*SONG* “Talk to Me” by Steve Nicks
(Please, listen to the lyrics of the song.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqJGG6zcrg
The Magnificent One stood there in the light…
Tall, golden…The Lion Man in his white
Robes, eyes fierce glowing, blazing…
Communicating…
And she was with him this time, Ceres…
Speaking the words to be written down
For him…
“Long ago…There was a different age…
Of more than men, more than women…
And humans were still a fairly new
Race…smaller, weaker then…
The Giants were the greater races…
And the balance of the universe was in
Their hands…
The Hawkmen…or Birdmen as you would
Call them…first to fall…
The Bull Men, like that of the mythic
Minotaur…The Draconian…The Dragon,
The Reptilian Race…And my race…
The Lion Men…
Perhaps our might made us all blind…
To the smaller races craving power…
That rose to conquer the Giants…
Change and shape the universe…
Maybe it was deserving…we will never
Know…But those scales were unjustly
Tampered with…And the small races
Rose…conquered the Giants and made
Them small ones…From two legs
To four…from strong to weak…
Ceres then spoke for herself, “You know
The story…of the Lion Men…from the Bell
Tolls…of the races that once ruled
The universe, then fell…
The Mightiest and noble were the Lion Men…”
Then VIR’riel spoke…for the first time…
A voice of animal yet man…rumbling…
Wise, magical, strong…yet so humble.
“You may choose not to believe this…
It is your free will…All that I
Can ask is that you read them,
Consider them now…
The time is now…The hour is now…
The Dark Ones won…
The Sirian and Draconian alliance
Then became power…
By chance only the remote scattered
Lost human worlds were spared…
They eventually made a fragile
Alliance of their own to fight the Empire…
That is how it has remained for
Thousands of years…
The story told in echoes…whispers
Of inspiration through artists’ hands…
You, in some, call them fables…
Others…throughout the stars…call them
Facts…Unfortunately…Now, Ceres, please…”
Ceres went on for him…
“The Lion Men that survived always
Kept their story a secret…Maybe
It was to attempt…to try and allow
Themselves time to heal…
All that we know is this…
In their last days of slaves to the
Empire…before the culling…there was
One great slave rebellion of the last
Lion Men…on a slave world…
A name lost to time…mysterious…
We had thought maybe it could have
Been Earth…because of the Lion Temple
There…And Varence’s recent story
Of the Lion Men on Earth…” she rolled
Her eyes at him as he stood not far away.
“But we now know the Lion Men of
Earth were different…from the last
Surviving slave ship of the Adams…”
Varence stepped forward… “It was not
Permitted to address this then, under
Instruction of the Watchers Law…gone
Now…A fact we can NOT alter…”
Ceres then stood beside Varence…in
A strange unsettled pairing…She eyed
Him, as he did her…Then they both
Looked at me in the chair, in the circle of
Light… “Since we last spoke…There was
A vote…You will meet the assembly
Later…All that you need to know is…
The vote was…to go back to the Adam
Ship before it reached Earth…
I explained my reasons…” She said, touching
Her hand to her heart…
“I was reluctant I admit,” Varence
Then went on… “But I confess, with
Admiration…she, Ceres…had me utterly
Surprised…I was not included in
The meeting…so this trip was a mystery
To me…I appreciate greatly now…”
Ceres, tall, her blond-creamy golden hair
Cascading over her shoulder like a crown and
Veil…smiled and gestured to him… “As
We have done…now we will tell you of
This RECENT event…This trip back in time…
He will download the story telepathically
Into your subconscious so that you
Can write it down…
But before you begin…please understand
The critical factors…The Quantum
Singularity of time…imprisoning Earth…
The unstable nature of things of your
Planet…and the coming of Leo.”
She turned to Varence… “Begin please.”
Varence lowered his brow…His eyes focused,
Concentrating, piercing…The words, images…
Pictures, feelings, thoughts…Flowing
From his mind…like a river of feelings
Building some dream…That’s how he has
Done this many times before…They all
Have to me…By prying open my
Memories…or sharing theirs…This is
How the words come to the paper…That’s
Why they must be written down first,
Not typed…The Little Old Asian man knew!
“This is the story of what happened
On our recent journey back in time…
I confess the timing was in fact, quite
Perfect…Applause to Ceres…
But to my defense…it is also clear now…
She came here by no accidental clause…”
Outside of time…outside of the grip
Of the Empire…and the mortal rulers
That corrupted the time line with
Ill-acquired technology…
Through our vessel…The assembly voted…
For Ceres and I to take this one
Trip back in time…
A small remote vessel was sent,
Completely managed by the parent vessel
To ensure we would not stray…
To the ancient ship of the Adams…
Two days before it reached a prehistoric
Earth…There was no crew, just I
And Ceres alone…No uniforms required
Anymore…The Postulate dismissed that
Regard thankfully.
