Evolution Shift (The New World Book 3)

by Kurt Winans

  “Yes Janet, go on.”

  “I think that your clue was that Ross was a special man in part because he was a product of me. With that said, I could surmise that genetics can play a part in this equation after all.”

  “That would be a logical path for you to follow. Now continue.”

  “So based on your response to that thought, genetics must be a significant factor. Now with Ross it wouldn’t be due to something happening to my genetic code while I was one of your long term abductees, as he was born before then. The same could be said for Jessica, if she possesses any telepathic projection abilities that she is unaware of. Hank is a different matter though, as he is the only of my three children that is confirmed to have two way telepathic abilities. Therefore, in keeping with the spirit of your favorite phrase, I need to focus on that. My abduction could have played a role with regard to Hank, but that would in turn make your clue of Ross being special an irrelevant point. Since my two sons do have different fathers, I could surmise that it was only my part of the genetic code that impacted their respective development.”

  “That’s very good Janet, very good indeed. But don’t stop there, keep going.”

  “Alright, if that’s true, then it would also mean that any of the offspring from those of us who can receive and project telepathically might also be significant.”

  “Now you’re getting there. Please continue.”

  “So if we are to choose some of the children or pre-teens that must stay behind, we must ensure that those who were born to a now telepathic parent are not among them.”

  “Yes, so how do you go about that?”

  “I must contact Kristyn, and consult with her. We need to identify via the record keeping of Aurora, Natiya, and now Kristyn who has been born to a Mayan mother or father.”

  “Yes Janet, and who else?”

  “Well, the same could be said for any of the children born from the efforts of the three Flight 19 pilots or Brittany.”

  “That’s correct. Now that should make your decision a little easier as to who will go on the journey. Those children or pre-teens must go with you along with those on the list of other special people that you have identified and helped to develop. As for the other young members of your species, take who you think could be beneficial for child bearing purposes in the long term, but only those that you have room for.”

  “We would need to develop a fair system of selection for everyone who hasn’t been identified during this discussion. Otherwise there could be some sort of ugly revolt during the last days and hours before our departure.”

  “Don’t be so sure about that Janet. Another aspect of your species evolutionary shift throughout recent centuries of your time is the lack of selfishness. If you would take a moment to think about it, you have been witness to that attribute on countless occasions since your return to Earth. What you need to do now is have a little faith in those who will not be chosen to depart with you. You must inform all that remain of your species here on Earth of your two way telepathic abilities, and of the others who, like you, possess that same evolutionary advancement. You must also disclose why certain of the youth are venturing forward, while others will be left behind. The task will not be as difficult as you believe, and you know that each and every one of your brethren deserves that level of respect. In so doing, they will be provided with one final opportunity to exhibit their enlightened trait of selflessness.”

  “You are disturbing our solitude again brother. Why do you seek an audience with the high council? Have we not just attended to your needs?”

  Standing humbly before the seven members of the high council with an escort once again by his side, Janet’s alien friend projected, “I have more important information to share with you about ₹-829-Ԅπ-3.”

  “We have just covered that topic brother, and it is not necessary for you to provide further important information. Permission has been granted to you by this council to go and investigate that system, so be on your way. You claimed that time was of the essence, so why have you not yet begun that mission?”

  Staring for a moment in bewilderment, he noticed that the other six members of the council had all turned toward the leader. Then before he could respond to the question, he heard the telepathy of, “Number one, with your permission I would like to respond for our brother who stands before us.”

  Looking to his left, the leader replied, “I don’t know why you would have such a desire number two, but if that is what you wish to do, then go ahead.”

  After a respectful nod, number two looked at their brother before them and projected for all to hear, “Is it correct that you have already returned from system ₹-829?”

  “Yes. I have.”

  “And did the mission go well?”

  “Yes it did, and I have much to report.”

  “Then do you believe that the situation on ₹-829-Ԅπ-3 can still be salvaged?”

