*SONG* “Eye in the Sky” by the Alan Parsons Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNiie_zmSr8

It was one of those nights when everything
Felt heavy and I couldn’t keep my eyes
Open…I don’t even remember laying down…

There was smoke, the air was so thick
That I couldn’t breathe.
There were explosions, the sounds of
A thundering angry sky, of shaking
And cracking ground, and the awful

Sounds of people screaming. It was
Deafening, it was so loud and vivid it was
Impossible to believe that it was a dream.
How could a dream be that vivid, that
Loud? How could that be happening in
Your sleep?

I couldn’t see clearly, even my vision was
Shaky and blurry from the chaos all around.
I was struggling to stand, to see, to make
Sense of anything. I was in some kind of
City…but not any I knew.

The buildings were tall and seemed built
Mostly by their surface, of glass…
But I saw no concrete or steel…it was
Some kind of stoney construction…like
The deserts of the American Southwest…
The buildings resembled some sort of adobe
Style…and they blended in with a
Flat street and sidewalk that was perfectly
Leveled…

The sidewalks were equal to the streets
And wider than any I ever saw.
The streets were narrow, as if they had
No frequent use for machines or cars, in
Fact I saw no cars, or buses or vehicles
Of any kind. All that I saw
Were people running and screaming in
Terror…racing in every direction, some
Covering their heads fearing falling debris
That was pelting the ground. I had no idea
Where this was…but it sure looked like
Some kind of war was going on…It
Was a city in the midst of destruction.
I had no clue why I was there at all.

What struck me most was the people…At
First because of the shaking I wasn’t sure I saw
Things right…The smoke from the explosions
Made me squint and my eyes water…I had to keep
Focusing and rubbing my eyes. It sure felt
Real, like no dream at all. The people, their
Skin was a rich pinkish-red…it couldn’t
Be that way, I kept staring at them
And studying them as they ran around
And raced passed me. I had NEVER
Seen skin their color before…pinkish-red?
But the texture and tone of their skin
Was normal, was it some kind of movie?
It didn’t seem like they were wearing makeup.
There were subtle tones to their skin, variations
In their complexions that would have made it
Nearly impossible for makeup…And their hair,
They all had the SAME color hair? The old, the
Young…men, women, children, every age and
Size I could see…Their hair was a creamy
Beige color…thick, worn in different styles;
Long and short…even their haircuts looked
Strange? Cropped bangs, sharp not frayed…very
Neatly curled shoulder length hair almost
Like a standard among men, of the men and
Women…some seemed to display a more unisex
Look to them…

Even their clothing was odd! A creamsicle
Orange color that almost all of them
Wore…But some wore more elaborate tunics,
Again both men and women shared
All styles…Despite the chaos of them running
Around and the explosions, they were a
Very striking looking people…There was a
Very intense Native American feel to them
Somehow…something of an appreciation of
Nature…it was hard to explain, you could
Just feel it about them…

But those explosions! Blasts going off all
Around…The smoke, the falling debris made
It hard to stay calm. I just wanted to
Run and hide like these people were,
No matter how curious I was. And the
Sounds of rumbling in the sky, of the ground
Shaking beneath my feet also made it
Hard to think. What was this place?
Was it real? It was too elaborate looking
To seem made up.

And what was going on? A war? How? Why?

I just kept hiding behind things, a big
Box like structure here or there. I had no idea
What they were, only that they seemed good
For cover. I moved around as much as I
Could trying to see, to understand, no one
Seemed to see me though.

I just kept watching the people run, run
Into buildings, run for cover…in pairs, individuals
Or small groups. They seemed very careful
And mindful of each other’s safety. Not once
Did I see anyone trampled. In fact I
Repeatedly saw them helping each other.
If someone fell, another person nearby
Would stop to help them, guide them on.
I had never seen such quick and
Considerate concern before. Who were these
People?

The explosions kept getting louder, the
Shaking worse. Yet more and more people
Kept racing by, coming from further
Down the street…They were running
From something I could not see, but it
Was all so unclear…The only palpable
Thing in the air was panic, desperation,
And terror.

At one point I fell behind some kind of
Box by a couple of benches…When I went
To stand up there was a woman
Running by. She froze when she saw me,
Her eyes bulged. Then she stared
Me down, studying me. She had
The most amazing, almost glowing
Chartreuse colored eyes…

“Where did you come from?” She asked me,
But not with words! She asked me
Silently with her mind, telepathy!
“You shouldn’t be here!”

I tried to respond but all I
Could do was listen…

“You shouldn’t be here.” She kept saying. Then
She was peeling open my mind inside out
With her mind. I could feel it! Then she was
Nodding, she seemed to find the answers
She was looking for. “Oh I see why.” She
Said to me, “Look then, see, pay
Attention.” She ordered fast. “Make
Notes. You won’t ever forget this. EVER!”

“Who are you?!” I finally said.

Her arm shot out pointing to the ground
And then to the sky. “Them! They’re here!”

