Return to Earth

by Brad Stucki

  This was a place where everything existed on a different plane, a different phase of reality. Yet Javin knew they would be able to return safely wherever they wanted to go. Having shared with Fallon, a Dark Guardian, and also with Nemesis, who had learned their form of Moving, it would be no problem.

  “Darzeen.” Javin called aloud, “Where are you?” They all looked around. They could see nothing.

  Then they heard and felt a calm voice, “I am coming.” It was Darzeen. Off in the distance they could see a faint trace of contrast forming into a body, a white glow surrounding it, until Darzeen got close enough they could recognize him.

  Darzeen stepped forward and looked at Javin. “I have just blocked your memories and sent you off on your journey. It was a close thing. It would not have been good to have you see yourself coming as you were leaving." Darzeen chuckled. “And now I know why I needed to block your memories. It was necessary to set you on the path you have followed. If you would have remembered, you would have tried to go back to earth and save your people. You would have been killed before you had a chance to begin your destiny.

  “I also sense the time is right for this”, Darzeen continued. "Now you know more of who you are and what you are to do. I will unblock your memories and allow you to choose freely.

  “Come, let us make ourselves more comfortable. This may prove to be a bit painful and you will want to be seated rather than standing.”

  With that Darzeen turned and strode leaving the others to follow. He hadn’t gone far when they came upon a grouping of chairs much the same as in the Archive room. Except these chairs were pure white, and they were nearly upon them before they noticed them, so bright was the surroundings.

  “Yes”, Darzeen said aloud in his language, which they now could all understand having gone through the Portal to this realm. “Here, we have certain abilities and powers, one of which is to form matter out of energy with our minds. I created this setting using the Archive as a model.”

  "Such wonderful abilities," Rolla thought to everyone.

  Darzeen answered, “We do have wonderful abilities, and much knowledge. But even with those abilities and knowledge, we have nearly ruined everything. Our knowledge and powers outstripped our wisdom."

  “That’s what we’re here to fix” Javin said taking a seat as the others sat around him. Javin sensed the humor in Sauros’s mind at Javin’s anxiousness to have his memories unblocked. Yet this is what he had been searching for since he awakened in the jungle on Sauros’s world. Javin needed his memories back. He needed to know who he was deep down, and then hopefully they could figure out the rest of it.

  Kokos was still holding the Third Article of Power. Javin and Darzeen sat across from each other. He could sense the others making ready to support him in any way they could. Having gone through the Sharing, Darzeen began talking directly to Javin, “I believe it will work best if you and I Share, you letting me in so I can do what I must to unblock your memories.”

  “May we Share as well?” Kokos asked. "We can lend him strength and support, you said it may be painful."

  "That maybe good," Darzeen said. “But realize in the Sharing, you will all feel the pain.”

  “We have already Shared pain with Javin," Sauros said. "This could hardly be worse."

  “Right, let’s get started then,” Javin said, opening himself up, reaching out to Darzeen mentally, encouraging him to begin the Sharing. Javin felt the others join in, felt their love, their support, their warmth.

  Javin felt Darzeen mentally probe in and around his mind where Javin knew his memories were. They had attempted to get to those often enough, he knew exactly where they were located.

  The problem was how to unlock them? This time, rather than exert any pressure, Javin felt Darzeen surround the place mentally where his stored memories were kept. Then he felt pulses of energy surging back and forth quickly crisscrossing in a pattern that reminded Javin of circuits moving back and forth in a combination, a pattern that seem to release the tight bond and allow the encased memories to unfold like the opening of a rose. Gently and very subtly, then there was a torrent that was overwhelming, and Javin felt the pain of such rapid expansion as if his mind were going to explode.

  All around him, though, he felt the strength, the comfort of his friends, those who loved him, and he rode out the storm welcoming it, embracing the pain, and rejoicing at finding what had been lost to him.

  The pain didn’t matter. The expansion of his mind cascaded and filled through his whole body allowing him to recognize, to feel who he really was, to truly come back to himself.