Speed and time is of no measure to us…
Through a vortex of light, spinning,
Twirling…cascading…This process is
Managed by the careful control of
Time, sound and light in balance
Together; that is all I am permitted to
Say scientists…your equations would
Render such things far too tediously.
The Arrival to the Adam Ship…
Our vessel clung to their hull quietly,
Secretly. Then Ceres and I used our
Astral crystals to make the proper
Visit to the ship…
I would like to say she was entirely
Far too silent along the way! Which
Made me…unnerved, but I have learned
To appreciate her candor and charm
To break the silence at the traditional
Ideal moments…She has yet to cease
To surprise with this…as you will see.
Astral crystals in hand, as we made
The entrance to the Adam Ship together
It suddenly struck me…Ceres was
The first and only woman to have
Ever visited an Adam Ship!
I should have prayed in meditative
Silence in preparation beforehand…
My mistake. Please consider this before
Continuing…Perhaps pause for personal
Meditation, thank you.
We materialized on one of the lower decks…
Invisible to their sensors, and eyes and ears…
She was close beside me in a long narrow,
Steel, darkened hallway; very primitive
And thickly constructed, by our views.
“Uh…” Ceres groaned, wincing, turning
Her head to the side and squeezing her eyes.
“What is that smell?”
Varence barely flinched… “Smell?”
She could barely breathe. “It seems to
Be of some awful blend of sweat and
Chemicals! It’s revolting!”
“I notice nothing.” He told her as his
Eyes scanned for activity…none was present.
She waved her hand before her face. “How
Can you not notice that?!” She struggled
To overcome the overwhelming odor… “Of
Course you would not…Look where you have
Walked…clearly your senses are dulled.”
He withdrew a small device from his
Pocket, a multi-purpose scanner…his favorite
Toy, that literally could perform countless
Mechanical miracles…then held it out before
Them and began leading them down the hall.
“You are overreacting…The aroma is
Irrelevant.”
“Aroma?” She scowled as she walked beside
Him. “You are immune to details I think!
Where are we exactly?”
“Near the fuel processing centers of the
Ship.” He told her as he eyed a lift
At the end of the long hall beneath dim
Red lighting. “I am detecting no crew…
This section is empty…just drones and
Maintenance automatons.”
She eyed everything carefully…The
Bulky thick construction, the excessive
Panels for computer access for every
Little variable; how tedious. “So this is
The Adam Ship you visited then?”
“You doubt me?”
“No.” She laughed as they neared the
Elevator-like lift, also a narrow, dark little
Box that carried crew between levels. “I
Am just…unimpressed with its…design.”
“To them it had its advances.” He told her
As he instructed his device to retrieve the
Lift to carry them. “So are you going
To share the details of the purpose
Of this little journey back in time?
Since I was not permitted to be present
At the vote or am I but the naïve
Guide for your mysterious plan?”
Ceres eyed him sarcastically. “If you had
Shared the story earlier…You do realize
An entire era might have been spared…
Eons!”
“I was but the humble subordinate of the
Watchers orders, following all rules of
The Postulate then,” he told her as
The lift arrived and they stepped inside…
“We watch, do not interfere…no matter
What occurs…Only contact superiors if
The planet of subject interest falls to
Unexpected end.”
They stepped inside, the doors shut…far
Too cumbersome. She eyed him crossly. “And
The presence of Lion Men…on the ship
Failed to raise your brow, your thoughts?”
He looked at her with cautious suspicion…
“So is that your purpose then…the
Lion Men? Just what exactly was discussed?”
She nodded to his device. “Just take
Me to their command bridge.”
Immediately the lift rose…Varence was not
Happy…he did not like being absently informed.
He could not read her more advanced trained
Mind…And she was more guarded than ever.
“Why can you not tell me? Is it the Lion
Men or not?”
“Your precious timing may interfere with
The mission.” Ceres told him as the lift rose…
“Then how am I to guide you?” He
Asked bitterly. “We cannot change the
Past.”
“Who says we are?”
“The purpose?” He repeated.
“The command bridge.” She only said firmly.
Ceres would not break to him.
“You do realize I have the advantage?”
He asked boldly.
She laughed. “You do?”
“I know the ship, the time…that’s critical…
For your plan.”
“I am not sharing details. You had your
Chance long ago.” Ceres said coldly.
He frowned, almost angrily, but said nothing…
The lift rising in silence.
