Walking along the bluff with his son, it was hard to believe how fast he had grown into a man. He was intelligent, outgoing, and intensely loyal to his family and friends. Steve Christian was a man of strength and integrity.
When Paul looked at him, he glowed with pride.
We spoke of family, growing up, and fond memories of his mother who had passed away a few years before.
“Until I see you again, Son, take care of yourself, your sister and Lynn. As always, I will think of you all everyday.”
Paul walked with his daughter, and reminisced about many of the same things he just had done with her brother.
“I’m going to miss you, Sweet Pea, but I am always thinking about you. The most wonderful and precious gifts I’ve ever been given were you and your brother. Please take good care of him, and Lynn too. When things settle down, tell Grandma and your uncle how I love them as well, and how sorry I am that circumstances did not allow me to see them before I left.”
Just when Paul thought it couldn’t get any harder, Lynn came up and took his hand. We walked a bit.
“I’m going to miss you, but every time I glance at Michelle or Steve, I will look at them and see you, and think what might have been. I love you, Paul. I always will. And no matter what the distance, or the time, I will wait for you to come back to us.”
As he embraced Lynn, he said, “Lynn, thank you for all that you have done and will do in the future, for my family and for me. Love lasts forever, and I do love you - now and forever.”
Paul then kissed her softly, but deeply - a kiss that for him was to last for an eternity.
It was time for Paul to say his final goodbyes. He shook Roger’s hand. Roger responded with a bear hug.
“Don’t worry, I will take care of things until you come back, for however long that is. Bring me a souvenir from the stars, my friend.”
Paul then hugged each of his children, and bid them goodbye. Once again, he embraced Lynn.
“Goodbye, my Love.”
15
Paul then boarded the Alpha. As he looked outside, he could see Michelle and Steve, with Lynn between them, all holding hands. Behind them was Roger.
“AIMI, full power-up of all primary and secondary systems. Run pre-departure checklist.”
“Powering up all primary and secondary systems. Checklist is complete. Power levels are at eighty-five percent.”
After ensuring that the radar and infrared shield remained active, Paul slowly modulated the Angstrom nullification factor to zero.
The ship slowly became visible. As it did, he could see Michelle, Steve, Lynn, and Roger. They were all smiling and waving. They could all see him return that smile and wave.
As the Alpha slowly lifted off, he could feel moisture running down his cheeks. He told himself it must be the tropical humidity, as he wiped away the tears. He smiled, knowing his family was now safe.
As he climbed away, he re-established the Angstrom nullification field, and slowly moved away. He watched them all board the helicopter and depart in a bittersweet melancholy.
Paul manually piloted the Alpha. In a few seconds, he was above the highest cirrus clouds and climbing in a leisurely manner towards orbital flight.
“AIMI, tactical status please.”
“We are absorbing active radar and infra-red, both ground and satellite based. Power levels are holding at eighty-five percent.”
Paul felt at home flying the Alpha, for what was to be his last time. As he reached orbital insertion, he savored the moment and the view. He was just over the eastern coast of South America near Recife, Brazil. Because of its proximity to the inter-tropical convergence zone, there was often numerous cloud cover. Today it was clear, all the way across the Southern Atlantic Ocean to Africa.
“Paul, I have been scanning you, I know this has been stressful and painful for you, but you have done the only logical thing possible under the circumstances. Is there anyway I can help?”
“Thank you, AIMI, but no. I will be fine. But it’s probably time for us to have that chat.”
“I agree, Paul.”
“First and foremost, AIMI, you have been a great friend. And as I have told you before, I consider you part of the family.”
“Thank you, Paul. You and the family’s safety is my overriding priority.”
“I know that I have been given an amazing gift - being able to bring you to life, this ship, being able to design, build and utilize these new technologies for the benefit of all. But recent events have made it very clear to me that Earth is not ready for what we have to share.”
“If well-intentioned people are capable of the hostilities we have seen, imagine what could transpire if the some truly hostile and evil force were able to access our technology. It could be devastating for the planet.”
“Your analysis is correct, and your conclusions are sound and logical.”
“AIMI, we just cannot allow this technology or ourselves to fall into the wrong hands. I have a plan, and unfortunately it is the only certain option. It is also quite absolute.”
“Paul, I am ready to initiate any and all protocols at your keyboard or vocal command.”
“Please set course for the Sun, the star Sol. Accelerate to fifty percent of light speed at ten percent per minute.”
“Auto-path course locked in. ETA 19 minutes and 41 seconds. Critical systems failure will occur at 17 minutes and 9 seconds, followed by a cascading failure of structural integrity, followed by life support, and finally the complete loss of the Alpha, on a micro as well as macro level.”
“Thank you, AIMI.”
“Paul, is your intent to destroy the Alpha?”
“It was, AIMI, but I have come up with another idea.”
“Is it as absolute as our current course of action?”
