed up the completion and follow through with my plan as already instructed.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

#

John and Andre begin devising a plan to use one of John’s ships to intercept the communications from the solar surveyors and change the information being reported to Jennifer about the star. This way, they can make it appear that the star is becoming unstable, and she will pull back the Ark fleet and send them back to Earth. In the meantime, they will convince her that the more maneuverable military fleet should remain behind so that they can ensure that any last-minute natives can be saved without putting the larger Ark cruisers at risk.

“Andre, this is entirely up to you. You’re the one who is going to have to convince her to move the Ark fleet back and let the military stay. It’s up to you to save her.”

“I’ve got this, Uncle.” Andre turns to leave the room. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t know anything.”

“That’s my soldier.”

Andre travels back to the Earth base with Issa’s family and gets to know them a bit more. They get back on the shuttle that takes Issa and his family to Ark II. Andre steps into the secured communication room to call Jennifer and make plans to visit her on Ark I.

The shuttle arrives at Ark II and the debarking begins. Levion meets with Commander Nielson and provides a long debriefing about his mission, leaving out everything he discussed with his uncle, of course.

“No sign of your uncle, Levion?”

“Not a single sign. Our best guess right now is that they all left as soon as they noticed the anomalies in the star.”

“So far, no anomalies have been found.” Nielson informs Levion.

“Ya, could be a fluke. Better to be safe than sorry. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are all sitting back on Earth right now just waiting for us.” Levion assures Nielson.

“Probably right, sir. Well, the Admiral sent me an order to have you visit Ark I as soon as you’re cleared by the doctor.”

“The doctor again?!” Levion is still upset that Jennifer doesn’t trust him about being sober. “Nothing could be more sobering than that you’re on a suicide mission without knowing it.” Andre thinks to himself as he heads to the sick room.

#

Jennifer and Levion are sitting at a dinning table, eating a steak dinner across from each other. Levion is dressed in his military uniform and Jennifer in her Admiral uniform. He has informed her that there are no signs of his uncle or his convoy but also no signs of anything unusual or threatening on the planet. Jennifer waits for Levion to take a big bite of his steak.

“You ever remember any of your dreams, Andre?”

Levion is a bit startled and stops chewing. He lifts his index finger and then continues to chew as he nods his head. “No, Jen. Not really. Maybe one here or there. Usually just me putting files in a filing cabinet to be honest. It’s not really important to me to understand how my brain is sorting and storing information.”

“Ya.” She looks at the falcon insignia on his newly acquired military blue uniform and remembers the blue birds from her dream earlier.

Tes enters the room. “Admiral, you told me to interrupt you with this important news.”

“What is it, Tes?”

Tes looks at Levion and then back and Jennifer.

“It’s okay, Tes.”

“Admiral, the solar activity is beginning to show some anomalies consistent with what the original Levion crew was reporting in their distress signal.”

“Thanks, Tes.”

Andre knows John’s team has pulled through and see this as the perfect opportunity to nudge Jennifer. “You gotta pull back the Arks, Jen.”

“I think you’re right.”

Andre is a bit puzzled. He was expecting a bit of resistance from the woman he knows to be so stubborn. “You’re just going to agree with me?”

“Don’t try to take credit, Levion. A good idea is a good idea regardless of whether you think it crossed your mind and exited that giant mouth of yours before I was already thinking the same thing.”

“Of course, ma’am. And my mouth isn’t that big.”

Jennifer smiles at Levion and stands up. “Levion, I’m putting you in charge of the military fleet. We’re going to pull the Ark ships back to the edge of the heliosphere immediately. We’ll have to compensate for the imbalance prior to jumping into hyperspace back to Earth. You keep the military and cargo vessels here to take care of the last remaining evacuees. Jump back to Earth ASAP.”

Levion can’t believe what he’s hearing. Everything is going exactly as his uncle had hoped it would. The Ark fleet will be safe, and the military fleet can remain behind to confront the enemy.

“This is a damn good steak. Can I take it with me?”

“Let’s finish our meal together. With an exploding star on the horizon, this might be our last meal together.”

“That’s a bit morbid, don’t you think, Jen?” Andre asks as he stuffs his face with steak and mashed potatoes.