Then suddenly the confining box-like
Carriage stopped…the doors opening to a
Very active deck…Two crew men had requested
For it.
Ceres quickly studied the two tall blond
Men who could not see them…Firmly
Built, chiseled features…wavy blond hair…
Slate gray looking one-piece uniforms that
Were frayed at the cuffs and edges…
From years of re-use by prior generations
Of Adam slaves…The two men were
Quietly talking, almost shyly…of details
About their work…They were science crew,
Discussing some cultivation procedures of
Plant life from their greenhouses…
But outside the lift…the deck was very busy
With crew hustling about…Ceres noted as
Much as she could before the doors shut
With their two new companions…
It was some sort of social-retreat deck…
Where the crew are…relaxed, talked…
Engaged in calmer off duty activities…
Even a few pairs of out in the open
Carnal pleasures…She was shocked at
How brazen these Adam slaves were! She
Could sense their desperate lack of morals…
Their brains were entirely programmed by
Duty and similarly a hormonal intensity
That occupied all thoughts; they literally
Thought of nothing else but sex and
Work.
The doors shut, the lift rose. Varence watched
Ceres study the men with weak fascination…
A frown on her face intrigued him
Though… “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“They are your people.” He politely said.
“How does this make you feel…to see them,
These Adam slaves…of the Sava…
Descendants of the Danu?”
She looked at him, squinting… “How do
You think?”
“There is nothing you can do.” He calmly
Said, suggesting she pitied their…circumstances.
“I had hoped for more cunning minds.”
She said, studying their thoughts carefully.
“But they are literally…full slaves…Their
Minds hold no protest at all to what
They are or do.”
“What do good slaves think about, Ceres?”
Varence offered. “Work…follow protocols…
Peer pressure…service…follow the herd…
Do not stray in thoughts or actions…resolve
All unsettled feeling by engaging in physical
Pleasures…That is the slave mind.”
She eyed him savagely… “I realize that.”
Again he fought to ask. “Ceres…what is
The purpose here?”
Silence…then the lift stopped, the two crew men
Exited onto a busy deck of bland faced
Blond men engaged in strict work duties…
The environment was depressing!
Then they were alone…and the lift again
Rose for the command bridge… “I will tell
You when it happens…”
Varence was annoyed and fell to silence, he
Hated being left out of details…Then finally
The lift rose to its highest level…
Where they exited upon a somewhat
Busy command bridge…
The level was very numbly busy with blond
Men busy with dutiful work…there was
No fooling around here; it wasn’t tolerated.
The uniforms were tattered from generations
Of overuse…Everywhere they looked…fit-looking
Blond men of similar handsome features…
And very controlled limited minds; absent
Of any complex emotional minds…
Varence led her the way that he
Recalled…to the command center…
She was the only woman in sight, and
None of the crew could sense her presence
At all! All men…but oh she could sense
Their minds…highly controlled…limited…
Obedient…every spare thought obsessed
With sexual ideas…relief…How disappointing
To her.
And then Varence led her to the command
Center…where he stopped them with
A gesture and a nod. “There you see them…
That is the commander…There is Cain…
And there…on the right is…Hollis.”
Ceres’s manner turned…from wit to wonder,
Then very serious. Her mind vexed from
Senses scanning the men…she stepped
Closer…Eyeing the subjects carefully…
First Cain, the closest…She studied him,
His expressions…then went deep into his
Mind. “What a scoundrel!” She
Exclaimed, scanning his mind. “Such a
Brooding little boy inside! He was bullied…
Then became one…How disappointing…
And typical!” She shook her head… “So this
Is, was…Cain…What a myth he could
Inspire!”
Then turned her attention next,
Completely to Hollis…She moved closer
Carefully…studying every detail. “You
Never mentioned his facial hair,” she said
Of the fuzzy shadow to his jaw line and
Upper lip… “He is very handsome looking,
Apart from the rest…Clearly a favorite to
The crew.”
“So is that it then?” He asked her.
“Your mission was to study Hollis and
This Jansen?” He could see how utterly
Fascinated she was with him as he
Stood at the strategy table…unaware
Of her…blind to her presence…
She only scowled at Varence. “Just bide
Your time and try to control yourself…”
She laughed. “And try to keep
Your clothes on.” Then she returned to
Studying Hollis…Yes, he was a matter
Of keen interest…Her eyes met his,
But he never saw…as she reached far
Into his mind…scanning, studying…
Searching…Then she was struck hard…
As if by some invisible lightning…so
Hard that she withdrew a step back…
Yet held her eyes upon him strong…
Varence tensed. “What is it?” He asked
Of her shocked manner.
Ceres tensed, tilted her head…her
Eyes locked upon Hollis… “His mind…
Is so…it’s not like the others.”