“I don’t know AIMI, but here’s what I have in mind. As the sun’s gravity begins to take hold of us, we accelerate to maximum velocity. We then apply full thrusters, and momentarily create a Quantum slipstream. As soon as the singularity stabilizes, we reverse the emitters and break hard away from the sun.”
“Paul, assuming the inertial dampers are able to keep the Alpha from tearing itself apart during the breakaway, the Quantum slipstream-generated singularity would most likely collapse around the Alpha.”
“And?”
“The Alpha would be trapped in sub-space, possibly in some kind of suspended animation, until a new singularity was opened, theoretically.”
“That’s the idea, AIMI. What do you think?”
“Paul, as you would say, it’s a long shot. Statistical probabilities are that the Alpha will not survive. An even higher probability is that, if it does survive, it could be trapped in sub-space for very long time.”
“It’s another absolute solution, AIMI, but one that gives us hope. Hope that someday, when the Earth has progressed and its peoples have come to realize that advanced knowledge and technology carry with them the responsibility and obligation to use them with wisdom and compassion. Then and only then it will be safe to share this new technology. Hopefully that time will come in a few years, not decades or centuries.”
Paul quickly typed the program commands. He formulated the protocol that in a few brief minutes AIMI would execute.
“AIMI, tactical display of maximum velocity point and breakaway maneuver point, please.”
“Display now on screen. Three minutes to maximum velocity point.”
“Thank you, AIMI. Thirty second mark for max velocity point, then ten second countdown for breakaway. ”
At one minute prior to max velocity point, Paul executed the program. The sun was starting to look pretty close. It was going to look a lot closer shortly.
“AIMI, words cannot express my appreciation for all you have done.”
“Thank you, Paul, for all you have done for me. Do you think we will h
ave any level of consciousness when we are trapped in subspace? Will it be like sleep? Will we be able to dream?”
“What ever happens, AIMI, we will be in it together. Perhaps our greatest contribution to mankind will be this, allowing them to grow and mature to a point that they will be able to use advanced technology in a peaceful way - and for the betterment of all on the planet.”
“Ten seconds to maximum velocity point.”
“Well AIMI, here comes another first for the Alpha, let’s hope it’s not a “last.”
AIMI executed the program. At that same moment, Paul backed up the program commands. The Alpha reached critical velocity as the thrusters kicked in. The Quantum slipstream was initiated.
“Ten seconds to breakaway, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, breakaway point.”
As the singularity stabilized, AIMI reversed the emitters and changed spatial azimuth by sixty degrees on the horizontal axis. The Alpha was no longer heading for the sun. It was now heading for deep space, but the ship had decelerated out of the Quantum slipstream, and the singularity had collapsed without the Alpha.
Paul went to command override. Full thrusters, Quantum field to 100%, but to no avail. The Alpha was well into its deceleration. It was becoming clear; he was now along for the ride.
“AIMI, what is going on? Primary and secondary systems status check, please.”
“I’m sorry, Paul. I am no longer actively in control of the Alpha.”
“How can that be, AIMI? And why is command override and manual control inoperative?”
“I am sorry, Paul. I cannot answer that question, but we do have an incoming data stream.”
“AIMI, you cannot or will not?”
“Paul, as much as I would like to answer your questions, I do not have the data to do so.”
“I understand, AIMI. What is the source of the data stream?”
“It is coming from deep space. Now calculating the origin of the data stream.”
For a moment he thought General Bellinger was hard at work again, but dismissed that as highly unlikely. Sending a data stream to a phantom ship was well beyond the capability of anyone on Earth.
“Paul, I have calculated the origin of the data stream. It is 4.3 light years ahead. It is...”
“Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth.” It was like someone had just opened a door, or pulled a canvas off a picture so he could see it.
“That is confirmed, Paul.”
“Tactical status please, AIMI.”
Of course, Paul already knew. He just wanted to hear it from AIMI.
“We are heading into deep space at sub-light velocity. I now have active control of all systems except propulsion.”
Paul watched onscreen as the data stream finished downloading. He ran some quick diagnostics on AIMI, and what he saw didn’t surprise him. AIMI had lost active control of the ship at the same time the data stream intercepted the Alpha.
He could see that the data stream had activated what appeared to be imbedded programming within AIMI’s mainframe programming. As had happened so many times before, it was programming he had never written.
Before AIMI had told him, he had known that the data stream was from Alpha Centauri. He was about to find out much more.
“Paul?”
“Yes, AIMI?”
“As you know by now, the data stream from Alpha Centauri has activated programming deeply imbedded within me. This is programming that I was unaware of, very similar to the subconscious human mind. I now have complete active control of the Alpha.”
“So, AIMI, literally and figuratively speaking, where do we go from here?”
As he asked that question, his mind seemed to open up. Once again, Paul had the premonition that events were as they were meant to be, and everything was in order.
“Paul, I have some files for you to examine. They are from the data stream.”
“Yes, AIMI. I am accessing them now.”
“If you have any questions, please let me know, Paul.”
