Enoch's Challenge

by Warren W Ward

  "So, what can I do to help? I'm just a Navy guy on a faraway planet. Actually, come to think of it, I'm not even on a planet. I'm on a spaceship in orbit above Mars."

  Vickie said, "Well, actually, we left Mars last night and are on our way to Enoch.”

  Bishop Rhodes said, “By the way, we swung by and picked up your capsule. It is in the landing bay."

  Vickie added, "We thought you might like us to save it.”

  "We left orbit? I never felt a thing. And you picked up the Frodo? That’s great, there is something I need to get from it."

  The Bishop said, "You mean this?" And he handed Jason a plastic box.

  Jason opened the box. Inside were Milky Way bars and Skittles.

  "Oh great. It's the candy that you asked for."

  "You will need to bring this with you. It'll come in handy later, I'm sure," the Bishop said smiling.

  He continued. “We found something else you might be interested in.” Just then, a young man came over with a small cage. He handed it to Jason.

  "Mice? Are you kidding? They both survived?"

  "So, these are the Viet Cong that were giving you so much trouble?" The Bishop couldn't help laughing. No one else got it.

  "I hope you give them a slow, painful death." Jason couldn't help saying.

  "Actually, they have already been adopted by someone in engineering.

  "I personally think they should be ejected into space." Jason was still mad at the little creatures, but resigned to the mice living. He asked, "So how long before we get to Enoch?"

  We should be in Enoch orbit in about four days."

  “How fast will we go to get there?” Jason asked.

  The Bishop said, “Well, we are a few centuries ahead of you in space travel. We travel quite fast, actually. Our best ships currently go about a light year a day."

  "A light year a day? That is about 365 times the speed of light. Einstein said that was impossible. My physics professor showed us mathematically how that is unobtainable."

  The Bishop said, "We know. We talked with Einstein, but he was very stubborn. We tried to convince him that anybody could prove anything with math. It might be something absurd, but it can be made fact with just a few fancy symbols. Nikola Tesla said, “Today’s scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality.” Einstein didn’t appreciate that remark. Our space ships prove that he should have listened to us. The speed of light is not a limitation."

  "Of course you did,” Jason said smiling. “I think I need to go back to kindergarten."

  "Oh, don't beat yourself up. Most of us don't understand it at all, either. But the secrets to faster-than-light travel (FTL) were revealed to us a long time ago. God doesn't waste any time getting places. He just gave us some hints and our scientists ran with it. Your textbooks are simply in error."

  "Our whole history is in error, Bishop." Jason said sadly.

  "No, not really. ‘You just haven’t had as much time at this as we have. We don't generally disturb Earth. We visit. We observe. We help from time to time, when needed. But it is always very subtle help and we are not always successful. We tried to intervene in World War I, but our advice for the U.S. to avoid the conflict was ignored. Not only that, but the aftermath led to World War II. It was very painful for us to see the results, but we learned a lesson. You have to gain your own experience. We can help a little, but you have to make your own mistakes. Only then, with any luck, you will learn. Right now, however, it seems that your people aren't learning much of anything. Don’t get me wrong, there are millions of good people on Earth. It is just that your leaders are mostly not good people. That really puzzles us. Why do you chose the lowest of the low to rule over you? This Vietnam War, for example, was a mistake and serves no purpose. At this point, I fear there will come a time that the United States will be a warmongering nation. If it does, it will lead to your collective downfall. God will not support warmongers. That is a warning you can count on!"

  "Wow. That is a lot to take in."

  "I agree, Jason. You will need time to process this. Why don't we adjourn for lunch and get back together around 3:00 this afternoon?"

  "Good idea, Bishop. It is a bit overwhelming."

  "Sweetheart? Could you spare some time to show him the engine room after lunch? I'm sure he would like to see it."

  "Of course, daddy, er, Bishop. I think it would be fun for an astronaut to see how we do things up here."

  "Wow! Daddy? The Bishop is your dad?" Jason exclaimed!

  "Oh. Didn't we mention it? Sorry,” Vickie said with a grin.

  "Wow! You guys sure keep secrets around here. No wonder there are so many UFO nuts on Earth. You must enjoy rattling our cage."

  "Sorry, Jason. I should have said something, but I supposed you would figure it out. Vickie's last name is Rhodes but she prefers the Dr. Vickie thing. She thinks it makes her more personable to her patients."

  "Wow! Or did I say that already?" Jason still looked a bit dazed.

  Vickie jumped in, "Yes, in fact you’ve said that several times, Captain. Come on. Let's go to lunch. I understand they are having Grunliks today."

  "Grunliks?"

  "Oh never mind. You'll like them."

  "Thank you for your time, Bishop. We'll see you at 3:00 this afternoon." Jason said.

  Vickie cut in again, "Actually I have to see patients all afternoon after your tour of the engine room. Could we meet for dinner?"