“What then?” Varence asked…As the
Crew around them went about their
Work oblivious to their presence.
Ceres studied Hollis, his face, his expression
So different than the other men…
He was truly in another state…apart
From slave, apart from men…lost, a
Prisoner to an emotion he had never felt
Before…sad, hopeful…alone, yet…not.
“He is truly…absolutely in love…and it
Frightens him…” She confessed to Varence…
“A rare soul…captivated by intense
Emotion…How moving…I have never seen
It so utterly intense before though! This
State of love in his mind is so over-
Whelming to him…Magnificent…Powerful.
So rare. It scares him. He is afraid,
So afraid anyone will see…”
Ceres held her jaw tenderly… “A rare
Soul…he is literally seeing his true self
For what he was…is…and hopes to be…
They call it…a blessing when this
Happens…Powerfully transforming…
It’s changing him.” As she studied him
In this state, he was a prisoner too…
She felt so powerfully moved by the
Depths of his sincerity…It was
Magical to her…Not what she
Expected…Still…
Varence watched her closely, she seemed
Almost nervous. “What is it?”
“You said in his life…he remained to
This love for this Jansen?” She asked.
“Yes.” Varence answered.
“And he never fathered children, not
Ever?” She asked…sadly.
“No.” Varence told her… “He was…
Devoted.”
Ceres nodded quietly…then withdrew
A small syringe-like vial from her
Pocket…Then gently raised it to the
Back of Hollis’s neck…pressed it to
The base of his skull and took the
Sample intended.
“What are you doing?” Varence asked
In shock.
Hollis flinched, touched the back of his
Neck.
Ceres then slowly held the syringe-like
Vial up, studying it carefully with a
Smile. “What am I doing?” She smiled.
“Bursting a Quantum Singularity
In time…” She smiled widely.
Varence’s eyes went wild, wide…His mind
Raced…then he saw it. “That’s Brilliant!”
She nodded… “Truly a powerful, unique idea.”
“That’s what this was about?” Varence asked
With awe.
Ceres smiled, then put the vial in her pocket…
Still watching Hollis as she moved beside
Varence… “In part.” She truly was mesmerized
By Hollis, his emotions… “Such a rare thing…
To be transformed…by a reflection of
The true self…by love…it is a rare
Gift…”
Varence watched her, then Hollis. “But surely
Others have been changed this way…
Why him?”
Ceres sighed a laugh as she looked at Varence…
“Because he was the beginning…Can’t you
See? As I told you before…to see it…
He was the beginning…of the Adams.”
“Ah.” Varence nodded, seeing the masterful
Formula the assembly must have strategized.
“To burst the bubble…Something from
The start must be…re-introduced…But
How will you do this?”
Ceres only smiled silently. “I…we, need to
Review some other things…”
Varence was catching on… “Jansen then?”
He briefly eyed the others. “But what of
Them, the other men…The commander?”
Ceres quickly scanned the man… “He is a
Scoundrel in disguise. I don’t need to look
In his eyes.” She did briefly turn to a
Nearby crewman at his station, the com
System. She peered into his eyes without
Him seeing. “And this one…as I suspected
Is like the others…Full of programming…
Duty…Protocol…and personal satisfaction
Only…He lacks depth, and the will to
Think beyond it…in many ways a drone…
He will never break the chains of slavery…
Like so many…” She turned to Varence. “Now,
Do you see? The limits…They work…and
They fantasize of self satisfaction…
The slave mind.”
Varence nodded. “Yes, well…that is common
Everywhere…on the ship…the world we
Watch…among other places.”
“Let us go…” She pointed… “It’s disappointing
Seeing so much…lesser graces…”
Varence led her back to the lift where
They descended to the deck where he remembered
Finding the greenhouses and the science
Teams; his memory was fantastic for the
Ages. Soon they had come to the lower level…
But when the doors opened they were struck
By the powerful aroma of greenery…Ceres
Sighed with relief. “Finally a more pleasing
Scent! More appealing than that of sweat,
Grease and chemicals…it’s almost a drug
To the senses.”
But as they walked on they passed a
Commons area…of open space, tables, chairs…
Recreation…some form of cafeteria. There,
They found quite a number of men of
All types…ages, builds—from lean and
Fit to thickly muscled. They laughed loud
And seemed to be at some nasty game
Of teasing…The bigger ones, brute miners…
Pawing and knocking down the smaller
Men for fun…
Ceres watched the bullying and cringed. “These
Giant idiots…are they like the ones that
Managed by some miracle to survive to
The ground…before the Lion Men finally,
Justly bit their empty heads off?”
