“Why? I don’t understand.”
Lucas knows that the danger is near. “I’m trying to figure out the best way to tell you this.”
“Tell me what? What are you getting at?”
“I’m just too sick to continue this job, so please listen.”
“I’m listening.”
“This may be difficult for you to believe, but that conflict between the serillians and Delron Corporation officials was only the beginning of something far worse.”
Xavier leans back in surprise. “In what way?”
Lucas pauses. “First of all, I need to know if there has been any improvement between you and your step siblings.”
Xavier frowns. “The only improvement is that they stay in Atlanta where they belong and out of my life. Case closed.”
Lucas sighs. “I figured as much. The situation being as is, you just may need their help.”
Xavier becomes incensed. “Like hell I will. Do you have any idea of how they treated my brother and me?”
“Yes, I do. Laura was totally wrong to blame Vausteau for your mom’s death. Still, I need for you to keep calm so you can understand what I’m about to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
“My associates and I know that within a year, maybe two, an enormous alien invasion force will reach Earth. Millions of people could die.”
Xavier is shocked. “An enormous alien invasion force? How do you all know this?”
“For a long time, we have been monitoring the progress of this invasion force called the Anatahn Alliance.”
“Anatahn Alliance? Uncle Lucas, I’m lost. I mean, the serillian attack scared a lot of us. But now, you’re telling me that an invasion force called the Anatahn will attack Earth.”
Lucas sips some ice water. “Did your mother ever mention anything about a group of people called the Guardians?”
Xavier scratches his head. “No, but I do remember that she made some notations about some guardians in a very old paper book I had read earlier. Who are these guardians?”
“We are an organization of people that have kept secret key information and technologies that are to be used to counter these invasion forces. Your mother and I were among a long line of Earth guardians.” Lucas watches Xavier’s predictable reaction of disbelief.
Xavier fights to overcome his disbelief and confusion. “So, you and my mom were part of a secret society?”
“I wouldn’t use the term secret society,” Lucas continues, “but that’s essentially who we are. Our goal is to insure the survival of our planetary civilizations.”
“Our planetary civilizations? As in more than one planet?”
“Yes, all three of us.”
“Okay, I’m trying to grasp this. So, who are the other two?”
Lucas smiles. “The corisians of planet Marendas and the henaru of planet Tarak. Unknown to the vast majority of humans, a select group of officials within the governments of Egypt and Ghana has been in secret communication with the corisians and henaru for some years.”
“Secret communication? How?”
“Before I answer that, we need a new human guardian to interact with the corisian and the henaru guardians. I was going to choose Vausteau.”
Xavier briefly closes his eyes and rubs the top of his nose. “How were you all able to determine that this Anatahn is going to attack Earth and these other planets? No invasion force would give their enemy a time table for an attack.”
“Over time, the guardians had compiled information about the Anatahn, a multi-planetary alliance. Presently, there are untold hundreds of thousands of worlds under their rule.”
“So, the entire galaxy is populated?”
“Not exactly. Extensive studies have shown that majority of the planets in the galaxy are uninhabited.”
“But you said that the guardians exist on three worlds.”
“No,” Lucas replies. “Other than the guardians on Earth, Marendas, and Tarak, there are about one million guardians located throughout the galaxy.”
“One million? So, all these other guardians collect information about the Anatahn Alliance and send it here?”
“No way,” Lucas answers. “Only the guardians who actually monitor Anatahn military activities keep us up to date. The others perform numerous other tasks, including logistical support.”
“I’m thinking that setting up a covert organization like that would take decades.”
“Actually, it took much longer than that.”
“You make it seem like the Anatahn Alliance is taking over the entire inhabited galaxy.”
“That’s exactly what they’re doing,” Lucas concludes. “Our galactic sector will be the last to be invaded. Xavier, I don’t expect you to understand all of this now, but you will in time. However, I need you as a guardian now.”
“So, my mother was a guardian? Did my father know this?”
“For whatever reason Joëlle had, I believe she chose not to tell any of this to Lamone. She thought that she could bide her time before finally choosing Vausteau.”
“Not that I care, but why didn’t she choose a guardian from among her first set of children?”
“Well, at first, she did.”
“Who?”
“James Davidson.”
Xavier bristles at the mere mention of his oldest step-brother. “If she chose James, then how did you end up being the guardian?”
“The answer is somewhat complex,” Lucas admits.
“Uncle Lucas, I have time.”
“Traditionally, guardian parents would choose their eldest child to be the next guardian. Joëlle began training James when he was thirteen. However, your mother had a lot of trouble with James. In time, he became arrogant.”
“James always thought too much of himself regardless,” Xavier avows.
“Joëlle knew that James could cause serious issues with the alien guardians. So she decided that your brother would be a better guardian.”
“Huh? When James was thirteen, Vausteau was only nine.”
