Freewill is but a phrase to those wishing to express a choice over an existence of happenstance. The truth is; life is but cause and effect. Freewill may play a role in being a participant in the situation as it unfolds, but when all cards are placed on the table there is only one truth: You are born and you die – where is the freewill in that?
Chapter 12
Ted Randals considered himself lucky. He had a great job, great benefits, great pay and it was something he enjoyed doing. Dr. Loggar was a brilliant archaeologist. And her theories about alien life developing in totally alien environments were absolutely stunning. She was high up in GRID control, the High Goddess and very pretty. A rarity in a dirty field which aged people too rapidly. Ted had fantasized about her on numerous occasions. She embodied a kind of eroticism and sensuality that only a woman of her age can produce. She had power, money, influence, respect, and droves of young and old men clawing to be in her bed. She was his perfect wet dream incarnate. When she asked him to join the expedition to Necron he had almost fainted. He answered with. "Not yes, but hell yes!" It was a variation of his 'no phrase.' 13 months later and he was still awed about all the things discovered on Necron. Just yesterday, Ted was thinking about the chamber found just before Loggar left for Earth. Everyone was excited about the find. It was amazing.
Herb "Herbert" Johnson, the team mathematician - magician to most, came storming in waving a hand full of papers. "God damn those fellows!" He shouted. Ted had been reviewing plans to open a new section the scopes had picked up. "Those fellows toy with me." Herb was dressed in an old olive drab military jumpsuit that was a size too small. It was his favorite choice of attire - secretly the rest of the team figured Herb wanted to be a soldier or something. Only Ted, possibly Dr. Loggar, knew that Herb had a weak heart. The organ was too weak for the military but strong enough not to be replaced.
Ted had said, "Herb, now what?"
Herb sat his 260 lb. frame down next to Ted's desk. "Those fellows! They give me simple things to tease me, then when I figured I got a handle on the math they drop a bomb."
Ted stared at Herb. He was waiting for the shoe to drop.
"Here, look at this and tell me what you think." Herb said, and walked away. Ted now sat looking at the papers Herb had given him yesterday. He saw a lot of equations - mostly meaningless to him, but he looked at it anyway. He knew Herb would ask did he read them. Ted would say 'of course.' at which Herb would say, ‘what line contains the formula for such and such then?'
If Ted couldn’t remember, Herb would lay a verbal assault as if his feelings had been deeply hurt and this outburst of vehement verbosity was the only way to ease his bruised feelings.
Ted was use to it now and played the game. Besides, Ted thought, ‘Herb always teaches me something and I like that.’
On the last page of the papers was scribbled an equation which Ted recognized to be a GRID equation. Next to it was some strange symbols that were circled. Just next to that were the words. 'A modified equivalent.'
"Jesus." Ted whispered, “They had GRID travel!”
That day, Randals walked the halls on the excavated site. It was magnificent to be in the presence of such marvel. Randals often walked the halls before he would go to bed. He wanted the images to be fresh in his mind when he finally closed his eyes. He wanted him subconscious mind to use recent images presented in front of him. He was awed.
That was Yesterday.
Ted sat himself down this day to consider all the things that developed. The Electronics team discovered a new power line last night. It was active. The report said that the line was feeding power to a new section that had been previously unknown. Ted thought, so what is new? At that moment Herb stormed in with papers in hand. "Had time to think about what we talked about yesterday?"
Ted nodded.
"Good," Herb said dropping himself down in the chair. "Here's another thing to think about."
Ted took a single sheet of paper that was passed to him. He read it and looked up.
Herb smiled and said, "Yes."
Ted read it again "Are you sure?"
Herb chuckled, "You damn right I'm sure. They had time travel and I'm sure they visited us." Herb sat back and the chair creaked. "So with all this in mind boys and gins, we ask the ultimate question?"
Ted thought for a moment, asked, "What did the guys in chronology say about this area?"
"They think that the area has only been abandoned for fifty years. Count that! Only fifty short years. I was planned and your daddy just had his first wet dream.”
Ted decided to ignore that last remark. Herb had no way of knowing when his father had a wet dream, if ever! "Where are they? Is that the question you want me to ask?"