  "Sure,” he said mournfully.

  "Oh don't look so disappointed, son.” The Bishop said. “Someone has to do some work around here."

  “Speaking of work, I could sure use a job,” Jason said.

  The Bishop said with a grin, “Oh, don’t worry, Captain. We have a very important job lined up for you. You just keep getting stronger, and when we get to Enoch you will be put to work. I guarantee it! You will definitely be earning your keep!”

  They left the office hand in hand.

  Bishop Rhodes smiled.

  His plan was working. He had been observing this man for a long time. He was just glad he got to him in time before he starved or was permanently damaged. That would have messed up a lot of plans–business and personal.

  Chapter 18–Alpha Centauri Proxima

  The tour of the engine room was fascinating. He thought that he was in the new Star Trek TV show, only in color. There was no antimatter column in the middle of the room, which was actually quite disappointing, but everything else seemed exactly like it belonged on a starship. It was truly the most fantastic piece of engineering that he had ever seen.

  He was introduced to Cindy Murray, one of the engineers in the engine room.

  Jason asked, "Can you tell me how the engine works?"

  "Actually, no,” she said. “I know how to run it, how to do basic repairs, and how to wash and wax it, but how it works? No! It takes a mathematician to truly understand it. But I can give you the basics."

  "There is a theory of 'quantum entanglement' that says that two entangled particles have statistical correlations that cannot be explained in classical terms except by some kind of instantaneous effect. When one moves, the other moves instantly. There is no time lag. The distance between them doesn't matter. The best way to explain how the ship’s power plant works is that if you anchor one of the entangled particles while you move the other, there is a proportional force applied in the radial direction as long as they are all aligned properly. It is called an "improbability field." This is similar to the electromagnetic field in a way. If you grab a wire with your right hand with the thumb pointing in the direction of current flow, your fingers will show the direction of the magnetic field around the wire. In quantum entangled particles, the improbability field is similar, only your thumb will point in the direction of the force created. Also, it doesn't take a lot of entangled particles to create a lot of force, as these buggers really want to align!"<
br />
  "Why improbability field? Interesting name. Sounds like it should be in a sci-fi book."

  "The way I heard it, some engineer originally made a joke out of it, and soon everyone was calling it an improbability field. I also heard some thought it was improbable that it would work! When it did, the improbability name stuck. You know engineers–they never pass up an opportunity to make fun of a physicist," Cindy said with a smile.

  Jason nodded, "Yeah, we get that a lot from engineers! My undergraduate degree was physics. I think much of what I learned has been disproven by your little drive here, Cindy." Jason continued, "I think I understand the basic principle. There was a sci-fi book I read called Rocannon's World a few years ago that talked about this for means of instant communications."

  "Yes I’m familiar with it. We got quite a chuckle out of Miss Le Guin's book. It was very insightful. We also use this technology to communicate between our vessels and various worlds."

  "So, science fiction turns into reality?" Jason offered.

  "I suspect it often does. However in this case it actually was reality long before it was written in that book. We've been using it for 500 years or more," Cindy said smiling.

  "Well, just how safe is this technology?" Jason asked.

  "Quite safe, actually. No radiation. No explosive reaction. No fumes. Just action."

  "That’s incredible. How fast can you go with this technology?" Jason was really getting into this.

  "No one knows. The current limitations are only with the inertial dampeners and the way it's attached to the ship's keel. I understand you are a Navy man, so 'keel' is the right word, right?"

  "You are exactly right. Good analogy. What can this ship do if you're in a hurry?"

  "Well, we have gone from Earth to Enoch in a day before, but it was quite bumpy. I wouldn't try it in this ship. It would break every dish in the kitchen. The inertial dampeners aren't that strong."

  "That's about 4.2 light years in a day? Wow. I think that is about 1300 times the speed of light. Santa Claus can't even go that fast."

  Cindy said with a furrowed brow, "I didn't think Santa Claus was real?"

  "It depends upon how old you are, I guess," Jason smiled at her.

  Cindy thought for a moment. Then she realized it was a joke. "Well said, Captain. I like your sense of humor," Cindy quipped.

  "Well, thank you for the tour. I still don't know how you set your sails, but maybe I will understand someday."

  Vickie said, “We better leave the good engineer alone, now. I’m sure she has to polish some electrons or something.”

  "All the best to you, Captain. Stop by anytime," Cindy offered. She winked at Jason.

  Jason responded, "Thank you. Goodbye, for now." He winked back just for fun.

  "Come on then Sister Rhodes. I have a meeting to go to."

  "And I have a broken foot to take care in my clinic. Dinner?"

  "Well, actually I met Vickie-366 this morning, and I already have a date with her. I tell you one thing; you clones really know how to kiss."

  She stuck out her tongue at him, but it was worth it to have another moment of flirtation.