#

Jennifer calls Tes over to her desk in her study. “It’s time to execute my plan, Tes.”

The Ark cruisers begin to leave orbit around Mohcia and head for the edge of the solar system. Levion has returned to Zeus One, the commanding military cruiser. Jennifer has given the Ark cruisers instructions to make the jump to hyperspace as soon as they have all reached the edge of the heliosphere. Unbeknownst to Levion, Jennifer has balanced each of the Ark cruisers by completely unloading the evacuees, cargo, and crew from her ship, Ark I, which has remained at Mohcia.

Onboard each Ark cruiser is a robot just like Tes on Ark I. They help direct traffic throughout the cruiser and ensure that crew can navigate as quickly as possible during maneuvers. The Tes robots also have a tracking system that allows them to find everyone on the ship so that they can assist in the event of a disaster or when crew does not report to their positions as commanded.

As each of the Ark cruisers begins to pull out of orbit, all crew are required to secure themselves. One by one, the Tes robots find each of the nine military crew members wearing the blue uniforms with falcon insignia and kills each of them as they are secured for exiting orbit. The Tes robot has no weapons, so it has to use blunt force to brutally club the humans to death. It then has cleaning robots clean up the blood and dispose of the bodies in the ships’ garbage hold.

Jennifer leaves Ark I in orbit around Mohcia when Jennifer receives notification from her second solar observation convoy. There were no unusual observations of the star, but they did encounter extremely anomalous gravitational pull on the far side that pulled their ship off course by an increasing amount of force. The conclusion is that these gravitational anomalies might have been observed by the original Levion team and been the cause of the distress message. Jennifer sends the message to the Ark fleet to jump back to Earth immediately.

Levion’s military cruiser spots Ark I still in orbit around Mohcia.

Levion makes an open communication to Ark I. “Is there something wrong with your Ark?”

There is no response.

“What are you doing, Jen? Is everything okay? Please respond.”

#

Lieutenant Bargh and Esua sit down on top of a mountain watching Zathustine Major rise over the valley below them. Esua’s bright blue eyes can easily absorb the light. Bargh is wearing his weaponized space suit and has a shield over his face. They look at each other, and Bargh smiles.

“I am smiling on the inside, my friend.” Esua says to Bargh as they both look back at the sunrise. “Thank you for taking care of my family.”

“I’m smiling under this helmet. Thank you for trusting in me. My commander just gave the order to make the jump back to our home. They are safe.”

The two sit atop the mountain enjoying the sunrise as they notice Zathustine Major is beginning to shrink as it’s rising. They see a massive solar flare leap out of the side of the star and look at each other.

“Looks like your god is right on time, friend.”

“This is my destiny, Norman.” Esua stands up and is now as tall as Bargh is sitting down. He places his right hand on Bargh’s shoulder. “I hope your commander can come through.”

“You and me both, friend.”

#

Tes is standing in the command room of Ark I with a splatter of blood on her arms. She receives an encrypted transmission from Jennifer. “In position.”

Jennifer is onboard the crippled cruiser that was sitting in the 4th planet’s orbit. It’s a communications cruiser, so she’s able to still maintain communications with the few satellites left behind by the fleet. Tes begins to navigate Ark I out of low orbit from Mohcia as Levion continues to attempt communication.

As Jennifer looks out of the command center’s observation window at Zathustine Major, she starts to notice that it appears to be shrinking slowly. Suddenly, there’s a massive solar flare that jumps 1/3 the distance of Mohcia. Tes sends her an encrypted communication, “It’s been a pleasure serving you, Admiral.” Jen’s eyes well with tears.

The electronics on Ark I begin to have all sorts of problems. Tes hears a series of loud pops. She is alerted to numerous breaches in the hull as Ark I collides with the moon of Mohcia.

Levion looks on in despair and orders the military fleet to perform a search and rescue mission on the moon. “Something must have gone wrong with the navigation and communications on the ship. I want everyone to find any survivors.”

Jennifer circles to the far side of Mohcia from the moon and sends down a shuttle craft to the top of the mountain where Bargh and Esua are watching Zathustine Major slowly shrink into a black hole. All of the data Jennifer is receiving from the remaining solar observers are showing that the star is maintaining its mass but shrinking in size. So, there is little effect on the solar system.

