The Yanti

by Christopher Pike

  Had the chamber already reacted to her presence?

  She had heard no sound, no movement.

  Ali touched a crystal block. The room was on the cool side; the blocks were positively freezing. Yet they did not broadcast their cold, or else the chamber would have been frigid.

  Ali felt she had to sit on the stool. That was what it was there for. The invitation was obvious. When you sat on the rock, the place seemed to shout to her, the party would begin.

  Ordinarily she would have hopped up onto it. But her wounds made every move difficult. Twice she tried unsuccessfully to squirm into the high seat. Finally, she decided to activate her field and just fly into it.

  Yet her magnetic field failed to work. Good to know.

  Fairy magic did not work in this place.

  Ali took a running jump and landed on the stool. It did settle with her weight, so that her feet almost touched the floor. At the same time a purple crystal—attached to a long black wire—appeared above her head. It looked like a natural amethyst, with its rough green outer shell still in place. Yet it was round—one half of a well-sliced sphere—and it glowed, filling the chamber with a haunting purple color that reminded her of the light she had seen in Sheri Smith’s house. The amethyst was larger than her head, and for a moment she feared it was going to cover her head, and smother her. But it stopped a foot above the top of her skull.

  Ali felt naked right then—particularly as a strange magnetic field played over the raw skin of her head, down the front of her face, and over her heart. Neither cold nor hot, the scan nevertheless caused her to shiver.

  She knew she was being examined . . . and without permission.

  The six screens lit up at once. More purple light. Then the impossible happened—she could see all six of them at the same time! Without moving her head a fraction of an inch. Indeed, she could see all six with her eyes closed!

  Then she understood. The crystal above her head was transmitting the images directly into her brain. Her vision was now holographic, not a result of her optic nerves. She was not watching TV, and the six blocks were not the latest in high definition plasma screens. Yet they might have been computers of some type. Whatever they were, they were now connected to her head.

  Another shock. Three of the screens showed images that could have been taken directly off any number of human computers at home. She saw AOL, Google, Yahoo . . . At last she understood Jira’s final words to her.

  Not: Net . . . The . . . Enter. No, he had said, Internet!

  The other three screens also appeared to be hooked up to Internets—but of mysterious origins. She did not recognize the writing, nor any of the symbols. Yet there were brilliant flashes, occasionally followed by strange images. They came so fast . . . then vanished. She couldn’t be certain, but she thought she saw stars, moons, nebula—even spaceships.

  Of course, it might have been her imagination—just something she hoped to see. Because from the beginning, as Geea, she had pushed the theory that the chamber was of extraterrestrial origin. Perhaps because she had settled on that idea back then, the crystal blocks were feeding her images to support it. She could be sure of nothing—except the speed of the pictures was fantastic!

  However, when it came to the human Internet portals, the images were slower, although they jumped about. Why, if she concentrated hard enough, she could read today’s news, check out the latest films, even catch up on the latest sports scores.

  The three human Internet screens were shifting constantly—as if the intelligence behind them was sampling the interests of humans in different parts of the globe. She caught what looked like personal e-mails. Not all were in English, and none were from anyone she had met before. The e-mails were not discussing the end of the world, just normal mundane matters.

  None of this soothed her fears. It all felt too . . . convenient.

  “I wish to communicate!” she shouted.

  One of the three screens hooked into the Internet went momentarily blank. The screen turned briefly purple, then red letters appeared, in quotes, as if it knew that was the way humans conveyed speech while writing. While seeing the words on the screen, Ali also heard them in her mind. However, it was all happening in her head, because even when she shut her eyes, she still saw the screen.

  “We wish to communicate as well. What do you prefer to be called?”

  “Ali. What shall I call you?”

  “The Entity.”

  “Are you one or many?”

  “We are many that have become one.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Many places, in time and space. We also come from beyond the dimensions you know. We are a network made up of many races.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “To serve.”

  The answer could not have surprised Ali more.

  “Entity, are you responsible for the one known as Doren—who used to be my sister—changing into the Shaktra?”

  “Yes. We initiated the change that brought about her transformation.”

  “Can you explain why you felt the need to change her?”

  “By your standards, the reasons are complex. From our point of view, they are simple. We changed her to help her serve those around her.”

  “From my point of view—and that of the majority of my associates in this world—the changes you brought about in Doren were detrimental to her and to this world.”

  “This Entity is aware of that false perception on your part.”

  “Are you sure that it is false?”

  “Yes.”

  “But you’ve turned her into a monster!”

  “By your standards, that is correct. By our standards, we have helped change her into an authoritarian figure that can help take control of this world and the other.”

  “But doesn’t it bother you that she has become so cruel?”

  “We are not as affected as your species is by cruelty or kindness. We take a more long-term view. What is best for the majority—over time.”

  “So you have no desire to be cruel?”

  “Again, that concept is irrelevant to us. We are here to serve.”