Varence nodded. “Yes…That is them…Some
Of them…I witnessed this before as well.”
She watched as the teasing turned uglier…
Building to some form of carnal game.
“Do they have any brains at all?”
Varence smirked. “They are but a product
Of their programming.”
She insisted they move on before she
Was tempted to break the rules and
Snap their beastly necks…And so they
Walked onward, unseen… “In all the years
You watched the beginning of Earth’s
Colonization, habitation of these Adams and
Eves…how long did it take them to change
And break this behavior?”
“Honestly…I cannot pin point a time.” He
Confessed. “In truth sometimes I think this
Hazing behavior of the strong dominating
The weak never left their programming…
Bullying was inherent throughout the ages…
From the time of the Ancients…as well
As after the Cataclysm and the reshaping
Of the new race into Metahumans.”
“So tell me then,” she asked, “Do you think
This behavior is a modified trait in all of
Our descendants? Did the humans that
Fell to the Empire fall influence to bullying
And self satisfaction…or do you think it
Was always there?”
“You are asking me to judge the human
Race entirely?” He laughed.
“Just tell me.”
“All that I can is this…” Varence
Confessed as they walked calmly on… “From
What I’ve seen…The Eves of Earth, in
The beginning were formidable…strong, they
Were not bullied…in fact they were highly
Trained in combat and if anything bullied
These men…”
“Such is the way of the Draconian Matriarch
Society…” She added… “Strong females…cold,
Aggressive…But the human race?”
“You know as well as I do,” Varence said,
“That the beginning of all pitfalls of any
Race…starts when prejudice is born…
Single sex environments encourage this…
Once a race separates the sexes and treats
Them differently it is doomed for endless
Further prejudices…Early human worlds
Such as the Sava, were NOT like that…
Slavery did that…separated the sexes…
Then condemned humanities causes
And virtue…Was it in our nature? It’s
Everywhere…Once poisonous thinking is
Introduced…it is difficult to overcome.”
Ceres laughed. “Which is why so many
Avoid the Earth! Poison spreads too easily.”
Varence laughed… “You have been following
The current Pleidian caste system…That’s
Why non-intervention practices spare them…”
She rolled her eyes. “Tellus would shock
So many worlds!” She laughed.
They reached the larger greenhouse bays…
This area was much quieter…The
Ceilings rose higher to accommodate an
Abundance of plant life in the arboretums;
No doubt to enrich the ship’s oxygen supply.
They paused as they reached a screened
Platform that overlooked a vast area of
Vigorously controlled tree and plant life…
A time-space garden world for such a cold
Steel heartless looking ship.
“Marvelous.” Ceres complimented of the
Sight. “Finally something of note.”
Varence scanned the arena…gardened rows
Of vegetation spread left and right. There
Men in over-worn aged uniforms
Scattered in small teams tending the plants
With water and fertilizers…He scanned for
Familiar faces… “There!” He pointed to a
Small cluster of men to the far right. “Do
You see the taller curly-haired blond, broader
Built man? The one who stands out
Among them? THAT one is Jonath…” Then
He nodded to the two beside him… “And
That one to the right beside him is
Jansen…do you see how he stays so
Close to him? Janeth is to the left.”
Ceres nodded as they headed for the
Small distant group, all the while studying
The men. “Jansen does have a sweet face…
As does Jonath…Something about them
Though…so alike…like brothers…”
As they neared the men, Jonath startled
Them by suddenly walking straight
For them carrying a flat of seedlings…
Ceres eagerly raced to meet the man’s
Face…It was always about looking
Deeply into their eyes, this manner of
Eye contact told so much to them; even
To this day…Eye contact betrayed all
Secrets to the prudent seer…After all
It is one of the powerful senses; one easily
Manipulated and tempted as well.
Jonath stopped at a readied space
For planting, Ceres immediately lunged to
Stare into his eyes like a predator…
As Varence casually scanned the arena
With his pocket device.
“I don’t understand.” She said. “You said…
Clearly he has strong feelings for this Jansen,
But…his mind?”
“What is it?” Varence asked.
“It is not like Hollis.” She informed him
As she withdrew her examination of
His eyes. “There is something else…A
Desire…almost programmed…a yearning
To love…I don’t know…There is devotion,
But it’s different…Almost like a
Family bond…Scan his DNA please?”
Varence immediately took readings on his pocket
Toy.
Ceres theorized ideas. “Can you scan Jansen
There from this distance?”
Varence followed her request…and
Was shocked at what he found. “They
Are in fact…related…I believe shared
Parent hosts were used.”
Ceres nodded. “I suspected.”
