Godschild Covenant: Return of Nibiru

by Marshall Masters

  “Sure,” she said as she knelt down by her pack and pulled out the dented old candy tin she used to store her kindling. “Everyone is OK, but the going is slow. Jenny's legs gave out on her, and Bob Cummings is carrying her on his shoulders, but they'll be here in twenty minutes. By then, we'll have a nice roaring fire all ready for them."

  Soft spoken as always, Timmy set down the bundle, and began helping her build a fire. “You've been real worried for the last couple of days, but whatever it is, you've been keeping it to yourself. I'm thinking maybe it's your mom."

  The two had developed a warm and deep friendship during the trek, and now that they were alone, she decided that it was time to share her burden with someone she knew she could trust. “The last time I spoke with my mother was three days ago. She could barely work her medallion because of the medications and her cancer.” Tears began running down her face. “She's dying, Timmy, and she doesn't want me to come to her. She wants me to go to Godschild."

  He put his arm around her shoulder. “Why doesn't she want to see you? It doesn't make sense."

  “It doesn't make sense to me either, but that's what she wants. Worse yet, she won't tell me why, only that it is important that I go to Godschild. She didn't even want me to tell anyone else, but this pain is too much for me.” She embraced him, “Oh God, Timmy. I'm all tore up inside. I love my mother so much, you can't believe."

  He patted her tenderly and said softly, “maybe JALA.TRAC will know. Why don't you ask him tonight?"

  “In front of everybody?"

  “If you have to do it, yes. Perhaps though, you might be able to find a quiet moment with him so you can ask him alone. If you like, I'll do what I can to help with that."

  “You'd do that for me?"

  “What are friends for, Lu?” he said using the diminutive version of her name, he only used when they were alone. He took a hanky out of his pocket and began to dry her tears. “I'm here for you, Lu. No matter what. No matter where. We go it together. OK?"

  She sniffled, “You're the best, Tim; you really are."

  “That's the spirit. Now look, everyone else will be coming and if they find us getting all mushy like this they'll pester us until we spill our guts and we don't want to do that, do we?"

  “You're right."

  “Good. You know, this could be a long night so I think I'm going to fetch some extra firewood if you'll be OK by yourself."

  She gave him a long squeeze. Letting go she said, “Sure. I'll finish here, so go along.” He simply nodded with a tender smile and left for the clump of trees at the edge of the clearing.

  As she finished building the fire pit, Lucinda remembered how difficult it had been for her to learn this vital survival skill the first few days after she had joined up with the other nine members of her group. She had never had to build a fire in her entire life, and learning the basic nuances of airflow, oxygen and good tinder had taken her more time than she'd originally thought. But now, she was a quick pro, and before long, a nice campfire was well on its way.

  During their journey to Lake Tahoe, everyone in the group had talked incessantly about their first evening with JALA.TRAC and the five questions they'd asked him. It had seemed like the first meeting had happened an eternity ago, and their minds continually buzzed out loud with new questions as they camped each night, wondering what the future would hold for them.

  The group had started out the journey as a fragmented and somewhat argumentative group, but now, they were bonded as a family and fiercely loyal to one another. What had once taken hours or days to explain to each could now be said in a few words, if not a knowing glance and a smile. No matter what came next, they all resolved to find it together.

  Along the way, Lucinda and Timmy had found deep feelings for one another. Not a puppy love in the adolescent sense, but a deep and profound caring for one another. The turning point had been a terrifying experience that occurred the day they started up into the Sierra Nevada foothills.

  A starved black bear had charged their campsite at dusk. Emaciated and crazy with hunger, the animal first ran towards 9-year old Annie, who had wandered away from the group to make her toilet.

  At the sight of the charging beast, the child froze as all watched in horror. Lucinda was closest to the child, and she and the rest of the group behind her rushed towards Annie and the bear, screaming and throwing rocks. However, it was Timmy, who had been gathering wood when he heard the bear's attack, who saved the child's life.

