“Are you all right, Kiren? Just speak for now, don’t try your mental voice.”
“I... I heard so many voices... I couldn’t stop them! I don’t know what happened. What did Sh’ren do?”
She meant no harm, Kiren. Your mind has been opened to all Rxyl. You have no control. I will teach you.
Kiren sat up straighter, palm pressed against her forehead, a confused expression on her face.
“I don’t understand. What does he mean Andre?”
Swanson continued to hold her gently, speaking softly.
“Until now, we have only been able to communicate with the specific Rxyl who linked with us. When Sh’ren began searching for more of your memories, she inadvertently opened your mind to all Rxyl. She didn’t know you could not filter out the other minds around you, or block your own mental voice from being heard by others. Sh’zul believed we would eventually have developed those abilities, but you need them now, and he is ready to teach. All of us will need to learn this, Kiren, but you will be the first.”
She looked doubtful and just a little bit frightened.
“What if I can’t learn how?”
You are already doing it, Kiren. It is one of the first things we teach our hatchlings. I will guard your mind until you have complete control. Do not fear. Your mate will join us. He must also learn.
Andre left briefly to report on what was happening, and to inform his staff they would be unavailable until further notice. While he was gone, Sh’ren cautiously approached, uncertain Kiren would want to see her. Kiren reached out to rub the soft patch on her throat, and spoke to Sh’zul.
“Please tell her I am not angry. I know she didn’t do it on purpose. I hope I did not frighten her too badly.”
She knows. The images from your mind have quieted her thoughts. Living on the surface is no longer a concern. She will rest now.
Sh’ren backed away from Kiren, turned, and entered her sleeping chamber.
When Andre returned, the three of them retired to Sh’zul’s sleeping chamber where they could all rest comfortably while he taught them. The next few hours passed in a blur of instruction, followed by practice, followed by the correction of mistakes. Slowly, Kiren and Andre gained the proficiency they would need to handle the reading of single or multiple mind voices, blocking them completely or selectively as needed.
They also learned how to block their own thoughts from being read by others, even when sleeping. Lastly, Sh’zul showed them how to project their mind voices over distances, and how to send simple signals to one another without the need for an entire conversation. They would need to practice their new skills, both with each other and other Rxyl. By the time they left the chamber that day, they were in control and feeling much more confident. Sh’zul seemed very pleased with their progress, and left them with a final admonition.
I must instruct the others also. Send them to me.
Perry and Swanson left the Rxyl enclave and met with Morales, Flynn, Luftis and Wells at the Rxyl Institute. Dr. Mayfield listened carefully to their experience, noting with some concern the mental abilities between the linked humans were increasing. It seemed Kiren and Andre weren’t the only ones able to read each other’s thoughts without a Rxyl present.
It was something of a relief to know Sh’zul was eager to teach all them the control techniques they needed. The future of the colony might well be at stake if a significant number of people gained telepathic abilities without the proper controls and safeguards. For the time being, the six subjects already affected would be monitored very carefully before any final recommendations could be made.
####
3 months later
“Look at it Sam! I never imagined such a thing was even possible.”
Olivia Morales stood next to her Vice President in the comfortable confines of the bird’s nest, looking out at the completed Rxyl dome. Today was the official dedication, though the Rxyl couldn’t really care less about ceremonies and speeches. Visiting dignitaries would be arriving from both Pacifica and Khrusallis to help the Deviri colonists celebrate such a significant achievement. The dome itself had been finished for weeks, but the painstaking process of filling it with life was ongoing.
Following Sh’zul’s direction, the selection and placement of plants, pathways, and water features turned the former alpha site into a lush and thriving habitat which closely mirrored the once-green surface of Deviri. A colony of the large, ant-like Ormica was established in one corner of the dome, providing an immediate food source. There were, however, new additions of mostly terran fauna, specially adapted for the Rxyl. When presented with various possibilities, one of the chosen favorites was rabbit, though these were a hairless variety. Apparently, they loved the taste, but not the fur.
Sam glanced down at his comm unit and sighed.
“We better get going, Madam President. Our intergalactic guests will be here shortly, and it wouldn’t look good to be late. By the way, thank you for sharing the view with me today.”
Morales followed him into the lift and allowed the doors to close.
“You are very welcome, Sam. You realize, of course, we are going to have to do this all over again in another six months when the city expansion is completed. It’s going to seem strange to see anything living on the surface of Deviri, after all this time. I’m told it won’t be long before the rest of the planet begins to green-up. I almost laughed out loud the other day when I heard about a proposal to install a first class marina on the Chilton Sea. Times, they are a changing!”
He chuckled in agreement and then grew somewhat somber.
“It was a wonderful idea to name the sea after Thea Chilton. She deserved a better life, but this was a fitting way to honor her memory.”