Herb pursed his lips, "You've played this game before?"
"Only with you."
"Ha ha, you comedian you. And yes that was the question I was thinking."
Ted smiled. He got Herb this time.
"Ted, my good man, not only did these people have a grid system, they also had a form of GRIDless travel."
"What?"
"They had a warp drive like system. Not only is it possible, it fantastic." Herb leaned forward. "With a little modification, we could have Warp capability too. That's how they traveled in time! Think of the possibilities. Time travel!"
Ted leaned further back in his chair. ‘Time travel? Warp Drive ?’ He leaned forward. “What else did you discover?"
Herb chuckled, "A little behind on the reports are we?"
"Well, it is a lot, and I'm not Loggar, I still have to do her job and mine's. You aren’t the only one who gives me reports, but you know this."
Herb chuckled louder, "Aren’t we so lucky."
"Just tell me will ya."
"Okay, okay." Herb paused for all of three seconds. "They wanted us to find this place and learn as much as possible."
Ted blinked several times and puffed out, "Yeah right.” He almost wanted to laugh in Herb face. ‘What a silly idea’ he thought. “How do you know that?"
"I was down talking to Milkens...”
"Milkens?"
"One of the lonely tech folks you people in admin-type tends to forget."
Ted scowled and cleared his throat. “I know who Milkens is.”
Milkens told me he thought it interesting that all the computer and electronic equipment had multiple port configurations."
Ted frowned.
“They had different output and input connectors...”
"Ah!"
"Yes, each port is a duplicate with a different set of connecting criterion."
"Maybe, they used different devices for..." Ted began.
Herb interrupted, "Please, Mr. Administration, think about it. Each device had multiple port configurations, each one had a diagram showing voltage, well, their symbol for voltage, and each one was connected in tangent. They wanted us to figure out what was going on. And I'll tell you another thing. Most of the equations I've found were accompanied by more and more progressively simpler equations."
"What?"
"That's what I thought. I'd get an equation dealing with logarithms with five simpler, long-winded examples. At first I thought it was just scratch work. But I kept seeing it in one and two term formulas. When you see x raised to the 2nd in an equation, then you find (x)(x) next to it you begin to wonder."
Ted sifted through the stack of papers.
Herb lean forward, "You know something, else?"
Ted stopped. "What?"
"This is only a feeling. But when you add up all the stuff about multi-port configuration, line power feeds, and simplified math equations you come to one conclusion."
"And that is?" Ted suddenly had enough of Herb and he wish he would get to the point.
"We were expected!"
The entities moved at a satisfactory rate, Agegi thought. It had been a mere 30 cycles since the Elders left, leaving him and the others in wait. Agegi saw the entities were smart, not intelligent but smart. They figured things out with some thinking.
He focused on two in particular; the other one he used to follow had left. The thin one remained. Agegi knew that the other was in charge and that this thin one was in charge until the other one returned. He listened to them talked. A tongue that was at first difficult to follow, but now absolutely simple.
The funny shaped one leaned forward and said, "You know something, else?"
The thin one stopped touching the thin pieces of writing surface.
"What?"
"We were expected!"
The thin one held its breath.
And if Agegi could have laughed at that moment, he would have.
Exchanges between two individuals can be both satisfying and rewarding. Habermas said that in order for involved parties to come away in a win-win situation is that all parties must come to the table in good faith. They must be willing to acknowledge that everyone else has equal concerns and pressing issues. If not then they are just wasting one another’s time.
Chapter 13
Sean approached the VIP room. He had a long thin box under his arm. "Kathy?" Sean said. He was about to turn and walk away when the door opened. Loggar was dressed causal attire: a t-shirt and Levi's.
Sean marveled at how the jeans clung to her legs and hips. "Are those Levi's? Real jeans?"
Loggar smiled. "Yes, they are? You like them?" Her voice took on a girlish hint.
Sean stepped closer, smiled. "I do." He moved closer. "They look... nice on you. Is that what Archaeologist wear on the dig?"
