Robert Jordan wrote,
The Wheel of Time turns, and
Ages come and pass, leaving
memories that become legend.
Legend fades to myth, and even
myth is long forgotten when the
Age that gave it birth comes again.
The Wheel of Time, Book 1: Eye
of the World, Robert Jordan,
Page 1. ©1990
The high priest of the one god, the Most Watchful, the Most Enlightened, Ariel sits in meditation with all his subordinates around him. He is reclined in a very high tech lounge chair at the center of ring after ring of his subordinates. Incense rises from services performed, blessings are announced, prayers offered by those who will take the next shift of observation, strategically placed at intervals throughout the observation.
The chairs enhance the ability of the watchers, enable the observers to extend their range throughout the breadth of the known realm, the whole of the universe and beyond for the protection and expansion of the realm, to protect the Lord of All and those in service to him, including his relatives, lords of parsecs. The technology of those with no name as a people for humility is so great, so powerful, so beyond our comprehension the observers look for misuse, look for physical threat, look for spiritual threat and the chairs enable the observers to intercede anywhere in the universe and beyond. For the sake of clarity, we will name them the Humble.
The chairs enhance the ability of the observers to communicate with beings uncountable, certainly in the billions, upon billions, upon…
You might think that the priests of the temple are like Big Brother or some persecuting organization but they are not because technology is so advanced that every repercussion is examined to not cause ill effect, to prevent disaster or even more important nullify any disaster from ever happening. There is no penalty imposed for it would stop the advance of technology for the good of all but if danger is detected the beings of the Humble and lesser creatures stopped by the priests by force if necessary until supervision arrives. Whatever effort or work ceases and will be turned over to a higher authority even if it means reaching Shzar and waiting for his answer as guidance.
Ariel spent most of his time as observer watching the Lord of All, the Most Humble and all the interactions associated. The Most Humble also sat in a recliner chair the Throne, very much like and compatible with Ariel's.
At the palace, around the Most Humble in rings more numerous than at the temple, were the Lords of lesser degrees of humility and lesser in age and wisdom as well, only unlike at the temple of Shzar, their presence was virtual or perhaps spiritual might be a better description. Moreover, unlike at the temple, the Lords were out and about the demesnes throughout the universe. In addition, like the Most Humble who had four identical siblings from his litter, the Lords all were members of litters. In this way, the Most Humble and the Lords that served were allowed time to rest and live normal lives. They descended to planets or other venues always connected to their siblings and wives.
It was at that moment when a Lord approached the throne, of the Most Humble, a Lord from one of the furthest realms, “One (Short name of the Most Humble) our demesne projects to run out of suns in less than 10,000 years. On mark it is 9,998.3215834095395 standard.”
“Noted 5291708327111432,” One replied. “A plan of action in response is under formation.”
All names were pronounceable even if it seems to us a number, and names have meaning even though they seem to be a number.
“One, we have encountered a strange form of life, if it is life at all? It is intelligent most certainly but like nothing. It contacted us in our quest across the infinite void to find another universe. None of our sensors or ourselves has any awareness of this nothing except when we are out of our chairs at rest, disconnected.” Lord 4444217633339999 said.
“Visualize please,” Ariel ordered. Then to a group in the nearest two circles, join please.
“There is nothing to visualize other than a strange directionless random foreign thought pattern that may be called temptation, followed by invisibly caused accidents where crew members report being struck, or devices failing,” Lord 4444217633339999 reported.
“Visualize please,” Ariel, repeated joined with his two rings. “That is, 4444217633339999 relive the events in your mind, your thoughts.”
Ariel captured the memories of specific events and while relived, the circles attached to Ariel reached out for other crewmembers.
“Conference,” Ariel asked the support rings.
“Verified as unknown intelligent contact,” Each member of the rings of support reported independently, “Attempting to establish species to species communication, crewmembers evaluated physically and mentally.” Five reported, “No recognized form or physical nature but some crewmembers have created a false Humble-oid image.”
“Let us verify each crewmember personally, and then report,” Ariel ordered. Then he said to Lord 4444217633339999, “Is it possible for the explorer to withdraw outside the void and break contact, establish a position, return later if authorized?” “One, we will have to verify the safety of this new form of intelligence with Shzar.”
“Are you ordering a safety stop?” The Most Humble, One asked.
“Contact certainty is unknown. How will we determine if we have broken contact and it is merely remaining silent?” Lord 4444217633339999 asked.
“While attempting to break contact put all resources toward creating some sort of sensor to quantify the new intelligence,” Ariel said.
“Ariel, since they have no certainty of contact-“, the One was interrupted.
“There is certainty there is something though we think it is nothing. The physical attacks prove that something is there.” Ariel continued, “We have encountered gaseous species before and perhaps it is possible these are something like those and our technology cannot yet determine what it is, this nothing with intelligence. Perhaps, a simple device can determine if an intelligent force can answer questions such as responses given yes or no. Instead of attacking crewmembers maybe a simple tilt device or some such interaction of gaseous state will shed light upon what they encounter.”
