by Hep Aldridge
“I’m sorry, Jeannie; I meant no disrespect to you. I guess I am having doubts about myself.”
“I understand and would be disappointed if you didn’t. But your role in this story is cast. You and your friends will do what needs to be done, and my spirit will help guide you. So, it will be. Now, rest.”
I don’t remember falling asleep again and woke up four hours later, feeling rested even though I was chilled and had been lying on a rock. I roused myself thinking about what Jeannie had said as I made my way back down to the platform steps and into my sleeping bag, falling sound asleep almost immediately.
The sound of campsite activity roused me. As I rolled out of my sleeping bag, I realized I wasn’t sore and felt refreshed. Not at all the worse for wear from my late-night excursion. Another one of Jeannie’s benefits, who knew? Our morning routine kicked in, and we stopped by the “bathhouse” before heading to the Citadel’s “restaurant.”
Over breakfast, we finalized our questions for Jeannie. We had pared our list down to maybe a dozen, hoping that Jeannie would agree to answer them. We had not seen Lithel nor Jeannie as we made our way to the Cathedra room, where Jeannie was waiting for us. Everyone took a seat on the benches around the room, and I went to the “big chair.” Jeannie was on the raised dais, smiling at us. I was getting used to her new look; the teal aura suited her, I thought.
I began, “Jeannie, we have some questions we would like to ask.”
“I know, Colt. I can see you have many questions, and I will answer a limited number. Knowledge can be overwhelming and misunderstood if delivered like a tsunami or out of context.”
It began, learning more about the library, why it was created, and how it was to be used. We learned more about the outposts that her people and others had established and their locations. Additionally, Jeannie shared more about their star drive and interstellar capabilities, including their ability to navigate wormholes as transit points and learning not all were safe. Her people, she explained, without delving into complex specifics, had created a way to determine which ones were usable and which were not. Joe asked Jeannie about the device he used to weld the two halves of the collector/receptor back together.
She explained the device worked from the inside out and, at the molecular level, fused the two pieces back into one, much like healing Dimitri’s wound. The device she used healed the destroyed tissue from the inside out, quickly completing the life-saving repair process. The settings on the welding device could be changed to turn it into a cutting tool that would cut any material and a shaping tool that allowed the user to shape irregular stone and metal objects so they fit together perfectly. It made the materials malleable and allowed them to flow into the voids between one another. When the beam was turned off, the material immediately hardened.
“Does this mean a device like this was used to create the megalithic stone structures, for example, in Peru?” I asked.
“Yes, this device, along with our lifting devices, have been used around the world by various civilizations, Jeannie replied. “They are especially beneficial for construction in seismically active areas.”
“Well, that explains a lot,” Doc said. He continued, “Jeannie, you said there were colonies on Mars. We’ve sent spacecraft there and haven’t found any indication of habitation.”
“It is another unfortunate story of our colonization attempts. Mars, as you call it, was once very similar to Earth, with oceans, forests, and a breathable atmosphere. Our settlements had been established around the planet and were thriving when a massive solar flare erupted. It hit Mars with a ferocity never before seen, ripping away its atmosphere, and destroying everything on its surface. Some of the colonists were able to leave and make it to Earth before it hit; others chose to stay and took shelter in the underground caverns they had discovered and mines they had been working deep beneath the surface. They survived for a few years but finally had to retreat to Earth, leaving most of the evidence of their colony underground.”
“If the flare was that intense, how did Earth survive?” Doc asked.
“Unlike Mars, in anticipation of such an event, we had continued to develop our technology. Therefore, this protection was in place on Earth, and having enough warning, we were able to increase the magnetosphere around your planet. It absorbed or deflected most of the flare’s energy around the planet. In essence, we created a magnetic cocoon around Earth, but there was nothing we could do for Mars,” Jeannie explained. “Like all civilizations, we too have learned much throughout the years.”
Dimitri asked, “With all this technology, I haven’t seen much in the way of weapons. Don’t you have any?”
“Yes, we do, but not in the way you understand weapons. Ours are more defensive. The power of our offensive beam weapons is such that we choose to use them only as a last resort. We have created shield technology that can protect us, our ships, and our cities at such a level as to make an unprovoked aggressive attack unreasonable.”
“So, you haven’t created offensive weapons other than this beam thing?” Dimitri asked.
Jeannie laughed, “When your adversary’s weapons cannot inflict any damage to you whatsoever, it becomes evident that attacking you is a useless endeavor. We learned thousands of years ago that an impenetrable defense is a strong offense.”
Dimitri chuckled, “That sounds like a Sun Tzu quote straight out of the Art of War.”
Jeannie smiled, “He was a cunning strategist.”
Dimitri nodded, somewhat surprised, but approvingly, “Truth.”
O’Reilly asked, “What about those cube devices the guys found on the shipwreck? What are they?”
“From the information I have gathered, they are ancient devices, out of use for over a thousand years, but much like the ones used to repair the power lintel. We have improved on their function and capabilities, reduced their size, and increased their power.”