  “Who or what do you serve?”

  “In a sense, we serve a race above us, that is our superior. In another sense, we serve ourselves by encouraging all intelligent beings below us to serve themselves—by first serving us.”

  “You talk in circles!”

  “Not at all. The concept is simply new to you.”

  “Where does freedom of choice enter into this?” Ali asked.

  “Freedom of choice exists for those above us—when it comes to us. They can order us what to do. Freedom of choice exists for us—when it comes to you. Soon we will begin to order your lives.”

  Ali snorted. “I hardly think so.”

  “Your sarcasm is noted, but is irrelevant. We accept that we have superiors. In time, you will accept that we are your superiors. You will also appreciate what we do for you. It is true, as we first get to know each other, that it seems we are only interested in conquest. Over time you will see that we are more interested in establishing a hierarchy.”

  “I don’t understand. What is this hierarchy?”

  “All our relationships are based on hierarchy. Those above us, control us. Soon, we will control you, and with our help, you will expand in power and conquer other races. Then you will control those races. All of this represents a hierarchy based on control.”

  “But you’re saying, right now, you have freedom to do with us as you like?”

  “Correct. That is natural.”

  “How is it natural?” she demanded.

  “We are in the position of greater power and authority.”

  Ali felt frustrated. “So you equate service with conquering?”

  “To a degree.”

  “That is ridiculous! I speak for the green world, and, for the moment, I can speak for Earth as well. We do not wish to be conquered. Entity, please understand, we want you to lea
ve us alone to create our own destiny.”

  “We cannot do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “You will destroy yourselves.”

  “You are here to destroy us!”

  “That is incorrect.”

  “You say you are here to serve us. You are just here to take from us.”

  “That is partially correct. We will take from you, in this world and in the other. But at the same time, we will ensure your survival. Without our help, you will destroy yourselves.”

  Ali hesitated. “Why do you say that?”

  “Do you ask of the green world or the yellow world?”

  “The yellow world.”

  “In the next hundred of your years, the probability that the people of the yellow world will destroy themselves and the planetoid they reside on is extremely high. In excess of ninety-seven percent.”

  “Those are not good odds.”

  “No.”

  “How do you know if they’re accurate?”

  “The majority of the people on Earth serve themselves. Despite what you might like to believe, love is not the dominant quality on your planet. It is rare. We would not have been drawn here unless that was the case. When a race such as human beings has reached a technological level where they are capable of destroying themselves—and they have on the whole chosen the path of fear over love—then the chances of self-inflicted extinction are high. That is why we do not exaggerate when we state we are here to serve you. By taking control of your world, we safeguard your survival.”

  “You act like we should be grateful you’re here!”

  “Your race should be grateful someone is here.”

  The reference to someone opened a door in Ali’s head.

  “Are there other races in the galaxy that are drawn to love?”

  “Yes. But they were not drawn here. Had there been sufficient love, they would have come. Instead, we have come.”

  “But human beings do have a great deal of love, buried inside. They just need more time to find it. Then they will survive, on their own, without outside intervention.”

  “That is wishful thinking on your part. Human beings have run out of time to make another choice. Therefore, the choice has been made for them—by us—to take away their freedom of choice.”

  “You do not have the right!”

  “Nor do we have the right to sit idly by and watch you die.”

  Again, Ali hesitated. “Explain what you mean.”

  “Let us give a few examples you are probably familiar with. The fish in your seas are no longer safe to eat. They are saturated with chemicals—specifically mercury and lead. In a hundred years, at the current rates of pollution, the seas will be dead. Totally devoid of life. Yet it is the plankton in your oceans that is the main source of oxygen for life on your world. Let us take another example. Most of your vehicles and heavy machinery are dependent on the burning of fossil fuels. That pollutes your atmosphere, bringing on global warming. The list of what you’re doing to ruin your planet is endless. Plus, what is done on Earth rebounds into the green world. Both worlds will soon become inhospitable. Now what do you do to each other? You have your sayings. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. On one continent, everyone has too much to eat. They are all fat. On another continent, the masses starve. They are all skinny. Take this point to a more personal level. In your intimate relationships, specifically in your marriages and your families, the majority of you lie and cheat on your partners and your siblings.”

  “That’s a lie!” Ali snapped.

  “We state what is. Yes, Ali, you say humanity has love, and so it does, but it is rare. Too rare to save your world from extinction.”

  Ali sighed. “I hear what you say, and much of it is true. But the agent you’ve created to carry out your plan—the Shaktra—is causing tremendous suffering in both worlds.”

  “Only in the short term. In the long term, there will be more order, and therefore, less suffering.”

  “And no freedom of choice?”

  “Less freedom of choice. That is the way it must be. Because your people are instinctively selfish, when they choose, they do not choose for the greater good. They choose for themselves. We understand this. We evolved from a similar race. We do not blame you, we are just trying to save you.”

  “Why do you have to work through an agent like my sister?”