#

Bargh and Esua walk towards the shuttle when they are confronted by John Levion, who is wearing battle gear as well. “I can’t let you board that shuttle, Solider. You can join me, but you cannot get on that shuttle.”

Bargh tries getting a reading on John’s suit, but his weapons scanner is unable to determine the weapons Bargh can clearly see with his own eyes. Bargh tells Esua to get on the shuttle and John steps in front of him.

“Let the little guy go. I’ll join your little treasonous shit parade, but I made a soldier’s promise to this little guy that he’ll rejoin his family.”

“That’s just not going to happen, Soldier.” John pulls a detonator from his utility belt. “That shuttle is going up with this detonator, and your friend up in the sky is coming down.”

“That’s the Admiral. I believe she’s someone you know rather well.”

“Her choice, Soldier. Your choice too. Choose wisely.”

Esua reaches into his pouch and pulls out the flashlight that Bargh gave him the other day. He shines it into John’s helmet, and it distracts him just enough for Bargh to get the drop on John. The bullet from Bargh’s gun cracks Levion’s helmet glass, and he falls to the ground. Bargh runs towards Esua, picks him up, and jumps on board the shuttle. John stands up and fires his gun at the shuttle, hitting Esua in the stomach. As the door closes, Esua holds up his six-fingered hand and drops two fingers to the right and left of his middle two fingers.

The Shuttle takes off and Bargh notices that Esua was hit by John’s bullet but there isn’t much blood coming out of his wound. Esua reaches three of his fingers inside the wound and pulls out the bullet. “Who needs thumbs now!” The two laugh as the shuttle continues on its way back to Jennifer’s cruiser.

The Ark Mission Part II

Lieutenant Bargh goes to the building where the natives are being held captive. He also instructs three of his team members to quietly travel back to meet with Levion and report on the situation with the radio communication anomaly and that Smith is delusional and taken a dozen natives captive. He instructs the rest of his men to watch Smith’s men very carefully and be prepared to take them out if he gives the order or if they feel it is necessary for protecting the mission. He has them put on their head gear that will filter the air they are breathing as a precaution.

Bargh enters the room with two other soldiers where the natives are being held. He instructs his men to remove the restraints from the natives.

“Thank you, human. Now, you should go and leave us in peace. You false gods have already killed us all.”

Bargh is confused. “Help me understand your situation, friend. I am here to help. We are all here to help your kind. I apologize for my fellow human’s behavior towards you and your kind. We do want to help. And perhaps you can help us. What is your name?”

“I am Esua, human. There is no help for kind like you. You are wicked, and your kind has brought death upon us all.”

“Well, you can call me, Norman. Your planet is dying, but that’s not our fault. I know it might seem like that. We arrive and then soon your planet is doomed. I understand. Your planet’s death is not because of us.”

“You are a fool, human. Your own kind has deceived you as well as us. I wish you peace in your short life. May we now leave to enjoy our final days?”

Bargh motions that they may leave. “I am not holding you prisoner.” Bargh says to the natives as they begin to exit. The native he is speaking to remains.

“You are the prisoner, human.”

Bargh instructs his men to leave him and the native alone. “Enlighten me, friend.”

“You should go. There is not much time left. My god’s judgement is coming”

Bargh sits down in a chair and lifts up his arms. “You strike me as the smartest being in this room right now, Esua. And that’s not a position I’m particularly comfortable with when I also have my own men wanting to harm you. I’m guessing that you told my friend Smith something pretty bad.”

“I told him only what I have told you. Your people are wicked and have brought death upon us all. He held us captive. There is no more to tell you.”

“Well, I might not be a Mohcia, but I sure can tell when I’m being deceived.”

“Then you know that your people have deceived you already.”

“Yes, Esua. I know that my people have deceived me. I just don’t know what they have lied to me about. I also know that you just deceived me when you said there is no more to tell me, and I think you want to tell me but don’t want to tell me or are afraid to tell me. I also think you don’t fear anyone but your god.”

“I do not fear my god. He has given me life and a family. And he shall give me death too.”