"This one does, and sometimes off." Loggar looked down and spotted the long thin box Sean had been holding.
"A box?”
Sean smiled and handed it to her. "Yeah, it’s for you."
She took the box and peered deeply into Sean's eyes. She knew Sean felt something for her. She had hoped it was love, though lust would be enough for now. Then she felt guilty at what might happen to him. She really didn’t know how all this was going to play out. She just wished, hoped really, that it would all work out in the end.
"Hey, what's the matter?" Sean asked moving closer. He placed a hand on her chin and kissed her on the cheek. "You don’t want the gift?"
She opened it. A single blue rose filled the box. Loggar's eyes welled with tears. "Sean, a 'blue' rose. Isn't this rare?"
"Yes, it is. And unfortunately it'll die in a week. But unlike this rose, I hope that you and I will continue?" Then he quickly added. "I mean, I know we have jobs that take us far away, but if we're together, we could, you know... damn!"
"What?"
Sean sighed, "I'm sounding like some fool..."
"Sean, you’re not."
"Kathy, I like you a lot. I mean, shit. I'm so worried that I'm not. . ." Sean tried again and Loggar waited patiently, "I love you! And I'm scared."
Loggar sat with a perplexed look on her face. She thought about the encounter her and Robin had earlier. It was good that they could talk, though Loggar felt that Robin had held back because she was talking to the High Goddess. Loggar got that a lot.
Sean saw the look and felt sick to his stomach. He blew it, plain and simple. He made such a damn fool of himself.
Loggar placed a hand on his cheek, "That was so sweet Sean, thank you for the Rose." She kissed him on the cheek. "And thank you for your honesty." She kissed him on the lips. "I love you, too." She kissed him again and this time it was passionate.
They made love that hour – passionate, reckless, uninhibited. Both were consumed by a thirst that neither alone could satisfy. It took both to fill their hunger’s desire. Sean came twice. Kathy lost count after five.
Ted snapped out of the daze he was in., "Where did you get that idea? And if we were expected, by whom?"
Herb sat back in the chair. He took out a watch. It was connected to a long silver chain; it was a gift from the University. "I don’t know, maybe the statue." He finally said.
Ted glared at him, "Herb, you like wasting my time don’t you?"
"You don't believe me?"
"No. I don't."
Herb got up and started for the door. "You know, Ted?"
Ted had placed his head back in his paperwork. "What?" He said not looking up. "Is it something I don’t know or need you to show me?"
"Probably both, you’re a shit." Herb walked out leaving Ted to consider his words.
Agegi listened to the conversation with deep satisfaction. Ted was the one he would pick. He watched as Herb walked out. He wished that things would happen soon and that he would be free again. But then again, he had only been in wait for 30 cycles, 200 less then the Elders had decided. No matter, freedom was near, and with freedom came the ability to control, conquer and destroy! This time around glory would be his.
Sometimes, goals get in the way of feelings and a person sometimes forgets what was originally important. It is a point of view whether it is true or not true. Paradigms come in all flavors. If you don’t like one, pick another.
Chapter 14
Sean sat in the XO chair and waited. Robin sat in the Commander’s chair, back straight, flush to the rest. She keyed in a command and looked up. Dr. Loggar sat in the observer chair that was over to the left corner of the bridge.
“Dr. Loggar” Robin said. “We’re within real-time communication range. The Lightstar had set up a GRID line for communication. Shall we contact the base?”
Loggar thought for a bit, “Captain, we can try. What time is it down there?”
Robin glanced at Mr. Kirkland.
Kirkland keyed in a command to the Lightstar. “It is six bells first watch, 2300 hours base time, ma’am.”
Robin looked toward Loggar.
“Let’s see, Herb should be doing watch about now. Okay Captain, can we do voice?”
“ Kirkland,” Robin began, “Give me a tight beam to the Lightstar and relay it to the base. Voice to voice.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
After a second, Robin said, “Necron base, this is the Grid ship Johnson, Captain Spaarin speaking. We have Dr. Loggar with us. Requesting voice communication, over.”
They waited.