  Chapter 40

  The expansion of Javin's mind, the rush of all the memories and knowledge, made him feel like he was being carried along in a torrent of memory. He was filled with joy as well as the pain of the expansion, stretching his soul and mind.

  And then he felt something, some other touch in his mind. It was unfamiliar. He could feel Sauros, Rolla, Kokos, and Darzeen flowing along with him, also experiencing the joy . . . and pain. Yet this was different. Unique. Extremely powerful.

  And then it was gone, and the torrent started to settle, started a slow swirl until it became a maelstrom threatening to suck him down into darkness. The pain came now from compression rather than expansion. It was the feeling of pressure, constriction, forcing all his unbound memories to fit once more within a confined space.

  Javin tried to relax. It was part of the process. He could feel it from Darzeen. He trusted Darzeen. Trusted the others. All would be fine.

  He went with the flow, allowing the swirling compression, allowing himself and those with him to be taken down, down to where all the memories and knowledge must settle once again.

  And they did. The swirling became quicker, more dense, compacting once again into the tiny space of his mind.

  Javin released his anxiety, released his fear, and thus reassuring the others with him, they sank deeper, more compact, more compressed until the light started to fade.

  “Not this again,” Javin thought, but he allowed it, knowing it must happen. The memories spiraling out of control needed to be contained, to be encapsulated once again, but under his control and within easy access, a lifetime of thoughts, memories, knowledge, learning, experiences, all compressing.

  The inner light faded until it was pitch black. All was silent.

  ***

  Javin opened his eyes to a blinding white, he squinted, blinked, allowing his eyes to focus, seeing he was surrounded by his friends. Then the bond resurfaced and it grew stronger. They had all Shared with him. They knew all that he knew. With that, and his refreshed memories and knowledge came a new sense of freedom.

  Being known so completely, and knowing oneself so completely, and being willing to Share in this fashion was both scary and exhilarating at the same time. Yet he trusted all his friends, for he knew them the same way they now knew him.

  Javin felt full, more full than he had ever remembered feeling.

  Sauros reached over, placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Are you all right my friend?”

  Javin turned and smiled, “Absolutely.” Then Javin cautiously started to delve into his memories. He focused on just before he awoke on Sauros' planet.

  Chapter 41

  Javin was almost afraid to search, but the memory came forth boldly. He was in the jungle, the jungle of his home planet, earth, and he knew it, and realized he was in the midst of an invasion. An invasion by the Aquarians!

  He turned and looked at Rolla. She was staring at him, feeling his memories along with him. Her eyes grew wide and a tear crept down the side of her face. She was just as horrified as he.

  Javin remembered creeping through the jungle, the Aquarians taking his soldiers then blocking him. He remembered touching off the suitcase nuke . . . then white . . . everywhere.

  Javin looked at Darzeen.

  “That just barely happened to me,” Javin said.

  “You are now in a Time Cycle,"
Darzeen said. "You exist in two different places at the same time.”

  Javin’s eyes widened, then he shook his head, “Wow,” he said. “We’ve got to figure this out. We've got to somehow stop the invasion. But . . . it's already happened!"

  So many killed! Javin couldn't help but look at Rolla again. Her people were killing his people! Yes, he knew they were being subtly controlled by Nemesis. They were a strong and proud and powerful people. They were a good people. Javin knew this from Sharing with Rolla.

  “If we have already traveled in time,” Javin said, an idea forming in his mind, “Then perhaps we can go back in time and stop this. Keep it from happening!”

  “We must be very careful, Javin,” Darzeen said, “The timeline is fragile. It has already been disrupted. Going back and changing what has occurred may have unintended consequences. If we stop the invasion, you will not have been rescued. You wouldn't have met me or been set upon the path you currently follow. All that has occurred will not have happened or will be changed so much we wouldn't recognize each other. We just don't know what changes will occur. At least with things as they are, we know. We are here. We can affect what we can from this moment on. Other paths the new timeline may take could result in your death. Then the Grand Plan will be completely disrupted.”