Ceres began to aim her mind to
Jansen when suddenly a very loud
Gentle alarm sounded…Then all the
Men kindly settled whatever they
Were working on down, and immediately
Filed out of the greenhouse area,
Including Jansen and Jonath.
“Now what is this?” She asked.
“Work shifts are over.” He told her as
They stood still watching. “They are no
Doubt heading for their quarters…”
“I need to study him.” Ceres nodded.
“Just wait…give them a moment.” He
Said calmly. “I know where they are
Going…Follow me.”
They then followed Jansen like two silent
Stalking predators. He walked kindly,
Jansen’s entire manner was so humble…
“They all move so strangely to the
Sound of the alarm…You can sense the
Relief!”
“The slave day ends.” Varence laughed. “You
Really are not familiar with this?”
She paused to his question as the men
Around them filed quickly out…
“What do you mean?”
“Their work day ends…They are eager
To retire to recreation.” He told her,
Amused by her lack of knowing.
“That’s how it is…was…and is still…They
Know nothing different.”
“That’s awful!” She said.
Varence smiled. “One day they will…And
Believe me…massive changes will occur…
And the wheels will turn in an entirely
New direction!”
She struggled to see his point. “Hurry now,
Take me to Jansen’s quarters…I need
To see something.”
Varence took his time guiding her…deliberately,
Knowing full well what they would
Encounter…and he wanted to avoid her
Response…
They passed more crew areas…All the men
Were eagerly retreating from stations, there
Was no hesitation. They found a new
Secondary lift…Then Varence slowly
Took her to the crews’ living quarters…a
Deck of rows and rows of modestly
Sized rooms…where off duty living was
Barely tolerable…The ship was designed
That way…To encourage off duty
Activities to be as boring as possible…
At the far end were the Officer’s quarters…
Where there were larger rooms…and
More rewarding accommodations…The
Benefits of superiority!
It hadn’t taken long…but when they arrived
There was a strange silence in the air…
Hollis’s door…
Ceres pointed, “Is this the one?”
He gestured for her to wait, “Allow me to
Go first.”
“Why?”
“Just allow me, please.” He said.
She eyed him curiously, he clearly knew
Something…he even seemed to laugh…
Secretively.
They moved through the door, phasing
Through it like ghosts; a concentrated
Skill of the astral crystals…Inside the
Doorway he held out his hand for her
To stay behind him as he saw what he
Thought he would…
Hollis and Jansen were lying in the bed
Together talking…
Ceres studied the two…sensing how they
Must have eagerly wanted to be together
This way. She was taken aback. “They
Just got off duty…and they’re in bed
So soon?”
Varence laughed to her. “Ah, it is but
The love you so admired.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She scoffed. “So fast?
Look at them,” she said of the two, “They
Are just lying there talking…they could
Not have done anything.”
Varence laughed. “You really need to watch
Something other than animals, Ceres…if
Only for a little while.”
Hollis lay beneath a blanket…The bed
But a few feet away to his invisible guests…
His mind lost to a world of smiles and
Contentment…he truly just loved being
With Jansen…Truth be told they had not
Done anything, despite Varence’s suggestion…
It had become common practice for
Hollis and Jansen…After work, to simply
Undress and lay in bed and talk…and
Talk…
Jansen was beside him…content with
His companion…But Hollis was silent, he’
Just laid there smiling, stroking Jansen’s
Hair…
“You have the biggest smile on your face.”
Jansen laughed as he watched Hollis. “You
Keep doing that…Every day now…You say
Less and less and only smile more…
Talk to me…Tell me what you are thinking.”
Hollis only laughed. “No.”
“No?”
“I want to make you guess.” Hollis
Laughed and smiled.
“Is this some new game of yours?” Jansen
Laughed as he climbed out of bed to get
A drink…adjusting his shorts…
“Where are you going?” Hollis tried to grab
Him.
“I’m thirsty.” Jansen said as he laughed and
Pulled away…started to walk across the
Room…And then…froze…turned and looked
At the doorway…directly at the
Invisible guests…he saw nothing…and
Yet…silence…His mind moved mysteriously…
“Ceres?” He asked. “Is there a Ceres
In the crew?”
“What?” Hollis laughed.
Ceres jaw dropped. Varence’s eyes went wide.
“He said my name!” She exclaimed.
“That’s impossible!” Varence immediately
Scanned Jansen with his device.
“How could he know my name?” Ceres panicked.
“There is no psychic activity.” Varence panicked.
“Do not move at all!”
“The crew,” Jansen asked, puzzled, “Is
There a Ceres?”
“Cres?” Hollis struggled with the name.
“Ceres.” Jansen corrected.
