As Jake spoke to her, an overpowering feeling of reassurance rushed through her body. It was almost as if another presence was near her, testifying to her soul that the man before her was indeed the man she was meant to be with forever. Consequently, she could not control the dam of tears anymore. They flowed from her eyes as Jake spoke, trickling down her cheeks, and landing softly on the blue cloak upon the altar.
“I love you,” she mouthed after Jake finished his vows. Now it was her turn; she had rehearsed this too many times to count. But all of a sudden, she was speechless. Dumbfounded. Not able to find the words she had so eloquently put together and practiced for weeks. The tears continued to flow as she struggled to regain her thoughts. The smile on Jake’s face was beginning to fade. He obviously wondered if something was wrong. What’s wrong with you, Celeste? she thought. You are a Gnol. You have a memory that can recall almost everything.
The congregation was becoming restless with the foreboding silence. She felt someone touch her shoulder. Her eyes, now blurry from crying too much, looked up at General Hauler.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, still struggling to find the words. Then she glanced behind the general at the painting of Jesus Christ, her new God and Savior. Ever since Jake and Adrian had taught her about Christ, she had been doing everything she could to learn about him, studying everything from ancient Earth scriptures to discussions with those that truly knew him.
She felt Jake squeeze her hand as she stared into the eyes of Jesus’ portrait. Calm and peace unexpectedly swept throughout her entire being, and the words she had practiced so many times before rushed into her mind. Snapping her attention back to Jake, she gave him a smile, letting him know that everything was okay. The tension on his face disappeared.
“Jake, I have told you this before, but I want everyone here to know as well. I didn’t know what to expect that day we met. I had been helping your father and the rebel cause for a while then, but I still had my doubts about humans. I was proud. Even though I sympathized with their cause, I considered myself above them. I was suspicious and skeptical after learning everything from my father. But on that day, Jake, everything changed.
“When I walked into that room, you were the first person that I was drawn to. Yes, I could read your thoughts, but there was something so powerful about you, so strong, even though you may have not believed it at the time. Believe it or not, you made an impression on me. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. And believe me, Gnols are pretty disciplined with their thoughts …”
Everyone chuckled again.
“I knew right then that you are someone special. It was love at first sight for me as well, Jake. You are so much more than any man or Gnol. I want to be with you forever. I love you and I am proud to call myself your wife – Mrs. Celeste Palmer.”
Celeste had never seen a smile so big on Jake’s face. Skip then stepped forward, handing him her ring. The ring was a simple band of gold. She didn’t want anything more extravagant than that.
Jake took the ring, holding it in his left hand, and grabbed her right hand with his right hand. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he said, sliding the ring upon her finger.
Nichelle then stepped forward and handed Celeste Jake’s gold ring. Grabbing his hand the same way, she said, “With this ring, I thee wed,” as she slid the ring upon his finger. The two then leaned in and lovingly kissed each other as husband and wife.
* * * * *
The spirit watched as the woman suddenly became panic-stricken. He could see it; even after testifying to her just a few seconds before that the man across the altar from her was truly the one she was supposed to marry. He continued to watch with concern for her panic as she looked at the picture of Jehovah. Right then, he knew what he had to. Stepping in between her bridesmaid and the woman, he placed his hands upon her head and began to repeat the words of love that she had practiced over and over again.
Feeling her nervousness recede, he watched as she spoke the words with conviction and compassion for the man across from her. The couple exchanged rings and kissed. He smiled, knowing his work was done here. It was now time to leave the mortals alone. Closing his eyes, his thoughts focused upon home.
Instantly, he was back on his home world, standing under the golden archway that looked out upon the worlds without end that his Father had created. Jehovah stood next to him, his white as snow robe fluttering about as he spoke. “Art thou prepared?”
“Yes.”
Jehovah turned to him and looked compassionately upon the spirit. “Your time is soon at hand. You must be steadfast and faithful. Once you enter mortality, you will not remember your pre-mortal existence.”
The spirit gave Jehovah a small nod and a look of concern spread across his face. It horrified him to think that he wouldn’t remember all that he had spent as a spirit before his upcoming mortal mission. What kind of person would he be? Would he be able to handle what he was foreordained to do? For the first time ever, he suddenly became anxious with worry.
Jehovah knew his thoughts. “Be comforted. Your mortal parents are strong and faithful. They will teach you right from wrong. Most importantly, I will be there to guide you, as will Father. But remember, thou mustn’t underestimate the adversary. He is conniving and ruthless. His plan is already in motion and that is why your time has come. You know the choice you will have to make when it comes.”
The spirit tried to give his eldest brother a reassuring smile as he turned and looked out upon the worlds again, but he couldn’t hide the uneasiness he had about his mortal mission. He knew it would be a difficult one. What worried him the most, however, was the choice he knew he would be faced with. And he wondered, Can I make the right choice when the time comes?
* * * * *
Gnolom. Mars I . . .