A temporary pavilion had been erected outside the entry doors to the Rxyl dome, and it was here where Morales and Flynn greeted their guests, gave their speeches, and mixed with the colonists and media who turned out for the event. Carefully choreographed tours through the dome were conducted by Kiren, Andre, and Doctors Luftis and Wells. The Rxyl seemed to take it all in stride, enjoying the tremendous changes in their living environment for the first time.
Many of them were present, but sleeping, as their bodies were still used to resting during the day. This would change over time, but there was no rush and the Rxyl showed little concern. Some engaged the visitors in conversation, using one of the mind linked guides to translate. The Rxyl seemed to be particularly enchanted with the Vingah, who, they said, reminded them of similar flying creatures who used to populate Deviri. The admiration was mutual, much to the relief of the human members of the Alliance, who were eager for all the species to get along.
As the tours wound down, Kiren excused herself from the last of her guests and headed towards the center of the dome. The tunnel entrances were all preserved with care, except the terrain was now covered with plant life and moss. The one she sought was still recognizable, and still clearly the highest point under the dome.
At her approach, it was obvious Sh’zul received her message, for he was there waiting, watching over his people as always. She carefully climbed up the rocky slope, doing her utmost to avoid crushing the plant life, until she reached the summit. She sat next to him, enjoying the view, and his company, for long moments without saying anything.
“It all kind of started here didn’t it?”
Yes. My people are...grateful for this place. We have hope once more.
“As do we, my friend. It will be interesting to see what becomes of Deviri in the future. We have so much more work to do.”
You will stay?
“I will. There is no place I would rather be.”
The birthing tunnels are beginning to fill. Soon we will be too numerous to remain here.
Kiren grinned. “Then we will create new domes and fill them like this one. One day the planet will be restored and the domes will no longer be necessary, but the Rxyl will fill Deviri once again.”
And the humans
will leave us?
“That will be your choice, Sh’zul. Deviri belongs to you, and we will only stay as long as you wish it. Personally, I hope we can find a way to remain with you here. I would be...very sad if I had to leave now.”
The time to decide has not yet come.
Sh’zul’s tail began a rhythmic thumping against the hard stones, and Kiren smiled at the unspoken hope of the future they shared.
Epilogue
Five years later...
Ominous dark clouds, producing lightning and thunder, approached the protective domes on the surface of Deviri for the first time. Human and Rxyl alike were waiting expectantly for the predicted rain shower, and were soon rewarded with the first drops to fall in a very long time. The celebratory cheers and laughter drowned out some of the rumbling thunder which shook the ground with its intensity. The overall greening of the planet was still in the near future, but riverbanks and shorelines worldwide flaunted thin strips of flourishing vegetation. The entire city of Carmel, formerly Reno, was engaged in a happy celebration. Streets were filled with dancing, drinking, and other sorts of revelry as the rain fell overhead.
The Rxyl dome was quiet as usual, except for the muted cheers and clapping of the small group of human adults present. Added to it were the high pitched squeals of delight coming from the Swanson’s two young children. Danae and Connor were always happy to visit the Rxyl, and the added excitement of a thunder storm was just too much to keep them quiet. In addition to their parents, Morales, Flynn, Luftis and Wells, along with their spouses, chose to celebrate with the Rxyl instead of attending the noisy street party in the city. The Rxyl, predictably, saw no particular reason to fuss, but there was a pleased glow coming from their collective minds which betrayed their staid behavior.
The group was assembled near a sharp curve in the river, seated on a collection of moss covered stones which littered the bank. Sh’zul, Sh’tar, and Sh’ren were present, along with a number of scouts and others who worked closely with the humans. At the moment, Sh’ren was showing the kids how to catch a trout, one of the Rxyl’s favorite foods. As the first children born to telepathic parents, Danae and Connor learned mind speech early on and often forgot to speak aloud. Kiren and Andre taught them how to receive and block thoughts, and they learned it without difficulty. Their love for the Rxyl was mutual, and served as something of a turning point in human/Rxyl relations.
Two major events opened the doors to a telepathic human presence on Deviri, and their numbers were growing. First came the decision by the Rxyl to share the planet with the human colonists on a permanent basis. The benefits of living and working together far outweighed any desire by the Rxyl to remain the only sentient species on Deviri. It would require restrictions on population growth and land use, among other things, but the end result would be a thriving, mutually beneficial society which shared much more than the planet itself. With both populations growing quickly, the next pair of settlements was nearing completion along the south shore of the Chilton Sea.
The second game changer was the result of human research. The Rxyl Institute succeeded in isolating and synthesizing the substances needed to trigger telepathic ability in the human brain. A couple of simple injections under the care of trained medical personnel was all it took to make the needed changes. The process was irreversible, so careful psychological evaluation and counseling was required before permission was given to undergo the protocol. Following the procedure, each person was assigned both a human and Rxyl guide to help them adjust and grow into their new abilities.
