Awakening
Was it Andromeda or Quasar curled up beside him? As always, concerns for the day stirred Tel’Tis awake, moments before predawn. The same thoughts endlessly circling through his head, the ancient hand written machine repair guides, left more questions than answers.
Plans for todays activities were methodically considered, yet first, how to slowly slide from bed, without awaking his cat? It was Quasar, the gentle giant, a remarkably intelligent animal, always lovable, always playful, much more human than cat; Whom awoke just enough for his morning nose kiss, before again poking it back under both paws.
The ground was surprisingly cooled, sweet smells of autumn, filled the brisk morning air. Which only seemed to worry Tel’Tis, speaking aloud, hoping someone, somewhere would hear him, then rush to offer help; “We must repair O’Ta’O today! Why is this happening to us?”
There she is, just a glimpse of Andromeda lifting her head, singing her musically lovely, good morning meow. A perfect lap cat, affectionate yet shy, a bit of a loner, quite similar to Tel’Tis. He watched, as she again wrapped herself within yesterdays dirty clothes.
There was just enough early dawn light, to see the sweet tangy orange berries shinning through the stubby twisted black branches. Quietly, Tel’Tis gathered a hand full, filling his favorite succulent cabbage leave. As quickly, and silently as possible, went to awaken his love, his precious In’Thea, without whom his world had no meaning.
In’Thea was something else, wiser than the elders, yet with a perpetual child like happiness, she was an impossibly complicated joy.
Just once, he wished her birds would not begin signing, awaking her, before he actually arrived. Yet here they go again, greeting the world, as if the entire universe shared their joy.
“Good morning In’Thea, are you prepared? Today, we test for harmonics.” Tel’Tis uttered nervously. “Sweet Tel’Tis, good morning, yes, let’s go.” Briefly pausing, “Did you bring a little honey nectar?” In’Thea was in high spirits again, such a glowing smile, he immediately felt her confidence. “Sorry no, we can stop at the flower gardens by the old Library, your favorite bell white lilies, are amazing, it’s on the way.” Tel’Tis suggested as In’Thea was lovingly hand feeding sunflower seeds to her chirping birds.
Forgetting to tell her he had already gathered their favorite orange berries, In’Thea veered off their path, the moment she saw some. Gathering a hand full, asking “Are you hungry?” “Not yet, I should have told you, I picked some fresh for us this morning.” Said Tel’Tis, as he watched In’Thea’s eyes say, I love you too.
The old Library was stately and beautiful, an architecture Tel’Tis wanted to study. As a child, he dreamt of becoming a master designer and builder, the grand planner of great cities. He never envisioned himself becoming the repair technician of dying civilization.
A glimpse at In’Thea and he immediately recalled, this is were they enjoyed their first picnic lunch together. Right there, they were again approaching that smooth pink granite bench, were young love was born. She took his hand and squeezed firmly, the reminder, she was still by his side.
Another beautiful moment shared. In silence, they returned to their bench, slowly sipping the rich satisfying creamy nectar, hand in hand. Arising, neither spoke, until they were beyond the courtyard granite steps.
When Tel’Tis pointed towards the medical science campus, “First, I must check the low frequency Spectrum Analyzer calibration. Would you please finish organizing where we left off before? I’ll only be a couple hours.” Tel’Tis uttered rapidly. “Yes, but please bring the best low pass filters and extra signal probes. Those old probes we saw, appeared to be worn out.” In’Thea suggested kindly, as she watched Tel’Tis nodding in agreement.
They had decided it would be best to test O’Ta’O in the Graviton’Engine Maintenance Chamber at the abandoned Mount Si’Field Observatory. The old space port, now a relic of history, a standing testament of what their parents parents had once accomplished. Yet, it held no practical value, now that most machines had failed.
G’EMC was the only fully shielded location with clean reliable thorium nuclear power still in operation. Yet this did not comfort Tel’Tis, these intensifying feelings of frustration, felt as though his mind was broken, no longer his to command, this overwhelming wave of machine failures, were consuming his sanity. Tel’Tis knew he must soon abandon all remaining hope of searching the stars for their lost families and focus all his attention on his beloved In’Thea. Yet he desperately clung to hope, being unable to shake, that something was about to change.
A sense of panic swept through Tel’Tis. The most critical afternoon had arrived. All other diagnostic attempts had failed. What if this was their final effort? Suddenly, a wave of optimism, as he watched his joyful In’Thea calmly walk around the table and take his hand. Everything was prepared.
