An Ecology of MInd (34 page)

“As none of these people were seen as immortal, and they usually did not just disappear, I obviously became very, very good at faking my own deaths.”

Michael’s body transformed and in his place was a very convincing mutilated corpse.

"But," said Chris, "I saw you as a baby, right after you had been born."

Chris stared as Michael's body shifted and transformed into a newborn infant, floating in the air.

"Transforming into a fetus or infant is not difficult once you think of ways around my limitations.”

“What limitations?”

“I still have to have my brain. It won’t fit into an infant head, so I change the shape of my brain and have part of it inside the body. I can move matter
itself so don't have to have muscles and a skeleton if I choose not to. With my abilities, I can alter or fake any tests that may be done such as blood
tests or x-rays, so the infant seems a totally normal human infant. Really small bodies, like insects or birds can be done by just creating as a remotely
controlled puppet while the real me is nearby or below ground and manipulating it from a distance. If you get inventive, and stop thinking only in terms of
your original body, you can do lots of things.”

“The man you knew as my father was one of my other selves. His wife was a wonderful woman who I loved deeply, and she wanted a child. I wanted to continue
with the resources that I had built up with previous incarnations. The money is not important. I can create gold, diamonds, cash or any physical items at
will, but the family had a history and social connections. Those take time to create."

"A logical question about now would be why I did not make my mother immortal. I admit freely that the version of me that was her husband, loved her. I only
recently derived a way to do that, but it has limitations. You may have noted that during my history, I had, for the most part, kept my actions unknown to
the world of normal men. I have no desire to rule the entire world as some sort of undying immortal Emperor or to mold everything in my own image or to my
whims."

"I believe it is important to let humanity run its course as it chooses except in limited ways where it conflicts with my plans or agendas. Totally
ignoring my own life and goals for the sake of humans is not reasonable either. Immortality raises a number of issues and creates many problems if you
start to follow the consequences through logically. There have been many that I have loved over the millennia. All, were a corresponding loss."

"That is the end of the first part to the story, and I will pause here to answer questions. What I have told you so far is merely background information
and sets the stage for more current events. While we discuss what I have told you, would you like anything to eat or drink?”

To Chris’ right a large table with food of all sorts appeared and a variety of drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic were there as well.

“I’m not that hungry. It's a shame to waste so much food.”

“You have to adjust your thinking when it comes to me Chris. When you control matter, things like waste and wealth have no meaning. If I will it, it
exists. If I wish it gone, it is gone. There is no intrinsic value in it to waste. I understand your sentiment, but it does not apply in this case so eat
and drink as you please, or don’t, it is totally up to you. Personally, I think I will have more scotch.”

LEADER 1* ORDERED HIS SHIP back into space leaving the planet with the strange entity far behind. He was shaken by what he had experienced. The entity had
expressed a number of concepts to Leader 1* that he was having difficulty understanding. He had absorbed the information of the life pack that the entity
had given him. The more he thought about the information, and the concepts expressed in them the more he seemed able to grasp what the entity had seemed to
mean, but the concepts were so odd when compared to his species normal assumptions. The concepts of friend or ally were unknown, but while Leader 1* had
gotten the strong impression that the entity was very much to be feared, he did not get the impression that it meant Leader 1* or his species harm.

The moment the ship had been back into space Leader 1* had ordered the jump back to the Sector Command that he, and his ship were assigned to. It was
located on a large space station in a system that had been pacified and colonized nearly two centuries before. This particular Sector Command headquarters
dealt with matters from thirty star systems. It governed all trade within the zone and acted as a base for exploration by ships such as Leader 1*s.

On arrival, before his ship had even been allowed to dock at the space station, or he could communicate with his superiors; he was given orders to take his
ship and jump directly to the home planet. Central Command wanted to speak with him immediately.

The entity had told him that they would probably want to speak to him right away. He had doubted the truth of what the entity had told him but to have that
fact confirmed, suggested strongly that the other information the entity had given him might be accurate as well.

Leader 1* had never been to the home world. His status within their society was not high enough to have warranted it. He was hatched on one of the worlds
managed by this Sector Command. Through a combination of hard work and making a series of good decisions; he achieved his current position as commander of
a scout ship.

On receiving his instructions, he ordered the navigator to enter the coordinates in the home world's star system. As another indicator of the importance
and urgency his superiors placed on seeing him, he had been directed to use the jump point reserved for high-priority couriers.

After jumping into the Home System, the ship moved immediately to the specific orbit they had been assigned to. Once in obit, he had received new orders
and had transferred to a smaller shuttle. He left his second in command in control of the ship. While Leader 2* might technically be a better choice, his
status, if any, had yet to be determined. He had considered briefly the idea of taking Leader 2* along but had decided against it. He would let his
superiors decide if they wished to see the duplicate of him that the entity had created.

The smaller shuttle craft transported him to a landing port for priority traffic to the Capital. Upon landing, he was met by his Sector Commander and two
soldier units. They were escorted to a land transportation pod and delivered to Command Headquarters. His Sector Commander did not seem much more
comfortable about being there than Leader 1* felt. There was little said but Leader 1* could sense that he was agitated.