Hollis thought for a second, he knew almost
All the names…yet it was a crew of 10,000…
“That’s a strange name…I don’t think so?”
“How could he know my name?” Ceres asked,
Stepping back closer to Varence’s side… “I’ve
Never been here before…this ship was ages
Before me…even two days before you arrived?
I’ve never said my name to anyone…other
Than you?”
Varence continued scanning him… “Nothing…
Nothing but the standard brain activity…
The programming should block all psychic
Response…Usually.”
Jansen remained fixated at the doorway…staring
At the empty space…He could swear
Something…was there?
“What are you looking at?” Hollis asked,
Sitting up in bed with concern watching him…
“Nothing.” Jansen said. “Something. I don’t know?”
“What?” Hollis was confused.
“This makes no sense.” Varence fell to intense
Thinking…he saw, understood no reason to it…
“Talk to him…” Ceres suggested Varence try…
“Talk to him?” Jansen repeated the mysterious
Words.
Ceres gasped…Varence’s eyes bulged.
“Talk to who?” Hollis asked. “Talk to me?”
“Talk to him.” Jansen only said with
Strained confusion… “A voice said…Talk to him…”
“What?” Hollis struggled with his words.
Varence pulled Ceres by the wrist closer to
His side. “I don’t like this.”
“How could he hear me?” Ceres asked, growing
Nervous…
“Hear you?” Jansen again grabbed the words.
“Who…Me?” Hollis asked…
Silence…tension filled the air…Varence slid
His hand over Ceres’s mouth, quite a joy to cover
It for him honestly, then whispered, “Don’t
Speak!” They watched the two men
Desperately…watching…sensing for a clue
As to what was happening…
Jansen said nothing but stared hard at
The doorway.
Hollis stood and went to his partner’s side…
Studying his face… “What is it?”
Jansen shook his head… “Something…
I don’t know.” He grew scared.
Hollis touched his shoulder… “You’re cold…”
Jansen took a step towards the doorway…
Varence immediately pulled himself and Ceres
A step back…then Jansen took another
Step…And Varence did the same…
Finally Ceres yanked Varence’s hand from her
Face and snapped, “Will you please stop covering
My mouth!”
“Covering your mouth?” Jansen asked.
“Covering my mouth?” Hollis asked confused.
Varence and Ceres simultaneously eyed Jansen
With wild wide eyes. “He hears you!” Varence’
Had to confess, “He clearly hears your voice!”
“But how could he?” Ceres fought the obvious…
“He can’t see us…I haven’t looked into
His eyes…”
“Looked into my eyes?” Jansen said the
Words seriously… “See…us?”
“Who are you talking to?” Hollis asked as
He followed his eyes to the doorway…then
They both stared…
“This is too much,” Varence insisted, “We have
To go…we have to go now!”
Jansen furiously studied the doorway…There
Was nothing there! “I heard no words…But
I said the words…My ears didn’t hear the
Words…something else did.”
Hollis was completely lost. “What?”
Ceres held the moment…suspended in time…
Watched Jansen’s face…then struggled to see
Into his eyes from where she stood…a depth…
A clue…reasons…What was inside him? He was
Different…but why? How? His face echoed
Some clue…his voice echoed some clue…
In all that he was, as he stood there…echoed
Some clue…Then she dared speak again.
“Say my name…”
A drawn out pause…Jansen struggled
Hard with words…thinking he never knew.
“Ceres.”
“Ceres, who?” Hollis asked.
It was too much, Varence grabbed her hand
And pulled them backwards into the hallway…
Where, seemingly safe outside…they could
Speak… “Have you lost your mind? Risking
Some alteration to his thinking?! He never
Uttered your name in all the time, the ages
That I watched the Earth!”
“It is impossible!” Ceres insisted.
Varence frowned. “Is your wit and reason
Suffering some loss?” He laughed. “He said it!”
“But I’ve done nothing!” Ceres could not
Understand… “It makes no sense!” She
Struggled to think… “Time…has it begun?
I’ve but only taken the sample of Hollis to
Take back…Your memories…have they changed?”
Varence wondered on her question… “No…
Everything remains the same?”
Then the door opened and Jansen charged
Out into the hallway…urgently searching
For an explanation… “Is someone there?”
Varence pulled Ceres away… “We are leaving!
Try to control your mouth for the sake of
Time and reason until we are from his ears!”
Furiously she gave in and then followed
Varence to the end of the hallway…turning
Back once…to see Jansen’s face. What
Was happening? Then they turned the
Corner and vanished away from the
Scene…where she found her anger
In return for Varence’s abrupt hands on her mouth.
“You enjoyed that far too much!” She
Spat.
