Solbidyum Wars Saga 9: At What Price (51 page)

The twins surprised me by asking me to relate all that had transpired in the past, going back as far as my original departure from Earth.  They said they were repeating my words on their end of the DSC system so a transcription device would record them as written text.  They insisted that it was necessary, so future generations would know the history that had preceded the rebirth of their home world of Earth.  They said that my story – our story – must be preserved and shared for all time as the founding truth for the restoration of the Federation.  It is in response to this request that this document exists.  This completes my history to this point and from here on I shall relate events as they happen.

*****

It’s been more than a week since I started relating this history.  I’m glad I started it immediately, because my memory is beginning to lose its sharpness as the effects of my last treatment wear off.  Already I’m starting to notice slight tremors in my hands.  A’Lappe informs me that we’re about three days away from our destination.  Ming and his accompanying fleet have been right behind us all the way and I’ve noted that he’s stationed fighters to guard each of the Stellar Gates that have been erected along the route to hasten their return once the solbidnite field has been revealed. 

I’ve been wondering just exactly what Ming is going to do to secure the enormous solbidnite field as his own, once he has it.  Maybe he hasn’t figured that out himself yet.

I’ve noted during his periodic calls that his own condition is worsening, as well.  He seems to lack the ability to sit up straight now.  At least my own condition isn’t that severe at the moment.

Kala has been wonderful and has shown far more courage and resolve in this ordeal than I would expect from anyone.  Her love sustains me, but I deeply regret that she will have to die with me.  I’m helpless to do anything about it and my heart is breaking to know that this beautiful woman will be gone from this existence in a few days.

A’Lappe has also shown tremendous fortitude.  Except for some very serious periods when he’s working on the
TRITYTE
’s power source and GW drive, he seems to be taking everything in stride and appears to have no regrets at all.  Nearly every day he sings songs to Kala and me.  Some of them are quite funny and they cheer us a lot.

*****

A most miraculous thing happened today.  A’Lappe, Kala and I were having a rather intimate conversation about the actions we had planned for the last moments of our lives – what we thought would happen at the moment of the explosion and what, if anything, our existence would be like after death.  I had just shared that I didn’t really know and that I’d always more or less assumed that once we died it was all over, but that after the death of Luinella, Kala’s sister, and the… well…
dreams
I had of her, I’d begun to question those beliefs.  I was about to say something more, when from the back of the Control Room I heard, “I’m surprised that you’ve forgotten our conversation, Man Who Speaks for Thumumba!”

Kala, A’Lappe and I all turned our heads at once to see Thumumba seated in one of the rear seats in the Control Room!  He was dressed in a white uniform, not much different in cut from the mercenary suits that Kala and I were wearing.

“Thumumba!” exclaimed Kala and I in amazement.

“Didn’t I tell you, Tibby, that when the time came, I would be here for you?”

“Well… ahh... yes but I never really thought about it,” I stammered.

“Well, you should have,” he scolded with a gentle smile.  “The universe has no intention of letting you die or cease to exist,” he exclaimed.  “Nor do I.  We need each other and I plan to see to it that none of you ever die, though you must accept that you will cease to exist in your present forms.”

“I do sort of remember you talking about that before,” I said.  “But perhaps you can repeat it for Kala and A’Lappe.”

Thumumba nodded and began to explain.  “Kalana, do you recall when you lived on Desolation the star that was undergoing massive solar flares?”

“Yes.  I recall Alle Bamma’s representative, Regata, telling us the flares had something to do with an entity much like yourself that dwelled within the star, but this being was not yet mature enough to communicate or understand what was going on,” she responded.

“Correct.  This entity is one of the many forms of evolving life that exist.  The universe and all the intelligences in it form a collective energy or consciousness that is thought of by most sentient life forms as God.  That consciousness has decided that when the three of you die, you will be elevated and reborn into this form, an energy being such as myself.  I am here to assist you in that transition.  Normally, the intelligent entity or
soul
that occupies a humanoid life form, such as yourselves, requires many incarnations to arrive at this transformation, but your case is a quite special because of the lives you’ve lived and what you have accomplished, sacrificed, and what you are about to sacrifice.”