  From the side of her vision, Lucinda watched him leap out from the brush like a banshee from hell, firing his .357 revolver into the bear's head. The bullet glanced off the top of the bear's thick skull. Stunned by the impact of the bullet, the bear rolled to the ground and, after a moment, struggled back up upon his legs to resume his charge as Timmy had thrown himself to the ground between Annie and the beast into a prone position. Taking careful aim, he fired, and this time, his second shot went straight through the bear's mouth and out through the back of its head. Dead before it hit the ground; the bear's lifeless body rolled and skidded to a stop no more than three feet away from the muzzle of Timmy's revolver. Everyone, especially young Annie, would remember it as the most terrifying moment of the entire journey.

  Lucinda was amazed at Timmy's cool and swift dispatch of the bear. Others would say that it was a brave act, but Lucinda knew that it went far beyond bravery. Timmy had become a man in a boy's body, with enough courage and compassion for ten men. In that moment, she realized that she would spend the rest of her life with him, give him children, tend his wounds and share his joys. It wasn't fanciful thinking. It just felt right, and their pioneering journey had shown her the wisdom of her mother's advice that she should always trust her instincts.

  A large ball of resin in the fire popped loudly, snatching her back from her thoughts. She picked up a stick and began poking the fire as Timmy returned with another armload of firewood. “One more load ought to do it,” he said plainly, as he dropped the firewood.

  “This will be plenty, Tim” she replied. “My gut tells me that we won't need more than we have already. For some reason, I just know that we're not going to wake up here in the morning."

  He shrugged his shoulders with a smile, “Works for me!"

  “Come, sit beside me,” she asked. He brushed the bark and dirt from his denim jacket and knelt down beside her.

  “I was thinking about how you saved Annie's life while you were out gathering wood. You know, I never really had a chance to say this privately, but I want you to know that..."

  “No big thing, Lu” he interrupted. With a quirky grin, he opened his coat pocket, produced a bear claw and handed it to her. As she looked at it, the first thought that came to her mind was the horrible wounds it would have gouged into Annie's slender young body. The thought made her shiver.

  “It's for you, Lu. I want you to have it."

  “You sure you want me to have this?” She stammered.

  “I'm sure. You know, the first shot was sloppy. To be honest, I was half-scared out of my wits, but then I saw you running towards Annie, and time just seemed to slow to a crawl. Everything began happening in slow motion, and I wasn't scared anymore. After that, it was all easy like and this might sound kinda weird but it was like my mind started working like a high-speed computer. Right off, I knew I only had enough time for one more shot, and then I started calculating things as I cocked my pistol and waited for my second shot. This is going to be really weird, but I knew he'd open his mouth to growl, and when he did, I had my shot. When I saw the back of his head explode, I knew we were safe, and then time went back to normal, and I could hear Annie screaming at the top of her lungs as the bear's body hit the ground."

  “I believe you, Tim. But still the same, you were really brave. To be honest, I don't think I could have done it."

  “Nah. That's where you're wrong. After the bear fell dead in front of me, I turned around and saw you holding Annie in your arms. I could see the pee running
down her legs and on you too. Heck, you just didn't seem to care about it. No, ma'am. You just stood there holding onto her tightly, kissing her and telling her that she'd be OK and not to worry. There's no doubt in mind that if you had been holding the gun, that you'd have done the same as me."

  “I'm not so sure about that."

  “OK, but at least you would have tried. That, I know for sure."

  Lucinda looked down at the claw clutched between her thumb and forefinger. “I would have tried, but I'm not you, Tim."

  “You want to know something secret?"

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Sure."

  “After I killed that bear and watched you holding Annie I knew right then and there that I would marry you some day."

  The revelation caught her by surprise and she smiled sheepishly, “That's kind of you."

  “I'm not being kind, Lu; I'm just telling you the way it is."

