Resolution

by Douglas E Roff

  “I wish to make clear that Paulo Fortizi and his forces will be defeated soundly by us, and Paulo will meet his end quickly and decisively on the white sands of the Coliseum. Liara the Creator, for whatever reasons she alone knows, has given us a year to prepare for the judgment about whether the error she permitted to occur has been corrected. We have a plan, but it will remain solely within the mind of the Manti until he decides it is time to reveal it in all its fullness. I don’t pretend to understand his thinking, and he has not shared with me everything he intends to do. But he has given me the authority to assign duties to every citizen in the realm through you here today as leaders of your people and your clans. You will receive a communication today, and I expect you to make your own assignments and communicate progress up and down the chain of command, so we know we are all pulling in the same direction at the same time. Please do not make me visit you to correct lax behavior. If you do not feel you are up to the rigorous task ahead, make plans to depart Paraiso with our blessing.”

  Someone shouted, “What can you tell us today? What you have shared just now is vague and tells me nothing of what is expected. I am committed and will stay no matter what, but secrecy should not be the foundation of our new society. Has not the Manti told us this?”

  “He has. Now I will share the broad outlines of what will happen and when. Let me preface this by saying that the Manti is not only hunted by Paulo’s clans of the Collective, but by the governments of the world.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the Manti possesses knowledge, materials and technology that world governments want to use to create weapons and tools of war. The Manti will not give these things to his or any government; they are for our protection alone and not for the destruction of mankind, the Gens Nation or the Nobilus Maximus.

  Our task is to prepare for the future which blends the genetic material of our three species into each new life and add a fourth gene common to half the human population. We must control the unfettered growth of humanity and create a population that is smaller, more stable and vastly more sustainable. Among the Gens and the Nobilus, this is much more easily attainable. Among the human population this will border on the impossible. Humans have long thought themselves alone at the top of the food chain, without the need to interact with other species or cooperate with them in any way. They believe they alone are the stewards of the planet and any decision made by them is God given. It is not.”

  “Then the Great Cull was not wrong in its conception.”

  Misti responded, “I will grant that the goal of stopping further growth was correct. But the Great Cull was doomed to failure and would only have resulted in the genocide of the Gens Nation and the Nobilus Maximus. War was never the answer, though I cannot tell you I know what the perfect and correct course ought to be. Whatever the decision, the Manti prefers negotiation and voluntary reduction. It will be difficult.”

  “And if the human species ignores our understanding of the catastrophe that awaits us absent cooperation? What then?”

  “I don’t know. I only know that the Manti is laboring daily to solve this dilemma without bloodshed.”

  “What bloodshed?”

  “We must reveal ourselves to the world. Not right now, but after the Manti is victorious against Paulo and his forces. There will be battles with the forces of the Collective and perhaps even human armies; that is a certainty. Many among us will not survive. But, the Manti will lead us in battle, as will others. Between you and the forces arrayed against us will be those who love you most. We will not hide; we will lead the way forward.”

  A woman shouted, “What must we do until then?”

  “Before the fight, we must do the following things. All three species must form a council to cooperate in rallying our peoples to our cause. The truth will be told, whether the world chooses to believe it or not. I expect, as I mentioned before, that humanity will pose the greatest challenge. We have a group of experts focused just on this difficult problem.

  “Next we must control all of the seven Great Libraries of the Gens Nation and the Great Library of Alexandria. Within these Libraries are the numbers and locations of all Gens and Nobilus everywhere. All genetic information is stored in these facilities, which is central to our future plans.

  Misti continued, “Further we must locate every individual of any species possessing more than two of the four required genetic traits. Every individual who has the fourth gene must be found. These individuals are the foundation of our salvation. We also have to identify the few, like Adam, who possess all four genes. They are special and must be kept safe. Paulo was searching for them without success. His was intent on killing them all, along with Adam. He fears they may have powers like Adam. Imagine an army of such beings, led by Adam. The leadership of the Collective fears them as much as Adam, though borne out of ignorance, since none other have yet been found.”

  “We must find out and record all we can about the genetic makeup of all humans. This will be difficult but may be possible.”

  “Why?”

  “We must identify which humans have no traits we can use. The fourth gene began to disappear in humans in numbers at the moment that humanity crossed the four billion population mark. We don’t know why, but they will be ignored as we concentrate on those humans who possess two or more markers. As I said, they are the future and the means of survival of this planet.”

  “At the present time, and certainly into the future, the American, British, and Israeli governments are actively pursuing Adam, the location of Paraiso, our tech and our access and mastery over the DL Main. The materials that we have developed to create our homes and buildings, and just about everything else from roads and home products to complex machinery, and yes, our weapons and the shield that hides us and protects us from the weather and satellite spying. These governments want our tech, materials and IP to use as weapons of war. Adam forbids any access by anyone outside of our complex and has Alana McCarthy busy defending us against daily attempts to locate us and hack their way into our computer systems. They are trying to hack our firewalls to tap into our data in the copy of the DL Main we possess. We are quickly acting to air gap most of our data and prevent any access to our systems through the mainframe available to them. We have a kill switch, and if they push us too far, Adam can begin to delete data they don’t believe we know about.