Herb sat down at the main computer console. He had been trying to find proof about his hunch. Ted Randals he knew would always be a lap dog and an anal retentive mamma’s boy. He had been Loggar’s favorite from the start. He hadn’t really figured out why. He knew they weren’t ‘doing’ each other. Maybe it was this mother-son thing that Loggar was going through. He knew she would snap out of it eventually and see Randals for the dumb shit he really was. It was just a matter of time.
“Okay, Mr. Computer, let’s see what you’ve found today?” Herb said out loud to himself. It was 2300 hours and he was basically alone in the main core. Most of the admin-types were asleep with the head staff members of each department. Occasionally a tech-type would find his way into the main core looking to query the computer about something. They would make small talk for a bit then they would leave, off to do their tech stuff. Herb only really liked two people. Loggar his boss, and Milkens in electronics, the only true genius beside himself. He typed in a command. The computer sat for a minute and responded with ‘negative.’
“Shit.” Herb exclaimed. “Goddamn piece of crap, give you a zettabyte of memory and what do you get? A system that forgets...”
Just then...
“Necron base, this is the Grid ship Johnson, Captain Spaarin speaking. We have Dr. Loggar with us. Requesting voice communication, over.”
Different voice, Herb thought, He sat just for a moment. ‘Let them think we’re busy down here,’ he thought. He sat back and entered a new command. This time it would not only trace the power feed into the new chamber, but it will send a carrier pulse on the signal enabling him to do a query on voltage spikes.
“Necron base, this is the Grid ship Johnson, Captain Spaarin speaking. We have Dr. Loggar with us. Requesting voice communication, over for the second time.”
Herb waited three seconds. “Hello, Grid ship Johnson, this is Necron base. Herb speaking. In a brief form of an old Earth greeting dating back to the 20th century, ‘Howdy, Y’all!’
Robin listened to the, ‘Howdy, Y’all’ and turned to Loggar.
Loggar shrugged and said, “It’s Herb, kind of a different personality, brilliant mind, but a loose stereotypical nerd. You’d have to get to know him to really like him. May I?”
Robin nodded at Kirkland.
Kirkland keyed in the command for channel opened and nodded back.
Robin silently worded ‘okay’ to Loggar.
“Herb, is that you?”
“Hey, Dr. Loggar, nice to hear from you. We got a lot of new things to show you. Your boy, I mean, Randals has been running things surprisingly smooth down here. When you arriving?”
Loggar looked at Robin who looked at Sean who looked at Foster.
Foster said, “Two hours ten minutes.”
“Got that Herb?”
“Two hours ten minutes?”
“But I think an eleven o’clock arrival would be best. If you can, send all new information to us. Do it via the Lightstar.”
The sound of clicking was heard. “Done, Doc. I think you ought to read paragraph five line twelve page four, first. I talked to Randall about it, but you know how that can be.” Herb chuckled.
Loggar smiled. “Well, maybe. But do let him know and give the rest a quick heads up on my arrival.”
“Of course, Doc.”
“Then I’ll see you in 12 hours?”
“Twelve hours.”
The communication line went dead.
There was an awkward silence for about a second.
“Well, Dr. Loggar. When we establish orbit in about two hours. Ten hours from then we’ll shuttle down to the base. Would you like any specific personnel or equipment?”
Loggar thought, “Beside, Cmdr. Blakemore? You...”
“Me?”
“Yes, Captain. You’re also required. It won’t take too much of your time, maybe a few days, but I assure you, it’ll be worth it.”
“Okay, anything, or anyone else.”
Loggar smiled, got up. “No, nothing I can think of at this particular moment. You’re crew...”
Sean stiffened and the bridge chatter stopped.
Loggar caught her mistake. She cleared her throat, “The crew has been most helpful, thank you. I’ll see you in... how long will it take to reach the surface by shuttle?”
Robin looked at Sean.
Sean, blank faced, said, “One hour.”
Loggar continued, “I’ll see you in ten hours then.”
Robin nodded.
Loggar got up, gave a quick glance at Sean. He went military faced on her and it was unreadable. She entered the elevator. The doors closed and she was gone.