As she hovered through the fuselage of the Mars I Space Shuttle, Macaria – as she was known before she gave herself the title of the light goddess – tried to isolate where the signal was coming from using the artificial intelligence of the computer system. She had been a part of this shuttle for twenty-five Earth years now. She was engrained in it, and she could tell when something was amiss. For several weeks now, an unknown computer system from somewhere in the solar system had been sending a signal out to Gnolom and locking on to the hologram signature of the shuttle. She, of course, was pretty sure where the signal was originating from, but she wanted proof.
She hovered her way into the flight deck of the shuttle. The flight deck was still in as good a condition as it was when it was first constructed. Her thoughts instantly flashed back to that fateful day when that crew of despicable mortals, whom she loathed with every fiber of her being, abandoned the shuttle for Terrest. She remembered the commotion and let a wry smile spread across her lips. She enjoyed watching the chaos and distress of others. It is what she desired and had been a part of ever since her banishment from Heaven. Adrian Palmer – the name sent shivers of sheer hatred thought her spiritual body – had decided to abandon the ship because of a jammed nuclear fuel rod from the nuclear reactor, leaving her alone with the computer system into which she had embedded herself just before they took off from Earth.
Because of her connection with Maggie, the name the crew had given the computer system, she was able to take control of the shuttle and guide it to her desired destination – Gnolom. She was able to autopilot the shuttle to a near perfect landing. Once Mars I was safely on the surface, she used the computer system and the remote arms within the nuke-deck to unhinge the jammed fuel rod from the reactor core and replace it with a new one. The nuke-deck was still operational and could still power certain parts of the shuttle when she wanted it to. Granted, radiation had been released throughout the entire ship, but that didn’t affect her spirit body in the slightest.
She turned to face one of the computer stations within the flight deck and looked at the monitor. The deck was in complete darkness. Darkness didn’t bother her, however. Her spirit eyes cou
ld see just fine in the overwhelming blackness. It fact, darkness was something she craved.
She telepathically connected herself again with Maggie and turned the monitor on. It flickered on, and all she saw was snow from a disrupted signal. Frowning, she decided to try and piggyback the signal to see if she could isolate its origin. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to stay locked on the signal for long, so she had to act fast.
Finally, after a few minutes of waiting, the monitor began to flicker with images. She now knew for sure where the signal was coming from. It was coming from the underground rebel base on Terrest. But why, she wondered. Why would they be looking for a hologram signature on Gnolom? The thoughts infuriated her as she narrowed the signal down to the command center of the base.
She amplified her own signal and was able to tap into the security cameras within the base. What were these mortals up to? she thought. She danced around to different security cameras within the complex. As she continued to search, she stopped upon video footage that caused hate and vengeance to ripple throughout her. The scene unfolding before her was a wedding, and she knew the participants well. She had known them even before she was cast out along with her master from Heaven. And that made her hate for them even more intense. She wished that she could kill them right there where they knelt. But that was impossible. Moreover, she had to let this union happen and had made it abundantly clear to her servant, Koroan, that it needed to happen as well. For without this couple’s marriage, everything that she and her true master back on Earth had planned and worked for would be lost.
Macaria continued to watch until the signal was lost. The monitor turned off, and she hovered in the dark silence a few minutes longer, trying to figure out how the rebels had found her hologram signature and why. Then it hit her. The night she spoke with Celeste. Could Celeste have figured out that she was just using the hologram technology of the shuttle to transmit herself as a goddess? “No,” she said to herself. “It’s not possible … Unless?”
The realization of what she had just figured out shocked her into understanding the urgency of the situation. She closed her eyes and transported herself from the confines of the shuttle to the room where her two most prized possessions lay, hidden and secure. She opened her eyes and looked about the small room. The entire room was encased in steel with walls five meters thick. She was able to go and come as she pleased because she was a spirit. But entrance into this room would be nearly impossible for any being with a physical body. She looked at the first item in the room resting on a dust-filled shelf – Gnolom’s golden tablet.
Turning around, she then gazed upon her second possession in the room, encased in another solid steel box that stood upright and stood just a little taller than she, with a small window. She peered inside and looked at her most prized possession in a perpetual cryogenic freeze. A surge of anticipation flowed throughout her as she gazed upon its beauty, knowing full well that the process was almost complete. The being within seemed to call her. It pulled her. But despite her intense desire to stay and watch, she knew that she had to get the golden tablet back to Mars I. Koroan was about to bring Terrest’s tablet to her. She knew that neither one of them would be able to decipher the symbols, but she hoped that maybe the two joined together would reveal more to her.
But moving the object was the challenge. She couldn’t just transport it back with her to the ship. It was made of physical matter, and she was made of spirit matter. She could pass through physical walls and barriers, but the object couldn’t. Of course, she could wait for Koroan’s arrival, and he could move it. But time was of the essence. She relented and knew she would have to move it the old-fashioned way. Telekinetically locking onto the tablet, she levitated it off the shelf and moved it into her hand.