  “After the fight, when time is pressing, we will begin introducing the Gens and Nobilus to the world of humans. We will enlist the help of religious figures, the United Nations and all peace-loving organizations to acknowledge our existence, first to receptive audiences, then later to the general public worldwide. We will back our peaceful initiatives with strength through the use of force, shutting down essential systems and affecting the military and security services. If the Brits and Israeli’s persist in this madness, they will suffer such immense pain, they will wish they had never colluded with the American forces. Don’t forget for a minute that no matter what they say, they are coming for us. But have faith in our ability to bloody noses and break limbs. If they get close, having been warned time and time again against precipitous action, they will all suffer the consequences. The choice is theirs.

  “We must organize our goals and plan the future. Easy to say, hard to do. We must be guided by genetics and solve the problem of overpopulation in order to staunch the bleeding. Further overpopulation will only defeat our efforts in a way we cannot predict.

  “Finally, we must find a way to save Adam from his fate at the hands of Liara the Creator. I have no idea how, and Adam has accepted his fate; there seems no way to alter what Liara desires. She has repeated many times, and in many ways, that the decision is final. He must die at the hands of Hecate the Immortal. It is perverse.

  “Go home and await my communication and begin reporting your efforts to organize and give out assignments to your people. Do not let me down; work hard or leave.”

  Chapter 23

  Adam was at home a fe
w days after the meeting with Misti, and all Paraiso was energized into doing their part. Alana, Vera and Niona likewise were working at home at night, and in their places of work in the City during the day. All were conscious that time was of the essence; all were engaged fully in their tasks. Vera was now more conscious of her role than ever before and spent long hours planning the future rollout of her plan for dealing with humanity with Bitsie Tolan. She had never given much thought to the reluctance that would come from humanity once Adam outed the existence of other beings on the planet, the threat that faced them, and the pleas to set aside old enmities and join the cause to save the future of the planet. Adam was discouraged; humanity was, as best, tribal, ignorant, and fearful of the unknown. How could he grab their attention and convince his birth species that time was not unlimited? Pieces had to be put into place and soon; otherwise the clock would run out and genetic repairs could not come fast enough. He needed more time.

  Vera was just as mindful, but rather than concern herself with the stupendous and impossible task, she concentrated on the tools she had available, began planning her organization and personnel requirements, identifying key centers of influence, and the various media access channels required to be effective. She knew she could not be wholly successful in the time allowed, so she formulated another plan, a draconian plan, a doomsday plan with Alana that, if necessary, would have to be implemented. It was either her plan for the world to go on living, or extinction.

  She steeled her mind against the prospect of a conversation she would need to have with Adam, not because he would not see the rationality of her argument, but because she knew he would never reveal that the plan was hers. He would decide, then if necessary to implement, he alone would take the heat. He would become the most hated man on the planet; possibly of all time.

  Four billion human deaths. The thought, the consequences of success broached no other way, were terrifying.

  Adam would have to approve and carry out her nightmare scenario. He would not wish to do so, but she had a backup to the backup plan to incrementally demonstrate there was no other way; execution of the plan was not optional.

  Late one evening, there was a knock at the door, and two hooded figures were on his doorstep. They were Misti and Kendra. A visit this late could not be good, but they were ushered in; Vera, Niona and Alana came quickly to greet their friends and sisters. They too understood that any news this night, whatever it was, could not be good.

  Misti said, “Kendra and I have just returned from a long visit with Hannah in her residence to speak with her about her lack of resolve and unwillingness to work on her tasks. Her staff has heard nothing from her in days, she bars her doors and refuses communication. I love Hannah, but something is wrong, and we have no time for the formalities of coaxing her physically back to work.”

  “What happened?”

  “We forced our way in only to find a torpid and angry woman reclined on her couch watching TV. She was unwilling to talk to us, preferring to binge watch old TV shows. I summoned Hecate.”

  “I’m here too,” Hecate said. “Just not materialized.”

  “Then materialize this instant.” Misti’s tone was uncivil.

  “A ‘please’ would be nice, Misti. You are not my Master; do not let this new authority you have been granted grow your own arrogance beyond normal limits. I grow weary of your constant orders and directives. I’m fully mature and your manner offends me. Mind your tone.”

  “Apologies.”

  “What of Hannah?”

  “Adam, she mentally deteriorates daily from a sickness I cannot cure. Nor can Hecate; we can only observe the changes. We need your help, and Vera’s, to correct her downward spiral before it is too late. Fionna would be helpful too, if she isn’t pouting at her residence somewhere distant.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Hannah has never accepted that she left you, preferring to believe you left her; she considers you her husband, and she your principal wife. All others are but concubines who she feels stole you from her and over whom she should have complete authority. It is driving her to madness; soon we will be unable to save her. We must all go to her now. You must perform the surgery on her mind tonight that you once did on Alana and Vera. Vera you must come and assist, while Hecate dwells within her mind and helps direct what you must do. Niona, you, as healer must help stabilize her and remain with her to oversee her recovery.”