Lucas takes another sip of iced water. “Although she loved all her children, Vausteau was her heart. Of course, that made your step-siblings very envious of Vausteau.”
“Yeah, I know. After she died, their envy turned into hate. At mom’s funeral, we sat away from the Davidsons.”
Lucas agrees. “Out of necessity, however, I took to being the next guardian. I knew how the procedure worked.”
Xavier is becoming more troubled. “So now, you want me to be this new human guardian?”
“Yes.”
“Uncle Lucas, I’m a professor at San Augustan University. I just can’t up and leave my job.”
“You don’t have to leave your job. All communiqués with the henaru and the corisians can be done right here from San Augustan, and in real time.”
“That’s impossible,” Xavier objects. “Communication with another inhabited planet would take years, if not centuries.”
“Real-time communication with an extrasolar civilization is impossible using earth-based technology.”
“Something still bothers me. How did the corisians and the henaru know about Earth? I mean, had they landed in Egypt or Ghana, it would have been worldwide news.”
“They didn’t come to us, we first went to them.”
“Oh? When?”
“According to some old info, some humans left had Earth to visit both planets 284 years ago.”
Xavier stands up out of his seat. “That’s impossible!”
“You’ve said that already.”
“Uncle Lucas, we’re talking 1974. Back then, humans could barely make it out of Earth’s atmosphere. There’s no way they could have reached another inhabited planet.”
“I don’t have all the specifics,” Lucas admits.
“I’m trying to come to grips with this. You say that the Anatahn Alliance will attack Earth within a year or two?”
“Yes.”
“Then you say that you need a human
guardian to interact with the corisians and henaru, all because some people who lived nearly three centuries ago had visited these planets? I mean, who were they?”
“I don’t know. Except for the critical information that we still have, much of the original information was lost.”
Xavier is more puzzled. “What critical information?”
“Essentially, we have been developing special weapons and strategies to use against the Anatahn invasion force.”
“You guys have been developing weapons here on earth?”
“No, on Marendas and Tarak.” Lucas sees the look on his nephew’s face. “I knew this would be hard for you. Close the door and stand in front of it.”
Xavier walks over to the door and closes it. Lucas removes a small device and activates it.
Xavier laughs. “It’s just some cheap holophone you can buy from any Waldex outlet.”
Lucas begins laughing. “What’s the usual projected image size of the person on the other side?”
“Oh, I guess anywhere from four to six inches.”
Lucas gives the device a voice command. Suddenly, an ultra-high resolution image of a humanoid, approximately six feet tall, appears. Xavier turns to flee.
“Xavier, please do not be fearful. Your uncle and I wish to talk with you.”
Xavier, turning back around to gaze at the individual, is still speechless.
“Xavier,” the individual begins, “I have been listening to the conversation between Lucas and yourself.”
“Who and what are you?”
“I am Alleveran Korackus, a corisian. Your uncle speaks the truth. We are certain that, along with many other planets in this sector, your Earth will eventually face a massive alien force called the Anatahn Alliance.”
“Is this a joke?” Xavier demands.
“No, I am not here to be amusing,” Alleveran corrects him. “As Lucas had indicated, we need an earth human to act as, shall we say, an intermediary between our worlds.”
Xavier looks past the alien at his smiling uncle. “Then, you are serious.”
“Yes, I am. Now, will you please take the job?”
Xavier begins thinking hard. “This is all so new to me.”
“Xavier,” Lucas continues, “you can learn as you go along. Your involvement in this is important. I’m just too sick to continue this.”
“Yeah, but what about Vausteau? Those serillians just took him. After seven months, he could be anywhere by now.”
“Regarding your brother Vausteau,” Alleveran interrupts. “I believe that there may be a way to locate him.”
“How?”
“As I was listening to your conversation with Lucas, both of you mentioned the serillians.”
“What do you know of them?” Xavier asks.
“I have had no interaction with serillians. Yet, much of the information about them is unfavorable.”
“Okay, so what about finding my brother?”
“As Lucas indicated, the guardians are situated throughout the galaxy. They keep in contact with each other via a secret communications network.”
“I was surprise to learn,” Lucas retorts, “that the guardian organization was begun by those same humans. According to an old source, one of the humans was called Meuraceas.”
“Meuraceas? Who kind of name is that?”
“As I said, I don’t have all the details. Many other guardians may be able to shed light on these first humans.”
“So, you’re saying that these 1,000,000 other guardians are all descendants of those humans who lived 284 years ago?”
“Obviously.”
“Uncle Lucas.”
“Yes.”
“Wouldn’t that make mom, you and me descendants of these same original humans?”
“Yes, in all likelihood,” Lucas admits, “and I know where you’re going with this.”
“Well, all I need to do is perform an online DNA/Ancestry search and discover who these guys are. Problem solved.”
