The Good Reaper

by Dennis J Butler

  “Dad did you ever wonder about them, I mean have you ever wondered just how advanced they are? They’ve come here from who knows where. They are obviously of superior intelligence. What if they hold the secret to the cure for cancer?”

  “They may have even eliminated all sickness and disease on their world.”

  “But why can’t they just come down here and cure us?” LeAnne asked.

  “Maybe someday LeAnne. At least we know they are real. If they wanted to hurt us, they could, anytime they want to. Maybe they will cure our diseases someday. At least there is hope. They don’t seem to have bad intentions toward us. I wonder if the beings inside that ship are those little grey people we see on those alien documentaries.”

  There was no sign of the odd ship that hovered over the Pearson home that chilly night in September. But the strange night of the light beam was not to be forgotten. It was the kind of thing that could be quietly referred to with a nod or a wink. It was a secret adventure, quietly shared by the Pearson and Cavanaugh families. But it wasn’t talked about much, at least not until LeAnne’s health began to spiral downward.

  LeAnne had one of those newer digital oxygen tanks. As long as the battery was charged it worked like a charm. It was about 3:00 AM the night Madeline heard her gasping for air. Madeline reached LeAnne’s room in a matter of seconds with Carl right behind her. “Is something wrong with the tank?” Carl yelled. “How’s the battery?”

  “The battery is okay. She’s getting oxygen. I don’t know what’s wrong,” Madeline said, sounding as if she was on the verge of panic.

  LeAnne appeared to be slipping in and out of consciousness. “Can you hear me LeAnne?” There was no response. LeAnne’s eyes looked unfocused and far away.

  “I’m calling 911,” Carl said as he ran back to the other bedroom to grab his phone. The ambulance was there in less than six minutes. The Pearsons arrived at the hospital just behind the ambulance which was still parked in front of the ER entrance.

  Carl and Madeline were relieved to see LeAnne wide awake when they arrived at the hospital. After a brief exam by the ER doctor, LeAnne was wheeled away for more tests.

  Two hours later a different doctor came into the waiting room. “Are you the Pearsons?”

  Carl and Madeline were exhausted and sleepy but they jumped up to greet the doctor. “Yes, Carl and Madeline Pearson,” Madeline answered.

  “I’m Doctor Ross, the staff oncologist. I would like to admit LeAnne for more tests tomorrow.”

  “Sure, whatever you think is best doctor,” Carl responded.

  “Let’s go see her,” Doctor Ross said. Carl and Madeline followed the doctor to a large room down the hall and listened while the doctor explained some of the tests he wanted to perform on LeAnne the following day. LeAnne looked tired but comfortable.

  “You guys can go home and get some rest,” LeAnne said. “I’m exhausted anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Carl and Madeline watched as they wheeled LeAnne away.

  The following day Carl and Madeline arrived at the hospital early. As soon as they walked into LeAnne’s room a nurse walked in behind them. “Doctor Ross will be here around 10:00 to talk to the three of you.”

  “What about?” Carl asked. “How is LeAnne doing?”

  “Doctor Ross will explain everything when he gets here,” Nurse Carrie said, just before she quickly scooted out of the room.

  “I’m getting the feeling that there is more going on than we already know. I hope there will be some good news.” Madeline said, looking at LeAnne who seemed to be in a bit of a fog. “Are you feeling okay? Have they given you some kind of pain killer or sedative?”

  LeAnne nodded. Her eyelids looked heavy and it looked like she was trying hard to stay awake. After about twenty minutes she was out cold. “Well, we’ve still got two hours before the doctor gets here. I guess it’s a good time to get something to eat,” Carl said. LeAnne’s parents took their time making their way to the cafeteria. Carl kept looking at his watch every few minutes. They were anxious to know what was on the doctor’s mind but they couldn’t do anything but watch the minutes slowly tick by. They waited until just after 9:30 before returning to LeAnne’s room. When they got there LeAnne was still asleep so they quietly sat watching television while waiting for the doctor to arrive.