  “Yes I do, and with the most optimum of results.”

  “Interesting, explain why you believe that my brother?”

  “In the seven Earth years that were required for me to make the voyage, further study and assist them for one of those years, and then return to our home world, there has been a metamorphosis within a select few of them.”

  “That is good news, so they can be saved.”

  “Yes, and one of their elders has put most of the pieces together. She understands that they must vacate the planet for continued survival, and her species is currently nearing the moment of making that a reality.”

  “And you know this how?”

  “She has continued to telepathically communicate with me, and she has provided several reports of their progress within those projections.”

  Number one interjected by projecting, “Why are you attempting to deceive us brother. That is most foolish of you, and it will not be tolerated. It was only a short time ago that you stood before this esteemed council and begged us to consider your plan of action.”

  Having no desire to create an unnecessary level of embarrassment for the leader of the council, number two lifted his hand slowly as a gesture for their guest to remain quiet. Then he looked at number one again and projected, “You are confused again my old friend. This has been a long council session and you are perhaps too tired to continue. If you will allow me, I can oversee the remainder of our brother’s report. Please get some well-deserved rest, and I will locate you at a later time to brief you on what has transpired.”

  Turning toward number two, and then in the opposite direction to view a verifying nod from number three, the leader rose and removed himself from the proceedings. Then number two lowered his hand and projected to his brother below, “You suggested optimum results. Will you elaborate for us?”

  While still confused by what had just transpired, he projected, “Members of the high council, it would appear that our original intent for the species of ₹-829-Ԅπ-3 may come to fruition after all. Some of those on the planet Earth as they refer to it have begun the transition. They have identified which among them possesses the ability, and they will nurture the offspring of those same individuals to grow strength in their numbers. Their evolutionary shift to the higher plane will take place rather quickly now, and that species ability to confront and overcome adversity should pay dividends for them in the future. We have achieved the ultimate goal of maintaining a portion of their species as they were, while also assisting in the creation of a hybrid variation of the humans.”

  Number two looked down upon his humble brother, then to his left and right. Each of the other members of the council had their eyes locked on their brother who had just given them the news. Then he returned his gaze forward and projected to all, “I don’t believe there will be any need for deliberation on this matter. You have done well my brother, and speaking for those of the high council, we are pleased with how you have salvaged the situation with ₹-829-Ԅπ-3. Do you have anything else to add at this time?”

  “Only th
at I thank you for the opportunity to serve.”

  “My brother, it is we who should be thanking you for what you have done. The exploratory fleet is honored to have you represent us in this matter, and the emperor will receive a positive report of this action on your behalf.”

  After bowing respectfully to each of the six members that remained, and glancing briefly at the empty chair in the middle position, he turned to exit the council chambers. Upon reaching the door, his escort projected, “Sir, it has been an honor presenting you to the high council on two occasions. If you will allow me, I believe that the next time you enter these chambers it will not be at the side of a security escort.”

  Minutes after their respective horizontal launches from the planet surface, escape velocity for the shuttles had once again been obtained without difficulty. Each of the sixteen specially redesigned spacecraft from the various population centers had set a course for a rendezvous with their recently completed mother ship in low Earth orbit over the northern magnetic pole. As with all of the numerous missions that had been necessary to first construct, and then fully equip the lifeboat throughout the previous two years, each of the shuttles would fit into docking clamps located along both sides of the mainframe. Within the course of that process, other than for the occasional observational need, there had never been more than half a dozen shuttles working on the lifeboat at any one time. The current endeavor was different however, and that would make the logistics of unloading their precious cargo during the vital final sequence more challenging. In this one and only instance, shuttles would be docking one after another while the remainder of the sixteen would engage in a delicate positioning dance in close proximity to the lifeboat.

  It was well understood by each of the pilots and their right seat assistants that there was very little, if any, margin for error during that most hectic few hour time span. Unless there was some unforeseen problem causing a horrific accident, then each of the sixteen would dock only in their pre-determined sequence. The only exception to that would be if one or more of the spacecraft was either severely damaged or destroyed.