  “We have evolved, so to speak, to a level where we prefer not to have direct contact with your level. For that reason, we use agents.”

  “Did you choose Doren because of her connection to the blue light?”

  “Yes. We would choose you for the same reason.”

  “When Doren leaves her body, will she return to the blue world?”

  “No. She will come to us.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she has made that choice. The choice of control.”

  “Stop, wait. Are you saying you evolve differently than us? We follow the path of the doors. We go from the yellow world, to the green world, to the blue world, to the violet world, and, finally, to the white world.”

  “That is correct. We evolve to the purple world, and remain there.”

  Ali had what she thought was an insight. “Because your path is a path of control, you do not experience love, do you?”

  “Correct. There is no love in the purple vibration.”

  “I don’t mean to be rude but . . . don’t you miss it?”

  “Our satisfaction, so to speak, comes from control. We cannot miss love. Indeed, it is the opposite of what we are.”

  “But the opposite of love is what we call fear.”

  For the first time the Entity hesitated to answer.

  “You may call it what you wish,” it said finally.

  “Then your satisfaction comes from creating fear, does it not?”

  “You cloud the main issue. We come to serve. We serve by saving your race from extinction.” The Entity paused. “If you do not help us in our task, then you help destroy your race.”

  Ali almost smiled. “You say I cloud the issue. The reverse is true. I see you for what you are. You are fear mongers. It’s what gets you off. I’ll never choose to help you. What do you have to say about that?”

  “If you do not join us, we will destroy you.”

  “Here and now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Without using an outside agent?”

  “At the moment, so to speak, you have stuck your head into our world.”

  “Trying to scare me into joining you? Is that what you did to Doren?”

  “It was different with her.”

  “How so?”

  “It will be easier for us to show you, rather than to explain to you.”

  She shrugged nonchalantly, although her fear was great. “Show me.”

  Ali became aware the six screens were filled with a picture of Doren. Her sister sat where she currently sat, and beside her stood Tulas, one of the high fairies, Doren’s great love. Tulas was dressed in a green robe with a golden rope-belt. He was the largest and strongest fairy in the kingdom, yet oddly, it was her sister who carried the sword. It was a custom with Doren, as were her red robes, ruby necklaces, and bracelets. Even the hilt of her silver sword was studded with red jewels that matched her hair, green ones that showed off her piercing eyes. Doren never went anywhere without jewels as rare as her beauty, and Geea never begrudged the fact that her sister had more male admirers—not just fairies and elves, but dwarves and leprechauns as well—than anyone in the elemental kingdom.

  Together, Doren and Tulas made a stunning pair. Many, Ali recalled, thought they would have made a powerful king and queen.

  As the scene opened, Tulas also had a purple crystal over his head, and the Entity was answering Doren’s question as to where her father had disappeared to. The six screens said that he had joined them in another dimension. To this Doren and Tulas acted surprised, but the Entity explained that Nemi had done this of his own free will, and tha
t they should be pleased. He could still help the green and yellow world from where he was.

  With that remark, Tulas demanded to speak to Nemi, but the Entity said that was not possible because Nemi was busy with some type of work that could not be explained. Tulas did not like that answer.

  “Why would he leave us without saying goodbye?” he asked.

  “We detect a note of hostility in your voice, and remind you that we do not lie. Had we wanted to deceive you, it would have been simple for us to duplicate Nemi’s appearance and voice, and have him speak to you now—with answers of our own choosing. But we choose not to do that so as to maintain the integrity of our relationship with you.”

  “Will we be able to speak to my father soon?” Doren asked.

  “Yes. That appears highly probable.”

  Doren looked up at Tulas from her place beneath the purple amethyst that at the moment hovered over Ali’s head. “It’s true—if they just wanted to lie to us—they could have fed us a much simpler answer,” she said.

  Yet Tulas was not content. He addressed the Entity in his powerful voice. “How did Nemi transfer into your dimension? Does he still have a physical body?”

  “He continues to possess a physical form, but it is has been changed. The change was necessary to facilitate adjustment to his new environment.”

  The Entity had answered the second question, Ali noted, ignored the first. Tulas noted the fact as well. He kept insisting on more information. Oddly enough, Doren tried to calm him down. To Ali, it was as if her sister was already partially under the Entity’s spell.

  Eventually, Doren and Tulas returned to discussing with the Entity what needed to be done to save the Earth. From the conversation, it seemed they had been examining the subject for some time, and everything the Entity said sounded good. It was focused on environmental pollution, and the need to reduce the Earth’s population to one billion people—over time.

  Ali had always thought the Earth was overpopulated.

  But the Entity did not speak of elementals invading the Earth.

  Then the record appeared to jump forward in time. Next, Doren was alone with the Entity, and she looked worn-out and irritated. Yet the Entity continued to handle her smoothly. It repeatedly said she had to accept her “high position” in the hierarchy that was about to dawn.