Robin got up. “Mr. Foster, take con for a moment.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
She turned to Sean, “Commander, please accompany me into the ready room.”
Sean nodded, got up and followed Robin.
Herb sat for a moment typing a global message to all personnel. Standard procedure was to log on every start shift and check messages, requests, and assignments. Herb knew that most of the staff would do just that. It was the other small percentile he was banking on that wouldn’t do. He was banking on Randals not getting the word until much later. He typed in the last word and pressed the send button. Sitting back he grinned wide that Randals, the buffoon and office oaf that he was wouldn’t get the word until the last hour. His grin turned into a laugh.
In the ready room, Sean stared at Robin.
“Commander... Sean, be careful...”
“Is the Captain asking me to be careful for a specific reason?”
Robin paused in thought. “Yes...”
Several seconds went by.
“And?” Sean asked.
“Just be careful. Dr. Loggar believes you personally can help...”
“I don’t see how, but is that why the concern?”
Robin pursed her lips and sighed. She definitely had feelings for Sean, and that was not in the program. “I... I just have a feeling Sean. Sometimes, goals get in the way of feelings and a person sometimes forgets what was originally important.”
Sean starred at Robin for an intense second. He heard what she had said, but he wasn’t sure what she had said. He opened his mouth then shut it. Opened it again and shut it for a second time. He sat and thought what Robin was trying to say. He had a softer feeling toward her since Kathy had entered his life. Maybe that was the thing that was needed, someone to enter his dismal existence and give it meaning. Kathy surely did. Sean visibly relaxed.
“Okay,” then added, “Okay Robin, I will. But tell me why the concern.”
Robin leaned back into her chair and thought, Sean would ask that question. “Sean, do you know what Wicca is?”
“Wicca? You mean witchcraft? Witches?”
“Yes, I most certainly do.”
Loggar sat in a dark room for several moments. She had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She made the mistake of addressing the crew, as Robin’s and that made her feel bad. She hoped Sean could forgive the mistake and then cursed her self for such a stupid feeling. Sean was way above trivial things like a small mistake. Technically, it was Robin’s ship. Unofficially it was Sean Blakemore’s, commander of the Reginald Johnson for four years, up for a commendation, delayed because of personal problems and the bad mark against him. A mark she was indirectly responsible for. ‘Damn!’ She hated all this happenstance. She sat in the dark for at least an hour, uncertain.
The chime rang.
“Yes?” She asked.
“Kathy, it’s me.” The disembodied voice of Sean’s came through.
“Enter, please.” She spoke.
The door’s slide opened. Sean stepped through. It was dark in the room and Sean strained to see the figure sitting on the couch. “Kathy, are you okay?”
“Lights on.” Kathy said.
Sean stood just inside the doorway. His brows were furrowed. “I had a talk with Robin. She told me some things...” He let the pause hang in the air.
“Sean, what did she tell you?”
He stepped closer. “Are you a witch?”
Kathy held her breath. That was the one thing she thought Sean would never ask. She had it worked out, that she would show him the dig site, then the statue and then she would explain the symbols and what they found. After that she would breach the subject of witchcraft and Wicca. “She told you that?”
He nodded. She reached out and touched his cheek.
Sean almost jumped back, but caught himself. It didn’t matter what Kathy did or what Robin told him, at least he told himself that. “Kathy, I’m confused. You tell me what a witch is.”
Kathy guided Sean to the sofa, they sank in. “Sean, I have a religious preference that is different from most other humans. I practice a form of religion that was thought to have disappeared a century ago. People still remember it today because of movies, books, and old TV shows that never captured the true meaning of witchdom. Most of what you grew up with was fanciful tales.”
“What is a witch then?”
Kathy sighed deeply and said, “I’ll tell you what a witch is not. A witch is not some wrinkled, long nosed crank stooped over some huge pot boiling disgusting ingredients to perform some non-realistic wish.”
Sean chuckled.
“A witch, male or female, is someone with a belief in the Goddess. Not just a God, but a Goddess as well. It’s not too different from Hinduism if you really want to split hairs. We see things differently from most other religions. We’re nature based, and most importantly, we’re old. We were before Christ, or Judas. The Greeks and Romans borrowed extensively from us. In a way, we were the first true well thought out religion.”