  Doctor Ross was a punctual man and stepped into LeAnne’s room at exactly 10:00 AM. “Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Pearson. Has she been sleeping long?” he asked while looking down at LeAnne.

  “We got here around 8:00 this morning and she’s been sleeping ever since,” Madeline said.

  “LeAnne?” Doctor Ross said softly bending over LeAnne and resting his arm over the top of her pillow. LeAnne opened her eyes and looked up at the doctor. She looked awake and rested.

  After a few minutes of small talk, Doctor Ross’s demeanor changed. He looked serious. “LeAnne, we have a wonderful staff here. We have some of the best specialists in the area like Doctor Ahn the cardiologist and Doctor Rosen the vascular surgeon. But as good as they are, there are world renowned specialists in many areas of study who have been proven to produce dramatic and extraordinary results, particularly in the area of lung diseases. There is such a specialist who practices downstate in New York City. You may have even heard of him. He has been on several talk shows and has written several well-known research papers on your specific condition. In short, he is the world leader in treating LAM.”

  Doctor Ross opened the folder he was carrying and handed Mrs. Pearson a multi-page bio of the world renowned specialist who he was about to refer LeAnne to. “Doctor James Sandoval. To put it simply, he is the best there is. I do believe in my heart that this is the best thing for you. I am recommending that you become a patient of Doctor Sandoval. I have all the forms here. If you agree, I can get them faxed to him this morning. Doctor Sandoval has some amazing success stories with patients who were considered incurable.”

  LeAnne cleared her throat and tried to speak. After clearing her throat a few more times and coughing, the words finally came out. “Okay doc. I can see where you are going with this. It would be kind of impossible for me to commute to New York.”

  “You won’t have to commute. You will stay in a private room at the St. Elizabeth Medical Center in New York.” Doctor Ross turned to Madeline and Carl. “Don’t worry about insurance. It won’t cost you a dime. You can come down on weekends and stay at Franklin Suites. Saturday and Sunday will be paid for by Doctor Sandoval’s research department.”

  “Can you tell me Doctor Ross, has my condition gotten worse?”

  There was a long period of silence. The three of them looked at the doctor. Delivering sad and disturbing news to patients was nothing new for the doctor but he seemed to be wrestling with it. He frowned and it almost seemed as if his eyes were watery. “There is no easy way to say this LeAnne.” He paused for a moment and continued, “What’s happening in your lungs is very aggressive. Since the last time we examined you, your condition has deteriorated much faster than I expected. I do believe Doctor Sandoval may be your last chance.”

  “You don’t have to decide now, but I do advise you not to wait too long,” Doctor Ross said.

  “I’ve already decided doc,” LeAnne said. “When do we leave?”

  2 - Departure from Ranjisan

  Earth is known as Q76-P3. The planet is classified as “Level 3 Secondary.” Inhabitants have developed moderately good communication and transportation skills and some basic medical science but they are still primitive in many ways. Upon my arrival there would be a total of 245 Ranjisi there. Most of the Q76-P3 recruits were assigned to the cultural-tribal study group and about a third of the team were assigned to the environmental study group. I was happy I was assigned to the medical science group. There were only 15 of us in the medical group and some of them would be rotating back to Ranjisan when I arrived. I knew I would be busy but I was happy that I wasn’t assigned to the cultural-tribal study group which studied war and tribal loyalty patt
erns and religion.

  I was part of Phase II of the CIPE Q76-P3 Exploration & Discovery Project, also known as the Gamma Anadeia Alliance. Phase I which lasted several decades consisted only of aerial observation. There was no contact with humans. Phase II which I was a part of took our observation to the next logical level. It consisted of infiltration by CIPE Phase II agents into the working world of the human race. Phase II was intended to be a long, intense period of observation.