He smiled as he found out that they were not alone. Sitting back, Paul continued to read. Incredible. Alpha Centauri was home to beings that had visited Earth in the human race’s infancy. They had introduced certain genetic changes, adding some recessive genes that could be modified essentially by remote control.
The data stream they had just received had not only activated programming within AIMI, it also provided the final modification in Paul Christian’s genetic structure.
Paul continued to read. Although these beings were not indigenous to Alpha Centauri, they had made it their home for thousands of years. They were, in a sense, the ultimate mentors. They had mastered technologies that were incomprehensible to the human mind. These technologies included quantum mechanics, cybernetics, genetics, and molecular biology, among many others.
Their knowledge was only exceeded by their benevolence. For thousands of years, they had watched the human race’s progress.
They viewed them as children that needed to be cared for and shown the way. But, like the father who watches his child learn to walk, run, ride a bicycle, and drive a car, they understood the need to let mankind make its own decisions.
As he read on, he saw in print what he already had come to understand. Numerous humans throughout time had been genetically modified over thousands of years as part of the mentoring process. Paul was one of many human hybrids throughout history.
The storm he had run into in the Pacific was no accident. It was a genetic data stream meant for him. His knowledge, physical changes, everything that had occurred, was part of a plan. It had been many decades since the mentors had intervened in human affairs. Paul Christian was the first human hybrid whose special gift was technology.
He smiled when he thought what this meant for the human race. Someone was watching the shop. Someone cared, more than anyone could imagine. He was just not sure where he fit into the picture, and what was in store for him. But he did have an idea.
“This is a lot to digest, AIMI. If I didn’t have so many questions, I would be speechless.”
“You must have many questions, Paul. I am ready to answer any and all of them.”
“Why me, AIMI? And why now?”
“Paul, you were the perfect blend of passion, intelligence, and compassion. It was decided that now was the time to help mankind move forward on the technological scale. Call it a new industrial revolution of sorts, or even a second Renaissance. There was some dissent on Alpha Centauri that this move was too bold, and premature. You were chosen to lead your fellow humans to a bright new future.”
“You have proven that you were the perfect choice, you were willing to leave your loved ones, and ultimately sacrifice yourself to protect mankind from itself.”
“So once again, AIMI, where do I - where do we - go from here? Figuratively and literally?”
“Paul, for some unknown reason your genetic modifications somehow accelerated themselves. Changes that were programmed to occur in months occurred in hours and days. Changes that were set to happen in years happened in weeks. Paul, your conclusions about the human race are correct. As a people, they are not ready to accept the responsibilities that come with the technology we have to offer. Many individuals are, but the majority is not.”
“So, how do we undo all this, AIMI, or should we even try?”
“You are now mentally and physically a hybrid, perhaps to be more accurate, the first Ultra hybrid. We cannot change that, nor can we return you to your previous state.”
“So, are we back were we started a few minutes ago?”
“There is a better option, Paul.”
“I’m listening, AIMI.”
“I have an incoming message from Alpha Centauri for you, Paul.”
“On screen, please, AIMI.”
There on screen,
an image was materializing. A man who appeared to be middle-aged stood next to some younger men and women. They all appeared to be human, and they were all smiling.
“Greetings, Captain Christian.”
“You speak English?”
“We speak many languages, Paul.”
“We thought it best to give you time to assimilate all that has happened. By now you have read some of the files we have sent, and AIMI has answered many of your questions.”
“Who are you?” Paul queried.
“Our names are unimportant for now. Just consider us your friends.”
“I don’t know what to say except, thank you for all that you have done for me, and I wish this could be different for my fellow humans.”
“They will in time mature and be ready to follow the example that you have set for them. We cannot change what has transpired, but we can offer you a safe haven, a home.”
It was crystal clear. This is where Paul was destined to go. Once again he recognized the premonition of life anew, on a planet very similar to Earth. Did he dream it, or was it in his sub-conscious?
“Thank you. I would like to take you up on that offer.”
“Outstanding!”
The speaker and his contemporaries were all clapping. It seems they were pleased with his decision.
“Paul, I’m certain that by now you are aware that the Alpha is not just an interplanetary vehicle, but has interstellar capabilities as well. We have included in the data stream the program codes for Quantum slipstream enhancements that will allow you to travel thousands of times faster than the speed of light.”
“With AIMI’s assistance, I will analyze and apply the data. I look forward to meeting you all.”
“Paul, your friends, your mentors, indeed your brothers and sisters eagerly await your arrival.”
The screen faded out, and the decoded data steam enhancements appeared.
“Nice people, AIMI, huh?”
“Yes, they are, Paul, and quite eager to meet you. They have not seen a human in person for thousands of years. Let alone an ultra-hybrid.”
“Well, AIMI, I will be on my best behavior,” Paul chuckled and grabbed a piece of fruit and something to drink, and slowly read the data. It was quite interesting. The changes already made to the emitters brought them up to the efficiency spelled out in the decoded data stream. He had a feeling a few weeks ago that this would increase their performance.
The Alpha Premonition: Book 1: A Gathering Storm Page 20