  “But it's been disrupted already,” Javin said, “Nemesis and your brethren, the Dark Guardians, have constantly disrupted it, constantly interfered. Your own people have marred the Plan almost beyond recognition. If the Ancients are as powerful as we all believe, their Plan would not be such a fragile one. As we can already see, it has been disrupted numerous times, but we're still here, striving to make it happen!”

  “I am with Javin,” Rolla said, mentally interrupting everyone's thoughts. Normally, she was meek and quiet, her words caressing each mind. This time her thoughts pushed forth solid and strong. “I wish to reclaim my people and prevent them from committing this atrocity. Once my people learn what they have truly done, their shame would be too great to bear. As a people we would not survive. We would be diminished beyond words.”

  Kokos turned and placed an arm around Rolla’s shoulders.

  “What good is saving the galaxy," Sauros said, "if Javin’s people are sacrificed? We must try.”

  Darzeen bowed his head in acquiescence. “There is one small hope,” he said. “In my research, I came across some records of the Ancients. Now that we're talking about this, it brings it to my mind. Must be from all of your Crystals and constant Sharing with me. It's called the Observer Phenomenon.”

  As Darzeen spoke, Javin and the rest sought within Darzeen’s memories they each held, to follow as he spoke.

  “The Observer Phenomenon states that one can be immune from changes in the timeline if they are somehow set apart and observing the phenomenon. How do we do this, I do not know."

  "I believe we have already been doing such," Kokos interrupted. "As Javin and Sauros have travelled from world to world, and from time to time, we all seemingly have remained unaffected -- though we probably wouldn't realize if our timeline has shifted.”

  Kokos continued, “In my research with the Archive, it also mentions this. Now we are discussing it, you all can access it through your Gifts."

  They all were silent, seeking within for the knowledge she was pointing them to.

  "I believe the fact that we are acting upon the timeline, places us in the observer role," Kokos said. “In any case, if we all maintain our bond, those acting on the timeline,” she said nodding to Javin and Sauros, “will pull us along with them, and we will remain with them in their state, and in their timeline.”

  Darzeen appeared to be pondering, then nodded. “I can't disprove it. Nor can I prove it."

  "It has been proven!” Javin said, “Because we’re all here, now, and if we all remain together, we'll travel through time together. It must be the way. We have to prevent the invasion of Earth!”

  Chapter 42

  Javin, using the power of the Third Article was deep in his own mind. His senses out, searching the cosmos to find Nemesis. Javin wasn’t sure how to do this, but he must find him. There! A faint touch. Shielded yes, but the power inherent in the Third Article allowed him to detect not only the shielding but the essence of Nemesis behind it.

  He’d found him. Now he needed to do something which he could only think about doing. And in the thinking, he suited thoughts to action - again, aided by his Gestalt Stone and the Third Article of Power. Javin traced the essence, the memories he could detect within Nemesis back, backward in time, to a place before the invasion, before he reached Earth, to a time where Javin could meet with him and hopefully stop the invasion one way or another. He set that point in time and felt the resonance of the place and the time. And Moved himself there.

  ***

  Javin materialized in a large room thickly foliaged with jungle ferns and plants. It was a room made up to resemble the home-world of the Aquarians. The large dome ceiling overhead, luminescent with bright light reminded Javin, supplied by Rolla’s memories, of one of their parks, a recreation area. Yet it was located on the flagship of the Aquarian Fleet hovering in space just above the ecliptic of earth. The invasion was about to begin. Directly in front of Javin Nemesis sat on a raised dais, seated upon what only could be styled as a throne. Standing next to him was the Aquarian king, Rolla's father, staring at him. Javin could feel his astonishment, and that of Nemesis, who immediately slapped an Article of Power - fueled shielding around Javin.