Sean stared,
“I had hoped that I would slowly introduce you to the notion of Wicca, backed with the findings on Necron.”
“Necron? You mean that planet has something to do with witchcraft?”
“Well, yes and no. We found a lot of Wicca symbols and a lot of procedures for doing certain tasks ritual like in nature. A small percentage of us think that Earthlings long witnessed the rituals of an advanced species and tried to copy them. Wicca may have formed from this copying.”
Sean thought.
“You see, this planet gives validations to a religion that was crowded in a lot of wrong perceptions. This planet is vindication.”
Sean looked up. “What’s my part?”
Kathy moved close to Sean and placed her arms around him.
Sean didn’t resist. “Am I some type of puppet?”
“NO Sean, you are the most important thing, person, needed for us and you’re the most important thing in my life. I love you, Sean. Those are not just words I mean it. I need you as well as all of Wicca. Trust me please.”
Sean leaned into Kathy and gave her a hug. At this point in his life he didn’t care if his life was in danger. Sometime during one’s lifetime a person loses hope. Sean lost hope years ago. Consciously he blamed Robin for the situation, subconsciously, he knew the truth. He was not the person he had wished, should have been. He was flawed and that hurt. Ultimately, he just wanted to be loved, if not by himself then by someone else. Kathy gave it to him and all was okay.
It was six bells morning watch. Dretha was in the mess hall drinking a cup of coffee. She stared out the view port. Johnson sported two mess halls, Officer’s watch and Starboard Bow. The Officer’s watch, of course, catered to warrant and commissioned officers. Starboard Bow to everyone else. Thing was, the Commander and Dretha enjoyed visiting the Bow every now and then. It was a way to get a feel for the crew. A way to know what Johnson was thinking. Dretha sat by the view port and just let her thoughts wander. She had another hour before her shift began. She was going to take the Forenoon watch. Captain would be there, no doubt. She didn’t think that bitch slept, ever, the Commander as well. She sipped a mouthful of Cookie’s coffee and felt someone sit next to her.
Sean walked into Starboard’s Bow looking for Dretha. He knew her routine and was pretty sure she hadn’t changed it. They had been threw a lot and he hoped they would be through many more. He saw her there, sitting staring out the port. He walked up and sat next to her.
Dretha looked over her shoulder. “Hey Commander, how’s it going?”
Sean smiled, “Okay I guess. The company I’m keeping is pretty cool. Any interesting scuttlebutt?”
Dretha laughed. “Interesting? And How!”
“Really?”
She nodded and took a swallow of coffee. “Yep, some damn good stuff, too. You want to hear it?”
Sean raised an eyebrow, “You know I always like a good spin of the yarn. Give me the big juicy stuff. Skip the small stuff.”
She took another sip of coffee. “You’re whipped three sides to Sunday.”
Sean laughed out loud. He caught himself after a second, cleared his throat, and said, “Really? Took the crew long enough to see it.”
Dretha smiled. “Two hours after Doctor Loggar came aboard the ship started a pool.”
Sean was surprised, ‘A pool indeed!’ “Who won?”
“Mason in Engineering, I got second. I’ll buy you a dinner the next time we get leave. Damn good second place, two weeks pay.”
Sean whistled out loud. “The pools are that good?”
Dawn nodded and smiled.
Sean pressed his lips together. “You’re gonna have to tell me when and what the next pool is about.”
She turned to him and looked Sean straight in the eyes. “It’s when you’ll kick Captain Spaarin off Top Deck.”
Jealously is a combination of several emotions: Fear, Love, and Shame. Fear, because our self-interest in the thing that we desire is in danger of being taken. Love, because we have a very strong physical and emotion attachment to our desire. And Shame, because we are embarrassed that our object of jealously has that much control over us. Jealousy is thus a very inefficient and wasteful emotion, unless one does not care.
