Rebirth

Chapter One

Using a telescope, during the right time of year, human beings can see the outline of the planet Saturn. It’s gleaming rings seem to sparkle in the suns light. No one could have guessed that when Saturn was first discovered that it’s rings would actually be made up of trillions of ice and rock crystals. Some of these objects were no bigger than a basketball, while some were more massive than a school bus. But through the evolution of science, human beings learned of the particles in the rings and that knowledge advanced their theories on gravity and orbital debris. Little did they know that there were much more objects in the rings than rocks and ice. Right now a constitutional class star cruiser was using Saturn’s rings to mask their signature from earth’s mightiest telescopes. In fact, humans would be shocked to know just how many ships wandered this region of the galaxy without their knowledge.

Earth was still considered a primitive planet by most universe standards. Those that were entrusted with monitoring its existence would say that the planet had made incredible strides in the past 200 years. But a higher authority did not recognize those accomplishments. For billions of years planetary systems had traded, warred, and collaborated over resources. What merged after countless cycles was a form of government that shaped and formed how species lived with each other in the universe. Their mandate stated that all life was precious, but some life is better than no life. Some cultures were so self-destructive that they needed to be eradicated to save others in their habitat. This practice was not common, but it did occur. In those times an adjudicator was appointed to inform the planet and give them ample time to prepare for obliteration. This was considered the most civil and proper way to handle the situation.

Staring out into the void of space, two members of the Calumnite Council pondered their next project. “Are you sure this is the right course to take?” asked a short, wide, insect like being. Gareum sighed and stared out the viewer at the blue green planet. Closing his large, solid black, eyes, he nodded. “The universe is infinite in its number of planets. But the actual number of planets that could support life is not. This world has begun a journey we have watched before. Within a brief amount of time, the changes to the planet will be irreversible. It will take millions of cycles before life is possible again.”

Bokur stared at the third planet in the system and nodded. He knew the expense and the investment the council had invested in the nurturing of this planet’s life. The fourth planet had been such a failure that the council delayed further speculation into life for this system for millennia. Now the beings of this world have threatened its destruction once again. What a waste.

Bokur spoke, “I would have thought the past eradications on this planet would have taught these beings a lesson. Their role in their worlds health was paramount.”

Gareum didn’t move. He continued to stare out into the void. “Some lessons are harder to learn than others.”

Bokur raised a limb as if to comfort his colleague, “It is not the council’s fault. They tried to guide these humans the best way they could. Who would have thought they would have turned our gifts into weapons?”

Gareum sighed again. His black robes flowed from his shoulders as he twisted away from the viewer and made his way to the transport array. “I knew,” he said. “I told them they weren’t ready.”

Bokur nodded, his entire body shaking from the action.

Gareum announced his departure and Bokur replied, “Good luck, sir.” As Gareum continued to the transportation lift, he acknowledged his friend, “Good luck to us all.” As the transmitter hummed with a high-pitched signal, Gareum, chief adjudicator of the Calumnite Council of united systems faded away. Bokur, the lead magistrate to the council’s division stared again out of the view port. Against the blackness of space, the little world seemed so fragile. The days before them would not be happy ones. Gareum was fair but determined in his goals. They would fall in line or perish much sooner. The planet would be cleansed of anyone or anything that stood in Gareum’s way. The life these humans knew was over.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave is home of the most powerful person in the United States. As tourists walk on the sidewalk, taking pictures and hoping to see someone famous, a bright light emerges on the front lawn. Spectators point and stare as a tall, blue skinned being appears from the light. Cameras and cell phones begin to document the event, as the strange person wearing long black robes walked towards the White House. As he walked, the alien’s mannerisms spoke of confidence and power. He knew he was in charge and anyone who didn’t think so, would find out the hard way.

Secret service and armed guards instantly appeared, rushing towards this new threat. Gareum held up his right hand and gestured for the guards to stop. As if frozen in mid stride, the soldiers and secret service stopped in their tracks. Gareum moved toward the nearest guard and whispered, “Do not worry. I am a friend.” The guard relaxed and lowered his weapon. Following the man, as if in a game of Simon says, all of the white house protectors lowered their weapons and allowed the stranger to pass.

Onlookers from beyond the White House fence followed suit. Every person lowered their arms and relaxed, watching the scene as if a favorite TV show fulfilled their psyche with contentment. Gareum walked up to the President’s house and waited. The front door open, but instead of a squadron of hostile secret service personnel, a white house staffer opened the door and welcomed him inside. As the alien stepped into the white house lobby, time seemed to stop for all of the buildings inhabitants. Gareum looked at the stark opulence of the entry way. White marble columns, high ceilings, and rich red accents were used to intimidate rivals and amaze allies. The least powerful can only stay in power by shoving their power into everyone’s view every moment. True power is not something to be seen, but something to be experienced.