  Hank gave a gentle nudge to the thrusters so that the Dripping Springs would remain at a safe distance from the Whitecliffs. The Maple Ridge was to Hank’s port side, and was now closer than the Whitecliffs on his opposite beam, but he was less concerned with that proximity as a more experienced pilot was at the controls.

  All three shuttles had been in a tight observational formation for more than an hour, while waiting for their turns within the sequence. Their time for docking had almost come, but Hank was still uneasy. He could tell that the pilot of the Whitecliffs was getting restless, and the continuing untidy motions of the spacecraft provided the proof. The fatigue that he faced could be magnified if his cargo within was also unsettled, and if that were the case, then the safety of all those around him could be in Jeopardy. A shuttle full of loud unruly children could make any pilot believe that minutes were more like hours, and therefore cause an uncorrectable distraction. Hank thought it unfortunate that the Maple Ridge would dock before either of them, but nothing could be done about that now. Hank would follow in the Dripping Springs, and then he would be blind to the actions of the frazzled pilot behind him.

  Each of the eight shuttles designated to the port side of the ship had already docked, as had the first in the line of four lower tiered shuttles on the starboard side. As number ten in the progression, the Maple Ridge had just completed a smooth docking. Now during final approach to his assigned position, Hank made another fine-tuning adjustment with a gentle touch of the thrusters. A few seconds later, he saw the light on the instrument panel that indicated the docking clamps had locked the Dripping Springs into place. Turning to his assistant, Hank said, “Well then, that was easy enough. You did a good job of helping me with this flight, and your parents would have been proud of your effort.”

  Nicki, the now eleven year old daughter of Tori and Colt, was seated in the right-hand crew seat. Turning toward her mentor, she flashed him a thankful smile while beginning her post-flight checklist. She then replied, “I’m glad that I could help big brother, but it wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t taught me how to fly.”

  Hank knew that her training was incomplete, but a few of the Mayan’s, including Tikal, had never really grasped the intricacies of flying the shuttle. When Hank had learned that Tori, and thus Nicki, were descendants of Ross, he wanted to ensure that she wasn’t left behind on Earth with those who had not been chosen for the manifest. Hank knew that he needed an assistant for this one flight, so he provided Nicki with an accelerated training program in the hope that she would at least grasp some of the concepts.

  Janet, although no longer angry with Tori or Colt, had been less than inspired by the thought at first. Even though the ancestral tie for Nicki with Ross obviously included Janet, she had never been part of the young girl’s life. Nicki, like many other orphans, had been taken in by another family. Janet soon realized however that Nicki shouldn’t be punished for having been a product of the gene enrichment program, and that she could also provide needed offspring for the colony several years from the present time. Beyond the now realized ancestral tie, Hank had also understood how difficult things had been for young Nicki when her mother had passed away. They also shared the loss of their common father Colt, and although Tori had been a nice person with a sharp intellect, Colt had been a more irreplaceable aspect of their life in Hank’s opinion.

  Hank returned the smile of his half-sister, and then mimicking the favorite verbal response of his earliest mentor, Megan Crenshaw, he said, “Well alright then. Let me help you with the post-flight checklist.”

  When they had completed their task, Hank locked out the ability for use of the control panel to anyone other than himself. He wanted to ensure that any youthful or untrained hands couldn’t accidentally activate the panel while exploring what it had to offer during his absence.

  Kristyn, seated next to her three younger half siblings projected, “What can I do to help Hank?”

  His return thoughts were, “For the moment, just try to keep the little ones under control. We can’t board until most of the others that arrived before us have finished shifting the food, water, and any equipment, that had been stored in their living quarters back into their now empty shuttles. It shouldn’t be too long of a wait, but the scene inside the main body of the lifeboat would be chaotic if everyone was trying to accomplish that task at the same time.”