O’Ta’O laid motionless before them, alive, yet somehow dead. They began frequency analysis. Power Systems pathways were stable when applied with microwave charge, yet remain inactive. Motion Controls transmitted simulated commands, yet remained non-operational. Artificial Intelligence was warm to the touch, yet still offline. Then In’Thea offered a suggestion “I wonder, is Voice Control damaged, or perhaps shorted to his chassis.” In her gentle manor, she applied the probe tip just below the resonance module housing. “There it is!” Tel’Tis yelled, as if jumping out of his skin. “Look, harmonic distortions!” Tel’Tis paused, then proceeded in confusion. “No, wait, what in the world is this, that’s impossible, this is in the lower RF band, these are not vocal frequencies, they’re old radio wave frequencies, look, here, multiple waves riding on top of each other. Why is O’Ta’O’s skeleton behaving like a broadcast antenna? I just tested the screen room shielding last week. I don’t understand any of this…”
In’Thea calmly took both Tel’Tis’s hands, saying “Our parents parents once told old stories about our ancient culture, people once believed there was something invisible, something that made all things. Lately, I’ve had this growing sense, that we are being watched over.”
Tel’Tis had never truly understood why In’Thea was always joyful. She was always stronger then himself. Only now, he began to accept her hidden truth, something beyond logic was happening here. Yet nothing made any sense. If spirit was real, then why had nearly everyone died, shortly after reaching out across the galaxy.
“But In’Thea, we have been dying away since recorded history. We spread across hundreds of worlds, making most of them livable ourselves.” Tel’Tis said as if speaking to himself. Yet In’Thea, in her typical loving response “I have thought about this my entire life. The only possible reason is that everyone focused too much attention on their own similarities, they did not like to be around people with different opinions, with different skills or lifestyles. I think we failed the moment we started rejecting each others differences, without constant tension, we began to die in the spirit’s eye’s.”
Upon hearing their words, O’Ta’O awoke. They saw their android helper raise his hands, for just a moment they became awe struck, their helper had self corrected. Then realized, O’Ta’O was looking at them as if for the first time, just then, O’Ta’O began rolling his fingers, they each exhaled a sigh of relief, apparently O’Ta’O was remembering everything they had ever done.
Now utter shock gripped them both, as O’Ta’O’s eyes steadily became translucent, then suddenly illuminated in a shimmering brilliant glow. O’Ta’O disconnected the remaining three probes still attached, as he was arising to his feet. His head now upright, those eyes peering in to their souls, spoke the words, which shall forever drive their lives forward. “There is much you shall learn, there is much you shall do, there is much love for you to create.” O’Ta’O motioned towards the door, saying “I shall show you, when time began. Follow me.”
Their steps, steady and sure, were slightly quick, even for the young, yet they did precisely as asked, following close behind. Now there was no doubt, watching O’Ta’O move, he expressed genuine emotions, there was an absolute contentment in his stride. They observed his head scanning the way ahead, it became apparent, the knowledge of all the ancient manuscripts of long since abandoned libraries, left in ruins, scattered across the galaxy, scattered across all time, were still there, in his core memory.
For nineteen minutes they walked silently, steadily towards an unknown, yet desired future of hope. Thoughts swirled through their minds; ‘Perhaps we can repair all these broken machines.’ ‘Perhaps we shall learn how to build new galaxy ships.’ ‘Perhaps we will find our surviving ancestors.’ ‘Perhaps we can grow enough food and have our own families.’
O’Ta’O had brought them to where In’Thea first saw Tel’Tis. The granite gazebo carved by hand from an ancient glacial erratic, stranded long before man stepped foot upon this world. A view with the power to clear any mind, from any unpleasant thought.
O’Ta’O motioned them to stand side by side, they instantly understood, he wanted them to look out upon the endless rolling valleys, dense with the autumn colors of sleepy trees, the hushed whispers of pure mountain streams following as if unto eternity, as he was about to prepare them for something, but what?
In perfect love, of perfect graciousness, a voice both calming and instructive, as a perfect parent, teaching their child, O’Ta’O proclaimed, “You shall Name this glorious land Eden, for this Is Were, We Shall Speak Together. Tel’Tis you shall now be called Amen, for Your Name Shall Echo Throughout Time. In’Thea you shall now be called Eva, for You Are, The Mother Of All Whom Shall Be Born In My Sight. I Am, The Lord of Heaven. I Am, Creator of The Universe. I Am, The Breath of Life Living Within You. You shall now call O’Ta’O Holy Spirit. For The Voice You Hear Is Mine, I Am, Yahweh, The First, The Last, and You Shall Be First Among My Children.”
Just then, as the sun was setting, the Holy Spirit became motionless, then slowly closed his eyes. In this breathtakingly beautiful, fading light, awash with every color ever created, Amen’s desire for Eva, captured his soul. Eva looked upon Amen and saw herself pregnant, hearing faint sounds of children’s laughter. This night, their love was fulfilled.