  Taken with his sense of the future, she leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. But instead of remaining still, he leaned his head to one side and their lips met for the first time in a firm embrace.

  It was as though a bold of lightening had just raced through Lucinda's body, filling her with deep, swirling warmth that made her tremble as they melted together with a joyful bonding strength.

  They wrapped their arms around each other and yielded to their shared passion for one another. As their lips finally parted she softly said, “I'll always love you, Tim."

  Before he could respond, a booming voice filtered out through the Pines, “Yo to the camp!” It was the familiar voice of Bob Burdette, and it jolted them apart with flushed faces as they both jumped to their feet. “You're busted. We caught you two necking,” he said laughing out loud.

  Timmy's mother, Helen Watkins, was the first to step out of the woods. He could see that she'd caught them in the act and that the gentle, knowing look on her face was filled with happiness for them both. It made Timmy feel a bit sheepish, and he wondered why it was that his mother was always a step ahead of him even when he kept his best poker face.

  Lucinda and Timmy expected an unending stream of teasing and prying questions, but nothing more was said. Everyone else in the group understood what had happened, and they were glad for them. Instead, the talk centered on their next meeting with JALA.TRAC and about learning more about what he called mankind's crossing of the cusp.

  As the men set up the tents, Lucinda helped the women prepare a simple but filling meal with the last of their supplies.

  * * * *

  SITTING AROUND A blazing campfire, they consumed their meal with speedy relish and, after cleaning their plates and utensils aside, looked at one another with eager anticipation.

  As usual, young Jenny was the first to speak up. “Come, come, come. We talk JALA.TRAC.” She held out her medallion and waited as the other nine did likewise, forming a circle. As their medallions touched in a complete circle, a strange noise emanated from the huge boulder behind them as an opening formed. From the opening, a warm pinkish light spilled out upon the ground heralding the appearance of JALA.TRAC.

  He looked just as he did the first night, when he had presented an image of himself to the family. But this time, the sound of shuffling pine needles beneath his slender legs told them that it was he, JALA.TRAC, in the flesh.

  All of them stood there speechless, except for Jenny, who ran up to him, jumped into his arms, and blurted out, “I love you!"

  JALA.TRAC kneeled beside her and ran his long slim fingers through her hair. “I love you, too, Jenny. You're a very special, little girl."

  Despite his thin build, JALA.TRAC picked Jenny up, exhibiting great underlying physical strength as he walked towards the group, carrying the glowing child on one hip. With his free hand, he gestured to the zipped sleeping bags lying by the fire. “Please, let's all relax."

  With supple grace, JALA.TRAC sat down on the nearest sleeping bag. Sitting upright, he folded his legs and shifted Jenny to his lap. The other children watched with eager yearning in their eyes. He smiled at them and gestured for them to approach. “Come, little ones."

  Nine-year-old Annie sat next to Jenny and six-year-old Patricia sat next to him, leaning against his white gossamer robe as the others drew themselves closer to the campfire.

  “There is always something magical about a campfire,” JALA.TRAC mused. “I've been to so many worlds and sat there, just as I am doing now, enjoying the flickering flames of a campfire with new friends. While this is such a simple act, it is something that binds us all."

  “What is crossing the cusp?” Jenny blurted out as she snuggled close. “We want to know."

  A fatherly smiled filled JALA.TRAC's peaceful face. “You never hesitate to speak your mind, little one. This will serve you well in life, provided you know when to speak and when to listen."

  Timmy picked up a long branch lying next to him on the ground and poked at the fire, sending a hail of sparkling embers into the night air. “We've all been wondering about this crossing the cusp thing,” he said quietly as he nudged the receding fire to life. “We've come a long way."

  “Yes, you have, Timmy, and now I will tell you about what has, no doubt, been a mystery to you all.” His words were met with grateful nods.