Chapter 15
Randals watched as the shuttle landed gently on the north-landing pad. It was the only pad close to the new chamber site. He figured Loggar would like to see it first. She had traveled a long distance and he figured she would like to see anything new immediately. Trying to make everything run smoothly almost taxed his capabilities. But he got through pretty good and he hoped she would realize that, maybe even appreciate it. He had only gotten word of her arrival about an hour ago. Damn that Herb for delaying the message. He acted like it had slipped his mind. The fat fool should be fired. That is if it were up to Randals, Herb would be bounced off Necron. But Loggar liked Herb, thus Herb was tolerated.
Sean piloted the shuttle down to the surface. He would pilot a craft every chance he get, even if it was just a regular milk run from supply station to ship. It gave him a chance to show off a bit he supposed. Robin couldn’t fly a shuttle if her life depended on it – she made her way through the ranks by way of administration and security. He started as security, became a line officer, and moved over to pilot school. He was damn good too. Rated top point zero, zero, zero one percent in all of GRID. Nine other pilots rated better than he.
Just before release Sean asked if anyone got motion sickness. Robin sat in the co-pilot seat, worthless and Loggar sat behind her. Both said no. Sean checked to see that his passengers had their seatbelts on and said ‘good.’ He switched off the gravity compensators and let the shuttle freefall to the planet. It was one hell of a ride and Sean enjoyed every second, including the screams from both Robin and Kathy – especially the scream from Robin. He had the AV recording on the whole time. The crew had started a pool on the landing. They knew the Commander would drop the compensators and give his passengers one hell of a joy ride. The AV recorded who screamed the loudest and longest and at what microsecond it would begin and end. Sean got fifth place. Not bad for his first pool.
The shuttle cycled through the landing procedures. The landing light flashed green. Randals approached it as the side door opened. Loggar stepped out first. A young woman with GRID military insignia followed her. A man followed behind her he also had GRID military insignia. Randals stared at the man for a moment. The man looked familiar, but Randals knew he never met this person before in his life. Then it dawned on him. Loggar had retrieved him for the statue. He was going to perform the rites. That revelation alone made Randals dislike and hate Sean. Loggar caught Randals approaching them. "Ted, glad you can meet us."
Randals nodded. He was staring at Sean.
"Ted." Loggar said, "This is Commander Sean Blakemore.
Sean reached a hand out. "Hello."
Randals continued to stare. After several seconds ticked by, Randals extended his hand as well. "Nice to meet you, Commander." Randals said slowly.
Sean shook his hand, but felt uneasy. If Sean trusted his instincts and gut feeling he would swear that this Randals fellow didn’t like him. Sean always believed that if someone didn’t like you from first impression screw them. They got it wrong and wasn’t worth the effort to change their minds.
Robin stepped up.
Loggar said, "And this is Captain Robin Spaarin."
Randals tore his stare away from Sean. Robin shone with a light he had never before seen in a woman, save for Loggar.
"Please to meet you Captain." Then slowly turning to Loggar, but damn was the Captain beautiful, "We found another chamber. This one is the greatest find of all."
Loggar raised an eyebrow.
Randals asked quite pointedly, "Are they cleared?"
Loggar nodded, "With everything, Ted. Do you understand? Do not hold anything back from either of them."
Randals slowly, reluctantly nodded. "Well, several records pointed us to this area. The dig team broke through only a few days ago."
The group started walking to the main building.
Loggar nodded impatiently for Randals to finish.
"The chamber is larger than the first."
Loggar asked, "Larger than the chamber with the stature?"
Randals' eyes flicked to Robin then to Sean. "Yes, much bigger."
"Well?" Loggar asked.
"The chamber has twelve more statues like the first."
Loggar stopped, "What?"
Randals continued, "Yes, totally like the first, in every aspect."
"Machine?"
Randals nodded. "Yes."
"Good Goddess, man. Show me now, please."
Sean listened to the exchange. He thought how funny one man could sense the jealousy of another. ‘Did women have this same sense?’ Sean asked himself. They must. They walked into the building entrance. The size of the building, from the inside, was much larger than what the outside presented. The group walked a distance inward and stopped at what looked like a row of elevators. Sean wondered if advanced Aliens needed elevators at all. He figured they would have some sort of teleportation system. Loggar and the others stepped into one. He decided that elevators didn’t break the laws of super duper science fiction, so it had to be so – like Humans, Necronians were lazy too.