She wished that she could feel it, but again, she was made of purer substance. Holding the plate in place, she looked down. The sight of her wretched hand sickened her. Even though spirits never aged in a physical sense, hers looked as if it had. Her once beautiful complexion had transformed into a hideous, serpent-like shade of gray. Her once gorgeous blonde hair had mutated into thin strands, hanging over her head like paper-thin snakes hanging from a ledge. And her eyes, which had been the brightest shade of royal blue, were now ghastly slits of blackness, even though she could transform them to fiery red orbs when she wanted to. She was repulsive and she knew it. She could, at times, transform herself back into the beautiful being she once was, but that took a tremendous amount of energy. Instead, she used the energy of Mars I and its hologram projectors to project her former beauty to those to whom she chose to reveal herself.
In frustration, she mentally unlocked the two-meter-thick secure door leading into the room and made her way out. She shut and locked the door behind her, and found herself inside a small cave, secured and hidden by a large boulder. She then moved the boulder as well and was now out into the hollow within the famed Mount Resumpsi of Gnolom. Looking to her right, she saw the gigantic structure built within the mount. The building revolted her because of who it was dedicated to, and she quickly turned her gaze from it. She made her way out of the mountain and onto the dusty surface of the dying planet.
The sun was just beginning to set, and Macaria could see the faint outline of Mars I a few miles away. As she began to make her way toward the shuttle, her mind drifted back; back to the time when she was beautiful. She regretted every decision she had made. In the pre-mortal world, she was offered a choice, but she chose the wrong path. She knew that because of that choice, she wasn’t allowed to have a body. That’s why she had fought so hard and so long against Jehovah and the Father. She hated them and everything they stood for.
As she neared the shuttle, a wicked smile curved along her lips. “Soon though,” she said to herself, “everything the master and I have planned for will come to pass. And even God Himself won’t be able to stop us.”
CHAPTER 18
Earth Time: 2 days later, July 30, 2042 – Scott Air Force Base, Earth . . .
“The mechanical systems and technology are more advanced than ours, but similar enough to figure out,” the technical sergeant said as he made his way down the ramp of the Gnol transport, wiping his grease-stained hands with a towel. “Everything is in working order, General.”
Adrian stood at the bottom of the ramp and looked at the technical sergeant incredulously, amazed that he was able to get the damaged spacecraft working again. “You’re sure every system is functioning properly? This isn’t a flight from St. Louis to L.A. We’re going to another solar system.”
The middle-aged veteran stopped at the bottom of the ramp and glanced at the general with a presumptuous look before looking back down, trying to wipe the grease between his fingers. “Sir, with all due respect, I am the best the Air Force has. I’ve been through seven tours of duty, and every aircraft that has come under my care has returned back to active duty in pristine condition, even better than if it had come off the assembly line.”
Adrian liked the technical sergeant’s self-assurance. Earth was going to need men like him if they were going to rebuild successfully. Stepping up onto the ramp next to the sergeant, Adrian slapped him on the back and said, “Well, what do you say we take this thing for a little test flight?”
The technical sergeant shook his head. “No, sir. I fix ‘em. I don’t fly ‘em.”
“Okay,” Adrian responded.
The sergeant stepped off the ramp. “Good luck, sir.”
Adrian nodded and made his way into the shuttle, hoping that the technical sergeant’s skills backed up his confidence.
* * * * *
Kevin looked up to the sky as a tear trickled down his cheek. The slim and sleek black Gnol transport shuttle that his younger brother was test flying had just taken off and shot off into the air like a bullet. He heard and felt the pounding of the sound barrier as the shuttle approached maximum velocity toward space. Once the shuttle was out of view, he looked back down at the simple gravestone for his s
on. Engraved upon the marble stone were the words:
Adam Palmer
Born: September 27, 2026 – Died: July 22, 2042
Beloved son and brother.
Hero of mankind’s first war against an alien invader. He will forever be remembered for his selfless sacrifice to save future generations. May he forever rest in peace.
“Well, Adam, I’ve come to say good-bye. Ashley and I are going to travel back to Terrest with your Uncle Adrian. There’s nothing left for us here on Earth. Hopefully, we will be reunited with Jake …” he paused, emotion creeping into his voice once again. Taking in a deep sigh, he was about to speak again when he heard someone coming up from behind him. Turning, he saw the beautiful face of his daughter.
She made her way to him, hooked her arm into his, and leaned her head onto his shoulder. “How is Chris taking it?” he asked.
Kevin could tell that Ashley had been crying. Clearing her throat, she said, “Surprisingly, he’s taking it pretty well.”
“Okay, I guess the question is … how are you taking it?”
“I-I don’t know, Dad. I know that I am falling for Chris. But do I truly love him? I don’t know.”
Kevin reached up and grabbed his daughter’s hand that was wrapped around his elbow. “Well, I can tell you this much, Ash; he loves you.”
Ashley looked up, a questioning look on her face. “How could you possibly know that?”
“It’s the way he looks at you. And the fact that he’s okay with you leaving. Sometimes when you truly love someone, you have to sacrifice your own feelings for the happiness of the one you care about. That’s what he’s doing.”
Ashley looked back down and stared at the gravestone for a few seconds before responding, “I think I love him too, Dad.”
Worlds Without End: Aftermath (Book 2) Page 30