  “I come from a race that is very old. Even before your ancestors had learned how to make simple campfires like this one, we have been searching the universe for sentient life. Regrettably, we mostly find the remains of races that have long since gone extinct. With the exception of a few, they all met the same fate, in that they were never able to evolve far enough to survive the unpredictable violence of the universe."

  “While a few have destroyed themselves, as your race came so very close to doing, the real problem for young races is that they succumb to terrible catastrophes that you call impact events, solar flares, black holes and the such. More advanced races, such as mine, can see these things coming as easily as you could watch a leaf floating upon the tumbling waters of a wide stream, so it is a very simple matter for us to take the necessary precautions. But for races that have not attained this level of understanding, these events happen suddenly and, most times, without warning."

  “Like Nibiru?” Randal Cummings asked.

  “Yes Randal, and for us, the saddest thing is that we usually do not find young races until time has almost erased the evidence of their short existence. In your case, we were able to find you well before Nibiru became a threat. In such cases, we usually intercede without being noticed. However, as I told you before, we let this happen, because your species needs to learn this through suffering so that you will never let it happen again. But that was only one part of why we did that. The other part is that you were progressing in an extremely violent way; nations were using nuclear weapons against each other and worse of all, against you and your planet. This saddened us, because Earth is a very kind planet compared with many we already know."

  “Will Nibiru come again,” Jenny asked.

  “Yes, it will, in about another three thousand and six hundred of your years just as it has in the past. However, your planet is now facing another threat from space just as bad as Nibiru, a few years from now. Thankfully, your governments are working together to deal with this problem. Therefore, as with the passing of Nibiru through your system, we shall watch and hope that your race can use this new challenge to speed it's crossing of the cusp."

  “And if not, then what happens?” Helen Watkins asked pensively. “Will you intervene?"

  “I cannot tell you that, Helen, because of what the Godschild Covenant teaches us. As you know, it is not a philosophy of our making, but one that we have adopted, which has served us well. So remember that the second covenant is ‘to learn, and let learn.’ This is why we did not intercede with Nibiru, because we saw it as a chance for your race to learn not to destroy itself."

  This time Lucinda spoke up with a thoughtful voice. “The last time we met, you told us that each of us is a one in a million combination of spiri
tual and genetic evolution. I can understand that, especially after this long journey and learning to use my medallion. But what I do not understand is our purpose."

  JALA.TRAC nodded approvingly. “You have struck upon the very word I want to talk about, which is purpose. Our purpose is to help life flourish. The purpose for your race is for gifted children, such as yourself, to determine. I know this sounds evasive, so let me explain the concept of crossing the cusp and then you will understand what I mean. Do all of you remember when I told you that the greatest truths in the cosmos are, by virtue of necessity—simple?” All nodded in agreement. “Good."

  “As races evolve and wrestle with the concepts of good and evil, the tendency is to express these concepts in terrestrial form, meaning that God or Gods assume similar physical forms. Then, these understandings evolve past a need for a physical form and replace it with the Gods or a God that act in terrestrial behaviors, such as vengeance, forgiveness and compassion. This is very common, and even our own race held to these kinds of beliefs until we adopted the teachings of the Godschild Covenant."

  This time, it was Helen Watkins spoke up, “What makes the people or race that created the Godschild Covenant so special that your race chose to adopt their philosophy?"

  “I was hoping someone would ask that question. Thank you, Helen.” JALA.TRAC shifted his weight slightly and continued. “The race that created the Godschild Covenant is the only race we've found in all our searches for sentient life that has evolved past the physical form. In simple terms, they have become part of what you call God, or that which we call the Universal mind."

  “But they're gone,” Tim injected.

  “Yes, but with one difference. We can always manage to find bodily remains of extinct races, provided their home worlds have not been totally destroyed. With the Godschild, they left us a perfectly functional city, and try as we might, we were never able to find any of their remains. All we can conclude is that they achieved their final purpose and are now somewhere and perhaps sometime beyond us. But they knew that others would find a similar or even the same path, and they left behind a wealth of knowledge for us."