***
On the way down Sean noticed that Randals kept staring at him. He would quickly glance away when caught. The thing Sean would have liked to say to Randals was not be mad at him. Loggar liked him and he liked her. It wasn't his fault she had no intimate feelings for Randals. Sean stopped in mid-thought; maybe she did have feelings for Randals. Maybe she was even sweet to him now and then. Oh well, too bad I'm getting it now, and I don't want to share. The door opened and the group took a right turn down a long corridor. They passed many doors. The hallway reminded Sean of an office hallway. He noted that some doors had special symbols printed on them. He shrugged and continued to follow Loggar. In time he would get a chance to ask or she would tell him what it all meant. They made several turns, and with each turn the hallway got wider and wider. Then they stopped at two large opened doors.
The chamber was large, about 100 meters in diameter. Sean noted a podium of sorts in the center of the chamber. It was empty, raised about two feet off the floor. Along the wall in twelve niches were twelve statues. All of which looked like bronze. The chamber was lit by arc lamps angled toward the ceiling. The light from the lamps gave the chamber an eerie orange glow.
Loggar stepped in first and muttered, "Fantastic. Robin, you first, step through the threshold. Sean you stay there for a bit."
Robin nodded and stepped through. The chamber seemed to briefly come alive. Robin sensed, if not felt, a flash of energy. The chamber brightened to a green color then faded to the orange glow form the arc lamps.
Robin frowned, "What the?"
"Ted, you next, hurry." Loggar said.
Randals stepped in. Nothing happened. He was disappointed.
He thought that Loggar felt disappointed as well.
Loggar looked at Sean.
"I suppose it’s my turn?"
Loggar nodded. Her glaze was glassy and unfocused. She had the look of a frightened little girl mixed with the look of a determined woman.
Sean stepped into the chamber...
There was a deep rumbling sound from some unknown place in the chamber. The orange glow was replaced by a dull, yellow glow. The walls seemed to pulsate and radiate with a sound and color unheard or unseen by humans. Robin felt it, Loggar felt it, Randals felt it, and above all, Sean felt it.
"Holy shit!" Sean muttered.
Loggar clasped her hands together and danced a little dance like a small girl, "I knew it. I knew it. Thank the Goddess I knew it." She spread her hands out wide trying to absorb the energy emanating from the walls and within the chamber.
Randals thought he heard a deep moan from one of the statues. He froze and nearly soiled his pants. He heard several more statues moan, or at least he thought he did. "Can we leave now?" His voice raised two octaves higher at his near panic.
Loggar opened her eyes and smiled. Sean was the one. Robin was the one also. She nodded and promptly walked out. The rest nearly stumbled over each other trying to walk out but not looking as if they were in a hurry. The yellow glow subsided to the orange glow from the arc lamps.
Loggar smiled. "Tomorrow Ted, we'll assembly the group at the office. We have much to plan." She started walking toward the main building. Sean and Robin followed.
Sean stepped up next to Loggar. “Umm, what the hell was that?”
Randals held up his hands parallel to the floor. He watched them shake visibly. He was scared. He looked over to Sean who had just stepped up next to Loggar. Randals decided that Sean was the enemy. He took the last hope of him being with Kathy. He shattered his illusion. Randals’ hands still shook. Things were going to get fuckin' spooky from this point forward.
Loggar smiled, “Let me think on it Sean and I’ll tell you later. I gotta think through this. Okay?”
He slowly nodded once and said, “Okay.”
Agegi watched in earnest as the one in charge had returned. This time she had others with her, a female and a male. A ray of hope shone on his plans as he saw the female had given the room a spark. 'She is a distant relation to an Elder.' He thought, ‘Fascinating.’ It was only when Sean had stepped through the doorway did Agegi's excitement peak. This is the one. The one-in-charge had gone to get this one!' Agegi set upon his task to "help" the little ones "awaken" him. This was the third time in a long time he wished he could laugh.