By treaty agreement, only the original colonists and their children, with certain exceptions, were allowed to undergo the transformation. It was a given telepathy would eventually spread to the entire human race, and they could only try to slow its progress while humanity adjusted. When the solar system sent its children out into the void, no one knew what their fate might be. The sweeping changes which embraced mankind so far were almost entirely benevolent. Only time would tell if the future would be so generous.
####
In another part of the galaxy...
Explosions in interstellar space were rather quiet affairs. There was no warning, no demand for surrender, no attempt at communication. The battle was quick and overwhelming, leaving the huge silver ship crippled and running on auxiliary power. While the vessel’s occupants remained secure in stasis, the AI implemented emergency protocols and waited to see what the enemy’s next move would be. Soon, a cloud of midnight black vessels approached the now-scarred hull and prepared to board the ship. There was no way to stop them.
Before time ran out, the AI performed its last duties. A small hatch opened on the side of the ship furthest away from the boarding parties, ejecting an SOS beacon which was set to activate after three days. Unpowered, it tumbled slowly away from the large vessel, unnoticed by the aggressor force. Loyal to its programming, the powerful AI began a purge of the system, removing all astrometric data gathered during its travels, all references to the ships origins, and disabling the engines and navigation systems. Though the enemy’s intentions remained unknown, it seemed clear the starship Exploration had failed its mission.
END
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About the Author
I grew up in a big house, with a big family, and a big imagination. My writing began back in Junior High school, and over the years has included unpublished stories, music, poetry and drama scripts. I enjoy reading and writing in several genres, including science fiction, fantasy, paranormal and romance.
Since my writing style is primarily plot-driven, readers may notice my books don’t rely as heavily on detailed character development. My goal is to create stories which are interesting, generally upbeat and have a happy ending. If you enjoy my work, I would love to hear from you.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.aelliottbooks.com
Other Titles by Alexander Elliott
Galactic Neighborhood Trilogy: Expedition, Odyssey, Exploration
The Galactic Neighborhood Trilogy traces the fate of three Earth colony ships, sent out into the void to find new worlds for man to conquer. Though their futures are ultimately intertwined, each face the uncertainties of a galaxy filled with wonder, danger and incredible opportunity.
Author’s note – though each book may be enjoyed as a stand-alone, I recommend reading them in sequence to get the complete backstory.
Expedition Galactic Neighborhood – Book 1
The humans of Earth planned for a long intergalactic journey. What they didn’t plan on was running into the neighbors.
In 2096 Captain Christopher Perry led the starship Expedition on a centuries-long search for a suitable world to colonize. Assisted by Mosis, a sentient AI, the unsuspecting crew is awakened by an alien transmission, leading them to the remains of the Vingah race, preserved in stasis.
With a rescue mission in full swing, the allies are challenged by an aggressive species, bent on acquiring the Vingah’s secrets. The confrontation’s outcome will change the destinies of three disparate races, and allow the victors to spread their influence throughout the galaxy.
Odyssey Galactic Neighborhood – Book 2
Colonization of an inhabited planet is forbidden. Someone broke the rules.
Under mysterious circumstances, the colony ship, Odyssey, settled on the strangely barren world of Sahara. Eighty years later, and with no help in sight, their long-term survival is in question.
When help finally arrives, long buried secrets of the past, and the machinations of a scheming politician, threaten to upset carefully laid plans for prosperity.
Caught in the middle are the Rxyl - an elusive, telepathic species already inhabiting the planet. Unaware of the human intrigue, a fortuitous accident forges a bond between the races which will alter the destiny of both peoples forever.
Exploration Galactic Neighborhood -
Book 3
The Silestri thought their enemy was dead. Big mistake.
Exploration’s peaceful journey ends abruptly in disaster. The doomed vessel is attacked, stripped of its crew and destroyed. The men are marooned, while the women are forced into a slavery of the worst kind on the Silestri homeworld.
The elusive search for Exploration continued until a corridor through space was discovered, leading straight to the enemy and the dark secrets they kept.
With only days before a decisive battle, an audacious rescue effort is launched to reunite the remnants of humanity and bring them safely home.
####
SECOND CHANCE EARTH - Change is Our Future
We ruined our first chance. Can we survive the second?
Abused past the point of no return, a dying Earth is host to only a handful of struggling survivors - and something else.
Scott Hayes, at the end of his hope and longing for death, awakens to discover Earth has been rescued by a strange amorphous entity he names the Cloud. While restoration of the planet has begun, the remnants of humanity have also been changed.
Odyssey (Galactic Neighborhood Book 2) Page 17