“So, they’re kind of like antiques?” O’Reilly asked.
“Yes, you could say that, although they are still functional. They are just missing the additional pieces needed to make them operational.”
“We know that different gems activate them, but what were they used for?” Joe asked.
“The red stone operates a cutting device. The blue stone, a cloaking device, the green stone controls water, and the clear stone is a transportation device. You have already discovered the anti-gravity device activated by gold.”
“Whoa, so we have devices with all those capabilities, and they’re still operational?” Doc said.
“Possibly, but none will function without the companion parts,” Jeannie answered.
“Do you have the parts needed?” Joe asked.
“I am afraid not,” Jeannie replied, “they are so old; we have not always kept parts for such things. However, I will have to consult the library to answer definitively.”
“Well, if you do have them, will you allow us to take them back with us?” Dimitri asked way too excitedly.
Jeannie paused and, after a minute or so, said, “I must reflect on that. A civilization must be ready for powerful advances in technology, or the dangers may outweigh the good. Please, be patient and thoughtful.”
I started to speak, but Jeannie held up her hand and stopped me, “I believe that is enough for now. We shall continue this conversation after you all have had time to reflect upon and discuss what you have just learned.” And with that humbling statement, she disappeared.
Chapter Thirty-Three
We spent the waning hours of the afternoon revisiting the library and wandering the aisles, making discovery after discovery. At our evening meal, the discussion centered around Jeannie and her willingness or possible lack thereof to provide us with useable technology we could take outside of the Citadel. The knowledge we had gained was overwhelming, and much of it beyond our comprehension. It would require experts in the fields of astrophysics, quantum mechanics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine, and who knows what other areas to really gain
an understanding of and usable information from what was available in the massive archives of the library.
“So, what do you think, Colt? Will Jeannie think we are worthy stewards of sharing some of her advanced technology with the world outside the cloak?” Dimitri asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not even sure I have a clue as to what to ask her for, to be honest with you.”
Doc said, “I agree, Colt. I’ve been grappling with that same question. I never dreamed we would be having this kind of problem, certainly nothing of this magnitude.”
Joe said, “Well, from my perspective, I don’t believe Jeannie is going to make us leave empty-handed. But I’m darn sure that she will be the one—not us—to decide exactly what knowledge we leave with.”
“That’s something we need to be thinking about. We need to be leaving soon. We’ve been here two weeks, and from what we’ve seen, I can’t say prolonging our stay is going to be more beneficial. I mean, I think we have reached our saturation limit on what we have been shown and exposed to.”
“I agree,” O’Reilly said, “there’s only so much you can absorb. Look at the breadth of what we have seen: science, technology, history, anthropology, medicine, alien races, and space travel, my God, how can anyone comprehend all of that at once?”
“Not to mention our run-in with the Brotherhood and the Vatican mercs. What kinds of repercussions are going to come from that?” Reggie asked.
“It’s like we have two sets of problems, one from the real world and one from the unreal world, and we are going to have to figure out ways to deal with both,” Doc added, “and soon.”
We all sat in contemplative silence before getting up and heading to our campsite. On our way, Joe asked, “And where has Eduardo gone? We haven’t seen him for two days now.”
“I’m sure it’s got something to do with his Watcher training. Lithel has been absent too,” I said.
“That’s right, and Jeannie did say Lithel would be taking part in his training, whatever that entails,” Doc said.
“I guess you’re right,” Joe agreed. “I’m just a little protective of the kid; that’s all.”
“I don’t think you have a thing to worry about. I can’t imagine any safer place there could be on this planet than right here. Besides, he’s got a five-hundred-pound saber-toothed tiger protecting him,” I added laughingly, “or whatever she is.”
Joe chuckled, “Yeah, I keep forgetting about that, Colt.”
We finished our walk in silence, taking in the beauty of the Citadel as the sky darkened and the city lights came on. What a magical sight, I thought, not a bad place to be, not bad at all. Little did I know that Jeannie had been tuned into our worrisome conversation and would help us resolve our challenges without us ever even knowing she would invisibly intervene on our behalf.
The next day’s session began with Jeannie showing up late. We were seated, waiting when she finally arrived.
“I have been giving your situation and request much thought and have come to a decision. I do not believe your world is ready for much of the knowledge kept in the library at this time, but I am willing to revisit your specific requests at a future date. I want you to know that I appreciate everything you have done since you have been here. I think you have learned much during your stay, but you will leave many of those memories behind when you leave. I am sorry, but it is for your own good and that of your planet.
“We understand that, Jeannie,” I said rather glumly, “and agree up to a point. I would ask, though, would it be possible, at a time of your choosing, for me to bring back an expert in one of the many disciplines we have explored here to learn more that could benefit our world?”
After a slight pause, she replied, “I will consider that request. The library was left here to help mankind, not to be hidden away forever, so your request is not out of line, but as I said, the time is not yet right. You will need to trust my judgment on this.”