A frail looking human walked up to the tall visitor and asked, “Can we help you sir?”

Before the alien could reply, dozens of armed men and women appeared from behind the columns, guns drawn and aimed squarely at his chest. Gareum gave the thin, older man direct eye contact, ignoring the weapons trained on his person.

“I apologize for not making an appointment, but I have a rather urgent matter to take up with your current sitting president. If you would be so kind, please let him know I am here.”

The staffer was afraid of this giant being. His hooded blue face with large black eyes and long black robes were intimidating to say the least, but there was something in his voice that made you want to trust him. Closing his eyes, the man nodded, turned around and walked out of the hall replying, “Yes sir, right away.”

Gareum took in his surroundings. He was not worried about the primitive weapons. His greater concern was that a scared guard may start an event that could disrupt his agenda. Without making any sudden moves, Gareum unleashed a low frequency burst from a device in his robes. Every weapon in the room turned to powder. The startled guardsmen jumped back like they had been bitten. Using his influence, Gareum smiled at his adversaries. “There now,” he said, “Isn’t that much better? We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt would we?” Every man and woman in the room agreed with the alien. No one wanted to get hurt. He wasn’t there to hurt them. He was their friend.

“Now why don’t all of you be good little soldiers and sit down.” Each person sat down on the marble floor.

In the west wing, panic was mixed with outrage and angst. The president’s staffers argued with him to get into the white house bunker. White house chief of staff repeated his plea, “Mr. President, we must maintain a working government. We need to get you and any cabinet members into the protective bunker. We have no idea what that aliens’ attentions are, but we can only guess hostile.”

President Gerald Reed had been a General in the army. His presidency was won based on defense of his country and his ability to lead men into battle. At the first sign of trouble, he was nt about to run and hide in a hole. “Tom, you can take the cabinet members and bury them in that steel coffin, but I’ll face my fate out here where I can still breathe. If this is an alien attack, they’ll come and get me anyway. I’d rather die standing up!”

Tom Mason, the White House Chief of Staff could only stare at his President. Secret service men waited to take them all to the bunker. He needed another way to talk some sense into the POTUS. Stepping forward he said, “Sir, as a former General you know we need a plan before we can attack or defend against an enemy. Let us take a moment and rally our troops so we may form a strategy to win this engagement? What better place to form a plan, than the bunker?”

President Reed thought for a moment and said, “You’re right. Tom, by God you’re right! We need a plan. Ok, show me the way, so we can rally our troops.”

As a group of human body shields lined up to protect the most powerful man in the country, a hidden door opened up in the middle of a wall. Steps lead down a steep stairwell to a hallway lit by emergency lighting. The white house bunker was composed of concrete, reinforced steel and titanium. The bunker was designed to take care of forty people for up to five years. Food, water, supplies, communication, and all the necessities to maintain a workable government. Secret service stepped through the bunker door first. President Reed stepped inside and came out…in the lobby.

Gareum saw the plump little bald man and smiled. “Ah…there you are. I had hoped that you would come as soon as you could. Thank you for accommodating me.”

President Reed linked his eyes and stared at the seven-foot-tall alien. The bunker hallway had been almost pitch black, compared to eth brightness of the white house lobby. He had been in the bunker but now he was here. Taking a step back, he said, “I assume you believe you have kidnapped me. But I am backed by the world’s most powerful arsenal. They will not allow you to take me.”

Gareum inclined his head, “I believe you have misunderstood my attentions, President Reed. I am not here to kidnap you or anyone else.”

The politician stared at his adversary and tilted his head in confusion. “If you haven’t come to wage war on us, then why are you here?”

The blue alien chuckled. “Oh Mr. President how funny you are. I show up at your house and you immediately think we are at war? What a simple people you have become. No wonder you are at the precipice of destruction.”

Reed knew he was being condescending, but didn’t understand what was being said. “Press-i-piss of what?”

Gareum eyes went wide and he spoke softly, “Calm yourself, Mr. President. There’s nothing you will have to worry about. Go tell your armies to stand down. There is nothing they can do. Please join me tomorrow as I address your United Nations. Everyone shall hear firsthand what I have to say.”

Reed visibly relaxed and smiled. This beautiful being was here to be his friend. Looking at the men and women sitting on the floor, he knew they would all be friends. More soldiers appeared at the back of the hall. Gareum recognized a good time to exit. With a blue flash of light, the alien disappeared as if had never even existed. The fog lifted from everyone’s eyes. Secret service agents immediately stood up and surrounded the bewildered President. Chief of Staff Mason ran into the hall, “Mr. president! Mr. President, are you all right?”

Looking grimly at the scene before him, Gerald Reed honestly answered, “No, Tom. I don’t think I’ll ever be right again.”