“Who?” I asked.

“Listen to me,” she said, “There’s no
Time!” I could feel the panic in
Her voice…She was not only talking to
My mind but conveying every emotion
She felt as well. She was terrified! Not just
By what I saw, it was much more complex.

“I don’t understand!” I told her…
This woman, who seemed 30 something,
But fit and trim and very smart; brilliant
Even.

Her face became intense, and despite the
Chaos she focused her mind to send me
Images…memories, thoughts, feelings…
Way too complicated for speech. It was
Like some huge documentary, but in
Fast forward…

She showed me details of her race,
Her world. They were a peaceful,
Nurturing people, living at one with
Nature, a powerful deep sense of peace
Within them. They were an advanced race,
Highly telepathic…

They were a trusting people, too trusting.

Some years ago…they were approached
By visitors from deep space…from far,
Far away…Making big promises, lots
Of big promises and they took advantage…
And lied…This foreign power
Only wanted their resources and the
People as specimens for
Some kind of research. This was all
Some kind of Invasion!

“Beware them.” She said. “Beware
The Destroyers. Beware the Triangular
Ships. They are not your Friends.
Beware them. Tell people. Tell
Anyone that will listen. Beware
The Destroyers! Beware the Triangular
Ships! The Evil is coming! They’re
Everywhere!”

“How can I tell people that?!” I begged her.

She kept sending me images from her mind,
It was an overload of information as the
Smoke and explosions continued all around.
There were whirling buzzing sounds in the
Air, ships flying overhead that I couldn’t
See…and the cries of screaming people, her
People, everywhere.

The pictures she sent to my mind…emotions
With them…first of hope turned to fear
And regret. Her blissful people’s existence…
Blindly preaching peace and hope, never considering
The darker side of things. They never knew
Anything different for generations. They knew
Nothing of liars, of deception…They were a
Telepathic race…such things did not exist
Among them. They did not understand the
Concept of deceit or withholding information.
These invaders had come disguised with
Friendly faces, human-like? They offered
Friendship and technology. But what they
Really wanted was her people’s genetic gifts…
Their DNA…

She showed me cascading images with lightning
Speed…of a Eden world living merrily for
Years with little knowledge of space. They had
Not ventured out into the stars yet, so these
Space visitors were seen as a miracle. But
There was something cold and cruel about them.
They showed little emotions.

For decades a slow process of integration had
Gone on with her people and theirs…As the
Visitors slowly, unknowingly corrupted her
World. It began with the young, poisoning
Their minds with selfish, reckless pleasures…
Greed, materialism, then lastly war games
And violence…through seemingly harmless
Games of competition that gradually grew
More bloody and violent…The easiest way to
Pollute and corrupt a world was to poison
Their youth…slowly this way, with
Games that dissolved the senses…appealing
To primal desires…sex and survival.

The old were led astray differently, by
Materialism, indulgence and technology…
Make them weak and lazy…dependent
On technology…make them shallow, make
Them vain…Indulge them, withhold…preach
And lie to them. Then give them more, then
Stall, take it away and repeat the process
Until all they cared about was more, more, more…

Nations, once peaceful, began to fight, disagree
Constantly. Unity in their world broke down
Until no one trusted one another. And each
New generation that came along was more
Corrupt, more greedy…hormonal and warlike
And competitive…until all anyone wanted
To do was fight, play games, have fun,
Collect treasures…party…

There once spiritual system began to break
Down as their religions reflected this as well…

Only the purest souls remained untouched by
This, as foretold by their most renowned
Spiritual leader…A man known as the
Star Elder…

Into each generation was born a handful of
Exceptionally gifted children, prized for their
Heightened telepathic and psychic abilities.
The Star Elder was the greatest gifted of
Them all…It was said he could see all, be
Everywhere…even into the vastness
Of the universe itself. He warned of
The coming of the Dark Ones, but on a
World that never knew evil…They could
Not recognize it until it was too late. The
Young denied the old ways, as did the
Governments as greed and materialism
Consumed them with fantastic new technology…

More explosions, more smoke, it was
Difficult to concentrate. But she kept
Communicating with me. I was locked in
Some kind of mental union with her as
She forced me to see, hear, feel everything
She knew no matter what was happening
Around us.

“You have to listen,” she insisted to my mind,
“You have to hear this…that is why you’re
Here. That is why you’re seeing this.”

“But how did I get here?” I asked her. “Why?
This is awful, I can’t do anything.”

The ground shook, so did the sky. What
Was happening. A horrible sense of dread
Filled her, then me…as she knew…it
Was coming to her world, an end.

“There is no future that exists for my world
Anymore.” She said. “All that we were
Is lost. They will consume us, and this
Will all end. Can’t you see, that is why
You are here.”

“What? Why? I can’t do anything to help
You.” I said.

“No, you can’t. You’re not supposed to. Don’t
You understand?” She said to my mind.