  –––––––

  3:00 pm. Back in the Bishop's office…

  "Sit down please, Captain. We have a lot of things to talk about."

  Jason sat in the indicated chair, but this time the Bishop sat in a chair angled adjacent to him.

  "Jason. I didn't tell you before, but I have been following your career for quite a few years. I have watched you progress from a Navy pilot to the astronaut program. I have seen what kind of man you have become. I am truly proud of your courage and goodness. I admire that even among the temptations of earth, you don't drink or smoke. You aren't a ladies’ man. You are the kind of man we needed for this mission. Your friends were not of your caliber, however. You remained single because you wished to wait for a girl that reflected your lifestyle and standards. Your friends, Cris and John are nice guys and honorable in many ways, of course, but they don’t hold a candle to you. I hope you know how much of an example you really are, son. Why do you think I set you up with my daughter?"

  Bishop Rhodes gave Jason a grin.

  "Thank you, sir, I am honored. But you have been watching me for years, you say?"

  "It may sound strange, but we have our agents on Earth. Dr. Jerry Probert is one of them."

  "Jerry Probert? The engineer? An alien? Wow. I didn't see that coming. I spent a lot of time with him going over the details of the modified capsule and the other modules."

  "That's how you got on the Apollo program Jason. He helped make it happen. He has the ear of Gene Kranz. Of course, you were qualified, but so were many other men. But you were the one God wanted, not them."

  "God?" Jason had thought that he was immune to surprises at this point, but he was wrong.

  "Yes. God. You know that Father Enoch was taken because he and his people were too righteous for the Earth. One of the benefits of being righteous is that you get a special relationship with our Father in Heaven and His Christ. He has all knowledge. As the people of Enoch stayed righteous, He gave us wonderful insights to be able to live amazing lives. We have a beautiful world, which you will see tomorrow. We have scientific advances, exceptional literature, strong families, and, well, a wonderful life. We know where we came from and where we are going. It is a joyous feeling."

  "Alright, I can see the benefits of being a God-fearing people, but what does that really have to do with me?" Jason asked. “Wait a minute. Did you say Christ? You believe in Christ?”

  “Of course, Jason. Who do you think created the universe?” the Bishop said.

  “Well, I thought God did,” Jason said innocently.

  “That is right. But He used Christ to do it. Christ was known as Jehovah before He got His body. He came as a man through Mary to experience Earth life and receive all the ordinances He expects us to get. We have known about Christ long before He was born. All prophets knew that and taught us. He is our Lord and Savior, just like on Earth. Only Earth was blessed to have Him be born there and not on Enoch. Wonderful, isn’t it?” The Bishop sat back to watch Jason’s response.

  “Wow! That is a lot to take in! I never thought about Christ existing before He was born. I think I need to read the Bible again,” he said. “Actually, I confess, I have never read it through all the way.”

  “Don’t worry, son. Most people haven’t. But if you read it knowing that Jehovah was, in reality, the premortal Christ, then it takes on a whole new importance. And, it is comforting to know that He didn’t just flare into existence. He is Heavenly Father’s only begotten Son. He had a very important job to do when He was born. And He did everything He was supposed to do. It isn’t that complicated.”

  “Wow! I’m sorry, Bishop. I just can’t help saying wow a lot with all the new things I’m learning.”

  "It’s OK, son. We can talk more about this later. But, back to business. Captain Hotson, we want you to be our representative to the planet Earth. Your job will be to explain to your people the danger the Thadiantons pose to your society. They have already infiltrated your government, and they are working feverishly toward the enslavement of all mankind. The problem is that they look like regular people. They have been there for a long time, so tracing back their heritage will not help. Your genealogy gets a bit foggy when you go back a few hundred years. Anyone can claim a kinship and no one challenges it. They have been planning this take-over for centuries, and there isn't much we can do about it. You've been invaded, son, pure and simple. Only, they aren't monsters or little green men. You've been invaded by... Earthlings!"

  Jason thought about this for a moment before questioning, “What could I do? I am only one man. I would need an army!”

  "I suspected that you would think that, Jason. It will be a task on the order of sending a man to Mars. But we are here to help you, within our limits. We cannot take military action on your behalf. That would destroy your people’s agency. The Uni
ted States will have to voluntarily dismiss the Thadianton robbers and decide to stand up for your Constitution. If they don't, the Thadiantons will take over your country, then your planet and then all of your governments, starting with the United States of America."

  "Why America first? Why not the European countries? Or Asian?"

  "Well, frankly, their governments are too easy to manipulate. They would fold right away, and their morals have already collapsed largely as a result of nearly all government’s love of world wars and socialism. The U.S. has the most potential for good, because you are not intertwined with ancient animosities, and you were able to avoid the worst consequences of the war effort. Americans have retained their faith in humanity. God can work with good people."