  Phase III was not scheduled to begin for another five to ten years, depending on the findings of the Phase II study. Phase III would be the “first contact” part of the project. Phase III would begin with our introduction and announcement to the human race that we exist and we have come to planet Earth. Our goal was that after our introduction, the human race would join our alliance of races.

  I was almost finished with a full calendar year of training and studying at the Center for Inter-Planetary Exploration (CIPE). Most of my time was spent studying the two main languages I would be using on P3 plus the history of the sections of the planet I was assigned to. The primary language I would be speaking when I arrived would be what the inhabitants called “English.” I would also be capable of speaking Spanish but my English would need to be flawless with no accent. I needed to be completely comfortable with all of the language variations and cultural differences.

  The inhabitants of P3 referred to their planet as “Earth” and their race as “human.” During the last stages of my training, I talked, ate, slept as if I was one of them. I tried to feel and be human.

  Physical interaction with other Ranjisi was strictly prohibited for one simple reason. Our physical differences would not appear unusual as long as we were not seen with other Ranjisi. The physical differences between Ranjisi and humans are almost entirely unnoticeable. The only real difference is in the weakness of Ranjisi legs compared to humans. This is due to the lower gravitational pull on Ranjisan which is just over half what it is on P3. Although we can adjust to the difference in oxygen levels on P3, what appears as weakness in our legs is due to millions of years of evolution on a planet with a relatively low gravitational pull.

  Also, since our race is so much older than the human race, there is not too much variation in our overall appearance. We are average in height, five feet, six to six feet, five for males and five feet, four to five feet, nine for females. Our hair can be straight or curly but it almost always ranges from light brown to dark brown. Both males and females color their hair on Ranjisan. It seems to depend more on what people do for a living rather than gender. People who work in offices are more likely to color their hair. I guess that’s because they are usually neatly dressed and groomed.

  Ranjisi all have just about the same pale white skin tone and the same almond shaped eyes. We have varying degrees of what humans would call a Roman nose with a prominent bony bridge. Our ears look a bit different with fewer folds, giving them a slightly smoother look. So in a sense, we all look like distant cousins. If you see a bunch of us in a group, it may look like a family reunion. If you see a bunch of us in a group walking and looking like we are having trouble breathing, we become an oddity. For this reason we have been ordered not to socialize with each other when we arrive on Earth.

  Ranjisi living on P3 often experience shortness of breath. This is not due to the oxygen level on P3 but rather it is a result of the physical exertion it takes to perform strenuous activities. The gravitational pull on Ranjisan is about half what it is on Earth. This is not something that anyone can adjust to quickly. It has more to do with our lack of physical strength. If a group of Ranjisi were to attempt to participate in a physical sport such as beach volley ball or football, they would soon be gasping for air. During our training we are taught to avoid strenuous physical activities on P3. We can easily make excuses when socializing with humans but if we were in a group, it would become an oddity. Humans would find it peculiar that several people suffered from the same affliction at the same time. This all meant that part of the challenge of the assignment would be separation and isolation from members of our own species. I knew that the only way I could prevent loneliness and perhaps depression would be to form relationships with humans.

  But Ranjisan is not a utopia. Our scientists have made amazing discoveries in science and medicine over the centuries but they haven’t been able to solve everything. One of the problems they have not been able to solve is why the ratio of male to female childbirths has gradually become so out of balance. If left to natural fertilization, 8 to 12 males would be born for every female. Ranjisan scientists have developed a simple procedure to modify Y chromosomes so that families could have as many females as they desired.

  However, my parents opted to take the natural route so I had nine brothers and one sister. Naturally my sister Alula was everyone’s favorite. Alula was the planner and organizer of my departure party.