  “You’re alive! How . . . How did you find me?” Nemesis demanded. Javin quickly let go the flow from of the Third Article of Power and allowed the Nemesis’ shielding to remain. He didn't resist, but he also held on to the kernel of bond he still held with Sauros, Kokos, Rolla and Darzeen. And . . . he felt something else, someone else. So faintly he could barely detect it. Then Javin’s attention was pulled back to Nemesis,

  “I asked, how did you find me?”

  Javin looked at Nemesis calmly. “That doesn't matter. I did find you and I'm here of my own volition. There are new things you need to know.”

  “Oh,” Nemesis said sitting back in his throne, smiling, “I think I know quite enough. I know the Plan and I know what's to happen. Yet, I am not gullible. I'm seeking proof. Just because some Ancients planted it in their Archive doesn't mean they are truly altruistic towards us. Who knows but what this is a means they have devised for us to destroy ourselves, so they have the galaxy to themselves. I will not blindly trust, like you fools!”

  “Fair enough,” Javin said, “but I have some knowledge you will want. You see, we have Shared with a Light Guardian, and also your former master, Fallon. And more than that, my memories are unblocked. It’s important for you to have those as well. Critical in fact. It will save your life . . . if you let it. I’ve come to offer this all freely, to you. Just stop this foolish invasion!

  “These are our people! Our brothers and sisters! our flesh and blood. There are other ways we can get the proof you - we both need and want!”

  Javin watched Nemesis closely, he could feel Nemesis considering his offer of Sharing, though he was still wary. Javin took the opportunity to look more closely at the room. Something about it seemed familiar. That's it! He'd been here before! But no. He hadn't been here before. With his memories unblocked, he realized it was a memory - no, a vision of this very scene. It had come to him back on Sauros' world, just before he'd encountered Nemesis for the very first time. Something had triggered the vision of this meeting. And now here they were!

  How could this vision be? Javin had only just determined to seek Nemesis out and confront him. Yet the vision had occurred some time ago. Did the Ancients foresee all of this? Could his Crystal, his Gestalt Stone, have something to do with this? Or was there something else at play here? Yes, that was it. Javin was existing right now at a different place, on Sauros’ world, and maybe even having this same vision when he’d experienced it earlier. That was why. His existing in two places at
the same time, while having the Gift, was causing one consciousness to bleed over into the other.

  Javin was pulled from his thoughts by Nemesis standing from his throne, looking down on Javin.

  "I'll take you up on your offer of Sharing, and then I'll decide what we do from there." He reached into his pouch pulling out the two Articles of Power and held them in one hand. Javin realized Nemesis was being careful not to bring them together. So he realized the danger of bringing even two of the Articles together, Javin thought.

  Then Javin felt the first tendril of probing, of Nemesis' reaching out to him. Nemesis was tentative but filled with power. The shielding was still in place. The thought - bond and Sharing superseded any shielding, and he still felt the kernels of Sauros, Rolla, Kokos and Darzeen within him. Their hastily formed plan could still work even with Javin being shielded.

  Javin allowed himself to relax, to open himself fully and completely. He didn't want anything to stand in the way of the Sharing, and he concentrated on letting Nemesis in, focusing only on that and nothing else.

  The Sharing began. Nemesis was careful at first, drawing in bit by bit, watching Javin carefully. The pace increased. There was so much there, a lifetime of unblocked memories, and something . . . deeper that both Javin and Nemesis could sense. Nemesis wanted that, needed that portion, as they both instinctively knew it held the final parts of the Grand Plan.

  Nemesis worked at it, pried at it, but it was slippery. It wasn't encased like Javin's other memories. It was like these . . . thoughts . . . were there, but when Nemesis / Javin went to retrieve them, they just slid aside and couldn't be grasped.

  "There is something wrong. Why are you fighting me?" Nemesis asked. He increased what he was pulling from the two Articles of Power, and Javin started to feel a bit of pressure in his mind, increasing to pain. Still he kept himself open, wanting Nemesis to succeed, and indeed, was helping him trying to corner those thoughts, those plans.