  “I understand, and with Janet’s help, and Nicki if she wants to, I’m sure we can keep the little ones calm.”

  “Thanks Kristyn. Tikal and I can check on the progress of the other shuttles and their passengers, and we will return as soon as we can. Then we can begin to move everyone through the airlock into the habitat section of the lifeboat.”

  Within the course of the next two hours, each of the five remaining shuttles had safely clamped into a docking position without damaging any portion of the solar sails exterior masts or booms. Among those was the Whitecliffs, and they had, like their predecessors, also completed the process of transferring all of their human cargo onto the lifeboat. Each of them had carried a complement, including the pilot and an assistant, of twenty persons, and none had been reported as being injured from the events of the day. In total there were now three-hundred and twenty humans, with a mere twenty-eight of them being above the age of twelve, onboard the lifeboat and ready for the long traverse to Mars.

  Of the non-human cargo that was moved back into the shuttles, the Whitecliffs had been pre-determined for use as one of the two that would house the vital greenhouse and the accompanying components of the hydroponic system. As such, that shuttle, along with the Crewe on the port side, would maintain a constant warm and inviting temperature by use of the onboard climate control system. Other shuttles would contain stores of food and water, and their temperature would be kept just a few degrees above freezing to ensure that nothing within them spoiled. The remaini
ng shuttles would have no climate control until being initiated during the final few days of the journey, as attempting to protect equipment and machinery from the unrelenting icy cold of space would be a waste of precious power.

  Every component of the lifeboat was now assembled in orbit, and there would be no returning to the confines of heavy gravity and the atmosphere below. Hank was relieved that there had been no damage done to the mainframe of the lifeboat or the docking clamps by any of the shuttles while completing final ascension, and he realized that at least that worrisome aspect of the voyage was behind them.

  The time was now upon them to begin the much longer voyage away from Earth and its host star, but the first obstacle of the journey demanded focus and great care. The faint rings surrounding the planet that were comprised of small space rocks, iron ore composite, and ice would need to be safely navigated through with minimal impacts so as to not cause severe damage to the lifeboat. Looking up at them from Earth, the rings had been one element that created beautiful and awe inspiring sunrises and sunsets. Unfortunately for any spacecraft attempting to leave orbit, they created a potential navigational nightmare.

  Hank and Joseph had been chosen to take the lifeboat out of orbit, and even though other pilots would rotate through the flight deck from time to time, those two men would be the primary crew for the duration of the voyage. Fortunately for them, the lifeboat, like the large airbuses of the early twenty-first century, would be on a computer automated flightpath for the majority of that time.

  Assuming the left hand seat, Hank turned to Joseph in the right and said, “Shall we begin?”

  “All set here. Are you ready to run the checklist?”

  A few minutes later they had run through everything, and Hank said, “Alright then, let’s take her straight up from the pole. That should keep us well clear of the majority of any orbiting ring debris.”

  “Roger that.”

  With that Hank pushed the throttles forward slightly, and pulled the wheel toward him. The only sense of movement that could be felt was by looking through the large forward glass, as the planet that had been in view quickly dropped below them. The multiple bands of rings then passed from the top to the bottom of their view, and nothing but a vast field of unexplored stars, at least by the humans, could be seen. Once clear of any fragments of the outer most ring debris field, the exact course needed to intercept the orbiting path of Mars at a fixed point was entered into the onboard computer. A substantial amount of lead time would be necessary in order to match the speed and trajectory of not only their intended target, but the inner most of her two orbiting moons. Unlike the oceangoing vessels of Earth’s yesteryear that simply set a course for a stationary land mass, the lifeboat needed to be aimed with exacting precision at an empty point in space that Mars would briefly occupy in several months. Hopefully, if all the calculations were correct, the end result would be a triumphant rendezvous with Earths neighboring red marble in space. If not, then the lifeboat would simply drift on through the darkness with no chance of long term survival.