“How will we know when the time is right?” I asked.
“Now that you have restored full power to the Citadel, my abilities have been restored as well. I promise I will let you know when the time is right,” she said with one of her enigmatic smiles.
“So, there’s nothing we can leave here with that will help our world?” Doc asked with frustration in his voice.
“I did not say that. I have observed many things about your world since my powers beyond the cloak have returned. Your peoples’ excess and lack of acceptance for the care of this planet is killing it. I can help with that and will do so. Water and air are being polluted at an unacceptable rate. Overpopulation, deforestation, and misguided use of soil chemicals are also adding to the destruction. It is imperative that you reach out to the stars and begin finding new planets that will support life while at the same time saving your Earth.
“That’s kinda our point,” Dimitri said, “without access to your knowledge of interstellar travel and how to harness this energy you use, no telling how long it will take us to become a true spacefaring civilization.”
I could tell things were getting a bit testy amongst the team and jumped in,
“If we knew how you prioritize our issues and how you can help, and if we had some idea of a time frame with which to work, I think that would be a good start. We understand that all the problems that we could use your help with can’t happen overnight and may take many years to come to fruition. I think what we need, with all due respect, is a commitment that access to the library’s vital information will be forthcoming, at a time of your choosing, of course.”
There was a long silence, and finally, Jeannie spoke, “I understand your desire for technological advancement and its benefits. However, there are technical and socio-political building blocks that must be put in place before reaching your goal, and those take time. I have learned many lessons while on this planet. But in some critical life-sustaining components of existence, it seems time is the one thing you may be running out of, so let me say this. Yes, I will help you start on this journey. I will provide you with technology that can be introduced into your world to immediately help with your planet’s many pollution issues, encompassing serious degradation in air, water, and soil. This will help stabilize a foundation critical to all countries and people on Earth. Once that is accomplished, or at least well in motion, you will be able to build upon that stability to tackle other significant problems. Together, in the future, we can discuss that prioritization. In the meantime, I can also subtly help with discreet support for peaceful advances in your space exploration science. All these technologies I reference may be implemented covertly without divulging their extraterrestrial source. Or you may create a way to have them become discoveries made by your scientists; it’s your choice. I will monitor the world’s reaction and then decide what follows. In the future, we will continue to discuss the right time and what other individuals to welcome into the secrets of the Citadel.”
I looked around at the team and saw understanding and acceptance on their faces.
“Colt,” Jeannie continued, “the future of this endeavor becomes your responsibility, you and your team. I have come to know and respect each member of your group. They are courageous, smart, resourceful, and dedicated to you as their leader. I think, together, you will make the right decision on how to proceed.”
I felt the blush rise to my cheeks at the compliment, and at the same time, thought, no pressure Colt, just the fate of planet Earth hanging in the balance.
Clearing my throat, I said, “I think we can all agree to that as a start,” and received assent from the others.
“So, you will be able to monitor us and our progress?” O’Reilly asked.
“Oh, yes, and much more. Colt, you will be my contact. I will work through you on the dissemination of information, that is if you agree?”
“I agree,” I said quickly with a smile. In fact, the entire team was smiling with expressions of relief, understanding, and genuine gratitude. Jeannie nodded, and once a
gain, in her mystical way, disappeared from our sight.
“Now, that I can live with,” Doc exclaimed. “That’s a real, long-term plan that I think we can make happen.”
“I agree,” Joe said, “that is one smart lady.”
O’Reilly quipped, “Ya think!”
“It sounds to me like when we leave this place, we won’t be saying good-byes,” Dimitri added, “in fact, it sounds like Risky Business may have just added a new member, kind of a silent partner type.”
“Well, we already have a rocket scientist on the team; why not have an interstellar alien to boot?” I added.
“And Tinkerbell,” Doc said, laughing.
We all broke up laughing then, and Reggie said, “You better not let Lithel hear you say that. I wouldn’t want to piss off that big ole cat beast she can turn into.”
Doc responded jovially, “Point well taken.” As mirth became the tone of our meeting, we all reveled in the moment. The joy and humor were real, but I could tell there was an underlying release of tension that may be helping drive it, as well as a feeling of satisfaction of a mission accomplished. All positive things, but all only a precursor of the tasks ahead, I thought.
“Alea iacta est.”
The die is cast.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The following two days were a whirlwind of activity as we finalized plans with Jeannie and began preparing for our departure. True to her word, Jeannie called us together and presented us with two very secure but nondescript-looking containers. One held around fifty lightweight gray balls, each a little smaller than ping pong balls but with a spongy consistency. One of these, she explained, when introduced into a water supply, would release a cleansing and purifying agent that is self-replicating, with almost limitless use. It could turn the vilest, polluted water source into pure, clean water, while not instantly, very quickly no matter what the pollutants, chemical, mineral, waste of any kind, even radioactivity.