“What?” He asked, guiding them
In the direction of the lift…
“Covering my mouth shut!” She said.
“A long overdue moment,” he mumbled,
“A rare opportunity for necessity and desire.”
“What?” She nearly screamed…
Suddenly they were startled by two crewmen
That appeared…exiting the lift right in
Front of them…They were pawing at
Each other with such a craze…it shocked
Them both…
Varence maneuvered to guide around
The hormonal couple…but Ceres halted
With a groan. “Oh, I just can’t see this now!
It’s too much!” She froze, focused her
Thoughts upon the two men…then suddenly
They fell to the ground…asleep.
“How magnificent!” Varence was appalled.
“We just fought the risk of a time line
Violation…and you…from faulted impatience
Seize yet another chance to push chances…
To render a pairing couple…asleep?!”
Ceres froze, scowled and arched her brow
Sarcastically… “They will hardly know the
Difference…a fantasy in sleep or awake…
Either way the climax would have
Brought the same end…If anything
Sleep and a brief indulgent dream would
Have rewarded their satisfaction more.”
Varence shook his head. “You really amaze
Me sometimes…with your conclusions!”
“I merely act more quickly.” She insisted,
Gesturing for them to move on. “And there
Is nothing wrong with my deductions…
You’re the one who draws things out
More…in riddles…endless wordy tales…
Like those two men right there…too
Much time spent for a moment…granted
For the ego…”
“Must you ridicule everything?” He asked
As they entered the lift, the doors shut and
He eyed her with a smirk.
“Ridicule?” Ceres laughed. “Must you judge
Everything I say or do? Spare the time to
Say your words more silently…and I will
Greatly respect your mind more.”
He shook his head. “Forgive me for speaking…
Oh enchanted one…My grace, my guide,
My lady…Where to now…The decks
Of an orgy? Would you like to put the
Whole crew asleep…or rather return to
Hollis and Jansen to corrupt their future
Lives with a few vague words?”
She grew angry and hit a button randomly
To move the lift… “Stop criticizing my actions.
We have purpose here.”
“Oh indeed we do.” Varence spat, standing tall
And flexing wide… “A wayward journey
Back in time…for a view of a pair of
Lovers that caught your interest from
My story…my work…my experience…
My position…without a choice mind you.”
“My, my, my…” She said sarcastically…
“Of course the great thinker it’s all
About you and what things your eyes
Put their stamp on…You are just so
Bitter you have no say in what
Happens here…put your hands on my
Mouth again…and trust me I will give
You a memory you won’t forget.”
“We had to leave…” Varence insisted AGAIN…
“Jansen heard YOUR voice…”
“And now I will never know why or how!”
She spat. “Has your memory changed?”
“No.” He said.
“Oh to put better things there I dare to dream!”
She told him flat. “Then history might
Be more forgiving.”
The lift stopped short…upon a deck where
A crewman requested it…They froze…
As if afraid to be heard now…when a
Strange scent filled the air…Ceres caught
The scent and quickly raced outside the
Lift…Varence followed…before the doors shut.
“What are doing now?” He asked with
Irritation.
Her eyes mad with new notions…resuming her
Minded mission, she ignored him and
Walked down the long, tall dimly lit hall.
“Well?” Varence asked. “Are you going
To tell me…or shall I—“
He froze, looked around…Then realized
Where they were… “This is the deck of
The Lion Men!”
She stopped…then turned to him and smiled.
“I knew it!” Varence shouted and
Pointed. “This was your intended plan
All along!”
She only smiled silently.
He raced up to her, standing closely to her
Face. “Ceres, you cannot do this…
Those Lion Men…It will change the
Course of events! You cannot change
The past!”
“I am not here to change the past.”
She very calmly told him. “I am here
To send a message to a distant future…
That’s part of the plan to burst the
Time bubble…hidden in time…
Like a clock they cannot see or deny…
It is the only way…it must be…”
Varence became hesitant, cold…abrasive.
“What exactly are we heading into? What
Aren’t you telling me?”
Ceres held her stance strongly… “He that
Knows time so well is asking me now…
About time? About chances? About
Why I’m here…About what’s
To come? FINE…I will tell you then
Master storyteller…The clues have
Been but so obviously, carefully placed
Everywhere…In this Leo that comes…
For those that so boldly wait…or badly
Rather…Things are going to explode…
It’s not a good time to get angry…
But for those patient and true of
Heart…pleasant surprises will keep
Coming…They were chosen…
Those that didn’t make the cut will
Fall off…And the rest will show their
True colors…How’s that?”
He swallowed…As they stared each other
Down…Now it was a matter of who knew
More…Wasn’t it always?
Valiant