Bargh pulls out his flashlight and tosses it to Esua who drops it. “He didn’t give you a thumb though. Why do you think that is?” He holds up his hand and wiggles his thumb back and forth as Esua tries to pickup the flashlight.

Esua stares at Bargh’s thumb with his large blue eyes. “My god took them from us because of our sin. I have no need for such an appendage, Norman.”

Bargh walks over to Esua and at 6’6″, he’s towering over the less than 4 foot Esua. He bends down on one knee, picks up the flashlight and then hands it gently to Esua , wedging it between the last and second fingers on Esua’s six-fingered hand. He places Esua’s free finger on the button and presses it down to turn on the flashlight. Esua looks on in amazement.

“Help me see the light, Esua.” Bargh says softly to Esua who is moving the light around and shining it on the walls and ceiling in amazement.

“My people had honored our powerful god since the dawn of time, and he has graced us with a plentiful planet, long lives, and peace. Our god also warned us that one day we will be face to face with false gods. Gods who look like him. Gods with magic almost as powerful as him. But it will all be deceit. Your kind is the deceit, Norman. Your only role in saving my people is that you will bring us to the final judgement of my god.”

Bargh stands up and is trying his best to keep a poker face as he now is thinking that the original Earth crew was not the first humans to make contact with Mohcia. He sits back down in the chair. “Tell me more, friend.”

“We lived in peace for countless generations. Then your kind arrived. Your kind corrupted the minds of my family above and below me. Just as my god had said would happen, your kind is the false gods he said would come. My god spoke to my family through me and said we must make your false god kind leave our world. But my family bowed down to your false god magic and rejected my true god. I was banished to the center of this world. The most uninhabitable portion of the planet, but my god provided for me and my family. We have thrived and grown.”

Bargh crosses his arms as he’s digesting what Esua is telling him.

“Then your kind built this monument to your own false greatness, and even my own family here in the center of my world began to reject me. So, my god came to me and told me that since I had not rid my world of these false gods, he will strike the sun from the sky and cast my world into cold death in 200 years.”

“And let me guess, Esua. That was about 200 years ago?”

“It will be 200 years in 27 days.”

“You are right. We don’t have much time left. You don’t have to choose to die, Esua. I can save you and your family. I am not a god, I’m just a soldier who wants to help you.”

“The best way you can help me is to let me be, Norman.”

Bargh stands up and starts walking towards the door.

“Your light.” Esua holds it up towards Bargh.

“Keep it, Esua. You’ll need it in 27 days.”

#

Levion arrives at the home of the native who he now knows was named Issa by his uncle. The home is built into a massive rock at the base of a large mountain with a huge water fall about 100 yards away. There are two buildings behind a large wall with an open entrance. One of the buildings looks much like a chapel with a large double door entrance and a bell in both of the towers in the front of the building. It is by far the most advanced structure on Mohcia after the Earth bases.

The second building is a traditional Mohcia hut to the left side as they enter and Issa tells Levion that is where his family lives. Levion directs his troops to have the helper robots take care of Issa’s family while he visits the other building with Issa.

Levion is a bit baffled by the chapel looking building. There’s no possible way the Mohcia could have constructed a building like this or made the ball or even the doors. They live in huts and don’t have the tools necessary to make such a building.

“Who made this building, Issa?”

“The original gods, master. The gods before my master arrived.”

“You ever meet these original gods?”

“Oh, no, master. They are not real. They were created by the wretched outcasts of Esua so that they could prosper while others went without. Those with the power abused it, so we revolted and banished them to the center of our world.”

Issa opens the large double door to the building, walks inside, and motions to Levion to enter. As Levion steps through the threshold he swears he hears a voice say something to him. Chills run down his spine. He pauses and steps back out of the building. He looks upward in the inside of the building. There is nothing unusual about the building other than it being so advanced compared to all the other native made buildings.

Levion steps across the threshold again and hears the same voice say slightly different words. He doesn’t understand the language, and the translator device is not registering that anything is being said.

Issa is all the way on the other side of the building and motions to Levion. “Come master. The gift from my master awaits you.”