“Will we still maintain the knowledge we have now?” asked Kala.

“Yes and no.  At first you will not.  You’ll be like small children, but as you grow and develop your understanding, you’ll slowly regain your memories of the past.  Think of it as temporary amnesia.”

“Will we always be stuck in a star?” asked Kala.

“Does it look like I am stuck in a star?” Thumumba asked with a smile.  “You will be like me.  Eventually, you’ll be able to take on any form you desire.  Personally, knowing A’Lappe’s quirky nature, I can’t wait to see what forms he chooses to manifest.”

“You mentioned that
we
need each other.  What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Ah, you were paying attention, Tibby.  Yes, I need you too.  I know your plans and what you intend to do once you reach the solbidnite field.  I’m ready to take the next step in my own evolution, but I need help to do it.  You see, I require the energy of at least a supernova to make my transition and I don’t want to wait billions of years for my own star at Alle Bamma to reach that point.  However, the explosion created by a reaction at the solbidnite field will release more than enough energy to manifest my change.  I will have a moment or two before I make my actual transition, where I will be able to collect your life energies and place them into newly created stars.  There your energies will mature, until one day you will be as I am now.  Your stars will be near enough to each other so that once you have sufficiently matured, you will be able to communicate with each other as you do now.  If you so desire, you will be able to slowly build worlds and even take on human or other forms and walk on these worlds you create.  You shall not die.”

“But what happens to you?” I asked.

“I move on, I take on more energy and become a more active and cognitive part of the collective consciousness, just as the three of you will someday, trillions of years in the future.”

“Sounds like an awfully long time,” said A’Lappe.

Thumumba laughed.  “Not at all, little one.  You will find the time goes by quickly.  Time dilates differently with each advancement you make.  For you, centuries will be like seconds and millennia like minutes.  It will never be mundane and it will always be amazing.”

“If it’s so amazing, why do you want to evolve?” I asked.

“A’Lappe, I think you can answer that question,” said Thumumba.

“Curiosity,” said A’Lappe.  “Simply because we are seekers, and the seeker is curious.”

Thumumba nodded but said nothing.

“So what exactly will happen?” asked Kala.  “What will we feel?  Will it be painful?”

“Birth is always painful, but we don’t remember being born,” said Thumumba.  Seeing that this answer brought Kala no comfort, he continued, “What you will experience the briefest microsecond of searing heat and pain, after which you will be thrust into blinding white light.  Then a warm peace will settle over you.  You will fall asleep and stay sleep for centuries, while your mind is cleansed and you assimilate to your new life form.  Then one day you will wake up an ignorant child and you will kick and twist and turn and learn about your new environment.  Eventually, you will begin to learn and reach beyond yourselves and before long, you will all find each other.  When that happens, old memories will begin to return.”

“So by the time we become cognizant again, all our children will be dead?”

“Not dead, but certainly changed.  Over time you will be able to find them again if you wish, but it’s unlikely they will recognize you or sense your presence, unless you decide to manifest yourself to them.  But at some point they will transform into beings like you, and then you will be able to communicate with them once again.”

“So we’re not going to die, but our bodies will cease to exist.  You’re going to stuff us into newly formed stars inside the nebula that will be created in the explosion of the solbidnite, when we sacrifice ourselves to destroy Ming and the Brotherhood.  We’ll evolve into something greater.  We’ll sleep for millions of years, only to wake up and find out our kids won’t be here – at least not like they are now and not in a way that we can interact with normally – but in a few million more years they will be,” I said.

“Sounds like you’ve got it, Tibby,” said Thumumba.

“Actually, I only paraphrased your words.  I really have no idea what it all means,” I said.