Across the African savannah the sun rise shone orange against the light green grass. Animals small and large made their way across the plain in search of food. A lion cub played with her sisters under the protection of a tree. A pride of lionesses lay nearby, ever watchful for hyenas or other predators. Pouncing and rolling with siblings is the most basic instinct for the cub. As she battled for dominance in her litter, she learns how to defend herself in a world much bigger than her present size. For a brief second, she scented something new on the savannah. Her mother and the other lionesses smell it also. But almost as quickly as it arrived, the strange smell is replaced with the scent of her pride. Safe and unafraid, the cub follows the now familiar scent to its source. Gareum stood in the field watching the sun rise. Shadows of nearby trees grew long in the grass. He was aware of the lion cub near his feet, but continued to stand motionless. Closing his eyes, his face drank in the warmth of the sun. A grasshopper flew to a stalk of grass near the baby lion. The movement caught the felines attention. A new adventure began, as the cub stalked her prey. Leaping and batting at the insect as it jumped from one blade of grass to another, the blond cat gets further and further away from her pride.

A soft wind blows from the direction of her kin, masking the scent of a hyena waiting to pounce from his hiding place in the tall grass. The lion cub continued to play, unaware of the danger she was in. As the hyena starts his attack, a full grown lioness sprang from cover and grabbed the hyena by the neck. With a couple of quick jerk movements, the canine predator is thrown clear of the cub, landing in a bloody heap. The hyena’s brothers raised their heads among the grass, as a pride of lionesses unveiled themselves to their rivals. Gareum could sense their desire to attack each other. The adrenaline and pheromones mix in the air. But the hyenas are a cowardly species and to take on a full pride of lionesses defending a cub is more than a match for their pack any day. So with a howl of anger they retreat from the area and leave their brother to be a feast for their enemies.

Gareum watched as the lioness carried her cub away from the fray. What a wonderful display of nature, he thought. A mother defending her cub. A hyena defending his food. No greed or hurt feelings to get in the way of instinct. Humans should never have been given intellect and emotions. Their ability to seek power for power sake is the root of the evil he was now forced to deal with on this planet. The sun, now high in the sky, radiates its energy, heating the ground. Gareum knew his peaceful moment had come to an end. Watching the lioness carry the cub away, he is strengthened with purpose. Life is precious, and these lives need to be protected at all costs. As the wildlife continued its day in the sun, Gareum vanished in a burst of blue light. His presence already forgotten by the savannah inhabitants.

In 1945, world war 2 was ending. Many nations were in ruins and the citizens of those countries wanted peace. Those countries came together to form the United Nations. Today 193 nations come together in New York City at the world headquarters to discuss issues from international trade to humanitarian aid. Since the foundation of the United Nations, many world leaders and political figures have addressed the general assembly. Today will be unlike any previous visitor.

The floor of the general assembly rocked with energy and sound. A cacophony of languages and fear gripped the delegates. The news of an extra-terrestrial visitor spread across the news and internet like wildfire. Viral videos of the strange visitor plagued the airwaves. YouTube recorded millions of hits with a combination of likes and dislikes as the world’s population came to grips with the idea that they were not alone in the universe.

General Assembly President, Joseph Salim called the delegates to order. Murmuring and low conversations continued for several minutes, while he waited for silence. When the room had quieted down enough he spoke, “Ladies and gentleman, I appreciate your attention. As you all know, a great historical event has graced our planet. The question of being the lone intelligence in the universe has been answered. As we continue to gather and disseminate information, we will communicate our findings to everyone. Although, besides the reports of contact from the United States, we don’t know mu…”

A bright flash of blue light interrupted the speaker as a tall, thin blue alien in hooded robes appeared overhead in the general assembly chamber. Floating in midair, the flowing black robes billowed like smoke, as the room fell completely silent. The alien held itself in one place for a few seconds and then moved itself forward toward the speaker’s podium, lowering itself to the floor with a graceful touchdown.

Mr. Salim was speechless as the alien gave a slight head bow and said, “Greetings Mr. General Assembly President, might I speak with the members of your assembly?”

Nodding, Mr. Salim backed away from the podium.

Gareum used his technology to amplify his voice and speak to every delegate in their own language. “Greetings to the assembly, I am Gareum, chief adjudicator of the Calumnite Council of the United Systems. Much like your own United Nations, we represent a collection of intelligent beings who have facilitated the administration of countless worlds for many millions of your years. I am sure you have many questions and I hope to answer them in due time, but right now it is important to explain the reason for my visit.”

Gareum gestured to an area above his head and a detailed star map appeared. Stars, planets, colorful nebula swirled in the air as he continued his oration.

“As your scientists have begun to discover, the Universe is an infinite area of space. Trillions of planets surround billions of stars that are created and destroyed every second. But as numerous as these planets are, the amount of habitable words is finite. Your world was chosen long ago by our council to be a source of life in this star system. We created the conditions this world would need to support life and we have been the stewards of this world ever since.”