  I had been away at Ranjisan’s Global Exploratorium Campus so Alula, my parents and my brothers were a little shocked to see me when I returned. During my cultural study of planet Earth I became intrigued with what humans refer to as the punk counter-culture. I was attracted to the rebelliousness and I liked the loud music. I thought it had a kind of angry honesty to it. Although I didn’t entirely understand why many of the young humans were angry rebels, I assumed their disillusionment had something to do with the endless tribal wars of planet Earth. I wasn’t completely sure I intended to stick with my new punkish persona but at least for my initial arrival on planet Earth, I would appear as one of them. I would be an alien punk.

  “Naos, what did you do to yourself?” Alula screamed when she first saw me on the rear terrace of my parent’s avior. Avior’s are a modern type of dwelling on Ranjisan. They are built of a semi-soft flexible translucent material known as gelaeno that absorbs sunlight directly into the avior’s power system. My parent’s avior is built into the side of an old low mountain covered mostly in kokab white needle trees that grow at all different twisted angles. From the inside of the avior looking out, the structure is 90% invisible so it appears as if you are living in the middle of a white kokab forest. From the outside, the gelaeno appears solid. From inside, we can see out but from the outside, you can’t see in. Our family loves it but there are many Ranjisi who prefer more traditional dwellings. I hadn’t lived at my parent’s house for a few seasons and I had forgotten how cool living in an avior in the forest was. Looking out at the white-bark kokab trees with their yellow, red and green leaves was hypnotizing.

  I was lost in a daydream but Alula’s voice snapped me back to reality. “What did you do to your hair? Why did you shave your head on the one side?” In my effort to identify with the young rebels on planet Earth, I had shaved my head on my right side all the way up to the top and dyed my hair white. I considered piercings and tattoos but I decided I would wait until I got to Earth since I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the tattoos.

  “When I get to Earth, I’m going to identify with the punks and other outcasts of society. I think I look pretty good. I may be a bit old to really fit in, but I don’t care. The white hair kind of goes with my tall skinny frame, azure eyes and pale skin. You don’t like it?”

  “It’s different,” Altair my youngest brother said. “So what do you have to rebel about?”

  “I guess I don’t really know Altair. Maybe I’ll understand after I’ve lived with humans for a while.”

  “Well I like it,” Syrma said. “So what’s a punk?” Syrma and I were childhood friends who grew up together. My parents still expected us to get married someday but I had never thought of Syrma in a romantic way. She had grown into a beautiful Ranjisi female but we were more like brother and sister than boyfriend and girlfriend.

  “Punks are kind of like our islanders except that islanders actually withdraw from society and live primitively. Punks seem to be angrier and they still live within human society. However, you must understand that Earth is less evolved than Ranjisan. I think humans have a lot
more to be angry about.”

  “I read that they still have wars,” My brother Minkar said. “Is that true?”

  “Yes. As far as I know from reading Earth’s history, there has never been a period in time when there wasn’t a war raging in one part of the planet or another.”

  “So why did you volunteer to go there?” Alula asked. “It doesn’t seem like a very nice place.”

  “Ranjisan once had tribal wars, but that was many, many centuries ago,” I said. “There are things I like about humans.” I paused for a moment and continued, “I think it’s their passion.” Everyone was nodding and making thoughtful noises as if they were deep in thought.

  “Without passion, there is no life,” my father said loudly as he entered the room. “Come. Let’s sit in the dining room. It will be the first time we’ve all been seated at the round table in almost two years.” My father had just passed his 100th birthday which was kind of middle aged for a Ranjisi. He was in great shape and exercised and jogged almost every day. He considered himself a progressive, open minded thinker so I wasn’t surprised he appeared not to notice my new hairdo. My mother’s only reaction was to raise one eyebrow and stare for a few moments without saying anything.

  We spent the rest of the night sipping fermented spica syrup and talking about old times until late in the night.

  ***

  I spent my last day on Ranjisan just relaxing with Alula, Altair and my parents. The following morning the Exploratorium shuttle was their before dawn. As we stepped outside and were about to say our final goodbyes I was surprised to see Syrma standing there. “Syrma you didn’t have to get up so early. We did say goodbye the other night.”