Five members of the rings said at once, “I can feel its presence.”
“Disconnect, physical observation required, send replacements.” Ariel ordered to the five. Addressing the Most Humble, “One, that has never happened before. Another life form reached into us. A full stop of penetration of the void is ordered until we contact Shzar and receive permission to continue.”
“Agreed,” One replied to Ariel, then to the Lords about him, “A full stop of other void exploratory missions is halted until all data and effects of the new lifeform, err, intelligence is determined. It may be superior to us. We don’t know.”
“Agreed,” the Lords' decision was unanimous.
“We have managed to penetrate the spirit world, subspace, from our universe,” Lord 222222222222222222 excitedly announced, “With a ship!”
“Can they return?” Ariel asked. “Since it is obvious the ship can send back data, communications? Upon returning, we order a stop.”
“But this is the first time we have succeeded and by accident! Shouldn’t we continue?” Lord 222222222222222222 asked.
“It is not much good if the crew and the ship have no way to return, is it?” Ariel asked.
“But they are in the spirit world!” Lord 222222222222222222 continued, “However they entered, we find it is a parallel universe much like ours and verifies the religion we hold!”
“Odd coincidence a new intelligence from nothing is met at the same time we penetrate a parallel universe, the spirit world.” Ariel ordered, “Lord 222222222222222222 order a return if possible immediately- A stop for data evaluation and safety.”
“But they can see the throne of heaven!”
“Lord 222222222222222222 orders an immediate safety stop, now!” The One said, “Council of Lords vote.”
The Lords immediately tendered a full agreement for a stop minus Lord 222222222222222222.
“Lord 222222222222222222 the council agrees,” the Most Humble, ordered, “Stop, and return if possible.”
“The stop and attempted return is underway,” Lord 222222222222222222 replied.
“We will add that to our request to Shzar Lord 222222222222222222,” Ariel said. “We will notify the council and Lord 222222222222222222 of our permission as soon as it is received and understood and be certain to report if there are any incidents similar to the expedition of Lord 4444217633339999.”
“We have discovered sub-sub quanta.” Lord 3333777777777777 announced.
“Lord 3333777777777777 Stop for evaluation,” Ariel ordered.
All in all, it was a very big day in what might be considered to be 10,000,000 BC in a universe far, far away. Ariel and the One had a private conversation scheduled, a rare personal meeting, the agreement to meet concluded when the One asked Ariel on a private channel, “This may be one of the days with our greatest advances ever in our history. I will come to you.”
Ariel knew immediately why the Lords elected the One the Most Humble. He also knew that the temple Shzar was the only place in the whole universe where a conversation was truly private. “Will you have accompaniment, One?”
“Yes,” was all One would say. Very important development, the One arriving at the temple to speak to Ariel personally. This would not be a public worship event, though disguised the meeting might be as such.
Then the One said, “We declare a holiday for the discoveries made today, except for the projects in mention, the scientific teams, and of course, those enquiring of Shzar, with your permission?”
“You have our entire permission, One, the Most Humble,” Ariel said. The meeting required all the litter of the One to attend. Was he announcing his, their, retirement? Whatever the reason for the meeting, retirement not discussed or called by the Lords or the priests, Ariel would know soon. Perhaps the meeting had to do with the discoveries.
Ariel’s replacement for observation stood next to his chair.
Many people think that communication with countless souls at once is not possible but the cellular structure of the Humble was very similar to ours, except they had the DNA of cats and persons like Ariel and the Most Humble were giants with brains of a quadrillion cells. The arch width over the room of observation in the Temple of Shzar was well over a mile. Ariel looked up at the top of the arch ten times higher than his head. The sky seemed dim for some reason. The Sun was not dim when he entered his shift to bless the observers at his station.
He stretched after he stood from his chair. He turned and blessed his replacement observer, Aariell, the second of his litter(Notice the naming convention) with the standard blessing, then turned to leave because he was hungry and tired. While he walked to his room in the temple complex, “It is the remainder of the number of Suns in our universe,” Ariel thought to himself.
It would be a day before the One arrived, declared a holiday and the meeting took place. That left plenty of time to enquire of Shzar. What Ariel did not expect was the swiftness of the response of Shzar, which happened when he finished eating and without asking, that is when he approached the altar of questions and knelt, Shzar answered before Ariel asked. Shzar answered all three quickly, immediately and Ariel was not certain he understood the answers except for one. Shzar said, “Those who entered the void are lost forever. I give them permission to destroy themselves. Never enter the void again. Never have any interaction or dealings with those in the void. Never!”
Preface Link
Introduction Link
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Original work written for Steemit based on a Facebook published outline. Nothing and Something Copyrighted ©2020 Jeff Kubitz – All Rights Reserved and may not be republished without direct written permission.