“But that makes no sense, so why show
Me this, the end of your world? That’s
Just the worst—“

“No one can help us, it’s ending.” She
Said, “It was unavoidable after all that
Happened. All that I can do is show you
So that you can tell others.”

“Tell them what, this?” I screamed in my
Head. “People will think I am nuts! Crazy!
No one will listen.”

“You have to tell others. Make them listen.”
She insisted, “If they won’t listen, then
You make them…You tell them once, then
You tell them again, then you tell them
Again! Then you tell them again!”

“Some story about an alien world ending?
About Triangular ships? About Destroyers?
What do they look like?”

“I just showed you,” she said with words
And images, “To us they came with
Friendly faces…The technology, the games
And lies.”

“But I don’t know how to explain that.”

“Just tell them what you saw here.” She
Insisted. “You’re seeing what you’re seeing
For a reason. Does it feel like a game?”

“No.”

“Does it feel like a lie?” She asked.

“No.”

“Then you do as I said and you tell them.”
She pushed the words deep into my head.
“Then you tell them again and again
And again. Make them listen. My people,
My world is lost…all worlds will be too
If they don’t listen. If they refuse to listen
They will be lost. If they won’t even
Consider it they are lost. This is not a game!”

The connection was broken. The ground
Shook, I slipped and fell, there was
Choking smoke. She turned and ran
Into a nearby building. Then there was
A huge explosion inside and the building
Began to crumble…

The connection severed and I woke up
Scared to death.

Puzzled, shaken…The words are a puzzle
On the paper. The voices came, familiar
Voices and now the notebook has a mind
Of its own…

“So are you going to tell them?” Ceres’s voice
Asked, though I could not see her.

“I wrote it. The words are there.” I write.
“Why now? People will think this is nuts.”

“Ah,” Brishan’s voice said next. “And
Wisdom and sense is broad and common
On Earth now, is it?”

“Huh?”

“He’s joking.” Ceres laughed. “He does have a
Sense of humor, my brother. When he’s not
Eating.”

“Appropriate, Ceres. Appropriate.” He said.
“Write the words anyway. Tell them.”

“There’s always a reason,” Ceres went
On, her voice…I had never noticed it
As much before. It was very soothing,
Very calm, yet strong. “Thank you…Now,
Don’t worry. Just trust it. Write the
Words and tell the story then pass
It along as always.”

“But why this now? They’ll think I’m
Trying to scare them.”

“If they think that they’re not
Paying attention to anything.” Brishan
Said. “No one is saying the world is
Ending, not here, not right now…”

“Listen to the light as well as see it,”
Ceres said. “It has a voice too…And
Remember what she told you in the dream.
There’s a reason there…You tell them. And
If they won’t listen, then you tell it again
Anyway. Then you tell it again, then you
Tell it again and again.”

“Oh joy. Is that the reason, this is the
Season?” I asked. “What does that say
For the New Year?”

“You want a more blunt statement?”
Brishan stated firmly. “Fine I will
Give you one. Change is happening on the
Earth now…people are waking up. The
Dark Forces that have conspired and
Corrupted things for ages are being
Challenged. They don’t like it and
Will resist and try to make things
Difficult…in many ways…But as you’ve
Said before…They have shaped their
Own defeat…By blindly ruling for
So long they created their own demise…
If the darkness rises, so will the
Light…So if they want good advice…tell
Them to sit down and shut up.”

“Oh, That was blunt.” Ceres seemed
Amused.

“I was trying as best I could.” Brishan
Laughed.

“You’re saying these changes are inevitable.”

“No,” Brishan corrected firmly, “I’m
Saying the rules have changed and will
Continue to change if they want to be
So aggressive…The words will fall on
The right minds…Kindness now, we insist.”

“I’m sure the point will be made.” Ceres
Added.

“Besides…We have stories for you to tell.”

“More?” I asked.

“For now, light…abrupt, easy.” Brishan
Said. “It will be enough to digest.”

“Perhaps you should suggest something
With a ball for them?” Ceres asked.
“Maybe roll something around.”

“Ah,” Brishan laughed. “Yes…and
Say if financial concerns are so important
To them…Perhaps they should be for
Us as well…Apollo is there after all…
Though he will return.”

“Must that happen so soon?” Ceres asked,
She did not seem pleased.

“This is his post.” Brishan said.

“Can’t you have him go count the stars or
Something?” She asked.

“Ceres.” He said sternly.

“Fine. Wonderful. How magical.” She responded.
“I shall eagerly await it.”

“Oh, and one last thing.” Brishan said.

“Yes?” I asked.

“If I am aggravated. So many others
Will be as well…That’s all I have to
Say. Nice and simple this time. Your
New Year is coming. Relax. Enjoy it…
We’re looking into making it easier
For you…Rest now. My Best Wishes
To Everyone.”

“Everyone?” Ceres asked curiously.

“Everyone.” Brishan said with a
Mysterious tone.

Valiant