Lucas smiles again. “So, you think that I haven’t done that already?”
“So what did you come up with?”
“Your mother’s great-grandparents immigrated to America from Côte d’Ivoire in West Afrika.”
“Okay.”
“Now, think about that when I mention May 1, 2101.”
“Of course,” Xavier boasts, “that date marked the creation of the United Nations of Afrika.”
“Correct,” Lucas agrees. “After decades of bloody wars and fighting between pro-UNA forces and anti-UNA forces, Afrika finally gained its independence from European and American dominance to ultimately become a world power.”
“Still, what does this have to with what we were talking about?”
“During the final few years leading up to the creation of the UNA, anti-UNA groups and their allies went on a rampage throughout various Afrikan nations.”
“Yeah, many anti-UNA groups had European backing.”
“Regardless,” Lucas affirms, “quite a few of these anti-UNA groups deliberately destroyed huge amounts of Afrikan historical records, artifacts and genealogical records.”
Xavier becomes solemn. “Yeah, I almost forgot about that.”
“It’s sad that after 157 years, many people are still working to rebuild much of the destroyed history and information.”
“So, tracing my mother’s ancestry is out of the question.”
“Not exactly,” Lucas acknowledges. “There are other ways.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you’re willing, your maternal grandparents can offer you a lot of information that can aid you in your research.”
“Yeah, but they moved. Where do they live now?”
“Atlanta, Georgia.”
“Xavier develops a deep frown and faces away.
Lucas cuts no slack. “Time and again, I’ve urged you both to settle this matter. This hate must end.”
Xavier faces his uncle. “I can’t help how I feel.”
“Yes you can. You may not want to hear it, but this entire situation will require the help of your step-siblings.”
“If I may interrupt.”
“Yes Alleveran, please do,” Lucas tells him.
“Xavier, this will take time. I can transmit a communiqué into the guardian network. If you provide me with enough information about Vausteau, some of the guardians can do an extensive search of his location.”
Xavier is amazed. “Can they really find Vausteau among all those planetary civilizations?”
“Yes they can,” Lucas interrupts. “This also means that if you become a guardian, you’ll be in the best position to find your brother and possibly have him brought home.”
“Uncle Lucas.”
“Yes?”
“I want to bring my brother home. When do I start?”
“Right now. You have much work to do. I will inform the guardian on Tarak of the situation.” Even if he has to deal with his step-siblings, Xavier is determined to perform this task. His brother’s safety is of paramount concern to him. At the same time, the involvement of the first humans has become too intriguing for him to ignore. Years earlier, he had uncovered some information that falls in line with what his uncle has told him. A tattered paper book that was in his mother’s family for generations had revealed some startling information.
CHAPTER 6 THE DEFIANT DAUGHTER
Planet Dabenar
Indigenous Inhabitants: Selothian
City: Ithamar
Nation: Gothian
Cumal, 22 Vagean 2226 B.E.
“In response, the military cruiser, Liserius, finally entered the planetary system from where the Illasius was last heard. The crew of the Liserius was unable to find the Illasius. Reportedly, they were able to recover the Illasius’ emergency distress buoy, along with what appeared to be remnants of her outer hull. Upon inspection of the buoy’s data, the Illasius, for unknown reasons, began experiencing critical maneuvering problems. After a diligent search of the
planetary system in question and based on the proximity of the emergency distress buoy to a gas giant, government and military officials reached a conclusion. The Illasius was destroyed after plunging out of control into the planet’s atmosphere. Thus, Daljik and Rahmik perished.”
After ending his narrative, Solabahn emphasizes that highly reliable military records were the basis for his determination.
“Lies! Those are outright lies and you know this! All of you know that it did not happen that way!”
Everyone else, Solabahn especially, looks at the individual behind the outburst. He suddenly feels that his day is going badly. “And just who are you?” He demands. As an invisible audio-acquisition beam is trained on the female, others within the audience focus their attention on her as she is rising out of her seat. The 160-pound, 6’1” attractive female has a stern look on her face. She is wearing a stylish three-piece turquoise outfit. Her top garment is embroidered with images of kalinor plants. Her dark amber skin is complemented by her dark indigo hair, which is cut short and fashionably shaped.
In her right hand is an auvisuon data tablet. “You know who I am! Selvon Jarrak deliberately sabotaged the Illasius. After a two-year investigation by Sanstean Investigation Bureau special agents into that experimental gravitational mishap, he was found guilty and imprisoned! You know this to be true!”
Briefly, Solabahn stares at her as he is frowning. Suddenly, all of the memories begin to return. He remembers her as an obstinate young radical and rebel-rousing troublemaker. He considered her actions during that particular time as a serious threat to public order. The tumultuous events from eighty years earlier seem like a nightmare that he wants desperately to forget.
The Emissary Page 4