Levion steps further into the building and looks in all directions to see if he can find a source of the mysterious voice, but he cannot find anything. “Issa, what is that noise you hear when you enter the building?”

“That is my master’s god. Your god, my master.”

Levion walks into the back of the building and stands next to Issa. They are standing in front of an altar of some sort of worship. Levion looks over at Issa who is holding his six-fingered hands in prayer and mumbling words that his translator device is not picking up.

“I will bring you to my master now.” Issa points at a door to their right.

Levion walks over to the door and unhooks the latch that’s holding it closed. He opens the door to find his uncle sitting in a chair with his arms folded in front of him. He walks in and closes the door behind him.

#

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Andre! I was wondering if you were going to make it in time.” John says as he stands up and reaches his hands out for a hug.

Andre backs up and extends his hands to keep John at a distance. “What’s with all this bullshit, Uncle?”

John steps back and looks at Andre’s uniform. “What the hell happened, Andre? You’re infrastructure? You’re supposed to be military. What the hell did you do?”

“My life choices are my life choices. I’m an adult now, Uncle John. I’m not your naive little nephew anymore.”

“If that were only so, Andre. You have no fucking idea what the hell this mission is really about! Shit!” John paces back and forth for a bit.

“What’s going on, Uncle John?”

“Well, Andre, there’s a lot more to this world and this universe than you might realize. God dammit! Why didn’t you follow my guidance?”

“I wanted to be my own man! I was tired of being the nephew of the great John Levion. Do you have any idea what kind of shadow you cast?”

“You’ve put me in a very difficult situation, kid.” John pauses as he keeps pacing back and forth. He then stops and places his hands on Andre’s shoulders, staring deep into his eyes. “You need to listen to me VERY carefully, kid. This mission is complete horse shit. If you had stuck to what I told you to do and stayed military instead of infrastructure, you’d know what’s really going on. All your friends up on that piece of shit Ark that you’re commanding… They’re all dead! You’re dead. Everyone non-military on this mission is dead!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“We weren’t the ones to make contact with the Mohcia. Someone made contact with this planet about 2000 Mohcia years ago. When we arrived 300 years ago, we thought this was some primitive planet with a species at the top of the food chain who had maximized their evolutionary potential millennia ago. These Mohcia were never going to evolve beyond their primitive state. Then we discovered this building. I’m sure you noticed a few odd things about this building, right?”

“Ya, there’s no way these Mohcia made this building.”

“That’s the obvious one. That voice you heard when you came and that chill you felt… Those are the result of some very clever engineering to psychologically manipulate the natives into believing the makers of this building are gods with some special powers.”

“You found the builder?”

“No, but we did find the envoy he left behind. Physically weak. Total pussies, but these guys are super smart. I’m talking about guys that make our best scientists look like they are in grade school. That’s when things got hairy, kid.”

“What are they?”

“They’re human!”

“That’s impossible! 2000 Mohcia years would put them arriving 100 Earth years before we had interstellar travel capabilities.”

“Well, they sure as hell bled like humans when I killed them, Andre. That’s why my team was sent here. My team tracked down every single one of them and eradicated these fuckers and studied their DNA. They’re humans.”

“You said, they were an envoy left behind?”

“Ya, we had no idea they had been here as long as they had at first. We thought they were just some rogue settlers who went out on their own. Maybe a private space adventure not long before we arrived. We actually thought they were dumb because they had no weapons and no real defense system. We’ve seen that before on other planets. Some rich ass kid takes all their parents’ money and moves to some planet with a one way interstellar ticket. Originally, they seemed like a bunch of dirty hippies to me. Little did I realize that the joke was on me.”

“That’s why you made the distress signal?”

“That’s complicated, Andre. Really complicated. And something I can’t tell you right now. Bottom line is, all those people on this mission are dead.”

Andre looks at his uncle with contempt. “You’re going to war with the other humans and this mission is just a ruse to get Earth to back your next military glory!”

“Andre, I don’t expect you to understand…” Andre cuts off John’s train of thought.

“Jennifer is the Admiral of this whole mission, John!”

John pauses. He drops his hands from Andre’s shoulders and looks down and shakes his head. “Fuck!”

The Ark Mission Part I