  “Where?”

  “We shall kidnap her, sedate her, and bring her here to your home. She must remain here until she has recovered. This will be difficult for you, Vera, but this is what we must do. Her sanity hangs in the balance. We must leave now.”

  Adam said, “Show us the way and direct our efforts.”

  “I have Tar and his men outside her residence; she has already tried to escape. Make haste.”

  Niona said, “Hecate, please go to Fionna and ask her to meet us here. She may still be angry, rude, or sarcastic, but her skills are incomparable. Tell her I beg her assistance.”

  “As you command, Lady Niona.”

  ***

  Hannah was restrained, given a draught that would put her into a deep sleep then moved to Adam’s quarters. She was placed in restraints on large bed for her own safety; her madness had earlier quickened to the point that she recognized no one and lashed out at anyone who came near. Finally, Adam slowly approached her and gently put his arms around her and spoke in soft, soothing tones.

  “I am here my beloved, here to gentle the terrible spirits that dwell within you mind. I shall reach into your psyche and together we shall fight this monster, this thing which now possesses you. Will you walk with me and accept my embrace; I want only to return you to the tender heart I have always loved and cherished. I have potion we shall both drink that will return us to a time long before all this pain began when we were in love and the outside world and worries mattered not at all.”

  Hannah said, “Promise me that you have always loved me and always will. Then I shall drink deep of your potion and your promise.”

  “I promise, though my promise is unnecessary. I have always loved you, and nothing between Heaven and Earth can ever change that. Our love is eternal, as spring follows winter.”

  They both drank the potion prepared by Niona from her herbal bag of remedies. Then she entered Hannah’s mind, as did Adam and Misti. Hecate returned with Fionna who looked displeased and angry, but nonetheless entered Hannah’s mind too. She dwelled in her mind for a long time then exited.

  Misti said, “All I could see was a wall of colors alternating with jumbled scenes, some from her distant past, some more recent. I saw her crying out in mortal pain, unable to control herself or her mind. She has been invaded, but by what I do not know.”

  Adam said, “I too saw the same visions, but was only able to pass through the visions and walk down the halls of her mind. What I did for Alana, I cannot do here. These are not hideous memories, this is possession. Something strong and terrible. I have seen it once before. I saw it in Hawaii when Alana and I first blended minds. It is the same evil force that possessed and tormented Alana for so many years; now it has returned to plague a new victim, a victim vulnerable because of the trauma and upheaval in her life. I do not know what to do. Niona? Fionna? What magic can you suggest to wrest this spirit from a woman who does not merit this agony and suffering?”

  Fionna said, “I may be able to help, but it does not come without a price. While Niona can ease her suffering, she does not have my skills in the healing arts to defeat the creature who occupies Hannah’s mind. It is a creature from the realm of the Creator, though I do not know why or what it’s purpose may be. I only know that because she means much to the Chosen One, I surmise she is a hostage to insure Adam and Hecate carry out their duties at the appointed time. Then, undoubtedly, she will be released from her bondage. But, I cannot assure she will return as she was before. By then her mind might easily be utterly destroyed.”

  “You
know this? How?”

  “Without question? No. But I have seen this handiwork before. This thing is a creature, a minion of Liara. She is cruel in her means to insure compliance with promises made. I suggest she does not trust you or the little one to carry out your promises. She wishes to watch as Hecate kills you Adam and will delight in your agony. But why, I cannot say. Her actions seem contrary to everything she desires from you. Perhaps locked away deep in the recesses of your mind lie the answers. I do not know, but something you have done precipitates this evil, whether you intended it or not.”

  “What could I have done to incite this evil when Alana I and I first met. Why are the two connected?”

  Fionna, now speaking in unfriendly tones, said, “Perhaps you should look inside yourself for those answers. I am but an uncaring Immortal no longer fit to reside in my own home. You have all the answers along with my sister, Niona the Huntress. Perhaps you should start there. I think I am no longer needed here.”

  “Can you help Hannah, heal her, as I was once able to heal Alana? Or is this just your Immortal arrogance shining down on us to teach us a lesson. That you are superior while we are not. That you have immense powers of healing while we can do nothing but mourn the dead. That you can choose to be an angel of mercy or a demon delighting in putting me, us, in our place? What do you wish from me in return for your largesse? What do I possess that you could possibly want?”

  “I will return your insect to health if you release Niona from her bondage to you. Allow her to rejoin the species of Immortals and expel her from your household and this planet. Then we shall leave this place with Cori and allow you to carry out your plans for survival, or await your destruction. Have you not shared with others what you know will be the fate of this planet? What you are fated to do before you must perish? I’m certain that you have not; you are not only the Chosen of Chosen, but the Manti who must do the bidding of the Creator. This bidding you have kept secret and shared only with your wife, Vera. But I know your secrets; I have visited your mind and hers and seen all that is to come. Liara has set you and this world on its course; I have no reason to interfere in your fate. Neither do Niona or Cori. You are insignificant in the entirety of God’s Creation; you matter not to me.”