Command Headquarters was an imposing structure near the Palace. Leader 1* had seen them both in life packs several times, but physically being here had a
larger impact on him. For him to be this close, even as a visitor, to the Triad and the centre of government, carried great honor within his culture.

When the ground shuttle arrived at the Headquarters complex, they were escorted through a series of long hallways to a large high-ceilinged room. It
appeared to be a planning centre of some sort. He noted the presence of numerous high-ranking units and one unit which according to his insignia was the
Supreme Commander, Central Command. An assistant informed the Commander of their arrival, and he came over to speak to them.

The chemicals of greeting from the Supreme Commander wafted over Leader 1*'s sensory organs along with those that demanded complete obedience to a highly
ranked unit.

"You are the Leader * that was exploring the new star system and discovered this being or creature?"

"Yes, Supreme Commander."

"This creature appeared at the palace of the Central Triad. The communication chemicals of our speech just seemed to appear out of the air. It told the
members of the Central Triad that it was from a planet that you were investigating. It informed the exalted members that we should avoid the star system
you were investigating for the foreseeable future. This creature stated that you would have more information when you returned."

The Commander communicated further. "In what it referred to as a demonstration that its message should be taken seriously, this alien then in some way
altered the entire floor plan of the Palace of the Central Triad. Nothing was broken or damaged, and none were hurt, but the palace was completely
reconfigured. It seemed to alter and reform into different spatial configurations. All treasures and art were untouched and remained but the hallways and
rooms themselves were altered.”

“The architecture of the Palace somehow still incorporates all the proper designs to allow it to house the Central Triad without insult. The changes,
however, have caused a certain amount of confusion and exploration to adapt to the new configurations.”

“The Triad is extremely annoyed with the military for allowing this threat to successfully reach them unchallenged.”

“We do not understand how this was done or what we are dealing with, and have ordered you here for more information. Report what you know of this."

Leader 1* was unnerved by the description of what the entity had done and felt the chill of fear again. As on the planet, they had discovered it on, it
displayed an ability to manipulate matter that was far above anything that Leader 1*'s species was capable of. It was obviously able to travel to the Home
Planet as well, despite the defenses in place.

Leader 1* had prepared a life pack for whoever he would be reporting to. He had started preparing it, as soon as they had left the alien planet and had
been adding to it during their trip to the Command Headquarters. Leader 1* passed this to the Supreme Commander.

The Commander took it and spent a few minutes analyzing its contents. "If there had not been the incident at the palace, I would think that your brain
function was damaged or impaired. You indicated that there was a life pack from what you call the entity that was sent for us?"

"Yes commander."

"Give it to me."

Leader 1* passed over the life pack that the entity had indicated was for his superiors. Again, the Supreme Commander spent a few minutes analyzing the
information encoded. When he was finished, he communicated to Leader 1*, "This alien that you refer to as the entity is clearly a threat. Much of the
information in the life pack was similar to what you reported but there was more detail included with the instructions to avoid the star system you
visited. It also included detailed demands on how to deal with any future contact with the species from that planet."

"While much of what was communicated was very clear, some of the message made no sense. Its referral to strange concepts of what it referred to as
equality, friends and allies seemed to be irrelevant. Do you have anything to add to what we know already?"

"Sir, I had a number of conversations with the entity while it was learning our language, and it does not think as we do. However, it seems to be extremely
powerful and with not knowing the full extent of its abilities it is dangerous to risk angering it. I have been thinking about some of the strange concepts
it describes and at first look they seem illogical and unworkable. After examining them further, I think I am starting to understand some of what the
entity is trying to convey. I would recommend sir that we treat this entity as a special case and not proceed in our dealings with it as we normally
would."

“We shall. Normally, we would either remove the offending species through a designed virus or in extreme cases would destroy and sterilize the surface of
the planet. This entity has exhibited advanced abilities, and we feel those options may be unworkable and fail. Instead, we have decided to jump numerous
anti-matter missiles simultaneously from several star systems directly into the core and body of the planet you investigated.”

“The precise navigational data to do this has already been obtained from your scout ship, and the timing has been arranged. There is no way to detect them
coming or to intercept them this way as there might be if we launched them from orbit at the surface.”

Leader 1* paused considering this and then replied, "I see no flaws in the plan nor any way in which it could be guarded against by the target planet.
Something the entity said to me though makes me hesitate. It said it did not wish us harm and merely wished to have its star system left alone. Perhaps it
is not necessary to destroy the planet."

“The strong survive and the weak are destroyed or used. It is the way of the universe. You know this. It is information provided to all units right after
hatching. This entity seems to have contaminated your thinking.”

The Supreme Commander made a signal with one appendage, and the two fighter units moved forward to receive instructions.

“Take this Leader * for immediate execution and disposal.”

Leader 1* understood the need to remove the thoughts that were considered potentially dangerous or damaging from the species. Through life packs they could
be spread so easily. He accepted his fate and passively followed the one fighter unit while the second followed behind.”