“An even greater truth, Tibby, because none of you can truly know what it means until after it happens.”

*****

“Hi, Reide.  I’m glad I’m able to talk to you, as it looks like we’ll reach our destination shortly.  So this will probably be our last conversation, at least for several million years, if Thumumba is right.”

“Don’t say that, Dad.  I don’t want to hear that.  Something will happen to fix this, I know it will.  Something always does.”

“It’s nice to believe that, son, but it isn’t always realistic.  Nevertheless, I want to tell you how exceptionally proud I am of you.  I couldn’t have asked for a better or smarter son, nor a braver one.  I’m proud of the way you’ve stepped forward in times of need and danger and you haven’t once hesitated to do what’s necessary to protect life and defend liberty.  I love you, son.”

“Stop it, Dad.  I’m no hero and what I have done is nothing compared to what you’ve accomplished and sacrificed.  I’m sure in a few weeks you’ll be home and the war will be over and we’ll be kicking back with Marranalis in The Locker, downing afexes and laughing about how this war ended.”

“Well, I hope you’re right, Reide, because I really don’t want to leave you, but just in case, know that I love you and Lunnie both so very much.  Now, can you let me talk to Lunnie a while?  Then you mother wants to talk with you both.”

“Hi, Dad.  What has Reide all upset?  He’s bawling like a baby!”

“I guess he just doesn’t like goodbyes.  Listen, Lunnie, we’ve almost reached our destination and this will probably be the last communication you get from your mother and me.  I want you to know just how much you mean to me and how much I love you.  I am so deeply proud of you and Reide.  It seems like only a week ago that we were all living on Desolation and you and Reide were playing in the underground house there.  It seems like only yesterday that Reide messed up your styling wand and turned your hair purple.  You’ve been such wonderful children… you’ve filled my heart with more joy than you will ever know… and I am so, so proud of you.  You amazed me at Megelleon the way you tore through that hoard of Brotherhood warships took out all those fighters and asteroid-ships!  How did you learn to fly like that?!”

“I don’t know, Dad, I just got angry and then all at once it became just like when Jenira made us practice swords and she told us to think of the sword as an extension of our body.  I did that with the ship and the rest is history.  Dad…please… I don’t want you and Mom to die.  Isn’t there some way to save yourselves?”

“I’m afraid not, Lunnie.  But your mother and I aren’t afraid.  We’re just sorry we don’t have more time with you.”

“Dad, do you believe that stuff that Thumumba has told you?  You know about you, Mom and A’Lappe living forever?”

“I don’t know, but I guess it won’t hurt anything to believe it at this point.”

“I hope he’s right, Dad.  I’ll be looking forward to seeing you and Mom in a few thousand years – or however long it takes me to reach your level.”

“We’ll be waiting for you… you and Reide both.  Now your mother wants to talk to you.  If you don’t hear anything from us again or from Ming, you’ll know we succeeded.”

“Dad, one more thing.  I want you to know that if you succeed – and even if you don’t – I plan to do all I can to restore Earth to what it once was.  It will be my way of honoring you.  I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, Lunnie.  I have to go.  Now here’s your mother.”

*****

“My name is Luinella Renwalt, daughter of First Citizen Thibodaux James Renwalt and First Citizen Kalana.  I am here today to relate to all of you the events that immediately preceded and followed the explosion that created the great Hoye’ Aah Nebula.

“Under the threat of annihilation of billions of Federation citizens if they refused to comply, my father, mother and A’Lappe yielded to Ming’s demands and led him and the bulk of the Brotherhood leaders deep into space to the enormous solbidnite field that Ming wished to monopolize as the most valuable known resource in the galaxy.  It was here that A’Lappe had planned to manipulate the
TRITYTE
’s small power source and GW drive to hopefully trigger an explosion powerful enough to incinerate Ming’s entire fleet and ignite the vast cosmic reaction that would consume the solbidnite.