The adjudicator paused for effect. The humans all stared at him transfixed.

“You have been given the greatest gift the council can bestow. The gift of life. We provided a natural system in which your species could thrive. We have facilitated this process from afar, allowing you to make mistakes and grow organically. Unfortunately, there are times when a society like yours is on the wrong path. Pollution, war, ozone depletion, species extinction, resource depletion, overpopulation…these are but a few of the issues recognized by the council that is plaguing this world.”

The delegates began to talk amongst themselves. A Nigerian representative spoke up, “Are you here to help us fix these issues?”

Gareum nodded. “I most certainly am. I am here to help all of the species of this planet.”

Men and women started to clap, as the noise from conversations began to rise. Gareum knew he had chosen his words carefully. He knew that they believed there wouldn’t be consequences for their actions. He had dealt with enough worlds in this situation and knew they would make assumptions. They always did.

The General assembly president had regained some of his composure. Stepping towards Gareum he asked, “Can you share your plan with us? How can you help our planet?”

The alien turned to face the human and smiled, “All in due time, good sir. But for now, I wanted to relate my intentions are for healing this planets misery. How that will happen and the timeline will be discussed with your world leaders at a future time. For now, I appreciate your time and attention.”

Joseph Salim raised his hand to shake, but the tall, blue being disappeared in a flash of light. The din of sound that exploded from the floor was deafening. The alien did not appear to be hostile, but his words were an affront to every religious organization with a belief in a higher power. Were these beings their Gods? Did God actually exist? Was the alien even telling the truth? Philosophers, theologians, scientist, and historians would have a field day with the implications brought to the United Nations today. As the video playback reviewed the scene that occurred on every news station around the world, a lone man, sitting in a wicker chair, in a dark room stared at his television screen. Long white hair hung around his wrinkled skinned face. White beard stubble covered his chin and cheeks. Red and black flannel shirt with tan pants and work boots created a rugged appearance that belied his inner turmoil. Images of the alien addressing the united nations played over and over. Theories of who he was, why was he here, and what would they do, were speculated at length by the news anchors.

Standing up the man picked up his remote control and turned off the television. Darkness enveloped the room as the source of the light blinked out. The man walked out of an old airstream camper into the night air. Mesas stood in the distance as outlines of cactus framed the scene from his campsite. Nighttime in the desert was cool and dark. Without the city lights to obscure the stars, the night sky became a field of white jewels, twinkling in space. The flannel shirt kept him warm as a cool breeze blew his withered hair to and fro. Looking up to the heavens he said, “So…the time has come.” As if to respond to his query, a stronger wind blue dust around him as if to signal a more important event was on its way. Walking to his old truck, the man checked on his shotgun in the back window. A box of shells sat on the floor board and he knew his forty-five caliber was in the glove compartment. He would need better weapons for what was coming, he thought. His resources were limited but he still knew the right people. He knew the council would come eventually. He just wasn’t sure it would be in his lifetime. Gunning the engine, the man pulled away from his campsite in a cloud of dust and debris. “Life is about to get interesting,” he said to himself.

The war room at the pentagon was electric with anger and fear. Generals were yelling at aides to get them information, as conspiracy theories mixed with general national security concerns.

“We have no way of knowing what these aliens are up to!” said one official. “I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them!” said another. “Will our nukes every work against something like that?” said a third. And the conversations continued on and on. Colonel Roger Kelly tried to listen as best he could to the latest briefing. Satellites hadn’t been able to locate the alien or any ship in the vicinity of New York or Washington. He was apparently able to just blip in and out of any area. There were reports of UFO’s almost every day in air space regulated by every major first world nation on Earth, yet this new guy could show up undetected at any time. If half of what this alien said at the UN was true, they had been here for millions of years. Compared to that kind of technology, the human race might as well throw stones and spears at an armored tank and cell phone technology. What were they up against? How could the US protect itself against something like that?

An aide entered the room and handled the secretary of defense a set of papers. William Strater had been secretary of defense since President Reed had stepped into his position. He had always seemed cool and dignified under stress. The look on his face was as much reaction as anyone would ever see him blanche under pressure. With a monotone voice, he spoke in his leveled even tone saying, “We have confirmation from NASA that the Kepler telescope has detected a large vessel in Saturn’s orbit near Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. Based on its size and telemetry, the ship is roughly the size of Antarctica.”

Conversation died down and everyone stopped to think about the implications of what was just announced. Historically the more technologically advanced society conquered the less technologically advanced society. Europeans and American Indians are the most famous example. It didn’t turn out so well for the Indians. Those who were standing in the room sat down or leaned against the wall. Several Generals just stared forward, unmoving. The secretary of defense took his glasses off and set them down on the table. Folding his hands across his stomach he sighed and said, “Well, shit.”